I can never get enough of enchiladas. No, I am not Mexican but who doesn’t’ like Mexican food? When I make enchiladas I always use corn instead of flour tortillas, they are healthier, delicious, and moreover, gluten free.
 
You should always have in your pantry a can of enchilada sauce and a bag of corn tortillas. (However, beware, some enchilada sauces list wheat​ under ingredients, always read the labels). Also, in the fridge, a bag of mixed shredded cheeses and at least, 1 rotisserie chicken breast. That’s basically all you need for an under 30-minute complete meal.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: Under 30 Minutes
Approximate Cost: $13.05 or $4.35 per serving
Difficulty Level:    X   Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 3
 
Ingredients
6 corn tortillas (.90)
1 rotisserie chicken breast, skin and bones removed ($1.00)
1 can 28 oz. of Enchilada Sauce, green or red* ($2.90)
1 cup of Mexican Mixed cheeses ($2.55)
1 large poblano pepper ($1.00)
1 onion (.50)
2 tsp. Angie’s dried seasoning (or the one of your choice) (.30)
3 tbsps. olive oil (you’ll not use it all, just to-taste) (.65)
1 ½ cup of cauliflower rice ($2.00)
1 large avocado ($1.25)
​
*Beware: Old El Paso brand sauce is gluten free, others, like “Essential Everyday”, is not. Always read the label ingredients
  
Directions

1. In a skillet with 1 tbsp. of olive oil, sauté the chopped onion, cauliflower, shredded chicken breast, then sprinkle dried seasoning and the enchilada sauce to taste.
2. Warm the corn tortillas according to the bag directions. I usually microwave them.
3. Pour few tbsps. of the sauce to cover the bottom of a square baking dish.
4. Scoop a tbsp. of the chicken mix into half of the tortilla, sprinkle cheese and fold, place in the baking dish, seam side down.
5. When you complete a layer, pour the sauce over, drizzle a bit of olive oil to taste and sprinkle cheese to cover the top.
6. Bake at 350 degrees, just until the cheese melts, about 7-10 minutes.
7. While the enchiladas are baked, mash the avocado and add my dried seasoning to taste.
8. Also, char the poblano pepper over an open flame, remove most of the char skin and seeds and slice it to garnish the dish.

DONE.

Yeah, filet mignon, is considered a high end cut of meat, collard greens, is considered comfort food greens. However, together the combined flavors are on top and one does not overshadow the other. In fact, the nutritional value of the collards is considered healthier than the filet and that doesn’t include the bacon, LOL!
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 35 Minutes
Approximate Cost: $46.34 for 4 servings or $11.59 per serving
Difficulty Level:         Easy __X__ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 4
 
A. Ingredients for the Filet ($39.50)
4 filet mignon steaks ($37.00)
Salt and pepper to taste (.20)
2 tbsp. Olive oil (.60)
8 slices of Bacon ($1.70)
 
A. Ingredients for the Collard Green ($6.84)
½ tsp. Adobo (.20)
1 16oz. bag of clean and cut Collard greens ($2.69)
2 cups Chicken broth ($1.25)
1 Onion (.35)
6 cloves Garlic (.30)
1 tsp. Olive oil (.30)
2 tbsp. Red wine vinegar (.25)
Sprinkle of Crushed red pepper (optional) (.10)
5 slices bacon ($1.40)
 
B. Directions for the Filet
Season the filet with 1 tbsp. of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate.
Cook the bacon until brown and crispy, place in paper towel to drain. Set aside.
Move on to prepare the collard greens.
  
b. Directions for the Collard Green
Cut the bacon in small pieces. Add 1 tsp. olive oil to a skillet in medium low and cook the garlic and onion until golden brown. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
In the same skillet, sauté the collard greens until translucent, then add the vinegar, broth and more olive oil if needed. When tender, and the liquid reduced, add the cooked bacon and stir it all together, they are ready to serve.

​Gluten Free doesn’t have to be boring nor expensive if you chose to use fresh and raw ingredients. These chops are boneless and I also removed all the fat to make them healthier. I used minimal and simple ingredients, however, the end result was as tasty as if I had use lots of them. Experiment in your kitchen, if it doesn’t work, don’t ever make it again; however, if it does, write it down and keep it for next family generations to enjoy.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Approximate Cost: $14.04 or $3.51 per serving
Difficulty Level:     X    Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 4
 
Ingredients
4 Boneless Pork Loin Chops ($3.78)
1 tbsp. Adobo (for the chops, the yam, and the sprouts) (.30)
¼ cup Angie’s Basting Oil (for the chops, the yam, and the sprouts) ($1.80)
1- 24 oz. bag Goya Yam ($2.98)
2 cups Brussels Sprouts ($2.33)
6 red sweet peppers, clean, seeds removed ($1.25)
Avocado ($1.30)
2 springs of Scallions (.30)
Salt to taste
 
Directions

1. Clean and season de chops with 1 tbsp. Adobo and 1 tbsp. basting oil, refrigerate.
2. Boil the Yam in salted water, (1 tsp. salt) until soft and tender. Set aside.
3. Cut the sweet peppers, scallions and avocado and set aside.
4. If you have Brussels sprouts left from the veggies you prepared for the week, use them. If not, then clean the sprouts, cut the ends and remove all the outer leaves. Boil them briefly with the Yams until tender, remove from water and drain. Then, sauté them in the same skillet you cooked the chops.
5. Pan sear the chops until well done and deliciously looking brown. The thermometer must read 160.

 
Start plating as soon as the chops have rested for at least 4-5 minutes.
 
Enjoy!

Unfortunately, many products that are available as Gluten Free today are downright expensive. If you don’t have a specific wheat allergy, you can easily purchase them; however, for those with wheat allergies, there aren’t so many choices reasonably priced. That’s when making your meals from scratch makes sense and becomes affordable.
 
This is another Glute Free meal, not only nutritious but easy and quick to make. The only ingredient that takes longer is the baked sweet potato. All these ingredients are fresh. The mashed sweet potatoes ingredients are only a drizzle of basting oil and a pinch of black pepper.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 45 minutes to one hour
Approximate Cost: $10.25 or $5.13 per serving
Difficulty Level:     X    Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 2
 
Ingredients
2 Salmon steaks ($4.50)
1 ½ tbsp. Angie’s Dried Seasoning (or the one of your choice) (.30)
2 ½ tbsp. Angie’s Basting Oil (or the one of your choice) (.70)
2 small sweet potatoes ($1.25)
2 cups of shredded Brussels sprouts ($2.30)
1 Avocado ($1.20)
Pinch of fresh grind pepper
 
Directions

1. Turn the over at 400 degrees.
2. Wash well, pat dry and wrap the sweet potatoes in foil paper. (The sweet potatoes will cook faster if you cut them in half.) Bake for about 45 minutes.
3. Season the salmon with 1 tbsp. of Angie’s Dried Seasoning, ½ of basting oil and refrigerate.
4. Remove all the outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts, shred in a mandolin or simply cut them in small chiffonade style with your kitchen knife. Set aside.
5. When the sweet potatoes are about to be done, add 1 tbsp. of basting oil to a skillet and pan sear the salmon until golden brown. Remove from skillet and set aside to rest.
6. Meantime, in the same skillet that you cooked the salmon, (if needed, add more basting oil to the pan) briefly sauté the Brussels sprouts for about 3 minutes, just to brown them a bit and absorb all the leftover flavors of the salmon.
7. Next, remove the sweet potatoes from the oven, peel and mash. Add olive oil and a pinch of black pepper.
8. Now cut your avocados and start plating your healthy Glute Free meals. Enjoy!

​You may be asking why is it that I am posting a Gluten related topic? I decided to do it for a very important reason to me. One of my grandsons have a wheat allergy, therefore, all his meals must be Gluten Free. For him, eating a 100% gluten free diet is not a matter of selecting the latest fad or adopting it to look better, his allergy to wheat is a serious condition that could be life threatening. But let’s talk about what is a wheat allergy, not Celiac Disease.
 
Wheat allergy is an immune response to any of the proteins present in wheat, including but not limited to gluten. (Bread, pastas, crackers, cookies, etc.) This allergy affects mostly children and at some point, most of them may outgrow it before becoming teenagers. Unfortunately, not all of them will outgrow it.
 
The symptoms will begin within minutes of eating any product that contains wheat or that was cross-contaminated and it could include, to mention a few:
Hives and rash
Nausea and vomiting
Diarrhea
Difficulty breathing
Nasal congestion
 
Cross Contaminated Products: Sometimes is not easy to spot hidden gluten. For example, when one order French fries at a restaurant that used the same oil previously to fry breaded chicken; and even veggies that were cooked in the same pasta water.
 
Furthermore, there is hidden gluten in some grocery products such as salad dressings, sausages and meatballs. Critical to read the labels all the time.
 
Since I am not an expert in this matter, I will focus on what I know best; how to cook meals that are 100% WHEAT FREE, to keep my baby healthy forever.
 
Thank you for reading this post and become more understanding of people with Gluten Allergy.
 
Coming Up this Week: Gluten Free Meals that are healthy, delicious and affordable.
 

There are few varieties of snapper fish; however, my favorite, Red Snapper is a deep pink, almost red metallic color fish. Adults average between 2-5 pounds; but when fully grown, some can be as heavy as 50 pounds each. Snappers are found in deep waters, mostly in the Caribbean.
 
As far as how to cook this kind of fish, you can pan seared it, bake it, deep fry it, sauté it, or roast it. I find it to be a very versatile white flaky fish with unlimited ways to cook it. I decided to pan seared it today and it did not disappoint me.
  
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Approximate Cost: $19.03 or $9.52 per serving
Difficulty Level:     X    Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 2
 
Ingredients
2 red snapper fillet 1 lb. @ ($12.95/lb.)
2 1/2 tbsp. Angie's Basting Oil (.95)
1 tbsp. Angie's Dried Seasoning (.60)
1 tbsp. Dried onion flakes (.45)
1 large sweet potato cut in 1 ½ inch cubes ($1.00)
1 cup Brussels Sprouts, washed, stems and outer leaves removed ($1.10)
6 Carrots (.98)
Avocado ($1.00)
¼ cup chopped scallions (.45)
 
Directions
Clean and season the fish with 1 tbsp. Angie's Basting Oil, 1 tbsp. Angie's Dried Seasoning and 1 tbsp. Dried onion flakes. Refrigerate
 
Peel the carrots and sweet potato. Cut the sweet potato in small cubes. Wash, and cut stems and outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts. Cook all these veggies until tender, for about 10-13 minutes in a saucepan with 1 tsp. of salted water. Drain and set aside.
 
Sauté the snapper fillets in 1 tbsp. of Angie's Basting Oil (or any olive oil of your choice) until golden and cooked inside. Remove the fillets from the skillet to let them rest for about 4 minutes.
 
In the same skillet, with the ½ tbsp. left of basting oil, add the drained veggies and sauté them briefly in medium, until golden brown.
 
Slice the avocado and begin plating with the sauté veggies, add the fillet, a slice of avocado and garnish with chopped scallions. DONE!

Yes, one more stuffed peppers recipe. My idea is to come up with ingredients not traditionally used to stuff peppers. In addition to my spices, I added fresh kale to cook with the turkey. For sides, I also made couscous and a light power greens salad. The combination was successful! Smile.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes
Approximate Cost: $16.20 or $5.40 per serving
Difficulty Level:    X     Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings:  3
 
Ingredients
½ lb. ground turkey ($2.50)
1 tbsp. Adobo (.35)
1 cup of largely chopped kale (.75)
3 Gourmet peppers (roast on the stove and then cut in half) ($3.00)
¼ cup olive oil ($1.10)
1 tbsp. dried onion flakes (.35)
1 ½ cup of good Marinara sauce ($1.00)
3 slices of Cheddar cheese ($1.00)
1 cup Mixed Mexican cheeses ($1.50)
2 cups of power greens or the greens of your choice ($1.50)
1 box of Parmesan Couscous ($1.95)
1 Avocado ($1.20)
  
Directions
Pre-heat your oven at 350 degrees. Season the ground turkey with ½ tbsp. of adobo and dried onions.

1. Cook the couscous according to the packet directions. Set aside.
2. To prep the peppers, wash, pat dry and roast them. To roast the peppers over an open flame, turn the gas flame to high.
3. When charred, transfer to a paper bag cover tight and let them rest for about 5 minutes. Then open the bag and rub the black skin off. Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds and set aside.
4. In a skillet in med. high, add 1 tbsp. of olive oil.
5. Add the ground turkey that you seasoned with adobo and dried onions. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. When the meat is half way cooked, add the chopped Kale, cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add 1 cup of marinara sauce into a Pyrex baking dish.
7. Fill the peppers with the turkey mixture and place them over the sauce on the baking dish. Add any leftover filling to the dish, cover the peppers with the cheeses and pour a bit of the sauce over.
8. Cover the baking dish tight with aluminum foil and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the peppers are tender but still crunchy. (Remember, each oven works differently.)
9. When done, uncover the baking dish and top the peppers with more cheese.

 
When ready to serve, scoop some couscous on the plates, add the peppers with some sauce, drizzle olive oil over the greens and add the avocado slices on top with salt and pepper to taste.
 
Done, Enjoy!

​OK, this is not about being lazy, it’s all about using energy efficiently to coordinate the weekly side dishes that otherwise will takes longer to cook and cook them all at one time. I love to roast sweet potatoes, carrots, beets and Brussels sprouts in my oven. However, if I roast them daily, it will take approximately 45 minutes every day, a total waste of energy.
 
By using my Hack, I cook them all at one time, then I have all my side veggies ready for the week. How I do it? The first day I serve a sample of all the roosted veggies. The following days I cook the protein and serve it with just one veggie side.
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 45 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR
Approximate Cost: $8.75 or $1.75 per serving
Difficulty Level:     X    Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 5 +
 
Ingredients
1 ½ cups of Brussels sprouts ($1.75)
½ bag of organic rainbow carrots (Trader Joe’s-@ $2.89/bag ($1.45)
2 sweet potatoes ($1.25)
3 large beets ($2.50)
¼ cup Angie’s Basting Oil ($1.50)
1 tsp. lemon pepper (.30)
 
Directions

• Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them in 1“cubes.
• Peel the carrots and slice them diagonally at approximately 1”.
• Wash the beets, pat them dry and wrap in foil paper. (They bleed and stain the other veggies)
• Cut the Brussels sprouts ends and remove all the outer leaves.
• Place all the veggies in a baking mold, drizzle with basting oil, sprinkle lemon pepper.
• Cover with foil paper and roast at 380 for 45 minutes. When done, peel the beets.

 
The veggies will cook faster if they are cut in cubes. Adjust the heat of your oven accordingly, all ovens work differently.

Your sweet Ma’ has been cooking for you during most of your precious life, right? Well, as you know, her special day is coming up and she will be thrilled to see that since you love her so much, you decided to cook her something nice to celebrate. Therefore, to help you out, I am posting my Cod-Vizcaína recipe; a simple, elegant, remotely different from the traditional vizcaína recipe, yummy and better yet, super quick to make. You have few more days to get the ingredients, go, go, go!!!
 
Approximate Prep and Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Approximate Cost: $18.73 or $4.68 per serving
Difficulty Level:     X    Easy ____ Intermediate ____ Advanced
Servings: 4
 
Ingredients
1 ½ lb. of Cod fish cut in pieces ($3.99)
1 ¼-  tbsp. Angie’s Dried Seasoning (My link is attached) or use the seasoning of your choice. (.35)
1/3 cup Angie’s Basting Oil (My link is attached) or use the seasoned oil of your choice. ($1.90)
1 chopped onion (.40)
7 chopped garlic cloves (.30)
2 bay leaves (.10)
2 tbsps. pitted Manzanilla Spanish olives and Pimentos (.60)
1 lb. (approximately) of Beet noodles ($4.90)
2 Lemons (.50)
2 scallion springs (.20)
2 Avocado ($3.00)
2 cups Spinach ($1.50)
3 Roma tomatoes (.99)
 
Directions

1. Cut the fish in large bite size pieces, season with 2 tbsp. of my Basting oil, 1 tsp. of my dried seasoning and refrigerate.
2. Mash one avocado (for my avocado pesto) and season to taste with ¼ tsp. of my dried seasoning and ¼ tsp. of lemon juice. Refrigerate.
3. Add the spinach to a bowl, cut and add the tomatoes and season to taste with my basting oil and dried seasoning. Refrigerate.
4. Add 1 tbsp. of my basting oil to a skillet. When hot, add the chopped onion, garlic and bay leave. Cook until transparent.
5. Add the fish, the pitted Manzanilla Spanish olives and Pimentos and cook for 2-5 minutes until the fish looks somewhat white, not transparent.
6. On a separate skillet, in med. high add 1 tbsp. of my basting oil. Drizzle another tbsp. over the beets and when hot, sauté the beet spaghetti until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from stove, set aside.
7. Meantime, chop the scallions, slice the other avocado and lemon and begin plating.

 
HAVE AN AMAZING MOTHERS DAY!

My Links:
Angie’s Dry Seasonings: http://www.angieslifehacks.com/family-life/oven-roasted-bacon-chicken-and-angies-seasonings
Angie’s Basting Oil:  www.angieslifehacks.com/cuisine/the-flavor-series-recipe-2-angies-basting-olive-oil

I was given this recipe so many years ago by one of my daughters. The recipe will yield so many cakes that you could easily feed an army. It’s such a great idea to make it when you have family reunions.
 
The way it works is by fermenting the basic batter, (ok, don’t be gross-out!) This cake takes 10 days to make. On the 10th day you will have enough batter to make 2 loaf-cakes. Then you must divide the leftover batter-starter to give away to friends, in order to keep that thing going.
 
Difficulty: Medium to Advanced

Amish Friendship Bread
 
RULE #1. DO NOT USE METAL BOWLS OR SPOONS!!
As air is produced in the bag, let it out. This is a natural process, the batter raises, bubbles and ferments.
 
RULE #2. DON’T REFRIGERATE THE BAGS EITHER.
 
THE CAKE RECIPE: (REMEMBER THE PROCESS TAKES 10 DAYS)
Day 1:          This is the day that you get the batter. ***  
Day 2-5:        Mush the bag once-a-day.
Day 6:          Add 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of milk. Mush.
Day 7-9:       Mush the bag once-a-day.
Day 10:         Combine in a large NON-METAL BOWL: The batter, 1 cup of flour,
1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of milk. Stir.
 
Item A: Pour 3  1-cup of starters into Ziploc bags. Keep one for the cake you are making today. 1 to make in 10 days and 1 to give to a friend. Include a copy of these instructions.
(If I you want to make 3 more batters for next week to share with friends, then, do Item A.  If you just want to make 1 cake, pour 1 cup of your batter into a glass bowl, discard the leftover and follow directions on Item B) ↓↓
 
Item B: Preheat oven to 325
 
To the remaining batter that you just made (1 cup) add and mix well all the following ingredients:
(I add all the dry ingredients in one bowl, mixed well, then added all the wet ingredients.)
          1 cup of oil (you could substitute ½ apple sauce and ½ canola oil)
          2 cups of flour
          1 cup of sugar
          2 teaspoons cinnamon
          1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
          ½ teaspoon of baking soda
          1 large box (or 2 small) of Instant Vanilla Pudding*
          3 eggs at room temperature
          1 teaspoon vanilla
          ½ cup of milk
          ½ teaspoon of salt
OPTIONAL: 1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts or raisins
 
Method
Mix ½ cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Grease two large bread pans or 1 bunt pan and sprinkle some of the cinnamon/sugar mix to coat the grease. Pour batter in pan(s) and sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon and sugar over the batter.
 
Bake for 1 hour. Let stand in pan(s) 10 minutes before removing to rack.
 
*You can use banana, lemon, or any other favorite of pudding.
***The batter: 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of milk. Stir.