Coconut Flour Waffles

I already love my new waffle maker. I also love these waffles. Coconut flour doesn't taste like coconut, it's just a light and sweet gluten free flour alternative. They're also very high in protein and low in carbs. Just magic!

Ingredients:
6 eggs
1.5 teaspoons oil (I used veggie)
1.5 teaspoons of vanilla
3/8 teaspoon baking soda
3/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1.5 teaspoons honey
3 tablespoons coconut flour

Preheat the waffle maker. Mix together all of these ingredients. Spray the waffle maker with nonstick cooking spray. Then add the batter and cook your waffles!

I served with blueberry sauce - I just threw some frozen blueberries into a saucepan with some apricot jelly and some honey. Healthier than maple syrup :-)

I also made some eggs and bacon, per Doug's request, since he needed to recharge from snow blowing the driveway! We also both needed some fuel before spending the snow day snowshoeing around Brookline! Hooray for a post Christmas blizzard!

Creamy Parmesan Risotto

I love a good, simple risotto. This is just the ticket. Contrary to common kitchen lore, you do not need to stir risotto constantly. You just need to stir constantly for the first few minutes after the rice is added in order to convince it to become creamy. 

Ingredients: 

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1.5 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups low sodium (g-free!) chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Heat the chicken broth over low heat in a covered saucepan. When you add it to the rice (gradually) later, it needs to be warm. Make sure it's covered so it doesn't reduce. 


Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, around 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until it's coated with butter and begins to turn translucent, around 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, still stirring constantly, until all the liquid is absorbed, around 3 - 5 minutes. Begin adding 1/2 cup of the warm chicken broth, making sure to let the rice absorb the broth before adding more. This is where you can stop stirring constantly. Pay attention and stir frequently, but you no longer need to hover (and I bet your arm is getting a little tired). The whole process should take around 20 - 25 minutes. When you're done adding all of the chicken broth, turn off the heat, add the remaining butter, salt, pepper and Parmesan. Stir to combine, and serve! 

Gorgonzola and Porcini Risotto

So, I have to admit - I don't really like mushrooms. However, I had the most fabulous meal at cousin Laura's wedding back in September at the Chatham Bars Inn - which included mushroom risotto! This was fantastic, I thought I was coming around on the fungus family!

False. I think this risotto was especially mushroomy. Perhaps the stuff back at CBI was milder. Anyway, Doug and my mother raved about it (and my mom took the leftovers home, since we were heading out to PA and wouldn't get to them) so I figure it's a good recipe for all you mushroom fans. This recipe was featured on Everyday Italian with Giada De Laurentiis back in 2008. She called for 4 cups of chicken stock, but I found the rice to be not quite done. 2 additional cups did the trick.

Ingredients:
6 cups chicken stock (my go-to gluten free chicken stock is available at Trader Joe's)
1.5 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
3 tablespoons butter (I found this didn't cover the rice completely, so I added a little more, so perhaps it was closer to 4 tablespoons)
1 medium diced white onion
1.5 cups Arborio rice (rice is naturally g-free, as long as it's not "messed with" at all with spices or whatnot)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan
3/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola - some blue cheeses are aged on bread, though this is becoming less common. Just make sure you're buying GF cheese. All Trader Joe cheese is GF, FYI.
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

I had some trouble finding dried porcini mushrooms. This could have been because I was shopping so close to Christmas. I ended up buying these from Whole Foods:



Bring the stock to a boil with the porcini mushrooms in a covered saucepan.


Turn off the heat and let the mushrooms seep in the broth for around a half an hour, until the mushrooms are tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms. Bring the chicken broth back to a simmer (covered), since the broth must be warm when added to the rice.

In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the butter until melted. Add the onion and mushrooms and let cook for around five minutes.


Add the rice and stir to completely cover with butter (this is where I added a little more).


Add the wine, and stir constantly until the wine is absorbed (around 3 minutes). Add the warm chicken stock 1/2 cup at a time, letting each additional absorb into the rice before adding more.


This whole process will take around 20 - 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and add in the salt, pepper, chives, parmesan and gorgonzola.

A note about adding the broth - figure out which of your ladles holds approximately a half a cup. It will make this process much easier!

My final product, snuggling up to a piece of steak!

Merry Christmas!

Our first Christmas was a romantic dinner for two, since the rest of our week would be so crazy. We made dinner together, drank some wine and opened presents. I made some mushroom risotto (I'll post the recipe later), and Doug grilled some filets. Of course, he had to wipe the snow off the grill first! I served the sweet onion marmalade I made earlier with the steak, and it was very good. Take note that a little goes a very long way. I had been surprised at how little it made - but turns out it will last for a very long time! Good thing, since it's supposed to get better with time!


Doug's plate. He insisted that I take the photo with a nice background. So enjoy the view of our tree!

For the first time, Doug and I did stockings! I won't bore you with all of our gifts, but I had two I had to share! First, my first GF cook book:


I can't wait to try out some recipes!

Also, this might be more embarrassing than funny, but I find it adorable. I wear fuzzy pink crocs as my slippers (I PROMISE I don't leave the house with them), and somehow Doug found a matching ornament:


And a shot on the tree:


He ALSO got me a waffle maker, and I'm looking forward to making GF coconut flour waffles Meredith found on Comfy Belly (and of course posting the recipe as well).

The next night, we did another early Christmas with my mom at my sisters house before heading to PA to visit with the Sherwood crew. I made an additional plain risotto for those non mushroom people. Again, I'll post the recipe separately. But here are my risottos (risotti?):


The entire meal was g-free and delicious! Thanks to mom for an awesome tenderloin!

Meredith made a gluten free apple brown sugar cheesecake. I'll have to get the recipe from her ( but I have to make it before I post it!), since it was fantastic. The crust relies on gluten free ginger snaps, which are available at most grocery stores.

Before:


And after :-)


One more shot to leave you with from the first half of Christmas - my cutie pie little nephew, ready for his first Christmas!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

You seriously can't even tell these are gluten free. Grace made these for my sisters BTT baby shower back in August, and Doug has been bugging me ever since to make them! I was glad I finally caved, I forgot how good they are! Luckily, Grace was happy to share the recipe.

2 cups peanut butter - use the real stuff! Teddie's or Smuckers all natural are my go-to peanut butters.
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 bag of chocolate chips

Mix them all together, roll into one inch balls, smoosh them onto greased cookie sheets and cook at 350 degrees for around ten minutes. Delicious!

My FAVORITE chocolate chips:

60% bittersweet Ghirardelli chips. They're big and dark - I love them.

Here is my batter:


And my final product, wrapped and ready to go. I wanted to thank a friend for doing some free work on my skis, and this was just the way! I could have made regular cookies, but these GF cookies meant I could have a few myself :-)

I'm in the holiday spirit!

Though not food related, I had to share my holiday spirit! I love our tree, stockings and wrapped presents (aren't they pretty? There are more on the other side) so much I almost don't want to start unwrapping and giving them away! But a picture lasts forever.

Also, an early gift I had to share:


Some girls get excited over flowers from their boyfriends. I get excited over the perfect cherry red La Creuset tea kettle. Thanks, Doug!

Sweet Onion Marmalade

Woohoo! I am back!

Let's get right to it. Here is some sweet onion marmalade, which I'm super excited to serve with some steak over the holidays. I tried a little out of the jar and its fabulous, especially for an onion lover like me.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 medium onion (any kind, even red, though I used yellow)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
2 rosemary sprigs
2/3 cup brown sugar (get a new box/bag if yours is all dried up in your cupboard!)
1/3 cup dry white wine (I used Hogue Sauvignon Blanc, since it's what was in my fridge)
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar (I was originally concerned that this had gluten, but alas! It's made from grapes, excellent news!)

In a heavy frying pan or dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Thinly slice the onion and add to the hot oil. Let caramelize - takes 20 - 30 minutes at least (more, if you have the time...the more you cook, the more they'll brown) until they're changed colors and are a light brownish color.

Add the salt, pepper, rosemary sprigs and bay leaves. Let cook for another 20 - 30 minutes. Here is my pot at this point:



Add in the sugar, wines and vinegar.



Bring to a boil, stirring consistently, and then bring back down to a simmer. Let cook for another 20 - 30 minutes until it reduces to your desired consistency. Remember it will thicken a bit more as it cools. Here is my jar of sweet onion marmalade. I was surprised at how little it made, hence the clementine next to it for comparison purposes, but I think a little will go a long way.



It's good for up to 2 - 3 months, and is supposed to get better with time. I will have to make more, since this batch will get eaten right up :-)

Stay tuned for how it tastes with the steak we're grilling for our first (of five...lots of families to visit with) holiday dinners!

Teriyaki Kabobs

So easy, so good and a crowd pleaser. What's not to like? Works with either chicken or beef - cut chicken breasts up into triangles or use sirloin tips. Trader Joes has some good grass fed sirloin tips at a good price (see picture). I made both. I served with cilantro rice, which I will post separately. The key for this is a full 24 hour marinade for the meat. I did both chicken and steak. I marinade meats in plastic bags, because it's less messy and you can just shake it (gently) to move the meat around.

Marinade:
1.5 cups soy sauce
2-3 scallions, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup of ketchup
Heaping tablespoon of brown sugar
3/4 cup olive oil

Mix together the first six ingredients, then whisk the olive oil in a trickle. Here are the steak tips next to a bowl of marinade:



Put the meat in a large ziploc bag, then pour the marinade over the meat. I put my two separate bags (with chicken and beef) in a bowl to put in the fridge overnight.


Right before you're ready to put the food on the grill, toss the following with some olive oil, salt and pepper:
Largely cut red pepper
Chunks of fresh pineapple
Large hunks of red onion

Then spear the meat and veggie mix onto skewers. Here are ours, ready to grill:


While you're grilling, baste with the marinade for extra flavor (that is why there is a bowl on the platter above)!

Chicken Jambalaya

I have NOT been good about posting, but now that finals are winding down I can post everything I made in April! Starting with this...very good. I kinda wish I hadn't made so much because it isn't the kind of thing you want to eat for four days straight. But a good one or two day meal maybe. I doubled the recipe, next time I will just make the amount below.

I precooked the chicken breasts just in a covered pot with some chicken broth over medium heat for around 20 minutes. It's also how I made chicken for chicken salad, just so you know. It won't have much flavor, but it's a good simple way to cook it for these purposes.



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large chopped onion
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1 chopped green pepper
1 chopped red pepper
2.5 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 cups fat free, less sodium chicken broth (the gluten free kind, if it's a concern!)
1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey breasts
2-3 cooked andouille sausage, chopped (I used hot italian turkey sausage from Whole Foods)

My chopped veggies!


Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, around 5 minutes. Add garlic and let cook for another 30 seconds then add the peppers and spices. Let cook for another 2-3 minutes, then add the remaining ingredients. Cover and let cook until the rice has absorbed the liquid.

My bowl!

Light Sloppy Joes

I was looking at my blog description and remembered that I was going to include a little training on my blog too. Ha! Funny. Maybe I'll start doing that, but it really isn't very exciting. Except that I go through leftovers pretty quickly these days - I'm up to around 15-16 hours of training a week! AAH! Sometimes people ask how I manage to get dinner on the table every night, which is NOT an accurate statement. I always try to look for recipes that will last for several days, so I really only end up cooking dinner around 2 times a week, maybe 3. Especially since we're a household of two students...we don't even always eat together.

Doug put in a request for sloppy joe's...which sounds a little weird, but I like requests because sometimes the most annoying part about trying to have home cooked dinners all the time is I run out of ideas on things to make. Also, I like trying to make Doug's favorite meals healthy! One of these days, he is going to get tired of everything he likes made with all kinds of lighter substitutions, but I don't think anyone feels bad for him!

Anyway, these sloppy joe's were tasty, hearty, healthy and lasted for several days. We ran out of buns (Star Market has surpringly good whole wheat buns in their bakery aisle) on day two, then I started eating the meat just plain and it was still good. Doug made a bun out of cornbread (see last post), but that would be a little much for me!

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 large white chopped onion
1 green pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean beef - I used turkey - I think it was 97% lean. The 99% stuff doesn't absorb any other flavors in this type of dish too well.
1 six ounce can tomato paste
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
14 ounces low sodium chicken broth
1 fifteen ounce can corn, drained
Whole wheat hamburger buns - I got 4, you need more like 6 for this recipe
Red pepper flakes to taste

Heat oil in a large nonstick skiller over medium high heat. Add onion, pepper and garlic and cook for around three minutes. Add meat to pan, cook for around 5 minutes - until the meat is no longer pink.


Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, broth and tomato paste. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 12-15 minutes. Stir in corn, let cook for another 2 minutes, and you're done!


Toast the buns, and spoon on meat mixture. I also put sliced dill pickles on mine! I didn't take a picture of my actual sandwich...but I have faith you all know what this would look like on a bun :-)

This was a high veggie to meat ratio. When I make this again, I would probably add a little more meat and keep the amount of veggies the same. I also added a LOT of red pepper flakes, because I like spicy food!

Cornbread

Apparently there are regional differences between cornbreads. Who knew? Probably most people, but oh well. I don't know what this is, I only care that is is darn good. I've made a few cornbread recipes and this is my faaavorite.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 packed light brown sugar
3/4 frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled a little

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter an 8 inch square baking dish. Mix flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl, set aside.

In a food processor or blender, process brown sugar, corn and buttermilk for around 5 seconds. Add eggs and process for another 5 seconds. Don't worry, the corn will still be a little lumpy. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and pour in the wet batter, folding to combine. Add melted butter while folding and continue until mixed. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth out with a spatula. Bake around 25-35 minutes, or until a knife/toothpick can go in the middle and come out completely clean. Let cool for around 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to wire rack to let cool the rest of the way.



Best served warm!

Stroganoff

I honestly have never had stroganoff before. I had no idea what to expect. I was always wary of the nutrition content, but as most dishes - that can be controlled at home. I found a recipe in my Cooking Light magazine that said any meat could be used - they suggested pork or chicken. Since I already had a pound of chicken in my freezer, I went for chicken. Follow the same directions for any meat though. If you use pork, use pork loin or tenderloin.

Ingredients:
1 pound chicken breast, cut into small pieces
8 ounces dry egg noodles
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large chopped onion
2 tablespoons paprika
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 low or nonfat sour cream
Salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste (but a good amount of each)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Cook the noodles, set them aside. Egg noodles are easy, they only take a few minutes (like, 3 or 4) to cook.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, around 5 minutes. Add paprika, mixing well, and let cook for another minute. Add chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let cook until the sauce has thickened, around 5 minutes.

Remove pan from the heat and stir in the sour cream. I mixed in the noodles at this point too, as opposed to just spooning the meat sauce over the noodles. I said to season to taste, but I used a fair amount of salt and red pepper flakes (but omit if you don't want any kick) - so use a heavy hand!

I almost forgot to take a picture until Doug was almost done, so here you go - Doug's almost empty dish of chicken stroganoff :-)

Taco night!

I will NOT say I am above the prepackaged Old El Paso (or whatever the brand is) taco mix. But I wanted to try my own.

Ingredients (for meat mixture part only):
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 white onion
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound ground beef or turkey (I used turkey)
2 cups tomato sauce
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Pepper to taste

Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add spices; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground meat and cook, breaking meat up with wooden spoon and scraping pan bottom to prevent scorching, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, brown sugar, and vinegar; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently and breaking meat up so that no chunks remain, until liquid has reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

If you don't know what to do now I'm not sure you should be making these, but we served with cheese, shredded lettuce, hot salsa and sour cream. I also like making taco salads, which is my preferred method of consumption...meat and salsa over some shredded lettuce with a little cheese!

Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

The whole title is black pepper and molasses pulled chicken sandwiches, but that is a little long, don't you think? The chicken was great for sandwiches, also great just on it's own. I doubled this recipe, because the leftovers were really good. In case you haven't noticed, I cook a whole bunch of stuff at one time then let it last for a few days. Works especially well since we're two busy students!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons sharp honey mustard
1.5 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 package (around 3 breasts) chicken

This is easy...combine ALL ingredients in a dutch oven (or large saucepan...I used a dutch oven since I doubled) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for around 20-25 minutes or the chicken is done. Shred the chicken apart with two forks, then let simmer for another 10-20 minutes for additional flavor.


I served with whole wheat sandwich buns and coleslaw.

Bread Pudding with Apples and Brandy!

Like french toast but better, and meant for a dessert. Which I am convinced french toast should also be - what sucker decided to put word out that french toast is a breakfast treat?

I got some really good whole wheat challah from Rosenfeld's Bagels in Newton Center. It's just so good on its own - if you're going to make this, make sure to buy good bread. Either challah or brioche, and buy it from a bakery. I bought whole wheat because I like it better, it's richer (or something) than regular.

1 pound cubed challah
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 granny smith apples, peeled and cubed
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup brandy
4 large eggs
3 cups milk (I used lowfat)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay the cubed bread out on a baking tray, and cook for 15 minutes (stirring around halfway through) to toast it. Here is my bread, before I toasted it.


Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan. Add apples and 1/4 cup of sugar and cook for around 15 minutes.


Take off heat to add the cinnamon and brandy, then cook (over heat) for another minute. Make sure you stir this really well so you don't have clumps of cinnamon.

In a large bowl, stir remaining sugar with milk and eggs. Add the brioche and apple mixture. Toss to coat evenly and then let stand for five minutes.


Transfer to a dish and cook for 45-50 minutes. Good idea to lay a baking tray out beneath it to catch the drippings - I will have to clean my oven later :-)

Let sit for 15 minutes ish before serving. Great with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Sweet Potato "fries"

...but of course they're baked.

This is really simple, but if you toss some cubed sweet potatoes (or butternut squash) with some salt, pepper and old bay seasoning - you can stick them in the oven (on a baking sheet) at high heat (450 degrees ish) for around ten minutes per side for a delicious and healthy side dish. I served with chicken saltimbocca.

Chicken Saltimbocca

For some reason, mixing ham and chicken is really appealing to me. Yumm.

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin.
Ground black pepper
Almond flour (between 1/2-1 cup, just used for dredging the chicken...you could also just use regular flour)
1 tablespoon minced sage
4 slices proscuitto
1 tablespoon olive oil
1.25 cups dry white wine
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt, to taste

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 200 degrees. Combine almond flour and pepper in shallow dish. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels. Dredge chicken in flour and transfer to large plate. Sprinkle evenly with minced sage and then place 1 prosciutto slice on top of each cutlet, pressing lightly to adhere.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to shimmer. Add chicken to pan, prosciutto-side down, and cook until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook on other side until light golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack set on rimmed baking sheet and keep warm in oven.

Pour off excess fat from skillet. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until reduced to about 1/3 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Turn heat to low and whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Off heat, season with salt and pepper. Remove chicken from oven and place on platter. Spoon sauce over cutlets before serving.

Farfalle with Sun-dried Tomatoes & Arugula

I made way too much of this stuff. Anyone is welcome to come over and eat some. I think I might add some grilled chicken to it tonight for a meal as opposed to a side dish so it will be consumed a little quicker.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes - the kind that are kept in oil, but drain the oil first
1/4 grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (they'll burn easily in the toaster, a better method is to heat in a dry skillet for around 5 minutes over medium heat)
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 cups arugula
3/4 cup crumbled feta
1 pound of whole wheat farfalle
Salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste!

Cook the farfalle al dente. While that is cooking, process first five ingredients in a food processor. When the pasta is done, drain, then remove to pot. Mix in the sun dried tomato mixture (you may need a little water if it's too dry).


Mix in the arugula. This is what six cups of arugula looks like:


Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Dish into bowls and top with crumbled cheese.