125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes: Bountiful & Vibrant

Finding a meal that will please the palates of your Great Aunt Sally who only eats white foods and your sophisticated cousin who dines only at four-star restaurants can be almost impossible, and that is just one of many challenges we face during the holiday season. When you add dietary restrictions to the mix, the possibility of meeting everyone’s needs and satisfying everyone’s tastes seems like a far off hope.

Gluten-free and vegetarian diets are more popular than ever, for reasons of health and sustainability, and with the holiday season approaching at astonishing speed, 125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes (Avery 2011) provides recipes that will allow guests with and without dietary restrictions to join around the table and feast.

Carol Fenster, a true pioneer in the world of Gluten-Free Cooking, has an indispensible new book that addresses the tastes and needs of gluten-free vegetarians: 125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes (Avery 2011). With recipes crafted specifically for the gluten-free vegetarian cook, 125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes is filled with recipes whose flavor and texture will knock your culinary socks off! Carol Fenster covers all eating opportunities and dining choices with sections on Main Dishes, Vegetables, Soups & Stews, Little Meals or Appetizers, Quick Breads and Yeast Breads, Breakfast, Desserts, and Basics.

Aside from its excellent recipes, this book allows cooks to easily accommodate people with different dietary needs. All recipes are gluten-free, but a special section at the end of the book discusses how to add animal protein to certain dishes, so you can modify recipes to suit the tastes and needs of your dining companions. The recipes are also dairy-free and egg-free, as well.

The book is filled with innovative and delicious recipes that boast great flavor and satisfying texture. Highlights include:

-Rosemary Focaccia with Onion Marmalade
-Quinoa Pilaf with Pine Nuts and Dried Fruit
-Roasted Red Pepper Panini With White Truffle Aioli
-Scalloped Potatoes
-Vegetable Paella
-Thai Corn Chowder
-Angel Pan Biscuits
-Corn Bread or Corn Muffins
-Banana Oatmeal Muffins with Streusel Topping
-Cream of Tomato Soup with Crunchy Basil Bread Crumb Topping
-Roasted Brussels Sprouts in Orange-Nut Sauce
-Apple-Fennel Slaw
-Pinto Bean-Polenta Fajitas with Tomatillo Sauce

There are mouthwatering dishes for every occasion, and something to appeal to everyone. For those looking to eat more healthfully and be truly satisfied, it doesn’t get any better. Carol Fenster’s recipes are nutritionally sound and flavorful—satisfying in every sense of the word.

About the Author
Carol Fenster, Ph.D., is the founder of Savory Palate, Inc, a resource for people with food allergies, celiac disease, autism, and other medical conditions that require a special diet. The author of ten gluten-free cookbooks, Carol is known for recipes so satisfying and delicious that you never miss the gluten. You can find her online at CarolFensterCooks.com. She lives in Centennial, Colorado.

*****
Quinoa Pilaf with Pine Nuts and Dried Fruit

Quinoa is the foundation ingredient in this fragrant dish; experiment with other combinations of fruit and nuts---perhaps dried cranberries and pistachios for the holidays, or dried apricots and pine nuts for summer. It makes a large batch, perfect for a buffet table or large party. And, the leftovers are just as delicious.

Serves 8

1 cup whole grain quinoa
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cups GF vegetable broth
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup candied ginger root, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted, plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

[1] Toast the quinoa in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it becomes aromatic and begins to crackle, about 5 minutes.

[2] Add the oil and onion to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the broth, garlic, cinnamon, and salt. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Drain any excess liquid. Stir in cranberries, ginger, pine nuts, and parsley.

[3] Combine the vinegar, oil, and agave nectar in a glass jar with a lid and shake until well blended. Transfer the quinoa to a medium bowl and toss with the dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm. Or, chill overnight, let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes, and serve garnished with parsley and pine nuts.

*****
Ginger-Molasses Cookies

Moist and very flavorful, these cookies are perfect for dessert. Or, process them into crumbs in a food processor for a pie crust (about 1 ½ cups for a 9-inch piecrust). Adding the optional black pepper turns them into Pfeffernüsse, a traditional German treat served during Christmas holidays.

½ cup butter or buttery spread
¼ cup molasses (not blackstrap)
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1 cup sorghum flour
½ cup garbanzo (chickpea) flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons evaporated cane juice or sanding sugar, for rolling

[1] Place a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 9x13-inch metal baking sheet (not nonstick) with parchment paper.

[2] In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter, molasses, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Add the sorghum flour, garbanzo flour, ginger, cinnamon, xanthan gum, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, salt, and black pepper (if using) and beat until well blended.

[3] With a #50 (1¼ tablespoon-size) metal ice cream scoop, shape 9 balls, roll each into a smooth ball with your hands, and roll each in the evaporated cane juice. Place them at least two inches apart on the sheet.

[4] Bake until the cookies look firm and began to show little cracks on top, about 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer to the wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Makes 18 cookies.

*****
125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes:
Quick and Delicious Mouthwatering Dishes for the Healthy Cook
by Carol Fenster, Ph.D.
Avery
July 2011
$18/Trade Paperback
ISBN-13: 978-1583334256