Tag Archives: recipe

Recipe // Gluten-free Chicken Adobo

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When I was young, I lived in the Philippines for a bit. I fell in love with the food while I was there, and I have continued to make a few of the dishes ever since. My absolute favorite food at that age was chicken adobo. I don’t think I really have a favorite food anymore, but this is certainly one of the dishes I love the most.

This is an especially great recipe because it is fairly cheap to make, and the portions can be modified easily to make a small or large amount of food.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp canola oil, separated
1 large onion, sliced
8 cloves garlic, sliced
4 bay leaves
1/2 tsp black peppercorns, whole
6 pieces chicken, such as bone-in thighs or drumsticks (with skin)
1 C white vinegar
1 C soy sauce (wheat-free tamari will work, as always, I used  La Choy soy sauce, as it does not contain wheat but has more of a soy sauce flavor)

The pictures I used for this post are from a larger batch than the recipe described that I made for a potluck. Imagine smaller amounts. :)

1. Heat 1 Tbsp canola oil over medium heat. Add sliced onion, stir until it begins to soften, then add garlic, continuing to stir occasionally.

2. (Optional step, that improves the texture a bit, in my opinion) While the onions and garlic are sautéing,  heat other tablespoon of canola oil in a flat pan, browning each side slightly.

 I know, uncooked meat is gross looking. I said chicken adobo tastes good, not that it looks pretty!

3. Add bay leaves and peppercorns to onion and garlic mixture. Stir to combine. Add chicken to onion mixture, then add soy sauce and vinegar. Simmer over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked through.

Serve over rice, with chili paste on the side.

Notes:

To make this dish soy-free as well, you can use coconut aminos. I have a Filipina friend who loves her dad’s chicken adobo that he makes with it!

You can usually find bay leaves that are much cheaper and much more fragrant than those found in the spice aisle in the Hispanic section of your local grocery store.

The longer you can cook this, the better.

Don’t eat the bay leaves.

Happy eating!

Lemon Curd Recipe

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I recently wrote a guest post for Glutenvy Girl,wherein I used 3 egg whites. That meant I had 3 egg yolks to use. I had some lemons on hand, so I made lemon curd.

I needed:

3 Egg yolks
2 Meyer lemons
1/2 stick butter
1/3 cup sugar

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a metal bowl until they are creamy.

I’m not much of one for measuring, so I squeezed the juice from the lemons directly into the sugar and egg yolk mixture through a strainer.

I zested the lemons right into the mix as well. Note: I probably should have done this before squeezing them out, I think they would have been easier to zest!

Then set the metal bowl on top of a pan with about an inch of boiling water in the bottom, to make a double boiler.

Stir the mixture while it bubbles, making sure to continually scrape the sides. Do this until it gets thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Once it has thickened up, remove it from the heat, and add the butter bit by bit, melting it into the mixture. Pour all of the lemon curd into a container, and keep it in the refrigerator.

You now have a delicious spread to put on yogurt, toast, waffles, pancakes, or really anything you want to add a fresh, lemony flavor to!

I first had it on pancakes (I used Pamela’s Pancake mix) with powdered sugar. Mmmmm!

Happy eating!

Gluten-free Lemon Meringue Pie

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One of the best parts of winter is the abundant supply of flavorful, fresh citrus. I had a few Meyer lemons from my CSA lying around, as well as an abundant supply of eggs, so I made a lemon meringue pie! This was my first attempt. I used this recipe by Alton Brown from www.foodnetwork.com for the filling and topping, and the recipe on the Bob’s Red Mill Rice flour package for the pie crust. Overall, it turned out pretty well. Here are my notes:

1. The pie crust recipe needed a little more liquid than the recipe called for. My mother taught me to always use ice water in pie crust. I had read somewhere that vodka or vinegar are good to use in pie crusts (something to do with the acid I think), so I poured about a tablespoon of vodka over three ice cubes, swirled it until it was ice-cold, and added it to the mixture. More like bartending than baking! If you keep your vodka in the freezer this step would be even easier.

2. This pie crust is really crumbly. If you can afford it, I would say use a gluten-free pastry flour blend. The rice flour is a little cheaper though, so I circumvent the rolling-out difficulties by not doing it at all. I grab handfuls of the crumbly dough mixture, squeeze it in my fist, and then press it into my pie dish in sections with my fingertips. No one can see the weird crater-like texture once the filling is in it!

3. One of my favorite cooking secrets is to use room-temperature egg whites to make meringues. This will give you those coveted stiff, shiny peaks every time! It was even easier to do with this recipe because the filling is made with egg yolks. When I separated the eggs, I put the whites in a liquid measuring cup, and put that on my stove-top while my pie crust was baking to bring them to room temperature a little faster.

And there you have it. Happy eating!

CSAs- A Great Way to get Fresh, Local, Organic Produce!

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Cooking with whole fruits and vegetables is a good way to make healthy, gluten-free foods. I extend this philosophy to whole canned foods as well (think using canned tomatoes to make pasta sauce rather than buy pre-made, processed sauce in a jar). The assortment of vegetables above is my CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) delivery I get once every two weeks from New Roots Organics. I get the Personal Bin every two weeks. They have a lot of different sizes of bins available, and you can order a vegetable- or fruit-only bin as well. It is also possible to get them delivered every week. If you are switching to a gluten-free diet, and as a result trying to cook more at home, you might consider finding a CSA to join. It’s a great way to get fresh, local produce, and they support small farmers as well. CSAs are also often organic. Having a CSA has saved me a lot of money, as I buy a lot of other whole ingredients, such as chicken, rice, and eggs, to make meals. Making meals rather than buying something pre-made is almost always cheaper. I make a lot of curries, stir-fries, pasta Primavera (with both red and pesto-sauce), and stews. These are all great ways to cook with a lot of vegetables, and they offer almost endless variety. The CSA adds an extra element of change, as its contents change from delivery to delivery.

Here is a stir-fry recipe that you can vary according to the vegetables and ingredients you have on hand:

1 Tbsp High smoke-point oil such as peanut or canola
1-inch section of ginger, sliced into coins
3 Garlic cloves, sliced (you can use more or less depending on taste- I really like garlic!)
1-2 spicy chilis, minced (optional)
1/2 onion, sliced
1 chicken breast, chopped (or equivalent amount of pork, tofu, beef, or shrimp)
2 cups chopped vegetables (here is another place variety comes into play. broccoli, snap peas, carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, squash, and bok choy are all great choices, but you can use pretty much any kind of vegetable!)
1/2 cup soy sauce (use a gluten-free brand, such as La Choy, or wheat-free tamari)
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar

Add oil to your pan or wok, over medium-high heat. Add the ginger, chilis if desired, and garlic. Allow the oil to infuse with the flavors of the ginger, garlic, and chilis. Add the onion, saute for a few minutes and then add the chicken or other protein. Saute until mostly cooked, and then add the vegetables. Some people like their veggies barely cooked and crunchy, others more soft. Cook them as much as you like, but make sure the meat is cooked through before you eat or taste it. Add the soy sauce and vinegar, and stir until it reduces a bit and coats the meat and vegetables. If you would like a thicker sauce, you can dissolve 1/2 tsp of corn starch in some water, and add it to your pan. Let the corn starch cook for a bit, and then turn off the heat. The sauce will thicken as it cools.You can also toss in some peanuts, or cashews, or add a tsp of sugar to your sauce for a sweeter sauce. Like I said, there are a lot of variations you can make with this. Serve over rice, quinoa, or rice noodles. Serve with chili paste or sauce if desired. Serves 2-4.

Gluten-Free Valentine’s Day Recipe Roundup

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Happy Valentine’s Day!

Looking for gluten-free recipes for Valentine’s Day? I have some ideas for you! I think the sexiest type of meal is the “small plate” style of eating, where most of the food is very flavorful, bite-sized, and served in small portions to share. These would be great recipes for a fancy meal with that special someone, or to have out on the coffee table while you share a few bottles of wine with friends! All of these recipes are fairly simple, so you can spend more time with the people who are important to you and less time stressing out in the kitchen. They are also all easy to transport, so you could bring some to a Valentine’s Day party!

Savory

1. Seared Scallops with Orange and Vermouth (foodandwine.com)
2. Grilled Zucchini Roll Recipe with Herbed Goat Cheese and Kalamata Olives  (cookingcanuck.com)
3. Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Medjool Dates (closetcooking.com)
4. Steak Bites with Bloody Mary Dipping Sauce (foodnetwork.com- Rachael Ray)
5. Caprese Skewers (culinarycory.com)

Sweet

1. Cashew Butter Chocolate Strawberry Bites (glutenvygirl.com)
2. {Flourless} Fudge Chocolate Chip Cookies (chocolateandcarrots.com)
3. Creamy Chocolate Coconut Pudding (Gluten and Dairy-free) (eatingforwellness.net)
4. Mocha Mousse (elanaspantry.com)
5. DIY Salt Caramels (thekitchn.com)

Happy eating!

Gluten-Free Superbowl Survival Guide

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So, I’ll admit, I really don’t care about the Super Bowl for the actual game. I keep forgetting which teams are in it, and I’m not even sure what roman numeral is supposed to be denoting which Super Bowl it is this year. I DO know that Madonna, M.I.A. and Nicki Menage are playing the half-time show, so I’m looking forward to what I hope is some over-the-top fabulousness. And I’m also looking forward to some fun ads, and hanging out with fun people. The tricky part for people with dietary restrictions is, obviously, the food side of the Super Bowl tradition. Here is what I plan to do to survive (and thoroughly enjoy!) the party:

1. Eat before I go
I’m not going to absolutely stuff myself ahead of time, but I’m not going to starve myself either. I’ll probably eat something pretty satisfying, so if I see something that looks really good there that I can’t eat, I won’t feel too deprived.

2. Bring Gluten-free beer with me
I’m not a huge beer drinker, but something about the Super Bowl makes me want to join in on the good-ol-’American fun. I will most likely be taking Red Bridge, since I know I like it and it’s affordable. Hint: people might be curious and want to try it! If they do, I’ll pour some out of my bottle into a cup, or give them their own, as they may have eaten gluten and the traces on their lips can contaminate the mouth of my bottle.

3. Bring food that I can eat along
This is a good opportunity for me to be a good guest, as I’m bringing food, and also a good opportunity for others with allergies or sensitivities to feel accommodated and cared for. Since I don’t know the people I will be spending the Super Bowl with very well this year, I’ve asked the person I do know well about any other allergies in the group, so I can make my dish accommodate their needs as well.

Here is a little list of links to recipes for gluten-free superbowl foods:

Chocolate-Dipped Potato Chips (Spoon Fork Bacon)
Asian Hot Wings with Cucumber and Scallion Sour Cream Dipping Sauce (Bon Appetit)
Caramelized Maui Onion Dip (Sunset Magazine)
Gluten-Free Fried Chicken (My own-shameless, I know!)
Grilled Bacon Jalapeno Wraps (Submitted by Miss G. on allrecipes.com)

And that’s pretty much it! With these few little preparations, I’m all set to have a good time ignoring football and hanging out with people!

Happy cheering!

A Snowy Walk and Some Tasty Cookies

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photo provided courtesy of elanaspantry.com

It snowed this weekend (In Seattle that is kind of a big deal). My boyfriend and I decided to go for a walk and make these cookies. We walked the mile or so through the snow to the natural foods store to pick up the ingredients I didn’t have on hand, which was most of them. Luckily, this recipe was very simple and only had a few ingredients, so we didn’t have much to carry (or rather, the boyfriend didn’t)! It was so cute, the checker at the store saw all of our items on the belt and asked “Is this a recipe from Elana’s Pantry?” Yes, indeed.

I found that a lot of items I normally buy in their packaged form can be found in the bulk section. This saves a lot of packaging, as well as money. It also meant that I wasn’t left with a lot of leftover ingredients from making just one recipe.

Admittedly, we used Bob’s Red Mill Blanched Almond Flour, a brand Elana does not recommend for her recipes. We found that we needed a little more flour than the recipe called for, but it worked. The cookies ran more than those in the picture, but that could have been because I scooped out bigger portions of the dough than the recipe recommended as I wanted to make more of a breakfast bar.

I was so excited to come across this recipe. Almonds are full of protein, healthy fats, and fiber. And grapeseed oil has a lot of omega-3 fatty acids. The dark chocolate chips add very little sugar and a lot of indulgence, and the cookies are sweetened with agave syrup. Not to mention the recipe was very simple and quick to make.

These were wonderful with my morning coffee. I was having a bit of a rushed morning, and it was great to have something healthy and homemade on hand to grab on my way out the door! I will most certainly be baking these again.

Streamlining Breakfast // Gluten-Free Oatmeal

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I met with a client at her house the other day; I am super proud of her, as she is seeing all of the allergies she has recently discovered she has as an opportunity to really take charge of her health and make some changes. Something she said really struck me. She said she wants all of these changes to “become second nature.” With that in mind, I thought I would share my breakfast routine, as it has recently become very streamlined and easy.

1. Bob’s Red Mill Certified Gluten-Free Quick cooking oatmeal
I buy this at Fred Meyer, but it can also be found online here.
2. Slivered almonds from Trader Joe’s
3. Brown Sugar
4. Roasted and salted sunflower seeds from Trader Joe’s

I like to re-use jars and store things that normally come in bags in them. This means a lot less fiddling around with bags and clips and such during those precious morning moments. Here is my current morning breakfast routine:

I scoop my oatmeal out of the container with a 1/3 cup measure (the 1/2 cup the back of the Bob’s Red Mill package calls for always seems to be a bit too much). I fill the 1/3 cup scoop up twice with water and dump the water in my bowl for a total of 2/3 cup water (making a 1:2 oatmeal to water ratio). I microwave it for 2 minutes, then let it stand for a bit. When the oatmeal is ready to eat, I open my jars and shake my toppings over the top of my oatmeal.

I love this because there is an endless variety of topping combinations one could use.

Some other ideas:
Almond Butter
Peanut Butter
Any type of nut
Gluten-free chocolate chips
Maple syrup
Agave syrup
Honey
Fresh fruit or berries (you could pre-slice these and keep them in a container in the refrigerator)

I also keep my coffee in a jar, so I can shake or spoon out coffee quickly into a filter without having to deal with re-rolling and sealing a bag. If you are anything like me, you know how much saving that little bit of time in the morning can help! Especially pre-coffee!

What do you do to save time in the mornings? Any tips for making a gluten-free diet second nature?

A Gluten-Free Fried Chicken Recipe!

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I don’t know what is going on with me and fried food. Just a little passionate fling I suppose. I made this the other day and it was SO good. I made it again so I could share with my roommates and my boyfriend, and now I get to share the recipe with you!

Let me just say, my gluten-free roommate has not had fried chicken in years, and he almost died of happiness when he tried these. And my other roommate and my boyfriend, who both eat gluten, thought they tasted great as well. to quote my gluten-eating roommate, “I don’t even miss the gluten. And gluten is pretty good.” So there you have it.

Gluten-Free Fried Chicken
Recipe adapted from Ener-G Bread Crumb box

1 egg
1 tsp water
1 Cup Bread Ener-G Bread Crumbs (if you can’t find them in a store you can buy them online here)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp granulated  garlic
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Lbs chicken tenders. ( You can use any cut of chicken, but I like these because they make more of a chicken strip)
Oil with a high smoke point, such as canola. You need enough to fill up your pan to about 1/2” deep

1. Crack the egg into a bowl, and add the water to it. Beat lightly.

2. Get your chicken all ready to go. You need to be able to grab it.

3. Combine dry ingredients in a dish. Mix well.

4. Set up the three dishes so you can get the chicken ready to fry, assembly line-style.

5. Dip the chicken in the egg.

6. Then dip the egg-covered chicken into the bread crumb mixture and roll it around until the chicken piece is covered. Repeat steps 5 & 6 until you have breaded all of the chicken.

7. Put the oil into your pan and tun the heat to medium-high. When the oil is hot enough (it’ll look a little shimmery) carefully lay some of the chicken pieces in the oil. Make sure there is enough space around each one to cook and crisp up the sides.

8. When the bottoms of the chicken pieces are golden brown, use tongs to flip them over. Let those sides turn golden brown as well. When they are fully cooked, remove them from the pan with the tongs and put them on some paper towels. Put your next batch in the pan, and repeat the cooking process until they are all done.

Seriously, who could resist that crispy loveliness?

These are great with barbecue sauce, warm red marinara sauce, or ketchup. For those of you who miss malt vinegar since going gluten-free, the rice vinegar that you can get in the Asian section of the grocery store tastes very similar.

So there you are! A gluten-free fried chicken recipe, and you won’t even miss the gluten!