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General Meals

Recipe: Gluten-Free Spinach Protein Wrap

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 4 Comments

Egg whites are a great source of naturally gluten-free protein and make a great staple for breakfast or lunch. They are great for those who are vegetarian or trying to cut back on their meat intake. I used to make an egg white & spinach frittata for breakfast every day, but I fell out of the habit. The other day I was craving an egg white wrap and it ended up being one of the best I have made!

This lunch took me less than 15 minutes to put together & was very satisfying.  I paired my wrap with carrot sticks and Blue Diamond rice chips.

Spinach Protein Wrap

IMG_0733*20+ grams of protein

  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese
  • spinach
  • Brown rice tortilla (La Tortilla Factory Teff or homemade)
  • Sea salt & pepper

Directions:

  1. Heat the pan on the stove & spray it with cooking spray.
  2. Cook egg whites until white/solid.  Flip & add feta cheese.
  3. Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste.
  4. Heat the tortilla for 30 seconds in the microwave.  Place cooked egg white & handful or 2 of spinach on top & roll up.

Enjoy!

**If you are cooking for more than one person, just double the ingredients for 2 servings, triple for 3 servings, etc.

If you are interested in making the tortillas from scratch, here are a few recipes:

After having been on a gluten-free diet for over 6 years now, I really should try to make my own tortillas.  Perhaps I see a new goal in my future!

Recipe: Holiday Rice Bowl

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff Leave a Comment

With the holiday season in full swing, most of us will be indulging in meals, treats & drinks that we may pass up under normal circumstances. Some studies claim that most people gain between 5 and 10 pounds during the holiday season.  This article from the NIH says it is actually closer to only one pound, but that one pound is more likely to stay around & contribute to obesity issues down the road.

Whatever the actual amount is, there is no doubt that most of us take in many more calories than we need during this time of year.

So what can you do to avoid the extra weight gain this time of the year?

  • Take advantage of being gluten-free and stick with naturally gluten-free foods at parties – fruits, veggies, salad, lean meats & cheeses.  There has never been a more perfect excuse to pass up the dessert table!
  • Don’t skip meals.  It is tempting to skip meals to save room for the “big spread” later in the day.  Going to a party hungry is never a good idea.  Eating normal meals will keep your body fueled & nourished and you will be less likely to binge on party food.  Additionally, by eating beforehand, you avoid being left with little to choose from that is safe to eat (gluten-free).
  • Continue your exercise program.  Even if you are traveling or have guests, there is no reason you can’t continue to exercise.  There are many workouts available online via Workouts on Demand, yogadownload.com or Gaiamtv.com.
  • Walk after meals. Gather friends & family & do a walking tour of holiday lights.

It is all about balance.  Indulge & don’t deprive yourself of treats.  Don’t regret the choices you made.  Just make sure to balance it all out with lots of healthy meals and exercise in between.  Here are some healthy meal ideas:

  • Dinner salads – include protein & lots of vegetables for protein & fiber.
  • Rice bowls – use brown rice and lean protein for staying power.
  • Breakfast – makes sure to include plenty of protein & fiber – eggs, gluten-free oatmeal, nut butter and fresh fruit.

Here is one of my favorite ways to eat a rice bowl.  I love the colors, which happen to be perfect for this time of the year.

 

IMG_0092Holiday Rice Bowl

  • 1 cup cooked Lundberg japonica rice (I cook my rice in Trader Joe’s lite coconut milk for added flavor)
  • 1/2 cup garbanzo beans
  • 1-2 cups fresh spinach sauteed in a touch of olive oil
  • 1/2 cup sliced beets (canned are fine, but roasted are the best!)
  • 1-2 TBSP goat cheese
  • Sea salt & pepper

1.  Heat pan with a touch of olive oil to cook spinach.  Once heated, cook spinach over medium –medium-high heat until it begins to wilt.

2.  Add rice, garbanzo beans & beets.  Season with sea salt & pepper.

3.  Place mixture in bowl & top with goat cheese.  Enjoy!

***Feel free to play around with ingredients & seasonings.  Sometimes I will add soy sauce (La Choy is gluten-free) or Thai sweet chile sauce for a kick.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Baked Ziti Redux

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Last year I shared this recipe for Baked Ziti that my kids go nuts over. They request this dish all the time, but I don’t always have the time to put it together. Yes, it freezes & reheats nicely, but my days have been super busy lately, so finding time to make it the first time around has been rough. My crock pot has become my go-to cooking appliance on Tuesdays, so I started to brainstorm about how I could make baked ziti in the crock pot. Would it cook right if I just threw the dry pasta in with the other ingredients?

I consulted Stephanie O’Dea’s blog for more information. I figured if anyone knew about cooking pasta in the crock pot, it would be Stephanie.  Sure enough, she did have a recipe for Baked Ziti. I did consult her recipe and used some tips from it and the comments section and decided to wing it. I would never know if it worked if I didn’t try it, right?  Worse thing that happens is it doesn’t work & I have to throw something together.

Crock Pot Baked Ziti Recipe

  • Trader Joe’s brown rice penne (16 oz bag)
  • 1 jar of Prego Three Cheese pasta sauce (save jar)
  • 1 container ricotta cheese (15 oz)
  • 1 bag Kraft Italian Five Cheese Blend (8 oz)
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Pam cooking spray

Directions:

  1. Spray crock pot with cooking spray.
  2. Add dry pasta, sauce & ricotta cheese; mix well.
  3. Mix in 3/4 of the bag of shredded cheese.
  4. Put remaining cheese on top & sprinkle some parmesan over the top.
  5. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water to the Prego jar, shake & pour over the top of the casserole.
  6. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or until top starts to brown.
  7. Enjoy!

This worked out much better than I thought it would!  The pasta was cooked, not crunchy & not mushy.  The only thing I would change is to serve with a little warmed sauce on the side.  I don’t think I would add it to the casserole to cook because the pasta was cooked perfectly.  I did open the lid once to push the pasta down with the back of a spoon, otherwise I left it closed.

Here is a picture of the finished product in the crock pot (you can see the spoon marks on the side!). 

Have you ever cooked pasta in the crock pot?  How did it work for you?

Gluten-Free Mexican Rice for Cinco de Mayo

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Today is the fifth of May, also known as “Cinco de Mayo”.  Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over the French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.  While celebration is primarily limited to the state of Puebla, many in the US celebrate by dining on Mexican fare & margaritas.

Dining out in a Mexican restaurant while following the gluten-free diet is fairly easy.  Many of the traditional dishes are naturally gluten-free.  Corn tortillas are more commonly used than flour tortillas; salsa,  guacamole, beans and rice are all usually safe choices.  Of course speaking with the manager and/or chef is the safest way to dine out.  Ask how the sauces are made, whether there is gluten in the marinades used for the meat and if the corn tortilla chips are fried in a dedicated fryer.  As in any restaurant, cross contamination can be a risk, so make sure to ask how they keep the gluten-free food safe.

If you prefer to make your own Mexican feast, the sky is the limit!  Some of our favorites include:

  • Tacos – fish, ground beef, chicken or turkey
  • Mexican pizza
  • Burritos
  • Chimchangas
  • Taco salad
  • Enchilada bake
  • Mexican rice
  • Fajitas
  • Horchata (this brand is gluten-free)

My son requests Mexican once a week, so we eat a lot of tacos in our house.  He prefers them on warmed, soft corn tortillas; I prefer a tostada shell or hard taco shell.  You can find many of our recipes in this post.  Here is our favorite recipe for Mexican Rice that my mom made for us when I was growing up.  I will never tire of this rice:

Mexican Rice

  • 1 cup brown basmati or jasmine rice
  • 2-3 tsp EVOO
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 onion (I omit this b/c I can’t eat them)
  • 1 large tomato
  • chicken broth (verify that it is gluten-free)
  • cumin
  • chili powder
  • red hot
  • salt
  • pepper

Directions:

  1. Drop tomato into boiling water for 60 seconds. Remove tomato from water and then remove the skin. Careful not to burn yourself as I have done too many times when I am in a hurry.
  2. Chop tomato, peel garlic, chop onion and place all ingredients in a food processor/blender. Puree until everything is liquid. Add cumin (about 1 tsp), chili powder (1/2 – 1 tsp), red hot (I like a lot, but use your own judgement), S & P. Blend.
  3. Place EVOO and rice in a 2 qt. sauce pan and warm over med to med-high heat. Brown rice, but don’t burn it.
  4. Dump tomato mixture into a glass measuring cup and then add chicken broth to equal 2 cups of liquid. Dump your 2 cups of liquid into the rice; stir and bring to a boil.
  5. Stir and reduce heat to simmer for 40-50 minutes, depending on what kind of rice you are using.
  6. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork & serve.

Here is a picture of the rice served alongside Mexican pizzas.

Tacos & Mexican pizzas are great for busy nights and letting kids “create their own masterpiece”.

Recipe: Simple Baby Gluten-Free Spinach And Tuna Salad

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I am always making large salads for lunch and this is one of my favorites. There is nothing complicated about this salad.  It is equally as simple to make at home as it would be to prepare at home and take to work to eat.

Simple Baby Spinach & Tuna Salad Recipe

  • Fresh baby spinach
  • 1 package of tuna (2.6 oz or so – I use StarKist or Bumble Bee)
  • fresh sliced mushrooms
  • grape tomatoes
  • French Dressing (I use Kraft* Fat Free French)

***Don’t be afraid to get creative and add your favorites in here.  Red onions would be great, as would some black olives or hard boiled eggs.

This salad is the perfect pairing for an Udi’s gluten-free Whole Grain Bagel.  See my favorite way to enjoy them here.

This salad is one that I will often make ahead for trips or picnics and bring along with me.  I don’t mix the tuna in until I am ready to eat the salad.  The rest of the ingredients stay fresh when tossed, so there is no reason to worry about soggy salads.  The absolute best thing about this salad is that it is naturally gluten-free.  If you wanted to bypass the pre-made dressing, a homemade balsamic vinaigrette or the dressing I made here, which is similar to a sweet & sour, would work just as well.

*Kraft is one of the mainstream companies that will clearly label any gluten in their products.  When looking for fast dressings that I don’t have to make from scratch, they are one of my go-to brands.