Category Archives: Appetizers

About 2 weeks ago, a large box arrived at my doorstep. I love when these things happen (even if it’s just because I’ve placed an order for something as mundane as almond flour) because it’s like there’s a little present waiting for me to open it. This time, however, the box really was more gift-like in nature. What did the box hold?

Why, six beautiful, highly fragrant Texas Rio Star Grapefruit.

It’s no secret that I love grapefruit. You already saw that I made a grapefruit and avocado salad a few weeks ago for Amy’s baby shower. Most of the time, though, I simply eat grapefruit out of hand. When it’s in season, ruby red grapefruit like this Rio Star is unbelievably sweet and is a perfect way to enjoy some sunny, delicious vitamin C, fiber, and lycopene. As I was eating each one of these babies, day after day, I thought I really should try to incorporate one into another actual recipe, and not just keep snacking on them at my desk at work.

And so with a few minutes to spare while I was waiting for other components of dinner to finish cooking, I grabbed some kale from my “garden” and got to work making this quick salad.

Why the quotes around garden? Well, right now, it’s not much of a garden. I anticipate revamping things, but for right now, I have a bunch of empty whiskey barrels. Except for one. You see, last spring, I planted some Red Russian kale seeds. They sprouted and grew, but not very well, and after watering them for months and watching them remain small baby kale leaves, I decided to scrap the kale plans and I pulled the baby plants and made one little salad. (I’m not an expert gardener by any stretch, so much of my gardening is trial and error) I planted some cilantro and dill in its place.

As the summer wore on, the cilantro and dill couldn’t withstand our never-ending 110 degree days with no rain. So eventually, I realized there was no keeping these herbs alive, and I pretty much ignored this barrel, instead tending to the few surviving plants in the other barrels in my garden (I did have some tomatoes, butternut squash, and plenty of sage, basil, rosemary and lemon thyme).

When fall arrived and the heat finally subsided, something started sprouting in the long-forgotten barrel. Turns out, it was more kale. I watered it once in a while, but once my tomato plants were finished for the season, I gradually began ignoring the whole garden project, aside from grabbing some rosemary every now and then for a recipe. We were finally getting enough rain by that time that it apparently stayed alive without my interference. Meanwhile, the kale grew. And grew.

Now, with my continued lack of attention, my Red Russian kale has thrived. I can go outside anytime I’d like and cut enough kale for a meal, and there’s still plenty to be had. It seems happy in that barrel. I imagine it won’t appreciate the heat when late spring comes, but until then, I’m happy to have it.

The moral to this story? Ignore your garden, and sometimes, good stuff will come out of it! (Okay, not really. I think it’s just that I’ve learned that kale is a cooler weather crop and in Texas, that means I should grow it in winter.)

Anyway, back to the salad. This salad was a perfect, healthy, light accompaniment to our meal that evening. I simply massaged the kale leaves with the dressing, and topped it with the grapefruit and sunflower seeds. It couldn’t have been easier. Come to think of it, I have more grapefruit (and obviously more kale!), so perhaps I should make some more for this evening!

A big thanks to TexaSweet for sharing some grapefruit with me. I definitely made good use of it, that’s for sure.

Raw Kale Grapefruit Salad (Gluten-free, Vegan, Nut-Free, Soy-Free)

1 grapefruit, sectioned (catch the juice as you section it in a bowl)

1 T olive oil

1 t coconut aminos

kosher salt to taste

1 bunch kale, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces

2 T raw sunflower seeds

Whisk together the grapefruit juice, olive oil, coconut aminos, and salt together in a bowl. Add to kale leaves and massage with your hands until all of the leaves are well-coated with the dressing. Add the grapefruit sections and sunflower seeds and gently toss to coat in dressing.

Serves 2-4.

posted on Saturday, February 18th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Appetizers,Budget-Friendly,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Quick and Easy,Salads,Vegetables,Vegetarian 3 Comments

Today is a wonderful occasion! We are celebrating a soon-to-be new arrival – a lovely little bundle of joy coming any day now to the Green household! Amy Green is the founder of the blog Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free, and the author of Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free: 180 Easy and Delicious Recipes You Can Make In 20 Minutes Or Less, and co-founder of The Balanced Platter, a new healthy living website that just launched in 2012. And those are just the highlights – Amy also is a co-founder of Nourished – a food blogger conference, has held countless cooking classes, has been an amazing mentor to many fellow food bloggers, and has touched many lives for the better through her dedication to healthier gluten-free, refined sugar-free living. She’s obviously a very busy, accomplished individual.

But personally, Amy is so much more than just these things. She’s a dear friend of mine. She has a huge heart and gives so much to so many of us. When we heard Amy and her husband Joe were expecting a baby boy, we knew we needed to take this opportunity to give back just a bit of the love Amy has shown for us…

…by having a virtual, surprise BABY SHOWER!

Of course, those of us throwing this shower are spread all over across North America, so it’s not exactly easy to get together for a party. So why not have a virtual shower? The added bonus, of course, is that you all can share in the fun!

Check out all of the amazing baby shower food being served at our Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free Surprise Shower:

Hallie at Daily Bites

Maggie at She Let Them Eat Cake

Lexie at Lexie’s Kitchen

Kelly at The Spunky Coconut

Carol at Simply Gluten-Free

Cara at Cara’s Cravings

Ricki at Diet, Dessert, and Dogs

Alisa at Alisa Cooks

Kim at Cook It Allergy Free

Silvana at Silvana’s Kitchen

Jen at Gluten-Free Life

Cybele at Cybele Pascal

Helen at Miz Helen’s Country Cottage

Wow, going through that list makes me hungry! Personally, I opted to share a refreshing grapefruit salad with avocado and jicama. Texas grapefruit is in season right now, and is such a sunny, welcome treat when spring produce still seems so far off. With creamy avocado, crunchy jicama, refreshing mint, and a slightly savory dressing, the grapefruit really sings. It’s perfect for a baby shower, or any winter brunch or lunch. I’m already aware of Amy’s love for grapefruit, so it only seemed fitting to serve a salad such as this at their baby shower.

Help me wish Amy and Joe congratulations as they welcome their new baby boy!

Grapefruit Salad with Avocado and Jicama

2 large pink grapefruits

1 navel orange

1 jicama, peeled and cut into strips

1 avocado, diced

1-2 handfuls arugula

2 T mint leaves

1 t Dijon mustard

2-3 T olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Peel and section the grapefruits and oranges over a bowl so you can catch the juice. Squeeze the membranes to get as much juice as possible. Discard peels and membrane. Carefully remove the slices from the juice and place into a separate bowl.

On a large plate, place the handfuls of arugula and spread out. Lay the slices of grapefruit, orange, and jicama on top of the arugula. Scatter diced avocado over the top of the salad. Garnish with mint leaves.

Place the grapefruit and orange juice in a small bowl with the Dijon mustard. Whisk together, and drizzle the olive oil in and whisk constantly until well-blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the dressing over the top of the salad and serve immediately.

posted on Monday, February 6th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Appetizers,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Quick and Easy,Salads,Vegetables,Vegetarian 17 Comments

Whether you’re looking for another SuperBowl recipe (I’ve already shared some healthy sweet-and-spicy dip) or just a delicious treat to feed your family, these unassuming meatballs might just be the thing. Sure, I’ve shared meatballs before. We’ve had Swedish Meatballs. Spanish Almond Meatballs. Good ol’ Spaghetti and Meatballs (these aren’t dairy-free, FYI). Needless to say, meatballs are a beloved dish in our house. They are one of the few things everyone in the house will eat without complaint, even the child who refuses to eat hamburgers will still gladly eat meatballs. (And even meatball sandwiches, which makes no sense to me – both are ground meat and bread..? I am not a picky eater, however, so some of the picky eating habits baffle me.)

These particular meatballs are a light and lean variation with clean, Mediterranean spices (I used cinnamon, cumin, garlic, mint, and parsley), but a delightfully American slant, as I used ground bison in place of beef or pork. When I can find ground bison, commonly referred to as buffalo, I love to get it. It’s leaner than beef, but boasts a great amount of protein, iron and vitamin B12. If you can find grass-fed buffalo meat, even better. The meat is flavorful in spite of the leanness, which means your meatball can be “meaty” without being fatty. Not that I’m one to shy away from fat – you won’t find me cutting off the fat on a delicious, grass-fed beef rib-eye anytime soon – but once in a while, lighter is better. That, and I’m an equal opportunity eater – bison deserves a chance at my table just as much as any other protein! That being said, if you prefer to use beef in this recipe, feel free to substitute.

You can serve these meatballs with a squeeze of lemon, or even a more substantial sauce, if you feel like experimenting. I imagine a tzatziki or other cool, creamy sauce would be delicious with these babies. They are great both as an appetizer, or as part of a main meal. For me, they were a success for the picky eaters, as each could decide whether to eat them unadorned, mix them in with a gluten-free pasta I’d made, or squeeze some lemon juice over. Personally? I enjoyed mine on top of a heap of these collard greens. Delish!

Minty Bison Meatballs (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut into large chunks

6 cloves garlic, peeled

2 T olive oil

2 1/2 lbs lean ground bison or beef

2 eggs

1 c packed flat-leaf parsley

½ c packed mint leaves

½ – ¾ c gluten-free bread crumbs (can substitute almond flour as well)

3 T ground cumin

½ t ground cinnamon

¼ t cayenne pepper

1 ½ t kosher salt

½ t ground black pepper

Lemon wedges

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, and arrange one rack in the upper third of the oven, and one rack in the lower third. Place the onion and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Puree until it becomes a paste. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and scrape onion paste into skillet. Sauté paste until it softens and no longer has a raw taste, about 4-5 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.

Combine onion paste, ground beef, eggs, parsley, mint, bread crumbs, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well (using your hands is the easiest method). Form into 1 oz meatballs and place on 2 foil-lined baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake both sheets of meatballs on two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven for 10 minutes. Rotate sheets and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove and serve with lemon wedges for garnish.

Makes about 40 meatballs.

posted on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Appetizers,Beef,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Kid-Friendly,Main Dishes 5 Comments

It’s that time of the year – time to gather around friends and family and watch football! Superbowl is one of those events that draw football fanatics and non-football watchers alike. After all, it’s a big party that often includes booze and delicious-but-unhealthy snacks, and it’s an opportunity for people to get together and have fun.

But what if you are following a gluten-free or other allergen-free diet? Or are simply trying to eat healthier? What do you do to combat the beer, pizza, wings, and chips-and-dip-fest that occurs at a Superbowl party? Bring your own healthier, wholesome, nutritious snack, that’s what! This dip is creamy and slightly spicy, but packs a good amount of vitamins from the butternut squash, and healthy fats from cashews, tahini, and olive oil. It’s also addictive – I love it paired with gluten-free crackers, but it really works well with raw veggies, such as celery sticks.

This is like an indulgent party dip, but in fact, it’s full of whole, healing foods, and for that reason, I’m sharing this recipe also as part of Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten-Free this month, hosted by Maggie of She Let Them Eat Cake. The theme this month is Foods That Heal.

While I’m a huge fan of vegetables in all forms (I do green smoothies and love them), I realize not everyone shares the same enthusiasm. However, veggies are an integral part of healing your body – something many of us on a gluten-free diet are working to do. When the opportunity comes along to eat something healing and nourishing that feels like party food, well, that’s a win-win for everyone, as even those that usually shy away from veggies can be enticed to indulge!

Of course, this isn’t a Superbowl party-only treat. I have been enjoying it in my lunch lately. I even shared it on Instagram the other day.

See that orange in the background? Yep – it was an orange-y food kind of day.

Anyway, this dip is easy to throw together in advance, and will store in the fridge for a few days (tastes great cold), so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t find a reason to make it. It’s like a sweet-and-spicy orange hummus. Only better.

Creamy Chipotle Butternut Dip (Gluten-free, Vegan)

1 ½ c cooked butternut squash

½ c raw cashews

¼ c tahini

2 garlic cloves

1 lime, juiced

2 T olive oil

1 T maple syrup

½ t cinnamon

½ t chipotle chile powder

¼ t ground cumin

½ t salt

Roast butternut squash – either cut in half and scoop out seeds, and roast cut-side-down in an oven at 375 degrees until soft (about 45 minutes), or do like I do – poke holes in the squash with a knife, place on a plate, and microwave until soft, about 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool, and then cut in half and scoop out seeds.

Place cashews and tahini in food processor and puree until smooth. Scoop out cooked butternut squash and add it, the garlic, lime juice, olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, chipotle chile powder, and salt. Puree until smooth. Adjust seasoning as needed.

Serve with gluten-free crackers, chips, or raw vegetable crudités.

Looking for more gluten-free Superbowl recipes? Check out this forum discussion at Udi’s Gluten-Free Living Community, or these recipes:

Texas Chili

(Dairy-Free) Nacho Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos

Adzuki Bean Spread

Deviled Eggs

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Spicy Roasted Cashews

Quinoa Pizza Crust

This post is linked to Allergy-Free Wednesdays at Tessa the Domestic Diva.

posted on Wednesday, January 25th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Appetizers,Budget-Friendly,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Kid-Friendly,Quick and Easy,Side Dishes,Vegetables,Vegetarian 40 Comments

Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger is being hosted by Kalinda at Wheat Free Meat Free. This month, I adopted the creator of this wonderful event – Seamaiden over at Book of Yum! Sea has been blogging for a lot longer than most of us (she is one of the pioneers in gluten-free blogging). I love that her recipes are decidedly different than what I would create, which I love. These recipes are often very globally-inspired, with lots of Japanese influence. Since I know little about Japanese cuisine beyond sushi, tempura, and otsu, I am intrigued and inspired by the flavors of the recipes at Book of Yum. Even more, the majority of her recipes are full of nutritious ingredients, making it easy for me to incorporate a dish or two into my dinner plans without compromising my goal to eat healthfully (most days, at least).

I opted to make two dishes – Asparagus with Walnut Dressing (pictured above), and Zucchini Crust Pizza. Both were full of veggie goodness, and were more than achievable on a weeknight.

First, the asparagus dish. I love asparagus. I love to eat the spears raw in salads, lightly steamed or blanched, or tossed in a little bit of lemon zest. Most days, I keep it simple – it’s easy to steam some asparagus, and since I love the taste, I want its vegetable-ness to shine through. However, this walnut dressing, made of little more than walnuts and tamari, doesn’t cover up the wonderful flavor of the asparagus. Instead, it compliments it.  It was perfect for not only the asparagus, but I even used a bit on a garden salad, and it was tasty on some salmon I’d also prepared that night for dinner as well. I could imagine finding lots of uses for a sauce such as this!

The zucchini crust pizza was also lovely. I did modify the recipe to make it dairy-free (using Daiya cheese), and I opted for coconut flour instead of rice flour (I was out). I only used about 2/3 of the amount of flour called for in the recipe as a result, because coconut flour is very absorbent. Otherwise, I kept the crust as true to the recipe as possible. I topped it with some mushrooms, bell peppers, olives, pepperoni and sausage. (and more Daiya) It was delicious, and I loved that instead of a bunch of empty calories, as most pizza tends to be, it was relatively nutrient-dense, and full of flavor. So much so, in fact, I had to force myself to stop eating it. I easily polished off half of the crust. Whoops. Guess that’s a sign of a successful dish!

There were more recipes I wanted to try, but there are only so many hours in the day! I have bookmarked her Vegan Detox Mint-Avocado Virgin Mojito and her Injera to try at one point in the (hopefully not-so-distant) future. I encourage you to check out her recipes – I’m sure there is more than just one or two to tempt your tastebuds!

posted on Friday, December 2nd, 2011 by altawrites Posted in Appetizers,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Vegetables,Vegetarian 5 Comments

Today over at Daily Bites, we are sharing our favorite holiday entrees and side dishes in our continuation of A Gluten-Free Holiday. As always, there is a giveaway involved (Hallie will be giving away a copy of her new book, The Pure Kitchen) so be sure to head over there and check it out!

Our family has their fair share of holiday favorites. I’ve already shared the need for stuffing and gravy (as welcome at Christmas as it is at Thanksgiving, if there’s a turkey involved), broccoli cheese rice casserole, and tamales. But I’ve already blabbed about those favorites with you time and time again. I asked my husband to help me brainstorm on holiday dishes. He suggested gumbo (which has a cult following in our family this time of year), but the traditional recipe is a direct replica of Emeril Lagasse’s, so it wasn’t quite what I had in mind. So then I thought – why not create a new favorite?

But what? When I think of holiday food, many times, I can’t get desserts out of my head. (We’ll share desserts as part of A Gluten-Free Holiday too, on December 15, at She Let Them Eat Cake, but that’s another time, another day, another recipe.) I had to brainstorm. Savory. Side Dish. Holiday. Think! Think! What are foods eaten in fall and winter? Umm…root vegetables? Sweet Potatoes? I love sweet potatoes, but they’re not very special. How can I make sweet potatoes special? Hmm, I have some leftover pie crust dough in the fridge… And suddenly, the waters parted. I knew just what I would make, and this simple-but-special, savory, delicious pie was born.

What I love about this dish is that unlike so many other holiday foods, it’s not overly heavy or rich. In fact, paired with a nice side salad, it could easily be a welcome brunch for guests that stay at your home during the holiday season. (Or even just a good pre-holiday-shopping meal!) Truthfully, it’s not all that fussy. No more so than making a typical pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, truthfully, and if you wanted to go crustless, you could simply bake the filling in a greased pie dish (or heck, even individually-sized ramekins) and serve it that way. But if you have a bit of time to make a pie crust, go for it. In my mind, it elevates this pie to holiday status. It also provides a bit of contrasting texture. And the flavors? With a creamy, slightly sweet custard, touched with rosemary and smoked paprika, how could you go wrong?

Savory Sweet Potato Pie

1 recipe gluten-free pie crust (or your favorite gluten-free pie crust recipe -  I haven’t tried this with a nut-based crust, but I bet it would work well.)

5 egg yolks

2 c cooked sweet potato puree (if using fresh sweet potatoes, simply prick with a fork, microwave until soft, scoop out flesh, and puree in food processor)

1 c coconut milk

1 t fresh rosemary, chopped

1 t kosher salt

1/2 t fresh ground black pepper

1/4 t smoked paprika

1/8 t nutmeg

1 T maple syrup

1 T sweet white rice flour (or your favorite gluten-free flour)

1 egg whisked with 1 T water for egg wash

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out pie crust in between two sheets of parchment paper; transfer to 9-inch pie plate. Place egg yolks in the bowl of a food processor; process for about 30 seconds. Add sweet potatoes, coconut milk, rosemary, salt, pepper, paprika, nutmeg, maple syrup, and rice flour and puree until smooth. Pour into pie crust. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean. (Note: you may want to use a pie shield or cover the edges of the crust with foil during the baking process to prevent excess browning.) Cool for 15-20 minutes. Serve.

Do you have a favorite holiday entree or side dish to share? Link it up over at Daily Bites!

Interested in some gluten-free edible gift ideas for the holidays? Check out my post and all of the links shared there! Want even more ideas or to chat a bit more about this topic? Over at the Udi’s Gluten-Free Community, we’ve shared some edible gift ideas!

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posted on Thursday, December 1st, 2011 by altawrites Posted in Appetizers,Baked goods,Budget-Friendly,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Main Dishes,Vegetarian 6 Comments

gluten, dairy, and egg-free fried green tomatoes

Sea at Book of Yum is our most gracious hostess for Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger again this month. I immediately knew I wanted to adopt Lexie’s Kitchen. Why? Well, other than the fact that Alexa is a super-cool mom dedicated to healing her son through a diet, she also is an innovative genius in the kitchen.

Example A: she made nacho cheese-stuffed jalapenos without dairy. Yep. I actually made these prior to adopting Alexa, and I didn’t take a photo, unfortunately. The nacho cheese was the best dairy-free cheese I’ve had to date. I MUST make it again. And the jalapeno poppers? Spicy (I must have had some HOT peppers), but amazing. If you make them, don’t skip the bacon. It definitely takes those little bites of fire to a whole ‘nuther level.

If that doesn’t convince you, how about example B: the fried green tomatoes pictured above. These were perfectly timed, as I saw a bunch of green tomatoes at the farmer’s market. Until making Alexa’s recipe, I had not attempted to fry green tomatoes since I went gluten-free, and never without cornmeal. Trust me, you don’t miss the cornmeal in these babies. They’re crispy on the outside, and pleasantly juicy within.

But just those two appetizers weren’t enough, in my opinion. In keeping with the seasons, I opted to try a version of her sausage and seasonal vegetable stuffed squash. I found large pattypan squash at the farmers market, so I opted to use them rather than delicata squash. Unfortunately, I had to make a few more unplanned changes to my stuffing mixture – I went to use the rest of some italian sausage I had in the refrigerator, and it was bad. Into the garbage it went, and I opted instead to make my stuffing vegan. I bumped up the spices a bit to compensate.

These babies were flavorful just the same. Soon, however, I’ll have to grab some delicata squash and some fresh sausage and try Alexa’s version again.

I didn’t get a chance to make these st(raw)berry cheesecakes, but they’re also on my “to do” list. Because who doesn’t love mini healthy cheesecakes?

Her blog is helpful for other areas of life as well. For example, she teaches you how to make a natural deoderant that works (something I must try one day!). How cool is that?

A big thank you to Sea at Book of Yum for hosting Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger again this month. As always, I love spending time getting to know my fellow gluten-free bloggers a little more. In this case, reading and trying out recipes from Lexie’s Kitchen definitely showed me that there are so many delicious treats that can be made, even on a gluten and dairy-free diet!

posted on Thursday, October 6th, 2011 by altawrites Posted in Appetizers,Budget-Friendly,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Main Dishes,Side Dishes,Vegetables,Vegetarian 8 Comments

There are days, and sometimes weeks, when innovation in the kitchen eludes me. I try to prepare a meal plan every week (When they’re more organized, you see them posted here on the blog. This week was not one of those “more organized” weeks. There’s still a plan, but it’s rather basic.), but sometimes, I can’t think much beyond the same staples that reappear week after week – salad with grilled chicken, or meat+sweet potato+veggie. While I love the simplicity of those meals (I can do those on auto-pilot, which is wonderful after a long day at work), I don’t experience that joy in the kitchen that comes from freeing myself from the norm and really getting creative with ingredients. So last week, when I was working on the menu once again, I paused.

Must come up with something different.

Then I glanced at the grocery store ads, and saw that shrimp was on sale. Love shrimp. It’s fast, lean, and so tasty – perfect for a weeknight meal. But what to do with it?

We love lettuce wraps here in the Tasty Eats At Home household. Often I make a gluten-free version of these lettuce wraps (using gluten-free soy sauce and simply omitting the oyster sauce), and I use not only ground pork, but sometimes I’ll use ground turkey, chicken, beef, or even game meats, like ground antelope, to change things up a bit. But last week, I thought I should look at our lettuce wraps with fresh eyes. With shrimp, they would be something new. I also thought a summer-y, almost tropical flair would be a perfect change of pace. Hence, these wraps were born.

These wraps are light and bright, topped with a fresh slaw of jicama, carrots, and cabbage, but the hint of chipotle is enough to give the flavors balance, interest, and substance. Both my husband and I truly loved the coconut flakes, though. They really added that unique tropical flavor without being overwhelming. (It doesn’t hurt that we both love coconut – I’m a coconut fiend!) Surprisingly, with the slaw, shrimp, and lettuce stored in separate containers, these wraps were even pretty tasty for lunch the following day. These are definitely a new item to include in the regular menu rotation!

Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Jicama Slaw

 1 T coconut oil

1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

 2 T chopped green onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 t chipotle chile powder

salt and pepper to taste

Romaine lettuce leaves, separated

2 T toasted unsweetened coconut flakes

Jicama slaw (recipe below)

 Heat oil in a large skillet to medium-high heat. In a medium bowl, toss shrimp with green onion, garlic, chipotle chile powder, salt, and pepper. When the oil is shimmering, add shrimp to pan and spread out in a single layer. Allow to brown for a minute or two, then stir to flip shrimp to the other side to finish browning, 3-4 minutes more, depending on the size of your shrimp. Shrimp will be cooked through when it turns pink. This happens fairly quickly, so don’t go too far! Remove from heat.

Fill lettuce leaves with shrimp, then top with a bit of coconut and jicama slaw. (This is also fun when you serve each component separately at the table, and allow your diners to build their own lettuce wraps.) Serves 3-4.

Jicama Slaw

2 c very thinly sliced red cabbage

1 1/2 c shredded jicama (I just used the shredder on my food processor)

3 carrots, peeled and shredded (I just used the shredder on my food processor)

2 T chopped green onion

2 T chopped fresh parsley (cilantro would also be good here)

Juice of 1 lime

Juice of 1 orange

1 t chipotle chile powder

1 t honey

salt to taste

Add cabbage, jicama, carrots, green onion, and parsley in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together lime and orange juices, chipotle chile powder, honey, and a bit of salt. Pour dressing over vegetables and toss until everything is well-coated. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Can be made an hour or two in advance – chill until ready.

This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.

posted on Tuesday, August 30th, 2011 by altawrites Posted in Appetizers,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Main Dishes,Salads 7 Comments

A while back, Skyhorse Publishing contacted me about a book to review. The publicist told me that a great majority of the recipes in the book were naturally gluten-free, but were also approachable to any guest at the dinner table. Her recommendation and the title of the book drew me in. The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen – Glorious Meals Pure and Simple, by Levana Kirschenbaum. The majority of my cooking is 100% whole foods, so this sounded like a perfect addition to my cookbook collection (which currently has outgrown all available bookshelf space, and is now occupying some pantry shelf space, as well as space above my kitchen cabinets, and there are more without a home right now. I may have a problem…). I readily agreed to review the book, and asked for some additional copies to share with you all in a giveaway. Of course, they agreed!  

This book was just as was described to me. There are countless delicious, mouth-watering, healthy recipes made from real, whole food ingredients in this book. Homemade harissa? Curried apple kale soup? Moroccan turkey patties in lemon sauce? Just hearing those recipes makes me hungry. I currently have about a dozen recipes bookmarked in this book to make. But late one evening, when I was on my own for dinner, I decided to whip up a super-easy recipe for sardine salad.

Sardines, you ask? Aren’t those the gross little canned whole fishes? Okay, before you click away, hear me out. To many, sardines are a bit off-putting. I understand that. But they sure pack a nutritional punch. For people like me who can’t consume dairy, there aren’t many calcium-rich foods out there. But sardines are an exception. They pack nearly half of the daily requirement of calcium, thanks to those tiny edible bones. They’re also a great source of protein and omega-3s. For the price (a can of sardines costs about a dollar), they are one of those “must-have” budget foods in your pantry. If you’re skeptical about the taste, this salad is a great way to start. The tahini, lemon, and greens cut the “pungent” flavor of the fish, and when you’re mixing the ingredients together, you won’t see the skin and bones of the sardines. If you try it, you just might find these little fishes to be to your liking. While I’ve long adored sardines (particularly in another salad recipe I found over at City|Life|Eats), this recipe further established my love for them. It definitely was the perfect light meal.

Sardine Salad, from The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen, reprinted with permission

2 cans sardines, skin and bones on, oil and all

1/4 c tahini (sesame paste)

4 scallions, sliced very thin

Juice of 2 lemons, or a little more to taste

Ground pepper to taste

Splash of bottled hot sauce

4 cups very finely chopped romaine, watercress, or sprouts, or a combination (I used spinach)

Mash the sardines with their oil and the tahini with a fork in a bowl. Add the scallions, lemon juice, pepper, and hot sauce and combine thoroughly. Fold in the greens and mix. Makes 8 servings. (of course, I ate more than 1 serving as a main meal…)

And now, the giveaway. I am giving away two copies of The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen by Levana Kirschenbaum, courtesy of Skyhorse Publishing. To enter, leave me a comment.

To gain additional entries, post about this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook, and come back and leave me a comment telling me you did so.

The giveaway will end Sunday, July 31, 2011.

Good luck!

posted on Sunday, July 24th, 2011 by altawrites Posted in Appetizers,Budget-Friendly,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Main Dishes,Quick and Easy,Salads,Seafood 20 Comments

Adopt A Gluten-Free Blogger is being hosted this month by Wendy of Celiacs In The House. I love Adopt A Gluten-Free Blogger – while I love reading and trying to keep up with all of my favorite gluten-free blogs, reading, gawking, and sometimes drooling, I almost never seem to find time to actually make the recipes I salivate over. This event gives me an opportunity to slow down and actually try a recipe. Thing is, I rarely find it easy to decide which recipe to make. This is definitely the case when it comes to my adoptee this month – Ricki of Diet, Dessert, and Dogs.

Ricki is definitely a powerhouse in the kitchen. Her blog has hundreds of delicious, Anti-Candida Diet (ACD) friendly recipes, and she has published 4 books. I own them all. I love her latest – Good Morning! Breakfasts without Gluten, Sugar, Eggs, or Dairy. Her innovative ways of creating sweet, delicious, healthy recipes using healthy ingredients really gets me to think outside the box. I imagine that going through the healing process of the Anti-Candida Diet forces one to do just that, especially when cravings for waffles, cakes, or fudge strike. Ricki amazes with her ability to satisfy those cravings.

Lately I’ve been in need of good, healthy snacks to pack for lunch, so I made Ricki’s adzuki bean spread. Wow, is it delicious! I am a sucker for bean spreads/dips in any case, but this was unique. It had a lovely umami punch from the miso, and a bit of a bite from the green onions. The creaminess of the beans (I love adzuki beans – they’re one of my favorites, and have appeared here before.) brought everything together. A bit of this stuff, spread on some Mary’s Gone Crackers and enjoyed along a quickly packed lunch of carrot sticks and celery was the perfect easy-to-make lunch. I’m definitely making this again – perhaps even as a quick dip for a party.

Next on my list of recipes to make from Ricki? Her “swiss cheese“. This really has me intrigued. Homemade vegan cheese cubes? I am seeing a salad very soon in my future, topped with these little treats!

posted on Monday, July 11th, 2011 by altawrites Posted in Appetizers,Budget-Friendly,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Quick and Easy,Side Dishes,Vegetarian 9 Comments