January 19, 2016
Recently I've been getting requests for gluten free (GF) pizza and pie crusts recipes. Since I didn't have one, I thought I'd take the challenge. In culinary school, I became very comfortable using @CupForCup because a very good friend and classmate, Liz (@LizelleTomorrow), is gluten intolerant. Cup4Cup's motto, "gluten free but you'd never know it," is pretty spot on. Classmates scoffed when I told them I made GF lemon bars with it, but the next time when I made brownies and only told Liz on the side they were GF, no one knew the difference and scarfed them up!
That's why I was elated when I attended the Fancy Food Show (@craftcarejoy) in San Fran yesterday and first saw their booth, then found out it was created at The French Laundry (@_TFL_) just down the road in Yountville! Unfortunately, though, when I bought GF flour for this recipe Cup4Cup wasn't availability in my local grocery store so I used @KingArthurFlour's version. The results were pretty solid - not as flaky as I had hoped, but buttery for sure.
August 4, 2015
A "Submit Your Recipe" make-over for summer from @KerrieKelly of Sacramento, CA, this cornbread packs flavor while cutting down on sugar, fat, carbs, and cholesterol - and it's gluten-free! After replacing the white flour with a mix of rice flour and masa, then cutting down on the butter and eggs and adding milk for moisture, and I dared to omit all the cheese. The final flavor boost came from roasted corn and poblano peppers as well as chili powder. What was the nutritional transformation you ask?! Phenomenal...96% decrease in calories, 140% decrease in fat, 280% decrease in saturated fat, 45% decrease in carbs, 24% decrease in sodium, and a crazy 640% decrease in cholesterol. I'm virtually patting myself on the back right now!
January 26, 2016
Who said pasta salad was just for summer?! Use in-season, in-fashion brussel sprouts in an exciting new way in this winter-themed pasta salad that is creamy (thank you, fat free Greek yogurt!), tangy (go, mustard and vinegar!), and packs a nutritional punch (see the stats below...high five protein!). It's also ready in about an hour, and best made a day or two in advance. You can also easily go gluten-free with a rice or corn-based pasta.
January 23, 2011
This is actually a light dessert - no kidding! Dark chocolate and spicy nutmeg give it a flavor boost that make you forget you're using fat free milks and less eggs then the typical recipe. Instead of nutmeg, use your creativity for other versions, including adding instant coffee or espresso, Bailey's Irish Cream, dried chili and cinnamon (for a Mexican flare) or even smoked salt.
January 19, 2013
Kale is the hot new in-season vegetable to cook, and who am I to go against the grain (pun intended). Kale has actually been grown for more than two millennia with the first written references dating back to Greek and Roman times. That inspired me to create this tasty pasta dish using a number of Mediterranean ingredients like garlic, feta, oregano and chickpeas. Serve warm or at room temperature for a healthy main meal. For a gluten-free recipe, use corn or rice pasta.
September 22, 2013
I was scrolling along through my Instagram account earlier this week, and was taken aback by a gorgeous gratin my NYC friend, Sue S., was making with her CSA delivery of kale. What inspiration for the cooling days! Sharp kale is layered with soft potatoes, onions and creamy fontina for a comforting side on a fall evening. I also included a trick - sub'ing skim milk thickened with cornstarch for heavy cream...it's still gluten-free and in this recipe, saves an incredibly shocking 1400 calories and 175g fat.
June 12, 2011
I love reading about food history and this is a cool story. Cacciatore is Italian for 'hunter' but typically made with chicken - so what's the connection there? Well, if the hunting party was unsuccessful they would kill a chicken and make a stew with tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, peppers and red wine. This dish was inspired by an old Vegetarian Times recipe, but I tried to make it more authentic by researching variations on more traditional recipes. I'm not a huge fan of tofu, but it really works well here absorbing all the tomatoes, red wine and sage. Serve over any pasta you like - I used vermicelli. Use rice or corn pasta for a gluten-free recipe.
April 25, 2010
Yesterday was a back-breaking, sunburned day of harvesting my winter garden and putting in the summer one. But the spoils included some heavenly purple cauliflower that begged to be roasted with garlic and herbs and tossed with pasta (well in my head they wanted to!). This is a very light pasta (but with bold flavors and colors!) that creates its own sauce from the water the pasta is cooked in plus the oils from the pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes. Certainly you can use any color of cauliflower and spinach in exchange for arugula. For a gluten-free recipe, use corn or rice pasta.
March 24, 2013
This dish was a personal favorite at Essex Restaurant on the LES when we lived in NYC. I'm sure they were inspired by the famed matzo producer, Streit's, which was just a few blocks down Rivington Street. This savory breakfast is a mash-up of traditional Jewish matzo brei and Mexican chilaquiles - and I think, actually, still kosher for Passover. Whether you are Jewish or not, I hope you'll join the tradition this week. You can make this gluten-free with matzo made of potato flour or simply use tortilla chips.
September 9, 2012
Make the best of the end of the summer garden with this fresh and cheesy pasta bake. It looks decadent, but only calls for one ounce of cheese per serving. The roasted garlic brings a mellow flavor that pulls it all together. For a gluten-free recipe, use corn or rice pasta.