Quinoa Cuisine Cookbook Giveaway and Review
When I got the email asking me to review Quinoa Cuisine, I answered with a resounding “Yes!”. This was one of the few cookbooks I would be truly delighted to receive. I love quinoa. I love it’s nutty flavor, I love the way it pops/crunches slightly in the back of your mouth when you bite it, I love the way it pairs with just about everything, and I particularly love its nutritional profile. High protein, high fiber, and here’s a little neat bit of trivia; did you know that quinoa is actually a “pseudograin” related to beets, spinach and chard? Talk about the superfood posse! Quinoa is unarguably one of the best substitutes for grains, and in addition to the protein and fiber, is also rich in calcium, iron, potassium, B vitamins and Vitamin E. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, in the words of my husband’s Grandma Lily, “WCBB?” (“What could be bad?”)
More good news: I’m giving away a copy of this book. To enter, go like me on my facebook page (if you haven’t already) and leave me a comment on the wall, letting me know how you like to eat quinoa, or how you would like to in the future. Again, you need to like my facebook page, if you haven’t already, here). I will enter you into the drawing to win a copy of this lovely book. I will also share everyone’s comments once the drawing has closed, next Thursday, May 17th. So that’s how it works. If you like me, I might be able to give you something, if the fates are in your corner. Seems a little crass! Apologies, apologies….
But I think you’ll want to take a chance on this. This book is the first of its kind. “Quinoa Cuisine” is packed with 150 creative, mouthwatering recipes for breakfast to dessert and all the potlucks and picnics in-between. I was particularly excited to see that authors, Jessica Harlan and Kelley Sparwasser use quinoa in all its various forms, from quinoa flour, to the many different colors of quinoa, to quinoa flakes. And it’s really nice to have the healthy addition of quinoa many places you’d never expect it. For example, in hummus (see recipe below), Thai Summer Rolls, White Bean Dip, Quinoa Frying Batter, Creamed Spinach, and Quinoa Pizza Dough.
These recipes are expertly written. When I said “yes” to reviewing the book, I didn’t realize it was co-authored by Jessica Harlan, whom I used to work with at Lime.com (now Gaiam). I have long admired her healthy and delicious recipes. She’s always been a proponent of healthy eating without sacrificing a bit of taste.
While this cookbook is not top-8-free, nor is it exclusively a gluten-free cookbook, if you have flexibility in your diet, and want to bump up your choices and pack in some extra nutrition, this is a great addition to your cookbook library. I pulled a couple of the top-8-free recipes from the book to share with you below, and there are many others that I will certainly be adapting. In particular, the Quinoa Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting, p.168. Definitely next on my list. Bravo to the chefs for taking quinoa to the next level. Read on for two of my favorite picks from the book.
Hummus
This back-to-basics Mediterranean spread can be used as a dip or on sandwiches. Vary the recipe by adding roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, feta cheese, or almost anything you please. The quinoa flakes add a pleasing nuttiness and enhance the silky-smooth texture of the hummus.
Makes 2½ Cups
30 Mins or Less, Gluten-Free, Good for Company, Healthy Choice, Kid Friendly, Vegan
½ cup quinoa flakes
½ cup vegetable stock or broth
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup tahini
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¼ teaspoon paprika
1. In a small bowl, cover the quinoa flakes with the vegetable stock or broth. Let sit for 2 minutes until the flakes are softened.
2. Place the soaked quinoa flakes, the chickpeas, and the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the tahini, lemon juice, cumin, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Process until combined, about 45 seconds. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, as needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the paprika.
Grapefruit, Pomegranate, Avocado, and Black Quinoa Salad
The vibrant colors of this salad really pop against the black quinoa, making for a gorgeous presentation.
Serves 6 to 8
Gluten-Free, Good for Company, Healthy Choice, Vegetarian
⅔ cup black quinoa, rinsed
1⅓ cups water
1 large grapefruit, segmented, juice reserved (see sidebar)
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Campari
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1¼ cups pomegranate seeds
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced
kosher salt and black pepper
1. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the quinoa and water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.
2. Place the grapefruit segments in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the grapefruit juice, honey, and Campari. Slowly add the olive oil while continually whisking to emulsify the dressing. Season with a pinch of kosher salt.
3. Add the cooked quinoa, pomegranate seeds, and dressing to the grapefruit slices, and stir to combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the mint and avocado. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, as needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
To segment citrus fruit
Use a serrated knife to cut the top and bottom off the fruit, just exposing the flesh. Place the fruit with one of the flat sides resting on your work surface and follow the curve of the side from top to bottom to slice off the peel where the pith and the flesh meet. Working over a bowl to catch the juice, use a sharp paring knife to carefully cut along the membrane to free the segments. After all the segments have been removed, squeeze the remaining juice from the peel and membranes.
Allergy Free Hollandaise Sauce
With asparagus season in full swing and artichoke season rolling in, I figured it was the perfect time to roll out a safe allergy-free hollandaise sauce.
Hollandaise is traditionally made with eggs, one of the top eight food allergens. To replace eggs, vegan versions of the classic sauce usually rely on silken tofu. However, soy (silken tofu) is also one of the top eight food allergens. So I had to put on my thinking cap.
I replaced the eggs and/or silken tofu with a rice milk and olive and canola oil emulsion and added a smidgen of turmeric and a little nutritional yeast for the lovely buttercup hue, and also a flavor boost. And, of course, I used lemon juice, since that zip of acidity is the backbone of all hollandaise sauces.
Bonus: this one is vegan, too, so there’s no salmonella risk. Additionally, unlike traditional hollandaise, it can be made in advance, and keeps well for several days, covered in the fridge. Just bring to room temperature before serving.
Remember when you make this, slow and steady wins the race. Add the oil a little at a time to achieve the creamiest end result. (more…)
Rice Milk Ranch Dressing
Rice Milk Ranch Dressing (Allergy-Free and Vegan too!)
First order of business, to see the winner of the Free For All Cooking cookbook giveaway, please see the video drawing here: Free For All Cooking Giveaway. Thank you all for your participation and enthusiasm! Congrats to the winner!
Now, on to the food! Is your kid a dunker or a dipper? Do veggies need to be disguised as the vehicle by which the dip or dressing is transported to the mouth? Then this Allergy-Free Gluten-Free Ranch Dressing is the perfect ruse for you!
Rice Milk Mayonnaise
Rice Milk Mayonnaise (Egg-Free, Soy-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan)
It’s back-to-school time, and in my house, that means “sandwiches”. What’s key to most sandwiches? Mayonnaise. But what do you do if you can’t eat eggs, soy, or even dairy? Make it yourself!
I wasn’t sure this recipe could be successfully done, without some form of protein to help emulsify the mayonnaise. Eggs are generally key to helping bind mayonnaise and aioli, and vegan mayo always seems to contain soy, so it must be there for a reason, right? Would I really be able to get a true eggy-like creamy mayonnaise without eggs, dairy, or soy? In my uncertainty, I turned to the God of all things kitchen, David Lebovitz. I thought if anyone could do egg-free, soy-free mayo, it would be him, and I was right. To my delight, I found that just a couple months ago, he’d blogged about an egg-free mayonnaise based upon a Portuguese recipe, using milk instead of eggs. But still, to my chagrin, this didn’t solve my protein problem. I needed to create a recipe that was dairy-free too. I pondered using Hemp milk, which has a fair amount of protein, but it can be rather “ropey” in flavor, and we don’t want that in our mayo. I settled on using rice milk, but that still didn’t solve the protein problem. And then, I remembered my old friend Xanthan Gum. A “thickener”, an “emulsifier” … Bingo! I was delighted, in fact, overjoyed to discover that you can make Egg-free, Soy-free, Dairy-free Mayonnaise, in all of about 5 minutes. The following recipe was inspired by David Lebovitz’s recipe for Eggless Chervil Mayonnaise which is an adaptation of a recipe from Leite’sCulinaria and The New Portuguese Table (Clarkson Potter) by David Leite. I really hope I got that accreditation right!
Rice Milk Mayonnaise (Egg-free, Soy-free, and Dairy-free)
Makes about 1 cup
The real trick to this recipe is the medicine dropper. I’m a mother of two young children, so this little tool is readily on hand. To emulsify the mayonnaise properly, you must drip the oil in a drop at a time, or it won’t work. The best way to control the flow, is with a dropper. It will take you a few minutes to get all that oil in the blender a drop at a time, but don’t be tempted to rush it. Your patience will pay off with perfection. Who would have thought it possible? Egg-free, dairy-free, and soy-free, but still with a lovely buttercup hue and the lush creaminess we love in fresh mayonnaise. Feel free to add fresh herbs at the end, or to use all canola oil, for a milder flavor.
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup cold rice milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/8th teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 small clove of garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons canola oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1. Combine the rice milk with the lemon juice and white pepper in a blender. Don’t use a food processor for this, use a blender. Using a garlic press, add the garlic. Add the xanthan gum, and mix on high speed until foamy.
2. Set the blender on high, and using the medicine dropper, add the oil, drop by drop, through the hole in the lid of the blender, until the mayonnaise begins to emulsify. You may wish to use your other hand to cover most of the hole in the lid, to prevent splattering. This is not a recipe for the impatient. Take your time! Continue to add the oil, in a steady drip, until the mayonnaise is thick and creamy, scraping down sides of blender as necessary. (I turned my cheap old blender off several times to let it cool down while making this. You may also wish to take pauses). Again, do not try to make this too quickly; the process of slowing incorporating the oil should take several minutes.
3. Add the salt, taste, and adjust salt and lemon juice if desired.
4. Serve at room temperature. Transfer remaining mayonnaise to a jar, and store tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Rice Milk Mayonnaise Copyright © 2010 by Cybele Pascal
(Please note that all my recipes are completely free of all top allergens (wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, shellfish, and gluten), so as many people as possible can enjoy them. Additionally, all the ingredients are available at Whole Foods, and online at Amazon.com. If you have trouble finding something, let me know and I’ll help you find it.)
SAFETY NOTE: Because each person’s food sensitivity and reaction is unique, ranging from mild intolerance to life-threatening and severe food allergies, it is up to the consumer to monitor ingredients and manufacturing conditions. If manufacturing conditions, potential cross contact between foods, and ingredient derivatives pose a risk for you, please re-read all food labels and call the manufacturer to confirm potential allergen concerns BEFORE consumption. Ingredients and manufacturing practices can change overnight and without warning.
Allergen Free Gluten Free Pasta with Roast Cherry Tomatoes Grilled Chicken and Nut Free Pesto
Allergen-free, Gluten-Free Pasta with Roast Cherry Tomatoes, Grilled Chicken, and Nut-Free Pesto
Summer is the season for tomatoes and basil! But with pesto usually off-limits for people with food allergies — it traditionally contains tree nuts and dairy — I set about creating an allergen-free version of the original. The sweet and tangy roast cherry tomatoes are the perfect compliment to the earthy flavor of the basil, and the smokiness of the grilled chicken. As an added bonus, I’ve used hemp seeds in place of the traditional pine nuts or walnuts, boosting protein and omega 3 essential fatty acids. Upon tasting this recipe, my son Monte asked, “Can I have this for lunch tomorrow too?” There is no greater compliment.
Ingredients
Pesto:
- 1/3 cup shelled hemp seeds (Manitoba Harvest hemp seeds are allergen-free)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 cup tightly packed fresh basil
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup gluten-free bread-crumbs (I like Hol-Grain for this recipe, they’re very fine and made from rice)
Roasted Tomatoes:
- 1 lb. cherry tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- salt and fresh ground pepper
Grilled Chicken:
- 1 lb. chicken breast (if you’re short on time, buy it pre-grilled)
- extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
- salt and fresh ground pepper
- 1 lb. rice or corn-quinoa penne or spirals or shells
- 6-8 large basil leaves to garnish
♥♥♥
Place hemp seeds in food processor and grind to a fine meal. Add garlic and puree. Add basil, and blend till finely chopped. Pour in extra virgin olive oil, a little at a time, till pesto is nice and smooth. Add salt and gluten-free bread crumbs. Combine thoroughly and set aside. (This can be made in advance. Makes 1 heaping cup.)
Preheat oven to 425°F. Cover a baking tray with aluminum foil, scatter tomatoes on it, drizzle with 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss till all the tomatoes are coated.
Roast until tomatoes collapse in on themselves, about 30 minutes (it will be less if the tomatoes are really tiny).
Put water on to boil, and cook pasta according to instructions on packet.
Pound the chicken breast between two sheets of parchment paper with a meat mallet till it is 1/2-inch thick. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and grill over high heat about 3 minutes per side. Dice into 1-inch peices.
Drain pasta and toss with olive oil to coat in a large pasta bowl. Add the pesto and chicken. Toss. Add the roasted tomatoes and gently toss one more time. Scatter 6-8 basil leaves over top. MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Allergen-Free, Gluten-Free Pasta with Roast Cherry Tomatoes, Grilled Chicken, and Nut-Free Pesto © 2010 by Cybele Pascal
(Please note that all my recipes are completely free of all top allergens (wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, shellfish, and gluten), so as many people as possible can enjoy them. Additionally, all the ingredients are available at Whole Foods, and online at Amazon.com. If you have trouble finding something, let me know and I’ll help you find it.)
SAFETY NOTE: Because each person’s food sensitivity and reaction is unique, ranging from mild intolerance to life-threatening and severe food allergies, it is up to the consumer to monitor ingredients and manufacturing conditions. If manufacturing conditions, potential cross contact between foods, and ingredient derivatives pose a risk for you, please re-read all food labels and call the manufacturer to confirm potential allergen concerns before consumption. Ingredients and manufacturing practices can change overnight and without warning.