Best Gluten Free Pancakes

We woke up to the very rare treat of seeing our world blanketed with EIGHT inches of SNOW this morning!  It was the perfect, powdery kind of snow, and due to record low temperatures, it’s not melting for a few days!

Ahhh, the coziness!  In these parts, a snow day is a special day, which is probably why seeing pristine white all over everything warms my soul into making a day full of memories.

Before the boys even woke up, I was in the kitchen beginning the celebration with a favorite breakfast…PANCAKES!

I have finally found a pancake mix, along with a little trick, that turns out as fluffy and as yummy as we all expect!

Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix makes delicious pancakes!  I follow the recipe (quadrupling it, of course, so I can have some left to put in the freezer for later), but add one little trick.  Using buttermilk (or use milk, but add a tablespoon of vinegar that you let sit in the milk for 5 minutes) creates an even lighter and fluffier feel to pancakes.  Having the mix makes it so easy to flip these out quickly, which is priceless for me as I see the sleepy-eyed sweetie pies trudging into the kitchen and then bursting into smiles!

Now, off to the snow!!!

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Gluten-free Cream of Chicken Soup

Finally!  I’m so excited to present….homemade, gluten-free “Cream of Chicken Soup.”

Until now, I have always used a can of soup from “Health Valley” in recipes, but at over $2 a can, it was not an economical option, just a necessary one.  Eating gluten-free means that we get used to paying quadruple for some substitutions.  With this homemade version though, we now have an option that is cheaper and healthier than normal “cream of…” soups, which are filled with chemicals and preservatives.  This recipe calls for just 6 ingredients, almost all of which will always be on hand.

Cream of Chicken Soup:

1 C. milk

2T. cornstarch

1 1/2 T. butter

1t. chicken bouillon (can use “Better than Bouillon” or 1 cube of the dry stuff)

1/2 t. salt

dash of pepper

Whisk milk and cornstarch until blended.  Stir in butter, bouillon, salt and pepper.  Heat until boiling slightly, stirring continuously.  Reduce heat and then stir until thickened.

I use this recipe for Chicken Tetrazzini, King Ranch Chicken, Tator Tot Casserole,  Tuna Noodle Casserole, and as a white sauce for pasta.  Enjoy!

Homemade Lara Bars

Larabars are my favorite on-the-go snack!  They are made from whole foods, are super nutritious, and have a great balance of good protein, carbs, and fat to fill a tummy and sustain energy.  They have many fun flavors, but my favorite is Peanut Butter and Jelly.  At almost $2 a bar, though, these snacks had to be a rare treat, UNTIL I found a way to make them at home!

Using a Blendtec blender or a food processor, you can mix up homeade Larabars in no time, and they only have 4 whole food ingredients.  I mixed it all up, spread it into a baking dish, cut them into bars, and wrapped them up individually to store in my fridge.

Here’s the recipe, which makes about 8 bars, depending on how you cut them:

1/2 C pitted dates

1/2 C dried cherries

2/3 C. peanuts (or almonds for peanut-free)

1/4 t. cinnamon

Mix together until it forms a paste, press into a baking dish, then cut into bars.

Gluten-Free Stuffing

My Thanksgiving guests this year said that this gluten-free stuffing was as good as any they’d ever had!  Since I used pre-made stuffing cubes from Whole Foods, it was as easy as any I’d ever made too!  It made me wonder why I only make stuffing during the holidays.

I used this recipe from wholfoodsmarket.com, substituting more celery instead of carrots, and using a full 4 cups of broth to make the stuffing more moist.  I made it the night before, so that the broth would fully soak into the bread, but you can make it right before baking too.  I increased the baking time to about 45 minutes to give the broth time to cook into the bread.  If you cannot get the pre-made cubes, just make a loaf of gluten-free bread, then cube and toast it.   

Dreamy Apple Pie with Kahlua Sauce

You can’t imagine how amazing this pie tastes, all gooey and dripping with creamy goodness!  It is super easy to make, and very simple to adapt to gluten free.  The recipe is from thepioneerwoman.com.  I used a gluten-free pie crust from Whole Foods for the bottom crust and a gluten free flour mix by Betty Hagman for the crumb topping.  The rest is as easy as, well…pie!  The cream sauce calls for whiskey, but i used Kahlua instead.  It gave it a slight infusion of Starbucks, and it was just perfect!

Here are the links to the recipes:

Dreamy Apple Pie

Cream Sauce

 

Whole Grain Flatbread

Finding a gluten-free sandwich bread that tastes great and is affordable has been challenging.  I cannot spend $5 on a tiny loaf that will last my kids and me one or two meals, and most GF breads that do taste good are made from flours that have been stripped of their whole-grain nutrients.

I am so excited to have found our solution.  Whole-grain Gluten Free Flatbread!!!

I make it using soaked whole grains that I buy in bulk and grind up in my high-powered blender.  I add all the other ingredients right to the blender, pour it in a jelly roll pan, and have flatbread in 15 minutes.  All the nutrition is there at minimal cost, and the result is fabulous!  We use this flatbread for sandwiches, toast, and even mini-pizzas.

I bought my Blendtec blender just to make this flatbread, and it has been well worth the investment!  I use it everyday  (434 times in 8 months!) for so many things: flatbread, smoothies, soups, salsa, snow cones, ice cream, frozen margaritas, frappuchinos, salad dressings, and much more!

I’m not sure if a regular blender could handle grinding the grains for the flatbread, so I have to give a plug for the Blendtec.  You might gasp at the initial price, but it has become my favorite kitchen appliance.  If I had to choose only one, this would be it.

And, now…here is the recipe:

4 C. soaked grains (choose from lentils, millet, quinoa, garbanzo beans, almonds, amaranth, or buckwheat) (i use about 1 C lentils: 1 C. millet : 1/2 C. almonds: 1/2 C. garbanzo beans) (quinoa is very nutritious, but has a distinct flavor which my kids will not eat)

(soak the grains overnight at room temperature.  rinse them well.  drain completely.)

(read this article on soaked grains for more info)

2 eggs

1/4 C. oil

1 t. apple cider vinegar

1 t. salt

2 t. guar gun or xanthan gun

1/2 C. warm water

1 T. yeast *

2 T. sugar

Add yeast and sugar to water and let it activate until bubbly.  Put grains, eggs, oil, vinegar, and salt in blender.  Blend until grains are fully ground up.  Add guar gum and water mixture.  Blend until smooth.  Pout into well oiled jelly roll pan.  Bake at 425 for 15 minutes.  Cool and cut into squares.  You can store at room temp or in fridge, and it will last several days.

*I have made this same recipe with no yeast, and it works fine.  Since it doesn’t seem needed, and since I like my flatbread flatter anyway, I now skip the yeast, which make the preparation even quicker.

Monthly Meal Plan

(Click photo to enlarge)

My monthly meal plan has been a lifesaver for this busy season of life!!

I chose my 30 easiest, most inexpensive, kid-friendly meals and put them into daily categories.  Saturday night is breakfast night.  Sunday is leftover night.  Monday – chicken, Tuesday – vegetarian, Wednesday – beef, Thursday – pork, Friday – kid food.  Once I have gone through all the meals, I start right back over for the next month.

My kids love knowing what’s for dinner, but not as much as I do!  You will not hear any scrambling from my kitchen at 5:00 any longer.  I also do not need to pull any meal creativity out of my brain.  I still have flexibility to try something new and change up a night, but only if I want to!  And, do you know how much I love that blank space on Sundays, giving me permission to tell my family to be creative on their own?

I have tried many different meal planning strategies.  Right now, this one works beautifully for me.  I hope you find it helpful too!

Most of these meals are already presented on this site.  I will list them and make note of where you can find them or give a few directions when needed.

Monday – Chicken Tettrazini (meal plan 3)

Tuesday – Potato Skins (meal plan 1)

Wednesday – Meatballs (meal plan 1)

Thursday – Pork Tacos (meal plan 1)

Friday – Pizza (my favorite crust is Bob’s Red Mill)

Saturday – Pancakes and Bacon (Pamela’s mix is my favorite)

Monday – Chicken Tacos Verdes (dinners)

Tuesday – Huevos Rancheros (meal plan 3)

Wednesday – Beef Stroganoff (meal plan 4)

Thursday – Sausage Skillet (meal plan 1)

Friday – Chicken Taquitos (in freezer section by DeliMex)

Saturday – French Toast and breakfast links

Monday – King Ranch Chicken (mix 2 C. cooked chicken, a can of Rotel, and a can of Health Valley Cream of Chicken soup.  Layer corn tortillas and chicken mixture.  Top with crushed tortilla chips or Spicy Nacho Doritos and then cheddar cheese.  Bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes until bubbly)

Tuesday – Breakfast Burritos (meal plan 2)

Wednesday – Enchiladas Rojas (Layer corn tortillas, taco meat, pinto beans, and red enchilada sauce.  Top with chopped onions and cheddar cheese.  Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.)

Thursday – Spaghetti (dinners)

Friday – Tuna Casserole (dinners)

Saturday – Waffles and Sausage (use pancake mix above in waffle maker)

Monday –  Chicken Parmesan (meal plan 1)

Tuesday – Frito Salad (summer) (dinners 3) or Taco Soup (winter) (meal plan 3)

Wednesday – Tater Tot Casserole (mix 1 pound cooked ground beef with a can of Health Valley Cream of Mushroom soup, plus salt pepper and garlic powder to taste.  Put in casserole dish.  Press Ore Ida Tater Tots into to entire surface of the top.  Bake according to tater tot directions.)

Thursday – Pesto Pasta (meal plan 3)

Friday – Corn dog Muffins (meal plan 4) or Hot Dogs

Saturday – Breakfast Casserole (breakfasts)

Monday – Broccoli Rice Chicken (dinners)

Tuesday – Mexican Lasagna (same as enchiladas, but omit meat and add corn)

Wednesday – Tuna Casserole (dinners)

Thursday – Pork Chops (meal plan 2)

Friday – Tacos (meal plan 4)

Saturday – Omelets with Ham

Broccoli Rice Casserole

This is very easy to put together and very tasty!

The recipe is from allrecipes.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 cup uncooked instant brown rice
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 pound fresh broccoli florets
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place walnuts on small baking sheet, and bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted.
2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in melted butter for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the rice, add the broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 7 to 8 minutes.
3. Place broccoli in a microwave-safe casserole dish, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover, and microwave until tender.
4. Spoon rice onto a serving platter, and top with broccoli. Sprinkle walnuts and cheese on top.

Gluten-Free Bisquick Mix by Betty Crocker

Betty Crocker just came out with a gluten-free Bisquick Mix, and it is YUMMY!  I tried the recipe for the biscuits, which came out light and fluffy with great taste and texture.  The recipe made 10 nice sized biscuits.  After eating our fill with butter and honey, I saved the rest to make breakfast sandwiches with fried egg and cheddar cheese.  They were delicious, even after refrigeration and re-heating.

The mix is expensive and sparse though.  There is only enough to make 10 biscuits, plus about 3/4 C. left over.  I will use that to make the Chicken Finger recipe on the box.  Given the price of the mix, I’m not sure this will be a common purchase for us, but it is really good to have it as an option.

The same morning, I also tried a homemade drop biscuit mix from Betty Hagman’s book, The Gluten Free Gourmet Cooks Fast and Healthy, just to compare the two.

Here’s how those turned out:

I’m sure there was some user error on my part, but it did emphasize the convenience of having a boxed mix on hand for baking success.  I’m not afraid to keep it real in the kitchen, but these were quite the failure.  I ended up toasting them and then using them for mini pizzas for lunch.

Click HERE to find more information on the Betty Crocker Mix, including where to purchase near you.  Hope you enjoy it!