Grandma's Gluten-Free Brisket by eZG

•  This wonderful brisket recipe will fill your home with the promise of an amazing meal.

   

   

   

• Serves	Cook Time	Total Time	Prep Time
  6	5 1/2 hours	6 hours	45 minutes

   
•  Ingredients 
• 3 lb Grass fed brisket
  1/4 cup of white rice flour
  salt and pepper to taste
  canola oil
  1 cup carrots- chopped
  1 cup mushrooms - cleaned and sliced
  1 package of Simply Organic French Onion Mix
  beef or chicken broth
  1 28 oz. canned of organic diced tomatoes

• Instructions  

  1. Preheat oven to 325.
  2. Lightly coat the brisket with white rice flour. Salt and Pepper to taste.
  3. Heat skillet, add canola oil and then brisket.
  4. Braise the brisket on each side. Approximately 10 minutes a side. This will retain the juices in the meat.
  5. Using a large Pyrex type glass container, place 1/3 of the carrots and mushrooms on the bottom.
  6. Add the braised brisket. Sprinkle 1/2 the French Onion mix package over the brisket.
  7. Add the remainder of the carrots and mushrooms.
  8. Add broth - 3/4 of the way up the side of the brisket
  9. Add the remainder of the French Onion Mix.
  10. Cover with lid or aluminum foil.
  11. Baste every 20 minutes for 1 hour to 2 hours.
  12. Cook for a minimum of 4 hours. then remove the brisket from the oven and let rest. Do not turn the oven off yet.
  13. After the meat cools, put it on a cutting board and slice it.
  14. Place the meat back in the Pyrex and add the tomatoes. Cover it and place it in the oven for another 30 minutes.
  15. Enjoy!

• Marian's Personal Touches

  Step 1 is your only opportunity to add seasoning, so do not hesitate to be generous. Try not to move the brisket while it is braising. This will help maintain an even sear. I baste the brisket for 2 hours because I like how tender it becomes but most recipes suggest 1 hour. I add the tomatoes at the end because I believe it retains the rich tomatoes flavor while enhancing the meal. The tomatoes can be added in the beginning if you wish.

The Haze is Lifting!

Hello everyone! I am finally coming out of the holiday haze and want to share a great experience I had this week.  I have many family birthdays this month and 12 of them between Dec 21 - Dec 31st. March is definitely a cold month!

My husband, his twin and my sister's birthdays is December 23rd. A challenging time to celebrate to say the least. This year we went to the  Bru Grill in Lake Forest, CA.  It was an amazing and joyful experience. 4 of us are gluten-free and all 5 of us are dairy-free. Even in the midst of this crowded restaurant, we enjoyed a fabulous meal that was specially prepared for us. The food is great, the service even better, and the place was decorated beautifully.

Though they do not have a specific allergen or gluten-free menu, they have many options.  Let's start with the fact that they have a separate allergen cooking area. Oh yes, all the staff are trained and understand allergies and gluten issues.They have gluten-free flat-bread &  pasta, both which are delicious. The french frier is a gluten-free dedicated fryer, so I ordered a side dish and had french fries for the first time in years. (I only eat a few because I am not used to fried foods and didn't like them as much as I used to) Almost any meal can be convert to gluten-free and, if not, the staff is the first to know. As for dairy-free, none of us had a problem finding exactly what we wanted.

I can't remember a time that we all went out to dinner and were so relaxed and enjoyed a wonderful meal, knowing we were safe.

I hope you have a great go to safe-haven, also. 

Holiday Temptations

During the holiday's people are often tempted to justify eating foods they are not supposed to eat. This includes people who are supposed to be gluten-free for health reasons, Celiacs included. Do not let the temptations of the holiday derail your health. 

I know how difficult it is to walk into someplace that is filled with the fragrance of wonderful foods and know that I cannot eat them. I have gotten past the temptations because I have suffered too much in the past, from eating gluten or dairy. Now I enjoy the aromas and sights. I love looking at a beautifully made meal or a gorgeous chocolate mouse pie. 

Try to find the joy in the experience. For me, the holiday has always been about the people and the food is a delightful addition. Now those foods have changed, but I am so thankful to still have so many people I love with me on the holidays.

I just read a 6 part article on the Living Without site called, "Why Celiacs Cheat?" by Erica Dermer. Though the article addresses Celiacs, it could easily be titled, "Why People Cheat When They are on a Restricted Diet?" It is worth reading and may help you stay on course through this holiday season.

Are You Thankful to be Living a Gluten-Free Life!

The holiday's can be a warm, loving time or it can be a challenging time, especially for people with food  restrictions. I remember my 1st gluten-free Thanksgiving. I was going to a family friend's home, who was kind enough to allow me to bring gluten-free (GF) and dairy-free (DF)dishes. 

My family had only been GF for 6 months and I was very new at cooking GF. I made a stuffing, gravy, a vegetable dish and 2 pies and then transported it over to my friends house. They had cooked a complete Thanksgiving meal, so we set the buffet area up by dividing the GF and non- GF foods. The GF & DF food was okay but not great and it was obvious by the leftovers. 

By Christmas I was in full "Poor Me" mode. I am Italian and for me, like many  people, part of what makes the holiday's special are the traditional foods we eat. I had not mastered GF & DF cookies yet, I had to recreate a GF & DF lasagna and everything was feeling a bit overwhelming. And then I received an amazing gift. One of Gratitude!

During Christmas dinner, someone asked me if living GF had improved my health. I started to rattle off all the symptoms that were now gone or at least much better.  I spoke about the brain fog lifting and how clear life seemed now. At that moment, I realized even with all the challenges of living GF, I was THANKFUL. Very, very thankful that my body and mind were healing. I have not allowed "Poor Me" back in again. (Well, that may not be totally truthful)

How about you? Do you find the Holiday's challenging?  Is your food restrictions stopping you from fully enjoying this season?

If you are struggling to find the gratitude in living GF, I suggest you check out, The Gratitude Habit's blog and Pinterest. They are filled with wonderful "gratitude" craft ideas, for the whole family. 



Happy Holiday's !