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Thursday, March 27, 2008

Purple Cabbage & Sunbutter Soup

Alexander Allrich in New Mexico
Alex in Ojo Caliente, New Mexico

The visit with Alex and his girlfriend was thick with conversation, food for the eyes, and dreams for the soul. As always, in the wake of my son's absence I am struck dumb by the restless silence of the desert, finding it difficult to steady my post-maternal footing. It's not the letting go thing. Letting go of your children is the easy part. Their beauty is astonishing and too big to keep for yourself. You miss them, yes.

But the space between you is precious, too.

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Monday, March 24, 2008

Sticky Notes (on an anniversary)

Misty arroyo, near Abiquiu New Mexico
Mist on the mesa- toward Abiquiu.

We choose our partners with a secret eye seeking the twin. Not the twin in the mirror, but the lost twin in shadow. The discarded, smothered twin we poked and twisted and kicked under the bed of childhood. The Other. The Everything We Are Not. The Abandoned One.

Forgotten in order to please.

If the stars are kind and align just right, you choose well. And The Chosen shimmers with your own potential, reflecting not what you have found but what you seek. And basking in their soul mate glow you grow- just a little. You stretch and you risk- just a little. With time and fledgling self awareness you notice a glint sparking back at you and you reach to claim it, knowing, This belongs to me. I am this, too.

And you take it back.

This unburdens your partner, piece by shining piece- who is, by design, if you have not done the work of reclaiming, either bored or chafing beneath the yoke of your golden-hued projection. Or worse- wandering off in search of eyes that see something new, or more authentic.

When people ask, What is the secret of a good marriage? I usually answer, Chemistry. And good manners. Especially when it comes to the toilet seat. And then I laugh. Because it's true. But only a slice of the truth. The more complicated truth (and one you don't share at dinner parties) is a messy, juggling, wrestling wrangle with the aspects of two separate selves discovering two mysterious twins in the marriage bed.

You see, it's not always safe to integrate.

The squelched and sore parts of you can knock apart your coupled equilibrium. Don't kid yourself. It's not ever easy to bid for wholeness. To grow. Growth means change. And change is challenging. Even in the best of circumstances. So some days it's frighteningly tempting to believe that the dust balled fragments skulking in the shadows are not worth the effort of excavation.

Denial and distraction can smell pretty good at first.

But one cloudy day when your mending hip is aching and your desert skin is itching, you glance up from the kitchen counter cluttered with sticky spoons and banana peels, and you meet a clear gaze that sees you for who you really are- not some projected angel in the house, not some idealized muse, or nurturing mother stand-in. But who you really are in all your unadorned, quirky, burnished glory.

And you thank not the stars, or luck, or even fate. You know better. You've done your homework. So has he. So you smile a slow smile and crack, What are you looking at?

The love of my life, he says.





Happy 13th Anniversary, Steve.



Karina

Friday, March 21, 2008

My Favorite Gluten-Free Spring Recipes

Lighten up. Celebrate Spring gluten-free!

Celebrate a G-Free Spring

It's time to lighten up and get fresh. So here is a collection of my favorite gluten-free recipes to celebrate winter budding into spring. Soups are vibrant and simple, brunch is all about eggs and bread is Irish. Shake off the winter blahs. Try a new recipe today and wake up your taste buds.



appetizers + bites

Cilantro Pesto de Esteban
Hot Artichoke Dip
Jalapeño Lime Hummus
Pecan Crackers
Nachos Fabuloso

Roasted Yellow Tomato Salsa
Savory Grain Free Crackers
Spinach and Cheddar Quesadilla
Sweet Potato Shoestring Fries

Warm Spinach Salad with Quinoa and Grape Tomatoes



eggs, breakfast + brunch

Artichoke and Jalapeño Savory Pie
Baked Frittata with Gold Potatoes and Sour Cream
Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
Breakfast Brownies

Gypsy Soda Bread
Maple Apple Sausage
Pomegranita
Purple Potato Crustless Quiche

Roasted Vegetable Cheddar Quiche
Santa Fe Huevos on Polenta
Savory Kugel with Mushrooms, Potatoes, Spinach and Mozzarella
Spinach and Cheddar Quesadilla
Strawberry Hemp Milk Smoothie
Sweet Potato Cornbread



soup

African Coconut and Chick Pea Soup
Carrot Soup
Celery Soup with Fennel with Ryeless Rye Croutons
Coconut Split Pea Soup
Cream of Broccoli Soup with Coconut Milk

Irish Potato and Cabbage Soup with Sausage
Potato Leek Soup
Potato Soup for the Sensitive Soul
Roasted Vegetable Chowder
Rustic Mediterranean Chicken Soup for the Soul

Spicy Vegetable Soup with Lime
Sweet Potato Soup with Ginger
Purple Cabbage and Sweet Potato Soup
Vegetarian Mulligatawny



main dish

A Spring Risotto with Asparagus and Leek
Alex's Favorite Baked Chicken Mediterranean
Baked Chicken Chili Rice Casserole
Baked Cod with Roasted Sweet & Sour Vegetables
Baked Mac & Cheese - Dairy-Free
Balsamic Roasted Veggie Smothered Baked Potato

Chicken Enchilada Casserole (New Mexican Style)
Creamy Penne Pasta Bake with Zucchini
Dijon Roasted Vegetables
Enchiladas Griegos for Two with Spinach and Feta

Gluten-Free Pizza!
Irish Cottage Pie with Mashed Potato Crust

Lime Chicken Tacos
Maple-Apricot Glazed Meatloaf
Peanut Broccoli Chicken Stir-Fry
Pineapple Salmon Brown Rice Bake with Sour Cream and Green Chiles
Pork Roast in Apricot Mushroom Sauce

Quinoa Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Quinoa with Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Leeks, and Almonds

Roasted Brussel Sprouts Medley with Butter Beans + Rice
Roasted Vegetables in a Nest
Roasted Vegetables on Broiled Polenta with Goat Cheese

Sexy Spring Pasta- with roasted asparagus
Shepherd's Pie Two Ways- Vegan or Chicken
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Spinach and Chicken Rice Bake with Portobellos and Mozzarella

Tuna and Artichoke Pasta
Turkey Meatballs with Lime and Mint on Sir-fry Asian Noodles
Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
Vegan Garden Loaf with Maple Apricot Glaze



side dish + light fare

Art School Rice with Curry, Appple, Carrots and Raisins
Asparagus with Maple-Tahini Dressing
Baked Grape Tomatoes with Cornbread Crumbs and Basil

Herbed Flatbread with Roasted Veggies
Kicked Up Colcannon (Mashed Potatoes and Cabbage)
Lime Quinoa Salad with Mint
Millet with Carrots, Mushrooms and Mint

Peanut Coleslaw with lime and cilantro
Pomegranate Glazed Green Beans + Portobellos

Quinoa Mushroom Pilaf
Quinoa Salad with Pineapple, Broccoli and Fresh Mint
Quinoa Taco Salad

Roasted Blue, Red and Gold Potato Wedges
Roasted Sicilian Potatoes

Savory Vegetable Pancakes
Spanish Rice Bake
Spring Millet with Mushrooms and Carrots
Two Potato Salad- with sweet potatoes

Warm Spinach + Quinoa Salad with Grape Tomatoes
Three Ways To Dress a Naked Salad (Three Dressings)
Zucchini Tomato Mozzarella Pie



bread and muffins

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
Banana Corn Muffins
Banana Blueberry Muffin Cake
Big Banana Muffins
Blueberry Corn Muffins
Blueberry Oat Muffins

Carrot Bread
Chocolate Muffins

Delicious Gluten-Free Bread
Gluten-Free Irish Soda Bread with millet
English Muffins
First Loaf in My Gluten-Free Bread Machine

Gluten-Free Focaccia with Garlic, Herbs + Tomato
Gluten-Free Multi-Grain Sandwich Bread
Gluten-Free Ryeless "Rye" Bread
Gypsy Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread
New Irish Soda Bread with Millet

Strawberry Banana Muffins
Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins with Streusel Topping

Whole Grain Strawberry Muffins 
Yeasted Quinoa-Cornbread




dessert

Anise Biscotti
Balsamic Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Banana Snacking Cake

Blueberry Brownie Bites
Blueberry Cake Cupcakes
Blueberry Crumb Cake

Chocolate Chip Cookie Squares
Chocolate Chip Cookies and Vanilla Brownies
Chocolate Cookies with Chocolate Chips
Coconut Carrot Cake
Coconut Layer Cake
Coffee Biscuits with Chocolate Chips

Lemon Yogurt Cake
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Orange Creme Cupcakes

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble with Quinoa Flakes
Sweet Banana Polenta Cake
Vanilla Cupcakes with Mocha Icing
Nirvana Bars




Vegan Asparagus Recipe with Maple Tahini Sauce

Cooking Gluten-Free By the Seasons

My Favorite Summer Recipes

My Favorite Autumn Recipes

My Favorite Winter Recipes

More Spring Menu Posts:






Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Cranberry-Banana Smoothie

cranberry smoothie
Cranberry banana smoothie - refreshing and dairy-free.


Here's a quick and simple cranberry infused recipe for breakfast that is refreshing, tart and food allergy friendly (around our humble casita, anyway). It's dairy-free, soy-free, egg, corn and nut free. And naturally, it's you-know-what free.

Spring is around the corner, Babycakes. Are you ready? Are you feeling a little bloated and pasty? Do you crave something light and refreshing? Something to wake up your winter saturated taste buds? I knew it!

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Friday, March 14, 2008

Irish Potato & Cabbage Soup with Soda Bread


Irish potato and cabbage soup- rustic comfort in a bowl.

Put on some Irish music and grab your apron. Here's a recipe pairing to celebrate St. Patrick's Day- whether you're a dyed in the wool Celtic lass, Scott-Irish, or only mostly Irish in spirit. Irish Potato and Cabbage Soup and gluten-free Irish Soda Bread.

Slainte!

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Gluten-Free Main Dishes + Comfort Food


Sorry- this index has moved to:

Gluten-Free main Dish and Comfort Food Recipes

Monday, March 10, 2008

Roasted Tomato Soup

A tomato soup recipe to cure all ills. Roasting is the secret.

When cabin fever hits, I am not a pretty sight. My hair has a static-inspired halo decidedly unholy. My chin breaks out (zits? At 53?). I pace and fidget. I am not the serene goddess you think I am.

I am itchy and creaky and sick to death of pilled winter sweaters- not to mention winter temperatures. You folks in Ohio? My thoughts are with you, Babycakes. Here in northern New Mexico I don't have much to kvetch about. But you? Oy. All that snow? It might crush me. Seriously. I'd be done.

So to celebrate the return of Daylight Saving (three weeks early, no less) I made a life affirming taste bud tingling pot of soup this weekend. See if this doesn't help quench your cabin fever.

Just a little.


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Thursday, March 6, 2008

Sexy Spring Pasta- with roasted asparagus & tomatoes

A simple and romantic roasted vegetable pasta dish for two using gluten-free pasta
Simple and romantic: pasta with roasted asparagus and tomatoes.

Today's recipe is a romantic, sexy spring pasta sauce with balsamic roasted asparagus and tomatoes. Because it's snowing. There's a foot of the white stuff. Ridiculous. Our morning appointment with our real estate broker was canceled. Oh, did I mention? We're putting our house on the market. Los Angeles beckons.

Aside from my husband's screenwriting momentum, these ole bones of mine (not to mention, my spare parts) are too creaky for winters with snow. Two years ago, when we planned our big move west, I was naive enough to imagine kinder temperatures. A January with no snow shovels. February afternoons sunny and warm enough to peel off your apple-green cardigan, roll up your sleeves, and drink in vitamin D old school style. Maybe south, in Las Cruces.

But not here north of Santa Fe. And so I find myself once again turning toward the new, welcoming change. Packing away family photos and books to simplify rooms and coax potential buyers into imagining their own conversations and meals and lovemaking in this space.

This space in the desert that has been my shelter- and my tabla rasa. Where I have shed old skins and birthed a new sense of self- in startling and unexpected ways. Interesting, isn't it? Living here has been so different than I imagined. Difficult, even. And yet. So good for me. It's been all about the process of change.

And lucky for me- I think change is sexy.

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Monday, March 3, 2008

Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten free chocolate chip cookies made with buckwheat flour
Gluten-free buckwheat chocolate chip cookies.
  
I know what you're thinking. Not another cookie recipe. Please. I've had it with melty chocolate chips and crunchy, chewy sweetness. Where are the rutabaga recipes, dagnabbit? And what about beets? Or parsnips? I've got a hankering for kale the size of Wyoming. I yearn for jicama. Cook me up some kohlrabi, already.

Sorry, Darling. Not today. You'll have to be patient. There are cookies to bake. And these are gluten-free.



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