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charlottealvina

~ everyday delicious

Tag Archives: gluten-free

Mole Roasted Cauliflower & Sweet Potatoes

04 Friday May 2012

Posted by charlottealvina in Recipes

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

cacao, food, gf, gluten-free, homemade, meatlessmonady, mexican, mole, recipes, vegan, vegetarian

Mole Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes

Continuing the countdown to Cinco de Mayo, I had Gazpacho on my mind for today. It’s one of my favorite dishes, very refreshing and satisfying, but you really want something paired with it to make a full dinner.

There was a half head of cauliflower in my fridge that needed using, so I went on a recipe hunt and was happy to find this mole cauliflower recipe shared in 2010 by The Kitchen Operas (which was adapted from one shared by Gluten-Free Girl in 2005…so my evolution is at least the third generation). True mole is very labor intensive to make, so I’m excited to have a quick version of that wonderful flavor profile to whip up any night of the week.

Mole Roasted Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Ingredients

Ingredients

  • Half head of cauliflower, cut into medium florets
  • 1 medium sweet potato, cut into medium chunks
  • 1 tbsp cacao powder
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • .5 tsp sea salt or garlic salt (I used Libertine’s Dynamic Duo)
  • .25 cups grape seed oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°
  2. Combine all the dry ingredients and mix into the oil
  3. Pour over cauliflower and sweet potato in a large bowl and stir until the vegetables are coated
  4. Spread evenly in a large roasting pan or cooking sheet lined with tin foil
  5. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, flipping at least once, until they are cooked to your liking

Note on the spiciness: I would call the heat level on this “medium-hot” so adjust the red pepper flakes to your preference – although the gazpacho was the perfect balance for this little kick this had.

If you pick up this recipe and move it forward again, please let me know!

Fiesta Salad

02 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by charlottealvina in Recipes

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

gf, gluten-free, meatlessmonday, recipes, salad, vegan, vegetarian

Fiesta Salad

Continuing our countdown to Cinco de Mayo, here’s an easy and delicious vegetable  bean salad. It’s finished with yesterday’s Cumin Lime Dressing, which contributes a bright flavor to underscore the freshness of this dish.

I brought a bowl of this to an alumnae potluck last weekend, and waited until the last minute to toss in the cilantro so the green would stay vibrant. A beautiful addition to any table, this can be served as-is for a side dish, over spinach as an entrée salad, or as part of a taco salad with Vegan Taco Meat.

Fiesta Salad Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1 batch of Cumin Lime Dressing (limes, vinegar, oil, cumin, s&p)
  • 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed well
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
  • 2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in quarters or smaller
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 3-4 green onions, minced to half way into green
  • 2 large ears of corn
  • .5 cups chopped cilantro

Instructions

  1. Make the dressing and let sit for flavors to marry.
  2. Lightly cook the corn to develop sweetness. I microwaved but might be better to boil and blanch. Don’t cook to the extent that you would eat corn on the cob – maybe half that much. When it cools, cut the kernels off with a sharp knife.
  3. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix in the dressing, starting with half and adding to your taste.

Substitutions

  • Kidney beans for either garbanzo or black beans
  • A quarter finely diced sweet or red onion for green onions
  • Cherry tomatoes for grape tomatoes (or diced Romas)
  • Store-bought cumin lime or lime cilantro dressing

Smoky Cauliflower Steak

27 Friday Apr 2012

Posted by charlottealvina in Recipes

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

gf, gluten-free, meatlessmonday, recipes, vegan, vegetarian

Cauliflower Steak

Last night I used the other half – the middle half – of the cauliflower head that went into cauliflower curry earlier in the week. I had saved these two vertical slices from the middle to try vegan cauliflower steaks, something I first saw on Working Class Foodies (new fav, you must watch them all). I pan fried them this time, but am looking forward to putting them on the grill when we fire it up for the season.

Cauliflower steaks look very dramatic and have a satisfying, filling texture. On their own they do not have a strong flavor, giving you the opportunity to season them however you like. Since I’m so excited about grilling season, I went with a smoky profile for this incredibly easy dish.

I had some alder wood smoked sea salt that I found in the bulk section of Town & Country market on Bainbridge Island. If your local grocery isn’t quite so comprehensive (they have an entire floor of bulk foods), you can order it from Libertine Tacoma and get the most delightful packaging at the same time. And trust me: this is not the only recipe you’ll use it in…

Ingredients

  • 2 vertical slices from the middle of a cauliflower head, .75 inches wide
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • .5 tsp smoked paprika
  • .5 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • .5 tsp alder wood smoked sea salt

Instructions

  1. Mix the spices and oil into a marinade and spread over both sides of your cauliflower steaks. Let sit for at least 10 minutes.
  2. Preheat your oven to 300°.
  3. Pan fry over medium heat, about 5 minutes per side, until you get some lovely brown caramelization (but not burning).
  4. If you have a pan that can transfer into the oven, pop it right in for another 10 minutes to finish cooking through, flipping once. Transfer to a casserole or baking sheet if your pan isn’t oven-ready.
  5. Serve immediately.

Frequently you’ll see people serve cauliflower steaks with a cauliflower puree or mashed cauliflower on the side to use the remainder of the head. Something to try next time as I’m getting to know this beautiful and nutritionally dense vegetable.

What’s your favorite cauliflower recipe? I’d love to try it!

Cauliflower Curry

23 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by charlottealvina in Recipes

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

brussel sprouts, curry, gluten-free, heart-healthy, meatlessmonday, recipes, sweet potatoes, vegan, vegetarian

Cauliflower Curry

Since I tried fennel for the first time in February (now one of my favorite dishes) I’ve been wondering what else in the produce section has been missing from my life. Last night’s experiment: cauliflower.

Why have I been overlooking it? Maybe it’s because we’ve been so conditioned to avoid white foods. But cauliflower is the exception to that rule. In fact, it’s packed with nutrients: vitamin C and folate for immune defense, phytonutrients to fight cancer, and heart-healthy benefits to boot.

It’s also quite satisfying, with a dense texture that fills you up like bread or meat would. All that to say, I’ll be working cauliflower into my cooking more often moving forward. Here’s how I prepared it last night (the flavor was even better for lunch today!).

Cauliflower Curry Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup Indian curry paste
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into half-inch pieces
  • 10 brussel sprouts, cleaned and quartered
  • 2 roma tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 can (14 oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed
  • 1/4 cup grape seed oil
  • 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 cup water or vegetable stock, plus more as needed

Instructions

  1. Heat oil over medium in a large stew pot.
  2. Sautee onions for 1 minute.
  3. Add curry paste and tomatoes, stirring until incorporated and tomatoes get smashed.
  4. Add sweet potatoes and water or stock, simmering for 5 minutes covered.
  5. Add cauliflower and salt, simmer for another 5 minutes covered. Add a little more water/stock if necessary to keep ingredients simmering and not sticking to bottom.
  6. Add brussel sprouts and garbanzo beans, simmer covered for 5 to 10 minutes until all ingredients are tender but still holding their shape.
  7. Serve over basmati rice.

Substitutions

  • Frozen peas instead of brussel sprouts
  • Carrots instead of sweet potatoes
  • Lentils instead of basmati rice

Vegetarian Chili

02 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by charlottealvina in Recipes

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Tags

beans, chile, chili, gluten-free, meatlessmonday, mild, recipes, spicy, vegetarian

Vegetarian Chili Ingredients

This is a nice mild recipe, great for a group with different spice preferences as heat-lovers can add Tabasco, etc. But if everybody that you’re serving likes it hot, double the jalapeno, kick up the chili powder and add some red pepper flakes!

Ingredients:

  • .25 cups Grape Seed Oil
  • 2 tbsp Cumin
  • 1 tbsp Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1 tsp Kosher or Celtic Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 Large or 2 Small Jalapenos, finely chopped with stem and seeds removed
  • 12 Cloves Garlic, chopped
  • 2 Large or 3 Small Onions, chopped
  • 2 cans Diced Tomatoes, with liquids
  • 1 can Corn, with liquid
  • 1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can Pinto Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed
  • .5 cups Water

If you have a bell pepper of any color, dice it and add with the onions. If you don’t have all four kinds of beans, just double-down on what you’ve got. I’ve also seen people put diced celery in their chili, so that’s worth a try. Garnish with grated cheese and sour cream. Yum!

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

01 Sunday Apr 2012

Posted by charlottealvina in Recipes

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Tags

gluten-free, maple, meatlessmonday, recipes, salad dressing, vegetarian

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients

This is one of my favorite salad dressings. It’s a little sweet, a little tangy, and has a little kick. Great on baby spinach with walnuts and feta or goat cheese. Add some marinated beets and you’ll want to host a dinner party just to impress some guests.

Ingredients:

  • .25 cups balsamic vinegar
  • .25 cups 100% pure maple syrup
  • .5 cups grape seed or light olive oil
  • .5 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • .25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Mix/shake all together to emulsify. Better to make at least one hour ahead of time so that the peppers can flavor the liquids.

Homemade Vegetable Stock

28 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by charlottealvina in Recipes

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

gluten-free, homemade, meatlessmonday, recipes, vegan, vegetablebroth, vegetablestock, vegetarian

Homemade Vegetable Stock

I might use 2 to 3 quarts of vegetable stock per month, maybe more in the winter, which isn’t really a lot. But at almost $4 for a quart of the good stuff, that’s over $100 per year. Meanwhile, I’ve been throwing away all my fresh vegetable scraps. I finally realized, it doesn’t add up. Now that I know how to make my own delicious no-sodium vegetable stock, I’m feeling clever four times over: one for the money, two for the waste, three for the salt, and four for the taste!

Vegetable stock is less of a recipe per se and more about knowing the theory and then improvising for the occasion. There’s no consensus on the right way to make stock, every cook finds her own. Here’s what I’ve learned from reading tons of recipes and finally just doing it my way…

The Foundation: The one thing everyone does agree on is that a stock starts with three key aromatic vegetables: onion, celery, and carrot. In French cuisine, this holy trinity is called mirepoix (meer-PWAH) which loosely translates to “some French Duke who hired a really good chef.” You might see leeks instead of, or in addition to, onions. Same with parsnip and carrots. But some version of mirepoix will be the base every time.

Herbs: The two other elements that you’ll find across the board are peppercorns and bay leaves. Also very popular are garlic and parsley. The stems of fresh herbs are perfect for stock. So if you’re using the leaves off a bunch of parsley or cilantro, you’ll be able to use the other half that isn’t leafy here. If you have fresh thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, or basil – toss some into the pot!

Fats: In about a quarter of the recipes I’ve seen, people use butter, olive oil, or both. I don’t use any fats because stock is always an ingredient in something else, and I’d rather measure the fats for the final recipe.

Salt: Just like with fats, I don’t add any sodium because the stock is not the final product. But lots of people do put salt and/or Tamari in their stock. If you do want to try, start with 2 tsp salt per quart of water and adjust to your liking.

Brightness: You’ll see this less frequently, but it’s something I usually do: add some white wine or lemon. It’s easier to overdo the lemon – half of an already squeezed one per 2 quarts is enough. Wine, on the other hand, adds richness as well as brightness – anywhere from a quarter to a full cup is great.

Everything Else: The woody part of asparagus, bok choy butts, broccoli and cauliflower stems, chard or beet greens, sweet potato peelings, fennel stocks, zucchini and summer squash, the top of one red bell pepper without the seeds – all great additions to increase the complexity and balance of flavor. But the two I would be loath to leave out are mushrooms and tomatoes, both for the umami they add, thereby rounding out the flavor experience and reducing the need to over-salt in the final dish.

Cooking Technique: Some folks oven roast the mirepoix and other hearty pieces first, drawing out and deepening flavors. If you do this you will need to use some type of fat. Other people toss everything into a pot of boiling water and walk away. My approach is in the middle: I do cook the onion, garlic, and herbs in white wine for 10 minutes before adding the other ingredients and enough water to just cover them, about 2 liters. However you choose to start, we’ll all end with simmering our ingredients for 45 to 60 minutes and then straining out our very own homemade stock!

Storage: Stock will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 3 months. A great idea is to freeze it in ice cube trays, then transfer into a freezer bag so you can easily thaw just the portion you need.

Watch-outs: Always use fresh ingredients, never anything that’s spoiled. Stock will not hide bad ingredients, it will amplify them. Rinse everything well and use organic if you can. Never let anything burn. If you’re making stock for a specific use, consider tailoring your mix of ingredients to complement that recipe (rosemary for Italian dishes, but not Mexican, etc.). On the flip side, consider avoiding flavors that are very distinctive if you’re making a batch for general/TBD use. I’d be careful with peppers – if the top of one mild red bell pepper makes its mark on the flavor profile, I can’t imagine what jalapeno scraps would do.

Sweet Potato Hummus

26 Monday Mar 2012

Posted by charlottealvina in Recipes

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

gluten-free, hummus, meatlessmonday, recipes, sweetpotato, vegan, vegetarian

Sweet Potato Hummus Ingredients

This recipe is based on one my friend Dena gave me months ago, which I finally got around to making. My loss, because it’s great! A nice flavor twist on traditional hummus, which I make all the time. And sweet potatoes add nutritional density that you don’t get from beans alone.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Large Sweet Potato, boiled until soft and then peeled
  • 1 Can Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed well
  • Juice from 1 Lemon
  • 3 Cloves Garlic
  • .25 cups Tahini
  • .25 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Dried Sage
  • 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1 tsp Cumin
  • Salt & Pepper to Taste

Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender until smooth. Great on wraps, as spread or for dipping.

Curry Butternut Squash Soup

25 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by charlottealvina in Recipes

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Tags

curry, easter, gluten-free, meatlessmonday, recipes, soup, squash, thanksgiving, vegetarian

Curry Butternut Squash Soup

This has been a family favorite for years. It’s a beautiful soup course to accompany holiday meals, but also hearty enough to be a main course served with salad and bread any time of the year.

One large butternut squash will yield enough meat, or use a regular sized one and supplement with a small acorn squash. You can either peel the squash and put raw chunks in the pot, or cut it in half and roast it until you can more easily scoop out the meat and then reduce the time in the pot. Of course, this recipe becomes significantly easier if you purchase pre-chunked squash, but the tradeoff is no seeds for garnish.

No matter how you cut it (Ha! Ok sorry.), this is a really wonderful dish. You can easily substitute oil instead of butter for a vegan version – but if that’s not your thing the butter does add richness.

Curry Butternut Squash Soup Ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups Butternut Squash, peeled and seeded and cut into half-inch chunks – save the seeds
  • 2 cups Onion, diced
  • 2 cups Apple, peeled and cored and cut into half-inch chunks
  • 4 cups Vegetable Broth
  • 4 tbsp Butter
  • 1 tbsp Grape Seed Oil (for the seeds)
  • 4 tsp Curry Powder
  • 1 tsp Salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper, plus more to taste

Instructions:

  1. In a large stew pot, melt the butter over medium heat and stir in the curry powder, salt and pepper. Then add the onions and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. In the meantime, rinse the squash seeds until clean, pat dry and toss them in grape seed oil plus a little salt and pepper. Roast them in the oven at 300° until golden brown.
  3. Add the squash, apples and broth to the curry and onions. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the squash is tender through. Remove from heat.
  4. Use an immersion blender directly into the pot to blend all the ingredients until creamy. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can also use a regular blender or food processor – it’s just messier and takes several batches.
  5. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Serve soup garnished with toasted seeds.

Broccoli Barley Risotto

16 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by charlottealvina in Recipes

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

barley, fiber, gluten-free, meatlessmonday, recipes, risotto, vegetarian

Broccoli Barley Risotto

One of my friends recently learned that she’s allergic to wheat and rice, along with a huge list of other ubiquitous ingredients like soybeans, milk, garlic, tomatoes and certain nuts. I looked through my recipes for things that could help her new allergy-free diet, but she needs to really customize recipes to eliminate all the different baddies on her list.

Then I remembered hearing that you can make risotto with pearl barley instead of Arborio rice. That could be a great building-block for her since risotto is wonderfully flexible, so I tried it out and was pretty happy with the results.

Barley releases less starch and takes longer to do it, so the final product gets maybe 80% of the way toward the classic risotto texture and you have to work a little harder for it. Still, with a significant difference in the amount of dietary fiber and the glycemic load, barley risotto is definitely making it into the rotation in my household.

Pearl Barley Arborio Rice
Total Carbohydrates

15%

18%

Dietary Fiber

24%

0%

Iron

12%

15%

Glycemic Load

19

30

[Nicole, if you’re reading this, I didn’t make my barley risotto totally safe for you because I did use garlic, butter and cheese. Omit the garlic and see if nutritional yeast plus additional oil will make it cheesy/creamy enough. Also, vegetable broth usually has tomato in it, but you can easily make your own without them. Good luck on your new program, I hope this helps!]

broccoli barley risotto ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup dry pearl barley
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 diced onion
  • 6 minced cloves of garlic
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 2 cups broccoli or broccolini florets (here’s something fun you can do with the stems!)
  • .25 cups pine nuts
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • .25 cups grape seed oil
  • .5 sticks butter (optional)
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • .5 tsp Celtic salt
  • .5 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
  • Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle

Instructions:

  1. Warm the broth in a separate pot so it’s ready to ladle into the risotto
  2. In a large high-edged pan heat the oil over medium heat and season with the thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper
  3. Add the onions and stir until they begin to turn translucent, then stir in the garlic, pine nuts and mushrooms
  4. Add the pearl barley and stir in so that it absorbs any oil and cooking juices
  5. Add wine and stir until absorbed
  6. Add broth one small ladle at a time until absorbed, stirring constantly
  7. Add the broccoli florets when you have the barley about half done absorbing liquids – wait a little longer if using broccolini as it’s more delicate
  8. Stir in parmesan cheese and butter
  9. Garnish with additional parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil
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