Last weekend, I hosted a wedding. The bride, of Mexican heritage, wanted food reminiscent of her childhood. The groom, a meat and potatoes kind of man, has milder tastes in food. As I was in charge of the kitchen, I opted for a happy medium that was gluten and dairy-free, without being obviously so, and…
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The Original Paleo Chipotle Chicken Cauliflower Bake / Casserole
Many moons ago, when gluten and dairy were not an issue for me, I used to love making a chili cheddar pasta dish I’d found in Cooking Light. It was awesome – filled with noodles, milk, butter, and cheese. But, alas, no more. As I transitioned to a whole foods way of cooking, I realized…
Smoky Bacon-wrapped Turkey Meatloaf with Water Chestnuts & Dates
As a kid, I hated meatloaf. I think it was the ketchup. I had a bad experience with it and avoided it well into my 20s. Unfortunately, it meant I never developed a taste for dishes that included it. This week, I decided to test my taste buds and pulled out an old copy of…
Crock Pot Pork Carnitas with Cabbage Lime Garnish
Cubes of pork shoulder marinated over-night in milk and quartered oranges. A 5-gallon pot with pounds of lard and the pork chunks heated to the brink of boiling, and stirred every so often by a 3-foot, home-made wooden paddle. Pork that is extremely tender, has a slight crisp to the outside, and can easily broken…
Sweet Limes – New tastes and new friends
Think again. These are sweet Palestinian limes… When I went to the Mexican market the other day, I saw some for the first time. I picked one up and nonchalantly tossed it into my cart to try later. I looked up to see an older couple watching me. I winked and walked away. Moments later, I…
Gluten-free Friendly Thanksgiving Ideas
Well, it’s that time of year again – cooler weather, celebration, and that feeling of dread that so many of us feel when faced with big holiday gatherings full of social pressure and off-limit foods at every turn. With Thanksgiving coming up here in the U.S., I had thought to invite my immediate family over,…
Monster Soup
On my last trip to the farmer’s market, I bought a zucchini. The problem is, when I tried to pay for it, they wouldn’t let me leave without taking 2 more squash. My options were zucchini and zucchini…or the 1 Hubbard squash they had left. I opted for the 7-pound monster. The total for all…
Coconut Rice Pilaf with Roasted Pineapple, Cashews, and Raisins
I am not a big fan of savory dishes with coconut in them, but a trip to Belize changed my mind – at least about rice with coconut. You see, when I was a kid, I really only ate the sugar-coated, shredded coconut that came in a bag. You know, the kind you find in…
Fresh Roasted Corn Quinoa Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes
Quinoa on its own is kind of blah. This dish is flavored with orange juice, garlic, and spicy, roasted salsa for kick, along with fresh summer corn and tomatoes for color and sweetness. This dish was originally eaten before I could take a proper picture of the finished product. It was so good, I made…
Triple Corn Corn Bread
I love corn bread. Ever since I was a child, it (along with baking powder biscuits and my mother’s homemade bagels) has been one of my favorite breads. Fortunately, it is a bread that lends itself to gluten-free (and yeast-free) preparation – much more so than the bagels ever will. It is also easy and…
Cocoa Iron Chef Night: Chicken Mole Poblano
Last week presented a new Iron Chef Night (ICN) challenge, and a good reason to finally make mole (pron: mo-lay), something I’ve shied away from for years because of a childhood memory. I don’t actually know if I ate mole that didn’t taste good or if the combination of flavors just sounded horrible to my…
Artichoke and Caramelized Onion Quiche
There are many ways to skin a cat, but only one way to get at the heart of an artichoke OK, no cat-skinning, just the need find an alternative way to deal with a tricky bulb. It’s Iron Chef night. This evening’s ingredient is the now in-season artichoke, a vegetable with which I have very…
Risotto with Mushrooms – Drinky and Stinky Garlicky Goodness continued…
Today is the day – garlic fest! I’m excited to see what other garlic dishes make an appearance at dinner tonight, particularly for dessert. I’m sure it will be delicious, or, at the very least, an interesting experience. The second entrée we are making is a vegetarian, dairy-free, naturally gluten-free risotto. Sounds delicious when I…