Gluten Free Peasant Bread

When I was little, we used to bake bread...and devour it immediately after it came out of the oven. At my apartment, my bread eating habits have not changed, however my diet has. In the gluten-free world, I've found most breads to be dry, crumbly, crusty and not in a good way. With this recipe, the perfect crusty outside and chewy inside join together, resulting in baked perfection. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Prep Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lukewarm water, it's important that it is not too hot!
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp rapid rise yeast
• 1 cup white rice flour
• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/3 cup tapioca flour
• 1/3 cup buckwheat flour
• 2 tsp xantham gum
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 egg whites
• 2 tbs butter, to coat the pan

Instructions:

1. Combine the water and sugar, pour the yeast over the water, no need to stir, and let proof for 10-15 minutes until frothy. 
2. While the yeast proofs, combine the flours, gum, salt, and egg whites. 
3. Once the yeast has proofed, pour it over the flour mixture and combine with a spatula. 
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 1.5 to 2 hours.*
5. Butter an oven safe bowl or loaf pan. Transfer the dough to the buttered bowl or pan and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm place, I set mine on the oven while it preheats, and allow it to rise for 30 more minutes while the oven preheats to 425F. 
6. After the second rise, bake the bread for 30 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven, invert it onto a wire rack, and allow it to cool or don't and dig in!

Notes
*I will turn my oven on to 350 F for 1 minute, then turn it off again. This creates a warm space for the bread to rise.

Adapted from Alexandra Cooks

Incredible Tikka Masala Sauce

Where I live, there is this incredible Indian restaurant. Their food is unbeatable, but is it recreatable? I at least had to try. There Tikka Masala is out of this world, so naturally that had to be my first challenge. With this recipe, I have definitely come close!

Incredible Tikka Masala Sauce



Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ginger juice or 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp garam masala (I used McCormick)
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup milk or cream of choice (both coconut and almond work very well)

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, tomato paste, and spices and cook about 5 minutes or until the spices are very fragrant, stirring every few minutes. 
2. Add the diced tomatoes, water and salt and simmer over low heat for an hour, until thickened. 
3. Pour in the cream or milk and keep warm until ready to serve. Goes great with chicken, paneer, or as a sauce for potatoes or other vegetables. 

India-Inspired Rice Pudding

I was planning on experimenting with some Indian Cuisine this weekend. I ran my plans by my roommate, to make sure she was up for Indian food for the weekend, and the only thing she asked was, "Will you make rice pudding?" To which I assured her it would be on the menu.

Neither of us are big on sugar or very creamy dishes, both of which are staples for a traditional rice pudding. A few years ago I experimented with making a rice pudding with an Indian flare, and we have been hooked ever since. This dish has a unique blending of flavors that combine most beautifully to form this great dessert.

India-Inspired Rice Pudding

Prep Time: 0 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves 6-8

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup medium-grain rice
• 1/4 tsp salt (I prefer pink Himalayan sea salt because the flavor is more subtle)
• 2 14 oz. cans light coconut milk (you can use full-fat for a creamier dessert if you like)
• 1 1/2 cup almond milk 
• 1/3 cup sugar or alternative granulated sweetener
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 cup chopped dates (optional)

Instructions:

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed (preferably non-stick) saucepan. Stir in the rice and salt, cover, and simmer over low heat, stirring once or twice until the water is almost completely absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. 
2. Pour in the coconut and almond milk along with the sugar and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, uncovered and stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to thicken, about 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for another 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom or scorching. 
3. When a spoon can stand up in the pudding, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and cardamom. If you like a sweeter pudding, add the chopped dates. We prefer this pudding served warm. Store in a Tupperware container and add up to 1 cup of milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, if serving chilled or at room temperature to loosen up the pudding before serving. 

Oven-roasted Curry Potatoes

We are big fans of potatoes in this house. I've said it before and I know I'll say it again. However, I am not a big fan of frying, so we tend to roast our potatoes. We love to experiment with different spices and flavors. When ever we cook Indian food, my roommate requests these potatoes. Now, everyone can enjoy them!

Oven-roasted Curry Potatoes

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4-5 medium to large potatoes 
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground red pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cut the potatoes in to hearty strips and let them soak in a bowl of water for 10 minutes.
3. Drain the potatoes and toss them together with the oil and seasonings.
4. Spread the potatoes out evenly on the prepared baking sheet and bake for at least 30 minutes. 

Adapted fromAdventures in Cooking

Gluten-Free Greek Yogurt Waffles

These waffles are a great breakfast staple that come together very quickly and taste great. 

Gluten-Free Greek Yogurt Waffles

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Yields 12 individual waffles, or 3 sets of 4

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 1/4 cup almond milk
10 oz plain or flavored Greek yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs butter, melted
2 tbs honey
1 1/2 cups white rice flour
1/3 cup buckwheat flour
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1 tsp xantham gum
3 3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt


Instructions: 

1. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add milk, yogurt, vanilla, butter, and honey and whisk until combined. 
2. In a small bowl, mix the flours, baking soda, and salt. 
3. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until combined, but don't over mix.
4. Pour the batter on to your waffle maker, close, and cook until golden brown. Top with your favorite toppings. We topped ours with blueberries and goat cheese. Delicious!

Summer Squash Thai Coconut Curry

I'm not a big fan of summer squash, but I will eat it. It helps if I make it really flavorful and avoid boiling it at all costs, to prevent it from becoming mushy. When my roommate came home with an entire bag of summer squash, my creative wheels started turning. What I arrived at was this recipe.

Summer Squash Thai Coconut Curry

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs rice vinegar
• 3 yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 small bell peppers, sliced thinly
• 1 Tbs sesame oil
• 1 Tbs soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce to keep gf)
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14oz) can light coconut milk
• juice of 1 lime
• 5 dried red chillies
• 10 basil leaves
• 14 oz rice thick rice noodles
• 2 Tbs scallions, sliced thinly

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, squash, bell peppers, sesame oil, soy sauce, pepper, and garlic. Stir to combine and let sit to marinate for 10 minutes. 
2. While the squash is marinating, heat the coconut milk, lime juice, red chillies, and basil leaves in a stockpot or wok over medium-low heat.  
3. Boil water in a small stockpot and cook your noodles. 
4. While noodles are cooking, heat a skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles when dropped onto the pan. When the pan is hot, pour in the marinated vegetables and heat until the peppers are a vibrant green, but still crisp, 3-5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and add the contents to the coconut sauce.
5. Once your noodles are cooked, drain them and add them to the coconut and vegetable sauce. Top with the scallions.

Unbelievable Mac-n-cheese

Despite having recently been informed that I am lactose intolerant, there are times that I break down and crave mac-n-cheese. I fooled around with a few recipes to no great avail, when one day, I just poured a bunch of ingredients into the pot. Of course I didn't write them down, so I had to try to recreate it from memory. Well...I successfully did, and we ended up with incredibly delicious, though not very healthy mac-n-cheese. There will be more experiments in the future to see if I can't create an acceptable lactose-free option, but until then...

Unbelievable Mac-n-cheese

Prep Time: 0 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 16 oz pasta shells (I use Tinkyada GF brown rice shells)
• 1 (8oz) bag of shredded colby jack cheese
• 8 oz light sour cream
• 1/2 pint heavy cream
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large stockpot, cook the pasta to your desired doneness.  Drain in a colander and set aside. 
2. In the still-warm stockpot, combine the cheeses, creams, and seasonings. 
3. Pour the warm pasta over the cheese sauce and stir to combine.

Ultimate Cherry Breakfast Smoothie

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why not make it the most delicious? I love smoothies because they are so fast, nutritious and delicious, and my cherry breakfast smoothie is quite possibly my favorite of all time! This smoothie is chock full of natural anti-inflammatory ingredients, so it's a great choice for either a before or after workout meal.

Ultimate Cherry Breakfast Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes

Yields 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup tart cherry juice
• 3/4 cup frozen sweet cherries 
• 1/2 tsp ginger juice or 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cocoa
• 2 scoops vanilla protein powder (I use Body by Vi sweet cream)
• 1/2 cup almond milk

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in the large cup of a magic bullet or blender. Blend until smooth.

Southern-Style Jambalaya

In the south, we are big on our cuisine. We are proud of our bar-b-que, our sweet tea, mac-n-cheese, etc. One of my favorite southern cuisines is Cajun food! Cajun dishes have such a great variety of seasonings and spices that provide a uniquely southern savory heat. Here, I tried to recreate a cajun staple in my crock pot; jambalaya. My southern friends approved, so here it is.

Southern-Style Jambalaya

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice (I used basmati)
• 1 (10 oz) can original Rotel, if you want more heat use hot
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups okra, sliced into 1" pieces (I used frozen pre-cut okra)
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 5 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 2 tsp creole seasoning, Tony's or Zataran's
• 1 lb chicken meat cut into 2" strips (I used breast, but thigh is also delicious)
• 1 lb shrimp, shelled

Instructions:

1. In the crock pot, place the rice, Rotel, tomatoes, vegetables, broth, spices, and chicken and stir to combine. Cook on low for 5 hours.
2. Add the shrimp and cook for an additional hour on low. Serve it up. If prefer more spice, top yours with Chipotle Tabasco sauce for some additional heat.

 

Scrumptious High-Protein Quinoa Pancakes

We are big on breakfast at our apartment. When we have the time, usually on weekends, you can bet that there will be fresh pancakes, waffles, biscuits, eggs, or some other delicious breakfast option. Because we eat pancakes so often, we like to try our hand at different varieties. We came across a quinoa pancake recipe from Cooking Classy and decided to give it a few tweaks to make it gluten free, and we loved it. The original recipe produced forty 3" pancakes, so the recipe below is cut in half to produce a more reasonable quantity of pancakes.

Scrumptious High-Protein Quinoa Pancakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Makes 20 small (3") pancakes

Ingredients: 

• 1/3 cup quinoa, rinsed and cooked in 3/4 cups water
• 3/4 cups gluten free flour, or all purpose if not gluten free
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 3/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg
• 6 oz. fat-free Greek yogurt, (feel free to experiment with different flavors)
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 tbs apple sauce
• olive oil for griddle or pan

Instructions: 

1. Boil 3/4 cups water, and add the quinoa. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer the quinoa until cooked through and water has cooked out. 
2. While the quinoa is cooking, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the yogurt, almond milk, egg, apple sauce, and cooked quinoa and stir to combine. 
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
5. Heat a griddle or skillet to medium heat and grease with olive oil. Pour the pancakes onto the griddle and cook until they are bubbling. Flip and cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Top with your favorite toppings and dig in!