Gluten Free Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

 

I have been gluten free for over four years now and I love that more companies are recognizing the need for gluten free options. Thanks to Betty Crocker and their gluten free bisquick mix the delicious comfort of chicken and dumplings can be had by everyone following a gluten free lifestyle! This recipe has been adapted from the Betty Crocker website.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

4 cups chicken broth

1 bag frozen crinkle cut carrots

1 onion chopped

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons of cornstarch

2 tbs parsley

Dumplings:

3/4 cup of gluten free bisquick mix

1/3 cup milk

2 tbs olive oil

1 egg

1 tbs italian seasoning

Place all ingredients (minus those needed for the dumplings) in the crock pot and set on low. Tip: dissolve the cornstarch in some of the chicken broth before putting it in the crock pot to avoid clumping. Cook on low for 8 hours.

30 minutes before you are ready to eat, mix all of the dumpling ingredients together and form the dough into balls. Drop the balls around the crock pot and allow them to cook for 30 minutes. That is all, easy peasy! Enjoy!

 

Gluten Free Veggie Mac and Cheese

 

How do you take a childhood classic and turn up the nutrient factor? You add in veggies!

Ingredients:

1 package Gluten Free Pasta (I love Ancient Harvest Quinoa Pasta)

1 bag of frozen butternut squash

1 bag frozen chopped spinach

1 bag frozen artichoke

1 small onion

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup coconut or almond milk

1 cup cheese

1 tbs of olive oil

1/4 cup gluten free panko (optional)

Start by preparing your pasta. When it is ready drain it and then return it to the pot. Defrost the squash, artichoke and spinach. While those are defrosting chop your onion and garlic and saute them in the olive oil until they are translucent. Place the squash, artichoke and spinach into a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped. Add the veggies to the pan and heat through.

Mix the veggie mixture into the cooked pasta and add in your cheese and milk. At this point you can go ahead and eat right away or you can put it in a casserole dish, top with cheese and gluten free panko (optional)  and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes. As a time saver during the week I will prep this meal on Sunday and put the casserole dish in the fridge. Then during the week I can just pop it in oven for an easy weeknight meal!

Breakfast on the Go: Egg Muffins

Most mornings are a huge rush, get ready, pack up, dress the kids (re-dress the kids)... You know the drill.. however breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It sets us up for healthy eating success the rest of the day, it kicks our metabolism into gear and tells our body that we are in charge and we are going to fuel it properly! 

With all that is going on in our crazy lives, how are we supposed to eat a nutritious breakfast when we are just trying to get out of the door on time? How do we properly fuel our body with a nice 1 to 1 ratio of protein and complex carbs? 

Shepherd's Pie with Cauliflower Mash

Shepherd's Pie with Cauliflower Mash is a fun and easy twist on a classic. Swapping out the potato and adding in cauliflower will save about 50 calories per every 100 grams as well as about 12g of carbs!