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Gluten-Free Fish Bites :: Friday Foodie

January 16, 2015 By: babyproofedparentscomment

Van De Kamps frozen fish sticks and frozen clams. A meal I remember from childhood, complete with the little frozen packet of relish we mixed with Miracle Whip to create tartar sauce. I remember the sound accompanying preparation: frozen chunks of seafood (or what resembled seafood) cascading through the air to clatter and bang onto a metal baking sheet. Then the taste and texture…mmm…rubbery. Damn good, but our fish bites are healthier, and dare I say, even better tasting. If you’ve tried your hand at our gluten-free chicken tenders you’ll recognize this technique – slow cooking over low heat gives you the lovely, golden result.

Ingredients:

3-4 tilapia filets, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 cup brown or white rice flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt to taste
1 recipe garlic aioli for dipping

Technique:

Cut the tilapia filets into bite-sized chunks, trying to keep the sizes as uniform as possible. Place the rice flour in a medium sized bowl, and add the fish, making sure each piece gets coated by the flour. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick skillet just below medium for a couple of minutes, add the olive oil, then allow the skillet and oil to heat 2-3 minutes more. Tap the excess flour off the fish bites, and carefully place them in the skillet in a single layer (you might have to add more oil and do this in two batches). Sprinkle the fish with a little kosher salt, and swirl the oil in the pan so each piece has a little to sizzle in. Fry the fish for about 3 minutes, then gently lift one piece with tongs or a thin spatula to check the golden-ness. When side 1 looks yummy golden brown, carefully flip the fish to side 2, then swirl the oil around the fish again. If the pan looks dry or it seems the fish is sticking, add a little more oil. Cook for about 3 minutes, then check to see if side 2 looks golden. Lightly press the fish with the spatula, and when it feels firm, carefully scoop it out, allowing it to cool for a minute or 2 before serving it with the delicious aioli.

Cheryl’s Tips:

Serve this with oven-fries and malt vinegar… Fish n’ Chips!

When I started getting more serious in the kitchen, my sweet sister gave me a copy of the classic staple The Joy of Cooking for my birthday. The book has zero photos and reads like a novel. It forced me to start the habit of reading every recipe I tried from start to finish before heading to the grocery for ingredients and attempting it, because a few times I realized mid-way that I’d missed a very important step that wound up adding a ton of time to the preparation. Maybe you read, “chicken, parsley, hummina hummina hummina sounds good, go!” You dive in, and then, when you least expect it, “RUTABAGA.” AGGHHHHHHH!!!! Reading ahead prepares you if the recipe involves a technique you’ve never tried or new ingredients you haven’t used.

Here’s To Sanity and Van De Kamps,

Cheryl

Gluten Free Ziti with Sausage & Veggies :: Friday Foodie

December 19, 2014 By: babyproofedparents2 Comments

Okay, glorious Readers. I promised this recipe long ago, and most of you have been patiently waiting. Others of you have been almost harassing in your repeated requests, comments, emails…settle DOWN, please. This recipe tethers you to the stove for about 20 minutes, so plan accordingly, knowing the result will be scrumptious and well worth it. Stove bondage creates a nice excuse for someone else to parent while you throw ingredients around and yell, “Blamblamblah!” Sexy! Lots of veggies (kale, spinach or broccoli) work for the hidden, nutritional puree in this recipe; if you have leftover braised collards, roasted Brussels sprouts or roasted cauliflower use one or a combination.

Ingredients:

3/4 lb dried gluten free ziti
1 T olive oil
1/2 pound Italian Sausage (spicy or sweet)
1/2 cup pureed prepared veggies (photo features a combo of brussels sprouts and cauliflower)
1/4 cup marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Technique:

Follow your pasta package cooking instructions to prepare your ziti. When you add the pasta to the boiling water, it’s time to start your sauce. You’ll be stirring the pasta while executing the sauce steps. It will all come out around the same time, rendering you a cooking genius. Place a large skillet over medium high heat. After a couple of minutes, add the olive oil. When the oil is shimmery, add the sausage and cook, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. When the sausage is browned, add the pureed veggies and sauté for 1 minute. Add the marsala, and allow it to bubble and reduce for 30 seconds, then use the spoon to scrape all the brown yumminess from the bottom of the skillet. Add the chicken stock, stirring to combine. Allow the stock to simmer for about 3 minutes. Stir in the cream, and simmer for about 3 minutes more, stirring occasionally, making sure to keep scraping up all the goodness from the bottom and
sides of the skillet.

By now your ziti should be ready. Drain but don’t rinse it (the starchy water on the pasta will make the sauce cling more tightly), and add it to the skillet along with the cheese, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir it all together over the heat until the cheese is melted and the whole skillet looks golden and perfect. Dish it up and eat it up!

Cheryl’s Tips:

I’ve tried em’ all, and my favorite gluten free pasta is Tinkyada. They have a huge variety (including lasagne sheets), and are easy to prepare. The only drawback to gluten free pasta is that once cooked, it tends to be slightly fragile, but super yummy. Kind of like some of my favorite people. Taste your pasta before draining it; it’s perfect when it’s still a tiny bit firm, but not chewy or stick-to-your-teethy. Cooking too much longer can make it squishy.

I learned this in a Thai cooking class. Allowing your skillet to heat up for a couple of minutes before adding your oil allows the pan to expand, soaking in more of the oil, thus decreasing the chances that your food will stick or burn while cooking. Magic! No…Science! No…Magical Science!

Let’s talk about aprons. If you don’t own one, I suggest buying one at your first opportunity (it’s easy to find super cute and sexy 50’s style lines that will dress up your sweat pants) and wearing it habitually when you cook. Working with fire and oil can make you instinctually curl slightly away from food prep. You’re protecting your clothes and body from staining and burns, but the apron reduces the need for that. Get close to that heat! Less fear = more action = decadent food. You may draw whatever life/psychological parallels you wish here, for there are many.

While you cook, listen to this.

Here’s To Sanity and Magical Science,

Cheryl

Gluten-Free Chicken Tenders :: Friday Foodie

October 10, 2014 By: babyproofedparentscomment

The slow frying of these tenders is what makes them juicy and perfect. If you cook them too quickly, the outside gets overly dark while the inside doesn’t fully cook through, resulting in burnt and chewy chicken. Slow and low is counter to my preference of cooking too fast, too furiously… of doing many things too fast, too furiously. Naturally, there’s a psychological parallel here. Sometimes speed is the need – you have to act impulsively to keep life interesting and honor your gut, even at the risk of burnt, chewy crap. But, making yourself sllloowwww down and catch a breath (ideally engaging your left brain) can make all the difference in quality. All about balance, ya’ll.

Ingredients:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into strips length-wise (about 4 strips per breast)
1/2 cup white rice flour
2 eggs
3 slices gluten free sandwich bread, finely crumbled
kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Technique:

Grab three medium sized bowls. Put the rice flour in one bowl. In the second bowl, whisk the eggs until well beaten, and put the bread crumbs in the last bowl. Place a large wire rack on your counter (over a couple of paper towels if you want to minimize the mess factor). Line up your bowls, and get ready to dip. One strip at a time, coat the chicken in first the rice flour, then the beaten egg, and then the breadcrumbs, carefully placing the strips on the wire rack to slightly dry. This can get very gooey, so if you have them, use plastic gloves. Don’t worry if you run out of one of your dipping elements, simply pause to crumble up more bread or throw in another beaten egg, until all of the chicken is coated.

Sprinkle the tenders generously with kosher salt. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium to medium low until it’s shimmering, but not smoking hot (like you are). Carefully place the chicken strips in the oil (don’t crowd them, and know that you’ll probably have to cook at least 2 batches depending on the size of your skillet). Fry the strips on the first side for about 5 minutes, and when they’re golden toasty brown, use tongs to flip them to the other side and cook about 3-4 minutes more. Gently press your tongs against the tenders. If they feel squishy, lower the heat to medium low and cook them a minute or two more. When they feel firm and are golden all over, remove them to a clean wire rack and let them cool for about 5 minutes (this time allows them to cook a little longer with the residual heat). Lovely. Dig in!

Cheryl’s Tips:
I photographed the tenders alongside our garlic aioli, a delicious accompaniment. The chicken tastes best the day it’s made, but you can reheat it by toasting in a 350 degree oven for about 7-10 minutes. My favorite way to eat leftovers is chopped and added to a Cobb salad.

Smile extra big as you eat this chicken, knowing you prepared it from 100% love and acceptance, unlike some chicken, at a certain chain restaurant. Just sayin’.

Here’s To Sanity and Slowing Your Roll,

Cheryl

Italian Spaghetti Squash :: Friday Foodie

July 31, 2014 By: babyproofedparents2 Comments

Spaghetti squash is a magical vegetable. The name says it all – when you roast and cut into it, the flesh divides into uniformly sized, al dente spaghetti “noodles”. If you eat a paleo or gluten-free diet, finding layering base foods for sauces and proteins can be a challenge. It’s easy to get bored with grilled chicken or steak with veggies, and spaghetti squash is your ticket to a new culinary ride. I could be imagining this, but it seems the smaller the squash, the smaller the noodles. I recently roasted a little guy (again with the veggie/male personification…what is that about?) that produced the squash equivalent of angel hair pasta. This makes me want to squeeze Nature and exclaim, “You’re so CUTE when you’re not chaotically cataclysmic!”

Ingredients:

2 lbs spaghetti squash (1 medium/large squash or 2 small)
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley or basil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 cups Fast Times Marinara or your favorite jarred pasta sauce (c’mon, make your own…you can do it!)
2 cups shredded mozzarella or vegan cheese (see tip below for more on this)

Technique:
Start this recipe early in the day, baking the squash and making the sauce while you’re doing other stuff around the house. This will allow cool down time, enabling you to work with it and add the other ingredients just before mealtime. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, wash the spaghetti squash, and pierce the skin all over (about 10 pokes) with the tip of a small knife to keep it from exploding while it roasts. Place it on a foil-lined baking sheet, pop it in the oven, and roast for 45 minutes. When it’s cooled down enough for you to handle, slice it in half length wise, and scoop out and discard the seeds and slimy strands from the middle. Using a fork, dig into the squash, shred it into noodles and scoop it out into a large mixing bowl. This is deeply satisfying. Add the parsley or basil, olive oil and salt (use less if you’re sensitive. I find that the squash has a slightly sweet flavor, and use extra salt to quell it, increasing savory compatibility) and use two spoons to toss it together. (You can stop right here. This makes a treat of a veggie side to go with any meal.)

Spread the seasoned squash in a lightly greased rectangular casserole dish, or if you’re feeling fancy, small individual serving casserole dishes. Top it with the marinara, the cheese, and the protein of your choice (see ideas below). Pop the casserole back into the oven and bake until the cheese melts and the whole deal is hot and bubbly, about 20-30 minutes. The squash produces a lot of liquid, so use a slotted spatula to drain a little off as you serve it. And then eat it. And then smile.

Cheryl’s Tips:
Daiya vegan cheese is delicious. It melts perfectly, and has a lovely cheesy flavor with no weirdo ingredients. We try to avoid dairy, and this product has enabled us to make enchiladas, quesadillas, pizza, etc. without missing real cheese at all. I buy 5 bags of our favorite (the mozzarella shreds) at a time, keeping one bag in the fridge and the rest in the freezer until I’m ready for them.

I photographed the squash alongside a link of chicken Italian sausage, casing removed, sliced lengthwise and cooked over medium heat until golden and cooked through (about 5 minutes per side). Other protein adds: you can throw a handful of walnuts or some browned bison on top of the cheese before the final baking step. I often add a fried egg to the baked squash with swoon-worthy results. Also in the photo – I grilled Brussels sprouts and gathered up all the little leaves that fell off as I skewered them. I sautéed the leaves in a skillet over medium-high heat in a teaspoon of olive oil until they were soft and browned, then sprinkled them with a little kosher salt. Delightful.

If you listen to “Blow (Cirkut Remix)” by Ke$ha and take dance breaks with your kids while you’re cooking, your food will be infused with awesomeness.

Here’s to Sanity and Chaos,

Cheryl

Gluten-Free Parsley-Garlic Chicken :: Friday Foodie

March 27, 2014 By: babyproofedparentscomment

This is a gluten-free version of a classic recipe Jacques Pépin prepared on one of his PBS shows. Jacques is awesome. My favorite series is “Cooking With Claudine” (his daughter); for the food, but even more for their fascinating relationship dynamic, which includes Claudine’s habit of snapping at Jacques each time he gently suggests she alter her cooking technique. I LOVE being a therapist. This dish is easy to prepare, has very few ingredients, and is a great kid alternative to chicken nuggets – I’ve served it to a few picky eaters who inhaled it despite the green.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup loosely packed Italian parsley leaves
2 cloves fresh garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons grape seed oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Technique:

Cut the chicken into 1 by 1 inch pieces (for extra info on preparing boneless breasts, see my tips below). Place the chicken in a Ziplock bag with the brown rice flour, seal and shake (the bag, and your body too if you’re into it) until all the pieces are coated. Chop and chop and chop the garlic and the parsley, mixing them together on the same cutting board, scooping them into a pile with your knife and then chopping them again until you get this consistency:

You can see it’s not as finely chopped as pesto, but there aren’t big chunks either. Heat the grape seed oil in a large skillet over medium-high until it’s shimmering, then carefully place the chicken pieces in a single layer (you might have to do this step in two batches, placing the first cooked batch on a plate while the second is browning). Let the chicken cook until it’s lightly browned on the first side, and you can see that some white is creeping up over the pink edges (about 2-3 minutes). Flip the pieces with tongs and brown the other side, about 2-3 minutes more. If you did batches, add the plated chicken back to the skillet, and then add your beautiful parsley-garlic choppy-chop. Using a wooden spoon, stir-fry the chicken until it’s coated with the parsley and garlic, and you can smell the garlic releasing that yummy smell (usually about 2-3 minutes – keep an eye on the garlic and try to keep it from browning). Add the butter pieces and the salt, and continue stirring until the butter has melted over the chicken, and the whole pan looks like sizzling, golden decadence (about 1-2 minutes). Dish it up and dig in!

Cheryl’s Tips:

Boneless, skinless chicken comes in many sizes. I try to buy organic when I can, which usually means a smaller breast. If you’re using the bigger size, you’ll notice one end is much thicker than the other. A trick: place the breast in a sealed Ziplock bag and use the smooth side of a meat tenderizer mallet to pound it out until the breast is at a uniform thickness, which will make it easier to cut into consistently sized pieces, or, if you want to keep the breast whole, it will cook evenly and to perfection. How efficient to simultaneously prep food and process anger? I didn’t have a mallet for many years, simply washing and using the flat side of a hammer. MacGruber.

I gave measurements for 2 adult and 2-3 kid-sized portions. The one downside to this dish: the left-overs are lackluster, so prepare just enough to feed your family for one meal.

Here’s to Sanity, Jacques and MacGruber,

Cheryl

PS: For those of you who are Bloglovin’ followers, you can now find our blog on their gorgeous roster. And we’re lovin’ it. : )

Mandy’s Meatballs :: Friday Foodie

February 6, 2014 By: babyproofedparentscomment

These delicious meatballs are adapted from a recipe that came from one of the coolest mamas we know (you’ll be hearing more from her down the road). My favorite thing about this dish is that every savory bite is a perfectly nutritionally balanced… and as you’re gathering, we’re all about the balance. Also, they freeze really well, so double up and save half for a night when you’d rather play than mess up the kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground grass-fed beef or bison
1/2 pound pork, chicken or turkey Italian sausage (spicy or sweet)
1 cup steamed white or brown rice
1/2 c finely chopped onion
1/2 c finely grated zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Spike Seasoning (optional)
1 16 ounce can tomato sauce

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients except for the tomato sauce. Form into 1 inch balls, and place in a lightly greased casserole dish. Drizzle the tomato sauce over the meatballs, and bake uncovered for 1 hour. Stand in your kitchen, and breathe deep – they smell amazing and taste even bettah.

Cheryl’s Tips:

What’s Spike Seasoning? The bomb. A yummy, natural seasoning alternative to typical blends that use msg and other junk that’s hard to pronounce. Look for it at your local health food store, or at http://spike-it-up.com/

Another kitchen tip: Keep a box of surgical gloves handy (tee hee) for forming meatballs, deboning chicken, etc. Keeps gunk out from under your gorgeous fingernails and makes clean-up easy.

Here’s to strength, sanity and really yummy meals.

Cheryl