Lactose-free yogurt!

Finally somebody came out with a lactose-free yogurt that tastes like the real thing!  Viva Yoplait!

                                           Photo by Mandy

~ Monika

Which Grains are Gluten-Free?

 

If you have Celiac disease, you know that you must avoid gluten at all costs to prevent health complications.  Here is a quick guide to grains that are safe and grains that you must stay away from.  Remember that products labeled "wheat-free" are not necessarily gluten-free. Therefore, read all labels very carefully.

Grains allowed:
amaranth
arrowroot
beans
buckwheat
corn
flax
garfava
millet
montina
nuts
potato
quinoa
rice
sorghum
soy
tapioca
teff.

Grains not allowed:
Barley
Rye
Wheat (durum, eincorn, faro, graham, kamut, semolina, spelt)
Triticale

Oats can be very easily contaminated during harvest, storage or processing.  However, some people with Celiac disease can tolerate pure gluten-free oats. To read more about oats and Celiac Disease, go to: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC523841/. 

Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze

Quick and easy to make.  Tasty with a gourmet look.  Goes well with any warm drink.  Can even make a great gift. Enjoy!

4 egg whites
¾ cup granulated sugar
4 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup potato or corn starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 sticks lactose-free margarine, gently melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a regular-sized bundt cake pan and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks appear. Add egg yolks, starch, flour, baking powder, and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in melted margarine.

Pour batter into bundt cake pan. Bake for about 30 minutes. Turn cake out onto wire rack and let cool.

For the chocolate glaze:

3/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
1/4 cup lactose-free milk

Heat chocolate chips and milk in the microwave until the chips start to melt, about 30 seconds.  Mix well until smooth.  Pour glaze over the cake, one tablespoon at the time.  Let it set for a couple of hours to set.

~ Monika

Quinoa Cakes with Tzatziki

If you haven't tried quinoa yet, put it on your New Year's Resolutions list. I've had it in ethnic restaurants in salads and it is delicious. These Quinoa Cakes are no different. Topped with homemade, lactose-free Tzatziki sauce, and you've got a vegetarian main dish that is super filling.

Who needs meat when you have these awesome Quinoa Cakes?

Makes about 10 cakes

For the Tzatziki: (You'll want to make this in advance.)

3/4 cup plain So Delicious coconut milk yogurt, drained of excess water
3 tablespoons Tofutti Sour Supreme
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated, squeezed of excess water
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
salt and black pepper, to taste



For the cakes:
2 rounded cups quinoa, cooked via package directions
3/4 cup shredded lactose-free cheese (Cabot or Kraft. You can use Veggie Shreds too!)
1/2 cup Lactaid lactose-free cottage cheese
1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed of excess juice
3 eggs
3 tablespoons flour
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
oil for frying


First, make the Tzatziki. In a small bowl, stir together yogurt, sour supreme, grated cucumber, garlic powder, sugar, and dill weed. Season with salt and pepper. Chill while you make the Quinoa Cakes.

While the Tzatziki is chilling, combine cooked quinoa, cheese, cottage cheese, zucchini, eggs, flour, green onions, sugar, cumin, garlic powder, and salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix together thoroughly with your hands.


Heat a bit of oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Drop 1/4 cup blobs of the quinoa mixture onto the skillet and flatten to about 1/2 inches thick with a spatula. Fry both sides until golden brown.

Serve warm with a dollop of Tzatziki on top of each patty. Enjoy with a fresh salad.

Recipes adapted from Eating Well Living Thin.

~ Mandy

Homemade Chicken Broth

This rich yet low-cal broth is very easy to make. I love to make it in the winter, so my family can sip it after skiing or taking a walk on a frigid winter night. It is versatile too, because you can serve it with noodles or rice as a soup. Also, don't forget to pour a cup for yourself when coming down with a cold. It might stimulate your immune system to fight off the illness quicker!

Makes 4 to 5 servings

4 chicken thighs
1 large onion, halved
4 celery sticks
8 peeled carrots, cut into 3-inch chunks
a handful of fresh parley
salt and pepper, to taste
5 cups water

Place all ingredients in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 25-30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain the broth and serve immediately. Or you can pour it into a container if you wish to keep it in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen to use as you need it for recipes.

~ Monika

Vegan Crispy Orange Chick'n Fried Rice

This recipe from Special Recipes has to be the best vegan dish I've tried to date. Not that I've tried many. We're just now starting to bring vegan recipes into our weekly menu. But this one is a must, even for non-vegan folks. 

I was surprised at just how flavorful it was, and how crispy and truly yummy the Gardein Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n was. The husband and I had more than seconds. This dish was gone in one sitting. And it's already on the meal plan for next week.

Serves 3 to 4

3 tablespoons canola or safflower oil, divided
1 bag Gardein Crispy Mandarin Orange Chick’n
3 cups cooked rice (I used basmati)
1/4 cup white onion, chopped
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons orange juice from a fresh orange
1/2 teaspoon orange zest (from the same orange)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons cashews (chopped if you wish)

In a large skillet, heat half of the oil over medium heat. Add the Gardein chick'n and cook according to package directions. Remove the chick'n and any extra sauce to a bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet, add remaining oil and heat through. Add the rice, onion, soy sauce, orange juice, orange zest, garlic powder, and cashews. Fry on medium high heat for a few minutes, stirring continuously.

Turn heat up to high and add in the reserved chick'n and sauce. Fold the chick'n gently into the rice and let heat through. Serve warm and enjoy.

Recipe adapted from Special Recipes.

~ Mandy

Fried Dill Pickle Chips

These were so good that every time I look at the photograph, I get an insatiable craving and uncontrollable need to make them again. If you have a deep fryer (I have a little one), then you have to try these. 

STAT.

1 24-ounce jar dill pickle slices
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup Louisiana hot sauce (I like Texas Pete)
1/2 cup lactose-free buttermilk (find the recipe here)
peanut oil, enough for frying
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour

Drain all juice from the pickle jar, but keep the pickles inside. Add the garlic powder, hot sauce, and lactose-free buttermilk in on top of the pickles. Replace the lid and let the pickles marinate for at least 30 minutes. (I left mine in the fridge for over a day and they still came out great. So don't worry if you forget about it.)

In a deep fryer, heat the peanut oil according to your fryer's directions. Meanwhile, drain the pickles and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal and flour. Toss the pickles in the bowl and coat each one thoroughly. Shake excess flour off each pickle before you add it into the fryer. Deep fry the pickles in batches.

When the pickles are golden brown, transfer them with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Serve immediately while still hot. (Although they're also good cold). I served mine with dairy-free ranch dressing. YUM.

Recipe adapted from Paula Deen's Fried Dill Pickles.

~ Mandy