Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free » Salads & Sides

Oven Fried Chicken and Kale-Carrot Slaw

Amy — Fri, 31 May 2013 10:00:20 +0000

Picnic season is upon us! With the warm weather, there will be get-togethers of all types. And, of course, there will be lots of delicious food. I have two simple, healthy gluten-free recipes that you’ll be able to whip and share with all your friends.

Maybe it’s because I live in Texas, or maybe it’s because some folks just don’t cook, but at nearly every potluck-style picnic I’ve been to there’s at least one bucket of fried chicken and some kind of mayonnaise-drenched coleslaw. I always pass on those two dishes.

I’m not saying there’s anything at all wrong with fried chicken and coleslaw. When I was a kid, my Granny Jeanne sent my dad to pick up a bucket of fried chicken every Sunday we were at her house. I liked the mashed potatoes and gravy best, with biscuits and honey being a close second. That was a long time ago, and honestly, I can’t remember eating fried chicken since then.

But, I’d like to start healthier traditions with my family. I don’t want to be “that mom” who polices everything her kids put in their mouths, though. Instead, I want to instill a love of good healthy food in them so they’ll naturally make healthier choices.

Which is exactly where oven fried chicken and kale-carrot slaw come in.

And, just so you know, Joe said this is the best fried chicken he’s ever had. Ever.

Get both recipes on the Attune Foods blog.

Note: I am a Brand Ambassador for Attune Foods. This post is sponsored by Attune. Truth be told, I loved their products before I started working with them. Their gluten-free, refined sugar-free, GMO-free cornflakes got me through the first several months of my pregnancy when I could rarely stomach anything else. So, you can rest assured that I’m sharing my honest opinion of their products.

Let’s make some fabulous picnic food!

From my sponsor: Plan To Eat was born from our desire to eat real food – great food – prepared at home, together as a family. Plan To Eat is an online menu planner that uses your recipes, scheduled for the days you want them, automatically generating your grocery list, organized the way you like to shop. Eat well. Eat together. PlanToEat.com.

Crazy for Kale!

Amy — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 13:00:34 +0000

I’ve got a great book to share with you all about kale. It’s Crazy for Kale, in fact!

Kale is one of my favorite greens. It also helps that it’s a super food powerhouse. It’s packed with vitamins K, A, and C. Kale is also high in fiber, contains calcium, iron, protein, and even omega-3 fats.

If you’re new to kale, like I once was, you might wonder what to do with it. The texture is a little chewier than most greens. It’s flavor is a little more intense. It’s a little less common than spinach, romaine, and the ever-popular mixed greens.

But, it’s a green you should get to know. And, if you’re already a kale fan like me, you’re always looking for new ways to use it.

Here are some of my favorite kale recipes :

Let’s All Go Crazy for Kale!
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Five Immune Boosting Foods to Add to Your Holiday Meal

Amy — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 14:00:40 +0000

Yes! You can add immune boosting foods and still have an off-the-charts delicious holiday meal. Being healthy for the holidays is a must! And, you might be surprised how many of these foods already grace your holiday table.

Beans: The humble bean is full of soluble fiber, which has been shown to help mice recover from illness twice as fast as compared to those mice who ate a fiber blend. Legumes are also a rich source of vitamin B6, which helps create white blood cells – the infection fighters.
Recipes to Try: Black Bean Brownies, White Bean Gratin, Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas, and make sure to check out this free ebook by Carol Fenster, Pulses and the Gluten-Free Diet (This is a Canadian ebook and they call beans pulses.)
Flax Seed Oil: Make a dressing out of this nutty oil and drizzle it on your salad! This is another food that helps support white blood cells and also helps the body not over-react to infection. Because flax seed oil can be bitter, make sure to use it with another oil.
Recipes to Try: Lemon Vinaigrette or Almost Raw Liquid Gold Salad Dressing
Cinnamon: This antiviral, anti-fungal, antibacterial immune booster is the perfect addition to your holiday desserts, hot chocolate, and Egg Nog. Make sure to add some to your daily green smoothie, too.
Recipes to Try: Gingerbread Cupcakes, Egg Nog, Pumpkin Pie Smoothie, and Gingerbread Cookie Dough Protein Bars
Oats: A simple food that contains beta-glucan, which helps fight disease. It’s a soluble fiber which has antioxidant and antimicrobrial properties. Since the body doesn’t make beta-glucan it’s important to get it from food. Make sure your oats are certified gluten-free.
Recipes to Try: Thanksgiving Meatless Loaf, Cinnamon Oat Snowdrops, Cinnamon Vanilla Granola, or Blueberry Crumble
Sweet Potatoes: Packed with beta-cartoene, which is converted to Vitamin A, sweet potatoes help keep your skin healthy. Since your skin is the largest organ in your body and covers nearly every inch of our body, it’s the first place to ward off germs. Other orange foods, like pumpkin and some winter squash, are great additions to your holiday meal too.
Recipes to Try: Sweet Potato and Kale Hash, Sweet Potato Quinoa Cookies, or Curried Acorn Squash, Sweet Potato, & Apple Soup

How do you use food to give your health a boost?

Sources:

AARP, Eating Well, Dr. Sears, Everyday Health, Organic Gardening, Prevention, LiveStrong.com, Life Extension, Glamour, Health Guidance

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Favorites

Janel — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 14:00:45 +0000

Thanksgiving is almost here!It seems like it sneaked up on me this year.

We’re having our traditional holiday feast of roast turkey, orange-glazed ham, mashed potatoes, gravy, cornbread dressing, salad, some kind of veggie (probably brussels sprouts), homemade ice cream, and a couple of pies. This year it’s going to be dairy-free too.

If you’re still planning your menu, you might want to try one of these gluten-free recipes that are sure to be a hit at your Thanksgiving Feast next week:

You might also want to check out my Ingredient Substitution List so you can make all of the recipes at your Thanksgiving table work for anyone with allergies or intolerances.

Need healthy baking tips for the holidays? Get them here.

What’s on your menu? Have any questions about holiday cooking?

Vegan Butternut Mac & Cheese

Amy — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:00:26 +0000

You really can make healthy mac and cheese from scratch with this easy recipe. You don’t have to worry about what kind of cheese to use either. There’s no cheese in this mac.

I thought you might want to add this to your Thanksgiving menu.

The flavors are so close to my original gluten-free mac & cheese. It tastes like the real deal, only a little lighter. But it’s still creamy and filled with the richness you expect when you take a bite of one of America’s classic noodle dishes. Leftovers hold well in the fridge, too. Always a bonus when you’re dealing with gluten-free pasta.

It passed the Joe test with flying colors. Our dinner conversation that night went something like this:

Amy: How’s the mac & cheese?

Joe: This might be mac but it’s not cheese.

Amy: It’s mac and cheese. Just try it.

Joe: I’m not eating it until you tell me what you put in here.
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