A Gluten Free Approach to Enchiladas

Gluten Free Enchiladas

My husband is a hunter. I am personally not a huge fan of venison, but it is hard to use that as an excuse, when he is dragging a 130-150 lb animal home, full of manly pride because he is able to provide meat for his family. 

I have been playing with recipes that cover the game(y) taste, enough for me to actually enjoy the meal. 
These enchiladas are almost creamy on the inside. The meat melts in your mouth, and I promise there is no residual game flavor left behind. Now, if your husband is not a hunter, ground beef or chicken would be awesome as well. 
With flavors that are authentic, and just enough kick to leave a small fire on your tongue, I truly think you will use this recipe again and again. The meat alone could be used for tacos and the best part... By using gluten free corn tortillas, this recipe is GLUTEN FREE, and using the full recipe will give you leftovers to freeze and have again for an easy dinner.
The Enchilada Sauce is really what made the taste so good, so here it goes. 

 

Ingredients:

3 lbs of ground meat (we used venison, but you could do chicken or beef)
1 tsp ancho chili powder (more will make the sauce spicier, and you could add a dash of Cayenne for even more heat)
1 12 oz can tomato paste
1/4 cup of oil (I used Canola because it was what I had on hand, but Corn is supposed to taste more authentic)
3 cloves of garlic minced
3 tsp salt
1/2 sweet onion (or 4-5 shallots, minced)
2 tsp dried oregeno
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbs chili powder
pinch of pepper
1 full container of beef broth (reserve 1/2 for meat)
Flour or corn tortillas
2 cups Mexican Style shredded cheese (more or less depending on your taste)
Serve with sour cream and chopped green onions

Meat Mixture:

Start browning the meat in a Large Pot.
Saute onion and garlic in a separate Large Pot for about 5 mins, or until the onion is clear.
Meanwhile, combine the tomato paste, oil, 1/2 beef stock, and spices in a large mixing bowl, blending well and ensuring the oil is completely combined. Pour tomato mixture over the sauteed garlic and onion and simmer until thoroughly warmed.
After meat is browned, remove the grease, and pour the remaining beef stock over the meat. Simmer meat and stock for about 10 minutes.
Combine the tomato sauce with the meat and stock, leaving about 1 cup of the tomato sauce (now the enchilada sauce) in the bottom of the pot, reserved for dipping the tortillas. Allow to simmer for 30 mins (or longer).
Remove the meat mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Preparing the Enchiladas:

Prepare 2 baking dishes (I used 9in. rectangular glass cake pans) with cooking spray or butter.
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
I used the burrito size flour tortillas and the 3 pounds of meat filled 10 tortillas.
Place a single tortilla in the reserved tomato sauce, just enough to coat and soften it. Place the tortilla on a flat surface and place a single line of cheese down the center. Top the cheese with a serving of the meat mixture (I was generous with the serving size because I used the larger tortillas), and then fold the top and bottom over the meat mixture and roll, to create the enchilada. Place seam side down in the prepared baking dish and repeat this process, using all of the tortillas, and meat mixture.
Once the enchiladas are all in the baking dish, cover them with the remaining (reserved) enchilada (tomato) sauce. Top with cheese and bake in the preheated oven until the cheese on top is thoroughly melted. Serve with sour cream and chopped green onions, and enjoy!

A Time for Thanks

The holidays are quickly approaching. This is truly my favorite time of the year, and Thanksgiving is by far my most favorite holiday. It is a time when friends and family come together to celebrate each other, to break bread with one another, and is focused on being thankful for all we have. 

Again, I feel compelled to express my sincerest gratitude for all those who have supported Kinera Foundation over the course of the last 6 months. Because of each of you, we have reached more parents and caregivers than I hoped to reach in a year. We have allowed those who service our community an opportunity to speak about their services in a forum that directly reaches those they are trying to help. We have made friends, our children have made friends, and we are on the path to truly fulfilling our mission statement.

THANK YOU!!

With the approaching holidays, comes the stress of preparing our homes and families for the whirlwind of festivities. There are numerous tips and tricks to make this easier on our children who have sensory sensitivities, but below are some tips from a fellow mom, who has attended every meeting and has offered an immense amount of support for Kinera Foundation's future.  

6 Tips to help your child during the busy holiday season

1. Give your child a schedule of events for special activities, particularly on days with lots of transitions. Whether it’s a written schedule or one with pictures for younger kids, your child will feel calmer and safer knowing what is coming up. Discuss the schedule with your child. Sometimes just knowing what’s next can help children with special needs feel less anxiety.

2. Have a code word your child can use if he/she feels overwhelmed and needs a break. Let your child know if he/she uses the code word, you will respond right away. Again, giving children some control during activities that may be overstimulating for them will reduce anxiety and fear of the unknown.
3. Before you leave for holiday parties, parades, or other events, have a quick family meeting so your whole family knows how long you plan to stay and how you expect them to behave. This will benefit neuro-typical children as well, since any child can get overwhelmed with the excitement of the holidays. Continue to make your child’s sleep schedule a priority, even in the midst of so many special events.
4. Children with significant sensory-sensitivities may require a little extra planning to enjoy holiday events. For example, you may need to bring along ear plugs if you will be in a noisy environment or sensory fidgets if the child is expected to sit still. For sensitive kids who need to wear dress clothes for events, bring  along some soft clothes for them to change into as soon as possible. Be prepared by knowing your child’s specific limitations and how you will handle them if the need arises. Don’t wait for the meltdown to begin.
5. If your children have food sensitives or allergies that prevent them from eating holiday treats, plan ahead to offer alternatives like all-natural candy or a gluten-free treat from home. Children with neuro-behavioral disorders like ADHD or autism often already feel different, so be sure to include them in as many holiday festivities as possible.
6. If your child is easily over-stimulated, limit holiday decorations in your home. Too many twinkling lights combined with smells from the kitchen and other holidays distractions, while enjoyable to most, can be too much for children with autism, ADHD, or sensory disorders. Let special needs children help you decorate for the holidays so they are involved in the changes that take place in their comforting environment.

Great article about how Jewish families can celebrate Hanukkah with their children with special needs: http://www.abilitypath.org/areas-of-development/physical-development/sensory/articles/hanukkah1.html
 
A few more tips: http://specialchildren.about.com/od/inthecommunity/a/holiday.htm
 
http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blog/2012/12/12/13-holiday-survival-tips-for-your-child-with-special-needs/

These are great tips for what others can do for a parent of a child with special needs: http://specialchildren.about.com/od/inthecommunity/tp/Things-to-Do-for-a-Parent.htm
 
Gluten Free Holiday Cookie Recipes
http://noshon.it/recipes/13-gluten-free-holiday-cookie-recipes/

Going Gluten Free? Take it slow

Ten steps to a pantry makeover

Recently I have had quite a few parents ask about our diet for C and how we manage the expense of his dietary restrictions. When C was diagnosed, a blood test revealed that he had an egg and wheat allergy. Though he does not have an anaphylactic reaction to the allergy, it is clear that it affects his body. He will start to stim more, he starts to use jargon, and his pupil's even dilate. Though the allergist said these are not common symptoms of an allergic reaction, we have learned to expect the uncommon with C.

So, we moved forward with not only changing the way C eats, but have revamped our entire family's eating habits. Though we don't all follow a gluten free diet, we have removed many food items containing wheat or egg. We have also eliminated all dyes, all foods containing GMO's, have moved to primarily organic meat and produce, no longer eat processed foods, and limit sugar intake.

Before you decide that you need to do a complete overhaul of your pantry, I have a few suggestions to make the transition easier, and ease the burden on your pockets.

1. Don't eliminate everything at once! Take it one step at a time, one ingredient at a time. If you just stocked your pantry with cereal, bread, pasta, etc., try eliminating processed foods first. I have found that making things from scratch takes as much time as prepared foods, and can be a fun teaching moment for kids (and husbands too)
2. When purchasing organic produce, start with the "Dirty Dozen", as shown by Organic.org. These foods are listed based on the previous years pesticide residue testing and then placed in the "Dirty Dozen" category as foods recommended to purchase organic.
3. If you are eliminating foods to see if there are any behavioral effects on your child (or yourself for that matter), ensure that you only eliminate one food at a time, and give it a minimum of 2-3 weeks to ensure that it is completely removed from your system. This way you will be able to pinpoint any culprits of unwanted behavior.
4. Check with your butcher to find out where your meat comes from. Ideally you want to eat meat that comes from farms that grass feed their animals, allow them to free roam, and are free from added hormones and antibiotics.
5. Natural doesn't necessarily mean organic. This is confusing because there are strict regulations that come with the FDA Approved Organic label, whereas "Natural" does not have the same criteria. With that being said, local and small farmers don't necessarily have the means required to pay for the FDA to approve them as organic. Check with your local farmers. KI Farmer's Market farmers are very open about their farming practices.  Farmer's Markets are also a great way to support your local economy!
6. Shop the sales! I only buy meat when it is on sale. I usually only buy from Whole Foods, however Trader Joe's has great prices on Ground Beef and Frozen Chicken Breasts. I find out what is on sale and try to base my meals around those meats. This is where planning ahead is key!
7. Plan Ahead!! I always look online at Whole Foods and take a look at their weekly flyer. They also have deals of the day, and Facebook will usually update you on the good ones. Once I know what is on sale that I need, I plan out my meals for the month... Yep a month. I don't necessarily have a specific day in mind when I will cook a particular meal, but I have a plan for everything I buy. This helps deter me from overbuying and sometimes I can even stretch my meat over 6 weeks.
8. Know your staple pantry items and stock up when they are on sale. C Loves Z Bars, but they don't often go on sale. When they do, I ensure I stock up. I have found them as low as $.50/ bar, which is a steal! I also know that my kids like the same basic things in their lunch. We always have a fruit, a protein, a snack, and a sweet. Chips at Trader Joes are just $1.99 per bag!! There is no other chain store that has chip prices that low, and my favorite part... The ingredients are just potatoes, salt and sunflower oil. I can pronounce all of those ingredients!
9. Try making things from scratch. You pay for someone else to process your food, and I think it is a waste of money (in my personal opinion). I bread my own nuggets, cut my own french fries, mix my own pancake batter, etc. These are kid staples that can be costly. When I make my nuggets, I make a Gluten Free Batch, and a Panko Batch. Everyone can enjoy them, and they literally take 10 minutes more to cook than oven baking processed nuggets. The very best part... I know what's in them. There is no mystery meat!
10. Don't beat yourself up. If you can't afford organic, if you can't make your own nuggets, if you don't have time to shop in 3 different stores, don't get discouraged. By slowly changing your pantry over, slowly changing your eating and cooking habits, you are making a difference for the better.

We saw a difference in C's behavior within the first two months of changing his diet. I encourage you to speak with your pediatrician or family doctor, and take it slow. It is a hard change for parents and kids. We all get stuck in our habits, and routines, and changing a child's favorite foods, especially if they have special needs, can be a daunting task. I repeat... Don't make the changes all at once!

Some great resources for Gluten Free recipes and healthy eating are:
Trusted Table
Eating Right
Gluten Free Goddess
Whole Foods
Trader Joe's

Friday Food Experiment

Gluten Free Friday!

I have spent the last two years testing different recipes for Wheat Free/ Egg Free options for C. Though he isn't allergic to gluten, we have found that because gluten is derived from wheat, most gluten free products are wheat free.

Gluten free food can be expensive, especially because the grocery stores seem to mark up specialty products. So rather spend a small fortune on food that C can eat, I have decided to experiment with different flours and ingredients to make kid friendly food, that doesn't taste like paste.

Experiment # 1, chicken nuggets. There are several brands out there that sell gluten free, wheat free, egg free nuggets, however for a box of 10, they can cost as much as $6.50/ box. I can buy organic chicken tenders by the pound for less than that.

Typically egg is used as the binder for breaded foods, however I have found that buttermilk (or if you are casein free even olive oil) works great. If you allow the chicken to soak in seasoned buttermilk for an hour or more, you will have tender and well flavored tenders. I like to use cornmeal as the breading, however if you are sensitive to wheat or gluten, ensure that the package indicates that the cornmeal is comes from a "gluten free" processing center. Many times oat and corn are processed in machinery that also processes wheat. Arrowhead and Red Mill brands sell "Gluten Free" Cornmeal and Oat Flour.

Ingredients

1 pound organic chicken tenders (cut into nugget size or can be used as tenders)
3/4 cup of cornmeal (more or less depending on how thick you like the bread coating)
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Mix salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder into buttermilk, whisking together until all ingredients are combined. Add chicken and allow to marinate for an hour or more, in the refrigerator. Place cornmeal on plate (for breading). Preheat oven to 375. (I use a baking stone to make the nuggets on, which gives the nuggets a crunchy consistency, like fried nuggets would have) Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture and toss in the cornmeal, applying the breading generously and evenly on the chicken. Place the chicken on the baking stone (or cookie sheet, which would need non-stick cooking spray or parchment lining) and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the juices from the chicken run clear. Cook time will vary depending on your oven, the size of your nuggets or tenders, and the thickness of the chicken.

Eureka, gluten free nuggets, for a fraction of the cost of the store bought brands. Play with the seasoning, C likes things a bit spicy, which is why I add black pepper and garlic powder, but you could even just leave the nuggets plain and they will have a sweet, but slightly savory flavor.

Hopefully your little ones enjoy these nuggets as much as my guy does. I try to make large batches and freeze them in portion sizes to eliminate having to go through these steps each time C wants nuggets for lunch.