Category Archives: GLUTEN FREE RECIPES

SAVORY POLENTA

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So, this lady walks into a restaurant one evening, sits down in a booth and she and her husband order drinks while they peruse the menu. (This was quite a few years ago when the lady was not nearly as sophisticated or food savvy as she is today.) So on the menu, appearing with the entrée she had chosen, was this item calling itself polenta. No explanation as to what polenta was! Just polenta! (Like from birth everyone should know about polenta?!) Well this poor woman had no idea what she was ordering and too embarrassed to ask the waiter. (Did I mention this was quite some time ago?)

When her dinner arrived, she was quite taken aback by what appeared to be a square of semi-baked cornbread. But being the adventurous type, she cut off a small piece and popped it into her mouth. Well this woman had been making and eating cornbread for years. But this yellow stuff on her plate was so lacking in flavor and had such a strange consistency that she didn’t finish her serving or even try polenta again for years. All she could hope for was that polenta would go the way of those red pickled crab apple slices that used to “grace” every restaurant plate in America!

But then one magical day polenta was on the menu at one of her favorite Italian restaurants. She was mystified. “What in the name of coarse ground cornmeal had polenta to do with such a prestigious world cuisine?” But being a little older and a little bolder (notice wiser was not mentioned) she got an earful when she asked that very same question of her waiter. Because, began the waiter in his best professorial voice, “please allow me to quote from an article I just read on the Life in Italy website”. And I quote, “It often happens that a nation of people will identify themselves as a distinct culture by their traditional foods. For Italians, it always seems both pasta and pizza are the cornerstones of what makes Italian food “Italian”. However, there is a staple food of Northern Italy that does not get the recognition, but certainly makes up the third aspect of the Italian food trinity: Humble, yet versatile and satisfying polenta. Italian cuisine has been characterized by being the food of the peasant and just as poor Southern Italians worked the fields with their bellies full of pasta, Northern Italians subsisted on little more than polenta for centuries. In this way, polenta is truly an Italian national dish, and may have a history much more ancient than either pizza or pasta.”

So knowing that the chef in this restaurant would never steer her wrong, she once again ordered an entrée that included polenta. But this time, the experience was far different. The creamy, savory, and buttery polenta was served as a base for her entrée meat which lay gently nestled on top. She had discovered heaven that evening in the form of an Italian classic. (Had she realized polenta was Italian to begin with, she might have given it a second try much sooner!) But she had thought, incorrectly of course, that polenta was just a new creation some famous chef had invented and every restaurant from Denny’s to Rosellini’s Four-10 now wanted to feature. (She has since learned that when it comes to food, there is truly nothing new under the sun!) So from that wonderful evening at one of her favorite Italian restaurants, she has truly come to love this humble Italian peasant food. And this recipe from Alton Brown is her favorite. Buon Appetito!

  • 2 T. olive oil
  • 3/4 c. finely chopped red onion
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 qt. chicken stock
  • 1 c. coarse ground cornmeal
  • 3 T. butter
  • 2-oz. finely grated Parmesan (about ½ cup packed) + extra for serving at the table (some people, like Mr. C. for example, enjoy a little polenta with their Parmesan!)

In a large, oven-proof covered saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and pepper; sauté until the onion begins to turn translucent, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and add the garlic. Sauté until the garlic releases its aroma, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat a bit and gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Cover the pan and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent lumps. Once the polenta is creamy, remove from the oven and add the butter and Parmesan. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately. Or, if you prefer, pour into a 9×13-inch pan lined with parchment paper. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. When ready to serve, cut into squares, rounds, or triangles, brush with olive oil and sauté in a non-stick pan. (Great way to serve leftovers too!) Polenta is gluten free and can be prepared with vegetable stock for a vegetarian side dish.

 

 

OATMEAL PANCAKES

My daughter Paula asked me if I had any good gluten free recipes. One of the ladies she works with recently discovered that she can no longer tolerate gluten. I reminded Paula that “gluten free” was not really my specialty, but that I did have a few fabulous recipes I would be happy to share.

The first recipe that came to mind is this recipe for Oatmeal Pancakes from Bob’s Red Mill Flour. Now, the foremost thing you need to know about my choice of featuring this recipe is that I basically hate oatmeal. I could no more eat a bowl of oatmeal than I could, for example, ride a horse for eight hours downhill! (If you have never ridden a horse, then you haven’t had the joy of being over 60 with knees that scream at the merest suggestion of an incline or decline to begin with! Then multiply that by 100, and you will know how I was feeling after I got off a horse after only riding 2 hours, the last 30 minutes of which were downhill!) So for me to tell you that oatmeal pancakes are my favorite should give you some indication that they are very, very good indeed!

I found this recipe a few years back when I was researching a gluten free diet. I thought I might possible have an intolerance, but tests revealed that gluten was not the problem. And even though I am not sensitive to gluten, a few of the recipes I found during my “gluten free” phase are still part of my life. During that time I also discovered that cornstarch and potato starch/flours are fine thickening agents for sauces, gravies, and soups. That rice pasta isn’t half bad (beats no pasta at all)! Polenta and grits are food from the Gods. And soy bean and sorghum flours are about the worst tasting ingredients I ever tasted!

So setting my scary memories of bread made with sorghum flour aside, I am going to swear off gluten for the next couple of weeks, and feature a few fantastic recipes that contain not a hint of protein composites found in foods processed from wheat or related grain species.

So please join me as I explore the gastronomic gourmet world of “gluten free”. You might even find that you can actually reduce the amount of gluten in your life without feeling like you have lost your best friend. And don’t forget – “gluten free” is trendy. It’s totally hip, cool beans, groovy, the bee’s knees, and in-like-Flynn. Be there or be square!

  • 1 c. milk
  • ¾ c. quick cooking rolled oats
  • 2 eggs, separated
  • ¾ c. oat flour
  • 2 T. sugar
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 T. vegetable oil

Heat milk in a saucepan until it feels very hot to the touch. Remove from heat and stir in the oats; let stand for 5 minutes. Meanwhile whip the egg whites to stiff peaks; set aside. Combine the oat flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Stir in the cooled oat/milk mixture, egg yolks, and oil. Fold whipped egg whites into batter. Fry as you would any pancake. Serve with butter and your favorite syrup. Hint: Always warm syrup before serving. It’s just the right thing to do!

 

 

GRANOLA

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Habits are interesting. Your body doesn’t even have to be reminded that it’s time to exercise or take your morning vitamins when you are in the “habit” of performing that action. So naturally when I started thinking about writing up this granola recipe, I thought about our habit of having a parfait starring this granola almost every morning for breakfast. So then I thought to myself, where does a habit reside in my body? (It’s pretty full of organs and other stuff already!) It turns out habits live in our brains.

According to Chris Adams in an article entitled “What is a habit?” on his Ergonomics site, “When you learn something, your brain makes connections that create pathways for neurological activity. When you routinely perform the same actions, your brain learns this pattern of behavior and sets up a pathway. This pathway is a more efficient way for the brain to process the routine, as opposed to a new series of discreet tasks. That is a habit. Think of ruts dug into the mud. It is much easier to drive your car with the ruts than trying to drive through, over or against them. Cache memory in a computer is another good analogy. The computer stores commonly used actions where it can access and process them faster. The brain does the same thing. Setting up these pathways is actually quite simple. With daily repetition, you can institute a new habit in as little as 10 days. That is, of course, if the new habit is not competing against an old one. Unfortunately, once a pathway is set it is extremely difficult to get rid of, which is why breaking a bad habit is so hard.” Thank you Chris, I couldn’t have stated it better myself!

You know, learning that habits live in my brain explains a lot! It clarifies why I just can’t rid myself of some of my bad habits, and why some that I really need to incorporate into my daily routine are just not happening! My brain is full! I’ve felt it coming on for years! I can’t remember names the way I used to. I forget the ending words of sentences. I go into rooms wondering what in the world I was there to retrieve? Thank goodness I’m already in the habit of eating granola for breakfast!  Or eating granola might just end up in the same over-stuffed part of my brain where all of my forgotten words remain reclusive, things I started out to fetch remain unclaimed, and new habits are rejected for lack of RAM!

So all of you who are still able to make and change habits with alacrity try eating granola as part of a perfect breakfast.  When layered with yogurt and fresh fruit it is just a lovely addition to or diversion from, the standard toast and egg routine. Breakfast can be a tad bit boring. But I am sure you will find that there is nothing boring about this granola. It’s crisp and chewy and fabulous. Give it a try.

  • 3 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
  • ¾ c. slivered almonds
  • ¾ c. coconut
  • 1 c. chopped pecans
  • ¼ c. chopped dried dates
  • ¼ c. dried apricots, chopped
  • ½ c. dried cranberries
  • 4 T. butter
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/3 c. honey
  • ½ tsp. vanilla

Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes in a pre-heated 350 degree oven, stirring occasionally, until coconut lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and immediately add chopped pecans and dried fruits. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in cinnamon and honey. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour butter mixture over oat mixture and stir until well combined. On a large rimmed baking sheet, spread the granola evenly in a thin layer. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake, stirring every 5 minutes until light golden brown, about 20 minutes. (Do not over-bake; the granola will crisp as it cools.)  Cool completely and store in an airtight container. Makes a wonderful parfait when layered with vanilla yogurt and mixed berries.

 

SCALLOPED POTATOES

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Of all the side dishes that seem to be a favorite of everyone, scalloped potatoes must be near the top of the list. And really, what’s not to love? Thin slices of potatoes baked in a lovely cheese sauce. Well, I’ll tell you what’s not to love! The time it takes to bake most scalloped potato recipes. Holy cow, it’s holiday time and you already have several dishes that need anywhere from several hours in a slow oven to 45 minutes in a hotter oven to re-warm. So then comes along your big old lovely casserole of potatoes. How the heck are you going to make room for a dish that requires 1 ½ – 2 hours in a 350 degree oven? Well dear readers, I’m still slightly aghast that it took me until about 8 years ago before my internal incandescent light bulb, which I had always assumed had at least a wattage rating of 100, came on in my brain and shed some light, so to speak, on the subject. (Either my wattage is less than I originally believed it to be, or my wire filaments aren’t burning as hot as they should! And yes, I still have an internal incandescent light bulb. I was born way before there was an option to be hard wired with a CFL – Compact Fluorescent Lamp)! So if you are looking for a simple way to make an old favorite, give this recipe a try. There is no flavor lost when you partially cook the potatoes ahead of time. And the peace of mind from knowing that your potatoes won’t possibly be crunchy when you are ready to serve is worth more than you’ll save from switching from incandescent to CFL or LED (light-emitting diode) lighting!

  • 1 lb. Yukon Gold or russet potatoes
  • 1 T. butter
  • ½ tsp. paprika, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1 T. cornstarch
  • 1 c. whole milk
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 c. shredded cheese (sharp cheddar, aged Gouda, etc.)

Peel potatoes and cut in half. (And yes I peel my potatoes for this recipe, because boiled potato skins tend to become tough.) Then slice each half potato into 1/3-inch slices. Place in a covered pan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add a goodly amount of kosher salt, cover and cook until just about tender. (You don’t want mushy potatoes, so watch carefully). Drain. Meanwhile, brown butter in a medium sized saucepan. Add paprika and cornstarch and let burble in pan for about a minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and pepper, bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and slowly stir in the cheese. Adjust seasoning. (The sauce will be very thick.) Carefully add the cheese sauce to the potatoes. Scoop mixture into a lightly buttered casserole pan and sprinkle lightly with additional paprika. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until the top is starting to brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges of the casserole dish. Let sit a few minutes before serving. Note: Don’t be afraid to mix and match the cheeses for this recipe. This dish is a perfect way to use up those bits and pieces of cheese that aren’t aging gracefully! Also, this recipe doubles and triples beautifully.