hands of love #20...

I (Amy) have been sooo eager to post this "Hands of Love" entry for quite some time because I've got some of the BEST gluten free recipes to share with you all!!!

(For any of you who've been "missing" us with the recent slow down in blogging, I've still been dealing with more of my headache/vertigo stuff. Yuck. To make it worse, it's triggered immediately by looking at the computer screen! It's been quite frustrating, isolating, & at times I'm tempted to despair, but I've started undergoing some treatment that I'm hoping may give me some relief. So perhaps the blogging can pick up again?? We'll see... but get ready to cook because these are some of the BEST yet!!)

Made for you, my sweet family AND my blog freinds, with hands of love...

And here's the BEST gluten free recipe (hands down) to date.... (drum roll please!)


Gluten free "fried" fish! When you're gluten free, you don't get fried ANYTHING anymore, so THIS is the "fried" crunch you're craving! And you'll never believe what's coating the fish--- potato chips!! Plus it's not even fried-- it's actually baked! And it's soooo easy to do... even if your family isn't gluten free, make this as a healthier alternative to fried foods for your family. Your kids will gobble it up.

Here's the recipe:

1 pound of cod, flounder, tilapia or sole fillets (you could also use chicken for this and make chicken "tenders")
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups finely crushed gluten free potato chips (we love the Kettle brand Sea Salt chips in the health food aisle)
1 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon table salt
3/4 teaspoon paprika

1. Preheat oven to 450. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup. Coat the foil generously with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Cut the fish into 1 inch strips. Using a fork, beat the egg in a shallow dish until foamy.
3. Combine the potato chips, onion powder, salt, and paprika on a plate. Dip each fish stick into the beaten egg, then the potato chips. Arrange the fish on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake 10-20 minutes, or until the coating is crisp and the fish is cooked through. (baking times may vary due to the thickness of the fish) Serve the fish immediately with your favorite tartar sauce or cocktail sauce. (or ketchup!)


Overnight french toast. (using gluten free Udi's sandwich bread) Sooooo yummy...


Roasted chicken, peas, gluten free mac & cheese, & simmered cabbage. Okay, I was never a fan of cabbage, but this is seriously my favorite new veggie if it's done this way. Trust me. Even your husband will eat it.


Gluten free croutons!!!! Yay!!! You can have croutons on your salad again!!! Make up a batch of these and keep a stash in your freezer.

4 slices of gluten free bread (we use Udi's sandwich bread- by far the best we've found!)
olive oil cooking spray
garlic powder
italian herb seasoning

1. Preheat oven to 325. Line a 9 x 13 in. rimmed baking sheet with foil.
2. Trim the crusts from the bread and cut the slices into 1/2 inch cubes. Spray the cubes with olive oil cooking spray. Dust with garlic powder and/or Italian seasoning to taste. Place the cubes on the baking sheet.
3. Toast 5 to 10 minutes, until the croutons are lightly browned. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

(just a side note-- don't let these sit out before serving or they lose their crunch! They're great right out of the freezer.)


Gluten free marinara pasta with mozzarella cheese on top. And to sneak in an extra veggie, I added 1/2 cup of sweet potato puree that I had in the freezer to the sauce. Nobody noticed. Nobody complained. Mom was quite proud.


A delicious steak, pinto beans, and salad. Anyone looking for a yummy pinto bean recipe? Here's one my friend (who's an amazing cook) shared with me:

PINTO BEANS

2 Tbsp. oil

1 cup onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic

2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

dash of paprika

1/4 c. cilantro, chopped

6 c. chicken broth (often time I add 1 qt. plus 2 cups of water since broth is sold in a quart container)

1 lb. pinto beans (I prefer Goya)

Soak beans overnight or boil for 2 minutes and let sit for 1 hour. Drain and rinse. Sauté onion in oil for 5 min. over medium heat. Add garlic, remaining spices, and cilantro. Sauté 1 min. Add pintos and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer. Cook for about 1 1/2 hours partially covered until beans are almost tender. Add more broth or water if liquid falls below beans. Remove 1 cup of beans and coarsely mash. Return to the pot and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until thickened. Leftover beans will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator. Also freezes great.

There you have it! So which one will YOUR hands of love try??