Meat pies part I

I don't make pizza crust except crust that is not gluten free, dairy free. Since I can not enjoy the cheesy goodness of pizza I choose not to make it for myself. I have however been craving meat pies. Crusty, doughy sandwiches filled with meat.

Here are my recipes for gluten and gluten free crusts.

Pizza crust for my kids (not GF)

2 1/4 tsp of active dry yeast
1/2 tsp of brown sugar
1 1/2 Cup of warm water
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp of olive oil (+ a little more to coat the bowl)
3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

In a large bowl dissolve yeast and brown sugar in water. Let sit for 10 minutes. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution and mix in 2.5 cups of the flour.

Turn dough out onto a clean well floured surface and start to knead. Knead in more flour a 1/4 cup at a time until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl and cover with a cloth. Let rise for 1 hour. Punch down after an hour and form a tight ball. Let relax a minute or two before rolling out to make meat pies.

Gluten free all purpose flour mixture:

1 Cup of white rice flour

1 Cup of potato starch

1 Cup of sorghum flour

1/2 Cup of corn starch

1/2 Cup of tapioca flour

4 tsp of xanthan gum

I triple this recipe each time I make it. I keep it in a big over sized tupperware container in my basement. I make it about once a week. 

Gluten free Dairy free Pizza crust:

1 1/2 Cups of all purpose gluten free flour

3 tbsp of coconut milk powder (or vegan milk powder, soy milk powder)

1/4 tsp of garlic powder

1/2 tsp of salt

2 1/2 tsp of active dry yeast

2 egg whites

2 TBSP olive oil

1/2 tsp of vinegar (I use red wine but you can use white, cidar, champagne, etc)

3/4 Cup of warm water

Mix wet ingredients together in a mixer slowly adding dry ingredients. Combine. Turn the mixer on high for 4-5 minutes to combine ingredients. This crust will be very sticky and may need to add more all purpose flour to bring the dough together. 

Meat Pie filling

1 lb of ground beef

1 Carrot

1/4 of a yellow onion

1/2 tsp of all spice

1 tsp of garlic powder

1/2 tsp of garlic salt

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 tsp of corn starch

Cook ground beef until it is no longer pink. Shred the carrot and the onion into the mixture. (I shred the vegetables as my kids will not eat something with vegetables integrated into the mixture) If you want to you could add cut up carrots, peas, onions, peppers to this mixture. Add the all spice, garlic powder, garlic salt, salt and pepper to taste. Cook until you can smell the seasonings blended. Add the corn starch when you've finished cooking to thicken the sauce. You will want 1/4 cup of meat mixture for each meat pie. 

I will form the meat pies, cook them and finish with my results. Stay tuned for part II.

Facebook

I started my own fan page on Facebook. Why? I wanted a way to write a short blurb about a gluten free deal or highlight a gluten free, dairy free article. Here's the link and fan me to get all the information I'm putting out there about living life without gluten and dairy.

Living Life Without on Facebook

My favorite GF Crab cake

Now that Lent is here I cook a lot of breaded fish myself, crab or shrimp. This recipe is something I cook a lot of and will make a big batch to keep in the fridge to make a little crab cake when I'm in the mood for one at lunch.

Crabcakes

1 pound of crab meat (buy the good stuff do not buy the claw meat)
1 egg
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp dry mustard
2 TBSP Mayoonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
1 TBSP of melted Smart Balance Butter spread
1 tsp of parsley flakes
1 tsp of Old Bay
1/2 Cup of Nature's Path Corn flakes ground until fine

Combine all ingredients except crab and mix together. Once mixed slowly blend crab into the mixture. Try to be gentle but mix to make a nice consistence. Place in refrigerator for at least a half an hour to have the flavors blend.

Add 1 tsp of oil (peanut or light virgin oil) to a pan with 1 tsp of butter spread. Take about half of a cup of mixture in your hands and make a crab patty. Fry the crab cake until golden brown on each side. Cook as much as you need and put the rest in the fridge. I keep my mixture for about a week, if it lasts that long!

I enjoy this on top of lettuce with some tartar sauce.

As a side note I like to grind an entire box of Nature's path corn flakes at one time and keep them in an air tight container. That way every time I want to make a breaded dish I can easily without bringing out the food processor each time.

Enjoy!

GF Meatloaf

I'm a little nervous about sharing this as it's one of those recipes that I make for people a lot. (for all those new moms in the neighborhood) It's an easy dish that is so comforting and warm to eat on a cold winter day. I love this meatloaf and so do my kids. My oldest son will eat it with his veggies because as he said it makes the green beans taste better mommy. I hope your kids like it too.

Gluten free meatloaf

3/4 C of Nature's Path Corn Flakes Cereal
1/2 tsp of garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp chipotle pepper (or cayenne)
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 onion roughly chopped
6-8 baby cut carrots
2 whole cloves or 2 tsp of pre-chopped garlic
1 lb of ground chuck
1 lb of ground sirloin (if you can't find sirloin try the 93% fat free ground beef)
1.5 tsp of salt
1 egg

For glaze:
1/2 C gf Ketchup
1 tbsp of gf Worcestershire sauce (add more to taste)
2 tbsp of honey

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a food processor grind up the corn flakes and garlic powder until they look like bread crumbs, add the black pepper, chipotle pepper, and thyme. Pulse to blend. Pour into a large mixing bowl. Add your carrots and onion to the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add to your mixing bowl with your garlic. Mix well. Add your beef and chuck meat and salt the meat before blending. (Add the beef to the bowl and salt directly over the meat.) Mix gently and add your egg last. Try not to squeeze the meat to much as you want to keep all the moisture inside the dish.

Pack into a 10 inch loaf pan.

Combine the ingredients for the glaze. At this point I taste the glaze if it needs more sweet add more honey, more sour add more Ketchup, more flavor add more Worcestershire sauce.

Place the meat in the oven at 325 and cook for 10 minutes. Take the meatloaf out of the oven and put the glaze on top of the meatloaf. Cover well so all parts of the loaf get covered with glaze.

Cook until the meat reaches 155 degrees. (should take about 50-60 minutes) I serve this with dairy free mashed potatoes and green beans. Enjoy! 

Brownies

It has taken several tries to get the gluten free and dairy free brownie just right. It's always been dry or rock hard in my past attempts. Yesterday we were in the middle of blizzard like conditions and I was determined to get it right. Finally! I made moist, chocolaty and delicious gluten free brownies. The perfect treat for someone snowed in.  I made this recipe . I substituted Enjoy Life chips for the semi-sweet chocolate chips and used dairy free margarine in place of the butter. I never in a million years would think that black beans would work in chocolate products..but now I am a believer. Amazing. 


7V6AY5KFVWA9

Edible Arrangements deal

Randy and I love Edible Arrangements. He love, love, loves the chocolate covered strawberries. I love the smell of fresh fruit in my house in a pretty little arrangement. This fruit smells and tastes delicious.

I received a coupon code for 5 dollars off each arrangement for Valentine's day. A box of chocolate covered strawberries (Randy's V-Day gift shhhh!) is 25 dollars. If you pick up in the store your total is 21.20 dollars with the coupon. Use coupon code: LOVE0211 for 5 dollars off. The chocolate on the Edible arrangements is not considered gluten free but some stores Nationally do carry Gluten free chocolate ask your store if it is gluten free (the Olney, MD store is not) The all fruit arrangements are of course gluten and dairy free.

GF Chicken BBQ in the slow cooker

Shredded Chicken Barbecue sandwiches

I eat these without a bun over some Cole slaw or on some lettuce.

4 Frozen Boneless chicken breasts (yes frozen)
Jar of your favorite BBQ sauce. I use KC Masterpiece it's Gluten free and whey free. (18 - 22ozs of BBQ sauce)
Small squirt of Honey
1 Small Onion

This recipe is so easy and quick you'll make it a lot. My husband loves it.

Place frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot and cover completely with barbecue sauce. Add a squirt of honey. Slice up the onion or grate the onion to create some onion juice over the chicken to add just a bit of onion flavor. Cook on High for 4-6 hours and shred chicken with two forks. Serve over Cole slaw. The chicken is really good the next day. The sauce will be thick and delicious.

Gluten and dairy free snack mix

This is my modified Chex mix recipe. I've made 2 batches of this in 2 weeks. My kids love it, I love it and even my picky husband loves it. It's pretty darn close to the real Chex mix.

4 Cups of Corn Chex cereal
3 Cups of Rice Chex cereal
1 Cup of Peanuts
1 1/2 Cup of Wylde Pretzels
6 TBSP of margarine melted (I used Fleischmann's unsalted margarine no whey no dairy)
2 TBSP of Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp of seasoned salt (if you aren't using Penzey's please go out and get some it's the best on the market)
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

In a large microwavable bowl mix the cereal, nuts and pretzels. In a small microwavable bowl melt the margarine. Add the Worcestershire, seasoned salt, garlic powder and onion powder and mix. Pour over the dry ingredients, and stir until completely coated.

Microwave uncovered on high for 5-6 minutes. Stir mixture every 2 minutes. Spread three layers of paper towels on two cookie sheets and spread out the snack mix to cool. Store in an air tight container.

A recipe just in time for the big game! Enjoy!

About me

As a someone with allergies, I know the problems you face -- limited resources, confusing information and little if any support for a condition whose symptoms alone can be completely overwhelming. Most of all, I know the fear, hurt, and uncertainty that this brings.

I created Living Life Without consulting and personal coaching to provide you with the mentoring, support and assistance I wish I’d had - to make your life and your family’s life more manageable and even fun as you learn to live without.

I serve the greater Baltimore and Washington DC areas.

Living Life Without offers support with one-on-one training and support for family and friends.

For groups, I offer gluten free and/or dairy free cooking classes and educational seminars. For individuals, I provide one-on-one personal coaching and grocery store trips to help you learn to easily distinguish foods on the shelf that are safe and not.

I found out shortly after I had my second son that I was allergic to the whey protein, a protein found in all dairy products. As I waded through this uncertain world I also found that by eliminating my gluten intake all my symptoms of fibromyalgia disappear. Three years later, I am gluten- and whey-free. Healthy, happy living a very full life.

Based on this experience, I have a lot of knowledge to share and give to other, and this is how Living Life Without began. I want to help families who are living with allergies to help guide them through this journey. Once you have the tools you need to cook, snack and enjoy life you'll be on your way to a fulfilling and healthy life without gluten or dairy.

Let me help you.

I offer one or two hour consulting sessions in the Baltimore and Washington DC metro area.  I also offer a packet of information which outlines how to set up your home kitchen for gluten free and/or dairy free cooking. It includes 12 family friendly recipes to get you started and a list of pantry items you should always have stocked in your kitchen. Please email me for pricing details. 

Please contact me at livinglifewithout at gmail.com