This Gluten Free Dessert is Neither Fried nor Mexican

While Mexican Fried Ice Cream at restaurants may be deep fried, my recipe requires no oil or frying. Instead, I roll frozen scoops of ice cream in crushed Cinnamon Chex. (I also add extra cinnamon, because I like strong flavors.)

Despite the name, history traces this frozen dessert to Philadelphia, not Mexico. (Although some suggest it may have connections to Japanese tempura recipes.) It became famous at Mexican- American restaurants, most notably Chi-Chi’s.

What Coating Do You Use for Gluten Free Mexican Fried Ice Cream?

Many recipes call for using corn flakes, toasted in butter, and then ground with cinnamon and sugar. Because gluten free corn flakes can be hard to find, I chose to use Gluten Free Cinnamon Chex instead. Personally, I skip toasting them in butter, but I suppose you could try it.

I grind the cereal in my Ninja blender, and add more cinnamon and a touch of sugar. When it comes to spices, I prefer Relative Foods cinnamon. (I used this in my gluten free cinnamon roll recipe.) It’s ground in Michigan in an allergen free dedicated plant. They also sell gluten free flours, salt, and so much more.

How Long Does it Take to Make Mexican Fried Ice Cream?

This is NOT a 5 minute recipe. To make sure the ice cream stays firm enough to coat, you need to scoop the ice cream, then freeze it so it remains solid. I find that 2 hours is sufficient to make it firm.

After that, you remove the ice cream scoops from the freezer, coat it in the cinnamon sugar topping and the REFREEZE them until you are ready to serve. As we know, ice cream melts fast, so plan ahead.

Can Mexican Fried Ice Cream Be Made Dairy Free?

Absolutely! The only dairy required in this recipe is the ice cream. If you need to avoid dairy, simply use your favorite dairy free ice cream. Given that most dairy free ice cream is sold in pints, you may need to make smaller scoops, like pictured below. I used a 1 and 1/2 tablespoon scoop for those.

In addition, I use a homemade chocolate sauce for this recipe that is naturally dairy free. The ingredients include sugar, water, cocoa powder, salt and vanilla. Mindo Chocolate in Ann Arbor sells a wonderful gluten free cocoa powder that’s ethically sourced.

Craving More Gluten Free Hispanic Cuisine?

As mentioned above, this gluten free Mexican fried ice cream isn’t technically Mexican. For more traditional Mexican recipes, try my gluten free Black Bean Enchiladas. Tacos come from Mexico, although these Gluten Free Ice Cream Choco Tacos are a United States creation.

While some may eat gluten free Arroz Con Pollo for Cinco De Mayo, it technically originates from Spain. Theoretically these baked gluten free empanadas came from Spain as well, but they are enjoyed in may cultures. In addition, these naturally gluten free pupusas started out in El Salvador and Honduras.

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Gluten Free Mexican Fried Ice Cream

Equipment

• Organic Cane Sugar Crystals (5lb) – Michigan Business
• King Arthur Double Dark Cocoa Powder Blend, 14oz
• Cinnamon Chex Cereal, Family Size, 19.2 OZ

Ingredients

For the Ice Cream Balls

• 1 pint ice cream Use So Delicious if you’re dairy-free!
• 2 cups Cinnamon Rice Chex crushed
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp sugar

For the Dairy Free Chocolate Syrup

• 1/4 c. Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. water
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

• Scoop ice cream into spheres and place on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Once all scoops have been made, place cookie sheet in freezer for 2-3 hours or overnight.
• In 3 cup mini food processor, pulverize cereal into crumbs. Add cinnamon and sugar. Process again to mix spices throughout.
• Remove ice cream from freezer and allow to soften, approximately 4-5 minutes. Use your hands to pack cinnamon crumb mixture onto ice cream balls. Once all balls are coated, return to freezer to harden until ready to serve.
• When ready to serve, remove from freezer. Top with chocolate syrup and a dab of whipped cream.
• To make Chocolate Syrup
• In a medium saucepan, combine cocoa, water and sugar. Gently stir over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Cook for no more than 3 minutes. I like to store my chocolate sauce in a mason jar.
• Remove from heat, add vanilla and pinch of salt. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

**This post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**

Have you ever made Mexican Fried ice cream? What other Mexican recipes do you love? Share your recipe ideas with me below!

Originally Published April 2017

The post Gluten Free Mexican Fried Ice Cream appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

Is Maseca Corn Masa Flour Gluten Free?

So the other day I put a teaser on my Instagram page. I posted this picture and asked “What do you think I’m making?” There were lots of great guesses – tamales, arepas, empanadas, and more. One even suggested pupusas, which I already have a recipe for on my site. In spite of all the great guesses, gluten free Mexican Lasagna is the real answer.

Confession. The recipe for this gluten free Mexican Lasagna really belongs to the folks at Maseca. I’ve been using gluten free Maseca corn masa flour for years now. I first made this dish years ago when I was recipe testing with this flour. As I explained in a previous post, gluten free Maseca was previously certified through GFCO. While they no longer pay for the additional certification, their safe manufacturing processes have remained the same, and they test their products for gluten regularly.

Does This Mexican Lasaga Use Tortillas?

Unlike other gluten free Mexican Lasagna recipes, this “casserole” does not start with pre-made tortillas. I never seem to get those recipes to turn out right. No, this gluten free Mexican Lasagna made with Maseca gluten free corn masa flour begins with a dough.

To that you add spices, some salsa, and just a touch of bouillon. For gluten free bouillon, I use only HerbOx or Massel products. Most other brands either contain wheat, or will not guarantee their product to be gluten free, even if it does’t contain wheat as an ingredient.

Are There Vegetables In This Gluten Free Mexican Lasagna?

In true “me” style, I adjusted this gluten free Mexican Lasagna recipe from the original. You know me, culinary rule breaker. This original recipe contained no vegetables except for onions. Ludicrous, I tell ya. Much like my gluten free no boil baked ziti recipe, I boosted the nutritional profile by adding cooked spinach. Plus, it adds a great variety of color! Now, cooking the spinach first is “Muy importante.” Spinach contains a lot of water that will make your lasagna soupy, if you don’t cook it first. No bueno, mi amiga.

What Kind of Cheese Is In This Gluten Free Mexican Lasagna?

The other tweek I made is more cottage cheese than the original gluten free Mexican Lasagna recipe suggested. Because let’s be honest, isn’t MORE cheese always the answer. Now, if you can find Requesón, that is a more traditional Mexican cheese that is similar to cottage cheese.

You could also possibly try cotija cheese if you want to use a more “authentic” Latin American cheese. Either way, if you love cheese, this is definitely a dish for you! (Note – I ALWAYS use Daisy cottage cheese, as it is the only brand I trust for my Celiac Disease diet.)

What Do You Serve with Mexican Lasagna?

You can serve this dish with just about any side that you like. A nice tossed salad pairs nicely with it. One could also serve green beans, street corn, or sauteed peppers. Of course, guacamole and chips are ALWAYS a delicious option. If you really want to cheese it up, you can serve it alongside this Cheesy Bean Dip from My Gluten-Free Kitchen.

Of course, no meal is complete without dessert. Therefore, I suggest making this NO BAKE  gluten free Mexican dessert torte from Eat At Our Table as well!  My Tres Leche Rice Pudding and Mexican “Fried” Ice Cream are great options, as well. 

Jump to Full Recipe

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Gluten Free Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients

For the Meat Sauce

• 1/2 onion chopped (+ a touch of oil for sauteeing)
• 1/2 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 lb beef
• 7 oz spaghetti sauce 1 cup
• 3 oz salsa 1/2 cup

For the Dough

• 1 c. gluten free Maseca corn masa flour
• 1/2 tbsp onion powder
• 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp or cube Herb Ox beef bouillon
• 1/2 c water warm (plus additional if needed)
• 1 tbsp Pace salsa

For the Filling

• 1 16 oz container Daisy Cottage cheese 2 cups
• 9 oz bag of spinach sauteed to remove water, lightly salted
• 2 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
• Chop onion and saute over low-medium heat. I let mine cook for quite a while on the (3) setting on my stove, to caramelize them more than just saute.
• When that is done cooking, then add the garlic and ground beef. When the ground beef is thoroughly cooked, remove all ingredients from pan and transfer to a bowl. Add spaghetti and salsa to the bowl, and allow to cool.
• While the pan is still hot, saute the spinach until it is all wilted and the water has cooked off. Lightly salt it and transfer it to a bowl for later.
• Meanwhile, make dough. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. I used 3/4 cup of water when i made this, and it was too much. So I suggest using 1/2 cup, and then adding 1 tablespoon more at a time if it seems to dry. You want it to me a firm dough, but not crumbly. 
• Divide the dough in half. Press out the first ball of dough into a GREASED 9×9 pan. To help achieve a uniform size for the second layer of dough, I put a layer of saran wrap on top of the first pressed out layer, use a rolling pin to form the second layer, and then lift our the second layer to be used later. 
• Finally, time to build the Mexican Lasagna. With the first layer of dough in the bottom of your 9 x 9 pan, top it with half of your meat sauce, then one cup of cottage cheese, then half the spinach. Next, place the second layer of dough, and repeat with beef sauce, then cottage cheese, then spinach. 
• Finally, top whole Mexican Lasagna with mozzarella cheese. Try to make sure the lasagna is completely covered in shredded cheese, even to the corners. 
• Bake the Mexican Lasagna at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes

**This post is NOT sponsored by Maseca. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post DOES contain affiliate links. Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**

The post Gluten Free Mexican Lasagna appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

Tacos are My Love Language

I think it’s safe to say America loves Mexican food. I find myself constantly sharing memes with taco-loving friends. Many reasons exist for loving tacos. You eat them with your hands. They contain cheese. They are the perfect vessel for our obsession with guacamole. If I pondered harder, I could come up with more reasons, I’m sure. However, I want to tell you of my latest Mexican love affair. Gluten Free Enchilada Cups. These little bowls of savory goodness completely won my husband over.

If at First You Don’t Succeed….

These Gluten Free Enchilada Cups required a bit of trial and error. The owner of Chebe, Richard Reed, sent me an email months ago. It contained recipe ideas that he challenged me to recreate with his grain-free Chebe All-Purpose Bread mix. These beauties immediately caught my eye. As Barney Stinson would say, “Challenge Accepted.” Researching similar recipes, they all started with premade tortillas. So I tried the recipe for grain-free tortillas on Chebe’s website. While tasty, those tortillas failed to bend as much as I needed to fit them in the pan. Therefore, I grabbed a second box of Chebe mix and made a second batch of dough.

Good Things Come in Small Packages

Great things come in small packages, right? Jewelry. Keys to a new car. Chocolate truffles. That’s what I love about these Gluten Free Enchilada Cups. They’re small.  Handheld. They perfectly fit in a lunch box or work as a quick after school snack. Plus, you can customize this any way you choose. While I titled this “Gluten Free Beef and Black Bean Enchilada Cups,” you can stuff these with whatever you like. Not a fan of beef? Feel free to use another protein, like chicken or Chorizo sausage. Vegetarian? Use all beans! Want them to be please a kid (or adult) who’s a picky eater? Leave out the beans.

A word of note if you want to make these Gluten Free Enchilada Cups completely grain free. While the mix and the filling contains no grains, most enchilada sauces contain a grain thickener. For instance, in this Gluten Free Enchilada Cups recipe, I used Hatch Enchilada Sauce. However, this contains cornstarch as a thickener. Therefore, I would use plain tomato sauce + spices and add a bit of your own thickener. Here I list a few grain free substitutes for corn starch. Just make sure any starch you add is combined with water so it doesn’t clump in your sauce

Grain Free Substitutes for Cornstarch

Tapioca Starch – Tapioca starch is also known as manioc, cassava, or yucca. It is the main ingredient in Chebe. To replace cornstarch in a recipe, use 2 tbsp of tapioca starch for every 1 tbsp of cornstarch in a recipe.

Arrowroot Starch – Arrowroot starch also comes from a root. It contains more fiber than cornstarch, and “forms a clear gel when mixed with water.” Use 2 tbsp of arrowroot starch for every 1 tbsp of cornstarch in a recipe.

Potato Starch – Potato starch is not the same as potato flour. Potato flour is simply dehydrated potato, whereas potato starch comes from a multistep step process of extracting just the starch of a potato. Potato starch is a 1-1 substitute for cornstarch.

So back to these Gluten Free Enchilada Cups. While they taste delicious on their own, they really shine with a touch of guacamole and Greek yogurt. That’s right, Greek yogurt. In our house, we don’t use sour cream anymore. Plain, nonfat Greek yogurt contains more protein, less fat, and still adds that touch of cool creaminess that perfects these handheld meals. Sprinkle with a touch of diced tomatoes and garnish with chopped green onions.

Other Chebe Uses

Of course, no meal would be complete without dessert. Did you know you can use Chebe to make pie crust? Any of the pies I’ve created would go great with this meal. Apple Pie. Blueberry Pie. Especially Cherry Hand Pies! That makes a perfect meal, don’t you agree?

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Gluten Free Beef and Black Bean Enchilada Cups

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 1 pkg [Chebe All-Purpose Bread Mix|https://amzn.to/2weTaAc rel=’nofollow’]
• 2 tsbp cotija cheese Mexican equivalent to Parmesan – optional
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp water

For the Filling

• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 yellow onion diced
• 1/2 green pepper diced
• 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 cup black beans
• 6-8 oz enchilada sauce I used Hatch mild enchilada sauce
• 3 oz shredded cheese

For Garnish

• Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• Guacamole I used Wholly Guacamole
• Diced Tomatoes
• Chopped Green Onions

Instructions

• In a wide mixing bowl, combine Chebe All Purpose mix, cotija cheese (if using) and salt. Whisk to combine. 
• In a small bowl, combine eggs, oil, lime juice and water. Whisk to beat eggs and combine with liquids. Add liquids to Chebe mix and mix with fork until dough starts to form. Turn out onto cutting board or silpat to knead into a soft dough ball. 
• Roll dough into a thick log and cut in half. Roll the two sections thinner, and cut each half into 6 chunks, creating 12 equal dough balls.  
• Using a tortilla press lined with parchment paper, press each dough ball into a circle. Press the dough once, and then turn a quarter turn and press again. Then, gently remove the tortilla dough and press into the muffin cup that's been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. (It may be best to lightly spray the parchment paper with cooking spray to accomplish pressing the dough.) Repeat until all 12 muffin cups are filled. Set aside, and preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Meanwhile, heat skillet to medium heat. Add oil and saute onions and peppers, 3-4 minutes until onions are translucent. Add ground beef and continue to cook until beef is thoroughly cooked. Turn off skillet and add black beans. 
• Add enchilada sauce to cooked meat & bean mixture, and stir to combine. Using a one-ounce scoop, distribute mixture evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Don't be afraid to fill them high, as it will sink down as it cooks. 
• Bake the enchilada cups in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, top with cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is melted. 
• Top with Greek yogurt, guacamole, diced tomato and diced green onions. Serve ho

**This post was sponsored by Chebe. While I was given free product and compensated for my time and creation, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Also, this post contains affiliate links.**

The post Gluten Free Beef and Black Bean Enchilada Cups appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.