Book of Yum

This weekend I went to a really fun housewarming party hosted by a fellow graduate student. She had just moved to Berkeley with her sister, and wanted to show off their super-cool new city-style apartment. I was looking forward to the party, but wasn’t too sure if there would be anything I could eat or not. One of my cohorts was making cupcakes, so I thought maybe I’d make some gluten-free, vegan brownies to share with everyone. I followed Karina’s tips on using Pamela’s gluten-free brownie mix and baked up a batch. I had used almond milk to bake them, and I usually use either rice milk or soy milk. I was a little disappointed in the final results (probably because I don’t actually LIKE almond milk) and so at the last minute I decided not to bring them to the party. But, I had to bring something, right? As it happened, I had randomly decided to boil some eggs that afternoon. I rummaged in the cupboards looking for something I could make, and came across some Ener-g foods white rice pasta. I decided to make it, and then I had a sudden inspiration. I always used to love heavy American salads like potato and macaroni salad on special occasions when I was a kid. It had been years since I had macaroni salad- but it occurred to me that I could mix up a quick batch of the pasta salad using my noodles. Then I would have a main dish to enjoy at the party, and surely everybody would enjoy a nice macaroni salad. I did some internet browsing and was inspired to come up with the following recipe. I did a quick taste test and enlisted the DH to try some too. We both thought it was really yum, so it was settled. I threw the pasta salad in the car and went to the party. It turned out to be a pizza party (oops!). Luckily there was plenty of time before the party, so when we were at the store picking up some things for the hostess, I grabbed one of Amy’s Gluten-free, dairy free spinach pizzas. Luckily since the pizza was ordered in, no one needed the oven and it was fine if I used it to make my own pizza. To make sure there weren’t any CC issues, I lined their cookie sheet with aluminum foil and baked my pizza. Twenty minutes later, I had my own pizza to enjoy along with everybody else. :)

In case you’re wondering, to combat the possibility of CC, I waited until there was a lull in the gluten pizza chomping and then asked if people wanted macaroni salad, and then dished out everybody’s individual servings. There wasn’t any counter room anyway, so it worked great. I was really happy because it seemed like everyone loved the salad. My favorite comment was “Wow, it tastes like summer.” One of the guests’ family apparently always makes macaroni salad during family vacations in the summer, so it reminded her of that. I don’t know when I’ve ever heard a nicer compliment. Anyway, the next time YOU feel like an “all-American” summer classic, why not try this simple and satisfying pasta salad recipe?

*By the way, I was completely touched when we went to pick up my cupcake-making friend for the party. She had made tons of beautiful gluten-filled cupcakes, but also had a little white box for me decorated with stickers from Japan. Inside were two delicious-looking, individually wrapped and labeled Gluten-Free Brownies by Wow, a gluten-free company I’d never heard of before. She knows about my gluten-intolerance and had thoughtfully gone to a local gourmet grocery store and asked about gluten-free desserts. She even thought about CC, so carefully picked out a sealed product made by a gluten-free company. Even better- the brownie turned out to be absolutely delicious, and rivaled Mariposa’s finest. Isn’t that the coolest thing ever? What cool stories do you have about thoughtful friends who make being gluten-free easier? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments…

Summery Macaroni Salad Recipe Side Dish  Alternative Grains  American

Ingredients 4 cups cooked GF white rice or corn macaroni, slightly al dente, rinsed and drained (2 cups uncooked, half a 16 oz box of Ener-g Foods macaroni) 4 hard boiled eggs, sliced in half with yolks removed 1/4 cup minced red onion, soaked in cold water for at least 5 minutes, and drained 1/3 any of your favorite crunchy veggies (red pepper, green pepper, jicama, or cooked peas) minced *optional 1/2 cup prepared lowfat GF mayonnaise 1 or 2 tsp prepared GF mustard (I like Annie’s horseradish mustard) 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste Freshly ground black pepper Directions Boil eggs, Prepare your pasta and other ingredients. Start the minced onion soaking in water to take off the edge. Meanwhile, stir all your dressing ingredients in a small bowl (mayo, mustard, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper if you like). Add your hard boiled egg yolks and mush them into the dressing. Chop the remaining white parts of the egg. Put your rinsed, drained pasta in a large bowl, and add your egg white bits, drained minced red onion (you can reduce amount if you want a milder salad), and crunchy veggie bits. Mix thoroughly. Drizzle dressing over the salad, folding the ingredients together until it is evenly covered. You can let sit in a refrigerator for a few hours if you want the flavors to develop, or enjoy right away. Mmm, tasty.

Rating:  8 Original Source:  Modified from Food Network recipe, but my original creation. Do not replicate anywhere without my permission. Recipe ID:  1239 Added:  June 1, 2008 Last Modified:  June 1, 2008

The sweet potato has been getting a lot of good press lately as a healthier alternative to the potato. I’m a big fan of the potato, but the sweet potato has its own charms, including a deep, sweet flavor and dense nutritional value. Actually, according to a study done by the Center for Science in the Public Interest in 1992, the sweet potato has the highest nutritional value of any vegetable when fiber content, complex carbohydrates, protein, antioxident vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium are taken into account. Not too shabby for such a “sweet” vegetable.

Speaking of sweet, although sweet potatoes score high on the glycemic index, preliminary studies indicate that the sweet potato may actually help stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin resistance. (Source: Wikipedia)

*Note, I am not a medical specialist and cannot provide medical advice- if diabetic, please consult your doctor before experimenting with sweet potatoes. ;)

The Whole Foods web site has some great information about the sweet potato, including tips on how to differentiate between a yam and sweet potato. Why are these two root vegetables so often confused? According to the site,

“The moist-fleshed, orange-colored root vegetable that is often thought of as a “yam” is actually a sweet potato. It was given this name after this variety of sweet potato was introduced into the United States in the mid-20th century in order to distinguish it from the white-fleshed sweet potato to which most people were accustomed. The name “yam” was adopted from “nyami”, the African word for the root of the Dioscoreae genus of plants that are considered true yams. While there are attempts to distinguish between the two, such as the mandatory labeling by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that the moist-fleshed, orange-colored sweet potatoes that are labeled as “yams” also be accompanied by the label “sweet potato,” when most people hear the term “yam” they usually think of the orange-colored sweet potato as opposed to the true yam, the traditional Dioscoreae family root vegetable.” (source: Whole Foods)

I’ve been a fan of this vegetable since I first tried sweet potato fries, but I realize this is not the healthiest way to enjoy the sweet potato, so I’ve been experimenting with one of my favorite cooking techniques, roasting, to come up with a way to get the same crispy thrill with less calorific penalties. I’ve made roasted sweet potatoes countless times, but have sometimes had trouble getting them to crisp evenly. So, this time I decided to try cubing the sweet potatoes before roasting them, hoping for even crisping. To my pleasure, they turned out beautifully, and worked as nicely in the night’s vegan artichoke pasta recipe, adding sweet complex flavors to the dish, as they performed as a breakfast alternative to home fries.

Although the pasta dish took time, given the various ingredients and preparation methods, it was very satisfying and nutritious and was just what I wanted. I like the tart, refreshing flavor of capers, but if you want less bite, reduce the amount of capers and/or rinse them to lessen the tart vinegar note they bring to the dish. The artichoke hearts are absolutely essential, and provide the rich base of the dish, along with the caramelized onions. You can saute the cooked pasta in the cast iron pan with the sauce for optimal flavor and texture. The nutritional yeast at the end adds a salty, cheesy element, but isn’t necessary.

With this dinner, I experimented with some old favorites- sweet potato, pasta, and artichoke hearts- and jazzed them up with fresh herbs and new preparation methods. The next time you think about having a plain old baked potato, why not try a roasted sweet potato dish instead? It seems that sweet potatoes are as good for you as they are good tasting. All I know is that when I have sweet potatoes, I feel good, and my taste buds are just as happy as my body.

How do you like your sweet potato? Please share your favorite ways to enjoy sweet potatoes in the comments!

In love with the sweet potato?

Try my Yummy Recipe for Sweet Potato Peanut Soup

Or read about my Sweet Potato Croquette Recipe using leftovers of sweet potato mash.

Roasted Rosemary Cubed Sweet Potato Recipe Side Dish  Potatoes  American

Ingredients Assortment of sweet potatoes and yams, with orange and white flesh, peeled and cut into cubes Olive Oil Fresh Rosemary Fresh Thyme (optional) Paprika Sage Kosher or Black Salt 1/2 to 1 diced onion Directions Heat oven to 375. Prepare your sweet potatoes and place the cubes on a dark baking tin. Sprinkle with olive oil and mix thoroughly with hands so oil is evenly distributed. Season with paprika (to taste), sage, fresh rosemary and thyme, and salt. Put in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Take out, toss potatoes to turn, and add your diced onion to the baking tin. Put back in oven for another 20 minutes or until cubes have reached desirable crispiness. Add a little more fresh herbs and salt closer to serving time if you like. Enjoy!

Rating:  7 Original Source:  The contents of my brain, do not replicate without my permission. Recipe ID:  1190 Added:  January 30, 2008 Last Modified:  January 30, 2008

Vegan Artichoke Heart Pasta Recipe with Broccoli Main Course  Pasta  Italian

Ingredients 1 head broccoli, cut into long, thin spears 1 cup artichoke hearts (at least a few in oil) 1 onion, chopped 1 1/2 tbsp capers, chopped 1 carton crimini mushrooms (or less), sliced 1 can stewed, seasoned tomatoes, drained 1 portion of roasted sweet potato cubes (half or 1/2 of recipe, depending on quantity you made)*see following Book of Yum recipe fresh rosemary fresh thyme pine nuts for garnish (optional but oh so good) freshly ground pepper 8 oz gf pasta, prior to boiling (we used Mrs. Leepers Corn pasta, but rice pasta would work nicely as well) completely optional: dash of flax seed oil and nutritional yeast for final flavoring, post cooking Directions Bring medium pot of salted water to boil and blanch broccoli spears, removing and soaking in cold water as soon as they turn bright green. Drain when cool and reserve, mixed with one or two artichoke hearts in oil, cut into squares and dispersed throughout the pile of broccoli. Heat boiling water and pour over most of your artichoke hearts (the oil variety), skimming off oil and draining them to the best of your ability. Heat olive oil in cast iron pan (1 tbsp or less) and add your chopped onion, letting it become translucent before adding capers and sliced mushrooms. You may want to give the mushrooms their own spot directly on the surface of the cast iron pan by moving the onion to the edge of the pan. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper, and turn when brown. Mix everything together again and add the rest of your drained, chopped artichoke hearts. Let onions caramelize more and then add your drained, chopped tomatoes and combine thoroughly. Add fresh herbs, seasonings, and sweet potato cubes and any additional seasonings, including pine nuts. (Let the pine nuts brown on the surface of the pan if possible). Prepare your gluten-free pasta, and when just about al dente, rinse, drain, and reserve. When cast iron ingredients look beautifully savory, add your broccoli and remove from heat, mixing thoroughly so that flavors have a chance to merge with the broccoli. After a few minutes serve mixed completely with pasta in dish. If you like and want the extra nutrition, add a drizzle of flax oil to the pasta, stir in, and sprinkle entire plate with nutritional yeast. Mmm, yummy.

Rating:  8 Original Source:  The contents of my brain, please do not replicate without my permission Recipe ID:  1191 Added:  January 30, 2008 Last Modified:  January 30, 2008