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Simple Gluten-Free Pizza Crust, Yeast-Free

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Serves 2 to 4
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cook time 20 to 25 minutes

Crust:

2 eggs or egg substitute
2 tablespoons unrefined oil
1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup
1¼ cups tapioca flour (starch), plus some extra for kneading the dough
¼ cup almond meal or other gluten-free flour (OR you can just use more tapioca flour)
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1½ teaspoons dried oregano or Italian seasoning
Optional: 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
Olive oil for brushing

Preheat the oven to 400º. Whisk together egg, oil, and honey or agave syrup in small bowl. Mix together the rest of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Combine the ingredients as well as possible with spoon or fork – it will be quite sticky. Put about 1/8 cup of tapioca flour on a clean surface. Pull everything out of the bowl and make a dough ball. Knead the dough on the tapioca-dusted surface until it stops sticking to your hands (3 to 5 minutes). Roll the dough out into a circle; you can either use a rolling pin or your hands to press it out until it is the thinness you desire. I like to make two smaller rounds for two different pizzas! Transfer this circle to a baking sheet. Brush the round with a bit of olive oil, prick it in a couple of places with a fork, and place it in a 400º F oven for 15 minutes or until slightly golden on the top. Remove from the oven and add the sauce or pesto and toppings of your choosing. Place back into the hot oven and bake another 5 to 10 minutes until it’s all nice and bubbly. Let cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Dairy Free “Cheese”

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Yields 2 cups “cheese”
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Contains soy

2 to 3 cloves garlic
1 pound soft tofu (press out water)
3 tablespoons unrefined olive oil
3 tablespoons ume plum vinegar
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Optional 3 tablespoons fresh basil or rosemary

In a food processor, mince the garlic. Add tofu, olive oil, vinegar, yeast, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy. Taste and add more salt or garlic if desired. Add optional fresh herbs and pulse until they are well combined. This tofu “cheese” works great in the gluten-free lasagna recipe or in the calzones. To create dairy-free pizza, I suggest trying some of the dairy free “cheese” blocks that are available in PCC. Some are made of soy and others with almond or rice. You can grate them just like regular cheese. Many of my patients that are dairy-sensitive are able to tolerate goat cheese. It actually digests much more easily than cow dairy. Consider this as an alternative when making recipes that call for cheese.

Recipe adapted from Jean Duane, Alternative Cook LLC

Simple Gluten-Free, Yeast-Free Calzone Crust

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Preparation time 10 minutes
Cook time 20 to 25 minutes
Serves 2 to 4 (makes 2 full-meal calzones)

Crust:
2 eggs or egg substitute
2 tablespoons unrefined oil
1 tablespoon honey or agave syrup
1¼ cups tapioca flour (starch) plus some extra for kneading dough
¼ cup almond meal or other gluten-free flour
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1½ teaspoons dried oregano or Italian seasoning
Olive oil for brushing

Filling:
1 cup any combination of fresh veggies, cooked beans, or cooked meats
½ cup marinara or pesto sauce
½ cup your choice of cheese, or non-dairy “cheese”

Preheat oven to 375º. Whisk together egg, oil, and honey or agave syrup in a small bowl. Mix together the rest of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Combine as well as possible with a spoon or a fork – it will be quite sticky. Put about 1/8 cup of tapioca flour on a clean surface. Pull everything out of the bowl and make a dough ball. Knead the dough on the tapioca-dusted surface until it stops sticking to your hands (3 to 5 minutes). For smaller calzones, separate the dough into 4 balls; for larger ones, make 2 balls. Roll dough out into a circle; you can either use a rolling pin or your hands to press it out until it is about 1/8-inch thick.

ADDING FILLING:
Transfer this circle to a baking sheet. In the center of the lower third of the circle add the following:
-For smaller circles, use ¼ cup of any combination of fresh veggies, cooked beans, or cooked meats, ⅛ cup marinara or pesto, ⅛ cup of goat cheese, Italian cheeses, ricotta cheese, or dairy free “cheese” options.
-For larger circles double the above amounts.

Once the filling has been placed, fold the dough over towards the front tip so that it comes just over the top of the filling. Bring the exposed portion of the bottom piece up and fold over the top piece, using your fingers to press down, creating a seal. Brush with a bit of olive oil, prick the top in a couple of places with a fork, and place in a 375º F oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown on top. Let cool 5 minutes and serve.

GF Calzone Crust, continued

Other options:

1. Pizza Crust: This dough makes a great pizza crust. Just roll it out nice and thin, crimp edges, prick several places with a fork, and bake in a 400º F oven on a pizza stone or baking sheet for 12 to 15 minutes, until slightly browned. Remove, add toppings, and bake an additional 8 to 10 minutes until bubbly.

2. Crackers: Flatten the dough to the thickness of a tortilla. Place on a baking sheet and brush with oil or butter. Cut into bite sized pieces and bake 20 minutes, until slightly browned and crisp. Let cool and store in an airtight container. Get creative with seasonings!

3. Soup Bowl: You can press this dough into ¼-inch thick layer over ovenproof bowls. Bake at 400º F for 25 minutes, or until golden. Remove from bowl and pour in soup of your choice! Idea adapted from “Gluten Free for Dummies,” by Danna Korn.

Gluten-Free Yeasted Calzone

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I love calzones, and I spent quite a bit of time, and wasted a lot of flour, trying to create a gluten-free version that would stay together and taste good. The xanthan gum is a must, and this mixture of flours creates a nice flavor.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 to 25 minutes

Crust:
1½ cups warm water (110º F to 115º F)
2 tablespoons sugar, honey, or agave syrup
1 packet dry, active yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
1½ teaspoons sea salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups Tif’s GF baking mix, consisting of 2 cups brown rice flour, 2 cups tapioca, 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
Extra olive oil and gluten-free flour for kneading

Filling:
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 or 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoons crushed red chili flakes
2 tablespoons dried parsley and/or Italian seasoning
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Italian cheese
1 cup GF marinara sauce (I like Amy’s brand)

Pour the warm water in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and package of yeast. Stir the mixture slowly until the yeast and sugar are dissolved. Let it sit to allow the mixture to “mature” for about ten minutes or so. The mixture will begin to react; clouding and forming a foamy “head” on the surface of the mixture. Add the salt and the olive oil and stir again to combine the ingredients. Add 1 cup of Gluten-free flour mix and whisk in until dissolved. Mix in the second cup of flour and xanthan gum. Add the third cup of flour and combine. By now the dough mixture should be fairly thick. Add the last cup of flour and, with your hands, begin to combine and knead the dough. Remove the dough ball to a tabletop to knead it. You may need to add a dusting of flour from time to time to reduce the stickiness of the dough. Knead dough for about 5 to 8 minutes. You may need to add olive oil during this process.
You’ll know you’ve done well when the ball no longer sticks to your hands. It will become a smoothly-textured ball.

ADDING FILLING:
Transfer this circle to a baking sheet. In the center of the lower third of the circle add the following:
-For smaller circles, use ¼ cup of any combination of fresh veggies, cooked beans, or cooked meats, ⅛ cup marinara or pesto, ⅛ cup of goat cheese, Italian cheeses, ricotta cheese, or dairy free “cheese” options.
-For larger circles double the above amounts.

Once the filling has been placed, fold the dough over towards the front tip so that it comes just over the top of the filling. Bring the exposed portion of the bottom piece up and fold over the top piece, using your fingers to press down, creating a seal. Brush with a bit of olive oil, prick the top in a couple of places with a fork, and place in a 375º F oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown on top. Let cool 5 minutes and serve.

Bake at 400º F for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool and eat!

Tuscan Root Vegetable Stew

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Serves: 4 to 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

3 tablespoons unrefined olive oil
3 to 4 cloves minced garlic
⅓ cup finely chopped leek or shallot
¼ cup sweet white cooking wine
2 cups chopped root veggies of your choice (rutabaga, carrot, and turnip; red
potato is nice as well)
4 cups (32 ounce) gluten-free vegetable or chicken broth (reserve 1½ cups)
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained, and rinsed
1½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary, or thyme, or half of each
¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
“Rosemary sea salt” to taste (see recipe below)
Fresh rosemary or thyme sprigs for garnish

Add the olive oil to a medium or large soup pot and heat to medium. Stir in garlic and let caramelize a bit, about 2 minutes. Add leek and cooking wine; let simmer 3 or 4 minutes. Add chopped root vegetables and 2½ cups of the broth. Cover and let simmer. In a blender or food processor, put half of the cannellini beans and the remaining 1½ cups broth along with the rosemary and/or thyme; blend until well-mixed. Add this to the stew, and continue to simmer 20 to 30 minutes until your veggies are the desired texture. About 5 minutes before serving add the remaining beans, parsley, and apple cider vinegar. Sprinkle rosemary sea salt on top to taste. Serve with a spring of fresh rosemary or thyme and a side of Sprouted Quinoa Flatbread. This is also paired nicely with some salty, hard cheese bits on top, such as Parmesan.

To make Rosemary Sea Salt:
Put one part chopped, fresh rosemary to 2 parts sea salt in a coffee grinder (used for grinding herbs). Pulse until rosemary is very finely chopped and well mixed with salt. You can store this for several weeks in a glass container or salt “pig.” Great addition to Italian dishes!

Salmon Croquettes

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It’s no secret, wild salmon is oh-so good for us because it deeply nourishes our bodies. In this super easy recipe you learn how to savor salmon in a new dish!

A gluten free version of one of my favorite dishes that my mom used to make when I was a kid. I love making these with leftover salmon, but you can also use canned, wild salmon.

Experiment with different gluten free dipping sauces.

Preparation time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 10-15 minutes
Serves 4 as a side dish or 2-3 for a main course | Yields: 10-12 2-inch croquettes

6-8 oz cooked salmon (if canned, be sure to drain all the juices)
½ cup chopped onion
12-15 crushed “Mary’s Gone Crackers” Black Pepper Flavor, OR any gluten free cracker will do.
1 egg (or for egg substitute whisk 1 TBSP ground flax seed with 3 TBSP of hot water.)
1 teaspoon gluten free, hot chili sauce
½-1 teaspoon salt
½ cup almond meal
2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1. Combine the first 6 ingredients in a food processor and pulse until they are well minced with no sign of large chunks.
2. Place almond meal on a plate.
3. Heat the oil to med/low in a large skillet.
4. Form salmon mixture into 2 to 3 inch little patties or balls. Roll in almond meal to
coat.
5. Place in a skillet and cook 5-7 minutes or until each side is browned. Serve these hot with Annie’s gluten free horseradish mustard or a gluten free BBQ sauce. Tasty!

Southwest Salad

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A salad’s a salad, right? Wrong! There are many secrets to turn a mundane salad into a festive delight! In this lesson you’ll learn how to make a vibrant southwest salad that is wonderful as is, or can be dressed up with other creative options.

Preparation time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 to 30 minutes (to cook rice) | Yields 4 to 5 cups

3/4 cup brown rice (uncooked)
1 cup corn
1 cup black beans
2-4 oz can Hatch Green chili (or any type of green chili, OR 1 finely chopped jalapeno, OR ½ chopped green bell pepper for a “mild” version).
1/2 cup each: grated carrots, cilantro, celery, and your favorite salsa
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/8 to 1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons unrefined olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt to taste

Cook the rice as directed ( the rice cooks quicker in a rice cooker). Let the rice cool.

In a large mixing bowl put the corn, black beans, chili (and its juice), carrots, cilantro, celery, salsa, and pine nuts together and stir to mix.

Mix the lime juice, olive oil, salt, and cumin together and then pour it over the salad.

Add the rice, mix well, and serve!

Wild Baby Greens Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette and Candied Walnuts

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While spring and summer are typically the best time of the year to enjoy salads, I just can’t help but enjoy this salad as long as I can get my hands on some fresh baby greens. It is so delicious! And so healthy! Learn how to make this tasty dressing and how to candy your own walnuts with healthy ingredients.

This salad tastes like spring in your mouth! I just love it! This recipe also includes a quick and easy way to “candy” walnuts. Walnuts are great for the brain, they can decrease inflammation in the body, and they can increase immune function. They are also used in Chinese medicine to “enrich sperm” and support the kidneys and adrenals.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 5 to 8 minutes | Yields: 4 servings

6 cups mixed baby greens
1 cup raw walnut halves
½ teaspoon sea salt
1/8 cup dark agave syrup

Vinaigrette:

½ cup raspberries (fresh or frozen and thawed are fine)
2 to 3 tablespoons unrefined olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons raspberry balsamic vinegar (if this is unavailable, just use regular balsamic)
Optional: 1 to 3 tablespoons agave or maple syrup (this will make the dressing less
tart if you prefer it that way)

1. Put the raspberries and vinegar in the blender and blend on high; add in the olive oil while the blender is on and let it blend another 30 seconds to one minute, until everything is smooth.
2. Put the clean greens either in mixing bowl or on separate serving plates.
3. Heat the walnuts in a small skillet over med/low heat. Stir every minute or so and
cook until toasted and fragrant, but not burned (5 or so minutes). Add salt and then
the agave syrup.
4. Stir the walnut mixture and then turn off the heat. Continue to stir until the nuts are “candied.”
5. Pour the dressing over the greens and then top with the walnuts. They are nice served
warm on top of the cool salad. Try this with sliced or grated apple. I have also
enjoyed this salad with a bit of feta cheese on top. Mmmmm!

Gluten Free Lasagna

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Yields one 9- by 13-inch dish
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

1 10-ounce box of Tinkyada Pasta Joy lasagna noodles
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
4 to 6 cloves minced garlic
1 cup chopped onion
¾ to 1 pound GF Italian turkey sausage
2 cups packed, de-stemmed, and chopped kale
1½ cups chopped shiitake mushrooms
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes, optional
¾ cup chopped fresh basil
24½ -ounce jar of organic pasta sauce
12 ounces ricotta cheese
12 ounces shredded Italian blend cheese (make sure its GF)
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

Put the noodles into the boiling water for 14 minutes (2 minutes less than recommended cooking time on the box). Strain, rinse with cool water, and lay the noodles out on a towel to dry. Preheat the oven to 375º F. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet; add the garlic and onion and stir. After cooking for a couple of minutes, add the sausage (emptied out of its casing). Use a spoon to break the sausage into small pieces and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Add kale, mushrooms, salt, and chili flakes, and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Add the basil and turn off the heat. Put a couple of tablespoons of pasta sauce on the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish and spread it out (prevents noodles from sticking).

1. Lay down one layer of noodles on top of the sauce, and then spoon out half of the meat and veggie mixture over the noodles and spread it evenly.
2. Use your hands or a spoon to put dollops of ricotta over the top. Use half the container. It will not cover everything…that is fine.
3. Spoon half the jar of tomato sauce and spread it out over the surface.
4. Sprinkle 3 to 4 ounces of shredded Italian cheese blend over the top of this (about ¾ cup).

Repeat steps 1 through 4 again. Then put one more layer of noodles on the top and cover with remaining shredded cheese. Sprinkle with dried Italian seasoning, cover with foil, put on a baking sheet and place in preheated 375º F oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until the cheese gets crispy on the edges. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Tangerine Carrots

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With just a few ingredients you can transform those plain-jane carrots into a tasty, tangeriney treat!

Tangerine Carrots
(Roasted Carrots with Tangerine Butter)

Medicinally carrots benefit the lungs and digestive system, stimulate the elimination of wastes, are alkalizing, are one of the richest sources of Beta carotene… an anti-oxidant which protects against cancer and night blindness, benefit the skin, can increase the milk supply of nursing mothers, and they contain large amounts of silicon which strengthens the connective tissue and aids in calcium metabolism.

Simply Amazing!

And this recipe is so tasty; it can be eaten as dessert too!

Preparation time: 5-10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Yields: 4 servings

• 1 ½ lb washed, peeled carrots
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon sea salt
• Optional sprigs of fresh thyme for garnish
• ½ cup fresh (if possible) tangerine or orange juice (Minneola’s or Clementine’s
• work great as well)
• ¼ cup dark agave syrup or honey
• 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
• 1 teaspoon tangerine or orange zest (lemon or lime zest is nice as well)
• 1 tablespoon butter

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice the carrots in half lengthwise. If they are short, leave them with just this 1 cut. If they are longer, slice one or two times horizontally to make 4-5 inch long halves.
3. Place in a 9×13 baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and mix to coat. Roast for 20
minutes or until they are tender. Remove and sprinkle with a bit of sea salt.
4. Sauce: Place the juice in a small skillet with the agave syrup or the honey and the arrowroot powder. Stir to mix the powder until all of the clumps are dissolved. Heat to a simmer and add the tangerine or orange zest and butter. Keep the heat on low until the mixture is thick – about 5-8 minutes. Spoon the mixture over the carrots and garnish with fresh thyme or a tangerine slice.