"Not Quite" Granola Bars

You may be wondering why I call these "Not Quite" granola bars.  When I think of a real granol bar, I think of something very healthy and these are just not quite healthy :)  But they are really yummy!!! 

1 2/3 cup rolled oats                                                1 egg         
1/3 cup Gluten Free Flour                                        1/3 cup almond butter
1/3 cup ground flax seed                                          6 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup Crispy Rice Cereal                                         1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon xanthan gum                                           1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unrefined sugar (or less)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon


Combine wet and dry ingredients separately and then mix together.  Line 8 x 8 x 2 pan with parchment paper.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until brown along the edges.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Squares

Every year, I buy an extra can of pureed pumpkin, so I can whip up this recipe whenever I have a craving for it.

2 cups GF flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 cup butter
1 1/4 cup sugar (I measure out my sucanet and then grind into fine powder in my vitamix)
1 large egg
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
12 oz chocolate chips (preferably homemade)

Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, xanthan gum and baking soda and set aside.  Cream together sugar and butter.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Add pumpkin puree.  Mix in dry ingredients.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Place in 9x13 foil lined pan.  Bake 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees (until edges pull away.)


I have halved this recipe successfully by using an 8 inch square pan and simply halfing everything, but still using a whole egg.

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken

There is no need for an explanation for this recipe.  It is just absolutely yummy, especially for those bacon lovers!!
I have tried to make it a little more healthy, by decreasing the cream cheese and hubby wasn't very happy about it.  So, I  keep the recipe as is and we just don't eat it all that often.

6 boneless chicken breasts
8 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon onion powder (or more)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chives (or more)
6 bacon strips

Flatten chicken breasts to 1/2 inch thickness.  Soften up the cream cheese and mix in the butter, onion powder, salt and chives.  Place equal amounts of cream cheese mixture onto each chicken breast and roll up. Wrap with bacon.  Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes.  Broil 6 inches from heat for 5 minutes to crisp up the bacon.  I often drain out the bacon grease and then turn the chicken over to crisp up the bottom side. 

ENJOY:)

Heavenly Pork Chops in the Slow Cooker

I am pretty sure I found this recipe on the internet not all that long ago, but now I cannot find it, to give the blogger credit:(  They actually titled it chicken fried pork chops, but my hubby says, they are definitely not chicken fried.  They are, by far, the most tender pork chops I have ever had and have such great flavor!!!

1/2 cup GF or wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
6 pork chops (3/4 inch thick)
2 tablespoons oil
10.75 ounces cream of chicken (gluten free/dairy free)
1/3 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon worcestershire (gluten free)
1/2 cup chopped onions (optional)
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (optional)

Combine flour, salt and garlic powder.  Coat the pork chops with the flour mixture.  Brown pork chops in oil just for a few minutes in a skillet.  Place pork chops in slow cooker.  Combine cream of chicken soup, chicken stock and worcestershire and pour over pork chops.  Top with optional onions and mushrooms.  Cook on low 6-8 hours.
You can take the sauce and make it into gravy and pour over the pork chops and of course some mashed potatoes :)

Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls

Okay, so these are far from being healthy, but when made with unrefined sugars and some coconut oil, it is a little better than most recipes :) I am not too thrilled with the amount of cornstarch in it, but I am fearful to mess with it, as it is the most yummiest GF cinnamon roll recipe ever.

1 tablespoon yeast
2/3 cup warm milk (we use diluted coconut milk)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1/4 cup rice or sorghum or almond flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup oat flour (I just buy oats and grind them up in my Vitamix)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons xanthan gum

Combine milk, yeast and sugar and let sit 5 minutes. Combine this mixture with butter, oil and vanilla. Mix in egg well. In small bowl combine remaining ingredients and slowly combine dry ingredients into wet. Let rise 1 hour (I usually cover it up and place it in my cool oven). Roll between well floured wax paper (add enough flour to where the mixture is no longer sticky) to 13 x 9 and 1/4 inch thick. Spread 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle with as much cinnamon sugar (1 Tablespoon cinnamon and 3/4 cup brown sugar)as desired. Roll up the long way and cut to 1 - 1 1/2 inch thickness. Place in greased pie dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-22 minutes.

GLAZE: 3/4 cup powdered sugar (I grind up my unrefined sugar in my Vitamix)
1 teaspoon vanilla
less than 1/8 cup milk (full strength coconut milk is super yummy!)
mix and pour over cooked cinnamon rolls

Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been searching for a good GF cookie recipe for a very long time!!!! Many recipes have been tried and all have been rejected. I decided to try my old gluten filled recipe, that we all absolutely love. I just used GF flour and added some xanthan gum and I can't tell you how incredibly yummy they are!!!!

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup GF flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips

In larger bowl, mix butter and sugar well. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. In separate bowl, mix GF flour, baking powder, baking soda, oats, chocolate chips and xanthan gum. Add to butter mixture and mix just until all ingredients are completely combined. Refrigerate mixture for at least an hour. Roll into walnut size balls. Place 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Scones

The recipe says to cut the scones into wedges. I just bake them in a 12 muffin pan that is greased. The boys love these slathered with butter and baked with whole coconut milk. I usually make mine with rice milk and forget slathering them with butter:)
1 cup GF flour
3Tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/3 cup butter
1 cup oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup milk (cow, rice, coconut)


Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and xanthan gum. Cut in butter until there are coarse crumbs. Stir in oats and chocolate chips. Combine eggs and milk and add to mixture. Stir just until moistened, it will be sticky. . On floured surface, pat dough into a 7 inch circle. Cut into 12 wedges. Place on baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees.

Gluten Free Breaded Chicken -- Updated

This is a good week!!! I have had some very good successes in the kitchen and can add a few more good recipes to our Gluten Free menu. I feel extremely successful with this recipe because not only did I just throw some things together, but I also used stuff that I would have just thrown away. I had lots of crumbs left over from our corn tortilla chips and some heals that the boys won't eat from their high fat gluten free bread. Hubby is excited to try adding a coconut flavor..perhaps by adding shredded coconut to the breading mix, using coconut oil to fry it in and adding coconut milk to the egg mixture.
Breading Mix
1 cup crushed corn tortilla chips
1/2 cup gluten free bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
NOW HERE ARE THE SECRETS
Coat your chicken pieces with the breading mix first and then dip them into eggs. Heat up some oil in a pan on medium. Place the chicken in the heated oil. Fry on one side for about 1 minute or until golden brown and then flip over and let fry for another minute or so. Now I tried two different steps here and both worked GREAT. You can either at this point place the chicken in the oven on 350 degrees and let cook until done, maybe 10-15 minutes or you can place a lid on your pan and turn the heat down to low and cook until doe. I would think cooking it in the oven would be a little less fattening, as it is no longer soaking up the oil.....

Gluten Free Meatloaf

I have been looking like crazy for a yummy meatloaf where I don't have to use my expensive bread in the recipe. This one uses oats,so it perfect! Hubby was not too thrilled to hear my excitement about finding this recipe. He is not a fan of meatloaf, as you may guess. Well, I may have converted him to at least a like for meatloaf. He said that this is the best meatloaf he has had and gave it an A. I think the secret is in the sauce.
1 1/2 pound ground beef or turkey (I use half beef and half turkey)
3/4 cup oats (make sure they are gluten free if you are highly sensitive to gluten)
3/4 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup ketchup
1 egg
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients. Place in loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. Once in the oven...Combine in sauce pan 1/2 cup grated onion 1 cup ketchup 4 tablespoons brown sugar 4 tablespoons vinegar 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce heat and pour over meatloaf 20 minutes before it is done.

Gluten Free Pie Crust

This works great for a Cherry Pie and a Quiche!!! This makes two crusts. We enjoy using the second crust to just roll out, spread butter on and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake it for 10 minutes or so and YUM!!!

1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
12 tablespoons cold butter
about 4 tablespoons ice cold water

Combine dry ingredients. Cut the butter in until you have pea size crumbs. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time until a ball that barely clings together is formed. Place 1/2 the dough between 2 sheets of wax paper and roll out to 1/8 inch thickness. Form dough in a pie dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees before filling.

Gluten Free Zucchini Bread

Delicious is all I can say. I scoured the internet for a recipe that looked good as I have some extra zucchinis that needed to be used up. I took a number of recipes and made some alterations based on ingredients I like to use. This makes 2 loaves.

3 eggs
less than 1 cup raw sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup tapioca flour/starch
3/4 cup sorghum flour
3/4 cup almond meal
1 tablespoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups grated zucchini

Beat eggs until foamy. Add in sugars, oil and vanilla. Beat until well mixed. Combine all dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients. Stir in zucchini. Oil and flour 2 loaf pans and fill half way. Bake at 350 degrees. Bake for 1 hour, until toothpick comes out clean. After about 30 minutes cover with foil to prevent over browning.

Gluten-Free Corn Bread

This tasted so good in our Thanksgiving stuffing and absolutely wonderful with Homemade Turkey Chili!!!

TO UP THE CALORIES: replace milk with straight coconut milk

1 1/4 cup cornmeal
1 cup Gluten-Free Flour mix
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk (cow, rice or soy)
1/3 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 inch pan and set aside 2. In medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt. 3. Add eggs, milk and oil and beat until well blended. 4. Pour batter into prepared pan 5. Bake 25-30 minutes, until top is firm and edges are lightly brown.

Gluten--Free Waffles

Oh my goodness, my search is over for unbelievable tasting waffles!!!!

TO UP THE CALORIES: use straight coconut milk as your milk source

1 3/4 cup Gluten-Free flour mix
1 tablespoon honey or sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 large eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/4 cups buttermilk or 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar plus enough milk (cow, rice, soy or diluted coconut) to make 1 1/4 cups
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Heat up waffle iron 2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt and xanthan gum in small bowl. 3. Beat eggs well in large bowl. 4. Add oil, buttermilk, honey and vanilla. 5. Combine wet and dry just until blended.

Gluten-Free Biscuits

In my opinion, these taste even better gluten-free than they did with wheat. They make me very happy, as I quite miss the biscuits at Kentucky Fried Chicken.
TO UP THE CALORIES: replace the milk with straight coconut milk

2 1/2 cups Gluten-Free Flour Mix
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup butter
1 cup buttermilk or 1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar plus enough milk (soy, cow, rice or diluted coconut) to make 1 cup

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and xanthan gum. Cut in butter. Make a well in the center and pour in buttermilk. Mix until dough is moist. Add milk if needed. Pat dough out to 3/4 inch thickness. Using a 3 inch biscuit cutter or even the floured rim a glass, cut out your biscuits. With the scrap dough, fold it back together as few times as possible and roll it out again and cut more biscuits. Bake at 425 degrees for 8 minutes or until bottom of biscuit is golden brown.                                        

Using Xanthan Gum to Convert Any Recipe to Gluten-Free

So far, most of my wheat containing recipes have easily converted to gluten-free. This has been accomplished by using a basic gluten-free flour mix and these measurements of xanthan gum Cookies add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum per cup of flour Pancakes 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum per cup of flour Waffles 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum per cup of flour Cakes 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum per cup of flour Muffins 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum per cup of flour Bread 1-1 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum per cup of flour Pizza 2 teaspoon xanthan gum per cup of flour Thickener for sauces 1 teaspoon xanthan gum per cup of flour

Gluten-Free Flour Mix

This is the general flour mix that most people start out with. I have been able to convert so many of my wheat recipes with this mix, just by adding a little xanthan gum. If you have room in your freezer, I would store it there. My freezer is stuffed, so it gets squeezed into the frig.

2 cups brown rice flour
*2/3 cup potato starch
1/2 cup tapioca flour

*if you cannot have potatoes...alternatives would be arrowroot, cornstarch, lotus root or amaranth starch

UPDATED December 2010
I have desired to use different flours and feel like my and Ethan's stomachs are not handling potatoes all that well...so here is a new mixture I have been using
1 cup tapioca flour/starch
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup oat flour (we are not as sensitive to small amounts of gluten, but if you have severe sensitivites, make sure it is verified gluten free!!!!)

I have also found a lot of success with this flour combination, if you care to try :)

1 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup ground flax
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup tapioca flour/starch
2/3 cup potato starch

Gluten-Free Banana Bread

My husband, who is not Gluten-Free (yet), devours this bread. He absolutely loves it!!
TO UP THE CALORIES: use organic olive oil in place of the butter and add about 1/8 teaspoon of salt
2 cups Gluten-Free flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup butter
less than 1 cup raw sugar/honey
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas (peeled and mashed)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Combine flour, baking soda and xanthan gum. In small bowl, cream butter until white. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy (a couple minutes.) Add eggs. Stir in bananas. Stir in dry ingredients just until blended. Fold in chocolate chips. Place batter in greased and lightly floured (rice of course) loaf pan. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees