Grandma's Cucumber Dill Pickles (Gluten Free Pickles!)

I'm re-posting this post from way back in 2013, since it's been one of my most popular recipes, and I thought some of you might enjoy re-visiting it!

 
My grandmother has always made amazing pickles. She would can them in enormous batches. I started helping my mother make them sometime around my 7th birthday, up until about 10 years ago when I moved out and my mother stopped making them and my grandmother got tired of cooking.

Well this year, after seeing buckets of little cucumbers at the farmers market, I decided to resurrect my grandmother's amazing dill pickle legacy. I called my mom back home in Canada and asked for the recipe.

And now I'm sharing it with you!

What to do with Squash Leaves and Stems: 9 Gluten Free Ways to Use Squash Leaves (Tenerumi)

This post was originally published on August 18, 2013, but it's such a popular post this time of year I'm bumping it up so that those of you looking for ways to use up your squash leaves can find some suggestions.

Don't forget to check the comments section, as tons of people have been kind enough to share their wonderful recipes from around the world!!

Ever wondered if can you eat squash leaves? 

I noticed these big buckets of fuzzy, curly, decorative squash greens for the first time a while back at the farmers market. We eat a ton of greens, but I’ve never grown squash so it just never occurred to me to question if squash leaves are edible.

I asked the older Hmong lady selling them what to do with the squash leaves. She told me to peel the fuzzy skin off and boil them. This was rather vague, so as soon as I got my bunch home I scoured forums and blogs and found squash leaf recipes ranging from Hmong to Thai to Nigerian to Italian.

I’ve shared 9 different ways I found to make use of squash leaves and stems, as well as some tips for prepping and using them. So if you have pumpkins, zucchini or other squash spreading in your back yard, or you see a bunch of them at your farmers market, go buck wild with these ideas!

Vegan, Gluten Free Herb Dumpling Soup (#MeatlessMonday)

Free of gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs, nuts

Cheap and easy, these savory herb dumplings are gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, and free of all other common allergens.

This root vegetable soup with easy gluten free dumplings is so simple and quick I've made it twice this week now, with variations on the herbs. They were husband approved both times. And the best thing is that it's filling, so it makes for a very simple, healthy meal in itself.

Also, if you happen to be partaking in Lent, no matter what your restrictions these dumplings and soup should be safe since they're free of meat, eggs, dairy, butter, etc.

Gluten Free Braided Easter (or anytime!) Bread

Free of gluten, nuts, soy, corn, with dairy free option

I just got back three days ago from Europe, where my husband and I spent a month traveling by plane, train, car, and bus across four geophysical zones. Twelve days of the trip were spent in Greece, a country I've visited twice now. Since Easter is coming up and Greece is on my mind, I wanted to create a Greece-themed Easter dish to share on the blog.

While researching, I discovered a beautiful, sweet, braided bread known as Tsoureki. Looking over the recipes I found, I realized that they were very similar to the gluten free German Easter bread I posted last Easter (a.k.a. Osterkranz)

Delving a little deeper, I discovered that many different European countries make yeasted, sweet braided bread decorated with coloured eggs for Easter. There are a few common denominators, which I've shared below. I've also, of course, shared a new version of gluten free Easter bread, a little different from the one I made last year.

Of course, this bread is fantastic ANY time of year, so don't confine yourself to just eating it at Easter ;)

Vegan, Gluten Free Farinata / Socca (Cheap and Easy Chickpea Flour Bread)

Free of gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, corn, nuts

Chickpea flour can usually be found fairly cheaply in the South Asian / Indian section of many larger supermarkets. Chickpeas of course have lots of protein and fibre and are super healthy, and some of you already know I use them a lot in recipes like Marinated Chickpea Salad, Chickpea and Sweet Potato Burgers, and Chickpea and Sweet Potato Soup.

So it makes sense that I would also like chickpea flour, no? And I do. It has a nice, nutty flavour and it sticks together better than most other GF flours.

I like to buy big ol' bags of chickpea / garbanzo flour and make it into the fried flatbread that I described in my book Living with Oral Allergy Syndrome. But sometimes I also like to make it into this baked, Italian style flatbread known as Socca, or Farinata. It's very simple to make, and the result is very tasty and filling.

GF, Vegan Sweet Pea Spread and Dip + Avocado Allergies

Free of gluten, soy, dairy, nuts, eggs, soy

Ok, I realize this is going to sound crazy, but this pea and spinach spread is really, really good. And versatile.

As is, it's kind of like a low-fat, avocado-free guacamole (for those of you with avocado allergies, read on!). A cheaper version of guacamole. Substituting the cilantro with basil makes it like a mock pesto, a peasto if you will (yeah, go ahead and groan, I couldn't resist). A nut-free vegan pesto of sorts. A much, much cheaper version of pesto.


See? So versatile that it can be both guacamole AND pesto.

Accidental Vegan, Gluten Free Chocolate Pudding Pie

Free of gluten, dairy, eggs, corn, nuts, soy-free option

So remember how last week I screwed up a beet chocolate cake and ended up with a bunch of tasty crumbs, and used half of them to make these Vegan, Gluten Free Chocolate Beet Balls? 

Well here's what I did with the other half. I turned the chocolate cake crumbs into a Chocolate Cake Pie Crust, and slapped some chocolate tofu pudding on top. So if you're ever wondering what to do with extra chocolate cake bits, why not try out this pie crust?

And btw- my husband actually really, really likes the tofu pudding I used for the pie (and he's not vegan).  But if you don't like tofu or need a soy-free option, you can always use the super easy microwave Chocolate Pudding recipe I used to make Mini Chocolate Pudding Pies.

Versatile Marinated Chickpea Salad (gluten free with vegan options for #MeatlessMonday)

Free of gluten, nuts, soy, corn, egg, dairy free / vegan option

This simple, versatile chickpea salad comes together in about 2 minutes, and was a lifesaver the other week when we hosted three dinner parties in a row, plus a lunch.

I made a double batch and served it alongside a big bag of mixed greens and some other bowls of things as part of a salad bar. It works particularly well if you're feeding vegetarians or vegans, as it's protein-packed, filling, and flavourful. 

Cheap, Gluten Free Fish Soup in 15 Minutes (soy free option +Meatless Monday) + Buying Ocean-Friendly Fish

Free of gluten, meat, nuts, eggs, dairy, with soy free option

So if you're like me, you probably end up with a little bit of leftover fish from time to time. You know, you bake up a nice big piece of cod or salmon or something like that, and there are a few little scraps that don't get eaten, and aren't enough to make another meal. 

Or perhaps you want to include more fish in your diet, but find that it can be expensive.Or maybe you're sea-conscious and don't want to eat too much in order to protect the environment. 

This fast, easy, fish soup is fantastic for using up leftover fish, or stretching a little piece of fish a long way. And it's super flexible. Every time we make it, it's just a little different, depending on what's in the fridge. 

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with a dairy free / vegan option for #Meatless Monday

Free of gluten, eggs, nuts, soy, corn, with dairy free / vegan options

The season of pumpkin is upon us. I had half a large can of pumpkin puree leftover from making my Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie for Canadian Thanksgiving a couple of weeks ago. So I modified my old recipe for Gluten Free Herb Rolls to use up leftover pumpkin puree, and added some cinnamon spice mix. (I have also made a similar version in the past using sweet potato puree instead of pumpkin, so you could use sweet potato instead if you like)

These rolls are simple, tasty, pretty healthy, and versatile. I've had them for breakfast, served them with dinner to guests, and drizzled them with a bit of icing sugar mixed with milk as cinnamon rolls for dessert. 

They also freeze well, so make up a batch and sock them away for later! 

Vegan, Gluten Free Tofu Meatballs with Crabapple Sauce - Cheaper than Meat! + Meatless Monday

Free of dairy, eggs, gluten, nuts, corn

Crabapple or Crab Apple? I'm never really sure. Either way, this crabapple sauce and these vegan, GF meatballs are surprisingly amaze-balls. (The only thing cheesy here is that sentence).

These vegan, gluten free tofu meatballs in Crab Apple Sauce were really born  out of desperation. Since we moved back home to BC, we've been entertaining people in our new apartment a couple of times a week. It's been great to finally invite family and friends to our place after 3 years of living elsewhere. 

But entertaining can be expensive. Tofu, on the other hand, is relatively cheap.

 
I was facing several challenges, vegetarians, food allergies, my unwillingness to make yet another trip to the grocery store... Necessity is the mother of invention, and man did this invention turn out surprisingly AWESOME! So awesome that I made it three times in two weeks for three different sets of dinner guests.

Pumpkin Spice Quinoa Breakfast Bowl (GF, Vegan)

Free of gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, corn, soy

I don't know about you, but I find it hard to get a good, hot, gluten free breakfast that doesn't take forever. I mean pancakes are great and all, but they're not exactly quick.

And the other morning I woke up and it was chilly and raining and I had a cold. Which is funny, because right now it feels something like 30C! It's totally summer weather!

So being sick and it being cold and rainy, I was craving something warm and comforting. I wanted a hot, easy, gluten free breakfast. I'm allergic to oats so oatmeal wasn't an option. I did, however, have a large bag of quinoa in the cupboard. The rest is quinoa breakfast bowl history...

Best Vegan and Gluten Free Pizza Crust & Olive Tapenade (a quick & easy Meatless Monday dinner)

Free of gluten, soy, nuts, dairy, eggs

I almost feel guilty about how easy this pizza crust is to make. When I first started the blog I posted a recipe for an awesome pizza crust. I still love that crust. However, this one is just about as good and takes half the time (and half the bowls, meaning less dishes to clean!)

So if I'm going to feel guilty, I might as well enjoy it. Therefore, I smother the crust in easy homemade olive tapenade and some steamed veggies - both of which I can do while the crust is rising and baking.

The best part? I get two pizza crusts out of this recipe and I can freeze one for an even simpler dinner another night :)

Gluten Free Barbeque Flavored Popcorn (organic, with vegan option) + Meatless Monday

Free of gluten, soy, and nuts with a dairy-free / vegan option

 

Considering that I already have two popcorn recipes on the blog, you might have gotten the impression that I really like popcorn. And I do. I really, really like popcorn. And I love that it's getting easier and easier to find organic popcorn so I don't always have to search so hard to get my popcorn fix! 

Popcorn is a filling, low calorie with a little kick of protein. So I think it's a great snack for Meatless Monday - or any day for that matter.

So I've recently discovered how awesome smoked paprika is. It makes things taste like barbeque and bacon, but without the bacon. After a failed attempt at Mexican Chocolate Chili Popcorn last week, I figured why not try barbeque popcorn? I did, and let me tell you, it's awesome. Like barbeque chips, without the deep fry and white potato. 

Vegan, Gluten Free Applesauce Sweet & Sour Lentils #MeatlessMonday

Free of gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, and soy

Who doesn't love sweet and sour sauce? But unfortunately, it's usually made with a whole lot of sugar and ketchup.

But not this one. No ketchup here. The sweetness comes mostly from unsweetened applesauce, and just a tiny little bit of organic sugar. However, you could also use stevia or maple syrup instead (or, for a non-vegan dish, honey).

This dish is also almost obscenely cheap, healthy, tasty, and easy to make. And I love that it's naturally gluten free, doesn't require any expensive specialty items, and makes a great freezer meal. 

Best Gluten Free Multiseed Multigrain Sandwich Bread (GF Breadmaker Bread)

Free of gluten, nuts, soy

My mom used to always make bread by hand. As a kid there was nothing better than waking up in the morning to the smell of fresh baked brown molasses bread, and slicing up a piece of still-warm bread and slathering it with homemade jam. Like me, mom tends to be a bit of an insomniac and while I get up and write in the middle of the night, my mom usually bakes! 

Although I learned to knead bread at a young age, when I had to go gluten free I thought I would have to give up the lovely thick slabs of bread I had gotten used to. 5 years ago a lot of GF breads were small, flat, gummy, or cardboard like. 

Then my mom kindly bought me a breadmaker! Personally I find that the best gluten free loaves of bread are those made in a breadmaker. Nowadays I don't often pull my breadmaker off the shelf. The reason for that is when I do, I end up gobbling up a whole bunch of this bread at once! It's definitely the very best GF bread I've ever made.

Vegan, Gluten-Free Sprouted Chickpea and Sweet Potato Burger Patties / Falafel for Meatless Monday

Free of gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, nuts, with corn-free option

A while back I accidentally sprouted a big batch of chickpeas. I had soaked a big bunch of garbanzo beans / chickpeas overnight with the intention of cooking them and freezing them. Well you know what they say about the best laid plans o'mice and men. Those peas sat on my counter for a couple of days. 

Some of them ended up in my GF, Vegan Sprouted Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry Soup, and some of them (along with some surplice sweet potatoes) ended up as an allergy-free vegan falafel / salad / burger patties. It was a happy meeting that I intend to repeat over and over. 

Vegan, Gluten-Free Osterkranz (German Easter Bread) & Natural, Homemade Egg Dyes

Free of gluten, nuts, eggs, dairy, soy, corn

Phew! I figured out how to do this just in time for Easter, and it only took two tries!  Osterkranz is a traditional German bread made for Easter. It literally means Easter wreath and, as you can see, the bread is braided and shaped into a wreath.

With some fiddling after checking out several different glutinous Osterkranz recipes I think I can confidently say that this is a pretty good gluten free substitute. And it's actually really easy to make, and the vegan version (this one, and my 2nd try) isn't really any different than the normal one with eggs and butter (my first version).

So here it is, my easy, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, most other allergies-free German Easter bread! The only time consuming part of it is waiting for it to rise :)

Cheap and Easy Gluten Free, Vegan Lentil and Vegetable Dinner (for #Meatless Monday)

Schlapped lentils and vegetable dinner
Free of gluten, wheat, eggs, soy, nuts, dairy, and soy

 

Cooked lentils are not particularly photogenic. Nor do they look gourmet when there is a big, brownish lump of them shlapped down on a plate. No, that's not a typo. "Shlap" is the type of noise that a thick mass of brown lentils makes when it if forcibly shlapped off a wooden spoon onto a plate.

But these lumpy little things are crazy cheap, pack a healthy punch and are quite versatile. They've been used around the world for millenia as a super cheap source of protein (30% of their calories come from protein), as well as iron, dietary fibre, vitamin B1 and folate. As a patriotic Canadian, I also find it really cool that Canada, by far, is the world's largest producer and exporter of lentils. [1] Go Saskatchewan!

Despite their appearance, lentils can also be remarkably tasty. My husband, who can be kind of picky, really likes this lentils and veggie dinner (and not just because it only requires one dish to clean up in the end). Not only that, but this simple cooked lentil and veggie dish costs less than $2 to make 4-6 servings of, and with a $2 bag of lentils you can get 2-3 batches of it.

Vegan Mung Bean and Turmeric Curry (Anti-Inflammatory) & Meatless Monday

Free of gluten, dairy, shellfish, eggs, nuts, soy, and corn

Ever wonder what those little green beans in the Asian section at the supermarket are? Mung beans. Little green balls of anti-inflammatory, cooling goodness. Or so says traditional healing from the east.

This mung bean and turmeric curry is like an uber anti-inflammatory stew. And it's great on a few levels because it's healthy, super cheap, easy, made in one pot (easy clean up), and vegan, so it's perfect for Meatless Monday. Also, the curry flavour is super mild in this, so it's not hot or spicy, and is a great intro to curry for those who are hesitant to try it for the first time.