Tag Archives: gluten free

Fire Roasted Baba Ghanouj

I was never the biggest fan of eggplant (other than eggplant parmesan). However this recipe will have you coming back for more. My boyfriend and I roast the eggplant, onions, and garlic right in the fire. It is absolutely amazing and super easy to throw into the food processor.

Fire Roasted Baba Ghanouj

3 medium eggplants ( have tried all the varieties)
2 medium yellow onions
1 garlic bulb (only will be using 3 cloves of garlic for final product)
1-2 teaspoons of kosher salt

Tools for the Job:

Food Processor

Fire Pit

Heat Protective Gloves

Tongs

Directions:

Wearing heat protective gloves, place the garlic bulb & onion (skin and all) in the fire coals. Allow to roast for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes have elapsed rotate the onions and garlic bulb. Add the entire eggplant in the fire coals. Allow the eggplant to roast for 10 minutes and rotate with tongs using heat protective gloves. Allow for the eggplant to cook another 10 minutes, then pull all the vegetables from the fire and place on a sheet pan to cool for at least 20-30 minutes. Remove the skin from the onions and toss into the food processor. Scoop out the eggplant meat and place it into the food processor. Lastly peel 2-3 cloves of garlic into the mix, salt to taste. Puree using the pulse function on the food processor. Enjoy the dip on pita chips, carrots or I like to add it to my tortillas.

Actifry Pesto Chicken & Potatoes

If you don’t know it by now, we love the Actifry at our house. We use this wonderful cooking gadget at the very least weekly. It is such a time saver. It can cook just about anything main dishes,sides, desserts, and snacks.

I appreciate using this device during weeknights for a quick easy dinner. Bonus easy clean up with essentialy a one pot meal. At the end of the meal, just throw everything in the dishwasher and call it an evening.

We have so much Pesto, I have been adding it to everything. This recipe came to made on my way home from work.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 40-43 minutes

Servings: 2 large meals or 4 small

Ingredients:

2 ounces of prepared Pesto, divided

2 chicken breast, cubed into 1 inch pieces

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 medium potatoes (about 3 cups, cubed 1 inch pieces) (washed clean & not peeled)

Tools for the Job:

Actifry

Directions:

1. In either a ziplock bag or sealable container marinate the chicken breast ovennight with 1 ounce of Pesto.

2. When ready to prepare the dish,place the prepared potatoes with oil & remaining 1 ounce of Pesto in the actifry. Close the lid. Place the timer on 20 minutes.

3. Add the chicken in the Actifry with the potatoes and place the timer on for another 20-23 minutes.

Enjoy!

Tri-Color Quinoa

I love quinoa! This Tri-Color Quinoa goes well with just about any dish. I make it in bulk on the weekends and serve it up with most of my lunches or dinners during the week. Add it to beans, salads, place onto of portobello mushrooms, stuff peppers with. Really you can use it just about anywhere you typically use rice. I prefer it over rice because of it’s nutty flavor and fluffy texture. Quinoa provides more protein than traditional grain products. A 1/2 of cup uncooked quinoa provides 8 grams of protein.

Ingredients:

1 cup of dry (rinsed through a strainer) Quinoa (I like the tri-colored but you pick your favorite)

2 cups of water

1 tsp of Penzey’s Vegetarian Soup Base

1 tsp of Pasta Sprinkle (or Italian seasoning)

1 tsp Roasted Garlic Powder

Directions:

Place a 2 quart pan on a burner with vegetable base, garlic powder, water & quinoa on high. Allow the quinoa to come to a boil.
Once the quinoa is boiling, decrease the temperature to simmer and place lid over pan.
Allow the quinoa to simmer for 15 minutes with lid on. After 15 minutes have elasped check to see if the grain is fluffy and no water remains.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

What’s so special about these cookies?? Well number 1 they have one of my favorite ingredients and number 2 there is only 5 ingredients !! You cannot beat that! These are super quick and easy. And husband approved! Also if you are on a gluten free diet there is a bonus because these are gluten free! They are also dairy free. You can also make them no sugar added by using Splenda instead of sugar if you wish. This recipe was altered from Paula Deen’s Magical Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe

Yields: 51 cookies

Ingredients :
2 2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups of you favorite peanut butter (creamy or crunchy or even half and half)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
Vanilla sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Directions:

Using a metal whisk mix in medium to medium large bowl the peanut butter, sugar and vanilla.

Add eggs and incorporate all ingredients thoroughly.

Using a size 60 scoop portion out 15 cookies onto a half sheet parchment lined pan.

Press with fork to make crisscross design and dust with vanilla sugar.

Bake for 13 minutes and remove from oven. Allow to cool for 1-2 minutes on pan then remove to wire rack to cool remainder of time and enjoy.

Wasabi Roasted Squash Seeds in the actiFry

Yesterday my husband and I went to the Strip District. One of our favorite places to go is Lotus which is a Asian market.You never know what you find there. One thing you can guarantee is a good price (Ground Wasabi for 1.9 oz for $1.69). The store had a plethora of Asian spices. One item I couldn’t resist was the was ground Wasabi.

The night before I had roasted a very large acorn squash from our local farmer’s market. I had the seeds drying out at home. There is about a half of cup of seeds in a large acorn squash and I didn’t want those nutrition powerhouses to go to waste when you can either plant them next year in the garden or snack on them. Seeds and nuts are a great snack to keep in a sealable baggie or small airtight container in your purse or desk at work. Standing in the store in amazement is when it came to me that I had to try the two together.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of raw dried squash seeds (One large acorn squash work)
Pinch of kosher salt (breakdown between fingers over the seeds)
Cooking spray (I prefer canola oil)
1/8 teaspoon of ground wasabi
Actifry

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in Actifry. Spray seeds heavily with cooking spray.

2. Set timer for 10 minutes on actifry.

You may hear some seeds popping (sort of sounds like popcorn) but that’s okay.

3. Once timer goes off open vessel and allow seeds too cool.

Enjoy!

Kielbasa, Peppers & Potato Bliss

Looking for a quick dinner fix and have an ActiFry try this recipe. It will be done in 20 minutes! Who needs take out when you can prepare a meal in 25 minutes. Not to mention only one vessel to clean!!

Ingredients:
2 Chicken kielbasa Sausage (cut into 8- 10 pieces each)
2 small potatoes (cut into bite size pieces)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp Pasta sprinkle (or Italian seasoning)
1/4 cup to 1/3 cup pasta sauce
1/2 medium onion (cut into quarter inch strips)
4 small garlic cloves
1/2 cup yellow pepper sliced
1/2 cup orange pepper sliced

Directions:

Place everything in the actifry and set timer for 20 minutes! You will love them smell that permeates throughout the house!

Now you can eat this alone or enjoy with some brown rice!

Serving size as pictured not recommend for one but recipe for 2 to 3 people.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

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Everyone is talking about making pizza without the tradition flour. Plus I keep seeing all these pins on Pinterest for cauliflower pizza. The other day my neighbors next door mentioned they’d like to bake a cauliflower pizza as well. I couldn’t resist any longer . I thought tonight I’d give it a whirl. The original recipe I found on weight watches site but made several changes to add some flavor.

Yields 8 slices of pizza pie.

Ingredients:
3 cups of cauliflower chopped
Four cloves of garlic
1/4 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup shredded parm cheese (not kraft)
1/4 cup shredded Fat free mozzarella
1/2 tsp pasta sprinkle
1/4 tsp dried Basil
1/3 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp of mrs dash spicy blend or red pepper flake

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees
1. Wash and rinse cauliflower. Dry to remove excess water.

Please cauliflower and garlic in food processor. Food processed until texture looks like snow

Place cauliflower and garlic in food processor and pulse until resembles snow like texture.

Place in glass bowl and microwave for 4 minutes. Let cool and ring out in clean towel to remove the moisture. Trust me you will want to do this step or you will have a soft crust. I tried the first time just blotting with paper towels and it didn’t remove enough of the moisture.

Place the dry ingredients and cauliflower in the same glass bowl (really why waste another).

Mix to fully incorporate.

Add egg substitute and cheese mix.

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Spray with cooking spray parchment lined pizza piel.

Place dough on parchment paper . Spread out the dough with spatula into a circular shape.

Place the dough in oven on the pizza stone. The best thing to do is pull out the wire rack with the pizza stone on and slide the dough onto the stone and push rack bake into oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes

Add your favorite toppings. We added sautéed Swiss chard, mushrooms, garlic, roasted red pepper, hot pepper rings, and onions. My husband added more cheese, but I refrained.

Bake for an addition 5 to 10 minutes or until your cheese has melted to your liking.

Enjoy!

Hometown Hot Dog Shoppe Chili

Everyone raves about our hometown hot dog shoppe’s chili sauce. For Father’s Day we were having a cookout for the dads and wondered what goes best with hot dogs??? CHILI!

I started searching to see if there was already a “copy that” recipe for our favorite restaurant. We found a few but my mom helped us doctored up a generic recipe.

Now for all you meat lovers out there this is not a meaty sauce. The owners of the shoppe discourage the use of the name meat sauce because there is so little meat for per batch of chili.

I can remember going to the restaurant as child with my family. There are a lot of fun memories we shared while we enjoyed these hot dogs, whether it be at the booth or in the local park during the annual chalk on a walk event. Hopefully if you are trying this recipe it takes you back and may I suggest drinking a strawberry shake to help further reminisce.

Ingredients:
1 lb lean 97/3 ground beef
3 cans of no added salt tomato sauce
3 cans of tomato paste
3 TB chili powder (high quality I recommend penzeys)
1 TB ground black pepper
3 tsp Salt
1 TB Garlic powder
1 TB onion powder
2 TB Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Corn starch
2 quarts of water

Directions:
1. In a 5 qt pan brown meat on medium high until no pink meat remains. Drain excess liquid from pan to discard.

2. Add remaining ingredients except for corn starch to the same pot you cooked the meat.

3. Cook sauce uncovered on medium high heat until it boils and turn down stove to simmer for and hour.

4. Now take 1/4 cup of the liquid out of the sauce (try and avoid getting any meat) and place in a small bowl add the corn starch. Mix until corn starch liquifies. Then add the corn starch slurry back into the chili.

5. Now place the chili sauce in your favorite crock pot or slow cooker set on low and cook for 16 to 18 hours.

6. Enjoy on hot dogs or a hamburger!

Cornbread Muffins Gluten Free

My husband’s mom is cutting the gluten out of her diet. Last weekend we were fortunate to have them over for supper after the hockey game. Making gluten-free options is easier than you might think. Traditionally cornbread is made without all-purpose flour (which contains gluten). Since this recipe does not contain any gluten and is made with cornmeal it yields a denser product. The buttermilk makes these muffins very moist. I think next time I might add some pickled jalapeno for an extra kick.

Ingredients
1/4 cup of egg substitute
1 tablespoon of raw sugar or honey
2 cups of yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 cups of buttermilk (preferably fat-free)
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 of a small onion finely grated
3 tablespoons of canola oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare 12 muffin tins
with paper liners and spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Place cornmeal, baking powder, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Mix until combined.

Add butter milk and egg substitute .

Whisk until Incorporated however be careful not to overmix.

Fold in grated onion.

Using a heaping size 16 scoop to perfectly portion your muffins place into the prepared tins.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Allow the muffins to cool in tin for one minute.

Enjoy ! This recipe goes well with my Mom’s chili http://www.apinchofluv.com/wordpress/?s=Chili&submit=Search

Nutrition Facts Corn Bread Muffins Gluten Free
12 Servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories		106.5

Total Fat		2.4 g

	Saturated Fat	0.4 g

	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.7 g

	Monounsaturated Fat	1.0 g

Cholesterol		1.2 mg

Sodium		146.1 mg

Potassium		146.7 mg

Total Carbohydrate		18.8 g

	Dietary Fiber	1.5 g

	Sugars	1.6 g

Protein		3.2 g


Vitamin A	1.0 %

Vitamin B-12	1.1 %

Vitamin B-6	3.6 %

Vitamin C	0.6 %

Vitamin D	0.0 %

Vitamin E	2.0 %

Calcium	5.5 %

Copper	2.1 %

Folate	1.7 %

Iron	4.2 %

Magnesium	7.3 %

Manganese	5.2 %

Niacin	3.8 %

Pantothenic Acid	1.7 %

Phosphorus	10.5 %

Riboflavin	5.2 %

Selenium	5.4 %

Thiamin	5.9 %

Zinc	3.3 %

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

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Flourless Brownies

My sister is always asking me to try healthier recipes with using more secret healthier ingredients. So Jenna Lynn this one is for you….

Ingredients:
1 can (15 oz drained and rinsed) Blackbeans
3/4 cup of egg substitute or 6 egg whites
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon of pure vanilla (Mexican is worth it)
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips (Dark or Semi Sweet) you pick your poison
1 teaspoon of Expresso Powder
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 cup Splenda for baking

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Line 8 x 8 Pyrex dish with parchment paper and spray with Pam Spray

3. Place all ingredients except the chocolate chips in food processor and pulse until smooth (there will still be some black bean shaves of skin)

4. Remove blade and stir in chocolate chips

5. Pour batter in baking dish

6. Bake for 30 minutes

Yields: 16 Brownies 2 ww plus points each

A Pinch of Luv

from scratch baking and cooking blog

Tag Archives: gluten free

Fire Roasted Baba Ghanouj

Actifry Pesto Chicken & Potatoes

Tri-Color Quinoa

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Wasabi Roasted Squash Seeds in the actiFry

Kielbasa, Peppers & Potato Bliss

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Hometown Hot Dog Shoppe Chili

Cornbread Muffins Gluten Free

Flourless Brownies