Gluten-free orange sesame beef stir fry

I was speaking to a friend today about blogging. My advice to her was that some times it's ok to just write a quick entry without spending a lot of time. That's my goal; let's see how I do (I had to write the recipe; this took the longest).

This recipe is a combination of two recipes/techniques. It's broken down into 4 steps:

1. Marinate the meat and prep the sauce.

2. Cut the veggies.

3. Cook the veggies.

4. Cook the meat.

5. Put it all together and enjoy.

I grabbed some of the veggies (cabbage, mushrooms and scallions) from the salad bar for easy prep and used cooked green beans from the fridge along with shredded carrots.  When I cook, I usually prep as I go to save time but forgot that the flat snap peas take some time to take off the string in the center. Note to self: prep the veggies first!. Once you start cooking, it all comes together very quickly.

The meat is delicious on its own so you can use this part of the recipe to make Asian beef anytime. The orange rind is added at the end so it can even be omitted it you want something less "orange-y." We served this over brown rice. My kids didn't eat all of the veggies but most of them. My son kept asking for more "chicken" (really, I did tell you it's beef, honey...sigh). Either way, it was a great family recipe that I will make again.

Gluten-free Orange Sesame Beef Stir Fry

Serves 4-6

Marinade

1/2 cup gluten-free soy sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (dark)

2 teaspoons minced ginger (you can also use a minced ginger paste)

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

1.5 lbs top sirloin, cut into strips

Stir fry vegetables, sorted in order of hardness: broccoli, carrots, red cabbage, zucchini, mushrooms, snap peas, about 3-4 cups total, more or less

Orange Sauce 

2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce

2 tablespoons water

4 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Oil for high heat like peanut or safflower

1 tablespoon ginger, minced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon sushi rice flour or white rice flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon rice wine or sherry (not vinegar)

Zest of 1 orange

Optional: hot chili oil or crushed red chili peppers

Optional: more cornstarch to thicken sauce

1. Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add the beef and stir to coat evenly. Let stand for 20 minutes. Optionally cover and marinate overnight.

2. Prep all of the veggies. 

3. Mix the orange sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.

4. In a wok, toast the sesame seeds over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently, until lightly colored, 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately pour onto a plate to cool.

5. Place a wok over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, swirling to coat on all sides. Cook the veggies until just crisp, hardest to softest. At the end, add the ginger and garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove and place all of the veggies in a bowl.

6. Drain the marinade. Add the rice flour and cornstarch to the meat and stir until combined.

7. Place wok back on stove and wipe out if necessary. Add 2 teaspoons oil. Add the beef and stir-fry until cooked but still slightly pink in the center, 2 to 3 minutes. 

8. Add rice wine and cook for about 20-30 seconds. 

9. Add orange sauce and veggies; bring to boil then lower the heat.

10. Add sesame seeds, and orange zest. Cook for 1 more minute and serve. If you like spicy food, add hot chili oil and/or crushed red chili flakes.

11. If sauce needs to be thicker, in a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of cold water with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Add to the beef, stirring. This will thicken the sauce. Continue simmering about 2-3 minutes. Add more water or soy sauce if the sauce becomes too thick. 

Gluten-free beef stew recipe

When the weather turns cool, I think comfort foods. With a busy day ahead, I knew my crock pot would come in handy. Once again, it delivered, even with a power outage toward the end of its cycle!

Here's a delicious recipe for beef stew which I have converted to gluten-free. To make it "with gluten", use regular flour instead of the white rice and potato starch. The process and seasonings are the same.

We are very lucky to have quality beef right down the road, from Markegard Family Grass-Fed. The test is in the taste which truly delivered. It wasn't too greasy, either, and was very tender.

The only real technique with this recipe is with the flouring of the beef and searing. The directions are very straight forward. Gather your ingredients and, in about 5 hours, dinner is served. Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Beef Stew

2 Tablespoons white rice flour
2 Tablespoons potato starch
1/2-1 teaspoon sea or Kosher salt (add more salt or seasonings based on your taste; you can always add at the end)
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2-1 teaspoon herbs de Provence or a combination of dried thyme and oregano
1 lb of stew meat, patted dry
1 Tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
Optional: 2 Tablespoons of sherry, brandy or wine

2 cups beef broth
1 14-15 ounce can of diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 onion, chopped
3 carrots, cut into 1/4" circles

1 pound Yukon gold or red potatoes, about 3 or 4, cubed
1 cup each fresh or frozen corn and peas, thawed slightly

1.    Mix flour, starch, salt, pepper and herbs in a bowl with a lid or sealable plastic bag. Place beef inside, close lid or seal, and shake to coat.
2.    Heat oil in pan to medium high heat. Place beef in pan, reserving the flour mixture. Cook meat 2-3 minutes on each side or until just browned. Optionally add sherry or wine and cook for 1 more minute.
3.    Place broth, tomatoes, onions and carrots in a crock pot. Add 1 Tablespoon of reserved flour mixture (discard the remainder) and stir. Add beef. Cover and cook 2 hours on high or 5 hours on low.
4.    Add potatoes and cook 30 additional minutes or until tender. Add corn and peas and cook 10 minutes or until heated.
5.    Taste and adjust seasonings; it might need more salt at the end.

Crock Pot Corned Beef

Yes, it can be done. I mean, in theory, it should be a no-brainer, right? Well, I felt the need to test so that's what I did this week. I really like the Trader Joe's one. It's all natural corned beef, no added nitrites/nitrates, hormone free. It comes in a brine with seasonings. I put it in the crock pot, poured a bit of water on top (maybe 1/2 - 1 cup) and let it cook.


Instead of simmering in a pot on the stove, use the crock pot. Basically, you have to replicate 3 hours of a simmer. I have found that is 5-6 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. The variation comes from how cold your meat is as well as how big it is. I like to err on the longer side to make sure it's cooked just right. If you are leaving in the morning for the day, I would suggest the longer setting on low.


Now, here's the only caveat. You have to add the cabbage, potatoes, and carrots about an hour before you want to serve it. If you tried adding in the beginning of the cooking time, you would have a bunch of mush. Make sure to give yourself that time.

You can remove the meat and allow it to rest on a cutting board, covered, while you cook the veggies and potatoes. I like to use 3-4 peeled carrots, cut into chunks, 1/2 head to a whole head of cabbage, cut into wedges and little "creamer" potatoes (count the number of people eating and multiply by 2 or 3). All of these should cook for 30-45 minutes on high or maybe 60-90 mins on low. Make sure all of the vegetables are tender, checking half way through the cooking time.

Cooking the veggies in the cooking liquid really makes for the perfect sides to the corned beef. If you really are short on time, steam the potatoes, cabbage and carrots (in that order) and then leave in the cooking liquid for 5-10 minutes to get the flavor.

So, working parents, St. Patrick's day is right around the corner. Don't let a Tuesday night deter you from preparing this traditional meal. I have a great Irish soda bread recipe. Look for that later in the week...

Not My Mom's Pot Roast

This is easy. My mom didn't really make pot roast. My memories, growing up in an Italian family on the east coast, were of risotto, bracciole, meatballs and the occasional roast beef. Unfortunately, roasts were not her forte. My dad would always ask her to under cook it "You can put it back in if it's not done but if it's overcooked, it's too late." Funny that my dad who never did more than walk through the kitchen was giving her advice! But, to this day, guess what? I remember what he said and I always check cakes, muffins and roasts before they are done. A great tip.

Sorry for the digression. When I was in college, the training was more classic; sauces, souffles, and sauteing. It wasn't until I moved to New England and worked in health care foodservice that I learned about things like casseroles and other comfort food. Prior to that, I hadn't really cooked like that. I think back then, everyone was trying to make things so gourmet (think salmon with dill sauce and chicken dijon), that they forgot about the basics. I have grown to appreciate the simplicity of the pot roast.

This past year, I was lucky enough to purchase, with some friends, a large amount of grass-fed, no antibiotics, locally raised beef from Markegard Farms. I've been very happy with the quality as well as the flavor and notice there's actually less fat (cows that are not fed grains are generally "thinner"). Normally, less fat in a piece of meat that is usually tough may not taste as good. It was not the case here. The pot roast I cooked last week was simply delicious.

It is the cooking process that really makes the difference. A pot roast is braised which simply means it is cooked with a small amount of liquid while being covered (with an option of browning first). As long as you have the time, this cooking method is so simple and easy; it's hard to not have good results.

Here's a list of some of the cuts of meat that I received which would be perfect for braising (the first four are great for pot roast):
-chuck roast
-rump roast
-boneless cross rib roast
-brisket
-swiss steak
-short ribs
-beef stew
-beef shank

If you are in a store and not sure which is which, don't be afraid to ask. Most of these cuts are in 1.5-3 lb pieces which should yield enough meat for 4-6 people. Once you have the meat, the next thing to do is prep. My suggestion is to do this first thing in the morning and throw it in the crock pot. You can also use a dutch oven, like a Le Creuset pot, and allow it to simmer either on the stove or in the oven.

Before I provide the recipe, I just wanted to go over the methodology. This way, if you want to use other seasonings or liquid, you will understand the process.

1. Season
For the seasoning, you can never go wrong with salt and pepper. After that, it's to taste. I've used paprika, thyme, oregano, rosemary, garlic, cumin and chile powder. Look to see what's in the spice drawer and be creative. Pat the meat dry before you season. If you do this, you'll get a better sear since there will be less water. The searing process adds a lot of flavor. If you're not searing, it's not a big deal.

2. Sear
If you are going to sear the meat, get a big pan and heat it to at least medium, maybe higher. Add some olive or vegetable oil. Place the meat in the pan and don't move it around. Allow it to brown for 2-3 minutes per side. If you are using a crock pot, remove the meat and place in the crock pot. You can then add some water to the pan to get some of the flavors from the "fond" (that's what the brown bits are called in case you didn't know).

If you are cooking in a dutch oven, you definitely should sear the meat.

3. Veggies
Vegetables are a must in my opinion. I like carrots and onions, at a minimum, and I also add celery or turnip. If you want to add peas or potatoes, do this at the end. Actually, if you want to add any vegetable that shouldn't be too mushy, add those at the end. 6 hours of cooking any vegetable may result in great flavor but it's shape will probably be indistinguishable.

4. Adding Liquid
The liquid you use can be anything from water to broth to tomato sauce or even wine or beer. The best thing to do is experiment until you find a good balance of flavors you like. Believe it or not, you only need about 1 cup. I like to use broth bases that I keep in the fridge (it's like having a jar of bouillon). I usually use about 1 tsp of base for every cup of water. If I add anything else, it's just a small amount.

5. Cooking Process-Low and Slow
Once you have added the liquid, let it cook at a low heat for a long time. If you have a crock pot with high and low settings, you can probably cook it on high for about 4-5 hours or on low for 6-8. Check the instructions.

If you are using a dutch oven, bring the pot roast to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and cook 2-3 hours or until tender. Yes, the downside of a pot roast is that it is not a 30 minute meal. If you plan correctly in the morning, you can have dinner on the table in 10 minutes.

Here is the recipe I used last week. The whole family enjoyed it and went back for seconds. I hope you'll try it.

Not My Mom's Pot Roast

1.5 - 2 lb chuck roast
salt, pepper, garlic powder, rosemary and oregano
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1-2 celery stalks, chopped
1 cup beef broth
2 Tbl tomato paste (I opened a small can and froze the rest)
3-4 anchovies or 1 tsp anchovy paste
2 Tbl balsamic vinegar
2-3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2-1 cup of frozen peas, slightly thawed

1. Add all ingredients into a crock pot EXCEPT potatoes and peas. Ideally start this process in the morning.
2. Set to high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.
3. 30 minutes prior to the end of the cooking time add potatoes to pot and stir. Allow to cook for about 20-30 minutes. Add peas 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
4. Check meat by using a fork to see how tender it is. If it's not falling apart, cook longer.
5. Serve over polenta or noodles with juice from the pot.

Beef Paprikia with Noodles (Gluten and Dairy Free!)

My friend Stuart has been after me to provide some more blog entries. Although he’s a vegetarian, I hope he doesn’t mind this one on beef. I think it’s worthy, and the recipe I provide later could also be made with a veggie ground round.

I have recently become a “conscientious carnivore” by purchasing locally raised beef from Markegard Family Grass-Fed Cattle. Over the last few years, I have become more and more concerned about where our beef comes from and how it’s treated. When I heard about this program, practically in my own backyard, I jumped at the opportunity. Now that I’ve had a chance to make risotto, pot roast, and grilled London broil, I am extremely pleased with both the flavor and leanness (which normally doesn’t go hand in hand when it comes to beef).

On this particular day, I had defrosted some ground beef with the intention of doing “something” with it. When I was putting the spices away the other day, I realized I had quite a bit of paprika. I had some distant memory of a beef paprika dish so I did my research; I checked my favorite recipe website, read through a few entries, picked out the ingredients and method I liked best, and decided tonight would be Beef Paprika night.

Now, remember, another “method” I use when I cook, is to try to use what’s on hand. Besides the beef, I had red peppers that I had gotten from the farmer’s market but I didn’t have mushrooms (which is sometimes called for in the recipe). I didn’t have sour cream but decided I really should make it dairy-free anyway, so I pulled out a plain soy milk. I happened to have some gluten-free fusilli and the dish sort of came together in my head. And all of this happened at 5:30; we were eating by 6:15.

When you’re cooking, it’s best to think of the whole dish. What will take the longest? What ingredients do I have? Does anything need to defrost? What can I cook at the same time and what do I need to serve right away? Since I wanted to cook pasta, the very first thing I did was boiling the water. I always put a lid on the pot to help bring the water to temperature quickest. Then the sauté pan starts up while I slice the onions. Are you getting the idea here? Working in parallel really saves you time.

So what did the little ones think of this dish? They ate it up (at least half of them). Ok, I admit that I did sort of hide the red peppers from my son; he’s not crazy about them when he sees them but by the fact that he doesn’t gag, he can’t dislike them that much. And the little girl who I made this special gluten-free, dairy-free dish decided she was going to eat carrots, cucumbers and yogurt for dinner. Sigh…But she’s such a good eater, I don’t stress about one meal with her. And I’m fairly sure she’ll eat her special pasta tomorrow when she’s hungrier. Oh, and the beef was delicious! I have been so happy at how lean it is when it cooks (there’s virtually no fat to drain), it browns wonderfully and has such a great flavor.

So, I hope you will try this one when you can’t figure out what to have for dinner. You could use different cuts of beef, ground turkey or even chicken strips. I think your kids will like it because it’s not only tasty but the sauce makes it easy to go down.

Beef Paprika with Noodles

2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 1/2 Tbl paprika
1 tsp salt
1 lb grass-fed ground beef
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup beef broth
1 cup plain soy milk
1 Tbl cornstarch
1 Tbl tomato paste
1/2 cup of frozen peas
8 oz gluten-free pasta like Bionaturae Fusilli Pasta which is made with rice, potato, and soy

1. Begin by getting the water boiling. If the water boils before you are ready to cook the pasta, keep the lid on it and lower the temperature.

2. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add onions, peppers, and spices; cook until onion is soft and you can really smell the spices (but the spices should not smell burnt). Add the salt and take off of the heat. Place veggies in a bowl while you cook the meat.

3. Place pan back on stove and heat to medium. Add beef in small pieces. Try not to move the meat very much so that it will brown nicely. Once it’s browned, turn over and cook on the other side. When no more pink remains, add wine and allow to reduce slightly.

4. Add broth and soy milk to beef. In a small bowl or cup, add enough water to cornstarch to make a slurry. Add this to the beef to thicken it. Allow to cook a few minutes then add tomato paste. Once beef is slightly thickened, add peas and turn off heat.

5. While the beef is cooking, boil the pasta, making sure to salt the water right before the pasta goes in. Cook 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Don’t rely on package directions. Always taste pasta to determine doneness and err on the side of caution.

6. Drain pasta and add back to the pot. Add beef mixture to this and stir. Adjust seasoning (may need more salt) and serve. Unfortunately, gluten-free pasta doesn’t hold it’s shape as long as regular pasta does so try to eat this fairly quickly. And of course, if you don’t require gluten-free pasta, use what you have. This would be delicious over some wide egg noodles.

Beef Saffron Risotto

I was asked recently for my "signature dish". That was a tough one. I have a few that I find I make over and over that would qualify. But when it came down to it, I thought about what it is I feel I represent; easy, nutritious and delicious meals that can feed the whole family.

Although I'm providing the recipe, it always helps to watch someone make it. I'm going to include it in my "Easy Weekday Meals" class. If you are interested in hosting or attending a class, please let me know.

I like this dish because I can get home at 5:00 and dinner is on the table by 5:45. It’s easy and covers my protein-starch-veg dinner goal. My mom made a variation of this for me when I was young so when I eat it, it brings back memories. I hope my children will say the same thing, and maybe yours will, too!

Beef Saffron Risotto
Serves 4

1-1 ½ lbs of natural, grass fed ground beef (like Niman Ranch)
1 Tbl Olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (or ½ large)
¼ - ½ tsp pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp salt
Few strands of saffron
1 cup of Arborio rice
4 cups of organic chicken broth, heated to just boiling
1 cup frozen peas, slightly thawed

1. Heat large pot to med and add ground beef. Press into pan and allow to cook for a while before you turn/stir so you get some browning. Add pepper.
2. After a few minutes, stir and cook until there is no more pink. Remove from pot and drain fat.
3. In the same pot, add olive oil and heat to medium. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
4. Add beef, salt, and saffron threads and stir. Add rice and cook for 1 minute.
5. Begin to add hot chicken broth, 1/2 cup or more at a time. Stir every few minutes and add more broth when needed. Make sure rice is simmering but not boiling. Check after 20 minutes or when broth is used up. If you need more liquid, just add hot water.
6. Add peas and stir. Cook for 3 minutes or until heated through.
7. Garnish risotto with freshly grated cheese (please, nothing out of a can!). Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Tip: You can substitute ground turkey or pork for the beef.

Western Chili

Are you looking for something to bring to a potluck, bbq or party that is tasty and full of protein and fiber? I used to make this dish when I lived in Boston and then sort of forgot about it. This is surprising because it's easy and delicious.

I was getting ready for a bbq one day and remembered the recipe so that was the dish I brought along with me. Moms, dads and kids alike all enjoyed it. I've made it a few times after that and I always get the same results. Oh, and of course, everyone wants the recipe! So here it is along with some tips at the end for variations.

Western Chili

1 lb natural, grass fed ground beef
1 diced onion
1 lb natural, uncured bacon, diced
1 can baked beans with juice
1 reg can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 reg can butter beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c molasses
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c ketchup
1 Tbl yellow mustard

1. In a large pot, over medium to medium high heat, cook beef, only stirring occasionally so as to get good browning and carmelization. When the meat is about half way cooked, add the onion. Cook this until there is no more pink in the meat and the onion is translucent. Drain any extra fat.
2. Fry bacon until crisp. Drain and pat dry. Wipe out pot.
3. Add all ingredients back to pot and simmer 20-30 mins, checking for seasoning.
4. Serve by itself or over brown rice.

Variations:
*Use ground pork, turkey or veggie ground round to substitute the beef
*Try buying the bacon from your butcher so you can get the exact weight that you want. Also, the quality is usually better.
*If you don't have bacon, use ham.
*Instead of brown sugar, use half the amount of agave nectar or equal parts of sucanat.
*Butter beans are really lima beans. If you can't find them, try white kidney beans.

Cooking for Kids and Meatloaf recipe

Long before Jessica Seinfeld published her book and before my children were pros at eating veggies, I used to add chopped cooked vegetables to dishes like meatloaf and meatballs. Here's a recipe for a healthy delicious dinner. You just need to plan ahead a bit (maybe start at 4:00 if you want to eat at 5:30).

Meatloaf w/secret veggies

To a food processor*, add:
2 peeled carrots, cut in 4 lengths
1 small onion, peeled and cut in quarters
1 zucchini squash, cut in 4 lengths
½ lb cleaned white mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic

*if you don't have a food processor, chop very finely

Chop vegetables to a mince. Add olive oil to a large sauté pan and heat to medium. Add veggies and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened. Remove from heat. While the veggies cool, mix in a bowl:

1- 1 ½ lb of ground turkey meat (can also use chicken, pork or beef or any combination)
1-2 eggs
about 1 cup of plain bread crumbs
½ cup of ketchup
1-2 Tbl yellow mustard
1 Tbl soy sauce
*optional: 1 package of chopped spinach, thawed and drained (of you can buy bags of frozen chopped spinach and just add 1 cup)

Add the slightly cooled veggies to the meat mixture. If mixture is not stiff, add more breadcrumbs. Form into rectangle in 13 x 9 inch pan. Top with more ketchup. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes. Remember: taking the internal temperature is the best way to determine whether your meat is cooked. Temperature should be 165 degrees.

I like to serve with traditional mashed potatoes, more ketchup and possibly another veggie on the side.