Book of Yum

Recently, the farmer’s market has exploded with a gorgeous selection of pumpkin and squashes of every color, affirming that despite the sunny skies, Fall has finally come to us in California. I haven’t been able to resist bring some home with me. This week I’ve enjoyed their decorative presence in the house while I tried to decide how to use them. Inspiration came from an unexpected source. The other day the DH suddenly had an urge for Thanksgiving-type holiday food and bought a variety of ingredients to make himself a non-veg platter of goodness. Most of it wasn’t really my type of food, but he did make one dish that I found really interesting- a sautee of onions and apples for a fruity “stuffing” sans bread. Somehow as I watched him prepare it, I was reminded of my favorite portabella mushroom stuffed acorn squash recipe that I make every Thanksgiving as my special vegetarian main dish. I love this recipe, but baking acorn squash, toasting the gluten-free bread; and sauteeing and assembling the stuffing does take some effort. I wondered if I couldn’t do something similar but much easier for a special weekend meal with cubes of roasted pumpkin in a holiday “stuffing” recipe. Instead of the cinnamon that the DH used, I tried to amp up the savory elements with poultry seasoning (veg of course). I poked about for instructions on roasting the pumpkin, as I was afraid simply pan frying it wouldn’t cook it well enough and I had visions of mushy, watery boiled pumpkin as the only alternative. I settled on Vegyum’s instructions for the pumpkin portion, and then sauteed the rest, adding in the roasted pumpkin and fresh basil at the end of the cooking process. It does occur to me that you could possibly roast all of the ingredients to marvelous effect- but I’ll save that experiment for next time. The result? A delicious, light but satisfying dish that the DH pronounced “very good- as a side dish” and I enjoyed as my main course. It is an especially nice dish for a holiday party with vegetarians, as it takes little time but is interesting and versatile. To make it even more exciting, you could serve it in an acorn squash or pumpkin, or use it as topping for large broiled portabella mushrooms. What vegetarian, gluten-free guest wouldn’t enjoy this dish?

What are your favorite gluten-free, vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes? Feel free to include the link and description in this post and I’ll do a roundup as the holidays approach.

Vegetarian Roasted Pumpkin Apple Mushroom Breadless Stuffing Recipe Main Course  Vegetables  American

Ingredients 1 small pumpkin-type squash A few whole garlic cloves, unpeeled Half of an onion roughly chopped several Sprigs of fresh rosemary olive oil salt, pepper 1 medium onion, chopped 1 portabella mushroom OR 8 crimini mushrooms, chopped 1 peeled apple, chopped in small pieces poultry seasonings (with sage etc.) salt, pepper fresh rosemary sprigs fresh basil leaves, julienned, to taste Vegan Nutritional Yeast Gravy, Cranberry Sauce for Serving Directions Chop and peel small pumpkin squash into small to medium sized (about 1 1/2 inch) chunks. Heat oven to 450 f and place your pumpkin cubes in roasting dish or cookie sheet with a few garlic cloves, chopped onion, and fresh rosemary. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 or 40 minutes and reserve, discarding the rosemary and removing the (still unpeeled) garlic cloves. Keep at least two of the roasted garlic cloves for usage in the recipe later. Add some olive oil (less than 1 tbsp.) to a dutch oven or cast iron pan on medium or medium high heat and saute onion until it begins to turn transparent. Toss in mushroom pieces in a single layer, moving onions aside so mushrooms are in direct contact with the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Sear mushrooms until golden brown and then turn. When the mushrooms are browned on both sides, you may wish to remove most of the onions and all of the mushrooms from the pan for optimal browning of the apples. If desired, add a touch more olive oil (1 tsp or so) to the pan and heat. Throw in your apple chunks and season with poultry seasoning. Let them brown to taste, turning a few times. Then add your mushrooms, onions, and roasted pumpkin to the pan with the apple pieces. Add extra seasonings and more fresh rosemary. You may wish to add the contents of 2+ of the roasted garlic from the pumpkin roast, but make sure to evenly distribute the contents throughout the dish. Cook for a few more minutes to let the flavors mingle. Then take off the burner and sprinkle with basil, folding into the dish. Serve with Vegetarian gravy and Cranberry sauce on the side.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  The contents of my brain. Do not replicate anywhere without my permission. Recipe ID:  1308 Added:  October 21, 2008 Last Modified:  October 24, 2008

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

The last time I went grocery shopping, I have to admit, it was something of an unpleasant shock. I’ve noticed the price of certain things (dairy, produce, etc.) sneaking up, but this time I was shopping somewhere different than normal and I was so depressed when I found out that it really wasn’t cheaper to shop there than anywhere else. Bummer. Despite the fact that pretty much everything is going up-up-up in price, there are still some ingredients out there that are almost reasonably priced, if you shop carefully. Here in the Bay Area, we have a great shop called the Milk Pail that sells inexpensive produce and imported cheese. We also have a ton of international grocery stores (Hispanic, Asian, etc.) where you can get great prices on produce. Not buying certain protein sources helps with maintaining a budget- and not going crazy with dairy helps too. I’ve also had another issue- mainly, the fact that I’ve been so darned busy with school I haven’t had time to make the kind of elaborate, time consuming recipes that I love. So, I decided to start a new regular feature here at the book of yum called “Easy and Frugal Gluten-Free Cooking” to showcase recipes that are ideal for those on a budget and pressed for time. Like me, you’ve no doubt noticed the skyrocketing price of rice. It’s so distressing when one of the staple grains of the gluten-free lifestyle is affected- and if it’s hard for me, I can only imagine how tough many families are finding it right now. Both of these recipes don’t use (much) rice at all, and one is even low-carb for those frugal AND busy gluten-free dieters out there! I hope you enjoy.

DH and I developed this recipe for spaghetti squash lasagna when we were dieting before our wedding, almost six years ago. (It’s tough when two cooks get together- you always want to feed each other to show how much you care!) I’m picky about my squash, to say the least. Nothing I hate worse than mushy, overcooked yellow summer squash or zucchini. Yuck. But luckily, spaghetti squash is difficult to ruin. Its stringy, almost crispy noodle-like threads are pleasing texturally and have a lovely, fresh flavor to boot. Combined with italian seasonings and cheese, it’s even better. According to Wikipedia, “Spaghetti squash contains many nutrients including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene. It is also a food low in calories, averaging 75 calories in 8 cooked ounces.” Sounds good to me! By the way, I included a dairy free option that is NOT particularly frugal- sorry about that. I just thought it would be yummy. If pine nuts are not in the budget, you could use your favorite processed dairy-free cheese or crumbled tofu ricotta. (Note: you can get a decent price on a large-ish bag of Pine Nuts at Costco- Sam’s Club might carry them too, but I’m not entirely sure.) This recipe was developed from a Weight Watcher recipe so can be low in points. You can skip the oil and be skimpy with the cheese if you would like and it will still be a great simple meal!

And I’ve always had a soft spot for potato latkes. What’s not to like about a hearty potato based pancake? I think this is the best potato latke I ever had, and I haveThe Complete Guide to Traditional Jewish Cookingto thank for providing the inspiration. Latkes are perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. When I’m in a real rush, sometimes I mix up half a batch of Manischewitz Homestyle Potato Latke Mix and serve it with a little tin of applesauce and (optional) sour cream or yogurt. But, nothing can compete with freshly made latkes with real potatoes and onions. This dish contains eggs for protein, potato as the starchy vegetable base, and I added spinach for some extra vitamins. With the additions, it makes a great complete meal. And, happily, potatoes are still a reasonably priced ingredient that gives a lot of gluten-free bang for your buck.

I hope you enjoy these two recipes as much as I did- and they really are easy and satisfying. Note: hungry husbands may be disappointed if you make them grate cheese and they find out it wasn’t for pizza but for low-carb veggie casserole. Ahem. And if said DH’s are not dieting, they may want some starchy dish on the side or there are certain to be late night refrigerator raids! That being said, DH enjoyed both of these dishes and I will be making both again!

Enjoy this recipe? You might also like my other low-carb vegetable recipes:
Zucchini based pizza crust
or
Eggplant Parmesan Recipe sans crumbs
Zucchini Parmesan Recipe sans crumbs

Gluten Free Potato Latkes Recipe with spinach variation Breakfast  Potatoes  American

Ingredients 3 lg baking potatoes, peeled (1.5 lbs) 2 onions, grated 2 tbsp corn meal 2 tbsp rice flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 tsp sugar 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper large handful spinach (optional) olive oil applesauce (i like the little individual serving cups) lowfat sour cream or lowfat yogurt Directions Grate potatoes in your food processor and place in a strainer or in a clean kitchen towel. Press all the liquid out that you can. Put the grated potato in a large bowl. Put your onions through the food processor grater attachment and then put them in a strainer and let the liquid drain out. Try not to cry. Add the grated onion to the bowl with the grated potatoes and add the corn meal, rice flour, and all ingredients up to the black pepper. Don’t add the spinach yet. Heat your nonstick pan on a burner on medium-medium high. Add a little olive oil to your nonstick pan and let it heat up. Then drop spoonfuls of the batter into the pan in pancake shapes. Or, if you like to cuddle your food, you can grab a small handful of the mixture and shape it on the surface of the pan. Fry on medium to medium high heat for 4 minutes or until golden brown. Add extra oil if it seems to dry. Turn and fry the other side until golden brown. You can store it on a baking rack with holes or put it in the oven on a baking sheet to keep warm until you finish making them all. *For spinach variation you can add the spinach to a dry portion of the pan until it wilts and add it to the remaining batter, combining before you fry it up. I made half plain and half with spinach for extra flavor and nutrition. Serve

Rating:  8 Original Source:  Modified to be gluten Free from The Complete Guide to Jewish Cooking Recipe ID:  1235 Added:  May 23, 2008 Last Modified:  May 23, 2008

Spaghetti Squash un-lasagna recipe Main Course  Vegetables  Italian

Ingredients 1 large spaghetti squash olive oil pasta seasonings (like Trader Joes) High quality organic tomato marinara sauce 1 or 2 garlic cloves, pressed fresh spinach (optional) lowfat mozarella cheese, grated OR for dairy free variation Pine Nut Not-Ricotta 1 cup raw pignoli nuts, soaked in water for at least 1 hour 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1/2 teaspoon sea salt Directions Combine a little olive oil, pasta seasoning in a small dish and mix thoroughly. You can add a little pressed garlic if you like. Slice your spaghetti squash in half horizontally and scoop out the inner seeds. Baste with your seasoned olive oil and bake on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan at 375 F for 45 minutes to an hour- until flesh gives slightly at touch. Turn over halfway through if you like. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and then scrape out your squash strands with a fork. Take a cookie sheet or jelly roll dish and grease with nonstick cooking spray or a little olive oil. Mix with pressed garlic or any extra seasonings if you like. Spread your squash out in one flat surface- almost like pizza! Add a layer of the tomato marinara sauce, fresh spinach, and top with dairy or non-dairy cheese. Bake for 25-45 minutes or until top is golden brown (in case of cheese). Serve and enjoy!

Rating:  8 Original Source:  Adapted from a Weight Watcher’s Recipe from years ago Recipe ID:  1236 Added:  May 23, 2008 Last Modified:  May 24, 2008