I know it is not an easy job to be the person in charge of feeding your family. Having to think about which meals to serve that are healthy, tasty and won’t keep you in the kitchen for hours is really challenging to say the least. And if you add that your kid has any kind of food allergy–like dairy, gluten, or peanuts–that will make this equation even more difficult.
These 3 quick, allergy-friendly meals are made with simple pantry ingredients and you won’t require any special cooking equipment, fancy cooking skills, expensive kitchen tools, or exotic ingredients. Let’s skip the drive-thru and sit down together as a family and enjoy an easy, home-cooked meal that doesn’t require hours of work!
Fried Chicken With Quinoa
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup of cooked quinoa, cold (you can make it in advance it and have it on the fridge; I usually make enough for the week and use 2 cups of water for each cup of dry quinoa)
- 3 big boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce (I use the BRAGG soy sauce alternative)
- 2 chopped garlic clove
- 1/4 cup of chopped onion
- salt
- 5 bacon strips, cut into small pieces (I use Hormel Natural Choice)
- 1/2 cup of shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup of corn kernels
INSTRUCTIONS
- Marinate the chicken with garlic and soy sauce. Set aside to marinate for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Cook the bacon in a medium saucepan until crispy, removing some of the grease and leaving the rest for cooking the additional ingredients.
- Add the onion and carrots to the bacon and cook them for around 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken to the saucepan and cook it for 10 to 12 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
- Add the cooked quinoa and corn kernels to the mixture.
- Stir for around 5-7 minutes, let it cool down a little bit, serve and enjoy!
Easy Hidden Veggie Cupcakes (Dairy-Free)
INGREDIENTS
- 12 discos of dough for turnover pastries ( I use GOYA brand because they are dairy-free).
- 2 cups of dairy-free cheese (I use Daiya cheese but if you do not have any problem with dairy you can substitute mozzarella cheese)
- 1 cup of zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup of mushrooms, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup of onion, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Wash and cut the zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, and onions into small pieces.
- Cook the veggies into a saucepan with olive oil until tender. Set aside to cool down.
- Place each disco dough into greased cupcake tins to make little cups.
- In a bowl, mix the cooked veggies and cheese, stirring well.
- Carefully spoon vegetable mixture into each dough cup, filling each one generously.
- Bake uncovered for approximately 15-20 minutes until the dough is golden and cheese is melted and bubbly.
Hidden Veggie Meatloaf for Picky Eaters (Egg-Free)
INGREDIENTS
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 cup of finely shredded carrot
- 1/2 cup of mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup of marinara sauce (I use RAO’S brand)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
- 1 tablespoon salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8×5 inch loaf pan with olive oil cooking spray.
- In a large bowl combine ground beef, onion, garlic, green pepper, carrots, mushrooms, marinara sauce, black pepper (optional), and salt.
- Using your hands, mix ground beef mixture well and place in loaf pan.
- Bake for 40min and add the rest of the marinara sauce on top, and cook for 10 more minutes or until cooked through.
Remember to let your meatloaf sit for at least 10 minutes before slicing it. You can serve it with white rice or baked potatoes.
I hope these 3 simple allergy-friendly meals help you to make dinner easier and healthier!
