Purely Drivel

food journal...a reminder for myself

I've been fighting a cold/allergies/sinus/coughing thing for almost two weeks now.

And I've realized something...

when I don't feel good, I don't eat good.

Pardon my grammar.

But I don't.  Instead of eating the foods that bring health and wellness, I've been eating cheese tamales from Costco...leftover Easter candy...soda instead of water...anything else I can find that's processed and gluten-free (not easy)...and craving the cookies and bread and all that other gluten-filled stuff I just can't eat.  It's been an all day fight against the cravings that I know will only make me feel worse.  

Quite a difference from two weeks ago, when I took a few photos of what I was eating to create a visual food journal of what sort of meals keep me feeling my best.  I've debating sharing them, but because I need a little visual inspiration so badly right now to keep the fight up...here we go...

Breakfasts - I'm finding fruit and nuts to be a big win for me.  Apples and almonds or a sliced banana and walnuts with a sprinkle of cinnamon...sometimes a greens smoothie.  A little sugar, a lot of fiber and some protein.  It doesn't seem like much, but they keep me going better than a bowl of cereal ever did.

For snacks - more of those breakfasts.  A handful of almonds, an apple, a bowl of strawberries.  And I'm realizing I need less of them than I tend to think I do.

 

Lunches -I have a huge tendency to find something and eat it until I'm sick of it.  Somehow, in all the years I've been eating them, I've never been tired of black bean quesadillas.  My other lunch of choice is a great big dinner plate sized salad with lots of chopped veggies, beans and sometimes a little fruit.  

I'm going to have to find something new, though, for a bit - sinus issues have me convinced I need to stay away from dairy for a bit.  

And a side question - how do you feel about mango?  It's a new-to-me fruit and I'm still not sure I like it.  Some bites are great, others seem to taste a little grassy.

Dinners - mushroom fajitas (this recipe, with mushrooms instead of flank steak), mongolian tempeh (again, tempeh instead of beef), veggie omelettes, rice or quinoa pasta with a little sun-dried tomato pesto and sauteed vegetables...more big salads, roasted mushrooms and sauteed spinach, steamed artichokes, grilled veggies, Southwest bean and rice salad, stir fried rice with a little egg...

There it is.

That hunger for whole foods - foods they way God made them - it's back.

What reminder do you need today?

Gluten-free Almond Cake with Spiced Peach Topping

In the past three weekends, I've made this cake three times.  First, in a baking class...then for a family dinner...and finally for Tom's birthday.  And every single time, it has been a huge hit with absolutely everyone and I've had multiple requests for the recipe.  

The cake base is incredibly flexible - you can pretty much top it with just about anything.  The cooked peach topping was terrific last weekend.  Blackberries cooked down to almost a jam-like consistency were pretty darn good, too.  Chopped mandarin oranges and pineapple?  Also yummy.  As a gluten-free base for strawberry shortcake?  I can't wait.  Maybe a glaze of chocolate ganache...or apricot jam...a caramel drizzle...an orange glaze?  It would all work wonderfully.  Even the spices are infinitely adaptable - I want to try ginger with that apricot jam.  I'm even planning to turn it into a carrot cake for Easter, and after that maybe a banana cake.

And it goes without saying that any of those are even better with a dollop of fresh whipped cream!

But even better than all of that is that there is no refined sugar and no gluten in this cake, but it still retains a moist, cake-like texture.   It's also fairly easy to throw together and doesn't require any of the expensive and often intimidating gums so often found in gluten-free baking.  

Note: I've been buying almond meal from Whole Foods, and after learning to grind my own in class I will definitely not be doing that again!  A cup and a quarter of almonds yields about a cup and a half of ground almonds - just what you need for this recipe.  Just throw them in a food processor and turn it on and let it go.  Grind until you have a fine flour.  Go to far, and you'll end up with almond butter - but the savings are definitely worth the few minutes and a little experimenting!

Gluten-Free Almond Cake
Serves 4 to 6
Recipe inspired by Bauman College Staff 

1.5 cups ground almonds
3/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. plus 1/8 t. salt
1 to 2 teaspoon cinnamon (your preference - 1 t. gives just a hint)
pinch of nutmeg
3 eggs, separated
3 T. honey
2.25 t. vanilla extract
small pinch cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly oil a springform pan or tart pan, and line the bottom with a parchment round.
Could you use a regular cake pan?  Maybe.  I haven't tried it yet, but with enough oil and parchment I think it might work.  Let me know if you try! 

Place almonds in large mixing bowl, and add baking powder, salt and spices.  Mix until combined.

Separate the eggs.  

Add the yolks to the dry ingredients, along with the honey and vanilla.

Using a hand or stand mixer, whip the egg whites until you have stiff peaks.  

Gently fold the egg whites into the almond mixture, about a third at a time.  
That almond mixture is THICK - so really take your time with this and be gentle, but also be sure they're completely combined or you'll have white streaks in your finished cake.

 Carefully pour the batter into your prepared pan, and gently spread evenly.  

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Cool for a few minutes before removing the ring of the springform pan or the base of the tart pan.  

Allow to cool completely before serving.

One more thing: be sure to remove that parchment paper before placing it on your serving dish!
Not that I'm talking from experience or anything =) 

 

Spiced Peach Topping
Serves: 4 to 6

3 cups frozen or fresh peaches, (if frozen, defrosted and juice reserved) 
2 - 3 teaspoons sugar (I've been using coconut sugar and love it - low on the glycemic index and plenty sweet)
1 t. cinnamon
A few tablespoons of water, if needed 

Combine all ingredients on saucepan over medium heat.

Allow to come to a simmer and turn heat to low.

Simmer until the peaches break down and the sauce reduces and thickens.  

Can be served warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

 

This post is linked to:

• Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free
• Tasty Tuesdays at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
• Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace

Roasted Mushrooms with Shallots, Garlic and Soy

 

When I was in high school, our band boosters club put on a steak dinner and auction every year as a fundraiser.   It was a blast (probably because my best friends and I always seemed to finagle a way to work the soda's only bar rather than the food) and raised a good amount of money each year.  My favorite part, though, were the leftover mushrooms.  I know they were marinated, but I'm not sure how they were cooked.  Leftovers were auctioned off in large jars and the bidding could get fierce.  When the leftovers came home with us, I would eat them by the bowlful. 

These aren't exactly the same.  I'd still love to find that exact band booster dinner recipe, but this one is just as good (and doesn't have to be made to serve several hundred).  It was one of five side dishes I made for Christmas dinner this year, and I'm thinking I might have gotten a just a little bit carried away.

I'm going to blame it on the fact that I can't eat gluten, which seriously cut into my holiday baking.  That urge has go somewhere, right?

This one...it tied for my favorite.  The other one (roasted cauliflower in a parmesean sauce) will have to wait until after our cross-country move next week.

I adore mushrooms and throw them in everything I can.  I'd never roasted them before, beyond throwing a couple of sad looking ones from the bottom of the vegetable drawer into a baking dish with other veggies.   I knew I wanted something special to go with the rib eye steaks husband dear had his heart set on for Christmas dinner, and roasted mushrooms seemed like an obvious choice.  I pulled together a few recipes, compared notes and came up with this.  I've made it another time since and decided it's a keeper.

Roasted Mushrooms with Shallots, Garlic and Soy
served 7 with no leftovers (bummer)

1.5 to 2 pounds mushrooms (I used white, but I'll definitely add some crimini next time)
3 shallots (or more) cut in wedges
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 - 3 T. olive oil
1 T. soy sauce (I prefer Tamari)
several 2" pieces of fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.

Trim mushrooms and cut large ones in half.  Combine in a bowl with the shallots. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the garlic, soy and olive oil.  

Toss mushrooms and shallots with the garlic mixture and transfer to a baking sheet.  Place several springs of rosemary about the pan.

Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.

This post is linked to:

• Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free
• Tasty Tuesdays at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
• Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace

Flourless Chocolate Turtle Cake

 

Ummm...

I've made this cake twice in the past week, and I"m already looking for another something special to take it to.

The first time, I made it exactly as directed in Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking (which I love) and served it with fresh whipped cream and crunched up candy canes.  It was absolutely amazing, but...a little bit too much.

The second time, I made a few small changes and cut the recipe in half.

Oh, and added a carmel sauce and pecans.  

And more fresh whipped cream.

Just for fun =)

Either way, it's amazing.  Dense, rich and chocolatey beyond reason, it's perfect for special occasions regardless of whether you can eat gluten or not (New Year's and Valentine's Day come to mind).   And I'm thinking you could get crazy with the toppings...dulce de leche, Bailey's whipped cream, glazed strawberries, something minty...the possibilities are endless!  And while it's baked in a spring form pan, I think I'm might try baking it as short cupcakes next time with more toppings.

Flourless Chocolate Turtle Cake
Serves: hmmm....we had 8 people and didn't even eat half  (I told you it's rich!)

Cake
7 oz. dark chocolate (I used the dark chocolate chunks from Whole Foods)
1/2 lb. salted butter
2/3 c. plus 1 T. sugar
1/2 c. half and half
2 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. salt
4 eggs
Shortening and cocoa powder for greasing the pan 

Turtle Topping
7 oz. carmels (removed from the wrappers)
1 T. evaporated milk
1 T. butter 
1 c. pecans 

For the cake....
Preheat oven to 350.

Using butter or shortening, grease a 10" spring form pan.

In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and dark chocolate.  

Once melted and combined, remove from heat and add sugar, stirring to dissolve.
This takes a few minutes -  I do it by hand, but I assume a mixer would work too.

Stir in the half and half, vanilla and salt. 

Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl.  

Slowly pour and mix the chocolate mixture into the eggs, mixing completely until very well blended.
The half and half cools the chocolate down enough that I haven't had anything curdle or scramble.

Pour the batter into the spring form pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cake is just set.
And be sure the ring is properly attached to the base of the spring form pan before pouring the batter in or you are in trouble!

Remove cake to a  cooling rack and allow to cool completely before removing the ring.

Remove the ring and refrigerate the cake until chilled, leaving the cake on the spring form base.
Because even if you wanted to, I'm not sure you could get it off.

For the turtle topping... 
In a heavy saucepan, melt carmels with butter and evaporated milk, stirring until completely mixed.

Allow to cool and thicken for a few minutes, then pour over the top of the completely cooled cake.

Top with pecans, either whole in a ring around the edge or chopped and sprinkled.

Chill again in the refrigerator.

To serve...
Remove the cake from the refrigerator half an hour to an hour before serving.  Serve as is or topped with fresh whipped cream and enjoy!

• Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free
• Tasty Tuesdays at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
• Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace

Next week...roasted mushrooms with shallots and rosemary!

Gluten-Free Christmas Lebkucken

 

When I finally accepted the fact that I can't eat gluten any more, there were two foods that came to mind immediately that I knew I'd have to figure out how to adapt quickly - my Thanksgiving stuffing (done rather easily by turning a loaf of Udi's into bread cubes) and lebkucken (pronounced lock-who-gen). 

I knew the lebkucken were going to be a little more difficult, but to me...they are the Christmas cookie...the one my great-grandmother and my grandmother made and that my mom not only made, but sold at craft fairs when I was a kid...the cookies that covered my parent's dining room table as we frosted and sprinkled for hours...the ones that we describe as "sort of like gingerbread, but so much better"...the treat that got left out for Santa every year (and still does) with a glass of milk and a carrot for Rudolph...and the ones we would hide in zipper bags in the freezer or a high cupboard, to re-discover months later because they just got better. 

I'm not sure that these will get better with time (though they were better this morning than they were yesterday), and with our upcoming move I'm not sure I'll be able to test that out this year.  I'm not sure the flour mix is 100% perfect and may tinker with it in the future, but for this year it's good enough.   I searched and searched and searched to find a recipe close to the one passed down from my Great-Grandma and finally had to just wing it.  The flour mix and rolling technique are based on this gingerbread recipe from Ginger Lemon Girl and they worked quite well.  I'd love to make this a little less refined in the future, but decided the flours were enough of a change for this year.

Gluten-Free Christmas Lebkucken
Makes about 50 2.5" cookies (more or less depending on what shape you cut)

1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. molasses
1 c. sweet rice flour
1 c. sorghum flour
1 c. tapioca starch
1/2 t. xanthan gum
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1 t. each: cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg
1/2 t. baking soda
1 egg
1 T. lemon juice
Extra sweet rice flour for rolling out

To make the dough:
Combine honey and molasses in a small sauce pan over medium heat.  Bring just to a boil, remove from heat and allow to cool.
I usually do this the night before I plan to make the cookies.  And keep an eye on it - honey and molasses boiling over make a mess on the stove that smells great, but is torture to clean up!

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours and xanthan gum.
I used a wisk to combine, which I thought worked pretty well. 

Add in brown sugar, spices and baking soda.  Combine.
And take a big sniff - it smells lovely!

Add the egg, lemon juice and honey/molasses mixture and stir with a strong wooden or bamboo spoon to combine.
I suppose you could use a strong mixer, but there's something about doing this by hand.   And a strong spoon is necessary - metal will bend and we've broken countless lesser wooden spoons in this dough through the years.

Form dough into loaf, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled.
This makes a huge difference in the texture of the dough.  I left mine in the fridge about an hour and a half.

To roll, cut and bake:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut two sheets of plastic wrap, and tape one to the counter so it doesn't move while you're rolling.
This made it sooo much easier to roll.

Sprinkle with sweet rice flour, and place one third of the dough log on the plastic wrap taped to the counter.  Dust the top of the dough with more rice flour and cover with the second piece of plastic wrap.

Roll the dough to about 1/4" thick and cut using your preference of cookie cutter. 

Place cookies on cookie sheets about 1" apart and bake for 10-12 minutes.  The cookies will brown lightly on the edges and feel firmer to the touch.
I used my Pampered Chef baking stones, didn't bother to line them with anything and had no issues with sticking at all.  If I were using a regular baking sheet, I would have lined with parchment or a Silpat mat (which I don't have, but really want).

The uncut part can be smooshed back together and rolled again to cut. 
But try not to do it too many times - each time you roll, you're adding a bit more rice flour to the dough which can make it a little tougher.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To frost:
I've never measured this, but I dump a cup or two of powdered sugar into a bowl and add milk slowly.  Whisk until there are no lumps and you've reached the consistency you desire.  I don't like it super thick, but not so thin that it runs off the cookie.  A dash of vanilla or a bit of orange or lemon juice are nice additions.

And sprinkles are definitely optional, but highly recommended!

Adaptations:

• For a vegan cookie, replace the egg with egg replacer and the milk in the glaze with almond milk.   I've read varying opinions on whether or not honey is vegan, so you're going to have to use your own judgement.
• For the original version, just like Grandma used to make, skip the flours and xanthan gum and add in 3 cups of all-purpose flour...except the batch I grew up with my Mom and Grandma making was 4 times the size of this one.  That's a whole lot of cookies! 
  Also, there's no need to refrigerate before rolling with the original.

Have a wonderful Christmas and be sure to check back next Tuesday for a decadent flourless chocolate cake perfect for ringing in the New Year!

• Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free
• Tasty Tuesdays at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
• Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace

Homemade Corn Tortillas

To be entirely honest, I feel a little silly posting a corn tortilla recipe.   They are super easy and super yummy, but once you've made them at home you will never, ever want to buy them at the store again.  

Best of all?

They're naturally gluten-free. 

We use them for tacos, quesadillas, tostadas and I've even fried strips in coconut oil for chicken-tortilla soup.  They're not usually big enough for enchiladas, but I've sliced them up and layered for an enchilada casserole.

But wait...how easy are they?
The eight year old makes them. 

With almost no help from me.

One note: I suppose it's possible to make corn tortillas without a tortilla press, but the press makes it so easy.  A rolling pin would work just fine, as a tortilla press is one of those uni-tasking tools I generally try to avoid.   I found my press at a Mexican market in my small town.  It was about $25, but it's more than earned it's cost back and then some.    I use mine for corn and flour...when I make flour, which isn't very often anymore since I can't actually eat them. 

Also, if you can't find masa harina check the "ethnic" section of the grocery store or find a Mexican market.  I pay less than $2 for a bag of it, but Bob's Red Mill also makes a great masa harina that's a bit pricier but tends to taste fresher in my opinion.

Homemade Corn Tortillas
makes about a dozen or so, depending on size

1 3/4 c. masa harina
1 t. salt
1 cup plus 2 T. hot water
1 large zipper bag, cut into circles about an inch larger than your tortilla press (you'll see what I mean)

Mix ingredients thoroughly in a bowl.  
I start with a spoon, but usually end up getting my hands in there.  The dough will not be sticky - almost more like playdough.

Let rest for 15 minutes.
I like to cover it with a wet kitchen towel to help it keep from getting dried out.

Heat griddle or cast iron skillet to medium high heat.
It is super important to start with a hot pan!  And I usually have two pans going at once to get it done faster.

Roll dough into balls about the size of a golf ball.
You might need to adjust size depending on the dimensions of your press, but I find golf ball sized to work pretty well.

 

Place zipper bag circle on the tortilla press, place a dough ball in the center and cover with the other zipper bag circle.
If I were going to roll these by hand, I would definitely still roll them between the zipper bag circles.  You could also probably use plastic wrap or maybe even parchment paper, but I've been using the same zipper bag circles for nearly a year and they work for me.

Close the press.  
You might want to open it, turn the now squished dough ball 180 degrees and do it again.  I've noticed my press isn't always even.

  
That's about a 6" tortilla that's about 1/8" thick.

Peel off the top layer of zipper bag circle,  and gently unmold the tortilla onto the hot pan. 
I totally should have taken pictures of this step.  I sort of carefully move the tortilla from the bottom layer of the zipper bag circle to my hand and then slide it or roll it into the pan.  You might have to try it a few times to get the hang of it.  If you uncooked tortilla breaks before you get it in the pan, roll it in a ball and press again.  If the tortilla's already started cooking, you might be able to press it gently back together.  It's a pretty forgiving dough!

Let cook for 30 seconds to a minute and flip.  Cook for another 30 seconds to a minute and remove from the pan.  I just stack them up on a plate and wrapped with a towel until they're all done and ready to eat.
How do you know when they're ready to flip?  They'll start to freckle just a bit. 

One more note:
I usually have two pans heated for cooking (you can see the second pan in the background of the top photo), and it goes fairly quickly.  We press each tortilla and it goes straight into the pan.   I generally make the dough about half an hour before whatever we're eating them with is ready, and start cooking them 10 minutes before we eat.

This recipe is linked to:

• Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free
• Tasty Tuesdays at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
• Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace

Brown Rice Pudding

 

One of the things I find most interesting about the explosion of cooking blogs and online recipes is tracking the trail of where a recipe started.  I originally noticed this recipe on this website...which lead me to Manifest Vegan...where an hour of reading and drooling lead me straight into the kitchen with a copy of  Autumn Rice Pudding...which is delicious and lead me an ah-ha moment...

Since going gluten-free in August, I've struggled with breakfasts.  Actually, the issues didn't start until about October, when I started craving a more wintery breakfast.  You know the ones I'm talking about - warm, filling, spiced just right - and it's been a quandry.  After a month of eating gluten-free oatmeal and feeling sluggish and a bit daft each morning, I realized perhaps  that wasn't really the best choice for me.  I also realized I really need to change up my breakfast foods a little more often than two or three times a year...something I'll be working on.

But this ah-ha moment...

Growing up, when we had leftover rice it was fairly common to find it served for breakfast the next morning warmed up with cinnamon and sugar and a bit of milk.  It's one of my favorite childhood breakfasts, and even with white Minute Rice it was one of the only ones that didn't leave me with a stomach ache. 

This is the grown up version of that childhood breakfast. 

And it's soooo much better tasting and nourishing than that Minute Rice and white sugar.

I did make a few changes to suit my taste and I expect you probably will as well.  I love that this is one of those great base recipes that can be adapted and switched around to accomodate your favorites.  I've made it three times now, and each time I've been inspired by new ingredients.  Cranberries, pecans, dates - oh, dates would be amazing -  are all on my list to try, as is a pinch of cloves.  That little bit of garam masala adds the most amazing background flavors.  I substituted sucanat, and less of it, to keep it from getting too overly sweet when adding the raisins.  It's even better after a day or two in the refrigerator, and I've been heating it up with a little more almond milk for breakfast or eating  it cold as a snack. 

Seriously, I can't get enough.

One quick note: when I cooked my brown rice for the first batch, I went ahead and made the whole bag.  Let it cool completely on the counter, portion 3 cups into freezer bags, refrigerate over night and freeze.  It doesn't take any longer to cook that giant batch of rice and it saves me time in the long run!

Brown Rice Pudding
Makes enough for about 4 hearty breakfasts

3 cups cooked brown rice
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
1 cup apples, peeled and diced
3/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
3/4 cup Sucanat
3/4 cup almond milk (I've used homemade and store-bought and had success with both)
3 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

Over medium heat, melt coconut oil in a large saucepan. 

Add chopped apples and sweat for a few minutes.

While that's getting started, combine the almond milk, vanilla and cornstarch in a bowl.  Whisk until combined.

Add nuts, raisins, nutmeg, cinnamon, garam masala and half the salt.  Cook together until apples are tender, stirring often. 

Stir in sucanat, and cook for another minute or two.  The sucanat will heat up, melt and caramelize a bit and get even more delicious.

Add the cooked rice and gently stir.  Pour in the almond/milk/cornstarch mixture and cook over medium heat for several minutes, still stirring pretty often.  The cornstarch mixture will thicken everything up a little. 

Gently stir in the rest of the salt and serve.

Serve warm or chilled. 

This recipe is linked to:

• Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free
• Tasty Tuesdays at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
• Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace

 

Garam Masala Glazed Carrots

 

I've had a jar of garam masala sitting on my counter for the last two months.  I picked it up for an Indian inspired burger recipe that I still haven't gotten around to making, so it's been rather sad and  lonely.  I smell it at least once or twice a week (and it's quickly becoming one of my favorite scents) and have even tasted it a few times, but I've got to admit...I've been a little bit intimidated by it.

Pretty silly, right? 

And like most ingredients I'm intimidated by - risotto, chiles in adobo sauce, shallots, wild rice - after using it once, I can't figure out why I was so nervous about it.   I added a bit of garam masala to a glazed carrot recipe I've been making, and it just took them to a whole new level.    It's a bit too late to work this into my Thanksgiving menu and they're a bit similar in concept to sweet potatoes, but I think they'll make a great side dish to Christmas dinner.  Even better, I can steam the carrots earlier in the day and then saute them in the glaze to heat back up while the meat rests right before dinner. 

Best of all?  It's one of those great dishes that is naturally gluten-free and good for you. 

So...what is garam masala?  Quite simply, garam masala is a spice blend used throughout India and the Indian subcontinent.  It can vary somewhat depending on region and cook, but I'm guessing that the jar I picked up at Whole Foods is pretty middle of the road.  I think once it's empty I'll try making it from scratch.   And a word of warning - use a light hand with the garam masala.  It can easily overpower the carrots if you add too much. 

Garam Masala Glazed Carrots
Serves 4-6

1 pound carrots, cut into 2" pieces (or coins if you prefer)
2 tablespoons butter
2  tablespoons sucanat (brown sugar works just fine too)
1/2  teaspoon garam masala
kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Steam carrots
in microwave or on stovetop

In saute pan over medium heat, melt butter and add sucanat.  Allow to get hot and bubbly, then add carrots.  Saute carrots in glaze for a minute or two, add garam masala and saute for a few more minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately. 

The leftovers aren't too bad either...if there are any! 

I am so glad I got over my garam masala intimidation.  Is there anything in your kitchen you've been meaning to try but haven't yet?  What's holding you back?

This recipe is linked to:

• Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free
• Tasty Tuesdays at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
• Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace

Cream of Tomato Soup

 

Much like chili, I don't remember eating tomato soup as a kid. 

Chicken noodle?  Sure. 

Split pea?  Of course. 

ABC vegetable?  Yes, please. 

But tomato soup?  No, ma'am.  That was something people who didn't have the common sense to get the chicken noodle ate.

Which is kind of a shame, because I've really grown to love it now.  Up until a few weeks ago, I'd never made it myself - just from the red and white Campbell's can.  And that old red and white can contains wheat flour...plus high fructose corn syrup, seemingly random oils and flavoring. 

I don't know why, but that random flavoring term kind of scares me.

So the search was on for an easy cream of tomato soup...preferable one that could be put together fairly quickly and cheaply.  Also, it had to taste good with a grilled cheese sandwich made on Udi's bread.   After hitting up my usual recipe searches, I pulled together a stack of recipes and unded up with this.  

It passed the Udi's grilled cheese test, which was a little more important after I had a woe-is-gluten-free lunch earlier that day, and passed the family taste test.  I've made it twice in the past 10 days and look forward to it more this winter.  And it passed the budget test - if I were really watching sales on the canned tomatoes and cream cheese, I could probably make this entire batch for about $3...but even without I think it cost me just over $5, which served four with leftovers.  

Cream of Tomato Soup
Makes approx 2 quarts, or 8 servings.
Based on this recipe by Elizabeth Foss

1 medium, chopped sweet onion
3 cloves chopped of garlic
2 TBSP butter or olive oil
2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained - 14 1/2 oz cans
2 large cans tomato puree
1 c. milk
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
2 tsp dried basil (or fresh if you have it)
8 oz cubed cream cheese
Freshly ground pepper to taste

• In a large soup pot, saute onions in butter or olive oil until nearly tender over medium heat.
  You really don't want color on your onions or garlic here - just sweat them until they're just about translucent.
• Add the garlic and saute a few more minutes until fragrant, being careful not to scorch the garlic.
• Stir in everything else EXCEPT the cream cheese.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Puree the entire mixture in a blender or with an immersion blender.
  I've been using my blender and am completely convinced an immersion blender would be 1)easier and 2) make less mess.
• Add cream cheese, stirring until melted.
  This step can take a while - that cream cheese does not like to melt too quickly!
• Season with pepper and serve immediately.

Notes:
This is a great, basic cream of tomato soup.  It would be easy to add in pasta or gnocchi for a little more bite (maybe with a sprinkling of parmesean), and next time I think I might add a cup or so of pre-cooked brown rice.  Husband dear also suggested that a little heat might be nice  - but then, he suggests that with pretty much every meal.  Next time, I'll make sure I have a bottle of pepper sauce so can each add our own level of spicyness.

This recipe is linked to:

• Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free
• Tasty Tuesdays at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
• Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace

mis en place

 

Can I share a recent epiphany?

I love to cook, and I especially love to try new recipes.  And I'm blessed with family that is usually pretty willing to go on any culinary adventure I take them on, which - let's be honest -  is pretty awesome.

I can be sort of a ditz in the kitchen, though.  I've been known to start recipes without making sure I have all of the ingredients on hand.  Sometimes, I  jump into a recipe without knowing exactly where it's going, how long it's going to take or what order I'm going to need things in.   And it's not unheard of for me to have part of a meal burning cooking too quickly in the pan while I'm frantically chopping up the next ingredient.

Enter the concept of mis en place.

Fancy French name for such a simple translation: to put in place.

Quite simply, it means having all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you get started.

I know.  Obvious, right? 

I mean, I've been watching Food Network forever and PBS cooking shows on Saturday afternoons for years before that.   Those little bowls of chopped ingredients tv chefs are always tossing in their mixing bowls or saute pans - mis en place.  Setting everything out by the stove or on the counter first - mis en place.  In restaurants, chef would never be able to get meals out in a timely manner without having completed their mis en place earlier in the day.   At home, I'm finding it can mean the difference between almost burnt okay and perfectly prepared delicious.

I know I read the term in Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential years ago, but it didn't really strike me until I read the sidebar on it in Gluten Free Girl and The Chef.  The description of Shauna frantically running back and forth between the refrigerator, stove and cutting board...it hit a little too close to home. 

It means reading the recipe, gathering all of the ingredients, and doing the prep work.  Chopping carrots, dicing onions, butterflying chicken breasts...putting everything into it's own bowl if necessary or combining them when you can.  You can do the work earlier in the day and maybe sometimes for a few days at a time (although I always think freshest always tastes best).  It takes so much of the stress out of the actual act of cooking or baking, and makes complicated recipes so much simpler.

The one downfall I've discovered about really working the mis en place?  It makes for a few more dishes...but trading a few extra bowls to wash for an easier cooking experience - yep, totally worth it especially as we head into that holiday baking and big meal season!

This post will be linked to Works For Me Wednesday at We Are That Family.