Cooking For Elliot: Milk it!

Word on the street is, Elliot kicked some dairy challenge butt. Here he is in the doctor's office, stripped down to his skivvies (The better to eyeball any sneaky hive or rash development), chomping on a Buttery Delicious Cinnamon Sugar Chocolate Chip Scone:

Yo Dairy! You want a piece of this?? I didn't think so.

Also worth noting is that while Elliot is eating a scone in his underwear in the name of science, he is perfectly representing the preferred stance of his Warner forebears. That is, no time is a bad time for dessert, and pants just get in the way. 


All jokes aside, it's great news that little man E. has cleared this food hurdle. He's got a couple more coming up and Cooking For A High Maintenance Crowd will be ready! In the meantime, this week we're featuring dishes with Milk in the title(In honor of E's "win"). As always, all of the recipes - except for the Coconut Milk Curry - can be made with any type of milk (cow or your preferred milk substitute). And of course, all dishes are nut, egg, and wheat and/or gluten free. 

MENU

April 10, 2011

BREAKFAST

"Milk" and Cereal Muffins

(wheat/gluten-free, nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free, vegan)

LUNCH

"Cream" of Tomato Soup with Grilled "Cheese"

(gluten/wheat-free, nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free)

DINNER

Coconut Milk Curry with Broccoli and Chickpeas

(wheat/gluten free, nut-free, dairy free, egg free, vegan)

DESSERT

"Milk" and Cookies "Ice Cream" Shake

(wheat-free, nut-free, dairy free, egg free, vegan)

"Milk" and Cereal Muffins*

(wheat/gluten-free, nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free, vegan)

*The muffin recipe is adapted from Bryanna Clark Grogan's awesome blog www.veganfeastkitchen.

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2 Tbs. organic raw honey
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
another 2/3 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup boiling water
2 cups cow's milk or preferred milk substitute mixed with 1 tblsp lemon juice
1 Tbs. ground golden flaxseed
2 tbs. melted Earth Balance

Topping

2 cups organic corn flakes

3/4 cup powdered sugar

2-4 tblsps milk or milk substitute

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Mix together the 1/3 cup cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda in a medium bowl.

In another bowl mix together 2/3 cup cornmeal and the boiling water and stir well. Stir in the lemon juice/milk mixture, flaxseed and melted Earth Balance.

Combine wet and dry ingredients. Fill greased muffin tins (or use paper liners). Bake approx. 20-30 minutes depending on oven. When knife inserted into muffin comes out clean, they're finished.

While muffins are cooling, mix together powdered sugar and enough milk or milk substitute to make a medium thin glaze (should not be watery). Pour over corn flakes and combine until corn flakes are coated. Place a spoonful over cornflake/milk/sugar combination on top of muffin and serve.

"Cream" of Tomato Soup" with Grilled "Cheese"

(gluten/wheat-free, nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free)

*The soup recipe is adapted from dairyfreecooking.about.com.

Soup

1 1/2 quarts low sodium organic vegetable broth or water

1 medium onion, chopped
1 large organic white potato, peeled, and chopped
1 stalk organic celery, chopped

1 organic carrot, peeled, chopped

1 12 oz can organic, chopped tomatoes, no salt added

1 6 oz can organic tomato paste

1 cup unsweetened, plain organic soy or dairy yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil broth or water in a large stock pot. Add all veggies (except canned tomatoes and tomato paste) and cook until tender. About 10 minutes. Turn down heat to medium, and add tomatoes and tomato paste. Cover and simmer for approx 20 minutes.

Turn off heat. One cup at a time, blend soup in the blender. Or for slightly chunkier soup, mash with a potato masher until soup is combined and there are no separate chunks. 

Add yogurt and salt and pepper to taste.

Grilled Cheese

4 slices gluten-free bread (I use Glutino's Premium Flax Seed Bread which can be found in the freezer section of Whole Food's)

Shredded or sliced organic dairy cheese or cheese substitute

Turn on broiler. Toast bread in toaster on light. Remove to cookie sheet and put cheese or cheese substitute on toast slices. Broil until melted and slightly brown. 

Coconut Milk Curry with Broccoli and Chickpeas

(wheat/gluten free, nut-free, dairy free, egg free, vegan)

2-3 tblsps olive oil

2 lbs organic broccoli, stems removed leaving just florets

6 organic scallions, white and green chopped

2-3 organic garlic cloves chopped

2 large "fingers" of ginger peeled and chopped (use less ginger if you don't like too much spice)

1 heaping tablespoon curry powder

1 can organic light coconut milk

1 can organic chickpeas, drained

Salt to taste

In a stockpot, heat olive oil. Add scallions, ginger, garlic, and curry powder. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add broccoli and combine. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add can of coconut milk. Bring to a boil and cover pot. Cook for 5 minutes. I like my broccoli less cooked and more green, so I would add the chickpeas at this point and stir to warm and combine flavors. If you like your broccoli more cooked, cook for another five minutes and then add chickpeas. Season with salt to taste.

"Milk" and Cookies "Ice Cream" Shake

(wheat-free, nut-free, dairy free, egg free, vegan)

1 cup organic milk or milk substitute (cow, soy, rice), COLD

1 cup organic ice cream or ice cream substitute (Soy Dream, Rice Dream)
2 ice cubes

2 Wheat and Dairy Free Newman's-O's (1 more for garnish)

Add milk, ice cream, and ice cubes (one cube at a time) to blender. When combined, add Newman's-O's. Pour into a glass and place reserved cookie on glass (as you would a lemon/lime slice) before serving.