Dairy Free Mac n Cheese

I am so excited that I finally found a easy and delicious dairy free Mac n cheese recipe that I just had to share A.S.A.P! 

I just searched Pinterest this afternoon and found it. It looked easy, compared to a lot of other ones I've tried, but I really doubted the taste. Well, I made it for dinner....and.....the critics approve! Ashlee didn't even know it was dairy free cheese and she's my Mac n cheese fanatic. 

I may be making a big deal about something so insignificant, but you seriously don't have any idea how frustrating this dairy free thing can be sometimes. I'm so grateful for the world we live in today, with all these specialty foods. 

So here it is:

1 (16oz) package of elbow noodles

2 packages of dairy free cheese (I used Daiya brand-1 mozzarella and 1cheddar)

2 1/2 Cups of dairy free milk (I used unsweetened So Delicious Coconut milk)

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Boil noodles for 5 min. (No longer)

3. Bring milk to a low boil and then add cheeses and salt/pepper. Stir constantly until cheeses have melted.

4. Drain noodles and put into a greased casserole dish.

5. Add cheese mixture to noodles 

6. Bake for 30-35 min.

Enjoy this! If you don't do dairy free, I'm sure regular cheeses would taste just as good. Also, gluten free would just swap out the noodles, for gluten free ones.

Homemade Refried Beans

Canned food never bothered or concerned me before, like it does now. I've become more self conscious of what we eat after discovering Christian's casein and msg intolerance. 

I read labels on EVERYTHING! You should too. If you can't pronounce it or it has more than 5 ingredients-you probably shouldn't eat it. I believe very strongly that the different health issues we face today can be reversed if we watch what we put into our bodies. Ok- enough lecture. Here's te recipe for the refried beans. I only post a recipe once I have reached satisfaction with the tweaks I make. 

Refried Beans

Dry refried beans

5 Chicken Boullion cubes

1 1/2 T garlic salt (divided)

1/2 of a medium Sweet onion

1/2 C of butter

Water

-In a 5 qt. crockpot, place 2 inches (3 cups) of dry (rinsed and washed) pinto beans. Fill the crockpot nearly to to top with water

-Then add:

5 Chicken bouillon Cubes (I will eventually post the recipe for homemade bouillion cubes) 

1 Tbsp. of garlic salt

1/2 of a medium sweet onion. (Do not chop the onion, but simply place it onto the beans)

-Cook on high until the beans are soft. 

-Strain the beans, pour off excess juice......BUT SAVE ABOUT A CUP of the juice. I add the beans to my food processor along with 1/2 cup of butter (we use vegan butter) and a splash of the juice. Feel free to add as much juice as you desire, but add just a little at a time. I personally like my beans thicker. I also add about 1/2 T of garlic salt. 

If you do not have a food processor, a blender, or even a potato masher will work. When I first made these I mashed them by hand with a potato masher.

Cream of Whatever

On our journey to be Dairy Free, I discovered this amazing recipe for Cream of Whatever. I make this anytime a recipe calls for cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, cream of celery (you get the idea). In addition to being a dairy free option, it is also healthier - since it doesn't come from a can.

Cream of Whatever
3 Tablespoons of Butter
3 Tablespoons of Flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
dash of pepper
1 1/4 Cup of Milk (liquid)

Melt Butter in a saucepan, stir in flour and seasonings. Cook over medium heat until bubbly. Add liquid slowly, using a wire whisk. Cook until thick.

Makes 1 Cup (or 1 can of condensed cream of whatever)

CREAM OF TOMATO - Use tomato juice for liquid. Add dash of garlic, onion powder, basil, oregano
CREAM OF CHICKEN - Use chicken broth for half the liquid. Add 1/4 teaspoon of poultry seasoning or sage.
CREAM OF MUSHROOM or CELERY - Saute 1/4 Cup of mushrooms or celery (chopped) and 1 Tablespoon of minced onion in butter before adding flour.

Posted Calories (helpful or not)

Chick-Fil-A now posts their calories on the menu. My question for you is, does this affect your choice in ordering?

There are times when I just want to be bad.....and eat fries, deep fried chicken with melted cheese on top, and a Dr. Pepper to wash it all down.  However, when I look at the calorie information this makes me wonder if water and grapefruit really look that appealing for dinner that evening, since the calories are more than half of my daily intake.

So my question for you is (please click on the comment link below): Would you still choose this

Or this?

Dairy free Ranch Dressing

I found the best Dairyfree/Vegan Ranch Dressing recipe. I make it all the time and in fact, I found a dairy free ranch at the commissary but everyone loves this one. Click here for the link.

The only product you may not have on hand is the veganaise. I have found it at Publix or any specialty super market.

Pineapple/banana smoothie

I found this smoothie on Pinterest and had to share since it was so stinkin' good.

1 1/2 cup pineapple (fresh is best!)
1 banana
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup ice
1/2 cup water or pineapple juice (I use water)

Blend and enjoy!

Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring

It's been a while since I've posted something into the recipes label. I found on pinterest this amazingly yummy and easy Saturday morning breakfast. I will and cannot take credit for the picture, however, It was so pretty I had to share. Here is the link to the blog which originally posted the recipe and below you will find the recipe. Enjoy!

Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring

2 small tubes refrigerator buttermilk biscuits OR 1 tube Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/2 C. pancake syrup

1/3 C. packed light brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 C. chopped pecans, optional

1/4 C. chopped almonds, optional

Instructions:

Spray a fluted pan with non-stick spray. Combine the melted butter and syrup in a small bowl and set aside. In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts (if desired). Place about half of the syrup mixture in the bottom of the pan. Then sprinkle half of the brown sugar mixture on top. Lay the biscuits on the bottom of the pan, overlapping edges (closely together) to form a ring. Top with remaining syrup and sugar mixtures. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 minute in the pan, then invert onto a serving platter.

Forks over Knives

Several months ago my sister-in-law recommended a documentary to me, Forks over Knives. I would like to encourage you to watch it as well.  The the movie examines the claim that most, if not all, diseases that affect us can be either controlled or reversed by rejecting animal-based and processed foods. What is your opinion? If you have netflix, you can watch it free.

My opinion:
I couldn't agree more. I think our culture eats WAY too much animal based products and uses it for fillers in our processed foods. With Christian and his food allergies ,  have been re-examining what I put into my body and my family's. A few years ago I watched another documentary called, Food Inc. I'm sure some of you have seen it as well. I was not able to eat meat for three days upon watching it, but the ideas have stayed with me.
     side note: Maybe I will pursue a second degree in homeopathic nutrition? hmmm.....

I just find these concepts very interesting. God made the things of this earth to eat, but are we over consuming? Do we really need to have milk for breakfast with our bacon and eggs, then deli meat for lunch, with cheese and for dinner, how many chicken breasts do you really need in that casserole? Why has the government allowed such chemicals into our food? Could these chemicals be part of the cause of cancer?

here are the links to the two documentaries I shared with you.

Forks over Knives
Food Inc.

Dairy and Egg free living

When I was told that Christian had a casein allergy, I was so confused on as to what to use for supplemental diary products. You wouldn't believe the amount of food that contain milk in them, until you start reading labels.

We have all cut back on dairy, and we feel much better without it. There is still ice cream in the freezer and cheddar cheese slices in the fridge. But for the most part, we choose the alternative. I'm blogging about this particular allergy to help others who may be searching for dairy/egg alternatives. Hopefully, they won't have to search the internet to the extent I did.

I found this amazing biscuit/pancake mix online. Here's the recipe (I wrote it on the container so I wouldn't have to constantly search for the recipe in my binder). Combine the Flour, baking powder, Sugar, salt and butter in a food processor until blended. Then store in a container in the refrigerator.



On the other side of the container, I wrote out the biscuit and pancake recipe.

Biscuits: I used Almond, or Coconut Milk for the substitution for milk

Pancakes: I used applesauce (1/4C per egg) and Almond,or Coconut Milk substitution.

These are the product must haves for Egg and Dairy Free cooking:

Earth Balance Butter

Flaxseed Meal (as an egg replacer)

Egg Replacer (Ener G brand)

So Delicious Coconut Milk - the vanilla flavor is tastier than the original (my opinion)

Almond Breeze Milk (again, vanilla is our favorite)

 

Stay tuned for more Egg/Dairy free living recipes and tips. I have quite a few of them, but I want you to come back and read =)

Betty Crocker in the Kitchen

The other day Ashlee was home sick from school. So I decided to catch up on some recipes that I've been wanting to try. They turned out so yummy, that I thought I'd share them with you. Just click on the picture and it will take you to the website with the recipe!

Pumpkin Pie Bread

Granola Bars. Rande even loved these- he HATES coconut! Next time I'm going to try some other ingredients, just look at some suggestions on the recipe

I made these for Halloween, something fun for the kids. They were really good, and SO SUPER easy! Maybe keep it in mind for next year, or even Thanksgiving?

HEALTHY muffins! I pulled this recipe off of one of my favorite sites; Eat Better America. They are really yummy, made with whole wheat flour, and yes there are chocolate chips in them.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins - HEALTHIFIED!

Szechwan Shrimp

This is for all you seafood lovers, who want something light and easy. I had some shrimp sitting in my freezer and wanted to try something new. So I looked at one of my favorite sites (All recipes) and found this. It's low calorie (which is always a plus for me) and super easy to make.

4 TBSP water

2 TBSP ketchup

1 TBSP soy sauce

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp honey

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/3 tsp ground ginger

1 TSP vegetable oil

1/4 C sliced green onions

4 cloves garlic, minced

12 oz cooked shrimp, tails removed

1. In a bowl, stir together, water, ketchup, soy sauce, cornstarch, honey, crushed red pepper, and ground ginger. Set aside

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. stir in green onions and garlic; cook 30 seconds. Stir in shrimp, and toss to coat with oil. Stir in sauce. Cook and stir until sauce is bubbly and thickened.

Yield: 4 servings

Calories: 142 Total Fat: 4.4 grams

I served over brown rice and added steamed broccoli.

Crustless Cranberry Pie

I first tried this recipe at my friend Tiffany's house one morning with coffee. She is an amazing cook! (side note) She has a wonderful website with delicious recipes..look on our blog under "she cooks." You are going to love this dish, it can be a dessert, or breakfast..you decide!

1 C all-purpose flour
1 C white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 C cranberries
1/2 C chopped walnuts
1/2 C butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease one 9" pie pan.
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in cranberries and walnuts, and toss to coat. Stir in the butter, beaten eggs, and almond extract. if you are using frozen cranberries, the mixture will be very thick. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream (optional).

Slow-Cooker Chili Chicken Tacos

This is one of my favorite recipes. I love to make it when we have company, or when I won't have time to make dinner at night. In red I added a few things that I have found to make the recipe even better.

You can find this recipe on marthastewart.com

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6) - I use boneless skinless chicken breasts

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 C prepared tomato salsa, plus more for serving (optional)

1 to 2 TBSP chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo

1 TBSP chili powder

Coarse salt and ground pepper

8 hard corn taco shells - if time permits I use fresh corn tortillas and cook them in a pan with olive oil until golden brown. Then shape into shells..way better than those that come in a box

Cilantro, shredded cheese, lime wedges, and sour cream for serving (optional)

I also use a splash of apple cider vinegar to help the chicken shred easier

In a slow cooker, combine chicken, garlic, salsa, chiles, chili powder, 1 tsp salt and teaspoon pepper. Cover; cook on high, 4 hrs (or on low for 8 hrs)

Transfer chicken to a serving bowl, and shred, using two forks; moisten with cooking juices. Serve in taco shells, with toppings, if desired.

I use the leftover chicken in a salad the next day for lunch.