This is a very easy recipe to make, cutting up the vegetables and pork are the most time consuming parts of the recipe. Be smart and use pork chops rather than pork roast so you don’t have to deal with as much fat and silver skin. I also used pre-cut carrots. Makes 4 servings.
In a 6-quart or larger Dutch oven, heat over medium high heat:
1 tablespoon olive oil
When shimmering, add:
3-4 cups diced pork (4-6 boneless pork chops depending on size and thickness)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cook until the meat is browned on all sides. Lower heat to medium and add:
2 medium onions, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Cook until the onions are translucent before adding:
2 tablespoons gluten-free, all-purpose flour
Mix the flour into the pan so that it absorbs the fat before adding to the pan:
1-1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups button or baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and cut into quarters (or 6ths if they are larger)
1 cup chicken stock (or bone broth)
Stir to combine these ingredients and mix the chicken stock into the meat mixture. In a small bowl combine:
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1-2 teaspoons siracha (optional)
1 tablespoon date syrup
Add to the pot along with:
5 large RIPE tomatoes, peeled and cut into quarters or eighths
2 teaspoons dried basil (or, if preferred add 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil right before serving)
Stir to combine, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 45-50 minutes until meat is tender and carrots are cooked. Be sure to taste before serving and adjust salt and pepper as needed.Serve it over any starch your family likes – it will go great with rice, mashed potatoes or pasta, or any other grain such as quinoa.
It’s called a pudding but it’s more like a cake in consistency. Easy to make but takes a while to bake. The only suggestion I have is to be sure you have enough people to eat it before you make it or else you’ll end up eating the whole thing yourself, it’s that delicious! Sweet, moist, and very satisfying. If you can use coconut milk, do so for a more authentic flavor. And it calls for batata, purple skinned and white meat sweet potatoes. The original recipe notes that orange sweet potatoes (the ones we’re mostly use here in the U.S.) can also be used but double the flour (and I would decrease the sugar as well).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9-10″ cake pan (I used my 7″ casserole dish which also worked fine, just harder to slice). Peel and cut into chunks:
2 pounds batata sweet potatoes (about 3 medium sized ones)
Place the chunks in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they are finely grated. Put into a medium bowl and add:
1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk (coconut milk if possible, I used my oat milk)
2 tablespoons avocado oil (omit if using coconut milk, just add 2 tablespoons more of the coconut milk)
1 cup date sugar (or coconut if you can use it)
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (I used 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional) – or cardamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice (optional) – or coriander
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Mix together to combine and then add:
1 cup brown rice flour
Stir in the flour and pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 minutes, uncovered. While it bakes in a small bowl combine:
1/2 cup non-dairy milk
2 tablespoons avocado oil (omit if using coconut milk)
1 tablespoon date sugar (or coconut sugar)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
dash of cinnamon (optional)
After 45 minutes, pour the above mixture over the pudding and continue to bake for another 35-45 minutes until the top is golden brown. Serve hot for a softer pudding or cool for about 15-20 minutes for a firmer texture. Serve with a non-dairy whipped topping if desired.
The CHICKEN BIBLE strikes again! Once more, I needed to make changes to the recipe but another delicious, succulent chicken. I was impressed on how moist the chicken stayed even though I think I cooked it about 10 minutes too long. I was also impressed that it didn’t come out as sweet as I thought. Not difficult, a fairly easy recipe to make, very little preparation time, less than an hour, beginning to end. This would also work great for turkey or even duck. I did find the sauce a little bland so I added a dash of hot sauce but some coriander would also work.
In a 12″ skillet (oven proof) combine:
1 cup water
1 cup soy sauce substitute (of course if you are able, you can use regular soy sauce)
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons date sugar
2 tablespoons unsulfured molasses
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
Whisk to combine and dissolve the sugar. Place in the sauce, skin side down:
4 chicken leg quarters (leave whole or cut between legs and thighs)*
2″ stick of fresh ginger, peeled and halved (lengthwise) then smashed
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
Bring to a boil and simmer over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. After 5 minutes place skillet in the oven uncovered and cook for 25-30 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over so that the skin side is now up and bake another 15-25 minutes or until chicken reaches 195 degrees. Remove from oven. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
At this point, pour the cooking liquid through a strainer to remove the bits of garlic and pieces of ginger. Strain into a fat separator if you have one and let sit for 5 minutes so the fat rises to the surface and can be removed.* Turn the oven to broil.
Add the strained and defatted liquid back into the skillet and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Add:
Slurry made with 1 tablespoon arrowroot (or tapioca starch) mixed into 1/2 cup water (or chicken stock)
Whisk to combine and continue whisking until the sauce thickens, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour into a bowl and set aside. Place chicken, skin side up, back into the skillet and place under the broiler for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crispy and crackling. (I put my chicken pieces on a small baking sheet lined with parchment and broiled them while I made my sauce.) Serve with the sauce on the side. Makes 4 servings. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes. I sprinkled some toasted sesame seeds on mine after I served it with the sauce.
*I don’t have a fat separator so I didn’t do this step but there wasn’t a lot of fat in my pan because I trimmed the fat off the thighs before putting them in the skillet.
I know you’ll take one look at the picture and say, But Jean, empanadas aren’t round! I know, they’re supposed to be half-circles but this gluten-free dough is supposed to have an egg to bind it together and the flax egg just didn’t work as well so I made full-moons. They taste delicious, just don’t try to eat them with your hands! I used ground turkey in mine but any ground meat will work.
In a small bowl combine:
1 tablespoon ground flax
3 tablespoons water or aquafaba
Let sit about 5 minutes until it sets then make the dough. In the bowl of the food processor put:
3 cups gluten-free flour (whatever blend you have works)
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 tablespoons date sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup vegan margarine, Earth Balance, or Spectrum shortening (put in around the food processor, not in just one spot)
Pulse until the mixture is a coarse meal. In a small bowl combine:
1 flax egg (that you made above) [OR if you can use it, 1 large egg)
1/2 cup oat milk (or other non-dairy milk)
Add to the food processor and pulse until the dough comes together. Remove from the processor into a food storage bag and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes. While the dough chills, make the filling. In a 12″ skillet heat over medium heat:
1 tablespoon olive oil
Add:
1/2-1 teaspoon paprika
1/2-1 teaspoon cumin
1-2 teaspoon dried oregano
Heat just until fragrant, about 30 seconds then add:
1 small onion diced
Cook to soften the onion, about 2 minutes and then add:
1 pound ground meat, like turkey, beef, or pork
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Cook, breaking the meat apart as it cooks, until the meat is done, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from the skillet to a bowl. Add:
1/3 cup sugar-free ketchup mixed with 1-3 teaspoons hot sauce (hot sauce optional)
1 small can mild (or medium whichever your family likes) green chilies
1/2 cup non-dairy cheese shredded, whatever cheese you can eat (I used parmesan)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Stir to combine and let cool. Before the dough is chilled, line a 24×24″ space on a counter with plastic wrap and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
When the dough is ready, take out of the bag and cut the dough into two pieces. Put one half back into the bag and the refrigerator and put the other half on the counter with the plastic wrap. Press down on the dough to flatten slightly and then cover with a sheet of parchment paper. Roll out the dough to about 1/8″ thickness. Cut in whatever size you desire (I used a bowl that’s about a 6″ circle). Use a spatula to pick up the dough and move to the lined cookie sheet. Place about 3/4 of a cup of the filling** in the center of the disk and cover with a second disk of dough. Seal the edges together, if necessary moisten the edge with water (I didn’t need any water with my dough).
Repeat, rerolling the dough until all the dough is used and the filling is gone. I was able to make 4 of the 6″ size. If you’re able to use the egg in the dough, you can probably fold over the dough to make the half-circles and therefore can make more empanadas. Use a small knife to cut air holes in the tops of the empanadas so steam can escape. Spray with a non-stick cooking spray or brush with oat milk or egg wash if you can use eggs. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.Makes four servings (6″ size). Serve with guacamole, salsa, or as I did, just slices of avocado.
**Of course, if you’re using a smaller circle to cut your empanadas, you’ll use less filling in each.
I’m allergic to apples so I often substitute pears for recipes that call for apples. This recipe also calls for apple sauce so I diced up a pear and stewed it for 5 minutes and voila! had pear sauce. Feel free to use apples instead, peaches would also work. Feel free to also vary the spices – if you prefer nutmeg to allspice, use it or ginger instead of cloves, etc. It’s a quick, easy dough to make and takes only 15-18 minutes in the oven depending on the size. If you make mini muffins, they’ll only take 10-12 minutes.
First, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease either a 12 or 24 (mini) muffin pan. The recipe should make exactly 12 or 24 muffins. In a small bowl (2 cup) combine:
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon avocado oil
3/4 cup non-dairy milk (unsweetened)
3/4 cup pear (or apple) sauce [I used chunky, I didn’t bother to blend it]
1 teaspoon vanilla
In a larger bowl (medium size 8 cups), combine:
1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
1/4 cup quinoa flour
1/4 cup oat flour
1/2 teaspoon guar gum
1/3 cup date sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Mix until just combined, makes a thick dough. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. In a small bowl combine:
1 tablespoon date sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
After mixing, sprinkle on the top of the muffins. Then let the muffins sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes before baking. Bake muffins 14-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Cool on a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes before removing from the pan.
I’m always looking for new ways to cook fish to make it more interesting and succulent. Here’s one that’s really mouth wateringly good! And so easy to make and quick to make. In less than 45 minutes, you can have dinner ready with this one. While I used Halibut, any dense white fish will work like haddock or cod. Make sure your fish steaks are at least an inch thick.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray that will comfortably hold the fish (I used my 5″x 8″ dish). Dry with paper towels:
2 halibut steaks (6-8 ounces each)
Place them in the prepared baking dish. In a small bowl mix:
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons date syrup (honey, agave, etc., would also work)
3 tablespoons soy sauce substitute (see recipe under sauces)*
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon lime juice (juice from 1/2 lime)**
1 teaspoon grated or finely minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon chili sauce (or 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce) [Optional]
Whisk to combine and pour over the fish. Sprinkle over the fish:
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Bake 20-30 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. After about 15 minutes, open the oven and baste the fish with the surrounding sauce. When cooked, remove fish from oven and let sit for a couple of minutes before serving. Garnish with:
thinly sliced greens from 2 scallions
**zest from 1 lime (zest before slicing and juicing the lime)
*Of course, use soy sauce instead of the substitute if there’s no allergy to soy. Use 2 tablespoons soy and 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce in place of the soy substitute sauce.
Serve over rice to soak up the tasty sauce.Makes 2 servings.
Here’s a quick and easy way to kick up your grilled pork chop or chicken breast. Takes a couple of minutes to put together and will liven up your grilled meat.
Makes 2 servings. Feel free to substitute other fruits such as nectarines, peaches, or pears.
*I hate cilantro. When I hear chefs on TV say, “Who doesn’t like cilantro?” I always want to scream, “Me, Me, I hate cilantro.” So I used dried parsley instead.
I have jars of jam in my freezer and since I don’t eat much toast or other things where jam would be good, I’ve been looking for recipes to use up these jams. Here’s one I found for my plum jam. If you do a search on my blog, you’ll find a recipe for strawberry jam (sugar-free of course) which you can use to make sugar free plum jam which is the base for the oriental spicy plum sauce for these pork chops. I served these chops with sauteed bok choy (find recipe under side dishes).
First, preheat oven to 350 degrees then make the plum sauce by combining in a small saucepan:
1 1/2 cups plum jam
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons date sugar
1 tablespoon dried onion (flakes or granules, both work)
1/2 teaspoon spicy chili sauce (or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Whisk to combine and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, over medium high heat. Once it boils, remove from heat.
In a 12″ skillet, over medium high heat, heat:
1 tablespoon olive oil
When shimmering, add:
4 pork chops, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thickness
Sear on all sides, including the outsides, until browned. Place in a 9×9″ baking dish (or whatever size fits your pork chops) and cover with the spicy plum sauce. Bake, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes depending on the thickness of your pork chops. Serves 4.
Here’s a very quick and easy side dish if you like mustard and asparagus. Use either green or white, makes no difference. If your asparagus is more than pencil size, peel it to get rid of the tough skin. I used spicy brown mustard which is my favorite but feel free to use any mustard that your family enjoys. The same with the herbs – I used thyme because it’s my favorite but most herbs would work well in this recipe, either fresh or dried.
First, prepare by peeling and/or removing the woody portion at the bottom:
1 pound asparagus
Place in a steamer and cook until fork tender but still a little crunchy, about 4-7 minutes depending on the size of the asparagus spears.
While the asparagus steams, make the sauce in a medium bowl by whisking together:
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon honey (agave nectar or date syrup would also work)
1 tablespoon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh herbs or 1/4 teaspoon dried herbs (I used thyme)
Once asparagus is cooked, remove from heat and add to the bowl of sauce, toss to combine. Serve hot or cold. Serves 2.
cookingwithoutallergens 