potato and kale soup

Even though it is technically still summertime, the last few days have been chilly for September. As such, my body has been instinctively craving hearty soups. At the farmers market this morning, I just bought two things: kale and fingerling potatoes. I got started making the soup and the house was filled with the most amazing aroma. This was the first time I’ve made this particular soup despite the fact that it’s been on my “to try” list for quite some time. Trust me, this is so delicious, I will be going back to this soup again and again. This recipe is adapted from Alice Water’s outstanding tome The Art of Simple Food.

2 medium onions, small diced
3 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
salt & pepper
1 lb fingerling potatoes, cut into small 1/4″ chunks
1 large bunch kale (you can use any type that you wish – I used Lacinato)
5 cups gluten free chicken broth (you could use vegetable broth here)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 15 oz can organic drained and rinsed white beans (cannellini or navy)

1. Add olive oil to a soup pot. Dice onions and saute in oil until tender – just about 10-12 minutes. Add the minced garlic. And add in a good pinch of salt and a few turns of freshly ground pepper. Stir and cook for no more than 3 minutes, being careful not the brown the garlic.
2. Add chopped potatoes and kale. Stir and let cook down for 5 minutes.
3. Add in the stock. Cover and reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Using a measuring cup, remove 1 1/2 cups of soup (broth AND ingredients) and place it in the blender. Add coconut milk and pulse for about 10 seconds. Return this pureed soup back to the pot. Stir to combine. Add the beans, stir, ladle into bowls and serve.

kohlrabi and cucumber salad

I was at the farmers market over the weekend and saw kohlrabi. I had never used it before. What better time than the present?  I had heard kohlrabi are not meant to be eaten raw. Last night, however, I was devouring Rose Carrarini’s absolutely brilliant “Breakfast, Lunch, Tea” cookbook and sure enough she has a recipe in there for a raw kohlrabi salad. It’s 8 am, I just finished making the salad, and I took a taste. Then I made the bold decision to keep eating it – for breakfast. It’s wonderful. Kohlrabi is a part of the cabbage family. But, don’t let that stop you. This tasty antiviral vegetable is loaded with fiber, vitamin C and potassium. An added bonus is that it’s great for diabetics, as it stabilizes blood sugar. I didn’t have any mustard greens (which is what her recipe called for). All I had was some mache(which I LOVE) so I tossed that in instead.  As a testament to its delicious-ness, my toddlers were pushing aside their breakfasts for mine!  Here’s my adaptation….

2 kohlrabi, peeled
1 cucumber
2 tblsp gluten free white wine vinegar (I prefer Spectrum)
salt & pepper
pinch ground cumin
pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp honey
1 tbslp gluten free Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tblsp canola oil
1 1/2 tblsp extra virgin olive oil
bunch of mache (lamb’s lettuce)

1. Peel kohlrabi and slice in half lengthwise. With flat side down, cut lengthwise into as many thin strips as possible. Then cut on the perpendicular (the goal here is matchstick size pieces).
2. Cut the ends off the cucumber and half-peel, meaning alternate peel and no peel all the way around. Cut in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. I used a mini melon baller to achieve this task. Then flat side down, cut the cucumber into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place kohlrabi and cucumber slices into a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl add vinegar, honey, salt & pepper, cumin, cayenne and mustard. Whisk to combine. Taste to make sure it’s seasoned to your liking. Then whisk in the oil. Pour dressing over the salad. Mix to combine. Then add in the lettuce. Stir again.

pesto with buckwheat pasta

‘Tis the season for pesto. Along with tomatoes, I just can’t get enough of all the basil my garden is producing. This afternoon, I whipped up a batch of pesto, tossed it with some pasta and served alongside a salad it proved to be a satisfying and delicious dinner.  There seems to be a slight division in the pesto community: those who make it with pine nuts and those who prepare it with walnuts.  Personally, I tend to prefer the subtle sweetness of pine nuts.  They have a significant amount of protein (a whopping 14%) and contain both A and B vitamins. Basil is one of many herbs that aids digestion.

1 cup loosely packed basil
2-3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup pine nuts
salt & pepper
1/3 cup really good extra virgin olive oil

1. Place basil, garlic, pine nuts and salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the “S” blade.
2. While the motor is running, slowly add the olive oil through the feeder spout and process for about 10-15 seconds.  If you have a mortar and pestle, this works great too. I would macerate the pine nuts and garlic with the salt and pepper in the mortar. Then transfer to a food processor to add the basil leaves and olive oil.

bagel with lox and lemon dill spread

This morning, I woke up and had a hankering for a bagel with cream cheese. Choosing not to be sad about the fact that dairy (cream cheese) is out of the question for celiacs, I broke out some of louise’s lemon dill dip, spread it on a toasted bagel and then topped it off with some smoked wild Alaskan salmon and fresh dill. It really hit the spot – a great alternative to the real thing!

1/2 gluten free bagel, toasted
wild Alaskan smoked salmon
1-2 tblsp louise’s lemon dill dip
salt & pepper to taste
fresh dill

apricot mustard glaze

My husband loves sauces. Since we met, I have taken quite a liking to them as well. Sauces are one thing I have come to miss since my gluten free days began. So few of them are actually gluten, dairy and soy free. Alas, this past weekend I stumbled upon a great sauce recipe. I made it yesterday for dinner (we had some family in town). We were all fighting over it. I originally made it for the chicken. But, I found myself slathering it on my salmon. My mom was dipping her green beans and carrots in it. So, at this point, I feel it is safe to say that this sauce can be paired with anything savory you like (except fruit). In my opinion, it would not work as an (appetizer) dip – but rather something to accompany what’s on your lunch or dinner plate. This recipe is adapted from my all-time favorite cooking periodical – Cook’s Illustrated.

3/4 cups 100% fruit apricot jam (I really like Bionaturae – it’s very low sugar and nothing added)
1/4 whole grain gluten free mustard (I really like True Natural Taste)
3 tblsp gluten free dijon mustard
4 tblsp liquified (melted) coconut oil
2 medium shallots, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 tblsp filtered water

1. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until combined (about 20 seconds).
2. If using for chicken or fish, you can glaze it just prior to putting on the grill (using half the mixture). Then serve the other half of the mixture at the table in a bowl. Take extra special care not to serve the glaze that has been in contact with the raw meat or fish. Please discard it.
3. If you still have enough left so that it needs to be refrigerated, please bring the sauce back to room temperature before serving….