Category Archives: Lunch

60 Second Fancy Red Sauce

Pasta and sauce is a staple in my house at least once a week. I must admit that I often buy a jar a week but I really am not a fan of any of the store bought stuff. A good red sauce does not need to take hours to make. My version is quick and super tasty.

Ingredients:
2 Cup Crushed Tomatoes or Puréed Tomatoes
1 Tbs Capers
1 Cup Canned Pitted Olives
1 Tbs Tomato Paste
1/4 Cup Red Wine or 1 Tbs Balsamic
1 Tbs Raisins
2 tbs Parsley
2 tbs Oregano

Start by placing tomatoes and paste in pan with wine heating and sautéing together over medium heat. While cooking chop olives and capers a pour into sauce. Add herbs and continue to cook until it comes together. If it becomes to think just add a little water and it will smooth out no problem.

When your ready to serve throw in some squash or pasta and top with Parm cheese.

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Pumpkin Hummus

As always I continue to look for fun new ways to use pumpkin. I was trying to come up with something fun for a brunch and I figured a pumpkin spread would work great. With an idea of hummus in my mind this is what I created.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Pumpkin
1 Can Chickpeas
2 Tbs Peanut Butter
2 Tbs Almond Milk
1/2 Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Salt
2 tsp Pumpkin Spice
2 Tbs Brown Sugar
1 Tbs Splenda

Start by blending chickpeas, almond milk and peanut butter in a food processor until smooth. Nest add all remaining ingredients. Once its well blended place in a clean bowl and store in fridge until you read to serve but for at least 30 min.

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Spicy and Sweet Corn Bread

Another simple gluten free bread that easy to make with no gluten free flour in the house. Spice it how ever you want. It cooks super fast so keep an eye on it.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Corn Meal
2 eggs
1/3 Cup Parm Cheese
2 Cups Any Kind of Milk
3 Tbs Honey or Maple Syrup ( or a little of both )
2 Tbs Sugar
2 tsp Salt
2 Tbs Melted Butter
1/2 tsp Chile Pepper
1 tsp smoky Paprika
2 tsp Baking Soda

Place everything except for milk in a bowl and mix well. Feel free to change spice up how ever you want. Then add milk. It will look very wet but mix well and let stand for five minutes before placing in square baking dish. Spray backing dish well and pour in batter. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes and watch that it does not burn.

Enjoy warm with butter or honey.

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Pecan Bread

I have done something similar but this one is a different base that worked out great. Easy gluten free sweet bread for anyone that has no gluten free flour at home. I actually went home for the holidays and needed some type of bread for breakfast and this is what I came up with.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups of crushed Pecans
1/2 Cup Walnuts
5 eggs ( yolks and whites separated)
1 Cup Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Nutmeg
1 Pinch Salt
1/2 Tbs Vanilla
1 Tbs Rum
2 tsp Baking Powder

Place the eggs in two separate bowls and whisk both well until light and fluffy. Add sugar to yolks and whisk again. Add spices, salt, vanilla, rum and baking to yolks and mix well. Then add the nuts and mix very well. Return to the egg white and whisk until peaks form. Slowly pour fluff egg whites to the nut yolk mix and carefully incorporate it all with out deflating.

Bake on 350 for about 30 to 35 minutes.

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Creamy Mashed Squash

The other day I was really in the mood for mashed potatoes but I did not want to eat something so starchy and high in carb. This worked out great and would go well with anything.

Ingredients:

1 Large Squash peeled
2 Tbs Light Cream Cheese
1 Tbs Salt
1 Tbs Grated Cheese

Start by cutting the large squash in chunks. Place squash into pot with boiling water and salt. Once the squash is soft, drain and return to pot. Mash with a potato masher and add both the cream cheese and grated cheese. Mash and mix well.
Serve hot and enjoy.

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Prince Charming Tortilla Soup

Once upon a time I met a boy who first told me a story about his love of cooking. After a long day of work and hanging out he offered to bring food over and make some famous soup. Being the foodie I am, I welcomed the idea. After a short trip to the store he was off banging away in the kitchen and cooking up a storm. Not allowing me to taste anything until it was done. Hours later after talking well into the early hours of the morning I was served a wonderful bowl of tortilla soup. It was savory with a little spice. With the warm broth, colorful veggies, fresh herbs and crunchy topping I knew this was something special. This was a soup made with love and the game was over. I found my prince because of a bowl of soup.

Ingredients:
3 Cups Chopped Cooked Chicken or Turkey ( Great use of left overs 🙂
1 Big Can Crushed Tomatoes
5 Cups Broth
2 Celery Stalks Chopped
1 Can Corn
1 Can Black Beans
1 Onion Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Lime
1 Tbs Salt
1 Tbs Chili Powder
1 Tbs Cumin
2 Bell Peppers
1 Cup Cilantro Chopped
* optional tortilla chips to top

Start by browning all onions, garlic, celery and bell peppers in a well sprayed large pot, cook till translucent and soft. Add broth, tomatoes and juice of the lime and bring to a boil. Add spices and lower heat to maintain a low simmer. Finally add turkey, corn, beans and cilantro. Cook at a low simmer for about 2 hours. Serve hot with tortilla chips on top.

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Stuffed Mushrooms

For the holidays, I have been looking for fun new gluten free appetizers. Since I try to incorporate veggies as much as possible , I figured stuffing mushrooms would be great. This recipe was a hit with my family for dinner and the few leftovers became part of my egg dish in the morning.

Ingredients:
2 Packs Baby Bella Mushrooms
2 Cup Ricotta Cheese
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Pepper
2 Cloves Garlic Chopped
1 Medium Size Onion Chopped
1 Pack Frozen Spinach ( thawed )

Topping:
One Cup Gluten Free Bread Crumbs or Crushed Nuts
1/4 Parm Cheese Grated
Small amount for Onion and Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Start by cleaning the stem out of the mushroom ( save the stem).
Oil Mushrooms and lay on cookie sheet. Place cheese, salt, pepper, mushroom stems in big bowl or food processor. Then stuff filling into mushrooms.

Next, take all the indigents for the topping and mix together. Pour topping all over mushrooms and broil on low for 5-10 minutes until the topping starts to brown and mushrooms are cooked.

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Disappearing Pumpkin Soup

Everyone knows I love pumpkin. Well I have to admit both my boyfriend and Dad are not big fans. I was determined to make something pumpkin for dinner but I knew I had a hard group to please. Well this soup has the title for a reason, it was gone in less then 15 minutes. It truly is out of this world. I promise it won’t disappoint.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Pumpkin ( I prefer my fresh or frozen from my Pumpkin Breakdown recipe but can pumpkin would work)

1 Peeled and Chopped Apple

3 Cups Vegetarian Broth

1/2 Tbsp Pumpkin Spice

1 tsp Tyme

1 tsp Rosemary

2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Sugar

1 Tbsp Oil

1/4 Cup Heavy Cream

1/2 Cup Skim Milk

Start by placing the onion and oil in the slow cooker on high for 20 minutes. Then add all remaining ingredients and cook on low for at least 8 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning as you would like. Pour the whole mixture into a pot and pure with an immersion blender. Then heat soup and serve hot. This soup is great to make the day before and leave in the fridge until the next day. Just heat and serve.

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Stuffed Grape Leaves

I am not sure what it is about grape leaves but I love them. Anything that makes food fun, great to entertain and something different is always a winner with me. You have seen me stuff them with meat asian style on NBC but now I am going back to my route and doing it the meditaranian way. At the next party skip the bigs in a blanket and do it the guilt free way.

Ingredients:

1 Jar Grape Leaves
3/4 Cup Rice Uncooked
2 Cups Water
1/3 Cup white Raisin
1 tsp Salt
1 TBS Olive Oil
1/2 Onion Chopped
1 Lemon

First start by adding oil to a pot and browning the onion lightly. Add rice and water and bring it up to a boil. Once boiling add raisin’s, parsley and salt. Lower to a simmer and cook till liquid is almost gone but make sure to stir every few minutes. Once done place rice in a container and chill in fridge for about an hour to cool.

Now for the fun part. Take about five grape leaves out at a time and rinse well to remove brine. Lay one leaf flat on counter and place about a tablespoon of rice in the shape of your thumb on one edge. Then roll the leaf like you would any wrapper with folding in the sides and rolling the filling to the other side. Place each one on a well sprayed cookie sheet. Once all the rice is rolled spray the tops with oil or none stick spray and squeeze with lemon juice. Broil on low for a few minutes on each side. Make sure you watch them the whole time. They will burn easy if your not careful.

I like to serve them warm with a simple yogurt sauce. Enjoy

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Drunken Cranberry Sauce

There is something about tart cranberries as a side dish with any meal that always seems like a great match. From breakfast to dinner its always a great match. I loved the canned version as a kid but my grown up homemade version is a crowd please that takes not effort.

2 Lb Cranberries

2 Cups Sugar (or 1 1/2 Cups Sugar and 1/2 Cup Splenda)

1 Cups Red Wine

Zest and Juice of One Large Orange

1 Cup Apple Sauce

1 Oz Port

Place cranberries, sugar, orange juice, zest and wine in a small pot. Cook on medium heat and stir continuously. The sauce will quickly combine and berries will start to pop. Its important not to cook longer then 15 minutes in order to save some of the pectin to keep the sauce firm. 15 minutes is plenty of time for the cranberries to cook down and for everything to combine. Remove from heat and allow to cool in fridge. Once cool add apple sauce and port.

Enjoy

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