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Celiac.com 03/29/2024 - This one comes a bit out of left field, but bear with us. While the combination of ingredients may seem unusual at first glance, this salad is a true crowd-pleaser that never fails to impress. Crisp bacon, fresh broccoli, crunchy celery, and sweet grapes come together with raisins and almonds to create a medley of textures and flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. A creamy dressing of mayonnaise, sugar and white wine vinegar, add touch of sweetness, making this salad is both satisfying and refreshing. Perfect for springtime gatherings or as a side dish any time of year. Ingredients: 12 slices bacon, crisp 2 heads fresh broccoli, florets only 1 cup chopped celery ½ cup chopped green onions 1 cup seedless green grapes 1 cup seedless red grapes ½ cup raisins ½ cup blanched slivered almonds 1 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar ¼ cup white sugar Directions: Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside. Boil a large pot of water, and blanch the broccoli florets for 30-45 seconds. Remove, from hot water and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain and set aside. In a large salad bowl, toss together the bacon, broccoli, celery, green onions, green grapes, red grapes, raisins and almonds. Whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Celiac.com 11/09/2019 - Fall weather calls for hearty and delicious, while the dwindling daylight call for quick and easy. This rich, cheesy, gluten-free chicken broccoli rice casserole is a surefire hit with kids, and guaranteed to warm your kitchen, heart and stomach. This casserole freezes beautifully, so make as much as you need and freeze it for later. Ingredients: 2 heads fresh broccoli 3 tablespoons salted butter 3 cups cooked brown rice or basmati rice 1 cups sliced fresh brown mushrooms 2 teaspoon minced garlic ¾ cup milk 4 ounces (2 cups) cheddar cheese, shredded, divided 2 cups shredded chicken 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder Directions: Cook rice ahead of time. Cook, cool, and shred enough chicken for 2 overflowing cups. Lightly oil one 9x13 baking pan. Set aside. In a large stockpot, melt the butter. Once melted, add the cooked rice, sliced mushrooms, garlic, milk and half of the shredded cheddar cheese. Cook over medium heat until the cheese melts fully. Add the broccoli, chicken, salt and garlic powder and cook over medium heat, for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and spoon mixture evenly into the baking pan. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top. Bake at 350°for about 15-20 minutes, until casserole is heated throughout and broccoli is tender.

Celiac.com 05/01/2020 - If you're looking for a tasty, easy, nutritious gluten-free meal that will help you move away from the ordinary, this stir-fried broccoli chicken is just the recipe for you. Ingredients: 2 cups cubed cooked chicken 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine) 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium & gluten-free soy sauce 2 teaspoons gluten-free fish sauce or additional gluten-free soy sauce ½ cup chicken broth, divided 2 cups white rice 2 teaspoons sesame oil 4 cups fresh broccoli florets 2 green onions, sliced Directions: Cook rice according to directions. In a small bowl, mix the first six ingredients and ¼ cup chicken broth until smooth. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add broccoli, and cook, stirring for two minutes. Add remaining broth, and cook 1-2 minutes or until broccoli is crisp, but tender. Stir in sauce mixture and add to pan. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring for another 1-2 minutes or until sauce thickens. Stir in chicken and green onions, until heated. Serve with rice.

Celiac.com 09/14/2019 (Originally published 04/05/2010) - Spring is finally here. It’s time to think of warmer weather, green buds on trees, green blades of grass poking through the straw-like landscape… think green. Think green about your food, too. Researchers claim that green vegetables promote good colon health and are good for the heart. They provide folic acid to pregnant women to help prevent birth defects. And greens in the kale family contain as much calcium as milk. They help balance all the sodium in our diets by providing healthy potassium. Age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of blindness among individuals over the age of 50. A research study in Massachusetts found that people who ate spinach, collards, and other dark green, leafy vegetables five or six times a week had 43% lower risk of the disease than those who ate it less than once a month. And finally, green foods are loaded with antioxidants, minerals, and flavonoids. So how do you go about presenting green foods in enough different ways and with enough appeal to satisfy your family’s taste buds? First, learn how to cook each vegetable for peak presentation and nutrition. Then, concentrate on fun ways to incorporate “green” into your meal planning. The typical refrigerated shelf life for most leaf vegetables is ten to twelve days. When cooking broccoli, steam it to keep the green color and to retain all the nutrients. If you don’t have a steamer, put the broccoli in a colander and suspend it over a pot of boiling water for a few minutes. Steaming leafy greens (spinach, kale, Swiss chard) destroys the chlorophyll and will leave you with a messy gray wad. Precook leafy greens by boiling in water for 3 to 10 minutes then drain and season. Or sautéed in a little oil with some red pepper seeds and garlic. Cabbage can be added to soups, casseroles, stews, stir-fries. It can be rolled and stuffed, shredded for coleslaw, or eaten steamed with steamed potatoes. Leave the skin on zucchini for added fiber. Shred the zucchini into meatloaf, scrambled eggs, and muffins. This is a great vegetable to grill, or brush it with oil, sprinkle with seasoned breadcrumbs, then bake or broil. When selecting asparagus, thin spears are more tender than the thicker ones. Steam them lightly so they’re still tender-crisp, or brush lightly with oil and grill or broil. Sprinkling cooked asparagus with a little Parmesan cheese will enhance their flavor even more. Peas don’t need much boiling time, nor do green beans. When using frozen peas in a salad, you can just rinse them off under warm running water and not even bother pre-cooking them. Swiss chard and beet greens are delicious boiled, drained, then tossed with a little olive oil and vinegar. There are so many novel and delicious ways to incorporate more greens into your diet… Restaurants are now offering “lettuce wraps”. You’re served a dish of large lettuce leaves along with bowls of fillings and you create your own lettuce wrap. You can do the same thing at home using romaine lettuce leaves. Bread isn’t a necessary ingredient to make a fun and luscious sandwich. Fillings can vary from fajita (julienned veggies often with sautéed strips of beef or chicken) or a salad filling (egg, tuna, chicken, salmon, or ham salad) to a Mediterranean veggie filling of sautéed zucchini, mushrooms, onions, green pepper, kalamata olives, feta cheese, all sprinkled with Italian seasoning. Create your own pizza by doubling the amount of green pepper. Or leave off the pasta sauce and brush your pizza crust with olive oil, sprinkle with Italian seasoning, then top with chopped spinach or sautéed zucchini slices, roasted red peppers, and crumbled feta cheese. Vegetable soup can be a virtual pot of greenery! Stir in chopped spinach and mustard greens, peas, cut green beans, shredded cabbage, chopped kale and argula, shredded zucchini, and chopped parsley. Are you making gluten-free macaroni and cheese? Stir in peas and/or green beans. Pasta? Stir shredded zucchini into the marinara sauce or skip the sauce and just toss the pasta with sautéed chopped spinach and a little minced garlic. . Sometimes you just have to munch on something. Have a container of hummus or ranch dressing close by to dip broccoli florets, celery and cucumber sticks, and strips of green pepper. Quiche is a great for hiding greens. You can fold in chopped broccoli, spinach, artichokes, and/or asparagus tips. Stir-fry broccoli florets, snap peas, bok choy, celery, fresh baby spinach, and parsley; add a little gluten-free soy sauce and serve over rice. Put fresh parsley in everything. It adds color, flavor, and nutrition. It also helps keep your breath fresh. Another “green” you may not think of is green olives. Their oil doesn’t clog arteries and green olives can be added to salads, antipastos, salsa, Bruschetta, sliced on top of pizza, or simply marinated and enjoyed alone. Don’t overlook green herbs. Fresh mint is a glorious addition to salads, pesto, meatballs, peas, and iced tea. The darker the green, the healthier it is for you. So mesclun greens (often called spring mix), and baby spinach have more nutrition than iceberg lettuce. Dark green vegetables are high in fat-soluble vitamins A, K, D, and E. These vitamins require a little bit of dietary fat in order for the body to absorb them, so add a little olive oil when preparing the greens to make sure your body absorbs all of the vitamins you are eating. Spinach Mandarin Salad (Gluten-Free) This recipe is from the book “Gluten-Free Cooking for Dummies” Ingredients: ¼ cup pine nuts 2 tablespoons orange juice 1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 2 teaspoons honey ½ teaspoon brown mustard 4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves ¼ red onion, sliced thin 1 can (15 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained Directions: Place the pine nuts in a small skillet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. On medium-high heat, toast the nuts, stirring frequently, until they are lightly browned. Remove pan from heat and cool. In a large bowl, whisk together the orange juice, vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, honey, and mustard. Add the spinach and toss until evenly coated. Add the onion, oranges, and pine nuts then toss to distribute evenly. Serves 4.

Celiac.com 07/13/2019 - Looking for a delicious new way to prepare broccoli? This vaguely Asian twist on broccoli with cashews is quick, easy to make, and delicious over rice. It might just find a place in your go-to dinner lineup for summer. Ingredients: 1½ pounds fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces ½ cup chopped salted cashews ⅓ cup butter 3 cloves garlic, minced 3 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 teaspoons white vinegar ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper Directions: Wash the broccoli, and place into a steamer, or a large pot with about 1 inch of water in the bottom. Cover the pot, bring to a boil, and steam for 7 minutes, until tender, yet still crisp. Drain, and arrange broccoli on a large shallow dish or serving plate. While the broccoli is steaming, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and garlic. Stir until the mixture comes to a boil, stirring, then immediately remove from the heat. Stir in the cashews, mix until well-coated with sauce, and pour over the broccoli. Serve over rice, or alone as a side to your favorite entrée.

Celiac.com 03/11/2017 - Need some broccoli cheddar soup? Need it to be gluten-free? Here's a gluten-free copycat of that much-loved broccoli cheddar cheese soup, made famous by the much-loved food chain Panera. You're welcome. Ingredients: 2 cups milk
2 cups chicken stock 
2 cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets 1 cup carrots, cut to matchstick size 2½ cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
 2 tablespoons butter 
½ large yellow onion, chopped
 ¼ cup melted butter 
¼ cup potato starch 
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced 
salt and ground black pepper to taste
 Directions: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté onion in hot butter until translucent, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
 In a jar, mix potato starch together with about ½ cup of the chicken stock. Cover with a tight lid, and shake until blended. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt ¼ cup of butter Gradually pour milk, along with the potato starch mixture while whisking constantly. Stir chicken stock into milk mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook until the mixture is thickened, about 15-20 minutes. Adjust thickness by adding water, or a bit more potato starch, as needed. Add broccoli, carrots, sauteéd onion, and celery; simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
 Stir Cheddar cheese into mixture until cheese melts. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


Who said gluten-free frozen foods never taste good and fresh? When I had my first bite of Amy's Broccoli and Cheddar Bake I could not believe that it was a frozen product. The tender rice pasta was coated with a creamy, aged English cheddar sauce, and the green organic broccoli tasted very fresh and crisp, and it was a very healthy addition. This product is not only gluten-free, but is also high in protein, vitamin A, C, calcium, and good source of iron, so it's very nutritious. This bowl is simply a convenient food for me, as I am a working mom, and it allows for a quick meal when I have no time to cook. I would defiantly feel good serving it to my whole family at any meal time. It is very easy to prepare—I simply just remove the over-wrap and put the bowl into the oven, wait a few minutes and our meal is ready! I would recommend cooking these in a conventional oven for an even better taste. I'll keep these on hand for my family. I would say that this is a five star gluten-free frozen food, and the best broccoli and cheddar bake I have tasted. I would like to say thank you to Amy's for creating this gluten-free meal with all the flavor and goodness of homemade cooking. Visit their site for more info: www.amys.com. Note: Articles that appear in the "Gluten-Free Food Reviews" section of this site are paid advertisements. For more information about this see our Advertising Page.