Gluten-Free Everything Seed Crackers Recipe

Well, after the holidays ended, I switched back to a mainly gluten-free diet.

I have to tell you, it’s not that fun. I miss drinking good beer and being able to eat whatever I want. Now, I drink more herbal teas than coffee and eat more fruit for a snack instead of sweets. I’m sure it all be good in the long run for my health.

But sometimes, you have to wonder: what the heck should I eat? Especially when it comes to snacking.

Well, one mainstay for me has been to make my own gluten-free crackers. They taste like My Everything Bagels minus the gluten. I eat these crackers with cheese, hummus or any other dips I may make at home. They’re delicious and nutritious!

To provide structure for these crackers, I use flax seeds and yes, ch-ch-ch-chia seeds, a cousin to the ones you once used to grow in your clay chia “pet.” Chia seeds seem to be the new health hotness and are used to jazz up salads, cereals and energy bars. Chia seeds contain more alpha-linoleic acid, an omega-3 fat, than flax seeds, and also provide calcium, fiber and iron. 

Just 2 tablespoons of chia seeds contain about 139 calories, 11 grams of fiber, 9 grams of fat and 4 grams of protein, in addition to the above nutrients mentioned.

Chia seeds are kinda strange to work with at first, but now I’ve grown to like them. When you add liquid, the chia seeds swell and look like a squishy blob. For breakfast, sometimes, I make a “chia pudding,” by adding 2 tablespoons of seeds to about ½ cup of almond or coconut milk. Shake the seeds in the milk and let rest at least 20 minutes or as much as over night. Then, top the chia seed pudding with fresh fruit, dried coconut and some almonds. Yum!

If you’re looking for a healthy, gluten-free snack, these crackers are the way to go!

Smacznego!

A batch of my Gluten-Free Everything Seed Crackers served with hummus topped with nar.

Gluten-Free Everything Seed Crackers

Adapted from this recipe by Gluten-Free-Vegan-Girl

¼         cup      (25 g.)             flax seed flakes (I can buy them here already "cracked" so I don’t have to grind them.)

¼         cup      (40 g.)              chia seeds (Or substitute all flax seeds for the chia.)

1          cup      (240 ml)           water, room temp.

¼         cup      (40 g.)              My Everything Bagel mix (A homemade blend of white and black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic and onion powder and salt.)

½         cup      (75 g.)              sunflower seeds

¼         cup      (40 g.)              pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped

1          teaspoon                      za’atar spice sprinkled on top

¼         teaspoon                      salt or less to taste.

Mix flax and chia seeds together with the water. Whisk together and let rest for 20 minutes. The seeds will absorb the water and become kind of like egg-whites or glue-y.

Then, stir in the remaining ingredients, minus the za’atar or whatever spices you like.

Using an offset spatula, carefully spread out the cracker mixture thinly on parchment paper or a flexi silpat baking mat. (This stuff sticks everywhere. I've tried rolling the mixture between two sheets of paper, but it sticks and you lose a lot of the seeds. The baking mat is the best way to go.)

Sprinkle the spices on top.

Bake the crackers for 30 minutes at 375F/175 C, with a convection fan. Remove the tray from the oven, and then flip over so you can crisp up the other side. (If you leave two pieces of parchment, you can't peel off the second piece very easily. The silicone mat is the easiest way.)

Also, at this time, try to use a pizza wheel to slice the crackers into small squares. Then continue baking for about 20 more minutes. The crackers are done when they start to slightly brown on the edges and feel crispy.

Total baking time is about 50 minutes in my oven. If your oven doesn’t have a convection fan, the crackers may take a bit longer to bake.

Store the crackers in an airtight container about 1 week, if they last that long. But don't eat too many in one sitting as I did...too much fiber! ;-) I also use the leftover cracker crumbs on top of salads.

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Celebrating With Margaritas in Istanbul

(I tried to get this posted on Friday before we left for Antalya, but I was experiencing problems with my computer. So I guess you must read the post a little late.)

We’re in Turkey so I had completely forgotten it was Cinco de Mayo last week.

Apparently, my husband hadn’t. During the day, he called me saying he wanted to make his infamous, salt-rimmed margaritas when he got home from work and asked if I would make my tomato salsa. (Remember our horrible Turkish-made margarita experience here?)

Off to the store I went to procure the needed groceries.

In the U.S., Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) with copious amounts of tacos, nachos and tequila-laced margaritas, not even realizing the real meaning of the day for many people of Mexican descent. Cinco de Mayo commemorates the day in 1862 when the Mexican army fought and defeated the French army in a David-and-Goliath-like battle. In the U.S. and some states in Mexico, the date is often celebrated with fiestas and parades so people can honor their Mexican heritage.

These were going to be some “expensive” margaritas. 1 kilo of limes cost 15 TL (about $10 USD). Reserved bottles of Jose Cuervo tequila and Grand Marnier from airport duty free = priceless. 1 bag of tortilla chips = 10 TL ($6.50). Still cheaper and better to make the drinks at home.

As I’ve said before, hubby is an excellent bartender. I let him have his fun in the kitchen while I finished making the salsa. He squeezed the limes with our giant hand juicer and even made a simple syrup. 

He also garnished the margaritas with these adorable slug-like creatures he learned to make from a bartender on our honeymoon in Belize last year.

Now, Jason won’t divulge the exact measurements of his drink to me. However, if you’d like to make these margaritas at home, please email me and he will share the recipe individually with you. I will say his margaritas are top-notch and pack a good punch. We enjoyed them while we noshed on the chips and salsa at home.

In the meantime, I will share my simple salsa recipe made ala Turkish-style, of course.

Afiyet olsun!

Joy's Mexican Salsa
Ingredients:

500 g. (Antalya) tomatoes, medium diced
½ ea. small onion, diced small
2 ea. pickled acı Turkish peppers (for a medium-spiced salsa)
TT fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, salt and pepper

Place ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, stir to combine. Add the lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper to your liking.

Serve with tortilla chips.

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Happy Fat Tuesday!

New Orleans holds a special place in my heart.

It's where Jason and I were married last year. We will celebrate our 1-year anniversary later this month on the 26th with a little trip to London.

Today, an estimated 1 million people will celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans back in the states. Although we are very far away from those celebrations, that doesn't mean I can't cook some Cajun food at home.

Over the weekend, I invited two of my American classmates from my Turkish class to our apartment for a meal of New Orleans' fixins. This delightful couple also were married in the French Quarter in New Orleans.

When I think of New Orleans' food, I generally think of three things - gumbo, jambalaya and oysters. I made gumbo awhile back so I opted to make a version of jambalaya with chicken, shrimp and sucuk. The sucuk makes an excellent substitute for Andouille sausage even though its made from beef and not pork.

I looked through one of my favorite old New Orleans' cookbooks, "Recipes and Reminiscences of New Orleans," for inspiration. I enjoy reading these homey recipes collected from dozens of southern women.

One of the appetizer recipes talked about crab-stuffed tomatoes. Well, I don't have crab here, but I decided to fill cherry tomatoes with a mixture of labne, black olives and a little bit of French truffle oil instead. They were quite delicious!

Making jambalaya is similar to making a hearty pot of stew filled with all sorts of goodies. Jambalaya is akin to the saffron-colored paella native to the Spanish culture. It usually consists of the southern "trininty" of celery, onions and bell peppers, tomatoes (if you make Creole jambalaya), various meats and rice. I had to make a few substitutions, but the resulting dish resembled many of the jambalayas we've eaten in New Orleans.

A ladle full of steaming hot jambalaya.

I even decorated our dining table with some of our Mardi Gras beads (leftover wedding favors) to make it feel festive.

And, of course, I had to make a king cake for dessert. A king cake is a Mardi Gras tradition - based on a rich brioche-like dough decorated with icing and colorful baking sprinkles. Inside, you often will find a small trinket such as a plastic baby (which is supposed to represent baby Jesus), pecan or a legume. Tradition goes that if you get the piece of cake with the trinket then you are responsible for buying the cake for next celebration.

Wherever you may be, I hope you enjoy cooking a little Cajun food at your home like we did.

Today, I'll close with "Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez!"

Chicken, Shrimp and Sucuk Jambalaya

Easily serves 8 to 10 people. (I would cut the recipe in half if you have less than 4 people.)

Ingredients:

1  lg.            yellow onion, small diced

2  c.             red and green peppers (In Turkey, approx. 3 dolma biber, 2 kirmizi biber)

1  ea.           Turkish hot pepper

4-6               garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1  #   500 g.  chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

8 oz./235 g.  package of sucuk, cut into small pieces

7 oz./200 g.  fresh karides or shrimp, cleaned

1  400 g.       can of diced tomatoes

4  T.              tomato paste

2+                 cans of water or stock (I just used the tomato can to measure this.)

1  c.              Baldo or long-grain rice

TT               fresh parsley, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper

Optional      hot sauce (can be added to the jambalaya or simply placed on the table)

1.  In a large stockpot, heat 2 T. of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add and saute' the peppers, onions and garlic. Cook this mixture for about 8 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften.

2.  Add the chicken and sucuk. Cook for about 10 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside, stirring occasionally. 

3.  Then, add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water or stock, shrimp, rice and seasonings. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pot with a lid and cook for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. You may need to add a little more water if your mixture appears too thick.

4.  Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking. 

In New Orleans, you will always find at least one kind of hot sauce served on the table. (I even found Louisiana Hot Sauce here at one of my little shops.)

Labne-Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

(Inspired by my friend, Sharon in Istanbul, whom uses pesto instead of the black olive paste)

Ingredients:
As needed cherry tomatoes
TT             labne, black olive paste, salt and peper
Optional    truffle oil
Garnish     fresh parsley

1.  Trim and carefully hollow out the center of the cherry tomatoes, using a paring knife and a small measuring spoon.
2.  In a small bowl, stir together some labne with a spoonful of the black olive paste and a drizzle of truffle oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3.  Place the mixture in a resealable plastic bag, trimming off the end. Pipe the mixture into the cherry tomatoes.
4. When finished, garnish the tomatoes with the parsley.

Here I am with my new American friends, Spencer and Stephanie, who are studying Turkish.

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Holiday Recap: Istanbul

I feel as if the month of December flew by and I never had a chance to post many of my photos and recipes.

Before I left for the states, one Friday, I hosted a Christmas potluck luncheon at our apartment in Istanbul. I even found a fake, tabletop tree and a strand of colored lights at the hardware store. I decorated the tree with some festive decor I stored in one of the moving boxes. A girlfriend made the crocheted snowflakes.

I wanted my holiday fiesta to be perfect. I started making my to-do lists early in the week. I baked a “boozy gingerbread” quick bread recipe and started prepping the cake and tart shell two days prior so I’d have enough time to finish it all.

Even though I’d asked my American friends living here in Istanbul to bring a dish to share, I, like always, went in over my head. I can’t seem to help myself when I host get-togethers. I want to share my home-baked goodies with everyone. It’s certainly helpful when my husband is around because he can help reel me in a little bit. Not this time.

First thing when I woke up, I placed the ingredients for the mulled wine in a large stockpot on the stove. Soon the festive smell of cinnamon, cloves and citrus filled the air. I even had Christmas music playing on the stereo while I was busy in the kitchen.

Ingredients for the mulled wine.

Well, time disappeared quickly. I still hadn’t dried my hair and a few ladies had already arrived. Soon, my kitchen was filled with friends trying to find a spoon, bowl or plate while I quickly hurried to finish. 

I didn’t complete all my tasks on time. I had to stay back in the kitchen for awhile so I could put the finishing touches on my Bûche de Noël.

A "rushed" version of my chocolate Bûche de Noël with dark chocolate mousse. 

Tarte au Citron made from Meyer Lemons and Mandarins

My friends outdid themselves and brought a feast that reflected our American and Turkish influences. Some of the dishes included: lentil soup, pursulane salad, roasted eggplant salad, a Russian pasta salad, beef chili, cornbread muffins, banana bread, dill and peynir borek, steamed vegetables, cheddar cheese and crackers, hummus, turkey lasagna, stuffed cherry tomatoes with pesto labneh and fresh mandarins.

Finally, I had a hot glass of mulled wine and was able to relax. I talked and laughed with my friends. I’ve met a wonderful group of friends whom made the expat experience here that much more enjoyable.

Although the holidays are over, I hope you can save these recipes for your next festive shindig.

Afiyet Olsun!

Cranberry and Goat Cheese Toasts

Ingredients:

3.5       oz.       goat cheese (1 small Turkish goat cheese log), room temperature

½         c.         dried cranberries

1-2       T.        orange juice

1          ea.       orange zest, freshly grated

TT                   salt and freshly ground black pepper

1                      French baguette, sliced into ½-inch rounds

As needed        olive oil

Garnish:            freshly chopped chives and toasted walnuts

1. Combine the goat cheese, cranberries, orange juice and zest into a food processor bowl fitted with a blade. Pulse to combine.

2. If needed, added a bit more juice until you have a creamy mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Lightly drizzle olive oil over the sliced baguette pieces. Place in the oven at 350F/175C until the bread is lightly toasted.

4. Pipe or spoon the goat cheese bread onto the toasts. Garnish with chives and toasted walnuts.

Mulled Holiday Wine

(I used a 5xs recipe for the potluck.)

Ingredients:

1          750      ml.       bottle cheap dry, red wine

½         c.                     granulated sugar

1          ea.                    orange zest, finely grated

1          ea.                    cinnamon stick

6-8       ea.                    cloves

1          ea.                    vanilla bean, scraped

1-2       ea.                    cardamom pods

2          ea.                    star anise

1. Place the ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to a simmer, but do not let boil. Let the mulled wine cook on low heat for 1 to 2 hours.

2. Strain. Place into a thermos or ladle the wine into glasses straight off the stove. If you like, serve the glasses with a thin orange slice.

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Tender Lamb Fit For a Sultan: Hünkar Beğendi

Since I've lived in Istanbul the past 2 months, I’ve eaten more lamb than I ever have in my entire life.

I’ve had grilled lamb chops, traditional lamb kebaps on skewers, doner kebap – thin slices of spit-roasted lamb on various types of bread (basically a type of sandwich), minced lamb, tomatoes and onion on lamacun – a flat, thin crusted-like pizza and on pide – a Turkish flatbread.

I never ate lamb until after college sometime. I grew up in the heart of the Midwest so we ate a lot of beef, pork and chicken. I’d rather eat a juicy, perfectly cooked steak any day of the week. Lamb just doesn't cut it for me.

Taken near Lincoln, Nebraska, where I went to university. This photo just needs the cows.

Every time, I went to the grocery store here I would buy chicken. It doesn’t matter if I can’t read the label because chicken looks the same in any language. However, I was getting tired of cooking and eating chicken at home.

Last week, I asked one of my friends here to write down different cuts of lamb and beef for me in Turkish. Armed with my cheat sheet, I went to the butcher’s counter at the grocery store and ordered lamb shank in Turkish or kuzu incik.

For my first foray into cooking lamb, I turned to a new cookbook I received as a wedding gift called “Turquoise: A chef’s travels in Turkey” by Greg and Lucy Malouf. The book is filled with gorgeous photos, detailed stories and the couple’s adaptations of Turkish recipes.

I decided to make Sultan’s Delight (Hünkar Beğendi) – lamb ragout with cheesy eggplant puree. The Maloufs write: “Legend has it that this dish was served to the Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III, on a visit to Istanbul in the 1860s. Keen to impress, the Sultan had many of his favorite dishes prepared for her, including this one.”

My updated version of Hünkar Beğendi utilizes tender lamb chunks bought from the butcher. This speeds up the cooking process to about an hour and the meat is already pre-diced. 

I made a few adaptations to the recipe such as using lamb shank instead of cut lamb leg or shoulder and adding potatoes, red pepper flakes and dried oregano. The lamb needs to cook about 1 ½ hours so plan ahead. The creamy eggplant could be replaced with mashed potatoes, but it was fun to try something different.

The long cooking time is worth it because you achieve a lamb shank that is meltingly tender and falling off the bone. I don’t think lamb will ever hold the same place in my heart as steak, but this was pretty damned good!

While the lamb cooked on the stovetop, I also made a quick yogurt dip made with garlic, parsley, mint and dill and served it with fresh bread. The dip satisfied our hunger pangs until the lamb was done.

Afiyet olsun!

A complete Turkish meal at home...with raki, of course.

Turkish Lamb Ragout...AKA: Sultan’s Delight (Hünkar Beğendi)

Ingredients:

1 ½      #          lamb shank

2          T.         oil

2          ea.        red onions, (12 oz. weighed), 1” diced

4          ea.        garlic cloves, chopped

8          oz.       potatoes, 1”diced

1          tsp.      dried oregano

1          tsp.      honey

2          lg.        tomatoes, skinned, seeded and diced

1          T.         hot Turkish red pepper paste

1          tsp.      salt

1 ½      tsp.      freshly ground black pepper

Pinch               crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

8 to 10 oz.       chicken stock

As needed       Italian parsley, chopped for garnish

Hot Turkish red pepper paste

1. Using a 6-8 qt. stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Then, add and brown the lamb shank pieces, turning as needed. Remove the lamb and set aside.

2. Add a little more oil to the pan. Then, add and sauté’ the onion, garlic and potatoes until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes.

3. Next, add the oregano, honey and tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes.

4. Stir in the red pepper paste, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and stock. Bring to a boil. Stir mixture well and return the lamb shank to the pot.

5. Cover the pot, lower the heat allowing the lamb to simmer gently for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until the lamb is tender and the liquid has reduced to a thick sauce.

Cheesy Eggplant Puree

Ingredients:

12        oz.       Japanese eggplant or small eggplants

1/3       c.         heavy cream

3          oz.       Turkish Kasar cheese or Gruyere, grated

Pinch               nutmeg, freshly ground

TT                    salt and pepper

½         ea.        lemon, freshly squeezed

1. Turn on the oven’s broiler to high. Prick the eggplants all over with a fork and set them on an aluminum-foil lined baking tray in the oven.

2. Rotate the eggplants regularly so that all sides get charred. (Alternatively, set the eggplants over a low-medium flame, if you have a gas stovetop, until charred all over and soft.

3. Place the eggplants in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for at least 10 minutes. This will allow the eggplants to sweat so the skin is easier to remove.

4. When the eggplants are cool enough to touch, gently peel away the skin from the flesh.

5. Put the eggplants into a bowl with a little lemon juice and leave for 5 minutes. (This step helps soak away bits of burnt skin and turns the flesh pale and creamy.)

6. Drain the eggplants in a colander. Gently squeeze them to remove any extra moisture. Then, chop into small pieces.

7. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Stir in the cheese and nutmeg. Season with salt, pepper and the lemon juice.

8. Add the eggplant to the cream, beating lightly to combine, and cook for a few minutes. (I used my handy immersion blender here to help break up the pieces. The mixture will look kind of like lumpy mashed potatoes.)

To serve: spoon some of the eggplant puree into the center of the serving bowl. Make a well in the center of the puree and place the lamb shank on top. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

My original version of Hünkar Beğendi used chunks of potatoes in the recipe too. It just depends on how hearty of a dish you would like.

Herbed Yogurt Dip

Suzme Turkish yogurt or thick-style Greek yogurt

Parsley, fresh, chopped

Mint, fresh, chopped

Dill, fresh, chopped

Garlic, fresh, chopped

Olive oil

Lemon juice

TT        salt and pepper

1. Place approximately ½ cup of yogurt in a small mixing bowl.

2. Add the chopped herbs and garlic. Stir to combine. Add a little olive oil to thin out the yogurt and lemon juice to provide a little acid.

3. Season the yogurt with salt and pepper. Taste and see if the ingredients need to be adjusted to your liking.

4. Transfer the yogurt to a ramekin or small bowl. Serve with a crusty loaf of bread.

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