Here’s another very easy side dish that’s just yummy if you like eggplant, especially if you love it as much as my grandson does! This would work for zucchini or yellow squash as well.
First, wash, remove stem end, and peel*:
1 large Italian eggplant (or multiple other smaller ones), about 1-1 1/2 pounds
Cut into 1/2″ slices crosswise. Place on a cooling rack over your sink (or if you have a very large sink, in your sink). Once all the slices are on the rack, sprinkle with:
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Be sure to sprinkle on both sides. Then place a baking sheet on top of the slices and weigh them down with something heavy like canned goods or a bag of flour. Let sit for approximately 30 minutes. You’ll see that they are now wet. Remove tray and weight before washing each slice under cool water. Dry using paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
Preheat the broiler in your oven or start the grill. If using the broiler as I did, spray a baking sheet large enough to hold all the slices comfortably with non-stick cooking spray. Place the slices on the sheet and then sprinkle each slice with:
Garlic powder
Ground black pepper
Herb of choice (I used an Italian seasoning mixture but any herb your family likes will work)
Spray the tops of the slices with more cooking spray (I use avocado oil spray but whatever you normally use will work). Place under the broiler for approximately 10 minutes until the slices begin to soften and turn golden brown. Remove and turn them over, return to the broiler and broil for an additional 5-10 minutes. Serve immediately. A nice pasta sauce would compliment them nicely.
If you’re grilling the eggplant slices, spray each side with cooking spray and sprinkle with the herbs before placing on the grill.
*FYI, I peeled strips off my eggplant and found that they were very tough and inedible after broiling.
Millet is my newest favorite grain. It’s so simple to cook and it takes on other flavors so easily just as rice does. But unlike most rice dishes, millet is lower in simple carbs and higher in complex carbs so a great alternative to those watching their blood sugar levels. Here’s a really easy recipe that incorporates some of the great Italian flavors we all enjoy – sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, onion and garlic. This is definitely NOT a low-fat side dish! I used vegetable stock rather than a meat stock because most vegetable stocks have a nice mushroom flavor which adds umami to the dish. Be sure to use sun-dried tomatoes in oil because some of that oil will be used in cooking the dish.
First, cook per package directions (except using stock instead of water):
1/2 cup millet
in 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
Generally, this means toasting the whole millet in a little oil and then adding it to the boiling stock, covering and cooking on low heat for 30-40 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the millet is soft. I like to take it off the heat at this point, leave the cover for a few minutes and then fluff the millet with a fork.
In the same skillet, heat until shimmering:
2 tablespoon olive oil (from a jar of sun-dried tomatoes)
Add and cook until tender, over medium heat:
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup shredded carrots* (optional)
When the onion is translucent, add:
1/2 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes
2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
1 teaspoon cumin (or turmeric)
2 teaspoons Italian herb mix (or dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, and basil)
Mix thoroughly so that the onion mixture is covered with the herbs. Continue cooking until the tomatoes and garlic are heated through, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cooked millet. If the millet is cold, continue to cook over medium low heat for 3-4 minutes to reheat the millet. Serves 4.
*I like a lot of vegetables in my grains so I added a cup of shredded carrots with the onions.
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.
There are about as many recipes on the internet for watermelon gazpacho as there are for regular tomato based gazpacho. Naturally sweet from the watermelon, my recipe is very simple and easy to make with just a few ingredients. Again, the most difficult part is peeling the tomatoes so get the ripest ones you can find.
First, just as with tomato gazpacho, put a pot of water on to boil. When it’s boiling drop in:
4 small Roma (or plum) tomatoes with + cut in the blossom end (as opposed to the stem end)
Turn off the heat and let them sit for just a minute or so before dousing them in an ice bath. Peel and cut out the stem end (about 1/4 inch into the tomato). Set aside.
Cut into pieces:
1 mini personal watermelon (about 8″ diameter or a little smaller)
Cut the meat off the peel and place in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Add the tomatoes and blend until smooth. Add:
1 small English cucumber, peeled and cut into 3-4″ pieces
Add to the mixture and blend until smooth. At this point, there are options:
1/2 small jar of mild (or hot if heat is desired) chili peppers
This is the time of year for one of the best things to eat on the planet, fresh picked tomatoes! But for anyone who grows them, it soon becomes an overabundance and the issue becomes, “okay, what am I going to do with all these tomatoes?”. For many, this abundance becomes canned (or frozen) pasta sauce, tomato juice, or we even start picking them green and making fried green tomatoes (see recipe under side dishes). Here’s another tasty way to use up some of these extra tomatoes and, with the temperatures around here in the high 80s and low 90s right now, it’s also a very refreshing meal. And it will use up some of those extra cucumbers from the garden as well!
First, put on a good size pot of water to boil. Wash and cut slits (+) across the bottom (the one opposite the stem end) of:
8 medium to large plum tomatoes (use plum or Roma tomatoes because they aren’t as seedy or juicy as other tomatoes)*
While the water comes to a boil, prepare an ice bath in a large pot or bowl by filling the container about half full of cold water and then adding a tray of ice cubes. When the water boils, add the tomatoes, turn off the stove, and let the tomatoes sit for 1-2 minutes in the hot water. Remove with a slotted spoon and put into the ice bath. Let sit for a minute before peeling them. The riper the tomatoes, the less time they need in the hot water and the easier they are to peel. Peel them and cut out the stem end along with the tough part that extends into the tomato for about a quarter inch. Place them into a food processor or blender after peeling.
Pulse until coarsely chopped (or blend). I like my gazpacho fairly smooth so I used my Vitamix and made it fairly smooth. Put into a large bowl (at least 5 quarts). Pulse in a food processor or blender:
3-4 roasted red peppers (fresh can be used by I prefer the flavor of roasted peppers)
2-3 small red onions, peeled and quartered
1 large English cucumber (peeled if not organic otherwise just cut into chunks before pulsing)**
When chopped finely, add to the tomato mixture and stir to blend. Add:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon garlic powder (if you like the taste of fresh garlic, pulse 6-8 garlic cloves along with the vegetables)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (reserve 2 teaspoons for garnish)
Chill thoroughly before serving. WARNING: This makes 16 cups of gazpacho so unless you’re hosting a large dinner party (or want to freeze some), this recipe can be cut in half. Garnish with extra chopped basil, diced cucumber and tomatoes. You can also garnish it with a spoonful of Greek yogurt or sour cream as well as croutons.
*Regular cucumbers can be used instead, just be sure to seed them before pulsing.
On either a paper towel or a cooling rack, place the slices of eggplant and generously salt on both sides. Place a cookie sheet or tray on top of the eggplant and weight it down with several large cans. Let sit at least 15 minutes but 1 hour is better. Rinse off the salt and dry thoroughly and cube. In a good size pan, over medium high heat:
1 tablespoons olive oil
When hot (shimmering) add:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 small eggplants, peeled and cubed
2 small zucchini, cubed
2 small yellow squash, cubed
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Optionally, depending on taste can be added:
1 sweet pepper, seeded and diced
6 ounces of sliced mushrooms
Stir to combine, cover and cook over medium low heat until vegetables are slightly softened, about 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the pan. Add:
1/3-1/2 cup gluten-free all purpose flour (enough so it looks like a soupy mashed potato mixture but all the oil is absorbed)
Whisk in the flour and let it cook for 1-2 minutes to cook out the flour taste. Add:
2 1/2-3 cups non-dairy milk (any milk EXCEPT soy)
Cook over medium low heat until thickened, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. When it starts bubbling, reduce heat to low and add:
3/4 cup non-dairy mozzarella or parmesan cheese, grated
Let it cook for about 5-7 minutes while the cheese melts, whisking occasionally, being careful not to let it burn on the bottom so heat may need to be reduced further.
Lastly, cook the noodles in a large pot (8-10 quarts) of boiling water. When the water comes to a boil add:
1 tablespoon salt
10 ounces gluten-free lasagna noodles (the Whole Foods Heart of Palm can be used without cooking)
All of us love ratatouille, one of our favorite summer side dishes, especially for my grandson. So when I saw a recipe for a summer vegetable gratin it occurred to me that if I added some eggplant to it, it would be a ratatouille in a casserole with a nice crunchy top. Sounded delicious and indeed, it turned out succulent and indeed the top was very crunchy. The most important thing is to cut the vegetables all about the same so they cook at the same rate. It does take time since getting the water out of the squash and tomatoes, and the bitter out of the eggplant takes about a half hour of sitting but that time can be used to make really delicious caramelized onions. But it’s very easy to make. While I used yellow and zucchini squash, one or the other will work.
First thing is to cut up the vegetables:
1 pound zucchini squash, smallish, about 2
1 pound yellow summer squash, smallish again about 2
1 medium eggplant, peeled (about 6″ long)
6 medium size, ripe tomatoes
Wash and slice the squash, eggplant and tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick. Place the vegetables on baking trays covered with paper towels, sprinkle with salt and let sit for at least 1/2 hour. Wash off the salt (except from the tomatoes) and dry thoroughly between paper towels to get the squash and eggplant as dry as possible.
While the vegetables are sitting, cut:
3 large or 4 medium size onion
Peel and then cut them in half and slice each half into thin slices. Should have about 4 cups of onions. Heat in a 12″ skillet:
1 tablespoon olive oil
Add the sliced onions and cook for a minute over medium high heat before reducing to medium heat. Cook, uncovered, stirring every few minutes so that they don’t stick to the bottom of the skillet, for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown. The heat may need to be reduced if they begin sticking. I wasn’t patient enough and mine didn’t get as brown as they should have but still tasted delicious.
Preheat oven to 400 degree. Spread in the bottom of a 9×13″ baking dish:
1 tablespoon olive oil
Begin by layering the squash.
Now layer the eggplant on top of the squash. Next, mix together:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh thyme (pull the leaves off the tough stems)
1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper (or to taste)
Sprinkle half the mixture over the eggplant and then turn the eggplant over so that the mixture also gets to the squash. Now layer the onions on top of the eggplant and then the tomatoes on the onions.
Sprinkle the remaining mixture (garlic oil) over the top of the tomatoes and again, turn over the tomatoes so the oil can mix with the casserole. Bake for about 40-45 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the tomatoes look a little brown. Remove from the oven and spread on top:
1 cup gluten-free bread crumbs, plain
1 cup dairy-free parmesan cheese, grated (Follow Your Heart makes an excellent one)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme (again, pull the small leaves off the tough stems)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper)
Return to the oven and bake about 15 minutes more or until the topping has browned.
Sprinkle with:
1/4 cup roughly chopped basil
Feel free to half the recipe. The 9×13″ size will easily serve 8-10.
I’m always looking for new recipes for fish. This one is very tasty and very easy to make. It reminded me of fried fish but is baked in the oven. That’s because of the high fat content in the mayonnaise. Feel free to use any fish, adjusting the proportions to fit the size of your fish portions. I used tilapia but the original recipe used halibut so it works for pretty much any fish. Simple and quick to make. Serves 4.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl mix:
3/4 cup mayonnaise*
1/3 cup gluten-free bread crumbs
2 tablespoons dried parsley (or 1/4 cup fresh chopped)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme and basil (or 1 teaspoon of each fresh, chopped)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
Whisk to combine. In a non-stick baking dish** (again size depends on type of fish you use, mine was a 9×12), arrange:
1 pound of fish filets (with the tilapia, that’s four large pieces)
Spread the mixture equally over each piece of fish, covering the top completely. Bake in preheated oven 20-40 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish (the tilapia is quite thin and only took 20 minutes). Serve with lemon wedges or tartar sauce.
*If you’re allergic to eggs like me, there are now several brands of vegan mayonnaise available which are delicious and work well in this recipe.
**There’s enough fat in the mayonnaise so greasing the pan isn’t necessary.
My mother loved moussaka. When I made it for her, I used ground lamb, ricotta cheese, eggs, and homemade pasta sauce. Things and times have changed so here’s one that’s dairy, gluten and egg free and uses jarred (or homemade if you have the time and desire) sauce. Just in case, I’m including my recipe for pasta sauce.
First, start the tomato sauce if making homemade by heating in a small Dutch oven:
1 tablespoon olive oil
Add to it when hot:
1 diced medium onion
1 diced sweet pepper, any color
1/2 cup sliced carrots (or grated)
6 ounces shitake mushrooms
Stir to combine, lower heat to medium and cook until the onions and mushrooms are sweating and onion is translucent. Add:
1-2 teaspoons minced garlic
32 ounces small diced tomatoes
16 ounces tomato puree
1 teaspoon mixed Italian dried herbs (basil, marjoram, thyme)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cook over medium low heat for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. This gets rid of much of the water in the tomatoes so the sauce can thicken. If it boils too vigorously, reduce the heat to low. When reduced by about 1/3, add:
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon agave nectar
Use an immersion blender to cream most of the vegetables, leaving a few whole. I do this because then the eggplant slices sit better in the sauce but it is optional. In a large skillet, heat:
1 tablespoon olive oil
When hot add:
1 pound bulk Italian sausage (or if you want this vegan, diced tofu)**
Cook the sausage through and then drain off the fat and add to the tomato sauce, stirring to combine. Set aside. If using jarred sauce, this will take more than 1 large jar.
While the sauce is cooking, peel and thinly slice:
1 large eggplant
Place the slices on a large, sided baking sheet in a single layer and salt generously. Once salted, another layer of eggplant can be added on the top of the first, again salting generously. Place a slightly smaller baking sheet on top of the eggplant and then weight it down with large cans. Let sit at least 30 minutes, 60 is preferable.
After sitting, wash each eggplant slice to remove the salt and whatever liquid was expelled from the slices. Dry between paper towels. Heat in a large skillet (12 inch) or flat griddle:
1 teaspoon olive oil (just to coat the bottom of the pan)
When hot, add eggplant slices until the bottom is covered but the slices have room to move. Let brown for a minute or two and then turn and brown the second side. Repeat until all the slices are browned.
Still while the sauce is cooking, add to a large saucepan:
1/2 cup olive oil
Begin heating over medium high heat. Add:
3/4 cup gluten-free flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice (or nutmeg)
Whisk to combine. Cook over medium low heat for 2-3 minutes to cook the flour then add, 1 cup at a time:
3 cups oat milk (or any other non-dairy milk except soy)
Whisk each portion of milk into the flour and cook, whisking every minute or so, until the white sauce is thickened. It should be the consistency of a puddingor mashed potatoes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9×13″ baking pan with non-stick spray. Line the bottom of the pan with slices of eggplant.* Add a layer of the meat sauce and repeat ending with a layer of eggplant (3 layers of eggplant and 2 layers of sauce). There may be a little meat sauce left over. Slowly pour the white sauce on top of the last layer of eggplant (I didn’t quite have enough eggplant to cover the entire top but it still worked okay). The white sauce on mine was only about 1/2 inch thick but if your pan is deep enough, use all the white sauce, it’s that yummy on the top! Sprinkle the top with:
1-2 cups grated parmesan cheese
Place baking pan on a large baking sheet because if it’s full, it will bubble over and put in the oven. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the middle is bubbling. Let cool for about 15-20 minutes before slicing.
*Don’t think you have enough eggplant? Peel and thinly slice 1-2 medium to large Russet potatoes and place those on the bottom layer of the moussaka, using the eggplant for just other 2 layers.
**I used sweet Italian sausage but feel free to use any ground meat.
One of my (and my grandson’s) favorite vegetables is eggplant. I’d stuffed zucchini but never an eggplant but this turned out very luscious, a classic combination of an onion, garlic, sweet pepper and tomato base with rice. It’s a great side dish or add some protein, like sweet Italian sausage, and make it a main dish.*
Serves 2 (or double to serve 4). Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Wash and cut in half:
One medium to large eggplant
Score the middle, being careful not to cut through the skin, leaving about a half inch of meat around the edges. Use a spoon to scoop out the meat to leave a “boat”. Salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil. Place in a greased baking dish and bake for roughly 30-40 minutes until the meat is softened and slightly browned.
While the boats are cooking, heat in a large skillet:
Stir to combine and cook until heated through before removing from heat.
When the eggplant boats are ready, stuff them with the filling, sprinkle with:
2 tablespoons grated non-dairy parmesan cheese
Return to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes before increasing the oven heat to broil. Broil until the cheese is slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Serve.
*To make it a main dish, reduce the rice to 1 cup and add 1 cup ground Italian sausage.
TIP: This is an Italian stuffed eggplant. For a more Moroccan style, leave out the basil and cheese and instead add:
cookingwithoutallergens 