deliciously weird trail mix

 

If you like the heat of wasabi, this trail mix is amazing. Be sure to read the ingredients in each item. Check to make sure the wasabi peas don't have wheat. Mine are made with corn starch. Also check your roasted, salted sunflower seeds because some brands add seasonings like onion and garlic powder. Keep it simple, just salt! And for IBS, go easy on the amount of dried pineapple you include since too much dried fruit can be a trigger even though pineapple is a fodmaps friendly fruit. That said, for a little snack, this one packs a punch! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/8 cup or more of roasted, salted sunflower seeds

1/8 cup or less of wasabi flavored dried peas

1/16 cup of dried pineapple

pork chop with almonds, rice, and carrots

ingredients:
pork chop(s)
olive oil
salt
oregano & basil
rice
bagged baby carrots
slivered raw almonds
cayenne pepper

what to do:
pour small spoonful of olive oil into baking dish
add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp basil & oregano
place one or more raw pork chops in oil and flip until coated
cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until center of a chop is not pink
boil rice per instructions & set aside
boil baby carrots in water for 10 minutes or until soft
add to plate the slivered almonds & dusting of cayenne pepper to taste

notes:
you can also lightly brown the almonds on a low stove setting in a drop of olive oil

cheddar beef sandwich with fries and soda

this is my solution to my fast food craving!

ingredients:
1-2 slices of Rudi's original gluten-free sandwich bread
1 slice Boar's Head vermont cheddar cheese
2-4 slices of deli roast beef
1 serving frozen french fries (check ingredients for gluten)
Simply Heinz ketchup (has no corn syrup)
1 can 8.45 ounce Perrier water
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp lemon juice concentrate

what to do:
cook french fries according to package instructions
the bread can be toasted first or un-toasted depending on your preference
lay one slice of the cheese on one slice of bread
lay the beef folded on top of the cheese
top with the other slice of bread or leave the sandwich open-faced
microwave 30-60 seconds so cheese melts and beef browns
eat sandwich and fries with ketchup of course
for a sprite/7-up style beverage stir sugar and lemon juice into Perrier

notes:
you can find Rudi's bread typically in the freezer section of Kroger and they carry the Boar's Head vermont cheddar cheese which is lactose free at their deli

quiche and salsa

ingredients:
3 Rudi's gluten-free plain tortillas
a little olive oil
1/2 cup Lactaid milk
4 large eggs
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup diced zucchini
two 1" cubes of Boar's Head Vermont cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp each of salt, cumin, and cayenne

what to do:
sautee the red bell pepper and zucchini in about a tsp olive oil until tender-crisp
set veggies aside or in refrigerator to cool (because you don't want them to cook the egg)
use a small amount of olive oil to oil the bottom of an 8" or 9" round baking pan
press 3 tortillas into baking pan, overlapping, so that they form a crust with an edge
crack 4 eggs into a bowl and add the milk, salt, cumin, and cayenne, beating well
shred the 2 cubes of cheese into the egg mixture and mix well
add the cooled, sauteed vegetables into the egg mixture and mix
gently pour the egg mixture into the crust, preferably not spilling over the tortillas' edges
bake the quiche on 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until a knife poked in center comes out clean

makes:
4 amazing servings

notes:
we still can't get over how very good this is!
top it with my fodmaps friendly sweet salsa: 1/2 cup drained, canned petite diced tomato mixed with small chunks of canned pineapple and a 1/4 tsp white vinegar with a dash of salt and cayenne

breadsticks & nacho cheese sauce

ingredients:
1 Kinnikinnick gluten free pizza crust
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp Kroger grated parmesan cheese sprinkles
3 1" cubes of Boar's Head Vermont orange cheddar cheese
1 tbsp Newman's Own pineapple salsa

what to do:
spread olive oil over the top of the pizza crust evenly
spread the parmesan over that evenly
bake according to package instructions
microwave cheese cubes for 30 seconds or until melted in small microwaveable cup
stir salsa into cheese and microwave for 15 more seconds if needed
cut cooked crust into four long strips and dip into sauce

notes:
hard cheese like Board's Head Vermont cheddar are lactose free
nacho cheese may not be smooth as it starts to cool so warm it up again if needed
these breadsticks are also good dipped in my fodmaps friendly pizza sauce

taco salad

ingredients:
tortilla chips
lettuce
1 tomato or red bell pepper
Boar's Head vermont cheddar cheese, yellow
1 lb Laura's Lean ground beef
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

what to do:
shred lettuce, about 2 cups, set aside
shred cheese, at least 1 loose cup, set aside
dice tomato or red bell pepper, set aside
brown ground beef in a 1/4 cup water, add a little water as needed while cooking
when brown throughout, add all spices & mix evenly
arrange tortilla chips on plate, top with beef, cheese, lettuce, red bell pepper or tomato

makes:
2-3 servings

notes:
commercial taco seasonings contain onion powder or garlic powder

pizza

ingredients:
pepperoni, or another low fodmap topping (fresh spinach, red bell pepper, sausage)
parmesan sprinkles
Kinnikinnick gluten free frozen pizza crusts
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp water
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp italian seasoning (oregano/basil)

what to do:
in small cup, mix tomato paste, olive oil, water, salt, sugar, & italian seasoning until well blended

place 2 crusts on baking tray
from center out, smooth half the tomato blend over surface of crust with spoon
do same to other crust
place 5 or more pepperoni on each crust on top of sauce
put 2-3 tbsp of parmesan in middle of each crust & gently spread over pepperoni
cook pizzas according to package instructions (375 degrees for 15 minutes)
add more parmesan if you like

makes:
2 personal pizzas (one pizza pictured below, cut in half)

notes:
this homemade sauce is a great way to avoid onion & garlic found in commercial sauces
some fodmaps sites say mozzarella is safe, but it causes me symptoms

sausage & spinach & cornbread

ingredients:
1/2 pound Kroger mild pork sausage (has no msg)
2 tsp olive oil
2 servings frozen cut leaf spinach
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
leftover corn bread


what to do:
heat 1 tsp olive oil in skillet on medium
slice four sausage servings & fry until brown
cut one slice in half to check that inside is done
remove sausage from oil
pour out any excess oil so only thin layer is left in skillet
add a small amount of water to cover bottom of skillet
add spinach, salt, & sugar
cook on low until spinach is thawed & warmed through
serve with two servings of leftover corn bread

makes:
2 servings

notes:
this is an easy supper to put together

sweet corn bread

this is my adaptation of the Fannie Farmer Cookbook's recipe "corn bread"

ingredients:
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup Glutino gluten free all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup Lactaid milk
1 egg, well beaten
2 tbsp melted vegetable shortening

what to do:
microwave the shortening in small cup for 20-30 seconds until melted, set aside
grease an 8x8" baking pan
in a large bowl mix cornmeal, gluten free flour, sugar, baking powder & salt
beat an egg well in a small cup, then add to flour mixture
add milk & melted shortening too (be sure shortening isn't too warm or it'll cook the egg)
mix well
pour into greased pan
bake in preheated oven at 425 for 20 minutes

makes:
8 large servings

notes:
this goes great with hoosier chili

hoosier chili

ingredients:
1/2 pound Laura's Lean ground beef
one 14.5 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp beef base
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

what to do:
cook ground beef in 1/4 cup water in sauce pan
when thoroughly cooked, add can of diced tomato
add another 1/4 cup water
add all spices, sugar, salt, & beef bouillion
heat through & serve

makes:
2 servings

notes:
Das Dutchman Essenhaus Beef Base contains onion powder, but doesn't cause me any symptoms
this chili is great with homemade gluten-free corn bread!

roasted potatoes & hamburger & salad

ingredients:
5-7 small yellow potatoes
1/8 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
--
1/2 pound Laura's Lean ground beef
1/4 cup quick cooking oats plain
salt (3 dashes)
black pepper (2 dashes)

what to do:
cut potatoes into small chunks
place in glass baking dish with salt, italian seasoning, & oil
mix well until seasoning & oil are evenly distributed
bake covered w/aluminum foil for 40 minutes on 375
continue baking uncovered for 20 minutes on 375
put ground beef in bowl
mix beef with oatmeal & pepper & salt
divide in half & pat into two 1/2 " thick patties
grill on George Foreman grill until no longer pink

makes:                                                                                    

4 servings of roasted potatoes
2 hamburger patties
serve with salad, dressing, & nuts


notes:
i'm still looking for a lower fodmaps dressing, but for now I use either Annie's roasted red bell pepper dressing or Newman's balsamic vinaigrette

sausage gravy

ingredients:
2 servings Kroger mild pork sausage (no msg)
1 1/2 cups Lactaid lowfat milk
1 heaping tbsp of corn starch OR 2 tbsp Glutino flour
4 slices Rudi's multigrain gluten free bread (contains inulin & honey)

plus:
1 empty peanut butter jar w/lid or similar jar

what to do:
in frying pan, cook sausage until no longer pink
(use small amounts of water to keep it from burning)
in the jar, put 1 heaping tbsp of corn starch & the milk
put on lid tightly & shake jar until corn starch dissolves
pour milk mixture over sausage
cook on medium heat, stirring every minute
be patient, it will eventually start to thicken
when gravy starts to boil, turn off heat
continue stirring every minute or so as gravy cools & thickens more
serve over toasted gluten-free bread (or biscuits, see recipe)
add salt & pepper if you like

makes:
2 servings

notes:
don't turn up heat to high to get it to boil faster; it'll burn on bottom
be sure to stir every minute or it will thicken in lumps
good gravy takes patience & is totally worth it
if you like thicker gravy, add an extra tsp of corn starch to the jar

biscuits

this recipe is an adaptation of the Fannie Farmer Cookbook's "baking powder biscuits"

ingredients:
1 cup Glutino gluten free all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup vegetable shortening + a bit more
1/3 cup Lactaid milk

what to do:
grease a baking pan with a bit of shortening
in a bowl, mix the flour, salt, baking powder, & sugar
add the 1/4 cup shortening & cut it into flour many times (see picture)
add the milk & stir until flour is moistened, will still be lumpy
lightly flour a cutting board & place dough on board
knead (press with palms of hands) seven times
pat dough down on board until it's a 1/2 inch thick
cut with cookie cutter or small cup's edge into 2 to 3 inch rounds
place rounds with edges touching in pan (see picture)
bake in preheated oven at 425 for 18 minutes or until lightly brown

makes:
6-8 biscuits

notes:
i don't know why but i've never been able to get my biscuits to rise, whether i use flour or gluten-free flour, so we just enjoy very flat biscuits...and sausage gravy makes flat biscuits delicious!

very delicious brownies

ingredients:
1/4 cup cocoa (or 1/4 cup carob powder)
3/4 cup sugar (or 1/2 cup sugar if using carob)
1/4 cup warm water
1/6 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
slightly > 1/2 cup Glutino gluten free all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
also 1 lightly oiled 9" x 4" baking pan

what to do:
put cocoa powder & sugar in mixing bowl with slightly warm water, mix thoroughly
add olive oil, vanilla extract, & egg, mix thoroughly
add flour, baking powder, & salt, mix again
lightly grease bottom & sides of baking pan with tiny bit of olive oil
pour brownie mix into pan evenly
bake in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes
done when toothpick (or wooden chopstick) poked into middle comes out just a bit sticky on bottom
let cool

makes:
8 servings

notes:
these from-scratch brownies are sooooo good, they're better than any of the gluten-free brownie mixes i've tried and frankly they're better than they were when i used to use regular flour to make them, no kidding... very delicious, and i've eaten two already & need a third before bed

noodles in the morning

rice noodles, tofu, beef broth

to get more fruits & veggies per day, i gave up traditional breakfast for a morning smoothie & a bowl of noodly vegetables an hour later--it's delicious & very versatile, similar to udon soup

ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup mixed veggies--either green beans, red or yellow bell peppers, peas, zucchini or yellow squash slices, or carrot coins
1/2 cup gluten free noodles--either Kroger penne pasta, Ronzoni rotini, or A Taste of Thai rice noodles
1 serving of either tofu, or a precooked egg (scrambled or hardboiled), or some leftover beef, pork, or ham
1+ tbsp of either raw walnut pieces or almonds
1 tsp - 1 tbsp of either tamari, Hikari minute miso paste, or beef or chicken bouillon (as free of fodmap ingredients as you can find)

what to do:
saute 1/2 cup veggies in olive oil breifly
add water to cover veggies (1+ cup)
bring to a boil
add 1/2 cup noodles & cook per package instructions
while cooking noodles & veggies, slice 1 serving of tofu, egg, or meat into serving bowl
put nuts in serving bowl too
when noodles are soft, pour noodles & veggies into bowl
stir in tamari or bouillon
good with a dash of cayenne or black pepper

makes:
1 serving (calories vary)

notes:
carrots may take longer to cook than the other veggies listed above so use thin coins or slice baby carrots lengthwise thinly

rotini, hardboiled egg, tamari

rotini, tofu, tamari

penne, scrambled egg, broth

peanut butter jelly time

ingredients:
1 slice gluten-free bread (Canyon Bakehouse or Rudi's)
1 butter-knife-full of Kroger's natural creamy peanut butter
1 butter-knife-full of Kroger's Private Selection raspberry, strawberry, or blueberry jelly
1 glass of Lactaid milk

what to do:
lightly toast the bread if you want
slather with peanut butter & jelly
eat bite, sip milk, eat bite, sip milk, repeat until done...consider having another

makes:
one serving (around 300 calories give or take a lot of factors)

notes:
the private selection jelly contains no corn syrup
i'm still experimenting with brands of gluten-free bread...
Rudi's is my favorite, which has honey & inulin but doesn't trigger symptoms for me
Canyon Bakehouse 7 grain is at the local co-op; i need to eat it more times to see if it's symptom free

chops & peas & spuds

ingredients:
2 thin pork chops
2 servings Ore Ida Simply olive oil & sea salt fries
2 servings frozen green peas
2 tbsp Simply Heinz tomato ketchup (no corn syrup)
2 tbsp parmesan cheese sprinkles

what to do:
cook fries according to package instructions
cook pork chops for a couple minutes on george foreman grill until done
microwave peas for three minutes in a bowl with a small amount of water & covered with paper towel
remove towel, stir, and microwave uncovered for 1-2 more minutes until plump & warmed throughout
serve peas with parmesan on top & potatoes with ketchup
salt as desired

makes:
2 servings

notes:
this is a quick & easy supper

african peppers

not pictured: olive oil

ingredients:
2 cups cooked Uncle Ben's original rice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow bell pepper sliced in 1/2" strips
1 medium red bell pepper sliced in 1/2" strips
1 cup water
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Kroger creamy natural peanut butter
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp brown sugar

what to do:
cook rice according to package instructions
in a large sauce pan, saute bell pepper strips in olive oil on medium heat for 10 minutes or until peppers are a little soft
add 1 cup water to peppers
add the tomato paste, peanut butter, cayenne, salt, & sugar
stir frequently over medium heat
boil until mixture thickens & peppers soften even more
serve over rice

makes:
2 servings (about 408 calories each)

notes:
this might be good with cashew butter if you need to substitute for peanut butter

humble crumble

ingredients:
1 tbsp Spectrum all vegetable shortening
3/4 cup blueberries
6 ounces raspberries
1 packet Simple Truth (maple & brown sugar flavor) organic instant oatmeal

what to do:
coat the bottom & sides of a 4" x 8" glass baking dish with the shortening
put berries in baking dish
shake oatmeal packet well, open, & sprinkle evenly over berries
bake on 350 degrees for 20 minutes

makes:
2 servings (about 205 calories each)

notes:
this is both tart and sweet; if you like sweeter, sprinkle sugar over top before baking
anyone with celiac's disease might read about possible gluten in oatmeal

breakfast quesadilla

ingredients:
1 small red potato
1 egg
1 Rudi's gluten-free tortilla
1 cup raw spinach or 1/2 a roma tomato sliced
two 1" cubes Boar's Head vermont cheddar
salt
cayenne
paprika

what to do:
dice up red potato, put into microwave safe bowl
add small amount of water, cover with toweling
microwave for 3 minutes or until potato is soft
break yoke & stir egg in microwave safe dish
microwave for 1-2 minutes until egg is cooked
on one side of tortilla, put cooked egg, cooked potato, spinach (or tomato) & cheese
add 1 dash salt & 2 dashes each of cayenne & paprika
carefully fold empty side of tortilla over full side
carefully place on george foreman grill
grill for 1-3 minutes or until top of tortilla browns a bit and cheese melts

makes:
1 serving (about 433 calories)

notes:
Rudi's gluten-free tortillas contain a small amount of apple cidar vinegar
you find them in the frozen bread section
not all cheddar cheeses are lactose-free, but Boar's Head vermont cheddar is

with tomato

with spinach