Duck Patties

Duck Patties
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free

** Does contain gluten-free soy sauce

I have always been a fan of duck, but have never been terribly adventurous in preparing it. I came across a recipe for duck burgers and simply had to try to adapt it for our life-style. The result was absolutely delicious. If you are cost conscious, purchase a whole duck (not just the expensive boneless breast meat), remove the breast meat for this recipe, and make soup with the remaining parts!

Ingredients
2 duck breasts, boneless
1/3 cup crispy rice cereal (gluten free), crushed

Seasonings
1/4 of a small onion, chopped very finely
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp soy sauce, gluten free
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp fennel seed, crushed or finely chopped
1/8 tsp cloves, ground
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method
Cut the duck breasts into quarters, but leave the skin on. Place the duck chunks into a food processor and pulse only until the the meat is chopped up, but not a mushy paste. If there are large chunks of skin or fat that are not processed, take them out and discard them. Put the chopped duck in a medium sized bowl.

Add all the seasonings to the bowl and blend well. Add the sea salt and pepper to taste, last. There is quite a bit of flavour already, so use sparingly.

Finally, fold in the rice crumbs a little at a time to help combine the duck bits and make it easier to handle. Form 6 small patties with the mixture and place them in a medium sized skillet over medium heat.

As the skin and fat were left on during processing, there will be plenty of oil in the pan before long. You may want to drain some of it off during cooking. Brown well on one side, then flip and brown the other. Do not turn more than once as the patties may fall apart. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until they are cooked through.

Serve with rice, on a bun (like Joel's burger buns), or make them smaller and serve them as appetizers.

Sydney's Mac and Cheese-Like

Sydney's Mac and Cheese-Like

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Corn-Free, Soy-Free, Peanut-Free

This was an instant hit with my little girl. She especially liked the rice crumbs on top. The sauce does have a light, cheesy flavour to it, even though it is dairy and soy-free!

Ingredients
450 gms rice pasta (elbows or shells work well)
1 cup frozen peas

Sauce
1 small onion, finely minced
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp tapioca flour
1 tsp dry mustard powder
2+1/4 cups rice milk
3/4 cup non-dairy, rice cheese (no soy) - I used 7 of the sandwich slices.
1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
1 tsp sea salt
Pepper to taste

Garnish
1 cup crispie rice cereal (gluten free), crushed

Method
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F. Oil a medium sized baking dish with olive oil.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the rice pasta according to the directions. Cook only until tender, but firm. When done, rinse under warm water to remove the starch and pour into a large bowl. Add the frozen peas and set aside.

Sauce
In a medium sized pot over medium heat, add the olive oil. When hot, cook the minced onion until it is tender, then add the mustard. Slowly whisk in the rice milk and nutmeg and heat until warm. Add the rice "cheese" and continue stirring until it melts, and the sauce begins to get hot.

To thicken the sauce, remove 4 tablespoons of the sauce and place it in a small bowl or cup. Add the tapioca flour and stir until the flour is fully absorbed and there are no lumps. Whisk the tapioca mixture back into the "cheese sauce" and stir gently until it gets hot and thickens. Season with 1 tsp sea salt and add pepper to taste.

Pour the sauce all over the pasta mixture and toss lightly until it is well coated. Pour the entire mixture into the prepared baking dish and top with the crushed rice cereal.

Bake for 20 minutes to allow the "cheese" sauce to absorb and the frozen peas to heat up.

Rosemary & Apple Roast Chicken

Rosemary & Apple Roast Chicken

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Corn-Free, Soy-Free, Peanut-Free

This flavourful chicken is perfect for family dinners or entertaining!

Ingredients

1 whole chicken

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

3 Granny Smith apples, cored and sliced with the skin on

3-4 springs of fresh rosemary

Flavoured Coating

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup apple juice

1 tbsp maple syrup

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Additional spice for sprinkling over the apples.

Optional: 2 tsp tapioca starch for thickening gravy

Method

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Have the bottom half of a roasting pan ready with a rack in the bottom. Prepare the chicken by removing any giblets and rinsing it under cold water. Pat it dry with paper towels (and discard the towels).

Flavoured Coating

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine all the ingredients for the flavoured coating well using a fork. Put several pieces of apple and onion into the cavity of the chicken. Truss the legs to keep the onion and apple inside.

With a cooking brush, brush the flavoured coating all over the chicken and drip some inside the chicken too. It is fairly thick so it should stick well.

Place the chicken, breast side up in the roasting pan (on top of the rack) and pour any remaining coating over the chicken. Adjust the seasonings (additional sea salt and freshly ground pepper) if desired. Place the remaining apple slices and onion pieces around the chicken, and sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves over them. Carefully pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the pan. Break the sprigs of rosemary into large pieces and place some directly onto the top of the chicken, and some into the bottom of the roasting pan with the water.

Put the roasting pan, uncovered, into the oven and roast for 20 minutes at 475 degrees to seal in the juices, then reduce the temperature to 325 minutes for an additional 1 +1/2 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.

**Hint: I like to baste the chicken every 30 minutes or so, and make sure there is liquid in the bottom of the pan for making gravy or au jus. If too much has evaporated, add 1/2 cup at a time.

At the end of cooking, the liquid in the bottom of the pan will be very flavourful (fruity and spicy) and likely does not need flavour added. If you wish to thicken the liquid for gravy, drain it into a small pot through a sieve or strainer to remove the rosemary leaves and cook over medium heat. Remove 4 tbsp of the hot liquid and add 2-3 tsps of tapioca flour. Stir until the flour as been absorbed and there are no lumps. Whisk the tapioca mixture back into the gravy and stir while it is cooking until it begins to thicken.

Chicken Shish-Kabob

Chicken Shish-Kabob
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Corn-Free, Soy-Free**, Peanut-Free

Tired of burgers? Shish-Kabobs are a great alternative. Let each dinner guest prepare their own kabobs, then they get exactly what they want! Even kids like to make their own.

Ingredients
2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks (approx.)
8 baby potatoes, skin on
1/2 green pepper, cut into large chunks
1/2 yellow pepper, cut into large chunks
1/2 red pepper, cut into large chunks
8 grape tomatoes
(add or substitute any other veggies or fruit you like that can be barbecued)
3 tbsp olive oil
Sea Salt and Freshly ground pepper

**Optional marinade: 1/4 cup soy sauce, gluten free
1/4 cup water

Method
Before the barbecue, gather 8-10 skewers. If you are using wooden skewers, submerge them in water for at least an hour to prevent them from burning on the barbecue. If you wish to marinate the chicken before barbecuing it, place the chicken in a bowl and add the soy sauce and water. Cover and let stand in the refrigerator for one hour.

Boil the baby potatoes until they are tender (they give when you squeeze them) before the barbecue. This can even be done the day before. Allow them to cool .

In the meantime, prepare all the vegetables (and/or fruit) for skewering. On a small plate or in a tiny bowl, mix the olive oil with some sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Arrange all the items to skewer to make it easy for the dinner guests to reach them.

When the chicken is ready, invite the dinner guests to wash their hands, then grab 2 skewers and pierce and slide onto the skewers the items of their choice. Remind your guests to take note of what they put on their skewers so they will get the right one back after they are cooked! When they are finished their creations, using a basting brush, lightly brush on the oil and seasonings mixture. This is very important to prevent the chicken from sticking to the grill. Cook the kabobs about 12-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve with rice or a salad.

Chicken Tetrazzini

Chicken Tetrazzini
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Corn-Free, Soy-Free, Peanut-Free

This recipe works equally well with turkey. Pine nuts are used to make the sauce more flavourful, but can be omitted.

Ingredients
2 cups chicken (or turkey), cooked and chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup vegetables (I used a yellow zucchini)
1/2 large onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
1/4 cup apple juice

Pasta

8 oz rice linguine

1 tsp olive oil

3/4 cup peas, fresh or frozen

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Sauce
1/4 cup tapioca flour (for thickening)
2+1/2 cups rice milk

1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chicken (or vegetable) broth
pinch ground nutmeg

2 tsps Italian seasoning

1/4 cup pine nuts, crushed into a paste

Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Garnish

1/4 cup whole pine nuts

Method
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Oil a medium sized baking dish (large enough to hold all the pasta and chicken).

In a medium-sized frying pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When hot, add the onion, garlic and fresh thyme and saute until the onions are tender and almost translucent. Add the apple juice and simmer until it is evaporated. Add the zucchini and continue cooking for 1 minute (do not overcook). Set aside in a large bowl, add the cooked chicken, and toss it all together lightly.

Pasta

Bring a large pot of water with 1 tsp olive oil to a boil. Add the rice pasta and cook until it is tender but firm (do not overcook!). Drain, rince the pasta under warm water, and add to the chicken mixture.

Sauce

In the same frying pan over medium heat (or a bit lower), add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the tapioca flour. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the rice milk, broth, vanilla, Italian seasoning and nutmeg stirring constantly. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Continue to stir until the sauce thickens (about 5 minutes). Gently stir in the pine nut paste and season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Cool slightly and add to the chicken mixture.

Toss all the ingredients together and add the peas and parsley. Adjust the seasonings if needed. Toss again and pour into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of whole pine nuts over the top and bake for about 25 minutes.

Pancakes

Pancakes
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Corn-Free, Soy-Free, Peanut-Free

Nothing says the weekend like a big stack of fresh-off-the-griddle pancakes. These are delightfully light, and can soak up maple syrup like a sponge. Kids and adults will ask for seconds!

Ingredients
Dry
1/2 cup sweet rice flour (plain rice flour will also work)
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp xanthan gum

Wet
2 eggs
4 tbsp sunflower oil
1+1/2 cups rice milk

Extra sunflower oil to season the griddle

Method
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, mixing well.
In a small bowl or large measuring cup, combine the wet ingredients.

Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients stirring with a fork or whisk until the batter is consistent, but slightly lumpy. Let the batter sit while you preheat the griddle to about 300 degrees F, then whisk again just before cooking.

Season the griddle with a light coating of sunflower oil. Pour 1/4 cup of batter or less onto the griddle for each pancake. Flip the pancakes over when you see bubbles throughout the pancake and the bottom is lightly browned. Lightly Brown the other side and serve hot!

Turkey Loaf

Turkey Loaf
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Corn-Free, Soy-Free, Peanut-Free

This turkey loaf has all the taste, aroma, and comfort of homemade meatloaf, except it is made from yummy turkey! It's a favourite with kids due to its slightly sweet flavour.

Ingredients
Olive oil for pan
1/8 cup brown sugar

Loaf
1+1/2 lbs ground turkey
1/2 cup onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup celery, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1/2 cup homemade ketchup**
3 large eggs, slightly beaten (or 4 egg whites)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup crispy rice cereal, crushed (gluten-free)

Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9X5 loaf pan with olive oil. Sprinkle the brown sugar into the bottom of the pan in a thin layer.

In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, onion, celery, and garlic. Once mixed, add the ketchup, beaten eggs, sea salt and pepper and mix again. Finally add the crushed rice cereal and mix a final time.

Press the loaf mixture into the loaf pan, removing any air, and smooth the top.

Bake for one hour, or until cooked through. Let the loaf sit for 10 minutes before serving.

**Use the homemade ketchup recipe from the Allergy Free Kitchen

Lamb Cabbage-Less, Cabbage Rolls

Lamb Cabbage-Less, Cabbage Rolls
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Corn-Free, Soy-Free, Peanut-Free

Everyone loves the inside of a cabbage roll, but not nearly as many enjoy the cabbage. So, why put the cook through the trouble of rolling the cabbage rolls? This recipe uses the flavour of cabbage, without the trouble.

These cabbage-less cabbage rolls are delicious, and have big bold flavour. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Filling

1/3 cup pine nuts

1 pound ground lamb

1 cup white rice, cooked

2/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 tsp cumin, ground

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup apple juice

Freshly ground pepper

Cabbage Head (will only use a portion of it)

Sauce

2 tbsp shallots, finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup apple juice

1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes (gluten free)

Method

Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat (about 5 minutes) until they are slightly brown and fragrant.

Put a large pot of water on to boil. This will be used to soften the cabbage leaves later.

In a large mixing bowl, add the toasted pine nuts, lamb, rice cilantro, cumin, salt, egg, apple juice and freshly ground pepper. Mix together, but do not over mix (the rolls will get heavy).

Tear off enough good cabbage leaves to line the bottom of a large covered casserole dish, and a second layer as well. Dip the cabbage leaves in the boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, just long enough to soften the leaves. Place the first layer of cabbage leaves in bottom of the casserole dish.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the sauce, in a large, deep frying pan, add the olive oil and cook over medium heat. When it's hot, add the shallots and cook until tender (about three minutes). Add 1 cup of apple juice and the crushed tomatoes, and cook until heated through.

Using your hands, form small logs of the meat mixture about 1 inch by 3 inches (about the size of the insides of a regular cabbage roll). Place these side by side on top of the layer of cabbage. Continue until all the meat is used up. Place a second layer of cabbage on top of the meat logs. Pour most of the sauce all over the top of the cabbage layer and down into the sides.

Cover the pan with the lid and cook for about one hour, or until the meat is cooked through. Let the rolls sit for 10-15 minutes after they come out of the oven. Discard the top layer of cabbage (unless someone wants it!) and serve right in the oven proof dish. Spoon some of the sauce over the cabbage-less rolls when serving them, and if you had any left over, heat it through and serve it too!

Penne with Pine Nut Pesto

Penne with Pine Nut Pesto
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Corn-Free, Soy-Free, Peanut-Free

You just can't beat fresh pesto sauce on pasta for taste. With very little effort, you can make a wonderful sauce that not only smells and tastes great, but looks fabulous too. Have a look at the photo of the two sauces. Which would you rather eat; the fresh pesto on the left or the pre-package pesto on the right?

Ingredients
1 one lb package (455 grams) of rice penne

Sauce
2 cups of fresh basil leaves (1 large bunch), washed, stems removed and finely chopped
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup pine nuts, finely ground
1/8 cup pine nuts, whole (for garnish)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2+ cup olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1-2 tbsp water to thin the paste

Method
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1/4 tsp olive oil (to help prevent the pasta from sticking) and the entire package of pasta. Cook only till al dente (firm, not mushy!) following the package directions.

Meanwhile, to make the pesto sauce, add to a blender or food processor the basil, almond meal, ground pine nuts and garlic and blend until creamy. Add the lemon juice and continue to blend. Finally, drizzle in the olive oil (or several small additions) while blending just until the mixture is creamy (you may not need all the oil). Add the sea salt and freshly ground pepper and blend a final time. Adjust the seasonings and thin with cold water if the mixture is still too thick.

When the rice pasta is cooked, drain it into a colander and rinse it with warm water to remove any starch. Return it to the pot and toss it with approximately 1 tbsp of olive oil while reheating it. Add 1/2 of the finished pesto sauce to the pot and toss again. Finally, portion the pasta into individual plates (about 4 dinner servings) top with a little more pesto sauce and some whole pine nuts.

Kim's Turkey Chicken Burgers

Kim's Turkey Chicken Burgers
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free, Soy-Free

When Summer is here, Barbequed hamburgers are a must. These turkey chicken burgers are very tasty and fit a diet free from gluten, dairy, yeast and red meat (yes, even the bun!). They cook well on the BBQ, and Joel's dinner rolls make excellent hamburger or hot dog buns. We make and freeze the burgers to keep them on hand, and frozen they are easier to BBQ. Kids love them too!

Ingredients
3/4 lb ground chicken
3/4 lb ground turkey

1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp dried mustard
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 egg
1/2 cup crushed rice crackers (not too fine)
Olive oil

Method
In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken and turkey blending well. In large measuring cup or small bowl, combine the garlic, onion, mustard, sea salt, pepper, and egg. add this to the turkey and chicken mixture and blend in well.

Add in the crushed rice crackers to the mixture last to keep their crunchiness and work them in well.

Patties will puff up slightly in size, but shrink in diameter, so make palm-sized patties that are fairly thin. If you are freezing them, put waxed paper between the patties and store them in freezer bags.

To cook, lightly brush the patties with olive oil and BBQ over medium heat till the meat is cooked through.

Bubbie's Potato Latkes!

Bubbie's Potato Latkes!

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free, Soy-Free

Latkes are traditionally made as a holiday food to celebrate Channukah, but for those on a gluten-free diet, potato latkes are wonderful comfort food - ANYTIME. They are simple to make, smell great when they are cooking, and delicious.

Ingredients
9-10 raw, medium-sized, red-skinned** potatoes, peeled and cubed (should completely fill a regular-sized blender)
1 egg
1 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste (optional)
1 tsp olive oil

Garnish: Many people enjoy apple sauce, or fruit with their latkes.

Variation: Some enjoy onion in their latkes. In this case, finely chop 1/2 a medium sized onion and blend it with the potatoes.

Method
Add one egg to the bottom of a blender. Fill the blender with cubed potatoes (and onion, if desired). Pulse the blender until you see some of the potatoes form a liquid at the bottom of the blender, then puree until all the potatoes form a sloppy batter. To this batter add the sea salt and freshly ground pepper and puree again for another 30 seconds to mix it well.

Using a paper towel or kitchen brush, lightly oil a large no-stick griddle, or at least 2 no-stick frying pans. Pre-heat the pans to medium, or medium high (350 degrees F).

Using a large serving spoon, spoon the batter onto the griddle using a sweeping motion to thin out the pancake. They cook much faster if they are not too thick. Once the pancake begins to dry on the top (2 + minutes), test to see if you can easily flip it over. Cook on the other side for another 1 + minutes. One side will brown lightly, and the other not as much.

**Note: use a very firm potato for this recipe. Red-skinned potatoes work well.

Pecan Crusted Chicken

Pecan Crusted Chicken
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free, Soy-Free

This is a dish with lots of flavour!

Ingredients
2 pounds of fresh chicken breasts or thighs (boneless and skinless), washed and dried

Wet mix
3 tsp olive oil
2 tsps (dry) mustard
1/2 tsp horse radish (medium) vinegar-free

Coating
1 cup pecans (ground)
1 tsp onion powder (gluten-free)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (gluten-free)
Sea salt (to taste)
Freshly ground pepper (to taste)

Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Wet mix
Mix the olive oil, mustard, and horseradish in a small bowl. Brush each chicken piece with the wet mix.

Coating
Stir together well all coating ingredients in a pie pan and press each chicken piece into it to coat all sides.

Place all chicken pieces in a baking dish. Cover and cook for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Uncover during the last 20 minutes to crisp up the coating.

Spicy Almond Chicken

Spicy Almond Chicken
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free, Vinegar-Free
Warning - Does contain Soy

A great meal to put in a slow cooker (crock pot) before going to work, and dinner is ready when you are home! Alternatively, it can be cooked in a wok.

Ingredients
2 lbs boneless and skinless, cubed chicken

Sauce
1 cup of salsa (see a previous blog to make your own)
1/4 cup almond butter
3 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
2 tsps ginger root

Garnish
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Method
Mix all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Place the boneless chicken in a large plastic bag, or a medium sized bowl. Pour the sauce ingredients over the chicken and marinade at least 1 hour or overnight (in the refrigerator).

Cook in a slow cooker for 4-5 hours on high, or 6-8 hours on low. If you cook the chicken in a wok, cook for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken pieces are no longer pink in the middle.

Serve over rice or rice noodles with fresh cauliflower or broccoli. Just before serving, sprinkle the slivered almonds on top.

Rice Pasta Carbonara

Rice Pasta Carbonara
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free

Wonderful comfort food for chilly nights, or when you have a big appetite.

Ingredients
4 slices turkey or chicken bacon
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 lb spaghetti rice pasta
3 eggs
2 tbsp rice milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/8 tsp white pepper (or to taste)
½ tsp freshly ground sea salt (or to taste)

Method
Cook the turkey bacon in a heavy skillet until starting to brown. Use water or a little olive oil to keep the bacon from sticking to the pan. Chop the bacon into small bite sized pieces and set aside. In the same pan, saute the onions in a little olive oil or water until tender. Set the onions aside with the bacon.

Cook the rice pasta as directed on package. Do not overcook the pasta or it may become mushy.
Meanwhile, combine the egg yolks, rice milk, and garlic, sea salt and pepper in a medium bowl and beat until well blended.

When the rice pasta is cooked, rinse under warm water to remove the starch, then return to the pasta pot and toss it with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Heat through. When hot, stir in the egg mixture and toss thoroughly until combined. Add the bacon and onions and toss again to coat. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Optional: If you can tolerate dairy, sprinkle 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese or shredded mozzarella over the pasta just before serving.

Thai Chicken and Tomato Stew

Thai Chicken and Tomato Stew - Adapted from Lucy Waverman's recipe
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free

Serve over rice with fresh steamed veggies, serves 4.

Ingredients
3 tbsp sunflower oil
1 +1/2 cups chopped onions
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 cup rice milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups tomatoes, fresh or canned, chopped
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp granulated sugar (may be omitted)
1 + 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless, chicken (thighs cut in half, or breasts cut into strips)
Freshly ground sea salt and pepper
1/3 cup fresh coriander (also called cilantro), washed and chopped

Method
Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and ginger; sauté for 10 minutes or until onions are golden. Season with sea salt and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add a little more oil if the ginger and onions begin to stick.

Stir in rice milk, tomatoes, lime juice and sugar, scraping up any bits on base of skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Season chicken** with freshly ground sea salt and pepper. Stir into mixture and cook, covered over medium low heat for 8-10 minutes or until chicken is just cooked through. Stir in coriander just before serving.

**Tip: If you use chicken breasts instead of thighs, cut in strips, season and sear for 1 minute per side then add to the sauce. Simmer for 4 minutes or until just cooked through.

Lamb Braised in Rice Milk with Anise

Lamb Braised in Rice Milk with Anise

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free

This is excellent served over rice, or mashed potatoes. The rice milk makes it taste slightly sweet, so the kids like it too.

Ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil

2 1/2 pounds of boneless lamb, trimmed of fat and cut into bite size pieces

Freshly ground sea salt and pepper

Sauce

1 anise bulb, diced (also called fennel)

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed

2 1/2 cups of rice milk

1 sprig of rosemary

2 tbsp brown rice syrup

3 tbsp arrowroot powder

1/3 cup cold water

Freshly ground sea salt and pepper

1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

Optional: 2 cups of rice or 4 medium potatoes (to serve 4 adults)

Method

In a large dutch oven (5 to 6 quarts), heat 2 tbsp of olive oil on medium to medium-high heat. Pat the lamb pieces dry (so they will not spit when put in oil) and season well with freshly ground sea salt and pepper. Place 1/3 of the lamb pieces in the pan so that each has a surface touching the bottom. Brown each side of the lamb pieces before turning it (don't stir it or it will not brown). Remove the lamb from the pan once all sides are brown and set it aside. Repeat this process for the remaining lamb pieces.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil. Scrape up the brown tasty bits and use this and the oil to cook the anise. Add the diced anise and cook until softened (a few minutes). Add the garlic, and crushed fennel seeds and cook another minute or two.

Add the lamb back to the pot and add the rice milk. Increase heat until the broth simmers then turn it to low. Add the sprig of rosemary, cover the pot and let it cook for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours, and the meat is tender.

While the lamb is cooking, prepare the rice or mashed potatoes to serve with it.

When the lamb is tender, remove it from the pot and set aside. Remove the rosemary sprig and discard. Add the brown rice syrup and bring the rice-milk based sauce to a boil and reduce it to about 2 cups (about 5 minutes). To thicken the sauce, add three tablespoons of arrowroot powder to 1/3 cup of cold water. When the arrowroot powder is dissolved in the water, add it to the sauce while stirring it the entire time. When the sauce starts to thicken remove from heat. Season the sauce with freshly ground pepper and sea salt to taste. Add back the lamb and heat it through.

Just before serving, stir in the fresh chopped parsley. Serve the lamb and sauce over hot rice or mashed potatoes.

Betty's Chinese Chicken

Betty's Chinese Chicken

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Corn-Free

**Warning, contains soy

This is an easy main and is a favourite with children and adults alike.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, cut up (or the equivalent in boneless chicken cut into pieces)

Sauce

1/2 cup gluten-free Soy Sauce

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp garlic (chopped)

1 tsp honey

2 sun dried tomato pieces, finely chopped

Method

This can be made in a dutch oven on top of the stove, or in a covered dish in the oven.

For the oven method, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, garlic, sun dried tomato and honey in a bowl. Arrange the chicken pieces in bottom of the dutch oven or casserole dish. Pour the sauce all over the chicken, coating it well. Cover the dutch oven or casserole and place in the oven for 30-45 minutes or until the chicken pieces are cooked through. 1/2 way through cooking, turn the chicken pieces over, baste with more sauce and return to the oven uncovered.

Suggestion: Serve over rice with steamed broccoli on the side. My family LOVES the sauce on the rice as well.

Crepes

Crepes

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free

I have used these crepes with Peking duck (in combination with the like-hoisin sauce and shallots), with savory dishes (Such as chicken and broccoli crepes), and for dessert (fill with fruit and dust with powdered sugar). Yum!

Ingredients:

Dry

1/2 cup sweet rice flour
1/2 tsp sea salt

Wet

3 eggs (beaten)

3/4 cup rice milk

2 tbsp sunflower oil

Method:

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Make a well (a hole) in the middle . In a smaller bowl, thoroughly combine all the wet ingredients and pour them into the well of the dry ingredients. Mix it all together to create a very thin batter. Cover the bowl and let it stand for 20 -30 minutes (to allow the flour to absorb moisture). Just before cooking, stir well to ensure no flour has settled on the bottom of the bowl.

To make the crepes, use either a non-stick frying pan (for large crepes) or non-stick griddle (for many, smaller ones) on medium to medium-high heat. For larger crepes, pour batter into a frying pan and swirl it around until it is the size that you want. Thin batter is better for rolling.

When the edges begin to lift, using a thin spatula, turn the crepe over and heat briefly on the second side.

Lemon Chicken

Lemon Chicken
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free

A wonderful, summery flavour!

Ingredients

2 ½ pounds of wings (or chicken pieces)
½ cup fresh lemon juice (can use bottled)
5-6 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp crushed back peppercorns
2 tsps sea salt
¼ cup olive oil

Warning: Add the ingredients in the order given before mixing, or the lemony flavour will be lost.

Method

Place chicken in a large glass or enamel bowl and pour over it the lemon juice, garlic, and crushed peppercorns. Sprinkle on sea salt, pour the olive oil all over the chicken last, and finally stir.

Marinate at room temperature for two hours, or in the refrigerator overnight (There is more lemony flavour the longer you let it soak!). Stir occasionally to re-coat the chicken.

BBQ the chicken wings until brown and cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Turn after the first 10 minutes. For larger chicken pieces, increase the time accordingly.

Serves 2-4 people.

Dairy-Free Quiche

Dairy-Free Quiche
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free

Ingredients
1 pre-made, allergy-free piecrust (see my previous posts for a good pie crust)

3 eggs
1 cup rice milk
6 slices turkey bacon
1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Pepper to taste
¼ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Have ready the allergy-free pie crust (thaw it if it was previously frozen).

Scramble eggs in a bowl, and blend in the rice milk. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste, and add nutmeg, if desired.

In a frying pan, cook the turkey bacon until almost crisp. Chop into small pieces and set aside. In the same pan, saute the onion with olive oil until soft, then add the broccoli. Continue cooking until the broccoli is crisp, but cooked through.

Place the cooked veggies and bacon in the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture all over them to fill to the top.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes until set, and a fork inserted in the center comes out clean.
Serve hot.