Saturday, May 27, 2006

1/2 lb boneless chicken breast (or 1/2 lb mixed vegetables, see note below)
2 to 6 small red chile peppers
1/2 stalk fresh lemon grass
2 kaffir lime leaves
2 T oil
1/2 c coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
fish sauce to taste (soy sauce for veggie version)
10 to 15 basil leaves
1 c chopped cabbage

Thinly cut chicken into 2-inch strips. (If doing veggie version, cut vegetables into thin strips.) Grind together red chili peppers, lemon grass, and kaffir lime leaves in a food processor or pound in a mortar. Heat oil to medium-high and saute pepper mixture for 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken (or vegetables) and cook for 5 minutes or until cooked (same time for veggies). Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in fish sauce (if using), salt, and basil. Serve on a bed of chopped cabbage.

Makes 3 to 4 servings.

Note: For mixed vegetables, choose from among bell peppers, string beans, water chestnuts, tomatoes (small cherry tomatoes are best), bamboo shoots, miniature corn, asparagus, cucumbers, zucchini, Japanese eggplant, and mushrooms. I particularly like string beans or asparagus, a few cherry tomatoes, shredded (rather than sliced) bamboo shoots, miniature corn, and some straw mushrooms or slender (Japanese) eggplant.

Posted by Diosa in • Gluten free • Low Carb • Low Fat • Meats • Poultry • Vegetarian
(0) Comments • Permalink • Print this recipe

Friday, May 12, 2006

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
3/4 pound small potatoes (about 1 1/2 inches in diameter), halved
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, washed well, spun dry, and chopped fine
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 450° F. In a baking dish large enough to hold potatoes in one layer toss them with oil and salt and pepper to taste. Roast potatoes in middle of oven until tender, about 15 minutes. In a bowl toss potatoes with basil and lime juice.

Serves 2.

Posted by Diosa in • Gluten free • Side dish • Vegetable • Vegetarian
(0) Comments • Permalink • Print this recipe

This slightly spicy, moist side dish is both deeply satisfying and nutritious. Sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates and fiber, giving them a low glycemic index (this means that they slow the body’s absorption of sugar and help regulate blood-sugar levels). A bonus for weight watchers: All those complex carbs will make you feel fuller longer than white potatoes do.
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch-thick rounds
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup fresh thyme leaves, plus 6 thyme sprigs for garnish
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 450°F. In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and toss. Arrange potato slices in single layer on heavyweight rimmed baking sheet or in 13x9-inch baking dish. Place on top rack of oven and roast until tender and slightly browned, about 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with thyme sprigs.

Posted by Diosa in • Gluten free • Side dish • Vegetable • Vegetarian
(0) Comments • Permalink • Print this recipe

1 1/2 cups well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup long-grain white rice

In a small saucepan bring coconut milk, water, and salt to a boil and stir in rice. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer rice, covered, until most of liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let rice stand, covered, 5 minutes. 

Posted by Diosa in • Gluten free • Side dish • Vegetarian
(0) Comments • Permalink • Print this recipe

1 cup basmati rice
2 cups water
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, halved, and smashed
6 green cardamom pods
Pinch kosher salt

Rinse the rice to get rid of excess starch. Put it into a heavy bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid. Add the water, ginger, cardamom, and salt and give it a good stir. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for about 15 minutes. You will see holes poking through the rice and most of the water should be absorbed. Let the rice stand off the heat, covered, for about 5 minutes. Remove the ginger and discard, fluff the rice and serve.

Posted by Diosa in • Gluten free • Side dish • Vegetarian
(0) Comments • Permalink • Print this recipe

1 cup Japanese rice
3 teaspoons Earl Grey tea, ground in a blender or spice grinder until it is a powder
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper
Rinse the rice under running water until the water runs clear. Then put it in a small pot with one cup of water and let it soak for thirty minutes. Stir the rice well and turn on the flame to high. let the rice come to a boil and then stir well again turn flame down to the lowest flame possible cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and let cook for 11 minutes. Then move the rice off the heat and let sit, still covered, for five more minutes. Let the rice cool for 10 minutes then stir in the Earl Grey tea, and the salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Posted by Diosa in • Gluten free • Side dish • Vegetarian
(0) Comments • Permalink • Print this recipe

Sunday, May 07, 2006

1/4 cup peanut butter (unsweetened)
1 egg
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
1 Tbsp fruit juice (apple, pear, orange, peach, etc.)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup brown rice flour or gluten-free flour mix (in place of the flour/arrowroot)
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1 Tbps wheat-free baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup unsweetened carob chips (Never chocolate!)
Combine the dry ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients and blend thoroughly. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet very slowly. The batter should look similar to regular chocolate chip cookie batter.

Expert Tip: Place the bowl of batter in the freezer for 10 minutes. It will make the spooning of the cookies on to the cookie sheet much easier.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Take about 1 tsp size drops and place them on a well-oiled cookie sheet. You can try rolling these in a ball in your hand and placing the ball of dough on the cookie sheet, gently pressing your thumb to slightly flatten the cookie.

Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes. These cookies should be moist and bite-sized, perfect for training or an after dinner treat. Store in an air-tight container.

Posted by Diosa in • Gluten free • Informational • Vegetarian
(1) Comments • Permalink • Print this recipe

Friday, April 28, 2006

1/4 cup lentils
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 8oz can tomato sauce (or 11oz gf salsa)
taco seasoning (GF)
8 oz tofu (firm) drained and finely chopped
8 100% corn taco shells, warmed
1/2 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

RInse lentils, drain.  In a medium sauce pan combine lentils, onion and a 1/2 cup water.  Bring to boiling, reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for about 30 or unti ltender and liquid is absorbed. 

Stir in tomato sauce (or 8oz of the salsa) and seasoning mix into lentils.  Simmer, uncoveredfor 5 minutes.  Stir in tofu, heat through.  Spoon into taco shells.  Top with lettuce, tomatoes, more salsa and cheese if desired.

This could also be made with rice or cauliflower rice for those with soy allergies.

Posted by Diosa in • Gluten free • Vegetarian
(0) Comments • Permalink • Print this recipe

Friday, March 31, 2006

Yesterday, after a long hiatus, I brought out my EnerG Egg Replacer to add to the Chebe rolls I was making.  The box was not labeled that clearly on what you needed for 1 egg.  It has egg whites and yolks but no egg.  So here are the directions/equivalents for the egg replacer:

One Egg = 1 1/2 tsp Egg Replacer to 2 tbsp of water. To replace egg whites use the same amount as replacing the entire egg, so One Egg White=1 1/2 tsp Egg Replacer to 2 tbsp of water. To replace the egg yolk stir 1-1/2 tsp Egg Replacer into 1 tbsp of water.

I also found this, which I thought was hugely interesting:

What is a good substitute for eggs?

Ener-G Egg Replacer - follow directions on box.
2 tbsp corn starch = 1 egg
2 tbsp arrowroot flour = 1 egg
2 tbsp potato starch = 1 egg
1 heaping tbsp soy powder + 2 tbsp water = 1 egg
1 tbsp soy milk powder + 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water = 1 egg.
1 banana = 1 egg in cakes.

Btw, the Chebe rolls were fine in taste, but were white instead of the usual yellow colour it gets from the eggs.

Posted by Diosa in • Gluten free • Informational • Vegetarian
(0) Comments • Permalink • Print this recipe

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

2Tbsp olive oil or cooking oil
3 shallots, cut into thin wedges (chopped onion works well here.  Think 1/4 cup or so)
1 1/2 t bottled minced garlic (or 3 cloves fresh)
8 cups fresh oyster, crimini or button mushrooms (I use portobella, but feel free to use your favorites)
1/4 cup snipped fresh mixed herbs (such as tarragon, rosemary, basil oregao, and/or parsley) or the equivalent dried herbs
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add shallots/onion and garlic.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
Add mushrooms; cook for 6-8 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally.  Stir in herbs, salt and pepper.

This is a reat side dish to almost any beef recipe, but I tend to have it ith the Beef tenederloins in wine sauce, as with the potobellas, it’s an intense dish.

Posted by Diosa in • Gluten free • Vegetable • Vegetarian
(0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink • Print this recipe

Saturday, July 30, 2005

1 bunch broccoli
Olive oil
salt

Preheat oven to 450F (240C for electric or gas mark 8).  Cut the broccoli up into bite sized portions.  Lay in single layer on cookie sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Place in oven for 30-40 minutes, turning occasionally until tops are browned.

Posted by Diosa in • Vegetable • Vegetarian
(0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink • Print this recipe

Monday, July 04, 2005

1 (19 ounce) can red kidney beans
1 (19 ounce) can chickpeas
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (12 ounce) can corn kernels (optional)
1/3 red pepper, diced
1 vidalia onions, chopped
1/2 cup diced celery
1 t basil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar (apple cider vinegar works well too)
1/4 cup oil
1 T Dijon mustard
1 clove minced garlic
salt and pepper
1/2 t hot pepper (optional)

Combine chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, corn,onion,red pepper and celery.  Set aside.  Mix together basil, vinegar, oil, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper.  Pour over bean salad and toss. May add 1 12 tsp hot pepper if desired.

This came from Recipezaar.com.  It’s really flavourful and colourful.  I don’t really like raw onion, so I actually caramelised them and let them cool before adding to the salad.  This one is really open to improv, so have fun with it.

Nutritiona information (per serving) - 324 calories, 8.2g fat (1.2g saturated), 51.6g carbs (13.1g fiber)

Posted by Diosa in • Gluten free • Salads • Vegetarian
(1) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink • Print this recipe