This Week's Gluten Free Menu (finally!)

[RissaRoo]

Well...it's that time again. I had a little break, and I'm a day late this week but....here it is!

I'm not doing much in the way of meals lately. We're getting back into the school routine and we are still finishing up with canning peaches (last day of peaches today!). This menu will lean heavily on the crock pot, which is fine since it's starting to feel like fall. Bring on the comfort food!

Monday: Crock Pot Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya. Throw several cubed chicken breasts in a crock pot. Add large can of chopped tomato, three or four stalks of chopped celery, a chopped onion, several cloves of garlic, and two chopped bell peppers. Add several teaspoons of Cajun seasoning (we like ours flavorful, so I added four teaspoons). Add a little salt and some red pepper if you want. Let cook on low all day, an hour before dinner add a chopped zucchini, about a cup of frozen okra, and a chopped sausage (Hillshire Farms is gluten-free). Let simmer for an hour, if there is too much liquid in the pot take the lid off to let it evaporate. Serve with cooked rice and a salad!

Tuesday: Band Practice Night. Hubby will be gone...so we'll use this excuse to go easy for dinner. Baked potatoes with cooked cubed chicken, frozen broccoli, prepared bacon bits (Hormel brand is gluten-free), cheese and sour cream for those who can have it and green onions. We may even throw a little canned chili on top (Hormel, Stag, or Western Family Thick and Chunky are all gluten-free). Served with a green salad.

Wednesday: Split Pea and Ham Soup, Corn Bread and Salad. Throw a box of Pacific brand chicken broth (or about 4 cups of other gluten-free broth) in a crock pot. Add 1/2 chopped onion, garlic salt, a package of dried split peas, a chopped carrot, and 2 stalks chopped celery. Add one package of gluten-free diced ham (Bar S brand is what we used). Let simmer all day. Stir until creamy and add extra broth if it looks too thick. Serve with gluten free corn bread and green salad.

Split Pea Soup ready to simmer...the split peas are under everything else. Gluten Free Corn BreadFinished Soup and Bread. Yum!

Thursday: Tacos. Ground beef cooked with a can of black beans and taco seasoning (try McCormic) and a little salsa. Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, chopped onion, cheese, sour cream, olives, salsa and avocado. Put out warm corn or rice tortillas, or serve as a salad over a bed of lettuce with corn chips crumbled on top.

Friday: Gluten Free Pizza. I like Bob's Red Mill Pizza mix, quick and easy and really tasty. I prepare the mix as per package directions, and use a cookie sheet to bake it. Top with sauce (one can tomato sauce, one small can tomato paste, splash of lime juice, several cloves garlic, salt, basil and oregano...cook 'till bubbly and then put it on the pizza), Hormel turkey pepperoni, sliced green peppers, mushrooms, olives, red onion, a bit of blue cheese and shredded cheese. I leave one side cheeseless, sometimes I'll add crumbled up soy cheese instead of regular. Serve with a green salad.

Saturday: Skillet Ratatouille. In a large skillet, cook a thinly sliced Hillshire Farms turkey sausage until browned. Remove the sausage and set aside. Add 2 sliced zuchinni, 2 small yellow squash, a sliced onion, several cloves of garlic, half a chopped green pepper and some olive oil. Cook until crisp-tender. Add the sausage back in, and throw in a can of chopped tomatoes. Cook until hot, then serve with brown rice and/or toasted gluten free bread (we like Kinnikinnik hamburger buns or English muffins).

Sunday: Pulled Beef over Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Mushrooms. Put a beef roast (a cheap one works fine) in the crock pot and throw in 3 cups of beef or chicken broth, some baby carrots, and one sliced onion. Add several cloves of pressed garlic and a bay leaf. Cook all day, an hour before dinner, use two forks to pull apart the roast. Add a package of sliced mushrooms, a cup of frozen green peas, and 2 tablespoons of corn starch mixed with warm water. You may need to add more broth as well at this point. Stir well and let simmer until thickened. In the meantime, boil peeled potatoes and about 7 cloves of garlic in a large pot until soft. Throw cooked potatoes and garlic in a mixer, mash well. Add butter or olive oil, add milk (soy, rice or regular) and salt and mix again. Serve the beef over mashed potatoes, with steamed broccoli on the side.

Enjoy!

[Puddy]

Rissa...I think you should publish a cookbook. How does this sound....Gluten Free Dinners for Dummies or 365 Yummy Gluten Free Dinners or maybe Rissa's Recipes? You're the best!

[Juliebove]

We had chicken and rice soup on Sunday because I wasn't feeling well.

Monday was Taco Del Mar.

Tonight, chicken stew in the crock pot. Some of the potatoes and green beans didn't fully cook though. Annoying!

Tomorrow will be pizza for daughter and I. Ener-G crust and some beef based faux cheese. Will pick up a couple of slices of the real stuff for husband at the grocery store. I can get it already baked.

Thursday will be soup. With ground beef, V-8 and whatever veggies I have in the house.

Not sure about Friday. We have a dentist appointment and then an ice cream social at the school. So whatever we can squeeze in between those too. Probably a Mexican meal out, or home for leftovers or Ian's dinner.

Saturday we go see grandma and grandpa and always eat at least one meal out. Usually a Mexican place that specially prepares stuff for us.

[purple]

Well...it's that time again. I had a little break, and I'm a day late this week but....here it is!

I'm not doing much in the way of meals lately. We're getting back into the school routine and we are still finishing up with canning peaches (last day of peaches today!). This menu will lean heavily on the crock pot, which is fine since it's starting to feel like fall. Bring on the comfort food!

Monday: Crock Pot Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya. Throw several cubed chicken breasts in a crock pot. Add large can of chopped tomato, three or four stalks of chopped celery, a chopped onion, several cloves of garlic, and two chopped bell peppers. Add several teaspoons of Cajun seasoning (we like ours flavorful, so I added four teaspoons). Add a little salt and some red pepper if you want. Let cook on low all day, an hour before dinner add a chopped zucchini, about a cup of frozen okra, and a chopped sausage (Hillshire Farms is gluten-free). Let simmer for an hour, if there is too much liquid in the pot take the lid off to let it evaporate. Serve with cooked rice and a salad!

Tuesday: Band Practice Night. Hubby will be gone...so we'll use this excuse to go easy for dinner. Baked potatoes with cooked cubed chicken, frozen broccoli, prepared bacon bits (Hormel brand is gluten-free), cheese and sour cream for those who can have it and green onions. We may even throw a little canned chili on top (Hormel, Stag, or Western Family Thick and Chunky are all gluten-free). Served with a green salad.

Wednesday: Split Pea and Ham Soup, Corn Bread and Salad. Throw a box of Pacific brand chicken broth (or about 4 cups of other gluten-free broth) in a crock pot. Add 1/2 chopped onion, garlic salt, a package of dried split peas, a chopped carrot, and 2 stalks chopped celery. Add one package of gluten-free diced ham (Bar S brand is what we used). Let simmer all day. Stir until creamy and add extra broth if it looks too thick. Serve with gluten free corn bread and green salad.

Split Pea Soup ready to simmer...the split peas are under everything else. Gluten Free Corn BreadFinished Soup and Bread. Yum!

Thursday: Tacos. Ground beef cooked with a can of black beans and taco seasoning (try McCormic) and a little salsa. Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, chopped onion, cheese, sour cream, olives, salsa and avocado. Put out warm corn or rice tortillas, or serve as a salad over a bed of lettuce with corn chips crumbled on top.

Friday: Gluten Free Pizza. I like Bob's Red Mill Pizza mix, quick and easy and really tasty. I prepare the mix as per package directions, and use a cookie sheet to bake it. Top with sauce (one can tomato sauce, one small can tomato paste, splash of lime juice, several cloves garlic, salt, basil and oregano...cook 'till bubbly and then put it on the pizza), Hormel turkey pepperoni, sliced green peppers, mushrooms, olives, red onion, a bit of blue cheese and shredded cheese. I leave one side cheeseless, sometimes I'll add crumbled up soy cheese instead of regular. Serve with a green salad.

Saturday: Skillet Ratatouille. In a large skillet, cook a thinly sliced Hillshire Farms turkey sausage until browned. Remove the sausage and set aside. Add 2 sliced zuchinni, 2 small yellow squash, a sliced onion, several cloves of garlic, half a chopped green pepper and some olive oil. Cook until crisp-tender. Add the sausage back in, and throw in a can of chopped tomatoes. Cook until hot, then serve with brown rice and/or toasted gluten free bread (we like Kinnikinnik hamburger buns or English muffins).

Sunday: Pulled Beef over Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Mushrooms. Put a beef roast (a cheap one works fine) in the crock pot and throw in 3 cups of beef or chicken broth, some baby carrots, and one sliced onion. Add several cloves of pressed garlic and a bay leaf. Cook all day, an hour before dinner, use two forks to pull apart the roast. Add a package of sliced mushrooms, a cup of frozen green peas, and 2 tablespoons of corn starch mixed with warm water. You may need to add more broth as well at this point. Stir well and let simmer until thickened. In the meantime, boil peeled potatoes and about 7 cloves of garlic in a large pot until soft. Throw cooked potatoes and garlic in a mixer, mash well. Add butter or olive oil, add milk (soy, rice or regular) and salt and mix again. Serve the beef over mashed potatoes, with steamed broccoli on the side.

Enjoy!

I will be knocking on your door on Friday to try your pizza made with Bob's. I eyed it at the store and put it back (scared?). I want to try gluten-free mommy's pepperoni pizza on Saturday I hope

[Sweetfudge]

another batch of yummy recipes! i've been in the mood for autumn crockpot recipes as well i've also been looking for good recipes for the crock...b/c i bought a larger one, and have had trouble filling it definitely gonna have to try some of these!

Rissa...I think you should publish a cookbook. How does this sound....Gluten Free Dinners for Dummies or 365 Yummy Gluten Free Dinners or maybe Rissa's Recipes? You're the best!

i agree!!

[RissaRoo]

another batch of yummy recipes! i've been in the mood for autumn crockpot recipes as well i've also been looking for good recipes for the crock...b/c i bought a larger one, and have had trouble filling it definitely gonna have to try some of these!

i agree!!

*blush* thanks, guys! Maybe one of these days I will....I guess I could just round up everything I've put on my blog under "gluten free foods" and print it out. I have lots of pictures there, too. I think I'd have to do a little more work on exact measurements, though...rats, I probably need to break my "little of this, little of that" mentality! If I ever get serious about it, maybe you guys could give me suggestions on which recipes you liked and what you did to make them better?

Hey, Purple...just read your siggy, congrats on losing all that weight! From your picture, it's very hard to imagine you as heavier. So do you eat sugar anymore? hypoglacimia (sp?) runs in my family and I have been thinking of cutting back on sugar or cutting it out all together, but I want to cry every time I think of it.

[purple]

*blush* thanks, guys! Maybe one of these days I will....I guess I could just round up everything I've put on my blog under "gluten free foods" and print it out. I have lots of pictures there, too. I think I'd have to do a little more work on exact measurements, though...rats, I probably need to break my "little of this, little of that" mentality! If I ever get serious about it, maybe you guys could give me suggestions on which recipes you liked and what you did to make them better?

Hey, Purple...just read your siggy, congrats on losing all that weight! From your picture, it's very hard to imagine you as heavier. So do you eat sugar anymore? hypoglacimia (sp?) runs in my family and I have been thinking of cutting back on sugar or cutting it out all together, but I want to cry every time I think of it.

Sorry, I wish you were talking about me. I don't have a pic up nor do I know how to do it...I love to bake but I hate cameras

As for eating sugar I have a "One Bowl Chocolate cake" in the oven now at my dd's request and I plan to have the first piece!!! b/c I am home alone all day and my dd lives 1 1/2 hours away and I don't get to go plus she will be at work anyway. But she gets the rest of the cake Good thing! Cake delivery tonight And chili and corn bread...my first attempt at gluten-free corn bread.

[RissaRoo]

LOL Purple...I meant Sweetfudge! Luv you guys....

[jerseyangel]

Holy Toledo!! That all looks so good!

I just love using my crock pot and am always looking for new ideas. Thanks.

[Sweetfudge]

*blush* thanks, guys! Maybe one of these days I will....I guess I could just round up everything I've put on my blog under "gluten free foods" and print it out. I have lots of pictures there, too. I think I'd have to do a little more work on exact measurements, though...rats, I probably need to break my "little of this, little of that" mentality! If I ever get serious about it, maybe you guys could give me suggestions on which recipes you liked and what you did to make them better?

i would totally give you feedback just let me know when you want it!

Hey, Purple...just read your siggy, congrats on losing all that weight! From your picture, it's very hard to imagine you as heavier. So do you eat sugar anymore? hypoglacimia (sp?) runs in my family and I have been thinking of cutting back on sugar or cutting it out all together, but I want to cry every time I think of it.

LOL Purple...I meant Sweetfudge! Luv you guys....

lol thanks i never thought it'd happen! i've worked out pretty consistantly for almost 1 1/2 years. i truly think it was a combination of the thyroid meds, cutting out dairy, and working out. i believe that even if you think you're doing everything you can to lose weight, until everything in your body is lined up right, it doesn't happen like you want it to.

as far as the hypoglycemia, i've had it since i was a kid, so i never really ate much sugar. lately, i've been making something yummy once a week (like sickchick's lemon cream coffeecake), and only eating one serving a day. i also try and eat it in the middle of the day, so it doesn't sit in my tummy while i'm sleeping.

everyone thinks to lose weight you have to cut out sugar completely, but i don't believe it. and i suppose i'm proof. i also believe that "dieting" doesn't work. training yourself to maintain a healthy lifestyle is what's important. i knew i could never cut sugar out of my life completely, but i did challenge myself last month for 4 weeks w/ no sugar (except fresh fruit). that was the hardest thing i ever did! it literally was harder for me than going gluten-free. i don't think i could ever do it again (even though i did lose 6 lbs). i believe in exercising moderation and self control (2 things that are very difficult for me!).

wow long answer! sorry!

oh, by the way, that picture was taken 5 years ago, before i gained 30 lbs! i'm almost back to that size again! it's one of my reminders to myself of what i want to look like hehe, my husband was about 30 lbs lighter too! but he's added his weight in muscle. funny how guys bodies are different than girls!