The Gluten-Free Vegan Cookbook & Recipes

I never quit looking for ideas – how I can take my families meals to new levels, with new ingredients, breaking me of bad habits and allowing my children to have a rainbow in front of them. I was reading The Gluten-Free Vegan: 150 Delicious Gluten-Free, Animal-Free Recipes and came up with some tasty inspiration. Considering I had 2 lbs of beautiful blue/purple potatoes waiting to be used…….when I saw the Potato and Pea Curry on page 68, well, I had to try it. The potatoes were begging to be used.

The curry wasn’t pretty. Kirk looked at it, looked at me and was “Does it taste good??” It did. Just soooo ugly! There was no way I was going to get a decent photo of this slop on top. But trust me, it was incredible tasting. Kirk would have preferred it be a bit spicier, Ford (The Teen) wolfed it down, which is ALWAYS a compliment.

I did adapt the recipe slightly. The recipe calls for light coconut milk, which I always take to mean canned. I used my favorite refrigerated coconut milk instead. I also used 2 cups instead of 1 that was called for. I found it was too dry halfway through. With 2 cups it had the perfect sauce at the end. (Although who knows, I may have used more veggies than called for.)

Just remember: it tastes awesome. Don’t look while eating and all will be well 😛 Yes, I KNOW it is hideous looking!

Potato and Pea Curry

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 lbs small new potatoes, used purple/blue – red, white or Yukon Gold work as well – scrubbed and chopped
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ¼ tsp chile powder
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
• 12 ounces frozen petite peas (no-salt added)
• ½ cup raw cashews
• Cilantro for topping (I used freeze-dried, fresh may be used)
• 1 batch baked brown rice (see in directions)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Bring to a boil 2½ cups water. Add it to an 8×8″ glass oven-safe baking dish, along with 1½ cups brown basmati rice, 1 Tablespoon sunflower or similar oil and a pinch of fine sea salt. Cover tightly and bake for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add 1 Tablespoon oil and the onion, sauté for 5 minutes. Add the remaining oil and potatoes, sauté for 10 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the garlic and spices, cook for a minute, tossing gently to coat.

Stir in the coconut milk, peas and cashews, cover and turn to medium-low, simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. Stir every 5 to 10 minutes.

Take off the heat, stir in cilantro to taste (I used 2 Tablespoons) and season if needed with more salt and pepper. Fluff up the rice, serve the curry over it.

Serves 4.

I adapted this quinoa recipe on page 99, leaving the jalapeño out and doubling the zucchini. An easy 1 pot meal! And very delicious – serve with crunchy corn chips to scoop it up.

Spicy Quinoa Pilaf

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small sweet onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 zucchini, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1½ cups quinoa
• 3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped, fresh or freeze-dried
• ¼ cup raw walnuts (called for toasted pine nuts)

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium-high, add the oil and onion, sauté for 5 minutes, Stir in the zucchini and ginger, sauté for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the spices on top, stir in and then add the broth and quinoa. Bring to a boil, turn to medium-low, cover tightly and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and rest for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and walnuts, stir in and season to taste with salt, if desired.

Note:

I used my vegan broth powder to make the broth, adding the dry mix with the spices and then stirring water in.

Serves 4.

~Sarah