Gluten Free Expedition

Baked Salmon with Cucumber Dill Sauce

I like to use Greek yogurt for a lot of things - as a substitute for sour cream, in gluten free baked goods for moisture, as a dessert with honey and walnuts.  I especially love it as the base for tzatziki sauce to put on chicken souvlaki.

I was looking around for dinner inspiration while planning our weekly grocery list and discovered a recipe using sour cream and cucumber to make a sauce for grilled salmon and was inspired to make a tzatziki-esque sauce with Greek yogurt.  This sauce is a little different than my normal tzatziki recipe and delicious on the baked salmon.

One tip I discovered while in Greece was to shred the cucumber instead of finely dicing it.  I'm not sure why, but it makes a good sauce even better!

Baked Salmon with Cucumber Dill Sauce

For the salmon:
1 lb salmon fillet with skin 
3 Tbls orange juice
2 Tbls soy sauce

For the sauce:
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 of a large cucumber 
2 tsp olive oil
1/2-1 tsp dried dill (you can also use fresh if you have it)
pinch of salt

Combine the orange juice and soy sauce in a wide shallot bowl or dish.  Put the salmon skin side up into the bowl and marinade for 20-30 minutes. 

Put the salmon onto a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil (easy clean up).  Bake at 375 degrees until cooked through (about 15-25 min depending on thickness).

While the salmon is baking make the sauce.  Peel the cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds (if you have an English cucumber, you can skip this step).  Shred the cucumber with a medium size shredder.

Mix the Greek yogurt, cucumber, olive oil and dill together.  Add salt to taste.  Serve with the salmon.
 
 

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

 
 
We had a birthday celebration at work today and last night I was in the mood to make chocolate cookies.  And because I have 2 kids to feed, bath and put to bed at night they had to be easy chocolate cookies, but also a little festive for the party!  I ran across the Serious Eats cookie swap recipes and was reminded of these powder sugar covered gems from oh so long ago.  I had never tried to make them gluten free, but I thought they would be good.

The one thing that I thought when making the batter was that it just wasn't chocolaty enough, so I replaced 1/2 cup of the flour with cocoa powder - a good way to boost the chocolate flavor in recipes!  The result?  No one could believe they were gluten free!  They tasted just how we remembered the gluten version!  YUM!

Double Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Adapted from Serious Eats

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled (I melted mine in the microwave - 30 second increments with a good stir in between until smooth)
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 tsp xanthan gum (you could probably leave this out, but I wanted to make sure the cookies wouldn't spread too much)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2-1 cup powdered sugar

Combine the sugar, oil, melted chocolate and vanilla in a mixer.  Mix in eggs one at a time.  Combine dry ingredients and then add to the mixer and stir on medium until incorporated.

Put into a container with a lid or cover with plastic wrap and put into the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. 

Take about a tablespoon of dough and form it into a ball.  Roll it in the powdered sugar and place the ball on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake about 12 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

 
 Sometimes I get into a rut of cooking the same rotating dinners.  So what's a great way to change up the same old thing?  Add a delicious sauce to the main course!  I had a jar of roasted red peppers left over and decided to use those to make a sauce for pork chops.  The sauce is a pseudo-aioli made with mayonnaise in the food processor, so it comes together really fast. 

The recipe makes a lot of sauce, so we had plenty leftover.  I used the leftovers to make a creamy pasta sauce using ground turkey and half and half.  Two great dinner that were out of the ordinary!

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

1 jar roasted red peppers
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup mayonnaise
juice from 1/2 lemon
1-2 Tbls olive oil
salt/pepper to taste

Drain the peppers and pat dry.  Put the peppers and garlic in the food processor and blend until smooth. 

Add the mayonnaise and lemon and blend again.  While the blade is turning, add the olive oil until you get the consistency you like.  Blend in salt and pepper to taste.

 

Triumph Dining The Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide

 
Want to know about restaurants in your area that serve gluten free food?  Are you traveling someplace unfamiliar and need some suggestions about where to get a gluten free meal?  Then you need Triumph Dining's "The Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide".

The book is organized by state, with large cities separated out in each.  Descriptions of the type of food are listed, so you can decide on a restaurant by what you're in the mood for!  Each listing also has a price category, contact information and they list special features such as a gf menu or specialty items like pizza or pasta.  There are also several menus listed for chain restaurants in the back. 

This book is great and a lot of fun when used to discover new places around you.  I've been to several of the restaurants listed in this book, but I did discover a few new places.  One was an Italian restaurant that I hadn't been to since my diagnosis; they now serve gf pasta.  The Dad and I went there one night and I had an incredible spinach salad with a spicy seafood pasta that was delicious!  There is another one that I have on my list to try ASAP.

I can't wait to take the book with me on my next trip.  It will be a great resource to make traveling easier and more fun!  So what are you waiting for - get your copy today! 

Brussels Sprouts - Gluten Free and Delicious!

 
A while back I was out to dinner at a very nice restaurant with one of my friends.  They ordered brussels sprouts as a side to their dinner and I asked to try them.  I had never eaten them before and even though I thought I might like to try them, I never wanted to buy them if it wasn't something I was sure to like.  After-all, brussels sprouts have a very bad reputation!

Low and behold, when done right brussels sprouts can be delicious - sweet, caramelized and when paired with bacon perfect!  Brussels sprouts are a excellentsource of vitamin K and C, and also have significant quantities of folate, vitamin A, manganese, dietary fiber, potassium, omega 3 fatty acids and iron among other essential vitamins and minerals.

I definitely wanted to try to make these at home.  I thought roasting would be best to take the brussels sprouts from bitter to sweet goodness!  The homemade ones didn't disappoint and they are very easy to make too!  The Husband claims not to like brussels sprouts, but I can't wait to have him try these!  He was out of town for my experiment.  I think this would be a great side dish for Thanksgiving dinner.

They were even great as leftovers the next day!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

10 oz package brussels sprouts
4 strips thick cut bacon
1 Tbls butter
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse brussels sprouts and trim the stem end off, cut each in half. 

Fry the bacon in an oven safe skillet over medium heat.  When the bacon is crisp remove from the pan, cool and crumble.

Reserve about 1 Tbls (or more) of the bacon grease and add the butter to the skillet.  Toss in the brussels sprouts and saute until they start to brown (about 5 minutes).  Put the skillet in to a 375 degree oven and bake for 20 minutes.  Stir the crumbled bacon back into the skillet and cook an additional 5-10 minutes until the brussels sprouts are caramelized and fork tender.  Serve immediately.

Gluten Free Review: Udi's!

 
 
They're bringing Sandwich back...

I wish I could say that I came up with that saying myself, but its actually from an e-mail I received from Udi's.  But I agree!  Their Whole Grain Bread is so good I've stopped making my own!  I'm going to try to make some speciality breads now (just ran across a recipe for caramel apple bread on Serious Eats - yum!) 

 

Anyway, Udi's has a wide range of gluten free baked goods and while I haven't tried them all I would venture to say that you can't go wrong with any of them.  The products I have tasted are so good, that I'm willing to extrapolate!  The cinnamon rolls are delicious - they get a great crust if you put them in oven for about 7-10 minutes.  I have to hide from my kids when I'm eating them, even when they have the gluten version; they want mine and I don't give those away!  I've also had the bagels (deliciously chewy), pizza crust (great crunch) and the granola (YUM!). 

But the best is their bread!  Just unfreeze it and it is delicious!  No need to toast or microwave.  It is soft and not at all crumbly.  A friend of mine made sandwiches with it this summer for a boating party and no one knew that they were gluten free!  Just regular sandwiches, it's all I've ever asked for!

Mexican Beef Casserole Plus a Review - Sandwich Petals

My new favorite recipe for enchiladas comes from Julia at Scrambled.  It is delicious and I found that it is just as delicious if you throw the filling ingredients in the crockpot and let it simmer all day!  I really like the flavor that the wine adds to it.  I did have a lot of filling left over, so I thought I would try out the new Sandwich Petals I had ordered in a casserole. 

These Sandwich Petals are wonderful.  They are soft and flexible and the flavors are great!  I've used the Chimayo Red Chile ones for breakfast tortillas with eggs, cheese and salsa and the Spinach and Garlic ones to make tortilla roll-ups and turkey sandwiches.  YUM!  They really remind me of flour tortillas, which is why I thought the Agave Grain ones would be great for a layered casserole. 

Mexican Beef Casserole

Leftover enchilada filling (about 1.5 cups)
1 can of black beans
2 Tbls tomato paste
1 Tbls chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1 cup shredded cheese
6 Agave Grain Sandwich Petals
Taco toppings - lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, salsa, guacamole, etc.

Reheat the leftover filling with the black beans, tomato paste and spices. 

Put 1 Sandwich Petal on the bottom of an 8X8 casserole dish.  Split another petal in 1/2 to fill in the 2 corners not covered by the first.  Layer the filling on top and sprinkle with cheese.  Repeat another 2 layers so that you end with cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes until hot and bubbly. 

Top with anything that you would put on tacos.  I put lettuce, red peppers, salsa and guacamole.

CSA Side - Tomato and Zucchini Bake

 
This is the most delicious dish ever.  I could probably eat the whole thing, but I restrained myself so I could have some yummy leftovers the following day for lunch!  The dish is sweet, savory and cheesy all at once, what more can you ask for?  Luckily it's also pretty good for you!

I have an overabundance of zucchini from the CSA, so that's what I used, but any summer squash or even eggplant would work. 

Tomato and Zucchini Bake

1 Tbls olive oil + a little more to drizzle
1/3 cup onions, chopped (I used about 6 cipollini onions quartered)
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
2 small zucchinis
2 tomatoes
handful basil leaves
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs
Mozzarella cheese to top (I used slices of fresh mozzarella, but shredded would work too)

In a medium skillet heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and let them saute until softened.  While those are cooking, chop the zucchini and tomato into bite size pieces and cut the basil into thin ribbons (chiffonade).

When the onions and garlic are soft, add the tomatoes and zucchini.  Stir and cook veggies for 5 minutes. 

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the basil and parmesan cheese.  Dump the mixture into an au gratin dish (or small casserole dish).  Sprinkle with bread crumbs and drizzle with a little more olive oil.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 40 minutes.  Top with mozzarella cheese and bake another 10 minutes until the cheese is browned.

PS I love these new Kinnikinnick Panco Style Bread Crumbs!

CSA Pesto

 
We decided to join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) this summer.  We're actually sharing a share with our friends.  Its been good so far, but we haven't seen a lot of color besides green in our weekly stash.  I think it's all the rain that's been constantly coming down.  I know that the farm needs some sunshine and warm days in order to replant what they've lost to the rain, winds and hail. 

Despite the lack of diversity when it comes to colors we have had some delicious dishes - roasted turnips, fresh salads, baked kale chips and stir-fry collards!  YUM!

I had a lot of kale this week, so I thought I would try it in some pesto.  The result was wonderful over goat cheese and spread on crackers.  I can't wait to try it on grilled chicken and/or pasta!

CSA Pesto

6 large kale leaves (I used the curly kale)
1/4 cup walnuts
4-6 garlic scapes
3 small bunches of garlic chives
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 -1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Remove kale leaves from the inside stem and roughly chop.  Put kale leaves into a large pot of boiling water and boil for about 10 minutes until tender.  Drain and run cold water over the leaves; drain well.

While the kale is boiling, chop the walnuts and put them into a skillet over medium high heat.  Cook until the walnuts are lightly browned and fragrant. 

Add the kale leaves, walnuts, garlic scapes, garlic chives and salt to the food processor and pulse until everything is well blended.  Turn the food processor on and stream in the olive oil until desired consistency is reached. 

Remove the pesto to a mixing bowl and add in parmesan cheese to taste and salt, if necessary.

Crockpot Red Wine Beef Roast

Here is a delicious recipe for using left over red wine - or open a new bottle and drink it with dinner!  And you can make it in the crockpot, so it's really easy!

Red Wine Beef Roast

2-3 lb beef roast
3 carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
1 small onion, cut into chunks
3-4 yukon gold potatoes, cut into chunks (I used 3 medium size ones)
1/2 cup beef broth
1 cup red wine
2 tsp oregano
2 Tbls cornstarch
salt/pepper to taste

Place the roast in your crockpot (season with salt and pepper) and add the carrots, potatoes and onions all around it. 

Mix together the broth, wine, oregano and cornstarch and pour it over the beef and veggies.

Cook on low for 8 hours, or more.

The leftovers were even better reheated on the stove a few days later!