Category Archives: Quick and Easy

Disclaimer: I received a sample of Pure Alaska Salmon Company’s products for free in exchange for a review. This in no way influenced my review.

This giveaway has ended! Congratulations to commenter #85, Kathleen Conner!

Salmon is a favorite in our home. We don’t eat it as often as we should, because honestly, it’s not inexpensive. We live in the landlocked Dallas area, far, far away from the Pacific Northwest, where healthy, nourishing salmon is abundant. So while I know we’re supposed to get a healthy dose of those fatty acids found in oily fish such as salmon, we generally only end up eating it about once or twice a month.

We do try to eat some other canned oily fish as well, namely tuna (the no-salt-added, soy-free varieties), and I am a fan of kippers and sardines. They make good last-minute sources of protein and pack well in a lunch. But until now, I’ve shunned canned salmon. I didn’t like the smell or the texture (and I’m definitely NOT a picky eater). So when Shirley of Pure Alaska Salmon Company contacted me about her canned salmon, I was up front with her about my opinions. She called me her “challenge”. I was willing to try the salmon out – after all, it was supposed to be a high-quality, straight-forward product. Nowadays, I’m limiting my reviews of products to only those I feel positive about, those that fit into our diet and healthier way of eating. Since the ingredients in Pure Alaska Salmon Company’s products are only salmon and salt (in the salt-added varieties), this fit the bill nicely. I was game. Of course, I arranged to get some samples to give to you as well, but we’ll get to that in a moment.

Pure Alaska Salmon Company is owned by the Zuanich family, who resides in Alaska and has been in the fishing industry for generations. Their company is committed to bringing consumers sustainably harvested, healthy, delicious wild salmon. Wild salmon is preferred to farmed salmon because of its superior nutritional content and sustainable, eco-friendly harvesting practices. Also – did you know they dye farmed salmon pink with artificial coloring? Only wild salmon is naturally pink because of their diet. Wild-caught Alaskan salmon is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin D, and calcium, as well as a great source of protein. Mercury levels are also very low in wild Alaskan salmon, so it’s a safer choice.

I was delighted to see that the samples sent to me included a dozen cans of various types of wild Alaskan salmon, both “red” (sockeye) and “pink”. I couldn’t wait to try them out. Even though my previous experiences with canned salmon were less than ideal, I love trying new things!

Needless to say, my opinions have changed. The first can I opened was the ThinkPink salmon, which is a pink Alaskan salmon that has a milder taste and can be substituted for canned tuna in just about any recipe. The texture is excellent – there are large chunks and fillets in the can (not like the mushy, near-shredded texture I associate with canned salmon). I was happy just to take bites of salmon straight from the can.

But then, after eyeing the avocados that needed to be eaten, an idea struck me. What if I used the avocados as a cup for a salad? Then you could enjoy a creamy bite with the salmon salad, without a ton of mayonnaise or other heavy dressing so often found in traditional seafood salads. And just like that, as I pulled the rest of the ingredients from the refrigerator, this salad was born.

It’s a great, super-speedy appetizer salad, perfect for a first course or a light lunch. I opted to eat it along with a bunch of mixed salad greens for dinner the other night, and it was lovely, fresh and bright.

Cilantro-Lime Salmon Salad in Avocado Cups (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

1 7.5 oz can of Pure Alaska Salmon Co. salmon (I used their ThinkPink Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon)

Juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 t olive oil

1/2 green apple, diced

1 T green onion, minced

1 T cilantro, chopped

1/2 t fresh serrano pepper, minced

1/8 t ground cumin

Pinch or two of smoked paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

2 avocados, sliced in half, pits removed

In a medium bowl, gently toss the salmon, lime juice, olive oil, apple, green onion, cilantro, serrano, cumin and paprika until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss again.

Scoop salmon salad into the “cup” made by the removal of the pit in each avocado half. Serve with additional smoked paprika sprinkled on top, if desired.

Makes 4 appetizer-sized servings.

photo courtesy of Pure Alaska Salmon Company

Oh, yes, the giveaway. Don’t think I forgot about you. Pure Alaska Salmon Company has agreed to give one of my lucky readers a sampler pack, which includes a dozen cans of their Redhead and ThinkPink canned salmon. What a great way to stock your pantry with some healthy, easy, delicious options. How do you enter? Here’s how:

• You get one entry by leaving me a comment below telling me what you’d like to make with canned salmon.

You can get additional entries by doing the following:

• “Like” Pure Alaska Salmon Company on Facebook and leave me a comment telling me you did so,
• “Follow” Pure Alaska Salmon Company on Twitter and leave me a comment telling me you did so,
• “Like” Tasty Eats At Home on Facebook and leave me a comment telling me you did  so,
• “Follow” Tasty Eats At Home on Facebook and leave me a comment telling me you did so,
• Post an update on Facebook or Tweet about this giveaway, tagging Pure Alaska Salmon Company and Tasty Eats At Home.

This giveaway will end at 11:59 PM CDT on Sunday, March 25, 2012, so act quickly! No purchase necessary – just your comments, and bonus likes and follows!

Best of luck to you!

posted on Wednesday, March 21st, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Appetizers,Budget-Friendly,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Quick and Easy,Salads,Seafood 97 Comments

Disclaimer: I received a copy of Eat Like a Dinosaur for free in exchange for a review of the book. This in no way influenced my review.

Have you heard of The Paleo Parents? Stacy and Matt are the Paleo Parents, and they have an incredible blog where they share healthy, kid-friendly recipes. I adore their creativity and the way they really engage their boys when cooking and preparing meals. Their boys love eating whole foods and helping in the kitchen. They definitely have something going with this – and apparently, they thought so too, because they just released a book about it!

Eat Like A Dinosaur: Recipe & Guidebook for Gluten-Free Kids is an excellent book to help parents and kids alike transition to a healthier, whole foods, paleo-style way of eating. The book includes not only some instructions for parents, but a great story for kids. The 100 recipes (each of which is accompanied by a photo) are marked with images of the top eight allergens (an egg, shellfish, nuts, etc) so both kids and parents with food allergies can navigate easily – but honestly, so many of the recipes are free of all allergens, it makes things so simple! All of the recipes (which look delicious to me!) even have steps that are marked with a handprint, which notes that kids can perform that step. It’s truly a great way to bring the whole family together in the kitchen.

While I can typically come up with easy, paleo-friendly main dishes without much thought (most of our weekday meals are some sort of meat+veggie variation), treats and baked goods don’t come as easily. (And if you really want buy-in from kids in the long term, it doesn’t hurt to have a healthy treat!) That’s where Eat Like A Dinosaur really shines. They share recipes for Anytime Cookies (cookies with no added sugar, so they’re healthy enough for anytime!), Applesauce, Graham Cookies, smoothies, and these waffles.

They call these Frozen Waffles, because they can go in the freezer and can be rewarmed in a toaster. How convenient is that? You could have waffles in the middle of the week – sounds like a winner to me!

But how do they taste?

Amazing. They’re subtly sweet (no added sweeteners or sugars!), they’re crisp, and they’re fluffy inside. I’m sold. I can’t imagine needing another waffle recipe.

Of course, I’ll continue to make more of their great recipes from this book. I can’t wait to make 50/50 Bacon Burgers (because the idea of bacon IN my burger sounds amazing!) or those Anytime Cookies. I will also return to the book for healthy lunch ideas – not just for the kids, but for my husband and me as well!

I definitely encourage any family with food allergies or just looking to transition to a healthier style of eating to get a copy of this book. It’s definitely worth it – even for the waffles alone!

posted on Wednesday, March 14th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Kid-Friendly,Quick and Easy 6 Comments

Are you in need of a little indulgence?

Thought so.

Good thing this nut butter is packed with lots of healthy fats and is naturally sweetened with a few dates, so then you can eat a spoonful and know you’re not totally throwing caution to the wind – you’re feeding that sweet tooth and getting a bit of nutrition too!

I’ve lately been on a bit of a “let’s clean up our diet” kick. Not that I don’t normally eat a good amount of healthy, whole foods. For the most part, I do. I’m a veggie fanatic, and I’ve been drinking up lots of green smoothies, eating lots of greens, and enjoying winter-friendly veggies such as sweet potatoes and winter squash as much as I can. We’ve also done a better job lately of eating only grass-fed or pastured meats, and so roasted spatchcocked chicken and pot roast have been on our menu recently as well. But there have been things going on in my kitchen that I haven’t blogged about that aren’t so health-centric. For instance, I’ve been trying my hand at macarons lately. (They’re finicky, so I think I need some more practice before they’re blog-worthy.) And these donuts showed up in my kitchen the other day (you’ll get the recipe for those soon, don’t worry!). There have been other creations as well, most of which involve sugar or something sweet, and most of which have ended up being consumed (sometimes in excess) by yours truly. This little habit of mine has caused some serious sugar cravings, and it’s gotten my system a bit out of whack. I definitely don’t feel my best when I get too heavily involved in eating lots of baked, sugary goods – even if they’re gluten-free.

So this week, I took a little break from all of that. I’ve been on a little cleanse, eating raw foods - lots of veggies, a bit of fruit, and some nuts. But the other night, I wanted a little treat. I’d soaked and dehydrated a bunch of almonds and walnuts to snack on throughout the week (using this method), so I decided to throw them in the food processor and make some nut butter. Adding a few Medjool dates and a bit of vanilla bean and this turned into a decadent little treat, perfect for spreading on celery, apple slices, or just eating off of a spoon (which is what I did).

And then I promptly hid it in the refrigerator so I wouldn’t see it, so I can keep myself from eating it all.

Have you ever made your own nut butters? What unique combinations, if any, have you made?

Vanilla Almond-Walnut Butter (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Raw, Refined Sugar-Free)

1 c almonds (soaked and dehydrated)

1/2 c walnuts (soaked and dehydrated)

1 t coconut oil

4 Medjool dates, pitted

1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

Pinch salt (optional)

Place almonds and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor. Grind the nuts until they form a paste or a butter. At first it will turn powdery or grainy. Keep processing, and it will eventually form a ball and start to ”clump” to one side of the bowl. Then, as you continue processing, the nuts will finally start to release oils, and it will begin to really look like nut butter. (The total time required depends on the fat content of the nut you’re using. You have to be patient – stopping early will only result in grainy, not-quite-nut-butter.) Once the nut butter starts to smooth back out, add the coconut oil (or another oil, if you prefer). Once completely smooth, add the dates, vanilla bean, and salt (only if your nuts aren’t that salty) and process until smooth again. Scrape nut butter into a jar and store in refrigerator.

Are you new to gluten-free living, or are you interested in support for your gluten-free lifestyle? Check out Udi’s Gluten-Free Living Community – it’s a great free resource. You can ask questions in the forums, gain advice from other members, and attend Live Chat sessions where amazing topics are discussed!

This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free and Wellness Weekends at Diet, Dessert and Dogs.

posted on Thursday, March 8th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Budget-Friendly,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Quick and Easy,Vegetarian 7 Comments

Yes, it’s me again, with yet another recipe for greens. I adore greens, as evidenced by these collard greens with smoked sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms, this raw kale and grapefruit salad, and another spicy kale combo, this kale salad with tomatoes and chiles. I also throw them in smoothies all the time (spinach, blueberries and mint is only one of many endless combinations that end up in my blender). What can I say? I have a bit of a “greens” addiction. I figure there are worse things.

This easy little dish is light, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring. With the sweet note of raisins and the hit from the crushed red pepper, these are certainly not an afterthought on your dinner plate. I enjoyed them alongside a version of this rutabaga soup (I threw in half rutabaga, half turnip) for dinner last night. It was light, fresh, and delicious.

Spicy Raw Greens with Raisins (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

1 clove garlic, minced

3 T apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 T olive oil

3/4 t crushed red pepper flakes

3/4 t kosher salt or to taste

1/2 t freshly ground black pepper or to taste

1/4 c raisins

1 bunch turnip or mustard greens, chopped

In a large bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Add raisins and greens and toss well with your hands or a spoon.  Allow to marinate for 30 minutes.

Serves 2-4.

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

posted on Tuesday, March 6th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Budget-Friendly,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Quick and Easy,Salads,Vegetables,Vegetarian 4 Comments

It’s time for Adopt A Gluten-Free Blogger again! If you’re not familiar, Adopt A Gluten-Free Blogger is a monthly event created by Sea at Book of Yum, designed so that those of us that blog gluten-free can spend a bit more time getting to know one another and recreate our recipes. This month, I adopted Kalinda (and Mike!) of the awesome Wheat Free Meat Free blog. Kalinda is pretty awesome. She is neither gluten-free nor vegetarian, but she lovingly cooks for her gluten-free, vegetarian husband Mike. Mike also occasionally blogs (he has appeared to share yummy recipes such as this banana pizza) but most of the time, it’s Kalinda’s voice behind the words you read.

I’ve followed Wheat Free Meat Free for some time. While we’re not vegetarian in our home, I really enjoy vegetarian cooking. It seems that vegetarian fare is often more creative than omnivorous fare in that vegetables are highlighted and featured in a lot of unique ways. A great deal of traditional American meals are centered around the meat or protein, with little thought to the vegetables. It’s fun to rearrange and sometimes even break those rules, and Kalinda definitely does that in her innovative recipes.

For example, take this dish of braised celery. I never would have thought to braise celery in my life. But long before I considered adopting Wheat Free Meat Free, I made this dish. It intrigued me so much, I couldn’t get it out of my head. Turns out, braising celery takes it to another dimension. Buttery, tender, and totally different than any celery dish you’ve encountered before. I really enjoyed it.

Or take this brussels sprouts dish with a lovely mustardy sauce (pictured above). I know there are a lot of brussels sprouts haters out in the world. Truthfully, I am not one of them – I actually enjoy brussels sprouts. But this recipe might just make a convert out of some people. My husband even didn’t mind the flavors, and he’s on the “no brussels sprouts” side of the fence.

Another unique, but winning combination? Dill pickle soup. I don’t have a photo of this, unfortunately, as I also made it before I adopted Kalinda (but check out the photo on the link to the soup recipe – it’s gorgeous). Brittany, my stepdaughter, loves pickles. There is a gigantic jar in the fridge full of pickles just for her. She’s even been into drinking a bit of the juice from time to time. Now, that’s too much for me, but she really thinks it’s the greatest. So when I saw this recipe for dill pickle soup, I knew we just had to try it. I couldn’t wrap my brain around the combination of flavors, but when it was in the pot, ready to be served, everything just worked. It was a delicious soup that Brittany really enjoyed (I did too). She happily carted home leftovers!

And this bok choy and bell pepper stir-fry, while not quite as “out there” in my mind (maybe because I like to stir-fry everything!), was just as delicious. I didn’t include the bamboo shoots (forgot to pick some up at the store), but it was full of lovely ginger and garlic, making it craveable and delicious. She says it serves 3-4 people. I polished the entire dish off in two meals. Yes, I am a bit of a glutton for yummy veggies!

Wheat Free Meat Free gives back too, which I also love. Kalinda hosts an awesome vegetarian, gluten-free roundup on a weekly basis, highlighting other great blogger recipes. She’s been kind enough to even include some of my recipes in her roundup!

Head on over to Wheat Free Meat Free to check out even more delicious recipes, like Kale Apple Shiitake Risotto, 3 Musketeers Pancakes, or Avocado Pie (drool!).

posted on Thursday, March 1st, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Quick and Easy,Vegetarian 6 Comments

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 9 Comments

I’m blogging over at The Balanced Platter today about some easy tips to keep eating healthy. Eating healthy can still be doable, even after that initial “I’m gonna change my diet and be healthy!” push you made at the start of the new year has long since fizzled. Along with some ways to make cooking and eating whole, healthy, unprocessed foods a bit easier, I’m also sharing a technique for roasting chicken that I’m sure you’ll love – spatchcocking. This technique can make roasting a whole chicken a weeknight event, and can make it taste better than any other method I’ve tried! (Roast chicken is definitely a wonderful way to your lover’s heart, too, so why not try it tonight for Valentine’s Day dinner?)

Head on over to The Balanced Platter to find out how to whip up a delectable roast chicken!

This post is linked to Gluten-Free Virtual Support Group at Gluten-Free Easily.

posted on Tuesday, February 14th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Budget-Friendly,Chicken, Turkey, and other Poultry,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Quick and Easy 4 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 18 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 41 Comments

I am a Texan. I grew up here in the Lone Star State, and I still live in the Dallas metroplex, not very far from where I grew up. Does that make me a little less worldly than some others? Perhaps. I’d like to think I make up for it with adventurous dishes with international flavors, like this beef curry or a big bowl of menudo. Sometimes, though, I love embracing foods a little closer to home.

I didn’t grow up eating much Southern food. My parents aren’t from the South, and so foods like grits, okra, fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, or collard greens were mostly foreign to them. I discovered these foods as I grew older and started eating outside of my own home, and let me tell you - I’m hooked. A great many Southern foods are humble and simple, making them the ultimate comfort food.

Collard greens are fairly common in my home today, and for good reason. Of course, they’re a delicious comfort food, as previously stated. In fact, this isn’t the first time I’ve blogged about them. But they’re also inexpensive and healthy, packing a good amount of vitamins A, C, E and calcium. I love them prepared in the traditional manner – simmered for a long time with some smoked ham hocks or bacon and onion, and doused with a bit of Tabasco when served – but  I also love them prepared in a speedier and lighter manner. Surprisingly, this version is just as tasty, without the ham or bacon.

My fellow Southerners might lynch me for considering such a notion, but hear me out. There is a product out there in the world that is smoky and delicious and is not bacon. The secret to my collard greens? Smoked sun-dried tomatoes. I find mine in the Italian food section of my specialty grocery (They’re California Sun-Dry brand, and no, I’m not being paid by this company to write about these babies, I just love this product.) They’re like vegan bacon, and they’re addictive. Try sprinkling some on salads, or incorporating them into a dip. Just try not to eat them all straight out of the bag. I dare you. If you don’t have access to this ingredient, you can always substitute regular sun-dried tomatoes (or even make your own!), but you might want to include some smoked paprika or something similar to add a depth of flavor to your greens. I encourage you to seek these out though.

The other main player in these easy greens is crimini mushrooms. I love them for their meaty texture and rich umami flavor. Slice a few of these up, and you’ve added a great element to a delicious dish.

There’s not much else to it. I intentionally wanted to keep this recipe fairly straightforward, so it could still speak to the simplicity of the more traditional version. Contrary to popular belief, Southern food doesn’t have to be all butter, deep-fried, and heart-attack-inducing. Traditional foods of the South never were about those things at all. Many people in the South simply learned to create delicious dishes on very humble, inexpensive, local ingredients, and nothing went to waste. If you ask me, this should be the philosophy of any great cuisine (and is the foundation of many traditinal foods!). Serve these up alongside some gluten-free cornbread, as a side dish, or as I often do with greens, as part of a warming breakfast. But whatever you do, make them soon!

Collard Greens with Crimini Mushrooms and Smoked Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

1 T olive oil

4 oz crimini mushrooms, sliced

1/3 c smoked sun-dried tomatoes

1 large bunch collard greens, cut from stems and chopped

1-2 c vegetable broth

salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Sauté mushrooms and dried tomatoes for 5-7 minutes or until mushrooms are soft. Add collard greens and sauté for another minute, tossing to coat them in the remaining oil. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes or until greens are wilted, opening the lid to stir occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4.

posted on Sunday, January 22nd, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Budget-Friendly,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Quick and Easy,Side Dishes,Vegetables,Vegetarian 20 Comments