Here we are in mid-December, and if you’re like me, you’ve still got quite a list of folks to gift! One of my favorite ways to show appreciation for the many people in my life who I’m grateful for–including my mechanic, mail carrier, staff in my kids’ doctors offices, the admin folks at their schools, George’s therapists, June’s dance teacher–is to make them something delicious from my kitchen. I have a big list and a limited budget, so I always look for something that serves a big bang for a small buck! This year, I’ve been working on my spiced nut recipes and am really excited to share it with you! Most recipes for spiced nuts have tons of butter and refined sugar, but these are super tasty with just a bit of honey.

Because I believe that cooking is a great way to create connection and communication with my kids, I like to get them involved in the process of making the gifts we’re going to share. Last year, my son George, who is 8 and has autism, had a blast making these nuts and we’re planning to get started again this week.

By the way, on Friday, December 9th, I’ll be doing a free, live webinar on gluten-free, casein-free cooking for Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. It’ll be just 30 minutes or so starting at 11:30am EST. Please join me!

I’ll show you the recipe with some pictures of our process below:

Spiced Nuts

Ingredients:

• 3 cups nuts of your choice (try walnuts, almonds, pecans, etc.)
• 1 egg white
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 t. cinnamon
• 1 t. cardamom
• 1/2 t. sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Help your child unroll some foil over a baking sheet.

3. Look at the nut selections and measure out three cups of your favorite nuts.

4. Your child can dump them out onto the baking sheet.

5. Show your child how to spread the nuts evenly over the baking sheet.

6. Mix the egg white and honey in a small bowl. Help your child measure the spices and salt and add to the egg-honey mixture.

7. Slowly pour over the nuts.

8. Bake for 15-20 minutes until nuts are crisp but not burned!

When the nuts cool down, your kids can help put them into small jars and wrap with pretty ribbons. Be sure to save some for your family to enjoy. Beware: These nuts are addictive!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut oil
• 6 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 – 1 ¼ cup agave
• 2 cup gluten-free flour mix
• ¼ c flax meal
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 ½ tsp xanthan gum
• 1 cup chopped nuts and/or dried fruits

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, apple sauce, salt, vanilla, and evaporated cane juice. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, flax meal, baking soda, and xanthan gum. Using a rubber spatula, carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until a grainy dough is formed. Gently fold in the chocolate chips just until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

3. Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, in 1-inch-diameter portions, spacing them 1 inch apart. Gently press each with the heel of your hand to help them spread.

4. Bake the cookies on the center rack for 15 minutes, rotating the sheets 180 degrees after 9 minutes. The finished cookies will be crisp on the edges and soft in the center.

5. Let the cookies stand on the sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely before covering.

Berry Flan

From “A Primitive Diet” by Beverly Southam

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 cups hazelnuts ground finely
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Blend hazelnuts, honey and lemon juice and press into flan tin and refrigerate

Filling:

• 8 oz strawberries
• 8 oz raspberries
• A sprinkle of cinnamon or fresh ground allspice to taste.
• Sprig of mint

1. Reserve a few berries for decoration, then puree the remainder of the berries in the blender or food processor.
2. Add spice to taste
3. Spoon into flan, decorate with reserved berries and mint sprig, and refrigerate til required.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

By Edgar Steele,
NFCA Chef Spokesperson

Ingredients

• 2 pounds butternut squash
• 8 oz. onion, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 ounce butter
• water, as needed
• salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the squash on a sheet pan, put it in the oven and roast until it is soft. Remove the squash from the oven and place it on a rack to cool.
2. Melt the butter in a large pot, and add the onion and the bay leaf. Cook the onion over a low flame until it is soft and translucent, about 30 minutes.
3. Once slightly cooled, peel the squash. Cut the squash with the seeds into large chunks and put into the pot with the cooking onions.
4. Cover the squash with water and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes. Season the mixture with salt, and then blend it on the highest possible speed your blender has until it is smooth and free of any lumps or sediment. Note: A high power blender will liquefy all seed pieces, while a soup blended with a lower power one may require straining before ready to eat)
5. After blending, return the soup

Garnishing Ideas:

• Yogurt (optionally flavored with some spice)
• Toasted pumpkin seeds
• Small pieces of herbs such as parsley, cilantro or basil
• Nuts
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Chili Pecan Crusted Goat Cheese with Peach Salsa

By Vanessa Maltin,
NFCA Director of Programming & Communications

Ingredients

Step 1: Peach Salsa

• 2 Semi-Ripe Yellow Peaches
• 1 Red Onion, diced
• 2 Tomatoes, diced
• 1 bunch Cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 Serrano Chili, finely diced and seeds removed
• 2 tablespoons Lime Juice
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder

In a mixing bowl, gently stir all ingredients together. Chill while you prepare the rest of the food items.

Step 2: Spinach Salad

• 1 tablespoon Garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons Lime Juice
• 2 tablespoons Orange Juice
• 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
• 2 teaspoons Sugar
• Pinch Salt
• Pinch Pepper
• 1 package fresh Spinach

In a mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients except for spinach to make dressing. Pour dressing over spinach and toss. Set aside.

Step 3: Goat Cheese

• 1/2 cup Oil for frying
• 1 cup Pecans, crushed into a powder
• 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 Egg
• 1 package Goat Cheese

Heat oil in a large frying pan.

Pour pecans into a ziplock bag and using a mallet, crush pecans into a chunky powder. Add chili powder to ziplock and toss until completely mixed in. In a small bowl beat egg.

Slice goat cheese into 3-inch diameter circles or squares. Dip goat cheese into egg and then coat it with pecan and chili mixture.

Place coated goat cheese into heated oil and fry for no more than 1 minute on each side, just long enough to brown pecans.

Plating & Serving:
On a plate, put a heaping pile of spinach. Top the spinach with a 1-cup portion of peach salsa. Lay slices of chili pecan crusted goat cheese on top of salsa. Enjoy!

To learn how to make this recipe on a budget, visit the new Gluten-Free on a Budget blog.

Stir-Fried Vegetables

By Christina Gentila,
NFCA Volunteer

Ingredients

Stir-Fried Vegetables: (Serves 4)

• 8 ounces extra firm tofu
• 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1/4 cup dashi (make sure it is Gluten-Free!)
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce (make sure it is Gluten-Free!)
• 2 tablespoons sake
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons rice bran oil
• 1 medium yellow onion; peeled, halved, and cut into thin crescents
• 2 medium carrots; trimmed, peeled, and diagonally cut into thin slices
• 1 medium Yukon gold potato (about 1/2 pound); diagonally halved, each half cut into 1/4-inch thick
• slices
• 1/2 pound string beans; trimmed and diagonally cut in half
• 1 yellow summer squash; trimmed and diagonally halved, each half diagonally thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper; cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips

1. Rinse the tofu under cold water. Drain and cut into small dice.
2. Place the shiitake mushrooms in a small bowl and add 2 cups of water. Let soak for 20 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup of the mushroom soaking water (or 1/2 cup if making a vegetarian version) and place in a small bowl. Blend in the dashi (omit if making the vegetarian version), 1 tablespoon of the soy, the sake, and the salt. Add several grinds of pepper to this seasoning mixture.
3. Drain the mushrooms; squeeze gently to remove excess water. Cut off the stems. Cut each cap into thin slices.
4. Heat the oil in a wok or large sauté pan over high heat. Add the onion and shiitake caps and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the carrots and potato slices and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Stir in half of the seasoning mixture and cook for 4 minutes.
5. Add string beans, yellow summer squash, and remaining seasoning mixture. Continue stir-frying the vegetables for 6 more minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and most (if not all) of the seasoning liquid has evaporated. Add the tofu, red pepper, and the remaining tablespoon of soy. Toss to mix, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Transfer to a large serving bowl.

Balsamic Caramelized Onions

By Edgar Steele,
NFCA Chef Spokesman

Ingredients

• 3-Cups Onions, Sliced
• 1-Tablespoon Butter
• 1-Bay Leaf
• 2-Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 1-Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
• Salt To Taste

Melt the butter in a small sauté pan over very low heat. Add the onions and bay leaf and allow them to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are slightly golden in color, about 30 minutes. If browning occurs at the bottom of the pan before the onions are finished cooking, try adjusting the heat to a lower flame or you may add a few drops of water to the pan and scrape the bottom of the pan to lift the browning areas.

Stir in the balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, and adjust the heat to medium. Allow the onions to simmer until the liquid is almost completely reduced. Season to taste with salt and reserve hot.

Cauliflower Steak

By Edgar Steele,
NFCA Chef Spokesman

Ingredients

Cauliflower Steak

• 1 Head Cauliflower
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt
• 2 Tbsp. Diced Shallots
• 1 Clove Garlic, Sliced
• 1 Medium Sized Onion, Sliced
• Water
• Sea Salt

1. Peel the outer green leaves from the cauliflower and discard. Cut out the core of the cauliflower and discard. Cut a 3/4 inch slice from the center of the cauliflower, from stem end to tip. Using a paring knife, score some small slices into the stem part of the cauliflower slice, going about half way into the stem.
2. Trim the tips from the remaining cauliflower florets, and chop into similar-sized “pebbles”.
3. Heat 4 tablespoons of oil over low heat in a small saucepot, and add the onions and a little salt. Add enough water to barely cover the onions, and cook them until they are golden in color, about 45 minutes. Remove the onions from the oil and puree them in a blender. Adjust the flavor of the puree with salt.
4. Coat the large slice of cauliflower with oil and sprinkle with salt, then place on a hot grill. Evenly cook the cauliflower on the grill to achieve marks, and then remove the steak onto an oven-safe metal plate. Place the cauliflower into an oven set at 350° F.
5. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a sauté pan and add the shallots and garlic. Cook the shallots and garlic until they are golden in color, and season them with salt. Add the cauliflower pebbles and briefly sauté them until they are soft.
6. Place a small amount of the sautéed cauliflower pebbles on the base of a plate, and drizzle some of the onion puree over the plate. Remove the cauliflower steak form the oven once soft, and place it on top of the sautéed mix. Sprinkle some sea salt over the steak, and drizzled some olive oil over the plate.