Rice Cereal Treats

One of the common blunders we made when first going gluten free is not understanding the hidden ingredients which may contain gluten. It's so easy to not realize that a simple ingredient has gluten. Take Rice Krispies as an example. You would think that a rice based cereal would be gluten free - it's not! Rice Krispies contain barley malt and barley contains gluten - so this is NOT a gluten free cereal.  You can purchase a substitute cereal which IS gluten free calledKoala Crisp. Our store carries the cocoa version, but it also comes in the plain rice variety.  We decided to make Cereal Treats made from Koala Crisp tonight as our weekly treat. I added peanut butter to give it some extra protein and to complement the cocoa flavoring in the cereal. Doodle said they were delicious!

Peanut Butter Rice Cereal Treats

2 Tbsp Dairy Free Butter (I use Earth Balance)
1/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
40 Marshmallows
1 Package Koala Crisp Rice Cereal

1. Melt butter substitute and peanut butter over low heat in a large pan.  Add in mrshmallows and stir constantly until marshmallows are dissolved.
2. Stir in Rice Cereal until completely mixed.
3. Season a 9 x 13 inch pan with butter substitute and season your hands. Spread marshmallow mixture evenly in pan. Allow to cool.

I topped these treats with some dairy free chocolate chips and cut them into large squares for dessert.  The chocolate melted into the knooks and crannies of the bars and tasted wonderful!

If you're looking for a great gluten free cereal that doesn't break the bank - try Chex! General Mills has recently made many of their rice based Chex cereals gluten free. Doodle loves the Honey variety and the Cinnamon variety. Beware of the chocolate version if you are diary free, as this product contains dairy!

Grilled Asparagus

Well the weather has turned warm (for the most part!) and we have been cooking an increasing amount of dinners on the grill. I love grilling season! It makes cooking so easy and clean up even easier! One of our new found favorites this year is fresh asparagus on the grill. A friend from work gave us a large quantity of asparagus fresh from her garden and boy is it delicious when cooked on the grill! Here's how:

Grilled Asparagus

Fresh Asparagus (as much as desired)
1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Kosher or Sea Salt

1. Wash, dry and snap off ends of asparagus.
2. Sprinkle asparagus with Olive Oil and Salt.
3. Place horizontally on the top rack of the grill and cook 10 minutes or to desired tenderness.

Asparagus on the grill goes wonderfully with Hamburgers. Doodle loves a good hamburger and enjoys eating it sans bun with plenty of ketchup and mustard. She's also found a new love for Bratwurst! We've been feasting on these summer treats for quite a few weeks and the asparagus really rounds out the meal.

Of course, anything on the grill goes better with a tall, cool glass of lemonade. We fresh squeeze the lemons for a refreshing summer drink. Try some out today!