Tag Archives | gluten-free

More Polenta, Please!

By Kristen Desmond on February 23, 2014 in Breakfast, Featured, Main Dishes, Side Dishes

Polenta is basically medium-grind cornmeal boiled in water and/or milk and salt. It becomes a thick, porridge-like mixture. Incredibly quick and versatile, polenta can be served creamy, like mashed potatoes. Add grated Parmesan cheese to the mix and some fresh herbs – oh my. Or, you can spread it out in a sheet pan and chill it, then slice it and grill it with a little olive oil and salt. It can also be spread into thin layers like lasagna noodles (a great gluten-free alternative!). Read more for the recipes…

Cooking with Quinoa

By Kristen Desmond on February 2, 2014 in Featured, Main Dishes, Salads, Side Dishes

Since I published my recipe for Superfood Salad, I’ve gotten quite a few inquiries about quinoa (pronounced keen-wa). Quinoa is an ancient (gluten-free!) food, more closely related to spinach than rice. Widely available these days, quinoa is treated like a grain and is one of the few vegetarian sources for complete protein. When cooked, the grains “unravel,” triple in size, and become translucent.

This week’s post includes instructions for cooking one cup of quinoa and a collection of recipes showcasing its versatility. Enjoy!

Playing with Marinades: Asian Chicken Wraps (gluten-free!)

By Kristen Desmond on May 12, 2013 in Featured, Main Dishes, Recipes

Lately, I’ve been playing with marinades. Marinades and dry rubs make great use of pantry items and add lots of flavor to everyday dishes. The marinade used for these Asian Chicken Wraps is especially tasty.

Have we talked about freezing fresh ginger? If you buy it for this recipe, buy a big knob of it. Use the edge of a spoon to scrape off the skin/peel (apologies – my language skills are failing me). Wrap it and freeze it. It’s actually much easier to grate when frozen and it keeps for weeks.

This chicken would also be great on a Chinese Chicken Salad. I’m working on one! In the meantime, enjoy these super yummy (gluten-free) wraps.

Gluten-free Recipe: Coconut Lime Muffins

By Kristen Desmond on March 24, 2013 in Breakfast, Featured, Recipes

This recipe can be made as a quick bread or as muffins. If you want freshly baked muffins in the morning, make the batter the night before and leave it in the fridge over night. Simply portion them out and bake them in the morning. I think orange zest would be just as good as lime zest in this recipe – I’m trying that next time for sure!

Brown Rice and Chicken Stir-Fry with Edamame and Walnuts

By Kristen Desmond on December 2, 2009 in Main Dishes, Recipes

Yield: 6 servings This is an old favorite of mine. You can find shelled edamame in the freezer section with other frozen vegetables. Just follow the package directions for cooking them, usually at a full boil for about 5 minutes. If you have leftover brown rice that needs using, this dish is ready in a hurry. […]

Boost Your Immunity + African Curried Coconut Soup

By Kristen Desmond on October 16, 2009 in Blog

With cold and flu season upon us, we do what we can to keep the fevers and sniffles at bay. No doubt, diet helps. There are a lot of experts out there (I am not one of them) and they all tend to agree that protein, zinc, healthy fats, and Vitamins A, C, and E play a key role in building […]

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