Teriyaki Meatloaf

Teri_Meatloaf

Since I have become toothless I have discovered that recipes with ground meats are by far the easiest for me to eat. Meatloaf is an easy thing example of this. I have discovered several recipes that I like, but most have a tomato based sauce. Some days acidic tomato products just hurt my sore mouth and throat (after effects of radiation), so sometimes a tomato free, and sweetened Asian version is a good alternative. I also love that this recipe uses a pre-made teriyaki sauce so it is very easy! This recipe tends to be very moist and not as firm as a traditional meatloaf (which I love because it is easy to eat, my husband is not such a fan because he likes a more toothsome meatloaf, go figure). I will say that you can also alter some of the liquid levels in this meatloaf if you want a more-firm finished product.

Teriyaki Meatloaf

1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
¾ cup rice milk
2 eggs
1 tsp minced garlic
1/3 cup Yoshida’s teriyaki sauce (plus extra to drizzle on top)
1 small onion diced (or chopped in the food processor)
2 lbs ground beef
Chopped green onion for garnish
Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk. Lightly beat the eggs together. Combine all ingredients except for green onions. Mix the meatloaf, being careful not to over-mix the ingredients. Bake for one hour at 350 degrees or until the beef is fully cooked. Serve with chopped green onions and a drizzle of teriyaki sauce. I love this one with sticky rice with extra teriyaki sauce on the side. Enjoy!!

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Dairy-Free French Toast

French_Toast

My husband and I are huge fans of fresh French bread for dinner. It is great with a little butter or dipped in olive oil and herbs. Any meals that have soups, stews or sauces are always great when accompanied by fresh crusty French bread. And I can buy it fresh at the store anytime I need to pick up a few groceries. My husband likes the crusty edges and me the toothless one likes the soft interior parts. So we make a good team. However, we only get through, at best, half of the loaf of bread. Then we always have half a loaf of leftover French bread, day old and no longer crusty on the outside. And we never know what to do with the leftovers. I usually end up taking the (now hard) leftovers and making breadcrumbs out of it. A good use, but I’m always looking for a better use for the leftover bread. When I have time the next morning to make breakfast, I can use my leftovers, and make a super yummy breakfast as well. French toast with my leftover French bread is awesome, and I have a great recipe that makes it allergy friendly and it can be soft and easy to eat for the toothless eater. Add some fresh fruit , eggs and sausage and you have a great Sunday brunch!

French Bread Dairy Free French Toast

6 Eggs
1 ½ cups rice milk (Soy milk also works)
1 tsp grated orange zest
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
1 good squeeze from a honey bear
A dash of kosher salt
½ loaf of leftover French Bread (Or other crusty bread leftovers)
Unsalted butter or margarine
Vegetable oil

Optional for Serving:
Fresh chopped fruit (or frozen fruit) with a little added sugar
Good preserves with lots of chunks
Powdered sugar

Begin by beating the eggs in a shallow bowl. I love my rectangular pyrex baking dish for this. Then add the rice milk, orange zest, vanilla, honey and salt. Wisk the batter until well combined. Slice the bread into ¾ inch think slices. Soak the bread in the batter for several seconds or on each side. I make sure I also get all of the crusts coated. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a mixture of butter/margarine and vegetable or canola oil just to coat the bottom. Fry the soaked bread several pieces at a time until golden brown on the first side, 3-4 minutes. Flip the bread a fry 3-4 more minutes. French toast can be kept warm in a 250 degree oven until its time to eat. Serve the French toast with different fruits and syrups. I like to use my griddle for the toast, since I can cook most of the slices at one time with the griddle (plus the griddle is the way to go for a brunch party).

This is a very basic recipe that is easy to make alterations and substitutions with. I love a citrus version with lemon and orange zest as well as orange juice substituted for ¼ cup of the milk. This can be served with mandarin oranges and is a summery version. My favorite is to chop fresh strawberries and macerate them in a little sugar and top the French toast with powdered sugar and the strawberries. This dish is easy to alter for other food allergies with various milk substitutes and the bread can be switched out for a gluten friendly bread. You could even top the toast with coconut whipped cream and coconut shreds. Have fun trying different toppings until you find one you like!

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