dairy-free – Page 58 – GUTSy Performance Nutrition

Carrot Orange Corn-Flour Waffles

May 20, 2013May 7, 2022by RebeccaLeave a Comment

“The heart decides, and what it decides is all that really matters.” – Paulo Coelho

As a teenager, suffering through the angst of star-crossed infatuations, I ran. Though not a runner then, not adept at sports, without the proper shoes, I’d run the dirt paths behind the horse pasture, round the fields of corn and alfalfa, dodging animal tracks and farmers. I’d often run away my worries, my frustrations, replacing them with a colorful imagination of the reality I wanted to exist. In college, I learned from my phys ed prof, dubbed “Lance” by the farm boys in my class, that it takes five years to make a habit a lifestyle. Seven years later, I’m still running. Running away my worries. Running away my frustrations, gaining a better perspective, creating a new reality.

This last few months, running has been my guidebook. Hours away from W for weeks at a time, too often feeling like an island of one, I’ve ran and made waffles. And been humbled. I have done things I didn’t think I could. I have stumbled and cried, been disrespected in small, countless ways, been left speechless. Hit roadblocks. I have laughed uncontrollably. I have pushed and stirred, over-analyzed, lost sleep, pulled a zillion gray hairs, and gone a bit mental.

I’ve been encouraged and let down. Too often, of my own subconscious volition, I stood at the edge of a circle looking in. Wanting to both jump towards acceptance and run towards a calling I cannot explain. Hours, weeks, months convincing myself to feel something that my heart long ago gave up. Getting close to the end, I worry again. I had a standard; did I uphold it? Did I demand all that I should have? Did I reach those that needed to be reached? Was there real progress made?

At the end of the day when I’m less frustrated, when my run is complete, and those waffles have been devoured, I reach for a broader perspective. In a tough position, I am making the most of it. I could do more. But my heart has decided, and what it decides…is all that really matters.

Carrot and Corn-Flour Waffles, adapted from Good to the Grain
Recipe Updated: 5/7/2012

Dry Mix:
3/4 cup corn flour or finely milled cornmeal
3/4 cup gf flour mix, or all-purpose flour
3 Tbs. ground flaxseed
1 1/2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt

Wet Mix:
1/2 cup + 2 Tbs. (10 oz.) carrot juice, plus more if needed
1/2 cup + 2 Tbs. (10 oz.) orange juice, plus more if needed
1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
zest of half an orange
1 egg

Turn the waffle iron on medium-high. Adjust as needed as cooking progresses.
Sift the dry ingredients together in large bowl. Set aside.
Whisk the wet ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture.
Brush the waffle iron with additional oil, as needed. Ladle out the batter and cook until fluffy and done.
If available, top with freshly picked strawberries and yogurt, and savor over a cozy spring meal.

Spring

Candied-Ginger Rhubarb Buckle

April 17, 2013June 18, 2022by Rebecca2 Comments

“It takes three things to succeed at that higher level, Rebecca: Intelligence, drive, and passion. There is no doubt you have the first two. But I question your passion. You’ve haven’t shown a true interest in anything…”

For the past three years, I have been almost-daily haunted by this statement from my major professor, stated during my masters defense. After all this time, tossing ideas back and forth, wandering semi-aimlessly in the desert of post-college jobs, I finally can see the pieces coming into focus. I’m slowly coming out of denial and attempting to own up to my dreams, my desires, yes, even my passions.

The clouds and the mist are evaporating slowly. The pieces are finally in focus. This is who I am. There’s a list of things that incite a fury of passionate opinion, cause a burst into dozens of directions, spinning my thoughts so fast the words cannot catch up. Because I’m not one to want to stop once I’ve gotten started, I am longing to shove the remaining clouds out of my way, jam the puzzle pieces together and get to living “passionately.” Finally.

The pieces won’t fit. Fury, disenchantment, resentment. The edges are all mismatched and wrong. I know I’m getting there. But the process is so blasted slow. Come on, I’m thinking. And then I return to the two mantras that continue to keep me going: “Don’t push the river,” a Zen phrase. And a piece of Fr Ignacio’s homily from years ago: “When you ask and there’s no answer, just keep rowing.”

Rowing. And rowing and rowing. Waiting. Listening. Still here, doing the same. Watching the seasons change. Embracing each new one as it comes, trying to not focus on the speed of passing time and the status quo. Meanwhile, I’ll make rhubarb buckle. Candied ginger. Spring. Embracing one of those passions that three years ago, I was too afraid to share. There’s progress, after all.

Candied-Ginger Rhubarb Buckle, adapted from Dishing Up Oregon
Recipe Updated: June 2022

For the Crumb:
1/4 cup gluten-free flour
1/4 sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger
2 Tbs. raw coconut oil, melted

For the Buckle:
1 3/4 cups gluten-free flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup (4 0z.) raw coconut oil, softened slightly
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup non-dairy milk mixed with 1 tsp. white vinegar
3/4 lb. rhubarb, cleaning and sliced into 1/2-inch slices

Make the candied ginger crumb. Mix the flour, sugar, and candied-ginger into a small bowl. Mix in the melted coconut oil with spoon until nice and crumbly. Cover and chill in the fridge until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch round cake dish with a thin layer of oil. Set aside.
Make the buckle. Whisk the flour, ginger, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Cream the remaining coconut oil together with the sugar, until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs.
Add the milk and flour mixture, alternating between the two, until mixture is just combined. Gently fold in the rhubarb.
Spoon batter into the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the candied-ginger crumb evenly over the batter. Bake until the top is golden and firm, about 45 minutes. Cool approximately 30 minutes prior to serving.

Winter

Bacon-Balsamic Radicchio Risotto

February 24, 2013November 8, 2014by Rebecca1 Comment

This post might be more appropriately titled, “Falling in Love over Risotto”, since in a way, I actually did. Having not eaten risotto until grad school, I decided I was going to make it for W for Valentine’s day. He ended up doing most of the work. It was the best risotto we’ve had, likely in part because it took hours to make the broth, and because it was the first time we worked together to prepare an elaborate meal and bring it to the table.

Since then, we’ve shared countless risotto versions, from a truly romantic night out abroad to a frugal meal needing few ingredients, at home. I’ve loved them all. This version, I’ve been meaning to make for ages, as it showcases my new favorite winter green, radicchio. Though radicchio is not actually green, it does fall under that category, as a member of the chicory family. Radicchio is fairly bitter, and pairs very nicely with sweet balsamic vinegar and nearly-caramelized onions. Add bacon to that trio and this risotto truly fits the winter-comfort food category.

If you’ve been in need of comfort lately, as I have, consider spending some quality time making risotto this week. For me, whiling away an hour or so in the kitchen brings real solace from the rest of the world’s wearies. Enjoy.

Bacon-Balsamic Radicchio Risotto, adapted from Dishing Up Oregon

3 strips thick-cut bacon, diced into 1/4-inch pieces

1 head radicchio, diced

2 large shallots, diced

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbs. brown sugar

1 small handful raisins

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 Tbs. reserved bacon fat

1/4 cup finely diced fennel bulb

1/4 cup finely diced yellow onion

1 cup Arborio rice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat until crisp. Take out of pan and drain off extra bacon fat. Reserve for cooking risotto. Add the bacon back to the skillet along with the radicchio and shallots and cook until the radicchio wilts, about 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the vinegar, the brown sugar, and the raisins. Continue cooking, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the radicchio is tender and slightly jammy, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile prepare broth by warming it over a medium saucepan.
Heat another large skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat. Add onions and fennel bulb. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the grains of rice are opaque, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup vinegar to the fennel mixture and cook a couple minutes until vinegar is absorbed. Ladle 1 cup of the broth into the mixture and simmer, over medium-low heat, until all the broth is absorbed. Continue to add the broth 1/2 cup at a time until the rice is creamy and tender, and all the additional broth is used up, about 25 minutes. Stir in the radicchio mixture to the rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away.