gluten free Archives - Page 18 of 30

Matcha Mug Cake

March 17, 2015 By Becky 17 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Matcha Mug Cake (Paleo, Gluten-free) | acalculatedwhisk.com

You’re less than ten minutes away from a scrumptious, grain-free matcha mug cake! It’s paleo friendly, dairy free, and sweetened with honey or maple syrup.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! I made you a matcha mug cake. It’s not at all Irish, but at least it’s green!

I was excited to make something green for St. Patty’s Day, but I don’t like to use artificial coloring in my food. Since I had my heart set on making a dessert, using spinach or kale as coloring agents didn’t seem very appealing. Matcha was the perfect solution.

Ingredients for Matcha Mug Cake (Paleo, Gluten-free) | acalculatedwhisk.com

If you haven’t discovered matcha yet, I highly recommend it! It’s just very finely ground green tea leaves, so it has a bit of caffeine and all the great antioxidants contained in green tea. The flavor is hard to describe, but it’s exotic and a bit earthy. Matcha is delicious on its own in desserts, but also pairs well with chocolate. I’ve made this matcha mug cake with and without chocolate chips and still can’t decide which one I prefer.

Crispy Chicken with Spring Vegetables

March 13, 2015 By Becky 2 Comments

Remember when Dorothy threw a bucket of water on the Wicked Witch of the West? And the witch screamed in agony: “I’m melting! Melting! Oh, what a world!”

As I walked to the train station yesterday afternoon, I could almost hear my city’s dirty snow screaming the exact same thing. Boston is not free of snow yet, but we sure have a lot less of it.

The thaw seemed like my cue to start celebrating spring in the kitchen by making a dish with bright green veggies. For the protein I went with crispy chicken thighs, because truly crispy chicken skin is the best thing ever. Ben only likes skin-on chicken when it’s as crunchy as possible and not moist at all, so I practiced and practiced and now have my routine for chicken-crisping down pat.

Here’s how you do it: sear the chicken skin side down in a very hot skillet for a little longer than it seems like you should, and then flip it over and finish it in a 450 degree oven. While the chicken roasts, you’ll have just enough time to fry some bacon and chop your veggies. Then, while the chicken rests, the vegetables cook in the fat from the chicken infused with a bit of lemon.

Orange Peach Raspberry Smoothie

March 9, 2015 By Becky 4 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Orange Peach Raspberry Smoothie (Paleo, Vegan)

This orange peach raspberry smoothie is bright, easy, tasty, and full of antioxidants. Avocado and a bit of turmeric give this smoothie great depth of flavor.

When I’m sick, I crave smoothies. Just thinking about blending together a bunch of vitamin-packed produce makes me feel a tad better, and my outlook only improves once I’m actually drinking it. Smoothies, especially ones that look like sunshine in a glass, also help me momentarily forget about winter. For me, they’re are an important aspect of self-care.

I wanted this smoothie to have plenty of Vitamin C, so I used oranges, peaches, and raspberries. Also, like I almost always do, I added an avocado. It makes the smoothie really creamy, but you won’t taste it. The healthy fat from the avocado also makes this nice and filling.

To make the smoothie pack even more of a punch, I added some turmeric and fresh ginger. In addition to providing more potential health benefits, these rhizomes add depth of flavor, and the turmeric deepens the golden color.

The cara cara oranges I used also contributed to the hue of this drink. I bet using blood oranges would make the color pop even more!

Grain-free Coffee Cake Muffins

March 7, 2015 By Becky 6 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Grain-free Coffee Cake Muffins | acalculatedwhisk.com

These grain-free coffee cake muffins make a decadent grab-and-go breakfast, complete with a cinnamon swirl inside and streusel on top.

Having a dozen freshly baked coffee cake muffins in your kitchen is like having all 12 new episodes of House of Cards waiting for you on Netflix, brand new and ready to be enjoyed. In fact, I think the muffins are even better, because I can make more of them whenever I want. Once I finish watching that last House of Cards episode, I’m out of luck for a long time.

Can you tell that I’ve already watched all of Season 3 (and eaten all of these coffee cake muffins)? What is left for me to look forward to?

Blood Orange Mascarpone Panna Cotta

March 4, 2015 By Becky 4 Comments

My winter survival strategy goes a little something like this: hibernate, obsessively check the sunrise and sunset calendar to track the slow lengthening of days, and eat all the blood oranges.

I buy blood oranges every time I see them at the store, but I love snacking on them so much that this is the first time all season that I’ve managed to use them for a blog recipe. I’m so used to having a supply of them around that when I turned to the fruit bowl the other day, ready to make this panna cotta, I was surprised to find there was only one orange left.

Luckily, that single fruit yielded just enough vibrant zest and sweet juice to lend the perfect amount of citrusy brightness to this panna cotta. If you’re not familiar with panna cotta, it’s like an eggless pudding. It couldn’t be easier to make. The name means “cooked cream”, but I’d hardly even call it cooking–the cream is warmed over low heat for less than five minutes, just long enough to dissolve the gelatin. For this recipe, the gelatin and cream are whisked with blood orange juice and mascarpone for an extra creamy, cheesecake-like finish. The panna cotta is sweetened with honey, which adds a floral note that plays nicely off the bright flavors of the orange juice and zest.

Roasted Romanesco with Za’atar Yogurt Sauce

February 26, 2015 By Becky 6 Comments

Strange coincidence: last year, on January 25th, 2014, I wrote about romanesco in a post entitled 7 Uncommon Vegetables for your Produce Bucket List. I had never seen romanesco in a store. I kept my eyes peeled for it all year, but could never find any. That is, until last Wednesday, when I finally spotted some at my local Whole Foods . . . on January 25th, 2015. Weird, right?

Coming across this gorgeous vegetable exactly one year after posting about it has me wondering if it might be magic. I mean, look at those spirals! According to Wikipedia, the number of spirals on a head of Romanesco is a Fibonacci number, and its form approximates a fractal. How is it possible that something like this exists?

In addition to its special properties, romanesco is delicious. I roasted it whole because I couldn’t bear to slice it up any sooner than I had to. Its flavor is similar to cauliflower and broccoli, but a little milder and nuttier. And, just like with cauliflower or broccoli, the browned bits are extra delicious. If you can’t find romanesco, you could definitely use one of its brassica cousins for this recipe instead.

Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Meatball “Vermicelli” Bowls

February 23, 2015 By Becky 42 Comments

These caramelized pork meatball “vermicelli” bowls are made with paleo-friendly caramel and spaghetti squash instead of noodles.

My favorite thing to order at our local Vietnamese restaurant is bún chả, a bowl of vermicelli topped with pickled vegetables, peanuts, and grilled sliced pork or pork meatballs, served with a generous bowl of nước chấm (sweet fish sauce) on the side. This caramelized pork meatball “vermicelli” bowl is a paleo version that hits all the right notes without refined sugar, legumes, or actual vermicelli–the noodles are spaghetti squash instead!

I’m not always a fan of swapping spaghetti squash for regular noodles, but it really works in this dish. There are so many flavors and textures intermingling that the squash flies almost completely under the radar.

The star of this bowl is the caramelized pork meatballs, which are by far the best meatballs I’ve ever made. Last time I attempted Vietnamese pork it was delicious, but nowhere near as good as what I’ve had in restaurants. I wasn’t sure how to get that unique flavor–the one that’s at once almost too sweet and almost too savory, but actually just perfect. Then, while doing a little online research, I came across this recipe from Saveur, which involved a very surprising step.

I never would have tried the technique advised in the recipe if it hadn’t come from such a trusted source, because it sounds totally ridiculous. Luckily enough for me and you, though, I did try it, and it was just the ticket. Buckle your seat belts, folks, because we are going to MAKE CARAMEL and put it in the meatballs.

Yup.

THAT is what I mean by “caramelized”.

Mexican Almond Pulp Brownies

February 20, 2015 By Becky 12 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Mexican Almond Pulp Brownies | acalculatedwhisk.com

These grain-free, paleo-friendly Mexican almond pulp brownies are a delicious way to use up almond pulp and satisfy chocolate cravings at the same time.

Have you tried making your own almond milk? It’s really good, and nothing like the store-bought kind. I like to put it in my coffee, add it to smoothies, or just drink it plain, alongside a delicious paleo baked good. (If you’re not a fan of almonds, you can follow the same steps to make milk using pecans instead! If I had to choose my favorite between almond milk and pecan milk, I would have a hard time).

So, if you have made your own nut milk, then you know about the pulp problem. After squeezing the last vestiges of creamy milk out of the cheesecloth or nut milk bag, you’re left with a bunch of pulp.

It’s sad to just throw it away. Especially when you could use it to make brownies instead!

These Mexican almond pulp brownies are adapted from a brilliant recipe by Alanna of The Bojon Gourmet. (Alanna takes some of the most gorgeous food photos out there, so if you haven’t visited her site, be prepared to want to make every single thing.) My version gets its unique flavor from a teaspoon of cinnamon and a dash of cayenne pepper. The result is like a Mexican hot chocolate in brownie form.

Carrot Cake Pancakes with Maple Whipped Cream Cheese

February 18, 2015 By Becky 6 Comments

When I was a kid, my parents once let me put frosting on pancakes. I think it was a special occasion, with frosting left over from someone’s birthday cake, and it was definitely a one-time thing. But after that breakfast, I was ruined. Nothing else could ever compare.

In case you haven’t had the pleasure, let me just tell you right now: pancakes with frosting are the epitome of the good life, the breakfast of hedonists, the ultimate “treat yo’self” meal (Parks & Rec style).

Spicy Shrimp and Kale with Creamy Rutabaga

February 16, 2015 By Becky 27 Comments

This is my paleo answer to the inexplicable cravings I’ve been having for shrimp and grits.

Who knows why? I’ve only had shrimp and grits a few times in my life, but lately they’ve been totally stuck in my head. Perhaps it’s because this coming Tuesday is Mardi Gras, and I wish I could just pick up and drive down to NOLA. When I lived in Houston New Orleans was only a five-hour drive away, and now it feels far enough to be in another world.

The good news is that this dish is just as delicious as shrimp and grits, if not more so, and instead of grits we have vegetables. Rutabagas for the win!

Also, I snuck some kale in there. This is hardcore health food.

It’s also hardcore comfort food. If there are 80 inches of snow on the ground in your city, or even if there aren’t (lucky you–do you happen to have a guest room??), this is just the thing to warm you up on a winter night. The creamy rutabaga forms a bed for plump shrimp bathed in an herby marinade and kale leaves that are crispy around the edges.

Breakfast Potatoes

February 9, 2015 By Becky 6 Comments

I love breakfast potatoes (or home fries, cottage fries, or whatever you prefer to call them), but they take a while to make. It’s a rare morning when I wake up with enough time and patience to chop potatoes and wait for them to cook, in the oven or on the stovetop.

That’s why I was so excited to read about this brilliant shortcut on Blue Kitchen: microwaving the potatoes for a few minutes with a little water gives them a head start, and they then finish cooking quickly in a skillet over medium-high heat. The best part is that this technique is more than just a shortcut: the potatoes turn out BETTER than potatoes cooked only in the oven or skillet–perfectly browned and crisp on the outside, and tender but not dry on the inside.

Salted Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies

February 3, 2015 By Becky 16 Comments

I’ve had four snow days in the past two weeks. Luckily, I’ve spent my extra time off pursuing an admirable goal: baking the ultimate grain-free chocolate chip cookie.

My quest began when I saw these soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies on Alexandra’s Kitchen. Alexandra’s blog is one of my favorites. Everything she makes is mouthwatering, and I love her detailed tips and stunning, perfectly lit photographs. Basically, I’m a huge fan.

I had to have those cookies.

With a caveat, of course: I wanted them to be paleo-friendly and grain-free.

I’ve made paleo cookies before and thoroughly enjoyed them, but they weren’t the kind of cookies that could blow regular, gluten-containing cookies out of the water. They didn’t have the holy grail: the perfect combination of crunch and chewiness.

I set out to find some grain-free cookies that fit the bill–cookies that were crisp around the edges, but chewy and a tiny bit underbaked in the center.