Dairy-Free

2 June 14, 2020 Dairy-Free

Dead Simple Tomato Sauce

For me, pasta sauces fall into two categories, fast sauces, and sauces I never make. This dead simple tomato sauce is the former. You can easily throw it together in a couple of minutes, though it tastes best when it has at least 10 minutes to simmer. It is an incredibly forgiving recipe, so feel free to play around with the proportions if you want something different out of your sauce. This dead simple tomato sauce is of course great on pasta, or use it in my weeknight baked eggplant Parmesan recipe, or on a pizza.

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (I like yellow, red, or white. Not a Vidalia)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 28 oz cans whole tomatoes in juice
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Method

Open the cans of whole tomatoes and dump them in a large bowl. Squeeze the tomatoes with your hands to break them up into small bits.
Heat the oil in a large (12” or so) pan with a lid
Sauté the onion for 5-6 minutes until translucent
Add the garlic, stir and cook for 45 seconds or so
Add the tomatoes and basil, salt and pepper to taste and red pepper flakes if you are using them.
Turn heat low enough that the sauce isn’t splattering everywhere, partially cover and simmer for 10 minutes to so, stirring occasionally.

1 November 3, 2018 Breakfast

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffles

Autumn weekend mornings are awesome. I’m not sure what makes them different than a summer weekend, but somehow, the desire to rise and spring out the door into activity isn’t nearly as strong. We tend to linger over coffee, put some Palestrina on the hi-fi, and make something good for breakfast. My girls will often settle into a marathon book reading session, or get involved in some complicated dress up game. These whole wheat pumpkin waffles are the perfect thing on a lazy Sunday morning for so many reasons.

First, they are downright delicious. They are full of fall flavors, and hints of baking spices; your whole house will smell fantastic for the rest of the day. Next, as far as waffles go, these are pretty good for you. They have quite a bit of pumpkin, aka a vegetable, in them, and are 100% whole grain. You can’t go wrong. They are not a low fat food, but you could easily trim the butter quite a bit and still have decent results.

This is an adapted recipe from Eating Well for whole wheat pumpkin waffles that I have been making for some time. It has woven its way into my weekend food repertoire and never left. If you want to make it dairy free, substitute canola oil for the butter, and your non-dairy milk of choice for the buttermilk. Be sure to follow the instructions below on turning regular milk into buttermilk.

If you’re making brunch for a crowd and want something savory to offset these waffles, why not try this fantastic tomato and feta shakshuka?

If you don’t have buttermilk…

If you don’t happen to have buttermilk around, there are a couple of ways to make a perfectly good substitute. You can either set regular milk in a measuring cup and add a couple of teaspoons of lemon juice or cider vinegar. Let that stand while you get the rest of the recipe together and use it just like the buttermilk. There is enough acid in the lemon juice or vinegar to act on the baking soda and make the whole wheat pumpkin waffles fluffier. Or, put a big dollop of yogurt into a measuring cup, then fill to the two cup mark with regular milk. Mix the yogurt in, and you are all set.

On waffle irons

I have this Krups Belgian waffle iron. It’s pretty good, but it’s always annoyed me that there is no temperature control. Fortunately, they corrected that with their latest version. No matter what, don’t skimp on your waffle maker. If you get a decent one, it will last forever and cook beautifully. Cheaper waffle makers cook unevenly and don’t last long.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffles

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INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 large eggs
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
1 14oz can canned solid-pack pumpkin
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil for brushing waffle iron (I use Pam or baker’s joy)

METHOD

Sift together flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices.
Whisk eggs in a large bowl until blended, then whisk in, buttermilk, brown sugar, pumpkin, and butter until smooth.
Mix in dry ingredients just until smooth.
Brush waffle iron lightly with oil and spoon batter (about 2 cups for four 4-inch Belgian waffles) into waffle iron, spreading quickly. Cook for about 4 minutes in a Belgian waffle maker, maybe less in a normal one.
As you make them, keep the finished waffles warm in a 200 degree oven.
Put some maple syrup on and dig in.
Also, these freeze really well. Just let them cool off and put them in ziplock bags for homemade eggos. Heat them up for a few seconds in the microwave and then bake them in the toaster for a couple of minutes.

Nutrition

Calories

2559 cal

Fat

82 g

Carbs

375 g

Protein

87 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

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11 October 11, 2018 Dairy-Free

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Balsamic

because This recipe for roasted Brussels sprouts with garlic and balsamic vinegar found its way into my life over a decade ago. I’m pretty sure I fist came across it in Mark Bittman’s excellent cookbook, How to Cook Everything. There is even a vegetarian version! This recipe, along with my amazing wife, is responsible for turning me into a serious devotee of the humble Brussels sprout.

My sprout awakening

I remember avoiding Brussels sprouts like the plague growing up, probably because my only exposure to a Brussels sprout was in the school lunch line, where they had been steamed or boiled for a fortnight before serving. They smelled terrible, and looked inedible. I don’t think I ever even tried them because of that. Fast forward to today, and I think I probably have sprouts in my fridge from mid-September through May. Chances are, tif I have Brussels sprouts, they will be made into this roasted Brussels sprouts with garlic and balsamic vinegar because its so easy.

M daughters even love this recipe. That may be because we told them they were called “tiny cabbages,” but whatever the reason, they love them. A little rebranding goes a long way. There has never been a leftover sprout in our house, no matter how many we make.

This recipe is so easy to love. It is incredibly fast to throw together, more or less hands off, and absolutely delicious. All you need is a big, ovenproof skillet, I usually use cast iron, and a couple of simple ingredients. I would stay away from using a nonstick skillet. There has been some bad press about possible chemical off-gassing from the coatings at high temperatures, and I air on the side of caution here. I have used Calphalon aluminum skillets as well with great success.

Kitchen safety

It is really easy to forget to put an oven mitt on your hand after you have taken the skillet out of the oven and it is sitting on the stovetop. Do not forget to do that. We are conditioned that pot handles are safe to grab when they are on the stove because we do it all the time. Nothing will ruin your day faster than grabbing a 400 degree cast iron pot handle with your bare hand.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Balsamic

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INGREDIENTS

2 pounds Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

METHOD

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Trim the bottom off of all of the sprouts and slice the sprouts in half. If there are any really. Small ones, you can leave those whole, you just want them all more or less the same size.
Heat a large cast iron or other ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. When hot, put in the olive oil and tilt the pan so the bottom is coated. Add the Brussels sprouts to the pan and arrange them so they are cut side down. Sprinkle a few pinches of salt an a couple of good grinds of black pepper on top and walk away for 7 minutes.
After 7 minutes, add the peeled, whole cloves of garlic to the pan and scrape the sprouts up to toss them around a bit. Put the pan in the oven for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, stir the sprouts, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Return the pan to the oven for about 7 more minutes, or until the sprouts are nicely browned, and crispy in some places.
Take the pan out of the oven and immediately pour the balsamic vinegar around the pan. It should sizzle quite a bit. Stir everything around to coat and transfer the sprouts to a serving bowl. You’re done!

https://thedinnerwinner.com/roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-garlic-and-balsamic/

Nutrition

Calories

787 cal

Fat

43 g

Carbs

91 g

Protein

32 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

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0 June 22, 2018 Dairy-Free

Simplest Grilled Tofu

I came to tofu late in life. When I was growing up, I can’t recall a block of tofu ever making it into my house, let alone crossing my lips. I was a carb loving meat eater who like most children that grew up in the 80s and 90s, ate a lot of microwaved broccoli with cheez whiz. Fast forward 20 years, and I have a vegetarian wife and three vegetarian kids. I have found all sorts of ways to cook broccoli that don’t involve a microwave or cheez whiz, and a bunch of ways to cook tofu that take it way past tolerable into delicious territory. This simplest grilled tofu recipe is something you can crank out in a few minutes without a recipe once you make it a couple of times.

If you have been avoiding tofu because you would rather just eat chicken, fear not. I have made this for decidedly carnivore friends, and they all love it. The tofu gets really flavorful and firm when you use this method. I promise it’s not like eating a flavorless sponge or anything.

This is one of those ways, and it is so painfully simple, you’ll feel like you won’t want to tell your friends how you did it because they will think you some kind of kitchen cheat or corner cutter. Don’t even worry about that for a second. Making great dishes with just a couple of ingredients brings out the flavors of your ingredients.

This dish is really a building block to either include in other dishes, or to serve alongside a couple of things to round out a meal. You could try this awesome grilled bok choy. My girls love it with some broccoli and rice on the side.

To make this gluten free:

You don’t have to change much to make this dish gluten free. Fist, use a gluten free brand of tofu. Next, substitute tamari for the soy sauce and you are all set.

Serves 2 slices

Simplest Grilled (or broiled) Tofu

Sam Kaestner

12 slices

An absurdly simple way to marinate and grill tofu.

10 minPrep Time

8 minCook Time

18 minTotal Time

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INGREDIENTS

2 lbs extra firm tofu
4 tbsp soy sauce
3 tsp sesame oil

METHOD

Cut the tofu into six pieces each block, cutting the short way across the blocks. Don’t make them too thin or they may fall apart when you flip them on the grill. Lay out a paper towel or a dish towel and place as many tofu pieces as will fit onto the towel. Cover with another towel and press down to remove as much moisture as possible. Repeat for all of the tofu
on a large rimmed baking sheet, mix the soy sauce and sesame oil with a fork until well mixed
Place the tofu in the soy mixture. Flip the tofu over to coat all sides.
Preheat your grill to medium high heat. If you are going to broil instead of grill, preheat your broiler to high. If the tofu has absorbed most of the liquid on the baking sheet, there is no need to even transfer the tofu to another sheet to broil.
While the grill heats, flip the tofu a couple more times to absorb as much of the marinade as possible
Spray the grill with some canola, or other neutral oil. If you don’t have an oil sprayer, you can put some oil in a small dish and fold a paper towel. Then soak the towel in the oil. Using tongs, gently rub the paper towel on the grill grates.
Cook the tofu for 4 minutes per side. Flip carefully using tongs or a spatula. Pro tip: I've found that sliding the tofu a tiny bit to the side with tongs before you pick it up helps keep it from sticking to the grill.
Remove to a serving dish and enjoy

Nutrition

Calories

560 cal

Fat

34 g

Carbs

5 g

Protein

57 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

0 June 7, 2018 Dairy-Free

Grilled Asparagus with Garlic

Quick … you have 15 minutes, some asparagus, garlic, and lemon and you need some veggies … what do you do? Make this dish! This recipe is hands down, one of the fastest, easiest, and most delicious things you can do with the king of spring, asparagus. You can use this preparation to add into dozens of other recipes as well, making this not only a standalone side dish, but a building block of lots of other great food. A great option is this couscous with grilled asparagus. The whole thing will take 30 minutes, including grilling the asparagus.

Asparagus pro tip: Thin, thick, it doesn’t really matter, just make sure that the asparagus ends were submerged in water when you bought them. The thin stalks cook much faster, so adjust cooking times accordingly. Personally, if you are going to be chopping them to use in another dish, I think the fat stalks stand up better.

If you don’t have a grill, or just don’t feel like using it, you can easily do this in the broiler. Just make transfer everything to a large, rimmed baking sheet. Preheat the broiler on high, cook for 2-3 minutes, then shake the pan and roll the asparagus over and cook for 2-3 more minutes.

Grilled Asparagus with Garlic

Sam Kaestner

Serves 4 as a side

10 minPrep Time

5 minCook Time

15 minTotal Time

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INGREDIENTS

1 large bunch of asparagus, 1 to 1.5 lbs
2 cloves of garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

METHOD

Preheat the grill to medium. (You can also do this in the broiler. See the introduction above for the method).
Snap the stiff, fibrous ends off of the asparagus stalks. Wash the asparagus.
Transfer the asparagus to a flat bottomed baking dish long enough to let everything lay flat. The asparagus does not have to be in one layer.
Mush the garlic through a garlic press directly onto the asparagus in the dish. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.
When the grill is ready, lie the asparagus in one layer on the grill. Cook for about two minutes and try and roll everything to the other side. You’ll probably have a piece or two fall through the grate. No worries, really. After about 4 minutes total cooking time, put the asparagus on a serving plate and you’re all done. If you have really thin stalks, the entire cooking time can be cut in half.

https://thedinnerwinner.com/grilled-asparagus-with-garlic/

Nutrition

Calories

458 cal

Fat

41 g

Carbs

20 g

Protein

10 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Dead Simple Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

Method