Eating In: Maw Maw's Meatloaf with Tangy Brown Sugar Glaze

This recipe was one of my favorites growing up. It was always my requested meal on birthdays and weekends home from college. Still today, when my mom asks me what I would like her to cook on visits home, the answer is, Maw Maw' s meatloaf.

Read a little about the woman my grandmother was here: Little Davenport Memorial Page

This is SUPER easy to convert to a gluten free meal. The only one ingredient you need to change is the slice of bread. The brand Lea and Perrins Worcester sauce sauce is gluten-free. See my BBQ post for the confusion over vinegar.

I served my meatloaf with smashed and roasted  "Teeny Tiny Potatoes". (Look for for upcoming blog on how to do the potatoes. I should have it up by the end of the week.) My mom always served it with sour cream mashed potatoes, but I wanted to try something new.

Maw Maw' s Meatloaf w/Tangy Brown Sugar Glaze:

Makes four slices. I would double for a family of 4.

Meatloaf:
1 pound of ground beef (could do half of it as ground Turkey to cut the fat)
1/2 a large onion finely minced
1 egg
2 slices of Udi' s gluten-free bread (1 slice of regular loaf bread for gluten eaters)
1/4 cup of milk
2 Tbs tablespoon of Ketchup
1 teaspoon of Mustard (French' s is gluten-free)
1 teaspoon of Worcester Sauce (Lea & Perrins brand is gluten-free)
1/2 teaspoon of Salt
1/2 teaspoon of Pepper

Mix the ground beef, onion, egg, ketchup, mustard, Worcester sauce, salt and pepper. I mix with my hands. Let bread soak in milk (May not need all of milk). Squish milk and bread until bread is a sloppy, mushy paste. Mix bread and meat mixture until all is incorporated.

Bake for 30 minutes on 400. Check on the meatloaf every 10 minutes and pour out grease in pan. After the first 10 minutes, baste the meatloaf with the glaze below. You should baste at least 2 times.


Glaze:
1/4 cup of Ketchup
1/3 packed cup of Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon of Worcester Sauce (Lea & Perrins brand is gluten-free)
2 teaspoons of Mustard (French' s is gluten-free)

Melt sugar and ketchup in small dish for 20 seconds in the microwave. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. I always make extra because this sauce is addictive, and everyone will want to add more to their slice at meal time.

This meal is GREAT leftover!!!

Eating In: Slow-cooker Peach Salsa BBQ Chicken

The Battle of Gluten-Intolerance and BBQ. 

Can I have BBQ!? There is controversy among the vinegar in the BBQ itself. The vinegar is what prevents the BBQ sauce from being "gluten-free". I did my research and now understand the debate, so I can now share that information with you. Learn more about what gluten-intolerance is in my post:
My Journey Towards Gluten Intolerance 

About.com really dives into the confusion with vinegar in their article 

Is Vinegar Gluten-Free?

By Jane Anderson,

“…many experts consider almost all types of vinegar — including vinegar created from gluten grains — to be safe on the gluten-free diet, because the vinegar distillation process breaks down and eliminates the gluten protein fragments. But other experts question the safety of anything that starts out its life as gluten grains, noting that the available testing technology for gluten doesn't always pick up fragments of the protein that may nonetheless cause people to react.And finally, you've got people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity who absolutely, without question, suffer a gluten reaction when they consume vinegar derived from gluten grains, regardless of what either group of experts says.”

I have noticed that vinegar does not bother me personally. You really have to test it out for yourself. To stay on the safe side, look for a gluten-free BBQ sauce that you like. Look at my grocery shopping list for gluten free ideas for BBQ sauce. 

This recipe was an easy dump it and leave it meal. When I am making meat in the slow-cooker, I like to prepare it the night before and let the frozen meat thaw and marinate in the pot overnight. Last night I put 4 frozen chicken breasts in the slow-cooker pot with BBQ sauce and peach salsa (see recipe below). I put the ingredients in the the pot and let it sit in the fridge overnight. This morning before we went to church, I placed the pot in the slow-cooker and put it on high. Food was ready to go when we got back from church! I served it up with some yummy sweet potato tots that I found at Trader Joe's. This was NGFE (non gluten-free eater) approved  My honey gobbled it up while watching his beloved INDY car race. Super easy, super quick, and super tasty! 

Slow-Cooker Peach Salsa BBQ Chicken 

4 Chicken Breasts (Thawed)
1/2 cup of BBQ sauce
1 container of peach or fruit salsa (
 *I used Trader Joe's Peach Salsa found here

Cook in slow-cooker on high for 4 hours
Once cooked thoroughly, shred with two forks.
Place shredded chicken back in sauce until ready to serve.

I served my BBQ with Udi's Gluten-Free Hamburger Buns. I paired my sandwich with sweet-potato tater-tots, potato salad, and RedBridge gluten-free beer. (Items found on my Gluten-Free Shopping List)

My Journey Towards a Gluten –Free Diet: What is Gluten-Intolerance?!

My Journey Towards a Gluten –Free Diet.

What is Gluten-Intolerance?!

The following information I found in the article Marsh Stage of Celiac Disease

From Nancy Lapid on celiacdisease.about.com. You can read more information on the website here:

Basically there are different levels of Celiac called Marsh Stages:

The stages are based on the damage found on the small intestines through a biopsy. They range from 0 (not affected by gluten)  to 4 (highly affect by gluten).

I myself did not have a test to determine if I had gluten intolerance. I was tired of feeling bad all the time. I was always tired, run down and constantly trying to find energy. My face was always broken out, and I couldn't lose weight. Furthermore  I had gas all the time! (Sorry for the TMI)

Natural New's lists the following symptoms on their article: 

Six Signs You Might Have Gluten Sensitivity and Not Know It

"(1) Obviously, there are gastrointestinal (GI), stomach, and digestive problems. These can include one or some of the following: Gas, bloating, queasiness, abdominal cramping, constipation, diarrhea, or an alternating combination of both - IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).

(2) Headaches and/or migraines.

(3) Fibromyalgia is not a disease, it's a syndrome. Getting a medical diagnosis is bogus. You don't need to be told you have muscular and connecting tissue aches and pains. That's what fibromyalgia means. Fibro= Connective Tissue; Myo= Muscle; Algia= Pain. Thus fibromyalgia.

(4) Emotional issues involving chronic irritability and sudden, irrational mood shifts.

(5) Neurological issues, including dizziness, difficulty balancing, and peripheral neuropathy affecting nerves outside the central nervous system and resulting in pain, weakness, tingling or numbness in the extremities.

(6) Fatigue, whether chronic or almost after every meal. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is, like fibromyalgia, a syndrome, not a disease. If that's what you're diagnosed with, it means your doctor can't locate the cause of your fatigue."

Learn more on their website.

I was desperate to feel better and lose weight so I searched out an answer. The answer I found was the Virgin Diet book by J. J. Virgin. View her website here for more information.

The Virgin Diet method:

"A negative reaction to certain foods like dairy or gluten can sabotage your health by triggering inflammation and causing a host of nasty symptoms like bloating, breakouts, headaches, achy joints and—worst of all—stubborn weight gain.

On The Virgin Diet, you’ll eat plenty of anti-inflammatory, healing foods to reclaim your health and reset your metabolism, while avoiding the 7 foods that are most likely to cause food intolerance."

What I did was cut out those 7 foods (one of them being gluten). Once you have allowed your body enough time to heal, you slowly add those foods back in your diet, to see what your body reacts to. Once I started adding gluten back into my diet, I noticed how crappy gluten was making me feel. One thing I noticed was how gluten made me feel depressed! This is why I chose to cut out gluten completely from my diet. I also found a sensitivity to soy, and I try and cut that out as much as possible (which is hard because soy is in EVERYTHING!)

Eating In: Grilled Fruit

This morning for breakfast I wanted a quick and sweet element to add to the usual bacon and eggs. Before I switched to the gluten-free life-style, I was whipping up a quick batch of pancakes. There are some gluten-free options for pancakes, but I didn't have any on hand this morning.

I search through the fridge to see what I can find. I found two nectarines that needed to be eaten soon. If you're like me, you get a little excited at the grocery store. I always buy way too much fresh produce. However, this buyer's remorse does lead to some wonderful and unique creations.

I racked my brain and remembered the yummy grilled bananas I had made for a dessert one night. That's it...grilled fruit with syrup drizzled on top!!

I grilled fruit variations before with honey drizzled on top too. However, I figured since it was breakfast, why not try the syrup. It was delicious! I felt like I was at IHOP ordering one of those stuffed fruit french toasts. I loved that this was a healthy low-carb alternative to the former breakfast I mentioned. I recommend you give it a try...try your favorite fruit! It doesn't hurt to try.  Once again this is boyfriend approved (non gluten-free eater). Possibilities are endless!!

Grilled Fruit:
Slice fruit of choice
Rub grill with oil (I used sunflower oil and a George Foreman Grill)
Grill for 5 minutes
drizzle with your favorite topping (see suggestions below)

Suggested toppings: 
Honey
Syrup
Chocolate syrup
Fruit syrup (water down your favorite jelly)
Caramel

Eating In: Gluten Free Homemade Pizza

One thing that I miss as a new gluten free eater is pizza. It is so hard to find a good gluten free pizza. 

There are several places that I order from that has decent pizza. However, this recipe from my dear friend Sarah, is THE BEST I have had yet! 

Sarah's blog is very informative. She really needs credit for all of my gluten free knowledge, she has taught me everything I know. Please visit her blog Mom's Kitchen Desk for more information! She not only eats gluten free, but she also feeds her children on the Feingold diet. I stand behind this diet 100 percent. 

The Feingold Program eliminates these additives:

• Artificial (synthetic) coloring
• Artificial (synthetic) flavoring
• Aspartame (Nutrasweet, an artificial sweetener)
• Artificial (synthetic) preservatives BHA, BHT, TBHQ

Please go to their Feingold's website for more information!

Back to pizza...

This recipe is so easy! All you do is throw all the ingredients in a bowl and mix! Sarah recommended that I make a big batch so you can freeze individual crusts for a quick and easy dinner on a week night. The fun part is getting creative with toppings. This night I topped my pizza with the following: leftover spaghetti sauce, gf pepperoni, gf salami, onions, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil and mozzarella cheese.  See below for pizza crust recipe.

Make Your Own Pizza: 
Pick from each column (see below for crust recipe)

Sauce	Veggies and Fruit	Meats	Cheese	Herbs and Nuts
Marinara Thai peanut Alfredo Pesto Salsa Enchilada	Onions Sun dried tomatoes Fresh tomatoes Spinach Bell peppers Olives Avocado Black beans Mushrooms Garlic Snow peas Corn Jalapeno peppers Pineapple Apples	Pepperoni Salami Ground beef Sausage (see my grocery list for suggestions) Chicken Steak Ham Bacon Eggs Meatballs Turkey	Blue cheese Cheddar Feta Gorgonzola Parmesan Mozzarella Provolone Pepper Jack Ricotta	Fresh Basil Fresh cilantro Oregano Peanuts Pecans Walnuts

Unique pizza combos:

Thai Pizza: peanut sauce, thinly sliced carrots, snow peas, diced chicken, cilantro, peanuts

BBQ Chicken Pizza: BBQ sauce, grilled onions, diced chicken, cilantro

Tomato Basil Pizza: marinara sauce, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, Gorgonzola cheese

Mexican Pizza: salsa (or enchilada sauce, or re-fried beans), ground beef, onions, bell peppers, corn, black beans, avocado, olives, pepper jack cheese, cilantro

Fajita Pizza: salsa (or queso cheese), grilled chicken or steak, grilled onions, grilled bell peppers, diced tomatoes, avocado, cilantro 

Philly Cheese-Steak Pizza: Olive Oil, grilled steak, grilled onions, grilled peppers, provolone cheese

Hawaiian Pizza: marinara, pineapple, onions, ham

Greek Pizza: pesto sauce, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, artichokes, feta cheese

White Pizza: Alfredo sauce, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, onions, mushrooms, feta, (or Parmesan, or mozzarella)

Breakfast Pizza: eggs, cheddar cheese, bacon, sausage, onions, bell peppers

Thanksgiving Pizza: Gravy, turkey, cranberries, onions, Parmesan cheese

Dessert Pizza: Caramel sauce, apples, cinnamon (possibilities are endless here!)

Sarah's Pizza Crust Recipe: 

**=my personal notes

1 Tbsp dry yeast

2/3 cup brown rice flour (or your favorite GF flour)

1/2 cup+2Tbsp tapioca flour

2 tsp xanthan or guar gum

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp unflavored gelatin

1 tsp italian seasoning **leave out if you are doing dessert pizza, maybe do cinnamon instead)

2/3 cup warm water

1/2 tsp sugar or honey

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp vinegar or cider vinegar if stage 2

Preheat oven to 425.

Blend all ingredients on low speed until blended. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. 

Grease (I use olive oil) 12 inch pizza pan and spread the dough in the pan. I coat my hands in olive oil so I can spread it more easily. Make edges slightly thicker to hold toppings. 

**I use cake pans to make personal pizza's

Bake pizza crust for 10 minutes, remove from oven and spread pizza crust with your favorite sauce and toppings. Bake another 12-20 minutes or until toppings are cooked to your liking. 

Double or triple your recipe for a quick weeknight meal. Let them cool completely, then freeze them with wax paper separating them. This makes for a very easy make your own pizza night.

Eating In: 10 Minute Gluten Free Dinner (Chicken Sausage)

It is always nice to have some super quick meals on hand. I'm a teacher, and there are so many nights that I am too tired too cook, I don't want to eat out, and I want a home cooked meal. What's a girl to do!? These Italian sausages are my go to food. I always make sure I have some in the fridge! The roasted broccoli and left over spicy brown rice were perfect partner for this 10 minute meal. I always have cooked rice on hand for a quick meal. Look for my blog post on roasted broccoli for a super quick and yummy side dish. And can't forget to mention that this meal is gluten eater approved! My gluten eating boyfriend loved this meal!!

The brand I bought this go around was Johnsonville. There are several more that offer a yummy gluten free sausage. I bought these at Publix. They really make gluten free shopping easy.

Gluten free chicken sausage brand list:
Johnsonville chicken sausage (3 Cheese Italian) **coupon available**
al fresco chicken sausages in several flavors
Wellshire Farms chicken sausage
Aidells chicken sausage in several unique flavors
Trader Joe's chicken sausage (Spicy Jalapeno)