Food Challenges

Tortiere Medallions

My husband, Paul, is French Canadian and enjoys a traditional meat pie called Tortiere. My mother has an excellent recipe, which we bake on Christmas Eve for dinner. Tortiere has been a favourite in our family for many years, but I have had to forgo this savoury pie when it’s served, because of the pastry.

Recently, while watching “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” with Guy Fieri, on the Food Network, I saw a cook wrap a meatloaf in bacon. (Please don’t ask which episode. I have no idea!) That concept gave me some ideas which lead to this recipe. The results were fabulous and gluten free. Now I can enjoy all the flavours of Tortiere without the crust! Continue Reading…

Chocolate Raspberry Muffins

My sister sent me this recipe from New Zealand. It sounded fabulous, so I just had to give it a try. I didn’t have any mini muffin tins, so I used paper liners and regular muffin tins. I only had large eggs, so I used them. I added some xanthan gum to my blend of GF flours (almond, quinoa and tapioca) and a pinch of salt. I used fresh organic raspberries and reserved 12 for the tops. Just for fun, I stuffed each raspberry with a dark and a milk chocolate chip before I stuffed them in the batter and baked them. I used honey instead of sugar. That suits my palate, but if you like things sweet, you may want to use sugar. The result is a moist, chewy, brownie like muffin, rich with the taste of chocolate and raspberries. Yum! P.S. Lynn’s original recipie is below.





2 eggs (large)
½ cup honey (or sugar)
½ cup plain yoghurt (homemade lactose free)
1 Tbsp oil
1 cup + 2 Tbsp GF flours (mainly ground almonds; tapioca, quinoa, etc)
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/8 tsp salt
½ cup cocoa
¼ cup milk chocolate chips or chunks (cut up from bar)
¼ cup dark chocolate chips or chunks (cut up from bar)
1 cup frozen raspberries (set aside 24 nice whole berries for topping)


Place paper liners in the muffin tins, preheat oven.


Separate egg whites into small bowl. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.


Beat with mixer the egg yolks, honey, yoghurt and oil in large bowl.


Combine flours, xanthan gum, salt and cocoa then stir into large bowl; stir in chocolate chips and raspberries. If mix is very wet add a bit more flour.


Cut in a small amount of the egg whites to loosen chocolate mixture, then fold in remaining egg whites.


Fill muffin tins quite full and top with individual raspberry that has been stuffed with a milk and a dark chocolate chip, slightly push the berry into the batter.


Bake 18 – 20 minutes; you want them to be moist so don’t overcook, remove from oven when just set in the middle and let cool in trays before attempting to remove to racks. They freeze well.


The original version from my sister:


Chocolate raspberry mini muffins 180C/375F 7-9 mins 24 mini muffs


2 eggs (med)
½ cup honey (or sugar)
½ cup plain yoghurt
1 Tbsp oil
1 cup + 2 Tbsp GF flours (mainly ground almonds; tapioca, potato, etc)
½ cup cocoa
½ cup chocolate chips or chunks (cut up from bar)
1 cup frozen raspberries (set aside 24 nice whole berries for topping)


Grease muffin tins, preheat oven.


Separate egg whites into small bowl. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.


Beat with mixer the egg yolks, honey, yoghurt and oil in large bowl.


Combine flours and cocoa then stir into large bowl; stir in chocolate chips and raspberries. If mix is very wet add a bit more flour.


Cut in a small amount of the egg whites to loosen chocolate mixture, then fold in remaining egg whites.


Fill muffin tins quite full and top with individual raspberry, slightly push the berry into the batter.


Bake 7-9 minutes; you want them to be moist so don’t overcook, remove from oven when just set in the middle and let cool in trays before attempting to remove to racks. They freeze well.

Cool Appetizers!

Making cheese crisps is a quick and simple task. In Italy, these tasty morsels are called Frico. Unlike frico, I do not find it necessary to flip the crisp. After experimenting over a long period of time, I have found it’s better to just cook them on one side. The secret is to choose a cheese that is low in sodium, but not too low in fat: such as Gouda or Emmental .





90 g cheese, grated (low sodium smoky Gouda is very nice)
½ tsp dried tarragon
2 tsp lemon rind, finely grated
12 capers
Lemon wedges
Parsley sprigs
60 g smoked salmon
2 Tbsp pate
1 Tbsp antipasto


Preheat a griddle or flat pan over medium heat. Drop the grated cheese onto the hot surface by the tablespoon full. Allow room for expansion as the cheese melts and spreads out. As the cheese begins to cook, you can sprinkle the top with a pinch of tarragon and finely grated lemon rind. When the crisp is cooked, it will begin to pull away from the griddle surface and is easily removed with a lifter. I prefer to keep my crisps light in colour. The darker they get, the bitterer and saltier they will become. When the crisp is cooked, set it on a plate covered with a layer of paper towel to drain. They will become hard as they cool. 90 g of cheese makes about 12 two inch crisps. As you can see in the picture, they are light and lacy.


You can add any topping you wish. In this recipe, I have chosen to make 2 different appetizers with the cheese crisps. The first is topped with some smoked salmon, a couple of capers, a sprinkling of lemon rind and a dash of lemon juice. The second is spread with a creamy pate and topped with a scant teaspoon of antipasto. This makes a lovely tray of appetizers or a great first course to a large meal. You can make the crisps a day ahead and store them in an air tight container in the refrigerator.


I find these crisps very handy for occasions when I’m avoiding flour products and starch.

Quinoa Tabouleh

This is a classic hot weather salad that has been adapted for the gluten free diet. Quinoa is a great grain and comes in several varieties: regular, whole grain. Royal Red and Royal Black. This particular recipe was made with whole grain quinoa, but it’s very attractive if you use Royal Red, which has a nuttier flavour. You could also try a combination of quinoa varieties. In this recipe I have used the herb lemon balm because I’m allergic to mint. Although these two herbs are in the same plant family, I can tolerate the lemon balm whereas I can’t eat mint at all. You can use the mint for a more traditional flavour or the lemon balm, which adds a more delicate note to the overall taste.

3 cups flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ cup finely chopped lemon balm (or mint)
4 – 5 spring onions (green onions, scallions), finely sliced
4 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup organic quinoa (regular, whole grain, Royal Red or Royal Black)
1/2 cup lemon juice
½ tsp allspice
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
Salt & pepper

Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add the quinoa and bring it back to the boil. Cover and cook over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes. When the quinoa has absorbed all the water, remove it from the heat and fluff it with a fork. Set aside. Allow it to cool completely and chill, covered in the refrigerator.

In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, lemon juice, allspice and extra virgin olive oil. Whisk until completely incorporated. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, chopped parsley, chopped lemon balm, sliced spring onions, and finely diced tomato. Toss to mix thoroughly.

Just before serving, add the lemon and olive oil dressing. Toss well. Serve cold with the heart leaves of a romaine head as scoops.

Lemon Asparagus Soup

It was one of those cool, rainy summer days today. I wanted something to chase away the chill, so I used what I had on hand. Asparagus is in season, so I decided to combine some of my favourite flavours in a soup. This recipe is the result of my efforts – it’s great either hot or cold. I served mine with a spoonful of organic low fat yoghurt in the centre. It added a lovely tang to the richness of this velvety soup.





2 cups asparagus
1 cup onion
2 cups chicken broth, low sodium
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp curly parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp lemon balm, chopped
1/2 Tbsp dried tarragon
Sea salt & pepper to taste


Wash a bundle of asparagus well to get all the sand out of the heads. (Soak in cold water and let the sand fall to the bottom) Break off the woody ends and chop the heads and stems until you have about 2 cups. Peel and chop a sweet onion.


In a medium size pot, melt the butter and sauté the onion until it is translucent. Add the chopped asparagus and continue sautéing until the asparagus has turned bright green. Add the chicken broth, parsley, lemon balm, lemon juice, and tarragon. Cover the pot with a lid and let simmer until the asparagus in tender (about 10 minutes).


Transfer the hot soup to a blender and liquefy. Return the soup to the pot and keep warm.


Makes 4 small (1 cup) servings.


Nutritional Information: approximations only


225 g serving
70 calories
3.7 g fat
2 g fibre


High in Vitamin A and C, Iron and Calcium

Cheeseburger Pie

When my children were young and I was a single, working Mom, I liked to have quick and easy meals at my finger tips. One of my children’s favourite dishes was the impossible pie I made using Bisquick. There were many variations, but Impossible Cheesburger Pie was one they requested often. When I started eating gluten free, I dropped that recipe from my repitoire. Today, I decided to try and create a GF version. The recipe required a bit of tweeking, but the second pie was great. Here’s a bit of comfort food that’s back on the menu!

1 lb ground (minced) meat (beef, lamb, veal, bison, chicken, turkey)
1 cup onion, diced
1 large clove garlic, minced & crushed (2 tsp)
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar)
3 tsp Herb de Provence
3 eggs
1.5 cups milk
Salt and pepper
½ cup GF biscuit mix:
I used ¼ cup tapioca starch, ¼ cup quinoa flour, ¼ cup sweet rice flour, ¼ cup teff flour, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp baking powder, 1 tsp xanthan gum and ½ tsp salt. I used ½ cup and reserved the second ½ cup for the next pie.

In a frying pan, sauté the ground meat, onion, garlic and 2 tsp of the Herb de Provence until the meat is browned and the onion is translucent. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a blender, combine the eggs, milk GF biscuit mix, and remaining 1 tsp Herb de Provence. Blend on high for 15 seconds or whisk by hand for a minute.

Grease a large, deep pie plate. Place the cooked ground meat on the bottom and spread it around to form an even layer. Top this mixture with the grated cheese. Pour the egg and milk mixture on top. Use a fork to push down into the pie, in numerous locations, to allow the milk and egg to penetrate the meat and cheese.

Bake in a hot oven, 400F, for 40 to 45 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when inserted.

Allow the pie to rest on a rack for 10 minutes. Cut the pie into 8 slices and serve hot with a salad or cooked vegetables. Use chilli sauce or ketchup as a condiment.

Nutritional Information: approximations only

1/8 of a pie is 156 g
244 calories
10.8 g fat
0 g fibre

High in Vitamin A and C, Calcium and Iron

Seafood Salad

2 raw lobster tails, deveined and cut into pieces
12 shrimp, medium to large, cooked – deveined and shelled
1 Tbsp butter
½ cup sweet onion, finely chopped
1 large clove of garlic, finely chopped and crushed
1 Tbsp lemon juice + 2 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp vermouth or white wine
¼ cup celery, finely sliced
1 Tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped (1 tsp dried)
1 Tbsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped (1 tsp dried)
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
Sea salt and pepper to taste


In a skillet, melt the butter and add the chopped onion. Cook the onion until it is translucent. Add the garlic. Sauté the lobster meat in the butter with the onions and garlic until it begins to turn white/red. Add the cooked shrimp, 1 Tbsp lemon juice and vermouth/white wine. Cook briefly (1 to 2 minutes) to blend the flavours and cook off the alcohol. Strain the seafood and onion, reserving the liquids in a bowl. Place the seafood in the refrigerator, uncovered, to cool. Return the liquid to the pan and reduce it by half over medium heat. Pour it into a small bowl and set it aside in the refrigerator to cool.


When the seafood and liquid have cooled, you can combine the ingredients to make the seafood salad.
Mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice, tarragon, chives and liquid from the pan which has now solidified. Stir well to make the dressing. In a bowl, combine the cold, cooked seafood, celery and mayonnaise dressing. Toss well to blend the flavours. Return to the refrigerator, covered, until you are ready to serve the seafood salad.


Serve the salad cold over a bed of greens, grilled romaine leaves, in a GF wrap or cheese bowl.


Makes 2, main meal, servings

Cheese Bowls

2 oz of low sodium cheese, grated

Suggestions: This particular bowl was made from a smoky, low sodium Gouda cheese. Any low sodium cheese will work. Semi soft cheeses are more difficult to work with. Low fat cheeses are not suitable for this dish. (no pun intended Ü)

Heat a griddle or flat pan on medium heat. Place the grated cheese on the flat, heated surface, in a single layer. Allow it to melt and toast slightly on the bottom. When it is cooked, remove it from the pan with a lifter and flip it, quickly, onto an inverted bowl, allowing it to droop over the edges. Pat it into the shape of the bowl. Set aside to cool. Gently slide your finger up under the cheese, when it has cooled, and work the edges until it pops the cheese bowl free of the china bowl.

Invert the cheese bowl onto a plate and fill it with your salad, chilli, stroganoff, stew or salsa. Garnish and serve one bowl per person. These can be made any size. Just use more or less cheese and the appropriate sized bowls.

For variety, you can sprinkle the top of the cooking cheese with finely chopped nuts or herbs.

Happy Father’s Day!

Happy Father’s Day to everyone out there!

I wanted to make a special luncheon for my husband before he left for work today. He has been a wonderful step father to my son, Peter. We teamed up to make Paul something we knew he would enjoy. Peter acted as my sous chef and we had a great meal on the table in no time. Because my husband is allergic to shrimp, I made his lunch with chicken. Peter opted for the chicken version as well.

I enjoyed every mouthful of the seafood!

We served Mediterranean Tomato Salad and Cheese Bowls filled with Chicken or Seafood Salad. It was easy to throw together and tasted amazing.

I hope you ladies with little ones and grown-up kids are doing something special for your Dad today!

Lobster Salad

My favourite summer vacation is to head for the East Coast and feast on seafood. Lobster is on sale, in our area, at the moment, so I couldn’t resist taking this opportunity to create a luxurious treat. It’s rich and decedent!





2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1 Tbsp chives, finely chopped
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp capers, diced
4 oz lobster meat, 1 cup
30 g smoked salmon, 1/4 cup diced


Combine all the ingredients and stir well. Chill. Serve over a bed of baby romaine lettuce and thinly sliced tomato. Garnish with a twist of smoked salmon stuffed with a single caper.


Nutritional Information: approximate values per serving.


Calories: 270
Fibre: .4 g
Fat: 11.9 g


High in Selenium and Vitamin B12