Gluten-Free Recipes

Pumpkin Nut Quinoa Breakfast

Quinoa flakes deliver a creamy, satisfying breakfast porridge. Dress your bowl up with a swirl of vitamin-rich canned pumpkin, an ideal option for cool autumn mornings. Try cooking the quinoa in milk as well-this sweetens it and adds extra nutrition like vitamin D, calcium, and protein.

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon gluten-free ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg white
1/4 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
1 cup pecan halves
3 1/2 cups water
1 1/3 cups quinoa flakes
1 cup canned pumpkinM
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup gluten-free light brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper
Place the sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch, salt, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg in a plastic bag, seal the bag, and shake to mix.
Put the egg white and vanilla in a bowl, and beat until slightly foamy. Add the pecans and stir to coat them well. Using a slotted spoon, lift the pecans out of the bowl and transfer them to the bag of sugar and spices. Shake, making sure the pecans are well coated with the seasoning. Spread the pecans out on the pre-pared baking sheet, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet.
Meanwhile, place the water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the quinoa cakes and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the liquid has decreased by half and the mixture is thick.
Combine the pumpkin and the half-and-half in a small bowl, and whisk until smooth. Swirl the pumpkin into the quinoa, and sprinkle with the brown sugar. Divide among four bowls, sprinkle with the chopped nuts, and serve immediately.

From the G-FREE DIET: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide by Elisabeth Hasselbeck. Copyright © 2009 by Elisabeth Hasselbeck Enterprises, LLC. Reprinted by permission of Center Street, New York, NY. All rights reserved.

Meat-Based Tomato Sauce for Baked Penne and Lasagna

1 Pound of Italian Sausage, gluten-free, hot or sweet
1 small onion
3 tablespoons light olive oil or canola oil
3 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
3 or 4 fresh basil leaves

Directions:

Cut sausage into 2-inch pieces, and set aside. Mince the onion in a food processor, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot, and brown the sausage on all sides in the oil. Add the onion and cook it with the sausage until the onion is soft and light brown.

Add 1 can of crushed tomatoes to the pot. Stir, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the other 2 cans of tomatoes, rinsing each can with 1/4 can of water and adding the water to the pot. Add the sugar, salt, pepper, and basil, and stir to mix. Add the meatballs and stir.

Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally; then lower the heat to a slow simmer. Simmer sauce for 30 minutes or longer if desired. I like to simmer the sauce until I see that oil has risen to the top. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Server over pasta, or use in the baked penne, or in lasagna. Note: I often use a Crock-Pot to make this sauce. If you use a Crock-Pot, brown the sausage and onion in a large skillet. Add the cooked sausage and onion to the Crock-Pot, using the water to scrape up the brown bits with them. Add the remaining ingredients according to the above directions, and stir. Cook on HI for 4-5 hours, then switch to LO for 1-2 hours or until ready to use, or cook on LO for 7-8 hours.

Baked Penne with Meat Sauce

1 pound gluten-free penne or ziti
12-16-ounce ball of low-moisture mozzarella cut into 1/2 inch cubes, or 12-16 ounces shredded mozzarella
3/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
Sausage from the tomato sauce
3-4 cups tomato sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Remove half of the sausage pieces from the tomato sauce. Slice the sausage and set aside.

Add 1 teaspoon of salt to a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Add the penne or ziti and cook for about 6 or 7 minutes. The past should be harder than al dente because the pasta will continue to cook when baked. Strain the pasta and return it to the pot.

Add about 2 cups of tomato sauce to the pasta, and mix with a wooden spoon until the sauce is evenly distributed. Add the mozzarella cheese and the grated cheese to the pasta, reserving 2 tablespoons of each for the topping. Mix with the spoon. Add the slices of sausage, reserving 1/3 cup of each for topping. Mix gently with the wooden spoon.

Spoon about 1/2 cup of tomato sauce onto the bottom of a lasagna pan or a 9x13-inch baking dish. Spoon the pasta and meat mixture into the pan or baking dish. Spread the reserved slices of sausage over the pasta. Spoon a thin layer of sauce over the top of the pasta and meat toppings. Be sure the sauce reaches the corners. Sprinkle the reserved mozzarella, and then the reserved grated cheese over the sauce. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake the penne or ziti until the corners bubble, about 30-40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 7-10 minutes.

Remove the baked penne or ziti from the oven, cover with foil, and let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving. Cut into squares (like lasagna) and serve with extra grated cheese and warm tomato sauce on the side if desired.

The G-Free Diet: A Gluten Free Survival Guide

In this all-inclusive book, Hasselbeck shares her hard-earned wisdom on living life without gluten and loving it. She gives you everything you need to know to start living a gluten-free life, from defining gluten - where to find it, how to read food labels - to targeting gluten-free products, creating G-Free shopping lists, sharing recipes, and managing G-Free living with family and friends.