Gluten Free Dinner - Vegetarian Chili and Cornbread

Today I delivered dinner to a friend who recently had a baby girl. She is gluten-free and vegetarian so I looked up some recipes online and got to cooking. The vegetarian chili I adapted from Gluten-Free Goddess's Butternut Chili and the cornbread from her Skillet Cornbread with Green Chilies. I made double and we had ourselves a gluten-free vegetarian meal as well. I will say that I prefer my Colorful Chili but I'm not sure if it's because of the meat or because of the multitude of spices. The cornbread was absolutely delicious! Super moist and I love the diced green chilies in it. So make your favorite chili and enjoy this recipe for gluten-free cornbread.

Gluten Free Cornbread Recipe
Combine in a medium bowl:

1 cup gluten-free cornmeal

1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Baking Mix

1 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp baking soda

1½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp fine sea salt

½ tsp chili powder

½ tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup granulated coconut sugar

Mix in a separate large bowl:

2 eggs

1 cup kefir or buttermilk

½ cup grapeseed oil

¼ cup water

Mix dry ingredients into wet and stir just to combine.
Add and mix until combined:
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies

Pour into a greased 9x9" baking dish or a greased 10" cast iron skillet. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and/or chili powder if desired. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 25-30 mins or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Sourdough Cornbread with Yellow Squash

Having sourdough starter in the house means I'm constantly trying to use it so I don't actually have to discard any when I feed it. Today I decided to see if I could find a sourdough cornbread recipe. Lo and behold, Emeril has one. So, I adapted it a little for my taste and added some yellow squash I had in the fridge that needed to be used. It came out so so good. I think it's better than the zucchini cornbread I previously posted. This isn't as sweet as the other, but was super moist. My four year old liked it better than the zucchini cornbread, since she couldn't actually see the squash this time. I'm not normally a fan of "hiding" veggies in things, but since Laina gladly ate this and had seconds, yet hardly touched the zucchini version, I have to concede this one.

Sourdough Cornbread with Yellow Squash

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup sourdough starter (100% hydration, straight out of fridge)
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 whole eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (if it's hot in your house like it is mine, it will already be liquid)
• 2 small yellow summer squash, grated 

Turn oven to 400 F. Put 1 Tbs coconut oil in 9x9" glass baking dish or large cast iron skillet and put in oven while it preheats.

Mix dry ingredients in small bowl. Mix remaining ingredients except squash in large bowl, beating well to incorporate the starter throughout. Stir squash into wet ingredients and then mix dry into wet. Mix just to incorporate. Carefully remove preheated pan from oven and pour in batter. Bake 30-40 mins or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool a few minutes before cutting and serving. (Preheating the oil in the pan makes a delicious crispy crust that was my four year old's favorite part!)

Week 26

Happy Independence Day! Wow, half way through the year already. I am somewhat amazed that I've been able to keep this up for so long. In celebration of 4th of July, I'm making a red white and blue trifle and also Jay scored a smoker at a garage sale a couple weeks back so we'll be smoking some pork butt this weekend, too.


Pulled Pork in the Smoker
Check this article from About.com on smoking a pork butt (I know it's called the butt but it's actually the shoulder). I'm just going to have Jay pretty much follow the recommendations there. We may do a rub and then stick it in the smoker but it's pretty much a set it and forget it kinda meal. To go with our pork, I'll probably make zucchini cornbread and Tuscan kale Caesar slaw.


Zucchini Cornbread (adapted from Bon Appetit)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large zucchini, grated
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup cornmeal

Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350. Grease a 9x5x3" loaf pan. Melt butter in small saucepan over med heat. Cook until butter solids turn golden. Remove from heat, scrape into med bowl and let cool. Whisk in eggs and buttermilk. Stir in zucchini. Sift flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soada into large bowl. Whisk in cornmeal. Add zucchini mixture. Fold just until blended. Transfer to prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until golden and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about one hour. Let cool in pan 10 mins, remove from pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

Tuscan Kale Caesar Slaw (from Bon Appetit, serves 4-6)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about one big lemon's worth)
8 anchovy fillets, packed in oil, drained
1 garlic clove
1 tsp dijon mustard
3/4 cup EVOO
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan, divided
kosher salt and pepper
1 hard boiled egg, peeled
14 oz (1 large bunch) Tuscan (Lacinato) kale, center stalks removed, thinly sliced crosswise

Puree first 4 ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth. Gradually add in EVOO in a thin stream to make an emulsion. Transfer to bowl and stir in 1/4 cup parmesan. Season to taste w/salt and pepper. Cover and chill. Dressing can be make upto 2 days ahead. Toss kale with dressing in large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Press egg through coarse sieve or mesh strainer to top slaw. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup parmesan.

Pesto Tilapia with Spinach
Costco has this frozen pesto Tilapia that I bought but have yet to try. I think we will pan-fry it up and serve with sauteed spinach with lemon.

Tuna-Stuffed Tomatoes (adapted from Women's Day magazine), serves 4
4 large tomatoes
2 5-oz cans tuna or chicken, drained
2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
2 Tbs capers, drained
1 Tbs EVOO
1 Tbs red wine vinegar
1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
1 avocado, chopped
kosher salt and pepper

Slice tops off of tomatoes. Using a paring knife, cut insides out, chop and put in medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients except avocado and salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Fold in avocado and season to taste w/salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into tomato shells.