by jphilo | Jul 3, 2015 | Recipes
Tis the season for grilling and stir fry. We’ll be eating this delicious meal over the fantastic Fourth of July season. What about you?
Last week and this week, our CSA share has included one of my favorite summer treats – sugar snap peas. Often, I stir fry them solo in olive oil, with a dash of crushed garlic and kosher salt added at the last minute.
But I also like to make them part of a main course, so last week I threw together this peanut-lemon dish using whatever was in the fridge. My, oh, my it was so tasty that we’re going to have it again tomorrow night. I’m already drooling at the thought. So give it a try and leave a comment about what you think.
Peanut-Lemon Stir Fry
1 chicken breast, cut in bite-sized pieces
2 cups sugar snap peas, with tops cut off
1 medium onion cut in wedges or 2 bunches green onions, cut in small pieces
1 sweet red pepper, cut into chunks
1/2 cup raw peanuts
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons Thai peanut sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons olive oil
Combine lemon juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a bowl. Add chicken and marinate in refrigerator for 1/2 hour or longer.
Put peanuts in a small cake pan and roast in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Cool.
In a small bowl mix together the broth, peanut sauce and corn starch. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in skillet or wok, medium high. Add peas and stir fry for 1 minute. Add pepper and stir fry for another minute. Do the same with the onions. Pour all veggies into a bowl. Heat remaining olive oil and add chicken (but not the marinate). Stir fry until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
While chicken is cooking, add 1/2 cup of marinate to the broth mixture. Stir well. Add mixture to the skillet, stirring constantly, until it bubbles and turns clear. Add vegetables to the skillet, stirring until they are hot and coated with sauce. Sprinkle peanuts on top and serve over rice.
by jphilo | Jul 1, 2015 | Recipes
This recipe comes from my dear sister. She sent the recipe a few months ago because it was tasty and non-dairy. This one meets both requirements, and because it’s a cold dish, makes a delicious summer meal.
I adjusted the recipe a bit, using radishes and sugar snap peas that were in our CSA share last week. Also, I added some leftover grilled chicken breast to make it a main dish instead of a side. It received the coveted Hiram Seal of Approval, and it will show up on our summer supper table again in the next few months. Thank you, dear sis!
Cold, Spicy Noodle Salad
1 pound fresh wheat-flour Chinese noodles or dried, thin spaghetti
4 tablespoons toasted Asian sesame oil, divided
4 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter*
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste
3 tablespoons Japanese rice vinegar
2–4 tablespoons warm water, divided*
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1-2 grilled chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 large carrot, shredded coarsely
1/2 cup sugar snap peas, cut into thirds
5 radishes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
Prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain well and rinse with cold water. Put noodles in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons each of sesame oil and soy sauce. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
To make peanut sauce. combine remaining sesame oil and soy sauce, along with peanut butter, honey, sesame paste, vinegar, 2 tablespoons warm water, salt and red pepper in blender or food processor. Blend or process until sauce is smooth.
If sauce seems too thick, add more warm water, a tablespoon at a time. Set sauce aside at room temperature.
When noodles are chilled, add peanut sauce and toss with tongs to coat noodles evenly. Spread noodles in a deep platter. Top with chicken and vegetables. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
*If you use natural peanut butter, the drippy kind, you will not need to add any water to the sauce.
by jphilo | Jun 24, 2015 | Recipes
Some things are just met to be. One of those things is fresh blueberry cobbler for Father’s Day when the holiday and blueberry season coincide. Here’s the recipe, a dairy-free adaptation of one from the 1977 Betty Crocker Cookbook Grandma Josie gave me as a wedding shower gift. The best dad I know finished his helping and said, “That’s really good stuff!” I hope you agree.
Dairy Free Fresh Blueberry Cobbler
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
4 cups fresh blueberries, washed and picked over
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup unbleached flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup almond, coconut, or rice milk
3 tablespoons dairy free shortening such as Earth Balance Vegan Sticks, coconut oil, or lard
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Blend 1/4 cup sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add berries and lemon juice. Stir well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Pour into an ungreased 2-quart casserole dish. Keep fruit piping hot in oven while preparing the biscuit topping.
Measure flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Cut in shortening. Add milk and mix until dough forms a ball. Drop dough in 6 spoonfuls on top of the hot fruit. Bake for 20-30 minutes until topping is golden-brown. Serve warm with milk or cream if desired.
by jphilo | Jun 17, 2015 | Recipes
Imagine my surprised when I discovered no recipe for apple pie had yet been added to the Gravel Road website. This omission was, to put it lightly, not right. So then and there, I took steps to rectify the situation by baking an apple pie, taking photos of the finished product, and writing this post.
Not because I was hungry for apple pie or anything like that. No, my motives were purely altruistic, my desire only to make the world a better place. And pie truly does make the world a better place. If you don’t believe me, try this recipe. At the very least, your house will be a better place because of the aroma of homemade apple pie.
Homemade Apple Pie
6 large pie apples,* washed, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/4 cup flour
1/4–3/4 cup sugar, depending on tartness of apples
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter (or Earth Balance Vegan Spread for non-dairy)
2 unbaked pie crusts
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
Place sliced apples in a large mixing bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle dry mixture over apples and stir until apples are well-coated.
Arrange one unbaked crust in the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan. Pour apple mixture into the shell. Dot apples with butter or Earth Balance. Arrange second shell over the apples and seal the pie by pinching the two pie crusts together. Sprinkle top with cinnamon if desired.
Place pie on drip pan in oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn down the heat to 400 degrees and bake for 30-45 minutes until apples are tender. (If crust gets too brown, lightly lay a sheet of aluminum foil on top of the pie.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
*Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Jonathans, or Jonagolds are my favorites
by jphilo | Jun 10, 2015 | Church Newsletter Columns, Recipes
June isn’t usually considered soup weather. But I’d been wanting to try this recipe for Red Thai Soup with Ginger Meatballs ever since a friend posed it on Facebook. The ingredient list included fresh parsley, basil, and cilantro, all of which are ready for harvesting in my herb garden. So we had soup one night, and it was good.
The meatball prep took some time, but the soup went together quickly. Since the recipe makes enough meatballs for 4 batches of soup, several bags of frozen meatballs are ready for quick soup suppers when the weather turns cool again. Both the Man of Steel and I found the soup delicious and filling.
Red Thai Soup with Ginger Meatballs
Ginger Meatball Ingredients:
1 pounds ground beef
1 pound ground pork
2 cups baby bella mushrooms, minced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 egg
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoonground black pepper
Heat oven to 425 F. Mix all the ingredients by hand in a large bowl. Form into 1-inch balls. (Makes 35–40) Place at least an inch apart on broiler pan. prepared cookie sheets. Cook for 12-15 minutes. Divide into 3–4 quart freezer bags and freeze.
RED THAI MEATBALL SOUP
2-4 tablespoons coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cups Yukon gold potatoes, cubed
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1-2 cups stir-fry vegetables•
4 cups chicken or turkey broth
9-12 juicy meatballs
2 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 can coconut cream
Chopped cilantro or basil leaves
Sauté onions, potatoes and mushrooms in coconut oil over medium heat until onion becomes translucent. Add stir-fry vegetables* and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, meatballs, curry paste, salt and white pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add coconut cream, cook on medium-low until hot enough to serve. Stir in cilantro or basil right before serving.
*I used sweet red pepper and broccoli. The broccoli was a bit overpowering.
by jphilo | May 20, 2015 | Recipes
This recipe is another that comes compliments of the allergy elimination diet that’s ruled my life for the last month. The good news is that the reintroduction part of the diet is now in full swing, and rice, whole wheat, corn, carrots, potatoes, apples and bananas are now fair game. However, most sugars, all yeast, and alcohol (including vinegars) are still off limits. So to ease my hankering for whole wheat spaghetti noodles topped with marinara sauce, I made up my own version because the prepared sauces contain sugar. I’m still playing with the ingredients, which received the Man of Steel’s coveted seal of approval, to make it even more tomato-ee, but this recipe has added some much needed variety to our menu.
Way Too Healthy Tomato Sauce
1 pound ground beef, pork, or turkey, browned (I used pork)
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 Roma tomatoes, peeled* and diced
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, sliced thin
1/2 cup sweet pepper, diced (optional)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
Brown meat in large dutch oven. Drain off grease, if needed. Add garlic, onions, and peppers. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, water, salt and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a slow simmer. Simmer on stove for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve hot over whole wheat spaghetti noodles.
*Blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 1 minute before peeling and they will peel much more easily.
