Berry Baked Oatmeal - Gluten and Dairy Free

***One of my children has become severely allergic to oats...so while I do make this for the rest of the family occasionally, I don’t do it very often.***

Baked Oatmeal is pretty much my favorite.  

It super simple.  It's super healthy.  You can make it the night before.  It makes great leftovers. Everyone loves it. It feels like a dessert for breakfast.  

You just really can't go wrong. Berry Baked Oatmeal is one of our favorites.  

Berry Baked Oatmeal - Gluten and Dairy Free

**You can make this even easier by assembling it the night before. Then just pop it in the oven in the morning.**

 6 c. oats 

1 c. applesauce 

1/3  c. brown sugar

2 eggs (or another 1/2 c. applesauce) 

2 1/4 c. milk of choice (or water) (I use half canned coconut milk to make it extra yummy)

4 tsp. baking powder 

1 tsp. salt 

1 heaping tsp. cinnamon 

2 tsp.  vanilla 

2 c. frozen (or fresh) mixed berries 

Cinnamon and sugar for the top 

Combine all ingredients directly in a 9 x 13 pan. Stir until well combined.  Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on the top. Bake at 350* for 40 mins, until set. 

We eat it two ways: 

1)  Cakey - sliced on a plate, like a piece of cake

2) Milkey - in a bowl chopped up with milk 

Enjoy! 

Creamy Crockpot Chicken Potato Soup - Dairy and Gluten Free

When I first started eating dairy free I missed eating "creamy" things.  It's a feeling, I think, more than anything else.  You know:  that feel in your mouth of eating creamy things.  Odd, right?

So, when I started making soups dairy free and I wanted a creamy soup, I found I could blend up the potatoes and it would make a nice creamy base.  No cream, milk, butter, or anything!

It was a miracle! A dairy free diet miracle! 

It looks orange because I can't help but add all the veggies (carrots) I can find to any soup I make.  But it tastes just like normal potato soup. 

Creamy Crockpot Chicken Potato Soup - Dairy and Gluten Free

10 medium sized potatoes, unpeeled and diced 

4 c. chicken broth 

1 c. water

2 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts

small, diced onion (optional)

4-5 carrots, finely diced 

2-3 stalks of celery, finely diced 

2 c. cabbage, finely diced 

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper 

kale, finely diced

Add, all ingredients, except kale, to crockpot and cook on high for 4 1/2 -5 hours.  Remove the chicken and shred.  Before returning use an immersion blender in the soup and blend to desired creaminess.  (Alternately you can put the soup in your blender and blend it.)  I like to keep a few chunks, but make it pretty creamy.  Add the chicken back in.  Add the kale.  

Enjoy! 

Spicy Pork Roast - Gluten and Dairy Free

 Do you ever get those sirloin tip pork roasts at Costco? They are a great deal and super yummy.  

Spicy Pork Roast- Gluten and Dairy Free

1 1/4 Tbsp paprika

1/4 tsp. black pepper 

pinch of red pepper 

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. oregano 

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder 

2 Tbsp olive oil 

Mix all spices with olive oil and let sit for a few minutes to thicken.  Rub into pork roast, covering all sides.  Line a baking sheet with tin foil and place a cookie rack on top.  Cook roast on the rack in 350* oven for about 1 1/2 hours.   Check to be sure roast reaches internal temperature of 145*. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. 

Enjoy! 

Simple Chicken Salad - Gluten and Dairy Free

 The most simple meal you could ask for . . . you can assemble it in 5 minutes, literally. 

Your welcome. 

Simple Gluten and Dairy Free Chicken Salad

1 can of GF chicken, drained and rinsed 

mayonnaise (make sure it has distilled vinegar only)

1 stick of celery, diced

1 medium apple, diced 

hemp hearts (optional)

salt 

pepper  

Mix all ingredients together.  Serve on safe bread, crackers, or even with tortilla chips. 

Enjoy! 

Gluten Free Dairy Free Spaghetti

Growing up, my mom basically made all the food, but occasionally on Sunday's my dad would cook.  He had two specialties: spaghetti and mashed potatoes. 

They were delicious.  His spaghetti was full of meat and perfectly flavored.  His mashed potatoes, we often joked, were grey due to the enormous amount of pepper he would add.  But they were so good.  

Now, I make both and think of him often.  My spaghetti sauce is his same recipe . . . just with all the extra vegetables I can conceivably add.  'Cause you know me:  veggies for the win!

Gluten Free Dairy Free Spaghetti 
~1 lb of ground beef
diced onions
2 cans of stewed tomatoes (chop up the tomatoes a bit)
2  cans of tomato sauce (8 oz)
1 tsp oregano*
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp sugar*

Optional:  add these to sauce after browning the hamburger: 

chopped bell peppers, any or all colors
2 finely diced carrots
2 finely diced celery
chopped mushrooms (or canned)

(*My dad never measured these spices, so neither do I. Just add to your taste, or follow these amounts if it makes you feel better.)

***If you are going to make zucchini noodles, like we do, start them first so they will have time to "sweat". See directions below.***

Brown the ground beef.  Add all the veggies, if using, and cook until tender.  Add tomatoes and sauce.  Add spices.  Turn heat to low and simmer.

*Sugar is often added to tomato sauces, because it neutralizes the acid in the tomatoes.

We love to eat spaghetti with zucchini noodles.  The GF noodles available are not our favorite, but having zucchini noodles makes this meal perfect!

To make zucchini noodles: 
Grate zucchini's with a mandolin, or spirilizer
Place in colander to drain
Heavily salt
Allow zucchini to drain, or "sweat" for 20-30 mins


Enjoy! 

Allergen Free Candy List

Every candy oriented holiday that comes around has me searching labels, googling brands and candy, and trying to answer over and over again: 

"Can I eat it? Can I eat it?" 

My ever wise teenager suggested that I post a list on here. 

Yes, good idea, teenager! 

These candies are all FREE of my kids allergens* (except red food dye - but that child knows how to avoid it): 

*Airheads 

*Altoids

*Bottlecaps 

*Candy Canes 

*Candy necklaces/bracelets

*Charms Blow Pops 

*Circus Peanuts 

*Dots 

*Dum dums 

*Everlasting Gobstoppers

*Fun dip**

*Good and fruity

*Hot Tamales 

*Jelly Bellies 

*Jolly Rancher hard candy
*Laffytaffy

*Lifesavers 

*Lifesavers Gummies

*Mike and Ikes 

*Nerds 

*Pixy Stix**

*Runts 

*Skittles 

*Smarties 

*Smarties brand Conversation Hearts 

*Sour Patch Kids 

*Starburst 

*Sweetarts 

*Swedish Fish

*Tictacs

I'm sure this list will be changing with time:  things added to it, things taken off of it.  

But for now . . . here it is!  Lots of "safe" candies to eat!



*It is always wise to recheck ingredients and make sure everything is safe, as ingredients are known to change over time.

**Pixy Stix and Fun Dips are the WORST CANDIES EVER.  I allow my kids to have them, under one condition:  They must be eaten outside. I have swept up one too many piles of spilled, colored sugar which immediately turns to stickiness when around children.  

Pumpkin Cinnamon Apple Chips

 I have tried doubling this recipe and still . .  . the piggies children scarf them down in 5 seconds flat and argue about who ate the most. 

A good sign, I'm thinking. 

I will triple it the next time I make it. 

Pumpkin Cinnamon Apple Chips - Allergen Free

3 medium apples

pumpkin pie spice 

Thinly slice the apples and sprinkle with the spice. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 200*. Bake the apples for 1 1/2 hours.  Flip the apples over and bake for another hour.  Check to see if they are done.  If you'd like them crunchier keep them in longer.  

**The key to this recipe is to start well in advance to when you'd like them to be done! No dilly-dallying with this one! 

Simple Oven Baked Chicken- Gluten and Dairy Free

This chicken is great for a little bit fancier meal, that you just can't spend too much time on.  Which is pretty much the story of my life:  I want it to be nice, without putting forth too much effort. 

What does that say about me? Lazy? Actually busy? Pathetic? 

Not sure. 

Simple Oven Baked Chicken - Gluten and Dairy Free 

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast, defrosted and sliced in half

olive oil 

1 1/2 tsp. parsley

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. garlic 

1 tsp. basil

Preheat oven to 400*. Brush both sides of chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with the spices.  Bake in 9 x 13 pan, uncovered, for 40-45 mins, until chicken is white in the middle. 

Enjoy! 

Lemon Garlic Chicken - Gluten and Dairy Free- Instant Pot too!

EDIT: Instant Pot version below - using frozen chicken! Also you can cook rice in the instant pot at the same time!

You can make this awesome recipe 3 4 different ways!
Just pick what ever suits you best and enjoy the delicious food that follows.
Lemon Garlic Chicken 

1 tsp. garlic

1 tsp. salt 

1/4 tsp. pepper 

1/4 c. olive oil

1 Tbsp. parsley 

2 Tbsp. lemon juice 

4-6 chicken breast
1 cup chicken broth (Instant Pot recipe only) 

option 1) Thaw chicken. Combine all ingredients.  Place in 9 x 13 dish and bake for 45 mins at 350*. 

option 2) Place frozen chicken breast and ingredients in crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours.  Shred chicken and serve over rice or potatoes. 

option 3) You can also combine all ingredients in a gallon ziplock bag and freeze.  Later put it all in the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours.  This is an excellent freezer meal to prepare ahead of time and have on hand for a busy day.

option 4) Instant Pot Lemon Garlic Chicken - Gluten and Dairy Free

*Add frozen chicken, broth, and spices to instant pot.
(**If you want to cook your rice in the IP also, see below for directions.) 
*Cook on High Pressure (manual) for 15 minutes, then Quick Release pressure.
*When pressure has all released, remove chicken and shred.
*Return chicken to pot.

If you want to cook your rice in the Instant Pot at the same time:
* After adding chicken, broth, and spices to the Instant Pot, place your trivet on top of the frozen chicken.
*Place an oven safe bowl on top of trivet.
*Add 3 cups of rice and 4 1/2 cups of water to bowl.
*Continue with IP directions above.
PEASE NOTE:  This will cook your rice perfectly for this meal, but you will get some broth in the rice, so it will be slightly flavored.  (In case you wanted rice leftover for another meal and didn't want it flavored with broth.)

*Adapted from http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2014/10/lemon-garlic-dump-chicken-whats-dinner.html

Minute Bread- Gluten, Dairy, and YEAST Free

You know, trying to find bread that is gluten, dairy, and YEAST free is nigh unto impossible.  And if you do find it . . well, I'm not gonna lie . . .it is not good. Gluten free bread tends to be dry and falls apart easily. Then, if you take the yeast out of there your "issues" get even worse. 

Now, man shall not live on bread alone. . . but, sometimes your child just really wants a sandwich.  

We have found a solution. 

And the best part yet? Kids can make it on their own.  My son started making this, almost everyday, when he was 7.  It is that easy. 

Minute Bread - Gluten, Dairy and YEAST Free (with variation below!)

1 egg 

3 Tbsp water

1/3 c. gluten free flour blend 

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. sugar 

Combine all ingredients in a flat, shallow, glass, somewhat bread shaped dish. Do the best you can; in the end, does it really matter what shape your bread is? You can see my dish above, something we just had.  Use whatever you have that will be close to the size of two pieces of bread next to each other. 

Mix all ingredients with a fork, in your dish thoroughly until well combined. Smooth out flat. Cook in microwave for 95 seconds. Transfer to a rack to cool. 

Slice into two pieces of bread. 

We eat this in all kinds of ways! For sandwiches, toast, any time you need a quick piece of bread.  It is moist, doesn't fall apart, so easy to make, and really . . . just what we needed. 

We have tried it with many different GF flours.  My kids have their preferences, but they always like it, regardless.  Just start experimenting with your favorite flours until you find your favorite. 

Egg salad sandwich: 

One of our favorite variations to this recipe is to make cinnamon raisin bread! 

Minute Cinnamon Raisin Bread - Gluten, Dairy, and YEAST Free 

Follow the instructions above with these variations: 

Mix everything in a bowl first. 

In your "bread" dish sprinkle a swirl or two of cinnamon and sugar, mixed. Add raisins. Then pour bread dough on top and cook as usual. 

Yum yum!

It's especially good toasted with (dairy free) butter: 

Snack Mix

This isn't so much of a recipe as it is an idea.

But when the kids all come storming in the door after school, and they are starving. to. death. I need ideas for snacks quick. 

This is an easy one to throw together and everyone is always happy, especially if I have it ready when they walk in the door! 

In a bowl mix together: 

GF Plain Cheerios

GF Chex (rice or corn) 

Raisins 

Dairy Free Chocolate Chips