Steak Marinade {gluten, dairy, egg-free}

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It's getting to be grilling weather (yaaahh!), so I thought I'd share with you our favorite, and very simple, steak marinade recipe.  But before I could share this with you, I had to look up the proper use of the words 'marinade' and marinate', because I certainly don't want to be caught using the wrong word (gasp)!  It turns out I am not alone in my confusion.  According to the Grammarist, these two words have been misused for so long, they have become irreparably tangled together.  But to set the record straight, 'marinade' is a noun referring to the liquid in which a meat is soaked.  'Marinate' is the verb form, referring to the action of soaking meat in marinade.  Got it?  Good.

Now a bit about allergy-friendly cooking.  Of course steak, along with the green salad, oven fries, and veggies that often share a plate, are all naturally gluten-free.  But you do have to watch ingredients in store-bought marinades, as they often include soy sauce which usually has wheat in it.  So I prefer to skip the allergens along with the other questionable ingredients, and make my marinade at home.

Here is our ultra-simple, flavorful steak marinade.  Use it with any cut of beef you like.

Steak Marinade {gluten, dairy, egg-free}

1/2 cup oil (I usually use canola or safflower, but I'm sure any cooking oil would do)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar*
2 TBSP gluten-free soy sauce such as Bragg's Liquid Aminos or coconut aminos**
2-3 cloves garlic, minced or squeezed through garlic press

Mix ingredients together and let steak marinate for several hours or all day.  This is especially nice for marinating a london broil or other lesser quality steaks.


*In case you are concerned about vinegar and the gluten-free diet, this article may clear things up a bit.
**Here's a link to a nice list of gluten-free soy sauce options.

This recipe is being shared at Tasty Traditions, Full Plate Thursday, Thriving on Thursday, Frugal Food Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Gluten Free Friday, Foodtastic Friday, Allergy Friendly Friday, Friday Food Frenzy, Freedom Friday, Food on Fridays, Fresh Bites Friday, TGIF Link Party, Motivation Monday, Musings of a Housewife, Inspire Me Monday, Make Your Own Monday, Melt In Your Mouth Monday, Better Mom Monday, Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Traditional Tuesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, Wheat Free Wednesday, Wednesday Extravaganza, Wednesday Fresh Foods, Real Food Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesday, Healthy 2day Wednesday

Taco Seasoning {gluten, dairy, egg-free}

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Making your own homemade taco seasoning is simple.  And it's just one more thing you can do to reduce the questionable/unhealthy ingredients your family eats.  Plus its cost effective and guarantees that your taco seasoning will be gluten-free.

I've been making my own taco seasoning for several years now and have always been happy with the flavor.  But something was missing.  When I used to make taco meat with a packaged mix, it would have a creaminess to it that I didn't get from my homemade mix.  Then it dawned on me!  I was only added flavor, whereas the packaged mix was creating a sauce.  The fix:  cornstarch (or arrowroot, if you prefer) and water.  So if you are just after the flavor, follow the recipe below for the seasonings.  If you  enjoy the sauce, you'll find those instructions below as well.

Give it a try - make your own taco seasoning.  It really doesn't take much effort and its definitely better for you than that packaged mix.  And while you're at it, make a cute little label to stick on your container.  (Cuter than the one I made!)

Taco Seasoning {gluten, dairy and egg-free}

4 TBSP chili powder
2 TBSP cumin
2 TBSP garlic powder
2 TBSP onion powder
2 TBSP paprika

Mix all together and store in airtight container

To re-create a store-bought taco seasoning packet, sprinkle 3 TBSP seasoning mix into skillet while browning 1 pound of ground beef.  In a measuring cup, whisk together 1 TBSP cornstarch (or arrowroot)  with 3/4 cup cold water.  Pour into skillet and stir into beef/seasoning.  Cook a few minutes more till mixture thickens.

This recipe is being shared at Inspire Me Monday, Make Your Own Monday, Melt In Your Mouth Monday, Better Mom Monday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Traditional Tuesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Wednesday Extravaganza, Wheat Free Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, Healthy 2day Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesday, What's Cooking Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Wednesday Fresh Food, Frugal Food Thursday, Delightfully Inspiring Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, Tasty Traditions, Pennywise Platter, Foodie Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Gluten Free Friday, Food on Friday, Foodtastic Friday