Greek Burgers

This is one of the few times I use a GF bread. If you are daring, make your own bread. If you are cheap or just want a yummy meaty dinner without carbs, just eat it without any bread. Even though I enjoy this in a burger form, I am often too cheap to buy buns. I am not afraid to admit that.
I saw this on a menu of a snazzy little restaurant in Houston and decided that I wanted to try my hand at it myself. They used pita bread, but this is a wonderful remake without that. This is a quick and super tasty meal that is also pretty healthy. I like to make a little extra so we have left overs. The patties reheat nicely. Mix that with the cool crispness of the tzatziki, and - oh boy! It is a party in your mouth. This is also excellent crumbled over spinach for a Greek style salad.




Tzatziki sauce: Make this according to your own taste. I like it with extra cucumber, my husband with a little more garlic. Here is just a basic recipe.

1/2 cup Greek yogurt. You could use regular, but Greek is so much better
squeeze of lemon
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/3 of a cucumber, peeled, seeded and minced
3 or 4 minced mint leaves (optional)
1/4 of a small onion, minced
salt

Mix this all together and allow it to sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Burgers:

1 lb. ground turkey
10 to 12 mint leaves, minced
1/4 a bunch of flat leaf parsley, minced
1/2 an onion, minced
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper
olive oil
crumbled feta cheese

Mix everything together. I like to let the flavors sit for about ten minutes before I start cooking.
Divide meat into 4 equal parts. Cook over medium-high heat in a skillet greased lightly with olive oil, about 5 minutes each side. Allow the meat to brown well so the onions cook and caramelize on the outside.

Top each burger with crumbled feta and tzatziki sauce. Opa!

I usually take the remainder of the cucumber and onion and mix it together with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a quick cucumber salad. Yummy!!

Total Cost: about $5 or $1.25 a burger

Strawberry Spinach salad with Orange Balsamic Dressing

I know - every Celiac out there is tired of eating salads. I know. We go out to eat with friends and 99% of the time, there we are yet again, getting a salad with no croutons and the dressing on the side. Excuse me waiter, I would like to order a salad, extra complicated with a side of your scorn and a touch of eye rolling. But, this time, I would like to not go through how I am allergic to wheat, not weed, you crazy pothead. Kay. Thanks.
But, some salads are just plain good. This is so easy and makes a great side to just about anything. The dressing is also wonderful on other salads, so thy it out!

Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: none, duh, it's a salad...
Cost: about $4.00 or $1.00 a serving 
Note about cost: since the cost of olive oil and balsamic vinegar can vary tremendously, this is just looking at the cost of a pint of strawberries and the spinach mostly.


1/2 pint of strawberries, quartered
1 bag baby spinach
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts

Dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon orange zest
juice of 1 orange
1 teaspoon honey
pepper to taste

Some helpful hints:
* Even though bagged baby spinach is washed, wash it again. I have found some gross leaves in there before.
* Keep balsamic vinegar in the fridge after you open it. Apparently, this can help to keep the flavor sweet.
* Zest the orange before you juice it. I know that seems like a "duh" moment, but I sometimes get so excited that I forget.
* I everything separated and let people put it together themselves. This way, the spinach doesn't wilt either.

Super easy Thai style rice noodles

My mother made this when I was growing up. It has been one of those dishes that I just throw together for a quick lunch and never really give much thought. This is my "peanut butter and jelly sandwich" kind of meal. As easy as it is, I am really surprised more people don't make this. I have been able to find these particular rice noodles at most grocery stores for about $1 a pack. There are three servings in each pack. You can't get a much better deal than that!
I don't buy soy sauce that is marketed as GF. I have found that many Lite soy sauces are already GF. I usually buy Lite La Choy soy sauce, but always check the ingredients. Remember that companies are not required to change anything about the label if they change the ingredients!
The recipe here is vegetarian, but I have added tofu, shrimp and chicken to it in the past. That is really good too! I have never actually measured my ingredients, so adjust as needed for your own liking.

Makes 1 serving
Prep time: 2 minutes
Cook time: 7 minutes
Cost: roughly $0.50 per serving


1/3 a package of Maifun rice stick noodles
15 to 20 shakes of soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon peanut butter (I use all natural, which is why I add brown sugar. If you have regular PB, you might want to reduce the sugar)
1/8 teaspoon of ground ginger
dash of cayenne pepper
cut up green onion (optional)

In a microwave safe dish, cover the rice sticks with just enough water to cover them. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Allow to sit for 2 minutes before draining the water.
After draining, add soy sauce, sugar, PB, ginger and pepper. Mix well. If it is hard to mix or has chunks of PB that aren't spreading around, add a little more soy sauce and microwave for 15 seconds. Top with green onion.

Chicken with bell peppers and rice, or "Yummy" Chicken

In search for a quick and easy dinner, I threw this together one night after having something similar at my sister's house. Bell peppers have been my favorite food since I was child, so I knew I would like it. Chicken with bell peppers and rice became an instant hit. My husband is not much of bell pepper fan, but he loves this dish. It is very easy to modify as well. For instance, I add BBQ sauce on top before I eat it just about every time. A splash of soy sauce (La Choy Lite is GF!) gives this an Asian flare. Add a touch of salsa for some yummy Tex Mex. But, it is wonderful plain like this, too!
I made this for a dear friend of mine who dubbed it "Yummy Chicken." She has dinner with us often; yummy chicken has become a staple in our meals together.
No ever thought something so simple could become a family favorite.

Makes about 6 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Cost: about $6 or $1 a serving


3 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
3 bell peppers (I like to use 1 yellow, 1 orange and 1 red), roughly cut
1 medium onion, roughly cut
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Tony's or salt and pepper
Rice

Over medium heat, brown the chicken. Add peppers, onion and garlic. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until peppers are cooked through and chicken is no longer pink. Serve over rice.