Southwestern Grilled Pork Tenderloin

How wonderful is it when at noon you have no idea what to make for dinner and somehow a frozen solid pork tenderloin miraculously turns into a fantastic meal with a click of the mouse? After a brief search online that is exactly what happened to me earlier this week. I found this recipe in a Google search.  I hope you enjoy it.

Meal Planner: Southwestern Grilled Tenderloin, Corn Fritters, and Coleslaw

1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. Freshly Ground Pepper
1 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Onion Powder
1/8 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/8 tsp. Cumin
1/8 tsp. Cayenne
1 (1.25lb.) Pork Tenderloin (trimmed)
1 tsp. Canola Oil

To make the rub, combine all ingredients 
except the pork and oil in a small bowl.  
Place the pork and oil in a zip-close plastic 
bag and add the rub.  Squeeze out the air and 
seal the bag; turn to coat the meat.  
Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Meanwhile, spray the grill rack with non-stick spray; 
preheat the grill to high or prepare a hot fire.

Place the pork on the grill rack.  Grill turning, 
until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the 
center registers 160°F for medium, (18-22 minutes).  
Transfer the pork to a platter and cover loosely 
with foil; let stand approx. 10 minutes.  Cut into 
12 slices.  (Serving = about 3 slices)

Quinoa Egg Salad

Dear Reader,
I am entering Quinoa Egg Salad in The Gluten Free Homemaker's  Monthly Challenge for June. Wish me luck on getting picked to have this recipe displayed on Linda's fabulous blog.

Recipe Tip: I made enough for one serving, but this recipe can easily be doubled even tripled.

1/2 cup cooked  and cooled quinoa

1 hard boiled egg, chopped

1 Tbsp mayonnaise

1 tsp mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste, enjoy!
 Reprinted from original post dated 5/24/10.

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

From the editors of Good Housekeeping, Redbook and Country Living, a magazine called 125 Best Blender Recipes is on newsstands now. In this magazine I found a most unexpected smoothie.  My recipe was inspired by one I found in the magazine. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
servings 1


1 ripe banana 
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon creamy peanut butter
3 ice cubes
In a blender combine all ingredients and blend until mixture is smooth.

The magazine offers a tip for a thicker, colder smoothie. Use a banana that's been cut into chucks and frozen for up to a week in a sealed container.

In the Lap of Gluten Free Luxury

The title of this post came to me while in Florida visiting family this past week. I could write about the white sugary sand beaches, the tropical green waters of the Gulf of Mexico and go on and on about the fun we had fishing on a fantastic charter boat, but all I really want to write about is FOOD! I spent five days in what can only be described as the lap of gluten free luxury. When traveling, things become unknown as far as food options unless you do your homework. I admit I did not give food a lot of thought before going to Florida. To me, Florida meant fresh fish, fruit and vegetables, all gluten free options. I really did not consider a whole pantry full of gluten free packaged goods. But that is exactly what I found when we arrived.

I felt as if I had been gently dropped onto my own personal gluten free island. Brownies, crackers, chocolate wafers oh my! There were so many options I had to bring some home before even trying them. My favorite products were Sam Mills Gluten Free Corn Pasta, and Glutino Sans Gluten Free Wafer Cookies.

Sam Mills Gluten Free Corn Pasta came as such a surprise to me. I had always been told when buying gluten free pasta to buy a rice variety. I have had success with rice brands, but Sam Mills has made me a believer that rice has some competition. There were seven people at our dinner table, only two follow a gluten free diet. Everyone loved the pasta. In fact the hostess (who is not on a gluten free diet) said she will buy Sam Mills from now on. The texture and taste cannot be beat. Best of all No Sticking!

Glutino never ceases to amaze. People who complain that gluten free food is bland with no flavor haven't had anything from Glutino. They make pretzels, crackers, cookies, wafers, bread and much much more. Today, I am writing about the Milk Chocolate Coated Wafers. Crispy wafers layered with chcocolate and deliciously dipped in yes, more chocolate. In appearance they remind me of something I ate as a child, but in taste they are so grown up. I see these gems on a dessert platter at a cocktail party or yes at your five year old's birthday bash!

P.S. The fish, fruit and vegetables were just as I thought, plentiful and mouthwatering. Many thanks to my family and to Florida for the southern hospitality I could get used to :)

Nosh & Enjoy Life

I must admit since being diagnosed with celiac disease I bake and cook more at home. Not just out of necessity, but taste too. My family and I really enjoy homemade food. That being said, I also enjoy the convenience of packaged goods especially when they taste oh so good.

Recently I joined a book club and everyone knows that book clubs usually share more than an interest in literary works, they share food. I like to bring snacks, yes so that I know there is something I can nosh that is safe, but I enjoy introducing gluten free foods to folks who may not know how delicious they can be.

That brings me to Enjoy Life Foods . To date, I have only had snack bars and cookies, but what I have had leaves me wanting to try more. For example the No-oats Oatmeal cookies and the Snickerdoodle cookies, yum! At the meeting of my last book club a friend brought the brownie cookies. Right away I noticed a significant change for the better. The brownies are now called "Soft Baked" Double Chocolate. Wow, what a difference! They are soft and moist. I have not had the Snickerdoodle or No-oats Oatmeal variety since the improvements, but I want to.

RECIPE TIP:
These cookies are delicious as is, but if you want to take them to the next level. Smear a generous tablespoon of your favorite frosting onto one of the cookies and then sandwich them by placing another cookie on the frosting. Oooo la la! (pictured above)

Not only have a friend and I brought these Enjoy Life "sandwiches" to book club; I have also sent them into my son's classroom as a treat. There is always someone who does not require a gluten free diet inquiring how to get a hold of these cookies.

I have spent so much time writing about the cookies I haven't mentioned the snack bar variety: Caramel Apple, Cocoa Loco, Sunbutter Crunch, and Very Berry. I recommend you try them all. Sunbutter Crunch is my favorite.

Enjoy Life Foods prints "Eat Freely" on their packaging and that is exactly what they have helped us to do. Congratulations Enjoy Life, you are now listed under the Top 20 products on Gluten Free and You. For those who don't know this label indicates my top 20 favorite gluten free products and/or brands. If I were diagnosed today these are the foods I would want to know about.

Steamed Shrimp

The following recipe was taken straight off the can of Old Bay Seasoning, one of my favorites in the kitchen!

Recipe Tips:  Shrimp are delicious alone or accompanied by a small bowl of melted butter for dipping. Although white vinegar is fine, my mother swears apple cider is best for this dish.

2 Tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup water

1 lb. shrimp in shells

In saucepan, combine first 3 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Add shrimp, stir gently. Cover; steam until tender, about 3-5 minutes. Drain, remove shells.
Enjoy!

Baby Field Greens Tossed with Portobello Mushrooms

1 -2 package(s) baby portobellos, washed and dried

3-4 Tablespoons basting oil with herbs

1-2 handfuls of field greens per person

Newman's Own  Light Balsamic

salt and pepper
shredded Parmesan (optional)

Recipe Tip: I used field greens in this recipe, but please use whatever you like. Baby spinach is also delicious.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice mushrooms into desired size. Coat mushrooms with basting oil in a large bowl.  Place mushrooms on a baking sheet, salt and pepper mushrooms and roast for 12-15 minutes. While mushrooms are roasting wash and dry your greens. Once mushrooms are finished toss mushrooms and field greens together. Drizzle Newman's Own Light Balsamic to taste. Sprinkle parmesan if desired. Salad may be served warm or room temperature. Enjoy.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Roasting pumpkin seeds has become apart of our jack-o-lantern making process. The following recipe is delicious, easy and quick. A winning combination! The recipe is presented by Rosemary on allrecipes.com  I hope you enjoy the third recipe in my tribute to Fall

The key which Rosemary nicely points out is that these seeds are roasted fresh. Many people soak the seeds and dry them overnight. Well, I am just not that patient. After carving, I want to enjoy some roasted seeds. This recipe allows you to do just that.

Recipe tip: I placed the seeds in a colander and picked out most of the pumpkin pulp, rinsed the seeds, and dried them gently with a paper towel before tossing them with the butter and salt. The results of this step proved successful. 

1 1/2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds
2 tsp butter, melted
1 pinch salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Toss seeds in a bowl with melted butter and salt. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown, stir occasionally.

I Used to Take Bread Crumbs for Granted

When I write a product review, you can be sure I am passionate about it. My review of Pamela's Products Gluten Free Bread Mix is no exception. In fact, this bread mix which I discovered with the help of a R.O.C.K. co-chair nearly changed my life and that of my son.  My celiac disease diagnosis was stunning and scary. I was riddled with questions and  guilt about having passed it to my son. The clear thinking me knew it was not my fault and that pretty soon I would figure out the gluten free diet and live a happy and healthy life.

Pamela's Products Gluten Free Bread Mix gave me the jump start I needed to feel reassured that I could eat gluten free and enjoy it. My son and I had tried a few breads purchased from the freezer section of a grocery store. Then we tried Pamela's.  Baked inside my bread maker, it was like no other bread I had ever had, gluten free or not. The outside was crisp, the inside fluffy and moist. It compliments all foods. I have made everything from peanut butter and jelly on this bread to french toast and grilled cheese. It goes well with soup. I could write a book on the foods I have had with this bread.

I used to take bread crumbs for granted. Well, no more. That's right, this bread is so delicious you must use every last crumb. I have many recipes that call for bread crumbs. I will often take unused portions of my loaf and put it in the food processor and make crumbs and then place them in the freezer in a freezer bag or container.


 I  highly recommend an excellent bread knife. I labeled this product review under Top 20, Links, Product Reviews and Quick Prep. It does take nearly four hours with my bread machine to bake this bread, but the prep is under ten minutes. Top 20 is a new label. This label is exclusively for my top twenty favorite gluten free products. Stay tuned as this label category takes shape.

Easiest Smoothies Ever

This recipe was obtained while walking through my local Wegmans grocery store. An employee was whipping up smoothies from behind a little cart. And well, let's just say, "It was love at first slurp". 

Easiest Smoothies Ever
1 cup orange juice
1 cup of frozen blueberries
1 cup blueberry yogurt

Recipe Tips: This recipe has endless options. I have used strawberries, bananas and a variety of other fresh fruit.  I have also used peach yogurt as well as vanilla. Once in a while I toss in a 1/2 tsp of ground flax seed for a hearty kick.

Put fruit and orange juice into blender and puree together. Next pour yogurt into blender and blend to desired consistency. Pour into glasses and enjoy.

It just doesn't get an easier than this. I will make these numerous times over the next several months. My children love them before school (and so do I)!

Tuna Topped Corn Thins

This little gem of a recipe is a Gluten Free and You original and can be made in less than 15 minutes. Although I think this recipe cries out to be served at a brunch; I have whipped it up in a jiffy and served it to my family on a Tuesday night before running out to karate.

Tuna Topped Corn Thins

Recipe tips: The corn thins I use are called Corn Thins by Real Foods. http://www.cornthins.com/ Although I don't always have it on hand, freshly shredded Parmesan adds the best flavor to this recipe.  Recipe can easily be doubled.

2 cans tuna packed in water, drained
2 1/2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp pine nuts, roasted
2 Tbsp dried cranberries
2 tsp herbed basting oil
Parmesan cheese, shredded
Corn thins, two per serving

Place pine nuts on a pan in the toaster oven, toast for approximately 2 minutes.  Watch them carefully; do not allow them to burn.  In a medium sized mixing bowl, break up tuna gently with a fork and stir in mayonnaise.  Add toasted pine nuts, dried cranberries and herbed basting oil, stir to combine.  Divide the tuna mixture evenly among the corn thins. Top with shredded Parmesan. Serves 2-4 people.  Enjoy!

This recipe submitted to The Gluten Free Homemaker's Monthly Challenge on June 15, 2011.