Gluten Free

Parmesan Walnut Broccoli

By in GF Sides, Gluten Free, Sides 5 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

parmesan walnut broccoli

I’m so bad at serving sides with dinner. For some reason it’s just not on my radar while I’m menu planning. Only once I’m finished making supper do I think, “huh, maybe I should have made something to serve along with this”. Oh well, the good thing is we don’t over eat very often. ;)

I have made this Parmesan Walnut Broccoli many times though. It’s so quick and easy that even if I think to make it last minute it doesn’t put off dinner. Besides my family loves broccoli so I know there’ll never be any complaints when I serve it. Especially when it’s tossed with toasted walnuts and parmesan. Mmm.

This year I even had some broccoli growing in my garden. Nothing’s more satisfying than going outside, cutting some broccoli and whipping up a quick and, virtually free, side dish. “It was me! I did that!”

(That was a Madagascar reference for those who can’t hear my bad imitation. I heart King Julien.)

Parmesan Walnut Broccoli

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 heads broccoli (or 1 large), cut into florets
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 garlic clove, sliced
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan

Cook broccoli in oil over medium-high heat until it begins to soften, season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and walnuts; cook until broccoli is crisp tender and walnuts are toasted. Toss with lemon juice, red pepper flakes and parmesan to serve.

Serves: 4

Adapted from Martha Stewart.

(Healthier) No-Bake Granola Bars

By in Cookies & Bars, GF Sweets, Gluten Free, Kids, Snacks 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , ,

healthier no bake granola bars

It has been HOT here this week. We all tend to lose our appetites when it’s so hot out so we’ve been keeping mealtimes really simple by having lot’s of salads, fruits and veggies with a little side of grilled meat. I didn’t turn on my oven once this week, but in preparation for our camping trip coming up, I wanted to prepare some “baked goods”. Enter the delight of the “no-bake goods”.

I really like my original no-bake granola bars, but I didn’t make them too often because I started feeling guilty about the amount of sugar in them. Fine for dessert, but for a mid-day snack that I’m going to be feeding my children? Not so much. So, I tried out a new version, a healthier version, added a few more things to make it more nutritious and now I’ve got a no-bake granola bar without the guilt.

These granola bars are chewy and sweet, with the taste of honey, toasted oats and nuts and little bites of sweet, plump raisins. Package them up and bring them along on your picnics or trips to the beach. Who needs those wimpy store-bought granola bars when you can have such delicious ones, so simply, at home?

No-Bake Granola Bars

To make these gluten-free use gluten-free certified oats.

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
  • 1/2 cup dried fruit (I used raisins)
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a medium-sized skillet, toast oats and nuts over medium heat until fragrant. Remove to a bowl, along with dried fruit and set aside.

In the same skillet add butter, honey, brown sugar and salt. Cook until bubbling and then continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over oat mixture; stir well until evenly coated.

Press into a 8×8 inch baking pan, lined with parchment paper. Wet fingers to keep from sticking. You want the pack to be quite firm.

Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up. Using the edges of the parchment paper, remove from pan. Using a serrated knife cut the bars in half and then into 6, creating 12 granola bars. Store, covered, at room temperature. Separate with pieces of parchment or wax paper, if stacking on top of each other.

Makes: 12

Adapted from Lauren’s Latest. Originally from Rachael Ray.

Cheesy Mexican Corn Dip

By in Appetizers, GF Sides, Gluten Free 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

cheesy mexican corn dip

A couple nights ago I went over to one of my fantastic sister-in-laws’ house and we had a sleepover with our kids. Both of us had been without our husbands for a week and it was time for some adult interaction, with a little dash of craziness (a.k.a. children). As expected, the kids stayed up far too late. Even though we wanted them to go to bed, it was cute hearing the boys talking and playing in their room. It brought back so many memories! And, the fact that we made pizza for dinner and ate pancakes in the morning was just icing on the cake.

I’ve been craving this dip ever since my mom first pointed it out to me on Pinterest, even though I’d never had it before. I was hoping it would live up to my expectations and I figured that a sleepover was the perfect place to try it out. That way, if it was as good as I hoped, I wouldn’t end up eating it all by myself. I was smart to do that, because it ended up exceeding my expectations. I purposely left it at my sister-in-laws, because I knew if I brought it home I would not be able to resist it. And, eating a whole bowl of dip by myself, while tasty, would be regrettable.

This dip is melty, gooey, spicy and packed with flavour. I love how the corn and tomatoes add natural cooling powers. It is so darn good when it’s warm, but surprisingly I even found the leftovers super delicious, straight from the fridge. That is a dangerous thing.

Tread lightly my friends.

Cheesy Mexican Corn Dip

This dip is quite spicy. If you like things less spicy cut back on the chipotle peppers.

  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, minced
  • 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1.5 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen or canned)
  • 1 small tomato, chopped and seeded
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped (optional)

Mix together cheeses, chipotle peppers, green chilies, mayonnaise, garlic powder and corn. Spread into an 8-inch baking dish. Bake at 350ºF for 20 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

Let cool slightly and then top with tomato, green onion and cilantro. Serve warm.

Adapted from Gina Marie’s Kitchen.

(Sweet Cherries!) Cherry-Berry Jam

By in Condiments, GF Sides, Gluten Free 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

cherry berry jam

My favourite part of food magazines has always been the articles where they choose one theme and go crazy with it. Since it’s one of my favourite things to read, I thought it would be fun to create something like that here, on the blog. So, every Wednesday this month I’ll be posting a recipe that uses sweet cherries. It’s been so much fun creating this series for you and I truly hope you enjoy the recipes as much as I do.

I think the biggest complaint I hear about cherries every year is that they’re so good fresh, they get eaten up before anything can be made with them. That’s why each of the recipes I’ll be sharing use a small amount of cherries – so you can enjoy snacking on them but also have the satisfaction of making something delicious with them.

I have a love of making jam and a special place in my heart for small batch jamming projects. Since I like trying new recipes and ideas all the time, making smaller batches of different flavours is much more my style. This recipe makes two cups of jam – one cup for now and another to throw in the freezer for later. It takes advantage of the delicious summer cherries and berries while still leaving enough to enjoy on their own.

You don’t need to reserve a whole day for this jam; in an hour or so it’ll be cooling and waiting to be popped in the fridge. And, while it’s cooking you can relax while watching the kids jump through the sprinkler – all it needs is a little stir once in while. So stress-free and the results are so satisfying!

P.S. Happy Fourth of July to all you lovely Americans! I’ve got a last-minute dessert for you today, over at Simple Bites.

Cherry-Berry Jam

  • 2 cups cherries, pitted
  • 1.5 cups blackberries
  • 1.5 cups raspberries
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1.5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 50 minutes to an hour, until reduced to 2 cups or until the mixture passes the jam test*. Allow to cool and then pour into jars or containers, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Freeze for longer storage.

*Jam Test:

This applies to any jam that is made without using pectin.

Place a small plate in the freezer while you make your jam. Once you think the jam is ready place a dollop on the frozen plate and return to the freezer for two minutes. Remove the plate from the freezer and push through the jam with your finger, there should be a slight film on top that wrinkles as you push. If it’s not ready yet, boil it for a few more minutes and repeat the test.

Makes: 2 cups

Adapted from My Recipes.

Marinara-Style Tomato Soup

By in GF Mains, Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dish, Meatless, Soup 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I”ve been looking for a good tomato soup recipe for FOREVER. Nothing beats tomato soup and grilled cheese for lunch on a rainy day (and we”ve been having plenty of those lately). But, most of the homemade tomato soups I”ve made in the past were extremely flavourless and left much to be desired.

I wanted something quick, that I would actually make for lunch spur of the moment, but I also wanted it to be so flavourful that I wasn”t wishing for something different. This recipe knocked it out of the park for me. I”ve made it so many times since I first found the recipe – more than any recipe for a long time. It”s made with all pantry staples that I keep on hand, so it can be made at any time.

This isn”t a runny soup, it”s thick and dip-able, almost like a marinara. We like to make grilled cheese and cut it into sticks for dipping. It”s so flavourful it”s actually kind of hard to eat on its own. But that”s not something to complain about. Give me some grilled cheese sticks to use like spoon and I”m set!

Marinara-Style Tomato Soup

The baking soda in this recipe helps to cut the acidity of the tomatoes.

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 1 onion, diced finely

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 (32 oz.) can pureed (or crushed) tomatoes

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 1/4 teapsoon salt

  • pepper, to taste

  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried)

  • 1 tablespoon honey

  • milk or water, to desired thickness

  • sour cream, to serve (optional)

Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Add onion; cook until tender. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, baking soda, parsley, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 10 minutes. Stir in basil and honey. Add milk (or water) to desired thickness. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Makes: 4 small servings

Adapted from Food Doodles.

Quick and Flavourful Chicken Stock

By in Gluten Free, Main Dish, Poultry 9 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Last week was a little crazy. My mom had just left, I wasn”t feeling well, my baby girl got a fever, my son got a cold. It was a long week.

I knew in the middle of it all that I needed to find a good chicken stock recipe. I”ve tried many, but none of them ever seemed flavourful enough. I wanted something simple, that I could make easily even when the house felt like it was collapsing in on itself, and something that didn”t involve an entire chicken carcass (ick!). I had a bunch of chicken drumsticks that I was never able to barbecue like I had hoped, so I went on a search and finally found the homemade chicken stock I”ve been waiting for. It”s quick (it took me 1.5 hours to make from start to finish, chopping and all), it”s flavourful (with minimal ingredients that I almost always have on hand) and it contains bones (important when making a stock with the most health benefits), with none of the messiness of dealing with an entire slimy bird. Yay!

This is the type of recipe I love making on a Sunday afternoon. Like jam, it quietly simmers in the background, perfuming your house – minimal work but satisfying and comforting results. This will definitely become a regular in our kitchen. And, if you”re looking for a feel good soup to pair it with, this Chicken Barley Soup does the trick.

I”ll be taking a break from blogging over the next couple weeks as some unexpected things have come up. I promise to be back as soon as I can. I appreciate the time you take out of your day to visit this little blog of mine and I”ll try my best to keep you updated on Facebook so you don”t feel like you”ve been left hanging.

See you soon!

Quick and Flavourful Chicken Stock

The stock should stay good for 1 week in the fridge or several months in the freezer.

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 4 pounds chicken backs, wings or legs, cut into 2 inch pieces

  • 2 quarts hot (or boiling) water

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 2 bay leaves

Saute onion in a large stockpot, over medium heat, with a small amount of olive oil until onions are softened. Transfer to a bowl. Add half the chicken and cook, flipping halfway through, until no longer pink. Remove to the same bowl as the onions and repeat with the remaining chicken. Once all chicken is cooked, place the chicken and onions back into the stockpot, cover and cook over low for 20 minutes, until the chicken releases its juices. Raise heat to high, pour in hot water, salt and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer (using boiling water brings it to a simmer faster), scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Lower heat, cover and let cook at a gentle simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove bones from pot with a slotted spoon (you can remove the meat from the bones and reserve it for chicken soup if desired). Drain stock through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or paper towel. Let cool before refrigerating. Once refrigerated you can remove the layer of fat on top.

Makes: 2 quarts

Adapted from Simply Recipes. Originally from In Pursuit of Flavor.

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