Cheesy Enchilada Bake

This chicken enchilada bake is easy to make, layer-layer-layer, is low-fat, gluten free & super-cheesy delicious!

Ingredients:
1 red pepper, 1 green pepper, diced
1 red onion, diced
1 tomato, diced 
1 package shredded taco cheese
1 can black or red beans
Bunch of cilantro
1 can of chipotle adobo sauce [or homemade Saucey]
2 chicken breasts, boiled & shredded 
10-12 corn tortillas

Tortilla party

First layer!

Directions
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Place corn tortillas on rack for 5-6 minutes [flipping sides in between] to crisp them up
3. Cut tortillas in half, ladle sauce at bottom of casserole dish, layer tortillas on top
4. Next layer: beans, peppers, cilantro, onion, chicken
5. Top with a generous amount of shredded cheese
6. Continue layers-2-3 more times
7. Last layer-top with more cheese & remainder of sauce
8. Bake in oven 25-30 minutes covered in aluminum foil
9. Remove foil & bake for an additional 10 minutes.

My sous-chef gives this recipe two-thumbs up

¡buen provecho!

GF Coconut Crusted Cottage Cheese Cake

God knows we all love us some cheesecake. I have been thinking about attempting a gluten free crust and had a large container of cottage cheese begging to be used, so I got to work. 

Ingredients for crust 
1 cup dates
1/4 cup oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut
Small pat of butter

Pie crust out of the Vitamix

Directions
Preheat Oven 350 degrees
Blend dates in a high-powered blender (I used my Vitamix) until they form a dough-ball shape
Remove dates from blender
Blend oats, coconut & butter
Slowly add dates small pieces at a time until pie crust dough forms 
Roll out dough on counter with a small amount of gluten free flour
Pat out dough into a pie-pan 

Ingredients for cheesecake filling
2 cups 1% cottage cheese
1/4 cup sugar (I used coconut sugar-hence the brown color)
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3 tbsp all-purpose flour 
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
Optional: 1 tsp coffee grinds 

Directions
Blend cottage cheese, eggs, flour, lemon juice, vanilla, sugar & salt until smooth
Pour into prepared crust
Bake in oven and bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until filling is firm
Allow to cool completely 
Enjoy!

Ready for the oven!

Just had a small sliver... WOW that came out better than I expected

mm mmm good Pumpkin Chili

Its pumpkin season. Over the weekend, I bought a few cans of pumpkin & have been excited to get started using them. When we hear the word pumpkin we often think of sweets, lattes, and pies but pumpkin is a great ingredient to be used in savory dishes. 

7 reasons to eat pumpkin year round [source Huffington Post]
1. Pumpkin keep eyesight sharp
2. Pumpkins aid in weight loss
3. Pumpkin seeds are heart healthy & can boost your mind
4. Pumpkins may reduce cancer risk
5. Pumpkins protect your skin
6. Pumpkins can help after a hard workout
7. Pumpkins can boost your immune system

Let's get pumpkin-y, shall we?

Ingredients
1/2 butternut squash, roasted & cubed
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 green pepper
1 cup chicken stock
1 8 oz can diced tomatoes
8 oz. of lean chop meat, 90%, 20% [or chopped turkey]
1 can cannellinni beans
1 can unsweetened pumpkin 
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp hot sauce 
Pepper to taste

Directions
1. Sweat pot with olive oil, garlic & onion
2. Add chop meat until browned
3. Add peppers
4. Add butternut squash & spices
5. Add canned tomato & chicken stock & simmer for approx. 45 minutes 
[Option to cook in slow cooker on Auto-4-5 hours]

Aunt Suzy's Favorite Apple Crisp

When you don’t have time to roll out the dough for an apple pie, an easy apple crisp is the next best thing. Another childhood Fall Favorite.

Ingredients:
4-5 firm apples, cored and sliced, peeling optional (I love Honey crisp or Empire)
3/4 cup GF all-purpose flour (I love Bob's Red Mill Brands)
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1 stick butter, unsalted, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup oats (rolled or unrolled-instant or not-it doesn't matter)

Add ons:
Raisins & walnuts option

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 375
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt
Add the butter pieces and use your fingers to rub the mixture together until the butter is incorporated and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs
Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the apple filling
Cut the apple halves lengthwise into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices—there should be about 6 cups total
Transfer the apple slices to an un-greased 8-inch-square baking dish and spread them out evenly
Drizzle up to 1/4 cup of water over the apples—using less if if the apples are particularly juicy
Scatter crisp topping evenly on top but do not press down
Bake until crisp topping is brown and apples are bubbly and soft

Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream :)
enjoy!

Easy-Peasy Zucchini Bake

It's been a while since I posted! Work has been crazy busy. Today I am sharing with you a recipe that mom used to make all the time growing up. She would use Bisquick as her flour base. I decided to adapt the recipe using GF Flour instead :)

Ingredients:
1 cup gluten free all-purpose flour
3 cup of green or yellow zucchini, unpeeled 
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup parm. reggiano
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella 
4 eggs or 1/2 cup liquid egg whites
Handful dried parsley & oregano
1/2 cup vegetable oil 
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:
Combined all ingredients into a greased 8" square baking pan or a pie dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

 Enjoy as a side dish with any meal, (my little secret, I like to eat it for breakfast :) )

Grandma's Meatballs & Cabbage

     Many years ago my grandma became frustrated with stuffing the meat into the cabbage, only to find it fell apart and made a big mess. She decided to make a deconstructed version and it came out great. She has been making it ever since.
     This year, I am having some family over for the Jewish Holidays, so I decided to take Grandma's recipe for a spin.

The best Grandma !

Ingredients
1 lb. turkey or chopped meat, 80/20
1/2 cup GF Breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1 head cabbage, chopped
2-3 large white onions-sliced
1 can of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
Garlic, fresh chopped or 2 tbsp Garlic Powder
Parsley
1/8 cup milk
S&P to taste

Directions
1. Make the meatballs using chopped meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, milk, garlic, S&P & parsley
2. Line a large pot or your slow cooker with onion
3. Continue to layer with cabbage, meatballs and so on
4. Top onion, cabbage and meatball layers with crushed tomatoes
5. Add 1/2 the sugar & lemon juice, set rest aside for later-will season to taste
6. S&P to taste
7. Cook on medium heat on stove for about 1-2 hours or in slow cooker 6-8 hours
8. Taste it while it cooks, it should be mildly sweet, if needed add remaining sugar & lemon juice

Check me out on InstaGram-CourtyCooksGlutenFree for more recipes !

PB&J Bars

These are not necessarily 'healthy' but they are gluten free friendly & sometimes a girl has to indulge right?

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups GF Flour 
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tbsp of baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup raspberry jelly
1/2 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts 

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 8x8 baking pan or pyrex with aluminum foil and coat foil with non-stick spray, like Pam
2. Whisk flour, baking powder & salt together in a bowl
3. In a separate bowl, mix peanut butter, sugar & softened butter with an electric mixer on low speed
4. Add egg & vanilla, continue mixing until blended
5. Slowly incorporate flour mixture beating on low to blend ingredients together

6. Press 1/2 the dough into the bottom of the pan 
7. Put remaining half into the freezer for 10 minutes
8. Spread the raspberry jelly evenly over the dough 

9. Remove dough from freezer and break into small pieces and scatter evenly over jelly
10. Sprinkle chopped nuts over the dough
11. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes
12. Remove from pan and let it cool before cutting into squares

Enjoy!