savoury gluten- and dairy-free goat-cheese herb muffins (with a kick, if you like)

Lately some Japanese grocery stores have cottoned on to the fact that not everyone can eat everything. Enter Aeon's allergen-free series of mixes--this one is a baking mix for making savoury okonomiyaki (like meaty and cabbage-y pancakes) or for coating fried chicken. It contains rice flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, salt, and baking powder. Perfect pour moi! 

So I experimented, and here are some mighty delicious herby muffins with goat cheese (and red pepper flakes for those who so desire--I do desire, thanks).

You'll need:

• 2 packs of Aeon's okonomiyaki gluten-free mix (300 g total weight), or GF baking mix of your choice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons mixed herbs (marjoram, basil, oregano, and thyme)
• 2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley 
• red pepper flakes (optional for topping)
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 1 cup milk (I used organic soy)
• 4 tablespoons grapeseed oil 
• goat cheese for topping

Do this: 

In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together, and in a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together. Then add the wet into the dry and stir 'em up. Spoon into greased or lined muffin tins, or use reusable silicone muffin cups like I do. Top with some crumbled goat cheese, more dried parsley, and red pepper flakes if you like (me likey). Bake at 350 F/170 C for about 12 minutes or so.

These are great with the salmon chowder I've been making a lot lately. 

gluten-free and dairy-free muy delicioso salmon chowder: perfect for a rainy fall day

Canned salmon is something I keep on hand at all times for soup or salmon croquettes, and I found this recipe kind of recently that we all enjoy.

But I do it differently, partly because I don't use dairy milk and cheese, but also because it's hard to find dill here and I haven't tried to grow any. Here's what I do.

You'll need:

• potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, garlic--all chopped
• a can of corn
• another can of corn with the liquid--puree that with a hand blender to use as the "creamed corn" that the original recipe called for (premade creamed corn has wheat and sugar in the ingredients list)
• 3 small cans salmon
• several cups of water with a couple of veggie bouillon cubes or powder sticks
• salt and pepper
• fresh or dried parsley
• whatever milk you use (soy for me)

Do this:

Saute the veggies in grapeseed oil in a big stock pot, then add in the water, bouillon, salt, pepper, and parsley. Boil till the veggies are soft, then add in the broken-up salmon, corn, pureed corn, and then a cup or two of milk. Serve with corn muffins if you have them, or herbed goat-cheese muffins (recipe to come). 

sassy salad: endive, avocado, tomatoes, cukes

When I find endive on the sale table in the produce section of the grocery store, I make this salad. It's so more-ish with the sweet tomatoes, crunchy-fresh cucumbers, creamy avocado, and bitter endive.

You'll need:

• cukes
• tomatoes
• endive
• avocado
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• dried mixed herbs, or fresh
• minced clove of garlic
• salt and pepper

Do this:

Slice and dice, then mix with the dressing and serve at room temperature so you can taste all those great flavors and textures.