Under Pressure

As I think I’ve mentioned about a thousand times, I use a lot of chicken (and vegetable stock). And years ago, I realized that I was spending a small fortune to buy stock. I much prefer to make it myself, and it really doesn’t take that much active time.

In the past, I’ve set a pot on the back burner of the stove, added some aromatics like onion and garlic, tossed in some seasoning like salt and peppercorn, added the chicken carcasses I’ve bagged and tossed in the freezer. And for the next couple of hours, the stock or broth or whatever you prefer to call it would simmer away. I put the liquid in one-cup size containers and freeze them until needed. Continue reading “Under Pressure”

Really Big Salads

I said, feeling virtuous, “Let’s just have a really big salad for lunch.” My husband, feeling less virtuous, required a bit of persuasion, but eventually conceded a really big salad was just what he wanted. Mostly because all other options would require him to make his own lunch.

He is a wise man. Continue reading “Really Big Salads”

Strawberry, Kale, and Buckwheat Salad

This salad is great for parties, weeknight meals, or hot summer evenings. Buckwheat adds great flavor, especially since it’s dressed in a lemony sauce. I love that the whole thing is on the table in under thirty minutes — while the buckwheat cooks, you can prepare the strawberries.

I make this salad without cheese for a vegan option. If you like cheese — and it will add a salty component to the dish — ricotta is great. Feta works. Even blue cheeses are lovely. I also love to add toasted nuts or seeds, like pumpkin, to the dish for some crunch.

Note: start testing the buckwheat for doneness about twelve minutes into the simmer. You want the grains to be firm, not mushy. That way they hold their shape and add texture to this salad.

Gluten-Free Collard Green Wraps (Plus a Few Other Options)

The longer I’ve been gluten free, the more I realize the thing I miss most about sandwiches is the stuff that goes between the bread. I was reminded of this when I had a great tuna wrap, using a collard green, at Real Food Daily. The mix of tuna salad and veggies made my mouth and stomach very happy.

And the timing was perfect because I’d purchased collard greens just that week to make wraps for my lunch. Collards are great for wraps because they are large, flexible, and sturdy enough to wrap around a good amount of food. They’re also low carb, something my household is very conscious of these days. Continue reading “Gluten-Free Collard Green Wraps (Plus a Few Other Options)”

Gluten-Free Soy Sauce Eggs

Our household is eating more eggs than ever, and I’m including them in my lunch bag in different ways (hello, frittatas!). Lately, though, I’ve been adding soy sauce eggs into the mix because they’re the perfect mid-afternoon snack.

What are soy sauce eggs? Quite simply, they are hard- or soft-boiled eggs that have been peeled and marinated in a soy sauce solution. The marinade penetrates the egg white and adds lots of flavor.

I make them in batches of six, though I think I’m going to need to up my game and starting making them by the dozen since the husband is also consuming them. He likes having a low calorie, low carb option at the ready.

These eggs are, of course, delicious on their own. I also use them when making my versions of bibimbap or ramen. Add them as a topping to stir fries or fried rice. Or anything. Seriously. Anything.

More on Specialty Diets

 

When a family member with diabetes was told her diet adjustments weren’t working and that she needed to both change her diet and starting taking shots, she, understandably, worried. Not so much about the shots, but about the dietary changes. It seems, for the first time, she really considered how the foods she’d been eating impacted her life.
She realized that many of her favorite foods, from her morning bagel to snacking-favorite saltines, were contributing to her problem. And she started wondering what in the world she could possibly eat. Sounds familiar.

Continue reading “More on Specialty Diets”

Gluten-Free Travel: Barcelona

Be warned: Barcelona is a city designed for the hungry crowd. Restaurants and bars and cafes abound, and mealtime seems to stretch out all day — at one point, my husband noted there isn’t a fixed concept of breakfast, lunch, or dinner (though, if you’re looking for a full meal in the evening, note that many restaurants won’t even offer up a menu before 8 p.m., if not later!).

(See this post for a listing of restaurants where I found gluten-free options, plus a few I had on my list but didn’t actually eat at. And, if you’re visiting Sitges, a beach community about 30 minutes away by train, here’s a list of gluten-free restaurants for that city as well.) Continue reading “Gluten-Free Travel: Barcelona”