Veggie Breakfast Bake

I find breakfast the most difficult meal to eat out. As a result I rarely do it. Too bad because there was a time when I really enjoyed eating breakfast out.

Luckily I did find a place where I can get a great breakfast—a diner at the Jersey shore that has 100s of omelets on their menu. They make farmer’s omelets—where all the ingredients, including potatoes, are cooked together and served mounded on a big plate. When I ordered their Harvest Omelet (hold the eggs, hold the cheese) the waitress asked me to repeat my order. I explained I couldn’t have gluten, eggs or cheese. So, she went back to the kitchen to discuss it with the cook and came back smiling. The cook would have no problem preparing my breakfast sans eggs, dairy, and gluten. And, boy was it good — my plate was heaping with potatoes and veggies. Now the cook knows me by my order. It’s a beautiful thing.

So, here’s the Veggie Breakfast Bake I make on weekends when I can’t get to my favorite breakfast place. It’s easily varied dependent on what you have on hand, what’s in season, and what you like. Add cauliflower, turnips, and parsnips—whatever you fancy. And, experiment with the spices. I happen to be pleased with this blend of spices but some days I try other mixtures and it comes out equally as good.

And, yes, it’s a good lunch or side dish for your favorite grilled dinner.

Veggie Breakfast Bake

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 medium onion
2 medium sized sweet potatoes
2 large red potatoes
2 large carrots
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 small head of broccoli
½ teaspoon celery seeds
½ teaspoon crushed dry rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Spice Hunter Chili Powder Blend*
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400℉. I have a convection oven so I use Convection Roast.

Pour the olive oil into a heavy cast iron skillet (one that’s oven proof) set on medium heat. Add the garlic (smashed). Slice the onion and cut each slice into quarters. Add. Stir frequently.

Wash the remaining vegetables. I don’t peel any of them.

Slice the potatoes into ¼ inch rounds and then cut each slice in half or quarters depending on their size. Add to the pan. Add the bay leaf.

It’s good to stir the vegetables prior to each new addition or even more frequently to keep things cooking evenly. And, along the way add more oil if you think it’s needed.

Slice the carrots (1/8 inch) on the diagonal and add.

Remove the tops and seeds from the peppers. Slice into ½ inch strips and then cut each strip into thirds. Add to the pan.

Cut up the broccoli so you have bite-sized florets. And…add to the pan. Mix it all up. Add the spices and mix thoroughly. Cook a few more minutes.

Finally, pop the pan into the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes (or until the veggies reach the desired doneness.)

Serve immediately. Makes 4-6 helpings.

*The label on the Spice Hunter Chili Powder blend states the ingredients are: chile pepper, onion, garlic, cocoa powder, oregano, red pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and cloves. If you can’t find it make up your own blend using these or similar ingredients. Here’s the allergen information for Spice Hunter spices.

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Chocolate Ice Cream Sliders (GF, DairyFree & Vegan)

This coming weekend is Memorial Day. It’s the official beginning of Summer, right?

We’re having a bit of a cold snap here in the Northeast but the weather report promises each day will be warmer than the previous one. So fingers crossed Memorial Day will arrive in perfect picnic form.  Despite that optimism a woman I met at a flea market this weekend (as we braved the cold) told me Memorial Day is always colder than Halloween. Come to think of it she’s probaby right. But, many people think of this weekend as the gateway to summer and it’s probably because we’re ready for sun and warmth and…

…ice cream sandwiches. Little ice cream sandwiches—sliders, in fact.

It’s thrilling (yes, thrilling) to make ice cream sandwiches that are gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free. It’s thrilling because I can eat them and they taste good—and because I can share them with all of you! They’re so delicious everyone will love them. So you may have to hide them behind the frozen veggies and fruit toward the back of the freezer if you plan to get one for yourself. Or, just make a double batch. That’ll work, too.

The cool thing about this recipe is it makes a mean Dutch Chocolate Cookie. That’s how the recipe started. I wanted to make chocolate cookies and used a very old Hershey’s recipe as a basis for a GF, CF, and EF version. The taste was so similar to the classic ice cream sandwich I thought I might see if it would work. And, it did.

Ice Cream Sliders (& Dutch Chocolate Cookies)

1/2 cup Earth Balance
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon Ener-G egg replacer
2 tablespoons warm water
1½ tablespoons rice milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup sorghum flour
¼ cup sweet rice flour
¼ cup tapioca flour
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon xanthan
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pint Turtle Mountain Purely Decadent Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together the egg replacer and 2 tablespoons warm water. Beat shortening, sugar, mixed egg replacer, milk, and vanilla in a stand mixer until creamy.

Mix flours, cocoa, xanthan, and salt in a separate medium sized bowl. Stir these together with a wire whisk until they are thoroughly incorporated and there are no lumps.

Put the mixer on low and slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Scrape the sides from time to time. Beat for a few minutes until all the ingredients are combined. The dough will be somewhat stiff.

Refrigerate the dough for about an hour.

Shape the dough into ¾-1 inch balls making sure they are uniform in size. Place onto a parchment lined cookie sheet about 1½ inches apart.

Cut a small piece of parchment—about 3 x 3 inches—and lay over one of the dough balls. With a large flat-bottomed glass or other object (I used a stainless steel measuring cup) firmly and evenly press down on the dough until it reaches about 3/16 inches in depth. Repeat with the remaining cookies.*

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for a minute or two. Using the same parchment square and flat-bottomed glass gently press the cookies one more time while they are warm. Remove to a wire rack and cool. Makes about 16-18 cookies.

Once the cookies are cool you can make the sliders or freeze the cookies for later use.

To assemble the sliders: place one cookie flat side up. Place a small scoop of the ice cream on top of it and then press the second cookie (flat side down) onto the ice cream until it resembles a small ice cream sandwich.

Wrap each slider in wax paper and store in the freezer in a plastic container.

*This recipe also makes very nice Dutch Chocolate Cookies. Just roll the dough balls in turbinado sugar and press each cookie lightly with the glass (using parchment) to squash them slightly. Bake a little longer—about 22 minutes total.

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