This week potatoes were on sale, 5 lb bag for $1.99 so we are eating potatoes. Here is a simple and easy recipe for home made french fries.
When you purchase bags of potatoes you get some big and small spuds. Pick out 6 small spuds about the same size. This is a good way to use the smaller potatoes in a bag.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Clean and slice potatoes. You will slice the potatoes 3 times lengthwise to get 4 sections of potatoes then 3 to 4 slices lengthwise to create the fries.
Place these on a cookie sheet. Drizzle 1 Tablespoon of olive oil on the potatoes and mix to coat all fries. Salt and Pepper to taste.
Bake for 15 minutes, then flip fries. They will be a little hard to flip at this point in time and may stick a little, this is okay.
Bake for 20 minutes and they should be golden brown and a little crunchy. The second bake time is for your taste so play with it a little to get the best and healthiest french fries in town!
Enjoy!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Weekend Eats
This weekend was a hard weekend. We had two couples invite us over for dinner. When you have allergies or diseases, it's very difficult to go to other's homes for dinner. You have to explain what you can and can't eat and try to help them understand. So to invite Robb and I over, you have to understand that you can't have dairy, wheat or meat (since I'm a vegetarian). This weekend was definitely trying as I had to call my friends to help them understand what we can and can't eat.
The conversation goes like this...
"I don't mean to be rude but I need to understand what you are thinking of making for dinner because we have many food restrictions."
"Scallops and Terryaki Chicken"
"Okay, how are you preparing these?"
"Terryaki Sauce and in butter"
"Great, can't have Terryaki but are you using real butter or margarine?"
"Butter"
"Great then we will be good to go."
While this may not seem like a lot when you go through it twice and people start to realize everything that has wheat, dairy or meat in it, the task of preparing dinner for us is a little daunting.
I have now come up with a solution. I just tell everyone that the best mode for us is to have simple, real food with minimal spices. That usually will work and do the trick.
I hope this helps you.
The conversation goes like this...
"I don't mean to be rude but I need to understand what you are thinking of making for dinner because we have many food restrictions."
"Scallops and Terryaki Chicken"
"Okay, how are you preparing these?"
"Terryaki Sauce and in butter"
"Great, can't have Terryaki but are you using real butter or margarine?"
"Butter"
"Great then we will be good to go."
While this may not seem like a lot when you go through it twice and people start to realize everything that has wheat, dairy or meat in it, the task of preparing dinner for us is a little daunting.
I have now come up with a solution. I just tell everyone that the best mode for us is to have simple, real food with minimal spices. That usually will work and do the trick.
I hope this helps you.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Indian Food
Last night we had Indian food, which is the easiest meal now that the sauce in the jar is good. Now I know some of you turn up your noses at this but I'll tell you I think it's the best tasting food around. My twist last night was that I cooked the rice in turmeric and butter water. It gave just enough spice to add something to the dish. Here's what we had:
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 jar Tikki Masala sauce (I buy at my regular grocery store, brand Patak's and use only 1/2 the jar for two people)
1 cup frozen cauliflower (use the little cauliflowers from the bottom of the bag and break the others up into smaller pieces)
2 cups of water
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp butter
1 cup long grain brown rice (really can use any rice here but adjust the water for the rice needs)
1) Boil water with turmeric and butter
2) Add rice and put on simmer for 40 minutes
3) Open Garbanzo beans (Chickpeas) and drain, put in pan with 1/2 jar of Tikki Masala sauce, simmer these together for 20 minutes
4) Add cauliflower to Masala and simmer for additional 20 minutes
You are ready to serve. The turmeric in the rice just gives this dish a little added spice and the cauliflower adds the veggie.
This is also good with Nan but that has gluten so then it's not a gluten free dinner.
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 jar Tikki Masala sauce (I buy at my regular grocery store, brand Patak's and use only 1/2 the jar for two people)
1 cup frozen cauliflower (use the little cauliflowers from the bottom of the bag and break the others up into smaller pieces)
2 cups of water
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp butter
1 cup long grain brown rice (really can use any rice here but adjust the water for the rice needs)
1) Boil water with turmeric and butter
2) Add rice and put on simmer for 40 minutes
3) Open Garbanzo beans (Chickpeas) and drain, put in pan with 1/2 jar of Tikki Masala sauce, simmer these together for 20 minutes
4) Add cauliflower to Masala and simmer for additional 20 minutes
You are ready to serve. The turmeric in the rice just gives this dish a little added spice and the cauliflower adds the veggie.
This is also good with Nan but that has gluten so then it's not a gluten free dinner.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Guacamole
I have to credit my good friend Nicole for the inspiration for this recipe. Two years ago we were at the cabin and she made guacamole, I said I don't like guacamole, I'll just eat chips. She encouraged me to eat it and I've been hooked ever since...I have adjusted this recipe to fit my tastes so I'll describe what I put in and how I make it with where you can make adjustments to taste. This is the best recipe. I get hungry just thinking about making it!!!
Ingredients
2 ripe avocados
2 jalepeno peppers
1 tomato
1 onion
1/4 fresh lime
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp cilantro
1) Cut the avocados in half, scoop out the avocado meat.
Throw away the seed, however I'm going to try to grow an avocado tree.. we will see how that goes.
Put these into a medium mixing bowl
2) Slice up the jalepeno's - here's the to taste part, I use the full jalepeno's seeds and all go in. Some think that is too spicy so they only use the seeds from one pepper and others take all the seeds out. This is your discretion.
Toss these into the mixing bowl and give it a stir
3) Dice up the tomato. This is also to taste. I don't love tomato's so I only use 1/2 a tomato, others use the entire tomato. However you do it, make certain to dice it up and throw the meat and juice on the cutting board into the mixing bowl. Give the mix a stir. It should be starting to get to the consistency you are used to seeing in the restaurants
4) Dice up the onion. Again using as much as you like. I use 1/4 of the onion because raw onion to me is gross but the guacamole without it is bad too so don't omit but but dice it up good if you don't love raw onions. Throw that into the bowl and stir again.
5) You have to use fresh lime. The stuff in the bottle just doesn't taste as good and come on a lime is what 50 cents, totally worth it!!! Just cut quarter off and sqeeze and of course stir the mixture up.
6) Peel the three cloves of garlic and put them in the press. Just press them right over the bowl and stir it in the mix.
7) Cilantro for me is hard to keep on hand, so I bought the frozen cilantro at Trader Joe's already frozen in the 1 teaspoon measurement. I pull one out and put it in the mix, stirring vigorously.
That is it...all you need to be able to do is chop and stir to make this guacamole. It's delicious, fresh and nutritous!! Grab some corn chips (making certain they are for sure just corn) and enjoy!
Bon Appetit!
Ingredients
2 ripe avocados
2 jalepeno peppers
1 tomato
1 onion
1/4 fresh lime
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp cilantro
1) Cut the avocados in half, scoop out the avocado meat.
Throw away the seed, however I'm going to try to grow an avocado tree.. we will see how that goes.
Put these into a medium mixing bowl
2) Slice up the jalepeno's - here's the to taste part, I use the full jalepeno's seeds and all go in. Some think that is too spicy so they only use the seeds from one pepper and others take all the seeds out. This is your discretion.
Toss these into the mixing bowl and give it a stir
3) Dice up the tomato. This is also to taste. I don't love tomato's so I only use 1/2 a tomato, others use the entire tomato. However you do it, make certain to dice it up and throw the meat and juice on the cutting board into the mixing bowl. Give the mix a stir. It should be starting to get to the consistency you are used to seeing in the restaurants
4) Dice up the onion. Again using as much as you like. I use 1/4 of the onion because raw onion to me is gross but the guacamole without it is bad too so don't omit but but dice it up good if you don't love raw onions. Throw that into the bowl and stir again.
5) You have to use fresh lime. The stuff in the bottle just doesn't taste as good and come on a lime is what 50 cents, totally worth it!!! Just cut quarter off and sqeeze and of course stir the mixture up.
6) Peel the three cloves of garlic and put them in the press. Just press them right over the bowl and stir it in the mix.
7) Cilantro for me is hard to keep on hand, so I bought the frozen cilantro at Trader Joe's already frozen in the 1 teaspoon measurement. I pull one out and put it in the mix, stirring vigorously.
That is it...all you need to be able to do is chop and stir to make this guacamole. It's delicious, fresh and nutritous!! Grab some corn chips (making certain they are for sure just corn) and enjoy!
Bon Appetit!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Sweet Corn Chowder
When the temperature was dipping below freezing, I wanted something warm to eat. I must tell you that along with my husband's allergies, I am a vegetarian. So when I say dinners are a challenge, they truly are a challenge. But this recipe is amazing. I have made it twice to ensure I wasn't just fooling myself, it is amazing!
I pulled the original recipe off Allrecipes.com and changed a few things which have been noted below. Also, note that this recipe involves a lot of chopping. If you have the Pampered Chef chopper it will be easier but if you don't the prep time is longer than I would say is easy. It's worth the extra time but wanted you to know before you start this recipe that it will be a little more time than you first imagine.
INGREDIENTS
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon corn oil (I used canola oil)
salt and pepper to taste
1 (12 ounce) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup water
1 tablespoon corn oil (again canola oil)
1 1/2 cups finely diced celery
1 cup diced red onion (white or yellow work here too)
1 clove of garlic minced (you can also use a shallot minced)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3 cups vegetable broth (Roundy's Organic broth is gluten free)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
3 potatos, peeled and cubed (if you use a baking potato, 1 will be enough but this is truly to taste)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat an oven to 425 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes into a 9x13 inch baking dish, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of corn oil, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to coat the sweet potatoes in oil.
Roast in the preheated oven until the sweet potatoes are golden and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally as they cook so the sweet potatoes cook evenly.
Meanwhile, measure out 1 cup of corn kernels and set aside. Place the remaining corn into a blender, and puree with the water until smooth; set aside.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of corn oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the celery, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and dried thyme leaves; cook 1 minute more. Pour in the vegetable broth, corn puree, bay leaf, salt, and cubed potato. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potato is tender, 25 to 35 minutes.
Once the potato is tender, remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the whole corn kernels and sweet potato. Return to a simmer and season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.
It is fabulous reheated also. Great for lunches during the next week.
Hope you enjoy!
Bon Appetit!
I pulled the original recipe off Allrecipes.com and changed a few things which have been noted below. Also, note that this recipe involves a lot of chopping. If you have the Pampered Chef chopper it will be easier but if you don't the prep time is longer than I would say is easy. It's worth the extra time but wanted you to know before you start this recipe that it will be a little more time than you first imagine.
INGREDIENTS
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon corn oil (I used canola oil)
salt and pepper to taste
1 (12 ounce) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup water
1 tablespoon corn oil (again canola oil)
1 1/2 cups finely diced celery
1 cup diced red onion (white or yellow work here too)
1 clove of garlic minced (you can also use a shallot minced)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3 cups vegetable broth (Roundy's Organic broth is gluten free)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
3 potatos, peeled and cubed (if you use a baking potato, 1 will be enough but this is truly to taste)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat an oven to 425 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes into a 9x13 inch baking dish, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of corn oil, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to coat the sweet potatoes in oil.
Roast in the preheated oven until the sweet potatoes are golden and tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally as they cook so the sweet potatoes cook evenly.
Meanwhile, measure out 1 cup of corn kernels and set aside. Place the remaining corn into a blender, and puree with the water until smooth; set aside.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of corn oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the celery, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and dried thyme leaves; cook 1 minute more. Pour in the vegetable broth, corn puree, bay leaf, salt, and cubed potato. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potato is tender, 25 to 35 minutes.
Once the potato is tender, remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the whole corn kernels and sweet potato. Return to a simmer and season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.
It is fabulous reheated also. Great for lunches during the next week.
Hope you enjoy!
Bon Appetit!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
In The Mood for Dessert
So tonight we both had a little sweet tooth. There isn't much that is in the budget and dessert oriented for those with gluten allergies. However tonight I decided to try a recipe I just made up. It was delicious!!!
8 oz of frozen strawberries
1 tsp of gf vanilla
5 tsp of sugar
2 cups of 8th Generation Soy Milk (Gluten and Dairy free)
Mix all in the blender and wallah, frozen strawberry dessert. You can adjust the milk to the texture you desire.
It's definitely delicious and semi nutritious.
Bon Appetite!
8 oz of frozen strawberries
1 tsp of gf vanilla
5 tsp of sugar
2 cups of 8th Generation Soy Milk (Gluten and Dairy free)
Mix all in the blender and wallah, frozen strawberry dessert. You can adjust the milk to the texture you desire.
It's definitely delicious and semi nutritious.
Bon Appetite!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Fresh Food
The key to gluten and dairy free is fresh food. The fresher the better. There are two things that come with this diet; 1) fresh food is cheaper than pre-packaged and processed foods 2) foods taste so much better if they are fresher. I have found in my cooking experiences if I used fresh garlic pressed instead of minced garlic spice the garlic flavor is so much more.
So even if you are making baked fish, mashed potatos and broccoli. If you just add some sea salt, butter and squeeze fresh lemon juice on the fish, it comes out so much better. If you actually peel and dice your potatos to mash they are ten times better than out of a box. Broccoli if you add fresh garlic to the water you are steaming with, you get the full flavor of all the spice and the vegetable.
Fresh is the best for gluten free, dairy free. It makes even the simpliest of foods that much better!!!
Enjoy..
So even if you are making baked fish, mashed potatos and broccoli. If you just add some sea salt, butter and squeeze fresh lemon juice on the fish, it comes out so much better. If you actually peel and dice your potatos to mash they are ten times better than out of a box. Broccoli if you add fresh garlic to the water you are steaming with, you get the full flavor of all the spice and the vegetable.
Fresh is the best for gluten free, dairy free. It makes even the simpliest of foods that much better!!!
Enjoy..
Monday, February 2, 2009
Garlic Hummus
So I didn't have all the regular ingredients for hummus so I made my own....
1 can Garbanzo Beans (drained and rinsed)
3 cloves of garlic (crushed)
1/2 of fresh lemon
Salt and Pepper
4 Tbls of Olive Oil
Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth.
This is much better the next day after all the ingredients meld together. Eat with rice crackers or vegetables. It's fabulous and super easy to make....
Happy Eating!!!
1 can Garbanzo Beans (drained and rinsed)
3 cloves of garlic (crushed)
1/2 of fresh lemon
Salt and Pepper
4 Tbls of Olive Oil
Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth.
This is much better the next day after all the ingredients meld together. Eat with rice crackers or vegetables. It's fabulous and super easy to make....
Happy Eating!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
