Comfort Food A Rescue And A Remedy

We all need some comfort food at times, and if you grew up with gluten-full versions of foods, it could be especially daunting to find satisfying replacements, especially when you need a Comfort Food Rescue all of a sudden. You need something at times like this hidden away in your cupboards that you can make and indulge in.

Here are some of the most loved Comfort Foods.

·       Cherry Cheesecake – New York Style ·       Chicken Noodle Soup ·       Chilaquiles – A Mexican Breakfast of fried corn tortillas covered with green or red salsa, scrambled or sunnyside-up eggs,  refried beans, chicken slivers, and grated cheese. ·       Chili – made with red kidney beans and ground beef with melted cheese on top ·       Chocolate Chip Cookies ·       Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup ·       Grits – boiled white cornmeal with butter, salt cheese, or fancied-up with shrimp, sausage, or bacon. ·       Ice Cream ·       Jajangmyeon (Korean Noodles in Black Bean Sauce) ·       Koshari – A middle eastern comfort food consisting of Rice, Black or Brown Lentils, Chickpeas, and Pasta that have all been cooked individually, then tossed together and served with three spicy sauces. Salad Dressing made with Lemon juice, Vinegar, salt, pepper, and crushed garlic. Garlic sauteed in oil and spiced with cumin, chili flakes, and coriander. Tomato Sauce, then Topped with onions dipped in flour and fried until crispy. ·       Mashed potatoes and Gravy ·       Matzo Ball Soup ·       Meatloaf ·       Oatmeal Cookies ·       Pancakes with fruit, maple syrup, and whipped cream ·       Potato Pancakes with sour cream ·       Rice Pudding ·       Spaghetti and Meatballs ·       Tacos

Oatmeal Soup Is a Comfort Food memory from my childhood.

The above list contains some awesome comfort foods, but there are times when they are too much trouble to make or you lack an ingredient or two. If you tuck away just a few staples in your cupboard, you can make some delicious Oatmeal Soup, White and Rice Bowl, or some Red Lentil Pancakes. Sometimes the simplest meal can warm your heart on cold days. See the recipes to follow.

On winter days as a child, my mother would make oatmeal soup. Most people have never heard of it, and it does not sound that appetizing. But I can still taste her oatmeal soup! See the recipe to follow. It was a filling and delicious memory from her own childhood. We have been so blessed with the modern food supply chain we don’t realize that in the past, some such gruel could be one of the best meals ever. Unfortunately, some of us on a gluten-free diet cannot tolerate oats. Personally, I can still have a bowl of porridge made from certified gluten-free oats only now and then. Just to satisfy the memory.

Sometimes you invent a recipe when the cupboards are almost bare.

We ran out of eggs and most fresh produce last week. there was a winter storm, no venturing out in that, so I had to take the staple provisions and come up with something to serve.

Rice, lentils, beans, dried fruits, nuts, and seeds keep longer, so I usually have some stored in the cupboards to add to meals between re-stocking with fresh produce. Below are two new recipes that went over so well; we ate them before any photographs could be taken. Just a picture of Black Rice is all.

Here is a recipe for a warm and satisfying Black and White Rice Bowl serving as a breakfast or nutritious snack. Leftover rice, even when re-heated, is a good source of Resistant Starch. Just be sure to refrigerate any cooked rice as soon as it is cooled. Left at room temperature can cause leftover rice syndrome.

We have started to love adding a little Black Rice to our diet. Once reserved for royalty, Black Rice has significant antioxidant properties. This once-forbidden rice is also called purple rice because of the anthocyanin pigment that is so purple it appears black. Deliciously moist and chewy Black rice has a higher protein content than Brown rice. It is a good source of iron, fiber, and anti-inflammatory Anthocyanins similar to those found in blueberries and purple sweet potatoes.

Black rice contains twenty-three different antioxidants giving it top ratings over any other rice. High amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin contribute to eye health. Naturally gluten-free, it provides a satisfying feeling of satiety. Although more research is needed, eating Black rice may lower blood sugar levels in some people with diabetes and may also reduce cholesterol and plaque build-up in arteries.

A little Black rice goes a long way. I find baking it slowly is especially good. Cooking either white or black rice requires a ratio of 1 rice to 2 water. I use a little extra water for the black rice and don’t rinse it… you want to keep all that color. To mix the white and black rice, I usually cook them separately and then mix them together.

Savory Red Lentil Pancakes Recipe

Last week, one of the evening suppers was some leftover chicken soup with a side of Lentil pancakes. The savory pancakes were a delightful treat, and I made them again this week for breakfast one morning. They also didn’t last long enough to photograph at the time. This recipe is so good and takes so little time to make that it will now be on our regular request list of gluten-free foods.

Lentils are good for you. 1/2 cup of cooked Red Lentils is under 150 calories and contains 9 grams of protein. Red Lentils are a good folate, iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and fiber source. Besides their nutrition, Red Lentils cook quickly.

Easy to mix up like a smoothie. I use a Ninja Food Processor, which also comes with two Bullet-like containers for making individual serving smoothies.

Here is another version of Red Lentil Pancakes with Step by Step Photographs.

Easy Red Lentil Pancakes

Oatmeal Soup

Now I know you will also want to have the recipe for my mom’s Oatmeal Soup. Besides being something, you can whip up when the cupboards are almost bare, and it is also great for someone who is recovering from an illness. I am sure this recipe was invented during the Great Depression, but we can all keep it in our repertoire. You grow to love it.

An Oatmeal Soup Remedy

I remember one Christmas Eve, an elderly relative arrived for the holidays. The journey to our home had been a long ride on the train. He had had a miserable time with some stomach upset. The house was full of special baking and delicious foods waiting in the kitchen to impress and delight. Yet, our guest could not stand the sight of any of it… having a pale green tinge to his face.

“Just a little tea, some soup, and crackers? ” he managed to say as he begged for a morsel and a good night’s sleep. A soup had not been on the menu, but the Oatmeal soup was made and offered in short order. He claimed it saved his life and could then enjoy the rest of the holiday cheer.