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Spaghetti Squash Rosti
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Spaghetti Squash Rosti

This is a great side dish. Quick and easy for a weeknight dinner. Just a couple of ingredients. Top with an egg for a main dish. make individual patties or one big patty.

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Ingredients

  • 1 spaghetti squash 2 cups spaghetti squash noodles
  • 2 tbsp flour or (almond flour)
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400.
  2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and using a spoon remove the seeds from the center. Place each half face down in a pyrex dish with about an inch of water in the bottom. Bake in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until a fork easily pierces through the squash. Place the spaghetti squash on a plate and allow to cool
  3. Using a fork, scrape the inside of the baked spaghetti squash, removing the flesh in strands. Place in a sieve and firmly press down to remove as much liquid as possible.
  4. in a bowl combine the spaghetti squash with the almond flour, cheese, dijon mustard and cayenne pepper. Mix to ensure the spices are blended in and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  5. Form the mixture into small patties approximately the size of a clenched fist and flatten until they are 1/2 inch thick. Place the patties on a plate and leave to rest in the fridge for approximately 30 minutes so they will hold together better when cooking. You can also make one large patty and cut into wedges.
  6. Heat the oil in a frying pan on high heat. Quickly cook the patties on one side for approximately 3-4 minutes until golden and then gently flip over. Lower the heat to medium and cook the patties for another 4-5 minutes.
  7. Serve warm topped.
Cauliflower Crust Pizza
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Cauliflower Crust Pizza

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I am a HUGE pizza fan. I grew up where there was a great Italian restaurant or pizzeria on just about every corner. My dad had Celiac and was diagnosed in 1996. This was before the whole world had embraced Gluten free eating so it was always a challenge to come up with recipes that tasted good. He and my mom came up with an excellent gluten free crust but we never tried a cauliflower crust. I think he might have liked this one. It is really tasty. This is firm enough to pick up a eat like a slice of “real” pizza. It is a good alternative to a flour based crust. Be creative with the toppings! I will be making this again! Adapted from the blog ifoodreal.com.

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Ingredients

1 large head of cauliflower or 5-6 cups of store bought cauliflower rice
1 egg, large
1 tsp dried oregano or Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese, grated/shredded
Cooking spray
Toppings (I used mushrooms, roasted grape tomatoes, tempeh and cheese)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat.

Rinse cauliflower, remove the outer leaves, separate into florets and chop into smaller pieces. Process in food processor in 2 batches, until “rice” texture forms (skip if using store-bought “rice”). Transfer cauliflower rice on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-20 mins.

Remove cooked cauliflower rice from the oven, transfer to a bowl lined with a double/triple layered cheesecloth or linen towel, and let cool for 5 minutes. Then squeeze the liquid out of the ball (cauliflower inside the cheesecloth) as hard as you can. Be patient and do this a few times until barely any liquid comes out. This is a key part of making the crust firm.

Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F. In bowl whisk the egg with dried herbs, salt and pepper. Add cheese and squeezed cauliflower; mix very well with spatula until combined.

Line the same baking sheet with new parchment paper or same silicone mat (just make sure to scrape off any bits of cauliflower) and spray with cooking spray. Transfer “dough” in the middle and flatten with your hands until thin pizza crust forms.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, carefully flip with spatula or invert with another baking sheet (this worked best for me) and bake about 15 minutes. Top with your favorite toppings and bake again until cheese on top turns golden brown. Slice and enjoy.

Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 2 days.

Freeze: Tightly wrapped in plastic for 1 month.

CHICKEN WITH SHALLOTS
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CHICKEN WITH SHALLOTS

I adapted this super recipe from the New York Times; if you like the combination of chicken, caramelized shallots, mustard and tomatoes, this is for you! This serves about 4-5 and makes great leftovers the next day.

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INGREDIENTS

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
4 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 whole medium shallots, peeled
1 large onion, quartered
2 cups white wine
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 sprigs tarragon

2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
sea salt

DIRECTIONS

Rinse chicken thighs in water, and pat them very dry with paper towels. Sprinkle them with flour, salt and pepper. I used a sieve to do this or you could dredge them in the flour

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or skillet set over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, cook the chicken, in batches if necessary, until well browned and crisp on all sides. Set aside.

Add the whole shallots and onions to the pot and sauté them in the oil and chicken fat until they begin to soften and caramelize, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Add the wine to deglaze the pot, stir with a large spoon, then add the mustard and tarragon, then the chicken thighs. Cover the pot, turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove the lid, and allow the sauce to reduce and thicken, 15 to 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375. While chicken is cooking put sliced tomatoes on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Sprinkle with olive oil and salt. Roast for about 20 minutes or until tomatoes are nice and juicy and getting caramelized. You can skip this step and just add them to the pot before serving but I love the added flavor of the roasted tomatoes.

Creamy Artichoke Soup
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Creamy Artichoke Soup

This taste-of-spring soup is made creamy with silken tofu instead of  heavy cream—I adapted this from a cooking light recipe. It was a bit bland so I added some lemon balsamic vinegar since I did not have any lemon juice on hand. I also want to try this with greek yogurt replacing the tofu.

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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 cup chopped shallots
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 cups unsalted chicken stock
  • 1 (12-oz.) pkg. frozen artichoke hearts
  • 1 (16-oz.) pkg. silken tofu, drained
  • 1 cup frozen sweet peas
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons of lemon Juice or balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high. Add shallots and garlic to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add stock and artichokes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer until artichokes are very tender, about 5 minutes.

Place artichoke mixture, tofu, and peas in a blender. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure lid on blender, and place a clean towel over opening in lid. Process until smooth, about 45 seconds. Return mixture to saucepan; stir in milk lemon and salt, and pepper. Heat over medium until warmed through.

Jelly Doughnut Cake
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Jelly Doughnut Cake

I found this recipe in a magazine “Bake from Scratch’ and adapted it slightly – it was perfect to serve to a friend for tea. I got out the china cups and the teapot. It is just wonderful.
The recipe calls for piping the batter around the edges but spooning carefully works well, too. I have also skipped step 4 and served right out of the pan. I like it better without the sugar on top as it is a little too sweet for me but my guests liked the topping. I have posted pictures with and without. This really does taste like one of those jelly filled doughnuts.

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Ingredients

Cake:

  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¾ cup blueberry, raspberry or triple berry jam

Topping:

  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch round cake pan with baking spray with flour, and line pan with parchment paper.
  2. For cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. In a large bowl, whisk together milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spoon remaining batter into a large piping bag. Pipe a ring of batter around the inside edge of the pan. Spoon jam into center of the ring. Pipe remaining batter on top of jam, and smooth with an offset spatula.
  3. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour, covering with foil during last 30 minutes of baking to prevent excess browning, if necessary. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.
  4. For topping: In a small bowl, stir together sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Run an offset spatula around edge of pan to loosen cake before turning out. Turn cake back over (so dome is on top). Brush top and sides of cake with melted butter. Sprinkle top with sugar mixture, and press into sides of cake.
Vegetarian Tacos
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Vegetarian Tacos

My husband and I are not vegetarian but we do experiment with lots of vegetarian recipes. I have found a new (to me) meatless product made by Quorn. We have tried several of their products and love all of them. Some are Vegan, Gluten free, soy free all vegetarian and made with mushrooms. The packaging can be recycled. I made this dish with the “Chic n Tenders”. We loved them. This is not really a recipe as it is more of a suggestion for a quick and easy weeknight dinner that is healthy. You can use just about any fillings with this product.

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Ingredients

1 bag Chick’ n Tenders
1 red pepper,  seeded and sliced
1 large onion, sliced
shredded lettuce
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
shredded cheese (I only had sliced and it also worked great)
sliced avocado
warmed corn or flour tortillas

Directions

Heat the oil and add the onions and saute when golden brown. Add red pepper and cook until soft. Add Chic’ n Tenders and stir fry until heated through. Add spices. Serve with toppings and warmed tortillas.

Cauliflower Korma with Toasted Almonds & Blackened Raisins 

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Cauliflower Korma with Toasted Almonds & Blackened Raisins 


This was adapted from a recipe by Meera Sodha, author of Fresh India. This serves 4-6 but the recipe can be easily halved for 2 people. I made a few adjustments – I am adding this to my regular rotation of meals I love!

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Ingredients

  • 2 large heads cauliflower, broken into 
bite-size florets
  • Coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoons Smoked paprika
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
  • 2 large yellow onions, 
thinly sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves, grated
  • 1 (2 1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground 
black pepper
  • Pinch of ground cardamom (optional)
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup ground almonds
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Toss cauliflower with 1/4 cup oil, smoked paprika and 
1 teaspoon salt. Arrange in a single layer on 2 aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheets. Roast cauliflower until tender and browned, 30 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until softened and lightly caramelized, 12 to 15 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring often, until fragrant. Stir in garam masala, black pepper, cardamom, and cayenne. Add ground almonds, honey, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring, until almonds cling to onions, about 3 minutes. Stir in yogurt and reduce heat to low. Simmer until sauce is thickened and a rich golden color, about 10 minutes. Add milk and cook, stirring, until the sauce is smooth and coats the back of a spoon. Season to taste with salt and remove from heat.

Heat a small frying pan over medium. Add raisins and sliced almonds; cook, shaking pan to keep raisins and almonds moving, until raisins start to blacken and puff up and almonds are golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Add the cauliflower to the sauce, sprinkle with the sliced almonds.

 

Shrimp Pho (faux) Noodle Soup
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Shrimp Pho (faux) Noodle Soup

This is “Faux” Pho – a faster, easier weeknight version that doesn’t require hours in the kitchen! Perfect for cold and rainy nights. This turns out different every time I make it, depending on the ingredients.

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Ingredients

8 oz rice noodles
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns or 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons ginger root minced
1/2 tablespoon chili garlic paste
1 onion, sliced thin
8 cups seafood stock or chicken broth
2 strips lemon peel (use carrot peeler)
2 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon cinnamon
8 cups bok choy stem thinly sliced & leaves roughly chopped
1 lb shrimp raw

It is not traditional but a can of light coconut milk tastes really good in this!

Optional Garnishes
thinly sliced onion, slices jalapeno, cilantro, lime wedges, sriracha sauce, bean sprouts, Thai basil

Instructions

  1. Prepare rice noodles according to package directions and set aside.
  2. In a large soup pot, warm sesame oil over medium heat for 30-60 seconds until it starts to shimmer. Add ginger and chili garlic paste then stir for 30 seconds to release flavors.
  3. Add onion and cook until tender and translucent
  4. Stir in broth, lemon peel, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, hoisin, cinnamon and spices. Bring mixture to a boil then add shrimp and bok choy.
  5. Continue to simmer until shrimp turns bright pink and bok choy wilts – about 3-4 minutes. Check for seasoning and add salt/pepper/soy if necessary.
  6. Add noodles (and coconut milk if using) to soup and serve immediately.
  7. Serve with optional garnishes.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
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Flourless Chocolate Cake

This is not just a chocolate cake, it is a CHOCOLATE cake. Deeply, densely and INTENSELY chocolate. I was in a hurry to make this for a party so the photos are not great but I had to share. From Bon Apetit 2006. This is gluten free.  

 

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Cake
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, diced
18 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 large eggs

 

Ganache
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (optional)

Additions
2 tablespoons Chambord Liquor (optional)
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

PREPARATION

For cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan. Line bottom of pan with parchment round; butter parchment. Wrap 2 layers of heavy-duty foil around outside of pan, bringing foil to top of rim. Combine 1 cup water and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Whisk sugar syrup into chocolate; cool slightly. Add eggs to chocolate mixture and whisk until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan.

Bake cake until center no longer moves when pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes. Remove from water bath; transfer to rack. Cool completely in pan.

For ganache:
Bring whipping cream to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Add the peanut butter or liquor if you desire. Pour over top of cake still in pan. Gently shake pan to distribute ganache evenly over top of cake. Refrigerate cake in pan until ganache is set, about 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.

Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake; release sides. Cut cake into wedges.

Tortilla Soup
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Tortilla Soup

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There is nothing like a good pot of soup at the end of a cold and rainy day. This is perfect. You can add sour cream, avocado or tortilla chips.

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INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
1 ⁄ 2 medium red pepper
5 small boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 cups frozen corn
1 ⁄ 2 cup dry white wine or 1⁄2 cup water
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
2 (14 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce

DIRECTIONS

Sauté onion, garlic, pepper and red pepper with olive oil in a large pot until soft.
Add all the rest of the ingredients to the large pot and bring to a boil.
After about 15 minutes, remove the chicken breasts and shred.
Return shredded chicken to the pot and simmer an additional 45 minutes.
Serve, topped with avocado and shredded cheese.