Category Archives: Dinner

Gluten free pasta with fresh “tomato sauce”….easy as 1, 2, 3!

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Monica says:

It’s hot outside and who wants to turn on an oven?

I know I don’t!

I want to make a supper that’s easy, nutritious, and has a stress-free clean-up.

Don’t we all?

Being Italian, my go-to is something highlighting the Mediterranean diet and since it’s summer, what comes to my mind first is….

The lovely little tomato!

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My tomato plants have given us such a great harvest this year that we have been eating tons of tomatoes as snacks, making countless tomato salads, and adding tomatoes to just about everything!

So when the temperature is hot, can you make a fresh “tomato sauce?”

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Sure you can!

All you need are little tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, salt and pepper, crushed red pepper flakes,  and some great olive oil!

Oh, and don’t forget the Parmesan cheese!

The key to this pasta dish is to decide on it EARLY in the day and here’s why!

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Take 4 pints of small grape or cherry tomatoes, and cut each one in half. I like to use half red and half orange for color.

Place cut tomatoes into a large bowl.

Sprinkle the cut tomatoes with salt and pepper, add 2 tablespoons of crushed garlic, a sprinkle of crushed red pepper, and 15-20 fresh basil leaves, cut into strips.

Now pour ½ cup of olive oil over this lovely mixture.

Cover with clear plastic wrap and WAIT….

….at least 4 hours!

The tomatoes will marinate and all of the flavors will marry each other…it will be delightful!

At suppertime, make your gluten free pasta according to the directions, and after you drain it, place each serving

into a nice-sized bowl and then the magic happens!

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Place some nice heaping spoonfuls of the fresh “tomato sauce” onto each pasta serving.

Do not use a slotted spoon….you want to get every last drop of the marinade into the bowl.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and done!

 

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So yummy…and easy, right?

Mangia, mangia!

© 2014, Monica of glutenfreedoubletalk

Did you ever try Scallops Scampi?

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Monica says:

I cook almost every night. I guess you could say it’s just a part of my day.

When our girls were little we always tried to sit down and eat dinner together if our schedules allowed it. It was the best time of the day….and even though our girls are all grown up and on their own, we still love sitting down to dinner.

Most people have eaten shrimp scampi, but how about scallops scampi?

No, I hadn’t ever heard of it either.

Until….

I was helping my sister Maria clean out her house since she and her hubby were moving. Since I am a recipe addict, I spotted some torn out recipes from magazines and voila!

Scallops Scampi!

The original recipe (from Good Housekeeping) called for a bed of couscous and of course, since we can’t have couscous, I substituted quinoa.

It was easy and so delicious! See for yourself!

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Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

1 c quinoa

1 ¼ lbs. sea scallops

1 lemon

I clove garlic, crushed

4 zucchini (8 oz. each)

1 T butter

2 T chopped fresh chives

salt and pepper

Preparation

Prepare quinoa according to package.

Rinse and pat scallops to dry.

Grate 1 tsp of zest from lemon and then squeeze 2 T of juice.

In a bowl, toss scallops with garlic, lemon zest, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper.

Make the zucchini ribbons by taking a vegetable peeler and slicing each zucchini lengthwise into long pieces until you reach the seeds and core. Discard the cores. Set ribbons aside for later.

In a non-stick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Place the scallops into the pan and cook 5-6 minutes on each side. Make sure you only turn them over once! When they are done, remove them and place on a plate.

Add the zucchini to the skillet. Reduce the heat and cook with a lid on for 2 minutes making sure you stir the ribbons at least once. Uncover and cook an additional minute or until tender and crisp. Remove zucchini from heat; stir in lemon zest and juice.

Spoon quinoa onto each plate and then top with zucchini ribbons. Place several scallops on top and sprinkle with fresh chives.

What a great dinner!

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Now all we need is to have our girls at the dinner table with us!

But as Bjarne Reuter said, “Children have the unforgivable habit of growing up.”

© 2014, Monica of glutenfreedoubletalk

I love zucchini!

Posted in Dinner, Lunch, Salads by

Monica says:

I happened to come across a Martha Stewart video featuring quinoa and of course, I had to watch it! So happy I did!

It features not only quinoa, but also zucchini, which is so abundant right now and did I tell you?

I. Love. Zucchini.

So take a quick look and see what  you think!

Zucchini and Quinoa Salad….did I say delicious?

The one thing that I did differently was to base my salad on 2 servings, since I had this little delight in my cupboard!

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 And did you notice something in the upper right-hand corner??

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Cooks in 8 minutes!! Yes, that will help! Thanks, Keen One Quinoa!

So I did everything that the host did except for toasting the pistachios….I just chopped mine after shelling them.

Amazing!

Packed with protein and full of flavor, this salad is definitely going in my “Favorites” file!

Just feast your eyes upon this…

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Thanks, Shira Bocar and Eat Clean videos!

 

© 2014, Monica of glutenfreedoubletalk

 

 

Crab cakes that will make you un-crabby!

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Monica says:

 
I rarely fry anything for dinner….but there are just some exceptions to the rule!

 

Crab cakes for one.

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These little delights will make you feel like you are in crab cake heaven. They are mostly pure crabmeat and the filler is of course, gluten-free.

So what did I do when I realized that I had no mayo in the house? I substituted plain Greek non-fat yogurt instead.

And guess what?

Had I not ratted on myself, my hubby would not have known. These are his favorites, too, and he had no idea whatsoever!

 

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So here is the simple recipe.

 

2 eggs, beaten (I always use organic brown eggs)

4 T mayo or plain Greek non-fat yogurt

1 tsp and a bit extra of Old Bay® Seasoning

⅓ tsp of cayenne pepper (or a little less if you live in my house)

1 ⅓ tsp mustard (I use French’s yellow)

⅔ cup crushed crackers (I use Trader Joe’s multigrain crackers)

1 ⅓ tsp chopped parsley OR 2 pinches of dried parsley

1 lb. jumbo lump crabmeat (make sure you pick over any imperfections)

 

Mix everything together except the crabmeat. Once the mixture is incorporated, fold in crabmeat. Using an ice cream scoop, make little cakes and place on wax paper-lined dish. Continue to make cakes and cover each layer with wax paper as you go. When you’ve placed the last cake on the dish, cover the top layer with wax paper and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Heat oil in a frying pan and let it get moderately hot. I use sunflower oil for these.

Remove the cakes from the refrigerator, place a few in the pan, and let brown for 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined dish when browned. This will help absorb some of the oil.

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Serve with a big salad and enjoy!

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© 2014, Monica of glutenfreedoubletalk

Italy’s answer to hors d’oeuvres!

Posted in Dinner, Lunch by

Monica (mom) says:

What can whet a gathering’s appetite with just its looks?

The Italian antipasto!

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“Antipasto” comes from the Latin root “anti” meaning before and “pastus” meaning meal. It really is the perfect start to any meal!

Oh, this lovely salad provides an appealing mixture of textures, tastes, and especially color! It invites guests to relax and indulge for a moment or two before the main course. And since it’s mainly veggies and proteins, it’s naturally gluten-free!

Since we were going to a cookout to celebrate Memorial Day at my sister’s new home, I decided to make an antipasto with a slightly different take.

I upped the nutrition for the greens by using baby kale, baby spinach, and baby chard as the base. Then, I chopped organic carrots, and celery. Everyone is our family is addicted to black olives, so I chopped one can of these, too. Of course you need some fresh mozzarella to add the cheese component and since the family also loves pepperoni, I chopped one stick of that, too (not my personal favorite, but majority rules, right?). Last, but not least, baby red tomatoes were added!

I brought along a bowl of cannellini beans, too, for anyone who wanted some extra protein.  A balsamic vinaigrette topped it all off!

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Antipasto…..it’s all in the presentation!

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© 2014, Monica of glutenfreedoubletalk

It’s National Quiche Lorraine Day!

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Oh thank you, French cuisine, for this versatile little dish (even though it originated in Germany)!

It seems that quiche gets a bad rap in mass media and I have no idea why. If it’s made correctly, the simple quiche stands shoulder to shoulder with some of the greatest cheese entrées. All you need is a good quiche and a good salad and viola…..dinner is done!

The best thing about quiche is its versatility! You can make it traditionally with sausage or bacon, or go all veggie (broccoli), or my favorite – crab quiche. It also can be made with or without a crust. For gluten-free eaters, not having to worry about making a crust, helps elevate its status considerably. Either way, crust or crustless, you have yourself a tasty meal!

Since my hubby loves to help in the kitchen (lucky person, I know), this quiche was made with a crust. The crust recipe is an old family favorite that he de-glutenized! It’s my Mom’s water whip pie crust and it never seems to fail….now the gluten-free variation is not easy to roll out, so he takes portions of it and makes flat pieces with his hands and pats it into the pie plate. Any way that works for you is fine….trial and error, my friends!

I almost always make my quiche without a crust because it’s quicker and does not flare my arthritis as much. I’ve also experimented with making individual baby quiches by using a mega muffin tin and this recipe yielded 8 and they baked for about 35 minutes. Again, whatever works for you!

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Recipe for Quiche Lorraine (or variation)

4 eggs

1 ½ cups evaporated milk

1 T gluten-free all-purpose flour

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

¼ tsp nutmeg

1 medium onion, cut in eighths

1 ½ cups Swiss Cheese, cubed

1 pound pork sausage, crisply fried and crumbled OR ¾ pound sliced bacon, crisply fried and crumbled OR filling of choice (broccoli, veggie medley, fresh crabmeat)

I  9” unbaked pie shell (optional if you are making a crustless quiche)

Preheat oven to 375˚F. In a blender or Cuisinart put eggs, evaporated milk, flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cover and process until well blended. Stop and add onion pieces and cubed Swiss cheese. Cover and process on Grind for 3 cycles.

Sprinkle your filling of choice in the bottom of unbaked shell or bare 9” pie plate (if you do not want to bake with a crust.) Pour egg mixture over filling. Sprinkle some nutmeg on top.

Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

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Mom’s Water Whip Pie Crust

¾ cup shortening

¼ cup boiling water

2 ¼ cups flour (GF version: can use all-purpose GF flour, or 2 cups all-purpose GF flour & ¼ soy flour*)

1 T milk (Lactaid if needed)

1 tsp salt

Whip shortening and water with a fork until smooth and creamy. Add milk, flour and salt. Work into a nice dough ball.

*soy flour gives it a darker hue with a hint of a nutty flavor

 

© 2014, Monica of glutenfreedoubletalk   whisks

 

The absolute best thing about Lewie’s making the pie crust is his making “lumpy cookies!”

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If our girls were “helping” us bake when they were little and if we had some leftover dough, we would always fashion it into several cookies, sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon before baking them on a separate cookie sheet (and still do to this day).

My mom had started this tradition many years ago, when my three sisters and I were little girls.

The name “lumpy cookies” started with my sisters’ children and it has been passed on with the greatest fondness. Every one of the nieces and nephews know about “lumpy cookies”….they’re the best!

So the best advice when making quiche, go for the crust….because you’ll want “lumpy cookies” too!

Happy baking!

© 2014, Monica of glutenfreedoubletalk

 

One pot gluten-free turkey chili….Can you say easy?

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Since Daria was driving up to visit yesterday, and I had a return visit with my doctor in Philly, we decided to have an easy supper last night. While we both like chili and it is super quick to make, we decided to elevate its health potential by using lean ground turkey instead of the classic ground chuck. Also, we aren’t fans of red kidney beans which are traditionally used in chili recipes, and being Italian, our choice of bean was clear….Cannellini! Yes, we are “bean eaters” and in Italian we are “mangiafagioli!”

One thing that Daria has taught me in the kitchen is to “mise en place,” a French term that means “putting in place.” We need to gather all of our ingredients BEFORE we get started preparing our meal or dessert making. It actually is the best idea! I cooked for so many years in a dither….opening cupboards here and there to grab some spice, oil, or other ingredient that needed to land in my bowl. Once you put this concept into practice, you’ll wonder how you ever put a meal together in the past!

Anyway, start gathering your items. You will need olive oil, fresh lean ground turkey, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, one onion, Cannellini beans, garlic, and a myriad of spices!

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Heat 1 ½ teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large pan (that has a lid.)

Doesn’t it look like this oil made a funny face in the pan?

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Place one pound ground turkey in pot, spread out evenly, and brown.

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Meanwhile, chop your onion into bite-size pieces.

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When turkey is completely browned, toss in chopped onion and cook until the onion is tender.

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Meanwhile, rinse a 16 oz. can of Cannellini beans in a colander or strainer.

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When turkey and onion are tender, pour one 16 oz. can of tomato sauce into the mixture and stir.

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Next, mix in a 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and the rinsed Cannellini beans. Mix thoroughly.

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You’re almost there!

Finally, add your spices…

½ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper,  ½ tsp dried oregano,  ½ tsp (or less if you are sensitive) ground cayenne pepper, 2 T chili powder, ½ tsp paprika, and ½ tsp cumin. Bring the chili to a boil and then lower the temperature to Low and cook covered for at least 30 minutes.

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Now, what goes better with turkey chili than cornbread, so since we were on a time crunch, we cheated! We love Pamela’s Baking Mix and we wondered if there was a cornbread recipe on the bag. There wasn’t! So we went online to the Pamela’s site and viola!

Here is the recipe:

1 ¼ cup of Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix

1 cup fine yellow cornmeal

1/3 cup sugar or honey

½ tsp salt

2 eggs, beaten

2 T melted butter

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased 8-inch square pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes @ 375°.

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We thoroughly enjoyed our cooking together, baking together, and most of all, eating together!

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Happy chili making!!

 

 

© 2014, Monica of glutenfreedoubletalk