Archives for “raw”
Chickpea Love (aka Garbanzo GaGa-ness)–Cucumber Chickpea “Bruschetta”
This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, and Pennywise Platter Thursdays.
Amy’s (author of Simply Sugar & Gluten Free and soon-to-be author of a gluten-free, sugar-free cookbook!) roundup for this week’s Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays is all about healthier snacks. Amy says she receives many requests for healthy snacks and is asking her readers for help. I suspect we all know how to serve up healthier snacks, but we get bored with the seemingly mundane apples, bananas, baby carrots, celery sticks, and the like. We want something more inventive. We want a snack that appeals to all our senses and excites us just a little bit. Wasn’t your interest piqued by “bruschetta” in the title? Consider the chickpea and cucumber factors and you may be even more intrigued.
Let’s talk more about what we’re looking for in our snacks. Often with healthier snacks, it’s the presentation alone that makes the snack appealing. Take an apple, cut it into slices, arrange the slices into a pinwheel design on a plate, leave it on the kitchen counter, and I guarantee that the apple slices will magically disappear. And, that’s without the benefit of any dips or special topping. However, if I didn’t cut the apple and place it out for public snacking, it would stay in the basket on our kitchen counter until it literally shriveled up. I’m usually the only one who eats apple in their natural state at our house, but even I enjoy apple slices more than eating a whole apple. Attractive and bite-sized, with no work involved–that’s what we consumers really want in our healthy snacks.
A recent mention in Better Homes and Gardens magazine shared some ideas for chickpeas. The first was a roasted version, which used olive oil, salt, and black pepper. As you know, I love roasted chickpeas, but I think I’ll stick with my version, which uses olive oil and cayenne pepper as shown here. (Of course, any seasoning of your choice can be used.) Two other chickpea ideas appealed to me though: cucumber bruschetta and spiced chickpea couscous (remember couscous is only safe if made from brown rice like this product, which I have not yet tried). I decided to pull some of the ideas presented from each suggestion to come up with a healthy, yet appealing snack for today’s Slightly Indulgent roundup.
This Cucumber Chickpea Bruschetta is perfect for simple family snacking or elegant enough to serve as an appetizer at a dinner party. I’d even go so far as to say that one could have this bruschetta as a meal. Plus, it’s gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, soy free, corn free, yeast free, and egg free. For folks with intolerances and/or allergies, that puts tasty “bruschetta” on their table—with no baking. And, yes, this bruschetta is even vegan. No matter on our eating needs, for all of us, it’s a nice way to get in one’s veggies, fruit, and protein. I also like the fact that it’s a cold snack-—that’s very much appreciated with this heat wave we’ve been having. In fact, Mr. GFE gave this recipe two thumbs up and said that he liked the cucumber slice as the base better than traditional bread or even crackers. He explained that the cucumber slices are so juicy, one doesn’t have to keep sipping on a beverage every few seconds. He also suggested that shrimp would be perfect on these little bruschettas. As I’ve said before, we really do think adding shrimp makes just about any appetizer or entree better. No shrimp was needed though as we sampled this bruschetta before eating some steamed crabs. However, it’s amazingly filling. We had to stop after only a few. I’m taking the rest to work today, and I know they’ll be well received.
Cucumber Chickpea Bruschetta
(Click here for a printable version of this recipe.)
cucumber slices
can of drained chickpeas, mashed
juice of about one-fourth of a lemon
chopped tomatoes
chopped onions
chopped basil or other herbs and seasonings (e.g., dill, cumin, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes)
salsa (see notes below)
Slice cucumbers thick enough that they can hold some weight. (See photo.)
In a large bowl, add chickpeas and lemon juice. Mix well. Mash chickpeas with a potato masher or back of a spoon. They do not have to be fully mashed, just spreadable (or “spoonable”).
Spread chickpea mixture onto cucumber slices using a spoon.
Mix tomatoes, onions, herbs, and seasonings. Spoon onto chickpea-topped slices.
OR
Top chickpea-topped cucumber slices with a small spoonful of salsa. Serve.
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens magazine
Shirley’s Notes: I used a seedless cucumber as I think they are a bit sturdier and I like the lack of seeds. Chickpeas are much more difficult to mash by hand than black beans; I was surprised. Just mash enough to be able to place on the cucumber slice. With the remaining chunkiness and their coloring, the mashed chickpeas almost look like shredded cheddar cheese, which is not a bad thing when one is eating dairy free. We had some peach-mango salsa leftover from our weekend camping trip with Son and his friends, which I used as topping for half of these bruschetta. (Incidentally, I’m not sure on the plural of buschetta. I just found out I was saying the word wrong after all these years. Apparently there’s the correct pronunciation and then the Americanized pronunciation.) Just a dab of salsa from a spoon on top of the chickpea mixture was all that was needed. The resulting bruschetta was really lovely, with so many flavors and textures … all working well together. These are very addictive for a healthy snack! Incidentally, this would be a great recipe to get the kids involved in, too.
Carrie’s (Ginger Lemon Girl) 30 Days of Quick and Easy Meals continues on. My Tasty Meat Loaf … in Mere Minutes is the featured recipe today. Note that my post is as much about a method as it is a recipe. If you have a favorite meat loaf recipe, you could certainly use that. Check out my guest post here. Be sure to check out all the other great recipes that have been shared to date and check back until the end of the event, and in the future. This one month of meals from so many great gluten-free folks could keep you in meal ideas for months to come. Maybe you’ll find—as I did with the Blackened Black Bean Burgers—that one great idea will just lead to another. That’s my favorite way to create in the kitchen!
Finally, there’s even more link love in the gluten-free blogosphere right now—all conveying some terrific, “must-have” info. My new, very sweet friend, Tia, of Glugle Gluten Free, dedicated her latest post to me because my suggestion on Elana’s Chocolate Chip Cookies worked. Woohoo for Tia’s success and Elana’s Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies! Check out Tia’s delectable version here. My other, super lovely friend, Heidi, who amazes me every day with her energy and all she’s doing to spread celiac/gluten intolerance/gluten sensitivity awareness, just shared a fabulous summary post of everything gluten free. Heidi’s roundup is so good that I may let myself off the hook for posting one this week (unless something else earth-shattering happens in our gluten-free world, of course). And, thanks, Heidi, for mentioning several posts from gfe! Be sure to check out Heidi’s post here. And, look for her upcoming article on her atypical symptoms of celiac in the next issue of Journal of Gluten Sensitivity, too.
All for now, folks … enjoy!
Shirley
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Chocolate POMerdoodle Ice Cream
Full disclosure: Last September, I attended BlogHer Food. I paid all my expenses, but I did receive some amazing swag. Included was some Scharffen Berger cocoa. I was not paid to write about Scharffen Berger, but I think their products are excellent. October, I attended the POM Wonderful Blogger Harvest Festival in California—all expenses paid. I was not paid to write this post, but the POM Wonderful product used was given to me. However, I write about POM products because I consider them to be excellent products and, of course, they are gfe compliant.
This post is linked to the Valentine’s Day roundup at Ellen’s I Am Gluten Free, Amy’s weekly roundup, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, and Diane’s Friday Foodie Fix–Coconut Milk.
Some of you may remember the POMerdoodle Ice Cream that I made last September for the Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free! blog carnival. Katrina (Gluten-Free Gidget), who greatly enjoys drama and theatrical arts had chosen a Disney theme. I couldn’t settle on a particular Disney movie for my recipe inspiration, so I decided to pay homage to all Disney dogs with a designer dog ice cream. You’re welcome to read the original POMerdoodle post, but basically I added POM Wonderful pomegranate juice to a version of Snickerdoodle ice cream and created the doggie-named POMerdoodle ice cream. Both a fun and delicious creation.
I loved the POMerdoodle flavor as did many others, but I simply had to try a chocolate version. Carrying on with my light-hearted dog theme, I decided to call it Chocolate POMerdoodle (you know … like Chocolate Lab, Chocolate Poodle). Adding just a small amount of cocoa adds richness and depth to this ice cream, particularly if you use a high-quality cocoa. I used Scharffen Berger cocoa, which I’d received in my BlogHer Food swag. I love both that cocoa and POM Wonderful pomegranate juice and I love this ice cream. It’s both gluten free and dairy free. It’s not refined sugar free, but I believe you could skip the brown sugar and simply use 2/3 cup honey or the same amount of agave nectar and end up with an equally delicious, dairy-free ice cream. (I wouldn’t use a one-to-one swap because of the liquid content of honey or agave.)
Chocolate POMerdoodle Ice Cream
(Click here for a print version of this recipe.)
½ cup honey
½ cup light brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 ½ cups full-fat coconut milk, chilled
½ cup POM Wonderful pomegranate juice
2 ½ to 3 tbsp Scharffen-Berger cocoa (or other good quality cocoa, amount to taste—once mixed in, of course)
Mix all together in a mixing bowl or blender. Add to ice cream maker. Churn about 20 minutes until firm. You may remove ice cream from ice cream maker and store in freezer for additional firmness, if needed.
Recipe by Shirley Braden
If you enjoy the wonderful flavor that POM Wonderful pomegranate juice adds to recipes, you’ll want to check these recipes, too:
–POMerdoodle Ice Cream (pretty pale pink—lovely for Valentine’s Day)
–Reindeer Antlers Punch (it’s the perfect color, but perhaps rename it Cupid’s Punch for Valentine’s Day … just skip the alcohol if serving to children or teetotalers)
Don’t forget to check out all the other SSS entries this week:
–Surprise Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
–Cinnamon-Sugar Crusted Almond Popovers
And, if you’re looking for a momentary chocolate overload … pair a Flourless Sparkling Chocolate Cookie with a dish of this ice cream. Happy Valentine’s Day all!
Shirley
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Pleasing Pecan Pie—Raw, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan
This post is linked to Friday Foodie Fix–Pecans and Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.
It’s day 4 of SSS—Suite of Sweets for Sweethearts! When I shared My First Raw Pie I mentioned that one of the other recipes I planned to make later was the raw pecan pie. I like pecan pie a lot. It can be a bit intense though—a jolt of sweetness–so it’s not a pie that I make very often. I did make a crustless version for Thanksgiving that my family loved and a few gfe readers have really enjoyed as well. This raw pecan pie appealed to me because it’s naturally gluten free and dairy free. Plus, it takes its sweetness from dates, and honey, if used, which also makes it refined sugar free. If no sweetener or agave nectar is added, this pie will also be vegan.
Like the first raw pie I made, this one has a great taste. It really pretty much tastes like what you expect a pecan pie to taste like … just not over-the-top sweet. Instead, it’s just sweet enough for my taste. And, once again, I was impressed that I could actually cut this raw pie into slices like a traditional baked pie. A small piece is more than enough, because this pie is delightfully dense and filling, although it doesn’t taste “heavy” in any way. I would have a hard time choosing between this raw version and crustless, baked pecan pie. This pie is healthy enough to eat for breakfast and that’s just what I am going to do! (Incidentally, offering a piece for breakfast may be a way to get your raw food skeptics to give it a try.)
Pecan Pie (Raw, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan)
(Click here for a print version of this recipe.)
2 cups pecans, divided
2 tsp coconut oil (liquefied)
3 tsp honey, divided
½ cup medjool dates, pitted
cinnamon, a few dashes (to taste)
1/3 cup water (may use less if dates are very fresh and juicy)
Crust
1 cup pecans, frozen
2 tbsp coconut oil (liquefied)
1 tsp honey (optional; agave nectar may be used. I did not use either.)
Filling
1 cup pecans
½ cup medjool dates, pitted
2 tbsp honey (optional; agave nectar may be used; but either sweetener is optional. I did not add either.)
A few dashes of ground cinnamon
1/3 cup water (may use less if dates are very juicy)
For crust:
Place 1 cup of frozen pecans in food processor; process 15 to 30 seconds, until mostly ground. (Should not be finely ground, should have a few small pieces still.)
Add coconut oil and honey (if used). Process a few more seconds until the pecans and coconut oil are blended.
Press into 5-inch pie plate (or similar serving dish).
For filling:
Soak medjool dates in 1/3 cup of water for 10 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes.
Add dates, pecans, and water (after the 10 minutes have passed) to food processor.
Process 15 to 30 seconds or so, slowly adding honey (if used).
Pour filling into crust. Garnish with pecan halves, etc., if desired. Serves 4.
Pie crust adapted from recipe from About.com. Filling adapted from a recipe included in newspaper article attributed to Beth Wood, Creators.com.
Shirley’s Notes: Freezing the pecans is supposed to make them bind better with the shortening to make a more viable crust. I’m not sure if it’s really necessary. I froze my pecan halves fairly quickly by spreading them out on an uncovered cookie sheet in the freezer. However, you can try them without freezing and just process with the coconut oil a shorter amount of time. I liquefied my coconut oil just by having the small amount in a bowl on top of my stove while I baked something else. Melted butter (dairy or non-dairy) can be used instead of coconut oil. (Of course, with the addition of dairy butter, this pie will neither be dairy free nor vegan.) In the filling, ½ cup of raisins and ½ cup pecans can be added instead of 1 cup of pecans. Finally, I used sliced raw almonds and dried cranberries for garnish.
Enjoy your day off from baking! Be sure to check out previous Suite of Sweets for Sweethearts entries:
~Surprise Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
~Cinnamon-Sugar Crusted Almond Popovers
Last, in the “don’t forget” category … The Spunky Coconut Cookbook giveaway, A Hand for Haiti ebook charity purchase opportunity (matching funds through Feb. 12!) at Celiac Teen, and Diane’s Friday Foodie Fix—Scallops over at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang.
Shirley
Not just gf, but gfe!
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About Me
Gluten free since June 2003, I lead a celiac/gluten intolerance group in Virginia. My passion is educating folks on gluten issues and showing how eating gluten free can be easy if you focus on “real” foods versus processed and specialty foods.
GFE's Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, but rather a volunteer sharing my experiences. Consult your physician for medical guidance. To the best of my knowledge, all ingredients/products that I use are gluten-free (even if I do not indicate that each and every time I mention them; e.g., if I refer to "soy sauce," it's a gluten-free soy sauce). However, I take no responsibility for the accuracy of that information. Always read labels and verify the gluten-free status of any ingredients/products to your own comfort level.
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