Review of Gluten-Free Arrowhead Mills Organic Maple Buckwheat Flakes

I was excited to see this cereal at our local grocery store.  The price of the cereal was quite affordable. Unfortunately, the taste of it was disappointing.  The flavor started off to be quite tasty, with a touch of maple.  Then the aftertaste hit the taste buds, which was bitter.  I am rating this cereal at 5 out of 10.  It isn't too bad if you mix it with another delicious gluten-free cereal. :)

(Photo Source:  amazon.com)

Gluten-Free Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

I have a friend who loves a storm because she thinks of making soup and curling up in a blanket.  With these cold Winter days, I love soup to help me warm up.  I hope you will enjoy these recipes.  We are trying to eat healthier, so I included my modified version.  Our kids ate it up!

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

2 leeks, white portion only, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

5 tablespoons butter

4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 cup peeled and sliced yellow summer squash (or crookneck)

6 cups gluten-free chicken broth

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon dried basil leaves

½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves

½ teaspoon dry ground mustard

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ cup cream

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

1.      In a large pot, melt butter. Sauté leeks and carrots in butter for about five minutes.

2.      Add butternut squash, yellow squash, chicken broth, salt, basil, oregano, dry mustard, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer soup for 30 to 35 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

3.      Allow soup to cool. Purée in small batches in blender, pouring into a large bowl.

4.      Return soup to pot and add cream and milk. Heat on medium heat until desired temperature is reached. Do not boil.

5.      Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 6 to 8 

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup (Healthier Version)

2 leeks, white portion only, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

Olive oil

4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 cup peeled and sliced yellow summer squash (or crookneck)

5 1/2 cups gluten-free chicken broth or vegetable broth

½ teaspoon dried basil leaves

½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves

½ teaspoon dry ground mustard

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

1.      In a large pot, sauté leeks and carrots in butter for about five minutes.

2.      Add butternut squash, yellow squash, broth, salt, basil, oregano, dry mustard, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer soup for 30 to 35 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

3.      Allow soup to cool. Purée in small batches in blender, pouring into a large bowl.

4.      Return soup to pot and add almond milk. Heat on medium heat until desired temperature is reached. Do not boil.

5.      Ladle into soup bowls.

Serves 6 to 8 

**Tip:  Bake butternut squash the day before you make the soup and use cold squash to cool other ingredients as they are placed in the blender.

Yams with Pink Beans

My daughter-in-law found a great recipe on Pinterest that I modified a little bit. The recipe called for sweet potatoes and I used yams, because I like the flavor better.  It called for kale, and the grocery store was out of kale, so I used beet greens.  The beet greens turned the white beans to a delightful pink color.  I also didn't have marjoram, so I used thyme...although I think it would be better with dried oregano.  I didn't have any shallot, so I used green onions.  Whew!  I guess I modified the recipe more than a "little bit."  :)  We usually add butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows to our yams...so this recipe is a tasty, healthy way to get yams and greens on the table.  Give it a try.

Yams with Pink Beans

1-2 yams
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup green onions (with greens), chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon thyme or dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 can cooked and drained white beans
1-2 cups beet greens, chopped
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Scrub yams and prick with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake until soft, about 45-55 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients to a frying pan and saute until beet greens soften.  Carefully remove skin from baked yams and dice yams.  Add to ingredients in frying pan and stir gently.  

Review of King Arthur's Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix

Wow!  Ten out of ten for this mix. It was delicious!  The texture was perfect, too.  I served these cupcakes at a dinner and all of the guests said they couldn't tell a difference between the gluten-free cupcakes and regular gluten cupcakes.  Awesome!

(Photo Source:  www.kingarthurflour.com)

Gluten-free Pad Thai

We enjoy going to a Thai restaurant...especially since they use rice noodles and there are several gluten-free choices.  I love choosing Pad Thai.  I am excited to share my gluten-free Pad Thai recipe with you.  Enjoy!

Pad Thai

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 pkg. Tinkyada Fettuccine Noodles

1/3 cup fish sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

½ tablespoon sesame or peanut oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Juice of one lime

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon minced garlic clove

1 cup cooked shrimp

2 cups fresh bean sprouts

½ cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped

1 cup cilantro leaves

Slice chicken into cubes while slightly frozen.  Fry chicken in canola oil.  Prepare noodles according to package directions.  Combine fish sauce, brown sugar, sesame or peanut oil, soy sauce, lime juice, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.  Remove chicken from frying pan when fully cooked.  Beat eggs and scramble eggs in frying pan.  Add garlic and shrimp and sauté for several minutes.  Add cooked noodles, chicken, and sauce mixture.  Before serving, stir in peanuts and cilantro.

Serves 6-8

Recipe for Gluten-Free Pasta Salad

I love Tinkyada noodles.  It is wonderful to be able to make nearly any pasta dish and have it turn out nearly the same as pasta with gluten.  Yum!

Pasta Salad

½ package Tinkyada Curly Noodles

¾ cup Italian dressing

½ cup black olives

½ cup cucumber, diced

½ cup red or yellow bell pepper, diced

6 slices of pepperoni, diced

½ cup tomatoes, diced

½ cup cheddar cheese, grated

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Add Italian dressing to warm, cooked pasta.  Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, and add olives, cucumbers, peppers.  Before serving, add pepperoni, tomatoes, and grated cheese.  Sprinkle top of salad with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 5-7

One Step in the "Gluten-Free Kitchen Makeover"

I love a little booklet I received from the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University.  It is called, The Ultimate Guide to Gluten-Free Living.  There are many great tips in this booklet.  Here is one for us to remember (though I added a note at the end about something I feel strongly about):

"Even if you follow...precautions, you may still be vulnerable.  Crumbs on the counter, flour gone astray from baking or cooking, re-used utensils and canisters, can make safe foods very unsafe for you.

"For protection, there's nothing like basic good housekeeping techniques.  Thoroughly clean any surface that's been used for regular bread, cake, pastry or flour before you use it for safe foods.*  Divide your utensils and containers into two sets, one strictly gluten-free, and keep them separate."

*I would add that it is better not to have airborne flour in a kitchen where you are striving to keep things gluten free.  When my mom was first diagnosed with celiac disease, she thought she could make gluten rolls for my dad...as long as she didn't taste the dough.  She nearly went into anaphylactic shock from breathing the dust from the flour.