Gluten Free Potato, Leek and Arugula Soup

Just three weeks away from comps! Yikes!  The weather is still a bit cold and dreary, but signs of spring are popping up all over the place. Just a few days ago I was walking through the woods among yellow blooms and daffodil shoots making their slow pilgrimage to their sun god.  The birds are back in the trees, beginning their Spring songs, and the season's last snow mounds are melting away to reveal fresh growth in the grass beds below.  I love Spring in Philadelphia. Especially during April when all the trees blossom; it's truly a beautiful thing and I look forward to it every year:)

Being that it's still a bit chilly, I thought I'd share yet another yummy soup recipe.  I made this about a week ago and absolutely loved it!  Taste-bud orgasms galore!  Now you can keep this veggie and omit the crumbled bacon, but I highly suggest at least substituting it with some FACON, or something similar, just for the sake of having little crunchies throughout your soup to enjoy.  Also, feel free to add vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

Regardless of whether you add crunchies or not, a steaming bowl of this soup is a wonderful thing on a cold, damp day.  Trust me, you'll love it!

Ingredients

• 1 onion (chopped)
• 3 leeks, mostly the white parts but a little green too (chopped)
• 2 medium size potatoes, of any variety (chopped)
• 4 tblsp butter
• 3 3/4 cups GF chicken/vegetable stock, or water
• 2-3 cups arugula (roughly chopped)
• 2/3 cups heavy cream
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper
• crumbled bacon, or facon (for topping)

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large soup pan, and add the onion, leeks and potatoes, stirring the whole mixture till everything is coated with melted butter.
2. Heat until sizzling and then turn heat to low.
3. Cover the vegetables and cook on low for 15 minutes.
4. Pour the stock or water in and bring to a boil over high heat.  As soon as it's boiling, reduce the heat to low, and keeping it covered, simmer for 20 more minutes.
5. Remove the cover, and using a large spoon or potato masher with a long handle, carefully mash up the vegetable chunks a bit.  You don't want the soup to be super creamy, but mashing it up a little will make it just creamy enough.
6. Add the chopped arugula, stir well and cook on low for another 5 minutes.
7. Stir in the heavy cream, season with S & P to taste, and continue to cook on low until the whole mixture is hot again.
8. Ladle into bowls and top with a pinch or two of bacon.
9. Grab your favorite soup spoon and get ready for a tastetastic experience!

Gluten Free Turkey Chocolate Chili

When I read a recipe for chili that called for an ounce of chocolate, I just had to whip up my own interpretation! It makes sense though. Cocoa and Chili are like some immortal, South American married couple. Although we always think SWEET when we talk chocolate, Cocoa wonderfully complements the HOT spices!  After a string of amazing days, perfect for taking in the vibrant colors of Autumn, it's back to the drizzle.  Philly, in general, has pretty nice weather, in comparison to one of the dreariest places to live: Syracuse... my home town:)  Because of my frame of reference, I never seem to catch the hum-drum, half-empty glass mentality that locals often adorn after but a few days of rain.

Rainy weather is Chili weather.  So I figured what better time to share one of my most favorite recipes of late - Turkey Chocolate Chili!!  This chili's broth is light and spicy, almost like a stew, and absolutely warm your insides with spicy deliciousness!  Feel free to cut back on the chili powder, or add more chocolate depending on your tastes, but don't omit the chocolate! Trust me, you'll barely know it's there, but it gives this dish a subtle, wonderful aftertaste.  For the chicken broth, I used "Better Than Bouillon" but you can use whatever GF vegetable or chicken broth you like. 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground turkey
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 2 medium red bell peppers (chopped)
• 6 garlic cloves (finely diced)
• 4 tblsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 3 can of pinto beans (drained)
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes w/juice
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth (Make Sure It's GF!)
• 2 ounces of semisweet chocolate (chopped)
• Cooking Spray (Make Sure It's GF!)

Directions

1. Coat the bottom of a heavy pot with cooking spray.
2. Add onions, bell pepper and garlic. Saute over high heat until vegetables begin to soften (about 6-8 minutes).
3. Add turkey and saute until no longer pink, breaking it up while it cooks (about 5 minutes).
4. Mix in the chili powder, cumin and oregano, stirring for about a minute.
5. Add the beans, tomatoes with juice, broth and chopped chocolate.
6. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to medium. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about an hour. 
7. Add a little S&P and chow down! You're going to love it!!!

Gluten Free Chicken Potato Bean-sprout Stew

The Northeast has been experiencing a wet and cold week.  This Sunday we scheduled a trip to Linvilla Orchards to pick apples, eat cider-doughnuts, and go on a hay-ride followed by a bonfire to roast marshmallows.  I've got my fingers crossed, but it could very well be a wash-out.  We have 80 people signed up, so I'm hoping for a break around the time our wagons are scheduled to depart. Either way, rain or not, I'll be there warming up with hot spiced cider and the company of good friends:)

Right now, as I'm writing this, a large pot of turkey chocolate chili is reducing on the stove.  It smells AWESOME!!!  This rainy, dreary, cold and gray weather is the perfect time for chili, soup and stew.  The chicken stew recipe below is something I whipped up with what I had on hand.  I was nervous about the bean-sprouts, but they ended up being an amazing alternative to noodles. They still held their texture, and since I didn't chop them up, were nice and stringy like al dente pasta.  

A hot, steaming bowl of chicken stew on a cold and damp day is a bit of heaven! I shared this with some friends and they shared with me that this stew is amazing. Make it! You'll love it!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped carrots
• 2 cups bean sprouts (rinsed)
• 2 lb chicken breast (chopped)
• 6 cups scrubbed and chopped red potatoes (with skins on)
• 8 green onions/scallions chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 cups GF chicken broth (I used "better than bouillon")
• 1 tsp concentrated lemon juice
• 3 tblsp vegetable oil
• Salt, Black Pepper and Garlic Pepper

Directions:

1. The first thing you're going to do is cook up the chicken. Heat the oil in a large pot on med-high till hot and throw in the chopped chicken breast. As it's cooking, keep stirring and adding shakes of salt, pepper and garlic pepper until you feel that it's spicy enough for you. Once the chicken is cooked through, using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set aside.
2. Add the chopped carrots, onions and bean sprouts to the chicken oil. Stir constantly for about 3 minutes.  Add the bay leaves, potatoes and lemon juice and stir together for a couple more minutes.
3. Add the chicken stock until everything is covered with about 1 inch of liquid. Cover an bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and uncover.
4. Let the soup simmer for about 3o minutes, tasting about 1/2 way through and adding more salt, pepper and garlic pepper to your specific taste.
5. Serve hot and steamy on a wet, cold day. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Sunshine Colcannon

After the last post I went to the store and purchased Betty Crocker's GF Brownie Mix.  Just like the chocolate chip cookies, the brownies were great!  I can't wait to try all of their new GF products:)

It's almost the beginning of the semester. This is my last year taking classes; only three more to go before dissertation.  This week was my last at Social Work Counseling Services. It was sad emptying out my office and closing out my cases, but I'm looking forward to what's ahead. It should be a busy year, but I can't wait to get it going!

As usual I've been cooking and baking up a storm.  This dish was really easy to put together.  I call it "Sunshine Colcannon" because the eggs look like little suns:) It tasted wonderful and was super filling.  I just love these traditional Irish meals... such great comfort food.  Feel free to use whatever cheese you prefer, and if you have an allergy to eggs, just leave them out.  

Ingredients

• 2 pounds potatoes (chopped up)
• 1/2 pound crisp green cabbage - any variety (shredded)
• 2 green onions (chopped)
• 4 large eggs
• 4 oz. mature cheese (grated)
• butter or margarine (according to taste)
• nutmeg (according to taste) - I used about 1/4 tsp.
• sea salt and fresh ground pepper (according to taste)

Directions

1. Boil the potatoes until just tender - drain them and smash em up!
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Lightly cook the cabbage until just tender but still crisp. I cooked it in some olive oil and water, covering to steam a little.
4. Drain the cabbage and mix them with the potatoes.  Add the onions, butter, nutmeg and S&P and mix together well.
5. Transfer the mixture into a shallow ovenproof dish and make four potholes in the mixture. Crack an egg into each hole and season well.
6. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the eggs are just set.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese.
7. Grab a bottle of Redbridge, some family or friends, and chow down!!

Gluten Free Eggplant & Ricotta Rolls

I've been cooking up a storm lately; sticking to vegetarian and more health-conscious meals.  I love it!  Cooking healthy gluten free food is actually very easy.  It's the calorie-laden GF baked goods that are a bit more challenging. Eating foods that energize and make you feel good inside is where it's at.  I still eat whatever I want when I'm out, but I think sticking to the healthy stuff at home is an easy way to keep my weight down.  Not that I'm worried too much about my weight, but it's good to think preventatively.

I've had some pretty gross and greasy eggplant parmesan before so I don't usually cook with eggplant.  I wasn't sure how this dish would turn out.  It required a few more steps than I'm used to (I'm a pretty lazy cook), but the end product was AWESOME!  The following day when I had it for lunch at work - it tasted even better!  This dish seriously opened up my taste buds to the yumminess of cooked eggplant.  I know you're going to like this one;)

Ingredients

For the eggplant rolls

• 2 medium eggplants
• Olive or Sunflower Oil (enough to coat the bottom of a pan)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 2 cups white rice (cooked)
• 1 tblsp. fresh basil (chopped)
• 1 tsp. fresh mint (chopped)
• Sea Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper

For The Sauce

• 1 tblsp. olive oil
• 1 medium size onion (finely chopped)
• 1 garlic clove (crushed)
• 14 oz. can of chopped tomatoes 
• 1/2 cup white wine (or GF vegetable stock)
• 1 tblsp. fresh parsley (chopped)

Cooking Instructions

1. Get the rice cooking.
2. Create the tomato sauce: heat the oil in a small pan and fry the garlic and onion for 2 to 3 minutes (or until softened).
3. Add the tomatoes, wine (or stock), and parsley. Season well with salt & pepper.  Bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes (stirring occasionally).
4. Meanwhile: preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. 
5. Slice the eggplants the long way. Discard the ends and outer slices.
6. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the slices of eggplant until golden brown on each side (you'll need to do this in stages). Remove the browned slices and drain on paper towels.
7. Mix the cooked rice, ricotta cheese, basil, mint, and some salt and pepper in a bowl.
8. Lay the cooked slices of eggplant on a cutting board. Drop generous spoonfuls of rice mixture onto one end of each slice and roll them up.  Arrange the rolls side by side in a shallow ovenproof dish. 
9. Cover the rolls with the hot tomato sauce and throw it in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove and chow down! This is serious good eats!

Gluten Free Arabian Spinach & Chick-Peas

The month before my wedding, I ate horribly.  Most of my meals consisted of burgers, hotdogs, sausage, and whatever else could be thrown onto the grill and cooked quickly.  While in Jamaica I had a chance to eat anything I wanted, and what I ended up enjoying the most, were simple, healthy foods.  Before I left I decided to do my best to make more vegetarian dishes, and try and limit my red meat intake.  Since being back I've begun to experiment and am loving it.  This is the first out-of-the-ordinary meal I made.  It's extremely simple, fast and delicious!  Most people would likely use this as a side dish for fish or meat, but I had it as the main course with basmati rice. I'll be making this again:)

Ingredients

• 15 oz. can chick-peas (garbanzo beans), drained
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 14 oz. fresh spinach, washed and shredded
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tblsp. butter
• 2 tblsp. olive oil
• sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Cooking Instructions

1. Using a large frying pan or wok, fry the onion in the olive oil for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Ad the cumin and garlic and fry for another minute.
2. Add the shredded spinach in small batches, stirring until the leaves begin to wilt.  It may not seem like it can all fit, but the spinach shrinks down a lot!
3. Stir in the chick-peas, butter, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Reheat it until just bubbling and then serve.  
4. That's it! Enjoy!

Gluten Free Spaghetti Frittata

Wow. I can't believe how long it's been since I posted a recipe!  It's been over a month, but for me, it seems like only a week or two.  I have one more week till my brother moves up from Georgia (Yaaaaaay!!!), two more weeks until I hop a plane for China (Double Yaaaaaay!!!), and only a few more months till I get married (Jackpot Yaaaaaay!!!).  So much has happened in the past month, that just thinking about it all makes me dizzy.

As far as food is concerned, I've kept things pretty basic - mostly corn tortilla wraps of every variety, rice cakes with peanut butter and jelly, omelets and scrambled eggs, and other quick to prepare meals on the go.  However, I have been eating out at a lot of great places that offer gluten free meals, including Pei Wei, Sazon, and this little Vietnamese Pho restaurant on the west side. This meal is actually the first "out-of-the-ordinary" meal I've made since I last posted.  Pretty sad actually...  But now that all my school work is complete, I've got some extra time on my hands and I'm ready to start cooking again:)

Spaghetti frittata?  I know, it sounds weird, but I swear it's yummy;)  You can play around with the spice in this one depending on your taste, but as it's written, it's not too spicy.  When boiling the gluten free pasta, remove and drain before it's al dente to avoid it becoming too mushy when you throw the whole thing in the oven.  This can be scooped out with a big spoon, or cut into wedges like I did for the photo.  Also, feel free to substitute the mozzarella with whatever cheese you prefer. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 8 oz. uncooked spaghetti (I used Tinkyada Organic Brown Rice Pasta)
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• 1 tblsp. olive oil
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 8 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tblsp. hot sauce (I used Emeril's Red Pepper Sauce)
• 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup shredded cheese

Cooking Instructions

• Cook the pasta as directed on the package, minus 3-5 minutes or until "almost al dente."
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet on medium/high.  Add the onions and mushroom and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until onions are crisp and tender.
• Add the sundried tomatoes, zucchini and chopped tomatoes with their liquid.  Cook an additional 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated off, stirring occasionally.
• Mix the pasta with the eggs and 1/2 cup of the cheese in a large bowl; mix well.  Add to the vegetables in the skillet; stir until incorporated.  Cook on medium/low for about 5 minutes or until bottom of frittata is set. 
• Sprinkle with remaining cheese and throw into the oven for 10-20 minutes, or until center of frittata is set.
• Remove from oven and let cool for a little while.
• Say FRITTATA 3 times loudly, devour and enjoy!