Category Archives: Recipes

Sundried Tomato Cashew Pesto

In the summer, I love fresh basil pesto over pasta.  In the winter, basil is not as readily available… so I made this wintertime pesto using a sundried tomato base instead.  I added a few different flavors by using cashews and topping it with lemon zest and goat cheese… delicious!  Hope you enjoy this winter time treat.

Sundried Tomato and Cashew Pesto

Pieces:

  1. 8 ounces sundried tomatoes, drained
  2. 1 tbsp. olive oil
  3. one third cup cashews
  4. one third cup basil
  5. one half cup coconut milk
  6. 1 tsp. garlic
  7. one half cup pasta water
  8. pepper to taste
  9. 1 tsp. lemon zest
  10. 4 tbsp. goat cheese
  11. 1 tsp. chopped basil to top with when plated
  12. handful walnuts

 

Process:

  1. Cook your favorite gluten free pasta until done, reserving one half cup of the pasta water before draining.
  2. In a food processor or mini chop, add the drained sundried tomatoes, olive oil, cashews, one third cup basil, coconut milk, garlic, pepper, and pasta water.
  3. Chop on high until well combined.
  4. To plate, serve the pasta in a bowl.  Top with 2-3 generous scoops of the pesto, goat cheese, walnuts, chopped basil, and lemon zest.  Put on as much or as little as you like!
  5. Enjoy!

cashew pesto

 

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

 

Advertisement

Leave a comment

Filed under Recipes

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

Here is a recipe that my mom made over the holidays.  It is often hard to find soup that is gluten and dairy free, but she did it!  It was a great appetizer to our holiday meal, and served as great leftovers whenever we wanted a snack later on in the week.  I know that it looks long, but well worth the effort!  My mom and I were amazed at the idea to grind up dried mushrooms and use them as a spice in the soup..genius!

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

(adapted from Cooks Illustrated)

Pieces:

  1. ½ oz dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed
  2. 4 ¼ cups water
  3. 1 sprig fresh thyme
  4. 1 bay leaf
  5. 1 garlic clove, peeled
  6. 4 garlic cloves, peeled & minced
  7. salt & pepper
  8. ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  9. 1 cup wild rice
  10. 4 tablespoons vegan butter
  11. 1 lb cremini or white mushrooms, trimmed & sliced ¼ “ thick
  12. 1 onion, chopped fine
  13. 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  14. 2/3 cup dry sherry
  15. 4 cups low-sodium gluten-free chicken broth
  16. 1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce
  17. ¼ cup cornstarch
  18. ½ cup coconut creamer
  19. ¼ cup chives, minced
  20. ¼ teaspoon lemon zest

Process:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Grind dried mushrooms in spice grinder or coffee bean grinder to a powder, or reconstitute in ¼ cup warm water until soft and finely mince.
  3. Bring 4 cups water, thyme sprig, bay leaf, peeled garlic clove, ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon baking soda to a boil in medium saucepan.
  4. Add wild rice and return to boil. Cover and place in oven.
  5. Bake until tender, @45 minutes.
  6. Strain rice through fine mesh strainer set in 4 cup measuring cup.  Discard thyme sprig, bay leaf and garlic.  Add enough water to strained liquid to measure 3 cups.
  7. Melt butter in Dutch oven.  Add cremini or white mushrooms, onion, minced garlic, tomato paste, ¾ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
  8. Cook until vegetables are browned, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
  9. Add sherry, scraping up browned frond on bottom of pot.
  10. Cook until almost reduced, about 2 minutes.
  11. Add ground or reconstituted shiitake mushrooms, reserved rice liquid, chicken broth and soy sauce.
  12. Bring to boil, and then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until mushrooms and onions are tender, about 20 minutes.
  13. Whisk cornstarch and ¼ cup water in small bowl.
  14. Stir cornstarch into soup.
  15. Simmer soup until thickened, about 2 minutes.
  16. Remove pot from heat, stir in rice, coconut creamer, chives, lemon zest and salt&pepper to taste.
  17. Cover and let stand 20 minutes before serving.

Image

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

Leave a comment

Filed under Recipes

Orange Paprika Drummies

Sunday afternoons are when I clean the house, make lunches for the week, and enjoy some time to gear up for the always busy week.  I do love cooking, but sometimes I also love just throwing some ingredients in the crockpot and letting it simmer while I enjoy my Sunday afternoon.  So this week, I did just that.  The result was a delicious Sunday night dinner with very little effort!

Orange and Paprika Drummies

Pieces:

  1. 10 chicken drumsticks
  2. 1 cup gluten free chicken broth
  3. 2 tsp. chopped garlic
  4. juice of one orange plus 2 tbsp. orange zest
  5. one quarter cup gluten free soy sauce
  6. 2 tbsp. smoked paprika
  7. salt and pepper
  8. white rice, cooked to package directions
  9. one cup frozen peas
  10. one cup frozen corn

Process:

  1. In the crockpot, lay the chicken drumsticks in the chicken broth and smother the drummies with the garlic, orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper.
  2. Cook on high for 3 hours.
  3. When the chicken is almost done, cook white rice according to package directions.
  4. When the rice is just about done cooking (with about 1-2 minutes left), add the frozen peas and corn and cook them in the rice.
  5. Serve the rice, corn, and peas in a bowl and top with the chicken drumsticks.

photo

 

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

Leave a comment

Filed under Recipes

Gin Pom and Tonnie

Sigh.  The holidays are over.  A let down and a relief in my book… it is such a busy but exciting time.  I made the journey to North Carolina to visit family and had a wonderful week off.  Besides shopping and laughing, we ate our little hearts out.  My mother is a fabulous cook, and I love watching her in the kitchen.

Here is a brief highlight of what she whipped up:

beef

 

Beef tenderloin with roasted parsnips and carrots

lobster pasta

Fresh lobster over gluten free pasta and homemade sauce

mushroom soup

Gluten and dairy free mushroom soup

pear salad

Roasted pear salad

Recipes to come!  While mom was busy in the kitchen and taunting us with delicious smells, I enjoyed a Christmas cocktail.  I wanted to combine a few different flavors and was very happy with what I came up with!

To make a Gin Pom and Tonnie….in a glass, combine:

  • 1 shot of gin
  • 2 shots of tonic water
  • top off with pomegranate juice
  • a lime wedge

gin pom ton

 

Hope this helps you decompress after the holidays, while still enjoying a little red and green 🙂

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Recipes

Chocolate Chip and Walnut Gingerbread Bars

I was determined to make a gingerbread recipe for the holidays, and make it gluten and dairy free.  I tried this recipe twice!  But the second time around really was the charm.  I added walnuts and chocolate chips to the gingerbread for something different, so feel free to add your favorite cookie toppings!

Chocolate Chip and Walnut Gingerbread Bars

Pieces:

  1. 6 tbsp. softened vegan butter
  2. two thirds cup brown sugar
  3. three quarters cup white sugar
  4. one third cup molasses
  5. 1 egg
  6. 2 tsp. vanilla
  7.  2 cups gluten free flour (preferably one that has xantham gum in it)
  8. one half tsp. baking soda
  9. pinch of salt
  10. 4 tsp. ground ginger
  11. 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  12. 1 cup walnuts
  13. one half cup vegan chocolate chips (I used mini ones)
  14. cooking spray

Process:

  1. In a large bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.  Beat on low for one minute until combined.
  2. Add the molasses, egg, and vanilla.  Beat another minute on low until combined.
  3. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon.  Beat again on low for one minute until combined.
  4. Add the walnuts and chocolate chips and stir them in with a spoon to incorporate.
  5. In an 8 by 13 inch greased baking pan, pour the cookie bar mixture.  Spread evenly in the pan.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, just until edges starts to brown slightly.
  7. Let cool, and cut into bars.

cookie bar

Happy Allergy Free Dessert-ing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 Comments

Filed under Recipes

Bacon Wrapped, Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Honestly, I was never a big fan of bacon.  I would much rather have sausage with my breakfast.  However, since being gluten free and having to expand my fridge staples, I have tried to find more ways to use bacon because it is a safe food for me.  I thought of this chicken recipe and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was!  A great dinner idea for a cold night… and it is very easy!

Bacon Wrapped, Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Pieces:

  1. 2 chicken breasts, either thin fillets or pounded thin
  2. 4 strips bacon (I used low sodium)
  3. 4 tsp. goat cheese
  4. 4 tsp. dried cranberries
  5. pepper

Process:

  1. Spread 2 tsp. goat cheese on top of each chicken breast fillet
  2. Sprinkle 2 tsp. dried cranberries on top of the goat cheese on each fillet.
  3. Wrap each chicken breast fillet with 2 strips of bacon to hold in the goat cheese and cranberries.
  4. Sprinkle pepper on top of the bacon strips.
  5. Bake at 375 degrees about 20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

goat cran bacon chix

 

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Recipes

Apple, Celery, Grape, and Honey Tofu Salad

Knowing that big meals often come with the holiday season, I have been trying to make some light meals to maintain some sort of balance.  This past week, I made a very filling but lightly flavored salad.  It has easy and fresh ingredients.  And, if you don’t like tofu, you could easily use grilled or baked chicken pieces.  The recipe and ingredients here are enough for several days of salads!

Apple, Celery, Grape, and Honey Tofu Salad

Pieces:

  1. 1 head romaine, chopped
  2. 8 celery stalks, chopped
  3. 1 pound of red grapes, sliced in half
  4. 4 green apples, chopped into bite sized pieces
  5. 4 tbsp chopped scallions
  6. 1 package diced firm tofu (or dice a block yourself)
  7. cooking spray
  8. 4 tbsp. honey
  9. 2 tbsp. sesame seeds
  10. 2 tbsp. olive oil
  11. 3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
  12. 2 tbsp. apple cider
  13. salt and pepper to taste

Process:

  1. Drain the diced tofu and place the pieces in between two dish towels to dry, about 30 minutes.
  2. Chop all your salad produce- the lettuce, celery, grapes, apples, and scallions.
  3. In a large skillet lined with cooking spray and over medium heat, place the dried tofu.
  4. Drizzle 2 tbsp. honey and the sesame seeds over the tofu.
  5. Stir the tofu every 4 minutes, making sure to cook all sides evenly.  You will know that the tofu is done when it starts to brown to your liking.
  6. When the tofu is done cooking, assemble the salads by plating the lettuce and adding a handful each of celery, grapes, and apples.  Top with a handful of tofu and a pinch of scallions.
  7. For the dressing, combine 2 tbsp. honey with the olive oil, white wine vinegar, apple cider, and salt and pepper.  Shake well.
  8. Pour 2-3 tbsp. of dressing over your salad.
  9. Enjoy!

apple celery salad

 

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

Leave a comment

Filed under Recipes

Triple Potato Curried Quinoa Salad

I had a few random leftover potatoes from various recipes and didn’t quite know what to do with them, so I made an alternative potato salad.  I used those potatoes, some leftover red pepper, and quinoa to make a great curried potato salad.  It would be great as a lunch salad, or a side to dinner. And, if you don’t like curry, you can easily leave it out.

Triple Potato Curried Quinoa Salad

Pieces:

  1. One sweet potato, peeled and diced into half inch cubes
  2. One white potato, peeled and diced into half inch cubes
  3. 5-6 small red bliss potatoes, washed and cut into half inch cubes
  4. 2 red peppers, cut into half inch squares
  5. 1 tsp. cinnamon
  6. 3 tsp. curry powder
  7. 2 tbsp. vegan butter
  8. 2 tsp. smoked paprika
  9. 1 cup quinoa cooked to package directions
  10. 2 tbsp. olive oil
  11. 3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
  12. 2 tbsp. honey
  13. 2 tbsp. dijon mustard
  14. 1 tsp. curry powder
  15. 1 tsp. white sugar
  16. 1 tsp. ginger
  17. salt and pepper

Process:

  1. In a large skillet, combine the sweet potato cubes, white potato cubes, and red potato cubes with the cinnamon, 3 tsp. curry powder, smoked paprika, and butter.
  2. Cook on medium heat, covered, until potatoes are a little bit harder than fork tender, about 10 minutes.  Stir every couple of minutes.
  3. Add the red peppers and continue to cook until red peppers and potatoes are tender, about another 4 minutes.  When cooked, take off heat and let cool.
  4. Cook the quinoa to package directions.
  5. In a salad dressing shaker, or a bowl, combine the olive oil, white wine vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, 1 tsp. curry powder, sugar, ginger, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Shake/mix vigorously.
  6. In a serving bowl, combine the potatoes and red peppers with the quinoa, and pour dressing on top.  Mix well and serve!

triple potato

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Recipes

Herby Chicken Parmy

I recently made my own Herby Chicken Parmy as a switch from the turkey leftovers that I am still picking at.  It is gluten free and you would never know it!  This recipe is also very easy, and the herbs really enhance the flavor.  And, the parmesan cheese topping doesn’t make me sick… a nice bonus!  Someone once told me that hard cheeses are less irritating to people with food allergies… wonder if that is true?  I’ll take it…

Herby Chicken Parmy

Pieces:

  1. 3 thin chicken breasts
  2. whites of 3 eggs, or equivalent
  3. one quarter cup chopped dried basil
  4. one quarter cup chopped fresh oregano
  5. one half cup gluten free bread crumbs
  6. 3 tbsp. olive oil
  7. your favorite gluten free pasta
  8. your favorite marinara sauce
  9. parmesan cheese for garnish

Process:

  1. In three different deep prep bowls, put the egg whites, basil and oregano, and bread crumbs.
  2. In a large saute pan that is oven safe and has a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
  3. While the olive oil is heating, dip each chicken breast into the egg whites, then the herbs, and then the bread crumbs, making sure to cover each side well.
  4. Put the coated chicken breasts into the heated olive oil.  Let simmer and then flip, about 3 minutes each side.
  5. Pour about one half cup of your favorite marinara sauce over the chicken.
  6. Cover the chicken and place in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
  7. Serve over your favorite gluten free pasta and sauce, topping with parmesan cheese.

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

Leave a comment

Filed under Recipes

Cinnamon Spiced Carrots

Last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to spend time with family for the Thanksgiving holiday.  I did not cook, which of course was nice, but it also made me want to try a few of my own Thanksgiving recipes when I came home!  I cooked an herb crusted turkey breast with my mom’s stuffing and my new Cinnamon Spiced Carrots.  The carrots were super easy to do, and I would enjoy them all winter long!

Cinnamon Spiced Carrots

Pieces:

  1. 8 carrots, peeled and diced into quarter inch rounds
  2. 4 parsnips, peeled and diced into quarter inch rounds
  3. 2 tbsp. olive oil
  4. 2 tbsp. cinnamon
  5. 1 tbsp. nutmeg
  6. 2 tbsp. honey

Process:

  1. Peel and cut the carrots and parsnips.
  2. In a large bowl, combine  the carrots, parsnips, olive oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, and honey.
  3. Toss the ingredients with your fingers a few times to combine.
  4. In a roasting pan, pour the carrot mixture.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees about 35 minutes, until the carrots are fork tender.
  6. Serve hot!

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Recipes