Roasted Root Veggies

I like my veggies but not usually cooked. So when I was watching Rachael Ray on day and she took some potatoes, onions and garlic and roasted them at a rediculously high heat in only one half hour.
Well I had to try it. It was so good! So now I mix up what I roast to get the most out of the veggies I wouldn't normally eat on their own whether it be baked or steamed.
Here's one of my favourite combinations and adds lots of colour to your plate.
White potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, parsnips, carrots, onions and garlic. Loads of colour, lots of flavour.
One of the best outcomes from roasting vegetables is that they caramelize. So they get sweeter. What kid wouldn't love them done this way? It doesn't matter how many I make, we never have any leftover.
Give this a try next time you make a roast, barbecue or take the rest of your dinner from a box in the freezer. This is a great compliment to any meat dish from fish to pork, beef to chicken.

Mixed root veggies are a great winter side dish
Photography • Caroly McLeod-McCarthy

Roasted Root Veggies
• 4 med. white potatoes, cut into large pieces, skin on
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into one inch pieces
• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into one inch pieces
• 4 parsnips, cut into one inch pieces
• 3 med. beets, quartered then chopped in half
• 1 or 2 large white and/or purple onion
• 2 bulbs garlic, peeled
• approx. 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 450˙F. Put all ingredients in a large bowl except beets. Add olive oil and toss. Spread veggies onto a large baking sheet. Add beets to bowl and toss with a little more olive oil and place beets in an around other veggies. Spinkle with a little salt and pepper.
Place tray in oven and roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Yum!
Please note that the yams will cook more quickly than the white potatoes, so best to have those pieces larger for even cooking. Other spices like rosemary, basil or your favourite mixed spice sprinkled with the salt and pepper is a great way to satisfy your own taste.

Fresh veggies with chicken & rice pasta dish

I think the best meals are the ones you grow. The satisfaction you get from reaping what you sow if a feeling like none other. Fresh tomatoes, onions, peppers... Mmm! I have 2 large 1/2 whiskey barrels I used for my herb planters. You can nicely fit 3-4 plants of your favourite herbs in there. The trick to whiskey barrels (they burn out the alcohol first before they're sold in garden centres) is that you need proper drainage. So, drill some 1/4 inch sized holes 6-8 spots around the middle of the barrel before filling with good soil. What will make your barrel last longer is putting 1-2 inch thick styrofoam around the inside edge to not only insulate the barrel over winter, but keeps the wood from breaking down over time.

What to plant: What do you like? For pastas, I like oregano, parsley and basil. I have thyme and rosemary for my pork and chicken dishes too. Chives are very hardy and they'll come back every year and work for everything from soups and sauces to dips and garnish.

Photography by Mathew McCarthy

Fresh herbs: Oregano, parsley and basil from the garden

Ingredients
2-3 tomatoes, diced
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly shaved or grated
1 medium onion, chopped and sliced
10-12 green beans, chopped
2 tbsp. tomato paste
splash red or white wine (about 1/4 cup)
2 4-6 oz. boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tbsp. balsamic vinagrette
3 tbsp. fresh herbs

Fresh veggies  picked an hour before cooking.

Rice pasta - spaghetti or fettucini noodles - enough for 4 people
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
sea salt for seasoning
1 cup shredded mozzarella (optional)

In a large stock pot, boil water for pasta. In large skillet, add 1 tbsp. olive oil and 3 cloves of shaved garlic and heat on med-high for 30 seconds. Add onion, pepper and beans. Turn heat to medium and stir until onions look translucent.
Once water is boiled for pasta, add dry pasta, stir and cook according to package directions.
Meanwhile, add chicken and balsamic vinagrette to veggies in pan and stir occasionally to brown chicken. Cook for about 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Stir in tomato paste and herbs. Stir well to coat all pan ingredients. Add a splash (about 1/4 cup) of red wine and stir well. Turn heat to low and allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, stir will and remove from heat.
When pasta is cooked, drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking of pasta. Drain well. In a large skillet, add remaining tbsp. olive oil and 1 clove garlic shaved. Heat for 30 seconds to heat through. Add drained pasta and toss quickly for about one minute.
Remove from heat. Divide pasta into 4 bowls and top with shredded cheese if using. Top with one quarter of chicken and veggies mixture.
Add coarse sea salt to taste and serve.

Simple soup for a cold night

So I've been suffering with a cold for what seems like forever and what I like more than anything when having to deal with a cold is a nice bowl of soup.
According to many a mom, chicken noodle soup or chicken stock is the best thing to feed a cold.
Here is my favourite recipe for chicken soup. I make the 'noodles' from eggs, no flour, and add a bit of green onion for flavour. So only 3 main ingredients to create this delicious soup.

Chicken 'noodle' soup with green onion

2 eggs, beaten
4 cups chicken broth
2 green onions, chopped fine
2 tsp. oil or butter for frying
Salt and pepper to taste

In large skillet, add 1 tsp. oil or butter and let heat through on med-high heat for about 30 seconds. Pour half of beaten egg mixture and shift pan so that egg mixture covers entire bottom of pan. Cook through for 30 seconds, until top of egg appears dry, then flip over and cook other side for 30 - 60 seconds. Remove from pan and repeat with the rest of the egg mixture.
In a 1 quart saucepan, add chicken stock and green onion. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cut egg 'omelette' into thin 1/4 inch strips like noodles and add to chicken stock. Let heat through for about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with crackers or thinly sliced toast.

The Neighbourhood Party

Poster I created - remember, keep it simple!

Beaver - of 'Leave it to Beaver' - knew all his neighbours by name. His parents would invite the neighbours over for drinks, they'd be invited out to other neighbours for dinner and someone on the block would have a Christmas party, inviting the entire street over.
Where did those days go?
I have great neighbours and with people moving more often than staying in one house their entire married lives, it's sometimes tough to keep up with who is inhabiting your street.
And why not get to know them? When you're away, you know they'll keep an eye on your place, maybe even mow the lawn and water your plants. One of the households might have a responsible teenager who can babysit for you. Another might share that much needed cup of sugar (or in my case, apple-cider vinegar) for the recipe you're trying to create for dinner.
So this past weekend was our Seventh Annual Street Party.
We had upwards of 60 people. A potluck and barbecue, road hockey game and our famous (on our street anyway) Gummy Bear Spitting Contest. Yep, it's a real crowd pleaser! And so far the record is a whopping 32 feet!
The kids have a great time too and give it a go. We also planned a shoe throwing contest with a pair of socks as a prize, candy toss and face painting. For the adults, it was bring your own chair and BYOB and sit and chat with the neighbours that you usually give a nod or a wave to and the occasional 'hello', but this is a chance to catch up on what they've been up to.
If you don't already do it, it's a great chance to really get to know the people on your street and enjoy their company. Not to mention, they're all connected to other people who just might have a business or skill that you might require later on, so it's a great way to network as well.
I think you should enjoy where you live, and what better way to do that than become friends with those who live around you!

Recipe for a Neighbourhood party:
1. A flyer inviting your neighbours to join you and other neighbours. Keep it simple and make sure you give enough notice. At least 4 weeks works well for most and also September is best as everyone is usually home as school starts up again.
2. Get a group together to plan. Someone to get the burgers, hotdogs and buns. Someone else to get the pop and juice. Another to get items for prizes and games.
3. Decide who's going to do the barbecuing and get a couple of barbecues out at the end of the driveway.
4. Always have extra. Burgers and hotdogs are something you can freeze, so not a waste if there are leftovers. I put out a donations box to help cover the costs of the barbecue.
5. Have something for the kids to do after dinner and games - like a common basement on the block with a kids' movie or games with a couple of older teenagers/babysitters to watch the crew as they wind down from their day of fun and sugar! Parents can then mingle outside and check in on the kids as needed.
6. HAVE FUN!
Pictures coming soon!

Peach, pear and berry cobbler - Gluten-free

With fall fairs and family get-togethers in the fall, pot-lucks become a constant right up until Christmas. One of the great make-ahead dessert for such pot-lucks is a fruit cobbler. It travels well and can be served warm or room temperature. I love this one because you can modify the choice of berries to suit your own taste and use what ever is in season or use frozen. Fresh pears are always available and are mild flavoured to give the dish texture without overpowering the peach and berry flavours. 

Peach, pear and berry cobbler - Gluten-free

6 peaches, peeled and sliced (fresh works best, but frozen peaches will work well too)

3 pears, seeded and sliced (no need to peel)

2 cups berries - choose one of or combine all: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup granulated sugar, honey or 1/3 cup agave nectar or maple syrup

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tbsp. heaping corn starch or 1/4 cup white rice flour

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/2 tsp. salt

Topping

1.5 cups quick cook oats (if your celiac cannot handle oats, replace with brown rice flour - white rice flour will create more of a crust while brown rice flour will remain crumbly)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg (optional)

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup melted butter

Heat oven to 375˙F. In 9"x12" pan, melt 1 tsp. butter. Spread to coat pan with pastry brush or paper towel.

In large mixing bowl, add peaches, pears and berries. Add corn starch and cinnamon and toss to coat. Add in sugar or whatever sweetener you chose, melted butter and mix well. Put mixture into baking dish and spread out. 

For topping, mix all dry ingredients together until well mixed. Slowly add in melted butter to create a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle mixture overtop of fruit mixture so it's evenly coated. For a really thick top, you can double the topping recipe. Cooking time will be the same.

Put in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, uncovered. You can place a cookie sheet on the bottom rack to catch and drips from bubbling juice that might spill over. This is especially true if you're using frozen fruit as it will yeild a bit more liquid when cooking. Remove from heat and let cool for 1/2 hour before serving.

Serving suggestions:

Serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, Devon cream or drizzle with 18% cream or vanilla yogurt. Decorate with a sprig of mint or fresh berries.

You can cool completely, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover pan with tin foil and put in 350˙F preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Crustless Shepherds Pie - gluten-free

I love this recipe, especially in the fall. It's great comfort food when the weather turns cold. My kids love this one and I never have leftovers. Hope your family enjoys it as much as mine does!


You can do this all in a large skillet and 1 pot and avoid the baking dish altogether if you don't use the buttered crumbs - but that's the best part!
All of the flavour comes from the broth and soup mix, so no need for added spices unless you'd like to add garlic, rosemary, worshestershire sauce, etc. to season your meat.

No-crust Shepherd's pie

2 lbs. lean ground beef, lean ground pork or lean ground turkey or combination  (I like pork and turkey together)
4 large white or yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces (sweet potatoes are a great option too)
2 cups beef or chicken broth (Campbells - tetra pack, not canned - and President's choice are both gluten-free)
2 tbsp bulk GF free onion soup mix 
1-2 cups mixed frozen veggies (great way to use up small portions in your freezer) 
1 tsp celery salt 
1 tbsp cornstarch, heaping
1 cup shredded cheese (I like a good sharp cheddar for a stronger flavour, go mild for younger tastebuds)
1 cup GF breadcrumbs or crushed rice crackers 
1/3 cup melted butter
Salt and pepper to taste


In large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add potatoes. Turn to med-low heat and let simmer. 
Meanwhile, in large skillet, cook meat with celery salt - and any other desired spices to season - on high heat (the high heat helps to caramelize the sugars in the meat and adds lots of flavour) and stir until meat is thoroughly cooked through and beginning to brown. Turn heat to med-low. Add vegetables and stir for 2 minutes. Add onion soup mix and 1 cup of chicken broth. Stir until well mixed and soup is dissolved. In small bowl, mix 1/2 cup chicken stock with corn starch. Stir until starch is dissolved and add to meat mixture. Stir until sauce thickens, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Your potatoes should now be cooked through and tender (about 15 minutes). Drain water. Mash potatoes with remaining (1/2 cup) chicken stock. Add another 1/2 cup to 1 cup of milk to make very smooth potatoes to make it
easier to spread over meat mixture. Salt and pepper to taste.


In 9x12 inch baking dish, spread out meat mixture to cover the bottom of the pan evenly. Evenly sprinkle on grated cheese. Spoon mashed potatoes on top of meat/cheese mixture in small heaps to cover, then smooth out with a spatula.

Melt butter in microwave-safe dish for about 40 seconds (microwave time will vary depending on wattage). Add breadcrumbs to melted butter and stir to coat well. Sprinkle evenly over potatoes. Put baking dish under the broiler for 3-4 minutes or until crumbs are golden brown.

Serve! 

NOTE: This looks really involved but it's not. Really! This only takes me
about 1/2 hour to prepare from start to finish. You can always prepare in
advance, cover in foil and refridgerate for up to 3 days then bake it for 45
min at 375ÐF with foil on, then remove foil and broil top for 3-4 minutes.

Don't skip breakfast!

I'm pretty much starving when I wake up so I never skip breakfast. Nor should you!
I also love my rice wraps in the morning. So other than my previous recipe for flat crust pizza and rice chips, they're also great for breakfast. Again, I never use them as they're meant to be used: as a wrap. They just fall apart, despite my very careful efforts. So why not use them in different ways?
The wraps crisp up so nicely in the oven, that I thought I'd try them in the fry pan. The nice thing is, you don't need any oil or butter to crisp it up if you're watching those extra calories. Also, at only 130 calories per wrap, this is even better than a couple slices of gluten-free bread and travels well if you're in a rush. Walk, take the bus, or bring it to the office. It stays crisp and holds its shape even en route.
You can fill it with whatever you wish. Since dairy is not friendly to me (and I LOVE my cheese!), I tend to stick to a good melty goat cheese. But, feel free to use whatever cheese you like.

Crispy Breakfast rice wrap
1 Food For Life brown rice wrap
2 medium eggs, scrambled
2 tbsp. shredded cheese
1 slice bacon, crisped and chopped
1 tsp. chives, optional
Salt and pepper to taste

In a non-stick skillet, use a quick spray of cooking spray or oil or butter to lightly coat the pan. On med-high heat, pour eggs into pan and sprinkle with bacon pieces and chives. Turn heat to med-low. Cook until eggs are almost set and flip over to cook on other side for one to two minutes. Spread out grated cheese on your open frozen wrap (no need to thaw first, and lay your eggs on top to cover wrap. Add oil to coat pan (if using) and place wrap in centre of pan. Let warm through for 1 minute then fold in half and press the edge down to create a half-moon. Let crisp up for about 4-5 minutes then flip over and heat the other side. It will crisp up nicely. Remove from heat, cut in half and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve with ketchup or salsa. Yum!
Makes one serving.

Gluten-free tortilla wraps

As promised, here's the product info about the wraps.
The tortilla wraps that I actually don't ever use as a wrap, is made by 'Food for Life'. They are brown rice, flat tortilla wraps and you'll find them in the freezer at your larger grocery stores such as Zerhs in the 'health food' or 'alternate lifestyle' food sections of the grocery store. Some health food stores also carry them.
I have to say that they are the best for making a flat-crust pizza whether you're on a gluten-free diet or not.

Use it straight from the freezer. Add your sauce, your toppings and toss it in the oven as per my recipe blog posting from yesterday. It will become one of your favourites, I promise you! It's also low fat, low carbs AND has protein AND lots of fibre. You just can't go wrong.

Another way I love to use these wraps is to turn them into chips. They're a great alternative to corn chips and no fat! You can also make them salty or sweet. Use them for spicy salsa or fruit salsa. Yummy!

Here are 3 recipes for making your own chips:

Lightly salted Rice chips
2 Food for Life tortilla wraps
non-fat cooking spray (olive oil, canola oil or butter flavoured)
Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400˙F. Lightly spray both sides of the wraps with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt. Cut wraps into 8 wedges. Lay on a baking sheet. I put a cooling wrack on the baking sheet so that the heat can toast both sides at the same time without having to turn them halfway through cooking time. Put in oven for 8 minutes, a little longer if you want them darker and crispier. Remove from heat and let cool.
Serve with salsa or hummus or any other dips you would serve with chips.

Cheezy Rice Chips
2 tortilla wraps
non-fat cooking spray (Olive oil spray works well for this one)
2 tbsp. grated parmesian cheese
salt to taste

Follow same direction as salty chips.

Sweet Cinnamon Chips
2 tortilla wraps
non-fat cooking spray (butter flavour or canola is best for these)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. sugar or sugar substitute

Follow same directions at salty chips. These are great with a fruit salsa. That recipe in tomorrow's blog!

Enjoy!

Recipe One

Today for lunch I made one of my most favourite things: Thin crust pizza.

The crust is a simple brown rice wrap, which I find in the freezer section of my local Zerhs, but some health food stores carry it too. I'll put that in my blog tomorrow with a breakfast recipe I use these wraps for too.

For now, I'll just put in my fave pesto combo for pizza sauce. It makes a great pasta sauce too. 

Pesto:

1 bunch fresh basil

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 tbsp. toasted pine nuts

1 tbsp. grated parmesian cheese (optional)

In a small skillet, heat on medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add pine nuts and lightly brown for about two minutes, tossing them constantly so they don't burn. As soon as they are lightly browned, move to a plate to cool.

In a blender, add all other ingredients and pine nuts. Blend for about 13 seconds, give it a stir and blend again for another 15 to 30 seconds until smooth.

Use to spread onto your 'crust' (wrap). YOu can put the rest in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.

Add any other ingredients like sliced ham, chicken or shrimp, roasted red peppers, olives and whatever cheese you like. A mild white cheese like feta or mozzarella is a great pairing with the pesto.

Put in a 425˙F preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

Delish!

Brand name of wraps and more to come tomorrow...

My first post

So this is it. My new creative outlet.
I'm going to share some of my favourite gluten-free recipes in the days and months to come. Most I've come up myself from experimenting with flours, flavours and new product discoveries, others will be modified favourites from childhood.
 I was diagnosed with celiac disease back in 1997. Back then, even the nutritionist didn't know what to do with me as this wasn't a new disease, but not well known of or heard of at the time. Now you can find gluten-free products everywhere! My quest for the best bread recipe is still just that: a quest. But in my quest I've discovered great new grains - well, new to me - and have experimented with ways of using them.
I love to cook, but for me, the presentation is key. Think of it as a cake. You make this delicious cake. There it is, on a plate. Appealing? Not so much on it's own. Now spread on the icing. That's better. How about some little flowers or stars, some sparkles and iced design... Now you're getting the idea. The nicer the presentation, the tastier the dish gets. Decorating food not only adds colour, but depending on what you choose, can add that little 'extra' to take your dish from hum to YUM!

Come back tomorrow for the my first ever recipe post! Gluten-free, of course. But you don't have to be on a gluten-free diet to enjoy it. I promise!