Stuffed Peppers

heat oven to 450 degrees

Cut 6 bell pepper in half.  Clean out the insides leaving the stem on the pepper.  Use olive oil and lightly oil the peppers.  Sprinkle with a little salt.  Place cut side down in a 13 x 9 pan.  Roast for 20 minutes until tender.

Filling:

1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 poblano pepper, finely chopped
1 cup of finely chopped carrots
1 cup finely chopped Cremini mushrooms

Sautee the above ingredients in about a hot cast iron skillet.  Once the vegetables begin to soften and sweat

Add:

3 tablespoons of olive oil

Continue to saute

Add:

5 small cloves of garlic, minced

Cook until the garlic begins to let out its oil.

Add:

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Cook until the mixture is all combined.

Add:

Tomato basil spaghetti sauce just until the mixture comes together.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.

Spoon filling into the pepper halves.  Place in the 13 x 9 pan used for roasting the bell peppers.  Top peppers with some grated Monterrey Jack cheese and some grated Pecorino Romano cheese.  Bake until heated thoroughly which was about 15 to 20 minutes.

Monique's Gluten Free Pie Crust

A dear, sweet friend sent me this recipe for a gluten free pie crust.  It is also soy free, egg free and nut free.  If you substitute out the butter, this pie crust can also be dairy free!

2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
2 T sugar
1 tsp salt

Process the above ingredients in a food processor.

Add 11/4 cups cold, unsalted butter (or non-dairy replacement)

Process for 15 seconds!

Add 1 more cup of gluten free all purpose flour

Process until combined.

Dump into a mixing bowl.

Add:

1/4 c ice cold vodka
1/4 c ice cold water although you may not need it all depending on the absorbency of the flour

Divide dough in half.  Roll into balls and wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill for at least 45 minutes.  Roll out between two sheets of wax paper.  Add pie filling and bake as normal.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie - 2

One individual in my family is completely dairy free (cow dairy) but loves to have a nice cold frozen dessert.  This is super easy to make.  

1 1/4 cup rice milk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons goat yogurt
1 medium banana, frozen and chopped
2 1/4 cup frozen strawberries chopped
1-2 tablespoons coconut nectar

Layer into the blender in order given.  Process until smooth.  This will make 2 16 ounce glasses of smoothie.  Eat one and freeze the other.  Following day, remove from freezer for about 20 minutes.  Can place in a food processor to create smoothie texture again.

Triple Berry Crunch

Making some lifestyle changes and this is my first attempt at an allergy free dessert. This dessert received a total of 2 thumbs up from everyone in the family.  Definitely a dessert that I would be willing to serve to company or take to a potluck.  Super yummy!

3-4 cups of berries; blueberries, marionberries, blackberries and strawberries
1 tablespoon gluten free flour

Toss together.

Layer in the bottom of a quiche baking dish.

1 cup gluten free flour
3/4 c brown sugar
1/4 to 1/3 cup dairy free, soy free butter

Using a pastry cutter, mix the above three ingredients until the mixture resembles a fine sandy mixture.  Spoon over the top of the berries.

Bake at 350 for around 30 minutes.

I used Namaste Gluten Free Flour that I picked up from Costco.  For the butter I used Earth Balance Soy Free "Butter".

My family has requested that next time I increase the crust so there is more "crunch."  I might also add some almond flour since we are not nut free (for the time being).  Next time I will also be making the crust from a gluten free pancake and waffle mix.