Succotash

This is how I learned to make succotash from my mother. I now use Earth Balance no soy buttery spread instead of butter, and I still occasionally burn my limas and corn a little, just like mom.

INGREDIENTS

1-2 cups frozen corn kernels

10 oz pkg frozen fordhook Lima beans 

Salt

Pepper

Earth Balance no soy buttery spread (or butter)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Put very little water (less than 1/4 cup) into a saucepan with about 1-2 Tbsp buttery spread, salt, and pepper. Heat until buttery spread melts, then add corn and Lima beans. Bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until done and all water boiled off (check as cooking so can add a little more water if necessary). I usually cook about 15 minutes.

Slow Cooker Pork Loin Roast

Nancy sent me a FB Message several months ago with a link to a video showing this recipe. I'm just now getting around to trying it. Here's the link to the YouTube video https://youtu.be/gn1PI2mLr98

I revised the recipe a little, browning the roast before putting it into the slow cooker, and increasing the cooking time from 3 hours to 6-8.

INGREDIENTS

3-4 pound pork loin roast

1 Granny Smith apple

1 medium sweet onion

Honey (about 1/4-1/2 cup)

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp salt

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Score top of roast by using a sharp knife to create about 8-10, 3" deep slits across the length of the roast. Season the roast with salt and pepper. Brown on all sides in a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet.

Core and thinly slice the apple. Remove the outer skin from the onion and both ends. Cut onion in half and thinly slice. Place browned roast into slow cooker. Place slices of apple into each slit. Put onions over top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and honey. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours, or High 3-4 hours.

Baked Sweet Potato "Fries"

I made these to serve with pork loin tonight. The recipe is from Ina Garten on The Food Network http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/baked-sweet-potato-fries-recipe.html

INGREDIENTS

2 sweet potatoes, peeled

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. 

Half the sweet potatoes, then slice each half into 3 spears lengthwise. Mix the brown sugar, salt, and pepper together. Place sweet potatoe spears on baking/cookie sheet. Sprinkle olive oil over and mix so covers all sides of all spears. Arrange in a single layer. Sprinkle with sugar/salt/pepper mixture.  Bake for about 15 minutes, then turn wedges over and bake an additional 5-1o minutes, until cooked through and browned. Serve warm.

Paleo Slow Cooker Chicken Pad Thai with Veggie Noodles

This is a recipe I found through Pinterest. The original recipe is from the Paleopot blog https://paleopot.com/2013/05/paleo-slow-cooker-chicken-pad-thai-with-veggie-noodles/ and I followed it pretty closely, tho I didn't have any fish sauce, so had to leave that out. I use a julienne peeler instead of a spiralizer to make the veggie noodles.

INGREDIENTS

2-3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs and/or breasts

Salt & pepper to season meat

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup chicken stock

2 heaping Tbsp sunbutter

1 Tbsp coconut aminos

2 tsp Fish sauce (recipe recommends Red Boat, which is Paleo-friendly)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cayenne pepper

Dash of red pepper flakes

2 medium zucchini

1 large carrot

1 can or some fresh bean sprouts (optional)

Green onions, thinly sliced (2 go in broth, others for garnish)

Cashews for garnish

Cilantro for garnish (optional, and I don't use)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken in a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet (this can be skipped if needed).

Turn slow cooker on th High and add coconut milk and chicken stock. Stir/whisk together well until coconut milk is thoroughly dissolved and mixed with stock. Add sunbutter and fish sauce and continue stirring/whisking until that is dissolved and well-mixed. Add coconut aminos, garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and 2 green onions. Mix well. Reduce slow cooker setting to Low. Place chicken into liquid, covering the bottom of the slow cooker and providing a platform to support the noodles. Cover the slow cooker until ready to add noodles.

Julienne peel or spiralize the zucchini and carrot. Rinse the bean sprouts. Mix together.

Gently rest veggie noodles on top of meat in slow cooker - the idea is to steam the noodles, not stew them. Press down very slightly. Re-cover the slow cooker. Cook on Low for 4-6 hours, aiming for 5.

To serve, remove the noodles to a strainer to drain away any liquid. Remove the meat and shred or slice it it before mixing  in some of the liquid from the slow cooker. Place meat & sauce over noodles and garnish with green onions and cashews.

Chicken Avocado Burgers

I was going to have these for dinner tonight, but then Nancy was out of town, plus they fed us pizza at the discussion I went to earlier this evening. So now one of these is my late night snack. This was something I found on Pinterest, and the recipe is from the laughingspatula.com blog. I even bought an inside grill pan for cooking these! Still need to learn how to cook with it, tho!

INGREDIENTS

1 pound ground chicken (or turkey)

1 avocado, cubed

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 cup panko crumbs or almond meal

1 poblano or jalapeño pepper, diced (optional, but she recommends - I don't use because Nightshades)

Salt and pepper to taste

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Gently mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Form into 4 patties. Grill either inside or out.

She says these can be stored in the refrigerator for several days, and also that they freeze well.

Sweet Potato, Pomegranate, Crispy Quinoa Salad

This salad recipe is from the Wendy Polisi blog: http://wendypolisi.com/sweet-potato-pomegranate-crispy-quinoa-salad/

INGREDIENTS

• Sweet Potatoes
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• Crispy Quinoa
• ½ cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• Salad
• 1 small green apple, diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 5 ounces Baby Spinach
• ⅓ cup pomegranate seeds
• ⅓ cup walnuts, toasted
• Balsamic Dressing
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespooon Truvia Natural Sweetener Spoonable
• 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer, and roast for 45 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet combine quinoa, olive oil, ½ cup water, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 10 to 16 minutes. Drain on paper towels and allow to cool.
3. Make the dressing by combining balsamic vinegar, Truvia Natural Sweetener Spoonable, Dijon mustard, garlic, sea salt and cayenne pepper in a blender. Add oil in a steady stream and process until emulsified.
4. Toss apple and lemon juice in a small bowl.
5. In a large bowl combine spinach, pomegranate seeds, walnuts and apple. Add roasted sweet potatoes, crispy quinoa and toss with the desired amount of dressing

Leftover Turkey Noodle Casserole

I like noodle casseroles, but I find it a challenge finding recipes without any of my pain-triggering foods. So I was pretty excited when I found this turkey noodle casserole recipe from the Who Needs a Cape blog http://whoneedsacape.com/2016/10/leftover-turkey-noodle-casserole/. We had it for dinner tonight. My homemade gravy made it a little greasy tasting, but still very yummy.

INGREDIENTS

12 oz wide egg noodles, cooked

3 cups leftover turkey, cubed

1 cup steamed carrot chunks

(Leftover peas - optional)

12 oz leftover gravy (or jarred gravy)

Salt & pepper to taste

1 Tbsp thyme (optional)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Mix all ingredients together and place in casserole dish. Heat in oven about 20 minutes.

Delicata Squash Bake with Tahini Sauce

One of the foods I 'discovered' through our share in Seton Harvest was delicata squash. I love them! This is a recipe from the minimalist baker http://minimalistbaker.com/delicata-squash-bake-with-tahini-sauce/.

INGREDIENTS

Squash

2 delicata squash 

2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

Salt

Sauce

3 Tbsp tahini

Juice from half a lemon

1 Tbsp maple syrup

2-5 Tbsp hot water

Toppings

1/4 cup roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

1/4 cup pomegranate seeds

(Optional - fresh chopped parsley)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Halve the squash longwise and remove seeds. Cut into 1/2 thick slices. Place squash on one or two baking sheets. Drizzle with coconut oil. Coat pieces well and arrange in single layer. Sprinkle with salt. Bake 20-25 minutes, flipping pieces half way through.

Place roasted squash in serving dish.

Whisk together sauce ingredients, adding hot water by tablespoon until it is pourable.  Pour sauce over squash. Add toppings. Serve immediately.

Asian Sesame Cucumber Salad

This is a recipe from the Will Cook for Friends blog http://www.willcookforfriends.com/2015/08/asian-sesame-cucumber-salad.html.  It uses spiralizer noodles from cucumbers and carrots. I do not have a spiralizer (and don't feel the need for one). I use a julienne peeler, which works just fine. I had only used it on zucchini before, so this was a fun change.

INGREDIENTS

2 English cucumbers, julienne peeled to the seeds

2 large carrots, peeled, then julienne peeled

Salt

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

2-3 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (juice from 1/2 lime)

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Pinch crushed red peppers

1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

1 scallion, sliced thinly

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Generously salt the julienned cucumber and let it sit in a colander to drain for about 20 minutes. Wrap drained cucumber in a dish towel and/or paper towels and squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible. Mix with julienned carrots.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, honey, lime juice, sesame oil, and red peppers. Pour over cucumbers and carrots, and mix together. Add sesame seeds and scallions. Serve immediately.  If any stored for later, drain accumulated cucumber water from bottom of container before serving.

4 servings.

Apple, Cranberry, Spinach Salad with Pecans, Avocado, and Balsamic Vinaigrette

This is a salad I found through Pinterest. The original recipe can be found at http://juliasalbum.com/2015/04/apple-cranberry-spinach-salad-with-pecans-avocados-and-balsamic-vinaigrette-dressing/

INGREDIENTS

10 oz baby spinach

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced

1 Gala apple, cored and sliced

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2 Mandarin oranges, pealed (or 1 can)

1 or 2 avocados, seeded, peeled, and sliced

1 cup pecans, either pieces or halves broken into smaller pieces

Balsamic vinaigrette dressing

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Combine first 6 ingredients. Divide into 4 salad bowls. Add dressing and sprinkle nuts on top.

Nutritional information: makes 4 very large servings, per serving = 389 calories, 25 g fat (3 g saturated, 15 g monosaturated, 7 g polyunsaturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 100 mg sodium, 41 g carbs, 11 g dietary fiber, 5 g protein

Turkey Chili

This is basically a variation on our Meatless Chili. It includes a pound of cooked and drained ground turkey, less V8 juice, and some more beans.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound ground turkey

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1-2 onions, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 green peppers, diced

1 large can mild chili beans

1 small can mild chili beans

1 large can diced tomatoes (low sodium)

1 6oz can tomato paste (low sodium)

1 small can red kidney beans

1 small can black beans

2-3 cups frozen corn

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1/2-1 tsp chili powder

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin 

1/2 tsp salt

12 oz V8 juice (low sodium)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, brown the ground turkey. Drain and set aside.

In the same large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic. Sauté until onion is translucent. Add the green pepper and sauté until pepper is soft. Add all the other ingredients, stirring things together as you go. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least an hour.

Nutritional information: 20 servings, per serving = 180 calories, 5g fat (1g saturated, 2g monounsaturated), 16mg cholesterol, 470mg sodium, 24g carbs, 6g dietary fiber, 5g sugars, 10g protein

Vegan Pizza

Today I made two vegan pizzas, one for us (mostly for Nancy, since the pizza is full of those nasty nightshades), and one for a friend. I mostly followed the recipe from the Minimalist Baker http://minimalistbaker.com/my-favorite-vegan-pizza/ 

The pizza crust I made was from the Food Republic website http://www.foodrepublic.com/recipes/best-basic-pizza-dough-recipe/

INGREDIENTS

2 12-14 inch pizza crusts

1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small red onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped or cut into strips

1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped or cut into strips

1 yellow or orange bell pepper, roughly chopped or cut into strips

8-12 oz button mushrooms, roughly chopped

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt

1/2 cup or more of vegan Parmesan 

Pasta or marinara sauce

For the crusts:

1 cup warm, not hot, water

1 pkg active dry yeast

1 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing

2-1/2 to 3 cups flour, plus some for dusting rolling pin and surface where roll out

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 425-450 degrees F. 

Heat oil in large skillet or Dutch oven. Add onions, peppers, and seasonings. Sauté for 10-15 minutes, adding mushrooms for final 5 minutes.

Place prepared pizza dough on parchment paper on a pizza pan (the pizza pan is for support before and after the pizza goes into the oven, it does not go into the oven with the pizza). Brush crusts with olive oil. Spread desired amount of sauce on crusts. Sprinkle with vegan Parmesan. Add half of sautéed vegetables to each crust. Sprinkle with additional parmesan.

I baked me pizzas separately. Place the pizza and the parchment paper into the oven. Using just parchment paper instead of the pizza pan helps the crust to crisp up better. Bake about 15 minutes.

For the crust:

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl. Let sit 5 minutes. Add sugar, oil, and salt. Stir. Gradually add flour, stirring gently as go. When proper consistency for kneading, place on floured cutting board or table and knead for awhile. Crease bowl with olive oil. Form dough into ball and place in creased bowl. Rub some olive oil on top. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in warm place for about an hour.

Cut dough into two. Knead each briefly, then roll out into 12-14 in circle. Place on parchment paper.

Vegan Parmesan

This is a very simple recipe for making a vegan Parmesan to use on pasta or pizza, etc.  This is from the Minimalist Baker blog, and she modified other recipes to get this one. http://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-vegan-parmesan-cheese/  

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup (90 g) raw cashews
• 3 Tbsp (9 g) nutritional yeast
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Add all ingredients to a food processor and mix/pulse until a fine meal is achieved. Store in the refrigerator to keep fresh. Lasts for several weeks.  Makes 1 cup.

Creamy Butternut Squash Linguine with Fried Sage (Vegan)

Another vegan recipe. I'm pretty sure this is one I'll make next week for my dinner delivery. It is from the Cookie and Kate blog, http://cookieandkate.com/2014/creamy-vegan-butternut-squash-linguine-with-fried-sage/.  The vegan Parmesan recipe is a separate blog post.

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp fresh sage, finely diced

2 lb. butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces (about 3 cups)

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, pressed or chopped

1/8-1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt & pepper to taste

2 cups vegetable broth

12 oz linguine

Vegan Parmesan 'cheese'

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oil in a large (read: 12 inch) skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the sage and toss to coat. Let the sage get crispy before transferring it to a small bowl. Sprinkle it lightly with sea salt and set the bowl aside.
2. Add squash, onion, garlic and red pepper flakes to skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until squash is soft and liquid is reduced by half, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
4. Once the squash mixture is done cooking, remove it from heat and let it cool slightly. Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender. Reserve the skillet. Purée the mixture until smooth (beware of hot steam escaping from the top of the blender), then season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Combine pasta, squash purée and ¼ cup cooking liquid in reserved skillet and cook over medium heat, tossing and adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
6. Serve pasta topped with fried sage, more black pepper and shaved Parmesan/Pecorino and/or smoked salt, if desired.

Red Lentil Soup

This recipe is from The Kitchn blog, http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-red-lentil-soup-recipes-from-the-kitchn-212392.  Elbert's has organic red lentils in bulk.

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 large carrot, peeled and diced

2 large stalks celery, diced

1 small onion, diced

1 cup red lentils

4 cups water or low sodium vegetable broth

Salt to taste

1 whole bay leaf

1 tsp garam masala, Italian blend, or other spice mixture to spice up flavor (optional - I didn't do this)

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oil over medium heat in 2-3 quart saucepan or Dutch oven. Add onion, carrot, celery, and salt. Stir to combine. Cover and let veggies sweat about 5 minutes, until onion is translucent.

Add lentils, water or broth, bay leaf, and other spices if using. Stir to combine. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and let simmer about 20 minutes.

Remove from heat. Add lemon juice, stir, remove bay leave from soup, and serve.

Vegan Mushroom, Chestnut, Cranberry Tart

The recipe below is adapted from a Jamie Oliver gluten free and vegan holiday tart recipe using grams and milliliters instead of the cups we are more used to using. His recipe can be found at http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/vegan-mushroom-chestnut-cranberry-tart/

Because most gluten-free all purpose flour contains potato starch, which is a nightshade, which I am better off not having, I made my own - used one cup in this recipe, and saved the other for another recipe. 1-1/2 cups brown rice flour, 1/4 cup white rice flour, 1/2 cup arrowroot powder, and a scant 1/4 cup corn starch.

INGREDIENTS

CRUST

1 cup gluten-free all purpose flour

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/4 cup soy-free Earth Balance buttery spread

1/4 cup coconut oil

1-2 Tbsp cold water

FILLING

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

5-6 carrots, grated

1 cup portobello mushrooms, sliced

1-1/2 cups cooked, peeled chestnuts, diced

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp dried thyme

1 cup non-dairy cream cheese (I used Daiya, since it is soy-free as well as dairy free)

2 Tbsp garlic or walnut oil

1 cup white button mushrooms, sliced

2 Tbsp dried cranberries

1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley (optional)

GRAVY

1 Tbsp walnut or garlic oil

1 Tbsp redcurrant jelly

1-1/4 cups hot vegetable stock/broth

1 heaped Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder mixed with 2 Tbsp water

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Put baking sheet on top shelf in oven. Gather large skillet, small skillet, small saucepan, and tart baking pan.

Place flour, xanthan gum, buttery spread, and coconut oil into food processor. Pulse until makes small pellets. Add water and pulse until form dough. Remove dough. Kneed a few times. Form into ball. Place between two sheets of plastic wrap. Roll out with rolling pin - round and size of tart pan. Remove top layer of plastic wrap and flip into tart pan. Press into pan, repairing any places where dough tears or gets too thin. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add onions and sauté until soft. Add garlic, carrots, thyme, and half of the two kinds of mushrooms (reserving the other halves for the tart topping). Cook until all the mushroom juices are absorbed, about 10 minutes. Add the non-dairy cream cheese and half of the chestnuts. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir until cheese is softened and heated through, and all are mixed together well. Pour into crust in tart pan and smooth out.  Place tart on baking sheet in oven. Bake about 40 minutes, or until crust is crispy done. Remove from oven.

While tart is baking: Heat 1 Tbsp walnut oil in skillet. Add remaining mushrooms and sauté about 4 minutes. Add remaining chestnuts and cranberries and sauté an additional couple of minutes. 

Add 1 Tbsp walnut oil to small saucepan and heat. Add 1 Tbsp red currant jelly. Heat and stir until well mixed. Add hot vegetable broth and cornstarch/water mixture. Stir constantly while heating, until 'gravy' becomes good consistency.

Once tart is out of the oven, spoon the mushroom, chestnut, cranberry topping over it. Serve with the red currant gravy.

Jamie Oliver's recipe includes making roasted potatoes to go with the meal and the gravy. 

Asian Hot Pot

I'm experimenting with some recipes that either are, or can easily be made, vegan. This recipes is modified from Real Simple, http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/asian-hot-pot. I was pretty lazy tonight and used a couple of chicken boullion cubes instead of broth, water, and a scant 2/3 cups of coconut aminos for my broth. I didn't use any hot pepper or hot chili sauce, just some ginger, salt, and pepper for seasoning. Adding Sirachi or hot sauce is optional. One can make this vegan by using vegetable broth instead of chicken.

INGREDIENTS

6 cups water

2/3 cup coconut aminos (instead of soy sauce)

1/8 tsp dried ginger, or 1 Tbsp minced/grated fresh ginger

Salt and pepper to taste 

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 oz thinly sliced mushroom caps

4 scallions, thinly sliced

4 carrots, thinly sliced

8 oz fresh green beans, ends removed and cut into 2 inch pieces

4 oz rice noodles or cellophane noodles, broken up

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

In medium saucepan, bring water to slow boil.

Heat oil in small skillet. Sauté mushrooms (2-3 minutes). Set aside.

Add coconut aminos, ginger, salt, pepper, scallions, carrots, and green beans to pot. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add noodles and simmer until cooked, about 3 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Creamy Italian Cheese Spaghetti

I made spaghetti for Wednesday night, company is coming, dinner. This Creamy Cheese Spaghetti that I can't eat and a pesto sauce spaghetti that I can. Plus broccoli, a salad, and crusty bread. This recipe is from Delish, http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a45758/creamy-three-cheese-spaghetti-recipe/

Both Susie and Sharon say this creamy cheese spaghetti tastes better with a little of the pesto sauce. In a food processor - 2 cups fresh basil and spinach, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup pine nuts, 1/2 cup shredded Pecorino Romano cheese,

INGREDIENTS

12 oz spaghetti

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 c heavy cream

3/4 c chicken broth

3/4 c shredded Italian cheese blend

Salt and pepper

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (I used a few basil leaves instead)

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Cook spaghetti according to package directions, al dente (I boil a pot of water, add spaghetti, and cook 10 minutes). While that's cooking, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add heavy cream, chicken broth, and 1/2 c pasta water. Add cooked spaghetti and toss with tongs. 

Remove from heat and add cheese. Toss constantly, adding more pasta water until sauce reaches desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

Peach Sour Cream Coffee Cake

We recently bought a lot of very yummy fresh peaches. We've eaten many of them, and we've made and eaten two peach cobblers. We bought some more peaches today, and decided to try some new ways of eating them. We had peach milkshakes with our dinner, and there is a peach sour cream coffee cake in the oven now. I've modified all the recipes so that they are, as much as possible, inflammation trigger free.

Our peach milkshakes were made by putting a cup of fresh peach slices, 1/4 cup of pineapple juice, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 cups almond milk vanilla ice cream, and 3/4 cup almond milk into the blender and blending until smooth.

Our coffee cake was from http://southernfood.about.com/od/coffeecakerecipes/r/r90623a.htm.  I used Earth Balance soy-free buttery spread instead of butter, and I didn't have a springform pan.

INGREDIENTS

3 large peaches

1 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

8 Tbsp (4 oz) softened Earth Balance soy-free buttery spread

1/2  cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream (or non-dairy substitute)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

TOPPING

1/2 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Pinch ground nutmeg

5 Tbsp melted Earth Balance soy-free buttery spread

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9" cake pan (springform, if you have it).

Peel and thinly slice the peaches. Set aside.

In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a third bowl, use electric mixer to cream together softer buttery spread and sugars. Beat about 2 minutes until smooth. Add eggs and mix until smooth. Add sour cream and extracts, mixing until well combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the buttery mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared cake pan. Arrange the peaches in a single layer in top of the batter, overlapping as needed.

Make the topping in the bowl used for the dry ingredients. With a spoon, mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well mixed. Add the melted buttery spread, mixing well. Crumble the topping mixture evenly over the top of the peaches.

Bake 40-45 minutes. Let cool on rack about 10 minutes before releasing the springform. Let cool entirely before serving.

Grilled Teriyaki Salmon (soy free, dairy free, gluten free)

A friend of ours, Tom McConnaughay, grills a very delicious salmon, including a teriyaki salmon. He found this recipe on the Paleo Newbie blog that includes a soy/dairy/gluten-free recipe for teriyaki sauce/marinade and grilling salmon, http://www.paleonewbie.com/paleo-teriyaki-salmon-recipe. I'm giving it a try tonight.

INGREDIENTS

Salmon - 4 filets, about 6 oz each, preferably wild caught

Salt & pepper

Teriyaki marinade/sauce

1/2 cup coconut aminos

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup orange juice, preferably fresh squeezed

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 Tbsp sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger or 1/2 tsp ground ginger

COOKING INSTRUCTION

Teriyaki marinade/sauce - whisk together all the ingredients in a small sauce pan.  Heat, whisking constantly, to boiling and cook about 2 more minutes. Set aside to cool.

Salmon - salt and pepper the salmon. Place in dish that will hold it and marinade. Pour about 1/2 the marinade over and let marinate in refrigerator at least one hour. Throw away used marinade.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place salmon, skin side down, on grill. Cook about 10 minutes, or until salmon flakes with a fork. Brush salmon with remaining sauce/marinade several times while it is cooking.

Easy Crockpot Beef Stew (Dairy Free, Gluten Free)

 This is another recipe I've recently tried from the Nourishing Home blog, http://thenourishinghome.com/2013/01/easy-crockpot-beef-stew-gf-df/, modified slightly.

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 - 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2" chunks

1-1/3 cups beef stock or beef boullion.

3 Tbsp No Tomato Marinara Sauce

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 bay leaf

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp dried rosemary

Salt and pepper

1 medium onion, cut into 1 inch chunks

4 red potatoes, quartered

5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-2 inch pieces

1/2 pound green beans, washed, trimmed, and cut into 2-3 inch pieces

1-2 Tbsp arrowroot powder

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Place beef chuck pieces in bottom of crockpot. Mix together beef stock or boullion, tomato paste or No Tomato Marinara, balsamic vinegar, garlic, rosemary, and bay leaf. Pour over beef, add salt and pepper to taste, and mix together. Without stirring, place onions, then potatoes, then carrots on top of beef. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. About 45 minutes before done, stir in green beans and arrowroot powder.

Veggie Stir Fry with Zoodles

I bought a new kitchen gadget this week - a julienne peeler. I used it today to make zucchini noodles, or Zoodles.

Tonight's dinner is modified slightly from a recipe on the Nourishing Home blog, http://thenourishinghome.com/2014/04/stir-fry-veggie-zoodles/.  The grocery store didn't have pea pods, so I doubled the broccoli, and I left out the red peppers, since they are nightshades.

INGREDIENTS

3 medium to large zucchini

2 Tbsp sesame oil (or olive oil)

5 green onions (scallions), diced (include whites and some green parts)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks

6 oz. snap peas

2-3 small heads book choy (chop and divide stem from leaves)

2 cups broccoli florets

1 red pepper, sliced in strips

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger, or 1/8 tsp ground ginger

Salt and pepper to taste

Coconut aminos

 COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Using a spiralizer or a julienne peeler, make zucchini noodles, also called Zoodles. Set aside.

Cut and slice remaining vegetables as noted above, making sure to keep the ingredients separate from each other.

Heat a wok or large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add oil, diced green onions, and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until garlic becomes fragrant, about one minute.

Add carrots, snap peas, and book choy stems. Sauté about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Then cover so can steam for about 2 more minutes.

Add book choy leaves, broccoli, red pepper, and mushrooms. Sauté, uncovered and stirring constantly, until broccoli begins to soften slightly (about 2-4 minutes).

Add zucchini noodles and 1-2 Tbsp coconut aminos. Stir, then cover and allow noodles to steam cook to desired consistency (about 2-4 minutes).

Remove cover. Season with ginger, salt, and pepper. Toss well, and serve immediately.

Nutritional information: 8 servings, per serving = 83 calories, 4g fat (1g saturated, 2g monounsaturated, 2g polyunsaturated), 0mg cholesterol, 90mg sodium, 10g carbs, 3g dietary fiber, 4g sugars, 3g proteins

Spare Ribs and Sauerkraut in a Crockpot

Getting ready to go visit my friend Pam in Kentucky.  I like to bring our food. I've had a busy week, and volunteered at the Another Chance for Animals adoption event at Petsmart today. So I tried a spare ribs and sauerkraut crockpot recipe. It stunk up the house pretty good, but I'm very pleased with how tender and yummy it is. And, finally, a ribs recipe with nothing I shouldn't eat in it!

I followed a recipe that I found on cooks.com http://www.cooks.com/recipe/yj42n9r2/country-style-pork-ribs-and-kraut.html

INGREDIENTS

2-3 pounds pork spare ribs (county style or regular)

2 cans, or about 28 oz, sauerkraut

Salt and pepper

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Salt and pepper the ribs on all sides. Brown the ribs on all sides on a preheated grill or on broil in the oven, about 4-5 minutes per side. Place 1/2 the sauerkraut in the crockpot. Place the ribs on top. Cover the ribs with the remaining sauerkraut. Cook on Low for 8-10 hours.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

I tried a new way of preparing cauliflower tonight. I found a recipe on the Nom Nom Paleo blog for roasting a whole head of cauliflower in a cast iron skillet in the oven:  http://nomnompaleo.com/post/138166087728/whole-roasted-cauliflower. I liked it a lot - a different texture and flavor than any of the other ways I've had cauliflower.

I also grilled out for the first time this year - salmon fillets and roasted asparagus. I served those with the oven-roasted cauliflower and a salad of Romaine lettuce, cucumbers, avocado slices, and large salad shrimp.

INGREDIENTS

1 whole cauliflower head

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 

Salt

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove leaves and bottom of center core from cauliflower, but keeping the head from falling apart. Rinse and dry. Generously drizzle up to about 1/2 cup olive oil over both bottom and top of cauliflower head. Rub the oil in with your hands. Generously sprinkle salt over both the bottom and the top of the cauliflower. Place cauliflower in 10" cast iron skillet, head side up. Cover with aluminum foil and seal as well as you can. Put on center rack in oven and let bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil and return to oven for an additional hour. 

Seared Scallops

Tried an Alton Brown simple recipe for seared scallops.  The only change I made was to use Earth Balance soy-free, dairy-free, vegan buttery spread instead of butter.  I had mine with asparagus, and it made for a very tasty dinner.  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/seared-scallops-recipe.html

Veggie Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust

Tonight we have company for dinner, and I'm on my second day of 30 days of a modified Whole30 eating plan.  I decided against doing the Whole30 plan because of my liver disease - that plan is just too high protein and low carbohydrate and would likely cause my body to produce excess ammonia and send my liver enzymes up much too high.  So I am allowing gluten-free grains in my plan.  I'm planning a vegetarian quiche and salad for dinner.  I got the idea from the Nourishing Home blog http://thenourishinghome.com/2015/06/veggie-quiche-with-hash-brown-crust/ and her posts about Whole30 meal plans.  Since I am also nightshade-free (unlike the plan), I modified her recipe quite a lot.

INGREDIENTS

1 large sweet potato, peeled and shredded (2 cups)

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

Coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil

8 oz sliced mushrooms

2 cups spinach, chopped

2 cup mixture of broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, and peeled, sliced carrots (or other veggies)

8 large eggs

1/4 cup almond milk

1/2 tsp basil

Salt & pepper to taste

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Peel and shred sweet potato, using a box grater.  Rinse shredded potatoes, drain, and press between paper towels to remove moisture.  Grease a 9" deep pie pan, or larger if you don't want it to overflow - I used a large Pyrex-like pie pan, with coconut oil.  Mix the sweet potatoes with 1/4 cup onions, salt & pepper, and 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil.  Press potato/onion mixture into bottom of pie pan and up the sides.  Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.  Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

While the crust is baking, add 1 Tbsp coconut oil or olive oil to large skillet.  Sauté the remaining 1/4 cup onions, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and mushrooms over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.  Add spinach and continue sautéing until wilted, about 2 minutes.  In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, almond milk, basil, salt & pepper.  Drain the vegetables.  Place the vegetables on top of the baked potato crust in the pie pan.  Pour the eggs over all.  Bake in oven 40-60 minutes, until quiche is set and lightly browned.  Let rest and cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Salad with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Strawberries

.I found a photo and list of ingredients for a Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Strawberries Salad.  No proportions were given.  It was from Gaby@wholefoodblog.  The recipe below is what I made for dinner tonight.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound Brussels sprouts, washed and sliced in half lengthwise

14 large fresh strawberries, tops removed and sliced (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup raw cashews

1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

2 Tbsp black Chia seeds

10 cups lettuce, or mixture of arugula and Spring mix

DRESSING

6  Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Salt & pepper to taste

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix halved Brussels sprouts with 2 Tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper.  Place in single layer on cookie sheet.  Roast in oven 25-30 minutes, turning over several times.  Set aside to cool while preparing rest of salad and dressing.

Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.  Toss with all the salad ingredients, except avocado slices.  Dish up salad in salad bowls and garnish with avocado slices.

Red Cabbage, Cranberry, Pecan, and Apple Slaw

I took this slaw to potluck at church this past Sunday.  It is very tasty, and used up the 1/2 red cabbage I had in the refrigerator.  The recipe is from the Paleo Leap blog, http://paleoleap.com/red-cabbage-cranberry-pecan-slaw/.  I cut both the sliced cabbage and sliced apple into more bite-sized pieces than the original recipe called for, but otherwise followed that recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1 small red cabbage, or 1/2 of larger one

1/2 cup dried cranberries or craisins

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 or 2 apples

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Freshly ground pepper and sea salt

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Thinly slice and then chop cabbage.  Core apple(s), thinly slice, and cut slices into halves or thirds.  Place cabbage, craisins, pecans, green onion, and apple(s) into mixing bowl.  In small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.  Pour dressing over slaw and mix together.  Cover and refrigerate 1-12 hours before serving.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

I am baking cookies today to take to this evening's reception at Mindful Heart Buddha Sangha, with any left over going to the retreat with Richard Sears this weekend at Willow Pond Retreat Center near Oakland City.  I'll also make some gluten-free Snickerdoodles.  I baked chocolate chip cookies yesterday, using the Toll House cookie recipe with substitutions to make the cookies Vegan and also okay for me to eat - no dairy, no soy, and no eggs.

I'm doing the same basic substitutions today to turn this recipe for Banana Oatmeal cookies into something both Vegans and I can eat.  The original recipe is from the Life, Love, and Sugar blog http://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/2014/02/11/moist-chewy-banana-oatmeal-cookies/

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup Earth Balance soy-free buttery spread, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg equivalent in flaxseed meal or Enjoy Life egg replacer and water

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup mashed overripe bananas

1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp ground cloves

2 tsp arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Cream together buttery spread and sugars.  Add egg substitute, vanilla, and mashed bananas.  Mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, and arrowroot powder.  Add dry ingredients to wet and mix together well.  Stir in oats.  Mix well.

Place balls of dough (about 1 1/2 Tbsp each) about 2" apart on prepared cookie sheets.  Flatten slightly.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  Cool slightly before removing to cooling racks to finish cooling.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Agave Beer Bread

Nancy made some beer bread for the church potluck today, and also let me take some to the potluck at Mindful Heart Buddha Sangha.  It was a big hit both places.  Here's a link to where she got the recipe http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/honey-beer-bread/

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. honey or agave nectar
• 1 bottle (12 ounces) beer
• 4 Tbsp. (half stick) butter or Earth Balance soy free buttery spread, melted (**You can double this if you'd like**)  

Using the agave nectar and the Earth Balance make this vegan.

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x 5x 3-inch loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir the beer and honey or agave nectar into the dry ingredients until just mixed. (I recommend popping your honey in the microwave for a few seconds beforehand to make it easier to stir in!)

Pour half the melted butter or buttery spread into the loaf pan. Then spoon the batter into the pan, and pour the rest of the butter or buttery spread on top of the batter. (Use a pastry brush to spread it around if you'd like.)

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until top is golden brown and a toothpick/knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve immediately.

No Tomato Beef Stew

Made beef stew for dinner tonight, with no tomatoes.  I did include potatoes, but I didn't eat any.  And I could make it without any nightshades, using rutabagas or sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes.  I got the recipe from Food.com http://www.food.com/recipe/basic-no-tomato-beef-stew-51352

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2 - 2 pounds stew meat

3 Tbsp flour

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

3 cups beef broth or boullion

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp basil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed (or sweet potatoes or rutabagas to make Nightshade-free)

3 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced

3-4 stalk celery, thickly sliced

1-1/2 cups peas

Salt and pepper to taste

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Place flour in large plastic bag.  Add stew meat cubes a few at a time until all are coated with flour.  Heat oil in Dutch oven.  Add flour-coated meat and onions.  Brown meat and onions, stirring frequently.  Add broth and wine, thyme, basil, and garlic.  Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.  Add potatoes, carrots, and celery.  Continue simmering, covered, another 30 minutes.  Add peas.  Continue simmering, covered, another 15 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

With white potatoes

With sweet potatoes

Steakhouse Black Bread

Jean has been wanting us to make  brown bread like we get at Western Sizzler or Cork n Cleaver.  So this is our first attempt.  I modified this recipe from All Recipes plus a comment from someone else without a bread machine http://allrecipes.com/recipe/54058/steakhouse-black-bread/

INGREDIENTS

1-1/3 cups warm strong coffee (100-110 degrees F when put yeast in)

1 pkg active yeast

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1-1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup black strap molasses

1/4 cup oil (I used extra virgin olive oil)

2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (I used dark chocolate cocoa powder)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup rye flour

2 cups bread flour

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Dissolve yeast in warm coffee in a large bowl.  Add brown sugar and let sit a few minutes until frothy.  Add salt, molasses, and oil.  Mix together well.  Add cocoa powder and mix well.  Add flours one cup at a time.  Knead in the final cup of flour until dough is elastic (may not use entire cup of flour, tho mine did).  Form into 12 dinner rolls or 1 loaf of bread.  Cover and let rise until double in size.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake dinner rolls about 20 minutes; bread loaf about 35 minutes.

Turkey Pot Au Feu

I used up the last of our Xmas turkey in a sort of soup recipe http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/turkey-pot-au-feu.  I froze it, and then thawed and heated it for our Wednesday dinner this week, along with salad, crusty bread, and some Chicken/Farro salad.

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

8-12 oz mushrooms, quartered or sliced

1/2 cup carrots, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup chopped leek

1 cup rutabaga, peeled and diced

1 clove garlic, minced or thinly sliced

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth

2 cups leftover turkey, chopped (light & dark meat)

1/2 tsp dried thyme ( or 1 tsp fresh)

Salt & pepper to taste

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Heat 1-1/2 tsp oil in large saucepan over medium high heat.  Sauté mushrooms about 5 minutes, until golden.  Remove mushrooms from pan for later.

Heat remaining 1-1/2 tsp oil in same saucepan.  Add carrots, leek, rutabaga, and garlic.  Sauté 5 minutes.  Add wine and cook until reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 1 minute.  Add remaining ingredients, including reserved mushrooms, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked (can be pierced by a fork).

Serve with warm, crusty bread.