Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Minestrone (Vegan, and can be Gluten Free)


3 Tbs. Organic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large onion, diced
5 large carrots, diced
6 large ribs celery, diced
2 small zucchini, diced
1 tsp. dried, crushed Basil
1/4 tsp. dried, crushed Oregano
2 cups cooked white Beans in liquid
3 cups of water
1 quart jar of diced tomatoes with the juice
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

*1 cup dried D'Italini shape pasta, cooked according to directions and set aside. This keeps the soup Gluten Free, or try a gluten free pasta.

In a large stock pot, saute the vegetables in the olive oil one at a time for a few minutes with each addition. Add the herbs, water, tomatoes, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add the beans and liquid, salt, and pepper, bring back to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Serve with cooked pasta, but be forewarned, if you put pasta in soup it will absorb all the extra liquid. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if you like. Makes a lot.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Chicken Salad-Salad Wraps



I love wraps! But having been gluten free for 5 years I could not use flour tortillas and hadn't come up with a good alternative. Until last year. Rice paper wraps from the asian market are great with a cold wrap.

I also love chicken salad, but since I can't eat it on bread, in a pita pocket, or in a wheat tortilla wrap, I decided to just use it like salad dressing and eat it on a bed of greens. Not a very easy lunch to-go, so here's where the rice papers come in handy, literally.

Start by making my delicious chicken salad recipe:

White meat from a whole roasted 5 lb chicken, cut and shredded
1/2 red onion, finely diced
5 ribs of celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 cups of red grapes, quartered or 1/2-1 cup of raisins soaked in boiling water
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
add enough yogurt or sour cream to desired creaminess
1/2 cup roasted, salted almonds coarsely chopped (reserve for later)

Lettuce
Rice Paper Wrappers

Mix all ingredients together, except the walnuts. Let sit in the refrigerator for 4 hours before using. Wash and spin your lettuce leaves. Follow directions on rice paper package to saturate in water for a few seconds then shake off excess. Place on smooth surface. At the top (about 1 inch in) put about 1/2 cup chicken salad, top with a sprinkle of nuts, and lettuce leaves (as many as will fit). Roll over once, fold in sides and roll to the end of the paper. If you like it spicy, squirt some hot sauce (I like sriracha) on the chicken salad before you add the lettuce.