Roasted Cabbage with Cider Simmered Leeks

A yummy cold weather dish from a past article, I promise you’ll love this!

Stay tuned for an update on my last days Disney planning – I leave Friday!

Roasted Cabbage with Cider Simmered Leeks

Roasting the cabbage brings out its inherent sweetness, rounded out by a hint of smokiness coming from the crusty edges. The leek mixture is simmered in apple cider; a perfect complement that you’ll want to use it in your repertoire again and again for its delicious flavor.

Serves 4 to 6

1 medium head cabbage
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
3 leeks, thinly sliced (just the whites and about half of the greens), and well-washed
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup apple cider
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 450F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Remove the tough outer leaves of the cabbage. Cut into wedges about 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick, cutting out the core when necessary. Arrange on the baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons  of the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 30 minutes until brown and crispy, then flip and bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes until cabbage is tender and crispy on the edges.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the leeks and carrots. Cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the apple cider and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook until the cider has thickened and nearly absorbed, about 10 minutes longer.

When the cabbage is finished roasting, transfer it to a serving dish. Top with the leeks and carrots. Let stand about 20 minutes before serving for the leek mixture to meld into the cabbage. Serve warm.

Portabello pizzas with quick pizza sauce and almond parmesan

With so much going on, new posts always go on the back burner. It isn’t a matter of recipes — it’s a matter of the photos… shrinking them so they aren’t as huge, in particular.

So my question is, is there a quick and easy way to do this?

That being said, I’ll post it up in it’s huge form as to not neglect additional posts. There are so many in the queue, photoless, because opening and working with iPhoto tends to slow down my old Mac.

So while I take time to do that, I need to make a quick dinner… and portabello pizzas are super quick and tasty when you’re crazing that pizza flavor.

Moroccan Chickpea Stew (gluten-free, vegan)

I’ll be honest. I’ve never been to Morocco. Or even close by. Or outside of the ten or so states and two provinces I’ve visited. So I’ll tell you right now–with my lack of travel and limited access to ingredients, this Moroccan Chickpea Stew might be balked at in Morocco.

But that’s okay. Because it’s darn delicious.

Let the planning begin! (Disney 2012)

Okay, well, that is sort of a lie. I’ve been planning for the last 7 months.

That’s because we’re going back to Walt Disney World. And I’m super excited.

What I’ve Been Up To…

Well, folks, it’s been awhile since I’ve updated my blog, primarily because I haven’t done much creative cooking, and baking (though minimal post-holidays) has been testing for book number three.

But I did write a couple articles for the Standard, and will post those recipes in the next couple days.

So here is what else has been going on:

Book Updates

The Allergy-Free Cook Bakes Bread (and The Allergy-Free Cook series) is going to have its own site. I’m working on it right now and will be bringing all of the info over there, including reviews from blogs, interviews, and events!

I’m currently working on the third book (the second is in the editing process), which is lovely! It is all Pies and Desserts, and feel free to send me requests, favorites, or a message if you want to be a recipe tester. (here)

I’m also going to be speaking at our local library in February, if you want to check it out.

Running Updates

I’ve signed up for some races, which always makes me excited! I’m currently signed up for two City Chases (I LOVE these) with two different people. One is a City Chase veteran with me, and we’ll be going for the Endurochallenge again. The other is a friend and chances are, she might hate me at the end…. but luckily we’re bonded by family.

If you’ve never heard of it, check out the details here. It’s super fun!

I’ve also registered for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon, but doing the half-marathon. I figure it will keep me fresh after my first half this year and before my one in the summer. I’m meeting awesome friends from Kansas at this “half-way” point (not really, because I can drive it in a few hours). After deciding on this race, I realize I don’t want to do it at all because it’s uphill. Uphill! The whole thing! God help me.

Since last summer, I’ve been registered for my FAVOURITE race: The Disney Princess Half-Marathon! I love Disney, and for some that might seem juvenile but when you go as an adult, it’s really amazing. As well, if you have allergies and/or celiac and/or are in a wheelchair it’s even MORE amazing. (Check out last year’s report here). In the next week or so I will give a preview of what this year’s trip is going to be like.

Miscellany

Over the past couple weeks, some other things to note:

• I bought an iPhone. Gadgets excite me. What apps should I have? I have an iPad2 as well, so most of my apps on there I just leave on there. I mostly bought it because my poor, poor Blackberry was 3.5 years old and had seen the end of its life.
• I got an amazing deal at my favourite store Williams Sonoma. An awesome All-Clad French Skillet from $150 on sale for $89! Then I had a gift card so I ended up paying $40 for an awesome pan that I never would have bought for $150. I’ve also realized that, similar to Le Creuset (which I found cheap at Homesense), I will never buy any other pots or pans.
• My dishwasher broke. Which is fine because I only use it (a) at holidays or (b) when I bake and test a lot. I realize that I love washing dishes. This is not a lie. It actually broke in early December.

On a side note but related to two things in this post. During the Princess race, near the end, there are posters that say how Cinderella burns calories. Polishing floors, cooking, et cetera. I snagged a few photos (very difficult while running, I’ve discovered), but this is maybe why I’m not running out to buy a new dishwasher.

 

Double Chocolate Molasses Cookies (vegan, gluten-free)

I wanted to make double chocolate cookies with a bit of a chew. Then I wanted to make a sepearate molasses cookie. Then I wanted to make a chocolate gingerbread cookie. Then I figured that, in addition to the other cookies (including gingerbread men and another chocolate cookie from my book testing) that I’ve already made, this might be overkill in the chocolate/molasses department if I do three more.

(Okay, it was actually because I don’t have the freezer space).

Peanut Butter Fudge That’ll Take You To the Dentist (vegan, gluten-free)

Ninety-five percent of the time I aim for health combined with delicious flavor and the tastes we want. That’s the premise of my blog, my books, and the way I eat as well.

Sometimes, well, we don’t.

Revamped Peanut Butter Balls

Just like the shortbread recipe that I remember, another stand-by favorite during the holidays was Peanut Butter Balls. Similar to Buckeyes, these are peanut butter and rice crisp cereal balls coated in chocolate. Super easy to make and so addicting.

The recipe has been in my mom’s recipe box forever, but it hails from the back of a Rice Krispie box. These days, they are a little healthier using gluten-free and vegan ingredients, but delicious just the same. You honestly can’t taste the difference, and there are a few other modifications on the way.

Nostalgic Shortbread (gluten-free, vegan)

My favorite shortbread recipe came off the box of cornstarch from when were a kid. It’s simple, traditional, and most of all, nostalgic.

I remember rolling and decorating these when we were a kid. I loved every second, and it was even better when we would sneak into the freezer and snag a cookie or two as the weeks to Christmas approached.

These are adapted from the box of Canada brand cornstarch, called “Grandma’s Shortbread”. Here is the original recipe. I do recommend if you are rolling it into shapes or want it to hold a particular shape that you refrigerate it for a bit, first.

I will upload a photo later, but wanted to make sure that I got the recipe here for you!

Simple Shortbread

Makes a couple dozen

Free of: dairy, eggs, gluten, soy, nuts, seeds, peanuts, nightshades

3/4 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup quinoa flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted
3/4 cup nondairy margarine (I used soy-free Earth Balance), softened

Put the sorghum flour, quinoa flour, cornstarch, xanthan gum, and icing sugar in a large bowl. Whisk until well combined. Add the nondairy margarine and stir with a wooden spoon until soft and smooth.

Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes (or longer if you are rolling them out).

Preheat the oven to 300F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. The original recipe says not to line them but I always do out of habit.

Roll about 1-inch balls between your palms. Either press down with a fork or make a finger indent if you want to fill them with something (as I did).

The original recipe says to bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. I find that mine don’t brown on the Silpat, and take about 20 minutes. Let cool on the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Usually I fill the indents with jam, but when we were kids we used candied cherries or holiday M&Ms. This year, for something a little different, I found holiday Skittles at the store and couldn’t resist bringing back a bit of those memories (after all, they sort of look like M&Ms). Plus, Skittles are now vegan (sugar aside); they nixed the gelatin.

I made a little icing sugar icing, filled the holes, and pressed in a Skittle (S-side down). They look lovely! I sampled a Skittle on its own and, you know, it used to be one of my favorites and I haven’t had it in so long I didn’t really love it. But, they look good on the cookies so you have to sacrifice, right?

Chocolate Cream Truffles (vegan, gluten-free)

Over the next couple of days, I’ll post up recipes of what I have been baking and making for the holidays. Posts will be brief, short, and delicious!

Chocolate Cream Truffles

Easy to prepare, these chocolate truffles feature a smooth gananche filling, encased with a creamy chocolate coating. Use good quality chocolate for best results.

 

Makes about 30 truffles

Ganache Filling:

1/2 pound/227g semi-sweet nondairy chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)
1/2 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For rolling:

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoon icing sugar

Chocolate Coating:

180g semi-sweet nondairy chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)
1 tablespoon (15mL) coconut oil

Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Put the coconut milk in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Pour over the chocolate. Stir until all of the chocolate is melted. Stir in vanilla exact. Pour the mixture into a shallow bowl (such as a glass pie plate). Let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or over night, until firm.

Line a cutting board or plate with waxed paper. Put the cocoa powder and icing sugar in a small bowl. Mix well. Use a melon baller or a small scoop to scoop the filling mixture into 1-inch balls, putting them into the cocoa mixture. Roll the balls between your palms to create a smooth, cohesive ball.  Put the ball on the waxed paper. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Freeze the balls for at least 30 minutes.

To coat the truffles, melt the chocolate and oil together in a double boiler or in the microwave. Let stand 5 minutes. Remove the balls from the freezer. Dip the balls in the melted chocolate, coating completely. Return to the waxed paper. Repeat with remaining balls. Freeze until completely firm, about 20 minutes, before storing. Store in the freezer or refrigerator.