As I mentioned Hero Beth made TWO recipes. The other recipes is a Raw Butternut Squash and Kale Salad. This recipe excited me because in the back of my mind I have been daydreaming about what a raw Thanksgiving would look like, and this dish is a great start to an amazing raw foods menu. Also, weirdly enough, although Toddler Yum won’t touch cooked squash these days because it is that most suspicious of colors, orange, she has been known to grab raw squash and pumpkin and chow down with enthusiasm. I think if I made this salad (perhaps sans kale, which I would love but which Toddler Yum would undoubtedly pick out fastidiously) Toddler Yum just might gobble it up!

Hero Beth is a tough act to follow, but I thought I’d share one of my favorite vegetarian (vegan) sides- a nutritional yeast gravy that makes everything taste better, from roasted stuffed acorn squash, to mashed potatoes, to biscuits. I bet it would be awesome on Hero Beth’s gluten-free mushroom stuffing as well!

Nutritional Yeast Gravy Vegan  Sauces & Condiments  Alternative Grains  American

Ingredients 1/4 cup brown rice flour 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes 1 1/2 cup water 2 tbsp Braggs GF liquid aminos 2 tsp olive oil 1/4 tsp onion granules 1/4 tsp garlic granules (if desired) 1/8 tsp black pepper Directions Heat brown rice flour and nutritional yeast flakes in a dry nonstick frypan on a medium temperature, and let them lightly brown and release their fragrance. Take the pan off the heat and slowly add water, braggs, olive oil and seasonings, whisking continuously until mixture is silky smooth. Return to heat and stir until gravy reaches desired consistency. Notes I serve this gravy every holiday with mashed potatoes and (on thanksgiving) my portabello stuffed acorn squash dish. It’s so easy you can make it anytime, and top brown rice, pasta, baked potatoes or tofu patties. DH enjoys it too, and it’s considerably easier than the typical American gravy made from scratch.

Rating:  10 Original Source:  adapted from vegan vittles Recipe ID:  1059 Added:  April 11, 2007 Last Modified:  November 20, 2011

Looking for more allergen-free un-cheese recipes?
Try my Smoked un-cheddar sauce recipe
Or Karina’s Cheesy Un-cheese sauce recipe
Or my Sunflower-seed based Dill Havarti Substitute Spread
And here’s my very popular Recipe for pine nut cheese, perfect for lasagna
Carrie’s Homemade Almond Dill Cheese

Tahini un-cream cheese recipe Sauces & Condiments  American

Ingredients 1/3 cup tahini 1/3 cup nutritional yeast water as needed Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime 1-2 tsp. Annies gluten-free mustard 2 tsp agave nectar, honey, maple syrup, or simple syrup 3 tbsp. minced fresh basil 1/3 cup chilled lemon dill dressing as follows: 1/6 cup canola oil 1/6 cup lemon or lime juice 1 tsp dill weed dash of agave nectar sprinkle of salt Directions Whisk lemon dill dressing ingredients together and chill in refrigerator (or freezer if you are trying to hurry this). Pour tahini into a small food processor or blender. Add nutritional yeast and lemon or lime juice. Process. Add fresh basil, mustard, agave, and enough water to keep the ingredients blending together but not enough to make it soupy. When you have a smooth paste, add your chilled lemon dressing. Process. You should have a creamy sauce that resembles the texture of cream cheese. You want it thick enough that you can scoop in balls with an ice cream scoop and spread it thickly on gluten-free toast if desired. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Notes Delicious on baked spaghetti squash, pasta, or as a topping for sandwiches. Just add veggies!

Rating:  8 Original Source:  My original creation. Please do not replicate anywhere without my permission. Thanks! Recipe ID:  1515 Added:  August 31, 2010 Last Modified:  September 8, 2010

But with my new top-allergen free diet for baby yum, it has been many a sad, sauce-less day since I last enjoyed a big saucer of peanut sauce. Today I decided that had to change. I looked into the fridge and pulled out a long-neglected jar of Sunbutter. The good news? This stuff is completely Peanut, Tree-Nut Free, and Gluten Free and produced in a dedicated facility. The bad news for those highly sensitive to soy is that their facility DOES produce soybeans. However, although I’m not eating soy these days just in case it would bother Baby Yum, she never reacted to soy as far as I could tell, and so I thought Sunbutter was worth a try. *Although Sunbutter is the brand-name variety, I actually used the less expensive Trader Joe’s version of this product.* If you do react to traces of soy, you can make your own Sunbutter recipe. I played around with some of the traditional ingredients used in peanut sauce and came up with this highly satisfying sunflower seed un-peanut sauce. It would be wonderful on spring rolls, but I enjoyed mine drizzled over sauteed yellow pepper strips and zucchini and wrapped in a gluten-free amaranth crepe. Who says eating gluten free and top eight allergen free has to be boring?

Looking for more fun things to do with sunflower seeds?
Try this Vegan Sunflower spreads with red pepper variations and more
Depressed over a new rice allergy or interested in raw foods? Try Rice-free Sunflower-seed Sushi Recipe
Did you know you can make Sunflower Seed Milk?

Peanut-free Sauce Recipe with sunflower seeds Sauces & Condiments  American

Ingredients 2 tbsp. sunbutter (or homemade sunflower seed butter) 1/4 cup hot water 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp. cider vinegar 1 tsp maple syrup 1/4 tsp powdered ginger or freshly grated ginger pulp Directions Whisk together ingredients in a small bowl. Pour into small sauccepan and heat on low until thickened and bubbling. Take off heat, whisk again, and serve.

Rating:  8 Original Source:  Contents of my brain. Please do not replicate without my permission. Recipe ID:  1477 Added:  January 1, 2010 Last Modified:  January 1, 2010

If you have been following my blog for a while you know that I love a good, gluten-free vegetarian pizza. Over the years I’ve made quite a few recipes for toppings, both with and without dairy. Having to go dairy-free while I breast feed my daughter has added new incentive to come up with more tasty ways to make a good, casein-free pizza topping. I like to use rich ingredients as substitutes for rich ingredients like cheese, and olives are a classic rich ingredient that makes you forget all about dairy. I was inspired by a Trader Joe’s bruschetta topping to saute sweet red onions, mushrooms and olives for a suitably decadent dairy-free pizza topping on a recent weekday night. I used some as the filling for a chebe calzone, and it was delicious but a trifle salty due to the higher density of the filling. However, there were no unfortunate exploding calzone incidents like I’d had with cheese, so I’d pronounce the experiment a success.

Have you had a tasty olive topped pizza today? What are your favorite dairy-free pizza toppings? Share in the comments.

Dairy free Vegetarian olive pizza topping recipe Main Course  Vegetables  Italian

Ingredients 2 tsp. olive oil 3/4 of a large onion, minced 2 cups crimini mushrooms, cleaned and chopped freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp. olives (kalamata and/or black olives) 1/8 cup Sundried tomato dairy-free olive topping (Trader Joe’s bruschetta topping) or homemade dairy-free sundried tomato pesto 1/4 large bunch of chard, thick spines removed with leaf cut into thin strips italian seasoning 2 tbsp. or more marinara sauce (enough to add moisture) pine nuts for garnish Directions Heat olive oil in nonstick or cast iron pan on medium and add minced onion. Sautee until it starts to turn translucent and add chopped mushrooms. Season with pepper. As mushrooms soften, add olives and olive/ sundried tomato topping. Season to taste. Add your chard and saute for a few more minutes. Add marinara sauce as needed. Use as topping on pizza, adding pine nuts as garnish andbakingforat least 10 minutes. Can also top pasta or be used as calzone filling.

Rating:  8 Original Source:  Completely original creation. please do not replicate without my permission. Recipe ID:  1447 Added:  August 27, 2009 Last Modified:  September 9, 2009

Dairy-free, Nut-free Vegan Sundried Tomato Pesto Recipe Sauces & Condiments  Vegetables  Italian

Ingredients 8 or more high quality sundried tomatoes (fresh packed) 4 slow roasted tomatoes 1-2 slow roasted garlic cloves 1/8 cup high quality olive oil freshly ground salt freshly ground pepper Directions Soak your sundried tomatoes in hot water for 30 minute or so and then drain. Combine all ingredients in your food processor. Blend and taste. Adjust seasonings, add more olive oil if desired. Notes The great thing about this recipe is that you can use it for pasta too! Here the pesto is pictured with some Glutino corn pasta with grilled veggies and a touch of marinara. Enjoy!

Rating:  9 Original Source:  The contents of my brain. Do not replicate anywhere without my permission. Recipe ID:  1228 Added:  May 10, 2008 Last Modified:  May 16, 2008

I am hosting the gluten-free menu swap this week with eggplant as the theme ingredient. I love eggplant for its wonderful texture and versatility. Grilling it gives it wonderful flavor in eggplant “steaks”, and roasting creates a smooth luxurious puree that adds wonderful body to recipes. It can even be used as an unconventonal dairy substitute as seen in this mayo-eggplant pizza topping. What’s your favorite way to enjoy eggplant? Tell me in the comments.

Here are some of mine:
Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant Lentil Soup
Vegetarian Tempeh Moussaka Recipe

Monday: Middle Eastern
Gluten Free flatbread
Baba Ganoush
Bean salad

Tuesday: Italian
Roasted Vegetable Gluten Free Pasta with vegan nut topping

Tuesday: Italian
Arugula Gnocchi
Grilled Veggie Antipasti and beans

Friday: Southern
Cornbread vegetarian stuffing
pressure cooker beans
slow cooked greens

Asparagus Thin never disappoints with her rich and varied international menus. With a renewed enthusiasm for a vegetarian, gluten-free diet, Manda will be enjoying Roasted Eggplant and Onion Panzanella and Eggplant Avocado Pasta. Recipes, please!!! :)

Celiacs in the House has beautiful photos of the Fall harvest and a tasty menu including Fried Rice with Tofu. Her family didn’t seem to care for eggplant last time she tried it so she’s skipping it- the DH doesn’t either but I’ve won him over with some of my recipes.

Kimberly at Gluten Free is Life is a girl after my own heart and could eat eggplant every day! She’s making an easy Eggplant Parmesan that sounds just about perfect.

A Modern Gal’s hubby just doesn’t enjoy eggplant- seems like these husbands (including mine) should form a club. hehe. But she has a great international menu planned with red curry and Indonesian spicy rice w/ egg that you should check out.

Celiac Family has a menu full of tasty dishes, relying on zucchini and tomatoes rather than eggplant since that is what their garden is producing. I often find that I can use zucchini instead of eggplant in grilled recipes and it works quite well.

Gluten-free Food storage has a week full of homey favorites planned, although eggplant is not featured as it is not in their garden.

Angela’s Kitchen has a week full of tasty baked goods planned, along with mini corn dogs for GF family members on a trip to the fair. She also shared her favorite way to enjoy eggplant in the comments.

Green v-neck is a gluten-free blogger new to me, and has a lovely vegan menu planned. Alas, no eggplant. but, she does have some tasty dishes- I’d especially like to come to dinner at her house on wednesday when she will have peanut tofu, curried baked brown rice & lentils. I’d settle for the recipe, in a pinch. (hint hint) :)

If you would like to participate in this week’s Gluten-free Menu Plan Monday please post in the comments. Unfortunately it seems that my email service, Contactify, is down at the moment. I’ll add your menu as soon as i can.

Don’t forget to check out more menus at Org Junkie.

Vegan Baba Ganoush Recipe Vegan  Side Dish  Sauces & Condiments  Vegetables  Middle Eastern

Ingredients 1 large eggplant 2 tbsp. tahini, plus more as needed 1-3 garlic cloves 1/4 onion, sliced and grilled 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed 1 tsp whole cumin, toasted 1 tbsp. roasted sesame seeds, coarsely ground in mortar and pestle salt, to taste smoked paprika, to taste 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs for garnish 1/2tsp. specialty olive oil (like lemon infused) for garnish kalamata or other favorite olive for garnish Directions Roast eggplant in oven on 375 for 15 minutes on each side, or for 15 minutes on the grill and 15 minutes in the oven. Bake garlic cloves at the same time unpeeled wrapped in aluminum foil. Then reserve and cool. Grill onion slices until done on a grill (or caramelize in a pan). Dice a small amount for garnish and reserve the rest. Toast your whole cumin in a pan on the stove to bring out the flavor. Put your roasted garlic (now peeled) and the reserved grilled onion in your food processor and blend. Add your eggplant and blend. Reserve some eggplant to chop or mash by hand if you like your baba ghanoush chunky. Add lemon juice, cumin, tahini, and cumin seeds and blend to desired consistency. Remove lid and add additional spices, but wait to add the garnish until it is in aserving dish. Then, sprinkle with diced grilled onion, additional kosher salt if you like, additional smoked paprika for color, olives and fresh herbs etc. Finally drizzle a little olive oil on top and serve.

Rating:  8 Original Source:  Adapted from various recipes to become an original creation. Pleasedo not replicate without permission. Thanks! Recipe ID:  1449 Added:  August 30, 2009 Last Modified:  August 31, 2009

This week the Gluten-Free menu swap is hosted by Angela’s Kitchen with a very seasonably appropriate theme ingredient of cranberries. I also always enjoy posting my menus with Org Junkie. Don’t forget that Cheryl is temporarily housing the Gluten Free Menu Swap at her blog GF Goodness.
Menu:
Monday: Mexican
Chebe fajitas with refried beans and pepper saute

Tuesday: Italian
Pizza

Wednesday: Holiday
Reg. Potato, Sweet Potato, and Zucchini Latkes with Applesauce
Chowder

Thursday: Merry Christmas!
(DH makes own protein)
Gluten-Free French Bread
Chahan for Masumi
Green Beans sauteed in bread crumbs
Dessert

Baked Good of the Week: Cranberry cake

I have been fighting a serious sweet tooth lately and so the last thing I needed this week was another cookie recipe. Sorry guys, but I just don’t deserve it. You see, I found these mini chocolate peanut butter cups at Trader Joe’s…. and, well, it’s an old story, but I am NOT ALLOWED cookies for a bit. So instead I thought I’d share a yogurt sauce/dressing that is lovely on fried eggs or tofu.

Fresh Herb Yogurt Sauce Sauces & Condiments  Dairy  American

Ingredients 1 cup yogurt, cold 2 tbsp. olive oil 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tsp. GF honey mustard like Annie’s sprinkle of sugar salt and freshly ground pepper 1 tsp dried dill (if no fresh is available, if it is use fresh) 1 tsp. dried parsley (if no fresh is available, if it is use fresh) Handful of fresh basil leaves, julienned, to use as you serve the dish Handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half and lightly salted Directions Whisk yogurt, olive oil and lemon juice together. Season and thoroughly combine. When ready to use pour amount you will use over your cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. Combine. Then drizzle on salad, fried egg seasoned with dill, or fried tofu seasoned with dill. Notes Not earth-shattering by itself, but wonderful on a fried egg in a more waistline-friendly eggs benedict. Would also be nice in a potato salad… hmm…

Rating:  6 Original Source:  Adapted from The Book of Yogurt Recipe ID:  1336 Added:  December 21, 2008 Last Modified:  December 21, 2008

This week the Gluten-Free Menu Swap is hosted by Fresh Ginger, and the theme ingredient is EGGPLANT. In honor of that ingredient, I decided to share my recipe for baba ganoush for this week’s dressing (or sauce) of the week. Looking for more menu ideas? Org Junkie hosts a wonderful Meal Plan Monday event.

Monday: Mexican
Cheesy Arepas
Refried Beans
Pico de Gallo

Tuesday: American
GF Baked Onion Rings (recipe coming SOON!)
Cream of Tomato Soup (dairy-free)
Spinach polenta bites

Thursday: South Indian
Mango Lassi
Dosa Indian Crepes with Masala Potato Filling
Coconut Chutney

Friday-Monday: Road Trip to Portland and Seattle!
Happy Labor Day Weekend!

This week I posted two recipes for baked samosas- one vegan, allergen-free recipe, and another based on Chebe all-purpose baking mix (with eggs and dairy)

I also reviewed a new artisan’s gluten-free, dairy-free pizza crust by Rustic Crust. (Yum!)

This month I’m hosting Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger so make sure to adopt your very own blogger and post in the comments!

As I mentioned, this week the “dressing” of the week is a dip of the week- baba ganoush, made with this week’s eggplant theme ingredient. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Baba Ganoush Sauces & Condiments  Vegetables  Middle Eastern

Ingredients 2 short eggplant or 1 large eggplant 4 garlic cloves, still in skin 1 1/2 tsp coriander 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin 2 or 3 tbsp. tahini sesame paste juice of one small lemon OR 3/4 of the juice of a medium lemon 3 tbsp. high quality olive oil 1/2 tsp paprika (smoked if possible) 6 kalamata olives, chopped generous amount of salt freshly ground pepper fresh cilantro for garnish Directions Roast the eggplant in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes and then toss in your unpeeled garlic cloves with it, letting them both bake for another 15 minutes. Take out the garlic and check the eggplant. you want it to be nice and tender. If it isn’t tender yet, toss it back in the oven for another 15 minutes. Keep checking for doneness. When the eggplant is soft to the touch, remove it from the oven and peel the skin from it. Put in a food processor with the roasted garlic (peeled), spices, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil. Blend until creamy and then add your olives and any additional spices. Blend again, taste, and add any extra salt or pepper to taste. Place in serving dish and garnish with chopped cilantro. Drizzle a little extra olive oil on top and add a little dash of kosher salt if you have it.

Rating:  8 Original Source:  Inspired by the gluten, wheat, and dairy free cookbook AND the gluten-free menu swap. Please do not replicate anywhere without my permission. Recipe ID:  1283 Added:  August 19, 2008 Last Modified:  August 24, 2008