Monthly Archives: October 2015

Halloween “Monster Tacos”

Posted in Lunch by

Monica and Daria say:

Happy Halloween!

It’s one of our favorite holidays!

Every year when our family was growing, we looked to this holiday with great anticipation! We always had so much fun trick-or-treating in the neighborhood and enjoyed costume parties, too!

All of us participated! Sometimes, we worked out a themed Halloween, while other years, we each decided what we wanted “to be!”

Either way, it was great; the memories are long lasting!

Since we are a fan of tacos, this year we decided to make some yummy ones with some grass-fed beef. It seems that we have gotten away from the traditional taco “shell” and prefer to use taco chips instead. You can really get into your mound of beef and scoop up all the goodness without having such a mess on your hands!

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We are calling these “Monster Tacos” since we decided to switch out the customary cheddar cheese for muenster cheese….hence, the name!

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And, using fresh organic salsa really elevates the flavor! Add in some fresh arugula for a peppery taste and you’ve got some great tacos to munch!

We are including our recipe here for homemade taco seasoning…there’s really no reason to ever buy it! It’s super easy to make and if your pantry looks like ours, you will have these items on hand!

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (1/8 tsp ground red pepper)

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt (1/2 tsp salt)

1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.

Store in an airtight container.

When cooking:

Add 1 T of cornstarch to 2/3 cup of water; mix well and add after adding seasonings. whisks

 

Last, but certainly not least, we LOVE Trader Joe’s Quinoa and Black Bean Infused Tortilla Chips….they are curved and crunchy and hold all the yummy goodness from the plate to your mouth!

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So here’s wishing you a safe and happy Halloween!

Now go enjoy a scary lunch!

© 2015, Monica & Daria of glutenfreedoubletalk

 

 

 

It’s squash time!

Posted in Dinner by

Monica and Daria say:

We love autumn!

The amazing and changing colors of the leaves, wearing sweaters, eating soup…oh we can go on, and on, and on!

Anyway, another delicious thing about fall is eating winter squash!

You know…acorn, butternut, delicata, pumpkin, and more. You can roast, puree, and sauté each of these in so many different recipes.

Squashes are considered a superfood by nutritionists and with good reason. They are loaded with antioxidants, have anti-inflammatory properties, are rich in vitamins (particularly folate), are loaded with beta-carotene (a super skin food), and are full of fiber.

Eating them is a no-brainer….you just need some great recipes!

Since the butternut squash is one of OUR favorites, we decided to combine it with some pasta to make yet another dish for “Meatless Monday!”

We shy away from veggies that are already cut in the supermarket and like to tackle the cutting ourselves for a fresher taste.

Butternut squash is not the easiest squash to cut due to its hard outside. So we found a neat link to help you cut it.

Now that you are ready to make a “Meatless Monday” dinner, let’s go!

This recipe is versatile as you can switch out the butternut squash for pumpkin, and you can switch out Feta cheese with maybe Goat cheese or another soft favorite cheese!

Happy cooking!

Enjoy!

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GF Pasta with Butternut Squash and Feta Cheese

Ingredients:

4 pounds butternut squash (or fresh pumpkin)

4 ounces sweet onion, peeled and chopped

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh sage leaves, torn

Salt and pepper

12 ounces gluten free pasta of your choice

2 T butter

5 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled

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Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Peel, clean, and cut squash into 1 or 2 inch cubes.

Toss squash, onion, olive oil, sage, salt and pepper together in a bowl and then arrange on a Pam®-coated sheet pan in a single layer. Roast for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook your gluten free pasta al dente, according to package instructions. Strain the pasta and reserve ¼ cup of pasta water.

Return pasta, cooking water, roasted squash, onion, butter, and Feta cheese to pot. GENTLY fold to combine.

Serves 6.

YUM!

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© 2015, Monica & Daria of glutenfreedoubletalk           whisks