Curry Soup in a Pumpkin

Want to impress your dinner guests with an original table centerpiece? Try this curry-spiced vegetable soup in a pumpkin!  It will elicit many complements and get the conversation going!

Serves 4

1 medium cheese pumpkin (or winter squash), lid cut out and saved, seeds removed form the center
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup sweet potato, peeled and cubed
4 large carrots, peeled and cubed
1 large onion, minced
4 celery sticks, cubed
1 teaspoon curry
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups vegetable broth

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Sauté the sweet potatoes, carrot, and onion in a large pan in oil. Add celery during the last 2-3 minutes of sautéing to make it soft, but not soggy. Add spices: curry, salt, and pepper.

Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the inside of the pumpkin, pour in the broth, and secure the lid tightly.

Bake in the oven for about 1 hour. Serve immediately on a large platter.  Handle with care as the pumpkin will be hot!

Peach Cake

Cake
5 egg whites
5 egg yolks
5 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon potato starch
5 tablespoons sugar
1 envelope vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
1 tablespoon white vinegar
¼ teaspoon home made baking powder

Topping

1 large can sliced peaches
2 small packs orange jello
2 cups water
sliced strawberries (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix flour, starch, and baking powder together and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix the egg whites, sugar, and vanilla sugar (or extract) until stiff with an electric mixer. Add one egg yolk at a time while mixing on low speed. Gradually add flour mixture. Add vinegar and gently mix it in with the batter.

Pour batter into a spring form pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Do not open the oven door for the first 15 minutes or the cake will fall. When done, let the cake cool in the pan (preferably on a baking rack) for a couple of hours.

Meanwhile, dissolve jello in a bowl of hot water, according to the directions on the package. Let it cool until it becomes thick, but not set.

Arrange peach/strawberry slices on top of the cake (see photo). Spoon thickened jello over the peaches, then refrigerate for 3-4 hours until jello is completely set.

Serve with whipped dairy-free topping.

Homemade Chicken Broth

This rich yet low-cal broth is very easy to make. I love to make it in the winter, so my family can sip it after skiing or taking a walk on a frigid winter night. It is versatile too, because you can serve it with noodles or rice as a soup. Also, don't forget to pour a cup for yourself when coming down with a cold. It might stimulate your immune system to fight off the illness quicker!

Makes 4 to 5 servings

4 chicken thighs
1 large onion, halved
4 celery sticks
8 peeled carrots, cut into 3-inch chunks
a handful of fresh parley
salt and pepper, to taste
5 cups water

Place all ingredients in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 25-30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Strain the broth and serve immediately. Or you can pour it into a container if you wish to keep it in the refrigerator. It can also be frozen to use as you need it for recipes.

Lactose-free Ricotta Cheese

If you avoided ricotta, because of its lactose content, now you can make your own with lactose-free milk! Tastes exactly the same, and it's remarkably easy to prepare.

Makes 2 servings

4 cups lactose-free milk (the more fat the better)
1/4 cup lemon juice

Bring milk to a simmer in a saucepan.  While stirring, add lemon juice.  Continue to stir until curds form, about 1-2 minutes. (The lemon juice will cause the milk to separate, and you'll be left with delicious, fine-sized curds.)

Line a sieve with cheese cloth or a large coffee filter.  Pour curds into the sieve and let them drain.

Enjoy with toast or fruit, or in your favorite recipes.

Dairy-free Whipped Toping

Since Cool Whip changed its recipe and now includes dairy, I came up with a home made substitute that is yummy, but needs to be used right away.

Makes 1 cup

2 egg whites at room temperature

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Place ingredients in a large tall bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Serve immediately or chilled. 

Dairy-free Blueberry Scones

These scones are my all-time favorite dessert!  They are great with coffee, tea, or alone.

Makes about 12 scones

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons Fleischmann's Unsalted Stick Margarine, cut into small chunks
1 cup Tofutti sour cream
1 cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet (or line with parchment paper) and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix flour with baking powder and margarine until the margarine chunks are well coated. Add sour cream and stir until well incorporated. Add blueberries and gently fold into the batter.

Drop dollops of batter with a tablespoon on cookie sheet. Bake for about 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.

Home made baking powder

For those who are allergic to corn or want to avoid it out of concern for genetically modified foods, here is a recipe for home made corn-free baking powder:

Blend together ⅓ cup of baking soda, ⅔ cup of cream of tartar, and ⅔ cup arrowroot starch.

Which grains are gluten-free?

If you have Celiac disease, you know that you must avoid gluten at all costs to prevent health complications.  Here is a quick guide to grains that are safe and grains that you must stay away from.  Remember that products labeled "wheat-free" are not necessarily gluten-free. Therefore, read all labels very carefully.

Grains allowed:
amaranth
arrowroot
beans
buckwheat
corn
flax
garfava
millet
montina
nuts
potato
quinoa
rice
sorghum
soy
tapioca
teff.

Grains not allowed: 
Barley
Rye
Wheat (durum, eincorn, faro, graham, kamut, semolina, spelt)
Triticale (spelt)

Oats can be very easily contaminated during harvest, storage or processing.  However, some people with Celiac disease can tolerate pure gluten-free oats. To read more about oats and Celiac Disease, go to:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC523841/.

Corn-free baking

Corn is ubiquitous. It is hidden in many ingredients, such as most baking powders, powdered sugar, and sorbitol, just to name a few. Even xanthan gum, which is used in many gluten-free recipes, is produced from the fermentation of corn sugar. Guar gum is a safe alternative. Although, corn is safe for people with gluten intolerance or sensitivity, those with a concurrent corn allergy must be vigilant.

Replace the following corn-containing baking essentials with the following safe alternatives:

Corn syrup: equal amount of honey, agave nectar, rice or tapioca syrup

Baking powder: Blend together ⅓ cup of baking soda, ⅔ cup of cream of tartar, and ⅔ cup arrowroot starch

Powdered sugar: In a blender, mix together 1 ½ tablespoon tapioca or potato starch with a cup of granulated sugar.  Blend for a bout a minute, until powdered.

Egg-free cooking and baking

For those of you who must omit eggs, here are ideas for egg replacements that can be easily used in cooking and baking.

For binding:
For binding ingredients (such as ground beef or turkey), use mashed potatoes, blended tofu, or tomato paste.

For baking:
To replace 1 egg, use the following:

Breads, cakes, and muffin recipes
3 tablespoons of apple sauce mixed with 1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup soy yogurt
½ small mashed banana
¼ cup blended tofu

Pie recipes
⅓ cup pumpkin puree


To replace 1 egg white, use the following:
Dissolve 1 tablespoon of plain agar powder in 1 teaspoon of water.  Beat, chill for 15 minutes, and beat again.


Happy cooking and baking!

Milk Substitutes for Cooking and Baking

By using these tasty substitutes while cooking and baking, you won't compromise the texture or flavor of your end-product.

Instead of 1 cup of milk, use any of these:

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup soy milk
• 1 cup rice milk mixed with 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup lactose-free milk

Instead of 1 cup of buttermilk, try:

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup soy milk mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 cup soy milk mixed with 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 cup lactose-free milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instead of butter (1 stick or 8 tablespoons), use:

• 1 stick Fleischmann’s unsalted margarine
• 8 tablespoons Smart Balance Light margarine
• 8 tablespoons olive oil

Instead of 1 cup of yogurt, use:

• 1 cup fruit puree
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup soy yogurt
• 1 cup dairy-free sour cream