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Yes, I promised you a chocolate cake over a week ago. I apologize. I considered making the cake once more so I could retake the photo. Then we had an illness in our family, and that didn’t happen. (Thankfully, that family member is on the mend!) And then, this week, there has been a lot of drama about a certain (not-so) gluten-free pizza situation in the gluten-free community. I’ve been a bit distracted. No more excuses though.

Because cake just can’t wait.

Especially chocolate-y, moist, delicate cake with a rich, fudgy, coconut-y frosting.

Most especially when that cake is grain-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, and is a bit more nutritious than most. It also has a secret ingredient. Well, not-so-secret anymore, since I put the ingredient in the title of this post. When serving this to guests (or your kids!), however, you don’t have to tell them about the zucchini. It can be our little secret. Since the zucchini is pureed, there are no detectable little green shreds in the bite of cake. In fact, the texture is rather uniform. And since the cake is a rich brown from the cocoa powder, the green is completely hidden. What the pureed zucchini provides is excellent moisture and a bit of structure. Made alone, this cake would be an excellent “snacking” cake – rich wtih chocolate and not overly sweet, but satisfying.

But frosting makes everything better, right? Lately, I’ve been working on a cinnamon roll recipe, and I’ve been opting to top it with a lightly sweetened coconut butter instead of a sugary icing. I fell in love with that bit of richness, and a light bulb came on - what if I tried to make a frosting using coconut butter? Adding coconut butter and even unrefined sugar alone was too sweet – but with a bit of coconut cream and some starch to thicken it, I had a lovely, spreadable frosting, fudgy and rich. Seriously, I could eat this stuff all by itself. (And I bet with a touch less coconut cream, you could totally make fudge with it. Maybe that’ll be a future project!) But on this cake, it provides that little extra something. It elevates it to “special” – perfect for a birthday celebration, Mother’s Day (hint, hint) or even because you wanted to have something chocolate.

Whatever the reason, you won’t regret this little cake.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake (grain-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free)

3 T coconut flour

1 1/2 c blanched almond flour

1 t salt

1/2 t baking soda

1/4 c raw cacao powder

1/2 t finely ground coffee (optional)

3 eggs at room temperature

3 T coconut oil, melted and cooled

1/4 c agave nectar or honey

1/4 t vanilla stevia extract

1 t vanilla extract

2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted

1 c pureed zucchini (I just cut mine into chunks and threw it in my food processor)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-inch cake pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together coconut and almond flours, salt, baking soda, cacao powder, and coffee. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, coconut oil, agave, stevia, vanilla extract, and melted chocolate. Whisk in zucchini puree. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix to combine well.

Scrape batter into cake pan and spread out evenly. .

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Coconut “Buttercream” Frosting

1/4 c coconut butter (such as Artisana, or you can make your own)

1/4 c raw cacao powder

1/4 c coconut oil (cool and semi-solid, but not rock-hard)

1/3 – 1/2 c powdered unrefined sugar (I made my own in my coffee grinder with raw turbinado sugar)

1-2 T arrowroot starch

1 t vanilla extract

1 T coconut flour

1/3 c coconut cream (cream from the top of the coconut milk in a can)

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a mixer with a whisk attachment. Mix on medium until well-blended, adding a touch more starch if too thin, and a bit more coconut cream if too thick. If mixture starts to look oily or come apart, refrigerate for a while and re-whisk to get it to thicken properly and set.

Spread frosting over top of cake.

Refrigerate cake until ready to serve.

posted on Thursday, May 10th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Baked goods,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Vegetarian 11 Comments

This soup is a bit random. Chicken, a lot of different vegetables, and even some ham all found their way into my soup pot this past weekend. But often times, isn’t that the beauty of soup? You might have a kitchen full of various bits and bites, leftovers, and odds and ends, and with the right combination and a little simmering time, you have a rustic, comforting meal. It’s not culinary extravagance, but it’s good, particularly when a cold wind is blowing outside.

This particular soup started because I wanted to find something to make using the ham bone from Christmas that I’d thrown in the freezer. I didn’t want a bean soup (although leftover ham bones make beans taste delicious), nor did I want a potato or greens soup. Instead, I opted to go rogue, and create a random soup using a chicken that was also in my freezer, dried shiitake mushrooms, and whatever veggies were knocking about in the fridge. I wanted it to be creamy and comforting, but I didn’t want it to be heavy.

What resulted as a humble soup relying mostly on long-simmered, pureed vegetables as the “cream”, plus more veggies for texture and interest. Not to mention tasty bites of chicken and a lovely ham flavor accenting throughout. It wasn’t beautiful, and it wasn’t fancy, but it warmed my belly and satisfied my soul. (It didn’t hurt that it was a bit nutritious too.)

Creamy Chicken and Vegetable Stew

1 ham bone with a bit of ham left on it

1 whole chicken

1/2 yellow onion, peeled but left in one piece, studded with 6 cloves

2 carrots, scrubbed and cut into a few pieces (don’t bother to peel)

1 stalk celery, cut into a few large pieces

1 bay leaf, 1/2 t coriander seeds, and 1/2 t peppercorns, tied into a bag with a small piece of cheesecloth

1 oz dried shiitake mushrooms

2 c vegetable broth

1 lemon, sliced

2 T olive oil

2 T arrowroot starch

1 c non-dairy milk (I used So Delicious unsweetened coconut milk)

2-3 c water

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 zucchini, chopped

3 c chopped kale

1/4 t cayenne pepper

salt and pepper tp taste

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 c chopped flat-leaf parsley

Place ham bone, chicken, onion, carrot, celery, bag of spices, mushrooms, and vegetable broth in a slow cooker. Lay lemon slices on top. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Strain broth from meat and vegetables. Skim fat from broth, and place broth and the carrot, celery, and mushrooms (as many as you can pick out, don’t get too worried about getting every last one of them) in a blender and puree. Set aside. Pick meat from bones and tear into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, add olive oil. Heat to medium heat and whisk in arrowroot starch. Add non-dairy milk and whisk in. Bring to a slow boil, whisking frequently, until thick. Add broth mixture from blender, water, and carrots. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add meat, zucchini, kale, and cayenne. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add more water if needed. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Just before serving, stir in lemon juice and parsley.

Serves 6.

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

posted on Friday, January 13th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Budget-Friendly,Chicken, Turkey, and other Poultry,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Main Dishes,Soups,Vegetables 10 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

 Before August brought the seemingly endless heat, I planted some butternut squash. It started out so well – it grew  by leaps and bounds every day, started blossoming, and gave promise of much delicious winter squash. Then the heat got the best of it. In spite of my watering, my butternut was just no match for 105-110 degree days. (I guess squash isn’t a desert plant!) I had three small butternut squashes from one plant before they all shriveled up, like just about everything else in the garden.

All but one, that is. A few weeks ago, seemingly from nowhere, I had one last plant that got a second wind and started to grow again. I was unsure whether it would be strong enough to set any fruit, but yesterday, when I went out to water, I noticed two blossoms on it. So I’m hopeful that we’ll get a few more butternut squash from my garden before the season is over.

These three small squash were used in this hash for breakfast yesterday morning. Along with some zucchini, a bit of onion, and some spices, this was a hearty, wake-up-your-tastebuds change from the usual morning fare. I topped mine with some perfectly fried eggs.

This week is back-to-reality time for us, as we go back to work after taking a week off and traveling. I started to get prepared by boiling some eggs for our lunches, and hoped to make some more granola bars (recipe will be in my book!) for my husband. However, my usual marathon Sunday cooking was short-circuited by some air conditioning issues we started having. The oven was turned off (along with just about every light in the house) when the house started heating up. We had it working for a while, but I already deviated from the meal plan, swapping meatloaf (Sunday’s planned meal) for a cooler, simpler option planned for Monday night – grilled chicken with salad. Here’s to hoping the A/C is in full working order later this week so I can still use the oven. Meatloaf will have to wait until this next weekend – good thing I have room in the freezer for the meat!

Monday:

Breakfast: hard-boiled eggs, leftover asparagus, carrots, and spaghetti squash

Morning snack: pear

Lunch: garden salad topped with grilled chicken breast with a homemade honey mustard dressing

Dinner: leftover curried chicken wings, mashed potatoes, green beans (A/C guy is coming this afternoon, so this may be very up in the air!)

Tuesday:

Breakfast: leftover chicken breast, spinach-blueberry-banana smoothie

Lunch: leftover curried chicken wings, carrots, spinach, pear

Dinner: chicken piccata, spaghetti squash, broccoli

Wednesday:

Breakfast: eggs, spinach-peach smoothie

Lunch: leftover chicken piccata, spaghetti squash, broccoli

Dinner: pumpkin shepherd’s pie (if this is successful, I’ll share the recipe!), braised cabbage

Thursday:

Breakfast: eggs, braised cabbage

Lunch: leftover pumpkin shepherd’s pie, tangelo

Dinner: roasted whole chicken, zucchini and sun-dried tomato casserole, mashed sweet potatoes

Friday:

Breakfast: leftover chicken and sweet potatoes

Lunch: leftover zucchini casserole, eggs

Dinner: out – it’s Brandan’s 15th birthday, so we’ll be celebrating!

…and now, for the curried squash hash.

Curried Squash Hash, inspired by Everyday Paleo

1 T coconut oil

1 1/2 c diced butternut squash

1/2 c diced zucchini

1/4 c diced red onion

2 t Madras curry powder

1/2 t cinnamon

A couple pinches of salt

Heat a large, heavy skillet to medium-high heat. Add coconut oil and allow to melt, swirling around the pan to coat. Toss butternut squash, zucchini, onion, curry powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. Add to skillet and saute, allowing to cook undisturbed for a minute or two at a time before stirring, so that the pieces of squash get browned and crisp. When squash is tender, remove from heat and adjust seasoning as needed. This should take about 6-8 minutes.

Enjoy unadorned, or toss in crumbled, cooked bacon, and top with fried or poached eggs.

Hope you have a great week!

 This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays over at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free and was shared at Gluten-Free Detroit Metro for GF Menu Swap.

posted on Monday, September 19th, 2011 by altawrites Posted in breakfast,Budget-Friendly,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Quick and Easy,Side Dishes,Vegetables,Vegetarian 12 Comments

During the week, breakfasts have to be quick. I eat breakfast at my desk at work, (I know, probably not ideal, but I HATE the idea of eating earlier, at home, only to be starving at 9am again. I leave the house around 6:30-45 in the morning, and that’s just too early to eat!) so whatever I bring must be portable, easily and quickly microwaveable, and low on the mess factor. Many times, this means I make something in advance, and reheat it as needed.

This week, I made egg muffins. No, not sweet, carb-heavy, make-you-sleepy-then-hungry-soon-after muffins. These are a savory, nutrient-packed breakfast. They’re muffins in name only – they were made in a muffin tin. Truth be told, they’re more like mini-frittatas. And contrary to what you might be thinking – they actually reheat in the microwave quite well. Just make sure not to overdo it: I warmed up three of these babies this morning for breakfast for just under a minute. A healthy, tasty, protein-packed breakfast in a minute. That’s my kind of meal.

Zucchini Red Pepper Egg Muffins

8 large eggs

Salt and pepper

1 t coconut oil, plus more for greasing pan

1 large zucchini, cut into ½ inch dice

2 oz roasted red pepper, diced (about ¼ cup)

1 green onion, minced

10 green olives, chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a muffin tin with oil and set aside. Scramble eggs in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Heat a skillet to medium heat and add oil. Add zucchini and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned and just starting to soften. Add red pepper, green onion, and olives and sauté for another minute. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Divide vegetables evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Divide the scrambled eggs evenly among the muffin cups, pouring the eggs over the vegetables.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until eggs are set in the center.

Serves 4.

These will be on the menu this week, along with a lot of other (hopefully) delicious new creations. Stay tuned, if they’re good, they may be coming to a future blog post (or the cookbook!)!

Monday

Breakfast: Zucchini Red Pepper Egg Muffins

Lunch: leftover tilapia with tomatillo-avocado salsa (salsa was good. fish needs work.), green beans, leftover eggplant salad with dehydrated tomatoes, olives, and parsley (this is definitely a cookbook candidate!)

Snack: homemade beef jerky, orange

Dinner: Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Cabbage-Carrot-Jicama Slaw, Sweet Potato Fries

Tuesday

Breakfast: Zucchini Red Pepper Egg Muffins

Lunch: leftover shrimp lettuce wraps, or if no leftovers, tuna salad with leftover tomatillo-avocado salsa and spinach

Snack: pear, beef jerky

Dinner: Pork Tenderloin with Peach Glaze, roasted red potatoes, sauteed okra

Wednesday

Breakfast: green smoothie with spinach, pear, cucumber, hard-boiled eggs

Lunch: leftover pork tenderloin and okra

Snack: handful of hazelnuts

Dinner: large salad with romaine lettuce, spinach, radishes, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and grilled chicken

Thursday

Breakfast: Zucchini Red Pepper Egg Muffins

Lunch: salad with grilled chicken

Snack: beef jerky, orange

Dinner: Thai Green Chicken Curry, braised eggplant

Friday

Breakfast: Zucchini Red Pepper Egg Muffins

Lunch: leftover chicken curry and eggplant

Snack: homemade beef jerky, pear

Dinner: paleo lasagna (a version based on Sarah’s over at Everyday Paleo - only I am thinking of adding some cashew-based “ricotta” cheese)

Do you eat breakfast on the go? What healthy, easy-to-grab foods do you often eat?

This post is linked to March Muffin Madness at Gluten-Free Easily.

posted on Monday, August 22nd, 2011 by altawrites Posted in Budget-Friendly,Dairy-Free,Eggs,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Kid-Friendly,Meal Plans,Quick and Easy 9 Comments

Do you know what this is?

It’s zucchini noodles!

What are zucchini noodles? Well, they’re not really noodles, but rather, they are very thin strips of raw zucchini. I have a spiral slicer, and thought I’d put it to use making noodles. I wanted something grain-free to eat with a chicken curry, and this was just the thing.

The spiral slicer does make this super-easy, but if you don’t have one, you can use a vegetable peeler to make wide, flat noodles. Just peel the zucchini lengthwise into long strips, rotating as you go, until you get to the seeds. If you want, you can saute the noodles really briefly (like for a minute, tops), but I even enjoy them totally raw. They make the perfect base for any saucy dish. While I enjoy spaghetti squash as well, zucchini is a lovely change. (and since zucchini is in season, why not?)

So how about that curry?

This is definitely an easy weeknight curry. I didn’t make the curry paste from scratch. (shocker, I know) I used Thai Kitchen red curry paste. This made the whole dish come together much more quickly. While it’s not a traditional Thai curry (I haven’t seen many Thai curries with red cabbage and yellow squash…I just threw them in there because I had a ton of vegetables in the house that needed to be eaten, and it sounded tasty to me.), the flavors still worked well together. It was warm, slightly spicy, and comforting – all great attributes in a curry. (Aren’t saucy curries like, the ultimate comfort food? They are to me – and it doesn’t matter if it’s an Indian curry, a Thai curry, a Jamaican curry, or a totally-new-invention curry. They all make my belly happy.) And those zucchini noodles? They kept it from feeling heavy. In the summer, that’s a definite plus.

Thai-Inspired Chicken Curry

2 T coconut oil, divided

1 T Thai Kitchen red curry paste

1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

1 c coconut milk

1 5-inch piece lemongrass, smashed with side of knife (you can find this at Whole Foods or an Asian grocery, or omit)

3 Kaffir lime leaves (you can find this at Whole Foods or an Asian grocery, or sub a bit of lime zest)

1 medium yellow squash, sliced

1 ½ c sliced red cabbage

1 tomato, chopped

2-3 T cilantro, chopped

Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil. Swirl to heat, and add curry paste. Stir the paste around for a few seconds to get it sizzling. Season the chicken with a bit of salt and pepper, and add to the skillet. Stir until the paste is evenly coating the chicken, and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned, about 3-4 minutes. Add the coconut milk, lemongrass, and Kaffir lime leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened well and flavors have melded. Adjust seasoning to taste.

While the curry is simmering, heat another skillet to medium heat. Add the remaining coconut oil and swirl. Add the squash and cabbage and saute, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until the squash is lightly browned and the cabbage is starting to wilt. Add the tomatoes and stir for a moment. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the vegetables to the curry and stir. Serve on top of zucchini noodles, spaghetti squash, or steamed rice. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serves 3-4.

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

posted on Wednesday, August 10th, 2011 by altawrites Posted in Budget-Friendly,Chicken, Turkey, and other Poultry,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Main Dishes,Quick and Easy,Vegetables 11 Comments

A few weeks ago, my husband surprised me. Little did I know he’d been tucking away money, but he sat me down, whipped out some cash, and told me that it was for a new VitaMix. I nearly cried, I was so excited. I ordered it right away, and it arrived at my doorstep a few days later.

Of course, the first things I made with it were my morning smoothies. No real recipe there – often I toss a fruit or two, some spinach, some protein powder, and give it a whirl. But now, the smoothies are creamy. No more chewing bits of spinach! This Blueberry Spinach Mint Smoothie is even more of a delight in my new blender. Lately, I’ve been throwing fresh, ripe peaches in the blender and making creamy peachy concoctions. Delish.

But the VitaMix can do so much more than just make smoothies. You can actually “cook” soup in the blender – just blend on high speed for a few minutes, and I promise you, your soup will come out creamy, smooth, and HOT! It’s amazing. But it can also blend batters for baked goods. My first attempt? A chocolate zucchini muffin – without the addition of oils.

I wanted a little treat for breakfasts that wouldn’t be too rich, too sweet, or too indulgent. This muffin definitely delivers. You’d never know there was zucchini in the batter, as the VitaMix takes care of all of those little pieces. The muffin is denser than some, but I found it really enjoyable. Just the right amount of texture for a good, hearty muffin.

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

1/4 c brown rice flour (30 grams)

1/4 c potato starch (35 grams)

1/2 c sorghum flour (60 grams)

1 t baking soda

1/2 t baking powder

2 T cocoa powder (12 grams)

1/4 t guar gum

1/4 t salt

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t allspice

1/4 c egg whites

1 t vanilla extract

2/3 c coconut palm sugar (100 grams)

2 c coarsely chopped zucchini (255 grams)

1/2 c chopped pecans

1/2 c raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tin with papers.

Combine brown rice flour, potato starch, sorghum flour, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, guar gum, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in a large bowl. Whisk until completely blended.

Place egg whites, vanilla, coconut palm sugar, and zucchini into blender and secure lid. Select Variable 1, then turn machine on and quickly increase speed. Blend for 15 seconds or until everything looks uniform. Stop blender and add dry ingredients. Secure lid and continue to blend for 20 seconds or until everything is uniform. If necessary, use tamper to press any ingredients into the blades.

Stop machine and pour mixture into large bowl. Mix in nuts and raisins by hand. Spoon into muffin papers 2/3 of the way full. Bake 16-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Makes 1 dozen.

This post is linked to Eggs, Cream and Honey and Gluten-Free Easily’s March Muffin Madness.

posted on Thursday, July 21st, 2011 by altawrites Posted in breakfast,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Kid-Friendly,Quick and Easy,Vegetables,Vegetarian 19 Comments

Where have the menu plans gone? You might be asking. They haven’t been posted on my blog for a few weeks now. Well, long story short, I was on vacation for 2 weeks. While I had vague ideas of what I planned on cooking, I was in the midst of testing so many recipes for my upcoming book, and our schedule was so lax, that I didn’t have an actual “plan.” (In fact, there were evenings where, after hours of cooking and testing recipes, my husband asked what was for dinner, and my only plan was something like “There are brownies, a cake, crackers, bread, some tomato jam, and I’m working on a meatloaf. Would you like any of that?”  I had tons of food around, but often, there wasn’t a cohesive meal in sight.) Last week, I was still in post-vacation recovery mode, and a lot of the meals were last-minute compilations of what we needed to use up. Finally, this week, we’re back into the swing of things.

One of the recipes I was testing during my time off was a recipe I debuted last year, albeit in a slightly different form, as an appetizer for a crowd of guests (gluten and dairy eaters) that were visiting. Originally it was called an “appetizer square”, and was made with zucchini and crumbled pork sausage, rather than summer squash and chicken. It obviously went over well, as the pieces were gobbled down fairly quickly. When I came across it again, I remembered the abundance of squash in the refrigerator, and decided to make a different version. It turned out to be even better than the first, in my opinion.

What’s lovely about a recipe like this is that it’s versatile. Zucchini or summer squash can be used – and this time of year, most of us have more of both of these veggies than we’d like, so it’s a great way to use it up! Any leftover cooked meat can be used – or even beana (I could imagine black beans tasting scrumptious here!). Spice it how you’d like. Serve it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as an appetizer. The sky is the limit here.

Summer Squash Chicken Frittata (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

½ c olive oil, divided

½ c diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t minced fresh sage

½ lb diced cooked chicken

½ t ground cumin

1 t herbs de Provence

1 t chile powder

4 whole eggs

½ c almond flour

¼ c coconut flour

1 T baking powder

3 c grated summer squash or zucchini

½ c Daiya cheese (or other non-dairy cheese)

1 T nutritional yeast flakes

½ t salt

¼ t ground black pepper

Heat a skillet to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add onions to skillet and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, sage, and chicken and sauté for another minute. Remove and allow to cool while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Grease a 13X9 baking dish and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk eggs until blended, and add the rest of the oil and whisk. Add in the flours, baking powder, onion-garlic-chicken mix, grated squash and remaining ingredients. Spread into prepared baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until browned on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes and cut into squares. Makes 16 appetizer servings.

And now, for the menu for this week!

Monday

Breakfast: Healthy chocolate zucchini muffin, scrambled egg whites with spinach and tomato

Lunch: Roasted turkey breast, leftover veggies from Sunday dinner (grilled asparagus, green beans)

Dinner: Chicken with mole sauce, steamed brown rice, steamed broccoli

Tuesday

Breakfast: Smoothie with strawberries, spinach, protein powder, almond milk and chia seeds, scrambled egg whites with Daiya cheese

Lunch: Roasted turkey breast with baby carrots and steamed spinach, unless there are leftovers from dinner

Dinner: Garden salad, Meatballs

Wednesday

Breakfast: Healthy chocolate zucchini muffin, scrambled egg whites with spinach and tomatoes

Lunch: Garden salad with roasted turkey breast or tuna

Dinner: Brined pork chops, roasted sweet potatoes, steamed cauliflower and spinach

Thursday

Breakfast: Smoothie with acai berry, protein powder, banana, spinach, and chia seeds, scrambled egg whites

Lunch: Tuna, shredded carrots, and spinach in a brown rice tortilla wrap

Dinner: Grilled salmon, okra and tomatoes, grilled potatoes

Friday

Breakfast: Healthy chocolate zucchini muffin, scrambled egg whites with spinach and tomatoes

Lunch: Creamy tomato tofu soup, gluten-free crackers

Dinner: Fried brown rice with shrimp, green beans

Snacks this week will include fresh peaches, black bean dip on brown rice cakes, and apples with peanut or almond butter. I also have Tanka bars on hand if I need a bit of protein.

Want more great menu ideas? Check out Celiacs In The House and the Gluten-Free Menu Swap!

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

posted on Monday, June 27th, 2011 by altawrites Posted in Appetizers,breakfast,Budget-Friendly,Chicken, Turkey, and other Poultry,Dairy-Free,Eggs,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Main Dishes,Meal Plans,Quick and Easy,Vegetables 6 Comments

Hope those of you here in the United States enjoyed a wonderful long weekend. I know we did…but it goes by so fast!

Here is another version of the squash casserole I made the other day. I can’t decide, honestly, whether I like this one better than the previous one – but they were both satisfying and delicious. This one had a lovely combination of sweetness from the sun-dried tomatoes and freshness from the herbs. It took some considerable self-control not to eat the entire casserole in one sitting. I even enjoyed some of the leftovers for breakfast. (Of course, I’m a big fan of just about any tasty leftovers for breakfast!)

This week’s meal plan is somewhat short, and not quite as organized as usual. We’re eating a lot of what’s already on hand – we have some meat in the freezer, a lot of swiss chard that I pulled from the garden today, and the pantry holds quite a few goodies. In addition, we have activities that aren’t allowing for much in the way of dinner preparation time. So while I’ve written down a few things, it’s mostly a chance for me to wing it a bit.

Monday:

Breakfast: Teff and Millet Pancakes (I thought they were pretty tasty, but the family didn’t agree. Still trying to come up with a whole grain pancake recipe that everyone else likes!), fruit smoothies

Dinner: Shepherd’s Pie (made with slow-cooked shredded lamb shoulder), Sauteed Swiss Chard (without onion, but with a bit of carrot and celery)

Also making hard-boiled eggs and beef jerky for the coming week

Tuesday:

Breakfast: leftover pancakes with nut butter, 1/2 banana, and maple syrup

Lunch: leftover shepherd’s pie, swiss chard

Dinner: grilled chicken on salad

Wednesday:

Breakfast: gluten-free cornflakes with almond milk, raspberries, hard-boiled egg

Lunch: grilled chicken with salad

Dinner: Quinoa pizza with spinach or swiss chard

Thursday:

Breakfast: green smoothie with spinach, pineapple, and mint

Lunch: leftover pizza

Dinner: Lettuce wraps (made with turkey, and omitting oyster sauce, using gluten-free soy sauce)

Friday:

Breakfast: gluten-free cornflakes with almond milk, banana, hard-boiled egg

Lunch: leftovers or egg or tuna salad sandwich with gluten-free bread, baby carrots, celery sticks

Dinner: the husband might be in charge of this one for the kids, as I have a soccer game during dinner time

Snacks include baby carrots, oranges, Tanka bars, and brown rice cakes

Alright, I’ve kept you long enough. Here’s the zucchini and sun-dried tomato casserole!

Zucchini and Sun-Dried Tomato Casserole

2 T olive oil

4 c sliced zucchini

1 t chopped fresh sage

1 T chopped fresh parsley

½ t chopped fresh thyme leaves

½ c soaked and chopped sun-dried tomatoes

½ t smoked paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

1 T ghee or olive oil

¼ c almond flour

½ c cheddar cheese alternative (I used Daiya)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a casserole dish and set aside.

Heat a skillet to medium heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat. Saute zucchini for about 8-10 minutes, or until softened. Add herbs and sun-dried tomatoes and continue to sauté for another minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Using a paper towel, squeeze the excess juice from the vegetables (otherwise, you’ll end up with a wetter casserole than you desire) Transfer the vegetables to the casserole dish. Top with Daiya cheese.

Melt the ghee in a small microwaveable bowl for 30-45 seconds. Combine ghee and almond flour along with a pinch of salt in a bowl. Blend together with a spoon until crumbly. Spread over the Daiya evenly.

Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.

This meal plan post is linked to Gluten-Free Menu Swap over at Celiacs In The House.

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

posted on Monday, May 30th, 2011 by altawrites Posted in Budget-Friendly,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Meal Plans,Side Dishes,Vegetables,Vegetarian 21 Comments

I don’t know why I’ve missed the “Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger” events for the past few months. I’m regretting that I haven’t participated. It’s fun, and it’s an excellent opportunity to try out gluten-free recipes from my gluten-free blogger friends that I have been meaning to make for what seems like forever. I think somehow, it’s just slipped from my mind for a while. This month, I decided that I’d change all that.

Sea at Book of Yum was the original creator of this event. It continues to be a wonderful opportunity for those of us that blog gluten-free. Shirley at Gluten-Free Easily is hosting the Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger event this month, and she will have a roundup of all of the recipes in early September. Be sure to check it out!

I adopted a new-to-me blog this month – Celiacs in the House. Wendy, the author, writes about everything gluten-free, from new packaged goods to recipes to everything in between. She and her two teens have celiac disease, and so they follow a gluten-free diet. Wendy recently took a new look at her eating and lifestyle habits and blogged about a journey she took to become healthier as she approached the big 5-0. (Read more about her journey here.) I’ve only recently begun reading Wendy’s blog, but I’m hooked – Celiacs in the House is a delight to read.

As I was reading through numerous posts, I came across one recipe that stood out to me – a chickpea, zucchini and quinoa salad recipe. It’d been a while since I prepared quinoa, and so I opted to try Wendy’s salad. I decided to substitute pecans for the chickpeas, as chickpeas and I just don’t get along. Otherwise, I followed the rest of the recipe exactly – even adding some shredded carrot along with the zucchini as Wendy suggested. It was a delicious salad. The dressing was sweet, but had a bit of bite from the ground chipotle chile powder. I enjoyed more than my fair share for dinner last night, and then had a generous helping for lunch today. I think I could definitely incorporate this salad into my lunches on a routine basis. Can’t wait to see what else comes out of Wendy’s kitchen.

Visit Celiacs in the House to check out the recipe for this quinoa salad, and while you’re there, be sure to browse around and get to know Wendy a bit. You might just find a few more ideas for delicious gluten-free munching!

posted on Friday, August 27th, 2010 by altawrites Posted in Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Main Dishes,Quick and Easy,Side Dishes,Vegetarian 17 Comments