Grocery Store Tips

One of the hardest experiences I had when I first went gluten free was my first trip to the grocery store. From what I've heard, this is a hard experience for most people. Below is a list of a few tips that I've learned to have a successful trip to the grocery store (successful in this case means actually coming home with food, not accidentally bringing home gluten, not having a melt down in the store, and not spending $200 on a week of groceries unless you're feeding a large family).

-Stick to the outside of the store. Vegetables, meats, dairy, etc are all gluten free, healthier, and cheaper than the main aisle foods like cookies and cereals and pastas.

-If you are going to adventure into the middle of the store, have a plan of what you need and stick to it. Don't be tempted by your old favorite gluten-containing snack or treat. Also, try to shop the sales or use coupons to save on cake mixes, cereals, gluten free flours, etc.This is where the cost of eating gluten free really starts to add up.

-Plan your meals ahead of time. It's really hard to look at the grocery store and try to come up with plans when you are surrounded by gluten. I also inevitably forget a couple things, which requires me to repeat the entire experience over again. If I plan ahead, I also save a lot of money and I avoid the gluten free convenience foods that aren't super nutritious and don't actually fill me up.

-Take your detailed list exactly is gluten free and what is not with you to the store. Especially the first few times. You need to check your labels on every food, every time. Manufacturers change their ingredients all the time. This does get easier as time goes on, but it can be a really daunting task at first.

-Take a gluten free friend on your first outing, someone who knows how to shop, who knows what to buy/cook/eat, and who can guide you through the process. They will open your eyes to ideas you couldn't have figured out yourself, and they will give you some confidence for your future trips.

Gluten Free Convenience Foods

I love to cook. I really, really enjoy my time in the kitchen. My roommates can all tell you that the thing I do when I'm stressed from a bad day at work or when I need to feel re-energized about life is cook. In fact, you can tell how stressed or burnt out I am by how much I make or how complicated the dishes are. If you ever see me attempting cinnamon rolls, I'm probably so far gone that you shouldn't even bother trying to get me to talk about it.

However, I understand that cooking a meal every night is simply not a reality for most people. Maybe it's because you don't enjoy the kitchen or you feel you can't cook (although I certainly hope that my blog is helping to make cooking more accessible to you). Maybe it's because you cook for one or two and simply don't need to cook every night. Or maybe, like me during the last couple of months, you're physically not able to be in the kitchen much. It could be because you are recovering from surgery, just had a baby, are having other health problems, etc.

The point is, we all have times that we need convenience foods. And gluten-free convenience foods can tricky. There aren't a lot of frozen dinners that are gluten free (none at my local grocery store the last time I checked), and fast food isn't a particularly healthy or safe option. Here are some of the foods that got me through my recent surgery and recovery and that I hope will inspire you to create your own go-to list of foods you can have ready if you aren't able to cook.

-Scrambled eggs are an excellent source of protein, are pretty easy to prepare, and you can add tons of vegetables, cheeses, even potatoes to get a more hearty or nutritious meal

-Cheese: pick your favorite type and form. I like string cheese. I also like to roll up sliced cheese and lunch meat

-Quesadillas: Always, always, always have corn tortillas and grated cheese on hand. If you need more protein, add lunch meat to the inside or eat it on the side. You can get as fancy as you want with this by added green onions or cilantro, guacamole or salsa, cubes of chicken or bacon crumbles, etc. 

-Lunch meat doesn't have to be part of a sandwich. I eat it plain on the side of something lacking protein, combine it with cheese as described above, throw it in with eggs, etc.

-Instant mashed potatoes were a total lifesaver for me. They are a comfort food, gentle on my stomach (which was protesting the pain meds), and easy to prepare.

-Grilled cheese sandwiches require a little planning (you have to have gluten free bread on hand) but they are easy to prepare otherwise. I keep a loaf of bread in the fridge for nights I need to pull out a quick dinner.

-Breakfast foods such as Van's frozen waffles, pancakes from Bisquick mix, cereal, or french toast (if you have bread on hand) can be quick and easy. They aren't the most balanced or nutritious, but if you have some fruit on hand and add in eggs or lunch meat you have a pretty decent meal.

-Make ahead freezer meals: This is one option I wish I had taken advantage of more when I had my surgery. Pinterest and recipe blogs have tons of recipes that you can prepare and throw in freezer bags in the freezer. Then, when you are ready, simply dump it into a crock pot and come back a few hours later to a fresh nutritious meal that takes almost no effort. Alternately, you could at least chop all the vegetables and have meats frozen in a marinade to make prep work really easy and save yourself at least part of the work in the kitchen.

Thai-Style Steak Salad

Steak marinade:
1/4 fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 boneless rib-eye steaks (each 8 ounces and 3/4 inch thick)
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

 Additional salad ingredients:
1/2 pound carrots (3-4 medium)
1 medium head romaine lettuce, cut crosswise into 1-inch ribbons
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh bean sprouts (optional)
1/3 cup salted peanuts or cashews, chopped (optional)
2 apples, cored, halved, and sliced thin (optional)
1 cucumber, sliced thin (optional)
2 tomatoes, cut into thin wedges (optional)

1. Make marinade: Whisk ingredients together in a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup. Season the steaks generously with S+P; place in a baking dish. Pour 1/4 of the marinade over the steaks (reserve the remaining marinade); turn the steaks to coat. Let the steaks marinate up to 30 minutes.
2. In a large skillet, cook the steaks on medium-high heat, turning once, 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board; tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest 5-10 minutes. Slice the steaks across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices; halve the slices crosswise. Transfer to a large bowl, and toss with the reserved marinade.
3. With a vegetable peeler, cut the carrots into long ribbons. Add to the steak in the bowl along with the lettuce and mint; toss to combine. Divide the salad among bowls, sprinkle with bean sprouts and peanuts if desired. 

Recipe from Kellie Barlow, submitted to the USC Ward Recipes Blog, originally from Food Everyday's Great Food Fast recipe book

Zucchini Bread

I can't believe I haven't posted a recipe for Zucchini Bread yet! It is one of my favorite treats. I got this recipe from the fabulous Heidi Draper, who brought a few warm slices that totally made my day while I was recovering.

1 c. brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
1 c. oil
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla
2 c. zucchini, grated
3 c. gluten free flour
2 tsp. xantham gum
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1. Cream together brown sugar, white sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
2. Beat in zucchini.
3. Stir in flour, xantham gum, baking soda, salt, and spices.
4. Grease and flour 2 bread pans. Pour batter into pans.
5. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour. Cover for the last 15 minutes if getting brown.

Sugar Cookie Bars

1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. butter, room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
2 1/2 c. GF flour (I used 1/2 c. white rice flour, 1 c. brown rice flour, 1 c. tapioca flour and 1/2 t. xantham gum)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a jelly roll pan with foil, spray with cooking spray.
3. Cream butter, sugar and cream cheese together.
4. Add in egg and vanilla.
5. Add in dry ingredients.
6. Mix until just combined.
7. Press into pan (dough will be sticky).
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until edges begin to golden (remember that oven temperatures vary and yours may be done sooner!).
9. Cool completely before frosting.

These are the imitation Lofthouse sugar cookies that have been floating around pinterest, adapted to be GF by my sister Andrea but originally from this site: http://cookiesandcups.com/lofthouse-sugar-cookie-bars/

Gluten Free Dessert Ideas

I have been to a lot of gatherings lately where dessert has been served. Desserts can present quite a problem for someone who is gluten free because so many of the things that are usually served for dessert have gluten (cakes, brownies, cookies, cheesecake, etc) but this doesn't have to be the case. So, if you are serving dessert to someone who is gluten free or if you are gluten free and want to bring a dessert to share with everyone, here are several relatively easy/normal dessert ideas:

• ice cream or frozen yogurt (as long as it doesn't have mix-ins such as brownies or cookies that would contain gluten)
• root beer floats (or vary it with orange soda, sprite with sherbet, etc)
• ice cream bars (unfortunately not ice cream sandwiches)
• fresh fruit
• fruit smoothies
• milkshakes
• chocolate covered strawberries
• rice krispies (plain, peanut butter, cake batter, nutella - just make sure to use gluten free rice krispies)
• any of the Betty Crocker Gluten Free line: chocolate chip cookies, brownies, yellow cake, chocolate cake

Also make sure you check out the dessert section of the blog. These are some of my favorites:

• macaroons
• mini cheesecakes with gluten free crust
• fudge crinkles
• pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
• pretzel turtles

Butternut Squash Risotto

4 1/2 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth; more as needed
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 large fresh sage leaves
6 slices bacon, diced
2 medium shallots, minced, about 1/4 cup
2 cups (1/4-inch-diced) fresh, uncooked butternut squash
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.Pour the chicken broth in a small/medium saucepan and set over medium heat. It doesn’t need to boil, just heat it through and keep it hot while making the risotto.
2. In a medium (3-quart) saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and fry, turning once, until they’ve turned dark green in most places, about 1 minute total, being careful not to brown the leaves. With a fork, transfer to the fried sage leaves to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Drain off all of the oil except for 1-2 teaspoons.
3. Cook the bacon in the hot oil in the saucepan, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to the plate with the sage. Again, drain off excess grease, if desired, leaving about 2 teaspoons in the saucepan.
4. Add the shallots to the saucepan and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until softened, about 1 minute.
5. Add the squash and rice and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.
6. Ladle in enough of the hot broth mixture to just cover the rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until the broth is mostly absorbed. Keep the heat regulated so that the broth isn’t boiling (it will evaporate too quickly) but instead the rice/broth mixture bubbles and simmers gently while it cooks.
7. Add another ladleful of broth and continue cooking and stirring until absorbed. Continue this process (adding a ladleful or two of broth once the previous broth has been absorbed), stirring constantly, until the rice is tender with just a slightly toothsome quality, about 25 minutes. If you use all the broth before the rice gets tender, simply use more broth.
8. Set aside the nicest looking sage leaves as a garnish (about 1 leaf per serving) and reserve a few crumbles of bacon for garnish as well. Crumble the remaining bacon and sage leaves into the risotto. Stir in the cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Crumble the remaining bacon over each serving and garnish with a sage leaf. Serve immediately.

This delicious recipe was found at Mel's Kitchen Cafe:  http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2012/03/butternut-squash-risotto.html

Mexican Sweet Potato Skins

3 medium sweet potatoes
1 can corn, rinsed and patted dry
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2-4 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced or pureed
1 ounce light cream cheese
1/4 cup light sour cream
1 teaspoon salt (+ more to taste)
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
6 tablespoons shredded cheese (Pepperjack, Cheddar, Colby Jack… anything will work)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the sweet potatoes for 45-60 minutes.
2. While sweet potatoes are baking, place corn in a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat with no butter or oil. Sprinkle with salt and other Mexican seasoning (as much as you want). Do not stir! Let corn roast for several minutes before stirring. Let it roast for a few more minutes before stirring again. Continue this for about 10 minutes, until corn is browned and roasted on the outside. Set aside in a small bowl with the black beans.
3. Saute the onion in the butter over medium heat until soft and translucent. Set aside.
4. Remove sweet potatoes from the oven when fork-tender. Let cool for 5-10 minutes. Cut the sweet potatoes in half. Scrape the flesh of the sweet potatoes out, leaving the skins intact. Sometimes leaving a thin layer of potato inside of the skins helps them hold together better.
5. Mix the flesh of the sweet potatoes with the cream cheese, sour cream, chipotle peppers, and salt. You can use a mixer or just a spoon, depending on how soft the potatoes are. When well-mixed, gently stir in the black beans, roasted corn, sauteed onions, and cilantro.
6. Scoop the filling into the skins and top each with 1 tablespoon shredded cheese. Broil for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Original recipe found here:  http://pinchofyum.com/healthy-mexican-sweet-potato-skins

Garlic Herb Sauce

1 cup fresh packed flat-leaf parsley
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup EVOO
3 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a food processor, pulse the parsley to chop. Add remaining ingredients and pulse to combine.
2. Brush sauce on pork tenderloin before grilling or cubed potatoes before baking.

Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad

4 ears fresh corn, shucked (or 2 cans corn, or one package frozen corn)
2 red peppers (chopped if using a grill pan, quartered if using a grill)
3 tbsp. EVOO
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
3 green onions, rinsed and sliced
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
4 oz. queso fresco, crumbled
1 avocado, thinly sliced

1. In a large bowl, whisk EVOO, lime juice, chili powder and salt. Add green onions, cilantro and black beans and toss well.
2. Preheat grill (or if it's winter or you don't have a grill, a grill pan) to medium. Add corn and red pepper. Cook until corn and peppers until charred in spots, about ten minutes.
3. If using a grill, carefully cut the corn kernels from the cobs and chop the red pepper. Add corn and red pepper to the bean mixture and toss well.
4. Top with queso and avocado.

Variations: add 2 cups cooked quinoa or 2 cups cooked/cubed chicken breast

Italian Potato Sausage Soup

20 oz. lean Italian turkey sausage
1/2+ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 large onion, diced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
8 cups (2 boxes) chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, diced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 cups low-fat milk
3 ounces light cream cheese
3 tablespoons GF flour
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups baby spinach, chopped

1. Place sausage in large soup pot. Begin cooking it over medium heat and add red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, onion, and garlic. Saute until the sausage is fully cooked and drain if necessary.
2. Add the chicken broth and Italian seasoning, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil.
3. Add diced potatoes, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook potatoes until tender.
4. While the potatoes are cooking, place the milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender. Blend until smooth.
5. Heat the butter over medium-low heat in a small saucepan, then add the milk mixture and cook over medium heat until thick (like a very thick cream soup or a stirrable pudding).
6. When the potatoes are cooked, add the thickened milk mixture and chopped spinach. Season with additional crushed red pepper flakes and kosher salt to taste and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Recipe from Our Best Bites:  http://www.ourbestbites.com/2012/01/italian-potato-sausage-soup/

Brown Sugar Spice Pork Rub

2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 pork tenderloins (2 1/2 lb. total), each tenderloin cut into two chunks
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic (6-8 cloves)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
optional: 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce

1. Mix all ingredients together in gallon ziplock bag. Add pork last.
2. Coat pork with spices.
3. Cook pork however you like. I used a grill pan to sear then baked but it would be great on the grill too.

Easy Pretzel Turtles

This recipe is another favorite from Our Best Bites:

Glutino small pretzels
Rolo candies
Pecan halves – or optionally peanuts, cashews, and m&m’s

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place pretzels on a parchment lined baking sheet.
2. Unwrap your Rolo candies and place one on top of each pretzel like a cute little hat.
3. Place pan in the oven for 3-4 minutes until the chocolate looks glossy and melty but still hold their shape.
4. Remove pan from oven and take a pecan and gently press it right into the center of the chocolate candy.

Original recipe found here: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/12/easy-pretzel-turtles/

Loaded Baked Potato Rounds

4 large baking potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch slices
salt and pepper to taste
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions
sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pam a baking sheet. Place slices of potato on baking sheet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. When potatoes are ready, top with bacon, cheese, and green onion; continue baking until the cheese has melted.
4. Top with sour cream.

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad

3 cups cooked quinoa
1 can corn
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups cubed BBQ chicken
1/2 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup BBQ sauce (or more)
6 scallions, chopped
cilantro for garnish

1. In a large bowl, toss together the quinoa, corn, black beans, and chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Transfer mixture into a bowl and top with shredded cheese, BBQ sauce, scallions and cilantro.

Serve warm or at room temperature or chilled.