Tag: My Gluten Free Cucina

Easy Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetables

Boneless chicken medallions, breaded and baked with sausage, carrots, onions, potatoes and cauliflower.  This easy sheet pan dinner proves that gluten free does not have to be complicated!  From oven to table, you don’t even need a serving dish.

I didn’t take step by step pictures of the preparation as I normally do, because honestly I never thought this meal would make it to the blog.  But it came out really delicious, so here we are.

The simple, fresh ingredients speak for themselves in this perfectly seasoned, one dish meal.

I was featured at the senior salon pit stop

4 Servings

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Ingredients:

Preparation:

  1. Heat a large nonstick skillet with 2 tbsp. olive oil.  Line a half sheet pan with foil and mist with cooking spray.  Preheat the oven to 400º.
  2. Cook the sausage coins in the skillet until lightly browned, then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the baking sheet.  Leave the oil behind in the skillet.
  3. Place the breadcrumbs in a food safe plastic bag, add the chicken medallions and shake to coat.
  4. Brown the chicken on both sides in the same skillet, about 1 minute per side.  Do not cook through, it will finish cooking in the oven.  Arrange the browned chicken on the baking sheet.
  5. Add several more tbsp. of olive oil to the skillet, with all of the vegetables.  Sprinkle liberally with Creole seasoning.  Par cook the vegetables in the skillet for about 10 minutes to give them a good head start, then arrange them on the baking sheet with the chicken and sausage in a single layer.
  6. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400º and bring right to the table for a fun and casual meal.  If you like, serve with BBQ Sauce for dipping!

Notes ♪♫ While the chicken and sausage cooked very quickly, the veggies took quite a bit longer, especially the potatoes and carrots.  Giving the veggies a 10-minute head start in the skillet is the secret to having everything finish in the oven at the same time.

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Gluten Free Beef Stew

I have been making this beef stew for many years, decades in fact.  It’s a hearty meal simmered all day in the crock-pot, a real family favorite!  Most of the ingredients are naturally gluten free, so after my diagnosis it was easy to adapt my tried and true recipe to a gluten free version.

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Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. choice stew beef, cubed
  • 2-3 extra large carrots, peeled and cut into thick coins
  • 2 russet potatoes, skin on and cut into chunks
  • 1 large sweet onion, cut into wedges
  • 1/2 package crimini mushrooms, cut into quarters
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • salt and pepper
  • olive oil
  • 1 can gluten free cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1 tsp. dry basil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • fresh Italian parsley

Preparation:

Before preparing any recipe I always go over the ingredient list to check for gluten.  Beyond the obvious things like flour, all seasonings and processed ingredients should be verified gluten free.  In this recipe, I have always used a can of cream of mushroom soup.  Since many canned soups contain gluten, I shopped around before making my stew and found this one.  It’s certified gluten free!

Now, let’s get started on the recipe.  Set up your crock-pot, and a large stainless-steel skillet (not non-stick).  Yes, you can just throw all of the ingredients into the crock-pot, but I like to build layers of flavor by browning.  This can be the difference between a mediocre stew and a great one.  Whisk together the wine, cream of mushroom soup and dried basil.

Next, begin browning the ingredients in a small amount of olive oil.  Start with the beef.

Don’t crowd the pan, you want to get some good color on the outside (if the pieces are too close together the meat will steam in its own liquid).  I did my beef in 2 batches.

Once the beef goes into the crock-pot, you will see some nice browned bits on the bottom of your skillet.

Pour 1/3 cup of the wine mixture into the hot pan to deglaze, using a spatula to scrape up all of the browned bits, they are full of flavor!

Pour the liquid into the crock-pot and add more olive oil to the skillet.  Begin browning the veggies, a few minutes each starting with the onions.

Continue with the mushrooms, followed by the potatoes and carrots.

As you brown the veggies, season with salt and pepper, and layer them in the crock-pot.  Pour the rest of the wine mixture into the crock-pot, along with the garlic and bay leaves.

Stir well, then cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  Tick-tock.

Halfway through, stir the ingredients again.  Looking good.

After 8 hours, the beef will be very tender, and a fork should slide easily through the veggies.  Serve in dinner bowls, with a sprinkle of fresh Italian parsley.

Notes ♪♫  I used Health Valley Cream of Mushroom Soup in this recipe.  I love that it is both gluten free and organic, but when I have time I also make my own Mushroom Soup from scratch.  You can find this surprisingly easy recipe here and see how I use it in my winter stews and casseroles.

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Spaghetti Squash Chicken Lo Mein

This Asian inspired meal checks so many of my boxes!  Healthy fresh ingredients, color, flavor, texture and of course it’s gluten free!  A nice change of pace from my usual stir fries that are made with noodles or rice, this grain free dish won’t leave you feeling stuffed!

We have spaghetti squash quite often, but usually I make an Italian dish like this Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash.  Who knew this humble veggie could also stand in for Chinese noodles!

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ingredients:

“Lo Mein” Squash Noodles:

  • 1 small spaghetti squash
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil
  • cooking spray

For the stir fry:

  • 12 oz. chicken breast, cubed
  • olive oil spray
  • toasted sesame oil
  • olive oil
  • 1/2 cup snow peas
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper, cut into strips
  • 1/2 cup carrots, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, sliced thin
  • 1/2 cup mushrooms (white button or baby bella), thin sliced
  • 1/4 cup scallions, divided use

For the Sauce:

Preparation:

This is a basic preparation for spaghetti squash that you can use as a starting point for so many recipes.  First, cut the squash in half and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds.  Brush each side with 1 tbsp. of olive oil.  I am not salting the squash at this point, because this recipe is already heavy on sodium.  You can certainly season it if you like!

Line a baking sheet with foil and mist with cooking spray.  Place the squash cut side down and roast for 1 hour at 400º.

Use tongs to carefully turn the squash over, and let it cool for a few minutes.

Use 2 forks to shred the spaghetti squash.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Now that we have our lo mein “noodles” we can move on with the rest of the recipe.

Mise En Place

Organization is the key to stir fry recipes!  Before you cook, be sure to have all the ingredients prepped and ready to go – “everything in its place”.  That means chopping the veggies, dicing the chicken and stirring the sauce ingredients together.

Coat a large nonstick skillet with olive oil spray and add 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. sesame oil.  Begin browning the chicken, do it in batches if needed so you don’t crowd the pan.  You want to get a little color on the outside of the chicken at this point, but it does not have to be cooked through.  We’ll finish it at the end of the recipe.

When all sides have been browned set the chicken aside in a bowl.  Add the carrots, peppers and snow peas to the skillet with 1 tsp. sesame oil.  Stir fry for several minutes until crisp tender.  Next add the mushrooms, garlic and 1/2 of the scallions along with another tsp. of sesame oil.  Cook 1 minute longer.

Now add back the chicken and toss well with the veggies.  Using tongs, add the spaghetti squash to the skillet in 1/4 cup portions so that it is well distributed.  Whisk the sauce and pour it over everything, and stir-fry one minute longer to thicken and blend the flavors.

Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the remaining scallions.

Can you guess how it tasted?  It was delicious!  And I will definitely be experimenting with spaghetti squash in more of my Asian inspired recipes!

Notes ♪♫ I am a big fan of using Coconut Aminos in place of gluten free Soy Sauce.  That’s because it has significantly less sodium, which is important in our household.  If you are not limiting salt in your diet, try using Tamari for a rich, umami flavor.

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Gluten Free Crock-Pot Turkey Drumsticks

Turkey Drumsticks can be dry and tough when roasted, but they come out moist and falling off the bone tender when cooked in the Crock-Pot.  This time of year, it is easy to find turkey drumsticks at the market for a very good price.  Crock-Pot recipes like this one are so easy and can really free up my schedule.  I started this dish around 11:00am and it was ready in time for dinner at 6:30.

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Ingredients:

  • turkey drumsticks (plan on one per person)
  • 1 medium sweet onion
  • 5 celery stalks
  • 2 carrots
  • 1/4 cup sweet white rice flour
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • olive oil
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 cup gluten free chicken broth
  • 1/2 tsp. sage
  • 1/2 tsp. thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. turmeric
  • cooking spray
  • fresh rosemary for garnish

Preparation:

Chop the onions, celery and carrots into large chunks.  Mist the crock-pot with cooking spray and add the veggies in an even layer.

Rinse the turkey legs and pat dry.  Add the flour to a food safe plastic bag, they place the turkey legs in the bag.  Twist to close and shake to coat the legs evenly with flour.

Use a stainless-steel skillet (not non-stick) to brown the legs in olive oil, about 5 minutes per side.  Don’t crowd the pan, brown the meat in batches if necessary.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the drumsticks in the crock-pot on top of the vegetables.

Next deglaze the pan.  Remove the skillet from the heat and slowly pour in the wine.  Return to the heat and use a spatula to scrape up all the little brown bits, then let it simmer for a minute.  Strain the solids and reserve the wine.

Whisk together the reserved wine, chicken broth, sage, thyme, garlic powder and turmeric.  Drizzle over the turkey legs.  The vegetables and meat will release their own liquid as they cook, so don’t add more.

Now set your crock-pot to low and cook for 7 – 8 hours.

That’s all there is to it!  Arrange the drumsticks on a serving platter and drizzle a bit of the pan juices over the meat.  For a nice presentation you can garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs or other herbs.

Notes ♪♫ Don’t discard those veggies and juices in the bottom of the crockpot.  They will make an incredible soup stock or base for sauces and gravies.  I like to puree it then store in the refrigerator or freezer, ready for my next creation!

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Gluten Free Breaded Pork Chops

Pork chops are one of my go to meals during the week.  In this easy, schnitzel style recipe I slice the chops through the middle and pound them thin, for a very quick cook time plus more surface area for the crispy breading.  Only 1 tbsp. of olive oil needed, no deep frying!  It’s one of my tried-and-true recipes that I have modified just by using gluten free breadcrumbs.  Simple ingredients are kid friendly, and adults will love it too!

Dinner for 2

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Ingredients:

  • 2-3 boneless pork chops 3/4″ thick
  • 1/2 cup seasoned gluten free breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk (or use 1/2 cup milk + 1 tsp. lemon juice)
  • 1/2 tsp. gluten free Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil

Preparation:

Combine the buttermilk, Worcestershire and garlic powder in a measuring cup.  Lay the pork chops on a cutting board and carefully slice each chop through the middle.

Place each slice between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even 1/4″ thickness.

Lay the pork chops in a zip top bag with the buttermilk mixture.  Be sure to seal the bag completely and lay it on a plate in case there are any spills.  Let the chops marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium low heat with 1 tbsp. olive oil.  Remove the chops from the marinade and dredge in the breadcrumbs.

Place the chops in a single layer and cook 2 minutes per side, turning once.

That’s it!  The chops are thin, so 2 minutes per side is all it takes!

Moist and juicy, on the table in minutes!

The whole family will love this dinner, even picky eaters!  Go ahead and double or triple the recipe, it’s a fast and easy to cook up several batches.  So, the next time you’re wondering what to make for dinner, give this a try!

Notes ♪♫ Aleia’s Gluten Free Italian Breadcrumbs are the best tasting gluten free breadcrumb!  After trying so many, I can honestly say that they are the closest in taste to real Italian breadcrumbs.  You will not believe they are gluten free!

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Favorite Mexican Grilled Chicken

Favorite Mexican Grilled Chicken

I haven’t been out to dinner much lately.  Sometimes it’s just easier to stay home, but there is a local Mexican restaurant that I’m especially missing.  Not dedicated gluten free but they always make sure that I have a safe basic meal of grilled chicken, rice and veggies.  It was a cinch to recreate this favorite dinner at home, especially during the summer months when squash is abundant, and cilantro is growing fresh in my herb garden.

Grilled chicken is a no brainer.  So, how do we give it that Mexican flavor profile?  To me the must-haves are Chipotle Chile, cumin, onion, oregano, cilantro and lime…  The entire meal echos these flavors.  Get my Mexican Spice Blend here.

2 Servings

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Ingredients:

  • 14 oz. boneless chicken breast
  • Zucchini and summer squash, diced
  • 1/4 cup sweet corn
  • 2 tbsp. shallots, minced
  • Olive oil
  • Mexican seasoning
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Preparation:

Butterfly the chicken breast by slicing through the center horizontally, cutting almost to the other side and opening it up like a heart.  Place between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even ½” thickness.

Brush the chicken with olive oil and season with Chipotle seasoning.  Let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, then heat a grill pan with olive oil on medium low and add the chicken.

Cook 5 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature reaches 165º.  Squeeze lime juice over the chicken and transfer to a serving dish.  Garnish with fresh cilantro and keep warm.

Add the zucchini, summer squash, corn and shallots to a hot skillet coated with olive oil, sprinkle with seasoning and a squeeze of lime juice.  Cook just a few minutes until crisp tender.

Serve with Cilantro Lime Rice, and Tomatillo Sauce (salsa verde) for dipping.

Thanks for visiting today and be sure and check all my Cinco de Mayo recipes!

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