Beef and Barley Salad (Gluten Free and Dairy Free)

Looking for a quick weekday GF DF  lunch solution? Look no further! We love salads at lunchtime, and this one has all the elements of a hearty, healthy noon-time meal!

P.S. leave out the lettuce and grab a cupful for a mid-day snack!

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked barley- cook according to package
1 1/2 cup chopped cooked roast beef
1/2 yellow pepper chopped
1/2 red pepper chopped
1 onion chopped
1/4 cup green olives chopped
A splash of seasoned rice vinegar
Weber Chicago Steak Seasoning to taste
Onion powder to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Mustard powder 1 tsp
Handful of fresh romaine
Handful of fresh arugula
Honey mustard dressing

Preparation:
Cook barley according to package. While that is cooking, chop roast beef, peppers, onion, and olives. Mix all together except onions. Once barley is done, immediately add onions to hot barley to soften their bite. Then add the rest of the chopped ingredients and season to taste. Chill mixture in the icebox until cool. Spoon mixture over a bed of romaine and arugula and drizzle with honey mustard.

Originally adapted from my momma :)

Baked Zucchini Chips (gluten and dairy free-style)

If you are looking for a tasty appetizer or side dish to dress up and summer supper, this is it. These are so delish.  I "quality tasted tested" so many before they hit the serving tray that I basically ate a whole zucchini by myself before supper ever started. I mean, thank goodness zucchini is superbly healthy, right?!

Ingredients
1/2 cup gluten free bread crumbs (I used Ian's brand from whole foods)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup finely grated dairy free Parmesan style cheese (I used go veggie brand)
1/2 pound zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 tablespoon olive oil
Vegetable cooking spray

Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°. mix first three ingredients in a bowl. Toss zucchini rounds with oil. Dredge zucchini, 1 round at time, in breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to adhere. Place rounds in a single layer in a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. Serve hot.

Originally adapted from Southern Living.

Honey Balsamic Blueberry Pie (of the gluten free & dairy free variety)

My Southern Living magazine came arrived, and like clockwork, I was sucked in. Those glossy pages full of everything good the South has to offer get me every time! The trick is turning their delectable Southern recipes into delicious gluten and dairy free recipes. Well, mission accomplished friends. These little southern tastebuds call this one... easy as pie.

Honey-Balsamic-Blueberry Pie:

Crust
3 cups all-purpose gluten free flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)
3/4 cup cold Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread, sliced
6 Tbsp. cold vegetable shortening, sliced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
4  Tbsp. ice-cold water

Filling
7 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (high quality is better)
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup raw honey
1 tsp. gluten free vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon (high quality, I use china cinnamon from Penzy's)
2 Tbsp. Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 large egg

1. Prepare Crust: Place first 4 ingredients in a bowl and cut in buttery spread and shortening with fingers until the fat is about the size of peas. Add 4 Tbsp. ice-cold water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, and stir until dough forms a ball and pulls away from sides of bowl, adding up to 2 Tbsp. more water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, if necessary. Divide dough in half, and flatten each half into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap, and chill 2 hours to 2 days. 

2. Prepare Filling: Place 1 cup blueberries in a large bowl; crush blueberries with
a wooden spoon. Stir cornstarch and vinegar
into crushed berries until cornstarch dissolves. Stir sugar, next 5 ingredients, and remaining 6 cups blueberries into crushed berry mixture. 

3. Unwrap 1 dough disk, and place on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with gluten free flour. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Fit dough into  9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Repeat rolling procedure with remaining dough disk;
cut dough into 12 to 14 (1/2-inch-wide) strips. (You will have dough left over.)

4. Pour blueberry mixture into piecrust, and dot with butter cubes. Arrange piecrust strips in a lattice design over filling. Trim excess dough.  

5. Reroll remaining dough, and cut into 6 ( 9- x 1/2-inch) strips. Twist together 2 strips at a time. Whisk together egg and 1 Tbsp. water. Brush a small amount of egg mixture around
edge of pie. Arrange twisted strips around edge of pie, pressing lightly to adhere. Brush entire pie with remaining egg mixture. Freeze 20 minutes or
until dough is firm. 

6. Preheat oven to 425°. Bake pie on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°, and bake 20 more minutes. Cover pie with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning, and bake 10 to 15 more minutes or until crust is golden and filling bubbles in center. Remove from baking sheet to a wire rack; cool 1 hour before serving.

Originally adapted from Southern Living Magazine

Enjoy!