Ruth
Member
Does anyone have any
non-dairy, kid-friendly (not lots of nuts or pinole etc)
casseroles??
I need something I can cook on the weekends, freeze,
thaw during the day, and cook in 30-45 minutes at home.
All the casseroles I can find, including the "healthy" ones,
use dairy or are a little too, umm...., esoteric for my 2 and 4 year old.
THANKS!!
Ruth
Ruth
Member
Oh, and I avoid soy as well, so recipes that just substitute
soy products for dairy won't work for me either :-(
(My standy favorite of pork chops + 1 can cream of something
soup + onions is no longer an option :-( )
Thanks!!
Ruth
I've recently experimented with this basic crockpot/casserole dish. I basically add some meat, liquid, rice, veggies, and seasons, depending upon the flavor I want. Below are some ideas for seasonings... I don't actually measure the seasons when I add them, so please don't take it as exact measurements. I usually depend upon my sense of smell or look at other similar recipes for the ratio of seasonings. I've learned that adding the right blend of seasonings to a dish makes all the difference in the pleasure of eating. Hope you enjoy!
1 lb Diced chicken (or ground beef, turkey, pork, or whatever meat you eat)
4 cups liquid (chicken/vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, water, or a mixture)
2 cups rice (I like basmati, jasmine, or a mixture of wild rices)
a cup or two chopped onions, peppers, celery, carrots, or any vegetables you have on hand
For an Italian flavor, add...
1 tsp of each: salt, pepper
1 Tbl of each: oregano, basil, garlic, and sage
For a spicy/Mexican flavor, add...
1 Tbl cumin
1 Tbl mustard powder (or about 3 Tbl of mustard)
2 tsp of Chili powder (up to 1 Tbl depending upon how much kick you want)
1 tsp of each: salt, pepper
For a sweet mustard flavor, add...
1 Tbl mustard powder (or about 3 Tbl of mustard)
1 Tbl lemon juice
1 Tbl balsamic vinegar
1 Tbl olive oil
1 Tbl oregano
1 Tbl garlic
For a sweet, curry flavor...
Follow the "sweet mustard flavor" but exclude the vinegar and oil
and add 1 Tbl curry, and 1-2 tsp of ginger
I usually do these meals in the crockpot, cooking it on low for 4-6 hours. For a casserole dish, you would probably cook it at 350 for 35-45 minutes or so, similar to a regular casserole.
Ruth
Member
Thanks!! This gives me a great starting point. I don't use a crockpot,
as I work away from home and always imagine the house burning down in
my absence. I'm printing out your "guidelines" and will adjust it.
If I find a truly "smashing" combination, I'll post it here.
THANK YOU!! (I have searched so many sites for "dairy free casseroles",
and always come up empty. THANK YOU!!)
colormepink
Member
My tastes tend to run to either Italian or Mexican. I look for traditional casseroles/ dishes that I can make substitutions with- replacing noodles and starches with sliced or diced vegetables. I can have some rice and corn and will sometimes use them, especially for my pickier guests but I try to keep it to a minimum. I've made stuffed bell peppers with browned ground turkey or beef, tomato sauce, onions, rice/no rice/ quinoa, diced tomato, etc. I make a hamburger-helper type dish with diced eggplant sauteed with onion, garlic, black olives, ground turkey and spaghetti sauce. I make a Mexican dish with browned ground beef, onions, diced chiles, diced tomato or salsa, sliced zucchini or yellow squash, whole or pureed black beans. Any of these could be frozen and then reheated in the oven at about 350 for 30 minutes or so (thawed). These recipes aren't exact, I kind of eyeball everything depending on what I have on hand and how many I'm feeding. For my pickier eaters that I want to get to eat more veggies I sometimes shred/puree the veggie they don't want and mix it into the sauce- don't leave it as big chunks or an obvious layer. Jessica Seinfeld has it right! You might go back through some of your recipes and try to look at them with a new eye- there's not a good non-dairy substitute for cream of mushroom soup but how about dishes with other sauces- sun-dried tomato, pesto, tomatillo salsa, tomato salsa, etc? It took some creative thinking to make these changes at first, but soon they become second nature.
Ninufar
Member
My nieces really like red lentil pate, surprising as that sounds... including at 3yrs old. I use GF crackers (like the otherwise inedible Hol-Grain ones =-) on an oiled pan to make a "crust". (Google "red lentil pate" -- the recipezaar one is what I use, have the Colbin book) Really easy, cheap, can be left in the oven a little longer as needed, & keeps in the fridge.
This is not a casserole, but one surprisingly good trick I got from my grandmother was to make potato salad out of baked potatoes (takes little attention, less messy than boiling). Good for lunches...
Will be glad to hear what your little ones go for!
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