GLUTEN FREE MEALS FOR LENT: PART THREE

This cabbage carrot corn and salsa soup will heat up any lunchtime. Wonderful textural variety and great taste, all meatless and gluten free, of course. Recipe here.

The earthy flavors of shiitake mushrooms and chestnuts make this dish as filling as hearty as any meat-based soup. Here's the recipe.

Once again chestnuts given this dish its depth. A fine Parmigiano will help as well. Because it's mostly a lowcal vegetable, this baked cauliflower dish is great if you're watching your meat consumption as well as your weight. It's an easy recipe.

Here are some other Lenten meal ideas.

GLUTEN FREE MEALS FOR LENT: PART TWO

Corn cakes with queso fresco with a bit of slow-cooked black beans. Try them in NYC at Rice near Houston Street, or at a restaurant near you that serves South American food. Delicious any time of year, and perfect now: healthy and filling.

Don't do without the portable and nicely spicy Bombay Burger if you're missing meat. Full of vegetables AND protein, vegetarian and gluten-free as well, of course. Buy the most firm and wrinkle-free eggplants you can find.

Read about other Lenten meal ideas.

GLUTEN FREE PANCAKES FOR PANCAKE WEEK 2

These little guys are potato carrot parsnip pancakes. The batter for the smoother one to the left spent more time in the food processor whereas the rougher one to the right has some of its grated vegetables left as they were straight from the grater Both, crunchy and delicious. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 lightly beaten egg
• 2 cups coarsely grated carrots and/or parsnips
• 1 8oz russet potato, peeled and grated
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 2T minced parsley
• 2T all-purpose gluten free flour
• oil for frying (canola or peanut work well)

Instructions 

• Heat oil to 375 degrees (use thermometer if possible)
• Mix egg, onion, parsley and flour.
• Mix potatoes carrots and parsnips with salt in a bowl lined with a cloth napkin. Join ends of napkin to make a bag (see photo), and twist the napkin until as much liquid as possible is removed,  
• Add vegetables to egg mix.
• Use 1/4 cup measure to transfer mixture to oil. Flatten immediately with spatula.
• Do not turn pancakes until edges are very brown.

 

That is how you would proceed for latkes like those on the right, a little wild, a little less pancake-y, a little harder to keep together in the oil, but super crispy-crunchy. If you'd like a smoother pancake, like the one on the left, add this step:

• Place 3/4 of parsnip/carrot/potato mix in bowl of food processor. Process until finely ground. Mix back into remaining vegetables in bowl lined with cloth napkin. Proceed with draining, mixing and frying as above.

Makes 8 latkes. Serve with sour cream and/or  applesauce (traditional)  or cranberry sauce and/or yogurt (non-traditional).

Note on grating: Use the large hole of a box grater and grate by hand. Or use a mandoline. Or a food processor. The goal is to get a texture you and yours enjoy, which can be anything from a batter with tiny crispy bits to a wild and wooly concoction that barely holds together but is perfection to you. 

HERE'S ANOTHER PANCAKE RECIPE

GLUTEN FREE PANCAKES FOR PANCAKE WEEK 3

What are waffles doing on a pancake page? Well, of course the batter for waffles can easily be used to make pancakes as well. Check out these unexpected uses for waffles and see how many of them work with pancakes, too. Recipe included.

GLUTEN FREE PANCAKES FOR PANCAKE WEEK 1

Above are sweet potato pancakes,  perhaps not what first comes to mind when you think of Pancake Day, but delicious and full of nutrition, nonetheless. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

•  1 lightly beaten egg
• 16 oz yams, peeled 
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 2T all-purpose gluten free flour
• oil for frying (canola or peanut work well)

Instructions:

• Heat oil to 375 degrees (use thermometer if possible)
• Mix egg, onion, parsley and flour.
• Process yams in food processor until yams are in small bits (see photo below)

• Mix potatoes with salt in a bowl lined with a cloth napkin. Join ends of napkin to make a bag, twisting the napkin until as much liquid as possible is removed.  
• Add potatoes to egg mix.
• Use 1/4 cup measure to transfer mixture to oil. Flatten immediately with spatula.
• Do not turn pancakes until edges are very brown.

Makes 8 latkes.

Serve with sour cream and/or  applesauce (traditional)  or cranberry sauce and/or yogurt (non-traditional). 

Here's another pancake recipe.

GLUTEN FREE MEALS FOR LENT: PART ONE

Yams and beans make a rich and colorful main dish that goes well with tortillas, steamed green vegetables or a salad. 

Here's a delicious noodle pie. Use pad thai noodles, available inexpensively at Trader Joe's. Whole Foods is a surprisingly inexpensive source for whipped cottage cheese. This pie is cheesy and creamy and full of your favorite herbs. Vegetables would be a nice addition, as well. 

Here is a particularly high-protein recipe for non-meat chili. It's made with several kinds of beans, textured vegetable protein (soy) and it can be topped with shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese for even more protein. Enjoy this gluten-free, meat-free warming comfort food for Lent or other times of year.

GLUTEN FREE WHOLE GRAIN LOAF BREAD RECIPE

Here's the opposite of the standard commercial gluten-free bread. Not white. Not pasty. Not gluey. It's got whole-grain goodness from the teff which is part of its flour mix. Teff in grain form is about the size of a poppy seed,and that little powerhouse contains all eight of the amino acids needed by humans, and comes in many colors from ivory to deep purplish brown. It is originally African, and is thought to have been used by ancient Egyptians. 

Make sure you use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the bread as it bakes. 

Makes two loaves, in pans where the bottoms measure 2.5x5 inches. 

2T yeast

1 1/2 T sugar

1 1/2 c water, 110 degrees (lukewarm)

1c cornstarch

1 1/2c sorghum flour

1/2c teff flour

1T xanthan gum

2 tsp salt

2T olive oil

1 tsp vinegar

3 egg whites

1/4c sesame seeds 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix sugar, water and yeast in small bowl. 

Mix salt, xanthan gum, flours on low, in mixer.

When yeast mixture is foamy, add to flours.

Mix egg whites, oil and vinegar in medium bowl. 

Add to mixer bowl.

Mix on high for 4 minutes.

Oil loaf pans.

Dust with cornmeal.

Ladle batter into pans. 

Spray loaves with cooking spray.

With cool, wet spatula, smooth tops of loaves.

Cover and let rise to double in warm place. 

(I use top of stove as oven heats.)

Make angled cuts in loaves with razor blade.

Bake until internal temperature is 200 degrees, about 1 hr.

Cool to room temp, out of pans, before slicing. 

GLUTEN FREE RUSTIC PECAN VALENTINE COOKIE RECIPE

These cookies are not  super-sweet or super-refined. They're rustic comfort food. Have them ready for the end of Valentine's Day, when they will provide a respite from all the Valentine chocolates and such that you may have consumed this week. 

Heat oven to 325 degrees

Cookie Ingredients

• 6 T oil
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/2 c pecans, chopped fine
• 1 1/3 c soy flour
• 2/3 c white rice flour
• 4 t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 6T water, if needed

Cookie Instructions:

Cream oil and sugar. Add lemon extract, water and lemon rind. Whisk together soy flour, white rice flour, salt and baking powder. Add dry ingredients slowly to creamed sugar, etc. When thoroughly blended, add chopped nuts. If dough is not coming together in a ball, add water by tablespoonful as needed. Roll dough into two 2" diameter cylinder. Place in freezer for 30 minutes. Cut into 1/8 inch slices. Baked on parchment paper or oiled cookie sheets.

Note: if you are not icing the cookies, Make 3/4" balls, a dozen per oiled cookie sheet. Prepare two shallow dishes, one with oil, one with sugar. Dip bottom of large glass in oil, then in sugar. For thin wafer-like cookies, press hard. For thicker cookies, use a lighter touch.

Bake approximately 20 minutes.  Makes 4 dozen

Icing Ingredients

2 t milk

1 c confectioners sugar

1/4 t vanilla extract

2 t maple syrup

food coloring

water as needed

Cookie Instructions:

Make a light and dark version of the icing. Spread light-colored icing with a small spatula or butter knife. Add darker icing with toothpicks.  Q-tip sticks (cut the fuzzy ends) are excellent for making dots.

GLUTEN FREE VALENTINE PEPPERMINT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

This icing has the kick that traditional cream cheese frosting lacks: peppermint. And with a bit of red food coloring, pretty snappy looking, too!  This frosting will turn your favorite gluten-free cupcake (store-bought or homemade) into a Valentine's Day gift for your sweetie. The cake, cupcake and ring shown here are red velvet chocolate cake.

For 12 cupcakes

Ingredients: 

1/2 c butter

4 oz cream cheese

2 c confectioners sugar

1 tsp peppermint extract 

Instructions:

Blend all in mixing bowl, in order listed,  until smooth.

Spread on your favorite baked goods.

GLUTEN FREE CHERRY RED VELVET VALENTINE RING RECIPE

As delicious as it looks.

Heat oven to 375F

3 eggs, separated

1/3 c butter

1/4 c white sugar

1/4 c brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

6 oz milk

6T beet powder

1/3 c cocoa (not Dutch process)

3/4 c rice flour

1/2 c almond flour

1 tsp baking powder

cherries

whipped cream

Whisk all dry ingredients together.

Cream butter, yolks and sugars. 

Add wet ingredients.

Whip egg white to soft peaks.

Fold egg whites into other ingredients.

Spoon batter into baking tins.

Depending on size of baking tins, bake 20 minutes or longer, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool on wire racks. If using rings, fill with whipped cream. If using muffin tins, top with whipped cream. Add cherries and top with colored sugar, sprinkles or finely chopped walnuts or pecans.

GLUTEN FREE VALENTINE LOVE APPLE RECIPES

Here is a selection of dishes using tomatoes, or the pomme d'amour, as they were called when the French believed them to have aphrodisiac qualities. No guarantees in that department, but you should be in a good mood after eating any of these, which of course, is a great start to any romantic evening, especially on Valentine's Day. The picture or name of the dish will link you to its recipe.

Cabbage Corn Salsa Soup

Fiesta Casserole

Gluten-free Lasagne

Gluten-free Vegetarian Phony Bolognese

Four Bean Chili

GLUTEN FREE VALENTINE BEET CRACKERS

These bright red crackers contain no artificial flavors or colors. They are beet and onion crackers, and though absolutely delicious with a mild cheese spread, even one as budget-conscious as Laughing Cow, they would also be delightful with a mature brie. These almond-oatmeal crackers are as crunchy as they are colorful, and certainly won't be seen at every Valentine's Day celebration. Be the first on your street, as they say. Here's how:

Ingredients:

1 c almond flour
1c gluten free oatmeal, ground in food processor till powdery.
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
3 T olive oil
4 T water
2 T beet powder
1 T onion flakes
1 egg white

Instructions:

Mix oats with almond flour, salt, sugar, onion flakes and beet powder. Beat egg whites, oil and water with a fork, then slowly add wet ingredients to dry until a ball is formed. Divide in four parts. Flatten one ball on a sheet of parchment, then cover with a second sheet. Roll out to 1/8 inch thick). Remove top parchment paper and cut dough with cookie cutter. Chill in freezer for a moment if dough becomes hard to handle. Place hearts on baking sheet. Bake until crisp, about 20 minutes.

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