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Archive for the category “wheat free”

Brussel Sprouts in Cream

creamy brussel sprouts

Could I ignore it? Just walk by as if it was not there? Pretend it would not be loads of fun to explore? No, I was not strong enough. It drew me towards it like no other stalk. I became a stalker. A stalker of of brussel sprout stalks. I thought maybe I should deny myself yet another green vegetable, but why?! I seem to be on quite the green vegetable streak these days – asparagus then artichokes, and now brussel sprouts! Big D has been doing a lot of meat and soup cooking, so I enjoy the yummy stuff when I get home and fill in the vegetable part of meals where I can. Brussel sprouts are a relative of green cabbage – high in fiber, good for you and the sprouts grow on stalks! I usually see them in the store in bags, but this week they arrived on the stalk. How fun! Little B was so excited about this strange thing when I got home she could not stand to wait until they were cooked. Whenever I can I try to show Little B where food comes from – whether it is pulling wild garlic, to showing her vanilla comes from orchids, her breakfast sausage comes from pigs, or the plants that are the source of her popcorn. I showed her the stalks and explained what the sprouts were. Little B immediately wanted one raw. Um, okay. I gave it to her, she took a big bit and LOVED IT! Chewed it up like Halloween candy!

brussel sprout stalk

brussel sprout tastingI had to promise to cook them up as soon as possible because she would not leave me alone about them. This could get interesting. Sometimes I have to coax Little B into helping with cooking projects and other times I can’t keep her from being overly underfoot (in a good way). This was definitely an underfoot project. She helped me cut them off the stalk and cook them up.  I had a plan and she had a different one, but we figured out how to combine them, and an ordinary weekday evening turned into a stalker party! We came up with two dishes in the end – one that she liked and one that I wanted. The cool thing was the two dishes took the same route to a point, then easily diverged to make everybody happy. Besides raw she tasted them sauteed in the butter, then with her added veggie and cheese, and also after adding the cream to the butter saute. Apparently she prefers them raw, but I think the creamy sauce balanced out the natural bitterness of the sprouts. I am very happy to learn of Little B’s continued interest in green vegetables – from when she started gnawing on frozen broccoli during her teething period as a baby, to snacking on green beans to the brussel sprouts of today. What has your kid eaten and liked that surprised you?

Brussel Sprouts in Cream Sauce

I large stalk brussel sprouts
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp sea salt

Cut sprouts off of the stalk, leaving enough stem on each to hold the sprouts together. Melt butter over medium heat in large saute pan you can cover later. Add garlic and cook until you can smell the garlic aroma. Add sprouts and toss to coat them with butter. Sprinkle with salt. Cover and let cook until sprouts are softened, about ten minutes. Lower the temperature to simmer and add the cream. Gently stir – enough to blend the cream into the sauce, but gently enough to prevent the sprouts from falling apart. Simmer covered for a few more minutes until the sauces is hot, bubbly and begins to brown, about four or five minutes. Serve immediately.

Little B’s version – after sprouts are cooked and softened in the butter, transfer a serving to an oven or microwave-safe bowl. Add some grape tomatoes and black olives cut in half. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Microwave for about one minute, or bake in oven at 300 degrees for about five minutes until cheese is melted.

 

Lemon Infused Artichokes

lemon infused artichokes

I found some beautiful artichokes at the store and whisked them home. Instead of preparing them in the more nostalgic way I have in the past, I wanted to try something a little different. To get more of the lemon and garlic flavor deeper into the artichoke I thought cutting them in half and baking would be useful, so chop chop! I did not want them to dry out, so I surrounded them with moisture and covered it all up. Since they are already divided into individual servings it is easy to rely on them for an appetizer course of a dinner party, or have them cooked and ready for whenever you can get the family sat down at the dinner table. The fun thing about making these for a dinner party is watching the guests try to be dainty and tidy while eating them. Although some (like fancy schmancy restaurants) discard every bit of the artichoke except the heart (which can be cut into about four dainty bites) many like pulling off meat from the leaves of the vegetable with their teeth. We fall in the category of pulling off meat from leaves, so it can get a bit messy. That’s okay – either way, conversations can get started over the nuances of artichoke consumption. Have fun with them and don’t forget the dipping sauce!

Lemon Infused Artichokes

4 medium artichokes
1 cup water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp sea salt

Butter
1/2 cup salted butter
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a five quart pot add the water and about 1 Tbsp of lemon juice. Cut the stems off the artichokes then cut them in half. Drizzle the halves with oil and lemon juice, then sprinkle with garlic powder and salt. Arrange halves loosely in the pot. Cover and place in oven. Cook for about 45 minutes until tender. If the heart, above the stem, is not tender, then cook them for 10 – 15 minutes longer. While the artichokes bake prepare the butter – in a small sauce pan over low heat add the butter, garlic powder and lemon juice. When butter melts stir, cover and let simmer for about one minute, then turn off heat. Add salt as desired and stir. Serve as a dipping sauce with the artichokes. When you serve the artichokes make sure to remove the hairy choke portions of the vegetable, right above the heart, and discard. Spooning it out should be easy, since it is exposed when the artichokes are cut in half. In the picture above you can see the dark line where the choke ends and the heart begins, right above the stem. If you want more about the basics of eating artichokes check out the step by step guide here.

Asparagus Saute

asparagus-saute_edited-1

I just adore brightly colored fruits and vegetables. Such adoration inspired this side dish. Big D cooked an absolutely lovely lamb roast for dinner. I can’t get him to guest post his cooking, so you will have to check out his other types of most awesome writing here. The roast sat and simmered all day, so when I walked through the door I was surrounded by lemony, oregano-y, minty bliss. To balance the strong, Greek flavors of the roast I came up with this bright, sharp side dish. We found a huge collection of asparagus at the store – it was a nice medium size with moist tips that begged to be prepared and enjoyed. We also had a collection of small tomatoes – some red, some orange, some green and some purple. I cut up a few and threw them in. They wilted and balanced the enjoyable bitterness of the asparagus. The meal tasted wonderful on a chilly, wet Juneau evening. We have many more such evenings to come, and I will definitely be making this quick side dish again. It is too early in the season, but I will say it anyway – what a colorful combination of green and red! Looking forward to the fun of the upcoming holiday season!

Asparagus Saute

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 bunches asparagus
2 cups small tomatoes
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Arrange the asparagus so the thick ends are lined up together. Slice off the last one to two inches of the the thick ends of the asparagus and discard. Cut the remaining asparagus stalks into bite-sized pieces, about one inch each. Slice tomatoes in half or thirds, making sure they are bite-sized. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add asparagus and stir until slightly softened, about five minutes. Add tomatoes and stir for one more minute. Sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Stir so as to spread out the spices. Turn down heat, cover and simmer, cooking for about five more minutes, until the asparagus is softened as desired. Turn off heat and leave covered until time to serve. Serve immediately.

Ghoulish Meatballs

ghoulish meatballs

In honor of Halloween I made some quite delicious, ghoulish meatballs! They are massive and arrogant and a little scary. I maxed out my hands trying to form them into balls, but it worked! I have made meatballs before, but they were little and gooey and cheesy. All of those things I consider good, but a huge, ghoulish meatball is awesome! I originally planned on baking the balls, but we are still lacking in the shallow baking pan department as part of our reliance on a hotel room kitchenette. The stove top worked pretty well, allowing for browning on all sides, so all was good good good! The stove top was busy though, with making the sauce and onions and meatballs! It came together in low carb loveliness and is a new comfort food for me. The sweet of the sauteed onions balanced out the bite of the meatballs and tartness of the tomatoes. Today was a crazy busy day with much good news (we officially found a place to live in our new town), much fun, and a humongous amount of candy for Little B. Usually off limits, we let her eat and eat and eat candy with sugar all over and in it. Her glazed eyes and erratic, hyper behavior reminds us why we avoid it the rest of the year. I am writing a last line before bed, and look forward to Samhain tomorrow, the beginning our spiritual new year. Sweet, ghoulish dreams everyone!

Ultimate Meatballs

Balls
1 pound 15 -20 % fat ground beef
3/4 pound ground hot Italian sausage
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1 Tbsp dried oregano leaves
2 tsp dried basil leaves
1 tsp dried parsley leaves
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 – 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated, plus more for serving

Sauce
1  14.5 ounce can diced Tomatos with sauce
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Onions
1 large sweet onion, sliced into thin rings

SAUCE: In a small sauce pan over medium heat combine tomatoes, oregano, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir. When bubbly, turn temperature down to low and simmer, covered, for at least 30 minutes. ONIONS: To prepare the onions, heat a deep pan over medium high heat until hot. It should be dry. Add the onion rings and let sit for a minute without stirring until they begin to brown and sweat. Stir them every minute or two, allowing the onions to brown more. When onions are about half browned add 1/2 cup water and scrape the bottom of the Pan. Stir and continue cooking until the liquid cooks away. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Turn off the heat and cover until time to serve. MEATBALLS: In a small bowl combine the spices – oregano, basil, parsley, garlic, salt and cheese. Set aside. In a large bowl squish together the ground beef and sausage until mixed up well. Add the eggs and make sure all the meat is coated. Pour in spice mixture and knead meat until spices are well distributed. Refrigerate until sauce and onions are ready. When time to cook the meatballs remove meat mixture from refrigerator (can be prepared the day before). Heat large frying pan to medium high heat. Form meat into six huge meatballs, placing them immediately into the hot pan. When forming the balls make sure to press the meat together firmly and roll it around in your hands to make them as round as possible. As one side of each meatball browns, gently turn them to another side. Repeat this a few times so three or four sides are a bit brown. Lower heat, Cover and cook until meatballs are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Depending on your stove you may need to move them around during the cooking time to prevent the outside from overcooking. To serve, arrange a layer of onion on the plate, add a meatball or two, and top with the tomato sauce and more Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

 

Broccoli Beer Cheese Soup

beer cheese soupAs the weather cooled in Maryland before we moved, I had an immediate urge to start the making of soup. I am particular about the temperature of my food liquids – cold stuff in warm weather and warm stuff in cold weather. Any other combination just feels wrong to me. I am often made fun of about my idiosyncrasy (insert Big D laughing here), which I believe is pretty common. Am I really alone on this? A hot cup of coffee in the heat of July makes me feel as if I am burning up from the inside. A cold smoothie in December makes me shiver for an hour. That is why my gazpacho happened in June and iced coffee in July, but then I delved into warm drink mixes in October and here today I offer soup with two of my favorite ingredients – beer and cheese. A challenge I often have when making a liquid dish with cheese is ensuring the cheese is well combined, and is balanced with the liquid. I think I found a good balance here. Your results may vary, but taking time to gradually add and fully incorporate the cheese seems to be the secret. This soup has a strong flavor because of the strong beer, so if you want a more mild soup, then vary the beer, for it will be your guide. And make sure you make it during cooler weather because that is the only reasonable time to eat hot soup, right?

Broccoli Beer Cheese Soup

1 Tbsp butter
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ small onion, finely chopped
1 small head broccoli, roughly chopped
12 ounces hoppy beer (suggest India Pale Ale)
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
½ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a medium sauce pan combine over medium high heat melt the butter. Add the garlic and onion, cooking until transparent. Add the broccoli and toss, letting it cook for a minute or two. When the broccoli begins to sweat a bit, about two minutes, add the beer. Bring mixture to a boil and turn down temperature to low. Cover and let simmer for about ten minutes, until onion and broccoli is very soft. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes, until it is safe to puree. With a stand blender or hand blender in the sauce pan, puree liquid and vegetables until all the pieces are very small and uniform. Return mixture to the stove top over medium high heat and make sure it returns to a boil. When hot, gradually add cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, about 1/3 cup at a time, and stir until each portion is completely melted and combined. After all the cheese is combined, turn down temperature to low and let simmer for about ten minutes, stirring after five minutes. Add the whipping cream and stir some more. If you want the soup smoother, again use the blender to achieve desired smoothness, but remember that it will always be a little bumpy because of the broccoli. Serve immediately, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Topped Oatmeal Cookies

oatmeal cookies no wheat

We made these for Santa last year, topped with blueberries. We decided our house was the only one in the whole wide world where he would get blueberry oatmeal cookies. In the morning the cookies and milk were all gone! He must have liked them. I forgot to take pictures then, but recently made a batch with Little B and she wanted to top them with sugar free chocolate chips instead of blueberries. Wheat free and sugar free, these went with Little B to her last day with her daycare group in Maryland before we moved. The group gets so excited just being around each without any stimulation, why the heck would I put wheat or sugar in the treats?! They were soft and chewy and seemed to be a hit. We may make them for Santa again this year, and try again to make them memorable. Involving Little B in deciding the topping and standing back so she can stir stir stir makes for a great opportunity to practice measuring, mixing and creativity. Go crazy with the toppings – she was so proud to share her creations. I got the original idea here, but tweaked to my liking. Thanks Alton!

Toasted Oatmeal Cookies (no wheat)

4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated stevia in the raw
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup optional toppers (raisins, blueberries, sugar free chocolate chips, etc)

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spread oats in a single layer on half-sheet pans and bake until lightly toasted, about 20 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Remove the oats from the oven and let cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Grind half the toasted oats in a food processor until they are the consistency of whole wheat flour. Add the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cocoa, stevia and salt, then pulse to combine. Combine the butter, egg and vanilla in a mixer and mix on medium speed for about a minute. Slowly add the oat mixture and the remaining oats until just combined. Let batter sit and thicken if it is soupy and will not hold shape if scooped. Using a teaspoon, scoop batter and drop onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. If adding a topping gently push into the middle of each cookie. Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes until they begin to brown around the edges. Remove the pans from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pans for 2 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack until cooled completely – they should remain soft and chewy. Store in airtight container.

 

Poached Salmon

poached salmon

As we head towards our new home in Alaska I ponder the loveliness of the salmon we can get up there. The salmon season is coming to an end as I type, but the bounty will be enjoyed all year. I get a serious craving about once a week for salmon. I have been trying to appreciate Atlantic salmon, but the taste is a bit too mild for me, compared to Alaskan and Pacific versions. Depending on my craving, I vary the preparation – do I want tart, or sweet and spicy, or maybe traditional dill with citrus? I should have called this post ‘variations on a salmon’ because each time I make it the ingredients vary. I am going to discipline myself for the time being and make sure you have a good base recipe, then list some variations that give the salmon a subtly different flavor. I am all kinds of in the mood for salmon lately, because thoughts of Alaska remind me of it so! We are excited to return to the most awesome state ever, and the home of the bestest salmon ever. Even if you can’t find the freshest or never frozen salmon, this recipe still works on any piece, as long as it is completely thawed. As you see, we like our salmon warm but still pink in the middle – to each his/her own…

Poached Salmon

Basic
1 – 2 pound fresh salmon fillet
1 lemon
4 Tbsp vinegar (champagne, red wine or white wine)
2 Tbsp butter or extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Additional ingredients from the variations below

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a shallow baking sheet place a piece of aluminum foil – twice the length plus about four inches – with the center of the foil in the center of the pan. Place the salmon fillet skin side down in the middle of the foil and bend up the foil edges, so the liquid does not leak out. Drizzle juice from half the lemon over the fish, followed by drizzling vinegar. Sprinkle salt over fillet lightly. Add any additional ingredients from the variations below. For variations with liquid ingredients I recommend mixing them all together before adding to the fish. Fold over the edges of the foil and seal into a pouch so no fish is exposed. Bake for 15 – 25 minutes until desired doneness. It is better to under cook than over cook, then let it set outside the oven covered up – it will still cook and reduce the risk of it overcooking and getting dry.

Variations

1 Tbsp fresh dill
1 clove garlic, finely minced

or

2 tsp ginger, freshly grated
2 Tbsp soy sauce (gluten free if you are sensitive, because regular soy sauce has wheat in it)

or

3 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin

or

1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tsp ginger, freshly grated

or

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp garlic powder
1tsp onion powder

Coconut Macaroons

coconut macaroons

Big D is all about things coconut. Well, maybe not ALL things, like blue coconut sno cones, but definitely macaroons. I have discovered recently that my longstanding disregard for coconut was primarily based on exposure to sweetened strips of coconut. You know, the stuff in bags from the baking aisle of the store that is oft used for cookies and cakes? It is just too, pitchy and string for my taste. It always made me pucker. Our discovery of coconut flour as a low carb thickener and baking ingredient has changed my mind. Along with coconut oil I have found the coconut flour and unsweetened coconut meat are great conduits for baking – wheat free, high fiber, low carb tasty treats have come out of our kitchens over the past year. I am finally getting around to making this Big D favorite treat. These macaroons are a little too coconut-y for my taste but Big D and Little B scarfed them right down – almost the whole batch before lunch! Big D said that after they sat for a day and were chilled they had the chewy middle he loves about such macaroons, do double yay me. I looked through a bunch of recipes to figure out a good coconut/liquid ratio, but not sure there is a single source to credit, so thanks all you low carb macaroon makers out there! I plan to make a big batch right before our big move so we can nibble on them as we toodle across the country, or at least into the next state. By the way,
I promised credit to Litte B – I had a pile of macaroon for a picture, but Little B insisted on nestling each one carefully in mini muffin papers – after half an hour of manipulation she came up with the wonderful presentation you see above. Beautiful!

Coconut Macaroons

1 1/4 cup unsweetened minced coconut
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 cup granulated erythritol
2 egg whites
2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp water

In a medium sauce pan combine coconut, coconut oil, erythritol, cream and water. Stir over medium heat until erythritol is dissolved – if you use finely minced coconut the mixture should be rough and not soupy at all. Remove from heat and let cool for about twenty minutes, so the mixture won’t cook the egg whites. Preheat oven to 350F. Whisk egg whites until they hold shape, but stop before stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into coconut mixture. With your hands gently form dough into balls no larger than 1″ in diameter. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper – one batch should make 16-20 macaroons. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until bottoms begin to brown and tops get brown edges. Let cool before removing from parchment. Store in refrigerator or room temperature in air tight container.

Low Carb Layered Enchiladas

lc layered chicken enchiladas

As I have stated many times before, we are hard pressed to find good Tex-Mex food north of Austin. Actually, north of the south of Austin. Enchiladas are a dish where I find it very important to have perfect bites. If you just get tortilla and sauce, it is just off. A bite full of only filling and there is something lacking. I need filling AND tortilla AND sauce AND cheese in every bite. Otherwise, it is just a pile of stuff on a plate. A good Tex-Mex combination platter has the enchiladas perfectly rolled with just enough sauce, sandwiched between refried beans and rice. A chance of leftovers is not favorable to a combination platter. It is nearly impossible to transfer the enchiladas in a way that allows the perfect bites to be experienced in leftovers. The easy way to ensure many perfect bites when I anticipate leftovers or reheating is to approach them in layers.  One of the comfort foods from my childhood was layered enchiladas. Rolled enchiladas are good, but when you want to reheat them after playing in a late high school soccer game, the layered version has been sitting in the fridge after mom made them earlier, or even a day or two earlier. Trust me, they are much better later than the first day. Now, to make my mom’s masterpiece low carb seemed overwhelming. My approach to layered enchiladas came out so very much better than I expected! Not only was it good hot, but the leftovers were good cold, too! The texture of the coconut flatbread gave a similar effect as corn tortillas and soaked up the sauce just right, just like mom’s. I am experimenting with low carb tortillas, most recently with coconut flatbread versions. I used them for this recipe, so serving these layered enchiladas was done right before serving, as opposed to layering a casserole then baking it. I am now convinced a baked version would work, but this recipe is a quicker version without a long baking period. I hope you enjoy it, for it is filling, satisfying and has a bit of a bite that remind me of mom.

Low Carb Layered Enchiladas

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
11/2 small yellow onion, finely diced
15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 to 2 4-ounce cans green chiles
1 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 cup water or chicken broth
4 – 6 cups cooked, shredded chicken (pre-cooked in a crock pot or strip a roasted chicken from the grocery store)
1 to 2 batches coconut flatbread or corn tortillas
2 – 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

In a medium sauce pan over medium high heat add oil. When oil is hot add the onion and cook until translucent. Add tomato sauce, green chiles, paprika and cumin. Stir until combined and lower temperature to simmer. Cover and cook for about twenty minutes. Add water or chicken broth to thin out to the consistency of thin gravy. Let simmer for about ten more minutes, then set aside until time to serve. While the sauce simmers make the coconut flatbread, or rely on your personal preference of corn tortillas. When you are ready to serve make sure the flatbread is made and the chicken is hot. Start layering on serving plates with flatbread/tortillas. Next pour some sauce, followed by cheese and chicken. Repeat layers again, topping with more cheese. Serve immediately with sour cream.

Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip

peanut butter yogurt dip

Double duty yogurt stuff! This works as an awesome dip for fruit as well as a spoonable non-dip snack for Little B. Talk about protein and protein and some subtle sweetness from the apple sauce. The recipe is quick and dirty (but clean) so I will leave the intro the same. Make it and enjoy, even adding some extra cinnamon to make it spicier, if the apple sauce is not already enough. Yum yum! You can see Little B’s hand dipping a blurry strawberry in her eagerness – could not wait until the pics were taken….

Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip

1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups whole milk Greek yogurt
1/2 cup apple sauce

In medium bowl combine peanut butter, yogurt and apple sauce. Stir until completely combined. Store in covered dish and chill overnight. Serve with celery, apple slices, mango slices or other fruit. Also works plain as a snack for peanut butter lovers.

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