Potato Frittata

This is an excellent way to use leftover roasted potatoes, and to get away from what I usually do, which is just to reheat them and scramble a few eggs to make it a meal. This is much more elegant-looking, and much more delicious.  I will warn you that this might take a long time to cook, so don't make this if you're already hungry!
 
Roasted Potato Frittata

Leftover potatoes of any kind (I used leftover potatoes I had roasted with garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and black pepper)

4 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup soy milk

1 tomato, cut into thin slices

Mixed herbs (dried thyme, oregano, basil, and sage) Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Arrange the leftover potatoes into the bottom of a small casserole dish. Beat the eggs with the soy milk and mixed herbs, and then pour over the potatoes. Press down on the potatoes with a small spatula to make sure that the eggs have been disbursed evenly throughout. Place the tomato slices on top and sprinkle some mixed herbs, salt, and pepper over the top. Bake the fritatta in the preheated oven for 35 – 55 minutes, until it is set and the crust has slightly browned. Cool slightly before serving.

Chicken with Roasted Coriander in a Coconut Curry Sauce

This is one of my favorite Indian dishes ever. I first found the recipe in an Indian cookbook I got for my birthday over five years ago, and since then, I have made it dozens and dozens of times, hardly even needing the recipe anymore. It’s a curry that everyone seems to love, as it is not to spicy yet bursts with flavor. The coconut milk in the sauce gives a slightly creamy texture without overpowering the dish. The list of spices may appear daunting, but I promise – this dish is very easy to throw together if you have everything on hand. If you don’t have coriander seeds or peppercorns, just use the ground version of the spices and it will still taste great.

Chicken with Roasted Coriander in a Coconut Curry Sauce

3 tbsp coriander seeds

¼ tsp fenugreek seeds

2 tsp black peppercorns

6 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp black mustard seeds

5 cm or 2 inches cinnamon stick

1 kg, or 2.2 lbs chicken

2 onions, peeled and cut in fine rings so that there are slivers and not chunks of onion

4-5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp peeled, finely grated fresh ginger

1 large tomato, finely chopped

½ tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 ½ tsp salt

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 400-gram can of coconut milk

2 fresh, hot green chilies, cut into halves

Roast the coriander, fenugreek, and peppercorns until lightly browned, then cool and grind finely. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a pan until it is moderately hot, then add the black mustard seeds, stir once, then add the cinnamon stick. Add the chicken in small, bite-sized pieces to the pan and stir until all pieces are coated with oil, and then continue to cook until the chicken is browned. Add the slivered onions and garlic and continue to cook over medium heat until the onions are almost translucent. Add the tomatoes and ginger and cook until the tomatoes are soft, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl, combine the turmeric, cayenne pepper, and salt with the mixture of roasted spices and add it all to the pot, stirring to coat evenly. Remove the thick cream at the top of the can of coconut milk to a small bowl and set aside. Add the remaining coconut milk plus one can of water, and stir to mix. Add the lemon juice and chilies and stir. Simmer with the lid mostly covering the pot (with a little space for steam to escape) for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the halves of the green chilies. Turn off the heat, and then add the thick coconut cream removed from the can, stirring to mix evenly.

Serve with rice or Indian bread.

Jerusalem Toffees (Baked Dates)

Yeah, I know this isn't really a recipe. Or, it's a recipe contained in the title itself. These aren't doctored in any way, or spiced, or anything like that. They are just an attempt at an imitation of a treat I found here at a health food store in Mbabane. The treats were called Jerusalem Toffees, and they were essentially just baked dates that were cut into thirds, and which are completely delicious and chewy, and not as sweet as the raw dried dates. I found them to be delightful and downed the bag within a few days. Unfortunately, I had bought the last bag they had in stock, so I decided to buy the regular dried dates from them and bake them myself. I lined them up in a little baking dish and stuck them in the oven at a low temperature (about 225 F) for about 45 minutes, but you can leave them in for as long as you want - mine turned out to be a little crispy when they cooled, which I like, but if you want yours softer, I'd take them out after 30 minutes or so. They smell heavenly while they are baking, and the people in the guest house actually thought I was baking a cake. These are a great snack to bring with you if you're on the go, but they would also be delicious if you ate them for dessert while they are still warm with some vanilla ice cream. So even though it's not a recipe, and more of an idea, I hope you'll try baking some of your own.

Baked Dates

Preheat oven to 225F. Arrange dried whole dates in a baking dish and place in the oven for 30 - 45 minutes, or until the outside of the dates becomes slightly hard. If you'd like them to be a little chewier, increase the temperature to 275 F for the last 5 - 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and remove to a plate to cool. Eat warm from the oven or cool and store in an airtight container for a snack.

Jugo Beans, or African Groundnuts

As I was walking down the street in Mbabane the other day, I passed a woman sitting by a huge bin of brown beady looking things. At first Ithought they might be roasted peanuts, but upon closer inspection, I saw that they were some sort of bean. I bought a bag and munched on them for the rest of the day, savoring their salty yet slightly sweet flavor. As I snacked on them, I held them up to my Swazi colleagues and asked what they were called. They looked amused that I was eating them and said, "Oh! It's tidlubu," but no one I asked could remember the English name for them. Finally Nokuthula remembered that they are called jugo beans English, which still didn't really help me much, as I had never heard of them before. They are also known as African groundnuts or bambara groundnuts. Either way, I was hooked, and the next time I was at the market, I found a bag of uncooked beans to try my own hand at it. They are so simple to make, yet they turn out to have such a powerful natural flavor that you don't need to add anything but salt, and that's even a matter of taste. They end up looking almost like candies when you turn them out on to the plate, sticking together like caramel would, but their flavor is a deep savory one that has just a hint of sweetness to it that is complemented perfectly by the tinge of salt. These are popular in many parts of Africa and are powerhouses of protein. I have never seen these in the U.S., but who knows? Maybe someone knows a place to find them. I just wanted to share with you all that if you have the chance to try them sometime, you should take it!

Boiled Bambara Groundnuts
2 cups jugo beans/African groundnuts/Bambara groundnuts
4- 8 cups water, more if needed
1 tbsp. salt

Wash the jugo beans and remove any defective ones. Place the beans in enough water to cover by several inches and bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 2 1/2 - 3 hours, adding water as necessary to cover. After about 2 hours have passed, and the water has turned to a soupy brown, add 1 tbsp. of salt and continue to boil until the water has almost entirely evaporated away. Drain excess water and place the jugo beans on a plate to cool. Add more salt as desired to your own taste. Eat plain as a snack, or add to rice for a pilaf, or roast in the oven, or add to your favorite tomato sauce for a delicious protein boost.

Ashook's Indian Sambele

This is a simple and tasty chutney to accompany a main dish, especially a curry. It could also be used to top off a filet of fish, or a seared chicken breast, or a lamb chop.....and the list goes on. For best results, let it sit overnight and then add the fresh cilantro before serving. Ashook made this to go with the most recent curry he made for us - a lamb and potato curry full of spice and heat and deliciously enveloping sauce. But you can use it for whatever you'd like, or even eat it plain with chips as a salsa. No matter what you eat it with, the flavors in this will shine through.

Ashook's Sambele
1 onion, chopped very fine
2 tomatoes, chopped very fine
2 - 3 small green chilies, de-seeded and chopped very fine
Olive oil to coat
vinegar to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 - 1 tsp. sugar (optional), to taste
2 - 3 stalks cilantro leaves, chopped very fine (half added just before serving for freshness)

Mix all ingredients together, stir well, and refrigerate overnight, covered. Remove from the refrigerator and stir. Add the other half of the fresh cilantro and stir. Serve immediately as an accompaniment to a variety of meals, including curries or meat and potatoes.

Ashook's Lamb Curry with Sambele

Mmm, my third evening of instruction in the school of curry turned out deliciously, as you can see. Ashook approached me yesterday and said, "Come, we will make a nice curry tonight." And we went to the Gables, one of the higher-end grocery stores here in Swaziland, and he picked out a package of lamb riblets and legs and a box of curry powder. I first had to talk him down from the "extra spicy" to the "hot" curry powder, and I am lucky that I looked at the side of the package of the first one he wanted to buy. It had "wheat cereal (gluten)" very clearly labeled on the side of it, and Ashook looked a little shocked when he saw it. We came back to the guest house and he immediately began assembling ingredients, telling Thomas to chop onions while he searched for oil, ordering potatoes peeled and the lamb chopped as he measured spices and dumped them into the pot. The thing I'm learning about curries is that that really just need time. It doesn't take too long to get everything into the pot that needs to be there, but you must give all of the ingredients time to simmer and blend with each other, to mingle, get to know each other, before you try to take them back out of the pot and onto a plate. So we added onions, chili powder and curry powder, lamb and potatoes, and curry leaves and cilantro and just put the lid on and waited. We waited for over an hour until the sauce had turned into just a thick enough, and lamb and potatoes were tender. So if you are a novice cook, don't worry - this recipe is simple enough. The main ingredient is patience.

Ashook's Lamb Curry

3 - 6 tbsp. oil (we used olive oil, but vegetable or palm oil work fine, too)
2 onions, cut into long slivers
2 tbsp. turmeric
2 tbsp. chili powder (more to taste)
3 - 5 tbsp. hot curry powder
4 cloves garlic
1 piece ginger
1 kg. chopped lamb riblets and leg pieces
3 - 4 cups of water, divided
4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 large tomato, diced small
2 stalks of curry leaves
5 - 8 stalks of cilantro/coriander leaves

Heat the pot and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the 2 sliced onions and stir, cooking for about 2 - 3 minutes. Stir in 2 heaping teaspoons of turmeric and continue to cook for about 3 minutes. Add 2 heaping tablespoons of chili powder and 3 - 5 heaping tablespoons of hot curry powder. Stir to mix well and continue to cook. Meanwhile, mash up 4 cloves of garlic and one piece of ginger into a paste, then add about 1/2 cup of water and stir to mix. Add the garlic - ginger mixture to the pot, and then stir in the chopped lamb. Add about 1.5 - 2 more cups of water, enough to cover the lamb, stir well, and add about 1 tablespoon of salt (more to taste later, if desired). Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium heat for about 15 - 20 minutes.

When it has simmered for about 20 minutes, add the quartered potatoes with another 1.5 - 2 cups of water. Stir in the diced tomato as well, and then bring back to a boil. When it is boiling, place the whole stalks of curry leaves and cilantro on top of the curry, but do not stir in. Replace the lid and let it simmer for another 45 minutes - 1 hour. Stir it every 10 minutes or so, and after about 45 minutes, check to see if the lamb is tender enough and the potatoes are done. Continue to simmer until it is the consistency you desire, and then serve with Ashook's Sambele and rice or bread.

Butternut Apple Bake

Squash is everywhere here in Swaziland. They eat it like mashed potatoes with melted butter and milk. They cut butternut squash into thick slices and drizzle it with butter and sugar and bake it for so long that it melts in your mouth and tastes like heaven on earth. They boil slices of sweet pumpkin for a snack. So when I found a 2 pound bag of butternut squash at the grocery store the other day for only about $1.50, I thought of the bag of apples I had sitting in my room at home and bought them, along with an onion. Later, I pulled these three ingredients out, chopped them up, drizzled some olive oil and spices over them, and left them to do their thing in the oven. I let them bake for about 55 minutes until they were very soft and the juice from the apples was bubbling on the bottom of the pan. You could serve this as a hot side dish, but what I recommend is to chill them overnight and then eat them cold the next day. I don't know what happened in that fridge, but something magical took place and they tasted amazing when I took my first bite this evening. I didn't even bother to warm them up after tasting them cold; I just spooned them into a bowl and ate, and it was wonderful and satisfying. I think that I will try this with a mixture of butternut squash, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes to go with the apples; you could really use any kind of squash or potato you have on hand and serve it as a potato/squash salad. Or you could heat it up and eat it with rice. It's versatile, so just make it work for what you have!


Butternut Apple Bake

1.5 lbs chopped butternut squash
3 small apples, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped into slices
2 - 3 tbsp. olive oil or gluten-free buttery spread
Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Oregano, and Basil sprinkled to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
2 - 3 tbsp. brown sugar

Chop the onion and arrange on the bottom of a glass baking dish. Chop the butternut squash into equal-sized pieces and chop the apples, and arrange over the onions. Drizzle the olive oil over the whole thing. Add the salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, sage, basil, and oregano to taste and stir to coat all of the pieces. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the mixture. Cover with foil and bake at 375 F for 45 minutes to 1 hour, testing for doneness. Add more seasoning or brown sugar according to your own taste. You can either serve immediately when it is hot or chill to serve as a cold side dish.

Ashook's Pea Curry

Yes, this is as amazing a set-up as it sounds. I love curries and Indian food, and I happen to have landed myself in a guest house where there is another long-term resident here from South Africa from an Indian family - you may remember Ashook of the "Ashook's Chicken Curry" post. He's taken it upon himself to make me a series of authentic curries while I am here at the guest house. I just got the hang of the chicken curry he made a few weeks ago, having made a big pot of it this last weekend, and tonight, he made a simple vegetable curry to share with me. I am coming to a realization that I may have been trying too hard with my attempts at Indian food in the past. Adding spice where not so much was needed for an authentic depth of flavor. While I love the recipes I've tried before, the ones that Ashook is showing me combine very basic flavors and he lets those flavors mingle in the pot for much longer than I am used to, creating a delicious - and refreshingly not overwhelming - end result. This one, for instance, uses only fresh chilis and salt as flavoring for the vegetables, and is (once again) one of the most delicious vegetable curries I've ever had. It is so deceivingly simple, yet so wonderfully tasty. I've been promised a lamb curry next weekend. So, as I learn more from Ashook's School of Curry, I promise to relay it all back to those of you who read this blog and love a good curry as much as I do.


Ashook's Pea Curry

4 - 6 tbsp. vegetable oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pot well
2 onions, cut into long slices
2 large tomatoes, chopped
4 - 6 fresh chilis, cut in half
2 cups frozen peas
Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a pot, and when it is very hot, add the onion slices. When they start to become translucent, add the tomato pieces, stirring over medium-high heat. Add the 4 - 6 chilis (sliced open), and simmer with the tomatoes and onions until the tomatoes are soft. Add the peas and stir the mixture well, and then cover and simmer. Add salt to taste and let the curry simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour until the sauce is very thick, and then serve with a cilantro garnish over rice.

Coconut Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars

Oh, I have missed baking dearly this last month I've been away. I decided to treat myself today and buy ingredients for just a simple recipe, so when I caught a ride in to work this morning, I took a little detour to the Superspar grocery store - the slightly nicer store in Mbabane. And the one that has at least a few gluten-free flour mixes. I had already bought a self-raising flour mix that I was waiting to use, and so I went down the baking aisle and grabbed a bag of coconut, a cheap bottle of vanilla flavoring, and after a careful search that yielded no discoveries of chocolate chips, headed over to the candy section to pick out a dark chocolate bar that I could chop up and use for these bars. These fabulous goodies were inspired by the cookie bars on the Gluten-Free Goddess' website. Karina, who blogs her wonderfully creative and always delicious adventures in the kitchen, came up with this very simple recipe for some knockout cookie bars using coconut, and I basically used the same recipe with a few substitutes for ingredients I could find here in Swaziland. Her recipe calls for chocolate chips; I used a whole chocolate bar. Hers calls for Spectrum shortening; I have roughly zero chance of finding that here and so substituted a baking margarine I found here. I didn't have finely granulated brown sugar, so I used raw. I love vanilla and added a little more than what was originally called for. And instead of Pamela's, I used the only flour mix I have available to me: Orgran Self-Raising Flour mix, free of all allergens. If I could have found any, I would have added some crushed pecans into the batter as well, but alas, only macadamia and cashew nuts showed themselves in the Superspar. As I marched into the kitchen with an armful of baking ingredients, Celiwe looked over at me and exclaimed, "Siphiwe is baking a cake!" with a big smile (Siphiwe is my Swazi name), and she and the other staff watched me with some interest as I started putting the ingredients together, stirring and measuring out the flour and brown sugar. Celiwe stepped in and started stirring the dough for me as I spooned in the flour bit by bit, and when she finished stirring it all in, she took a little taste and said, "Oh! That is nice. That is going to be a good cake, sisi (sister)." And she was right - they were some pretty awesome (and yes, very cake-like) cookie bars. All of the staff tried a piece and they agreed that it was "very nice," one of them even exclaiming, "Oh! If I could have this for Christmas, I would just be happy." So, consider these a treat worthy of any occasion; they're extremely easy to put together, ingredient-light, and everyone will love them.


Coconut Dark Chocolate Cookie Bars

1/2 cup baking margarine, vegetable oil, or Spectrum shortening (if you can find it!)
1 cup brown sugar, packed firmly
3 eggs
3 tsp vanilla
2 cups self-raising flour (your favorite brand, or your own blend of flours with salt and baking powder added in)
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1 whole dark chocolate bar, chopped into very small pieces OR 12 oz. bag of dark chocolate chips
1/2 - 3/4 cup finely chopped pecan pieces (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C. Allow the margarine to come to room temperature and beat, adding the brown sugar in to mix well. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix. Add the flour bit by bit, stirring carefully to mix it all in. Then add the coconut and add 3/4 of the chocolate and 3/4 of the pecans and stir to mix. The dough will be pretty thick at this point. Grease a 9 x 13 pan and press the dough into it, and then sprinkle the rest of the chocolate and pecans on top and press into the dough. Bake for about 20 -25 minutes, being careful not to overbake so it doesn't get too dry. I'd err on the side of removing from the oven after 20 minutes rather than waiting too long. Allow to cool and then either top with a dark chocolate ganache drizzle, or serve by itself - with hot tea or coffee is preferred!

"Living with Celiac Disease" Article

I realized that I didn't post a link to this article on my blog when it came out - how silly of me! This is an article from the St. Louis Beacon, a non-profit, entirely online newspaper that is connected with the local PBS station and NPR station. http://www.stlbeacon.org/health/living_with_celiac_disease Not only did they interview me for it, they also included one of the recipes from my blog! I hope you enjoy reading. Thanks to the lovely people at the St. Louis Beacon for the wonderful article!

Swazi Beet Chutney

I walked into the kitchen at the guest house tonight at about 8:30 to a flurry of activity, rather unusual for this hour of night when there are only three guests staying here tonight, only one of whom actually ate dinner at the guest house. As I watched, Antonio scooped up huge spoonfuls of something dark purple and ladled them into the large jars that Jose was holding up. Jose then carefully screwed on the lid, dipped the jar in a big pot of hot water to clean it off, wiped it dry, and then placed it upside down on the counter. At first I couldn't see what they were making and mistook it for jam, and my heart swelled for a moment until I realized that it was actually a giant vat of beet chutney. Still, though, I ran to get a pen and paper and copied down the recipe. I have grown rather fond of beets here. A traditional Swazi meal consists of rice or corn porridge (which has the consistency of stiff mashed potatoes), some sort of boiled chicken or beef stew with onions and carrots, potato salad, a squash of some kind, and a serving of beet chutney, which adds a nice sweetness to the ensemble. I didn't realize that I liked beets until I got here. Not that I disliked them, but I guess I've never been presented with so many opportunities to eat them until now. So here is the recipe that Antonio and Jose were using for their chutney, just in case anyone reading this is a fan of beets and would like to tap into the Swazi inside of them.

Swazi Beet Chutney

2 cups beetroot, grated
1 onion, grated
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup brown vinegar (white will also work)
2/3 "spoon" curry powder (I'd start with 1 tsp. and add more to taste)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tbsp. corn flour (cornstarch)

Place the grated beetroot and onions into a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the brown sugar and vinegar and bring to a boil again. Add the curry powder, salt, and cornstarch and stir well, allowing it to thicken. Spoon into prepared jars and seal.

Diana's Taco Soup

The last week I was living in my apartment in St. Louis with my lovely roommates, we decided to make a big pot of one of our favorite easy dinners to use up some of the food I had left: taco soup. Kyle got this recipe from his mother, Diana, and we've made it many times since then because it is so easy to put together, and so delicious. I altered a few things - I added twice the taco seasoning originally called for because I omitted the dry ranch mix - but it turned out wonderfully. It will be ready in as little as 15 minutes, or you can let it simmer and bubble for longer than that to achieve an even richer flavor. It's super easy to make, and it is ready so quickly that this would be perfect for a night when you don't have much time to throw dinner together but still want something filling and satisfying. Serve topped with anything you'd put on a taco that you can tolerate: tomatoes, onions, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, etc. And we top ours off with Fresh Gourmet brand tortilla strips - the fiesta flavor is our favorite, but all of them are good, and most are gluten-free. If you don't have those, any corn chips will work!

Diana's Taco Soup

Makes 4 - 6 servings

1 pkg of ground turkey OR vegetarian/vegan meat substitute
2 packets Old El Paso taco seasoning (or your favorite gluten-free brand)
1 can corn with liquid
1 1/2 can of water
1 can pinto beans
1 can mild chili beans
1 can diced tomatoes (the ones that include onion & garlic add nice flavor)
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 pkg dry ranch mix (I omitted this, but in case you are able to find one that suits your dietary needs, I'm including it as it's part of the original recipe)

Brown the meat in a large pot. When it has been cooked, drain the fat and return the meat to the pot. Add the packets of Old El Paso seasoning and stir to mix, and then add the rest of the ingredients listed. Stir well and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to mix, but longer if you'd like a little more depth of flavor to develop. Serve topped with any ingredients you would normally use on a taco: chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, guacamole, Tofutti sour cream, cheese (if you can have it), and corn tortilla strips (Fresh Gourmet Fiesta brand is my personal favorite to have with this soup).

Open-faced Avocado and Chicken Sandwich

Avocados. They are everywhere in Swaziland. People eat them with everything. I came into the kitchen at work last week to find several of my colleagues sitting there eating salted mashed avocados out of bowls. Another time, I walked into a room and found one of them using her fingers to hook pieces of the soft flesh and place them directly into her mouth. They eat avocados as an accompaniment to corn porridge. They slather it between thick slices of bread and have avocado sandwiches - with nothing but the avocado and bread - as snacks. Almost without fail, when I open the communal refrigerator at work, there is half of an avocado sitting there, waiting for its time to be devoured. They grow everywhere, and whenever you visit someone's house, chances are they'll offer you an avocado for the road. Which is how I ended up with two giant ones after visiting the homestead of my adopted Swazi mother, Ncamsile. I came home and later that weekend, made a very simple lunch using one of Swaziland's favorite ingredients: an open-faced avocado chicken sandwich. It's so simple; if you have a toaster available to you, toast your favorite gluten-free bread, then spread the creamy avocado on each slice, add salt and pepper to your own taste, and then top with your favorite lunch meat. It's simple and quite delicious. Add a big slice of tomato if you want, or a few slices of red onions. Or just do it the Swazi way, omit all the frills, and stick to the basics - just the avocado and, if necessary, the bread.

Orgran Gluten-free Whole Grain Bread

I came to Swaziland fully expecting to have to abstain from any gluten-free treats while I am here; I was expecting to eat a lot of corn porridge and stew, but not bread. Definitely not bread. So when I was in the local grocery store last week and went down the baking aisle, I was shocked to discover a variety of gluten-free flour mixes available from a company called Orgran, based in Australia.

Gluten-free whole grain bread, gluten-free self-raising flour, gluten-free lemon poppyseed muffin mix, gluten-free cake mixes....I truly couldn't believe my eyes. And they weren't just gluten-free; they were completely allergen-free. I indulged and bought myself the gluten-free whole grain bread mix, and this week, I tried it out. Although it is not the most flavorful bread I've tried, I also didn't try to experiment with this batch. I followed the directions on the box exactly, taking their suggestion of adding eggs but just using water and oil instead of trying out a batch with soy milk. I'm sure this would also be great with some herbs mixed in, or with caraway seeds. If you used a flat pan, you could add onion powder, basil, oregano, and parsley and make a nice foccacia bread. I kept it simple, and while it wasn't the best loaf of gluten-free bread I've tried, it was great compared to the complete lack of bread I have access to here otherwise. So if anyone reading this is abroad, look for Orgran - it says on the box that they distribute internationally, and if I can find their products in Swaziland, I feel like everyone has a pretty good chance of finding them, no matter how far-flung your current location is.

Squashed Rice

Ok, I know it might sound like kind of weird combination, but this was actually extremely delicious. The squash made this dish wonderfully creamy, and the beef added a nice contrast to the sweetness of the pumpkin and butternut. I would have used ground turkey in this if it had been available, but all I could find in the supermarket here in Swaziland was ground beef, so just use whatever you like the best. What I'm discovering here is that pumpkin is used often for savory dishes, more so than in America (where we like to bake with it but rarely see it in a stew, for instance). I love pumpkin and other types of squash, so I am enjoying that they are part of the mainstream cuisine here. I threw this mixed rice together because I happened have these ingredients on hand when I went into the kitchen last week to cook for myself, and it's a recipe I will definitely make again. If you're vegetarian, this would be delicious without the meat as well. The rosemary, thyme, and sage in the recipe complement the squash beautifully, and the recipe makes enough for two people easily, with some left over. I didn't want to stop eating this, and even the kitchen staff at the guest house gave me two thumbs up when they tried it and said unanimously, "Kumnandzi!" (which means "delicious" in siSwati).

Squash and Beef Mixed Rice
Serves 2 - 3

1 1/2 - 2 cups of cooked Jasmine rice (or your favorite type of rice)
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup chopped pumpkin and/or butternut squash
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 tsp each of rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, and basil (more to taste if desired)
3/4 pound ground beef, ground turkey, or vegan/vegetarian meat substitute
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 - 1/2 cup soy milk or soy creamer

Cook the rice as directed. Cover and set aside when done. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion. Cook for 3 - 5 minutes until the onion is soft, then add the pumpkin, butternut squash, carrots, and spices and stir well. Cook covered over medium heat for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ground beef and continue to cook over medium-high heat, stirring often. Continue to cook until the ground meat is completely done, for at least 10 - 15 minutes. The mixture will become slightly creamy as the squash gets closer to being done. When the meat is done, test the squash to see if it is soft. If it needs more cooking time, reduce heat, add a little water, and continue to cook for another 10 - 15 minutes until the squash is very tender. When it is ready, add the soy milk for a more creamy texture, starting with 1/4 cup and adding more if necessary, and adjust seasoning as desired. When you are satisfied with the taste of the squash and beef mixture, add the cooked rice and stir well. Serve immediately.

Ashook's South African-Indian Chicken Curry

There is a man named Ashook staying at the same guest house I am in Mbabane, Swaziland, who is from South Africa and is of Indian descent. Last week, I was getting out the ingredients to throw together a very simple chicken curry using some store-bought curry paste, and he came into the kitchen and said, "Ach, I'm going to make you some REAL chicken curry." I grabbed a piece of paper, a pen, and my camera and stepped aside to let the man work. We stood in the kitchen, chatting with the other staff here as the curry simmered and bubbled on the stove, sending up delicious aromas of spice into our conversation. Every so often, Ashook would go to the stove, lift the lid gingerly, peek in, and then cover the pot again before rejoining us. Finally, after about an hour and a half of delicately testing the sauce and potatoes, he announced that it was done. He pulled me over to the stove and said, "See how the oil has risen to the top? That means that the curry is ready." He also told me that it is important to let the potatoes sit in the pot without stirring them or they will fall apart before the curry is ready. I spooned some curry into a bowl with the fluffy Jasmine rice I had made (although basmati is the best, in my opinion) and took a bite. And it was heavenly. There is nothing like a good curry, and this one was fantastic. This is very simple to throw together, really - much less complicated than other curries I've made, and it is good. I mean, really good. So, from Swaziland to you, here is the recipe for Ashook's authentic South African-Indian chicken curry.


Ashook's Chicken Curry

4-6 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 whole onion, cut into slices
5 - 7 garlic cloves
1 tbsp. crushed ginger
1 - 2 pounds chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. masala powder
Handful of fresh coriander leaves to taste (cilantro)
1 tomato, chopped
2 large potatoes, skinned and chopped into large chunks
1 1/2 cups of water (and more as needed)
1 tsp. salt

Heat the vegetable oil in a pot and add the onion slices. When the onions are soft, add the chicken, stir, and let cook. Add the turmeric, chili powder, masala powder, and coriander leaves to the chicken and onions and stir to mix. In the meantime, mash 5 - 7 garlic cloves and 1 tbsp. crushed ginger in a small bowl or a mortar and pestle until they have become a paste, and then add 1 /2 cup water to the mixture. Add the garlic-ginger mixture to the pot, and then add another 1/2 cup of water and stir. Let the mixture come to a boil and add the chopped tomato and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes. Add water as needed if the mixture starts getting too thick. When the tomatoes have softened, add the potatoes, chopped into quarters, along with another 1/2 - 1 cup of water. Stir just enough to mix the water in, and then let the curry simmer over medium heat without stirring so the potatoes won't fall apart. The curry is done when the potatoes are soft and the oil has risen to the top; it should simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add salt to taste, 1 tsp or more. Serve with rice or naan. Below: The potatoes being added to the curry as it simmers.

Panaang Curry Noodle Bowl with Fried Tofu, Broccoli, and Peppers

My sister and cousins and I have a favorite Thai restaurant in St. Louis that we frequent as often as we can afford it, and probably sometimes when we can't, but our love of Thai curry usually trumps an empty wallet. We each have our usual; my cousins like Masman, my sister prefers yellow curry, and I love the panaang. Of course, for the times when I truly can't afford restaurant Thai food, I have my stock of panaang curry paste at home; a small container that costs $1.79 at an international grocery will literally last you until you can't remember when you bought it. When I made this dish, I was getting ready to move out of my apartment, and I was trying to use all of the food I had in the house already without buying new ingredients, so I grabbed the half empty package of thin rice noodles, some frozen broccoli, half of a red bell pepper, and the fried tofu I'd bought the week before and got to work. Note that this recipe is completely adaptable to whatever type of curry paste you like the best, and with whatever vegetables or meat that you want to add. You could buy extra firm tofu, press it, and bake it instead of using fried tofu as well. What I ended up with was a very delicious and panaang-y noodle bowl that was fast and filling.

Panaang Curry Noodle Bowl with Fried Tofu, Broccoli, and Peppers

1 - 2 tbsp. Panaang curry paste (to taste and depending on how much spice you like)
1 small can of coconut milk (the ones that are roughly 6 ounces)
1/2 - 1 cup plain soy milk or soy creamer
5 - 15 sprays of Bragg's GF Soy Sauce, to taste
1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli, defrosted
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1 small block of fried tofu, chopped into bite-size pieces (OR extra firm tofu, pressed, chopped, and baked if you don't want to use fried tofu)
1/3 package thin rice noodles

Cook noodles as directed on package by placing them in boiling water for 2 - 3 minutes. Strain the noodles, then rinse with cold water and leave them in cold water in the pot so they won't stick. Place the fried tofu on a lined cookie sheet in the oven at about 400 F and bake until the tofu is puffed up and crispy. Remove from oven and set aside. In a small pot, heat the curry paste for about 30 seconds, and then add the small can of coconut milk and soy milk or creamer. Stir to mix well and adjust the taste as desired. Add the Bragg's gluten-free soy sauce to taste. Place the fresh or defrosted broccoli and bell pepper into the sauce and cook over medium heat for about 5 - 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add more soy milk/creamer if you need more of the curry sauce. Place the desired amount of fried tofu into the pot and stir to mix. Drain the rice noodles and add them to the sauce, stirring to coat. Be sure to add them in portions so you don't add more than what your sauce will coat. Garnish with another dab of coconut milk if desired and serve.

Quinoa with Fire-roasted Red Peppers and Spicy Sausage

I first have to apologize for the lapse in postings on this blog. It has been a crazy few months, and time seems to be flying. I have been busy with the end of classes, and the end of work, and the end of living in St. Louis. Many of you may know, but I will be leaving at the beginning of June to begin a new phase of my life. I will first spend two months volunteering with an organization called Save the Children in Swaziland, Africa, and then I will be heading to New Orleans to begin a degree in International Health and Development (Public Health, essentially) at Tulane University. If you happen to be interested in what I will be doing in Africa, you can visit www.clairetoafrica.com to read my Swaziland blog while I am away (and you can help sponsor me, too, if you so choose!). So, while there may be a slight hiatus on the blog, I will be back in the fall with new recipes! In any case, with the flurry of preparations for moving out of my apartment, getting ready to head to Africa, finding a place in New Orleans, and the other hundred things I feel like I have to do before June 1, it's been difficult to find time to cook anything, much less be creative in the kitchen. But I can sense that it's been too long for me, and I desperately need a day to myself where I can relax and bake all day, humming along to some good music. While I might not get a whole day to do that anytime soon, I took advantage of a small pocket of time today to try out a new dish, one that is a little spicy and very satisfying in its flavor. You could just as easily make this with some good brown and wild rice, if you would prefer, but I was in the mood for some hearty quinoa and decided to go with that instead.


Quinoa with Fire-roasted Red Peppers and Spicy Sausage

2 links of Fire Roasted Red Pepper Sausage from Trader Joe's (or your favorite spicy sausage), sliced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion
3 - 5 cloves garlic (or 2-3 tsp. crushed garlic)
1 small red pepper, chopped coarsely
1 small green pepper, chopped coarsely
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 tbsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 - 1 small can fire roasted green chilies
3 - 5 tbsp. tomato paste
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
2 cups broth (I used chicken flavor)

Place the quinoa in a pot with the 2 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Add 1 tbsp. ground coriander and 1 tbsp. tomato paste, stir well, and bring to a boil again. Cover, reduce heat, and steam as directed for about 15 minutes. In another pan, place the oil, onion and garlic, and saute for about 3-5 minutes until onions are translucent. Add the chopped red and green pepper, salt, pepper, 2 tbsp. coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper, and the can of fire-roasted green chilies and stir well. Continue to saute for another 3 minutes or so, and then add 2 - 4 tbsp. tomato paste. Cook over medium-low heat for another 5 minutes. Slice the two links of sausage and arrange in a skillet. Fry over medium-high heat for about 6 - 8 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside. Once all parts are done, add the onion-pepper mixture and the cooked sausage into the cooked quinoa and mix well. Add more seasonings to taste if desired. Tastes even better the second and third days!

Creamy Chicken Paprikash

So the photo doesn't really do this dish justice. I picked a recipe out of Carol Fenster's cookbook, "1,000 Gluten-free Recipes" and fiddled around with it, and it turned into this beautiful creamy tomato dish that was bursting with flavor. The thyme and paprika work wonders in this dish and transform it from what would have been an ordinary stew to something you won't want to stop eating.

Creamy Chicken Paprikash

2/3 large onion, diced or thinly sliced
1 tbsp. Earth Balance "Buttery Spread"
3-4 chicken breasts, cut into slivers
1 tsp. salt
1/2 - 1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp. Hungarian sweet paprika
1/2 - 3/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced; or 2 tsp. crushed/minced garlic
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 whole red bell pepper, cut into thin slices
1 can diced tomatoes (with juice)
1 3/4 cups gluten free, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 - 4 tsp. cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tbsp. water (if needed)
1/2 cup Tofutti "Sour Cream"

About 20 minutes before you want to serve the meal, cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. If you are not yet ready to use the pasta, drain the hot water and add cold water to the noodles to keep them from sticking to each other.

Put the "Buttery Spread" and onions in a large pot and saute until they are translucent. Add the strips of chicken, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook until the chicken is browned. Add the paprika, thyme, cayenne pepper, bay leaves, and garlic, and saute for another 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, red bell pepper, can of tomatoes, and chicken broth, stir thoroughly, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and cover at a simmer for 30 - 45 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked and you are happy with the flavor. Adjust spices as desired.

Take 2 tsp. cornstarch and dissolve it in 1 tbsp. water, and add it to the pot. Stir well. If it needs to be thickened more, add 2 more tsp. cornstarch dissolved in water. Add 1/2 cup Tofutti "Sour Cream" and stir into the dish. Adjust spices as desired. Serve over pasta, or add the pasta to the pot to toss it with the sauce. Delicious!

Ode to Oatmeal

It's probably one of my favorite things in the world to eat. I know; this may make me a very old 25 year old, but seriously. It doesn't get much better than a big steaming bowl of oatmeal! I like to make it all kinds of ways; sometimes I add cashews and cranberries, sometimes pecans and raisins, sometimes just plain; I've even made it with peanut butter and honey before. But I think my favorite flavor combo must be brown sugar and maple together. I don't have time to make this on weekdays before work, but I have it almost every weekend. I cook it on the stovetop and let it simmer down and absorb all of the water, and then add all of the extras in. I end up with a creamy, wonderful, and comforting breakfast.

Maple Pecan Oatmeal

For each serving:
1 1/4 cup water
1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats (consult your doctor before consuming gluten-free oats)
1/8 cup toasted pecans
dash of salt
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (to your own taste)
1/4 cup vanilla hemp milk (other non-dairy milk would work, too)
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. maple butter (the thickness of maple butter makes the consistency of the oatmeal, but if you don't have maple butter, use maple syrup so the taste will at least come through)

Place the water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the oats and pecans, and then reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, until the water has been absorbed by the oats. Then add the vanilla hemp milk (add more if you want it to be a little creamier) to the pan and stir, keeping the heat at medium. Continue to heat, stirring frequently, until the hemp milk has boiled down a bit and has become thick and creamy. Remove the oatmeal to a bowl and add the brown sugar and maple butter to taste. Perfect with a cup of coffee in the morning! Variations: Substitute cashews for pecans Add a tablespoon full of flaxseed Substitute honey for maple butter Add your favorite dried fruit (cranberries are especially delicious) Use only brown sugar and cinnamon Add a pat of Earth Balance "Buttery Spread" to the oatmeal once it is cooked