Book of Yum

Cheryl has stepped in for Natalie of Gluten-free Mommy, who isn’t feeling well, to host this week’s Gluten-Free Menu Swap. She’ll also be the temporary headquarters for the menu-swap while Natalie recovers, so make sure you visit her and give her your menus in the future. The ingredient for this week is chocolate- luckily, I happened to buy some Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in a moment of weakness, so I’m all ready for the theme! If you enjoy reading menus, you’ll also love Org Junkie’s meal plan Monday. (Menus will be up… Monday!)

This week I was inspired by the ingredients in our refrigerator to make a wilted spinach salad with roasted mushrooms. Mmm, tasty. Word to the wise- just make enough wilted spinach for immediate servings. Then reserve dressing if you want to make some the next day. The mushrooms and dressing keep beautifully, but the spinach is best made fresh.

The DH was the mastermind behind this week’s menu- he suggested types of food and I brainstormed from there. Hope you enjoy!

Monday: Chinese
Savory Shanghai Noodles with Tofu (modified from Chinese and Thai Cooking)

Tuesday: Italian
Veggie Lasagna with cheese

Thursday: American Homestyle
Southern Fried Tofu
Mashed Potato and veggie gravy
Peas
Almond Green Beans

Everyday lunches:
Indian Dal (Rajma etc.), brown rice, broccoli and chard

Baked Good:
Spicy Ginger muffins/ mini bundt cakes

Last week I posted a
Recipe for versatile Madras-style green beans
and a review of gluten-free carob recipes (with recipe links)

Here’s my Salad and Dressing of the week. Enjoy!

Honey Mustard Mushroom Spinach Salad Salad  Sauces & Condiments  Vegetables  American

Ingredients Dressing: 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar 1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil 1 tbsp. honey mustard vinegar (Annies) 1 or 2 tsp. honey 1/2 tsp smoked paprika pepper salt Roasted Veggies: 1/2 lb. crimini mushrooms 1/2 medium onion, chopped Salad Base: spinach Toppings: 1/4 cup (or less) walnuts, toasted in oven for 7-10 minutes 2 medjool dates, chopped 3 mini heirloom tomatoes or 1 small heirloom tomato, sliced attractively and sprinkled with salt Directions Heat oven to 425 F and prepare baking sheet. Combine dressing ingredients and whisk until completely emulsified. Clean and de-stem your mushrooms and chop your onion. Place mushroom caps and chopped onion on your baking sheet and drizzle HALF of your dressing on them, combining thoroughly. Roast for 20-25 minutes. If you like, towards the end of the roasting you can move them over to make space to toast the walnuts or toast the walnuts on the stove or in a separate pan. Clean and dry your spinach. Place in a medium to large serving bowl. When mushrooms are soft and delicious, shake them onto the spinach (including juices) and fold them in. Heat the remaining dressing in the microwave for 30 seconds or so. If you want you can put your dates in the dressing as it helps them separate. (Date pieces like to clump together). Pour the hot dressing on the spinach and mushrooms, sprinkle with date pieces, walnuts and tomato pieces. Serve and enjoy!

Rating:  8 Original Source:  The contents of my brain, do not replicate anywhere without my permission. Recipe ID:  1300 Added:  October 11, 2008 Last Modified:  October 11, 2008

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