spicy roll

My local grocery store has a dedicated sushi chef who prepares the sushi fresh on site everyday. I love it. I thought I would post this in order to give some information that anyone who is going gluten free might not know. If you decide to go out for sushi, you will need to be very careful about your choices. There is wheat in nearly everything. Regular california rolls or anything made with imitation crab will have wheat. Almost all soy sauce has wheat. I buy wheat free San-J Lite Tamari organic soy sauce. Generally it is safest to make it yourself unless the restaurant you are in can give you a precise and detailed list of ingredients. These spicy rolls are made with shrimp/salmon and tuna. and I used my own soy sauce for dipping. delicious!
On another note- We make a really mean Shrimp Salad Roll that I plan to serve this weekend. You can expect photos and instructions by sunday! :)

cinnamon carrot breakfast bake

When you are gluten free and trying to keep your flour usage to a minimum and ALSO nearly dairy free, breakfast can get a bit dull. Everybody else is eating french toast and pancakes. This recipe is super healthy and a real treat. serve with a bit of maple syrup. you'll see. :)
serving size of 1 here.
a mashup not a true souffle :)

Ingredients:
3 large carrots, cooked and drained and set aside
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. sucanat
1 tsp. ghee
1/8 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. mango juice

Directions:
Preheat your toaster oven to 375

1.To cook the carrots-
wash and chop into small pieces. in a med size pot, cover with water and bring to boil, then simmer for 20 minutes (or until mashable). mash with a potato masher until smoothish (don't worry if there are some larger bits left)

2. Add all of the remaining ingredients and blend very well.

3. pour carrot mixture into a greased ramekin, bake for 20 minutes

4. serve with real Canadian maple syrup.

snack

I have been avoiding processed flours of all types for some time now. I will occasionally (once every 2 weeks or so, have a slice of gluten free bread or an organic corn tortilla. I have even stopped eating my gluten free muesli as some of the cereals in it are too processed for my sensitive tummy. Doing so has helped me manage some of my IBS symptoms.
Of course this means that many of the foods other people reach for during lunch or snack time are not an option for me. No sandwiches, no pasta and forget crackers!
Yesterday I had yet another person ask me "well what do you eat?".
This. I eat stuff like this everyday when I feel hungry for lunch or snacks. I will also eat some fruit of course later and maybe some almond butter smeared on a piece of celery.
Todays lunch/snack consists of
1 boiled egg, sliced
I small organic tomato, sliced
1 handful pea shoots (washed and torn into bite sized bits)
1 small handful baby romaine lettuce (washed and torn)
salt and pepper all over!

The tomato was delicious of course and I love a boiled egg.
Did you know that pea shoots taste an awful lot like fresh peas out of the garden?
No excuses why I can't continue to eat this way for the rest of my life. it's very very simple, fast and extremely nutritious. Plus I really like fresh vegetables and fruit. who doesn't?

I hope I can convince at least 1 reader to give up fast food lunches. maybe? try it!

"Hot chili" Sticky chicken and Apricot slaw

Such a nice spring day we finally decided to grill some food outdoors. We use a gas grill.
Hot Chili sticky Chicken Ingredients:
1 chicken, washed, patted dry and cut into pieces
1 Tbsp. peanut oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Finishing sauce:
3 Tbsp. honey
3 cloves garlic, pressed
3/4 Tbsp. hot chili paste
combine these ingredients in a small bowl and set aside


Directions for chicken:

1. pat a little peanut oil onto the chicken pieces and generously sprinkle salt and pepper on each piece.
2. place on grill and turn frequently
3. when the chicken is cooked (an instant read thermometer inserted into the breast should read 165), brush on finishing sauce on each piece and turn once to warm the sauce through.
4. remove from heat and serve hot

Apricot Slaw Ingredients:
1/2 small head green cabbage, sliced Julianne
1/2 small head red cabbage, sliced Julianne
1/4 red onion sliced thin
1 granny smith apple, skin on, sliced into matchsticks
1 stalk celery, sliced very thin
1/4 cup mayonnaise (organic made with stable non-GMO oils, the mayo I use is made with extra virgin coconut and olive oils)
1 lemon (juice of)
1/2 Tbsp. sucanat
1 small bunch fresh chives, chopped fine
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1/4 cup dried apricots, sliced thin
1 Tbsp. dried currants

Directions for Apricot Slaw:
1. combine the cabbage, red onion, apple, and celery in a large bowl.
2. combine mayo, lemon juice, sugar, chives and salt and pepper in a separate bowl and mix together. pour over cabbage mixture and mix well. add the apricots and currants and mix once more. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. (will serve 4 easy)


sweet potato fries

Caraway Powder

1/4 cup caraway seed

1 Tbsp celery seed

2 tsp flaky sea salt

1/4 lb unsalted butter

organic tapioca maltodextrin as needed

- lightly toast caraway and celery seed in a skillet 1 minute

- add salt and butter and cook until butter has begun to brown.

- puree in blender and pass through small whole china cap

- in food processor combine strained oil with 1/4 cup maltodextrin at a time until desired consistency
- chill and pass through china cap once more.

Spicy Beet Wasabi Substitute

2 cups mustard oil

beet schmoo (recipe follows)

- puree thoroughly in blender

Beet Schmoo

1 cup water

1/4 cup honey

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp agar agar

3 cups sliced roasted beets

- bring water, honey and salt to a simmer

- whisk in agar agar and stir 2 minutes

- puree everything in blender and allow to cool

Stewed Onions

spanish onions, sliced
salt and white pepper as needed
mixture of 2 parts heavy cream and 1 part half & half as needed
chilled butter as needed

- bring 2 pots of salted water to a boil
- boil sliced onions in one pot for 5 minutes
- drain and rinse onions under cold water
- reboil onions in the second pot for 5 minutes
- drain and rinse under cold water
- add cream mixture to onions just to cover
- season and bring to simmer
- mount with chilled butter to thicken

Peas & Carrots

Peas

3 oz sliced spring bunch vidalia onions
1 oz canola oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
8 oz cooked peas
4 large basil leaves, torn
1 tsp sugar
2 oz water
4 oz water
1/4 cup half & half
1 tsp agar agar

- sweat onion in oil and butter over low to medium heat
- when onion softens add peas, basil and sugar and toss to coat
- add 2 ounces water and allow to cool
- puree with 4 ounces water in blender
- combine pea mixture with half & half in saucepan over high heat
- when mixture simmers, whisk in agar agar and stir constantly 2 minutes
- pass through chinois and set in desired form

Carrots

8 oz peeled, cored and chopped carrot
3 oz sliced spring bunch vidalia onion
1/4 oz peeled, thin-sliced ginger
1 oz canola oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flaked Maldon sea salt
4 oz ginger ale
4 oz ginger ale again
4 oz water
3/4 cup half & half
1 tsp agar agar

- sweat the carrot, onion, ginger and salt in the oil and butter over low to medium heat for 5 minutes.
- add 4 ounces ginger ale and turn heat to high
- reduce until almost dry and repeat with remaining ginger ale
- reduce until almost dry and puree in blender with 4 ounces water
- combine carrot puree with half & half in heavy saucepan
- bring to a simmer and whisk in agar agar
- whisk constantly 2 minutes and pass through chinois
- set in desired form

Spanishy Tomato Stew

4 links (1/2 lb) chorizo, casing removed, cut into oblique
1/4 cup xv olive oil
1 1/2 lb spanish onion, large dice
1/2 tsp saffron steeped in 1/2 cup sherry

4 lbs tomatoes, peeled, seeded and guts strained and reserved, large dice
2 Tbsp pimenton dulce
salt as needed
1/4 cup sweet cabernet vinegar
picked leaves from 1 bunch parsley

- in large heavy saucepan, lightly brown chorizo in olive oil
- add onion, season with 1 Tbsp salt and cook until softened
- add saffron, sherry and reserved tomato liquid; cook 5 minutes
- add tomatoes, reduce heat to low and cook 1 hour, stirring often
- taste and adjust seasoning with salt
- add pimenton and vinegar; continue to stew 15 minutes
- allow to cool and fold in parsley leaves

Saturday Night chips and salsa

see title for link
Chips Ingredients:

1 tsp. paprika
3/4 tsp. cumin
1 Tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sucanat
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
8 small organic (gluten free) corn tortillas, quartered
peanut oil in a pump spray

Ingredients for Salsa:

1 avocado, diced
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
3 clementines, sectioned and chopped
1/2 cup raspberries, chopped
3 green onions. sliced into thin little slices
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1 jalapeno pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 500°.

2. To prepare chips, combine paprika, cumin, teaspoon salt, sugar, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. Arrange tortilla wedges in a single layer on 2 baking sheets; coat with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 500° for 4 or 5 minutes. Turn wedges over; coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle paprika mixture evenly over wedges. Bake an additional 1 or 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; cool completely.

4. To prepare salsa, combine avocado and juice in a medium bowl; toss gently to coat. Add clementine sections and remaining ingredients; toss gently to combine.

Serve salsa with chips, organic (gluten free) refried beans, and some tofutti or sour cream if you eat dairy.

Waiting for Spring flourless chocolate cake

This was adapted from a cooks Illustrated recipe. You don't need to add the coffee. But I can't imagine why you wouldn't! This flourless chocolate cake is the ultimate treat for someone on a gluten free diet. We have used Green & Blacks dark chocolate as it is gluten free. This is not health food. Eat only one piece and then find other people to share with. haha

honestly, I thought I would make this just for the blog. The cake actually caused me a bit of pain due to the large amounts of fat and sugar. if you have IBS, just eat the tiniest slice. k?

Ingredients:

8 large eggs, cold

1 lb. organic dark baking chocolate, chopped

1/2 pound unsalted organic butter, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1/4 cup strong coffee

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom of 8-inch springform pan with parchment and grease pan sides. Cover pan underneath and along sides with sheet of heavy-duty foil and set in large roasting pan. Bring Kettle of water to boil.

2. Beat eggs with mixer at med/high speed until volume doubles to approximately 1 quart, about 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, melt chocolate and butter (adding coffee) in large heatproof bowl set over pan of almost simmering water, until smooth and very warm (about 115 degrees on an instant-read thermometer), stirring once or twice. (For the microwave, melt chocolate at 50 percent power for 2 minutes, stir, add butter, and continue heating at 50 percent power, stirring every minute, until chocolate and butter have melted and are smooth, another 2 to 3 minutes total.) Fold ⅓ of egg foam into chocolate mixture using large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of eggs are visible; fold in half of remaining foam, then last of remaining foam, until mixture is totally homogenous.

4. Scrape batter into prepared springform pan and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Set roasting pan on oven rack and pour in enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until cake has risen slightly, edges are just beginning to set, a thin glazed crust (like a brownie) has formed on surface, and an instant-read thermometer inserted halfway through center of cake registers at 140 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove cake pan from water bath and set on wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to mellow (can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days).

5. About 30 minutes before serving, remove springform pan sides, invert cake on sheet of waxed paper, peel off parchment pan liner, and turn cake right side up on serving platter. Sieve light sprinkling of confectioners' sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder over cake to decorate, if desired.

Gribiche-like sauce for Tuna Tartare, April, 2009

1 cup rough-chopped scallions
1 cup rough-chopped cornichons
1 cup rough-chopped peeled celery
1 cup rough-chopped hard cooked egg white
1/4 cup minced chervil
1/4 cup microplaned lemon zest
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 cups xv olive oil
1 cup aioli
1/4 cup whole grain mustard

- process first 4 ingredients in robot coupe
- whisk in remaining ingredients