When you can't eat gluten, eggs or cow dairy, breakfast can be a challenge. My usual breakfast is smoothie made with a frozen banana, some berries, a little silken tofu and almond milk. Sometimes though, I want something hot and hearty; something that will stick with me and make me feel loved. We will deal with my emotional eating issues in another blog.
On mornings that a bigger breakfast is in order, I turn to hash. Not the stuff that comes out of a can, but a delicious healthy mixture of vegan chorizo, (its less rich and healthier than the real stuff), firm tofu, potatoes, and what ever vegetables I have on hand. This morning it was zucchini, (of course) and a small onion. It is delicious with sweet peppers, mushrooms, sweet potatoes; really anything you can think of, even thinly sliced greens. It comes together very easily, and I don't think you'll ever miss the eggs.
Gluten-free Hearty Breakfast Hash
2 Tbs vegetable oil
1/2 package soy chorizo (I like Trader Joe's brand)
3 red potatoes microwaved for 5 minutes to expedite cooking diced
1/4 block firm or extra firm tofu diced
1 small zucchini diced
1 small onion chopped
1-2 med tomato chopped, seeds and juice included
Optional garnish
diced avocado
hot sauce
vegan sour cream
In a large skillet, heat oil, add soy chorizo and potatoes. Stir them around and give the potatoes a chance to begin to cook, then add the tofu, and stir around again. Let the chorizo flavor the potatoes and tofu, then add the zucchini and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are very nearly done, then add the tomato(es) and their carefully saved juices. This adds a silky richness that is otherwise missing from the leaner soy chorizo. Serves 4
The fun of this dish is that there is no end to the variations. Bend it to your tastes and what you have on hand. My kids hate sweet potatoes, but My Sweet Husband and I love them, so I am cooking for the two of us, I use sweet potatoes instead of regular. If you have green onions, or red onions, use those. If you hate zucchini, don't use it. If your garden produced too many green beans, throw them in. There are no limitsThe chorizo has a strong, slightly spicy flavor that flavors everything else. The tofu adds a little extra protein, and everything else makes it delicious. Needless to say, this mixture is wonderful wrapped up in a corn or gluten free tortilla. Enjoy!
Learning how to apply my passion for food and cooking to my new life as a person with multiple food allergies.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Avocado Salsa
Summertime is a great time for a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants cook like me. I honestly feel less stressed if someone just hands me a bunch of ingredients, and says "Cook something" as opposed to meal planning, making a list, and shopping. My Sweet Husband does most of the bulk grocery shopping, and I fill in with the produce. There are items that must be in the house all the time, like lemons, onions, garlic, lettuce for salads, almond milk, butter, some type of cheese, and all sorts of baking ingredients. Beyond that, I buy what is in season, preferably organic, and on sale. I don't really plan my meals until I get to the store and see what's on sale. Usually, whatever is in season is on sale. Right now (mid-July) you can get blueberries for next to nothing, Soon, corn will be 10 for a dollar. Yesterday's shopping trip gave me a bounty of tomatoes, grape and on the vine, and small hot peppers. Avocados are still well under a dollar each. This meant I would be whipping up a batch of Avocado Salsa. As the name suggest, it is somewhere in between salsa and guacamole. It comes together very quickly, with little more than chopping, and is made of very common ingredients. The taste is greater than the sum of its parts.
Avocado Salsa
2 large ripe tomatoes
2 large ripe avocados
1clove garlic minced or pressed
1 small onion finely chopped
1jalapeno or serrano pepper, chopped, seeds removed for less heat
juice of 1/2-1 lime, depending on juiciness, (approx 2 Tablespoons)
Salt to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Taste for seasoning. That's it. The tomatoes break down a little, creating a saucy, creamy, chunky dip. The flavors are clean and the texture is unexpected. This is delicious with the addition of either some finely chopped cilantro, (1 Tablespoon) or 1/4 teaspoon cumin. Pick one, as they fight with each other.
Avocado Salsa
2 large ripe tomatoes
2 large ripe avocados
1clove garlic minced or pressed
1 small onion finely chopped
1jalapeno or serrano pepper, chopped, seeds removed for less heat
juice of 1/2-1 lime, depending on juiciness, (approx 2 Tablespoons)
Salt to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Taste for seasoning. That's it. The tomatoes break down a little, creating a saucy, creamy, chunky dip. The flavors are clean and the texture is unexpected. This is delicious with the addition of either some finely chopped cilantro, (1 Tablespoon) or 1/4 teaspoon cumin. Pick one, as they fight with each other.
Coming Soon
I am trying my hand at gluten-free baking. Because of the amazing gardeners around me, my first attempt will be zucchini bread. Wish me luck.
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