gluten free zen
Taking The Stress Out Of Gluten-Free Grain-Free & Dairy-Free Living
Anything Goes Granola
Anything Goes Granola
Preheat oven to 350°
1 – 32 oz. Bag of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
1 – 6 oz. Bag of Sliced Almonds
2 Cups Walnut Halves
1 1/2 Cups Shredded Sweetened Coconut
1 – 6 oz. Bag of Dried Berries ‘N Cherries
1 – 4 oz. Bag of Dried Wild Blueberries
1 – 6 oz. Bag of Dried Mediterranean Apricots
1 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
3 tsp. Pure Almond Extract
2 1/2 Tbsps. Oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
Place the oats, almonds, walnuts, and coconut in a large roasting pan. Drizzle the maple syrup, oil, and sprinkle the cinnamon and sea salt over the oats. Stir until combined thoroughly.
Place in preheated oven and stir about every 15 minutes until golden and sightly crispy. About 90 minutes. While the granola is toasting, get the dried fruit ready. Snip the apricots in quarters.
Remove the granola from the oven when it is toasted to your satisfaction. Stir in the dried fruit and allow to cool thoroughly before storing.
Blueberry Cornbread
Blueberry Cornbread
1 Bag Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Cornbread Mix
2 Organic Eggs
1/3 Cup Oil
1 1/2 Cups Almond Milk
1 1/2 Cups Frozen Organic Blueberries
1 tsp. Organic Cinnamon
Place mix, eggs, oil, milk, and cinnamon in large bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. Fold in blueberries, spread into a prepared 9×9 inch pan and let rest while oven is preheating.
Bake in 375° oven for about 35-45 minutes or until top starts to turn golden and knife in center comes out clean.
Cool for a bit and serve warm with dairy-free butter & honey or dust with powdered sugar.
Shrimp & Sausage Skewers with Slaw & Black Bean Rice
Shrimp & Sausage Skewers
1 Pkg. Al Fresco Chipotle Chicken Chorizo Sausage With Mango and Adobo
1 Pkg. Raw White Shrimp (51-60 count)
Peel the shrimp, leaving tails on, rinse, and pat dry. Slice the sausage.
Marinade:
1 Bottle Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
1/2 Lime, juiced
1 1/2 tsp. Garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp. Sriracha Hot Sauce
1 Tbsp. Dark Brown Sugar, packed
Place all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined.
Skewer the shrimp and sausage so that the shrimp is “hugging” the sausage.
Place in a shallow baking dish and cover with marinade, basting both sides. Let rest for 1 hour.
Creamy Slaw
1 12 oz. Bag Rainbow Slaw (shredded broccoli, cauliflower, & carrots)
3/4 Cup Mayonnaise
1 Red Jalapeno, finely diced seeds in
1 1/2 Tbs. Cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. Ginger, finely grated
1/2 Lime, juiced
About 1/8 – 1/4 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar (I used the Basil & Oregano)
Place all ingredients in bowl and whisk until combined. Pour over slaw and toss until thoroughly coated. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Black Bean Rice
1 Cup Rice Select Royal Blend Rice (Texmati White, Brown, Wild & Red)
1 1/2 Cups Gluten-Free Chicken Broth
1 1/2 tsp. Dairy-Free Butter
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1 Can 15 oz. Black Beans
Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Garlic, chopped
1/2 Sweet Yellow Onion, chopped
4 Cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp. Oregano, chopped
2 tsp. Dairy-Free Butter
Small squeeze of lime juice.
Combine the rice, chicken broth, 1 1/2 tsp. butter, and sea salt in a medium pan. Follow cooking directions on container of rice blend. Fluff with fork when done. Set aside.
Drain and rinse black beans.
Drizzle about 3 Tbsp. of olive oil into a large skillet. Heat on medium-high. Saute onions, and mushrooms until the onions start to caramelize, add garlic, oregano, and 2 tsps.butter and saute for about 5 more minutes.
Add black beans, toss, add rice, squeeze about 1/2 lime over the top, toss. Cover and set aside.
* Preheat Grill to Medium-High
Grill shrimp skewers until shrimp are done and sausage is heated through. (Sausage comes pre-cooked.) Be careful not to over cook the shrimp.
Serve with Creamy Slaw and Black Bean Rice.
Triple Chocolate Cherry Brownie Bites
Triple Chocolate Cherry Brownie Bites
Preheat oven to 350°
1 – 30 oz. Bag of Namaste Brownie Mix
3 Eggs
3/4 Cup Oil
1/2 Cup Water
3/4 Cup Dried Cherries, chopped
1/2 Cup Dairy-Free Miniature Chocolate Chips, heaping
1/2 tsp. Instant Coffee Granules
2 tsp. Frambois
Frosting
4 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
3/4 Cup Dairy-Free Butter
1 tsp. Vanilla
About 6 Tbsp. Almond Milk
Beat butter in electric mixer until light and fluffy, scrape down bowl. Add powdered sugar, cocoa, and vanilla on the stir setting. Slowly add in almond milk and then beat on high until fluffy scraping down bowl once or twice. Fit piping bag with small star tip and fill with frosting.
Preheat the oven and get the ingredients ready.
Place the brownie mix, eggs, oil, water, and coffee granules in an electric mixer and mix on medium until thoroughly combined. Scrape down sides. Add the cherries, chocolate chips, and Frambois. Mix thoroughly. Batter will be thick.
Put about a 1 1/2 teaspoons of the brownie batter into the mini muffin papers & tins.
Bake for 14-15 minutes, remove from tin and transfer to wire cooling racks. Allow to cool completely.
Once the brownie bites have cooled completely, prepare the frosting . Frost each brownie.
Chicken & Shrimp Noodle Soup
Chicken & Shrimp Noodle Soup
10 oz. Rice Noodles, I used Phad Thai Rice Sticks
2 Partly Frozen Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Breasts, sliced thinly
1 Bag Frozen Shrimp, peeled
1/2 Sweet Yellow Onion, sliced thinly
1- 3 inch Cube of Ginger, peeled and chopped
3 – 32 oz. Boxes of Gluten-Free Chicken Broth
6 Green Onions, sliced
2 Jalapeno Peppers 1 Red 1 Green, leave seeds in if you like it spicy, sliced thinly
1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro, leaves removed from stem
1 1/2 Tbsp. Garlic, smashed and chopped
2 Tbsp. Gluten-Free Fish Sauce
1 Cup Fresh Bean Sprouts
About 3 Tbsp. Gluten-Free Soy Sauce
About 2 Tbsp. Sriracha Sauce
Olive Oil
Sesame Oil
Sea Salt & Pepper
Chop and prepare all of the vegetables.
Slice the partly frozen chicken breasts very thinly, peel the shrimp, and set aside. Place a large pot over medium-high heat. Drizzle about 3 Tbsp. of olive oil and 1/2 tsp. sesame oil in pot and as soon as it starts to smoke, add the sliced chicken breast. When the chicken slices are white on both sides, remove from pot to a plate and set aside. Heat pot up again on medium-high heat and add a little more olive oil and just a couple drops of sesame oil, if necessary, and add the shrimp. Cook the shrimp only until it is barely pink and you can no longer see any of the gray original color. Pour onto a plate and set aside. Do not over cook it because it will be going into the hot soup later to finish cooking.
Next, add a bit more olive oil to the pan and add the onion, garlic, and ginger. When the onion just begins to brown slightly, add the chicken broth, about 1 tsp. of sea salt and about 8 grinds of pepper, scraping the bottom of the pan to de-glaze. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.
Add chicken, jalapenos, fish sauce, soy sauce, and boil for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp, noodles, and boil for another 3-5 minutes or until noodles are tender. (They will cook quickly.) Add the green onions, sriracha sauce, and a few drops of sesame oil. Serve in bowls and top with cilantro leaves and fresh bean sprouts.
Chokecherry & Raspberry Thumbprints
Chokecherry & Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
Makes about 32 cookies.
Preheat oven to 375°
3/4 Cup Dairy-Free Butter
1/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
1 Egg Yolk
1 tsp. Pure Almond Extract
2 Cups Mama’s All Purpose Almond Flour
1/2 tsp. Xanthan Gum
1/4 Cup Chokecherry Jelly
1/4 Cup Raspberry Jam
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
2 Tbs. Dairy-Free Butter, melted
1 tsp. Pure Almond Extract
Little Water
Beat butter for 30 seconds, scrape down bowl. Add brown sugar and salt and beat until combined, scrape down bowl. Add almond extract, egg yolk, and xanthan gum, beat until combined, scrape down bowl. Slowly mix in flour. Beat for 30 seconds until well combined.
Shape into about 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls and place about 1/2 inch apart on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Make an indent in the center of each ball with your pointer finger or thumb.
Place both jellies into a small bowl and stir with a spoon until completely combined and smooth. Drop about 1/2 teaspoon of jelly mixture into each cookie.
Place the filled cookies into the oven and bake for 13 minutes. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.
Place powdered sugar, almond extract, and melted butter in a small bowl and stir with spoon. Add water a tiny amount at a time to make it drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cookies on cooling rack.
Broccoli & Spinach Soup
Organic Broccoli & Spinach Soup
2 Large Heads of Organic Broccoli, cut off of woody part of stem
1/2 Large Organic Sweet Onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 Heaping Tbsp. of Organic Garlic, chopped
4 Packed Cups of Organic Spinach
1/2 Packed Cup of Organic Parsley
About 1 Tbsp. Thyme Leaves, woody stems removed
2 Cups of Cashew Milk or Almond Milk
1 Cup Organic Chicken Broth
1 Tbsp. Bacon Fat
About 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Place broccoli in pan with steamer and steam until tender.
While broccoli is cooling, add bacon fat and olive oil to a large skillet and heat.
Saute onions and garlic until they both begin to carmelize.
Add the spinach, parsley, and thyme.
Toss until spinach and parsley are wilted.
Add milk and chicken broth and stir to de-glaze pan.
Place 1/2 of the steamed broccoli into a food processor and process until broccoli is “smooth”.
Using a ladle, pour 1/2 of the milk mixture into the broccoli mixture and process until “smooth”. If you want it very smooth, without texture, you could blend it in a Vita Mix or heavy-duty blender. Pour the processed mixture into a large pot. Repeat the steps again, add salt and pepper, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Garnish with parsley and thinly sliced bell pepper. Serve hot or cold.
Easy Crockpot Roast
Crockpot Roast
1 4lb. Beef Roast
5 Medium Red Potatoes, quartered
1 Whole Large Sweet Onion, sliced in large chunks
1 16oz Bag of Mini Peeled Carrots, let whole
4 Large Stalks of Celery, sliced about 1/4-1/2 inch thick
1 Package White Mushrooms, mushrooms sliced in half
10 Cloves of Garlic, smashed and peeled
2 Tbsp. Oregano, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp. Thyme, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. Rosemary, chopped
Olive Oil
1 Cup Beef Broth
1 Cup White Wine
Worcestershire Sauce
3 Bay Leaves
Sea Salt & Pepper
Prepare the vegetables and get other ingredients ready.
Quarter the potatoes and chop the herbs.
Brown roast in a large skillet on medium-high heat in about 3 Tbs. of olive oil. I cover mine loosely with tin foil while it is browning because it spatters.
Once the roast is browned on all sides, remove from pan and place in Crockpot. Put all of the vegetables and garlic (minus the potatoes and herbs) into the pan drippings and cook for about two minutes, tossing. De-glaze with the wine and remove from burner.
Place the potatoes in the crockpot around the roast. Sprinkle with half of the herbs, drizzle with a little Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
Place the vegetables from the skillet in the crockpot, wiggling them down in the potatoes with your fingers. Sprinkle with remaining herbs, a few more dashes of Worcestershire sauce, and a little more salt and pepper. Drizzle any leftover wine and drippings over the meat. Add the bay leaves.
Cover with lid and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
I also made a beef gravy out of the Crockpot juices, beef broth, and a simple rue. Place about 4 Tbs. of dairy-free butter in a large skillet on medium-high, sprinkle with about 1/8 cup to 1/4 cup gluten-free flour (I use Mama’s Almond Flour Blend) and whisk until butter is melted, bubbly, and the flour is completely smooth. Slowly add in juice from the Crockpot by ladle full (about 3 ladles), then add about 2 cups of beef broth. Boil until it thickens, salt and pepper to taste.
Gluten-Free Caramel Heavenlies
Gluten-Free Caramel Heavenlies
1 Box S’moreables Gluten-Free Graham Style crackers, you’ll have 4 or 5 left over
3 Cups Miniature Marshmallows
1/2 Cup Dairy-Free Butter
3/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds
1 Cup Flaked Sweetened Coconut
Preheat oven to 350°
Line an 8 1/2 x 11 baking pan with foil. Place graham crackers in pan.
Cover with marshmallows.
Place butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a large sauce-pan over medium heat.
Stir until butter and sugar are melted and sugar loses some of its grainy texture.
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and spoon over marshmallows.
Sprinkle with almonds and coconut.
Bake for 20 minutes or until top is lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
When completely cooled, lift from pan by tinfoil and lay on counter.
With a large, sharp knife, cut into rows and then into triangles.
Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread
Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Sandwich Bread
Preheat oven to 350°
1/2 Cup Quinoa Flour, or brown rice flour
1/2 Cup Gluten-Free Oat Flour
2/3 Cup Sorghum Flour, or amaranth flour
1/2 Cup Tapioca Flour, or potato starch or corn starch
1 Tbsp. Amaranth Grain
3 Tbsp. Ground Flax Seed
1 Tbsp. Xanthan Gum
2 tsp. Instant Yeast
1 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
2 Egg Whites, lightly beaten
3/4 Cup Warm Water
4 Tbsp. Olive Oil
3 Tbsp. Agave Syrup, or honey
2 tsp. cider vinegar
In a medium bowl combine all of the dry ingredients and whisk until incorporated. Set aside
Add 2 eggs to the bowl of your heavy-duty mixer and lightly beat with paddle attachment.
In a small bowl, lightly whisk the egg whites and add them to the egg mixture in the mixing bowl.
Combine the remaining wet ingredients in a measuring cup and add to mixing bowl.
Place mixer on stir cycle and slowly add in the dry mixture. Once all ingredients are wet, turn off mixer, scrape down bowl, and mix on medium-high for 4 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly coat a bread pan and piece of plastic wrap with non-stick spray.
This is what the dough will look like after the 4 minutes.
Scoop out dough into prepared pan and with wet fingers, lightly press dough into pan.
Lay the prepared plastic wrap lightly over the top of the pan and let rise on top of the preheating stove for 85 minutes. (I only did mine for 75 minutes because I was in a hurry and it didn’t rise quite as much as it should.)
Allow to rise a bit higher than this picture. It should be domed just above the top of the pan.
Don’t allow it to over-rise or it will sink when you remove it from the oven. Place in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for about 35-40 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 200 degrees. Instant read thermometers are inexpensive and you can usually find them at your local grocery store. I have found that with gluten-free bread, even when it has that hollow sound when you tap on it, doesn’t mean it’s done. I rely on the thermometer for all of my bread baking. Remove from oven when done. Immediately take it out of the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.
gluten free zen 