Easy Gluten Free Meals

I know how hard it is to think of something to make for dinner when your diet is restricted. Just one thing like gluten can change everything in your kitchen, turning it upside down for a while. There are a lot of meals out there to choose from and if you use your imagination you will find yourself fixing up some really tasty things! There are a lot of wonderful recipes to be found! When your diet has to change all at once a lot of your favorite foods have to go, but not forever! Yes, I know there is no way you will ever eat gluten again without being sick, but you can substitute gluten free foods into your original recipes to make them gluten free! Here is one of my favorite meals:

HAMBURGER AND ASPARAGUS CASSEROLE

½ to 1 pound of hamburger

1 cup onion and peppers combination

Cook these together until hamburger is ground finely and well done.

Cook 1 pound rice pasta till tender.

Add ½ to 1 pound grated cheese

1 can black eye peas drained

2 cups mixed vegetables

1 can asparagus spears

Add in hamburger mixture season with Turmeric and Parsley, salt and pepper.

Mix this up using each ingredient and then place in baking dish with canned, drained asparagus lining the top and some of the cheese on top. Baked it till cheese has melted. Fills a thirteen by nine pan.

This recipe gives you a well balanced meal with nutrition and great taste! Try it yourself today!

For more info on cooking gluten free, check out the book Could it be Gluten? on Amazon!

It is gluten free!

Update: As of April of 2020, there are more gluten free brands than I can possibly include here!!! There has been a tremendous upgrade in food labels as well helping those of us who are avoiding gluten to be able to distinguish between gluten free and gluten containing foods. From online retailers, to traditional brick and mortar stores, gluten free products are blooming!

Is it gluten free? What a nerve racking question. Have you ever felt the rush of blood to your blushed face as you've had to ask this embarrassing question only to hear in response: What's gluten? Well you are not alone. There is an answer to solve this frustrating problem and that is to learn the different brands and which ones are safe! When reading labels you may still run in to a little gluten because of the "natural flavors" which can mean almost anything. I know it is frustrating when you call the manufacturer only to hear that they cannot disclose what the natural flavors are but they assure you it is not gluten. You practically have to take their word for it right? Not really, you still have your gut instinct. And when I say gut I mean your stomach. When you eat it take special consideration to the symptoms if any and make a note of it in your food diary. Try the same food again several weeks later and see if the same things happen. If you develop cramps, nausea or diarrhea trust your gut and don't eat it anymore. Once you have learned which brands tend to be gluten free your world has become a lot easier. Kind bars are all gluten free! Then you have Pamela's which offers a wide range of snacks and mixes and all of Pamela's products are gluten free! Then you have Chex gluten free cereals! Betty Crocker even offers gluten free cake mixes!

Allergic Living

My life was miserable with my health falling apart until my husband talked me into seeing an allergy specialist. Over the course of several visits, testing, and reading of the results we found that I was allergic to many foods that I had eaten all my life! When did I become allergic to these foods? Was it there all along, causing those stomach issues, headaches, and fatigue? Was these foods the cause of my hospitalization for pneumonia as an infant? If only I knew. If only I knew a lot of things! Is my son's dislike for eggs, severe stomach ache from eating them, in spite of the fact that it was only a small amount, related to an allergy to eggs developing? As parents we wish we knew all the facts in order to keep our family safe. I personally went off of my "mamma instinct" when eliminating gluten from their diet along with mine. The results were phenomenal and the joy I receive from seeing my healthy little boys play like any other child, free from inhalers, free from diarrhea, free from steroids, it is just an answer to prayer! If you can relate to what I've wrote here you may benefit from reading Allergic Living. This website offers everything from seasonal allergies to food allergies, to gluten sensitivity! I was very impressed with the quality information offered here that I personally recommend them here on my blog. See if you can find a little comfort in understanding the allergies behind your problems. For a guide to understanding why to go gluten free, check out this new book, Could it be Gluten?

ABOUT EM

Hi, you may have seen me before writing on some other popular sights talking about my dedication to going gluten free. Just in case you haven't heard about me, I am a wife and mother who's health was decaying rapidly when at the age of 23 I decided if I did not do something soon I wouldn't be around to watch my children grow up. Doctor after doctor told me that they could not find anything wrong with me. After spending tens of thousands in medical bills, and my children's health decaying too, we decided to find out for ourselves what was wrong. Hours and hours of research and finally we found something interesting~gluten. We gave it a try and it turned our health around completely. I don't worry anymore whether this is my last year to live, I just enjoy life and thank God for allowing me to learn about gluten. If you are facing explainable health problems, I highly recommend that you look into it yourself. I have compiled a book with the information I learned from months of study about gluten, save yourself the trouble and read what I learned for yourself. Read my story here!

Gluten Freedom: Quick, easy recipes will get you into the habit of Cooking Gluten Free

Is all Gluten Free Cooking tough?
You may be one of those who has been gluten free for a few months, noticed a huge improvement in your health, but just can't seem to stay out of the kitchen because of all the neccessary preparation and clean up involved with gluten free cooking. I am sure you've asked yourself, "Is all gluten free cooking tough and messy? Isn't there anything out there quick and easy that tastes good and is good for me?" Well, I have got great news for you, there are lots of different meals out there that you can make that do not require hours in the kitchen! Thanks to Pamela's products, Udi's gluten free products and a lot of hard work and imagination, I can offer you some recipes to free you from your kitchen!
THE BEST OF PANCAKES
a gluten free pancake recipe
2 tablespoons raw flaxseed (not flaxseed meal, it goes bad to fast. Use raw flaxseed or golden roasted, perferably raw for the nutritional benefits as well as the longer life of the product. Bob's red mill carries this flaxseed.)
2 cups warm water
2 cups Pamela's baking and pancake mix (this stuff is awesome!)
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg
It is best to cook these pancakes on a large nonstick griddle that holds eight pancakes at a time. It speeds up cooking time as well as clean up. I use a Procter Silex, Hamilton Beach griddle. You will also need a good blender or your pancakes will not be very fluffy, instead they will be tough. I use a Hamilton Beach blender with wave action, it does great for making almond meal and chopping flaxseed.
Combine flaxseed and water in blender till flaxseed is chopped to desired size.(as small as possible)
Add Pamela's mix, egg, sugar, cinnamon and blend till smooth, about 1 minute at the most. Pour onto prepared griddle (425 degrees). Wait till brown to turn (you are working with a darker batter so in order for it to be cooked completely you need to wait till they get past the golden brown stage before you turn them). Let brown on other side then serve. Yields 16-20 4 inch pancakes. Like all pancakes if you want thicker ones just omit some of the water in the recipe, if you want thinner pancakes add water.
These have a delicous nutty flavor and can be enjoyed with butter and real maple syrup or honey.
A word of warning, if you haven't already checked your syrup, look at the ingredients. If you find natural flavors but don't want to throw it away, call the manufacturer. It is best to use real maple syrup, it is healthy and wholesome like all natural things usually are when used in moderation, and has just as much sugar as any other syrup unless you buy artificial light syrup. Honey is a great alternative to maple syrup.
EM Kennedy