Delicious Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

Delicious Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

a dessert baked with love

My mother is the type of woman who believes in making things from scratch and that everyone should have a delicious dessert at Thanksgiving. When I finally committed to a 100% gluten-free diet, this became a bit of a challenge, at least as far as I concerned. Although I was happy with apples baked in cinnamon and sugar, store-bought gluten-free apple pies, and gluten-free brownies from Betty Crocker's delicious mix, my mom wasn't satisfied until she came up with this delicious treat. It's so good, even the glutenites* at your table will dig in!

*Yes, I am working really hard to coin this phrase, but doesn't "glutenite" roll off the tongue so much better than "people who can eat gluten" or "people who are not gluten-free?"

(Scroll down for complete recipe)

Delicious Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

Yields: one 8x8 pan

Hands on time: 30-45 minutes (includes peeling, slicing and paring the apples)

Total time: approximately 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

For the apples

• 4 cups of apples peeled, sliced & pared (about 3-4 medium apples--I use Granny Smith or similar)
• 2 mounded teaspoons of cinnamon
• 3-4 tablespoons white sugar
• 3 tablespoons orange juice

For the crisp topping

• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
2. Put apples in a greased 8x8 baking pan, sprinkle with orange juice, and then mix to coat apples.
3. In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle on apples and mix.
4. Combine the brown sugar, brown rice flour, and ground cloves in a separate bowl and mix.
5. Soften the butter or margarine and knead into the rice-flour mixture. Mix thoroughly.
6. Crumble the rice-flour mixture over the apples.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes. Apples should be soft when you poke them.
8. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.

Enjoy!

P.S.

In the past, I've always weaved the pictures and recipe instructions together. However, I thought placing all of the recipe instructions at the end might make it a little more user-friendly, and it seems to be what most "food bloggers" do. I hope you like it!

Gluten-Free Spicy Vegetable Soup

Gluten-Free Spicy Vegetable Soup

tasty, hearty, & easy-to-make

This is probably one of my all-time favorite recipes--gluten-free or not. My mom shared it with me roughly ten years ago, and my family never gets sick of it. The list of ingredients is fairly short, but the finished product is filled with a variety of vegetables, just the right amount of spice, and a decent helping of protein. While the process is quite simple, the results are amazing! And the best part of all--it provides a well-balanced dinner while dirtying just one pot. If you ever have to bring a dish to a church potluck, this is a winner.

First, the ingredients: 

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef or turkey
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 diced red or green bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large jar (approx. 30 oz.) Chunky Garden Style spaghetti sauce*
• 1 large can (approx. 10 oz.) diced tomatoes, partially drained
• 1 bag (16 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables
• 1/2 to 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes**

*I use Prego Fresh Muschroom or Tomatoes & Garlic. Both are labeled gluten-free.

**You can substitute chili powder, but you will need to increase the amount.

Don't forget--Add at end to taste:

• 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar (optional--helps cut acidity)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Now, the instructions:

Cook the ground beef or turkey in a large pot, stirring until browned and broken up. Drain fat if needed. 

Add onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook until limp. FYI: The celery usually takes the longest.

Add spaghetti sauce, canned tomatoes, frozen vegetables, and crushed red pepper. 

Cover and cook at least 10-15 minutes or until the frozen vegetables are thawed and thoroughly cooked. 

Add sugar, salt, and pepper if needed.

Bon appetit!

P.S.

This soup pairs wonderfully with my Simple Gluten-Free Cornbread. 
Click below for the recipe.

Grown-Up Gluten-Free PB & J

Grown-Up Gluten-Free PB & J

making an old favorite new again

If I've learned anything since starting this blog, it's that keeping certain ingredients on hand--Craisins, chopped nuts, coconut, fresh fruits and vegetables--can make gluten-free eating significantly more enjoyable. With just a little creativity and a good dose of gourmet bravery, you can break up your routine and enjoy food again. This sandwich is the perfect example.

My son has requested "peanut butter and jelly" almost every day for the past few weeks, and every once in a while I like to indulge him. At the same time, I like us to share our meals, and I need a little more than jelly and peanut butter to get me excited about lunch. 

Enter the following ingredients to the rescue:

• gluten-free bread, toasted*
• peanut butter**
• your choice of jam or honey
• fresh banana slices
• slivered almonds
• shredded coconut

*My favorites are Glutino's Flaxseed and Grains For Life's Millet & Brown Rice. Gluten-free bread always tastes better toasted.

**JIF is labeled gluten-free

Assemble all ingredients in the order listed above.

Enjoy!

Simple Gluten-Free Cornbread

Simple Gluten-Free Cornbread

No specialty flours or ingredients required!

Yields nine 3x3 inch squares

(Source: The Allergic Gourmet by June Roth (c) 1983)

What? Two gluten-free recipes in one month? That's right--you've hit The Everyday Celiac jackpot! Honestly, though, I have been wanting to share this recipe for a while, and making a batch of my family's favorite cornbread made for some excellent mother-son bonding time. Pint-sized sous-chef is my son's favorite job, after all. The bread is a little crumbly, but it tastes delicious. Trust me!

I mean, seriously, if you think gluten-free baking isn't worth it, stare at this photo for a few minutes.You'll change your mind.

Is there anything that beats homemade bread, still warm from the oven and smeared with delicious butter (or non-dairy margarine) and jam? Yum!

Enjoy! 

Click here for printer-friendly version.

(Right-click in new window & select print.)

A few final tips...

• If you prefer warm bread like me, nuke room-temperature cornbread for about 10 seconds before scarfing it down eating it
• It's shelf life can be a little short, so you may want to consider refrigerating it.

Other uses & serving options...

• Use as a base for gluten-free stuffing come Thanksgiving
• Save & freeze crumbs for use in recipes calling for gluten-free breadcrumbs
• Make a double-batch & freeze individual portions for later use

Update 6.20.13: 

I used this recipe to make cornbread muffins this morning, and it worked perfectly! Reduce the cooking time to about 18 minutes, grease your muffin tin well, and fill up each cup about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way with uncooked batter. Yields 1 dozen standard-size muffins.

Update 7.12.14: 

If you are concerned about texture, try using a combination of 1 1/2 cups cornmeal and 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour blend like those produced by Bob's Red Mill, Bisquick or Namaste Foods. While the recipe works fine with just cornmeal, the combination makes for a lighter, fluffier cornbread.

Creative Gluten-Free Tuna Salad

Creative Gluten-Free Tuna Salad

A.K.A. an easy lunch you'll be proud to eat

I would like to start off by apologizing to anyone who thinks this meal is entirely too pedestrian to deserve the title "kitchen (mis)adventure." I understand where you are coming from, but long story short, my health knocked me on my back this weekend, and there was no way I felt up to trying out a new recipe...although I definitely wanted to.

Additionally, I realize that just about everyone knows how to make tuna salad: open a can of tuna, stir in some mayonnaise, and call it a day. At the same time, one of the greatest challenges of the gluten-free diet is feeling stuck in a rut and limited in your food options--especially if you are not into cooking. This post is about a simple way to put a new spin on an old favorite.

All of that said, let me tell you why I love this recipe: It's easy, adaptable, work-lunch friendly, and healthy.

Now, for the directions.

As always, gather your ingredients first:

1. 1 can chunk-light tuna in water
2. 1 stalk of celery, sliced
3. 1 small carrot, cut into matchstick-sized pieces
4. 1 handful of dried craisins
5. 2-3 heaping teaspoons of gluten-free mayonnaise*

*My favorite brand of "safe" mayonnaise is Smart Balance. It is labeled gluten-free, available in nearly every grocery store, and very tasty. 

Next, mix all of the "dry" ingredients together in a small Tupperware container. Yes, technically you could use a bowl. However, substituting a Tupperware container means you can just slap a lid on the leftovers without dirtying an extra dish.

Add the mayonnaise last, a little at a time, so you can control how much you have. I like my tuna salad well-coated in mayonnaise, but not swimming in it.

Finally, serve on your favorite gluten-free bread substitute. For the picture above, I made an open-faced sandwich on a toasted slice of Glutino's gluten-free flax seed bread (my favorite), but you could also try  gluten-free crackers, celery sticks, or rice cakes. Enjoy!

Why is it called "creative" gluten-free tuna salad?

Well, I threw together at the spur of the moment based on the ingredients I had on hand. I've tried craisins and sliced celery before, but the carrots were a bit of a (lucky) gamble.

How can it be adapted?

Truthfully, however you want. In the past, I have used halved grapes instead of craisins, and a friend and I once tried corn kernels, cooked rice (chilled), and ranch dressing--but I wouldn't recommend the latter combination. Throwing in sliced almonds or chopped walnuts would be another great way to change it up, as would using canned chicken or salmon instead of tuna.

Get creative, and let me know how it turns out!

This kitchen (mis)adventure was a delicious experiment gone right!

P.S.

I apologize for the lack of photos. I know the recipe is painfully easy, but we all want a little eye-candy, right? Basically, I was too hungry to bother with pictures--which is why the solo piece of photographic evidence features a half-eaten open-faced sandwich on gluten-free bread.

Gluten-Free Cake-Mix Cookies

original recipe source

Gluten-Free Cake-Mix Cookies

makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies

My crafty friend, Desiree, shared this wonderful recipe on her blog, Your Crafty Friend. The ingredients include 1 box of cake mix, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup of vegetable oil, and a small amount of sugar. Using just those four ingredients you can make up to three dozen cookies! I decided to be brave and tried the recipe using a gluten-free cake mix. It was a rousing success!

Ready to try it yourself? Make sure you follow the directions below, not the directions on the cake-mix box!

Start by collecting your ingredients:

1. 1 box of gluten-free cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Devil's Food Cake Mix, Gluten-Free)
2. 2 eggs
3. 1/2 cup vegetable oil
4. sugar to roll the cookies in (Desiree@YourCraftyFriend suggests about 1/4 cup)

(pint-size sous chef optional)

Next, combine the cake mix, eggs, and oil in a large mixing bowl. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are combined. At this point, start preheating your oven to 350 degrees.

(make sure your sous chef doesn't get distracted)

At this point, my dough resembled very dark, gritty, wet soil.

For the next step, you will need a small bowl of sugar and one or two greased cookie sheets. Now, roll the dough into one-inch balls. For the gluten-free mix, you will probably need to "pat" it into shape more than roll it. Also, if the dough seems hard to work with, you may want to chill it in the refrigerator for a few minutes. Roll each ball in sugar and place it on a greased cookie sheet. Space the cookies about two inches apart.

Finally, bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the center is firm. As Desiree explains on her blog, the cookies will probably look a little puffy when they first come out, but they will settle as they cool.

Ding! The sound of success!

Make sure you let the cookies cool completely before you gobble them up. Gluten-free baked-goods tend to be crumbly, so letting them cool first can make a big difference.

(waiting is the hardest part) 

At last--time to dig in and enjoy!

This kitchen (mis)adventure was a definite success!

Feeling adventurous? Try the recipe and let me know how it goes.

Ready to experiment? Desiree recommends different combinations, such as rolling the cookies in chopped-up Andes mints instead of sugar. What creative combinations can you come up with? Share your ideas here or on Desiree's original recipe post.

P.S.

I am linking to Gluten-Free Fridays hosted by Vegetarian Mama. Pop on over and check it out!