Gluten-Free Friday Super Carrot Ginger Salad

I don't post many salads because I think they are pretty straight forward, BUT this salad combines a few ingredients that were randomly put together and tasted awesome. The dressing is one that I tried on a plain spinach salad. I added other ingredients to spice things up! There are many textures and tastes that I hope you enjoy.  Serves 2

Ingredients
1/4 cup Carrot Ginger Dressing*
1 cup spinach leaves, washed and dried
1/4 cup edamame, shell removed
1/4 cup quinoa (I used my left overs from Sunday)
1/4 cup carrots, shredded in a grater or 6 baby carrots
1/4 cup canned chickpeas, washed and dried
sprinkling of dried cranberries
pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

*For the Dressing:
1 large carrot
1/2 shallot (other half from the red pepper puree and pea recipe)
1 1inch piece of ginger, peeled and diced
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/6 (half of 1/3) cup canola oil
salt and pepper to taste

Soften carrot by chopping then steaming or boiling for 10 minutes
When cool add to a blender with other ingredients
Puree

In a bowl, mix other ingredients
Pour dressing over and toss!

Roasted Red Pepper and Crispy Garlic Pea Pasta

Flavor, flavor, flavor! This recipe is a concoction of a few different ones that I love. What do you do with left over peppers, roast them. What do you do with left over peas, brown them! Add some pasta and voila! Enjoy hot or cold. Serves 6

Ingredients

1 cup pasta (any type), cooked as directed

1/4 cup reserved pasta water

*Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Two Peppers-any color

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 shallot chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

*Peas

2/3 cup frozen peas-thawed

1/2 clove garlic

1 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F

In a pan, place peppers

Cook for 30 minutes, flipping over once

Meanwhile, in a skillet heat oil on low

Add garlic and peas

Bring heat to medium-high

Stir then let sit for 3 minutes

Stir once more and cook for 2 more minutes

Until browned slightly

Remove peppers and cover with foil for 10 minutes(until cool)

Remove skin and cut off top, pulling out seeds

Slice into a few pieces and place in blender

Add oil and shallots

Puree

Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Combine red pepper puree with peas and pasta

Mix in half of the pasta water (add other half if needed)

Sunday Night (Gluten Free) Garlic Quinoa with Roasted Veggies

Quinoa is getting very popular these days (trendy recipe # 2 for the week after the kale!), probably because it's the only grain with all essential amino acids and it's gluten free! This dish is super healthy, low in calories, and full of flavor. No vampires will be attacking my apartment tonight! Serves 4

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, cooked as directed
*usually 1 cup to 2 cups water
1/2 large head of broccoli, chopped
1/2 large head of cauliflower, chopped
1/2 cup brussel sprouts, ends cut off and sliced in half
20 baby carrots
10 cherry tomatoes, sliced
1/4 cup canned/drained chickpeas (optional)
1 clove garlic, diced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 F
In a large baking dish, drizzle oil and garlic
Pour in vegetables
Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Stir and stick in the oven

Cook for about 30-45 minutes, until soft and crispy

Stir every 10 minutes

Pour over quinoa (add a little oil if needed)

Gluten-Free Friday Mango Kale Salad

Today, I have investigated the unknown popular green....kale! Normally, I would see Kale in a title of a recipe and run, BUT I promise this will change your mind about this trendy green. This is a nutrient rich filling salad that can be saved up to 4 days unlike normal salads. Serves 4

Ingredients
1 lb kale
1 mango, chopped
1 tbsp lavender honey (or regular works just fine!)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt to taste

Rinse kale leaves
Remove stems and chop
Whisk oil and honey
Place kale in a large bowl and top with dressing
Massage the dressing into the kale with your hands
It will magically change textures and become dark green

Sprinkle mango on top and sprinkle with salt
Stir!

Sunday Masters Cupcakes

The Masters is a loooooong golf tournament, what makes it go by quicker? Cupcakes!!! Here is my recipe inspired by vanilla cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery with my own golf twist added. Makes 12

Ingredients

*Cupcakes

2 eggs at room temperature

3/4 cups self-rising flour

1/2 +1/8 cups all purpose flour

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup 2% milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

*Icing

2.5 cups confectioner sugar

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp green food coloring

1/4 cup 2% milk

12 toothpicks with cut out flags made from paper

1 graham cracker crushed (in a ziplock bag)

Preheat oven to 350F

In a small bowl whisk flours together

In a larger bowl beat butter until soft, then add sugar

Beat until mixed then add eggs one at a time while still beating the batter

Start folding the batter with a spatula

Add in 1/3 of flour then 1/3 of the milk, keep folding

Add 1/3 flour then 1/3 milk, keep folding

Add last bit of flour, keep folding

Add the last of the milk and the vanilla extract

In a muffin tray lined with cupcake cups, fill cups 2/3 full

Bake for 15-25 minutes

Meanwhile make the easy icing

Combine all ingredients and beat mixture for 3 to 4 minutes until icing texture is created

When cupcakes are done, let rest for 10 minutes before icing

After icing, sprinkle some cracker to create a sand look 

Stick in tooth pick

Congrats to Bubba Watson!

Copyright © 2012 Rachel Pollard

Gluten Free Friday-Brisket Shepard's Pie

Shepard's pie usually involves lamb (hence the shepard), but I decided to add a twist to the normal recipe and use tender brisket. This is a super filling gluten-free meal. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Serves 6

 Ingredients

2 cups blue cheese mashed potatoes (see previous recipe)

1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

1/2 cup cooked carrots, sliced

1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced and cooked 

(I usually cook them in a pan with a little bit of butter)

1 lb brisket, washed and patted dry

1 cup gluten-free organic beef broth

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 F

In a dutch oven or oven safe container with aluminum foil, drizzle olive oil 

Place brisket in oil and rub

Add salt and pepper

Rub all over, then cover

Place in the oven for 1.5 hours, until tender

Meanwhile, make mashed potatoes

Combine vegetables

When beef is cooked, pull out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes

Change the oven temperature to Broil

In a large serving dish, cover the bottom with brisket

Cover in juices from dutch oven

Add vegetables and top with mashed potatoes

Place back in the oven and broil for 5 minutes, until top is a little golden

Enjoy!

Copyright © 2012 Rachel Pollard

Blue Cheese Mashers

I have discovered that blue cheese is a tasty addition to Yukon Gold mashed potatoes. When eating at restaurants, i see it paired with steak quite often and what else goes with steak....mashed potatoes! This recipe only required four ingredients and besides the boiling time, took less than 2 minutes to prepare. Serves 4

 Ingredients

6 Yukon Gold potatoes, about the same size so they cook evenly

1/4 cup blue cheese (a little goes a long way)

4 green onions, chopped with white and light green parts only

1/4 pint of heavy whipping cream 

Fill a pot with water

Add potatoes, make sure they are covered by water

Boil for about 30 minutes, until soft when poked with a knife

Meanwhile combine onions, cheese crumbled, and cream in a bowl

Drain potatoes in a strainer

Add potatoes and mash with a fork

Stir and serve
























Copyright © 2012 Rachel Pollard