Cooking fresh collard greens (vegetarian, vegan)

photo from finecooking.com

Collards (also called collard greens) get a bad rap. They're green and kinda stinky (really only during a long cooking period)... but they are absurdly cheap, incredibly healthy, and super tasty. Collards are part of the cruciferous family (with kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, etc...) and they have compounds that can cause bloating and gas for some people... however if you're a fan of greens, don't pass up collards! Here are some interesting facts on this healthy green: 

Medical News Today stated in a recent article: 

"One cup of boiled collard greens contains 63 calories, 5 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat, 11 grams of carbohydrate (including 8 grams of fiber and 1 gram of sugar), over 250% of your daily needs for vitamin A, over 50% of your daily needs for vitamin C, 26% of calcium needs, 12% of iron and 10% of both vitamin B-6 and magnesium." 

They also stated: 

"One cup of boiled collard greens provides a whopping 770 micrograms of vitamin K; well over 100% of the daily-recommended need." 

Like many greens, collards are made primarily of water, which means they cook down to barely nothing (like spinach)..so if you want to make a BIG pot of greens (to last the whole week or for 4-6+ cooked servings) you'll want to buy 2-4 bunches of the fresh greens. 

Collards have tough stalks, which should be removed before cooking. I like collards prepared the old "southern" way, slow cooked and well... (there's really no other good way to say it)... kinda mushy!I know it sounds strange, especially if you're not a fan of southern foods (especially vegetables)... but collards are great when they are braised with a little bit of liquid and seasonings and slow cooked for hours. You can make them in the slow cooker (I actually included a recipe in my cookbook!)... but they are also super easy on the stove. 

I've read that other people like to take whole collard leaves and blanch them briefly to use as a low carb or gluten-free wrap! I haven't tried that, but it's on my to-do list! 

There's no real "recipe" for cooking greens... your measurements don't have to be specific, but basically here's what I used for this very SMALL batch of greens. (For a bigger batch double, triple, or quadruple the recipe!) Take note that I made these greens without any animal products. If you're a fan of meat or pork products this is traditionally made with a ham hock or ham seasoning and they are divine that way too. 

A Small Mess O' Collard Greens

Makes 2-3 large servings.

• 1 large bunch fresh collard greens, with stems removed and de-veined, and cut into small pieces (cut out the thick, fibrous vein in the center of the leaf -- this makes the collards cook faster and in my opinion makes them more tasty!) 
• 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large poblano pepper, chopped with seeds and white membrane (ribs) removed
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup water or vegetable broth

Directions: 

1. In a large dutch oven or stock pot saute onions, garlic, and chopped poblanos in olive oil for 2-3 minutes until softened. 
2. Add greens, red pepper flakes, and water -or- broth to the pot. 
3. Cook on medium-high heat and stir continuously for 5-6 minutes until collards are bright green and start shrinking in size. 
4. Cover pot and turn heat down to low. Continue to cook on low heat for 3-4 hours until greens are softened and yeah... kinda mushy! 
5. We served this with gluten-free, vegan cornbread, sliced tomatoes with fresh ground pepper, and canned pinto beans. 

Some kitteh pics for you... just because! :-) 

Whiskey Jack, chillin' in the cat tree!

Mollie... doing her best job keeping me from writing or reading... :-) 

Max happened to get rolled up in the
sheets to be washed on "Caturday" :-P

Gluten-Free Review: Real Simple Delicious Soups

A few nights ago I got home from work and really had no intention of cooking dinner. I figured we'd probably graze from the fridge again or have scrambled eggs and toast (a no-cooking night staple!)... and then I remembered we had 3 soup samples delivered to us earlier in the week. One of the definite perks of food blogging... free food!

Cook! San Francisco is a small company that creates homemade gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free soups and stews. They also have a detox meal service that delivers healthy gluten-free meals nationwide for those following Dr. Mark Hyman's Ultrametabolism-Diet.

The soups and stews are quite simple and contain healthy, whole foods ingredients. That evening for dinner Michael decided to have the All Bean Chili. The chili contains water, black beans, pinto beans lima beans, onions, diced tomatoes, garlic, spices, salt & pepper. Michael said it tasted a lot like Wendy's Chili to him and he really enjoyed it.

For my own bowl, I had the French Onion Soup which contains: a homemade vegetable broth, onions, olive oil, sherry, thyme, bay leaf, salt & pepper. This soup is so light and delicious. It tasted homemade and it's like I could have made it in my own kitchen.  It would have been really awesome with a piece of gluten-free toast and mozzarella cheese melted over on top!

Real Simple Delicious Soup Pro's:

• Very healthy, all gluten-free AND vegan
• Low calorie, but filling with healthy vegetable protein & fiber
• Lots of variety, some soups can be served hot OR cold such as the Zucchini Soup
• Only 1 soup contains soy- the Thai Green Curry, every other soup is soy-free as well
• Eco-friendly packaging, very little to throw away, and all packaging should be recyclable

Real Simple Delicious Soup Con's:

• I don't know the actual retail price, but I'm guessing it's probably at least $5-$7 per package and each container only has 1.5 servings from 12 ounces (about the equivalent of your average can of soup), So, most likely pretty pricey for one meal (however homemade, REAL food, & healthy are generally worth the extra cost!) 
• Not shelf-stable. These soups need to be refrigerated or frozen after purchasing. Once opened, you can store leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days. 
• I'm not sure if the soups are available nationwide yet, but their website provides a form you can give to your the manager of your favorite grocery store 

Want to know more, please check out: Cook! Real Simple Delicious Soups & Stews.

***************

GLG Disclosure: 

Cook! San Francisco provided me with free samples of their soups and stews for the purpose of sharing an online review, if I chose to do so. This is not a sponsored post and I did not receive compensation. The opinions in this post are completely my own.

Carrot Apple Curry Soup Recipe

For the past few weeks I've had this soup swirling through my thoughts. I've been trying to eat a lot more vegetable based meals lately. My tummy hasn't been super happy with meat proteins the past few weeks, I'm not sure why (no, no kids on the way, you don't have to ask!) I just have times when my body craves more vegetables and other times I crave more protein. Right now though, veggies are the bee's knees.

I am a comfort food junkie. I love mashed potatoes... mac and cheese... baked beans... anything creamy and warm, and I love pureed soups. Michael isn't such a huge fan of them, he thinks they resemble an adult version of baby food. And maybe he's right, who knows... but what can I say I love them.

This soup is so incredibly simple and consists of only a handful of ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. It cooks in about 25 minutes and it makes enough for several meals. I kind of see this as an "orange" version of my favorite green soup.  Ha! Did you notice when I posted that soup? Last January! Apparently my body craves veggies in January! 

I added a very tiny amount of curry seasoning to this soup. I haven't always been a fan of Indian curries and I only like it in very small amounts... but in this creamy soup it really works.

Simple Carrot Apple Curry Soup
free of gluten/dairy/soy/grains/eggs/sugar
created by carrie of gingerlemongirl.com
printer-friendly version

1 medium sweet onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 teaspoon curry seasoning (I used Victoria's Gourmet)
5 medium carrots, peeled and diced
5-6 cups filtered water
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: 
In a large dutch oven heat olive oil over medium heat until sizzling. Add diced onions, apples, and curry seasoning and cook on medium heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring constantly until onions are translucent and have softened. Add carrots and continue to cook for another 5-6 minutes until carrots begin to soften. Add 5-6 cups of water, depending on how thin or thick you prefer the soup. Cover and cook over medium low heat for about 20 additional minutes, until carrots and apples are fully cooked through and soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow soup to cool for several minutes and then puree in small batches in a high-powered blender or use an immersion blender. Serve soup with a swirl of coconut milk and a dash of cinnamon over each bowl.


Iris of The Daily Dietribe has started a Monday blogging event called "Five Ingredients" -- which this recipe 7 ingredients, I think it still fits the bill as quick and easy and really delicious and healthy! Go check out all the other amazing recipes in Iris' roundup today! 

{Recipe Review} The Gluten Free Homemaker's Zucchini & Sausage

When Linda of The Gluten Free Homemaker posted her recipe for "Zucchini & Sausage" on Monday, I knew I had to make it! (So much for my menu plan this week! lol!) This is the kind of recipe I love. Super simple, one dish, and really it could be a meal all in itself!

I actually didn't change a thing to Linda's recipe (really, I didn't! I promise! lol). I even had fresh basil in the yard that I threw in at the last minute. This recipe makes me wonder why in the world we don't eat sausage for dinner more often. My husband and I both love fresh summer zucchini and the sausage (we buy locally made fresh sausage since we live in a major pork producing area) is just an incredibly flavorful addition.

Honestly, this might be my favorite way to eat zucchini now. We actually had three perfectly sized zucchinis from our backyard garden this year (not surprisingly about the only thing that survived the summer heat and crazy weeds -- I think zucchini plants would survive a nuclear blast... lol)

We served the zucchini & sausage with fresh corn and slices of a beautiful home-grown, vine-ripened tomato from a good friend who has a much greener thumb than I do! lol

Linda, thanks for such an easy and delicious recipe for summer! We loved it!

Easy Gluten Free Boston Baked Beans Recipe

Does anything scream of a summer barbecue more than homemade baked beans? I LOVE baked beans. This obsession happened later in my life... apparently after becoming gluten free -- baked beans became a favorite food. They are incredibly easy to make. You really can't mess them up... and I think just about everybody likes them!

What's not to like? A sweet & sour combo of healthy northern and/or white beans with the additional of bacon (mmm Bacon!), onions, molasses, and spices. Super easy and naturally gluten free.

I love this recipe because it starts with plain 'ol cooked white beans. If you use a can of "already-seasoned" baked beans you cannot control exactly how they they are flavored. I also like the simplicity of just using a can of northern beans from the pantry and turning them into a beautiful dish.

Easy Gluten Free Boston Baked Beans
Free of gluten, dairy/casein, soy, and eggs
Adapted from an assortment of baked bean recipes found in old church cookbooks & at allrecipes.com
Printer-friendly recipe 

This makes a large batch of beans which freeze beautifully if you happen to have any leftovers!

Bean Ingredients:
3 (15 oz.) cans white beans -or- northern beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 pound bacon
1 onion, finely diced

Sauce Ingredients:
3 tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper (more or less to taste)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup gluten free ketchup
1 tablespoon gluten free Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar

Directions:
These beans can be made in an oven or in a slow cooker. I've made them both ways basically following the same instructions: If using an oven set to 250 degrees. In a large casserole dish (or your slow cooker) layer beans with the onions and uncooked bacon. In a small saucepan whisk together the sauce ingredients over low heat until they are warmed through and mixed together. Pour the sauce over the baked beans. Add just enough water to cover the beans -- don't overdo the water! Cover the casserole dish with foil or a lid. If using the oven: cook beans for 3-4 hours at 250 degrees. Check periodically to see if you need add a little water if the beans get too dry. If using the slow cooker, cook on low heat for 4-6 hours. Again check it periodically to make sure the beans are not getting too dry. (They shouldn't in the slow cooker.) Makes a heck of a whole lot! We often make this recipe and freeze in portion sizes for lunches during the week! Baked beans are also delicious served hot or cold!

Other Gluten Free Summer Side Dishes From Gingerlemongirl.com:

Sweet & Sassy Red Potato Salad

Apple Mint Salad

Strata Salad

Sarah's Bruchetta Pasta Toss

Claire's Asparagus Salad with Strawberries

Sweet Tomato & Feta Tart

Fresh Strawberry Pie

{Gluten Free One Pot Meals} Hobo Dinners Recipe Template

Photo courtesy of Christy Jordon, cookbook author and founder of the popular food blog:  Southern Plate. 

I had completely forgotten about Hobo Dinners until this week. My wonderful friend Clara mentioned them during one of our chats last year and I filed it in the back of my endless "to try" cooking files somewhere in a dusty corner of my brain.

I remember making them as a child once or twice on camping trips with my youth group... a quick dinner you could toss into the campfire and it would HOPEFULLY be cooked through in an hour if you cut the potatoes small enough (I think mine were never fully cooked! lol)...

One hectic night this week I was frantically trying to come up with something quick for dinner. I had ground beef defrosted in the fridge and I knew I needed to use it. This cookbook was lying on my kitchen table. I flipped through to the ground beef recipes and the Hallelulah/lightbulb moment happened when I saw the recipe for Hobos.

So here you go... there is absolutely NOTHING fancy about this recipe. Throw together the ingredients you have on hand, fold it up in a cute foil package, stick it in the oven for an hour and eat... simple, but so delicious and my husband LOVED them!

Hobo Dinner Recipe Template
Naturally free of gluten, casein/dairy, soy, grains
Credit: Probably your grandmamma or scout leader has a very similar recipe... make it yours!
Printer-Friendly Recipe

1 pound ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork
Baby Carrots
4 potatoes (1 per person) or a bag of fingerling potatoes
4 slices of onion, (1 per person)
salt & pepper
Optional: A1 sauce or your favorite gluten free barbecue or steak sauce

Directions: 
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Divide 1 lb. ground beef (or turkey, chicken, pork, etc..) into 4 patties. Get 4 large sheets of foil. Place an onion slice in the middle of each sheet of foil. Place ground beef patty on top of each onion slice. On top of each meat patty add 1 diced potato (or 4-5 fingerling potatoes) and a handful of baby carrots. Add salt, pepper, and your favorite seasonings (we added garlic powder too!). Wrap up foil packages so they are tightly sealed. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes - an hour until veggies are tender and meat is cooked through.

Variations:

• Add more veggies! Fresh green beans or zucchini would be awesome!
• Cook this on your grill, in a firepit, or in your campfire! Great camping meal!!
• Use fun vegetables like purple potatoes for really cool color! Your kids will love it!
• For a seriously fast dinner prepare the meal in the foil packets a day before you need them, so all you have to do once you get home is stick them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven! Easy peasy!

How to Make Old Fashioned Black-Eyed Peas

photo courtesy of "Frankly Southern." 

On the 2nd day of 2011 I made a big pot of black-eyed peas. Some say you should eat them on New Year's Day for good luck (along with greens for money!) but we just eat them because they taste daggone good. And it just so happens that today is National Bean Day! Make sure to stop by Thomas' blog "The GF/CF Experience" for Slow Cooked Turkey Chili!

The Broth Process: 

Basically to make a pot of really good, old-fashioned black-eyed peas, it can be a two day process (well if you got up late like I did... lol). First you need the broth. I had a leftover ham bone in the freezer that I made my broth with. We ate ham for Christmas, I saved the leftover bone & meat just for making black eyed peas on New Year's! All the healthy nutrients from the bone and leftover meat are released in the broth as it's slow simmered in water. Make sure to defrost your ham bone. Pull it out of the freezer a day before you plan on making your broth.

Basically place your defrosted or fresh ham bone in a large stock pot. Fill the pot 3/4 full of fresh, filtered water. Place the pot on a back burner of your stove and allow it to come to a boil, then turn the heat down and allow it to gently simmer until the liquid has reduced down by 1/4. (This will take several hours -- if not most of the day!) If you want a more concentrated broth (more flavor) you can continue to reduce down the liquid to the amount you need. As this process does take a long time, it also works great in a slow cooker if you'd rather not have your stove on all day long. If you use your slow cooker, you don't need as much water since it will not evaporate quickly.

Dried Beans VS. Frozen Beans: 

You can use dried black-eyed peas or frozen black-eyed peas. The dried variety are a more frugal option but they do need to be soaked overnight (or at least 8 hours) to be ready to cook. Frozen black-eyed peas offer the convenience of not having to soak the beans as they are already hydrated and ready to cook.

If you're not used to cooking with dried beans, I recommend using frozen. Dried beans, while much cheaper, can often take longer to cook than the fresh/frozen black eyed peas available, even after the soaking process.

For my batch of black-eyed peas this year, I used 2 bags of frozen black-eyed peas.

**A very instructive guide for soaking & cooking dried beans.**

Cooking the Beans: 

Once your broth has cooked down to the amount of liquid you'd like (about half a stock pot) you have several options. First you'll want to remove the ham bone & strain the stock to remove any impurities. You can then refrigerate the broth overnight (or at least for several hours) or you can cook your beans immediately. I like to refrigerate the broth so that the saturated fat in the broth will rise to the top and harden. You can then spoon off the fat to remove it and you will have a low fat (but very flavorful) broth to cook your beans in.

When you're ready to cook the beans, simply add them to the broth. Place the broth on a back burner and allow the bean & water to come to a boil. Then turn down the heat to a gentle simmer. Now, you can basically cook the beans as long as you'd like. The package of frozen black-eyed peas said that they needed to cook for at least 15-20 minutes in boiling water. Now, I've cooked frozen & dried beans for years and I can tell you you'll have very hard beans if you only cook them for 20 minutes. Beans are often made in the slow cooker because they can withstand long cooking times.

I cooked my black-eyed peas at a very gentle simmer (low heat) for at least 3-4 hours. If it looks like the liquid is evaporating a little too quickly add more water or broth to the beans. I used an entire half stock-pot full of broth by the time my beans were finished.

While the beans are cooking make sure to season them with flavors you like! We added:

• 3 whole cloves of minced garlic
• 1 finely chopped onion, which I sauteed on the stove in a little olive oil
• the leftover meat from the ham bone
• a little tomato sauce for color
• 3-4 tablespoons of freshly chopped cilantro (this is also pretty sprinkled on your bowl of finished black-eyed peas!) 
• salt & pepper
• a tiny bit of cayenne pepper

The beauty of dishes like this is that you rarely make them the same way twice, but they always taste amazing! The slow simmer, the anticipation of waiting for those perfectly cooked beans, the amazing flavor of the slow cooked broth... for such a simple dish, this is one of my favorite and I'm determined to make black-eyed peas more often this year. 

Of all the dishes I've made in the past few months, I think this was my husband's favorite. He had three bowls. He just kept saying, "I always forget how GOOD black-eyed peas are." He didn't want anything else with them. Just a hearty bowl of beans. 

And if you have "windy issues" afterwards, Phazyme Gas Relief is gluten free! lol But honestly we didn't have any trouble digesting these. 

A dish like this is filled with love. Simple, hearty, tasty, nutritious, and filling. 

Now go make a pot of beans! 

Thoughtfully,
Carrie

Adopt a Gluten Free Blogger 2/10 Part 2: Tasty Eats at Home

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa, even though it would sound a lot prettier if it was pronounced as it's written imho! lol) is one of my very favorite grains.

I didn't discover quinoa until I went gluten free, and until very recently had never used it in baking.

But quinoa is aboslutely wonderful in salads and as a hot side dish with all sorts of meals!

When Thomas said he was hosting The Adopt a Gluten Free blogger event for February 2010, I knew it was time to make a quinoa recipe I had bookmarked at Tasty Eats at Home some time ago.

Tasty Eats at Home is a lovely food blog that is written by Alta Mantsch. The blog began as a "regular" food blog, until June 2009 when Alta decided to eliminate gluten from her diet due to a number of GI symptoms she was experiencing. She & her blog have been gluten free ever since.

Tasty Eats at Home has a wonderful mix of American foods and international fare. One of my favorite features on her blog are the "Kids in the Kitchen" posts, in which her children help her with dinner and different recipes. You will find fantastic recipes for Gluten Free Churros, Pan-Fried Trout and Baked Potatoes, and Beef Nachos.




The recipe I tried was Alta's "Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Raisins, and Walnuts." I really loved the mix of flavors here. Quinoa can have a slightly bittersweet taste (even after being rinsed) and that paired with the sweetness of the raisins and the flavor of the walnuts was absolutely wonderful! I ate this salad with my lunches for a week and I always looked forward to it!!

Alta's salad turned out much prettier than mine did, I think in part because she used fresh spinach! The only spinach I had at the time was canned spinach and while it did the job, it made the whole salad green! So stick with fresh spinach to make a pretty salad! :-)

Many thanks to Alta for the wonderful quinoa salad recipe and to Thomas at The GFCF Experience for hosting this month's Adopt a Gluten Free Blogger Event!

My Favorite Gluten Free Thanksgiving Recipes

Over the next week and a half I'll be sharing some of my best Thanksgiving recipes. I have some new vegetarian versions of my old favorites coming along... as well as some new holiday menus... I look forward to hearing your comments and questions as we approach Thanksgiving and Christmas this year!

I challenge you to make your recipes healthier this holiday season. While it is a special season with lots of wonderful foods to choose from, I don't think the season has to be unhealthy.

I've followed a mostly vegan diet the past 3 months and I feel so much better. While I haven't lost the weight I was hoping for, my body just feels healthy and happy. I'd like to keep it that way, especially over the holidays!

The holidays are definitely not the time to feel lousy! So let's eat well and enjoy it!

• Almond Joy Impossible Pie -- Clara's favorite... you just can't go wrong with coconut and chocolate all wrapped up in an easy pie!

• Apple Quince Pie --Who doesn't love apple pie?
  

• Pecan Pumpkin Pie Bars -- A healthy, really yummy alternative to pumpkin pie!
  

• Sweet Potato Pie -- A true southern classic, made gluten free and delicious!
  

• Thanksgiving Cranberry Cobbler -- My mom's best Thanksgiving recipe!
  

• Crunchy Chicken Poppyseed Casserole -- A wonderful recipe for leftover turkey!

• The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies -- My family's fav food to snack on during Thanksgiving!

• Sweet Potato Apple Casserole -- a healthy and delicious sweet potato side dish!

• John's Pumpkin Lasagna -- an excellent vegetarian main dish!

• Sweet Tomato and Feta Tart -- not the healthiest dish, but a lovely appetizer!

• Red Velvet Cake -- a festive and beautiful cake for Thanksgiving!

• Creamy Clam Chowder -- a delicious starter meal for the holidays!

• Sweet Corn Pudding -- an old family favorite!

• Warm Tuscan Bean Salad -- A lifesaver for a quick meal!

• Cheddar Baked Hominy -- A incredibly delicious naturally GF alternative to mac and cheese!

• Gluten Free Yeast Bread -- For really good gluten free stuffing

• Vegan Gluten Free Cornbread -- Another great option for gluten free stuffing

• Easy Gluten Free Cream Soup -- THE recipe for perfect gravy, cream soup, base for casseroles such as green bean casserole, etc... need cream soup, gravy, or a base for mac & cheese... this is it!

What's your best gluten free Thanksgiving Recipe?

Want to post it here?

Leave me a comment before or send me an email at: gingerlemongirl@gmail.com with your favorite recipes, a picture if you have one, and the story behind your recipe. I will have a community gluten free Thanksgiving post, and I need to hear from you!

Gluten Free Homemade Vegetable Broth Recipe and a WINNER!

Credits:
Photo reprinted with persmission and courtesy of Noob Cook

It was one of those "Oh... I didn't even think about that" vegan moments. A recipe called for chicken broth. What do you use in place of chicken broth? Water didn't sound that appealing and tomato juice was too tomato-ey...

So... after another "duh" moment, I decided to make vegetable broth. Why didn't I think of this before? This is SO easy and so delicious and works so well in recipes... who needs chicken broth!

What I love about making broth is that you can create the flavor that you want. If you like more onions, add more onions, if you like more carrots, add more carrots! If you want tomatoes, add tomatoes! It's completely up to you and you can change it every time. Another great thing about homemade vegetable broth is that it is an excellent way to use vegetables that aren't quite as fresh as they used to be. Are they starting to shrivel? Look a little tired? It's okay, they won't mind at all. Just throw them in the pot!

So today's recipe is simply a suggestion. Try this out. Make your own vegetable broth. Feel domestic... and enjoy the fact that you created this wonderfully healthy broth to use in your home cooking.

Some uses for homemade vegetable broth:

• Use it as your "liquid" in making mashed potatoes and/or homemade stuffing, it adds a truly delicious flavor!
• Make your own homemade soups and stews with the vegetable broth as the base liquid.
• Use the broth to cook rice & pasta, and to boil potatoes in... you will LOVE the flavor it adds!
  
• Vegetable broth is fat free and can be a great tool to use in low fat cooking such as sauteing and steaming.
  
• If you have someone who is sick: give them plain warmed vegetable broth. It is very healthy and can soothe sore throats and is gentle on upset stomachs.
• Bring leftover casseroles back to life by adding a few tablespoons of homemade vegetable broth over the entire dish and heating it in the oven. It will rehydrate the dish and make it taste like it was just made!
• It will make the best base for a vegetable and dumpling soup that you have ever tasted!
  

Basic Homemade Vegetable Broth
Written by: Carrie @ http://www.gingerlemongirl.com
The ingredients for this very basic broth will make about 10 cups of broth.
You can use more or less ingredients + water to create the amount that you will use.

2 whole carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly sliced
2-4 whole peeled cloves of garlic
1/2 of a large green pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
10 mushrooms (any type will work!), rinsed
4-5 small red potatoes, quartered
*** Any vegetables will really work for this broth, use what you have on hand!***

Optional seasonings:
1-2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
Salt-free seasonings such as Mrs. Dash
Salt & Pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon summer savory
1 teaspoon rosemary
1-2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
Fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Coarsely chop all vegetables and add to a large stock pot. Also add any optional seasonings that you desire.
2. Add 10-12 cups of water to the stock pot.
   
3. Bring stock to a rolling boil and then turn heat down to just simmering.
   
4. Simmer over low heat for 2-4 hours.
5. Taste the stock as it cooks to adjust seasonings until you get the flavor that you desire.
   
6. Once stock has cooked, let it cool for several hours on the stove top.
7. When cool, strain stock through a very fine sieve to remove all vegetables. You will be left with a very fine tan - brown stock that is absolutely delicious.
   
8. Some people choose to puree the vegetables that were used in the stock and add then add them back to broth for a creamier texture. You can do this if you choose too. If you want a clear stock, simply use the discarded vegetables for another dish, or add them to your compost.
   
9. Store cooled broth in glass jars or airtight containers in the refrigerator or the freezer. Will keep for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator and for 6 months in the freezer.
   

(Printer-friendly recipe.)

****************

The winner of Stephanie O'Dea's Make it Fast, Cook it Slow Cookbook was chosen randomly with the help of Random.org...

The winner is:
GUDRUN45

Her entry stated:
"My favorite slow cooker recipe is an extremely simple pinto bean soup. I'd sure like to expand my gluten-free crockpot horizons and would love to win this book.

Gudrun45 -- Please email me at gingerlemongirl@gmail.com with your contact information and I will ship the book to you immediately!

Congratulations to Gudrun45 and THANK YOU to everyone who entered the contest!

Spaghetti Squash (Naturally Gluten Free)

I have found a new reason to love spaghetti. Not that I really needed another reason, I've always loved spaghetti... but following a low carb diet means no noodles, not even gluten free ones. Just sauce.

And who wants just sauce? Even good sauce?

Enter spaghetti squash. I really thought it would be awful. I tried it once before a few years ago, and it didn't go over well. Michael wouldn't eat it. I ate it, but not joyfully.

And you need to enjoy it if you're going to eat it on a regular basis.

I truly misjudged spaghetti squash. It really needed a 2nd chance. I wish I had given it a second chance sooner!

One forkful of truly well-roasted, tender, al dente spaghetti squash, and I am a convert. It is simply that good. Very good indeed. As a matter of fact, I love it so much now, I'll eat it plain with a splash of olive oil and just a touch of freshly grated nutmeg. Oh my. It's seriously mouth-watering my friends!

Don't believe me? Try it once (unless you're my husband)... and I can almost bet that you'll be adding spaghetti squash to your weekly grocery list.

Here's how to make it:

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

1 2-3 lb. spaghetti squash
Good quality olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Sea Salt
1/2 cup water

That's it.. that's all you need folks...

Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Split the spaghetti squash in half with a very sharp knife. Scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff (i'm sure there is a better term for this, but I can't think of one at the moment). Place the two sides skin down in a large baking dish. Drizzle 3-4 tablespoons of good olive oil over the two peices of squash. Sprinkle several teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper and sea salt over the squash. Finally drizzle about 1/4 cup of water over the two pieces of squash and add the remaining 1/4 cup of water to the baking dish (this will help to steam the squash.) Roast in a 350 oven for 35-50 minutes until the edges of the squash are just turning slightly golden and caramelizing. Remove from oven and allow to cool in baking dish for several minutes. Using a folk, scrape out strands of spaghetti squash. I usually make my squash first, and then place the roasted strands in a covered, insulated dish to stay warm while I make my sauce.

Serve hot! This makes 3-4 cups of spaghetti "strands." Serve with your favorite pasta sauce. Roasted spaghetti squash reheats well and freezes well!


Oh... what?... You wanted to know how to make the incredible looking sauce in the picture above? Well, you'll have to go visit Pioneer Woman for that amazing recipe! Just use spaghetti squash as your base instead of linguini.

Veggies a la Rosa (Gluten Free)

I've always liked broccoli, garden peas, carrots, green beans, etc... but generally I have always eaten them out of a can or frozen.

Recently though, I've been trying to incorporate more fresh vegetables into our diet. Since I started a low carbohydrate diet in January, vegetables have become a prominent part of dinner.

Last weekend, Michael and I ate lunch at an Italian-American deli. I had a dish of sauteed veggies in a lemon butter sauce topped with a lovely piece of salmon and fresh shaved parmesan. It was an absolutely delicious lunch. I was so impressed with the vegetables. Interestingly, the veggies were the highlight of the dish for me! They were so fresh and beautifully prepared. Yellow and green zucchini, sweet onions, fresh garlic, button mushrooms, red and green peppers, and a vegetable I wasn't very familiar with... eggplant.

Eggplant. I tried this strange purple skinned vegetable several different times previously and I can honestly say I have never liked it. Never...

Until now. This eggplant was soft and not bitter. Merged with the gentle flavors of butter, lemon, and white wine this vegetable was delightful! I had to try it at home.

Last night I sauteed eggplant for the first time! I was not disappointed. I did not have any white wine, so I used a merlot instead. The merlot gave the white eggplant flesh a beautiful "rosy" appearance and it was a great flavor addition to the sauce.


Veggies a la Rosa

1/2 of a large eggplant, sliced thinly and cubed
1 green zucchini, sliced thinly
1 yellow zucchini, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 medium sweet onion, chopped finely
** Any other veggies you would like to add, button mushrooms, red or green peppers, would be a lovely addition!

Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter (or coconut oil)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
2-4 tablespoons a good quality Merlot (-or- white wine for a lighter flavor)
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Optional Toppings:
Freshly shaved parmesan
Toasted pine nuts or walnuts


Directions:
In a large non-stick wok or skillet melt butter and add olive oil on medium-high heat until lightly sizzling. Add onion and garlic and lightly saute for 1-2 minutes. Add remaining vegetables and sauce ingredients. Saute 5-8 minutes until vegetables are soft and tender. Plate and top with shaved parmesan and toasted nuts! Makes 2-4 medium sized servings. Serve hot.


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John's Pumpkin Lasagna (Gluten Free)

(Reprinted from Saturday November 10th, 2007. Another one of my favorite posts and a great vegetarian alternative at Thanksgiving. John is a dear friend of mine from high school and he's a fellow food lover. I hope you'll enjoy his favorite lasagna! We sure did!
Happy Thanksgiving!!)

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Lasagna is an excellent vegetarian fall casserole. It also makes a beautiful presentation and is relatively easy to prepare.

My good friend John emailed this recipe to me. At first I kind of wrinkled my nose... pumpkin? In lasagna? That didn't sound too appetizing, at least not to my "very-slowly-evolving-frugal-foodie" palate.

Then, I thought... Hey, why not? I mean heck, I had pumpkin puree that I had frozen last year, and I really needed to use that stuff... I mean how long are you supposed to freeze pumpkin puree anyway? Probably not from one Thanksgiving to the next, but we'll pretend it wasn't that long!

The recipe also called for spinach... and I'm all about some spinach, especially if I can find a way to get my picky husband to eat it. I'm also trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals into our weekly menu. I mean seriously, especially in our American diet, we could all use a couple more servings of vegetables a week!

So we made John's Pumpkin Lasagna. Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients: You'll notice some of the same ingredients in the layer sections which I separated to make preparations easier. This lasagna is very good. I think next time I may even add curry powder to the pumpkin to give it more "kick." I'm also tempted to simply cook fresh pumpkin and use "fork-tender" pumpkin cubes in the casserole as opposed to mashed or pureed. If I were vegetarian, I think this would be a great main dish at Thanksgiving. Mary Frances or Sea, I'd love for you to give this a shot with your own personal variations and tell me what you think!


Just one little hint... take your time in making this... as Monk would say, "You'll thank me later!"






John's Thanksgiving Pumpkin Lasagna

• 1 package gluten-free lasagna noodles, precooked according to package directions
  

• 1/4 cup milk

• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  

• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree

• 1/4 cup cream
  

Spinach layer ingredients:

• 1-2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 1-2 lbs. frozen spinach, thawed and drained

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

• 1/2 tsp. dried sage

• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Pumpkin layer ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree

• 1 egg

• 1/2 cup cream

• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

• 1/2 tsp. dried sage

• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Ricotta layer

• 1 (16 oz.) container ricotta cheese

• 1 egg

Directions:

1. In a large non-stick frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes).
2. Add defrosted, drained spinach to onions. Add salt, pepper, sage, and nutmeg. Simmer until nearly all liquid from spinach has evaporated. Set aside.
3. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
4. In a medium bowl mix all ingredients for pumpkin layer together and set aside.
5. In a small bowl mix ricotta cheese and egg together and set aside.
6. Pour 1/4 cup milk into 9x11 baking dish. Top milk with 1/3 of GF lasagna noodles. Spread 1/2 of the pumpkin mixture on top of lasagna noodles. Top pumpkin mixture with 1/2 of spinach mixture. Top spinach mixture with 1/2 of ricotta mixture. Repeat layers.
7. Mix remaining pumpkin and cream together. Pour over top of lasagna. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes until parmesan cheese topping is golden brown and talking to ya' (bubbling).
8. If you can possibly wait, let cool for 5-10 minutes. Stop salivating, plate up, and eat.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Sweet Tomato and Feta Tart (Gluten Free)

Last Saturday Michael and I attended a family reunion. I had very little time to prepare a dish and I needed to use what was on hand.

After opening the fridge, I found a huge tomato from the farmer's market, leftover feta cheese, and cream cheese.

The cream cheese inspired me to make the easy gluten free pie crust I posted yesterday, and the tomato reminded me of a tomato tart I saw online. I couldn't find a recipe for that particular tart... but I did remember my friend Betty telling me about a tomato pie she made for church social a few months ago.

Using those ideas I created this tomato tart. I am very pleased with the results!

It was so good I had to sneak two pieces just for myself at the family reunion. Afterwards, I had to go back to the road side farmer's market to buy 2 more fresh tomatoes so I could make this tart again for our Sunday evening meal. It is divine. It is so simple. It's also incredibly photogenic.

I hope you will enjoy this tart as much as I have! I'll only be able to make the tart summer through mid-fall until the local tomatoes stop producing.Which is actually quite a blessing. Seasonal meals are often more enjoyable and something to look forward too!

And for you folks keeping track... Michael really liked this tomato tart. He even had a second helping.


Sweet Tomato and Feta Tart

1 large (10") easy gluten free pie crust, pre-baked for 10 minutes
1 large fresh tomato, sliced
1/3 cup real mayonnaise (like Duke's, which is tart and has NO sugar)
1/2 cup feta or freshly grated parmesan cheese, reserve half
1/2 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese, reserve half
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning , reserve 1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon SPIKE garlic granules, or other garlic seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup gluten free bread crumbs


Directions:

Pre-bake pie crust as directed in a tart pan. If you would like, you can also brush pre-baked pie crust with an egg white mixed with 1 tablespoon of water and return to oven for 5 minutes to brown (This will make the pie look more like a regular "gluten" pie crust). Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

In a small bowl mix together mayonnaise, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup feta or parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon italian seasoning, garlic seasoning, salt and pepper.

Spread mayonnaise mixture on cooled, prebaked pie crust. Layer tomato slices over mayonnaise mixture.

In another small bowl mix together remaining cheeses, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and gluten free bread crumbs. Sprinkle mixture evenly over sliced tomatoes.

Place in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes until cheeses have melted and tomatoes have heated through and roasted slightly.

Serve tart hot or cold. I actually preferred this tart on the cool side. Can be used as an appetizer or a light main dish with a green leaf salad!

Enjoy!!

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Late Summer Scramble

We came home late last night from a wonderful weekend visiting with my sister and dad. We had not eaten dinner and I wanted something fast, but nourishing and filling.

One of my dad's favorite side dishes is sauteed zucchini. After all the times I've seen him make it, I had never made it myself.

But I wanted sauteed zucchini for dinner. I also wanted it to be a filling and full meal. I decided to make a skillet scramble.

This was a delicious and simple dinner. My dad is now on the South Beach diet and he could easily make this scramble by using cauliflower in place of the diced baked potato. I love the protein added by the eggs, and I think this would make a supremely healthy breakfast as well! Enjoy!


Late Summer Scramble

Seasoning:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
salt/pepper to taste
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper

Scramble:
2 yellow zucchini, sliced
2 green zucchini, sliced
1 small white onion, sliced
1 baked potato, diced
-and/or, instead of baked potato-
1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces
2 eggs


Directions:
In a large skillet heat olive oil and butter until sizzling. Add seasonings into butter and oil. Add sliced onions and zucchini. Add the diced baked potato and/or cauliflower. Saute10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are fork tender. Move all vegetables to one side of the hot pan. Break eggs and place into the bare side of the pan. Using a spatula, scramble eggs. Once the eggs are fully cooked, mix into the rest of the vegetables. Correct seasonings and serve.

A Southern Girl's Vegetable Curry

There you have it... I cooked real vegetables. Aren't you proud?

I don't know exactly the first time I had a curry, but I do remember that I loved it. Generally I make curries with leftover meats: such as lamb at Christmas or with a leftover roasted chicken.

One night last week I just wanted vegetables for dinner. I feel like we have not been getting enough fruits and veggies, and I just wanted a big plate of green, leafy goodness.

Yet, I'm a southern girl. I grew up eating unhealthy vegetables. With bacon fat. With lots of oil. To give due credit to my mom, she was a pioneer in healthy eating and changed a lot of her cooking styles when we were young. For example, she stopped using saturated fats in our vegetables. She started using chicken or beef bullion instead, and I still love using powdered bullion in our veggies to this day. I love the flavor and my husband does too.

But there are days when bullion just won't cut it. I want real vegetables. I want them tasty and filling. I want them as a meal. And normally my creativity runs completely dry when it comes to healthy, delicious vegetables.

Not today though. Creativity wins today. Karina, Sea.... you two should be proud.

Inspired by a recent post at Lentils and Rice (one of my favorite blogs, you MUST visit!), I decided to make a last minute curry.

I found the initial recipe here, which was for stuffed peppers and a tomato sauce. But I only had one pepper. So (of course!) I changed the ingredients to match what I had on hand and created a skillet vegetable curry. (Actually I used the rice cooker, but that's a story for another post!)

There are several things I really love about this simple and tasty dish.

• I love the idea of adding a cooked, diced potato to the other vegetables with the dinner. Normally I use potatoes as a side, or as a base to showcase the main part of dinner. Never have I used them as a major character. Potatoes deserve the spotlight sometimes!

• I love making a homemade curried tomato sauce to highlight the dish, instead of tomatoes actually IN the dish. I get tired of tomato-laden dishes. The sauce for this curry is delicious, perfectly seasoned, and complements the vegetables beautifully without being overpowering!
  

• I love being able to use the leftover curried vegetables in a dozen other dishes! The day after I made this, I made omelets using some of the leftover veggies as the filling! Even Michael loved them! Today I used the rest of the leftover veggies in a chicken casserole. And I am still not tired of these vegetables!
  

I definitely recommend using fresh vegetables if you have them handy. But, in my real life, frozen vegetables are more readily available than fresh. The frozen were still excellent in this dish!


Southern Vegetable Curry with Tomato Sauce

For the Curry:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 green -or- red bell pepper
1 (16 oz) package of thawed California vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots) -or- whatever veggies you prefer!
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup fresh vegetables of your choice, chopped to bite size pieces, and steamed until fork-tender (I used additional fresh broccoli)
1 russet potato, diced and boiled
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Tomato Sauce:
1 (12 oz.) can tomato puree -or- sauce
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon Saigon Cinnamon
2 tablespoons agave nectar -or- honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

Garnish (optional)
1-2 boiled eggs, cooled, peeled, and diced
freshly grated parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper


Directions:

For the Vegetable Curry: In your rice cooker on the COOK setting, or on the stovetop in a heavy bottomed skillet (like cast iron) add olive oil and crushed garlic and diced green or red pepper. Cook several minutes until peppers have softened slightly. Add thawed California vegetables, cup of additional vegetables, and cooked, diced potato. Add seasonings for curry. Cover rice cooker or skillet and cook for 5-10 minutes until all vegetables are warmed through.

For the Tomato Sauce:
While vegetables are heating, in a small saucepan add tomato puree or sauce and all remaining sauce ingredients including grated parmesan cheese. Stir together thoroughly and simmer until heated through.

For Presentation:
Attractively plate vegetables. For each serving of vegetables, sprinkle on top, 1 diced boiled egg, 2-3 tablespoons curried tomato sauce, and a little freshly grated parmesan cheese and freshly grated black pepper.

Enjoy!


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The time for salads!

Summer is absolutely the time for salads! You don't need to turn the oven on and your entire dinner can be fixed in minutes!! I have been craving salads nearly every night of the week in this already hot and humid weather.

Salads are light, cool, crisp, and refreshing on a warm summer evenings. They are also packed full of nutrition if you make sure to add lots of fresh vegetables! I made this particular layered salad several weeks ago for a picnic. Michael really enjoyed it, so it will be on our weekly menu rotation soon! My favorite part is the super easy homemade dressing. I was out of my standard packet of Hidden Valley ranch... so we had to make due! Simple and delicious! We'll be "making due" more often!!

What do you enjoy in your layered salads?




Carrie's Simple Strata Salad

4 cups -or- 1 small head green leaf lettuce, rinsed, patted dry and torn into pieces
1 package grape tomatoes, halved -or - 2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1 small yellow squash, sliced and cubed
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham -or- 1 package bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup chopped red onion (optional -- very pretty!)

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise (the real stuff folks!!)
1/2 cup low fat sour cream or unflavored yogurt
1 teaspoon dill weed (or more to taste -- I always opt for MORE!)
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
salt/pepper


Directions:
Place rinsed and dried salad greens in the bottom of a large glass serving bowl. Layer quartered grape tomatoes, 1/2 cup cheese, peas, sliced eggs, sliced squash, ham, and lastly red onions, over the greens.

For the dressing: In a small bowl mix mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt, dill weed, ground mustard, garlic granules, salt, and pepper. Mix until well blended. Spread evenly over salad. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour (preferably overnight). Right before serving sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Enjoy!!


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