Category Archives: Simply Yummy

Curried Chicken and Cauliflower Paleo Risotto

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I’d never had curry until a year or so ago.

I just couldn’t get past the smell – or at least the smell of the tub of curry powder my husband bought at Costco when we were newlyweds.

Fast forward to about 18 months ago…we were still living in Florida…when a dear friend whose father is from India and who spends time there each year took us to his favorite restaurant. Our entire family, including the super-picky boy, became fanatics for the flavors of India. We’ve enjoyed meals out at Indian restaurants ever since, but it’s only been recently that I’ve finally begun using the flavors at home. It’s been a bit intimidating, but I think we’re getting the hang of it.

This one pan meal is the end result of just playing around and experimenting a bit. It’s really easy to adapt to your personal needs for spice and texture, and it would be easy to substitute beef or even shrimp for the chicken. Don’t like mushrooms? No problem, just skip them. Prefer a red chili paste? It works too. Want to add in some other veggies? Why not. It’s a great template to work from, and one that we’ve been playing with quite a bit.

Really, the only thing I think is a necessity is the cauliflower. By steaming the cauliflower and then allowing it to finish cooking in the curry/coconut milk liquid, it takes on a bit of that risotto texture that I miss so much. I like mine a little thicker, so hubby adds more coconut milk after I pull mine out of the pan.

I’m working to find ways to make more of my recipes quicker to throw together. I’m planning to try steaming, draining and freezing the cauliflower in advance this week. If it works, I’ll update the recipe. You could also easily used precooked chicken or beef to speed things up a little more. Once the chopping and grating was done, it only took us about 20 minutes to put this together – quick enough for a good lunch and perfect for a busy night dinner. If nothing else, make a double batch. The leftovers just get better.

Curried Chicken and Cauliflower Paleo Risotto
Serves 2-4, depending on how large that cauliflower head is

1 cauliflower, grated or buzzed in the food processor until it looks like rice
2 chicken breasts, cut into 1″ chunks
1 to 2 c. large white mushrooms, chopped into small bites
1/2 red onion, chopped into large chunks
2 t. vadouvan or curry powder
3 to 4 T. coconut oil
1 to 2 T. yellow curry paste (we like this one from Amazon)
4 to 8 T. coconut milk, separated
fish sauce or coconut aminos, optional

Serve with:
diced avocado, optional – but it helps cool things down a bit if you get too spicy

The Prep Work:

  • Steam grated/riced cauliflower in the microwave or on the stove with a bit of water for 3 or 4 minutes. You want to just take the crunch off of it, and don’t want it fully cooked.
  • Transfer cauliflower to a strainer and allow to drain for 15 minutes. You can pull a little more water out by adding a sprinkle of salt to the cauliflower.
  • Mix chicken with 1 t. of the vadouvan and set aside.
  • Combine curry paste and coconut milk. I like a ratio of 1 paste to 2 milk – my preference with this yellow curry paste is 1.5 T. curry paste and 3 T. coconut milk, but that can depend on how much cauliflower you have and personal preference.

Get Cooking:

  • In a large frying pan over medium high, heat 2 T. coconut oil.
  • Once the oil is melted, add the rest of the vadouvan and allow to heat for just a moment until it becomes even more fragrant.
  • Add the mushrooms and onions. Cook until the mushrooms are tender and the onions are just cooked, just a few minutes - they’ll continue to cook later. Remove to a bowl.
  • Add the rest of the coconut oil, and then the chicken chunks. Brown and cook the chicken.
  • Transfer the cauliflower rice from the strainer to the frying pan, tossing with the chicken to combine.
  • Pour in the curry paste and coconut milk, turn the heat down and allow to simmer. After a minute or two, add the mushrooms and onions as well.
  • This is where you have to use your own judgement – you’re going to need some more coconut milk, but add it slowly (i.e. don’t dump it directly from the can…not that I’m speaking from experience). A tablespoon at a time. It’s also helpful to taste some of the cauliflower bits. If they’re super spicy, more coconut milk helps tone it down. A dash of fish sauce or coconut aminos adds another flavor to the mix that can be nice.
  • Simmer for 3-5 minutes.
  • Serve with diced avocado.

One of the greatest benefits of going paleo for me has been getting to experience new flavors – I hope you enjoy this one as much as we do!

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Soy-free Asian Marinade

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I love a good marinade, especially as I’m starting to get that spring and summer itch. While we’re definitely many days from those warmer weather, every chance I get I like to throw something like this together and make dinner just a little bit easier on me…by making my hubby do the cooking at the grill.

And while it’s a great, Asian-inspired (but soy free) marinade for the grill, I’ve also used this with cubed London Broil under the broiler. Veggies are pretty tasty when given a few hours in this marinade, too. Chicken would be a great option, and it could also be a stir-fry sauce if you’d like.

Side note: tamari or soy sauce is a much stronger flavor than coconut aminos, but the aminos really allow the flavor of your meat to shine.

Soy-free Asian Marinade
Makes: enough for meat and veggies for 4

  • 3.5 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 5 T Raw Coconut Aminos (or 3.5 T. tamari or wheat-free soy sauce, if you’re okay with soy)
  • 1 t sea salt
  • 1 t ground black pepper
  • red pepper flakes to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 t ground ginger
  • 2 lbs round steak or steak tips cut into 1″ squares (works well with tri tip steaks or flank steak also, though keep them whole)
  • lots assorted vegetables cut into somewhat equal sized pieces (mushrooms, onions, zucchini or other squash, broccoli, asparagus – if you can roast it, it works)
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil additional for the vegetables

Combine olive oil, coconut aminos and seasonings in a small bowl.

Prep the meat and vegetables and place in separate zipper bags.

Pour about 3/4 of the marinade in the meat bag. Add another tablespoon or so of olive oil to the marinade and toss with the vegetables. Shake to coat.

Best if marinated for several hours.

If you’re going to be broiling:
Preheat oven to 400.

Spread veggies in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.

After 20 minutes, adjust the heat to High Broil, move the veggies to the bottom rack and place the meat on the top rack.

Broil until done to desired, keeping an eye on the vegetables to keep from burning. It takes just a few minutes, and I try to flip the meat so it gets more evenly browned.

For grilling:
Here’s where I admit my lack of grilling skill. If you’re doing the smaller cubes of meat, skewer and grill several minutes per side, until they’ve reached desired doneness. For trip tip or flank steak…good luck.

When I grill the meat, I still usually roast the veggies in the oven. Next time, I’m going to try the foil pouch method on the grill – and I’ll update when I have it figured out. You could also skewer the veggies for veggie kabobs.

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paleo muffin tops

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We love these.

We really love these.

Which is why I’ve only gotten an Instagram shot to share – they’ve been getting eaten too quickly to get the camera out for a proper picture.

I saw this recipe from The Foodie and the Family run through Facebook earlier this week and knew I had to try them. I’ve been searching for something other than scrambled eggs for the occasional breakfast for me, as well as better choices for the kiddos and these looked perfect – high protein, good fat, even portable if they need to be. I still haven’t had a chance to throw any in the freezer, but I think they should freeze okay.

As much as I liked the original version, I wanted to make a few adjustments – more spices, a few mix-ins and a little bit more liquid to make them just a bit more…muffiny.

I love recipes that are so easy to adapt to our personal tastes. I want to try taking a little bit more of the maple syrup out – I think with the additions of dried or fresh fruit, the batter could probably handle less sweet. And the mix-ins listed are just the ones I’ve tried so far. I think the options are pretty limitless. I’m hoping to try blueberries and almonds soon, and can’t wait to do a peach ginger variation in the summer. I’ll update this post as I try new ones.

Maybe I’ll even get a decent picture at some point!

Here’s how we do them at our house:

Paleo Muffin Tops
makes 16-20 muffin tops, depending on size

Prep: 5 – 10 minutes
Bake: 12-15 minutes, again depending on size

3 cups almond meal (unblanched works just fine)
2 tablespoons coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2.5 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup
4 eggs
2 tablespoon coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix-ins:
1/2 c unsweetened dried cranberries
1/2 c chopped macadamia nuts
or
1 small apple, peeled and diced
1/2 c chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.

In another bowl, whisk together all wet ingredients.

Add wet to dry and stir to combine.

Stir in your choice of mix-ins.

Scoop onto the baking sheets.
I really like a cookie scoop (like an ice cream scoop) for this. It keeps the size consistent for easier baking.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes, until they turn slightly golden brown and are no longer mushy to the touch.

Cool for a few minutes before removing from the baking sheet.

Enjoy!

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Mashed Butternut Squash: Obsession

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I’m a bit embarassed to admit how often I’ve been eating this mashed butternut squash.

Let’s just say I’m a little worried I might actually turn orange…and it rhymes with schmaily…and might be a little more often than I actually should.

It’s the perfect accompaniment to scrambled eggs, and I can make a big batch since it freezes and reheats so well. Like the Firecracker Chicken I posted earlier this week, it’s not so much a recipe as a technique – and you can adjust the seasonings to your heat preference. Butternut squash is my personal favorite, but I’ve also made it with acorn and kombucha and they’re all good.

It’s also a great side dish – maybe even for Thanksgiving next week.

Mashed Butternut Squash
Makes: about 5 breakfast servings, give or take

1 butternut squash
1 T. olive oil
2 T. Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream (if you don’t have coconut cream, you can replace with coconut oil…but it isn’t as good)
1 t. cinnamon
dash of cayenne pepper
1/4 c. coconut milk
salt and pepper to taste

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Split squash in half, remove seeds and rub the cut areas with olive oil.
  • Place squash face down on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 45-60 minutes.
    People much smarter than I recommend doing this with a quarter inch of water. Every time I’ve attempted that I’ve managed to spill the water…so this is my way of doing it. I also like that it gives a little caramelization to the squash. Either way would work.
  • When squash is fork tender, remove from the oven and allow to cool until it’s easy to handle.
    Or go right on to the next step if you can handle the heat.
  • Once squash is cooled a bit, use a spoon to remove the squash from the skin to a bowl.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients except the coconut milk and mash with a hand masher or an immersion blender.
    Sometimes I add a little nutmeg too. If I can ever find my garam masala, I intend to try it too.
  • Add the coconut milk a bit at a time to reach the consistency you desire.
  • Lasts for several days in the refrigerator or can be frozen to eat later.

The Grocery Cart Challenge’s Recipe Swap

firecracker chicken: quick & easy paleo/primal meals

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I’m about 10 weeks into this whole paleo thing and while I couldn’t be happier with the weight-loss and general health results I’m seeing, sometimes I want something other than a simple meat and veggie meal.

In fact that’s one of the biggest concerns I’ve noticed I hear about following a paleo diet.

Don’t you get tired of eating just meat and vegetables?

And while this is chicken and veggies, there’s a coconut milk sauce that makes it so different it doesn’t even strike me as a paleo meal when I eat it.

Variety is good, right?

And I feel rather silly…there’s not a whole lot of recipe to this recipe. It’s incredibly adaptable – any meat, any veggies, any seasonings. The one consistent stroke is using coconut milk to create your sauce and serving it on top of zucchini noodles. I’ve been known to add other random vegetables, but what I’m sharing today is the basics…or maybe a template. Feel free to add whatever you’d like.

Maybe it’s more of a technique?

Whatever it is, it’s good, it’s easy, it’s a great way to clear out the fridge and I can get it on the table in less than half an hour.

Total win.

Firecracker Chicken
serves 4

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 T. coconut oil (more if needed)
2-3 T. Cajun seasoning
2 cups chopped mushrooms (baby bellas are great here)
2 T. sun dried tomatoes (chopped small) or 2-3 roma tomatoes (diced)
1 can coconut milk (less if using fresh tomatoes)
1 t. red pepper flakes (optional)
parmesean cheese (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

  • Slice chicken thinly across the grain and toss to coat with cajun seasoning.
    You want the chicken well coated – the cajun seasoning is going to mix with the coconut milk to create the sauce.
  • In a large frying pan on medium-high heat, heat the oil and add the chicken. Stirring often, cook the chicken until it’s done and has browned slightly.
    Since the chicken is cut thin, this takes just a few minutes. You can even start with leftover chicken and save time.
  • Remove the chicken to a bowl and set aside.
  • Add mushrooms to frying pan, adding more oil first if needed.
  • Once mushrooms are cooked, add the tomatoes and optional red pepper flakes.
    If using fresh tomatoes, cook for a few more minutes.
  • Add back in the chicken and coconut milk.
    If you’re using fresh tomatoes, add a little less coconut milk.
  • Simmer 5-10 minutes,s tirring occasionally. The coconut milk will reduce a little and get thicker. Taste to check seasonings and adjust.

While the sauce is simmering, make zucchini noodles:

Zucchini Noodles
Serves 4

4 or 5 zucchini
1 T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

  • Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zucchini lengthwise to create long strips.
    They’re pretty – the creamy white skin edged with dark green. I tend to stop when I reach the seeds, turn my zucchini and peel again. I end up with a long rectangle of zucchini seeds that I toss in the compost pile.
  • Heat olive oil on medium in a frying pan or skillet.
  • Add zucchini, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper.
    I like to cook the zucchini until it’s just barely cooked. Too long and it gets mushy, too short and it’s crispy. For me, it’s done when I can fold it over without it breaking.

To serve, create a bed of zucchini noodles and top with several ladles of the chicken, veggies and sauce.

A few thoughts:

  • If you can handle dairy, a little fresh parmesean is really good on top…and it’s really nice to add a little to the sauce as well while it’s still cooking.
  • Next up on hubby’s list is to try this with curry powder for a more Indian style dish. I also think you could go a little more Mexican or Italian with the spices.
  • I’d add broccoli, but my family isn’t fond of broccoli cooked with other things.
    I have no idea why, but they’re pretty vocal about it.
    If it were just me, though, I’d add barely steamed broccoli when I add the coconut milk and let it finish in the sauce.
  • Beef and pork would be great instead of chicken, and if I can remember to pick some up I want to try it with shrimp.

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Paleo Chipotle Beef Chili

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So…last Fall, I adapted a recipe for chipotle chicken chili from a show I’d seen, made it about once a week, and entered it in an online chili cookoff.

The show was one that was produced by Martha Stewart…and I got a thank you not for driving traffic to their website last December.

We ate it as a family until we got totally burned out on it…but I was happy anyway.

And the chili cookoff? It won the meat and poulty category.

It’s a good chili recipe.

But this year, I wanted to tweak it – make it a little more paleo-fied, if you will.

And my family agreed – unanimously – that it was even better than the orginal.

Here’s the new version:

Paleo Chipotle Beef Chili
serves 8

10 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 jalapeno chile, halved (I removed a few of the seeds)
1 white onion, peeled and halved
4 garlic cloves (more would be good)
2 T. coconut oil
2 pounds grass fed ground beef
4 carrots, grated
4 zucchini, grated
1 pound mushrooms – white button or baby bellas, also grated
3 T. chili powder
1 T. cumin
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped (more or less based on your heat preference)
1.5 to 2 c. chicken stock (or as needed to thin to your favorite chili consistency)
2 t. salt
Optional for serving: avocado and coconut milk

  • Preheat broiler, with rack 3 inches from heat source. Arrange tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, and garlic, cut side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until starting to char, about 5 minutes. Pulse tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno, onion and any liquid from the baking sheet in a blender or a food processor until chunky. Chop onion.
  • Heat a large heavy skillet (preferably enamel cast-iron) over medium-high heat. Add oil. Brown ground beef. Once beef is cooked, set aside and remove most of the drippings.
  • Reduce heat to medium. Add  carrots, mushrooms and zucchini to skillet. Cook until soft and golden, about 8 minutes.
  • Add chili powder, cumin and 2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in chipotles and ground beef. Raise heat to high and add tomato-jalapeno-garlic mixture. Cook until fully incorporated, 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Stir in stock; simmer for 15-20 minutes.
  • Serve with chopped avocado and a little coconut milk (optional – it really helps if you get it too spicy…not that I’m talking from experience or anything)

Note: I’m still using the canned chipotles. One of these days I’ll attempt roasting my own, but for now I found a brand that has nothing added that I’m uncomfortable with.

Also, I usually roast and blend the tomatoes and such earlier in the day – once that’s done, it’s about 30 minutes until the chili is ready. It can be simmered longer, but it’s not totally necessary.

Freezes well and makes for awesome leftovers.

food journal…a reminder for myself

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I've been fighting a cold/allergies/sinus/coughing thing for almost two weeks now.

And I've realized something…

when I don't feel good, I don't eat good.

Pardon my grammar.

But I don't.  Instead of eating the foods that bring health and wellness, I've been eating cheese tamales from Costco…leftover Easter candy…soda instead of water…anything else I can find that's processed and gluten-free (not easy)…and craving the cookies and bread and all that other gluten-filled stuff I just can't eat.  It's been an all day fight against the cravings that I know will only make me feel worse.  

Quite a difference from two weeks ago, when I took a few photos of what I was eating to create a visual food journal of what sort of meals keep me feeling my best.  I've debating sharing them, but because I need a little visual inspiration so badly right now to keep the fight up…here we go…

IMG_6433
Breakfasts – I'm finding fruit and nuts to be a big win for me.  Apples and almonds or a sliced banana and walnuts with a sprinkle of cinnamon…sometimes a greens smoothie.  A little sugar, a lot of fiber and some protein.  It doesn't seem like much, but they keep me going better than a bowl of cereal ever did.

For snacks – more of those breakfasts.  A handful of almonds, an apple, a bowl of strawberries.  And I'm realizing I need less of them than I tend to think I do.

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Lunches -I have a huge tendency to find something and eat it until I'm sick of it.  Somehow, in all the years I've been eating them, I've never been tired of black bean quesadillas.  My other lunch of choice is a great big dinner plate sized salad with lots of chopped veggies, beans and sometimes a little fruit.  

I'm going to have to find something new, though, for a bit – sinus issues have me convinced I need to stay away from dairy for a bit.  

And a side question – how do you feel about mango?  It's a new-to-me fruit and I'm still not sure I like it.  Some bites are great, others seem to taste a little grassy.

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Dinners - mushroom fajitas (this recipe, with mushrooms instead of flank steak), mongolian tempeh (again, tempeh instead of beef), veggie omelettes, rice or quinoa pasta with a little sun-dried tomato pesto and sauteed vegetables…more big salads, roasted mushrooms and sauteed spinach, steamed artichokes, grilled veggies, Southwest bean and rice salad, stir fried rice with a little egg…

There it is.

That hunger for whole foods – foods they way God made them – it's back.

What reminder do you need today?

Gluten-free Almond Cake with Spiced Peach Topping

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In the past three weekends, I've made this cake three times.  First, in a baking class…then for a family dinner…and finally for Tom's birthday.  And every single time, it has been a huge hit with absolutely everyone and I've had multiple requests for the recipe.  

The cake base is incredibly flexible – you can pretty much top it with just about anything.  The cooked peach topping was terrific last weekend.  Blackberries cooked down to almost a jam-like consistency were pretty darn good, too.  Chopped mandarin oranges and pineapple?  Also yummy.  As a gluten-free base for strawberry shortcake?  I can't wait.  Maybe a glaze of chocolate ganache…or apricot jam…a caramel drizzle…an orange glaze?  It would all work wonderfully.  Even the spices are infinitely adaptable – I want to try ginger with that apricot jam.  I'm even planning to turn it into a carrot cake for Easter, and after that maybe a banana cake.

And it goes without saying that any of those are even better with a dollop of fresh whipped cream!

But even better than all of that is that there is no refined sugar and no gluten in this cake, but it still retains a moist, cake-like texture.   It's also fairly easy to throw together and doesn't require any of the expensive and often intimidating gums so often found in gluten-free baking.  

Note: I've been buying almond meal from Whole Foods, and after learning to grind my own in class I will definitely not be doing that again!  A cup and a quarter of almonds yields about a cup and a half of ground almonds – just what you need for this recipe.  Just throw them in a food processor and turn it on and let it go.  Grind until you have a fine flour.  Go to far, and you'll end up with almond butter – but the savings are definitely worth the few minutes and a little experimenting!

Gluten-Free Almond Cake
Serves 4 to 6
Recipe inspired by Bauman College Staff 

1.5 cups ground almonds
3/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. plus 1/8 t. salt
1 to 2 teaspoon cinnamon (your preference – 1 t. gives just a hint)
pinch of nutmeg
3 eggs, separated
3 T. honey
2.25 t. vanilla extract
small pinch cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly oil a springform pan or tart pan, and line the bottom with a parchment round.
Could you use a regular cake pan?  Maybe.  I haven't tried it yet, but with enough oil and parchment I think it might work.  Let me know if you try! 

Place almonds in large mixing bowl, and add baking powder, salt and spices.  Mix until combined.

Separate the eggs.  

Add the yolks to the dry ingredients, along with the honey and vanilla.

Using a hand or stand mixer, whip the egg whites until you have stiff peaks.  

Gently fold the egg whites into the almond mixture, about a third at a time.  
That almond mixture is THICK – so really take your time with this and be gentle, but also be sure they're completely combined or you'll have white streaks in your finished cake.

 Carefully pour the batter into your prepared pan, and gently spread evenly.  

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Cool for a few minutes before removing the ring of the springform pan or the base of the tart pan.  

Allow to cool completely before serving.

One more thing: be sure to remove that parchment paper before placing it on your serving dish!
Not that I'm talking from experience or anything =) 

 

Spiced Peach Topping
Serves: 4 to 6

3 cups frozen or fresh peaches, (if frozen, defrosted and juice reserved) 
2 – 3 teaspoons sugar (I've been using coconut sugar and love it – low on the glycemic index and plenty sweet)
1 t. cinnamon
A few tablespoons of water, if needed 

Combine all ingredients on saucepan over medium heat.

Allow to come to a simmer and turn heat to low.

Simmer until the peaches break down and the sauce reduces and thickens.  

Can be served warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

 

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Roasted Mushrooms with Shallots, Garlic and Soy

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Roasted Mushrooms 

When I was in high school, our band boosters club put on a steak dinner and auction every year as a fundraiser.   It was a blast (probably because my best friends and I always seemed to finagle a way to work the soda's only bar rather than the food) and raised a good amount of money each year.  My favorite part, though, were the leftover mushrooms.  I know they were marinated, but I'm not sure how they were cooked.  Leftovers were auctioned off in large jars and the bidding could get fierce.  When the leftovers came home with us, I would eat them by the bowlful. 

These aren't exactly the same.  I'd still love to find that exact band booster dinner recipe, but this one is just as good (and doesn't have to be made to serve several hundred).  It was one of five side dishes I made for Christmas dinner this year, and I'm thinking I might have gotten a just a little bit carried away.

I'm going to blame it on the fact that I can't eat gluten, which seriously cut into my holiday baking.  That urge has go somewhere, right?

This one…it tied for my favorite.  The other one (roasted cauliflower in a parmesean sauce) will have to wait until after our cross-country move next week.

I adore mushrooms and throw them in everything I can.  I'd never roasted them before, beyond throwing a couple of sad looking ones from the bottom of the vegetable drawer into a baking dish with other veggies.   I knew I wanted something special to go with the rib eye steaks husband dear had his heart set on for Christmas dinner, and roasted mushrooms seemed like an obvious choice.  I pulled together a few recipes, compared notes and came up with this.  I've made it another time since and decided it's a keeper.

Roasted Mushrooms with Shallots, Garlic and Soy
served 7 with no leftovers (bummer)

1.5 to 2 pounds mushrooms (I used white, but I'll definitely add some crimini next time)
3 shallots (or more) cut in wedges
1 – 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 – 3 T. olive oil
1 T. soy sauce (I prefer Tamari)
several 2" pieces of fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.

Trim mushrooms and cut large ones in half.  Combine in a bowl with the shallots. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the garlic, soy and olive oil.  

Toss mushrooms and shallots with the garlic mixture and transfer to a baking sheet.  Place several springs of rosemary about the pan.

Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.

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Flourless Chocolate Turtle Cake

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Ummm…

I've made this cake twice in the past week, and I"m already looking for another something special to take it to.

The first time, I made it exactly as directed in Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking (which I love) and served it with fresh whipped cream and crunched up candy canes.  It was absolutely amazing, but…a little bit too much.

The second time, I made a few small changes and cut the recipe in half.

Oh, and added a carmel sauce and pecans.  

And more fresh whipped cream.

Just for fun =)

Either way, it's amazing.  Dense, rich and chocolatey beyond reason, it's perfect for special occasions regardless of whether you can eat gluten or not (New Year's and Valentine's Day come to mind).   And I'm thinking you could get crazy with the toppings…dulce de leche, Bailey's whipped cream, glazed strawberries, something minty…the possibilities are endless!  And while it's baked in a spring form pan, I think I'm might try baking it as short cupcakes next time with more toppings.

Flourless Chocolate Turtle Cake
Serves: hmmm….we had 8 people and didn't even eat half  (I told you it's rich!)

Cake
7 oz. dark chocolate (I used the dark chocolate chunks from Whole Foods)
1/2 lb. salted butter
2/3 c. plus 1 T. sugar
1/2 c. half and half
2 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. salt
4 eggs
Shortening and cocoa powder for greasing the pan 

Turtle Topping
7 oz. carmels (removed from the wrappers)
1 T. evaporated milk
1 T. butter 
1 c. pecans 

For the cake….
Preheat oven to 350.

Using butter or shortening, grease a 10" spring form pan.

In a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and dark chocolate.  

Once melted and combined, remove from heat and add sugar, stirring to dissolve.
This takes a few minutes -  I do it by hand, but I assume a mixer would work too.

Stir in the half and half, vanilla and salt. 

Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl.  

Slowly pour and mix the chocolate mixture into the eggs, mixing completely until very well blended.
The half and half cools the chocolate down enough that I haven't had anything curdle or scramble.

Pour the batter into the spring form pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cake is just set.
And be sure the ring is properly attached to the base of the spring form pan before pouring the batter in or you are in trouble!

Remove cake to a  cooling rack and allow to cool completely before removing the ring.

Remove the ring and refrigerate the cake until chilled, leaving the cake on the spring form base.
Because even if you wanted to, I'm not sure you could get it off.

For the turtle topping… 
In a heavy saucepan, melt carmels with butter and evaporated milk, stirring until completely mixed.

Allow to cool and thicken for a few minutes, then pour over the top of the completely cooled cake.

Top with pecans, either whole in a ring around the edge or chopped and sprinkled.

Chill again in the refrigerator.

To serve…
Remove the cake from the refrigerator half an hour to an hour before serving.  Serve as is or topped with fresh whipped cream and enjoy!

Next week…roasted mushrooms with shallots and rosemary!