Sunday, December 21, 2008

Pasta with a Mushroom Garlic Sauce (vegan, gluten free, quick)


Super simple Dairy Free Mushroom Garlic Sauce



1 package pasta, cooked ala dente,drain
6 tablespoons margarine
10 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

parmesan cheese, grated
In a skillet melt 2 tbsp margarine.
Add garlic, allow to brown, then add mushrooms, basil, Salt& Pepper.
Cook until the mushrooms are just tender.
Add remaining margarin and olive oil.
Stir and remove from heat.
Mix with Pasta and enjoy!

Sprinkle with cheese if you prefer

Monday, December 15, 2008

Falafel Patties (Vegan, low fat, easy, gluten free)

1 can chick peas
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tbst flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 med onion
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp cumin
salt
pepper

To make gluten free, use gluten free bread crumbs or tortilla crumbs, and I find the flour isnt essential- just add more breadcrumbs, and let it sit a few minutes to soften.

Put chick peas in food processor and pulse till it's mushed up. Put in a mixing bowl.

Put onion and garlic into food processor and chop up.
Add it to the mixing bowl.

Add remaining ingredients and knead the mixture.

Make into small patties and fry in a non-stick frying pan.

I prefered the ones made with no oil, and cooked over medium heat for approximately 3 minutes each side.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Vegan Ginger Cookies






Ingredients
3/4 cup margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour ( I used my all purpose gluten free flour blend)
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
4 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
Directions
1)In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy.
2)Stir in the molasses.
3)Mix the water and baking soda and stir.
4)Sift together the flour, salt, and dry spices; add gradually to the sugar-margarine mixture.
5)Gradually stir the sifted ingredients, along with the ginger and raisins, into the molasses mixture.
6)Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
7)(The dough may be too soft to handle at this point- I suggest either adding a bit of flour, or refrigerating for 20 minutes[or even overnight]).
8)Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.

I also froze most of the dough in logs, slice off a few cookies at a time, and bake them for a few minutes extra.

The dough tastes gross raw, but is excellent baked!
9Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Butternut Squash Pasta (Vegan, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Citrus Free)

Ingredients
1 medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried sage
coarse salt and pepper
5 garlic cloves, peelon
1 cup coconut milk
pasta, for serving
Any type of cheese for topping with if you like ( I like it better this way- a little cheese makes the whole thing cheesy)
Directions

1)Preheat oven to 375. Microwave squash for 2 minutes to soften, and then trim the squash ends, then halve the squash crosswise to separate the bulb from the neck. Peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut both pieces in half lengthwise. With a spoon, scoop out seeds; I used these seeds for this recipe.

2) Cut squash into 2-inch chunks. Transfer to a small rimmed baking sheet. Toss with oil and sage. Season generously with salt and pepper. Scatter garlic around squash. Roast until squash is very tender, about 40 minutes, tossing once halfway through. Remove and discard skin from garlic- In my oven this took closer to an hour though.

3)Tansfer squash and garlic to a food processor. Puree. With motor running, add half and half through the feed tube; process until smooth. Add 1 to 2 cups water. Continue to process until smooth, adding water to thin if necessary. Season again generously with salt.

4)Pour over pasta and spinkle with cheese if you prefer.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Cinnamon sugar butternut squash seeds (vegan, easy, frugal, gluten free)




I used a butternut squash for a recipe I made tonight- look out for it to be featured soon and didn't want to waste the seeds, so I took a tip from hangrypants and roasted my seeds. All I did was clean off the seeds, sprinkle then in cinnamon and sugar until they were lightly coated, put them in a pan that was lightly greased, and baked in the oven at 375 until they were done- they were good and soft inside after 15 minutes, and crispy inside the shells after 25.

Super simple, super delish, and no waste!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Mimi's Silky Vegetable Soup



4 cups water
1/2 onion
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tbsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 zuchini
1 carrot
1 stalk celery
2 baby sweey potatos(or a half of a large one)
1 medium red potato
Enough oil to cover botom of pan, or water to saute veggies in

Chop the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery until soft
Add in the water, zuchini, salt, pepper, sweet potato, and red potato
Cook until soft and falling apart(30 minutes to an hour)
Puree with a hand blender or regular blender
ENJOY!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Gluten free Bagels( Vegan, Gluten Free, Freezable)



I recieved this recipe from recipezaar, and just edited it so that it makes moist gluten free bagels

Quick and simple bagel recipe. Be sure to use instant, not active, dry yeast. Using instant yeast lets you cut down the cooking time.
SERVES 6 (change servings and units)

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups bread flour ( I used my gluten free flour blend)
1/2 teaspoon instant dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup lukewarm water (varies depending on type of flour and weather) - I ended up needing to use an extra 1/4-1/2 a cup of water to get the right texture.

Directions

1.Put flour, sugar, and salt into large bowl and mix lightly. Add yeast and water, then knead together ingredients with hands. The dough will be sticky at first.

2.Once you have combined the ingredients into a manageable dough, take out the dough onto a flat kneading surface. Knead dough firmly with your hands until the dough is no longer lumpy and powdery, approximately 15min. Add sprinkles of water or flour as necessary to keep the dough manageable -- it will get elastic but pretty stiff.

3. Cut dough into 6 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp paper towel to prevent drying.

4.Shape the dough. You can either poke a hole in the middle with your finger and stretch out into a bagel shape or roll out the dough into a rope and tie the ends together. The dough will expand, so leave a nice big hole in the middle.

5.Cover the bagels with plastic wrap and let rest for about 15 minutes (in a warm place, like an oven turned on to 200, and then shut off once it reached that temperature).

6.In the meantime, fill a large pot with water and a teaspoon of sugar or honey and bring to a simmer. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

7.When the dough is ready, carefully drop them into the water and let them simmer for about 15 seconds on each side, flipping them only once. The bagels should float. Keeping the water boiling too hard or flipping too much will cause the surface of the bagels to crinkle later. I usually boil two at a time.

8.Take the bagels out with a slotted spoon and blot excess water. If you would like to add toppings, do so now. For small or crumbly toppings such as sesame and poppyseed, dump out the toppings on a small plate and gently press the top of the bagel into the topping.

9.Put the bagels onto a baking sheet and let bake until brown, approximately 15 minute.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Schwarma sole fillets, lightly curried jasmine rice and spicy sweet potato fries


So I'm blogging from Israel! They sell some really great spice mixes here, and I bought a schwarma packet to try out. I used it on sole fillets, but really you could use any white fish or chicken or meat. We have a great recipe for schwarma chicken right on this very blog! We've eaten out a few times but it's much cheaper to cook at home in the apartment we're staying at, plus it gives me a chance to explore the supermarkets and try new things. Look forward to new recipes soon and enjoy!

Schwarma sole

1. Place 6 small sole fillets in a well-oiled pan.
2. Sprinkle both sides with schwarma seasoning and a little bit of oil.
3. Slice onions on top of the fillets.
4. Grill/broil in oven until onions and edges of fillets crisp.

Curried jasmine rice

1. Boil 2 cups of water in a pot.
2. Add one cup of jasmine rice.
3. Add salt, black pepper and a small amount of curry powder (barely enough to color the water).
4. Simmer until the rice is light and fluffy.
5. Add a little more curry and some granulated garlic.

Spicy sweet potato fries

1. Slice one large or several small sweet potatoes.
2. Place in frying pan with oil over low to medium heat.
3. Season with spicy paprika or chili powder, granulated garlic, salt and pepper.
4. Saute until the sweet potato slices soften in the middle and brown on the outside.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Singapoor noodles (Vegetarian- can be made vegan, gluten free, nut free)


This dish may look ugly, but I swear it is delish! I had to fight my 7 month old for this! She gobbled it up!

Singapore Noodles
Ingredients
1 cup lite unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Curry Powder
2 teaspoon honey or sugar
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/4 teaspoon Ground Red Pepper
1 pound angle hair pasta, cooked and drained

Preparation
1. Stir coconut milk, vegetable broth, soy sauce, Curry Powder, honey, Ground Cumin and Ground Red Pepper in small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Place hot pasta in serving bowl.
3. Add sauce to pasta and toss to coat. Serve hot.
You can also add all sort of veggies- next time I am going to put in diced cucumbers and peppers!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes, plus pasta cooking time

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Vegan French Bread Rolls and Pumpkin Apple Butter





Vegan Easy French Bread
* 1 Tablespoon quick rise dry yeast
* 1 cup warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees)- you may need to add up to 2 to get the right texture with the gluten free flour- The dough should be very sticky and tacky.
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil/olive oil
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 3 cups all-purpose gluten free flour



DIRECTIONS

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the sugar, oil, salt and 3 cups flour. Beat until blended. Stir in enough water to form a sticky dough.
2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; return to bowl. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
3. Punch dough down. Roll into 12 small rolls, Cover and let rise until doubled, about 25 minutes.
4. Bake at 375 until the outside of the rolls get crispy, yet still soft on the inside.

Ingredients:

* 1 can (15 ounces) 100% Pure Pumpkin
* 1 medium apple, peeled and grated ( I sliced it thinly with a vegetable peeler
* 1 cup Apple Juice
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon each of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves (this is very spiced- you can half the spices if you prefer)

Directions:
COMBINE pumpkin, apple, Juicy Juice, sugar and pumpkin pie spice in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours. Serve with buttermilk biscuits, breads, corn muffins or hot cereal. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Recipe makes 3 cups.

New Header!

I hope you guys enjoy the new header. Zestycook designed it for me, and I love the flair it adds to my blog!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Lower fat sesame noodles ( vegan, nut free, nightshade free, gluten free)

This recipe is really quick and easy, and can make a great main dish will a protien, or a good side dish!





Lower Fat Sesame Noodles
1 bag pasta
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/3 cup sugar
3+ cloves garlic ( depending on how much you like)

Cook noodles, add ingredient in sauce to pot or microwavable dish, microwave til hot and sugar disolves.Mix sauce with the pasta. You may sprinkle with sesame seeds if you prefer, but I dont always do this.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Artichoke dip (meat free, citrus free, gluten free)



I used baby artichokes I cut down to the yellow part, and microwaved in 2 inches of water for 10 minutes...
10 baby artichokes, cut as above, or one can of canned artichokes
1 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
2 small clove garlic (minced)
Salt and pepper

Directions
Drain the artichokes from the can. Coarsely chop them.
Combine chopped chokes, cheeses, mayo, and garlic in a small oven-proof serving dish.
Add fresh ground pepper and salt to taste.
Bake in oven at 375 - 400 until melted.

I liked this recipe, although it was very cheesy and rich... next time, if it is just me eating it, I will easily cut in in a quarter recipe.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Perogies (Vegan, gluten free, citrus free, EASY!)




I used this recipe for potsticker dough, which I recieved from eating outlouds website

Potsticker Dough
2 cups flour
1 cup hot water
dash of salt

The ratio can be increased using 2 parts flour, 1 part hot water. I placed the flour into my mixer with a dough hook. I slowly added the water until the dough formed. Allow it to knead for a few minutes until a smooth ball forms. The dough should be soft and not tacky to the touch. If it’s too wet, add a few tablespoons of flour and mix again. Depending on the humidity of your kitchen, you may need more or less water.

Place the dough on a flat surface and cover with a moist towel. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.

I then seperated this dough into 40 small balls, flattened them with my hands, filled them with potatos and spices, boiled them until they floated to the top, ate some like that, and pan fried a few in oil to make them crispy- Delish- next time I plan on freezing most of them for quick lunches or healthy snacks- these would also make a great apatizer for friends! Next time I think I will mix the potatos and spices with some cheese, or potatos and onions, and serve it with an asian dipping sauce!

Friday, October 10, 2008

Crock Pot Shwarma (gluten free, citrus free, dairy free)




In a crock pot, place chicken cutlets- I did 4, next time would double, 1 to 1/2 cups water, depending on how much chicken you use, and 3 tablespoons shwarma mix. Cook overnight. The original recipe said on low, however, since my chicken was frozen I cooked the chicken on high.

Shwarma spice mix (Also amazing on baked chicken)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Mix together and use in your favorite recipes as a seasoning

Sesame Free Hummus




Sesame free Hummus

1 large can of garbanzo beans
2 Tbsp EVOO
6 small cloves Garlic
4 Tbsp water
Salt to taste
3 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Drain beans and add to food processor. While whizzing, add evoo, garlic, salt and broth

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Gluten free Challah ( Gluten Free, Nut Free, Dairy Free, Citrus Free)





1 cup warm water
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon honey (you can add extra if you want)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 eggs
4 cups Oat Flour ( I ground up Bobs Red Mill gluten free oats and used them)
4 teaspoons Xanthan Gum
2 packets of yeast

1. Place warm water, sugar, honey, vegetable oil, salt, 2 eggs, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough cycle; press Start.
After the machine is done, take the dough out, and place it on a very lightly floured board, punch the dough down, and let rest for 5 minutes.

2. Braid dough in loaves. I found it hard to braid without putting a little but of oil on my hands, so I did that. I also made them into Challah Rolls, much like buns. Let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours in a warm, draft free place. I put them in the warming drawer in my oven.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small bowl, beat together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water. Brush risen loaves with egg mixture. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes

Friday, September 26, 2008

Gluten free Flour blend




I got this recipe of recipe zaar, and it worked really well for my brownie- I made a batch of the bread flour and I will try it and keep you guys updated
Ingredients
3 cups rice flour
3 cups brown rice flour

2 cups potato starch (not flour)
1 cup tapioca starch
xanthan gum (see bellow)
Directions
Sift flours together, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Use to replace gluten-containing flours in most recipes. If you're using it to make cakes or other recipes that call for all purpose flour, add 1 teaspoons xanthan gum per cup of flour mix. For breads or pizza and items that call for bread flour, add 2 teaspoons xanthan gum per cup of flour.

Untomato sauce- The sunshine in my life (Tomato free, nightshade free, citrus free, gluten free, dairy free, egg free)


Due to my allergies to tomatos, I found this recipe to make fake tomato sauce- I love it- my husband likes it, and says it tastes just like marinara sauce...This sauce truly brightened my day!
And here is the Un-tomato Sauce:
1 1-pound can beets, drained (or one pound fresh)
2 1-pound cans carrots, drained
2 Tbls. Ume Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
1 C. Water
1 T. salt
2-3 T. Oregano
1.5 T. Garlic powder
2-3 T. Basil
2 t. sugar
Puree completely in food processor or blender, and place in the fridge and let flavors blend for several hours

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Butternut Squash Soup (egg-free, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free)


I love all sorts of squashes, but especially butternut squash. I've looked at a number of butternut squash soup recipes on Recipezaar and taken the best elements of the ones I saw to create this soup. Top with crunchy croutons, sweet potato chips, rum or any topping you feel like.

Butternut Squash Soup

1/2 - 1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 small butternut squashes
6 cups water
cinnamon powder
cumin, ground
powdered ginger
rosemary, dried
chili powder
salt and black pepper

Directions:
1. Slice the butternut squashes in half. Place face down in microwave safe dish containing about 1 inch of water. Microwave on high for about 8 minutes.
2. Let the squash cool. Scoop out the seeds and discard. Scoop the softened squash out of the peel and set aside.
3. Saute the diced onion, garlic and red pepper for 5-10 minutes in vegetable oil.
4. Add the butternut squash and the water.
5. Add the seasonings to taste.
6. Cook for 30 minutes or until flavors are blended.
7. Puree with immersion blender OR let cool and them puree with food processor or blender.
8. Reheat before serving.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Quick and Easy Jambalaya (egg-free, dairy-free, gluten-free)




I love meals that work when you're short on time. It's even easier if you happen to have some leftover rice at your disposal. Also, feel free to throw in more vegetable, leave out the hot dogs or any other ingredient, or change the seasonings. Jambalaya is a diish very good for experimentation.

1 1/2 - 2 cups rice, uncooked
1 onion, diced
1/2 -1 red pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
4 hot dogs, thinly sliced
1 15 oz can beans, drained (any type)
115 oz can diced tomatoes with liquid (I used petite diced tomatoes with hot peppers)
salt and pepper
chili powder
garlic powder
basil
oregano

Directions:

1. Cook the rice and set aside.
2. Saute the onion and peppers in olive or vegetable oil for about 5 minutes on low.
3. Add the hot dogs and saute for 5 more minutes.
4. Add the can of beans and mix well.
5. Add the can of tomatoes and mix well.
6. Season to taste.
7. Slowly mix in the rice until all the liquid is absorbed.
8. Cook on low until everything is warm.
9. Taste and season again if necessary.

super easy pie crust (gluten free, dairy free, nut free, egg free)



I took this recipe from allrecipes- it is called pie crust IV, and I edited to my liking...

"The proportions are nice in this pastry dough, with just the right ratio of flour to shortening to water. Everything incorporates perfectly and the dough is easy to roll out. This recipe for flaky, tender crust doubles well and freezes nicely."


INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold water


DIRECTIONS:
1.
Mix shortening, flour, salt and sugar together with a fork or a pastry blender until very crumbly. ( I used my hands to crumble it lightly) Add as much water as needed to hold together, and mix lightly with a fork. I ended up using about 2/3's of the water recomended

2.

Roll gently, one crust at a time, on a floured pastry cloth, to about an inch larger than pie plate. Fold carefully in half. Lift to pie plate, and unfold. Fit into pan. For a single-crust pie, trim with a small knife to about 1/2 inch beyond rim. Fold up, and pinch so edge of pie is raised from rim. For a two-crust pie, trim bottom crust to edge of rim, fill, and top with crust about 1/2 inch larger than rim. Tuck top crust under bottom along rim. Seal with floured fork. I did not roll it out- instead I patted it in the pan, and smoothed it with a frosting smoother....

It did the trick- this is the first pie crust I have ever had come out well- it was flaky and light. Now I just need to decide what to fill it with.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Tomato free Ketchup (gluten free, vegan, nightshade free)







This is a super simple substitute for ketchup for the tomato allergic. This got two thumbs up from my nonallergic husband. He said it tastes just like ketchup with a slightly fruity aftertaste.
1 container Gerber plum with apples and pears baby food
1/4 t Salt
1 dash Onion powder
1/4 t Vinegar
1 T Sugar
2 drops Red food color
Mix all ingredients together, let set for about an hour so flavors can meld, stir again.
I found this recipe on the yummy allergen free blog. Be sure to check out the blog for other delish sounding recipes.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Beef Paprikash with nukedlach (nut-free, dairy-free, soy-free)

I love this traditional Hungarian dish! This is an old family favorite and can be made with chicken, beef, lamb, veal, whatever you have in the house. Feel free to play with amounts to your own taste, it's a very flexible recipe. Tomatoes are a nice addition to this stew since they have lycopene, a long-chain carotenoid well-known for its bright color and potential prevention of cancer, especially of the colon. Colored peppers brighten up this stew and add some more healthy carotenoids. Paprika is also made from peppers and is very typical to the Hungarian cuisine. Smoked or hot paprika is even better to make the taste of the paprikash complex. Peppers (Capsicum anuum) are well known for having high levels of Vitamin C, which was discovered in Hungary....Tomatoes also are high in Vitamin C. If you are allergic to tomatoes, it is no big deal to double the amount of peppers instead. Nukedlach are free-form noodles or dumplings made with egg, flour, water and salt. They're really a lot of fun. I made mine half with white rice flour and half with bread flour but this recipe could easily be made gluten-free with the use of gluten-free flour mix.


Paprikash

Vegetable oil
1.5 - 2.0 lbs beef, cut into bite size pieces or 1 whole chicken cut into eights
1 large onion, diced
1 small tomato, sliced or diced
1/2 red pepper, sliced into strips
1/4 - 1/2 cup red wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika
Water

Directions:
1. Coat the bottom of a large stockpot with vegetable oil.
2. Saute the onions, tomato and peppers for 5 minutes or until softened.
3. Add the meat, wine and as much water as needed to cover all the meat and vegetables.
4. Sprinkle paprika into the stew until the liquid turns a deep, dark red. Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Cook over low for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is softened.
6. Serve of noodles, rice, mashed cauliflower, mashed potatoes or nukedlach (recipe below).

Nukedlach:

1. Crack and beat two eggs in a large bowl or container.
2. Add 1 cup of water to make about 3 cups of nukedlach.
3. Slowly mix in flour until dough thickens to a mayonnaise-like consistency.
4. Salt to taste.
5. Scrape small bits of the dough into boiling salted water.
6. Scoop out using a slotted spoon or small colander.
7. Pour some of the Papriksah liquid over the nukedlach to flavor them and keep them wamr until eating.

Enjoy!!!

Baked tofu on a spinach salad( gluten free, nut free, dairy free, vegetarian, citrus free)


I used a recipe for the baked tofu that I got from guilding calm - the recipe goes as follows with my changes
1) Use FIRM tofu (I used mori-nori, since it is shelf stable)
2) Cut into pieces/strips as thin or big as you like- smaller, thinner strips cook faster
3) Blot with paper towel to absorb some liquid- I covered it in paper towels, and put a pan weighted down with a container of sugar to drain it.
4) Quickly rub in a marinade of sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger powder, honey, and fresh chopped garlic.
5) Bake at 425 for 45 minutes or so, flipping once. (Really I just go until when it is browned. Sometimes I bake it at 400, sometimes 450….and I just go as long as need be!)
I then placed it on a bed of spinach, and topped with a homemade asian salad dressing made with sesame oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, onion powder, tamari, and ginger powder.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Brocolli Quiche (vegetarian, dairy free, nut free, citrus free, gluten free)



Brocolli Quiche:

5 Eggs

1 Cup brocolli

1/4- 1/2 Cup vegan cheese, shredded

Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste


1) Preheat oven to 350

2) Mix all ingredients together

3)Place in oven, and cook until golden brown on top - 45 minute to an hour

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Easy potato soup (Vegan, gluten free, nut free, citrus free)

Ingredients (for 10 servings):
16 oz mini latkes or even shredded fresh potatos
8 cups of water
1 recipe vegan gravy
1 onion chopped
1 clove garlic - minced
1 tablespoon each dried basil and oregano and other seasonings to taste
How to prepare the potato soup:
Spray nonstick pan w/Pam and saute onion and garlic. Add hashbrowns & cook till tender.
Transfer to large stock pan.
Add watger and gravy and mix
Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes.


1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup chopped onion
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup gluten free flour
4 teaspoons nutritional yeast
4 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, nutritional yeast, and soy sauce to form a smooth paste. Gradually whisk in the broth. Season with sage, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring constantly, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Refrigerator pickles




These went over really well with my husband. Spices are very flexible, the first time I only used these spices but the second time I put in some chili powder and onion powder.

2-4 small cucumbers or 4-8 pickling cucumbers (depends on size of jar and cucumbers)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried dill or 1 teaspoon fresh chopped dill
8-16 whole black peppercorns

Directions:

1. Sliced cucumbers in any fashion you use and place into jar. If your jar is big enough and your cucumbers are small enough, put them in whole.
2. Mix together the water, sugar and vinegar in either a pot or a microwave-safe container.
3. Heat on stove or in microwave until the mixture is hot and the sugar is completely dissolved.
4. Pour spices over the cucumbers.
5. Pour the sugar-water-vinegar mixture over the cucumbers until it reaches the bottom of the jar's neck.
6. Cap jar and invert several times to distribute the spices.
7. Place into refrigerate and wait at least one day before eating.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Vegetarian Sandwich with fig and peach jam, vegan cheese and baco bits and lettuce ( Vegitarian, Kosher, Citrus Free, Dairy free)



Microwave fig and peach jam:

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups diced fresh figs (6-10 figs, depending on the size of the figs)
1/2 cup seeded, peeled peach, diced
1 1/2 cups of sugar (reduce if you want, though it won't set as well)
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon oil

2 (8-ounce) canning jars

Method

1 Place the ingredients in a large ceramic or glass bowl or casserole (we use a 2-quart pyrex measuring cup), stir to combine, let sit for 30 minutes for the fruit to macerate in the sugar.

2 Place in microwave. You will cook the fruit mixture on the high setting for approximately 15 minutes. As soon as the mixture starts to boil, after about 6 to 8 minutes, stop the cooking and stir. Continue cooking and stir every few minutes. At about 13 minutes the mixture should start to get viscous. If you spoon out a bit on to a small plate that has been in the freezer, you can push the mixture around a bit with your finger tip to see how thick it is. If it is runny, cook it a couple minutes more. You can also check by seeing how the jam runs off of a spoon. If it seems to firm up a bit as it drips, it's done.

If you use a large pyrex measuring cup as we have done here, you can see that you start with close to 3 cups of liquid. You want to boil it down to 2 cups.

3 Pour out the jam into jars, leaving 1/4-inch of headroom from the top of the jars. If you want to keep your jam in a cupboard, then use sterilized jars (heat them in the oven at 200°F for 10 minutes). If you plan to eat up quickly and will keep them in the refrigerator, regular clean jars will do.

Homemade Vegan Baco Bits:

1 cup plain textured vegetable protein (TVP) granules
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons liquid smoke
1/4 cup oil

Combine TVP and boiling water in a small bowl; let stand several minutes to rehydrate. Combine tamari, maple syrup, rice vinegar and liquid smoke; add to TVP and mix well.
Heat oil in a nonstick skillet; add TVP mixture. Cook over medium heat until browned, 1 to 2 minutes.
Cool before storing in the refrigerator.


Microwave Gluten Free Roll

Ingredients:

2 Tbs oil
1/2 pinch of salt
1 egg
2Tbs flaxseed meal 2 Tbs Rice flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

Mix all ingredients together in a microwave-safe bowl or container, and microwave on high for 1 minute or until center is set (it will get larger in the bowl). Let set in bowl for one minute, then turn onto a cooling rack to cool. When it is cool, slice through the middle with a bread knife.

Once all these items are made, place some fig and peach jam on the bread, put lettuce on it, put vegan baco bits on the lettuce, top with vegan cheese, and grill until the cheese is melted

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Water challah (dairy-free, vegetarian, egg-free)



1 1/8 cup water
1/2 cup oil
4 heaping cups flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 1/4 teaspoons yeast (1 packet of bread machine yeast preferred)

Following the directions for a bread machine:
1. Pour the water, the oil and the vinegar into the bread machine's pan.
2. Add all dry ingredients except yeast.
3. Make a well in the dry ingredients with your finger and pour the yeast in the well.
4. Set your bread machine to the Dough setting.
5. When the dough is done in the bread machine, place it on a sheet of parchment paper.
6. Separate the dough into thirds, then separate each ball of dough into thirds again.
7. Roll each small ball of dough into a rope.
8. Braid together 3 small challah loafs.
9. Top with egg or egg whites (use olive oil to make egg-free)and sesame seeds.
10. Bake at 345F for about 45 minutes or until outside is lightly browned and crispy.

I like to add milled flaxseed to the dough before it is mixed and use a flavored vinegar. I also like to top the braided challahs with salt, pepper and savory spices like basil or rosemary before baking. I don't like my challah too sweet so I cut down the sugar. The original recipe called for 1/4 cup, so feel free to play with the amount!

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Sivan's Super Hummus (egg free, dairy free, gluten free,vegetarian)


This recipe it from my friend in Israel- you cant get any more authentic or easy than this- It disappeared in my office when I brought it in!


1 can of drained chickpeas
3 tbs apple cider vinegar
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ cup tehina
3 tbs olive oil
Garnish: Olive oil
Parsley
Chili pepper
Sweet and spicy paprika
Olives
and other sours
1) Strain the canned beans and grind them in a food processor, blender, or chopper. In order to get a smooth and solid consistency, recommended to do this process twice.
2) Add the Apple cider vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, tehina sauce, and olive oil, and mix well. Taste the mixture and add more spices as you see fit.
3) Prior to serving, put on plate and sorta flatten it out with a spoon, then garnish the chumus with a drop of olive oil on top all around and towards the center, and sprinkle chili pepper. Decorate the outside of this with the rest of garnish and sours. Another idea is to put tehina at the center of the dish. This is soley for presentation, and does not need to be done for it to be edible...

Friday, August 8, 2008

3 bean salad (vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, etc)

3 bean salad (Linda's recipe)


Beans are a great source of fiber and protein, especially for vegetarians or those who don't much meat or fish. This recipe is quick and really easy. Canned vegetables are a great way to get nutrients even in the middle of the winter, when it's hard to find good fresh produce. Feel free to play with the spices, this is a recipe that's great for experimentation! Sometimes I add diced jalapeƱo or serrano chilies to the salad to heat it up, or I make it a 5 bean salad with the addition of white beans or pinto beans or lima beans. You could also add corn and other vegetables to make it a layered salad in a beautiful glass or crystal bowl. Cumin is a spice native to the Middle East, it's very characteristic of dishes in the area. It's very savory and has a distinctive flavor, really very enjoyable. It's purported to be an antiseptic and aid in digestive health.

1 15.5 oz can of chickpeas
1 15.5 oz can of pink beans, kidney beans, or red beans
1 14.5 oz can of cut green beans
1/2 red onion, diced small or 3 small shallots, sliced very thin
5 cloves of garlic, diced small
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tarragon, cider or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Combine all 3 cans of beans in a large bowl or container.
2. Dice onion/shallots and garlic; mix into the bean mixture.
3. Pour the oil and vinegar over the salad.
4. Add all the spices.
5. Mix very well.
6. Taste to determine if more oil, vinegar or spices are needed.
7. Serve immediately or, for better flavor, marinate in the fridge until it's time to eat.

Welcome!

So we have an interesting story...

I (Linda) have a background in Food Science. I've worked for two flavor companies and a major food and beverage producer. I love to cook and I love science. It works out well.

I (Talia) have a gluten intolerance and many severe food allergies. I love to cook and I love to try out new recipes that I can finally eat!

Plus, we're both Jewish and keep kosher. So our recipes tend to be healthy, separated by meat/dairy/vegetarian and mostly allergen-free. We'll make a point of noting what allergens may be found in a particular recipe (i.e soy, milk, etc).