Rudolph The Red Nosed Cupcake

Here's a fun way to decorate cupcakes or cookies for the holidays. We used gluten-free pretzels for the antlers, a dried cranberry for the nose and dairy-free chocolate chips for the eyes. This also works great with cookies by shaping he cookies into a triangle and baking the pretzel antlers right into the cookies, add the chocolate chip & nose embellishments right as they come out of the oven. Happy baking & Merry Christmas!

GFCF Sugar Cookies

This recipe was converted from my mother's sugar cookie recipe which I ate all through my growing up years. It has a slight lemon flavor which I think adds a nice touch in a sugar cookie. Enjoy these during the holidays.

Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

1 c. sugar
¾ c. shortening
2 eggs
¼ c. rice milk
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
3 c. gluten-free flour blend
1 ½ tsp. xanthan gum
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. lemon flavor
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Mix in rice milk, vanilla and lemon flavoring. Add salt, baking powder, xanthan gum and flour.

Refrigerate for 15 minutes and then rollout about ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle with sugar. Cut with cookie cutters.

Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes.

Watermelon Tomato Delights

We were served these at a wedding last summer, it was the only thing being served that was dairy & gluten free and they were absolutely divine. I have since made them a couple of times and had rave reviews each time. It is a strange combination of ingredients, but is very fresh and won't dissapoint.

Watermelon Tomato Delights

Watermelon, diced

Spinach leaves, washed

Grape Tomato, halved

Bacon, cooked

Balsamic Vinegar

Cut bacon into small square pieces. Layer one watermelon piece with folded spinach leaf, one square of bacon and a tomato half. Drizzle lightly with balsamic vinegar.

Spiced Pumpkin (Dairy-Free) Milkshake

I got the original recipe for this off of this blog. It sounded so good, so I converted it to dairy free and served it to my children. It was amazing!! It's been 4 years since I had a milkshake, and this one was a treat indeed. Serve one up today, you won't be disappointed.

Spiced Pumpkin Shake
Yield: 2 servings

1/3 c. pureed pumpkin
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. coconut milk
2 c. vanilla coconut milk ice cream or rice-based ice cream
½ c. gluten-free graham crackers or gluten-free ginger cookies, crushed

Place 2 glasses in freezer to chill.

Combine all ingredients excluding ¼ cup of the graham crackers or ginger cookies in blender and blend thoroughly. When completely blended, top each serving with remaining graham crackers or ginger cookies.

GFCF Pumpkin Pie

I can't imagine having Thanksgiving dinner without pumpkin pie. We were excited about this great recipe made with coconut milk. I love to use coconut milk as it has a nice thick rich texture. Happy pie baking!


Gluten-Free Pie Shell
2/3 c. sorghum flour
1/4 c. tapioca flour
1/4 c. potato starch
1 ½ tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. baking powder
5 Tbsp. GFCF margarine
3 Tbsp. cold shortening
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp. cold water
1 tsp. cider vinegar

Mix together sorghum flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, xanthan gum, sea salt & baking powder. Add margarine and shortening with a pastry blender, or pulse in a food processor until mixture is coarse. Add egg and one tablespoon of water and cider vinegar. Add remaining tablespoon of water slowly, a little at a time until the dough forms a ball.

Place the dough on some floured wax paper. Sprinkle a thin layer of flour over the top of the dough, and flour your rolling pin too. Roll the dough gently and thinly, sprinkling with flour as needed to keep it from sticking to the rolling pin, until the dough is just bigger than your pie plate.

Gently turn the crust over onto a 9-inch pie pan. Gently pat any broken or cracked places back into shape. Crimp edges. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. Freeze the crust for 15 minutes. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes at 375°. It is now ready to add pie filling.


Pumpkin Pie Filling
2 c. pumpkin puree
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. tapioca starch
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
3 large eggs, beaten
1 ¾ c. coconut milk

Combine all ingredients, mix well. Pour into gluten-free pie crust. Bake the pie in a preheated oven for 15 minutes at 425°, continue baking for 40-50 minutes at 350°, or longer if necessary (until a knife inserted into center comes out clean). A llow to cool on a wire rack, and then refrigerate.

Turkey & Sweet Potato Enchiladas

This is a family favorite of ours, particularly after Thanksgiving when you are wondering what to make with leftover baked turkey. I got the original recipe from Karina's Kitchen blog, however her recipe called for cheese on top, so this is a modified dairy-free version.

Turkey & Sweet Potato Enchiladas
2 c. salsa
4 c. turkey, diced
1-2 limes, juiced
sea salt & pepper
cumin, pinch
2 c. sweet potato, cooked & diced
8 oz. can roasted green chilis
olive oil, as needed
12 gluten-free corn tortillas
1 c. pineapple, diced
1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
1/2 c. zuchinni, peeled & grated
1/2 c. apple, peeled & grated

• Preheat oven to 350°. Pour about a half cup of salsa into the bottom a large lightly oiled 9x13" baking dish- or use two smaller pans for six enchiladas each.
• Place the diced turkey pieces into a bowl and squeeze lime juice all over the cooked turkey; stir; season with sea salt and pepper and toss well.
  Season the sweet potato with cumin, to taste. Add in half of the roasted green chilies & mix.
• Heat a dash of olive oil in a skillet, and heat one corn tortilla until softened, turning it over once to coat with oil. Place the tortilla into the sauced baking dish. Add a spoonful of sweet potato down the center. Sprinkle with 1/12 of the turkey.
• Roll up the enchilada- seam side down, and place it at the far end of the dish. Repeat for the remaining tortillas, adding more oil, if needed to soften them.
• Pour the remaining salsa over the rolled tortillas. Add diced pineapple and remaining roasted green chilies and chopped cilantro.
• Top with grated zucchini & apples.
• Bake until the enchiladas are heated through, about 30 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.

Gluten-Free Turkey Stuffing

Here is a recipe for gluten-free stuffing that I got out of a magazine a few years back. We have had it many times and it is amazing! We like to make it with Kinnickinnick Italian White Rice Tapioca bread for the bread crumbs as they have a nice texture to use in the stuffing. My husband, who is not gluten-free, absolutely loves this stuffing. Stove-Top Stuffing...move over!

Gluten-Free Turkey Stuffing
5 c. gluten-free bread crumbs
1.5 Tbsp. olive oil
1 c. onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 apples, peeled & chopped
3-4 chicken-apple or turkey sausage, chopped
1/2 c. dried cranberries or blueberries
3/4 c. gluten-free chicken stock
4 eggs or egg substitute

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread bread cubes on cookie sheets in a single layer and bake in an oven until cubes are dry, about 15 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat oil and sauté garlic, onion and celery until soft. Add apples and sausage and sauté until apples are soft (about 3 minutes). Remove from heat

In a large mixing bowl, combine bread cubes, onion mixture and remaining ingredients. Mix until bread is thoroughly moistened.

Use as much stuffing as needed to lightly pack turkey cavity and cook according to weight of the bird. Press remaining stuffing into lightly oiled baking dish. Bake covered in a 350° oven for 45 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking to let stuffing brown, about 10 minutes.

Sausage Zucchini Skillet

This recipe has been a family favorite of ours for a long time. The original recipe called for sprinkled cheese on top, we of course, make it without, but my husband does add grated cheese to his after he dips it up.

Sausage Zucchini Skillet
½ c. brown rice or quinoa
1 lb. pork or chicken sausage
¼ c. onion, chopped
½ c. bell pepper, chopped
4 c. zucchini, chopped
1 c. tomato, diced
½ tsp. basil
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. lime juicesalt & pepper to taste

Cook rice or quinoa according to directions. Cook sausage with onion & peppers, drain excess grease. Stir in zucchini and tomatoes, cook until tender. Stir in rice or quinoa. Add seasonings, cilantro & lime juice.

(Dairy Free) Fruit Sorbet

This recipe has a fabulous flavor, and goes great in the Gluten-Free Graham Cracker crust, or can be frozen into popsicles, or just in a freezer-safe dish. If you like chunky sorbet make as instructed below, or the mixture can be blended before freezing for a smooth texture. Enjoy!

Fruit Sorbet
3/4 c. orange juice
1/3 c. honey
1 ripe banana, diced
1 c. fruit, diced (peaches, strawberries, raspberries)
1/2 c. crushed pineapple, drained
1 c. coconut milk yogurt

In a large bowl, whisk honey into orange juice. Add banana, diced fruit, pineapple and coconut milk yogurt. Starting out slow, beat until creamy. Pour into gluten-free graham cracker crust, or freezer safe pan and freeze.

GFCF Graham Cracker Crust

This is a very good graham cracker crust recipe, you'll never believe that it is free of gluten & dairy. For our gluten-free graham cracks, we prefer Kinnikinnick "S'moreables". However, I know there are other options out there as well. It's a great start to a yummy dessert. Enjoy!

GFCF Graham Cracker Crust
2 c. gluten-free graham cracker crumbs
1/2 c. agave nectar
1/3 c. canola oil
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch sea salt

Mix together and press into pie plate.

Cucumber Lemon Chicken

This recipe is a family favorite and I love to make it whenever I get cucumbers from our organic co-op. The original recipe called for cream and lots of butter, but I've successfully converted it over and my family still loves it. We served ours with a wild rice blend and lightly steamed carrots. Enjoy!

Cucumber Lemon Chicken

2 lb. chicken (breasts or tenders
2 large cucumbers
1/4 c. brown rice flour
6 Tbsp. olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
1 c. chicken stock
1 c. rice milk
1 Tbsp. tapioca flour
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. dill
lemon peel

Peel, halve and slice cucumbers (approx. 4 cups). Place them in a colander, sprinkle with sea salt, toss and let drain for one hour. Pat cucumbers dry. Saute cucumbers in 3 Tbsp. olive oil until light brown (approx. 7 minutes). Set aside.

Mix brown rice flour with salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Coat chicken. Saute chicken in 3 Tbsp. olive oil until browned. Add 1/2 cup chicken stock, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until cooked through (approx. 5 minutes). Set chicken aside.

Add remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock. Increase heat and boil until reduced to 1/4 cup (approx. 4-5 minutes). Mix rice milk and tapioc flour together. Add to skillet. Simmer until thickened, stirring frequently (approx. 2 minutes). Stir in lemon juice and dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add chicken and cucumbers to sauce and heat through. Garnish with lemon peel.

Chicken Bone-Broth Soup

One of our favorite meals, which we have about 3 times per month, is homemade chicken bone-broth soup. There is a lot of research which indicates multiple health benefits of bone-broth such as:

• Broth is rich in calcium, magnesium, phosporus & other trace minerals
• Minerals in broth are easily absorbed
• Contains glucosamine & chondroitin, reduce effects of arthritis & joint pain
• Rich in gelatin, which supports connective tissue of body
• Gelatin (broth) can also help with gastrointestinal symptoms, reflux and inflammatory bowel diseases

So we can see that broth has properties of being both a food & a medicine. Not to mention it is inexpensive to make & tastes great!!

Chicken Bone-Broth Soup
Chicken Bones
4 large carrots, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium sweet potatoes, diced
1 bunch broccoli, chopped
2 medium zuchinni, sliced
2 medium yellow squash, sliced
1 cup spinach, chopped
4 oz. gluten-free spiral noodles

We love to buy the rotisserie chickens from Costco, which incidentally are gluten & diary free (and quite tasty too). After using the chicken for 1-2 meals, I place the bones & remaining chicken in a pot, cover it with water and add a little bit of white wine vinegar. I then let it boil for 3+ hours. After which I fish out all the bones, and start adding the following: carrots, celery, onion and sweet potato. I let this simmer for about 30 minutes and then add the zuchinni, yellow squash and gluten-free noodles. I let this simmer for an additional 15 minutes and then remove from the heat. Add chopped spinach just before serving.

I typically don't add a lot of seasoning and we season it to our liking (typically just a little sea salt). My young boys have gotten to where they love this soup too and cheer each time I make it. Enjoy a bowl of homemade bone broth soup tonight!

Why we love our food allergies!

If you or any members of your family have food allergies/sensitivities then you may think this is a crazy title for a blog post. However, I am a firm believer that when you receive blessings you should acknowledge them. Our journey which started 3 1/2 years ago has been a challenge, but has ultimately been a major blessing and growing experience for us.

I feel that we have been extremely blessed in at least the three following ways:

1. I have learned an incredible amount of information about food allergies and good nutrition, as well as just a lot about the human body. It has been such a thrill to learn these things, and I have found it very easy to retain the information.
2. My children eat so healthy now. They love healthy food. Sometimes I'm secretely glad that I can hide behind the food allergy label when my children are offered things that are full of junk, because rather than offending people I can politely say "no thank you, my children have food allergies."
3. I have been inspired to take this experience and the knowledge I have gained to get formal education & training. I recently opened a new business here in Texas dedicated to helping people with nutrition, food allergies and other health issues. It is such a blessing to be able to help other people in their journey of life as well.

So as you can see, while this is a challenge on one hand, it is a huge blessing on the other.

Shepherd's Pie

I originally got this recipe from "The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook" by Cybelle Pascal (a favorite cookbook of mine). It has become a family favorite and is very versatile. We typically change it up a little each time we make it. You can vary the meat and use chicken, pork, turkey, ground beef. You can certainly vary the vegetables included. You can vary the sauce, it calls for ketchup, but we have used barbeque sauce and even a honey mustard once. You can vary what goes on top, it calls for mashed potatoes, we often make mashed potatoes using sweet potatoes mixed in and I even topped it once with butternut squash. Enjoy and have fun with this one.

Shepherd's Pie

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 carrots, diced
4 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 cup hot water
3 Tbsp. ketchup (or other sauce
1 lb. ground beef, turkey, chicken, or pork sausage

Topping:
3 large potatoes, cubed (white or sweet potato combination)
3/4 cup rice milk
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt

Cook potatoes, when soft drain and mix with rice milk, olive oil & salt. Beat until smooth and fluffy.

Brown meat. Saute onion in olive oil. Add celery and carrots, saute for a few minutes. Mix together ketchup with the hot water. Combine all ingredients in a 9x13 baking dish. Top with thick layer of mashed potatoes. Bake 30-45 minutes at 375 degrees until potatoes are lightly browned on top.

Pork Roast

We have two different gluten-free pork roasts which the boys and I love (although my husband, for some reason, doesn't like either of them ;) These are great to make on a Sunday afternoon and serve on a bed of rice with steamed vegetables. Enjoy.

Teriyaki Pork
1 c. pineapple juice
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. gluten-free soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. ginger (fresh or powder)
1/2 tsp. garlic (2 cloves fresh or powder)
1/4 tsp. pepper

Orange Spice Pork
2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. apple juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

3 lb. pork roast
2 Tbsp. tapioca starch

Place pork roast in a slow cooker. Using either the teriyaki pork recipe or the orange spice pork recipe -- in a bowl combine top ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour over pork roast. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender. Remove roast, add tapioca strach and thicken gravy. Shred pork roast with two forks. Return to slow cooker and top with gravy.

Meatball Heaven!

I'm not sure who to give credit to for this yummy meatball recipe. I printed it several months ago and finally got around to making it and my family loves it! It is truly a tasty treat. It's been so many years since we had meatballs too, which I'm sure contributed to the enthusiastic response. Enjoy!

Meatballs (Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free)

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup rice milk

2/3 cup gluten-free crumbs (cracker or bread)

2 tsp. balsamic vinaigrette

1/4 cup onion, diced

1/4 cup sweet peppers, diced

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 lbs. ground beef, turkey, chicken or a combination

• Combine first six ingredients and crumble in the meat. Mix it all together and shape into 1-inch (or larger) balls. Place on cooking spray-coated baking sheet and bake at 375 until browned. Drain and cool.
• Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your meatball, but 1-inch balls take about 25-30 minutes. If you're unsure whether they are cooked through, cut one open to test it out!
• These freeze really well. Once baked and cooled, place them in a single layer on a clean cookie sheet and place in the freezer. Once frozen, place the meatballs in a storage bag and put back in the freezer. They can be added to your favorite spaghetti sauce directly from the freezer.

Happy Day!

We had a happy day in the home of children who are sensitive to both dairy & gluten. Here's my three boys enjoying ice cream cones (with a gluten-free Cerrone Cone, and rice divine "rice" cream). This was a first for my three year old and he enjoyed every bite.

$7.10 for (8) cerrone cones

+

$3.99 for 1 pint vanilla rice divine

=

3 giant smiles ~~ PRICELESS!