A new FAKED Mac & Cheese

Who doesn't LOVE Mac & Cheese?
Tyler (my youngest with severe Autism) calls it "Kitty Crap Dinner" That is how his mind processes "KD Kraft Dinner"! It is cute.
Well, the packages have gotten smaller and they are not even joking a smidge about that expiry date!
So, as my boys got older, we ate less and less because I needed to buy MORE AND MORE. One box no longer did the trick, needed 3 or 4 for a meal... 2 at least per casserole! I just stopped buying it. Too rich for our cheap ways.

A few weeks ago, a friend got me into a deal for some pasta. Came out to about 40 cents a bag. SWEET! And with Cheddar cheese soup on that week for 99 cents a can, I stocked up.
Tyler was moody, having a rough night and wanted "Kitty Crap Dinner".
Uh oh, don't have any.
He asked again.
I said "How about Grammie style Mac and Cheese?"
I was a little panicked. No milk, no bread crumbs, no.... oh ya! I HAVE CHEDDAR CHEESE SOUP! He agreed to "Grammie style Mac and Cheese" and off to boil a bag of pasta I went. This pasta is big ol' fat elbow macaroni. It is kind of like a curled rigatoni more than an elbow macaroni but, it is good. While it was cooking, I mixed a can of soup with a tablespoon of butter and some water, just a couple of tablespoons worth. When the pasta was done, I drained it, mixed it in the pot with the cheese sauce and tasted it.... tasted like the Velveeta cheese and sauce we used to buy when I was younger. It was pretty decent! Ya I will make it again but... now the real test... I served it with ketchup to Tyler.
HE. ATE. IT.
I win.
Yay!
Now he asks for it all the time, about once a week and we no longer buy KD.

Ty's FAKED Mac and Cheese!
500g (one pound) of Elbow macaroni (or Rotini or Rigatoni, heck use what you have on hand!)
1 can of Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup*
1 or 2 tablespoons of Butter
*If you want it creamy you can add a second can of soup! Still makes it cheaper than 4 boxes of KD.

Cook your pasta.
In a small pot on medium low heat, mix soup can contents with a couple of tablespoons of water and 1 or 2 tablespoons of butter, stir and heat thoroughly, no need to hard boil! Drain your pasta, add it to the cheese soup mix, stir well and serve!
Makes 4 decent sized servings.
If you are really feeling cheesy, add some shredded cheddar on top! 

I will add some recipes later on that this is now the base of! The boys and I have used it as a replacement for all of our KD casseroles lately without disappointment!
Happy Faking!
~Christina

Sometimes you need some holiday help....

So here are some contests I have found this morning to possibly help you out :)

Good Luck All!

Sobey's Holiday Helpings

Extreme Couponing Canada

The Reebee App is my new favorite app for my iphone! It is all your local flyers on your phone! (I have yet to use it for price matching but will try soon)

You can get the FREE app here https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/reebee/id558297215?mt=8
and don't forget to like them on Facebook! Reebee
OK so hopefully you can win some stuff but back off from that $2500 Sobey's gift card.... It's gonna be mine!!!!!

Happy Contesting!

Trick them again! Cereal "cake" for the picky ones.

I like to save money and make cool stuff.
When we lived up north the grocery store close by was (still is) a little pricy. I needed Rice Krispies for the kids group night and I was not going to pay $7 for a little box. No freaking way! I came home with 3 bags of marshmallows and no cereal. WTH was I gonna make with those 99 cent marshmallows?

I opened the closet and I had honey combs, granola and about 2 cups of frosted flakes. Screw it, I am calling it cereal cake! Oh, I was a creative lil momma and didn't even know it! Here I am 12 years later and my kids will eat any cereal! Even Raisin Bran because of that cake.

You know how to make rice krispie bars right? Same recipe but any other cereal.
I use:

1 bag of mini mashmallows
1 tbsp margarine
1 box of cereal.

Microwave the marshmallows in a safe bowl, on med power, add the margarine half way through and in total I think I melt for about 90 seconds? But it depends on your microwave. Just keep an eye on it.

I take it out, add cereal BUT I put margarine on the wooden spoon so it doesn't stick as bad to the spoon! Then I coat a lasagna pan in margarine (just a bit) and my hands as well so I can flatten the mixture in the pan!
How is this healthy? I can make this with Multi Grain Cheerios, Honey bunches of Oats, Raisin Bran, heck any cereal and kids will eat it! Remember it is the NAME of things that freak them out. If you call it "Cereal Cake" rather than Raisin Bran bars they will probably eat it. They like cereal and they like cake and you want them to get more fiber in their diet... WIN WIN!
Yes, you can do this GFCF if you get the ingredients at the health food store (done it!). Enviro Kids cereal works well in this! 

Combos my guys love:
(The boxes are around 400 grams)

1/2 box frosted flakes, 1/2 box puffed wheat

1/2 box raisin bran, 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (I have used sweetened carob chips too), 1/2 box rice krispies

1 box of honeycombs,  1/2 cup of dried fruits chopped (pineapple and apples are what I usually have on hand)

1/2 cup coconut, 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup choc chips, 1 box of cheerios

Get creative! Mix it up, dried fruit, coconut, chocolate bars cut up for a special treat (Just a note... Banana chips are a little tough for this recipe but, I have a use for them later on in one of my posts.).

Just make this and cut it up, wrap 'em and put them in the lunch box. Announce that there is cereal cake in their lunches! They will love it and you have saved a few bucks (32 bars for about $5 rather than 8 small bars for $2) plus you have outwitted them yet again! And really that is what it is all about right? lol 

Just a thought:: Search online or in the flyers for a coupon or two to get the cereal for next to free :) Save more $$$!

Saturday Baking Project... Tie Dye Cake!

We have had a LONG weekend. Yesterday was a PA Day so the boys were home. So today I got on Pinterest early and found some baking ideas that seemed easy. 
A lot of the ingredients, I didn't have so, I kept searching. VIOLA! I found this blog called EasyBaked and started searching through her posts, ohhhhing and ahhhing at the gorgeous pictures and then I saw it. The Tie Dye cake!
Oh I knew I had enough stuff to make my own version!

You can get the recipe for this awesome creation on EasyBaked! 
These were our results!
I used the Wilton Cake Decorating colors for the batter (I never have actual food coloring in the house thanks to a mess with it a few years ago!). I had sky blue, lemon yellow and terra cotta colors. The kids said it looked like melted crayons lol
We separated the batter into 3 bowls and mixed each color, I poured the colors into the pan and swirled them with a toothpick.

32 minutes at 350F and POOF magically we had a super cool cake :) 
I let it cool and then mixed the leaf green coloring with Betty Crocker cream cheese icing. It's pretty good! The boys really liked it (Ty has had 5 pieces so far! That rarely happens!) So, you can say this recipe was Autism Approved! :D
 

Now, to try one from scratch again, maybe? 
I know I will be checking out and trying more recipes from EasyBaked soon!

BOGO Starbucks.... YES!!!! Nov 15-18 only (2012)

Oh you know what my FAVORITE Christmas/Yule/OMG IT'S NOVEMBER activity is? The annual Starbucks Holiday Drink weekend! Yesterday it started... and today, tomorrow and Sunday between 2-5pm when you buy ONE Holiday fave, you get the second one FREE!

I load the kids in the car, we motor across town to Starbucks and we load up on peppermint mocha lattes, caramel apple tea (made with apple juice!) and eggnog lattes, steamy good hot chocolate (even can be made with soy milk!), chug 'em back and plan out which drink we will get the next day! 

Yes, friends, we are Starbuck geeks! One of my favorite gifts is the VIA packs in my stocking (Santa puts them there!) so Mommy can survive the week between Christmas and New Years! 

So who else is going to Starbucks this weekend? 
What are you gonna get? I had the Peppermint Mocha Latte yesterday, I am thinking Eggnog or Creme Brulee today :)

Here is the beverage list so you can drool... I mean decide before you go lol

Faked Crab Cakes

The blogger app on my iPhone ate my post :( I will re-add shortly! (I have disciplined the phone... It is in time out)




The finished product :)

I didn't take a FRIGGIN picture!!!

I am sorry.
I haven't forgotten about you. I just get busy with Autism and crafts and life... I have lots to always share, I just forget.
So, what did I forget to take a pic of?
My SUPER awesome new casserole!!!

The other night I made a good ol' fashion bone in ham (it was delicious and I got a pic of THAT!) but, holy leftovers Batman! I had to think fast and get creative on Sunday afternoon! All I could think was "What the hell am I gonna make with left over ham that these guys will eat?"
I googled, I found nothing. I went through my Pinterest and nothing. I was standing in my kitchen thinking... "Ok girl, you got tons of food... something has to go with...." There it was. 3 boxes of Kraft Dinner Sharp Cheddar.
"Oh, casserole? Yes? Ok ok don't get too excited, it will turn to fear! what can go in this casserole?"
I opened the fridge, there was the ham, out on the counter it went.
Then the block of cheddar, yup we need that.
What else? What else? And there it was. Like the foodie angels pushed it forward saying "USE THIS!!!"
Frank's red hot sauce.
Ah ha! Casserole of AWESOMENESS in the making!!!!

Indigo's NO PANIC leftover Ham Casserole
3 boxes of Kraft Dinner Sharp cheddar
2 cups of leftover ham (I used a lot you probably don't need this much)
1 cup of shredded cheese
a dozen shakes of Parmesan Cheese

I cooked the mac and cheese according to package directions and made it up like you would to eat it BUT I poured in 1/4 cup of Frank's Red Hot Sauce! Stirred like a mad woman! Then I poured the mac and cheese into a lasagna pan... made it all even and feeling like Paula Deen! lol I diced up the ham and sprinkled it on top and then sprinkled a BUNCH of shredded cheese! MMMMM It looked good! but, what else can I use??? Do I have parm cheese? Oh hell yes I do! SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE! I shook some parsley flakes on top, popped it into the oven at 350F for 30 minutes and VIOLA! Dinner was served! I got 6 thumbs up (2 from each kid) and only one serving as they devoured it!
Absolutely going to make it again (and again and again... you get the drift lol)

Hope this inspires some creativity in your kitchen!

Kiss me I'm... OH WAIT! What did you eat today?

Lotsa "kisses" going around today! It's St. Patrick's Day! (And yes, I am actually Irish. I am not faking that lol) ♣

Today I was reading a couple of articles online and I started thinking, ALLERGIES! Not tree pollen and pet dander but food allergies (I love food. Can you tell?). So today is more of a public service announcement.

People who's children have actual food allergies are a little hard core when it comes to things like cross contamination, hidden sources for that allergy, what you serve at your home for food. Here are a few little statistics and info bits to stew over while snacking or sipping on one of my previous recipes :)

• Just because you "washed" something does not mean the allergen does not exist on that dish/utensil anymore.

•It takes 1/44,000th of a drop of peanut oil to cause an anaphylactic reaction in someone who is allergic to peanuts. That is inconceivable to the human eye. Too small to see or taste or comprehend.

•Steak knives, bread knives and anything with a seraded edge is GREAT for hiding allergens and bacteria... better soak those puppies in some bleach/soap/water mixture before scrubbing.

•Cutting mats are bacteria cesspools! Replace them every 3-6 months. Really.

•Change your sponge for dishes! I mean it! Buy a 12 pack for a buck and use a new one every time you do dishes! It isn't very environmentally friendly but neither is the bio hazard waste that is accumulated when you end up i the hospital over something that could have been prevented. Not only are the sponges gross after a use or two... they easy trap little microscopic amounts of food in them and BOOM cross contamination can happen! It sounds insane but, it happens.

•If you use a toaster for bread with wheat or milk in it, you can not use that same toaster for GF or CF or GFCF bread. Ever. The bread sticks to the grill inside, cross contamination will happen! Every bloody time!

•There is dairy, nuts, soy, wheat, ALLERGENS hiding in everything! Lac = milk so does Whey, Skim Milk, Milk ingredients, Cheese, Cheese powders, Lactic Acid, Lactylate, Lactate... all of these would send my child over the edge! And they are in chips, crackers, some juices, vitamins, cakes, baking mixes, margarines, food spreads, deli meats, sausages, hot dogs, frozen foods, fries... I could go on for days. Reading labels is not always good enough. Some more education into what chemical based ingredients are is KEY!

•When in doubt, SO OLD SCHOOL! Cook a roast with the carrots, potatoes and onions in the pot with the roast! Natural flavor with NO CONTAMINATION! YAY!
Many spices and seasoning "blends" are contaminated with allergens. Salt and Pepper to taste is usually (but not always) safest. This dinner though, is 99% of the time SAFE for all who aren't vegan (that's another post though lol)

•Yes, I bring my own foods alot! Some people will be offended but trust me on this! They will be way MORE offended when you or your child end up puking on their floor due to an allergic reaction or having a reaction while still at the dinner table.

•Learn to cook and have the dinners and potlucks and events at your house! It would be easier in the long run and true friends would go out of their way to help you out, others can go straight to hades :) If they don't "get" it they can find others to play with.

•When in doubt, look it up! This is a great site to find out what is safer (nothing is 100%) when eating out! Whatcha got in that burger?

•Last but not least. What you eat stays with you. It's in your mouth and on your lips. If you wiped your hands on your shirt or dropped some well, it's there too! Always think before you hug and kiss or shake hands. WASH your hands, hand sanitizer is great and all but washing is best with LOTS of soap and warm water!

Now just air kiss your Irish friends and fam today :) ♣

Spring is in the Air...time for a drink!

It's getting warmer and sunnier and the days are longer (well on my side of the earth anyways) and today the kids, along with their friends, were talking about why I don't drink cold pop. I just don't. I very rarely put pop in the fridge, never have. Nope, I don't know why. And then I said, "Oh today we have to make some lemonade iced tea!" I got 2 looks of MAKE? HUH? And then I explained why I make iced tea at home rather than buy it in 2 liter bottle at the store. It is way cheaper and full of flavour and way healthier to do it in your kitchen!

Basic Iced Tea

Boil water, add about 3 or 4 tea bags for a liter of boiling water, put it in the tea pot as if you were making regular tea. Add sugar (I use either Agave Nectar or Stevia instead, you can use splenda too but this has to be done while the water is HOT so it mixes) Stir it gently for a couple minutes with a wooden spoon (metal spoons rip tea bags) and then take the tea bags out.
Pour this into a pitcher. Add 1 liter of COLD water and some ice cubes. Put it in the fridge til cold and you have iced tea. Now what did that cost to make? 30 cents? maybe 50 cents at most? Easy and cheap! (Hell even chemical laden kool aid costs more!)

Now to sass it up!
Tyler loves lemons and limes. So when I make citrus iced tea, I take citrus flavored or white tea and then when adding the cold water, I toss in a sliced lemon or lime. It looks cool and its "LEMONY" as he says!

Berry tea, easy! Summer berry flavor teas, when adding cold water add some sliced strawberries or whole raspberries or blueberries.

Apple cinnamon iced tea... now this is an acquired taste. Ty doesn't like it but, Bill does. Make your flavored tea, add a dash of BROWN sugar to the hot water! And a small shake of cinnamon... now I make this with Apple juice instead of the cold water and it. is. excellent. (Thanks to inspiration from Starbucks!)

Blueberry peach tea. This one is fun! We take blueberry tea (with 6 bags instead of 3 or 4), make our iced tea, add a can of sliced peaches with nectar juice to the jug instead of water but, add about a cup and a half of ice to it as well. YUMMY and sweeeeet!

There is no reason to break the bank in the warmer weather. ALL of these can easily be made into popsicles and flavored ice cubes! As well, it is a great treat especially for folks with a limited diet or special dietary needs!
There are so many options out there besides chemically based drinks and sugar packed crap! These will please many and the kids will love the flavor. My super picky eaters have always enjoyed these!

You can find flavored teas in the tea/coffee aisle in the grocery store or you can contact an independent tea dealer through companies like Steeped! I have a friend who sells it. If you are interested, let me know! :)

But, but, but I don't like veggies Mom!

That's ok. Your Mom is reading my blog lil one. You are about to be duped! BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

My kids refused veggies. They would eat them off the vines in the garden no problem but, once on a plate it was NOT happening. Ya, kids suck when it comes to meal time. So, what's a Momma (or Dadda) to do? Get sneaky! Kids are sneaky... we all were at one point in our life so, tap into that inner child and think hmmm what would my Mom do if she was cool? (Eating veggies at gun point is never fun so you have to think coolness)

SHRED 'EM!
Yes, get out your food processor (or cheese grater if you got one) and shred those veggies and fruits! But do not do this in front of the kids!

I take zucchini's and summer squash (the yellow lookin' zukes) and I shred 'em up! I then put 1 cup or 2 per freezer bag and freeze 'em! They stay good frozen for about a year and a bit and I add this to cakes, cookies, chili, spagetti, soups... they go transparent when cooked like this and BOOM something becomes extra healthy! Chocolate cakes are amazing at hiding veggies!

Carrots... shred shred shred! I am serious! Carrots in a chocolate cake... I told my boys that it must have had "gold chocolate" in the flour of the cake! Suddenly, the cake becomes something awesome to eat. Kids react the way you react, think buried treasure/pirate but without the growling voice. lol

Broccoli. Ya, I know a lot of kids don't eat it and they won't especially if you call it BROCCOLI! OMG that word to a kid is intimidating and gross. We never ate broccoli. We ate "Little Trees". My kids saw the plants in the garden looked like little trees so, they associated what I was cooking with something from the garden. It was the one thing they would eat... but "Only eating the leafy parts Mom, you aren't supposed to eat the tree trunk!" was Jake's declaration when he was 7. I didn't care. He was eating broccoli. Mom 1. Kid 0. :) Now cut your little trees smaller. The big chunks are too intimidating and LOOK LIKE BROCCOLI! Make them look like little trees instead!

Carrots. I called carrots "sun sticks". My kids couldn't talk as toddlers but, they understood every word out of my mouth! So I called carrots sun sticks and told the kids lepherchans collected them from the base of rainbows. They like lepherchauns so they were cool with that explaination. Once Bill was 8 we called them carrots and I used to serve them carrots cut in slices with a bit of honey. Natural and cheap and good :)

Cut your veggies to look like french fries! Why? Because kids like sticks! And with a little dip anything is edible! My favorite dairy free dip... Honey mixed with some dijon mustard. Sweet and spicy! Or some thai chili sauce with some mayonnaise! Looks like ketchupy dressing but it is a dip!

Once you have been able to sneak some extra "goodness" into their diets, try making a veggie packed chili! Corn, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans and serve it with nachos. The kids will eat it like salsa and chips and BOOM you win again... please do your happy dance in the other room away from the kids so they don't know they were duped yet again!

I WANT CHIPS!!!

No problem. Here is a SUPER AWESOME trick. You know the side of your cheese grater that is a slicer... its about to get a work out! (Or use your food processor like I do, I am lazy, I admit it) Wash carrots, small beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams (yes they are different from sweet potatoes) and scrub em down GOOD... no dirt or freaky things on them ok? Now thinly slice them in the processor or the cheese grater thingy, cutting them with a knife they are too thick and won't cook!
now heat up the deep fryer or oil in a deep pot on the stove (I never use more than a liter of oil at a time) and then deep fry those veggies, NO COATING just make chips.
Serve with a little dip and they will eat them! If Ty will eat them anyone will! lol

Hope these ideas help you find ways to get sneaky and out think your kiddos. There is hope! Bill and Jake are teenagers and gladly eat vegan meals with no complaining.

Happy faking folks!

Mmmmm meatloaf! Baked and Caked in flavour!

Ah meatloaf. It is a fall/winter comfort food that is surrounded in controversy! Everyone's Mama thinks theirs is best and I am sure some have been throughly insulted when others do not agree! lol

My Mom made great meatloaf. She really did. Hasn't made it in years! Why would she? I now make it and bring it to her! Mom had a great recipe. I don't even remember where she got it from or how long she has made it but, I can not remember not having it. Once I had the boys and have picky little divas in training to feed, I revamped Mom's meatloaf recipe! And thankfully, Mom approved.
Now this recipe requires a muffin tin pan or 2 and it is delicious!

Mini Meatloaves!
(makes about 12, give or take)

2 pounds ground beef, lean
1 egg (or use equivalent of egg replacer)
1 1/2 cups of GFCF flaked cereal OR if you use them, Soda crackers Crushed
1 heaping tablespoon of dried basil
pinch o' salt
dash or 3 of black pepper
2 small cans of tomato paste
Shredded Cheese OR Daiya "cheese" for topping

Alrighty, get a big bowl, mix the beef, egg, flakes or crackers and basil. Knead it like bread. I know it feels gross but this stage is important or nothing will stick together!
Now, Spray your Muffin tins (Yup that pan not the loaf pan) with cooking spray or wipe each muffin hole (I don't know what to call it... it's too early to remember) with a little olive oil.
Take about a half a handful of beef mix, press it into the tin so it is about half full. Now take a teaspoon of tomato paste and plop it on top of the beef. Take another half a handful and squish it on top of that! Now your muffin hole tin thingy should be full to the top! :) Yay! You did it! Congrats!
Now continue til you run out of beef mix. This usually makes about 12-14 for me.
Oh ya, preheat the oven to 350F and then you bake these for about an hour.
10 minutes before time is up I just pull out the pan a little bit and top each loaf with a spoonful of tomato paste and a light sprinkling of cheese or Daiya then continue baking for those last 10 minutes.

I usually serve this with alfredo noodles and some veggie based pasta sauce! If you are in a crunch you can even use one out of a can or jar (just always read the labels folks, companies change ingredients all the time). I plop the loaf right on top like a big meatball and Tyler's eyes light up like a christmas tree!He loves his "big meatball loaf muffins". That is what he calls them.
This is great to make ahead and freeze too! I freeze the mini loaves individually into freezer bags for quick dinners for the boys or for lunches!

Anyone can make this and AMAZE their family and friends! The debate will then continue.... who's mama makes the best meatloaf?
I think Bill, Jake and Ty's Mama does ;) 

Sweet & spicy

My boys are very much apart of what is produced in my kitchen. Tyler is so picky, he is also very demanding. If Bill doesn't like it chances are no one will and Jake is my partner in crime. He is the one who mixes and pours and blends plus, he sometimes has some awesome suggestions. As we create, Tyler supervises and tells us "I don't want it" if we use an ingredient he doesn't like. Ah, the joys of Autism!

For those who don't know all 3 of my boys have some form of Autism. It makes life difficult sometimes, other times it is a good thing. In the challenge of a disability also comes food intolerances, allergies, medication reactions, sleep deprivation and the list goes on and on. Food became my comfort and I pride myself on being a great (not just good) cook! Those who have said I am not a good cook well, I am sorry you can't handle culinary goodness!

So with that being said, I have had some major struggles from my own kids and others in my life with food choices. I love how what is in my kitchen becomes drama for others. Hmmmm. They need a hobby, maybe a therapist or two. lol Anyways, today I thought I would write a bit about food substitutes when it comes to kitchen basics.

Sweet things.
Ah, sugar, how we crave thee! How that sweetness tempts our tastebuds and makes us drool at the sight of sugary covered.... whatever! Let's face it, it doesn't matter if it is a chocolate cake or a butter tart or a piece of strudel! I crave it! I do. I never used to like sweets and now I am a junkie. So, how do you get rid of sugar but satisfy the sweet tooth? I found some solutions!

Stevia. It's natural! It's in a little bottle! It's fairly cheap (about $7 for 1000 drops) and its ok. I use stevia to sweeten milk, puddings, tofu when I am baking but, its just ok. (in my opinion) Others I know swear by it. I am like "Ya, its good to have on hand."

Agave nectar. *TEQUILA* lol kidding! Agave nectar IS used to make tequila but, this is also a nice substitute for sugar. It is sold in a glass or plastic bottle for about $6. One bottle lasts us about 6 weeks and it works better for me than Stevia.

Sugar Twin. Eww. Yuck. Gross. I will be honest. I don't like this chemically induced formula of crap. It comes from aspartame and even though I love it in my diet coke, keep it out of my cakes, cereals and tarts!

Splenda. For baking this is a GIGANTIC 2 thumbs up! I am one of those people who can taste when something is different in a recipe and I honestly can not tell the difference between a chocolate cake made with sugar or one made with Splenda! It comes from sugar. It is the alternatives for diabetics and I tell ya, I buy it in the big bag at Costco. I always have splenda for baking. If I need a little sweetness added I use Stevia or Agave Nectar with it.

Coconut. My friend Shannon, ahhh I love her. I was chatting with her on MSN years ago and we were talking about the diet. I told her I used Coconut milk in place of regular milk in my cooking. (Oh ya I forgot to mention that in the milk post.. bad Indigo!) anyhoo, she said "Coconut is great for sweetening and I swear by coconut oil" Now coconut oil is not sweet... so don't think it is. But adding shredded coconut, coconut milk, coconut flavoring does add sweetness to a dish or baking pan! Experiment a little and see what you can come up with!
*Coconut milk IS fattening. Suck it up! It's not like you will be drinking it 3 times a day or cooking with it daily. Everything in moderation. A can runs about 99 cents. I will not pay more for a can of this milk. Some stores it is $4! I say no thanks... the other store down the street has it for cheaper! :) 


Sexy Spice!

Ahhh spice. I love spice! I do. I love thai and jerk chicken and spicy goodness in my food! Peppers and garlic and ohhhhh my! Food should taste GOOD!
Most spices at the supermarket say "May contain wheat". Crappy. I know. It sucks. Especially when you are omitting it from your diet. GFCF spices can be insanely expensive too. What's a cook to do? GO NATURAL!

Peppers.
I love peppers. From green pepper to jalepenos to habanero to you name it! For hot peppers (used in ethnic cooking) I put my my gloves, I seed them, chop em down to sweet nothings then I dry them in the oven on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper! Then I grind em in the grinder. Now you have wheat free, milk free peppers. Store in an air tight container. :)

Black pepper.
Yup, chances are that pepper in the container at the store has come into contact with something you don't want in your diet. It is sad. I hear ya! But, peppercorns are generally safer and all you need is a pepper mill from the dollar store to grind em up fresh! Problem solved!

Salt.
Honestly, I don't use it. A pound of salt lasts us 2 plus years. I use it in baking, in baths for us but that is it. From what I understand it is safe. Check labels and companies to be safe.

Garlic.


Basil, Parsley, Oregano (Rosemary, Thyme, Dill, Cilantro)
I use these fresh. But when I can't I buy them fresh at the store, bring em home, wash them really good then I pat them dry with paper towel and dry them in the oven! Crush/grind them up and pop them into separate labeled jar! Your own fresh made herbs! WOOHOO! Or you can get a window kit and grow your own to cut, dry and grind! Easy and fun! Get the kids to help!

The spices we use the most are Black pepper, garlic and basil. If I have those 3 I am happy. Chili powder is another I like to always have but, I run out a lot.

Well, if you got this far congrats! (Wow I wrote a lot again today!) Now want the recipe to my favorite homemade spice blends? Ya, you will like 'em!

I don't remember where I got this recipe from but I added my own stuff.

Homemade chili powder
1  dried ancho chili or habanero
1/4 cup dried oregano
1/4 cup cumin seed
1/4 cup coriander seed
1/4 cup paprika
1 tbsp of splenda
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Grind ingredients in a grinder and store in a jar.

Happy Cooking all! :)

Hidden sources of Milk/Dairy & things that will make you go UGH

I started the first kick at a GFCF diet with 2 things. A book and my kid's doc saying "You gotta do what you feel is right!" Dr. Geiger was a great doctor. He knew my struggle, never questioned me and knew I was doing the best I could. He was a treat. I really miss him.
The book was Unraveling the Mysteries of Autism. I read it (was totally overwhelmed but powered on), referenced it and when we went back to regular food 2 years later I passed it on to a young mom with one ASD child. She then passed it on as well. The book was well used.

Now, I read the book. I know food (as I am a certified food inspector) and I know what to look for, what labels mean, what "hidden" sources of contaminates are.
I am going to share some basic knowledge with you. Do not feel overwhelmed as there is always a solution to everything!

1) If the ingredients say "Spices" it probably has trace amounts of what you are trying to avoid, whether it is milk or gluten... Find GFCF spices. They are available at your local organic or alternate grocer.

2) Lactic acid, Lactylate, Sourdough. All 3 are milk UNLESS it is listed that the lactic acid is derived from Beets(and the label will usually say so). There is one bread we can buy locally that is dairy free. It is Golden Vienna. The rest, every other bread, has milk products in them.Most crackers (even soda biscuits) have milk in them!

3) The people that work at the store do not know what is in it. Seriously, they have no idea. They try but, they don't know. They are not experts, they are paid to stock shelves. When in doubt, do not buy and come home to google! (I love google.... but you knew that right?)

4) Yogurt, pudding, margarine, butter, ice cream, cream/creme, have dairy in them. Becel Vegan Margarine is safe. Earth balance products are vegan. But, read the labels! Some gelatos I have found are 100% dairy free but not all brands are. You need to be aware.

5) Family and friends will try but, they will fail by giving your child something they shouldn't have. I bring my own food to even my mom's house. I have stocked her freezer with GFCF burgers, wieners, rice milk and daiya cheese. She tries (she really does) but, we both feel safer with me doing what I do. It works better then we don't have any issues. Always plan ahead.

6) What are you using for bath and beauty products? Are they GFCF? Probably not. You need to watch for these things. Some soaps, shampoos & bath bombs have skim milk powder in them. Many have wheat protein (check hair dye ingredients too). Hidden sources can kill anything you are trying to accomplish.

7) Just because it says "Not tested on animals" does not mean it is animal free.

8) The deli. I love the deli. I love deli meats, pepperoni, kielbassa! I do. Yum! BUT cheese is cut on those blades as well AND! Milk ingredients (Like Lactylate) are a preservative and used in the curing process. Deli meats are dangerous to a milk allergy. And a gluten allergy as well. We now only buy from the alternate grocers deli or make our own meat mixes at home (I will post these recipes soon)

9) Vitamins. YUP! Not all are free of contaminates. Check labels and when in doubt come home and google!

10) Alcohol. Now, I hope your kids are drinking yet! But, there are lots of alcohols that are derived from wheat and yes, if its creamy (Tequila Rose, Irish Creme, Doodley's) it is MILK. Most alcohol is not gluten free.

11) What you eat can easily be passed on to someone else. Have you eaten cheese and then kissed our kiddos good night? Come into contact with milk them hugged someone? That is cross contamination.

12) Just because it is dairy free does not mean it is gluten free or vice versa! ALWAYS read the labels. And double check! Companies change their ingredients all the time so just because 6 months ago it was CF does not mean it is now!

Ok that's all I can think of for now. I now just feel like I am rambling! (I do that) So, I hope this helps someone and if you have questions PLEASE post 'em! :)

Happy Shopping!

Milk.... how to fake it like a pro!

Ah Milk. Cereal is awful without it, most baking recipes require it and I can easily live with out good ol' cow's milk! (My Grandfather just rolled over in his grave... He was a cattle farmer!)
My guys have been off cow's milk for months. Years ago we went GFCF and they were used to soy milk (which is a good place to start) then we gradually switched to Rice or Potato Milk. Rice milk can be watery, potato milk is delicious but, hard to come by in Canada without purchasing in bulk.

Vance's Dari-Free is available from distributors! Medallion Milk in Winnipeg, MB carries it for Canadians. In the US it is more widely available.
You can find more international distributor links here! It is a nice consistency and kinda creamy.

Now, I can't get potato milk all the time. So, at the local grocery store we have the options of Soy Milk, Rice Milk and Rice "Beverage". They are ok, especially in a pinch but, we like different milk now.

At Goodness Me in Hamilton, they have an incredible selection of various milks! And it really does make a difference between a noname brand (store brand) and a "name" brand. We use Almond milk for the most part. If the Hemp Milk is on sale we buy that (the kids LOVE hemp milk).
The Almond Milk is Blue Diamond Almond Breeze. The Boys like the chocolate and the original. We haven't tried others yet. We cook with it like you would cook with cow's milk and they haven't said EWWWW yet! lol
Hemp Milk is called Hemp Bliss. Delicious and is Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nut free and 100% Vegan! It is expensive though. About $5 a liter here in Canada but when it is on sale 2 for $7 I buy a few and we use it sparingly!

Now, it wouldn't be me without a cheaper way to do it! :) I have found some homemade milk recipes online (Thanks to the help of some friends)!
This is the Almond milk recipe I use weekly! From Novel Eats, it is simple and fun for the boys to get in on some cooking skills! We use Stevia to sweeten and I add a couple drops of GFCF Vanilla (I get this at the Bulk Barn which has a decent GFCF section).

I have found several recipes for Rice Milk and Hemp Milk online (I am educated by Google!) but, I haven't tried them yet! When I do you all will be the first to know :) Sharing what I can.
Honestly though, do not give up on cowless milk... there are several options and there is one out there for you! If my kids can give it up, anyone can.

And, buy a pound of almonds, soak 'em in water and try that recipe from Novel Eats. Sweeten to your liking (Using Agave Nectar or Stevia), or add some vanilla or chocolate flavouring (Make sure its GFCF). How often can you say "I make my own milk" lol

I use the almond meal leftover after processing to add to cakes, cookie recipes and pancake batter. I freeze it into little scoops (about the size of 3 tablespoons). Options are endless!

Ohhhh I am a slacker but,

This should make up for it! Life got busy and let's face it... I can be soooo lazy (But at least I am honest!) So here is the Faked & Baked Scalloped Potato recipe I promised some of you over a month ago!

Faked & Baked Scalloped potatoes!

You need:

6 or 7 decent sized potatoes sliced (I use my food processor for this)
1 cup rice milk (Original flavor)
3 heaping tbsp of Potato flour (I am sure any GFCF flour would do! I just had potato)
2 tbsp of melted VEGAN GFCF Margarine
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of Daiya Mozzerella Cheese (GFCF product)
1/2 cup of Daiya Cheddar Cheese

Ok so you slice the potatoes. Place 'em in a greased 9x13 pan.
Mix the milk, flour and margarine..... shake/stir well and pour over the potatoes! Shake a lil salt and pepper on top (We love pepper so I am liberal with it) and then sprinkle the cheeses on top.
Cover with Foil and bake @ 350F until tender.... about an hour.

We had this will pulled pork and we have had it with Ham steaks... delicious and my guests were impressed that the recipe is GFCF!
Totally faked! Just the way we like it! lol

More to come shortly! I got lots more to share!
Happy Faking!

Macaroni. Faked.

I am a comfort food junkie. I love thick sauces, classic recipes that Grandma used to make. Well, Macaroni was a family staple. I can not ever remember a week of my life without this recipe. My son's friends come over and ask for the "pasta with the tomatoes thing" because it is "really good!". My Gran used to make it with tons of onions. My Mom makes it with a few onions and cheese. We fake it in my house but, my Mom likes my recipe as much as she likes her own but myne is low fat and oh. so. simple. :)

Macaroni (vegan recipe to follow)

1 package GFCF Pasta (Tinkyada is the best one we have found)
1 pound of lean ground beef
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt & Pepper to taste (honestly I do not use salt)
Pinch or two of Garlic Powder
1 can (19oz) of Diced Tomatoes
2 tbsp of dried Basil
Seasoning (to taste)

Cook pasta as per package directions, set aside.
Take 1 pound of ground meat. (I use extra lean ground beef.) and brown to perfection. Drain and give the meat a quick lil rinse in the strainer. (trust me) Put it back in the pan (I rinse the pan too)
Now add minced garlic. Fry that up! And as you are frying add some pepper and I throw in a pinch or two of garlic powder (not salt, powder). Smells good eh? Ya, it does.
Open a can of diced tomatoes (I use Unico Diced tomatoes... all the time) and add to the beef mix. At this point I toss in a tablespoon or two of dried basil and a dash of lemon pepper seasoning (just a dash). Now heat thoroughly and add cooked and drained pasta.
Mix well, remove from heat and serve!

The beauty of this recipe is that you can make it ahead of time and refrigerate, you can freeze it in sinlge serving sizes for lunches and quick eats for the kiddos, or you can adjust the amounts easily for more or less people!

Now time to go VEGAN!

Cook pasta as per package directions, drain, set aside.
Fry minced garlic in a pan, add sliced mushrooms and zucchini (I shred the zucchini and then fry it... it is awesome!), cook thoroughly and then add diced tomatoes, seasoning and stir! Add cooked and drained pasta and stir together and serve!

If you wish, you can add veggie ground round a few minutes before adding the pasta! It is delicious and has a beef like texture.


Some suggestions...

You can also add veggies to the meat mix in the first recipe. I just don't always have them on hand. Both recipes are a hit in my house and company always loves it.

*IF* you are a cheese eater, dice up some cheddar or mozzarella or provolone and add it just before serving. That's how my Mom makes it!

Enjoy!

Baked, Caked & Faked it! A lesson in Potato Flour Sponge Cake!

When baking, follow directions.  When cooking, go by your own taste.  ~Laiko Bahrs

10:30pm.

This is probably why I am an awful baker! I melt and pour quite nicely though! My friend Ann is GFCFSF, she has limited dessert options and says she eats a lot of homemade rice cereal treats. My goal is to bake a GFCFSF (Gluten Free, Casein Free, Soy Free) cake that tastes good. I think rice cereal treats are great but, I want to have more options. I think Ann should have some too. So, off to No Frills I went to purchase my GFCF Margarine, Rice Milk (as my almond milk was not ready yet... had to sub!) and I found Potato Flour (next to the muffin mixes, above the regular flour) this afternoon! The recipe is from the Joy of Cooking. 

It calls for sifting the potato flour 3 times. It seems fairly basic so I will be pausing here, making the cake and returning with pics as I make it. Wish me luck.

Midnight.

Alrighty, So I sifted the potato flour 3 times... separated the eggs, whipped, stirred, folded, and poured into a greased 9" foil pan and baked it for 20 minutes at 325F then increased the temp to 350F for 15 minutes. It baked up beautifully! We sliced a few pieces and ate it with nothing on it. Spongy (but it IS a sponge cake) and full of flavour! Tastes beautiful! 

The recipe is on Page 670 in the Joy of Cooking and it is delicious! Could easily be iced as a birthday cake or diced into a trifle! I think next time I make this (yes, I said next time... I am not a baker so this is huge!) I will try fruit or carob in the blend and see what happens.

I will post pictures once I find my card reader as it has disappeared. (Ahhh children with hands and legs... hmm school is back when?) 

Happy Baking All!

*edit* 
Ahhh finally... PICS! 

Fresh out of the oven... nicely separated from the edges and rose better than I thought it would!

First slice... Yum! It is spongy but delicious.

Give it a try if you have a copy of the Joy Of Cooking!

Welcome to the show...

I was watching Julie & Julia, I loved the movie. I thought wow! What a commitment to cook all those recipes in one year! To be honest, I do not love one chef that much. I love many different ones! I take the recipes and add my own twist, my own substitutions and for the most part I cook from memory or create my own thing. It usually works out.

I love to cook. I am a decent cook too. Some misses, a lot of hits. I have been asked to share my adventures in cooking more than once and let's face it, I love a challenge!

Gluten free, Casein free (that means zero milk/dairy... it's more than lactose baby!), sometimes vegan, sometimes over indulging and all the time I will do my best to post yummy, good to eat, as healthy as I can be/want to be (for the most part).

Please, sit back, read, laugh, eat, drink and enjoy! :)

Blessings,
~Indigo