Recipe of the Month

All recipes from No Wheat No Dairy No Problem are my own creations – and my intellectual property, all rights reserved and registered with the United States Copyright Office. Please do not publish or use my recipes/work without my permission or use it for any other reason than personal consumption.

Happy Spring-Easter or Passover! Blessings to all. Cook, Eat and Be Well, Lauren

Dutch Baby Pancake

This is baked in the oven and is more like a puffy crepe than a pancake.

Yields: 1 (8-10 inch pancake)-will feed 1-2 people

2 Tablespoons grapeseed or lemon olive oil

½ cup oat flour

2 Tablespoons agave nectar or pure maple syrup

½ teaspoon sea salt, fine

½ cup almond milk or light coconut milk

2 lg. organic eggs

lemon, washed and sliced in wedges

vanilla powder, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put an 8-10 inch stainless steel sauté pan or cast iron pan into oven and heat for 10 minutes.

Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Measure all wet ingredients and pour into dry ingredients, whisk until combine, set aside. Using pot holders, carefully put 1 Tablespoon oil into the sauté pan and spread evenly to coat bottom of pan, not the sides.  Gently pour the batter into the hot pan and bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and puffy. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and vanilla powder. You can also use maple syrup, agave nectar or fruit spread. Top with fresh sliced strawberries or fresh berries.

Smoothie

The sweet flavor of fruit combined with the creamy texture of coconut milk is divine! Have this for breakfast, a snack or dessert! Delicious anytime! I always loose weight when I drink this in place of breakfast or lunch!

Yields: 2 servings

1 cup fresh organic Strawberries, or any frozen fruit

¾-1 cup coconut milk, light or regular, chilled OR milk alternative(nut milk, Hemp milk etc…)**

2-3 TBSP. agave nectar or honey to taste or a banana or 1 cup frozen mango or 3-4 dates or 3 drops stevia

1 tiny pinch sea salt

1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

½ teaspoon Non-GMO soy lecithin granules,  or sunflower lecithin, optional*

For chocolate lovers add: 2TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder+2-3TBSP Blue Agave Nectar, omit strawberries and add 1 banana. For extra protein add: 1-2 TBSP nut butter(almond, Valencia peanut, sunflower seed, macadamia etc…)

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend on low speed, holding the top on tightly. Gradually increase the speed to high until smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness with agave. If it is too thick add more coconut/alternative milk. Drink right away while it is cold or chill in the refrigerator. It will thicken with time and be the texture of yogurt. I make this the night before and put it into a glass mason jar and take it with me in the morning.*Soy lecithin is very high in B vitamins and breaks down stored fats in our bodies! The little bit of soy in this is fine for men.

**You can use 1/2 coconut milk and 1/2 another alternative milk

*Soy lecithin is composed of predominantly B vitamins and helps to break down stored fat, especially in the belly!

*Is soy lecithin safe for people allergic to soy?

Studies done at University of Nebraska and Michigan show that most soy allergic individuals may safely eat products that contain soy lecithin and soy oils. These substances are fat based, and persons with allergies react to the protein portion of the food. Of course, there are individuals who are more sensitive and if that’s the case, even lecithin should be avoided. Check with your allergist/physician.

Pureed Vegetable Soup

This is so fast and easy. When I was in culinary school I was a private chef and the couple wanted to have soup every night, so I found an easy way to make small amounts! You don’t have to puree the vegetables since it makes a nice broth soup if you prefer. Serve in espresso cups as an appetizer for fun or as an Entree or Starter.

Yields: serves 2

1 teaspoon grapeseed or extra virgin olive oil, optional

¼ cup diced onion, optional

2 cups organic fresh or frozen vegetables, diced (peas, squash, corn, broccoli, cauliflower etc…)

3-4 cups organic/gluten-free chicken or vegetable stock or filtered water

1 teaspoon fresh chopped herbs, optional (thyme, oregano, parsley, sage, tarragon, basil)

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a 2 quart sauce pot, sauté onion in grapeseed oil until translucent. Add a single vegetable of your choice and stock or water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer over low heat until vegetables are fork tender. Pour into a blender or use a hand stick blender and blend starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high speed. Be sure to hold the lid down with a kitchen towel to be sure the steam doesn’t push the lid off! Add fresh herbs. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your own taste. For a silky smooth soup, strain through a fine mesh sieve, but it is not necessary. I like it best strained.

My favorite combinations:

mushroom & thyme with Truffle salt or Truffle oil

peas and tarragon

squash and sage

corn and thyme

broccoli & zucchini with basil

carrot with parsley or ginger and curry paste or powder

Rack of Lamb

Spring Lamb is mild and a nice alternative to beef-the other red meat! Garlic, rosemary, Dijon mustard and ground nuts create a flavorful, crispy topping for a rack of lamb.

Yields: 1 rack of lamb, serves 2

1 rack of lamb, best in the springtime

¼ cup Dijon mustard, no preservatives

3 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

½ cup “parmesan” (see index) or ground nuts (raw almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts)

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

If lamb is frozen, defrost in refrigerator for 12-24 hours. Rinse lamb in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Salt and pepper the lamb on both sides. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, whisk mustard, rosemary and garlic together and spread evenly over fat side of the lamb. In another bowl, mix “parmesan” and olive oil together and pour over the mustard and pack it down evenly. Place on a baking sheet or dish and bake on the middle rack of the oven for approximately 10 minutes or until the internal temperature is 140 degrees (medium rare) in the center of the chops. Remove from oven and cover tightly with foil and rest for 10 minutes. Cut in between the bones and serve. Great served with mashed potatoes (see index) and sautéed greens or Brussel sprouts (see index).

“Parmesan” Topping

A very healthy alternative to Parmesan cheese with a similar flavor and texture! This is great over salad or rice pasta. Use this topping in place of bread crumbs on fish or meat too. Brazil nuts are very high in selenium and zinc!

Yields: 1 cup

1 cup Brazil nuts, whole

1 clove fresh garlic, whole

¼ teaspoon sea salt, fine

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until the consistency of bread crumbs. Refrigerate in a glass jar or plastic zip bag. Sprinkle on pasta or over salad. Use as a coating for thin slices of fish, poultry or meat in place of bread crumbs and sauté over medium-high heat.

Linzer Raspberry Tart

I first enjoyed this dessert in little café while working in Switzerland! The combination of a nutty crust and the raspberry jam is delightful, especially with a hot cup of coffee or tea. I keep this dough in the freezer and a jar of fruit spread in my pantry at all times for unexpected guests or a quick dessert when I am short on time and or money!

Yields: 1 (10 inch) tart or 4 (4 inch) tarts

1 ½ cups oat flour

½ cup ground almonds or almond meal

1 ½ sticks (12 Tablespoons) vegan Earth Balance or vegetable shortening cubed, chilled

3 Tablespoons agave nectar or 4 Tablespoons coconut palm sugar or sucanat or date sugar

2 organic egg yolks

1-2 Tablespoons iced water, omit on a rainy day or with high humidity

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup raspberry fruit spread (preferably no sugar added)

Place all ingredients except raspberry fruit spread, into a food processor, fitted with s blade, and pulse just until it comes together and forms a ball. Scrape all dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap and form into a ball, and flatten to 1 inch thick. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. It can be frozen for later use, and defrosted in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator, cut in half and place one half back in the refrigerator for the lattice later. Roll the other half out to ¼ inch thick between two pieces of plastic wrap or on a well floured board. Place in tart pan and press it into the sides all the way to the top. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Take out the tart pan and unrolled dough. Roll the remaining dough out to ¼ inch thick. Using a pastry cutter, straight or fluted, cut ½ inch strips across the dough. Pour ½ cup of fruit spread into the tart shell and spread evenly with a spoon or offset spatula. Place half the strips of dough across the tart, evenly spaced, like a white picket fence with a ½ inch space between each strip. Place the remaining strips diagonally across the top of the other strips. Be sure to press the ends of the strips into the edge of the pan. Chill the tart in the refrigerator 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake approximately 25 minutes or until it is golden brown. Cool tart completely on a wire rack. Slice into wedges like a pie and enjoy. Delicious with vanilla ice “cream” (see index).