Elimination Recipe Box: Crock Pot Chicken

The recipe is based on the food sensitivity elimination diet we are doing, and has the bonus of producing a safe chicken stock for other recipes, such as soups and stews. 

4 chicken leg quarters
2 stalks celery
1 large carrot
1/4 large onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp dried rubbed sage
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil (use butter if you are not sensitive to dairy or casein)

Chop veggies into chunks  Place chicken meaty-side down in a crock pot and layer veggies, herbs, and oil or butter over the top.

Run the crockpot on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8, until chicken is fork-tender.  Add two hours if starting with frozen chicken.  Add a few tablespoons of water if needed to maintain moisture;you should have at least a cup of liquid in the bottom of the pot when you are finished.  

Remove chicken and veggies to serving bowl. 
Pour remaining liquid through a fine sieve into a storage container (jar, tupperware, etc.). 
Rinse the crock pot with about 1/2 cup of water and pour through sieve into same container. 
Store drippings in fridge for up to three days or in freezer for several months.  To add more liquid to container, first remove the layer of fat that forms at the top of the cooled drippings. 

The leftover meat is delicious served cold and shredded on a green salad the next day as a packed lunch. 

Elimination Recipe Box: Blackened Chicken Tenderloins

We are about halfway through a three-week food sensitivity elimination diet, and I can say that it DOES get easier once you have your routine down.

Since we are avoiding nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant), it also eliminates most seasoning mixes.  Paprika and chili pepper are almost ubiquitous in pre-mixed spices.

But blackening seasoning and pan-fried protein plays an important role in this high-veggie diet of satisfying the need for flavor, sodium, fat, and calories.  This isn't a weight-loss diet, and depriving your body of nutrients while it is recovering from inflammation is a bad idea.

A couple of blackened tenderloins for breakfast with sliced fresh fruit, dates, and a cup of light coconut milk will keep you going for the whole morning. 

Ingredients:
2 chicken tenderloins per person, defrosted and dried with paper towel
olive oil
blackened seasoning: one part each of fresh ground sea salt, fresh ground black pepper, garlic powder, to two parts each dried oregano and dried basil. (example: 1/4 tsp salt, pepper, garlic powder, 1/2 tsp oregano, basil)

Recipe:

Pre-heat frying pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high heat.  Cast-iron or steel are best, as a non-stick pan won't give you the "char" you're looking for.

coat both sides of chicken and rub the spice mix into the meat so that it sticks well

When oil flows easily, place tenderloins and let cook undisturbed for 3 minutes.

Blackened doesn't mean burned!  The cooking side should get a little crispy and brown, and the spices should be dark-brown to black.  If you think it's scorching, turn the heat down.

Flip and cook undisturbed for an additional 3 minutes.

Serve warm. These also work very well cold on a salad or quinoa for lunch. 

The first time you make these, test the tenderloins for doneness (no pink in the center) as your pan, stove, and choice of tenderloins will make a difference.  If they're not quite done, flip and cook an additional minute covered with aluminum foil or a pan lid.  Adjust cooking time and temperature next time to add time to each side as needed. 

Recipe Box: How to Build a Perfect Soup (Block Method)

I think that many people just learning to cook think a soup is a mysterious high art, or a ridiculously complicated all-day project.  It can be, but it doesn't have to be.  There are a few basic building blocks which, when made in the right order, can give you perfect results every time. 
Setting up each block ahead of time in bowls will make the process really fast and simple, and minimize any problems. 

Try to use the soup pot for the entire cooking process.  All the flavor on the bottom of the pan after cooking meats and vegetables goes to waste if you use a separate pan.  Alternately, you can add water to the frying pan after cooking each step, cook off the nice caramelized bits into the water (deglazing), then use it as your water for the soup.

I use parboiled (instant/10-minute) rice, or cold pre-cooked rice, because I have thrown away too many pots of soup already in my lifetime.  If the soup thickens too much when cooking the rice, it will spend an hour as grit, then go directly to mush.  If you're using raw rice, set it to cooking before you start the soup, and add it last (block 7).  

Block 1:  Protein

This is essentially meat or soy.  It does not include shellfish, as these cook so quickly they should be almost the last thing in the pot. 

Fry up your protein to golden brown in oil, and set the cooked meat and juices aside in a bowl.  If there are a lot of fat drippings (as in bacon or hamburger) reserve a few tablespoons and discard or store the rest.  

Block 2: Root Vegetables you want fully cooked

Potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, celery root, etc. These take longer to cook, but have enough starch to crisp up nicely.  Have these cut into small bite-size pieces or thin slices for fast cooking. 

Fry in a little oil or drippings over medium heat in the same pan you used for the meat (uncleaned) until golden (2-3 minutes) then add 1/4 cup of water to the pan and cover for five minutes.  Check to see if the vegetables are fork-tender.  If not, continue cooking until they are.  Set aside in a bowl.

Block 3: Other sturdy vegetables you want browned but not soft

This can include broccoli, zucchini, green beans, peppers, garlic onions, and anything else you want to get a little "fried" flavor before they go into the soup. Do not include delicate vegetables such as leafy greens or mushrooms, as they will over-cook.  Don't fry leeks, as they will turn really bitter when browned. 

Brown these on medium-high heat in a little pre-heated oil or drippings (2-3 minutes) using the same pan as you have been. Don't over-cook, or they'll be mushy by the time they get out.  Set them aside in a bowl. 

Block 4: Liquid

Generally this is water flavored with meat and/or vegetables.  You can spend all day creating homemade stock from scratch, but this is the one area where prepared versions are worth the time/taste tradeoff.  This means canned or boxed broth or stock, bullion, or soup base.  In the U.S., I use the "better than boullion" paste, because one jar lasts a long time, takes up a small amount of space, and ends up costing less than buying liquid broth.  They are good about declaring gluten-containing ingredients, but note that they do not declare gluten-free because they do not test.

If you've used a pan other than your soup pot for cooking blocks 1-3, add the liquid to this pan and cook off any drippings or cooked-on bits from the bottom before transferring to the soup pot.  That's good flavor you don't want to lose!  Otherwise, add liquid to the soup pot and bring to a simmer.

Block 5: Rice or Noodles

Blocks 1-4 all go into the soup pot once it starts to simmer.  Add additional liquid if it looks too thick.  Add parboiled or COLD cooked rice, or noodles at this point.  (hot cooked rice should go in block 7)You are about 10 minutes from the soup being finished!

Block 6: Delicates and Shellfish

5 minutes from the end of cooking time for your rice or noodles, add your delicates.  This includes spinach, chives, or other tender greens, shrimp or other shellfish or delicate fish, mushrooms, leeks, and fresh herbs.

Block 7: Thickeners

Noodles and parboiled rice may take a few minutes longer to cook than in pure water, so test to make sure they are done before beginning this block.

If you are adding starch to thicken the broth into a stew (corn and potato starches work well), mix the starch in cold water to make a slurry first, then pour that into the soup while stirring.  This prevents clumping.  Keep the soup cooking and stir regularly until it reaches the consistency you want.  If it doesn't thicken in 2-3 minutes, add more starch. 

Add any freshly-cooked rice or noodles at this point.  You can also put the rice directly into the serving bowl and pour the soup over, for a nice presentation. 


For a cream soup, remove the soup from heat and let it rest five minutes before adding dairy, as it can curdle if it continues to cook. My favorite method is to just dump a small container of sour cream (about 1 cup) into a two-day batch of soup, and stir until it is evenly distributed.  This adds a light tang and a lovely smooth cream texture.  You can use heavy cream if you don't want the flavor of sour cream, or whole milk if you want a lighter texture.   Adjust quantities to taste. 

For a cheese soup, try a mix of cream cheese for texture and a smaller amount of finely shredded strong flavored cheese (asiago, cheddar, etc.) for flavor.  This can help prevent the cheese from getting stringy or granulated from lack of fat. Stir into the soup until it smooths out. 

Block 8: Garnish

Garnish doesn't re-heat well, so add it to individual bowls on serving.  This includes tortilla strips, bread cubes, crackers, fresh herbs or vegetables, shreds of cheese, and dollops of sour cream. 

EXAMPLE

Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Chowder
(Mix up the vegetables according to what's seasonal!)

Block 1:
1 whole chicken breast, sliced into bite-size strips
1 pound package chorizo sausage, cut into bite-size chunks

Block 2:
2-3 medium-size yellow or red potatoes, sliced thin
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Block 3:
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 zucchini, cut into bite-size chunks
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin

Block 4:
8-10 cups chicken broth or stock

Block 5:
2 packets parboiled (instant) rice or 2 cups cold pre-cooked rice.
1-2 leeks, white and light green part sliced

Block 6:
1/2 lb fresh spinach (medium-size bag) or 2-3 cups chopped fresh kale, stems and large veins removed
handful of white mushrooms, sliced

Block 7:
1 and 1/2 cups sour cream (adjust to taste)

Block 8:
Optional dollop of sour cream and minced chives

Steps:

(set rice to cook if you are not using instant)

1.  Fry meat, preferably in soup pot, until chicken is cooked through. Remove to bowl with drippings
2.  In the same pot without cleaning, fry up potatoes until starting to brown.  Add 1/4 cup water, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.  If they are not tender, cook up to an additonal five minutes, stirring, until they start to break apart. Remove to bowl.
3.  Add a little oil to the pot and fry Block 3 veggies on medium-high heat until starting to brown, stirring constantly.  Remove to bowl.
4. Pour chicken broth/stock into pot and bring to simmer over medium heat, scraping the bottom to stir up anything that has stuck from steps 1-3.
5.  Add rice and all ingredients prepped so far (steps 1-3)
6.  Bring back to simmer, add spinach and mushrooms.
7. When rice and spinach are both cooked, remove the pot from heat and let sit for 3-5 minutes.
8.  Add sour cream and stir until evenly distributed and creamy.
9. Serve with garnish in individual bowls.  Reheat leftovers in the microwave or stovetop.  Freezable.

Norway Recipe Box: Pork Chops with Lingonberry Sauce and Pan-Seared Vegetables

This is part of my Norway recipe series, developed while living in Trondheim for four months.  These gluten-free recipes include items I was able to easily find locally and cook without access to an oven or microwave, and using no more than two stove burners.  This means they can be prepared in the typical kitchenette unit found in less expensive Norwegian apartments and hotels. Click Here for the full series. 


Pork Chops with Lingonberry Sauce and Pan-Seared Vegetables

This is a one-pan recipe, which reduces cleanup considerably.  Pork is a relatively inexpensive meat in Norway, compared to the very expensive beef.  If it is in season and suits your tastebuds, this same recipe could easily use lambchops. z

I switched to shallots instead of onions, as the flavor is similar.  They're smaller, so I don't have a half-onion sitting in the mini-fridge overpowering the entire apartment every time I open the door.  I store them in the cupboard, in a paper or net bag saved from previous purchases. 

Ingredients for two people (Norwegian word in bold):

2 pork chops (svinekoteletter)
1 jar lingonberry jam (tyttebærsyltetøy)
1 small bunch broccoli (brokkoli)
1 red pepper (paprika)
1 shallot (sjalottløk)
1 clove garlic (hvitløk)
2 sliced mushrooms (sopp)
1/2 lemon (sitron)

The vegetables are all optional and you should satisfy both your own tastebuds and seasonal availability.  The same pan-searing technique works for asparagus, green peppers, cauliflower, very thin-sliced potatoes, carrots, or any other sturdy vegetable. 

By the way, if you want a really tasty snack, add a dab of lingonberry jam to a slice of hard cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, and eat it alone or on a gluten-free whole-grain cracker such as Wasa.

Equipment:  frying pan with lid, spatula, aluminium foil, extra plate, prep bowl.

Prep:  

Let the pork chops sit out to reach room temperature as you chop veggies; it will allow them to cook more evenly.  Make sure you open a window, turn on any available vent fan, and/or turn off the smoke detector as possible/needed. 

• Slice the lemon in half; the other half can go back in the fridge for other recipes.
• Mince the garlic
• Slice the other vegetables
• Pile everything in a prep bowl
• Heat oil in the frying pan on high heat (judgement call:  I had one underperforming unit where I had to cook meat on the highest setting,  and one over-performing unit where I had to cook it on the medium setting to prevent burning.  The oil should thin out like water but not smoke or spatter dramatically).
• Add the pork chops
• cook for three minutes, flip, then cook an additional three minutes
• remove from heat and put chops on plate covered with foil to rest.  They will continue to cook and absorb their juices back in.
• add more oil to pan as needed and place back on heat
• Add vegetables and stir
• Place the lemon half cut-side down on the bottom of the pan
• Cover and let cook for five minutes
• Uncover and stir
• Cook an additional five minutes uncovered or until broccoli is tender, stirring occasionally
•  Plate chops and vegetables, then add a spoonful of lingonberry jam to each chop.   
  

 

Norway Recipe Box: Fiskeboller Pasta with Zucchini and Potatoes

This is part of my Norway recipe series, developed while living in Trondheim for four months.  These gluten-free recipes include items I was able to easily find locally and cook without access to an oven or microwave, and using no more than two stove burners.  This means they can be prepared in the typical kitchenette unit found in less expensive Norwegian apartments and hotels. Click Here for the full series. 

Fiskeboller Pasta with Zucchini and Potatoes

Fiskeboller are a very traditional Norwegian fish dumpling.  Normally I don't like fish.  Once a year or so I will try something fishy just to remind myself of that.  Because these are mixed with dumpling material and light spices, the flavor is mild enough to be good for that once a year test.  In flavor, fiskeboller are a lot like scallops.  They also come pre-cooked. 

Finding gluten-free fiskeboller was surprisingly easy.  Potato and tapioca starches are much less expensive here than wheat flour, so at least half of the packages I checked had no gluten ingredients.  The ones I used were in the refrigerated section of the supermarket.  There are also canned fiskeboller, which are much more common and more strongly flavored.

The very mild flavor means that you don't want to throw in anything to overpower them, like peppers.  I stuck to potatoes and a white sauce (very traditional) but added some color with zucchini, and mixed it up with some gluten-free rotini pasta and shaved jarlsberg cheese.

Equipment:  12 inch frying pan with lid, pot, colander, whisk, spatula


Ingredients
(serves 4.  Reserve half the pasta and cheese to cook the next day if intending leftovers.  Norwegian word for each ingredient in bold).

 1 500 gram package fiskeboller, drained of juices
 1 large fresh zucchini, chopped
3-4 small yellow or red potatoes, sliced thin (potet)
1/2 large onion or 2 small, sliced thin (løk)
2 cloves garlic, minced, divided (hvitløk)
2-3 white mushrooms, sliced (sopp)
 2-3 tablespoons potato flour (potetmel) or corn starch (maisstivelse)
1 package gluten-free rotini (or substitute extra potatoes)
2 cups milk (melk)
Olive oil for cooking (oliven olje)
chopped slices of Jarlsberg cheese to garnish 


Set pot of water to boil for the pasta, and heat frying pan to medium.
Add oil to the frying pan and heat until it runs freely.  
Add onion and half the garlic to the oil and stir until fragrant
Add potatoes and stir-fry until starting to brown.  
Add 1/4 cup water and cover; turn heat down if necessary to medium-low.
Cook covered for five minutes.
Remove lid, add zucchini and more oil if needed, stirring until starting to brown.  If there is a lot of water left, turn up the heat a little.
Replace lid and cook another 5 minutes or until potatoes are tender. 
Add mushrooms, stir-fry until they darken, then remove all vegetables from pan.    

Start the pasta cooking (only as much as you need for this meal; cook it fresh for leftovers) 

Add the remaining garlic and some oil if needed.  Cook until fragrant.
Turn the heat down to medium-low. 
Mix potato flour or corn starch into cold milk, then pour into pan with the garlic
Use the spatula to stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to pick up cooked-on residue. 
As it starts to clump, use the whisk to smooth out the sauce.  Add more milk if it needs to thin. 
When it is evenly thick and bubbling, add vegetables back into the sauce, along with the fiskeboller.  
Let simmer over low heat until the pasta finishes cooking and the fiskeboller is warmed through, stirring occasionally.  

Drain the pasta. Place cooked pasta in a large bowl, top with the mix, and garnish with chopped slices of Jarlsberg. 

Reheat leftover sauce in a lidded pot or frying pan on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until everything is hot.  Cook up fresh pasta and chop fresh Jarlsberg to serve with the leftovers. 

Recipe Box: Baked Falafel with Tzatziki Sauce

I try to walk a line between fresh ingredients and convenience.  Some things (like fresh parsley) make a big difference to flavor and are worth getting fresh whenever possible.  Others (like chickpeas) work just as well from a can, and you don't have to start the day BEFORE you are craving these delicious little patties of garbanzo goodness.

Falafel is one of those foods that are claimed by multiple countries, and which have very loyal adherents to specific ingredients.  Cilantro or parsley?  Egg or no egg?  Coriander or cumin?  There are strong regional differences between Falafels, but no recipe is really "correct."  It's about what tastes good to you.  I like a really strongly-flavored, garlicky falafel.  There's a lot of fudge room in the recipe as well.  If you add more or less onion, it will survive just fine.   

Falafel:

1 small bunch fresh parsley (1/2 cup chopped.  You will need an additional 1/4 cup for tzatziki sauce)
1 can chickpeas or garbanzo beans (they are the same thing.  You will get about 1 cup beans, drained)
1/2 small white onion (about 1/4-1/3 cup, chopped)
2 cloves fresh garlic (you will need an additional clove for tzatziki sauce)
dash lemon juice
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
dash salt, black pepper
1/4 cup gluten-free bread crumbs (I use Udi's, but see below for substitutes)
1/2 tsp baking powder

4 tablespoons olive oil for baking

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Oven rack should be in center of oven or just below.  If it is too high, the bottoms will not brown.

If you own a food processor, this becomes easy.  Just process everything but the baking powder and spices until it is like wet sand, then mix in the spices and baking powder.

If you're like me and don't have the kitchen space, mince the garlic, onion, and parsley.  Add everything but the baking powder together.  Use your hands to knead and squish until you have reduced the chickpeas to mush with pieces in it.  This will be messy, but also kinda fun!  Mix in the baking powder last.

Brush a rimmed baking pan/cookie sheet with 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Form the dough into small flat patties of no more than 1/4 cup each.  Brush the tops with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. 

Bake at 375 for 15 minutes, then carefully flip and bake for another 15.  Make tzatziki sauce while baking.  Serve warm with sauce in a gluten-free wrap or salad.

Tzatziki Sauce

1/3 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt
1/3 cup grated or shredded cucumber (peel on)
1 finely minced garlic clove
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
dash lemon juice

Mix all together and let sit in fridge for at least 20 minutes for flavors to blend.  Keeps well for 2 days, stir before serving.  


*Breadcrumb substitute:  I love Udi brand's bread crumbs, but they're not available everywhere.  A toasted and crumbled slice of gluten-free sandwich bread would work well.  You can also use 1/4 cup sweet white rice flour, 1/4 cup chickpea flour, or 1/4 cup bean flour instead.  Plain white rice flour would not work, as you need it to work as a binding agent.  A gluten-free all-purpose flour blend with lots of starch should work well.  If using gluten-free Bisquick, omit the 1/2 teaspoon baking powder called for in the recipe. 

Recipe Box: Gluten-Free Banh Mi

Banh mi simply means bread, and you can usually find these Vietnamese sandwiches in the form of a baguette stuffed with all kinds of deliciousness.  At some places, like the Tin Drum chain of restaurants and some food trucks, the banh mi is referred to as a "Vietnamese taco" and is served on flatbread.  While baguettes are possible to make gluten-free, flatbread is quick, easy, and delicious.

In fact, when I set out to search for a flatbread recipe, I had no idea that I already had one.  Many recipes for gluten-free wraps or pitas online use a ridiculous amount of xanthan or guar gum to create the chewy flexibility.  For some folks, that's fine.  For my partner and I, xanthan gum really messes up our digestive system and we feel really ill for a few days if we have too much.  So the recipe from Gluten Free on a Shoestring caught my eye for being gum free.  Then I noticed that her recipe was pretty much traditional Pão de Queijo (Brazilian tapioca bread) but rolled out and pan-cooked instead of baked into rolls.  Maybe this should have been an obvious solution considering the chewy deliciousness of Pão. 

The best timing on this is to make the dough first so that it can rest in the fridge.  Then matchstick the veggies to give them time to pickle.  Then prep the rest of the filling ingredients.  The exception of course is if you're slow-cooking some fancy pulled pork or something, in which case that obviously has to happen first. 

With Pão de Queijo you bake the dough while it is still warm and sticky, but for wraps they really need to sit in the refrigerator until quite cool to make them workable.  Otherwise you will never be able to roll them flat.  Do not skip this step, but if you need to shortcut it you can separate the dough into individual balls (about 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup each), flatten them slightly, and stick them in the freezer for 10 minutes.  I have not yet frozen the dough completely to see how it behaves after thawing, so don't leave them in longer than you have to.

Once you have the dough made up, it can sit in the fridge for three days wrapped air-tight in plastic wrap.  This makes it perfect for quick meals, as you can just tear a couple of hunks off, cook them up, fill them with leftovers or lunchmeat, and have a hot meal in 20-30 minutes. 

Ingredient substitution:

If you can't find daikon radishes, use half the amount of shredded red radishes and increase the carrots.
If you can't find shisito peppers, which might be sold at an Asian grocery as sweet peppers, then you can substitute a combination of green bell pepper and jalapeno pepper to your desired spiciness.  Dice or shred the seeded jalapeno very small. 

WRAPS:  (full Pão de Queijo recipe here)
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup butter, cut into chunks
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups tapioca flour (also sold as tapioca starch)
2 cups shredded or grated cheese (anything meltable: mozzarella, cheddar, colby, etc.  We use the bagged pre-shredded Mexican blend or mozzarella from Publix)

THE DOUGH:

• Bring the milk and butter to a full rolling boil, stirring often to prevent scorching
• Remove from heat and dump in the tapioca flour all at once and stir vigorously until it is all moistened
• Move to stand mixer with paddle or dough hook attachment
• Mix on low until cool enough to touch without scorching, but still warm (may need to stop and pull the sticky dough off the beaters if it clumps)
• Add half the eggs, beat until incorporated, then repeat with the other half
• Add the cheese and beat until incorporated
• Separate into two or more chunks and cool completely in fridge (up to an hour).  Will cool faster in smaller pieces, or rolled out into a long snake.  
• Dough keeps in fridge for 3 days if tightly wrapped.

THE WRAPS:

• Preheat a cast-iron or non-stick skillet at least 10" in diameter to medium heat
• Tear a chunk off the dough about 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup in size.  
• Flour a surface with tapioca starch (have more on hand)
• Dust the dough with starch and roll out, dusting as it sticks, to preferred thickness.  Tortillas can be very thin, roti should be about 1/8 inch thick.
• Cook on skillet for about 2 minutes. Should be stiff enough to pick up with a spatula, with brown spots on the underside.
• Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes. If desired, brush with olive oil and garlic/herbs, then flip and cook an additional minute.
• move to a plate and cover with a paper towel to keep warm, or use a tortilla warmer.
• These do not keep well in a cold lunch, but can be re-heated by cooking on a hot skillet for 30 seconds each side.

THE FILLING

Makes about 4 wraps.  Multiply the recipe if you want leftovers for the next few days.

THE PICKLE:
1/2 cup carrots, shredded or cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup daikon (white) radish, shredded or cut into matchsticks
1/4 cup red onion, shredded or cut into matchsticks
1/4 cup shishito peppers (sweet mild peppers) seeded, shredded or thin sliced 
1/2 cup white or rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup white sugar

Boil the water, vinegar and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved.  Let cool (can quick-cool in fridge or freezer)
Pour over veggie mix, mix well, and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
Drain off liquid. Leftovers are good in fridge for up to 3 days

OTHER INGREDIENTS:  (All optional)
 Chopped cilantro
lime juice
meat (chicken, beef, and pork are most common)
shredded or matchsticked cucumber
mayonnaise

A little meat, a lot of pickled vegetables, a smear of mayo, a handful of cilantro and a drizzle of lime gets you what you see in the photo.  But as this is a pretty versatile wrap, you could fill it with just about anything and be happy with the result. 

Recipe Box: Sesame Noodles with Bok Choy

A fresh, tasty, hearty meal or side dish that makes a great lunch the next day.

Ingredients (makes 6 full servings):

1 12-16 package rice noodles (more noodles = lighter flavor/less sauce)
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds)

Veggies:
1 lb bok choy or baby bok choy, leaves and stems chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, minced
6-10 oz mushrooms, sliced
peanut or sesame oil, for frying (2-4 tablespoons)

Sauce:
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (can sub apple cider vinegar)
2 tablespoons tamari sauce
1 teaspoon sweet chili paste
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup corn starch in 1/2 cup cold water

Directions

Set a pot of water to boil for the noodles
Chop/mince all the veggies
Pre-heat a frying pan or wok with 1 tablespoon oil
Make the sauce:  Combine all but the corn starch/water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Once it boils, stir in the cornstarch/water, and continue stirring until it is evenly thickened.  Reduce heat to low and keep warm.
Put the noodles on to cook (6-8 minutes, or per package directions)
When the oil is hot enough to spit with a drop of water, stir-fry the veggies in batches, making sure you do not overfill the pan.  Add oil as necessary.  Before each batch, fry a proportionate amount of garlic and pepper until fragrant, then add mushrooms and bok choy.  Pull it from the pan when the bok choy leaves are wilted, but the stem pieces still have some crunch.  Set aside vegetables in large metal bowl.
Once noodles are finished cooking, drain and add to bowl with veggies.  Pour sauce over all and mix well.
Sprinkle top with sesame seeds before serving.  

Recipe Box: New Orleans Shrimp and Grits with Andouille

I ate this at two different places while visiting New Orleans, and vowed to make it happen at home!  The one drawback was that local grocery stores do not carry a brand of gluten-free grits.  Not even in Atlanta!  So I highly recommend scoping out the grit situation ahead of time, and ordering online if necessary.  In a pinch, cream of rice works just fine, but the flavor will be different.  You can mix cream-style corn into the cream of rice for a better flavor, and at least one place in NOLA did the same to the grits.

Also note that while I would be the first to say there's no such thing as too much shrimp, in this recipe there is such a thing as too much shrimp.  More than a pound overwhelms all the other flavors.  

1 cup uncooked grits, plus whatever you need to cook them per their directions (quick cooking is fine, stone-ground tastes better)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (not olive - it will scorch)
3/4 lb andouille sausage, sliced into thin rounds
1 lb raw shrimp, or 1/2 lb if buying it already peeled and de-veined. 
3 cloves garlic
4 green onions, white and green parts separated
2 tablespoons gluten-free flour blend (or 1 tablespoon corn starch) in a little cold water
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon creole seasoning

Cook grits according to the manufacturer's directions.
Mince the garlic and the white parts of the green onion
Chop the green parts of the green onion
Peel and de-vein the shrimp
Fry the andouille slices in the oil until browned over medium-high heat.  Set them aside.
In the same pan, sautee the garlic and white parts of the green onion until fragrant.
Add chicken broth, cream, and flour or corn starch and reduce to medium heat
Stir slowly, scraping the bottom of the pan.  If clumps form, use a whisk to smooth them out
Cook until thickened (about 3 to 5 minutes) stirring slowly
Add sausage, shrimp, and creole seasoning
Cook until shrimp is no longer translucent, another 3-5 minutes.

Serve with a 1/3-1/2 cup scoop of grits, and a generous amount of the meat and sauce over the top.  Sprinkle with chopped green onion.

Store and re-heat leftover grits and topping separately.  Pick out the shrimp before microwaving.  Once the mix is hot, add the shrimp back in and wait 1 minute for them to warm.  This prevents the shrimp from getting overcooked and tough. 

Gluten-Free Product Review: Celentano Gluten-Free Ravioli

I have been dreaming of gluten-free fresh or frozen pasta for a while now, so I was very excited to pass the frozen pasta section at our local Publix and spy a whole bunch of new gluten-free options!  The gluten-free cheese ravioli was my first pick to try, and it was a complete win.  I slightly undercooked it because I like al dente.  I only lost two in the cooking, and it was enough (with a small salad) for a meal for two.  The texture and flavor is perfect, and you simply add whatever sauce you choose.  I tried to go back for the meat ravioli, but the case was cleaned out.  I hope the grocery manager takes that as a sign to keep stocking. 

Recipe Box: Chicken Pot Pizza

On a night when I am out of everything for pepperoni pizza, I tend to be stubborn about the pizza part.  This uses the thin-crust recipe from Food.com I reviewed HERE, but I lowered the liquid content to prevent it from becoming soggy in baking.

Crust:

2/3 cups white rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca or potato starch
1 tablespoon sweet white rice flour
3/4 cup hot water
2 teaspoons yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Cornmeal for sprinkling on pan (optional! You can also line pan with parchment paper)
Olive Oil for spreading crust

Toppings:

2 cups chicken pot pie vegetables (I used carrots, broccoli, garlic and corn, but use up whatever leftovers you have)  cut into small pieces.  These can be cooked or uncooked.
1 cup cooked shredded chicken
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1 cup chicken gravy, or 1 cup broth plus 1 tablespoon corn starch
1 cup shredded cheddar or colby-jack cheese

1. If you aren't using already-made gravy, cook the broth and corn starch over medium-high heat until very thick, stirring occasionally.  
2. If you are using raw vegetables instead of leftovers, toss them with the gravy in an oven-safe dish, and leave the dish in the oven while it is pre-heating and pre-baking the pizza crust.  this cooks the veggies perfectly for the pizza.  If you are using cooked vegetables, just cut them into pieces, toss them with the gravy, and set them aside.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
4. Mix the yeast, sugar, and water in a bowl and set aside to proof.  If the yeast does not start getting foamy in 5 minutes, it has gone bad.  Replace it with new yeast.
5. Mix the starch and flours in a separate bowl
6. Sprinkle a pizza pan with corn meal
7. Pour about 1/3 cup of olive oil into a small bowl 
8. When the yeast has at least 1/2 inch of foam on the surface, mix it with the flours using a spoon.  It should be a thick batter consistency, like brownie batter.  If it is too thick (more like wheat bread dough) add warm water a tablespoon at a time.  If it is too thin, add white rice flour.  
9. Pour the batter onto the pizza pan.
10. Dip your fingers in olive oil and spread the dough very thin, using short pats.  If it starts to stick to your fingers, dip them in the olive oil again.
11. When the dough is evenly spread in the pizza pan, bake it plain for 15 minutes.
12. When it comes out, add the toppings. Start with the vegetable mix, then add the chicken, bacon, and a sparse layer of cheese.
13. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until bubbly.

Notes:

• Heavy duty kitchen shears work better than an ordinary pizza cutter to cut slices with this crust.
• Ranch dressing makes a great dip for this, especially for kids
• If the crust comes out soggy, increase the flour/decrease the liquid for a crisper crust next time, and make sure it is getting the full 15 minute pre-bake at 450 degrees. 

Recipe Adaptation: Gluten-Free Potstickers

If you haven't found it already, Crysty at Garden of Gluten Free has a fabulous recipe for the dough needed to make your own pot-stickers gluten free.  I have devious plans to turn the same dough into ravioli and pierogi this month. 

So I use her dough, but a very different filling.  The recipe makes more filling than you need, because you'll really want to mix the extra into ground beef the next day and make potsticker burgers.  You'll thank me later. 

First, mix the filling and set it aside to marinade. 

Filling:
1/2 pound ground pork
1 cup shredded cabbage (you can use a cheese grater to shred it, but if you buy it as a pre-shredded cole-slaw mix, the carrots won't hurt the flavor at all!) 
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger*
3 cloves minced fresh garlic*
1 whole green onion (white and green parts)*
1 tablespoon sesame oil*
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar*
2 tablespoons soy sauce*

*For each of these, double the amount called for and set half of it aside in another bowl for the dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce:
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 cloves minced fresh garlic
1 whole green onion (white and green parts)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 cup water
 
Go to The Garden of Gluten Free, where she has a great step-by-step with photos for the dough and cooking the dumplings.

To keep one batch of dumplings warm while you cook another, set up a double boiler with a layer of parchment paper lining the top pot.  Place the cooked dumplings in layers, with parchment paper dividing them.  They will glue to each other if they are touching.  Cover the pot to trap steam. 

The next day, mix the leftover filling half and half with ground beef and cook as hamburgers.  The dipping sauce also makes an excellent burger mix-in, or marinade for chicken or steak. 

Best Gluten-Free Thin Crust Pizza Recipe

After trying nearly a dozen gluten-free thin-crust pizza recipes over the years...I finally have a winner.  THIS RECIPE from Food.com user ukichix has the fewest ingredients, and happens to make a perfect crispy, slightly chewy thin crust.  For those with multiple sensitivities, it also happens to be casein, soy, dairy, gum and egg-free. 

UPDATE:  10/18/14

I have made quite a few improvements to the recipe, so I am posting my modified version here instead of linking to the original:

1/2 cup white rice flour
2/3 cup tapioca or potato starch
2 tablespoons sweet white rice flour
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Just shy of 1 cup hot tap water (start with 1 3/4 and add if needed)
handful of cornmeal for dusting pizza pan
Bowl of olive oil for spreading dough

1. Let the yeast, sugar and water sit in a warm place to start bubbling.  If it doesn't start forming bubbles/foam on top after five minutes, your yeast has gone off and needs replacing.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit
3. Sprinkle/dust a pizza pan or cookie sheet with cornmeal
4. mix flours
5. Stir in water/yeast/sugar mix and stir until incorporated.  You should have a wet dough that clumps instead of drips, but isn't so dry that you can handle it with your hands without it sticking.  Like thick mud.
6. Spread it in the pizza pan with oiled fingers, and dip your fingers in the oil each time the dough starts to stick.  You want it no thicker than 1/8 inch in any one place.  A patting motion works better than a smoothing motion to spread the dough.

Let rise in a warm place for 20-30 minutes.
Bake for 15 minutes
Spread sauce, cheese, and/or toppings, and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes until done.


A few notes on the making:

1.  If you are just starting gluten-free, replace your old pizza stone.  There is no way to remove the gluten remnants from the pores of the stone, and it can contaminate anything you bake on it.
2.  Heavy duty kitchen shears work better to cut the pizza than a rolling pizza cutter or knife.

This recipe also makes a quick garlic crackerbread appetizer with spreadable goat cheese.  Here's how:

1. Make the recipe as listed 
2. During the first 15 minute bake, mix 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp dried oregano, and a dash of salt and pepper. 
3. After the initial 15 minute bake, brush olive oil mix over entire crust (to the edges).
4. Bake for an additional 7-8 minutes, keeping a close eye on it to prevent burning.
5. Cut into squares for homemade crispy garlic flatbread, and serve with soft cheeses or bruschetta.  

To make Italian Cheese Bread, use the garlic crackerbread recipe but add extra Parmesan and a couple handfuls of shredded mozzarella for the second bake.  

Small-Batch Tomato Soup (Gluten-Free)

Because it is apparently impossible to find gluten-free tomato soup for anything less than $5.00 per meal, I offer the following recipe:

Small-batch tomato soup

Ingredients: 

1 small can tomato paste (6 oz, or about 1/3 cup)
1/2 small onion (approx 1/3 cup chopped)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil or 1 tsp fresh, finely chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil
2 cups vegetable stock (or 2 tsp Better than Bullion vegetable base and 2 cups hot water)
Up to 1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk (to taste)
You may also need up to 1/4 tsp baking soda
Optional:  1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, salt-free, if you like "chunky" soup

Melt the butter (or heat the oil) in the bottom of a medium size pot on medium heat
Sautee the onion and garlic until soft
add the basil
continue to sautee until browned
add the tomato paste and vegetable stock
If you want chunky soup, add the canned diced tomatoes
stir well to combine
simmer for 20-30 minutes
taste the mixture.  If it is too sour or acid, add 1/8 teaspoon baking soda and stir well while it foams.  Wait one minute and taste again, adding another 1/8 tsp if necessary.  The soda will neutralize the acidity of the tomatoes, but too much will make the soup bland. 
let soup cool slightly, then stir in cream or milk to whatever preference you have for creaminess. Start with 1/4 cup, taste, and increase as needed.  I have not tried substitute milks (soy, coconut, rice, etc.) and do not know how they behave, but since you're not "cooking" the milk, I suspect it would work just fine. 
 

Pecan Crusted Chicken Strips (gluten free)

Pecan Crusted Chicken Strips (Gluten-Free)
 
Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts (less than 2lbs)
1 cup pecan meal (you can crush pecan halves in the blender or food processor if you don't have meal; process until coarse crumbs)
3 tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
pinch black pepper
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (+ as needed)

Instructions:

Pound chicken breasts until less than 1" thick and cut into strips. Pat dry with paper towels.
Heat vegetable oil in large skillet over medium heat

Whisk egg and water together in a bowl

Mix other ingredients thoroughly in a separate bowl to make pecan coating, making sure starch is evenly mixed in and there are no lumps

Dip each strip of chicken in the egg/water mixture, then immediately dredge in pecan coating. Place in heated skilled.

Cook for approximately 5 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 6 minutes.

If making multiple batches, scrape debris out of skillet and refresh oil between batches.

Excellent for a salad topping or alone with dipping sauces.

Sausage Kebabs with Orange-Ginger Glaze (gluten-free)

These are perfect for gatherings that offer a grill, or they can be done in the broiler. Mix up the fruits and vegetables however you like!

For kebabs:

skewers (8 large (15") or 25 of the little wooden ones
1 pound sweet Italian sausages
1 small pineapple
1/2 pound sweet peppers
1 medium zucchini or summer squash
6-8 oz whole mushrooms (min. 1" diameter)
1 red onion

For Marinade/Glaze:

1 large naval orange
1/2 tsp dried ginger or 1 tsp minced fresh
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tablespoon red wine or balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Set wooden skewers to soak in water (this prevents them from scorching while cooking)

Chop veggies and meat into 1.5" chunks if using the small wooden skewers or 2" chunks if using large metal skewers.

Mushrooms and peppers may need to be in larger pieces because they have a tendency to split, but it will depend on the type and ripeness. Try a few pieces on the skewers before cutting up the whole container.

The Italian sausage will be easier to work with if you don't thaw it completely first. Cutting it up frozen will give you neater slices and it will thaw on the skewers as it marinades.

It will be easier if you cut up everything before you start assembling the skewers. Trust me! Then you can pace your ingredients so you don't end up with one last skewer that's all zucchini. Then again...that might be tasty!

add an assortment of meats and veggies/fruits to the skewers. They don't all have to be the same! I find that beginning and adding with a pepper or something "solid" will keep things from sliding off while you handle them. Don't make sausage the first or last thing on the skewer or it may fall off while cooking.

Set the skewers on a cookie sheet or foil. You can keep metal skewers from poking through the ends of the foil with wine corks, but remove before baking.

Mix together marinade ingredients and brush liberally over all the skewers.

Cover in foil and let marinade in fridge for at least 1/2 hour. Uncover before cooking.

Grill or broil in oven for 15 minutes in a single layer, turning once during cooking to brown both sides. If you broil the skewers on a cooking sheet with sides it will catch the juices and keep you from having to clean your oven afterwards! If grilling, you can brush on more marinade 10 minutes before they're done.

Feel free to sub other materials of course, but look for combinations of sweet and spicy to compliment the glaze. Try apples and peaches instead of pineapple, or add/substitute hot peppers if you prefer.

Calico Beans (gluten-free)

Calico Beans (baked beans) can be oven baked or cooked in the crock pot.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs lean hamburger
1/2 lb bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 cup chopped onion
1 large can (min 20oz) lima or pinto beans
1 large can (min 20 oz) kidney beans
1 large can (min 20 oz) pork and beans

Sauce:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup catsup
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp salt
2 tsp wine vinegar

Note: This makes a sweet sauce.  If you're looking to make it a little more savory, omit the white sugar and add 2 teaspoons curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke, and 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce.  Fry 2 minced cloves of garlic with the onion.

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (if not using crock pot)
2. Fry the hamburger and drain off the fat.
3. Fry the bacon and drain off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat.
4. fry onions in the 1 tablespoon bacon fat and fry until translucent.
5. Drain all the canned beans well and add to drained meat.
6. Combine sauce ingredients. Stir into meat and bean mixture. 
7. Bake at 350 F oven for 1 hour, or cook in crock pot for 2-3 hours.

This freezes well if you need to make it well ahead, and the leftovers taste even better than the original. You can store in the fridge for up to five days and re-heat as needed.