Gluten Free Banana Bread

I can't leave this bread alone.

Finals ended last Friday, and as my tradition goes, I had to bake soon after. I have no idea why (1) every semester I get this crazy urge to bake during finals and (2) why I always seem to gravitate toward baking some sort of bread. I can't stop picking at this bread - it turned out AMAZINGLY well.

My absolute FAVORITE gluten free flour to bake with is cup 4 cup from Williams Sonoma. It is seriously the best - everything I've used it in tastes completely normal. I used it in this blueberry bread with excellent results and I've used it multiple times to make my favorite pizza dough. Cup 4 Cup advertises that you use it "cup for cup" in place of regular flour, but I've found that it usually tends to be a little less (not the case with this particular recipe).

Picture courtesy of Williams Sonoma

One warning about Cup 4 Cup: it's expensive. It's about $20 per bag from Williams Sonoma. Since Justin's gluten intolerance isn't going anywhere, we invested in a 25 pound bag (it was cheaper to purchase in bulk), but we use flour A LOT. If you're not a big baker, buy 1 bag to keep around for special occasions.

Anyway, this bread is amazing and gluten free thanks to Cup 4 Cup. I used coconut oil (anyone who has read about a "Paleo" diet knows about coconut oil), and it made the bread fluffy and moist (hate that word, but there is really no other way to describe it) - SO good. If you're not a coconut fan, leave out the flakes in the streusel and the coconut extract in the actual bread. Just know the coconut oil itself doesn't give it a coconut taste.

Here's what you need (adapted slightly from How Sweet Eats)...

4 VERY ripe bananas, mashed up
1 2/3 cup of flour (I used GF, but you can use regular - same amount!)
1 cup of brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
1/2 cup of coconut oil, melted
1/3 cup canned coconut milk (I used light)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut extract

Streusel:

2/3 cup of brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 tsp cinnamon
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the streusel, combine all the dry ingredients, then add the butter. Stir until everything is well incorporated. Set aside.

Here's what you do...

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. I know they always tell you put the dry ingredients in a bowl, then slowly add various wet, blah blah. Um...I just put everything in a bowl, then slowly added flour until I got my desired consistency. You do what you want! Just make sure it's all mixed up well.

3. Pour your mixture, however you got it, into a 9x5 loaf pan. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the loaf. Then, place the loaf pan on a baking sheet and bake for 75 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

4. Take the bread out of the oven, let cool and enjoy!

I am free for an entire week, so I plan to inundate you with recipes. Then, I will likely disappear for 2 weeks because I'm GETTING MARRIED NEXT WEEK (and starting my summer job, also fantastic)!!!!!!!!!!!

You know what I learned today? How streusel is spelled. Do you know why that's awesome? Because it has NOTHING to do with law school!

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Chicken Parmesan Spaghetti Squash Boats

Sorry for the hiatus! Law school gets in the way of my hobbies sometimes. How annoying.

Today was my last day of class (YAY!), and in less than two weeks I will be done with finals (double YAY!), AND in less than 4 weeks, I will be married (TRIPLE YAY!). Oh, and I start a new job somewhere in between. SO, I apologize for being a less than consistent blogger. 

I have been wanting to try spaghetti squash FOREVER, and it figures that I finally decided to get it while it was out of season (read: it was a little expensive). These things are cheaper in the winter, BUT I so recommend these - they were so good! And, of course, gluten free (is anyone sick of me reminding you?).

Here's what you need (adapted from Skinnytaste)...

2 medium spaghetti squash

1 jar of your favorite marinara (I used a Trader Joe's brand)

Salt/pepper

1-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

Chicken*

Italian seasoning

Reduced fat italian cheese (I used a blend, but feel free to just do mozzarella)

Parmesan cheese

*I had leftover rotisserie chicken, but you could also use grilled chicken (seasoned with some oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper).

Here's what you do...

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Split your spaghetti squash in half (easier said than done) and scoop out the seeds on the inside. Place the squash cut side up on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper, then roast for 60 minutes.

3. In the meantime, saute your onion and garlic in some olive oil until soft (5-7 minutes). Once it's done, mix in your chicken and set aside.

4. When the squash are done roasting, use a fork to "fluff" the spaghetti out of it. It will come off all the sides - it's really cool (at least to me).

5. Pour in a layer of marinara (I mixed it into the "spaghetti"), then your chicken/onion mixture, then another layer of sauce. Top with a good layer of italian cheese, some italian seasoning, and parmesan.

6. Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and it's warmed through. Enjoy!

These were even good leftover - and actually really simple.

I will do my absolute best to be around more, but I can't make any promises. I do have some amazing homemade cupcakes, a gluten free version of this blueberry bread, and yet another pasta recipe on the horizon. Don't give up on me!

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Easy, Light Italian Pasta

Do I have to keep telling you I used gluten free pasta? I did. Brown rice fuselli pasta from Trader Joe's. It tasted normal.

There isn't really a right way to make this dish. This has been a go-to whenever we have random things hanging around the house that we need to eat. It's simple - comes together it about 15 minutes if you don't have to cook a new protein. 

We had leftover grilled chicken, so I cut it into small pieces and threw it in the skillet, but use whatever you want! If you don't have pre-cooked chicken laying around, season raw chicken with salt/pepper/garlic powder, slice it into small pieces, and saute it in the skillet with olive oil until cooked through (about 7-8 minutes). Then, follow the steps below!

Here's what you need...

1/2 lb. pasta of choice (I find the fuselli noodles above catch cheese well)

1 lb of chicken (or whatever you want!)

4-5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 large yellow onion, diced

10-15 grape tomatoes, sliced

1/2 tbsp dried basil

4 oz. of fresh mozzarella, sliced into pieces*

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

Fresh parmesan and parsley for topping

*I have also used feta in place of mozzarella here - also delicious.

Here's what you do...

1. Cook pasta according to package. Drain and set aside.

2. In a large saute pan, saute garlic and onion in olive oil (use a decent about - 1 1/2 tbsp). Cook until soft (about 6-7 minutes), then add tomatoes. 

3. If you have leftover chicken (or whatever protein you want to use) throw it in now to heat through. Add basil and saute for a few more minutes.

4. Pour in the 1 1/2 tsp of olive oil into the pasta. Then, add mozzarella and stir. Then, add onion/tomato/chicken mixture and stir again. Top with parmesan and parsley and enjoy!

This simple dish packs a lot of flavor and I really can't stress how quickly it comes together - one of my favorite weeknight meals! It's also pretty light.

I have been craving cinnamon buns lately (yesterday I was craving a smoothie - what is wrong with me? NO, I'm not pregnant). These look particularly amazing. Think I can make them gluten free?! We shall see...

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Homemade (Light!) Potato Salad

My world has turned gluten-free.

I don't really think this is a bad thing, however, since we've been eating gluten free (fiance has finally accepted he must do this), any time I eat gluten I react to it. 

What. the. hell. 

Apparently, this doesn't necessarily mean I'm allergic to it, however, my body is adjusting to (and apparently enjoying) not eating gluten. I had something with gluten in it the other day, like a bite, and felt sick for the rest of the day.

I hear marriage is all about sacrifices, and it seems I have sacrificed gluten for mine. Sigh.

ANYway, it finally started getting warm in North Carolina yesterday and I was dying for a summer meal. We grilled some burgers and veggies and all that was missing was potato salad. Coming from Florida, I worship the red potato salad that comes from the Publix deli (I worship anything from the Publix deli), and I have yet to find something comparable in a store in NC. SO, I made my own, and I guarantee this is WAY lighter than anything you would find in a grocery store.

Here's what you need (adapted from Southern Food)...

About 1.5 lbs of red potatoes

2 ribs of celery, chopped into tiny pieces

1/2 red onion, chopped into tiny pieces

1/2 cup mayo (I used Kraft Reduced Fat Mayo w/Olive Oil)

1/4 cup of lowfat milk

1 1/2 tbsp of white vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4-1/2 tsp ground mustard (taste it as you go)

1/4 tsp dried dill

1/4 tsp pepper

Here's what you do...

1. Cover your potatoes (skins on) with water and boil for 30-45 minutes, or until you can easily pierce them with a fork. I like more of a smashed potato salad, but if you like it cut into chunks, undercook your potatoes a little. 

2. Let them cool, then put them in a bowl and use a fork to mash them up a bit. They should look like this (unless you cut them into pieces):

3. Add all the other ingredients and stir well to combine. Taste and add seasonings to your taste.

4. I highly suggest making this a few hours in advance and refrigerating it - it tastes better as the flavors sit and develop. Enjoy!

With summer right around the corner, this is a great side dish. Perfect to bring to a cook-out. And, of course, gluten free.

Best future-wife ever? I think so. Happy Sunday!!

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Chicken Enchilada Pasta (made w/GF corn pasta!)

I'm on a Mexican kick. I'm also on a "use everything in my kitchen" kick.

This pasta came to be for 2 reasons:

1. I had a rotisserie chicken I needed to use up. Leftover rotisserie chicken is GREAT for recipes that call for shredded chicken. A ton of flavor, barely any work.

2. Justin had purchased gluten free corn pasta. I had read online that rice pasta tasted more like traditional pasta, and that corn pasta had a slight corn flavor (shocker) that did not always go well with traditional pasta sauces. Since enchiladas are generally made with corn tortillas, I figured this was a great excuse to try out the pasta. We used this brand:

This dinner came together in 30 minutes, start to finish. It was SO easy - perfect weeknight dinner.

Here's what you need (slightly adapted from How Sweet Eats)...

1 medium red onion, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 orange bell pepper, chopped

2-4 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Dash of cayenne (if you like a little spice)

About  1-1 1/2 cups of shredded chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken)

1/2 pound of spaghetti

1 10 oz. can of enchilada red sauce*

1 1/4 cup of fresh shred cheddar cheese

*Some enchilada sauces are NOT gluten free. According to their website, the one we used IS gluten free, but definitely check the label:

Here's what you do...

1. Boil pasta according to directions on the box. Drain and set aside.

2. While pasta is boiling, saute peppers, onion and garlic in olive oil in a large pan until soft, about 5-7 minutes.

3. Then, add spices, chicken, and enchilada sauce (basically everything but the pasta and cheese). Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes to allow flavor to develop.

4. Pour in cheese and stir to melt/combine. Then, add pasta and stir to combine. Enjoy!

Simple, delicious, and gluten free. What else could you need?

Don't forget to follow my Jillian Michaels exercise journey on gotrainingwithbeth.blogspot.com - I'm officially halfway through the program.

Happy Monday!

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Cheesy Garlic Bread

There's quite a story behind this loaf of bread.

I will start by saying this: my week last week was BRUTAL. Emotional, awful in every way, just BAD. I was looking forward to Saturday night because a friend of ours from school was having a party. I made this bread on Super Bowl Sunday and it was devoured, so I thought I would make it and bring it to the party.

I prepped everything, got it all together...and right when I pulled it out of the oven, fiance, not looking so great, told me his right arm had been numb for 4 hours.

1. WHY WOULD YOU WAIT SO LONG TO TELL ME?! 2. We're going to the ER.

Can I tell you how interesting the ER was on the Saturday night before St. Patrick's Day? I heard a guy ASK for a straight jacket (why?) and I saw another guy get escorted out by 2 cops because he brought a knife into the ER (again, why?).

I cried. A lot. The biggest concern was that he had a stroke, and every time a nurse/doctor/PA/NP would say those words, I would burst into tears. Worst ER buddy EVER.

After 5 hours, they cleared fiance to go home (no stroke!) and requested he follow up with a neurologist. He's fine, I promise. But the most hilarious part about this night: we got home at 2:30 a.m. and were both STARVING. Sure enough, my bread is still sitting on the stove. We popped it in the oven and warmed it up for about 5 minutes...and then inhaled it (with a glass of wine on the side). Gluten-free fiance got a gluten pass after spending 5 hours in the ER.

The aftermath:

Anyway, this bread is delicious and easy. It makes for a great party appetizer. You won't regret making it. I definitely did not :)

Here's what you need (from Tasty Kitchen)...

1 loaf of italian bread (can buy at grocery store)
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 bunch of green onions (or chives)
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 hunks of sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shred (16 oz.)

Here's what you do...

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Slice a grid in your bread. Be careful not to cut all the way to the bottom - the point is to be able to pull out pieces of this bread. If you flip it over, the bottom should be intact.

3. Melt butter in a microwave safe container. Add onion and garlic. Spoon the butter mixture into the crevices of the bread - pull it apart so you can really get it in there.

4. Cover with foil, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil, and shove the shredded cheese into the crevices. Again, pull apart the bread and get it into the gaps. Bump up the oven temperature to 425 degrees.

5. Bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and it's a little brown on top. Remove and let sit for a couple minutes (preferably NOT 5 hours). Enjoy!!

It's sort of embarrassing that we destroyed it like that, but in our defense we had not eaten much dinner before fiance told me about his problem.

Here's to a better week! Have a great one.

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Chicken Tacos with Goat Cheese Queso

It should come as a surprise to no one that I love queso.

I've been on a bit of a taco kick lately, and I have several ways I make tacos (in the crockpot, with shrimp), but this is my new favorite way.

Roasting the chicken with a bunch of spices gives it a great flavor, and the queso is just perfect. Is anyone shocked that we had a ton of goat cheese just laying around?

Here's what you need (from How Sweet Eats)...

2-3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 yellow onion, sliced
2 limes, sliced into wedges
1 1/2 tsp of paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
Tortillas (I used corn - gluten free!)
Desired toppings (we just did red onion and lettuce)

For the queso:

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour (I used gluten free)
1/2-1 jalapeño, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 cup milk (I used 2 %)
6 oz. goat cheese

Here's what you do...

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Combine spices in a bowl. Grease a baking dish and layer onions on the bottom. Then, put chicken on top of the onions and sprinkle evenly with the spice mixture. Stick the lime slices in between the chicken.

3. Cover the baking dish, and bake for 60 minutes. Remove and let cool for a few minutes, then shred with a fork.

4. Meanwhile, in a small pot, melt butter. Add garlic and jalapeno and saute for 2-3 minutes or until soft and fragrant. Add flour and allow mixture to thicken (1 minute). Then, add milk. Allow the milk to get warm - it should bubble a little on the sides - then add goat cheese. Mix well until melted and smooth.

5. Add chicken to tortillas, top with queso and other desired toppings. Enjoy!!

This is a different take on tacos, and I loved it. The queso reheats really well, and you'll have plenty of leftover chicken as well.

AND...it can be gluten free. Lucky fiance.

Have a great week!

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