November 2, 2009
Apple and Caramelized Onion Pork Chops Since I rarely make pork or beef dishes, I decided to pick up some pork chops and make something a little bit different.  Caramelized onions are my fave and i had a butt load of apples, so I went with this recipes because who doesn’t like apples and onions on their pork chops!??? For the Caramelized Onions Ingredients: -1 large onion (I used a yellow onion but you can use whatever you have) -1 tsp. canola oil -about 3/4 cup dark beer (my bf drank my last gf beer (DAMN HIM GRR) so i actually used some white cooking wine and it came out just fine!) -1 Tbsp brown sugar -Salt & pepper to taste Directions: 1. Peel onion and slice in half down the center and then slice thinly into half moons. 2. Heat oil in a saute pan, add onions. Cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften. 3. Add 1/2 cup beer (or wine), sugar, salt & pepper. 4. Allow to cook until all liquid is gone and it begins to thicken like a glaze on the bottom of your pan. 5. Use the remaining beer (or wine) to deglaze the pan. 6. Set aside. Apples Ingredients: -2 apples, peeled, cored and cubed -1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (you can use dried if you don’t have any) -1/2 tsp. ground sage or use fresh if you have it -1/4 cup beer (or wine) -salt & pepper to taste Directions: 1. In a saucepan, add all ingredients and cook on medium for about 5 minutes, just enough to soften the apples. 2. Remove from heat and set aside. For the Pork Chops Ingredients: -Two butterflied Pork Loin chops (boneless) -Salt and Pepper -1 tsp Canola oil -1/2 cup Feta cheese Directions: 1. Heat oven to 400°F. 2. Season pork with salt & pepper. 3. Heat a heavy skillet over medium high. When ready, add in pork and allow to sear for 3-4 minutes on each side. 4. When finished searing (they are meant to be undercooked at this point), put pork chops on a baking tray. Crumble cheese over top, then add a layer of apple, then top with a layer of onions. 5. Bake in oven for about 5 minutes or until pork chops are done to about medium. Serve with veggies, potatoes or whatever your little heart desires!  I served it with zucchini and mushrooms that i sauteed in garlic and olive oil. Enjoy! -Zee

Apple and Caramelized Onion Pork Chops

Since I rarely make pork or beef dishes, I decided to pick up some pork chops and make something a little bit different.  Caramelized onions are my fave and i had a butt load of apples, so I went with this recipes because who doesn’t like apples and onions on their pork chops!???

For the Caramelized Onions

Ingredients:

-1 large onion (I used a yellow onion but you can use whatever you have)

-1 tsp. canola oil

-about 3/4 cup dark beer (my bf drank my last gf beer (DAMN HIM GRR) so i actually used some white cooking wine and it came out just fine!)

-1 Tbsp brown sugar

-Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Peel onion and slice in half down the center and then slice thinly into half moons.

2. Heat oil in a saute pan, add onions. Cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften.

3. Add 1/2 cup beer (or wine), sugar, salt & pepper.

4. Allow to cook until all liquid is gone and it begins to thicken like a glaze on the bottom of your pan.

5. Use the remaining beer (or wine) to deglaze the pan.

6. Set aside.

Apples

Ingredients:

-2 apples, peeled, cored and cubed

-1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped (you can use dried if you don’t have any)

-1/2 tsp. ground sage or use fresh if you have it

-1/4 cup beer (or wine)

-salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, add all ingredients and cook on medium for about 5 minutes, just enough to soften the apples.

2. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the Pork Chops

Ingredients:

-Two butterflied Pork Loin chops (boneless)

-Salt and Pepper

-1 tsp Canola oil

-1/2 cup Feta cheese

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F.

2. Season pork with salt & pepper.

3. Heat a heavy skillet over medium high. When ready, add in pork and allow to sear for 3-4 minutes on each side.

4. When finished searing (they are meant to be undercooked at this point), put pork chops on a baking tray. Crumble cheese over top, then add a layer of apple, then top with a layer of onions.

5. Bake in oven for about 5 minutes or until pork chops are done to about medium.

Serve with veggies, potatoes or whatever your little heart desires!  I served it with zucchini and mushrooms that i sauteed in garlic and olive oil.

Enjoy!

-Zee

Comments (View)
Torta de Arroz y Frijoles con Queso Ingredients: -2 cups of cooked rice -1 can  (15 oz) of black beans, drained -1 cup of shredded cheese (I used mild cheddar cheese, but feel free to use whatever you have at home) -1/2 cup of chopped ham (I used Oscar Mayer’s honey ham) -1 green and/or red pepper, chopped -2 eggs -1 tablespoon of cilantro, chopped -1 tablespoon of canola oil -salt and pepper to tasteDirections:1. combine all ingredients except for the oil2. heat oil over medium heat in a pan, and when ready add your rice mixture to the pan, pressing firmly down with a spatula.  Let cook for 10 minutes.3. Lift up to see if it has browned on the bottom (it should be after 10 minutes) and using the spatula transfer the “torta” to a plate.  Carefully turn the pan upside down over the torta on the plate and flip the plate over, placing the torta back into the pan on the side that still needs to cook.  Let cook for 10 minutes.4. Once browned on the remaining side, remove your torta from the pan and onto a serving dish.  Slice like a pizza and serve!!

Torta de Arroz y Frijoles con Queso

Ingredients:

-2 cups of cooked rice -1 can  (15 oz) of black beans, drained
-1 cup of shredded cheese (I used mild cheddar cheese, but feel free to use whatever you have at home)
-1/2 cup of chopped ham (I used Oscar Mayer’s honey ham) -1 green and/or red pepper, chopped -2 eggs -1 tablespoon of cilantro, chopped -1 tablespoon of canola oil -salt and pepper to taste
Directions:1. combine all ingredients except for the oil2. heat oil over medium heat in a pan, and when ready add your rice mixture to the pan, pressing firmly down with a spatula.  Let cook for 10 minutes.3. Lift up to see if it has browned on the bottom (it should be after 10 minutes) and using the spatula transfer the “torta” to a plate.  Carefully turn the pan upside down over the torta on the plate and flip the plate over, placing the torta back into the pan on the side that still needs to cook.  Let cook for 10 minutes.4. Once browned on the remaining side, remove your torta from the pan and onto a serving dish.  Slice like a pizza and serve!!
Comments (View)
Vegetable Stir Fry Quinoa This is a very easy and quick recipe, especially if you already have cook quinoa from the night before! If not, just use your hand dandy rice cooker. Ingredients: -2 cups cooked quinoa (I actually made my quinoa in a rice cooker while i was preparing the veggies, just follow the instructions on the box on quinoa) -1 onion, chopped -3 garlic cloves -2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil -1 can black beans, drained. -1/2 red pepper, chopped -1/2 green pepper, chopped -1 1/2-2 cups mushrooms, chopped -1 cup frozen (or canned) corn -1 tablespoon of adobo - 1/2 lime -salt and pepper to taste. Directions: 1. cook the quinoa if you haven’t done so already. 2. In a wok, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Cook onion until soft (about 5 minutes) and then add garlic. 3. Once garlic has browned, add the rest of the veggies and beans.  Cook until veggies are tender. 4. Add the quinoa to the veggies and stir until completely combined.  Add adobo, salt & pepper, and squeeze the 1/2 lime over it. **Make sure to taste it and add more spices and/or lime if you feel it needs more!

Vegetable Stir Fry Quinoa

This is a very easy and quick recipe, especially if you already have cook quinoa from the night before! If not, just use your hand dandy rice cooker.

Ingredients:

-2 cups cooked quinoa (I actually made my quinoa in a rice cooker while i was preparing the veggies, just follow the instructions on the box on quinoa)

-1 onion, chopped

-3 garlic cloves

-2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil

-1 can black beans, drained.

-1/2 red pepper, chopped

-1/2 green pepper, chopped

-1 1/2-2 cups mushrooms, chopped

-1 cup frozen (or canned) corn

-1 tablespoon of adobo

- 1/2 lime

-salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

1. cook the quinoa if you haven’t done so already.

2. In a wok, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Cook onion until soft (about 5 minutes) and then add garlic.

3. Once garlic has browned, add the rest of the veggies and beans.  Cook until veggies are tender.

4. Add the quinoa to the veggies and stir until completely combined.  Add adobo, salt & pepper, and squeeze the 1/2 lime over it.

**Make sure to taste it and add more spices and/or lime if you feel it needs more!

Comments (View)
October 9, 2009
I won Gluten Free Philly’s goodies giveaway last week!!

I won Gluten Free Philly’s goodies giveaway last week!!

Comments (View)
September 7, 2009
GF Strawberry Bread & Strawberry Cream Cheese I got this recipe from Glutenfreeda (http://www.glutenfreeda.com/recipe-view.asp?cat=6&id=344) and it’s delicious! I made this and brought it to my parent’s house for Sunday breakfast and we ate the entire loaf!! No one even noticed or thought to ask me if it was gluten free. I followed the recipe but I also add 1 tablespoon of vanilla and about an extra teaspoon of cinnamon.  The strawberry cream cheese complimented the bread well because it wasn’t too sweet and it was light on the strawberry flavor. My bread took about 75 minutes to cook thoroughly, which is 15ish minutes more than the recipe calls for. enjoy!!!

GF Strawberry Bread & Strawberry Cream Cheese

I got this recipe from Glutenfreeda (http://www.glutenfreeda.com/recipe-view.asp?cat=6&id=344) and it’s delicious! I made this and brought it to my parent’s house for Sunday breakfast and we ate the entire loaf!! No one even noticed or thought to ask me if it was gluten free. I followed the recipe but I also add 1 tablespoon of vanilla and about an extra teaspoon of cinnamon.  The strawberry cream cheese complimented the bread well because it wasn’t too sweet and it was light on the strawberry flavor. My bread took about 75 minutes to cook thoroughly, which is 15ish minutes more than the recipe calls for.

enjoy!!!

Comments (View)
September 2, 2009
30 Minute Meal- Shrimp & Veggie Stir Fry Ingredients: 1 package Trader Joe’s Rice Sticks 1 package of Trader Joe’s Harvest Hodgepodge (it’s an eight-vegetable blend broccoli, carrots, baby corn, water chestnuts, mushrooms, sugar snap peas, red peppers, onions). Feel free to chop up whatever veggies you’d like but i highly recommend this because it’s quick and easy for those lazy week nights! 1 package of cooked large shrimp 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, coarsely chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 cup Garlic Chili Pepper Sauce (I used “A Taste of Thai”’ because it says gf on the label!) 1/4 Soy Sauce (I used La Choy) Salt and pepper to taste Directions: Heat up the olive oil in a large skillet/wok and dice up the garlic cloves and onion. (Also, make sure you put water to boil for the rice sticks and add them as soon as the water starts bubbling!)  Saute the onions first for a few minutes and then add the garlic.  Cook the garlic until golden brown and throw in the shrimp for a few minutes.  Add the mixed veggies and add salt/pepper to taste. Once the rice noodles are ready (usually in about 6-8 minutes), drain and add them to the veggies/shrimp.  Add the soy sauce and garlic chili sauce and stir. If you feel that it needs more of either feel free to add! Remember, the garlic chili sauce is spicy so if you don’t like it hot i would add less of that and more soy sauce! Just taste it as you go. Enjoy!!! -Z :)

30 Minute Meal- Shrimp & Veggie Stir Fry

Ingredients:

1 package Trader Joe’s Rice Sticks

1 package of Trader Joe’s Harvest Hodgepodge (it’s an eight-vegetable blend broccoli, carrots, baby corn, water chestnuts, mushrooms, sugar snap peas, red peppers, onions). Feel free to chop up whatever veggies you’d like but i highly recommend this because it’s quick and easy for those lazy week nights!

1 package of cooked large shrimp

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup Garlic Chili Pepper Sauce (I used “A Taste of Thai”’ because it says gf on the label!)

1/4 Soy Sauce (I used La Choy)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat up the olive oil in a large skillet/wok and dice up the garlic cloves and onion. (Also, make sure you put water to boil for the rice sticks and add them as soon as the water starts bubbling!)  Saute the onions first for a few minutes and then add the garlic.  Cook the garlic until golden brown and throw in the shrimp for a few minutes.  Add the mixed veggies and add salt/pepper to taste.

Once the rice noodles are ready (usually in about 6-8 minutes), drain and add them to the veggies/shrimp.  Add the soy sauce and garlic chili sauce and stir. If you feel that it needs more of either feel free to add! Remember, the garlic chili sauce is spicy so if you don’t like it hot i would add less of that and more soy sauce! Just taste it as you go.

Enjoy!!!

-Z :)

Comments (View)

BABYCAKES!!!

Today on my lunch break I decided to go on a little adventure downtown to Babycakes for some AMAZING gluten free cupcakes! Just in case you haven’t been there (it’s adorable) they cater to all of us with food allergies and offer vegan cupacakes, soy free, dairy/casein free and egg free cupacakes! I got one brownie cupcake (the one with the white frosting) and one vanilla cupcake (purple frosting). I still can’t decide which one was better! The vanilla frosting was the best i’ve ever had on the vanilla cupcake but the brownie cupcake had chocolate chips in it and tasted so much like real brownie which I am now deprived of!!

Please check them out! http://www.babycakesnyc.com/ They also make scrumptious birthday cakes (My mom got me the Carrot Cake for mine).. just make sure you order it at least 1 day in advance.

-zeeee

Comments (View)
August 27, 2009

MAN APPROVED MEATLOAF

Ingredients:

1. 1lb ground turkey (or beef, but i prefer turkey!)

2. 1/2 onion chopped

3. 3 garlic cloves minced

4. 1 cup gf bread crumbs

5. 2 eggs

6. 1 cup cheese (i used mild cheddar)

7. 2 tablespoons of Adobo

8. 1/2 cup ketchup

9. 2-3 tablespoons of Mustard

10. 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

11. 2 tablespoons of brown sugar

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350F

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, onion, garlic, bread crumbs, eggs, cheese and adobo.

In a separate smaller bowl, combine the ketchup, mustard, worcestershire sauce and brown sugar.  Taste it too see if you think it needs more sugar, mustard, etc.  Add about 1/4 of this sauce to your meat mixture.

Put meat mixture into a loaf pan and add the remaining sauce over loaf. Bake for 1 hour or until meat is no longer pink.

My boyfriend absolutely loved this meal! I think it’s because it tastes like a cheeseburger (NOM)!! I served it with just plain white rice.

-Z


Comments (View)
August 9, 2009

Veggie Polenta Lasagna

1. Zucchini (i used 2 medium sized zucchinis chopped in small
 cubes)
2. Mushrooms (any kind- i used a little more than 1 cup cut
 lengthwise in 1/3)
3. Garlic (i used 3 cloves)
4. Olive Oil (about 2 Tablespoons)
5. Salt and Pepper to taste (for the zucchini/mushroom/garlic)
6. Artichoke (jarred ones are fine and you can add either
 1/2 a can or full)
7. Polenta (i used Trader Joe's Organic Polenta)
8. Ricotta cheese (a small tub 8oz)
9. Pasta sauce (I used Trader Joe's Tomato Garlic Marinara
 Pasta Sauce)
10. Cheese blend (cI used cheddar and mozzarella)
11. Parmesan cheese on top too (i did this when i served the
 lasagna, but you can also put it on beforehand)

Directions

Saute the garlic in olive oil for a few minutes and then add the zucchini and mushrooms, and cook for about ten minutes or until tender.Add salt & pepper to taste.

In a small casserole dish, coat the bottom with some pasta sauce and then add a layer of polenta (sliced to ¼-inch thick or so), ricotta cheese, the cheese mix, artichoke, and the zucchini/mushroom mixture.

Next, add another layer of polenta topped with sauce and the cheese mix. Layer as needed until you achieve lasagna thickness desired for depth of your pan (the layers i mentioned were enough for me to fill up the entire dish). Be sure to top with a layer of cheeses.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Then, change the temperature to broil for the last 5 minutes to slightly brown the top and make the cheese bubble/crunchy just a bit. Make sure to watch that you don’t burn the cheese!!

**This was the first time I ever cooked/tried polenta and it was perfect! Next time I go to Trader Joe’s I’m stocking up on it and making this a regular dish in my dinner rotation!! :)

-Zee

Comments (View)
August 2, 2009
Comments (View)