Creamy Green Beans

This is another recipe that I've been playing with since the winter, when the craving for something creamy came upon me.  Creamy foods are somehow inherently warm and comforting when it's below freezing outside.  But how can food be made creamy when you can't use cream, sour cream, or cream cheese?  Well, in the case of green beans, I discovered that you can make a creamy dressing by using mayonnaise.  I came up with two different flavors that I use depending on the rest of the food I'm cooking for dinner.  And even though I first thought of the recipe in the winter, it's great year-round when that craving for something creamy hits.  The dressing also tastes great with steamed asparagus.  I use 1 lb. of asparagus, which ends up being about 3/4 lb. once you snap off the ends.

Creamy Green Beans
serves 3 adults or 2 adults and 2 young children

Ingredients for Curried Creamy Green Beans:

• 3/4 lb. green beans (When green beans aren't in season, I like to buy Trader Joe's frozen French green beans.)
• 2 Tbsp. Hellmann's Real mayonnaise (not low-fat)
• 1/2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. curry powder
• 1/8 tsp. sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper 

Ingredients for French Creamy Green Beans:

• 3/4 lb. green beans (When green beans aren't in season, I like to buy Trader Joe's frozen French green beans.)
• 2 Tbsp. Hellmann's Real mayonnaise (not low-fat)
• 1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/8 tsp. sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper

Ingredients for Sriracha Creamy Green Beans:

• 3/4 lb. green beans (When green beans aren't in season, I like to buy Trader Joe's frozen French green beans.)
• 2 Tbsp. Hellmann's Real mayonnaise (not low-fat)
• 1/2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. Sriracha hot chili sauce
• 1/8 tsp. sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper

Instructions:

Cook the green beans until tender-crisp.  While the green beans are cooking, whisk together the rest of the ingredients.  When the green beans are done, drain them thoroughly.  (If they are too wet, it dilutes the dressing and the dressing doesn't adhere to the beans as well.)  Return the green beans to the pot they were cooked in or a warmed serving bowl.  Pour the dressing over them and toss so that all of the beans are coated with the dressing.  Serve immediately.  

Vanilla Frosting

I'm back!  I finished my second semester of graduate school and have now recovered and caught up on sleep.  Over the past few months I didn't take a break from cooking or trying out new recipes, but I just didn't have the time or energy to post the recipes here.  But now I'm back to blogging and I'll try to make up for my semester-long absence by sharing some of the recipes that I've been working on over the past few months. 

One recipe that I've been tweaking since the winter is corn-free and dairy-free vanilla frosting.  The two basic ingredients in vanilla frosting are powdered sugar (which usually contains cornstarch) and butter (which obviously contains dairy).  Fortunately, the Trader Joe's near us started carrying powdered sugar that contains tapioca starch instead of cornstarch.  From there I experimented with the rest of the ingredients until I came up with a frosting that the girls think tastes great.  The thing I like about this frosting is that it is so quick and easy to make.  So when I need to take one of the girls to a friend's birthday party, I just pull a chocolate cupcake out of the freezer to defrost (since I bake a batch once in a while and freeze the extras), and then make a little frosting to cover it.  Add some sprinkles and we're ready to go.

Vanilla Frosting
makes frosting to cover 3 to 4 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup corn-free powdered sugar.  I use Trader Joe's, but Whole Foods also sells some.
• 2 Tbsp. Spectrum organic palm shortening
• 1/8 tsp. vanilla extract.  Use Trader Joe's alcohol-free vanilla extract or another vanilla extract that does not have corn syrup and is preferably alcohol-free, since the alcohol could be derived from corn. Recently I have been using Rodelle Vanilla Flavor alcohol free all natural extract, which I found at Stop and Shop.
• 1/8 tsp. sea salt
• 1 to 1 1/2 tsp. rice milk

Instructions:

Add the powdered sugar, shortening, vanilla, sea salt, and 1 tsp. rice milk to a standing mixer bowl with the whisk attachment in place.  Whisk on medium to medium-fast speed.  If the frosting is too thick and not spreadable enough, add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. more rice milk until the frosting reaches the right consistency.  Scrape the bowl at least once and whisk thoroughly so that the salt and vanilla are mixed throughout the frosting.  Spread on top of cupcakes immediately. 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

I started making these muffins back in the fall, when Trader Joe's started carrying their pumpkin puree and when I found this recipe.  I tweaked the recipe to meet our needs and preferences, and now we have a pumpkin chocolate chip muffin that we like to eat not just in the fall, but year-round, as long as I stock up on enough pumpkin puree while it's available in stores. 

Sometime last year I started the tradition of making muffins for breakfast every Sunday.  I freeze the leftover ones and bring them out to feed myself and the girls for breakfast during the school week, when I don't want to get up early enough to make fresh ones.  In addition to tasting great right out of the oven, these muffins taste just as good when defrosted in the fridge overnight and then microwaved until warm.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree.  (Get one that does not contain any added ingredients.  I use Trader Joe's brand, which is seasonal.)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup flax seed meal
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 cup dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips.  I recommend Ghirardelli, Trader Joe's, or Enjoy Life brand.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease the cups of a muffin tin with canola oil.  In a medium bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, flax seed meal, brown sugar, canola oil, and applesauce.  Heat in the microwave until warm, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.  Then set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and sea salt.  Stir the apple cider vinegar into the pumpkin puree mixture.  Then pour the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and stir until no trace of flour remains.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Pour 1/3 cup of batter into each of the muffin tin cups.  Bake the muffins for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.  
  

Recipes I Found

In this post I'm trying something a little different than usual -- I'm going to share some recipes I found on the internet this week for foods that my family can eat and that I think we would enjoy.  I haven't tried out these recipes to vouch for whether they will turn out well, but they look promising and I'd like to try them when I get a chance.  If you try one out, I'd love to hear whether you liked it or not.  After the link to the recipe I will mention any substitutions that need to be made in order for the dish to be safe for us to eat.

Main Dishes with Cauliflower:
Somehow I didn't realize that Michael liked cauliflower until last year.  It's amazing the new things that one learns about one's spouse even after eleven years of marriage.  Since that discovery, I've been looking for cauliflower recipes that I think we all would like.

• Sicilian Pasta with Cauliflower (Use rice pasta.)
• Baked Ziti or Penne Rigata with Cauliflower (Use rice pasta.)
• Tunisian Style Baked Cauliflower Frittata (I probably wouldn't serve this to Sabrina since she is sensitive to eggs, but the rest of us would like it.)

Salads:
Although I'm not as interested in salads in the winter, usually preferring something hot like roasted vegetables, I still do enjoy dark leafy salads like spinach and kale.

• Spinach and Turkey Salad (Substitute Hellman's Real mayonnaise for the yogurt and reduce the amount of lemon juice.) 
• Kale Salad with Dates, Parmesan, and Almonds
• Quinoa Kale Salad (We couldn't have the dressing because of the kefir, but I love the idea of mixing quinoa and kale together.)
• Kale, Cabbage, and Carrot Salad (If Sabrina were going to have this, I would use about 1/2 cup, or a little more, of Hellman's Real mayonnaise instead of the homemade mayonnaise in the recipe.)

Snacks:
If I'm feeling adventurous, I might try the following:

• Blueberry Chocolate Protein Smoothie (I would omit the protein powder since most contain whey or casein.)
• Mediterranean Lentil Puree (Omit the yogurt and follow the instructions for the vegan option.)
• Allergy-Free Toddler Muffins (Use 1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour instead of the flours listed.  Omit the xanthan gum.)

Spinach Dip

For New Year's Eve this year I decided to make spinach dip.  This dip and I go way back.  I've liked spinach dip for as long as I can remember.  My favorite store-bought spinach dip was one my mom would buy when my parents lived in Oakton, VA.  The secret to that dip?  Water chestnuts.  Chopped up water chestnuts add the perfect bit of crunch to the dip.  After I moved to Vancouver, BC and my parents moved away from Oakton, VA, I needed to figure out how to replicate the fabulous Oakton spinach dip.  Using a Cook's Illustrated recipe, I started playing around with the ingredients until Michael and I decided that it was just right. 

This week, when I went to look up the recipe, I could hardly believe that I've been making this dip since 2002, close to the beginning of my cooking adventures.  This fall I developed a dairy-free version, since that is easier on our stomachs now.  However, I've also included the version more similar to the original for those who need to avoid tree nuts. 

Spinach Dip

Ingredients:

• 10-ounce package of frozen chopped spinach 
• 8-ounce can of chopped water chestnuts
• 3 or 4 green onions
• 1/2 Tbsp. dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. dried dill
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. dried basil
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (or, for less kick, use 1/8 tsp.)
• Dairy-free option:  1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. Hellman's original mayonnaise, 1/4 cup plain almond milk, and 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• Nut-free option:  1/2 cup Hellman's original mayonnaise and 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream (Use a brand like Daisy that contains just cultured cream.)

Instructions:

Defrost the spinach on a plate in the microwave.  When you are able, break the spinach into small chunks to speed up the defrosting process.  (Be sure to use the defrost setting so that the spinach, and your fingers, do not get hot.  Ask me how I know this.)  While the spinach is defrosting, put the water chestnuts in a food chopper and chop them until they are in small pieces.  Set them aside in a small bowl.  When the spinach is still cool but no longer icy, place it in a dish towel and wring the towel over the sink to remove as much excess liquid as possible from the spinach.  (Be sure to use a towel that you don't care too much about because the spinach will turn it a greenish hue.)  Return the spinach to the plate.

Chop the white parts of the green onions and place them in a separate bowl.  To this bowl add the parsley, salt, dill, garlic, black pepper, onion powder, basil, oregano, and cayenne pepper.  Add either the dairy-free option or nut-free option of mayonnaise plus the remaining ingredients.  Stir all of these together.  Then stir in the defrosted spinach.  Transfer the spinach mixture to the food chopper and chop until the spinach is in small pieces.  Pour the dip back into the bowl and stir in the water chestnuts.  Transfer to a serving bowl and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Egg and Sausage Casserole

This year I thought I would try to come up with some fun foods to eat for breakfast on Christmas morning.  Since most of us can eat eggs, I decided to work on a dairy-free egg casserole.  (My sister-in-law also put in a request for something sweet with cinnamon, but I'm still working on that recipe.)  I think the breakfast sausage gives the egg casserole lots of flavor, even without the usual cheese sprinkled on top.  To make the casserole wheat-free and dairy-free, I used gluten-free bread and almond milk.  We'll see what the rest of our family thinks, but Michael and I found it quite yummy.

One important thing to note is that you need to start this casserole about 24 hours ahead of time.  The bread needs to soak in the egg mixture overnight for it to turn out as egg casserole perfection.  If you don't have 12 eggs, you could try using 10 eggs and 1 cup of almond milk, or 8 eggs and 1 1/2 cups of almond milk. 

Egg and Sausage Casserole
serves 10 to 12 people

Ingredients:

• 12 to 16 oz. breakfast sausage.  Jones All Natural original pork sausage and Jimmy Dean All-Natural regular pork sausage are the two brands I have found that are free of wheat, corn, dairy, and soy.
• 12 large eggs
• 1/2 cup plain almond milk.  (Not vanilla-flavor!)  I prefer Blue Diamond Almond Breeze original.
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. ground mustard
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 6 slices of Ener-G tapioca loaf.  Or if you cannot find the tapioca loaf, use 5 or 6 slices of Ener-G brown rice or white rice loaf, depending on how many are needed to cover the bottom of the pan.  (The tapioca loaf slices are cut thinner.)

Instructions:  

The morning before you want to serve the casserole, take the tube of breakfast sausage out of the freezer to let it defrost in the refrigerator.  Then the evening before, cook the sausage over medium-heat in a large frying pan for about 10 minutes, breaking the sausage up into small pieces and stirring frequently, until the sausage is cooked and has begun to brown.  

Whisk together the eggs, almond milk, oregano, basil, ground mustard, sea salt, onion powder, and black pepper.  Cut the slices of bread into 1/2-inch cubes.  Liberally grease a 9x13 Pyrex pan with canola oil or olive oil.  Sprinkle the bread cubes in a single layer on the bottom of the pan.  Pour the egg mixture over top of the bread cubes.  If any of the cubes remain dry-looking, press them into the egg mixture to coat.  Then sprinkle the cooked sausage in an even layer on top.  Cover the baking dish and place it in the refrigerator overnight.

In the morning, take the dish out of the refrigerator.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  When the oven is hot, bake the casserole uncovered for 30 minutes, until a knife inserted in the middle of the casserole comes out clean.  Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before serving.

 

Overnight Steel-cut Oatmeal

I'm back!  I finished my first semester of graduate school and now can think again about things like posting new recipes.  This fall I've been trying out a few, but I just didn't have the time or energy to post them.  It didn't help that I couldn't find the battery charger for my camera for a while.  But now that I'm not writing papers or looking for my charger, I can resume my recipe posting.  This recipe is one that I've been making a lot this fall.  I can start it the night before, and then it just takes 15 minutes in the morning to finish making breakfast.  Since sleep is a precious commodity, I've been trying to get up as late as I can and still get the girls fed before Sabrina has to catch the bus at 7:20 am.

I have three variations of our steel-cut oatmeal:  blueberry with maple syrup, raspberry with brown sugar, and chocolate raspberry.  The picture above is of the chocolate raspberry version, which is the girls' favorite.  Big surprise, eh?

Overnight Steel-cut Oatmeal
serves 2 adults or 1 adult and 2 small children

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup gluten-free steel-cut oats.  I use Bob's Red Mill brand.
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/8 tsp. sea salt
• for the blueberry version:  1 cup frozen wild blueberries, 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
• for the raspberry version:  1 cup frozen raspberries, 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon,  2 to 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• for the chocolate raspberry version:  1 cup frozen raspberries, 1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I like Trader Joe's semi-sweet or Ghirardelli semi-sweet brands), and 2 Tbsp. brown sugar 

Instructions:

The night before, add the the steel-cut oats, water, and salt to a small pot and stir.  Bring the water to a boil over high heat.  Immediately remove the pot from the heat and cover with a lid.  Leave the pot on the stove top overnight.

The next morning add the berries to the pot, stir, and bring the oatmeal to a simmer over medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium, or so the liquid is simmering gently.  Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (If you are using raspberries, occasionally mash them with the back of your spoon so that they dissolve into the oatmeal.)  Then remove the pot from the heat, stir in the other ingredients, and serve.