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Lemon Infused Brussels

December 19, 2012 By 3 Comments

There is no doubt that I love my greens.

Kale, spinach, arugula and more! There is scarcely a green that my family won’t eat.

That is, unless you are a brussel sprout.

It wasn’t until going gluten-free that I learned to love brussel sprouts. Before then I gagged at the thought. No matter how they were prepared, I just couldn’t stomach the thought of eating the miniature cabbage like greens.

I don’t remember what drove me to try them again, but I did; and to my surprise I enjoyed every last bite.

Then I began to crave these little globes.

Fresh or frozen, I could easily eat these by the bowlful.

But my family? Notsomuch.

It was not until my school sent me to a week-long summer training in Dallas that I discovered the secret to making brussels edible to even the pickiest eater.

You see, it was on this trip that I had the opportunity to eat at P.F. Chang’s for the first time, ever.

Eh-ver.

And it took only moments for the gluten-free lemon infused brussel sprouts to catch my eye. The moment I tasted these, I knew I found the key to getting my family to enjoy brussel sprouts.

The secret?

Well, there are a couple.

First, shred the sprouts!

By fine shredding the sprouts, gasses are released and there is little risk of the bitter taste that kept me from enjoying these beautiful little greens for many years.

Second, undercook them. Slightly.

By keeping your sprouts slightly crisp, you prevent the sprouts from emitting the unpleasant sulfur that impart the bitter taste and smell that keeps most from enjoying these wonderfully healthy globes.

Third, lemon.

As it is with many greens, just a squeeze of lemon makes all the difference and can take these vegetables from bitter to benevolent!

Today I am happy to share with you my version of the lemon infused brussels my family loves!

006

Enjoy!

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Lemon Infused Brussels

Ingredients

  • 4 slices of uncured smoked bacon, cooked crisp and grease reserved*
  • 15-20 brussel sprouts, shredded
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Salt and Pepper to taste (smoked sea salt is my favorite for this recipe!)

Instructions

  1. In large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove strips from the pan, reserve the oil and allow the bacon to cool. Add shredded sprouts to hot oil, stir and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, max. Remove from heat, squeeze lemon over sprouts, add salt and pepper to taste. Crumble bacon over sprouts and serve.
  2. Makes approximately 4 servings
  3. *Make this recipe vegan by subbing omitting bacon and bacon grease, using 1 tbs coconut oil in place but be sure to use smoked sea salt. That hint of smoke sends these sprouts above and beyond!
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If you haven’t already, be certain to enter my 2013 Cookbook Desk Calendar giveaway! You only have until 12:00 pm CST December 20, 2012 to enter so hurry!

Be certain to visit the other FoodNetwork Fall Festies and their lovely recipes below! xoxo

Feed Me Phoebe: Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad With Almonds, Manchego and Pimenton Vinaigrette

Cooking With Elise: Perfectly Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Brussels Sprouts With Vinegar and Cranberries

Red or Green?: Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Garlic and Red Pepper Flakes

Virtually Homemade: Fried Brussels Sprouts With Crispy Parsley and Parmesan

Thursday Night Dinner: Brussels Sprouts With Parmesan and Breadcrumbs

Devour: Our Best Pork-Filled Brussels Sprouts Recipes for the Holidays

HGTV Gardens: Garden-to-Table: Brussels Sprouts

FN Dish: Simple Brussels Sprouts Recipes

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Paleo, Side Dishes, Vegan Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Potatoes au Gratin (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan Option Noted)

November 21, 2012 By 4 Comments

I do not eat potatoes often; my body just isn’t ready to process that many carbs.

That being said, Thanksgiving only comes once a year and these cheesy, delicious slices are worth a once-a-year indulgence.

One of my favorite Thanksgiving sides, I am pleased to share these with you today.

May your holiday be filled with joy.

xoxo

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Potatoes au Gratin (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan Option Noted)

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs potatoes, sliced thin
  • 4 slices uncured, hickory smoked bacon*
  • 2c Pumpkin Puree (I use homemade)
  • 1 can Whole-Fat Coconut Milk
  • ¼ c Nutritional Yeast + enough to sprinkle (I use KAL Nutritional Yeast, it’s safe, vegan and delicious!)
  • 1 tbs garlic powder
  • 1 tbs onion powder
  • 1 ½ tsp smoked sea salt (I purchase mine at the farmer’s market, although this alderwood smoked sea salt is perfect for this dish!)
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp cayenne

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400f. In medium sized sauce pan, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and reserve fat*.
  2. Add in pumpkin puree, coconut milk, ¼ c nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked sea salt, paprika, and cayenne to sauce pan. Cook over medium-high heat until sauce begins to bubble, remove from heat. Crumble bacon and stir into cheese sauce (optional).
  3. Cover the base of a 2-quart casserole dish with a thin layer of cheese sauce (approximately ¼ of the sauce). Over this, carefully lay 1 layer of thin potato slices (approximately ¼ of the slices), then alternate cheese and potatoes, making sure the top layer is cheese. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with nutritional yeast and place dish in oven.
  4. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.
  5. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.
  6. Makes 8-10 servings.
  7. *If opting for a vegan version, replace bacon grease with 2 tbs coconut oil, use smoked paprika and smoked cayenne for an extra-cheesy flavor.
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Need more Thanksgiving inspiration?

Be sure to visit my FoodNetwork Fall Fest Friends and their delicious Thanksgiving recipes below:

Feed Me Phoebe: Five Spice Winter Squash Soup
Chez Us: Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Virtually Homemade: Brussels Sprouts Salad With Avocado and a Tangerine Vinaigrette
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Spicy Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes
Red or Green?: Bolitas Bean Salad
Devour: Thanksgiving Yam and Sweet Potato Sides That Are Almost Desserts
The Heritage Cook: Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Cornbread Stuffing or Dressing
Cooking With Books: Rosemary and Pear Potato Salad
FN Dish: Old School Sweet Potato Soufflé

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Holidays, Paleo, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Paleo Green Bean Casserole

November 14, 2012 By 29 Comments

Growing up, my stepmother always told me she was a horrible cook.

The thing is, I loved her food.  Simple meals made at home are still homemade meals. Living in the small town that we lived in, there weren’t many opportunities to run and grab take-out or fast food and so that meant that we made our food at home. In hind sight, I am forever grateful to have grown up with that reality.

She was the one who introduced me to green bean casserole. I loved every aspect of this dish. The creamy soup mixed with crisp green beans, rounded out with a crunchy zing made possible by the extra French fried onion rings she mixed in.

Green bean casserole quickly became a staple at our Thanksgiving feast. Even the year we chose to forgo the Turkey in favor of Prime Rib and Crab Legs, we still had to have our green bean casserole.

Years later, when my daughter was diagnosed with her milk allergy finding a way to make this dish safe for her was one of the first things I did.

And so green bean casserole remained a staple at our feasts, milk or no milk.

That is until I was diagnosed with Celiac.

You see, to me the best part of green bean casserole actually comes from the French fried onions.

I know these onions in a can are highly processed.

I know they are loaded with awful ingredients we should probably never eat.

But they taste so good!

Because it has taken me so long to find a way to mimic those French fried onions to their glorious perfection, my family has had to go without.

But you know what?

I did it.

I nailed a method for making fried onions that allows them to look, taste and feel like those horrible onions in the can.

Only, there is nothing bad about these.

Heck, they are even fried in healthy coconut oil.

And aren’t they beautiful?

 

This, my Cream of Mushroom Soup and two pounds of fresh green beans = Paleo Perfection!

Nobody will ever miss the canned stuff.

My contribution to this year’s FoodNetwork Thanksgiving Communal Table, I am pleased to share with you this Paleo Green Bean Casserole.

May your holiday memories be filled with joy, laughter and plenty of amazingly good, good-for-you food.

xoxo

 

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Paleo Green Bean Casserole (Gluten Free, Grain Free, Diary Free, Nut Free, Vegan)

Ingredients

    Fried Onions
  • 1 large onion, sliced very thin (I prefer red onions, yellow onions will work as well)
  • ¼ c coconut flour
  • ¼ c arrowroot starch
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 c coconut milk
  • 1 c coconut oil for frying
  • 2 lbs green beans (fresh or frozen)
  • 2 tbs coconut oil

Instructions

  1. Please note that the cream of mushroom soup can be made up to three days in advance and that the fried onions can be made the night before. I’m all about prepping for holiday meals ahead of time…this dish goes together quickly once those two items are prepared.
  2. In large mixing bowl, mix together coconut flour, arrowroot starch and salt, set aside. Pour coconut milk into separate mixing bowl, set aside. Once sliced, separate layers of onions and dredge each layer first through the coconut milk, then through the flour mixture doing your best to ensure even coverage.
  3. Melt coconut oil in large fry pan over medium heat. It is ready for frying when a small piece of onion is dropped into it and the oil bubbles immediately. Fry flour covered onions in small batches, doing your best to keep each ring separate. Use a slotted metal spoon to remove rings once golden. Allow to cool on paper towel lined plate and store at room temperature until ready to use.
  4. To prepare green beans, melt 2 tbs coconut oil in large stir-fry pan and braise the green beans until cooked through.
  5. Using a 2 quart casserole dish, layer ½ green beans, ½ cream of mushroom soup, ½ fried onions. Finish your casserole by layering the remaining green beans, cream of mushroom soup and fried onions, ensuring that the onions cover the top of the casserole evenly. Bake in 400f oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated through and onions are dark gold, not yet brown.
  6. Makes 10-12 servings.
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Now pull up a chair and join us as our friends at FoodNetwork team up with the rest of the Fall Fest bloggers to enjoy this amazing Thanksgiving Feast!

 

Cocktails, Appetizers, Salads and Breads:

Haute Apple Pie: Apple Jack

Cooking With Books: Spiced Couscous and Walnut Salad

Mooshu Jenne: Honey Bacon Potato Pops

Food For My Family: Roasted Beet and Lacinato Kale Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette

Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Super Seeded Cornbread

Main:

FN Dish: Black Pepper-Pomegranate Molasses Glazed Turkey

Sides:

Feed Me Phoebe: Cornbread and Wild Rice Stuffing With Hazelnuts and Cranberries

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Chorizo, Cornbread and Tortilla Dressing

Sweet Life: Apple Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing

And Love It, Too: Paleo Green Bean Casserole

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Sweet Spiced Winter Squash Casserole

Red or Green?: Corn, Peppers and Onion Saute

Simple Bites: Honey Pomegranate Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Virtually Homemade: Fresh Orange and Cranberry Sauce With Toasted Walnuts

What’s Gaby Cooking: Sweet Potato Gratin

The Heritage Cook: Cauliflower Gratin

Creative Culinary: Creamy Mushroom Bake With Parmesan and Panko

Bacon and Souffle: Spicy Carnival Squash

Desserts:

I Am Baker: Pumpkin Bars in a Jar

Add a Pinch: Caramel Pie

Chez Us: Pumpkin Cheesecake With Chocolate Swirls

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Holidays, Paleo, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Share the Love with Vegan Carrot Cake Coconut Macaroons

November 7, 2012 By 16 Comments

I have some of the greatest friends in the universe.

Really.

So when my beautiful friend Shea from Dixie Chik Cooks asked if I wanted to participate in the Kitchenaid’s Pass the Plate event through BeBetsy, I did not hesitate to say ‘yes!’ even before I knew exactly what it was.

What I have learned since is that this wonderful event not only encourages friends to share with friends, but every time one of these lovely plates is registered and passed, Kitchenaid will donate $5 to Susan G. Koman for the Cure ®.

I’ve yet to meet a woman who has not been touched, in some way by this disease.

For me? My dear great-grandmother, to whom I was extremely close, passed away during her second battle with breast cancer. Two of my aunts have fought and won their battle against the disease. Numerous friends and their family members have also battled this disease, some battles won, some battles lost.

…And the day Shea contacted me, one of my students came to me in tears after learning that her mother was just diagnosed, for a second time, with breast cancer; four years after she had been given a clean bill of health.

Yes, breast cancer touches us all.

So what do you do when offered such a great gift to benefit such a great cause?

Well you make some amazing cookies of course!

One dozen of these macaroons have been sent, along with the Cook for the Cure plate to my friend Heather, the Gluten-Free Cat.  I have no doubt that Heather will find the most perfect way to share the plate from here…

Like little cakes melting in your mouth, these macaroons are sure to delight anyone you chose to share them with! Filled with cancer-fighting ingredients, no doubt these cookies are the perfect way to pass this message on.

xoxo

 

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Vegan Carrot Cake Coconut Macaroons with Maple Cream Glaze

Ingredients

    Macaroons
  • 2c shredded, unsweetened coconut
  • 1 ¼ c canned coconut milk (whole fat)
  • ½ c finely grated carrots
  • ½ c chopped walnuts
  • ½ c maple syrup (honey works well, too)
  • 2 Tbs coconut flour
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp salt
    • Maple Cream Glaze
  • ½ c raw cashews, soaked 1-3 hours
  • 3 Tbs canned coconut milk
  • ¼ c maple syrup
  • ¼ c arrowroot powder

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 360f.
  2. Using stand mixer, combine shredded coconut, 1 ¼ c coconut milk, carrots, walnuts, ½ c maple syrup, coconut flour, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla extract, nutmeg and salt.
  3. Scoop macaroon mixture by the tablespoon onto parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the top is lightly golden while the middle is still soft. Allow cookies to cool completely on the sheet.
  4. Prepare Maple Cream Glaze by draining soaked cashews and placing them in your blender. Add in remaining coconut milk, maple syrup and arrowroot powder. Blend until completely liquefied and transfer to pastry bag. Cut a very small hole at the end of the pastry bag, drizzle glaze over the cookies, using a zig-zag pattern to create the look you desire. Store cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for 48-72 hours or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
  5. Makes approximately 36 cookies.
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Need more creative carrot concoctions? Check in with my fellow FoodNetwork Fall Festies for more great ideas!xoxo

Feed Me Phoebe: Root Vegetable and Black Bean Chili

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Roasted Carrots With Chile and Agave

Haute Apple Pie: Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins

Virtually Homemade: The Silver Palate’s Carrot Orange Soup

From My Corner of Saratoga: Copper Pennies aka Glazed Carrots

The Heritage Cook: Maple Roasted Carrots, Apples and Onions

Made By Michelle: Carrots and Caramelized Onions

Thursday Night Dinner: Braised Carrots

HGTV Gardens: Garden-to-Table: Carrots

FN Dish: Best Carrot Sides for Thanksgiving

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Holidays, Paleo, Recipes, Sugar Free, Vegan Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vanilla Pumpkin Swirl Cake with Vanilla Palm Sugar Glaze (Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Paleo)

October 24, 2012 By 8 Comments

This is not my prettiest cake by any means, and I thought about remaking it in a number of different pans, but my daughter was so thrilled when she saw the final product that I decided if it was good enough for her, then it was good enough for me.

So many of my projects stem from the creative minds of my children.

After I had pressure canned 6 quarts of squash puree, used some of the leftover puree to make some Pumpkin Spice Steamers for the family, my oldest daughter decided that she wanted a pumpkin cake for her birthday.

She made it clear, however, that she did not want just any ole pumpkin cake… Nope, what she asked for was very specifically a vanilla pumpkin swirl cake, “you know, like the chocolate vanilla marble cakes you make, mommy.”

Now how could I resist that?

Despite the lackluster of the cake itself, my family raved over the result.

And my daughter? A genius for conjuring this up in her head.

Free of grains, nuts, dairy and refined sugar, I hope you enjoy this cake as much as we have.

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Vanilla Pumpkin Swirl Cake with Vanilla Palm Sugar Glaze (Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Paleo)

Ingredients

    Cake
    Vanilla
  • ½ c Coconut Flour
  • ¼ tsp Baking Soda
  • ¼ tsp Sea Salt
  • 4 Large Eggs
  • 1/3 c coconut oil
  • ½ c Palm Syrup
  • 2 Tbs Vanilla Extract
    • Pumpkin Spice
  • 6 Large Eggs
  • ½ c Palm Syrup
  • ½ c Coconut Oil
  • ½ c Coconut Cream (from a well refrigerated can of whole-fat coconut milk)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1 TBS Pumpkin Spice
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • ½ c Coconut Flour
  • ½ c Pumpkin Puree
    • Vanilla Palm Sugar Glaze
  • 1 c Arrowroot Powder
  • 1 c Palm Sugar
  • ¼- ½ c Canned Coconut Milk (full-fat, preferred)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375f.
  2. Grease and flour (using coconut flour) bunt pan, set aside.
  3. Prepare vanilla cake by mixing together coconut flour, baking soda and sea salt. Whisk in eggs, coconut oil, palm syrup and vanilla extract, set aside.
  4. Prepare pumpkin spice cake by mixing together eggs, palm syrup, coconut oil, coconut cream, vanilla, cinnamon and pumpkin spice. Quickly whisk in coconut flour, pumpkin puree and baking powder.
  5. Slowly layer each cake ½ c at a time throughout the bunt pan. Use a knife to gently mix the batter without completely incorporating the mix, creating a marbleized look.
  6. Bake at 375f for 35-40 minutes.
  7. Prepare the glaze by adding arrowroot powder, palm sugar and vanilla extract to your blender. Over low setting, slowly drizzle in coconut milk until the glaze has achieved the desired thickness (I used less than ½ cup but more than ¼ cup to achieve this). Set aside.
  8. Remove cake from oven, invert and allow to cool to room temperature. Pour glaze evenly over the top and serve.
  9. Makes approximately 16 servings.
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Need more pumpkin inspiration? Be sure to visit (and enter) this month’s Ingredient Challenge Monday, and check in with my favorite Food Network Fall Fest Bloggers and their delicious inspiration below. Have a wonderful week. xoxo

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Chez Us: Pull Apart Pumpkin-Pecan Bread With Maple Bourbon Frosting

Haute Apple Pie: Creamy Pumpkin Penne With Italian Sausage

HGTV Gardens: Garden-to-Table: Pumpkins

From My Corner of Saratoga: Chocolate-Pumpkin Cake

Made By Michelle: Pumpkin Scones

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Roasted Pumpkin and Black Bean Stew With Chorizo and Pepitas

Devour: 5 Delicious Ways to Use Pumpkins After Carving

Virtually Homemade: Pumpkin Pancakes With Maple Cream and Candied Vanilla Pecans

The Heritage Cook: Gingery Pumpkin Mousse With Whipped Ginger Cream

Thursday Night Dinner: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pie

Cooking With Books: Pumpkin-Bacon Brussels Sprouts

FN Dish: Primping Up Pumpkin

Feed Me Phoebe: Roasted Pumpkin Wedges With Chili, Lime and Cotija

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Holidays, Paleo, Recipes, Sugar Free, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rainbow Salad

October 17, 2012 By 9 Comments

One day, my husband looked at me lovingly and said those five little words many of us never expect to hear:

“Honey, I miss your salad.”

Yes, my salad.

I guess it had been a few weeks since I had made one of my nutrient-packed salads and my husband had a craving.

Now if only I could get my oldest child to say the same thing…

Funny thing is, my salads are never the same salad twice.  I rarely focus on what specific ingredients to put in my salad and instead focus on color.

As mentioned way back when in my Rainbow Smoothie recipe, more color = more nutrition.

This time of the year, when greens of all sorts are in season, mixing and matching salads is one of my favorite things to do.

To keep my rainbow strong, I always have some home-dried plums, blueberries and other seasonal fruits on hand that can be difficult to find later in the year but are a must-have when it comes to one of these colorful mixes.

So play with your food! Fill your color palette and enjoy all of the nutrition nature has to provide.

Rainbow Salad

Ingredients in this salad can vary by taste.  The goal here is to achieve optimum nutrition and flavor by using as many colors as you can find to include in your salad.  Top with your favorite dressing; make a meal out of it by including eggs and/or lean meat!

Ingredients:

16 oz mixed greens (romaine, spinach, kale, etc)

1 c Mixed Nuts (pistachios, cashews, pecans, sliced almonds, etc)

 

To this, add any combination of the following ingredients:

 

Red: Strawberries, Tomatoes, Radish, Raspberries, Beets, Blood Oranges, Cherries, Pomegranate, Red Apples, Red Bell Peppers

Orange: Carrots, Mangoes, Oranges (Clementine’s are delicious in salad!), Apricots

Yellow: Squash, Yellow Tomatoes, Onions, Yellow Apples, Pineapple

Green: Zucchini, Broccoli Cucumbers, Green Beans, Green Apples, Artichokes, Avocado, Celery

Blue: Blueberries, Elderberries

Purple: Blackberries, Onions, Grapes, Dried Plums, Purple Asparagus, Purple Cabbage, Purple Carrots, Purple Figs, Purple Grapes, Purple Peppers, Raisins

 

Serves 4-6

 

So what are your favorite salad ingredients?

 

Today is the last day to vote for the Circle of Mom’s Top Food Allergy Mom Blogger, and while I am nowhere near the top, it would still be an honor to have you vote for me!  Voting is open until 4pm PST, October 17…so please hurry, and please share with your friends! xoxo

Also, don’t forget to stop by my friend Kate’s site, Eat, Recycle, Repeat to sign up and adopt your favorite Gluten-Free Blogger! We want to keep this event strong while Sea is still in Japan finishing her dissertation.

Need more ways to enjoy your winter lettuce harvest? Be certain to visit all of my friends over at this weeks FoodNetwork Fall Fest for more!

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Quinoa and Black Lentil Salad With Mixed Salad Greens

Cooking With Books: “Chopped” Salads

Haute Apple Pie: Roasted Butternut Squash Salad With Warm Bacon Dressing

Dishin & Dishes: Beet Salad With Garlic Vinaigrette

Thursday Night Dinner: Mixed Lettuce, Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Pita Pizza

And Love It Too: Rainbow Salad

Made By Michelle: Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwiches

Feed Me Phoebe: Hearts of Romaine With Beets, Pistachios and Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

HGTV Gardens: Garden-to-Table: Mixed Lettuce

Virtually Homemade: Mixed Fall Greens With Dijon Chive Vinaigrette

Devour: Lettuce (Hold the Salad)

Daily*Dishin: Almond Chutney Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Delicious Lean: Chiffonade of Mixed Greens

FN Dish: Top 12 Lettuce Wraps

Happy Wednesday, y’all!

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Main Courses, Paleo, Raw, Recipes, Side Dishes, Sugar Free, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Grain-Free Spinach Pie

October 3, 2012 By 6 Comments

I have mentioned previously about my visit to the Dallas Gluten & Allergen Free Expo in early September and how I had the opportunity to meet some amazing people and learn about some fantastic products.

Among all of the new and exciting items, there were some familiar brands and some familiar faces along with them.

One individual I had the opportunity to speak with was Dick Reed, the founder of Chebe.  In our visit I explained that while the products I have been able to try of theirs were wonderful, I earnestly had no idea that chebe had such a wide selection as the stores in my little town only carry one or two of their items at any given time.  Because I make so much of our food from scratch, and because a majority of the chebe items our town has includes dairy, I suppose I just had never taken the time to dig deeper into their product.

Dick smiled at me kindly and offered to see what he could do about getting me some samples.  Within a week, I was thrilled to receive two big boxes filled with chebe mixes.

First, things I did not realize about chebe:

  1. All but one mix is naturally dairy free (although all of their frozen products do contain milk).
  2. EVERY chebe product is not only gluten-free, they are also soy, potato, yeast, MSG and grain-free.

That’s right…these handy dandy little box mixes are grain-free!

The main ingredient?  Manioc flour, otherwise known as tapioca flour.

To keep our samples dairy-free, I simply left out the optional 1 cup of shredded cheese and used coconut milk in place of water or milk in the basic directions as listed on the box.

My husband raved over the pizza crust, which he says was crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside (just like the ‘real’ stuff, he says.) Shown here with Diaya cheese, this is as close to take-out my family has had in a long time.

Of all the items I was able to whip up with our chebe mixes though, I do believe this Spinach Pie was at the top of everyone’s favorite’s list.

Because the crust is more of a calzone versus a puff pastry, I hesitate to call these spanakopita, although the taste, texture and feel of the filling is very much in line with its traditional dairy-filled cousin.

Any extra filling you may have is great as a pizza topper, as filling in an omelet or even heated and served with hot vegetable noodles.

May this recipe bring back memories of spinach pockets and fill your belly with all the joy it has brought to ours.

Enjoy!

 

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Grain-Free Spinach Pie

Ingredients

    ’Ricotta Cheese’
  • 1 c Raw Almonds, soaked 12-18 hours, peels in tact
  • 1 c Water
  • 1 Tbs Lemon Juice
  • 1 Tbs Olive Oil
  • 1 Tbs Dried Basil
  • 1 tsp Minced Garlic
  • ½ tsp Salt
    • Filling
  • 10 oz Fresh Spinach, chopped
  • ½ c diced onions
  • ½ c fresh parsley, chopped
  • ½ c fresh dill, minced
  • 1 c ‘Ricotta Cheese’
  • 2 eggs
    • Crust
  • 1 box Garlic-Onion Breadstick Mix (http://www.chebe.com/Products/Dry-Mixes/Chebe-Garlic-Onion-Mix.aspx)
  • 2 Tbs Olive Oil
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • ¼ c Coconut Milk

Instructions

  1. Prepare ‘Ricotta Cheese’ the day before you plan to serve your Spinach Pie. After raw almonds have soaked 12-18 hours, rinse and use blender to mix 1c water, lemon juice, olive oil, dried basil, minced garlic and salt. Blend on highest setting until smooth.
  2. Pull cheese cloth or very clean pillow case taught over large bowl, securing with rubber bands. Pour ‘cheese’ mixture over the cloth, cover, refrigerate and allow all liquid to slowly drip off cheese for 6-8 hours or until ready to make spinach filling.
  3. Preheat oven to 375f.
  4. Using a large food processor, mix spinach, onions, parsley, dill, ‘cheese’ and eggs together until well incorporated. Set aside.
  5. Mix together crust per the chebe standard directions on the box. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces. On parchment lined cookie sheet, flatten each ball as thinly as possible, paying attention and filling any holes that may appear.
  6. In the center of each dough ball add approximately 1/8-1/4 c spinach filling. Bring dough edges together and secure around spinach filling.
  7. Bake at 375f for 25-30 minutes or until lightly brown.
  8. Makes 6 servings
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Now that you know how we like to enjoy our fall spinach harvest, be sure to stop by chebe  and order your favorite dairy-free mixes (which includes all dry mixes except the Original Cheese Bread), then be sure to stop by this week’s Food Network Fall Fest for more spectacular spinach splendor. xo

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Skinny Hot Spinach Dip
Feed Me Phoebe: October Evening Lentil Soup With Spinach
Cooking With Elise: Baby Spinach Salad With Cranberries, Spiced Pecans and a Maple Vinaigrette
Virtually Homemade: Three Onion Dip With Spinach
HGTV Gardens: Garden-to-Table: Spinach
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Whole-Wheat Pasta With Spicy Spinach and Peanut Butter Pesto
Thursday Night Dinner: Spinach Ice Cream
Cooking Channel: Fresh Spinach in Indian Recipes
Daily*Dishin: Spinach-Sausage Saute With Pan-Fried Gnocchi
Delicious Lean: Spinach Leaf Roll Ups
Bacon and Souffle: Baby Spinach Pizza With Sopressata and Sriracha
FN Dish: Stuff It With Spinach

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Main Courses, Paleo, Recipes, Sugar Free, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Harlequin Soup – Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free Style

December 20, 2011 By 2 Comments

Today, December 20, 2011, Food Network Fall Fest draws to a close…

 

Last week, we were thrilled to invite you pull up a chair and join us as we shared our favorite holiday cookie recipes.

 

This week, we invite you to join us as we celebrate one last seasonal vegetable…

Broccoli.

 

Now, if you are anything like me, you are thinking “what the heck is so great about broccoli?”

 

I mean, I love the stuff…I love to eat it raw, I love to eat it steamed, I love to mix it in my casseroles, soups and throw it in with my main dish.

 

But really, what are you going to do to get creative with broccoli?

 

;) Fortunately, Fall Fest isn’t just any event…it is a Food Network event where creativity abounds.

 

So as I sat, stuck in a rut thinking “I could share my dairy-free cream of broccoli recipe,” which is good, but not this is the last week of the Food Network Fall Fest kind of good…a friend reminded me of a dish we enjoyed in a restaurant several years ago (long before I had to worry about things like gluten or dairy)…

Harlequin Soup they called it.

Harlequin meaning: in varied colors.

Using two small pitchers, this soup was poured into our bowl right at the table…one side a deep orange, the other a brilliant green.

Separately, they offered different, pleasing flavors…one side creamy with just the slightest twang of salt, the other sweet and zesty, laced with hints of licorice and spice.  Alone each soup was good; together…

Together, they brought forth a new level to savor.

I can understand why one would not wish to make this into one, simple, single soup…not only is the presentation of the two contrasting colors fantastic, but once the colors meld together, well….let’s just say the colors, when mixed, leaves a lot left to be desired.

 

Inspired by Food Network’s own Michael Chiarello, this Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free version of Harlequin Soup is everything I remember it to be…

 

Remember when preparing this dish…serve at the table, pouring both soups simultaneously from separate pitchers.

Also, be certain to have all of your ingredients pre-measured and ready to go…when working two different recipes at the same time, being prepared is essential to guard against mishaps.

Like the beauty that happens when families come together this time of year, this soup is more than a seasonal best…it represents all the joy the holidays bring.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

 

Print
Harlequin Soup – Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free Style

Ingredients

    Harlequin Soup

  • 1 Recipe Green Broccoli Soup
  • 1 Recipe Spiced Squash Soup
  • Fresh chives, finely sliced for garnish

    • Green Broccoli Soup

  • 3 Tbs Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbs Minced Garlic
  • 1 Medium Yellow Onion, diced
  • 2 Stalks Celery, diced
  • 2 tsp Thyme
  • 32 oz Gluten-Free Chicken or Vegetable Stock
  • 2 lbs clean and trimmed Broccoli
  • 2 c Packed Spinach
  • Zest of 3 Lemons
  • 1 c Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk (I prefer Thai Kitchen)
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

    • Spiced Squash Soup

  • For this recipe, you can use any winter squash you wish though pumpkin, Hubbard and butternut work particularly well. To roast, simply cut in half, remove seeds and bake at 350 until completely tender. Because many recipes do not use the entire pulp of the squash, I do not like to season mine ahead of time…any seasoning can be added to the primary recipe and the remainder of the squash can be saved for use in any number of pie, chili or side-dish recipes.

  • Ingredients

  • 2 Tbs Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Medium Onion, diced
  • 1 Celery Stalk, diced
  • 1 Medium-Large Carrot, diced
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 32 oz Gluten-Free Chicken or Vegetable Stock
  • ¼ c Palm Sugar
  • ¼ c Balsamic Vinegar
  • ¼ oz Fennel Seed (approx 1 ½ Tbs)
  • 1 Tbs Sage
  • 1 Tbs Ground Cumin
  • ½ - 1 Tbs Red Pepper Flakes (I like the entire Tbs)
  • 1 Tbs Chili Powder
  • 1 Tbs Cinnamon
  • 2 c Roasted Squash
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • ½ c Full-Fat Coconut Milk (I prefer Thai Kitchen)

Instructions

    Green Broccoli Soup:

  1. In large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add garlic and cook until it begins to turn brown. Add the onion and celery, lower heat to medium and continue to cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Add thyme and stir. Add broccoli, stock and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil, cooking uncovered until broccoli is very tender. Remove from heat.
  2. Use hand blender to puree soup, adding in spinach one cup at a time. Add in lemon zest and continue to puree until soup is completely smooth.
  3. Just before serving, return soup to low heat and stir in the coconut milk. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Simmer on lowest setting until ready to serve.

    4. Spiced Squash Soup:

  4. In large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat until hot. Add the onion, celery, carrot and cinnamon stick. Sauté until vegetables are soft, but not caramelized. Add in chicken stock, palm sugar, balsamic vinegar, fennel seed, sage, ground cumin, red pepper flakes, chili powder and cinnamon. Bring to boil. Add in squash and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick.
  5. Remove soup from heat. Using hand blender, puree until smooth. When ready to serve, return soup to a light simmer, add in coconut milk and serve right away.

    6. Harlequin Soup:

  6. Pour both soups into separate pitchers. Simultaneously, pour both soups into each bowl, forming an almost yin-yang design.
  7. Garnish with cloves and serve hot.
  8. Serves 6
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Filed Under: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Holidays, Main Courses, Paleo, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Snowball Cookies (Grain-free, Dairy-Free, Vegan)

December 14, 2011 By 5 Comments

Christmas in our home means warm ovens and full bellies.  Two years into a gluten-free lifestyle, it seems as if I will never quite catch up with the memories this season brings.

Recently, I shared my treasured Chocolate Pecan “Toll House” Pie; previously I have shared newly “tweaked” versions of dairy-free fudge, eggnog, and all sorts of pie.

Just recently though, I realized that my site is missing one key holiday ingredient…

Cookies!

How is it that I have gone this long and not shared any holiday cookie recipes with you?

Fortunately, Food Network is hosting a Cookie Swap as part of their Fall Fest celebration!

What a great opportunity this was to perfect refine, ‘tweak’ and perfect a newly revised grain-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free version of one of my favorite holiday treats…

“Snowballs!”

Snowball cookies are melt-in-your-mouth pecan sandy-type cookies covered in powdered sugar.

While we always made these during the holidays growing up, as an adult I have come to know these delicious cookies are enjoyed year-round under the names: Russian Tea Cakes, Mexican Wedding Cookies or even Pecan Fingers.

Whatever name you know these by, I hope these nutty delights bring you many reasons to celebrate all year long…

 

Print
Snowball Cookies (Grain-free, Dairy-Free, Vegan)

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In large mixing bowl, mix together blanched almond flour, arrowroot flour and salt. In separate mixing bowl, cream together palm shortening and palm sugar. Mix in dry ingredients until smooth, fold in crushed pecans.
  2. Refrigerate dough for 30 min – 3 hours (I’m sure longer will be fine, just haven’t tested it past that).
  3. In blender, combine remaining arrowroot powder and palm sugar. Pour into small mixing bowl and set aside.
  4. Preheat oven to 350f. Roll 1 inch balls by hand, placing each onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes and allow cookies to cool completely while still on cookie sheet. (These cookies are crumbly if you remove them while they are still hot yet they hold firmly once room temperature/cool to the touch).
  5. Roll cooled cookies in powder sugar and serve or store in air-tight container in the refrigerator.
  6. Makes 2 ½ dozen.
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For more Christmas Cookie inspiration, pull up your chair and enjoy some of these other Food Network Fall Fest Cookie Swap Creations:

 

What’s Gaby Cooking: Peppermint Bark Chocolate Cookies

CIA Dropout: Walnut Wimpy Balls

Taste With The Eyes: Olive Oil Oatmeal Cookies

Jones Is Hungry: A Cookie for Chocolate Lovers

From My Corner of Saratoga: Gooey Butter Cookies

The Sensitive Epicure: Speculaas Dutch Windmill Cookies

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Salted Chocolate & Dulce de Leche Fudge

Virtually Homemade: Chocolate Mint Snowballs

Sweet Life Bake: Polvorones de Chocolate

Daily*Dishin: Cherry Topped Cream-Drop Cookies

FN Dish: Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip-Bacon Cookies

Dishin and Dishes: Pecan Sandie Thumbprints With Cherry Frosting

Mooshu Jenne: Biscotti

Cooking With Elise: Sweet and Salty White Chocolate Cranberry Oat Cookies

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Holidays, Paleo, Recipes, Vegan Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Warm Winter Chili

December 7, 2011 By 18 Comments

This week, Food Network Fall Fest is working with wonderful winter squash.

Winter squash may be anything from Acorn Squash to Butternut Squash…rinds of beautiful greens yellows and oranges; the flesh from most winter squash is generally orange in color and sweet in flavor.

Recently, my squash lady introduced me to this wondrous monstrosity…

Called a Hubbard Squash, this squash is consistently sweet and can be substituted for virtually any other squash, sweet potato, and today I am going to share with you how it can easily replace tomatoes in one of my favorite, traditionally tomato-rich dishes.

Because the Hubbard Squash gives you more bang for your buck, producing as much as 2-3 times as much flesh/meat as the average pumpkin of the same size, this squash has quickly become one of my favorites and is something I urge you to seek out and enjoy.

Since the Hubbard Squash has a very tough skin, I have found it is actually easier to bake whole, let it sit in the oven until the skin becomes brown and more malleable, meaning you don’t risk your best knives trying to break into this natural beauty.

Beware, though, because there is so much flesh underneath this tough skin, I have had larger squashes take as long as 3 hours to bake at 350f.

Even so, the smell of sweet squash permeating my home is something I can scarcely turn down.

Over the last year, I have shared a number of squash or recipes including: Pumpkin Custard, Creamy Pumpkin Fruit Dip,  Sugar-Free Raw Vegan Pumpkin Pie in a Jar, and then there is my classic, Vegan Pumpkin Pie and Butternut Squash and Pear Soup…all of which can use Hubbard squash in place of the traditional squash found in these recipes.

One thing I noticed, every single squash recipe I have posted (even the soup) highlights the sweet/dessert like qualities of winter squash.

Well you know, squash is something that is a fantastic addition to savory dishes as well.

Isn’t it time I show you how? ;)

This Warm Winter Chili was inspired by a dear friend of mine who can no longer eat nightshades.  When I saw this recipe for Tomatoless “Tomato” Sauce from The Nourishing Gourmet,
my whole concept of what a tomato-free lifestyle would be dramatically changed.

Nightshade foods include: potatoes, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, eggplant, tomatillos, tamarios, pepinos, pimentos, paprika, cayenne, and Tabasco sauce. Alkaloids in these foods can impact nerve-muscle function and digestive function in animals and humans…but most importantly, in regard to the Rheumatoid Arthritis my friend battles, nightshades may also compromise joint function.

I knew squash was a great addition to chili…but to make a chili without any nightshade involved? Now that sounded like my type of challenge.

I won’t go into the number of awards I have won for my chili…let’s just say there are quite a few, and when it comes to making chili, I am typically confident in my ability to satisfy the crowd.

Even without tomatoes, hot peppers, paprika, cayenne or Tabasco…I found that by incorporating a few of my ‘tricks of the trade’ into this recipe, I was able to whip up a mild chili that made my family happy.  Cocoa powder and honey are staples of my award-winning recipes…just trust me when I say you need to leaves these ingredients in.

As it is with any chili, the longer you cook this, the better.

1-3 hours stovetop, 4-8 hours in the crockpot…this is the perfect, low allergen meal to come home to at the end of a cold winter day.

May this warm your belly as it has warmed ours.

Have a great day!

 

Print
Warm Winter Chili (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nightshade-Free, Soy-Free, Paleo)

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbs Olive Oil
  • 5 Cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1.5 lb Meat (stew beef, chili ground beef, chicken or turkey, ground venison all work well, the better the meat, the better the chili)
  • 2 Medium Beets, peeled and diced
  • 3 c Squash Puree (Pumpkin or Hubbard…I used Hubbard)
  • 4 c Broth (Beef or Chicken)
  • 2 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar
  • 2 Tbs Honey
  • 2 Tbs Ground Cumin
  • 2 Tbs Dry Basil
  • 1 Tbs Cocoa Powder
  • 2 tsp Salt (more/less to taste)
  • 2 tsp Pepper (more/less to taste)
  • ½ tsp Ground Cloves

Instructions

  1. In large stock pan, sauté garlic and onion in olive oil until lightly caramelized. Add meat, sear slightly then add diced beets. Allow to cook until meat is nearly done. Add remaining ingredients and allow to simmer on low-medium for 1-3 hours, or transfer cooked meat/beet mixture into crockpot, add remaining ingredients and set on high for 4 hours or low for 8. Add salt and pepper as needed.
  2. Serves 4-6 people.
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For more winter squash brilliance, please visit:

 

Bay Area Foodie: Delicata Squash Soup

The Sensitive Epicure: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Cooking Channel: Kabocha Squash Pasta

CIA Dropout: Stuffed Winter Squash

What’s Gaby Cooking: Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

Thursday Night Dinner: Butternut Squash Gnocchi With Sage Brown Butter

Dishin and Dishes: Butternut Squash Bisque With Sage Cream

FN Dish: Simply Roasted Winter Squash

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