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.

Sweet Lavender Iced Tea with Lemon

On a garden tour last month, I enjoyed the unique and mild flavor of Lavender in a glass of sweet iced-tea with lemon. It tasted so good that the next day I bought a Lavender plant and experimented with making my own.

Lavender is an herb used as flavoring and as a medicine for anxiety and for a variety of ills. It is used in aroma therapy as well. According to the National Institutes of Health there is “insufficient evidence to rate its effectiveness” for a variety of conditions, but there is some concern about using it while pregnant, nursing, or taking sedatives.  In small quantities, as in this iced-tea, it should be harmless, but if you are on medications, pregnant, or nursing it is wise to check with your physician before drinking tea with Lavender.

3 Lavender flowers, washed  or 1 – 2 Tablespoons of Lavender flower buds, dried or fresh

IMPORTANT use a Lavender plant not treated with any pesticides

Pull the flowers from the woody stalk and place them in a tea ball and then put the ball in a tea pot or heat resistant tea pitcher.

Pour eight cups of boiling water over 6-8 decaf tea bags (or any tea you like) in the same pot, and let steep for ten minutes.  I chose plain decaf because I thought that caffeine might counteract the calming effect of the Lavender. Remove the tea bags and tea ball.

Add 4 tablespoons of Agave syrup (more or less to your taste). Agave syrup is a natural sweetener that dissolves much better in iced tea than sugar.

Let cool and pour over ice. Add Lemon slices. Enjoy!

---This recipe is gluten-free.

Fresh & Colorful Green Bean Salad -- Gluten-free

Green beans are sweet and crisp, fresh from the garden this time of year. Steamed, raw, or 
partially cooked and added to a salad, as in this recipe, they are delightful and abundant at farmers’ markets as well. Purple cabbage, feta cheese, and walnuts add color, texture, and contrast, making the taste and presentation of this dish interesting and unique.

My mother told me that if you massage cabbage with your hands just until it begins to wilt it will taste much better. I am often tempted to skip that step of preparing fresh cabbage because it’s a bit messy and takes extra time. But I am more satisfied with the taste when I do.  Kale is a member of the cabbage family and tastes much better as well when massaged.

This is one of my favorite recipes – even in winter when fresh green beans are available. It was inspired by one I found in the book in RAISING THE SALAD BAR, by Catherine Walthers (Lake Isle Press, NY, 2007).

Salad:

1 lb fresh green beans

1 cup shredded or chopped purple cabbage

½ cup toasted walnuts

1/3 cup of crumbled Feta cheese (Blue cheese works well with this recipe too)

Steam the green beans about 5 minutes until tender but still crisp. Drain and run under cold water. Pat them dry – I pour them onto a clean terry dish towel to dry, thus saving half a roll of paper towels – and put them in a medium sized mixing bowl.

Slice and shred or chop enough red cabbage to make about a cup. Place in a bowl and massage with your hands for a about a minute until the cabbage just begins to look a bit wilted as this helps to take away any bitterness and improves the taste. Add to the green beans and mix.

Roast walnuts (whole or chopped) in the oven at 300° F for about 10 minutes or until slightly   browned or stir constantly for a few minutes in a dry fry pan over medium high heat.

Dressing:

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

1/8 cup of olive oil

Garlic powder to taste

Salt & pepper

Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic powder, add to the green bean mixture, and stir. Chill for an hour or until ready to serve. It can be refrigerated overnight. Add Walnuts and cheese and transfer into a serving bowl.

Harvest Stir-fry with Chicken -- Gluten-free

I think of this recipe in the spring and fall – the transition months. In the spring I have been souped and stewed out; by September I have had it with summer salads but still want to enjoy the beautiful array of veggies found among the weeds in my garden or more often at the local Farmers’ Market. This recipe offers both fresh colorful veggies with limited cooking time. Most of the prep includes chopping. All of the ingredients can be chopped ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until cooking time. Or just cook the chicken and use one of those frozen bags of pre-chopped, stir-fry veggies found in the grocery store. If anybody asks, don’t tell.

2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil

3 – 4 pieces of skinless, boneless chicken breasts (1 ½ – 2 full chicken breasts), cut into bite sized pieces

1 cup hearty chicken broth (low salt) – more or less according to how thick you want the liquid (A bouillon cube in some boiling water will do, although it may be very high in sodium, and you should check to make sure it does not contain gluten).

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Pinch of salt

Pepper to taste

1 -2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 small tender summer squash, sliced thin

1 small tender zucchini, sliced thin

1 sweet red pepper, chopped

Sauté the summer squash, zucchini, and red pepper. Continue sautéing for 1 – 2 minutes so the veggies are still a bit crisp. Pour into heat resistant bowl, cover with foil, and set aside.

Wipe out the fry pan. Add 2 - 3 tablespoons of olive oil and heat on high until hot, then add the chicken and cook stirring until browned. You may have to sauté the chicken in a couple of batches. Sometimes I don’t have the patience or time to do this so the chicken does not brown, but it cooks and still tastes fine. Cook, stirring for about 3 – 4 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside. Add the scallions, celery, mushrooms and carrots, stirring and cooking a few more minutes until scallions are limp.

Add the broth, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Lower the heat to medium low and stir constantly until the liquid has thickened to the consistency of thick soup. Add more broth if necessary to achieve the desired thickness.

Simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes or just until the chicken has cooked thoroughly, then add the veggies, stir, and heat just until hot. Serve hot in bowls or over rice.

Green Grape & Blueberry Party Hors d'oeuvres

Colorful fruit on toothpicks makes a lovely addition to a party. Because they are attractive and easy to eat they disappear like hot cakes. Adults love them as well as kids. It can be fun to have an extra plate of them prepared and stashed away for when they have disappeared.

Kids also love to make these, and I find putting the grapes and blueberries onto the toothpicks can become an event where I spend quality time with my grandchildren. Telling stories or having time to sit a talk with children is a wonderful thing for all.

Recipe 

Put green seedless grapes (although red ones would be fine as well) and fresh blueberries alternately on toothpicks. If the grapes or blueberries are small you may have to double up on some. Otherwise, start with a blueberry, then a grape, and then another blueberry. Arrange around a plate, leaving room for a small dish of yogurt or sour cream dip.

 Dip

Use vanilla Greek yogurt

or

Mix 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar with ¾ cup sour cream.

Place the grapes and blueberries around a plate and a small container of dip in the middle.

Enjoy!

Gluten-free Pancakes

If I had paid more attention in chemistry class, maybe I would have a better sense of what gluten-free foods have strong binding qualities.  After two years of experimenting with gluten-free pancakes, I finally discovered that oat flour holds together well and eliminates the gritty texture that is present in rice flours or the after-taste of quinoa or millet flours.

I add one quarter to one half a cup of tapioca starch which also has good bonding qualities. Coconut flour is sweet and softens the batter.

In a large mixing bowl whisk with a fork until well mixed and almost frothy:

3 Tablespoons Canola oil

2 Eggs

Add and stir until well combined:

1 and a half cups milk (any kind – from fat free to whole to soy milk) I add about 2 – 2 ½ cups of milk as for thinner, faster cooking pancakes.

In a medium bowl mix well:

1  Cup gluten-free oat flour

½  Cup Tapioca starch

½  Cup Coconut flour

½  Cup Flaxseed meal

1  Teaspoon baking powder

½  Teaspoon baking soda

½  Teaspoon cinnamon

Add dry ingredients to the eggs & milk mixture and stir well. The batter will be a bit lumpy which is normal. Add more milk for thinner pancakes. Add a cup of blueberries, chopped apple, or mashed banana if you like. At ht e request of my grandson I added one ripe mashed banana to the batter once it was mixed.

Heat a fry pan on high and spray with cooking oil or add a tablespoon of oil to the pan and heat until the oil is hot. Lower the temperature to medium low.

Spoon about 1/8 of a cup (more of less) of the mixture into the pan to make one pancake. Lower heat and cook until the batter is set and the bottom side of the pancake is browned. Flip and cook until the second side is browned as well. Makes about 18 pancakes or enough to feed four with hearty appetites.

Serve with your favorite topping. I happen to like maple syrup, but a mixture of sautéd blueberries is also yummy.

Simple Sausage Soup -- Gluten-free

Warm up with this easy to make one pot simple supper when your schedule is tight and you 
are hungry for something hearty and nutritious. No need to add spices or herbs as they are already in the sausage.

In a medium sized pot, sauté until onions are soft and sausage is cooked:

2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 stalks celery, cut into small pieces or coarsely chopped

4 -5 links of sweet Italian Turkey Sausage, squeezed out of casing and broken up (Check to make sure the brand you buy is gluten-free).

6-8 fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)

Add and bring to a boil over high heat:

1 quart of hearty chicken or turkey broth (unsalted and gluten-free)

2 medium potatoes washed and cut into bit sized pieces

3 carrots peeled and cut into thin rounds

Cook until carrots and potatoes are soft but not mushy, about 10 minutes on medium heat.

Sprinkle with a little dried or fresh parsley.

Serve with whole fresh fruit or a green salad if you have the time and energy to make one!

Salsa with Olives -- Gluten-free

This is a popular party dip to serve with with tortilla chips or crackers and makes a nice accompaniment to a salad.In a food processor chop, then place in a large mixing bowl:

3 hard plum tomatoes (remove seeds)

1 sweet red pepper

1 green pepper

3 scallions (white part and some tender green stalk)

1 small jar of pitted green, pimento stuffed olives

1 can pitted black ripe olives

1 small can chopped green chili peppers

1/4 cup fresh parsley

Add:

Garlic powder to taste

1 tablespoon of cider vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

 Mix thoroughly.  Refrigerate at least one hour, stir, and serve.

Linguini & Clam Sauce -- Gluten-free

This is one of my favorite dishes any time of year. It’s fast and easy to prepare, and on a

night when I get home late I can fix this in about 20 minutes. Most of the ingredients are kept in the pantry with the exception of the grated Parmesan cheese. The original recipe I got from my mother and it called for a bottle of clam juice – which I seldom use. If it needs a little extra moisture I pour in a little chicken stock or a little bit of dry white wine.


Heat a pot full of water and boil gluten-free linguini. I use Quinoa pasta as it has a nice flavor. Follow directions on packet, being careful not to overdo the pasta. Drain, stir in about ¼ cup olive oil.


In a large fry-pan add and sauté:


½ stick of butter


1 – 2 large cloves of garlic (depending upon your taste), chopped – If you are short on time use garlic powder, but the taste is so much better with fresh.


Cool slightly and add:


4 cans (8 oz) chopped or minced clams including all of the liquid


Add water to each can of clams, about ¼ full, swish, and add water and any small bits of clam to the pan.


Sprinkle with 4 tablespoons of dried parsley flakes, stir until hot, but not boiling. If you overheat the clams they will become rubbery.


Add pasta to clam sauce and stir. Serve, digging down into the sauce to add plenty of clams to each serving, in bowls with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.


Serve with a green salad – a store bought salad often makes this meal even faster when time is short.


There is often plenty of salt in the clams and broth, and with a rich flavor from the garlic, adding salt is unnecessary.

Morning Glory Muffins - Gluten-free

These muffins are sweet and still have several redeeming qualities in that they contain carrots, apples, nuts, raisins, eggs, and fiber. With so much flavor they don't need butter or jelly.

Sift:

1 cup gluten-free oat flour

½ cup corn flour (use quinoa or almond flour for more protein)

½  cup tapioca flour

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

sprinkle of salt

If you want, add ½ teaspoon Xanthan Gum (optional).  I don’t like the taste of this item so I tend to leave it out and use tapioca flour to help bind the ingredients together.

Combine:

2 cups grated carrots

1 apple cored, peeled, & chopped

1 cup dried cranberries or raisins

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

3 eggs

½ cup apple or pumpkin butter (gluten-free)

¼ cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 375° F & spray 18 muffin cups with cooking oil. I use a tray of 12 muffin cups and a tray of 12 small muffin cups so I have some little muffins for a small quick snack.

Sift the flours and other dry ingredients into a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, apple butter, canola oil, and vanilla.

Add the flour mixture and mix until moistened. Then add the carrots, apples, dried fruit, and walnuts and stir until well mixed.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned on top and toothpick inserted in middle comes out dry. Cool for ten minutes and then remove from pan.

Haddock Topped with Crab Meat -- Gluten-free

The inspiration for recipe came from several restaurant meals where I found the flavor of crab meat was disappointing because it was disguised by sauces. Crab meat has a delicate and lovely flavor. I tried to find a recipe that I thought would enhance the taste and finally came up with my own – baked Haddock smothered with crab meat that has been carefully heated in butter.

An added benefit of this dish is that it is easy to make and always a hit.

Serves  4

Ingredients

• 1 ½  - 2 pounds Haddock (or other white fish), about 4 - 6 fillets
• 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise or olive oil
• About 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
• Garlic powder to taste
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• ½ pound of fresh cooked crabmeat

Line a baking dish with aluminum foil (it makes for easy clean-up), arrange the haddock on the foil in a single layer. Spread mayo or drizzle the oil on top of the fish. Squeeze lemon juice evenly over the fish and sprinkle with lightly with garlic powder. Bake at 400° F for 18 – 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter slowly in a small saucepan. Add the crabmeat and gently heat, stirring frequently, until hot but not boiling. Do not cook the crabmeat, just heat it through.

To serve, place a fillet of haddock on a plate, top with ¼ of the heated crabmeat.

Serve with a sweet potato and a green veggie for color and nutrition.  I served this one last month  with asparagus and winter squash.

Fried Oysters - Gluten-free

A labor of love and patience 

Once in awhile I have a hankering for some fried oysters - gluten-free (in crumbs -- not batter). They are not available in restaurants, so, I recently took matters into my own hands and experimented. I took the knowledge of frying clams at a summer takeout restaurant decades ago and applied them here, and after a few tries, received rave reviews. It’s a bit messy and time consuming, but oh so satisfying!

Tip

Keep the frying temperature at 375° F or at a high enough temperature so that the oysters cook in about 3 minutes. When they turn brown, they are done. I tend to flip them but am not sure it is necessary -- the less handling the better. In restaurants the cook lowers the oysters or clams into the hot oil in wire baskets, but at home I use a spatula with holes, and/or tongs.

Recipe

1 pound of fresh shucked oysters, drained

In a shallow bowl  –  like a cereal bowl  – place:

1 cup corn flour (not cornstarch) -- approximate

In another small bowl or cup, pour:

½ cup milk (You may need to add a bit more).

In a food processor, place:

1 package of gluten-free table crackers, about 3.5 ounces, broken into pieces    (I used ½ package of Glutino crackers)

10 rice crackers

¼ cup cornmeal  -- optional

½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, a little salt and pepper

In a deep pot or fry pan, place enough Canola oil to completely cover the oysters, when they are submerged.

I purchased a small electric fry-pan which, unfortunately, did not have the temperature settings on the control. But with a little experimentation, I was able to determine the correct frying setting.

Prepare a large platter or two dinner plates with a double layer of paper towels on which to place the fried oysters as they come out of the fryer.

From right to left or vice-versa, set up the bowl of corn flour, the bowl of milk, the cracker mixture, the fryer, and the platter

with paper towels.

Heat the oil to temperature.

Place 4 – 5 oysters in the corn flour and gently turn them with your fingers until coated.

Then dip into the milk quickly and then into the cracker mixture, again turning them until coated. Your fingers will be caked with flour and cracker meal.

Carefully place 4 – 5 prepared oysters in the hot oil, so they are not crowded, and cook until lightly browned. If you are using a larger pan you may cook more oysters at a time.

Remove them from the hot oil with a metal slotted spoon or spatula, so the excess oil drips back into the fryer and place on the prepared platter.  Remove all oysters from the fryer, then repeat the process with another 4 – 5 oysters.  I place the platter of cooked oysters in a 200° F oven while cooking the remaining oysters, until all are done and ready to serve.

Serve with a little tartar sauce or sprinkle lightly with salt if desired.

Enjoy!

Sesame Chicken Salad - Gluten-free

This Sesame Chicken Salad - Gluten-free - is a great dish to use up leftover chicken or turkey. 

Ingredients

3 cups cubed chicken or turkey, cooked

1 Granny Smith apple, cored & cut into small or bite-sized pieces

½ cup dried cranberries or raisins

2 tablespoons sesame seeds or ¼ to ½ cup chopped walnuts

Optional:  2 scallions and or a stalk of chopped celery

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Add the dressing, pour over chicken mixture and stir until all ingredients are coated. Refrigerate for two hours and serve with a green salad.

Dressing

1/3 cup sesame oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 – 2 tablespoons cranberry apple chutney

Chocolate Banana Breakfast Smoothie -- Gluten-free

This smoothie is quick, easy, and perfect for a summer breakfast. Combine it with a bowl of fresh fruit and a piece of whole grain gluten-free toast and you have a delicious, nutritious meal. It’s full of protein, calcium, and potassium.

I would never have known that tofu was in this smoothie if I had not made it myself.

Place ingredients in a blender in this order and blend for 30 seconds.

2 cups of skim milk

½ cup of Silken or soft tofu

3 bananas, peeled and broken into pieces

1- 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup or powdered cocoa mix (I used Ghirardhelli hot cocoa mix). Make sure it is gluten-free unless that is not an issue.

2 ice cubes (optional)

I only use ice if we are going to drink this right away. Otherwise, I place the blended ingredients in the refrigerator for an hour or two. This will keep refrigerated for about 3 days.

Roasted New Potatoes & Green Beans with Herbs -- Gluten-free

Fresh new potatoes are always a crowd-pleaser and can be combined with green beans and herbs that are so readily available at farmers markets this time of year. The tubers are not only tasty but they supply important potassium, Vitamin B-6, magnesium, and lots of fiber. I enjoy the delightfully crispy ends of the green beans when they are roasted.

2 pounds new potatoes, cut into quarters or into bite sized pieces (the smaller the pieces the less cooking time will be needed)
1 pound green beans, washed, ends trimmed, and snapped in half
1 large green onion or 2 small, chopped
1 clove garlic, diced
2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil
1-3 tablespoons each of fresh dill and parsley, finely chopped
Pinch of sea or kosher salt and a sprinkle of fresh black pepper
(The more herbs, the less salt is needed for flavor).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  In an extra large mixing bowl toss the green beans, potatoes, green onions, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper together.

Grease a roasting pan or shallow casserole dish or line one with parchment paper (less scrubbing of the dish after roasting). Place the mixture in the pan and roast about 45 minutes to an hour, stirring after the first half hour, until potatoes are tender.

This dish can be made with carrots, asparagus, or other favorite veggie instead of or added to the green beans.