Leave out the bacon if you're making it vegetarian. You can substitute sun-dried tomatoes if you like them.
Ingredients:
About 1/2 pound of potatoes, any kind, cut into small pieces, boiled, drained, and cooled
2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and chopped into small pieces (optional)
2 ribs of celery, diced
2 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
1 dill pickle, diced
About 1/4-1/3 cup of mayonnaise (Just mix it in until you think it looks good. Amount will vary depending on how creamy you like your potato salad. I like Hellman's light olive oil mayo, which is made with free-range eggs. If you don't like mayo/don't eat eggs, you can substitute sour cream, yogurt, soy yogurt, or vegan mayo.)
A couple of teaspoons of mustard, any kind
Paprika, salt, and pepper to taste
Sliced green onions or chopped chives
Mix everything except the green onions and chives and chill in the fridge for at least an hour. Add the green onions or chives just before serving. Keeps well in the fridge for several days.
Variation: Use chopped cooked cauliflower instead of potatoes.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps
These are quick to make and you can eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. Amounts of everything are variable - make enough chicken and rice for as many people as you are trying to feed. Leave out anything that you don't like. Peanut-free and vegetarian versions are at the bottom of the recipe.
Ingredients:
Uncooked rice
Five spice powder
Chicken breasts (can be frozen - you don't need to thaw them first)
San J Gluten Free Peanut Sauce (or another kind, or the homemade version at the end of the recipe)
Chopped tomatoes
Shredded carrots
Sliced green onions
Diced water chestnuts
Lettuce leaves - lots of kinds of lettuce will work, just make sure the leaves are fairly round and at least the size of your hand
Cook the rice according to the directions for the type of rice you're using. Add a bit of five spice powder to the water before you start. While you are cooking the rice, cover the chicken breasts with water, bring to a boil, and cook until they are no longer pink in the middle. I know that might sound a little weird, but just trust me. When the chicken is done, remove it to a cutting board and shred it with two forks. Heat a frying pan over medium low heat, and add the shredded chicken to it. Add some peanut sauce, a little bit at a time, and stir it into the chicken. You don't want to add to much or things will get messy when you try to pick up the lettuce wraps. To give you an idea, I probably use about a teaspoon per chicken breast. Just experiment and taste it as you go to figure out the right amount without using too much. To serve, put everything in bowls and assemble the lettuce wraps one at a time by putting small amounts of each thing on them. Roll the sides up over the filling, pick them up, and eat them!
Vegetarian version: There are two options here. The first is to simply replace the chicken with tofu. The second is to add some lentils to the rice as it cooks, and then mix the peanut sauce into the rice/lentil mixture.
Peanut-free version: Instead of using peanut sauce, mix a bit of gluten-free soy sauce, a splash of lime juice, and a bit of powdered ginger into the chicken. And just a note of caution here: If you are cooking for someone with a peanut allergy, I strongly recommend making the entire meal peanut-free rather than making two versions of this. Peanut allergies are serious business. I'm not saying that celiac disease isn't serious, but it's generally safe for us to eat our gluten free bread at the same table as someone eating wheat bread, as long as things have been prepared without cross-contamination. That may not always be the case for someone with a peanut allergy.
Homemade Peanut Sauce
Ingredients:
Peanut butter (smooth or chunky, doesn't matter)
Gluten-free soy sauce
Rice vinegar (the unseasoned kind)
Lime juice
Powdered ginger
This is a bit of trial and error - mix things in and taste it and stop when you think it tastes good. Start with some peanut butter. Add enough rice vinegar to thin it out to the point where you can easily stir it. Add small amounts of soy sauce, lime juice, and ginger until you decide it's done.
Ingredients:
Uncooked rice
Five spice powder
Chicken breasts (can be frozen - you don't need to thaw them first)
San J Gluten Free Peanut Sauce (or another kind, or the homemade version at the end of the recipe)
Chopped tomatoes
Shredded carrots
Sliced green onions
Diced water chestnuts
Lettuce leaves - lots of kinds of lettuce will work, just make sure the leaves are fairly round and at least the size of your hand
Cook the rice according to the directions for the type of rice you're using. Add a bit of five spice powder to the water before you start. While you are cooking the rice, cover the chicken breasts with water, bring to a boil, and cook until they are no longer pink in the middle. I know that might sound a little weird, but just trust me. When the chicken is done, remove it to a cutting board and shred it with two forks. Heat a frying pan over medium low heat, and add the shredded chicken to it. Add some peanut sauce, a little bit at a time, and stir it into the chicken. You don't want to add to much or things will get messy when you try to pick up the lettuce wraps. To give you an idea, I probably use about a teaspoon per chicken breast. Just experiment and taste it as you go to figure out the right amount without using too much. To serve, put everything in bowls and assemble the lettuce wraps one at a time by putting small amounts of each thing on them. Roll the sides up over the filling, pick them up, and eat them!
Vegetarian version: There are two options here. The first is to simply replace the chicken with tofu. The second is to add some lentils to the rice as it cooks, and then mix the peanut sauce into the rice/lentil mixture.
Peanut-free version: Instead of using peanut sauce, mix a bit of gluten-free soy sauce, a splash of lime juice, and a bit of powdered ginger into the chicken. And just a note of caution here: If you are cooking for someone with a peanut allergy, I strongly recommend making the entire meal peanut-free rather than making two versions of this. Peanut allergies are serious business. I'm not saying that celiac disease isn't serious, but it's generally safe for us to eat our gluten free bread at the same table as someone eating wheat bread, as long as things have been prepared without cross-contamination. That may not always be the case for someone with a peanut allergy.
Homemade Peanut Sauce
Ingredients:
Peanut butter (smooth or chunky, doesn't matter)
Gluten-free soy sauce
Rice vinegar (the unseasoned kind)
Lime juice
Powdered ginger
This is a bit of trial and error - mix things in and taste it and stop when you think it tastes good. Start with some peanut butter. Add enough rice vinegar to thin it out to the point where you can easily stir it. Add small amounts of soy sauce, lime juice, and ginger until you decide it's done.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Chocolate Chip Nutella Cookies
This is my own variation of the ubiquitous flourless peanut butter cookie recipe. They are a bit gooey when they first come out of the oven, so let them sit for a few minutes before trying to get them off the cookie sheet.
Ingredients:
1 cup Nutella
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper. Mix all ingredients and drop spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cookies have spread out and the edges are starting to crisp. It usually takes about 12 minutes for me, but oven temperatures vary. Makes 12 large or 24 small cookies.
Ingredients:
1 cup Nutella
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper. Mix all ingredients and drop spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cookies have spread out and the edges are starting to crisp. It usually takes about 12 minutes for me, but oven temperatures vary. Makes 12 large or 24 small cookies.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Shrimp Stir-Fry
Very simple and very good.
Ingredients
1 lb shrimp, uncooked, peeled, and deveined
2 red bell peppers cut into thin strips
1 8 oz package snow peas
1/4 cup white wine
your favorite cooking oil
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the red peppers and snow peas and cook for a few minutes until they just start to soften. Add the shrimp and white wine and cook, stirring constantly, for a few minutes more until the shrimp is pink and most of the liquid has evaporated. Makes about 4 servings.
Ingredients
1 lb shrimp, uncooked, peeled, and deveined
2 red bell peppers cut into thin strips
1 8 oz package snow peas
1/4 cup white wine
your favorite cooking oil
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the red peppers and snow peas and cook for a few minutes until they just start to soften. Add the shrimp and white wine and cook, stirring constantly, for a few minutes more until the shrimp is pink and most of the liquid has evaporated. Makes about 4 servings.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Gluten Free Veggie Burgers
Okay, these are a little bit tricky to make, but once you've done a couple you'll be good at it and they are very worth it. Especially if you like zucchini.
Ingredients:
3 medium zucchini, finely grated (use the side of the grater with the small holes) - about 3 cups
1 small carrot, finely grated
2 bell peppers, any color, finely diced
1 tbsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika or chili powder)
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
Mix everything together in a large mixing bowl. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to let the rice flour absorb some of the liquid. Heat a small amount of oil (just enough to keep them from sticking) in a 10-12 inch frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, take about 1/4 cup of the mixture in your hands and squeeze it gently over a new bowl to get some of the liquid out (you don't have to get it all out, just squeeze it a bit). Until you kind of figure out what you're doing, just make 1 at a time. Once you get in the zone you'll be able to fit about 3 at a time in the pan. Flatten the mixture in your hands and put it in the frying pan, the flatten it out a bit with the back of a spoon. You're aiming for about 1/4-1/3 of an inch thickness. Cook for a few minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and it slides around the pan easily without falling apart, flip it over. Immediately use your flipper to flatten it again, and cook until the other side is golden brown. If the first couple that you try fall apart, don't worry about it. Put the fallen-apart mess back in the mixing bowl with the rest of it and try again. It will work eventually! You can freeze these if you want to - just stack them with pieces of wax paper or parchment between them. Reheat them in the oven at 350F until heated through.
Flour substitutions - feel free to sub any flour you want to use (even glutenous flours if you're one of my non-GF readers - just don't feed them to your celiac friends!). If you're using coconut, almond, or some other nut flour, try only using 1/2 a cup. Those flours absorb liquid a lot easier. I haven't actually tried coconut or almond flour, so if you try that, feel free to leave a comment and let us know how it worked!
Makes about 20.
Ingredients:
3 medium zucchini, finely grated (use the side of the grater with the small holes) - about 3 cups
1 small carrot, finely grated
2 bell peppers, any color, finely diced
1 tbsp smoked paprika (or regular paprika or chili powder)
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
Mix everything together in a large mixing bowl. Let it sit for about 10 minutes to let the rice flour absorb some of the liquid. Heat a small amount of oil (just enough to keep them from sticking) in a 10-12 inch frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, take about 1/4 cup of the mixture in your hands and squeeze it gently over a new bowl to get some of the liquid out (you don't have to get it all out, just squeeze it a bit). Until you kind of figure out what you're doing, just make 1 at a time. Once you get in the zone you'll be able to fit about 3 at a time in the pan. Flatten the mixture in your hands and put it in the frying pan, the flatten it out a bit with the back of a spoon. You're aiming for about 1/4-1/3 of an inch thickness. Cook for a few minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and it slides around the pan easily without falling apart, flip it over. Immediately use your flipper to flatten it again, and cook until the other side is golden brown. If the first couple that you try fall apart, don't worry about it. Put the fallen-apart mess back in the mixing bowl with the rest of it and try again. It will work eventually! You can freeze these if you want to - just stack them with pieces of wax paper or parchment between them. Reheat them in the oven at 350F until heated through.
Flour substitutions - feel free to sub any flour you want to use (even glutenous flours if you're one of my non-GF readers - just don't feed them to your celiac friends!). If you're using coconut, almond, or some other nut flour, try only using 1/2 a cup. Those flours absorb liquid a lot easier. I haven't actually tried coconut or almond flour, so if you try that, feel free to leave a comment and let us know how it worked!
Makes about 20.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Homemade breadcrumbs, croutons, and stuffing
There are commercially available versions of all of this, but it is so much less expensive to make your own. You can do all of these things with regular bread too if you are one of my non-GF readers.
Breadcrumbs
Save dried out bits of bread (or epic bread baking failures) in a paper bag. Once they are dry, you can grate them with a cheese grater or put them in the blender to turn them into crumbs. If you want to expedite the process, just toast some bread until it dries out and do the same thing. Store breadcrumbs in a ziplock bag in the freezer and use whenever you need them.
Croutons
Cut some slice of bread into cubes. Place in a bowl and toss with a bit cooking spray or oil and herbs and spices of your choice (or just leave them plain). Bake in the oven at 350 F until they are dry (about 20 minutes usually), checking often to make sure they don't burn.
Stuffing
Make some plain croutons. You can either use them in your favorite stuffing recipe or in my favorite stuffing recipe, which is the following. Put the croutons in a casserole dish with sautéed diced onions and celery. Add some dried sage and cover with just enough chicken or veggie broth to moisten the croutons. Stuff your turkey with it or bake in a casserole dish. Baking temperature and time is pretty flexible, but if you're just making stuffing and not putting in with other things that are baking, 350 F for 20-30 minutes works well.
Breadcrumbs
Save dried out bits of bread (or epic bread baking failures) in a paper bag. Once they are dry, you can grate them with a cheese grater or put them in the blender to turn them into crumbs. If you want to expedite the process, just toast some bread until it dries out and do the same thing. Store breadcrumbs in a ziplock bag in the freezer and use whenever you need them.
Croutons
Cut some slice of bread into cubes. Place in a bowl and toss with a bit cooking spray or oil and herbs and spices of your choice (or just leave them plain). Bake in the oven at 350 F until they are dry (about 20 minutes usually), checking often to make sure they don't burn.
Stuffing
Make some plain croutons. You can either use them in your favorite stuffing recipe or in my favorite stuffing recipe, which is the following. Put the croutons in a casserole dish with sautéed diced onions and celery. Add some dried sage and cover with just enough chicken or veggie broth to moisten the croutons. Stuff your turkey with it or bake in a casserole dish. Baking temperature and time is pretty flexible, but if you're just making stuffing and not putting in with other things that are baking, 350 F for 20-30 minutes works well.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Spaghetti Sauce
A very basic pasta sauce that you can eat with whatever gluten free noodles you like, put on spaghetti squash, or use to make stuffed bell peppers.
Ingredients:
2 cans of tomatoes, either crushed or diced, with liquid
1-2 white or yellow onions, chopped
1-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef or 1/2-1 dried cup red lentils (both of these are optional)
fresh or dried basil
salt and pepper
Directions:
If using beef, brown it in a frying pan and drain it. If using lentils, boil for 20 minutes or until soft and drain. You can prep the lentils or the beef at the same time you're making the rest of the sauce. Pour the cans of tomatoes into a large saucepan and add the onions and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered until the liquid has reduced, about 30 minutes. Add the beef or lentils (if using) once they are cooked. Before serving, add basil, salt, and pepper to taste. Makes a lot, but it freezes well.
Ingredients:
2 cans of tomatoes, either crushed or diced, with liquid
1-2 white or yellow onions, chopped
1-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef or 1/2-1 dried cup red lentils (both of these are optional)
fresh or dried basil
salt and pepper
Directions:
If using beef, brown it in a frying pan and drain it. If using lentils, boil for 20 minutes or until soft and drain. You can prep the lentils or the beef at the same time you're making the rest of the sauce. Pour the cans of tomatoes into a large saucepan and add the onions and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered until the liquid has reduced, about 30 minutes. Add the beef or lentils (if using) once they are cooked. Before serving, add basil, salt, and pepper to taste. Makes a lot, but it freezes well.
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