Our Best Bites' Sausage and Egg Overnight Casserole--gf,cf

I really love breakfast.  Anyone else with me on that?  There's just something about coming out of an overnight fast that makes me hungry...
My favorite breakfasts are savory dishes because they don't cause my blood sugar to spike like other yummy things can.  My daughter has now added eggs in once a week (YAY!), so we get to have baked dishes like this more often. 
This is another of those recipes that my family loves for special ocassions like birthdays and Christmas morning.  Mama loves them because the work is done the night before and not with a hungry toddler attached to my hip, hehe.

So here it is.  My version of Our Best Bites Sausage and Egg Overnight Casserole--gf,cf

Here's what you need:

one loaf gluten free bread (home made or store)
1 lb. gf turkey sausage, browned
1/4-1/2 c. green chiles (your preference)
1 dozen eggs
1 can coconut milk (I prefer thai kitchen whole fat)
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp hot sauce
1 c daiya cheese, optional

Grease a 9x13" baking dish.  Cut the bread into 1" cubes.  If you are using any type of cheese, sprinkle it over the bread.  Add sausage on top, then the green chiles.
In a bowl, whisk eggs, seasonings, milk, and hot sauce together.  Pour over the bread/sausage mixture. 
Cover and refrigerate overnight. 
when ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes or until egg is set and is golden brown. 
Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

pulling up a few Thanksgiving favorites

Thanksgiving dinner can be overwhelming.  These are my favorite recipes.  The cranberry sauce is easily made ahead, as is the pie (if you like it cool like me).

{Also be sure that your turkey is gluten free!}

cranberry sauce

maple glazed sweet potatoes

pumpkin pie--not egg free

Can I just say that this is the best?  It's my mom's recipe subbing coconut (whole fat) milk for the cream...so good!

country style stuffing  --a real, gluten free, and yummy stuffing!

Overnight Blueberry French Toast

This is one of our family's favorites for Special Breakfasts like birthdays or Christmas morning. 

before baking

before eating...note the gorgeous dinnerware

What you'll need:

One loaf GF bread (homemade or not, it all works)

1 dozen eggs

1 can whole fat coconut milk (I like Thai Kitchen)

1/3 c. maple syrup

1 c. blueberries

Sauce:

1/4 c. maple syrup

1/4 c. agave nectar

2 tbsp. tapioca starch

1 c. water

1 tsbp. coconut oil or butter

1 c. blueberries

The night before, cut bread into 1" cubes; place into a greased 9x13" dish.  Top with blueberries.  In a large bowl, beat eggs. add milk and syrup and mix well.  Pour over bread and cover.  Chill over night.  Remove from fridge 30 minutes before baking.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and eggs are set. 

Fod the sauce:  In a saucepan, combine all ingredients except blueberries and whisk well.  Bring to a boil on medium heat.  Stirring constantly, allow sauce to boil for about 3 minutes.  Add blueberries and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for another 7-10 minutes or until berries have burst.  Serve over French toast.

Chinese Kick {Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Chow Mein, and General Tso's Chicken}

I have been on a Chinese food kick the past week or so and it's all Andrea's fault.  My friend Andrea has been doing a "Make it yourself" series and the last couple of recipes were Chinese.  I never knew Chinese food made at home really could taste so good (without the added MSG, preservatives, ect) and be so, well, Chineasy.  My kids loved both, which is important for this mom...although, I do tend to try out a recipe 3-4 times on my family before I scrap it.  Sometimes kids just need familiarity and then, wham!  They love it.  I had also found some reusable wooden chopsticks for the family, so we're trying our hand at that, too. 

So here's a link to Andrea's Chow Mein and Chicken Lettuce Wraps.

The chow mein  and lettuce wraps are simple to make GF:

-use brown rice pasta, such as Trader Joes or Tinkyada (don't over cook!)
-use wheat free/gluten free tamari, such as San-J brand (which you can also get soy free...)
-use any starch as your thickener.  I've found that tapioca, arrowroot, and potato all work perfectly.  Just be sure that your potato starch is starch and not potato flour.

Seriously, these are good.  Go ahead.  Try them.  And I dare you to use chopsticks.

The other recipe that I found that will be on our menu is General Tso's Chicken found at Tasty Kitchen.
It is gluten free from the get-go, and really good!  The change up's I made were the thickener and the sweetener, and to omit the chili garlic sauce.  I used tapioca starch as the thickener and agave as the sweetener.  Really, the only problem I had was in the frying; the oil splattered somethin' fierce.  But it was worth it. 



 

Spicy Coconut Chicken

I have been craving sweet potatoes lately chili roasted sweet potatoes, to be exact.  I had some chicken breasts in the fridge and since I would be baking, thought I'd whip up some baked coconut chicken as well....and, since I had the oven on, I decided to make an apple crisp, too.  Gotta be efficient with our energy usage these days, right?  Right.  Grin.  My husband is gonna love me.  It's baking right now.  I added cinnamon and subbed blueberries for the blackberries, but it's essentially the same.  We're also having confetti rice salad or some coleslaw.  Or both.  But I digress. 

Spicy Coconut Chicken

What you need:

4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into chicken-finger-sized chunks
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 c. sorghum flour
1 c. unsweetened coconut
1/2 tsp. each:
black pepper
coriander
chili powder
Italian seasoning
crushed bay leaves
cumin
1-2 tbsp. sea salt, depending on your salt needs/likes/desires.

What you do:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Mix seasonings together and set aside.
In a blender, blend coconut and sorghum together.
In a bowl, toss chicken pieces in the olive oil.
Add 2 tbsp. seasoning blend and toss.
Add coconut/sorghum mixture and toss yet again. 
Lay out not touching on a baking sheet (or two).
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until outside is crisp and slightly golden and chicken is no longer pink.
.

Blueberry Basil Quinoa Salad

Blueberry and basil may be an unusual pairing, but I like it!  I was in the greenhouse looking for some cilantro, but it's all gone to seed so I turned towards the basil--and it's still going strong! 

4 c. cooked CHILLED quinoa
1/4 c. diced green onions
1/4 c. fresh basil, coarsely torn
1/3 c. cold pressed olive oil
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp. whole fruit only blueberry jam
1 pint fresh blueberries
1/2 tsp. cumin
sea salt to taste

Mix quinoa, green onions, and basil in a pretty bowl; set aside.  In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, blueberry jam, and cumin.  Toss gently into salad.  Add sea salt to taste.  (I used around 1 1/2 tsp.)
Refrigerate leftovers.

vegan orange julius

The kids had been out playing all morning and where we are, even the mornings are hot.  So when they came in, I knew they were ready for something cool.  I had some orange juice concentrate in the freezer and thought I'd try for an orange julius-type smoothie.  It turned out just right.

In a high-powered blender, mix on high:

14 ice cubes
1 12 oz can oj
1/4 c. agave
2 cups almond milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla bean powder

serves 4