Tag Archives: Veggies

Pan Asian Rice Noodles with Veggies & Creamy Coconut Milk Sauce + Optional Cod Fish Recipe (Gluten-Free, Egg-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free, Nightshade-Free, & Vegan Option)

September 6, 2015 Leigh 2 Comments

This allergy-friendly recipe of Pan Asian rice noodles is loaded with veggies that are made delicious with the addition of creamy coconut milk sauce. Sautéed wild-caught cod is an easy addition for the non-vegans to devour. It makes a dish lovely enough for company, but is also healthy enough to serve to family alone. Just be sure to save some of the ingredients for fresh spring rolls for the next day’s lunch (see my recipe here). It’s also gluten-free, egg-free, soy-free, corn-free, peanut-free, and nightshade-free for everyone to enjoy without worry!

Sauce Ingredients:

14 ounce can coconut milk (liquids & solids mixed, if allergic use plain yogurt)
⅓ cup granulated sugar (cane, white, coconut, etc.)
4 tablespoons ume plum vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)
1½ tablespoons lemon juice (or lime)
½ inch knob of fresh grated ginger (or chopped pickled ginger)
2 teaspoons sea salt (adjust for taste or sodium needs)

Other Ingredients:

8 ounce can bamboo shoots
5 ounce can sliced water chestnuts
28 ounces coleslaw mix (or shredded cabbage)
1½ cups snow peas
1½ cups diced cucumber
1 cup matchstick cut carrots
1 cup diced leeks (or onion)
16 ounce box rice stick noodles (or other variety)
Optional: 4 pieces wild-caught cod fillets (or other white fish) + grapeseed oil for sautéing + sliced almond garnish

Instructions:

Wash, dice, and grate everything that needs it. (Note my oh so necessary ginger grater that makes quick work out of any root!)

Cook the rice stick noodles according to the package instructions… being careful not to overcook them into mush. (These are also known as banh pho, and are gluten-free as well as vegan because they’re made with only rice flour and water.)

Dear vegans: skip this part… Sear the cod fillets on both sides, and then lower the heat and sauté 4-5 minutes in grapeseed oil… until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily. (Grapeseed oil is great for any stovetop cooking because it has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point that will not become carcinogenic with high temps like many other oils.) Sprinkle with sliced almonds and sesame seeds if desired.

Make the sauce by dissolving the sugar in the vinegar and lemon juice over low heat. Add in the coconut milk (all portions of liquid and solid from the can) and mix well. Next add the salt and grated ginger, and mix well. Then add all of the veggies, stirring well.

When the rice noodles have finished cooking, drain them into a colander, and then place them back into the same warm pot. Next pour in the sauce veggie mix, and stir well.

Serve it right from the stove, or transfer it to a pretty dish layering the fish atop the pasta. Here it’s served family style as a centerpiece in my Pan Asian Inspired Indigo Shibori & Wooden Themed Tablescape (Perfect for Luncheons & Informal Dinners). Enjoy!

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

P.S. Don’t forget to set aside some of the above ingredients for a healthy and tasty lunch like this one tomorrow!

Recipes

Healthy Gluten-Free Carrot Croutons / Vegan “Bacon” Bits Recipe for Spring Garden Salads (Perfect for Easter, Showers, Luncheons, & Brunches)

March 25, 2015 Leigh

This easy recipe for colorful carrot croutons transforms any spring garden salad into a healthy gluten-free creation. Roasting carrot slices enhances their inherent sweetness while herbs and olive oil impart crouton flavor. Use baby carrot slices for healthy vegan “bacon” bit crunch with no cholesterol. This modern twist on old favorites is a continuation of the undercover veggie series, which makes it simple to get your little bunny to eat her carrots!

Ingredients:

sliced carrots (large carrots make crouton chips, while baby carrots make bits)
extra virgin olive oil (to drizzle over carrot slices before roasting)
your favorite dried herbs & seasoning (to sprinkle before roasting, I used sea salt and dill, but try grilling spices for bits)
fresh garden salad (I used baby kale, baby chard, baby spinach, diced English cucumber, orange heirloom cherry tomatoes, sprouted pumpkin seeds, & chopped fresh parsley)
dressing of choice (try a lemon vinaigrette with a 3 to 1 ratio of extra virgin olive oil to lemon juice plus herbs like dill & parsley)

Instructions:

Wash the carrots, and peel the large varieties. These baby carrots are a peel-free shortcut to orange vegan “bacon” bits. Slice as many as you like, keeping in mind that they will shrink with roasting. (A cookie sheet full is enough to top 6 side salads.)

Disperse the sliced carrots over a parchment lined cookie sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil, or generously spray them with a Misto. Sprinkle dried herbs and seasoning over them. (I chose sea salt with dill for a light garden fresh taste, but grilling spices with black pepper would be more bacon bit like.)

Roast in a 350ᵒ oven for about half an hour… this will vary greatly depending on carrot size and oven temperament! Just keep an eye on them once the edges brown, with the oven light on. (If utilizing a dehydrator, cook them at 145ᵒ for 30 minutes, and then reduce heat to 115ᵒ for 24 hours until crunchy.)

Spoon the crunchy carrot bits over any variety of fresh garden salad.

Roasting makes them more flavorful than regular old carrot slices. (Find the bunny ears napkin ring craft tutorial here.)

Bunny sandwiches are the perfect accompaniment for a carrot topped garden salad. (Cut the bread shapes with a cookie cutter before filling them.)

The colorful carrots are a beautiful way to coordinate with any existing orange elements in your menu or décor. (See more from the leaping bunny garden party here.)

These are not only gluten-free, but also guilt-free… because no pigs or waist lines are harmed by consumption!

For more undercover veggies and a creamy dressing, see my Heartbeats Recipe here.

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

P.S. The Easter Bunny approves this message.

(This is one of the wild backyard bunnies visiting my porch!)

Recipes

Healthy “One-Pot” Cocorico Roasted Chicken (or Turkey) & Root Vegetables Recipe

November 24, 2014 Leigh

Making healthy roasted chicken and root vegetables is so easy with a Cocorico Roaster. I love to use mine as an easy “one-pot” wonder that presents beautifully from oven-to table. The night before a long day, I can peel the veggies and add herbs so it only needs to put it in the oven for a hardy home-cooked meal. Larger roasters will also accommodate a small turkey for the holidays.

Ingredients:

1 roasting chicken (or turkey, in a size that will fit your Cocorico roaster)
2 teaspoons thyme
2 teaspoons rosemary
1 fresh lemon
1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
Olive oil (enough to coat chicken & drizzle a little over veggies)

Multicolored root vegetables in season (enough to fill the cocorico base):

~1 pound carrots
~3 beets
~2 parsnips
~1 bunch radishes
~1 or 2 pounds fingerling (or new) potatoes
(& turnips if you have better luck than I did finding good ones)

Instructions:

Cocorico roasters in glazed terra cotta are available locally and online. I ordered mine from Napa Style because it was the biggest I’ve seen, and also had a larger turkey cone that fit over the chicken cone. Soak the whole thing under water at least 30 minutes before cooking. This prevents any heat damage to the vessel. I saturate mine in a bleached clean sink.

Preheat your oven to 400ᵒ, while you soak the roaster and prep your veggies. There are a beautiful variety of purple, orange, red, and white root vegetables available. Peel and cut them into about 2 inch chunks to ensure even cooking. Some recipes will advise you boil potatoes ahead of roasting, but I’ve found that to be completely unnecessary if you buy small fingerlings. They roast just like baked fries. They’re prettier, easier, and quicker… so save the big ones for baked potatoes. Radishes may seem like an odd choice for roasting, but they completely change character after cooking. They mellow out, losing their sharpness and spicy heat. I really do prefer them this way.

Place these in a bowl with herbs and add just the smallest drizzle of olive oil. (The chicken juices will flow over the veggies while cooking thus providing more flavor.) Squeeze a little of your lemon over the veggies, and save the rest to place inside the chicken cavity before setting over the roasting cone. Add sea salt and toss to coat everything well. This may be done ahead of time, just cover the bowl and refrigerate it until needed.

Many recipes will also instruct you to wash chicken inside and out before cooking, but I read a study that found it only served to spread dangerous bacteria all over your kitchen. Thorough cooking will kill bacteria while rinsing will not. Drain the fluid and remove any extra gifts left in the cavity (neck, gizzard, giblets). Then set the chicken onto the soaked Cocorico. Other recipes will also say to do this with the legs up and trussed, but this is really subjective to the size of your roasting cone versus the size of your bird. I used a smaller chicken in the pictures, which would have been physically impossible to set upside down. It cooked beautifully and tasted great. Just place the chicken whichever way you can get it onto the cone. It’s really hard to mess up dinner with a Cocorico!

Roast in the oven at 400ᵒ for about 15 minutes, and then reduce it to 375ᵒ for an hour longer (for ~4 lb chicken). Because every oven heats differently, the safest way to cook is with a meat thermometer. Place it in the thickest part of the thigh, but not to the bone. www.foodsafety.gov says 165ᵒ is poultry’s magic number! I’ve also read to rotate the Cocorico every 15 minutes. Thinking of how heavy it was, how that would let heat escape, what else I could spend my time accomplishing, and burn potential… I decided to forgo that. Once again, the simplest way proved itself. The chickens turned out exactly the same.

Use a serving spoon to gently toss the roasted veggies, so that the juices are fully distributed. It’s easiest to serve the veggies first and then carve into the meat, using the newly empty well to hold the pieces. Or it can all be transferred to other serving dishes… but I prefer to avoid washing extra tableware, and the filled Cocorico looks so lovely. If trying this, be sure to use adequate hot pads beneath it.

In the past, I’ve saved time by omitting the oil and placing the roots directly into the Cocorico. When it finished cooking, I would sprinkle fresh herbs and orange juice over the top, stirring it right in the roaster. Whichever way you chose to prepare it, with whatever vegetables, with either chicken or turkey, and legs cooked up or down… Cocorico roasters make it all turn out so beautifully! (See this for yourself at the link: Last Minute Cocorico Rooster Theme Dinner Party Décor Ideas.) So think about getting one for yourself, and leave the “beer-can chicken” to the tailgaters! 🙂

Faithfully Yours,

Leigh

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Living Faithfully ~ Embracing Creativity