We’ve got the perfect pasta salad to bring to the Memorial Day Celebrations! With gluten-free pasta from Le Veneziane (available in our May box), this recipe is sure to be a hit. We’re guessing the non-gluten-free guests won’t even know the difference, either!
Cold Cantonese Chicken Pasta Salad
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut chicken breast into strips. In a sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil. When the oil is hot (2 or 3 mins) add the chicken and sauté until the chicken is white inside. Set chicken aside.
3. Using the same sauté pan, add 1 tablespoon of canola oil. When hot, add carrots, snow peas, and red pepper and sauté until cooked, but crisp.
4. Spread the sliced almonds evenly across an ungreased baking sheet. The almonds will toast evenly if there is minimal overlap between the nuts. The almonds will need to be flipped, so do not leave them unattended.
5. After about 2 minutes, open the oven door and stir the almonds around on the baking sheet with a wooden spoon. Close the oven door but continue to stir the nuts every 2 minutes or so. The almonds will take between 5 and 10 minutes to toast completely, but you will have to pay careful attention to avoid burning them. If you wait until the nuts are fragrant or turning brown on the edges to remove them, you will likely burn them, because the almonds will continue to cook for a short time after leaving the oven. Set toasted nuts aside.
6. Prepare Pasta as directed by the box.
7. Combine Chicken, Pasta and Veggies in a large bowl and let chill for about an hour.
Sesame Soy Dressing
Whisk dark sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, teriyaki sauce and dry mustard in a small bowl until smooth.
What's your favorite side-dish to bring to a backyard barbecue? Do you broadcast that it's gluten free, or just let everyone enjoy?
Chips aren't just for snacking, and with the help of this month's box, you can whip up a Spring salad worth celebrating!
If you’re in the mood for summer, this Udi’s Original Crunchy Granola-inspired pie will leave you craving picnics and pool-side adventures!
Potatoes, one of the world’s most prevalent crops, are a naturally gluten-free food that many celiacs celebrate. With a low cost and versatile nature, potatoes can do almost anything in the kitchen. They can be the base for a gluten-free flour mix, act as a side dish, or save a gluten-free meal. From starch to appetizers, potatoes are a wonder-food for the allergy sufferer. Here are just a few of things you can do with potatoes!
The Basics
Potato starch is one of the best, and cheapest, starches to thicken soups, gravies, and other dishes. Similar to cornstarch, potato starch is powdery and light, and it adds moisture to baked goods. On its own, it can be added to soups and stews as a thickener to make your gluten-free recipe perfect. Potato starch can also be used in moderation with gluten-free all-purpose flour mixes, and it works to bind together many of the softer flours like sorghum and rice.
If you’re interested in using potato starch in one of your all-purpose flour recipes, Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef recommends a mix of 40 percent whole grain and 60 percent white flours/starches, such as:
She suggests mixing and matching flours, including potato starch, until you achieve an all-purpose flour that you like.
Breakfast
Potatoes are definitely ripe for breakfast meals, from casseroles to hashbrowns and every combination in between. But don't discount breakfast for dinner! All of these recipes are perfect for everyone in the family, no matter the time of day.
Bite Size Frittatas
Ingredients
4 potatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
6-8 large eggs, beaten with a whisk
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 strips bacon
1 cup chopped peppers, or broccoli
1 muffin tin, lightly greased
Ingredients
Appetizers, Sides, and Snacks
Although there are a number of gluten-free appetizers and sides that you can make with potatoes, the most popular is potato skins. These tasty pub-inspired treats are an easy late night snack to throw together, and they work well for game days or small parties.
Oven-Roasted Thin Potato Skins
Ingredients
2 lbs. Yukon gold or red potatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick
½ lb. bacon
1 cup cheddar cheese
Toppings: sour cream or Greek yogurt, chives
Directions
If you're in the mood for something different, try one of these potato-inspired recipes.
Main Courses
Although there may be an Irish joke buried in the idea of using potatoes as a main course, there are plenty of ways to give potatoes the spotlight for once. Paired with a salad, thick, hearty potato-leek or potato-cheddar soups are a good way fill up without breaking your budget.
Although baked potatoes often are sold as a side dish, you can always make them a main course by setting up a baked potato bar! Sautee chopped steak or ground turkey, fill bowls with different types of toppings like cheese, chives, bacon, crème fraiche, and invite everyone to build their own potato.
Gluten-free meals don’t have to be difficult, and potatoes make them much easier to put together. Be creative and use potatoes in their many different forms!
What are your favorite potato recipes? How do you use potato starch? Do you have any tips or recipes for us? We’d love to hear your opinion!
Although Easter is celebrated for religious reasons, the holiday also coincides with the coming of the spring. What could be a better way to celebrate than to cook a tasty, gluten-free springtime meal? The following Easter menu consists of light, fresh fare with hearty undertones, perfect for the warm days and cool nights of the coming weeks for the gluten-free diet.
Although appetizers and starters aren’t a requirement for a family feast, some small items to nibble on can help get conversation flowing and keep hungry guests from storming the kitchen. Consider a large cheese-and-crackers plate, with Blue Diamond Nut Thins or Mary’s Gone Crackers. If you’ve got the time and are feeling adventurous, make your own gluten-free baguette, bread, or rolls.
For the main course, you may want to consider a honey-glazed ham; if you’re aiming to impress and don’t have many people to serve, consider treating your guests and yourself to roasted Cornish game hens. Serve these with a plum reduction sauce of port wine, plum jelly, and a bit of balsamic vinegar.
Remember, your main coarse doesn’t always have to be something from the animal family. Serving gluten-free, vegetarian lasagna is less traditional but just as tasty and is sure to please a crowd. For some tantalizing main dishes, check out our Gluten-Free Recipes board on Pinterest.
When it comes to side dishes, there are classics like mashed potatoes and green beans, but take a chance and mix it up a little! Switch up the beans for Brussels sprouts, which make for a healthy side that can be spiced up easily with a sprinkle of cooked bacon, roasted nuts, or a dusting of parmesan cheese.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Cut the ends off the sprouts and remove any wilted or brown leaves. Boil the sprouts for about 10 minutes, until they are soft — this makes them tender and less bitter. Toss the sprouts in olive oil, sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper and roast at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes, until crisp. Be careful, as Brussels sprouts can be like candy for some, snatched up before they hit the table!
Mashed potatoes are a classic, but don’t knock cauliflower puree as a side dish until you’ve tried it. This is lighter than starch-heavy potatoes, but provides the same taste sensation. Better yet, it’s incredibly easy to make. To make this vegan, simply eliminate the butter and cheese and add 2 Tbls of your favorite almond, soy, or rice milk.
Cauliflower Puree
Boil the cauliflower and the garlic cloves in a small pot of water for about 15 minutes. Strain. Mash with butter and mozzarella using a potato masher, and use a hand blender if you want a smoother texture.
Dessert isn’t a necessity, but it may be the thing that leaves your guests remembering your Easter-hosting ways for years to come. Become a legend when you make these homemade gluten-free Cadbury crème eggs; they are a bit of a project, but they can easily be prepared days earlier. If you’re more of a cake person, stick to flourless chocolate cake with fresh raspberries, which is impressive and easy to make.
This lineup is endlessly changeable, so switch up your veggies, sides, and meats. Think outside the box and you’re in for a great start to a new season. If you're planning on filling up your Easter basket with traditional candy and treats, be sure to check out this list for all of the gluten-free sweets for 2013.
What are your Easter plans? What do you like to eat? Will you try any of these recipes?
Kait McNamee is a Denver-based writer who reluctantly went gluten free after being diagnosed with celiac disease. She hosts a DIY, recipe, wellness, and all around ridiculous blog called Life Without Buns; she also expresses the many emotions of being gluten free at the surprisingly popular How It Feels to Be Gluten Free tumblr.
If you’re a sports fan, then the next three weeks are like a constant party in your world. With March Madness, you get 68 teams, three weeks, and dozens of games during three rounds of play to crown the National Champion of major college basketball teams. Running since 1939, the Big Dance is one of the most famous annual sporting events in the U.S., which means it’s prime time for parties. Every gluten-free foodie knows that with parties comes the threat of gluten, making the Big Dance an uncomfortable tango at the drink bar, the snack table, and beyond.
Luckily, we’ve got some ideas for making the most uncomfortable of sporting events fun (and delicious) for everyone. If you’re invited out, offer to bring a snack or something to drink. If you’re hosting your own party, then you’ve got free reign to prepare the ultimate gluten-free buffet to celebrate 75 years of basketball.
So print out your bracket, fill in your picks, and start menu planning!
Chips, Crackers, Dips, and More
Probably the easiest for the gluten-free foodie, plain corn tortilla chips and many baked potato chips are naturally gluten free, and our March box features a healthy, gluten-free take on tortilla chips with Beanfields. You have to watch out for those that are flavored, however. Dips are easy to throw together, and who can turn down a delicious hot cheese dip or guacamole?
Salads
When it comes to sports, salads can be the red-headed stepchild of the buffet. But with the right salad, you can convert your friends and family to the versatile world of fruits, veggies, and beyond.
Finger Foods
Something small and easy to snack on is a must for March Madness. You don’t want to miss any action, so making sure you have hot treats that aren’t messy is key. Busting out the crockpot or a hotplate will guarantee warm treats throughout the game.
Sweets
Brownies, cookies, sweet bites, oh my! No sports party is complete without something sweet to cap off the meal. It’s easy to buy something prepackaged, but we think that stretching your baking muscles will be all the more satisfying.
Stay tuned for more March Madness posts right here on the Magazine. Have a favorite gluten-free recipe on the docket for the Big Dance? We’d love to hear about it!
How often do you stop and celebrate pie? As a gluten-free foodie, chances are you don't do it often enough because of that forbidden and necessary component: crust. Believe it or not, there are plenty of ways to make gluten-free pie, from pie ice cream and pie raw bites to crustless versions of classic Americana flavors. Luckily, it's Pi Day, which means you can drop everything and finally delve into a slice of your favorite triangle-shaped sweet (or savory) treat!
But you're probably asking yourself: What is Pi Day? Why should I celebrate? What does pi have to do with pie?
Pi Day honors the mathematical constant π (pi), known in its numeral form as 3.14 (that's March 14!). The first Pi Day that received extensive recognition was in 1988, and in 2009 the U.S. House of Representatives officially marked the March 14 as Pi Day. There are countless ways that Pi Day is celebrated, but our favorite is through the making and consumption of pie!
Make friends with your spice cabinet! With Taste Guru Chef Shanna Reichman, simple chicken makes a quick trip south of the border with the addition of Beanfield Gluten-Free Pico de Gallo Bean & Rice Chips (in this month's box!).
Despite its gluten-bearing name, spaghetti squash is a safe and delicious substitute for a standard pasta dish. Whether it’s served nude with a coating of olive oil and cracked pepper or dressed up in creamy alfredo sauce and mushrooms, this filling winter squash deserves all the recognition it gets from the gluten-free community.
Spaghetti squash gets its name from the noodle-like texture it gets after roasting or steaming. The meat of the squash comes apart in thin strands with a firm texture, similar to a pasta cooked al dente. The good news is that it’s naturally gluten free and lower in calories than any pastas on the market, gluten free or otherwise.
If you’re gluten free, you’ve probably heard of quinoa [KEEN-wah] by now. As an alternative to
traditional grains, this fluffy, light Andean seed is not only a protein-packed super food,
but also a perfect dish for any time of day. In fact, it’s becoming so popular that South
American farms are producing it at record rates, and it’s now readily available at most
local grocery stores and health food stores. You can even find blogs wholly devoted to cooking and baking with quinoa like the Queen of Quinoa.
Quinoa has a mild, nutty flavor and, if cooked correctly, it is soft, slightly chewy, and
easily digested. Be sure to rinse quinoa before cooking, as it naturally is covered in a
bitter coating called saponin. Although most packaged quinoa comes pre-rinsed, a
thorough wash will help ensure that your meal will taste its best.
"Gluten-Free Foodies" is a collection of amazing, informative, and innovative gluten-free blogs and websites handpicked by Taste Guru for your reading pleasure!
