Tag: corn

Chicken Tortilla Soup

It’s time to spice up your life with a bowl of Chicken Tortilla Soup!  The inspiration for this recipe came from a local restaurant but unfortunately, I cannot order it anymore as all their soups contain gluten.  That makes me sad, because most of the ingredients in Chicken Tortilla Soup are naturally gluten free. 

I made mine with big chunks of chicken, beans and veggies.  I love the heat from garlic, jalapeno, chili flakes and cumin (could this soup cure the common cold?).  If you don’t already have Chipotle chili and cumin in your spice rack it’s time for a run to the grocery store! 

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The soup is thick and hearty on its own, no flour is needed.  It needs no adornment other than a sprinkle of gluten free tortilla strips, if you can’t find them locally order here!    

Ingredients: 

  • 2 chicken leg quarters 
  • Salt and pepper, to taste 
  • Olive oil 
  • water to cover
  • 2 bay leaves 
  • 1 onion, diced 
  • 2 carrots, sliced 
  • heaping tbsp. minced garlic
  • heaping tbsp. minced jalapeno
  • 2 tbsp. tomato paste 
  • 14 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes 
  • 1/2 tsp. Chipotle chili 
  • 1/2 tsp. Cumin 
  • 1/2 tsp. Oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic granules
  • 1/2 tsp. onion granules 
  • salt, to taste 
  • 1 cup canned black beans 
  • 1 cup frozen or canned corn 
  • Gluten free tortilla strips 

Preparation: 

Heat a deep skillet over medium low, add a little olive oil and brown the chicken on both sides.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add bay leaves and water to cover.  Simmer for 90 minutes on low. 

Transfer the chicken to a plate and remove meat from the bones.  Refrigerate meat until the soup is ready.  Reserve the liquid.

In a clean stock pot, add 1 tbsp. olive oil with the onions and carrots, and cook for 2-3 minutes over low heat.  Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook for 30 seconds.  Make a spot in the center of the pan and add the tomato paste.

Toast for 2 minutes, then strain the reserved chicken broth into the pot.  Add the fire roasted tomatoes, and all of the seasoning. 

Cover and simmer 1 hour, then add the black beans and corn.  Simmer 30 minutes longer.  Taste and add salt if needed. 

Stir in the reserved chicken, heat through and serve.

Garnish each bowl with tortilla strips.

Notes: ♪♫ I love soup season!  I could eat soup every day and I have a great selection of soups and stews on the blog that will keep you warm through the winter months.  All gluten free and delicious!  Check out all my Gluten Free Soups, Stews and Chowders here!

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Gluten Free Corn Cakes

Are you tired of the usual rice and potato sides?  When you’re gluten free, it can really get monotonous.  So tonight I thought I’d try something different.  Popular in the South, I had (can you believe) never had corn cakes before.  I just made a small batch for the two of us to taste, and wow, we both loved them.  Corn Cakes would be a fun and easy side for a BBQ dinner or potluck.  You can easily double or triple the recipe, and add more or less spice to suit your family’s taste.  Making them gluten free was easy, just by swapping out the flours.

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4 Servings

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Whisk together the flour, corn meal, salt, baking powder and seasoning.  In another bowl, whisk the egg, milk and oil.

I took my corn kernels out to defrost about 30 minutes earlier.  Stir them into the egg mixture to finish thawing while you heat your griddle or skillet.

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet.  You will have about 1 of cup batter.

When I first made this recipe, I used a large nonstick skillet.  Today I made them on my new waffle maker because I wanted to try out the pancake plates.  I preheated it to 350° and brushed with butter.  I ladled the batter into the 4 pancake cups, about 1/4 cup each.

Cook them for about 4 minutes, until the bottoms are set and you can see a few bubbles in the batter.

Carefully turn them over with a spatula and cook 3-4 minutes longer.

Check the center with a toothpick, if it comes out dry, they are done.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

This is a fun side that goes with so many things, from your favorite BBQ fare to a casual steak dinner.

Notes: ♪♫ I used this Mexican Spice Blend to kick up the flavor of my corn cakes.  Made with Chipotle Chile, cumin, onion powder and oregano, it is a salt free blend with some heat!  Since the recipe already has salt and baking powder, I didn’t want to add more sodium.  If salt isn’t an issue for you, you can sub your favorite gluten free seasoned salt and make it as mild or spicy as you like!

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Gluten Free Pumpkin Corn Bread

Traditional corn bread gets all dressed up for autumn with the addition of pumpkin and spice.  Wouldn’t this Gluten Free Pumpkin Corn Bread be a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving breadbasket?  Not only have I made it gluten free, but it is also lower in fat, sugar and sodium so that most folks will be able to enjoy a small, diet friendly square with their meal.

16 Servings

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Ingredients:

Preparation:

Whisk together the dry ingredients, flour through ginger.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients, egg through sour cream.  Combine the wet and dry ingredients, stirring together just until moistened.

Line an 8″ x 8″ baking dish with parchment and scrape the batter into the pan, smoothing it with a spatula.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350º.

Lift the bread out of the pan and carefully remove the parchment.  Let it cool slightly before slicing.

Cut into 16 squares and serve warm or at room temperature.  Store at room temperature for up to 2 days (it won’t last that long!).

Notes ♪ I use a coffee grinder to grind flax and chia seeds into a meal for baking.  Typically, 1 tbsp. of seed does not equal 1 tbsp. of meal.  For recipes, measure 1 tbsp. of meal after grinding.

Notes ♫ Did you know that both baking powder and baking soda contain sodium?  I reduced the sodium in this recipe by using a lower sodium baking powder.  I have been using it with great success in my bread recipes.  Check it out!

Notes ♪♫ Nutritional values are approximate and based on 16 servings.  May vary depending on ingredient brands used or changes to serving size.

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Gluten Free Tex-Mex Chicken Thighs

I’m really loving this Tex-Mex style chicken.  Made with just a few pantry staples, it’s so easy to put together!  Slow cooked on low heat, the chicken came out tender and juicy.  The homemade Mexican spice blend gives the dish it’s bold flavor, and you can as much or as little as you like.

4 Servings

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Ingredients:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1/2 tsp. Mexican spice blend (use more or less to taste)
  • salt, to taste
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • 3/4 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 3/4 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3/4 cup canned fire roasted diced tomatoes with their juice
  • 1 cup cooked white rice, for serving
  • fresh chives or cilantro for garnish

Preparation:

Brush the chicken thighs with olive oil and sprinkle seasoning on both sides.  Coat an oven safe skillet, braising pan or Dutch oven with cooking spray and arrange the thighs in a single layer.

Pour the tomatoes over the chicken and sprinkle more seasoning.  Cover and bake for 45 minutes at 300º.

Turn the chicken over, add the beans and corn, cover and bake for an additional 45 minutes.

This casual dinner comes to the table right in the pan.  Garnish with chives or cilantro.

I made a side of white rice to go with the meal.  To serve, divide the rice into 4 plates.  Top each with one chicken thigh and spoon the corn and beans over the chicken along with extra pan juices.

Notes ♪♫ Always check canned and frozen vegetables for gluten containing ingredients or possible cross contamination.  Feel free to use a prepared Taco seasoning mix, as there are many great brands out there that are gluten free.  I opted make my own to control the sodium content.

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