Moroccan Carrot Recipe

Middle Eastern Spice Market in Istanbul ( our last cruise)

Moroccan Carrots is one of my favorite side dishes; It is exotic, gluten-free, and fast and very simple to make. The first time I ever had this delectable dish was in a Moroccan restaurant, and it was love at first bite.

My husband and cousins at the Moroccan Restaurant

 Recently, my daughter-in law Wendy found a recipe that tastes like the real thing. 

I adapted the recipe to suit our tastes. 

The recipe is really simple, but it's all about the marinade! I serve it as a side dish but in the restaurant it was served as a appetizer as part of a trio with an eggplant dish and humus. They served bread to scoop it up. I brought my own romaine lettuce leaves and scooped away! The restaurant recipe also had a kick to it.. I don't like things hot, so I left out the hot stuff!


Author: Judee Algazi@Gluten Free A-Z Blog
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time:  10 minutes
Serves: 4 side dishes

Ingredients:

10 whole organic carrots, steamed and sliced into bite size pieces

Marinade:
Juice of one large organic lemon
2 cloves of fresh organic garlic, chopped fine
2-3 teaspoons of ground cumin
1 tsp of paprika
1 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped fine * ( If you don't like cilantro, use parsley)

Directions: 
Combine the ingredients for the marinade and set aside. ( everything except the cilantro)
Steam your carrots, slice them and pour the marinade over the hot carrots, add the cilantro and serve warm or at room temperature.

Steam Carrots Until Soft  ( cover with lid while steaming)
Set aside

                                                      Combine Ingredients for Marinade

Slice Carrots While Warm

Pour marinade over warm sliced carrots
Refridgerate and allow flavors to mingle 4-6 hours
before serving. Serve it cold..

                                                 May be served hot or cold ( I like it cold) .

The tangy lemony marinade mingles with the sweet carrots and spices to create a memorable side dish that can be enjoyed by those who are gluten free and vegan. The next time you are having company, why not serve this wonderful recipe along with an eggplant appetizer , and Israeli salad?  Have a little wine, some gluten free crackers and you'll have a light but filling Middle Eastern style meal.

polenta

Amazing Salad With Quinoa

 

I just finished eating an amazing bowl of delicious Quinoa Confetti Salad. Healthy, gluten free, and vegan.

Quinoa is gluten free and although it looks like a grain it is actually a seed. It has a mild pleasant taste, is easy to digest, and is also high in protein. It makes a nice side dish or stuffing for stuffed peppers. 

It can be purchased in the supermarket, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods Markets,  or any health food store.

I had made some quinoa yesterday for my easy black bean and quinoa burgers. I had about a cup and half of cooked quinoa left over and wanted to make something with it. 

I decided to make one of my all time favorite salads: 
Quinoa Confetti Salad

The salad contains lots of healthy immune building and anti cancer cruciferous vegetables as well as jicama which speeds up metabolism and makes the salad crunchy and delicious. The chopped organic red apple adds some additional crunch and a little sweetness.

Talk about eating 5 fruits and vegetables a day.. This dish has your 5 fruits and vegetables in just one meal! What a nutritional powerhouse! 

Enjoy the salad topped with the sweet and lemony easy salad dressing listed below.


Ingredients: 

1  14-16 ounce bag of ready to make cole slaw or broccoli slaw

( or you can  shred your own cabbage and carrots)

1 red Delicious apple, peeled and cubed

1 cup of raw broccoli flowerettes chopped in small bite size pieces

1/2 cup dried cranberries, soaked in water for about 1/2 hour and drained.

1/3 cup raw walnuts,

1/3 cup raw cashews

1/2 cup jicama,( pronounced hic a ma) peeled and chopped 

1 and half cups ( or more) of cooked quinoa
( pronounced keen-wah)- . 

Delicious Dressing:

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup agave nectar or raw honey

1/4 cup olive oil

Mix well in blender and pour over salad and toss.

With Red Quinoa

1. Empty package of cole slaw to a large bowl and add apple, jicama, broccoli, nuts, cranberries, and quinoa to the bowl 

Combine lemon juice, agave or raw honey, and olive oil in a glass and pour over the salad and toss.

Variations:

• 
  
  add dark organic raisins ( soak for 1/2 hour) 
• 
  
  add raw sunflower seeds
• 
  
  
  

  

  Same Salad Without Quinoa
  
  
  My Notes: There are a few varieties of quinoa which come in different colors. I've tried the red and the white. They taste fairly similar, but the red is a little heartier; the white a little lighter. 
  
  Both work in the salad. The large brown mound in the top picture is a jicama- available in most supermarkets. Just peel and chop.
  
  Because quinoa is not a grain, it is permissible to eat on Passover. You can make and enjoy this delicious naturally gluten free salad. 
  
  Click for additional information all about Quinoa 
  
  Extra Recipe: Quinoa Patties 

  May be shared on a few of the following blog carnivals
  Like my recipes?  Follow me on Pinterest Gluten Free A-Z  and Twitter .
  
  Please leave a comment so I can be  introduced to your blog . I will visit you and  I usually follow on G+, Twitter, and Pinterest. I would love if you followed me as well Follow me as well : Gluten Free A-Z  and Twitter .
  

If you are new to gluten free and need information on the basics, visit my website and read getting started. http://www.glutenfreerules.com/

Black Bean and Quinoa Burgers

Everyone loves burgers. This is a very tasty vegetarian recipe that I've taking to BBQ's. It doesn't really need to go on the grill since it's already cooked. With a gluten free roll, you can dive right in and have yourself a wonderful meal topped with guacamole or sour cream.  This simple recipe combines two vegetarian favorites, black beans and quinoa.

Easy Black Bean Burgers
2 cups cooked black beans
2/3 cup cooked quinoa ( follow directions on package)
1/4  cup of onion, diced fine
1/4 red or green pepper, diced fine ( optional)
2 Tbsp of capers
1 tsp cumin or more to taste
 red pepper flakes or black pepper to taste

Mix ingredients in large mixing bowl. Make eight medium patties ( or 4 large patties) and place on place on a dinner plate. Chill in refrigerator for about 1/2 hour.
Spray a skillet with olive oil cooking oil spray and saute until browned on each side.

Step by Step

1. Cook quinoa (pronounced keen-wah ) ( buy in supermarket or health food store)  according to package directions and set aside ( about 15 minutes)

2. Put drained cooked beans into a bowl and coarsely mash with a fork

3.   Add cooked quinoa, onions, capers and seasoning to mashed beans and mix well.

beans, quinoa, onions, capers and spices

4. Form into patties and place on plate. Refrigerate for about 1/2 hour

5. Saute in olive oil cooking spray on both sides until lightly browned.

These burgers are delicious and healthy!! Can be frozen..

Top with sauteed onions and mushrooms, Greek tziki dip, red onion slices, eggplant dip from Trader Jo's, ketchup , guacamole, etc.

May be shared on a few of the following blog carnivals
Like my recipes? I post lots more ; Follow me on Pinterest Gluten Free A-Z  and Twitter .

Please leave a comment so I can be  introduced to your blog . I will visit you and  I usually follow on G+, Twitter, and Pinterest. I would love if you followed me as well Follow me as well : Gluten Free A-Z  and Twitter .

6 Powerful Reasons to Eat Black Beans

Black beans are inexpensive and they are a powerful superfood! 
Black Beans are high in fiber, packed with cancer protecting antioxidants, low in calories, low in fat, high in protein and minerals. And when it comes to the pocketbook, what could be more cost effective? An organic can of black beans is about a dollar, a bag of dried beans is a little over a dollar, and you get a good amount of nutrition for your buck.

Black beans are very versatile. You can make black bean soup, black bean salad, black bean dip, black bean burgers, etc. So, when you are not sure what to make for dinner think black beans. They are easy to make, economical, and nutritional powerhouses. I will be posting a black bean recipe everyday this week. Read the facts below and enjoy!!

6 Powerful Reasons to Eat Black Beans

• Packed with antioxidants.The darker a bean, the greater its antioxidant value, making black beans antioxidant superstars even surpassing the antioxidants in oranges! Studies report that  antioxidants help boost our immune systems to help protect against cancer, degenerative disease, and general health.
• Loaded with fiber. In addition, black beans are loaded with fiber which helps rid toxins from building up in your system by keeping your elimination regular. 
• Fights Heart disease Just one of many available studies was an impressive 19 year study that followed 10,000 persons ( Archives of Internal Medicine). The study found that high fiber foods like black beans, helps prevent heart disease. Eating at least 21 grams of fiber rich foods a day brought down the risk for heart disease by at least 15 %. A cup of black beans provides about 12 grams of heat healthy fiber.
• Stabilizes Blood sugar  Fiber also helps you maintain healthier glucose metabolism, so the high fiber content of black beans can help maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
• Provides lots of Minerals. Black beans are a good source of minerals including iron, magnesium, and folates. If you have Celiac, check with your doctor, you may may be low in minerals due to years of poor absorption. ( especially iron)
• Low in calories and fat- black beans are filling, satisfying and taste great, yet they are low in calories and low in fat. On Weight Watchers, they are considered one of the suggested filling foods.

1 cup of cooked black beans

Calories  120
Fat          1.0 gram
Fiber       12 grams
Protein    14 grams

How about Cuban Black Bean Soup?
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Black Bean and Fresh Corn Salad

This fast and black bean and fresh summer corn salad is exceptional and takes advantage of all the fresh summer farm produce that starts in early summer!

Last Thursday, I went to the local Yardley Farmers Market. Adrienne Zimmelman, a personal chef who shops and cooks for clients, had prepared a bowl of black bean and fresh corn salad  http://www.tastebuckscounty.com)/   It looked so good, I decided to go home and make my own recipe.

We already know how good black beans are for you with their fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Now add fresh corn off the cob, ripe summer tomatoes, green pepper and fresh basil. This recipe takes advantage of the seasonal crops and is fast and easy. Unlike vegetables that come from far away and are picked green and ripen off the vine, the fresh local vine ripened summer produce is full of vital vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes. 

Keep cool all summer. No need to turn on the oven for this tasty dish- just assemble

Black Bean and Fresh Corn Salad
2 cans of black beans, drained ( or make your own- I did in the crock pot)
4 ears of fresh corn on the cob, slice corn off cob
2 large vine ripe tomatoes, diced
8-10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 large green or yellow pepper, diced
 1 clove of fresh garlic, pressed or chopped well ( optional)
1/4 jalapeno pepper, diced( optional)
1/4 cup  marinated artichokes, chopped ( make sure they are gluten free, make sure there is no grain vinegar)
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Open the beans, drain, and set aside in a large bowl.

 
 
 
 
 
 

2. Clean 4 ears of corn on cob, slice off the corn into a small bowl  and discard the remains

 3. Dice onion, chop tomato, green pepper, fresh basil leaves, and marinated artichokes.

4. Assemble all ingredients into a large bowl.

Dressing: Add Italian dressing (  I like Good Seasons which is gluten free) or pour the juice from the artichoke marinade bottle or any gluten free vinaigrette before serving and mix well .

 Scoop up with your favorite gluten free tortilla chips or eat as a meal over rice.

To see the many other healthy gluten free recipes, healthy living tips, kitchen and blogging ideas that I pin each day, follow me on Pinterest Gluten Free A-Z  and Twitter .

Great Gluten Free Lunch Box Snack

I was driving back from North Jersey today and needed to stop at the Vitamin Shoppe for a few items. It had beem hours since breakfast, and I was hungry. I noticed a little cute gluten free package of something I had never seen before. It was a fruit bar that looked like a large fig newton. It is not a fruit roll up, it is a flaky fruit cobbler..

 It came in a variety of fruit flavors like blueberry, cherry, apple, strawberry, and apricot. I picked up a blueberry fruit bar to tide me over until I could find a place to eat lunch. When I took a bite, it was really good. I mean really good. I went back and bought one of every flavor to take home. I like blueberry best.

They are called Betty Lou's Gluten Free Fruit bars.
 They were $1.29 each and make a perfect gluten free snack for a kid's ( of any age) lunchbox.
 It is made of all natural ingredients and fruit juice.

_________________________________________________________________________________

I looked up the website to find out more information.
The following is copied straight from Betty Lou's Website. http://www.bettylousinc.com/story.php

From her website, it looks like this product is sold in most health food stores! She also has a whole line of other gluten free products available online.

________________________________________________________________________________
The Description of the Fruit Bar

A delicious gluten-free all-natural snack with the taste of homemade baked cobbler! All sugars come from natural fruit and fruit juice. Both kids and adults will love them!

Ingredients for the strawberry fruit bar:

Strawberry Fruit Filling [Fruit Juice Concentrate (Pear, Pineapple, Apple, Peach), Apple Powder, Inulin, Tapioca Starch, Strawberries, Natural Flavor, Evaporated Apples, Pectin, Citric Acid, Red Beet Juice Concentrate for color, Locust Bean Gum, Red Cabbage Extract and Annatto for color], Fruitrim® (Fruit Juices, Natural Grain Dextrins), Gluten-Free Oats, Gluten-Free Flour Blend (Potato Starch, Brown Rice Flour, Stone Ground Sorghum Flour, Tapioca Flour), Safflower Oil, Inulin (dietary fiber), Water, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sea Salt, Cinnamon, Baking Soda, Ginger.

Allergen Statement
Does not contain any of the 8 major food allergens identified by the FDA.
Good manufacturing practices are used to segregate ingredients in a facility that processes other products which may contain peanuts, tree nuts, wheat (gluten), milk, soy and/or eggs.

Guess who this is?  You got it! Betty Lou

                                               http://www.bettylousinc.com/story.php

 

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only. I do not endorse or benefit financially from any of the products discussed on this blog. Buy these products at your own risk and always consult your doctor before changing your diet.