Simple Soaked Brown Rice

Happy New Year!

I'm sure everybody is making their resolutions. Isn't eating healthier always high on the list?

This year I'm exploring a few new techniques to improve my cooking and my health. First up is soaking grains. Many old cooking techniques have largely been forgotten in our modern age. Sure, we've been drilled with the idea that brown rice is healthier than white rice. But did you know that the phytic acid in brown rice can actually impair the absorption of minerals and nutrients?

But don't fear, my dear foodies...

By soaking brown rice with a little raw apple cider vinegar overnight, you can reduce the phytic acid and render the rice more digestible. It also makes the rice super fluffy and tasty (in my humble opinion). Instead of vinegar, some people use whey to soak grains, but I prefer to keep dairy products out of my diet most of the time.

Raw apple cider vinegar is one of my best friends in the kitchen. I love that it's fermented and contains probiotics and good enzymes. I use it to make bone broth (more on that later) and in salad dressings. Basically anything I can.

The only trick to soaking rice is a little extra preparation. Just throw it in before you go to dinner the night before. I love cooking up brown rice for dinner and then keeping the leftovers in my fridge to make dishes like this Raisin-Walnut Spiced Rice the next day (this recipe was featured by Meatless Monday on their website). I love it for breakfast or any meal of the day.

Simple Soaked Brown Rice
Serves 4-6 people
Vegan; gluten-free

Ingredients
1 cup brown rice
1 teaspoon raw, unpastuerized apple cider vinegar
2 cups water for soaking (ideally filtered)

for cooking:
pinch of salt (optional)
1 3/4 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions
1. Put the ingredients in a ceramic bowl and mix together well.

2. Place in a warm area of the kitchen and let soak overnight (about 8 to 10 hours).

3. Once the soaking is finished, drain the rice in a fine mesh sieve and rinse with water. Place in a saucepan with the 1 3/4 cups water, olive oil, and a pinch of salt (if desired).

4. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low and let simmer for about 30 to 45 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed the liquid and reached the desired consistency. Let it rest for five minutes and then fluff with a fork. Enjoy!

Summer Peach Crisp (Gluten Free)

I'm back from steamy Chicago (where I caught Pearl Jam at Wrigley... a crazy yet epic night)!

Summer is in full swing, if the soaring temperatures are any indication. Peaches—favorite summertime fruit—are filling up the farmers market stands. Having recently gone fully gluten free, I decided to bake up a peach crisp without regular flour. The results were just as delicious—tart, rich, crispy, and accompanied by creamy vanilla ice cream. For a quick short cut to peeling peaches, I recommend blanching them first. This loosens the skins and makes them a cinch to peel.

This easy dessert is perfect for summertime.

Enjoy!

Summer Peach Crisp (Gluten Free)
Serves 4-6 people
Baking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
8 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
3/4 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter

Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place the peaches in a greased 8-in square baking dish.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, mix the butter into the flour mixture until it forms pea-sized crumbles. Sprinkle the mixture in an even layer over the top of the peaches.

4. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes, until the peaches are bubbling and the top is browned. Some gluten-free flours won't brown as much as regular flours. Serve with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Product Reviews: EVOL Gluten-Free Burritos & Essentia Water

As a food blogger, I get offered lots of products to sample. I'm picky though. I only accept products that fit the mission of this blog—and I only write about the ones that I love. So today, I thought I'd break from my normal recipe posting to let you know about two of my recent favorites.

EVOL BURRITOS & BOWLS

First up, a company called EVOL sent me a variety of their frozen Gluten-Free bowls and burritos to sample. Unlike many frozen products, these bowls and burritos fit within my eating parameters. Real ingredients that I can pronounce, dairy-free in many cases, gluten-free, natural products, compostable packaging. Oh, and they were really taste. I loved that the Chicken Burrito came with a hefty packet of guacamole. These were quick to heat up and tasty in a pinch.

But even more than the burritos, I loved the bowls. My favorite flavors were the Bean & Cheddar Enchilada Bake, Fire Grilled Steak, and best of all, the Chicken Enchilada Bake. All these bowls are high in protein and fiber, and importantly, gluten-free. They carry EVOL products at Whole Foods Market, Costco, Kroger, Safeway, and Publix, among other retailers.

For more information on EVOL:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/evolfoods
Twitter: www.twitter.com/EVOLfoods

ESSENTIA WATER

The other product that I've tried recently and loved is Essentia Water. While there are many bottled water products available, the difference with this water is the pH. This water has a pH of 9.5.

Essentia is different from other high pH brands and the enhanced waters that simply add minerals to their water. Essentia removes acidic ions and increases the alkaline earth minerals resulting in an optimal higher pH of 9.5 and therefore faster hydration. Drinking Essentia can neutralize the body’s acidic condition and restores it to a more balanced state. High acidity can result in loss bone density, muscle and strength and can impact critical organs like the kidneys. 

My mother first got me interested in alkaline water when she added special filters to her house, but since I live in a rental property, that wasn't really an option for me. So that's why I jumped at the chance to sample this water. I'll be drinking it regularly from now on.

More more information:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/EssentiaWater   
Twitter: www.twitter.com/essentiapHwater

Blueberry Coconut Breakfast Quinoa (Gluten Free)

As my adventures in gluten-free eating continue, I was craving an oatmeal-esque breakfast.

I'd heard of quinoa being used as a gluten-free breakfast hot cereal, so I decided to give it a shot. Quinoa is packed with protein and has a great, nutty flavor. I cooked mine with rice milk (though you could use regular milk or even water). In the last five minutes of cooking, I stirred in dried blueberries and cinnamon. I served it with chopped walnuts, toasted coconut, and maple syrup. 

However, you could try many different variations. The resulting dish was delicious and super filling. A nice change of pace from the usual breakfast suspects.

Blueberry Coconut Breakfast Quinoa

Serves 2 people

Cooking time: about 20 minutes

Gluten-free; vegan

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, rinsed

2 cups water or rice milk

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup dried blueberries 

1 tablespoon toasted coconut

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

maple syrup for serving

Directions

1. In a saucepan, bring water or rice milke to a boil. Stir in the quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until three quarters of the liquid has been absorbed (about 15 minutes). 

2. Stir in the dried blueberries and cinnamon. Cook for another five minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. 

3. Spoon into two bowls and top with chopped walnuts, toasted coconut, and maple syrup. Enjoy!

Coconut Macaroons (Gluten Free)

My adventures in gluten free eating continue.

I'm fresh off a trip to Vegas, where I stayed at the Encore (part of the Wynn) and also the most gluten-free friendly place I've ever been. They had gluten-free menus at every single restaurant in both hotels. That removed a lot of the stress of traveling. I also had a fabulous meal at Cut Las Vegas. The wait staff and chef were also super-accommodating to my dietary restrictions.

One reader wrote in to ask if I'd noticed any health benefits from my strict gluten-free eating. And

the short answer is—yes! My gums and skin are much healthier. It's been almost three months, and just this week I feel like I'm turning a corner. My sinuses are finally clearing up. In full disclosure, I've been eating mostly dairy-free also (a little cheese here and there). I've also been working with a holistic allergist to rebalance my system. My first treatment was two weeks ago.

I've read that gluten antibodies can stay in your system for three to four months (that's so crazy!), and gluten is now in about eighty percent of food. Even so, it's never been easier to be gluten-free with so many products now available. However, it's still important to read labels (gluten-free does not mean it's healthy). But I'm still on some medications and not 100%. I plan to visit my allergist again in a week or two for another treatment and to continue to work to improve my health.

Before I left for Vegas, I baked a batch of my mother's Coconut Macaroons. Not only was it Passover, but I knew that making them gluten-free was an exceptionally easy modification that wouldn't alter the taste. They only require two teaspoons of flour per a huge batch. I'd also been wanting to play around with King Arthur's gluten free products. I used their Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. They're also dairy-free (and I usually try to avoid dairy when possible).

Mostly these addictive little nuggets are made with coconut, organic sugar, and organic egg whites. They can be served with dark chocolate for dipping and/or fresh berries. Thanks to my mother for the recipe! Everybody loved them!

Coconut Macaroons

makes about thirty macaroons
baking time: about 15 min. per batch
gluten-free; dairy-free

Ingredients
4 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons gluten-free flour
14 ounces shredded coconut

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add egg whites to a stand mixer, or whisk by hand, until they have soft peaks. Then add the sugar and flour, mixing into the egg whites, followed by the coconut.

2. On a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, spoon one tablespoon mounds of the mixture. Bake them for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until nicely toasted. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don't burn on the bottoms. Using a spatula, transfer to a rack or plate to cool.

3. Serve with dark chocolate dipping sauce and/or fresh berries and whipped cream. Enjoy!

Sausage, Zucchini & Bell Pepper Pasta (Gluten-Free)

Happy Monday!

The gluten-free journey continues, and so far I feel much healthier. Though I'd been pretty strictly gluten-free when I started this blog, I'd fallen off the wagon, and consequently, my health suffered. BIG TIME. So I'm back to to it and no more shortcuts this time—I've seen the light!

I'm sure you've heard the news about the Mediterranean diet's health benefits and how it could ward off thirty percent of heart attacks and strokes, so I thought I'd share a gluten-free pasta recipe. In today's world there are so many great options for gluten-free folks, including lots of pasta choices. For this recipe, I used an organic brown rice rotini from Trader Joe's.

This yummy recipe is simple to make and super yummy with no gluten or dairy (cheese). I saute chicken sausage (organic Italian variety from Applegate that's gluten-free) with zucchini and orange bell pepper. I toss the sausage-vegetable mixture with the cooked pasta and top with just a little chopped parsley (basil would be great, too). The resulting dish is healthier than many traditional pasta recipes, but just as satisfying. I might even make it for dinner again tonight.

Sausage, Zucchini & Bell Pepper Pasta (Gluten-Free)

Serves 4 people
Cooking time: about 25 minutes
Gluten-free; dairy-free

Ingredients

1 package gluten-free pasta (such as the organic brown rice rotini from Trader Joe's)
1 package Italian sausage (Applegate makes a good gluten-free variety)
1 orange, yellow, or red bell pepper (seeded and chopped)
2 cups zucchini, chopped
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped plus more for garnishing
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Bowl water for the pasta and cook according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and reduce heat to medium. Saute for one minute. Add the zucchini and bell pepper and cook until beginning to soften (about five minutes). Add the sausage and cook for two minutes, until heated through (the sausage should come precooked, but if not then make sure to cook first). Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

3. Toss the sausage-vegetable mixture with the pasta, adding a little pasta water and/or olive oil if needed to keep moist. Garnish with chopped parsley. Enjoy!

My Bookshelf: "Wheat Belly" by William Davis, MD

Let me start by saying that I have tons of great recipes to write up, already cooked, already photographed. Let me continue by saying that I'm crunched for time right now.

It's a high class problem.

My agents LOVE my new book. That's super duper awesome. It means that my novel will be going on submission to publishers (it's young adult science fiction in case you're curious). I'm very proud of the book and hope it will find a great home. It's also responsible for my time crunch. My agents gave me a set of notes, so I'm working hard to turn around revisions in a timely manner. 

Adding to the pile, we've just attached a director to my romantic comedy script. So right after the book, I'll be rolling right into revisions on that project.

Like I said—a high class problem.

You can read more about my fiction and TV/film endeavors on my author website here.

I promise to get back to posting recipes on a regular schedule soon (and I have hundreds of recipes in my archives). In the meantime, I thought I'd share this book that's rocking my world—WHEAT BELLY by William Davis, MD. I suspect that I harbor a wheat intolerance (and that's the reason why this blog is largely gluten-free, with some exceptions that can easily be adapted). 

But recently, I'd allowed wheat (mostly in it's whole grain form) to creep back into my diet. It happened slowly and then suddenly, and I've found myself with health problems that I used to experience back in my wheat-eating days (sinus issues, fatigue, insomnia, etc.). Now I can't say definitively that they're caused by wheat, but I'm going back on a strict gluten-free regimen to see if it helps. 

While pursuing that, I came across this bestelling book and picked it up. The author makes the argument that the genetically-altered strain of wheat that we call "modern" wheat has crept into almost every aspect of the American diet and causes a litany of health problems, most notably the obesity he calls "wheat belly." Of course, I've known this for years, but he puts the pieces together with a well-researched history of wheat. I also learned that whole wheat bread is just as high on the glycemic index as white bread, and even HIGHER than sugar. Uh, what?!

Of course, there's a lot of nuance to the argument, but the proof is in the pudding. The author is a cardiologist who notes that when his patients go on a wheat-free diet, they lose weight, their blood pressure and blood sugar go back to normal levels, and they can get off their medications.

He also has a blog that many people like—Wheat Belly Blog.

I'll report back on my GF experiment. 

And here's the link to the book if you'd like to purchase it from Amazon.