Beverages

Tool Tip: I find that a secondhand typewriter or cookbook stand is a dandy tool to use in the kitchen for standing my iPad (or phone) on to follow the recipes here! 

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Can blend Abby’s Spinach Soup together (see Vegetable post for recipe) in a food processor or blender to drink as a warm and nourishing beverage.

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Açaí Berry Smoothie

1 cup your favorite plant milk (I used rice milk)

1 fresh banana, peeled and sliced

1 tablespoon açaí berry freeze dried powder

1/2 cup plain coconut yogurt 

Optional garnishes: a sprinkle of açaí berry powder, coconut flakes, flax seeds, or granola

Prepare Açaí powder by mixing 1 tablespoon of the powder with 1 tablespoon of warm water into a paste. Blend the milk, yogurt and banana together in a blender until smooth. Add the açaí powder paste to the blender and mix again. Pour the mixture into a large glass, add a straw, garnish, if you wish and enjoy! 

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Herbal Teas: My Favorite Flavors

Alvita - Fennel Seed

Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice

Celestial Seasonings Gingerbread

Celestial Seasonings - Vermont Maple Ginger 

Republic of Tea - Raspberry Rose

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Peach Smoothie  (see "Fruit" post for fruit puree recipe)

1/4 cup peach puree

5 ounces plain coconut yogurt 

Optional garnish: a slice of a peach

Fill a 16-ounce chilled glass full of ice. Pour the smoothie ingredients into a blender, cover and blend until smooth. Pour into the serving glass, add garnish and serve. 

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Portion Control: 1/2 cup of  unsweetened juice

See the Dairy-Free tab for animal milk subs

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Condiments

A friend calls her allergy and gluten-free lifestyle  a Freedom (free from) Diet. 😃

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Alfredo Sauce, Wheat-Free

2 tablespoons soy-free margarine
2 - 3 tablespoons gluten-free all purpose 1 for 1 flour or 3 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
2 cups plant milk
1 cup dairy-free shredded cheese 

Melt margarine in saucepan. Then stir in gluten-free flour until it becomes pasty. Pour in plant milk and stir the roux in. Keep cooking until it thickens slightly. Dump in shredded cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat and pour over cooked pasta. Stir in, eat and enjoy!

Travel Tip: I made up a batch to take with me on vacation and stored it in a wide mouth, 24- ounce canning jar in a cooler and then put it in the refrigerator when we got to the Airbnb. One large jar makes two batches of wheat-free pasta. To heat the sauce up after being in the fridge, I melted some margarine in a sauce pan, spooned out half of the sauce and added more plant milk until it melted down into a gooey sauce, dumped in the pre-cooked pasta and mixed it altogether. It was yum!

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Blender Mayonnaise 

2 large pasteurized eggs

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

pinch of salt

1 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Optional Herb:

1/2 teaspoon dried dill 

Add the eggs, mustard and salt into a blender container. Pour the oil over the previous mixture, then the vinegar, water and cornstarch.  Whirl on whip setting until frothy and white like mayonnaise. Blend until thickened and combined. Add any seasonings at the very end. Store in a wide-mouth canning jar in the frig for up to four days. 

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We have not been able to find a low-sodium, garlic or onion-free stock, so this is my solution for making my own. 

Meal Prep: Low-Sodium Homemade Stock Tip 

Save any bit of water from boiling or slow-cooking meats into a canning jar. Let it sit in the fridge overnight and the next day scoop off the thick fat that rose to the top of the jar. Add the fat to an empty vegetable can that you saved for that purpose and put the can into the freezer to be thrown out on your next trash pickup day.

Save the meat liquid in 1/2 cup Souper cubes in the freezer. When the stock is frozen, push out the cubes and place the "bricks" into a gallon size zippy bag to save for soups and other meals to add a bit more flavor.

Keystone Meats have been cooked in the can. I remove the white fat from the can and save the liquid that comes with the meat for gravy later. Yum! 

One of my girlfriends said she makes stock from beef or chicken bones that she has removed the meat from and several vegetables like carrots, celery leaves, etc.  She boils the mixture for about an hour, then lets it simmer all day to cook down and concentrate, then adds the strained liquid to a Souper Cube to freeze it. 

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Tip: Olive oil and red wine vinegar makes a great salad dressing! 

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Dairy-Free

Animal milk and milk products such as cheese is generally considered a protein, however, in my case, I use plant “milks” because I am allergic to dairy products.  I have a list of my favorite plant substitutes over in the Brand list (left side menu). 

I also take a calcium tablet since I can’t get my calcium from animal milk. 

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Coconut Yogurt/Sour Cream

1 (13.5 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk

1 (13.5 oz) can unsweetened coconut cream

1 Tablespoon coconut starter (I used So Delicious' brand of coconut yogurt with live cultures)

Sterilize a wide mouth quart sized canning jar and lid with boiling water in a mixing bowl. Remove from the boiling water, let cool on a clean kitchen towel, then pour in the two cans of coconut milk and cream into the jar. Add the starter to the jar and cover with the plastic lid. Screw on tight and shake to mix. Loosen the jar lid and let it set on the counter for at least 48 hours (or longer) at room temperature. (I set my jar next to my microwave). 

The yogurt was tart enough to be used as a sour cream. I removed 1 tablespoon of the yogurt and placed it in a small jar to be used as a starter again and placed both in the fridge. 

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Sheet Pan "Grilled" Cheese Sandwiches - 400* F., 7-10 min.

Preheat oven to 400* F. 

Spread margarine on 12 slices of wheat-free bread on one side only. 

Put 6 slices of bread, margarine side down, on a sheet pan (stainless steel rimmed cookie sheet). Put 1 slice of plant cheese on top of each slice of bread.

Then top the cheese with more bread slices, margarine side up. 

Place sheet pan in the pre-heated oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes.

Flip over half way through. 

Remove from oven when bread is golden brown!

Eat and enjoy 1 sandwich!

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Snack Packs (see Fruit post for list of finger foods) 

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Fruit

Fruit-Sweetened Recipes

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Frozen Fruit Juice Popsicles 

Can use any fruit juice to make a refreshing summertime treat to make molded frozen popsicles to eat. In addition, can mix the fruit juice with plant-based, sugar-free yogurt to add a nice taste to the popsicles too. 

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Frozen Grape Snack

Remove stems from the grapes, wash grapes in a colander, then place flat in a rimmed cookie sheet pan. Place in the freezer and freeze overnight. Remove from the freezer the next morning, dump 1/2 cup portions into 4 oz. canning jars or snack-sized zippy bags and refreeze. Remove one container at a time to eat and enjoy! 

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Fruity Gelatin

4 cups of fruit juice, divided into 1 cup and 3 cups

4 tablespoons beef gelatin powder

Pour one cup of juice into a saucepan. Add the four tablespoons of the gelatin powder to the saucepan. Mix it with a whisk until all the clumps are gone. Once all the gelatin is mixed in (looks cloudy), move the saucepan over to stove and cook on medium high heat. Heat and stir until it looks clear. Remove from heat, then stir in the rest of the juice. Stir gently to prevent air bubbles. Pour it into an 8" x 8" pan or Jell-o mold. Refrigerate at least four hours. Cut into small cubes. 

Suggestions: 

Add fruit pieces such as grape halves and chopped canned peaches to your fruity gelatin. 

Stir in a cup of Fruit Puree to the fruit and gelatin mixture just before pouring into the molding pan (see Fruit Puree recipe below)

Welch's Grape Juice is yummy!

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Fruit Puree

Thaw out a package of frozen fruit and puree in a blender. Or do the same to drained, canned fruit. Store it in a wide mouth canning jar in the refrigerator or make a Souper Cube container of it for the freezer. Since I'm allergic to applesauce and 5 other fruits, I puree those I can eat to use them in baked foods, beverages, gelatin, etc. 

Suggestions: bananas, blueberries, peaches, pears, prunes, pumpkin, raspberries

TIP for Out of Season Fruits:

I have no problem with eating commercial baby food purees, as long as I can find them without any of the ingredients I'm allergic to or restricted from eating. (see Spice post for Small Jar Tip).

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Snack Packs/Fruit and Vegetable Tray/Finger Food/ Trail Mix

Fruit:

Banana chips
Blueberries, raw or freeze dried
Cantaloupe, honeydew or watermelon balls/cubes

Coconut Flakes, unsweetened

Dates, pitted, chopped

Dried cranberries

Grapes, seedless

Peaches, freeze dried

Raspberries, raw

Dairy-Free: 

Follow My Heart or Violife plant cheese slices cut into quarters

Grain: 
Absolutely Gluten-free crackers

Chex, Corn or Rice Cereal

Fritos, Lightly salted

Granola, unsweetened

Protein:

2 hard-boiled eggs

a broiled hamburger, cut into quarters  (see Protein post for recipe)

Canadian bacon

Cashews, unsalted

cooked shrimps

cup of beef gelatin with fruit

Dino chicken nuggets, gluten-free

meatballs

mixed nuts, low-sodium

peanut butter crackers

protein bar

Pumpkin seeds, shelled

Sunflower seeds, shelled

Vegetable: 

baby carrot sticks 

Celery sticks

Harvest Snaps baked veggie snacks

potato sticks

Red, orange, and yellow bell pepper slices

snap peas

Terra Chips

Suggestions:

* Amazon carries a stainless steel 4 compartment container with a lid. Each compartment is about 5 ounces in size. We ordered a 4 pack set of these. Thought they would be great to fill and take when running errands, etc. 

* pack in a small cooler with an cold pack to keep foods cool and fresh. Add a packaged wet wipe to clean fingers. 

* Use a silicone or paper cupcake/muffin liners to create small divided spaces in the compartments of the snack tray. 

* Or  use a stainless steel cup with a silicone lid to hold a condiment or dip. 

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Grains - Corn, Oats, Rice

Breakfast Oatmeal

1 cup water

1/2 cup oats

Combine water and oats in a microwave cereal bowl. Microwave on high for 1:30 minutes. Stir before serving. CAUTION: Bowl may be hot.

* For thicker oatmeal use less water. For thinner oatmeal use more water.

* Due to differences in microwave ovens, cooking time is approximate. 

My Toppings:

1 tablespoon of peanut powder 

1 teaspoon calcium powder

5.3 ounces of unsweetened plant yogurt with fruit purée (ie. homemade or 1 baby food jar)

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Cornmeal Mush

Supplies: 
2 bowls, both big enough to hold 2 cups of water without spilling and one microwave safe
2 pats of soy-free margarine
1 whisk, 1 fork, 1 spoon
liquid measuring cup -- 1 or 2 cup
1/2 cup uncooked cornmeal
plant milk
microwave, 2 potholders and/or a bowl cozy

Directions:

1. Pour 1 cup of tap-warm water into each bowl.

2. In the non-microwavable bowl, while you are stirring the water with the whisk, dump in the cornmeal and whisk until all the cornmeal is wet and there are no dry lumps. This step is important as it reduces the cooking time.

3. Next, throw in the two pats of margarine into the microwavable bowl, place into the microwave and nuke the margarine and water for 2 minutes. (While I'm waiting, I do my leg exercises like leg lifts and balancing on one leg at a time for a count of 25.) After the bell dings, I remove the bowl with potholders and stir in the wet cornmeal with a whisk. Use a spoon to scoop the last bits of cornmeal from the bowl and stir it again in the microwavable bowl with the whisk. This will be the last time you can use the whisk.

4. Nuke it again for two minutes and remove to stir the mush with a fork or tablespoon. It will have begun to congeal at the bottom of the bowl, so you need to break it up with the stirring utensil -- I break up the lumps by cutting them with the side of the fork or spoon and then mashing them with the back of the fork or spoon. Stir it again.

5. Replace bowl in microwave and heat it again another 2 minutes. It should appear congealed at the sides with a little liquid in the center by this time (if it doesn't, after stirring, cook it at 2-minute intervals until it does). I remove the bowl from the microwave and place it into the bowl cozy, then stir in  the plant milk, and some sweetener (some low-fodmap pureed fruit like berries or a banana or stevia) with my spoon. Yum!

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I've been working on this slow-cooker macaroni and cheese recipe to get it just right. Hope you like it. 

Macaroni and Cheese

1 box (12 oz) Barilla Gluten-Free Rotini

1-2 pats of soy-free margarine

5 cups of plant milk or 4 cups of plant milk plus 1 (15 oz.) can coconut cream

1 (8 oz.) bag of plant cheese shreds

1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon paprika and turmeric

a pinch of nutmeg

optional: add canned peas, broccoli, meat like chopped ham, a can of chicken towards end of cooking time

Spray your slow cooker with soy-free cooking spray. Add the whole box of gluten-free pasta to the slow-cooker's bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients on top of the macaroni in order given. Cover and let it cook one hour on low. After 1 hour, stir all the ingredients together. Cover the pot with the lid again and cook on low 2-3 hours or until the pasta is tender. Stir just enough to keep the noodles from sticking. Don't over-stir. It's done when all the liquid is absorbed and pasta is cooked. 

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🔴 Meal Prep: Rice Krispy Breading “Flour”

 

I ran two large boxes of Rice Krispy cereal (look for the kind that doesn’t have malt in the ingredient list as that’s wheat-based) through my blender to make gluten free “panko” or breading for the oven-baked chicken.  (See the Protein post for the recipe). I store it in a half gallon sized, wide mouth canning jar and seal the lid shut after using it to keep it from becoming stale as fast. 

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Microwave Rice

Ratio: 1 cup uncooked rice to 3 cups water. 

In a microwave safe casserole dish with lid, pour 3 cups of water, then while stirring water with a spoon, pour in 1 cup of rice. Thoroughly mix rice with water until the rice is completely wet. Add 1 tablespoon margarine. Cover dish with lid and place in microwave on a paper towel.

Cook rice on high for 5 minutes, then for 20:00 minutes at half power. Let sit for a few minutes to allow rice to absorb all the water and then remove dish from microwave with hot pads and lift lid away from you, so that steam does not burn your face. Set aside. Eat or use rice with other recipes calling for cooked rice. 

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No Roll Pie Crust  - 375* F., 10-12 minutes

1 1/2 cup oat flour (You can purchase oat flour or grind it yourself in a blender)

1/4 cup olive oil

4-5 tablespoons cold water, as needed

If you want a pre-baked pie crust for cold pies, preheat the oven to 375* F. 

Mix everything together and dump the ball of dough into the pie pan and press it down with your fingers, spreading it out and up the sides of the pan. Try to make it an even thickness.  Bake it at 375* F. for 10 to 12 minutes. Pull it out of the oven when golden brown and let cool. 

However, if you want to use this crust for baking a pumpkin or fruit pie, make it and then let it chill in the refrigerator until the filling is made, pour it in and bake as usual. 

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 Snack Packs (see Fruit post for list of finger foods) 

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Protein - Beef, Chicken, Eggs, Legumes, Nuts, Seeds, Turkey

2 Ingredient Chaffle (rhymes with waffle)

1 large egg

1/2 cup plant cheese shreds

Optional: add a can of tuna or chicken, drained

Spray a waffle iron with non-stick oil spray and let it heat up. Mix the egg and cheese together in a bowl with a fork. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of the batter to the waffle iron and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the light on top goes out and the steam quits. The chaffle is done when golden brown. Repeat two more times for a total of 3 waffles. Serve hot or warm. 

Tips:

Can eat two as a hamburger bun. 

I haven't tried this yet, but I was told you can pull them straight out of the waffle iron, while still warm and drape them into a taco shell press tool. Let cool while in the tool. 

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7 - Can Slow Cooker Soup

1 (28 oz.) can meat (see my list of brands)

6 (15 oz.) cans of various low-sodium vegetables, drained (my hubby found various cans of veggies in our pantry - beets, black beans, carrots, corn, green beans, hominy, peas, potatoes, etc. )

1/2 to 3/4 cup rice

6 cups cold water or stock

2 tablespoons beef gelatin

1 teaspoon each of the Italian herbs - oregano, basil, marjoram, thyme

1 teaspoon dried celery powder

Dump all ingredients into the slow-cooker. Heat on high for several hours or on low all day or overnight. 

TIP: We had leftovers. I got 2 (1/2 cup) Souper Cube trays for Christmas and I used them for some of the soup leftovers. My husband said he liked them because it was easy to figure out portions. We popped out the frozen cubes and stored them in a zippy bag in the freezer. 

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Baked Egg Loaf - 350* F., 50-55 minutes

7 eggs

1 (15 oz.) can mixed vegetables or 2 cups any chopped vegetables you have on hand 

1 cup plant cheese shreds 

optional: sprinkle spice mix on top (see Spice post for recipe)

Preheat oven to 350* F. Spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with baking oil. Steam whatever chopped veggies you have on hand or use the 1 can of mixed vegetables, then transfer to the loaf pan and spread out. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and the plant cheese shreds. Add plant milk if needed for more moisture. Pour into the loaf pan evenly. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until the top of the loaf is golden. Allow to set in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool before slicing. 

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Meal Prep: Boiled Eggs

6 eggs (optional: or more)

Place the eggs down in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring the water to a hard boil on the stove set on high with big bubbles coming to the top. Turn the stove off and cover the sauce pan. Let it sit until the saucepan is cool and then pour the warm water out and rinse the eggs in cold water until they can be handled. Place all the eggs in a canning jar, cover and store in the fridge. When they are good and cold, you can peel and then use the eggs for a snack, carob pudding (see "Treat" post for recipe), deviled eggs, egg salad sandwiches, eggs on toast, sliced up on top of  a lettuce salad as your protein, snack packs, etc. 

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Meal Prep: Becky's Boiled Hamburger

• Place hamburger in a deep stove-top saucepan.
• Add enough water to cover the meat.
• If the meat stays in clumps, break it apart with two forks until it is in small crumbles.
• Slowly bring to a boil, stirring often so the meat stays separated.
• Lower the temperature, cover and simmer until the meat is brown and cooked, about 15 minutes.
• Drain. Set up a colander or strainer inside of a large bowl. Pour the pot of boiled beef through the colander, and the bowl will catch the greasy water. Then you can gently rinse the beef after draining if needed to help remove extra fat. Pour the water into a jar, cap and store in frig to harden the fat. Scrap the congealed fat off the top of the hamburger water and use it for soups or other dishes when you need some moisture. 
• Either use the hamburger right away or freeze it for later use. 

   8. Can use the boiled hamburger for: Sandwiches, Soup, Spaghetti, etc.

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Broiled Hamburgers

I have been broiling pre-made frozen hamburger patties in my oven on high. Takes 4 minutes each side and they are done. I bought a stainless steel BBQ grill drip pan at World’s Market that fits over the top of my stainless steel 13 inch x 9 inch cake pan. Fits like it was made for it. The fat from the hamburgers drains away into the cake pan and they are done in 8 minutes flat! I broil six hamburgers at a time and store the extras in the fridge for my lunches. I love this new way to cook them and they don’t taste any different from the fried hamburgers.

TIP: And I drain all the fat and juices from the pan into a clean vegetable can that I save for that purpose and store in the freezer until the can is full and then hubby takes it out with the garbage on trash day.

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Egg Sandwich

1-2 eggs

Portion Control: 1 slice of wheat-free toasted bread, cut in half (My idea of a decent sandwich is two pieces of bread.)

soy-free margarine

Break egg(s) into a square glass bowl and whip with a fork. Nuke in the microwave 1:30 to 2:00 minutes. Meanwhile, toast bread slice in a dedicated wheat-free toaster and when done, remove to a clean plate. While the bread is still warm, spread soy-free margarine over one side of the bread and cut into half. Remove cooked egg from the microwave, cut in half, then transfer egg onto half bread slice and cover with the remaining half of bread. Yum!

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Meal Prep: Slow-Cooker Chicken 

1. Place chicken breasts in the the slow-cooker.

2. Pour water over the chicken to barely cover it.

3. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

4. Confirm the internal temperature reaches at least 165* F. with a meat thermometer stuck in the largest portion of the breast.

5. Pull chicken out and place on a plate to let cool.  When cool to the touch, take two forks and pull meat apart or run through a grinder for sandwich meat. Pack into freezer containers and put them away until you need one for a recipe. 

6. Ladle the cooked chicken broth into canning jars and cover. When cool to the touch, refrigerate. Remove fat that floated to the top of the jars and freeze the stock water in 1/2 cup Souper Cubes to use later in other dishes to give them a bit more flavor. Be sure to label and date. 

Can use in soups, chicken & egg noodles, chicken salad sandwiches, etc. 

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Meatloaf, Low Fodmap - 350* F, 55-60 minutes

 

2 1/2 pieces wheat-free white bread

1/2 cup plant milk

1 1/2 pounds hamburger (ground beef)

2 large eggs

1 medium carrot, finely chopped in blender

1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped in blender too

1 tablespoon coconut aminos

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley and dried thyme

Soak bread in plant milk, preheat oven and then hand squish all ingredients together in a bowl until thoroughly mixed. Pat down into a loaf pan and bake in the oven at 350* F. for 55 to 60 minutes. Good with a baked potato! (see "Vegetable" post for directions to microwave a baked potato). 

TIP: I have a meatloaf pan that contains a drip pan that drains the grease off the meatloaf as it cooks. I believe I bought it at J.C. Penney's many years ago. However, I came across a similar pan at Walmart recently!

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Muffin Egg Bites - 400* F., 15 minutes

1 slice of turkey bacon per muffin well

1 egg per muffin cup well

1/8 cup (coffee measuring scoop) Violife cheese shreds

Sprinkle of Salt-free spice blend (see Spice post for recipe)

Line the inside of the muffin well with the turkey bacon like a cupcake liner. Break an egg into each well inside the bacon. Add the 1/8 cup of cheese shreds to the top of the egg and sprinkle on top of that a little salt-free spice blend. Bake at 400* F. for 15 minutes.

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Oven-Baked Chicken   375 degrees F., 50 minutes

gallon size zippy bag

2 - 2 1/2 cups (more or less) crushed corn flakes, Rice Krispies, Chex corn or rice cereal

1/2 teaspoon each: basil, oregano, parsley and thyme

1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut amino

6 chicken breasts

Preheat the oven at 375 degrees F., then oil a stainless steel or cast iron skillet, set aside. 

Rinse chicken pieces in a bowl of water, then dip the chicken breasts in the coconut amino. 

For the crumb mixture, crush cereal in the zippy bag with a rolling pin or blender. Throw in the herbs and shake to mix. Remove chicken breasts one at a time from the coconut amino and place the chicken breast into the bag of crushed cereal. Close the bag and shake it to coat the chicken with the crushed cereal. Remove chicken from the bag and then place chicken, skin side up in the skillet. 

Bake in a 375 degree oven uncovered for about 50 minutes or till tender. Turn with a spatula halfway through baking time. Chicken is done when it is easily pierced with a fork. Makes 6 servings. 

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Slow-Cooker Black and White Beans

2 (15 oz.) cans black beans

2 (15 oz.) cans white northern beans

3 3/4 cups of water or homemade, low-sodium meat or vegetable stock 

Rinse the canned beans in a sieve or colander and then dump all the ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low all day or on high for a half day for dinner/supper. 

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Snack Packs (see Fruit post for list of finger foods) 

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What are Little Girls Made Of? Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice!

 ⮞ Variety may be the spice of life, however, ⮜
 there is no garlic or onion here! 

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Dried Celery Powder - 1 substitute flavor for garlic or onions

If you have a home dehydrator, wash, then chop up several stalks of celery into about 1 inch pieces and dehydrate. 

I purchased a container of dried celery pieces from Amazon. When it came I dumped the dried celery out into a bowl, saving the container and lid for later and then ran the dried celery several times through my Magic Bullet blender until it became powdery. To make sure there were no large bits in the powder, I dumped the powder through a sieve into a bowl after the blender step and anything that was caught in the sieve went back into the Magic Bullet. When all the celery was pulverized, I dumped it all back in the original container and screwed back on the lid. I use it from time to time in my foods to give it added flavor. 

Amazon: Dried Carrot Pieces

Amazon: Dried Red Sweet Peppers

Grind same as for the dried celery powder. 

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SMALL JAR TIP: I have a collection of small glass jars. I use them as containers for the spices and herbs I purchase in bulk from Amazon, county or state fairs, ethnic, farmer's markets, or organic grocery stores, street markets, vendor shows, etc.

I also have collected a number of different lids for the jars. My most helpful ones are the flat sealing lid and ring (canning jar Genie vacuum sealer), white plastic lids, and shaker lids. 

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Salt-Free Herb Blend

1 bottle dried thyme

1 bottle dried sage

1 bottle dried rosemary

1 bottle dried marjoram

Buy one bottle of each (about the same size) of the herbs above and dump all of them into a bowl, saving the bottles, shaker lids, and bottle lids. Set aside. Stir all ingredients together, then grind a small amount at a time in a Magic Bullet or other small blender until the herb mixture is a fine powder. Dump the powder into another bowl and continue to grind until the first bowl is empty. When all the herbs have been ground into a fine powder, return spoonfuls of the mixture into the saved bottles, using a small funnel as needed. When each bottle is full, snap the shaker lids back on, cover with a saved jar lid and label. Sprinkle over foods as you would salt. Yum!

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Shelley's Baking Powder Recipe

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Equals 1 teaspoon baking powder. 

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Treats

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Banana Cookies - 350* F. for 20 min.

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup dried blueberries, cranberries, raspberries or other low-fodmap dried fruit

1/3 cup oil (coconut or corn)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in all the other ingredients. Mix well and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drop teaspoonfuls on cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes in the oven or until lightly brown. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

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 Snack Packs (see Fruit post for list of finger foods) 

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Vegetables

Abby's Spinach Soup

Combine 5 cups homemade meat stock + a pinch of salt unless stock is salty to begin with and 1/4 cup Arborio (short-grained) rice in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, cook 15 minutes.

1 pound or 14 cups (12 oz.) greens (I use spinach, not kale as in the original recipe).  Meanwhile, wash leaves and remove ribs. Abby suggested to not use pre-chopped bags of kale because all of the tough ribs are included and they are very hard to puree. Coarsely chop.

When the rice has cooked 15 minutes, stir in greens; return to simmer. Cover and cook until spinach is tender & wilted, about 15 minutes total. Use immersion blender to puree. Can drizzle in olive oil; a pinch of black pepper, to taste. Can add in more stock to thin soup if you think it is too thick. Ladle soup over crusty wheat-free bread. 

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Grandma Marie's Cooked Turnips

1. Wash up turnips if they are fresh from the garden. Cut off tops, root end and thinly peel.
2. Slice turnips (abt. ¼" wide) into a saucepan and cover with water.
3. Bring to a boil and cook at least 10 minutes or until the slices are fork-tender.
4. Remove from heat, pour water off, then cover with fresh water. Return to medium heat, throw in a chunk of margarine (abt. 1 tablespoon). Cook until margarine is melted. Remove from heat and serve.

She said the first boiling removes the bitterness from the turnips. I've had these many times and they are very good. 

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Roasted Vegetables - 425* F., 45 min.

olive oil

2 pounds assorted root vegetables, peeled and cut into wedges (beets, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.)

1 teaspoon of rosemary

2 teaspoons dried thyme (or Salt-Free Herb Blend, see "Spice" post)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, including splashes of the olive oil and herbs, tossing until all veggies are well coated.  In a large shallow roasting pan or a jelly-roll cooking sheet, evenly spread out the vegetables. Roast in the oven, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes or until vegetables are fork-tender and crispy on the outside. 

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Salad Toppings

Black beans or peas, canned and drained

Blueberries, either fresh or freeze dried

Carrots, peeled and shredded

Croutons, wheat-free and toasted

Cucumber, peeled and diced

Dried cranberries or craisins

Frito or Tortilla Corn Chips, crumbled 

Hard-boiled eggs, sliced or crumbled

Hamburger meatballs, boiled

Homemade Salad Dressing (see "Condiments" for recipe) or olive oil and red wine vinegar

Potato sticks (reminds me of wheat-based Chinese noodles. Has the same crunch.)

Red, Orange, and Yellow Bell Peppers, seeded and diced

Sunflower seeds, hulled

Violife or Follow My Heart plant cheese shreds 

Walnuts, chopped

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Meal Prep: Salad in a Jar - add ingredients to make 3 or 4 quart-sized canning jars at a time. Start with the bottom layer and work your way up to the top. Cover and store in refrigerator for lunches.  Yum! 🩷

1. Top layer (next to canning jar lid): any of the above salad toppings

2. Next layer down: a handful of lettuce and/or fresh herbs

3. Middle layer: Beans or peas (canned, drained)

4. Next layer:  Your choice of 1/4 cups of diced veggies - beets (drained, pickled), black olives (drained, sliced),  carrots (peeled, shredded),  corn (canned, drained), cucumbers (peeled, diced), dried cranberries,  red, orange or yellow bell peppers (seeded, diced), 

 

5. Bottom (wet) layer: favorite salad dressing or 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

To eat, flip jar upside down and shake ingredients into a salad bowl, add sliced deli meats and enjoy with wheat-free flatbreads or crackers. 

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Snack Packs (see Fruit post for list of finger foods) 

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Slow Cooker "Baked" Potatoes

4 pounds (6-8 medium) russet potatoes 

2 tablespoons olive oil

Scrub potatoes clean and dry. Spray sides and bottom of slow-cooker with olive oil. Rub potatoes with olive oil. Place directly in slow cooker (no foil, no water). Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours. Done when fork slides in easily. Great to use when you have a family dinner or a crowd! 

I'm gonna try this with sweet potatoes next! 

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Stacked Baked Potatoes

1. Layer: Bake (350*F., 1 hour) or nuke (high, 5-7 minutes) washed and unpeeled white potatoes. Cut open, mash the potato with a fork and slather insides with soy-free margarine on your dinner plate. Sprinkle salt-free herbal mixture (see "Spice" post) on top of the flattened potato.

2. Add your choice of meat next. 

3. Add your vegetables on top of that. I enjoy steamed broccoli or mixed vegetables. 

4. Lastly, add cooked bacon bits or a sprinkle of vegan cheese shreds on top of the vegetables.

5. Nuke in the microwave for about 1:30 seconds. The vegan cheese doesn’t melt down like real cheese, but it does get softer if you cook it for a little longer.

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Taco Salad

Base Salad -

1 large or 2 smaller bags of pre-cut salad mix

1-2 pounds of boiled hamburger or left-over broiled hamburgers, chopped

1 bag of safe tortilla chips, crushed

Mix all these ingredients together in a large serving or mixing bowl.

Other Family Members - small side bowls

1 package cherry tomatoes, rinsed

1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, drained & rinsed

chopped spring onions

shredded cheese

1 bottle of Dorthy Lynch salad dressing or salsa

Mine - small side bowls

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 package dairy-free cheese shreds

olive oil & red wine vinegar

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