I LOVE enchiladas. But they are tedious sometimes (not to mention expensive when you're gluten free...) For 8 gluten free tortillas-it's $5.99 at my local health food market. Yikes! I know I could simply use corn tortillas but I wanted something simpler. So, I invented a way that bypasses the tortilla and incorporates rice instead! This meal can be thrown together quickly and then the oven does the rest of the work! It's a perfect busy day meal. It always gets devoured fast when I make it! 

(Gluten Free, Can be Dairy Free)
Created by jalene

Makes 6-12 servings
Ingredients: 

• 1 "can" of gluten free cream of chicken soup (I used my recipe)
• 1 can (10 oz) gluten free enchilada sauce (I used Casa Fiesta's Mild, just be sure to look for one without red food dye!)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 raw chicken breasts (about 1 lb), cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 1 + 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (divided)
• 1 can (4 oz) green chilies
• 1 can (or 1 & 1/2 cup black beans), rinsed & drained
• 1 cup frozen corn (we used organic)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. In a blender combine the cream of chicken, enchilada sauce, and the water until smooth. (Makes about 3 & 1/2 cups).  Set aside. 
3. In a 9x13 pan add the onion, garlic, chicken, rice, 1 cup cheddar cheese, green chilies, black beans, corn, and salt. Pour the sauce mixture over the top and mix well. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and then cover the pan with foil. 
4. Bake for 55 minutes and then remove the foil. Cook for another 5 minutes to melt the cheese. You could also broil instead it to give the cheese a nice crusty flavor. 

We served our casserole with salad, avocados, and organic chips. Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Simply sub in your own favorite dairy free cheese OR you can leave the cheese out altogether. Just be sure to increase the salt to 1 tsp. 

Well, it's the final countdown! I'm due in 9 days but we'll see when this little precious baby girl wants to come... Until then I'll only be posting 2x a week instead. Hopefully you understand... ;) 

Man, I feel like there's so much more I need to get done before I deliver...like picking a name for example. I'm drawing blanks people! Audrey hasn't been any help either. ;) Her suggestions have been "toothbrush" or "makeup" (of course with her giggles following...). Audrey's name just came to us as soon as we found out she was a girl but for some reason I can't decide on this one! Any suggestions!?!

This next recipe is really fun. It's a healthy way to have a corndog because it's baked and not fried. Kids (and adults) LOVE them! In fact, the first time I made them my nephew and husband practically were besides themselves that there was only a couple per person. I should have double batched it! So word to the wise, if you have a big family, you may want to double or even triple the batch! 

PS- The base of this great recipe is my Cornbread Muffin Recipe- just slightly altered to be more salty than sweet. 

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Nitrate Free, Egg Free)
Created by jalene

Ingredients: 

• 1/3 cup almond milk or other alternative
• 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (I used organic)
• 1/4 cup cornmeal (I used non-GMO)
• 1/4 cup corn flour (I used non-GMO)
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp brown rice flour
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp xanthan gum or guar gum
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce (I used organic)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 3 Nitrate-Free hotdogs, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds

Directions: 

1. Pour the apple cider vinegar into the milk and set aside. (Do not mix.) 
2. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F and slightly oil the bottom of 10 muffin tins. 
3. Combine all of the dry ingredients to your mixing bowl: cornmeal, corn flour, brown rice flour, salt, xanthan, and baking powder.
4. Add the honey,  applesauce, and coconut oil. Mix until combined then pour in the milk & apple cider mixture slowly. Then stir in the sliced hotdogs. After just combined, quickly spoon 1/4 cup into each prepared muffin tin. (No need to smooth the tops, it will smooth out itself.) Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until they start to golden brown. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack or serve right away. Keep leftovers in an airtight container. Stays fresh for about 2-3 days in the fridge.

Cooking meat has never been my strong point so I always leave that department up to my husband. But this past week I learned an AMAZING new trick that not even HE had tried before! It's thanks to Sixsistersstuff.com. They're not a gluten free website but some of their recipes can be adapted to fit your needs. They actually did one post that contained a combination of 50 gluten free recipes. You should check it out for some inspiring new ideas. ;) 

The trick is simple: crockpot for tenderness, grill for flavor. The result is seriously AWESOME.  Enjoy!

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Adapted by Jalene from an idea inspired from Sixsistersstuff.com

Ingredients: 

• Stubb's BBQ Sauce (or some other gluten free sauce)
• ribs (I used baby back)

Is it Spanish Rice or Mexican? Who knows. According to some, Spanish Rice does not have cumin but this recipe I altered tastes so yummy with just a hint. So, if you want Spanish Rice leave out the cumin, but if you're fine with Mexican add it in! Either way, it's just plain delicious to me. ;) 

Mexican Rice is a recipe that has eluded me for almost a year now. Almost every single time we have tacos, I've tried a different Mexican Rice recipe. But we NEVER have been satisfied! They were always okay tasting but nothing to write home (or on a blog) about. 

Until now my dear friends! 

It seriously was almost magical tasting this rice for the first time. It tasted like victory (with a little Mexican kick). I think you're going to LOVE it. My family sure did! 

(Gluten Free, Can be Dairy Free)
Adapted by jalene from a recipe off allrecipes.com

Ingredients: 

• 2 Tbsp butter (use olive oil to make Dairy Free)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup long white rice, uncooked
• 2 cups gluten free chicken broth
• 1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilis (with juices)
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp cumin

Directions: 

1. In a large skillet over medium heat melt your butter and add the onion, garlic, and rice. Saute until the onions are tender and the rice is turning brown. 
2. Add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes & green chilis, chili powder, salt, and cumin and stir. Bring to a bowl then cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes or the liquid is gone. 

Serve warm, goes great with my seasoned beef taco recipe or simply plain. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Can also be frozen for later use. 

I have a new favorite breakfast! It took me a couple of good attempts to make this recipe work gluten and dairy free but I did it and tastes amazing! Audrey even LOVES it which is awesome because she has this aversion to eggs right now... She's not allergic to them but she just wont eat them scrambled, fried, or omelette style. But hide them in this pancake...and she'll eat 4 slices!

Word to the wise, if you have a large family, you may want to make a couple of batches of this! Audrey (my two year old) and I ate an entire one by ourselves! My poor husband had only the pictures to lick when he came home for lunch. ;) Sorry honey. 

Just like when making the gluten-infested version of this delicate pancake, there's important steps to follow for success when you bake the gluten-free one. Be sure to read all the directions BEFORE beginning. 

Enjoy! 

(Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Can be Dairy Free)
Adapted by jalene from castsugar.blogspot.com

Makes 6-8 slices
Ingredients: 

• 1 & 1/2 Tbsp butter (I used Earth Balance to make it dairy free)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk to make it dairy free)
• 1/2 cup white rice flour (I grind my own from Calrose rice)
• 1/8 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/8 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp sea salt

So after becoming gluten (and dairy) free, I had basically given up hope of ever eating this yummy dish again. It was next to impossible to not only convert it to avoid wheat and dairy but also to contain HEALTHY ingredients like no msg. 

But I did it folks! 

Eating it again was so nostalgic for me! I love food so much. ;) And that's not just the pregnancy talking PS.  If you're feeding a large crowd you'll want to double this for sure. It goes fast! Enjoy!

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free, MSG Free)
Adapted from a recipe given to me by my sister-in-law Michelle

Serves 2-4 people
Ingredients: 

• 5 frozen chicken tenderloins
• 8 oz (1 cup) GF DF French Dressing (I used Organicville's)
• 1 Tbsp water (pour into the empty dressing bottle, close the cap and get all the excess dressing out)
• 4 tsp beef boullion 
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp onion flakes or 1 fresh onion, finely diced
• pinch black pepper
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Place the chicken tenderloins in a 4x6 pan or something half the size of a 9x13. 
3. In a blender (I used my Blendtec) combine the dressing, 1 Tbsp water, beef bouillon, and onion powder. Blend until smooth. Stir in the onion flakes (or fresh onion), black pepper, and cranberries. 
4. Pour the mixture over the chicken and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the chicken is cooked thoroughly. 

Serve over rice. (We served over a 1/2 and 1/2 mixture of white rice and quinoa.)

This next dessert is to die for! And believe it or not my father-in-law introduced me to it! (He even carved the strawberry rose to go on top! Isn't that awesome?!) He's not much of a dessert man but he does have a tender spot for my gluten free chocolate cake... He used it as the base and then layered it with pudding, whip cream, strawberries, and chocolate chips! It's a crowd pleaser for sure! 

(Gluten Free, Contains Dairy)
Created by Jalene's father-in-law Gerald

Ingredients: 

• my Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
• whip cream (or you can use my DF coconut whip cream)
• gluten free pudding, cold
• strawberries, sliced
• chocolate chips (he used mini)

Directions:

1. In a large (preferably clear) 9" bowl, place a layer of the chocolate cake in the bottom. Spread evenly 1/2 of your pudding over the cake with a rubber spatula. Spread 1/2 of the whip cream over the pudding. Top with a layer of the sliced strawberries and chocolate chips. Repeat the pattern (using up the rest of the ingredients). Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. 

I have a wonderful recipe idea for you via pinterest. Often times we think of gluten free desserts we start thinking copy-cat gluten recipes likes cakes, cookies, or other goodies. When the simple truth is,  there's many naturally gluten free desserts we can enjoy! 

I love this next one so much I'm sharing it with you. All it contains is fruit! 
And thanks mudandcamo for the great idea! 

Pssst... I've included a great Patriotic article from my husband below the recipe so be sure to check that out too! He's also offering a FREE class so if you're in the area you should come! 

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free, Corn Free, Soy Free, Nut Free, etc.)
Recipe by: http://mudandcamo.tumblr.com

Ingredients: 

• Bananas
• Blueberries
• Strawberries

Directions:

1. Simply arrange the fruit in a 9x13 or other size rectangular pan to create the above picture. 

"Happy 4th of July!  
I spent 2 years as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Costa Rica.  I feel very fortunate to have spent 2 years in such a beautiful and exotic place like that.  The Costa Ricans love their soccer.  I think they love soccer about as much as we love to eat.  

Although Costa Rica is a very poor 3rd world country, I found it amusing to observe that every household had a rice cooker, a pressure cooker (to cook black beans quickly), and a television.  Yes, everybody had a tv to watch soccer of course.  If you were walking down a street you could actually hear who was winning  the game without even watching the game, because everyone in the neighborhood would have the soccer game tuned in. 

During my time in Liberia, the Costa Rican National team was scheduled to play the US National team in preparation for the FIFA World Cup.  One Sunday morning my companion Elder Brady, from Utah, and I were passing by peoples homes to invite them to go to church.  We were walking down a very hot and dusty road when the neighborhood began to ring out the National Anthem.  Yes, it was our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner. We had forgotten that that Sunday morning was when USA was playing Costa Rica.  

We were so overly thrilled to hear this familiar heart stirring song. We immediately stopped in the middle of the road and put our hands over our hearts.  Tears of joy welled up inside of me as Elder Brady and I joyfully sang our National Anthem.  We were so proud, 2 boys from America far from home, far from anybody checking in on us, far from the luxuries we all have and enjoy, but in the moment -  so close and connected to our Mother Country The United States of America.  We felt so much respect, gratitude, and honor to be a part of such a wonderful country. 

Last week my family and I went to support the local Lehi Roundup Rodeo.  I had dropped off my family and went to park the car.  I parked close enough that I could hear the announcer preparing for the event to start.  As I got closer I could hear him say that The Star Spangled Banner was going to be sung next.  I started running down the sidewalk to make it into the arena and find my seat. I was short by 100 yards when The National Anthem began to be heard.  I immediately stopped, put my hand over my heart, and listened as The Star Spangled Banner was sung.  Very few people stopped, most kept hurrying on to make it to their seats.  I couldn't help but notice from the corner of my eye the people's body language of wonder and stupor as to why some guy  had stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and stood there with his hand over his heart during The Star Spangled Banner.  Really? I mean who does that these days anyway?  I do!  And I will because I stand for Freedom!  

This great America and those who have gone before, deserve my respect, my gratitude, my will to continue to let freedom ring in these The Great United States of America.  I am willing to carry the torch as one who wants others to experience freedom too! I have noticed more and more the feeling that we can't change our country, but I am here to say, you can.  You start with you.  You are the one that starts the change.  You fight for freedom in your mind and body.  You no longer need to wait for the right timing or permission to go for it.  To live for freedom, to Breakthrough, is to be living the dream life and it starts today with you!  The greatest battle of freedom is the battle of overcoming our own weak carnal self.  

I look forward to seeing you at my upcoming FREE seminar on Tuesday July 9th at 7PM. Again, Have a Happy 4th of July - see you soon

Doctor Nielsen...remember, Live In Fullness Everyday!  LIFE

Seminar:
July 9th 7pm - 8:30pm
1175 E 3200 N
LEHI, UT 84034

Any questions please email [email protected] or call
801-766-6580"

This next recipe is a staple, my friends, at our house. We nearly have it at least 2x a month. (Which is big-because we rarely repeat the same meal that often. My husband is always joking with me "Do you think we can ever have (such n such) again?!" Like it's been years since we've had it... The price he has to pay for me creating new recipes...

I'm sure you're thinking, not another taco recipe but what really sets this one apart is my GF DF Taco Seasoning! It's great! I usually make it in large batches. It's so easy to make and can sit on the shelf for up to a year. 

Enjoy! 

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free, MSG Free)
Created by jalene

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb ground beef (we use organic)
• 1 & 1/2 Tbsp (or to taste) my GF DF Taco Seasoning
• Optional: 1-2 diced & drained fresh Roma tomatoes

Directions: 

1. In a pan over medium heat brown the meat. Drain excess fat if necessary. Stir in the taco seasoning, turn the heat to low, cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes. (Optional: Add in the diced tomatoes the last 5 minutes of simmering.) Serve warm in Gluten Free taco shells or over corn chips. Store leftovers, covered, in the fridge. 

Goes great with these taco fixings:  avocado, salsa, cheese or shredded carrot (that's what my daughter uses as cheese), my dairy free ranch dressing, lettuce, hot sauce, etc. 

Looking for a Gluten Fre taco shell? Ortega now makes one that you can find in most grocery stores. (Only note: Don't be fooled by the 25% larger sign though on the package...when we opened ours, we were a little confused what they were talking about. They're the same size as other taco shells so just expect that when you open them.) They have a great flavor though and are made from 100% whole kernel corn.