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My recipe, Gluten-Free Pasta with Leeks, Peas, Feta, & Roasted Red Pepper Romesco, is over on GFreeLaura today!

gluten free pasta with roasted red pepper sauce 1024x554 Pasta with Leeks, Peas, Feta, and Roasted Red Pepper Romesco

I found GFreeLaura through Twitter awhile back and tweeted her to say I loved her bio slogan: “Young, wild & #glutenfree.” That turned into us planning guest posts for each others’ blogs since we both share a love of the gluten-free lifestyle.

roasted red pepper romesco 1024x874 Pasta with Leeks, Peas, Feta, and Roasted Red Pepper Romesco

And a quick funny story about this recipe: I had a red pepper on hand, as well as gluten-free pasta and leeks left over from butternut squash mac and cheese with leeks, so I used my handy dandy sourcing skills and performed a Boolean search on Google for a fitting recipe:

(noodles OR pasta) AND “red pepper” AND leeks

I then tweeted my old boss the following: “I now use #Boolean searches for everyday things, like finding recipes on Google. #sourcerproblems.”

His response: “@cmroman Ah we raised you well. #perfectstudent #sourcing.” Haha!

gluten free pasta with feta peas and leeks 1024x682 Pasta with Leeks, Peas, Feta, and Roasted Red Pepper Romesco

 

They say you are what you eat, so I may turn into a cauliflower soon. In one evening, I made cauliflower rice, butternut squash cauliflower risotto, and cauliflower fritters (which taste like potato latkes!).

Cauliflower “rice” has been been floating around the blogosphere for some time now, so I decided it was time to take the plunge and try it out. Even if you’re not super nutrition-conscious, it’s hard to ignore these stats:

rice vs cauliflower Fried Cauliflower Rice

Not to mention that the cauliflower rice is SO good!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 head of cauliflower
  • 1/2 bag of frozen peas and carrots
  • 1/2 medium onion
  • 2 eggs
  • Soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and/or sriracha for seasoning
  • Canola oil

DSC 0549 1024x682 Fried Cauliflower Rice

Instructions

In a bowl, thaw frozen peas and carrots. Clean and dry cauliflower thoroughly, then destem and chop into bite-sized chunks. Use a food processor on the pulse setting or a knife to chop cauliflower into rice-sized pieces.* Finely chop half a medium onion and saute over medium-low with canola oil until translucent (4-5 minutes). Add peas and carrots, and cook until the water evaporates (1-2 minutes). Add 2 scrambled eggs and cook fully. Add cauliflower “rice” and cook over medium-high, adding several dashes each of soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and sriracha, if you like spicy foods. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes or until cauliflower is crispy.

DSC 0551 1024x748 Fried Cauliflower Rice

Notes

In order to ensure crispy, not soggy ingredients:

  • Use a large skillet so the ingredients aren’t crowded
  • You may need to cook the cauliflower rice in two batches
  • Use canola oil (not olive oil); add more if needed for added crunch
  • Make sure that the cauliflower is dry
  • Don’t overstir!

You can also add chicken or pork to the dish to make it more hearty!

DSC 0552 1024x942 Fried Cauliflower Rice

*This step can be a bit tedious if you don’t have a food processor, so share the task with a friend or rock out (carefully) to Stereo Love on Pandora

 

 

I recently made potato leek soup and mourned the loss of the dark green part of the leeks as I went to throw them away. Right as my hand hovered over the trash can, I decided to keep the leek scraps and find something to do with them.

After a quick Google search, I decided to put half of them into a bowl with other vegetable scraps to make turkey stock and the other half into a skillet with a bit of olive oil and butter. I had no idea that the final product would be crunchy, salty sticks with tons of flavor!

If you like salty snacks like chips, popcorn, nuts, or Trader Joe’s Inner Peas, this is the snack for you! If you hate wasting food, also for you icon smile Strangest Snack Ever: Leek Snack Sticks

DSC 0538 1024x682 Strangest Snack Ever: Leek Snack Sticks

Thinly slice the dark green parts of the top of leeks. In a skillet, heat a pat of butter and a dash of olive oil over medium-low. Add leek pieces. Saute for 20-25 minutes, then turn to high for 1 minute to make the sticks extra crunchy. Season with sea salt and enjoy!

DSC 0553 1024x682 Strangest Snack Ever: Leek Snack Sticks

P.S. Please feel free to sing my made-up song as you prepare these weird snack sticks: “Oooh, the weirdest snack!” Sung to the tune of Sweetest Thing by U2. Haha, normal…



DSC 05611 1024x721 Apple Cheddar Tartine with Spicy Mustard

If you had shown me this recipe or given me this open-faced apple cheddar sandwich a year ago, I would have politely wholeheartedly declined. Sweet apples, sharp cheddar, and spicy mustard? Nooooo thanks (says former me).

But current me says, “The sweetness and slight crunch of the Gonagold apples, the sharpness of the New York cheddar, and the spiciness of the mustard? Bring it on!”

Add to the pretty amazing mix of flavors the fact that this is insanely easy to make- pretty much a winner for a snack or as part of a meal!

Just spread bread (gluten-free if you need) with spicy mustard then layer with thinly sliced apples and sharp cheddar. Broil until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. 

DSC 0560 1024x682 Apple Cheddar Tartine with Spicy Mustard

P.S. For a more hearty snack or meal (albeit not vegetarian), consider adding sliced chicken a la Iowa Girl Eats.

DSC 0567 1024x732 Savory Roasted Squash Seeds

Stop- do not throw away those butternut squash or spaghetti squash or acorn squash seeds! I have an easy and insanely use for them. Have you ever had Trader Joe’s Popcorn with Herbs and Spices? This is kind of like that, but maybe healthier. They also taste similar to an everything bagel, but definitely healthier!

Ingredients

  • Sea salt
  • Pepper
  • Italian seasoning
  • Dried minced onions
  • Garlic powder
DSC 0569 1024x682 Savory Roasted Squash Seeds

Preparation

Separate butternut squash seeds from all other butternut squash pieces. Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel. Preheat oven to 325. Put seeds in a baking pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle dried minced onion, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning over top; stir to distribute evenly. Bake for 30-40 minutes, tossing every 5-10 minutes, or until seeds are crunchy and golden brown. Be sure to watch carefully since they can go from golden brown to burnt in a matter of minutes!

DSC 0572 1024x682 Savory Roasted Squash Seeds

DSC 0576 1024x787 Spicy Butternut Squash & Tofu Masala

Remember how I used to make tofu masala relatively frequently? I decided to revamp the recipe to include butternut squash, which means I have another easy fall recipe for you!

Ingredients

  • 1 block of firm tofu
  • 1 jar of Trader Joe’s Masala Simmer Sauce
  • 1/2 butternut squash
  • 1 leek
  • 1/2 onion
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Dried red chili peppers
  • Soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil (all optional)
DSC 0573 1024x725 Spicy Butternut Squash & Tofu Masala

Preparation

1. Press tofu (you can do this with a tool like the Tofu Xpress or with this method)

2. If desired, marinate pressed tofu with soy sauce (gluten-free if need be), garlic, rice vinegar, olive oil, and/or sesame oil for added flavor

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut butternut squash in half and remove seeds (put aside for my next recipe!). Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried red chili pepper flakes. Put in baking pan with about an inch of water on bottom. Roast half of the squash until tender, about 30 minutes. Cut into bite-sized cubes.

4. Trim, clean, and slice leeks. Peel and chop onion. In a skillet over medium low, saute leeks and onion with olive oil and red chili peppers until tender.

5. Add all other ingredients (tofu, butternut squash, and masala sauce) to the skillet and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Enjoy over rice (gluten-free) or with naan (unfortunately not gluten-free)!

DSC 0582 1024x682 Spicy Butternut Squash & Tofu Masala
P.S. Ever used a Tofu Xpress? I hadn’t until I moved in with my roommate, who has one. It’s a pretty convenient little contraption that presses the water out of tofu, making it better for grilling and baking. It can also be used to press water out of things like sliced eggplant (I used it for eggplant moussaka the other day) and thawed spinach or kale (which I did for this spiced lentil kale soup from Oh She Glows). It comes for the pretty hefty price tag of about $39. It’s nice to have in the kitchen, but I’m not sure I’d paid that much for it! So thanks, roommate icon smile Spicy Butternut Squash & Tofu Masala

Nothing says fall to me like butternut squash. I’m so obsessed that my friend once told me if I had a word cloud for my life, butternut squash would be in big letters (“That’s what she said” would probably be in huge letters too…).

And leeks in soup? Such a delicious way to get a creamy texture without dairy. If you’re my friend, you’ve probably heard me go on and on about potato leek soup.

You could even play around with this soup by adding a potato for an even creamier texture. Or mix up the spices by subbing basil and oregano for the nutmeg.

Or just follow my recipe icon smile Easy Butternut Squash & Leek Soup in the Crockpot

5228197922 c336eac362 Easy Butternut Squash & Leek Soup in the CrockpotPhoto credit

  • 1/2 large butternut squash (peeled, de-seeded, and chopped into bite-sized chunks)
  • 1 1/2 leeks (trimmed, cleaned, and sliced)
  • 1 medium onion (chopped)
  • 1 clove of garlic (diced)
  • 4 chicken bouillon cubes and 4 cups of water or 4 cups of chicken broth or 4 cups of vegetable broth
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Nutmeg

4137937933 85b16b5022 z Easy Butternut Squash & Leek Soup in the CrockpotPhoto credit

Prep vegetables. Combine broth and vegetables in Crockpot. Sprinkle 2-3 dashes each of salt, pepper, and nutmeg on top. Cook on low in Crockpot for 6-7 hours. Allow to cool for several minutes, then blend with an immersion blender (or leave chunky if desired). Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

P.S. Do your hands ever get itchy, red, and start peeling when you handle butternut squash? Mine do and I found out why: butternut squash dermatitis! The best solution is to wear gloves or buy pre-chopped butternut squash.

I’m not going out of town this weekend (WOOHOO!), which means I did some pretty serious stocking up on groceries at Trader Joe’s and the farmers’ market yesterday. I also bought some nonperishables,  including quinoa, red lentils, and nutritional yeast, from the bulk section of Whole Foods last week.

My boyfriend and I kicked off the week with an amazing home-cooked meal of Trader Joe’s Garlic & Herb Sirloin Steak (cooked on the grill then dipped in this horseradish dipping sauce), a green bean casserole (adapted from this gluten-free recipe), and mashed parsnips with caramelized onions, feta, and horseradish (inspired by the meal at the wedding I went to this past weekend). Not too shabby for a Monday night (or any night!), huh?

DSC 0666 1024x682 Recipes That Caught My Eye This WeekIngredients for horseradish dipping sauce

Here’s what else caught my eye online this week:

This week, I’ll also be making butternut squash leek bisque, an eggplant dish, and spinach quinoa turkey meatloaf. I haven’t found the recipes that I’m using yet, so feel free to send me suggestions!

DSC 0670 1024x989 Recipes That Caught My Eye This WeekCooking with these beat up bad boys this week

Last Sunday, I went to Trader Joe’s for the first time in way too long! I stocked (overstocked?!) up on my usual food items, but discovered a few new items to test out.
PicMonkey Collage Fun Food (& Drink) Finds
From top, clockwise: Pumpkin Cream Cheese ($2.99 for 7 oz), Instant Miso Soup ($3.29 for 4 packages), Pumpkin Spice Rooibos ($3.99 for 20 bags), Inner Peas ($1.29), and Spicy Jalapeno Chicken Sausage ($3.99 for 5 sausages).

I’ll be spreading the cream cheese on rice cakes and possibly baking with it, throwing vegetables and meat into the miso soup to make it more filling, serving the pumpkin tea with a tiny bit of honey, trying not to eat the whole bag of Inner Peas as a snack, and eating the chicken sausages in soup or served on gluten-free bread with onions, peppers, and Frank’s Red Hot.

Have you tried any of these products? What are your favorite Trader Joe’s finds?

P.S. Did you know that Trader Joe’s will open any product for you to sample? I can’t remember where I read that but I asked to do it for the pumpkin cream cheese and they were very gracious about it. That stuff is aaaamzing, so I immediately threw it into my cart! Don’t forget the tip about bringing your own bag too.

I recently had half a package of firm tofu left over from another recipe, so I decided to make an Indian meal with it. Luckily, I found a jar of Trader Joe’s Masala Simmer Sauce in the back of my pantry. After a quick Google search, I stumbled across a recipe for Quick Indian Soup from Inside the Kaganoff Kitchen.

masala simmer sauce trader joes Easy Masala Simmer SoupThe star of the show

Here is my adapted version:

  • Firm tofu, pressed and cubed
  • Trader Joe’s Masala Simmer Sauce (you can use another brand, but I prefer TJ’s!)
  • Onions, diced
  • Carrots, sliced
  • Broth or bouillon
  • Rice (I used Cashew Basmati microwavable rice from Target)
  • Hot pepper, chopped (optional)
  • Canned tomatoes (I didn’t have any but I bet they’d be good!)

In a pot, cook onions and carrots in olive oil over medium until onions are translucent. Add simmer sauce and two cups of broth or two cups of water with two bouillon cubes. Simmer on medium-low until carrots are soft. Add tofu and heated rice; simmer until all ingredients are warmed.

 Easy Masala Simmer SoupPhoto credit

pixel Easy Masala Simmer Soup
+Cristina Roman