Your Gluten-Free Holiday Meal

This could be your holiday dinner plate!

If you think that eating gluten-free means your holiday meal will be anything less than fantastic, you need this mini e-cookbook that I just published. Whether you are looking to include a single gluten-free dish or makeover your whole holiday meal, this is the book for you. 

Feel good this holiday season but not just because your meal is gluten-free...help raise money for the Hurricane Sandy relief fund AND get a great e-cookbook. For every cookbook sold, $1 will be donated to The American Red Cross. You can also choose to buy just the book without the donation.

To get more details and to purchase/download click here.

Learn how to make a gluten-free pie crust with step-by-step instructions. Instead of a pie, try an easier version; the galette.

Make your own  "custom" cranberry sauce; it's so easy!

Need ideas for leftovers? There's a whole section. Use the pie crust recipe to make a delicious pot pie.

Roasted Red Cabbage

This is in the category of "things you should not assume your kids won't like". A friend of mine (thank you Kristen!) served it at dinner a few years ago and I was amazed that my then 5 year old daughter loved it. I really was shocked! However, my then 7 year old ate it but I'm not sure he loved it. I'm okay with that.

There's really no recipe; it's more of a method. Here you go:

Preheat oven to 375F. If you have convection, use it for this dish.

I use about 1/2 of a cabbage for our family of 4. Many grocery stores will cut a cabbage in half for you if you don't think you will use the rest.

Remove the white core from the middle. Cut the cabbage into wedges. 

Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. 

Roast about 12-15 minutes or until you can smell the cabbage. Cabbage should be tender with a little browning. Serve as is.

Quinoa and corn cakes recipe

I'm going to really try to not tell a super long story so you can get right to this recipe. Promise.

A friend of mine brought me one of these a few weeks ago; she had just made a batch and I was very excited to try them. I pictured it being more like a crab cake when she described it but it was closer to a griddle cake since it's flat.

My 6 year old daughter was in the room when she arrived with the sample. I'm thinking, "Oh yeah, it's doesn't have sugar. My daughter won't want this." Wrong.
"What's that, Mama?" she asked.
"Something with quinoa; I don't think you'll like it." (it smelled so good, I really did not want to share this).
"Can I have some?"
"Sure honey" and I gave her a piece.
"Uhmm, that's good!" she says "Can I have more?". At least she has good manners.
"Of course, you can. I'll give you half." but inside I was like, really? You want this? Woe is me. Never assume what your kids will and won't eat. I think I said that.

So, I got the recipe from my friend. It had come from her sister who had gotten it from a magazine in Southern California so I don't know the exact source. I did change some of the amounts and ingredients as well. If I find out where it came from, I will update the post.

I made the quinoa cakes the next week. Surprisingly, everyone (8 year old son and husband included) loved them. What a great way to get some healthy protein for us all! I hope you will give it a try.

Quinoa and Corn Cakes
Makes about 10-12

1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth (you can also use all water or broth)
1 large egg
1/2 cup corn (if using frozen, thaw slightly before adding or add to cooked quinoa)
2 scallions, finely chopped (white and green)
1/3 cup red pepper, diced
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella (optional)
1/4 cup The Family Chef's gluten-free flour blend (or all-purpose flour for non gluten-free)
2 tablespoons corn flour (the fine type, not coarse like polenta)
2 tablespoons milk or milk substitute
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

1. Cook quinoa. If quinoa has not been pre-rinsed (check package), rinse briefly under cold water. Add quinoa, water and broth to a small to medium sized pot with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cover. Cook 10-12 minutes or until all of the water has absorbed. Cool slightly.
2. In a medium bowl, add egg and beat. Add remaining ingredients including quinoa but not the vegetable oil and mix with a spoon or rubber spatula/scraper. If mixture is very wet and won't hold together, add another tablespoon of the flour mixture.
3. Place a thin layer of vegetable oil in a medium to large non-stick pan. Heat pan to medium. When pan is hot, add 1/4 cup of the quinoa mixture and press down with a spatula to make a griddle cake. Make sure to leave room between each one. Cook about 2-3 minutes or until one side is golden brown. Flip over and cook the other side. They don't always stay together perfectly but that's ok; they taste great.
4. Serve cakes immediately or at room temperature, plain or with a tomato salsa.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Butternut Squash Risotto

This is a hearty dish perfect for late fall or winter. It’s also wonderful with any root vegetable like turnip, carrot, parsnip, rutabaga, and sweet potato. If you don't want to bother cutting the squash many stores offer it pre-cut.

For more nutrition, use the same amount of barley as rice, except soak it in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain. It takes longer to cook but is very tasty. This dish can be made gluten-free, just make sure the broth is labeled gluten-free and skip the barley.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Makes 4-6 servings

Olive oil
2-3 shallots, minced (can substitute 1 onion, chopped)
Pepper
1-2 garlic cloves
1 tsp salt
Butternut squash (about ½ of a large), peeled, seeded, chopped
1 cup of arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine or sherry
4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth, heated
2 Tbl unsalted butter
Chopped fresh sage or thyme

1. Heat oil and butter in large pot. Sauté the shallots with pepper until soft and golden. Add garlic and salt and stir for 1 minute.
2. Add squash and cook until squash begins to soften, stirring. Add the rice and stir, then add the wine or sherry. Cook until wine/sherry is absorbed.
3. Stir in 1/2 cup broth and stir, keeping at a simmer throughout, until absorbed. Continue simmering and adding broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently. Allow each addition to be absorbed before adding next and until rice is tender and creamy-looking but still firm, about 18 minutes.
4. Add butter at the end to add extra creaminess, and chopped sage or thyme for flavor. If you don’t have fresh herbs, add ½ tsp of one or the other in step 1 when you add the shallots.

Russian kale, lentils and sausage

What do you do when someone drops off a big bag of Russian kale to your house? Cook it like spinach and see what else is in the pantry.

I am fortunate to have friends at The Heal Project which is where it came from. The kale was left over after they were preparing fields for new crops. Lucky me! I wasn't sure what to do with it but figured I would be able to muster something up.

Russian kale is flat and leafy; it almost looks like lettuce you would use for salad. Kale is rich in beta carotene, vitamins K and C and rich in calcium so when it comes to healthy, it fits the bill. Give it a wash to get rid of any dirt and cut into small pieces or slices. I like to let it soak in water for about 5 minutes and then lift it out of the water to keep the dirt at the bottom of the bowl.

When deciding how to prepare it, I thought about how I might use spinach. I had some garlic and herb beef sausage from Markegard Family Grass-fed in the freezer and lentils in the pantry. Pine nuts seemed like a nice addition so I toasted some of those as well.

This meal was more of a "put together the different parts" sort of dish. So, mix and match; use what you have but make sure to eat your veggies. I do think it was an excellent combination of flavors. Enjoy!

Russian Kale, Lentils and Sausage

Cook the kale. Use this blog post as a guide to how to cook kale.  You could use any kind or even chard.

Cook the lentils. I used green lentils (which are closer to brown but that is what they are called). Add 1 cup of rinsed lentils to 3 cups of water or broth with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Cook about 30 minutes or until water is absorbed and lentils are soft. I probably only used 2 cups in the dish and saved the rest.

Cook the sausage. Cook 1 pound of sausage either in a saute pan or on the grill. Leave the casing on so it's easier to slice. Drain any fat that accumulates in the pan. To make the dish vegetarian, leave it out. Let it cool, then slice into 1" pieces.

Toast the pine nuts. Some people swear by the oven or toaster oven but for me, personally, I always use a regular saute pan without any added oil. I use a medium to low heat and shake the pan every few minutes until they are golden and fragrant. For this dish, I used about 1/2 cup of pine nuts.

Assemble the dish. It couldn't be easier. Take all of the ingredients and mix in a bowl. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings by adding salt and pepper. You can also add 1 tablespoon of a good quality olive oil. Best served warm.

Gluten-free gravy

If you think making homemade gravy is harder than the SAT's, think again. Instead of using a gluten-based roux (butter and flour), start using slurries. A slurry is a combination of a starch and cold water (equal parts) which are mixed into a hot liquid like chicken or turkey broth. The ratio that I use which seems to work well is:

1 Tablespoon Cornstarch to 1 Tablespoon Cold Water to 1 cup of liquid

If you can't tolerate corn, try arrowroot, tapioca or potato starch. Make sure the gravy is seasoned well with herbs, spices and...salt (again, assuming you can tolerate). To give it the creaminess and texture you might miss with a regular gravy, add 1 Tablespoon of unsalted butter at the end. You can also try cream or a plain unsweetened milk, like coconut (it has a thicker texture than rice).

Happy Turkey Day!


Gluten-free Gravy for Turkey
Serves 8

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup (or more) drippings from the turkey (I sometimes add hot water to the bottom of the pan to make my own "broth")
Note: If you don't have any drippings, use 2 cups total of chicken broth

Slurry: 2 Tablespoons cornstarch + 2 Tablespoons cold water

1/2-1 teaspoon sea or Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 teaspoon fresh, chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage

Optional: 1 Tablesoon unsalted butter

1. Heat broth in a small to medium sized pot.
2. Meanwhile, make the slurry in a small bowl. Mix until smooth and the slurry looks like whole milk (see photo above). Make sure to mix the slurry right before adding it to the broth.
3. Once broth is simmering, whisk in slurry and season with salt and pepper.
4. Cook 4-6 minutes or until thickened. If the sauce is not thick enough, add more slurry if necessary.
5. Make sure the sauce does not have a starchy texture. The way to tell is to taste it. If there is a gritty texture, the sauce needs to cook more.

6. Add sage at the end. Optionally add 1 tablespoon of butter to make the sauce more creamy and similar to a roux-thickened sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings. If it tastes "flat", add more salt, 1/8 teaspoon at a time.

Variations
For variations, add the following ingredients to the sauce when the broth is added. You may need to add more slurry to achieve the proper thickness.

• Lemon and Garlic: Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 minced garlic clove to a chicken or vegetable based broth.
• Wine and Herb: Add 2 tablespoons of dry white wine and 1 teaspoon of dried herbs to the broth.
• Mustard: Whisk in 1-2 teaspoons dijon or grainy mustard into the sauce as it thickens.
• Creamy: Add 1 Tablespoon cream to any of the above sauces.

Gluten-free Spaghetti, Rice and Lentil pilaf

Halloween food should look scary but still taste good!

When it comes to Halloween cooking, you want your food to look scary but not taste that way. I used to make a "bug salad" a few years back but with barley so it wasn't gluten-free. However, you could substitute rice or quinoa for it so check it out if you like a coconut flavor with red lentils.

This recipe is my new and improved gluten-free version of what I call Worms and Bugs in Dirt. If you like the recipe and you don't eat gluten-free, it's easy to adjust; just use regular pasta and breadcrumbs.

I made it this week to taste-test and get the recipe down. There was only a 1/2 cup left at the end of the meal so I'd say it hit both marks; scary and tasty! But really, it can be served any time of the year.

If you are having gluten-free guests for a ghoulish meal or just want a side dish with more grains and protein, give this a try.

Gluten-Free Spaghetti, Rice and Lentil Pilaf (aka Worms and Bugs in Dirt)

Serves 4

2 cups of low sodium gluten-free chicken or veggie broth
1 1/4  water
1/3 cup brown lentils, rinsed
1/2 cup long grain brown rice (if you use short grain, add at least 1/4 cup of additional liquid)
1 ounce or about 1/2 cup dry brown rice spaghetti (or any gluten-free spaghetti)
Optional: few strands of saffron (it will give the pilaf a yellow color)
1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs (try Schar or make your own)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (for dairy-free, use olive or your favorite vegetable oil)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Ground pepper to taste
Optional: grated parmesan cheese

1. Heat broth and water to boiling in a medium size pot (see note below for tips on using a rice cooker). Add lentils, rice and saffron, if using. The pasta is added later. Stir, cover and bring back to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook 25 minutes.
2. Remove cover, add pasta and stir. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If there is still liquid, remove cover and continue cooking until liquid is absorbed. Test everything for doneness. If any of the grains or rice is still crunchy and there is no more liquid, add 1/4 cup and cook another 3-5 minutes.
3. While the pilaf is cooking, place the breadcrumbs in a shallow pan (e.g. round baking dish) and place in a toaster oven or the regular oven (300F) to brown. Crumbs toast quickly so keep an eye on them.
4. When the pilaf is done, stir in the butter, salt, pepper and breadcrumbs.
5. Optionally garnish with grated parmesan or any hard Italian cheese. That's what you see in the photo!

Note: Rice Cooker Method
Add broth, water, lentils and rice (saffron if using) to bowl of rice cooker plus another 1/4 cup of water. Brown rice made in the rice cooker needs more liquid. Turn rice cooker on and set a timer for 25 minutes. Open cooker and add spaghetti. Stir and close cooker. Prepare breadcrumbs in step 3. When rice cooker is done, leave closed for 5 minutes. Check to make sure all of the liquid has been absorbed.  If for some reason it has not, turn cooker back on for 3 minutes. Add ingredients in step 4 and optionally garnish with parmesan cheese.

Gluten-Free Zucchini Pancakes recipe

I bought some lovely zucchini at the farmer's market last week and somehow managed to...well, forget about them. I opened the veggie drawer today, looking at the 4 pieces with guilt, and decided something had to be done.

I settled on zucchini muffins (I used my gluten-free carrot muffin recipe but substituted zucchini for carrots).  While using the food processor to shred the zucchini, I thought why not try zucchini pancakes. It's one of those dishes I haven't made since being gluten-free. I didn't think it would be that hard; I just wondered if the kids would be up for it.

After looking at three or four recipes, I decided to just make them. One thing to note, I don't like "raw" onion flavor so I cooked the onion first. Most recipes don't call for that. I'll leave it up to you.

The result was a crisp outside, moist inside delicious little pancake. It tasted even better with the ranch dressing from yesterday. And as for the kids? 7 yr old-thumbs up. 5 yr old-blech. Oh well.

Some Family Chef advice: If you have a picky eater, don't give up. Something changed this year for the 7 yr old; he started liking foods he never liked before. He was more willing to try things. He is enthusiastic. The 5 yr old has some catching up to do but she's still in the "good eater" category. Don't let her review of this dish sway you; they were really good!

Gluten-Free Zucchini Pancakes


2-3 zucchinis (see step 1)
Salt
Olive oil for sauteing
1/2 onion, chopped or sliced thinly
1 egg
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Optional seasonings (1/4 tsp of each): dried dill, thyme and/or oregano
1/4 c gluten-free flour blend (I used about 1/2 of my flour blend and 1/2 potato starch)



1. Shred the zucchini with the skin on with a food processor, mandoline or a metal box grater. You should have about 2 cups in total. Place in a mesh strainer over a bowl. Sprinkle salt over zucchini (at least 1/4 tsp) and mix. Let sit for at least 15 minutes while you prep other ingredients.

2. Saute onion in about 1-2 tsp of olive oil until just softened. The onion is optional but gives the pancakes good flavor. By cooking them first, they are sweeter and less harsh tasting. Once cooked, place in a medium to large bowl to cool.

3. Remove the liquid from the zucchini by pressing it against the strainer or wringing it in a kitchen towel. Place in the bowl with the onion. Add the egg and black pepper and mix with either a spoon or your hands. If you are using any optional seasonings, add them now. Add the flour mixture 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is moist but not runny. You should be able to make  pancakes that will keep their shape (see picture above). It is ok if you do not use all of the flour.

4. Heat a non-stick griddle or saute pan. Spray with non-stick spray or use just a little olive oil. If you use a metal pan, you will need to use a little more oil or else it will stick.

5. Place 2" pancakes on pan and flatten out slightly. Cook about 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve plain or with sour cream. I served mine with ranch dressing. Delicious!

How to make a quick and healthy dinner

Don't think you have to always use a recipe; just cook!

I normally don't post the "what I had for dinner" photo on my blog; I generally save that for Facebook. Today, when I went to the grocery store, I was inspired by the produce. I didn't really have a plan; I just put it all in my cart. I also grabbed a package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs as my kids love this as a protein.

I think that it's great to have a stack of recipes on hand but at the same time, so much of it is just cooking. Can you guess all of cooking methods I used in the above picture? They are shredding, marinating and grilling, steaming and roasting. Each item didn't take very long so if you can multi-task, it's easy to put together a dinner like this. Here's how I did it:

BBQ Chicken-I placed the chicken breasts in a glass pan and added bbq sauce. The marinating time is quick so you can leave the chicken out for 20 minutes while you prepare the other dishes. My favorite is Bone Suckin' Sauce; my kids like it too. It's sweet but not too spicy. I set the grill to medium and cooked each side for 7 minutes or so. The nice thing about thighs is that they are hard to overcook because of the fat. I added some extra bbq sauce during the last 3 minutes to give it a glaze. Total time: 30 minutes.

Green Beans-After the chicken was marinating, using a kitchen scissor and cutting the stem end of 3-4 at a time, I was able to prep a pound of green beans in about 10 minutes. I cut them one more time in the center and then plopped them into a pot with a steamer basket. There was more water than just to cover the bottom of the pot but not too much that the water was above the steamer basket. I placed a cover on top, set the heat to a little over medium and then lowered it a bit when I heard it steaming. 5 minutes later or so, I had perfect beans. Some times I add olive oil, butter or sesame oil with a little salt but tonight, they were perfect plain. This took about 10 minutes of prep and no more than 5 minutes of cooking.

Coleslaw-you can buy shredded carrots and even shredded cabbage. If you don't have access to either, get out the cuisinart. In a bowl, I mixed 1/2 c mayo, 1/4 c sour cream (use Veganaise if you have dairy issues), 1 Tbl agave nectar, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 3/4 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp white pepper. After I shredded a half of a head of cabbage (many produce sections will do this upon request), I added it to the mixture along with a handful of shredded carrots which I had gotten from the store. The whole process takes about 15 minutes but if you make it frequently, it is helpful to be familiar with the recipe (I had done it the day before).

Roasted Dino Kale-Start by pre-heating the oven to 400F. This whole process couldn't be easier (assuming the kale is fairly clean). If you have to remove a lot of dirt, it does take longer. The bunch I bought was pretty clean and only needed a rinse and a shake. I don't even cut out the stem in the middle any more; I just make thin strips starting from the top. Place it on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a silicone mat. Drizzle a teaspoon or so of extra virgin olive oil, add some sea or Kosher salt and toss together. 10-12 minutes later you will have a lovely dish of kale chips. I'm still amazed my kids eat this but they do.

What you didn't see in the photo was a brown rice and red quinoa pilaf. My math was off so I had to add more water and cook it longer. I'm guessing it's because I was cooking 4 things at once!

I hope this meal inspires you to do some plain, ole cooking. Some times that's all you need.

Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary, Leeks and Gruyere recipe

When we visit my husband's family, my mother-in-law does not ask very much of us. She is a wonderful host and we have an on-going joke about her asking if we would like "tea and toast".

This Easter, I wanted to contribute a dish to the meal; typical English fare is a roast with potatoes and veg. I thought I would leave the steamed potatoes for the children and make something a bit more adventurous for us. Thus, this dish was created.


When you look at the ingredients, don't worry if you don't have everything. Just look at them as what they are:

• potatoes: Yukon gold is preferred but red or russett are ok, too
  
• herb: rosemary, thyme or oregano works well
  
• onion: any kind of onion would do, even some garlic
• cheese: if you don't have Gruyere or Swiss, substitute with anything sharp

Here are the (very) easy directions to a delicious side dish. You could always add eggs halfway through and make it into a crustless quiche...oh, must.make.that!

Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary, Leeks and Gruyere

Cut medium yellow potatoes (2 or 3 per person) into chunks. I usually cut each potato into 4-6 pieces. Toss with olive oil, 2-3 fresh rosemary sprigs and salt:

• Add 2 Tbl oil; add more if it looks dry.
• Pull the rosemary leaves in opposite direction from the sprig to remove.
• Start with 1/2 tsp salt for 4 servings. You can always add more at the end.

Roast potatoes in a casserole dish for 20 mins @375F.

While roasting, sauté cut leeks or onion in butter with salt until golden. This should take about 10 minutes.

Shred or cut some Gruyere or Swiss cheese. I used about 1/2 c shredded for 4 servings.

After the potatoes have cooked for 20 minutes, add cheese, leeks, and 1/4 c of heavy or light cream (whole milk is an option, too), salt and pepper to taste, and stir. Place it back in oven, covered, for 15 minutes.

Uncover and continue baking for another 10 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

Creamy butternut squash, quinoa and spinach recipe

The blend of squash, spinach and coconut oil gives this dish a nice balance

When asked to create a dish for the Food Wise booth at the CUESA's Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market, I looked to the availability of what was fresh that week for inspiration. There were plenty of greens, squashes and brussel sprouts as well as tomatoes and eggplant. Well, the squash and greens won me over, especially considering the time of year. So, I added a little of this and a little of that to create this recipe.

When I say it's easy, I mean it. Once you have the squash roasted and the quinoa made, it's just a matter of preferences and what is in the house. Here are the main components:

• Roasted squash with onion and garlic (use any squash or even sweet potato)
  
• Cooked quinoa (but you could use rice or pasta but the quinoa has more nutrition)
• Nuts (I've used toasted sliced almonds as well as chopped roasted and salted pistachios)
• Dried fruit (for example, cranberries or raisins; pomegranate would be good as well)
• Cooked green (I loved using spinach but chard or dino kale would work, too)
• Coconut oil (just a little added a nice balance between the squash and the green; you could use coconut milk instead of the cream)
• Goat cheese (I love the tanginess to offset the sweet; see the vegan option below)
• Cream (just a touch to make it...creamy!)

I can usually judge a dish by how quickly we run out and, what I like to call the "umm"-factor. When people make that yummy noise out loud, I can tell it's a home run. So maybe this fall, instead of a standard dish you make all of the time, try this one. It's healthy, easy and tasty (and also gluten-free). Enjoy!

Butternut Squash, Quinoa and Spinach

1/2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
1/2 onion, chopped
1 Tbl olive oil
¼ tsp ground pepper
2 pinches of sea salt
2-3 garlic gloves, minced
1/2 c chopped nuts (sliced almond, pine or walnut; you can use pistachio as well but do not toast)
1 c red or white quinoa
2 c vegetable broth
2 tsp coconut oil
2 c fresh spinach, washed and chopped (or 1 pkg frozen, defrosted and squeezed dry)
1/2 c dried cranberries
1-2 Tbl heavy cream
4 oz goat cheese
1 tsp honey or agave nectar
Sea salt and pepper to taste

This recipe has 4 steps: roast the squash and onion, toast the nuts, cook the quinoa and spinach and mix everything together.

1. Toss squash and onion with olive oil, salt and pepper and place on a rimmed cookie sheet. Roast in a 400F oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden and squash is softened. Add garlic for the last 3 minutes of cooking. Allow to cool slightly.
2. While that roasts, prepare the other ingredients. Toast nuts in a pan until golden brown. Cool.
   
3. Rinse quinoa if it has not been rinsed already, add to a pot with vegetable broth, bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Cook covered about 15-18 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Add coconut oil (if you add it while the quinoa is hot, the coconut oil will melt). If you are using raw spinach, add to the quinoa once it has finished cooking. If you are using cooked spinach, add with the other ingredients.
4. Cool quinoa for about 5-10 minutes.
5. Combine quinoa, roasted squash and onion, nuts, cranberries, cream and goat cheese. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

Vegan option: omit cream and goat cheese. Replace with 1/2 c coconut milk and 1/2 tsp additional sea salt.

Sweet potato and millet cake recipe

Our local grocery store has these delightful patties in their deli case from time to time. I decided to seize the moment and make my own version. I didn't even look at the ingredients but I did google "sweet potato millet cake" and the first thing that came up was a recipe on a parrot website for a cake for parrots. Yes, someone has a website with recipes for parrots.

I decided to not use it since "cuttlebone" was one of the ingredients. Instead, I used what I thought would taste good. Even though millet is often used for birdseed, this time I wanted something a bit more savory.

Millet is a relatively new grain in my repertoire. It's not only good for you but it has great flavor. It cooks up sort of "spongey" and is great to absorb something liquidy like a stew. It's naturally gluten-free (as are the rest of the ingredients in the recipe). However, if you have Celiac disease, don't get the millet from the bulk bin; it could be cross-contaminated with gluten from other products.

Here's what I learned about millet from recipetips.com:
Millet is an excellent source of iron and magnesium. It is also high in calcium, phosphorous, manganese, zinc, and B vitamins. It has the highest iron content of any grain except amaranth and quinoa. The natural alkalinity of millet makes it easily digestible, so it is very beneficial for people with ulcers and digestive problems. It is believed to be one of the least allergenic of all grains.

So, try this one night as a side dish or even a meal. Sweet potatoes (these are the orange ones; yams are really yellow and big) are full of vitamins (A, B6 and C) and minerals (maganese, iron and potassium). So, a "cake" made with both is a double-whammy of nutrition.

When I presented it to my 6 yr old, his reaction was "Yum!". The almost 5 yr old was not as enthusiastic but it could have been her mood. I enjoyed mine that day for lunch with a salad.

Here's the recipe but it's really about the process. Since the moisture content of the potatoes can vary, the recipe is more of a guideline. I hope you'll try it!

Sweet Potato and Millet Cakes (naturally gluten-free)

1/2 c millet, rinsed (see note from above)
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 tsp each pepper, thyme, cumin and curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 medium sized sweet potatoes, baked or microwaved
1-2 eggs
Oil for frying like safflower or olive

1. Add 1/2 c millet, 1 1/4 c water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Cover and cook 20-25 minutes or until all of the water is evaporated.

2. Meanwhile, saute the onion in the olive oil with the spices. Don't add the salt yet. Cook until the onion is soft and golden brown.

3. While the onion cooks, mash the sweet potato and add salt and one egg.

4. Once the millet and onions have cooled, mix with the sweet potato and egg. If the mixture seems dry, add the other egg.

5. Form into patties and cook over medium heat until golden on each side. Alternatively, bake in a 400F oven on a greased cookie sheet, for about 20 minutes, turning once.

6. Try serving with a cumin-scented cream (a little bit of cumin mixed with sour cream; I know it sounds fancy, doesn't it!).

Green Bean, Potato and Pesto Salad recipe

I have to confess. My good friend Alison made this dish at a pot luck. It was delicious! I looked at the ingredients, asked for her permission and created my own twist on it. The combination of flavors is just delicious.

The first time I made it, I didn't have cherry tomatoes; I used sun-dried instead. At the Ferry Building for my demo, we used toasted walnuts both in the salad and in the pesto. If you want to have it for dinner, add some tofu (as seen in the picture), chicken or garbanzo beans. Once the green beans and potatoes are cooked, this dish is a snap to put together. Give it a try! (I'll post the video I made at the Ferry Building at some point; check back!).


Green Bean, Pesto and Potato Salad

Ingredients:

* 1/2-3/4 c pesto sauce
* 1 lb green beans, cut in half and steamed until tender
* 1 lb red or yellow creamer potatoes, cut in 1/4’s and steamed
* 1/2 pt grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or 1/2 c sun dried tomatoes, chopped
* 1/2 c pine nuts or chopped walnuts, toasted
* 1/2 c Feta cheese, crumbled
* 3/4 c kalamata olives, halved
* 2 Tbl red wine vinegar
* 4 Tbl olive oil
* Freshly ground pepper
* Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in bowl and serve warm or cold.

Lunch is served-Chard and Quinoa Salad

As I was about to eat lunch, I had to stop and take a picture. Although I might still succumb to my processed cheese craving every once in a while, I couldn't believe this is what I was eating; chard and quinoa salad, gluten free bread with white bean dip and arugula, and organic strawberries. This was largely due to the fact that this was what was in the fridge. However, because of my new gluten free (gf) diet, this is what I had in the fridge.

One of the benefits of my gf lifestyle is that I'm eating more healthy. I created this dish as I was rushing to a pot luck. I cooked the quinoa while I prepped the chard. Once that was cooked with the onion, I added the pine nuts, raisins, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. In about 20 minutes I was out the door with what has now become my favorite salad/side dish/entree. I've added sunflower seeds and now toast both to give them some crunch. Instead of the raisins, you can use cranberries. One time, I even added Indian spices to the onions, like cumin, coriander and cinnamon. That was good, too.

You can make this dish ahead and serve cold or at room temp. So far, everyone has liked it, even those under 4 feet! I hope you'll give it a try, even if you're not eating gluten free. It's going in the cookbook; here's the excerpt:


Using Grains: Chard and Quinoa Salad

Serve this as a salad or side dish. It’s always delicious and super easy. My children even eat it!

About 1 cup cooked quinoa (3/4 cup quinoa to 1.5 cup water)
3 Tbl pine nuts or sunflower seeds (or both)
Olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
Ground pepper
1 head of chard, chopped with stems, placed in a large bowl of water to remove dirt.
1/4 Raisins
1 Tbl good quality olive oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Drizzle of agave nectar or honey

1. Prepare quinoa. See tip below.
2. In a non-stick skillet, toast nuts and/or sunflower seeds until golden brown. Remove from pan. If you don’t have time, add the pine nuts untoasted.
3. Heat large saute pan to medium. Add olive oil and cook onions with some ground pepper.
4. Remove chard from bowl, putting your hands into the water and scooping out the chard. If you pour the water out, the dirt will remain. Cook chard with onion, uncovered until softened.
5. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve room temp or cold.

TIP:
How to Cook Quinoa

Rinse quinoa under water (unless it’s pre-rinsed; this removes the natural soapy residue it has). Place quinoa in a pot with twice as much water, for example, 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups of water. Add a pinch or two of salt. Bring this up to a boil, cover and lower to a simmer for 12-15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.

About Quinoa (Keen-wah)

Quinoa has become quite popular in the last few years. Although it’s actually a seed (picture a sunflower), it’s properties are more like a grain which is why it’s referred to as one.

Quinoa comes from South America and has been called a super grain because of the nutritional value it holds. Besides being high in protein, calcium and iron, quinoa also has a good amount of vitamin E and several of the B vitamins. It contains an almost perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids needed for tissue development in humans. Why not give it a try?

Caviar You Can't "Beet"

Amy's Beet "Caviar"

This is also called Beeta Ganoosh by Aaron Dinwoody of Farm Fresh Solutions. He should have full credit for this recipe. I first had it when we visited Tunitas Creek Ranch, near San Gregorio, and have had it since on a few occasions. Lucky for us, he is now selling it at the Half Moon Bay Farmer's Market and at New Leaf Community Market.

One day, while at the farmer's market, I saw some beets and got inspired. I thought, I love that dish and I think I could make it. My email inbox is humungous and one reason is that I save things I might need one day. I remembered this recipe was there. So, I bought my organic beets, went home and found the recipe. It called for almonds so I thought, well almond meal should work, so that's what I used.

All I know is that 45 minutes after I cut the beet, my "caviar" was done (a friend who tried it gave it that name). I was in heaven. Served on a brown rice cracker (remember, I'm gluten free now), it was the perfect appetizer. And it made so much I was able to serve it the next day, too.

Later, after talking to Aaron, I learned that what I created was fairly close to his recipe. I've included his variations below. And even if you don't make the caviar, use the process to cook fresh beets, any night of the week. Another way to serve the cooked beets would be to slice them and add some olive oil, balsamic, salt, pepper and maybe some goat cheese...yum.

As far as the rest of the family, my kids still have not developed a taste for beets. I know I didn't until recently. That's ok; more for us.

Let me know what you think and share it with your friends if you like it. Enjoy the fruits of summer!

Beet Caviar

1 lb Organic fresh beets, scrubbed clean, top and bottom cut off
1 cup Almond meal (or blanched, slivered almonds)
1-2 Tbl Balsamic vinegar
2-4 Tbl Olive oil
1/2-1 tsp salt
Optional: 1-2 garlic cloves, lemon juice

1. Cook the beets. This method could be used to make fresh cooked beets for any recipe. Place the beets in a pot, fill with water so that about 1" of the beet is covered in water.
2. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 20-30 minutes or until the largest beet is fork tender.
3. Remove beets from pot and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes (otherwise they are too hot to peel).
4. Remove peel from beets using your fingers. Warning: your fingers will be tinted pink! Use gloves if necessary. The pink will subside probably by the next day. And don't do this with a white shirt on.
5. Place beets and remaining ingredients in a large food processor. Start with the lower amount of the ingredient, for example 1/2 tsp of salt. Blend together and taste. Adjust for taste and texture. It should have a smooth consistency.
6. Serve with crackers or bread. Will keep in the fridge for about 5-7 days.

Artichokes with Lemon Garlic Aioli

Artichokes with a Lemon Garlic Aioli

Growing up in an Italian household, we ate a lot of artichokes. My mom liked to stuff hers with seasoned breadcrumbs and cheese. I remember loving the breadcrumbs, tolerating the leaves and fighting over the heart.

Now, I live in the "heart" of artichoke country in California. How lucky for me! I was at our local farmer's market this weekend and these artichokes just called to me. I just had to have some. We are also fortunate to have access to Giusti Farms. This family has been growing artichokes out here for generations and are some of the only people that still grow the globe type.

I got some great information from my friend Erin, specifically about this vegetable. She told me that it:
used to be artichokes were a rather rare, seasonal plant, that over the years have been hybridized so that now you can grow then from seed. The resulting chokes went from bad to mediocre and back, as often happens: great flavor and dense rich hearts traded in for longer season and higher yield of larger chokes you could get year round. The pendulum has swung the other way, and now the seed chokes are better, but nothing but nothing can touch a globe type choke for flavor, nutrition and just plain beauty if you ask me - and the Giusti's still grow them.

Very interesting! I knew there was a reason I liked them so much.

Don't be intimidated by artichokes; the cooking process is easy. Start by preparing the artichoke. A long, sharp knife is necessary, though. Cut the bottom to make it flat, right above the bottom of the heart, cut the top off and then snip the sharp leaves with scissors to make them flat at the top of each leaf. Place as many artichokes as you have in a pot that will fit them sitting up. Place enough water so that the artichoke is sitting in about 1" or less of water. Add fresh lemon juice, olive oil and salt (and garlic optionally). Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook until leaves and bottom are tender, about 20-30 minutes. Serve with the aioli below.

And although I've made artichokes my whole life, I haven't made homemade mayonnaise since college! Isn't that funny? I was looking through a cookbook and I thought to myself, this is easy, I should just make it.

I adapted this recipe from the book Julia's Kitchen Wisdom by Julia Child. I made a few adjustments because I didn't want to use 3 eggs. Enjoy but remember there is always a risk of salmonella when eating raw eggs. I would not serve this to children, the elderly or anyone who has any immune deficiency issues. You could always add lemon juice and fresh garlic to commercial mayonnaise if you were worried.

Lemon Garlic Aioli
Makes about 2 cups

2 eggs
1 Tbl fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2-1 tsp salt (start with 1/2 and increase, tasting in between)
1/8 tsp white pepper
1-1 1/2 c olive or vegetable oil (or a combination)
1-3 garlic cloves, minced

1. Have a food processor or blender ready. Break eggs over a bowl, crack and pour out about half of the egg white. Put the remaining white and all of the yolk into the processor or blender. Repeat with other egg. Reserve leftover white for another use.
2. Process 30-45 seconds. With machine running, add lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper.
3. Still with machine running, and by very small driplets at first, start adding 1/2 cup of oil, then add more until the desired consistency is reached.
4. Taste and add more lemon juice, mustard, and/or salt as needed.
5. If you don't want to make all of this garlic flavored, spoon out desired amount and add garlic to taste, starting with 1/2 minced garlic clove. The amount of garlic depends upon your taste and how much aioli you have reserved.
6. Make sure to refrigerate any leftover. This will keep about a week. Aioli can be used for other salads or dips.

Cheddar Cauliflower Au Gratin recipe

I've had plenty of days when I bring my children to the grocery store with me and I really regret it. What should only take 5 or 10 minutes of my time, takes 20 minutes or longer. There's countless "Not today, honey" and "We have cereal at home" as well as "Don't fight!" I often leave with twice as many things as I had planned on buying. Ahh, the joys of motherhood and tests of my patience...

But, luckily, there are those times when they come with me and provide wisdom and good judgment. This was one of those days.

We usually start in the produce aisle. Seems innocent enough but they really want to put everything in the cart. Since I already know the inventory at home, there's a bit of negotiation. As I was perusing the produce, the kids saw this orange vegetable that looked like cauliflower but was...orange. I'm one of those people who, when faced with an unknown item in the produce aisle, turns her head and looks for the old comforts of carrots and broccoli.

This vegetable was labeled cheddar cauliflower. Both kids enthusiastically pleaded with me to put it in the cart. It was so pretty and orange, I decided to go against my normal grain and buy it. Just looking at it, I thought, well, I can steam it and bake it in the oven with cheddar and some milk. Cheese usually makes everything taste good anyway, and with that name, what else could I do?

When I got home, I was curious. What was the deal with this orange vegetable? This is what I learned:

• It was first discovered in Canada in 1970
• Over the years, it was crossed with a white variety to create a delicious, high vitamin content cauliflower
• The curds contain approximately 25 times more beta carotene (Vitamin A) than white cauliflower
• Cheddar cauliflower is creamier than the white variety making it easy to serve mashed.

Ooh, sounds exciting. So, when I began dinner that night, I did just what I planned. See the recipe below. The night I made it, I had some extra barley and I used that as a base. You'll see that in this picture but I didn't include it in the recipe.

Next time you are in your grocery store, consider trying cheddar cauliflower and expanding your horizons.

Maybe they'll think there really is cheddar in the cauliflower...

Cheddar Cauliflower Au Gratin
1 head of cheddar/orange cauliflower, cut into florets
1/2 cup milk
1/4 - 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 Tbl olive oil or melted butter
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Steam cauliflower in a steam basket in a pot or a rice cooker. Cool slightly.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Prepare a casserole dish by spraying with non-stick spray or lightly coating with oil or butter.
4. Place cauliflower in dish. Pour milk over and then top with cheddar.
5. Mix breadcrumbs in a bowl with oil or butter, salt and pepper. Place breadcrumbs on top of cauliflower. Bake 15-20 minutes or until breadcrumbs start to brown. Remove from oven and cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

Bug Salad and Dead Man's Meatloaf

Yes, I said it; Bug Salad. No, no, it's not really bug salad. It's actually barley, lentils and pasta. If you know me, you know I love Halloween and that I love to make funny foods that might look kind of gross but always taste good. It's been fun having kids because now feel I can be a little sillier and get away with it.

I had always thought that a barley salad would be a good Halloween dish since this grain sort of looks like a bug when it's cooked. I was looking through the pantry and saw some black lentils (which look like little black balls) and red lentils. I decided to cook them all separately, adding broken spaghetti to the lentils to use as the worms. Of course, the only thing I forgot that was that when the red lentils cook, they turn yellow. Oh well. One other bit of advice is to cook everything separately; otherwise you'll have just a bunch of black things in a bowl.
NOTE: This recipe/post was done before I was gluten-free. To make this dish gluten-free, use brown rice instead of barley. Barley has gluten in it.

Black lentils, red lentils and barley

Here's how I did it:

Barley
In a pot, I sauteed 1/2 sliced onion in olive oil and added pepper, cumin and coriander for flavor. I then added 1 14 oz can of lite coconut milk plus another 1/2 cup of water along with 1/2 cup of barley (barley is a 4:1, water to barley, ratio). I brought this to a boil and lowered to a simmer. It cooked covered for 30-35 minutes.
For gluten-free, use brown rice. Bring 1 cup of coconut milk, 1 1/4 cups of water and a pinch of salt to a boil. Add 1 cup of brown rice and stir. Cover and lower to a simmer. Cook about 35-40 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.

Lentils
Black lentils need less than a 4:1 ratio. I used 1/2 cup of lentils and 1 1/2 cups of water. I added it together, brought to a boil, lowered to a simmer and cooked uncovered for 25-30 minutes, when it was tender.

Red Lentils
This ratio is also more like 3:1 but I added extra water so I could cook the pasta. Now, I probably didn't need the red lentils but it did give the dish nice texture and flavor. I probably added about 1/2 cup of extra water. I also added about 1 tsp of coconut oil and some salt. Wow, did that taste good! I cooked the lentils for about 10 minutes and then I added the pasta. All of the water evaporated so I was left with cooked spaghetti in a creamy yellow sauce. Actually, that would make a nice meal by itself!

If this seems too complex, just cook broken pieces of spaghetti separately.

The Bug Salad
Once everything was slightly cooled, I mixed together and added some freshly squeezed lime juice along with some chopped cilantro. Both of my kids ate it; I think they liked the name. And it was a big hit at the party I brought it to.

On any other day, this really was a good combination of flavors. It reminded me how much I like the taste of coconut as well. The research I've done points to coconut possessing more health benefits than previously believed. Coconut oil might be solid at room temperature but it does not contribute to heart disease.

Dead Man's Meatloaf
This next dish is one I make almost every year. I'll let you find your own meatloaf recipe or maybe post one later, but it's more the methodology. I think the picture speaks for itself!

Slightly reminiscent of "Oh No, Mr Bill...." Make sure to squirt the ketchup after it comes out of the oven and allow it to cool slightly so it stays together better.

I hope you have fun with these. Happy Halloween!

The Best Quinoa Pilaf

I attended a veggie pot-luck dinner with some friends recently. I look forward to meeting up with this group because they are so creative with the use of grains and veggies (ahh, people after my own heart!). Ironically, the family chef brought only wine because I am currently without a kitchen (more to come on that later).

I thought I would share my latest recipe with the girls since I had made up this quinoa dish last week. They said I better write it down before I forget an ingredient and I joked that I might do it on purpose!! Ok, I'll do my best but I can say that some times technique is everything. If you want to learn how to make this dish first hand, check out my website for a class schedule.

Someone who had this dish said it was one of the best dishes they ever had (ok, it was served over a yummy apricot chicken which helped). Even my husband who usually doesn't like sweet entrees, was surprised how much he enjoyed it. I hope you might give it a try.

Almond Quinoa Pilaf
Serves 3-4

1 cup of quinoa, rinsed
Olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1/2 red pepper, chopped
Cinnamon
Cumin
Pepper
Salt
1/2 cup Sliced Almonds

1. Prepare quinoa: Place in a pan with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Cook for 12-15 minutes.
2. While quinoa cooks, heat pan and add oil. Add onion and cook for a few minutes, then carrot and then pepper. Add a sprinkle of cumin and cinnamon and a few grinds of pepper. Cook until soft. Remove from pan and place in bowl.
3. Wipe pan if necessary. Add almonds and toast. Add to bowl.
4. When all of the water is absorbed in the quinoa, add to the veggies and almonds and stir together. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve warm or room temperature.

Yummy, Yummy in my Tummy!

Yes, that is what my 4 year old said tonight of dinner. And what was it? An easy, tasty dish that was ready in less than 31 minutes (just in case Rachel has that 30 minute thing copyrighted!):
Grilled Italian Sausages served on top of Lentil-Rice Pilaf with Peas.

My family really likes sausages (remember, I am Italian and my husband is English). But today, some sausages are, well, made of undesirable ingredients. So, I stick to home-made (i.e. made by the butcher) and brands like Niman Ranch. I tend to select sausages which have less fat like turkey or chicken. I love to pan fry them or cook them on the grill. If you are cooking them on the stove top, don't stir them too much; make sure you get good browning.

The pilaf I sort of made up. I wanted something that would go nicely with the sausage so rice and lentils came to mind. Those are two great ingredients to keep in the pantry. I wanted some veggies in the dish and felt the peas would be a nice addition. I could have used broccoli or zucchini as well. It all sort of came together.

What I liked is that I started cooking at 5:20 and we were eating at 6:00, once the food cooled a bit. I also liked the fact that this one dish had carbs, protein and a vegetable. When I meal plan, that's usually my goal. And, of course, the fact that it's gluten-free just makes it that much better (my daughter has a sensitivity to gluten).

Here's the recipe for the pilaf. I hope you will try it.

Lentil-Rice Pilaf with Peas
Serves 4

3 cups of chicken or veggie broth
1/3 cup brown lentils, rinsed
2/3 cup white rice
Few strands of saffron
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 Tbl butter

Heat broth to boiling in a medium size pot. Add lentils, rice and saffron. Stir, cover and bring back to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook 15-18 minutes. Remove cover and stir, making sure there is plenty of liquid. If there is not, add 1/4 cup more. Add frozen peas and stir. Place cover back on and raise heat to bring back to a simmer. Continue to cook until liquid is absorbed and lentils are cooked. At the very end, add the butter and stir. You can also use a good quality olive oil.

This can be served as a main course (for two people) or as a side dish with grilled sausage or chicken.