Rachel’s Recipe Box

This recipe is inspired by a Pennsylvania Dutch mystery by Tamar Myers I read a while ago, and have since returned to the library. It’s further inspired by several recipes I found online that weren’t quite what I remembered. It’s slightly sweet and slightly tangy, and using red/purple cabbage makes it look beautiful. Yummm…

You can easily make this without the chicken, and have a lovely cabbage & apple side dish or for vegans and vegetarians.

This is a delicious gfcf, gluten free, family-friendly recipe! It is also (if you double check ingredients!) a wheat free, dairy free, soy free, egg free, tree nut free, peanut free, fish free, shellfish free, corn free, top 8 allergen free, and vegan/vegetarian recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 TBS cooking oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• about 1 1/3 lb boneless/skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 head red cabbage, shredded or sliced very finely
• 1 medium apple, sliced but not peeled
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 TBS flour or starch (arrowroot or corn works well)
• 1 tsp lemon juice plus milk substitute to make 1 cup (I like coconut milk best for this, as it’s thick and creamy – and it doesn’t taste like coconut in savory dishes)
• 1 tsp kosher or sea salt
• a couple grinds black pepper

Method:

Warm oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, and sauté until they start to soften.

Add chicken to the pan, and stir. Continue to sauté until the chicken browns on all sides.

Stir the apple and cabbage into skillet, and sauté for a couple minutes, until the cabbage starts to soften.

Pour in the soured milk and vinegar, then mix in the brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Once that is well combined, sprinkle in the flour/starch, stirring until well combined.

Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Serve with some kind of starch – we like quinoa. This has a great mix of sour & sweet and different textures, yum!

My mother started making this “impossible pie quiche” for my grandmother, and then we’ve been able to alter it to make it gluten-free and dairy-free. This tastes like quiche to me, but without needing to make a crust, and the biscuit ingredients help it stay flavorful without needing cheese. There’s no real way to make it egg-free, though, so sorry to the egg-sensitive folks!

This is a delicious gfcf, gluten free, family-friendly recipe! It is also (if you double check ingredients!) a wheat free, dairy free, soy free, tree nut free, peanut free, fish free, and shellfish free recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plain milk substitute (plain soy milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, almond milk, etc)
• 1 cup gluten-free biscuit mix, or:
  • 1 cup all purpose gf flour mix (or 2/3 cup rice or sorghum flour & 1/3 cup tapioca or corn starch)

  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp canola oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 pinches kosher salt
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 16 slices cooked bacon (we prefer turkey bacon)

Method:

Preheat oven to 400º

Oil a 10-inch or deep 9-inch quiche pan.

In a large bowl, mix ingredients other than bacon until smooth. Sprinkle in bacon, and combine, and pour into the quiche pan.

Bake 25-35 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.

Filling Variations:

• Between 1/2 and 1 cup chopped cooked meat: ham, chicken, sausage, ground meat, crab meat, etc.
• About 1 cup chopped lightly cooked, thawed frozen, or raw vegetables: asparagus, baby spinach, bell peppers, broccoli, artichoke hearts, etc
• Sautéed onion and garlic

Cooking Variation:
Make individual quiches to handle different tastebuds! Oil a muffin tin and/or mini-loaf pans, and divide the batter evenly between them. Add a handful of desired fillings to each, and bake for 20-30 minutes. (In the picture at right, I made 50% more than this recipe, so 6 eggs, 1 1/2 cups baking mix, etc. Doubling would also work wonderfully for making individual quiches)

I’ve been missing the creamy taste of Risotto, but haven’t had any arborio rice, nor the desire to stand over a stove stirring for an hour. I’ve added coconut milk to give the dish the creaminess you would usually get from the arborio rice. (Remember that coconut milk doesn’t give a coconut flavor if the dish has salt and is savory – sugar enhances the coconut flavor)

I’ve taken my Chicken and Asparagus Faux-Risotto recipe, and tweaked a few things to create this pretty and yummy dish. The artichoke hearts are a wonderful surprise to the diner, who had focused on the “confetti” of spinach and bell pepper. This is delicious, and I highly recommend trying it and experimenting yourself with different vegetables, and finding flavors that you and your family love.

This is a delicious gfcf, gluten free, family-friendly recipe! It is also (if you double check ingredients!) a wheat free, dairy free, soy free, egg free, tree nut free, peanut free, fish free, shellfish free, and top 8 allergen free recipe. This is also a faux-fast-food recipe that can be cooked in under 45 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 2 TBS olive oil

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp basil
• 1 shake cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 2 pinches kosher salt
• 1 to 1 1/2 lbs boneless/skinless chicken thighs
• 1 1/2 cup basmati or Jasmine rice
• 10 oz frozen or canned artichoke hearts, in quarters
• 1 cup fresh or frozen bell pepper strips. (it looks prettiest with multicolored strips)
• 1 cup frozen chopped spinach
• 1 14oz can coconut milk (light or not light)
• 1 1/4 cup water

Method:
Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, and spices, and sauté until they begin to get tender.

Chop the chicken into 1/2″ cubes, then add to the onion/garlic mixture. Cook the chicken over medium heat until browned on all sides, stirring occasionally.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare vegetables – slice artichoke hearts into quarters and slice bell peppers.

Add rice, coconut milk, water, and vegetables.

Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Let cook for about 20 minutes, following the guidelines on your rice package.

Serve to great applause. An easy and delicious meal that mixes great flavor with fast cooking, plus it’s all in one pot!

Sometimes it can be difficult to find gluten-free enchilada sauce, as many of the popular brands use wheat as a thickener. It is very easy to make your own, however, so don’t let yourself be intimidated!

This is a delicious gfcf, gluten free, family-friendly recipe! It is also (if you double check ingredients!) a wheat free, dairy free, soy free, egg free, tree nut free, peanut free, fish free, shellfish free, corn free, top 8 allergen free, vegan/vegetarian, and South Beach phase 2 safe recipe.

Ingredients:

• 28oz can crushed tomatoes

• 1 1/2 cups broth or homemade stock
• 1 TBS olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1/2 onion, minced or a few scallions
• a few dashes hot sauce (to taste)
• 2 pinches kosher salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder

Method

Saute onion & garlic in olive oil over medium heat. When they have softened, add other ingredients.

Simmer for about 30 minutes, then adjust spices to taste.

Serve over Chicken Enchiladas or Beef and Bean Enchiladas

This is a delicious gfcf, gluten free, family-friendly recipe! It is also (if you double check ingredients!) a wheat free, dairy free, soy free, egg free, tree nut free, peanut free, fish free, shellfish free, corn free, and top 8 allergen free recipe. If you use brown rice or brown rice noodles, this recipe will also be fine for South Beach phase 2.

Enjoy this faux-fast-food one-pot meal on a day when you want something delicious but don’t have the time or energy to make an elaborate dinner. It was delicious!

Ingredients

• splash olive oil

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb chicken, cubed (boneless/skinless breasts or thighs are great)
• 2 14oz can black beans
• 1 cup salsa (we use mild)
• 1 28oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 cup rice or 1 lb rice pasta
• sliced olives, salsa, and guacamole for garnish

Method
Warm oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat Add onion and garlic, and stir.

When the onions and garlic have started to soften, add the cubed chicken, and sauté until the chicken is browned.

Add all other ingredients and turn the heat to medium high. When the liquid boils, turn down to low and cover.

Let simmer covered for 20 minutes, stirring intermittently. Test rice/pasta for done-ness, and serve with olives, salsa, and guacamole as garnishes.

My friend JadenKale was chatting with me recently while eating some leftover chicken alfredo with broccoli. I don’t think I ever ate that, but my mouth was watering at the idea. I played around with my White Sauce recipe, and whipped it up. This got rave reviews, and seconds for most of the family.

As I’ve mentioned before, coconut milk loses its coconutty taste when salt is added rather than adding sugar – sugar intensifies the coconut taste. The texture of coconut milk is more creamy than other milk substitutes, so it has a creamier taste than other milk substitutes. However, you can use other milk substitutes.

Welcome to the world of Faux Fast Food! This dish can be on your table in under 45 minutes. This is a delicious gfcf, gluten free, family-friendly recipe! It is also (if you double check ingredients!) a wheat free, dairy free, soy free, egg free, tree nut free, peanut free, fish free, shellfish free, corn free, top 8 allergen free, and South Beach phase 2 safe recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 TBS oil

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 sp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp Tony Chacheres Cajun seasoning or 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1 lb chicken
• 2 heads of broccoli, cut into florets
• 3 TBS starch (corn, tapioca, arrowroot)
• 1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
• 1 splash white wine (optional)
• 1 lb gf pasta (we prefer Tinkyada Brown Rice pasta)

Method:

Start a large pot of salted water on high, cook pasta according to package directions.

Dice onion, mince garlic, and chop chicken into 1″ cubes. Break broccoli into florets, and put into a microwave safe bowl. Cover bowl, and microwave broccoli florets for two minutes.

Warm oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and begin to sauté.

When the onion and garlic begin to soften, add chicken to the pan. Add spices, and stir, browning chicken on all sides.

When chicken is almost finished cooking, add the broccoli, and continue stirring.

When the chicken is browned and the broccoli is tender, sprinkle the cornstarch over the chicken and broccoli, and stir. Add the (optional) splash of wine, then add the coconut milk, and stir.

Stir over medium heat until the coconut milk starts to bubble and thicken. Take off the heat and mix with the cooked pasta, and serve to rave reviews.

This is a recipe that my oldest daughter and I created when we were trying to reach a comprimise between what I wanted to cook and what she wanted to eat! This worked well, it’s a one-pot meal that will be finished within 45 minutes, and can either be eaten alone or with a vegetable or salad on the side. If at all possible, include the kalamata olives, they add flavor and a bit of zing to the meal.

This is a delicious gfcf, gluten free, family-friendly recipe! It is also (if you double check ingredients!) a wheat free, dairy free, soy free, egg free, tree nut free, peanut free, fish free, shellfish free, corn free, top 8 allergen free, and South Beach phase 2 safe recipe.

Ingredients:

• splash olive or canola oil to coat bottom of pan

• 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 onion, diced
• 1.5 lb chicken, cubed (boneless skinless breasts or thighs work well)
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning (or just add a bit more of each of the above)
• 1 pinch salt
• couple grinds black pepper
• 1 splash wine
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 14oz can diced tomatoes
• 14oz can white beans
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced (watch ingredients for corn and other allergens)
• 12oz to 1 lb gluten-free noodles (we like the Tinkyada rice noodles)

Method:
Warm oil over medium heat in a large, deep skillet or a large pot. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until they become tender.

Add cubes of chicken, and stir. Add seasonings, and stir, cooking until chicken is browned.

Deglaze the pan by adding a splash of wine and stirring the chicken mixture. Add tomatoes, beans, and olives, plus 1 (14oz) can of water, and turn heat to high.

Bring to a boil, and add pasta. Reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook as long as the pasta needs to be cooked, then test the pasta for done-ness.

Serve as is, with a salad, or with another vegetable, such as Garlic Pan-fried Squash. Enjoy!

I’ve been missing the creamy taste of Risotto, but haven’t had any arborio rice, nor the desire to stand over a stove stirring for an hour. With chicken and asparagus (or any other vegetable) and some basmati rice you can make a delicious faux-risotto. Asparagus is wonderfully in season right now, and the wonderful fresh taste stands out. I added coconut milk to add the creaminess you would usually get from the arborio rice. It was delicious! (Remember that coconut milk doesn’t give a coconut flavor if the dish has salt and is savory – sugar enhances the coconut flavor)

This is a delicious gfcf, gluten free, family-friendly recipe! It is also (if you double check ingredients!) a wheat free, dairy free, soy free, egg free, tree nut free, peanut free, fish free, shellfish free, corn free, and top 8 allergen free recipe. This is also a faux-fast-food recipe that can be cooked in under 45 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 2 TBS olive or canola oil

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 shake cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 2 pinches kosher salt
• 1 to 1 1/2 lbs boneless/skinless chicken, I prefer to use thighs
• 1 splash white wine (optional)
• 1 1/2 cup basmati or Jasmine rice (The Carolina Basmati and Jasmine rices work wonderfully)
• 1 lb fesh asparagus
• 1 14oz can coconut milk
• 1 cup water

Method:
Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, and spices, and sauté until they begin to get tender.

Chop the chicken into 1/2″ cubes, then add to the onion/garlic mixture. Cook the chicken over medium heat until browned on all sides, stirring occasionally.

While the chicken is cooking, break the ends off the asparagus, and then cut it into approximately 1″ pieces.

Deglaze the pan with a splash of wine, then add rice, coconut milk, water, and asparagus.

Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Let cook for about 20 minutes, following the guidelines on your rice package.

Serve to great applause. An easy, quick, and delicious meal that mixes fresh with fast, and all in one pot!

Our oven broke recently. We can (thankfully) still use the stove, and we also have the microwave and the crock pot. However, I had planned to make some oven-roasted chicken legs, and had no clue what to do with them without an oven. A friend suggested that I toss everything I was going to roast into a pot and let it simmer. I ended up doing just that, and it turned out to be a delicious meal.

This is a delicious gfcf, gluten free, family-friendly recipe! It is also (if you double check ingredients!) a wheat free, dairy free, soy free, egg free, tree nut free, peanut free, fish free, shellfish free, corn free, top 8 allergen free, and faux fast food {ready in under 45 minutes} recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2+ lb chicken drumsticks

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3+ cloves garlic minced
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 pinches kosher salt
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp thyme (or sub the last 3 ingredients with 2 tsp Italian Seasoning)
• Splash wine (optional)
• 1 28oz can diced or petite diced tomatoes, and 1 can of water
• 2 14 oz cans beans
• 3 small-to medium zucchini, cut into half-moon slices
• 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed

Method:

Warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and drumsticks. Add seasonings. Use tongs to move the drumsticks around, and continue cooking until the drumsticks start to brown and the onion & garlic has softened.

Splash the wine into the pot to deglaze, using the tongs to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom.

Add tomatoes, water, beans, potato, and zucchini. Stir to incorporate all ingredients

Turn the heat up almost to high, and barely bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check seasoning and that veggies & potatoes are tender, then bring to table.

Serve in bowls, 1 drumstick and 2 scoops of broth and vegetables. The meat is easy to just take off the bone with a fork. Delicious, easy, healthy, and on your table in about 45 minutes!

No pictures, sorry – camera’s broken

I read a book a while ago which included a chapter about eating frugally without eating fast food. If you have dietary restrictions, it’s unlikely that you’ve been eating fast food, but it is likely that you’ve been paying a lot of money for your food. Sometimes cooking from basic whole foods and looking at dishes inspired by other cultures will lead you to something inexpensive, tasty, filling, and delicious.

I always make sure we have some meat in the freezer, and if I can’t get to the grocery store, we’ll eat this meal. We eat it more frequently than that because it’s a meal everyone likes, and it’s inexpensive. What a great deal!

This is a delicious gfcf, gluten free, family-friendly recipe! It is also (if you double check ingredients!) a wheat free, dairy free, soy free, egg free, tree nut free, peanut free, fish free, shellfish free, corn free, top 8 allergen free, and an under $10 recipe.

Ingredients:

• splash cooking oil (canola or olive)

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb pork, cubed (substitute chicken, ham, or whatever is on sale)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp garam masala spice mix (I highly recommend having this on hand, it’s well worth the original expense!)
• 1/4 tsp kosher or sea salt
• splash wine (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups rice
• 1 1/2 cups brown lentils
• 1/4 cup red lentils (optional, but it adds to the flavor and color)
• 5-6 cups water or broth
• about 2oz frozen spinach (I buy the 1lb bags of frozen spinach, and use 2 handfuls)

Method:
Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until they begin to soften.

Add meat and spices, and continue to sauté until meat has browned.

Deglaze the pan with a splash of wine (or not if you don’t have any/don’t cook with alcohol).

Mix in rice, lentils, and broth, and bring to a boil.

Add the spinach, then turn heat down to medium-low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Stir 2-3 times during the cooking time.

Check rice & lentils for done-ness, and cook for a longer period of time and/or add more liquid as needed.

Serve and enjoy with a salad or a yummy roasted vegetable!