wheat free

Despite the fact that it is technically spring, it is still cold outside! When will this end? Within a one week span one day was 70 degrees and gorgeous and another day it snowed.

Oiy.

Just when I thought the days of hot soups and stews were winding to an end I found myself standing over a pot of simmering lentil and sausage stew. This stew has become one of our favorites this past winter. Hearty and healthy, comforting and delicious. I originally created this recipe using carrots instead of the red pepper that I used in this version. I alternate depending on whichever I have on hand. Also, using regular italian sausage is wonderful as well. We use chicken in an effort to be a bit more healthy. Both are equally yummy.

I prefer to use french lentils for this stew, they seem to hold their shape better. But you can certainly use whichever type of lentils you have on hand, just be sure you don’t overcook them.

Here’s what you will need to serve 4…

Recipe

2 cups french lentils (1-15 oz bag), picked through and rinsed

5 cups water

4-6 large chicken sausage links

3 stalks celery, peeled and small diced

1 large onion, small diced

1 large red pepper, small diced (or carrots)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juice

2 cups low sodium chicken stock

2 large bay leaves

big pinch of dried thyme

1/2 bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Method

Turn the oven on to broil.

In a medium saucepan add the water, lentils, bay leaves and whole garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for approximately 30 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add onions, celery, red peppers (or carrots) and red pepper flakes and saute for 10 minutes or until softened. Add the tomato paste and stir into onion mixture for 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic, salt & pepper and dried thyme and saute for 1 minute.

Crush the tomatoes with your hands (or an immersion blender) and add to the vegetables. Add chicken stock as well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Put your sausages on a sheet pan and place under the broiler for approximately 10 minutes, turning once during the cooking time. Once cooked and nicely golden brown, remove from the oven and allow to cool a bit so you can handle them. Once cooled slice them up. I usually slice the sausage lengthwise, then cut each half into 1 inch chunks.

When the lentils have finished cooking add them and some of their cooking liquid to the pot with the veggies and tomato sauce. At this time you can add the sausage to the pot as well. Stir everything to combine and continue simmering over low heat for 10 minutes. If you would like the stew more liquidy, add the remaining lentil liquid.

Turn off the heat and add alot of chopped parsley. Mix well.

Feel free to sprinkle some parmigiano reggiano on top when serving.

Lentil and Sausage Stew

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

2 cups french lentils (1-15 oz bag), picked through and rinsed
5 cups water
4-6 large chicken sausage links
3 stalks celery, peeled and small diced
1 large onion, small diced
1 large red pepper, small diced (or carrots)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juice
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 large bay leaves
big pinch of dried thyme
½ bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Method

Turn the oven on to broil.
In a medium saucepan add the water, lentils, bay leaves and whole garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for approximately 30 minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add onions, celery, red peppers (or carrots) and red pepper flakes and saute for 10 minutes or until softened. Add the tomato paste and stir into onion mixture for 2 minutes. Add the minced garlic, salt & pepper and dried thyme and saute for 1 minute.
Crush the tomatoes with your hands (or an immersion blender) and add to the vegetables. Add chicken stock as well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Put your sausages on a sheet pan and place under the broiler for approximately 10 minutes, turning once during the cooking time. Once cooked and nicely golden brown, remove from the oven and allow to cool a bit so you can handle them. Once cooled slice them up. I usually slice the sausage lengthwise, then cut each half into 1 inch chunks.
When the lentils have finished cooking add them and some of their cooking liquid to the pot with the veggies and tomato sauce. At this time you can add the sausage to the pot as well. Stir everything to combine and continue simmering over low heat for 10 minutes. If you would like the stew more liquidy, add the remaining lentil liquid.
Turn off the heat and add alot of chopped parsley. Mix well.
Feel free to sprinkle some parmigiano reggiano on top when serving.

Along the crazy train of trying to conceive I found out that I have hypothyroidism and in addition was told to try to severely limit (aka eliminate) wheat from my diet (as well as dairy and sugar). Ugh. It has been painful, people.

I am completely astonished at how many unsuspecting foods contain wheat. Soy sauce? Come on now. Not that I eat much soy sauce at all, but it’s just an example of a product that I would never think has something like wheat in it!

I already eat relatively healthy and very rarely eat any processed or packaged foods. As a result I am not having such a hard time with wheat free dinners. The same goes for lunches, I usually have something that was leftover from dinner earlier in the week or a big bowl of quinoa with chicken or kale. Breakfasts, on the other hand, get me the most upset. There are only a VERY few things that are acceptable to eat. And that can get very boring.

This past weekend I set out to create a type of ‘breakfast bowl’ containing something that would actually make me feel full. One of the new grains I have tried cooking with is buckwheat (despite the name it does not contain wheat), which has a nutty flavor. I have had it before in restaurants and liked it, so I thought it would be a great base for my breakfast bowl. Then I basically chose a few of my favorite veggies and added eggs to it – voila!

Although this recipe does have a few seperate components going at the same time, this dish is not difficult to make and it tastes good. Also, it holds up well in the fridge, so you really can get away with making a big batch of it to last you a few days. Most importantly, you feel like you are eating something substantial and don’t feel as if you are sacrificing. Which basically, you are. Because all you can think about is having a big, fat muffin.

Here’s what you will need to serve 4…

Recipe

1 cup buckwheat

2 cups water

1 box cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thick

1 small head of broccoli, cut into medium-sized florets

3 whole eggs

3 egg whites

2-3 tbsp chopped parsley

1-2 tsp truffle oil

salt & pepper

olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Pour 2 cups of water into a saucepan and bring to boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the water and stir in buckwheat, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook approximately 7-10 minutes.

In the meantime, heat up a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute until softened, 5-6 minutes. While the mushrooms are cooking lay the broccoli florets on a sheet pan and sprinkle with olive oil, salt & pepper. Mix with your hands to coat all the broccoli. Roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned, flipping once after 6 minutes or so. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then roughly chop.

Now for the eggs – basically just scramble the eggs as you would do normally. Once the eggs are cooked I like to roughly break up the eggs with the tip of my spatula right in the pan.

All that is left now is to assemble all the individual components. Into the large skillet with the mushrooms add the truffle oil and stir to combine. Add the buckwheat, broccoli and eggs, mixing well. Finally, add the parsley.

Buckwheat Breakfast Bowl

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

1 cup buckwheat
2 cups water
1 box cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thick
1 small head of broccoli, cut into medium-sized florets
3 whole eggs
3 egg whites
2-3 tbsp chopped parsley
1-2 tsp truffle oil
salt & pepper
olive oil

Method

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Pour 2 cups of water into a saucepan and bring to boil. Add ½ teaspoon of salt to the water and stir in buckwheat, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook approximately 7-10 minutes.
In the meantime, heat up a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and saute until softened, 5-6 minutes. While the mushrooms are cooking lay the broccoli florets on a sheet pan and sprinkle with olive oil, salt & pepper. Mix with your hands to coat all the broccoli. Roast in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned, flipping once after 6 minutes or so. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then roughly chop.
Now for the eggs - basically just scramble the eggs as you would do normally. Once the eggs are cooked I like to roughly break up the eggs with the tip of my spatula right in the pan.
All that is left now is to assemble all the individual components. Into the large skillet with the mushrooms add the truffle oil and stir to combine. Add the buckwheat, broccoli and eggs, mixing well. Finally, add the parsley.