Entree – Page 38 – The Celiathlete

January 31, 2013

Recipe: Roasted Potato and Curry Soup

I know it’s early in the week, but I am already trying to work through my CSA bin produce to make room for the following week. I was pretty darn successful when I stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest yesterday. Yes…yesterday…which I then proceeded to make for dinner. Why? Because I had all the necessary ingredients.

Except celery. But instead of rushing out to buy that…I substituted sliced carrots. You know what? That worked. It worked amazingly well.

This recipe is actually based off of one by the amazing and inspiring Kris Carr from her CrazySexyWellness page. Love this lady and find her battle to be one amazing journey of courage, strength, and determination. If you don’t know about her…look up her page and read a bit about her life with cancer. She’s super-inspiring.

As for the recipe…super delicious and filling. It was love at first soupy slurp.

Recipe: Roasted Potato and Curry Soup

Servings: 8
Time: Prep 20 minutes; Cook 50 minutes

Ingredients:

2-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds potatoes of choice, cubed (I used French fingerling)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 medium carrots, chopped (the original recipe just asks for 2 stalks of celery, chopped, FYI)
32 ounces gluten-free vegetable broth/stock (I used Imagine)
3 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch
1/2 fresh lime, squeezed
1 teaspoon red chili paste
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1/2 cup light coconut milk
sea salt and pepper, as desired

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Chop all potatoes and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes.

In a medium pot, heat remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil, then add onions, garlic and celery, sautéing for about 5 minutes. Slowly add broth. Add tapioca starch and lime juice, stirring thoroughly. Add chili paste and red curry paste, stirring until combined. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer (with lid on pot) for 5-6 minutes.

While soup is simmering, combine coconut milk and 1 cup roasted potatoes in a high speed blender or food processor. Puree and then add mixture to pot. Add remaining roasted potatoes and simmer for additional 10 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste.

~*~*~

It’s simple. It’s amazing. It’s chunky. It’s a little sweet and a little spicy. It’s soup perfection. Completely vegan. Completely packed with flavor. I was so happy with how this turned out. The most time consuming part is all the prep of chopping the vegetables, but in the end, the soup is nicely balanced and full of flavor.

And who doesn’t love potato soups?

I’d make this again in a heartbeat!

January 30, 2013

Pastariso is making gluten-free mac & cheese easy with instant meals

Pastariso Gluten-Free Instant Brown Rice Mac & Cheese Cup — Pastariso Gluten-Free Instant Brown Rice Mac & Cheese Meal

Product: Pastariso Gluten-Free Instant Brown Rice Mac & Cheese Meal – $2.99+

Before I had to go gluten-free, I admit it…I would indulge in an Easy Mac every now and again. I mean…mac and cheese is awesome, right? And Easy Mac meant that it was ready in seconds…straight from the microwave. Mmmm…just like the boxed stuff with the crazy neon cheese powder that somehow creams up and makes a decent enough mac and cheese.

Oh…there are days I would long for that simplicity, and other days I would mock it.

But then…while at the Gluten-Free Trading Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin…I came across something I hadn’t seen before. Anywhere.

A form of gluten-free Easy Mac. These little microwavable pasta bowls were made with white rice pasta and brown rice pasta. I chose brown rice pasta; my roomie went for the white rice pasta.

Pastariso is making the dine and dash meal easy for the gluten-free community. There are times, like on Mondays when I have to get home from work, eat something, and head out to Louisville for my fun run with my running store group, that I don’t have time to prepare something. Not even a gluten-free grilled cheese sandwich. No problem if you happen to be able to find the Pastariso Mac & Cheese Instant Meal Cups somewhere nearby.

Now, no store in my area carries these, which is one reason why I had to pick them up. And tonight…I sat down to enjoy mine.

Preparation is simple…just like Easy Mac. Pull off the paper lid and fill the cup with water to the line. Stir well. Pop into the microwave for 3 1/2 minutes. Well, most microwaves would have it ready in 3 1/2 minutes. Mine is from the 80s…so it usually takes longer. That was the case here. 6 minutes later and I was ready to sit down with a piping hot bowl of instant mac and cheese.

A little bit about these little treats…

The company that makes the instant mac and cheese meal cups is Maplegrove Gluten-Free Foods. They are a family owned business that specializes in gluten-free products. Even more interesting, Maplegrove is North America’s largest manufacturer of gluten-free pasta products. Their products are manufactured in a completely gluten-free environment and they personally guarantee high quality foods. That’s a lot for a small company. But they understand the importance of keeping gluten-free foods safe and delicious. Many of their employees are gluten-intolerant or have Celiac. This is not just a choice…it’s a mission…it’s dedication.

So…how was it? Once I got it heated enough so that the water absorbed into the noodles and the cheese became thicker and not just cheesy soup water…I settled in to actually try it. Well, needless to say…it was pretty good. It tasted sweet…and not as cheesy as I would have liked. But…it was decent enough for an instant meal. The powdered cheese in the water was really hard to stir, but it incorporated itself as it warmed in the microwave. Overall…I’d rather make mac and cheese from scratch…for for something quick…I’d eat this again.

That is if I could find it somewhere…around here…

The nutrition information isn’t too bad as far as pre-packaged, processed gluten-free pastas go. The entire cup is only 212 calories with 4 grams of fat. The sodium level is a little on the high side at 670 mg. And as for protein, this does deliver 6 grams in the serving. So…all-in-all…it’s not too bad on the nutrition front.

So, it’s nothing fantastic, but it’s a quick bite for those very busy days that all of us tend to have at some point or another. It’s like Easy Mac…you hate yourself for eating it…but sometimes it’s the only option you have.

That’s what Pastariso Instant Brown Rice Gluten-Free Mac & Cheese Cup is…a quick option that delivers on speed, but not so much on flavor. But gluten-free beggars can’t be choosers.

Pastariso Gluten-Free Instant Brown Rice Mac & Cheese Meal (cooked)

January 30, 2013

Annie May’s Sweet Café serves up Saturday breakfast with a gluten-free vegan breakfast sandwich to die for

Restaurant: Annie May’s Sweet Café, Louisville, Kentucky

One bite.

That was all it took to fall in love with Annie May’s Sweet Café.

And that was just based off a birthday cake my roommate got for me back in September. Since then…this little bakery/café has become one of my favorite places to stop in for something to eat. Especially on Saturday’s…because breakfast is being served! And yes…we all know how much of a breakfast fiend I am.

For a few blogs now, I have mentioned my breakfast adventures there. From the gluten-free waffles (now discontinued) to the gluten-free French toast to the delicious gluten-free donuts…cookies…cupcakes…you name it…it’s allergen-free/gluten-free…heaven. Especially for someone like me who developed food allergies as an adult and has to sometimes make do with things that are just not as good as the ‘real’ thing. Add to that the extra challenge of being a vegetarian first…and it makes up a recipe for culinary problems everywhere.

Not at Annie May’s Sweet Café in Louisville, Kentucky.

Very recently, Annie May’s added a new item to their breakfast menu. Breakfast sandwiches. Yep. You read that right. These breakfast sandwiches are composed of your choice of a protein on their own vegan/allergen-free bun and served with that day’s fresh fruit.

When I went in today, after a long 8 mile run, I was hungry. So, along with my usual gluten-free donut ($2.49), I ordered up one of the breakfast sandwiches. My choice: the Allergen-Free/Vegan “Sausage” and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich ($6.99). This sandwich is composed of a vegan sausage patty that is also gluten-free, created by a local gourmet burger truck called Grind. These vegan sausage patties are a housemade blend of spaghetti squash, chickpeas, lentils, onions, sage, and a red pepper spice blend. It’s perfect for these breakfast sandwiches. And they are GOOD!

My roommate decided to give the Bacon, Egg and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich ($7.99) a go this morning. So, we placed our orders, settled in at one of the tables and devoured our donuts while we anticipated the breakfast sandwiches.

Let me preface this by saying that this vegetarian hasn’t had a vegan/veggie sausage in a LONG time. Not since having to go gluten-free. Every single one in the freezer section of the grocery store has gluten ingredients in them. So, the fact that I was just about to enjoy my first vegan sausage patty in a long, long time made me stupidly excited. The “cheese” portion of this breakfast sandwich was Daiya Vegan cheese…one of my favorite brands. And the bun…is Annie May’s creation…delicious, golden, and soft on the inside with that crisp golden crust on the outside.

Breakfast heaven.

When this sandwich arrived at the table, I had to restrain myself from diving right in and devouring it. The donut had helped with the hunger…it just looked so amazing. I wanted to try it immediately. But, photos had to be taken first…so I did that as quickly as I could. Then, after eating the grapes that came with the breakfast sandwich, I reached the point of breakfast I had been looking forward to the most…

Allergen-Free/Vegan Breakfast “Sausage” and Cheese Sandwich time.

I lifted the sandwich up to my mouth and took my first bite. The vegan sausage is fantastic. All of those ingredients blend really well and you totally get a sausage-like flavor from it. I loved it. Honestly. The spaghetti squash does sometimes get stringy, but that happens sometimes with real sausage too. It was the perfect blend of vegetables, spices, and proteins. I loved it. The Daiya cheese was melted on top…a simple amount, nothing too overwhelming. It didn’t take away from the vegan sausage at all.

And that vegan/allergen-free bun…was the icing on the cake. Metaphorically speaking, of course. It was a gorgeous golden color, soft on the inside, a little flaky, and crusty on the outside. It was my favorite part of the breakfast sandwich to be honest. And coming from the girl who missed vegan sausage patties so much…that’s saying something. Think of the most perfect biscuit you have ever eaten. THAT…is what THIS tasted like. Kudos to you, Annie May’s Sweet Café, for this delicious bread for your Saturday morning breakfast menu. Let me tell you…I’m totally addicted to those rolls. I’d eat them with a schmear of Earth Balance, all hot and toasted and…mouth-watering good.

I’m so lucky to have Annie May’s Sweet Café in my backyard. Louisville, Kentucky is lucky to have them. As Kentucky’s only allergen-free bakery…they offer a lot of allergen-free/vegan treats for everyone. And you don’t have to be a vegan or gluten-free to enjoy these products. My roommate is neither and she loves coming here for breakfast and the occasional treat as much as I do.

I hope Annie May’s remains in business for a very long time. This place is a real gem and a much needed place for me, the allergic girl, here in Louisville, Kentucky.

Thanks for your delicious Saturday breakfasts, Annie May’s. Maybe one of these days…I’ll skip breakfast and come in for your Saturday pizza. Yeah…that’s next on the list.

Annie May's Sweet Café Allergen-Free/Vegan — Annie May’s Sweet Café Allergen-Free/Vegan “Sausage” and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich

January 30, 2013

Pan-Asian cuisine made easy and delicious with Snapdragon Hunan Sweet & Sour Rice Pasta Stir-Fry

Product: Snapdragon Pan-Asian Cuisine Hunan Sweet & Sour Rice Pasta Stir-Fry – $3.49+

I absolutely LOVE Asian food. LOVE it. I can’t emphasize enough how much I love it. But…I think you get the picture.

The problem with Asian food is…it is one of those that is usually laden in sauce…and whether you’re at a restaurant or at a buffet or what have you…when you are gluten-free…there is basically nothing you can safely eat. I wish it weren’t true. Because that craving for good Asian food hits me all the time.

But…all is not lost. I don’t have to prepare any Asian-style meal from scratch. Not anymore. Not since I discovered Snapdragon Pan-Asian Cuisine.

My local World Market has a great selection of food products in their little food market area. Much of these are ethnic from various countries. While just browsing the aisles, I ran across a few Snapdragon Pan Asian Cuisine Stir-Fry Rice Pasta meals. Not having this on my grocery list or worked into the budget…I resisted the urge to purchase every single thing labeled gluten-free…and kept it to one box.

My choice: Snapdragon Hunan Sweet and Sour Rice Pasta Stir-Fry.

I was rather excited about this purchase. And yet…I had so much other stuff in my pantry that this sat for the longest time. LONG…EST time. Until last night…when I needed something light for dinner that wouldn’t take up too much time…as I was also in the midst of making gluten-free bread and gluten-free lemon “brownies” at the same time.

So…I dug this out of the pantry. I am a vegetarian…so for the protein, I took some tofu out of my fridge to toss into the wok once I got cooking. First thing was first though…I boiled some water and got the rice noodles soaking. Once I drained them (it took 5 minutes), I set them aside and got my wok heated up and tossed in my snow peas and tofu to cook up. Once I got them seared off and cooked, in went the noodles, some water, and the sauce. I just tossed them all together in the wok, heated it through…and it was ready to serve.

It doesn’t get much easier than that!

The noodles cooked up beautifully. And when the sauce is incorporated, this easy boxed meal really sings. The sauce is sweet with a little hint of spice to it. And the tofu and added snow peas made a fantastic addition to the dish. I loved diving into this classic Asian meal…made in about 15 minutes. Simple and delicious. I devoured mine with the aid of chopsticks. The noodles didn’t clump together and the sauce didn’t take away from the rest of the ingredients in the actual dish. It was perfectly balanced.

And yeah…it was amazing. It totally helped curb my cravings for Asian food. And I knew that this one was safe for me to eat thanks to the label on the box listing it as gluten-free.

Beyond impressed and totally wowed. I can’t wait to try another one.

Snapdragon Pan-Asian Cuisine Hunan Sweet & Sour Rice Noodle Stir-Fry

January 30, 2013

Recipe: Gluten-Free BBQ Mushroom Sliders

I don’t know what I did before Pinterest. Honestly.

Last week, I was surfing around on my favorite time-suck and came across a delightful recipe for sliders…but instead of meat, these were portobello mushroom sliders. Oooooh. They looked absolutely fantastic too. Seasoned, covered in melted cheese, caramelized onion, avocado…and dripping with barbeque sauce.

*mouth waters*

So, when the crimini mushrooms I received in my CSA bin turned out to be freakishly large…I thought to myself, “Hey…I bet I can make those sliders out of these.”

The only thing I lacked would be gluten-free slider-sized buns, which I solved by baking up my own from a bread mix I had in my pantry. WINNING!

With that taken care of…I set out to make this recipe up for a light dinner after a very busy day out and about. And the results…were epic. Delicious. And I wish I had made more than just two sliders each for myself and my roommate because these were beyond super yummy. They were mushroom slider epic wonders of culinary proportions.

The original recipe came from the blog How Sweet It Is. I just adapted it to fit my dietary needs and the ingredients I had on hand.

Recipe: Gluten-Free BBQ Mushroom Sliders

Servings: 6
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Cook 20 minutes

Ingredients:

6 baby portobello stuffing mushrooms (I used really large crimini mushrooms)
6 slider buns (I made my own, gluten-free, using Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, sliced
2-3 ounces Gouda, sliced into squares (I used Veggie Slices Pepper Jack Flavored)
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup BBQ sauce, for drizzling and dipping (I used Stubbs Original BBQ Sauce)

Directions:

Heat a skillet on medium-low heat and add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.

Add sliced onions with a pinch of salt and let caramelize, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, then turn off heat and set aside.

While onions are caramelizing, brush mushrooms with remaining olive oil and sprinkle both sides with pepper, paprika, onion and chili powder. Heat a skillet ( or a grill) on medium heat and cook until mushrooms are juicy and tender – about 5 minutes on each side. With 1-2 minutes remaining, add a slice of cheese on top to melt.

Assemble sliders by placing the mushroom on the bun, then top with onions, avocado, and a hefty drizzle of bbq sauce.

~*~*~

Yeah…it doesn’t get much easier than that. And the fact of the matter is…these are super-delicious. Honestly. I was blown away by how amazing these were. They were that perfect level of balance in flavor and the mushroom was definitely the star of the dish. The avocado was a nice addition and when mixed with the caramelized onions, the cheese, and the sauce…it made for one of the best vegetarian sandwiches I have had to date. And…this was definitely my first vegetarian and gluten-free slider dish.

I’d make this again in a heartbeat. No questions asked. Packed with flavor and not heavy like regular sliders can be. That’s the joy of using mushrooms. Delicious, light, and just filling enough.

Dinner perfection.

January 28, 2013

Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix slides in just short of really good gluten-free bread

Product: Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix – $3.29+

You know…I raved once, almost two years ago, I believe, about Chebe Cheese Bread Mix. I had made up the little breaded balls of goodness to accompany a pasta dinner I was preparing for a friend who was coming for the weekend. Much to my delight…Greg (the guest), my roommate, and I all loved the taste, texture, and fluffiness these had.

So, Chebe rose to the top of my gluten-free go-to’s. Even though I didn’t really purchase anything further of the brand until my local grocery store put their entire gluten-free section on closeout. Picture me in panic mode as I grabbed a huge shopping cart and began tossing items I had wanted to try, but never got the chance to, into my cart for the reduced price.

One such product was Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix.

The great thing about Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix is how allergen friendly it is. Not only is it gluten-free, but it is also soy free, corn free, rice free, potato free, yeast free, peanut free, tree nut free, egg free (unless you use it in the mix instead of egg substitute), lactose/casein free, iodine free, and sugar free. This mix is also non-GMO and certified kosher!

Well, my pantry is quite full of numerous mixes and delicious things to try. So, this just sort of sat. But with the expiration date fast approaching…it was time to give them a shot. And, I was thinking something light and savory for dinner. So, I hit up Pinterest and found a recipe for BBQ Portobello Sliders. Now, I didn’t have portobello mushrooms, but had rather large crimini ones in my fridge from my CSA bin. I had the rest of the ingredients too. What I lacked was the most obvious part of the slider…the slider buns.

Then…it dawned on me that I had this mix in my pantry…and it was getting close to the time it needed to be used up. So, out it came and I got to work on making up my own little gluten-free slider buns.

Slider buns made from Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix

This was a simple process. Following the instructions on the box, I simply poured the bread mix into a bowl, added two eggs and 2 tablespoons of olive oil…mixed that together…then slowly added exactly 1/4 cup of water. Once that was all incorporated and blended, I kneaded the dough with my hands until it was smooth and all one large lump of bread dough.

And here is where I went off script. The rest of the recipe created 4 sandwich buns…but I wanted slider buns. So I made 10 little rolls out of the lump of bread, flattened them down into little round disks like the recipe said, and brushed each one with olive oil. I then put it in my oven at 375° F for about 25 minutes and allowed them to bake.

When time was up, I removed them from the oven and allowed them to cool on the baking sheet while I prepared the mushrooms, caramelized the onions, and sliced an avocado.

First of all, I was hoping these would crisp into a beautiful golden-brown…but they never quite did. They looked anemically pale. It was a bit off-putting, but…that was the last of my problems. The mix, prior to putting everything together was a very white, very thin powder. That being said, this Chebe mix is made up simply of tapioca powder, modified tapioca starch, cream of tartar, sea salt, and sodium bicarbonate. You can add cheese to the mix, but I didn’t…as the sliders were going to have cheese on them. Still, with the brushing of olive oil…one would think there would still be some golden crust forming.

That was the first disappointment. The second disappointment was that they really didn’t puff up much. The flat little disks of dough rose only slightly in the heat of the oven. So…these made for very flat slider buns.

Finally…the third disappointment was…the taste. Not that these tasted bad…they just weren’t light and soft like the Cheese Bread that I made from Chebe. This dough wasn’t too dense, but it was definitely not soft and squishy like a slider bun should be. It just felt…wrong. The flavor was fine…but it was the texture that was just all wrong for me this time. It just didn’t work.

But…I went ahead and sliced the flat rolls in half (as best I could) and filled them up with my mushroom caps, vegan cheese slices, caramelized onions, avocados and a drizzle of barbeque sauce and used them for the purpose I baked them up for. It wasn’t bad. I just wish they had been softer and a bit fluffier.

That being said, I have six more rolls in my fridge that I’ll use up tomorrow by making breakfast slider sandwiches. I am kind of sad about the way this mix turned out, because I have raved about Chebe in the past and was really hoping for that trend to continue. Sadly…this one failed to win me over.

Maybe, with some convincing, I’ll give another mix a try. But this one…won’t find it’s way into my pantry again any time soon.

BBQ Mushroom Sliders sandwiched between buns made from Chebe Gluten-Free All Purpose Bread Mix

January 18, 2013

Recipe: Spicy Quinoa Stuffed Avocados (with a Vegan Sriracha Sour Cream)

I know…this sounds bizarre, even for someone like me…but the fact of the matter was…I had produce that needed to be used up before Friday…and two of the items still staring at me were amazing organic avocados. Now, I could have done my usual standbys with these…guacamole…or put it into a breakfast scramble of sorts.

But why? Why when I run across such interesting and different recipes such as this one, which I pilfered from the blogg Bullfrogs & Bulldogs, and adjusted to make it easier and more time efficient for me…the non-stop busy-body! It’s very nutritious, packing a high protein punch with the quinoa, and the healthy fat of the avocado. Awesome.

So…if you love avocado, love quinoa, and just plain love delicious things…here is a great recipe for you…done up the way I do it. And I’ll even include my recipe for Vegan Sriracha Sour Cream.

Yes…I love you guys that much…

Recipe: Spicy Quinoa Stuffed Avocados

Spicy Quinoa Stuffed Avocado with a Vegan Sriracha Sour Cream

Servings: 2
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Cook 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Spiced Quinoa:

Avocados (1 small avocado per person)
1/2 cup quinoa
1 can Green Giant Southwest Style Corn
1/4 yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro + some for garnish
1 tbsp taco seasoning (I crated my own using chili powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, and garlic powder)

Vegan Sriracha Sour Cream

1/4 cup Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream

2 teaspoons Sriracha

Directions:

Rinse the quinoa well and place it in a sauce pan and toast for about two minutes until the quinoa starts to smell ‘toasty.’ Add one cup of water or vegetable broth and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and cover. (To get fluffy quinoa, it’s really important to not stir it, just let it be, keeping a close eye on it).

Chop the onion drain the can of Southwest Style Corn. Combine both ingredients in a bowl and mix well with the taco seasoning. Cover and heat in the microwave for 3 minutes. Remove from microwave, uncover, and allow to cool slightly.

Once the quinoa is finished, fluff with a fork and allow it to sit for 15 minutes, until it has cooled slightly. Add it to the vegetable mixture.

Make the sour cream by measuring out 1/4 cup of vegan sour cream and adding the Sriracha to it. Stir it together until well blended.

To assemble the avocados, begin by cutting them in half, removing the skin and the pit.

Scoop about ½ a cup of the quinoa mixture into each avocado, more if you can fit it.

Top it with a little Sriracha Sour Cream and some chopped cilantro and serve.

Enjoy!

~*~*~

Creamy, rich, smooth, amazing, delicious, totally yummy and just plain good! The blend of cool avocado with the slight spice from the quinoa/vegetable mixture as well as the vegan Sriracha sour cream on top is just…perfection. With a healthy does of belly-flattening fats from the avocado and the blast of protein from the quinoa, this makes for one very healthy dish to have for lunch or dinner…or whenever your little heart desires.

I had more than half of the quinoa/veggie mixture left so I sense a run to the grocery store for more avocados in my very near future.

A great meal…guilt free. Awesome.

January 17, 2013

Recipe: Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower

I love spicy food. Love it. I love that little bit of heat that accompanies each bite…and when done right…doesn’t mask the flavor of the food. Yum!

Well, this past weekend, my friend Robert shared a recipe on my Facebook wall that he thought I might enjoy. It was for Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower. And let me tell you…it looked awesome. Seriously! It just so happened that my CSA bin that week had an amazing head of cauliflower in it…and everything else on the list I had in my pantry. Perfect!

And after the winter weather that came through last night, something warm, spicy, and different just sounded appetizing tonight for dinner. So, upon returning home from work…I went to work on my head of cauliflower and preparing this simple, yet really delicious dish. You just need about 25 minutes and dinner is served.

Recipe: Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower

Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower (with a Vegan Ranch Dip)

Servings: 2-4
Time: Prep 5 minutes; Cook 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower

For the batter:

Dash of hot sauce (I used Sriracha)
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup water
Pinch salt

For the buffalo sauce:

1/4 cup hot sauce (I used Sriracha)
1/4 cup oil, canola oil works best
Pinch salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Mix together the batter ingredients in a small bowl.

Dip the cauliflower in the batter until coated evenly then place on greased baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the batter hardens.

Mix together sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

Once the cauliflower are done baking, brush them with the hot sauce mixture and bake again for a few more minutes, until cauliflower is crispy.

Remove from oven. You may want to add a bit more buffalo sauce to taste.

Enjoy!

~*~*~

Oh…this was crazy, stupid good. I mean…so delicious. I was highly impressed. Honestly. I love cauliflower regardless, but this just took it to the next level. This is the second cauliflower recipe that Robert has shared with me, and both times I have been super impressed. I can’t wait to make this again.

Oh, and it’s a super easy recipe too, so that is a bonus. I whipped up a Vegan Ranch Dip to serve with mine, which consisted of:

a few spoonfuls of Trader Joe’s vegan mayonnaise
1 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
1 tablespoon of dried parsley flakes
3 tablespoons of almond milk to thin it out

I just mixed it all together in a bowl and viola…instant buffalo cauliflower dip!

Honestly…if you are looking for a fun and exciting way to serve up veggies…this is the recipe to try!

January 12, 2013January 12, 2013

Recipe: Baked Polenta with Rainbow Chard and Cheese

It’s the night before a race…so you know what that means, right?

Pizza!

Except…not today. I didn’t have anything in my apartment to work pizza into the equation…so I had to break with my pizza before a race tradition and come up with something I could make with items I did have on hand. Well, today is the day my CSA bin was delivered and one of the items nestled inside was beautiful rainbow chard.

It was from there…and the fact that I keep polenta on hand in my pantry…that I threw together this recipe for a later than usual dinner. It was delicious and relatively easy to make. As I am lactose intolerant, I substituted the ricotta cheese for silken tofu and used Daiya vegan mozzarella cheese.

The rest of the recipe is from Epicurious…but I really enjoyed it with my substitutions. So delicious.

Recipe: Baked Polenta with Rainbow Chard and Cheese

Servings: 8
Time: Prep 20 minutes; Cook 1 hour 10 minutes; Cool 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 pound rainbow chard, thick stems and ribs removed, leaves cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
3 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal) or yellow cornmeal
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese (I used Nosoya Silken Tofu)
2 large eggs
2 cups coarsely grated low-fat mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces) (I used Daiya mozzarella shreds)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Lightly oil 2-quart glass baking dish. Heat oil in heavy large deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in garlic and crushed red pepper, then chard; cover and cook until chard is tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Uncover; stir until any excess liquid in skillet evaporates. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring 3 1/2 cups water and salt to boil in heavy large saucepan. Gradually stir polenta into boiling water. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until polenta is very thick, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk ricotta and eggs in bowl; whisk in 1 cup hot polenta. Stir ricotta mixture into polenta in saucepan.

Spread half of polenta mixture in baking dish. Spread half of chard mixture over. Sprinkle with half of mozzarella. Repeat layering with remaining polenta, chard, and cheese.

Bake until puffed and brown on top, about 45 minutes.

Cool 30 minutes.

~*~*~

You would never be able to tell that this recipe was made with tofu instead of ricotta cheese, and with vegan cheese over regular. The onions, chard, and garlic mixture is delicious. And the polenta made a delicious, creamy addition once it was cooked up. I loved this and am so happy that I have another 3 days worth of it. YUMMY!

Best part…each serving has 259 calories. That’s it! Amazing. Delicious. And quite satisfying. I served this with a salad made up from fresh produce, also from my CSA bin. This recipe does take some time to cook…but the end result is worth it. I would make this again in a heartbeat.

Now…we’ll see how this does when it comes to my race day performance.

I might be sorry I skipped out on pizza…but this was definitely a huge, tasty, epic dinner win!

January 3, 2013

Cooking up and toasting up tasty Gluten-Free Cheese Ravioli from Conte’s Pasta

Conte's Pasta Gluten-Free and Wheat Free Cheese Ravioli — Conte’s Pasta Gluten-Free and Wheat Free Cheese Ravioli

Product: Conte’s Pasta Gluten-Free Cheese Ravioli – $5.99+

I have been leery of the frozen gluten-free pastas that I can find in the freezer section at the grocery store ever since the epic fail of Caesar’s Gluten-Free Gnocchi. Yeah…it was enough to really just turn me off from the whole frozen gluten-free pasta thing.

But…with New Year’s Eve on the horizon and a trip to visit one of my best friends, Jenn, for the occasion, she and I started getting on Pinterest and plotting a menu. And the entree that caught our attention was a Oven Toasted Ravioli dish. It looked absolutely fantastic. Jenn said she had some of Conte’s Gluten-Free and Wheat Free Cheese Ravioli in her freezer (the sign of a good friend is one who stocks up on gluten-free foods even when you aren’t in town…just for those occasions that you are!). She suffered through the Caesar’s Gluten-Free Gnocchi fiasco…so I was willing to go along with her on this one. My job…providing the gluten-free breadcrumbs to be dusted over the ravioli before they were toasted.

New Year’s Eve arrived with a vengeance. After a busy day of seeing The Hobbit, she and I settled in later than expected (it snowed while we were in the movie and the roads were bad) to start up our gluten-free bread for the evening and then make up the gluten-free ravioli dish while it cooled. With the bread out of the oven, we set some water on the stove to boil and pulled the Conte’s Gluten-Free and Wheat Free Cheese Ravioli out of the freezer. Opening the bags…we weren’t impressed immediately.

They looked like pale discs of pasta with a bulging center that would contain the cheese filling. We said our prayers to the gluten-free pasta gods and poured them into the boiling water. Unlike Caesar’s frozen pasta, these actually did sink to the bottom of the pan, making it much easier for us to tell when these were truly done cooking. Once they started floating, Jenn would scoop out a bunch of them into the strainer, shake them carefully over the pan, and bring them to me to put in the egg wash and then coat with the gluten-free bread crumbs.

Looks can be deceiving. These raviolis really held up to the boiling process. They didn’t split or fall apart. Even when I would drop them into the egg on accident, they maintained their form and didn’t ooze filling out. They survived a dunking in breadcrumbs and everything. I was already much more impressed with these than the last gluten-free frozen pasta experience. Conte’s Pasta did a great job making gluten-free ravoili that didn’t fall apart in the pot…or through the breading stages I put the pasta through.

So, with the breadcrumbs on and sticking quite well to the pasta, we gave the ravioli a spray of cooking spray and put them into the oven to toast up. It took 12 – 15 minutes according to the recipe…and when they emerged, they were golden, and still holding their shape. We carefully scooped them off the pans and into a serving bowl so we could all help ourselves to as many as we would want. They held up. And when we settled in to eat…the three of us (my roomie Cathy was there too!) dug in.

The biggest thing about these ravioli is that they do need a sauce. Jenn had originally set out to eat the meal without the sauce, but ended up with some on her plate in the end. That being said, the texture was great. They held up fantastically to boiling and toasting in the oven. And the taste of the filling was super good. I wasn’t disappointed at all with these ravioli. Conte’s Pasta has definitely restored my faith in the gluten-free frozen pasta. In fact, when it comes to choosing a brand now, I think I’ll stick with Conte’s. They definitely won me back over to the frozen side when something like a gluten-free ravioli is needed.

Use a proper sauce when you eat these. Whether you bread them or eat them straight from the pan…you’ll love the texture and taste. And the cheese is ooey, gooey, and good as well. They have quite a few variations of gluten-free pastas to choose from. But these ravioli’s did the trick for me.

Find them in your grocery store freezer section and give them a try. And if you are looking for an easy and tasty recipe, check out my blog on the Gluten-Free Oven Toasted Ravioli that Jenn and I prepared on New Year’s Eve. It’s a fun, different, and delicious way to enjoy gluten-free pasta.

Conte's Pasta Gluten-Free and Wheat Free Cheese Ravioli (cooked and coated with Katz Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs and toasted in the oven) — Conte’s Pasta Gluten-Free and Wheat Free Cheese Ravioli (cooked and coated with Katz Gluten-Free Bread Crumbs and toasted in the oven)