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Sunday, August 15, 2010

Squash Casserole - GF/Low GI

This recipe is one of our all time favorites and it is so easy.  I have used this recipe so many different ways.   In the past I have sliced potatoes  & ground beef into this recipe but no longer do it because of the high GI of potatoes.

Recipe Ingredients:

3-4  squash sliced thin
1 vidalia onion - sliced thin
1/2 stick of GF butter
 salt and pepper to taste

Optional:
bell pepper thinly chopped (about 2 TBLS)
carrots shredded - (1 TBLS)
almost any vegetable for color

Directions:

Layer squash then onions then a few pats of butter in a casserole dish.  Continue doing this until vegetables are used.  Cover with a lid or foil and  cook  on 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  (If you want to do this in a microwave follow the same procedure but cook for 15 minutes or until squash are tender -  I try to stay away from microwave cooking)

Discussion of Ingredients:

Squash:  Most often I use frozen squash from my organic garden.  I love being able to go to the freezer and pull out a quart package of squash and cook this recipe.  Tastes just like I picked it from the garden and cooked it.

Vidalia Onion:   I love cooking with these onions.  They are so good and especially in this recipe.  You can only get these onions  for certain months during the summer.  They say we can get it through December but I have never been able to find it that late in the season.   I look forward to getting fresh Vidalia's   every year.  This year I froze about 8 quarts of vidalia's to use this winter.   I prefer fresh but this works too.  If you choose to freeze onions you will want to double bag them as their aroma will permeate your freezer.

Butter:  If you have Celiac or you are  gluten intolerant you will want to buy GF butter.

Salt/Pepper:  I am trying to cut back on the salt so I increase the Pepper to compensate.

That's it.  So simple and easy.  Hope you enjoy.

Sharpshooter77

Gluten Free/Low Glycemic Fried Chicken

This recipe is very easy  although it sounds a little complicated.  It really isn't and believe me the chicken will be as delicious as any fried chicken around.  Also, it will be gluten free and low G.I.    I have listed our whole menu here.  Some of the items would fall into the high GI category which I usually refrain from eating.  They can easily be substituted for vegetables. 

Menu:

Fried Chicken


Boiled Potatoes (These are not low GI but I make them as my family loves them)  I usually eat baked sweet  potato, if anything.


Boiled Corn (Again not low GI but if you can find the maize variety it has a lower GI) I do not usually eat this.


Butter peas (Low GI/Gluten Free) 


Fried Chicken - Gluten Free/Low GI

Ingredients:

1 package boned chicken breasts or strips - enough to feed your family.
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic power
1 egg
1/2 cup coconut powder (or coconut flour)

Optional:

1/2 cup finely ground pecans/almonds
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon rosemary

Use a coffee grinder  to grind any of the spices, pecans/almonds or coconut powder  that aren't already ground. 


Mix the spices and the ground pecans/almonds  (if you choose to use)  in a shallow bowl.

Whisk the egg in another shallow bowl and set aside.  


In yet a 3rd shallow bowl place  the coconut powder/flour.

Pound the chicken breasts with a mallet or saucer until they are an even thickness, about 1/4 inch.  I usually put plastic wrap over the chicken before I use the mallet to keep it from spattering.  I also use a cutting board to pound them on for easy clean-up.   If I use chicken breasts I usually go ahead and cut them into strips. Today I used the strips.


Warm the oil over medium high heat in a non-stick pan while you batter the chicken.  I use a deep boiler type that I have had for years.  It is great for cooking anything in.  Doesn't look the greatest but I use it every week.

First coat the chicken in the egg.  Next  dredge the chicken breast with the coconut flour. Lastly dredge the chicken in the pecan/almond and spice mixture until well coated.  When the oil is warm  drop in the chicken.   One word of caution.  If you opt to use the pecan in your mixture you should be careful to avoid burning the pecan coating by  keeping the temperature low.  If you do not opt to use the pecans then you may cook on medium temperature.   Make sure to cook until the chicken is thoroughly done.  It only takes a few minutes. Since I used the almonds today I cooked on Medium heat.

Discussion of Ingredients:


Salt - I am trying to cut down on the salt my family uses but I am encountering lots of resistance.  I am trying to ween them off a little at a time.  I can tell you though that this is some of the biggest complaints that I am getting. 

Seasonings:   I used powdered seasonings today.  I also used the optional seasonings in my recipe except the thyme and rosemary.  I did grind the sage and parsley.   On Saturday I put my seasonings and almonds  together and ground everything and put them  in  a recycled peanut butter jar.  A sandwich bag works just as well.   Makes it easier for me on Sunday's.

Coconut Powder:  I bought my coconut Powder at one of the Indian Grocers in our town.  They do not carry the coconut flour but do carry coconut powder.  I paid $3.99 for 28 ounces.  The brand was a store brand - India Grocers imported and distributed by them.  It is a product of India.  You can also purchase this online.  I suggest you use the coconut flour if available as it is more finely ground than the powder.  If you want to substitute this just use rice flour or one of the gluten free flour mixes or blanched almond flour which has a lower GI than the others .  It also adds a good deal of fiber to your recipe which is always helpful.    I will be doing a  blog on this flour and others in the future so look for it.

Pecans/Almonds:  I used Almonds with the skins on them.  I just put  them into the coffee grinder.  I prefer the pecans for this recipe but I had Almonds on hand.  It actually turns into almond meal.  If you use the pecans do not over process because you could end up with pecan butter. 

Note:  If this is one of your family's favorite recipe's you can easily triple the spices and store them for later use so that you don't have to go through mixing the spice ingredients each
time.  Do not mix in the pecans or almonds until you are ready to use unless you store the package in the freezer.  I  do not mix them in until I get ready to use.
 
Family Comments:

Since I used the almond meal the texture was a little more grainy than when using flour.  Overall, everyone liked it very much. Really, what is not to like?   My son likes the old fashioned southern fried chicken better.    My grandson loved the chicken.  It was his favorite.  I have not done so yet but I am working on a baked variety of this to cut down on the fat content.  I did remove the chicken from the oil and place on paper towels to absorb the excess.  It was not greasy at all.  Hope you enjoy this.

Be Blessed and have a great and joyful day. 




Sharpshooter77