I always tell the girls...A Friendship Fairytale Dinner

My friends and I decided to all cook together last night. Usually I am horrific at letting anyone help me cook because I am quite particular about how I like things prepared. Sassy Indie in the kitchen. You don’t know how to mince like I want? Be afraid. Be very afraid.

However, “too many cooks in the kitchen” didn’t describe our night. We all divvied up the menu and everyone helped prep. I didn’t even try to hit anyone with my wooden spoon once. Promise. C’mon wine is a sedative dears. And I may have used dry minced garlic to avoid mincing massacres.

My contribution to this affair was the entrée. I determinedly decided the delicious mangos atop the crates at the store needed to marry a spiced, garlic chicken. I wanted to keep it simple, as nobody wants to be in the kitchen while the gals gossip gleefully on the patio while basking in the warm summer breeze. Glass of wine or not.

The soiree was that of a friendship fairytale. We indulged on light appetizers al fresco and soaked in the night. My friend Lauren complimented the chicken effortlessly with a mouthwatering medley of a side salad encompassing arugula and spinach melting into crisp veggies and light balsamic. Utter perfection.

**To my dear girlfriends, you are my soulmates.**

Roasted Garlic Chicken with Mango Salsa

This recipe takes very little prep time and is perfect for a night you want to catch up with the girls. Or just don’t want to fuss with a neurotic cook such as myself. The mango delightfully compliments the spice and punch of the garlic and sea salt.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Dried minced garlic
• Sea Salt
• Ground black pepper
• 3 mangos, diced
• 3 small vine tomatoes
• Extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

Coat the chicken with olive oil, and thoroughly cover with the garlic, sea salt and pepper. Go a little more heavy handed on the garlic. Trust me.

Bake for 45 minutes to one hour. Let rest for 10 minutes.

While your chicken bakes, prepare the salsa. Dice the mangos and tomatoes and place in a bowl. Add 1 tbs olive oil, and 2 tsp sea salt. Optional: Add diced avocado or red onion. Toss and set aside.

Plate your chicken and heap the salsa on top.

Now get your bum on the patio with the girls and revel in the delightful evening!

Salsa Dancing

I was telling my co worker about my crock potting mission and he suggested this Salsa Chicken recipe! I looked it up online and found out that it was actually pretty low in calories (the canned soup part scared me so I had to make sure). Of course I had to substitute the g-free canned soup but other than that it was a cinch! I added a couple things to his recipe just to boost the nutrition.


Yellow rice made a delicious dancing partner in this salsa dance. I think next time I will add some fresh avocado slices on top and make it even more delectable.

Ingredients

• 1 cup salsa
• 1 package reduced sodium taco seasoning
• 1 can organic black beans, rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 can gluten free reduced fat cream of mushroom soup (condensed)
• 1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream

Directions

Add chicken, beans, and corn to the crock pot. Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken followed by the soup and salsa. I cooked on low for 7 hours, then turned it off and added the sour cream. Throw over a bed of yellow rice and this dish will dance on your taste buds.

Lunch in the Gluten Free Cosmos

The gluten free stars have aligned in the Cosmos. Well, they have aligned at Cosmo's…on Brookside! I arrived late as usual fashionably late to meet my girlfriend Abby a couple days ago and was pleasantly surprised to see a gluten free menu waiting for me. Yes, you read that right. Not a gluten option list, or a gluten free teeny tiny section hidden under the scrumptious sounding, flaky breaded, gooey dough dishes, but an entire gluten free menu. Out. Of. This. World.

The only thing difficult about dining here gluten free was deciding what to order! After much deliberation I finally decided on the Vegetarian Sandwich: Avocado, garlic-dill cream cheese, mozzarella, cheddar, alfalfa, tomatoes, cucumbers & honey balsamic dressing piled high on a toasted gluten free bagel. ($9.49) The combination of smooth and crunchy textures burst through the flavors of the fresh cheeses. All sandwiches come with a side and I myself can never refuse chips and salsa if it is offered.

I had to catch myself a few times during my midday feast realizing that I was not contributing much to the conversation. I think I was overwhelmed with joy that I was enjoying a sandwich at lunch without a lot of diatribe allergy hoopla I usually have to go through with my waiter.

The service was fast and friendly, just what I look for in a work lunch. One hour can hardly be truly enjoyed if you are worried that your food may not make to the table with ample time to eat. The atmosphere was bubbly, and boasts artistic and local vibes.
A great meal awaits you anytime at Cosmo, and I think I may have to return for happy hour and see if the its name holds true to that long listed menu of cocktails…Gluten free appetizers anyone?

To view the entire gluten free menu click the link below:
Cosmo Cafe Gluten Free Menu

Cosmo Cafe
3334 South Peoria Avenue
Tulsa, OK 74133-2061
(918) 933-4848
http://cosmo-cafe.com/

Comfort through the Yo-yo's

Yo-yoing weather, early morning work-outs, and an upcoming move into our new house has left me with pretty pooped! When I am constantly whiplashed from one thing to the next, I turn to comfort in the kitchen and sink into the calming coma of fresh herbs, rich olive oil, and garlic.


I love coming home from a long day at work and cooking meals with my husband. Even if by cooking I mean sitting with a glass of red wine and a smile while my husband helps by prep. Team work right?

This pasta cozies up to the fresh vegetables perfectly to your tummy on a brisk fall evening. My son had two helpings and was begging for more of the mushrooms. He said they tasted like the “fire place mushrooms” (his favorite hibachi grill restaurant). Food that warms my soul and a child's words that warm my heart.

Perfectly Simple Pasta

Ingredients

• 3 cups Brown Rice Pasta (I used Tinkanyada)
• 2 cups spinach
• 1.5 cups crimini mushrooms
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Vegetable Broth (I used Pacific Low Sodium)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• ¼ cup pasta sauce
• Italian seasoning
• ¼ cup basil leaves
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

Prepare your pasta according to the package and set aside. I cooked mine in vegetable broth for extra flavor.

Heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan and add garlic. When you begin to smell the garlic aroma add your mushrooms and stir to coat. The mushrooms should soften after about 7 minutes. Add a heavy amount of Italian seasoning and stir. Turn your heat down to low and add cherry tomatoes, basil, sauce and spinach. Toss to combine and let warm for a couple minutes.

Remove from the heat and add to your pasta. Toss and Serve!

The Search for the GF, Vegan Burger Grail

Homemade veggie burgers can be tricky, especially when you want to make them gluten free and vegan. Why? Well, with my luck as of late they have either held together, looked pretty, and tasted like sandpaper, OR they have tasted amazing but didn’t exactly remain in a patty. Which is fine, but I am greedy and want both! As my quest for the vegan burger Holy Grail progressed, I was pleased to see that I wasn’t the only blogger pursuing this endeavor so I had a plethora of recipes to peruse the last couple weeks. I wanted constant consistency throughout the cooking, a delicious and fresh veggie taste, and of course a burger that was going to settle with my dietary guidelines.

The almost Holy Grail of Vegan/GF Burgers - I'm a perfectionist.

I think I found it. I still want to tweak a few things to the recipe but this is so far the best tasting trial I have had. Moist, nutritious, and held up when I flipped them! What more can a gluten free vegan chef ask for! Plus, it makes 8 patties so I have dinner ready for this week. Maybe I will come up with a second and third recipe for you! I am thinking sandwich wraps are in order.

Of all the recipes I found, Angela’s stuck out the most to me. I baked mine because I don’t have the gumption to grill them yet. In time my dears, in time. I had most of the ingredients in her recipe but had to make some substitutions. I also made mine gluten free, and topped them with spicy guacamole, dijon, fresh tomato, and local spinach leaves. Here is her original recipe here: Angela's Perfect Burger

I prepped on Sunday and let my burgers firm up on a cookie sheet overnight. I had every intention of gobbling these gorgeous burgers down Sunday, spent the whole time making them and ended up being hit with a mean pizza craving. Hey, what can a girl do?? It was worth the wait though.




Gluten Free & Vegan Pepita Burgers
(the closest thing to the burger grail so far)

Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• Flax eggs: 2.5 tbsp ground flax + 1/2 cup warm water, mixed in bowl
• 1 cup oats, processed into flour
• 1/2 cup pepitas (Spanish pumpkin seeds)
• 1.5 cups gluten free bread crumbs (I processed 3 pieces sunflower flax bread)
• 1 cup local grated carrots
• 1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed and pureed
• Heaping 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1/3 cup almonds, chopped
• 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp gluten free soy sauce
• 1.5 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

For the 2 burger toppings:
• 2 gluten free hamburger buns
• 2 thick slices local tomato
• Spicy guacamole (I bought Whole Foods brand to save time)

• ½ cup local spinach
• 2 tbs dijon

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350F and lightly grease a cookie sheet. In a large skillet, heat oil and add garlic. Once you can smell the garlic aroma add your onion and sauté until translucent and slightly browned. Mix your flax egg together in a small bowl and set aside for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Prepare the rest of the ingredients as noted. I used my food processor and kept adding them into a large bowl, leaving the spices out to mix in last for taste testing. Once all ingredients are in the bowl mix well. The flax egg should help everything stick together. Add seasonings and salt to taste.

Roll out 8 balls to make sure all patties are equal size then shape dough into tightly packed patties, lightly wetting hands in between each patty to prevent sticking. I formed mine right onto the cookies sheet.

Bake for 15-17 minutes on each side. They should hold together for flipping but be gentle! Serve between those delicious buns holding all your scrumptious toppings.

I roasted local corn for our side! So easy to do in your oven. Just pop them in at 350F for 30 minutes, remove from oven and peel back husks. A little earth balance and pepper graced my little kernels!

Kitchen Poker Face

I love a good sandwich. There is just something perfect about how you can make converse flavors and textures melt together, tweaking a common known recipe into your own original plated perfection. An email I received yesterday from one of the recipe sites I follow boasted a bundle of “dinner worthy” sandwich recipes to try. As I clicked and became carried away with the mouthwatering, eye-catching icons, I realized I haven’t made a sandwich in a while. I used to express deep devotion to my Panini press, concocting all sorts of beautiful flavors between two slices of bread. Well, I am back in the game, and playing some wild cards in this round of cooking poker.

The BLT. Everyone has their own perception of the perfect BLT. My previous 5 card winning hand would have been:

1. Crunchy, cheesy toasted bread
2. Juicy, ripe, thick tomato slice
3. Crispy, light lettuce
4. ‘Special Sauce’ (mustard, mayo…something mixed)
5. And of course, the ace, thick sliced bacon

But, like I said, I am introducing some new rules to the game. I am not going to settle for traditional approaches. My “BLT” wouldn’t feature most of the natural go-to fixin’s: meat, cheese, egg, lettuce, mayo. Yes, I dealt a hand last night that beat the BLT god’s odds against me.

1. Gluten Free Bread (cheesy and buttery a la vegan)
2. Juicy, ripe, thick tomato slice (for old times sake)
3. Fresh, locally grown spinach (more nutrients!)
4. Dijon Mustard (mayo wha?)
5. FACON

V-BLT. Looks heavenly doesn't it?!

Um, FACON? Yes, Facon. Fake bacon. No, not the store bought kind. Those store bought strips strip most of what I like about bacon. Even when I ate bacon I would season to my own liking. I marinated, spiced, and browned thin tofu slices to FACON.

A risky move. Especially with such a long standing traditional recipe. I’ll think you’ll love this non-conformist BLT though, or rather FST? I know I should call a spade a spade but for reader’s sake, let’s try…V-BLT. A vegan BLT. Rolls off the tongue a bit nicer.


V-BLT

Yields 2 sandwiches

Ingredients
• 4 slices gluten free bread of choice
• ½ package extra firm tofu
• 2 tbs low sodium Tamari (gluten free soy sauce)
• 1 tbs Daddy Hinkle’s gluten free marinade OR liquid smoke
• Pepper
• Earth balance butter
• 2-3 tbs nutritional yeast (optional)
• 2 thick slices organic tomato
• ½ cup to 1 cup locally grown spinach
• Dijon Mustard
• PAM EVOO spray (if using griddle)

Directions
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place 4 slices of bread on a greased baking sheet. Lightly spread earth balances on pieces then sprinkle nutritional yeast evenly until all coated. (Omit yeast if preferred but it gives it a cheesy taste). Bake for 10 minutes, flip, and then another 10. My oven can be temperamental so I just watch for browning. Remove and set aside to cool.

While your bread is toasting, press your tofu and slice thinly lengthwise. I came out with about 6 slices. Place in a bowl and add tamari, daddy hinkles, and pepper. Let marinate for about 10 minutes.

Heat a sauce pan with 1 tbs earth balance. Dry off your tofu and add to the pan. Brown on both sides until crispy like bacon!!

Heat your griddle to 350 F and lightly grease. You can use a large pan if you prefer, or Panini press. I wanted mine piled high so I opted for the griddle. Lay down your slices of bread and begin layering. On 2 slices layer spinach, tofu, and tomato. Drizzle Dijon on the other two slices and place it on top of your layered slice, pressing down slightly with your spatula. Flip (carefully) after about 3-4 minutes. You just want everything to combine and warm together.

Plate and serve! I made kale chips on the side. Haven’t tried them? Oh, you don’t know what you are missing! Here is quick recipe below. I have my whole family hooked!

Oh, and in case you were wondering, this was the most perfect "BLT" I have ever eaten. The bread was crispy and buttery and housed the most amazing flavors. The Facon? Perfection. Even my husband didn't want to come up for air between bites. This version also cuts a whole lotta calories, another win I would say. V-BLT just earned itself a weekly spot on the week's menu!

Kale Chips

Ingredients
• 1 bunch curly kale, stems removed
• 1 tbs olive oil
• Seasoning of choice
     o Sea salt and pepper
     o Cajun
     o Nutritional yeast for cheesy chips

Directions
Heat oven to 425 F. Tear leaves off the stems into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Add olive oil and massage into kale. Lay on a lighted greased baking sheet with none of them touching. Add preferred seasoning. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

Plate and serve. My advice, get your hands on some before serving…they go FAST!

Case of the Mondays Medicine

Yesterday I woke up a bit achy. Maybe it was a case of the Mondays. Maybe it’s a sign to look into my diet a bit more and make sure that I am getting all the vitamins and nutrients that I need. Nonetheless, I needed some comfort, and comfort for me is found in cooking. Even if I get home at 6:30 and am completely pooped, cooking sounds like the perfect medicine. The sounds, the smells, the peace… It all brings me back to center.

I have been wanting to a) use up that cubed butternut squash in my freezer, b) try a vegan “cheeze” sauce again” and c) put them both together for a delicious, vegan, and gluten free mac ‘n’ cheeze. Last night, and well from the looks of it outside today (dark and stormy), it will cure any Manic Monday or Tornadic weather Tuesday you are enduring.

I first tried making vegan cheeze sauce on pizza here: GF/DF Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Medley Pizza

If you recall it was a bit too cashewy for my taste but good! I have been anxious to find a version that I loved and not just liked though. I found it last night. It whirred and whizzed in my food processor until it whipped itself into a thick, velvety topping. It cuddled my gluten free elbow noodles like a silky smooth blanket. It was better than any mac and cheese I have ever had. It cured my case of the Mondays.

The butternut squash is roasted and added into the cheeze sauce in this recipe so I wanted to add another veggie. I could have sworn I had some peas or broccoli on hand but alas they have already been gobbled up. I had spinach and edamame to choose for my green so I decided that edamame might be a delightful touch. I loved the texture that it brought to the bowl! Feel free to use whatever veggie suits you.


Butternut Squash Mac ‘N’ Cheeze with Edamame
Adapted from Oh She Glows recipe here: Butternut Squash Mac N Cheeze

Ingredients:

• 2 cups frozen or fresh butternut squash

• 3/4 cup raw cashews

• 1 cup non-dairy milk (unsweetened + unflavoured soy milk)

• 3 organic garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• 7 tbsp Nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp or a bit more of dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp Tumeric powder, optional (gives the orangey color)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• Tinkanyada brown rice elbow pasta (1 bag)
• 1 carton vegetable broth + 1 cup water
• ¾ cup edamame (I had frozen that I thawed and boiled)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350F and grease a baking sheet. In a bowl, season chopped squash with a tsp or two of olive oil, and a couple pinches of kosher salt. Toss to coat. Lay squash squares on baking sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes. I flipped after about 25.

While the squash roast away, gather all your cheeze sauce ingredients (cashews, non-dairy milk, garlic, lemon, salt, nutritional yeast, pepper, mustard, seasonings). Add just the cashews to food processor. Process until a fine crumb forms similar to corn meal. Add in the rest of the cheese sauce ingredients and process until very smooth.

Taste test. A couple times ;) This sauce left me speechless and drooling! I wanted to dip a big hunk of bread in it hehe. Leave the sauce in the processor as you will be adding the squash.

Bring your broth and water to a boil in a soup pot. Add in gluten free pasta and boil for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking process.

When squash is finished roasting, add it to the food processor and blend it with the cheese sauce until smooth. Adjust to taste. The sauce will thicken up with time. I like mine really thick and cheesy but if you like a runnier mac and cheese feel free to add milk.

Add the pasta back into the same pot on a low heat burner and add your desired amount of cheeze sauce on top. Stir well. Add in edamame and mix until the whole pot is warm and cheesy.

Dish into bowls and serve immediately. This made 4 heaping portions. I am so glad because my tummy is growling for it already!