A former beauty marketing executive, Karen now runs her blog Healthy Gluten Free Family, sharing simple, delicious recipes and tips on gluten-free living. @HealthyGFFamily HealthyGFFamily.com
Westport Lifestyle General Tso's Chickpeas + Veggies
An easy, adaptable and beyond delicious dish that's sure to become one of your go-to dinners.
Serves 4
Sauce:
1 T sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 knob of ginger, grated
½ C vegetable broth
½ C gluten-free tamari or soy sauce
⅓ C rice vinegar
¼ C sugar
2 T gluten-free plain tomato paste
2 T cornstarch, dissolved in 1-2 T of cold water
Stir Fry Veggies:
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2-3 T sesame oil
1 head of broccoli, cut into bite sized florets
2 small red bell peppers, cored and sliced
2-3 cloves minced garlic
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, white and green parts divided
Optional: 1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
Directions:
Sauce: In a small saucepan, heat sesame oil over medium-low heat.
Add ginger and garlic, stirring until fragrant. Add remaining ingredients and whisk to combine. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce is thickened. Set aside.
Stir Fry: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2-3 T oil and heat until shimmering. Add white parts of onions and some of the green parts, sauté 1-2 minutes until tender.
Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant. Add peppers and sauté 3-4 minutes until starting to get tender. Add broccoli, cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
Add a few spoonfuls of sauce to the vegetables and stir to combine. Heat 2-3 minutes over low heat. Spoon into a bowl and set aside.
Add chickpeas to the same pan over medium-heat, sauté 2-3 minutes to warm. Spoon sauce onto chickpeas, stir to combine, simmer for a few minutes.
Serve chickpeas and veggies over brown rice, white rice, or quinoa. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion.
Lauren Braun Costello is a classically trained chef, published author, cooking show host, and expert food stylist. Part Martha Stewart and part Midge Maisel, Lauren cooks with style and humor! She can teach anyone how to cook anything, including you! @ItsLaurenOfCourse ItsLaurenOfCourse.com
Westport Lifestyle Clam Chowder
Serves 8
Ingredients:
3 dozen fresh little neck clams
4 slices thick slab bacon
3 T olive oil
2 large shallots, minced
4 C fish stock
3 T unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely diced
¼ C all-purpose flour
1 C heavy cream
2 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
1-2 C fresh corn kernels
Salt and ground white pepper to taste
¼ C chopped parsley
Tip: If you can't find fish stock, use chicken stock or a bottle of clam juice.
1. In a large mixing bowl, cover the clams with cold tap water. Set aside for 20 minutes up to one hour so clams can release sand. You’ll be so very glad they did.
2. Cut bacon in ½-inch strips crosswise. Place them in a sauté pan, turn the heat to medium-low, stirring until the bacon browns and crisps. Yes, you read that right. Put the bacon in the cold pan and then turn on the heat so that you brown the bacon, not burn it. Remove the bacon to a paper-towel lined plate.
3. Drain clams and scrub under running water. Cover them in cold water again. The water should be clear and free of sand which, to reiterate, is not one of the ingredients in this soup. Drain one final time and set aside.
4. Heat Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add shallots and sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, until softened. Return heat to medium-high. Add 1 cup of fish stock to the pan. Place all the clams in the pan, in a single layer if possible, and bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the clams have opened their shells.
Tip: Never force open a clam. If it doesn’t open, it wasn’t alive when you brought it home and you definitely don’t want to eat it.
5. Remove clams from the pan and discard shells. Chop clams into smaller pieces if too large and set aside. Transfer the liquid in the pan to a separate vessel and set aside.
6. It’s showtime! Heat butter in the now-emptied Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until softened, stirring frequently, 6-8 minutes.
7. Stir in flour to distribute evenly and cook for 1 minute. Add remaining three cups of stock, the reserved pan juices from steaming the clams, the cream, and potatoes. Stir well to combine and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir gently as the mixture thickens then reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often, until potatoes are tender.
8. Add clams and corn. Season to taste with a lot of salt and pepper, cook for 2 minutes. Stir in chopped parsley and remove from the heat.
9. Serve immediately, garnished with bacon and oyster crackers (if you haven’t been noshing on the bacon and crackers while preparing this recipe).