Thai Curry Squash

Squash is not the most exciting food but this recipe from Chow.com makes me want to eat lots of it. Serve it as a scrumptious side dish or as a complete meal by adding veggies (crispy green beans, baby bok choy) and protein (cashews, tofu). Offer it up on a bed of rice or quinoa.

 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger (from about a 1-1/2-inch piece)
• 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened regular coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon gluten-free tamari
  
• 1 medium kabocha squash (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (I have used a few different kinds, including plain old zucchini)
• 2 medium red bell peppers, seeds and ribs removed and cut into 1/4-inch strips
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro (basil works well too)
• Optional: spicy red pepper flakes

 

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium heat. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook until the onion has softened, about 6 minutes. 
2. Add the peppers, garlic, and ginger and cook for about 1 minute. 
3. Add the curry paste, stir well and cook for another minute. 
4. Add the coconut milk, water, tamari, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. 
5. Stir in the squash, return to a simmer and reduce the heat to medium-low. Stirring occasionally, cook the squash for about 20 to 25 minutes until it is cooked through yet firm.
6. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Taste and season as needed. Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve.

Gluten-Free and Vegan Graham Crackers

I was hoping to make pie crust with these graham crackers from Oh She Glows but they disappeared before we had a chance to make the pie! They are surprisingly delicious on their own and even better with nut butter and cocoa powder sprinkled on top. 

These crackers far exceeded my expectations. I look forward to making pie crust with them one day.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons coconut oil (melt in a saucepan before using)
• 3 tablespoons blackstrap molasses
• 2 tablespoons almond milk
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tablespoon ground flax
• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons almond flour
• 1/2 cup millet flour
• 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats, processed into a flour
• 5 tablespoons tapioca starch
• 2 tablespoons maple flakes
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
 
2. In a small bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients.
 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
 
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir well, until there are no dry patches of flour left.
 
5. Form the dough into 2-3 balls. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll out each ball of dough until you have a rectangle that is about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will crack a bit, but this is normal.
 
6. Cut the crackers into the shapes of your choice using a cookie cutter, pizza slicer or ravioli cutter. Place each piece onto the baking sheet, about a 1/2-inch apart. Poke a few fork holes into each cracker.
 
7. Bake for 10 minutes. Carefully flip each cracker with a spatula, rotate the pan and return crackers to the oven for 6-7 minutes, until golden. Carefully, transfer the crackers to a cooling rack for 15 minutes.
 
8. Store crackers in a glass jar or container on the counter. I haven't tried it, but apparently you can freeze them too. 

 

Once processed, this recipe makes about 3 cups of graham cracker crumbs.
 

Maple-Candied Walnuts

I've made candied nuts in a saucepan before but you need a hammer to pull them apart once they've hardened. These quick and delicious maple-candied walnuts from Martha Stewart are baked on parchment paper in the oven. Why didn't I think of that? 

Perfect in salad or as a special snack. 

 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Earth Balance butter (or homemade vegan butter)
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (you can get away with less)
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 2 cups walnuts (rather than reducing the syrup, you can add extra walnuts to the mixture- there's a lot of sauce)

Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
3. Add the maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Stir.
4. Bring to a simmer for about 3 minutes. The mixture should be a little frothy.
5. Add walnuts and continue stirring with a rubber spatula for about 3 more minutes, until sauce is syrupy and bubbly.
6. Transfer the walnut mixture to the baking sheet and spread into a single layer. Try to separate the nuts as much as possible so they don't stick to each other. Bake until walnuts are caramelized, about 8 minutes.
7. Stir and let stand for about 30 minutes, until walnuts have cooled and hardened. 

Creamy Ginger-Soy Salad Dressing

My mother often describes salads as "beautiful" and "like candy".  It's a blessing to delight in the pleasures of salads the way she does (yes, we do make fun of her!). But let's be honest, most of us are not that motivated to prepare salads or inspired to eat them in the cold, winter months.

This dressing from the Get Saucy cookbook has been my inspiration to eat salad when it's cold outside. All of my guests LOVE it too. It is beautifully paired with a mix of greens, slices of organic strawberries, organic red pepper, maple-candied walnuts and topped with slices of green onion.

Makes about 2/3 cup

Ingredients 

• 1 TB peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, smashed or finely chopped
• 4 ts gluten-free soy sauce
• 1/2 ts Dijon mustard 
• pinch of maple flakes (or sweetener of choice)
• 2 TB rice vinegar 
• 2 TB vegan mayonnaise*
• 1/3 cup olive oil

*I've been using a prepared garlic and sun-dried tomato mayo that somehow made it into my refrigerator. It may be the key to this dressing's super deliciousness so you might want to add extra flavour to plain mayonnaise. Unfortunately, most recommendations for mayo substitutes are typically dairy products such as sour cream and Greek-style yogourt. When this jar of mayo is finished, I will try silken tofu or avocado to create a creamy texture.

Instructions

1. Combine all of your ingredients, except for the oil and mix in a blender.
2. Scrape down the sides. Add the oil slowly while the machine is running. The sauce will thicken. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Mini Pizza Quinoa Bites

I love the idea of quinoa bites so I keep trying different recipes - too dry, too bland, just plain yucky. I finally found a winner in this one from Heidi @ Food Doodles. They are delightful, easy to prepare and fun finger food for family or guests.

48 mini pizza bites

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa cooked in 2 cups water
• 4 large handfuls fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 6oz can tomato paste
• 3-4 large cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp good quality extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• ½ tsp fennel seed
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp dried parsley or other herb of choice
• ¼ tsp maple flakes
• ½ tsp sea salt
• dash black pepper

 

Instructions

1. Rinse quinoa and combine with water in a small pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. The quinoa should be tender and completely cooked. Add the chopped fresh spinach, mix it all up and close the lid.
2. Remove the pot from heat and leave covered for another 5 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 mini muffin tins and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the tomato paste with the garlic and onion, water and olive oil. Mix well. Add all the seasonings including salt and pepper. Mix well again before adding the quinoa and spinach. Once the mixture is completely mixed, taste for seasonings and add more as needed.
5. Divide the mixture evenly among 48 mini muffins and press down. Place in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes (my oven requires more time).
6. Remove from the oven, add your favorite toppings (vegan cheese, nutritional yeast, veggies, veg pepperoni) and place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes.

 

Soothing Chai Latte (dairy-free, no caffeine)

I've been waking up at 5am (for no particular reason) and making this soothing latte. It is like a big, warm hug on a winter's day. I also crave it after dinner but am too tired and lazy to make it by then.

I don't like black tea (white, red or green), so the peppermint teabag is perfect. A big thanks to Elana's Pantry for the inspiration.

Serves 2, in two-cup mugs.

 

Ingredients

• 3 cups water
• 1 cup almond milk 
• 1 TB grated ginger (I keep mine in the freezer. Use less than 1/2 ts if using ginger powder) 
• 3/4 ts cinnamon (or 2 cinnamon sticks)
• 2-3 cloves
• 1/2 ts cardamom (or 4 cardamom pods)
• 3 whole peppercorns
• 1 peppermint tea bag
• pinch of nutmeg
• 2 TB of pumpkin puree* (optional)
• 1 ts honey
• 1/2 ts alcohol-free vanilla
• 4-6 TB **almond-coconut milk

* We roasted, pureed and froze our uncarved Halloween pumpkins this year. There's a lot of pumpkin to use up which is how it ended up in this recipe!

** The creamy and sweet coconut milk smooths out the "bite" of the spices so keep that in mind if substituting for other milk. You might want to use extra sweetener, go lighter on the spices or use 2 cups of water and 2 cups almond milk instead of a 3:1 ratio.

 

Instructions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine water, almond milk, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, peppermint tea bag, pumpkin puree and nutmeg. Bring to a boil.
2. Simmer for 15 minutes (uncovered), stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and strain the latte into TWO mugs
4. Add 1/2 ts honey, 1/4 ts vanilla and 2-3 TB almond coconut-milk to EACH mug. Adjust individual portions to taste.  

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups (gluten and dairy-free)

These butter cups are my new fave treat. Some family members think they are the best dessert I have ever made. The first time I whipped up these salty-sweet delights, my toddler and her play date ran around the house with them and smeared chocolate on every surface! Not a good idea.

The recipe from Oh She Glows makes 12 mini cups. I've been been able to squeeze out 8 regular-sized cups at a time. Check out her pics. They are gorgeous.

Ingredients 

for the base:

• 3/4 cup raw almonds, ground into a meal
• 1/4 cup gluten-free oats, ground into a flour
• 2 tablespoons raw peanut butter (almond and cashew butter work well too)
• 1.5 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1.5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• pinch of fine grain sea salt, to taste

for the topping:

• 1.5 - 2 tablespoons coconut oil (original recipe calls for 3 tablespoons but the oil forms a white layer on the top)
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (carob works well too but use less sweetener)
• pinch of fine grain sea salt, to taste

 

Instructions   

1. Process your almonds and oats into flour in a food processor or blender. Place in a large bowl.
2. Add the nut butter, warmed coconut oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt into the bowl. Mix ingredients until it becomes like cookie dough. It should be a little sticky.
3. Line your muffin tin with silicone liners. Apparently the butter cups stick to the paper liners.
4. Portion dough into each muffin cup and press down until even.
5. For the chocolate sauce, whisk together the warmed coconut oil, sweetener, cocoa powder, and salt. You want it nice and smooth, not clumpy. Admittedly, I've thrown the sauce into the microwave or into a saucepan. 
6. Spoon a thin layer of chocolate into each cup.
7. Place in the freezer for at least 30-45 minutes or until completely firm. Pop them out of the liners and eat right away! Take them out of the silicone liners once the cups have set. Otherwise, I find the silicone leaves a weird taste behind. Store in an airtight container in the freezer.

Here's a slightly adapted version with coconut flour and refrigerator. The coconut flour works well. I prefer them straight from the freezer.

Veggie Dumplings / Potstickers (Gluten-free)

Dumplings are the perfect comfort food.  But why make your own?

I have never seen gluten-free, vegetarian dumplings with protein before. So, it became my next challenge (ok, obsession). As usual, I read and watched videos until I felt that I had the best possible recipe and was comfortable enough to attempt it.

Overall, I was impressed with the final result. These hot pockets of deliciousness are especially good with an Asian dipping sauce. They take some time to put together but you can make a whole load and freeze them.

I should mention that my husband thought the dumplings were a little doughy. I disagree. That being said, for my 2nd and 3rd batches, I tried to make them thinner.  I even ran the dough through my pasta maker but it crumbled and fell apart. I tried some xanthan gum in one batch but it didn't help. Finally, I tried to find a better gluten-free recipe but no luck. I am thrilled with this one and am sticking to it!

[Note: I realize the trick to getting the perfect dough texture (and look) is is to use a dumpling press.  The cheap ones for under $5.00 will do the trick].


FILLING (Adapted from Steamy Kitchen)

Ingredients

• 1/2 block firm organic tofu (crumbled)
• 3 cups cabbage, shredded (I found organic, shredded cabbage. Lucky me.) 
• 1 cup mushrooms (I tend to use a mixed variety. I've also thrown in some shredded carrot when I didn't have a full cup of mushrooms)  
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced 
• 4 green onions, chopped 
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped 
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce 
• 2-3 tablespoons cooking oil

  
Note: This is a lot of filling. You will need to double the dough recipe below or cut this one in half.

Instructions

1. Heat up the oil in a skillet. Add the ginger, onions and garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the mushrooms and cabbage, stir-fry for a few minutes.  
2. Add a few spoonfuls of water and cover, let it cook for a few more minutes.  Remove lid, and continue to stir-fry until the mushrooms are tender.  Remove from heat. Add soy sauce and basil. 

I prefer the taste of the mixture when it is cooked first. If you don't have the time or patience... 

you can skip this step. Your dumplings will get steamed and pan-fried later on. In a large mixing bowl, add cabbage, tofu, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, basil and soy sauce. Mix well. You can now fill the dumpling wrappers with the uncooked mixture.

DOUGH (Recipe from Garden of Gluten Free)

Makes 24-28 dumplings (depending on size)

 

Ingredients 

• 1 cup white rice flour
• 3/4 cup tapioca flour/starch
• pinch of salt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2/3 cup boiled water (adjust if necessary)

 

Instructions

Make / roll out the dough
 

1. Add rice flour, tapioca flour and salt into bowl. Pour in your oil. Add just-boiled water and mix. After it cools down a bit, start to knead the dough for a few minutes until it has a play-dough consistency.
2. Now your dough is ready to be divided. Lightly dust the counter with rice flour. Roll out the dough into a foot long rope and cut in half. 
3. Place half your dough directly into a ziplock bag to keep moist. With the remaining dough, cut into 12 pieces. Place the pieces into the bag except a few that you are working with to keep everything moist. Repeat with remaining dough.
4. Take one of your dough discs and flatten it by hand and then roll out with a rolling-pin. Here's a quick video on how to do it.

Filling the dumplings 

Watch the Steamy Kitchen video to see how it's done (you have to scroll down to find/play the video).

1. Prepare a baking sheet with rice flour on it. You will place your dumplings on it after they have been filled.  Make sure to space them apart so they don't stick together.
2. Gently take your wrapper in the palm of your hand and place about a tablespoon of your filling in it. Lightly wet the edge of the wrapper with water and close in half (water and cornstarch or egg whites work too). Pinch shut, and work your way around the rest of the dumpling to close. Or, simply place your disc into the dumpling press, add mixture and press shut.

Cooking 

1. You can boil, steam or pan-fry your dumplings. I love the pan-fried version. Heat the skillet with about 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over high heat. Once the pan is hot, place dumplings in the pan, making sure they are not touching. They will stick.
2. Sear for about 1 to 2 minutes, until the bottoms turn golden brown. Add a few tablespoons of water, immediately cover with a lid, and let the dumplings steam for another 3 to 4 minutes.
   
   
   Dumplings are easy to freeze.  Place your baking sheet filled with dumplings (in a single layer) in the freezer until they are frozen. Gather them up and store them in a freezer bag. When ready to cook frozen dumplings, do not defrost or you'll end up with soggy mess. Follow the instructions to cook the dumplings and add an additional 3-5 minutes to the "steaming" time to completely cook the frozen dumplings.