Mexican Meatless Stuffed Peppers

Mexican Meatless Stuffed Peppers

Mexican Meatless Stuffed Peppers

This is a special recipe for Melissa at Grubsteakers. Tim cleans the beer lines at Grubsteakers in Rochelle and Melissa is a waitress there, so he sees her every two weeks. She always has a cup of coffee for Tim and is a friend of What the “Forks” for Dinner? So when she requested a meatless stuffed pepper we were happy to oblige. 

I wanted to do something a little less traditional so, opted for a Mexican flavor since Tim and I love Mexican food. I didn’t want to stray to far from the traditional, so kept the rice, using a gluten free rice for my gluten intolerant friends. Black beans, corn, tomatoes, onion, garlic, with cumin, and chili powder give the rice that Mexican flavor I was looking for and the cheese adds a creaminess, and well………its cheese, whats not to like.

I hope that Melissa likes these Mexican Meatless Stuffed Peppers as much we did, and we hope you do too!!

Mexican Meatless Stuffed Peppers Collage

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Mexican Meatless Stuffed Peppers

Mexican Meatless Stuffed Peppers

  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: Tex Mex

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2½ cups cooked gluten free brown rice
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons coconut or olive oil
  • 112 ounce bag Mexican mix veggies(Zesty Corn & Black Bean Blend)
  • 114.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes, drained
  • 3/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, or more to taste
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 6 bell peppers, tops cut, stemmed and seeded, reserving tops

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13 X 9 inch baking pan with non stick spray.
  2. In a large skillet heat oil over medium high heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add garlic, Mexican veggie mix, tomatoes, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, salt & pepper, cook until heated through.
  3. Mix in cooked rice and cheese.
  4. Spoon the filling into each each bell pepper cavity. Place on prepared baking dish, cavity side up, place reserved tops over filling and bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is heated through, about 25-30 minutes.
  5. Serve immediately.

Notes

This dish is meatless and gluten free.

Keywords: vegetarian, sweet peppers, gluten free brown rice, tomatoes, cheese

 

 

 

Tuna Salad Nicoise

Tuna Salad Nicoise

Tuna Salad Nicoise

What is Nicoise you say…………well, Nicoise is the French word for “in the style of Nice.” So, any dish that is labeled Nicoise would be in the cooking style of Nice, France, and we know my affliction with all things French.

Usually these recipes have black olives, tomatoes, anchovies, and garlic. Typically in America, Salade Nicoise includes the olives, tomatoes, anchovies and a vinaigrette along with beans, tuna and hard boiled eggs.

Well I took creative liberty with this one, no black olives, no anchovies…….yes tomatoes, yes tuna, yes hard boiled eggs, and yes asparagus………oh wait, thats not original to the recipe, but it sure is “in the style of Nice”.

We finally were able to eat our own homegrown asparagus this year. So, since I wanted to make a salad, I thought why not add it in……….it was a great choice.

Tuna Salad Nicoise 1

The salad itself reminds me of a meat and potatoes meal. You have meat, potatoes and vegetables……..whats not to like? Top it with a Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette and you have a feast fit for a King…….or Queen.

Tuna Salad Nicoise Collage

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Tuna Salad Nicoise

Tuna Salad Nicoise

  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Cook
  • Cuisine: French

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 pound tuna fillet
  • Finely chopped fresh chives, tarragon and parsley to equal 1 tablespoon total
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil ( or olive oil will work)
  • 2 small (about 3 ounces each) red potatoes
  • 8 stalk asparagus, trimmed
  • 1/2 of a 5 ounce container of mixed greens
  • 8 grape tomatoes, cut in half
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, cut into quarters
  • 1 green onion, finely sliced
  • 1 tablespoon capers
  • Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette

Instructions

  1. Mix herbs with coconut oil and rub on tuna, season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium high heat, grill tuna turning once until the internal temperature is about 125*. You can adjust cooking to your desired doneness. Let rest then cut into slices.
  3. Cook potatoes in microwave until just tender, about 3-4 minutes. Place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process, then slice into quarters.
  4. Cook asparagus until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
  5. Arrange lettuce leaves on each of 2 plates. Top each with sliced tun, then arrange half of potatoes, asparagus, tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs decoratively around tuna. Sprinkle half of green onions and capers over each salmon fillet. Serve, passing vinaigrette separately.

Keywords: tuna, potato, asparagus, mixed greens, salad

 

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Tuna Salad Nicoise

Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette

  • Author: Marty Boyd

Ingredients

Scale
  • Juice of one fresh lemon
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed
  • Finely chopped fresh chives, tarragon and parsley to equal 1 tablespoon total
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

  1. Combine first 4 ingredients in small bowl or small food processor. Gradually whisk/blend in oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake

Gluten Free Strawberry ShortcakeGluten Free Strawberry Shortcake

Now that we are getting some folks following our adventure, we are starting to receive requests for recipes. Tim and I were grocery shopping, and a gal we know stopped us in the parking lot. After exchanging pleasantries, she ask us about Gluten Free recipes. She has a gluten intolerance, so we said we would see what we could do. I have never made anything gluten free in my life………yikes! What did I say we would do????

I decide that dessert would be the best place to start, and strawberries are just making their spring appearance in the grocery store. So Strawberry Shortcake seemed like a good choice.

I know several people who have gluten intolerances and although products have come a long way, I know they have struggled finding replacement for some of their favorite foods. So, in an effort to try and make some thing gluten free and still tasty, and to live up to my word, I searched……… I came across several sites that had a variety of ways to make gluten free products, but to be honest some of them sounded like science experiments.

I was really looking for something easy that would not require a beaker and bunsen burner. As I was looking at all the gluten free items at the grocery store, my eye caught Almond Flour, now we like almonds, so I figured it should be a good replacement for flour. The rest was just basic baking items, butter, eggs, vanilla, and baking soda. I was a little worried after I mixed the dough, as it was really sticky and still wet, but I remembered reading in one recipe I saw that they chilled the dough, so in the frig it went. After about 10-15 minutes it was a nice dough. I scooped mine with an ice cream scoop but I think you could roll them out if you wanted too. I topped mine with Turbinado sugar for an extra little crunch and shine (old trick from my bakery days). I let them cool and could not help myself and tasted one……….I was sooooo surprised, they were really tasty. More dense than a traditional shortcake biscuit, but if I could not tolerate gluten these would be a perfect substitution.

Now about those strawberries, I know what you’re thinking………Balsamic Vinegar has she gone mad!!!! I truthfully thought that the first time I saw a recipe using vinegar with strawberries, but do your self a favor…….TRY IT………I make strawberries this way all the time and it is awesome. The brown sugar and the balsamic makes almost like a syrup for those beautiful red berries. The berries and the syrup they make soaks into that shortcake beautifully and topped with a dollop of whipped cream………..a little piece of heaven…..I don’t think anyone would be able to tell it was gluten free.

So, if you or your family, or a friend has an intolerance to gluten, try this recipe as a replacement for that traditional Strawberry Shortcake that is a summer dessert favorite.

Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake Collage

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Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake

  • Author: Marty Boyd
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • Shortcake Biscuits:
  • 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon Turbinado Sugar ( if you do not have Turbinado regular sugar
  • will work also )
  • Strawberry Topping:
  • 3 1/2 cups fresh, ripe organic strawberries, sliced
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions

  1. Shortcakes:
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. In a medium bowl, sift together the almond flour, baking soda and salt.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter and honey until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla, whisking together until well combined.
  5. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until thoroughly combined.
  6. Chill dough in the refrigerator 10-15 minutes.
  7. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and gently flatten to about one-inch thick. I got 8 biscuit out of the dough.
  8. Bake approximately 15 minutes, until top is golden brown.
  9. Allow biscuits to cool completely before splitting and filling.
  10. Strawberries:
  11. In a large bowl, combine sliced strawberries, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Allow to set for an hour or two.
  12. Do not let set more than an hour or two as the berries will get mushy. They will still fast good but they will not look as pretty.
  13. To Assemble:
  14. Split biscuits in half and top with a couple of heaping spoonfuls of strawberry topping and a dollop of whipped cream

Keywords: strawberries, gluten free, shortcake, dessert