Dec 18 2019
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dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian

Almond Biscotti

almond biscotti-sm

Apparently, I am on a biscotti tear. I made these biscotti last night, using a gluten-free flour blend. They are packed with almonds and the batter is flavoured just with vanilla.

In this recipe, you roast the almonds before you add them to the batter. The cookies have a good crunch and, like the chocolate ones I made last week, they are not too sweet.

I am rarely content to leave a recipe alone, so I upped the almond content to two cups from one. Just so no one doubted that they were in fact almond biscotti. (This is generally my approach. If an ingredient is in the title of a dish, I am likely to go overboard with it.)

I made these so I would have a holiday treat to give to someone who is gluten-free. I have a feeling I will have no trouble disposing of the rest of them.

 

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Dec 13 2019
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dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian

Chocolate Almond Biscotti

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I made these vegan biscotti the other day, and they were a big hit.

I made them using a gluten-free flour blend. Instead of using chocolate chips, I just doubled up on the almonds. This meant they were packed with toasted almonds, which was fantastic. I also added some instant coffee powder into the liquid to help add depth to the cocoa flavour.

This is my second attempt at making gluten-free baking that is also vegan. My first attempt was a bit disastrous (that’s a story for another day…), but this time I was much stingier with my ground flax seed.

The finished cookies were a bit delicate, but surprisingly crunchy. I made them for an office function and impressed my colleagues, most of whom are used to eating biscotti made with wheat and eggs. I am now thinking about other biscotti flavours to try.

 

 

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Nov 02 2019
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gluten-free, nut-free, the gf lifestyle, vegetarian

Breakfast Nachos!

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I had a hectic schedule this week, where food was often a necessary afterthought. It was a pleasure to finally have a little time to think up a delicious breakfast. This is nachos with old cheddar, baked in the oven until crispy, doused generously with tomatillo salsa and dotted with sour cream.

Some people have a bowl of cereal topped with fruit to start the day. How is this that different? Corn, dairy and fruit… It’s practically the same thing.

While that may be debatable, what is definitely true is that this was a tasty treat and a very welcome meal.

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Jun 19 2019
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gluten-free, grain-free, vegetarian

Feta Fries

sm.fetafries

Here is a fast and delicious side dish—feta fries. Bake up some fries so they are nice and crispy, and then toss them with some crumbled feta and any other flavourings you like. This batch has oregano, for a Greek flair.

Also note the other sides in the back. There’s mushrooms fried with butter and garlic. And there’s grape tomato salad with fresh basil and balsamic dressing. We had these, along with caramelized onions, with burgers as a way to kick off the summer barbecue season. All simple to make, and all really tasty. Let the barbecues begin!

UPDATE: We have found, through extensive scientific research, that the best feta fries are ones where the feta is crumbled into small pieces, the fries are well salted and dusted with seasonings after baking, and the dressed fries are put back into a hot oven for a few more minutes. We toss ours in a metal bowl and throw it in, directly on the rack. The extra time in the oven helps the feta melt a bit and stick to the fries better.

 

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Mar 16 2019
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gluten-free, nut-free, vegetarian

Spicy Nachos

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I just made this outrageously delicious version of nachos.

I picked up a jar of Huy Fong chili garlic sauce this morning and was mulling over how to use it. Then, a craving for nachos struck. The answer seemed obvious.

I used one can of refried beans, and mixed in a couple of spoons of the chili garlic sauce and one bunch of chopped green onions. I used the cheese I had, which was extra old cheddar.

The chili sauce gave the beans a nice kick and the green onions added a nice freshness. The extra old cheddar went really well with the spiciness, too. And, luckily, I had some sour cream on hand to help tone down the spice a bit. (Full disclosure: I always have sour cream on hand.)

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It was a great combo. I am looking forward to eating the leftovers for breakfast tomorrow, and I will definitely be making these again.

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Dec 09 2018
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gluten-free

Biriyani Redux

biriyani leftovers

There is an amazing array of lunch options near my work. One of my favourites is chicken biriyani. It makes a filling lunch, but luckily, also provides fantastic leftovers. This is my favourite way to have leftover biriyani. I fry an egg or two in butter, reheat the biriyani slightly in the microwave, place the eggs on top of the rice and drizzle any remaining butter over the eggs and rice. Amazing, and fast.

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Dec 09 2018
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gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free

Chicken Slaw with Blue Cheese Dressing

chicken slaw salad

This salad looks a little bland (I will have to work on that), but it it is big on flavour. To make it, I use a store-bought coleslaw mix, a store-bought blue cheese salad dressing and leftover, cooked chicken. It is fast to make and really delicious.

 

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Sep 02 2018
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gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free

Spicy Crab Coleslaw

spicy crab coleslaw

This spicy crab coleslaw was one of my favourite brown bag lunches in the past little while. It is fast to throw together and outrageously delicious.

I just used a pre-cut coleslaw mix, which includes carrots and red cabbage. I mixed up a spicy mayo, but you could make your own or use a store-bought variety. My current version includes Miracle Whip, Tabasco-style hot sauce, a bit of seasoned sushi vinegar and a bit of white sugar. I made my mayo in a couple of minutes, tore up some thawed fake crab, and mixed it all together with the cabbage. By the time I was eating it for lunch several hours later, the flavours had had a chance to meld and the crab and spiciness had completely infused everything.

This would make a great company salad or potluck item. Or, if you don’t mind envious stares from co-workers, a perfect lunch for the office.

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Aug 08 2018
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food philosophy Quote

“You were given an appetite so that you would nourish yourself.”
– Julia Child

 

I’m So Hungry!

Jul 20 2018
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gluten-free, nut-free, vegetarian

Something Sweet…

butterscotch blondie-small

I had a craving for butterscotch, so I made these blondies. I used this recipe for the batter, but instead of the nuts and chocolate, I added 1 cup of butterscotch chips and 2 cups of mini marshmallows. I (of course) used a gluten-free flour blend. The marshmallows mostly disappear, but leave behind crusty little craters in the top.

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