Prepping Pizza

The first month back at work has been busy with lots of time spent planning lessons and preparing my kids for new state tests.  With minimal free time compared to the summer, it is time I start doing more food prepping on the weekends.  As I’ve mentioned in a previous blog, being a food prepper makes life easy, especially for those who are gluten-free.  In my previous blog, I talked about how I’ve discovered the ease of prepping pizza since there aren’t many yummy frozen gluten-free pizzas out there--and they are outrageously expensive!  So I decided to show everyone how easy it is to make your own frozen pizza that actually is YUMMY AND GLUTEN-FREE!

First, let’s start with the ingredients for a basic pepperoni pizza.  (If you use other meats, I recommend cooking them before adding them to the pizza to be frozen.)  For the cheese, I use shredded mozzarella and a shredded fiesta blend.  I use Hormel pepperoni and I love using Udi’s gluten-free pizza crust!  It isn’t in the picture, but I also use an 8 oz can of tomato sauce that I blend my own seasonings (garlic salt, pepper, Italian, and oregano) in to make the pizza sauce.  You will also need some garlic salt and pepper to add to the pizza.

Since I am the only one that eats these, I fold the crust in half and tear it into two halves.  This way, I get more meals for myself!  If you are planning to feed a couple people at once, I would suggest keeping it all together.  The pizza crust is about the size of a small pizza, so one doesn’t go far if you have a lot of mouths to feed.  I also tear four large pieces of aluminum foil, since I will have four half-pizzas.  The foil is what I use to wrap them for freezing.  

I make one half-pizza at a time.  I place the half on the foil, so that when it’s done, I just wrap it up.  This also makes for easy clean-up!  Using a spoon, I spread my homemade sauce on the pizza crust.  I don’t like that much sauce, so it’s great that I can make the pizza exactly how I want it!  Once the sauce is spread evenly on the crust, I sprinkle enough of the fiesta blend cheese to cover the sauce.  Then I place pepperoni on top of the cheese.  I sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on the very top.  I don’t cover the pepperoni completely, but I do make a nice layer of mozzarella.  Finally, I add a touch of garlic salt and pepper to the top.  

Once the pizza is created, I wrap it up in the foil it was made on.  After all the pizzas are made, I put them in the Udi’s bag for storage in the freezer.  On days when I crave pizza, I take one personal gluten-free pizza out of the freezer, and I put it on the pizza stone.  I cook it in the oven for about 8-10 minutes on 415.  When the pizza starts looking like it is almost ready, I turn on the broiler so the top becomes a nice golden color.  It doesn’t take long for it to cook, so keep a close eye on it!

Take it out, cut it, and ENJOY!

Let me know how your pizza turns out by commenting below!

Thanks for reading!

Brittany

Back to work and still gluten-free!

I officially go back to work this Friday, so why not talk about lunch parties at work or how to help prepare for a coworker you know is gluten-free?

Most employers have occasional food parties.  I’m a high school English teacher, and we have a staff lunch party almost every month.  I don’t like making a big deal about the food being safe for me to eat, so I come prepared with my own lunch.  Then once we are in the teacher's’ lounge, I scope out the food.  I’m a picky eater, so I don’t eat a lot of what people bring.  I know I’m weird!  But if you see something you like, you can always ask about the ingredients because the person who made it will be at the party.  The most disappointing part of the luncheons is dessert.  Smelling brownies and cookies and cupcakes is depressing.  If you don’t want to feel left out or depressed because everyone else is eating sweets, you can bring your own gluten-free dessert, too.  I recommend Pillsbury gluten-free desserts!  They are almost identical to the real deal.

If you aren’t gluten-free, but you know a co-worker is and you want to help him/her out, you could start with a dessert.  As I mentioned previously, Pillsbury gluten-free desserts are the way to go, and they’re a hit for those who aren’t even gluten-free!  The chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, and cake mix are amazing!  Just make sure you bake in a CLEAN kitchen so you don’t risk cross-contamination.  Then you can pass the word on to your coworker that you made him/her a dessert.  No one else needs to know and I’m sure they’ll still be gone by the end of the party!  Another great party food that can be naturally gluten-free and easy to make is little smokies.  As long as you use Hillshire Farm Lit’l Smokies and let them simmer in Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce in a crockpot, it will be good and gluten-free.  

So here is the big news we’ve all been waiting for! The big winner of the Celiac Disease Awareness Tshirt is Beth Mitchell all the way in Germany!  Congrats!  

(If you are interested in purchasing your own shirt, you can do so at DeMaria’s Designs!)

Since I am going back to work, I won’t be posting weekly.  Subscribe to keep updated!

Thanks for reading,

Brittany

Biscuits and Gravy Can Be Gluten Free!

One of my favorite breakfast dishes had to be given up when diagnosed with Celiac Disease.  I love the classic biscuits and gravy!  And it doesn’t help that my mom owns a diner that serves biscuits and gravy all the time!  Now I am not a baker or that great of a chef, but after doing lots of searching the world wide web for ingredients and taste-testing what I found, I have finally put together a delicious batch of gluten-free biscuits and gravy!

Main ingredients: biscuits, gravy, and sausage.  What’s great about the recipe I’ve put together is that you don’t have to be talented to make this a success.  I use Martha White’s Gluten Free Biscuits (only $1.50 at Wal-Mart!) and Pioneer’s Gluten-Free Country Gravy (gravy in a packet is what took me forrreverrr to find since I am terrible at making gravy from scratch-you can get this on Amazon for around $1.25 a packet).  Then you can use whatever breakfast sausage you want.  Now I only make this for myself so I just use one package of biscuits, one package of gravy, and about one-third pound of breakfast sausage.  If you plan on making this for your family, I recommend at least doubling this, depending on how many people you are feeding.

 

This recipe is fairly easy because it’s basically just adding a little liquid to the powder according to the package instructions.  Let’s start with the biscuits.  First follow the directions on the back, adding the milk slowly as you stir it in with the powder.  However, instead of scooping it from the bowl and putting it on a pan, I take a couple other steps not on the package.  You are going to want to throw a little gluten-free flour (I use Pillsbury) on the counter or table.  Then take the biscuit mix out of the bowl and put it in the flour.  Roll it around a little, ending in a good-sized glob of batter.  Dust a rolling pin in the gf flour and flatten out the batter.  If you want a fluffier biscuit, don’t roll too flat.  Then using a cup (or maybe you actually own a biscuit cutter), cut out biscuits.  The cup I use makes three large biscuits and one small biscuit that is left over from cutting.  Place your biscuits on a pan and cook as instructed on the package.

While your biscuits are cooking, you can make the sausage and gravy.  To make the sausage, crumble it up and let it fry in a pan on medium heat.  Keep stirring it up so it doesn’t burn.  As this is going, you can make the gravy, mostly using the instructions on the back of the packet.  I will say that instead of boiling the water on the stove, I just warm it up in the microwave because I’m lazy and I don’t want to wait for the water to boil!  Once the warm water is added to the powder, the instructions say to add cool water.  This is where I change it up to make a better-tasting gravy.  I add milk instead of water.  This has made a huge difference in flavor!  Then once the sausage is done, drain the grease.  Add the meat to the gravy and stir it together.

 

Once the biscuits are finished, I put a couple on a plate and pour the sausage gravy on top.  Voila!  Home-style gluten free biscuits and gravy that taste amazing!  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Hurry!  Time is running out!  There is only ONE WEEK left until the giveaway ends!  Subscribe to my blog and share on social media to enter!  Click here for detailed instructions.

Thanks for reading,

Brittany

Dining OUT with Celiac's

When I was younger, I loved the freedom of the weekend.  My friends and I would go out to dinner and then hang out with our friends.  For many people, going out to eat is an exciting social experience.  It could be lunch with the girls or a date night.  Or even a quick drive-thru when traveling.  But for people with Celiac Disease, dining out is filled with pure anxiety.  Not knowing if your friends or family picked a place with gluten-free options.  Not knowing if you’re going to be sick in a few hours.  Not knowing if there is even anything you can sort-of-safely eat on the menu.

A couple years ago, my hunny and I were out on an unexpected shopping adventure.  We decided to hit up a few stores, and before we went home, he asked about getting dinner on our way home.  Because it was a spur of the moment trip, I wasn’t really prepared.  We usually do more planning in advance.  He asked if Steak n Shake was ok.  I said yes, only because I knew they had an awesome salad I loved with apples, avocados, and chicken.  Yummy!

Seth and I pulled up to the brightly lit drive-thru menu and the worker asked us for our order.  As he placed his order, I scanned the menu and noticed the salad I get was not there.  Panic started seeping in.  I asked the worker if they had the salad.  “It’s no longer available.  It was just a seasonal menu item.”  I looked at the menu again, trying to find something I could eat.  So much fried this and breaded that.  There was nothing I could eat, unless I wanted a plain piece of chicken breast and some fries (our Steak n Shake has a dedicated fryer just for fries).  I didn’t want such plain food.  I was hungry and I wanted flavor.  There were people behind us, and I was clearly upset.  I was trying not to cry.  How hard can it be to order some food???  Seth asked if we needed to go somewhere else.  I told him not to worry about it, and that I would eat something at home.  He asked me probably five times if I was sure before he got his food.  He’s a sweetie and hates eating gluten stuff in front of me, especially when I’m not able to eat.

Since then, I make sure we are prepared if we go out.  We don’t go to drive-thrus unless I know I am taken care of.  I also make sure to do my research ahead of time, something I continue to point out in my blogs.  If we dine out, as we often do one night a week, it’s going to be one of three places: Chinese, Mexican, or Pizza.  These are places that I know for sure are safe when I order.  

But what about when your friends invite you to dinner--then what?  Or what if you want to invite your friend with Celiac's out?  Here’s some tips to make dining out with Celiac Disease just a little less stressful:

Ask questions!  If someone invites you to dinner, be sure to ask where before saying yes.  This gives you time to look up menus online.  I like how many popular restaurants have gluten-free menus online, as well as nutrition information on their websites.  This makes going to the restaurant so much easier because you know ahead of time what your choices are so you aren’t staring at the menu, wondering what the food is made of.  Also, don’t be afraid to ask for a gluten-free menu at the restaurant.  Another question that may come up is if the food will be cross-contaminated.  Once you know your order, ask about how it’s prepared.  I know you don’t want to ask too many questions and be an annoying date, but you do want to make sure you aren't going to be sick in an hour because that would clearly ruin the date!

Have a few safe places in mind.  As I mentioned earlier, I know a few local places I can eat safely.  This makes it easy when someone asks where to go, especially if there isn’t time to do some research.  My favorite is a local Mexican restaurant, El Tapatio.  The chips they serve are made from corn, not flour.  The meal I get (made of rice, cheese, shrimp, and chicken) comes with a couple flour tortillas, but I use the chips instead.  The Chinese restaurant I order from offers grilled chicken strips with the hot braised sauce (which is made with corn starch, not flour--I asked) instead of the usual breaded chicken.  This way I still get good flavor instead of just boring chicken.  I also order a lot from Domino’s.  Our local Domino’s offers a gluten-free crust.  However, they do advise that it is at risk of cross-contamination.  I don’t know if our local place does a great job at keeping things clean or maybe it’s just not that much of cross-contamination, but I never get sick from their pizza--and it’s REALLY GOOD!

Fall back on salad!  When I tell people I have Celiac Disease and that I’m going out to dinner, I often get this response: “Can you even eat anything they have or do you just eat salad all the time?”  And I say, “Salads are amazing!”  I’ve always enjoyed salad, especially the one they no longer have at Steak n Shake.  Pretty much any basic restaurant is going to have some sort of salad, if they don’t have anything else that’s gluten-free.  Don’t let that bore you!  Make it fun!  If you ever eat at Colton’s Steakhouse, they have a HUGE salad with bacon, eggs, cheese-the works.  The best part is it only costs around seven dollars.  Lots of places offer grilled chicken salads or chef salads.  And if you’re worried about croutons, just tell them to leave them out.  You can bring your own gluten-free croutons or crackers as a replacement (and restaurants can’t tell you no because it would be a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act).

While doing some research on restaurants, I came across this link.  It has a ton of information on gluten-free menu items from a variety of chain restaurants across the country.  The list is a couple years old, so I do recommend verifying its accuracy by calling a specific place once you find something you like.  It still makes for a great place to start your own research when preparing to dine out with Celiac’s.

There’s still time to enter the give-away!  Click here for detailed instructions on how to sign up!  

Thanks for reading,

Brittany

Great news! The give-away isn't over yet!

Unfortunately, I have been sick for a couple weeks.  I developed shingles, and it has been so AWFUL!  Because I've been sick, I haven't had as much time to focus on my blog, and it feels like I've lost out on a couple weeks of my summer!  I don't have the power to extend my summer vacation, but I do have the power to extend my give-away!  Please follow the instructions below to enter!  Check back next Sunday for another fresh post!  Thanks for reading!

WANT A FREE CELIAC DISEASE AWARENESS T-SHIRT?  FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW!

How to enter the give-away:

Step 1: Subscribe to my blog in the space provided to the right.  Make sure to follow through with the email sign-up; otherwise, you won't be subscribed and you will miss out on lots of good info (and not be entered in the give-away)!

Step 2: Share my blog through email, Twitter, or Facebook by clicking MORE at the top of the page or using the buttons at the bottom of the blog.

Step 3: Sit back and wait for the winner to be announced in August 6th's post.

Become a prepper, without the zombie apocalypse

When living on a gluten-free diet, you can’t always just pull something out of the freezer and throw it in the microwave.  I get jealous every time Seth throws a personal pizza in there, and then the aroma drifts up my nose and my taste buds water.  

Preparing makes perfect!

Every weekend, I plan out my grocery shopping.  First, I make a menu for the week.  Then I make my list based on the menu.  I have to always think one step ahead when it comes to meals because I can’t eat frozen dinners or pizza rolls or any of that other yummy--yet unhealthy--food.  When it comes to cooking gluten-free, almost all meals have to be prepared by hand, so having a meal plan works great.

Too busy to cook?

Sometimes life gets hectic, making it ten times harder to cook gluten-free meals.  Thanks to Pinterest, I’ve found some amazing tricks for cooking or preparing meals ahead of time.  I like to make “freezer meals.”  These are great for the crock pot or oven.  Using mostly recipes I’ve discovered online, I spend a few hours putting meals together for the freezer.  One of my favorite frozen meals is Baked Chicken Parmesan (make sure to use gluten-free bread crumbs!)  Another frozen meal I love that is probably the easiest is homemade pizza, using Udi’s pizza crust.

It’s ok to fend for yourself once in awhile.

Cooking all the time can become tiresome!  If you are the main cook for the family, you know how it feels to be bogged down with prepping, cooking, and probably even cleaning.  Take a break on occasion-but be sure to mark it on the menu so the household is prepared!  There are many evenings when I don’t feel like cooking.  I’ll make a salad or throw some Tyson Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets and frozen tater tots in the oven.  Because Seth can eat whatever he wants, these are times when he will eat Ramen noodles or beef stew (which is a frozen meal I make for him, but it’s not gluten-free).  If you are a parent with at least one gluten-free child that isn’t old enough to fend for him/herself, make something simple, like sandwiches (with gluten-free bread of course), a fruit, and some chips.

Just a little note: if you have subscribed to my blog, please make sure to complete the subscription by going to your email and following the link.  Otherwise you won’t get updates. Thanks!

Don’t forget to subscribe and share my blog to enter in the giveaway!  Only one week left!  Click here for more information.

Thanks for reading!

Brittany 

Family, fireworks, and food

The 4th of July is almost here, which for many families means lots of barbecues!  But what if you’re expecting someone who is gluten-free?  Great news: most food served at barbecues are naturally gluten-free!

Naturally gluten-free food that is safe* to serve:

• Meat, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, pork steaks, steaks
• Eggs, such as boiled or deviled
• Salad (without croutons)
• Cole Slaw
• Potato Salad
• Baked Beans
• Vegetables and fruit
• Chips that are corn or potato-based

*When serving naturally gluten-free food, it is important to consider preparation so food is still safe.  Check labels of seasonings or packages for phrases such as “CONTAINS WHEAT” or “MAY CONTAIN TRACES OF WHEAT.”  If you read these phrases, they are NOT SAFE for a Celiac!  

Made-to-be gluten-free food that is great to serve for everyone:

• Macaroni Salad made with gluten-free pasta (click here for some tips on good GF pasta)
• Pasta Salad made with gluten-free pasta

If you need to serve your hamburgers or hot dogs with a gluten-free bun, I highly recommend using Udi’s! They are fantastic and you can find them at almost any major grocery store!

Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog and share to enter the give-away! Click here for more information!

I hope everyone has a fun and safe 4th of July!

Thanks for reading,

Brittany

Free Celiac Disease Awareness Tshirt!

Here it is--the give-away announcement you’ve been waiting for!

A FREE CELIAC DISEASE AWARENESS T-SHIRT!

How to enter the give-away:

Step 1: Subscribe to my blog in the space provided to the right.

Step 2: Share my blog through email, Twitter, or Facebook by clicking MORE at the top of the page.

Step 3: Sit back and wait for the winner to be announced in July 9th's post.

 Check back Sunday for a post on how to have a successful gluten-free 4th of July barbecue!

Thanks for reading,

Brittany

Oh no! It’s an imPASTA!

Growing up in a family where Mom cooked lots of pasta, the Celiac diagnosis was detrimental.  I couldn’t imagine living without pasta!  Tortellini, lasagna, cheese ravioli, shrimp scampi, macaroni salad-all gone!  That is until I did some research and lots of taste-testing.

Here’s what I’ve found:

Different brands have different flavors.  Just like most food, brands can make a big difference, but as mentioned in last week's post, a better flavor doesn’t always correlate with a higher price.   The best brand I’ve found to make spaghetti, penne, elbow, and rotini is Barilla.  It’s not much more than the regular pasta, and the flavor and texture is almost exactly the same as the real deal.  I also enjoy Wal-Mart’s Great Value Rice Pasta and Cheddar Cheese--or more commonly known as mac and cheese.  I’ve never been a fan of off brand mac and cheese, but this stuff is great!  And Seth loves it too!  He even likes my lasagna!  I use Gluten Free Cafe No Boil Rice Lasagna noodles.  It’s super easy to make and you can’t even tell the difference!

Know your ingredients.  Because gluten-free pasta is not made with wheat flour, a substitute has to be used.  You will see phrases like “made with corn” or “made with rice.”  Some brands even say “made with brown rice.”  Each substitute has a different flavor and texture.  When it comes to any food, I am very particular about texture, so pasta has to be just right.  I like the corn and rice blends more than the brown rice pasta.  The brown rice pasta is a tougher noodle.  I like my pasta al dente, and it seems impossible with the brown rice blends.  I also think the corn and rice blends taste the most like real pasta.

Specialty pasta can be hard to find.  One of the most difficult parts of grocery shopping was walking by the frozen section and having to pass up tortellini and cheese ravioli.  I also had no luck finding large shells to make manicotti.  Then I discovered Conte’s Pasta.  This brand is AMAZING!  Conte’s Pasta has frozen tortellini, cheese ravioli, and large shells already stuffed.  So far, I’ve not found a local store that sells this brand, so I have to buy it online through Gluten Free Mall, and frozen shipping can be pricey.

Keep an eye on the pot when cooking.  I’m not sure what causes gluten-free pasta to cook longer, but they do.  Sometimes it feels like they take forever to make, especially when I’m starving and can’t wait for some yummy mac and cheese.  It is important to keep a close eye on the pasta because once it does finish cooking, it can easily overcook--and mushy noodles are the worst.

So when making a pasta dish for your family or friends that have Celiac Disease, it is great to know the food can still be tasty and gluten-free!

What’s your favorite gluten-free pasta that the whole family can enjoy?  Comment below to share you ideas!

Be sure to check in later this week for my give-away announcement!  

Thanks for reading,

Brittany

Getting Through Grocery Shopping Part 2

Last week, I discussed some helpful tips on going to the actual grocery store.  This week I want to share more about where to get some good stuff because it isn't always easy to find.

I do most of my gluten-free shopping at Wal-Mart.  Thanks to crazy people who are “gluten-free for fun,” more and more stores are showcasing gluten-free items.  This makes it easier to find stuff, but not everything out there labeled gluten-free is yummy or reasonably priced.  

BUYER BEWARE

Some brands like to take advantage of those who buy gluten-free foods.  In the gluten-free section of a store, you will often see foods labeled “gluten-free” and marked at a higher price when these are naturally gluten-free and can be found at a regular price in its regular spot.  A few good examples of this are rice cakes, cereal, and granola bars.  Keep your eyes open!

Not all brands taste the same

Nor do they cost the same.  In the case of GF foods, I’ve discovered some off-brand foods that are cheap, yet taste great.  However, I’ve also found some off-brand foods that are cheap and taste awful.  The same goes with more expensive food.  Just because it costs more, don’t assume it’s automatically better.

Here’s a list of GF food I buy at Wal-Mart or Schnucks, depending on availability:

Great Value Mac n Cheese

Great Value Pretzels

Glutino Table Crackers

Glutino Vanilla Creme Cookies

Glutino Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Barilla GF Pasta: Spaghetti & Penne

Lance Peanut Butter Crackers

Martha White Biscuit Mix

Udis Frozen Pizza Crust

Udis Hamburger Buns

Udis Whole Grain or Rye Bread

Udis Chocolate Chip Cookies

Udis Classic French Dinner Rolls

Udis Tortillas

Bisquick Baking Mix

Pillsbury Flour

Pillsbury Sugar Cookies

Pillsbury Cake

As you can see, I stick with a few brands that are really good.  I’ve tried Udis Frozen Pizza and their breakfast sandwiches.  I didn’t care for them.  I’ve also tried Great Value pasta.  It’s about 50 cents less than Barilla, but it has a different texture, so I pay the extra cost for better texture.  The flavor is still good though, if you need to save.  I’ve also tried some other crackers by Glutino, and I didn’t like the texture of those.  The table crackers and chocolate covered pretzels are fantastic!  The downside to the chocolate-covered pretzels is the cost because the package is small and they are seriously addicting.

Stay home and shop in your pjs!

I live in a rural area, so I’ve found some great places to get food online.  Buying gluten-free foods online and in bulk are not only easier than going to the store, but it is usually cheaper!

Here’s a list of some great websites to checkout (if you buy frozen, check the shipping costs beforehand because some are high):

Wal-Mart

Amazon

The Gluten Free Mall

Gluten Free Delivers

Shop local-if you can

Because I live in the middle of nowhere, the only local shopping I do is at Wal-Mart.  However, there are many health food stores in big cities that have tons of gluten-free options.  Unfortunately, I’ve found them to be more expensive.  As I’ve mentioned before, it helps to do some research before you shop.

Where do you shop for your gluten-free goodies?  What are some of your favorite gluten-free foods?  Leave a comment to let us know what might be good to try!

Thanks for reading,

Brittany