Chicken “a la king” with leeks and peas (dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, soy-free)

My mother didn’t make chicken a la king very often but it was a favorite of everyone in my family. Here’s my updated version with the addition of peas, mushrooms and leeks instead of onion. Very tasty with a variety of starches like gluten-free toast, baking powder biscuits, rice, or quinoa. I make it now to use up leftovers from rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Makes 4 servings.

You’ll need:

6 inches of leek, white part only, cleaned and sliced thin
2 stalks of celery, washed and sliced on the bias
8-10 mushrooms such as baby bellas, cleaned and sliced
1/2 cup cooked peas
1 cup cooked diced chicken
1 small jar of pimentos (optional)
1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk, anything but soymilk
3 tablespoons brown rice flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried herb blend like Mrs. Dash
4 tablespoons olive oil

In a 7-9″ skillet, heat the olive oil and add the leek, celery, and mushrooms. Saute until softened (feel free to lower the heat to low and cover them), about 5-8 minutes. Stir in the brown rice flour and let simmer for a few minutes to cook the flour (about 3 minutes). Add the chicken, pimentos, peas and seasonings. Feel free to adjust the seasonings to your taste. Stir in the non-dairy milk and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally. Serve with your choice of side such as gluten-free toast.

Turkey Osso Buco (dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free)

One of our favorite cold weather meals is a turkey osso buco (or turkey stew) made with root vegetables. The hot gravy with the succulent root vegetables is so warming and very filling. I don’t always use the same vegetables but they are usually root ones although I’ve been known to add both peas and string beans to the stew.

You can cook this either in a dutch oven in your oven or in a crock pot. You’ll need:

Turkey leg quarter or breast
1 large Russet potato, peeled and diced
1 large turnip, peeled and diced
3 small to medium parsnips, peeled and sliced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
3-4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
Salt, pepper and herbs to taste
1 quart turkey (or chicken) stock
1/4 cup gluten-free brown rice flour
2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Cut the turkey leg quarter in pieces (leg and thigh). Put in a gallon food storage bag, the brown rice flour along with salt, pepper and herbs to taste (I like to use some paprika, oregano, thyme, parsley, along with the salt and pepper; if I don’t have those, I’ll use a teaspoon of Mrs. Dash or other herb mix). Shake to mix and then add the turkey piece(s) and shake to coat.

In a skillet large enough to hold the turkey piece(s), heat the olive oil and then add the turkey over medium heat to brown. While the turkey is browning, dice the onion. If you are using a crock pot, add the onion to the cooker. If you are using a dutch oven, you’ll want to brown your turkey in that and add the onion when the turkey is browned. Be sure to brown all sides of the turkey. Remove the turkey and add the dredging flour to the oil and stir so that the flour absorbs the oils and drippings from the pan. If you are using a slow cooker, add the flour mixture to the pot and then add the turkey along with the stock. If you are using the dutch oven, simply add the stock and the turkey back in.

Using a slow cooker, turn it onto high and cook for 3-4 hours. If you’re using a dutch oven, you’ll want to prepare the vegetables (peel and dice them) and add them into the dutch oven before cooking in the oven at 325 degrees for 3-4 hours. I’ve found that the vegetables don’t cook well in the slow cooker so I peel and dice them and cook them on the stovetop separately, mostly cooked through and then add them to the crock pot during the last hour of cooking.

Makes six to eight servings. You’ll want to deskin and debone the turkey pieces before serving.

Spaghetti and Meatballs (dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, sugar-free)

A throwback to my earlier life cooking for my best friend and my son, and sometimes for her parents as well, this recipe holds lots of memories. The marinara sauce is a remake of my Aunt Jean’s sauce while the meatballs are an off-shoot of my meatloaf recipe. If you prefer, a jarred sauce works just as well if you have one your family especially likes, and it sure is a lot quicker and easier than making a sauce from scratch.

Marinara Sauce:

1 medium onion diced
1 bell pepper, any color, diced
2 garlic cloves diced
1/2 cup grated carrot
64 ounces of pureed tomatoes
16 ounces diced tomatoes
1/4 cup red wine (or stock if you can’t use wine)
1/2 cup tomato paste
fresh oregano, thyme, and parsley (about 2 tablespoons of each)
monk fruit powder, stevia, or agave nectar if needed for additional sweetness

In a large skillet, saute the onion and bell pepper for a few minutes and then add the diced garlic and the grated carrot. Saute until softened, about 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the red wine and cook off the alcohol. Add the pureed and diced tomatoes and cook over a low heat, covered, for approximately 1 hour. Uncover and cook an additional 15 minutes. Add the fresh herbs along with salt and pepper to taste and the tomato paste. If needed, depending on your taste, add additional sweetener. Simmer over low heat until ready to add the meatballs.

Meatballs:

1/2 pound ground turkey
1/2 pound ground pork
8 ounces mixed mushrooms, pulsed in a food processor until small dice
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried herbs (I used an herb mixture such as Mrs. Dash)
1/2 teaspoon dry parsley
1/2 cup sugar-free ketchup (such as Organicsville Agave Ketchup) OR 1/3 cup tomato paste
2 slices of gluten-free bread crumbled

Preheat oven to 400 degrees; grease an 8×10 baking pan with olive oil. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until combined but try not to overmix so that the meat mixture stays tender. I use a soup spoon to measure out the meatballs so that they are all about the same size. Mine were approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter and the recipe made 24 meatballs. Bake in the prepared pan for about 45 minutes, in the middle of the oven so that the bottoms of the meatballs don’t burn. Add the meatballs to the sauce.

Prepare your favorite pasta. I use the red lentil and quinoa linguine which takes just about 8 minutes to cook and my husband thinks tastes good even though he doesn’t realize its gluten-free and contains protein. After you drain your pasta, put it back in the cooking pot, add sauce and mix thoroughly. Serve with the meatballs and feel free to sprinkle some grated mozzarella (non-dairy of course) over the top.

Roasted Root Vegetables (vegan)

I can only make this dish when I have company coming because if I make it when its just Earl and I, I eat the whole bowl! These are sooooooo good, soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Feel free to add or subtract vegetables you prefer. A very easy recipe to make and I’ve never had anyone complain that they didn’t like it. In fact, my brother doesn’t care for sweet potato but he really love this dish. You can make your life easier by purchasing already diced root vegetables. My local Whole Foods store sells a mixture of sweet potatoes, carrots, and parsnips so all I have to dice is the turnip. I’ve also used butternut squash.

Heat your oven to 400 degrees. Into a large bowl add:

1-2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
3 large carrots, peeled and diced
3 large parsnips, peeled and diced
1 large turnip, peeled and diced
1 large red onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
dried herbs of choice (I use about 1 teaspoon of an herb mix like Mrs. Dash or McCormick)
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix thoroughly. Pour onto a large baking pan making sure that you have only one layer. If you don’t have a non-stick baking pan, be sure to grease it before adding the vegetables. Bake for 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft and bottoms are browned. If you like, after 15 minutes, you can take them out of the oven and turn the vegetables over so that the other side will also get brown and crunchy.

Sausage and Mushroom Stuffing (dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free)

My husband never liked anything but Stove Top Stuffing. Last year at Thanksgiving, he told me not to bother to make him any stuffing so I made a small batch of my stuffing and then I didn’t get much of it because he ate almost all of it! So now I make a large dish of this dressing so there’s plenty for leftovers. Crunchy on the bottom and soft and moist inside, you’ll never miss the gluten or the eggs. I use this for a Thanksgiving dressing or to stuff chicken breasts or pork chops.

I don’t cut and dry the bread before making the stuffing — the way I figure it, if you have to dry the bread out so that it will absorb all the flavors of the other things you’re adding, your bread isn’t very good. So I start with my favorite gluten-free bread (I love the DeLand’s Millet and Flax bread or even their millet flatbread), and then don’t add as much chicken or turkey stock (if you want this vegan, don’t use the sausage and use vegetable broth instead of the meat stocks).

Grease a large, flat casserole dish and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, over medium heat:

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 pound of sausage, I use turkey sausage

Brown and then add:

1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup diced baby bella mushrooms

Cook until the vegetables are soft.

In a medium size bowl, place:

6 cups of diced gluten-free bread
1 tablespoon dry sage
Salt and pepper to taste
the sausage and vegetable mixture

Mix well and pour into the prepared dish. Pour over the dressing, 1 cup stock (you can use up to 1 1/2 cups if needed but it may be mushier) being sure to get most of the bread moist. Cover with aluminum foil, or the cover to the casserole dish if it has one. Cook for 1/2 hour and then remove cover and let cook for another 15 minutes until top is browned.

String Bean Casserole (dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, vegan)

A Thanksgiving classic, this is a side dish I had to give up years ago because of the milk and gluten. Here it is revisited and so delicious with the home-made cream of mushroom soup along with the onion and bread crumb topping. I like to use the mixed string beans — green and yellow. It takes a few more steps than your old fashioned green bean casserole but it tastes just as good.

Steam 1 pound of green beans. While they’re cooking, cut half a large sweet Vidalia onion into slices and then cut the slices in half (or use all of a medium size onion).

To a medium skillet, over medium heat, add:

2 tablespoon olive oil
the onions

Cook until soft and starting to caramelize. Stir in:

1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

Grease a 5×8″ casserole dish. Mix the string beans and 2 cups of cream of mushroom soup (see recipe under soups and salads). Add to the casserole dish and top with the onion mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for a half hour and then, if you want it browner, stick it under the broiler for 1-2 minutes.

Cream of Mushroom Soup (dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan)

One of the most versatile soups, cream of mushroom soup is delicious by itself or in any number of casserole dishes. Its very easy to make. This recipe makes two servings.

Add to a medium skillet:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound of diced mushrooms (I usually buy one package of mixed mushrooms and then a small package of baby bella so that it has some variety) [I put mine in the food processor and pulse until they’re diced]
1 tablespoon dry parsley

Cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and are soft, about 5 minutes. Add to the pan:

2 tablespoons brown rice flour

Mix into the mushrooms and cook over low heat for 2 minutes so that the flour starts to cook. Whisk in:

1 cup vegetable or mushroom stock
1/2 cups non-dairy milk of choice

Cook it for a few more minutes until it thickens. I then like to cook it a few more minutes so that the taste develops. Ready to eat or use in your favorite casserole.

Chili (dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free)

My husband loves chili but it isn’t one of my favorite dishes. I’ve experimented over the years with different chili recipes to please him and here’s the one we decided pleases both of us. I like to eat mine over some soba noodles and garnish it with avocadoes but he’d rather eat his the traditional way. Its a very easy recipe to make the way your family likes chili — swap out the meat, type of peppers, or even the type of beans, or even increase the spices.

Here’s what you’ll need:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons paprika
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper
1 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves diced
1 pound ground turkey (or if you prefer, hamburger, ground chicken, ground pork, etc.)
1 can diced chili peppers (I used the mild but you can use whatever your family likes)*
1 tablespoon of fresh oregano
1/4 cup tomato paste (or 1 small can)
2 cups stock (chicken, turkey, or beef depending on what meat you use)
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 cinnamon sticks
1 (15 ounce) can pinto, or great northern, or kidney, or black beans, whichever you prefer
Bag of non-dairy grated cheese or for individual servings, slices
1 diced avocado

*I wanted to use poblano chilis but the can I saw had added sugar so I went with my old standby of mild chili peppers. Feel free to use fresh peppers and add the diced peppers with the onions and garlic.

In a large, deep skillet, or Dutch oven, heat oil over high heat. Add spices (cumin, paprika, and chili powder) to release the oils. Add onions and garlic and cook for a minute reducing heat to medium. Add the meat and brown. Pour in the stock and add the chili peppers, oregano, tomato paste, vinegar, molasses, salt and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 40-60 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove cinnamon sticks and discard. Stir in the drained beans and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve topped with cheese and the diced avocado.

Sweet Potato and Tahini Soup (dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan)

I made this with sweet potato but pumpkin or pureed butternut squash would work just as well. The original recipe also called for 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro but since I really don’t like that herb, I used diced scallions and pomegranate arils instead. The spice in the recipe is also to taste; I love garum masala but if you don’t, try some ground ginger or grated fresh ginger instead. The tahini gives this soup a very creamy texture. Makes 4 servings.

Heat a 2-quart saucepan and add:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 diced small scallion
1 diced garlic clove

Cook for only a minute over medium heat and then add:

2 cups cooked sweet potato
2 cups vegetable stock (you can also use chicken stock if you prefer)
1/4 teaspoon stevia OR 1 tablespoon agave or coconut nectar
1 teaspoon garum masala OR 1 teaspoon grated or ground ginger
Crushed red pepper to taste (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon)

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally and reduce heat to low. Stir in:

1/4 cup tahini (you could also use a nut butter)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Puree in blender or with immersion blender. Garnish with diced scallion and pomegranate arils.

Bok Choy with onions and garlic

Easy, quick, and a household favorite. Cook the bok choy to whatever doneness you like, either crunchy or well done. Goes very well with any meat.

For 2 people:

2-3 bunches baby bok choy
1/2 medium onion, diced, I use red but you can use any kind you like
1 clove garlic diced
1 tablespoon olive oil in the bottom of a large fry pan

Heat your fry pan over medium heat, add the oil and the vegetables. I also like to salt and pepper to taste along with some of my dried hear mixture. Stir and let simmer over medium heat for several minutes. If you like it crunchy, its done. If you want it cooked a little more, cover and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve with any meat.