Gluten-Free Multi-Grain Flour Blend

     Although this gluten-free flour blend works in most recipes that call for whole wheat flour or whole white wheat flour, it is not an exact substitute.  All the recipes on my blog that list multi-grain flour blend as an ingredient have been tested.  Trial and error along with experimentation may be needed in recipes outside of this blog.  This flour blend is referred to as multi-grain instead of whole grain because it is a blend of 73% whole grains and 27% starches.  I have played around with alternate flours including brown rice, millet, sweet white rice, and buckwheat, but oat, sorghum, and arrowroot are my favorite.  If you don’t own a scale, don’t fret.  I simply dump a bag of each of these into my mixer and whisk together to blend.  Of course I cannot take credit for this ingenious flour blend myself.  I had a little help from another blog post by Gluten Free Girl and the Chef.

     Be sure to check out recipes on the blog that include this flour.  If you are not gluten-free, try substituting whole wheat or whole white wheat flour.  I would love to hear if a recipe worked using the gluten alternative, since many of them were adapted from recipes that originally included a gluten flour.  

Chicken Pot Pie

Whole Grain Popovers

Banana Muffins

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Pumpkin Muffins

Sweet Potato Muffins

Homemade Pop-Tarts

Waffles

Ingredients

• 22 ounces (624 grams) whole grain oat flour
• 22 ounces (624 grams) sweet white sorghum flour
• 16 ounces (454 grams) arrowroot starch

Directions

1. Whisk together the oat flour, sorghum flour, and arrowroot starch.  Store in a large (5 pound capacity) container in the refrigerator.  Use in place of whole wheat flour or whole white wheat flour.  

Menu Plan, April 27 - May 3

     The Easter Bunny was very good to me last weekend and he sure knows what I like. Some food gifts included a bottle of olive oil and 4 new herb plants.  We also took home one of my dad’s tasty smoked hams.  He did one for both me and my brother and I know we are all thankful for the free food!  The menu plan was altered for the upcoming weeks to include this ham.  During Easter lunch we feasted on another ham my dad had made specifically for Easter.  Since spiral hams tend to dry out, my dad normally buys regular hams that you must slice yourself.  This became quite the ordeal on Sunday.  My dad cut himself pretty badly on two fingers, when the knife slipped during his first cut.  I, of course, took over with an electric knife and ended up cutting into my index finger.  Ouch.  My cut isn’t too terrible, but it is in a very inconvenient location and is still quite sore.  My brother saved the day by slicing the rest of the ham without hurting himself – thank goodness J

     Tomorrow, J.T. and I will celebrate our second wedding anniversary.  While we are going on a little getaway, we will be enjoying dinner in our own kitchen on our actual anniversary.  I consulted Ina Garten for this meal, because her recipes are always so foolproof.  We can’t normally afford to eat seafood or more expensive vegetables, but we are making an exception.  Our anniversary meal is not included in my normal grocery budget and we are very grateful to the Easter Bunny for funding this rare treat!

     Below is a picture of the homemade vegetable chicken stock I threw in the crock pot one morning.  The broth turned a dark brown color because it was made from roasted chicken bones.  I always keep bones (from raw meat or roasted meat) in the freezer until I have enough accumulated to make stock.  I want to clarify that I do not save bones that people have eaten off.  Any roasted bones that are saved have had the meat shredded off by hand and not someone's mouth!  I also save carrot tops and celery leaves.  Once I have enough vegetables and bones, I place them in the crock pot, along with garlic, peppercorns, and a bay leaf, on low for 12 hours.  The stock turns out rich every time and it is quite inexpensive to make.    

Sunday

• Atlanta

Monday (Anniversary Dinner)

• Salmon with Melting Cherry Tomatoes (new recipe)
• Green Beans Gremolata (new recipe)

Tuesday

• Mini Ham Sandwiches
• Sautéed Peas, Carrots & Onions

Wednesday

• Hummus Sandwiches
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Thursday

• Falafel Burgers
• Vegetable Millet Pilaf

Friday

• Peanut Butter Waffle Sandwiches
• Eggs

Saturday

• Leftovers

Marinara Sauce

      In an effort to save money, I began substituting my homemade marinara sauce in any recipe that called for tomato sauce.  This sauce has become essential to Homemade Hamburger Helper, Spinach & Chickpeas, Sloppy Joes, and homemade pizza.  Anything that can be thrown into the slow cooker, without sacrificing flavor, is a brilliant recipe in my kitchen.  While I used to make fun of my mother for her love of crock-pots, I now understand the magic behind this handy kitchen gadget.  In this recipe, I exclusively use whole tomatoes.  Substituting crushed or diced tomatoes results in a watery sauce.  My favorite brand of canned tomatoes is Muir Glen and I strongly recommend using them in this recipe.  I have experimented with other organic store brands, but none produce the equivalent results of Muir Glen.  This sauce is great for the freezer.  I use wide mouth canning jars to portion out my sauce, but any freezer safe container will work.  

Ingredients

• 2 (28 oz.) cans Muir Glen whole peeled tomatoes, in juices
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• ½ cup celery, chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 teaspoons Celtic sea salt
• 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, oregano, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.  Cover and cook on high for 6 hours.  Cool the sauce slightly before using an immersion blender to puree it.  Yields 7 1/2 to 8 cups of sauce.

Make ahead:  Cool the sauce over night in the refrigerator.  Freeze up to 6 months.  I divide the sauce in 1 or 2 cups portions when freezing.   This makes it easy to pull out for pizza, meatballs, spaghetti, and casseroles.  

Menu Plan, April 20 - 27

     One of my favorite holiday meals to cook for is Easter.  Ham, casseroles, and deviled eggs are all beloved favorites in our family.  Although we are all adults, the Easter bunny still comes to visit all the children - me, J.T., Christopher, and Gill.  Of course, I am not complaining because the Easter bunny that comes to my parent's house always leaves money in the eggs and a few other goodies in our baskets.  

    Schedules will finally slow down around our house this week.  No more Easter rehearsals and I get my evenings back with my husband.  We have several things to look forward to over the next few weeks.  Our second anniversary is approaching (April 28) and we are taking in quick trip to Atlanta to see our favorite baseball team play.  The school year for J.T. is coming to a close and I know he is excited about a break.  Plus, I have a few furniture projects lined up for him to start.  However, J.T. and I are most excited about July.  Why?  After 14 months of hard-core budgetary discipline, we will finally make our last student loan payment.  Since May of 2013, we have consistently put a minimum of $3,000.00 a month on our student loan.  Traveling more, saving for a house, and increasing our grocery budget are in the near future!!!  

    I always like to include a least one picture in my menu plan post.  My brother and sister-in-law gave me a tortilla press for Christmas and I have been using it frequently in the kitchen.  Homemade corn tortillas are so easy to make and they worked as a good "bun" for my hotdogs wraps.  Recipe development still in process...

Sunday

• Dad's Smoked Ham
• Mama's Macaroni & Cheese
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Mama's Green Beans
• Deviled Eggs
• Carrot Sheet Cake

Monday

• Crockpot Sweet Potato Lentils (new recipe)
• Polenta Wedges

Tuesday

• Sausage Pizza
• Green Peas

Wednesday

• Hummus Sandwiches
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Thursday

• Sloppy Joes on Whole Grain Corn Muffins
• Leftover Lima Beans

Friday

• Peanut Butter Waffle Sandwiches
• Eggs

Saturday

• Leftovers

Strata Muffins

     Have I ever mentioned that I am obsessed with anything that can be made in a muffin tin?  Food becomes conveniently transportable and freezable when it comes out in the shape of an individualized portion.  When J.T. and I go on road trips we are often traveling with our beloved pooch, Otis.  With Otis in tow, it is not really possible to stop for a meal anywhere, so I normally pack our food.  One of my go to road meals is Peanut Butter and Jelly Waffle Sandwiches with Strata Muffins.  The sandwiches are served at room temperature and the strata muffins are kept warm in a thermos.  It’s Breakfast for Dinner served in the car J

Recipe adapted from 100 Days of Real Food

Ingredients

• extra virgin coconut oil, for greasing
• 2 whole grain corn muffins, crumbled,  or about 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
• ½ pound ground pork or beef
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• ⅛ teaspoon allspice
• 1 ½ teaspoons Celtic sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
• ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk + 2 tablespoons water
• 8 large eggs

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 12-cup muffin tin with coconut oil.  Divide the crumbled corn muffins among the muffin tin and set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and jalapenos and sauté about 5 minutes.  Then add the ground meat, fennel, allspice, sea salt, and pepper.  Sauté until the meat is just cooked through and no longer pink.  Off the heat and set aside.  
3. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together the almond milk, water, and eggs.
4. Spoon the cooked meat and vegetables on top of the bread crumbs.  Pour the whisked eggs on top of the meat and vegetables.   Bake for 15 minutes.  Cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before removing.

Make ahead:  Before freezing, cool completely overnight in the refrigerator.  Place the muffins in a plastic freezer bag in one single layer.  Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before serving.  Reheat in 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.  

Menu Plan, April 13 - 19

     This is our last week of extra Easter rehearsal’s at church, which means I don’t have to have both Wednesday and Thursday night meals cooked in advance.  What a relief.  Although, J.T.’s spring band concerts will be gearing up soon, they will only consume one night a week and they are not occurring in the same week.  J.T. and I both really hate having anything planned after work and we value our evenings spent together.  Dinner together every night gives us time to communicate, which is very important in our marriage.  The television is always turned off and we have time to catch up on each other’s day.  Sometimes I think that people are so attached to technology – smartphones, televisions, etc. – that they forget how to have a real conversation.  We don’t eat at restaurants often, but it is heartbreaking to see a couple having dinner while both people are starring at a cell phone.  It can be quite difficult to listen and read text messages at the same time.  Sometimes, I am guilty of being on my phone, while J.T. is talking and then having no clue about what he just said.  Maybe we should all slow down, put our cell phones aside, and share a meal over genuine conversation.  It is amazing what you can learn about the other person - off soap box J.  I am obsessed with granola lately.  Over the past several years, I have eaten I big bowl of creamy oatmeal for breakfast but I have been on a granola kick for several weeks.  I think granola with almond milk is a lighter breakfast, which is better for my stomach since I work out about 30 minutes after eating.  Below I experimented with a play on my original granola cereal recipe.  Two containers are oatmeal raisin granola and the other two are maple raisin granola.  I would love to try a maple date granola, but only had raisins on hand.  Both turned out really well and I am excited to experiment more.  

Sunday

• Buttermilk Roast Chicken
• Sautéed Vegetables

Monday

• Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burritos 
• Roasted Carrot Coins

Tuesday

• Breakfast Fried Rice (new recipe from Whole grain Mornings)
• Baked Lima Beans

Wednesday

• Hummus Sandwiches
• Sweet Potato Fries

Thursday

• Hot Dog Wraps (new recipe)
• Julia's Boston Baked Beans

Friday

• Peanut Butter Waffle Sandwiches
• Eggs

Saturday

• Leftovers

Sloppy Joes

     Let’s talk about the Sloppy Joe, an often overlooked inexpensive family meal.  I could probably count on one hand the number of times I have actually eaten a Sloppy Joe.  Zero of these times have included a prepackaged sauce, a.k.a. Manwich.  On the other hand, my husband has a different story to tell.  J.T. remembers eating Sloppy Joe’s regularly as a child, and only on special occasions did his family have Manwich.  According to J.T. the proper name for the Sloppy Joe is the Sloppy Jim.  J.T.’s first name is Joseph and he comes from a long line of men by the name of Joe.  J.T.’s father, Joe, started calling this sandwich the Sloppy Jim because Joe’s were not sloppy.  It only took me half a week to notice that J.T. had changed my menu plan…see?

recipe adapted from 100 Days of Real Food

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup chopped carrots
• ½ cup chopped celery
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 ⅔ cups marinara sauce, preferably homemade, or 1 (15 ounce) can
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 ½ teaspoons Celtic sea salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Brown the ground meat in a large sauté pan over medium heat.  Drain and set aside.
2. In the same sauté pan heat the olive oil.  Add the carrots, celery, and onion and sauté until translucent, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the ground beef back to the pan and stir in the marinara sauce, honey, vinegar, mustard, sea salt, chili powder, pepper, and cinnamon.  Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.  
3. Serve atop warm whole grain corn muffins or bread of choice.  

Make ahead:  Prepare the recipe as listed above and transfer to a heatproof dish.  Reheat in the microwave for 15 minutes or 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.  This dish can be frozen for 3 months.  Double the recipe above and freeze half to pull out for a future meal.  

Menu Plan, April 6 - 12

     We had a very busy weekend last week and I am hoping, praying, and crossing my fingers that this weekend is calm.  This whole week has been nonstop pandemonium and I need to call a time-out!  I miss my husband and spending time together.  As I stated in my last menu plan post, we had to go out of town unexpectedly during the last weekend of Spring Break.  My grandparent’s house sold much quicker than anticipated, and this was the best weekend (after coordinating 5 different schedules) to move.  We said good-bye to a very special house and it is a place I will never forget.  My Mama Jean and Grandaddy Ed are both in heaven now, so it was time, but the moments that were created in this old house are engrained in my memory forever.  Mama Jean and Grandaddy Ed were the best grandparents any child could every dream up, and it is an honor to be their granddaughter. 

     On Sunday, my parents hauled back an entire moving truck packed full of furniture and boxes.  We also used J.T.’s truck to get any remaining items that couldn’t fit in the big truck.  The majority of things are going to stay at my parent’s house, but I ended up getting three pieces of furniture.  Most of the furniture is very old and needs some sprucing up.  J.T. and I are looking forward to having these various spring/summer projects.  We added to our apartment a large kitchen hutch that my grandfather built, a wide chest of drawers that dates back to when my grandfather was a child, and a small table/cabinet that was built by my grandfather.  On top of receiving the furniture, I brought back two large mirrors, several wooden picture frames to be repainted, and tiny odds and ends to go in the kitchen.  Now, if I could only find the time to paint/refinish the furniture and reorganize/rearrange our apartment! 

Sunday

• Cauliflower & Chicken Sausage Casserole (new recipe)
• Green Beans

Monday

• Spinach & Chickpea Tortilla Pie (new recipe)
• Roasted Carrots

Tuesday

• Strata Muffins
• Vegetable Rice Pilaf

Wednesday

• Hummus Sandwiches
• Sweet Potato Fries

Thursday

• Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burritos 
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Friday

• Peanut Butter Waffle Sandwiches
• Eggs

Saturday

• Leftovers

Homemade Hamburger Helper

     The first time I made this dish, J.T. loved it.  He said it tasted like homemade hamburger helper, so that is what I decided to name my new recipe.  This meal was created for budgetary reasons, but has become one of my quickest weeknight meals that we both look forward to seeing on the weekly menu plan.  Since this recipe is made up of just a hand full of items, it is important to invest in good quality ingredients.  While I realize not many people have time to make their own marinara sauce, it is the most important ingredient in this recipe.  My crock pot version (coming to the blog soon!) is quite simple to make, but a good quality store bought sauce will do in a pinch.  To make this meal even speedier, cook your rice in advance, so all you have to do is brown the beef and heat the sauce.  

Ingredients

• 2 cups long grain brown rice
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 teaspoons Celtic sea salt
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or coarse ground black pepper
• 3 ½ cups (28 ounces) marinara sauce

Directions

1.     Cook the brown rice using your steamer, rice cooker, or stove top.  

2.     In a large saucepan over medium heat, brown the ground beef.  Drain the beef to remove any grease and return the beef to the pan.  Add the sea salt, pepper, and marinara sauce.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.  

3.     Stir in the cooked rice and heat through.  

Make ahead:  Prepare the recipe as instructed above, cooking the rice until just al dente.  Transfer to an ovenproof or microwave safe dish.  The dish may be reheated in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes, uncovered.  Alternatively, it can be reheated in a microwave safe dish, covered with plastic wrap, for 20 minutes.