Sunday, December 4, 2011

Cranberry-Pecan mini muffins

2 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour Mix
1 1/2 tsn xanthan gum
1 tbsn baking powder
1/2 tsn sea salt
2 tbsn finely shredded orange zest (2-3 seville oranges)

1/2 cup honey
1 egg
1/4 cup olive oil
about 1/2 cup each: (totaling 1 cup)
fresh squeezed orange juice (I use seville oranges) and unsweetened almond milk (vanilla or original)

3/4 cup toasted pecans (chopped)
1 cup whole unsweetened cranberries + 1/4 cup finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Prep mini muffin pan by coating each muffin cup with olive oil.
In a mixing bowl combine the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt and orange zest.
Add honey, egg and olive oil. Mix well.
Add the orange juice and almond milk. Mix well. Scraping sides of bowl.
Add pecans and cranberries. Mix well.
Fill mini muffin pan.
Bake 14 minutes.
Rising will be minimal.
Mini muffin tops will have a tinge of golden brown.

Enjoy!

Banana Ketchup

3 very ripe bananas (peeled)
1 medium onion peeled and quartered
1 cup black raisins
1/2 chili pepper, sliced
1 cup balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tsn salt
1/4 tsn nutmeg
1/2 tsn black pepper
4 tsn ground cloves
4 oz tomato paste

Blend bananas, onion, raisins, chili and vinegar in a food processor (or use a hand mixer)
Transfer to a sauce pan and add remaining ingredients.
Stir together.
Bring to a boil, stir well, simmer over low heat with no cover.
Stir frequently to prevent sticking; if necessary add a little water.
Remove from heat and let the ketchup cool slightly. Stir well with a whisk.
Transfer to sterilized jars or bottles.
Sealed and stored in an air tight container ketchup should keep for at least 3 months. Once opened, store in a fridge.
Should last about 2 weeks in the fridge.

Apple-Sage Beef Sausage Meatballs

2 pounds lean beef (ground)
2 large tart apples (skin on, finely diced)
1/2 onion finely diced (about 1/2 cup diced)
4 cloves garlic minced
2 eggs
1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs
2 tbsn honey
about 15 fresh sage leaves finely chopped
3/4 tsn sea salt
3/4 tsn pepper


Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F

Coat bottom of a square metal pan w/ olive oil

Combine all ingredients; mix together well by hand.

Form into 1 inch meatballs and create a single layer in pan.
Cook 16 at a time for 14 minutes.
(Makes 40-45 meatballs)

Chorizo Meatballs (really easy)

2 pounds New York Style pork Chorizo (ground)
1 medium sweet onion
2 eggs
2 servings corn tortilla (hard or soft) diced or crushed into small bits
1/2 tbsn dried parsley
sea salt & pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F

Coat bottom of a square metal pan w/ olive oil

Combine all ingredients; mix together well by hand.

Form into 1 inch meatballs and create a single layer in pan.
Cook 16 at a time for 14 minutes.
(Makes 40-45 meatballs)

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Italian sausage and cannellini bean soup

2 lbs ground italian sausage
3 cans cannellini beans (drained or 2 cups dry, rinsed, sorted and soaked overnight, drained rinsed again)
1/2 tsn dried sage
3 minced cloves garlic
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion (chopped)
1 large green bell pepper (seeds removed, chopped)
large pinch red pepper flakes
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (drained or about 1 lb tomatoes seeds removed and diced)
1/2 tsn dried parsley
1/4 tsn dried oregano
1/4-1 tsn sea salt to taste
1/2 tsn ground black pepper or to taste
2 c. chicken stock

Combine all ingredients and cook in a slow cooker or crock pot until sausage is cooked and no longer pink (if dry beans were used also make sure beans are tender. Enjoy.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

a simple pumpkin-turkey chili...

1 tsn olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 diced onion
1/2 c diced red bell pepper
2 15-ounce cans red kidney beans
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin
1 tbsn maple syrup
1 1/2 tsn pumkin pie spice
1 1/2 tsn chili powder
1/4 tsn nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on high about 90 minutes. Reduce heat to low for about 30 more minutes. Stir 2-3 times while cooking and again before serving.

Gooey Pumpkin Brownies

1/2 c. vegan shortening
3 tbsn extra virgin olive oil

10 tbsn unsweetened dairy-free cacao or cocoa
3/4 tsn ground cinnamon
1/2 tsn ground nutmeg
1/4 tsn ground ginger
1/4 tsn ground cloves
1/2 tsn pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsn sea salt

1 tbsn vanilla extract
3/4 c. light agave nectar
2 large eggs
1/2 c. unsweetened almond milk
1 15 ounce can organic unsweetened pumpkin

1/2 c. all purpose flour
(for gluten-free: 1/2 c. Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour and 1 tbsn Xanthan Gum instead of all-purpose flour)
2 tbsn arrowroot flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt shortening, add olive oil. Mix in cacao/cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, sea salt. Add agave nectar; mix well. Add eggs one at a time; mix well. Add almond milk; mix well. Add pumpkin; mix well. Add flours; mix well.

Grease mini-muffin pan. Fill cups about 90% full. Bake 10-12 minutes. Bake 1 pan at a time in center of oven. Wiggle pan to check firmness. Will still be gooey. Invert pan to remove. Cool in fridge at least 30 minutes. Re-grease pan. Repeat.  Makes about 40 mini-muffin pumpkin brownies.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Gluten-Free Chicken noodle soup

4 chicken thighs (grilled, but still a little pink)
3 heaping double handfuls chopped celery
1 heaping double handful chopped red or orange bell pepper
1 red onion (pealed, spit in quarters, then sliced)
1 bag Stahlbush Island Farms Butternut Squash (10 ounces roasted squash)
4 cloves minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1 handful chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tbsn dried)
1 handful chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (or 1 tbsn dried)
sea salt & pepper
2 qt. Pacific-Organic Simply Stock- Chicken
2 cups quinoa tri-colored Radiatori pasta (uncooked)

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker on high for 2 hours. Remove bay leaf.

To serve: place chicken thighs 1 per serving bowl. Ladle soup evenly into the four bowls.

My ambrosia salad

2 navel oranges (peeled, segmented)
1 ripe banana
4 pitted diced medjool dates
2 tbsn diced walnuts
1/3 c. shredded unsweeted coconut
1 tbsn honey
1 tbsn Amande plain yogurt

Mix well in bowl, cover and chill for about an hour. serve.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Aloha stuffed teriyaki-lime burger w/ variations

3/4 c. gluten-free coconut aminos
1/2 c. pineapple juice concentrate
3 cloves minced garlic
1 inch piece peeled minced ginger
1/4 c. sesame oil
1 tbsn cornstarch


8 rings Dole brand pineapple

1 1/2 pound ground beef
1 large egg
1/4 c. gluten from steel-cut oats
1/4 c. finely diced sweet onion
handful diced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsn lime juice
1/4 c. teriyaki sauce (see recipe)

For teriyaki sauce:

Combine coconut aminos, pineapple juice concentrate, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and cornstarch in a small sauce pan. Cook on med. heat 3-5 minutes. Stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

Place pineapple rings in a 2 cup measuring cup. Pour hot teriyaki sauce over pineapple. Cover and chill for about an hour in fridge.

In a large mixing bowl combine with hands ground beef, egg, oats, onion, parsley, lime juice and the 1/4 c. teriyaki sauce (measure out; leaving pineapple rings in remaining sauce.) Once evenly mixed prepare a large plate with wax paper. Shape meat mixture in rounded shape and divide into 4 equal sections.

Wash hands.

Take marinating pineapple out of fridge. Remove 4 rings from teriyaki sauce to prevent contamination. Return remaining rings to fridge.

Take 1/4 of the meat mix, form in ball, divide in half. Form one large patty and lay it on the plate lined with wax paper. Take one of the marinated pineapple rings that were removed from marinate and place in the center of the patty. Take other half of ball form in a second large patty and place in evenly on top on the first patty and pineapple ring. With your fingers go around the edges of the burger to seal the patties and make them one patty. Repeat with other 3/4 meat. This will make 4 large patties.

Grill on a George Foreman, cast iron, or bbq until preferred doneness (for me that is 5-6 minutes each on a George Foreman grill).

Serve on a plate with a second marinated pineapple ring on top and drilled with up to 1/4 of remaining teriyaki sauce.

Variations:

1. Replace ground beef with ground GAME MEAT.

2. After making teriyaki sauce and marinating pineapple. On medium-low heat cook 2 strips nitrate-free BACON or nitrate-free turkey bacon and one SWEET ONION, peeled and sliced in whole rings until bacon is done, but not over cooked. Set aside. When making patties layer filling:  cut each bacon in 2 pieces and lay both halves of one slice bacon on bottom patty, then 2-3 rings onion, then marinated pineapple ring, top with top patty and seal as before.

3. Stuff with 2 marinated pineapple rings instead of one, then wrap finished burger with LETTUCE leaf and use 1/4 of remaining teriyaki to dip wrapped burger.




Saturday, September 24, 2011

The best tuna salad ever!

2 cans Bumble Bee Prime Fillet Solid White Albacore tuna (water drained)
1 granny smith apple (diced)
1/2 c. diced celery
handful flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
1 tsn lemon juice
4 tbsn Amande plain yogurt
sea salt & black ground pepper to taste.

Mix apple, celery and parsley. Add lemon juice. Stir. Add tuna. Stir. Add Yogurt. Mix well. Add sea salt & pepper. Stir. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. Enjoy within 3 days.

Variation:

Grilled Salmon Salad

Grill 8-10 ounces salmon, loosely cover and chill for about an hour. Chop up. Substitute for the tuna.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Gluten-Free Meatloaf

Ingredients:

2/3 cup gluten-free steel cut oats
2 pounds lean ground turkey
1 cup beef broth
2 large egg
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
¼ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon coconut aminos
1 Tablespoon anchovy paste
1/2 packet Truvia

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix all the ingredients together, spread the meatloaf mixture into an ungreased loaf pan.
3. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F. and the meatloaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven under the meatloaf will keep the top from cracking.) 
    Serve hot or cold in a sandwich.