Convienience Foods?

[clnewberry1]

So far I have done pretty well with most of my meals. The problem has been nights when I have had a lot of activiites when I used to do Mcdonalds or order a pizza. So now that I can't do that I was wondering what is out there as far as gluten free meals.

My doctor mentioned Organic Bistro and I am going to try those. I am wondering if there are any others that you have tried and liked?

Thanks,

Crystal

[dandelionmom]

I like the frozen Amy's meals. I've had good luck with the ones that are labeled gluten-free but not the ones that say "no gluten ingredients."

[RiceGuy]

I think the best advice I've seen on this subject is to prepare meals in advance, and freeze in individual portions. If you use those freezer-to-microwave containers, it makes it easy to grab a meal fast. So, on those days when you do have time to cook, make extra. Things like casseroles, lasagna, stews, etc all freeze well.

HTH

[GFLisa]

I like the frozen Amy's meals. I've had good luck with the ones that are labeled gluten-free but not the ones that say "no gluten ingredients."

Same here! I try to avoid buying those items because they can get pricey. I make extras of most meals and then freeze them in individual pyrex containers and then heat them when I'm hungry.

We recently picked up some french bread style pizzas that were gluten-free and they weren't too bad. Not as good as Stouffer's, but then again finding good gluten-free pizza is tricky. I can't remember the name of them, but I had found them at our local health food store.

[heatherjane]

The other day I had a frozen meal by Gluten Free Cafe. It was about $5 (twice the cost of your normal glutenized TV dinner), but it was actually really tasty... rice noodles with veggies and cheese sauce. I've just started on this diet myself, and I don't plan to spend a lot of money on "specialty" items, but I know that brand is good in a pinch.

[Gaye of PA]

Here are things I use in an emergency:

Thai Kitchen rice noodle soup bowls and noodle carts are done in a minute or two

Thai Kitchen "meals" such as Stir Fry Rice Noodles with Seasoning: "Done in 15 minutes" -- I add a can of chicken (comes in a can like tuna) to it

can of soup, such as Progresso's Chicken & Wild Rice

can of Dinty Moore stew

Hormel's Compleats: chicken & rice

Our George Foreman grill has been wonderful, too. We quickly make hot dogs, hamburgers, or grilled chicken on it.

[Takala]

I can make a pizza pretty fast. I just make it a habit to make sure I have purchased the ingredients at the grocery, so they are always in the house. Keep on hand: high quality extra virgin Olive oil, tomato paste (read the labels, a few brands now add garbage to theirs), McCormick's (this spice brand is good for calling ingredients out on labels) oregano and basil, and a safe pepperoni such as Hormel's, which is marked gluten free right on the package, and then for cheese you can get either/both bags of pre grated cheese (check labels, I use organic) and those wedges of hard cheeses such as romano and parmesan, which keep forever in the fridge, and can be grated as the crust pre- bakes. Or you can used pre- sliced mozzarella cheese.

Optional, little cans of black olives, mushrooms.

Now that you have the basics, all you have to do is worry about your speed version of a crust. You can buy gluten free pizza crusts, or things that can be USED as pizza crusts, or make your own.

Fastest: Take a Mission gluten free corn tortilla, and pre- crisp it a bit under the broiler, top it with the olive oil, tomato paste, spice, and cheese and goodies, and run it under the broiler again to melt the cheese. For extra tasty tortilla crust, put grated or a slice of cheese between 2 corn tortillas to melt them together before adding toppings.

2nd fastest. Make mini pizzas with lundberg rice cakes. Don't use Quaker rice cakes, they aren't gluten free.

3rd fastest. Make your own quickie crust in a cast iron pan. I tried all these other recipes and they weren't really any better than this. Put pan on stovetop to preheat with olive oil, and turn on the broiler.

Mix crust, pour into hot pan, cook on bottom, then put pan in oven under the broiler to finish the top, watching it carefully because it cooks FAST. Starting with a hot oiled pan crisps the crust on the bottom. I do a quick recipe and don't even bother to measure things exactly because I have done it so many times- I crack an egg into a bowl, add about a tablespoon of olive oil, a teaspoon of vinegar, tiny bit of honey, beat it up with some more water or hemp milk, add about a cup of homemade gluten free flour mix, (almond meal and some other types of gluten-free flours) some baking soda, some cumin and italian spices, pinch of salt, enough moisture to make a batter, some grated cheese if I'm ambitious, and that's it.

Take out of oven, after the top's cooked, put on olive oil, tomato paste, spice, toppings, cheese, goodies, run pan back under broiler to melt cheese. Fast pizza.

[Amyleigh0007]

Smart Ones (Weight Watchers) frozen Santa Fe Style Rice and Beans is gluten free and says so on the box. I think there are more mainstream gluten free frozen dinners out there but I'm not sure which ones. If anyone knows, could you please list them? Thanks!

[buffettbride]

Smart Ones (Weight Watchers) frozen Santa Fe Style Rice and Beans is gluten free and says so on the box. I think there are more mainstream gluten free frozen dinners out there but I'm not sure which ones. If anyone knows, could you please list them? Thanks!

I'm having the Cranberry Turkey Medallions which also says gluten free. It is a Weight Watchers Fruit Inspirations by Smart Ones meal.

Not too shabby. I'd give it an A- for quality and a B+ for flavor.

[purple]

I can make a pizza pretty fast. I just make it a habit to make sure I have purchased the ingredients at the grocery, so they are always in the house. Keep on hand: high quality extra virgin Olive oil, tomato paste (read the labels, a few brands now add garbage to theirs), McCormick's (this spice brand is good for calling ingredients out on labels) oregano and basil, and a safe pepperoni such as Hormel's, which is marked gluten free right on the package, and then for cheese you can get either/both bags of pre grated cheese (check labels, I use organic) and those wedges of hard cheeses such as romano and parmesan, which keep forever in the fridge, and can be grated as the crust pre- bakes. Or you can used pre- sliced mozzarella cheese.

Optional, little cans of black olives, mushrooms.

Now that you have the basics, all you have to do is worry about your speed version of a crust. You can buy gluten free pizza crusts, or things that can be USED as pizza crusts, or make your own.

Fastest: Take a Mission gluten free corn tortilla, and pre- crisp it a bit under the broiler, top it with the olive oil, tomato paste, spice, and cheese and goodies, and run it under the broiler again to melt the cheese. For extra tasty tortilla crust, put grated or a slice of cheese between 2 corn tortillas to melt them together before adding toppings.

2nd fastest. Make mini pizzas with lundberg rice cakes. Don't use Quaker rice cakes, they aren't gluten free.

3rd fastest. Make your own quickie crust in a cast iron pan. I tried all these other recipes and they weren't really any better than this. Put pan on stovetop to preheat with olive oil, and turn on the broiler.

Mix crust, pour into hot pan, cook on bottom, then put pan in oven under the broiler to finish the top, watching it carefully because it cooks FAST. Starting with a hot oiled pan crisps the crust on the bottom. I do a quick recipe and don't even bother to measure things exactly because I have done it so many times- I crack an egg into a bowl, add about a tablespoon of olive oil, a teaspoon of vinegar, tiny bit of honey, beat it up with some more water or hemp milk, add about a cup of homemade gluten free flour mix, (almond meal and some other types of gluten-free flours) some baking soda, some cumin and italian spices, pinch of salt, enough moisture to make a batter, some grated cheese if I'm ambitious, and that's it.

Take out of oven, after the top's cooked, put on olive oil, tomato paste, spice, toppings, cheese, goodies, run pan back under broiler to melt cheese. Fast pizza.

Same here...I like to have on hand items for tacos/nachos or pizza. Precook the meat and freeze it, then just reheat it. Rice and beans are great for the nachos. Homemade mini pizza crusts stacked in the freezer. Freeze cooked meat ahead for fast spaghetti too.