Gluten Free Scalloped Potatoes | An Allergy Friendly Recipe

I love potatoes -- all types. And, I sorta miss having scalloped potatoes since we've become mostly a GFCF household. Being soy-free also doesn't make subbing dairy any easier. I've tried to develop a recipe for gluten free scalloped potatoes a few times but failed. Getting them to be gluten free was one piece of the puzzle - the other was also making this a dairy free scalloped potatoes recipe.

Getting the right flavor and texture was vital to this recipe. At the urging of my potato-loving kids, I came up with a recipe that's simple and pretty darn good. Most important, my kids really liked this as they were growing up. I made this in the crock pot, but I'm sure you can adapt for the oven.

Ingredients

• Potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 
• Dairy free margarine or ghee -- I used Spectrum shortening
• Sea salt 
• Black pepper 
• Gluten free tapioca flour (I think potato starch, corn starch would work too) 
• Gluten free chickpea flour (I think potato flour, rice flour, etc. would work too -- anything that's a fine flour and not grainy) 
• Garlic powder 
• Dairy free milk - I used rice milk
• Water 
• Corn starch (I think tapioca or potato starch would work too) 

I use a big crock pot, so adapt if yours is smaller. Start by peeling and slicing the potatoes. I peeled two average sized potatoes at a time. Then, layer the slices of those two potatoes on the bottom of the crock pot. Sprinkle a dash of salt and a pinch of pepper over top of the layer. Then, sprinkle 1 tbsp of the tapioca flour over the layer and then 1 tbsp of the chickpea flour over the layer. Then, drop about 4 small dabs of the shortening (or margarine) in various places over the layer --  1/2 tsp each. 

Then, repeat this process by adding another layer of potatoes over top -- about two potatoes. Then, the seasoning, flours and shortening. Do this with about 4-5 layers of potatoes. Using this mix of flours is what makes this a gluten free scalloped potatoes recipe.

When done, pour 1 cup of dairy free milk over top and then 1 cup of water. Turn the crock pot setting to high and let it go for four hours. After 2 hours, spoon over the top layer of potatoes to ensure they don't dry out. Do this again after the 3rd hour. 

After the 3rd hour, test taste. When I first made these, I found that the milk alternative taste was coming thru too much and not enough of the seasoning. So, I added another dose of salt and pepper and a couple dashes of garlic powder. You can skip this if you don't like garlic. It was enough to flavor but not overwhelm. You also can experiment with different milk substitutes. Your choice of margarine/ghee and dairy-free milk is the key to keeping this a dairy free scalloped potatoes recipe.

Of course, you can play with the seasoning - add any other spice that you like.

That's it. Enjoy your gluten free scalloped potatoes.

An Easy Dairy Free Cream of Chicken Soup Recipe!

I don't know where it came from, but when my oldest daughter was about 7, she asked me to make her a cream soup. I don't think she'd ever had cream soup at that time and her parents - us - didn't really make much cream soup at home. So, it was one of those out-of-left-field moments. But, it seemed like a fun challenge to figure out how to make a dairy free cream of chicken soup for her to try - and of course, it wasn't just a dairy free soup, it also was a gluten free soup.

As you may know from reading the blog, we're not just a gluten free, dairy free family, we're also soy free. So, it's not like we could just run down to the store and buy the soup. And at that time, alternative dairy free soup products were few and far between. 

Anyway, I found a recipe and tinkered with it a bit to make a dairy free cream of chicken soup. It may not be the best soup you've ever had ... but I think it was successful. My daughter loved it and ate it for two days. I also did one better, I made it in the slow cooker over the weekend. So, I dumped the food in the pot, turned it on, and left it all afternoon. I love 'easy' too. 

Here's what I did. You might tinker more with the "cream" ingredients to fit your family's diet needs and preferences. I obviously made this as a dairy free cream of chicken soup, but you certainly could make it any type of cream-based dairy free soup that you want - mushroom, celery, etc.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped into chunks
• sea salt and black pepper to taste 
• 1 tsp basil 1 tsp thyme 1/2 tsp sage 
• About 2-3 pounds of chicken -- any kind you prefer (I used bone-in breasts with the skin removed and later, pulled the meat off and diced it into small pieces) 
• 2-3 garlic pieces, crushed 
• 5 1/2 cups of water 
• Dairy free milk (I used rice milk) 
• Corn starch -- GF of course 

Place all ingredients, except the dairy free milk and corn starch in the slow cooker. Cook for four hours on high. When nearly-done, pull chicken out and cool. Remove meat from bones. I diced the meat into small pieces and put it back in the cooker.

Before serving, I pulled out the onions, since my kids won't eat them. 

Now, to make the cream soup. I took about 2 cup servings of the soup broth from the crock and poured it into a small stove-top pot. I turned the heat onto low-medium. In a small bowl, I put 1 tbsp of the corn starch and 2 tbsp of cold water and mixed with a fork until mixed well. Pour this into the pot and stir with a whisk. Note that this will thicken the soup quickly, so keep stirring and be sure the heat is not high. Once thickened, I poured about 1/4 cup of the dairy free milk into the mix and let it heat for another minute. Mix in some of the chicken pieces. 

This results in a tasty chicken soup, thickened by the starch and given that cream color by the alternative milk. 

A couple of notes ... 

• First, this is easy to freeze too. If you like the basic soup, freeze it in portions, like in ice cube trays, for example. 
• Second - if you don't remove the skins, you'll need to take the added step of cooling the broth and removing some of the fat.
• Last, if your child is a picky eater, this is great way to sneak them in. Carrots, celery, mushrooms, potatoes, rice, etc. You can make just about cream of anything. Chopping into small pieces or even blending a veggie to get it in is possible.

I hope you give this dairy free cream of chicken soup recipe a try! Happy eating.

5 Tips for Starting a Gluten Free Diet

Starting a new food or eating plan can be challenging, especially starting a gluten free diet for the first time. For many, it's often not just gluten - it's also learning how to start a gluten free and dairy free diet. 

This can be overwhelming at first. And, if you're venturing down this road as a parent of a child diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, Celiac Disease or similar health concern, this may feel like trying to climb a mountain. 

So, how do you do it? What foods can you eat? What foods can't you eat? Where do you buy the food? It's an endless string of thoughts that frustrate and many times deter starting the diet. 

There is help available to ease this process. And, the first -- and best -- piece of advice is this: DON'T PANIC! This does not happen overnight, nor should it. 

So, here's 5 tips for starting a gluten free diet and I hope they help.

1) TACA: The first place I recommend people go is the TACA website, specifically to the TACA gluten free diet page. There is a great piece on how to phase in the diet over 10 weeks. TACA stands for The Autism Community in Action - and their gluten free diet resources were a tremendous help when we first got started on this road.

2) Lisa Lewis books: These books were super helpful when we first ventured into the world of gluten-free diets and autism spectrum disorders. Even though many, many books have been written since with similar information, I still her cookbooks and the Encyclopedia of Dietary Interventions to be invaluable resources - and in particular, for those looking to start a gluten free and dairy free diet..

3) Find a good online community. Twenty years ago, there weren't too many online communities - a couple via Yahoo and Facebook. Today, there are numerous channels to look for online help, through Facebook groups and other social media channels such as Reddit, Instagram, blogs, etc. Take some time to look around and find one that suits your needs and personality.

4) Use Google to search for a local group that may be able to help and offer support and guidance - especially if you're dealing with an autism spectrum disorder such as PDD or ADHD, or even Celiac.

5) Look for groceries and stores in your area that sell a variety of gluten free, dairy free and organic products. We turned to a local food coop as they sold items in bulk, which reduced our overall cost, and carried a much wider variety of flours, grains, breads, snacks, alternative milks, etc. You can search for a food coop near you online using a directory. Many cities have Whole Foods, Trader Joes and similar stores that sell these products. And, if nothing else, use Amazon to find products like Bob's Red Mill and other brands that market gluten free items.

If you're on a tight budget, don't worry. This still can be done. Buying in bulk cuts food prices down. Shopping at ethnic groceries often is far less expensive than Whole Foods. Look for local farms that sell meat, vegetables and fruit -- you'll likely buy better quality stuff for less than the local supermarket.

For example, I buy meat from a farmers market that's free of hormones and preservatives. I pay about $1 less per pound than I would at the local supermarket.

If money's not an issue, you can find prepared foods that fit the gluten free diet at most larger supermarkets today.

So, if you're just starting a gluten free diet - you can do this! Use these tips as a starting point and keep learning and growing.

Lindsay's Bread - an easy gluten free bread recipe

This is a great, moist, easy to make gluten free bread recipe (also soy/dairy/rice/corn free). It's a variation of Tom's Bread, which you may already be familiar with. I developed this variation for my daughter's lunches. It's a moister bread, for one. She didn't like dry bread. And, second, I didn't want to use the bean flour, nor did I prefer the brown rice flour. So, I tried sorghum flour, which I love for  baking. Please note this is a yeast bread, which I know is an issue for some of you out there. And, it has eggs. I've not tried making this without real eggs, but, I'll bet you could make this using flax egg alternatives. See my recipe for flax eggs to try it out. You'll also note that I use a flax egg in this recipe along with real eggs. 

So, here's how to make this gluten free bread recipe. I hope you enjoy Lindsay's Bread (when she was very young, she called it Salami Bread -- it was the bread we used for her lunch sandwiches).

Lindsay's Bread - Gluten Free Bread Recipe

- 1 cup sorghum flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
- 1/2 cup potato starch (potato starch is key here -- it adds to the moist texture)
- 1 1/2 cups tapioca starch/flour
- 3 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
- 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 3 tbs. sugar (or alternative)
- 1/4 tsp. creme of tartar
- 3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 flax egg (I use golden flax seeds, ground fine -- you can do this in your coffee grinder, or buy it ground. See directions below)
- 1 1/3 cup warm water
- 3 tbs. oil (I use olive oil)
- 2 1/4 tsp. yeast (I use Red Star)

Make the flax egg -- mix 1 tbsp ground flax with 3 tbsp water. Heat in microwave for 30 secs. Let sit for at least 5 mins.

Meanwhile, mix all other dry ingredients, including yeast. Using potato starch makes a world of difference. I've tried this using corn starch, but it's just not as moist. So, if you cannot use potato, I'd suggest adding more water to the recipe or cutting back on the starches.

Then, mix all the wet ingredients, including flax egg, in another bowl.

Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until blended. Scrape sides to get it all mixed in.

Grease a bread loaf pan -- I use Spectrum organic shortening. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit until it doubles in size -- about 40-50 mins.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 40-45 mins until toothpick comes out clean. This rises! So, if too tall, consider cutting off the top. And, next time, don't let it rise so long. Let it sit 5 mins. Then put onto wire rack to cool. It will sort off deflate slightly. It's OK.

Once cooled, slice and eat. This is a great gluten free bread recipe to use for a daily, all purpose bread at home. Enjoy.

Shopping list:

Bob's Red Mill Sorghum Flour

Potato Starch

Tapioca Starch

Xanthan Gum

Flax seeds

Try this gluten free vegetable recipe - Spicy Spinach!

Getting my kids to eat fruits and vegetables is a real chore. I know that many PDD/ADHD kids are fussy with food and it's extremely difficult getting them to try new things - not to mention the challenge of finding allergy friendly vegetable options. So, having a winning gluten free vegetable recipe is a huge deal. 

I've had a little success in this area, mostly by setting clear rewards for their attempts at trying new things. I mostly don't make a big deal out of the new food and I hardly ever call it -- at first -- by its real name. I'll provide this example, since it leads to the very easy gluten free vegetable recipe that follows. One night recently, I served dinner to my kids, burgers and potatoes, and then I sat down with the same food plus a small pile of cooked spinach. My oldest quickly asked, what is that? Without missing a beat, I said, It's spicy spinach. I kept eating. A minute later, she said, Can I try some? I gave her a small bite from my fork. She asked for more. Then, I asked if she wanted some on her plate. She did. Bingo!  

I know, this approach doesn't always work. But, it does sometimes. And, I've learned to use what's given to me as an advantage. My kids love spicy food. So, I make a lot of spicy things. 

And so, here is my quick recipe for spicy spinach - a tasty gluten free vegetable recipe. And, it'd be very easy to modify to your individual taste.

Ingredients

• 1 bag of fresh spinach (8 oz bag) 
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper 
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning or oregano
• 1 tsp oil (I use olive oil)

Wash the spinach and let dry or pat dry. Heat a tsp of oil in pan over low heat.

Mix the dry spices in a small bowl. 

Add the spinach to the pan and let it heat for a couple of minutes. Then, add the spice mix over top and gently stir to mix the seasoning into the leaves. 

Let this cook to your desired texture preference. Then, spoon into a serving bowl and eat!

Very simple. Very tasty. Very healthy. 

Another Gluten Free Pizza Sauce Recipe

I found this simple pizza sauce recipe on the web many years ago and I've been using it ever since on my homemade gluten free pizza  - and if you've not seen my homemade gluten free pizza crust recipe, check it out here. This is my go-to gluten free pizza sauce recipe.

Of course, I tinkered with the recipe a bit to get the right taste, texture and "spreadability." But, what I really love about this recipe is that it's so quick, so easy to make and works. I've not found another gluten free pizza sauce recipe that I like better.

And, I can make it quickly while my crust is baking in the oven. It literally takes about five minutes to make. Finally, and as you'll see, it's easily adaptable. Don't like garlic, skip it and use onion powder instead. Prefer basil or rosemary, add it. You decide!

Ingredients:

6-ounce can tomato paste (I use Hunt's)

2 tbsps oil (I use olive oil)
½ cup water
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp sugar (you could sub any sweetener)
1 tspn sea salt
¼ tspn pepper
½ tspn vinegar (I use Heinz)

Directions:

In a stove top pot, add the tomato paste, olive oil and water over a low heat. Stir slowly to combine the ingredients and until the paste liquifies and blends into the mix. 

Add the remaining ingredients and stir until combined.

Continue on the stove until thoroughly heated, but not boiling.

Let sit for a few minutes while your crust is baking. Spoon or ladle onto your crust and enjoy this wonderful gluten free pizza sauce recipe.

Got dairy free milk?

People with dairy allergies or following a casein-free diet, like many autistic children, can't drink cow's milk. But there are dairy free milk alternatives and the variety of options continues to grow. Many people drink soy milk or almond milk. You can easily find these, even at regular supermarkets. Or, order online via Amazon and have a case shipped to your door.

However, soy and nuts also are common allergens, meaning many food allergy sufferers cannot turn to these options. Don't worry, there are other dairy free milk options.

A good one is rice milk, which also are commonly found on store shelves. People intolerant of gluten should know that Imagine Foods' Rice Dream is made using a process that exposes it to gluten. Some people do not react to this, while others say they do.

Another option is Darifree. This is potato-based -- no soy, no rice, no gluten. It's harder to find and comes in a powder. You can order it at the company's website. My younger daughter cannot have rice, so I have used Darifree in recipes.

You'll also find a number of other dairy free milk options, including coconut milk, hemp milk and even sunflower seed milk. You'll even find options such as almond milk and coconut milk at discounted prices in stores like Aldi's, which helps save a few bucks if you're following a special food plan.