A favorite lunch or snack

My daughter used to love peanut butter on saltines in the days when she was not gluten-free. I had found these crackers that are similar in look to saltines. I bought them, but they are really expensive at my grocery store (nearly $9/box). We use them for soup and my daughter only gets two crackers per bowl of soup. I wasn't going to use them to spread peanut butter on whenever she got a craving for peanut butter crackers. It was just too expensive of a snack (or a lunch). But, she was still asking over and over for peanut butter crackers. I came across Blue Diamond's Nut Thins (we usually get the almond kind) and I thought I'd try those as a cracker substitute to spread peanut butter on. They work beautifully! And under $3 a box, I feel much better about using them. Plus, my daughter is at an age where 5-6 crackers spread with peanut butter is pretty filling if it's paired with a fruit and her standard slices of cheese she has with every lunch meal.

You can also use plain rice crackers if you prefer not to use the nut/rice crackers that Blue Diamond makes. My grocery store carries this brand of rice crisps/crackers and I just got the "natural" (plain) kind for my daughter, but they come in a variety of flavors, if you prefer a flavored cracker. I imagine they would work well with cheese slices or a gluten-free dip, such as Bison Dips, as well.

Spaghetti With Diced Tomatoes

Ingredients:

gluten-free spaghetti (4 servings worth)
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 small can sliced olives, drained
cheddar cheese, cubed
olive oil

Directions:
1. Cook spaghetti, drain, and mix in 2-3 TBSP of olive oil to keep spaghetti from sticking together.
2. Add tomatoes, olives, and cheese to the spaghetti, toss.

Did you know?

Rice Chex are now gluten-free! Just be sure to check the front of the box. Some stores may still have some of their old boxes on the shelf. They have now switched their formula from using Barley Malt to using Molasses.

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

My daughter and I just tried this recipe and so far, they taste really yummy. I'll have to give another review once they cool. But, so far they haven't crumbled apart like other cookies we've tried baking from scratch.

Ingredients:

	1 cup shortening 1 cup sugar 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 tsp vanilla 2 cups rice flour 2/3 cup potato starch 1/3 cup tapioca starch 1-1/2 tsp xanthan 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup sour cream
	Instructions
In large mixing bowl beat together shortening and sugar; beat in eggs and vanilla. In medium mixing bowl combine dry ingredients. Add to creamed mixture with sour cream; mix well. Cover bowl and chill bowl at least 1 hour. On rice-floured surface roll out to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Do Not Overbake. Frost with Butter Cream Frosting. Color frosting with food coloring to desired colors.

This recipe was found at: Gluten-free Recipe Exchange

Gluten-free Hot Breakfast Ideas

You can most certainly have eggs and gluten-free toast and butter. We usually add in some applesauce to round out that meal (or you can use fresh melon slices or any other fruit you'd like).

Bob's Red Mill makes a good gluten-free pancake mix and you can use real maple syrup OR you can saute up some thin apple slices with butter, sugar, cinnamon and allspice (or you can substitute nutmeg/cloves for the allspice). I'll post the recipe for that apple topping below. That's a favorite at our house. You can even add a touch of Cool Whip (made by Kraft) or Reddi Whip (in the can), if you desire - both are gluten-free items.

You can beat up some eggs and use some gluten-free bread and make some french toast as well. We prefer using the "Gluten Free Pantry bread mix" for our bread, and my daughter likes it with french toast. I'm not sure how it works with some of the other pre-packaged gluten-free breads, but you can certainly give it a try. Again, top it with real maple syrup.

You can serve these hot breakfasts with melon, strawberries, a homemade fruit salad, or applesauce (or any other fresh fruits you desire).

Recipe for Apple Topping

Ingredients:
2 medium apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 TBSP butter/margarine
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice (I sub ground nutmeg)

Directions:
1. Melt butter/margarine over low heat in small skillet
2. Mix in sugar, cinnamon and allspice
3. Add apple slices, cover and simmer for 5 minutes, or until apples are very tender.
4. Serve over pancakes either in addition to or instead of syrup.

**You can double or triple this recipe depending on how many people you are serving.

Some Great Gluten-free Mainstream Items and Some Other Favorite Products

Heinz Ketchup is Gluten-Free (we had been getting an organic ketchup, but when we went out to restaurants, we wanted to make sure that our daughter could have some ketchup when we were out).

Many Lays products are Gluten-Free.

EnviroKids cereals are wonderful...and 3 of them are gluten-free - Peanut Butter Panda Puffs, Koala Crisp (chocolaty cereal), and Gorilla Munch (a lot like Kix, but gluten-free)!

Bar-S has many products that are gluten-free, including their bologna and hot dogs.

Bison French Onion chip dip is gluten-free (goes well with Lay's Potato chips).

French's Mustard is gluten-free.

Hellmann's Mayonnaise is gluten-free. It's listed right on the label at the bottom of the ingredient list. And more from their website: What type of vinegar is used in Best Foods® Mayonnaise? Is it gluten-free?
The vinegar used in Best Foods® Mayonnaise is distilled vinegar made from distilled alcohol and is gluten-free.

**Best Foods and Hellmann's are the same product.

Many Chicken of the Sea products are gluten free. The website link contains the items that are excluded from the gluten-free list. Be careful with many other canned tuna products...most contain vegetable broth that may contain gluten.

Rice Chex are now gluten-free.

Kraft products clearly list whether there is gluten (wheat, rye, or barley) on the ingredients list.

Gluten-free Candy list - updated Halloween 2007.

Ham with Yellow Squash

Here's a fun spring or summer-time meal that's easy to make and makes good use of summer veggies.

Ingredients:

2 yellow squash
2 zucchini
about 4-5 TBSP butter or margarine
ham, cubed
1/2 cup rice, uncooked

Directions:

1. Cook the rice while preparing the rest of the dish.
2. In a large skillet, melt butter/margarine.
3. Slice zucchini and squash into thin discs, saute in the butter/margarine.
4. Add cubed ham and heat until warm.
5. Serve over a bed of rice.