gluten free cooking

Summer Dinner Salad with Chicken and Green Beans

So there is a dish of leftover rotisserie chicken in my fridge.  Hot days mean I prefer no cooking whenever possible.  Something cool and refreshing like a salad would be nice; top with some chicken and you have a delightful meal.

Let me share a salad I made with the veggies in my fridge and some of that tender tasty chicken, my easy recipe is at https://myworldwithoutwheat.wordpress.com/2015/06/13/hot-day-slow-cooker-rotisserie-chicken-revolution/ or buy one if you prefer.  Use a salad dressing you enjoy but I want to give you my favorite recipe for vinaigrette; I keep a jar of it in the fridge and generally my company requests it for salad hands down over any bottled store gf dressing.

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Chunks of plump rotisserie breast meat ready to cut up into smaller pieces for salad.

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Angie’s Supper Salad (for one; double for two)

A big handful of fresh garden greens: I used loose leaf ones from the garden.  Use what you prefer but please, no ice burg!

2-4 radishes, cut into thin slices

Half an avocado, cut into it to create cubes and scoop out with a spoon

¼-1/2 cup slices of European cucumber; I like to cut them into half moons

1 stalk celery cut into thin half moons.

1/3 cup chick peas

½ cup diced rotisserie chicken

½ cup fresh green beans, steamed for 3-4 minutes until tender crisp; cooled

Directions:

I arrange the lettuce on a dinner plate.  Top with the radishes, cucumber, celery and then the avocado and chick peas.

Put the diced chicken on top and then the green beans; see picture!  Pour dressing lightly over the salad. Enjoy!

Notes: don’t cut the chicken into tiny or huge pieces; make them bite sized.  Don’t overcook the green beans. Swap out anything you despise for a veggie you prefer.   This is a good flavor combination though so if you like these vegetables you should adore this salad.

Vinaigrette Dressing:

Here is my basic vinaigrette recipe.  You can alter it to your tastes and leftovers keep for several weeks in the fridge.  I use one of those Good Seasoning’s jars but add my own ingredients. You can use any jar with a tight lid and measure in the ingredients.

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Fill it to the vinegar line with red wine vinegar, not cheap stuff (1/4 cup)

Add some filtered water to the water line (about 1/3 inch more or 2 tbsp)

½ tsp Dijon mustard or whole grain mustard

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp dried thyme or oregano

one garlic clove (peeled and mashed down a bit to release flavor)

1 tsp mayonnaise

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp sugar or 1 tsp. honey

Top off with some extra virgin olive oil, stop a bit before the oil line and finish it with lighter olive oil (total of ½ cup plus 1 tbsp.)

Shake it up really well.  It tastes best at room temperature. Try to remember to make it early so you can let it marinate for at least an hour before you use it.  Keep leftover dressing in the refrigerator. The mustard adds snap and the bit of mayonnaise helps the dressing stay emulsified (fully blended) longer than it would without the mayo.

Use the veggies you have and don’t sweat the proportions but don’t put too much of any one veggie in; you want them to be like treasures to be discovered in the nest of fresh greens all lightly coated with your tasty vinaigrette.  If you prefer another dressing choice I recommend trying to make your own green goddess dressing; lots of versions on various cooking websites like foodnetwork.com.  Make yours full of fresh herbs and it will be delightful with this salad.

Be creative and have fun making healthy and yummy dinner salads that will satisfy your appetite and keep you feeling great!

Hot Day -Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken Revolution!

Hot days of late, too hot to roast a fricken chicken.  No gluten free rotisserie chickens around here that I know of.  What to do if we crave roast chicken and don’t want to heat the house too?  It’s Super Slow Cooker to the rescue!  This is so easy, an eight year old could do it! You make a dry rub of spices, sprinkle all over the bird and stick some under the skin.  Plop it in the pot and let er rip for 4 plus hours.  How did it turn out? Great! Mildly spicy, flavorful, moist and tasty.  Best of all: no hot kitchen.  I ate it that night with some leftover potato salad and some veggies.  I think you could add more garlic, more spices or whatever you like to make different versions. Note to self; try a new version every time I make this bird and share my findings with you later this summer!

The next night I created a big salad of many veggie things with my homemade rotisserie chicken breast as the star ingredient.  Two nights later another salad with different veggies and more of the fabulous chicken topping it.  Then a day later I made a simple stir fry with pad Thai noodles, broccoli florets, fresh ginger in thin strips, zuke half moons, fresh pea pods from the garden, onion and a diagonally sliced carrot.  Oh and I used the rest of the chicken breast for the protein in it. The rest of the stir fry: I enjoyed a nummy good cold Thai salad for lunch the next day: I just added a bit of sesame oil and it was ready! Awesome!  No oven needed. Or wanted!

It is from my much thumbed through slow cooker cookbook by Carla Forbes. I know you will be pleased with how cool your kitchen stays and that it is safe for us gluten intolerant types.  For some reason most stores that sell rotisserie chicken add some gluten in the process.  I am guessing it is in the spice blend as is often the case with such flavor blends.  In any case, your homemade rotisserie chicken will be safe and succulent! And for anyone who doesn’t worry on gluten; well, this is a tasty dish you will love to have in your arsenal of hot weather entree choices.  I used a fat Wegman’s chicken and it sure has great flavor and texture for a decent price.

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Ready to eat and full of rotisserie flavor!

The bird is in the slow cooker and ready – has its olive oil drizzle! Here are some chunks of breast meat ready to be chopped up for the big supper salad.

Hot Summer Rotisserie Chicken

1 four pound whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry

2 tbsp. olive oil

————–

Spice blend: mix in a small dish

1 ½ tsp sat

2 tsp. paprika

½ tsp. onion powder

½ tsp. dried thyme

½ tsp. dried basil

½ tsp. white pepper

½ tsp. cayenne pepper or hot chili powder

½ tsp. black pepper

½ tsp. garlic powder

Directions: Remove any giblets and dispose of them how ever you like.  Just not gonna use them in this recipe! Or any I provide.  Ick!  Rinse the bird and pat dry with a couple paper towels.  Rub the spice mix all over the bird, pull back some breast skin and sprinkle the mix in there.  Sprinkle any extra inside the bird.  Place bird breast up in your six quart oval (not so good in round one!) slow cooker.  Drizzle the olive oil on top of your bird; all over it.  Cover and cook 4-5 hours on low or 3.5 on high.  I did 4 on low and turned it up to high for 45 minutes at the end. My bird was close to 5 pounds so I felt it needed a bit more cooking.

My recipe said you could make gravy: remove the bird and add 1/3 cup brown rice mixture flour and stir well to blend it into the pan juices and naturally created chicken broth.  Add salt and pepper to taste; cook on high for 10-15 minutes. I didn’t do that; next time!

I ate some slices of hot breast meat with potato salad that night (so so tender and moist!) and put the rest of it into a big batter bowl that has a lid.  Once it was cooled somewhat the bird went into the refrigerator to keep fresh and flavorful.  The broth soaks in and adds even more flavor as it rests in the cold fridge.

I have no picture of the done bird whole and uncut.  I was so hungry the first night I dug in and totally forgot to take one; next time I made it I will snap a few and upload to this post.  It looks like your regular rotisserie chicken if not as dry or dark skinned.

Living the Gluten Free Way…Worth the Effort!

Let me update you on my gluten free life style. I have been gluten free almost two and a half years. I initially bought every freaking flour under the sun.  Some I still use, some I have abandoned for specific reasons: generally they make things taste odd; like someone from another universe baked it!  I no longer use many bean flours, just occasionally; too weird tasting.  Ditto for quinoa flour.  I like quinoa as a starch/side and use it occasionally but that flour…rarely. Same goes for teff flour…odd tasting. I make a few flour blends and two mixes; for cobblers and for buttermilk biscuits.  The mixes are really handy for quick baking.

My diet centers around eating healthy; lots of veggies, fruits, proteins and a few oils like olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil and canola oil.  I try to eat seasonally when it comes to produce – get the best tasting stuff when it is local and fresh.

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I make a fair amount of muffins for snacks and a lot of my desserts are fruit based.  I found a pie crust or two that work great, same goes for muffins and brownies.  I love my cobbler recipe; it gets a lot of usage. Pasta does have a place but not as much or as often as when it was wheat based pasta.  I am a fan of Barilla gf pastas and long for them to bring out a linguine.

fennel italian bread 012lentil stew, turkey meatballs 006I have figured out gravy, chicken and dumplings, meat pie, quiche and white sauce.   I have a few great bread recipes I made upon occasion.

The cookbook I (still after 2 years) cannot live without is Annalise Roberts, Gluten Free Baking Classics; Second Edition: where the basic recipes for my muffins, brownies, pie crust, angel food cake and cupcakes come from.  Her flour blend is the same as King Arthur all purpose gf flour.  There are lots of great baked goods recipes to be tried out.  She has a new cookbook with the focus on heritage baked goods. I can’t wait to make some of those recipes!  I have a bunch of cookbooks but that Baking Classics is full of stuff I crave and enjoy. I find that I can modify her muffins to fit what I have available and create more variety in my baking.

My focus in this blog is on encouraging healthy cooking that is gluten free, easy to do and tasty.  I avoid as much processed food as possible and that includes snacks, cakes and other already baked goods.  I do eat some crackers and confess to a shameful love of gf cheese curls! I like to increase the amounts of veggies in dishes I make and I add beans whenever it works.    I don’t eat fast food except rarely.  And eating out is now a treat; too chancy and my geographic area doesn’t have that many safe gf restaurant choices.  So I reserve dinner out for once in a while meals. Cheaper too!

I still get glutened occasionally, recently by a bite of bbq at a friend’s house. She didn’t realize her bbq sauce was not actually safe for me.  I also ate a big chunk of chocolate bar with almonds that was cross contaminated.  Not a fun day; yes; both on the same day.

Once in a while, I long for wheat baked goods.  It is hard to be around them knowing that even one bite will make me terribly ill.  I have had dreams about bread…kinda nightmares actually.  For me, a lot of days at school are like being constantly exposed to poison that I am craving desperately. You have to have a good amount of will power to be eating lunch next to a big tray of wheat bagels and a plate of cookies And a pie! No other empty seats in the lunchroom.  Suck it up and try not to think about the treats right there under my nose.  Such is the life of a celiac.  You gotta be strong every single day.  And I am.  I have the will power and so do you!

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homemade sandwich bread

I find that I can make great tasting treats far cheaper than the stuff at the store in the gf aisle.  Yummier than that stuff too.  Healthier since it has less chemicals and preservatives in it.  You can do that too.  There are lots of easy to make gf stuff on my blog; muffins, cookies, brownies and pies/tarts.  Main dishes too that are easy and nutritious. Sure there is some sugar in those muffins but far less than most of the store gf snack bars!  Bake up a batch and you will be thrilled with having more than a dozen snacks – freeze some so they keep for a few weeks.  I find that my wheat eating family enjoys my gf desserts, very much so. citrus chicken, blueberry muffins 009

Being healthy and feeling good are worth the effort to eat safely.  Life is much better gluten free and I know I am making the right choice to be very careful about what I eat and what I use on my skin, hair, and the rest of me!  It is doable and being gf gets better as you practice it and as you live the gf lifestyle week after week, month after month and year after year.  I promise you will be very glad as your tummy heals and all the rest of you feels better.  That’s part of why I write this blog; to help others be successful at living a gluten free lifestyle. The other reason is I just love to write.  Happy gluten free cooking and eating!

Pulled Chicken Barbeque: Tender, Easy and Tasty!

My kingdom for a simple but tasty gluten free pulled chicken barbeque recipe!  Well, maybe just a hearty thanks: to my friend Niki for her recipe inspiration.  This is so easy, only a few ingredients and fantastic results; it is a slow cooker recipe; the perfect method for effortless, falling apart and  mouth watering barbeque.

Mix it all in the slow cooker and four hours later it is ready, no sweat, no mess and the kitchen isn’t much warmer despite making this great dish.

If you hate dark meat; make it with chicken breast; will be done in less time of course; maybe 2-3 hours?

For a change I bought some gluten free roll made by Schar; their classic white rolls.  The package says new recipe and they are much better than I thought they would be.  Each held their shape, decent flavor: fantastic full of barbequed chicken thighs.  I also had a burger in one of the four buns and it held together nicely.  Schar has occasional coupons; I used one I got on line when I bought them for this meal and ended up paying $.50 a roll which is really cheap for gf rolls.

One third to half a bottle of gluten free barbeque sauce; Sweet Baby Ray’s is the barbeque sauce I use these days, nice smoky tang to it.  I think you could easily double this to 5 lbs of chicken.  I am planning to make it for my next summer gathering; just so easy and the no grill, no oven, no fry is awesome for summer meal planning.

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Niki’s BBQ Pulled Chicken Thighs

2 ½ lbs boneless chicken thighs

1/3 to half a small bottle of barbeque sauce

2 tbsp. cider vinegar

1 medium onion, diced

1 tsp. Dijon or whole grain mustard

2 tbsp. water

Directions:

Dump all but chicken in the slow cooker, stir, add chicken thighs; skinless is my preference.  Cover and cook on high for 3.5 to 4 hours. If you are around stir it once half way though and flip the chicken over. When done, turn off the slow cooker and break up the meat while still in it: I used a wooden spoon. Serve in a bun: mine was Schar’s classic white.  Use what ever bun you like! And of course, I used gf barbeque sauce.  Be sure it is a quality sauce you are fond of or the results will not be happy! Just like cooking with wine; use ingredients you would enjoy all on their own.  This recipe is a home run on a busy summer day.  Pair it with a salad or two and you have a great meal for four; double it to serve eight.

Gorgeous Ginger Chicken Stir Fry

A stir fry is a great way to get veggies into you and your family.  We like lots of different vegetables. I put in broccoli for my 3 year old grandson who will eat anything with broccoli in it. Plus carrots for color and sweetness, chunks of chicken breast for a protein source and a few other choice vegetables to round out the mix.  This stir fry is made with medium wide rice noodles, the kind you put in Pad Thai.  They are low calorie and have no eggs or dairy.  The fresh ginger is crazy good for you as is the garlic and all those fresh vegetables.

Don’t be afraid to change a vegetable if you don’t like something or don’t have it on hand. My rule of thumb is to try not to have more than five main veggies in it or it will lack a cohesive flavor profile.  I used chicken but it works great with thin sliced boneless pork or beef.  I actually love it made with light tuna packed in olive oil.  Don’t like pineapple juice: use orange juice or another fresh 100 percent real fruit juice. Dislike ginger: leave it out but that will reduce the flavor punch so you might need soy sauce after all.  If you hate rice noodles it can be served over brown or white rice. That is the beauty of a stir fry; flexibility in many directions.

Don’t be frightened of the rice noodles.  They are so simple to make. Just boil up enough water to cover the noodles; pour it over them in a bowl and let stand ten minutes.  Drain and they are ready to throw into the stir fry near the end.  Simple and they add authenticity without a lot of calories.  You can find them nowadays in many grocery stores in the international food section as well as in Chinese grocery stores.

This entree goes together very fast once you chop the vegetables.  I didn’t add any soy sauce or rice vinegar.  I liked the mild clean flavor: lets the ginger and garlic shine.  Add those other things if you must! Very important: try not to overcook it – soggy is not the way you want the veggies to look or taste.  They should be just barely tender.  Makes 3-4 servings depending on your hunger.

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Ginger Chicken and Noodles

Ingredients

1 cup pad thai noodles, broken up somewhat

1 ½ cup boiling water

¾ lb chicken breast tenders (or pork in thin strips)

1-2 tbsp. mild olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled

2 celery stalks

1 large carrot

1 cup zucchini slices

2 cups broccoli florets

2 thin slices fresh ginger cut into short strips

2 garlic cloves

1 tsp cornstarch

¼ cup pineapple juice

Prep: Chop onion long way in half and then into long strips.  Cut celery into thin slanted slices, same for carrot.  Cut zucchini into ¼ inch slices  and cut into half moons. Cut broccoli stems into thin rounds and separate the florets into bite sized bits.  Peel garlic and smash in press.  Put dry noodles into a bowl, cover with the hot water and let stand ten minutes and then drain. Reserve to add near the end of the cooking.

Stir fry directions: Cut chicken into small chunks and season with salt and pepper.  Heat a mini wok (9-10 inch diameter) and add half the oil. Heat not quite to smoking hot. Add the chicken; brown lightly on both sides, remove from pan, set aside. Add rest of oil to still hot pan. Add onion and carrot slices, stir for a minute, add celery, stir 2 minutes, add broccoli stems, cook a minute, add the tops, cook a minute, add the zucchini, garlic and ginger.  Cook until tender crisp.  Add chicken back in.  Stir a minute to heat it, add the noodles, stir briefly.  Mix the cornstarch and juice; pour over the stir fry.  Mix in and cook one minute. If you need more liquid add more juice or some water. Serve hot.