Current (Food-Related) Obsessions

On my quest to kick the dirty gluten habit, I've decided to post on my current food obsessions.  I hope this gives you some new culinary ideas (and in turn, your validation of my sustenance will keep me on track!)

337 Wine

Okay, okay, my first food pick is technically a drink, but this is my current foodie obsession.  I randomly picked it up from a display in the liquor store, and I was intrigued by the "mocha" flavors in the description.  I love chocolate, so why not try it?  For $12 a bottle, this wine is delicious!  I am hardly a wine connoisseur, and I truly wish I could tell you all about the flavors so I could more persuasively convince you to purchase it.  But, it's definitely smooth, flavorful, and according to the woman who owns the liquor store, the grapes used for the California wine come from France.  Sounds pretty fancy to me!

Laurel Hill Foods Chocolate Mountain Mix

A mix of raisins, cashews, almonds, chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds (or pepitas), this is my latest decadent indulgent treat.  It's from a local farm in Massachusetts, so I feel even better for purchasing it.  And yes, I know the chocolate chips have traces of soy lecithin, but it's still totally worth it.  It's a great way to get some nuts and seeds in my diet.

Eggplant

For the past couple weeks, eggplant is all I've wanted to eat at dinner.  Quick and easy way to make it -- preheat oven to 350 degrees, slice eggplant thinly, put it in a pyrex, drizzle it with some EVOO, sprinkle with some sea salt and black pepper if you wish, bake for 25 - 30 minutes, and pronto -- you've got a flavorful and scrumptious veggie side dish.

Meatballs

I am on the current quest of finding the best way to perfect meatballs sans gluten.  Here's what I've come up with so far:

Preheat oven at 350 degrees

1 1/2 lb ground beef (usually 85 percent lean; grass fed is best)

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (add a bit more if you want it spicy!)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

3 cloves garlic; finely chopped (or use a garlic press)

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

2 eggs

1 tablespoon ground mustard

2 tablespoons almond meal

Mix together in large mixing bowl.  Make small meatballs (1-1 1/2 inch diameter or so) and place on cookie sheet.  Bake for 25 minutes; flip meatballs once.

For sauce:

1 can tomato sauce (organic preferred)

1/2 can tomato paste

1/3 cup sweet onions; finely chopped

4 garlic cloves; finely chopped

2 tablespoons EVOO

1 tablespoon oregano

1 1/2 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1/2 tablespoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Heat olive oil on stove top in sauce pan.  Add onions; saute for 3 minutes.  Add garlic; saute two minutes.  Add sauce, paste, oregano, Italian seasoning, parsley, and sea salt (all to taste).  Mix until thoroughly heated; about 10 minutes.  Add fresh basil at end.  I clearly like a lot of seasoning in my sauce -- feel free to modify to your individual palate preference!

Haddock

My husband made haddock for dinner the other night, and I actually liked it!  He covered 1 pound of fish with the juice from 1/2 lemon, sprinkled it generously with paprika and fresh thyme (chopped), and topped off the haddock with a dash of sea salt and pepper.  He baked it at 425 degrees for about 15 minutes.  And I happily ate it.  

And I can't really add this to my list since I haven't tried them yet, but I'm really intrigued by Kind Bars.  If you've eaten them, let me know!  I think I may buy a few to try -- I'll pass the word along if I think they're tasty!

What are your current food (or drink) obsessions?

Quick and Easy Dinner

I had part of a sweet onion and some hamburg in the fridge.  Clearly, cooking that hamburg on the stovetop seemed like the natural (and lazy) thing to do.  I scanned my kitchen to see what else I had and came up with the following:

1 pound hamburg (grass fed if you can)
1/2 cup sweet onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Put 1 tablespoon EVOO in a saute pan over medium meat.  Add onions -- cook for four minute, or until it begins to brown.  Add garlic.  Mix ground mustard, salt, and pepper in a bowl.  Add to saute pan.  Steam some brussel sprouts on the side.  Add a pat of butter to brussel sprouts.

Voila!  Dinner served.

I added some organic ketchup to mine.  I think it needed a little extra something, but I haven't been able to figure out what.  Perhaps more garlic, or some red pepper flakes.  Regardless, it was a sweet and simple meal.  Hardly glamorous, but easy in a pinch!