And of course, that’s a wonderful thing, no matter what!  So here’s one of our favorite one super yummy, super simple, something-for-everyone wonders. Easily vegan, totally customizable. You’ve got your veggie, your protein, your carb all in one.  No chopping, no fussing, one pot and all done. It’s evolved over time.  I make it with chicken when E is home, without when he’s gone (I prefer without).  And I greatly prefer Mache, but if I can’t find it, arugula will work in a pinch.  I need to start growing Mache because it’s too expensive to keep up my habit long term!

The amounts are nowhere near precise because first, with soaked quinoa, the amount of broth you need depends on how long it’s been soaking.  Personally, my tummy prefers “overcooked” quiona, when it’s much softer.  Feel free to customize to your preferences.

1.5 cups quiona
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed with the back of a knife blade
1 carton of Pacific broth or homemade if desired
½ cup pitted olives with a few Tablespoons of the brine, like Kalamatas OR ¼ cup lemon juice
2 clamshells of either mache, arugala or spinach. I like Mache best. Mache cooks quicker than arugala.
Salt and pepper to taste

Soak 1 ½ cups of quinoa overnight in more than enough water to cover.  Drain, rinse.

Heat olive oil on medium.  Crush a few cloves of garlic.  We’ve still got some from the garden—how awesome!  Sauté garlic until you start smelling that wonderful aroma.  Toss in the quinoa, add in 4 qts broth.  Simmer, covered for about 12 min.

Add in a clamshell of arugula and the pitted olives or ¼ cup lemon juice.  2 min later, stir and add Mache.  They need to be added one at a time or there’s not enough room in the pot!  Let it wilt uncovered, and cook until quinoa is cooked fully.

NOTE: if you love a non-vegan, when the quinoa is starting to unfurl (about 5 min from the end), add 2 diced raw chicken breasts.

I am submitting this to Wellness Weekends, as hosted by the most delicious Ricki of Diet, Dessert and Dogs. This week’s entries are here.

©2012 Gluten Free Goodness. All Rights Reserved.

Granted, that’s not the most appetizing of names, but this IS a super yummy soup–perfect for the cooler weather, and really, really easy to make so it’s perfect to whip up when, well, you’re getting the sniffles! As a bonus, this hearty vegan stew is made from ingredients I always have on hand in the pantry, so it’s quite convenient.

2 cups broth (I like Pacific Brand)
1 can diced tomatoes (I prefer Eden because it’s BPA free)
generous 1/3 cup sunbutter (or almond butter or PB)
1/4 cup diced uncrystallized ginger, or 1 tsp minced ginger
1 Tablespoon garam masala or chili powder
squeeze of lemon
pinch of salt, to taste
Handful of steamed chopped kale, 1 head of steamed broccoli, or thawed broccoli florets
1 can garbanzo beans, drained (Eden foods)

Simmer the broth, tomatoes, sunbutter, ginger and spice on low for 30 min to allow flavors to meld. Stir occasionally. Steam kale, broccoli, etc. Add veggies to the stew, and add drained garbanzo beans. Simmer a minute or two more, add salt and pepper as desired, and enjoy!

©2012 Gluten Free Goodness. All Rights Reserved.

Gardening is such a joy.  I don’t always get a lot of food or exercise out of it, per se, but it’s so delightful to spy a growing watermelon, a new flower budding, my first artichoke–oh!  my babies.  The butterflies, the birds, the bunnies and the toads all keep me company is such a delightful way.

This year has been such a mix.  It was way too hot, and it coincided with a time I wasn’t feeling well so I wasn’t getting up early and so, sad to say, my plants got a bit parched.  So I’ve got great kale, tomatoes and herbs, but some of the tomato plants are looking very unhappy, and none have had a good year.  However, one set of pumpkins are coming along, so fingers crossed.

Oh yeah…I mentioned a lentil stew.  I had a cavity filled and my poor mouth hurt.  As I stared at my garden harvest, my brain went to soft foods and I immediately opted for a lentil stew.  And it was so glorious that almost everything (the kale, the tomatoes, the carrots, the garlic, the parsley, and the thyme) was lovingly grown in my garden.

1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
a big handful kale, blanched, or spinach and skip the blanching
a couple of potatoes
5 cups broth
1 cup dried lentils
2 bay leaves
2 springs thyme or lemon thyme
2 carrots, chopped
a handful of tomatoes, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Saute the onions for a few minutes and then saute the garlic a minute more. Add the broth, blanched kale, lentils, bay leaves, thyme, carrots, potatoes and tomatoes. Let simmer until the potato is tender, then add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the parsley at the end and enjoy.

©2012 Gluten Free Goodness. All Rights Reserved.

I got a new toy, a food processor. I broke my old food processor, which has been a huge bummer. I didn’t realize how much I used it! And, it kept me from exploring Ricki’s fantastic e-book, Desserts without Compromise. But now, no excuses, and I’m eager to get playing.
I love hummus, but oh, hummus has not loved me. Or more specifically, tahini and I don’t mix well. Since I come from a Middle Eastern family, this was pretty much a travesty. It didn’t matter for years because beans bothered my stomach, but fortunately, now they don’t. And it became clear after experimenting that there were plenty of good substitutes for tahini! I usually either use Brazil nut butter or Sunbutter (brazil nut butter has a richer taste). And I use Kalamatas rather than olive oil because my innards tend to be sensitive to the amount of fat I eat…even good fats…and this was a way to get great flavor without a tummyache.

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed well and drained
2 cloves garlic
1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup Brazil nut butter or Sunbutter
pinch salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne

18-20 Kalamata olives with a little of the brine included

Combine the first group of ingredients in the food processor until smooth. Add in Kalamatas and pulse. Adjust seasonings as desired and enjoy with red peppers, on a bed of greens or whatever works best!

©2012 Gluten Free Goodness. All Rights Reserved.

I love kale.  Adore kale.  Can’t get enough, really, and that’s why I’ve chosen if for this week’s menu plan (see below) And my (current) favorite way of making it is in pesto form.    It’s super easy, and totally customizable for taste.  Here’s a basic template:

——————————————

One REALLY large bunch of kale, ribs coarsely removed
1/3-2/3 cup Brazil nuts, toasted
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp or more of sea salt
good squeeze of lemon
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup Kalamata olives (optional, but optimal)

Coarsely grind brazil nuts in the food processor and toast for a few minutes (until browning). Cook kale in boiling water for 8-10 min, drain loosely. Put in food processor with garlic, lemon juice, Brazil nuts, etc. Process until smooth-ish and creamy, adding in olive oil as needed. Add olives at the end if you like chunks.

We usually have the pesto on quiona or baked on whatever kind of white fish.

©2012 Gluten Free Goodness. All Rights Reserved.

I stumbled by Amy’s blog and Slightly Indulgent Mondays event and this seemed like a good fit, and a good excuse for me to post another recipe! It’s indulgent because, hey, it’s a chocolate cake. But with the sources of fat from olive oil, pecans and eggs, it’s much kinder on your body say, the standard cake with butter and loads of sugar. It’s dairy free and low glycemic. And, like all of my recipes, the ingredients are wholesome, healthy gluten free foods, just with a rockin’ taste. And now no sugar. Life is good.

Also, of course, check out the other fun recipes entered, too!

2 cups of pecans
5 eggs, separated
1/2 cup olive oil
1 TBSP mesquite + the rest of a 1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp stevia powder
pinch of salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup agave nectar

Grease a 9 inch springform, line with parchment and dust the sides with cocoa powder. Grind pecans into pecan meal in a food processor, add in cocoa, stevia, salt, vanilla, oil land yolks and grind a minute more.  Add the agave last and BRIEFLY let it mix in. Whip whites to stiff peaks, and gently fold the pecan mixture into the whites

Pour batter into the pan and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until the top starts to brown. Allow to cool a good 10 minutes before unmolding from the springform. You can frost or not, depending on your mood. I made a simple macadamia cream/cocoa ganache and sprinkled raw cacao on top.

©2012 Gluten Free Goodness. All Rights Reserved.

These crackers are a staple that I make just about weekly. They’re easy, versatile, yummy, healthy, and lend carb-y goodness that seriously needed on my grain free diet. I do constantly tweak them just a bit and play with different flavors, and you can add whatever spices suite your fancy. So give them a whirl! You’ll enjoy them.

Preheat oven to 325.

1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed well and put in a strainer to drain
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 Tablespoons ground flax seed
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning dried herbs (blend de jour of oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, etc.)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Italian seasoning dried herbs
coarse sea salt

Shake as much water you can from the garbanzos and let them blot with a towel. Pulse in a food processor. Add rest of ingredients through black pepper and blend well. Add oil, and the dough should come together into a ball. If not, add a little more until it does.

Cover with saran wrap for ease and roll out thinly on to 2 silpat mats or parchment paper (not as thin as you possibly can, but close). Use a pizza cutter to cut the crackers into sizes of your choice, and sprinkle with seasoning and salt. For prettier crackers, prick with a fork. Bake in preheated oven until slightly browning (around 30-40 min), watch them after 20 min or so.

You do have to turn the sheets periodically, and rotate the crackers when you’re able for the best results. The outside crackers brown much quicker–those usually just go directly to my mouth.

©2012 Gluten Free Goodness. All Rights Reserved.

Kate of GF Gobsmacked has had a lot of practice welcoming a new one as of late! If you need a smile, check out her blog for pictures of her little sweetheart. She is bringing along her Korean Mung Bean Pancakes. They’re even kid approved, although Sea will have to wait a while until her sweetie is big enough!

Ricki of Diet, Dessert and Dogs is bringing along a variety of appetizers: almond feta cheese and Raw carrot and sunflower seed pate. Not only do they look amazing, but they’re even vegan, and the cheese is soy free, too.

Jenn, of Gluten Free Food Storage is bringing along Lentil Tacos! I don’t have a picture for this one, but it looks like a simple and tasty recipe, perfect for when you’ve got a new baby.

Wendy of Celiacs in the House is making sure we get our fill of protein with quinoa cakes. She knows Sea well enough to know that she’ll surely whip up one of her fabulous sauces to go along with it.

Emily was eager to recreate a quinoa recipe she had in San Diego, and she brings us her Garlic Asparagus Quinoa, which is perfect for Springtime.

Could I really be the only one who brings along dessert? Well, Chocolate Strawberry (or chocolate orange) mini cakes all around!

Heather of Celiac Family is bringing Raspberry Divinity Tarts that look totally delish. AND her rubber ducky meringues cookies are just beyond cute in my book. Heather, you get points for being super artistic and creative!!!

Angela of Angela’s kitchen sent in a great post for Hanana Banana Bread or mini muffins and even a pumpkin version of the same.  The banana bread was from her baby was little, and she’s got such cute flower shaped versions on her blog header!

Here’s to Sea and new beginnings! Much love as you start out on this exciting new chapter of life.

If by chance I have missed your submission, please send me an email and let me know.

©2012 Gluten Free Goodness. All Rights Reserved.

This week’s theme is Chickpeas, or garbanzos. From hummus to soccas, falafel to garbanzo salads, chickpeas are amazing. I can’t wait to see how everyone includes them in their menus! Since my family is from the Middle East, I am a huge fan of chickpeas in all forms. I haven’t yet tried this recipe for crispy spiced chickpeas, but oh, I’m tempted!

It’s a great time of year, when it’s clear that winter is indeed going on its way soon. I love spring (and summer and fall) it’s just winter that I haven’t yet learned to appreciate. My indoor peach tree is even budding!

I’ve also (finally) posted recipes from a healthy GF recipe contest I’m hosting. If you’re interested in entering, please feel free to send recipes, or you can vote on the ones submitted! There are great prizes, so check it out.

And to those of you who were so interested in the vegan brownie recipe…it was fabulous, but it totally fell, so I need to keep tweaking the recipe. I’ll have to keep you posted. I also posted the DB chocolate cake, which was quite dreamy!

Monday:
Chicken and broccoli in a Malaysian Sunflower butter sauce

Tuesday:
Tilapia in a tomato sauce with green peppers

Weds:
Vegan
Avocado and sorrel soup

Thursday:
Socca (chickpea pancake) with arugula pesto

Friday:
Turkey in a garlicky parsley sauce with roasted asparagus

Baked goods:
I’m teaching a class “Living and Loving a GF diet”, and will make an apple crisp if I have time

If you’d like to host a menu plan, drop me a line!

A Modern Gal has a great menu planned, featuring a chicken she roasted.  Her Indonesian Spicy Rice looks delish!  Her Chickpeas and greens sound good, too.

Elizabeth of Weird and surprisingly good has a nice run down of her favorite snacks along with her menu for this week.  She’s getting her chickpeas this week in the form of hummus!  Her chicken enchilada recipe is in the works and hopefully she’ll share that soon.

Sea of book of yum joins us with an un-chicken waldorf salad recipe, and a great recipe for veggie fajitas.  Not only that, but most excitingly, Sea is pregnant and Baby yum is surely loving all the gormet GF global treats!

Wendy of Celiacs in the house has a great looking Potato and chickpea curry on the menu that I’m going to have to try really soon!  She’s also got a nice picture of the ocean to inspire her toward warmer times and nicer weather, and I can’t blame her a bit!

Ginger has an adorable picture of her piggies in a menu that also  contains pork (I guess the piggies haven’t gotten the memo!) and a great menu that includes Mahi mahi and mango salsa.  The cabbage stir fry sounds great, too!

Country living is balancing her menu with the preferences of her family members (but just as a heads up, her menu does contain spelt and barley, which are offlimits on a gf diet).  The sweet potato cakes sound yummy.

Angela gets her chickpeas in her GF flour, and she’s got a fun week planned.  She’s training for the Breast Cancer 3 day, on top of a busy schedule.

Poor Manda has been having power outages, but still joins us with a global menu.  She’s even got a Romianian buckwheat stew!

Esther stops by to share some ideas for great salads and her menu, including veggie curry, pasta with cream sauce and ribs, too.  She even teases us with the thought of beetroot hummus!

©2012 Gluten Free Goodness. All Rights Reserved.

This is barely a recipe, but it is tasty! Lately, quick and easy have been the primary food criteria around these parts.  This pesto fits the bill, and works to make anything taste yummier. I use it as a dip for raw veggies, and add it to quinoa, steamed veg, fish, etc.  I use less oil than I do for a regular pesto because it’s been bothering my poor sensitive tummy, but feel free to sub more olive oil for the water for a more traditional pesto.

And as a bonus, DH doesn’t seem to realize that he’s eating veggies…

5oz package of arugula, well washed
1/2 cup water* (see headnote)
1/4 cup olive oil (or more)
1/2 lemon, squeezed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2-1 clove of garlic, optional
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, pine nuts or a mix

Put arugula, water, oil, lemon and salt in the food processor and blend until smooth. Add in olives and nuts and blend, leaving it as chunky or smooth as you like!

©2012 Gluten Free Goodness. All Rights Reserved.