Lunch box Take #3

This is another good lunch box option. It is modified from a Cooking Light recipe which uses bulger instead of quinoa. It keeps well throughout the week and has lots of protein to full you up!

Moroccan spiced quinoa and chickpea salad

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup quinoa
  
• 1/2 cup matchstick-cut carrots
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 3 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
• 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained

1. Cook quinoa according to directions. I use a rice cooker to make this easier.

2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk; set aside. Add quinoa when it has cooled a little. Add carrots, cranberries, almonds, mint, chickpeas to bowl. Stir gently until all is combined. Cover and chill.

Birthday Cupcakes of Champs

I made these cupcakes for my 31st birthday party. They were a big hit....but I was happy to say that there were a few left over that we could enjoy all week. Man, we had our last one last night and I am ready to whip up another batch. They are moist, chocolaty with a subtle hint of coconut. Make a double batch and stick some in the freezer--you will be glad you did.

I had to convert the flour mix down to a smaller amount. I didn't want to have extra flour mix left with nothing to do with it. I rounded out the numbers as well as I could but that is why they may look a little strange.

Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes with Ginger Cream Frosting
from delight magazine

For cake batter:
10 ounces brown rice flour
4 ounces cornstarch
3 1/2 teaspoons tapioca flour
2 1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum
2 cups of sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In large bowl, combine sugar, flour/starches/gum, cocoa, baking powder/soda, salt. Mix well with a stand mixer or hand mixer.

3. Slowly add eggs, coconut milk, oil and vanilla. Mix on medium for 2-3 minutes. Add in boiling water slowly and mix another minute.

4. Pour into greased (or papered) muffin tins. Bake for 25-30 minutes--(test with a toothpick). Cool on rack.

For Frosting:

1 stick butter, softened
2/3 cup cocoa (I actually left this out and made just vanilla, which was terrific)
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup coconut milk (or the rest left in that can you used for the batter)
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
shredded coconut

1. Combine all ingredients using hand mixer until creamy. Frost cupcakes and dip into bowl with coconut.

Kiss Fall Goodbye

This fall, my husband and I took a trip up to upstate nyc during the fall for some hiking and relaxation. We stopped off at a local farm stand and bought some delicious local produce, including a small sugar pumpkin. We used it as decor but my intent was to make something tasty with it at some point. But there it sat. And sat. And sat some more. Until I decided that my cut off was December and I had to use it before then.

I followed this recipe from Dorie Greenspan. I have to say, it completely blew my expectations and tasted amazing. Now I wish I had a few more pumpkins hiding somewhere so I could make it weekly! You could have this as a side dish (serves 4) or a main course (serves 2). We had ours with the rest of our Thanksgiving dinner, which paired perfectly. It also would be good with a nice simple green salad on the side.

Savory Stuffed Pumpkin

1 pumpkin, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds

4 ounces stale bread, sliced thin, then cut into 1/2-inch chunks (**I used GF bread)

4 ounces cheese, (She recommends Gruyere, Swiss, Blue, or Cheddar; I used a combo of monteray jack and gouda which was excellent) cut into 1/2-inch chunks

2-4 cloves garlic (to taste), peeled, germ removed and coarsely chopped

About 1/3 cup heavy cream

Freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. I used a Dutch oven to bake the pumpkin in. Just add a little vegetable oil to the bottom of it so it doesn't stick too much. Try to use a nice looking one because then you can bring it all right to the table. You could also use a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.

2. Using your pumpkin carving skills, cut a cap off the top of the pumpkin. (You know, just like how you carve a jack-o-lantern.) Clear away any seeds and strings from the cap and hold it aside while you scoop out the seeds and filaments inside the pumpkin. I saved the seeds and roasted them. Season the inside of the pumpkin with salt and pepper and put it on the sheet or in the Dutch oven.

3. In a separate bowl, toss the bread, cheese, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg together then add it to the pumpkin. The filling should come to near the top of the pumpkin (you can add more or less filling as needed.) Add the cream right to the pumpkin; it should come about 1/4 or 1/3 of the way up--no more than that. You don't want the ingredients to swim in cream, but you do want to get a feeling that they're moistened.

4. Put the cap back in place and bake the pumpkin for about 2 hours. Take the cap off the pumpkin the last 30 minutes so it gets nice and brown on top. The flesh should be tender and you should hear the insides bubbling away.

5. I brought the crock pot right to the table, used a sharp knife to cut the pumpkin into wedges. I think next time I will add a little precooked bacon and some sage. The garlic gets nice and mellow and wonderful.

Pie Did It!!!!

I have to admit something: I have never made a pie. I will say it again: I have never made a pie. I really have no excuse except pure fear. And once I went gluten free, I ruled out any future pie-making days. But I am happy to report that my pie baking days have just begun (to the glee of my husband's stomach)!

Today I conquered my first pie — and it was gluten free at that! "Gluten free pie," you say, "don't you mean fruit sandwiched between two cardboard layers?" Let me tell you, this pie was delicious. And the crust was so good you could eat the ends without the fruit to dress it up and it tasted like any great pie crust with gluten. Even my pie-expert father-in-law agreed. I had several farmer's market peaches and a pint of blueberries that was perfect for this project. I think peaches and blueberries are the perfect match for each other, especially in the summertime.

I will admit the dough was a little tricky to get into the pie tin. I am not sure if that is because I am a pie novice or it was the GF crust. It rolled out well, but I had some trouble transferring it and had to start rolling it out all over again. It then came together enough for me to be able to seal up some of the cracks with a little water on my fingers. This would also be delicious as a lattice top pie, perhaps I will try that one next.

Gluten Free Peach Blueberry Pie

Crust: (This makes a bottom and full top crust).

Make this mix in a separate bowl or large container — you will have a little left over (and enough to use on the bench/table/parchment)
1 cup white rice flour
1 cup brown rice flour
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2 cup plus 4 Tbsp rice flour mix

2 tsp xanthan gum

a pinch of salt

2 tbsp sugar

1 stick butter, cut into small cubes and frozen for about 20 mins
1/2 cup shortening (I use vegetable shortening from Whole Foods or Crisco)

1/2 cup cold seltzer

4 tsp cider vinegar

In food processor, add flour mix, xanthum, salt, sugar. Pulse to combine. Add butter and shortening and pulse until butter turns into course meal. Combine seltzer and vinegar in container, slowly pulse this in until dough comes together.

Split dough in half (actually have one a little big larger than the other, that will be your bottom crust), place each on a lightly floured piece of waxed or parchment paper. Cover with another piece and stick in freezer for at least 30 minutes.

Filling:
4-5 ripe farmer's market peaches, peeled by blanching, and cut into slices
smidgen nutmeg
smidgen cinnamon
1 pint blueberries, any stems removed
1 tbsp lemon
1/4 cup Minute Tapioca
3/4 cup sugar

Combine above ingredients in large bowl, mixing gently to combine (try not to break apart peaches). Let stand at least 15 minutes.

I used a 10" glass Pyrex pie pan (supposedly glass helps crusts to brown better than others). For the next several steps, I turned to Cooks Illustrated notes on pie making for some advice. I rolled out the bottom of the pie crust to a round circle about 3 inches larger than the circumferences of my pie dish. I rolled it right out on some floured parchment, but you could do it right on a floured counter as well. You may have to sprinkle on some flour to the dough if it starts to stick to the rolling pin. Using a bench scraper, loosen the bottom of the dough from the paper, carefully roll part of the dough onto the rolling pin to transfer it over to the pie tin. Gently mold the dough into the tin so it sits flush against the bottom and edges. Snip off the major excess of the dough. Spoon the filling--juices and all--right into the pie tin. Now roll out your top crust, add to the top and flute the edges. Cut 4 vents to let out the steam. I used a egg wash and dusted the top with sugar so it would brown up nicely.

I refrigerated the pie (uncovered) for 30 minutes, which was a tip I read on a gluten free blog. This helps to prevent shrinkage of the dough.

Preheat oven to 500. Place the pie on a cookie sheet on the bottom rack of the oven. Turn heat down to 425. Set timer for 20-25 minutes or until crust is a nice light golden brown (make sure to check on it). Rotate cookie sheet to other side so pie cooks evenly. Turn heat down to 375. Cook for another 20-25 minutes. My edges were browning a bit too fast so I covered the edges with foil to prevent burnage. Once pie is nicely browned and juices are bubbling, remove from oven and place on cooling rack for at least 2 hours.

Enjoy!

Egg Mcmuffin sans bun

These have been on my list of recipes-to-try for awhile, especially since I went gluten free. Father's Day was the perfect occasion to try them out and they were a hit! The recipe can be altered with various ingredients--use whatever you have leftover from the week's groceries. The little babies can also be put in the fridge and heated for a quick breakfast throughout the week. They are delish!

Egg Mcmuffins
served 4 people

8-10 eggs
1/3 cup of cheese, shredded (feta, cheddar, gouda, anything would be good here! Switch it up!)
3 chopped scallions
few tablespoons of chopped panchetta
1/2 red pepper
1 small zuchini, chopped into small pieces
salt and pepper
pam cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2.In small skillet, brown panchetta for a few minutes. Add zuchini and pepper to get some water out as well. Let cool off in the fridge until room temp.
3. Using a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add in the shredded cheese, salt and pepper. Add in the cooked veggies and mix until mostly combined.
4. Spray 2 muffin tins (6 muffins each) with Pam. Using a measure cup or ladle, fill the muffin cups with egg mixture until about 3/4 full (they will rise). You could also use muffin liners here.
5. Carefully put tins into oven. Bake for about 25-30 minutes. They should be lightly brown on top when ready.
6. Run a knife around the edges before trying to release from the tin. Serve warm.

Salmon Rush-deez patties into your mouth (title by Dustin)

These take about 15 minutes and can easily be adapted to whatever is in the fridge or pantry. It would be excellent served hot on a bed of fresh spinach, drizzled with a dill-lemon vinaigrette (which I will be doing next time for sure!) or more simply with a slice of lemon wedge and roasted asparagus.

Greek Inspired Salmon Patties
by me

2 cans (7.5 oz) red salmon (I used Trader Joe's brand which was really good)
1 scallion, white and green parts chopped
1 egg
2-3 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
1/ 4 cup breadcrumbs (gluten free in my case)
1-2 tsp Old Bay
salt and pepper
butter and olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In large bowl, use fork to flake salmon and remove any large bones and skin. Add in scallion, egg, bread crumbs, feta and seasoning. Mix until combine and will hold together easily.
3. Heat a non stick oven-safe skillet with oil and butter (use both to bring up the smoking point) on medium heat. Make 4 or 5 patties with your hands and put into the hot skillet.
4. Cook until nicely browned on one side for about 3-4 minutes. Gently flip over to other side. (Be careful--they break apart easily!!). Put into oven for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Bring on the Beans!

Trying to think of something different for lunch, my husband decided that I should make a black bean salad. I had Mexican on the mind, so it has a bit of Latino flair. I made a huge batch and we have been happily bringing it in our tupers all week long. This would be a great dish for bbqs or pot lucks as well. Make sure you take it out of the fridge to let it come to room temp before enjoying! This would also be great with some addition of avocado, jicama, and/or mango!

Black Bean Fiesta Salad

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/2-3/4 cup frozen corn
1 diced tomato (or handful of cherry/grape tomatoes)
1/2 of jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, diced very fine
2 scallions, green and white parts sliced thin
1 handful cilantro, chopped

Dressing:
juice of 1 lime
zest of that lime (just from 1 half or so)
2 tsp cumin
dash cumin whole seeds
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

1. Add beans, all veggies and herbs to large bowl. Mix gently to combine.

2. In small dish, make dressing. Add lime juice, zest and then spices. Whisk in olive oil until thick and combined. Season to taste.

3. Pour desired amount on bean salad. I actually had some of this dressing to save in the fridge because I didn't want it too wet.

Mini Chocolate Attack

These are the first souffles I have ever had the guts to attempt. I was drawn to the recipe as they contain no flour (thus gluten free) and they can easily be made ahead and just popped into the oven after the guests arrive. There are several steps but it is worth every bite!


Chocolate Espresso Mini Souffles
from fine cooking
serves 2 (easily doubled)

1 oz. (2 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into pieces; more for the ramekins
Granulated sugar for dusting
1 Tbs. dark rum, brandy, or water
1/2 tsp. espresso powder or instant coffee granules
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Pinch table salt
1 large egg, separated and at room temperature
1 oz. (1/4 cup) confectioners' sugar

---

Directions:

Lightly butter two 6-oz. ramekins and dust with granulated sugar, tapping out excess. Set the ramekins on a small baking sheet.

Stir together the liquor or water and the espresso powder. Set aside and stir occasionally until the coffee is dissolved. Melt the chocolate and butter in a medium metal bowl over a pan of simmering water or in a microwave. Remove from the heat and whisk until glossy and smooth. Stir in the coffee mixture and the salt. Whisk in the egg yolk. Add about one-third of the confectioners' sugar and whisk until well blended and smooth. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg white with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until it's very foamy and they're just beginning to hold soft peaks. Increase the speed to high and gradually sprinkle in the remaining confectioners' sugar. Continue beating until the peaks are firm and glossy. Spoon about one-quarter of the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture and whisk until blended. Add the remaining whites and gently fold them in until just blended. Pour evenly into prepared ramekins (the mixture will almost completely fill the ramekins). If you want to bake the soufflés within 24 hours, refrigerate them. (To refrigerate: Chill for about 30 minutes, and then cover in plastic and return to the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.) If you want to hold them for longer, freeze them according to the make-ahead tips below.

Heat the oven to 400°F. Unwrap the ramekins, set them on a baking sheet, and bake until they're puffed and risen about 1 inch above the ramekin, 15 minutes. The top will still be slightly sunken in the center; consider it a place to pop in a few berries or a dollop of whipped cream. Remove the soufflés from the oven and serve immediately.

My Chocolate Chips Come In!

Just tried my luck with a gluten free recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Let me tell you, these taste just like the real thing. Soft, chewy, delicious. Just don't taste the batter, it has a very metallic taste that seems to disappear when you cook them. Whoever said that gluten free baked goods had to be a step down from the real stuff hasn't tasted these yet!

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
from 125 Best Gluten Free Recipes
by Washburn and Butts

1 cup sorghum flour
2/3 cup whole bean flour (I used fava/garbanzo bean flour)
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shortening (I did 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup shortening)
1 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Combine all flours,tapioca starch, baking soda, salt, xanthun gum in medium bowl. Whisk well.
2. In large separate bowl, cream shortening/butter and brown sugar with electric mixer. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in dry ingredients until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts by hand. Let batter stand for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350. I did a test run of one cookie to see if there was enough flour. It came out a little flat, and I like my cookies puffy and chewy. I added a bit more flour to the batter and the next batch had risen a bit more.
4. Drop by tablespoons on greased baking sheet (I prefer parchment). Bake for 8-10 minutes or until set. Remove and place on baking sheet.

Try not to eat them all at once! I baked off about half of the batter, and put the rest in wax paper, shaping into a log. I popped that in the freezer and now we can have slice and bake any time we want!

Cleanse Meal #3: Tila-Pious!

Well, the cleanse is over (thank God!), but I did want to go back and highlight
one delicious meal we had even given all of the restrictions.
Tilapia fish was on the "safe" list and neither of us had ever had it so we thought it was a good opportunity to give it a try. I knew we would have to infuse it with flavor and that it would probably be pretty boring on its own. After putting up a post on seriouseats.com, I got some great ideas from fellow tilapia eaters. After some small changes, this is what I came up with:

Spinach and Tomato Smothered Tilapia
serves 2

2 tilapia fillets (cod or another firm fish would also work well here)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 thinly sliced red onion
frozen or fresh spinach (I had some frozen in the freezer so I used about 3/4 a box, thawed, drained)
3-4 diced tomatoes
1/2 cup diced mushrooms (optional)
1 lemon
cumin
paprika
salt
pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In an oven safe pan, saute onions in olive oil until soft. Add garlic until fregrant. Add mushrooms and saute those up a little bit. Then put in spinach and stir to combine (or wilt fresh spinach). Season with salt and pepper. Add in chopped tomatoes and simmer until it comes together.
**BONUS: If you have any delicious Greek olives from the deli, add some brine to the sauce. This adds an unbelieveable flavor!!
3. Meanwhile, prep your fish by drizzling lemon juice on both sides and dusting with cumin, paprika and s & p.
4. Remove about 1/2 of the sauce and put in a bowl to the side. Nestle the fish fillets in, making sure there is some sauce on the bottom. Add the remaining sauce to cover the top of the fish. If it seems a little dry, you can add some water or chicken stock to moisten it a little bit.
5. Cover pan with foil and pop in oven. Cook for about 20-25 minutes or until fish is cooked through.

Serve with brown or white rice. Enjoy! I coudn't believe how much flavor this fish had. We will definitely will be making this again post-cleanse!

Cleanse Meal #1: Apple Snack

My husband and I are testing our will power and doing a 14 day colon cleanse. I know what you are thinking, stock up on the toilet paper and head for the bathroom. I am writing this on day #3 and so far so good. No fighting for the throne up to this point at least. Unlike other cleanses where you cannot eat any food (which I am against), this cleanse focuses on very healthy eating and some supplements and shakes to clean you out. As far as the diet goes, this meals no caffeine (no coffee!, sugar, baked goods, dairy, alcohol, red meats). Basically it is a ton of fruits, veggies, brown rice and legumes. Certainly puts my cooking skills to the test. Given that Dusty and I are constant snackers, this area can be challenging, given we don't feel like munching on a bunch of black beans at 10:00 at night. Here is a simple delicious snack I came up with last night. We will defiantly make this part of our regular diets.

Apple Snack
2 apples (I used Macintosh, tart green ones would be really good too)
All Natural peanut butter
Honey

Very easy. Core and cut apples into sections, put on plate. Put in a hunk of peanut butter in a bowl, a good squeeze of honey in another. Dip apple slices into both bowls. Enjoy!

Death by Chocolate

Once upon a time, one of my favorite things to bake was brownies (okay, it still is). I vividly remember making my mom's brownie recipe. The whole family was around to reap the benefits. As I pulled the brownies out of the oven, they looked a lot flatter than usual. I forgot to add the flour! I thought they were ruined. My dad, however, the ever-knowing-chocolate-man, who would never even think about throwing away dessert, knew the secret was to simply rename what I had made to Flourless Chocolate Cake. I found this one on Epicurious and it was so amazing I actually made it two weeks in a row. It tastes moist and freshly baked even after a full week (if you can stand to wait that long to finish it). I served it with a Cabernet Blackberry sorbet which did a great job of cutting the chocolate. Blood orange would be delicious too.

Flourless Chocolate Cake
Epicurious.com

4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder plus additional for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter paper.

Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.

Dust cake with additional cocoa powder and serve with sorbet if desired. (Cake keeps, after being cooled completely, in an airtight container, 1 week.)

Souper! Take III

Another good day for soup. Rainy, cold, just yucky. I am attempting to make a pot of soup once per week, as it is so easy to prepare, cost effective, and good for lunch or dinner. I swapped the chicken with sausage to this one just because I had some in the freezer.

Chickpea Chard and Tomato Stew (with sausage)
Cooking Light May 2007

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground chicken (or 3 Italian sausage links)
1/4 cup no-salt-added tomato paste
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
4 cups chopped Swiss chard
2 cups chopped tomato
1 cup water
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add chicken; sauté 4 minutes (Or, remove sausage from casings, pull into clumps as you add to pan). Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Partially mash chickpeas with a potato masher. Add chickpeas, chard, and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Gimme some more

I love granola. Absolutely love it. I used to buy it from the bulk bins at Whole Foods, but apparently they don't have those in NYC. Boo. So this weekend I made my own and it is equally delicious. You can add or subtract ingredients as desired. I used the base of the recipe from Cooking Light and then just add stuff I had from my pantry (dried coconut, whole almonds, walnuts, chopped dates). I love to eat this with milk for breakfast or for lunch with Stoneyfields vanilla yogurt.

Maple Almond Granola
Cooking Light

4 cups regular oats (I used Bob's Red Mill GF oats)
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water (I used apple juice instead of water)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
Cooking spray
1 cup minced dried apricots (I swapped these for craisins)
1 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.

3. Combine water, honey, syrup, sugar, and oil in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Pour over oat mixture; toss to coat.

4. Spread oat mixture on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray.

5. Bake at 325° for 35 minutes or until golden, stirring every 10 minutes. Place in a large bowl; stir in apricots and raisins. Cool completely.

Note: Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Mini Snack

Need a little pick-me-up? Something to tide you over until the next meal? These are delicious, easy to make, and healthy. Great to throw in a tuperware and throw it in your bag and head out the door.

Chickpea Nibble
1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, pat-dry
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
pinch ground pepper
1/2 tsp favorite dried herb or spice (I like garam masala, also try thyme or oregano)

Put chickpeas in bowl. Toss with oil, add spices/herbs, salt, pepper. Arrange in single layer on baking sheet. Cook at 300 degrees, stirring occasionally until they have browned and crisped. (Recipe says about 50 minutes, some times it needs longer). Store in air tight container.

Lunch Box Redux

Although I love a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich (no grape jelly please) on some soft bread, it is not something that agrees with us Gluten Freers out there. Plus, by Wednesday you are probably craving something new.
Here is a great alternative for your lunch box that I found in Martha Stewart Living. Make a double batch to last you a few days.

Crisp Tofu with Crudites and Sesame Ginger Dipping Sauce
Martha Stewart Living

FOR THE SAUCE
5 teaspoons coarsely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/4 cup tahini
5 teaspoons low-sodium tamari soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice vinegar

FOR THE TOFU
1 1/2 packages firm tofu (21 ounces total), cut into 2 dozen pieces and pressed (see below)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

FOR THE CRUDITES
1/2 head green cabbage (1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
8 ounces green beans, trimmed, steamed until crisp-tender
1 red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick strips

Directions

1. To press the tofu, place it on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a double layer of paper towels, then cover it with another double layer of paper towels. Place a baking sheet on top, and weight with heavy cans. Let stand for 30 minutes, then pat the tofu dry.
   
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Make the sauce: Finely chop ginger in a food processor. Add tahini, tamari, honey, oil, and vinegar; process until combined. With machine running, add 3 tablespoons cool water. Process until smooth.
3. Put tofu into a medium bowl. Add sesame seeds, oil, and salt; toss to combine. Arrange tofu in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and bottoms are lightly crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Flip tofu, and bake 10 minutes more. Let cool completely.
4. To assemble, divide cabbage, green beans, and bell pepper into 4 servings, and top with tofu. Divide sauce among 4 small cups.

I am feeling souper, thanks for asking.

My hubby was feeling under the weather today and I had all day to kick it in the kitchen. Fall is in the air. There was one obvious answer to what I should cook up for dinner tonight...SOUP!
After some perusing around the Internet to get my appetite going, I decided that I wanted to see what I could make with only the ingredients around the house I already had. No shopping allowed. I came up with a delicious hearty soup that will last us a few days. I will be sure to make it again. And again.

Indian Tomato Lentil

1-2 tbsp Olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped or put through garlic press
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 chili (I used a mild one because we don't really like hot food), chopped
1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup white wine (optional)
1 28 oz can diced canned tomatoes or can crushed tomatoes (with their juice)
3/4 cup dried red lentils
1 can chicken or vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste

1. Bring medium pot up to heat, add olive oil, onion, garlic and saute until translucent.
2. Add chili and saute a few more minutes.
3. Add garam masala, turmeric, cumin to pot. Stir to cover veggies and leave on heat until fragrant but not burned (about 2 minutes).
4. Throw in mushrooms and stir to combine. Let those saute a little bit. Deglaze the pot with wine. Cook off wine for about 1-2 mins.
5. Add tomatoes and their juice, red lentils and can of stock. Stir until well combined. Bring to a boil, then down to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
6. I like a soup that is both smooth with some identifiable chunks left in it. Before serving, I put about half of the soup in a bowl then used my immersion blender for the rest left in the pot. This is optional and depends on your preference.

This is really good with some Dal or garlic bread.

Sweet Goodness

One of my favorite restaurants is Blue Smoke, a BBQ joint in the city. They serve delicious sweet potato fries with this amazing maple dip. I decided to try to make some at home.

Sweet Potato Fries with Maple Dip (Blue Smoke style)
serves 2-4

2 large sweet potatoes, washed and dried, with skin still on, cut into wedges
olive oil
salt and pepper

For Fries:
1. Preheat oven to about 400.
2. Place prepared sweet potatoes on oiled baking tray. Drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper over top, toss with your hands.
3. Bake fries about 15-20 minutes. I suggest flipping them half way through so they get brown and caramelized on both sides.

Meanwhile, make dip:

1/3 cup sour cream (you can use plain yogurt for lower fat version)
1 tbsp (or more if you liked) of real maple syrup (don't bother trying this with the fake stuff!)
few shakes cinnamon
3 tsp powdered sugar

1. Mix above ingredients in a bowl. Season more to taste. Serve with warm fries. Enjoy!

Avocado Heaven

I admit it, I love avocados. I could eat them every day. Several of them. In one sitting. Happily.
Anyway, it is still hot here and I was hungry for something cold and refreshing for dinner.

Cold Avocado Soup
From Joy of Cooking

2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled and pitted (I used 2 1/2)
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 1/2 cups buttermilk
4 tsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
dash black pepper

1. Put avocados and garlic into food processor. Process until smooth.
2. Add 2 cups buttermilk, lime juice, salt and pepper. Stir with a spoon (I transferred it into a large serving bowl at this point).
3. Refrigerate until cold. Add rest of buttermilk to thin out soup, to desired consistency. You could also use water to thin.
This could be garnished with a bit of lump crab, cilantro, sour cream or yogurt, or cooked shrimp.

Delish!

Gluten Free Me!

I recently decided to go gluten free for various reasons....which sadly means no bread, cookies, pastries, pasta and much much more. Looking on the positive side, it has opened a new world of recipes and ways to think about food. Here is one of the first main dishes I cooked to satisfy our GF palate. It was so good I would even make it if I didn't have such restrictions!

Polenta Mock-sagna
Taken from Sunset Magazine

Ingredients

5 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 med yellow onion, halved lengthwise then cut into wedges
1 medium bell pepper (red, green, orange or yellow), cut lengthwise into thin slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 pound Italian sausage (removed from casings), sweet or spicy
2 pounds of prepared polenta, 1/2-inch slices if using prepared polenta in a tube (can use one recipe of creamy polenta, leave out the cream cheese)
1/2 pound (8 ounces) fresh mozzarella, 1/4-inch slices

Method

1 Preheat oven broiler on high. Heat 3 Tbsp of oil in a 2-3 qt saucepan on medium heat. Add tomatoes and oregano, simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes.

2 While the tomatoes are cooking, in a large frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Cover the pan, lower the heat to medium, and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage, stirring and breaking it into small pieces as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Cover the pan and cook until vegetables are tender and the sausage is cooked through, about 5-8 more minutes. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.

3 While the sauce is cooking, coat the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan with a 1 Tbsp oil. Add the cooked polenta (or slices) to the pan. Coat the top of the polenta with the remaining 1/2 Tbsp oil. Broil the polenta about 4 inches from the heating element until golden brown and crispy, about 10-15 minutes.

4 Pour sauce over broiled polenta, then arrange Mozzarella slices over the top and return the casserole to the broiler. Broil until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings.