Tag Archives: Gluten Free Casserole

Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Low Carb

My first introduction to chicken enchilada casserole was in high school when I went over to my friend Kristy’s house, and her mom made it for dinner. I was also taught how to properly eat a whole artichoke at that time. Amazing! The casserole was absolutely delicious, and I took the recipe home with me and gave it to my mom to make (who was an excellent cook) as well.

At that time I didn’t have a clue what gluten, gluten sensitivity or celiac was. We tried to eat healthy, and also had our share of Oreos and Nutter Butters in the cookie drawer, and it being the 70’s, I was envious of the kids who got to eat tv dinners. Ha! I completely didn’t know how lucky I was to have a mom who cooked most everything from scratch and fed us plenty of garden vegetables that my dad (Pop) grew with his very capable hands, lovingly adding compost, leaves and other garden amenities every year to make the soil fertile and very black.

But I digress, this is about Chicken Enchilada Casserole that is something to brag about and be appreciated by those who partake of it. This casserole is a healthy version of a casserole I loved that also happens to be gluten and grain free. A little secret…cashew based sauces are a creamy alternative to cream cheese.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients:

8 cups of chopped, cooked bone in chicken thighs

1 Cup of Gluten Free Enchilada Sauce (I used this brand)

2 Tablespoons of Chopped Green Chilies (I used a gluten free brand from the grocery store)

1 Tablespoon of Taco Seasoning (I used this brand which is gluten free and no fillers and delicious)

1 Cup of Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese (for the top)

1 Cup of Plain Greek Yogurt

Salt and Pepper for the Chicken to Taste

My Recipe for Dairy “Cheese” Sauce here:

Dairy Free Cheese Sauce:

1 Cup of Raw Cashews soaked in 4 cups of water for 4 hours, then rinsed and drained)

1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded

1/4 Cup of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon of Nutritional Yeast

1 Teaspoon of Ground Tumeric

1/2 Teaspoon of Onion Powder

1/4 Teaspoon of Salt

Directions:

Soak your cashews. You can also do this in the refrigerator overnight.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Lay out your bone in skin on chicken thighs in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and set aside to cool.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

While the chicken cools a little, drain and rinse your soaked cashews. Blend up your sauce using the soaked cashews (we soak them to soften them and get them really, really creamy).

In a high speed blender, add the cashews and all the Cheese Sauce ingredients, and using your plunger blend it on high until it is completely combined and very creamy.

Remove the bones from the thighs, and chop them into bite sized pieces. Put them in a big mixing bowl, and add in your cashew cheese sauce you just blended and the rest of the ingredients except the shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and combine using a rubber spatula. Grease a large casserole dish, and put your chicken enchilada mixture in to the dish. Spread evenly.

Sprinkle the shredded sharp cheddar cheese on top, and bake for 30 minutes until the sides are bubbly. If you’d like, you can refrigerate it to bake later, just increase the baking time to 45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Zucchini Squash Casserole

Squash Casserole 1

This is such a great old fashioned squash casserole!

Squash Casserole 4

If you like zucchini, but it gets boring for you the same old way. Or, if you are a fan of comfort food in the form of casseroles, like your Mom or Grandma used to make, here’s one that is healthy, delicious and comforting.

Squash Casserole 2

Casserole is great leftover for lunch too! Love me some leftover casserole! This casserole is meat free, so feel free to use it as a side dish. I like to make pork tenderloin, chicken or bun free burgers to go with it.

Squash Casserole 3

Squash Casserole

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. of sliced zucchini (this is about 3 to 4 medium, depending on the size)

1/3 Cup of Good Olive Oil or Melted Ghee

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup of Mayo (I use Avocado Oil Mayo like this)

1/2 Cup of sliced green onions

1 Orange Bell Pepper, diced

1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

Topping:

1/2 Cup of Pecans

2 Tablespoons of Goat Cheese (optional) Omit for SCD or substitute with a SCD Legal Cheese. There is a free PDF guide at the top of my home page you can download and print for free.

1 Tablespoon of Garlic Infused Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon of Dried Chives

1 Teaspoon of Dried Parsley

1/4 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

1/8 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Grease a 12″ x 8 1/2″ Casserole dish.

To make the casserole filling:

Bring 2 inches of salted water to a boil in a large frying pan with a lid. When the water comes to a boil, add the sliced zucchini and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until tender. Drain the cooked zucchini into a colander. Allow it to sit and drain for ten minutes in the colander. You don’t want a soggy casserole. Meanwhile, whisk together in a large bowl, the olive oil, eggs, mayonnaise, salt and pepper until well combined. Whisk in the scallions and orange bell pepper. Pat the drained zucchini with paper towel to remove any excess water. Then, stir the zucchini into the egg mixture. Pour the zucchini mixture into your greased baking casserole.

Now, make the topping.

Finely chop the pecans, or alternatively pulse in a food processor. I like this handy mini Ninja Express one for this job. It has made my life so much easier, and I don’t have to clean the big food processor. This goes right in the dishwasher! Add in the salt, pepper, chives and parsley, and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the casserole. Now, if you are using goat cheese, which is very delicious in this recipe if you tolerate it, sprinkle small pieces of goat cheese over the crumb topping.

Place the casserole into your preheated oven, and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the casserole is bubbly.

This casserole can be prepped up to a day ahead and baked from the refrigerator. You will need to increase your baking time by ten minutes.

Enjoy!

Squash Casserole 5

*This post has affiliate links in it. I receive a very small commission if you purchase through my links. The small commission helps cover the cost of maintaining this blog.

Squash Casserole, Gluten and Grain Free, SCD