Allergy Friendly Spring Vegetable Risotto
Spring Vegetable Risotto
Serves 4
Free From: gluten and all top allergens
Brimming with the bounty of spring, this risotto is so flavorful that you won’t even miss the customary Parmesan. Tender asparagus, baby zucchini, and young peas are rounded out by the delicate notes of sweet onions, fresh herbs, and early season tomatoes. Luckily, you can find these ingredients year round, so bring a little spring to your table, all year long!
Prep all ingredients, read the recipe through, and be ready to go. Risotto is easy, but requires continuous attention.
4½ cups vegetable or chicken broth (or stock)
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dairy-free, soy-free margarine or buttery spread
1 cup finely chopped sweet onion (e.g. Vidalia or Walla Walla)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1½ cups uncooked Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 small zucchini, finely chopped
12 ounces small asparagus, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
1 cup fresh shelled peas, the smaller the better
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
¼ teaspoon salt, plus a pinch for finishing
¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, divided
¼ cup chopped fresh basil, divided
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil, to serve
Black truffle salt, to serve (optional)
1. In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer over lowest possible heat.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and margarine over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes or until aromatic. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add rice and sauté until glistening, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook while stirring until absorbed, about 2 minutes.
3. Add ½ cup heated broth to rice. Simmer while stirring continuously over medium heat until all broth is absorbed. Repeat, continuing to add 3 more cups heated broth, a half cup at a time, stirring continuously after each addition, until completely absorbed. After 10 minutes, stir in zucchini, asparagus, peas, tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add another ½ cup broth and continue cooking as before, for 8 to 10 minutes, (reduce heat if simmering too hard) or until rice and vegetables are just tender, and ½ cup broth remains. Turn off heat.
4. Add final ½ cup broth, half of herbs, pinch salt and a few turns of black pepper. Cover and let rest 2 minutes.
5. Serve immediately, topped with remaining fresh herbs, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a little black truffle salt, if using.
Allergy-Friendly Spring Vegetable Risotto © 2014 by Cybele Pascal
This recipe first appeared in the Spring 2014 issue of Allergic Living Magazine
Allergy Friendly Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Squares
Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Squares
Rich, decadent and flavorful, this hybrid dessert takes dairy-free indulgence to a whole new level. Thank you, Daiya, you’ve made the world a better place with your vegan dairy-free cheeses!
Makes 16 squares
Free From: gluten and all top allergens
Chocolate Layer Ingredients
½ cup + 4 tbsp dairy-free milk alternative (such as rice milk), divided
1½ tsp powdered egg replacer (such as Ener-G)
1¼ cups my Basic Gluten-Free Flour Mix or Authentic Foods GF Classical Blend
1¼ cups sugar
½ cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder
1¼ tsp baking soda
⅝ tsp double-acting baking powder
⅝ tsp salt
½ tsp xanthan gum
½ cup + 2 tbsp warm water
¼ cup + 1 tbsp canola oil
¾ tsp vanilla extract
Cherry Cheesecake Layer Ingredients
2 tbsp dairy-free milk alternative (such as rice milk)
1½ tsp powdered egg replacer (such as Ener-G)
4 oz dairy-free, soy-free plain cream cheese alternative (such as Daiya)
2 tbsp dairy-free soy-free vegetable shortening
2 tbsp + 2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp my Basic Gluten-Free Flour Mix or Authentic Foods GF Classical Blend
⅜ tsp vanilla extract
1¼ cups cherry pie filling
Chocolate Drizzle
¼ cup allergen-free semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp dairy-free soy-free vegetable shortening
1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9-inch baking pan with foil, extending ends over sides of pan and lightly grease.
2. For chocolate layer, whisk together 2 tablespoons milk alternative and egg replacer in a small bowl, until frothy.
3. In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, whisk together flour blend, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt and xanthan gum.
4. Add remaining ½ cup + 2 tablespoons milk alternative, warm water, oil, vanilla and egg replacer and beat on medium-low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
5. Transfer batter to foil-lined pan. Bake 25 minutes.
6. For cherry cheesecake layer, whisk together milk alternative and egg replacer in a small bowl, until frothy.
7. In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese alternative and shortening on medium speed until smooth. Mix in sugar and flour. Add egg replacer and vanilla and beat on medium speed until creamy and slightly fluffy.
8. When chocolate layer has baked 25 minutes, remove from oven and immediately spoon cheesecake mixture and cherry pie filling over top, alternating heaping tablespoons of each in a checkerboard pattern. Use a spoon to swirl together until marbled, leaving a little chocolate visible around edge of cake.
8. Bake 35 minutes, until chocolate layer starts to pull away from pan sides and filling edges are puffed and set. The center will still jiggle slightly.
9. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Transfer to refrigerator and chill at least 4 hours.
10. Grab edges of foil on both sides and lift cake out of pan. Cut into squares, wiping the knife blade clean after each cut. Transfer squares to individual cupcake liners.
11. For chocolate drizzle, place chocolate chips and shortening in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave on high 30 seconds. Vigorously stir. If not melted, microwave on high 30 seconds. Vigorously stir until smooth. Drizzle over squares and let stand 5 minutes. Serve immediately or store tightly covered in refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Allergy-Friendly Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Squares © 2014 by Cybele Pascal
This recipe first appeared in the Fall 2014 issue of Allergic Living Magazine
Hungarian Goulash with Buttery No Egg Noodles
Hungarian Goulash with Buttery No Egg Noodles
Serves 4
Free of: gluten and all top allergens
Hungarian Goulash is a cool weather favorite, hailing from Eastern Europe. The key ingredient is sweet Hungarian paprika, which has a warm exotic flavor. This dish usually contains gluten, dairy and eggs, but there’s no need for any of that here.
2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch chunks, generously seasoned with salt and pepper
6 tbsp superfine brown rice flour
3 tbsp canola oil, divided
2 cups thinly sliced yellow onion
2 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika
2 tbsp finely minced garlic
2 cups low-sodium beef broth (look for allergen-free brands)
3 tbsp tomato paste
Big pinch salt
½ cup vegan plain yogurt (preferably “Greek” style So Delicious coconut milk yogurt)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
Buttery No Egg Noodles (recipe follows)
Chopped dill, for garnish
Dredge seasoned beef in flour, shaking off extra.
Heat 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Add half of the beef to the pan, and brown on all sides, about 4 to 6 minutes total. Transfer cooked beef to a plate. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil and repeat the process with remaining half of beef.
Add onion, paprika and garlic to the pan, and cook while stirring for 30 seconds. Add broth, and deglaze, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan.
Add tomato paste, stir well, and add back beef and big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover. Cook at a low simmer until meat is fork tender, about 2 to 2½ hours, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat, stir in yogurt, vinegar and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve over Buttery No Egg Noodles and garnish with dill.
Buttery No Egg Noodles
8 ounces gluten-free fusilli or spiral pasta
½ cup frozen peas
2 tbsp dairy-free, soy-free margarine (such as Earth Balance Soy-Free Buttery Spread)
1 tbsp chopped dill
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Cook noodles according to instruction on package. In last minute of cooking, add peas. Drain.
Toss cooked pasta and peas with margarine and dill, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Hungarian Goulash with Buttery No Egg Noodles © 2013 by Cybele Pascal
This recipe first appeared in the Fall 2013 issue of Allergic Living Magazine