Happy 100th, Julia!

Today would have been Julia Child's 100th birthday, if she had been able to grace us with her amazing presence for any longer.  I never watched her show (I think I was too young), but she greatly inspired and aided me in my creativity and technique in the kitchen.  I grew up constantly hearing about how wonderful she was and how she revolutionized cooking in the United States.

So, today, I honor her by making a couple of her recipes (gluten-free, of course) and feast upon the deliciousness.

Both recipes are adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

Aubergines (Eggplant) Stuffed with Mushrooms and Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

2 medium-sized eggplants, stemmed and halved lengthwise
3 T. butter, divided
3 T. olive oil, divided
1/2 a large yellow onion, finely minced
1/2 pound of mushrooms (I had buttons, but you could easily use portobellos or something else to your liking), finely minced
Salt & pepper, to taste
2 1/2 oz. soft goat cheese, crumbled (the original recipe had cream cheese)
1/2 t. dried parsley
1/2 t. dried thyme or basil

Instructions:

Take the eggplant halves and score the flesh within 1/4 inch of the skin.  Sprinkle salt onto the flesh and place them, cut-side-down, on paper towels to allow the water to seep out of them.  Leave them for 30 minutes to an hour.

Once the eggplant have drained some of their water (give them a good squeeze to get even more out, preheat your broiler on high, and place the halves cut-side-up on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with a small bit of oil (I used my Misto sprayer) and broil 5-6 inches from the heat for 10-15 minutes, until the flesh is golden brown and fork-tender.

Scoop out the flesh with a spoon, leaving the skin and about 1/4 inch of flesh, and place in a medium mixing bowl.  Set scooped-out eggplant in a roasting pan big enough for them to fit side by side.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat 1 T. butter and 1 T. oil over medium heat in a large skillet.  Add onion and saute for 5-6 minutes, until it is beginning to turn translucent.  Add in the mushrooms and saute together until both are cooked through and slightly browned, about 5-6 minutes more.

Combine eggplant flesh, mushrooms, and onions.  Stir in the goat cheese, herbs, and salt and pepper.  Be sure to taste and correct any seasonings you desire.

Place filling in the eggplant halves in the pan. If you desire, top with grated Swiss cheese and bread crumbs (I didn't think it needed it).  Add 1/8 inch of water to the pan, and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until tops are browned and everything is heated through.

Before cooking!

After cooking!

I had a helper for some of this.

Chicken in a Tomato and Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:

6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs
2 T. butter, divided
2 T. olive oil, divided
1/2 pound of mushrooms, sliced (again, I had buttons, but you could use others)
2 shallots, minced
1 cup of peeled, seeded tomatoes, chopped (I used canned whole San Marzanos)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 t. tarragon or basil
1/4 t. salt
Pinch of pepper
1/2 cup of dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock, mixed with 1 T. cornstarch (I used GF potato starch) and 1 T. water

Instructions:

In the same skillet as before (I used it out of haste and not wanting to clean another pan), heat over medium-high heat and brown both sides of the chicken thighs (this should take about 6-8 minutes).  Set aside on a plate.

Heat 1 T. butter and 1 T. oil over medium heat in that pan, add mushrooms, and saute until browned.  Set aside with chicken.

Heat remaining butter and oil and saute shallots for a minute or two.  Add tomatoes, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper, bring to a simmer, and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Add wine and broth mixture, bring to a boil, and allow sauce to cook for 5 minutes or so, until the sauce is reduced a bit and thickening.

Add the chicken and mushrooms back into the pan.  Cover and allow to cook through (about 5-10 more minutes).

Serve hot!  Enjoy!  The sauce would be GREAT over some rice or something, but I am avoiding too many carbs lately due to lack of exercise (I injured my foot a while ago).

Here's to you, Julia!

OPERATION GLUTEN UPDATE:

Also, after going GF for a month, I glutened myself and reacted badly.  So I will be GF from now on.  I feel great, it just sucks having to entirely avoid anything with gluten in it.  Oh well, at least I know!  But, oh my, I miss my beer.

Low-Carb Carrot Cake

Allow me to take this opportunity to state that just because something is low carb does NOT mean it is low calorie.  I run into a lot of people who think that just because my dessert has no flour or sugar in it means they can eat an absurd amount of it without any problem.  Almond flour is still almonds, and nuts are very calorie dense.  Butter is still butter.  Eat in moderation!

I was craving cake--real cake with frosting and layers--and I decided to convert this recipe that I've had saved forever into something more diet friendly, so I don't have to feel so guilty for eating it.

The cake came out a bit too moist (next time I might strain the carrots/pineapple in cheesecloth to get out the extra liquid) and the texture is not quite right, but it still tastes great.  Charles even had two pieces of it!  So I deem it a success.


Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups almond flour
2 cups Splenda (or equivalent of another sugar substitute)
2 t. baking soda
1 t. xanthan gum
1 t. salt
2 1/4 t. cinnamon
1 t. ground ginger
Pinch of nutmeg
1 lb. carrots, peeled (if you prefer) and sliced into 2-inch chunks (this was about 5 1/2 carrots for me)
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
1/2 cup canola oil
1 t. vanilla extract
3 large eggs

Optional:
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins

Instructions:


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.

Sift together dry ingredients and set aside.

Place carrots and pineapple in a food processor and chop.  How chunky you want it is up to you.  I would also strain it, as I said, to remove excess liquid next time.

Mix wet ingredients together with the carrots and pineapple, and combine with dry ingredients.  Stir in whatever additions you like--we just used walnuts.

Pour into prepared pans and bake for 35-45 minutes (check that the cake isn't squishy in the center by pressing down on it--I find that the toothpick trick isn't useful with almond flour).

Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting


Ingredients:

2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup of butter, room temperature
2 cups Splenda (I used the granulated kind, it came out fine)
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 T. vanilla extract

Instructions:


Beat together butter and cream cheese on a high speed until well-combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes (do not overbeat!).  Add in lemon zest, juice, and vanilla.

Beat in Splenda gradually until well combined.  Stop beating when the texture reaches a spreadable consistency.  Chill until it is time to frost the cake.

This made enough to frost the two layer cake entirely, and I still had a small bit leftover!

Enjoy, everyone!

CHEAT DAY: Cupcakes for Two with Cream Cheese Frosting

THIS IS MY FAVORITE THING EVER.

Two cupcakes.

Just two (2).

You don't have to worry about leftover cupcakes tempting you all week. Just one night of cupcake.

I'm a huge cake fiend, if you can't tell.

LOW CARB AND GLUTEN FREE OPTION AT THE BOTTOM

Ingredients:

1 whole egg
2 T. sugar
2 T. butter, melted
1 t. vanilla
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 heaping t. baking powder
A pinch of salt
1 1/2 T. milk

Instructions:

In a small bowl, combine egg and sugar.


Add melted butter (my advice is to let the butter cool a little so your egg doesn't cook while you do this). Combine.


Add the vanilla. You guessed it. Combine.

Add flour, baking powder, and salt. You get it now. Combine.


Add milk! Yay, combine again!

Pour into a greased and floured (or lined) cupcake tin. Bake at 350F for 10-16 minutes (mine take around 15-16, original recipe stated 10-12 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.


Make the frosting while they cool completely!

Frosting:

1/4 cup (2 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
2 T. butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioner's/icing sugar

Combine (there's that word again!) cream cheese and butter until smooth.

Add sugar until frosting has reached the desired sweetness and/or texture. Ice them cupcakes.

TWO CUPCAKES!!!!

Have fun with flavoring the cupcakes. Play around with the recipe.

I have made this low-carb and gluten-free by using almond flour and yogurt instead of flour and milk. Yogurt REALLY helps with the almond flour. Use powdered Splenda for the icing.