Vegetarian Chili - Dairy, Meat, & Gluten Free

I used to make a vegetarian chili quite often before I went gluten free, and used bulgar wheat in it. I just forgot about it until today, and then thought, "Duh! I can use quinoa!" And it came out perfectly,and maybe even better.

A half an hour later, my family was sitting down and eating. The children had been called in from outside, their cheeks rosy from the cold, and chatting all about the new snow fort they had created outside. My daughter, who usually shies away from the soup/stew/chili kind of food polished off her warm steaming bowl in record time. One thing she loved was being able to put toppings on...cheese, pico de gallo, avocado, green onion, sour cream...whatever you have on hand. This meal will definitely be repeated!



Vegetarian Chili - Dairy, Meat, & Gluten Free

1 can black beans, liquid as well
1 can red kidney beans, liquid as well
2 14.5 oz cans diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 medium diced onion
3 carrots, chopped
1 pepper, chopped
1/2 cup quinoa
olive oil
to taste - cumin, chili powder (I like ancho), salt, pepper, oregano

Put sauce pan over medium heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Put carrots and onions in pan for about 5 minutes and stir occasionally. Add quinoa, stir. Sprinkle on spices to taste, stir and cook a few minutes more. Add 2 cans of tomatoes, and add 2 more cans water or broth. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the two cans of beans with the liquid, and chopped pepper. Cook until everything is hot. Serve with whatever toppings you like. We did pico de gallo, guacamole, and green onion.

Cheers!!

Pasta Fagioli (Pasta and Beans)

My mother calls this the perfect food. It has everything you need in it, protein, starch and vegetable. (I guess that could be argued, tomato..vegetable or fruit? I grew up with it as a veggie.) It's fast, easy and delicious. By the way, don't forget to top with grated cheese, my family favorite is Pecorino Romano, and crushed red pepper.

I thought of my beautiful Auntie Anne (her given name ... Amedia) when I made this the other day. It was my first time making it gluten free, and I hadn't eaten pasta fagioli (we, being stock from Italian peasants pronounce it, "pasta fa-zule"). I wasn't sure that it was going to be the same. I get nervous making 'soul' food gluten free. I still want that taste connection to my past, and my heritage.

Auntie Anne passed away last spring. She was 88 years old. She was up and about and cooking 2 weeks prior to her death. Cooking was her passion. She would read cookbooks like novels, and could 'see' if a recipe would work. With her being older, I was surprised she wasn't skeptical about me eating gluten free, rather, she was fascinated by it, and completely curious. If it dealt with food, she was there. She was the one that taught me to make my own Italian sausage, fast and easy, and gluten free, since I was so nervous about going to the Italian butchers and figuring out what was gluten free. (Back when I was new to being gluten free, now I could easily have that conversation.) And I still will make the sausage the way she told me.

I wish she could taste my pasta and beans, one of her favorite meals to make, and eat. I wish she could taste and explore all the really cool things I have discovered, among them..teff and sweet sorghum flours, the oat pie crust I made, and get her ideas about Italian recipes that are gluten free. And to just sit there, after a family meal and chat about everything.

So, here is a taste of my family and heritage, spelled the way we say it.


Pasta Fazule

2 cans cannolini beans
1 can 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups elbows or small pasta, cooked al dente (I used Tinkyada)
1 chopped onion
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped or put through garlic press
1 can chicken broth, water, or reserved pasta liquid
salt
pepper
basil
olive oil

Cook onion and garlic in olive oil over medium to low heat. Cook until soft, not browned. Add tomatoes, beans with liquid, and chicken broth or water to thin to desired consistency. Simmer 20 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and basil to taste. Add pasta.

Don't for get to top with grated cheese and crushed red pepper.
This gets better the day after, but don't forget, the pasta will absorb a bunch of the liquid, don't be surprised.
And, big tip here in Italian cooking, a lot of the time we use the cooking liquid in the pasta to thin the sauce to the right consistency. It adds a whole heck of a lot more than just water.

Cheers!

Gluten Free Recipes That I Want to Try, That Aren't Mine

I know that this is a long title for this post. But it is exactly what this post is about. I have links upon links of recipes I want to try, but no where to reference them. So, I thought I would start doing that here. I might be doing this again, as I find out where all those links went.

And, if you try anything, or have tried any of these, let me know how they turned out!!!


Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake - Gluten Free

Gluten Free Cottage Bread

Curried Pumpkin Soup

Dark Chocolate Lime Souffle

Apple Snow


I also wanted to give a heads up for anyone planning a vacation. I found this website called Gilli's Holiday, and it has hotels that cater to gluten free diets. It seems to focus on Italy, but there are a few other destinations as well.

Cheers!

[Gluten Free] Goddess: Rustic Chicken Soup for the Soul

The original recipe is from the Gluten Free Goddess, see link below to get to this recipe and her wonderful blog. I did not change much, I omitted the potatoes and chilies, and really that's it. I like it blander, so I can spice it up to my mood...I can make more Italian by adding red pepper and freshly grated cheese, or Mexican by adding cheddar and jalapenos.

Gluten Free] Goddess: Rustic Chicken Soup for the Soul

Rustic Chicken Soup

extra virgin olive oil, as needed
3-4 split chicken breasts
8 cloves fresh garlic, I use garlic press
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 heaping cups thinly shredded cabbage (can use bagged)
1 red bell pepper, cut up
1 yellow summer squash, cut up
2 zucchini squash, cut up
1 teaspoon each of: dried basil, oregano and parsley
4 or more cups organic chicken broth, as needed
a dash or two of Worcestershire sauce, to taste

Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil into the bottom of a crock pot. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom; top with half the chopped garlic. Season with sea salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, bell pepper, yellow and zucchini squashes, and toss them with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Season with sea salt, ground pepper, and any herbs. Toss to coat.

Pour the veggies into the crock in an even layer. Add the chicken broth and a dash of Worcestershire sauce, to taste. The liquid should just about cover the veggies. If you like more of a liquid soup than a stew, add more broth.

Cover and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours, until the chicken is done and easily breaks apart into pieces with a large spoon. Take out bones, add whatever else to taste, and eat!