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Quick and Easy Recipes

As Simple as it Gets Japanese Broth Soup (The Possibilities are Endless)

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Japanese Broth Soup with Maifun Rice Sticks

Japanese Broth Soup with Maifun Rice Sticks

When I had to start eating gluten-free years ago (Celiac made the decision, not me), one of the things I missed most was Japanese food. Sushi, salad, and soup at one of my favorite restaurants became something I “used to enjoy.” Over the years I’ve looked for different options but it’s been pretty much one disappointment after another (gluten-free Japanese food is a wide-open field if any company wanted to pave the way!).

I always, always, always scour the Asian section at my favorite supermarkets for new products. Recently the magic words (“gluten-free”) caught my eye when I spied a box of Simply Asia Japanese Inspired Ramen Chicken Broth.

Into the cart it went! I envisioned rice noodles or rice sticks and green onions in what was going to be a quickly thrown-together lunch, so I grabbed a package of Dynasty Maifun Rice Sticks (Amazon link). I use these QUICK and easy noodles in so many cold salads and hot soups!

I came home and heated the broth, placed the rice sticks in warm water for about 10 minutes, then added them and some chopped green onion to the broth to simmer. I wish I had grabbed some Shitake mushrooms at the store, too, because very thinly-sliced mushrooms would have been amazing.

This broth is PHENOMENAL and the possibilities are honestly endless.

Check your favorite grocery section for the Simply Asia Japanese Broth (Amazon link) or click through and grab some on Amazon. The flavor will blow your mind.

Simply Asia Ramen Broth and Maifun Rice Sticks

The Makings of a Ridiculously Quick & Easy Japanese Soup (Gluten-Free!)


Wilton Halloween Sprinkles and a SIMPLE Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

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Sweet Jacoby with Cookie

Jacoby (3) With One of His Creations!

Two of my grandbabies and I made Peanut Butter Cookies recently and decided we simply HAD to use our Wilton Halloween Sprinkles on top… it is the Halloween season after all! Like all Wilton sprinkles, they’re perfectly delicious and have ZERO hint of an artificial flavor (some non-Wilton brands do taste a little artificial).

Cookies with Babies

Peanut Butter Cookies and LOTS of Sprinkles

Our Gluten-Free 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

  • 1 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
  • 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Egg

SIMPLE Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Mix your ingredients – sugar, peanut butter, and egg – in a bowl. You don’t even need a mixer!
  • Spoon cookie dough into heaps onto an ungreased cookie sheet (use parchment paper for easier cleanup).
  • Cust fork in sugar and use the tines to make criss-cross pattern on each cookie before baking.
  • Bake 6 to 8 minutes. Do not overbake! They’re best soft.

Sweet Maddox with Cookie Crumb Lips!

Maddox (4) with Sprinkle Lips!

Now, obviously, you can use these sprinkles judiciously and make VERY eye-catching cookies, candies, pies, cupcakes, and cakes… but if you’re lucky enough to have little kitchen elves, you can make a joyful, chaotic, and beautiful creation!

Cookies with Babies

Let the Sprinkles Rain AND Reign!

You can find a great number of Wilton sprinkles and sanding sugars (Amazon link) on Amazon. The one my little kitchen elves and I used, here, is available on their website and in stores.

Cookies with Babies

Delicious and Simple Recipe for Pimento Cheese

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Pimento Cheese Recipe

Pimento Cheese

Two of my favorite things in the world of food are cheese and mayonnaise (preferably Duke’s), so it’s only natural that I love Pimento Cheese like a sailor loves the sea. When I had to give up gluten/wheat (health reasons), I lost the world of pimento cheese sandwiches because, no matter what anyone may try to tell you, gluten-free bread simply is not the same. If you toast it, it is more than serviceable, but straight out of the bag… no thank you, I’d rather dance alone.

Fortunately, I’ve found that pimento cheese is just as delicious on chips, romaine lettuce, or gluten-free crackers.

If you’re able to eat bread, then by all means do so!

The following is my “go to” for pimento cheese – it’s simple and delicious, as well as very spreadable and dippable.

Delicious Idea: This particular approach to pimento cheese is pretty savory – if you want to add a bit of sweetness, add a little softened cream cheese along with the other ingredients…. OR, if some people in your family prefer savory and others prefer sweetness, do what I like to do: Make the savory version of the pimento cheese. When someone who prefers a little sweetness wants a sandwich, spread some cream cheese on the inside of one of the slices of bread (kind of like mayo with a sweet tooth). This is an especially delicious trick when you toast the bread.


A Simple and Delicious Summer Salad that Begins with Prosciutto & Mozzarella Rolls

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Prosciutto Rolls Salad

Prosciutto Rolls Salad

I’m working on adding more really quick, simple, and summer-friendly meals and dishes to the blog – after all, when the weather is gorgeous OUTSIDE, who wants to be INSIDE any more than they have to!?!

Meal prep is a dream come true, not only for those who work outside of the home, but for anyone who wants to maximize their time without compromising healthy food that that tastes great.

So, you’ll be seeing a lot more meal ideas and recipes with all of this in mind. Actually, many won’t even be recipes as much as they’ll be ideas. The one I want to share with you today is delicious and couldn’t possibly be simpler. I got the idea for this simple summer salad from one of my favorite fast food “sandwiches” the Vito Unwich from Jimmy John’s. Italian meat, veggies, cheese, and a dressing in a lettuce wrap… it’s more delicious than you can imagine.

Which is why I wanted to incorporate the flavors at home, in a nice simple salad.

First, you’ll need a package of Prosciutto & Mozzarella Rolls (most grocery stores sell these little roll ups in the refrigerated deli department). You could, of course, buy the Italian meat(s) and mozzarella and make your own rolls, but we’re aiming for simplicity, here!

Second, buy premade packaged greens all gussied up and ready for salads OR buy your own favorite greens and make your own. We’re a romaine lettuce kind of family, so I always have crunchy romaine on hand.  For most summer salads, I like a mixture of my favorite greens (arugula, romaine, iceberg, spinach, red leaf…) but for this particular salad, I always go with romaine exclusively – it’s simply better that way.

As far as other vegetables go, by all means add your personal favorites: tomatoes (when in season), sweet onion, green onion, etc. If you want to include others, such as cucumbers, carrots, celery, or broccoli, I think it’s best to simply put them to the side. This simple salad is its best when it adheres to the word simple.

Dressing? You can go with your favorite homemade Italian dressing or use your favorite bottled dressing. I normally make my own dressing, but this particular time (when these photos were taken), I was battling seasonal allergies and the zombie-brain-inducing medicines that come with them and wanted sweet simplicity. I used the wonderful Olive Garden Dressing (Amazon link) I always have on hand for such emergencies. This dressing is fantastic and I wouldn’t dream of ever running out of it.

Prosciutto Rolls Salad

Prosciutto Rolls Salad


Caulipower: Quite Possibly THE Best Gluten-Free Pasta

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CauliPower Linguine Pasta with Meat Sauce

Caulipower Linguine with Meat Sauce

Years ago, when I had to give up gluten and wheat (health reasons), the first f0ur things I thought of were…

  • doughnuts
  • pasta
  • fried catfish
  • pizza

These are four of my favorite things in life and have been since my life began. I was afraid there’d be no hope to enjoy these great loves ever again and, frankly, with doughnuts, my prediction held true. There ARE gluten-free doughnuts, of course, but they are not the ones I remember from bakeries.

Until fairly recently, the pizza and pasta prediction also held fast, but lately, great strides have been made and (as a pasta and pizza fanatic) I couldn’t be more thankful.

However… when it comes to gluten-free pasta, it has always been a case of, “this one is pretty good” or “this one’s acceptable” instead of anything close to, ‘Holy cats, this gluten-free pasta is outstanding and tastes like the pasta I remember!”

Then I found Caulipower’s new gluten-free pastas – let’s just say it’s a GAME CHANGER.

(Review Continued Below….)

CauliPower Pasta

Caulipower Linguine

Caulipower is a brand I’ve been familiar with for a while because I buy their gluten-free pizza crusts (Amazon link) and gluten-free pizzas (they’re outstanding and I actually now prefer cauliflower crust to regular gluten-free crust). When my youngest daughter told me they had come out with gluten-free pasta, I’m not even exaggerating… I went to the store immediately. They’re in the frozen section and, while I first wondered about them being packaged frozen, I now LOVE the fact. This allows them to cook in just three minutes!

THREE MINUTES! Simply boil the water, add the frozen pasta, stir, and get ready to plate the deliciousness. The first one I tried was the Caulipower linguine because I’ve had difficulty finding linguine in a gluten-free pasta AND I love it.

For anyone who loves “meal prep hacks,” pasta night doesn’t get any better. Simply make up your pasta sauce (I always add ground beef, garlic, onions, green pepper, and mushrooms) and put it into a container in the refrigerator. When it’s time to make supper, warm up your sauce and cook your three minute pasta!

CauliPower Linguine Pasta

CauliPower Linguine Pasta

I love that the portion is perfect for two people (with a little left over even) and the fact that it cooks so quickly makes it IDEAL for busy weeknights. The best thing, however, is the fact that it is delicious! I added a little salt to the water like I do with all pasta, then added it to a meat sauce I had made beforehand.

While you could, of course, simply top the pasta with sauce, I thought adding it TO the meat sauce would make sure there was no cauliflower taste to detect. Mind you, I am obsessed with cauliflower, so it would make me giddy if there was a cauliflower taste but my husband is not a cauliflower fan, so I wanted to make sure that IF there was any flavor there, the sauce would mask it.

I tasted the pasta before adding it to the sauce and, even then, it was simply outstanding – no cauliflower taste and, best of all, it had the true consistency of “normal” pasta. Most gluten-free pasta you find in the stores is tough and not remotely “pasta-like” when it comes to the mouth feel. This one is so perfect it nearly brought a tear to my pasta-missing eye.

But it gets better.

If you’re familiar with gluten-free pasta, you know that leftovers are hideous. Gluten-free pasta, after being refrigerated and warmed-up gets even tougher. Not Caulipower pasta! When I warmed it up the next day, it tasted just like I had just made it fresh.

Now that’s what I’m talking about.

(Review Wrapped Up Below…)

CauliPower Linguine Pasta with Meat Sauce

CauliPower Linguine Pasta with Meat Sauce

Before allowing you to get on with your life, I just wanted to point out two things to let you know just how excited I am about Caulipower pasta and how thrilled I am to have found it:

  1. This is NOT a paid post, NOT sponsored, and NOT in any way associated with the Caulipower brand. I was NOT sent coupons or products to review. This is simply a case of a pasta lover who has to eat gluten-free finally finding the pasta that makes her excited to eat pasta again!
  2. Many times, after I have a food or use a product, I will schedule a time in the future (maybe a week later) to blog about it on the food blog. This particular pasta I tried just last night for supper and just warmed it up for lunch. I was SO anxious to share the good news that I dropped everything to sit down and tell you all about it.

If you have to eat gluten-free, are cutting back on carbs… OR simply want a more convenient and delicious pasta, I hope you’ll try Caulipower pasta as soon as possible. It’s a perfect 10 out of 10 and, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go have a little more.

Caulipower Pasta

Caulipower Pasta


Keto Coleslaw (This One Has Become my “Go To” Coleslaw)

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Low Carb Coleslaw

Low Carb Coleslaw

While I don’t follow a STRICT Keto diet, I do try to incorporate as many keto/low carb meals into my cooking and eating as possible. I believe it’s the healthiest way to eat and since we are very much only as healthy as our diets, I am trying to be as strict as possible.

Besides, you just feel better when you cut back on the unnecessary things in your diet.

Eating low carb can be a bit of a challenge, I will be the first to admit it. It takes a little period of adjustment for your taste buds to go from eating very sweet foods to marginally sweet foods. Coleslaw (one of my personal favorite sides) is a great example. The coleslaw you buy in stores and restaurants is crazy sweet (they must use CUPS of sugar), so making one with Truvia (or your sugar alternative of choice) may take getting used to.

Personally, I love that you can taste the vegetables more without the added sweetness. When cutting back on sugar with anything, if you focus on ADDING flavor instead of what you’re taking away, you’ll open up a whole new world. Adding a little more sea salt and/or pepper often does the trick beautifully. I’ve also found that inviting green onion to any party makes it instantly better.

Low Carb Coleslaw

Low Carb Coleslaw

 

Tips:

  • You can use a food processor to make the coleslaw smaller (like KFC’s) or use it straight out of the coleslaw mix bag. When I make a vinegar coleslaw, I like it straight out of the bag… coarser.. but when adding mayo, I run it briefly through a food processor. Why? I have no idea!
  • Duke’s is my go to mayo, but simply use your favorite!
  • Keeping healthier coleslaw on hand is ideal for a great side. When I have some made (which is almost always), I’m able to grab a burger off the bun through a drive through, avoid the fries, and bring it home to have with a healthier side.


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.

I’m crazy about wraps – 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 nice, cheap 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. Besides, the initial extra pennies spent actually pay for themselves because these lightly dried herbs are so flavorful (tasting like they just came from your herb bed), you actually use less of them than they’re counterparts with the dry personalities.

Gourmet Garden Parsley

Gourmet Garden Lightly Dried Parsley

I have used every single herb available in this line and do so regularly. 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 prosciutto, 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.

Who doesn’t love a quick, easy, flavorful meal?!

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

Fried Eggs, Sautéed Vegetables, Ground Beef, and Parsley 

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