"If you work food correctly, it's like poetry" - Mom

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Eating in Amy's Kitchen: Natural & Organic Foods To Go

I'm a busy girl... Most of the people I know are busy too.  I work and go to school full time so I don't have the luxury of cooking every day even though I would absolutely love to.  When I go to the store, I buy fresh fruits and veggies (of course) but I also look for convenience foods that I can easily take to work or school without having to wake up extra early or stay up extra late to prepare my meals.  I have been purchasing Amy's Natural & Organic Foods for a few years now and I haven't had a meal I didn't enjoy.  Depending on which Natural Foods Store you shop at, you will get a different selection of Amy's Foods.  I know all my grocery stores and which places carry which items, lucky me!  I recently stumbled upon one store in Temecula that actually had a gluten free vegan frozen section and I was so happy!!  Most of the items were Amy's foods so I bought all of them.  I wanted to try all that Amy could offer me :)

So here is my Gluten Free Vegan Frozen Entree list that Amy's offers that I enjoyed and I think you will enjoy too!

"Rice Crust Roasted Vegetable Pizza"

This pizza made me so happy!!  The sauce that Amy has on this pizza is amazing and you really don't miss the cheese at all.  The flavors blend together so well.  And the rice crust is actually really good!  It's more of a crispy crust, not chewy and it has a great flavor.


"Non Dairy Rice Crust Cheese Pizza"

What I like most about the cheese pizza is that I can put my own toppings on it.  Cheese pizza always sounds so boring but the beautiful thing about it is that you can customize it to your liking... Some Kalamata Olives, Roasted Red Peppers.... Mmmmmm....

  "Asian Noodle Stir Fry"

Simple.  Teriyaki Veggies & Gluten Free noodles in a yummy sauce.  No fail.  :)

"Thai Stir Fry"

This one is really tasty.  I like Thai food and the sauce is super yummy!

"Gluten Free Chocolate Cake"

Oh yes.  I'm serious.  And its really good!  Super chocolatey and soft and moist...

"Black Bean Vegetable Enchilada"

These enchiladas are a no fail frozen entree for me.  They always hit the spot and even without cheese, again Amy's sauce is so good that cheese doesn't even cross my mind.

"Vegan Rice Macaroni & Cheeze"

Ok.  The thought of vegan cheese and rice noodles would probably make some people gag at the thought.  I bought this wanting to give it a shot and I was pleasantly surprised!!  It was good!!  Definitely fixed my mac and cheese craving and I've been wanting to purchase it again but I haven't been able to find it at my go to grocery store... But no worries, once I see it I will stock up!

"Indian Mattar Tofu"

I'm not a pea fan, but I purchased this anyways and Amy's did something right because the peas were good!

"Indian Vegetable Korma"

I might be biased because I already love Indian food but this one was really yummy!  It's spicy so if you are sensitive to heat then beware.  I actually prefer this one to the Mattar Tofu entree just because of my not so great feelings towards peas...

"Mexican Tamale Pie"

I was putting of purchasing this one because I didn't think it looked very good.  But I did purchase it, and I ate it and of course, it was good.  The veggies inside the 'pie' were similar to the black bean enchiladas. 

"Shephard's Pie"

I was also putting off this one because again, it didn't look very appetizing.  But it was good!  The filling was similar to an Irish Stew minus the sausage and the potatoes were soft and fluffy.

So as you can see, I really enjoy Amy's for a frozen entree.  Their soups are really good too.  I'll keep a few cans at my desk at work just in case I get hungry.  There are other brands I have purchased that are good too -- you just have to find what works for you.  When I first started eating this way, every time I went to the store I would buy something new to try.  I highly recommend doing this.  You will broaden your horizons to new flavors.  I eat stuff now that I had never even knew existed 4 years ago!  You know what they say, 'Don't knock it 'til you try it!'

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Pizza Margherita

Yesterday I was having a total craving for pizza.  Being vegan and eating gluten free makes it challenging to call up my favorite pizza place because I can't eat anything they serve any longer!!  So it is actually easier just to make my own.  That way I can have the crust I want, the toppings I want, and the cheese I want.  Oh happy day <3  Plus homemade tastes WAY better than any other pizza place... Except this pizza shop in Temecula that serves this one pizza called 'White Lady' that has a white garlic sauce, Gorgonzola cheese, and sliced pears... I'll have to veganize that one day soon because its seriously the best pizza I've ever had... Until then, here is my recipe for my other favorite pizza, Pizza Margherita...



Pizza Margherita

1 Gluten Free Pizza Crust (I use Bob's Red Mill)
1/3 Jar Premade Tomato Pasta Sauce (I used Sun Harvest tomato basil)
1 package Daiya Mozzarella Vegan Cheese
1 Cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
1/2 Cup Fresh Basil, chopped

Preheat oven and prepare crust according to the pizza dough package directions.

Roll dough out into a rectangle the size of a large baking sheet (13x9).  Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and transfer dough to it trying to make it fit as well as possible.  Some pizza doughs ask you to prebake the dough before adding toppings, if so go for it.  Once the crust is ready for toppings, spoon the tomato sauce onto the crust starting in the middle and working your way to the edges leaving about 1 in on the sides.  Next, add half the package of the mozzarella cheese.  Scatter the tomatoes across the entire pizza and sprinkle half of the basil.  Then, add the rest of the cheese.  If you have vegan Parmesan, you can sprinkle that on top too.  Bake according to package directions.  When the pizza is finished, sprinkle the remaining fresh basil on top while the pizza cools off enough to eat.  Slice and serve!!


Nutrition Facts (Approximate) Serves 8, Per Serving: 363 Calories, 5g Protein, 7g Fat, 56g Carbs, 6g Fiber, 18g Iron

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Red Lentil Coconut Curry with Spiced Tofu

I've wanted to make Indian food for such a long time and I have so many different things I want to try.  I knew I wanted to cook lentils with coconut milk and add tofu to it.  Then I started adding all kinds of different ingredients I had laying around and I ended up making smorgasbord of delicious flavors in one pot.


 Red Lentil Coconut Curry with Spiced Tofu

1 Tbsp Oil
1 Medium Yellow Onion, Finely Chopped
2 Small Bell Peppers, Finely Chopped (I used 1 orange and 1 yellow)
2 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Tumeric
1 Small Can Bamboo Shoots
1 Small (7oz) Can Diced Green Chilis
1 Cup Red Lentils, rinsed and picked through
1 (15oz) Can Coconut Milk
1 (15oz) Can Vegetable Stock
1/2 Cup Cilantro
1 Container Extra Firm Tofu, Pressed and cut into 1/2" Cubes
1 Tbsp Oil
1 tsp Garam Masala

Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and bell peppers and stir to coat in oil.  Add spices and stir until onion is translucent and spices are fragrant.  Add bamboo shoots and green chilis and stir to combine.  Add lentils, coconut milk, and vegetable broth and bring to a boil.  Once the mixture is boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add cubed tofu and sprinkle with garam masala.  Saute the tofu until golden brown on all sides, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the tofu to the lentil mixture and continue to simmer until lentils are soft and mixture is thick.  Stir in fresh cilantro and serve hot with fresh cilantro for garnish and freshly made naan for dipping.


Nutrition Facts (Approximate) Serves 8 Per Serving: 258 Calories, 11g Protein, 15g Fat, 18g Carbs, 4g Fiber, 17g Iron

Naan (Indian Flatbread)

I am so excited about this recipe!!  I love naan, and I have been trying to get it right, and today I finally did.  Each time I tried to make it, it ended up too firm or tasting too much like flour.  This naan is soft, slightly chewy, and a bit sweet from the agave, milk and yogurt.

Naan is a flatbread served with foods from the Middle East and South Asia.  It's commonly served in Indian Restaurants with Garlic and Parsley.



Naan

1 3/4 Cups White Rice Flour (Plus more for dusting)
1/2 Cup Tapioca Flour
1 tsp Xantham Gum
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Soy Protein
1 Egg Replacer (1 1/2 tsp replacer + 2 Tbsp Warm Water)
3/4 Cup Non-Dairy Milk (I used Hemp Milk)
1 (6oz) Container Plain Soy Yogurt
1 tsp Agave
1 Tbsp Oil

Sift together the dry ingredients (white rice flour through soy protein) in a large mixing bowl.  Add egg replacement, non dairy milk, soy yogurt, agave and oil and mix on slow speed until well combined.  If the dough is too wet, sprinkle more rice flour until the dough sticks to itself and is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl.  Usually it balls up on the stirring blade when it's ready.

Preheat a griddle or a large non stick skillet on medium heat and coat with a cooking spray.  Generously flour the surface you will be rolling the dough on, I use a bamboo cutting board.  Wet hands when handling the dough to prevent it from sticking to your hands.  Grab a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball and place it on the floured surface and cover with plastic wrap.

With your rolling pin, roll the dough out into an elongated oval that is pretty thin.  I rolled it to be only a couple millimeters thick.  Pull off the plastic wrap and carefully lift the dough onto the preheated griddle and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side.  If the dough sticks to the surface you are rolling on, you need to flour it more.  Keep a scrapper by your side in case you need to scrape the dough off of the cutting board.
You will know when it is time to flip the dough because it will begin to get bubbly on the surface.  In the picture below, the top bread had just been flipped and the bottom one is starting to get bubbly and will need a couple more minutes before it gets flipped.

Serve warm with a garlic butter, hummus, or with your favorite Indian Dish.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Herbed Focaccia Bread

I bought Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Dough at the store a while back, and I have been dying to try it.  But I didn't want to make pizza (of course) I wanted to make Focaccia Bread!  So I raided my refrigerator for goodies to add to my Focaccia Bread and gave it a shot.  Sooooooo good!!  I served it with quinoa noodles tossed in a pomegranate vinegar and tasty olive oil.


Herbed Focaccia Bread

1 package Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix (Bob's Red Mill, yeast included)
1 1/2 Cups Warm Water
2 Tbsp Ground Flax + 6 Tbsp water (Equivalent to 2 Eggs)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp Dried Rosemary
Olive Oil for Coating Round Pan
Optional Toppings:
Thinly Sliced Onions
Minced Garlic
Roasted Red Peppers
Kalamata Olives
Dried Thyme
Salt & Pepper

Prepare the pizza dough according to the package directions using the yeast, warm water, ground flax, and olive oil.  When mixing the dough, add the dried thyme and dried rosemary.  Leaving the dough in the mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 20-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F and oil a round baking pan.  I used a round spring form pan.  Add the dough to the round pan and with wet hands mold the dough into a round shape.

Sprinkle Thyme, Salt, and Pepper on top of the round dough and add any toppings of your choice.  I used roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, thinly sliced onions, and minced garlic.


Once all the toppings are on the dough, bake for 40-50 minutes, or until cooked all the way through.  Serve warm with oil and vinegar for dipping.  Enjoy!

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Potato Bread Rolls

There's something euphoric about a sweet delicious potato roll along side mashed potatoes, green beans, or corn.  Good old fashion home-style cooking.  I was having a craving for potato rolls today so I decided to bake some up and it went really well!!  These bad boys are great smothered in Earth Balance Buttery Spread and some honey.


Potato Bread Rolls

1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Gluten Free Baking Flour
1/4 Cup Potato Flour
1/4 Cup Potato Starch
1/3 Cup Soymilk Powder
1/3 Cup Potato Flakes (instant potatoes)
1 1/2 tsp Xantham Gum
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Soy Lecithin Granules
2 Tbsp Natural Can Sugar
3 Tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer + 4 Tbsp Water (Equivalent to 2 eggs)
2 Tbsp Melted Coconut Oil
1 tsp Vinegar
1/2 Cup Tonic Water
1/2 Cup Water

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Mix dry ingredients in an electric mixer and stir to combine.  In a medium bowl, mix all the wet ingredients together and whisk together.  Add the wet into the dry ingredients in the mixer.  Stir on the slowest speed to incorporate all the wet into the dry.  Stir for a minute, just until well combined being careful not to over mix.  Grease a muffin pan with the oil of choice (earth balance for me) and start dividing dough. 
 Easiest way is to split the dough in halves until you have enough to fill your muffin pans.  I was able to split the dough enough to fill one and a half pans, about 18 muffins.  Bake for 20-25 mins, or until bottoms of rolls are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Serve warm with Earth Balance Buttery Spread and honey or agave.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Cooking with Natural Sweetness



When I go out and order an iced tea I can sweeten it with Blue, Pink, White, or Yellow.  If I'm lucky, some places will carry brown.  I'm almost inclined to carry little packets of raw sugar in my purse like an old lady carries around her equal.  But there are so many other natural sweeteners that we can use! 

In baking, recipes usually call for white granulated sugar (refined sugar).  When sugar has been refined and washed, it turns white and loses it's natural molasses flavor.  Some sugar refineries may even bleach their sugar to get it the desirable white color.

Because of high sugar content in diets and diabetes on the rise, artificial sweeteners have been developed.  They contain very low calorie content (0 calories per gram) and are significantly sweeter than regular sugar.  These artificial sweeteners are synthetic or heavily refined.  Some of the sweeteners we carry in the US are actually banned in other countries, and other countries carry sweeteners that are banned here!  Artificial sweeteners have gotten a bad wrap since the 70's with rumors of causing cancer, and having side effects including headaches and diarrhea (especially to people who are sensitive or if eaten in excess).  I'm a big supporter of eating as natural as possible, so I poo-poo on artificial sweeteners.  Here, I list the many alternatives you can use instead:

Agave:  Isn't that what Tequila is made of??  Yep.  It is.  Agave nectar looks similar to honey, yet not as thick and it tastes sweeter.  You can purchase raw agave which hasn't been heated to high temperatures to protect the nutrients and enzymes which does make it safe for raw vegans.  I like to put agave in my coffee when I drink the stuff...  It comes in light, amber, and dark and can be derived from different agave plants.  Buy some, play around, and find which flavor works for you!

Blackstrap Molasses:  When refining sugar, this is what the processing removes.  Molasses!  It's full of nutrients and has a very distinct flavor.  It's best used in some breads and mostly cookies, cakes, and pies.

Brown Rice Syrup:  It's a whole foods natural sweetener made by fermenting brown rice with natural enzymes to break down the starch.  It's considered one of the healthiest of natural sweeteners and is also similar to honey in consistency and flavor.

Honey:    Some vegans don't eat honey but I do.  If you don't eat honey, use agave instead.   Raw honey is extracted without using heat so it is not deprived natural enzymes.  honey can be used in cooking to replace sugar, in a drink for a sweetener, or used as a spread.

Maple Syrup:  Pure maple syrup, not the fake cheap kind you can buy.  Can be used in cookies, cakes, breads, and pies.  Mostly, it's used drizzled over waffles or pancakes.  It's made from boiling the sap from maple trees and contains potassium, calcium, zinc, and manganese.

Natural Cane Sugar:  Aka Raw Sugar, Turbinado Sugar or Sugar in the Raw.  When processing sugar cane, this is the first pressing and is less processed than white sugar.  It contains less calories than white sugar and contains more flavor.  Its granules are larger than white sugar and is more of a brown color.  It has a higher moisture content so it's recommended that you store it in an airtight container like brown sugar.  But dont confuse it with brown sugar.  Brown sugar is white sugar that has molasses added back into it.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Yellow Split Pea Soup with Corn & Green Chilies

Yellow Split Peas give this soup a hearty texture and the little bits of cayenne pepper packs a nice punch.  For a less spicier soup, toss out the cayenne pepper.  Some fresh tomatoes would also make a great addition for a fresh garnish.  Top with your choice of toppings, I picked vegan sour cream & cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro and avocados.





Yellow Split Pea Soup with Corn & Green Chilies

2 Tbsp Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1 Yellow Onion, Chopped
2 Anaheim Chilies, Seeded and Diced
3 Carrots, Peeled and Diced
1/2 Cup Celery, Diced (2 or 3 Stalks)
2 Cups Corn (frozen is fine)
1 Cup Yellow Split Peas, Rinsed
Salt & Pepper to Taste
1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
4 Cups Vegetable Stock
1/2 Cup Soy Creamer
Chopped Fresh Cilantro
Slices of Avocado
Vegan Sour Cream
Vegan Cheddar Cheese


Heat margarine in a large soup pot over medium heat being careful not to burn it.  Add the onion, and saute until translucent.  Add the chilies, carrots, celery and corn.  Saute for about 5 minutes, or until veggies are soft.  Add the yellow split peas and stir to combine.  Salt and pepper to taste and add the cayenne pepper if using.  Stir in the vegetable stock and bring soup to a boil.  Once the soup is boiling, lower the heat to a simmer; cover and cook 30 minutes.  Add the soy creamer and blend the soup with an immersion blender (or blend half of the soup in a regular blender).  Do not blend until it's smooth, just a little blend to combine.  Serve hot and top with cilantro, avocado, sour cream, or cheddar cheese.  Enjoy!



Nutrition Facts (Approximate):  Serves 6, Per Serving: 241 Calories, 10g Protein, 8g Fat, 41g Carbs, 12g Fiber, 10g Iron

Green Olive Hummus

I bought some hummus at the store over the weekend and I always try to buy something different to try new things which led to a lemon flavored hummus.  I was so disappointed!!  I've never met a hummus I didn't like until the other day :(  So, I decided I was going to make my own hummus.  I have so many olives in my fridge of all different varieties, and the ones that get used the least were the stuffed queen Spanish olives.  They were going to be my victim.  Hummus is not only naturally vegan, but it is also naturally gluten free and one of the easiest, most versatile things to make!  You can use it as a dip for pita bread, veggies, a spread on sandwiches, or even a spread for bagels.



Green Olive Hummus


1 15oz Can Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 Cup Tahini
1/2 to 3/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (for consistency)
Juice of 1 Lemon
1/2 to 1 Cup Green Olives (to taste)


In a food processor, blend the garbanzo beans as much as you can.  You may need to scrape down the sides to get all of the chunks.  It's ok if you can't get it smooth, it will smooth over when you add more ingredients.  Add the tahini, and 1/2 cup of the olive oil.  It's best to drizzle the olive oil into the mixture as the food processor is running.  If the mixture is still chunky, keep adding bits of olive oil until it's a smooth texture that looks almost creamy.  Add lemon juice and 1/2 cup of the olives.  Blend together until well combined.  Do a taste test, if you'd like a more olivey dip, add the rest of the olives and blend to combine.  To serve the hummus, place the dip in a serving bowl, and drizzle with olive oil and chopped olives on top. 

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Greek Red Lentil Soup

In Greek, it's called Fakes Soupa (Fah-kess Soo-pah).  It's a lentil based tomato soup served with Red Wine Vinegar and Feta cheese.  Since we are eating vegan, I tossed out the feta and substituted it for vegan sour cream.  Feta or regular sour cream can be used if you do eat dairy.  This recipe is naturally vegan and naturally gluten free. Those recipes are the best because they are fresh, delicious, and easy.  You don't have to go on a witch-hunt to find the ingredients.  Dry red lentils can be found in the bulk area at any whole foods market.


Greek Red Lentil Soup


3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Large Red Onion, Chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
2 Small Carrots, Peeled and Diced (about 1/2 cup)
4 Vine Ripened Tomatoes, 1 Chopped & 3 Pureed
1 (8oz) Can of Tomato Sauce
1 Cup Dry Red Lentils, rinsed
1 Tbsp Rosemary Olive Oil (Optional)
3 1/4 - 4 Cups Vegetable Broth (Use 4 Cups if you like the soup thinner)
2 Bay Leaves
Pinch of dried Rosemary
1/2 tsp dried Thyme
Salt & Pepper to Taste
Vegan Sour Cream (Optional)
Chopped Kalamata Olives (Optional)
Red Wine Vinegar



Heat Oil over medium heat in a large pot.  Add onion, and saute until translucent.  Add garlic and stir until fragrant.  Add carrots and chopped tomato and saute for about 2 minutes.  Add pureed tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Stir to combine and add rosemary olive oil if using*.  Stir in lentils, vegetable broth, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.  Bring soup to a boil, cover, and lower heat so soup is simmering.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  Serve soup hot with sour cream, chopped olives, and red wine vinegar drizzled on top.


*I have a large collection of flavored olive oils.  I use them in cooking and for flavorful salad dressings.  I purchase my oils at Temecula Olive Oil Company, but you can purchase oils and any local grocery store.


Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Hazelnut Sugar Cookies

Fall is almost here!!  My absolute favorite time of year to cook.  That's when all the yummy foods come out to play.  I found a recipe in one of my Vegetarian Times Magazine's called "Maple Pecan Sables" which looked pretty yummy.  Plus the recipe was gluten free and vegan!  It inspired me to make some seasonal cookies, so all I did was change up the ingredients to what I wanted to use and viola!  Cute little cookies that reminded me of biscotti.  All I needed was a cup of tea and a fire going and I would be set for the night!



Hazelnut Sugar Cookies


1/3 Cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread
2 Tbsp Vegetable Shortening (non-hydrogenated)
3 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
1/4 Cup Packed Golden Brown Sugar
1 1/3 Cup Gluten Free Flour Mix (I used Bob's Red Mill)
3/4 Cup Hazelnuts, Chopped
Granulated Sugar for Sprinkling


Combine margarine, shortening, maple syrup, and brown sugar in an electric mixer.  Once combined, add the gluten free four mix in spoonfuls until all is combined.  Add the hazelnuts and mix with your hands so the nuts are well incorporated into the dough.  Roll the dough into a long log about 12 inches long and roll up in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for an hour or longer (if desired). 


Preheat oven to 350.
Remove the dough log from the plastic wrap and slice into little rounds about 1/4 inch thick.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and scatter cookies on baking sheet.  The cookies wont rise so it's alright if they are almost touching.  Sprinkle granulated sugar on the tops of each cookie.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.  Let cool and dig in!!

Summer Succotash

I think it's natural for me to say "Sufferin' Succotash!" Each time I hear the word.... Succotash!  I had some corn that I wanted to eat so I did a google search for corn recipes.  And I found Succotash.  What is succotash?  It's a corn and bean side dish.  Not very exciting.  But it sounded like a good experiment!!  I wanted to make it more fancy, so I turned it into my own delicious concoction.  I ate it by itself in a bowl, but I served the leftovers with gluten free popovers that I purchased from a bakery in Temecula called "All of the Above".



Summer Succotash


3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Red Onion, diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
3 Medium Zucchini, diced
2 Large Tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 Cups Corn (not canned)
1 Can (15oz) Red Kidney Beans (optional)*
1/4 Cup Dry Sherry
1/4 Cup Soy Creamer
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
Salt & Pepper to taste


Heat oil in a large skillet on med-high heat.  Add red onion.  Cook until translucent and add garlic.  Saute for a couple minutes and add zucchini, tomatoes, corn, and beans.  Stir until everything is combined and add sherry, cream, thyme, salt and pepper.  Lower heat to medium low and simmer uncovered until liquid has reduced; stirring occasionally, about 10-15 mins.  Remove from heat and serve warm. 


* When I made this, I intended to put the kidney beans in it and I forgot so all my pictures are beanless!  It is delicious either way :o)

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Japanese Cucumber Salad

I love love LOVE Japanese food.  Actually, I love any kind of Asian food.  One of my favorites is cucumber salad.  So I made a big bowl of it the other day to eat whenever my heart desired <3  If you like the 'Shanghai Cucumbers' at PF Changs, then you will love this salad.



Japanese Cucumber Salad


1/4 tsp salt
1 large cucumber, thinly sliced
1 large daikon radish, Julienned
1 small carrot, grated
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp mirin
1 tsp sesame oil


In a colander, salt the cucumber, daikon and carrot and let set.  Meanwhile, in a medium bowl dissolve sugar in rice vinegar.  Once dissolved, add the mirin and sesame oil.  Add the cucumber, daikon radish and carrots and toss to coat.  Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 30 mins before serving. Serve chilled.



Nutrition Facts (Approximate) Serves 4, Per Serving:  125 Calories, 1g Protein, 1g Fat, 22g Carbs, 1g Fiber, 1g Iron

Monday, August 23, 2010

Mediterranean Veggie Cakes

When eating gluten free, you really start to miss fried food.  There are certain foods I'd like to cook but I have to find substitutes to make it work.  I had a brilliant idea to pulse rice crackers or rice cereal in a food processor to create bread crumbs and it happened to work really well!  This recipe was inspired by a recipe from VEGANOMICON called 'Greek Fritters'.  My non-vegan, non-gluten free partner gave these babies 5 stars.  Yummy!!



Mediterranean Veggie Cakes


8 to 10 oz Extra Firm Tofu
1/4 cup pecans
1 clove garlic
Juice from 1 lemon
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 handful of fresh Basil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups ground rice crackers (or ground rice cereal)
1 large zucchini, grated (squeeze out excess water)
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced (remove excess water)
1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/3 cup kalamata olives, chopped
Peanut Oil for frying


In a food processor, blend the tofu, pecans, garlic, lemon juice, tomato paste, basil, salt and pepper until well combined.  In a large bowl, mix the tofu mixture with about 1/2 cup of the rice cracker crumbs.  If the mixture seems moist then add more crumbs.  Add the zucchini, tomatoes, artichokes, and olives.


Heat a large skillet on medium heat and pour in the oil so there is a thin layer covering the bottom of the pan.  While the oil is heating, form the veggie mixture into balls the size of ping pong balls an roll into the rice crumbs then flatten into little cakes.   Fry each cake in the oil about 5 minutes per side and cool on a wire rack with paper towels to drain.  Cool a few minutes before serving.  Serve warm!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Cinnamon Mini Muffins

I have quite a collection of gluten free flours and whole grains that I've been wanting to utilize.  One thing I purchased was the 'Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Biscuit and Baking Mix'.  I was going to give the biscuits a shot, then I decided I wanted to make mini muffins.  The man of the house was hungry for breakfast so I put these together and he ate all of them!!  I had to make a second batch to take pictures for the website.



I also took a picture of the Ener-G Egg Replacer.  You would use this mixed with water to replace eggs in baking.



Cinnamon Mini Muffins


3 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 4 Tbsp warm water (equivalent to 2 eggs)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup melted Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup gluten free flour mix
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350.

Mix egg replacer with water until dissolved and add to a medium bowl or an electric mixer.  Mix on low and add salt, vegan margarine, apple sauce, and sugars.  Mix until well combined then slowly add the gluten free baking mix.  Once the flour is mixed in, add the cinnamon and vanilla.  Grease a mini muffin pan and drop about a tablespoon of the batter in each cup.  Sprinkle with sugar and bake for about 15 mins or until golden.  Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.  Muffins will be a bit spongy but that's normal.  Serve warm with Earth Balance, agave, or any other yummy topping you'd like!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Why Can't I Find What I'm Looking For??

I have tons and tons of cookbooks.  When I go to the bookstore there's a butt impression on the floor where I sit flipping through cookbooks.  I have diet cookbooks, gourmet cookbooks, vegetarian cookbooks, vegan cookbooks, subscriptions to cooking magazines, etc etc...  People give me old cookbooks they find in the attic because they know I'll use it somehow.  The one problem I find in most cookbooks is that I have to change something.  This one uses milk, that one uses eggs, this one uses whole wheat pastry flour, yadda yadda yadda!  So I ordered some new cookbooks online and each one was titled "Gluten-Free Dairy Free Cooking".  When I got them in the mail I ripped the box open and flipped through the recipes to find that the recipes all had eggs or egg whites in them!  As confused as I was, I looked up eggs online and opposed to what I thought all my life eggs are not dairy.  They are an animal byproduct.  But I don't eat eggs!!  I can substitute eggs in some recipes, but not 4 eggs in a quiche!  Or at least, not for now.  If there is a will there is a way.  So I decided I need to share my need to cook yummy food that caters to my diet and I am sure I'm not the only one...