Green Bean Casserole, Gluten-free

If you liked Green Bean Casserole before starting to cook gluten-free, like me, you may have missed it especially on Thanksgiving when the turkey dinner was on the table. 

With the two most challenging ingredients made simpler by Roben Ryberg (as I’ve shown in a couple of recent posts), this traditional green bean dish can rejoin the favorites at your gluten-free holiday dinners again, and everyone can enjoy it. 

Green Bean Casserole, Gluten-free

1-1/3 Cups Mushroom Soup, Condensed, gluten-free (see post on 12/7/09)

1/2 Cup Milk

1 Teaspoon Soy Sauce, gluten-free

1 Dash Pepper

30 Ounces Green Beans, Canned, drained (2 cans)

1-1/3 Cups Fried Onion Rings, gluten-free (see post on 12/5/09)

 Mix soup, milk, soy sauce and pepper in 1-1/2-qt. casserole, stirring well to mix. Add green beans and half the onion rings.  Bake at 350 deg. F. for 25 min. or until hot.  Stir.  Sprinkle with remaining onions.  Bake 5 minutes.

New England Clam Chowder (Gluten-Free)

Not too rich, but creamy and filling, a bowl of this gluten-free New England Clam Chowder makes a lunch to last till dinner, or a cup of it with a salad will do the same.

New England Clam Chowder

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Cup Chopped Onion
1/2 Cup Diced Celery
3 Cups Yukon Gold Potato, cooked and cubed
1 Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Pepper
1/4 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
1 Each Bay Leaf
3 Tablespoons Rice Flour
1 Cup 1% low-fat milk
6 1/2 Ounces Chopped Clams

In a Dutch oven or heavy saucepan, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; saute until onion is becoming transparent. While cooking onions and celery, drain clams, reserving clam liquid and adding enough water to equal 1 cup.

Add cubed potatoes to onions and celery; continue to cook, stirring frequently, until heated through. Add the reserved clam liquid with water added, the 1 cup water, and the salt, pepper, thyme, parsley and bay leaf. Simmer, covered, about 20 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Blend flour into milk with a fork; stir into pan. Cook over medium heat 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in clams; heat through and serve: 1-1/2 cups for a bowl, 1 cup for a lighter serving.  (Makes 6 cups.)

Gluten-Free Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup for Sauces, Casseroles, and especially Green Bean Casserole!

This is so easy to make you might want to use it even if you don’t need to have a gluten-free dish.  As with the Onion Rings mentioned earlier, this tastes good enough you need make no excuses to anyone about its being gluten-free.  Roben Ryberg includes this in her book,  You Won’t Believe It’s Gluten-Free!: 500 Delicious, Foolproof Recipes for Healthy Living, p.158.

 Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup, by Roben Ryberg (Gluten-Free)

This casserole helper isn’t what you think it is.  Cream in the title would lead you to believe dairy is a main ingredient, but it isn’t.  In fat, it barely registers–that famous brand has less than 2 percent dairy.  This recipe is not for eating as is–if you want to enjoy a bowl of great cream of mushroom soup, please try the other recipe on page 161.  However, if you need a good substitute for a non-gluten-free commercial brand to use in a casserole, this one will do the job nicely.  This recipe replaces one (10-3/4-ounce) can of cream of mushroom soup.

4 Ounces Fresh Mushrooms, chopped finely

3 Tablespoons Butter

1 Cup Water

2 Tablespoons Cornstarch, or potato starch plus 1 Teaspoon Cornstarch, or potato starch

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

 - Wash and finely chop the mushrooms.  Place in a small saucepan with the butter.  Cook over medium heat until the mushrooms are very fragrant and tender, approximately 5 minutes.  A little browning of the mushrooms will add to the flavor.  Combine the remaining ingredients in a cup and stir to dissolve the starch.  Add to the pot.  Stirring, bring to a boil to allow the mixture to thicken.

- Use as called for in any recipe.

You can find Roben Ryberg’s book for yourself here:

You Won’t Believe It’s Gluten-Free!: 500 Delicious, Foolproof Recipes for Healthy Living

With These Onion Rings, Even Gluten-Free Green Bean Casserole Is Possible

When holiday dinners come around, a frequent request is Green Bean Casserole. At first, I thought it was impossible to make gluten-free but not obvious about it. Now I have found that I can do it. The two problematic ingredients, the onion rings and the mushroom soup, can be done, and dinner will be more complete for fans of this classic side dish.

When first starting to cook for a celiac diet, onion rings seemed to me a great loss. French fries didn’t seem too difficult, since they weren’t coated with batter, but to me homemade onion rings were challenging. I didn’t want to go to that much trouble just for me, when others wouldn’t eat them — but then they would want some of their own. This batter works for all of us!

Thanks to Roben Ryberg, in her great cookbook, You Won’t Believe It’s Gluten-Free!: 500 Delicious, Foolproof Recipes for Healthy Living
(p. 41), you can make onion rings so good that, as Roben says, “…no one will know they are gluten-free….” Here’s her recipe.

Onion Rings – Corn-based
These are very good onion rings. If you share them, no one will know they are gluten-free. I’ll never tell!

1 large onion, preferably sweet, peeled and sliced ¼ thick
Peanut or canola oil, for frying

Batter:
3/4 cup cornstarch, 95 grams
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Xanthan gum
1/2 cup milk

Topping:
Salt

- Heat the oil, in a saucepan or dedicated deep fryer, to 370°F.
- In a small bowl, combine the batter ingredients. Add the sliced onion.
- Remove the onion slices from the batter and place in the hot oil. Fry for approximately 2 minutes, until the coating is golden brown. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle liberally with salt.

Serves 4.

NOTE: If making fried onions to use in green bean casserole, cut the slices 1/8 inch thick and barely coat with batter. These thin slices will fry in approximately 1 minute. No additional salt is needed after frying.

You can find Roben Ryberg’s book for yourself here:

You Won’t Believe It’s Gluten-Free!: 500 Delicious, Foolproof Recipes for Healthy Living

Watch for the mushroom soup recipe, coming soon!

Three Bean Soup – Red, White and Green (and Gluten-Free)

Soups can be challenging to find gluten-free, but so easy to make yourself!  Here’s one that’s colorful, nutritious and not hard at all to make.

Three Bean Soup – Red, White and Green

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 cup Carrots, diced

1 cup Celery, diced

1 cup Onion, diced

1 cup Green Pepper, diced

1- 1/2 teaspoons Garlic Cloves, minced

1- 1/2 quarts Water

15 ounces Tomatoes (canned), diced

15 Ounces White Kidney Beans (canned), rinsed and drained (Cannellini)

15 Ounces Red Kidney Beans (canned), rinsed and drained

30 Ounces Green Beans (canned), drained (2 cans)

8 whole Beef Bouillon Cubes, to taste (or chicken or vegetable flavor)

1 Teaspoon Dried Basil, or to taste, up to double

1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano, or to taste, up to double

1/8 Teaspoon Ground Pepper, or to taste

In 4-quart pot or a Dutch oven, heat olive oil.  Add diced vegetables and garlic.  Sauté until crisp-tender.  Add water, tomatoes, beans, and seasonings; bring to boil.  Reduce heat and cover; simmer 40-60  minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add hot water as needed to make 3 quarts   Adjust seasoning if needed.  Ladle into bowls.  Makes 8 or 9 servings.

Spinach, Iceberg and Tomato Salad with Lean Roast Beef

It’s hard to say which is the better part of this combination, it all goes together so well.  On the day before Thanksgiving,  I like to eat something both easy and healthy.  Tomorrow I’ll be thinking more about traditions than about being strictly healthy.

Spinach, Iceberg and Tomato Salad with Lean Roast Beef
 
1 cup spinach leaves, torn
1/2 cup Iceberg Lettuce, torn
1/2 small tomato, sliced
1 teaspoon wine vinegar
1 Teaspoon olive oil
1/8 Teaspoon seasoned pepper, or salt
2 Ounces Roasted Beef Bottom Round, or Round Eye Roast
 
Prepare vegetables.  Cut roast beef into thin strips.  Sprinkle vinegar, oil and seasoned pepper on top.
Toss together to mix.
Serves 1.

Glazed Yams with Marshmallows

A requirement at holiday dinners here — the sweeter, the better, and don’t try forgetting the marshmallows!
 
Glazed Yams with Marshmallows
 
A must-have along with turkey, gravy, dressing, green beans, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.  No reason why any of these need any gluten in them.
 
3 medium Yams, 1.75 lbs.
(or, for simplicity, use a 13-oz. can of vacuum-packed Yams)
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Honey
1 1/2 Teaspoons Cornstarch
1 tablespoon Margarine
1/4 cup Water, or pineapple juice
5 Ounces Marshmallows, large (half a package)
 
Earlier in the day, cook the yams until fork tender.  Let cool; peel.  Cut in 1/2-inch slices. (Or, for simplicity, use canned, vacuum-packed yams.  Under all that marshmallow, who can tell?) Arrange in greased 8×8x2″ baking dish.
 
Combine brown sugar and remaining ingredients except for marshmallows in saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until boils; boil one minute, still stirring, or until thickened and bubbly.  Pour over yams.  Bake 20 to 30 minutes.  Last 5 minutes, top with marshmallows.  Bake until marshmallows are golden.  Serve.

Green Beans Almond

I always look for this on the holiday dinner table.  It’s one of the most basic and widely-liked side dishes of any I know.  Also, one of the easiest!
 
Green Beans Almond
 
2 pounds green beans, canned
4 tablespoons slivered almonds
2 tablespoons butter
 
Heat the green beans.  In separate pan, heat the almonds and butter over low heat until golden, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.  Drain the green beans.  Pour the almond mixture over the beans and serve.  Serves 4-6.

Cornbread, Sausage and Pecan Gluten-Free Dressing to go with your Turkey

A rich and flavorful complement to the flavors of turkey, gravy, yams and cranberry sauce, this dressing is also excellent with ham or roast beef.

Cornbread, Sausage and Pecan Gluten-Free Dressing
 
Cornbread — Cook Earlier in Day:
1 tablespoon Bacon Drippings, or oil
1 cup Cornmeal, finely ground (sometimes called “corn flour”)
1 cup Cornmeal, medium ground
1/4 cup Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
2 each Eggs
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
Dressing:
8 ounces Pork Sausage, ground
1/2 large Onion, chopped
1 large Celery Stalk, chopped
1/2 Cup Pecans, coarsely chopped
1/8 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
7/8 cup Chicken Broth
1/8 cup Milk
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/8 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 Dash Ground Cinnamon
 
-Bake the cornbread ahead of time:
 
Preheat oven to 425F.  Put the bacon drippings in 9″ cast iron skillet or 8×8″ glass baking dish.  Put pan in the oven.
 
Stir together the corn meal, sugar, baking powder and salt in mixing bowl.  Measure milk into measuring pitcher; add oil; add eggs; then whisk until well-mixed.  Pour onto dry ingredients and whisk (or use rotary beater) till just smooth.  (Do not overbeat.)
 
When drippings in pan are hot (almost smoking!), quickly pour batter in. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.  Top should be lightly browned and firm to touch.  Cool; crumble.

 About an hour before dinner time:
-Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink — completely done.  Remove sausage, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet.  Drain sausage.
 
-Sauté onion and celery in hot drippings (or substitute vegetable oil, if preferred) over medium-high heat until tender.  Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon.
 
-Combine cooked and crumbled sausage, vegetables, crumbled cornbread, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl, stirring gently until moistened.  Spoon into a lightly greased baking dish. 
 
-Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  
 
Prep. Time:  35 minutes total for cornbread, 25 minutes for dressing
Bake Time:  30 minutes

Turkey Gravy (Gluten-Free)

Some people think the gravy is more important than the turkey…for the mashed potatoes, for the dressing, as well as for the slices of turkey on the plate.  This gluten-free gravy tastes as good as any regular gravy.

Turkey Gravy 

3 Tablespoons Fat, skimmed from surface of pan juices
2 Cups Pan Juices From Roast Turkey, skimmed
1/2 Cup Water, or white wine
4 Tablespoons Rice Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Rosemary, ground
 
While someone else carves the turkey, pour the turkey’s roasting pan juices into a large glass measuring cup.  Skim fat from the surface of pan juices, reserving 3 tbsp. fat.  Add water or wine to roasting pan, scraping up any browned bits; heat to boiling to loosen.  Pour mixture into pan juices in cup. Liquids should measure 2-1/2 cups; if not enough, add more water or broth, or if too much, put back in pan to boil until reduced to 2-1/2 cups.
Heat reserved 3 tbsp. fat in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add flour; stir constantly until golden, about 2 minutes.  Whisk in pan juices.  Mix in 1/2 tsp. rosemary.  Boil, stirring constantly, until thickened to sauce consistency, about 5 minutes.