Baked Brunch Hash Brown Frittata. Vegetarian and Gluten Free

Ingredients

4 Medium Potatoes (Peeled & Shredded)

2 Green Onions (Sliced)

1/4 Cup Diced Green Peppers

1/4 Cup Diced Roasted Red Peppers

6 - 8 Grape Tomatoes (Sliced)

2 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Parsley

1/3 Lb Monterey Jack Cheese (Shredded)

3 Extra Large Eggs Scrambled

Salt and Pepper to Taste

1. Preheat Oven to 375 degrees. 
2. Lightly spray a 2 quart casserole with non stick cooking spray. 
3. Mix all the potatoes, vegetables and parsley in a large bowl and lightly toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Place 2/3 of the mixture into the greased casserole. 
5. Evenly pour eggs over entire mixture. 
6. Spread cheese over top of eggs. 
7. Add remaining potato and vegetable mixture to top. 
8. Place in pre-heated oven and bake uncovered for 45 - 55 minutes until top is slightly brown. 
9. Remove from oven and let set about 2 - 3 minutes. 
10. Serve hot and Enjoy!!!

Note:

You can use frozen potatoes, but I like to use fresh potatoes for better flavor and lower cost. 

Product Test - The Really Great Food Company

The Really Great Food Company is based out of St. James, NY which is close to home, here on Long Island. Since 1991, The Really Great Food Company has produced the highest quality baking mixes for people with special dietary needs,including gluten free, wheat free, soy free, dairy free and casein free baking mixes.

We recently got to try two of their products which came with a catalog of all they carry for future orders. They are also available online and you can click their banner at the bottom of this post to view their site. 

The first product we tried was The Really Great Food Company Classic Pancake Mix. 

The directions were easy to follow, and there is even the option of using soy or rice milk in the mixture to keep it gluten free. We have tried other brands of Gluten Free Pancake mixes, but the was the best so far. The pancakes were fluffy and golden brown, and absolutely delicious. In the "sneak" test on the children, they had no Idea it was Gluten Free. 

The next product we tried was The Really Great Food Company Brownie Mix. Like the pancakes, the finished product did not disappoint at all! The brownies were perfectly moist and and were gone in a flash as soon as everybody got a taste. 

We would definitely recommend  The Really Great Food Company for all of your Gluten Free needs, and their online ordering makes it easy to enjoy many  different gluten free products that may not be found in your neighborhood grocery store. 

The Really Great Food Company

Product Test - Conte's Margherita Pizza With Roasted Garlic And Olive Oil

Conte's Margherita Pizza
With Roasted Garlic And Olive Oil


It's been a long time since I have tried any frozen dinner products. Sometimes though, you just don't have the time to cook, not to mention take the time to consider whether or not your ingredients are Gluten Free. I then came across Conte's Pasta Company. They have a nice selection of Gluten Free Italian Products, and today we tried their Margherita Pizza. If nobody told me this was Gluten Free, i would have has no Idea!! The crust was crisp yet not dry, the sauce tasted like homemade, and the cheese tastes fresh as if it came from the local Italian pork store. I highly recommend this product for anybody looking for a quick gluten free Italian meal. 


In the coming days we are looking forward to also trying Conte's Raviolis, Pierogis, and other Gluten Free Meal Products!! We will post about All of them!!
  
To Contact Conte's:


Toll free: 1-800-211-6607Tel: 856-697-3400
Fax: 856-697-1757

Avocado Stuffed Chicken Breast

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts

2 Avocados 

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

2 Large Cloves of Garlic Crushed

10 Cherry Tomatoes Diced

1/2 Cup Vidalia Onion Diced

1/4 Cup Roasted Red Pepper

1 Tsp Fresh Chopped Basil

1 Tsp Fresh Chopped Oregano

1/2 Tsp Fresh Chopped Lemon Thyme

3 Tbsp Olive Oil 

Paprika 

Salt and Pepper to Taste

For Sauce:

1 Cup Chicken Stock

2 Tbs Onion

1 Clove Garlic Crushed

2 Tbsp Butter

2 Sprigs Lemon Thyme Chopped

Salt and Pepper to Taste 

1 Tbsp Corn Starch

1/4 Cup Water

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil baking sheet with half of the olive oil. 
2. Slice chicken in half, opening like a butterfly, and pound with meat mallet to about 1/4 inch. 
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Set aside.  
4. Cut Avocados down to pit, twist halves and separate. 
5. Carefully strike pit with a sharp knife, twist, remove, and discard pits. With a large spoon, carefully scoop avocado halves from skin, slice and chop. 
6. In a large bowl, combine avocado, onions, tomatoes, peppers, lemon juice and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. 
7. Lay chicken on a flat surface and spoon avocado mixture on to each piece, reserving about 25% of the mixture. 
8. Roll each piece tightly around mixture, tucking ends and place seam side on oiled baking sheet.
9. Drizzle remaining oil over tops of chicken and season with paprika. 
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. 
11. While baking, preheat a small skillet and melt butter. Add onions and garlic, saute onions over medium heat until onions just begin to soften. 
12. Add chicken stock and simmer about 10 minutes until slightly reduced. 
13. Mix water and starch until well blended, and add to skillet and stir until thickened. Stir in remaining avocado mixture. 
14. Serve Chicken with Quinoa or Rice, and your favorite Vegetable. Spoon sauce over each piece and enjoy.

Here is what Living Without Magazine said about our Blog

Living Without - Exploring Our GF Cyber-Community

Exploring Our GF Cyber-Community

3Posted by Living Without editor Alicia Woodward at 04:43PM in blog - Comments: (1)

May 23, 2012

May is a banner month for those with food sensitivities and allergies. It's National Celiac Awareness Month, and last week was both Food Allergy Awareness Week and National Eosinophil Awareness Week.

In the spirit of sharing good information and strengthening community during May and beyond, I’m circling back to our wonderful GF bloggers (many also blog about food allergies)—those dedicated, creative people who are setting cyberspace on fire with their energy, enthusiasm and ideas, not to mention their delicious recipes.

A few weeks ago, I put the word out for people to write in about their favorite GF bloggers. As a start, here's a tiny handful of the many responses we received, an exploration into a few small corners of the GF cyber-community.

Take a look for yourself. Also, continue to let us know what websites you find helpful and use most out there! We’ll be sharing many more websites as the weeks go by.

healththroughgf.blogspot.com – OK, I’m a sucker for men who cook for their wives. Steve Davis is a newbie who’s trying the GF diet to benefit his wife who has multiple sclerosis and himself. We wish them both success and good health. Here’s what a reader told us:

–- “The best! He’s doing [this] to help himself and especially help his wife who has MS. Amazing people! And wonderful recipes there so good!”

Chicken Breast Stuffed with Kale, Roasted Red Peppers, and Baby Swiss

Chicken Breast Stuffed with Kale, Roasted Red Peppers, and Baby Swiss

4 Boneless Chicken Breast

1/4 lb GF Baby Swiss Slices (about 4)

1 Handful of Fresh Kale

4 GF Roasted Red Peppers

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tbsp Dry Chopped Basil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

GF Garlic Powder and Paprika to Taste

Cooking String

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Slice chicken in middle without going all the way through to create a pocket for stuffing. 
3. Rinse kale thoroughly under cold water and shake dry. 
4. Lay a slice of cheese on a flat surface and top with kale and peppers. Roll each slice tightly and place inside pocket of chicken. 
5. Repeat for each breast and tie with cooking string to keep stuffing in breasts. 
6. Place breasts in casserole and drizzle with olive oil. Season with basil and remaining spices to taste. 
7. Cover and Bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes.  
8. Turn oven to broil and leave in an additional 5-6 minutes until chicken is golden brown. I leave the oven door open slightly to be sure it does not over cook. 
9. Remove from oven and cut strings from breasts. 
10. Serve with your favorite vegetable and Gluten Free Starch. 

Negimaki With Spinach and Scallion

1 Lb Boars Head Roast Beef
(Make sure it's Rare and have deli clerk slice it on #2)
4 Oz Fresh Spinach
8 Scallions Sliced Lengthwise
2 Tbsp Tahini
1/4 cup GF Tamari
1/4 Cup White Rice Vinegar
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tsp Sesame Oil
Sesame Seeds and Dried Chives for Garnish

1. Dissolve sugar in white rice vinegar in a small bowl. Mix in tahini, tamari, and sesame oil until well blended.
2. Brush on 4 pieces of roast beef and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Blanch spinach in boiling water just until it starts to wilt, about 30 seconds. Immediately rinse under cold water, and squeeze water from leaves. 
4. On a flat surface, top each piece of beef with scallion and spinach on the widest end, and tightly role each piece. 
5. Roll an additional piece of beef around each roll. 
6. Preheat a griddle over medium heat. Brush more seasoning on each roll and place seam side down on griddle. Turn until each roll is slightly browned on all sides. 
7. Slice each roll into 1 inch pieces, and serve hot with rice or bean thread noodles. Garnish with sesame seeds and chives. 

2 Months Gluten Free Approaches

We are coming upon our 2 month mark on Gluten Free! We didn't start out on this path as a way to lose weight, but to relieve symptoms I have been having due to my "Gluten Intolerance" and because I heard it would help relieve some of the effects of Multiple Sclerosis, which my wife suffers from in it's secondary progressive form. I still do not know if what i am experiencing is Celiacs Disease, and I am not going to get into the details of what Celiac sufferers go through. let's just say many of the symptoms are digestive in nature. I admit that I have diagnosed myself as at least gluten intolerant. This week Miley Cyrus came under fire for "putting herself" on a gluten free diet, with dietitians stating that it is dangerous to put yourself on without the aid of a Dr. I strongly disagree with these statements. Any diet you go on, whether with the aid of a physician or not, is all about making good choices and positive changes in your life. I did not make this change for weight loss. Neither did my wife. However, we have both seen nothing but positive results in the way we both feel. I for one, feel that due to the fact that I have eliminated Gluten completely, the healthier foods that I am intaking are providing me with the nutrients that were "being flushed" due to my body not properly digesting and processing my meals. I'm able to sleep better at night, and have more energy during the day. My wife has gained a lot more energy during the day, eliminating daily naps, and on the other side of the spectrum of symptoms, has stopped taking a daily pro-biotic, as what was much needed due to constipation caused by her MS. Our pantry is also stocked a lot healthier, and we find ourselves reading labels more, which is benefiting the rest of the family by being more conscious in what they eat. And why the picture of the scale you ask?? I have lost 12 lbs since our change!! Imagine how much more I will lose as I step up my activity and visits to the gym!!

Shopping for the G Free Lifestyle

I am working on our monthly shopping list and I am AMAZED at how many items I am NOT putting on the list anymore.  Yes we do a MAJOR shopping once a month.  Steve only has 2 hands and with me being home bound he can only do so much, so I write the lists for him and he goes shopping.  Turning to a G Free lifestyle has basically been easy and I am loving the fact that we are eating so much healthier and chemical/preservative free.  Using GFOverflow.com is making writing the lists so much easier for pantry items.  We use alot of Stock in a box, Kitchen Basics and Emerils All Natural are G Free.  1 click on that website and now I know, how cool is that.  


With Spring in air, I am starting to plan my container garden.  I would LOVE suggestions from people on what they grow in their gardens maybe I can do it in a container.  Veggies/Herbs are critical to maintain a YUMMY G Free diet.  I do container gardens because its easier for me to maintain and not that many weeds ( I HATE weeding).


So everyone give me a shout out on some of your secrets on how you shop the G Free Lifestyle and/or garden ideas.  Look forward to hearing from peeps....

Gluten Free Chicken Lo Mein

Gluten Free Chicken Lo Mein

3 Chicken Cutlets (cut into small strips)

1 Package Gluten Free White Rice Noodles Prepared

2 Tbsp Gluten Free Asian Spices

1 Pkg Fresh Shredded Carrots

1 Celery Stalk Sliced

1 Pkg Fresh Bean Sprouts

1/2 cup Sliced Mushrooms

1 Med Onion Sliced

14 oz Sliced Water Chestnuts

3 Tbsp Sesame Oil

2 Tbsp White Rice Vinegar

3 Tbsp Gluten Free Tamari 

1. Season chicken with Asian spices.
2. Preheat sesame oil in wok or large skillet and saute chicken until no longer pink.
3. Add rice vinegar to deglaze. 
4. Add celery, carrots, onion, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, and mushrooms. Continue to cook until chicken is golden brown and veggies are still a bit crisp. 
5. Toss white rice noodles with chicken and veggies. 
6. Mix in tamari and continue to cook until most of the liquid is absorbed. 
7. Serve Hot and Enjoy!!

Gluten-Free Diet for Multiple Sclerosis

Courtesy of Livestrong.com

Multiple sclerosis and celiac disease are both disorders in which the autoimmune system mistakenly perceives its own tissue as a threat and launches an attack. With MS, the assault is directed at the myelin sheath, the protective covering for nerves in the brain and spinal cord. With celiac disease, the lining of the small intestine comes under fire whenever foods containing gluten, proteins found in wheat, barley and rye, are consumed. Scientific studies have shown that celiac disease occurs much more frequently in people with MS than in the general population, leading to speculation that a gluten-free diet might help relieve MS symptoms.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/464396-gluten-free-diet-for-multiple-sclerosis/#ixzz1q3SsiPLt

Welcome To Our Blog

We are new to this so please bear with us!! We decided to go Gluten Free after I attended a taping of The Revolution, that featured Elisabeth Hasselbeck and her experiences with Celiacs Disease. I'm not saying I have Celiacs, however I have experienced many of the symptoms of the disease for years, and so has my Daughter. My wife Liz has Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, and I have heard many times, that a Gluten Free Diet may benefit some MS Sufferers. So we, as a couple decided to "Try" it on February 22, 2012. I quoted "Try" because we have, in fact gone almost 100% G Free since we started. To our surprise, we have actually Enjoyed every morsel of what we have made and eaten. Through our experience making Amazing dishes, and the vast resource of the Internet, we feel we are both well on our way to a healthier lifestyle. We will post our experiences along the way, as well as the recipes as we find success with them. We will also share valuable resources as we come across them, so that everybody else who is interested, can share in our successes!!! Thanks for your patience as I get this blog up and running!!

~Steve