Beyond Rice and Tofu

Have you met Pete and Kelli yet? Over at No Gluten, No Problem?

Perhaps you’ve spotted one of their cookbooks – Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking or Artisanal Gluten-Free Cupcakes.

No? Well, you should really check them out. Pete is a professional outdoor/sports writer, as well as a gluten free blogger and cookbook author. I’ve been following NGNP for quite a few years now and I have found that his posts are one of the first ones I will click on to read in the mornings because I enjoy his easy style of writing and I know the information (or recipe) I will be getting will be right on.

Pete caught my attention recently with his San Marzano Deep Dish Pizza and so when the new adopt your blogger post went out, it was still on my mind. So I scooped up No Gluten, No Problem for this month’s Adopt a Gluten Free Blogger.

As you probably know, Adopt a Gluten Free Blogger was originally started by Sea at Book of Yum. This month it is being hosted by Wendy at Celiacs in the House. Be sure to watch for the final round-up post at Celiacs in the House with all 25 adoptions and check out all the yummy goodies!

Now, on to the good stuff!

I chose three of Pete’s recipes this month. Mainly because I couldn’t choose just one! The first being that San Marzano Deep Dish Pizza I mentioned above. Wow! Yum! Pow! I have made it twice now and I really love it! It is simple to make, even for a yeasted crust and I love the doughy, deep crust edges. And like he says, buy the San Marzano tomatoes! I grow San Marzano tomatoes every year and they are some of my favorite paste/plum-style tomatoes.

The cheese did get a little dark and burnt in spots both times I made it, which could be my temperamental oven. But it was all bubbly, gooey and yummy, regardless. The first time I made the pizza, I made it exactly as the recipe says, no additions. The second time, I added some other pizza ingredients. I loved it both times! If you like deep-dish pizza, be sure to check out the recipe! And before you start, make sure that your oven will reach 500 degrees – not all residential ovens do. It is important to getting a good crust on this pizza.

Take One - the cheese got a little too brown, but still very tasty!!!

Take Two - even better!

San Marzano Deep Dish Pizza from No Gluten, No Problem

Next up, we made Chicken Tikka Masala 2.0. Except that we used chickpeas instead of chicken. Chickpeas are my usual go-to meat substitution. The flavor of the dish was right on – chicken or no chicken.

I used two cans of drained and rinsed chickpeas in place of the meat and I could have used a third can to balance out the chickpeas to sauce ratio. Instead of sauteing the chicken first, I skipped that step and then just added the chickpeas at the end, before the longer simmer, to heat them through and soak up the creamy sauce.

Chickpea Tikka Masala 2.1v

And finally, I had to try the Red Lentil Dal. We love lentils and I am always looking for new ways to make them. Even though it has been super hot outside and I don’t always want to cook something hot, or at least not for very long, this recipe has little prep and allowed me to step away from the stove for the majority of the cooking time. And red lentils, being so tiny, they cook quickly, which meant less time with the stove on!

I commented to my husband that this dal was great comfort food, with a great flavor. He agreed, and as he put it, it was “like eating mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving” (which is about the only time of year we eat them!) – meaning it was warm, flavorful and comfy.

The only thing I changed about this recipe is that I omitted the cilantro – not because we’re cilantro haters (we love it!) – but because all of my cilantro plants have bolted in the heat. So cilantro haters – don’t let it discourage you from trying this recipe. It is still delicious without!

Red Lentil Dal

All three of these dishes have now been added to our usual repertoire. I hope you will head over and take a look at all of Pete and Kelli’s other recipes and their cookbooks! I know I have enjoyed cooking along with them this month – so will you!