Coconut's Not Just For Dessert Anymore - Sweet Freedom: Living Allergen Free

From Dawn Kiehl-Beals Sweet Freedom: Living Allergen Free series.

Enjoy!

January's come and is almost gone, but there's still time to share one more winter comfort food recipe.  When I think of coconut, I usually think of macaroons dripping in chocolate or mile high merengue topping a coconut cream pie.  Rarely does it come to mind when I'm planning an entree.  However, if you want to add a sweet, chewy twist to an old favorite, then that's exactly where it belongs! 

Although an allergy to coconut is possible, it's rare when compared to dairy and wheat allergies.   Coconut provides not only a nutritious source of meat but water, milk and oil as well.  While coconut possesses many health benefits due to its fiber and nutritional content, it's the oil that makes it a truly remarkable food and medicine.  Once mistakenly believed to be unhealthy because of its high saturated fat content, it is now known that the fat in coconut oil is unique.   It is different from most all other fats and possesses many health giving properties. In fact, coconut oil is now described as "the healthiest oil on earth.  The fats in coconut oil do not have a negative effect on cholesterol and help to protect against heart disease. 

Today I'm going to pair coconut with lean chicken.  Lean chicken is one of the healthiest protein choices you can make.  Based on daily nutritional values, 4 oz of chicken gives you the following percentages in these key areas:

tryptophan128.1%

vitamin B3 (niacin)77.7%

protein 70.3%

selenium 44.7%

vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)34%

phosphorus 25.8%

Calories (187)10%

As much as I try to be healthy, I still enjoy fried foods.  Today's recipe, Coconut Crusted Chicken with Sweet Chili Sauce, allows me to cheat a little while still making healthy choices.

Coconut Chicken with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

2 lbs.  boneless, skinless chicken breasts           

2 large eggs           

1/4 cup coconut milk            

1/2 cup gluten free flour           

1 cup gluten free bread crumbs           

1 cup shredded coconut           

1/2 tsp salt           

1/2 cup coconut oil, divided           

1 cup  sweet chili sauce       

    

STEP 1: Cut off any extra fat globules from your chicken breasts. Cut each breast into 6 strips, diagonally to prevent the end strips from being really short.

STEP 2: Prepare your breading station by gathering three bowls. In the first bowl combine the flour and salt. In the second bowl, combine the eggs and coconut milk. Whisk together until well combined. In the third bowl, stir together the bread crumbs and shredded coconut.

STEP 3: Place 1/4 cup of coconut oil in a large heavy duty skillet and heat over medium/high heat until it is just below smoking. You can test the heat by throwing in a little bit of flour. When it is hot enough, the flour will sizzle and create a lot of bubbles. 

STEP 4: While the oil is heating, dredge the chicken strips. First, coat each strip in the flour and salt mixture. Then dip each into the eggs/coconut milk and finally coat each in bread crumbs and shredded coconut. I find it easiest to coat all of them in the flour then go back and then do the egg wash and bread crumbs/coconut for each before moving onto the next.

STEP 5: After breading the strips, the oil should be hot enough. Place about 6 strips in the pan at once. There should only be one layer in the pan and there should be about an inch between each strip. If you over crowd the pan it will get too cold and the strips will soak up a lot of oil instead of frying. Fry the strips for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown and crispy. Place them on a plate with paper towel to drain and move on to the next batch. After a couple of batches you may need more oil so you can add the second 1/4 cup to the pan. Allow the oil to come up to temperature before frying the next batch (2-3 minutes). Because the strips are thin, they should be cooked through by the time both sides are browned. You can tell by the texture of the chicken; it should be stiff when pressed. If you cut your strips thicker, you will need to bake off the chicken after frying to make sure the insides are cooked through.

STEP 6: When all of the strips are done frying, serve immediately with sweet chili sauce to dip in. I garnished mine with a little bit of chopped cilantro.

The coconut milk and oil used in the recipe not only add additional health benefits but also an additional level of coconut flavor.  If you want to change this into a super healthy version, you can bake the chicken strips instead of frying them. 

Below find a yummy recipe to use the remaining coconut milk:

Coconut Milk Whipped Cream

Directions

Chill one (or partial) full fat can of coconut milk in refrigerator over night Scoop out all of the thickened cream (discard or drink the water) Add cinnamon and vanilla to taste.

Whip in a mixing bowl until it begins to thicken.

Enjoy!

A Mid Winter's Dream - Sweet Freedom Living Allergen Free

Dawn Kiehl-Beals latest installment in her Sweet Freedom series.  Don't miss her recipes even if you don't need to eat allergen free.  I can attest from experience that they are excellent.

  Thanks Dawn!

I admit it; I’m already tired of winter and am dreaming of hot sunny days.  I know that my ski loving friends haven’t seen enough snow yet but I’ve never been a fan of a sport that requires multiple layers of clothes, possible loss of fingers and toes and my nose freezing shut with each breathe I take!  I’m a summer girl whose favorite spot (and sport) is a lounge chair in the sun with Kindle in hand.

Dreaming about summer makes me think of grilling.  Umm, warm, breezy evenings on the deck with fresh seafood and vegetables sizzling on the grill.  What could be better?  My fantasy got the better of me and before I knew it I had Cascio’s shrimp, scallops and fish thawing on my counter.  By the time everything had thawed, I realized that my poor husband would not only have to shovel a path to the grill but would also have to chip the ice off just to get the lid open.  So much for my active imagination, now what would I do with the thawed seafood on my counter. 

That’s when I remembered a delicious dish I had enjoyed several years ago in Grand Cayman.  I liked it so much that I ate it several times that week and then worked on recreating the recipe at home until I got it right.  I dubbed it Caribbean Curried Seafood and it’s been one of our favorites ever since.  The creamy coconut sauce and warm spices make it a perfect meal for winter plus when served on a bed of rice it falls right onto my comfort food list. 

Seafood is a great way to get lots of lean protein while keeping the calorie count low.  The long-chain omega-3s found in seafood benefit everyone’s health.  Omega 3s, also known as essential fatty acids, have been known as necessary to normal growth and health since the 1930s.  Improved heart health, sharper brain function, eye and vision health and improved immune function are just a few of the ways Omega 3s benefit the body.

Stop by Cascio’s to pick up the ingredients to this easy, festive dish and enjoy a taste of summer now!

Caribbean Curried Seafood

2 pounds seafood (shrimp, scallops, mahi-mahi)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

¼ cup olive oil

1-tablespoon mild curry powder

2 teaspoons ginger

Sea Salt to taste

2 cups coconut milk

Pour ¼ cup oil into a heavy-based skillet over medium heat.  Toss in the seafood, garlic and bell pepper and cook about 3 or 4 minutes.  Set aside.  In another skillet add coconut milk, curry powder and ginger.  Stir well and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is much reduced and thick, about 10 minutes.  (If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can add a tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in cold water to the coconut milk).  Once the coconut milk and spices are thick, add the seafood and red pepper and cook until seafood is cooked.  Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.  Serve immediately over rice.  (For a spicier dish add Scotch Bonnet hot pepper sauce to taste.  You can also increase the amount of curry powder and ginger.)

   

Tuscan Corner - Artichokes

Jane Rose Adams gives us another installment in her Tuscan Corner series. Today she addresses one of my favorite foods, artichokes.  As I type this we do not have artichokes in the store as Don only brings them when they are outstanding.  He will take another look on Monday for a beautiful "choke" and if he finds an outstanding specimen we will have them.  Check out Jane's idea and then give us a chance to get you the perfect artichokes to work with. You will love them. Thanks Jane!

artichoke:: a tall Mediterranean composite herb resembling a thistle with coarse pinnately incised leaves; also : its edible immature flower head which is cooked as a vegetable

I grew up eating stuffed artichokes that my grandmother lovingly prepared several times a year. Many of you are familiar with the artichoke hearts found in cans or jars and used in dips or in casseroles. And some of you may even enjoy eating a simple steamed/boiled artichoke whose leaves are dipped in butter and lemon juice. Fewer people are familiar with my grandmother’s method. She took the steamed artichoke one step further and stuffed it with simple yummy ingredients and then baked it in the oven.

It was a delicacy that none of my peers understood. Most of them were “grossed out” at the thought of eating a giant thistle. At age seven I was skilled in the technique. Plucking a petal from the green thistle, I’d tightly place it between my teeth, fleshy side down and pull through to remove the soft meaty delicious portion of the petal. Once I got to the heart, 

it became a little tricky.  Using a spoon, grandma taught me to gently but firmly scoop out the fuzzy choke from the center of the artichoke.

Let’s start with some very basic ingredients.

• a few artichokes of course

• Romano cheese, grated or cut into small chunks

• chopped fresh garlic cloves

• bread crumbs

• salt and pepper

Cut the stems from the artichoke. With kitchen scissors, trim the prickly tips from each leaf. Wash and prepare them for boiling in a large pot of water. Or if you prefer, they can be steamed or even prepared in a pressure cooker. No matter which way be sure to add to the water, a hefty shot of olive oil and a few cloves of garlic. Steam or boil for 25-35 minutes, or until the petals can easily be pulled from the globe. Don’t over-boil or they get mushy and they still have baking to do which will soften them as well.

Once the artichokes are boiled, strain them upside down for several minutes, allowing all the water to drip from between the petals. Generously load each choke with chunks of garlic and Romano cheese stuffing between as many petals as you can.  Transfer into a casserole dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs between the petals. Drizzle olive oil over the tops and sides. sprinkle a little salt and grind fresh pepper over each globe. Cover and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes.

The artichoke easily pulls apart when it is well done. The cheese melts into the baked garlic and bread crumbs and makes a deliciously gooey Italian taste! I introduced my kids to my grandmother’s creation when they were just toddlers. I’ve also impressed many dinner guests with her stuffed  artichokes. Occasionally I see them on a restaurant menu, but they rarely meet my expectations. Don’t be intimidated! This is an easy delicacy to prepare.

MANGIA!

A Pittsburgh Favorite - Sweet Freedom: Living Allergen Free

Another submission from Dawn Kiehl-Beals in her Sweet Freedom series.  I can't give these a personal endorsement, but Dawn can cook them for me soon....hint, hint....

Whether you spell it pierogi, pierogie or proghi, homemade pierogies are a Pittsburgh tradition and a delicious treat.  Although we don’t live in Pittsburgh, we are part of the geographical region dubbed the “Pierogie Pocket”.  Pierogies are made of thinly rolled dough filled with a variety of fillings and pressed into a crescent shape.  The primary fillings include meat, sauerkraut, mushrooms, and my favorite – potatoes and cheese.  Originally from Poland, pierogies arrived in the United States in the early 1900s.  During the 1940s they became a staple at church fundraisers in the northeast and upper Midwest.  By the early 50s, Americans of all ethnicities were enjoying this tasty dish.  According to a recent survey, Pittsburghers now consume 11 times more pierogies than any other city in the United States.  The Pittsburgh Pirates even hold a pierogi race during the bottom of the 5^th inning at every Pirates home game. 

This is an easy dish to translate into a gluten and dairy free version.  There are various recipes for the dough but my favorite is one that uses “sour cream”.  It adds to the unique combination of flavors and ingredients.  If you don’t already enjoy this doughy comfort food, add it to your list to try this winter! 

Pittsburgh Pierogies

INGREDIENTS:

4 1/2 cups gluten free flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons dairy free butter replacement, melted

2 cups soy sour cream or dairy free plain yogurt or cashew cream cheese

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 baking potatoes, peeled and cubed

Milk replacement to desired firm consistency

2 Tablespoons dairy free butter replacement or more to taste

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese replacement plus extra shredded cheese to use when assembling pierogies

Onion salt to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dairy free butter replacement, sour cream replacement, eggs, egg yolk and oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the flour until well blended. Cover the bowl with a towel, and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Place potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, mash and add milk replacement and dairy free butter replacement to desired taste and firm consistency.  Add shredded cheese replacement while still hot. Season with onion salt, salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.

3. Separate the pierogie dough into two balls. Roll out one piece at a time on a lightly floured surface until it is thin enough to work with, but not too thin so that it tears. Cut into circles using a cookie cutter, pierogie cutter, or a glass. Brush a little water around the edges of the circles, and spoon some filling into the center.  Add additional shredded cheese replacement to filling.  Fold the circles over into half-circles, and press to seal the edges. Place pierogies on a cookie sheet, and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to freezer storage bags or containers.

4. To cook pierogies: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop pierogies in one at a time. They are done when they float to the top. Do not boil too long, or they will be soggy! Remove with a slotted spoon.

5. In a medium sized skillet, fry a large sliced onion in a few tablespoons of dairy free butter replacement.  Once onions are browned add cooked pierogies until they are slightly browned and crispy around the edges.  Serve with sauerkraut and additional sour cream replacement.

Tiramisu (and time with Nelly!) - Tuscan Corner

Another installment in Jane Adam's Tuscan Corner series.  I love this one and especially like the side story about Nelly.  Jane has a Nelly and I have a Nellie.  Both create havoc in our lives, but as you will see in this story....Jane wins this round!

Mmmmm Tiramisu. Just looking at it breaks two of my new year resolutions! It’s delicious layers oozing with marscarpone cheese, coffee liquor, and intimidation! As much as I enjoy this rich and decadent dessert, I had never attempted to make it until recently because it seemed like so much work.  But I promised Jodi a blog, even if it is two weeks late!

It’s truly not difficult to create this dessert that will impress your friends and family. Moreso it’s time consuming and requires some organization because there are a few steps involved, especially if you bake your own Lady Fingers. The day I made tiramisu, I was frazzled, distracted and my kitchen looked like a batter bomb had exploded. Our very intuitive Chihuahua, Nelly realized I was deeply engrossed in this project and took that opportunity to misbehave... which ties in nicely with my Italian theme. You’ve heard of dogs that hunt for truffles? Sneaking into my bedroom closet she found several chocolate truffle bars I had been saving for stocking stuffers. Mid tiramisu mission, I began noticing her odd behavior (she rejected her dinner) as she was most likely suffering from indigestion and a serious caffeine buzz. She had consumed three four ounce bars and was hoarding a fourth for later when we discovered the empty wrappers. (Worried, I stayed up with her until 3:00 a.m. and the dog didn’t even vomit.) However considering she totally misunderstood the difference between truffle the fungi and truffle the chocolate, I don’t believe The Truffle Institute of Tuscany* will be calling her to lead any truffle hunting excursions in Italy.

But I digress.... Pay close attention to my next words of advice: There are shortcuts one can take to make this dessert a manageable task besides securing your chocolate bars from small truffle sniffing dogs. Making Lady Fingers from scratch IS NOT necessary! I clearly had been hit on the head by a circa 1950 Betty Crocker cookbook when I fell victim to these words: “Lady Fingers: These little sponge cakes are the building blocks of tiramisu. Practice your piping skills and make them at home!” Forget it! Buy them! Preferably from Cascio’s! Nobody will know the difference and it will save you much time, aggravation and mess.

  Tiramisu 

Filling

•                1 1/2 cups espresso or triple-strength regular coffee at room temperature

•                1/2 cup sugar

•                1/4 cup brandy (I substituted coffee liqueur and it was delicious)

•                2 egg yolks,

•                1 pound mascarpone cheese

•                One 8 ounce package ladyfingers (see even the recipe says BUY them)

•                4 ounces semisweet chocolate, shaved. (Keep this away from small dogs)  (Jodi's warning: Nelly)

The Icing

•                1 cup fresh whipping cream

•                1/4 teaspoon vanilla

•                2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Preparation:

Stir the espresso, sugar, and brandy (or coffee liqueur) together in a mixing bowl until the sugar dissolves. Remove 1/3 cup of the coffee mixture to another bowl and set the remainder aside. Whisk the egg yolks into the 1/3 cup of coffee. Add the marscarpone and whisk together just until smooth. Do not over-mix or it will separate.

Line the inside of a 91/2 x 51/2 inch loaf pan with a large sheet of wax paper. Tuck the wax paper into the corners of the pan - being careful not to tear it.

Dip the ladyfingers one at a time into the reserved coffee mixture and begin to place them crosswise in the lined pan. The lady fingers should be soaked with coffee and will expand a little. This will only take a few seconds; be sure not to soak them so long that they fall apart. Continue with more ladyfingers, lining the bottom of the pan lengthwise with them. Trim if they don't fit exactly.

Spread on half the cheese mixture. Sprinkle with 2 ounces of the shaved chocolate.

Layer again in the same manner with 7 more ladyfingers, the remaining cheese mixture and the remaining chocolate. Top the loaf pan off with the remaining soaked ladyfingers. Fold the wax paper up around the top of the pan and cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours (I've refrigerated it overnight with fine results.)

Invert the chilled loaf pan onto a serving platter and tap the bottom of the pan to remove the loaf. Remove the wax paper.

Whisk the cream, vanilla and confectioner's sugar until stiff. Spread this icing over the cake and top it off with a dusting of cocoa powder and shaved chocolate.

For those of you who like to make things from scratch and enjoy the extra mess, I have included a simple recipe for the Lady Fingers. But don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Ingredients

•           4 eggs, separated

•           2/3 cup white sugar

•           7/8 cup all-purpose flour

•           1/2 teaspoon baking powder

•            

Directions

1.        Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Line two 17 x 12 inch baking sheets with baking parchment. Fit large pastry bag with a plain 1/2 inch round tube.

2.        Place egg whites in bowl and beat on high until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and continue beating until stiff and glossy. In another bowl beat egg yolks and remaining sugar. Whip until thick and very pale in color.

3.        Sift flour and baking powder together on a sheet of wax paper. Fold half the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Fold in flour, and then add the remaining egg whites. Transfer mixture to pastry bag and pipe out onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes.

*Totally fabricated institute!

A Challenge and A Warm Dish For A Cold Winter’s Night - Sweet Freedom Allergen Free

Another submission from Dawn Kiehl-Beals in her Sweet Freedom series.  I like Dawn's commentary on Peace.  I hope you do too.  I picked this particular picture I took in Kooser because the concept of peace is what it brings to mind.  Enjoy!

Although we’ve had some single digit days at the beginning of the month and a storm here or there, overall this has been a mild winter.  That is, at least to date it’s been mild!  Who knows what the next few months will bring?  The weather, like many aspects of our lives can make us anxious and filled with worry. 

I’m typically not one for New Year’s Resolutions but this year I read an article that inspired me to try a new idea.  Give this year a word, one word for me to focus on through out the year.  Like most things from God, I didn’t choose the word.  Rather, the word appeared firmly fixed in my mind and nothing else would take its place.  PEACE. 

Peace, the word seemed like a strange choice for me.  I’m a relatively calm person and couldn’t think of any area of my life where there was conflict.  Still, I knew the word was the one God wanted me to focus on so I began looking at it in reference to my life.  When I went to the dictionary, one of the definitions I found is: Freedom from disturbance.  Well, that made sense, who doesn’t have disturbances?  Immediately I realized what my number one disturbance is: not being unemployed but rather how I was handling this season in my life.  The Bible tells us to be content where we are and with what we have (Philippians 4:11-13).  Instead of living fully content in the now, I’ve been looking to the future and what it will hold.  Where will I find a job?  Will this company call me?  What if that company calls first and I don’t want the job?  What if no one calls?  All of these thoughts are distractions and disturbances robbing me of Peace.  However realizing what the problem is and fixing it are two different things.  Trying to block those thoughts out of my mind only worked for a short amount of time before they would come creeping back into a hole taking more space than before.

Earlier this week, God put the book 1000 Gifts: A Dare To Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp, into my hands.  I’ve been greedily drinking down chapters, filling my mind and soul with language and thoughts that, while not new to any of us, dawned on me in a new light.  The way to find peace and joy is not to block thoughts out of my mind but rather fill it with God’s daily blessings.  The word Eucharisteo means grace, thanksgiving, joy.  Daily, God graces us.  It’s when we see God in the minuet and give thanks that we receive joy and yes, peace.  Her challenge and mine to you is to practice finding God in the midst of everyday life and keep a list of those gifts.  God’s goodness fills us up and leaves no room to wonder how the future will unfold in our loving God’s hands.  To help get you started, here are a few things from my list:

A warm down quilt

My dogs snuggling against me to sleep

A hot bath

Rain instead of snow

Comfort food

Comfort food…. what I’m to be sharing with you this month!  Comfort food takes time and right now that’s another blessing I’ve received.  Time to roll up my sleeves and knead dough, to chop and dice, sauté and steam.  Yesterday I spent the day working on another of my favorite winter dishes: Deep Dish Chicken Pot Pie.  Like most of my dishes, in addition to being gluten and dairy free, this isn’t your traditional recipe.  Mine is filled with sweet potatoes, red, yellow and orange bell peppers, green beans, yellow squash and onions.  The sauce is slightly tart to set off the sweet vegetable mix.  

All of these vegetables provide loads of vitamins and minerals and are low glycemic, making it a healthy alternative to the traditional filling of white potatoes and peas.  This recipe makes enough for a crowd or leftovers for a week! 

Deep Dish Chicken Potpie

Crust: 

Use your favorite pie dough recipe to make enough dough for two large pies.  Of all the things I make using gluten free flour, I find pie dough the most difficult to work with.  Be sure it’s chilled then roll it out between two sheets of wax paper.  You’ll probably still have to do a lot of patting in place but it’s worth the time and effort.

Filling:

4 cups cubed cooked chicken

3 medium sweet potatoes or yams peeled and cut into bite size pieces

1 bag of mini carrots cut into bite sized pieces

2 cups green beans trimming and cut into bite sized pieces

1 medium onion cut into bite size pieces

2 red, yellow or orange peppers cut into bite size pieces

1 medium yellow squash cut into bite size pieces 

Start by steaming the carrots and sweet potatoes until they are just starting to get soft, add the green beans and continue steaming a few more minutes then add the onion, peppers and squash until all vegetables are steamed to an al dente texture.

Sauce:

6 tablespoons butter alternative  

6 tablespoons gluten free flour

2 cups soy sour cream or plain dairy free yogurt or cashew cream cheese (or any combination of these three ingredients)

1 cup chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook until stove top on medium until mixed and thickened.

Line a lasagna or cake pan with pie dough.  Make sure the sides and edges are covered.  Mix steamed vegetables and chicken with the sauce and pour into prepared crust.  Cover the potpie with a top crust, sealing the edges securely and piercing top crust with a fork.  Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in a 375-degree oven.  I usually cover the dish with foil for the first have hour, then remove it for the second half hour.

Enjoy!

A Better Life

I found a website today sponsored by Prevention Magazine and it listed ways to add 10 years to your life.  These kind of things always sound so simple and easy and then you log on and it is really difficult to do the things they suggest.  In this case the list is pretty simple:

1.  Eat colorful fruits and vegetables.
2.  Eat nuts.
3.  Drink green tea.
4.  Lift weights
5.  Do cardio type exercise.
6.  Do yoga to relieve stress.

The first three are really simple all they require is a stop at Cascio's.  One of the biggest misconceptions about eating healthy is that it takes more work. I say it takes less.  Think of this way, you are making a healthy dinner for your family and you need a dessert. Instead of spending all the time you need to bake a cake and make substitutions to make the cake "healthy" (really it is still a cake...) you slice up a dish of fresh strawberries.  Honestly, just a dish of fresh strawberries.  Don't add sugar to them, they don't need it.  They are delicious and have more vitamin C then oranges, tons of fiber and you just added dessert to your dinner.  So simple.

I do this all the time.  I put simple foods on my dinner table.  It takes less time to just put a piece of salmon in a skillet with hot olive oil then it does to make Hamburger Helper.  Plus, really read the label if there are more chemicals and additives then real food stop right there do NOT eat it.

Eat simply,  eat fresh. Then use the time you are saving to go for a walk.  Here in Somerset County the temperatures are in the 50's there is no excuse to not get a quick 30 minute walk into your day.

I think too that times some of these websites are labor intensive.  But this particular link was easy.  I have tried to include the link on this blog and for some reason it isn't letting me.  But just Google Prevention Magazine and then "adding 10 years to your life."  It will get you there and it is worth your effort.

Make one change - just one and you will thank me later.

New Year - Old Favorites -Sweet Freedom: Living Allergen Free

Another installment in Dawn Kiehl-Beals Sweet Freedom: Living Allergen Free Series.  I have personally eaten her lasagna and it is excellent.  I don't have any food allergies but I enjoyed this recipe as if it was just "regular" food.  Enjoy!

           

Happy New Year!  January has come in with a roar.  Cold, snow and for me, cravings for comfort foods.   It used to be that a diagnosis of gluten intolerance meant having to give up many of my wintertime favorites.  Heavier dishes filled with flour and dairy, sauces and starches.  But not anymore!  With today’s easy access to alternative grains and dairy replacements, wintertime means spending time in my kitchen up to my elbows in dough. 

Maybe you’ve been missing some of your comfort foods too.  That’s why I decided to share some of my favorites with you during the month of January.  The days may be short and dark but your kitchen can be warm and filled with mouth-watering aromas.  Gluten free flours are actually easier to work with when making dough than the traditional options.  Because there’s no gluten, you can’t overwork or over knead the dough!

One of my favorite cold weather comfort foods is lasagna with my own personal twist: turkey burger, spicy Arrabiata sauce and portabella mushrooms.  I don’t eat red meat, so for me, turkey burger is an obvious choice however it’s also a healthy choice!  Turkey burger is a lean meat full of protein, minerals and vitamins.  One cautionary note, avoid turkey burger that is made with the skin and dark meat as it adds both fat and calories. 

Arrabiata is the Italian word for angry.  In this case angry is the style of the sauce because of the heat of spicy chili peppers.  The sauce’s key ingredients are tomatoes, garlic and red chili peppers cooked in olive oil.  If you have the time and want to make your lasagna totally from scratch try my easy Arrabiata Sauce recipe.  If you’re pressed for time, many of the better pasta sauce lines include Arrabiata.   

I love mushrooms, any kind, prepared anyway.  But portabella mushrooms are my all time favorites.  Portabella (or Portabello) mushrooms are actually large brown crimini mushrooms.  These thick, meaty mushrooms have a rich, earthy flavor.  They are full of protein, fiber and iron and make a perfect choice for vegetarian lasagna or other meatless dishes. 

Although these ingredients are what make my lasagna special, it’s the noodles and “cheese” that make it a comfort food.  To create my noodles, I use an Egg Noodle recipe and what is fast becoming one of my most used kitchen appliances, a pasta press.  You can always use pre-packaged gluten free lasagna noodles but if you have the time, make your own fresh noodles.  You won’t regret the time and effort it takes when you take that first bite of your homemade lasagna.  Don’t worry what your noodles look like.  Mine have never come out as long, perfect lasagna looking noodles.  If fact, they don’t look like anything you would actually recognize.  But because lasagna is a layered dish, all the imperfections are hidden!

Is your mouth watering yet?  Then get to Cascio’s and make a one stop shop for all of the ingredients in Dawn’s Spicy Portabella Lasagna!

Arrabiata Sauce

Serves 4-6 portions

Ingredients:

1 peeled medium-sized yellow onion, chopped

1/4-cup olive oil

1/4 cup dry white wine

4 cloves of garlic minced

2 pounds very ripe, fresh tomatoes; OR 2 pounds canned crushed tomatoes, drained, all passed through a food mill with the smallest disk, set aside

1 Tablespoon (or to taste) hot red pepper flakes

1-Tablespoon Sea Salt

1 Tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Method In a medium saucepan on medium high heat, add the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic to saucepan and sauté for 5 minutes, till it is soft and begins to brown.  De-glaze with the White Wine and reduce till almost dry.  Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring with a non-metallic spoon.

Egg Noodles

Recipe Yield 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups gluten free flour mix

1 pinch salt

2 eggs, beaten

1/2-cup milk (or milk alternative)

1-tablespoon butter (or dairy alternative

Directions:

In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt.  Add the beaten egg, milk, and butter. Mix until all ingredients are absorbed and dough is smooth. Let rest in a covered bowl for 10 minutes.  On a floured surface, roll out to 1/8 or 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut into desired lengths and shapes.  (Or run dough through lasagna setting on pasta press.)  Allow to air dry before cooking.  To cook fresh pasta, in a large pot with boiling salted water cook until al dente.

                        Dawn’s Spicy Portabella Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 recipe Arrabiata sauce or two jars of pasta sauce

½ to one recipe Egg Noodle recipe or one box cooked gluten free lasagna noodles

3 cups mozzarella cheese or dairy free alternative

½ to 1 cup Parmesan cheese or dairy free alternative

2 pounds turkey burger

3 cloves garlic, crushed

5 portabella mushrooms

Directions:

Cleans and slice portabella mushrooms.  Cover bottom of skillet with olive oil, cook portabella mushrooms over medium heat until soft when pierced with fork.  Drain of any liquid and set aside.

Cook turkey burger with crushed garlic until brown.  Drain of any liquid and set aside.

Spray lasagna pan with non stick spray, spoon a layer of Arrabiata sauce over bottom of pan, lay down a layer of noodles, cover with ground turkey, add a layer of portabella mushrooms, cover with a mixed mozzarella and parmesan cheese, repeat layers until dish is full then add a final layer of noodles and cover with sauce.  Cover with foil and bake in a 375-degree oven for 25 minutes, take off the foil and bake an additional 25 minutes.  Enjoy!