Just in time for Christmas party season, here it is, a little collection of recipes that prove you don’t have to chuck the clean eating whilst hopping the party circuit.  As some of you know, I have fired 170 pounds from my life and going gluten-and cow-dairy-free is a big reason why it happened.  When I gave up those two things, my life and body changed amazingly. But the best part is I did not have to compromise flavor and pleasure.  It’s totally possible.  So here’s to living it up and loving life.

Pavlova

This elegant dessert made of baked egg whites (merengue) is light and divine.  Traditional recipes call for it to be slathered in whipped cream.  I either top with fresh fruit or use a vegan whipped cream.

Preheat oven to 275. Grease a cookie sheet, line it with parchment paper and sprinkle a little water over paper.

In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in water, then mix in cornstarch, vanilla, vinegar and salt.

Pour entire meringue mixture onto the center of the pan. Pavlova will spread as it bakes.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Turn oven off and leave Pavlova in the oven until cold. Turn upside-down onto plate and top with fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Chocolate-Covered Marshmallows

Whenever I’m in New York, I stop by the Gourmet Garage to load up on sugar-free marshmallows from France.  The fact that they’re white and pastel-pink makes them even more alluring.  Got the idea a few days ago to dunk them in a chocolate ganache.  Perfect as a party favor when going out this season or to serve guests.  The recipe below is for one…had a sweet-tooth craving today…what can I say?  Enlarge recipe as needed.  This one has no sugar or dairy – Enjoy!

1 square (1 oz.) bitter (baking) chocolate

3-4 TBS. almond or coconut milk

4 marshmallows (organic or sugar-free)

In small saucepan, heat chocolate and milk, whisking regularly to keep it from lumping. When chocolate is thoroughly blended with the milk, remove from heat and whisk again.  Dunk and coat marshmallows one at a time and place on a plate. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.  Remove from refrigerator and dunk again (also known in the candy-making biz as double-dipping). Place on plate and refrigerate or leave at room temperature.  Chocolate will solidify on its own, one way or another.

Charlotte Berwind’s Baked Brie

My friend Charlotte is like most caterer’s I know:   As big-hearted as she is talented.  What is it about that profession attracting only stellar souls?  Just saw Charlotte’s baked brie recipe on her blog and I’m totally revamping this to fit my gluten- and dairy-free preferences.  I know, you’re wondering how baked brie could possibly be dairy-free?  You can exhale…as far as I know there is no soy version of brie on the market…yet.  When I say dairy-free I mean cow-dairy free and last year, dicovered a superb goat brie available in my hometown.  In other words, if it’s found in Glens Falls, N.Y. (land of the no Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Costco, the list goes on) you can find it anywhere!

Diamond Dallas Page (the fitness guru who helped me fire 170 pounds) urged me to get off cow dairy and gluten and I’m eternally grateful.  There were some roadbumps at first…afterall, I HAD become a little addicted.  Now I don’t even miss either.  When I do occasionally eat cheddar or American, it tastes positively weird.

The goat brie I use is made by Woolwich Dairy.  If you can find a goat brie at your farmers market, even better:

http://www.woolwichdairy.com/products.aspx?x=lwikHt29djFe7s8764t6fWk7Zrf%2F1MBI0aMDI11dZ2Y%3D

Now, follow the Divine Ms. Berwind’s recipe below, substituting goat brie and g-free bread…and prepare for some gastronomic fireworks:

http://cbfinefoods.blogspot.com/2010/11/ahhhhh-finally-baked-brie-recipe.html

Thank You Charlotte!

♥

Stuffed Mushrooms

This is an appetizer that traditionally calls for copious amounts of breadcrumbs. I don’t use them in this recipe, although I could, because there are g-free breadcrumbs on the market (or you can make your own). I wanted the flavor of the Peccorino (a sheep’s milk cheese that tastes very similar to Parmesan) to come through. Plus, fewer ingredients is always simpler…and who doesn’t want that this time of year?

1 large package of large mushrooms, suitable for stuffing (20-24), washed and stemmed

1 pound ground sweet sausage

½ cup pre-shredded Peccorino cheese

1 teaspoon dried sage

2 teaspoons dried oregano

Light (not extra virgin) olive oil or grape seed oil for frying

Roughly chop or dice the mushroom stems. In a medium skillet, cook sausage and chopped stems over medium heat, crumbling with a wooden spoon or spatula as it cooks. Drain thoroughly and put cooked meat mixture in a large mixing bowl.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Using same skillet, place over medium heat and pour in enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Take washed mushroom caps and sauté them on both sides till lightly browned. You may have to do this in batches if all mushrooms don’t fit in the pan at once.

While mushrooms are browning, add the cheese and herbs to the sausage and mix thoroughly. When mushrooms are browned, place them in a rectangular baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Using a spoon, fill each mushroom with sausage mixture. If there’s leftover filling, refrigerate in airtight container. It’s great in omelets or tacos. Bake mushrooms at 325 for 20 minutes. Serve immediately. Note: there is no salt in this recipe because the Peccorino cheese is extremely pungent…adding salt would overdo it.

The following is one of my favorite dessert recipes that I’ve adapted to suit my personal taste – as in using less sugar that is called for. (I find most baking recipes are too heavy-handed with it). No matter who tries this chocolate-wonder dessert, they invariably end up clamoring for more…and for the recipe. I discovered this symphonic overture for Flourless Chocolate Cake on one of my favorite recipe sites of all time: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/ . Karina Allrich truly is a Goddess and has made me one ecstatic gluten-free gastronome.

Here’s the link to Karina’s recipe:

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2007/01/flourless-chocolate-cake_11.html

© Gluten-Free Goddess

For my version of her recipe, I substituted baking (bitter) chocolate for regular dark (Belgian) chocolate. Bitter chocolate + light and dark sugar = ecstasy! So herewith is my version of Karina’s recipe for:

Flourless Chocolate Cake

16 ounces baking (bitter) chocolate (two eight-ounce boxes)

1 cup organic brown sugar (light or dark)

½ cup organic sugar

1 cup hot espresso or very strong coffee

2 sticks room-temperature unsalted butter

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

8 large organic free-range eggs at room temperature, blended until smooth with a hand beater or immersion blender

1 tablespoon vanilla (bourbon vanilla if you have it)

Preheat oven to 350

I’ve mixed the ingredients two ways: Karina’s food processor method and stovetop method below:

In a large saucepan, melt butter and chocolate together over medium heat, whisking occasionally. When chocolate is mostly dissolved into the butter, gradually whisk in sugars, alternating with hot coffee. Turn heat off and keep whisking. At this point, the chocolate batter may get alarmingly dense and thick, don’t panic! Just keep whisking as best you can. (The addition of the eggs will make everything OK) When mixture is completely smooth, add eggs and vanilla and whisk until smooth.

Spray a spring form (cheesecake) pan with olive oil cooking spray. Cover the bottom of the pan with foil to safeguard any leaks. Pour chocolate cake mixture into pan. Optional: place cake pan in a square baking dish filled with a few inches of water. Bake for 30-50 minutes. I’ve found the cake is done after about 30 minutes, baked on the bottom rack. Check after 30 minutes to assess if you need more time. Cake should be firm in the center and be slightly pulling away from the edges of the pan. Don’t over bake or the cake will be dry and chalky. A few cracks on the surface are OK. Baking in a water bath will help keep it moist.

Cool covered for 30 to 60 minutes before refrigerating. May be served chilled or at room temperature. Crown vegan whipped cream (based from soy, coconut milk, or cashews).

Chex Mix

 This perennial Christmas party favorite is inherently gluten-free (if you skip the Wheat Chex and Cheerios). If you really want to keep it real, there are g-free pretzels and g-free cereals out there that mimic Cheerios. Otherwise, this simple version works beautifully and no one realizes it’s a g-free delicacy. The recipe is deliberately gigantic. This can be refrigerated and brought out in batches for different occasions throughout the season.

1 box Rice Chex

1 box Corn Chex

1-½ cups chopped walnuts

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 teaspoon seasoned salt or Adobo

1 TBS. Sweet paprika

½ TBS. Sage

1 teaspoon white pepper

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Melt butter in saucepan over medium low heat until melted and bubbly. Add salt, paprika, sage, and pepper and mix thoroughly. Turn heat off and leave on burner. Pour cereal into two separate large baking pans and spread out evenly. Divide the walnuts into two portions, sprinkling each portion into each tray of cereal. Using a small ladle, evenly drizzle melted butter over the cereal until it’s as evenly coated as possible. Lift trays and gently toss cereal to sift and distribute then place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before serving or storing in airtight containers.

On the right hand column on this blog, you’ll notice three categories. I decided to break the contents of my ongoing journey down into three major aspects of the human experience…and to underscore that paying attention to only one usually results in imbalance.

The question I’m asked most frequently regarding dropping 170 pounds is ‘what do you eat?’ Sometimes people demand to know my food intake to the letter in hopes that the weight will melt off, and so will the problems. I’ve been at this a long time and have learned the solution is a multifaceted one: food choices, physical exertion, feeling the feelings, finding things other than French fries to center me and make me feel calm.

There’s no one answer and it’s truly a mosaic, and one of the most important jeweled elements of it are relationships. Specifically, choosing healthy ones. This has been a work in progress for 20+ years. Getting good at it has progressed in tandem with my rising self esteem.

Having a life in balance means having relationships that are affirming and nurturing. As author and motivational Marc Mero is fond of saying:  ‘Friends are like elevators…they either take you up or take you down”

I make it a point to surround myself with people who are respectful, supportive, honest, and who genuinely wish me well. I may not live in the country’s most affluent zip code, but where my personal (and business…they count just as much) relationships are concerned, I’m one Wealthy Woman.

Case in point: my friend Sally Longo. She has a heart of solid gold and also happens to be a caterer with formidable culinary skills. A major score for me is being invited to one of her parties, or just a simple girlfriends dinner. Sally knows I eat gluten-free and although I’m fine with bringing g-free options along for the ride when I’m invited to dinner, she doesn’t give it a second thought to create a sumptuous, g-free meal fit for a pair of food-loving Queens. Now how great a friend is that?

The dinner below that Sally created one winter evening had me fanning myself in delight. Every ingredient was sublime…from the crispy planks of bacon in the spinach salad and the velvety mashed rutabaga, to the meatloaf that oozed steaming rivulets of tamarind glaze (chef Suvir Saran’s gorgeous recipe http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/030734150X/smallfarms-20 ).

Sally is also a cookbook author and her fantastic collection of recipes from her 20 years as a caterer can be found at http://www.amazon.com/Aunt-Sallys-Adirondack-Kitchen-Cookbook/dp/1604028645 .

So here’s to beautifully set tables, food made with Love, and the thoughtfulness of friends!

The first recipe is from the one and only Angella Cole, personal trainer, extraordinary baker and cook, nutrition consultant, and author of the forthcoming “My Picky Eaters” cookbook which will be packed with gluten- and dairy-free recipes for kids and adults.  In the meantime, visit http://www.mypickyeaters.com/ .

ANGELLA COLE’S SPICED ORGANIC BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

1 LARGE BUTTERNUT SQUASH, PEELED AND SEEDED

CHILI OIL ( OPTIONAL) SEASON TO TASTE

SALT & PEPPER

LEMON PEPPER

BASIL

ITALIAN SEASONINGS

1/2 FINELY SLICED RED OINON

2 PINTS VEGETABLE BROTH

1/2 CUP SILKEN TOFU

1/2 CUP WATER

PREHEAT OVEN to 400 DEGREES. CHOP AND PEEL SQUASH SQUASH, PLACE IN ROASTING TIN, DRIZZLE WITH CHILI OIL. THEN SEASON WITH SALT,  PEPPER, & LEMON PEPPER.

WHILE SQUASH IS ROASTING FOR 1 HOUR, SAUTEE ONIONS IN A LITTLE OLIVE OIL. USE ANY OTHER SEASONINGS YOU LIKE. (I USE MORE LEMON PEPPER, BASIL, ITALIAN

SEASONINGS AND SALT & PEPPER TO TASTE).

WHEN SQUASH HAS COOKED, LET COOL A BIT BEFORE SCOOPING ‘MEAT’ OUT OF HTE SKIN AND INTO BLENDER. ADD VEGGIE BROTH AND SILKEN TOFU. BLEND UNTIL SMOOTH AND POUR INTO A MEDIUM SAUCEPAN TO REHEAT OVER MEDIUM HEAT, STIRRING OCCASIONALLY.

SEASON WELL AND ADD SAUTEED ONIONS ON TOP!

FOR A QUICKER VERSION U CAN PEEL AND STEAM SQUASH FOR 15-2O MINS ..DRAIN WATER AND PUT IN BLENDER AND PUREE WITH SILKEN TOFU AND FOLLOW REMAINING DIRECTIONS AND

SEASONINGS.. ( ADD A LITTLE CINNAMON OR NUTMEG OPTIONAL)

ENJOY!

ANG

Mashed Potatoes

Inherently g-free, you can make mashed potatoes dairy-free by using the following instead of milk: room-temperature chevre, chicken or vegetable stock, rice, almond, coconut, or soymilk.

1 five-pound bag of potatoes *

2 6 oz. logs of room temperature chevre (goat cheese) *

A cup or so of chicken or vegetable stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Earth Balance Margarine or Extra Virgin Olive oil

* I avoid boiling vegetables the traditional way because they turn to mush and the vitamins leech into the water.  Instead, I either steam them by placing a bamboo steamer in the bottom of the stockpot or using a small amount of water. I also leave potatoes unpeeled – more fiber. Who can’t use a little of that on Thanksgiving?

* If you’re not using chevre (which makes the mashed potatoes wonderfully full-bodied and tangy), use 1-2 cups of heated stock or milk to thin the potatoes. Amount will vary depending on preferred consistency.

Wash potatoes and cut into chunks (quarter if potatoes are small). Add two inches of purified water to a large stockpot. Place bamboo steamer in the pan and add cut potatoes. If you don’t have a steamer, pour about 2 inches of purified water into the pot and then add potatoes. Bring water to a boil and then turn heat back to medium and steam for 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.

Remove from pot carefully (there will be lots of steam) and place in large mixing bowl or casserole dish. If there’s a little excess water, leave it in. Add first log of chevre and mash with electric hand beater or with a potato masher until blended. Then add second log. You may need to add warm stock or milk if it’s too thick. Add the salt, pepper, Earth Balance, or Olive Oil to taste and serve immediately or cover to keep warm.

Gluten-Free Gravy

2 cups chicken, turkey, or vegetable stock

½ cup pan drippings from the turkey

½ cup rice flour

Coconut or Almond Milk

Heat stock and drippings in a medium saucepan over medium high heat till bubbling. With wire whisk, beat vigorously while sprinkling flour in gradually. Don’t add all at once because you may not need it all. Continue to whisk as it thickens until it reaches desired consistency. Note: if you use pan drippings, you won’t need to add fat or salt. If no drippings are available or you want to keep it vegan, add Earth Balance or Olive Oil to give it more body.

Cranberry Sauce Without White Sugar

This is one of the easiest and healthiest ways I’ve ever known to make cranberry sauce. You’ll definitely get your Vitamin C allotment for the day with this recipe:

http://www.teamyrg.com/forum/topics/cranberry-sauce-a-healthy

Broccoli Puree

If you like your broccoli the traditional way, go right ahead. The texture of cruciferous vegetables has always turned me off, so I found a more appealing way to get it down the hatch:

1 bag frozen broccoli

½ cup vegetable or chicken stock

Earth Balance Margarine or Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt to taste

In a large saucepan, bring stock to a boil and add broccoli. Simmer covered over medium heat for 10 minutes, until fork-tender. Remove from heat; add margarine or olive oil and salt. Puree using an immersion blender or electric hand mixer. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately or cover and keep warm till ready to serve.

Cornbread

Another item that’s inherently gluten-free. Of course, there are recipes available on the cornmeal container, but here is one of my personal favorites. Love Karina Allrich’s version for its exotic touches of cinnamon, nutmeg, and bourbon vanilla.

http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2010/05/vanilla-cornbread.html

Gluten-Free Stuffing

Yes Virginia, a really delicious gluten-free stuffing is absolutely do-able. Sure it costs significantly more, but it’s worth the price of a loaf of gluten-free bread. And I’m down 12 sizes, so…fair trade.

http://www.teamyrg.com/forum/topics/gfree-stuffing

Escalloped Corn

Found this recipe through the friend of a Facebook friend. Thank You Tiajuana Anderson Neel! I amended some ingredients to make it dairy-free….but it’s still appropriately decadent for Thanksgiving.

1 cup cornmeal

2 TBS. Sugar or Agave

½ tsp. salt

2 cans drained whole kernel corn or 16 oz. frozen corn

8 ounces of tofu sour cream or goat yogurt, room temperature

1 stick butter, or Earth Balance, softened to room temperature

2 eggs, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350

Place cornmeal, sugar, corn, sour cream, and butter in large mixing bowl. With a wooden spoon, mix vigorously until smooth. Crack eggs into small bowl and whip with a fork or whisk until very blended. Add to corn mixture. Spray a casserole dish with olive oil cooking spray and add corn mixture. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until set.

Tofu Chocolate Mousse

This is a lovely ending to a meal – particularly a heavy one. It’s the perfect hit of chocolate sweetness, minus the fat-laden heaviness of cake, pie, or traditional mousse.

http://www.teamyrg.com/forum/topics/holy-hit-of-chocolate-batman

Sesame Wafers

Another light option. You won’t have to force these light, crispy cookies down the hatch. Serve plain or with ice cream made of coconut or almond milk. This recipe was given to me by Lisa Hall of Bolton Landing, N.Y. They were a major hit at a lakeside reception at the Marcella Sembrich Opera Museum in June and I knew HFFT readers would appreciate their uniqueness.

2 cups brown sugar

¾ cup butter or Earth Balance, softened

1 egg, beaten

1 cup Sorghum or Rice Flour

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 cup sesame seeds

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Toast sesame seeds in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop until golden brown. Cream the butter and sugar together, add beaten egg. Sift flour with salt and baking powder, stir into butter mixture. Add vanilla and sesame seeds. Drop by ½ teaspoon on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 8 minutes. Allow to cool for one minute before removing from sheet. Makes about 100.

(Lisa finds that the thin, cheap cookie sheets work the best for this recipe. The insulated type makes the wafers puff up.)

I’m co-hosting YRG Radio tonight at 9 p.m. with the one and only Diamond Dallas Page, the fitness ninja who helped me drop-kick 170 pounds (and a lot of emotional baggage) out of my life. Call in or log online to listen – and ask questions! (347) 994-1216.

9 p.m. EST – see you there ♥

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yrgradio

…well it’s not really a requieum, but a last-minute dessert I whipped together today in an attempt to ward off the despair that mounted with the sleet as it clicked against my window. The dessert involved baked apples…more on that in a minute.  I made the baked-apple-choice after grappling with the idea of downing a gluten-free cupcake (piled high with tufts of butter cream frosting, it’s one of my favorite occasional indulgences). The problem was, I just had a gluten-free cupcake yesterday.  Usually when I give in to the desire that’s the end of it for a while, and weeks go by until another cupcake craving comes a knocking.  I knew the ‘just do it’ voice in my head urging me to reach for another one in less than a 24-hour span was the perfect barometer that I was feeling a little off. 

The thing about emotional eating is it’s not always rooted in crisis or high drama. Today, feeling bummed about the lousy weather was enough of an impetus to have me contemplating relief via my tastebuds. And that’s not always a bad thing…it’s actually a healthy and human thing to do.  I just know myself and my limits and could see things insideously creeping out of control if I didn’t do a little negotiating. Yeah, I was hungry…and I wanted something sweet.  But it was so freakin’ cold and bleak out, I realized the overriding sensation I wanted to experience was warmth. So I preheated the oven to 325 and proceeded to assemble the following:

Two small apples, sliced and cored

Two tablespoons of homemade cranberry sauce (see previous blog for recipe)

A small handful of dried apricots

Layer in baking dish as follows:  apricots (they will be so plump and juicy when it’s over you won’t believe it!); apples; cranberry sauce. Bake for 30 minutes. 

One very important ingredient:  a Cazuela.  There’s something magical about these baking dishes. The fact that they’re lead and chemical free is a big plus. They’re also made from clay harvested from riverbanks in the south of Spain.  It all makes for a constitution that affords flawless baking.  Mine looks like nothing more than a terra cotta plate…the kind that go underneath terra cotta planters to catch excess water.  Its plainness is deceptive. It comes with no lid, yet everything I’ve ever baked in it is fork-tender and moist.  Don’t go looking for Cazuela’s at Wal-Mart.  Try import or specialty stores. Mine come from Hamada Egyptian Bazaar in Saratoga Springs.  They come in varying sizes. Give the owner Mohamed a shout…he will hook you UP!  http://www.hamadaegyptianbazaar.com/info.html .

If you decide to take up the art of Cazuela-baking, let me know how it goes. In the meantime, Bon Appetit!  And please excuse the photo quality. Took them circa 5 p.m. today and daylight was long gone.  Here’s to baking away the winter blues…