Apple Crunch

Love apple season, and here in North Georgia, we have a great supply of good apples!
One of the best things to do with apples, is to make Apple Crunch. It's a hearty, satisfies that sweet tooth, and reminds me of fall! For this recipe, I recommend either tart Granny Smith apples, or a sweet Gala.

Apple Crunch

3 medium apples, unpeeled, cored, sliced, and cut into chunks
apple juice 1/2 cup
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp Smart Balance Butter Blend, cut into chunks
2 tsp cinammon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup gluten free flour (Bob's Mills General purpose or Domata)
1/2 cup gluten free oats
Mix apples with apple juice and 2 tbsp brown sugar and cinammon.
Mix remainder of brown sugar with sea salt, flour and Smart Balance, cutting  in with fork or using your hands until mixture is like corn meal.  Place apple mixture in 8 x 10 casserole type dish. Top with flour mixture. Cook in preheated 350 degree oven for 35 minutes. Serve by inself or with whipped cream if you prefer.

Bar-b-que!

Low sodium and gluten free are seldom associated with barbeque. As much as Art loves it, many sauces include soy sauce, modified food starch (code word for "probably contains gluten") and often, the meat is brined prior to cooking, sometimes up to 24 hours! The brining process increases tenderness and moisture content of the meat and is usually considered a must for smoked meat. So, how to get the best tasting meat without all the sodium, keeping the meat nice and tender and then providing an excellent sauce to give the meat that extra zing? Would it pass the taste test of my very discriminating food critics? We would see...

I have to say that I was inspired while watching the cooking channel to try this idea. This adapts beautifully to slow cookers, but I prefer my enamled Dutch oven. I use it whenever I can. It was a gift from my folks and I enjoy using it so much for all kinds of roasting tasks. So if you have a nice, heavy duty pan like this, it's perfect for the job. Be sure and retain your juice after cooking. It makes a great sauce and you'll be using half of it for another recipe that follows: Barbeque Pizza! Yee Hi!

Bar-B-Que Spare Ribs

2 lbs spare ribs, cut into individual ribs (we prefer pork)
1 can low sodium tomato sauce
1 can low sodium tomatoes
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2-3 dashes Liquid Smoke
1-2 tsp Mrs. Dash
fresh crack pepper
3 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp chilli powder
1/2 tbsp garlic powder

Place ribs into large pan, such as a Dutch oven or crock pot. Mix other ingredients and pour over ribs. Place lid on pan, and place in a 350 degree oven for 1 and a half hours. Remove from oven and allow to cool  for approximately 15 minutes with lid on. Remove ribs and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. Remove half of the sauce to serve on ribs, and reserve half the sauce  and some of the meat for the next recipe.

Serve with a homemade slaw of red and green cabbage, green onion, cracked pepper and apple cider vinegar with one tablespoon honey or agave nectar and either low fat sour cream or mayo. Allow slaw to chill in the frig for about an hour before serving. This allows the slaw to tender a bit, and the flavors to marry well. I also love to add a bit of horseradish in with my slaw dressing. Goes great with the ribs, and these ribs are tender and meaty, and relatively low fat.

Bar-B-Que Pizza

2 cups Domata Pizza Flour
1 cup water
Reserved sauce from the ribs
Reserved meat from remaining ribs
1/2 cup jalapenos in a jar (use fresh if you want some real heat)
1 cup shredded mozzarello cheese reduced fat
1/2 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese reduced fat
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup reduced sodium marinara or tomato sauce

Mix Domata Pizza Flour with water, using a fork to mix slowly. When ingredients begin to incorporate, add a dusting of the Pizza Flour to the dough and knead ingredients for four or five times. Press dough into a pizza pan or oblong cooking tray. Using a fork, pull the tines through the reserved meat from the ribs, shredding the meat as you do. Place a layer of meat across the pizza dough, and pour sauces over the meat. Add jalapenos and corn, and finally top with the two kinds of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes, or until cheese has melted and has begun to turn golden. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes before cutting with a pizza cutter. Serve with a drizzle of ranch dressing on each slice. Yum. And not too bad on the fat and sodium, I might add!

Home Cookin'

When we decided to try Art on a gluten-free diet, we had suspected for some time that there was a correlation between what he ate and how he felt. Five years ago, I don't think I had ever heard of Celiac's disease before. We just noticed that he was experiencing gastric distress and increased inflammatory problems when he ate certain things. As we began to learn more, we uncovered an entire bevy of symptoms, ranging from  chronic diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal distention to symptoms potentially affecting any organ or part of the body system. The disease is often atypical, or even silent, with many case going undiagnosed an leaving the patients exposed to long-term complications such as osteoporosis, infertility, or even cancer. The incidence of Celiac's disease was thought to be about 1 percent; current estimates indicate that its prevelance is actually even higher than that. Although many think of this condition being a pediatric ailment, we are now aware that the disease may appear after years of silent intestinal damage following years of exposure to gluten. Often  diagnosis can be extremely challenging and currently relies on sensitive, specific tests that allow the identification of different manifestations of the disease. Treatment requires a lifelong diet eliminating all food products which contain gluten. On the surface, that seems as if it is a simple enough solution, but as one discovers, embracing a gluten-free diet is not an easy enterprise. One of the first awarenesses we had was that wheat and gluten are in many of the convenience foods that we come to rely on in our society. What CAN you eat, you wonder.

I hope that this blog serves as encouragement to you as you seek more information about this lifestyle change, and that you will also find the recipes exciting and fun!  I know that Art has really enjoyed the fact that I'm trying to feed him food that he enjoys, and that he doesn't have to feel deprived and all "whole-foody" and "earth daddy" about everything! I enjoy the challenge of coming up with the best possible ingredients that we can afford, and feeding us as well as we can!

This week, he was craving something from his childhood, something deliciously Southern! What could be better than Mississippi Catfish Nuggets and Hushpuppies? Why, serve it with some Fresh Mustards Greens, and you've got a fantastic feast of home cooked goodness!

One of my favorite sources of flour goods is Domata Living Flour, http://www.domatalivingflour.com/ is the web site, (phone: 417-276-7789) and I'll tell you what I love about it the most: it makes gluten-free living so much easier. I recommend their regular flour, seasoned flour, and pizza flour. It's great! I use the regular flour, cup for cup, in baking homemade bread, biscuits, and even pie crusts. Just follow a good recipe. I'll provide some for you here soon, if you need them.  The seasoned flour is great for fried chicken, or in the this case, fried fish. And I also used it for the hushpuppies. Finally, pizza! Wow, this crust is so great and I love it! We have pizza at least twice a month, and I don't think anyone could tell the difference! So check them out, and try these great products. I'm a huge fan of the convenience and quality that Domata represents and will be for life.

Mississippi Catfish Nuggets

2-3 farm raised catfish filets, cut into one 1/2 inch nuggets
1/2 cup milk
1 cup Domata Living Seasoned Flour
1 cup yellow corn meal
1 pinch gray salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
3/4 inch total oil for skillet (peanut oil is best, but I used 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 canola oil...worked fine)

Preheat oil on medium high heat while you are soaking your catfish nuggets in the milk. Mix flour and meal, salt and pepper well in a large bowl. Place catfish nuggets in bowl a few at a time, and turn with large spoon, coating lightly with mixture. Place into hot oil in skillet, and turn after about 2-3 minutes. Continue to cook until golden brown, about 2-3 more minutes. Remove onto paper towel lined plate to drain. Serve hot with homemade cocktail sauce or tarter sauce and lemon wedge.

Hushpuppies

I prefer to cook these first and then adjust oil and cook my catfish  in the same oil. Just cover and keep warm.

1/2 cup seasoned Domata flour
1/2 cup plain Domata flour
1 cup corn meal
3 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilatntro
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Stir ingredients together, and allow to sit for several minutes.

Drop by teaspoon into hot oil; turn after a couple of minutes. Do not over-cook. They should be golden brown. Remove to paper towel lined platter and cover to keep warm while you cook your fish.


Mustard Greens

Clean mustard greens well by soaking, pulling from water, dumping water, and soaking again. Repeat process. Remove stems. In a large Dutch oven, heat 4 slices of chopped bacon and 2 tablespoons of onion until onion is clear and bacon has begun to brown. Chop greens and add to pan, stirring. Add water to cover greens, reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour.

Food that heals the ravaged soul...

Taking care of my parents upon their return to "normal" life post mitral valve replacement surgery has been more of job than I had expected. My father has a terrible time hearing, and is anxious for Mom to be able to cook for him again. My mom, though doing pretty well considering everything, has had a rough time of it. So, I've become nurse, chef and general task manager when it comes to so many details. They are still very independent, but the lifestyle changes required for her conditions, congestive heart failure prevention and Vitamin K monitoring make nutritional planning and meal prep a bit of a challenge, even for moi! haha...

Anyway, and  anywhosit, as Katie often says, I've been trying to cook palatable meals that are also heart healthy and low sodium while also giving a nod to watching foods that are high in vitamin K. The current wisdom about that is that the vitamin K diet content should be generally the same week per week. Don't go "hog wild" on the greens, for instance. (what is it with me and colloquial speech today? Oh, yeah, motherland-stuff...) Well, that was working out great until she started on an antibiotic that  she has had a bad reaction to, and her appetite has been way off. So, today I decided to tempt her to eat with some wonderful Italian Vegetable Soup, which I will post here. It isn't exactly low-sodium fare, but by the time it is finished, I calculate that 400 mg per sodium per serving is about where we will be. And added to that, I will serve some homemade cornbread, which she dearly loves, made with low sodium baking powder...which I still have to locate in the dismal world of local grocery stores available here. I'm so spoiled to our Kroger, Publix and when all else fails, Whole Foods.

Also, I noticed that Martha Stewart is following the trend toward gluten-free cooking and found a simply fabulous recipe for gluten-free Chocolate Overdose Cookies. Yes, Art, sweetheart! I will prepare for you when I finally return home to you...hopefully tomorrow!

Lastly, I wanted to share another recipe that would go well with the Italian vegetable soup. Serve the soup as an appetizer, and add  the delicious Greens with Grapes salad to the menu served with  the Braised Mediterranean Chicken with Polenta ! Ahh, a taste of the Old World!

Italian Vegetable Soup

8-10 garlic pods
1 cup each chopped celery, carrots and green onions
1/4 cup olive oil
bay leaf
pepper and scant salt (I use Mrs. Dash and Molly McButter instead of salt) to taste
Canned tomatoes
Pinto beans, quick soaked or soaked overnight
lean ground beef or lean sausage, cooked and drained
1 1/2 cup V8 low sodium
low sodium chicken broth
thin spaghetti, broken by hand over pot while liquid boils (use gluten-free pasta, such as rice pasta for a gluten-free soup)

Put olive oil in large soup pot. Heat on medium low heat. Add garlic stirring continually. Do not let garlic burn, but you want it to brown slightly. I used whole garlic here, not minced garlic. I remove the paper skin, and let them cook. When they are in the soup like this, and you get a bite of garlic, it tastes like warm melted sweetness! yum. Add onion and continue to stir. Add remaining carrots and celery. Continue to stir, allowing the vegetables to begin to change color and tender somewhat, and then add tomatoes, beans and chicken stock. Stir. Add V8. Add seasonings. Put lid on pot and bring to boil, add spaghetti, stir and then reduce heat to bring soup to simmer for about 1 and a half hours. Check often to make sure soup is not sticking. If you prefer a thicker soup, remove 2 cups of soup and process in food processer until smooth and add back to the pot. Makes about 8-10 servings.

Greens with Grapes Salad

1 cup seedless grapes, cut in half
3 cups bitter greens, such as radicchio, escarole, frisee, watercress, dandelion or a mix well washed
1-2 tablespoons of chopped red onion
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
black pepper to taste
Place grapes, greens and onion in large bowl. Dress with the vinegar, oil and pepper. Toss gently and serve.

Braised Mediterranean Chicken with Polenta

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 chicken thighs
ground pepper
dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablesppon frech chopped oregano
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup low sodium chicken
3 small zucchini quartered and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, hear oil over medium-high. Season chicken with dijon mustard and pepper. Working in two batches, cook chicken until browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to plate. Pour off all by 1 tablespoon of fat and return to pot to heat. Add garlic, tomatoes, and oregano; cook until fragrant, about 30  seconds. Add wine and cook, scrapping up browned bits until almost evaporated, about 1 minute. Add broth; return chicken, skin side up, to pot. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover and cook 15 minutes. Add zucchinin; season with salt and pepper. Cover; simmer until chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine 4/12 cups water, scant sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. whisking constantly, slowly add cornmeal. reduce heat to medium-low, and cook whicking frequently until thickened, about 20-25 minutes. Whisk in butter. Serve chicken and vegetables over polenta.

Death by Chocolate Cookies (gluten-free!)

3 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 teasoon coarse salt (I cut this down to 1/4 teaspoon, and use sea salt)
5 ounces bittersweet choclate, chopped
1/12 cups chopped pecans or walnuts
4 large egg whites at room temperature

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, whick together sugar, cocoa and salt. Stir in chocolate and pecans. Add egg whites and stir just until incorporated...don't overmix!
Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls, 3 inches apart, onto parchment lined rimmed baking sheets. Bake until cookie tops are dry and crackled, about 25 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through cooking time. transfer sheets to wire racks and let cookies cool completely. Very important step, always, with gluten-free baking. I've learned the hard way. To store, keep in an airtight container up to 3 days if they last that long!

Anythyme Asparagus Quiche

Real men do eat quiche! What a wonderful thing to serve a dish that seemed an impossibility to your gluten-free family and friends. The trick is in making a delicious pie crust, and it's easier than you might think. If you can make traditional pie crust using gluten-free flours, then this quiche recipe is a cinch. I recommend Domata Living Flour or Bob's Mill brands. Using Smart Balance works great instead of butter, or use a combination of half butter and half Smart Balance. Use ice water, just as in traditional pie crust, and remember that this dough will not form the same kind of crusty rim because it will not stay together the same way as wheat pie crust. Work as quickly as you can, and be sure your pie crust is well chilled before attempting to cover your pie pan. Once you've got your crust laid out, place in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes until the crust begins to brown. Remove from the oven, add quiche ingredients and top with parmesan cheese. Return the entire pie pan to the oven and cook for another 35 minutes until the quiche is set. Serve with a green salad and fresh fruit for a lovely brunch meal, or anytime you crave the savory, creamy texture of quiche!

Ingredients
one bunch fresh asparagus, washed, trimmed and cut into bit size slices
1/2 onion
olive oil
fresh thyme, leaves only, chopped
four eggs
half and half
white pepper
Molly McButter (1-2 tsp)
1/2 cup grated low sodium cheese
1/2 cup grated gouda cheese
parmesan cheese

Chop asparagus and dice onion. Saute onion first and add asparagus after onion has begun to sturn clear. Continue to cook both until asparagus is tender enough to easily bite. Add thyme and other seasonings. Stir gently. Remove from heat.

In another bowl, beat eggs well and add the half and halg. Add all cheese, but reserve parmesan for the top of the quiche. Place asparagus and onion mixture into pie crust. Pour egg and cheese mixture over top. Top with parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes, or until quiche has risen up and is set. Check by gently shaking pie in oven to make sure that the quiche does not move in the center. Remove, cool, and serve. I like to serve this slightly warm. The quiche will continue to set up and will slice more easliy if you allow it to cool to just above room temp. This will also keep in the refrigerator for several days, and is a great cook ahead recipe for a next day brunch. Just warm in oven and serve.