Naturally GF Chicken Taquitos(Baked)

 We moved, and thus the reason for not posting for so long.  I still don't have my computer up and running, and our house is chaos!  I should be back to real life soon so come back soon to visit!

Taquitos were one of the foods I was happy to buy at the grocery store.  A couple years ago we were in California and i picked up some homemade taquitos at Trader Joes.  They were so much better than the frozen ones and I wondered why I had never made them before!  We love taquitos and I think they are one of the better Mexican foods without dairy.  Of course you can add some cheese or some creaminess if you desire, but for the rest of us, they are naturally dairy, soy and gluten free.  In the beginning I fried mine, but then saw a recipe from "Our Best Bites," for a great baked version.  Either way you can't go wrong, but the baked version is healthier and easier.

Any meat will do, I like to cook mine in the crockpot with a bunch of spices, but leftover roast or pork would also work.   The steps are so simple:   put shredded meat in a tortilla, roll it up and bake/fry it.   Here is a recipe I use, but this is just a framework, get creative.  We like them dipped in salsa, cafe rio house dressing, or a mixture of the two.

Chicken

Place 4 chicken breasts in a crock pot, cover with spice mixture, and cook on low until it shreds. Add a small amount of water during cooking if needed.

2 t. cumin

1 t. pepper

2 t. salt

2 t. onion powder

2 t. garlic powder

4 t. chili powder

2 T. lime juice

3 T. olive oil 

24 corn tortillas

cooking spray/oil

sea salt

1.  Wrap 4 tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 20-30 seconds so they are soft and pliable.  If they break, spray with cooking spray on both sides before heating.

2.  Place  2-3 T. of shredded meat on the lower third of each tortilla and roll tightly, secure with toothpick.

Repeat process with remaining tortillas.

3.  Place on a cookie sheet with a space between each one.  Spray with cooking spray, or use a mister or pastry brush and oil, and then sprinkle with salt.

4.  Bake 15-20 min. in 425 oven, until edges are golden brown.

5.  Serve hot with your favorite salsa, dressing, or sauce of choice.

*I am linking this to Linda's Gluten-Free Wednesdays, and  Tessa's Allergy Free Wednesdays.

Enchilada Casserole - Vegetarian Style

I have wanted to post this recipe forever because we eat it all the time, the problem is that I don't follow a recipe, I just dump!  This is my best guess, so don't hold me to it.  We love these for several reasons - they are fast - they are easy - they can easily be made dairy free/full of dairy at the same time - they are full of protein & fiber without the meat, and it is a cheap meal.  I always made these with ground beef, cooked in taco seasoning, but one day I decided to branch out and try lentils cooked in taco seasoning instead.  I figured they would have the same flavor, they would add a similar texture and I love lentils.  I didn't tell my husband and decided to see if he noticed.  He didn't noticed and even when I told him, he loved it just the same.  So now we usually eat this vegetarian style, but if you love your meat, or hate lentils, throw some seasoned ground beef in instead.  Also, everything is dairy free except the cheese, so I just leave a corner without cheese for my kids who can't have any.  My other kids can handle a little dairy and love cheese, so this is a great option because there is no creamy sacue laden with milk, and the cheese makes everyone happy.

Enchilada Casserole - Vegetarian Style

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can red enchilada sauce(Make sure it is gluten free- stay tuned for an easy homemade version)

1 c. salsa, give or take

½ c.dry lentils cooked in 2 c. water + 1-2T. taco seasoning(depending if yours has fillers or not)

Cheddar cheese, grated, probably 2 cups

12 corn tortillas

2 eggs, beat very well

Before hand, bring 2 c. water and 1 T. taco seasoning to a boil, add ½ c. lentils, reduce to simmer, cover and cook 20-25 min. until tender.  In a large bowl, mix beans, lentils enchilada sauce and salsa.  Grate cheese.  Cut corn tortillas into bite size pieces.  Layer 1/3 tortillas, ½ bean mixture, 1/3 cheese mixture, tortillas, beans, cheese, tortillas, cheese.  Pour well beaten eggs evenly over the top.  Bake 350 for 30 min.

* If you are wondering about the eggs, they add extra protein, moisture, and a delicious crunchiness on top!

* If you love meat, throw it in and leave out the lentils, or leave in the lentils also.

**Check out other great recipes at Linda's Gluten Free Wednesdays!