Eating Gluten-Free Doesn't Mean Sacrificing Great Food!
While steak on its own is a fine, fine meal, sometimes the salad craving can’t be ignored. This salad was born during a particularly brutal heatwave. The cool mix of vegetables, the light, tangy dressing (which I have also served with a good dash of chipotle), and the well-seasoned steak makes a satisfying meal.
Feel free to add or subtract ingredients based on what is in season. In late summer, I tend to have a lot of zucchini, so grilling it is a natural.
One thing I’ve learned from my regular delivery of organic fruits and veggies is that sweet potatoes are pretty much a year-round food in Southern California. After trying my friend Roxanne’s incredible sweet potato salad at a dinner she hosted, I begged for her recipe when it became apparent I had a glut of sweet potatoes.
She sent two of her favorites, and I found myself blending them together (of course!). Needless to say, this is the type of salad that invites creativity. I’ve included some suggestions at the end of the recipe and invite you to use your own imagination for variations.
You cannot tear me away from a good potato salad (or any good potato, for that matter). I love the mix of starchy potato with a great dressing. Over the years, I’ve shifted toward vinaigrette dressings for my potato salads because it feels lighter, especially on hot summer evenings. This recipe has been my summer go-to potato salad for several years now. It even catches the attention of those who, and I cannot understand this!, don’t like potato salad.[box type=”info” size=”large”]Make It A Meal!
Serve with grilled tri-trip, roasted corn, and grilled summer fruit with ice cream.[/box]
This is a quick and easy way to serve broccoli on a hot summer night (or any other time!). It’s a great salad for parties as well. The buttermilk dressing is creamy and refreshing. The nuts and berries add tastiness, and experimenting with flavors is a definite bonus in this salad.
The broccoli can be just the florets or a mix of florets and stem (the stems add a lot of body to this salad. If you aren’t into the stems, omit them.
You’ll probably end up with more dressing than you need. If it’s too thick for your taste, thin it with a bit more buttermilk. If you’re making the salad in advance, use some of the leftover dressing to freshen up the salad right before serving. Or, use the dressing on you favorite green salad.
While I don’t make vegetable stocks as often as I make chicken stocks, I love the way different vegetables can make what seems like such a simple process taste so good. I like the rich flavor that comes from the right blend of veggies…without overpowering the rest of a recipe.
As with chicken stock, you can use leftover pieces from veggies you prepare. Just store them in an airtight freezer bag until you’re ready to make your stock. The proportions below are just guidelines.
Like every gluten-free person, I think a lot about food. And when it comes to travel, food looms large in my planning — both during the trip and when I arrive at my destination. And when that travel involved a business trip to Milan, Italy, well, my “What am I going to to eat?” radar went wild.
It wasn’t hard to worry; Italy is the land of pizza, panini, and pasta. Plus, well, my Italian is less-than-fluent.
Initial research suggested I was worrying for nothing. Apparently, Italy, as a whole, is very aware of issues for people with celiac disease and/or gluten intolerance. Children are tested for celiac at a young age, and GF foods are widely available. Continue reading “Gluten-Free Travel: Milan, Italy”
When I get obsessed with a food, I get really obsessed. Like I’ll eat a particular food every day until my friends stage an intervention. I think the first time this happened was the summer I was nine. Ever wonder how many tiny tuna sandwiches a girl can make from a long, skinny loaf of French bread?
I know the answer. To say more is to tell you too much about me.
Luckily, I outgrew that obsession before it was taken away from me.
So, other foods that have inspired this level of devotion in me? Chopped salad. Oh, a good chopped salad is like heaven. This may be where I determined salads should be good or not offered at all.
And lentil soup. I think I was 28 or so when I first had lentil soup. I was wary, coming from a household where vegetables were regarded with suspicion. Of course, I was also trying to be totally cool with the fact that I tried a) hummus (OMG!) and b) lentil soup in the same meal.
Nothing was ever the same.
Making lentil soup is absurdly simple. In fact, to the best of my knowledge, there is only one rule, and that is the addition of acid right before serving. Lemon juice or vinegar turns lentil soup into something one obsesses over. Don’t be shy, taste and taste, adjust.
Trust me. After all, I ate lentil soup every day for, oh man, a month!
[box type=”note” style=”rounded” border=”full”]This soup can be made vegetarian by using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.[/box]
