Category: Gluten Free Cooking

Gluten Free Cooking

Quick Chocolate Mousse

mindyp87

IMG_7637This rich chocolate mousse is ready in minutes and can be dressed up with strawberries for a quick weeknight Valentines Day dessert. It’s also gluten and dairy free!

Servings: 4-6

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 (13.7oz) can of full fat coconut milk refrigerated overnight
  • 3 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
  • 4 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt or less depending on your taste
  • 1-2 squares baking chocolate at least 70% cocoa
  • Garnish (shaved chocolate, strawberries, mint, cherries, etc,)

Instructions

  1. Placed unopened cans of coconut milk in fridge overnight or for a full day.  Don’t shake the cans and open carefully. Scoop out the thick cream into a mixer bowl being careful to not splash the coconut water below the cream all over you and down your kitchen cabinets…….it makes a mess! Use the left over liquid for baking, smoothies or just discard.
  2. In mixer bowl with whisk attachment (hand mixer works too) place coconut cream and sugar. Whip until thick and creamy, about 1 minutes. Then add vanilla extract whip again for another minute.
  3. Fold in cocoa powder and salt. Then whip again for another minute. You should have a nice light fluffy mousse.
  4. Shave baking chocolate and fold into mousse. Spoon into your favorite dish or glass and garnish. I did a middle layer of fresh strawberries. If your mousse is not set enough you can place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

I love using wine glasses for more than just wine. They are actually my go to dessert glass. If you love this Montana Wine glass and want to get your own multi use glass you can get one here

https://www.lovemymontana.com/listing/271796154/stemless-montana-wine-glass

Gluten Free Cooking

Healthy Banana Split 

mindyp87

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This recipe will take you maybe 5 minutes to make. It’s a delicious alternative to a high sugar favorite. My son loves this recipe and he’s typically pretty picky.

Ingredients:

  • 1 banana
  • Plain Greek yogurt a few dollops
  • 4 strawberries (fresh if you have them)
  • 1 Tablespoon unsweetened coconut flakes
  • Drizzle of maple syrup
  • Sprinkle of Cinnamon

Directions:

  1. Slice banana length wise and place in bowl
  2. Dollop greek yogurt onto banana
  3. Slice strawberries and place on top of yogurt
  4. Sprinkle coconut on top of strawberries then
  5. Drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Grab a spoon and enjoy!

Gluten Free Cooking

Paleo Chicken Tenders

mindyp87

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Have you ever made something for dinner with ingredients that you know your husband doesn’t like? I have…..I actually do it all the time shhhh don’t tell him! I love my husband so much but he is very picky about food. No nuts, no coconut, very limited veggie, etc. I’ve been on a strict diet as I’ve been trying to lose weight and make sure my efforts at the gym are mirroring my efforts at home. As my trainer Lacey says “Abs are made in the kitchen!” So I came up with this healthy version of breaded chicken strips that my husband loves but he doesn’t know what’s even in it, ha win for me!  This recipe is very quick to make on a week night and multiple sides go well with it. Try it out let me know what you think. 

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Paleo Chicken Strips

Time Total: 35 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 

Directions

  1. Pre Heat Oven to 375 degrees
  2. Spray Cookie Sheet with Olive Oil set aside
  3. If using chicken breast cut chicken into 3-6″ long pieces about 1.5-2″ wide.
  4. In swallow dish whisk egg till combined
  5. In another swallow dish combine almond flour, golden flax seed meal, salt, pepper and parsley and stir until combined.
  6. Drip chicken tenders in egg then in almond flour mix until chicken is coated with mixture place on greased cookie sheet and continue till all chicken tenders are breaded.
  7. Bake chicken tenders for 10 minutes then flip and bake for another 10 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees. To get the chicken tenders crispy I switch my oven to broil and broil each side for 1-2 minutes YOU HAVE TO WATCH THEM CLOSELY or they will burn. You do not have to do this step but I like the added crispyness.
  8. Serve hot with BBQ sauce or your favorite dip. 

 

“I Mindy Pfankuch-Zaragoza am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.”
Gluten Free Cooking

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cake

mindyp87

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This is the time of year there is Pumpkin flavored everything, I love pumpkin but only when it’s appropriate, ie: pie, cake and coffee!  One of my best friends is literally obsessed about Pumpkin flavored everything I love her dearly but I can’t handle “everything” pumpkin flavored. But I love this Pumpkin Cake with chocolate frosting. This recipe is dedicated to her, except she hates cake but I bet I could get her to eat this cake!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Dry Ingredients:

  • 1 & ½ cups gluten-free flour mix (I like Nameste or cup4cup)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Wet Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup coconut sugar or  1/2 cup cane sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ½ cup melted coconut oil or butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon orange zest

Chocolate Frosting:

  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil or butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. If you are using coconut oil in your recipe bring eggs, applesauce and pumpkin to room temperature to keep the coconut oil from solidifying once it’s added to the wet ingredients.
  2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease bundt cake pan or metal 9″x 13″ cake pan with coconut oil and set aside.
  3. Combine dry ingredients: gluten-free flour mix, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices in a bowl and whisk to combine.
  4. With counter top mixer beat eggs and sugar until well combined. Then add pumpkin, applesauce, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract and orange zest and mix until combined.
  5. With your mixer on low slowly add your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients and mix until combined, be careful to not over mix.
  6. Pour your batter into greased cake pan and bake at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a inserted tooth pick comes out clean.
  7. Let cake cool if using bundt pan. Once cool flip bundt pan upside down onto nice plate cake should easily pop out. If using 9″x13″ pan leave in pan and let cool before frosting.
  8. For frosting in double broiler over medium low heat combine mini chocolate chips, milk, coconut oil  until melted and you have a smooth texture. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Let frosting cool about 20 minutes before pouring over cake to frost.

Hope you enjoy this cake as much as I do!

Gluten Free Cooking

Huckleberry Balsamic Honey Pork Chops

mindyp87

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Today I want to share a huckleberry pork chop recipe. But first a little about huckleberries.

In Northwest Montana August and September brings Huckleberry season. The locals go crazy for Huckleberries and most pick to fill their freezers full for the winter.  Tourist are thrilled to try the delicious berries and buy anything huckleberry flavored. If you have never had a huckleberry they are similar to a blueberry but are not in the same family. Huckleberries can be different colors from purple red to a dark purple berries. The purple red berries tent to be tart and the dark purple are very sweet. My family enjoys picking huckleberries and the dogs even like them too!

Huckleberry Balsamic Honey Pork Chops

Ingredients: 

  • 4 pork chops
  • 1/2 cup huckleberries
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 sprigs fresh Thyme
  • 1/4 white wine
  • 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • Pinch of ginger
  • 1 Tbsp Raw Honey
  • 1/2 fresh squeezed lemon
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp arrow root powder with 2 tsp water (for a thicker reduction)

Directions: 

  1. Drizzle olive oil in pan and let warm. Season pork chops with salt, pepper and garlic powder and add to warm pan.
  2. Pan fry the pork chops approximately 5-6 minutes per side (this will depend on thickness of the cut). The pork chops need to reach an internal temperature of 150 to 160 degrees. Once cooked cover with tin foil and keep in a warm oven.
  3. Using the same pan add huckleberries, balsamic vinegar, wine, fresh thyme taken off the stems, ginger and honey. Simmer to reduce the volume to about half. Squeeze a half a lemon over reduction and add butter. Once butter melts add arrow root slurry to reduction if you like a thicker reduction.
  4. Spoon your sauce over your warm pork chops and serve immediately.

 

I love this for a quick recipe but feel like it’s something I’d find in a 5 star restaurant. Even better it’s gluten free.  My husband doesn’t like sweet with his meat but the kids and I love this recipe. Pair a fresh garden salad with this and you have a healthy option for dinner.

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