Category Archives: Recipe

Brownies

These delicious brownies are gluten and dairy free as well as vegan friendly.  I found this treasured recipe at the kitchenmccabe.com.  I changed  very little of the original recipe.

1 and 1/2 cup oat flour

1 cup of sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds mixed with 3 tablespoons warm water (let sit for five minutes) or one egg

1 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup espresso coffee or any strong coffee

1/3 cup of vegetable or canola oil (or coconut oil melted)

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla

Optional:  1 cup dark chocolate chips ( I don’t include them as the brownies are very rich but the McCabe Kitchen does)
1.  Preheat the oven 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 9 inch baking pan.

2.  In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

3.  In another bowl, whisk together flax egg, coconut milk, espresso, oil, applesauce and vanilla.

4.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until combined.

5.  Fold in chocolate chips if using.

6.  Pour the batter into the pan, put into heated oven and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the brownies comes out clean.  (Check after 30 minutes in the oven).

7.  Cool and cut into squares.  Store in airtight container.

Veal Marsala

This simple main course can be made with veal, beef or chicken cutlets.

1 lb veal, beef or chicken cutlets

White rice flour for dredging cutlets

Salt, pepper, garlic powder

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup of cold water.

Olive oil for browning cutlets

1/4 cup Marsala wine

1.  Season the cutlets with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Let stand for 10 minutes.

2.   Dredge each cutlet in white rice flour.

3.  Heat a large pan, add oil and then swirl until bottom of pan is coated.

4.  When oil shimmers, add cutlets and lightly brown each side of cutlet.  Set aside on plate.

5.  Turn down heat, pour in Marsala wine and scrape bottom of pan.

6.  Add broth and continue scraping 2 to 3 minutes.  Adjust heat so that broth simmers.

7.  Stir in cornstarch and water and stir until thickened.

8.  Add cutlets back into thickened broth mixture.  Cover the pan with a lid and keep cooking on low heat until cutlets are cooked through.

Gluten Free Beef Stew

2 lbs beef stewing meat

Whole grain white rice flour for coating meat

Olive oil enough to just coat the bottom of the stew pot

2 to 3 bay leaves

1 or 2 chopped shallot

1 or 2 garlic clove cut on half

1 pinch or more of dried rosemary 

1 pinch or more of dried thyme

3 to 4 carrots diced large

2 celery stalks diced large

1 large handful of string beans cut into one inch lengths

1 cup of peas (thaw and wash thoroughly under water if frozen)

2 to 3 cups of Chicken or beef broth (enough to cover meat and veggies)

Prepare the meat.  Cut into cubes and bring the meat up to room temperature (about 20-30 minutes).

Lightly cover the bottom of your pot/Dutch oven (heavy stainless steel or enamelled cast iron) with olive oil.

Next, heat your pot on the stove for about 7 to 10 minutes depending on how heavy your pot is.  My cast iron Cuisinart Dutch oven takes about 10 minutes.

While heating place two bay leaves in the oil.  If you see little bubbles forming around the leaves, it is a sign that your oil is hot enough.

When oil is hot, sear your meat on all sides in batches.  Put in a plate.

Turn down the heat and add shallots.  Cook until soft.

Add a bit of the broth enough to cover bottom of pot and begin scraping the bits from the bottom.  Add the meat and coat it with the scraped mixture.  Add enough broth to cover meat and stir until thicken.  Add the vegetables except for and softer ones like the string beans, potatoes or peas if using.  Add these softer vegetables about a half hour before the end of cooking time.  Adjust heat so that stew  simmers slowly.

Cook on the low heat on stove for two hours.   Check and stir from time to time to make sure stew does not stick.

Serve with rice.

Jambalaya

3 tablespoons olive oil (and some more if needed)

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 2 chicken breasts, cut into one inch pieces

8 oz chorizo sausage sliced into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

1 large, sweet, red bell pepper, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 teaspoons of fresh thyme or fresh oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 bay leaves

2 cups long grain rice

1 can (796ml) diced tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

1 lb medium or large shrimp

1/4 cup finely chopped green onions and parsley (optional)

1. Heat oil in a large, oven proof pot.  Brown the chicken and then the chorizo.  Set aside in a bowl.

2. Add more oil to the pot if needed to cook the onion, celery and red pepper until soft.

3. When the vegetables are soft, add the garlic, thyme or oregano, salt, cayenne and bay leaves.

4. Add the rice coating it with the mixture.

5. Stir in the diced tomatoes, broth and tomato paste and bring to a boil.

6.  Mix in the browned sausage and chicken pieces.

7. Transfer the pot to a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or simmer on the stove top, stirring occasionally until the rice is tender.

8.  The shrimp is added in the last ten minutes of cooking time or cooked in a skillet and then added when jambalaya is done.

9. Sprinkle chopped green onion and parsley on top before serving if you like.

Tip: Instead of canned tomatoes and tomato paste, you can use marinara sauce.

Serves 8.

Butternut Squash Soup

Olive oil (enough to sauté garlic and onions, 2 to 4 tablespoons)

1/2 onion or 2 leeks, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

3 large carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 potato, peeled and diced

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

Chicken broth (enough to cover vegetables, 3 to 4 cups). If you do not have broth, use Organic GoBio chicken bouillon cubes which are gluten free. Dissolve 2 or 3 cubes while you sauté the onion and garlic, or add cubes after you cover the vegetables with water.

In a large pot, cook the onions and garlic until soft. Add carrots and celery and cook until tender. Add a bit of water to these vegetables if they begin to stick to the pot. Add the potatoes and butternut squash. Pour enough chicken broth to just cover the vegetables. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and then simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until all the vegetables are tender. Use a blender or a hand mixer to purée the mixture into a smooth and silky consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper if required.

Allergy-free Chocolate Cupcakes

These cupcakes are moist and delicious.  No one will believe they are wheat, egg, and dairy-free.  I frost and decorate them for special occasions.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place 12 cupcake liners in a good quality cupcake pan.  I use Baker’s Secret Pro.

1 cup of apple sauce

1 teaspoon of vegetable oil

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup oat flour

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips

In a large bowl, mix the applesauce, oil, sugar and vanilla.  In another bowl, wisk the rest of the ingredients except  for the chocolate chips.  Add these whisked ingredients to the first bowl and mix well.  Fold in the chocolate chips last.

I use a tablespoon to fill the cupcake liners a little more than half way with batter.  Bake for 20 to 22 minutes.  Cool the cupcakes in their pan for about ten minutes before putting them onto a cake rack to finish cooling.  I keep leftover cupcakes in a container with a lid in the refrigerator.

Pancakes

The best tasting allergy friendly pancake recipe we’ve had uses Metro’s Irresistables Gluten Free Pancake Mix.  I love this product because it makes cooking pancakes so easy.  Here is how I make them for my family:

For about 10 pancakes:

1 cup Irresistables Gluten Free Pancake Mix

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 “egg” (I substitute a real egg with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed well with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl)

1 cup of “milk” ( cow, rice, soy, oat, almond, etc)

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Vegetable oil or unsalted butter for frying

1.  Pour the pancake mix into a small bowl and add the cinnamon.  Mix well.

2.  If you are using egg replacer, prepare it as I have described above.

3.  In a large bowl, add your milk, oil, vanilla and, lastly, the egg replacer.  Use a wisk to beat these wet ingredients until they froth up.

4.  Add the pancake mix with cinnamon to the wet ingredients and stir until lumps are gone.

5.  The batter should rest a little before frying so heat your griddle or pan on medium high now.  When it is hot, grease it with the butter or oil.  Using a ladle, pour about 1/4 cup of the batter for each pancake.   Turn the pancakes when they bubble and the bottom turns golden brown.  Cook for another minutes or two until the second side turns golden too.  (I add more oil or butter after each batch of pancakes I make.)

 

Ham and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

These chicken breasts are crispy on the outside and tender inside.  I roll the cheese in the the middle of the ham slice so stuffing the chicken breasts is easy.  I brown the chicken in a pan first and finish cooking them in the oven.  My son loves these for lunch the next day.  I slice them, put them in a container and he eats them at room temperature. The sliced pieces are also great over a salad.

5 chicken breasts

5 slices of Black Forest ham

5 thin slices of Swiss cheese (which is lactose free) or a non-dairy cheese like soy or Daiya

Stickling’s Gluten free rice bread crumbs

Sea salt

Black pepper

Garlic powder

1/4 cup or more of Vegetable oil for frying

1. Trim the chicken breasts and make a pocket big enough for the stuffing to slide in.  Season with salt, pepper and a little garlic powder.  Let them sit in a plate while you prepare the stuffing.

2.  Prepare the stuffing.  Cut five long rectangular pieces of cheese a little shorter than the length of a ham slice  Place each cheese slice in the middle of each ham slice.  Roll up the cheese in the ham slice half way, tuck in the ends of the ham, and then finish rolling.  This way, the cheese will not leak out when it is baked.  

3.  Place each ham roll into each chicken breast.  Pat chicken lightly with a paper towel if wet.  Pour some bread crumbs onto a plate and coat the chicken breasts by pressing them into the crumbs.

4.  Line a cookie sheet or baking pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 375 F.  Meanwhile, pour the oil into a heavy large pan and heat until hot.  Prepare a plate with some paper towels to soak up excess oil after chicken is fried.

5.  When the oil is quite hot, brown each side of the chicken breasts (about two to three minutes each side and place onto the paper towel).  When finished frying, place breasts in parchment lined pan and place into the preheated oven.  Bake for about 25 minutes depending how large the breasts are.

6.  Take out of oven and let sit for about ten minutes before serving or slicing.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

This is an easy way to make a tender pork tenderloin.  Searing the meat first and then roasting keeps the pork tender.  If you can prepare the meat ahead of time, you can have this meal ready in about 45 minutes.

2 pork tenderloins

Sea salt

Pepper

Dried or fresh Rosemary

3 to 4 tablespoons Olive oil

1 and 1/2 cups of chicken broth

1 shallot finely diced
1.  Prepare the tenderloins from 2 to 24 hours ahead of roasting time.  Remove any silver skin or excess fat with a sharp knife.  Tuck the tail or thinner end of the tenderloins under and tie it with some kitchen string.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle a few rosemary leaves on the meat.  Place on a plate and cover loosely with plastic wrap.  Place in refrigerator.

2. Take out meat 30 minutes before searing to warm up.  Preheat the oven to 350* F.  Line a pan with parchment paper. 

3.  To sear the meat:  Pat meat dry.  Heat a large heavy pan on medium high.  (I let it heat for about 4 to 5 minutes.)  Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil to the hot pan.  Swirl oil around quickly and add meat.  If the tenderloins don’t fit, simply curve them in the pan.  Sear 1 to 2 minutes each top, bottom and sides of the tenderloin.  Turn down the heat.  Place seared meat into parchment lined pan and then into the heated oven for 30 minutes or when the internal temperature is 145 to 150 degrees.  

4.  Meanwhile, add diced shallot to the pan you seared the meat in.  If you need more oil add it to pan.  Cook shallot until very soft.  Turn up the heat and add broth.  Scrape bits stuck to bottom of the pan with wooden spoon and continue to cook until broth is reduced a bit.  (About five minutes).  When broth has reduced, cover the pan until the tenderloins are done.  

5.  When tenderloins are done, take them out of the oven and let them rest for at least 15 minutes.  I cover them loosely with foil .  

6.  After resting, add any juices from the roasting pan to the reduced broth.  Reheat the broth mixture and pour into a small gravy bowl to serve with your tenderloin.  Cut the pork into 1 inch thick pieces and serve.   Serves 4 to 6 people.  

Banana Bread

1 cup whole grain brown rice flour (Bob’s Red Mill)
3/4 cup whole grain oat flour (Chateau Cream Hill Estates – Lara’s)
1/4 cup potato starch (Purest)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (Ener G)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup milk (rice, soy, etc.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ripe mashed bananas
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325* F. Lightly grease a cake pan. (I use an 8 x 12 inch cake pan or a loaf pan.)

Wisk together all dry ingredients (first 8 ingredients listed) in a large bowl. Add oil, milk, vanilla and blend well. Fold in bananas. Fold in chocolate chips last if you are using them. Pour batter into your pan and bake for about 45 minutes when toothpick comes out clean. If you are using a loaf pan, add some more time to the baking (anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes). Cool on rack for about 20 minutes before removing from pan. Freezes well.