Category: Gluten-free

Asparagus with Hard-boiled Egg Dressing.

Published on by KellyInTheKitchen1 Comment

Adapted from seven spoons, this alternative salad is unique, fresh, and bright. It’s perfect for dressing up a simple main dish, like a roasted chicken breast or mushroom ravioli. Welcome the spring with a vibrant and healthy asparagus dish, and watch out, or you might just eat the whole platter yourself.

IMG_1874

INGREDIENTS

2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and diced, whites and yolks separated
2 bunches asparagus, bases snapped off
1/8 tsp salt, plus more to taste
2 green onions, white parts finely diced, green parts sliced (keep them separate)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp brown mustard
olive oil
red pepper flakes
parsley, chopped
pepper

IMG_1865

DIRECTIONS

In a medium-sized bowl (you’ll be mixing your dressing in here), stir together 1/8 tsp salt, the white parts of the green onion, and balsamic vinegar. Set aside.

IMG_1862

Fill a shallow pan with a bit less than an inch of water. Bring to a boil and add the asparagus. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, then remove from heat, drain, and place asparagus in an ice bath, so that they stay crisp and bright.

Combine mustard, half of the diced egg yolk, and 1 tbsp olive oil. Mix until smooth. While stirring, slowly add more olive oil until consistency is slightly runny. Stir in scallion mixture and egg whites, and add red pepper flakes, parsley, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix well.

IMG_1869

Place asparagus–either cold or hot, both are good!–on a platter and top with dressing. Garnish with remaining egg yolk and green parts of green onion. Happy St. Paddy’s Day!!

Red Lentil Soup.

Published on by KellyInTheKitchen1 Comment

I’m always on the lookout for new healthy, yummy, and portable dishes to bring to work for lunch. This bright and fragrant spiced lentil soup is full of protein and iron, and it’s sure to hold you over until you get home for dinner! And the best part is, dried lentils are so much faster and easier to cook with than many of their fellow legumes, which require soaking overnight. Lentils only cook 20-30 minutes until they’re tender and ready to eat!

INGREDIENTS:

1 large onion, diced
4 carrots, peeled and diced
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups red lentils, picked clean and rinsed
8 cups water or stock (I used homemade chicken stock, but vegetable stock is just as good)
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp turmeric
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

DIRECTIONS

In a dutch oven or large soup pot, saute the carrot and onion in olive oil until soft. Add garlic and cook another minute or two.

Add the washed lentils and water or stock. Then add the cumin, turmeric, coriander, ginger, bay leaves, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 20 – 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender. Remove from heat.

A very yummy soup, even if one of your bay leaves is broken...

Discard bay leaves and puree in batches. Garnish with parsley and serve with crusty brown bread and butter.

Rick Bayless’ Mango Guacamole.

Published on by KellyInTheKitchenLeave a comment

I love Rick Bayless‘ style. Anyone who’s eaten at one of his restaurants or watched his show, Mexico: One Plate at a Time, can tell he knows his stuff when it comes to Mexican flavors and ingredients. So whenever I’m in the mood for Mexican, I look to him for ideas; that’s where this yummy twist on standard guac came from. The mango really brightens the dish, and the serrano chile adds a layer of flavor that goes so well with avocado. Definitely a go-to for guacamole lovers. Buen provecho!

INGREDIENTS

2 ripe avocados
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
1 tbsp lime juice
1 small ripe mango, diced
salt, pepper, diced red onion, cilantro to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cut avocado in half and remove the pit. Scoop the avocado flesh into a mixing bowl. Add salt and pepper and mash with a fork or potato masher.

Add mango, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, and serrano chile. Stir to combine. Garnish with more mango and cilantro and serve with tortilla chips.

Homemade Chicken Stock.

Published on by KellyInTheKitchenLeave a comment

I spent the last few weeks saving and freezing all our leftover chicken bones, carrot peelings, celery leaves and bottoms, and any carrots, onions, or celery that were close to spoiling. I make a lot of dishes that require stock, so it made sense to figure out how to make my own–it’s so much cheaper than buying it pre-made, and it’s a great way to use up the odds and ends you’d otherwise throw away.
Note: the difference between “stock” and “broth” is that stock is made with bones, and broth is made with meat. Stock tends to have a more robust flavor, but as ingredients in recipes, they’re pretty interchangeable.

INGREDIENTS

bones and leftover pieces of 2 chickens
1 1/2 cups carrot, washed and cut into thirds
1 1/2 cups celery stalks, washed and cut into thirds
1 onion, skin-on, washed and halved
4 cloves garlic, skin on
any saved carrot peelings, celery leaves and bottoms, and onion skins or root ends
salt, peppercorns, thyme, and parsley to taste (I use about a palmful of each)
cold water

DIRECTIONS

Place chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and seasonings in a large pot.

Fill pot with water and bring to a boil. Then immediately reduce to a simmer.

Simmer uncovered for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more water throughout the process, keeping the veggies and chicken bones submerged at all times.

After 4 hours, remove from heat and strain out the pieces. Chill overnight and remove any fat that collects at the top.

If you plan to use the stock right away, keep it refrigerated. To use at a later date, freeze the stock in ice cube trays and then transfer the frozen cubes to a bag, to use whenever you need it! Stock should last in the freezer for 3-4 months.

Czech Goulash (Old recipe).

Published on by KellyInTheKitchen2 Comments

For the updated Czech Goulash recipe, click here.

This is my original recipe for goulash. I’ve since updated it, and I really like the new version much better – it’s more potently paprika-ed and also more authentic, in that it’s less like a chunky vegetable stew and more like the slow-cooked, warming, fortifying dish I ate in Prague. I recommend checking out the updated recipe instead, but in case this one tickles your fancy a little more, I didn’t want to delete it!

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp olive oil
3 medium onions, chopped
2 lb stew beef, cubed
3 cloves garlic
4-6 celery stalks, chopped
4-6 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp paprika
2 tsp caraway seed
3-5 tbsp flour, depending on desired thickness (I use all-purpose, but potato flour works just as well, for those with gluten allergies)
8 oz canned crushed tomato
3-5 cups cold water or stock
salt, pepper to taste
marjoram or parsley, sour cream for garnish
2 medium potatoes, boiled and cubed (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil over medium in Dutch oven or other large soup pot. Add onions and cook until transparent. Then add the beef and cook until browned.

Add garlic, paprika, caraway seed, salt, pepper, and flour, if you’re using it. Stir and cook about 2 minutes, careful not to let the seasonings burn. Then toss in the carrots and celery and cook another two or three minutes, until the seasonings coat the veggies and they start to soften.

Add tomatoes and some of the cold water or stock, adding more as needed throughout the process (goulash can be stew-ier or soup-ier, however you like it).

Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally. I go for 3 hours whenever I can, and it’s worth it!

Serve with sour cream and parsley or marjoram for garnish. If you’re using potatoes (which we keep separate to avoid making the soup too starchy) add them to your bowl just before serving.

Hasselback Potatoes.

Published on by KellyInTheKitchen3 Comments

Named after the Swedish restaurant Hasselbacken where they were first served in the 1970s, Hasselback potatoes are making a comeback  on tables across the world right now. They’re a lot more fun than a standard baked potato and they look so pretty when they come out all toasty and browned! You can play around with the seasoning or keep it very simple, but this recipe is for my personal favorite flavor combo.

INGREDIENTS
3 medium potatoes, skin-on and scrubbed
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp olive oil or melted butter
2 tbsp grated Parmesan (optional)
1 tsp parsley
pinch of hot paprika
salt, pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Prepare the potatoes. Partially-cut each potato into thin slices, careful not to cut all the way through, so that the potato stays whole. This will create a fan effect when baked.

Combine all remaining ingredients. Using a butter knife, spread the mixture in between each slit. Rub the remaining mixture on the skin of the potato.

Place on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and fanned open, about  an hour. Serve right out of the oven with sour cream.

UPDATE: Tonight I tried this exact same recipe, but with a sweet potato, and it was fabulous. I don’t know about you, but sweet potatoes are already sweet enough for me, so I never add sweeteners when I prepare them. If you feel the same way, then try using a sweet potato instead for a healthier version of this tasty dish.