Gumbo

1 cup plus 1 T of oil
1 cup of GF flour
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs and/or
1.5 lb andouille sausage, sliced and/or
1.5 lb shrimp

2 large yellow onions, diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
4 celery ribs, diced
8 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1.5 quarts chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 t dried thyme
1 lb. okra, sliced
salt
pepper

Rice, sliced green onions, hot sauce, bread

In the Instant Pot, saute the chicken and sausage in 1 tablespoon of oil. Remove and brown the flour in 1 cup of oil. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook until soft. Stir in the garlic, cayenne pepper, and black pepper, and saute until the garlic is cooked. Add stock, bay leaves, thyme, okra, and meat. Salt. Slow cook until ready to eat.

Serve over rice and top with sliced green onions.

Granola

Dry:

4 cups oats

2 cups nuts (pecans, walnuts, cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds, etc.)

1-2 t cinnamon

2/3 cup raisins or craisins

1/3 cup shredded coconut

1 t fine grain sea salt

Wet:

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup maple or agave syrup

1 t vanilla

Fold the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Melt the coconut oil in a liquid measuring cup and mix in the other wet ingredients. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Bake on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, checking every 5-10 minutes thereafter until toasted. Allow to cool completely before eating or storing. Chocolate chips can also be added after it has cooled.

Baked Brown Rice (Monica)

1 1/2 cups short grain brown rice

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp butter or oil

3 cups boiling water 

Add-ins: sauteed minced carrots, minced bell pepper, parsley flakes 

Heat the water in a kettle. Preheat oven to 400. 

Saute veggies in olive oil until bright and soft. 

Place rice in 8×8 pyrex (for double recipe, use 9×13 pan and increase baking time to 1 hour and 20 minutes), and add butter and water. Mix salt and veggies in. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.

Kale and White Bean Soup

a bunch or a bag of kale, cut into bite size pieces with the stems and ribs removed
2 15-oz cans of white beans
finely diced onion
minced garlic
chicken or vegetable broth
salt and pepper

Saute onion and garlic in a small amount of broth. Add remaining ingredients and cook until the kale is soft. Add salt and a generous amount of pepper. Can add cubed or shredded chicken breast. Top with Parmesan cheese if desired.

Huevos Rancheros, Ham Hash, Refried Beans, Salsa, and Mexican Rice

Ham hash:
ham steak
golden potatoes
white onions

Cube ham steak and remove connective tissue and excess fat. Leave some fat for frying. Dice onions and potatoes. Pan-fry in Dutch oven until browned. Add olive oil if needed. Salt to taste. Set aside while cooking the Huevos Rancheros.

Huevos Rancheros:
corn tortillas
refried beans
fried eggs
salsa
queso fresco

Prepare refried beans and salsa in advance. Heat the salsa on low in a saucepan. Heat corn tortillas in a frying pan, with or without oil. Keep warm by wrapping in foil in a warm oven. Fry eggs, and crumble queso. Assemble tacos/tostadas beginning with the corn tortilla on the bottom, then spread a layer of refried beans on it. Place a fried egg on the beans. Top with a generous amount of hot salsa, and sprinkle queso and chopped cilantro on top. The ham hash is a traditional side. Mexican rice could also be eaten on the side.

Omit ham and bacon for meatless.

Refried beans:
1 1/2 cups dry beans (pinto or black, as desired)
3 cups of water
1-2 teaspoons salt
1/2 white onion
bacon fat
cumin to taste

Add the beans, water, and salt to the Instant Pot. Use the bean setting, and turn off to let cool until the lid can be removed without switching to "vent". Remove the excess liquid and save. Dice the onion and saute in the Instant Pot with the bacon fat. Add the beans and blend/mash with a potato masher, blender, or food processor. Add the excess liquid as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Mix in a dash of cumin and salt as needed to taste.

Salsa:
2 15-oz cans of good quality diced tomatoes, such as San Marzano or fire-roasted tomatoes
1 1/5 lemons (can use limes, but if fresh fruit is unavailable, use a smaller quantity of vinegar rather than jarred juice)
1+ jalapenos (use at least one without adding the seeds for mild, but don't omit, or the flavor of the salsa won't be right)
1/4 t minced garlic
2 T minced white onion (fresh)
2+ teaspoons salt
fresh chopped cilantro (reserve some to top huevos)

Add one can of tomatoes to a blender, and squeeze in the lemon juice. Dice the jalapenos, and add with the garlic and onion. Blend and add 1-2 teaspoons of salt. Taste for acid and salt balance. If the flavor of the salsa is bland, add more salt and taste again. If still bland, add acid, and taste again. Keep going until it tastes good. If it tastes acidic, but the flavors aren't distinctive, just add salt until the taste is right. A lot of salt is needed to balance the sweetness of the tomatoes and bring out the flavors- don't hold back. Add the second can of tomatoes and balance again. By adding the second can towards the end, there is a buffer if you add too much salt or acid and the salsa doesn't get overblended unless you want a smooth rather than chunky salsa. Add chopped cilantro if desired. The salsa can be made a day ahead to let the flavors blend more.

Mexican rice:
1 cup long grain white rice
2 T oil
4-8 oz canned tomato sauce (can use tomato paste, but keep in mind it is more concentrated)
2 cups warm water
1 t chili powder
2 t calde de tomate tomato bouillon
1 t minced garlic

Mix the warm water, tomato sauce, and tomato bouillon so that it is ready to add to the rice.

Brown the rice in oil in a nonstick saute pan with a lid, stirring constantly. When golden, add the liquid, chili powder, and garlic, and bring to a boil while mixing. When it is boiling, remove from heat, and put the lid on the pan. When the burner has cooled to low/simmer, put the pan back on the burner. The rice should cook with the lid on for 20 minutes. 

When the 20 minutes is up, remove from the heat, and fluff. If desired, add peas and finely diced carrots, or tomatoes. Finely diced onions can also be browned with the rice. Allow to sit 10 minutes, and then serve. The key to the restaurant flavor is the tomato bouillon.

Chicken Meatballs in Pho

 Meatballs:

1 lb. ground meat
1/2 cup bread crumbs (GF panko)
4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
several stalks of green onion, finely minced
half a bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
3-4 T coconut aminos
1 t honey
1 t salt
1 t pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Mix all ingredients in stand mixer. Form 2" balls and place in cast iron pan or baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes. Broil for 5 minutes to brown tops.

Pho:

Simply Asia Pho Broth (or homemade)
Rice noodles cooked according to directions
several stalks of green onions, sliced
remaining bunch of cilantro with stems removed
Thai basil with stems removed
lemon or lime wedges
jalapeno pepper, sliced
bean sprouts if desired
sriracha sauce

Gluten-Free Yeast Bread

1 Tbsp. yeast
¼ cup warm water

3 ½ cups Namaste Perfect Flour Blend or Namaste Organic Perfect Flour Blend
½ cup cornstarch or arrowroot starch/flour
1 tsp. salt
1 ½ cups almond milk
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. oil
2 Tbsp. honey or agave nectar
3 eggs

Mix yeast in ¼ cup warm water and set aside for 5 minutes. 

Using a stand mixer, blend 3 cups of flour, starch of your choice, and salt using the regular paddle. Warm the milk, and add it and the oil, honey, and cider vinegar to the dry ingredients. Switch to the dough hook and mix. Beat eggs and add to yeast mixture. Add this to the bowl and mix. Add flour and continuing mixing until the dough easily pulls away from the bowl and the hook.

Boil water and fill a 9"x13" pan. Place the dough in a greased loaf pan and place in the hot water bath. Cover loosely with sprayed plastic wrap or damp towel and let rise for an hour in a warm place. 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover loosely with foil tent to prevent over browning and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for another 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely.

For variations, do all shaping and moving before rise. This dough is very delicate after rising and will not rise a second time.

For one 12" pizza, cut recipe in half and use 1 egg. Preheat oven to 500 (remember to remove cast iron before heating). Allow dough to rise about 20 minutes. In a well-oiled 12" cast iron, spread the dough, pressing out from the middle and forming a crust along the edge. Top with desired toppings and bake until browned. Broil for the last few minutes to brown the toppings.