This week’s theme is pineapple. In a happy coincidence, this month’s Bon Appetit magazine arrived and it had a lesson in pineapple peeling and two recipes that looked delicious. (Knowing how to conquer a pineapple is one of those skills that made it easy to cut up pineapples and freeze them for smoothies when they were on sale for $1.00 each. Normally, they are $3.99 to $4.99.) One of the magazine recipes was a pineapple pancake that used roasted pineapple rings in the center of the pancake batter with a pineapple sauce. For dessert there is a roasted pineapple in the Baking Sheet recipes. All of the ideas for roasting multiple ingredients for dinner on a baking sheet looked quick and easy and the combinations were tasty and different. It reminded me of Pam Anderson’s roasting pan dinners in her Perfect One-Dish Dinners cookbook. Whether it’s throwing everything into a slow cooker or roasting it all on a baking sheet or roasting pan, I love these non-fussy, yet flavorful ways to get a healthy, beautiful dinner on the table with a minimum of effort. Leafing thorough the magazine this weekend, I was struck by how so much of it looked good to me, was gluten-free naturally or could be adapted, and how much almond flour is being used in their baked goods, although along with all-purpose flour. It seems that the gluten-free baking innovators may be influencing mainstream bakers with nut flours and other whole grain flours.
The menu this week:
- Cod Piccata from Elana Amsterdam’s The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook
- Kale Tart with Cranberries also from Elana, salad
- Spicy Chicken copycat from PF Changs or Pei Wei that uses pineapple juice in the sauce with Basmati rice
- Parmesan Chicken and Roasted Romaine and Roasted Pineapple for dessert
- Beef Stir-Fry with broccoli, mushrooms and peppers over quinoa
- Pesto Minestrone
- Pizza night using up veggies in the produce drawer and leftovers
Visit Heather at Celiac Family for the schedule and her menu for Monday with the rest of the Gluten-Free Menu Swap.
Laura at Organizing Junkie is the place for menu planners to meet up on Mondays. Laura also provides great tips and resources.
Pineapples for $1?!! I would’ve filled my basket, especially if I knew you could freeze them. I also love the idea of putting leftovers and orphaned veggies on pizza. Repurposed leftovers often get a better reception at our dinner table.
Pineapples for $1 is incredible! I think that so many folks (including me!) forget how many foods we can actually freeze–sometimes as is, sometimes by using a simple cooking method beforehand.
I love that you’ve seen that transition in Bon Appetit, Wendy. I find so many recipes these days to be gluten free friendly. Part of it is seeing things differently and part of it is the use of nut flours, flourless concepts, etc. I actually think those types of recipes have often been included by top chefs at fine restaurants, but they are increasing more and more and that’s so fabulous!
Last, that photo is cool … the lighting makes it look like a fall shot.
Have a good week!
Shirley
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