Onion-free and garlic-free pumpkin chili

I have a confession to make: we eat far more onions and garlic than we're supposed to.  If you've checked out our Restricted Foods page, you've seen the explanation blurb in the Foods Not Yet Assessed section regarding the Allium family.  Up until now, we've been loathe to cut out onions and garlic from our diet because we like their flavor and, quite frankly, it's kind of intimidating cooking without onion or garlic.  I mean, it's rare that a savory recipe doesn't include one or both.  However, according to all the sites I've read on Porphyria and sulfur sensitivities, including multiple anecdotes from people living with Porphyria, all foods in the Allium family should be avoided.  So, that means no onion, no garlic, no chives - none of that!

After doing some research, I found out that onion and garlic are fairly easy to replace as long as they are not the star-player of the recipe.  Essentially, they are just aromatics to give a little (or a lot) of extra oomph to the recipe.  So, to replace the oomph from one aromatic, you need some oomph from another aromatic.  The main suggestion for replacement has been celery.  Unfortunately, I'm not a big fan of celery.   I refuse to eat it if it's raw, but if it's hidden in a meal, well, OK.  Because of this, I've hesitated to even attempt an onion free and garlic free recipe using celery.    

Then I saw Ashley's pumpkin chili.  Not only did the recipe and accompanying photos look amazing (except for the kidney beans - they give me the heeby jeebies), but there wasn't a crazy amount of onion or garlic included.  So I decided it would be my first attempt at an onion free and garlic free recipe.

I plan on writing another post that includes tips and such on cooking onion free and garlic free (If y'all have any tips, please share.).  In the meantime, if you are highly sensitive or allergic double check everything!  I accidentally had traces of both onion and garlic in my recipe; I used a homemade broth that included both and the chili powder I used has garlic powder. 

I cooked the chili uncovered, so it was extra thick.   At that consistency, it would make amazing chili mac or as a sauce base for pizza with some shredded chicken on top.  I didn't get to try any of those options because I finished it, but next time!

Onion free and garlic free pumpkin chili
liberally adapted from (never home)maker with onion free and garlic free inspiration from About.com.

I'm writing this recipe as I cooked it, but please see below for my comments and suggestions.

Ingredients

• 3-4 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups cooked dry (or 1 can drained and rinsed) great northern beans
• 1 1/2 cups cooked dry (or 1 can drained and rinsed) small red beans
• 1 can corn kernels, drained
• 1 14 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, keep the juice
• 1 14 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin*
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder* 
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
• Optional: 
• Sliced avocado, shredded cheese, and/or tortilla chips for topping.  
• For increased carbohydrates: cooked pasta such as macaroni noodles if the chili is thick, orzo if it is thinner.

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the celery. Cook until onions are tender. Pour in the beans, corn kernels, pumpkin puree, tomatoes,  vegetable broth, and seasonings (including herbs).  Mix.

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. When stirring, crush the whole tomatoes enough to mix them in a bit, but keep them chunky.  Then lower the heat to a simmer and either cover for a thinner chili or leave uncovered for a thicker chili. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Verdict & notes:

• First and foremost, I would increase all the spices, save the cayenne pepper - Dude, that stuff packs some heat!  
• Second, I would definitely increase (maybe double?) the fresh herbs; I'm still getting used to cooking with fresh herbs, so I've been starting off light.  Also, Ashley originally suggested to add the herbs toward the end, but I really needed them to flavor the mixture, so I added them in the beginning.  Thoughts? 
• Third, I might increase the celery by a stalk or two; I originally started out with one and a half and had to add some more in at the end (the recipe reflects this).    
• Finally, the pumpkin doesn't add much flavor, so don't be put off by it's addition to the chili; if you want some of the flavor to shine, add an additional half to a full can of pumpkin puree.  

All that said, I definitely liked this chili.  I ate it a few times without anything else, which is saying something for me.

*If you are being strict about removing all things onion and garlic, leave out the chili powder and substitute with up to 1 tablespoon of ground red pepper and increase the cumin to 1 teaspoon.  I'm not sure how it will taste, but if anyone tries it, please let me know. Also, make your own vegetable broth without the offending onion and garlic (how-to post coming eventually).

Wordless Wednesday: Butternut squash hearts me...

  

Penne with zucchini ribbons and mushrooms

I've been working on a granola post (plus several others) to give you, but I'm still tweaking the recipe, so instead I give you penne with zucchini ribbons and a quick write-up.  (This is your cue to look at me like I'm crazy and say, "But Sunshine, it's Fall!   Zucchinis are for summer."  And to that I say, "Well, somebody needs to tell the people at Publix because they just had zucchini on sale last weak, so there.")

Also, I'm going to refer to the zucchini as zukes, because that what we call them at home and I like the way it sounds.  Hope you don't mind.

This is an awesome meal for both AIP and non-AIP folks.  Because the pasta amount is adjustable, you can have as much or as little carbs as you want or need.   We've had this a few times and I've occasionally just had the zuke noodles and pesto on their own.

Penne with zucchini ribbons and sauteed mushrooms

While not so original, I prefer it topped with sauteed mushrooms just like some other recipes.  Roasted pesto stuffed tomatoes (see Smitten kitchen and Veggie Belly's recipes) are a great accompaniment.

Ingredients

• 3 zucchini squashes
• 2+ tablespoons oil, divided
• 1 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup pesto*
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• salt and pepper to taste
• grated parmesan
• pasta of your choice

Directions

Pumpkin seeds:
Heat oven to 350F.  Spread pumpkin layers in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet.  Toast for about 10 minutes.  Keep an eye on these, they go from just right to burned pretty quickly.  A few minutes before they're finished, they'll start to puff up and pop (which is fun to watch, by the way).  When they're done, they seeds will be mostly puffed up and a greenish brown color.  Conversely, you can toast them on the stove top on an ungreased pan over med heat, shaking frequently; I've never actually done it this way, so I can't speak to its effectiveness.  (Because I use so many pumpkin seeds, I usually toast a large batch in the toaster oven and store them so they're recipe-ready.)

Pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Dump in the pasta, boil for a minute or so and turn off the heat, add 1 tablespoon of the oil, and cover.  Let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the pasta is cooked to your liking.  Check the pasta frequently after the 10 minute mark to determine when the pasta is done.  I find this method a lot easier to cook pasta than the traditional method. Once the pasta is done, drain and return to the pot. Also, if you don't want to add oil to your pasta, you can rinse it once or twice in cold water (Tara thinks this is blasphemy, but she's also part Italian; I'm part Puerto Rican and can make up my own pasta rules.).

Mushrooms:
While you're waiting for the pasta water to boil, heat a large skillet over med - med/high heat.  Once the pan is hot, add 1 tablespoon of the oil.  After the oil has heated, add the butter and cook until it has foamed.  Add the sliced mushrooms and stir to coat in the butter-oil mixture; season with a little salt and pepper.  Saute the mushrooms until they are done to your liking, 10-15 minutes.  Empty into a bowl.

Zukes:
Prep your zukes while the pasta and mushrooms are cooking; do this first if you're not confident in your speedy kitchen skills. Peel the zukes. Then working around it's length, peel strips of flesh off.  Continue until you get to the seed (You can throw away the remaining bits or use them up in a creative way; I haven't figured this out yet.).  When the mushrooms are done, heat up the remaining oil if you need it (That's the "+" in the recipe.).  Put your zuke strips in the pan and saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently; you want them to soften up a bit, but still have some crispness to them.  When they are done, toss them with the pesto and pumpkin seeds.

To serve, plate the noodles, top with the zuke noodle, pesto, pumpkin seed mixture, and, finally, top with the mushrooms and grated parmesan.


*Note: I just realized that there are no pumpkin seeds in the pictures, but add them anyway.  They give a nice crunch.  Also, we use homemade pesto and since we like ours on the dry side, it takes a little more to get good coverage.  Adjust this to your preferences.

Quinoa and sausage stuffed acorn squash

Woohoo!  It's Fall!!  Around here, Fall is more of an attitude than an actual season because significantly cooler temperatures don't arrive here until November.  Normally, I'm not so excited about Fall, but this year, I've already put some mini pumpkins on display and I've started transitioning from lighter summer recipes  to the heartier fall recipes.  This past weekend, I had a marathon session in my kitchen where, among other things, I roasted butternut squash and a pumpkin and made this very fall-inspired dish.

I actually attempted this dish once before, but it did not turn out very well at all.  I chalk it up more to user-error than anything else: I over-peppered and underseasoned at the same time, I tried to make it vegetarian while missing some of the key ingredients like celery and fresh herbs, and I used a butternut squash as the base, which made it squash heavy.  I'd like to try vegetarian-izing it again, but, honestly, this version is so darn good, I'm not sure that I need to.  

This recipe makes a lot of stuffing - probably enough for 8 servings - especially since I upped the quinoa amount.  So, either scale down the recipe or save the stuffing for leftovers.  I've already had the stuffing heated up plain, wrapped in a burrito with scrambled eggs, and microwaved with an egg mixed in and topped with salsa (most successful version, IMO).   You could also put it in a small baking dish and top it with the cheese Panko mixture.  I plan on doing this next time because I'm not sure how much the acorn squash adds to the flavor.

Quinoa and sausage stuffed acorn squash
Adapted from The Other Side of Fifty

Squash:

• 1 acorn or other small squash (mini pumpkins might work well, too)

Cut squash in half and remove seeds and any stringy pulp. Brush squash halves with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place squash halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet and add 1/4" of water to pan. Roast squash in 375 degree oven for 45-50 minutes, or until fork tender.

Quinoa:
I used red quinoa from the bulk bin at Whole Foods.  If you buy your quinoa in bulk, use the directions below, otherwise follow the directions on the package.  Also, I doubled this recipe, not realizing just how much it made.

• 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed thoroughly
• 3/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth (I used homemade mushroom broth)

Bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan; pour in the quinoa and bring back to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.

Sausage stuffing:

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, no sulfur added
• 1/2 lb. chicken sausage (I used 2 1/2 links, casings removed)
• 1 TBSP olive oil (or cooking fat from sausage)
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• salt and pepper
• 1 TBSP all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 tsp fresh sage, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped (you could also use thyme)
• 1/4 cup pumpkin or sunflower seed kernels (I used pumpkin seeds)
• 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 2 TBSP parmesan cheese,grated

Brown sausage in large skillet. Remove from pan, leaving the cooking fat in the pan if you are using it, and set aside.

Return skillet to stove and add olive oil (if using). Add onion and celery and season with salt and pepper. Saute until onion is softened and translucent then add the garlic and saute for another minute or two. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for a few minutes to ensure that flour loses its raw taste. Whisk in the broth and cook/stir until smooth and bubbly. Stir in fresh herbs and remove pan from heat. Add the pumpkin or sunflower seeds, quinoa, cranberries, and sausage to the skillet, stirring to combine well.

Stir Panko and parmesan together in a small bowl.

Stuff each half of the acorn squash with the sausage/quinoa mixture. Sprinkle the tops with the Panko crumbs. Place squash back into oven for 10-15 minutes to heat through and brown the breadcrumbs.

Butternut squash flatbread with pine nuts and parmesan

Ever work yourself up about something so much that you put it off for as long as possible?  And then, when you finally do it, you kick yourself for waiting so long.  That's exactly what happened to me when I made this flatbread.  

I have wanted to make yeasted bread products for a long time, but I had myself convinced that the learning curve was incredibly steep and that it was entirely too hard to do.  I've discussed my fear of yeast before, but I finally decided to conquer it because sooo many commercially made breads (and doughs) out there have some form of soy in them.  (That's a no-no now that we are eliminating it from our diet.)  I've been checking out other blogs and cookbooks trying to figure out which type of bread is a good one to ease into working with yeast.  As far as I've been able to figure out, flatbreads, including pizza and focaccia, are the way to go because they don't require too much fussing with (or at least it seems that way).

This butternut squash flatbread recipe in a recent Real Simple magazine called for store-bought dough, but it was just the nudge that I needed to make my own.  I used Mark Bittman's recipe from How to Cook Everything (see pizza dough recipe and instructions).  Making the dough was a bit time intensive, but not labor intensive and nowhere near as difficult as I thought it would be.  Plus, while I waiting for it to rise, I was able to prep everything that I needed and clean most of the dishes - Can't beat that!  All told, from start to finish, the entire flatbread took me maybe 3 hours, most of which was largely unattended.     

Butternut Squash Flatbread with Pine Nuts and Parmesan

Slightly adapted from Real Simple  

Ingredients:

• Bittman's basic pizza dough
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound butternut squash—peeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4 inch thick (I used a smallish squash, slightly larger than my hand.)
• 3-4 decently sized shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
• kosher salt and black pepper
• handful or so grated Parmesan (Do this to your liking. I found a thin layer was better than a thick layer.)

Directions:

Knead the dough into a ball and place on a lightly floured surface.  Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.   Grease an 11x17 in jellyroll pan with 1 tablespoon of the oil.  After the dough has rested, press into a small rectangle on the pan and stretch it a bit.  Keep pressing and stretching until the dough is reaches the edges of the pan.  I didn't have any trouble with this step, but if you do, the key is to take your time and don't fight the dough.  If it resists, let it rest a bit and then begin stretching again.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a towel and let it rest (again!) for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450° F.  In a large bowl, toss the squash, onion, pine nuts, rosemary, 1 tablespoon of the oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.   Uncover the dough, dimple with your finger tips or knuckles.  Scatter the onion-squash mixture over the dough and sprinkle with the cheese. Place in the oven and lower temperature to 400° F.  Bake until golden brown and crisp, 25 to 30 minutes.