Homemade Healthy Taco Salad

This homemade healthy taco salad recipe is my own alternative to recipes that make use of taco seasoning from an envelope.

I prefer choosing my own spice mixture to avoid additives like MSG and gluten that those prepared spice packets may contain.

This is a easy and healthy dish for light dinners and potlucks. It really is the best recipe for easy homemade taco salad!

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Easy Homemade Taco Salad

Beef mixture:

1 tablespoon cooking oil (to keep beef from sticking to pan)

1 pound lean ground beef, browned until crumbly and dry

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 of a 14-oz. can diced tomatoes (take the unused portion out from can and refrigerate in a separate container)

1/2 teaspoon Mexican or regular oregano

½ cup of chipotle pepper sauce (see recipe below)

½ cup prepared tomatillo or other green salsa

Simmer the above ingredients for 20 minutes. Then add: 

1 can of corn, drained well

Dash of chili powder (optional)

Stir in all ingredients and allow to cool.

My recipe calls for Embasa chipotle in adobo sauce—use the brand of your choice. Follow directions below and use only a little bit! It's very hot but it gives a hearty smoky flavor.

Chipotle pepper sauce:

Using a teaspoon, take out 1/2 to 1 tsp of the sauce from the can and mix with 1/2 cup tap water. If you get a bit of the chile, no problem; just mash it together with the water. Discard the big chunks, however.

Set aside to add to ground beef mixture.

Reserve the rest of the can in a small glass Mason jar and keep in refrigerator to use another time.

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Salad mixture:

Place into a large bowl:

2 hearts of romaine lettuce, cut in 1-inch slices

1 small can sliced black olives, drained

2 green onions, sliced thinly

A handful of crushed natural tortilla chips (NOT Doritos!)

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

1 handful fresh cilantro, rinsed, patted dry and chopped coarsely (discard stems)

Salt to taste

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Lastly, sprinkle on top of the salad/beef mixture, and stir from bottom until mixed well:

1/2 cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds from Mexican store)

1-2 tablespoon cotija cheese (dry salty cheese from Mexican store—looks like parmesan cheese)

Serve cold on a plate or on a corn tortilla. Top with sour cream or hot sauce if desired. 

Makes about 6-8 good-sized servings.

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Gluten-free New England Clam Chowder with Sausage

Gluten-free New England Clam Chowder with Sausage is my own recipe for white clam chowder but I use my favorite gluten-free flour instead of wheat flour as a thickener.

Cajun or Andouille sausage adds a nice smoky flavor instead of bacon as most traditional clam chowder recipes use.

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NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER WITH SAUSAGE

Ingredients:

½ white onion, chopped coarsely

¼ cup unflavored oil (grapeseed or canola)

2 tablespoons Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour

½ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)

3-1/2 cups vegetable broth

2 cans chopped or minced clams with juice

Cajun or Andouille sausage: ¼ to ½ of one link, finely minced (use more for spicier taste)

1 stalk celery, chopped small

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

1 large white potato with skin, chopped into ½-inch chunks

1 can corn (optional), drained well

½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 tablespoon butter

¾ cup milk or half and half

Dash of pepper

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You can experiment with adding more gluten-free flour to make a thicker soup, but be sure to add the flour to the oil and onion at the beginning of cooking.

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Instructions:

Pour the oil into a Dutch oven or other medium-sized pot with lid. On medium heat, add the chopped onions and stir until clear—do NOT let the onions brown! Add the flour and salt and stir continuously as it thickens with the onions. Open the canned clams and pour the juice slowly into the mixture and stir as it thickens. Add the clams and stir well.

Add the chopped celery and potatoes, then the minced sausage, and stir well. Add the Old Bay seasoning and parsley. Continue to stir as you add the vegetable broth a cup at a time.  Let it cook, covered, on LOW heat until the potatoes are tender. Add corn, if used. At that time, add the butter and milk and allow to heat, but not boil. Correct seasonings.

Serve hot.

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Albondigas Mexican Meatball Soup

Albondigas is a Mexican version of meatball soup, and this is a recipe adapted from my friend's recipe, whose husband is a chef. This easy meatball soup recipe is now a new favorite with our family, too.

Preparing the Mexican Meatball Soup takes a little time, but it is so worth it!

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MEXICAN MEATBALL SOUP "ALBONDIGAS"

Soup stock:

For the stock, use any vegetables you have on hand. I used:
3 small carrots, sliced

2-3 stalks of celery, with leaves, sliced thin

1/2 white onion, diced

10 small white potatoes, quartered

2-3 small Roma tomatoes, chopped

2-3 tablespoons olive oil for browning vegetables

Chile sauce, either canned Embasa chipotle peppers or homemade

Minced garlic

1 yellow, green, or red bell pepper (prepared as below)

Optionally, you can add 1 yellow bell pepper (use green or red instead if you have them), cut in half and seeded, then using tongs, place it over the burner for 30 seconds on each side to singe. Use tongs to flip the pepper over and to remove from flame. You can also set under the broiler until singed. Set aside to cool. Dice and add to soup just before adding the meatballs.

Heat the oil in a medium stock pot, and then add the carrots, onion, garlic, celery, and potatoes. Stir and brown briefly. Cover the vegetables with approximately 4 cups water, and add 2 chicken bouillon cubes (with 1 tomato bouillon cube, if available). Bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Add more broth if desired (I like to use vegetable broth from a carton, available at Trader Joe's).

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Meatballs:

1 lb ground beef (80% lean or better)

1 egg

2-3 slices of gluten-free bread (I used brown rice bread), diced

1/4 to 1/2 onion, minced

Salt and pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican oregano, if available)

3-4 fresh mint leaves, chopped


Mix well and form into small meatballs (about 2-in), and set on wax paper. Meanwhile, bring water to boil in a medium saucepan. Carefully add the meatballs to the boiling water and allow them to cook until they are no longer pink. Skim off the fat as it comes to the surface. Once the vegetables in the stock are tender, carefully add the cooked meatballs to the broth.

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Canned Chile Sauce:

1 small can of Embasa chipotle peppers


USE the peppers if you want the soup to be deliciously spicy! Open the can of chipotle peppers and spoon off about 1-2 tbsp of the sauce into a cup. You can add a little water to the cup and thin the sauce. Pour into the meatball-broth mixture and stir. This gives a piquant taste to the broth which is very spicy at first taste, but eventually soaks into the meatballs and vegetables which, along with the singed diced pepper, gives the soup a smoky flavor. Use more or less chipotle sauce as your tastes dictate. Keep the unused contents of the can in a glass container in the fridge.

Homemade Chile Sauce:

Alternatively, you can easily make your own chile sauce. Choose a few of your favorite dried chiles: pasilla, ancho, Californio, guajillo all are relatively mild chiles that work well with this recipe. I used four assorted chiles, removed the stems, and put the chiles in a saucepan with just enough water to cover. Bring JUST to a boil and turn off the heat, then put the cover on the saucepan. Allow to rest for 20-30 minutes.

Pour the chiles along with the water into a blender. Add a pinch of Mexican oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic, and salt. Blend until smooth.

Add a small amount of the chile sauce either to the meatball soup in the pot or use it as a condiment to spice up individual servings as desired. Store the unused chile sauce in an airtight glass container in the fridge.

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Serve Albondigas Mexican Meatball soup hot! Garnish with a squeeze of lime, finely chopped cilantro and onion. Muy delicioso!

Makes about 6-8 servings
Prep time 1.5 hours

Adapted from a recipe by Martin Ceja

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Delicious Beef Stroganoff Gluten Free Recipe

This delicious beef Stroganoff recipe has been in my repertoire since I first had a kitchen of my own. The only change I make now is to use gluten-free noodles.

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BEEF STROGANOFF

Cut into 1/2-inch slices:

1-1/2 lb. filet of beef (boneless tri-tip works well)

Pound the filets with a mallet until thin. Cut into strips about 1 inch wide. Then, melt in a pan:

1 tbsp. butter

Sauté in the butter for about 2 minutes:

3/4 tbsp grated onion, OR 1/4 to 1/2 finely chopped onion

Sauté the beef quickly in the butter for about 5 minutes. Turn over the meat so that it will browned evenly. Remove and keep the beef hot.

Add to the pan:

2 tbsp. butter

Stir and sauté in the butter:

3/4 lb. sliced mushrooms

Add the beef.

Season with:

Salt and pepper
A grating of nutmeg

Add and heat: 

1/4 c. white wine
1 c. warm sour cream (can use room temperature sour cream)

Do not allow the mixture to boil!

Serve over rice or gluten-free noodles.

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Traditional Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Traditional stuffed cabbage rolls are a recipe that I have adapted from one of from my mother's staple dishes. It's still a favorite in our family. Great for those cold winter evenings!

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CABBAGE ROLLS

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

From one large head of cabbage, peel off:

8 large outside cabbage leaves.

Prepare a large pot of boiling water and blanch each cabbage leaf until it is no longer firm. Set aside to drain on a paper towel.

Combine:

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 cup uncooked white rice*

1/4 finely chopped onion

2 tbsp finely chopped parsley (optional)

3/4 tsp. salt

A pinch of pepper

1/8 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

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*As a delicious alternative, you can use 3/4 cup of cooked brown or wild rice; 

substitute vegetable broth for water when cooking the rice

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Blend the meat mixture together by hand.

Meanwhile, combine in a small bowl:
1/2 can tomato paste

1 tsp (2-3 tsp for more tartness) of cider vinegar

A little brown sugar (add 1 tsp for less sweet, 1 tbsp for more sweet)

1/2 c. water

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Spoon a little of the tomato paste mixture into the meat mixture and mix well. Divide the ground beef mixture among the cabbage leaves, placing it into the center of the leaf. Roll up the leaf while tucking in the edges to make a pocket. Seal with a toothpick or small skewer.

Lightly butter a Pyrex pie plate or baking pan and place the rolls in one layer. Spoon the rest of the tomato sauce mixture over the cabbage rolls and place into the oven. Bake until the cabbage rolls are tender, about 50 minutes.

Serves 4-5 depending on size of rolls

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Easy Healthy Kale Salad

Easy Healthy Kale Salad is my adaptation of a dish I found in the grocery deli section, which is based on a salad I bought at the New Leaf Market deli.

It's quick and easy, healthy and delicious. A nutritious dish for potluck dinners and for everyday meals.

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KALE SALAD

1 bunch kale, chopped coarsely (use leaves with stems, cut off bottom of stems)

1/4 red onion, chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

Olive oil (approx. 1 tablespoon)

Bragg's liquid amino seasoning

Bragg's liquid amino adds the color and flavor of soy sauce but without gluten or soy ingredients. Bragg's liquid amino acids can be used as a gluten-free soy sauce replacement in many other recipes.

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Instructions:

Blanch the kale in 1-2 inches of water in covered pot, 2-3 min, then spin or pat dry and place in large salad bowl with chopped red onion.  Allow to cool. 

Meanwhile, mix the juice of 1 lemon in a small bowl with olive oil in a 2/3 ratio (less olive oil than lemon juice). MIX WELL and pour over greens.

Sprinkle on top:

Sunflower seeds (purchase the kind without the shells)*

Sesame seeds*

For best results, purchase fresh sunflower and sesame seeds, or keep them refrigerated before use. Seeds which contain natural oils tend to go stale quickly. 

/Enough Bragg’s amino to coat the leaves.

Mix loosely, chill and serve.

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Mexican Pico de Gallo Recipe

This simple Pico de Gallo recipe with fresh tomatoes is a sure winner for pot lucks as well as a quick snack or even as a garnish for scrambled eggs.

You can even add precooked frozen shrimp for a delicious shrimp cocktail recipe. (See below.)

Using only fresh ingredients, with large chunks of firm red tomato, it has just the right balance of citrus flavor and saltiness.

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MEXICAN PICO DE GALLO RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 very fresh firm med. to lg. tomato*

*4 or 5 small firm Roma tomatoes can be substituted

¼ red onion, chopped small but not too fine

1 jalapeno, seeded and fibers removed, chopped very fine

1 handful fresh cilantro, rinsed, patted dry and chopped coarsely (remove stems)

Juice of ½ to 1 lime (add another tomato if you use 1 lime)

Plenty of salt to taste (if not enough salt, it’s not salsa!)

Optional:

Add 1 avocado, diced

Add fresh mango chunks, diced


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Easy Shrimp Cocktail Recipe using Pico de Gallo

A delicious option is to add shrimp with a dash of tabasco with the avocado for a yummy homemade shrimp cocktail. Use precooked frozen shrimp for best results. Allow to thaw slightly before adding to cocktail. 

If desired, you can add diced cucumber and diced green bell pepper for color and a crispy crunch.  Serve on a crispy tortilla or as a dip.