Gluten Free Cooking Class #1

I'm a slacker, I know.

I hope that this post will be worth the wait.

I have been attending gluten free cooking classes, working out, working. Everything but posting here.

Right now This post will be about a recent cooking class that I was in attendance of. The food is always awesome. I have so much fun at these. I've given one dish, but I can come up with like 6 more to go with them or turn them into.

The fist dish we were served, was a Parmesan Cup with an arugula salad that consisted of pears and walnuts and was topped with a orange juice and balsamic vinegar dressing. YUM!!!

For this you will need the following:

1 cup Parm or favorite cheese ( I like the parm because it adds a nice salty bite to the salad.

1 tsp Gluten Free flour (I like rice but use what ever you like )

1 cup packed Arugula 

2 tbsp walnuts lightly toasted (in a dry pan on the stove top or a dry sheet tray in the oven)

1 orange (using the juice and zest)

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 large pear 

For the Parm crisp cup:

In a small bowl, combine the cheese and flour. Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Be sure that the pan is fully heated before adding the cheese. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of the cheese mixture into a 4 inch circle  in the middle of the skillet. DO NOT USE NON STICK SPRAY. It will make it too oily and wet. 

Cook util the circle starts to hold together as you lift it off the pan and the bottom is starting to brown, about 1 minute. Using an off set spatula, lift the circle of the cheese from the pan and flip to the other side. Cook for an additional 15 seconds. 

Gently press the circle into a muffin tin, or flip it over and gently press it over the upside down tin. Repeat with the remaining cheese, to make a total of 8 cheese cups. Let the cheese cups cool completely in the muffin tin. When ready to use, carefully life them out o the tin. Fill with the salad of your choice or the nice peppery arugula.

For the salad dressing:

Mix the salad greens with the toasted walnuts and chopped pears with skin on. In a small bowl, combine the juice of 1 orange and the 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar, drizzle over the salad and top with orange zest. 

If you happen to break one or two, use those pieces for croutons :)

Our entree tasted better then its name: Garden Loaf with Maple-Apricot Glaze

This particular entree was also vegan as well as Gluten free. It was really delicious, even though it was falling apart. 

Here is what you will need:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup chopped onion (red or sweet)

2 heaping cups of chopped baby bella or cremini mushrooms

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

5 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves

sea salt and ground pepper

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 cup toasted gluten free bread or waffle crumbs

2 tbsp Ketchup

2 tbsp molasses

1 tbsp good olive oil

1 tbsp dried Italian herb mix

1 tsp minced rosemary

3-4 scallions (or spring onions) sliced thin white to light green section

1 baked sweet potato peeled and diced.

Pre Heat oven to 350F. Lightly oil a glass bread loaf pan - OR - line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper that extends up the longer sides (this will help you when you go to lift it out of the pan when its done baking.)

Heat the Olive oil in a skillet and cook the onion until its translucent. Add the Mushrooms and garlic, stir until softened. Add the Balsamic vinegar  and stir. Add the Spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and cook down until the mixture is soft - about seven minutes or so. 

Spoon the skillet veggies into a food processor and pulse until you have a grainy mixture. You dont want to over process it, you want some texture. 

Dump the mixture into a large bowl. Add the cooked quinoa, gluten free bread crumbs, ketchup, molasses, and olive oil and stir to combine. Add in your dried herbs, rosemary, scallions, and mix to distribute. You want a moist mixture that sticks together when you press it with a spoon. If you need more ketchup or bread crumbs to hold it together, add it now, but no more then a tablespoon. Last - add the sweet potatoes and fold in gently.

Spoon the loaf mixture in the oiled or paper lined pan and shape ti with moist fingers, pressing it tight into the pan. Smooth the top, and make your glaze.

For the Glaze you will need:

1/4 cup no sugar added apricot fruit spread

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp maple syrup

A sprinkle of cinnamon and cumin.

Red chili flakes to taste. 

There were no directions on how to do this, but see my idea below:

Basically, combine it all in a small sauce pan  just to help  melt the fruit spread and bring it all together. 

Pour the glaze over the top of the loaf, save some for garnish

Tent loosely with a piece of foil. Bake in the center of the preheated oven until heated through and the edges  of the glaze are bubbling. About 25-30 minutes. 

Allow the loaf to set for about 10 minutes, tented with foil. You may need a second set of hands to help you lift it out of the pan if you lined it with parchment paper, let it set for a few more minutes so its easier to slice. 

Slice it into about 2 inch thick slices and serve. Garnish with the reserved glaze. 

Finally, our dessert. It was light, fresh, and so good. 

This is called the Raw Apple Crumble. This is a NO BAKE dessert.

This is so much easier and less complicated then the last dish, but it is such a good summer dish and would be GREAT with a little vanilla bean ice cream.

For this dish you will need:

4 Honey crisp apples, cored and chopped

1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (zest it before you juice it, you will need the zest for garnish)

3/4 cup pecan halves

3/4 cup hazel nuts

3/4 cup raisins

3/4 cup dates

3/4 tsp ground ginger

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

*NOTE* When you add cinnamon to a fresh fruit, it becomes spicy. 

Put the apples in an 8 inch square baking dish or 2 quart casserole dish. Drizzle with the orange juice , and toss until the fruit is coated and smooth the top. 

In a food processor combine the pecans, hazelnuts, raisins, dates, ginger and cinnamon and pulse until just chopped. It will be like an oat mixture, kinda chunky. Spoon this mixture over the apple mixture, smooth it out and serve. 

Oh yea, did I mention I met Carla Hall from Top Chef? Home girl, is from DC and was at Whole Foods promoting her cookie bites. SOOO GOOD!!

Happy Eating!!

Heather :)