Florentine Frittata Fav: a GDF take on the Italian dish

Presenting one of my favorite recipes (drum roll please), the GDF Florentine Frittata.  I will admit one of the reasons that I love this recipe so much is that it was the very first GDF meal I ever made (successfully).  I was basically so hungry that any food that wasn't charred, uncooked, or otherwise inedible seemed like heaven on a plate.  Although, I have since made this recipe and improved upon the initial attempt, so I like to think it is now a favorite in its own right.  I got the original recipe out of my Love Food (R), Gluten, Wheat & Dairy Free cookbook.  I hope you like it!  It's super easy and requires less than 30 minutes to get from mixing the ingredients to landing on your plate (which is also a reason it's a fav).  Let me know what you think!

Oh and a disclaimer: it does call for eggs, so if you are vegan or can't do eggs, feel free to use egg substitute.  I haven't experimented with egg sub., so I'm not sure what it will require in terms of baking adjustments. (If you do try it, let me know, I'd love to satisfy my curiosity!)

GDF Florentine Frittata

The colors of this dish are one of the
many reasons that it is so fun to serve!

2 large white potatoes, skinned and cubed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter (or dairy-free spread)
1 medium golden onion, finely chopped
6 eggs, break yolks but don't mix heavily
2 roasted red peppers, diced
Garlic salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Turn on the broiler to high for preheating.  Cook the potatoes in a medium saucepan of boiling water until potatoes are soft and fall apart (about 15 min).  Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the oil and spread in a medium skillet with a heatproof handle over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes or until the onions start to brown.  (They're so yummy when they're caramelized!) Add the potatoes and the red peppers and stir lightly to prevent sticking for another 5 minutes or so.  Make sure you spread the onions, peppers and potatoes evenly across the bottom of the pan.

Most cookware can go in the broiler
for 5 minutes or so, however, check
with your cookware provider for
any restrictions.

*TIP* If you do not have a pan with a heatproof handle that you feel comfortable sticking in the broiler, you can heatproof the handle of a pan that you can stick in there, by wrapping the handle twice in aluminum foil.

Mix the eggs, lightly stirring and seasoning with garlic salt and pepper to taste.  Pour eggs over the potatoes, peppers, and onions.  Allow to cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the outer layer of the eggs set.  (You can tell by gently lifting the frittata with a butter knife, if the eggs don't crack and seep through, you're set.)

You can serve as a breakfast or
brunch dish by adding bacon or
hashbrowns as a side.

Turn your broiler to low and stick the pan in the oven for about 3-5 minutes or until the top is set and there is no more evidence of 'runny eggs'.  There is no need to cool, you can cut and serve immediately!

Buon appetito! XOXO!

Fajita Quinoa from a GF Newbie

Since I started my GDF journey, I have had various people join the GF or DF craze at different times, for different reasons. Some people are trying it to lose weight, some are trying it to eat healthier, and some just want to see what it tastes like. It doesn't matter why they are trying it though, I'm just happy to have companions that can collaborate when it comes to meal time! It is that exact sentiment that has brought me to this next blog. I thought it would be an interesting idea to share one of my most recent GF converts' quinoa recipe. It sounds delish, although admittedly I have not tried it myself...yet.

It's a quick meal (under 30 minutes) and it has all of the basic GDF nutrition that you need. Give it a try!

Here's my fajita quinoa recipe:

1 tbsp coconut oil

The color of the quinoa should be reddish when mixed.

1 tbsp minced garlic (or 2 fresh cloves minced)

4.5 oz can of jalapenos (or about 2 fresh ones)

1 cup quinoa

1 cup GF chicken broth

1 cup water

1 package of McCormick Fajita seasoning

Grilled chicken strips (you can buy them precooked or you can grill them up yourself!)

Heat the coconut oil on the bottom of a medium pan. On medium heat, saute minced garlic and minced jalapenos (use more or less jalapenos depending on your 'spicy' preference).
Add rinsed quinoa to the pan and continue to saute together with the garlic and jalapenos. In a medium bowl, mix chicken broth and water with half a packet of fajita seasoning. After mixing, add it to the sauteed/browned quinoa mix. Bring to a rolling boil, then cover and turn on low. Let simmer for 15 minutes. In a separate pan, mix the remaining fajita mix with 1/2 cup water and a little bit of gluten free soy sauce. Bring to a simmer and add one package of already cooked chicken strips. Cover on low heat about 10 minutes, then drain the chicken and mix in with the thoroughly cooked quinoa. I like to put it in a bowl and top with grated cheese and fresh tomatoes Others prefer to put it in a corn tortilla and eat like a traditional fajita. It's up to you!

I hope you like it and I'd love to hear your feedback! Thanks Olivia Wolf for the recipe! XOXO!

GF Grilled Chicken Parm- Oh So Good!

Single serving, ooey-gooey!

Out of all of the recipes I have found, made and experimented with, there is one that gluten-eaters ask for by name: Grilled Chicken Parmesan.  Now I know what you must be thinking, 'isn't this blog supposed to be about dairy-free recipes, not just gluten-free?'  The simple answer is yes.  However, when cooking for others, I feel bad about subjecting them to the dietary restrictions that I have to abide by.  So, I usually make the dish dairy free, serve myself, then add the cheese, milk, or whatever. Although, when I do that, I will admit, the food doesn't always taste the best.  Gluten substitutes are one thing, dairy substitutes...well that's another thing entirely.

Anyway, this recipe is a win for everyone.  If you can't have the cheese, just skip that part entirely.

Grilled Chicken Parmesan

1 tbsp basil

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp black pepper

4 Chicken breasts

1 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce

This is a snapshot of the
dish with cheese on it.

Mix the basil, onion powder and black pepper together in a shallow, but wide bowl.  Take thoroughly thawed chicken and pat dry with a paper towel before tossing with mixture.  Make sure both sides of chicken are covered.  On a large skillet, grill each side of the chicken for about 3-5 minutes until brown.  (Don't worry if it's not cooked through, you will be baking it also.)
While chicken is cooking, take 1/2 cup of the spaghetti sauce and cover the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish.  Once all of your chicken has been browned, place in the dish and pour remaining sauce over the chicken, covering thoroughly.  Bake for 25 minutes.
While the chicken is baking, you can make whatever kind of noodles you'd like.  I like corn spaghetti with this dish, but I've also used rice penne and it turned out well.
Once the chicken is done, you can serve the chicken and sauce right away over the noodles, or you can add cheese, depending on who you are cooking for.  I like to use some Romano, Parmesean, and Mozzerella.  You can add it to taste.  If you are adding cheese, stick the pan under the broiler for about 3 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and brown.  Then enjoy!

Enjoy GDF-family!

XOXO!

GDF Applesauce Chicken Dinner

Mott's Applesauce
courtesy of soap.com

Applesauce is one of my favorite foods.  I enjoy eating it at any time during the day, with anything.  So when I picked up my jar of Mott's Applesauce and saw this yummy recipe on the label, I immediately went to work doctoring it up to fit my GDF dietary needs.  It's an apple/teriyaki sauce glaze for chicken or fish.  I used it on chicken.

Now, you may or may not know this, but most teriyaki sauces are (mostly) inherently not gluten free.  They usually have malt or wheat in them.  On a side note, this is one of the reasons GDF living can be so difficult, because honestly, who would know about the gluten in something like teriyaki sauce?!  Anyway, I substituted the teriyaki with worcestershire sauce which is more commonly gluten free, (although I strongly urge you to read the label and check for malt, just in case).

I served mine over quinoa (prepared as per package instructions) with asparagus on the side and let me tell you what: it was yummy!!

Ok, here's the easy-peasy recipe:

2 cups Mott's Applesauce

1/2 cup worcestershire sauce

2 cloves of freshly minced garlic

6 chicken breasts or cutlets

olive oil or cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Mix ingredients for sauce.  (You can marinate it if you want, I did and I think it really made the chicken more tender in the end.  If you do marinate the chicken, wash it off before browning it!)

Using cooking spray, grease the skillet that you are using and brown both sides of the chicken (about 3 minutes on each side).  Place the browned chicken in a 9x13 pan and use the sauce to cover the chicken completely.  Place in the oven, uncovered for about 25 minutes, turning chicken at 20 minutes. Let cool for about 5-10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy my GDF family! XOXO!

Go Ahead- Go Out to Eat GDF Style! (It's not as scary as you may think!)

Hostess: Ok, here are your menus and your server will be right with you.
Me: Actually, can I have an allergen menu?
Hostess: Huh?
Me: A menu that says what doesn't have gluten or dairy in it.
Hostess: Let me check with the manager.
*Wait*
Manager: Here's a gluten-free menu.
Me: Thanks so much, but I also need the dairy-free menu.
Manager: Oh, let me go grab that.
*Wait*
Server: Has everyone had enough time to look at the menu and are ready to order?
Me: *sigh*

Does this sound familiar?  Luckily, restaurants are getting better about this, but it is still intimidating to go out to eat.  It's manageable with one food allergy, but the moment you don't fit in the box, forget it!  I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't blame the wait staff at all.  How could you conceivably keep up with all of these food allergies that everyone has nowadays?  It's unfortunately just the nature of the beast, and let me tell you, food allergies are definitely beastly.

I have found a couple favorites though to help you skip the whole menu debacle for routine outings.  So, if you trust my recommendation, or you just feel gutsy (no pun intended), try ordering these items at these places when you go out and just skip the menu altogether!

Disclaimer: I am not saying that any of these meals are healthy, just that they are gluten and dairy-free options that taste good, which is a feat in and of itself.

At American restaurants like Chili's:

Don't forget to ask them to hold the cheese!

At Pizza or Italian restaurants:

Salad pizza is great for lunch or a lite dinner, or you could
opt for veggie pizza with no cheese.  Either way, make sure
you order it with gluten free crust!

At Mexican restaurants:

Corn tortilla tacos with your choice of meat , pico
de gallo, guacamole, lettuce, and salsa.  Mmmmm!

I hope this helps!  Enjoy my GDF-ers! xoxo!