Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Casserole

Last week, I made a few small loaves of Cilantro Quick Bread. Immediately, I was struck with inspiration for a new recipe featuring the savory bread.

I invited a few ballet dancer friends over to act as taste testers. 

The verdict? The casserole was devoured in under 15 minutes. I think it was a success! The only downside was GF Guy didn't get to try any. It was gone by the time he got home! No matter what anyone says, ballet dancers know how to eat!

PS- We were far too busy having fun to take a decent picture. I've noticed my pictures are either fabulous, or devastatingly sad, nothing in between. *sigh* At least I commit one way or the other!

 

Huevos Rancheros Breakfast Casserole

(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Ingredients:

• 1 small loaf Cilantro Quick Bread, cut into 1/2" thick slices
• 1 large Tomato, cut into 1/4" thick slices
• 1/4 cup fresh Cilantro, chopped
• 5 large Eggs
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened, Plain Almond Milk
• 1/4 cup Water
• 1 Tbsp Vegan Sour Cream
• 1/4 tsp Hot Sauce
• 1/2 cup Daiya Vegan Mozzarella Cheese
• Salt & Pepper 

Directions:

1. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Place sliced Cilantro Quick Bread in a single layer in the bottom of the dish.
3. Top sliced bread with sliced tomato.
4. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over top the tomato.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients until well combined.
6. Pour egg mixture evenly into the baking dish over top the bread & tomato.
7. Cover and refrigerate over night, or a minimum of 3 hours.
8. The next day, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. (375 degrees F for high altitude)
9. Bake egg casserole, uncovered for 40-50 minutes until puffy and golden.

This post is linked to Amy's Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free.

Chicken Sausage Quinoa Risotto

The meat that GF Guy & I eat is purely determined by what is on sale. Last week, I spotted some All-Natural, GF Chicken Sausage on sale at Target. 

I bought some and threw it in my freezer, knowing it would come in handy at some point. That "some point" came faster than I thought it would!

I have been seeing Risotto all over the blog-o-sphere lately. That got me thinking. It has been literally over a year since I have made Risotto. That travesty had to be rectified, and quickly! 

Some people hate standing over the stove for the 45 minutes plus that it takes to make Risotto. The constant stirring drives them mad. Me? I find it therapeutic. You don't have to think or rush around. You are forced to simply stand and stir. For a busy, buzzy, little person like myself, this is a form of meditation, and a delicious one, at that!

I didn't take a picture because the lighting was bad, and I knew it would come out looking unappetizing. I was planning on taking a photo today with the leftovers. However.... there were no leftovers! Take that for what it's worth! ;)

Chicken Sausage Quinoa Risotto

(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

 photo source

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Vegetable Broth
• 2 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
• 1 Tomato, chopped
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 Yellow Onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup Dry Sherry
• 1 cup Quinoa
• 3 links cooked Gluten-Free, All-Natural Spinach & Garlic Chicken Sausage, sliced into 1/4" thick rounds
• 2 tsp dried Parsley
• 1 tsp dried Rosemary
• 1 bag Baby Spinach
• 1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast Flakes
• Salt & Black Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, combine vegetable broth, chicken broth, and chopped tomato. Bring to a simmer.
2. In a larger pot, heat oil. Saute' onion until translucent. Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds more. 
3. Pour the quinoa into the pot with the onion and lightly toast it, about 1 minute.
4. Deglaze the pot with the dry sherry, stirring until absorbed.
5. Reduce heat to medium low.
6. Stirring constantly, add the broth mixture 1/2 cup at a time. Stir until broth is absorbed before adding more.
7. When you are down to about 1/2 cup of broth remaining, add the sliced chicken sausage, herbs, 3/4 bag of spinach, nutritional yeast, salt, & pepper. 
8. Add the remaining broth, and cook until absorbed and all ingredients are heated through.
9. Serve over remaining spinach.

Cilantro Quick Bread

Last night, GF Guy requested Pumpkin Chili for dinner..... again....

It is his absolute favorite dinner, and he gets very offended when people don't like it! (...which has actually never happened. People have refused to try it, but have never disliked it once they do.) Anyway, I was going to make cornbread to go with our chili, but the grocery store I went to didn't carry any "Celiac-Safe" Cornmeal. As tempted as I was to just buy the Quaker Cornmeal, I knew it was not a good idea. On to plan B! I used the ingredients I had on hand to make a delicious quick bread that paired perfectly with the chili! This recipe makes 3 small loaves. We only ate one, and I can't wait to use the other 2 for a recipe I have floating around in my head. Enjoy!

Cilantro Quick Bread

(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free)

 image source

Ingredients:

• 2 large Eggs
• 3 Tbsp Oil
• 2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 cup Earth Balance Vegan Mayonnaise
• 3 Tbsp Water
• 1 cup Brown Rice Flour
• 1/2 cup Gluten Free Oat Flour
• 1/4 cup Cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tsp Xanthum Gum
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Cream of Tartar
• 3/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1/3 cup packed fresh Cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 3 mini-loaf pans with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the first 5 ingredients until smooth.
3. Add all remaining ingredients and stir until smooth.
4. Pour into mini-loaf pans and bake 15-20 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center of one loaf comes out clean.
5. Cool 10 minutes in the pan before turning onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
6. Serve with Pumpkin Chili! 

The post is linked to Allergy Free Wednesdays over at Tessa the Domestic Diva & Gluten-Free Wednesdays at The Gluten-Free Homemaker.

Blueberry Donuts with Meyer Lemon Glaze

I should change the name of my blog to The Donut Queen! They seem to be all I bake of late. 

 image source

For the past few days, I have been tossing around the idea of making Blueberry Donuts. Then, GF Guy arrived home from rehearsal with a special request from one of his coworkers for a Blueberry Donut recipe. Fate? I think so!

For those of you who do not have a Donut Pan, all of my donut recipes can easily be made in a Muffin Pan. After all, baked donuts are basically muffins in a fun shape. 

Personally, I found these to be a bit on the sweet side, probably because I increased the amount of sugar I normally use from 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup. Don't ask me why I did it. It just seemed like a good idea at the time. That being said, I don't usually go for super sweet things. The average person would probably think these are perfect. 

Blueberry Donuts with Meyer Lemon Glaze

(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Ingredients:

• 1 large Egg
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/3 cup Sugar
• 3/4 cup (plus 1 Tbsp for high altitude) Unsweetened Plain Almond Milk
• 1 tsp pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup Gluten-Free Oat Flour
• 1/4 cup White Rice Flour
• 1/4 cup Cornstarch
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Xanthum Gum
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 cup Blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. (350 degrees for high altitude) Spray a donut pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, sugar, almond milk, and vanilla until smooth.
3. Add remaining ingredients, except blueberries, and stir until smooth.
4. Gently fold in the blueberries.
5. Scoop 2 heaping Tbsp of batter for each donut.
6. Bake 9-10 minutes, then cool 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack.
7. Cool completely before dipping in glaze (recipe below).

Meyer Lemon Glaze

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Powdered Sugar
• 3 Tbsp Meyer Lemon Syrup (I used the one found here)

Directions:

1. Whisk together ingredients in a shallow bowl until smooth. 

This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simple Sugar & Gluten Free.

Creole Kidney Beans

I have been on a roll lately in the kitchen! What's that sound? Yes, it's me "tooting" my own horn.

But seriously, this recipe is AWESOME! 

I texted GF Guy with two options for dinner:

1. Breakfast for Dinner
2. Rice & Beans

GF Guy chose option two and dinner was born. We didn't have any rice in the house, so quinoa was the next best, and far superior in my opinion, option. I then rolled my sleeves up and raided the produce drawer. I decided to go with a spicy, creole theme. It has been so cold lately. That always makes me crave spicy foods. (If you are not a spice lover, leave out the hot sauce in this recipe.)

GF Guy walked through the door and immediately said "Something smells good!" Luckily, it tasted darn good, too! Enjoy!

Creole Kidney Beans

(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan)

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp Earth Balance Vegan Butter Substitute
• 1/2 tsp Oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp Cumin
• 2 tsp Chili Powder
• 1/2 Yellow Onion, diced
• 1 rib Celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup Carrots, chopped
• 3 Tomatoes, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Vegetable Broth
• 1 tsp Liquid Smoke
• 2 tsp Maple Syrup
• 1/4 tsp Hot Sauce 
• 1 (16 oz) can Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
• Herbamare & White Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 packed Fresh Baby Spinach
• fresh chopped Cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

1. Melt Earth Balance in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add oregano, cumin, & chili powder and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Saute' onion & celery in the spice mixture until onion is soft and translucent.
4. Add carrots and cook until just soft.
5. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
6. Add tomatoes and vegetable broth. Cook until tomatoes begin to break down.
7. Stir in maple syrup, liquid smoke, hot sauce, and kidney beans. Cook 3 minutes.
8. Add spinach and cook until wilted.
9. Season with herbamare and white pepper.
10. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes.
11. Serve over rice or quinoa and fresh spinach. Garnish with cilantro.

Chocolate Red Wine Cake

With Valentine's Day around the corner, my mind has been turning to its naturally romantic sensibilities. Ruby red roses, rich dark chocolate, candle light, and wine.... Yes, they may be cliched, but, admit it, you like cliches as much as I do!

To indulge my penchant for the romantic, I turned my sights on the kitchen. Food is my love language. I feed those I love. I give recipes to those I love. I even sneak vegetables into desserts as a way of making those I love healthier! (Now my little sister will never touch a dessert I make ever again....) 

Today's recipe is a grown-up dessert that is the perfect finale to a romantic Valentine's Day dinner. Serve with a glass of red wine and maybe a dollop of homemade whipped cream (make extra for later *wink*) and you will have all the makings of Valentine's Day to remember.

Chocolate Red Wine Cake

(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Oil
• 1/3 cup Organic Sugar
• 1/4 cup Agave Nectar
•  2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
• 5 drops Vanilla Creme Liquid Stevia
• 3/4 cup Red Wine
• 1/4 cup Vegan Sour Cream
• 1 large Egg
• 1/8 tsp Ground Cloves
• 1/8 tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup Gluten-Free Oat Flour
• 1/2 cup White Rice Flour
• 1/4 cup Cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Xanthum Gum
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 3/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 2 Tbsp Unsweetened Plain Almond Milk, if needed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (350 degrees F for high altitude), and spray an 8x8 baking pan with Non-Stick Cooking Spray.
2. In a large bowl, cream together oil, sugar, agave, syrup, & stevia until smooth. Add egg, wine, vegan sour cream, vanilla, cloves, & nutmeg, and beat until smooth.
3. In another bowl, whisk together, oat flour, rice flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, xanthum gum, salt, & cocoa powder.
4. Slowly beat the dry mix into the liquid until just combined.
5. If batter is too thick, add almond milk, 1 Tbsp at a time. (I added 2 Tbsp, but am cooking at a high altitude, requiring more liquid)
6. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and smooth with a spatula.
7. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
8. Cool before serving.

This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free, Gluten Free Wenesdays at the Gluten Free Homemaker, Allergy Free Wednesdays at Tessa the Domestic Diva, AND February Blog Hop at Recipe Lion.

Maple Glazed Banana Donuts

Yesterday, GF Guy and I were invited over to a friends' house to watch the Super Bowl.

I wanted to bring something homemade. When GF Guy told me donuts were our hosts FAVORITE thing, there was no question what I would be baking. Coincidentally, my donut pan is my favorite thing! I made my Chocolate Donuts with Peanut Butter Glaze and a completely new recipe. Judging by the rate at which these disappeared off the plate, I would say they were a success!

Maple Glazed Banana Donuts

(Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Ingredients:

• 2 over-ripe Bananas, mashed
• 1 large Egg, beaten
• 3 Tbsp Unsweetened, Plain Almond Milk (4 Tbsp if at a high altitude)
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 cup Organic, Unbleached Sugar
• 3/4 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 cup Gluten-Free Oat Flour
• 1/2 cup Cornstarch
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Xanthum Gum

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (375 degrees for high altitude), and spray a donut pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the banana, egg, almond milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and oil.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until smooth.
4. Scoop 2 heaping Tbsp of batter for each donut. Dampen your fingers to smooth donuts evenly in the pan.
5. Bake 7-9 minutes, then cool 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack.
6. Cool completely before dipping in glaze (recipe below). 

Maple Glaze

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp pure Maple Syrup
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/3 cup Powdered Sugar

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients until smooth.

Linked to Allergy Free Wednesdays and Gluten Free Wednesdays.