Greek Meatballs and Cauliflower "Couscous"

Hey folks!  That is, if anyone is still reading after I stopped posting over 3 years ago...  Well, for whoever is still around (Supriya and Mom): I'm back, at least for one post today!

My friend Sammie recently started on a grain free/soy free/dairy free/sugar free diet and reached out to me for some tips and support.  This is exactly the reason I started this blog in the first place: to help folks who are trying to change their lives through food.  I know it's not easy to change your diet, but I also know the immense value in becoming mindful of how you feed yourself, in every sense of the word.  So when Sammie reached out I invited them over for dinner! As we started cooking and talking, they asked me, "Hey are you ever going to start your blog up again?" I explained that since I am so busy these days, I don't really have time to cook elaborate or blog-worthy meals anymore.  I spoke these words as we began dividing up the duties to cook up a very elaborate meal together and I realized, "Oh wait- I'm making a blog-worthy meal right now! Maybe I should post about it!?" So I grabbed my phone and snapped a few good shots of us cooking up a feast of Greek style chicken meatballs, cauliflower "couscous," tahini dressing, sweet potatoes and kale.  My roommate Cat joined us in creating this delicious meal and we ate together, the three of us, with Beyonce's Lemonade album blasting on repeat as the rain poured outside.   During these challenging times in our country, we all need to make time for friends, self care, and creativity.  Thanks Sammie for inspiring me to not only take the time to cook a fabulous meal with fabulous people, but also to start up my blog again (well at least sporadically)!

Enjoy these recipes as the whole meal is grain free, soy free, as well as gluten/sugar/dairy free!

Greek Style Chicken Meatballs (adapted from Liveto110 and PaleoLeap)
Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs of ground chicken (you could also use ground turkey or ground beef or lamb)
• 1 onion finely diced
• 5 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of parsley finely chopped
• 1/4 cup of fresh mint finely chopped
• 1/2 cup of finely ground walnuts (you could use almond meal too)
• 2 tbs of tomato paste
• 1 egg
• sprinkle of dried oregano
• sprinkle of salt and pepper
• olive oil to cook

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. In a pan, heat the oil on medium heat and cook the onions 'till they become soft and translucent.  Add the garlic in when the onions are about halfway down.
3. In a large bowl mix together the chicken, onions, garlic, and all the rest of the ingredients, using your hands!
4. Roll the meat mixture into small balls, about the size of golf balls and lay them on a greased cooking sheet.
5. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.  
6. Serve with tahini dressing! 

Cauliflower "Couscous"
Ingredients

• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley
• 1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes cut into small pieces
• salt and pepper
• juice of one lemon
• olive oil for cooking

Directions

1. Wash and dry the cauliflower and cut into small pieces.
2. Place pieces of cauliflower into a food processor (do a few small batches) and process until the cauliflower is the size of couscous.  Don't over process or it will become pureed cauliflower.  (You can also grate the cauliflower if you don't have a food processor.)  
3. In a pan, heat the oil and garlic on medium/high heat for about 30 seconds and then add the cauliflower to the pan (depending on how large your pan is, you may want to do two batches). Sauté the cauliflower for about 5 minutes or until it's golden and a little toasted (if you don't want a toasted taste, add a little bit of water to the pan so it steams more than fries).  
4. Mix the cooked cauliflower "couscous" with the parsley, tomatoes, lemon and salt and pepper and enjoy!

BTW: I sautéed the kale in garlic and roasted the sweet potatoes chunks in some olive oil and salt/pepper for 40 minutes at 400 F.

Slow Cooked Chinese Pulled Pork

As you may have noticed, I have not blogged much in the last year... forgive me, I am working full time and am in grad school, so I have very little time to cook and blog!  I've been eating very simple tofu kale salads that serve my most immediate need: to fuel my brain, but not necessarily to indulge my creative urges to cook and enjoy a delicious meal.  I was talking to my sister about how I never have time to cook and she suggested that I get a crock pot to make easy, but warm and comforting meals during the busy semester.  Well, of course I have not had the time to buy a crock pot, but luckily my sister got me one for Christmas!  The first dish I attempted to make was Chinese style slow cooked pork for Christmas dinner.  I found a great recipe online, bought a hunk of pork and put everything into the pot on Christmas morning, turned it on low and left for the day.  I went to Glide Memorial Church for a joyful and soulful Christmas service, saw the Nelson Mandela movie, and then by the time I came home, there was a deliciously cooked piece of meat waiting for us!  It turned out so well!  I am very proud of myself as I'm usually intimidated by cooking meat, but I think this crock pot slow cooking thing is the way to go!  I can't wait to try some lentil soup, chili, and honey sesame chicken in my crock pot!  Enjoy this delicious dish!

Ingredients

• 2 lb pork sirloin center cut roast
• 1 cup of gluten free soy sauce/tamari
• 1 cup of gluten free chicken broth (I needed about 2 cups to fill my crockpot because it is a large one, but use 1 cup if you have a regular small crockpot)
• 1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbs maple syrup
• 1 tsp sesame oil, plus a pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp of Chinese Five Spice
• 5 gloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tbs of freshly grated ginger
• 2 scallions sliced
• 2 cups of sliced shitake mushrooms
• Olive oil, salt and pepper

Directions

1. In a bowl (or tupperware if you want to let it marinate overnight), mix together all of the ingredients except the pork and mushrooms and let sit.
2. Season the pork with salt and pepper, and leaving the string on, fry it in a pan coated in olive oil on medium/high heat for about 7 minutes on each side, or until golden/browned.  
3. Place pork and marinade into the crock pot and turn knob to "low" setting and let cook for about 7 hours.
4. When you think the pork is close to being down (maybe 30 minutes before), throw in the sliced shitake mushrooms.  
5. When the mushrooms are tender and the pork can be pulled apart, turn off the crock pot and serve over rice and steamed bok choy, kale and snow peas!  

New Favorite San Francisco Restaurants

 

It is a good thing for people like me that "gluten free" has become trendy!  More and more restaurants are offering gluten free options and accomodations.  If you have an extreme case of Celiac disease or gluten allergy, please always be cautious in eating at restaurants that are not totally certified gluten free, as there is always a chance of cross contanimation.  Luckily my allergy is not severe, and I have had wonderful experiences eating at great places in my city that accomdate someone like me!  Here is a list of a few new places I've discovered that are very friendly to people with allergies and food restrictions. 

Precita Park Cafe/Dolores Park Cafe/Duboce Park Cafe

This local chain of cafes has a lovely San Francisco vibe, energized by the parks near them, and a warm and friendly atmosphere.  I've always enjoyed their cobb salad and smoothies, but they now have gluten free bread!  Try their delicious turkey, bacon and avocado sandwich or their curry chicken salad sandwich! 

Burger Meister, a classic burger joint in the Bay Area, was a place I used to always walked by, assuming I couldn't eat anything there.  But one evening in Berkeley, while my gluten free mother was visiting, we were wandering around trying to decide where to have dinner, when I suddenly had a craving for a burger.  Burger Meister was right there and we asked if they had gluten free buns, and to our surprise they do!  We gorged on burgers and sweet potato fries!  They also have a gluten free veggie burger that I have yet to try!  Check out one of their multiple locations!

Radish is a relatively new restaurant in the mission that has deliciously fresh comfort food, plus they serve gluten free bread with their sandwiches.  I tried their yummy marinated tofu sandwich and their house made root chips and salad.  They also make their own gluten free flat bread!  Check this place out!

Plant Cafe is high class healthy dining.  Plant Cafe uses local and organic ingredients to make a plethora of dishes that will please vegans, meat eaters, and gluten free folks!  They even have gourmet gluten free pizza, house made kombucha, killer kale salads, and the best acai berry smoothies.  They also have a little take-out cafe including a dessert case that has gluten free sweets like this chocolate mouse brownie treat!  They have several locations including a cafe in the Virgin terminal at SFO.  Seriously, if you have not tried Plant Cafe yet, make it your New Year's resolution!  

Sobo Ramen

I have been waiting for years for someone to invent gluten free ramen, and finally Sobo Ramen opened up in Oakland serving gluten free ramen options!  My friend had a coupon for this place so we made our way over the bridge and enjoyed the most delicious gluten free ramen ever!  You have to check this place out!

Summer Squash and Kale Salad

Summertime....I have fond childhood memories of running through the sprinkler at the park, of biting into a cold coconut popsicle from the corner store, of building sand castles at Crane's beach for hours, and enjoying the freedom of summer.  Working in education, I am lucky to still have the summers "off," and this year especially I am grateful that San Francisco has been unusually hot so far this summer.  I am in full summer mode: lying in the park reading a good book, staying out late with my friends, and cooking fresh summertime dishes.  Summer squash are a delicious seasonal vegetable that goes well with almost any meal: topped onto pasta, mixed into an egg scramble or omelet, or as a simple side dish to grilled chicken or burgers.  This squash and kale salad can be enjoyed hot or cold!

Ingredients

• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 pint of brown mushrooms, sliced
• 2 long summer squash, cubed or sliced
• One large bunch of kale, de-stemmed and cut into small pieces
• Olive oil, salt, and pepper

Directions

1. In a large pan, saute the garlic and mushrooms in olive oil over medium heat until mushrooms soften.
2. Add summer squash and saute until squash begins to soften.
3. Add kale and a splash of water (maybe 2-3 tbs) and cover for a minute.
4. When kale is bright green and soft, turn off the heat.
5. Add salt, pepper, or any spices you wish.
6. Serve hot or cold!

Watermelon Juice!

I love watermelon with a passion - it is so sweet and refreshing, especially on a hot summer day!  Watermelon is not only delicious, but is also high in vitamin C.  I also love to drink watermelon juice, but it can be hard to find, so I finally tried making my own.  It is super easy if you have a blender!  Try it out and enjoy a refreshing glass of beautiful watermelon juice this summer:

Ingredients

• One large watermelon 
• 1 or so cups of coconut water (or regular water is fine too.)

Directions

1. Carefully cut the watermelon into small cubes.  If there are seeds, try to pick them out! 
2. Place watermelon cubes into blender (in batches depending on how big your  blender is).
3. Add approx. a 1/2 cup of the coconut water (or regular H20) and blend until liquefied.
4. Repeat until all watermelon cubes have been pureed.
5. If you want a watermelon smoothie, just pour blended watermelon into a glass and enjoy.
6. If you want pure watermelon juice, strain blended watermelon through a fine mesh sieve and then enjoy.
7. I like to add some mint and enjoy!

Chai Spiced Chia Seed Pudding

Ch-ch-chia!  Yes, we all remember those infomercials about selling the Chia Pet.  Who knew that chia seeds were actually incredibly good for you?  They are full of omega-3's and anti-oxidants.  These seeds are quite magical.  When soaked in liquid, they form a tapioca-pudding like texture around each seed.  You just soak the seeds overnight and in the morning, voila- you have pudding!  It feels like a science experiment, perhaps inciting the same kind of wonder and excitement consumers felt growing their Chia Pets?  The seeds are still whole in the pudding, which I love the texture of, but if you don't like it you can smooth it out in a blender.  Enjoy this easy, delicious and very healthy recipe!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups of almond/rice/hemp/soy milk
• 1/2 cup of chia seeds
• 3 tablespoons of maple syrup or agave
• 2 tablespoons of chai spice mix or: 
• 1 tbs of cinnamon
• 1 tsp of ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp of ground cloves
• 1 tsp of ground cardamom
• 1 tsp of ground ginger
• (Star anise for garnish!)

Directions

1. Mix everything together in a jar or bowl.
2. Cover and place in the fridge overnight.
3. Take it out in the morning and enjoy! You could add fruit, shredded coconut, or sliced almonds to this if you like!

Homemade Gluten Free Bread

There is nothing like freshly baked bread, especially gluten free bread!  On this cool and misty Sunday, baking bread seemed like the perfect afternoon activity.  This recipe comes from Jennifer Katzinger's Flying Apron's Gluten-Free and Vegan Baking Book.  It is an amazing recipe that never seems to fail!  The bread comes out hearty and slightly sweet, with a crunchy crust and soft inside.  The dough can be used to make pizza crust (bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes) or individual flat breads (bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes).  It takes a while to bake, but is well worth the wait!  Feel free to experiment with adding fresh rosemary, or cinnamon and nutmeg to the dough.  

Ingredients

• 3 and 3/4 cups of gluten free flour (I used rice flour, chickpea flour, and sorghum flour)
• 1/4 cup of flax meal
• 1 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of xanthan gum
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup 
• 1 cup of lukewarm water (94 degrees F)
• 1/2 tablespoon of active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup of sweet potato puree or apple sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. In a bowl, mix together the yeast and water, oil and maple syrup.  Wait till the yeast is activated, you will see it bubble up after a few minutes.
3. In another bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients together.
4. Slowly mix together the yeast mixture and dry ingredients.
5. Add in the sweet potato puree and mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
6. Knead dough gently on a well floured (or oiled) surface and then form into desired loaf shape.
7. Cut slits into the top of loaf and place on a floured baking sheet and bake in the oven for about 2 hours.  It will be done when a knife can come out clean from the center of the loaf.
8. Enjoy with some Earth Balance and fresh fruit jam, or dip a chunk into some garlic-infused olive oil!