Outside the Box

Sometimes your biggest creative inspirations come from being without something and then thinking outside the box.  

Lauren Marie’s Gluten Free

Fried "Rice" Quinoa 

My husband and I love to have wonderful homemade meals at home, but sometimes our busy schedules don't allow it.  When I first went gluten free, I dreaded those moments when we were running errands on Saturdays and we needed to grab a bite to eat.

What's around here that I can eat? I don't feel like another salad without dressing...



But then we slowly started to find places that were a great fast meal and gluten free, hello Pei Wei! They have a few gluten free items that I really like and my husband loves Asian flavors... so its a win-win.  Except, for one little thing... fried rice.

Sometimes your biggest inspirations come from being without...

I used to love fried rice. The subtle onion flavor mixed with the salty taste of the soy sauce, and those little bits of scrambled eggs... heaven.  But no more, soy sauce is not gluten free (goodbye sushi).  So, while I was so excited to have found a great place for meals on the go, I couldn't help but be a little bummed out that the fried rice my husband ate with his meal was off-limits for me.


But then... hello Tamari! Soy sauce is normally made from 50% soybeans and 50% wheat. Tamari that is labeled gluten free is soy sauce that is made from 100% soybeans and no wheat.  But it still has that classic salty taste that I loved in soy sauce.  Actually, I have been told by many people who are not gluten free that they have switched from soy sauce to Tamari, simply because of its smooth taste.  And now, when I go out for sushi, I most definitely pack that lovely Tamari bottle in my purse...it's always my outfit's best accessory.



And then thinking outside the box... 

But back to the task at hand, fried rice.  Well, after the Tamari discovery, I cranked out fried rice like it was my job.  It became a great weeknight meal that I could whip up in a flash.  But I wanted to make it healthier, without losing any flavor... and quinoa popped into my head.

Quinoa is really good for you because it is a complete protein (all 9 essential amino acids).  But sometimes its hard to know what to do with it.  So, armed with my gluten free Tamari, I went to work.  And what came out was my Fried "Rice" Quinoa.  All the classic flavors of fried rice, with a healthy twist, and all gluten free.

I think I'll stay outside the box, its nicer out here.