Cookbook Giveaway! (+gluten-free pumpkin bread)

Things have lined up in a funny (should I say eerie?) way this week.  Last week I felt hectic, rushed, and that there wasn’t enough time in the day, and this week things fell into place – appointments scheduled neatly around my other calendar items, time felt long enough, and my to-do list has practically to-done itself.  The weather was rainy on the day I stayed in to do work, and sunny when I needed to be out and about on my bike.  The webinar I watched on ancient grains yesterday provided info for this post, which I’ve had on the docket for months.

So you’re thinking: wow, that’s nice.  How nice for you.  What’s in it for me?  And so I’m happy to reply: the chance to win a free, colorful, beautiful cookbook!  The folks at Grain Crazy, mother and daughter team Britney and Cherie, offered to give one of my readers their newest book, Quinoa Crazy.  I only do sponsored posts if I truly like and use the ingredient or food, so this one was an easy “yes!” when they asked.  I’m sharing my version of their quinoa pumpkin bread below, and all you have to do to be eligible to win is to 1) leave a comment at the bottom of the post and 2) like the Facebook post about this blog.  I’ll choose a winner at random on Wednesday, November 4th!

A few words about quinoa:

The plant is not actually a grass like wheat or oats, but quinoa seeds (the part you eat) have similar nutrient content and cooking methods so they’re often lumped together functionally.  It’s a complete protein (contains all 9 essential amino acids), is gluten-free, and can be eaten cooked or raw.  A crazy fact from the webinar I mentioned: The world has over 50,000 edible plants, but just three of them – rice, maize and wheat – provide 60% of the world’s food energy intake.  Diversifying your food intake is one of the best ways to be sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need, so experiment with whole grains beyond those 3!

Start with this seasonal pumpkin bread

And let me know how it goes if you do!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup old fashioned oats + a few tables spoons for adding to the top
• 1 cup quick-cooking steel cut oats*
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds*
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup dark mini chocolate chips
• 1 cup quinoa, cooked
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 egg
• 1 cup pumpkin puree

*my additions to the recipe

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Mix together dry ingredients (first 7) in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine the honey, egg, and pumpkin until smooth and even.  Add to the dry ingredients and stir only as much as necessary to combine.  Pour the batter into a greased (I used coconut oil) loaf pan.  Bake for 40-45 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean (some chocolate on it is ok).  Let the bread cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack (crucial for allowing steam to release; this is a very moist bread!).  Slice and enjoy!

Getting crunchy with Breton (+gluten-free goat cheese & quinoa croquettes)

I received free samples of Breton Gluten Free Original with Flax and Breton Gluten Free Herb and Garlic from Dare Foods Incorporated mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Dare Foods Incorporated and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

This week the RecipeReduxers are posting gluten-free recipes using Breton’s Gluten Free crackers in honor of Celiac Disease awareness month…and of course as a part of a no-holds barred recipe death match that will crown a winner for best recipe at the end!  I have a couple up my sleeve…

As a gluten eater (and lover) myself, the cracker aisle has never been a problem to navigate.  But when you start looking for gluten-free options, there are only a few brands available.  I’ve personally never been a fan of the rice wafer, so if you eliminate those at least half the options are out!  These Breton crackers are – well, crackery.  Like wheat-based crackery, even a little Ritz-esque.

To me the great frustration for people who can’t have gluten must be recipes that are based on grains and starches they can eat, but then have one tiny element that contains wheat.  One example: potato or rice croquettes.  People with Celiac’s Disease can eat potatoes and rice, but the bread crumbs in croquette recipes are the problem!  So here I used quinoa (a nutritionally superior grain in terms of fiber/protein content) which is gluten-free and cooked like rice to make a croquette with a crunchy cracker coating (say that 4 times fast!).

I served them over a salad of fresh greens with another recipe I was testing for a tahini cooking demo – raw vegan tabbuleh!  That one will be posted in the future…until then, whip up some quinoa & goat cheese croquettes!  They’d make a perfect appetizer or hors d’oeuvres, or part of the entree as shown here.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz goat cheese
• 1 c frozen spinach, thawed
• 1.5 c cooked quinoa (I season mine with vegetable broth and some garlic powder!)
• 1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 3/4 c crushed Breton Gluten-Free Herb & Garlic crackers (I pulverized mine in a blender)
• Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling (about 3 Tbsp)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F. In a mixing bowl, combine the goat cheese and spinach by blending with a fork.  Chill in fridge while preparing the rest of the ingredients: cook quinoa, then fluff with a fork.  Add egg and parmesan; stir until blended thoroughly.  Put cracker crumbs into a bowl with a wide opening, or use a plate.  Remove goat cheese mixture from the fridge and shape into a ball the size of a truffle or large marble.  Gently shape quinoa mixture around it, patting it first onto one side and then the other.  Roll in bread crumbs and place on a cookie sheet.  Repeat until 12 balls are formed.  Drizzle with olive oil and then bake for 20-25 minutes, until slightly browned and crisp on the outside.  Serves 4.

 

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RecipeRedux: vegan lemon-scallion patties with spicy ginger dressing

The theme of the month of March for RecipeRedux is…patties!  Check the link at the bottom of this post for all foods patti-fied and healthed-up…this goes wayyyy beyond a burger.

As you may or may not know, I am a chia seed LOVER.  It’s one of the few foods I truly eat daily (usually ~1 Tbsp), in the form of smoothies, puddings, salads, or baked goods.  Their ability to gel (literally) with liquids makes them especially unique, and while I’ve heard they’re used that way as a vegan substitute for eggs, I’ve never tried it.  Since I wanted to do a light, herby patty (well HELLO spring, where have you been?) I decided to go the extra step and make them vegan by using chia to bind!

These patties are best served over a salad – the binding power of eggs is second to none, and they wouldn’t stand up against being squashed in a bun, but given that the lentils and quinoa are carbohydrate-rich, a bun would be overkill in that department anyway.  They’re rich in protein (quinoa is a complete source!) and fiber (lentils have 16g per cup cooked!), and the herbs and lemon juice make them light but flavorful.  The spicy ginger dressing gives it an exotic kick – I’ll be keeping that recipe on hand to try with soba noodles in the future!

Lemon & Scallion Patties with Spicy Ginger Dressing

Patties:

Ingredients:

• 1 c cooked lentils
• 1 c cooked quinoa
• 2 Tbsp tahini
• 2 Tbsp chia seeds + 6 Tbsp water
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/3 c spring onions, diced
• 1/3 c fresh parsley, chopped
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• dash of salt & pepper

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine chia seeds and water, stirring every few minutes until gelled (about 5-10 minutes). In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and fold until evenly mixed with a spatula.  In a pan, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil on high.  Form 6 patties – batter will be sticky and packable – and place in oil.  Fry on each side for 5 minutes, or until browned.  Flip carefully! Serve over spinach and watercress, and add slices of avocado

Ginger dressing:

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp tahini
• 1″ fresh grated ginger, or 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes or powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 c olive oil

Directions:
Whisk together all ingredients except oil.  When blended, add oil while whisking to incorporate.