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Easy Mediterranean Chicken and Spinach Rice Bake

Easy family comfort food- chicken and rice bake with spinach.

Looking for weeknight supper ideas for the (can you believe it's that time of year again?) back-to-school frenzy? This super simple toss-together recipe is budget-friendly and versatile. If you don't have chicken on hand try using pieces of cooked turkey or your favorite sausage. Vegetarian? Use a can of white or black beans instead. The Mediterranean and Santa Fe- thanks to the fresh and unexpected spike from tomatillos- flavors in this fabulous recipe cozy up to a parade of proteins.

A family favorite from the archives, this is easy comfort food to bake and savor before the fall begins its alchemy, spinning green into gold.

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Gluten-Free Pasta Frittata Recipe with Goat Cheese

Gluten free brown rice pasta makes this pasta frittata amazingly light
Tasty gluten-free pasta frittata.

Have I got a simple and flavorful Mediterranean inspired gluten-free pasta frittata recipe for you. It is perfect for the upcoming weekend. Throw it together for a lazy brunch, or a languid late summer picnic. But first, a logistical update. We are back from LA, safe and as sound as two people can be jetting from the oxygen saturated beach of Santa Monica to the rarefied (read- bone dry nosebleed inducing) air of Northern New Mexico. My "of a certain age" skin is not decidedly not happy. My razor textured Floyd's cut now looks like a highlighted squirrel on a tequila fueled bender. And to add insult to follicle injury, there's a technical snafu that despite daily phone calls, shameless begging and patient (I assure you) correction of our physical street address (corrected three times by three different customer service representatives eager to assist you). That's right.

No Internet.

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Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese Icing

Gluten-free carrot cake recipe made with Pamela's Baking Mix
Lovely and classic gluten-free carrot cake
with coconut, iced with lemon cream cheese frosting.

Here is one of my most popular gluten-free cake recipes. Something sweet and satisfying to keep your taste buds happy until I return. We're leaving Santa Monica early Thursday morning, you see, driving back to northern New Mexico with an iPod playlist heavy with Neil Finn, Warren Zevon, Fiona Apple, Tom Waits, Suzanne Vega, Crowded House, The Devlins, Jarvis Cocker, Pulp and a liberal sprinkling of Eighties hits. Not to mention a bag of fresh baked Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies for fortification. See you soon!

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Chicken Curry Apple Stir-Fry Recipe with Art School Rice

Easy chicken apple stir-fry

Easy curry chicken stir-fry recipe.


Crazy Simple = Crazy Good



In time for the last hurrah of summer, I thought I'd share a crazy simple recipe favorite that is spicy and sweet, infused with curry. Because I love to mix up flavors (don't you?). I'm interested in how traditions influence, enhance and co-mingle. Perhaps because I'm an eclectic heritage bundle myself. And vegans, don't assume this recipe isn't for you. In fact, I make a vegetarian version of this recipe all the time. Use drained canned chick peas in place of the bird- it's a fabulous meatless and budget-friendly option.

California update: I'm more than a little sorry to report that we have- officially- entered our final countdown phase, preparing for an ETD early Thursday. Over the next few days we'll be busy cleaning our sweet little Santa Monica sublet and packing up the Honda Fit to head east, back to rural New Mexico, back to the coyotes. Just in time for roasted green chile season.

Casa Allrich has not sold, you see. We lowered the price again. And Bubela, it's a rock bottom bargain, embarrassingly less than what we paid for it three years ago. If the Real Estate Goddess proves kind and merciful she will finally (after 26 months on the market) smile upon us, send us a buyer and grant our humble wish- to accept our losses and move on with grace and clear eyes open to a future centered in Los Angeles.


Santa Monica, California


It's been a dreamlike season here in Santa Monica. My fifty-sixth summer. I can hardly believe we've been here eight weeks already. Honestly and without irony, I ask you- where does the time go? I am deeply grateful for each and every minute spent in the company of our two sons. They inspire me and make me proud. I hope to be back here in Southern California quick as a wink to continue the conversation with these two.

Until then, I'll be blogging again from north of Santa Fe starting next weekend.

Here's a few tasty End of Summer Picnic Recipes to keep your taste buds happy till I get back on-line on August 24th.

See you soon! xox

Chicken Curry Apple Stir-Fry Recipe


An easy weeknight stir-fry with warm harvest flavors this recipe can be a super fast toss-together dish by using bagged cole slaw mix and cooked chicken. For a vegetarian version, substitute the chicken with a can of drained chick peas.

Ingredients:

You'll need:

About 2 1/2 to 3 cups Art School Rice- recipe follows

2 tablespoons light olive oil
1 tablespoon red or green Thai Kitchen curry paste- hot or mild, to taste (start with less if you prefer it mild)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 heaping cups finely shredded cabbage or slaw mix
3 large carrots, sliced into matchsticks
1 apple, peeled, cored, chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice, more if needed
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 generous cups of cooked chicken pieces* see notes

Instructions:

Heat a large deep skillet over medium-high heat; warm the light olive oil and curry seasoning. Add the garlic and stir briefly.

Add in the shredded cabbage, carrots, and apple; stir and cook for five minutes.

Add a half cup of apple juice and cook until the vegetables and apples are tender-crisp - about seven minutes. If you need a splash more apple juice, add it in.

Add the raisins, cooked chicken pieces, and cooked rice, and stir-fry until all the juice is absorbed and the chicken is heated through.

Serve immediately with a garnish of slivered almonds, if desired.

Serves 4.


Karina's Notes:

If you don't have cooked chicken on hand:

Cut 3 split chicken breasts into tenders. Stir-fry with the vegetables until no longer pink in the center- about ten minutes.

My hummus makes a tasty condiment for Asian inspired stir-fries and brown rice.

If you like creative flavor combos, try my Peanut Chicken Stir-fry.





Art School Rice Recipe with Curry, Carrots and Raisins


I lived on this simple dish in art school. It was my favorite comfort food. Most often I would stir-fry the cooked rice with thinly sliced carrots, or sometimes fresh baby greens. Slivered almonds add protein and texture.

Ingredients:

1 cup long-grain brown rice, rinsed
1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
2 cups water or light broth for added flavor
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/4 cup golden raisins, diced apple, or any chopped dried fruit*
1/2 to 1 teaspoon gluten-free curry paste- mild or hot (I use Thai Kitchen)

Instructions:

Combine the ingredients in a rice cooker and follow the manufacturer's instructions - or - combine the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, cover; reduce heat to low, and cook for 40 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated.

Let the rice rest for 5 minutes before serving. Fluff with a fork and serve as is, or stir-fry the cooked rice in a touch of olive oil with slivered carrots, cashews, or baby spinach leaves.

Protein Boost Options:

Serve with a sprinkle of slivered almonds, pine nuts or chopped walnuts

Add drained canned chickpeas to warm through just before serving

Serve with a dollop of fresh homemade yogurt on the side

Serve with hummus

Serves 4.

Note-

If you are making this rice dish for the Apple Chicken Stir-Fry recipe, it is not necessary to add the raisins or apple.

In case you may have missed it, here is my recipe for Brown Rice Pilaf with Variations.

Chopped apples, raisins and cinnamon make a perfect combo for breakfast.


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Karina's Gluten-free Peach Cake

Karina's gluten free vegan peach cake recipe
A vegan peach cake perfect for a summer picnic.

Lazy summer days are sweet and sticky jewels studded with fresh cut fruit and juicy cakes. Farmers' markets buzz with color and scents. And peaches are the star. Get them while you can, Gentle Reader. Inhale their ripe velvet voluptuousness. Because all too soon they will be gone, and the stony, flavorless winter impostors picked well before ripening, thrown into crates and imported from far off orchards flirting with the southern hemisphere sun will be posing at your market as peaches. But they are not. And they know it.

They don't even try to pretend.

So grab your baskets and get thee to a local farmers' market. There is peach cake and peach crisp, and peach ice cream to be savored.

Some of you may recognize the basic recipe here. It's one I've posted and tweaked. It's not in my nature to follow directions or repeat a success without tweaking it, you see. I just can't do it. My brain chemistry switches to Bored Beyond Belief faster than you can mutter the words peach pancakes on a stick.

Let's just say I was a challenge in school. And in jobs (and okay, relationships) requiring a set routine or specific schedule. Rules and expectations writ in stone give me the itch to break free and play, What if? I just can't do the same thing over and over. I get too restless. I get punchy. And I'm also a big believer in change.

Change is good.

Change means I'm alive, growing and learning. Change means I'm curious, taking a risk, discovering something I didn't know before. Experimenting and sometimes failing or looking like an idiot often comes with the territory. Sure, I might end up feeling inept or totally stupid. Born too late. Or too soon. But will that keep me in my proper place and tame my wanton right-brained ways?

Not on your life, Babycakes.



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Pesto Zucchini Tomato Gratin

Pesto zucchini gratin with gluten-free bread crumbs
Zucchini tomato gratin. Summer garden deliciousness.


Today's post is short and sweet. Or should I say, brief and savory. Are you experiencing an abundance of zucchini and tomatoes? Here is a favorite summer recipe updated from the archives- a basil and garlic laced gratin featuring sliced zucchini, artichoke hearts and fresh tomatoes. Use your favorite gluten-free crumbs on top (my current favorite crumbs for a crunchy golden topping are these cornbread crumbs).

Serve it as a delicious side dish with grilled chicken, fish or grass fed beef. Vegetarian? Spoon it on top of pesto penne pasta.


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Watermelon Gazpacho with Lime

Vegan summer soup- watermelon gazpacho with lime
Refreshing watermelon gazpacho. Serve cold, cold, cold.


Happy August. The Dog Days of Summer are upon us. The Back To School Sales have commenced. Evenings are shorter, sultry and sticky and it's too damn hot to cook. Here in our sweet little Santa Monica sublet the modest act of baking two potatoes nudges our ambient temperature to a hot flash inducing tie-dyed t-shirt peeling UGG tossing fever pitch. I pace and prowl for air like the downstairs yellow cat who slinks into our kitchen unnoticed despite his thunderous girth. I stick my sweaty matted head out the kitchen door inhaling the hope of an onshore breeze.

My restless, itchy body you see is trying to ignore the calendar.

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