Catelli’s Reinvent Gluten Free Lasagne Challenge!

Catelli is at it again! They have added Gluten Free Lasagne and Gluten Free Linguine to their already stellar gluten free pasta lineup, which includes Spaghetti, Fusilli, Penne, and Macaroni. As with all their gluten free varieties, the Lasagne and Linguine are made from a unique four-grain blend of white rice, brown rice, corn, and quinoa.

In celebration of the launch of their brand new Gluten Free Lasagne noodles, Catelli is holding a “Catelli Reinvent Gluten Free Lasagne Challenge” and has asked myself and fellow gluten free bloggers to develop a unique lasagne recipe using their tasty pasta.

I had a lot of ideas…There really is SOOO much you can do with lasagne noodles! Catelli’s Gluten Free Lasagne noodles are about half as long as most regular lasagne noodles, which means lasagne roll-ups would be a little trickier, but what I liked was that it meant I could make mini-lasagnes!! I was able to try recipes out in a loaf pan, making just a couple of servings. Which is also pretty cool when you live alone and don’t want to have leftovers for days or if you have a full freezer haha 😉

I absolutely LOOOOVE mushrooms, so my first idea was a mushroom white lasagne. And, to be honest, it did turn out pretty delicious! I used four different types of mushrooms, created a rich bechamel sauce from scratch, and had a yummy cheesy mixture with sage and oregano. It was INCREDIBLY rich, but awesome. The only thing is, the bechamel or white sauce is very touchy. It’s tricky to get it to the correct consistency; not too watery, not too thick. And also to make a sufficient amount. So, I decided to scrap that one for now, though I am pretty excited about making alfredo sauces from scratch, in the future! I’ll get the hang of it 😉

I finally settled on a PEROGY lasagne! I used to love perogies before my diagnosis. And while there are several delicious gluten free versions of perogies, unfortunately they cost quite a bit more than their gluten-filled counterparts. That means, for me, they end up being a very rare treat.

But with Perogy Lasagne, you get all the yummy taste of perogies– the creamy potato, the smoky bacon, the caramelized onion, the cheese…OH, the cheese! –with either less work than making them from scratch, or at less cost than buying them 🙂

And this recipe is a cinch. I think the most difficult part is soaking the Catelli Gluten Free Lasagne noodles. I feel like this could potentially be avoided by adding some water to the pan while it bakes, but I didn’t want to take any chances and end up with crunchy noodles. And soaking them wasn’t really that big of a deal, anyways. Everything else you pretty much cook and mash all together! I added layers of peas on top of my potato layers for a pop of color and some added texture.

The result is a hearty, tasty, comforting lasagne, with that yummy perogy taste you know and love. I loved it garnished with green onion and a dollop of sour cream. I also loved cutting a leftover slice into pieces and frying it up with eggs as a delicious breakfast treat! It might not be much to look at, but I assure you these pictures do not do it justice!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! And I hope you’re inspired to come up with your own unique recipes using Catelli’s Gluten Free Lasagne noodles! You won’t be disappointed!

Perogy Lasagne with Peas and Bacon (gluten-free)

Ingredients:

• 4 medium/large white potatoes

• 8-10 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

• 2 cups frozen peas, thawed

• 5 tbsp plus ¼ cup butter, divided as 1 tbsp, 4tbsp, and ¼ cup

• 1 small/medium onion, diced

• 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

• 250g (one small container) 2% cottage cheese

• 2 cups cheddar, divided as 1 cup and 1 cup

• ¼ cup parmesan

• 1 ½ cup mozzarella, divided as ½ cup and 1 cup

• ½ cup milk

• ¼ cup chopped green onion

• salt and pepper, to taste

• red pepper flakes, optional

• about 12 Catelli oven-ready gluten-free lasagne noodles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F (190C)

1. Peel potatoes and cut into squares, boil in a large pot of salted water until soft.

2. While potatoes are cooking, melt 1 tbsp of butter in a pan. Add diced onion and chopped garlic and sautee until translucent and slightly caramelized.

3. When potatoes are soft, drain water from the pot. Add the crumbled bacon, cooked onions and garlic, cottage cheese, 4tbsp of butter, 1 cup cheddar, ¼ cup parmesan, ½ cup mozzarella, milk, green onion, and lots of salt and pepper. Mash all of these ingredients together. I used an electric hand mixer to make it nice and smooth.

4. Fill a pot with hot water. You will use this to soak the lasagne noodles. I soaked them in batches as I needed them so that they didn’t get too soggy. For instance, soak the amount you’ll need for the base while you’re preparing the pan. When you place those soaked noodles in the pan as your base, soak more noodles while you’re layering the ingredients onto your lasagne. They need to soak for 5-10 minutes.

5. Line the pan you are using for the lasagne with tin foil and/or grease the pan. I use tin foil and then grease the tin foil for less clean up. I recommend a nice deep square pan/dish as it looks nicer when there are more layers. I didn’t have anything deep, so I just made a larger, flatter lasagna. Still delicious!

6. Gently remove a soaked lasagne noodle from the water. Pat gently with a paper towel, but it will still be wet, and that’s okay. This isn’t as difficult or annoying as I thought it might be 😉

7. Place a layer of lasagne noodles into the pan. Based on their shape and the size of my pan I used four noodles for the base. If you’re using a deeper pan you should be able to just use two noodles for the base.

8. Spoon potato mixture onto the noodles, covering evenly.

9. Generously sprinkle a layer of peas on top of potato mixture.

10. Repeat with a layer of noodles, then potato mixture, then peas, until you’ve filled your pan! The top layer will be just noodles.

11. Melt the remaining ¼ cup of butter and pour over top of noodles.

12. Cover noodles with 1 cup of cheddar and 1 cup of mozzarella. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, for a little hint of spice.

13. Cover pan with tin foil, making sure the foil is not touching the cheese.

14. Bake, covered, for 30min. Uncover and bake an additional 10min.

15. Let stand 10min before enjoying! Garnish with green onion and serve with sour cream, if desired!

 

Celiac Awareness Month with Catelli Gluten Free Pastabilities Challenge!

In celebration of Celiac Awareness Month (May), I am taking part in the Catelli Gluten Free Pastabilities Challenge– and you can, too!  Read on for more details 🙂

Catelli gluten-free pasta is definitely one of my top 3 gluten-free pasta choices.  Here are a few of its particulars:

• made from a four-grain blend of white rice, brown rice, corn, and quinoa
• Available in spaghetti, fusilli, penne, and macaroni (I’m still waiting for farfale lol)
• produced in a dedicated gluten-free facility
• certified by the Canadian Celiac Association’s Gluten-Free Certification Program
• low in sodium (0mg), source of fibre (3g) per serving (85g) of pasta
• Easy to digest, with the great taste and texture of regular pasta
• Available (and affordable) at all major retailers across Canada, in the pasta aisle

As for the challenge, Catelli is urging us to “Cook Out Of The (GLUTEN FREE PASTA) Box” 😉

While my recipe might not be the most gourmet, I do think you’re gonna like it!  Plus, you can dress it up or down in any way you like.  It can be part of a fancy dinner, or it can be excellent hangover food (haha). The best part is it can be made on a tight budget and when you’re super low energy and just want some comfort food in a flash. Add what YOU like to make it your perfect meal. But it IS a bit out of the box and if you haven’t tried this before….YOU NEED TO TRY IT!

The trick is in the CRISP.

You know your favorite part of a cheesy pasta casserole??? The part near the edge of the casserole dish where the cheese and pasta become delightfully crispy and broiled??? Well, this entire dish reminds me of that best part 🙂

In its simplest form, when you want something fast and cheap and yummy, all you really have to do is:

• boil pasta as usual,
• melt butter in a frying pan,
• add cooked pasta, oregano, salt & pepper, and any other spices you wish,
• fry up the pasta so that it becomes slightly crispy,
• add parmesan cheese (or any cheese but I’ve found parmesan works best)
• fry a little more until it all becomes a little crispy and melty and AWESOME!

Voila!  It’s that easy. And it’s SO GOOD!

However, if you want something a little fancier, try this recipe on for size. I just had a bowl and it was fantastic!

Here’s what you’ll need (plus butter and a few spices):

Sassy’s Brown Butter Crispy Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked Catelli Gluten Free Macaroni Pasta, cooked as per package directions (6min)
• ¼ cup salted butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1-2 tbsp thinly sliced shallot
• 2 mushrooms, diced
• ¼ cup frozen peas
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• salt & pepper to taste
• up to 1 package of sliced prosciutto, cut into strips (I used about 5-6 slices)
• ½ to 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cook pasta as directed.
2. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a pan on medium heat.
3. Allow butter to bubble and brown slightly, being careful not to let it burn, and add garlic and shallot.
4. After the garlic and shallot cook a little and shallot becomes slightly translucent, add mushrooms and frozen peas (I added them from frozen, but allow to thaw if you wish).
5. You want all these items to sauté a little but keep in mind that you will also be sautéeing the pasta, so be sure not to overcook.
6. Add the pasta to the frying pan; toss to coat in butter.
7. Add oregano, salt & pepper, or any other spices that tickle your fancy.
8. Toss the contents of frying pan frequently, while allowing edges of pasta to slightly crisp up.
9. Add the prosciutto and continue cooking.
10. Finally, add the parmesan cheese. Allow to melt, toss, allow to melt.
11. It’s ready when everything is nicely crispy and melty!  You don’t want the pasta to be hard, just a nice golden brown on some of the edges.  Not easy to photograph, but just play it by ear. It’s pretty hard to mess up!
12. ENJOY!

I really hope you like it!

And for those of you feeling creative, I urge you to enter you own original gluten free pasta recipe on Catelli’s Facebook Page (see this page for details and to enter), anytime between May 4th and May 31, 2015 for a chance to win a year’s supply of gluten-free pasta! And to help with your creations go here to print off a coupon for $1 off any gluten-free Catelli product!

Have fun and HAPPY CELIAC AWARENESS MONTH!

Love,

Sassy

Turkey Pumpkin “Chili” (nightshade-free and gluten-free; paleo)

 

That’s right…another pumpkin recipe!  What can I say; I love the stuff!  I know not everyone feels the passion for pumpkin that I do, but for those of you who can’t have nightshades, this recipe may just change your mind.

I am still researching the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, with myself as the test subject.  While I don’t have all the information under my belt, yet, I am still currently following the foods-to-avoid list: no grains, no legumes, no nightshades, no eggs, no nuts/seeds, no dairy, no alcohol.

While I was inspired by the Whole Foods Turkey Pumpkin Chili recipe, I was not sure I’d be able to modify it to be autoimmune-friendly…beans?  Peppers?  Spices?  Tomatoes?

But I managed…and the result was a hearty, satisfying, autumn-inspired, and autoimmune-friendly “chili”.

This will be a great recipe for you to keep on hand for those turkey leftovers at Thanksgiving and Christmas!

I’m not really great at writing up recipes because I tend to not measure things out.  That said, some of the measurements are estimates, but I trust you can “play it by ear”!  This recipe made about 2 servings, but could easily be doubled to make more.  Also, ground turkey could be used if you don’t have turkey leftovers!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tbsp butter, coconut oil, or EVOO
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, coarsely diced
• 4-6 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 large kale leaf, coarsely chopped (stem removed)
• 10 oz cooked turkey meat
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 cup broth (homemade or a gluten-free variety like Kitchen Basics)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• salt & pepper, to taste

Heat butter or oil in a pan, over medium heat.

Add garlic, onion, mushrooms, and carrot and cook until softened (I microwaved the carrot a bit before adding it to the pan, in order to speed up the cooking process).

Add kale and turkey.  Stir in pumpkin and add broth a little at a time, while stirring, until you reach desired consistency.  I find the pumpkin really soaks up the broth!  Add in spices.

That’s really all there is to it!  Modify as necessary, and, of course…ENJOY!

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“Tastes Like Fall” Smoothie :) gluten-free, dairy-free

Pumpkin, banana, and pears, OH MY!

I love fall.  The colors of the leaves, the move towards wearing sweaters and boots, the pumpkins, and Halloween.  There’s a different feeling in the air (I know…not for some of you, say, in Florida!).  It’s before our rainy season starts, when we have to do our best to not let depression set in during day after day after day of endless gray.  But for now…it’s still great!

I see…and drool over…a lot of fall baking going on.  In fact, our Thanksgiving is coming up this weekend and people are preparing pumpkin pies and other yummy treats.

I try to keep the treats to a minimum, and since I’m currently grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and countless other things-free, I came up with this shake to satisfy my pumpkin-tooth (yes, I swear it exists!).

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut milk, if using carton-variety like Silk True Coconut; ¼ cup coconut milk if using canned

(or preferred milk substitute)

1 cup water, if using carton coconut milk; 1 ¾ cup water, if using canned coconut milk

½ a banana

½ a pear

1/3 cup canned 100% pumpkin

maple syrup

freshly grated ginger (or powdered)

cinnamon

nutmeg

cardamom

pecans (optional)

Optional: protein source (if I could have protein powder or farm fresh eggs right now, I would have tossed in some of either of those)

No, I don’t have exact amounts, because I just play it by ear, for the most part!

And the reason this one looks kind of pretty is that I forgot to add the maple syrup, so I added it afterwards, in a slightly swirly design 😉

Blend everything up in your favorite blender, and there ya have it 🙂  Spicy, pumpkin-y goodness!

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Zucchini Bread: gluten-free, dairy-free DELICIOUS!

In honor of WheatFreeMom’s first day of kitchen renovations, I thought that I would bake something using the amazing gluten-free flours that she sent me, as her kitchen will be out of commission for the next while (3 months?!).  I have a really bad headache and brain fog today, so I wanted something fairly simple.  I remembered I still have some fresh zucchini that my mom picked up for me earlier in the week.

And so….ZUCCHINI BREAD!!!

I searched for some recipes, and finally decided on one.  Oh, if only I’d had some chocolate chips kicking around, things might have been different, but I am still excited to see how this one turns out.

I changed the recipe a little bit…partly on purpose and partly by accident LOL  It calls for only sorghum flour, which is a pretty high protein flour.  Not necessarily a bad thing, but I have found that with gluten-free baking, a blend of flours tends to turn out a little better.  So I subbed a half cup of sweet rice flour.  I also used organic cane sugar instead of brown sugar.

And then, thanks to my foggy head, I didn’t notice that the recipe called for two egg WHITES and not two whole eggs LOL  Ah well, I am hoping it will add some nice moisture 😉  It smells and looks amazing right now!

Here’s  a slightly edited version of the original recipe, care of Gluten-Free Goddess (for full recipe, click here):

gluten-free goddess zucchini bread recipe

You can make this lovely gluten-free zucchini bread with or without eggs. And it’s dairy-free. Its delicate flavor comes from a secret ingredient: Coconut milk.

Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Line the bottom of a 9-inch loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly oil.

Ingredients:

1 rounded cup of fresh, grated zucchini
1 cup sorghum flour (I used ½ cup sweet rice flour and ½ cup sorghum flour)
1/2 cup tapioca starch (sometimes called tapioca flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar (I used organic cane sugar)
1/3 cup light olive oil or coconut oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon or lime juice (I also grated in some lemon zest)
2 free-range organic egg whites, beaten or egg replacer (1/4 cup liquid) (I accidentally used 2 eggs)
1/4 cup coconut milk

Instructions:

Press the grated zucchini with a paper towel to remove as much moisture as you can. After pressing, fluff with a fork (I learned this tip from 101 Cookbooks). Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sorghum flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, sea salt, and cinnamon. Add in the brown sugar.

Add the oil, lemon juice, egg whites or egg replacer, and the coconut milk. Beat to combine and continue to beat on medium high until the batter is smooth- about two minutes.

Add in almost all of the shredded zucchini (I save out a few shreds to decorate the top of the loaf) and stir by hand to combine.

Scoop and scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and using a silicone spatula, even out the top.

Add a few shredded zucchini strands to the top.

Bake in the center of a preheated oven until the top is golden and firm, yet gives a bit when lightly touched. It should feel slightly springy. This may take anywhere from 50 to 60 minutes. It took 55 minutes for my zucchini bread to bake. Test with a thin sharp knife or a wooden pick- either should emerge with no crumbs or batter.

Remove loaf from pan and allow it to cool on wire rack.  I read somewhere to let gluten-free breads cool both upside down and right side up…not sure if this really does anything, but I let it cool for 10min upside down and the rest right side up.

THE RESULT?  Super duper gluten-free goodness.  It was really moist.  It did “fall” slightly after cooling, but was still great.  A bit crunchy on the outside and very soft and not gummy at all on the inside.  I found it a bit sweet for my liking, so I’d probably reduce the sugar next time, but that might be personal preference!  All in all, a Celiac Success 😉

 

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Pumpkin Coconut Soup (gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo-friendly)

I was delighted to try and taste this recipe today from Oxygen Magazine’s Winter 2012 Fat Loss Collector’s Issue.  I had bought a couple cans of pumpkin purée when they were on sale during the holidays.  While I had planned to use them in baking, this is a simple and healthier alternative 🙂  A very comforting, creamy soup, it is also gluten- and dairy- free!  In fact, it is even paleo-friendly.

Pumpkin is packed with vitamin A, as well as C, E, K, magnesium, potassium, and iron.  As well, the raw seeds are said to have an anti-inflammatory effect.  All good things whether you are Celiac or not!

Pumpkin Coconut Soup

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 medium white onion, diced (I used yellow)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

Pinch ground nutmeg

3 cups low-sodium GF broth (I used 1 1/2 cups Kitchen Basics chicken broth and 1 1/2 cups water…though, I prefer to make my own broth)

3 cups GF pumpkin purée (NOT pumpkin pie filling!  E.D. Smith is gluten-free)

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 cup light coconut milk

Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

6 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds

1. Heat oil in a large sauce-pan/pot set on medium high heat.  Sauté onion until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add all spices and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently until fragrant.

2. Add broth and pumpkin and whisk until smooth, adding up to 1 cup of water if broth is too thick.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Remove from heat and add lime juice.  Stir in coconut milk and season to taste.  Ladle into bowls (~6 servings) and add 1tbsp raw pumpkin seeds, or as desired.

This recipe boasts less than 200 calories per serving, around 5 grams of fiber, and nearly10 grams of protein, per serving!

Found in Oxygen Magazine’s Winter 2012 Fat Loss Collector’s Issue.  Go here to preview or purchase the issue; digital copies are available.  Other recipes can be viewed in the preview, but not all are gluten-free!

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Delight gluten free Magazine (Winter/Holiday 2011): Delightfully Reviewed!

I have been following Delight on Twitter for quite some time now, but until recently, I was under the impression that this magazine, which claims to be “THE magazine for those with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, food allergies & sensitivities“, was not available on our fine Western Coast.  As it turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong about the availability of Delight.

For starters, if you were in attendance at the recent (and fabulous) Gluten Free Expo in Vancouver, you probably had the opportunity to speak with some of the Delight crew and, if you were really lucky, snag a sample copy!  I was also assured (though I have not yet investigated the claim) that Delight magazine is, in fact, available at Chapters Indigo locations.  Better still, upon scouring my sample copy from cover to cover, I discovered that….lo and behold….there’s an app for that!  The Delight Gluten-Free Magazine app is free to download to all your favorite Apple devices, and includes free issue previews.  If (WHEN!) you decide (REALIZE!) you would like the latest or back-copy issue, a mere $3.99 grants you full access!  Pretty exciting when you consider that $5.95CAN is the going hard cover price. (Even more exciting? DELIGHT just informed me that Digital Issues are only $0.99 for the month of February!  Don’t miss out!  Download the Delight Gluten-Free Magazine App on iTunes today, and start your Delight library!)

It didn’t take me long to fall in love with Delight.  Page 6 boasts a drool-worthy Recipe Index, with colorful allergen-free coding including everything from gluten-free (of course) to RICE-free, for a total of SEVEN allergen-free options!  In addition, there are notes and tips on the best ingredient substitutions, and a friendly reminder to ALWAYS READ LABELS!  This tidbit really CANNOT be overstated; I personally wish it appeared in more places, more often.

Remember: If you’re not sure of every ingredient that went into a prepared item, don’t eat it!

But it’s not all about the recipes (though the recipes ARE stellar!).  The articles are entertaining AND informative!  I do not claim to know EVERYTHING about Celiac Disease, but it is getting more difficult to find a publication that offers me new information from a trustworthy source.  This particular issue of Delight kept my interest with report of a home finger-prick test for “pre-diagnosing” Celiac Disease, an intriguing and unbiased look at artificial sweeteners (which I don’t use, but I love having the facts!), ways that Celiac Disease presents differently in men (did you know CD is the #1 cause of osteoperosis in men?!), and a very honest and helpful recipe book review (complete with a GF answer to Chinese food cravings that I can’t WAIT to try!).  I was also in love with their “Guide to Gluten-Free Tweeting”.  I have finally and fully embraced Twitterhood.  I honestly NEVER thought I would say this, but I really do recommend giving Twitter a chance, if you haven’t already.  It is a wealth of knowledge and connection for anyone with special interests, including, but CERTAINLY not limited to, gluten-free living.  The article in Delight gives some great advice on taking the plunge into the infinity Twitter pool, removing any fear of a bellyflop 😉

I could continue, trust me.  For someone with Celiac Disease, gluten-free is not a trend.  With the ever-growing gluten-free enterprise, it can be difficult to identify who really “GETS IT”.  I found Delight magazine to be very respectful and aware of the importance of living a gluten and/or allergen-free life.  This can be witnessed in their addition of a Gluten-Free Diet Pocket List, in their admission that going gluten-free…though MANDATORY for Celiacs…is not as simple as it sounds, and can be fraught with cravings and temptations, and in their ambition to include a wide audience…yes, even the all-too-often overlooked male-variety gluten-freed.

Needless to say, I will be anxiously awaiting the Spring Issue of Delight gluten free Magazine!  As for now, I will continue to tab the pages and try the recipes…and, of course, report back with my favorites!  If you do decide to get your Twitter on, follow me @yummyGFpamcakes 🙂  Follow Delight @delightgfmag.  I will leave with my first tried and true recipe from Delight…sure to be a hit this Super Bowl Sunday!

TERIYAKI GINGER WINGS (page 27)

Yield: 4 servings

16 chicken wings, separated at joint (discard wing tips)

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup gluten-free soy sauce (Delight reccomends San-J brand)

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1 inch piece ginger, grated (or 1 tsp ground ginger)

Zest of 1/2 orange

2 scallions, sliced, green part only (I was out, so I subbed 1 tsp onion powder)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Place top rack in oven about 4 inches away from flame/heat source.  Turn on broiler.

2. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Spray with GF nonstick cooking spray.

3. Season chicken wings with salt and pepper and place on baking sheet.

4. Broil wings for 10 minutes.  Flip to other side and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

5. While chicken wings are broiling, in a medium-sized bowl, whisk to combine honey, GF soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, and orange zest.  Whisk until all honey has dissolved in the mixture.  Set aside half of mixture in refrigerator to use for dipping sauce.

6. Remove wings from oven after second set of 10 minutes under broiler has completed.

7. Brush wings with sauc and place under broiler for 2 minutes.  Flip, brush other side with sauce, and broil for an additional 2 minutes to glaze.

8. Remove from oven and brush all sides with sauce.  Transfer to serving plate.

9. Garnish with sliced scallions and dipping sauce in small bowl on side.

**Play it by ear…watch your wings to make sure they don’t overcook.  Nobody likes a dried out chicken wing!  I also found these saucy enough without the dipping sauce…and Sassy likes her sauce!  You decide 🙂  I kept the sauce and used it for another meal, but I also only had 10 wings.

I love the flavors in this recipe…the orange really adds a unique taste to a traditional wing flavor!

Go snap up your copy of Delight gluten free Magazine!  Let me know how you like it 🙂

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Posh Paleo Pâté (gluten-free)

Before you go too far, yes, it is made with chicken livers.  For those of us who LOVE pâté, this is likely no surprise.  For those of you who LOVE pâté and did NOT know it was made from chicken livers, I apologize for ruining it for you…perhaps I should have said, “SPOILER ALERT!”  haha

Don’t get me wrong, though…it is DELICIOUS!  I knew what it was made from, but it was my first time ever working with…well…offal, as they call it…and I was concerned, at first.  Mostly, I was worried that it would smell.  It didn’t.  The onions overpowered any other scent.  I didn’t much enjoy touching the livers to remove the white stringy part, but, I did it, and I’m still here! LOL  I don’t even like getting cookie dough on my hands, so it is not surprising I wasn’t stoked about this particular tactile task.

If you enjoy eating meat, but cringe at the thought of chicken liver, I urge you to give it a chance.  Admittedly, the main reason this comes easy for me is because I know how NUTRITIOUS it is!  I know that nutritious can either taste good or taste bad.  I have become quite talented at making nutritious things taste GREAT, but I have also come to realize that I will eat pretty much anything if I know it’s good for me…or at least try it!  Thankfully, this pâté is both delicious AND nutritious…not to mention, simple and inexpensive to make!  Gone are the days of pâté being seen as a delicacy, served only at fancy functions!

Not up for making your own?  Grimm’s makes several varieties of tasty and fair-priced pâtes, that reap similar health benefits!

While I did snag this recipe from a paleo site, I have not, myself, gone completely paleo, yet.  I definitely enjoyed this pâté on some delightful gluten-free crisps!  A paleo diet is gluten-free, as it is actually completely grain-free.  It generally consists of meats, fruits, and vegetables…in their whole, unprocessed forms (ie. not packaged!).  Most paleo diets also include nuts and seeds, and tend to avoid dairy.  For those of us living gluten, dairy, and/or <insert allergen here> free, paleo recipes are worth looking into!

Here are some of the health benefits of chicken liver, according to Paleo Diet Lifestyle:

Chicken liver, for example, is full of fat soluble vitamin A, iron, vitamin B12, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, pantothenic acid, phosphorus and selenium.

It is also high in cholesterol and the recipe has a fair amount of saturated fat.  However, both of these items are being removed from the “Naughty List”, due to research of late…research that I hope to blog about soon!  Until then, either trust me and the saying, “Everything in Moderation”, do a little research of your own, or…wait, I suppose!  But I’d hate for you to wait to try this recipe!

Posh Paleo Pâté

Ingredients

• 1/2 Lb chicken livers;
• 1 clove garlic, minced;
• 3 think slices bacon, chopped in cubes;
• 1 large diced onion;
• 3/4 cup butter;
• 4 tbsp chopped parsley;
• 3 tbsp sherry (you can use vinegar instead);
• Fresh nutmeg (optional);
• Salt and pepper to taste;

Technique

1. Heat a large pan to medium high heat and cook the bacon for about 3 minutes.
2. Add the onion, garlic and 1/4 of a cup of the butter and soften for another 3 or 4 minutes.
3. Prepare the livers by cutting out the white stringy part.
4. Add the livers to the pot and cook for about 7 to 10 minutes with a little more of the butter.
5. Once cooked through, add sherry, parsley and salt, pepper and fresh nutmeg to taste.
6. Remove from heat and pour mixture in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
7. Pour the smooth mixture in a serving dish.
8. Melt the remaining butter and pour over the pâté evenly.
9. Cover and put in the refrigerator to cool until the fat hardens.
10. Enjoy as a snack on celery sticks, on lettuce leaves or directly off the spoon since it’s so good in its own.

THAT’S IT!  I don’t keep sherry on hand ;), so I used Red Wine Vinegar.  I also don’t keep bacon on hand (WHAT?! LOL, I know, what’s wrong with me?), but I had some leftover bacon drippings, so I just melted a bit of that with a couple drops of liquid smoke.  Personally, I think the melted butter topping is unnecessary, other than it looks kind of pretty.  I did a quick search to see if there is a reason behind the buttery layer, but to no avail.  If anyone knows the reason…other than butter makes everything better LOL…please, feel free to comment! 

The crisps pictured are Martin’s Marvelous Naturals Rosemary Lavendar Crisps, and were my inspiration for preparing this pâté!  They are great on their own, but the pairing of the crisps with the pâté is HEAVENLY!  You HAVE to try these crisps!  Gluten and Nut Free, and LOCAL in BC 🙂  Find them in Abbotsford, at my favorite store: NutriFoods Market, and say hello to Darla the Donkey while you’re there! (see www.martinsmarvelous.com for more products and store locations!)

 

 

This recipe was straight from the Paleo Diet Lifestyle site: 2 Simple and Delicious Liver Pâté Recipes I tried the traditional version, but the second recipe looks just as yummy.  Check out the site for more information on the paleo diet and for more recipes!

Thanksgiving in a Burger! (gluten-free)

Due to my sensitive post-surgery stomach, I’ve been consuming a lot of meat in the form of minced.  The Town Butcher delightfully surprised me by having some ground turkey breast in their freezer (along with some tasty gluten-free turkey sausages!).  I never got around to making cranberry sauce for our holiday dinner, so I also had some cranberries kickin’ around.  And so became…Thanksgiving in a Burger!  I’m not taking credit for the idea; I’ve seen them at Thrifty Foods…but this is a gluten-free variety, and just a truly tasty idea!

• 1lb ground turkey breast
• 1/2 cup cranberries
• 2 mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 an onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 egg
• 1 slice of gluten-free bread (preferably the crusty end part), crumbled

*GLUTEN-FREE TIP: gluten-free bread can be dry and dense enough that I generally do not like the end pieces, so I freeze them for later use as gluten-free breadcrumbs or croutons!

Sautée cranberries, mushrooms, onion, garlic, and rosemary in a frying pan with a touch of butter or oil, over medium heat.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, egg, salt & pepper, and bread (I crumbled it from frozen, right into the bowl).

Add sautéed items to mixing bowl, combine thoroughly.

Form mixture into patties and cook in pan, a few minutes per side, making sure they are cooked throughout (no pink in the middle).

ENJOY!

 

Ginger Cream Molasses Cookies (Gluten-Free)

This is my favorite recipe so far, mostly because they turn out like regular cookies…flattened out, chewy, and moist!  As a tribute to my friends at Aromatica Fine Teas & Soaps, I substituted ground ginger with ground Ginger Cream Black Tea…a delicious difference!

Ingredients:

• 12 ground almonds (grind 12 almonds in food processor/bullet)
• 1/2 cup sorghum flour*
• 1/2 cup quinoa flour*
• 1/4 cup coconut flour*
• 3/4 cup brown rice flour*
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch/flour*
• 1/4 cup arrowroot powder*
• 1 tsp xanthan gum*
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp Ginger Cream Black Tea** (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• pinch salt

• 3/4 cup butter, melted  (or butter substitute)
• 1 cup evaporated cane juice (or other sugar substitute…I also really like coconut palm sugar!)
• 1 egg (or egg substitute…I really liked when I tried 1 tbsp ground chia seeds mixed with 3 tbsp hot water and let sit for 10 min.!)
• 1/3 cup molasses

• Reserve a little extra sugar and cinnamon on a plate

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients, except for evaporated cane juice/sugar substitute (almond meal, flours, xanthan gum, baking soda, ground Ginger Cream Black Tea**/ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt) in a large mixing bowl.

This is how the tea looks after grinding!

Mix wet ingredients and evaporated cane juice/sugar substitute (melted butter, evaporated cane juice, egg, molasses) in a smaller mixing bowl.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir/mix until well-combined.  Dough will be quite wet/runny; don’t worry!  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours (or more if making ahead).

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F and remove dough from fridge.  Use about 2 tbsp of dough to make dough balls, and then roll on the sugar/cinnamon plate to coat (I prefer using the coconut palm sugar here, for rolling).  Arrange on parchment-lined or LIGHTLY greased baking sheet.  These guys like to really spread when baking, so make them little or make sure they are placed far enough apart 🙂

Bake for 10-12min, bottom of cookies will be browned.  Let sit for a couple minutes to set, before removing from sheet and cooling on wire rack.  If not left to cool, they will fall apart!  Very fragile until well-cooled!

*If in a hurry, a commercial all-purpose mix can be used instead of custom flour blend…just be sure to see if  xanthan gum is already included in the mix!  Try 2 cups of all-purpose mix with 1 tsp xanthan gum if not already included.

**Ginger Cream Black Tea is a delicious loose tea that can be bought online at MyAromatica or in-store at Aromatica Fine Teas & Soaps in Chilliwack, BC!  This is where I learned to bake/cook with teas, and there are plenty of recipes at MyAromatica.com that you can try (though not all gluten-free!).  A similarly flavored loose tea would also work 🙂

SC

Adapted from: Molasses Spice Cookies (Gluten-Free)