Scrumptious Cheesecake Pie (Gluten-free option)

Photo provided by kraftrecipes.com

         This recipe has been a hit everywhere that I've served it and there's usually no leftovers. It's luscious and creamy and its gluten-free. I'm embellished a little bit with extra whipped topping but it would have been fine without it. It's up to you how to decorate the top of the pie, leave it plain or pour a fruit topping over the top, the possibilities are endless.

Cheesecake Pie with pecan graham cracker crust (Gluten-free option)

8 oz. gluten free cream cheese
1/3 cup of sugar
1 tsp gluten free vanilla
1 regular size tub of Cool Whip
1 cup gluten free graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
2 Tbsp butter

Pie crust
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together graham cracker crumbs, pecans and butter.
Line the bottom and sides of a pie tin with mixture and bake for 10 minutes.
Take pie crust out of the oven and set aside to cool.

Pie filling
Cream together cream cheese and 1/3 cup of sugar until smooth.
Add 1 tsp of vanilla and mix until blended.
Lightly fold in Cool Whip by a couple large spoonfuls at a time until the cream cheese mixture and Cool Whip is evenly distributed and smooth. Do not stir vigorously.
Spoon filling into pie crust.
Chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving or overnight.
Enjoy!

       There are many variations to this recipe. This recipe above is the good old standby that's always going to turn out good. The whole tub of whipped topping is not nessessary to make this a success, halfing the amount of whipped topping used is possible for making a smaller pie. This pie can also be made ahead of time by at least two days chilling in the refrigerator.
      And the best thing about making this recipe is that you don't have to bake the pie at all if you use an already made gluten-free pie crust. Or not use a crust at all.
    You can make trifles, pudding cups, parfaits, and more with this basic cheesecake filling recipe.
    Try serving it with fruit filling such as cherry, apple, blueberry or pumpkin!

    You can even stuff it into strawberries for a really decadent treat!

Nutella Frozen Treats: Banana Pops and Milk Pops

Photo provided by Divascancook.com

     I've been noticing in Facebook and Pinterest lately that these Nutella Frozen Treats are becoming popular this year. It seems as if the traditional fruit pop of summer has given way to a luscious creamy dream treat that is sure to make your mouth happy.

Nutella Banana Pops

6 bananas 

1 cup of Hazelnut spread

Pinch of Salt

Blend together bananas, Hazelnut Spread and Pinch of salt in a blender until well blended. Pour into Popsicle moulds and freeze. Overnight should be enough time to give these Popsicles enough time to set.

Pop them out of mould and Enjoy!

This is the low fat healthier recipe. If you're looking for something with milk try the recipe below.

Nutella Milk Pops

2 cups of milk (soy, coconut, almond, hemp, chococlate milk, mixed milk, etc)

1/2 cup of Hazelnut Spread

Pinch of salt

Blend milk, hazelnut spread and pinch of salt together in blender until well blended. Pour into Popsicle moulds and freeze. Overnight should be enough time let them set. Take pops out of mould and Enjoy!

Gluten-free Pizza Pouches

 

Photo provided by foodnetwork.com

  Pizza pouches are a great meal for mid week munchies or a football game in your living room on the big screen. These little hot and saucy pizza pouches are to be a hit at your next meeting at the dinner table or in front of the tv screen with all your fan friends cheering on your favorite sports teams.

Gluten-free Pizza Pouches

Gluten-free pizza dough mix

8 oz cooked Italian sausage crumbles

8 oz Pepperoni slices, thin to regular

8 oz of Mozzarella cheese, 1-inch chunks

5 oz Pizza or marinara sauce

A few drops of olive oil

Make pizza dough according to the directions of gluten-free pizza dough package.

After the dough has risen, cut or tear off 2-inch rounds off of pizza dough.

Flatten dough into a disk or square with a few drops of olive oil on your fingers onto a non-stick baking mat or plastic wrap until the dough is about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Be careful not to tear the dough or stretch it too thin, gluten-free pizza dough tends to be sticky and tears easily. 

Onto flattened dough put a dab of pizza or marinara sauce the size of a teaspoon in the middle. 

Next add a few sausage crumbles, about a level teaspoon full onto the sauce. 

Next place a slice or two of pepperoni on the sausage and top with a chunk of Mozzarella cheese. 

Here's the difficult part, making the pizza pouch. Theres a few ways you can do  this. A couple of ways to do this is by folding one side of dough over the filling and joining the ends by pressing them together. Or by lifting all sides around the filling and pinch the edges together into a twist at the top of the pouch. Either of these ways will be fine. Do this until all the dough and ingredients are used up.

Make a small 1/4 inch vent slit in the dough on the top of each pouch.

Bake on baking sheet for 20 minutes or until they're golden brown.

Serve with Pizza Sauce or Marinara Sauce and Enjoy!

Gluten-free Peanut Butter Cookies or Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies or " Nut Chunkies"

   

Photo provided by organizeyourstuffnow.com

      Peanut Butter cookies are a classic cookie for eating for an afternoon snack or maybe when you first wake up in the morning. This cookie recipe makes crisper crumblier cookies. Although some batches have come out chewy if I take them out a minute or two before I think theyre really done and let them cook the rest of the time on the counter. 

      Peanut butter cookies are usually made with some flour but I have a recipe that doesn't use flour so there's no need to find a gluten-free substitution. I like to call my peanut butter cookies "Nut Chunkies" because I like to load them up with lots of yummy bits and morsels like raisins and oatmeal and different types of chocolate chips and chunky peanut butter. One of these days I'd like to try dried cherries or dried apple.

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

"Nut Chunkies"

1 cup jif creamy/smooth peanut butter

1/4 cup jif chunky peanut butter

1 1/4 brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp  McCormicks  vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 small snack box raisins (1-2 oz)

1/4 cup nestle mini morsel chocolate chips

1/4 cup guittard white chocolate chips

1/4 cup reese's peanut butter chips

1/4 cup Hershey's butterscotch chips

(optional)1/3 cup gluten free old fasioned oatmeal

(optional) 3 tbsp Nutella (optional, mix in or use as spread to make cookie sandwiches)

Mix first 6 ingredients together well, then add the rest and mix well.

1 inch balls

325 degrees for 12- 15 mins

Set for 5 mins and cool

    Experiment with making a dip in the middle of each cookie after taking them out of the oven and have cooled a minute or two and putting Nutella in the middle or cream or something like marshmallow cream or white chocolate.

      Using all different types of chocolate chips aren't necessary for this recipe to be a success. The same type of chocolate morsel or many other types can be used in the same proportions as this recipe, usually adding up to a cup.

     Raisins aren't necessary in this recipe either. They can be left out or some other dried easy chew fruit may be substituted in its place such as dried cherries or dried apple that's been cut into small bite size pieces.

   Chunky peanut butter is not necessary for this recipe to be a success either, more smooth peanut butter can but used in place of the chunky.
   Or if extra chunky cookies are in order chunky peanut butter may be used instead of smooth peanut butter.

Where to find cheaper gluten-free flours and pastas

                                         

Photo provided by Pastagigis.com

        Gluten-free foods can be expensive, especially if it's things like pasta, pre-made bread and pizza dough. But you can make these things yourself more cheaply with the growing variety of gluten-free flours available on the market. Many gluten-free flours have been around but haven't been made available to the general consumer population, and many still are not. Flours such as corn, brown rice and quinoa have been showing up more and more in the general big stores to satisfy the growing need of gluten sensitive diets. But what about other flours like soy, potato and chestnut? And where can you find cheaper pastas? Not everyone has a pasta press or maker at home. Where do you find these things other than on the internet at inflated prices, not to mention shipping costs?

        You have to go to certain types of shops in out-of-the-way places than the local grocery store around the corner on main street in your town. Such as international markets. Did you know they have gluten-free pastas made from rice, buckwheat, kelp, potato, tapioca, mung bean, soy and others that are shaped the same way as the ones you would normally find at the big box stores for a fraction of the price? These smaller markets have always had these things because that's what they've always been using around the world. Now you probably won't find a kelp pasta shaped like bowties, but you may find many others that will accommodate popular American pasta dishes such as macaroni and cheese or spaghetti. And you can get these pastas that cost so much less than you can at the big chain stores, like at least twice as much per pound.

    And the same goes for the gluten-free flours. There's more variety and it costs less to buy gluten-free flours from the international markets. So let down your guard a little and venture into an international food market place and explore all the other gluten-free things they have to offer.

Luscious Meatloaf Recipe (Gluten-free option)

 

  Picture provided by Stonewallkitchen.com

     The other day my family and I went to my husband's cousin's house for a Sunday playdate with the kids. In the week before my husband and I decided that we wanted to be the ones to make Sunday dinner. Every other time that we've gone to visit the family they have been the ones to feed us and we felt it was time that we show off some of our culinary prowess. As my husband and I discussed what to make, throwing out things like sushi rolls, roasted chicken and plain old fashioned hamburgers and hotdogs we came to an agreement of meatloaf since we haven't had it in a while and it sounded warm and homey. 

    For the meatloaf preparation we prepared the raw vegetables a day ahead of time. Then on the day we were to go to see the family we sauteed the vegetables and cooked the meatloaf half way a couple of hours before we had to leave and then took it to our destination to pop in the oven for the last half an hour before dinner time. 

    We decided to cook it half way so that we didn't have to prepare it all there in someone elses kitchen and to save on time once we got there to actually spend more time with the family, which is always important.

   The meatloaf came out perfect! There wasn't a single crumble left in the serving serving dish once dinner was done.

   You can prepare it all at once if you're just making dinner for the family at home. The succulent aroma coming from the oven will make everyone who's been hiding in the den or mancave all afternoon gather in the kitchen with their mouths watering and their tongues hanging out. This is a good time to get them to mash some potatoes and set up the table while you go and have a sip of your "afternoon tea".

   

     This meatloaf tends to be juicy, crusty on the outside, slightly crumbly on the inside, flavorful and delicious. And mostly gluten free. Everything in the ingredients is gluten free with the exception of the Maggie sauce and the soy seasoning sauce, either is completely optional and neither of which is necessary for this meatloaf to be a success. If you don't already have these in your pantry or spice rack then it would be fine to leave them out rather than to be sent on a wild goose chase to an international foods market where those who work there may or may not known how to speak English or know what you're talking about.

     The sauces do add a slight depth of flavor, slightly meatier in taste and aroma and added saltiness. Don’t use the sauces for those who are extremely sensitive to gluten. However, for those who are slightly gluten sensitive or can handle small amounts of gluten now and then, then in my experience, it is ok to use in this recipe without any gluten-related reactions.  

      The Kix cereal has also been a topic of discussion as to whether is it gluten free or not since nowhere on the box does it say gluten-free. There are no ingredients in the ingredients listed that contain wheat or gluten products, nor does it say it contains wheat or gluten products. 

     Most of the reviews that I have gotten from mothers with gluten sensitive children say that their children eat Kix cereal with no ill effects. And most of the reviews I've read from gluten sensitive adults who eat the cereal say that they do not have any gluten-related problems with it either. But when in doubt, a certified gluten free Kix-type cereal or GF breadcrumbs or potato flakes can be used in place of the Kix which I replaced for gluten-full breadcrumbs that I used to use in this recipe before going gluten-free.

This meatloaf makes around 6 large servings or around 8-10 small servings. This recipe can be easily halved for a meal for 4 with suggested 2 side dishes.

Luscious Meatloaf Recipe (Mostly gluten-free)

This recipe makes about 6 large servings or 8-10 small servings

Ingredients

3 pounds of ground beef (80/20)

1 finely chopped medium onion

1 finely chopped medium zucchini (2 small or half one large zucchini will work fine)

½ finely chopped green bell pepper (other color of bell pepper)

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

2 cups of crushed Kix Cereal (other comparable GFcereal or potato flakes or GF breadcrumbs)

2 or 3 medium eggs

1 cup of applesauce

1 Tbsp of olive oil (vegetable or corn or other comparable oil, I use Smart Balance)

1 Tbsp garlic salt + 1 tsp garlic salt for sauté vegetables

1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp ground sage

1 tsp dried basil flakes

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp dry yellow mustard

½ cup ketchup

(optional) 10 squirts of Maggie seasoning sauce (20 squirts of generic soy seasoning sauce usually found in asian food markets will work too. Warning: Maggie and soy seasoning sauce contains Gluten! And neither is absolutely necessary for this recipe but gives the meatloaf slight depth of flavor and added saltiness)

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Add Onion, zucchini, bell pepper and oil into a medium sauce pan on medium heat and sauté a few minutes stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and vegetables are fragrant. Add 1 tsp of garlic salt and heat for another minute or so, stirring occasionally. Turn heat off and set aside sautéed vegetables, allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl add ground beef, grated parmesan cheese, eggs, crushed Kix cereal, 1 Tbsp of garlic salt, 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp ground sage, 1 tsp basil flakes, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp dried yellow mustard. Add Maggie or soy seasoning sauce if so desired, warning they contain gluten.  Add applesauce and slightly cooled sautéed vegetables to mixture. Combine all the ingredients together until well incorporated.

Place mixture onto a foil lined baking sheet or large rectangular glass pyrex baking dish and shape into a loaf.

Place into heated oven for 45 minutes.

Take meatloaf out of oven and spread ketchup over the top of meatloaf and place back into over for 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.  

Take meatloaf out of oven, check for doneness and allow to cool about 10-20 minutes before moving to serving dish or cutting to allow meatloaf to set slightly.

The picture at the top of the page is from Stonewallkitchen.com because it looks similar to this meatloaf recipe, Thank you Stonewallkitchen.com.

Introduction to the Gluten-Free Employee

     

       
       I created this blog so that I could share what I've learned about the gluten-free lifestyle and elaborate on the reality of my transitional experiences so that others could steal, I mean share, my tried and true gluten-free recipes and hopefully have others share some of theirs with me as well. And because my mum suggested I document my experiences and recipes when we first found out I was pregnant a month after being diagnosed. It's been over three years and I'm now getting to it but I have many more recipes and knowledge than I did then to share.

     The first title I came up with sounded more like I was going to preach to people about the awareness of being gluten sensitive and that I was going start selling gluten-free products that I didn't create myself.  I was gonna name this new blog "The Gluten-Free Gurlru" but I didn't wanna be a leader per se in gluten free eating or life style, I just wanted to put down my experiences and recipes from becoming gluten free. I thought that the term employee sounded more accurate than being a know-it-all about gluten-free living.

      And I'm not saying that since becoming gluten-free from being diagnosed with Celiac Disease over three years ago that I've become a slave to gluten-free foods by saying I'm an employee. I'm saying there's a give and take to this intimate relationship that I've come to incorporate into my daily eating habits and life and that the process of finding out what's successful and what isn't is kind of like a vocation where I'm having to use gluten-free as a guide.

     Many of my recipes may be completely gluten-free or mostly gluten-free with the option to make it completely gluten-free by substitutions or subtractions of gluten-containing ingredients altogether.