Pizza -- Gluten-free

This pizza is a meal in itself with so many veggies that a salad isn’t necessary. Eat it with a fork, as picking it up in your hands could be disastrous.

Pizza is one of those foods I crave. I have discovered that most gluten-free pizza crusts are tasteless and one must include the flavor of several toppings to make it enjoyable.

Make or buy a gluten-free pizza crust  

I much prefer making my own pizza crust from a store-bought mix, but when time is short I resort to buying one in the frozen food section in a health food store.

 Toppings

Eggplant – 2 small or one large -- Wash, peel outer skin in 1” wide strips lengthwise. When you are done, the eggplant will have stripes. Cut off stem and end, and slice into ¼” round slices, and place on a greased cookie sheet. Brush lightly with olive oil and bake at 350° oven for 10 minutes, then with a metal spatula turn and bake for ten more minutes until the slices are soft but not mushy.

Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage (gluten-free) 1 lb. – remove from casing, fry in some olive oil until cooked through and browned. Transfer to cutting board and chop to desired consistency.

1 Onion – peeled & chopped plus 6- 8 fresh mushrooms (optional), sautéed in a little olive oil until onions are caramelized and mushrooms are slightly browned.

1 Green Pepper seeded & chopped

1 Sweet Red Pepper seeded & chopped

2 - 3 LargeTomatoes seeded & chopped

2 - 3 Cups Spinach chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 Cup Feta Cheese crumbled

2 Cups Fresh Mozzarella Cheese cut into bite sized pieces

2 Cups Fresh Parmesan grated

Fresh herbs – basil, oregano to taste – or sprinkle dried herbs on top

Black pepper, garlic powder, or whatever you desire to add a bit more flavor. I tend to omit salt in most recipes and look to other ingredients to enhance the flavors.

Arrange evenly on 4 small or 2 large pizza crusts.

Bake at 425° on cookie sheets for about ten minutes or until cheese is melted and browned.  Transfer to cutting board, let cool for 2 – 5 minutes, slice, and enjoy.

Orange and Date Dessert --Gluten-free

This combination makes a sweet and light dessert, perfect for a winter dinner or as a side dish. Serve it as a salad with lunch or brunch. If you don’t have dates you may substitute with other dried fruit.

Serves 8

6 large navel oranges, skinned and cut into bite sized pieces

8 large dried dates – pitted and sliced

½ cup almonds (substitute walnuts, pecans, Macadamia nuts, or hazelnuts)

6 fresh mint leaves cut into slivers

½ cup dried cranberries

Layer and arrange cut oranges, dates, almonds, cranberries, and mint onto a platter or shallow bowl.

The original recipe came from THE ESSENTIAL MEDITERRANEAN COOKBOOK (Murdoch Books, Sydney, Australia) 2001

Hearty Sausage Soup -- Gluten-free

A good soup stock makes this comforting dish with few ingredients taste great. It’s made with mashed potatoes, kale, sausage and stock. 

If you like thick soups then cut back on the broth. It’s healthy and hearty, and hits the spot on a cold winter night.

To make this gluten-free, check the label on the package of sausage and broth.

8 oz. to 1 lb. sweet Italian Turkey Sausage removed from casings and browned in a few tablespoons of olive oil. You may choose to use another type of sausage other than turkey.

4 – 6 medium red skin potatoes, peeled, cut, boiled, drained, and mashed (I add the water that I cook the potatoes in to the broth, making more liquid and not as thick).

1 to 2 cups of kale, washed and finely chopped in a food processor (substitute spinach or other favorite greens)

4 – 6 cups of soup stock or broth depending upon how thick or thin you like your soup (Turkey broth is great and blends well with the turkey sausage).

Salt & pepper to taste (Some sausage and soup stock can be loaded with salt negating the need to add it).

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Add a few mushrooms, thinly sliced carrots, or some leftover veggies to your liking. Simmer for ten minutes until kale and other vegetables have cooked and serve.

Avocado Salad -- Gluten-free

This is a great salad to take on a kayak trip. You’ll want to rinse off your hands when you are finished enjoying this wonderful lunch.

On our way to the Everglades National Park, we stopped at Robert’s Fruit Stand near Homestead, FL, and picked up this avocado salad and fresh mango to make a nutritious meal. With a little trail mix we had plenty to sustain us through an active day.

Avocado Salad

Halve and pit an avocado. Then without breaking through the tough outer skin, cut through the soft green meat of the avocado in about ½” to ¾” parallel lines. Then cut lines in the other direction, 90 degrees to the first ones. This will allow you to easily scoop out the avocado when it comes time to eat it.

Sprinkle with lime juice (Key Lime juice is great if you have it).

Chop a ripe tomato into bite sized pieces and place in the center of the avocado where the pit had been.

Optional:  Top with a little chopped Cilantro and green onion.

Drizzle with a bit of your favorite salad dressing. We used Caesar salad dressing.

Pack in a liquid tight container with a spoon if you are traveling and keep cool. Enjoy!

Avocados are high in fiber, Vitamin B, and fat (unsaturated).

Nutritional Information about avocados from the Tropical Fruit Growers of Southern Florida

Apple & Pumpkin Vinaigrette -- Gluten-free

It's a good time of year to focus on things that are green - like salads. I read recently that most prepared salad dressings that we buy in the store have ingredients that are not good for us. What next?!!

Pumpkin and apples seem to complement each other, so when I found Pumpkin Seed Oil (from the Styrian area of Austria) in my search for alternatives to prepared, bottled salad dressings, I thought this might make a nice combo. I was so pleasantly surprised with the taste that I was able to overlook the cost of the oil, $14.99 for 8.5 oz. The ease of preparation also added great value.

I combined the ingredients in a small cream pitcher. Though cruets look lovely they are so hard to clean -- even in the dishwasher. This vinaigrette can easily be stirred, not shaken, and spooned over the salad to one's liking. Bottled salad dressings seem to flow out so fast.

Spicy salad dressings mask the delicate flavors of veggies, where this one enhances them.

Recipe

Pour 3 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a small pitcher or cruet and add ½ Cup Pumpkin Seed Oil. Spoon lightly over a mixed green salad. Enjoy!

Mango Salsa Salad Dressing -- Gluten-free

This recipe comes from Jennifer and is wonderful for dressing up a simple salad of a few ingredients. She used spinach, avocado, and cantaloupe for this salad, and the tangy flavors of the dressing give it a unique and interesting flavor. Plus the colors jazz it up and give it visual appeal -- an important aspect of any meal.

1 mango, peeled and chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped finely

3 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1/2 sweet orange pepper, seeded and chopped

4 tbsp Chives, chopped finely

Juice and zest of one lime

2 tbsp. grape seed oil

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Mix above ingredients in a bowl. Leave for 30 minutes at room temperature to allow flavors to blend. Serve with tortilla chips or spoon over a bed of spinach and add sliced avocado.

Lobster Rolls -- Gluten-free

If you want a special treat with little prep time try serving lobster rolls. You can substitute crab meat, shrimp, tuna fish or cooked chicken for those who don’t like lobster. In most recipes substitution is the name of the game for me, and if I don’t say anything then nobody knows, although I would not substitute chicken for lobster and try to call it a lobster roll.

If you don’t have fresh lobster in your area I suggest ordering fresh lobster meat and have it delivered to your door. If you order live lobsters to cook, they could end up at your doorstep about midnight and then you might feel obligated to cook them right away taking the easiness out of this recipe. Also, a pound or two of fresh lobster meat is less expensive to ship.

Mix:

1 pound fresh lobster meat into small bite sized pieces (or frozen if fresh is not an option)

1 stalk celery, chopped very fine – optional  If you chop the celery very fine the result is extra flavor and a delicate texture. A sharp knife is critical to cutting celery that fine.

2 tablespoons mayonnaise (Hellman’s Real mayo is gluten-free) adjust amount to your liking or melt ¼ cup butter in a saucepan, add the lobster and heat but be careful not to cook the lobster.  The delicate flavor of the lobster can easily be hidden by the addition of strong spices or fresh herbs, so if you decide to add some other ingredients try a minimal amount.

6 – 8 Gluten-free hot dog rolls, spread with a little butter on each side and brown in a fry pan or in the broiler.

Fill the rolls with the lobster mixture and serve with an easy side salad of mixed greens and fresh blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries, with a simple olive oil and white balsamic vinegar dressing. Add a few sticks of fresh carrots, a few chips, and iced-tea with lemon. It’s pretty and festive.

Tip:  Have a few hot dogs handy in case someone doesn’t like lobster and enjoy the extra lobster yourself.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This recipe was published in the Maine Warmers' e-Newsletter, June 2013.