Thursday, April 21, 2011

Breakfast for Dinner Hash Browns

This is a great dinner recipe if you want to get in your daily veggies, but are craving some breakfast. It's also versatile and is great if you add eggplant as well. I like my hash browns crispy, but if you prefer them to be mushy just skip the pressing step. I don't like to use butter because it adds a lot of fat to this low-cal recipe, however you can also substitute water used for sautéing for olive oil or cooking spray for a healthier alternative. This is vegan if you do not add any butter. This makes 2 good size servings, half recipe for single serving or double/triple to feed more hungry tummies!

Ingredients:
-4 medium potatoes
-1 cup broccoli, pre-steamed
-1/2 cup onion, chopped
-1/2 cup mixed red and green bell peppers, chopped

Directions:
Begin washing the potatoes and grating them on the largest wholes of a cheese grater. Collect all of the grated potato and press using a potato ricer to remove moisture. If you do not have a potato ricer (similar to a large garlic press), you can use an alternative method to remove moisture such as placing the potato in a larger plastic mug/circular container and using the bottom of a drinking glass to press the potatoes down, squeezing out the moisture. Once you have pressed as much moisture out of the potatoes, set gratings aside and grab your peppers, steamed broccoli, and onion. Place chopped onions in a non-stick skillet and add water as needed to sauté. When onions are slightly translucent add bell peppers and continue sautéing until peppers are slightly soft. Add the steamed broccoli to the skillet and sauté until desired tenderness is achieved and broccoli is heated throughout. Remove contents of skillet and set aside. Place grated potato into the skillet (if you are using butter, cooking spray, or olive oil, place in skillet before potatoes). Spread potatoes so that they are about 1/4 inch thick. When the potatoes have browned and began to turn crispy, use turner to flip to other side. Cook until 2nd side is also slightly brown and then scramble up so that they are no longer in a uniform patty. Add the veggies and mixx well. Heat until vegetables are warm again. Serve Hot.

I like to serve this with grilled asparagus and a scrambled egg white as seen in the photo.
Breakfast for Dinner Hash Browns

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Scotcheroos

These bars are by far one of my favorite treats. I could eat them everyday. There's nothing like opening up your lunch box and finding something mom made, or getting a plate from a neighbor during the holidays. Kids young and old will gobble these up any time of year.

Ingredients:
-1 cup granulated sugar
-1 cup light corn syrup
-1 cup chunky peanut butter (you can also use smooth)
-1 cup chocolate chips
-1 cup butterscotch chips (NOTE: Nestlé butterscotch chips are NOT GF. Use Hersey's)
-6 cups GF rice cereal or GF puffed rice

Directions:
Grease 13x9-ince pan and set aside. Place sugar and corn syrup into a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar has dissolved and mixture is beginning to boil. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter until it has melted and combined. Add in the cereal an stir until evenly coated. Press mixture into pan. Melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips together using a double boiler or the microwave. Spread evenly over the cereal mixture. Place in the fridge to set.

Gluten Free Oats

This is a great way to start your day off right. You need to make this the night before, but it makes about 3 servings and will stay good in the fridge for several days. It's also fun to add various berries after you've heated it up, or heat for 1:30 and then add a sliced banana and heat for another 30-40 seconds. You can also add additional milk once you've heated it if you enjoy a soggier oatmeal.

Ingredients:
-1 1/2 cup of gluten free oats
-1 1/2 cup of almond or soy milk
-1 small apple, core removed, grated using largest holes
-1/3 cup craisins or raisins
-1 tablespoon brown sugar (can substitute for agave nectar)
-1/4 cup almonds, slivered or sliced

Directions:
In a medium sized air tight container, mix the oats and milk together. Add the apple, craisins/raisins, almonds and sugar. Mix everything together very well. Seal container and place in the fridge overnight. When ready to eat, place 1 serving in a bowl and microwave for about 2 minutes or until warm.

Egg Fried Rice

This is a great meal if you don't have a lot of time to cook, but still want to make something yummy and filling. It's also great because you can add a variety of veggies such as broccoli or carrots. Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients:
-1 cup green beans, halved
-1/2 cup red bell peppers, chopped
-1/2 cup green bell peppers, chopped
-1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
-1 whole egg
-1 egg white
-1 cup rice, measured dry and then cooked
-2 tbs San-J gluten free tamari soy sauce
-1 tbs olive oil (optional)

Directions:
Begin by steaming the green beans. While the beans are steaming, add half the olive oil, or water equivalent, to a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion until it has become slight transparent. Next add the bell peppers and continue to sauté. When bell peppers are becoming soft add the steamed green beans to skillet and continue to sauté. When all vegetables are tender, but not mushy, remove from skillet and reserve in a bowl for later. Beat the egg and egg white together. Return skillet to medium-low heat and add the remaining oil. Add eggs to skillet and scramble. When egg is solid, but not dry, add the veggies and cooked rice to skillet. Mix together with soy sauce. Heat until it is sweet smelling and  all veggies and rice have become warm again.

To make this recipe vegan simply add the rice directly to the skillet when veggies become tender.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Mexican Lime Soup

-1 large onion, chopped
-8 ounces mushrooms, quartered (not a mushroom fan so i usually leave this out)
-2 bay leaves
-2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
-3 poblano chili peppers, toasted, seeded, skinned and cut into strips
-2-3 32 ounce cartons veggie stock depending on desired amount
-1/2 bag frozen corn (I usually just eye this depending on how much corn you like)
-4 medium red potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
-1 bunch cilantro, chopped
-3-4 limes (use 3 from 64 ounces and 4 for 96)
-4 tomatoes chopped
-2 avocados, sliced
-corn chips

Start out by sauteing the onion, mushrooms and bay leaves on medium heat in a large, spayed or nonstick soup pot for about 5 minutes or until the onion browns. Add the garlic, chilies and 1 cup of stock. Stir intermittently for 5 minutes, or until the peppers begin to soften. Add the remaining stock, corn, and potatoes. Cover and cook on medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes. 
Stir the cilantro, zest of 1 lime, and the juice of 3 limes into the soup immediately before serving. Place a handful each of tomatoes, avocados, and healthy chips into large soup bowls. Pour the hot soup directly over the veggies and chips and serve. 
You can also had jalapenos to this recipe if you would like to give it more of a kick. just grill, deseed, skin and add at the same time as the poblano chilies. Another option is to add Sriracha or cheyenne pepper to finished soup. 

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Asparagus Risotto

This is also from The Gluten-Free Vegan by Susan O'Brien. By far one of my favorite recipes, although it does take a little longer to make. I served this at a thanksgiving dinner and it was eaten up very quickly. It also keeps well in the fridge and is just as good warmed up the next day. I'm not a huge mushroom fan and sometimes choose to leave them out. I know pine nuts are expensive, but I really think that they add a lot to this dish.

Ingredients
-2 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
-2 large shallots or 1 small yellow onion finely chopped (I prefer shallots)
-1 bunch of asparagus, chopped
-3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
-2 cups cleaned and sliced mushrooms
-1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
-1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
-1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
-1 32oz carton vegetable stock (I prefer Swanson's organic)
-1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
-1/4 cup white wine
-1/4 cup pine nuts

Directions
Pour the stock into small pot and heat over medium-high heat, reduce heat once boiling, but keep it fairly warm in order to cook the rice later.
Place 1 tablespoon of the oil into a medium stockpot and heat over medium-high. Add the shallots and asparagus. Saute for 6 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to saute for another minute. Add the mushrooms and herbs, and cook until the mushrooms begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Once the vegetables are fork tender remove them from the pot and set aside for later.
In the same pot as you previously had the veggies in, put the second tablespoon of oil and the rice. Heat over medium-high heat until the rice begins to brown slightly. Add a ladle of stock to the rice. Let the rice completely soak up the stock. Next add the white wine and another ladle of stock. Continue adding the stock one ladleful at a time, only after the previous one has been absorbed by the rice. Once all the broth as been added, cook until the rice is tender. Once tender add the veggies back in and heat through. Serve hot.


Asparagus Risotto

Curried Coconut and Squash Stew

This recipe is from The Gluten-Free Vegan by Susan O'Brien. I made this on a chilly night in Portland and fell in love with the stew. It has a great spicy kick, but is not too overwhelming. This would also be very nice served over rice in a curry style.

Ingredients
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1 cup finely chopped red onion
-1 teaspoon diced fresh ginger
-1 large red bell pepper, seeded and copped
-1 pound extra firm silken tofu, cubed
-3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
-11/2 cups peeled, seeded and cubed butternut squash
-1 tablespoon seeded and finely chopped jalapeno
-2 teaspoons curry powder
-1 cup plain soy milk
-1 cup light coconut milk
-1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
-1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
-1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
-fresh ground pepper

Directions
In a large stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until soft for about 4-6 minutes. Lower hear to medium and add the ginger, bell pepper, tofu, garlic, squash, and jalapeno. Continue to saute until the squash is fork tender, about 15 minutes. Add the curry powder, soy milk, and coconut milk, heat to a boil. Once boiling lower temperature to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes. Add the lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper and serve.

I found this recipe flavorful enough that I did not add any salt or pepper, but this is totally up to you.

After adding first set of ingredients to stock-pot

The finished soup. Delicious.