For all of you with gluten allergies (or if you’re just a health nut), I’ve gathered the tastiest AND easiest gluten-free recipes for you. Every week, from now until Christmas Break, I’m going to have a new (successful) recipe for you. All of these recipes, along with many that didn’t quite make the cut, were tested just for Her Campus readers and are Her Campus Clemson approved! Now, I’ll be the first to admit, I am no professional chef by any means, but I somehow managed to successfully create, and enjoy, these dishes- you’re welcome!
Week 1:
Kicked Up Macaroni and Cheese
(I tweaked this recipe a bit, but you can find the original at this gluten free blog.
Ingredients:
For the casserole:
12 oz. gluten-free penne pasta
2-4 tablespoons chopped fresh jalapenos (super spicy)
2-4 tablespoons chopped bell peppers (I used red, yellow, and green–gave it lot’s of color)
For the sauce:
2 tablespoons light olive oil
2 tablespoons sweet rice flour
2 1/2 cups soy milk
1 1/2 cups shredded aged cheddar cheese
3/4 cup small curd cottage cheese (it came in a tub)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Dijon (I recommend Inglehoffer brand)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1-2 tablespoons white wine (you can omit this)
For the topping:
1 cup Crunchy Gluten-Free “Bread” Crumbs – for topping
10-12 grape tomatoes, halved
A sprinkle of dried basil, parsley, and grated parmesan cheese
Instructions:
Go ahead and cook the pasta, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and stir in the rice flour. Cook and stir the flour for about 10 seconds, then slowly add in the soy milk, whisking to blend the flour paste and milk. Bring the mixture to a bubble (it will thicken as it heats) then reduce the heat to low. Add the shredded cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, sea salt, mustard, nutmeg and stir to blend. If adding a dash of sherry, add it now. Continue stirring the sauce until the cheese melts, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
For a 6 cup baking dish, combine the cooked penne with the chopped jalapenos and bell peppers.
Pour the hot cheese sauce over the penne and gently combine. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the buttered gluten-free bread crumbs and halved grape tomatoes. Sprinkle with dried basil.
Bake at 350ºF for about 25 minutes, until bubbling and heated through.
Supposed to serve four…but two of us ate the entire thing, it was crazy good!
Be sure to check back every week for a new gluten free recipe! Give us some feedback and let us know what you think!