GF Dilemma

 

Hi everyone. As per my last post you are all aware I am having a stove/oven dilemma. It seems that the circuit breaker to our stove kept breaking. So....after $53 for a new breaker, which by the way cost only $13 last year, plus a $100 electrician service fee, the stove was okay for about four hours, then the breaker broke again!!!!!

Deciding to no longer invest in the electrical part since we were having no luck, we decided to have the electrical line to the stove disconnected (in case it was defective) and have a gas line installed. Thank goodness we have a gas furnace and the main line is about three feet away from the placement for our new gas stove. 

I must admit I haven’t cooked on a gas stove in many years, well since I was a teenager to be exact, but my husband suggested the change since we were having such issues with the electric stove. One thing I am really looking forward to is being able to possibly can foods on the gas range. It also has an air fryer built in the oven, with which I will get to try my hand at some new air fryer recipes. I have never bought an air fryer as our counter space is limited.

With that being said.... the new stove will not arrive until September 1st....UGH! I guess that will limit my baking recipes to share until then, but I do have a few others lined up to share that doesn't use an oven. I have been cooking on a hot plate the past week but It's definitely not what I am use to. It means everything needs to be made in one pan, unless I want some things to get cold or have to be reheated in the microwave while waiting on something else to cook. Of course, there is always the good ole crockpot to rely on in times such as these too. Which is what I will be doing today. I will be using the hot plate for the first part of the recipe then switching over to my crock pot for the remaining cook time. 

I can already smell the aromas from the kitchen as it cooks and am really enjoying my "ME" time as it does so. Crock pots can really be a lifesaver when our lives are hectic. You just need to find the right recipes! For those of you who are trying to limit meat in your diet this is a good starter recipe as its Vegetarian. Don’t have a crock pot? No worries...go to the Amazon link to the right of the page for everything you might need. As always, hope you enjoy.

Sharon

 

Spicy Vegetarian Chili:

Ingredients/ Serves 8

2 T olive oil

1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion

1 cup chopped red bell pepper (I prefer orange for the milder taste)

2 T minced fresh garlic

1 medium zucchini, diced

2 cups frozen corn

5 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed, cleaned, and cubed

2 T chili powder, less if preferred

1 T ground cumin

1 1/2 teas salt

1/4 teas cayenne pepper

2 (15 oz cans low salt diced tomatoes

2 (15 oz cans low salt black beans

1 (15 oz can low sodium tomato sauce

2 cups low sodium vegetable stock, or water

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 to 4 minutes.

Add the softened vegetables to a greased 4-to-6-quart slow cooker. Add all other ingredients, except for the cilantro.

Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 8 you 10 hours. Stir in the cilantro before serving.

You may add a dollop of sour cream if desired just before serving. It’s an easy recipe for a busy day. Its filling and taste great served with GF cornbread. That is if you have a working oven:)

Till next time, enjoy!

Sharon

 

 

 

                          

Oven Problems

Well as you have noticed I haven't posted anything this past week...So sorry. It was not intentional on my part. It seems my stove/oven has a mind of its own and keeps blowing the circuit breaker, so we have literally been without a stove or oven the past week. Cooking on a hot plate is not my idea of fun, but a girls got to do what a girls got to do, right?

So, as you probably already know we have been having to eat out quite allot, which means for me it’s been pretty much salads, or sandwiches made with gluten free bread that I happened to have in our freezer. My husband ordered a new breaker which is supposed to arrive today hopefully, so things should be back on track by the end of the week.

I have in the meantime been mixing up several "MOCK" gluten free home blends to give a try. My plan is to try all the blends using just one recipe and then judge with a taste test to see which I feel performed the best. I am planning to try them all by making brownies, then pizzelles. I know some of you might feel pizzelles are just a holiday cookie, but I find them refreshing any time of the year. They are light, crunchy and delicious. They were one of my mom’s favorites!  Also, you can pretty much make them any flavor you like. Chocolate, anise, almond, peach.... well, you get the picture, I'm sure. 

Anyway, I don't want to post the "MOCK" flour mixes yet as I really want to test them each first so as not to steer you wrong. As you all know by now not every mix you have ever tried meets your own personal standards. Also, as you have probably learnt by now, you just can't replace gluten free flour in most regular flour recipes with good results. That’s why there are so many gluten free cookbooks on the market. It’s a different lifestyle. Kind of like trying to put a square in a round peg whole....

Some recipes are forgiving, yes, but others need other ingredients adjusted or you either end up with a gooey mess or a hard brick. Believe me, I’ve had my share of both! I already have four of the gluten free mock flour mixes all mixed and ready to go as soon as my oven is up and running. I hope you are as excited as me to see how the brownies and pizzelles turn out.

The "MOCK" flour mixes are definitely going to be a lot cheaper for you to make if you buy your gluten free flour in bulk by clicking on the Amazon button to the right of the blog to order the flours you will need to make them. Now I know it’s much simpler to buy a premade mix to bake with.... but it’s not cheap, especially if it turns out that you really don’t like the blend, as I did recently. Hence my attempt to bring you an easier way to have your cake and eat it too as the saying goes...I will be listing the specific flour brands that I have used also with each "MOCK" recipe as different brands even I have found react differently or have slightly different weights.

So, visit again and look for my "MOCK" flour reviews coming soon.

Sharon

 

Gluten Free Bread review:

Today I received my order from Gluten Free Mall. (Featured to the right of the blog).  I was pleasantly pleased at how fast I received my order, within four days to be exact. All my products were intact, the box was packed with bubble wrap, and even had a small freezer bag to keep my candy bar from melting. That's what I call service.

As I mentioned in my previous blog post I had ordered two loaves of bread from Bfree to try, and then give a review on them. A white loaf, and a brown seeded loaf. I have never tried their products before, actually never heard of them either until I found them at the Gfree Mall. 

If you have read my blog for any length of time you will know I am somewhat a bit picky about my gluten free bread. I have tried throughout the years many store-bought loaves and most of them have been tasteless, had a bad mouth feel, or just too expensive for my budget. Hence is why you will also notice many gluten free bread recipes posted here. Some oven recipes, some recipes using a bread maker. We all have busy lives and therefore don't always have time in the kitchen to bake, or else we prefer baking more enjoyable treats, like cookies and cakes.... guess that explains the few extra pounds I've noticed lately...

The loaves were exactly what I was hoping for! First let’s start with the white loaf. It reminds me of the WONDER bread I grew up eating. It kind of has that spongy texture that I remember more than the exact taste of the bread itself.  Yet it did not disappoint. I toasted it and smeared it with just a little butter so as to get the real taste of the bread. I found that the crust toasted quicker than the toast itself, so I just turned the toaster a little lower and toasted a second time to ensure it was toasted all over. 

The crunch was even, the mouth feel is almost to the perfection as if I was eating regular gluten bread. It is a nice thin slice, which is good, as the slices are actually a little longer than a loaf of regular white gluten bread. All in all, I would give this 4 1/2 stars, but only because the brown seeded loaf exceeded my highest expectations!

The brown seeded loaf has that chewiness that a regular gluten wheat bread might have. It toasted perfectly on my toasters lower setting, The edges were crunchy, the center moist and chewy, and the flavor I have to admit was the best flavor of any gluten free bread I have tried in years. So, I definitely give this loaf a 5-star rating!

The carb and sugar count in the brown seeded loaf is also lower, so my husband being a diabetic, says it’s even suitable for him to eat. He really enjoyed the flavor and crunch it had also. So, I guess hands up its a winner for both of us.

I really must say that if you haven’t tried Bfree's breads yet you are really missing out. If you can find them in a store local to you, I suggest giving them a try. If you can't find them locally you can purchase them to the right of this page in the Gfree Mall. I think you will be pleasantly surprised with their goodness.

Until next post,

Sharon

 

Gluten Free Linner.....

Ok. I know you are curious as to what exactly Linner is. Well to my 44-year-old daughter it’s a combination of lunch and dinner. Therefore, the combination gets its new founded name of Linner. She has many shortened names for pretty much everything but that’s a story for another time.

Today my husband wanted me to try a new recipe for him that he found in a magazine. Since he is diabetic, he is trying really hard to not eat as much meat. Hey, if its gluten free, then I'm all ears! It was actually one of the easiest recipes I have ever made, so I happily enjoyed the feast with him as well. He was one happy camper. Well, we don’t actually camp, but the recipe is sooooo easy that you could actually make it when camping. The only fresh item you need is spinach, all the other ingredients are spices and canned garbanzo beans. It was quick, tasty, and filling.

Now I have not really ever been a big fan of spinach, but the spices and beans blended so well together that the bitter taste of the spinach actually played well off of them. I pride myself on trying to make things easy when it comes to meal planning since most of my time always seems to be taken up trying for that fresh loaf of bread, or dessert, that tastes so much like what we were all use to eating in a gluten infected world, yet gluten free. I’m sure you can relate to that!

We don't always have time to make bread, cookies, or cakes when life is so hectic. Raising kids, working, being grandparents, or even just daily chores. So, to help you out I have added several new Affiliates to my site to help make your hectic life a little easier. Gluten Free candies, cookies, breads, mixes, and all that you need can be found there. Even Amazon has products for a gluten free lifestyle along with bakeware, home decor, clothes, pretty much everything you need can be found without leaving your house. I do make a small commission if you purchase from one of the sites but you are NEVER charged anything extra to use them. It helps pay for the cost of managing the blog to help you on your gluten free journey. I have actually ordered a few gluten free products myself from the sites that I personally haven’t tried yet, and will be giving reviews on them once they arrive. A few of them are breads.....Please, please, Pretty please let them be eatable!!!!!!!

Well onto the recipe. Not only was this easy, it is about a 9-minute recipe from start to finish. Yes, I said 9 minutes! It’s a protein rich meal so no need for meat, plus it’s not only gluten free but diabetic friendly as well. 

 

Beans n Greens:

Calories: 310       Protein:  15g       Carbs:  42 g       Fiber:  13 g       Fat:  11 g       

1 T extra virgin olive oil

1 (15 oz) can no salt added garbanzo beans (drained)

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teas ground ginger

1/4 teas freshly ground black pepper

1 (5oz) package fresh baby spinach leaves

1/4 teas salt

1. In a large skillet heat the oil over medium heat.

2. Add the garbanzo beans and all spices, except salt. Stir to coat.

3. Add the spinach and salt. Cook while gently stirring until beans are heated and spinach is just wilted, about 2 1/2 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

You could actually add 10 oz of spinach if you would like to as the spinach looks pretty sparce after wilted but it will change the nutritional info.

That’s it! I made a nice side salad to go with it and a slice of gluten free bread to top it all off. Delish! Enjoy.

Talk soon,

Sharon