Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Raisins, & Feta: Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger

August 26, 2010 { 10 Comments }

This is one of my favorite gluten-free events of the month! I always learn so much from cooking my fellow blogger’s recipes and this dish was no exception.

Shirley, from Gluten-Free Easily, is hosting this month’s Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger event and will have the round-up posted at her place in early September. (If you want to participate, and you should, then hop on over to Shirley’s place. There’s still time to sign up.)

The event was created by Sea, author of Book of Yum, and has been an ongoing bright spot in our blogging community.

My Adoptee

I adopted Alta from Tasty Eats at Home. Who doesn’t love Alta? And, golly, she can cook! I’m always amazed at the food that flys out of her kitchen and it doesn’t hurt that her pictures are beautiful, too.

Best of all, we’re great friends. We started the Dallas Food Blogger’s e-mail group, recently co-hosted a Gluten-Free Blogger’s Brunch and are planning on attending the Gluten-Free Makeover with some other friends in Septmeber. On any given day, either one of us might fire off an e-mail asking for advice or just to say hi.

Did I mention she can cook?

Which is why I wanted to intentionally give one of her recipes a try with none of my own modifications and share it here with you.

Choosing the Recipe

There’s not a lack of good recipes on Alta’s blog so it took some time to choose exactly what I wanted to make – but once I saw her Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Raisins, and Walnuts I was hooked. First, I love quinoa. It’s easy to make, totally delicious, and packs a serious nutritional punch. And, if I got to add spinach, raisins, and currants I knew I’d be in heaven.

But the ingredient that really made the dish was the lemon. It added just enough acid to brighten everything up and pull the flavors together. Crunchy walnuts and salty feta brought a satisfying textural contrast.

I kept taking ‘just one more bite.’ This is a dish I’ll be making next time we have friends over for dinner. It’s perfect by itself but would also be a smart addition to grilled chicken or poached tilapia.

Get the complete recipe for Alta’s gluten-free, sugar-free Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Raisins, & Feta.

Visit Alta…

If I haven’t convinced you yet to stop by Alta’s blog and take a gander, then I’m going to blatantly suggest you do so now. For starters, you’ll find Peach Macadamia Scones, Parmesan Mac & Cheese, Slow Cooker Pot Roast, and Pumpkin Molasses Bread.

SS&GF Featured…

I got the sweetest e-mail from Candice, author of Infectiously Optimistic. She blogs about the trials of living with Lyme disease. She’s kindly featured me along with several other of my favorite gluten-free bloggers because the way we eat can help Lyme disease patients. I was fully inspired by her courage and optimism and learned so much from reading through her blog. Stop by and see what she has to say.

Hugs,

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Lemon Ice Cream

August 25, 2010 { 18 Comments }

Me & Helen

There’s nothing quite as wonderful as sharing a meal with people you love.

Joe and I were fortunate enough to do exactly that on Sunday. We drove out to the country to visit long time friends, Helen and Leonard. It’s a trip we don’t make often enough.

Helen’s Garden Herb Bouquets

We arrived to find an inviting dinner table set with the bright colors of summer, each plate garnished with a bouquet of fresh herbs tied in earthy raffia.

Helen and I share a love of many things, one of them being food & cooking. I was her Sous Chef in the preparation of a nourishing & delicious meal while our husbands relaxed on the couch, talking about manly things like cars and sports.

Learning from Miz Helen

Like me, Helen was also born with the gift of being an incredible teacher. She talked to me throughout the entire process, giving me her best hints and tips. I soaked them all up.

I often call Helen and ask her how to do something. Whether it’s a marinade or a gardening project she always has an solution for me. Many times she’ll say that I was the fourth or fifth person to call and ask the same question. So, I began urging her to start a blog. It took a couple of months but she’s now at Miz Helen’s Country Cottage sharing her wisdom. If you want to know about herbs, gardening, or just good cooking stop by, do a little reading, and make sure to say hello.

Enjoying Helen’s Homemade Pickles

With two food bloggers cooking the meal, there were pictures being snapped all evening long. It’s just another thing that we both love.

Helen’s menu -

Fresh Greens Topped with Dilled Pickle Pot Yogurt Dressing (recipe soon to come…)
Homemade Pickles
Fresh Baked Bread (for Joe & Leonard)
Rosemary & Thyme Roasted Pork Loin with Mango Salsa
Herb Roasted Summer Squash & Sweet Potatoes
Peach Ice Cream – sugar-free!
Lemon Ice Cream – sugar-free!
Raspberry Peach Crisp (made by me – recipe will be in my upcoming book)

Did you notice that Helen made not one – but two – sugar-free ice creams? This is the first time since going gluten-free and sugar-free that anyone, aside from my husband, has joyfully and purposefully made me dessert. I held back tears of joy while we all enjoyed our Raspberry Peach Crisp topped with ice cream.

Lemon Ice Cream nestled with Raspberry Peach Crisp

There is a deep place inside me that was healed that day. Those of you that are gluten-free understand all too well what it feels like to excluded from joining in. But to be able to be a part of, to share the same food as everyone else, is a moving experience.

Helen has a way of loving people like that.

Baked just to spoil our husbands…

The only thing on the menu I couldn’t eat was the bread – and Helen wasn’t going to bake any. I insisted that she make it for our husbands and they both agreed that Helen’s homemade bread was something they’d rather not go without. Can you blame them?

Helen took my vanilla bean ice cream recipe and made it her own – it’s egg-free and doesn’t even have to be cooked. Just make sure to let the gelatin bloom fully before adding it to the other ingredients.

Texturally, it’s much like a fruit sorbet. I love the lightness of the flavor and texture. It was heavenly with my Raspberry-Peach Crisp and made a perfect ending to a more than perfect meal.

Print friendly recipe
Lemon Ice Cream
Helen Adams of Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
Amy Green of Simply Sugar and Gluten Free

Mix
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin with
½ cup whole milk and set aside until the gelatin blooms

Mix
1 cup whole milk
2 cups half & half
Pinch of salt
½ cup light Agave Nectar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
Zest of 1 lemon

Add
The ½ cup whole milk and gelatin mixture
Mix well.

Freeze according to your Ice Cream Freezer directions.

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Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; 8/24/10

August 23, 2010 { 29 Comments }

Another week of fabulous food made healthier…believe it or not next week will be Slightly Indulgent Tuesday’s One Year Anniversary! In order to celebrate one year of sharing healthier food, I’m asking everyone to invite one bloggy friend to join in.

We had almost 50 links last…and what a delicious bunch of links they were.

Last Week’s Healthier Highlights

Blueberry French Toast Casserole, Pumpkin Custard Pancakes, and Scrambled Eggs with Sweet Bell Peppers & Mushrooms were served for breakfast.

For lunch and dinner we had Mexican Pizza, Quinoa Fruit Salad, and Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce.

Dessert…your choice of Blueberry Zucchini Muffins, Rosy Cherry Cake, or healthier Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Yum.

My Submission

Last week I made Joe Turkey, Mushroom, & Cheese Enchiladas…I hadn’t had them since I went gluten-free almost 7 years ago. The sauce was made from scratch – simpler to make than you’d think, too. Just toss the ingredients in a pan, simmer, puree, and you’re done.

Remember….help me celebrate Slightly Indulgent Tuesday’s one year anniversary next week and invite a friend to link their healthier recipe.

Linking Up Guidelines!

When you link, please tell us who you are and what you’re cooking. For example, I might enter:
Amy @ Simply Sugar & Gluten Free – (Turkey, Mushroom, & Cheese Enchiladas)
Please link to your individual post, not your homepage and link back to this post so that your readers can find the recipes here.

I hate deleting links but some get deleted every week.

If you find that your link has been deleted it’s because it doesn’t link to your post or you haven’t linked back here. E-mail me with questions or if you need help.

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Turkey, Mushroom, & Cheese Enchiladas

August 20, 2010 { 28 Comments }

Enchiladas and homemade sauce are so much easier to make than you think.

I hate to admit it but 6 months ago I didn’t even know how to toast a corn tortilla. They weren’t something we ate growing up and I never cooked with them. After ruining more than I care to admit, I swallowed my pride and e-mailed Alta from Tasty Eats at Home. She told me to heat a dry cast iron skillet over high heat and toast it. Simple as pie.

Since then, I’ve fallen in head over heels for corn tortillas. My favorite grocery store carries a locally made brand called El Milagro. They’re super fresh, taste great, and dirt cheap at $1.49 for 30 tortillas.

I’ve been making toastadas, mushroom tacos, corn quesadillas, and now enchiladas.

Joe is always thrilled when I’m making something with corn tortillas. When he walked in the door the other night, instead of saying his usual, “Hey Baby, I’m home!” he said, “Honey, it smells delicious!”

The Whole Enchilada

There are many ways to make enchilada sauce. The quick and dirty way requires thickening a sauce with flour. Not my cup of tea. It’s just as easy to simmer your tomatoes, onions, peppers, and spices on the stove top and it’s healthier, too. It just takes a little longer.

Versatility is something I love about this dish. Use any ground meat you choose or add leftover shredded chicken. Cheese can be switched out or use a couple of your favorites. Like a lot of heat? Add more chilies or some with more spice.

I took the chilis out before pureeing the sauce because it was mighty spicy enough for me. If you want more heat, blend them up along with everything else.

This recipe makes 12 enchiladas which is enough for two dinner for us. One batch was frozen, with the sauce on the side to keep the tortillas from getting soggy. When I want to bake off that batch, I’ll thaw the sauce in the refrigerator, dump it over frozen enchiladas, and bake it covered for about 30 minutes. After uncovering them, I’ll add the cheese and bake until hot and bubbly.

My recipe is a marriage Martha Stewart’s Enchilada Sauce & Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas with my own healthier, simplified twists.

Other SS&GF Meals

What are you making for dinner this week?

Find other healthy recipes at Two for Tuesday and Pennywise Platter.

Print friendly recipe
Turkey, Mushroom, & Cheese Enchiladas
makes 12 enchiladas

For the sauce:

2 dried guajillo chilies, stemmed & seeded
boiling water to cover
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic, grated on a microplane
2 cups homemade or store bought chicken stock
1 cup water
2 cups canned diced tomatoes, undraied
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 generous teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
pinch of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the enchilada filling:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane
1 cup cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced
1 pound ground turkey
kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste
12 (6 inch) corn tortillas
8 ounces Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

Make the sauce:

Bring several cups of water to a boil. Place chilis in a heat-proof bowl. Cover with boiling water, set a plate on top of the bowl and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large, steep sided skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in chicken stock, water, tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and chilis. Discard chili soaking water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, or until sauce has slightly thickened. Taste and add salt if necessary. If sauce is spicy enough, remove chilis.

Place sauce in your VitaMix or blender. Remove the plug in the top of the blender and cover with a kitchen towel. This allows steam to escape and will save your blender from blowing it’s top. Start on low and increase to medium high, pureeing until smooth. Return to sauce pan and keep warm.

To make enchiladas:

Preheat oven to 350F. Use one 9×13 baking dish or two smaller 8×8 baking dishes. Wrap 12 corn tortillas in aluminum foil and heat in oven for 10 minutes. Increase heat to 450F when you remove tortillas.

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, 5 – 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook until soft. Move onion mixture to the side of the skillet and brown ground turkey, stirring onion mixture in as turkey cooks. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Set up an assembly line of sorts with your warm tortillas, shredded cheese, turkey & mushroom mixture, and dishes. Cover the bottom the baking dish with sauce. Put a tablespoon or so of cheese down the middle of the tortilla then fill with a generous 1/4 cup of turkey. Fold the sides in and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Cover with enchilada sauce, top with remaining cheese, and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is lightly browned. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

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Banana Carob Snack Cake

August 19, 2010 { 22 Comments }

Move over Little Debbie…I’ve got a tasty, healthier treat your kids will love.

Even though Joe and I don’t have kids of our own (…yet) I’ve been thinking about school starting and healthier snacks for kids. I taught elementary school for many years and school lunches were always a sore spot for me. I watched kids eat pizza, tater tots, and cookies for lunch. And when they couldn’t concentrate in math class I knew exactly why.

As a chunky little kid, my lunch was packed by my mom nearly every day. Even then, school lunches were not real healthy. Anyone else remember the big chunk of cheese they served as a side dish? And that chunk of cheese went along with a cheeseburger and fries!

So why the snack cake and not a bowl of fruit?

Let’s face it – kids love dessert. So do adults…look at how we drool over desserts on blogs.

Deprivation doesn’t work. Anyone who’s dieted and cut out every sweet that makes you smile only to find themselves with a big bowl of ice cream three weeks later knows that. (I couldn’t possibly be talking about myself, could I?)

But what about a healthier snack filled with the nutrients of bananas, slightly sweet, eats like a snack bar, and can be whipped up in 10 minutes? That’s what this moist Banana Carob Snack Cake is all about.

It reminds me of a cake my mom used to make for us when we were kids – she’d pack it for our camping trips. I love the big chunks left from fork-mashing the banana and the way it pairs with the carob.

Don’t Miss This…

Alisa from One Frugal Foodie is putting together a FREE e-book filled with healthier Back-To-School snacks. She’s looking for recipes that pack a nutritional punch. Read more about her Back to School Mission on her blog.

Or This…

Carrie from Ginger Lemon Girl is featuring me on her blog today as a “Gluten-Free Must Read.” When she told me I was the first blogger in her new series I was overcome with tears of gratitude. It’s the best feeling in the world to know that a fellow blogger admires my work enough to share it with her readers. Thanks so much, Carrie!!

Now hop on over to her blog and see what she has to say!

What’s your families favorite healthier snack?

This post is linked to Pennywise Platter.

Print friendly recipe
Banana Carob Snack Cake
makes (20) 2 inch snack cakes

1 1/2 cups fork mashed, ripe banana (about 3 medium bananas)
1/3 cup palm sugar
1/4 cup canola or grapeseed oil
1/4 cup 1% milk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups sorghum-garfava flour blend
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup unsweetened carob chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together mashed banana, palm sugar, oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour blend, baking soda, cinnamon, xanthan gum, and salt. Dump dry ingredients onto wet ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in carob chips.

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes until snack cake is firm and a toothpick tests clean. Let cool completely in baking pan on a wire rack before slicing. Freeze individual pieces for an easy snack for lunches, enjoy with a cup of afternoon tea, or serve as a breakfast cake.