Teriyaki Eggplant Steaks

Some of the best recipes are the simplest ones and Teriyaki Eggplant steaks certainly falls into that category ! Eggplant "steaks" are marinaded for a few minutes in teriyaki sauce before being broiled until tender and caramelized. Finish the eggplant  with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and you have a quick and flavorful dish that's perfect for those days when you have no time to spare.

Teriyaki Eggplant Steaks
Gluten Free
Serves Two
Click Here for Printable Recipe

Ingredients-
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch circles
1 recipe Gluten Free Teriyaki Sauce*
Salt, to taste
Optional Garnish--sesame seeds

1. Place eggplant slices in a large casserole dish and season with salt. Prick slices with a fork a few times to allow the teriyaki marinade to soak through. Pour marinade over eggplant, turning slices to ensure that they are coated on all sides.

2. Let eggplant marinade for 15-30 minutes, flipping slices halfway through marinade time.

3. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a cooling rack over baking sheet and spray with nonstick spray. (This will help the eggplant cook evenly but if you don't have a cooling rack that will fit in your baking sheet, simply spray foil and place eggplant slices directly on foil lined baking sheet).

4. Preheat broiler to high.  Remove eggplant slices from marinade (save the marinade) and place in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops of the eggplant with the marinade.

5. Place eggplant steaks under broiler until golden on the top, about 2-3 minutes (watch carefully!).

6. Remove baking sheet from oven and carefully flip eggplant slices. Brush tops with a layer of teriyaki marinade. Return to oven and broil until eggplant is tender and golden on all sides, 2-4 minutes more.

7. Plate eggplant slices on 4 serving plates. Brush with a final layer of teriyaki marinade. Sprinkle with a dash of sesame seeds, if desired.

Nutrition Information--approximately 160 calories per serving ( 1/4 of the recipe)

*Gluten Free Teriyaki Sauce Recipe -- http://spicysweetpotato.blogspot.com/2012/12/gluten-free-teriyaki-sauce.html

Gluten Free Teriyaki Sauce

Teriyaki sauce is a quick and simple way to add delicious flavor to a wide variety of foods. Unfortunately, almost any bottled teriyaki sauce contains soy sauce and thus isn't gluten free. While there now a few gluten-free brands, many of them seem to have left out the flavor!  Luckily, this homemade teriyaki sauce is quite delicious and only requires a few items. Simply let the ingredients simmer and combine for a few moments and you have a terrific gluten free teriyaki sauce!

Gluten Free Teriyaki Sauce
Makes approximately 1 cup
Click Here for Printable Recipe

Ingredients--
1/2 cup mirin (can be found in the Asian section of large supermarkets or specialty grocery stores)
1/2 cup gluten free soy sauce
1/4 cup granulated Truvia

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until Truvia dissolves, 5-8 minutes. The sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Nutrition Information--approximately 35 calories per tablespoon

Baked Applesauce

I first saw Baked Applesauce on ElanasPantry.com and wondered why I never thought of it myself! It's so simple and delicious, you will never make applesauce on the stove again. The recipe can also easily be altered to serve more people by simply using a larger baking dish and more apples (The original recipe used 12 apples). If you need something to serve with your applesauce, try these scrumptious latkes--
http://spicysweetpotato.blogspot.com/2012/12/butternut-squash-latkes.html

Baked Applesauce
Gluten Free
Serves One

Ingredients--
1 apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 cinnamon stick
1 Truvia packet

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a small baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. Place apple slices, cinnamon stick, and Truvia in baking dish and toss to combine.

3. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake until apples are falling apart and tender, about an hour and 15 minutes.

4. Discard cinnamon stick, then use a potato masher or back of a spoon to mash apples to desired consistency. That's it!

Nutrition Information-- approximately 100 calories per serving

Butternut Squash Latkes

Hannukah may be over for the year but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy crispy, golden latkes. In this recipe from Hungry Girl, the usual potato is swapped out for sweet and flavorful butternut squash. These latkes also break tradition by being baked instead of fried, which yields a healthier but still scrumptious result. With latkes this tasty, you will be enjoying them all year long!

Butternut Squash Latkes
Gluten Free
Serves One

Ingredients:
3/4 cups shredded butternut squash (a box grater works well)*
1 tablespoon liquid egg substitute
1.5 tsp. gluten free flour
 blend or gluten free all purpose flour
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
Salt, to taste
Plus any desired toppings, such as applesauce


1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place in the oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Place shredded squash on a clean kitchen towel and roll up tightly to remove any excess moisture.

3. In a small bowl, combine squash, egg substitute, flour, garlic powder and salt. Mix well.

4. Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven. Cover sheet evenly with a 3-second spray of olive oil spray.

5. Spoon squash mixture onto the sheet in 3 evenly spaced mounds. Using the back of a spoon, flatten and spread each mound into a circle about 3 inches wide.

6. Carefully (don't forget that it's hot!) return pan to the oven and bake for 8 minutes.

7.  Remove baking sheet from oven. Coat the top of the latkes with another 3-second spray of olive oil spray. Gently flip with a spatula.

8. Return latkes to the oven and bake for about 8 minutes more, or until both sides of latkes are crispy.

9. Top latkes with any desired toppings and enjoy.

Nutrition Information--approximately 85 calories per serving (entire recipe)

* If time permits, shred your butternut squash the day before, and store, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to use. This will help dry out the squash to produce the crispiest latkes possible.

Gingerbread Pancakes

Gingerbread Pancakes, adapted from DailyGarnish.com, are fluffy and flavorful pancakes that make the perfect holiday breakfast. These quick pancakes are a step up from the average pancake thanks to the addition of "gingerbread" spices.  If you really want to make this a festive breakfast, use holiday cookie cutters to cut out the cooked pancakes!

Gingerbread Pancakes
Gluten Free
Makes 12 Pancakes (Serving Size= 3-4 pancakes)

Ingredients--
1 cup gluten free flour blend
2 tablespoons granulated Truvia sweetener
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon  allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2  teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup liquid egg subsitute
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1.25 cups unsweetened original almond milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1.In a large mixing bowl stir, together flour, Truvia, baking powder, baking soda, spices (allspice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg) and salt. Stir until ingredients are combined.

2.  In a separate mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients- pumpkin, egg, apple cider vinegar, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Whisk mixture until all ingredients are evenly combined.

3. Add the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture, and stir together until combined.

4. Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and spray with nonstick spray.

5. Once the skillet is hot, use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to ladle batter into skillet and form 4-5 pancakes (as many as you can fit in the skillet at a time). Let pancakes cook until bubbles start to appear on the surface, (2-4 minutes), then carefully flip them. Continue cooking pancakes, about 2 minutes more, or until they are golden brown on both sides.

6. Transfer cooked pancakes to serving dish. Remove skillet from heat briefly to respray with nonstick spray then return to stove top. Repeat Step 5 to create 2 more batches of pancakes or until batter is gone.

7. Serve pancakes with any desired toppings!

*Note- Pancakes can easily be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to eat. Simply place cooked pancakes in between layers of wax paper in a tupperware container. Reheat prior to serving using a microwave, oven, or toaster, until warmed through.


Nutrition Information--approximately 53 calories per pancake

Creamy Mushroom Bisque

Creamy Mushroom Bisque is a dreamy and luxurious bisque that amazingly contains no actual cream or even dairy products. This silky smooth soup, adapted from http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com uses  a cauliflower puree to create the a thick and flavorful base for the soup. Once the roasted mushrooms and fresh herbs are added in, you have the perfectly rich yet healthy mushroom bisque!

Creamy Mushroom Bisque
Gluten Free
Serves Four

Ingredients--
Roasted mushrooms:
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, quartered
8 ounces portobella mushrooms, stems removed, gills removed, and diced (about 2 large)
6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and quartered
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt &  pepper (to taste)
4 sprigs of rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme
dash of cayenne, to taste
Soup:
1 medium cauliflower head, core and leaves removed
1.5 cups water
4 cups mushroom broth, divided
1.5 cups unsweetened almond milk
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped + a few sprigs for garnish
1 tsp. dried thyme
dash of cayenne, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste
1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped + a few sprigs for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray.

2. Place the mushrooms on the baking sheet and toss with the oil, vinegar, rosemary and spices. Once mushrooms are evenly coated, arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet.

3. Transfer mushrooms to oven and roast at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes. Stir mushrooms, and continue roasting 15-20 minutes or until they are tender and beginning to caramelize.

4. While mushrooms are roasting, begin steaming the cauliflower. Add water to a  medium pot and bring to boil. Season with water salt then add the whole cauliflower head, cover with a lid, and steam until tender, 8-9 minutes. Drain and break until florets. Set aside.

5. Add the cauliflower and about 2 cups of mushrooms broth to a large pot. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth (or transfer ingredients to a regular blender).

6. Add in the roasted mushrooms (leave out a few for garnishing, if desired), 1 cup of broth, and the milk.  Puree until smooth then stir in rosemary, thyme, cayenne, salt, and pepper, to taste.

7. Place soup over medium high heat, and bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium low, and let soup simmer until warmed through, 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

8. While the soup is simmering, you can adjust the seasonings and thickness, if necessary. Taste the soup for seasoning and add more to taste. If soup seems too thick, add remaining 1 cup of broth, 1/4 cup at a time.

9. Just before serving, stir the fresh parsley into the soup.

10. Divide soup between 4 serving bowls and garnish with leftover mushrooms, fresh parsley and rosemary.

Nutrition Information--approximately 190 calories per serving (1/4 of the recipe)

Saffron & Squash Risotto

Saffron & Squash Risotto, inspired by a recipe from Rachael Ray magazine, is yet another scrumptious variation of risotto. This risotto has an exotic saffron-infused broth, roasted butternut squash, and creamy pumpkin to create a delectable dish that will have you scraping your bowl clean. Saffron is quite pricey, but since there is really no substitute, it's worth it every now and then.

Saffron & Squash Risotto
Gluten Free
Serves 4

Ingredients--
1 large butternut squash (about 1.5 lbs), peeled and diced
1/2 tsp chili powder
5 and a 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
a generous pinch saffron (16-20 threads)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely diced
1 large cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
dash of freshly ground nutmeg
1 cups arborio rice
3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray.

2. Add squash to baking sheet and spray with nonstick spray. Season with chili powder, salt and pepper, to taste. Use your hands to mix squash cubes until they are evenly coated in spices. Spread out in a even layer.

3. Roast squash 35-40 minutes, or until tender and golden, stirring halfway through cooking. Once squash are cooked through, remove from oven and set aside.

4. While the squash is roasting, place the broth and saffron in a medium pot and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.

5. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the onion and garlic; season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Saute until onion is beginning to soften, 4-5 minutes.

6. Stir in rice, and cook for 1 minute. Add a ladleful of warm broth and cook, stirring often, until the liquid is absorbed.

7. Continue adding stock, a ladleful at a time, and stirring until it is absorbed. Cook rice for 18-22 minutes from the first addition of stock, or until tender and creamy (the majority of the stock should be added).

8. Once rice is fully cooked reduce heat to low then  stir in pumpkin puree, and roasted squash. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue cooking just until pumpkin and squash are heated through, stirring constantly.

9. Ladle into shallow bowls and enjoy!

Nutrition Information--approximately 275 calories per serving

Protein Packed Veggie Chili

On a cold day, nothing tastes better than a steaming bowl of chili, however, most chili recipes serve a crowd of people which can be an issue if you're only cooking for a few people and not a fan of leftovers. That's why I decided to adapt this delicious vegetarian chili from Candice Kumai, to be a single serving recipe (but it can also be doubled to serve two people). This warm and hearty dish features tofu and lentils in a tasty  and simple take on chili. Cornbread make the perfect accompaniment to this recipe so be sure to serve a piece on the side.*

Protein Packed Veggie Chili
Gluten Free
Serves 1

1/2 tsp. canola oil
1/4 of a green bell pepper, finely chopped
3 oz. lite firm tofu (like the kind by Mori-Nu)
1 garlic clove, minced
1.5 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
dash of cayenne pepper (adjust according to heat preference)
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup fire roasted diced tomatoes, not drained
1/4 cup canned lentils

Optional Toppings-
Nonfat Plain Greek Yogurt
Scallions, chopped

1. Heat the canola to a small pot to medium.

2. Add in the bell pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until pepper has softened, 5-8 minutes.

3. Use paper towels to thoroughly dry tofu, then use a fork to crumble it into small pieces. Add tofu, garlic, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, bay leaf, salt and pepper into the pot. Cook, stirring often, just until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.

4.  Stir in diced tomatoes (with their juices) then reduce heat to low, and cook chili, covered, until it has thickened, about 45 minutes. Stir chili from time to time while it is cooking.

5. Add in the lentils , and cook until they are warmed through, about 5 minutes. Taste chili, and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

6. Transfer chili to serving bowl and garnish with toppings, if desired.

Nutrition Information--approximately 172 calories per serving (entire recipe, not including toppings)

Spicy Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipes:

http://spicysweetpotato.blogspot.com/2012/02/perfect-companion-for-chili.html
http://spicysweetpotato.blogspot.com/2012/08/jalapeno-cornbread-muffins.html
http://spicysweetpotato.blogspot.com/2012/10/pumpkin-spice-cornbread.html

Curried Eggplant & Lentil Burgers

Curried Eggplant & Lentil Burgers are some of the best veggie burgers I've ever tasted (and I've made quite a few!). The burgers were adapted from a recipe posted on Blog.FatFreeVegan.com and are composed of a delightful mixture of roasted eggplant, lentils, and spices.


Curried Eggplant & Lentil Burgers
Gluten Free
Makes 6 Burgers

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
3/4 cup quinoa flakes
2 cloves garlic cloves, minced
1 cup canned lentils
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons gluten free cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon agave nectar (or honey)

Optional Toppings:
Tomato Slices
Dijon Mustard
Lettuce, for topping or wrapping
Gluten Free Bread or Buns
Any Other Preferred Burger Condiments

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Cut off the eggplant stem then cut it in half lengthwise. Spray eggplant flesh with nonstick spray and season with salt. Place eggplant flesh side down on a baking sheet.

3. Bake for 25 minutes or until the eggplant is completely tender when poked with a fork. Transfer to a plate and allow eggplant to cool completely.* Leave oven on at 425 degrees.

4. Once the eggplant is cool, scoop out the flesh into a food processor. Pulse eggplant a few times until it forms a coarse puree then transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl.

5. Add in remaining ingredients- quinoa flakes, garlic, lentils, spices (curry powder, cumin, coriander, paprika,chili powder), cornstarch, salt, and agave. Stir until ingredients are well combined, then allow to stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.

6.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Spray a large non-stick  with nonstick spray and heat to medium-high.

7. Use a 1/3 measuring cup to scoop out eggplant mixture, then use your hands to form into a flat patty   about 3-inches wide* and add to hot skillet. Continue scooping out eggplant 1/3 cup at a time and adding patties to pan (You should end up with 6 patties). If your pan isn't large enough to hold all the patties, you can cook them in batches.

8.  Cook eggplant burgers for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom and then carefully flip and cook on the other side until browned, 3-4 more minutes.

9. Use a spatula to transfer burgers to prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until burgers are slightly crisp and cooked through.

10. Plate burgers and top with any desired toppings.

Nutrition Information--approximately 125 calories per burger (with no toppings)

Make Ahead Options--

-You can roast eggplant a few days ahead of time (Stop after step #3 and turn oven off) and then simply store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

- You can also form the eggplant patties ahead of time, and place in a parchment lined tupperware container. (Stop after Step 7 and place formed patties in container instead of skillet). Store burgers in the refrigerator until ready to use (up to 5 days). Once ready to cook, let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes, then continue with cooking process (sear in skillet, then bake).