Kale + Quinoa Salad with Tangerines

Kale salad with tangerines, quinoa, and almonds.

My Kale Crush

Something has frozen over. Or maybe pigs are flying. I actually, um, like kale. After all my mocking, my nose crinkling, my eye rolling. After tweeting disparagingly about the taste of this dark leafy green (I believe the word I used was swampy). Behold. I am converted. I have seen the light.

The turning point? Lacinato kale (also called Tuscan black kale, or dinosaur kale). The long, slender leaves are delightfully un-swamp like. And unlike many good-for-you greens, there is little bitterness to harsh your mellow. Lacinato (like its curly kale cousin) does benefit from massage- especially in silky extra virgin olive oil.

But then Darling- what doesn't?

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Gluten-Free English Muffins Recipe

Lovely, toasty gluten-free English muffins. I kid you not.

Tea Worthy English Muffins

After four attempts we have a wheat-free gluten-free English muffin we can toast with pride. An English muffin worthy of jam. Worthy of peanut butter. Or a sit down breakfast. Heck, worthy of breakfast in bed. These warm and golden little babies are too crispy-tender good to munch running to the bus stop or strapped in your car, thinking about the onslaught of your daily tasks. 

These muffins deserve a proper plate. A mug of tea. Your Sunday morning iTunes playlist.

I'm not sure why a simple English muffin is so tricky to recreate gluten-free (and in my case, also vegan- no milk and eggs to help the stubborn gluten-free flours fluff and rise). I thought it would be a snap. So I perused Alton Brown's recipes for inspiration. Using Alton's basic template the first batch turned out very dense, with no rise and no crunchy edges- though the dough looked promising (pictured above, rising). Dense was not a quality I wanted in my muffin. So I tried again, this time using my own original Gluten-Free Bread recipe as a template (I'm loving the combo of sorghum, potato starch and millet as a flour base for yeasted breads these days). The result was better- but still not quite there.

After a third attempt I realised that the issue might be moisture. I was creating a dough that resembled wheat dough, and I could shape it a bit and pat it into the English muffin rings, but the result was heavy and more resembled a gluten-free hockey puck.

The fourth try was the charm (sometimes perseverance pays off). I added more warm water to the dough (than seemed wise), until it was more of a thick cake batter than a stretchy playful dough.

And sweet bi-locating John from Cincinnatti! It worked.



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Roasted Banana Squash and New Potato Salad

Lovely new potato salad- gluten-free and vegan.

Warm roasted potato salad with fresh greens. Happiness.

Karina's Roasted Butternut Squash and New Potato Salad Recipe

Recipe posted by Karina February 2010.

We found these tiny potatoes at the local organic market. Gold, red and purple bites of root vegetable goodness. If you cannot find such petite potatoes, use the smallest gold, blue and red potatoes you can find and cut them into halves or quarters to make them bite size. As for the squash, I used banana squash (see more on banana squash here), but butternut or even acorn squash would also be delicious.

First: Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

In a roasting pan combine:

Stir the winter squash and potatoes together and coat the squash with the olive oil and seasonings. Place the roasting pan back into the hot oven and roast until the potatoes and squash are fork tender and the squash is caramelized- about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir half way through to help brown all sides, and keep the squash from sticking.

1 bag (1 1/2 to 2 lbs.) tiny young potatoes or small fingerlings

Olive oil

1 clove minced garlic

1 teaspoon thyme

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Note: Slice the potatoes in half if they are larger than bite size.

Stir the potatoes to distribute the olive oil and seasonings. Roast for 15-20 minutes or so- till tender but not quite done- you're going to add in the squash and cook them longer.

Add in:

Half a banana or butternut squash, peeled and cubed

A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

A drizzle of real balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

Note: Size matters. Larger potatoes and cubes of squash will take longer to cook than their petite cousins, so test with a fork and keep an eye on them.

When the potatoes and squash are tender, remove the pan from the oven and cool it on a rack while you wash and dry the salad greens.

Plate a mix of fresh, crisp baby spinach and spring greens.

Spoon the warm roasted squash and potatoes onto the greens. Dress lightly with a dab of your best extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Top with fresh ground pepper.

Note: For those enjoying cheese, add a sprinkle of fresh organic goat cheese or a shaving of Parmesan.

Serves 4.

Tiny potatoes are a favorite addition to fresh greens.

Recipe Source: glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com

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Homemade Gluten-Free Granola

Low sugar, homemade gluten-free granola.

How to Make Homemade Gluten-Free Granola 

(pssst- it's easy!)

You're going to think this is silly. What I have to confess. And it is. Quite silly. It's one of those sticky, pesky truths that clings to you and won't let go, wreaking not anything dramatic, like pure havoc (or worse). No, nothing life threatening, or socially isolating, or disturbing, or even controversial, for that matter. So I'll just say it.

I've been too scared to make my own granola. Well, maybe scared is too strong a word. Color scared with a hint of lazy and you might have a more accurate hue of where my head's at, granola-wise. And making your own granola always seemed a trifle precious. A tad earthy-crunchy (duh). Slightly over the top. And rather unnecessary. It's not like granola isn't widely available- in an array of flavors- since Jesus was in Hebrew school. It's a serious, bonafide hit. A blockbuster cereal. For, like, evah.

Why bother making it when you can buy it by the Trug load?

I've got two reasons.


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Millet with Carrots, Mushrooms and Mint

Gluten-free millet makes a tasty grain side dish.

Fairy tales can come true...

To be honest, the only thing I knew about millet was what I read in fairy tales. You know the drill. Some evil, jealous stepmother or warty witch in the spooky woods would capture our plucky heroine- some flaxen haired, peaches and cream Princess down on her luck, misunderstood and pining for true love. The innocent and modest maiden would then be forced to find golden needles in haystacks or pluck pinches of wool off surly sheep or sort buckets and buckets of miniscule millet seeds. Tasks any one of us can relate to, right?

I mean, who doesn't relate to the tedium of domestic chores?
Just when you finish matching the last pair of spring mountain fresh tube socks, the hamper begins to fill again in all its stinky glory. Mysteriously. It is never empty. Never. And the floor you finally got around to wiping clean and polishing until it gleams- if not twinkles- in the afternoon sunlight gets mauled by muddy rubber soles before you can count two shakes of a lamb's tail. And we won't even hint at the horrors that perpetuate in the so-called powder room.

Mrs. Meyers isn't rich by accident.

Fairy tales about feminine obedience and compliance in practicing our household chores (a skill set highly valued prior to Helen Gurley Brown) instructed us (pre-kindergarten) that the dutiful are not only more comely than their whining, uppity, stubborn counterparts, in the end (when push comes to shove) the gallant and toothsome Prince will actually prefer duty, modesty and obedience. We are persuaded that if we are patient and kind and willingly clean out the ashes in the fireplace, he will pick us. The good girl. 

The exiled Princess missing a slipper. 

His tender kiss will awaken us. His gaze becomes our  prize.  Our ultimate reward. So we can follow him back to the castle. 

And wash his dirty underwear.

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Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Quinoa Cookies

Quinoa chocolate chip cookies. A gluten-free favorite.

Have I Got a Faux for You

My last cookie post stirred up a veritable stew of feelings. From oat-loving high fives and boogie till the cows come home oatmeal cookie bliss, to very sad, That's okay, I'll sit this one out in the corner moping. Because oatmeal? It's not for everyone. Apparently, oats can be unkind to sensitive celiac tummies. So while many celiacs celebrate the availability of certified gluten-free oats (thank you, Bob's Red Mill!), just as many shun this humble cereal grain for the sake of symptoms or safety.

Avena sativa? Not welcome in many a gluten-free kitchen.

Some believe the trouble starts with its globulin or legume-like protein called avenalin. Some think it's the soluble fiber factor. Others believe that the prolemine in oats called avenin triggers a celiac-like response. The debate rages on. And I'm no scientist, I'm sorry to tell you, so I'll sit this one out. But.

The truth is, Babycakes, you don't want to be around moi after I've eaten too many oats- gluten-free certified or not. Although I tested negative for oat allergy, if I over indulge with my Homemade Gluten-Free Granola or those aforementioned oatmeal cookies, yours truly produces enough, um, wind in my nether regions to keep Wyoming powered for a week.

It ain't pretty, is all I'm saying.

So of course I had to play around with the oatmeal cookie recipe. I couldn't leave my oat-shunning peeps out in the cold without a chewy golden cookie of their own. I rolled up my sleeves and got to work. I stirred up some quinoa flakes, quinoa flour, sorghum flour, organic brown sugar, and olive oil and vegan chocolate chips and guess what?

I think you know what.

In fact (shhh- don't tell those lucky oatmeal cookie folks), this cookie is even better than its oatmeal cousin. It is, I swear, my new favorite cookie. I am Patsy Cline Crazy about it.

Quinoa flakes rock.


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Gluten-Free Recipes for St. Patrick's Day

Warm from the oven "Irish" (not really) Soda Bread Buns.

Spring Recipes for the Irish in Us All

I am ignoring the thermometer reading this morning. Looking on the bright side. Daylight Saving brings an extra hour of daylight tonight! The recent rain has melted the duvet of snow. And I am imagining Spring. Soda bread and St. Patrick's Day. Daffodils and robin's eggs. The Vernal Equinox is nigh (allegedly). And I am not looking back. 

I am ready for forward motion. 

T-shirts and blueberries.

To celebrate the wee bit of Irish in all of us- be it by blood or kindred spirit- I thought I might gather my gluten-free recipes inspired by Celtic tastes. Yes, Lass, that means potatoes. And cabbage, too. Soda breads, salmon, eggs, cottage pies and Spring soups. 

The Vernal Equinox is just around the corner. Flower beds will soon be sprouting tiny green shoots.

Add some Van Morrison to your playlist. Raise a glass.

Sláinte!

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