Gluten-free Gourmand

I had never made naan before last week.  The only reason?  I had no idea how easy it is!  It's really one of the fastest breads you can make.  I can start making naan when my boyfriend calls in the take-out order and have it ready when he comes back with the food.  You don't really need to let it rise - the bread is leavened with baking soda as well as yeast.  The yeast adds flavor, the baking soda adds fluffiness.  The result is a very chewy, flexible flatbread.  Now you no longer have to be jealous if your boyfriend gets bread with his Indian food.  In fact, he'll probably want some of your naan hot off the grill. Gluten-free Naan Recipe makes 4 large naan In a large bowl, whisk together: 250g - about 1 Cup - warm kefir or yogurt 15g whole psyllium husk (or 10g ground psyllium husk) 2 tsp apple cider vinegar When the mixture has thickened, add to the bowl: 225 g  GF Bread Flour Blend 12 g sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp...

Editor's note: The flour mix for this recipe is no longer available.  Please see the Bread Page for updated recipes. Do you miss the opportunity to knead your bread now that you cook gluten-free?  This recipe is for you.  If you just miss crusty bread, this recipe is for you, too. My panel of taste testers included gluten-eaters and non-gluten-eaters.  Everyone was a fan of the chewy inside and the fresh-baked flavor very much like regular bread.  Even my super-picky  6-year-old niece loved it.  This is a girl who eats almost nothing and once declared that she doesn't like gluten-free food.  (She is not GF.)  She kept asking for more slices. "Quick" Gluten-free Bread isn't instant.  It's just fast relative to breadmaking in general.   This recipe is akin to the 1-hour bread recipes all over the internet for "regular" bread.  This recipe is gluten-free, so it's more like a one-and-a-half hour recipe, but it's the same con...

Right now, I have plenty of cilantro.  It grows like weeds in my garden.  I love cilantro.  In honor of this  prolific herb,  I created a fresh pesto recipe.  This recipe is dairy-free, and the lime juice keeps it fresh long after other pesto sauces would expire.  See some recommendations for gluten-free pasta here .  Cilantro Pesto 2 C fresh cilantro leaves from your garden 1/3 C Brazil nuts or walnuts 1 clove garlic 1/3 C extra-virgin olive oil 1 squirt lime juice 1/4-1/2 tsp salt ground white pepper to taste Blend all ingredients in a food processor until evenly minced, scraping down the sides as you go.  Taste for balance of flavors and adjust.  Serve tossed with hot pasta.  It's that easy!

I haven't been blogging much because I haven't been eating a wide variety of food lately, or creating any new recipes; I've been on a food elimination diet.  It's an interesting challenge to come up with different meals with a limited number of ingredients.  I tend to do a lot of chicken and potatoes using the 450 degree oven approach.  I also try to explore different varieties of rice.  Tonight I had a great meal cooked really quickly and simply on the stove top. Lamb Chops with Bhutanese Rice Cook time: 20 minutes Serves: two Ingredients: 4 lamb chops olive oil salt pepper 1 head broccoli 1 C Bhutanese rice 1 cup water Put the water, the rice, and some salt in a small pan and bring to a boil.  Stir, cover, and reduce heat to simmer.  Cook 25 minutes or until all water is absorbed. While the rice is cooking, heat a large cast-iron skillet on medium-high.  Cut the broccoli into pieces.  Rinse, pat dry, oil and season the lamb cho...

Waffles are easy.  Or, they can be.  My Gluten-free Corn Waffle Recipe and my Buckwheat Waffles Recipe take a little time and care.   That's why I decided to make a quick and easy basic waffle recipe that's not only gluten-free, but also dairy-free.  And of course it's delicious. For the liquid I used my favorite dairy substitute: coconut milk.  I wrote about the beauty of coconut cream in my last post and in my Gluten-free Vegan Scone Recipe . Easy Gluten-free Dairy-free Waffles Makes about 4 Belgian-style waffles. Mix in a medium bowl: 1 cup white rice flour 2 Tbsp sorghum flour 1 Tbsp tapioca flour 1 Tbsp potato flour 2 Tbsp sugar 1/4 tsp salt 2 tsp baking powder Heat your waffle iron. In another medium bowl, beat thoroughly: 2 eggs Add: 1 1/2 cup coconut milk 2 Tbsp canola oil 1/2 tsp vanilla Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.  When the waffle iron is hot, lightly spray it wi...

Continuing on with my quick and cheap gluten-free dinner ideas , I want to mention that Progresso is now labeling some of their soups gluten-free!   According to their website , Progresso has also decided to remove MSG from all their soups.  This is good news!  The MSG was keeping me from buying their soups more often.  Thanks, Progresso!

This is one of the fastest and easiest meals I make.  It generally takes about 10-15 minutes, from the time I turn on the stove to sitting down to eat.   There's only one pan afterwards.  This recipe is low-carb, but very filling.  There are only four ingredients: Pork lettuce olive oil salt 1. Turn the stove to medium and heat a cast-iron pan. 2. When the pan is nice and hot, place your cut of pork in the pan.  Let it cook for 2 minutes for a one-inch-thick piece, 30 seconds for a thin piece. 3. Turn the pork over.  Let it cook for thirty seconds to one minute, then turn off the burner and cover the meat with a large lid. 4.  When the piece is just cooked through, salt it on both sides. 5.  Place the meat on a bed of lettuce dressed with olive oil and salt. Or, for another version, prepare this dish with roasted vegetables in the oven as I described in Quick and Easy Gluten-free Soy-free Dairy-free Dinner Idea: Roasted Vegetables. ...