This week's gluten-free menu -
Sunday - Chili
, Tortillas Chips, and Salad Greens
Monday - Honey Chicken Tenders, Carrots and Celery, and Light Blue Cheese Dressing
Tuesday - Salmon, Brown Rice, and Broccoli
Wednesday - Chicken Tortilla Soup, Southwestern Salad
Thursday - Quinoa and Brussels Sprouts Salad with Rubbed Chicken
Friday - Gluten-Free Ruben Sandwich with Sweet Potato Chips and Cole Slaw
This weekend I made a huge cooking discovery - I cooked my first dry beans. I made black beans from scratch! Amazing! I just added a little oregano, sugar, cumin and salt and couldn't believe the results. I really hope that I can figure out a way to use these more often. When my husband asked me to describe the difference I didn't really know what to say but that I could eat a whole bowl of just these beans and nothing else. They seemed like an appetizing food on they're own instead of what they seem like when they come out of the can. They smelled good, were soft and mushy, and were just really tasty. For the first time I thought that being vegetarian might really be a possibility, but the thought was fleeting as I consider a good steak to be one of the best things in life.
On Saturday I made black bean quesadillas for lunch and my family was hooked. My husband said he never wants to go back. Well, I don't know if I will never go back to canned as I try to keep cooking manageable, but I did cook three different types of beans this weekend and put them in the freezer. It's really not too difficult if they're soaked ahead of time. The black beans turned out the best and those I soaked all day. With my new discovery I feel invincible. I have big bean dreams - I want to try gluten-free baked beans. Those have been off limits since my family has been cooking gluten-free. I also want to try all of the bean recipes that I have made in the past. Black Bean Soup, Jumbalaya, etc. There will be more bean recipes in the future and if you are making bean recipes too, I really recommend cooking from dry beans or at least giving it a try.
This week the Gluten-Free Menu Swap is at Celiac Family and the topic is Brussels Sprouts. I am going to try to replicate a salad that I ordered in Los Angeles which was a very hearty salad that had grains, chicken, and brussels sprouts in it. It will be a bit of an experiment but I will post the recipe that I create. Love brussels sprouts and can't wait to see what everyone else has posted.
