Strawberry Lemonade Bars

I was never really a fan of desserts until I went gluten free last year. Maybe its the whole "you want what you can't have" thing, I don't know, but I never wanted cake at my birthday parties, I only ever had ice cream... and just vanilla at that. I wasn't into cookies or lemon bars or even toppings on my ice cream! I do still hate chocolate though... (its okay, I've been called crazy many times in my life about this, so feel free to pile on) Given my general dislike for desserts before, I really don't know where my newfound love for gluten free desserts came from, but now I'm obsessed with my toffee-tastic girlscout cookies, cinnamon rolls, doughnuts, and all things strawberry dessert related. I would love to make a good apple crisp or apple pie on some gluten free crust and devour that, but I'm not allowed to have apples right now... Stupid fructose!

When I ran across the recipe for Strawberry Lemonade Bars on "Averie Cooks" I knew I was going to have to figure out a way to make them friendly for my new diet. Strawberries and lemons are already allowed, so I figured the rest wouldn't be too much of a problem. And really, it wasn't. The most difficult... okay tedious... part was cutting up the strawberries! Everything else was a piece of cake... I mean bar...

Here is the original recipe: http://www.averiecooks.com/2014/07/strawberry-lemonade-bars.html

We live in California and have amazing fresh strawberries already so I used only fresh and none frozen, but I'm sure it would work fine if you needed to use all or some frozen berries instead.

To make it gluten free, simply use all purpose gluten-free flour instead of regular. I used gfJules Gluten Free Flour and did a 1 to 1 replacement. Your favorite blend will work just great I'm sure.

If you need to make it low-FODMAP too like me, then simply use lactose free sour cream in the "filling" portion where it calls for greek yogurt or sour cream. We found Green Valley Organics Lactose Free Sour Cream at Sprouts and it looks like they make yogurt too which you could use.

Other than that, just follow the instructions and you're good to go!! (Note: I used the wrong size pan so mine are a little flatter than the originals, but they were still AMAZINGLY tasty!)

Make yourself a batch tomorrow. It will make you feel like spring has finally arrived!

FODMAP Friendly Friday Fish Tacos

I couldn't think of a word for tacos that started with an "F" otherwise that title would have been even more epic!

I always have a hard time deciding what to make for dinner on Fridays, mainly because I feel like I've used up a lot of good ideas by then, or I'm just feeling lazy and unmotivated and just want something easy. My mom suggested we go out for dinner but I'm just not feeling comfortable with this whole special diet yet and garlic and onion is in EVERYTHING. So I've been trying to limit the number of times I eat out if at all possible.

At one point during the day, the idea of fish tacos came to me and I was sold. Then when I got to the grocery store, fresh tilapia was on sale and I was even MORE sold! And then I found these awesome uncooked gluten-free tortillas to use! (THEY WERE SOOOOO GOOD)

This was a HUGE hit. It turns out that my dad had fish tacos for lunch at a restaurant and he said mine were way better. Win!  These are super easy to make and really healthy!

For the marinade you'll need:

• 1.5 lbs tilapia or other white flaky fish
• Garlic olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Lime juice
• Salt

Put the fish in a ziplock bag and add enough olive oil, lemon juice, and lime juice to just cover the fish. Add just a little salt and seal up the bag. Let it sit in the marinade for 30 min. (If you only have 15, that's okay, just let it sit for as long as you can)

For the seasoning:

• Equal parts (I used 1/4 tsp of each):
• Salt
• Sugar
• Cumin
• Ground coriander (I used McCormick's Roasted Coriander)
• Chipotle chili powder
• Oregano

When you are ready to cook the fish, pull it out of the bag and put it into a nice hot pan that's got some olive oil in it. Sprinkle the fish LIGHTLY with the seasoning. It really packs a punch so you don't need a lot. If you want it spicier, then you can add some more. Cook the fish for a few minutes on each side till it is nice and flaky. 

For the slaw topping:

• 1 lb coleslaw mix
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 pinches of salt
• 1 tsp olive oil (I used orange and lemon infused, but you can use regular olive oil and add a little lemon and orange zest)
• 1 tsp lime juice

Mix all of these together. And try to let it sit for a bit if you can.

Warm up some tortillas, top with fish, slaw, and a little bit of cotija cheese, and you've got an amazing meal. 

Hidden Veggie Chicken Rice

Woo! My schedule has cleared up so much this week! It is amazing. I've had time to workout and time to get creative with some meals AND get everything done for all my classes!

I've made a version of this rice before (http://natashaskitchen.com/2014/06/26/creamy-chicken-and-rice-recipe-a-one-pot-meal/), but wanted to up my game, especially since I don't have onions and garlic to fall back on for flavor. There's a little bit of savory flavor from the combination of veggies and anchovy paste. Now before you freak out about having anchovies in your rice, just give it a try. It adds such an amazing savory flavor and it doesn't taste fishy, I promise! Plus, this dish is great if you have picky eaters in the house because you can barely even see the zucchini and bell peppers when you chop them up nice and small.

You'll need:

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2-3 large carrots
1 red bell pepper
2 zucchini
1 tbsp dried chives
1 tbsp anchovy paste (it probably could have used even more)
2 bay leaves
1 cup dry white wine (I used Chardonnay)
5 cups of chicken broth (I only had 1 large container which is enough for 4 cups, so I just added 1 cup of water)
2 cups of uncooked rice (I just used plain long grain white rice)
1/2 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper
2 - 3 tbsp garlic infused olive oil
2 - 3 tbsp regular olive oil

I recommend cooking this in a dutch oven, but if you don't have one, a large pot with a lid will do just fine.

Start by adding the garlic olive oil to your pot, heat it up, and add the chicken.  Season with salt and pepper. Cook until brown on both sides and almost cooked all the way through (it will have plenty more time in the pot to finish cooking)

While the chicken is cooking, prep your veggies. I peeled the carrots and zucchini and cut those and the bell pepper into fairly large pieces and then tossed all of it into my favorite little food processor in batches.  I don't really like large chunks of veggies, I'd rather have all the flavors meld together.

When the chicken is done, pull it aside to a plate.  Add 2 tbsp of regular olive oil to whatever is left in the pot and add all the veggies. Let these cook for about 15 min, stirring occasionally. You want them to get a little bit of color.

While the veggies are cooking, shred the chicken. You can use 2 forks or you can use my favorite technique and put it in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and let it do the work for you.

Add the shredded chicken back in the with the veggies. Add the chives and anchovy paste. Stir everything up and let it cook for about 5 more minutes to get just a smidge more color. Add the wine and scrape the bottom and sides of the pot. Add the bay leaves. Let the alcohol cook off and then add the chicken stock/water.

Bring the liquid to a simmer and then add the rice. Cover the pot and let it cook for about 15 min on med-low heat.

Give it a stir, and once all the liquid is absorbed, add the parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. If you want a little bit of a kick, add some chili powder. Be sure to find and take out the bay leaves!

Enjoy!

Savory Crock Pot Pork Loin

As you've probably figured out by now, I'm not a fan of reinventing the wheel. I'd much rather find recipes on the internet that are close to being low-FODMAP and just modify them to suit my needs and tastes and combine different things here and there. Last night I took this recipe (http://www.whiskingmama.com/the-best-crock-pot-pork-tenderloin/#sthash.xghVZdMQ.dpbs) and turned it into an amazing main dish, and boy was it easy!!!


To make it the way I did you'll need:

• About 2 pounds of pork tenderloin (I use two small tenderloins)
• ¼ cup gluten-free soy sauce
• 1-2 tsp dry ground mustard
• 2 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil
• 3 tablespoons of 100% maple syrup
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Put all of this in the crock pot and let it go on low for about 5-6 hours, turning it a few times during cooking to make sure it is getting cooked and soaking up all the juices evenly!


It was so good that I forgot to take pictures!!

Parsley Rice

I've been SO SO busy recently, my goodness! It is the last week of teaching at 3 different campuses so I'm gearing up for finals. PLUS I was gone all weekend helping the BF with a knife show (which we were rockstars at, but was REALLY challenging for me food wise) so I haven't had a chance to cook anything new in almost a week!

Last night we wanted something really easy but yummy for dinner so we mixed up some chicken breast with ginger, soy sauce, pure maple syrup, and some chili infused oil, but I wanted something more exciting that plain rice, so I whipped up this parsley rice that has just a bit of heat, and of course is low-FODMAP. (Inspired by: http://www.ibssano.com/low_fodmap_recipe_maple_sesame_chicken.html)

You'll need:

2 cups of white rice
4 cups of water
1 tbsp garlic infused oil
1 tbsp chili infused oil
1 tbsp olive oil
(If you don't chili infused oil, use a little bit of dry chili flakes and bump the regular olive oil up to 2 tbsp)
~3 tbsp chopped parsley
2 green onions, green parts only, chopped
Salt and Pepper

Cook the rice either in a pot or a rice cooker, whichever you prefer. Add all of the oil and the parsley to a large pan and let it get nice and hot. Add the cooked rice to the pan and stir it all up to coat the rice fairly evenly. Add the green onions and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Its that easy!!!

Tangy Risotto with Shrimp!

I. LOVE. RISOTTO. Lets just start with that. Risotto is one of my favorite dishes to make. Many people say it is really hard, but I disagree. Yes, you have to be patient, but I actually enjoy zen-ing out while I stir. It makes me feel calm and happy. Besides, a big bowl of creamy, yummy, savory rice is enough to make anyone happy.

Like many of the things I cook, this one was inspired by the Pioneer Woman. Her food is so simple and so good and it is actually really easy to adapt to a gluten-free or low-FODMAP diet. You can find her original risotto recipe here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2014/07/lemon-basil-shrimp-risotto/

To make this amazing risotto, you'll need:

4 tbsp garlic infused olive oil, divided
1.5 lbs raw shrimp (I think it is best if you peel them AND take the tails off, but save them!)
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 - 3/4 cup of DRY white wine (the dry part is important for the FODMAP diet)
8 cups chicken stock (I used the stock we made when we made roast chicken last week, you can use store bought, just make sure it is appropriate to your specific needs)
1 lemon, zested and juiced (plus some extra juice if it isn't large or particularly flavorful)
~18 leaves of basil, chopped
~ 4 cups of baby spinach (more or less depending on how much you like spinach)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Paprika
Tumeric
Chili powder
Salt
Pepper

First things first, get a pot going with your stock. Turn it on to about medium and let it start warming up. Then, peel and de-tail the shrimp. Toss the shells IN WITH your chicken stock. Let this continue to warm and get to a simmer while you do everything else. Before you start adding it to the rice, strain out the shells.

In a large skillet or pan, and 2 tbsp of the garlic infused olive oil. Turn the heat to med-high and toss your shrimp in. Season them with some salt, pepper, chili powder, and paprika. Let them cook for about 2-3 minutes on that side and then stir them up.  Let them get cooked and slightly browned, and then pull them off to a cutting board. Let them cool and then chop them into good sized chunks.

In that same skillet, add 2 more tbsp of the garlic olive oil and your rice over med heat. Stir around so that all the kernels of rice get nice and glossy. Add your wine and let all the alcohol cook off. Be stir to scrape the bottom of the pan so that all the little brown bits from the shrimp get incorporated into your rice. Once the liquid is almost all gone, add in your first ladle (1/2 cup or so) of broth. From this point on you need to semi-continuously stir the rice for it to come out super creamy. Once most of the liquid is absorbed, add another ladle of broth. At some point, add in your lemon juice. Continue this process until you have about a cup of broth left.

At this point, check your rice. If it is nice and soft, don't add any more broth. If it still has a little bite to it, add about 1/2 cup more. While that final 1/2 cup is absorbing, add in your lemon zest, and basil, and get those well incorporated. Then add your shrimp, and just a pinch of tumeric (like 1/8 of a tsp... a little goes a long way). If it doesnt have enough tang at this point, add in a little more lemon juice. Finally add your spinach and parmesan cheese. Get this all well mixed and give it a taste. It will probably need a little bit of salt and pepper depending on your stock.

And there you have it! Shrimp-Basil-Lemon-Spinach goodness in a bowl!

FODMAP-Friendly Chicken Fried Rice

When I made roasted chicken the other day, I did it with the intention of using the cooked chicken in dishes later in the week. It worked great for this fried rice. This whole thing came together in less than half an hour, making it one of my go-to dishes.

You'll need:

• 1 large chicken breast, cooked and chopped or shredded (See tips at the bottom!)
• 4 cups of cooked and cooled white rice
• 1.5 tbsp sesame oil
• 1.5 tbsp garlic-infused oil
• 4 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
• 1 cup frozen carrots/peas mix (the recommended serving for peas on the low-FODMAP diet is 1/2 cup, there is only 1/2 cup of peas in the whole thing, so this should be okay for everyone, but adjust depending on your personal tolerance)
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1-2 tbsp fresh (or dried) chives
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Cayenne pepper

Start by adding the sesame and garlic infused oil to a large skillet or wok over high heat. Once it is hot, add in your veggies. Let those cook for about 2 minutes, stirring fairly continuously. Push those off to one side of the pan and add your eggs to the other. Scramble them as they are cooking and when they are just about done, mix it all up with the veggies. At this point I let my eggs and veggies cook for about a minute longer so they get a little browned, especially the eggs. Add in your chicken and chives. Then add your rice and pour over the soy sauce.  Stir the whole thing, breaking up any clumps of rice as you go. Get everything really well incorporated and then let it cook for just a minute or two so that everything is nice and hot.  Season with some salt and pepper, and just a teeny bit of cayenne pepper. Give it a taste and then you're set to go!


TIPS:

• If you have a stand mixer, poach or pan fry your chicken and then put it in the bowl of your mixer while it is still warm.  Using a paddle attachment, turn on your machine and it will shred the chicken right before your eyes!
• Try cooking the rice the night before and leaving it in the fridge until you are ready to make it the next day.
• If you don't have to be low-FODMAP, add in some garlic and onions and get them browned before you add in the peas and carrots

Heavenly Strawberry Crisp

Strawberry crisp is one of my all time favorite desserts so I was really happy when I saw that strawberries, oats, and plain sugar are all allowed on the low-FODMAP diet!

The original recipe we found on Pinterest a long time ago, before I was even gluten free: http://sugarandspice-celeste.blogspot.ca/2010/06/scrumptious-strawberry-crisp.html?m=1 and we've made some modifications since then.

Here's how we make it:

2 baskets of strawberries (you know, those green ones that berries come in when you get them at a farmer's market or strawberry stand, which is where I recommend you get them, they're so much better and fresher!)

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsp cornstarch

(If you can find rhubarb, I highly encourage you to add it, but we usually end up making it with just strawberries)

Mix these ingredients together and put into the bottom of your baking dish.

For the topping, mix together the following ingredients in a separate bowl:

1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour (we use Jules!)

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (make sure they are gluten free if you're extra sensitive 

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar 

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Scatter this mix over the top of the strawberries.

Bake at 350 degrees F until the top is brown and the juices are bubbly. Should be about 35-40 min. Let it sit for about 10 minutes and then dig in. 

The rest of the family puts a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, but I haven't found any lactose free yet so I just ate mine plain. I didn't feel like I was missing out though. I even had more for breakfast this morning!

Salt Block Surf and Turf

I had a little meltdown yesterday about how overwhelmed I was with this new diet (plus just the other stresses of my daily life) so mom came to the rescue and planned an amazing and fun dinner for all of us. She had been wanting to try out her new salt block for a few weekends now, and this was the perfect day to try.

The secret to cooking on the salt block is to get it nice and hot, but to heat it up slowly. We slowly raised the temp of our oven until the block reached 500 degrees. And then it was ready to cook on! If your block isn't hot enough the food takes up more salt and can get over salty. We put our block on top of a bunch of towels in the middle of our kitchen table and we all gathered around and just cooked right in front of us.

We had thin strips of steak, scallops, and ahi tuna. All of these things cook really fast, and can get overcooked pretty quickly in a skillet, which is why they work great on the salt block. We just very lightly seasoned everything, without salt of course. The scallops just got olive oil and pepper, the steak got a rub of  finely ground coffee, pepper, and ground juniper berry. 

Everything was so amazing!

We paired this with a salad with homemade Ceasar dressing (recipe on previous post) and then strawberry crisp for dessert (recipe in the next post).

Shoutout to my mom for planning this wonderful, fun, and diet friendly dinner!