Italian Baked Beans (gluten free)

Pioneer Baked Beans was one of the most popular posts at my blog with time more then 6,000 hits.  Who'd a thought? Retro and comfort foods are supposed to continue to be big this year and as the weather gets colder here I for sure have been turning to home cooked soups, stews and casseroles.

Often I don't want the meat and the fat from the pork so I make a vegetarian version of baked beans. I have made these beans in the oven in a casserole baking dish, cast iron Dutch oven and also in a slow cooker. My instructions show slow cooker method followed by stove top and oven. The version below has cheese but it is easy to make VEGAN by skipping the cheese or topping with my recipe for quinoa polenta and toasted sunflower seeds.

Click this link for a printable recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup White pea or “Navy” beans - any dry bean - 250 ml
½ tsp Fennel seed - 2.5 ml
½ tsp Thyme - 2.5 ml
1 tsp Basil - 5 ml
1 Tbsp Hot chile pepper - 15 ml
1 cup Onion, diced - 250 ml
2 Garlic, cloves, minced 

24  Carrots, baby, medium 

28 fl oz Diced tomatoes, canned, with juice - 798 ml
5 fl oz Tomato paste, canned - 156 ml
1 cup Wine, white, dry - 250 ml
1 ¼ lb Polenta, tube, ready to serve (e.g., Aurora brand) - ½ kg
¼ cup Romano cheese, shredded - 60 ml
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, part skim, shredded  - 250 ml
¼ cup Parsley, fresh, minced - 60 ml
½ tsp Paprika, sweet, ground - 2.5 ml

SLOW COOKER METHOD:
1. Soak beans in plenty of cold water over-night - use three times their volume of water. You can do this in the crock of the slow cooker. Drain.
2. Add fennel, thyme, basil, a whole chili (optional), chopped onion and minced garlic to the beans. Add 2 liters (8 cups) cold water to cover. This amount of water is an estimate. You can add more later if it is needed.
3. Stir in whole baby carrots. I used some cubed rutabaga the second time I made this as I was out of carrots. Necessity is the mother of invention. Cover and cook on LOW 4 hours. The beans should be tender and most of the liquid absorbed. It looks a little monotone with the turnip but this gets corrected.



4. Stir in slivers of coloured peppers, canned diced tomatoes with liquid, tomato paste and white wine. Cover and cook an additional. 2 hours. Taste it and see if it needs salt, more herbs etc. The polenta and cheese topping will add some saltiness so go easy.



5. Slice polenta into rounds.



Arrange polenta rounds on top of the beans. Push them down into the beans a bit.



Then sprinkle on the grated Romano and mozzarella cheeses (optional). I sprinkled on some fresh parsley and paprika last for colour.



Cover and heat on low until bubbling and cheese is melted. I don't have a picture of the final product as my son and I were pretty hungry and had devoured a lot of it by the time I remembered I hadn't taken a picture.

STOVE TOP version:
1. Add dry beans to stockpot and cover with 3 times their volume of water. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let sit 1 hour.
2. Drain discarding liquid. Return soaked beans to pot along with 3 times their volume fresh water. Add fennel, thyme, basil, hot pepper, diced onion and minced garlic. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes or until tender. Drain, reserving 2 cups cooking liquid.
3. In oven proof casserole combine cooked beans, reserved liquid, baby (or chopped) carrots, slivers of yellow pepper, can of tomatoes with juice, tomato paste and white wine. Cover and bake at 350'F for 2 hours.
4. Top with sliced polenta rounds. Push them down into the beans a bit. Then sprinkle on the grated Romano and mozzarella cheeses (optional). I also sprinkled on some fresh parsley and paprika last for colour. Cover and bake another hour or so until bubbling and cheese is melted.

Nutrients (per 1/8th of recipe – about 350 g): 280 calories, 14 g protein, 5 g fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 37 g carbohydrate, 10 g fibre, 10 mg cholesterol, 640 mg sodium.  %DV (Daily Value) are 25% calcium and iron, 120% vitamin A and 130% Vitamin C. Darned good nutritionally and marvelous winter food!

Yours in good taste, © Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc.  http://nancyguppy.com/

Grilled Trout and Feta Eggy Pie

This is a baked, crustless quiche-type dish excellent for brunch, lunch or supper.  I made this version with leftover grilled trout but it is also very good made with canned red salmon, leftover grilled salmon or smoked salmon.  It is built in layers with the eggs poured over and topped with grated cheese. Feel free to use bits and pieces of cheese from your fridge that need using up.  This is a flexible recipe.

The photos don't do it justice.  My phone isn't always the best camera.

I doubled the ingredients to make two 9 inch (23 cm) size pie pans.

Click here for a printable recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
4 eggs, medium - I used organic
1/3 cup plain yogurt or sour cream - 80 ml
1/4 tsp sea salt - 1.25 ml
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper - 2.5 ml
1/2 tsp paprika - 2.5 ml
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg - 0.8 ml
1 cup onion, diced - 250 ml
1/2 of a sweet red pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups shredded kale - 375 ml
1 Tbsp olive oil - 15 ml
1 1/2 cup grilled rainbow trout, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces/chunks - 375 ml
1/2 tomato, large, cut into wedges
1/4 cup dill, fresh, chopped - 60 ml - sub a teaspoon dried
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled - 125 ml - I used sheep feta
1 1/2 cup white cheese grated - 375 ml - I used organic mozzarella
1/4 cup marjoram leaves, fresh - 60 ml - to scatter over (optional)
sprinkle of paprika

METHOD:

1.  Crack eggs and beat with yogurt (or sour cream).  Whisk in sea salt, freshly ground pepper, paprika and ground nutmeg.  Set aside.

2.  Dice onion and red pepper and set aside.  Slice kale into ribbons.  If the stems are tough you can remove them.  Below is the end of my garden kale.

3.  Heat olive oil in cast iron pan over medium high heat.  Saute onions and red pepper until tender.  Stir the fresh (or dried) dill into the mixture.

4.  Grease large pie pan.  Sprinkle sauteed vegetables over bottom followed by the fresh kale.

5.  Cut grilled trout into strips and scatter over sauteed vegetables.

6.  Cut tomato into thin wedges.  Chop fresh dill.  Lay crumbled feta, tomato and dill over the sauteed vegetables and fish.  You can create a pin wheel pattern in the centre with the tomato.

7.  Pour beaten eggs over top.

Sprinkle over grated cheese. Scatter fresh marjoram leaves over top. Bake in preheated oven for 30-45 minutes or until eggs are set and top is lightly browned. You don't need to cover these pies while they bake.

End of the garden fresh marjoram.

The baked creation.  It was delicious.

Nutrition Facts (for 1/6th of one pie): 270 calories, 16 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 165 mg cholesterol, 430 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 1 g fibre, 4 g sugar, 23 g protein. %Daily Values are 60% vitamin A, 70% vitamin C, 35% calcium and 10% iron.

Yours in good taste,
© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
http://nancyguppy.com/

Green Tomato Honey Chutney

I made this chutney recipe from "The Moosewood Cookbook" (1977).    My copy is falling apart as I have used it so extensively over the years.  I like that the recipe uses honey instead of sugar.  It also doesn't have many ingredients so it comes together quickly.  My batch with my modifications to the ingredients made six 1 cup (250 ml) jars - so not too big of a batch.

It looks a little redder here when a picture was taken without a flash.

Click on this link to go to a printable recipe.
With my modifications typed below it made 6 x 1 cup - 250 ml jars

INGREDIENTS:
2.5 pounds green tomatoes - a little over a kilogram
3 Tbsp finely minced fresh ginger - 45 ml
4 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp mustard seed - 5 ml
1 1/2 tsp cumin seed (or ground) - 7.5 ml
2 tsp sea salt - 10 ml
1 cup honey - 250 ml
1 cup apple cider vinegar - 250 ml - I used organic
cayenne pepper, ground to taste - I used 1 tsp - 5 ml

I used a mix of lightly red and green tomatoes cut chunky style.  The other mincing is the fresh garlic and ginger which is not mentioned above.  Not too much work.  Ignore the advice about "cool before packing" (more below).

Stir all ingredients together, bring to a boil and simmer for an hour.  You can add the cayenne at the end if you want to gauge spiciness.  I like hot food so I added a whole teaspoon.

Ladle while hot into sterilized jars.  Seal jars and process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.  Don't screw the lids on tight as you want oxygen to escape from the jar during processing.

Remove jars from water and set on cupboard to cool and seal.  I used long handle tongs to get the very hot jars out.  Use pot holders so you don't get any burns.  As they cool, count the pops based on the number of jars you did so you know they have all sealed.  Any jars that don't seal should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten first.

in good taste,

© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc

http://nancyguppy.com/

Low sodium tomato sauce - slow cooker

Here's a simple way to use fresh garden tomatoes to make a delicious, low sodium sauce that cooks down very well in your slow cooker (crock pot.)  Use it in a multitude of ways such as a starter sauce for pasta, on pizza in ratatouille etc.  Add fresh herbs of your choice.  I used basil and rosemary.  Follow through to the bottom to see the nutrient analysis.

Ready made tomato sauce is often very high in salt.  When I made this recipe it didn't really need salt as the tomatoes were fresh and sweet. You decide.  I did show the analysis with 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) salt for the batch.

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Makes 8 x 1 cup serving= 16 x 1/2 cup servings = 2 litres cooked and pureed.

36 Italian plum tomatoes
1 cup white onion, diced - 250 ml
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 red hot chile pepper, minced (optional)
1 Tbsp olive oil - 15 ml
2 bay leaves, whole
2 Tbsp rosemary, fresh - 30 ml
1 cup basil, fresh - 250 ml
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper - 2.5 ml

1.  Add ingredients to crock of a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on HIGH setting.  After 2 hours and when it is boiling, remove lid, stir and leave uncovered so moisture evaporates.  Cook another 2 hours or until liquid reduced and mixture is thick like that below.

2.  Remove bay leaves and stem from rosemary.  Puree with immersion blender or mash with a potato masher.  Use in your favourite recipes.  It freezes well but is not suited to canning due to acidity being lower.

Below is an example of easy too use suggestions.  I made a garden zucchini ratatouille with some onions etc. to make a few containers for the freezer.

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NUTRITION FACTS (per 1/2 cup - 125 ml): 40 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 80 mg salt, 7 g carbohydrate, 2 g fibre, 4 g sugar.   % Daily Values 25% Vitamin A, 35% Vitamin C, 2% each for calcium and iron.

(c) Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc.  

Visit my website to find out more about online nutrition counselling. http://nancyguppy.com/ 

Pico de Gallo - salsa fresca with garden tomatoes, onion and cilantro

Here is an uncooked "fresh" Mexican salsa that is quick to prepare from simple ingredients.  "Pico de Gallo" in Spanish means "rooster's beak." The fresh chile gives a little peck! Scoop it up with corn chips or spoon over cheese covered nachos, tacos, burritos or even eggs. It is also a great with grilled chicken, fish, tofu... pretty much grilled anything! Some versions use a bit of oil, salt and sugar but I don't think it usually needs it if the ingredients are very fresh. In the Yucatan region of Mexico I had a fresh salsa that also had diced fresh orange and avocado!

Makes approximately 3 cups/750 ml:

2 cups ripe tomatoes, finely diced- 500 ml
1/2 cup red onion, medium size, minced - 125 ml
1 hot Chile (jalapeno or cayenne), minced - to taste if you are timid!
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice - 30 ml
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro - 30 ml
Pinch of salt


Optional: minced radish, chives or parsley, fresh chopped avocado or orange. Try it with a tablespoon of tequila gold!



METHOD:
Toss all of the ingredients together in a large bowl and let set at room temperature for a few hours ahead so flavours have a chance to develop. Serve in an attractive bowl on a platter surrounded by your favourite tortilla chips. I am favouring Black Bean and "Red Hot Blues" - both organic by Garden of Eatin'

You can also make it by pulsing ingredients in the bowl of a blender or food processor. If you want it chunky make sure you don't over-process. It can be refrigerated overnight but I prefer to serve it fresh at room temperature.

NUTRITION FACTS (per 125 ml serving): 20 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 4 g carbohydrate, 1 g fibre, 1 g protein. % Daily Values are 2% each calcium and iron, 15% vitamin A and 25% vitamin C.

© Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc

Greek Lentil Salad Vinaigrette (gluten free)

Here is a simple take on Greek salad.  It comes together quickly and can be the hit at your next family or office pot-luck.  The lentils pack a lot of vegetable protein, complex carbohydrate, fibre, potassium, B vitamins and iron.  Substitute any cooked bean of your choice such as chickpeas or a can of mixed beans for the lentils.  I have even made it with cooked wild rice and everyone loved it.  


The original recipe is from Pulse Canada.  Visit their website for lots of good ideas and recipes for cooking and baking with legumes or pulses (=beans, peas and lentils).  Legumes have lots of health benefits.  They point out that  "studies have shown that consuming pulses can benefit people with diabetes. As a good source of complex carbohydrates, pulses have a low glycemic index which means they keep blood sugars from rising too quickly after eating."  They are gluten free too and a great source of iron for people that run low on this vital nutrient.  If you want to learn more about legume nutrition and how-to-cook them visit my earlier post Lesson in Legumes.


Nutrition Tip: Running canned beans/lentils under cold water to rinse and then leaving to drain for a few minutes can reduce the sodium content of canned legumes by as much as 40%. That's pretty good!


INGREDIENTS:

Imperial	Metric Measure	Ingredients
2 cup	500 ml	Lentils, brown, cooked, drained
½ cup	125 ml	Onion, diced
2 cup	500 ml	Tomatoes, fresh, diced
1each	1	Green or red pepper, diced
½	½	Cucumber,  English cut in quarters lengthwise and then sliced (21 cm)
¼ cup	60 ml	Parsley, fresh, minced
2 Tbsp	30 ml	Olive oil, extra virgin
3 Tbsp	45 ml	Lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1 cup	250 ml	Feta, crumbled (about 175 grams)
1 Tbsp	15 ml	Oregano, leaf, dry
½ tsp	2.5 ml	Black pepper, freshly ground

METHOD:

1.  Rinse the canned lentils under cold running water and leave to drain. Alternately, use 2 cups (500 ml) of cooked-from-scratch lentils.  Add to a large bowl.  

2.  Toss in the diced onion, tomatoes, green/red pepper, sliced cucumber and minced fresh parsley.

Here my tomatoes look a little sad.  It is December 2nd and they are the last two I have left from my summer garden.

3.  Pour olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice over salad.  Top with crumbled feta and sprinkle with dried oregano and freshly ground black pepper.  I used a crumbled goat's milk feta and both my son and I really liked it.

Toss and adjust seasonings to taste.  You can also use dried thyme or mixed Italian seasoning instead of the oregano.

NUTRITION FACTS (per 1/12th recipe about 1/2 cup - 125 ml - 110 g): 110 calories, 6 g fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 170 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate, 2 g fibre, 3 g sugar and 6 g protein.  %Daily Values are 8% vitamin A, 45% vitamin C, 10% calcium and 10% iron.


Tastefully yours,
Nancy Guppy, RD


Visit me at www.chapmanslanding.com where you can find out what's cooking on my class calendar.  If you are interested in nutrition or diet counselling pop over to www.nancyguppy.com.  A lot of health plans cover the cost of consulting an RD.