Adventures in cooking, traveling, and science – all while gluten free!
Your favorite bartender probably has a ton of simple syrup stashed behind the bar at any given time. Simple syrup is, quite simply, a high concentration sugar solution. All you do is dissolve a bunch of sugar in hot water. Easy!
Continue reading “Basic Simple Syrup”
After a long hiatus, here’s a quick recipe just in time for nettle season! Although their name is the opposite of appetizing, stinging nettles have a fantastic flavor once they’ve been cooked. Once I learned about these wild looking plants, I’ve made this creamy nettle soup every time I’ve seen them at the farmer’s market.
Continue reading “Creamy Nettle and potato Soup”
I don’t really care for jarred pasta sauce, but it’s great to have around in a pinch! When you can, a little planning and some pantry staples makes homemade marinara an easy meal!
Continue reading “Easy Homemade Marinara”
This gluten free groundcherry crumble (for one!) ticked a lot of boxes for me. For starters, sometimes you want dessert just for yourself. Although this recipe can be scaled up easily if you feel like sharing, it’s totally okay if you don’t want to!
Continue reading “Simple Groundcherry Crumble for One”
This medley of beans, greens, and Andouille Sausage is an old standby in my kitchen, and worth a post now after a very busy October and November! When I don’t feel like figuring out something to cook, but I have some pantry staples and a package of flavorful Andouille sausage in my fridge, dinner is ready in under an hour.
Continue reading “Beans and Greens with Andouille Sausage”
During the pandemic, whenever I hit the farmer’s market, I have entertained myself by picking out one item I’ve never cooked with before. There’s an online ordering system available for the Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Markets, so I don’t really know what I’m going to get until I pick up my order. I’ve snagged some common purslane a few times now, and this sour, sort of salty succulent is really unique. I have more on that on another page – Discover Something New: Purslane! – Which will be the first of future posts highlighting a plant that’s new to my kitchen. I was dying to make a salad out of purslane, which is the star of this Greek-style purslane salad.
Continue reading “Greek Purslane Salad”
I don’t remember the first place I had pickled red onions. But I can tell you that they’ve been a big hit at parties for people aged 20-85. These are not likely to last for very long in your fridge because you (or your guests) will eat them all. These easy pickled red onions are an effective way to:
Okay. I don’t do the latter very often, but it IS an option. Any way you slice it, I hope you enjoy these!
Continue reading “Pickled Red Onions”
This orange fennel salad came from a pretty intense phase where I was over-ordering vegetables from a produce delivery service. Although it shall remain nameless, said service really would have been budget friendly for me if I had actually used everything I ordered. However, I lack the self-control to only order what I can use when I am picking food from the comfort of my couch. I understand this now! But as part of this experience, occasionally I’d end up with fennel in my box. Or boxes on particularly egregious orders.
I had no idea what I was supposed to do with this crazy looking bulb with leafy fronds.
Continue reading “Orange Fennel Salad”
As with so many things in life, this risotto recipe comes with a story. I came to enjoy cooking later in life, as I have mentioned before. Later means after undergraduate, right when grad school started, and I’d have to feed myself for a reasonable amount of money. So, this risotto recipe is a 2015 vintage.
About that time, I’d also started seeing this guy, and I really wanted to make a good impression. I had some free time before my classes and lab work would be starting, so I invited him to come over to my little studio apartment for dinner after he got off work. I thought it would be a smooth move to ask if there was anything he’d like me to cook for him.
Continue reading “Risotto Recipe with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Peas”
I’m sure it’s starting to feel like fall somewhere in the U.S., but here in Seattle, it doesn’t feel like fall to me yet… I think the smoke that has forced me to keep my windows closed (with towels stuffed in the cracks) has kept it too toasty in here to feel like fall. Seattlepi.com has a slideshow of photos that showcase some of the worst of it. I admit I’m partial to early fall, but once it gets colder than about 65°F, I’m out. A few years in Seattle has made me unable to tolerate the cold AND the heat! So today I’m going to post this cheddar broccoli soup recipe in the spirit of the impending fall season.
Continue reading “Thick and Creamy Cheddar Broccoli Soup”