Book of Yum

In the world of allergens, potato is an unexpectedly common trigger for some people. In the course cutting out foods that seemed to bother Baby Yum, I found it necessary to cut out potato from my diet. I just about went crazy! Where were my hash browns, my french fries, my baked potatoes, my starchy gnocchi, my knishes? Oh my darling knishes, how I missed you! Not being able to bake some starchy goodness up in the oven or have my favorite In-N-Out gluten-free french fries made me one sad (and hungry) breastfeeding mama. But, when the diet gets restricted, it encourages you to start thinking outside of the box. First I tried sweet potato fries. Those are good. But, I wasn’t quite sure they agreed with Baby Yum either. So, back to the drawing board. It took me a while but eventually I thought- wait! These starchy and sweet carrots I’ve been stir frying and munching on all hours of the day might actually make a pretty tasty roasted french fry if I prepared it correctly. So, out came the olive oil, the seasonings, my favorite baking sheet- and I sliced up those carrots just like a sweet potato or potato. And you know what? Roasted and drizzled with oil, they taste just like an extra sweet and addictive sweet potato fry, without actually being one! Whether you’re on a gluten-free, allergen-free diet or not, anyone can enjoy this unexpectedly delightful side dish, and it goes with just about anything. In the recipe below I suggest you start with at least 5 carrots. I’ve never had a batch last through the night, and I’ve made some pretty big batches. My Mom, My DH, and even Baby Yum loves this recipe (her version is oil and salt-free). So, enjoy! And if this sauce doesn’t appeal to you, try it with some yummy homemade ketchup. Trust me- it is worth the effort!

Roasted Carrot French Fry Recipe Side Dish  Vegetables  American

Ingredients Fries: At least 5 Organic Carrots olive oil Bouquet Garni Seasoning Salt Pepper Spicy Sauce: 1/3 cup ketchup 1/2 tsp srirachi 1 1/2 tsp. agave nectar or simple syrup 2 tbsp. applesauce 3 tbsp. minced fresh parsley Directions Preheat oven to 400F. Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper (or not, but they may stick). Peel carrots and cut off nubby ends. Slice each carrot into thirds (or in half); you want to cut them into your desired fry length. Then slice each third in half horizontally. Depending on your carrot thickness, you can either cut those halves in half or into thirds to make skinny fries. You want them to be no fatter than a typical cheap pencil. Place carrots on your cookie sheet on top of the (optional) parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and then stir the fries with your fingers to distribute the oil evenly on them. Sprinkle one side with Bouquet Garni, salt, and pepper; then turn and season the other side. Place in oven and roast for 15 minutes. Take them out and check the bottom side. If it is nicely browned, flip the fries and put them back in the oven for another 15 minutes. If the fries are not sufficiently browned, put them back in and wait another 10-15 minutes before flipping and then putting them back in the oven. I like my fries brown and crispy, so I run the risk of letting them burn. To prevent this, check more frequently. While waiting, make sauce by whisking together spicy sauce ingredients in a small bowl. When both sides are brown and crispy, remove from oven and serve with sauce. Enjoy!

Rating:  9 Original Source:  My original creation. Please do not replicate anywhere without my permission. Thanks! Recipe ID:  1514 Added:  August 30, 2010 Last Modified:  August 30, 2010

Cheryl is hosting this week’s gluten-free menu swap with peaches as the theme. You can find more great menu plans with Org Junkie. Here’s my menu for the week- with a few from last week that we didn’t work into our busy schedule with a newborn.

Tuesday: Chinese
Soy free Green Bean and Jicama Stir Fry
Rice

Wednesday: Thai
Panang Vegetable Curry on rice noodles

Thursday: Indian
Tofu in Creamy Coconut Tomato Gravy
Basmati Rice

Friday: American Southern
Mashed Potatoes
Pan Fried gluten-free okra
Pressure cooked beans

Dessert: Peach tapioca pudding
Baked Good: Bette Hagman bread

This week I had some Trader Joe’s prepared beets in the refrigerator that inspired me to try a new recipe- the unusual and cleverly named red flannel hash. Usually this recipe is not vegetarian friendly, but I used well seasoned golden brown pan-fried mushrooms for a “meaty” substitute and enjoyed every bite. I served it with a cumin-sesame tofu scramble for a healthy and hearty casein-free vegan breakfast.

Gluten-free Vegetarian Red Flannel Hash Recipe Breakfast  Potatoes  European

Ingredients 2 tsp olive oil 1/4 onion, diced handful sliced crimini mushrooms salt and pepper to taste smoked paprika or chipotle pepper 2 tsp margarine 2 tsp. olive oil 1 large potato, cooked (microwaved is fine) 2 small cooked whole beets (canned or prepared) Directions Heat olive oil in nonstick pan or cast iron pan on medium. Saute onions and add mushrooms as onions turn translucent. Season generously with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Let onion get caramelized and mushroom get golden brown. Grate beets and either grate potatoes or put them through ricer. Salt and pepper grated/ riced veggies. Add margarine and oil to center of pan, let margarine melt and add seasoned potatoes and beets to onions and mushrooms. Let form a nice brown crust on the bottom and then turn over, browning other side. Serve with traditional red wine vinegar as a condiment or eat as is. Enjoy with a nice tofu scramble or other high protein veggie side dish.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  Contents of my brain, please do not replicate without my permission. Thanks. Recipe ID:  1444 Added:  August 16, 2009 Last Modified:  August 17, 2009