Kidney Beans & Rice

Photo by James Bowe

• 1 package pre-cooked brown rice from Trader Joe's
• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium organic onion, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 19-ounce can organic red kidney beans, rinsed
• 1/4 C organic chicken broth
• 1 tsp. cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. hot sauce
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 1/3 C chopped fresh cilantro

Saute onions, garlic, and peppers in olive oil until transparent.  

Add cooked rice, canned kidney beans, hot sauce, pepper, and cilantro. 

Serve as a side dish or with chicken or beef.

  

Kumquats

My mother loved kumquats.  I'd never had one before I was about twelve, but she said she ate them all the time when growing up.  Fannie Farmer says to eat, skin and all.  Or slice kumquats as garnish fruit salads or greens salads. They're tart, let me tell you.

Kisses with Pecans

From Fannie Farmer Cookbook
(Don't make this recipe on a damp day.)
Butter and flour two cookie sheets.
Set the oven at 325 degrees.

Beat until stiff:
   1 egg white
Add gradually, beating constantly:
   1 Cup light brown sugar
Add:
   1/4 tsp sea salt
   1/2 tsp vanilla
Fold in:
   1 C pecan meats, chopped fine.
Spoon teaspoonfuls on the cookie sheets.  Bake until dry on top (8-12 minutes). These cookies firm up once cool.

Jicama

Jicama is crispy, sweet, and delicious sliced in salads.  You need to peel it, then slice it, that's it.

Jalapeno Jelly

Have you ever had the holiday dish, cream cheese with pepper jelly poured over it.  You serve it on crackers?  Well, if you can eat goat cheese, use a creamy one, such as the one they sell at Costco, as your base.  Or try a dairy free cream cheese and  pour over it Jalapeno Jelly.  Use rice crackers to spread this delicious cheese on.  Good with a glass of wine before a lovely turkey dinner.

Jerusalem Artichokes

My garden in Yakima in the 1980s is just beyond that swing set.  It's where I first grew Jerusalem Artichokes, a pretty plant that look like sunflowers.  You dig the tubers and eat them like potatoes, raw or cooked.  


Oh, at that's me and my daughter wearing dust masks, as Mt. St. Helen's has just erupted. 


Preheat the oven to 400°
1 1/2 Tbl. organic olive oil
8 organic cloves garlic
1 # Jerusalem artichokes, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/3 C. water
3 Tbl. lemon
1/2 tsp. each rosemary and sage
1/4 tsp. sea salt


In a small roasting pan, mix the oil, garlic, artichokes together and toss with the oil.  Roast, tossing occasionally, for 25 minutes.  ln a glass measuring cup mix water, lemon, rosemary, sage, and salt and pour over the artichokes.  Roast for an additional twenty minutes or until the liquid has almost evaporated and the artichokes are tender on the inside and crisp on the outside.

 

Jambalaya

1# organic chicken breasts cut in 1-inch cubes

2 Adele apple sausages, sliced

1/2 C chopped organic onion

1 organic green bell pepper, chopped

1 large can (28 ounces) organic crushed tomatoes

1 C organic chicken broth

1/2 C dry white wine

2 tsp dried leaf oregano

2 tsp dried parsley

2 tsp Cajun seasoning

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1# non-farmed shrimp, cooked

2 C raw organic rice, cooked

Preparation:

Combine chicken, sausage, chopped bell pepper, and chopped onion in slow cooker. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, wine, oregano, parsley, Cajun seasoning, and cayenne; stir gently. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. About 30 to 45 minutes before eating, add cooked shrimp and hot cooked rice; heat thoroughly.
Serves 8.

Jam Bars

Based on a recipe from Fannie Farmer Cookbook

Butter a shallow 8 or 9 inch square pan.  Set oven to 400.
Cream
1/2 C Ghee
1/4 C Organic Sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp pure almond flavoring
Stir in
1 organic egg
Add
1 1/4 C Brown Rice Flour (add a tiny bit more if batter is too fluid)
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp powdered cloves
1/2 tsp sea salt
Mix well and spread half in the pan.  Cover with a layer of raspberry jam, blackberry jam, or orange marmalade.
Spoon the rest of the dough on top.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Cool and cut into bars.


   

Jelly Beans

"Canny, Mema, Canny...." my grandson says.  Yes, he has a sweet tooth.  And he especially loves chocolate.  So in my kitchen, I keep a cut-glass candy jar full with a variety of candy.  So when he comes to visit and after we've had a healthy lunch, we partake in a piece of candy.  That's what Grannies are for, right?

Johnny Apple Sauce

Photo by Sandra Wahl

I like to pick wild apples to make sauce, and I don't add anything but sugar and cinnamon for flavoring.  Some apples need little sugar--some need extra.  If you can't find wild apples in the fall, buy firm, tart apples.  I think the following recipe adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook sounds good, but I haven't tried it.  Have fun!

2 1/2 C water
4 Tbl. Lemon juice
7 medium Granny Smiths
1/2 C. sugar
2/3 C. French Sauternes
6 Tbl. red currant jelly
2 cinnamon sticks
zest of 2 lemons
1/2 C shelled walnuts, chopped
1/3 C raisins (optional)

1.  Mix half of the water and half of the lemon juice together in a bowl.
2.  Peel and core the apples and cut them into 1 1/2 inch chunks.  As you cut each apple, drop the pieces into the water to prevent discoloration.
3.  In a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom, combine remaining water and lemon juice, the sugar and the Sauternes.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and add the apple chunks.  Partially cover and cook gently until apples are just tender; apple chunks should remain whole.
4.  With a slotted spoon, transfer apples to bowl.  Add the currant jelly and cinnamon sticks to the syrup remaining in the pan.  Set over medium heat, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until syrup is reduced by one third.  Stir in the lemon zest.
5.  Pour the syrup over the apples.  Stir in the walnuts and raisins if you use them.  Serve warm; or cool, cover and refrigerate.  Serves 6.

Icing

As kids, we made icing from butter, vanilla, a pinch of salt, food coloring, and powdered sugar.  Just cream a cube of butter, add 1/4 tsp. vanilla, pinch of salt, and powdered sugar to thicken.  Use a beater and continue to add powdered sugar until you reach the proper consistency.  Adding a dab of water or nut milk will help texture become more creamy.  Food coloring is fun.  Perhaps there is a natural one to purchase at the health food store.

Also, if you can't eat butter, you could try ghee.  It will be a little thinner and the flavor more caramel flavored.  Should be good. See what you think and let me know.     

Ice: Lemon, Cappuccino, or Campari-Orange Frozen Dessert

2 C. strained fresh lemon juice
2 C.  water
2 C. sugar
or
3 C. strong coffee/ part espresso
1 C. soy creamer
1 C. sugar
or
3 C. strained fresh orange juice
1 C. Campari (Italian aperitif)
juice of 1 lemon
1 C. sugar

Combine selected ingredients in pan and bring to boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cool to room temperature and pour into a shallow cake pan and freeze.  This ice will be ready in 3 to 6 hours.  You can stir it 1/2 way through freezing, then continue to freeze until ready to serve.  Enjoy!

Iceberg with Chicken

Photo by Liz West
 

Dressing:
2 Tbl. Dijon mustard
1 Tbl. organic olive oil
sea salt and pepper

1 sm. head iceberg, wash and torn in pieces
3 C. cooked organic chicken
4 vine-grown organic tomatoes, cut in quarters
1 avocado, cut in slices
2 chopped green onions
1 sliced nectarine

Mix ingredients and dressing, with the exception of avocado, green onion, and sliced nectarine.  Transfer to a pretty bowl to serve.  Top with avocado slices, green onions, and sliced nectarine.  Enjoy!

Ingredients for the GF Cook

By Glen Bledsoe

This is what I keep in my cupboards & refrigerator.  It is simple--you can make it more complicated--but I'm on the go and like to keep things easy. Also, I don't have a lot of variety in my diet--ingredient-wise--but lots of variety recipe-wise.

Baking:

  Brown Rice Flour

  Coconut Flour

  Garbanzo Bean Flour

  Aluminum Free Baking Powder

  Pure Vanilla Extract

  Hazelnut Milk or Almond Milk

  Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg

  Sea Salt

Cupboard:

  Fresh Herbs: Basil, Thyme, Oregano, Chili Powder, Sea Salt, Pepper Corns

  Canned Items: Stewed Tomatoes, Organic Chicken Broth, Green Chilies

  Pasta & Beans: Canned Black Beans, Brown Rice Pasta (Trader Joe's), Brown Rice, Quinoa, Green Lentils

  Condiments: Organic Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar, Gluten Free Tamari, Dill Pickles

Refrigerator:

  Organic Eggs

  Organic Onions

  Organic Carrots

  Organic Greens

  Organic Zucchini

  Organic Apples

  Organic Celery

  Brown Rice Tortillas

  Ruby Yams

  Organic Mayonnaise

  Goat Cheese (I can eat a little goat or sheep cheese)

  Pasta Sauce (Read the label)

  Ghee

  

Hot Enchiladas

When I was in high school my best friend and I would make large baking dishes stuffed with oniony, cheesy enchiladas.  Now I make them with chicken and onion.  I love enchilada sauce and don't mind the heat.  I don't use as many onions and we used back then.  Here's the recipe.

Set oven to 350 degrees.

12 corn tortillas

1/2 organic onion, chopped fine

2 C. roasted chicken, chopped

1 can sliced black olives

1 can gluten-free enchilada sauce

1 can organic refried beans

Grated non-dairy cheese to taste.

In a large oven-proof pan, line up filled and rolled enchiladas--lay out heated tortillas (I often heat them in the sauce) and fill with refried beans, onion, chicken, black olives, and cheese.  Once the pan is filled with the rolls, pour over the top, enchilada sauce.  Make sure they enchiladas are covered.  Sprinkle with more cheese and olives and bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.  Serve with a green salad.

Enjoy!

Huckleberry Pie

Mix the following ingredients together and press into a pie pan.  Flute the edge by pressing the dough between your index finger and thumb all around rim.  Poke base with fork tines and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until golden.  Set aside to cool.

1/4 C melted Ghee
1/4 C brown sugar
1 Egg
1/4 tsp sea salt
3/4 C. rice flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla

Meanwhile, wash and drain thoroughly:
   1 quart huckleberries

Mix together in a saucepan
   1 cup sugar
   3 Tbl cornstarch
   1/8 tsp sea salt
   1 C water
   1 C berries

Cook and stir over low heat until thick.  Add the rest of the berries and 1 Tbl Ghee
Mix  well and cool.  Just before serving, pour into the pie shell. Serve with coconut ice cream.

Herb Roasted Chicken

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Ingredients for Rub:

2 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped

5 sage leaves, finely chopped,

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Sea salt

1 (3 to 3 1/2-pound) whole chicken

Mix herbs with salt to taste and olive oil together to form a paste and distribute under the skin by lifting and sticking mixture under the skin with fingers,

Mix together and distribute around chicken:

2 medium onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bay leaf

5 sprigs thyme

2 cups organic chicken stock

3/2 cups dry white wine

Directions

Arrange the olive oil drizzled chicken on top of the veggies in the roasting pan and place in the preheated oven. Chicken is done when a thermometer reads between 160 and 170 degrees F. When chicken has reached the proper temp remove it from the roasting pan, place it on a warm platter and cover loosely with foil. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.  Use broth for gravy (see gravy recipe).  Serve with the roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, and green salad.

Herbed Beet and Carrot Salad

A pretty dish that's good for you and very tasty.

Ingredients:
8 organic carrots, grated
3 organic beets, grated
2 organic cloves garlic, minced
1/3 C chopped organic cilantro
1/3 C Rice Vinegar

Mix ingredients in a pretty crystal or glass bowl.  Add vinegar and toss.  Let refrigerate for 1 hour to mix flavors then serve with chicken or fish.

Double Baked Potatoes

Wow, this used to be one of my favorite dishes.  I quit eating potatoes, not entirely, but cut way back because they have a high glycemic index.  If you want to loose weight or if you are insulin sensitive, here is one place to consider keeping control of your sugar intake to help your body process sugars more slowly.  Look on-line for a list of low glycemic index foods.  Then use the chart to help you plan the number of carbs you eat each day.  That said, once in awhile, splurge on a Double Baked Potato.

Four Servings
Bake two medium to large potatoes in 350 oven for about 1 hour.  Remove and cool for 10 minutes or long enough to handle.  Slice lengthwise in half.  Carefully scoop out potato, saving skins, and  mash and mix in a bowl until creamy, adding salt and butter and liquid (chicken broth or water) until the texture is correct.  Once mashed smoothly, refill the skins with this mixture and sprinkle with non-dairy cheese or (if you system can handle it) hard goat or sheep cheese.  Return to oven on a baking sheet and cook for another 10 minutes or so.  Serve with a protein dish and vegetable.  

Enjoy!

DeMars' Vanilla Cupcakes

My grandson asked me this morning if we could make vanilla cupcakes.  Here's the delicious cupcake recipe for you to enjoy!

Set a 350 oven and place cupcake papers in an 8 cup tin.

Beat in a bowl
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C almond milk (or enough to make a drippy batter)
1 Tbl melted ghee                                                                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                        Photo by Rosie Tulips
Stir in
1/4 C coconut flour
1/2 C rice flour
1/4 C xylitol
1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Once batter is smooth and mostly lump free (coconut flour is lumpy) spoon into cups.  They should be 2/3 full.  Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Ice with coconut icing or vanilla butter icing.  Enjoy!