Chicken with peppers and goji berries

This is the second recipe dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the National Carmagnola Pepper Fair and is one of our favourites when we are very hungry, have little time and want something tasty and light: Chicken with peppers and goji berries, naturally gluten free and with very few carbohydrates. If you want to look at the first recipe again, here it is: Gazpacho of yellow tomatoes, peppers and crispy prosciutto.

Pepper is a typical summer vegetable, particularly popular in hot countries, although it is now cultivated all over the world. Its versatility in cooking is extraordinary, and from a nutritional point of view it is rich in vitamin C, even richer than oranges, which are often considered the champions in ‘this speciality’.

Well, by combining peppers with goji berries, which by the way belong to the same family, we can enjoy their countless health benefits. Goji berries are to be consumed with caution for those with diabetes because they have a high carbohydrate content, as much as 64g per 100g of product, and also calories, but at the same time are rich in protein, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, lipids such as omega 3 and omega 6, magnesium, chromium, vitamins C, E and B1, carotene, amino acids, fibre, lutein and germanium.

Eating a dish like this one that is a joy for the eyes, for the palate and for our well-being seems to me the best way to celebrate a very respectable birthday!

Chicken with peppers and goji berries

3.49g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 4-6 servings

  • 700g chicken breast
  • 380g yellow, red and green peppers
  • 80g leek
  • 30g goji berries
  • 1 sachet of saffron
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt

Preparation

  1. Soak the goji berries in lukewarm water for 30 minutes.
  2. Cut the chicken into strips, mix with the saffron and leave to season for about 30 minutes.
  3. Cut the leeks into thin rounds and the peppers into strips for sautéing. Heat a wok, pour in a few tablespoons of oil and sauté the leek alone first, then add the peppers; season with salt and cook over a high flame for 5 minutes, stirring often. Set them aside.
  4. Put another 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in the wok and stir-fry the chicken for 5-6 minutes, then add the goji berries, season with salt and continue cooking for 1 minute.
  5. Remove the chicken from the heat, mix it with the peppers and serve hot or lukewarm accompanied by a mixed salad.

 

Version with gluten of Chicken with peppers and goji berries

The recipe contains only naturally gluten-free ingredients, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten.

 

This recipe was submitted to the Contest ‘Carmagnola Pepper: 70 years in 70 recipes’

/0 Comments/by

Gluten-free potato pizza with olives

,

A gluten free potato pizza with olives as an alternative to conventional pizza.

We know that pizza for those with diabetes and coeliac disease is one of the absolute most difficult dishes to manage. It is so because not only are really good gluten free pizzas very difficult to find, but also because people with diabetes have to manage the ‘pizza effect‘, i.e. abnormal rises in blood sugar levels due to the combination of ingredients in pizza (and alas, also high amounts of sugar hidden in the dough and tomato sauce, as well as fairly high amounts of salt), even many hours after eating it.

The potato pizza is a nice alternative; yes, we have to pay attention to the carbohydrates contained in the potatoes, but they are much easier to handle than low quality pizza. Furthermore, it can be a nice idea for a naturally gluten free dinner or snack in the garden! You can serve it with a Swordfish salad.

Gluten free potato pizza with olives

14.27g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 700g potatoes
  • 400g tomato sauce
  • 250g cow’s milk mozzarella
  • 80g pitted green or black olives*
  • 20g spring onion
  • extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Peel the potatoes, slice them thinly and steam them for 20 minutes. Put a little oil in a non-stick frying pan, pour in the potatoes, season with salt and pepper and brown them lightly by pressing them down with a fork or a wooden spoon.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce. Put a few tablespoons of oil in a non-stick frying pan, brown the finely chopped spring onion, then add the tomato sauce, season with salt and pepper, then cover and leave to cook for 15-20 minutes.
  3. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, cover the bottom with the potatoes, then top with tomato sauce and pitted olives in pieces.
  4. Bake in a static oven preheated to 200°C for about 10 minutes, then add the mozzarella and continue baking until the mozzarella has melted.
  5. Serve the potato pizza hot.

pizza-di-patate-olive-senza-glutine-uno-chef-per-gaia

Version with gluten of Potato pizza with olives

The recipe contains only naturally gluten-free ingredients, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten.

 

/0 Comments/by

The pleasure of discovery: Fonio patties

,

Fonio patties, an ancient gluten free grain

What is this product that not even the Word spellcheck recognises as a term of the English language? It is an ancient gluten free grain that has been cultivated in Africa for over 5,000 years, yet only in 2018 the EFSA published its favourable opinion for the import and sale of this product, which is considered novel food as it has never before entered Europe.

It comes with such small grains that when I received the package to test and taste it, I thought I had been sent a flour!

Fonio is in some ways similar to millet, with an even milder flavour, but less sweet. From a nutritional point of view, it is a small marvel as it is rich in micronutrients, particularly iron and zinc, as well as essential amino acids not found in other cereals or pseudocereals. Its carbohydrate content is 74.4g per 100g of product, so very similar to other cereals, but it has a lower glycaemic index due to the presence of fibre and the absence of simple sugars, making it a valuable ally of ours.

The other element of great interest is the fact that this food grows on arid land with very little need for water, making it ideal for a world in which desertification and water scarcity are becoming increasingly urgent. I have to admit that I also like the idea of adding a new and environmentally sustainable member to the gluten free cereal family.

Fonio in the kitchen

On a purely gastronomic level, my surprise and satisfaction was mildness. These patties are an irresistible finger food and the almost ‘neutral’ taste of fonio, which can be somewhat compared to the ‘neutral’ taste of wheat, makes it suitable for so many preparations: in addition to crackers in which fonio has passed the test with flying colours, my next experiments will be bread and cakes, so I will keep you updated!

While waiting for it to be distributed in the various channels, those of you who want to learn more, taste and experience it, it will soon be on sale directly from the website of Obà Food.

While waiting to try fonio, you can replace it with millet when preparing these patties. Or try my Couscous patties.

Happy experimentation and bon appetit!

Fonio patties

18.82g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 300g previously prepared vegetable stock
  • 100g fonio grains*
  • 100g Delica pumpkin, peeled and with seeds removed
  • 60g ricotta cheese
  • 50g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
  • 50g extra virgin olive oil
  • 50 g breadcrumbs**
  • 40g leek
  • 30g sesame seeds
  • 1 egg
  • salt and pepper

Ingredients for serving Fonio patties

sauces* as desired

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. In a saucepan, sauté the finely chopped leek in a little extra virgin olive oil; as soon as it has browned, add the diced pumpkin, then a ladle of stock and cook over a low flame. When the pumpkin is cooked, mash it with a wooden spoon, then add the remaining stock and throw in the Fonio grains. Let it cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool down.
  2. Once cold, add the egg, ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and sesame and mix well; season with salt and pepper, then place in the fridge to cool and firm up for 2 hours (in case you don’t have time, skip the fridge step, but it will be a little more difficult to form the patties because the mixture will be softer; if it is too soft, add a bit of breadcrumbs). Form patties of the desired size: I made patties about 4 cm in diameter. Roll them on a dish containing some extra virgin olive oil, then in a second dish with breadcrumbs so that this adheres well to the surface of the patties.
  3. Place the patties on a baking tin covered with greaseproof paper, drizzle with a little oil and bake in a convection oven preheated to 200°C for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
  4. Serve the meatballs with sauces to taste, I served them with a mustard flavoured sauce.

polpette-di-fonio-senza-glutine-uno-chef-per-gaia

Version with gluten of Fonio patties

Replace the gluten free breadcrumbs with conventional breadcrumbs.

/0 Comments/by

Salt cod patties

,

These Salt cod patties are perfect for a meal with family or friends, but are also ideal as finger food to enjoy standing in the garden. They are low in carbohydrates, making them a tasty and easy solution for bringing diabetes and celiac disease to the table.

The recipe is inspired by the patties eaten at the Osteria del baccalà in Vairano Scalo, in the province of Caserta, run by Antonio Ruggiero, a lecturer at the ISISS Marconi hotel school in the same locality, where I had the pleasure of tasting an entire menu based on salt cod, an experience that Antonio describes as “Therapeutic salt cod dinner“.

Starting from the story of Antonio’s preparation, I tried to remake them and I must admit that the result obtained is not very far from the original. The certain difference is that in this recipe they are breaded in corn flour, whereas the original Osteria recipe uses white flour.

Salt cod patties

13.18g carbohydrates per 100g patties without accompanying sauce

 Ingredients for the patties

  • 440g desalted cod
  • 150g boiled potatoes
  • 100g sheep or buffalo ricotta cheese
  • 65g coarse corn flour*
  • 50g milk
  • 35g gluten free white bread**
  • 5g salted capers
  • parsley
  • frying oil
  • salt and pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients for the accompanying sauce

  • 300g Ciro Flagella tomato sauce
  • 25g triple tomato paste
  • 1 clove garlic
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • dried Crusco pepper or sweet paprika
  • chili
  • salt

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Cook the desalted cod for 20 minutes in a pan, covering it with equal amounts of water and milk. Remove the skin and any bones and let the cod cool down.
  2. Boil the potatoes, then peel and dice them. Soak the bread in milk.
  3. Prepare the accompanying sauce. Put a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a pan and brown 1 clove of garlic; add the tomato paste and dilute it with a bit of water, then pour in the sauce; season with salt and cook for 15 minutes. Season with chopped Crusco pepper, or paprika, and chilli.
  4. Place the cooked cod in a bowl, crumble it with a fork, then add the diced potatoes, soaked bread, ricotta cheese, chopped capers and parsley and a pinch of pepper. Form small balls of 30g each, roll them in a dish containing a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil so that the corn flour sticks to the surface when rolled on it.
  5. Fry the patties in plenty of peanut oil until golden brown and serve with the spicy tomato sauce.
Polpette di baccalà

Salt cod patties

Version with gluten of Salt cod patties

Replace gluten-free bread with conventional bread in equal amounts.

/0 Comments/by

Couscous with prawn and courgette curry

, ,

The summer heat is here and our solution to fully enjoy the days outdoors is a fresh and complete recipe: Couscous with prawn and courgette curry.

In this way, you have a unique, tasty dish that is perfect for satisfying a craving for good food without weighing you down and for travelling eastwards with flavours. For your summer, you can also try this Swordfish salad.

The tip: prepare some extra, it will be great even the day after!

Couscous with prawn and courgette curry

Couscous 35g carbohydrates per 100g

Prawn and courgette sauce 4.12g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 500g courgettes
  • 500g milk
  • 400g peeled and deveined prawns
  • 300g water
  • 250 g couscous Bia gluten free**
  • 30g shallot
  • 2 heaped tablespoons of grated coconut
  • 1 tbsp curry
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

Preparation

  1. First prepare the couscous. Put 300g of water in a saucepan with a pinch of salt and heat it, without bringing it to the boil. Pour the couscous into a bowl and cover it with hot water; let it rest for the time necessary to allow all the water to be absorbed and the curry to set.
  2. Put a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a non-stick pan and brown the finely chopped shallot. Add curry and turmeric, and toast for one minute before adding the courgettes cut into sticks half a centimetre in diameter and 4cm long. Let it season for a few minutes, then cover with milk, add salt and pepper and let it cook for about ten minutes. At this point, sprinkle with grated coconut, add the peeled and deveined prawns, stir the mixture well and let it cook for a few minutes.
  3. In the meantime, shell the couscous, add a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and salt to taste.
  4. Serve by placing 3 heaped tablespoons of couscous in the centre of a deep dish and the hot prawn and courgette curry sauce all around.
  5. Watch the videorecipe of a very similar preparation.

cous-cous-senza-glutine-uno-che-per-gaia

Version with gluten of Couscous with prawn and courgette curry

Simply replace the gluten-free couscous with a standard couscous, all other ingredients are naturally gluten free.

/0 Comments/by

Couscous patties: tasty and easy to prepare

,

How to resist Couscous patties? So here is one of our favourite sections, meatballs and patties. Today’s recipe is couscous patties: light, tasty and easy to prepare. We also recommend a sauce to accompany them and enhance their flavour.

If you feel like continuing preparing patties, have a look at the Meatballs and patties section of the blog and try Falafel if you want to opt for vegetarian cuisine.

They are simply irresistible!

Couscous patties 

carbohydrates 18.9g per 100g of patties without sauce

Ingredients

  • 200g Green pumpkin pulp
  • 180 g ready-made couscous** (I love gluten free Bia Couscous )
  • 60g diced speck*
  • 40g raisins
  • 40g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 egg
  • extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper as needed

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Ingredients for the sauce

  • 250g Mutti tomato pulp
  • extra virgin olive oil, oregano, thyme, chilli, salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Soak the rasisins in warm water. Dice the pumpkin and brown it in a pan with a little extra virgin olive oil and the clove of garlic; let it cook for 15 minutes. Remove the garlic, add the speck and squeezed raisins, then cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
  2. Place the cooked pumpkin in a bowl with the couscous and mix, crushing the pumpkin so that the mixture is fairly homogenous. Add the egg and grated Parmesan cheese, mix well and season with salt and pepper.

polpette-cous-cous-senza-glutine-uno-chef-per-gaia

  1. Shape the mixture into round balls, place them on a baking tin lined with parchment paper, drizzle them lightly with oil and bake in a convection oven preheated to 180°C for about 20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the accompanying sauce. Season the tomato pulp with the herbs and extra virgin olive oil, then season with salt, pepper and chilli to taste.
  3. Serve the couscous balls with the tomato sauce.

polpette-cous-cous-senza-glutine-uno-chef-per-gaia

Version with gluten of Couscous patties 

Replace the gluten-free couscous with one of the wonderful couscous types by the company Biasponsor of the San Vito Lo Capo couscous festival in Sicily.

/0 Comments/by

Salmon au gratin: the taste of simplicity

The holidays are coming and many of us are already thinking about what to prepare on Christmas Eve. So, to follow the tradition of having a ‘meatless’ dinner on the 24th of December, we recommend a very easy and tasty recipe featuring one of the most popular fish on Christmas tables: Salmon au gratin.

It is such a simple preparation that it is almost a non-recipe, but accompanied by a side dish of vegetables, it is truly worthy of the Christmas table and will win over even the youngest members of the family. Have a look at Ravioli with prawns and cherry tomatoes which could be perfect to complete your dinner.

Salmon au gratin

10.29g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 600g salmon in 4 slices
  • 100g breadcrumbs**
  • Parsley, extra virgin olive oil and salt as needed

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Place the breadcrumbs in a deep dish and mix with chopped parsley, salt and oil to form a sort of paste.
  2. Place the salmon slices on a baking tray covered with baking paper; cover with the aromatic breadcrumbs and press them down so that they stick well to the fish.

salmone-gratinato-senza-glutine-uno-chef-per-gaia

  1. Place in a static oven preheated to 200°C for about 10 minutes, so that the bread browns slightly.

Now serve and enjoy!

salmone-gratinato-senza-glutine-uno-chef-per-gaia

Salmon au gratin

Version with gluten of Salmon au gratin

Replace the gluten-free breadcrumbs with standard breadcrumbs.

/0 Comments/by

Turkey meatballs with saffron

,

Our much-loved meatballs are back on the table with these Turkey meatballs with saffron, the perfect dish to please young and old alike. Why? Simply because they contain the right nutrients, they can be prepared with vegetables and have that nice shape typical of goodies that are eaten one after the other.

Meatballs are also a practical solution for household supplies: when you make them, you can make extra amounts and, once cooked, you can put them in the home freezer to have them ready in minutes in case of emergency. You can defrost them first in the microwave oven and then heat them in a non-stick pan, or simply wait for them to defrost and heat directly on the stove.

Today’s proposal is a light, delicate and lightly spiced recipe: Turkey meatballs with saffron.

Prepare your shopping list with these ingredients and fire up the cooker… let’s get started!

Turkey meatballs with saffron

6.9g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients for 6 servings

  • 700g ground turkey meat
  • 450g milk
  • 250g leek
  • 100g robiola cheese
  • 80g breadcrumbs**
  • 40g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
  • 1 egg
  • 1 sachet of saffron
  • rice flour*, extra virgin olive oil, salt, herbs

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Chop the leek very finely and sweat it in a non-stick pan with a little oil.
  2. Place the minced meat in a bowl, add the stewed leek, season with salt and add the Parmesan, robiola cheese, breadcrumbs, egg and chopped herbs, then mix well.
  3. Form patties 3-4 cm in diameter, roll them in rice flour and brown them on both sides in a non-stick pan with a little oil. Now dissolve the saffron in the milk, add a little salt and pour it over the meatballs. Cover and cook, allowing the saffron sauce to thicken well.

polpettine-di-tacchino-allo-zafferano-senza-glutine-uno-chef-per-gaia

Version with gluten of Turkey meatballs with saffron

Replace gluten-free breadcrumbs with standard breadcrumbs.

/0 Comments/by

Vegetable mix au gratin

Vegetables are fun, colourful, tasty and healthy. In short, there are many good reasons to use them in the kitchen in the preparation of tasty dishes that can become complete meals. They are never missing from our table, and today I want to propose a perfect recipe for a meal full of that goodness we love so much: Vegetable mix au gratin.

The appearance of the pie will certainly make the vegetables more attractive to the little ones at home, who are generally not very attracted to them, but in this preparation, the presence of other tasty and stringy ingredients will win their aversion… so we will be able to ‘train’ taste so that vegetables become an unfailing companion of all meals. And for this unusual workout, I also recommend the Three-colour flan irresistible!

Vegetable mix au gratin

19.22g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 700g peeled yellow potatoes
  • 100g yellow pepper
  • 100g red pepper
  • 100g smoked semi-hard cheese
  • 60g red onion
  • 60g extra virgin olive oil
  • 50g pitted green olives*
  • 50g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
  • 50g breadcrumbs**
  • 1 egg
  • extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Boil the potatoes until soft; mash them with a potato masher and let them cool, then season with grated Parmesan cheese, egg, salt and pepper.
  2. Meanwhile, place the thinly sliced red onion in a non-stick frying pan, or wok, with 30g of oil and brown it. Add the diced yellow and red pepper and let it cook for about ten minutes to soften.
  3. Take an oven dish and form a layer of mashed potatoes with half of the mixture, cover it with the sautéed peppers, the green olives cut in half and the slices of smoked cheese. Cover everything with the remaining potatoes, sprinkle the surface with breadcrumbs and drizzle with 30 grams of extra virgin olive oil.
  4. Finally, place in a convection oven preheated to 200°C for about 20 minutes, the surface should turn golden.
verdure-gratinate-senza-glutine-uno-chef-per-gaia

Vegetable mix au gratin

Version with gluten of Vegetable mix au gratin

Replace gluten-free breadcrumbs with standard breadcrumbs, no other adaptation is needed.

/0 Comments/by

Gluten-free summer: Legumotti with vegetables

,

Finding a product that is perfect for both the needs of diabetes and celiac disease is a rather rare occurrence, so discovering Barilla Legumotti on supermarket shelves was more than a surprise: it was a real joy and I decided to cook Legumotti with vegetables.

In fact, the label of Legumotti with red lentils, chickpeas and peas shows only these three ingredients in the quantities of 60%, 20% and 20% respectively. The total carbohydrate value of Legumotti is 48.3g per 100g of dry product, which is then half as much once cooked, as they double their weight by absorbing some of the cooking water. By adding the vegetables, we then provide lots of fibre which will slow down the absorption of the complex carbohydrates from the pulses… and this is what made our day with perfect blood glucose levels!

But all with a truly unexpected treat for the palate: my children expressly asked us to unleash our creativity to bring this ‘mini-pasta‘ (which reminds us so much of the Sardinian fregola that we love, but have never found in a good gluten free version) to the table at least once a week.

I’d say we really like this challenge, since with the kids on summer holiday the need to prepare a midday meal as well needs an extra effort of organisation and imagination!

Legumotti with vegetables

14.94g carbohydrates per 100g

Ingredients

  • 350g courgettes
  • 300g Barilla Legumotti*
  • 200g carrots
  • 100g semi-hard cheese
  • 90g cherry tomatoes
  • 60g pitted black olives
  • 50g onions
  • 1 clove garlic
  • basil, extra virgin olive oil and salt as needed

**Ingredients specific for celiacs

*Ingredients whose labels must read “gluten-free” (or, in Italy, present on  Prontuario AIC)

Preparation

  1. Chop the onion finely and sauté it with the garlic clove over high heat in a wok or non-stick pan with a little extra virgin olive oil, stirring constantly. In the meantime, cut the carrots into rather small cubes and the courgettes into slightly larger cubes (so that the cooking time is the same, as the carrot generally takes a little longer) and add them to the onion.
  2. Always keep the heat fairly high and stir occasionally so that the vegetables cook quickly without burning. Once ready (they should remain crispy), season with salt, remove the garlic and set aside.
  3. Cook the Legumotti in salted water, drain them and stop cooking by running them under cold water for a few seconds.
  4. Pour the Legumotti into a bowl, add the sautéed vegetables, quartered cherry tomatoes, pitted olives, diced cheese and season with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, chopped basil to taste and a pinch of salt if required.
  5. Serve the Legumotti warm or cold.

legumotti-alle-verdure-barilla

Version with gluten of Legumotti with vegetables

The recipe contains only naturally gluten-free ingredients, so no adaptation is necessary for its version with gluten.

/0 Comments/by