My daughter asked if we could order out once a week. She is tired of my cooking. Even though we are in NYC and there is a gluten free place which will deliver, it is still difficult to be sure the food will work for my two year old who is also intolerant of dairy, soy and corn. Soy is the biggest problem, because like gluten, soy is in everything. But, I sort of understand that she would like something prepared by someone else once in a while, so I said “yes.” And I will be preparing a gluten free/dairy free/soy free/corn free identical meal for me and my two year old son.
Cooking is hard work, but I have also realized that it is my job to keep my kids healthy and if you do it all the time it somehow becomes less of a burden as it is woven into your everyday life. You stop thinking about it and just do it. Sort of like putting on a shirt or your shoes when you are getting dressed. You just stop thinking about how difficult it is if it something you make a part of your routine life. What has helped me is embracing the new home cooked, old fashioned lifestyle we have found being gluten free.
GF Burgers with Butternut Squash Puree
inspired by Jessica Seinfeld’s book…but DIDN’T WORK with GF breadcrumbs and turkey. I am leaving it in my blog so you can get an idea of the recipes in her book, with a disclaimer that while I thought it was yummy, my kids actually prefer plain old hamburgers with salt. “Deceptively Delicious”, Jessica Seinfeld’s new cookbook, is interesting. It is sort of homemade processed food where you are hiding pureed vegetables in food instead of chemicals. If it gets people to cook homemade food for their kids without additives and preservatives–I think it is a huge success. But, the recipes are a little too gluten and casein loaded to translate to GFCF.
1/2 pound ground organic beef
1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs (3 rice cakes and a handful of potato
chips in the cuisinart)
1/4 c. butternut squash puree (cut squash in half, bake face down on
cookie sheet until soft, then puree in food processor or blender)
3 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Directions:
1. Cut squash in half. Bake flesh side down in 400 degree oven for 1
hour. Puree in food processor.
2. Make breadcrumbs in cuisinart by breaking up rice cakes to smaller
pieces into the food processor. When they are finely ground, add a
handful of potato chips.
3. Mix ground turkey, breadcrumbs, squash puree, garlic and salt and
pepper together. Form into six small burgers.
4. Cook in skillet over medium high heat in a little bit of oil for
4-5 minutes. Turn burger and put the pan in the over to bake for 5 more
French Fries
Unlike baking, cooking can be more of a free for all without all the
fuss of measuring and being so careful.
2 potatoes
oil
salt
1. Peel potatoes
2. Cut 1/2 inch rounds and then cut 1/2 inch fries from rounds.
3. Put potatoes in mixing bowl and add 1 T. of oil to coat
4. Carefully line potatoes on baking tray so that they will brown nicely. Sprinkle salt on top.
3. Cook in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes turning once to get crispy.