Recipe 35: Sauteed Kale with Turkey Meatballs (BABY FOOD option included)

Sauteed Kale with Turkey Meatballs (BABY FOOD option included)
IMAGES WILL BE UPDATED SOON!

Saute Blend:
2 cups of kale
1- 10oz container of mushrooms
1/2 medium onion, sliced into thin pieces
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbs minced garlic
1 tbs water
olive oil (for cooking kale and onion/mushrooms)

Saute the onion and peppers in enough olive oil to coat pan... until it starts to carmelize, add in the kale, 1 tbs minced garlic and salt. Saute on medium, then add 1 tbs water so kale does not burn and steams a little. Continue to stir for 3-5 more minutes, until kale becomes soft.

Turkey Meatballs:
1 lb ground turkey (not turkey breast- too dry for this recipe)
2 TBS minced garlic
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp basil (dried minced)
2 FLAX "eggs" (2 flax gel eggs= 2 Tbs ground flax and 6 Tbs water) I used flax gel
1/2 cup of GF breadcrumbs (I used Gillian's)

PreHeat oven to 350
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl.
Create 1 inch balls and space about 1.5" apart on a lined baking sheet.
Cook until golden (about 25 minutes)

Serve meatballs sprinkled with parmesan on top of the kale saute.


You can blend a desired portion into baby food. My son Henri loved it!!

Naturally,
Raych

Recipe 34: Gluten Free Chocolate Banana-Nut Bread

Paying homage to my friend Chrissy- a HUGE Monkees fan (specifically Davy Jones, who passed away this past week) I had decided to make to GF Banana Nut Bread... because as Chrissy said, while she may not know what Davy's favorite foods are, "everyone knows 'Monkeys' like bananas".
And, while Davy may or may not have enjoyed bananas... I sure as heck enjoy chocolate... so I added some in. By some, I mean a lot.

While my post itself isn't long this time around... trust me... the bread speaks volumes. YUMMM!

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

GF, CoF, SF

(DF: if you avoid the chocolate chips or use Carob or Enjoy Life brand...

NF: You could also forego nuts if needed)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup tapioca starch

1 1/2 Cup Brown Rice flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

2 cups mashed ripe bananas (4-5 medium)

1 cup sugar

2 TBS Cocoa

1/2 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

½ cup white chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli)

Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Combine wet ingredients
Sift in dry ingredients (flours)
Add in nuts and chocolate chips last. (I sprinkled some buts on top too)
Coat a large loaf pan (or two small loaf pans)
Bake for 40-50 minutes. I did one large pan and it overflowed... so it may have taken be longer.


This makes a LARGE loaf. Be forewarned. If the dough exceeds 3/4 up the pan.. use two pans or do two batches... Mine overflowed as it rose. It WAS still absolutely delicious.

This recipe was a hit... and gone well before it hit the 24 hr mark on my counter.

Enjoy!

Naturally,

Raych

Recipe 33: Apple/Pear/Kale Baby Food

Because the mini-kiddo needs to eat too; AND, because I like to use the superfood that is kale... I made the following recipe. The fruit hides the blander (to a baby) taste of the kale.

Enjoy!

Apple/Pear/Kale Baby Food

GF, DF/CF, NF, SF, EF, CoF (BUT NOT MISSING TASTE!)

Ingredients:

Medium sauce pan of chopped kale

3 anjou pears

3 cortland apples

Instructions:
To cook the kale... boil in water until soft. Reserve the water.Peal and cut the apples and pears into cubes
Boil in "kale water" on stove until soft. Drain.


I use the same water because I have myself convinced that I'm boiling off some of the nutritional value of the kale and by ising the same water I might be able to reserve some of that. It may be silly... but it conserves water too... so there.

Let me know your thoughts!!

Naturally,

Raych

Recipe 32: Millet-Turkey Meatloaf

A goal renewed. While I have not been posting on here very much in the last month- I have been keeping track of all of the recipes that I have been creating for my family. I have decided to stick with the goal of creating natural delicious recipes for the family... but the recipes might be posted later. In all, I hope to have 366 recipes by January 1st 2013. What you'll find below is recipe 32. It is actually what we had for dinner last night, so I thought it appropriate to post today :)


Every time that I have made gluten free meatloaf in the past it has come out dry. If you don't add breadcrumbs... you can a giant "burger" tasting result. If you add gluten free breadcrumbs (ie. Gillian's) you get a dry "lifeless" meatloaf. I searched through my cabinet to find somethign that might help retain moisture in the meatloaf without detracting from the flavor, perhaps eve genhancing it more that simple breadcrumbs. My final thought- millet. You can find it in most major grocery stores- I found mine in the kosher section. It is a naturally gluten free food and very easy to prepare!

Millet-Turkey Loaf

GF, DF, CoF, NF (Contains eggs and soy)

Ingredients:

¾ Cup Hulled Millet

1 TBS olive oil

1 lb ground turkey breast

½  (minced) medium onion
1 tsp soy sauce
2 TBS ketchup (+ extra for top if desired)
2 TBS garlic
1 tsp basil
1 egg

Instructions:
A really simple recipe to make... preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the millet according to package intructions (toasted in olive oil, then add water and boil covered until soft... adding extra water as needed). Combine all ingredients, with the cooked millet in a bowl. Press into an olive oil coated baking dish (I used corningware). You can add additional ketchup on top for a little extra flavor as well... I ALWAYS do. Cook for about 40 minutes or until cooked through but not tough.

The family approved... and very importantly, I didn't feel like I was missing out. IT WAS MOIST AND DELICIOUS. Two 3-year-old thumbs up as well! I served it with kale chips... which you'll see my recipe for later... and homemade hummus... also coming later.

Naturallly,
Raych

Day's 32-42: Blog... what blog...?

This past week has been a little rough in the Riendeau household... While I can assure you that I was keeping up on my promise to create healthy family recipes (all of which I will share as "extras" in my next few entries), I was completely and totally unable to get on my blog. Not only have I had three ridiculously crazy migraines, but my hubby went off to work in Indiana for the last week. Par Dela has gained about nine more official stores, though there are quite possibly more, and our intern started last night. Did I mention that my little man had his first two teeth pop out this week... at the same time? Yeah, that's fun. Long story short- I've been busy.

Now that things have resumed to normal, the plan is to attempt a croissant/puff pastry type recipe this weekend. I had mentioned my want for GF croissants to a few people over the past month, saying that I would attempt a recipe... but then I received another email from a customer, Grace. Her email has inspired me to spend the week deciding what might work best in the recipe, then attempting to actually make it tomorrow. I'll be posting on here how it comes out.

So for now, I'll bid you all adeiu and good night... but expect that I am back and ready to cook it all up for you!

Naturally,

Raych

Day 31: Blueberry Glazed Pork Loin

I know... it sounds like a bizarre combination of flavors tonight. I had blueberries in the refrigerator that I needed to create some recipe out of. I knew I would need berries for Henri's baby food (in my day 30 recipe), but what to do with the leftovers? I looked up savory berry recipes and found one that used pork chops... raspberries... and wine... all of which I could substitute for. While it would provide for a different flavor, it gave me a jumping off point.

What I ended up with is below...

Blueberry Glazed Pork Loin

GF, CF/DF, CoF, SF, NF, EF

Ingredients:

1 small pork loin (about 1- 1.5 lbs)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 cups blueberries,

2/3 cup chopped (about ½ of a medium size) onion,

¼ C Apple Juice

2 tablespoons agave,

1 TBS balsamic vinegar and

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tsp thyme

Instructions:

Sprinkle the pork loin with a little garlic powder

Sear the pork loin in a sauté pan with olive oil then transfer to a baking dish

Bake at 350 until cooked thoroughly

Combine blueberries, chopped onion, apple juice, agave, balsamic vinegar, pepper and thyme in a blender or food processor.

Cook over medium heat until liquid reduces by about 1/3. This takes about 10 minutes.

Serve the pork sliced with a little bit of berry mixture on it. Delicious!

We had roasted red potatoes and green beans with this meal as well.
Let me know your thoughts!

Naturally,

Raych

Day 30: Pear-Blueberry Baby Food

Pear-Blueberry Baby Food

6 D’Anjou Pears, peeled and chopped

1 TBS Fresh lemon Juice

1 C Blueberries (fresh)

1/3 cup water         

½ C Baby Rice Cereal

Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan.

Cook on medium heat, stirring often.

Once all fruit it burst and soft, transfer it to a food processor and blend to desired consistency.