There are so many great grains out there for those of us who can’t digest gluten or potatoes. Here’s one that takes a little longer to make, only because sorghum takes such a long time to cook but is really delicious and quite different from any other grain. As usual, feel free to use variations listed below if a non-Asian type of salad is desired. Enjoy something other than pasta or potatoes!
Cook in 2 quarts of boiling water:
1 cup washed sorghum*
1 teaspoon sea salt
Once water boils, reduce heat to medium high and boil uncovered for 50-60 minutes or until sorghum is soft. Rinse under cold water.
While the sorghum is boiling, prepare:
1/2 to 3/4 cup shredded carrots
2 cups shredded Chinese cabbage
1 cup diced jicama (or diced water chestnuts)
1 cup stringed and sliced pea pods
Combine in a large bowl. Then make the dressing. Pour into a 2-cup jar:
1/4 cup soy sauce substitute (see recipe under sauces/condiments/dressings)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon fish sauce (Optional)
2 tablespoon date syrup
1/2 teaspoon chili paste (or wasabi paste)
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic or ginger (Optional)
Shake vigorously to emulsify although the oil will separate if not used immediately so it will need to be repeated prior to use. Once the sorghum is cooked, rinsed and cooled, pour into the bowl of vegetables and add the dressing. Toss to combine and serve.
*Sorghum has a waxy outer shell that needs to be rinsed off before cooking.
VARIATIONS:
Italian Sorghum salad: Use diced tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley or basil, carrots, peas, etc., with an Italian style dressing.
Sorghum “Potato-style” salad: Add some diced onion, celery, hard-boiled eggs, and a mayonnaise dressing.
Indian Sorghum salad: Use chickpeas, broccoli, carrot, cucumber, spinach, or zucchini along with a curry or tahini-based dressing.
My father managed a dairy farm so beef was a staple in our family. My mother used to make beef and pea pods, always one of everyone’s favorites. Here’s my version using turkey tenderloin rather than beef. Serves 2-3.
Into a gallon food storage bag, add:
2-3 tablespoons arrowroot
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Shake (close first) to combine and then add:
6-8 ounces turkey tenderloin, cut into slices (about 1/8″ thick)
Seal and shake to coat the turkey with the arrowroot mixture. Put in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour but up to overnight. When ready to start cooking, heat a 12″ skillet over medium heat with:
1 tablespoon olive oil
When shimmering add and saute until slightly softened:
1 medium onion, cut in half and then thinly sliced
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 large or 10 baby carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal
5 celery stalks, thinly sliced on the diagonal
6-8 ounce bag of pea pods, remove the strings and then cut into several pieces on the diagonal
1 medium sweet bell pepper, sliced thin
In a 2 cup bowl, combine:
1 cup soy sauce substitute (if you can have soy, feel free to use soy sauce but reduce to 1/2 cup and increase the stock to 3/4 cup)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 cup chicken (or turkey) stock
1 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot (or tapioca starch)
1 teaspoon siracha (optional)
Whisk to combine. In a separate skillet, heat over medium heat:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
When shimmering, add the turkey and saute, turning once, until cooked about 2 minutes per side depending on thickness. I had to do this in 2 batches since the turkey shouldn’t be crowded in the pan (we don’t want it to steam!). Add to the vegetables. When all the turkey is combined with the vegetables, stir in the sauce mixture and cook for about 1 minute until thickened and coating all the vegetable mixture. If needed, add more chicken stock by tablespoon. Serve, garnished with sesame seeds and/or sliced scallion greens.
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.
When I worked at Arizona State University, the chair of the department and I shared the same birthday so we’d go out for lunch annually on our birthday. There was a little Chinese restaurant near campus where we’d devour several orders of pot stickers and a soup bowl of hot and sour soup. I’ve been checking every grocery store I go to and I couldn’t find gluten-free wonton wrappers but a check on-line found a recipe. So, although this process is somewhat lengthy, the dumplings are well worth the effort.
First, make the wonton wrappers by combining:
1/2 cup all purpose gluten-free flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 white rice flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon guar gum
Whisk together the dry ingredients then stir in:
1/2 cup boiling water
Dough will start to come together. Add:
2 tablespoons cold water
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
Stir to combine, kneading with hands if necessary. Form into a ball, cut in half. Place one half under plastic wrap to stay moist while working with the other half. Roll the dough into a log then cut into 12 pieces, about 1 tablespoon each. Roll the pieces into balls and place in a sandwich bag until ready to fill. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
Next, make the filling. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse:
8-10 scallion whites
6 ounces shitake mushrooms
1/2 cup shredded carrots
Pulse until well ground. Put into a medium bowl with:
3/4 pound ground turkey (or pork)
3 teaspoons date sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce substitute (see recipe under sauces)
1/2 teaspoon ginger juice (or freshly grated ginger)
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Combine, cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to fill the wontons. Using a bamboo steamer (or a steamer basket or pot but you won’t be able to cook as many at once), place over water on the stove. Take one dough ball, place between two pieces of plastic wrap, and using a small rolling pin (or any can), roll out to about a 3″ circle. Place about 1 tablespoon filling in the middle. Using the plastic wrap, bring the sides of the wonton wrapper together in the middle. Pick up the ball and gently press the edges together to seal the dumpling (these can be either round or rectangular). If the dough is dry, wipe the edges with a small amount of water to moisten and seal. Place in the steamer and repeat until the steamer is filled, without the dumplings touching the edges or each other because they will stick as they cook. Bring the steamer water to a boil and cook the dumplings 10-12 minutes. Serve with a sesame garlic sauce and garnish with the scallion greens.
Here’s another recipe adapted from the Chicken Bible. It’s somewhat spicy due to the abundance of freshly grated ginger as well as just a 1/4 teaspoon Vietnamese chili sauce.* The original recipe called for 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes so use those if you can’t find a chili sauce that works for your family. I also cut back slightly on the amount of freshly grated ginger – the original recipe called for 1 tablespoon but I used only about 1 teaspoon and it was sufficient for my tastes. This is a recipe that may sound difficult and complex but if you follow the steps, it’s really quite easy to make and oh so worth the effort – just as good as any dish in your favorite Chinese restaurant.
First, cut up everything:
1 pound bok choy (I used three medium sized baby), cut off the stems and cut into bitesize pieces and then separately chop the greens and put them in a separate bowl
2 small sweet red peppers, cut in thin slices
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced as thinly as possible (if the breasts are partially frozen, they will slice much easier although the hand holding the meat will get quite chilly!)
1 garlic clove minced
about 1″ of fresh ginger peeled and grated to produce roughly 1-2 teaspoons
2-3 scallions, slice at an angle, add the white parts to the bok choy stems and peppers and set the greens aside in a medium bowl
Next, mix together in a medium bowl:
1 tablespoon soy sauce substitute
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon date syrup
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch (or arrowroot)
Whisk together and add the sliced chicken. Mix to ensure all the chicken is coated with the marinade. Refrigerate until needed.
Third, put on a pot of water to boil:
6 quarts water in a large pot
When the water comes to a bowl, add:
1 teaspoon sea salt
9 ounces of noodles (I used brown rice pad Thai noodles)
Cook for only 3 minutes until el dente (or the amount of time on the package of your noodles). Drain and add to the bowl with the green scallion slices. Mix to combine. In a 12″ non-stick skillet, heat over medium high heat:
2 tablespoons olive oil
Add the noodle/scallion mixture and spread out in the pan. Use a strong spatula (or I used a bacon flattener) to flatten the noodle mixture in the pan (see photo below). Cook 5-7 minutes until browned and then using a large spatula, flip and brown again on the second side 5-7 minutes. Remove to an oven proof plate and stick in a 200 degree oven to keep warm.
Now, in a small bowl mix together:
2 tablespoons olive oil
the minced garlic
the grated ginger
In another small bowl make the sauce by combining:
1/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce substitute
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon date syrup
1/4 teaspoon chili sauce or red pepper flakes (or hot sauce!)
1 teaspoon cornstarch (or arrowroot)
Stir to combine. Set aside until needed. Pour into the empty skillet and heat:
2 teaspoons olive oil
Add:
sliced chicken (and marinade)
Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly and turning frequently until the meat is cooked, about 2 minutes. Remove to a dish and set aside. Into the same skillet heat over medium heat:
the olive oil mixture with the garlic and ginger
When hot, add:
the bok choy stems
red pepper slices
scallion whites
Cook over medium high heat stirring frequently until they just begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add:
the bok choy greens
Cook just until the greens begin to wilt, add the cooked chicken along with any juice in the dish. Whisk the sauce mixture to be sure it’s still combined and pour over the chicken in the skillet. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens about 30 seconds and the chicken is reheated. Remove the noodle cake from the oven and cut into wedges. Serves 2.
*I had a lot of difficulty finding a chili sauce that didn’t contain either sugar or soy. I finally located one (at the 4th store I checked!) – Tuong Ot Toi Viet-Nam Chili Garlic Sauce. It’s VERY hot so the amount used should be to the level of your taste buds. I don’t mind spicy but super hot is not to my liking therefore the recipe calls for just 1/4 teaspoon.
My obsession with eggplant has been demolished and replaced with spaghetti squash. Such a versatile vegetable, low in carbs, and good either as a “spaghetti” type vegetable or as a mashed squash. In this instance, it’s used as a spaghetti. And of course, I’ve left out the peanuts and substituted tahini but really any seed or nut butter will work in this recipe. And feel free to adjust the last four ingredients in the sauce to meet your family’s tastes. I used a lot more of the red curry paste because I just didn’t taste it at the prescribed amount.
First, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut in half:
1 small to medium spaghetti squash (size depending on how many you want to feed)
Sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper and place face down on a baking tray. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes or until a knife can be easily inserted into the skin side of the squash. Baking time will depend on the size of the squash. When tender, set aside to cool while you make the sauce.
In a medium size saucepan, combine:
1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk (if you can have coconut milk, it would work well here)
2/3 cup tahini, sunflower, pepita, or other seed or nut butter
1/4 cup date sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy substitute for vegans)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons red curry paste (I used about 2 tablespoons)
Whisk to combine thoroughly although some heat may be needed to break down the seed or nut butter. Cook over medium high heat until it reaches a boil and then reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 5 minutes.Remove from heat.
In a 12″ skillet, heat over medium heat:
1 tablespoon olive oil
Add:
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Cover and cook until the carrots and peas are tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Using a fork, scrap the flesh from the inside of the spaghetti squash from end to end. Add to the skillet with the other vegetables along with 1/2 to 1 cup of the sauce. At this point, add:
1/4 cup chopped parsley (OPTIONAL)
Toss and cook for 2-3 minutes until squash is heated through. Serve with chopped nuts or seeds (I used roasted pumpkin seeds, delicious!). With a small squash as a side dish, serves 4.
This recipe makes about 3 times as much sauce as is needed for the dish. I spooned the remainder into 1 cup canning jars and put them in the freezer.
Far easier to make than eggplant with garlic sauce, string beans with garlic sauce is a much more commonly found Chinese dish. It’s just as tasty, sweet and tangy but since the string beans are not deep fried, don’t need to be salted and let sit to lose their bitterness, or dredged in corn starch, the dish is so easy to construct, taking just minutes. Pre-steaming the beans or using frozen ones makes it even quicker to prepare. Many vegetables lend themselves to this process – broccoli, cauliflower, etc.
First prepare the beans by steaming or thawing them – any color string beans works equally well:
1 pound fresh or frozen string beans (I used yellow [or wax as my father always called them])
Remove the stems and steam for approximately 3-5 minutes until starting to tenderize but still have a bite, like al dente pasta. In a 12″ skillet, over medium high heat:
Add to the sauce and stir until the sauce thickens. Reduce heat to low and let cook for 5-7 minutes. Add to the string beans and mushrooms and reheat the vegetables over low heat for 1-2 minutes. Garnish with scallion greens and serve.*
*I actually only used half the garlic sauce so put the other half into a 1 cup jelly jar and stuck it in the freezer for the next time I need it.
This combines ingredients from several recipes I found online. Pork and chicken, along with some fish, are the only meats I eat so I’m always searching for new ways to cook them as well as vegan alternatives. This is quite an easy recipe that turns out succulent with a pleasant sour flavor from the lime squeezed on top when the chops are cooked. I’ll give you some optional ingredients along with the ones I used if a more complex flavor profile is desired and soy is an option.
In a square or rectangular dish, whisk together the marinade:
1 small shallot, minced
3 tablespoons honey or 1/4 cup date sugar
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup Hoisin, soy or oyster sauce (optional)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 stalks lemon grass (smashed and chopped fine)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Trim the fat, puncture each chop with a fork in multiple places on both sides so the marinade soaks in, and then add to the marinade:
4 – 1″ thick pork chops
Turn the pork chops so they are fully covered in the marinade. Let sit at least 20-30 minutes (or up to 1 day in the refrigerator). When ready to cook, heat a 12″ skillet over medium high:
cookingwithoutallergens 