You’d think given that cornmeal is naturally gluten free, coming up with a gluten free cornbread would be as easy as my magical first try with gluten free carrot cake cupcakes.   No such luck.

I’ve been working on this sweet gluten free cornbread idea for months at this point and kept meaning to get around to blogging about it.  While I liked it, I think something still felt missing so I probably wasn’t excited enough to share it with the world. We have a running joke in our house now after I’ve made a new gluten free supper (or snack), if it is “blog worthy”.  If it’s just OK- I don’t want to put it out there because it’s only fun when I get to share something that I really love (and I am a not so secret perfectionist).

Last weekend I finally found the missing link to make this recipe officially “blog worthy”:  blackberries.  I saw a recipe in my Rachel Ray magazine and knew instantly that it was the finishing touch to my long term cornbread project.  Thankfully it worked beautifully as a breakfast treat when my parents were in town and even got the approval of my picky mother, who doesn’t typically like cornbread. The blackberries add a unique touch and since they burst a bit while the bread cooks, some added moisture to keep it from drying out.  The beautiful color isn’t bad to look at either as you dig in .  Keep this recipe on hand as berry season is upon us and it is the perfect multi-tasking recipe- an updated classic breakfast AND a dessert quality treat.

Ingredients:

Dry:

• 3/4 cup gluten free cornmeal
• 3/4 cup gluten free flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour, which doesn’t have any nasty gums or weird artificial stuff you can’t pronounce)
• 1/4 cup (lightly packed) brown sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Wet:

• 3/4 cup milk (I typically use regular milk when baking)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup honey (tip: spray the measuring cup with cooking spray to make sure you don’t leave any honey behind!)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 cup blackberries (rinsed and well dried- you don’t want to add extra moisture to the batter)

Directions:

• Pre-heat the oven to 375
• In one bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients
• In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients except the butter
• Fold the dry ingredients into the wet, stirring gently to combine
• Add the melted butter last and stir once or twice to combine
• Let the mixture stand for about 15 minutes before pouring into a 9 inch pan that has been sprayed well with cooking spray
• Drop in the blackberries last, evenly distributing throughout the pan 
• Bake for about 28-30 minutes until the top starts to turn golden brown and it is cooked through the middle, careful not to over-bake!

One of my favorite activities is flipping through cooking magazines for inspiration.  While I often spend more time in the kitchen experimenting without any particular recipe in hand, I do love learning from recipes and adapting the ones that inspire me to be gluten free, healthier, or both.  In this case I adapted the recipe from Clean Eating magazine to be slightly less healthy (I thought they were a little stingy in some areas), a bit more user friendly, and of course gluten free. I haven’t been getting this magazine too long, but so far I really like it. The recipes are super healthy, the nutritional advice is interesting and I’ve actually learned some handy new cooking tips that don’t feel like more of the same. Clean Eating also includes gluten free recipes in their line up each month and showcase a gluten free recipe section on their website, which I recommend for inspiration. 

Even though I did beef up some of ingredients in this recipe, I promise it is still the magical combination of “healthy but doesn’t taste like it” that brings me so much joy.  Using goat cheese is a smart swap here for the traditional heavy cow’s milk cheeses that are more typical for a gratin style dish.  Goat cheese is strongly flavored, so you don’t want to smother the dish with it and just a little bit goes a long way. Goat cheese is also very creamy, which gives you that happy gratin texture without actually adding any cream or butter.  There is so little cheese for this type of dish, I wasn’t actually sure I could call it a gratin- but thanks to some google searching found that something can be considered a gratin as long as it has breadcrumbs and cheese. Done and done. 

Just writing this post makes me want to go into the fridge and heat up the leftovers for breakfast. I’ll try to use some willpower to wait until lunch but might need you to send some encouragement my way. Happy gratin making! 

Prep Ahead: Use your prep day to get ahead so you can make even on a busy work night!

• Slice and caramelize the onions, let cool and store
• Chop and pre-bake the sweet potatoes chunks, let cool and store

Ingredients: (serves 4 as a side dish)

• Olive oil, kosher salt and pepper
• 2 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size chunks (about 1/2 inch)
• 3 tablespoons orange juice (fresh if possible)
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 2 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced
• About 6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves pulled from stems 
• About 2 ounces of fresh goat cheese
• 1/4 cup of fresh gluten free bread crumbs (note: don’t bother with the ones you buy in the store, I’ve yet to find any that impress me.  I recommend buying gluten free bread that you like and using the blender or food processor to make fresh bread crumbs.  To make life easier, make a big batch and keep them in the freezer so they are ready whenever you need them)
• Cooking spray

Directions: 

• Pre-Heat the oven to 425
• (prep ahead) Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan, add your sliced onions, and sprinkle with salt and pepper . Cook on medium high heat until the onions begin to soften and become translucent, about 5 minutes.  Turn the heat down to low and let the onions caramelize, stirring occasionally to scrape up the tasty brown bits and make sure they cook evenly- about 30 minutes+
• While the onions are cooking, chop the sweet potato and arrange in your casserole dish (making sure it is large enough to add the rest of the ingredients later)
• Add about a tablespoon of olive oil, about 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt and fresh black pepper. Use your hands to toss together and make sure the potatoes are evenly coated with the oil and seasoning
• (prep ahead) Roast the potatoes for about 8 minutes, until slightly tender
• While the potatoes roast, combine about 3 tablespoons of fresh orange juice and a generous tablespoon of honey in a small bowl and whisk together.
• Add about half of the orange juice/honey mixture and gently stir to coat evenly, making sure the potatoes aren’t drowning in juice because they will get soggy instead of crispy.  Bake the potatoes for an additional 8 minutes until they start to brown (if prepping ahead, stop after this step).
• Pull out the roasted potatoes and add the caramelized onions, remaining orange juice mixture, and fresh thyme leaves- gently folding so they are evenly mixed with the potatoes.
• Crumble the goat cheese on top
• Sprinkle on the bread crumbs and spray the entire thing with cooking spray (which helps the bread crumbs get crispy)
• Bake at 425 for about 20 minutes until the cheese is is starting to brown and the topping is crispy

I’ve been trying to cut back on dairy (I think cow’s milk products and I may have to part ways) and to some extent that has been harder than going gluten free.  I love cheese and there is no substitute for delicious Parrano or Fresh Parmesan. Sigh. I’m not giving up on dairy right completely, but trying to cut back and use only goat or sheep’s milk cheese, which are supposedly easier on the body. This experiment has brought on some additional challenges in the cooking department. Frankly, adding cheese to make things flavorful is an easy “go to” solution. If you add good quality cheese, you can make almost anything taste good.

Cue the overachiever in me ready to take on this challenge.  I bought some beautiful yukon gold potatoes last weekend and wanted to do something different with them. Cheese and potatoes are natural friends, so I had my work cut out for me.  I googled around for a lactose or dairy free scalloped potato recipe and all I got were recipes that looked like they just forgot the cheese (or actually gave regular recipes & suggested you leave out the cheese). I didn’t want to eat something that tasted like it was on an austerity budget, so I put my thinking cap on. It was Sunday and my prep day, so I had lots of tasty things around- including caramelized onions, roasted garlic and fresh thyme. Those are certainly not flavors that will leave you feeling deprived, so I got to work and the end result did not miss the cheese one bit (which you can believe from someone who previously enjoyed cheese and wine for supper on many occasions).

I know lots of people who can’t eat any cheese or are just trying to cut back, so I’m excited to share this recipe and have another crowd pleaser in my back pocket (I’ve already entertained with this for a friend who can’t eat dairy and there were no potatoes left behind). Beyond feeding your friends well with gluten and/or lactose intolerances, you could also easily make this dish vegetarian or vegan with a few simple swaps. As a bonus this is also a great idea for anyone looking to cut calories, since ditching the cheese makes this a lot healthier than it looks (which is right behind gluten free in my list of supper goals). In fact, I can’t think of a reason not to try this- so dig in and enjoy.

Ingredients:

• About 2.5 pounds of yukon potatoes sliced into 1/4 inch rounds (preferably organic since you are leaving the skin on)
• 1 large onion, caramelized
• 2.5 tablespoons of butter (or butter substitute and olive oil if making this vegan) 
• 1.5 tablespoons of gluten free flour (I used rice flour)
• 1/2 cup white wine (something good enough to drink)
• 1 1/3 cups of unsalted chicken stock (or veggie stock if making this vegetarian or vegan) 
• About 3 large cloves of roasted garlic
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated black pepper, or to taste
• 10 stems of thyme leaves, bundled together with kitchen string
• About 12 grates of fresh nutmeg

Directions: Serves 4

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
• Caramelize one large sweet onion in olive oil with a sprinkle of salt and pepper (or add about heavy 1/2 cup of onions you’ve already prepped)
• Melt in the butter and add the gluten free flour. Stir to combine and cook for about one minute
• Pour in the liquids (& pour yourself some wine while you’ve got the bottle open, it makes most things turn out better)
• Squish in your roasted garlic and smash into the mix to make sure it is broken up throughout the sauce
• Add the final flavor ingredients: salt/pepper, thyme bundle and fresh nutmeg
• Let the sauce cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat and then turn off the heat and let it sit until you are ready to use (note: the sauce will thicken as it cooks and even as it stands before serving, so at this point it should look a little bit thinner than you want the final product to be.  If it seems too thick, add a splash more stock. Taste for seasoning while you are it! )
• Arrange the potato slices in an oven safe dish, sprayed with cooking spray, making sure there is enough room for the sauce to get in-between the layers
• Pour the sauce over potatoes and bake until it is bubbling and the top is brown and crispy, about one hour
• Pull out the thyme bundle and let the dish stand a few minutes before serving
• Optional: Top with a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves

As I posted recently, right now I’m in the middle of reading “An EverLasting Meal”, and my favorite tip from Adler so far is this:

 “You can skip all the peeling, scooping and cutting if you want to cook your squash alone. Stick the whole squash directly in the oven unoiled and untouched and cook it until its skin is darkened, papery, and easy to pierce with a knife”.

Facinated by the idea that I could cook one of my favorite veggies without risking bodily injury (why are those things so hard to chop!?), I had to try it. The result did not disappoint.

1. Set the oven to a hight heat (I used 425, but you can adjust if you need the oven on a different temp for something else)
2. Rinse the squash and set on cookie sheet with tinfoil (unless you like scrubbing messy pans)
3. Roast away! 90 min-2 hours, depending on the size of the squash

I’ve done this the last 2 Sundays and keep finding new ways to put the squash to use all week long, try it:

• savory mashed potato style or fancier butternut squash puree as sides 
• sweet veggie mash, drizzled with maple syrup for a snack 
• sneakily added to your homemade mac n cheese for those in your family who don’t think they like veggies
• with sautéed onion, garlic, and warm stock for a simple butternut squash soup
• folded into baked goods (like you would make zucchini bread or carrot cupcakes)

Share your ideas for roasted squash in the comments! 

Thankfully, amidst all the craziness, a friend came to my rescue, in the form of a thoughtful book wrapped in brown paper that arrived on my doorstep; An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace by Tamar Adler. Last Monday, after a stressful weekend of final packing and an entire day spent managing the move of our furniture to the new house- I decided that I earned a pedicure and so the book and I went for a walk.  As I melted into the nail salon massage chair and cracked open the book, I was quickly lost in the pages.

This isn’t a typical “how to” book or a cookbook. It doesn’t focus on gluten free cooking. It’s technically considered a collection of essays, but I’m not sure that perfectly defines it either, since there is a mix of advice, cooking philosophy and poetic language that shows off the author’s deep devotion to food. Most importantly, the book is exactly what I needed at a time when I was losing my cooking groove.  Many of Adler’s perspectives on cooking are well aligned to my own; approaching it with joy, a little bit of strategy, practicing the think ahead policy, and making the most of simple and healthy ingredients. At first the student in me felt a little overwhelmed (there’s lots of smart thinking here! I can’t take it all in at once!), but once I relaxed and decided to just experience the book, I really started to appreciate it.

After stretching the nail polish drying time beyond reason at the salon to keep reading, I felt reenergized. Reading Adler’s message of simplicity, I was reminded that I didn’t need the ridiculous number of overstuffed kitchen boxes to be unpacked in order to make a good meal.

“ There is a prevailing theory that we need to know much more than we do in order to feed ourselves well.  It isn’t true. Most of us already have water, a pot to put it in, and a way to light fire. This gives us boiling water, in which we can do more good cooking than we know.”

So in lieu of unpacking, I went to the store, bought what inspired me and got to work making a turkey bolognase over large gluten free shells.  And really nothing grounded me more than opening a bottle of wine, and throwing some in a slow cooking sauce, some in my glass, and chopping away.  While the dish didn’t come out perfectly, I felt calm and accomplished in the midst of my chaos. The boxes could wait, but my sanity couldn’t.

Thanks to the inspiration of this well timed book, I’ve gotten my groove back in the (new) kitchen.  It’s not big, it isn’t quite my style, and I’m still figuring out how to make all the puzzles pieces work for me; but I’m trying to focus on the simplicity- I don’t need a big kitchen, fancy tools or special training, I just need myself and a little bit of inspiration. So here’s to new recipes coming up this week and finding ways to share what inspires me, with all of you.

p.s. I’m actually still working through the book, it’s the kind you want to think about, mull over, and savor a bit (plus let’s be honest, moving is a long process so life is still hectic), but I was eager to share it and some of these life updates with you all.  So if you need a bit of cooking inspiration check it out  and come back to tell me what you think!

However, my adventurous attitude dampened once I learned that gluten was a no-go.  While on the road I tend to work long days and the last thing I want is to get sick when far away from home and facing a jam packed schedule.  I also learned the hard way, even before cutting out gluten, the importance of making healthy choices when traveling. I have to remind myself that work travel is not a vacation and taking that attitude can add on some sneaky pounds and zap all of your energy. With lots of travel lately, I’m focusing on taking better care of my health and wanted to share what I’m learning thus far.

1: Pack Smart: Now you can’t take a whole gluten free pantry with you, but if you are strategic, you can (and should) bring a few smaller items with you that make eating out possible and stress free.  You want to pack items that are multi-purpose, don’t take up a ton of space, and that ideally expand your healthy eating options.  A few of my favorites:

Individual Peanut or Almond Butter Packets:  I can always find bananas no matter where I am and pairing with these squeeze packs makes for a healthy breakfast or snack. This tasty brand is certified gluten free: Justin’s Nut Butter Natural Honey Almond Butter, 10, 1.15 ounce Squeeze Packs (Pack of 3)

Individual Gluten Free Soy Sauce Packets: My mom got me these packets and they are probably my favorite trick.  A lot of Asian food is made with rice or rice noodles, but the soy sauce just destroys that option.   Keeping these in my purse means I can order sushi or other tasty dishes without the sauce and use these handy packets instead: San J Organic Gluten-free Tamari Soy Sauce Travel Packs, 20-Count Packages

2: Re-think your eating options: Forget restaurants, there are so many opportunities for things to go wrong and relying on them for three meals a day is just asking for trouble.  This smart approach has been a huge life saver and I’m grateful to my friends for sharing this outside the box advice to staying healthy on the road (thanks ladies!!).

• At the airport: Skip the fast food, likely none of it will work or be remotely healthy.  I always hit up the newsstand and pick up healthy snacks like nuts and dried fruit (watch out for additives).  I’m also loving these “gopicnic” meals lately, which have gluten free varieties and are a fun, healthier version of the lunchable for grown ups.
  

GoPicnic Ready-to-Eat Meals, Hummus + Crackers, 4.4-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6)

• Once you arrive: When I check into my hotel the first thing I do is find the closest grocery store.  I stock up on gluten free essentials for my visit like  gluten free cereal and portable fruit (apples, oranges, bananas). I also use the grocery store for meals too- Whole Foods has a great hot food bar with allergens clearly listed.  Lots of stores have fresh sushi (in Charlotte I grabbed some veggie brown rice sushi and literally ate it on the go with my soy sauce packets).  You will be amazed how creative you can get when you combine smart packing with smart shopping.
  

3: Put technology to work: Wherever you are going, there are certainly people who can’t eat gluten that  live there and they must eat somewhere. With some quick searching on my i-phone, I’m usually able to find tips from locals on where to eat.  Tools like Yelp or just simple google searches have been particularly helpful at scoring me some impressive finds. Like gluten free burgers in Charlotte (okay not healthy per say, but fun) and absolutely amazing everything from their gluten free menu at Girl and the Goat in Chicago (warning: plan ahead if you want to actually get a table!).

4: Order Smart: Yes it’s annoying to always have to be that person harassing the waiter, but this isn’t (for me) about some fad diet- this is my health and well being so ordering is not the time to be shy.  Ask about specific ingredients, use the buzzword “allergy” to make the importance clear, request dressing or sauces on the side, and mostly importantly- always trust your instincts. 

5: If it ain’t broke- don’t fix it: If you know a place that works for you, then go ahead and give yourself permission to stick with what you know. When traveling recently I was talking to a local colleague and felt embarrassed to admit upon asking that I had not found someplace cool and hip in town to eat, but instead ventured my way to P.F. Chang. Yes it’s a chain, but I’ve eaten from their gluten free menu multiple times problem free- so when in doubt, I’m just going to be cool with leaving my adventures for non food related activities.

Please share! I’m always looking for new ideas- what are your tips for eating healthy and/or gluten free on the road?

*Notes: individual packaging varies- so be safe and double check all labels! plane image from here.

Let’s start with the star ingredient, shrimp.  Something Liz Lemon and I have in common is an affection for the Barefoot Contessa. Who wouldn’t dream of an invite to the Hamptons for supper with Ina? I feel like I’ve learned some of my best tricks from Ina, and this one is amazing. Back in the day I tried her awesome roasted shrimp cocktail for a party and after that I stopped making shrimp any other way for all of my recipes. Just try it once and I promise you will be hooked.  Boiling shrimp sucks out all of the flavor and sautéing it requires perfect timing to make sure it doesn’t turn out dry and overcooked.  Instead, I just pop these guys in the oven and they come out perfectly cooked and full of flavor every time. Not only does this method make your shrimp scampi stand out, I also think it makes it easier for the cook.  If making this recipe on a busy weeknight, you can focus on the sauce without the shrimp diverting your attention; or if cooking for company, you can easily time when to put the shrimp in the oven to get everything on the table (and warm) at the same time.

The other ingredients are strategically selected to make this recipe pop, without too much trouble.  I like shallots for the onion here so that together with the garlic is isn’t overpowering, just flavorful. Parsley is a more traditional fresh herb for scampi, but I like the sweetness of basil as a way to put my own stamp on a classic dish. Finally I’m generous with the lemon juice and don’t toss out the most flavorful part of a lemon, the zest, which makes a big difference in this recipe. I’ve changed up the directions for this post to share my timing tips to get this on the table any night of the week.

Give it a try and come back to let me know how it went! Did this supper make you a shrimp roasting convert?  

Ingredients: (Makes 2 generous portions and can be easily adapted for more)

• About 6 ounces gluten free spaghetti
• About 1/2 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined [Time saver: Buy cleaned shrimp if making this on a weeknight]
• Olive oil, salt, and cracked black pepper
• 2 medium shallots, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1-2 lemons), plus half a lemon for squeezing on top of the shrimp
• Zest of one lemon
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1.5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Handful of fresh basil chiffonade (fancy word for thin strips)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese

Directions: (Following these steps makes this an easy weeknight supper!)

Prep the sauce & start the pasta: 

• Bring pasta water to a boil and start cooking according to package directions (most GF pasta takes awhile to cook and you can use that time to prep everything else)
• While the water comes to a boil and the just starts cooking, prep all of the sauce ingredients so that you have your “mis en place”
• Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees

• Add about one tablespoon of olive oil to a large sauté pan (big enough that it will fit the pasta later, which will finish cooking in the sauce)
• Sprinkle the shallots with a bit of kosher salt, fresh pepper and cook on medium heat until softened, about 4-5 minutes
• While the shallots cook, prepare the shrimp for roasting.  Rinse and dry the shrimp, then place in an oven safe dish.  Toss with about half a tablespoon or so of olive oil (so everything is coated but not drowning), 1/2 teaspoon of salt and some cracked black pepper, set aside

• When you have about 2 minutes of cook time remaining on the pasta add the prepped shrimp to the oven and roast for about 8-10 minutes until completely cooked through.  This should give you enough time to drain the pasta, finish the sauce and put everything together without the shrimp getting cold.

• Add the fresh garlic, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper to the sauté pan and cook for only about one minute
• Pour in the liquid ingredients (lemon juice, chicken stock, wine), bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium-low and let the sauce reduce down and thicken, about 5 minutes
• Drain your pasta and rinse as needed (most rice noodle need rinsing for the best texture)
• Add the drained pasta and the butter to the saute pan and use tongs to mix well, ensuring all of the pasta is well coated
• Let the pasta warm through and marry with the sauce on medium-low heat, about 3 minutes
• Remove from heat and toss with fresh basil and about half of the cheese. Finish the shrimp but squeezing about a half a lemon over the top.

 It’s been a busy few weeks with lots on my “to do” list and a work trip to Tulsa.  More than anything over the past two weeks what I missed was cooking. Not only eating healthy, which always makes me feel great- but the actual act of cooking itself.  Some people run or go to yoga to de-stress, but for me, getting in the kitchen is the most calming thing I can do.  I feel like I’m in the “zone” and my brain stops running through the outstanding errands or the e-mails I still need to send.  Obviously there are times that I drop stuff, cause injury to myself or mess up, but most of the time I just breathe and get lost in the task at hand.

For my triumphant return to kitchen after a week away, it was only appropriate that Tyler requested some homemade chili for Superbowl Sunday.  I’ve never been a huge chili fan, but it holds a sweet spot in my heart as one of the first (and few) dishes that my husband ever made for me.  I remember how confused I was when he proudly served me his chill over a pile of spaghetti.  I thought it was a joke, since growing in New York I never heard of Cincinnati style chili, let alone tried it.  Of course I dug in to show my appreciation for his efforts and was surprised that it was actually a pretty fun and tasty way to eat chili.

While I like the spaghetti idea, I am not a fan of the chili packet that attempts to use salt to disguise the fact that it doesn’t really have a lot of flavor, so I’ve been slowly refining a chili recipe of my own.  I was inspired by delicious southwest ingredients like black beans, corn and cilantro.  It took me a few tries over the past few winter months to get it right, but I’m finally happy with the results.  This gluten free chili supper is hearty but still healthy since it is loaded with lean protein and veggies, but prepared without the sodium filled store bought seasoning mix.  You can serve this up with a side of cornbread, baked potatoes or try it Cincinnati style, over some gluten free spaghetti.  This recipe also freezes really well so I’m glad I made a big pot and already stashed away the leftovers so Tyler has something good to eat during my next road trip.

Enjoy this warm chili and check back this week for more gluten free suppers, I’ve got shrimp scampi and sweet potato gnocchi on the menu!

Ingredients: Serves about 6

• About 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons of salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 bell peppers, diced (any color but green)
• 1 pound ground chicken or turkey (preferably organic)
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 15 ounce can unsalted plain tomato sauce
• 1 15 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 cup low or no sodium chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup of frozen sweet corn, defrosted 
• 1.5 cups of black beans (previously cooked or canned)

Seasoning Mix:

• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• If you like spicy chili, add cayenne pepper here to taste

Directions:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large dutch oven
• Add diced onion and peppers, season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a few turns of cracked black pepper
• Cook on medium heat until softened and the onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes
• Scoop out the cooked onion/pepper mixture and set aside
• Drizzle another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan
• Add the ground meat, season with a teaspoon of salt and a few turns of cracked black pepper and cook on medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes
• Return the cooked onion/pepper mixture to the pan
• Toss in minced garlic, seasoning mix, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
• Pour in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and chicken stock
• Bring the chili to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook partially covered for at least 45 minutes
• Add in the black beans and defrosted corn and cook for another 15 minutes
• Top with shredded cheese, scallions, cilantro and sour cream to serve

It’s amazing how deeply connected food is to our memories.  You may be in your present day kitchen, but the sounds, smells, and experiences can quickly transport you to another time and place. Last weekend we woke up early, as we often do, and before even getting out of bed we knew a few important things:

1: It was cold and dark outside

2: We had our first real DC snowfall (Tyler claims he could hear the snow & turned out to be right)

3: The only thing that would get us out of the warm bed was some pancakes

I asked Tyler what kind of pancakes he wanted and he was quick to respond- “chocolate chip”.  As I started pulling out the ingredients and my notebook to craft a new recipe, I was very quickly flooded with happy pancake memories. As a kid, my grandfather would make me pancakes in the shape of mickey mouse and this extra attention to detail seemed to make the pancakes taste better. As a “grown up”, I realize that I’ve usually only seen my grandfather in the kitchen to eat (he likes to pretend he can’t make anything to ensure my grandma remains his short order cook), which makes the memories I have of him in front of the stove making me pancakes all the more special. In High School I was pretty much obsessed with the chocolate chip pancakes my friend’s little brother made and have so many happy memories at their home, devouring lots and lots of pancakes.  These moments likely seemed inconsequential to us at the time, but looking back at these small moments makes me realize that they were a lot more special and important than anything else.

So with all these happy memories in mind, I put together a sweet gluten free pancake recipe made with love that reminds me of my past and hopefully can provide many happy memories for the future.  Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be turning this recipe into mickey mouse shapes for kiddos of my own.

Ingredients: (makes 2 generous portions)

• 1 cup of all purpose gluten free flour (I prefer Bob’s Red Mill- it only includes ingredients you can recognize)
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 2 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
• Pinch of salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2/3 cup milk [note: I've tried using soy milk and I think it was too overpowering/gave the pancakes a slight aftertaste, so I recommend regular milk here]
• About 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• Cooking spray/butter
• optional: confectioners sugar for dusting on top 

Directions:

• Whisk together all the dry ingredients (flour->salt) until they are well combined and smooth
• Add the wet ingredients (eggs, oil, vanilla, milk) and stir to combine
• Let the pancake batter sit for about 5 minutes before using
• Heat up your pan and spray with cooking spray or coat with a bit of butter
• Pour the desired size (or shape!) onto the hot griddle and then add the chocolate chips.  (Note: if you see the picture of the pancakes cooking above, you can see the difference if you add the chips directly in the batter they come out all uneven as you pour; but if you add the chips once the batter hits the pan you an make sure they are evenly distributed)
• Cook until the pancakes start to bubble up, flip and cook on the other side for about 2 minutes or until cooked through

Like many people in January, I have this urgency to map out all the things I want to be true for 2012. Even though this year the calendar change put a little fire under me, I’ve never actually been much of a resolution maker, but I have always been goal driven.  I was telling some co-workers about my efforts to set goals for 2012 and one asked me, “What’s the difference between a resolution and a goal?”, and I replied “A resolution ends in February”.  Sadly it is true and I don’t want that to happen to my goals, so I figured I could take a lesson from my work life and create specific/measurable goals, share them, and a concrete plan to make it happen. Here goes…

1: Challenge myself to make more from scratch

While I probably cook more than the average American, I still fall into the trap of buying foods that are pre-packaged or processed.  I want to eat real food (by Michael Pollan’s definition as in stuff only your great grandmother would recognize), but I fall victim to the pressures of time and my current skill set.  Don’t worry- I’m not going to go off the deep end and try to raise chickens on my city stoop or wake up at 5am to churn butter.  I’m thinking of small and (hopefully) fun steps in this direction by taking on some projects I’ve been wanting to do for awhile like making my own pasta, and this make your own vanilla extract idea.

2: Cook (and eat) more fruits & veggies

“The number one reason Americans are heavy: The brain, very smartly, wants nutrition. But the average American is eating empty calories.  So you finish that 2,000 calories and your brain says, keep going until you get nutrients.”   -Dr. Oz

I know lots of people believe that to lose or maintain weight, only the number of calories you eat matters. In my own experience though, I have found that when I eat healthy (lean protein, whole grains, fruit/veggies), not only do I lose weight, but I feel more satisfied. When I returned home from the holidays, I was starving all the time.  I was used to not only eating more food, but eating a lot less healthy than I normally do and my whole system was out of whack.  So now when I find myself starving after supper, I’m going to think about whether or not I gave my body the nutrients it actually needs and if really going in for some comfort carbs is going to fill that void (it won’t).  This might seem like an odd goal to list under “cooking”, but since I prepare about 90% of what I eat I know that if I make more fruits and veggies, I will eat them.

3: Stick to my weekly grocery budget

This is going to be the most difficult cooking related goal for 2012. I love food and I love the grocery store.  Even though I shop sales and use coupons, my love for food and lack of control (or ability to add as I shop), makes it all too easy to spend a few hundred bucks in a flash.  I’m confident that with a bit more effort I can still buy more than enough great quality food to prepare homemade meals every day, while saving money towards our personal savings goals for this year.

I’ve actually had a weekly grocery budget for awhile now, but it has always been more of a theory (“This is how much I should spend each month”) than practice (actually putting down the cans of diced tomatoes that are on sale, but I probably won’t use).  To force myself to really make it happen, I’m going to start grocery shopping with cash. Even typing that makes me anxious because I can’t tell you the last time I visited the ATM, but I’ve been reading up on the benefits of using cash and the psychology that handing over actual money leads people spend 12-18% less.  

This goal isn’t at all about deprivation, it’s about prioritization and intentionality. While it might sound counter intuitive, I actually think this goal will help me select healthy, whole foods and resist the temptation to buy over processed gluten free junk.  When push comes to shove, I trust myself to buy some delicious sweet potatoes with my hard earned dollars and forgo the gluten free crackers that are just wasting money and calories. I also think this goal will help me get creative in the kitchen and create more budget friendly gluten free supper ideas to share here.

4: Try new recipes every week

This one is simple, but important.  Even though starting this blog has given me a nudge in the direction of trying new things (like these impressive but easy to make spring rolls), I am still a bit hesitant when I sit down to make my menu plan each week.  I am a slight perfectionist (not shocking to those who know me) so it can be frustrating when you try a new supper and it doesn’t turn out as you hoped.  To help me meet this goal I’m going to plan for a margin of error and try to cut myself some slack.  As I start to plan posts, I’m going to assume that I need to make a new recipe at least twice (more if it involves baking) before it will be ready to share on the blog.  If it takes more time, that’s fine too.

5: Share what I’m learning and cooking regularly here on Gluten Free Supper 

So far I’ve really enjoyed blogging and love that my recipes officially live in one place now, which makes it easy to share with family and friends (or share with myself if I forget!).  Even though I’m having fun with it, I know that with a busy work schedule (including lots of winter/spring travel) and the never ending life “to do” list means it will take some planning and organization to make it all happen.  With a little calendar mapping and great resources like pinterest to organize my cooking inspiration, here’s to many more gluten free recipes and ideas coming your way in 2012.

note: “5″ image from here