Appetizers
Gluten Free Baked Onion Rings
Oct 3rd
I’ve never been a fan of onion rings. I think it is because they are so greasy. My husband, on the other hand, loves onion rings. So I was excited when I saw The Food Physician and done a recipe resuscitation for onion rings — baking them instead of deep fry.
Now that I’m gluten sensitive, I don’t keep any wheat flours in the house because I don’t want to take the chance of mixing them up. So, I decided to make Sonali’s recipe gluten free. I’m glad I did make them gluten free. I didn’t expect to like them, but I did and now I can eat them. Whoohoo! Here’s what I came up with….
Gluten Free Baked Onion Rings
adapted from Crispy Oven Baked Onion Rings from The Foodie Physician
Ingredients:
Onions
1 large onion, peeled (I used a red onion)
1/2 cup millet flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and black pepper
Cooking spray (I used Coconut Oil Spray)
Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup Vegannaise
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used goat’s milk yogurt, but Greek yogurt would also be good)
2 tablespoons red chili paste
Directions:
Onions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice the onion into approximately 1/4-inch slices and separate.
Set up a breading station. Place the flour in a dish and mix in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Pour the buttermilk into a bowl. Place the breadcrumbs 3rd dish with the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Working with one or two onion rings at a time, place the onion rings in the flour and toss them around to coat them well. Then dip the rings into the buttermilk. Let the excess buttermilk drip off and then place the rings into the breadcrumbs. Turn the rings around in the breadcrumbs until they are fully coated. This will work best if you do a couple of rings at a time otherwise the breadcrumbs will get clumpy. Carefully lift the rings from the breadcrumb mixture and place them on two baking trays lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Spray the onion rings lightly with olive oil spray and place the trays in the oven. Bake about 15 minutes until the onion rings are golden brown.
Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Dipping Sauce
In medium bowl, mix ingredients to combine.
Mussels in Spicy Cream Broth
Sep 15th
I went to Whole Foods today to stock up on some items you can only get at Whole Food like gluten free fresh pasta, Vegannaise, Green Tea Coconut Milk (ice cream). On a hunch, I decided to stop by the seafood counter to see if they had any fresh mussels in stock. I was so delighted which the lady said “yes”. You see, they haven’t been able to stock fresh mussels all summer because it has been too hot. But the days are cooling off and I was in luck. I’m been waiting since June to share this recipe for Spicy Mussels with you because the first time I made it I neglected to take photos and they were gone in a blink of an eye.
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons ground fennel seed
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 cloves garlic, pressed (if you are not such a big fan of garlic, you can cut this in half)
1 Orange, juiced and zested
1 cup vegetable broth
2 pounds fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the onions in the butter until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the fennel seed, red pepper flakes, garlic and orange zest and cook until fragrant, stirring, another 1 to 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the vegetable broth and juice of orange and bring to a simmer. Add the prepped mussels and cover to steam until the mussels open, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cream, stir until incorporated and remove from the heat. Serve immediately.
This dish is perfect as an appetizer with sliced French bread for dipping or served as a main course over pasta.
Roasted Asparagus Soup
Sep 14th
Ingredients:
2 pounds asparagus
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Garlic Yogurt Sauce, for garnish
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss the asparagus and oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast the asparagus until lightly roasted but still crunchy, about 5 minutes. Cool the asparagus slightly.
Combine the asparagus, broth and lemon juice, mint, yogurt in a blender and puree until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer the soup to a medium heavy saucepan and heat the soup. Stir in lemon zest and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Divide the soup among bowls and garnish with Garlic Yogurt Sauce.
Sauteed Cannellini Beans
Sep 10th
Ingredients:
1/2 sweet bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock (or you can use chicken stock if you’re a meat eater)
1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
3 cups cooked cannellini beans
1 handful of basil, chopped
Directions:
In a medium saute pan, cook the bell peppers and onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, another 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with white wine and allow to boil for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the stock, Herbs de Provence, and beans and simmer for 20 minutes.
Pour into shallow bowls and drizzle with the remaining olive oil and top with basil.
This also makes a great appetizer served over a grilled baguette. Enjoy!
Roasted Cacao Cauliflower with Yogurt Dipping Sauce
Sep 10th
We just returned from vacation and I haven’t had a chance to got to the grocery store. There was very little left in the refrigerator since I really try to plan food purchases and meal planning for the time right before our vacation. But I did happen to have a head of cauliflower that was still good. And Justine over at Full Belly Sisters just had a cauliflower party on her Facebook Page. People were sharing some really fancy recipes – ones that went beyond my thoughts. Well I decided to let loose and be creative and that is how this Roasted Cacao Cauliflower with Yogurt Dipping Sauce came about. I hope you enjoy.
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil (you may need more or less in order to coat the cauliflower
1 tablespoon unsweetened cacao (I used Navitas Naturals Cacao Powder)
Pink Himalayan sea salt (I use Trader Joe’s brand)
Yogurt Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup Greek plain yogurt
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves
3/4 oz mint leaves (1 big handful)
5 sprigs of Thyme
cilantro leaves, small handful
juice of 1/2 a lemon
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts for garnish
Directions:
Roasted Cauliflower
Preheat the oven 400 degrees
Place cauliflower florets on a baking stone. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle sea salt on top and toss the florets gently to coat. Sprinkle the cocoa powder over the top evenly. Bake for 30 minutes.
Yogurt Dipping Sauce
In small skillet, toast pine nuts for about 5 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Set aside.
Put all the ingredients except the pine nuts in a blender. Puree until smooth. Sprinkle toasted pine nuts on top and drizzle with olive oil.
Navy Bean Dip
Sep 6th
This Navy Bean Dip is an easy appetizer to whip up for last minute guests. It might be easy but it proves that simple can definitely be amazing…
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 can navy beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
In a medium-sized pan, saute the onions in olive oil over medium heat, until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for another minute or so, stirring constantly.
Add the beans and chili powder. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Purée entire mixture in blender on low speed. Season with sea salt and pepper.
Transfer to a serving bowl. I served this dip chilled with gluten free crackers but it would be great with crudités as well.
Recommended Products
Peach Pistachio and Goat Cheese Crostini
Aug 27th
A few weeks ago I saw a post on A Bachelor and His Grill for Blueberry Pistachio and Goat Cheese Crostini. It was mouth-watering to say the least. The one big problem, the crostini. I’m gluten sensitive and haven’t been able to find a gluten free substitute for a French Baguette. Why, oh why, does life have to be so unfair? I’m thinking to myself, I have a gluten free English Muffin. It might not be as pretty but I bet it will taste just as good. So I made A Bachelor and His Grill’s recipe.
Yesterday was kind of a lazy Sunday for us. We went to visit a friend to see her new baby so when we got home I didn’t really feel like cooking. So, I’m in the kitchen looking for something quick but delicious to make, and all of a sudden I think peaches, pistachios, goat cheese. And what’s even better, I just picked up some parmesan bagel chips at the grocery store the other day. Whoohoo! We’re in business.
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1 large peach, sliced and then halved
1/2 cup of raw Pistachios
6 oz of Goat Cheese
Glutino Gluten Free Parmesan and Garlic Bagel Chips
Fresh Thyme Sprigs
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions:
In a skillet over medium heat, dry roast pistachios, stirring regularly to avoid burning. It will probably take about 5 minutes to roast. Set pistachios aside allowing them to cool before serving.
Spread goat cheese over bagel chips. Top with peaches and pistachios. Sprinkle Thyme leaves on top. Leave some of the leaves on the sprig to garnish. Season with salt and pepper.
Enjoy!
We had this for a light dinner, but this would also be great as an appetizer or side dish.
Recommended Products
Zesty Lemony-Lime Avocado Corn Feta and Shrimp Salad
Aug 15th
Zesty lime juice and lemon-y thyme are the key ingredients to creating this light and refreshing salad – no heavy mayonnaise to weigh it down. Made with the freshest ingredients; jumbo shrimp, avocados, corn, feta, and thyme tossed with some freshly squeezed lime juice and a touch of olive oil.
This will be a huge hit at your summer bash! Serve this as is for an appetizer, or over lettuce for a lunch or light meal. If you plan on making this ahead of time, you can combine all the ingredients except for the avocado and cilantro and keep this refrigerated, then add them right before serving. This easily doubles for a large crowd.
You can easily adapt this to suit your taste by adding red onion, jalapeño etc.
Ingredients:
1 lb jumbo cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped
1 hass avocado, diced
1 ear of corn, cooked and taken off of cob
1/2 cup of feta
2 limes, juiced
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp thyme, fresh
salt and fresh pepper to taste
Directions:
In a small bowl combine lime juice, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper. Let them marinate at least 5 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion.
In a large bowl add chopped shrimp, avocado, and corn. Add lime juice mixture and combine all the ingredients together. Add thyme and gently toss. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Zucchini Cakes with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts
Aug 9th
My husband and I had made a big dent in the Pumpkin bread that I baked last weekend, so on Wednesday night I went to bed thinking about baking more Chocolate Basil Zucchini Bread. Somehow, my thoughts of zucchini bread morphed into thoughts of zucchini cakes because by the time I woke up on Thursday morning I had visions of zucchini paired with sun dried tomatoes and pine nuts.
I had no idea how to make zucchini cakes or that they even existed — silly me, I thought I created something new…well maybe I did with this combination. What I did was take my Salmon Cake recipe and tweak it and voila, my Zucchini Cakes with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts.
Serves 8
Ingredients:
3 medium zucchinis, grated
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup (1/2-ounce) chopped fresh chives
3/4 cup of Gluten Free Bread crumbs, divided (use regular bread crumbs if you aren’t sensitive to gluten)
1/3 cup of sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup of pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons vegannnaise, (or more mayonnaise) plus more, as needed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons Rice bran oil
Directions:
Grate zucchini onto paper towel (or dish cloth) and squeeze excess water. Put into a medium bowl. Add the egg, chives, sun dried tomatoes, 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, mustard, veganaise, garlic, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix gently until just combined. Fold in pine nuts.
Form the mixture into eight patties about 2 1/2-inch diameter and 3/4 inches thick. (If the mixture is too dry to form into patties, add extra veganaise, 1 tablespoon at a time; if it is too wet, add more bread crumbs) Carefully coat the patties (both sides) with the remaining bread crumbs and refrigerate for 1 hour.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the Rice Bran oil over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until golden and crispy, about 5 to 6 minutes each side.
And enjoy!
If you try this recipe or have one similar, please share it in the comments.
Like this recipe, be sure to share it with your family and friends by clicking “Like”, or Pin it!
This recipe was shared on Gluten Free Fridays
Egg Salad Stuffed Avocado with Heirloom Tomatoes drizzled with White Truffle Oil
Jul 16th
What do you get when you stuff egg salad into avocados and top with heirloom tomatoes? This tasty Egg Salad Stuffed Avocado with Heirloom Tomatoes drizzled with White Truffle Oil. Perfect as a salad or appetizer.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 avocados
1 cup of egg salad (click here for my egg salad recipe)
1 medium heirloom tomato, diced
White Truffle Oil
salt and pepper
Directions:
Cut avocados in half and remove pit. Put 1/4 cup of egg salad on avocado. Top with diced heirloom tomatoes. Salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with White Truffle Oil.
This recipe is featured on “Foodie Friends Friday” Linky Party
