GF breakfast: Apple Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal

Ingredients:
1 cup oatmeal
1.5 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 apple peeled and chopped

1/4 cup raisins

1 TBS cinnamon

Directions:
1. Bring water to a boil
2. Add oatmeal first and stir then add all other ingredients and stir
3. Cook on low 5 mins or until oatmeal and apples have a nice consistency


So I know oatmeal is not all that exciting but I grew up on it and it is easy for a quick basic gluten and dairy free breakfast! All you need for a perfect breakfast is a glass of OJ, some protein and you have a quick balanced breakfast. I recommend grabbing a boiled egg from the fridge or frying one up on the skillet while your oatmeal cooks. This breakfast is comforting to me and reminds me of staying with my grandmother as a kid. We would have it more often in our home but one of my kids does not like the texture so I give him a different breakfast (which can be a hassle). Maybe one day we will ALL enjoy this easy quick breakfast. One can always dream right?

Coconut Curry Chicken (GFCF)

Tonight for dinner we had a family favorite Coconut Curry Chicken with Rice. It is not too labor intensive but in my mind if it takes prep work it is not a quick meal either. We made quite a bit which we always do because it freezes well and we all love the left overs! This has a lot of flavor, a creamy sweet richness and the heat from the curry gives it a wonderful spicy finish! Also this is one of the few dishes I think taste even better as left overs. The longer the better!

Ingredients:
3 TBS Peanut Oil
4 TBS Red Curry paste
1 cup chopped green onion
1.5 tsp dried minced garlic 
1 large tomato diced
1 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp salt
canned Coconut milk 20 oz (1.5 cans)
2-2.5 lbs skinless chicken breast cubed (can use less but decrease other ingredients only slightly NOT proportionally or may not have enough flavor)


Directions:
1. Cook Peanut Oil and Curry Paste for 5 minutes Med-Low heat
2. Add Onion and Garlic to pan and saute for 5 mins
3. Add Chicken and salt. Cook until it is no longer pink
4. Add Tomato, fish sauce and coconut milk
5. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes
6. Salt to taste and serve

We like it served over white rice (to soak up all that yummy sauce!)

SHORT ON TIME IN THE EVENING??
I have a great solution and I actually prefer the flavor to the traditional way above but it does take more steps and overall time.
1. Cube and cook the chicken in oil
2. In a freezer bag put curry, fish sauce, garlic and coconut milk, mix well.
3. Put chicken into bag and put in fridge for when you are ready to make dinner
4. Can cut up onion and tomato now and put in fridge until dinner or cut up at dinner if you have time
5. When ready to cook put veggies and bag of sauce and chicken in a sauce pan and heat on Med heat for 20-30 minutes (until nice and hot)

Cinnamon Apples: This dish + carrot cake icing makes the apple cinnamon donuts (soon to come)

I have been a rebel and took the family off the gluten free diet for a while (for a GI doc who was wanting to do testing) and we have not totally gotten back on the band wagon yet (I know... for shame, for shame, tssk, tssk, tssk) BUT I did start having crazy medical issues and I have started cooking GF again. SO the first real big batch of cooking I did was because I joined a food co-op and ordered 25 pounds of apples (and no that is not a typo), along with 20 pounds of carrots, and tomatoes.  (Oh why am I so ambitious?) Alas even after DAYS of cooking I still ended up giving away a bunch of produce. But on to the cooking ........

Candied Apples:

5 apples cored and sliced (I leave peels on because time is a commodity and they have a lot of nutritional value)
1/3 cup brown sugar (for those not wanting sugar this can be skipped all together but requires longer cook time and will be a little bitter, or honey, agave, stevia, Splenda can all be used)
1 TBS ground cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1-2 TBS vegetable oil (or butter if you are not dairy free)

Directions: Spread oil on skillet, then apple slices, next sprinkle on sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook on Medium heat covered for 3 mins. Stir well and cook for 8 more minutes(stirring occasionally) until desired crispness/softness is reached. Also if want to have softer apples can recover it after first stir and just leave it for less work and more of a steamed apple texture. Eat as many as you like then refrigerate the rest for later! They taste good hot or cold!

*These are not super sticky or greasy like most fried apples but they can be with additional sugar, oil and pan frying for longer (and uncovered). My kids actually prefer them per the above recipe though. They like them with a little crunch and I cook them just soft enough that my kids will eat the peels without complaining.

**Can skip oil by putting 1/4 cup water instead and cooking a little longer though it does effect the texture some

Breakfast Smoothies

 

This morning we had smoothies and dry cereal while watching a little educational t.v. 

Here is my recipe:

Frozen mixed fruit (from Costco's frozen isle) -about half blender full

silken tofu -half a pack

sugar- 2 heaping spoonfulls

Orange Juice- about 2 cups

Blend all until smoothe

I love these mixed tropical frozen fruits from Costco, and I like the tofu because it gives it more protein. We sometimes use Strawberries and almond milk instead of mixed fruit and OJ! 

What is your favorite smoothie?