Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free » Other Sides

Winter Tabbouleh Salad

Amy — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 14:00:43 +0000

This salad recipe is perfect for the winter months. With the weather turning chilly, I start craving fresh healthy food that’s more comforting than a plain green salad. Not that I don’t love salads year round but there’s something about the cooler weather and falling leaves that makes me crave food that’s a little more substantial.

This is actually my sister, Marcia’s, creation. When I flew home earlier this year she showed up with this salad. Just for me.

Anyone with food restrictions understands how difficult it is to travel, especially if you have a little one in tow.

This salad was the perfect way to say ‘Welcome Home!’ I felt so loved.(...)
Read the rest of Winter Tabbouleh Salad

Sweet Potato & Kale Hash with Curried Quinoa

Amy — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:59:04 +0000

It’s Week 4 of A Gluten-Free Holiday hosted by Hallie at Daily Bites. You’ll want to check out this week’s event and the *give-away* – more at the end of the post….

Pregnancy sparks some interesting cravings. I haven’t had any that are massively outrageous – are there really pregnant women who want pickles and ice cream? But, there are times when a certain foods come into mind and, well, I’m just not satisfied until I eat them.

It’s a drastic change from how I used to eat. My diet was always so predictable and measured. My body was so very happy on mostly fresh foods, a little meat, some dairy, and a some healthy carbs.

Now, my body loves carbs. And I mean love in every sense of the word. Growing a baby definitely takes different fuel than I was accustomed to.

One afternoon, I got a huge craving for sweet potatoes and kale. Together. I’d never thought of pairing them before. It’s really a great balance of taste and texture – the sweet, creamy potatoes and the slightly bitter, crunchy kale. Throw in some quinoa and I’ve got a protein, too. I call that a meal.

After eating all of it (not in one sitting thank goodness – it took a couple days!) it occurred to me that this would be a much healthier alternative to those sugary sweet potato casseroles that are everywhere through the holidays, which is why I’m sharing this for Week 4 of A Gluten-Free Holiday.

Had I made the connection before I took the pictures, I would have presented the in beautiful red Le Creuset stoneware surrounded by holiday-esqe decorations. But, I was just a very hungry pregnant woman who just wanted the photos done.

At least I’m being honest, right?

I can promise you that this dish is oh-so-good and not just a crazy pregnant woman’s creation. I used Coconut Secret’s Coconut Aminos to add some flavor. It’s a healthy substitute for soy sauce and is gluten-free, soy-free, raw and contains 17 naturally occurring amino acids.

Sweet Potato & Kale Hash with Curried Quinoa

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: serves 4 - 6

A nutrient-dense sweet potato and kale dish. Quinoa adds protein so this can be eaten as a side or main dish.

Ingredients

For the Curried Quinoa:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 medium onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, grated on a microplane
3/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon tumeric
pinch of ground ginger
1 cup of chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

For the Sweet Potato & Kale Hash:

3 cups diced sweet potatoes, 1/2 inch dice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, grated on a microplane
3/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 cups chopped kale
1 tablespoon coconut aminos

Instructions

Make the Curried Quinoa:

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Sautee the onion for 5 - 8 minutes, until soft.
Add the garlic and stir for one minute, until fragrant.
Stir in the curry powder, salt, tumeric and ginger. Stir for a minute or two, until the spices are fragrant.
Add the chicken or vegetable stock. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
Stir in quinoa. Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.

Make the Sweet Potato & Kale Hash:

Set up a steamer and steam the sweet potatoes until tender, 10 - 15 minutes. Set aside once cooked.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, nonstick saute pan. Add the garlic and stir for one minute, until fragrant. Stir in the curry powder, ground yellow mustard seed, and kosher salt.
Add kale to the saute pan. It should still have water clinging to its leaves from being washed. This will steam the kale.
Cover and cook for several minutes until tender.
Stir in the steamed sweet potatoes. Add coconut aminos. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.
Serve sweet potato and kale hash on a bed of curried quinoa.

http://simplysugarandglutenfree.com/sweet-potato-kale-hash-with-curried-quinoa/

A Gluten-Free Holiday Week 4!

Stop by Daily Bites and share your holiday side dish then browse the other recipes there. You might just find the perfect dish to add to your Christmas menu.

Hallie is also giving away a copy of her new (fabulous!!) gluten and dairy-free cookbook, The Pure Kitchen.

I’ve got a copy of her book on my shelf. It’s a must-have.

Much love,

Amy

Sweet Corn Spoon Bread

Amy — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 14:43:58 +0000

I love a simple and delicious gluten-free bread. This spoon bread is both. And, it’s perfect for those of you who can’t tolerate xanthan gum – no gum required.

The idea of spoon bread has always been alluring. The first time I’d ever heard of it was several years ago when reading a Martha Rose Shulman cookbook. The bread was supposed to have similar qualities to regular bread but it’s so baked in a dish and so loose you had to use a spoon to get it on your plate, hence the name spoon bread.

It’s not something I grew up with. The closest thing I remember is something our family called corn casserole. But, up north just about any mess of ingredients baked in a dish is called a casserole.

Granted you can make spoon bread many different ways – this dish is quite different than the first spoon bread recipe I came across. In fact, it’s much like a souffle. The bread actually puffs up really high while baking and, true to a souffle’s nature, it deflates after several being out of the oven for several minutes.

Don’t let the souffle nature of this dish scare you off. There’s nothing scary about whipped egg whites.

It’s bready, a little sweet from the corn, and has a good, down-home comfort food feel. We loved every last bite.

Sweet Corn Spoon Bread

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 small onion, diced small
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
a few cranks of the pepper mill
2 cups low-fat milk
2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 egg yolks
4 large egg whites

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375F. Butter a 9″ x 6″ or equivalent baking dish and set aside.
Heat the butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium low heat. Cook the onions for 5 – 8 minutes, until soft.
Add the salt, pepper, milk, and corn. Heat until very hot but not boiling.
Add the cornmeal and whisk constantly until thick. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
Once cool, transfer to a medium bowl and whisk into the egg yolks.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they reach the soft peak stage.
Stir 1/4 of the egg whites directly into the cornmeal mixture.
Fold the remaining egg whites into the cornmeal mixture in 2 to 3 additions.
Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, until the center of the spoon bread is set.
Let cool for several minutes before serving.

http://simplysugarandglutenfree.com/sweet-corn-spoon-bread/

CrockPot Applesauce

Amy — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:30:32 +0000

I know – it’s not apple season. But I couldn’t resist sharing this healthy, naturally gluten-free and refined sugar-free, simple applesauce recipe with you. You’ll never buy applesauce again.

Last week I had some apples rolling around in the fruit drawer that were on the verge of going bad. I can’t stand to throw food out so I chopped up the apples and threw them in my CrockPot. (I like the programmable kind.) I thought about adding a cinnamon stick but then decided to let it cook au natural.

Four hours later, I pulled out a big piece of apple, scraped the cooked flesh away from the skin and took a bite.

Baked apples, in any form, have always been a favorite of mine. I spent hours recreating my childhood favorites to include in my book – Apple Crisp, Apple Pie with Pecan Crumb Topping, Baked Apples stuffed with Currants. And there’s Joe’s favorite, my French Apple Tart.

There wasn’t anything special about these apples. No sweetener or spiced added, just big chunks of fruit thrown into a slow cooker with a little water. The first bite didn’t disappoint. The sweet flesh was still a little firm, reminiscent of biting into an apple pie. I let them cook for another hour, when I deemed them ready for the food mill.

I like my applesauce chunky so I use the disk with the largest holes when I run it through the food mill. It leaves little pieces of apple skin, too, which adds to the texture and mouthfeel. If you like your applesauce smooth, use the small disk.

Spread warm applesauce on your favorite loaf of zucchini bread or pumpkin loaves. Eat it cold with nothing at all or topped with a sprinkling of cinnamon or nutmeg.

Other Gluten-Free Apple Recipes

Apple & Carrot Breakfast Cake from SS&GF
Apple Cinnamon Zepploe from Simply Gluten-Free
Kohlrabi and Apple Slaw from Tasty Eats at Home
Coconut Flour Apple Cake from Gluten-Free Goddess
CrockPot Apple Coffee Cake from A Year of Slow Cooking

CrockPot Applesauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours

Yield: 12 servings

Make this simple appleauce in your CrockPot – no stovetop or sweeteners required! Perfect for topping zucchini or pumpkin bread.

Ingredients

8 – 10 medium organic gala apples
enough water to cover the bottom of your CrockPot

Instructions

Add just enough water to the CrockPot to completely cover the bottom.
Chop and core your apples. Big pieces are perfect. No need to peel them.
Put the apples into the CrockPot, cover, and cook on low for 5 – 6 hours.
Run the cooked apples through a food mill using the large disk for chunky applesauce (my favorite) and a small disk for smooth applesauce.
Serve warm or cover and refrigerate.

Notes

Using a sweet variety of apple, such as Gala, results in a naturally sweet applesauce.

http://simplysugarandglutenfree.com/crockpot-applesauce/