fall Archives - A Calculated Whisk

Sheet Pan Salmon and Delicata Squash

January 2, 2017 By Becky 4 Comments

Sheet Pan Salmon and Delicata Squash #30MinuteMondays #glutenfree #paleo #whole30

This easy sheet pan salmon and delicata squash takes just half an hour and one pan to make. It’s also paleo, dairy free, and Whole30 compliant!

Happy 2017! I hope your new year is off to a wonderful start. If you’re doing a January Whole30 or just trying to clean up your eating a bit this month, I have just the recipe for you. Sheet pan salmon and delicata squash is a super flavorful dinner that only requires four ingredients, half an hour, and one pan. I used homemade Creole seasoning on the squash and the fish, but store bought Creole seasoning or your favorite spice blend would also work.

This recipe is part of my 30 Minute Mondays series, which has been on hold for a while now. However, this month I’m back to sharing quick and easy recipes for you each Monday, and am going to keep them all Whole30-compliant for January.

Sheet Pan Salmon and Delicata Squash #30MinuteMondays #glutenfree #paleo #whole30

Since we’re roasting and then broiling for this recipe, I recommend using a high-heat cooking oil like duck fat, ghee, or avocado oil. I buy Epic duck fat and La Tourangelle avocado oil from Thrive Market and make my own ghee. Both duck fat and ghee impart extra rich flavor to the dish, while avocado oil is more neutral. The higher smoke points of all three of those fats make them ideal for roasting and searing, whereas other fats like olive oil are best used raw or in low-heat cooking.

20 Unique Gluten-free Thanksgiving Desserts

November 17, 2016 By Becky 2 Comments

20 Unique Gluten-free Thanksgiving Desserts

It’s time to think outside the pie! Here are 20 deliciously unique gluten-free Thanksgiving desserts that are may not be traditional, but are still packed with seasonal ingredients. If you’re tasked with bringing a dessert to Thanksgiving this year, why not surprise everyone with something new they likely haven’t tried before? Especially if others have the old classics covered, these offbeat gluten-free treats will be a refreshing contrast. We’ve got pumpkins, cranberries, apples, pears, and more. Which one appeals to you most?

Pumpkin Creme Brulee Pie Bars may be my single most-dreamt-of dessert. They’re like pumpkin pie and creme brulee put together with a little chocolate in the crust for good measure.

Baked Pumpkin Custards with Maple Mascarpone Whipped Cream: These are super easy and you can make them ahead of time–what’s not to love about that?

Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake Pie: Is your oven kinda busy? No worries, because this stunner requires no baking or cooking. Also, pumpkin and caramel make an unbeatable combination!

Pear Galettes with Pistachio Frangipane: Pears are the unsung heroes of fall baking. They’re almost like custard once cooked, with a texture far superior to that of apples in my opinion. You have to try them in these galettes!

Deep Dish Paleo Tamale Pie

October 31, 2016 By Becky 4 Comments

This paleo tamale pie combines a beef chili base made with peppers, tomatoes, and squash with a fluffy, grain-free “cornbread” topping.

Have you heard of tamale pie? It’s a casserole that’s loosely based on the ingredients for tamales, except they’re layered in a dish or skillet instead of wrapped in corn husks. Think a really delicious beef chili with a layer of cornbread baked right on top. I didn’t grow up eating tamale pie, but apparently a lot of people did–a Bon Appétit article caught my eye recently with the headline: “Cornbread Tamale Pie Is the Greatest Recipe of All Time.” The author made a great case for why this dish is one of the best foods ever, and I was left with a distinct hankering to create a paleo tamale pie of my own.

For the filling, I packed in as much delicious produce as humanly possible: diced scallions, garlic, tomatoes, bell peppers, butternut squash, and cilantro. No, butternut squash is not a traditional ingredient in tamale pie, but I had half of one in the fridge just begging to be thrown in. I ended up loving the subtle sweetness the squash added. Conventional tamale pies often have corn kernels in the filling, so the butternut makes up for that by lending sweet pops of flavor without the addition of grains.

When you make this, you may find yourself tempted, like I was, to just eat the chili base on its own and to forget about the faux cornbread topping. I actually spooned myself out a little bowl of filling to eat while the tamale pie baked, and I suggest you do the same: I don’t want you to miss out on the fluffy topping, but the chili is great in its own right, so why not sneak in a little mid-cookup snack?

Butternut Squash and Potato Soup

October 25, 2016 By Becky 6 Comments

This comforting butternut squash and potato soup is ideal for a cool fall evening. The scallions, pomegranate, and bacon on top make it colorful and extra tasty.

My fiancé doesn’t like winter squash, pumpkin, or anything with cooked apples in it, which as you can imagine makes fall a lot less fun. This year I’ve been on a mission to sneak as much of these things into him as possible, all the while making sure he thinks whatever he’s eating is really delicious. I believe I’m making progress, because several of my recent attempts haven’t been subtle at all and have still gone over really well.

First I hid some apple in this stuffed squash with sausage, and he gobbled it up. He did not even realize there was any apple until I mentioned it (after he was done eating two helpings, of course). Next I got a little bolder and offered him these baked pumpkin custards with maple mascarpone whipped cream. Those were a hit, too!

Paleo Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

October 17, 2016 By Becky 8 Comments

It’s been a busy couple of weeks over here, but I wanted to make sure I popped in to let you know about these pumpkin swirl brownies, which I shared as a guest post over on Empowered Sustenance. They’re paleo, nut free, and super fudgy–perfect for Halloween or anytime.

You can get the recipe right here! Hope you have a great week, and I’ll be back soon with another new recipe.

Grain-free Cranberry Galette

October 10, 2016 By Becky 6 Comments

Why not end Thanksgiving dinner with a nut-free, grain-free cranberry galette? The cassava flour pie crust is so flaky and buttery, no one will guess it’s gluten free.

My obsession with cassava flour pie crust is still going strong. It all started with this gluten-free quiche lorraine with leeks, and I stayed in the savory realm with this heirloom tomato galette. Now it’s finally time for something on the sweet side: this grain-free cranberry galette with creme fraiche. Cassava flour is remarkably similar to wheat flour in how it behaves in crusts, so making this dough is a lot like making regular pie dough. Don’t worry, though, it’s really easy–it comes together in just a few minutes in the food processor.

Cranberries are often mixed with other fruits in desserts, or only make it to the table in the form of cranberry sauce. I wanted to create a treat that would highlight cranberries on their own in all their ruby-hued glory. Here their tartness is tempered with honey and a sprinkling of raw sugar, and a bit of creme fraiche adds richness and depth to the filling. I like to serve this with even more creme fraiche on top, but it’s also fabulous with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Baked Pumpkin Custards with Maple Mascarpone Whipped Cream

October 1, 2016 By Becky 24 Comments

This post is sponsored by Cost Plus World Market.

These gluten-free baked pumpkin custards with maple mascarpone take just ten minutes to prepare, and are the perfect way to end a fall dinner.

Fall is finally here, and it’s no longer taboo to eat pumpkin spice everything! The first thing I like to whip up when the weather turns is these baked pumpkin custards with maple mascarpone whipped cream. The pumpkin custards are scrumptious, perfectly spiced, and super smooth—like pumpkin pie without the tedious process of making a crust. And the maple mascarpone whipped cream is rich and lightly sweetened, with just enough maple flavor in each bite to remind you that you’re eating something autumnal.

These custards are perfect for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or any special fall occasion, especially when baked in these adorable ceramic pumpkin bakers. To make this treat extra fun, I like to pick up a few different toppings to add even more texture and flavor and let each person mix and match to their heart’s content. Here I used crumbled gluten-free gingersnap cookies (leave them out if you’re avoiding rice flour), crystallized ginger chips, and pumpkin pie almonds, but any seasonal candy or cookie is a great bet. Shaved dark chocolate or chopped pecans would be delicious, too!

Slow-Cooker Balsamic Short Ribs with Parsnip Puree

September 23, 2016 By Becky 4 Comments

These tender slow-cooker balsamic short ribs are so comforting, with great flavor from the balsamic vinegar and rosemary. Serve them over parsnip puree with a simple vegetable side, like seared radicchio or quickly sautéed kale.

Who’s ready for part four of my ongoing love letter to short ribs? If you missed them, check out parts one, two, and three (plus the honey chipotle short ribs in Paleo Planet!). I love short ribs because they’re meltingly tender, full of meaty flavor, and really hard to mess up. They’re super easy to make in the slow cooker, and they go well with a wide variety of flavor profiles. In this simple recipe, they’re cooked low and slow with plenty of balsamic vinegar and fresh rosemary for the perfect fall comfort food with an Italian bent.

To round out the meal, I like to serve these slow-cooker balsamic short ribs with an extra creamy (but cream-free!) parsnip puree. Parsnips are such a fun cold weather vegetable and they taste great as a puree–the flavor is beguiling and almost has hints of coconut to it. This parsnip puree is pretty much heaven with some cooking juices from the short ribs spooned on top. If you’re looking for more on parsnips and reasons to love them, check out my parsnip and pumpkin soup post.

Stuffed Squash with Sausage and Apple

September 12, 2016 By Becky 19 Comments

Stuffed squash with sausage and apple is the ultimate Whole30 comfort food for fall. You can make this with delicata, acorn, or any winter squash!

I’ve been making this dish since last fall, when I never managed to make it early enough to have decent light left for a photo shoot. It quickly became one of my very favorite meals. This stuffed squash with sausage and apple is beautiful, filling, delicious, and nutritious. The sweet squash is the perfect backdrop for savory sausage, onions, and mushrooms in a creamy cashew-based sauce, studded with little bits of apple for an extra layer of sweetness. And since these squash boats include a good dose of protein and veggies, I never feel the need to serve a side with them.

I first made these stuffed squash with sausage when I wasn’t doing a Whole30, so I stirred in sour cream and topped them with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano. However, the Whole30 version is shockingly similar. Once the cashew sour cream is stirred into the sausage mixture, it tastes just as creamy as the lactose-laden version. And a little nutritional yeast gets stirred in to add a bit of cheesy flavor. I replaced the parmesan on top with chopped fresh basil, which tastes great and looks even prettier. Basically, Whole30 or not, you can’t go wrong with this dish.

Cider-Glazed Chicken with Roasted Cauliflower Rice

January 25, 2016 By Becky 20 Comments

This cider-glazed chicken with roasted cauliflower rice is an easy but gourmet paleo meal that comes together quickly. It’s also Whole30-compliant!

I’ve had a jug of local cider in the fridge since Christmas, and have been wanting to reduce it into some kind of sauce for a savory dish. The idea got stuck in my head right away, so even though I love to have a glass of cider on its own, I’ve pretty much just been saving it, biding my time until a great idea for something savory with cider sauce came along.

Serendipitously, I found the idea as soon as I started exploring Erin’s blog, The Spiffy Cookie, which was my assignment for this month’s Secret Recipe Club reveal. Erin has an index of all her gluten-free recipes, which made it really easy to find good candidates for me to adapt into paleo-friendly dishes. (I had to avert my eyes from all of her ridiculously good-looking desserts, but will be back to browse those once my Whole30 is over!) Before the gluten-free recipes page had even fully loaded, Erin’s cider-glazed chicken with browned-butter pecan rice caught my eye.