Adopt a Gluten free blogger: Turkey Chili soup

Posted on April 8, 2008 by Cheryl Harris

Cindalou\'s soup

You know how dogs and cats have this spot, and if you scratch it at just the right angle, they start to purr? Well, I have this thing about comfort foods…they’ve got just the right mix, and I’m purring away. Soup is usually a “winter food” but April is such a rainy month that it’s perfect now, too.

Cindalou’s Turkey Chili soup hit the spot for me. It had that simple but delicious comfort food kind of vibe going on. For one of the first times in my life, I followed the recipe almost to the letter. I did use fresh herbs instead of dried, mainly because I have an herb garden. And…mmmm. But yum with a kick! The jalepeno I used was over-the-top hot. Usually they are so bland, but this baby packed a punch! I’m not so much into super spice, so I did add some vitamin C crystals (they give a lemon flavor, for those of us who are citrus allergic) but that was totally a reflection of the pepper I used and my mellow tastes, not the recipe.

I didn’t try the optional BBQ sauce because of allergies/intolerances, but I bet it would be a nice touch. I think sauteed collards would pair well and I’ll have to make some next time.

I’ve been a long time fan of Cindalou’s blog. It’s clear that she is an intrepid explorer and totally willing to just play, which is the best way to come up with neat ideas! And I do plan to try her muffins that have cabbage, basically because for the life of me, I can’t picture cabbage in a muffin. I woudn’t have thought of that one by myself, and that’s why it’s so awesome to be able to peek into someone else’s kitchen for inspiration. I love that her diet is much like mine! For reasons beyond my choosing, I’m largely paleo, and it’s hard to find foods that are without gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, etc. AND low carb. And, of course, tasty.

For more fun in the gf adoptee universe, please see the Book of Yum site, which is coordinating the festivities this month.

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Quinoa Italiana

Posted on April 8, 2008 by Cheryl Harris

Quinoa Italiana with roasted asparagus and red pepper chicken

Ok, I know there’s nothing Italian about quinoa, but boy, does quinoa go well with traditional Italian flavors like tomato, basil and pine nuts. I’ve enjoyed quinoa for years, but usually did it with a southwestern twist. But I wanted to do something totally different, and use familiar flavors to introduce quinoa to the uninitiated…and it worked!

Toasting the quinoa is key. It takes a while (15 min or so) over medium heat in a dry skillet, but most of the time you’re ignoring it and free to do whatever else. It really helps the nutty flavor of quinoa shine. You can toast it ahead of time and keep in a jar for a month or so.

Raw pine nuts are delicious, but roasted…they’re a symphony.

I played with using half regular quinoa, and half of the Inca Red quinoa. And it looked lovely! But the regular quinoa cooked quicker, and the red remained a little crunchy. Everyone seemed to like the crunch factor, but I think I’d stick to one or the other in the future.

Also pictured in the photo are roasted asparagus and red pepper chicken. I’ll have to post those recipes when I get a chance, but to me, the quinoa is the rock star… and many thanks to Natalie, the photographer.

Enjoy, let me know what you think.

Quinoa Italiana (quinoa with an Italian flair)

1 cup quinoa
1/3-1/2 cup of pine nuts
3 Tablespoons oil
8 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups chicken or veggie broth
2-3 sprigs thyme (optional)
½ cup kalamata or other olives, pitted and chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup fresh basil, torn or coarsely chopped
sea salt
black pepper

Toast quinoa over medium heat in a dry skillet until it starts to smell toasty (about 15 minutes). Stir occasionally or shake skillet. Remove.

Toast pine nuts until slightly browned. Remove to a plate.

Add oil, garlic and a pinch of salt, sauté until the garlic is golden. Add quinoa and stir, add broth and thyme. Bring to a boil and cover, let simmer for 10 minutes. Add olives and pine nuts in after 10 minutes. In about 5 more minutes, the broth should be absorbed. Add tomatoes, black pepper and basil. Enjoy!

~from Cheryl’s kitchen ©2008

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Welcome!

Posted on April 8, 2008 by Cheryl Harris

I’ve been envious of all of the fun that GF bloggers get to have…recipe exchanges and the like. So I’ve developed a blog so I can “play”, too. I have many food restrictions: no gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, corn, sesame, grapes, fermented foods, yeast or citrus, shellfish, pork, and I also do the low glycemic thing. Did I miss any of them? You get the general idea. But that doesn’t mean that food is boring in our house! I’m always trying new things, some work (some don’t!) and learning along the way. And almost all I make is using whole food ingredients, and healthy.

I love recipes using 101 different spices and herbs and all sorts of new exotic tastes and textures. But I also totally appreciate the simple dishes that I can throw together that are delicious, too.

I’m a nutritionist and dietitian by profession, and it’s a fabulous coincidence that food has been a huge chunk of my own healing journey. I’ve been reading GF blogs for quite sometime and enjoy what other people are cooking and baking, and love to get the ideas of new thing to try. It finally occurred to me that if I get all excited to find a GFCFEFSF-low sugar-no corn treat on someone’s site, that maybe there were others like me who would appreciate my creations. So…enjoy, and let me know your thoughts.

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