Pancakes

The best tasting allergy friendly pancake recipe we’ve had uses Metro’s Irresistables Gluten Free Pancake Mix.  I love this product because it makes cooking pancakes so easy.  Here is how I make them for my family:

For about 10 pancakes:

1 cup Irresistables Gluten Free Pancake Mix

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 “egg” (I substitute a real egg with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed well with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl)

1 cup of “milk” ( cow, rice, soy, oat, almond, etc)

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Vegetable oil or unsalted butter for frying

1.  Pour the pancake mix into a small bowl and add the cinnamon.  Mix well.

2.  If you are using egg replacer, prepare it as I have described above.

3.  In a large bowl, add your milk, oil, vanilla and, lastly, the egg replacer.  Use a wisk to beat these wet ingredients until they froth up.

4.  Add the pancake mix with cinnamon to the wet ingredients and stir until lumps are gone.

5.  The batter should rest a little before frying so heat your griddle or pan on medium high now.  When it is hot, grease it with the butter or oil.  Using a ladle, pour about 1/4 cup of the batter for each pancake.   Turn the pancakes when they bubble and the bottom turns golden brown.  Cook for another minutes or two until the second side turns golden too.  (I add more oil or butter after each batch of pancakes I make.)

 

Ham and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

These chicken breasts are crispy on the outside and tender inside.  I roll the cheese in the the middle of the ham slice so stuffing the chicken breasts is easy.  I brown the chicken in a pan first and finish cooking them in the oven.  My son loves these for lunch the next day.  I slice them, put them in a container and he eats them at room temperature. The sliced pieces are also great over a salad.

5 chicken breasts

5 slices of Black Forest ham

5 thin slices of Swiss cheese (which is lactose free) or a non-dairy cheese like soy or Daiya

Stickling’s Gluten free rice bread crumbs

Sea salt

Black pepper

Garlic powder

1/4 cup or more of Vegetable oil for frying

1. Trim the chicken breasts and make a pocket big enough for the stuffing to slide in.  Season with salt, pepper and a little garlic powder.  Let them sit in a plate while you prepare the stuffing.

2.  Prepare the stuffing.  Cut five long rectangular pieces of cheese a little shorter than the length of a ham slice  Place each cheese slice in the middle of each ham slice.  Roll up the cheese in the ham slice half way, tuck in the ends of the ham, and then finish rolling.  This way, the cheese will not leak out when it is baked.  

3.  Place each ham roll into each chicken breast.  Pat chicken lightly with a paper towel if wet.  Pour some bread crumbs onto a plate and coat the chicken breasts by pressing them into the crumbs.

4.  Line a cookie sheet or baking pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375 F.  Meanwhile, pour the oil into a heavy large pan and heat until hot.  Prepare a plate with some paper towels to soak up excess oil after chicken is fried.

5.  When the oil is quite hot, brown each side of the chicken breasts (about two to three minutes each side and place onto the paper towel).  When finished frying, place breasts in parchment lined pan and place into the preheated oven.  Bake for about 25 minutes depending how large the breasts are.

6.  Take out of oven and let sit for about ten minutes before serving or slicing.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

This is an easy way to make a tender pork tenderloin.  Searing the meat first and then roasting keeps the pork tender.  If you can prepare the meat ahead of time, you can have this meal ready in about 45 minutes.

2 pork tenderloins

Sea salt

Pepper

Dried or fresh Rosemary

3 to 4 tablespoons Olive oil

1 and 1/2 cups of chicken broth

1 shallot finely diced
1.  Prepare the tenderloins from 2 to 24 hours ahead of roasting time.  Remove any silver skin or excess fat with a sharp knife.  Tuck the tail or thinner end of the tenderloins under and tie it with some kitchen string.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle a few rosemary leaves on the meat.  Place on a plate and cover loosely with plastic wrap.  Place in refrigerator.

2. Take out meat 30 minutes before searing to warm up.  Preheat the oven to 350* F.  Line a pan with parchment paper. 

3.  To sear the meat:  Pat meat dry.  Heat a large heavy pan on medium high.  (I let it heat for about 4 to 5 minutes.)  Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil to the hot pan.  Swirl oil around quickly and add meat.  If the tenderloins don’t fit, simply curve them in the pan.  Sear 1 to 2 minutes each top, bottom and sides of the tenderloin.  Turn down the heat.  Place seared meat into parchment lined pan and then into the heated oven for 30 minutes or when the internal temperature is 145 to 150 degrees.  

4.  Meanwhile, add diced shallot to the pan you seared the meat in.  If you need more oil add it to pan.  Cook shallot until very soft.  Turn up the heat and add broth.  Scrape bits stuck to bottom of the pan with wooden spoon and continue to cook until broth is reduced a bit.  (About five minutes).  When broth has reduced, cover the pan until the tenderloins are done.  

5.  When tenderloins are done, take them out of the oven and let them rest for at least 15 minutes.  I cover them loosely with foil .  

6.  After resting, add any juices from the roasting pan to the reduced broth.  Reheat the broth mixture and pour into a small gravy bowl to serve with your tenderloin.  Cut the pork into 1 inch thick pieces and serve.   Serves 4 to 6 people.  

Banana Bread

1 cup whole grain brown rice flour (Bob’s Red Mill)
3/4 cup whole grain oat flour (Chateau Cream Hill Estates – Lara’s)
1/4 cup potato starch (Purest)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (Ener G)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup milk (rice, soy, etc.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ripe mashed bananas
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325* F. Lightly grease a cake pan. (I use an 8 x 12 inch cake pan or a loaf pan.)

Wisk together all dry ingredients (first 8 ingredients listed) in a large bowl. Add oil, milk, vanilla and blend well. Fold in bananas. Fold in chocolate chips last if you are using them. Pour batter into your pan and bake for about 45 minutes when toothpick comes out clean. If you are using a loaf pan, add some more time to the baking (anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes). Cool on rack for about 20 minutes before removing from pan. Freezes well.

 

Dialsi Pasta

My favourite gluten free pasta to eat and cook with! All shapes are excellent especially the rigatoni, penne, stelline and cascaracce. Never mushy. Sold in 500 g packages. The best tasting corn and rice pasta I have eaten so far.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

My children’s favourite cookie to eat with milk.  Keep these in a tin or plastic container. They will keep for longer in the refrigerator.

3/4 cup white rice flour

3/4 cup brown rice flour 

1/4 cup potato starch

1/4 cup tapioca starch

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup softened butter

1/2 cup white sugar

3 tablespoons applesauce

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup of chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

1.  In a bowl, wisk together all the dry ingredients. (The first 5 listed).

2.  In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add applesauce and vanilla.  Mix in well.

3.  Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix together until well blended.

4.  Add the chocolate chips and mix.

5.  Form small balls (use a cookie dough scooper if you have one) with the dough and place on cookie sheet. Gently press down each cookie ball with two fingers.  Bake 1 sheet at a time for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool in pan on rack for at least 20 minutes before removing them. Very important to not pick them up until they have cooled. Finish cooling them on the rack before storing them in a tin or plastic bin.

Makes about 24 cookies.

Maple Salmon

This is a very tasty, fast and easy meal to prepare.  All you have to do is prepare a simple glaze to spoon over the fish and bake in the oven.

1/4 cup maple syrup

4 teaspoons grainy mustard

4 teaspoons Gluten free soy sauce like San-J

2 lbs salmon fillet ( whole or cut into serving pieces)

 

1.  Preheat oven 400 F convection or 425 F regular.

2.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. In a small bowl, prepare the glaze by mixing the first three ingredients listed above.

4.  Place salmon skin side down on parchment on baking sheet.

5.  Spoon glaze over fish.  Let the fish marinate for 20 or 30 minutes.  Spoon drippings over the fish 3 or 4 times.

6.  Bake in centre of oven 10-15 minutes.

Serves 4 people.