Brown Rice and Lentil Crackers

 Gluten free, egg free, dairy free, soy free, nut free

Gluten Free Vegetable, Brown Rice and Lentil Crackers

Back when I could eat gluten I practically lived off vegetable thins, wheat thins and slices of cheese.  I really, really missed those when I had to stop eating gluten.  While I’ve tried a variety of pretty decent pre-packaged gluten free crackers, the primary ingredient is usually rice flour, and the savoury flavour of my old glutinous staple seemed lacking.  Not long ago, I found myself reading the ingredients on the back of a box of vegetable thins, wondering if I couldn’t recreate them using red peppers, tomatoes, celery, carrots, etc. 

Although I have my flax seed crackers as a quick staple cracker, and they are certainly tasty, they don’t have vegetables in them, and they didn’t provide any basis for creating the type of cracker I was envisioning.  So I searched around and found this recipe for brown rice “Snackers and Breese” on Meghan Telpner’s blog, Making Love in the Kitchen. While my crackers have ended up quite different, her version provided the basis for me to experiment! I seriously love these crackers now, and make them in huge batches and store them in glass jars.  

They're also pretty filling, they're like a small meal.  And with all the veggies and brown rice and lentils, I think it’s pretty safe to say that you can eat these guilt free.  Depending on what I have in the fridge, the recipe alters a bit, sometimes I use zucchini, red or green peppers, or any other veggies that I find. 

This makes quite a lot of gluten free vegetable crackers so for your first time you may want to half the recipe.  Otherwise, I use 4 baking sheets for these; 2 rectangular cookie sheets, and 2 pizza pans, because that’s what I have.

Ingredients:

1c dry brown rice

1/3 c dry brown lentils*

(Altogether this makes about 4.5-5 cups cooked rice and lentils)

2 ¼ c water

1 Tbsp butter (optional)

2 carrots, grated*

2 celery stalks, grated*

½ red pepper*

5 grape tomatoes, or 3-4 slices tomato*

½ Tbsp dried onion

1 tsp dried garlic

½ Tbsp rosemary

½ Tbsp parsley*

1 ½ tsp salt + extra for sprinkling on top

¼ c olive oil (or coconut)

½ c ground flax

½ c ground millet (or millet flour, any other type of flour will likely work also.  The brown rice and lentils make a very sticky blend)

2 Tbsp water

Directions:

In a large pot, add lentils and brown rice.  Add cool water and swish around (water will be cloudy), drain the water using your hand to block the rice and lentils from draining out.  Repeat 3-4 times until the water runs clear. 

Add the 2 ¼ c water and butter to the rice and lentils.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium heat, cover and let simmer for 30 minutes until the rice is soft.

Heat oven to 350F.  Prepare baking sheets by spraying with oil, then cover with parchment paper.

In a food processor, blend rice and lentils and everything else together until it is a sticky mass. 

Using a wet spatula, divide the mush onto the baking sheets and spread the batter very thin. 

Using the edge of the spatula, score the batter by drawing lines about 2 inches apart lengthwise and widthwise.  Sprinkle with salt.  Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes, until the crackers begin to harden, but not blacken (you have to watch these carefully to make sure they don’t burn).  Turn the oven off, but leave the crackers in the oven for another hour.  As the oven cools, the crackers will harden. 

I like my crackers with little slices of cheese, spread with sunflower seed butter, or dipped in chocolate raisin date-spread.

What do you like to serve your crackers with?

*OAS Information: If you have Oral Allergy Syndrome and have a problem with any of the above ingredients, note that the baking process *should* destroy the allergen protein and make most of these veggies safe to eat.  For some, celery and even lentils can still be reactive even after cooking.  When in doubt, eliminate any of the ingredients you think you might have a problem with.  The lentils aren't necessary in this recipe. 

Making Kombucha Diary: Day 7 - What does Kombucha taste like, a video and an update

Myshka kitty and Synergy Gingerberry Kombucha

Day 7!  Phew, I'm getting excited to try my brew!!

If you're just checking in for the first time, I'm keeping a diary of my adventures in brewing Kombucha.  Day 1 I posted an overview of what Kombucha is, Day 2-4 I posted some info on terms, and Day 5 was my tutorial on my method of brewing Kombucha.

I finally got to actually try some Kombucha on Wednesday so I thought I would share my experience here so you know what to expect if you haven't tried it before.

 I also wanted to pass on this fantastic Q and A video with Hannah of Kombucha Kamp, which provides a ton of info on brewing Kombucha, Kombucha benefits, and who might have problems with Kombucha and why.  Super super helpful!! 

My friend Brianna brought the Bellingham Community Coop to my attention last year and and it's a great little coop not too far from White Rock, BC.  They have tons of gluten free stuff, lots of uber healthy, local, natural stuff and fantastic prices.  So we crossed the BC border into Washington and went to do a little bit of shopping there.  We head over there because, alas, we don't really have many coops in the BC Lower Mainland.  This is super sad and I don't understand why!! The West Coast is so focused on health and natural living that it's surprising we don't have more coops.  I have yet to make it to the East End Food Co-op in Vancouver on Commercial Drive, but I hear it's great.  Just wish it was closer!

Anyway, so we headed across the border and whilst there I picked up a bottle of Synergy Kombucha - Gingerberry flavour (flavoured with ginger and blueberry).  When I cracked it open I have to confess I was a bit put off by the strong yeasty - vinegary smell.  However, the taste is actually really mild.  It's almost like a sparkling water, it's fizzy (oh yeah, don't shake the bottle!!  I did that while driving and when I opened it, it exploded a little on my leg and hand... way to go me, super bright).

Kombucha, Day 7 with a good layer of yeast on top

The taste is actually very nice, fruity, refreshing and zingy.  I did notice a slightly yeast-y aftertaste which was a bit odd.  So I didn't chug the whole bottle right away.  Instead, I waited until later that evening when I cracked open a bottle of Fetzer Cab-Sauv (I like Fetzer because they're a super eco-friendly winery and their wine is very reasonably priced but very tasty).  I then mixed a bit of the Kombucha with the wine and had a Cab-Sauv spritzer!!  Now that was good.  Maybe a little too good...

So I'm sure that once I get used to it, it will taste better.  For now, I may continue to mix it with juice (or wine ;p ) until I get over the yeast-y smell.  At present, The Flipper (my fiance), who has been so fantastic about trying my bizarre kitchen concoctions and adjusting his diet to eat reasonably healthy like me, won't try it because of the smell. 

Oh, and I recently noticed that some people have come across my kombucha postings by querying can you feed Kombucha to your cat?  Well at about 24 minutes into the video with Hannah from Kombucha Kamp, she says that she mixes a little bit of Kombucha in to her dog's wet food and he's very healthy.  So I would imagine that a little bit in your cat's wet food might be ok too.  (Don't quote me on that, I'm not a vet or a nutritionist.  I'm just putting in my two cents!)

For the rest of the Kombucha diaries, check out:

   Kombucha Diary: Day 1 - Receiving Kombucha and health benefits    

   Kombucha Diary: Day 2,3 and 4 - Terminology and Tools   

   Kombucha  Diary: Day 5 - How to Brew Kombucha

   Kombucha Diary: Day 7 - What Does Kombucha Taste Like?  

   Kombucha Diary: Day 13 - Bottling and Flavouring Kombucha (blueberry mint flavoured)
   Resurrecting a Kombucha Scoby

*OAS Information: If you have Oral Allergy Syndrome, you *should* be ok with this one.  In fact, an article from the Toronto NOW Magazine refers to Japanese research that suggests green tea may help ease allergy symptoms (unfortunately I can't find the exact source for this study, but here's the article).

Making Kombucha Diary: Day 5 - How to Brew Kombucha

Tea for Brewing Kombucha

Ok, so some of you might know that on Friday night I began the process of brewing Kombucha for the first time.  In that first post on Friday (Day 1) I outlined some of the health benefits of Kombucha.  These include cancer fighting and liver detoxifying, and it's rich in antioxidants. 

In the second post (Day 2,3 and 4) I gave an in-depth explanation of some of the terminology and tools that are used to brew Kombucha.

Today, I'm going to show you the process I used to begin brewing, and show you what my Kombucha looks like on Day 5. 

Tools (for detailed info on these see the second post)

* 1 large glass jar that can hold at least 1 gallon of water (about 4 litres or 16 cups)
 * 1 gallon water (about 4 litres or 16 cups)

 * 4-5 tea bags, green or black tea or a blend of both

 * Approx 1 cup white sugar

 * Kombucha Scoby (aka Mother) or culture 
with about 1/2 to 2 cups leftover/starter liquid (this could be some of the reserved tea from your last batch of Kombucha)

 * Cheesecloth or tea towel and elastic band

Instructions

1. In a large pot, bring water and sugar to a boil, until the sugar dissolves.
 
2. Remove pot from heat and add tea bags.  Allow the bags to steep while the tea cools completely to room temperature.  This can take a few hours.  This must not be hot when you add the Scoby or culture so be patient. 

Scoby in starter liquid (reserved from my friend's last batch)

3. Once your tea is cool, stir in your reserved or starter liquid.  Then place your Scoby or culture in your jar.  It might look like it's about to sink, but it will work its way back up.

Kombucha Scoby or "Mother"

Kombucha Scoby floating in tea

4. Now, cover your jar with the cheesecloth or towel and secure with a rubber band.  Set the jar in a place where it won't be disturbed.  You don't want to be moving it around and stirring it, this will disturb and possibly kill your growing bacteria.  A warm place is good, as you want your bacteria to grow and spread over the top of the tea.  I put mine in the corner of the kitchen, which is one of the warmest places in the house.  Leave this be for 10 days to brew, at this point, you should remove the scoby, and the new "baby" scoby that has grown over the first one.

Then, bottle your tea in glass jars and store in the fridge or someplace cool.  My friend Ashley who passed the Scoby on to me warned me not to leave my tea in the cupboard, as the bacteria will grow over the top again.  

From what I understand, you can separate the scobies and store them in some of the reserved liquid to use for later batches, or share with friends.  Don't store this in the fridge, though, as it might die off in the cold.  (Who knows, if things work out, the wonderful ladies serving as my bridesmaids this summer will all get little baby scobies as thank you gifts... Just Kidding, Ladies!  Unless you want them, of course!) 

Kombucha brewing in the kitchen corner

So I'm on Day 5 now and am already planning what flavours to instill my Kombucha tea with.  I'm thinking I'll do a couple of jars of blueberry, and a couple of ginger...

Here's what my Kombucha looks like on Day 5, see it's getting a little scuzzy looking on top.  Apparently that's normal, that's the bacteria spreading and growing.

What flavours would you like to try?

For the rest of the Kombucha diaries, check out:

   Kombucha Diary: Day 1 - Receiving Kombucha and health benefits    

   Kombucha Diary: Day 2,3 and 4 - Terminology and Tools   

   Kombucha  Diary: Day 5 - How to Brew Kombucha

   Kombucha Diary: Day 7 - What Does Kombucha Taste Like?  

   Kombucha Diary: Day 13 - Bottling and Flavouring Kombucha (blueberry mint flavoured)
   Resurrecting a Kombucha Scoby

 *OAS Information: If you have Oral Allergy Syndrome, you *should* be ok with this one.  In fact, an article from the Toronto NOW Magazine refers to Japanese research that suggests green tea may help ease allergy symptoms (unfortunately I can't find the exact source for this study, but here's the article).

Making Kombucha Diary: Day 2,3 and 4 - What is Kombucha? Terminology explained

 

Okay, so I mentioned on Friday that a friend of mine kindly brought me a Kombucha mushroom (aka, Kombucha Diary: Day 1).  I promptly went home and researched what to do with the funny looking, vinager-y smelling thing.  So I'm going to break down the Kombucha terminology, as I've come to understand it, and my process.

Now please forgive me if I make any errors here, and feel free to correct me if needed, as I'm really a super novice with this and am working my way through it.  If you have experience brewing your own Kombucha please share your stories!!  I've skimmed through quite a few sites and will post a list of some that I found helpful, although most of my information is an amalgamation of a few sites. 

So here are some of the terms I've learned:

Kombucha: a type of fermented, sweetened tea that has been fermented with what is commonly called a mushroom, Scoby or "mother" (because it's what starts the fermentation process and sort of gives birth to other "scobies").  This scoby is, in fact, a solid mass of yeast and bacteria that looks like a pancake.  (See photo)

Kombucha Scoby, or "mother"

Kombucha tea is believed (and seems to be supported by some studies) to have detoxifying qualities and aid in the prevention and break down of cancer cells.  See my last post  for more info on the reported health properties of Kombucha.  Also, wikipedia actually has a pretty good article on Kombucha and a bit of an analysis of the research on the health benefits here.

Scoby: I know, it kind of looks like it should be Scooby (like Scooby Do!), but this is the acronym for Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast, or the culture that grows and helps with the fermentation process.  You put this in your big batch of tea and it grows and creates "babies," more layers that can be peeled off and removed to become a new "mother" that you can use for later batches, or share with your friends!

I'm not sure if this looks any different if you buy the culture online or elsewhere, but this is what my friend passed on to me.  It feels a lot less gross than it looks, so don't be scared of it! I thought it would be slimy and squishy, but it's not at all.  It's pretty tough and rubbery, but flexible, or as wikipedia puts it, like kalamari.

When you want to store one of these babies, or mammas, you store it in some of the leftover tea, and use it later for more batches. 

As you can see from the top photo, the Scoby is smaller than the inside of my jar, but I'm assuming it will eventually grow and spread to cover the top of the tea. 

So what do you need to brew Kombucha?
Here's what I got to begin brewing my own Kombucha.

1 large glass jar - should be able to hold at least 1 gallon of water, or 4 litres, or about 16 cups of water.

   *note, you really want glass for this.  Everything that I've read says that metal, plastic or other containers will kill or alter the bacteria and it won't taste right.  I got my jar in White Rock, BC, at a store on 152nd called Deals.  It was about $8, and it huge, as you can see.  I think it was supposed to be a flower vase.  Other places in North America to find such things include IKEA, Rona, Canadian Tire, Home Depot, etc.

about 4-5 tea bags - now from what I understand, this can be green, black, or white tea, or even a blend.  I used a green and black blend (called the Library Blend) because that's what I had in the cupboard.  I got it in the Christmas stocking that my fiance's family gave me this past Christmas :)

about 1 cup of sugar - again, from what I've seen, this really needs to be refined sugar, not agave, or honey or another sugar alternative.  This is not for you, but for the culture.  The Scoby needs this to feed (although it's not really as ominous or body-snatcher reminiscent as it sounds!)  Don't get me wrong, if you've read any of my recipes you will see that I'm not a fan of refined sugar at all, but in this case it really does seem to be absolutely necessary.  If you use another sweetener, it can really put the flavour off, or the Scoby won't grow well because it's not getting the nourishment it needs from the sugar. 

Scoby and starter tea in a yogurt container

A Scoby, of course!  You'll need a scoby or culture to get this going, so if you aren't lucky enough to have trendy friends who dabble in brewing, fermenting and probiotics, search around online, it seems that there are tons of online suppliers. 

1/2- 2 cups "starter" tea - this is some of the leftovers from the last batch of tea, or what your Scoby has been hanging out it once it's done brewing your big pot.  If you order your Scoby online, it should come with this.  If your friend gives it to you, they should have the scoby in sitting in a bit of leftover tea - mine came in a very large tub of organic yogurt :)

Cheesecloth or tea towel - you'll want this to set over your jar once it begins brewing.  The tea needs to "breath" but you don't want flies, children, or cats sticking their noses, fingers and paws in there.  For persistent cats and flies, you'll also want a rubber band to wrap around the top to keep the towel in place.  A rubber band alone will not stop a curious child...

OK, now run off and assemble your ingredients and in the next day or so I'll post my brewing process and a bit of progress.  At present, my Kombucha has been brewing since Friday night (yeah, I'm a huge nerd and was actually excited to spend Friday night brewing up a big batch of fungus...), and it looks as if it is beginning to spread a bit.  Fingers crossed all turns out well.  I'll be away from the jar for a day or two, but should be able to take some photos of it's progress on Tuesday night.

In the meantime, here's a list of sites I found useful in preparing myself for this venture.

The Food Renegade
Happy Herbalist
Kombucha Kamp
Wikipedia

Again, if you want to add something here, or want me to add something, please let me know!  I'm a little sleep deprived today so if you think I've missed something, or you want me to do some more research, please comment below!  And don't forget to check back to see my process and progress. 

For the rest of the Kombucha diaries, check out:

   Kombucha Diary: Day 1 - Receiving Kombucha and health benefits    

   Kombucha Diary: Day 2,3 and 4 - Terminology and Tools   

   Kombucha  Diary: Day 5 - How to Brew Kombucha

   Kombucha Diary: Day 7 - What Does Kombucha Taste Like?  

   Kombucha Diary: Day 13 - Bottling and Flavouring Kombucha (blueberry mint flavoured)
   Resurrecting a Kombucha Scoby

This post has been shared on the following great sites:
Made from Scratch Mondays

*OAS Information: If you have Oral Allergy Syndrome, you *should* be ok with this one.  In fact, an article from the Toronto NOW Magazine refers to Japanese research that suggests green tea may help ease allergy symptoms (unfortunately I can't find the exact source for this study, but here's the article).

Making Kombucha Diary: Day 1 - Receiving Kombucha

Ok, I have to share this.  I'm making kombucha for the first time ever.  The funny thing is that I've never even tried drinking kombucha, but I'm trying to make it!

So first off, since you might be wondering, what is Kombucha?

Ok, suspend disgust for a moment here and bear with me to get to the good stuff.  Kombucha is a type of fungus, or mushroom, that grows on fermented, sweetened tea.  It looks kind of gross, but apparently has a rather addictive vinegar-y, zingy taste (depending on the flavouring you put in it).  BUT, and it's a big BUT, it's very very good for you.  The Food Renegade has a good post on the health benefits and research on Kombucha here.  To sum it up for you though, the Chinese have been using it for thousands of years, and Russians have used it for ages as well as a healthy cure-all type of drink.  There is evidence that it can help aid in detoxification, cancer defence, is antioxidant rich and is noted for reducing or eliminating fibromyalgia, depression and so on...  You can buy it for like $4 a bottle in your local health food store, but you can make a huge batch of it at home for a few pennies (if you're lucky enough to have a friend who has a few kombucha babies to share.  Otherwise you can buy the starter thing-y online for a few bucks). 

I've only recently discovered it.  Not long ago I received an email from the PR team of a doctor promoting his new book on probiotics and fermentation.  Since I'm not really all that familiar with such things, I decided to do some research before responding to their email query.  So I used good ol' facebook and asked some of my friends if they've played around with probiotics and fermentation.  True to West Coast form, I had several friends mention that they've grown or tried Kombucha.  My friend Ashley had some growing at home and kindly offered to bring me one - and I received it today!!  Huge thanks, Ashley, for the big slimy thing you brought me in an old yogurt container ;p

So begins my attempt to make myself a big batch of brewed kombucha.  I'll be sharing the progress, process and more information with you here over the next few days.  It should only take about 10 days for it to brew (the actual labour took me about 10 minutes today, and I'll share that process with you in a couple of days when I have a chance to write about it). 

Fingers crossed it will turn out ok, and maybe even inspire some of you to try it yourself, if you haven't already.

Have you made or tried kombucha?  What has your experience been?  I'd love to hear about it!! 

For the rest of the Kombucha diaries, check out:

   Kombucha Diary: Day 1 - Receiving Kombucha and health benefits    

   Kombucha Diary: Day 2,3 and 4 - Terminology and Tools   

   Kombucha  Diary: Day 5 - How to Brew Kombucha

   Kombucha Diary: Day 7 - What Does Kombucha Taste Like?  

   Kombucha Diary: Day 13 - Bottling and Flavouring Kombucha (blueberry mint flavoured)
   Resurrecting a Kombucha Scoby

*OAS Information: If you have Oral Allergy Syndrome, you *should* be ok with this one.  In fact, an article from the Toronto NOW Magazine refers to Japanese research that suggests green tea may help ease allergy symptoms (unfortunately I can't find the exact source for this study, but here's the article).

Gluten Free Flax Meal Sandwich Bread

Gluten free, egg free, nut free, soy free

 

Flax Meal and Millet Sandwich Bread

This flax and millet bread is cheap, easy and takes all of 20 - 25 minutes from start to finish.  Oh, and it’s also super tasty.  It makes a great sandwich bread because it is soft and flexible, doesn’t crumble and isn’t dry or gummy.  Grinding your own flax meal and millet flour in a coffee grinder using flax seeds and millet is even cheaper than buying flax meal and millet flour (check here for more info on grinding your own flour), so if you grind your own flour this bread can be made for very cheap indeed.   

If you are ok with buying from the bulk section it’s even cheaper as flax seeds and millet can be had much cheaper in bulk bins than pre-packaged.  Be careful, though; people who are celiac or very gluten sensitive should be aware of the potential for cross- contamination from other glutinous bulk products.  Personally, I’m super gluten intolerant and have never had a problem with bulk bins, but there is a possibility of contamination so it’s up to you to decide if you want to take your chances. 

 

When I first discovered I was gluten intolerant, I used to make a flax bread that was wonderfully soft and yummy.  The problem was that it also required something like 5 eggs, which can get pricey, especially when you buy free range like I do.  So I stopped making it and moved on to other things.  However, a few weeks ago I was preparing to leave my Wisconsin home with hubby-to-be and spend the summer back home in Vancouver, BC.  I was trying to use up whatever was leftover in the apartment and I was low on flours to make my regular bread things, but had a bag of flax seeds, which I knew I could grind up to make my own flax meal.  So I searched around the internet for a gluten free, egg free flax bread recipe.  I found this one here for a flax pizza crust.  I adapted it to make use of whatever was in the cupboard and came up with this gluten free flax bread.  

Flax Meal Bread

It makes a great sandwich bread, but can also be eaten plain, or slathered with your favorite toast toppings.  I also like to spread Chocolate Raisin and Date Spread on it as a snack.

Ingredients:*

1 c + 1Tbsp ground flax (flax meal)

½ c millet flour (or about ¼ + 1Tbsp millet, ground)

1 tsp salt, plus a bit more for sprinkling

1 Tbsp baking powder

1 c water

Optional Seasonings

2 tsp oregano

½ Tbsp dried onion

1 tsp garlic powder

½ Tbsp rosemary

Shredded cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix dry ingredients, optional seasonings and water together. 

2. Let rest for 5 minutes to thicken.  Don’t let it sit longer than this or else the dough will become too thick to spread. 

3. In the meantime, prepare a baking sheet by spraying it with oil, or laid with parchment paper and sprayed lightly with oil.

4. Preheat oven to 450F. 

5. Spread flax batter over the sheet, about ¼” thick, sprinkle with more salt, and bake about 10 minutes, until hardened but still slightly springy. 

What’s your favorite way to use flax meal and flax seeds?

* OAS Information: Some people with Oral Allergy Syndrome may have problems with some of the herbs used here (even though I suggest using dried, which *should* be safe).  You may want to substitute these with something you know you can safely eat. 

This post was shared with the following great blog hops: Made from Scratch Monday, My Meatless Mondays, Monday Mania, Just Another Meatless Monday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Traditional Tuesdays Whole Food Wednesday  Real Food Wednesday Gluten Free Wednesday Allergy Free Wednesdays

Quinoa, Beet and Bocconcini Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing / Marinade

Gluten free, egg free, sugar free, soy free, nut free

Beet, Quinoa and Bocconcini Salad drizzled with Honey Dijon Dressing

Behold a wonderful blend of flavours and sensations!  The lettuce is crisp, light and refreshing, the quinoa is crunchy and nutty with a hint of cinnamon, the beets are sweet and smooth while the bocconcini is soft, squishy and delicately flavoured.  Bocconcini is not necessary for this, you could try it with feta, goat cheese, mozza, cheddar, or none at all if you prefer dairy-free.  Also, the Honey Dijon Dressing is one that I've used in the past as a regular salad dressing and as a marinade for grilled veggies and shrimp so save the leftover dressing for later.  It has a sweet and tangy flavour that I find really addictive.

I know this is a bit of a deviation from my usual poor girl’s gluten free food, but what the heck, a girl's gotta treat herself sometimes, right?  And when you consider that a salad like this would probably cost you like $20 in a posh, yuppy West Coast restaurant (that means you, Vancouver, BC! Don't worry, one of the reasons I love you is because you make it trendy and therefore easy to eat healthy in a restaurant, even if you do make it more expensive. I'm seriously waiting for the day that the Cactus Club starts offering meals that are friendly for those on the Wild Rose Cleanse or something crazy like that), it’s definitely cheaper to make this at home. 

And let's face it, being healthy and gluten free means that you often end up eating a ton of salad.  So why not make fantastic, gluten free, meal size salads? 

 Quinoa is extremely healthy and good for you, but, alas, it is definitely many times more expensive than rice or even millet.  As a result, I don’t include it in a ton of recipes.  However, I’ve been visiting my mom this past week and discovered a bag of quinoa I’d left at her place the last time I visited her.  She also happened to have a container of bocconcini cheese as well as some beets that were almost on their way out the door.  Since I was craving a meal-sized salad I ended up putting together this phenomenally tasty salad. 

Beet, Quinoa and Bocconcini Salad drizzled with Honey Dijon Dressing

This recipe makes one large, meal-sized salad or 2-3 smaller sized salads.

 Wondering what's the best way to bake beets? Here's my tried and true method - I tried boiling beets and slicing and baking, etc but this way provides the absolute most flavour and texture.  

Don't trim the ends of the beet root.  Leave about 1/2 - 1" of root and stem at either end so the moisture doesn't escape the root.  Bake beets for 1 - 1 1/2 hrs (depending on size) at 375F in a covered casserole dish, until softened.  You'll know it's done when you can easily push a fork or knife tip through to the centre.

When cooled enough to touch, peel and slice the beets (the peel should come off really easily if it's cooked well enough).  The leftovers can be refrigerated for the next salad or eaten as a side dish.  I usually bake several beets at a time and keep them in my fridge to toss in plain salads and smoothies, or to make my Beet Chocolate Muffins and Cupcakes. 

Quinoa, Beet and Bocconcini Salad Ingredients:

1.5 c assorted lettuce and mixed greens as desired

½ baked beet, cooled and cut in small chunks

6-7 small Bocconcini balls

½ c quinoa

½ tsp cinnamon

¾ c water or stock (vegetable or chicken)

How to cook quinoa: In a medium size pot, bring the quinoa, cinnamon and water or stock to a boil.  Turn down the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and cool. 

Layer a plate with the greens, quinoa, beets and bocconcini.  Spoon about 1.5 Tablespoons of Honey Dijon dressing over the salad. 

Honey Dijon Dressing / Marinade:

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

3 Tbsp water

1.5 Tbsp honey

In a small jar or container with a good lid, add the dressing ingredients and shake the jar until well blended. If you find this too tangy, add more water or honey by the teaspoon to counteract the vinegar and mustard.  The leftover dressing can be stored for up to a week in the fridge.

What’s your favorite meal-sized salad? 

*OAS Info: This recipe is free of all the major allergens listed on the Oral Allergy Syndrome charts I have found.  When in doubt, substitute or eliminate as needed.   

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