Category: Pasta, Rice, & Grains
Mushroom and Herb Polenta
| May 15, 2013 | Filled under Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta, Rice, & Grains, Vegetables |
We’ve been eating vegetarian a few times a week and I’ve been experimenting with satisfying, simple, meatless meals. I’m not a vegetarian by any means, but I enjoy eating meatless meals quite often, especially when those vegetarian meals are cheesy, herb-filled comfort meals like this mushroom and herb polenta.
This recipe is adapted from ‘Plenty‘ by Yotam Ottolenghi. Famous for his famous London food shop ‘Ottolenghi’, he became renowned for his innovative vegetarian offerings. This cookbook is full of ‘vibrant vegetable recipes ‘ that are globally inspired and full of flavour. The recipes are accessible and easy to follow with interesting stories about his inspirations and beautiful photography for each recipe. It’s one of my favourites in my vast cookbook collection.
Mushrooms are so satisfying and the perfect meat substitute. You can use any mushrooms you like, and play around with the herb combinations too. I’ve used basil and parsley before, and played around with the proportions of the herbs. The options are limitless. Taleggio melts so amazingly and has a rich, salty flavour so perfect in this dish. Because Taleggio can be quite salty, it’s a good idea to add salt sparingly to the polenta.
I love that this dish is elegant enough to serve as a vegetarian main course for guests yet simple enough for a weeknight meal – perfect vegetarian eating that’s decadent and delicious.
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| 1. Add half olive oil and half the mushrooms to pan | 2. Fry a few minutes until just browned – don’t stir too much |
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| 3. Slowly add 1/2 cup of polenta to simmering vegetable stock | 4. Add garlic, rosemary, butter, Parmesan, salt and pepper to polenta and stir |
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| 5. Spread polenta in oven-ready dish | 6. Top polenta with mushroom herb mixture |
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| 7. Top mushrooms with Taleggoio and place in broiler | 8. Done when cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve hot. |
Mushroom and Herb Polenta (adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi)
Ingredients:
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 cups mixed mushrooms, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp chopped tarragon
- 1 Tbsp chopped thyme
- 1 Tbsp truffle oil
- 2 ¼ cups vegetable stock
- ½ cup instant polenta
- 3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp chives, finely chopped
- 3 oz Taleggio cheese (rind removed), cut into 3/8” slices
- Salt and pepper
Directions:
- Pre-heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add half olive oil and half the mushrooms to pan, and fry for a few minutes until just cooked, about 5 to 6 minutes. Don’t stir too much to get more golden brown bits. Remove mushrooms from pan and place in a bowl and set aside. Repeat with remaining olive oil and mushrooms. Remove pan from heat and add first batch of mushrooms back to pan. Add two-thirds of the garlic, and all the tarragon, thyme, and truffle oil. Stir to combine and set aside.
- Bring vegetable stock to boil in a medium saucepan and reduce to simmer. Once simmering, slowly pour in polenta, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Cooking time will vary depending on brand; polenta is done when it leaves the sides but is still runny. Remove from heat.
- Preheat the broiler. Add Parmesan, butter, rosemary, and chives. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread polenta in oven-ready dish and top with mushrooms. Top mushrooms with Taleggio and place under broiler for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Serve hot.
Sausage and Kale Pasta
| April 7, 2013 | Filled under Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta, Rice, & Grains, Poultry, Vegetables |
Kale’s so hot right now. Right? Or are we over it? I mean it is kind of a winter green, but technically it’s spring now. Kidding. Regardless of what’s hot or not, or how unseasonably cold it still is outside (spring, where are you?!?), kale is tasty, full of nutrients and available year round. I’m always on the lookout for new ways to enjoy kale, whether it’s baked kale chips or a Tuscan salad with currants and Parmesan in lemon vinaigrette. And now it’s pasta turn to get kale’d.
This is a comforting supper with some healthy ingredients. Chicken sausage replaces fatty pork and really helps cut down on the calories. Before I went on a kale kick, spinach was my go-to green. I still like spinach a lot (makes me feel like Popeye) but kale is just a wee bit healthier - see why here in this food face-off. Organic brown rice pasta is great gluten-free option too.
In our house, we’re big fans of spicy food so lot of crushed red pepper flakes make their way into most pasta dishes, but I’ve only added a touch in the recipe for a bit of kick. For a kid-friendly version, the chili flakes can be omitted completely. For a dairy-free version, use Toffuti’s Better than Cream Cheese instead of grated fresh Parmesan.
Kale and Sausage Pasta (serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 4 turkey or chicken sausages, removed from casings (about 1.25 lbs)
- 1 bunch kale, about 12 ounces, washed, stems removed and chopped
- 1 shallot, minced
- 3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tsp crushed red chili flakes (optional)
- 12 ounces gluten-free pasta
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
- 2 Tablespoons dairy-free cream cheese or grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet to medium-high heat and add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add sausage and break up with wooden spoon. Cook until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil to pan and add shallots and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic, anchovy paste, kale, chili flakes, and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Add cooked pasta to kale mixture. Add ¼ cup of reserved pasta water and cream cheese (or parmesan cheese) and stir until pasta is evenly coated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more pasta water if needed. Garnish with parmesan cheese (if using), additional chili flakes and truffle oil.
Five-Spice Chicken Lettuce Wraps
| February 6, 2013 | Filled under Asian, Main Dishes, Pasta, Rice, & Grains, Poultry, Snacks & Appetizers |
Chinese New Year is this weekend and I’m new year prep mode. Unlike its January 1st counterpart, which is basically about a countdown followed by new years resolutions, Chinese New Year feels so much more celebratory. Typically, the weeks leading up to the new year involves cleaning and de-cluttering, so you can start the new year fresh. By throwing out the trash or the bad luck, you make room for good luck to enter your life.
Every year, my grandma treats the whole family to dinner at a Chinese restaurant (at last count, that would be about 25 to 30 of us that live in town, including her kids, grandkids, and great grandkids). It’s the one time of year that all the amazing cooks in my family don’t actually have to cook (and mess up the kitchen) and can relax and enjoy the festivities instead.
Classic Family Pic: Doesn’t my grandma look so young to have that many grandkids? Five grandkids are missing from the pic because they weren’t born yet. That’s my dad holding me in his lap on the far right.
After dinner, we all go to my parents house where the little ones get red envelopes with lucky money and then we start gambling. I have fond memories of all of us squishing around the table to play blackjack, which is the first card game we all learned to play. My dad is usually the dealer, with his ‘family house rules’ and we have a great time heckling him. And yes the eating continues here too. Usually fried shrimp chips, coffee, and clementines. Savoury, caffeinated, and sweet.
For this recipe, the five-spice powder gives the chicken a distinctly Asian flavour and isn’t actually hot spicy, more earthy and aromatic. The heat factor comes from the Thai bird chilis in the marinade and the toppings. Be careful, sometimes those little guys can be brutally spicy. I always de-seed before adding to the marinade to give it some kick, without being too overpowering.
My nephew is totally the Golden Child in his Chinese New Year outfit. Look at those delicious cheeks!
My niece and my dog Pucci dressed up for Chinese New Year in 2012. Cuteness overload.
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Honestly, this batch of chilis was so spicy, we picked them off the wraps after the photos were taken because they were melting our faces off (the ones in the marinade were perfect). But if you like heat, go for it. You can always leave them on the side and let your guests garnish as they please.
This recipe for lettuce wraps is a hybrid of many different food loves: chili chicken, Peking duck (the second course), and Vietnamese cool rolls. Over the holidays, I watched Jamie Oliver create something similar on TV, though he start plopping on raw tofu and lost me, but I loved his Asian fusion approach. This would be a great meal to put out for a crowd and it’s fun and festive to eat no matter what time of year. An Asian taco of sorts. And like all tacos, make sure to have lots of napkins on hand.
Wishing everyone a New Year full of happiness, health, prosperity and lots of good luck.
Here’s a more recent pic of some of us hamming it up in headpieces my sister brought back from her trip to China. So cute!
PS – I used a julienne peeler to get those pretty shreds of carrot.
Five-Spice Chicken Lettuce Wraps (serves 4 as a main)
Ingredients:
Five-Spice Chicken
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into 1″ pieces
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp minced ginger
- 1 tsp five-spice powder
- 1 to 2 Thai bird chilis, de-seeded and finely minced
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro/coriander
- 3/4 tsp salt
- canola oil for frying
Lettuce Wraps and Garnishes
- 2 heads of iceberg lettuce
- 2 stalks green onion, finely sliced
- 1 medium carrot, julienned
- 1/4 cucumber, cut into matchsticks
- Handful fresh cilantro/coriander leaves
- 2 cups cooked rice noodles (cooked according to package instructions)
- Gluten-free hoisin sauce
- Sesame seeds (optional)
- 2 to 3 Thai bird chilis, finely sliced (optional)
Directions:
- In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients for chicken except canola oil and stir to combine. Cover and marinate in fridge for 30 minutes up to 2 hours.
- Prepare lettuce wraps. Carefully peel away leaves of lettuce from the head, trying not to tear the leaves, and trim excess ends with kitchen shears. Wash and dry lettuce leaves, and place on platter.
- In large non-stick frying pan over medium high heat, add one tablespoon canola oil. Add half of the chicken to pan and let cook for 2 minutes or until browned. Flip chicken over and cook other side for another 2 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink inside. Remove chicken and place on paper towel lined plate. Wipe any brown bits from pan with a clean paper towel and add pan back to heat. Add one tablespoon canola oil and cook remaining chicken.
- Assemble wraps. Place about 1 to 2 ounces of rice noodles inside each lettuce wrap, followed by carrots, cucumber, and chicken. Add remaining garnishes and serve.
Buttermilk Biscuits
| October 22, 2012 | Filled under Breakfast, Pasta, Rice, & Grains, Sides |
Depending on where you come from, a biscuit can mean two different things. In North America, they’re little scone-like breads that are typically savoury while in the UK they’re a cracker or cookie. The recipe here is for the North American version and they’re super easy to whip up using my fave Pamela’s Products Baking & Pancake Mix. The mix is so versatile and these tasty biscuits are ready to enjoy hot out of the oven in under 15 minutes. They’re not only fast and easy but totally decadent – even my non-gluten-free friends love them.
The buttermilk is in the mix and all that’s added is shortening and milk. The original recipe on the bag calls for shortening, but I’ve swapped that out for heart healthier coconut oil this time, or when I have it around, I go for organic vegetable shortening. You can use any milk however, because of my dairy sensitivity I opt for unsweetened soy. Whatever you’ve got around should work just fine – just keep an eye on the baking time. When the tops and edges are browned, they’re done.
This recipe is also super quick because these are drop biscuits, rather than biscuits with a dough that needs to be rolled and cut. Just scoop some blobs of dough on the tray and they’re ready to bake. I like to enjoy these biscuits with my Potato Leek Soup, Tomato Soup, or at a holiday meal with my Inside Out Stuffing and Simple Roast Chicken. These are even great with breakfast. Clearly, I love biscuits and I thought that once I went gluten-free that I’d never have anything close to the buttery flaky ones of my past. However, this is a simple fast recipe that makes biscuits so amazing that I’ve never looked back at their doughy gluten-y counterparts. Thanks Pamela’s Products for making such great gluten-free stuff – you rock.
PS – the mix contains both dairy and nuts (almond meal).
Recipe Buttermilk Biscuits (makes 6) Adapted from Pamela’s Products
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pamela’s Products Baking & Pancake Mix
- 1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon milk (I use unsweetened soy)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil or shortening
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, cut in the shortening or coconut oil with a fork until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Add the milk and stir until just combined. Do not let dough sit. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto baking tray lined with parchment paper or greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges and tops are lightly browned.
Fast Flatbread Pizza
| April 19, 2012 | Filled under Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta, Rice, & Grains, Snacks & Appetizers, Soup & Sandwiches |
Everyone loves pizza. It’s the ultimate comfort food and I dream about the amazing pizzas of my gluten-eating past. Specifically, Neapolitan pizza with its thin, slightly charred crust, San Marzano tomatoes and cheesey topping, these pizzas are a fond yet distant memory.
Here’s a homemade flatbread pizza that’s gluten-free, fast, and delicious. The uber-thin crust is nice and crispy and pretty light in calories, yet once loaded up with your favourite toppings, it totally satisfies the pizza craving. So next time you’re at the grocery store, forget those expensive frozen gluten-free pizza crusts and look for these tortillas (sometimes in the frozen health food aisle), which are also perfect for making wraps and crackers. While it’s no Neapolitan pizza, this flatbread can be made at home in a toaster oven. I used to be a line cook at my university pub where we would make a gazillion pita bread/garlic butter/shredded cheese appetizers that inpired my gluten-free version - just one of the many useful things I learned during my quest for a higher education.
I’m not even sure you call this a ‘recipe’ but you take a brown rice tortilla from Food for Life, add your favourite toppings, and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the edges are golden brown. Slice and serve.
The pizza in this post was made with garlic butter, sliced mushrooms, and goat mozzarella and garnished with fresh arugula, basil, chili flakes and truffle oil. All of my fave ingredients and perfect with a bowl of tomato soup or a fresh salad.
Inside-Out Stuffing and Simple Roast Chicken
| April 11, 2012 | Filled under Main Dishes, Meat, Pasta, Rice, & Grains, Poultry, Sides, Vegetables |
Happy Anniversary to me! It’s been one year since the launch of freshnessgf.com and I’m so delighted with the end result – an online food journal full of recipes, stories, and photos. Honestly, my biggest thrill is when people tell me that they a) checked out my site b) tried a recipe and/or c) shared the site with their friends. It’s so totally humbling and gratifying that I fist pump every time.
In honour of this milestone, I thought I’d share one of my fave celebration recipes, stuffing with roast chicken. Notice that the stuffing is the main event here and the chicken, although delicious, is an accompaniment to its carb-tastic counterpart. My aunts make the most amazing stuffing, something our family gets to devour only three holidays a year – Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas. They also make the most moist, juicy turkey known to man and their holiday spreads are legendary for requiring a big appetite and some stretchy pants (this past Easter, there were no less than 20 separate dishes being served up – scroll to the end to see).
Since going gluten-free, I’ve had to give up on my aunt’s savoury stuffing but craving that distinct delicious comfort food, I ended up creating my own version. Now typically stuffing gets stuffed inside the cavity of a turkey, which is great for feeding large crowds lots of turkey and not so much stuffing. However, my version involves a lot of stuffing and a single chicken for roasting. The chicken is enough to feed three or four, but I make enough stuffing to feed quite an army. You can totally modify the recipe to make half the amount, but be warned, you’ll wish you had more leftover stuffing afterwards.
So the way to get all that stuffing is to layer the prepared stuffing underneath the chicken which gets roasted on top. So it’s inside out stuffing. I got the idea from Martha Stewart – to see a picture of the finished chicken and stuffing click here. I always make this when company is over and I keep forgetting to photograph it before I slice and serve. What makes this stuffing superior to traditional stuffing is how some parts get nicely crispy and browned, while other parts get squishy and moist from the juices of the chicken. Is your mouth-watering yet? Mine is just thinking about it.
One trick I picked up from my aunts is to make sure to use lots of onions. In my version, I use a combo of white onions, leeks, and garlic. Also, I use chicken sausage instead of pork, and I pick different flavours depending on the palettes of my guests. Heat loving friends got spicy Italian while D’s family got a milder honey garlic version. Either way, you can’t really go wrong.
This recipe takes longer than most of my other posts, but it’s still easy to whip up. Just saute the sausage and veggies, add the bread crumbs and stock, plop the chicken on top and stick it in the oven. While it’s roasting away, the aroma fills the house with the smell of a celebration, and in my case, it usually involves a glass of wine or bubbly.
Thanks again to all my lovely readers for your kind words and continued support. xoxoxo V
Inside-Out Stuffing and Simple Roast Chicken (Serves three to four with leftovers)
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Ingredients:
For the Stuffing
- 1 lb uncooked sausage, casings removed (about 4) – (Italian, chorizo, honey garlic all great)
- 2 cups sliced leeks, white part only
- 2 cup diced onion (about 2 medium or 1 large)
- 1 cup diced celery
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 to 1 ½ cup chicken stock
- 10 cups day old, gluten-free bread cut into 1” cubes
- ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- Fresh ground pepper
For the chicken:
- 1 roasting chicken, about 4 lbs
- 1 lemon, cut into quarters
- 6 cloves garlic
- 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Special Equipment: Large Dutch oven, roasting pan, or large deep oven-proof skillet
Directions:
- Make stuffing. Heat pan over medium-high heat and add 1 teaspoon of canola oil. Add sausage meat and sauté, mixing and breaking up pieces with a wooden spoon. Continue to cook until slightly browned and cooked through. Remove sausage meat with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil to the pan and add leeks, onion, and celery. Saute for 2 minutes, or until ingredients start to soften. Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of chicken stock and scrape brown bits off bottom of the pan. Remove from heat. Add cooked sausage meat, parsley, dried herbs, pepper and bread to mixture. Stir well to combine – each cube of bread should be moistened by stuffing mixture (add more stock if it looks too dry). Set aside.
- Prepare chicken. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken, breast side up, on top of stuffing and tuck the wings underneath. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel. Rub skin with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Stuff inside cavity of chicken with lemon, garlic, and rosemary.
- Roast for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan and continue to roast for another 30 minutes. Chicken is done when meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees. Remove chicken from pan and loosely cover with foil for 10 minutes to rest before carving and serving. Meanwhile, remove stuffing from pan into serving bowl.
Count the 20 items at my family's Easter dinner spread. My family rules. Outsiders drool.
Miso Soup
| February 26, 2012 | Filled under Asian, Main Dishes, Pasta, Rice, & Grains, Soup & Sandwiches, Vegetables |
Miso soup can easily be transformed from a restaurant starter into a full meal that’s low in calories and high in comfort. I’m not sure if this is a traditional way to consume miso soup, but for me, it’s a convenient and healthy way to get a lot of veggies and tofu in with minimal effort and time. Plus, the gluten-free buckwheat soba noodles transform this soup into a substantial entrée. So whenever I’m feeling like I need to detox, a little sniffle-y or want dinner in fifteen minutes, this is my go-to meal.
I was inspired to try this at home after reading about it on Heidi Swanson’s über popular food blog 101 Cookbooks. She’s a vegetarian cook/photographer/writer whose online food and recipe journal has led to several cookbooks and a huge following of both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.
Her post on miso soup offers some great tips on types of miso, ingredient ideas, and several ways to jazz this up (or down) to suit the seasons, your palette and what’s in your fridge. She encourages her readers to use her post as less of a miso soup recipe and “more an encouragement to give it a go in your own kitchen” which is exactly what I did. Thanks Heidi.
Important GF note about soba: Not all soba noodles are gluten-free. Soba are Japanese buckwheat noodles, however, most store-bought packaged soba contains a high wheat flour content. So when shopping for soba, make sure to carefully read the ingredient list and only purchase ones that contain 100% buckwheat flour (which is gluten-free). It’ll be pricier than the ones blended with wheat, but they taste so much better – the buckwheat flavour is what gives soba its unique nutty flavour.
Miso Soup Recipe (Adapted from 101 Cookbooks) Serves 2 or 3
Ingredients
- 3 ounces gluten-free dried soba noodles (100% buckwheat)
- 4 cups water
- 1 tsp dried wakame seaweed
- 2 to 4 Tbsp miso paste, to taste (I use organic white miso)
- 2 to 3 ounces of firm or silken tofu cut into 1/2″ cubes (preferably organic)
- A handful of green veggies, such as spinach, watercress or bok choy, washed and trimmed
- 2 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 2 green onions, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced
Directions
Cook noodles in salted boiling water until al dente, drain and rinse in cold water. Portion into 2 or 3 soup bowls.
In a separate pot, add 4 cups of water and bring to boil. Add mushrooms and bring to boil. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk miso paste with a tablespoon of boiling water from the pot until smooth. Add wakame and tofu to soup and bring to boil for a few minutes. Add vegetables and remove from heat. Whisk in miso mixture and stir. Taste and if needed, add more miso paste prepared the same way. Ladle soup and vegetables over noodles in soup bowls and garnish with green onions.
Chocolate Fig Quinoa Granola Bars
| August 29, 2011 | Filled under Breakfast, Cookies & Bars, Pasta, Rice, & Grains, Snacks & Appetizers |
The glue that holds the granola together is a mixture of maple syrup, agave nectar, honey, and vegan butter. You just put everything together in a small pot until the butter melts and comes to a boil.
These are the dried figs up close. I used dried Calimyrna figs which aren’t as sweet as Mission Figs. I dig that the seeds kind of look like quinoa. I found them at Whole Foods. If you don’t dig figs, just swap for your fave dried fruit.
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2 cups Gluten Free Oats, not the quick cooking kind (Bob’s Red Mill)
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1 cup uncooked quinoa
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1 cup chopped walnuts
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1 cup shredded coconut
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1 cup dried figs, diced into 1/4″ cubes (or other dried fruit)
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1/4 tsp salt
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3 Tbsp agave nectar
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1/4 cup honey
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3 Tbsp maple syrup
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3 Tbsp vegan butter (I use Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)
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1/3 cup chocolate chips
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1/3 cup white chocolate chips
Fried Zucchini Spaghetti
| August 8, 2011 | Filled under Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta, Rice, & Grains, Vegetables |
This dish is adapted from Gwenyth Paltrow’s fried zucchini spaghetti recipe from her new cookbook My Father’s Daughter. Now this Oscar-winning, country-singing, glee-starring, lifestyle-blogging, rockstar-marrying, mother-of-twoing, is also a bona-fide cookbook author. I watched her make this simple dish on Rachel Ray today and happened to have a couple of fresh zucchini in the fridge and thought, let’s see how good this Goopster’s food is.
GP’s version was a little simpler, but I happened to have some fresh herbs in the fridge so I added those. And I wanted to do a bit of a detox today after a big-eating weekend, so I opted out on the cheese she used as her sauce base . Instead, I made lemon, garlic and chili infused olive oil which is jam packed with flavour and a little more heart healthy than cheese. (PS – D put some parmesan on his and said it was awesome).
Infused olive oil is super easy to whip up, useful, and tasty. A trifecta. I first learned how to make it watching Food Networks Anne Burrell on her show ‘Secrets of a Restaurant Chef’. I combined her infused oil with GP’s fried zucchini and voila – a tasty fast light meal from my two favourite blonde foodies. You’ll end up with extra infused oil which you can use to grill veggies or to dip your bread into.
Fresh summer zucchini is so yummy – delicate and light. The nutrients are all in the skin so don’t peel them. Using a mandoline makes the slicing super fast and uniform.
I know fried food isn’t exactly detoxifying but… you know… it’s delicious,vegetarian and gluten free. I mean it works for Gwenyth right (like how hot is her body?) And it’s seriously fast. From beginning to end, the entire thing took me 18 minutes and this recipe is definitely going in the week night dinner rotation. Good going Gwenny.
Recipe (Serves 2)
Fast Fried Zucchini Spaghetti
Infused Oil:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- zest of 1 lemon, about 1 Tbsp
- 1 tsp dried chili flakes
In a small saucepan, bring all the ingredients to a boil. Let simmer for about 1 minute, until fragrant, and remove from heat. Set aside until ready to use.
Fried Zucchini Pasta:
- 6 oz dried Gluten Free Spaghetti (enough for 2)
- 2 zucchinis, thinly sliced into rounds
- 2 Tbsp Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour
- Canola oil for frying
- Salt + pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- Chili flakes (optional)
- Parmesan cheese (option, omit for vegan version)
1. Boil pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add sliced zucchini and GF flour. Toss until zucchini is evenly coated.
3. In a large non-stick frying pan on medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Add zucchini slices in batches. Lay zucchini in an even layer and fry on each side until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt immediately. Continue frying until all zucchini is done.
4. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water, 3 tablespoons of the infused oil, mint, parsley, salt and pepper to taste, and Parmesan cheese if using. Toss to combine. Add fried zucchini and serve. Garnish with extra Parmesan, chili flakes, and infused oil (optional).
My preferred GF pasta and Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Baking Flour
Viet-Lamb Vermicelli Salad (Bun)
| May 6, 2011 | Filled under Asian, Main Dishes, Meat, Pasta, Rice, & Grains, Salads, Sauces & Dips |
I still remember my first time trying bun. Not ‘bun’ like ‘hamburger bun’ or ‘buns of steel’ but ‘bun’ the Vietnamese dish made of vermicelli rice noodles, veggies, fresh herbs and meat. I remember swooning over the fresh ingredients, tasty chicken, and tangy/salty/sweet sauce. It was a work trip to Edmonton, where my doppelganger cousin Mel and her Vietnamese hubby Paul had me over for dinner. Always thoughtful, Paul and Mel knew I was craving some healthy home cooking – and ‘bun’ it was. Paul’s a great cook from a family of great cooks (good going Mel) – I’ve tried bun in restaurants but it’s never as good as the home made version.
I’m no expert on Vietnamese food, but I do know this – it’s delicious and flavourful. Vietnamese food is most commonly associated with pho – a clear beef broth with rice noodles, various cuts of beef or meat, and fresh herbs. Comforting and filling, yet light at the same time, these soupy noodles are normally served in pretty generous portions and are fairly inexpensive (I don’t do beef, so I get the seafood version instead). At home, I find it easier to whip up bun over making pho stock. My version is a slight twist on tradition though - I use a Vietnamese flavoured marinade on lamb steak instead of the usual chicken/pork/seafood.
I marinated the lamb in a variation of a Vietnamese lamb rib recipe from a recent issue of Fine Cooking. I modified the ingredients so they more intensely flavour the meat, and swapped for a lamb steak. The marinade can be whipped up in no time, especially if you have a mini chopper, and would also be great on chicken, steak or pork. And of course, you can always adjust the spice factor with the chili sauce.
In restaurants, bun is normally served with a few shreds of lettuce, bean sprouts, carrots, and fresh herbs. I like to up the veggie factor and make it more of a salad. When slicing the carrots and cucumber into matchsticks, first cut into thin slices on the diagonal. Then stack a few slices and cut into matchsticks. PS – They had purple carrots at the farmers market. So rad.
The guac nom sauce is crucial for adding flavour – it’s a perfectly balanced blend of tart (lime), sweet (sugar), salt (fish sauce), and spice (garlic/chili). You just pour it over the veggies, noodles, and meat and dig in.
In terms of plating, I squished everything into a bowl here but the bowls were a bit too small. Now when I make this dish, I prefer using a plate which means no pre-cutting the steak. Any way you slice or serve it, this version of bun is healthy, delicious and perfect for hot summer days. (PS – I don’t claim that this is authentic Vietnamese, just yummy).
Recipe (Serves 2)
Lamb
- 1/3 cup shallot
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp GF soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp canola oil, plus more for cooking
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp chili sauce or Sriracha sauce (optional)
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 lamb steaks (about 3/4″ thick)
To make marinade, puree all ingredients except lamb to create a paste. Add marinade and lamb to a container just big enough for the lamb or large zip top bag. Make sure lamb is fully coated with the marinade and marinate in the fridge for 2 hours up to overnight.
Remove lamb from fridge about 10 minutes before ready to cook. Add 2 teaspoons of canola oil to a large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. Remove excess marinade from the lamb and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Lower heat to medium and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest in the pan for 5 minutes until ready to serve.
Guac Nom Sauce
- 3 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp finely chopped garlic
- 1 tsp chili (optional)
Combine all the ingredients and set aside until ready to serve.
Bun
- 2 cups cooked vermicelli noodles (prepare according to package instructions)
- 1/2 cup carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 cup cucumber, cut into matchsticks
- 1 cup romaine lettuce, shredded
- 1/2 cup radish, thinly sliced
- 2 sprigs green onion, finely sliced
- 1/4 coriander leaves
- 2 Tbsp mint leaves
- Chili sauce or sriracha sauce (optional)
- Hoisin sauce (optional)
Place vermicelli in a bowl and arrange half the carrots, cucumber, radishes, and lettuce on top of the noodles. Add sliced lamb and garnish with green onion, coriander and mint. Serve with guac nom sauce – spoon over noodles, rice and vegetables.
I still remember my first time trying bun. Not ‘bun’ like ‘hamburger bun’ or ‘buns of steel’ but ‘bun’ the Vietnamese dish made of vermicelli rice noodles, veggies, fresh herbs and meat. I remember swooning over the fresh ingredients, tasty chicken, and tangy/salty/sweet sauce. It was a work trip to Edmonton, where my doppelganger cousin Mel and her Vietnamese hubby Paul had me over for dinner. Always thoughtful, Paul and Mel knew I was craving some healthy home cooking – and ‘bun’ it was. Paul’s a great cook from a family of great cooks (good going Mel) – I’ve tried bun in restaurants but it’s never as good as the home made version.
I’m no expert on Vietnamese food, but I do know this – it’s delicious and flavourful. Vietnamese food is most commonly associated with pho – a clear beef broth with rice noodles, various cuts of beef or meat, and fresh herbs. Comforting and filling, yet light at the same time, these soupy noodles are normally served in pretty generous portions and are fairly inexpensive (I don’t do beef, so I get the seafood version instead). At home, I find it easier to whip up bun over making pho stock. My version is a slight twist on tradition though - I use a Vietnamese flavoured marinade on lamb steak instead of the usual chicken/pork/seafood.
I marinated the lamb in a variation of a Vietnamese lamb rib recipe from a recent issue of Fine Cooking. I modified the ingredients so they more intensely flavour the meat, and swapped for a lamb steak. The marinade can be whipped up in no time, especially if you have a mini chopper, and would also be great on chicken, steak or pork. And of course, you can always adjust the spice factor with the chili sauce.
In restaurants, bun is normally served with a few shreds of lettuce, bean sprouts, carrots, and fresh herbs. I like to up the veggie factor and make it more of a salad. When slicing the carrots and cucumber into matchsticks, first cut into thin slices on the diagonal. Then stack a few slices and cut into matchsticks. PS – They had purple carrots at the farmers market. So rad.
The guac nom sauce is crucial for adding flavour – it’s a perfectly balanced blend of tart (lime), sweet (sugar), salt (fish sauce), and spice (garlic/chili). You just pour it over the veggies, noodles, and meat and dig in.
In terms of plating, I squished everything into a bowl here but the bowls were a bit too small. Now when I make this dish, I prefer using a plate which means no pre-cutting the steak. Any way you slice or serve it, this version of bun is healthy, delicious and perfect for hot summer days. (PS – I don’t claim that this is authentic Vietnamese, just yummy).
Recipe (Serves 2)
Lamb
- 1/3 cup shallot
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp GF soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp canola oil, plus more for cooking
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp chili sauce or Sriracha sauce (optional)
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 lamb steaks (about 3/4″ thick)
To make marinade, puree all ingredients except lamb to create a paste. Add marinade and lamb to a container just big enough for the lamb or large zip top bag. Make sure lamb is fully coated with the marinade and marinate in the fridge for 2 hours up to overnight.
Remove lamb from fridge about 10 minutes before ready to cook. Add 2 teaspoons of canola oil to a large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. Remove excess marinade from the lamb and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Lower heat to medium and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest in the pan for 5 minutes until ready to serve.
Guac Nom Sauce
- 3 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp finely chopped garlic
- 1 tsp chili (optional)
Combine all the ingredients and set aside until ready to serve.
Bun
- 2 cups cooked vermicelli noodles (prepare according to package instructions)
- 1/2 cup carrot, cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 cup cucumber, cut into matchsticks
- 1 cup romaine lettuce, shredded
- 1/2 cup radish, thinly sliced
- 2 sprigs green onion, finely sliced
- 1/4 coriander leaves
- 2 Tbsp mint leaves
- Chili sauce or sriracha sauce (optional)
- Hoisin sauce (optional)
Place vermicelli in a bowl and arrange half the carrots, cucumber, radishes, and lettuce on top of the noodles. Add sliced lamb and garnish with green onion, coriander and mint. Serve with guac nom sauce – spoon over noodles, rice and vegetables.
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