PERFECT GLUTEN FREE GRAVY.

Christmas Eve deserves a post.  As if there aren't enough things to do.  But hey, that's kind of how I roll.  I plan a million things to do and then I only get a portion of them done.  My way of prioritizing I guess?  Either way, this is going to be short and sweet.  Cause I've got presents to give and to open, and a whole lotta food to eat.  Which brings me to my point.  Gravy.  Gravy is always the point.  It's the point of eating turkey, and potatoes and stuffing.  These foods are all simply vehicles from which to carry gravy to my mouth.  Gravy may be, dare I say, the point of Christmas dinner.

So last minute or not, I wanted to share the perfect gluten free gravy recipe.  This is the first holiday that I've actually tried to make a gluten free gravy, and I'll never skip it again.  I thought it would be a big hassle, that it would be lumpy or grainy, and that I would make my poor family suffer through an entirely unenjoyable gravy experience.  I just didn't want to do that to them.

The solution was clear.  My boyfriend and I would drive five hours in a snow and ice storm to visit my parents house out of town, and have a pre-Christmas, Christmas dinner.  Dinner would consist of turkey and all the fixings, including gluten free gravy.  And if it was terrible, well everyone could still enjoy real Christmas dinner a few days later anyways.

Now, it's the day of the real Christmas dinner and I've got my little jar of gluten free gravy leftovers to enjoy with dinner number two.  I'm surprised I managed to get any home, I was licking it out of the pot.  It's so good.  It tastes just like real, regular gravy.  Identical.  That never happens!

Okay, here's the secret - use sweet rice flour, also called glutinous rice flour.  I've blogged about this type of flour before.  I found it in the ethnic section of my regular grocery store, and it comes in these small flat plastic bags, and it's only a dollar a bag.  Other than that, my mom and I just followed our regular gravy recipe, and replaced the regular wheat flour with the sweet rice flour.  Worked perfectly.

Perfect Gluten Free Gravy
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine
4 cups chicken stock (make sure it's gluten free)
Pan juices from & roasting pan
1/4 cup sweet rice or glutinous rice flour
Pan drippings, about 1/4  (or melted butter if you don't have enough)
Fresh rosemary (optional)
Salt and pepper

After your turkey is cooked and out of the oven, you can start the gravy.  Move the turkey out of the roasting pan.  Pour all of the liquid out of the roasting pan and let it cool, then separate the juices from the fat.  Add the juices to the stock, if there are any.  Take the roasting pan and straddle it over two burners.  Add one cup of the stock to the roasting plan and heat while scraping the bottom to deglaze all of the juices and leftover bits of turkey.

In a saucepan, heat a 1/4 cup of the fat, then add the flour and whisk to make a roux.  Let it brown for a minute or two, then gradually pour in all of the stock and juices, whisking constantly. Add a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, if desired.  Bring to a simmer and let it cook gently for 10 minutes.  Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.  If you like, strain the gravy through a sieve before serving.  Or if you're like me, just enjoy it as soon as possible!

ROASTED BEETS WITH CREAMY GOAT CHEESE AND TOASTED SEEDS.

Beets are like candy.  Deliciously sweet, leaking juicy red colour, and easy to gobble down, beets are nature's best treat. Roasting brings out that sweet flavour even more, creating a tender, juicy bulb that is hard to call a vegetable.  But vegetable it is, and when it's in season I just can't get enough.  Especially when it's paired with a nice soft cheese and crunchy, browned pumpkin seeds.

Beetroot is not the most attractive plant out there.  It comes out of the ground with stubborn dirt clinging to its brown coloured beets and tough looking stalks.  It's an unfriendly looking vegetable.  But get inside those rough brown skins, and you'll find one of the brightest colours in nature, and an incredibly smooth, almost buttery texture.  Like your mom used to tell you, don't judge a book by its cover.

Also, don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.  Well, I'm not sure my mom ever said that one, but you catch my drift.  It's hard not to let the beets steal the show at this veggie parade, but those green stalks are actually worth some of your time too. Treat them just like you would another hearty green like kale or swiss chard and saute in a little olive oil and garlic, or throw them into a salad or soup.

Beets are also amazing nutrition wise.  They are known to have excellent antioxidants, fight inflammation in the body, high in folate and potassium, and despite their addictive sweetness, they are still low in calories.  You can also find beets in a pale golden yellow colour too.  These have a beautiful light, mild flavour and are amazing grated into salads, or just cut in slices to nibble on raw.

Roasted Beets with Creamy Goat Cheese and Toasted Seeds
8-10 large fresh beets
1/2 cup goat cheese
1/4 cup 0% plain greek yogurt
1/4 cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds
Coarse sea salt & fresh cracked pepper

To roast the beets, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and start by chopping off the stems and the tails, but leaving the skins on. Wash the beets thoroughly, and without drying them, place them in a double layer foil packet, sealing tightly at the top.  You may need to make two or three packets to hold all your beets.  Place the foil packets on a baking sheet and roast for about one hour.  The time will depend on the size of your beets, but you'll know they are ready when you can easily pierce the beets with a fork.  Let the beets cool until they are easy to handle, then use your fingers to slide the skins right off.

While the beets are cooling, spread the pumpkin seeds out on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 5 minutes. Watch these carefully, as they will burn quickly.

Using a hand blender or a food processor blend together the goat cheese and yogurt until smooth and creamy.  Slice the cooled and skinned beets into halves or quarters, depending on their size.

On a serving plate, spread out the beets on the bottom.  Scatter dollops of the cheese and yogurt mixture over the beets. Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds on top.  Season with salt and pepper generously, as this will bring out all the flavours in the dish. Serve as is for a clean look, or give it one or two stirs to swirl the beet juices in with the cheese and create a bright pink colour.

BAKED MEXICAN SQUASH STEW. AN UNEXPECTED FIESTA.

I'm buying up spaghetti squash like there is no tomorrow.  I've found the best ones are always the really big ones.  Total coincidence, I swear.  Once roasted, and removed from the skin with a fork (see how in this post), I'm left with an enormous bowl of spaghetti like strings of squash.  So I keep coming up with different ways to eat it.

This recipe is my new favourite.  It's quick to throw together, and it's two main ingredients are squash and beans so I feel great about eating it.  It has a strong mexican flavour to it, and although it may not look super appetizing, it is actually really really good.  I couldn't stop eating it.  I was trying to photograph it, and I would pick up a stew laden chip to move it over to another spot, only to find that it had landed in my mouth and I was chewing and swallowing.  Seriously.  That has to be good right?

I do love mexican food.  It always has so much flavour and punch, and makes you feel like you are getting the best meal of your life.  Mexican cuisine is great at using fresh ingredients like ripe red tomatoes and serving it up in a way that is anything but boring.  I love the use of herbs and chili's in mexi dishes, it's nice to have flavour and heat without needing to dunk your whole head in a bucket of water.  Besides, it's often naturally gluten free, since traditional mexican cooking relies on more corn than it does wheat.

Despite my passion for mexican, I found that I don't really incorporate it much into my home cooked meals.  Now this is something that needs to be remedied.  Hence, this mexican inspired squash dish.  I wanted the squash to act as the "pasta" if you will, and the beans to become the main protein.  The enchilada sauce, cilantro, and jalapeno give it that mexican flair, and the grated cheese brings it all together in the oven.  While it's cooking, this dish really comes together.  The beans become so soft and tender, that when you take a bite you get that baked or refried bean flavour which mixes perfectly with the green enchilada sauce which is made of chilies, tomatoes, peppers and spices.

I served this up with a plate of organic corn chips, which was a really good idea if I do say so myself.  The chips are a great carrier, and give a bit of crunch to each bite.  However, you can totally just eat this by itself too.  It's pretty delicious either way.

Baked Mexican Squash Stew (Family Size)
6 cups roasted and shredded spaghetti squash
2 19oz cans of mixed beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese, plus extra to top
1 cup enchilada sauce
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, then pour into a casserole dish.  Top with extra grated cheese, and cover with aluminum foil.  Bake at 400 degrees for about one hour.  Remove the foil and broil for 10 minutes to brown the top.  Serve with tortilla chips or crusty bread.

RAW KALE FETA & ARTICHOKE DIP. DIP, DIP AWAY!

I'm trying to expand my hummus horizons.  In the dip world, it's hard to beat.  When you are looking for something healthy and satisfying you can sometimes feel as if your options are limited.  That's why I like this fresh dip.  There's lots of good stuff packed in like kale, greek yogurt and artichokes, but it's also deliciously creamy with a good kick of flavour from the feta cheese.  It's kind of like eating your vegetables, on your vegetables.

Raw Kale, Feta & Artichoke Dip

1/2 cup 0% plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup chopped kale
1/2 cup low fat feta packed in brine (add a splash of the brine as well)
14oz can of whole artichoke hearts (about 8-10 hearts)
1 clove of garlic, minced

Blend everything together until smooth.  If desired, hold back some chopped cheese and artichoke to mix in for a chunkier dip.

CHOCOLATE COCONUT TOFU MOUSSE. YOU'D NEVER KNOW IT'S TOFU.

 

 This dessert was inspired by Whole Foods.  I am always completely taken aback by the amount and variety of prepared foods at Whole Foods.  It's amazing!  If you need a quick dinner, this is the place to go.  Their self serve buffet bar has everything from fresh cooked salmon, to dozens of whole grain salads, to an entire row dedicated to nachos.  Yes, nachos!  Chips, cheese, any topping you could want, it's all here.  Honestly, I get a little intimidated by all of the choices and then end up choosing something small from the refrigerated section because I just don't trust myself at the buffet bar.

The other day, I was hungry for dinner but feeling a bit limited by the lack of substantial gluten free options.  So I grabbed a small salad and a chocolate tofu dessert from Whole Foods, figuring that it would do the trick.  Not only did it solve dinner for that night, but it inspired me to recreate that sweet, rich, chocolatey dessert at home as well.

Huge success.  I just loved these little bowls chocolate mousse, because they taste so smooth and decadent that you would never even know it's tofu.  It's a great option after a light dinner, since it's a bit filling itself.  I also serves very well as a make ahead dessert as it needs to be chilled, so you can literally just pull it out of the fridge.  And if you already have it in cute little dishes (or rustic mason jars) then there is no serving required either.

The ingredients for this Chocolate Coconut Tofu Mousse are simple, but important.  The main ingredient is tofu, but it is crucial that this be silken tofu.  You can find it easily at the grocery store, but just make sure you are choosing that silken option.  The chocolate I used was semi sweet chips, but this would also be very nice with a rich dark chocolate.  Finally, the coconut butter!  This was the first recipe that I put my recent Coconut Butter recipe to use in, and I'm so glad I did.  It added a wonderful layer to the chocolate flavour and coconut is always a pretty garnish.

Chocolate Coconut Tofu Mousse
1 530g package of silken firm tofu
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (or try dark chocolate for a luxe version)
2 tablespoons agave syrup
2 tablespoons coconut butter

Melt the chocolate in a pot or double boiler over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.  Add all the ingredients, including the melted chocolate, to a food processor and blend until incorporated.  Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pushing through with a large spoon when necessary.  Pour the mixture into individual serving dishes and chill for at least 1 hour.  Top with coconut flakes or chocolate shavings if desired and serve.

COCONUT BUTTER. I'M COCO-NUTS ABOUT IT.

Coconut butter, is not the same as coconut oil.  Coconut oil is just that, the oil removed from the meat of the coconut.  Coconut butter on the other hand, is a thick, smooth paste, made purely from the meat or flesh of the coconut.  You'll see it sold in jars in the health food stores, possibly with a few different flavour variations as well.  I haven't purchased the product in store before, but I decided to skip right into just making it at home.  Since you can buy shredded coconut at a pretty low price, this seemed like a much more economically friendly option.

Before I even get into it, I will say that this seems to be a bit of a temperamental process.  Coconuts may just be a little bit high maintenance.  I'm not judging, but still it's something to keep in mind.  A little light reading on the wonderful internet warned me of this.  I read that without a good strong blender or food processor, this isn't going to work.  I learned that coconut lovers in Texas have a much easier time making this stuff than those in a colder, drier climate.  I learned that this could be a slow process, and patience was key.  I also learned, that people are crazy about the stuff.

Since I'm absolutely crazed over anything coconut related, I had to give it a try.  I didn't get the perfect and easy results that some people have had, but I did okay.  If you have a Vitamix, I've read that is the best tool for this and will result in perfectly smooth butter.  I don't have a Vitamix, so I used my Cuisinart food processor which I read will work if you are patient.  Don't even try doing this with a Bullet.

All you need is a lot of unsweetened shredded, desiccated, or flaked coconut.  Again, I read that flaked was the easiest to work with, but I ended up using desiccated.  Ah, well.  The instructions are simple - just blend the coconut until it forms a smooth paste.  For me, it took about 10 or 15 minutes of blending to get to the general vicinity of "paste".  This was broken up by stopping every minute or two to scrape down the sides of the blender.  I also needed to cheat a little bit.  Or maybe I didn't need to cheat, but after about 5 minutes I was sure that I needed to cheat and so I did, although perhaps a little patience would have worked just the same.  If you as well are an impatient cheater, just stream a tablespoon or two of coconut oil into the mixture while it is blending.  That will help it move along.  Then blend some more.  And some more.  And, you guessed it, blend some more.

Finally, when you can't take it anymore, pour your coco butter into a jar for storage.  Do not, I repeat, do not, store this in the fridge.  It will get hard and dry.  I know because while I set my jar aside on the counter with full intentions to leave it there, my incessant tidying up soon found me absentmindedly popping it into the fridge where it staying for the next day and a half.  I'm the worst.  So just leave it on the counter, or in the cupboard at your house.

Wondering what to do with it?  Me too.  I found a great use for it right away - and that sweet recipe will be coming soon.  But really this stuff can be incorporated into any baking or dessert that you have.  It will lend a rich creamy coconut flavour to cookies, cakes, bars, and bakes.  Rhyming was totally intentional there.  Or mix it in with a little plain yogurt to sweeten it up, spread it on some cinnamon raisin toast, melt it and pour it over fruit for dessert, or serve alongside pancakes.  It's pretty versatile.  Just make sure you give it a little love and sing..."I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts...." while you work.  Or not.  Whatevs.

BLACK RICE & BEAN SALAD WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER AND CILANTRO YOGURT SAUCE.

I'm always on the lookout for a good hearty salad.  The kind of salad that is a full blown meal.  First of all, you know it's going to be good for you.  Second, it's super easy to pack and go for work, school, or whatever floats your boat on a day to day basis.

This salad is definitely hearty, with fibre and protein packed black beans and antioxidant filled black rice.  It's pretty obvious by now that in the food category brown is usually better than white, but black is even better than brown, at least when we're talking rice.  On top of all the benefits of brown rice, black rice contains antioxidants that are missing in the brown stuff.  It's the same antioxidants that you'll find in dark blue berries.  Black rice also has a bit of a deeper, richer, sweeter flavour.

With all these good reasons to eat black rice, you'd think using it in this salad would be a no brainer, right?  In truth, the real reason I used black rice today was for looks.  That's right, it was for completely superficial reasons.  The rice isn't complaining.

The other component in this salad that's really working hard is the corn.  The corn is quickly roasted before being tossed into the salad, and that adds a ton of flavour.  Corn is naturally sweet, and roasting it is a great option to deepen that sweetness and add a smoky side to it as well.

Finally, we've got to pay our dues to the dressing as well.  It's only three ingredients, but it is strong and sweet and spicy.  It brings the salad together and gets it ready for your tastebuds.  Don't go easy on the dressing for this meal.

If you are going to pack this salad for lunch, just layer it up in a mason jar with the dressing on the bottom and the mixture piled on top.  Then when you're ready to eat, just empty it all into a bowl and mix it up.  That way the dressing won't make everything soggy, and you don't have to worry about packing a separate container.

Black Rice & Bean Salad with Roasted Red Pepper and Cilantro Yogurt Dressing
2 cups cooked black rice
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup black beans
1 tomato, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 cup diced cucumber

1/2 cup 0% greek yogurt
1/2 chopped jarred roasted red peppers
1/4 chopped fresh cilantro
Sea salt

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Place the frozen corn in a colander and run under cold water, to get rid of the worst of the freeze on the kernels, and pat dry.  Don't worry about defrosting them completely.  Spread the corn in a single layer on a baking pan.  Spray lightly with oil, tossing to coat.  Roast in the oven for 10 minutes, toss the kernels, then roast again for 5 more minutes.  Remove and let cool.

Mix together all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl combine the yogurt, roasted red peppers, cilantro and a pinch of salt.  Use a hand blender to puree together until smooth.

Toss the dressing with the rice salad immediately before serving and eat up.