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Gluten-Free Breakfast Burritos Made with Egglife Egg White Wraps

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Egglife Egg Wraps

Egglife Egg White Wraps

Every now and then I see something new in a store that’s so exciting and delicious looking that I stop my cart so fast I nearly throw one of my grandbabies out of it! It happened fairly recently at Meijer when I spied these Egglife Egg White Wraps.

A little backstory… I am obsessed with wraps and I always have been. Breakfast wraps in particular. Blame it on McDonald’s – they got me hooked on them with their delicious breakfast sausage wraps. Unfortunately, due to health reasons, I had to give up all gluten and wheat, which meant I had to kiss these wonderful breakfast burritos goodbye. Making them at home has always been a little tricky too because gluten-free wraps aren’t always pliable or soft.

That’s why I got so excited when I saw these Egg White Wraps. I knew they’d be soft enough to fold around my fillings and soft enough to bite into without each bite making my brain register “gluten-free… it tastes and feels like this because it’s gluten-free.”

These wraps were even better than I expected – as easy to use as a tortilla wrap but much, much, MUCH more delicious.

Gluten-Free Breakfast Wraps with Picante Sauce

Gluten-Free Breakfast Wraps with Picante Sauce

To make these gluten-free wraps, I cut potatoes into chunks and fried them with onion. While they were frying I made my bacon. I didn’t add scrambled eggs to these wraps because… well… the wraps ARE eggs!

I added shredded Monterrey Jack cheese and Pace Picante Sauce and the wraps were absolutely outstanding. I can’t wait to try them with sausage next time.

If you’re lucky enough to have a Meijer store near you, check for these wraps on your next trip. I got the original flavor but others are available.

Amazon has another brand of egg wraps and many other wraps (Amazon link) available. As of now, they don’t have the Egglife brand available.

Gluten-Free Wraps


Why I Always Have Gourmet Garden Lightly Dried Herbs on Hand (and a Few Favorite Ways to Use Them)

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Fried Eggs with Vegetables and Ground Beef - topped with parsley.

Fried Eggs, Sautéed Vegetables, Ground Beef, and Parsley 

While I LOVE growing my own herbs for use in cooking, sometimes I’ve harvested one to the nub or simply don’t have enough of the one I need on hand to use. That’s when these lightly dried Gourmet Garden herbs come to the rescue. Just a note, this isn’t a paid for post or anything remotely like that – it’s just me raving about something I love and know you will too!

I have, in the past, bought those inexpensive dried herbs in the supermarket – you know, the ones in the plastic containers that hang above produce? I honestly have never been completely happy with these herbs. I have no idea what happens to the herbs in the process of getting into our supermarkets, but they sure do lose their flavor along the way.

That’s why, last winter, when I wanted some basil for my favorite Italian vegetable beef soup, I grabbed a Gourmet Garden tub of basil. It cost a bit more but, by gosh, my soups are worth it! As soon as I took off the lid, I knew I had made the best decision.

Gourmet Garden Parsley

Gourmet Garden Lightly Dried Parsley

These herbs somehow look, smell, and (most importantly) taste like you just got them out of your own herb garden. Since that time, I have used every single herb they offer. Heck, I buy the parsley and basil ones every time I’m in the store – I use them that often.

Basil: The basil one is delicious in soups, pasta salads, and sauces. I also use it very often as an appetizer – I slice fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, and roll up slices of rosciutto, salami, and/or pepperoni. I drizzle everything with Rachael Ray Balsamic Vinegar Reduction (Amazon link… also found in most grocery stores – it’s the absolute best on the market).  Then I top it all off with a sprinkling of the Gourmet Garden chopped basil. Delicious!

Parsley: I use this one on and with just about everything – especially potatoes and eggs. You don’t realize just how much parsley brings to the party until you send it an invitation. It’s healthy, adds a bright wonderful flavor to just about everything, and… come on, let’s be honest… looks marvelously high brow!

A quick and easy meal (one of those that you almost always have the ingredients for and comes together super fast) is pictured here – simply make your ground beef patties (seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder). When they’re through, set aside and keep warm. Sauté asparagus, bell pepper, and onion in the juices from the beef…. season with salt and set aside with the meat. Add your eggs and cook them either sunny side up or over easy. Unless your meat was particularly fatty (and do they even make them anymore!?), you’ll need to add a little butter, olive oil, or bacon grease to the pan before the eggs.

Gotta say…. I LOVE one-skillet meals!

Fried Eggs with Vegetables and Ground Beef - topped with parsley.

Fried Eggs, Sautéed Vegetables, Ground Beef, and Parsley 

Edible Landscaping 101: Great Time to Start Planning Next Year’s Garden!

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Roasted Tomatoes with Pasolivo Rosemary Olive Oil

Roasted Tomatoes Straight from the Vine

Each year for as long as I can remember, I have planted herbs, tomatoes, and peppers. Sometimes I’ll also plant pumpkins or cucumbers (love both of these!). This year we went all out and planted tomatoes, herbs, cucumbers, corn, pumpkins, squash, okra, peppers of every conceivable kind.

It has been an absolute joy to go outside and “grocery shop!” So much so that we’re planning on planting even more next year and have mapped out a few choice spots to have not one, but two gardens. We got an extra freezer to store our produce in and I have a strong feeling we’ll be thanking ourselves for our efforts all winter long.

Benefits of Growing Your Own Food

  • It’s healthier! Fruits and vegetables are outrageously healthy and growing them, yourself, means you control the pesticides used and know EXACTLY what all has been involved from getting them from the garden to your plate.
  • Convenient. Even when we weren’t living inside of a pandemic, the convenience of being able to step outside your back door and grab what you need to complete your meal was crazy convenient. These days, however, it’s even more so. Anything we can do to keep from having to go to the store is a win.
  • Economical. If you shop for fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices in stores I don’t have to explain this one to you at all! Growing your own produce and herbs saves you money during the summer as well as during the winter if you freeze or can your harvest.
  • Fun and Enriching Hobby! Any time we push ourselves out of our comfort zone and learn how to do new things, it’s SO good for our minds. Not only that, new hobbies are great for your emotional health as well. Gaining confidence through growing your own produce is a great payoff and one you won’t even realize has happened until you proudly walk into the kitchen with your colorful bounty.
  • Excellent Exercise, Sunshine, and Fresh Air. Having vegetables and herbs in addition to my beloved flower beds has given me more reasons than ever to get outside and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. The extra (enjoyable) work of watering, weeding, planting, picking, etc.. has been wonderful exercise, too.
  • Get the Kids Involved! My oldest grandbabies (3 and 1) have LOVED watching the veggies grow, watering them, picking them, and even tasting them! It’s a great way to get kids involved in a wonderful and useful hobby AND encourage them to eat more fruit and vegetables.
  • Perfect for Those with Restrictive Diets. I have to eat gluten-free and have to say, it’s always extra comforting to KNOW something is completely free from gluten or wheat and hasn’t been cross-contaminated. Anyone who has to avoid gluten, peanuts, soy, wheat, or other problematic ingredients will appreciate the full control growing your own food gives you.

Below is a wonderful infographic about “Edible Landscaping” from an outstanding article titled The 12 Best Edible Landscape Plants. After clicking on the infographic below and seeing the wonderful information, I hope you’ll click through the link above to learn more. If you live in here in the states, more likely than not you’re like me – looking at the end of the gardening season. But, truly, what better time to start planning than now?! Gather your information, arm yourself with facts, accumulate the tools and seeds you’ll need, and map out your garden.

Next year will be here before you know it… so get growing!

Edible Landscaping Infographic

Source


Chicken Salad with Eggs: You’ll Be Surprised How Much Flavor the Eggs Add!

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Chicken Salad with Boiled Egg Recipe (Gluten-Free)

Chicken Salad with Boiled Egg Recipe (Gluten-Free)

When I  had to start eating entirely gluten-free (health reasons), I realized how much I took sandwiches for granted – especially favorites like chicken salad, pimento cheese, and egg salad. Throw them on bread and BOOM, you’re done. When you have or choose to eat gluten-free or choose to eat keto, you have to get creative. Thankfully this is pretty darn easy and actually just as delicious, if not more so.

If you’ll be eating this chicken salad recipe on bread (regular or gluten-free), you’ll probably want to chop the veggies finely and chop the chicken and eggs as much as possible. If, like me, you’ll eat it on the plate with lettuce, tomato, and all the pickles in the house (What? Not everyone is a pickle hound like me??), leave the chicken, boiled eggs, and veggies chunky (as in the picture above)- you’ll be glad you did when stabbing them with a fork.

After you’ve combined the ingredients, taste and add any extra mayo or seasonings desired.

Either way, I think you’re going to love this chicken salad recipe.

If you want an easier way to make “boiled” eggs, please do yourself a HUGE favor and check out the Dash Egg Cooker. I’ve used mine (at least once a week) for over a year and think, “This is one of the best kitchen gadgets ever made..” each time I use it. The eggs turn out PERFECT each time and are gloriously easy to peel.

If you’re looking for a great egg salad recipe, here’s one I use every single time!

Applesauce Dip: Healthy (and Tasty!) Snack for Kids

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Applesauce Dip

Healthy Applesauce Dip

Here is a quick, simple, healthy, and delicious dip that’ll make a perfect snack for any kid in your life – heck, I’m sure you’ll love it too.

When I first started making this dip the only applesauce options were with or without cinnamon and I would switch things up each time I made it. Sometimes I was in the mood for cinnamon, other times I just appreciated the taste of regular applesauce.

These days, with all the varieties of applesauce on the market, the options are endless! I’ve had strawberry, blueberry, cinnamon, raspberry… every conceivable variety and have loved them all. My three year old grandbaby Maddox prefers it when I use strawberry or raspberry applesauce but his brother Jacoby (2) loves it any way he can get it!

I have to say, I’m with the baby brother on this one.

Applesauce Dip

1/2 cup applesauce 
2 Tablespoons Vanilla Yogurt (bonus points if it’s Greek Yogurt)

Combine the applesauce and yogurt in a small bowl.

Serve the dip with fun animal crackers, soda crackers, mini carrots, chocolate graham crackers, vanilla wafers, or (my grandbaby Jacoby’s) Teddy Grahams.  Teddy Grahams come in honey, chocolate, chocolate chip – and Jacoby hasn’t met one yet he doesn’t love.

Applesauce Dip

Applesauce Dip

My Favorite Orange Julius Copy Cat Recipe

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Orange Julius

Orange Julius “Copy Cat!”

I love making different beverages at home – coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milkshakes, smoothies, apple cider, punch… The list goes on and on. But one of my favorite drinks to make (and certainly one of my family’s favorite drinks to enjoy) is the Orange Julius.

I don’t know if any malls still carry Orange Julius kiosks or not. I seriously doubt it. I know the ones around us no longer have them. I have no idea why, they were outrageously popular.

The recipe below is darn close to these wonderful, citrus-y, frothy beverages. They’re perfect year-round because, even though and Orange Julius is a cold drink – what better time to serve your family scads of Vitamin C than cold and flu season?!

I think you’re going to really enjoy this beverage.

Orange Julius Recipe

1 cup orange juice (I like for it to have some pulp)
1 cup water
1 egg white
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1 heaping cup ice

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender.  Blend on high for about 15 to 20 seconds… until the frothy magic happens.

NOTE: Don’t get cute with the sugar. I tried to replace it with Stevia (wasn’t the same) and I have tried cutting back on the amount (again, not the same).  Pinch the calories elsewhere!

As far as the brand of orange juice, I’d imagine that the better the orange juice, the better the Orange Julius.


Orange Julius

Orange Julius Copy Cat Drink

Easy Salisbury Steak with Ground Beef

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Salisbury Steaks with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Salisbury Steak with Gravy and Mashed Potatoes

While the recipe, here, is gluten-free, making it traditionally (with all the gluten your heart desires!) is as simple as using regular bread crumbs gravy.

A few quick tips:

  • Salisbury Steak with Gravy should be illegal to make without mashed potatoes, so whatever you do, serve it with mashed potatoes. I personally also like green beans as a side.
  • See the delicious little (crispier on the bottom) bits around the edges in the photo above? Making your patties a little thin at the edges allows this yumminess to happen.
  • If you don’t have any Montreal Steak Seasoning (Amazon link) on hand… why would you NOT??!!…  simply use a combination of onion powder and garlic powder. I’ve done this before and it’s fantastic.

The BEST Gluten-Free Gravy Mixes

Pioneer Brand Gluten-Free Brown Gravy Mix is one of the things I NEVER allow myself to run out of. It is quick and easy to make and tastes fantastic. I also keep Pioneer Brand Country Gravy Mix on hand at all times. You wouldn’t believe how great it is on mashed potatoes, hashbrowns, or bread. Sometimes I add crumbled sausage and it’s the best sausage gravy imaginable. The two links go to Amazon where they’re available but they’re also pretty easy to find in stores. I’ve found them at Kroger, Wal-Mart, and Meijer.

Pioneer Brand also makes amazing… and I mean amazing… gravy mixes that aren’t gluten-free. They’re simply an extraordinary brand and you can’t go wrong ordering anything they have. Just be sure (if you have to eat gluten-free) to only buy their gluten-free products.

Salisbury Steaks with Gravy

Salisbury Steak with Gravy


Gluten-Free Taco Seasoning Mix (Homemade)

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Gluten-Free Tacos with Pico de Gallo

Homemade Taco Seasoning for Great Tacos in Dorito Shells

While there are taco seasoning mixes on the market that are both gluten-free and delicious, my favorite approach is to use a homemade spice mixture. It’s super easy to make up a batch and keep it on hand in the spice cabinet.

The Basics of Using a Homemade Taco Seasoning Mixture:

  1.  2 Tablespoons of the homemade mix is equivalent to one package of store-bought taco seasoning.
  2.  Adjust to meet your own personal tastes. Like more salt? Add more. If you like less salt, use less.
  3. The dried onion is a matter of personal taste. I prefer more texture in my taco seasoning, so I add a little minced dry onion along with the full 2 tablespoons of the onion powder. If you prefer, you can add the minced dry onion and use half the onion powder called for. Your call.
  4. Dried red pepper is optional. If you like a little heat, go for it. If you don’t like any heat, don’t’ even think about it!

MIX TOGETHER:

2 tablespoons onion powder
1 teaspoon minced dried onion
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground oregano
1 tablespoon sugar
1 pinch dried red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Use as you would your store bought packet of seasoning.


Outside-In Bacon Cheeseburgers with Green Onion Mayo

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Rachael Ray Guy Food Cookbook I have quite a few Rachael Ray Cookbooks in my cookbook collection. Okay, let’s be honest and have full disclosure here…. I have every single one except for the newest one, and that’s just a matter of time. She’s a favorite TV Personality and cookbook author, so if her name’s on it, I’m not just “in,” I’m “all in.”

The cookbook pictured here is just one of my favorites.

Guy Food: Rachael Ray’s Top 30 30-Minute Meals is filled with recipes you’ll use again and again – the Outside-In Bacon Cheeseburgers (with HEAVENLY Green Onion Mayo) is a classic example of why you need this cookbook.

Outside-In Bacon Cheeseburgers with Green Onion Mayo – by Rachael Ray

5 slices bacon, chopped
4 scallions, cleaned and trimmed
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1 1/3 pounds ground beef sirloin
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend or coarse salt and black pepper
1/2 pound extra sharp white cheddar cheese, crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise or reduced fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper
4 crusty Kaiser rolls, split
4 leaves crisp romaine lettuce

Preheat grill pan over high heat.

In a medium pan brown bacon over medium high heat and drain on paper towel lined plate.

Brush scallions with a little oil and grill on hot grill pan 2 or 3 minutes on each side. Remove from heat to cool.

Combine ground beef with Worcestershire and steak seasoning or salt and pepper. Divide meat into 4 equal parts. Combine cheese crumbles and cooked bacon. Take 1/4 of the meat in your hand and make a well in the center of it. Pile in cheese and bacon, then carefully form the burger around the cheese and bacon filling. Make sure the fillings are completely covered with meat. When all 4 patties are formed, drizzle burgers with oil and place on hot grill pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side over high heat, reduce heat to medium low and cook burgers 7 or 8 minutes longer, turning occasionally. Do not press down on burgers as they cook. Transfer burgers to a plate and let them rest 5 minutes before serving.

Green Onion Mayo: Chop cooled, grilled scallions and add to a food processor. Add mayonnaise and cumin to the food processor and pulse the onions and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

Pile burgers on crusty buns and top with crisp lettuce leaves and a slather of green onion mayonnaise. As you bite into the burgers, you will find a smoky, cheesy surprise at the center.

Below are just a few of the other recipes in this great little cookbook:

  • There’s a very manly chili recipe with some surprising ingredients that will be tried in this very kitchen this week!
  • Blackened Chicken Pizza
  • A recipe for Mahi-Mahi Fillets, grilled
  • Tenderloin Steaks with Gorgonzola and Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary
  • If you or your guy (or kids! – they always love them) have a thing for chicken tenders, there’s a recipe for pecan-crusted chicken tenders you’ll flip for
  • Cheddar and Chive Bread
  • Corn on the Cob with Chili and Lime
  • Grilled Halibut Tacos with Guacamole Sauce
  • A lot more!

If you love great food, and especially if you have a guy you love to cook for, you’ll want to grab a copy of Guy Food: Rachael Ray’s Top 30 30-Minute Meals right away. It’s just a little over $10 and these are recipes you’ll use all year long…. year after year.

Obsessed with this Gorgeous Tea Pitcher… Obsessed, I Tell You

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I drink a lot of tea – okay, that’s an understatement. Let’s try again. I am in the process of gleefully and systematically drinking tea each of my waking hours.

That’s better.

I have iced tea (usually either black raspberry tea or green raspberry tea) with my coffee in the morning, then I keep a large (we’re talking quite large) beautiful silver, shiny tumbler with a straw filled for the remainder of the day.

At several points during the day (around 4:00 when I’m making supper and 6:00 when I’m winding down) I also have a nice big mug of hot tea. The iced tea never leaves my side mind you, the hot simply joins us where we happen to be.

While I have endless mugs for my hot tea, my tumbler (aka my shadow), and tall glasses for mealtime, my iced tea pitcher leaves much to be desired. Okay, between me and you, it’s an old glass pitcher from a coffee maker I had, like, 6 years ago! For someone as clumsy as me to keep anything made of glass that long without breaking it is something of an accomplishment, but it’s simply time to upgrade the iced tea game.

I’m an embarrassment to myself and my daughter, the Crazy Tea Chick.

See the beauty pictured at the right? IT’s the HIWARE Glass Pitcher (Amazon Link) and I have invited it to join the family.

Features of This Gorgeous, Ingenious Pitcher:

  • This pitcher is made from borosilicate glass and withstands temperature 0 to 300 ℉, so you can pour boiling water into this pitcher safely.
  • The absence of lead guarantees 100-percent recyclable products; superior resistant to use, the pitcher is thicker than other brands in the market and has been double-annealed to give it extra durability
  • The lid with filter is made from 18/8 stainless steel, it is perfect for keeping the ice cubes, sliced fruit, tea bags inside the beverage. Specially designed with non-dripping spout and the ergonomically designed handle make it easy to hold and pour. Easy to clean
  • More natural and healthy (and better looking!) than using a plastic one. This pitcher is widely used for water, iced tea, hot tea, fruit infused water, homemade beverages, cold brew coffee, etc. It’s even suitable to leave in your fridge. 

See HIWARE Glass Pitcher (Amazon Link)