For Health's Sake

This recipe took a little tweaking to get right, but I think it is there.  I’ve made these burgers with gluten for years.  Most people love them including students at school who were carnivores.  They requested these and were more than willing to have leftovers.  Not only do these taste great, but for once the gluten free alternative is less expensive than the original.  I think most people would be hard pressed to tell the difference between the glutinous and the gluten free burgers.

The cast of characters in this production:

Start by soaking 1 cup of GF textured vegetable protein ((TVP) I used Bob’s Red Mill) in 7/8 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes.

Once the TVP is rehydrated, add 4 unbeaten eggs,

1 tablespoon dried minced onions or 3 to 4 tablespoons raw minced onion,

1 tablespoon any GF all purpose-flour,

3 tablespoons GF oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill)

2 tablespoons Bragg’s Amino Acids or GF soy sauce

and 2 tablespoons Italian Seasoning.  (I usually just pour the seasoning in until I like the way it smells, but I measured this round to get a fairly accurate measurement.)

Stir to combine all the ingredients.

Pour by 1/4 to 1/3 cup scoops onto heated fry pan coated with GF cooking spray.

Spread out to flatten.

Cook until tops start to look drier, flip and cook the other side.

Serve on GF bread or roll of your choice with all your favorite fixings.  Guy happened to have Rudi’s GF bread in the freezer, so that is what you are seeing here.

This recipe makes approximately 8 burgers.

I am so not a Hallmark kind of girl.  Many years ago while travelling on business, I made the mistake of going out to eat on Valentines Day.  I will never repeat that experience!  Even if Valentines was a big deal, going out to eat is a problem when one is looking for both gluten-free and vegetarian.  It is easier to stay home and cook. 

I posted about this recipe during pre gluten-free days, but have now adapted it so Guy can have it.  I have made enough changes to the recipe at this point, I feel comfortable posting it here.  (Were you aware lists of ingredients for recipes cannot be copyrighted — only the description of how to prepare a dish are copyrightable.)  Guy has repeatedly said this is better than any pasta dish he has ever eaten in a restaurant — high praise indeed.

Start with one pound of Extra Firm tofu.  (I can already hear the groans from some people, but wait this will be way better than plain raw tofu.)

Sit drained block of tofu widest portion down on a cutting surface.  Cut the height in half.

Next cut the block in half lengthwise.

Finally cut into thin strips crosswise (about 1/8″ wide).

For a marinade, I used 2 Tablespoons Bragg’s Amino Acids (there is a GF soy sauce available now, but I haven’t taken the time to locate it yet — it would work equally well), 2 tablespoons wine vinegar (either red or white work) and 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Combine these ingredients in an air tight container.

Add the tofu strips.

Cover with the air tight lid and flip over a couple of times to coat the tofu.  Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours, longer works great even overnight.  Whenever you go by the refrigerator, flip the container.

When ready to prepare the meal, clean and cut up about 4 cups of vegetables.  I used broccoli florets and carrots.  Feel free to substitute according to your preferences.

Place vegetables in a 3 quart sauce pan along with 1-1/2 cups of frozen peas and plenty of water to cover all the vegetables.  (The cooking water will be used later in the recipe and you will need 3 cups after the vegetables are cooked.)  Cover the pan, bring to a boil and cook until the vegetables are tender.

While the vegetables are cooking, dump the tofu along with any remaining marinade into a skillet and saute over medium heat.

Some of the tofu pieces should become golden brown.

In an effort to reduce the number of dirty dishes, I place the tofu back in the container in which it was marinated and use the skillet to make the sauce.

By now the vegetables should be finished.  Remove from heat and drain liquid, reserving 3 cups.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add one pound of gluten-free spaghetti noodles.  Cook according to package directions.  Our favorite gluten-free pasta is Ancient Harvest Quinoa.  Sadly they don’t make lasagna noodles.  I wrote to them and begged, but they have no plans to do so since it breaks too easily getting to market.

While the water is heating and the pasta is cooking prepare the sauce.

In the skillet, heat 1/4 cup oil and add 1/3 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free flour.  Whisk to combine.  Try to create a smooth paste.  This is harder to do than with all-purpose flour, but is possible.

Gradually add the 3 cups of reserved liquid, whisking to avoid lumps.

To season the sauce add 2-1/2 tablespoons dry parsley flakes (if using fresh parsley triple that quantity), 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic (or garlic powder) and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne.

Cook, stirring constantly over low heat, until sauce has thickened.

If everything is timed just right, the noodles should be finished and ready to be drained.

Add the tofu and cooked vegetables to the drained noodles.

Pour the sauce over all the other ingredients.

Mix together and serve immediately.

This easily makes enough to feed 6-8 people. We always have enough for Guy to take for lunch the next day or two.  He claims it is great even cold!

This recipe was adapted from Tofu Cookery by Louise Hagler.

This candy is free of processed sugar, vegan, gluten-free and delicious!  I need to give credit for the recipe — I got it from Judy, and Judy got it from Lisa.  I have no idea where it came from before that.

The main portion of the candy requires only four ingredients.

1 cup dried pineapple
1 cup golden raisin
3/4 cup raw cashews
1/8 teaspoon lemon extract

Place those ingredients in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade and run until the ingredients form a soft ball.

This is the most difficult part of the whole recipe, roll the dough into small balls (mine were about the diameter of a nickel — maybe even a little less).  The dough is very sticky which is why this is the hardest step.  Roll the balls in shredded coconut (ground nuts might be a good alternative).

I placed the completed candy on waxed paper.  You can chill them at this point, but I didn’t bother.  They don’t last long!

Everyone liked them, even Jesse who isn’t fond of lemon.  Guy said the pineapple flavor came through most for him.  I have the ingredients sitting here, maybe it is time to make another batch.

As long as I can remember, Lasagna has been my favorite main dish.  I don’t think it has anything to do with the fact that a neighbor child used to call me Lasagna because she couldn’t say Sonya.  I have the recipe I’ve been making ever since I could cook.  It just doesn’t seem fair to make it for the boys and I and have Guy watch us eat it.  So I’ve adapted the recipe and I must say it came out tasting pretty close to the original.

I started by soaking about half a bag of Butler Soy Curls per the package directions. — you could use Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) just be sure it was not processed in a plant that also processes wheat.  (My mother-in-law brought me the first packages of Soy Curls from the Adventist Book Center in Oregon, I found them in Denver also at the Adventist Book Center. See their websites for other sources.  I should note some people with Celiac disease also have issues with soy, thankfully Guy does not appear to be one of them.

While the curls were soaking, I chopped up one onion and started sauteing it in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

I added 2 cloves of garlic using a garlic press.

Once the soy curls had soaked I ran them through a grinder I picked up at a thrift store several years ago for a couple bucks.  It looks like this picture I got from eBay.  I’ve also used a salad shooter, and now could try a food processor, but this grinder worked beautifully!

Once ground it looked like this.

Add the ground soy to the onion and garlic and continue to saute until the onions are translucent.  Then add a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes. (I’ve tried crushed and it isn’t as good.)

One 8 ounce can of tomato sauce.

Next add the following seasonings:

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon sweet basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
4 teaspoons parsley flakes (or 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley)

(At this point you could also add about 1/3 cup of sliced mushrooms — I don’t anymore because Jesse won’t eat anything that has touched a mushroom)

Now the sauce needs to simmer.  If using noodles that will be precooked, simmer for about 1 hour.  This is the method I prefer, but the gluten-free Lasagna Noodles I’ve found are ready to be baked and are not supposed to be boiled.

When the sauce is nearly finished gather the remaining ingredients –

1 pound lowfat cottage cheese (be sure to read the ingredients some cottage cheese is gluten-free and some isn’t).

8 ounces mozzarella cheese shredded (I’ve always shredded my own, be aware if you buy preshredded cheese, it may have flour added to it to keep it from clumping)

20 ounces gluten-free lasagna noodles (Sadly most gluten-free pasta has half as much as normal pasta in the box and twice the price. I needed two packages.)  If the noodles are not oven ready, cook them according to the package directions.

Spray a 15″ x10″ baking pan with cooking spray and place a layer of noodles in the bottom of the pan.

Spread half the sauce over the noodles.

Spread half the cottage cheese over the noodles and sauce.

Sprinkle half the mozzarella cheese over the top.

Repeat layers once more.  At this point it can be covered with plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator until ready to bake or it can be baked immediately. 

If you precooked your noodles, place uncovered in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes at 375 degree F.  (This is my preferred method  and I intend to try making my own noodles so I can do it this way.

If the noodles were not precooked, cover with foil and bake in a 375 degree F oven for 1 hour. 

Whichever way the lasagna is baked, allow it to stand for 10 minutes prior to cutting and serving.  This should serve 6 to 8.

Now I’m hungry again. 

Just to make life a little easier, here is the list of ingredients in a consolidated format.

4 ounces Butler Soy Curls
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
28 ounces diced tomato
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
4 teaspoons parsley flakes
1/3 cup slice mushrooms (optional)
1 pound lowfat cottage cheese
8 ounces mozzarella cheese (part skim milk is fine), shredded
20 ounces gluten-free lasagna noodles (2 boxes you won’t use all of the second box)

I grew up having soup almost every Friday night.  When Guy and I started dating we were going to boarding school.  Home for me was about 1-1/2 hours away and for him more like 16 hours.  So on home leave he would usually come to my house.  He has fond memories of soup and cornbread on Friday nights.

Now that we’re all grown up, soup is still a staple on our menu during the colder months.  This week-end I decided to just make something up as I went.  Guy provided peeling services since I’m supposed to be limiting certain motions because of my neck.  This was our final result.

No one turned up their nose at it and Guy called me this afternoon after eating the leftovers for lunch to say it was really good and let’s make it again.  Fortunately, I wrote down the ingredients so we can do it agin.

Soup on the Fly

1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced

Saute the onion and garlic in enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom of a large pan.  Add the following:

2 carrots, peeled and sliced
5 medium potatoes, cubed
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

Add enough water to cover the vegetables.  Add the following seasonings:

1 teaspoon  Bakon Hickory Smoke Seasoning (see picture to the left — if you can’t find it locally, Amazon carries it as well as other online retailers.)
2 teaspoons McKay’s Chicken Style Seasoning (I prefer the No MSG Added)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Black pepper to taste

Simmer all the ingredients until the vegetables cut easily with the side of a spoon (45 minutes to 1 hour at an elevation of over 6000 feet).

 This recipe is both vegan and gluten free.

I think this is one of the first times I have made a foray into the land of no recipe — I just may have to try it again.