Gluten Free Recipes from Wordpress

While we’re starting to feel the effects of spring around here, there are still some chilly, r

Broccoli Brown Rice
4 servings
Can be doubled| Can be halved| Makes great leftovers

I love the chewy texture and slightly nutty taste of brown rice, but it’s been a challenge to get Mahir to eat it. He claims it has no taste, but it was this dish which changed his very strong opinion.  One day, we were having grilled halibut for dinner garnished only with lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper, and I wanted an interesting side to balance out the simple entree. I asked Tess to help out, and she invented his tasty dish. We were out of white rice so I was planning on giving Mahir a roll as his starch, but when he looked at what I was about to eat and what Meenakshi had already enjoyed, he was tempted enough to give it a try. He’s glad he did because he liked it enough to request it again and again- brown rice and all. He still won’t eat it plain, but as long as I can keep feeding him this version, I won’t complain!     ~Shivani

Ingredients:

1 cup of uncooked brown rice
1 to 2 heads of broccoli
1 bunch of thinly sliced scallions
1 small red pepper cut into thin slices
1 small orange pepper cut into thin slices
1 teaspoon of oil
1 tablespoon of finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 handful of chopped cilantro (optional)

Instructions:

Prepare rice according to package instructions

Cook broccoli in a pot of boiling water for one to two minutes (it should still be a little crunchy)

Head oil in a large pan on medium heat and fry garlic and scallion for two minutes or until the scallions are just soft

Add in rice and paprika

Add in peppers and cook for two to three minutes or until they are slightly soft but still crunchy

Add in broccoli, and season with salt and pepper.

Mix in cilantro with all the other ingredients and enjoy

Serving Suggestions:

This rice is a perfect side dish for just about any entree including grilled or broiled fish and tofu or chicken marinated with ginger, low sodium soy sauce, garlic and red pepper flakes. Or, make it a one dish meal by adding in tofu or chicken cubes or topping with a fried egg.

An almost accidental stew. Turkey, tamarind-date paste, and some root veggies simmered together to form lovely, deep flavors. Sitting atop a jazzed up cauliflower puree. Originally, I wanted to make this stew with organic lamb, but organic turkey was on sale, so I got that instead. You can make the Tamarind Date Turkey stew in a slow cooker or on the stovetop. It's super easy and flavorful either way. Vegetarianize it by leaving out the meat and increasing the mushroom content.

Sometimes random things inspire my cooking. Often enough, it’s a combo of simply using what’s in the pantry and/or fridge, finding an ingredient on sale, and getting a bit creative.

This Tamarind Date Turkey stew came about when I had a jar of tamarind chutney laying about after a dinner party. I’m the queen of use-it-up (I hate to waste!)  Of course, I also adhere to my mom’s rule “When in doubt, throw it out.” So don’t worry, we eat safely at my house.

I figured it’d be easy enough to give this stew a Middle Eastern flair, and that’s just what I did. It turned out richly flavorful–quite hearty and satisfying. Yet not greasy or heavy, if that makes any sense. That’s how I like to cook in these colder months–food with oomph, but not anything that’s gonna drag you down.

Speaking of which–my original intention was to make this stew with lamb chunks, not with turkey. But when I got to Whole Foods to buy some organic lamb, organic turkey was on sale. In the spirit of being flexible, and budget-minded, I opted for some lovely turkey thighs. The lamb version of this stew can be posted another day.

Tamarind is a pretty interesting ingredient. It grows in pods, and its pulp (edible) has a sour flavor with a hint of sweetness. It’s popular not just in Middle Eastern cookery, but in the cuisines of South Asia, Thailand, and in Latin America, to name but a few. So if you’re not sure where you can find tamarind, try your local Middle Eastern, Latin or Asian mart. Or look for an interesting tamarind chutney in the grocery store.

Tamarind can benefit the body in numerous ways. It’s high in vitamin C as well as B vitamins. It can aid in digestion and has a mildly laxative effect. Gargling it can ease a sore throat. It’s anti-inflammatory when applied topically to the skin.

Tamarind and Date Turkey Stew with Root Vegetables

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound turkey thighs or legs, bone in and skin removed

6 ounces tamarind date chutney, or just tamarind chutney

1 medium onion

2-4 large garlic cloves, grated into small bits

Pinch each of ground cinnamon, coriander, cumin, and cardamom

1 pound of root vegetables of choice such as carrots, parsnips, turnips

8 ounces of sliced mushrooms

2-3 cups of filtered water

Neutral cooking oil of choice

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat until shimmery.  Season turkey thighs with salt and pepper, and brown in the oil, approximately four minutes per side. Make sure both sides of the meat have good color. As the turkey sears, peel and then slice the onion into half moons. If you have extra time, begin peeling the root vegetables and cutting them into large, uniform chunks.

2. Remove turkey from pot, and set aside. Add the onions, and cook for 3 minutes, adding water as necessary to deglaze pan. Continue cutting root vegetables as the onions cook. Add the spices and garlic to the onions, stir, and cook for another 30 seconds to one minute, until their aromas start to rise.

3. Remove pan from heat. At this point, if you’re using a slow cooker, all of the ingredients go into the slow cooker. However, if you opt to make this on the stovetop, you scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pot, and then add everything into the pot.

4. If using the slow cooker, cook for a minimum of 4 hours on high, or up to 8 hours on low.  If you’re cooking on the stovetop, bring the stew to a boil, then bump it down to a slow, gentle simmer and cook for an hour or more. Add water as needed if the sauce starts to get too thick.

Curried Cauliflower Puree

Ingredients

1 head of cauliflower, rinsed and cut into florets

8 cups of water

2 teaspoons of salt

2 Tablespoons of curry powder

Optional: Oil or butter of choice (just a bit–no more than a tablespoon)

Directions

1. Add cauliflower florets to the water in a large pasta pot. Add salt and stir. Bring to a boil, then drop down to a slow boil for 15 minutes, or until florets are fork tender.

2. Drain and remove florets from the heat.

3. LET COOL until you could handle them with your bare hands if you wanted to. Not that you’d want to, but it’s seriously important to LET THEM COOL. Not doing so could bust your blender or food processor. No joke!

4. Add cooled florets, 1/4 cup of water, oil or butter (if using) and curry powder to a blender or food processor.  Let it all whir away until well-mixed into a smooth puree. Check seasoning and adjust salt, pepper, and curry powder to your taste, re-blending as needed.

INGREDIENTS

1 part flax seeds

1 part teff

1 part amaranth

1 part quinoa

DIRECTIONS

Soak ½ cup of grains mix in 1 ½ cups water over night.

Add ¼ tsp salt and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes.

Serve hot with a tsp of brown sugar and a tbs of cream.

Serves one.

No, I’m not going gluten-free, but I know a few people who are, so in honor of them (I am inspired by their efforts and self-control), here are a few budget-minded links from Wisebread:

• Budget Friendly, Gluten-Free Grocery Staples
• Homemade Gluten-Free Noodles
• Homemade Gluten-Free Bread
• Gluten-Free Desserts

Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread

I am now preparing for the gluten-free bread making class. This promises to be a great time for me and the students. So far there are 6 who have signed up for the class. There is much preparation to do. Each student will receive a bread loaf pan, Lindy’s GF  Bread Mix, Lindy’s GF Bread Recipe, rising cloth, instruction sheet, a free copy of Lindy’s Gluten-Free Cookbook, and a free copy of  my famous Apple French Toast Recipe.

The balance of flavors in a forkful of this never fails to entice us. What a great meal to pull out of the oven on a cold late winter evening!

Stuffed Peppers

4 large Green Peppers

1/4 cup Water, salted

1 pound Extra Lean Ground Beef

1/3 cup Onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon Salt

dash Pepper

1 pound Tomatoes, Canned, diced

1/2 cup Water

1/2 cup Long-grain Rice, uncooked

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, Lea & Perrins

4 ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Cut green peppers in half; remove insides. Precook green pepper cups in small amount of water, covered, in microwave for about 5 minutes; drain.

Cook ground beef and chopped onion till meat is lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, water, rice, and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and simmer till rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in cheddar cheese. Stuff peppers with the meat mixture; lay in baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Serves 4.

All it needs to complete a meal would be some hot bread or a small relish tray.

INGREDIENTS 2 large onions – spanish work best 1 tbs butter 1 litre low sodium GF beef stock 5 slices GF bread – toasted 1/2 cup mozzarella or swiss cheese (you can use 2 slices per bowl if you prefer) DIRECTIONS Chop onions and fry in butter until browned. Add fried onions to boiling beef broth. Turn down to minimum and simmer for about 20 minutes. Toast the bread and cut into cubes. Place cubes into a french onion soup bowl. Pour soup over toast cubes and top with cheese. Bake in 350° oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese starts to bubble and slightly change colour. Serve hot.

Everyone has their favourite food, some people are mad about tea, some people love chocolate and the

Makes about 12 patties

DOUGH

4 cups of GF all purpose flour

1 tsp of kosher salt

1 tablespoon of turmeric

½ cup of butter

½ cup of unsalted butter

5 tablespoons of water

FILLING

1lb of lean ground beef

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

2 teaspoons of seasoning salt

½ cup of unseasoned  GF bread crumbs

2 habanero peppers, finely diced and seeded

¼ cup of chicken stock

3 cloves of minced garlic

1 & ½ teaspoons of thyme

½ cup of chopped scallions

1 small onion, chopped

1 egg, beaten

DOUGH

In a large bowl, sift together the four cups of flour, kosher salt and turmeric. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in the butter.  Keep blending in the butter until it is the size of small peas. Add in the five tablespoons of water and stir until flour comes together in a ball. Add a little more water if necessary. Place the dough into a large glass bowl and dust lightly with flour. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

FILLING

In a large saucepan over medium heat add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the ground beef chopped onion and cook until is browned. Drain the excess liquid from the meat. Stir in the seasoning salt, peppers, garlic, thyme and scallions. Stir in the breadcrumbs and add the ¼ cup of chicken stock to moisten.

Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until most of the liquid from the chicken stock has evaporated but the mixture should be somewhat moist.

Let the meat mixture cool down to room temperature.

Using a pastry board, take some of the pastry dough, (about the size of a golf ball) and roll it into a circle to your desired thickness. (1/8th to 1/4 inch)

Place some of the meat mixture inside the middle of the rolled dough. Fold and seal using a fork to crimp the edges.  If you have turnover molds, they work pretty well too.

Repeat this procedure for remaining patties.

Place the patties on a baking sheet and brush each patty with the beaten egg. Bake them in a 400-degree oven for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot.

With low-fat, nutrition-packed ingredients like scallops, carrots and spinach, this is not only healthy but tastes amazingly good. Most often I serve it with steamed rice, but it’s just as good with linguine. My husband likes to add chow mein noodles, too. For a different taste, omit the soy sauce and sprinkle with fresh lemon juice before serving.

Scallops Stir-Fried with Garlic, Carrots & Spinach

3/4 Pound Scallops, thawed if necessary

1 Cup Carrots, cut into 1/4″ x 1-1/2″ sticks

1 Clove Garlic, minced

1 1/2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Salt

1/8 Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper

1 Teaspoon Soy Sauce  (I use San-J Organic Wheat Free Tamari Soy Sauce)

1 Cup Water

1/4 Cup Rice Flour, sweet or white

3 Cups Fresh Spinach, torn

1 Cup Cooked Rice, or linguine, g.f.

Large-size sea scallops are best for this recipe, if possible (about 8). Rinse and drain well. Heat small amount of oil in large nonstick wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots and garlic; stir-fry until almost tender; set aside and cover to keep warm.

Heat remaining oil. Add scallops; saute until browned and tender, and have begun to noticeably shrink in size (2-1/2 minutes on each side for large sea scallops, a little less for the smaller bay scallops). If doing a larger quantity, cook half at a time; set aside, and keep warm while cooking the 2nd half. It’s important for the amount in the wok to be small enough to keep them cooking fast.

Return all scallops and carrot mixture to wok or skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and soy sauce; heat through. Add water. Sprinkle with rice flour. Stir until sauce is thickened. Adjust seasoning if needed; add more water if sauce is too thick. Finally, stir in spinach.

Serve with rice or linguine, if desired. Can be topped with chow mein noodles. Serves 2.

Italian Chicken Sausage & Vegetables in Tomato Sauce
4 servings
Can be doubled | Can be halved | Makes great leftovers | Freezes well
Vegetarian substitutes

To me, the classic aroma of sausage and peppers from an Italian street vendor cart is hard to beat (funny, my mom craved that dish when she was pregnant with me). But, while I love the flavors, traditional “old school” sausage can be quite fatty. Often I find it’s too heavy, especially for people who have trouble digesting rich foods. Lucky for anyone looking for a lighter alternative, pre-cooked chicken sausages (usually sold in packages of 4 or 5) are low in fat and packed with flavor.  We’ve used a variety of different Italian style chicken sausages in this recipe, they all work very well and don’t leave you feeling like you’re swimming in grease. If you like saucy tomato dishes and crave sausage once in a while, this is one of those recipes you’ll come back to again and again. It’s a hearty and satisfying dinner choice, while light enough to feel good about eating both before and after your meal!     ~ Susan

Ingredients:

1 package pre-cooked Italian style chicken sausages – diagonally sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion – quartered and thinly sliced
1 medium red pepper – quartered and thinly sliced
1 medium green pepper – quartered and thinly sliced
1 large zucchini – halved lengthwise and diagonally sliced
2 teaspoons fennel seeds – coarsely ground with a mortar and pestle
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes – crushed with your fingers
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
optional – hot chile flakes

Instructions:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.

Add onions and sautee until lightly browned.

Add peppers, fennel seeds, granulated garlic, oregano, basil, and the can of tomatoes (crushed through your fingers).

Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes, or until peppers are very tender.

Add zucchini, sliced sausage, and a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper to taste. Cover and simmer another 5 minutes, just until zucchini is tender, but not too mushy. Serve garnished with hot chile flakes if you like the spice!

Serving Suggestions:

Great over brown rice or whole grain pasta with a side of steamed kale.

Try a baked potato, cut in half, topped with the sausage mixture and a side of steamed broccoli.

Get a whole grain baguette, hollow out some of the inside, wrap it in foil and warm it in the oven,  then fill it with this mixture for a ridiculously tasty hot sandwich.

Substitutes:

A firm style vegetarian Italian “sausage” works well in this dish, as would a good, firm cubed tofu.

I also like using tempeh in this recipe. Use one whole package (I love the kind with flax seeds in it). Cut tempeh into to 3/4 inch cubes and simmer them in the tomato-pepper mixture for a good 20-30 minutes before adding the zucchini.

Cubed chicken breast or whole shrimp would also work very well.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups ground walnuts
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
24 sheets phyllo dough (1 lb. box)
2 cups melted butter (1 lb.)
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Syrup:
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup honey
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 of a lemon with peel, sliced
Peel of 1/2 orange
5 whole cloves

Note: With this and any phyllo pastry recipe, gather all ingredients and make all preparations before unwrapping the phyllo dough. It is very thin and delicate, so work with one sheet at a time, keeping the rest covered with a damp cloth or plastic wrap (or both) to prevent it from drying out.

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, combine the nuts, ground cinnamon, cloves, and sugar. Brush the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan with melted butter.

Now start buttering and stacking.

Bottom layers: Working with one sheet at a time, brush 8 sheets of phyllo pastry with butter and place them in the pan, one on top of another. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the nut mixture over that eighth sheet.

Filling: Place 2 buttered sheets of phyllo on top and sprinkle another 1/2 cup of the nut mixture over it. Repeat 4 more times for a total of 10 sheets for the filling.

Top layers: Brush 6 phyllo sheets with butter (8 if you have extras) just as you did with the bottom layer and stack them on top. Cut the layers into a diamond pattern with a sharp knife. Bake at 300° until golden brown, about 1 hour.

Syrup: Start the syrup as soon as you put the baklava in the oven. Combine all syrup ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and let the mixture boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain and cool.  Remove the baklava from the oven and pour the cooled syrup evenly over the top of it. Best when prepared a day or 2 ahead. Makes 24 to 48 servings, depending on the cut.

I decided to try to document my dinner plans for the night.  Of course, my corn dogs are not only gluten free, but free of dairy, eggs, rice, tapioca . . . who knows what else. 

And I decided to take pictures.  This could be long!

When I bake, there are always a lot of different flours.  My corn muffin recipe uses fewer than my banana muffin recipe, at least!

See, not so bad!  Guar gum, in case you are curious, is a substitute for what gluten does for breads - hold it together.  Most people use xanthan gum, but I can’t tolerate that.

Next, wet ingredients:

The soy sour cream and soy milk together make my buttermilk substitute.  The OJ is mostly for flavor.  The gooey stuff in the cup is my egg substitute – flax meal nuked with water.  Ooy gooey.

Ok, my basic allergy-free corn muffin recipe is way at the end here.  The fun part, of course, is the corn dog part!  We start with a nice-sized piece of aluminum foil, folded in half (and kinda tuck the end over)

 We then fold it down the middle.  It’s handy to have your hot dogs on the table before you go much further.  You have to fold the ends  so they close like little canoes, and make sure they are only slightly longer, and maybe 50% taller, than your dogs. Dont make it too long or too wide – your batter will fill the mold, and you don’t want TOO much corn around  your dog.

Here you can see my completed hot dog canoes, and some of my hot dogs, which were there for measuring purposes.  You also see my PAM.  Spray your corn dog molds very very well!  (remember, these things are usually fried, right!)

Next step is to coat your hot dogs lightly with corn starch.  This helps the batter stick to the dogs.  I do this with my hands, so each dog is completely coated, but not thick at all. 

This picture is supposed to show how much batter to put in your corn dog canoe, but instead it is proof positive that I need to learn how to use my camera.  I probably threw away half the pics due to flash.

So, fill your molds about 1/3 full .. . then you will lightly place your dog on the batter, and lift and rotate the dog to start coating it.  I don’t pull the batter all the way around, because that seems to leave the bottom empty.  I mostly cover the dog, set it down in the batter, and spoon enough on top (and esp at the ends) so that the dog is completely sealed in. 

I place the dogs in an oven preheated to 350.  I put the remaining batter in to muffin tins and add those to the oven, and set the timer for 20 minutes.  When the muffins are done (about 20 minutes, toothpick test or starting to brown), i remove them and turn on my convection fan to hurry up the dogs.  They take a lot longer!  If you dont have convection, you might want to try baking at a higher temp to start with, and waiting 10 minutes before putting in the muffins.  Or, if you aren’t making muffins, bake about 30 minutes!

And there they are, 3/4 a dozen muffins and 5 lumpy-looking baked gfcfef corn dogs!  Peel the foil carefully off of the dogs.  The bottoms should be nicely browned.  I tried to take a picture but . . . urg.  Flash.  Bad Cara.

Below is my quirky corn meal muffin.  You could probably just use a mix, or your own favorite recipe, if mine looks too strange!

Totally free corn meal muffins:

1 scant cup cornmeal
1 scant cup mixed potato starch, quinoa flour, corn starch
½ tsp Guar gum
¼ c white sugar
2 ½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ c soy sour cream & ½ c soy milk
½ c water mixed w ¼ c flax meal, nuked
3 TB oil (or more)
liberal dash of orange juice or water as needed for soft batter

Spray muffin tin w non-stick spray and preheat w oven
mix dry ingredients, add liquids, stir just to mix – lumps are ok. 
Fill ¾ and bake about 20 minutes at 350

Flourless Chocolate Cake

1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips – 380 grams
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces – 225 grams
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup liqueur
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/3 cup sugar
8 eggs

Grease the bottom of a 9-in. springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment or waxed paper. Grease also the paper.
In a saucepan add chocolate cips, butter, water, sugar and coffee granules. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth.
Stir in cocoa until smooth.
Remove from heat.
Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl for 5 minutes or until the volume doubles. Add beaten eggs, one-third of the composition (eggs)at a time, until thoroughly incorporated.
Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake at 325° for 40-45 minutes or until cake has risen and edges start to get firm and shiny.
Cool completely in pan on wire rack (center will sink slightly).
Cover cake; refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
(Cake is very good if is made 3-4 days in advance.)

The day you want to serve – remove side of pan by first running knife around edge of cake. Invert cake on sheet of parchment paper, peel off parchment pan liner, and turn the cake right-side up on serving platter.

For the decoration (Optional)- melt some chocolate cips with some sugar and liqueur. Add this composition on the cake and add your favorite fruits.

Enjoy!

As promised here is the Pasta Figioli recipe I made on Monday instead of the Curry Apple Squash Soup which I have made today. 

1 can chicken broth- or real chicken broth from boiled chicken carcass (vegetable broth for the vegetarian in our group

1-2 cans of Northern white beans do not drain or any white bean

1 can of light colore kidney beans do not drain

1 can of french cut green beans (organic if you can find them) do not drain

2 small cans of stewed tomatoes

1 can of chick peas do not drain

Put them all in a big pot, add salt, basil, thyme, oregeno (all fresh if possible)

Season to taste- add a little cayenne to taste- cook until the flavor is there by first bringing to a boil for 20 minutes than simmer for 45 or less

In a separate pot- boil water with sea salt to cook Ditalini pasta. Cook al dente add about 10 minutes to when you are going to serve and only add to what you think you will finish that evening.  If making a large amount seperate and add pasta only 10 minutes before you eat and for me I substitute and use wheat free small size pasta.

For Meat lovers add chorizo sausage or andouille sausage to your liking and you can add that while it is simmering cooking the sausage.

Now tonight for Black Bean Burgers:

To my son you will love these, they are really good.

Chop half of a white onion and two garlic cloves, put in a mixing bowl

Add one can of black beans

Add cumin 1/2 tsp, cayenne pepper, 1 tsp of cilandro and remember fresh is better

Add any the following, chopped walnuts, pumpkins seeds, sunflower seeds, whatever you like,

Salt and Pepper

One egg

Mix with your hands and slowly add bread crumbs and they can be seasoned until you get the consistency of ground meat binding together.Form into nice size patties and chill prior to cooking.  When ready to cook, heat pan and olive oil, cook patties 4-6 minutes on each side.  Serve with avocados, or tomatoes, melt cheese on them.  And for me use wheat and glutin free bread crumbs.

INGREDIENTS:

Salt and pepper

1 9oz. Strip loin grilling steak, sliced thin

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs. sesame oil

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 tbs minced ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage

3 baby bok choy, chopped

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

2 tbs vinegar

2 tsp. sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

Sprinkle salt and pepper on steak slices. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Saute steak for about 3 minutes or until hint of pink remains. Remove to plate.

Add sesame oil to skillet and return to medium high heat. Add shallots, ginger and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add cabbage, bok choy and red pepper and sauté about 3 minutes or until tender crisp.

Add beef to skillet and toss to coat.

Drizzle with vinegar and sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

Shakshuka with eggplant. This is one variation, as there are many types of shakshuka.

Shakshuka is a dish popular in many different countries of the Middle East. Before anyone gets up in arms and says today’s recipe isn’t done “right,”   please consider this: This is but one version of shakshuka.

Shakshuka is many different things to many different people. There are numerous versions, all too delicious and unique to have one “correct” version. Some use meat; some use eggs; still others are vegetarian. This is the type of food, by the way, that often tastes better the next day.

The shakshuka we’re exploring today is eggplant-based, earth-toned, and mild, but others are spicy and/or pepper based and reddish. There are other differences, which I personally think it’s great, because it means there are infinite ways to enjoy this dish. So if anyone wants to chime in in the comments section with their own take on shakshuka, feel free!

Chinese eggplants, they're called. I love their mild flavor and festive purple hue, but regular eggplants work just as well.Photo: www.Stock.Xchng.com

My sources tell me that shakshuka (pronounced shake-shoo-kuh) is a popular dish to use up vegetables and meats, which may explain why the dish is so flexible and has so many variations. Today’s version, while Syrian in origin, somewhat reminds me of Persian eggplant koresh (Koresh e Badenjan). However, that that stew has its own special flavor, which we’ll explore another time.

Speaking of Persian, the Persian girl in me loves shakshuka served over rice with dollop of yogurt on top, but for a more traditional presentation, you could ladle some of the stew on top of warm pita bread or serve the pita on the side. Do try to sprinkle some parsley or fresh cilantro on top for a color pop and flavor boost. Use more water to make the shakshuka more stew-like. For a dip, use less liquid.

Slow Cooker Shakshuka

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 bunch of fresh cilantro (about 1 cup, rinsed. Leaving stems on is okay–they have good flavor)

1  medium onion, halved

4 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon salt (can use more or less, according to your  to taste)

1 teaspoon black pepper (can use more or less, according to your taste)

4 Chinese eggplants, or one large eggplant (about 1 pound of eggplant total)

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 cup ketchup (better to get the kind without cornsyrup if possible)

1 Tablespoon paprika

3-4 cups filtered water

Optional: 1 14-16 ounce can of chickpeas, drained

Optional: Freshly chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish

Directions:

1.  In a blender or food processor, blend the half of the onion plus the cumin, coriander, cardamom, cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper until this all forms a pesto-like paste. Add water as needed to keep things moving.

2. If removing peel from eggplant, remove. Then chop the eggplant into 1/2 inch disks or half moons, or chunks. Chop the remaining onion and add it, along with the tomato paste, ketchup, and paprika, to the slow cooker. Add water and stir everything thoroughly.

3. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours, or on low for 8 hours.

4. A few minutes before serving, add in the drained chickpeas and stir. Check seasoning and make any adjustments to the amount of salt and pepper.  Garnish with fresh herbs (if using) and enjoy!

Your favourite homemade GF pie crust, glazed with an egg yolk and pre-baked
3 eggs, whisked
1 15oz can sweet potatoes (or two cups of cooked and mashed sweet potatoes)
1 1/2 c heavy cream
3/4 c brown sugar
1 t each cinnamon and ginger
1/2 t nutmeg and allspice
1/2 t salt

Mix everything together, pour into hot pie crust, then bake 40-45 min. at 375ºF. Cool on rack.

Grease bottom & sides of 8 x 8 baking dish with butter

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup millet flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Zest of one small lemon
1 cup blueberries (I used frozen)
Additional sugar for pan bottom (approx 1/4 cup)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk all wet ingredients (include lemon zest) together. Slowly add wet ingredients into bowl of dry ingredients until incorporated. Fold in blueberries. Sprinkle sugar into bottom of pan (enough to coat) before pouring batter. Bake 25 to 30  minutes.