Gluten Free Crispies

When I first went gluten-free I was missing treat. I found it easy to make gluten free options for lunch and dinner but breakfast and snacks I found a little more challenging.

This is one of my favourite go to treats, especially when I want to make something quick that does not call for a lot of ingredients.

They are like healthy rice crispie squares

Here is what you will need

2 cups puffed rice- or you can use puffed amaranth, puffed quinoa, puffed bukwheat
1/2 -3/4 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup raisins- or dried cranberries or dried cherries or currants
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter ( for nut free try tahini, sunflower butter or wow butter)
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup shredded coconut

Puffed rice is the healthy option to rice krispies. It has no added sugar. You can find it in a health food store or the healthy aisle in your local grocery store. A good brand is Nature's Path.

Place rice and peanut butter in a sauepan and heat. Do not boil. Place all other ingredients in a bowl and pour hot rice syrup over the ingredients and mix in. Line an 8X8 square pan with waxed paper and place mixture into pan. Put in fridge to set and cut into squares and enjoy!

Snowy Day Shepherd's Pie

Today the snow is falling and so it is a perfect day to stay home and make a great home cooked meal.
If you have food allergies, sometimes making meals can be challenging.

I know when I first found out about my food allergies I wanted to be able to eat all the comforting dishes that my Mum always made, but sometimes that was just not possible.

It is amazing how some meals just bring back the feeling of home and love. Shepherd's Pie is one of those meals for me.

Mostly my Mother made Shepherd's Pie out of leftover roast beef. She had a big ol stainless steel grinder that she would attach to the kitchen counter and grind out the leftover beef and then make Shepherd's Pie with leftover gravy, peas and mashed potatoes.
She would make her gravy with flour and her mashed potatoes with milk.

I make my Shepherd's pie a little differently, and it is just as tasty. But you be the judge!

Originally Shepherd's Pie was made with leftover pieces of lamb and today that is what I used. Well I lie a little, I used ground lamb that I bought at my local butcher.

In a big frying pan brown your lamb in a little olive oil. Add in chopped onions, thyme, oregano and rosemary. Near the end of cooking I mix in a jar about 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder and some soup stock ( I like to use Pacific Brand low sodium Vegetable Stock). I mix this up to get rid of the lumps and pour it into the lamb mixture to make a nice gravy. In another pot I cut up 3 large sweet potatoes and 2 medium white potatoes. Boil until soft and mash with a little of the potato water ( there is not need for milk in mashed potatoes). Then in another pot I boil some frozen peas. Once everything is ready I take a square glass dish and put the cooked lamb on the bottom, then the peas, topped with the mashed sweet and white potatoes. Pop in 350F oven for about 15 minutes and serve with steamed vegetables or a salad.

Let me know what your favourite comfort food is and how you have adapted it within the confines of your food allergies.