Indian stir-fry vegetables

This recipe is: vegan, wheat free, dairy free, nut free, egg free, rice free, corn free, soy free, gluten free, potato free.

Variations: This recipe is incredibly flexible. Just subtract anything that you are allergic to and substitute it with something you love. It's all in the spices!

2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 pound diced mixed vegetables (ie. cauliflower, carrots peas, garbanzo beans, potatoes)
4 tablespoons lemon juice
salt

Heat the oil in a large wok or heavy-bottom saucepan. Add onion and gently fry for 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Add the garlic, ginger, chili powder, coriander, turmeric and a pinch of salt. Fry for 2-3 minutes, add the diced vegetables, and stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes.

Add the lemon juice. Stir well and add a little water. Cover and cook gently for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, adding a little more water if needed, to prevent the vegetables from sticking to the bottom.

Serve with rice and/or naan.

* Recipe  from Complete Indian

lentils with white wine

2 tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, chopped
4 small shallots
2 1/2 cups dried green lentils
6 cups vegetable broth (gluten free)
1 16oz can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 cup dry white wine (plus one glass for the chef)
A handful flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf
pepper to taste

chopped cilantro
limes, halved

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and carrots, saute for 5 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent.

Add the lentils and stir to coat with oil. Add the broth, tomatoes, wine, parsley, bay leaf and pepper. Let simmer over low heat with the lid ajar until the lentils are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 1 hour.

Serve in shallow bowls with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro and lime juice.

**If you can eat dairy, top with a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche.

Shrimp Sushi Rolls

It's been just over 5 years since David and I visited Japan, a country which I immediately fell in love with. All these years later my love of all things Japanese has grown into what amounts to a small obsession. It's fair to say that if I get a choice I'll come back in my next life Japanese...or French, but that's another story. So in light of the horrible events the Japanese people have suffered over the past week I decided to pay tribute in one of the only ways I know how - I cooked. Not only was it delicious but it was fun to make. I have to admit that getting Fabrizio to eat the nori was a little challenging but I figure that the more exposure he gets the better. In the end I deconstructed most of his rolls but David and I went to town.

Of Course you can add anything you like when making your rolls.

Contains: Rice, Shrimp, Soy

Variations: If you're vegetarian or vegan simply replace the shrimp with some of your favorite veggies, just make sure to julienne them. Or sub the shrimp for tofu. The soy sauce is optional and there are plenty of other sauces out there that you can experiment with. I know it's a little gross but my son liked dipping it in ketchup. I know, I know but I figure it's more important that he has the experience of a variety of foods.

Sushi:

1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup short-grained sushi rice

1 1/2 cups water

4 sheets toasted nori

Fillings:

1/2 regular cucumber, seeded and cut into matchsticks

1 avocado, peeled, thinly sliced lengthwise, sprinkled with lemon juice

8 large cooked shrimp, peeled and cut in 1/2, lengthwise

Equipment: Bamboo sushi mat

optional for dipping: soy sauce and wasabi

Mix together vinegar, sugar, and salt.

Rinse the rice with cool water in a colander; drain. Put the rice and water in a rice cooker if you have it. If not, add the rice and water in a medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to very low and simmer, tightly covered. Cook until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat (don't uncover), and set aside for 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and transfer to a large bowl. Add the vinegar mixture and toss with a wooden spoon. Spread the rice out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Fan the rice continuously with a fan or magazine until cooled. Cover the rice with a damp towel.

To assemble rolls:
Place the sushi mat with the slats running crosswise directly in front of you on a clean work space. Lay a sheet of nori shiny-side down and lined up with the closest edge of the mat. Light moisten fingers with water, and evenly press about 1/4 of the rice onto the nori, with 1 1/2-inches uncovered at the far edge. Line up the fillings about an inch from the closest near edge, evenly across the rice. Leave 1 inch of rice uncovered at the far edge.

Beginning with the near edge of the mat, tightly roll up the nori, rice, and fillings into a cylinder. Firmly tug on the rounded mat over the roll as you pull on the far edge of the mat to tighten the roll. Open the mat, dab unsealed edge of nori with a bit of water and roll the sushi forward to seal. Transfer the sushi to a plate and cover with damp paper towels. Repeat with remaining rice and fillings.

Cut each sushi roll, crosswise, into about 8 pieces with a sharp wet knife.
Serve with bowl of soy sauce and wasabi for dipping.

*Recipe adapted from www.foodnetwork.com

turkey bolognese -super easy, super good!

1 package fettucine (wheat/gluten free if need be)

1 lb ground turkey

1 jar of pasta sauce, your choice
2 carrots, cut in big chunks
2 celery sticks, cut in big chunks (or cup of broccoli)
½ onion
1 garlic clove
1 tbsp olive oil
salt
pepper

In your food processor, put the carrots, celery, onion and garlic in and pulse till it’s finely minced into a mush like substance. Heat olive oil in a skillet over med-high heat. Add the veggie mixture and cook for about 5-10 mins or until cooked through. Push it to one side of the pan and add the ground turkey, cooking until browned. Stir the turkey into the veggie mush and add your pasta sauce until saucy to your liking. Meanwhile, cook the pasta as directed by the package. Toss with some pasta sauce and spoon the turkey mixture over the pasta into bowls. Voila, you have a perfect pasta dish your child will surely love.

We put the bolognese on gluten free pizza crust and it was amazing!

Mashed Potatoes

This recipe is: dairy free, soy free, and vegan
Contains: potatoes

So easy and good you won't even miss the dairy!

4 Yukon potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/2 cup water
salt to taste

Boil potatoes until cooked through. Drain water and mash either manually or with an electric hand mixer. Add water a little at a time. Add salt to taste, mix in well and serve. That's it, amazing.

Oven roasted pork ribs with honey

This recipe is: gluten free, wheat free, egg free, nut free, dairy free, soy free
Contains: Honey

Easy to prepare and full of flavor, this dish will make you feel decadent!!

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp coarse sea salt

2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed

1 1/2 tsps dried rosemary

2 lbs pork ribs, cut into individual pieces

In a small bowl whisk together the honey, oil, vinegar, salt, garlic and rosemary. Place the ribs in a large plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Refrigerate for about 3 hours, turn occasionally.

Preheat oven to 300.

Arrange the ribs in a single layer on a large roasting pan. Bring the marinade to a boil in a small sauce pan and then pour it over the ribs. Place in oven and roast for 2 to 3 hours.

Serve with vegan mashed potatoes.

**This recipe is from the book Lunch in Paris.