Lighten the Load Chopped Salad

3 medium tomatoes, seeded, chopped, and drained
1 large cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, quartered
1/2 cup diced red onion
3/4 cup pitted black olives, halved (kalamata olives preferred)
1 cup cubed part-skim fresh mozzarella
1/2 cup Newman's Own® Lighten Up! Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, mushrooms, and red onion. Toss with enough dressing to coat vegetables.

Cover and chill vegetables several hours before serving. Toss again with mozzarella cheese and olives just before serving.



Recipe Review:
Great salad! Just look at the photo! It was all the things I wanted in a 'light lunch' but wasn't light beacuse I was full 1/2 way through...or maybe sick of chewing?! I used plum tomatoes and added some raw sunflower seeds and lettuce that we needed to use up in the kitchen. Lovely salad! The Newmans' Own Balsamic Vinegarette is GF, but does contain sulfites, so I opted to use Litehouse BV (no MSG, preservatives & is GF). I made 3 great salads with this and after I ran out of lettuce and the bell peppers, I made due with what I had left - still great! This will be a staple for me going forward.

Gluten-Free Any Berry Scones

I woke up this morning with some confidence after all the risotto success...so I believe it's time to challenge myself with that bag of Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour Mix. I initially told myself I wasn't going to bake for a while until I really got myself settled into this new lifestyle, but one trip to the grocery store later and I had everything I needed for some ooey-gooey scones. Can gluten-free treats be ooey-gooey? I hope so. I guess I should also inform you that I am not a baker. I'm an aspiring cook. I do not specialize in anything with batter or flour or treats. I've had a few ugly run-ins with baking and wiped it off my list of things to accomplish in my lifetime. It's just not for me. But gluten-free baking...hmm. Is it easier? I guess we'll see. The Mister was home for an extra hour this morning and I thought it would be great to send him along with some warm breakfast blackberry scones, gluten-free style. It's early enough...maybe his tastebuds will be a little forgiving? ;)

Any Berry (this is Blackberries) Scone

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes

     2 cups Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour

     1 level tsp. xanthan gum

     1 tBsp. baking powder
     1/2 tsp. salt
     2 tBsp. sugar
     5 tBsp. unsalted butter, diced (and COLD)*
     1 cup cream or soy milk
     1 cup any berries

Combine flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt & sugar in a large bowl. Transfer 1-2 tablespoons of this dry ingredient mixture to a small bowl & add the berries you plan to use. Toss the berries to coat and set aside.

To the large bowl with the dry ingredients, add the cold diced butter. Cut it in. You can either use a pastry cutter or two knives & pretend like you’re cutting steak with them over & over. The mixture should look coarse when you’re done.

Add in the cream or milk and stir to combine. The dough will come together. Handling it as little as possible, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a rectangle about 1/2″ thick.

Cut the dough into triangles. Transfer the triangles to baking sheets lined with parchment paper, a couple inches apart. Brush with a bit of milk and sprinkle with a tiny bit of granulated sugar, if you like.

Bake at 400F degrees for 15-20 minutes, until the scones are puffed up and slightly brown around the edges. Serve right away.

*The trick here is to keep the butter cold. I usually dice the butter and then stick it in the freezer for a few minutes to ensure it’s good and cold.

Recipe Review:
YUMMY SUCCESS! I dusted them with milk on the top to get them golden brown. I used frozen blackberries and they had a sweet and savory flavor about them. I didn't have the 'cut into triangles' idea down or the 'place a few inches apart' so they didn't take on the true scone look when they came out of the oven. The Mister thought they could use a little more sugar - but since they're scones, and I don't eat a lot of sugar right now, I thought they were perfect. I surprised the Mister with them - It was a great way for him to start the day. He ate 3, brought 2 with him for the day and now I realize why people make double batches and freeze some.

This recipe is officially my first gluten-free baking experience and a recipe that will be used over and over again!  Life is delicious!

Risotto Cakes

I still can't believe I made Roasted Garlic & Mushroom Risotto the other night. I also can't believe it turned out ok! Usually I'm the crazy girl that makes up a million excuses why it didn't work out whenever I try something for the first time. But, this worked! It's now time to conquer the leftovers and the perfect thing to make would be risotto cakes. The bigger question is, will I be 2 for 2 with risotto in the kitchen after this recipe? 

 Risotto Cakes
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes

     3 cups leftover risotto from Roasted Garlic and Mushroom Risotto
        recipe
     2 large eggs
     1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
     1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
     1/4 cup grated Parmesan
     Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
     1/4 cup canola oil

In a large bowl add the leftover risotto, eggs, corn, bread crumbs, and Parmesan and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Mix to combine well. Form into 12 balls about the size of a walnut, then flatten into patties and arrange on a baking sheet.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until they are golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove the patties from the oil to a baking sheet lined with a brown bag or paper towels to drain the excess oil. Transfer to a serving tray and serve hot.

12 Servings.

Recipe Review:
Woo-hoo! I am officially 2 for 2 with Risotto. After my first bite was one of those, 'Oh, this is the reason people cook!' I used EVOO instead of canola oil to fry them up. They had delicious flavor - the Mister thinks next time I should substitute green or red pepper instead of the corn, but I loved the corn. I'm sure I'll surprise him and make 1/2 with peppers & 1/2 with corn next time since he's so willing to try all my cooking adventures and be honest about them. This was another one of those little, easy recipes really are the reason why one spends time in the kitchen! :)

Cooking for a Guest

What excitement! I'm done with the elimination diet and it's time to celebrate - gluten-free style! We have a guest for dinner and I'm going to keep it simple and fresh. Stuffed chicken breast with asparagus that the Mister can be in charge of, sweet potato wedges that can roast while we cook and some risotto. I've never made risotto, but it's the one thing that I love to order whenever it's on the menu and I think it will go great as a side for this meal. I've heard it's time consuming - the consistent stirring doesn't let you get far from the kitchen, but goodness, it's worth a try.

Spring Stuffed Chicken
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes

     3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
     5 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped and chopped
     1 lemon, juiced and zested
     1/4 cup parsley (about a handful), chopped
     4 chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each), butterflied and
        pounded to 1/4-inch thick
     4 slices proscuitto cotto or any good quality ham
     4 slices fontina cheese (about 4 ounces)
     Salt and freshly ground black pepper
     1/2 cup dry white wine
     1 large bunch of asparagus

Place a large, tall-sided skillet with 1-2 inches of water over high heat and bring up to a boil to cook the asparagus.

Working with one chicken breast at a time, line the breast with the tip closest to you. Place your hand flat on top of it and, with a very sharp knife, cut into the center of the thickest part of the breast. Carefully and slowly, work your way down to the tip end, cutting into the chicken.

The goal is to butterfly the breasts, cutting them just shy of completely in half. Open up the chicken breast as if it were a book and pound it out slightly under a piece of plastic wrap with a heavy skillet. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

In a small bowl, combine the thyme, lemon zest and parsley. Lay each butterflied chicken breast out on a flat work surface so each breast is open. Sprinkle the insides of each chicken breast with the thyme and lemon zest mixture. Add a slice of proscuitto cotto to each piece and top with a slice of fontina cheese.

Fold each piece over to enclose the ham and cheese in the chicken breasts. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Pre-heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with three turns of the pan of EVOO, about 3 tablespoons. Add the seasoned, stuffed chicken breasts to the hot skillet and brown for 5 minutes.

Gently flip the chicken over and continue to brown for another 5 minutes. Add a 1/2 cup of dry white wine to the skillet and cook until the wine has reduced by half.

Once you have the chicken working in the skillet, add a generous amount of salt to the skillet with the boiling water. Simmer the spears for 3-5 minutes until just tender.

Drain the asparagus and squeeze the lemon juice over the top. To serve, plate asparagus, top with the chicken breasts and spoon sauce over the top.

4 Servings.

Recipe Review:
The Mister made an incredible main dish!!! He sure was proud of it too…and he should have been! It was so flavorful. The thyme, proscuitto cotto, fontina cheese, parsley and lemon zest added so much to our typical, plain chicken flair - we giggled because we used to wonder why we got sick of making chicken (Plain + BBQ sauce = boring!) This stuffed chicken was very moist - even the next day as one piece was actually leftover.

Sweet Potato Wedges
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes

     2 large sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into wedges
     Extra-virgin olive oil
     2 Tbsp. Cajun spice mix

Preheat oven to 400F degrees and place a cookie sheet into the oven. In a large mixing bowl, toss sweet potatoes in olive oil to evenly coat. Toss onto the hot cookie sheet and spread out into one even layer. Bake for 20 minutes, then use a spatula to turn. Bake for a further 20 minutes until crispy and golden. Dust with Cajun spices and serve.

Serves 4-6.
Recipe Review:
AWESOME!!! After making these and realizing we love the flavor of sweet potatoes, this opens so many doors for more vegetable choices in the house. The Mister added a little bit of real maple syrup for some added sweetness - but they don't even need it. They are like little candies - it seems wrong to call them a vegetable! :)
 

Roasted Garlic & Mushroom Risotto
Prep: 10 minutes; Cook: 25 minutes (plus 1 hour to roast garlic)
 
     1 head garlic
     2 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
     2 (14.5-ounce) cans chicken broth
     3 cans water
     1 medium onion, chopped
     1 (8-ounce) package sliced mushrooms
     Salt and freshly ground black pepper
     2 1/2 cups long-grain rice
     2 tablespoons unsalted butter
     1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.

Slice the top off the head of garlic. Put it on a large square of aluminum foil and drizzle 1 teaspoon of the extra-virgin olive oil over the exposed cloves. Wrap the foil around and over the garlic. Roast until it is soft, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Pour the 2 cans of broth into a saucepan, over low heat, and add 3 cans of water. Bring to a simmer.

In a large, heavy bottomed skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and cook until the mushrooms release their juices, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook for 1 minute to toast.

Add 2 ladles full of hot broth to the pan and gently stir the rice. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Adjust the heat so that the pan is just gently bubbling. Continue adding broth and stirring until all the broth is used and the rice is cooked but not mushy, about 20 to 25 minutes. Once the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is nice and creamy, stir in the butter, Parmesan and the garlic pulp. Cover and let rest for 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.

Reserve 3 cups for Risotto Cakes.

4-6 Servings.
 
Recipe Review:
First time ever making risotto from scratch! I had roasted the garlic the day before so we didn't have to wait for that an hour while it cooked. As for the long-grain rice, I used a basmati rice and it worked great. It cooked well and soaked up all the other flavors. I'm sure you could use arborio as well. I also used the Kraft shaker for the parmesan cheese which had good flavor, but was also the reason for only 4 stars vs. 5. So, next time I'm determined to use a good, organic brand of cheese such as Organic Valley. This dish needed a little bit of salt & pepper but the flavor was excellent. LOTS of leftovers - going to make risotto cakes tomorrow night with the extras!

3rd Anniversary

Roasted Garlic Beef & Vegetable Stir Fry
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes

     2 teaspoons cornstarch
     1 cup water
     2 tablespoons soy sauce
     1 tablespoon roasted garlic & bell pepper seasoning
     1/2 teaspoon ginger, ground
     1 tablespoon oil
     1 1/2 pounds boneless beef sirloin steak, cut in 1/4-inch strips
     3 cups asst. vegetables (broccoli florets, mushrooms, red bell
        pepper strips & snow peas)
     Cooked rice (optional)

Mix cornstarch, water, soy sauce, seasoning and ginger in small bowl until smooth. Set aside.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add beef in several batches; stir fry 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove from skillet. Repeat with remaining beef, adding additional oil if needed. Add vegetables to skillet; stir fry 3 minutes. Return beef to skillet.

Stir soy sauce mixture. Add to skillet; stirring constantly, bring to boil on medium heat and boil 1 minute. Serve with cooked rice, if desired.

6 Servings.

Recipe Review:
Absolutely incredible! This was our first time making stir fry from scratch - and boy do we need to do this more! We decided on stir fry for our 3rd Anniversary because we live for rice and veggies lately. The rich beef and vegetables flavor surprised us in this recipe because we weren't expecting something so great in such a quick, easy and tasty dish! I think that substituting tamari sauce for the soy sauce gave it a richer flavor, which makes it one we will make again!

Fried Rice
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes

     2 ½ cups of cooked rice (can be cold)
     2 or 3 eggs
     ¾ cup frozen peas
     ¾ cup frozen corn
     ¾ cup chopped, peeled carrot
     3 cloves of garlic minced
     3 tablespoons oil
     2 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce (I used San J Organic
        Tamari instead)
     Salt & pepper, to taste

Heat wok (or deep pan) to piping hot. Water droplets should dance across the pan excitedly!

Add 1 Tablespoon of the oil and heat thoroughly. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and carrots. Stir fry until the food is half way done. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Return the work to piping hot again. Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil and heat again. Add rice and stir fry (fry while stirring continually to avoid the rice sticking) until the rice has been heated through.

Add pepper to taste.

Add remaining veggies (in this case, frozen peas & corn) and continue to stir fry until the peas & corn are warmed and the rice is host.

Return the garlic and carrots to the pan.

Add soy sauce (2-3 Tablespoons to taste – depending on the saltiness of your soy sauce). NOTE: Fried rice is typically NOT dark in color but rather a light golden color with the soy sauce brining more flavor and a tinge of color. This is unlike most American fried rice restaurant recipes.

Continue to stir fry until well combined and everything is practically cooked perfectly.

Add eggs. Continue to stir fry until the eggs are distributed and cooked through.

Recipe Review:
This was such a fabulous meal! I was so glad that we decided to make the fried rice 'homemade' as well. But now that we've made it, I don't know if I'll ever enjoy the stuff from restaurants again because this was so great! The only thing that was missing was the scrambled egg pieces, but even without the eggs, it was incredible. I researched soy sauce, only to find out that almost all soy sauces have gluten in them, so we used organic tamari sauce instead. The peas and corn were a great addition. The fried rice could be eaten as a dish alone - but it was great with the beef & veggie stir fry. 

All Things Pumpkin

Fall harvest might be one of the best times of the year! It's time for apple farms, grape stomps at local vineyards and pumpkin picking. Oh, pumpkin picking. This time of year I can't think about anything but pumpkin flavored treats. Breads, pies, muffins...oh wait. All these yummy things have flour. They also have crust, gluten and dairy. Oh gosh! What is a girl, who is still on an elimination diet, to do? I absolutely can not miss out on one of the best flavors of the fall season. After searching for a few hours on how to adjust recipes for wheat-free flour and becoming quite confused with the territory that I'm brand new to, I'm still inspired to make a full meal of pumkin with some old-fashioned recipes. I'll leave the gluten-free and almond flour mixes for a time when I'm a litte more 'confident' in the field of GF. For now, it's time to fill the house with the aroma of Turkey Chili with Pumpkin and Crustless Pumpkin Pie.

Turkey Chili with Pumpkin

Prep: 20 min. Cook: 4 hours

     1 medium onion, chopped

     1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped
     3 garlic cloves, minced
     2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
     3 cups chicken broth
     2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
     2-1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey
     1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
     1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
     2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
     2 teaspoons chili powder
     1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
     1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
     1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large skillet, saute the onion, yellow pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Transfer to a
5 qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients.

Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through.

10 servings (2-1/2 quarts)

Recipe Review:
Didn't have black beans on hand so I substituted kidney beans.  Also substituted ground turkey for the cubed turkey. Was expecting great pumpkin flavor since it called for an entire can of solid-pack pumpkin, but it eneded up with a very subtle pumpkin after-taste. The reason for the 3 stars is the minimal pumpkin, otherwise a great classic chili recipe with great aroma.

Crustless Pumpkin Pie
Prep: 10 min. Cook: 55 minutes

     Nonstick cooking spray
     3/4 cup granulated sugar
     1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
     1/2 teaspoon salt
     1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
     1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
     2 large eggs
     1 can (15 oz.) 100% Pure Pumpkin
     1 can (12 fl. oz.) Evaporated Milk
     Whipped cream, (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F degrees & spray 8 in. round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Mix all filling ingredients together and pour into pan.

Bake for 45-50 min. or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

8 Servings

Recipe Review:
What crust? Didn't even miss the crunchy pie crust because I was craving the filling of this pie so much. The filling was so creamy and baked just right. It tasted just like Grandma used to make! I am still on my elimination diet this week, so I felt this was the perfect opportunity to test dairy with the evaporated milk. Flawlessly easy and hit the pumpkin craving spot!

Spaghetti Squash Primavera

First encounter with spaghetti squash and it was a good one! I was a little nervous with this recipe because my mom was over for dinner and I always love to impress her with my new developing skills in the kitch! The veggies were all in season and it was a fabulous dinner.

There were lots of leftovers - started to get sick of it by the fourth meal. Next time I make it, I will try freezing in individual servings for a quick meal on a busy day.

Great robust flavor! It was an excellent way to cook my veggies and protein all in one dish together.

Spaghetti Squash Turkey Primavera
Prep: 20 min. Cook: 41hour 20 min.

     1 large spaghetti squash, halved, cooked and seeded

     12 ounces ground white meat turkey or ground beef cooked

     1 tablespoon olive oil

     1 large onion, minced

     4 garlic cloves, minced

     2 green onions, minced

     8 ounces mushrooms

     4 carrots, sliced

     1 medium zucchini, sliced/quartered

     1 medium yellow squash, sliced/quartered

     Two-28 ounce cans chunky tomato sauce

     1 tomato, chopped (optional)

     2 teaspoons capers (optional)

     2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano

     2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

     2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Place each squash half cut side down on a cookie sheet and bake uncovered for about 45 to 60 minutes or until a fork goes easily into the shell. Allow to cool and scoop out the strands of squash with a large spoon and set aside.

Brown the pound of turkey.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic and scallions and saute for 2 minutes. Then add the cooked turkey and cook for 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash & tomatoes and bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Add the capers, oregano, red pepper flakes and parsley; simmer for 5 minutes. If the squash has cooled too much, reheat it in the microwave, covered for 2 to 3 minutes. Top the squash with the sauce and serve.

Options -

*Add some butter and seasoning to the squash before you cook it to add a little flavor.

*Cook the veggies in a little olive oil before adding to sauce if you want them cooked more.

Serves 6-8.

Recipe Review:
This is the perfect recipe for the end of the fall harvest season. Add or delete veggies as you see fit. I used a large 4 pound spaghetti squash and didn't cut it in half to cook it. Instead I only punctured it with lots of knife slits to roast it. It took a while to cook through - next time I will try 2 smaller ones and cut them in half to cut down on prep time.