Food : Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

Hi!

Melanie here.  I am so excited to join such a wonderful team, here at Pink Peony Style, created by my great friend Danya.  Danya and I share a love of good food that just so happens to be gluten free.  I enjoy making food that tastes so good, you or your family will never guess that it's gluten free {and healthy!}.  My favorite things to create in the kitchen are classic Greek dishes with my now healthy, g-free twist.  I'm thrilled to share my best recipes with you and I look forward to connecting with you here, on my blog, Facebook or twitter.  

Okay, enough about me.  Here's a recipe so intriguing, it really doesn't need an introduction. {Although it does involve eating flowers.}

Have you ever eaten flowers?  No, I'm not talking about those edible ones you buy at the grocery store in plastic containers.  I'm talking, strolling through your backyard {or your neighbors!} and being drawn in by such beauty that you had to take a nibble.  I can remember picking little yellow flowers in our backyard as a child and one day, the thought came to mind to taste the tiny yellow beauties.  I had never tasted something so bright and lemony!  We often think of flowers as being great additions to face and body potions, so why not share the love with our taste buds?  

Kolokythanthoi Yemistoi, or stuffed squash blossoms as they are called in Greece, is a traditional Greek appetizer usually stuffed with a combination of ground meat, herbs, and minced vegetables.  Both my husband and my father remember their Greek mothers gathering and stuffing squash blossoms from their gardens and filling them with a hearty meat filling.  

Last week, when I picked my squash blossoms, I didn't have any ground meat to make the traditional filling.  However, I did have some leftover quinoa in the fridge, so my recipe making wheels started to spin!  I soaked my zucchini blossoms and began to create the filling {which came together rather quickly since the quinoa was already cooked.}

Once I had my filling made, I began to stuff the blossoms. Since I had soaked them in water already, they were quite tender and easy to fill.  I simply laid them out, and one flower at a time, I gently lifted a petal and snipped the pistil or stamen from the inside.  Then I stuffed the bases with a small amount of filling and set them in a glass dish until I had finished stuffing the others.

Now that they were stuffed, they were ready to cook.  In less than 10 minutes I had the most delicate, savory appetizer.  I seared them for a few minutes in coconut oil on each side, for a total of 9 minutes.  {You could stuff them and keep them in the fridge until your guests arrive as they cook up fast.}  The flowers become tender, the filling becomes warm and each bite welcomes you into Greek appetizer heaven.  {Adding feta cheese to them is completely necessary if you can tolerate dairy.}

Quiona Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

No squash blossoms?  No problem.  Simply use this filling to stuff mushrooms, artichoke buttons, or place of scoop of filling onto broiled eggplant.  Don't plan on there being any leftovers - these cute little blossoms are addicting {and not just to women...my husband ate his faster than I ate mine}.

Ingredients

- 18 Squash Blossoms {or whatever you plan to stuff}

- 1/2 Onion, chopped

- 1 Carrot, peeled & chopped

- 1 Stalk of Celery, chopped

- 3 Mini Sweet Red Peppers {or 1/2 of a large red bell pepper, chopped}

- 1 Cup Spinach, Arugula or other quick cooking green {optional}

- 3 Cloves of Garlic, minced

- 1/2 C Quinoa, cooked

- 2 T Fresh Dill, chopped

- 1/4 C Cranberries, finely chopped

- Salt & Pepper {to taste}

- 1/2 Lemon

- Coconut Oil

1. Combine onion, carrot, celery, red peppers, spinach, garlic, quinoa, dill, cranberries, salt, pepper and lemon juice into a bowl.  Mix until blended.
2. Lay one squash blossom flat on a napkin and while gently opening one petal while stuff 1/2-2 teaspoons of filling into each blossom.  Be careful not to over-stuff.  Twist top of flower blossom and lay in a dish until all blousoms are filled.
3. Heat a 10 in skillet to medium heat and add 1 T coconut oil.  Reuce heat slightly and add stuffed squash blossoms 8-9 at a time.  
4. Cook blossoms a few minutes on each side, turning every few minutes to cook all sides evenly.  {Mine were in the skillet for a total of 9 minutes.}  
5. Once cooked through, place on a plate and sprinkle lightly with salt. Enjoy! 

I hope you enjoyed this recipe.  I would love to hear about your experience with making your own Quinoa Stuffed Squash Blossoms.  {Have you ever incorporated flowers into a dish?  If so, what?}

Stay tuned for more recipes and don't forget to enter the PPS giveaway.

- Melanie


This post linked with Friday Foodie Fix.

Daily Snap & Vacay Recap

Hello friends!

We've returned from our most lovely Monterey, Ca vacay. The trip was a whirlwind, but we got to see old friends and enjoy new sights, restaurants and shops. It's always refreshing to get away, no matter the length of time. Here are a few snapshots of our adventures....

In-N-Out makes a mean gfree burger!

BFF! Love this girl to pieces!

The Boys...no caption needed....

"A moment on the lips is eternity on the hips" but oh so worth it!! (I'm still working these off!)

Gfree 1/2 Hawaiian, 1/2 Sweet Bar-b-que pizza - love love LOVE!

So we ate a lot. That's what you do on vacay right??

And now it's Monday - back to the daily grind. I thought I'd get out of the house today and catch up on some work at my local sbux. Working on a fun post, so check back soon! Happy Monday!






xoxo,
d

Edit // So I did this post on my phone and for some reason the pics posted all blurry.  Sorry about that....

Apple Cobbler

Hallelujah - we have ac again!  In Florida, you can NEVER take your working ac unit for granted.  Sure, it racks up the power bill, but oh my goodness, it keeps this girl in a good mood.

What a crazy week it's been.  Hubby and I are preparing to head to Monterey, California (yay!) Sat to lead worship for a church on Sun.  We're so looking forward to being on the West Coast, taking in "mountains" & ocean (anything larger than a sand dune is a mountain to me :), breathing in the fresh air and scoping out the fun local places.  Any suggestions as to what we should do/see while we're there?

As I mentioned a few posts ago, my sister was recently in town and as usual, her visit was far too short.  For her last night home we made a big g-free dinner - it was delish!  We made one of my new favorite meals from a recent Martha Stewart magazine, Braised Chicken with Potatoes, Olives & Lemon, and it's naturally g-free (& oh so beautiful)! (The only substitution I make is swapping out the cornstarch for arrowroot pwdr.)  It was a hit.  To wash down the chicken, we had Apple Cobbler & topped it with vanilla ice cream - can you say yummy??  You can bet this Apple Cobbler will be making a Thanksgiving appearance.  It was so fantastic, I decided to share.  Would love to hear your thoughts, if you give it a try.

Gluten Free Apple Cobbler

Filling
5-6 Green Apples, peeled & sliced
3/4 Cup White Sugar
2 T Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Almond Flour
1 t Cinnamon
1/2 t Nutmeg
1 t Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup Hot Water
2 T Butter, Softened

Topping
1/2 Cup Almond Flour
1/2 Cup Arrowroot Powder
1/4 Cup White Sugar
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 t Salt
2 T Butter, Softened
1 Egg

Directions
Serves 6

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients, leaving out the butter.  Toss gently and pour into a lightly greased square baking dish.
3. With a teaspoon, spoon softened butter in several rows on top of filling.
4. Combine topping ingredients and mix until batter is smooth.  Drop batter on top of filling in spoonfulls, evenly (I like to use an ice cream scoop).
5. Bake for 35 minutes or until top is golden and filling is bubbly.
6. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping.

{Prepared and ready to bake}

{Baked to crispy, flakey, gooey-apple perfection!}

{I'm pretty sure it's safe to say we licked the dish clean}

Okay, I'm off to do some packing & sneak in a few bites of the sushi my hubby just walked in with!  Lots of love...

GFree Sweet & Spicy Chili

I've been making the most of this cooler weather.  We're already diving into those yummy comfort foods. Last night we had one of my husband's favorites - Homemade Sweet & Spicy Chili.  I love chili for several reasons - it's warm and hearty, we usually have leftovers that last us several meals, it can be topped with all sorts of yummy toppings, and I can throw whatever's in the pantry in & it still tastes delicious!  It turns out differently every time I make it, but the base is always the same - lots of tomatoes, a hint of sweetness & a spicy kick that follows each bite.  Chili can easily be naturally gluten free, just watch those "chili seasoning packets" - growing up, my mom always made chili with those and I've come to find that they're certainly NOT gluten free.  Here's the recipe from last night....enjoy!

G-Free Sweet & Spicy Chili

Ingredients
1.5 lb Lean Ground Beef or Turkey
1 Small Sweet Onion, Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, Chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, Chopped
1 T Olive Oil
1 (15 oz) Can Diced Tomatoes, Undrained
1 (15 oz) Can Tomato Sauce
1 Cup Tomato Juice (do NOT use V8)
1 (15 oz) Can Sweet Corn, Drained
2 (15 oz) Cans Red Kidney Beans, Rinsed & Drained
1 (15 oz) Can Chili Beans, Undrained
2 T Brown Sugar (honey or agave could be used instead...just don't over do it)
2 T Chili Powder
2 T Parsley Flakes
1 T Ground Cumin
Salt, To Taste
Cayenne Pepper, To Taste

Toppings (optional)
Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Low Fat Sour Cream (or plain greek yogurt)
Cilantro
Chopped Green Onions
GFree Tortilla Chips


Directions

1. Coat bottom of large stock pot with Olive Oil.  Add garlic, onion, pepper & a pinch of salt - cook on high, stirring until onions are clear.  Push to the side of pot and add ground meat.  Cook meat till completely browned (be sure there is NO pink left).
2. Combine diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato juice, corn, kidney beans, chili beans, brown sugar, chili powder, parsley flakes, cumin, salt & cayenne pepper and bring to a boil, stirring well.  
3. Once brought to a boil, set to low, cover and let simmer for 45-60 minutes.  (This could also be done in the am & left in a crock pot on low for 8 hrs.  Just be sure to thoroughly cook meat beforehand.)
4. Spoon into bowls, top with your favorite toppings & enjoy!

Aside from chopping a few things, clean up is rather simple - I love one pot meals!  And I can easily pop the lid on and toss left overs in the fridge.  It makes a great topping for g-free tortilla chips, and a wonderful lunch if poured over jasmine rice the following day, we've also done chili turkey dogs - so versatile!

So tell me, what's your favorite way to have chili?

GF Stuffed Mushrooms

I can't believe it's already Wednesday!  Oh how the days fly.  We celebrated my cousin's 30th birthday on Saturday and of course, I had to find a simple yet fabulous gf recipe to share.  For some reason stuffed mushrooms were on the brain, but I have yet to make them without bread crumbs.  By now, you know I love a challenge, so I decided to hunt for a good g-free stuffed mushroom recipe.  I found my inspiration here, but decided to make it my own.  They turned out delish if I may say so myself!  A winning party recipe for sure.  

G-Free Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

24 Whole Fresh Mushrooms

2-3 T Butter, Melted

1 T Olive Oil

1 T Minced Garlic

1 (8oz) Package Cream Cheese, Softened

1/2 C Cooked Sausage Crumbles

1/2 C Shredded Parmesan Cheese (reserve a little for topping)

1/4 C Green Onion, Chopped (reserve a little for topping)

1/4 t Ground Black Pepper

1/4 t Onion Powder

1/4 t Ground Cayenne Pepper (use sparingly if you don't want to have a little kick)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Melt butter and spoon a small amount into each cup of a mini muffin pan.  (A baking sheet will work, but a muffin pan holds the mushrooms perfectly, keeping all of their insides, well, inside.  If using a baking sheet, spray it with cooking spray and shave a small amount off the bottom of each mushroom, this will help to keep them stable.)  Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel & carefully break off stems (setting stems aside in a small bowl to be chopped) & set mushroom cups upside down into the muffin pan.  Chop stems extremely fine, discarding any tough spots.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet.  Fry until mushrooms are browned.  Add cooked sausage crumbles (if not cooked, cook in a separate pan before adding to the mixture) & fry until most moisture has been absorbed.  Set aside to cool.
3. In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, parmesan cheese, black pepper, onion powder & cayenne pepper.  Fold in chopped green onions (leaving a few behind to top your mushrooms). 
4. Once cooled (can still be warm, just not hot), fold mushroom/sausage mixture into cream cheese mix. 
5. Spoon mixture into a ziploc bag & trim tip off, pipe into mushrooms.  
6. Top with remaining parmesan cheese and green onions & bake for 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are golden.
7. Let cool & ENJOY!

*Mushrooms can be made a few days in advance and baked just before you need them.  

{Clean & remove Stems}

{Melt Butter & Spoon into Muffin Tin}

{Place Mushrooms into Pan}

{Sauté garlic & chopped mushroom stems & add cooked sausage}

{Make Cream Cheese Mixture}

{Pipe into Mushroom Caps}

{Top with Parmesan Cheese & Green Onions}

{Bake till golden brown}

{Enjoy!}

Greek Pasta Salad

I'm a total foodie.  I love everything about food, it's an experience involving all of the senses.  I love creating it.  I love making it beautiful.  I love smelling it.  I love sharing it.  I love watching/hearing someone enjoy it.  And most of all, I love tasting it!  Needless to say, when g-free entered my vocabulary, for a the first few days it felt like more of a death sentence than anything else.  However, that didn't stop me from enjoying food again.  I was (and still am) determined to make my g-free recipes taste just as phenomenal as the gluten filled recipes, if not better.  My g-free conversion this week was Greek Pasta Salad.  It was mostly born from a craving for a cold summer salad (not involving green leafy veggies, cause that all too often becomes my go-to lunch) and a combination of what was in my pantry and fridge at that particular moment.  I would possibly make a few changes in the future, but here's what I came up with (hubby helped himself to several servings, so it's safe to say it was a hit).

Greek Pasta Salad

1 Package Quinoa Elbow Noodles (I'm sure rice spirals would work wonderfully for this dish)

1 Package Chopped Grape Tomatoes

1 Can Chopped Black Olives

1/2 Cup Crumbled Feta Cheese

3 Tablespoons Chopped Italian Parsley

1 to 1 1/4 Cup Greek Salad Dressing (I used Ken's - from the ingredient label it seems to be g-free, and I don't react to it, but double check it if you definitely have Celiac)

3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar

Olive Oil to taste

Pinch of Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)

1. Prepare noodles as package instructs. Rinse noodles under cold running water and let dry.  (My quinoa noodles need a little longer to cook than the package says, otherwise they end up a bit too firm.)

2. Prepare chopped ingredients & set aside.

3. In a large bowl, combine noodles and wet ingredients.  Fold in tomatoes, olives, cheese, parsley, salt & pepper.  

4. Cill for 1 hr if you'd like for flavors to meld.  Otherwise - enjoy!

G-Free Red Velvet Cupcakes!

This g-free girl has one major sweet tooth and the thought of giving up my sweet creations was just not an option.  Since removing gluten from my diet, I've been determined to convert my favorite recipes into ones both my husband and his g-free wife could enjoy.  A few months back, my sister and I had a baking day and experimented with various flours and cupcake recipes - needless to say, we were sorely disappointed with the outcome.  (We were bouncing cupcakes off travertine tile, if that tells you anything.)  But more recently, I gave homemade cupcakes another shot and I'm proud to say I found a winning recipe!  My mom had a cute little cupcake book sitting in her kitchen and as I thumbed through it, I mustered up courage to give cupcakes a second chance.  I'm so glad I did, because I'll be using this recipe time and time again.  The book is called "The Sweet Little Book of Cupcakes" by nicholas Peruzzi from Sweet Cupcakes in Boston - it can be found here.  All of their recipes look delicious, I can't wait to try more of them.  In the mean time I've posted my g-free version below.  Let me know if you make them - I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

3/4 C Unsalted Butter (room temp)

1 C Sugar

2 Large Eggs

2 1/2 T Red Food Coloring (make sure it's g-free)

1 1/2 T Cocoa Powder

3/4 C Buttermilk

1 C Blanched Almond Flour (I recommend Honeyville Farms Blanched Almond Flour)

1/2 C Arrowroot Powder 

1 t Vinegar

3/4 t Baking Soda 

1. Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.
2. Line 12 muffin tin cups with paper cupcake liners.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time, until well blended.
5. In a separate bowl, mix food coloring and cocoa pwdr until you have  apaste.
6. Add paste to butter mixture, and blend well.
7. Add the buttermilk to the butter mixture and blend well.  Then add the flours and blend until smooth.
8. In a separate bowl, mix together the vinegar and baking soda.  Then add this to the butter and flour mixture, blending until fully incorporated.
9. Pour the batter into the lined cupcake pan, distributing the batter equally. (I found that two scoops of batter from a regular sized ice cream scoop worked well for a large cupcake pan.)
10. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate and bake for 10 more minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.  (My cupcakes baked for a total of 30 minutes, but I was using my mom's oven and it tends to take longer than most.  I'll have to update the time once I try them in my own oven.)
11. Place the pan on a wire rack, and cool completely.
12. Once cooled, ice and enjoy! 

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 C + 2 T Cream Cheese (room temp)

6 T Unsalted Butter (room temp)

4 C Confectioners Sugar (pure cane sugar works best)

2 1/2 t G-Free Vanilla Extract (use clear if you want your frosting to be white)

1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until creamy.
2. In a separate bowl, sift the confectioners sugar.
3. Add the confectioners sugar to the butter mixture on low speed until it begins to incorporate.
4. Add the vanilla extract, and beat at medium to high speed until fully incorporated.

G-Free Girl

I've recently had more and more people ask what's g-free and why I'm g-free, so I decided to share my "g-free story."  Enjoy!

After years of tummy aches as a kid, I always just assumed that I had a sensitive "system" & was made sick easily when under stress.  In October of 2010, my body had put up with enough.  I was sick with one cold after another - I had every tummy bug, head cold, sore throat and flu illness you could imagine.  Just when I thought I was getting better, I'd be sick again.  My immune system was shot.

In February of 2011 a series of more serious symptoms hit, this had to be more than a weak immune system.  Doctor appointment after doctor appointment, nobody could diagnose me.  I felt defeated.  My family doctor recommend I see a gastroenterologist (GI)  and have a colonoscopy done to ensure it wasn't colon cancer or something of that sort.  Colon cancer?  I'm 24 and have no family history of colon cancer.  More frustrated than ever, I had the procedure done and of course, no colon cancer.  

I was sharing my health issues with a friend and she asked if I knew of Celiac Disease.  Celiac Disease?  I hadn't heard of it.  I went home that afternoon and researched Celiac and to my surprise (and somewhat relief) I had experienced every symptom!  Celiac Disease is a genetic disease that doesn't allow your body to break down or digest gluten.  Based on my findings that day, there were two possible reasons for my symptoms - Celiac Disease or Gluten Intolerance.  Someone who is gluten intolerant can still experience many of the same symptoms of Celiac, but not carry the hereditary gene for Celiac.  I went back to my GI dr and asked her if she thought I could have Celiac.  She wasn't sure, but encouraged me to try a gluten free diet.  Voila!  My symptoms subsided and my immune system began to strengthen.  

As of now, I am on a self-diagnosed gluten free diet.  I have not been tested for Celiac Disease, but do know that for whatever reason, I feel a million times better without gluten in my diet. 

Going gluten free was oh so intimidating!  Gluten is in EVERYTHING (think wheat, barley and rye).  But with a few resources and tools, a friend to guide me, a family to cheer me on and a husband who will eat anything (he's been such a good sport) - I have successfully been gluten free since April of 2011.  While gluten free is not for everybody, I highly suggest you consider it if you've had mysterious health problems.  1 out of 133 people have Celiac Disease and several people have an intolerance or irritation to it and don't even know it.  

Since going gluten free, I have had several friends and family ask why I'm g-free and how they too can become g-free.  This is my g-free story, and I'd love to talk with anyone who has questions or needs help with the g-free life style.  From now on, not only will The Pink Peony be a design blog, but it will contain recipes to my latest g-free creations.  Feel free to try them, share them, alter them and tell me how they turned out and what you changed!  Don't be afraid to try new recipes, substitute g-free ingredients in your old recipes and toss that white flour and all that pasta sitting in your pantry! 

Happy Experimenting....

Below is a list of resources that were helpful in my g-free transition.

• Elana's Pantry - She has a wonderful section about transforming your kitchen into a g-free kitchen and her book "The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook" is wonderful.  I have yet to try a recipe of hers that I don't like.
• Amazon - Believe it or not, Amazon has great prices on g-free ingredients (Buy in bulk - it's so much cheaper).
• The G-Free Diet - This book has been helpful.  A little may be a bit overboard, but has useful info.