I recently had the opportunity to attend a party at Portland’s fabulous Cheese Bar in honor of my friend Ivy Manning‘s new cookbook, Crackers and Dips. Ivy prepared a spectacular spread for the party, which included not only Steve Jones’ finest charcuterie and cheeses, but also a sampling of homemade crackers, schmears and dips from the book. Always one to take care of her friends with food sensitivities, Ivy included THREE types of gluten-free crackers in the mix. Yay for inclusion! My favorite dip was the decadent Bacon and Caramelized Onion Jam, unless you count the Salted Whiskey Caramel sauce I was licking from the tips of my fingers. (I guess you should count that.)

Crackers and Dips is not a gluten-free cookbook, but it’s considerably more gluten-free friendly that you might initially assume. Even I was surprised. Eleven of the 37 cracker recipes are gluten free. Fourteen dips are safe, and the remaining four can easily be converted with a simple ingredient (gf soy sauce, beer or bread crumbs) substitution. The crackers I’ve sampled so far–Senbai Japanese Rice Crackers, Macadamia Nut and Coconut Flour Club Crackers, and these Amaranth Crackers with Cheddar and Pepitas–were knockouts and, not surprisingly, so much fresher and more interesting than purchased gluten-free crackers. I’m looking forward to trying out the remaining options: Smoked Almond Thins, Brown Butter Hazelnut Crackers, Seeded Quinoa Crackers, Flax Seed Pizza Crackers, and “A School of Gluten-Free Fish” Crackers. Ivy also included a few naturally gluten-free choices: Frico with Basil, Pappadums Three Ways and Vietnamese Shrimp Chips.

As I read through Crackers & Dips, I couldn’t help but hope that more cookbook authors will take a tip from Ivy’s play book. For all intents and purposes, this should be just another wheat-filled baking book that I’ll never be able to touch. But it’s not. Ivy clearly thought outside the box, and by experimenting with alternative and whole grain flours and carefully choosing the ingredients in the dips, she has created a book that addresses everyone’s needs. Give her Amaranth Crackers with Cheddar and Pepitas a try (hint: they taste particularly great with tomatillo salsa or guacamole) and I know you’ll catch the cracker-making bug. Enjoy! ~LbR (Cracker photograph by Jenifer Altman.)

My apologies for having gone missing in action. (Apparently I can’t walk and chew gum at the same time.) I’ve been working on recipe development and writing for my next cookbook, The Brassicas: Learning to Cook the World’s Healthiest Vegetables, which will be published by Ten Speed Press next spring. I’ll be wrapping up the manuscript over the next few weeks, and hopefully you’ll be hearing a lot more from me at that point.

Turns out one of my favorite brassicas (if I could possibly choose) is cress–either watercress or land cress–and it’s the perfect peppery addition to this main dish salad. Watercress grows in water and generally comes sold in a bunch. Its stems are a little thick and wiry, though certainly edible. Cut them off at the point you consider too thick to eat. Land cress (or Upland cress) is often sold with a ball of dirt still attached to its roots. The stems are more delicate, yet still pack a punch. Cut off the dirt ball before you rinse the leaves. You can use any type of cress for this salad (stores generally only sell one or the other), though I prefer the land cress for its wispy stems.

You can simmer a pot of beans to use in the salad, or follow my weeknight lead and just used canned. If you keep canned tuna and beans on hand, the meal will come together in no time. Hard to find watercress in your area? Simply substitute baby arugula or spinach for an equally delicious salad. Enjoy! ~LbR

I’ve spent a tremendous amount of time in the kitchen lately, mostly developing recipes for my new brassicas cookbook (all my favorites–cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, broccoli, bok choy, cabbage…), but also simmering up soups and broths for sick friends. This mushroom broth is something I’ve made repeatedly  over the past year, and it has been particularly nourishing to friends who have lost their appetites to chemo and radiation. The circumstances, of course, are far from ideal, but I’m always glad when I can help a friend along with their recovery through my efforts in the kitchen.

One thing I’ve noticed is that these friends nearly always want something to sip, and they want it to be savory, not sweet. The mushroom broth tastes rich and full flavored, absolutely bursting with umami from both the dried mushrooms and the koumbu. (Kombu is dried kelp, often used in the dashi broth in miso soup. Find it in packages alongside the Asian ingredients in the grocery store.) The sea salt adds minerals such as potassium, calcium and magnesium, that are often lost during dehydration, making the broth satisfying on many fronts.

The broth contains dried mushrooms–lots of them–so be sure to note the weights on the containers. (Dried mushrooms are often sold in 1/2 to 1 ounce packages and you need 4 ounces.) The broth can get expensive to make, but I can assure you it’s always appreciated. You can also reuse the mushrooms once and brew a lighter “second broth”. If possible, try to find both shiitake and maitake mushrooms for their immune-boosting health benefits, but if they’re hard to source you can use all shiitakes.

I urge you to take some time this winter (cold and flu season!) and make a batch or two of broth to keep on hand. Divvy it up into quart-size containers and store it in the freezer until needed. I guarantee you won’t regret it. Stay warm and healthy!  ~LbR

I’m sitting at my desk, wrapped in a furry sweater, trying to accept the fact that rainy season has arrived in Portland. The first week of rain tends to be especially depressing, mostly because you know it’s going to last until June.

Never one to harp on the negative, I’m choosing to think of “rainy season” as “soup season”. (In my head it goes something like this: Eight months of soup? Wow, that sounds fantastic!) And since I have an open box of quinoa on the shelf and a package of shrimp in the fridge, it looks like Peruvian Quinoa Chowder is first up to bat.

This soup is dead simple to make, basically a matter of adding the ingredients to the pot a few at a time and letting them do their thing. Start off by sautéeing the aromatics–green onions, garlic, and chiles–then add tomato paste, cumin, and oregano for another layer of flavor. Add the quinoa and some broth (I use chicken broth, but you could use vegetable broth or a combination of clam juice and water) and simmer until the quinoa cooks. Toward the end, slip the corn and half-and-half into the pot, followed shortly thereafter by the salted shrimp (I pre-salt the shrimp for added flavor, but realistically you could skip this step). A hit of lime juice and cilantro is all it takes to bring you one step closer to Peru.

No doubt the Peruvian Quinoa Chowder can stand on its own as a hearty meal, but if you want to go for an all-out South American love fest, then bake some Brazilian Cheese Puffs to serve alongside the soup. You’ll be glad you did! Cheers ~LbR

We all know the holiday season gets tricky when you’re gluten free (buffets! cocktail parties!) and Thanksgiving is certainly no exception. For many, Thanksgiving dinner involves a set-in-stone menu, and any changes to the norm would elicit great protest.

So how do you keep things safe for those who are gluten free without messing with everyone else’s traditions? One dish at a time. This year I decided to tackle a classic turkey day staple, the green bean casserole. In its original form, green beans are tossed with gluten-heavy “cream of mushroom” soup and then topped with equally wheat-covered French-fried onions. This is one of those instances where not only was I able to reproduce the dish, but the gluten-free version actually tastes much better than the one I remember.

Start off by sautéing fresh mushrooms and a little garlic, then stir in a combination of stock, milk, and cornstarch. The sauce thickens almost immediately, at which point you can toss in the cooked green beans. (Either boil fresh halved green beans for about 3 minutes or use thawed frozen green beans.) Spoon the mixture into a casserole dish and then choose something crunchy for the top. I like to fry up some sliced shallots, gently coated in rice flour, for both taste and texture. If you’d rather not deal with this step, you can also use crispy rice cereal (I like Erewhon’s crispy brown rice cereal) tossed with olive oil and paprika.

I’ll have some other favorite gluten-free recipes on my table this year as well. I use my turkey stock for everything in the meal that requires broth. My Sweet Potatoes with Savory Granola, a welcome break from sugar-coated sweet potatoes, can be found here in the Oregonian. And you may remember another of my family classics, Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage, from last year’s post. Whatever you’re serving, I hope you enjoy the holiday with lots of people you love!  Cheers, LbR

Back-to-school time is always chaotic–soccer practices, piano lessons, and getting the kids back on their homework schedules. For those days when I just can’t get to the market, I like to keep a few “pantry meals” in my rotation. The dinners usually revolve around a starch, such as gluten-free pasta, rice, or lentils, plus a few easy additions that are likely lingering around my fridge.

I keep several types of lentils in my pantry, but my favorite varieties for salads are either black beluga lentils or the French green “verte du Puy”. These particular lentils hold their shape well, making for not only a stunning salad, but one that feels like you’re eating something substantial enough to call a meal. Look for these lentils in the bulk bins or packaged near the dried beans. You can absolutely use regular green or brown lentils as well; be sure to take them off the heat before they get too soft and start to lose their shape. Do avoid red lentils, though, since they literally melt into a puree once they’re cooked.

While the lentils are cooking, I sauté some onions, carrots, and celery–certainly vegetables I’m likely to have around the kitchen–and then hit them with a hefty splash of red- or white-wine vinegar to add acidity and cut through the starchiness. I toss the lentils with the vegetables and a handful of toasted almonds and chopped parsley and serve them as-is or on top of a bed of lightly dressed baby spinach leaves. (The residual heat of the lentils does a great job wilting the spinach.) I’m a big fan of serving this type of one-dish meal as an entrée, but you could certainly consider it a side dish to some simply grilled sausages or a piece of salmon. Then you may be lucky enough to have leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch!

What are your go-to pantry meals? Share your ideas in the comments sections. Cheers! ~LbR

Don’t be mad at me.

How could I possibly make you mad, you ask? Because I’m going to tempt you with this deeply flavorful, fruity and exotic Peruvian beverage called Chicha Morada.

So what’s the problem? Well, Chicha Morada is made from purple corn. The drink gets its gorgeous, rich color (along with a healthy dose of anti-inflammatory anthocyanins) from ears of dried purple corn-on-the-cob. And thus the problem: sourcing dried purple corn.

I generally avoid calling for hard-to-find ingredients because I want you to spend your time cooking, not shopping. But in rare instances (such as this one), I find a product or a recipe that intrigues me enough that I want to share. I found purple corn at a Latin American market in NE Portland, and my guess is that Latin or South American markets are a good place to start your search. I’ve also used this online source with great success: amigo foods.

Once you locate the purple corn it’s just a matter of simmering it in a pot full of water along with some spices (cinnamon and clove make the house smell great), an apple, and the peel and core of a whole pineapple. After about an hour, strain out the solids and lightly sweeten the Chicha Morada with a combination of pineapple juice and agave nectar, plus a squeeze of lime juice for acidity. The whole process takes a little over an hour, but it’s almost entirely hands-off and well worth your time.

If you still don’t feel like making Chicha Morada, check the menu next time you’re at a Peruvian restaurant (which are notoriously friendly for gluten-free diets, by the way). Portland’s Andina makes a fantastic one, and I’ve seen it other places as well. Hope you’ll give it a try. Cheers! ~LbR

For those who prefer their grains processed and pulverized (think white bread), the mandate to “eat more whole grains” leaves many home cooks at a loss. But incorporating these foods into your daily routine can actually be quite simple — and fun.

One of the easiest ways to introduce whole grains (grasses and seeds, too) into your repertoire: salads. Gluten-free salads made from rice, quinoa, buckwheat, wild rice, millet or even lentils and beans prove successful not only as side dishes but often as light main courses as well.

In the case of this colorful rice salad, chewy “forbidden” black rice combined with diced mango, avocado, radishes and lime vinaigrette makes an ideal partner for grilled chicken or fish. (You don’t have to use black rice. Brown long-grain basmati works well, or use your favorite kind. Adjust the cooking time accordingly.) You can also dice some cooked chicken and toss it directly into the salad for a one-dish meal, though you’ll need a touch of extra dressing for this approach.

When preparing grains for salads, let them cool to room temperature on a baking sheet before incorporating the other ingredients. This eliminates some of the clumping that occurs when grains cool in a deep pan. You can cook the rice ahead of time (keep it refrigerated for up to two days), but bring it back to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.

What are some of your favorite grain or bean salads? Tell us about them in the comments. Cheers! ~LbR

I grew up in the Midwest, where tomato season comes on fast and furious, but then fizzles out by the end of August. In Oregon, our local tomatoes get a slower start, but these late bloomers often last straight into the beginning of fall.

When the weather is hot, it’s hard to beat a simple salad of sliced tomatoes with olive oil and sliced sweet onion. But as summer passes, I start dressing them up a bit more, pairing the tomatoes with bold flavors like roasted peppers, briny capers and meaty olives. This substantial mix makes a great salad or side dish, or toss in drained canned tuna or strips of salami and provolone cheese for a light lunch or antipasti. You might even use it as a zesty, chunky sauce for a gluten-free pasta salad.

Although it’s fine to serve the salad right after you make it, the flavors come together better after about 30 minutes. (Serve it within 2 hours, though, or the tomato juices start diluting the flavor.) This gives you the perfect opportunity to tote it along to a Labor Day barbecue or end-of-summer picnic. It pairs perfectly with simply grilled steak or chicken, even burgers and hot dogs.

What are you making with all those summer tomatoes? Are you keeping it simple or getting creative? Just be sure to enjoy them before they disappear until next summer! ~LbR

No matter what I’m serving for dinner, I always try to include at least one or two different vegetables with the meal. My kids aren’t huge vegetable eaters, but lately they’re increasingly willing to take a stab at something new, especially if it’s sitting right in front of them. Oftentimes I’ll set the vegetables out while I’m finishing up the rest of the meal, hoping the kids are hungry enough to just start nibbling at the green stuff. Sneaky, huh?

Unless I’m making an entrée that’s incredibly simple, I tend to prepare vegetables in a really straightforward way. (Who wants to spend an hour and dirty two pans on a side dish?) I want the flavor, but also the ease. When I toss broccoli spears with olive oil and salt and pop it in the oven to roast, I get just that; concentrated caramelized flavor in 15 minutes. Once it’s hot from the oven I add a little grated Parmesan cheese, but you could do lemon zest instead to make it vegan.

I feel a little like it’s cheating to call something so easy a recipe, but these “super simples” are the mainstays of my weekday cooking. Keep a few in your back pocket and dinner’s always at-the-ready. Cheers! ~LbR