This Kadai mushroom masala is tasty and cooks up in under 30 minutes, but for those who aren’t used to spicy foods, it’s a scorcher. I’m still getting used to Indian red chili powder, which is much hotter than the kind commonly available in the US (you’ll need to visit an Indian grocery to pick up the right kind.) If you don’t want something hot, you could cut the chili powder in half. We also decided that a whole large bell pepper was too much for our taste and will probably use half a pepper next time we make this. That said, this is tasty, healthy, and naturally GF and dairy free - definitely worth a try!

This Kadai mushroom masala is tasty and cooks up in under 30 minutes, but for those who aren’t used to spicy foods, it’s a scorcher. I’m still getting used to Indian red chili powder, which is much hotter than the kind commonly available in the US (you’ll need to visit an Indian grocery to pick up the right kind.) If you don’t want something hot, you could cut the chili powder in half. We also decided that a whole large bell pepper was too much for our taste and will probably use half a pepper next time we make this. That said, this is tasty, healthy, and naturally GF and dairy free - definitely worth a try!

Torta de Santiago

Torta de Santiago

Buzzfeed: 33 Amazing Gluten Free Desserts for Valentine’s Day

Buzzfeed: 33 Amazing Gluten Free Desserts for Valentine’s Day

I tried this salad from smitten kitchen a month ago but thought it needed a little tweaking to make it tastier and more portable (and I wanted to throw in some greens, just cause.) My goal was something filling and balanced that I could prep at the beginning of the week and assemble quickly for take-to-work lunches, and was easy to vary so I could eat it frequently without getting bored.  Hearty Roasted Vegetable Salad (serves 3-4) 1 medium butternut squash, pumpkin, acorn squash, or kabocha squash, or 2 sweet potatoes, or about 1 lb large carrots or beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes 1-2 tsp cumin 1 tsp turmeric 1-2 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp salt freshly ground black pepper 1-2 tbsp olive oil 1 cup black beluga or french green lentils, or adzuki beans or mung beans arugula, spinach, romaine, or whatever greens you prefer  [optional] a soft, easy to crumble cheese - feta, goat cheese and gorgonzola are all good here. You’ll want about 1/8 of a cup of cheese per serving (up to an ounce).  shelled raw pistachios, walnut pieces, or pecan pieces dried fruit - I used dried cranberries today but I’m going to try something more tart, like cherries or blueberries, next time a few tablespoons of red wine vinegar (or balsamic or cider vinegar) To roast the veggies: Toss the diced vegetables with the oil and spices. Roast in a single layer at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until fork-tender.  Cook the lentils or beans according to package directions in salted water. Drain and set aside. If you’re serving this immediately, let the veggies and lentils cool to room temperature before assembling the salad. If you’re going to store it, keep the lentils and squash separate from the greens and toppings. Bring the lentils and squash back to room temperature (about 1 minute in the microwave) before spooning them over the rest of the ingredients, and top everything with a splash of red wine vinegar.

I tried this salad from smitten kitchen a month ago but thought it needed a little tweaking to make it tastier and more portable (and I wanted to throw in some greens, just cause.) My goal was something filling and balanced that I could prep at the beginning of the week and assemble quickly for take-to-work lunches, and was easy to vary so I could eat it frequently without getting bored. 

Hearty Roasted Vegetable Salad (serves 3-4)

  • 1 medium butternut squash, pumpkin, acorn squash, or kabocha squash, or 2 sweet potatoes, or about 1 lb large carrots or beets, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1-2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1-2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1-2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup black beluga or french green lentils, or adzuki beans or mung beans
  • arugula, spinach, romaine, or whatever greens you prefer 
  • [optional] a soft, easy to crumble cheese - feta, goat cheese and gorgonzola are all good here. You’ll want about 1/8 of a cup of cheese per serving (up to an ounce). 
  • shelled raw pistachios, walnut pieces, or pecan pieces
  • dried fruit - I used dried cranberries today but I’m going to try something more tart, like cherries or blueberries, next time
  • a few tablespoons of red wine vinegar (or balsamic or cider vinegar)

To roast the veggies: Toss the diced vegetables with the oil and spices. Roast in a single layer at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until fork-tender. 

Cook the lentils or beans according to package directions in salted water. Drain and set aside.

If you’re serving this immediately, let the veggies and lentils cool to room temperature before assembling the salad. If you’re going to store it, keep the lentils and squash separate from the greens and toppings. Bring the lentils and squash back to room temperature (about 1 minute in the microwave) before spooning them over the rest of the ingredients, and top everything with a splash of red wine vinegar.

Parmesan-Rosemary Pumpkin fritters. All you have to do is switch out the flour in this recipe for an equal amount of GF all-purpose flour. 

Parmesan-Rosemary Pumpkin fritters.

All you have to do is switch out the flour in this recipe for an equal amount of GF all-purpose flour. 

Sausage and Lentil Stew with Fennel and Paprika Other than the sausage, this is perfectly healthy and filling winter food. Highly recommended. The only unusual ingredient is passata, which is actually just strained tomato sauce. I found some at Central Market, but regular canned tomato sauce will work just fine. 

Sausage and Lentil Stew with Fennel and Paprika

Other than the sausage, this is perfectly healthy and filling winter food. Highly recommended. The only unusual ingredient is passata, which is actually just strained tomato sauce. I found some at Central Market, but regular canned tomato sauce will work just fine. 

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Gluten-Free Thanksgiving

It’s doable. It really is. Here are a few suggestions for GF versions of classic recipes.

Green Bean Casserole:

Look at it. No canned condensed soups. For dairy free folks - you can skip the oil and cream; the mushrooms will taste perfectly fine without them. (Although, if you MUST, and if you can eat dairy, Pacific Foods offers some GF condensed soups.)

Cranberry Sauce:

Not that this isn’t usually gluten free anyways, but this sauce struck my fancy because it has also figs and rosemary in it.

Cornbread Stuffing

The Pioneer Woman’s recipe is fabulous, but requires a few modifications. First, make this gluten free cornbread. I would double the cornbread recipe - using twice the amount of cornbread called for in the Pioneer Woman recipe and leaving out the crusty artisan bread - and then make this gluten free french bread to substitute for the regular french bread she calls for. This is optional, but I’ve also used cured sausage in this recipe instead of fresh, slicing it into disks instead of breaking it up on the skillet.

Sweet Potato Casserole

The traditional version, gluten free. 

Gravy

I’ve made gravy with cornstarch before and didn’t like it. The texture is substantially different and the flavor isn’t that great. I’ll be trying this recipe this year. (My mom also adds chopped boiled eggs and sauteed mushrooms to her gravy - I highly recommend it.)

Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are pretty much off the table for the dairy-free crowd, so here’s a substitute that’s easier to do, tastes great with gravy and still feeds a crowd.

Polenta with Pepperonata THIS IS SO GOOD. I don’t even love bell peppers that much and this rocked my world. No adaptions are needed, but I’d add that a while ago, I had scallops and pepperonata at a restaurant and it was delicious, so you could throw in some seafood if you wanted a little more protein.

Polenta with Pepperonata

THIS IS SO GOOD. I don’t even love bell peppers that much and this rocked my world. No adaptions are needed, but I’d add that a while ago, I had scallops and pepperonata at a restaurant and it was delicious, so you could throw in some seafood if you wanted a little more protein.

Roasted tomato, red lentil and bacon soup, you say? Say no more, I’m in.

Roasted tomato, red lentil and bacon soup, you say? Say no more, I’m in.

This is awesome weeknight food - the fastest thing I’ve prepared in (ahem) way too long. These Vietnamese shrimp and egg pancakes aren’t the lowest-fat meal you could make, but they’re high in protein and delicious. We served them with chili sauce, tamari, and fish sauce for dipping, as well as this healthy Japanese spinach salad:

This is awesome weeknight food - the fastest thing I’ve prepared in (ahem) way too long. These Vietnamese shrimp and egg pancakes aren’t the lowest-fat meal you could make, but they’re high in protein and delicious. We served them with chili sauce, tamari, and fish sauce for dipping, as well as this healthy Japanese spinach salad: