Favorite GF Dinners

From GF Women and Mothers

As I’ve mentioned in the past, one of my goals this year is to make dinner as quickly and easily and possible. (I guess that’s always the goal, right?) Getting dinner on the table without a ton of mess, making everyone happy, AND making sure it’s GF is no small feat day in and day out. If there’s anything I can make ahead, slow cook, instant pot, or air fry, I am all for it. I am also for learning from other women and moms about what their family likes best!

We have our go-to’s, but I am fascinated by what other family’s GF favorites are. What do you or your kids love? What do you serve over and over? I recruited some peers in the GF space to share their absolute favorite GF family dinners they cook again and again.

What is your favorite GF family dinner?

---

Ann Campanella, Author & Celiac Mother, Advocate, Gluten Free and Dairy Free

Ann Campanella, a former magazine and newspaper editor, is the author of Celiac Mom, an award-winning memoir about her daughter’s celiac diagnosis at the age of five and her family’s subsequent transition to a gluten-free lifestyle. Celiac Mom has become a “go-to” resource for those facing a new diagnosis. Campanella, a celiac advocate since her daughter was diagnosed runs the popular Instagram account @glutenfreeforgood which offers tips for gluten-free living.

On a personal note, I was deeply touched by Ann’s book, Celiac Mom, which I highly recommend reading. She has been a tremendous supporter of her daughter and the Gluten Free community at large. Give her a follow @glutenfreeforgood and check out all her published works!

Gluten Free and Dairy Free Zucchini Lasagne with Meat Sauce

From Ann - This lasagna is delicious, and the prep is pretty easy, though there are a few steps. The best thing is this meal is usually large enough for there to be leftovers!

Step 1 - Prepare the Meat Sauce
1 pound ground beef
1 large jar of favorite spaghetti sauce
Brown and crumble ground beef in a large saucepan. Add jar of spaghetti sauce. Simmer on the stove while you prepare the other ingredients.

Step 2 - Make the Dairy Free Ricotta Cheese
2 cups almond flour
¾ cup water, or more depending on consistency
2 T lemon juice
1 T nutritional yeast
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp garlic powder, or less depending on your taste
In a bowl, mix all ingredients well. Set aside

Step 3 - Prepare the Zucchini
Thinly slice long-wise 3 good-sized zucchinis. Bake slices at 350 degree on a greased cookie sheet for 5 minutes to dry them out. Or you can pan fry them for a few minutes.

Step 4 - Begin Layering
Meat sauce
Zucchini slices
DF Ricotta cheese
Shredded DF cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover the bottom of a greased casserole dish with a very thin layer of meat sauce. Place 1 layer of zucchini slices on top of the sauce. Use half of the ricotta cheese and add dollops to the zucchini slices, then spread as evenly as possible. Add another thin layer of meat sauce, then repeat the process. At the end, sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly across top of the last layer of meat sauce. Cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour. When done cooking, remove dish from the oven. Let sit before removing foil for at least 15 minutes. Cut into squares and dig in!

For additional gluten-free meals, Celiac Mom includes 14 easy recipes!

---

Christina Heiser - GF Writer, Editor & Substacker

Christina is a writer and editor with more than a decade of experience working with publications and brands, primarily in the health space. She was diagnosed with celiac disease in March 2020 (she got the call from her doctor confirming the diagnosis the week New York City shut down at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic). Since then, she’s been using her platform as a writer to help educate others about celiac disease. And now, she’s sharing more advice in her Substack newsletter, Celiac Self Care, with a particular focus on things you can do to make navigating the celiac lifestyle less stressful.

On a personal note, Christina’s newsletter has been such a guiding light for me ever since my daughter’s diagnosis in 2023. The breadth of knowledge she shares, the interviews she conducts, and the practical tips she posts help us all the time. I feel very lucky to have connected with her so early in our GF journey!

Gluten Free Pad Thai from The Nomadic Fitzpatricks

From Christina - I've always been a bit intimidated to cook Thai food, but this recipe is simple, delicious, and uses gluten-free alternatives for ingredients like soy sauce and oyster sauce. Plus, it makes a huge batch - my partner and I can easily get two or three days of leftovers out of it, which means less cooking for me during the week. 

Ingredients
8 ounces (roughly 200 grams) rice noodles, soak first
2 eggs
1 cup of water (this is for the sauce, not for soaking noodles.)
2-3 small shallots, sliced thin
7-8 fresh chives, cut into thirds
⅓ cup of bean sprouts
⅓ cup of carrots, shredded
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, or cooking oil of choice
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 tablespoon gluten-free fish sauce
1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce
2 Tbsps gluten-free oyster sauce
2 Tbsps tamarind paste/sauce (see note)
1 teaspoon chili powder
Sliced limes, chopped peanuts, for serving
Optional: chicken or tofu, cubed

Directions

Prep everything beforehand so you are ready to go when you start cooking. Pad Thai moves fast! You want to have your meat/vegetables chopped, seasoning sauce mixed, and noodles soaked before you begin cooking.

Follow package instructions to soak or boil rice noodles. Drain and set aside when soft.

Combine the coconut sugar, gluten-free fish sauce, gluten-free soy sauce, gluten-free oyster sauce, tamarind paste, and chili powder in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Bring all ingredients close to your stovetop so everything is easily accessible. Heat oil in wok/frying pan over medium heat. 

Toss in the shallots and fry until fragrant, but be careful not to burn. Crack the egg directly into the pan, using your spatula or spoon to scramble it and mix in with other ingredients. Once it is completely scrambled, push everything in the pan to one side, allowing free space. 

In the free space you have created, add the drained rice noodles, seasoning sauce, and ½ cup of the water. Stir and mix well, allowing the sauce to coat the noodles completely. Cook according to package directions for noodles to become tender (usually about 5 minutes). Add in the other ½ cup of water slowly when you notice noodles begin to stick to the pan and the liquid absorbed.

Almost there! Keep stirring! Lastly, add the bean sprouts, chives, and carrots, and stir everything for a few more seconds. Remove from heat, and it’s done!

Garnish your gluten-free pad thai with chopped peanuts and fresh lime juice. If you like, add some red pepper flakes for a little spice, and cilantro just for decoration.

---

Rachel Ciordas - Chef, Cooking Teacher, Recipe Developer & Substacker

Rachel Ciordas has been a cooking teacher for over a decade. She offers cooking classes for adults and children as well as private cooking classes and events. She is also the mother of a celiac child and for years has been obsessed with revamping and recreating beloved recipes, flaky pastries, and crusty artisanal breads to be gluten free AND delicious. Rachel loves to share her knowledge and experiences through great storytelling and practical advice for every cook. She is well known for her sound recipes and approachable demeanor, making complicated concepts seem easygoing and doable – an especially pertinent quality when it comes to gluten-free!

On a personal note, like the other women in this article, Rachel welcomed me into the GF space with open arms and plenty of enthusiasm! Her knowledge, recipes, and encouragement have meant so much to me, and I cannot wait to make this delicious soup of hers in the cooler months to come. Be sure to check out her Substack newsletter, Next Level Gluten Free!

Gluten-Free Chicken and Noodle Soup
Serves 4-6

From Rachel - One of our family’s favorite gluten free dinners is soup! But, what is a chicken soup without noodles? Simple homemade egg noodles require no special equipment, no hard to find ingredients and are really quick to make.

Ingredients
4 bone-in chicken thighs
10 cups (2400g) chicken stock or broth
4 carrots, sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp dried or 1 Tb fresh thyme
1 tsp dried or 1 Tb fresh minced rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (4g) salt
½ tsp (2g) black pepper
1/2 cup (70g)  fresh or frozen peas

For the noodles:
2 cups (296g) gluten free one to one flour, plus more for rolling
1 tsp (4g) salt
4 whole large eggs

Directions
Place chicken in the bottom of a large Dutch Oven or soup pot then add chicken broth, carrot, celery, onion, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, garlic, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil then place a lid on top, lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from pot then shred when cool enough to handle and set aside.

Meanwhile, make the noodles. Whisk together eggs and salt in a small bowl. Add flour to a large bowl then make a well in the center. Pour egg mixture into the well then using a fork, whisk around the edges to gradually add flour to the egg mixture from the sides until a stiff dough has formed. Place dough onto a gluten free floured surface then knead until dough comes together and is smooth.

Cut dough ball in half then roll each half until very thin with a rolling pin, sprinkling with flour and flipping/rotating the dough sheet occasionally to avoid sticking. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut dough into 2-1/2" by 1/2" strips then toss with extra flour to avoid sticking and place in a container until ready to use. You can also freeze noodles ahead of time for up to 3 months, lightly tossed in gluten free flour so they won’t stick in an airtight container.

Once chicken is shredded, sprinkle in the noodles then cook until plump and tender, 13-15 minutes, stirring often to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot.  If liquid gets too thick, add extra chicken broth or water. Add frozen peas and shredded chicken to the pot. Add salt and pepper and let stand 10 minutes off heat.  Serve on a day when you need ultimate comfort!!

---

I hope these amazing GF women have inspired you, as they have me, to tackle some new recipes and create new favorites for your family to enjoy over and over. Don’t forget to check out Ann, Christina and Rachel’s sites and newsletters, and be sure to subscribe!

What is your family’s go-to GF dinner? Share in the comments below!