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Saturday, March 26, 2011

Egg Foo Yung


Ingredients


    • 8 eggs, beaten
    • 1 C thinly sliced celery
    • 1 C finely chopped onion
    • 1 C bean sprouts
    • 1/2 C diced fresh mushrooms
    • 1 C chopped cooked chicken breast
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

    • Sauce

    • 1 1/2 C organic chicken broth
    • 1 1/2 tsps white sugar
    • 2 Tbl Gluten Free soy sauce
    • 6 Tbl cold water
    • 1 1/2 Tbl cornstarch

    Directions

    1. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add vegetables, chicken, and salt and pepper. Stir together.
    2. Heat oil in a medium skillet or wok and brown egg mixture 1/2 cup at a time. When all the patties are browned, keep warm until sauce is made.
    3. To Make Sauce: In a small saucepan add chicken broth, sugar, soy sauce and stir well over medium heat. Add cold water and cornstarch in a separate bowl. Add to hot broth and stir until thick and smooth.  Serve over Egg Foo Yung.

    Sunday, March 20, 2011

    Eggs with Goat Cheese and Greens

    I like to buy the big bin of greens from Costco.  Because I'm mostly cooking for one, I have to go through them quickly.  So I eat them as salads, put them in my rice tortilla wraps, and load my omelette with them.

    Beat 4 eggs until smooth.  Add a sprinkling of sea salt.
    Pour into med-hot olive oiled pan.  Let the eggs cook a bit, tipping up an edge to allow the uncooked egg to run under the pancake and cook.  When most of the egg is cooked, load up with greens (app. 1 cup).  Also (if you can eat goat or sheep cheese) add a tablespoon or two of cheese.  Fold the omelette in half and cover with a lid.  This lets the cheese melt a bit.  I was always taught to not let the eggs brown, but they always seem to.  Perhaps I keep the heat too high. This omelette will most likely feed two. Enjoy

    Saturday, March 19, 2011

    English Muffins (Gluten-free)



    I haven't tried these muffins yet (just found them on the web today.) They're supposedly delicious and I'd be interested in hearing just how good they are.  If you've tried them, let me know.  I sample different Gluten-Free breads and rolls and find that some have dairy added, which doesn't work for me. Also, some folks find potato flour problematic, so perhaps something to look for if you have food allergies.

    Edamame


    Edamame are green soybeans eaten by squeezing beans out of pods with fingers. It makes a great appetizer. 

    Ingredients:
    1 lb fresh edamame in pods, or frozen (thawed) edamame in pods
    2 Tbl seasalt

    Preparation:
    Cut off the stem end of each pod. Wash edamame well and put in a bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and mix. 

    Boil water in a large pot. Add the rest of the salt (from 2 Tbsp) in the boiling water. Put edamame in the boiling water and boil for 3 to 4 minutes, or softened. Drain in a colander. Correct saltiness.  Spread the boiled edamame on a flat tray to cool. Serve as appetizer. 

    Wednesday, March 16, 2011

    Earl Grey Sweet Tea

    1 1/2 C organic sugar or xylitol (sugar can be reduced)
    2 Earl Grey Tea Bags (optional: mild black tea or yerba mate)
    2 Kaffir Lime leaves
    4 mint leaves
    1/4 stalk lemongrass, chopped
    1 lemon, thinly sliced
    1 lime, thinly sliced
    1 orange, thinly sliced

    To 2 quarts water, add sugar.  Bring to a boil, then turn off heat.  Add tea bags, kaffir lime leaves, mint leaves, and lemongrass.  Steep for 1 hour then strain.  Stir in citrus, cool completely and serve over ice.  Garnish with mint leaves.

    Edible Flowers & Watermelon Ice


    1/2 small seedless watermelon, rind removed, cubed
    Juice of 2 organic limes
    1/4 C sugar

    Place watermelon, lime juice, and sugar in a blender.  Puree, then strain into 9 x13 dish.  Freeze until firm, then scrape surface with fork to form ice shards.  Serve with edible flowers as garnish: kale flowers, spinach flowers, nasturtiums, pansies, rose petals, pea flowers, to garnish.

    Eliminating Dairy Ingredients

    To eliminate dairy, read labels.  Some folks can eat a little--like me.  I can eat a small amount of butter, ghee, goat and sheep cheeses.  These are ingredients I watch for:

    • Acidophilus Milk
    • Ammonium Caseinate
    • Butter
    • Butter Fat
    • Butter Oil
    • Butter Solids
    • Buttermilk
    • Buttermilk Powder
    • Calcium Caseinate
    • Casein
    • Caseinate (in general)
    • Cheese (All animal-based)
    • Condensed Milk
    • Cottage Cheese
    • Cream
    • Curds
    • Custard
    • Delactosed Whey
    • Demineralized Whey
    • Dry Milk Powder
    • Dry Milk Solids
    • Evaporated Milk
    • Ghee 
    • Goat Milk
    • Half & Half
    • Hydrolyzed Casein
    • Hydrolyzed Milk Protein
    • Iron Caseinate
    • Lactalbumin
    • Lactoferrin
    • Lactoglobulin
    • Lactose
    • Lactulose
    • Low-Fat Milk
    • Magnesium Caseinate
    • Malted Milk
    • Milk
    • Milk Derivative
    • Milk Fat
    • Milk Powder
    • Milk Protein
    • Milk Solids
    • Natural Butter Flavor
    • Nonfat Milk
    • Nougat
    • Paneer
    • Potassium Caseinate
    • Pudding
    • Recaldent
    • Rennet Casein
    • Skim Milk
    • Sodium Caseinate
    • Sour Cream
    • Sour Milk Solids
    • Sweetened Condensed Milk
    • Sweet Whey
    • Whey
    • Whey Powder
    • Whey Protein Concentrate
    • Whey Protein Hydrolysate
    • Whipped Cream
    • Whipped Topping
    • Whole Milk
    • Yogurt
    • Zinc Caseinate

    Endive Seasoned Polenta

    3 C water
    1/2 tsp. sea salt
    1 C fine cornmeal

    Bring water to boil and add sea salt.  Once boiling, add cornmeal in a thin steady stream, whisking to prevent lumps.  Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

    1 head curly endive
    3 cloves minced garlic
    1 1/2 Tbl. olive oil
    dash sea salt
    1/2 cup grated Pecorino or Romano (Sheep cheese)

    Next: rinse 1 head curly endive, shake dry and chop finely.  Saute chopped garlic in olive oil (do not allow to brown) then add chopped endive.  Cook until bright green and volume reduces.  Add salt and pinch of red pepper flakes (optional).  Stir endive mixture and grated cheese into polenta.  Spread into an ovenproof

    Easy Chicken and Vegetables

    Organic chicken cooked until tender is one of my basic meals.  I love to add lots of garlic (10 cloves) if I'm fighting off a cold or flu.  Buy organic chicken (the best price) at Trader Joe's.

    In a large cooking pot brown chicken legs (about 8)  in olive oil.  Remove from fat and add chopped celery, mushrooms, leeks, carrots, garlic, thyme & rosemary, and stir to soften.  Add a carton of organic chicken stock.  Cook for an hour or so until everything is tender.  Correct seasonings and add salt and pepper.  Serve with rice or potatoes and greens.

    Enjoy!


    Eggs with Tarragon (Uova Sode Al Dragoncello)

    From the cookbook: Tuscany, The Beautiful Cookbook by Lorenz de' Medici

    6 eggs
    2 Tbl finely chopped tarragon or flat-leaf parsley
    2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
    1 Tbl capers in wine vinegar, drained and chopped
    2 Tbl. canned tuna fish in olive oil, drained
    salt and freshly ground black pepper

    To hard boil eggs: start in cold water, bring to a boil, and cook 8 minutes.  Remove from pan and cool at room temperature.

    Shell eggs, cut in half lengthwise and remove yolks.  In a mixing bowl mix eggs with tarragon, olive oil, capers and tuna.  Mash together with fork until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper and spoon the yolk mixture into the reserved egg white halves.  Arrange on a lovely plate and serve.


    Eggplant Frittura

    3 Asian egglants (aubergines) sliced 5/8 inch thick
    1 1/2 C. Brown rice flour
    Olive oil for frying
    Sea salt and black pepper

    Dredge the eggplant in rice flour and fry in olive oil until golden brown.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with sliced tomatoes, goat cheese, toasted gluten-free bread.

    Sunday, March 13, 2011

    Easter Pancakes



    This are so light and fluffy and sweet from coconut flour.

    Stir together:
    3/4 C. almond milk
    2 Tbl. ghee
    1 egg

    Add:
    3/4 C. organic brown rice flour
    1/4 C. coconut flour
    2 Tsp. aluminum free baking powder
    1/2 Tsp. sea salt

    Stir quickly and briefly, adding more milk or flour to get the thick batter.
    Add 1/2 cup frozen blueberries.

    I fry these in a big pan oiled with ghee.  The batter is thick so I drop it in the pan and then spread it out.  The pancakes are delicate, break easily when taken from the pan with a spatula.  They are delicious with the coconut flour.  Try add cooked rice instead of coconut flour.  Serve with maple syrup.

    Enjoy!

    Friday, March 11, 2011

    Emily Dickinson's Gingerbread Recipe


    Variations are mine to make this recipe gluten and dairy free:

    4 Cups Bob's Gluten-free Baking Mix
    1/2 C. Ghee or Butter
    1/2 non-dairy whip
    1 Tbl ginger
    1 tsp. soda
    1 tsp salt
    Make up with molasses (a little more than a cup is about right)

    Cream the butter or ghee and mix with whip.  Sift dry ingredients together and combine with other ingredients.  The dough is stiff and needs to be pressed into whatever pan you choose.  A round or small square pan is suitable.  bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  Read a poem while it cools.

    See Kelli Russell Agodon's new book "Letters from the Emily Dickinson Room" www.agodon.com

    Early Concord Grape Juice

    I used to make concord grape juice back in the 80s when I lived on a mini-farm just inside of Spokane's eastern city limit.  I had two rows of grapes, about 25' each, that made a walkway up to my house.  After the first frost, the grapes turned completely sweet.  I'd pick a wheelbarrow full and wash them, drop them into quart jars, fill with water, perhaps I put a little sugar in too, and adjust lids.  Process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes.  Remove to cool on the counter and then store. 

    Dolmas

    I usually buy these from the deli, but here's a recipe from www.bigoven.com



    Ingredients
    8 ouncesgrape leaves; in brine (about 40-45 leaves)
    1/2 cups olive oil; divided
    2 cups cooked organic long grain rice
    4 finely chopped green onions
    1 finely chopped small onion
    1/4 cup chopped mint
    1 Tbl lemon zest 
    Salt; to taste
    1/2 cup pine nuts; finely chopped
    Juice of one lemon
      
    Preparation:
    Drain grape leaves and place them in a large heat-proof bowl. Pour just enough boiling water over the leaves to cover and let them soak for about 20 minutes. Drain again and rinse under cold running water.

    In the meantime, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the rice, mint, lemon zest, salt to taste and pine nuts. Mix thoroughly; making sure the rice is well-coated with oil.

    Assembling: Fill grape leaf vein side up and stem end toward you. Place 2 teaspoons rice mixture in center, fold stem end over the filling, bring in sides and roll tightly. Repeat.

    Place dolmas close together in a single layer, seam side down, in a large pan. Drizzle the lemon juice and olive oil and add boiling water to cover tightly.  Simmer 1 hour, cool in liquid, then transfer to a serving platter . Serve at room temperature.

    Makes about 40 to 45 appetizers.