I know it has been a little while since I posted. The reason is that we’ve been quite sick with a cold that just wouldn’t quit. Toddler Yum’s cold turned into ear infections, and mine (as well as my mother’s) turned into pneumonia. So, I write this reclining on the couch, with the dear senior cat ra snoring and purring on my ankle and Downton Abbey playing on the television. The DH has been cooking soups for me all day, and roasting vegetables, and roasting chickpeas, and baking gluten-free french bread and brownies. Do I know how to pick them or what!

Stay tuned for any delicious recipes he comes up with… and the next sign up for Adopt a Gluten-free Blogger in early February.

Here’s me and my girl today, post chickpea scarfing.

Toddler or Mama’s Lunchbox Roasted Chickpeas Side Dish  American

Ingredients 1 can chickpeas, drained 2 tsp olive or grapeseed oil herb blend (I prefer bouquet garni or herbes de provence) herbamare or other mild herbal salt blend (salt-free is ok) smoked paprika 1 tsp. nutritional yeast Directions Preheat oven to 400f. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain chickpea in a strainer. You may rinse if you wish to get rid of some of the salt. Put in a bowl lined with a cloth towel. Pat the chickpeas dry and rub off any translucent skins that come off easily. Turn the towel wrapped chickpeas upside down into the bowl, removing the towel. Drizzle your oil over the chickpeas and evenly distribute over the chickpeas. Pour the chickpeas onto the baking sheet in a single layer and sprinkle with your herb blend, herbamare, smoked paprika, and then nutritional yeast. Roast for 30-40 minutes. If you like them extra crunchy, but don’t want to run the risk of burning them, you can turn off the oven and keep the chickpeas in the oven until they have reached a desired level of crunchiness. Notes Toddler Yum loves this recipe!

Rating:  9 Original Source:  The contents of my brain, please do not replicate without my permission Recipe ID:  1584 Added:  January 29, 2012 Last Modified:  January 29, 2012

Here are some of my friend’s recipes:
Diane’s Roasted Chickpeas
Shirley’s Roasted Chickpeas
Jaden’s Roasted Chickpeas

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

As Thanksgiving has gotten closer, I’ve been finalizing my own Thanksgiving menu. Here’s what I’m thinking.

For our main dish, we’ll have a recipe that has signified Thanksgiving to me ever since I first made it over twelve years ago living in Boulder, Colorado, My main dish for Portobella Mushroom Stuffed Acorn Squash (See below). I’ll top it with my favorite Nutritional Yeast Gravy. It might seem strange, but we’ve always enjoyed having some vegetarian or vegan Homemade baked beans with our Thanksgiving meal. This year I think I’ll make it in the our brand new slow cooker! We usually have plain old mashed potatoes, but this year Elise’s recipe for Duchess Potatoes (adapted to be dairy-free). Then I’ll make some Homemade Orange Apple Cranberry Sauce with a side of gluten-free, vegetarian homemade French Bread. For Desserts we will have pre-made gluten-free pie from Crave Bakery in Gluten-free Pumpkin Pie and Pecan Pie Varieties, as well as homemade dairy-free gluten-free pumpkin and Gluten-free Apple Pie.

What are you having for your Thanksgiving dinner menu?

Portabella Stuffed Acorn Squash Main Course  Vegetables  American

Ingredients Stuffing: 24 oz. gluten FREE bread, cubed (any type works, even bread that isn’t that tasty) 1 tbsp. Olive oil 1 tbsp butter 1 medium onion, diced 2 medium carrots, diced 2 medium portabella mushrooms, diced 1/4 cup walnut (or pecan) pieces 1 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning 1/2 cup fresh basil or other herb 1 cup warm vegetable broth 1/2 tsp. Black pepper 1/2 tsp. salt For the Squash: 4 medium acorn squash, halved, with seeds removed 1 cup water 1/2 cup ginger ale 1/4 cup orange juice 2 tsp low sodium gluten-free tamari (San-j preferred) 1 tsp honey juice of a lemon pinch of cayenne pepper Directions Stuffing Instructions: 1) Place bread cubes on cookie sheet and dry them for 20 to 30 minutes in a 250 degree oven, uncovered. 2) Heat olive oil and butter in a large saute pan. Add onion and carrots, and saute over medium heat for 3 minutes until lightly caramelized. Add mushrooms, nuts, and poultry seasoning, continuing to saute for 2 minutes. Add fresh herb, and transfer to a large mixing bowl, then add dried bread cubes, and mix well with broth. Let sit for 30 minutes until bread absorbs all the liquid and the stuffing is fluffy. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Squash Instructions: 1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place squash halves cut-side-down on a cookie sheet lined with foil, or use a nonstick pan. Add 1/2 cup water and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until nearly tender. 2) Combine ginger ale, orange juice, tamari, honey, lemon juice and pepper. Mix well and set aside. Place squash cavity-side-up in a roasting pan. Brush generously with the glaze. Fill the cavity of each squash with the mushroom stuffing, using an ice cream scoop or large spoon. Pack stuffing in the cavity, forming a uniform mound. 3) Pour 1/2 cup water in the pan and bake 30 minutes, until squash is lightly browned and stuffing is thoroughly heated. Enjoy! Notes My favorite vegetarian “turkey”- excellent with gravy. Of course I use a vegetarian gravy made from scratch using nutritional yeast, but you don’t have to. The stuffing is good on its own as well. Mmmm…. Thanksgiving memories.

Rating:  8 Original Source:  Adapted from the Whole Foods Market Flavors magazine, Volume 1 Recipe ID:  1161 Added:  November 22, 2007 Last Modified:  November 21, 2011

The DH just got back from a two week trip to Israel and I want to spend time with my honey, so I’ll make this quick. I had this recipe at some of my favorite adopted “parents’” house. You know how sometime you have parents and siblings etc. that you are born with, and then people that you meet that end up filling that role for you in your life without being related by blood? Well, Vic and Hallie take the role of gluten-free “Mom and Dad” at our local gluten-free potluck events. This is one of my favorite recipes that they made for us “kids” (although their pizza is also spectacular). Hallie is vegetarian, and a wonderful mom to her own daughters and us local kids too. I hope you enjoy it!

Here’s some more gluten-free dessert recipes:
Dairy-free Soy-free Pumpkin Pie (use GF crust)
Grain-free Pumpkin Cranberry Upside Down Cake
Gluten-free Banana Blueberry Buckle
Raw Truffle Recipe
Blueberry Pie with Honey Whipped Cream
Cinnamon Apple Cake Recipe- no processed sugar, grain-free

Vic and Hallie’s Surprise Cranberry Pie Recipe Dessert  American

Ingredients 1 bag fresh cranberries 1/2 cup Sliced almonds (optional) 1/3 cup Sugar to sprinkle the fruit 3/4 cup Sugar for the crust 2 Eggs 3/4 cup {1-1/2 stick) Butter or margarine (I used 1/4 cup margarine with 1/2 cup butter) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon Xanthan gum (or xanthan gum mixed with guar gum) 1 cup of your favorite mild GF flour blend. Directions This recipe makes one large pie or large cake, or two smaller pies or two smaller cakes. I used one large pie pan and one small gratin type dish. * Preheat the oven to 325° F. Grease the pie plates. * Wash the cranberries or other fruit, leaving a little water on them. * Place the fruit on the bottom of the pie plate. If you use nuts, put them on top of the fruit. Next sprinkle sugar over the top. * In a mixing bowl, cream the remaining sugar with the eggs and butter. Stir in the vanilla extract and then finally fold in the flour and xanthan gum. * Pour or spread the batter over the fruit. * Bake for 35 – 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted near the center of the crust comes out clean. * Important step: Cool for 10 minutes and gently loosen the edges. If you are using a springform, it is particularly important to loosen the edges at this point. Wait until the pie cools completely before taking off the springform sides. Notes I used 1/2 tsp xanthan gum and think I would try 1/4 tsp. next time. For the GF flour blend, Carol Fenster’s or Bette Hagman’s work well- I used a Brown rice version of Bette Hagman’s featherlight blend, but anything will work. Make sure it has a delicate flavor that won’t overwhelm the fruit. You can use different fruits in this recipe, and adapt the flavorings as desired. I think the pie tastes best cool, but it’s good either way. If you want to be really crazy you can add whipped cream or ice cream on top.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  Printed with permission from Vic and Hallie. Recipe found at http://home.comcast.net/~vhdolcourt/gfbaking/desserts/fruit_surprise_pie.html Recipe ID:  1150 Added:  October 25, 2007 Last Modified:  November 20, 2011

For my daily contribution, I thought I’d share one of my favorite vegetarian entrees that I often make for dinner parties including Thanksgiving. This is a recipe that I first enjoyed in my college days before I discovered Bette Hagman. My diet was pretty plain those days. I was thrilled when my best friend came to visit from Wisconsin and made me a gluten-free rice pie crust with a beautiful smiling sun in the bottom. Then she filled the crust with an amazing cheesy spinach filling. That weekend we ate spinach pie, and homemade falafel, and all sorts of good vegetarian foods, and at the end of it I couldn’t figure out why (at that time) I ate meat at all. All that veggie food was tastier to me than any of the meat stuff, and I had become seriously troubled by the ethics of eating animals after I brought home a dear little house Rabbit I named Hazel Moon and got to know how sweet and intelligent rabbits could be when kept outside of a cage. Shortly thereafter I became a gluten-free vegetarian, and never regretted it.

Over the years at the Book of Yum I’ve made many variations of a classic spinach pie. I’ve made it cheesy, and not cheesy, rice-based and rice-free, with non-dairy milk and with homemade vegan un-cheese. Here are two of my favorites. The first one is cheesy and has a variation for those who just hate rolling out pie crust and don’t want to buy a pre-made one. The second one is vegan and allergy-friendly with a homemade crust made from healthy quinoa and amaranth flour. It is a bit fiddley but worth the effort if you need to avoid a lot of allergens. Amazingly, despite all the things that aren’t in it, it still tastes great and emulates its dairy counterpart. I hope you enjoy!

Go to our Thanksgiving Vegetarian Event Headquarters to see links to all of our contributor’s recipes. See you tomorrow for another new vegetarian Thanksgiving recipe and another classic Book of Yum Thanksgiving dish!

If you are a vegetarian, when and how did you become a vegetarian? If you aren’t a vegetarian, what factors have encouraged you to consume more vegetables and fruits in your diet? Share in the comments! I want to hear your stories!

Caramelized Onion and Garlic Spinach Pie Main Course  Vegetables  European

Ingredients 2 bags or 2-3 pkgs of fresh spinach 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 tbsp. margarine or butter 1/2 small onion, finely chopped 2 fresh garlic cloves, pressed 2 tbsp finely ground brown rice flour 3 or 4 cups lowfat milk 1 tbsp or more garlic powder (or to taste) 1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded GF Pie crust (I used Whole Foods GF Bakehouse) OR Garlic mashed potatoes with extra cheese if desired Directions Bake GF pie crust for 10-20 minutes, according to recipe, at 375 sprinkled with garlic powder. Cook spinach in a dutch oven with a little water and then drain in a strainer. Cut into bite sized pieces and reserve. Melt/heat olive oil and margarine in nonstick or cast iron pan. When margarine has barely melted but pan is hot, add onion and, after a minute or so, add pressed garlic. Don’t let burn, but try not to move around too much so that they get all caramelized and yummy. When they look translucent and a little brown, add brown rice flour and mix into a paste, letting brown as a roux for as long as desired, but without burning. Add milk slowly, one half cup at a time and whisk in so you get a smooth sauce. Let it thicken and continue adding milk gradually. Add garlic powder to taste (really, taste it) and, when you have a nice white sauce, turn off the heat and add your cheese. (You can use more or less cheese, to taste.)When cheese has melted, add your spinach and mix until thoroughly combined. Pour into prepared pie crust OR Pour into pie pan OR gratin dishes. Take garlic mashed potatoes (if you have plain mashed potatoes, melt 1 tbsp margarine and combine 1/2 tsp or more of garlic powder, then stir into potatoes) and put into ziploc bag with hole cut out one corner to make a pastry bag. Sprinkle Spinach pie filling with any seasonings (i sprinkled paprika) and then gently put pressure on bag with mashed potatoes to release stream of crust, curling it on top of the spinach filling. Squish down until flat and top with additional cheddar cheese if you want. Bake pie for 20-25 minutes or so, or until top is brown and looks firm. It will be somewhat liquidy until it cools, so don’t worry. Enjoy!

Rating:  9 Original Source:  Adaption of Ann’s original recipe, the shared content of our brains. Do not replicate without permission. Recipe ID:  1146 Added:  October 15, 2007 Last Modified:  October 15, 2007

Gluten-free Vegan Smoky Uncheesy Spinach Pie Recipe Main Course  Alternative Grains  American

Ingredients Dough: 3/4 cup quinoa flour 1/4 cup arrowroot starch or tapioca starch 1/2 tsp salt 1/3 cup Organic Palm Oil shortening such as spectrum 2 tbsp dairy free milk of choice (plain hemp, rice, or almond) Filling: 2 or 3 bunches spinach (3 bunches for just spinach, 2 bunches if you add 1 bunch of beet greens), blanched, drained and diced 3/4 recipe of my smoked un-cheddar sauce Directions Combine flours, salt, and shortening in a food processor fitted with the S-blade. Process until all ingredients are combined and it starts looking mealy. Add your dairy-free milk and process again. It should start to form a ball. Using a spatula, scoop out your dough ball and shape into a nice ball in your hands. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. (You can rush this step but dough will be more persnickety.) Meanwhile, prepare your spinach and make the smoked un-cheddar sauce. Mix the two together in a bowl and reserve. Preheat oven to 375. Place your chilled ball of dough in a gallon sized, freezer-safe ziploc bag. Roll thinly to cover the whole interior of the bag. Cut out the sides of the bag and peel back the top. Place with remaining bag side DOWN over an inverted pie pan (a). Place another inverted pie pan (b) on top of the naked dough and flip your tins so that they are right side up. Remove pie pan (a). Carefully peel back the remaining ziploc bag sheet to reveal a pretty pie crust. Pre-bake pie crust for 5-10 minutes. Don’t worry if it cracks on the bottom- it will taste just as good as a gorgeous, uncracked crust and no one sees anything but the top part of the crust. Fill with your blanched and drained spinach in your smoky un-cheddar sauce. Bake for 20 minutes or until top looks set and lightly browned. Serve and enjoy! Tastes great cold the next day!

Rating:  9 Original Source:  The contents of my brain, please do not replicate anywhere without my permission. thanks! Recipe ID:  1495 Added:  March 13, 2010 Last Modified:  March 14, 2010

Gluten-free dairy-free soy-free Smoked un-cheddar sauce Sauces & Condiments  Alternative Grains  American

Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil 1/2 of a large onion, minced 3/4 cup nutritional yeast 1/4 cup quinoa flour 1 1/2 cup water 2 tbsp Earth Balance soy-free margarine 3 tbsp. tomato paste 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp smoked paprika Directions Heat olive oil on medium in nonstick pan and saute your onion until it turns translucent. Then add your nutritional yeast and quinoa flour, toasting lightly. Lower the heat to medium-low, and whisk in one cup of water that you slowly add to the pan. When you have a nice smooth sauce, add your soy free margarine and tomato paste, mixing thoroughly. Season with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Let sauce thicken until it gets to your preferred “cheesy sauce” texture. Add water as needed if the sauce gets too thick. Take off burner and enjoy!

Rating:  9 Original Source:  Inspired by various recipes online but my original creation. Please do not replicate without my written permission. Recipe ID:  1494 Added:  March 13, 2010 Last Modified:  March 14, 2010

For the classic Book of Yum Thanksgiving recipe of the day, I thought I’d share one of my favorite, most reliable recipes for a gluten-free roll. I think the herbs in this recipe would go beautifully with a baked apple. To make it dairy-free, simply replace the cow’s milk with a dairy-free milk like soy, almond, or hemp. I haven’t tried making this recipe vegan yet, but I would probably try to use flax eggs, as the Ener-g Egg Replacer “eggs” tend to work best in recipes with two or fewer eggs. If you want a vegan roll, try my Vegan Sorghum Onion Rolls, which happens to be the image pictured on our event banner on the left. You can switch out the seasonings if you like to a salted rosemary topping. Gosh that sounds good.

Join us tomorrow for a delicious Vegetarian Nut Roast from Kalinda of Wheat-Free Meat-Free. Kalinda is also hosting this month’s edition of Adopt a Gluten-free Blogger, and I hope you will sign up to adopt a gluten-free blogger at her site!

Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you enjoy the recipes!

Adeenas Gluten-Free Hearty Rosemary-Thyme Dinner Roll Recipe Bread  Alternative Grains  American

Ingredients 3 eggs – use Extra Large! 1/4 cup oil 1/4 cup sugar 1 1/4 cups milk 1 tsp. salt 1 TBSP xanthan gum 1/3 cup potato starch (NOT flour) 1 cup white rice flour 1 cup brown rice flour 1 cup tapioca starch 1/3 c. GF teff or buckwheat flour (M’s modification) 1 TBSP active dry yeast 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar For rosemary thyme variation, mix chopped fresh thyme and rosemary, and dried onion flakes with a dash of olive oil and reserve. If desired, minced sundried tomatoes, to taste Garnish: More fresh, chopped rosemary (or dried), fresh thyme, chopped, black or kosher/gourmet salt (large crystals are key), dried onion flakes, and anything else you feel like. Directions Preheat Oven to 380 degrees.* Note: I actually started these at a higher temperature, more like 450, and then turned the temperature down, in the attempt to get a crunchier crust. Try experimenting with the temperature and see what you like. I’ll be trying different things the next time I make this recipe. :) Beat eggs in heavy duty mixer and then add oil, vinegar, and sugar, combining. Add dry ingredients. Warm milk in the microwave (or on the stove) and add to the bowl, gently folding it into the flour. Add your rosemary thyme mix. Turn on motor, let ingredients combine thoroughly then turn power to medium and leave for 4 minutes while it stirs. If you want sun dried tomatoes, add for the last minute or so of mixing. Spray baking pan (cookie sheet type) with nonstick cooking spray and/or line with parchment paper. Flour your hands with gluten free rice flour and grab a ball of dough from the mixing bowl. Gently shape it into a roll. Place it on the prepared cookie sheet. Make another roll, continuing until all dough has been used for rolls. (This part is fun!) Brush with whisked egg. Sprinkle with garnish (fresh herbs, salt, onion), poppy seeds or sesame seeds if desired. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled.(*edited) Five minutes before you put the rolls in the oven, put ice cubes (in a pan) in the bottom rack of your oven and let them evaporate into steam. Open oven, put in your rack of rolls and let bake for 20-25 minutes. (Halfway through baking time, you may wish to turn over your rolls for even browning.) Alternatively, place a pan w/ 1/4 to 1/2 inch of boiling water on the lowest rack in the oven 5 minutes before you put the bread in and leave in there until bread is done. These two baking methods should result in a crunchier outer crust.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  SillyYaks message board, reprinted with permission from Adeena. Thank you Adeena. Some modifications by me. Please do not replicate without my (actually, her) permission Recipe ID:  1189 Added:  January 29, 2008 Last Modified:  July 6, 2008

Other fun squash recipes from my gluten-free friends:
Kim has Zucchini Fritters Recipe
Elana has Butternut Squash Fries Recipe
Alta shares a Curried Acorn Squash Soup
Stephanie has Vegan stuffed Squash Blossoms Recipe
Nancy has a Summer Squash Bean Soup
Melissa has a Spicy Squash Salad Recipe
Stephanie has a Crockpot Butternut Squash Recipe

Pattypan Squash Latke Fritter Recipee Main Course  Side Dish  Vegetables  American

Ingredients 4 cups (about 1 1/2 lbs) large pattypan squash (5 inch or larger in diameter) 3 eggs, whisked together 1/2 cup almond meal (Trader Joes or homemade ground whole almonds with skin) 1/2 cup almond flour (I used Honeyville. You could probably substitute Almond meal OR homemade ground blanched almonds) 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. seasoning blend 1/2 tsp. herbamare or your favorite salt 2 tbsp. Grapeseed oil or other high-heat tolerant oil Directions Cut off top with stem and peel your *overgrown pattypan squash. You can slice off any skin that is difficult to reach with a peeler. Slice into large pieces that will fit into a food processor chute and run through the large hole grater. The ideal method for draining your grated pattypan is to press it in a potato ricer. The grated pattypan is too big to go through the holes, but some liquid will come out the holes and you can also drain it off the top of the ricer cup. Empty the drained grated squash onto a clean kitchen towel and repeat until all of your squash has been pressed. Fold up in your towel and press any additional moisture out. Place your grated, drained pattypan squash into a large bowl. Fold your eggs into the squash. Add your almond meal, almond flour, baking powder and seasonings including salt. Fold together until you have a batter. Heat 1 or 2 tablespoons of your oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Form golf-sized balls of the batter in your hands and flatten patties into the oil in the pan. Fry until golden brown and then turn. Remove onto a large plate and reserve. You will have to make several batches to use up all the batter. Delicious as-is or with your favorite sauce! Notes I have not tested this, but if using a regular petite pattypan, you shouldn’t have to peel it. However, a petite pattypan probably has more water content so you may have to add more meal and/or flour.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  The contents of my brain, a work-in-progress. Please do not replicate without my permission. Recipe ID:  1565 Added:  August 2, 2011 Last Modified:  August 2, 2011