Gluten-Free Recipes

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Stuffed Green Lentil Cannelloni

September 12, 2017 By Joi Sigers

It’s officially here….. PUMPKIN EVERYTHING!!! I’ll let you in on a little secret, I couldn’t be happier. I love all the months of the year, mind you, but there’s just something about September 1 – January 1 that floats all my boats.

The recipe below is from Explore Cuisine (so you know it’s a knock-out). Have you tried their gluten-free pasta? It’s healthy, affordable, and best of all, crazy delicious. Explore Cuisine will, hopefully, become steadily available in more grocery stores – until then, you can find it easily on Amazon. It’s just fantastic.

Pumpkin Stuffed Green Lentil Cannelloni

Prep time: 45 mins
Cook time: 55 mins
Total time: 1 hour 40 mins
Serves: 3-4 servings

For the Cashew Cream:

½ cup raw cashews
1 cup water boiling water
1 clove garlic
2 tsp nutritional yeast
¼ tsp salt
6 sheets Explore Cuisine Organic Green Lentil Lasagne
2 cups prepared tomato sauce
1 t0 2 tsp red pepper flakes (to taste, optional)

For The Filling:

15oz canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
¼ to ½ tsp salt (to taste)
⅛ tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS

To prepare the cashew cream (this can be prepared ahead of time), soak the cashews in 1 cup of boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the soaking water
Combine the soaked cashews, garlic, nutritional yeast, salt and the ½ cup of reserved soaking water in a high power blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use
In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add salt to taste. Add the lasagna sheets and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often to keep them from sticking together
While the pasta cooks, prepare the filling. Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Set aside until ready to use
Once the pasta sheets are cooked, drain them and run them under cold water (if any of the sheet are stuck together, separate them carefully). Set them aside
Preheat the oven to 375F. Combine the prepared tomato sauce and red pepper flakes (if using) and pour on the bottom of a 10.5 x 7.5 inch baking dish. Spoon about half of the cashew cream over the sauce
To prepare the cannelloni, place about a tablespoon and a half of filling on each pasta sheet and carefully roll each one. Arrange them on the baking dish, over the tomato sauce and cashew cream. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes
Drizzle with the remaining cashew cream before serving. Serve warm

Easy Gluten-Free Lasagna with Explore Cuisine Green Lentil (No Boil!) Noodles

September 6, 2017 By Joi Sigers

Gluten-Free Lasagna with Explore Cuisine Organic Green Lentil Noodles

Gluten-free lasagna just got easier and healthier – and if you love lasagna like Garfield the cat and I do, this is the kind of good news you’ve been waiting for.

Explore Cuisine makes a wonderful line of gluten-free pastas that will change your entire pasta game. They’re delicious – dare I say far more delicious than they sound like they’d be. I mean, let’s be serious, even those of us who love vegetables to distraction would be a little skeptical about Green Lentil Lasagna Noodles. I know I was! When I first used them to make lasagna, I was half-tempted to make one with traditional gluten-free noodles too, you know… just – in – case.

I didn’t take this crazy precautionary step and it turns out I didn’t need to. These noodles have a really wonderful, understated flavor that couldn’t work more beautifully with tomato sauces if it had to.

Not only are these noodles gluten-free and delicious, they don’t have to be boiled before building your lasagna. I am so over the process of handling limp HOT lasagna noodles, so that’s a dream come true for me and my hands.

{Continued Below…}

Explore Cuisine Organic Green Lentil Lasagna on Amazon

About Explore Cuisine:

Explore Cuisine products are vegan, organic, gluten-free, and kosher, ensuring your health and igniting your taste buds! For example, our delicious bean pastas contain nearly 20-25 grams of protein per serving and are low in carbs and sodium while simultaneously containing a high fiber content. With Explore Cuisine, you’ll experience the incomparable taste of pasta with all the benefits of nutritious beans! Read More…

There is a wonderful recipe for Vegetable Lasagna on Explore Cuisine’s blog – just click the link to check it out. It’s out of this world – fresh and delicious.

The first lasagna I made with these noodles was, however, my “go to” lasagna I’ve been making for 112 years. The recipe is below and, thanks to these no-boil noodles, it couldn’t be easier.

A Few Notes:

If you use a pasta sauce that already contains garlic – leave the garlic out of the recipe. The same is true of one with bell peppers, or onions.
You can add a small (drained) can of sliced mushrooms in with the onion and bell pepper.
I like my lasagna extra saucy, but if you prefer your lasagna a little more “traditional,” only use one jar of pasta sauce instead of 1-1/2.
Always check pasta sauce for the gluten-free label. Some actually are not gluten-free. Always, always check.

Easy Gluten-Free Green Lentil Lasagna

Ingredients

2 Packages Explore Cuisine Organic Green Lentil Lasagna
2 lbs Ground Chuck
1/2 Cup Finely-Chopped Bell Pepper
1 Cup Finely-Chopped Sweet Onion
3 Cloves Garlic, Finely Chopped
1 TBS Kosher Salt
1 TBS Oregano
1 TBS Basil
1-2 28 oz Jars Prego or Ragu Pasta Sauce (I usually use 1-1/2)
2 Cups Ricotta Cheese
2 Eggs, Slightly Beaten
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan
1 Pint Ricotta Cheese
16 oz. Cottage Cheese (small curd)
8 oz Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large skillet cook ground beef until brown.
Add onions, bell pepper, and garlic and saute until onions are transparent.
Add the salt.
Stir in pasta sauce and heat on medium low for a few minutes.
In a large bowl, combine ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano, and the two slightly beaten eggs.
Spread a thin layer of the meat sauce in the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan or dish.
Layer with the uncooked Explore Cuisine Organic Green Lentil Lasagna noodles, cheese mixture, mozzarella cheese, and meat sauce.
Continue layering until all ingredients are used, reserving 1/2 cup of the mozzarella.
Cover pan with aluminum foil.
Bake for 45 minutes. Uncover, and top with remaining half cup of mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 15 more minutes.
Remove from oven, and allow lasagna to stand 10 to 15 minutes before cutting.

Fast & Easy Summer Meal: Meatless Tostadas

July 12, 2017 By Joi Sigers

Given the fact that I have a food blog and talk about food without even taking a breath, you probably already know that I love to cook. In fact, I enjoy it so much that I stare in blank amazement when people say they don’t enjoy cooking.

Having said that, on the hottest days (and nights) of summer, I appreciate a quick, easy, and no oven required meal. These tostadas are so quick and easy to pull together and there are endless options to “make them your own.” They’re also great for eating on a budget – especially if you make them meatless.

The Toppings Are Your Call:

Refried Beans or Ground Beef w/Taco Seasoning
Cilantro
Shredded Cheddar
Mexican Crumbling Cheese
Green Onions
Shallots
Shredded Lettuce
Jalapeno Peppers
Chiles
Tomatoes
Pico de Gallo
Sour Cream
Salsa
Salsa Verde
Black Olives
Lime Juice
Roasted Corn
Roasted Red Peppers
Etc…

The NON-Recipe for Refried Beans Tostadas

There’s No Need to Even Heat These Tostadas

It all starts with the base: the Tostada shells. I love the Guerrero Tostadas pictured above. They’re delicious and ridiculously inexpensive. That’s a combination I don’t take lightly.

Line a baking sheet (or several) with the number of tostadas you’ll be serving. There’s no need to heat the shells at all for tostadas.

Refried Beans: I use canned refried beans and am pretty darn brand-loyal. I buy Old El Paso Traditional Refried Beans almost exclusively. For 10 tostadas, I used two cans. Now you can use refried beans straight from the can for this recipe or to serve as is. However, I love to add a little water (couple of tablespoons) to the beans when I first add them to the skillet, along with about 1/2 tsp of cumin and a splash of hot sauce. In full disclosure, I add cumin to more things than not. In this particular dish, I also added 1/2 cup of sour cream to the beans. It makes them creamier and dreamier.

Cook the beans on low, stirring frequently. Season with a little salt.

Make Some with Avocado and Some Without: Just In Case Someone Isn’t a Fan

When the beans are nice and hot, plop them evenly among the tostada shells, spreading them to the edges. Top the hot beans with shredded cheddar cheese so it’ll melt irresistibly into them.

Now this is where you can really get cute. Add whatever floats your boat at this point. Cilantro, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, black olives, scallions, shallots… you do you!

I add different toppings just about every time I make tostadas but the cast of characters almost always includes cilantro, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, cheese, and avocado.

You’ll want to put the sour cream on top, if for no other reason than it looks cool. Finally, the thing that really seals the deal? Squeeze a little lime juice over the whole shebang.

I’m not sure why, exactly, but lime juice simply makes every single Mexican dish you can think of even better.

Ideas for Side Dishes:

Rice
Tossed Salad
Chips and Salsa
Corn
Fried Potatoes

Gluten Free Cranberry Pecan Cookies

November 23, 2016 By Joi Sigers

Gluten-Free White Chocolate and Pecan Cookies

Gluten Free White Chocolate Chip and Pecans CookiesBefore getting to the two gluten free cookie recipes, I just want to express my yuuuge gratitude to food companies who keep churning out exceptional gluten free products. Krusteaz, Udi’s, Glutino, Pamela’s CedarLane, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Amy’s… the list goes on and deliciously on. I am so very thankful for them – and I plan to keep letting them know – all over social media, through e-mail, here on the food blog… anywhere and everywhere I have an opportunity to sincerely thank them, I’m going to take it. I’d love to see everyone in the gluten free (for health reasons, especially) community do so. We don’t hesitate to point out when a company or restaurant drops the ball – we should be even faster with gratitude.

Seems fair, right?

Okay… off the soap box! One of the companies I am most thankful for is Krusteaz. Their products are first rate – as in perfect every single time – and they are SO affordable. Let’s face it, not all gluten free products can be called “reasonably priced” let alone “So affordable,” but Krusteaz (and Pillsbury, for that matter) are as fair as it gets.

I just made a couple of batches of cookies using Krusteaz Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. I tweaked their wonderful Choclate Chunk Cookies recipe (below). In place of the 1-1/2 chocolate chips or chunks, I made the following cookies with the following SIMPLE alterations. The first (with dried cranberries) was made for my youngest daughter who cannot eat chocolate (poor baby!). She loves cranberries like crazy, so I thought this would be ideal.

Cranberry Pecan Gluten Free Cookies – (pictured below) instead of the 1-1/2 chocolate chips or chunks, I added 3/4 dried cranberries and 3/4 coarsely-chopped pecans.
White Chocolate Chip Pecan Gluten Free Cookies – (pictured at the top) again, 3/4 cup white chocolate chips and 3/4 cup coarsely-chopped pecans (yes.. as a matter of fact, I am obsessed with pecans)

Below is Krusteaz’s Chocolate Chunk Cookies recipe (it’s perfection, by the way). It’s the easiest chocolate chip cookie recipe you’ll ever find – you don’t even need a mixer. Tweak as I did (above) or go with the orgiinal (below). Either way, you’re going to be blown away.

Krusteaz Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies

1 ¼ cups Krusteaz Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
¼ cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups chocolate chips or chunks
2 eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Stir together flour with remaining dry ingredients. Add eggs, butter and vanilla and blend until dough forms, kneading by hand if necessary. Scoop rounded 2 tablespoon portions of dough and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly.

Bake 10-11 minutes or until light golden brown on the edges. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan. – Recipe from Krusteaz

Gluten Free Cranberry and Pecans Cookies

Gluten Free Pecan Sandies Recipe

December 31, 2015 By Joi Sigers

Gluten Free Pecan Sandies

When it comes to Christmas cookies… or any cookies, for that matter… one of my absolute favorites is Pecan Sandies (sometimes called Mexican Wedding Cookies). My favorite cookies are usually “nutty” and always extra-sweet and these cookies more than fit the bill.

When I had to give up gluten/wheat (my body’s decision, not my mind’s), I was pretty sure the days of being a cookie monster were behind me. Fortunately a lot of food companies have been busting their rears perfecting All Purpose Gluten Free flours and have, as a result, opened up a whole new world to the gluten free crowd that we once thought was closed for good.

Granted, some of these “1 to 1” all purpose gluten free flours can be pretty expensive, but the one I recently discovered is, shockingly, just a bit more than regular flour. The fact that I’ve used it in A LOT of old favorite recipes as a substitute for traditional flour with spectacular results just blows me away.

Krusteaz Gluten Free All Purpose Flour is a a dream come true for this gluten free cookie monster and the fact that it’s also affordable is even sweeter.

I used my favorite Pecan Sandies recipe, from my favorite cookies cookbook, Better Homes and Gardens Cookies for Christmas, 1985. You should see this cookbook! I’ve used it so much over the years (throughout the year, like any self-respecting cookie monster would) that the pages are discolored, stained with who-knows-what and filled with notes like…

Brittany’s favorite cookie!
Emily loves these so much, they’re worth the extra effort..
Michael’s fave..
Stephany can’t get enough of these…

It’s pretty easy to tell my favorite cookbooks from the rest.

Below is the recipe, as it appears in the cookbook EXCEPT that I replaced “all purpose flour” with Krusteaz Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. If you have another gluten free all purpose flour you’d like to use, by all means, give it a try! I personally haven’t tried other gluten free flours so I can’t promise they’ll be as great as these were.

Needless to say, if you don’t have to eat gluten free, simply switch out the gluten free all purpose flour for the traditional one. Either way, you’ll have a cookie that’s as delicious as it is pretty.

Gluten Free Pecan Sandies Recipe

Yield: 45 Cookies

Gluten Free Pecan Sandies Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla
2-1/4 cups Krusteaz Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

In a large mixer bowl, beat butter or margarine till softened.
Add sugar and beat till fluffy.
Add water and vanilla and beat well.
Stir in flour and nuts.
Shape into 1 inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake in a 325 degree oven about 20 minutes or till done.
Remove and cool.
In a plastic bag, gently shake a few at a time in powdered sugar.

Gluten Free Strombolis With Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix

September 15, 2015 By Joi Sigers

Gluten Free Stromboli (Delicious!)

Gluten Free Strombolis Recipe

1/2 lb Sweet Italian Sausage
1 Green Pepper, chopped
1 Sweet Onion, chopped
1 TBS minced garlic from a jar (optional)
Jar of Spaghetti Sauce (Meat Free)
1 Bay Leaf
Kosher Salt
4 Cups Mozzarella
Pizza Crust (see below)
Black Pepper

Pizza Crust: For these, I used one bag of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix (makes two strombolis). Follow the directions for pizza crust on the back of the bag. When it comes time to roll out the crusts, remember you want it pretty thin. Another tip, roll it out on parchment paper, then use it to “assist” you in rolling the stromboli up.

To make it even easier, you could use Pillsbury’s Ready Made Gluten Free Pizza Crust. IF you can find it. I have trouble finding it in most grocery stores anymore.

Pre-Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Brown the Italian Sausage. If you’d prefer Hot Italian Sausage, use it instead. After making these with the Sweet, I couldn’t help thinking that a mixture of sweet and hot would’ve been delicious.
Add the chopped peppers and onions to the sausage as it browns. Drain and return all to the pan.
If you’re adding garlic, do so now. Feel free to add more or less – depending upon your own level of garlic love.
Salt and pepper everything.
Add half the jar of sauce – save the rest for dipping your Strombolis.

Gluten Free Stromboli

For the Crust:

Roll each ball of pizza dough into a 10-by-16-inch rectangle. Carefully transfer to a baking sheet.
Divide the Italian sausage filling down the middle of each rectangle. Sprinkle 2 cups of mozzarella evenly on top of each filling.
Turn the pan horizontally, so you’re looking at the future strombolis lenghtwise. Starting at the bottom of each, carefully roll the dough on top of the filling about an inch to two inches. Roll in the two sides. Now roll “up” from the bottom (here’s where the parchment paper is a lot of help) and seal the edges – position the stroms with the seam on the bottom. Cut several diagonal slits into the crust (with a ridiculously sharp knife), if you’re feeling fancy.
Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Bob’s Red Mill Pizza Crust MixOptional Add Ins and “Hindsight” Ideas:

Pepperoni Slices would be delicious in these strombolis. One bite it, it occurred to me! Why it didn’t occur to me while I was at the store is beyond me.
You could easily make vegetarian strombolis by replacing the meat with extra peppers, mushrooms, and even jalapenos.
Instead of using the spaghetti sauce method, even though it was delicious, the next time I make these I want to try this approach: Brown the sausage/drain. Saute onions and green pepper. After rolling out the pizza crust, “brush” on my favorite pizza sauce (which happens to be Classico), evenly spread the filling ingredients down the middle, add the cheese, roll up, and bake. Like I said, the spaghetti sauce is fantastic, but I think pizza sauce would be pretty amazing too.
The stroms shown here are my first attempt and I, obviously, didn’t go too heavy on the filling. I wanted to make sure my dough closed around the ingredients and didn’t bust at the seams. Use common sense when putting your stroms together – it’s honestly better to go “light” than to have them pop open in the oven.
Strombolis don’t have to have to include the traditional ingredients. These would also be delicious with cheddar cheese, onions, and ham. I guess just about any luncheon meat would be delicious. Hmmm, I think I’ll try sliced roast beef and Swiss cheese sometime…
When it comes to favorite gluten free mixes (such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust and Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pie Crust Mix), I order in bulk off of Amazon. I’m afraid I can’t always count on my grocery store to have just the mix or mixes I need, but I can always count on Amazon. Come to think of it, it’s time to order another box of each of these mixes.
Store-bought pizza dough (whether you go the gluten free route or not) would be easier to work with, but when you make your own, the taste is just out of this world. They may not be quite as photogenic as a store bought crust would be, but since when do photos taste good?!
When I served the stroms, I sliced and positioned them on the plate among plenty of Ruffles Potato Chips (you just cannot have stroms without Ruffles!). I served little bowls of Marinara Sauce for dipping, but pizza sauce would also be great. Add a dill pickle and you’re golden.
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust is a 10 out of 10. Excellent in every single way and it has never let me down. I highly recommend it for pizzas and strombolis.

Strombolis without Ruffles? I Don’t Think So!

Grilled Cheeseburger Pizza

July 13, 2015 By Joi Sigers

Grilled Cheeseburger Pizza

Before we get to the recipe, a few words about grilling pizzas. My husband has always been a huge fan of grilling. Hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, corn on the cob… you name it, he’s grilled it…. and to perfection. Last summer, however, I thought he’d finally lost his mind. Seriously, I thought it was time to phone the children.

He told me that he had special plans for his weekend grilling. As my mind was rounding up ideas for sides for burgers, steaks, or chicken – he said he wanted to grill a couple of pizzas.

I’m always up for an adventure that doesn’t involve snakes, heights, or dressing in horizontals, so I told him I was on board.

Here’s the thing, in spite of my initial doubts, I soon found that grilled pizza is out of this world delicious. Out. Of. This. World. It gives a certain, unmistakable flavor to pizza that’s like a brick-oven pizza you’d pay an arm and a leg for. If you’ve ever had a brick oven pizza, you know they’re more delicious than any pizza has a right to be.

Grilled pizzas recreate the flavor – for a lot less money. AND without heating up your kitchen.

Note: Be sure to read the article in its entirety – it continues after each picture until the end, and I’ll let you know when that is. Deal? Deal.

Pizza Topped with Classico Sauce and Mozzarella

Your Pizza Crust

If you don’t eat gluten free, choose any crust you want: make your own, buy a mix, or even use a pre-made crust. If you eat gluten free, I (personally) suggest using one of these two gluten free mixes:

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Crust Mix
Glutino Gluten Free Pantry Pizza Crust Mix

I’ve heard great things about Pamela’s Products Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix but haven’t tried it, myself, yet. When I do, I’ll let you know.

When making a grilled pizza, there is nothing in the whole world wrong with buying a ready-made crust. In fact, they’re nice and firm and you can pretty much bet that they’re up to the challenge. Besides, the flavor from the grill and your toppings are the true stars of the show.

Your Pizza Sauce

When it comes to pizza sauce, different strokes for different folks. Some use tomato sauce, straight from a can, and swear there’s no other way to do it. Others grab a can or jar of whatever pizza sauce is on sale. As for me, Classico Traditional Pizza Sauce is the only one I ever buy or use.

I once had a little taste test challenge and it blew the rest away. The flavors in Classico make the so-called flavors in the rest seem non-existent. It’s also thicker. And prettier.

Let’s Get Grilling!

1. Prepare your pizza crust:

After your crust has been mixed, work it with your hands to form a large circle OR several small circles or even rectangles. Place dough onto a lightly-floured, unbleached parchment paper-lined pizza pan. Needless to say, if you’re gluten free, be sure to use gluten free flour or (my personal favorite) gluten free cornmeal. You can also use aluminum foil in place of the parchment paper, but parchment paper seems less inclined to tear.

2. Have your sauce, toppings, and cheese ready:

Whether you’re making a good old-fashioned cheese or pepperoni pizza or you’re getting fancy with grilled veggies or a Cheeseburger Pizza (See Below), have everything ready to go. DO NOT expect the crust to wait on the grill for you while you round everything up – he will burn faster than you can think of a Plan B. Have everything ready within arm’s reach.

When putting sauce on your dough, think of it as “painting” the crust as opposed to slopping sauce all over it. Too much sauce on the pizza isn’t a good thing.

Your Grill

Gas Grills: Set grill to 400 degrees F

Pre-heat grill with lid closed for about 10 minutes.
Use an oven thermometer to make sure that the grill temperature is at a minimum of 400 degrees F.
When grill is at the proper pre-heated temperature, carefully grease the grates with olive oil. Simply wet paper towels with the olive oil, and use tongs to “grease” the grates. There are also cooking sprays made especially for grilling too.
Peel the parchment paper off and place your pizza dough directly onto the grill. This is where it’s especially cool to have a pizza peel – you can just slide your dough onto the grill in style.
Cover and cook your crust for 3 minutes (until bottom is crisp). Turn crust over and QUICKLY top with your sauce, toppings, and cheese.
Cover and grill two more minutes. Remove your delicacy from the heat by sliding pizza onto a pizza peel or cutting board.
Allow the pizza to rest for a few minutes, then slice and enjoy.

* I’m not familiar with grilling pizzas on charcoal grills – but you can find information online. Simply ask Google – he knows everything.

Cheeseburger Pizza!

You can use cheeseburger pizza toppings for a grilled OR oven baked pizza, but (at the risk of sounding like a broken record), the brick-oven effect from a grill is extra, extra special.

Brown 1 lb ground chuck with 1/2 an onion. Salt and pepper the production. After the meat has browned, remove from pan and drain.

Coarsely chop 8-12 dill pickle chips (the number depends on how much you love pickles – I went with 8 the first time and have since moved up to 12). You could, of course, use pickle relish or finely chop the pickles – but, for whatever reasons, I always take the “rustic” or “coarsely chopped” side.

As for cheese, I use a combination of shredded mozzarella and shredded cheddar cheese for Cheeseburger Pizzas. I’ve seen some people just use cheddar, but I couldn’t do that to mozzarella.

Not after everything we’ve been through.

As you can tell from the picture at the top, I didn’t do it, but you could add chopped fresh lettuce and shopped tomatoes to the top right before serving.

If you’re ready to completely blow your mind…. why not make a Grilled Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza by simply topping with crumbled bacon before (or even after) grilling?

* thud* I just passed out from the thought.

Kinnikinnick Pizzas Topped with Classico, Jalapenos, Olives, and Banana Peppers

Taco Pizza on the Grill

Before I had to start eating gluten free, taco pizza was a huge obsession.

Guess what. It still is.

You can build a taco pizza by simply changing a few things up with the Cheeseburger Pizza – and, again, this can be done in the oven or on the grill. After your ground beef or chuck has browned, add taco seasoning (McCormick has a gluten free taco seasoning mix… good on them!) and a little water, just as if you were making tacos. Add black olives, jalapenos, black beans, cheddar cheese, whatever toppings your little heart desires.

Before serving, top with chopped lettuce and tomatoes. Serve with sour cream and/or mild sauce, salsa, or Picante sauce. A little sour cream and mild sauce drizzled over the top of each slice…. HEAVEN!

Frozen Pizza on the Grill

This is where things really get quick and easy! You can grill frozen pizzas and get that same brick oven flavor. Simply place the pizza onto the grill, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes (for traditional-size frozen pizzas). Lift the cover of the grill, rotate the pizza 1/2 turn, close the lid, and cook for about 10 more minutes.

Please keep an eye on the pizza the whole time. Gluten free frozen pizzas are almost always smaller than regular pizzas, so they will cook faster. Use the 10 minutes as a guide, not a hard and fast rule.

Use a food thermometer when you think your pizza is ready – you want the internal temperature to be at 160 degrees.

My Beloved Kinnikinnick Gluten Free Pizza Crusts are AMAZING on the grill. Seriously, the flavor can’t even be described. Even non-gluten free eating pizza lovers will be hooked for life.

A Couple of Notes:

After the first two minutes, check the bottom of your crust. If it isn’t browning equally across the surface, use a spatula and rotate the crust 90 degrees.
It’s very (make that VERY) tempting to go overboard with sauce and toppings when it comes to pizza. However, try to reign yourself in. Too much sauce and extra-heavy toppings do nothing to add to the flavor of a grilled pizza. In fact, they’ll just weigh it down and detract from the awesome grilled flavor. Use a very modest layer of sauce across your dough and store the leftovers in the refrigerator for next time.
Classico.

The End.

White Chocolate Chip Rice Muffins Recipe

July 6, 2015 By Joi Sigers

2 cups Bob’s Red Mill White Rice Flour
2 Eggs
1 cup Vanilla Almond Milk
4 Tbsp. Sugar in the Raw
4 Tbsp. Canola Oil
4 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Salt
4 Tablespoons White Chocolate Chips

Combine all the ingredients (except the chips) in a mixing bowl and blend with an electric mixer until everything has combined and is getting along nicely.

Stir in the white chocolate chips. Fill your paper-lined muffin tin cups or the cups, themselves. After I’ve filled each of the 12 cups, I like to go back and add a few extra chips toward the top of the muffins. The exposed chips on top have so much unbelievable extra flavor. My mouth waters just thinking about them.

Bake at 425° for 17 to 20 minutes.

Yield: 12 Muffins (can be halved)

Special Note: These particular muffins are not “extra moist” muffins. They are, however, beyond Heavenly with a glass of milk, cup of coffee or hot chocolate!

Optional Sugar Glaze

The last time I made these rice muffins, I topped them with a sugar glaze which made them closer to a dessert than anything else. Not surprisingly, I was totally okay with that…

1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3 – 4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Slowly add the milk and vanilla extract to the sifted powdered sugar until you have a shiny glaze.

White Chocolate Chip Rice Muffins Ingredients

Wedge Salad, Starring Roasted Tomatoes

February 26, 2015 By Joi Sigers

Last night I made what instantly became a Salad Legend in our kitchen: A wedge salad with bacon, chia seeds, ranch dressing,and the main attraction, roasted grape tomatoes.

I seldom give either sauteed onions OR bacon second billing to anything, yet here they BOTH are, playing second fiddle to the humble, miniature grape tomato.

Wedge Salads: Iceberg Lettuce’s Call in Life

For a great wedge salad, you have to start with a fresh, crisp, clean, beautiful head of iceberg lettuce. Cut it into fourths and salt it a little under, over, around, and through. Iceberg lettuce has a shy flavor, you have to coax it out with a little salt.

Place your wedges on a plate and pour either Ranch Dressing or Blue Cheese Dressing on top – be generous.

Now, add your favorite toppings. You can choose from..

crumbled, cooked bacon (or bacon bits if you’re in a hurry or don’t want to mess up a skillet)
chopped tomatoes (grape or cherry tomatoes – roasted or not – are ideal for wedge salads)
green onions
crumbled Blue Cheese or Feta
sauteed onions
roasted vegetables
roasted corn (YUM!)
Chia seeds
sunflower seeds
etc…

A wedge salad can be as quick and easy or as elaborate as you want it to be.

The wedge salad pictured at the top (and at the bottom of the post) involved a little more time to make than the average wedge salad, but when it comes to sauteed onions and roasted tomatoes, I have all the time in the world.

How to Roast Grape Tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the grape (or cherry) tomatoes and place them in a bowl. Drizzle them with olive oil, then season them with Kosher Salt. Depending upon your preference AND depending upon what you’ll be eating at this particular meal, you could also drizzle a little Balsamic Vinegar on top of the tomatoes.

There are endless herb possibilities, too, but for this wedge salad, I just wanted to taste the roasted tomatoes… nothing but them in all their glory.

Large tomatoes or Roma tomatoes generally take upward of 30 minutes to roast, but the little guys don’t take quite as long. Grape (or cherry) tomatoes usually begin to caramelize in about 20 minutes. You’ll want to take them out and give them a quick little flip about halfway through the cooking time.

Don’t let the dark color rattle you. As cooks, when something turns dark, it usually means a trip to the garbage can, followed by another trip to the store – but when roasting vegetables, you want the darkness… that’s where the flavor is.

A word about roasting – I don’t want to venture too far off the beaten path here, but roasting vegetables is a woefully underrated and underused way of enjoying sides. Most vegetables can be roasted using the same approach I described above – most simply need more time under the heat. Roasting vegetables brings out the flavor like few things ever could. Experiment with oils, seasonings, and even vinegars to mix things up.

Pan roasting on the stove-top (simply putting food into a hot skillet briefly) is a great way to bring out the deep, intense flavors of spices and herbs. Just keep an eye on them, they’ll burn fast.

Dressings for Wedge Salads

It’s been my experience that most people use Blue Cheese Dressing with their Wedge Salads but, for whatever reasons, I am not a fan of blue cheese or blue cheese dressing. However, if you are, by all means, go for it!

I favor Ranch and will either make my own, use Hidden Valley Ranch packets to whip one up, or will go with a favorite brand of Ranch Salad Dressing. Kraft, Hidden Valley, and Newman’s Own have great Ranch dressings. When it comes to dressing, I do prefer to make my own and, during the warmer months, I often have at least one made up at all times. During the colder months, when we aren’t having salads quite as often, I’ll turn to bottled dressing.

Topping Things Off

To finish off the presentation beautifully, and tastefully, add crumbled cheese (blue, mozzarella, or feta), bacon, snipped parsley or chives, sunflower seeds, salt, pepper, and/or chia seeds. Just find the combo that makes you smile.

**** If you have to eat gluten free, always check everything you put on your plate and into your mouth. Never “assume” salad dressings, bacon bits, and all salad toppings are gluten free. Make sure the label says “gluten free.”

Also See: Ideas for Salads and Gluten Free Salad Toppings

Confessions of a Salad Addict

February 22, 2015 By Joi Sigers

Have you ever met a salad fanatic? Someone who is so completely consumed with salads that they anticipate their salad at a restaurant the way most people anticipate steak? Someone who surveys the produce department like a cat surveys a bird feeder – looking for tasty morsels to light up their taste buds and, thereby, world?

Well. You’ve met one now.

Obsessed. I am completely obsessed with salads of all kinds – tossed, potato, gelatin, pasta, fruit, bean… you name it, I’m there. I am SO there.

My particular “problem” occurred to me recently when my husband took me out for lunch at a wonderful steak house. My reaction to and enjoyment of my salad equaled his reaction to and enjoyment of his steak.

Truth be told, if I could – at this very moment – either have my steak or salad magically appear in front of me, I’d take the salad. And his too if he didn’t mind. I’d trade my steak for it.

Not only are salads ridiculously beautiful (if done right) and ridiculously delicious (if done right) – they’re ridiculously healthy.

If done right.

I’ve always had a section on the food blog for salads, salad recipes, and good old-fashioned salad love, but I’m (even as we speak… okay, I’m the only one speaking, aren’t I?… make that even as I speak) throwing a lot more energy and emphasis into salads.

There are a number of reasons, a few of which are:

We all need to eat healthier. Salads are, primarily, made up of vegetables and fruit – things we should eat A LOT more of. Salads are the IDEAL way to go about it. Ever stop to think how many servings of vegetables and fruits you can consume each day if you simply ate more salads?
Salads are the perfect “side” to just about any meal. They’re inexpensive to make, healthy, colorful, and delicious. And don’t add a ton of calories.
Salads can be the perfect “main” dish for any meal. If you add a little protein (hard boiled eggs, turkey, chicken..) to the vegetables, you turn a classic side into a classic main course.
Salads are pretty! Okay, so this reason may be a “girly” one, but I don’t care. They ARE pretty and I like that.
The options are endless. Honestly, you could, literally, come up with different combinations each and every time you had a salad.
Salads are perfect for those of us with food allergies and intolerances. So many of us have food allergies and food intolerances these days – it’s a great comfort to know there are foods that are usually safe for all of us. You simply don’t add anything to your salad that causes you problems. Special note, if you’re gluten intolerant or have a wheat allergy – when you’re in a restaurant, be sure you tell your server that you don’t want any croutons. If, like me, you’re extra sensitive, let them know you can’t have any salad that has come into contact with croutons.

The tossed salad at the top of the post is a great example of combining delicious flavors with healthy foods. I love to use a mixture of greens in the tossed salads I make at home. Romaine lettuce, leaf lettuce, iceberg lettuce (it may get a bad rep with food snobs, but I love the freshness and crunch it brings to the party) – any kind of lettuce you can find is perfect. The magic, however, is in combining several in one salad.

In addition to lettuces, I have gotten to the point that I simply do not make a tossed salad with strips of kale! Kale is uncommonly healthy and I’m crazy about what it adds to a salad. Same can be said of spinach, of course, but kale happens to be my personal favorite.

In addition to these, a few other personal favorite tossed salad ingredients are:

black olives
carrots (either shredded or sliced)
celery
tomatoes (but I have a strict rule with tomatoes in my salads – they can only be added at the last minute – otherwise, I don’t like the effect they have on the rest of the ingredients)
canned baby corn
mild banana peppers
roasted red peppers
green, yellow, orange, or red peppers
green onions
cucumbers
radishes
green olives
green chilies
bacon
turkey
ham
hard-boiled eggs
cilantro
parsley
cauliflower
asparagus
corn
“mostly” thawed frozen green peas
hominy
chickpeas
broccoli
black beans
kidney beans
and on and on and on…

A few favorite Gluten Free toppings for tossed salads are:

chia seeds
flaxseed
sunflower seeds
Frito’s Corn Chips
dried cranberries
crumbled potato chips
small fried tortilla strips
gluten free bread, butter, toasted, seasoned and cubed
onion rings (coated with gluten free flour instead or all purpose flour)
crumbled bacon
freshly shredded cheese – experiment with different cheeses (cheddar, white cheddar, Asiago, Swiss, Monterrey Jack, Colby, Parmesan…)
fresh cracked black pepper
sea salt (or Kosher)

Chia seeds are a delicious way to sneak in a little extra nutrition. Kids will just think they’re fun, they’ll never suspect how healthy they actually are.

Tomorrow we’ll pay homage to the greatness that is a Wedge Salad. Beautiful, delicious, and oh so very, very cheap!

What are your own favorite salad ingredients and toppings? Share in the comments!

P.S. Whether it’s for salads or ANYTHING, don’t buy shredded cheese, buy the blocks and shred it yourself, as needed. It is SO much better this way – trust me.

Gluten-Free Recipes

Easy Gluten-Free Lasagna with Explore Cuisine Green Lentil (No Boil!) Noodles

Fast & Easy Summer Meal: Meatless Tostadas

The NON-Recipe for Refried Beans Tostadas