Beef and Broccoli

This Beef and Broccoli recipe smells like authentic Chinese food and tastes really, really close to the real thing! It's definitely As Good As Gluten.

It takes about 15-20 minutes to prepare and is served best over brown rice. This dish is really fantastic! I think I'm going to start a cooking phase of "Make Your Own Chinese Takeout." I was never a big fan of Chinese food before I went gluten-free. Now that I've made delicious Chinese-inspired dishes at home, I'm hooked. My recipes taste so much better (and are much healthier) than the Chinese takeout I occasionally used to have in my pre-gluten free days.

In addition to this Beef and Broccoli recipe, my favorite "Make Your Own Chinese Takeout" recipes are Cashew Chicken, Orange Chicken Stir Fry, Sweet & Sour Chicken (Crockpot), and Spicy Chicken.

I need inspiration for more Chinese-inspired dishes to make, so what are your favorite Chinese dishes?

Beef & Broccoli
Ingredients:
·1 large bunch broccoli
·1½ lbs sirloin beef steak, trimmed, and thinly cut into ¼-inch thick strips
·1 tsp minced garlic
·¼ tsp ground ginger
·¼ tsp red pepper
·1 tsp EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
·¾ cup chicken broth
·3 TBS GF soy-sauce substitute
·Dash of hot chili sauce
·1 TBS cornstarch

Directions:
Cut broccoli into 1-inch pieces. In a large skillet, heat ½ inch water to boiling. Add broccoli and cook for a few minutes, uncovered, until tender-crisp. Drain broccoli, set aside, and wipe skillet dry.

In a medium bowl, toss beef with garlic, ginger, and red pepper. Heat EVOO in a skillet, then add the beef. Cook 2 minutes, turning frequently, until beef just loses its pink color.

In a small bowl, mix chicken broth, soy sauce substitute, hot chili sauce, and cornstarch until well blended. Stir mixture into beef. Cook for 1 minute, or until sauce thickens slightly. Add broccoli and toss to coat.



Adapted from Good Housekeeping (May 2001)

I've also shared this recipe on: Slightly Indulgent Tuesday

Meatloaf Cupcakes

Savory. Mouth watering. Comfort food. These "manly" Meatloaf Cupcakes are simply fantastic!

I first heard about The MeatLoaf Bakery in Chicago this past spring. Even though I've never been to the bakery, it sparked my creativity to make my own "manly cupcakes." My husband helped me make Meatloaf Cupcakes a few nights ago, and the outcome was, in his words, "AWESOME!" I used my mom's famous meatloaf recipe (which is the only meatloaf recipe Mike and I like) and cooked the meatloaf in muffin tins, as opposed to a loaf pan. I "frosted" the meatloaf cupcakes with cheddar mashed potatoes.

Meatloaf Cupcakes
Meatloaf Ingredients:
·2 slices of gluten-free bread crumbs
·¾ cup milk
·1 TBS lemon juice
·2 lb. ground beef
·1 tsp minced garlic
·1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
·2 TBS Dijon mustard
·¼ cup ketchup, plus more to drizzle on top
Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
·6 large baking potatoes
·¼ skim milk
·3 TBS sour cream
·3 TBS butter
·¼ shredded cheddar cheese
·Salt, pepper, and onion powder to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350˚. In a large bowl, combine all meatloaf ingredients. Divide the meat into 12 equal sized balls, and place each in a greased muffin tin. Drizzle the tops with extra ketchup, then cook for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and chop potatoes. Boil until tender. Drain potatoes and press through a ricer (or use a potato masher). Stir in remaining ingredients and adjust seasonings to taste.

Remove meatloaf cupcakes from the pan and top with mashed potatoes.

Yield: 12 meatloaf cupcakes


I've also shared this recipe on: This Week's Craving

Indian Chicken Stew (Crockpot)

Wow - this slightly spicy stew is aromatic, robust, and flavorful! I love the contrasting textures between the chicken, vegetables, and beans - delicious!

I've been freezing half of every batch of stew I make lately in muffin tins. Then, I pop out the little pucks of soup and transfer them to a freezer bag. This is going to be great for quick meals in the fall and winter, since all I have to do is pop a few pucks of soup into a bowl and reheat. I can't take credit for this idea though, I found it on my latest addiction - Pinterest.

Indian Chicken Stew (Crockpot)
Ingredients:
·4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
·1 medium onion, chopped
·1½ tsp minced garlic
·5 tsp curry powder
·2 tsp ground ginger
·½ tsp salt
·¼ tsp pepper
·2 cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
·2 - 14.5oz. cans diced tomatoes
·1 cup chicken broth
·1 bay leaf
·1 TBS lime juice
·1 - 9oz. package fresh spinach
·Cooked brown rice

Directions:
Add ingredients from chicken to lime juice to a 6-quart crockpot. Stir. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 8-10 hours.

Stir in spinach leaves and let sit for 2-3 minutes to wilt. Serve over hot cooked brown rice.




Recipe slightly adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, September 2010.

Spicy Chicken (P.F. Chang's Knock-Off)

This dish is spicy and packs the heat, but it also packs delicious flavors! The tantalizing aroma will attract everyone to the kitchen while you're cooking.

I tried P.F. Chang's and their gluten-free menu for the first time a few months ago. My mom ordered the gluten-free spicy chicken, and it was delicious. Sadly, we were both glutened (which is a story for another day). Since then, I've been wanting to recreate the dish at home, and I finally did last month when my family was visiting.

I found a few copycat recipes online, but I made one "mistake" when buying the ingredients. I knowingly bought hot chili sauce instead of chili sauce. I didn't realize my "mistake" until I was almost finished cooking; however, my "mistake" turned out to be a success. My knock-off recipe of P.F. Chang's Spicy Chicken was delicious!

Yes, it packed the heat and my husband said he could potentially "breathe fire." Everyone still enjoyed it and suggested leaving the recipe as is and not to dial back the heat. I love spicy foods, but not if they're too spicy. I thought this dish had just the right amount of heat. However, if you want to dial down the heat, use less hot chili sauce or substitute some or all of the hot chili sauce with regular chili sauce.

It is served best with brown rice. Unlike how it is served at P.F. Chang's, we also enjoyed it with pineapple chunks and sautéed chopped bell peppers - which was delicious!

Spicy Chicken (P.F. Chang's Knock-Off)
Sauce Ingredients:
·2 tsp oil (canola, vegetable, or olive)
·1½ TBS minced garlic
·3 green onions, chopped
·1 cup pineapple juice
·2 TBS hot chili sauce
·2 TBS distilled white vinegar
·4 tsp white sugar
·1 tsp GF soy sauce substitute
·2 TBS water
·½ tsp cornstarch
Chicken Ingredients:
·¼ - ½ cup oil (canola, vegetable, or olive)
·2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
·⅓ cup cornstarch

Directions:
In a large saucepan, wok, or Dutch oven, heat 2 tsp oil over medium heat. Sauté the garlic and onion for a few seconds, then quickly add pineapple juice, chili sauce, vinegar, sugar, and soy sauce substitute.

Dissolve ½ tsp cornstarch in 2 tablespoons water and add it to the other sauce ingredients in the pan. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer on medium/high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until somewhat thick.

Transfer the sauce to a bowl, then heat remaining oil in the pan over medium heat. In a medium bowl, toss chicken pieces with cornstarch until well-covered.

Sauté chicken in the oil, stirring occasionally, until light brown. Remove chicken to a plate and drain excess oil with paper towels. Place chicken in a bowl, add sauce, and toss to coat the chicken.

Serve with cooked brown rice.

Recipe adapted from: Epicurious

I've also shared this recipe on: This Week's Craving

My Pantry: Udi's Classic Gluten-Free Hamburger Buns

I don't mind eating bun-less burgers, but I occasionally miss a juicy burger on a fluffy hamburger bun. My local grocery store now has a gluten-free section filled with the staples I need. Not only am I ecstatic to be able to buy gluten-free groceries without driving 30 minutes, but they carry Udi's Gluten-Free Hamburger Buns! I immediately bought a pack once I saw them in the frozen aisle. I've been wanting to try Udi's GF Hamburger Buns since I heard they were available earlier this year, but have been unable to find them...until now. Like other gluten-free products, they are more expensive than non-gluten-free products. The shelf price for a 4-pack of these buns is $4.39 at my local grocery store.

My parents and one of my sisters visited my husband and I a few weekends ago. Everyone is gluten-free, except my husband, so it was ironic that he was now the one eating a bun-less meal as we enjoyed gluten-free buns. My sister and I had the biggest smiles on our face as we took the first bite into a burger with a (GF) bun! We were elated!

We all thought the buns (toasted in butter, of course) were great, but no one could finish the entire bun. The flavor was great and the texture wasn't too bad, but it was dense and just too much bun. (Too much? I had a hard time accepting this myself, but it's true). In the future, I'll only eat half a bun, but I'm won't complain because I can now enjoy a burger with a GF bun!



Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. It's a product I bought and wanted to share with you!

Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger: The Baking Beauties

Wonderful Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread

I'm very excited to be hosting this month's Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger Event. One of the "privileges" of hosting is having first dibs on who I'd like to adopt. I had the perfect blogger in mind...Jeanine of The Baking Beauties. I really enjoy reading Jeanine's blog. Her posts are well written, her pictures are always of high quality, and her recipes are mouthwatering!

The one recipe I had to try this month was Jeanine's Wonderful Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread. I tried making her bread recipe in the spring, but it flopped because I took it out of the oven too soon. The flavor was great so I new the recipe had potential, but I had been postponing trying the recipe again. Instead, I kept buying Udi's.

This time, I learned from my mistake earlier this year and followed the recipe very closely. The only change I made is that I used more potato starch to substitute for the tapioca starch. This time, I proofed my yeast for 5 minutes. This time, I dusted off my paddle hook for my pink KitchenAid stand mixer. This time, I let the bread dough rise in a 170˚ degree oven. Look, it really did rise!! (Please excuse the poor iPhone quality and kitchen lighting picture!)

 
After baking in the oven for 40 minutes in a butter greased, parchment paper lined pan, the bread was done! Take a look again at the delicious final product.

It lives up to my standards and is As Good As Gluten. It's even as good as Udi's. Actually, it's better than Udi's - the flavor and the texture! I'm so happy to no longer have to shell out $6 for half a loaf of frozen gluten-free bread at the store.

My husband always has the best comments about the gluten-free foods I bake. After I gave him a sample, he said, "That is damn good bread. Heck, even I would eat that bread. There is no aftertaste." Since I knew how good this bread was, I only gave him a small sample. He quickly asked for another bite, in which I responded, "No, you cannot have another bite. That is MY bread. You have your gluten bread from the store that you just had to have. This is all mine!"

I've enjoyed this bread in all ways possible - straight out of the oven with butter, smothered with homemade strawberry jam the next day, and (as the name suggests) as sandwich bread. Every way was delicious.

This bread definitely earns the word wonderful in its name. It's made out of healthy gluten-free ingredients. I know what's in it, and it is not all starch and sugar. The texture is perfect; it's like REAL bread! Oh, and the flavor. The flavor is phenomenal!

I'm beyond ecstatic with this recipe find. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jeanine!

Recipe: Wonderful Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread

In previous Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger events I've made:
·Kelly at 18 Hour Kitchen - Black Bean Cupcakes
·Shirley at Gluten Free Easily - Flourless Pizza Crust AND Garlic Cheese Biscuits
·Carol at Simply...Gluten Free - Cherry Cola Ribs
·Lynn at Lynn's Kitchen Adventures - Homemade Vanilla Pudding, Mexican Chicken Lasagna, and Green Chili and Cheese Cornbread

·Elana at Elana's Pantry - Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

·Brittany at Real Sustenance - Chana Masala, Lemon Zested Carrot "Fries," and Thai Peanut Noodles

·Heidi at Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom - Power Truffles and Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Jalapeño Cheddar Corndog Muffins

Jalapeño Cheddar Corndog Muffins are the perfect side to serve with chili since the cornbread texture is ideal for soaking up extra liquid in fall soups/stews! I love combining the flavors of jalepeños, cheddar cheese, and hot dogs into one delicious cornbread muffin.

Jalapeño Cheddar Corndog Muffins
Ingredients:
·2 cups yellow cornmeal
·½ cup water
·1½ cups milk
·1 TBS lemon juice
·2 TBS melted butter
·1 egg
·1 TBS sugar
·1 tsp salt
·2 tsp baking powder
·1 tsp baking soda
·10-12 pickled jalapeño slices, chopped
·1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
·4 beef hot dogs, cut into thirds

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375˚. Grease 12 muffin tins with butter. In a large bowl, combine ingredients from cornmeal to baking soda. Stir well until no clumps remain. Fold in jalapeño pieces and cheddar cheese. Pour about ¼ cup of batter into each muffin tin. Place a third of a hot dog into the middle of each muffin tin, then bake for 20 minutes.

Yield: 12 muffins

Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger Sign-Up for October 2011

I'm very excited to host the Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger event this month on behalf of the event's founder, Sea at A Book of Yum. I first became aware of the event when I was by Kelly at 18 Hour Kitchen in February 2011. I February, I decided to return the favor and adopt Kelly to learn what Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger was all about. I've participated almost monthly since I learned about the event, and have thoroughly enjoyed it. The event is a great way to meet new gluten-free bloggers and try new recipes. For me, it's a opportunity that will hold me accountable to finally trying some of the recipes that I have pinned in my "recipes to try" file.

Below is a summary of all of the delicious recipes I've made by participating in the Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger event.

·Kelly at 18 Hour Kitchen - Black Bean Cupcakes
·Shirley at Gluten Free Easily - Flourless Pizza Crust AND Garlic Cheese Biscuits
·Carol at Simply...Gluten Free - Cherry Cola Ribs
·Lynn at Lynn's Kitchen Adventures - Homemade Vanilla Pudding, Mexican Chicken Lasagna, and Green Chili and Cheese Cornbread

·Elana at Elana's Pantry - Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

·Brittany at Real Sustenance - Chana Masala, Lemon Zested Carrot "Fries," and Thai Peanut Noodles

·Heidi at Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom - Power Truffles and Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

To sign-up for this month's Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger event, follow the guidelines below.

1) Pick a gluten-free blogger whose recipes you admire and adopt them by commenting on this post with your name and blog name, and the name and blog name of the blogger you are adopting.

Please note: Blogger's recipes must be all gluten-free or have a way to sort and read ONLY gluten-free recipes. Please pick a different blogger every time you participate. Please pick a blogger that has not been adopted yet this month!

2) Pick one (or two!) of your gluten-free blogger's recipes to try.

3) Make the recipe, photograph it, and write a post in your blog introducing the blogger and his/her recipe.

Please note: Follow the recipe as written, as closely as possible. And, please don't print the blogger's recipe on your post - just provide your reader a link to the original blogger's recipe. Provide a link to this event announcement page in your adoption post.

4) Email me at asgoodasgluten[at]gmail[dot]com with your photo of the recipe, the URL of your post, name of the recipe, and the URL of the original blogger's recipe post. Please size your photo to be a maximum of 500 pixels wide.

5) After your post is published, post your post's URL in a comment to this post. If possible, please try to visit two other blogger's posts that are posted here (and comment!). The goal is to make this event more interactive and fun!

Deadlines:

Sign-up BEFORE October 28 (loose deadline; late sign-ups are ok)

Post your review and email me before November 4 (firm deadline)

If you don't have a blog, you are still welcome to adopt a gluten-free blogger. Sign-up to adopt a blogger, write a review of one of his/her recipes, including your name (or pen name), the recipe URL, and recipe title. Then, take a photo of the completed recipe (if you can) and EMAIL ME the review and photo. I will create a special page just for our non-blogging participants and post it for you.

Now for the fun part, the adoption sign-ups!

Adoption Sign-Up Sheet:

1. Jeanine of The Baking Beauties (adopted by ME - Lauren of As Good As Gluten)

2. Diane of Gluten Free Foodie Heaven (adopted by Kalinda of Wheat Free Meat Free)
3. Kalinda of Wheat Free Meat Free (adopted by Sea of A Book of Yum)
4. Elana of Elana's Pantry (adopted by Gretchen of The Gluten Free Edge)
5. Ricki of Diet, Dessert and Dogs (adopted by Lexie of Lexie's Kitchen)
6. Debi of Hunter's Lyonesse (adopted by Valerie of City Life Eats)
7. Shirley of Gluten Free Easily (adopted by Heather of Gluten-Free Cat)
8. Hallie of Daily Bites (adopted by Shirley of Gluten Free Easily)
9. You pick!

I'm looking forward to seeing all of the adoptions this month!

- Lauren

No Bake Chocolate-Chili Cake Truffle for 1 Year Blog Anniversary

Rich, smooth, velvety, and decadent! This 5 ingredient No Bake Chocolate-Chili Cake is naturally gluten-free, and it seriously only takes 10 minutes to prepare.

You can make it in any sized pan, but a smaller and narrower pan will result in a bigger and thicker slice. If the cake doesn't set up properly in the fridge, try freezing it. I used half 'n half and the cake set up better in the freezer. If you use cream, I would guess it would set up better in the fridge due to the fat content of the cream.
This cake was the perfect dessert to celebrate my 1 Year Blog Anniversary. I started As Good As Gluten one year ago today! My blog has evolved a great deal over the past year. My soul purpose to start As Good As Gluten was to share my recipes with my family members who are also gluten-free. I had no idea how much my little blog would grow. It's still small compared to more popular blogs, but it's huge to me. A few nights ago, I went through all of my blog posts and noticed two things: one, my food photography skills have greatly improved. Second, I was reminded of tons of recipes that I love and haven't made in awhile. I'll be fixing that soon. I hope you've enjoyed the past year as much as I have!    --Lauren

No Bake Chocolate-Chili Cake Truffle
Ingredients:
·1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
·1 cup half ‘n half (or heavy cream)
·1½ tsp cinnamon
·¼ tsp cayenne pepper
·¼ tsp salt

Directions:
Lightly butter a 6-inch pan and line with parchment paper. In a double boiler, barely melt the chocolate over low heat. In a medium pan, heat the half ‘n half over medium-low heat. Stir in cinnamon and cayenne pepper. When the cream is very warm, remove from heat and stir in the salt.

Pour the chocolate into the infused cream, and steadily stir until well combined. Pour into the prepared pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled throughout, a few hours, or overnight.

When ready to serve, let sit at room temperature before slicing.


I've also shared this recipe on: Slightly Indulgent Tuesday


Recipe adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Southwestern Sausage Casserole (Crockpot)

 

The southwestern-inspired flavors in this dish are phenomenal! After having two heaping portions, I had to pull myself away from the crockpot so I could ensure I would be able to enjoy the leftovers the next day.

It's not the easiest dish to photograph, but I promise you won't be disappointed in the flavor. The contrasting textures of the sausage, beans and peas, and cornmeal casserole are wonderful!

Southwestern Sausage Casserole (Crockpot)
Ingredients:
·1 lb. ground pork sausage, browned
·1½ cups milk
·½ cup water
·1 egg
·¾ cup cornmeal
·1 small red onion, diced
·1 cayenne or hot pepper, diced
·1 – 10oz. bag frozen peas
·1 – 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
·1 – 10.5oz. can diced tomatoes and chilies, drained and rinsed
·½ batch of homemade taco seasoning (recipe below)
·Toppings: Mexican style shredded cheese, sour cream, and green onions

Directions:
Place browned sausage in the bottom of the crockpot. In a small bowl, combine milk, water, egg, and cornmeal. Dump liquid mixture over the sausage and add remaining ingredients from onion to taco seasoning. Stir together and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Homemade Taco Seasoning
*Note: I only used half of the seasoning batch below for my Southwestern Sausage Casserole crockpot recipe. I often make a double or triple batch and store it in the spice drawer to be easily used for tacos or other Mexican-inspired recipes.
Ingredients:
·1 TBS dried onion
·2 TBS paprika
·1 tsp ground cumin
·1 tsp dried oregano
·½ tsp cocoa powder
·½ tsp sugar
·½ tsp chili powder
·¼ red pepper
·½ tsp sea salt
·1 tsp cornstarch
·1 tsp garlic powder
·1 tsp onion powder
·½ black pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Use as needed in desired recipes.


I've also shared this recipe on: Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, This Week's Cravings

Grilled Italian Eggplant

I've been enjoying eggplant a lot while it's in season. This Italian twist on grilled eggplant is very tasty. Even my picky husband said "it's surprisingly delicious!"

Grilled Italian Eggplant
Ingredients:
·2 medium eggplants
·Bowl of water, salted
·1 - 10oz. container of frozen spinach, cooked according to package directions
·1 - 16oz. container of ricotta cheese or cottage cheese
·½ cup marinara sauce
·½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
·Salt and pepper
·EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
·Dried basil to sprinkle on top

Directions:
Wash eggplant and slice into 1-inch thick slices. Place eggplant slices in a bowl of salted water, and soak for 20 minutes. Remove eggplant from the water and soak up extra water from each slice with a towel.

Drizzle eggplant spices with EVOO and sprinkle with salt. Grill eggplant slices for 5 minutes on each side.

Preheat oven to 350˚. Line a baking sheet with foil and place each grilled eggplant slice on the baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine spinach, ricotta cheese, salt and pepper. Top each eggplant slice with this mixture. Then divide marinara sauce over the tops of each eggplant slice. Top with shredded cheese and dried basil. Bake for 15 minutes.