Searching for "chicken"

Gluten Free Breaded Parmesan Chicken: A Little Crispy On The Outside And Oh So Flavorful On The Inside!

I’m personally not a huge meat eater, but I certainly have my favorite dishes with my go to proteins. Chicken definitely is at the top of the list and something that we eat very often in our house. It’s our go to protein for salads, stir frys, and baked dishes, either in pre-made, time saving form of Perdue’s Shortcuts and Gluten Free Tenders, which we love, or made from scratch by yours truly. I’ve posted plenty of dishes in the chicken department that’s for sure, which you can check out on the blog here, but who doesn’t like adding parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs to chicken. 

I was food shopping one day and spotted one of those little pamphlets with recipe ideas by the Hellmann’s Mayonnaise and spotted one that was too good to pass up. Of course the recipe in the pamphlet was not gluten free,, so I tweaked it a little to work for our family and there you have it, deliciously moist and crunchy Gluten Free Breaded Parmesan Chicken. This recipe is fantastically easy with only four ingredients that certainly do chicken proud. Ready to try it yet? Without further ado, here’s Gluten Free Breaded Parmesan Chicken that has become a favorite in the Gluten Free Mom To Be’s house and will surely become one in yours as well.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup Hellmann’s Mayonnaise (Most varieties are gluten free which is stated on the label)
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/2 lb skinless chicken breasts 
  • Seasoned gluten free bread crumbs, about 4-5 tbsp (I season my own Schar bread crumbs like this, but you can also purchase already seasoned gluten free bread crumbs like Gillian’s too.)

Directions: 

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
  • Clean and trim 1 1/2 lb skinless chicken breasts before adding them to a baking dish.
Clean and trim chicken breasts before adding them to your baking dish.
Clean and trim chicken breasts before adding them to your baking dish.
  • Combine 1/2 cup of any gluten free variety of Hellmann’s Mayonnaise and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I do this right in my measuring cup, measuring the mayo first and guesstimating the parmesan cheese on top. Less dishes=happy mommy). As far as the mayo, I really like the Olive Oil version, but I usually use either the regular or light options, all of which state gluten free on the label. 
  • After mayo and cheese have been mixed together, spoon mixture on top of chicken breasts and spread evenly across each piece of chicken (I just use the back of the spoon for this part). 
Add mayo/parmesan mixture to chicken and spread evenly across each piece.
Add mayo/parmesan mixture to chicken and spread evenly across each piece.
  • Once each piece has been coated with the mayo/parmesan mixture, sprinkle seasoned gluten free bread crumbs on top of chicken, making sure that all pieces are fully coated in bread crumbs. 
Sprinkle tops of chicken with seasoned gluten free bread crumbs.
Sprinkle tops of chicken with seasoned gluten free bread crumbs.
  • Bake chicken for about 20 minutes at 425 degrees until chicken is cooked all the way through.
Gluten Free Breaded Parmesan Chicken
Gluten Free Breaded Parmesan Chicken
  • Enjoy!

Easy right? Just four ingredients, 10 minutes of prep, and 20 minutes to bake and you have a tasty and healthy dinner on the table. And let me promise you, it’s just as tasty as it looks. The bread crumbs on the outside crisp up just a little while the inside of the chicken gets really flavorful and juicy. A favorite for us for sure! Thanks so much to Hellmann’s for this idea because this makes some amazing gluten free chicken! 

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Gluten Free Breaded Parmesan Chicken
Write a review
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup Hellmann's Mayonnaise (Most varieties are gluten free which is stated on the label)
  2. 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  3. 1 1/2 lb skinless chicken breasts
  4. Seasoned gluten free bread crumbs, about 4-5 tbsp (I season my own Schar bread crumbs, but you can also purchase already seasoned gluten free bread crumbs like Gillian's too.)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Clean and trim 1 1/2 lb skinless chicken breasts before adding them to a baking dish.
  3. Combine 1/2 cup of any gluten free variety of Hellmann's Mayonnaise and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I do this right in my measuring cup, measuring the mayo first and guesstimating the parmesan cheese on top. Less dishes=happy mommy). As far as the mayo, I really like the Olive Oil version, but I usually use either the regular or light options, all of which state gluten free on the label.
  4. After mayo and cheese have been mixed together, spoon mixture on top of chicken breasts and spread evenly across each piece of chicken (I just use the back of the spoon for this part.
  5. Once each piece has been coated with the mayo/parmesan mixture, sprinkle seasoned gluten free bread crumbs on top of chicken, making sure that all pieces are fully coated in bread crumbs.
  6. Bake chicken for about 20 minutes at 425 degrees until chicken is cooked all the way through.
  7. Enjoy!
Adapted from Hellmann's
Adapted from Hellmann's
Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/

Finally Tasted Gluten Free Fried Chicken Thanks To 50s Prime Time Cafe

After a great day in Epcot, we headed over to Hollywood Studios for dinner. On our travels, nestled snug in my arms, little one fell asleep for a much needed nap, and I have to admit that I wished I could fall asleep along with her too. Soon enough though we pulled up at the bus stop and quickly unloaded. It was back into the stroller for our little girl and thankfully the transition didn’t wake her up.

Since we arrived a bit early for our reservation at 50s Prime Time Cafe, we decided to grab a few cups of water (which by the way you can get for free at any stand!) and meander through the air conditioned gift shops. I can honestly say that I don’t think I’ve ever been so thankful for air conditioning in quite awhile. It just felt heavenly walking through those stores, not to mention it made nap time a lot more comfortable I’m sure for a certain little girl. After looking through all of Disney’s merchandise, and snagging a Mickey pretzel magnet that our toddler would just love, it was time to head over for dinner.

A short wait later and a table that would fit our group of thirteen was ready. Thankfully, there was enough room to push our stroller in with sleeping baby inside and not interrupt nap time. The chef joined us moments later, took our allergy free orders (gluten free fried chicken of course and the brownie sundae), and politely obliged to our gluten free fried chicken request and in fact shared that the chicken was almost ready, yay!!!! I couldn’t have been happier to be one step closer to tasting the deliciousness of their gluten free fried chicken again.

A little Mommy and Daddy time while little one sleeps.
A little Mommy and Daddy time while little one sleeps.

Now, how did I seem to accomplish the impossible, seeing as last time I was less than successful at 50s? Well I sent my gluten free meal request via email to Special.Diets@DisneyWorld.com, 2 weeks before we left for our trip, where they then passed it along to the restaurant. It seems so silly that this is necessary, but trust me, if you want to enjoy this gluten free item I highly recommend doing this. In one of my many discussions with Disney’s Special Diets department I was informed that the restaurant no longer keeps all of the ingredients on hand at all times so they need ample notice ahead of time of a request to get everything. Better safe than sorry and from now on I’ll only ever order this dish in this way, hopefully to always have the success that I did that day!

Gluten Free Fried Chicken
Aunt Liz’s Golden Gluten Free Fried Chicken

Okay, so now that all of the instructions for ordering are out of the way lets get to the good stuff. Since our gluten free fried chicken was almost ready when we talked to the chef (thanks to my pre-ordering!) our wait was cut down significantly, unfortunately though not enough for our little girl. In fact, just as our meals were arriving our little one stirred, I’m telling you they have amazing timing, and didn’t wake up in the best of moods. Seeing as I have an amazing husband who knows how much I had looked forward to this meal he offered to take our little girl outside for a walk so I could quickly gobble my hot and crispy gluten free fried chicken down. I don’t know how they do it but the crispy gluten free fried chicken with a side of garlic mashed potatoes and string beans hit the spot perfectly and was amazing! The outside of the chicken was perfectly crispy and flavorful while the inside was bursting with juicy flavor. The sides were just as tasty as I remembered too but there’s no denying the star of that plate was chicken. 

khkhk
Gluten Free Dad’s Brownie Sundae

Once my perfect plate of gluten free diner food was almost done, Dan and my little one were back and it was my turn on toddler duty. Thankfully we had gotten our little girl some dinner ahead of time so she happily nibbled on some of Mommy’s green beans, sandwich, and her favorite, apple slices. Before we knew it, the creme de la creme of the dessert menu had arrived, a gluten free version of Dad’s Brownie Sundae, which towered over the table in all of it’s glory! By this time, my little one who loves herself some dessert, had finished her meal, at least as close as we were going to get, and even had a quick change outside and was licking her lips at one look of this masterpiece. We divided the whole sundae for our family of three to enjoy, making sure each of us got to taste all of the fixings, including the homemade gluten free brownie, vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, caramel sauce, whipped cream, sprinkles, caramel popcorn, m&ms and a cherry. This dessert is phenomenal, from the delicious gluten free brownie that they make in house to the clever toppings like the caramel popcorn, each bite makes you close your eyes and give a little mmm. A sweet way to end our meal for sure! 

So needless to say my faith in 50s Prime Time Cafe has been restored. With some notice ahead of time, they were able to create a gluten free masterpiece and I for one couldn’t be more grateful. After such a rough experience only a few months ago, it was certainly a relief to walk out with such a different feeling this time. Hopefully this method is fool proof and gets you this plate of deliciousness anytime you want! Keep me posted on all of your gluten free experiences in Disney World too, good or bad, I’d love to hear them!

TIP: If you’re contemplating making a dining reservation at 50s Prime Time Cafe and are interested in their legendary gluten free fried chicken, make sure you order ahead as I did by simply emailing your request to Special.Diets@DisneyWorld.com. This seems to be the best way to make sure that you get to enjoy what you want.

Have A Magical Day,

Lindsay

Gluten Free Chicken, Broccoli, And Cheese Quesadillas Using Udi’s Large Tortillas

Okay, so I received some samples of Udi’s new tortillas not too long ago and absolutely fell in love with them. I’ve been itching to get my hands on another package since then but haven’t had any luck finding them in my local grocery stores. Thankfully, I was wandering with little girl through one of my local health food stores the other day and spotted them, in all their gluten free glory, sitting in the freezer case. Since finding them was somewhat of a needle in a haystack scenario, I decided to snag a few packages while I had them in front of me, especially since they could be kept in the freezer for quite awhile. At $4.19 a piece they weren’t too terribly priced, but thankfully I remembered that I had Udi’s coupons sitting at the bottom of my diaper bag waiting for a moment like this to be used. And voila! Only ten minutes later and I’d saved $5 on four packages of gluten free Udi’s tortillas that were now nestled snugly in my backseat next to my little girl. Finding my favorite gluten free tortillas and saving some money on them too was a huge success for this mommy, ah the little things in life that’ll make you smile!

Well anyway, now with four packages in hand, I couldn’t wait to try out some new ways to enjoy these perfect gluten free tortillas. While I love using them to make wraps, especially my Crispy Chicken Cobb Wrap, I was really in the mood to do something warm, maybe either a panini or quesadilla. Seeing as I already had all of the ingredients for my type of quesadilla, we found a winner. Okay, so my type of quesadilla isn’t a traditional spicy version but rather it’s the perfect combo of ingredients for the Gluten Free Mom To Be. I just love the flavor and texture combination of the melted cheddar jack cheese, diced chicken, and chopped broccoli all enveloped in toasted tortillas. These are so delicious and make my mouth water just thinking about them.  

Ingredients:

  • 1 Package Large Udi’s Tortillas
  • 1 cup diced, grilled chicken (I used 1 9 oz boxes Perdue Shortcuts.)
  • 1 8 oz bag shredded cheddar jack cheese
  • 1 cup chopped broccoli
  • Butter to cook quesadilla (I used Smart Balance.)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  • Out of each Udi’s Large Tortilla package you’ll get 3 quesadillas so you’ll be repeating each of these steps three times.
  • Spread a thin layer of butter on one side of each tortilla, making sure you cover the entire side of the tortilla. 
Quesadilla
Udi’s large tortilla with one side buttered for cooking.
  • Warm up skillet at medium heat.
  • Add your first buttered tortilla to a warmed skillet, butter side down. Next few steps involve assembling the quesadilla which I do in the skillet. It’s much easier to quickly and carefully assemble the quesadilla in the skillet than trying to move the assembled quesadilla from plate to skillet (this gets quite messy).  
  • To the top, spread a thin layer of shredded cheddar jack cheese (I’d say about 1/4 cup).
lkjsldfj
Add buttered tortilla to a warmed skillet, followed by a thin layer of shredded cheese.
  • Add about 1/3 cup diced chicken on top of cheese layer. When I’m in a rush, I use Perdue Shortcuts, either grilled or honey flavored. They’re so simple and easy to use and taste fantastic in this dish. 
  • Next, add about 1/3 cup chopped broccoli across chicken and cheese, making sure to spread evenly.
khlh
Layer diced chicken and chopped broccoli on top of tortilla and cheese. 
  • Toss a little more shredded cheese on top of the fillings, just to help the second tortilla stick. 
  • Season fillings with a little salt and pepper if you wish and then top them with the second tortilla, butter side facing up.
  • After only about 2-3 minutes of cooking on first side, using a spatula, carefully lift the bottom layer up to make sure it’s golden brown. 
  • Once the bottom tortilla has turned golden brown, using a large spatula carefully flip the quesadilla over so the uncooked, buttered tortilla is now face down on the skillet and the browned tortilla is face up. 
khkjh
Carefully flip your quesadilla so the cooked side is up and uncooked buttered tortilla is down on the skillet. 
  • After an additional 2-3 minutes cooking on the second side, carefully scoop out quesadilla and add it to a plate.
  • Using a pizza cutter, cut your quesadilla into as many slices as you prefer.
  • Repeat assembly and cooking steps for remaining tortillas and you’ll end up with three large portions of delicious and gluten free chicken, cheese, and broccoli quesadillas! 
ljlkj
Yummy! It’s making my mouth water just looking at this picture.

These quesadillas are a quick and tasty dinner, lunch, or even appetizer for a dinner party! They’re a different take on your traditional zesty quesadillas and satisfy even the pickiest diners. If you have non-gluten free diners in your family just split this recipe between gluten free and non-gluten free tortillas. For our family, I prepared one gluten free quesadilla for myself and two non-gluten free quesadillas for my husband and daughter. As always be careful of cross contamination, but what I like to do is prep all of the ingredients first and then make my gluten free quesadilla before I even take out the non-gluten free tortillas. Also, a little tip about minimizing your dirty dishes, just reuse your skillet between quesadillas. I make mine first so I don’t share a cook top, which is a big cross contamination no no, and then assemble and make the regular quesadillas in the same skillet afterwards.

So grab your favorite gluten free tortillas, I highly recommend Udi’s brand, and put these quesadillas together as soon as possible! I for one am so glad that I came upon these tortillas, as they’re by far the best gluten free tortillas that I’ve yet to experience. I certainly can see many a gluten free wrap and quesadilla in my future, especially during a future pregnancy. What a great pregnancy snack or meal!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Gluten Free Chicken, Broccoli, And Cheese Quesadillas
Write a review
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1 Package Large Udi's Tortillas
  2. 1 cup diced, grilled chicken (I used 1 9 oz boxes Perdue Shortcuts.)
  3. 1 8 oz bag shredded cheddar jack cheese
  4. 1 cup chopped broccoli
  5. Butter to cook quesadilla (I used Smart Balance.)
  6. Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Out of each Udi's Large Tortilla package you'll get 3 quesadillas so you'll be repeating each of these steps three times.
  2. Spread a thin layer of butter on one side of each tortilla, making sure you cover the entire side of the tortilla.
  3. Warm up skillet at medium heat.
  4. Add your first buttered tortilla to a warmed skillet, butter side down. Next few steps involve assembling the quesadilla which I do in the skillet. It's much easier to quickly and carefully assemble the quesadilla in the skillet than trying to move the assembled quesadilla from plate to skillet (this gets quite messy).
  5. To the skillet tortilla, spread a thin layer of shredded cheddar jack cheese (I'd say about 1/4 cup).
  6. Add about 1/3 cup diced chicken on top of cheese layer. When I'm in a rush, I use Perdue Shortcuts, either grilled or honey flavored. They're so simple and easy to use and taste fantastic in this dish.
  7. Next, add about 1/3 cup chopped broccoli across chicken and cheese, making sure to spread evenly.
  8. Toss a little more shredded cheese on top of the fillings, just to help the second tortilla stick.
  9. Season fillings with a little salt and pepper if you wish and then top them with the second tortilla, butter side facing up.
  10. After only about 2-3 minutes of cooking on first side, using a spatula, carefully lift the bottom layer up to make sure it's golden brown.
  11. Once the bottom tortilla has turned golden brown, using a large spatula carefully flip the quesadilla over so the uncooked, buttered tortilla is now face down on the skillet and the browned tortilla is face up.
  12. After an additional 2-3 minutes cooking on the second side, carefully scoop out quesadilla and add it to a plate.
  13. Using a pizza cutter, cut your quesadilla into as many slices as you'd like.
  14. Repeat assembly and cooking steps for remaining tortillas and you'll end up with three portions of delicious and gluten free chicken, cheese, and broccoli quesadillas!
Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/

How About Dinner In? Try This Gluten Free Chicken And Green Veggie Stir Fry!

Mmmm I just love Chinese food. Okay so not really all Chinese food but really just my absolute favorite dishes that I always ordered, which were lomein and chicken with broccoli. I LOVED lomein with veggies, the noodles were just perfection, flavored with just the right amount of a beautiful soy sauce. Over the years my family and I enjoyed Chinese food here and there, and after meeting my husband the tradition continued. Unfortunately after our first three years together, the tradition had come to an end, at least the part where we could order from our favorite local Chinese food restaurant right around the corner. On the brighter side though, we discovered P.F. Chang’s, a fantastic Chinese food chain that offers some really great gluten free alternatives to your traditional Chinese food dishes. Our enjoyment of this cuisine thankfully didn’t end with my diagnosis, in fact I’ve enjoyed many a Chinese food night safely thanks to P.F. Chang’s. Stay tuned for for a sneak peak at some of my favorite gluten free eats at this chain.

Thank goodness there is a restaurant that offers gluten free Asian cuisine, but many a night we’re just not in the mood to eat out or make the longer trek out to P.F. Chang’s. Thankfully, a few brands have released gluten free versions of their soy sauces so we can enjoy a little gluten free, Chinese inspired concoction at home. I’ve dabbled a bit with these gluten free soy sauces, with my favorite being Kikkoman, but haven’t quite mastered Asian cooking yet. Thanks to my Dad, who is always on the hunt for new recipes to try for my mom, he stumbled upon a stir fry in one of their diabetic magazines. After tweaking some of the ingredients in the sauce to be gluten free friendly and mixing in my two favorite veggies with chicken I made my Gluten Free Chicken And Green Veggie Stir Fry. The chicken is so flavorful thanks to the gluten free soy sauce, and the extra thin green beans and broccoli are just as spectacular and by far the favorites for my veggie loving little girl. Just like my little one, I too love this recipe, it’s so quick and tasty, a perfect dinner for those busy summer days and freezing cold winter nights. So when you’re not in the mood to eat out for your favorite Chinese food, why not make this stir fry and dine in.

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts (Cut these into small bite size pieces or thin slices,)
  • 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
  • 1 heaping tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 cup extra thin frozen green beans (My family loves these so we always keep a bag from Wegmans.)
  • 1 cup frozen broccoli
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • Vegetable oil (I use Smart Balance.)

     Sauce:

  • 1/3 cup cold water
  • 2 tbsp gluten free soy sauce (I like Kikkoman. (I prefer to use reduced sodium however I’ve found it’s a bit difficult to find one in a gluten free variety.))
  • 1 tbsp reduced sodium chicken broth (I use Progresso which marks gluten free on their packaging.)
  • 2 tsp cornstarch

Directions:

  • Trim and slice 12 oz chicken breasts into thin strips or bite size pieces. Set aside for cooking shortly.
  • Next, stir together sauce ingredients by first combining 1/3 cup cold water and 2 tsp cornstarch. Then stir in 2 tbsp gluten free soy sauce and 1 tbsp reduced sodium chicken broth. Set prepared sauce aside to add in at the end.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a little bit of vegetable oil to lightly coat bottom of skillet.
  • Add 1 heaping tbsp minced garlic and 2 tsp freshly grated ginger to skillet and saute for about 30 seconds (garlic will barely begin to brown).
  • Then add 1 cup each of frozen broccoli and extra thin green beans to skillet with garlic and stir fry for about 6-8 minutes or until veggies are soft and tender.
  • Remove cooked veggies from skillet and add to bowl, set aside. 
  • To warmed skillet, add chicken strips/pieces and cook on medium-high heat for about 2-4 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
  • Once chicken is cooked, stir soy sauce mixture and add to skillet. Stir to coat chicken with sauce and cook until sauce has thickened and bubbles.
  • Add green veggies back into skillet, mix with sauce and chicken, and heat for an additional minute or two until all components are warmed and flavors have combined.
  • Thinly slice 1/2 cup green onions and sprinkle on top of stir fry or mix in. 
Gluten Free Chicken & Green Veggie Stir Fry
Gluten Free Chicken & Green Veggie Stir Fry
  • Empty stir fry ingredients into serving dish or serve in skillet. 
  • Enjoy!
A shot of this deliciousness up close!
A shot of this deliciousness up close!

This was one of my favorite dishes to make this past winter, since it was quite a doozy in my neck of the woods. With frozen veggies up the wazoo in our freezer and a stockpile of chicken to boot, it was so easy to throw them together in this quick and tasty stir fry. With the extra thin green beans still having a little crunch to them and the broccoli scattered throughout, each bite was the perfect ratio of tender veggies and flavorful chicken. Not to mention the amazing sauce and minced garlic that coats it all, delicious!

Now that summer is here, this being one of my daughter’s favorite dishes, it still makes a frequent appearance in our house with either fresh or frozen veggies; honestly, I usually just throw in whatever veggies I have on hand at the time, whether they are fresh or frozen, either way they’re equally as healthy. So feel free to combine your two favorite fresh or frozen veggies and put this dish together. Just make sure you cook all of your veggies to become nice and tender before adding in your chicken and sauce and enjoy!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Gluten Free Chicken And Green Veggie Stir Fry
Write a review
Print
Ingredients
  1. 12 oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts (Cut these into small bite size pieces or thin slices,)
  2. 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
  3. 1 heaping tbsp minced garlic
  4. 1 cup extra thin frozen green beans (My family loves these so we always keep a bag from Wegmans.)
  5. 1 cup frozen broccoli
  6. 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
  7. Vegetable oil (I use Smart Balance.)
Sauce
  1. 1/3 cup cold water
  2. 2 tbsp gluten free soy sauce (I like Kikkoman. (I prefer to use reduced sodium however I've found it's a bit difficult to find one in a gluten free variety.))
  3. 1 tbsp reduced sodium chicken broth (I use Progresso which marks gluten free on their packaging.)
  4. 2 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
  1. Trim and slice 12 oz chicken breasts into thin strips or bite size pieces. Set aside for cooking shortly.
  2. Next, stir together sauce ingredients by first combining 1/3 cup cold water and 2 tsp cornstarch. Then stir in 2 tbsp gluten free soy sauce and 1 tbsp reduced sodium chicken broth. Set prepared sauce aside to add in at the end.
  3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a little bit of vegetable oil to lightly coat bottom of skillet.
  4. Add 1 heaping tbsp minced garlic and 2 tsp freshly grated ginger to skillet and saute for about 30 seconds (garlic will barely begin to brown).
  5. Then add 1 cup each of frozen broccoli and extra thin green beans to skillet with garlic and stir fry for about 6-8 minutes or until veggies are soft and tender.
  6. Remove cooked veggies from skillet and add to bowl, set aside.
  7. To warmed skillet, add chicken strips/pieces and cook on medium-high heat for about 2-4 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
  8. Once chicken is cooked, stir soy sauce mixture and add to skillet. Stir to coat chicken with sauce and cook until sauce has thickened and bubbles.
  9. Add green veggies back into skillet, mix with sauce and chicken, and heat for an additional minute or two until all components are warmed and flavors have combined.
  10. Thinly slice 1/2 cup green onions and sprinkle on top of stir fry or mix in.
  11. Empty stir fry ingredients into serving dish or serve in skillet.
  12. Enjoy!
Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/

Divine, Gluten Free Pizza Topped With Tomato, Chicken, and Pesto

While most of my days are filled with blogging and chasing my toddler and fur baby around I’m always in search of a quick and easy dinner option that I can make both gluten free for myself and regular for my daughter and husband. As you may have caught onto by now, pesto is a key ingredient in a number of my family’s favorite dishes. I decided last night to bring out the pesto again and put together one of my all time favorite pizza combinations, Tomato and Chicken atop a pesto slathered pizza crust, a combination I was first introduced to on Pillsbury’s recipe site.

Being short on time combined with relatively empty pantry shelves (after a busy weekend, I’m overdo for a grocery shopping trip), I knew this one would be a perfect option for dinner. I pulled out a jar of gluten free pesto sauce, along with a frozen Udi’s pizza crust, a box of Perdue Shortcuts, and a few other ingredients from my refrigerator and I was almost ready to put my pizza together. When you’re missing fresh ingredients to make your own pesto sauce, it’s wonderful to be able to turn to a convenient and guaranteed gluten free premade option, especially on a busy night. Some of my favorite jarred pesto sauce brands include Wegmans store brand, Bellino, Cento, and Classico. (If you do have all of the ingredients on hand and a few spare minutes feel free to use my homemade pesto sauce recipe here.) Another quick substitute that is a huge timesaver to defrosting, cooking up, and carving your own chicken breasts are pre-cooked chicken strips like those produced by Perdue, my favorites that I use often are the Honey or Grilled varieties. After gathering and quickly preparing your ingredients, this pizza takes only a few minutes to put together and only about 7 minutes more to cook. And there you go! A wonderfully gluten free Tomato and Chicken Pesto Pizza that’s prepped, cooked, and ready to enjoy in only 15 minutes!

Ingredients:

  • Udi’s Pizza Crust
  • 2-3 tbsp pesto sauce (homemade or gluten free jarred like Wegmans, Classico, Cento, and Bellino)
  • 1 small plum tomato, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup diced chicken breast (half a 9 oz bag of Perdue Shortcuts, I used the honey variety)
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese (Sorrento is gluten free)
  • garlic salt to taste
Ingredients for my divine gluten free tomato and chicken pesto pizza.
Ingredients for my divine gluten free tomato and chicken pesto pizza.

Directions: 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Place pizza crust on baking sheet.
  • Wash and cut tomato into thin slices.
  • Prepare chicken breast strips according to package instructions and dice into bite-size pieces.
  • Add 2-3 tbsp of pesto sauce to pizza crust and use back of spoon to smooth out a thin layer across the entire crust, being sure though to leave about 1/4 inch on the edge free of sauce.
Pesto sauce added to pizza crust.
Pesto sauce added to pizza crust.
  • Sprinkle a handful of shredded mozzarella cheese atop pesto sauce, creating a thin, cheesy layer.
Add  thin layer of  mozzarella cheese to pizza.
Add thin layer of mozzarella cheese to pizza.
  • Layer tomato slices atop the thin cheese layer.
Tomato layer on pesto pizza.
Tomato layer on pesto pizza.
  • Add 1/4 – 1/2 cup diced chicken on top of the tomatoes, being sure to distribute evenly. 
Diced chicken added evenly over pizza.
Diced chicken added evenly over pizza.
  • Finish pizza by sprinkling remaining cheese on top of chicken and tomatoes. Dust with a little bit of garlic salt to taste.
Pizza is ready to go into the oven.
Pizza is ready to go into the oven.
  • Cook pizza for between 5-7 minutes until crust becomes golden brown.
Tomato and chicken pesto pizza fresh out of the oven.
Tomato and chicken pesto pizza fresh out of the oven.
  • Let the pizza cool slightly before slicing and then enjoy!
Enjoy!
Enjoy!

Some of my favorite recipes are those that are either inherently gluten free or can be made both gluten free and regular very easily. That makes me one happy mommy! Whenever homemade pizza is on the menu in our house, I pull out my premade gluten free pizza crusts or gluten free pizza mix along with a large premade regular pizza crust (no mixes here, I don’t usually like gluten filled flour floating around in our kitchen). Last night was no exception, all I had to do was double the ingredients. I always make sure when prepping my pizzas to do the gluten free one first to prevent cross contamination and while that one is cooking, I move on to the regular one. 

This is a divine alternative to your traditional tomato and cheese gluten free pizza! Any gluten free dinner that can be put together in only a few minutes, cooked for about the same amount of time, and taste as delectable as this one is a winner in my book! Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Tomato, Chicken, and Pesto Gluten Free Pizza
Write a review
Print
Prep Time
8 min
Prep Time
8 min
Ingredients
  1. Udi's Pizza Crust
  2. 2-3 tbsp pesto sauce (homemade or gluten free jarred like Wegmans, Classico, Cento, and Bellino)
  3. 1 small plum tomato, thinly sliced
  4. 1/4 - 1/2 cup diced chicken breast (half a 9 oz bag of Perdue Shortcuts, I used the honey variety)
  5. 1/4 - 1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese (Sorrento is gluten free)
  6. garlic salt to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Place pizza crust on baking sheet.
  3. Wash and cut tomato into thin slices.
  4. Prepare chicken breast strips according to package instructions and dice into bite-size pieces.
  5. Add 2-3 tbsp of pesto sauce to pizza crust and use back of spoon to smooth out a thin layer across the entire crust, being sure though to leave about 1/4 inch on the edge free of sauce.
  6. Sprinkle a handful of shredded mozzarella cheese atop pesto sauce, creating a thin, cheesy layer.
  7. Layer tomato slices atop the thin cheese layer.
  8. Add 1/4 - 1/2 cup diced chicken on top of the tomatoes, being sure to distribute evenly.
  9. Finish pizza by sprinkling remaining cheese on top of chicken and tomatoes. Dust with a little bit of garlic salt to taste.
  10. Cook pizza for between 5-7 minutes until crust becomes golden brown.
  11. Let the pizza cool slightly before slicing and then enjoy!
Adapted from Pillsbury
Adapted from Pillsbury
Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/

Quick And Easy And Gluten Free Crispy Chicken Cobb Wrap

It’s been quite a few years since I’ve been able to enjoy a soft, floury tortilla that was stuffed with my favorite salads and the forbidden gluten. As a pickier eater, salads and wraps used to be one of my go to meals at a number of restaurants. But as with many of my favorite dishes from years past, gluten was a main ingredient, now making them obsolete in my diet. 

Although we’ve yet to reach the point where I can enjoy a wrap yet again at Red Robin or Saladworks, another amazing feat has been reached for the gluten free community by the release of Udi’s gluten free tortillas. Slowly but surely, some of my past cabinet staples are reemerging in a gluten free form. Each time I see a new gluten free product in the store, I first cross my fingers that this one will succeed and be consistently stocked, but then I feel overwhelmed with encouragement that the restrictions facing allergy and other dietary folk are beginning to break down. It’s amazing how the release of a simple gluten free product could be so overwhelming but it truly does fill you with complete and utter gratitude for those who are even attempting the task.

The addition of these tortillas back into my diet has expanded my lunch menu tremendously. For my first trial, I decided to recreate Red Robin’s Crispy Chicken Wrap. Using some basic ingredients that I always keep around, along with one of my other new favorite additions to the gluten free world, Perdue’s Simply Smart Gluten Free Breaded Chicken Strips, I created an amazing gluten free wrap that could certainly stand up to the gluten equivalent. 

Ingredients:

  • Udi’s Large Tortillas
  • Romaine Lettuce
  • Blue Cheese Dressing (Wishbone is gluten free; I also enjoy Marie’s)
  • Tomatoes
  • Bacon (I like to use Hormel’s Real Bacon Bits)
  • Hardboiled Eggs 
  • Breaded Chicken Strips (I love Perdue’s Simply Smart Gluten Free Chicken Strips (in the frozen section))
  • Amounts of these ingredients vary depending on how many wraps you are preparing and how much of each ingredient you like. I usually add equal parts of each. For one wrap for myself, I add about one handful of each ingredient, prepare salad mixture, and add accordingly to wrap. No worries if you have extra, you can always enjoy this as a salad on the side!
Crispy Chicken Cobb Wrap
Crispy Chicken Cobb Wrap

Directions: 

  • For my first wrap, I prepared enough ingredients to add about one handful of each to the wrap.
  • Preheat oven and prepare breaded chicken strips.
  • Additionally, add eggs to water and prepare hardboiled eggs.
  • While eggs and chicken are cooking, wash lettuce and tomatoes, chop into small bite size pieces, and add to a small mixing bowl.
  • Add 1-2 tablespoons of bacon to mixing bowl.
  • When eggs are ready, rinse with cold water so they’re cool enough to handle, chop, and add to other ingredients.
  • Similarly, when chicken has finished cooking, chop one or two strips into bite size pieces and combine with other ingredients.
  • Add several tablespoons of dressing, as much as desired, to ingredients and mix to coat all with dressing.
  • Wrap one tortilla with a damp paper towel and microwave for about 25 seconds to moisten and soften. 
  • Remove paper towel and spoon salad mixture onto center of tortilla, making sure to not add too much and leave sides and top and bottom free for wrapping. Feel free to leave any extra to eat separately as a salad. 
  • Turn up top and bottom and pull one side over to the other to wrap. Add toothpicks and cut wrap diagonally to enjoy!
Tortillas stuffed with Cobb salad!
Tortillas stuffed with Cobb salad!

Udi’s has certainly done me proud by producing such an outstanding product that I’ll be stocking in my refrigerator for years to come. To find these tortillas in a store near you, just use Udi’s tool here on their website. I hope you give these a try as soon as you can, you’ll be so glad that you did when you taste the gluten free love that Udi’s baked into these!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Quick And Easy And Gluten Free Crispy Chicken Cobb Wraps
Write a review
Print
Ingredients
  1. Udi's Large Tortillas
  2. Romaine Lettuce
  3. Blue Cheese Dressing (Wishbone is gluten free; I also enjoy Marie's)
  4. Tomatoes
  5. Bacon (I like to use Hormel's Real Bacon Bits)
  6. Hardboiled Eggs
  7. Breaded Chicken Strips (I love Perdue's Simply Smart Gluten Free Chicken Strips (in the frozen section))
  8. Amounts of these ingredients vary depending on how many wraps you are preparing and how much of each ingredient you like. I usually add equal parts of each. For one wrap for myself, I add about one handful of each ingredient, prepare salad mixture, and add accordingly to wrap. No worries if you have extra, you can always enjoy this as a salad on the side!
Instructions
  1. For my first wrap, I prepared enough ingredients to add about one handful of each to the wrap.
  2. Preheat oven and prepare breaded chicken strips.
  3. Additionally, add eggs to water and prepare hardboiled eggs.
  4. While eggs and chicken are cooking, wash lettuce and tomatoes, chop into small bite size pieces, and add to a small mixing bowl.
  5. Add 1-2 tablespoons of bacon to mixing bowl.
  6. When eggs are ready, rinse with cold water so they're cool enough to handle, chop, and add to other ingredients.
  7. Similarly, when chicken has finished cooking, chop one or two strips into bite size pieces and combine with other ingredients.
  8. Add several tablespoons of dressing, as much as desired, to ingredients and mix to coat all with dressing.
  9. Wrap one tortilla with a damp paper towel and microwave for about 25 seconds to moisten and soften.
  10. Remove paper towel and spoon salad mixture onto center of tortilla, making sure to not add too much and leave sides and top and bottom free for wrapping. Feel free to leave any extra to eat separately as a salad.
  11. Turn up top and bottom and pull one side over to the other to wrap. Add toothpicks and cut wrap diagonally to enjoy!
Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/

 

Flavorful Gluten Free Baked Pesto Chicken Parmesan

Get ready for a clever and gluten free version of chicken parmesan that you wish you would’ve tried years ago. I am so excited to share this one with you!!! I am a huge lover of chicken parmesan and have made it countless times since going gluten free. After some time online the other day, I found an amazing new take on your typical chicken parmesan, adding pesto to the mix! That’s right, by adding a pesto layer to your traditional chicken parmesan you create a Baked Pesto Chicken Parmesan that is overflowing with flavor. I cannot believe I never thought to combine one of my favorite dishes with one of my favorite sauces. Thank you Iowa Girl Eats for an ingenious idea! This is a brilliant combination that was added to my recipe book immediately and is definitely one that you should try!

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb skinless chicken breasts (2-3 chicken breasts cut in half or in thirds)
  • 1/3 cup pesto (Cento or Bellino)
  • 1 cup tomato sauce (Tuttorosso, I add fresh garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, and garlic salt)
  • 8 oz sliced fresh mozzarella (BelGioioso)
  • Salt and Pepper
Gluten Free Pesto Chicken Parmesan Ingredients
Gluten Free Pesto Chicken Parmesan Ingredients

Directions: 

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Prepare tomato sauce by adding desired amounts of fresh garlic, basil, parsley, oregano, and garlic salt to a can of Tuttorosso tomato sauce. Alternatively you can use the tomato sauce straight from the can or prepared sauce from a jar. 
My homemade tomato sauce.
My homemade tomato sauce.
  • Trim the chicken breasts (I had 2) and carefully cut into halves or thirds depending on your desired thickness.
  • Add chicken to 9″ x 12″ baking dish and season with salt and pepper.
Pesto Chicken Parm Blog Pics (3)
Two chicken breasts sliced into thinner portions and dusted with salt and pepper.
  • Layer pesto on top of chicken breasts making sure to coat evenly.
Layer the chicken breasts with pesto sauce.
Layer the chicken breasts with pesto sauce.
  • Cover chicken breasts with tomato sauce and lay fresh mozzarella on top. 
Add red sauce and fresh mozzarella on top of chicken and bake.
Add tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella on top of chicken and bake.
  • Cover with foil tightly and bake for 20 minutes.
All baked up and ready to enjoy!
All baked up and ready to enjoy!
  • Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and cheese is golden brown and bubbly
Chicken with a side of extra fine string beans!
Chicken with a side of extra fine string beans!
  • Enjoy the chicken with any desired vegetable on the side and be sure to cover the chicken with plenty of sauce! 
Pesto Chicken Parm Blog Pics (9)
A close up of this flavorful chicken dish. I cannot wait to make it again!

I cannot say enough good things about this recipe. The combination of pesto and tomato creates an incredible sauce that envelopes the mozzarella covered chicken. The chicken is especially moist and absorbs all of the flavors of the amazing sauce combination perfectly. When serving, pair this with a generous side of extra thin string beans and make sure to ladle extra sauce atop the chicken to enjoy all of the tasty goodness in each bite. I must say, this dish was absolutely delicious and brought an instant smile to my little girl’s face with her first bite (and I believe an “mmmm” accompanied that too). This is definitely a keeper for us and I cannot wait to enjoy this flavor combination again!

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

 

 

Flavorful Gluten Free Baked Pesto Chicken Parmesan
Write a review
Print
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
45 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
45 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2-3 chicken breasts)
  2. 1/3 cup pesto (Cento or Bellino)
  3. 1 cup tomato sauce (Tuttorosso which I season with fresh garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, and garlic salt)
  4. 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese (BelGioioso cheeses are gluten free)
  5. Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Prepare tomato sauce (either use straight from jar or can or add additional seasonings as I do with unseasoned Tuttorosso sauce).
  3. Trim chicken breasts and cut in half or in thirds depending on width of chicken breast.
  4. Add chicken to 9" x 12" baking dish.
  5. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
  6. Layer pesto on top of chicken and evenly coat.
  7. Spoon tomato sauce on top of chicken and layer with fresh mozzarella.
  8. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
  9. Remove foil and bake for about 10 more minutes (cheese should be golden brown and bubbly).
Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats
Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats
Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/

 

 

Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival Gluten Free & Fun: 2016 Disney Vaca Wrap Up!

A Disney day is by far one of our favorite kind of days around here, but for Dan and I, an Epcot day is in the top two of all Disney days. The food, the drinks, the World Showcase, and the rides, every bit of it we love and now our girls love too. Only one more thing can boost an Epcot day a little bit higher on our Disney scale and that’s a day at Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival! We’ve vacationed a few times now during this festival and have loved every second of it. Our toddler has enjoyed tons of different treats, live music, floral playgrounds, and topiaries that inspire our at home gardening, no not to Disney’s scale but a certain herb display had me thinking about a new garden next year. Lucky for us, Disney decided to extend their festival this year so our littlest family member could experience her first Disney festival! Disney 2016 (44)

Our next full day of Disney Vaca 2016 was our first Epcot day! We were greeted with some of the best topiaries yet, not to mention these amazing herb and flower displays which I’m already sweet talking my husband into helping me recreate at our new house next Spring. Once we were through the gates and under Epcot’s iconic landmark it was onto an early morning ride on The Land, Nemo, and Test Track and some meet and greets with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Baymax! For my toddler all of her friends were a huge hit, especially newbie Baymax who happens to star in one of her new favorite movies, and for her little sister, well she was cautiously happy to meet them as long as she was safe in Mommy’s arms.  Disney 2016 (45)

One of the flower/herb towers that little one happen to love too! Herb Display

Soon enough, World Showcase was opening and bellies all around were growling. Another bonus on top of the gorgeous topiaries everywhere, the food, some of which happens to be gluten free! Surrounding the lake are festival stands which note gluten free on all of their signage and in the food passports that you can pick up at any store or food stand.  Disney 2016 (56)

A tip, some of these gluten free items are safer than others. I always double check before I order anything anywhere, but especially at smaller stands like these, if there are chances for cross contamination. Some of the answers took a few things off my list but I was more than happy to avoid a possible run in with gluten.  Disney 2016 (57)

Thankfully, others were safe and delicious! Like Japan’s Frushi! For some reason this year this one wasn’t marked as gluten free but in past years it has been but thanks to my fellow gluten free Disney bloggers I had a heads up that it was still safe. So for starters on my Flower and Garden food adventure it was one plate of gluten free Frushi. Fresh pineapple, strawberry, and melon all rolled into some raspberry coconut rice with whipped cream on the side. First off, it looks beautiful, definitely sushi like minus the fish which is already a win in my book. It was definitely tasty but a little strange mostly because of the rice. I’m not a huge rice person anyway but the addition of the fruit, raspberry sauce, and whipped cream has made me more of a fan. Altogether pretty tasty and filling, until my next stop in Italy. Disney 2016 (72)

Okay Italy probably brought in the big win of the day with their gluten free food and drink options. Unlike a few others, this Disney vaca Mommy could enjoy a Mommy beverage, so that I did with a favorite of mine, the Bellini. And thanks to the festival I decided on the Cremoso al Pistacchio to go along with it. This sweet treat was amazing! Pistacchio cream with strawberries and marscarpone, perfect perfect perfect! Can you tell I liked it? And thankfully the girls had filled up on Norway bites and were on the verge of napping, otherwise I would’ve had to share this tiny tasting. Cheers to 5 minutes of Mommy time to enjoy this miniature delight and my Bellini! Disney 2016 (49) Disney 2016 (48)

We decided to opt for lighter snacks on our trip around the world on this particular Epcot day mainly because we had an early reservation at Italy’s Tutto Italia. So while I tried a few gluten free sweets, in true hubby style, Dan indulged in some savory delicacies, just enough to tide us over until dinner. While we snacked and our tiny girl napped we dodged in and out of the countries, getting a Duffy bear stamped, meeting a princess or two, and skipping out of the on and off rain storm. Finally it was time for a much anticipated dinner at Tutto Italia. We’ve dined at Tutto Gusto and have loved it so we decided to give it’s mother restaurant a try this time, especially since we never left Tutto Gusto disappointed. 

Whenever we dine in Epcot’s Tutto Gusto we’ve always been instantly transported back to our honeymoon and babymoon trips in Italy, and thankfully Tutto Italia did just the same. The authenticity of the menu options and delicious gluten free pasta brought me right back to one of our last dinners in Venice. And being an Italian who loves her cheese, pasta, and panna cotta, that can rarely get this combo in a farely non-gf US, I was pleasantly surprised by my choices at Tutto Italia. So no surprise, I started off with their Fior Di Latte Mozzarella, fresh mozzarella with roasted red peppers, basil, Maldon sea salt, and olive oil. One word, amazing! The mozzarrella was so flavorful and matched perfectly with the sweetness of the red peppers. Amazing! So much so I shared tiny bites with my girls! Also should mention that they offer some of the best fresh gluten free bread here just like their sister Tutto Gusto. Kind of the icing on the cupcake to these restaurants if you ask me. Disney 2016 (51)

Next up, the main course! While the girls nibbled on mouth watering chicken fingers and veggies, my Penne Caprese was delivered. Rice pasta with pomodoro sauce and burrata cheese, a regular for me now from Tutto Gusto but always a winner. I’m a creature of habit and tend to stick with what I know and love, and this I know and love. The pasta is always cooked to perfection and lathered in the most flavorful pomodoro sauce, and don’t get me started on the creamy burrata cheese on top. Disney 2016 (52)

Last but not least, dessert time! In the past at Tutto Gusto we’ve shared a chocolate and cherry panna cotta that was always my favorite. This time around they marked a different and somewhat surprised dessert option as gluten free. A vanilla and chocolate panna cotta with fresh strawberry compote and crumbled cookies on top, in it’s original version was gluten free! The cookies on top were actually almond-hazelnut meringue cookies which happened to be gluten free but after my first bite, I hesitantly waved the manager over for some questioning. After all, how often can us gluten free vacationers get cookie topping on our desserts? But sure enough these were gluten free cookies for certain which added the perfect crunch to one of my favorite desserts! Disney 2016 (53)

All together this was an amazing day of gluten free sweets and eats thanks to Epcot and it’s always wonderful Flower and Garden and Tutto Italia’s gluten free menu! Thankfully with our slightly longer trip we got to enjoy all of it that much longer and managed another whole Epcot day along with some nights here and there!

Disney 2016 (54)

Every trip I look back at our pictures in the weeks and months that follow, counting down the moments until we can return to Disney. And when I see these faces, these expressions make us want to keep going back. We’re making memories, all four of us. So thank you Disney for another wonderful day at Epcot, and stay tuned for more Disney fun! Disney 2016 (58)

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Water Park Fun & Ohana: 2016 Disney Vacation Wrap Up!

Been a little bit since a Disney recap but with birthday celebrations and summer recoveries I’m finally looping back to our Disney vaca! With our first day of Magic Kingdom fun in the books, we were up and ready for our second day of water park fun and our first delicious gluten free dinner! Nothing beats the Florida heat then a morning at one of Disney’s water parks, and first up for us was Blizzard Beach.  Disney 2016 (6)

The water park was a huge hit this year, for one of our girls at least. While our toddler was running, swimming, sliding, floating, and tubing all over, her little sister was snug in Mommy’s arms slowly getting used to the water, splashing a bit in the kiddie zone, floating down the lazy river, and ending it all with a nap in Mommy’s arms. Bet not too many Disney goers can say they napped at a water park! Well my baby girl can!

Lunch is always my toughest meal on vaca. And even though there were definitely gluten free options at the water park of the chicken finger/ french fry variety, I was more in the mood for a light snack, so Disney popcorn it was. The salty, buttery popcorn is highly recommended for any Disney patron but if you’re gluten free, it’s a must! So after a late light lunch for all, it was back to the hotel to freshen up in our amazing studio, grab some fruity drinks at Trader Sam’s, and finally to enjjoy some dinner at Ohana! Disney 2016 (39)

With sangria, a toddler friendly slushie of some kind, and hubby’s favorite drink in a tiki man glass in hand we were seated for a much anticipated Ohana dinner. The chef was over shortly to go over my options and quickly after that my first round of food appeared. That’s one thing with Ohana, you won’t have an empty table for long, when food arrives, it keeps coming the whole dinner. The rolls were warmed well and with butter hit the spot perfectly since we were pretty much starving by this point. Next up, the salad, which I love! I could eat bowls and bowls of just the salad, topped with just the right amount of my favorite fruity dressing. Not too long after, some chicken wings with seasoned veggies arrived. The veggies I loved, the chicken wings had way too much seasoning for me, please keep in mind though that I’m super sensitive to any seasoning, so less is so much more for me. Next time I definitely have to remember to remind the chef of my preference but totally forgot.  Disney 2016 (40)

Finally it was time for the main course and what Ohana is known for, meat skewers! While all of the meats are gluten free, I’ve watched many a skewer touch down on plates that have gluten filled lomein on them, so I requested my very own portions of new meats. Grilled chicken and steak came out perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection! And to sweeten our first Disney dinner a little more, the chef brought out a chocolate cookie ice cream dessert. Not nearly as appetizing as the mouth watering and legendary Ohana bread pudding but free of gluten and a sweet ending to my meal! Disney 2016 (41)

Altogether, great gluten free dinner but the highlights were my sweet little ones getting serenaded and participating in the coconut race, well our toddler at least. Amazing that last time at Ohana we had just one little girl who was only old enough to sit tableside and nibble on lettuce, bread, and noodles. Now we were back still with a high chair but with a new little one in it, amazing how fast time goes once your a parent. Disney 2016 (5)

Anyway, as soon as dinner was over we couldn’t wait to hop on the monorail to enjoy a night of fun at the Magic Kingdom. Nothing beats topping off a relaxing day of water fun then with a nighttime ride on Dumbo and the most amazing views of Cinderella’s castle!

Another amazing day in Disney! Stay tuned for more of our adventures!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Gluten Free Disney Favorites And Never Have I Ever Disney Treats Part 3

We’re in the final stretch until our vacation and I for one cannot wait for everything Disney. But of course top on my list is all of the gluten free deliciousness! So I thought I’d share one more gluten free favorite, along with one

Gluten Free Kona Cafe’s Pan-Asian Noodles noodles

It’s been years since I’ve had lomein. I’ve made many attempts to recreate a gluten free version but never came close to making it just right. My once favorite Asian inspired noodle dish has been a thing of the past for quite awhile, until I found Kona Cafe! Perfectly cooked rice noodles with crispy, fresh veggies, and grilled chicken, all coated in a gluten free teriyaki sauce, it’s absolute perfection. Not to mention, portion enough for two people or two meals! This is by far one of my favorite dinners in Disney and is always the one that I look forward to returning to the most. I can’t wait until I can enjoy these Gluten Free Pan-Asian Noodles again!

Never Have I Ever Had Gluten Free Beef Brisket, Frushi, and Lemon Scones! macaron

We’re not total newbies to the Flower and Garden Festival at Epcot, but this year with baby on my hip instead of in my belly I get to eat and drink without restrictions! Normally in Epcot I struggle at lunchtime trying to find something that my picky tastes and diet restrictions will allow. But thanks to the festival, this trip my lunch list is filled with small bites and sweet treats! From barbecue like ribs and brisket to sweets like frushi, scones, and macarons, Gluten Free Gigi has given me quite a few things to look forward to. First on my list though is their new macaron, raspberry with chocolate fudge, brings back amazing memories of their marshmallow one in festivals past!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

1 2 3 5