Sunday, February 27, 2011

Mac & Goat Cheese Recipe

  • 188558_1814626641003_1100167284_32114367_1010041_n  1/2 lb macaroni (we used the corn macaroni noodles)
  • 2 tablespoons butter (you can use GHEE or DF margarine)
  • 2 tablespoons flour (I used spelt, but I’m sure you could use any sort of flour or even corn starch)
  • 2 cups milk ( I used Almond Milk)
  • ground pepper and salt
  • 1 cup goat cheese ( make sure to have something that melts nicely!)

 

Directions:

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil.
  2. Add the macaroni and cook about 8 to 10 minutes, or until just tender, depending on the size of the pasta. Drain.
  3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. When the butter is melted and sizzling, stir in the flour to create a paste and cook 1 minute.
  4. Slowly add the milk, whisking to create a smooth sauce. Let cook about 5 minutes or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. ( I ended up adding more butter at this point, lol!)
  5. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly add the goat cheese, whisking to create a smooth sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Stir noodles and cheese sauce together and enjoy!

NOTE: Since most allergies vary, I had to alter this recipe according to out needs. The possibilities are endless!

This was surprisingly delicious! I would suggest using a mozzarella and cheddar blend for the goat cheese!

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Amaranth

I received a question the other day that I thought I should take the time to explore and share with you.

So many times in gluten-free baking, the recipes call for a variety of flours to substitute wheat flour. And usually, it’s never and equal ratio. And it really bothers most people. Who want to use three different grains just to substitute on cup of wheat flour anyways???

Back to my question of, is there a grain out there that can be used 1:1 instead of wheat flour in a recipe? Well, yes, there is!

The first grain that came to mind was Amaranth. As long as you aren’t baking a yeast  bread, you can use it equal to wheat flour! It is great for cereal, pasta and baking. And not just the grain, the seeds and leaves are good as well!

If you aren’t familiar with Amaranth, it’s a wonderful grain with very dramatic past. You can read all about it in this article by Karen Railey, which I have since bookmarked it was so chalk full of information!

Not only does she share it’s rich history, but she gives some fantastic cooking tips and how to GROW your own! (which I plan on doing this summer!!!) The young leaves can be eaten like spinach! Which is great for my son who has some sensitivity to spinach.

Try some Amaranth today!!! I’m sure you’ll love it!