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.

A Breakfast Solution for Early Mornings

I wonder if you are at all like me. Each weekday our alarm rings at 5 a.m. Ungodly early, I know. But every morning at 5 a.m. I have just enough sense to know that I need to make the coffee. Then the next question is “What am I going to make for breakfast?”

If you struggle to figure that out, like I do, I may just have the solution! Bake this gluten-free savory breakfast strata one a free evening, and warm a slice in the microwave in the morning. That way you can start your day with whole grains, lean protein and lots of vegetables.

What is a Strata?

I love breakfast casseroles like this gluten-free savory breakfast strata, which is a layered casserole. They’re fairly easy to through together and allow you to use random ingredients from your refrigerator.

Health Benefits of This Savory Breakfast Strata

Onions contain Vitamin C and help boost our immune system. They also contain chromium, which help to regulate blood sugar. Spinach has many great health properties. Did you know it especially has anti-inflammatory properties, specifically within the digestive tract?

Spinach is also rich in iron, which is great for those who are still restoring their iron stores after suffering from anemia. I also added lean chicken sausage to this gluten-free savory breakfast strata. It keeps us fueled and feeling full longer than simply eating a bowl of cereal.

Using a Whole Grain Bread to Up Your Fiber Intake

I made this particular gluten-free savory breakfast strata with Schar’s Gluten-Free Artisan Baker 10 Grains and Seeds Bread. Schar loaded this bread with whole grains and seeds that provide fiber to a balanced diet.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests that women consume at least 25 grams of fiber a day. However, most Americans likely only consume 15 grams a day on average. The multiple grains and seeds in this Schar bread will help boost your fiber intake as well as many other B vitamins.

Great for Breakfast or Brinner

Back to this amazing gluten-free savory breakfast strata. Don’t be fooled by all the healthy items I loaded it with. It may be gluten-free, but it’s full of flavor! These savory ingredients combine to create one delicious meal.

Make this strata for dinner and then have leftovers for breakfast for the whole family the next morning. Or if you’re like me and go away for the weekend, your family may just eat every last piece before you get back!

More Gluten Free Breakfast Recipes

Looking for other great breakfast foods? Try this simple gluten-free breakfast sandwich or my homemade gluten-free chicken breakfast sausage. You could even use that sausage in this strata! Looking for more breakfast casserole ideas? Check out these 10 Gluten-Free Breakfast Casseroles everyone will love over at Eat At Our Table.

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Overnight Gluten Free Breakfast Strata

Course Recipes

Keyword Gluten Free Strata, Overnight Breakfast Casserole

Prep Time 4 hours hours

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 12 oz Gluten Free Bread (8 cups)
• 2 tbsp butter or oil divided
• 4 oz red onion (1/2 red onion) diced
• 4 oz mushrooms (8 mushrooms) diced
• 4 oz spinach chopped
• 1 c cooked sausage, chopped 8 oz
• 6 oz Gouda cheese (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 c whole milk (can use 1 1/2 c milk & 1/2 cup cream)
• 8 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp minced garlic

Instructions

• In a skillet, warm one tablespoon of oil. Saute onions and mushrooms until soft. Then add spinach until completely wilted. Remove vegetables from pan to bowl for the time being. 
• Add remaining oil to skillet. Bring to temperature and add sausage. (I originally used 3 Gilbert Sausages, which equals 7.5 ounces. I've also used a similar amount of cooked breakfast patties.) Cook 8-10 minutes until cooked through. Remove from stove and allow to cool before slicing. 
• Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish and add bread, vegetables, sausage and cheese.
• In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt, pepper, dried parsley and minced garlic. Pour egg mixture over bread, veggies, sausage and cheese. Refrigerate pre-baked strata at least two hours, preferably overnight. 
• Remove casserole from fridge and allow to come to room temperature. (Preferably for an hour.) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees. (Last time I made this I drizzled a bit of cream over the top before baking to keep it moist.)
• Place strata in 375 degree oven and bake for 20 minutes. Then, place foil over strata and bake for an additional 30 minutes covered. Remove from oven when casserole is completely set.
• Allow strata to rest for 10 minutes before serving, so you don't burn your mouth. Serve with an extra sprinkling of cheese if desired.

**Schar provided the ingredients for this post and compensated for my time. 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!**

Originally Published 2017

The post Gluten-Free Savory Breakfast Strata appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.