Red Snapper, Peach Salsa n Quinoa

 Well it's 12:30 in the middle of the night and I have been awake for quite awhile now. That brings the total of three nights in a row that I have woken up and had trouble falling back to sleep. I am really getting tired of being tired!

My research on creating  a gluten free, grass free, flour blend has been on hold for a while now as other obligations have taken top presidence. As you are probably well aware of in your own journey down this road, 'money doesn't grow on trees ," and the cost of items in the grocery stores is becoming ridiculous. It's going to take a bit longer than I had hoped to perfect my blend before sharing! Be assured I will bring my goals to fruition, it's just taking a bit longer.

For those of you who are along this journey with me I pray you are staying strong. I know how hard it is when you are trying to stay true to eating gluten free and everyone around you is devouring everything in sight. I have felt this way many times and with the holiday weekend upon us it seems even harder. I personally have fallen off the wagon, so to say, many times. I have just picked myself back up and started the journey over again. I hope you will too.

Since I have been working so diligently on the flour mix I have somewhat neglected to post other recipes that might be helpful to you all while waiting for the flour blend. Today I am posting a recipe that avoids gluten as well as grass grains. Its light, filling and totally delicious. The original recipe called for rice, which is a NO -NO, as it's in the grass family. I just switched it out for quinoa, which I feel has more bulk and seems to keep me fuller longer anyway. Win...Win! You are still giving up the gluten, but definitely not the taste. I hope you enjoy.

PS: It's also dairy free ...

Sharon

Red Snapper with Salsa and Quinoa

1 1/2 cup quinoa

2 cups diced peaches C can leave skins on for more fiber)

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup chopped RED onion

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno pepper to taste ( seeds removed)

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt to taste

4 red snapper fillets ( 1 pound total)

Olive oil for brushing

Salt n Pepper to taste

1. Cook Quinoa according to the package directions

2. In a small bowl stir together the peaches, cilantro, onions, lime juice. jalapeno, and garlic. season with the salt and pepper to taste.

3. Preheat the grill or a grill pan. Brush the snapper with ehe olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side  until internal temperature reaches 137 degrees.

4. Spoon about  1 cup portions of quinoa onto each plate. Place the fish on top of the quinoa topping each with a generous portion of the peach salsa.

This dish tastes great with a side salad or serving of broccoli. I hope you enjoy. It's one of my favorites!

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

                                                            GALATIONS 6:9

Buckwheat - Gluten Free -- Grass Free

 Buckwheat, which is actually not in the wheat family at all, has somehow gotten a bad rap over the years. I personally have avoided it basically just because it had the word "WHEAT" in the name itself. Actually it is "NOT"  on the list of gluten free flours we must avoid if gluten sensitive, or if you have celiac disease. It is in fact, not even in the grass family, which I now have to  avoid because of allergies. 

It's hard enough when being sensitive to gluten, or allergic to wheat, because that eliminates a lot of baking flours for our use. Yet to be allergic to grasses also sets a whole new game into effect. Most gluten free flours with which with we bake fall into the family of grasses. Like oats, sorghum, rice, amaranth, cornstarch, etc. There are not many left on the table for those of  us who also have grass allergies. Yet that will be another post for the future.

Buckwheat however is a pseudocereal. It has been grown as a crop in China dating as far back to 5,000 to 6,000 years ago. A crop with an end use like a cereal, but is not in the grass family. It is a seed that is consumed as cereal grains but doesn't grow on grasses. Other common pseudocereals are quinoa and amaranth.So it is not only gluten free but also not in the grass family! It is a great cereal option for those of us who like a nice warm bowl of cereal for breakfast or even a light late night snack. I must admit I was skeptical to give it a try as I grew up loving cream of rice or cream of wheat on a cold winter day. Cream of wheat is definitely in the wheat family. Cream of rice is in the grass family! It is a loose, loose, situation for me! Or so I thought.

So I ventured off course this morning and gave cream of buckwheat a try. I was amazed at the taste and texture! Is was a cross between the texture of oats, and the taste of oats and rice all rolled into one. With a warm mellow sweetness that I fully enjoyed. The earthy taste was ever so slight and it didn't have the grittiness cream of rice usually has. Also I tried macadamia nut milk for the very first time also which had a smooth silky texture, not nutty at all! 

Oh by the way....Macadamia nuts are actually not nuts at all, but a seed! Kind of like the fact that a tomato is not actually a vegetable at all, but actually in the fruit family. Yet be aware that if you have nut allergies you could possibly also be allergic to macadamia nuts as well....Funny world, hu? 

I used unsweetened plain macadamia nut milk as I like the natural taste of foods.  I find almond milk to be to nutty of a taste for my liking lately. I want my milk to taste like milk, not a vanilla sunday :] Either way I found the cereal to be everything I had hoped for and more. I used the "pocono heart of buckwheat"  brand and will probably stick with their brand, as as the saying goes, "Why ruin a good thing"! Right?

I will be doing much more research over the course of weeks to come as I am working on a gluten free, grass free, flour blend with which to bake with. Oh, did you also know SUGAR is in the grass family also???????  Allulose to the rescue! Well I guess I have dropped enough bombshells on you for today , so with that I will close.

Until next post ,

Sharon

Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus...