Roasted Salmon & Asparagus with Lemon-Caper-Dill Aioli

ok. i'll admit it. clearly, i'm partial to sweets. my husband thinks sugar is the devil. i think he's crazy. 

but obviously, man cannot live on sugar alone (bummer), so i'll certainly share some delicious recipes filled with protein and vegetables. here's one of my favorites, and a recent one in my mental recipe box. it's adapted from this recipe, and is just as delicious as it is easy. so get in some good omega-3 fish oils, eat your veggies and then we can talk about dessert.

Roasted Salmon & Asparagus with Lemon-Caper-Dill Aioli

Aioli:

3/4         cup mayonnaise 

1             clove garlic, minced

1             teaspoon finely grated lemon rind

1             tablespoon lemon juice

1             tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill

1             tablespoon chopped capers

2            teaspoons finely minced red onion

1/4          teaspoon salt

1/4          teaspoon pepper

Salmon & Asparagus: 

1             pound asparagus, trimmed

Cooking spray

1             tablespoon olive oil

salt

pepper

1 1/2       pounds skinless salmon fillet

1. Combine mayonnaise and next 8 ingredients in a small bowl until well blended. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 450`. 

3. Arrange asparagus in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Place salmon fillet directly on top of asparagus. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Roast salmon at 450` for 20 minutes, or until fish flakes when tested with a fork. 

5. Serve salmon and asparagus with chilled Aioli. (or chill it all and serve cold... )

Yield: 4 servings.

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The Dietitian Speaks: Part 2

flour, flour, everywhere....

switching over to a gluten-free diet can be mildly overwhelming for anyone who bakes. i'm a food person, who worked in a test kitchen, who studied food science, and i was overwhelmed! i have just recently decided that i don't indeed have to rip all of the baking sections out of the cookbooks on my bookshelves. nor do i have to buy all new "gluten-free cookbooks". the options of deliciously baked goods are still open. it just required a little research and brain power.

first... the best way to bake, gluten free or not, is to weigh your flour rather than measure it in cups. paradigm shift, i know. but it's really easier. i recently bought this kitchen scale and i love it. any digital scale that you can zero out after each measurement of flour will do. see, simple.

unlike wheat all-purpose flour, a gluten-free "all-purpose" version is a mix of flours. basically, some of the flours are grains and some are starches. because wheat flour naturally contains both, you need both in a gluten-free mix. also, different flours impart different characteristics, densities, and flavors to the final product. (in a future post, i'll give some more information about the specific flours and what they lend to a mix.) my gluten-free all-purpose flour is a mix of 50% grain and 50% starch.

kumquat's gluten-free all-purpose flour
300 grams superfine brown rice flour
200 grams sorghum flour
150 grams sweet rice flour
150 grams potato starch
100 grams cornstarch
100 grams arrowroot powder

[risking insulting your intelligence... put your bowl on the scale. press "zero". pour 300 grams of superfine brown rice flour. press "zero". weigh 200 grams of sorghum flour. press "zero".... you get it the point. mix to combine well. store in the fridge or freezer to make it last longer.]

ok... important info... 1 cup of wheat all-purpose flour equals approximately 140 grams (5 ounces). therefore, to substitute a gluten-free mix of flours, measure out 140 grams and you have your equivalent.

buying flours. mixing flours. it can seem a little fussy. and i've worked on too many cookbooks with "4 ingredients", "quick" and "easy" in the titles and know most people don't have all day to spend in the kitchen. i'll include weights and measures, when possible. you choose if you'd like to mix your gluten free flours, grab your gluten-free all-purpose king arthur, or even full-on wheat flour (if you can stomach it, literally). just be forewarned, there may be a bit of a difference in the final product.

i'm certainly no expert on this floury subject, but hope to learn and tweak and share as we go. for any of you wanting to do more research, one of my favorite new resources is shauna james ahern, better known as the gluten-free girl. she has lots of fabulous recipes and loads of information regarding gluten-free baking. i've gleaned the bulk of this info from her site and tried to begin to sum it up here for both your benefit and mine. hope it helped!

Bircher Müesli

being married to a military man has its perks. we've been lucky enough to live in some pretty amazing places. the first two years of marriage we called heidelberg, germany, home. not so bad. from there we took full advantage of the opportunity to travel easily throughout europe and north africa. 

we have a list of favorite locations, but one of the top spots has to be salzburg, austria. it's such a quaint town nestled between a mountain and a river. we ate several times at one of the oldest restaurants in all of europe, the stiftskeller, which dates back to the year 803. the music of mozart pours out of windows on the narrow streets near his birthplace. the scenes of "the sound of music" were shot in this perfect location of a town. there's actually a whole store devoted only to stacks upon stacks of beautiful and intricately painted eggs. 

we always stayed downtown at the hotel elefant. i have never looked so forward to breakfast as i did their breakfast, a traditional european buffet of deliciousness. but my favorite part was always the bircher müesli. 

an easy mix of oats, yogurt, and fruits, it's a simple and delightful way to start the day. i think i'll crank up the "edelweiss," grab a healthy bowl of müesli, and pretend i get to spend the rest of the day wandering through salzburg.

Bircher Müesli

1       cup rolled oats (certified gluten free, if necessary)

1       cup plain yogurt

1       cup milk 

3/4    cup peeled, chopped Granny Smith apple

1/2    cup chopped dried apricots

1/3    cup chopped walnuts

1/4    cup honey

1/4    cup shredded sweetened coconut

1/2    teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring well. Cover and chill at least 3 hours or overnight. 

Yield: 4 servings.

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Monster Cookies

i would be doing you all a disservice if i failed to share this recipe. 

oh my heavens, i love this cookie. i also like to call it the "as big as your face cookie". as a whole, i don't recommend eating many things that are as big as your face, but i make a serious exception here.

if you eat gluten free, like me, it's rare to find a cookie recipe that requires no flour, be it wheat or any other alternative. for this fabulous treat, only rolled oats are required. hey, high fiber, right?!

the perfect peanut flavor and chewy oat-y texture go perfectly with a cup of hot coffee when i want to escape into a good book while my little guy takes his afternoon nap. and whose inner child doesn't like eating a cookie 

with mounds of colorful M&Ms and chocolate chips?

these would make cookie monster proud.

Monster Cookies

1/4       cup butter, softened

1          cup sugar

1          cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar

2         cups crunchy peanut butter

3         large eggs

1          teaspoon corn syrup

1/4       teaspoon vanilla

4 1/2    cups rolled oats (certified gluten free, if necessary)

2         teaspoons baking soda

1/4       teaspoon salt

1          cup M&Ms

1          cup chocolate chip morsels

Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350`.

2. Combine butter, sugar and brown sugar at medium speed of an electric mixer until smooth. Add peanut butter, eggs, corn syrup and vanilla; mix until just combined. 

3. Stir in oats, baking soda and salt using a large wooden spoon. Gently stir in M&Ms and chocolate chip morsels until well-combined. 

4. Drop 1/4 cup portions of dough about 4 inches apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350` for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. (Bake less time for a chewy cookie, more time for a crunchy one.) Let cool for 3 minutes on baking sheets. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. But eat at least one while it's still warm.

Yield: about 2 1/2 dozen.

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Blueberry Cornmeal Griddle Cakes with Lemon Curd

one of my favorite things about eating food is that it not only feeds our bodies, but also feeds our souls. nothing else that i know of turns strangers into friends, evokes memories of people, places & experiences, and brings joy and light to our senses. all while nourishing and energizing us through life.

many foods remind me of my family. these in particular remind me of my mom.

my mom has always told stories of her grandmother's cornmeal cakes. she still remembers the way they would smell while she'd sit on her grandmother's back steps playing with their kittens. even though she has her grandmother's recipe, i don't know that she's ever quite been able to recreate her memories of those cakes. now, i think of my mom when i think of cornmeal cakes.

my mom is a fabulous cook. i credit her with my love of food. she always generously handed over her kitchen to her teenaged daughter to bake countless batches of chocolate chip cookies. that's where it all started for me. i think it was some time in those high school years that she introduced me to lemon curd. and oh, how we love it! when i see a jar of lemon curd on a grocery shelf, i have to restrain myself. (unless on the off chance that grocery shelf is at fortnum and mason in london, then i don't resist.) make this lemon curd the day before you make the cakes, so it has some good time to chill.

so this one's for you, momma.

Blueberry Cornmeal Griddle Cakes with Lemon Curd

Corn Cakes

1          cup gluten-free cornmeal

1/3       cup gluten-free all-purpose flour*
1          tablespoon sugar
1/2       teaspoon baking soda

1/4       teaspoon salt

3/4      cup buttermilk

1          tablespoon canola oil

1          cup fresh blueberries

Garnish: extra blueberries

1. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add buttermilk and oil; mix well until batter is thickened. Gently stir in blueberries.

2. Heat a griddle or large skillet lightly coated with oil over medium heat. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto griddle and cook about 3 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Carefully flip cakes with a spatula and cook other side for an additional 3 minutes or until done. Serve with lemon curd and extra blueberries.

Yield: 8 cakes.

*(i used king arthur gluten-free all-purpose flour)

Lemon Curd 
1          cup sugar 
finely grated zest of 3 lemons (organic, if possible)
 4         large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4       cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 4 to 5 lemons) 
1          cup plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into tablespoons

1. Combine sugar and lemon zest in a large metal bowl; mix sugar and zest with fingers until it becomes grainy. Add eggs and combine. Add lemon juice and combine.

 2. Fill a large saucepan that the metal bowl fits nicely over with about 2 inches of water. Bring water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Place bowl over simmering water, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Cook, whisking continuously, until mixture reaches 180`. (Use an instant read thermometer. This can take several minutes; don't give up whisking and remember that it's all worth it.)

3. Strain mixture into a blender container; discard lemon zest. Turn blender on high and gradually add butter, by the tablespoon, until all butter is added. Scrape down sides.  Let blender run for 3 minutes on high to make mixture fluffy.

4. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Cover mixture with plastic wrap, pressing wrap onto top of curd. Chill 4 hours or overnight.

*(curd can be kept in fridge, covered, for about a week... if it lasts that long.)

credit where credit is due: my sweet and fabulously talented friend, clare, spent last year in paris studying how to make perfect pastries. amazing, huh? this lemon curd recipe was one of her favorites from a famous gourmet pastry shop, where she worked. it is a slice of lemon-y heaven on earth. seriously. i contemplated licking the blender blades...

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Kumquat Marmalade

i couldn't in good conscience have a food blog called "kumquat" without including at least one delicious recipe using the sweet little fruit. actually tart little fruit. my favorite use of these gems is to sweeten them into a marmalade.

i was planning to post this recipe a little later in the game, but the night before last my oven exploded. yes. boom.  flash of light. smoke. not so good. and it won't be fixed for a week. boo. i guess part of cooking is resourcefulness and being willing to change directions mid-stream. so everything we consume for the next week will be prepared on the stove-top. maybe it was fortuitous for this kumquat blog that my oven is kaput.

anyway... i love marmalade. i think it's my favorite cousin of the jam/jelly/preserve family. this one cooks up to a gorgeous amber color and tastes delightful. a perfect marriage of sweet and tart. with just the ideal amount of rind.

if you've never made marmalade, oh, please try this one. or even if you have. it's really so easy. give extra jars to friends and family. they'll love you forever and ask for the recipe.
  

Kumquat Marmalade

1         pound fresh kumquats (organic, if possible)

3 1/2   cups water, divided

1/4      cup lemon juice

1/2      (1.75-ounce) package powdered pectin

4 3/4   cups sugar

1.  Thinly slice kumquats; remove and discard seeds.

2. Combine kumquats, 3 cups water and lemon juice in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring often. Add remaining 1/2 cup water. Stir in pectin; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar; bring to a boil. Boil 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; skim foam off top of mixture and discard.

3. Pour hot mixture into hot, sterilized canning jars*, filling about 1/4-inch from the top. Cover with metal lids and screw on bands. Cook jars in boiling water bath for 5 minutes. 

Yield: a little more than 5 (half-pint) jars.

*to sterilize jars, just cook jars, metal lids and screw on bands in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. remove with tongs and store in a clean, dry place till ready to fill. preferably a warm oven. (unless yours has recently exploded too.)

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The Dietitian Speaks: Part 1

i love food and i love being a dietitian. strangely enough sometimes those worlds don't cross enough in the minds of my fellow professionals. when i see a blueberry, i see both a valuable antioxidant and the perfect ingredient for a scone. i have been so blessed to meet and work with a heaping handful of dietitians who fully agree that food is to be savored and enjoyed as much as used for energy and health.

i must admit that sometimes i do get wrapped up a little too much in the delight of food, as you'll likely see throughout future posts. but frequently i have to let the health professional in me step forward.

so here she goes...

i figured my first dietetic rant should be the obvious... what does gluten free mean?

gluten is a protein that is found in wheat, rye and barley. (yes, that means traditional breads, pastas, baked goods...) in some people, this protein can cause a spectrum of symptoms, ranging from mild headaches & fatigue to severe gastrointestinal illness. because this range is so broad, it can often times be difficult to diagnose. as far as we know, it seems there's even a spectrum of diagnoses for this issue.

celiac disease is a lifelong autoimmune disease. when someone with celiac disease ingests gluten, it causes a toxic reaction in the body, causing the body to attack its normal tissue, damaging the small intestine and preventing the absorption of nutrients. this disease can typically be diagnosed through either a blood antibody test or through a small intestine biopsy. unfortunately, these are not foolproof. 

gluten intolerance is a bit different. unlike celiac disease, there is no damage done to the intestine when wheat is ingested, therefore not causing any nutritional deficiency. there are similar gastrointestinal symptoms, but no potential for long-term damage seen with untreated celiac disease.

the diet prescription for both of these issues is the same... do not eat gluten. 

celiac disease and gluten intolerance have gotten some much needed attention over the past several years. and some ever-improving gluten-free products have been popping up on grocery shelves too.

i think we will see more and more people over the following years realizing that gluten has been the cause for their gut issues. if you experience chronic constipation, diarrhea, bloating, cramping, migraines, infertility or autism talk to your doctor about gluten. especially if you or family members have other autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or thyroid disease. or at least check out this site or this site to get more information.

and if it turns out gluten and your body are not friends, don't lose hope. it's not so bad. your health is really just starting. and so worth it. there are plenty of deliciously fabulous things to eat, both homemade and off the shelf. i promise.
and i'll do the best i can to pass on suggestions for both!


**disclaimer: this site is not intended for use in diagnosis, treatment, or any other medical application. questions should be directed to your personal physician.

Batman Cake Pops

maybe i just have a simple mind. or i'm easily entertained. but i joyously look forward, every year, to the excuse to make little, time-consuming sugar goodies. recently, the little guy's 3rd birthday was it. out of the clear blue sky, he was certain he wanted a batman birthday party. so batman it was. 

then my little wheels started spinning.... oooo.... cake pops. batman cake pops.

so silly and labor intensive, i know. but, holy hallelujah, batman, how they made me happy.

the cake pop queen is bakerella. seriously, if you can think of it, she's made it into a cake pop. my sister thinks she has too much time on her hands. i think she's brilliant. and am kind of jealous that she gets paid to make these little creations all day. 

other than the risk of a half eaten cake pop falling sadly off it's stick, they're such a tidy little party favor to hand out. and they're yummy too!

i made these with betty crocker's gluten free yellow cake mix. so other than batman's ears, they are gluten free. heck, even if you're placing them in gluten-eating hands, you might as well be able to eat a little corner of the cake while you're working on them. right?

Batman Cake Pops

1       box cake mix 

1       (16-ounce) container ready-made frosting

1       (1-pound) bag vanilla candy coating morsels

1       (1-pound) bag dark chocolate candy coating morsels
1/2    cup Twizzler bites (these are not gluten free, if you are!)
Candy coating coloring: Yellow, Pink, Black, Blue
Lollipop sticks

1       tube yellow glitter decorating gel

1       black edible ink pen

(Styrofoam block)

1. Bake cake according to package instructions. Allow cake to cool completely.

2. Cut the cake into quarters. Finely crumble each quarter of cake in a large bowl.

3. Add half the container of frosting. Mix into cake crumbles until well combined. Mixture should stick together to form a ball, not too crumbly, not too wet. (Add more frosting, if needed.) Reserve remaining frosting for another use.

4. Cut each Twizzler bite in half width-wise. Then cut each half on the diagonal to achieve a triangular shape with a long flat side.

5. Roll cake mixture into 2-inch oval shaped balls. Press one triangular Twizzler piece into each side the top of the ball, with the long side of the piece on the outer side of the head. These are Batman's ears. Place on wax paper-lined baking sheet, cover and chill in fridge till firm.

6. Carefully melt vanilla candy coating in a deep bowl in microwave according to package directions. Once melted, add a tiny bit of yellow and pink candy coating coloring to make skin-tone. Start with very little. You can always add more.

7. Dip 1/4-inch of a lollipop stick into candy coating mixture; insert the stick straight into the cake ball on the opposite end from the ears. Dip the cake pop in the candy coating, and carefully tap off any excess. Work quickly, but not too forcefully or the cake ball will fall off the stick. Place end of stick in the Styrofoam block until sturdy and allow to dry. Continue with remaining balls.

8. Carefully melt dark chocolate candy coating in a deep bowl in microwave according to package directions. Stir in black candy coating coloring. Probably all of it. If needed, add blue coloring to achieve a black color.

9. Dip top half, then backside of cake pop in black coating mixture. Allow to dry in the Styrofoam block.

10. Carefully squeeze yellow glitter decorating gel to make Batman's eyes. Use black edible ink pen to make his mouth. Adorable!

Yield: about 36 Batmen.

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Boccone Dolce

 "sweet mouthful".  really, truly, what better way to start a food blog than with those two words. in any language.

to me, there's nothing more delightful than baked meringue. the crunchy outside with a soft & slightly chewy interior. except maybe adding melted chocolate, sweet whipped cream, and fresh berries. plus, in all this delicious simplicity, it's naturally gluten free.

this beautiful, towering dessert is the perfect ending to a spring meal... or maybe just for when you're dreaming of spring.

 

 

Boccone Dolce

Cooking spray
4         large egg whites

1/4      teaspoon cream of tartar

1/4      teaspoon salt

1         teaspoon vanilla extract

1         cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 1/2    cups heavy cream

1/2      cup semisweet chocolate chips

3         tablespoons milk

2         cups sliced strawberries

2         cups blackberries

1. Preheat oven to 275`.

2. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Place parchment paper on baking sheets. Draw 3 (8-inch) circles on paper. Turn paper over.

3. Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt with a mixer at high speed until foamy; add vanilla. Slowly add 1 cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. 

4. Divide meringue evenly among 3 circles; spread evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon to fill circles. Bake at 275` for 1 hour or until dry. Turn off oven and let meringues cool in oven for 4 hours. Gently remove cooked meringues from parchment paper.

5. Combine heavy cream and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl. Beat mixture with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

6. Combine chocolate chips and milk in a medium bowl. Carefully melt in the microwave; stir till smooth. 

7. Place one meringue layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread 1/2 of chocolate on top of meringue. Spread 1/3 whipped cream on top; top with 1/3 berries. Repeat layers once. Top with final meringue, and remaining whipped topping and berries. Cover loosely and chill for a couple of hours before serving. 

Yield: 8 servings. 

adapted from a recipe i developed for Weight Watchers Annual Recipes for Success 2004.

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about me

 

welcome to my humble, little blog. i am gretchen.

i am a registered dietitian. unlike most in my profession, i have been lucky enough to spend most of my career in a kitchen as opposed to a hospital. though i worked in a fabulously exciting test kitchen, I now work mainly in my own both as a freelance recipe developer & food stylist, and as a mommy. 

i am married to derek, a beautiful giant of a man who looks like equal parts superman and don draper. he's a military man. serves his country. makes me proud.

we have an amazing little guy who just turned 3. he makes me smile everyday. and is a good eater.

 several years ago, after countless bouts of health issues, i stopped eating gluten. almost instantly my body felt like new. i've not turned back. and i've not felt deprived. usually.

why kumquat? because i love the citrus-y freshness and tiny simplicity of the fruit. plus i've always thought it was a fun word to say. 

currently we live in the sweet town of charlottesville, virginia. but we move. alot. maybe i should have called myself the gluten-free nomad.

nonetheless, i hope to fill this blog in the passing months with delicious recipes, beautiful photography and brilliant health tips. or maybe just a note or two.

feel free to contact me, if you feel like it. gretchen@kumquatblog.com