Egg Replacer

Yesterday, after a long hiatus, I brought out my EnerG Egg Replacer to add to the Chebe rolls I was making.  The box was not labeled that clearly on what you needed for 1 egg.  It has egg whites and yolks but no egg.  So here are the directions/equivalents for the egg replacer:

One Egg = 1 1/2 tsp Egg Replacer to 2 tbsp of water. To replace egg whites use the same amount as replacing the entire egg, so One Egg White=1 1/2 tsp Egg Replacer to 2 tbsp of water. To replace the egg yolk stir 1-1/2 tsp Egg Replacer into 1 tbsp of water.

I also found this, which I thought was hugely interesting:

What is a good substitute for eggs?

Ener-G Egg Replacer - follow directions on box.

2 tbsp corn starch = 1 egg

2 tbsp arrowroot flour = 1 egg

2 tbsp potato starch = 1 egg


1 heaping tbsp soy powder + 2 tbsp water = 1 egg

1 tbsp soy milk powder + 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water = 1 egg.

1 banana = 1 egg in cakes.

Btw, the Chebe rolls were fine in taste, but were white instead of the usual yellow colour it gets from the eggs.

Dinner with friends

The rather blurry photos in the moblog entry below were from dinner last weekend where some friends cme over.  These were friends I either haven’t cooked fo at all or have only done so on occasion, and I wanted to serve something really nice.  I debated for most of the week, until Saturday when I decided I wanted to do my friend Dave’s Firehouse Chicken recipe.  It’s chiken that’s been flattened and rolled with mushrooms, spinach and feta cheese, breaded, quick fried to brown it and then baked to melt the cheese.  That is then topped with a port wine sauce.  I knew someone was bringing a salad and another the veggies, so I didn’t need to do anything with those really, so we needed a dessert.  I decided on the GF brownies that you see below.  They were a hit, considering that plate was full and they were gone by the end of the night.

So here is the recipe for Dave’s Firehouse Chicken.  Quantities can vary, so there isn’t much in the way of measurements, and that’s the beauty of this one.  You can just play with it and and get creative.  The port wine sauce can be done in several ways.  You can do it a bit more savory and ad onions and mushrooms or like I did, which was a bit sweeter and add some sugar to it.

Dave’s Firehouse Chicken

4 bonesless skinless breasts of chicken, pounded to about 1/2” (1 cm) or so.

1 package of sliced baby bella mushrooms, or whatever your favorite mushrooms are

1 10 oz bag d pre-washed spinach

1 block goat/sheep Feta cheese (soy or rice cheese would probably work here, just bump up the spices used)

GF cornflake crumbs, seasoned with salt, pepper and whatever else you’d like

about 1/4 cup GF flour

enough oil to fill the bottom of a skillet for frying


1 egg or the equivalent egg substitute for 2 eggs

toothpicks (just in case)

smoked paprika (or just regular paprika)

salt

pepper

garlic powder (or onion, or whatever strikes your fancy at that moment)

Saute the mushrooms in a bit of oil until soft, add the spinach and wilt.  While this is happening, grate the feta cheese into a bowl or a small plate.  Once the spinach is wilted, place the mixture into a strainer to get rid of any water that may have been produced from the mushrooms or the spinach.  Let sit until cool enough to handle. 

Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, paprik and whatever other seasoning you are using, and then place the cheese and the spinach mushroom mixture on the chicken.  Roll the chicken tightly and secure with toothpicks if necessary.  Roll up the others in the same fashion.  Put them on a plate and refrigerate for about an hour.  This will help firm them up so they don’t fall apart during the breading and the frying.

Start heating the oil for frying the chicken.  Preheat the oven to 375.  Dredge the chicken in the GF flour.  Then dip the chicken in the egg wash, making sure to cover all sides.  Roll in the seasoned cornflakes until coated, then place in heated oil and fry on all sides just til they look golden brown.  Place on a cookie sheet and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is nice and melted and the chicken is cooked through.

Port Wine Sauce

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup port

salt

pepper

up to 1/4 cup of brown sugar (for the sweet version)

a couple Tablespoons chopped onions and mushrooms (for the savory version)

Heat up the chicken stock in a small saucepan.  Add the port, salt, pepper and whatever remaining ingredients you are using.  Bring to a boil and let reduce to about half.  Serve over the chicken.

Vege-Sal

I take back anything good I’ve ever said about this seasoning salt.  I just realised I’ve been glutening myself fairly constantly for a while by using it.  I never *once* noticed it had soy sauce in it.  What on earth do you need SOY SAUCE for in a seasoning salt?!  Anyway, I’ll make sure that it is vanquished from all recipes, but make a note - it’s NOT gluten free.  I’ll be making my own for certain.

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More gluten free goodness.

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Do these look gluten free? There was a full plate.

Ole Mexico!! Last stop

Ok, one last stop around the world.  Mexico!!  I love Mexican food.  I miss Fajitas N Ritas.  I love cheap margaritas and decent food to soak up the alcohol.  So it was an amazing experience to be able to do this again.

Tonight was Chicken with Lime dressing, avocado mash, and a blackbean and corn salsa.  All Gluten Free, all dairy, soy and other evil nasty for me free. Again I prepped most of this last night, so I could enjoy hanging out with my friend who came up with his cute little puggie.  The lime dressing came together pretty easily with only one war wound.  My DH stabbed himself on the ip of his pinkie with my Global knife.  OW!!  He was in charge of juicing the limes.  I was a bit disappointed as these particular limes were not really giving up the juice.  They were thick skinned as well.  After 4 limes I got enough to juice to work with.  I decided to marinate the chicken in most of the dressing overnight and leave just a bit for the avocado mash.  The salsa was also done last night so the flavors had a chance to mix all together.

I made several modifications to the recipe.  The first was the marinating.  This called for 10 minutes.  No way.  Meat needs longer than that. The second was I actually forgot about the peppers and the lemon juice.  The funny thing was, no one missed it in the least, including me.  The avocado mash needed serious help.  The avocados were at the perfect point of ripeness.  They scooped right out of the shells and were pretty easy to mash all up.  I put the rest of the dressing in, thinking we were all set.  Nope - the recipe as it stood was bland.  It was really missing something.  I played around with it, adding salt, pepper and more lime juice (sweetened lime juice).  In the end I got it, but I think a bit more cilantro would make it dazzle. 

Oh yes, and the margaritas. :D Cocktails can be a bit of a challenge.  Some people are fine with grain-based alcohol, others, despite the distillation, cant tolerate them at all.  I do better with the potato vodkas than I do the grain based, for example.  But then there’s tequila.  White 100% blue agave tequila.  Mix that with some Cointrea and Rosa’s lime juice.  I’m a purist at heart so to me, that’s a margarita (unless you dd some awesome bitters or sour mix), but feel free to use Mr & Mrs T’s.  It’s gluten free. 

The dinner was really fabulous.  The salsa was well blended in flavour, so that was no issue.  Chicken was juicy and tender and the avocado really set everything off.  I konw this sounds complicated, but honestly, it was a snap to throw together.

The chicken recipe came from the SBD cookbook and the salsa came from my WW’s Cook it Quick cookbook.  Enjoy!

Chicken with Lime Dressing

For the dressing/marinade:

1/3 cup fresh lime juice (That took about 4 limes for me.  YMMV)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 Tbsp chopped scallions (green onion)

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (you can use other oil)

1 tsp sugar substitute

1/2 tsp salt

For the chicken:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2” thickness (I honestly didn’t bother - this just helps make it cook quicker)

2 medium avocados, peeled and pitted (I used 3 of the smaller black ones)

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tsp picante sauce

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil


1 medium red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)

2 Tbsp gluten free flour (optional)

To make the dressing, combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl.

If you are marinating for a while, put the chicken in a ziplock bag with 3 tablespoons of the dressing.  Let marinade for at least 2 hours up to 24 hours.  Otherwise, place the chicken in a large glass dish with 3 tablespoons of the dressing.  Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

In a medium sized bowl, mash the avocados with 2 tablespoons of the dressing.  Stir in the lemon juice and the picante sauce.  Reserve the remaining dressing.

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet.  Add the pepper and cook, stirring occasionally for 6 minutes, or until the peppers are tender and lightly browned.  Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Remove to a large bowl and add the almonds, if using.

Remove the chicken from the dressing and if desired, pat dry and sprinkle both sides of the chicken with flour.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes each side or until done.  Place chicken on 4 serving plates and equally divide the pepper mixture, sprinkling over the chicken.  Drizzle the reserved dressing over each serving.  Serve with the mashed avocado.

Blackbean and Corn Salsa

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained (or the equivalent of dried beans that have been soaked and cooked til tender)

1 (10 oz) box frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 tomato, coarsely chopped

1 red onion, thinly sliced (I personally caramelized the onion - I don’t like raw onion)

1 (11 oz) jar GF salsa (any of your favorites that are gluten free)

1/3 cup red wine vinegar (I would throttle back on this - it’s really a bit much.  I ended up adding some Splenda to cut the tang)

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

Combine everything and let sit for at least 15 minutes.  Serve.

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Tonights dinner

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Tonights bird

Awesome news

This is such good news for celiacs who love their beer.  Bard’s Tale is BACK!!!

I read about it on another site, and followed the link to a local news article about it.

Sorry, I should probably explain why I am so happy about this and what Bard’s Beer is.  After I was diagnosed, one of the biggest adjustments for me wasn’t not eating bread, pastas, pastries or the like.  It was BEER!  I *love* beer.  The worst was knowing I was going to the UK for a month and not being able to have a single pint while I was over there. (I’ve since learned several brands of GF beer over in the UK).  But when I got back, I started to search in earnest for GF beer.  It had to be out there, right?  Well, yes and no.  There was several, just not close.  There’s a big production facility in Australia.  A small brewer in New York somewhere.  Then I found Bard’s Beer.  This looked like a large production facility.  I started doing some research.  They only brewed with the 4 tenets of beer, grain (in this case sorghum), water, hops, and yeast (no barley - that has gluten in it).  I managed to get a bottle from the local GF store.  Someone gave her a couple of bottles to pass out to other people or to keep for herself.  She opted to give them to other people.  I was one of the lucky recipients.  It was amazing.  A little foamier than I was used to but the taste reminded me of an IPA.  It’s definitely a lager, not an ale, but certainly drinkable and enjoyable.

The quest was on.

I searched for *months* and tried to get any of my local off-licenses to ask their distributor to start supplying this.  No luck.  I was starting to get discouraged, when again the woman in the gluten free shop came through.  Someone was going to NY for a beer run and she told the person she knew someone who would be interested.  I told her to give the person my number and I would happily pay them to bring me a couple of cases.  And that’s exactl what happened.  I received two cases. (It felt like some weird black market thing, I’m telling you.)

I was a bit disappointed this turn.  The beer was *extremely* foamy and te person warned me they had several bottles explode in the basement.  EEEK!  The beer still tasted ok, but not quite the same as before.  Probably because it was warm by the time I was able to pour a pint.  Drinking out of the bottle was impossible.  Too foamy and would overflow the bottle every time you tried.  I still have a bunch of it left, but I don’t really drink it simply due to the foaming issue.

This catches us up.  After looking at the news article, I looked at the brewery’s website.  they explained, they pulled the beer shortly after I got my batch due to the quality issues (the excessive foaming).  They stopped using the brewery faciliy they were contracted with because they were having sanitation issues that was causing the foaming/exploding issues.  Ew.  But they have since contracted with a HUGE brewery in California that can handle the production for all of the US.  That means, starting in May, Bard’s Beer may just be available in every state, including here!!  The link to the news article is here.  Hurray for gluten free beer again!!

*grumble*

Have you ever had it happen?  You try to be so careful.  You read he labels, research stuff to death, burn up your mobile minutes calling companies asking if they are gluten free and still something slides through?  I have.  It just happened it me.

I grew a bit complacent reading labels and didn’t read one as closely as I should have.  The chili garlic paste I grabbed for the Nuoc Cham I thought was safe - I read the label - yet I’ve been showing all the signs of being glutened.  I read the label *VERY* closely this time.  There was rice vinegar in it and it contains wheat.  How did I not see rice and wheat on the label???  It just goes to show you even a veteren slips from time to time.

I figure I’ll just wash the jar really well and then I’ll just make my own.  But in the meantime I get to look forward to a couple of days ill.

Poo.

ooooo - major find!!

I know this isn’t with the theme of the week, but I had to post this.  It looks so deliciously evil and decandent I can’t resist.

VELVET CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH DORIS

Makes 1 eight-inch cake; serves 10 to 12

Created by New York City baker Doris Schecter, Owner, My Most Favorite Dessert Company, 120 West 45th Street ,New York, this flourless chocolate has a deep, rich flavor and a texture resembling that of cheesecake. For a taller cake, Doris suggests making 1 1/2 times this recipe.

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted margarine, cut into chunks, plus more for pan

1 pound semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon instant espresso or instant coffee

5 extra-large eggs, separated


1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat an 8-by-3-inch round cake pan with margarine, and line bottom with a round of parchment paper; set aside.

2. In a heat-proof bowl or the top of a double boiler set over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate with the margarine and instant espresso, stirring until smooth and glossy. Remove bowl from pan of water, and let mixture cool slightly. Whisk in egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on high speed to soft peaks. With machine running, slowly add granulated sugar, beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Stir about one-quarter of the whites into chocolate base to lighten it. Gently but thoroughly fold in remaining whites until thoroughly combined.

4. Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Place in a roasting pan, and pour hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan. Carefully transfer to oven, and bake until top of the cake is just set in the center, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then transfer to refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

5. Run a paring knife around edges of cake to release from pan, and unmold (if the cake doesn’t come out of pan, briefly dip bottom of cake pan in warm water; do not leave in water too long, or cake will melt). Invert cake onto serving platter, and dust top with confectioners’ sugar. Serve in very thin slices.

Next stop - Vietnam

Tonight I was ready for a light meal.  I knew we were doing the Lemon Chicken tonight.  I had the chicken marinating last night and the nuoc cham made, all I had to do tonight was prep the salad and cook the chicken.  The chicken was gorgeous!  It was definitely high ranking in my favorites.  There was such a play of flavors with the chicken, the lemon, and garlic with the sugar, the cilantro, lettuce and green onion, the spice and heat of the dipping sauce and the cleansing of the cucumber.  YUM!!  All of it practically danced in your mouth.  The only thing I wasn’t keen on was the pea shoots.  They tasted like grass to me.  Maybe if they were blanched or something but in their straight out of the garden taste, they were not that nice for me.  I’ll admit - I’m picky when it comes to stuff like sprouts or shoots.  I really don’t like most of them because they taste of grass (at least raw).  So next salad, those will definitely be omitted.  The chicken recipe came from the 15 Minute low Carb Recipe book I have.  They only marinate for a few minutes, but I just can’t do that.  I love the intensity of the flavor (not to mention the tenderness) of meat that marinates for hours, even days.  But if you don’t mind that, feel free to marinate on the spot.  The salad recipe I found online somewhere (lost the bookmark to it unfortunately.)  I made some variations.  I diced the chicken up as it was better over the salad that way.  Plus I added several dashes of red pepper to the nuoc cham.  I wanted it to be spicy and have some bite to it.  Feel free to leave that out if it’s too hot or too spicy.

Vietnamese Lemon Chicken

1 1/2 lbs (750g) boneless skinless chicken (your choice of white or dark - I used breasts as they were on sale)

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp lemon juice (I just used the juice of a whole lemon and the zest)

2 tsp garlic

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp Slenda (or sugar if you prefer the carbed up version)

2 tsp fish sauce (nuoc mam)  (i’ll admit - I used more)


1/2 tsp pepper

Oil

Nuoc Cham (see below)

If time permits, combine the everything save the oil and the nuoc cham and let marinate overnight.  Also, if you can, make the nuoc cham the night before just to get the flavors blended together.  If you are pressed for time, pound each piece of chicken until it is 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick.  Put them on a plate.

Mix together the lemon, garlic, splenda, fish sauce and pepper aand pour the mixture evenly over the chicken.  Turn the chicken so that all sides are coated.  Heat 1 or 2 Tbsp oil in a heavy skillet and add the chicken.  Saute 4 to 5 minutes each side, or until cooked through.

While the chicken is cooking, toss together the nuoc cham - see below, but this takes no time at all to put together.

In the last minute or so of cooking, pour the lemon juice mixture remaining on the plate into the skillet, turning the chicken once again to make sure it’s all coated.  After a minute or so, remove from heat.  Serve with a little pool or a bowl of the nuoc cham to dip the chicken in.

Nuoc Cham (Spicy dipping sauce)

2 Tbsp fish sauce (I was a bit liberal with this)


2 Tbsp lime juice (I just used a whole lime)

1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar and again, I was a bit generous with the pour)

3 Tbsp Splenda

1/2 tsp minced garlic or 1 clove, crushed

1 tsp chili garlic paste

several dashes red pepper (optional)

Simply mix everything in a small dish.

Vietnamese Green Salad

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar or white rice vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)

¼ teaspoon superfine (caster) sugar (I used Splenda for this)

4 cups oak leaf lettuce leaves—washed, dried and roughly torn (I ended up using escarole, as it’s what they had at the store)

1 oz (30g) snow pea sprouts

1 scallion—thinly sliced on the diagonal

15 thinly sliced rounds of cucumber—cut in half


2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves (I was generous with this and I’m glad I was.  It’s a great flavor enhancer in this)

MIX together the fish sauce, vinegar and sugar in a bowl until well combined (or shake together in a screw-top jar). PLACE all remaining ingredients, except the dressing, in a salad bowl. POUR the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine just before serving.

Stop 3 - France (Provence)

In this culinary trip around the globe, i decided that one needed to be done via the slow cooker.  There really something to having your dinner ready the second you walk in the door, isn’t there?  Last summer my low cooker (crock pot) got a major workout along with the grill.  The problem I found though is that boneless, skinless chicken breasts really didn’t work for us.  The meat was rubbery and never really held the flavor of the ingredients in there.  Now beef, I’ve never had issues with.  It’s only been chicken.  Chicken with bone in/skin on does ok, but I still wasn’t a big fan of it.  But being adventurous as always, I decided to give it a new lease on life.

I wanted to add some lamb to the rota.  We’ve been eating a fair amount of lamb recently and I’ve really grown to like it.  I found the perfect trial recipe for the slow cooker attempt - Lamb Stew Provencal from my 200 Low Carb Slow Cooker recipe book.  The only thing in there that I wasn’t sure of was the fennel.  I’d never had fennel before so I wasn’t sure if I’d like it or not, but why not give it a go.  This morning was the “dump and go” maneuver.

It was extremely tasty!  The lamb fell off the bones, the veggies were all done and the sauce was thick enough that I didn’t even bother trying t thicken it more.  The one thing I will say is that this is one of those stick to your rib stews, so I wouldn’t want it if I was in the mood for a light dinner or during the hottest part of summer.  This is the perfect cold, rainy night meal.  One note - make sure you know how big your crock pot is!!  I only had 2.5 lbs (including bones) of meat and it *barely* fit.  Feel free to adjust the recipe to your slow cooker

Lamb Stew Provencal

3 lbs (1.5 kg) lamb stew meat (I did bone in shoulder, but go for the cubed, deboned meat)

3 Tbsp (45 milliliters) olive oil

1 whole fennel bulb, sliced lengthwise

1 medium onion, sliced lengthwise

4 cloves of garlic, crushed (I did 6 and sliced)

1 bay leaf

1 tsp dried rosemary, whole needles


15 oz (425 grams) canned black soybeans, drained (I used a cup dried black beans due to the soy allergy.  You can use canned beans if you want.)

1 cup beef broth (Again, I substituted chicken both (that’s what I had on hand) with a gf “beef” vegan bouillon cube and some red wine)

1 tsp chicken bouillon concentrate (this got left out - didn’t see the point since I was already using chicken broth and added a large bouillon cube already)

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried majoram


1/2 tsp dried savory

1/2 tsp dried thyme

Guar or xantham (if needed)

Season the lamb with salt and pepper.  In a heavy skillet, heat the oil and brown the lamb on all sides over medium-high heat.

Place the fennel, onion, and garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker, Add bay leaf and rosemary.  Dump the beans (whichever you are using) on top of that.  When the lamb is browned, put it on top of the veggies.

Add the one cup broth to the pan to get all those nice browned lamb bits off the bottom.  Transfer that to a bowl and stir in the bouillon, and the herbs.  Pour the mixture over the lamb.  Cover, set to low and let it cook for 8-9 hours.

When it’s done, (if needed) thicken the liquid to the texture of heavy cream with the guar or xantham.

Tomorrow we are setting off to Vietnam.  I’ve already got the chicken marinating and the dipping sauce is all prepared.  All I have to do tomorrow is cook the chicken and prep the salad.  Man, when did I get so organised?

Stop two - China

Tonight was probably one of my best meals ever.  Tonight was chinese sweet and sour chicken.  Again, the craving for takeout comfort was intense, so sweet and sour chicken seemed to fit the bill.  But it was so funny.  I was all organised to the point that all I had to do was dump everything in.  I found this one off of Recipezaar, with my own modifications.  I made sure to season the chicken with plenty of salt and pepper.  I also added a bit more vinegar than recommended, and made sure to use cider vinegar.  Also I de-glutened this by using cauliflower “rice”.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe #141131

YUMMMMM!

1/2 head cauliflower

1 Tbsp oil

3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into cubes (about 3/4 lbs.)

1 small green bell peppers, cut into strips

1 small red bell peppers, cut into strips

3 Tbsp vinegar


1 Tbsp cornstarch

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce substitute

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 (8 oz) can chunk pineapple in juice

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1. For the rice, put the shredded cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl and cover.  Add a few tablespoons of water and microwave for 6 minutes or so.


2. Meanwhile, cook and stir chicken in hot oil in large skillet until brown. Add peppers; cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes. Stir cornstarch and soy sauce in small bowl. Add soy sauce mixture, pineapple in juice, vinegar, sugar, ginger and garlic powder to skillet; bring to boil.  Enjoy.

Trip around the world

Ok, so I honestly can’t go on a trip around the world, but here lately I’ve been craving ethnic food something fierce… Thai, Vietnamese, Mexican, and especially Ethiopian.  Before going gluten-free, I used to have all of these on a regular basis, especially the Ethiopian.  There was an awesome place in BackBay called Addis Red Sea which had the most incredible food.  Lots of wonderful chicken, beef, lamb and vegetarian dishes, all perfectly spiced.  A great Mexican place I used to go was Fajitas N Ritas.  The food was good, but it had the best margaritas anywhere.  The sour ones were superb.  There were several nice Thai and Vietnamese places I used to frequent.  I’ve missed all of that.

Until now.

I’m getting more and more away from the bland steak and chicken that I first started out making and have really started coming into some prety good food.  I know when I was first diagnosed, I thought all I’d be able to eat was meat and veggies.  I’ve since learned that meat and veggies aren’t so bad, and can be very versatile with the aid of spices.

But I digress.

My Ethiopian adventure is on hold for the moment, pending a trip to the spice store.  There’s this awesome spice place in Lexington that my friends have raved about but I’ve yet to go into.  I could just go to Whole Foods, but there’s something about *fresh* spices that appeals to me, especially for something like this.  But this new food rota is full of ethnic food.  I’ve got Mexican, Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai.  Have you ever had those days where you just crave take-away?  The easy food for life on the run?  I have.  So this rota is just for that.

Last night (see below for pics) was Thai Beef in Lettuce wraps.  I made my own soy sauce substitute, which was really good!  It’s not as dark as the real thing, but has all the flavor, and little of the fat (no oil in it).  That recipe can be found here.  The only things I’d change in this is I would spice the beef up more.   Not so much with more heat, but with more spice.  Cumin and or chili powder would’ve suited this nicely.  I also didn’t add the whole amount of chili flakes, since the DH isn’t that keen on hot foods.  i just took the shaker with me and added for myself.  For the rice in this dish, I used half a head of cauliflower shredded in the Cuisinart and then microwave it in a covered bowl (Ok, I used Saran wrap and a glass bowl. ) and microwave for 6-7 minutes.  It makes a darn good rice substiture.  The DH, who hates rice, liked this.

This recipe, btw, comes from 500 More Low Carb Recipes.  Low carb tends to marry well with gluten free.

Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps

1 lbs (455 g) ground beef (Use ground round or sirloin if you can)

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cup (80 ml) chopped onions

1 clove garlic


1 medium yellow pepper diced (or whatever colour you have on hand)

1/4 cup (60ml) lemon juice

2 tsp chopped fresh mint

1 tsp gluten free beef bouillon granules (I actually use a vegan “beef” one that is wonderful)

1/2 head cauliflower, shredded

1 Tbsp (15 ml) fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla)

2 tsp soy sauce substitute


1/2 cup (60 g) chopped peanuts (OPTIONAL)

1/2 cucumber, diced small

16 lettuce leaves (I’d recommend either Romaine or Butter lettuce over iceberg)

In a big skillet, break up and brown the beek with the pepper flakes (I’d also recommend cumin and/or a pinch of chili powder, salt or seasoning salt and pepper.  A pinch of coriander would work nicely too).

When the beef is browned, tilt the pan and spoon off any fat that’s accumulated (with round and sirloin, there’s barely any).  Stir in the onion, garlic, pepper, lemon juice, mint and beef bouillon granules.  Stir until bouillon dissolves.  Turn burner on low and let the whole thing simmer.

Now you can start on the “rice”.  Put the shredded cauliflower in a microwavable casserole dish with a lid (or do the “ghetto” method of a glass bowl and Saran Wrap or wax paper) add a couple of tablespoons of water, and microwave for 6-7 minutes on high.

By the time the “rice” is done, the peppers in onions should be tender.  Drain the “rice” and stir into the beef mixture.  Stir in fish sauce and soy sauce substitute too. 

Put your peanuts if using and cucumber in small dishes.  Arrange 4 good sized lettuce leaves on each of four plates and spoon a mound of the meat mixture next to them.  To eat, spoon some of the meat mixture into a lettuce leaf and sprinkle with peanuts and cucumber.  Wrap in the lettuce and eat as you would a burrito.

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