Comfort Food for Gluten- and Dairy-Free Client

The above picture represents the comfort food portion of yesterday's cookdate, and it's all gluten-free and dairy-free. This special-diet client loves comfort food, and requested Lasagna Rollups and Tex-Mex Tortilla Bake as two of her four entrees for yesterday's cookdate. My usual style of cooking is a little lighter and with more emphasis on fresh vegetables, but I have definitely put a healthy spin on these traditional foods.

The Lasagna Rollups are a new recipe that I knew she'd like, because they include tofu, spinach and kalamata olives, some of her favorites. I used Tinkyada rice lasagna noodles, which cooked and rolled up beautifully, as well as soy cheeses and lots of fresh basil. I prepared the rollups and divided them up between two dishes, one for her fridge and one for the freezer.

The Tex-Mex Tortilla Bake is an old family favorite which I've adapted for her, taking out a few things she can't have (black beans, corn and cheese), switching from flour tortillas to rice tortillas, and using soy cheese to replace the cheddar/jack combo I would normally use. The dish includes lean ground turkey and some great spices. After baking this dish, I cut it into 4 large pieces and package two fresh and two frozen.

Tex-Mex Tortilla Bake (gluten-free, diary-free)
Serves 4


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion -- chopped
2 cloves garlic -- chopped
1 1/4 pounds ground turkey
1 large can tomato sauce (Muir Glen is gluten-free)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 rice tortillas
1/2 package soy cheese (jack or cheddar)
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Heat oil in skillet. Saute onion and garlic for a few minutes. Add turkey. Cook all until done. Drain fat from skillet.

Stir in tomato sauce, chili powder and cumin. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add salt and pepper.

Place one tortilla in a sprayed 9x9 dish. Top with a spinkling of cheese, half of the meat, a sprinkling of cilantro, and more cheese. Repeat, ending with cheese. Cover with sprayed aluminum foil and bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool for several minutes. Cut into 4 wedges.

Serve with soy sour cream and cilantro-avocado salsa (mix fresh cilantro, chopped avocado, chopped tomato with some salt, chili powder and lemon or lime juice).