The Lauren Project. 6 ” x 6″ watercolor pencil on paper. Sharyn Dimmick.
Welcome to The Lauren Project. You have until midnight Pacific time on August 31st to post your suggested recipes for Lauren. Please use the Comment section to post your submitted recipes. All posted recipes must follow Lauren’s current dietary guidelines (See the “Yes” food list and the “Must avoid” list below).
“Yes” Foods: Grains: White rice, brown rice, red rice, black rice, wild rice, quinoa, cornmeal, millet, gluten-free oats
Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, spinach, lettuce, kale, collards, chard, mustard greens, sorrel, summer squash, winter squash, beans (except pinto and lima beans), peas, corn, asparagus, artichoke, fennel bulb, leek, garlic, shallot, turnip
Fruit: apples (tart varieties only), blackberries, raspberries, boysenberries, currants, lemon, lime
Dairy: eggs, cows’ milk yogurt
Meat and fish: Buffalo, lamb, game meats, beef and chicken in moderation, some fish (see exceptions on other list)
Nuts and legumes: cashews, macadamia nuts, pecans, almonds (in moderation), pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, garbanzo beans, black beans, mung beans, cannellini beans, lentils, adzuki beans, red beans, black-eyed peas, white beans
Seasonings: salt, ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, anise, rosemary, sage, cloves, vanilla.
Other: olive oil, coconut (including coconut milk), organic non-genetically-modified sugar (must use sparingly), maple syrup (also use sparingly — Lauren cannot eat large amounts of any sugar)
2) “No” Foods: Must avoid — DO NOT USE IN YOUR RECIPES — : grains containing gluten — no wheat, rye, or products made of them. No mushrooms or fungus of any kind. Nothing containing mold — no blue cheeses, moldy cheese rinds, etc. No goat cheese or goat’s milk. No cheddar cheese. No yeast, vinegar, mayonnaise, alcohol, caffeine, honey, agave, cocoa, chocolate or artificial sweeteners. Nothing fermented. No soy or soy products. No basil, oregano, paprika, chili, sesame, cinnamon or mint. No beets, cucumber, eggplant, bell pepper, chili peppers, potato, tomato, cabbage, onion, avocado or tomatillo. No blueberries, strawberries, melon or peaches. No pork, turkey, ostrich, tilapia, shellfish or mollusks (mussels, clams, etc.). No hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, pinto beans or lima beans.
A few words from Lauren:
i am so excited!
thekalechronicles 
How about:
Rockin’ Moroccan Lamb Stew
3 Tbsp olive oil
5 or 6 shallots, rough chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 pound ground lamb
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp ground coriander (if permitted – optional)
1 tsp ground cardamon
1/2 C currants
rice (if desired)
plain yogurt (optional)
In a heavy Dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Sauté the shallots and garlic until just starting to brown. Add the spices and stir to mix well. Add the lamb and brown, then sauté, stirring occasionally until nearly cooked through. Add the squash and chickpeas and perhaps 1/2 C water. Cover and simmer until the squash begins to soften. Add the currants and continue to cook until the squash is soft but not mushy. If it seems to “wet”, cook uncovered to dry a bit.
Serve over rice if desired with a dollop of yogurt on top. This is better the second day and freezes well.
***
*I* think it is breakfast-y… it is a bit “sweet”. I make it with sweet potatoes but I thought maybe those counted as potatoes… if they are permitted, try it that way! Note: no salt in this recipe but you can add it to taste. I just usually don’t bother with it!
Mmmm… enjoy!
Rachel, this looks amazing! I can’t wait to try it out (hopefully this weekend). Coriander is totally fine, just not one I think of often, so forgot to add it to the list. Would the currants be dried?
Yes, dried currants – they “plump” a bit in the stew. I love this stuff myself – hope you enjoy! Play with the ratios too, sometimes I put more meat to veg, depending on that week’s exchequer 😉
I guarantee your house will smell wonderful! Mmmmm… please let me know what you think!
Thanks, Rachel! I’ll tell Lauren the first recipe is up — she’ll probably reply shortly.
http://www.reesweb.com/food/everything-free_cookies.html
It may not fit all of your requirements to the letter, but it’s close and could be easily adapted to fit perfectly.
Thanks, Will. I’ll have Lauren take a look at it.
will! i’m so glad you submitted something. the recipe looks awesome. i will definitely try it with the coconut option. 🙂
Super Simple Breakfast Quinoa
1 cup quinoa (I like alter-eco)
2 cups water
handful raisins
handful dates
a bit of brown sugar
1/2 cup almond milk
Put the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under the sink (I find that most of quinoa has already been rinsed quite well, especially alter-eco). Add 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water to a small pan and simmer until all water is absorbed. (At altitude you may need to add a bit more water. Keep watching it so it doesn’t burn). It will be done after 15-20 minutes when there is a little white thread around the outside of the grain.
Add quinoa to a bowl. Add raisins, dates and brown sugar on top, and pour almond milk over the top (Just like oatmeal).
You can make the quinoa ahead of time and reheat each morning.
Thanks, Suzanne. Lauren should see this shortly.
Melissa Clark’s Seared Salmon in Brown Butter
The original uses cucumbers, but you can replace the cucumbers with zucchini or other summer squash.
Serve with quinoa/rice and topped with baby spinach wilted in a pan for about 1 minute with a little olive oil, lemon juice and salt.
============================================================
Melissa writes for the NY Times and I’ve never made a recipe of hers that wasn’t great. All of her cookbooks are amazing, but I’m really into “Cook this Now”. There are lots of great suggestions on substitutions since her husband is allergic to dairy.
I think butter is ok, but let me know if not.
Butter is fine, Suzanne. Thanks.
I’d like to recommend this delicious lentil and swiss chard soup. Easy to cook and makes enough to chill and eat later.
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced (I use more because I love garlic)
2 C broth (I use beef broth from a can or box, but any type or source is fine)
1 C dried lentils, rinsed and drained
2 C water
1 C packed shredded chard leaves (other hefty greens work ok, too)
1 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro leaves (fresh coriander)
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
lemon zest and cilantro leaves for garnish
Heat the oil over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic until soft, about 5 min. Add broth, lentils, water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer (covered) for about 45 min. or until lentils are tender.
Add chard, cilantro, cumin, salt, pepper; cook until the chard wilts, about 5 more min. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, serve with lemon zest and cilantro garnish. Even better the next day.
Oops. No onion. Substitute shallots or try again.
actually garlic is cool. just no onions.
No reason shallots couldn’t be used instead!
Roasted Zucchini with Shallots: Chop a shallot very fine and toss with chunks of zucchini and a slosh of olive oil. Sprinkle a spice on it, too. Roast in a shallow pan in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or more. (Our oven’s temp is deeply unreliable, so I don’t have exact times.) Stir occasionally. When golden, remove and eat . Also works with pretty much any vegetable — especially delightful with tiny Brussels sprouts, medium/large halved sprouts, broccoli, carrots, winter squash, or cauliflower, which turns into ZOMG tasty when roasted. You can also roast a blend of veggies this way. Sprinkle with sea salt, fresh-ground pepper, and/or your favorite spice mix. Devour.
These are excellent paired with any grain you can eat. You won’t miss meat — at least, I don’t. But if you want some meat, you can roast a piece of chicken or fish or whatever at the same time.
Calabacitas Breakfast Tacos
2 corn tortillas
2 eggs
1/4 cup grated monterey jack
salt & pepper to taste
1 zucchini
1 ear of corn (or 1 cup frozen)
1 small shallot or leek
1 clove garlic
4 tablespoons olive oil.
Make the calabacitas:
Quarter the zucchini and chop into quarters about 1/4-1/2″ thick. Cut corn off the cob (or remove from bag if frozen). Dice the shallot and the garlic.
Warm the oil in a pan on medium low heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent (3-4 minutes). Increase heat to medium and add the zucchini and a dash of salt. Cook until the zucchini is soft and brown (about 20 minutes). Add the corn and saute for a few minutes. Add about 1/4 cup of water and put the lid on the pan. Cook for 5-10 minutes until calabacitas are fairly soft. Salt and pepper to taste.
(You can double or triple this and store this in the refrigerator until for several days).
Steam the tortillas:
I heat my tortillas briefly in a sandwich press, but you can also heat them in a microwave or on the range. Put them between clean tea towels or two plates to keep steaming while you scramble.
Scramble the eggs:
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to frying pan on medium heat. Crack the eggs into a bowl and mix quickly with a fork. Scramble quickly in a pan for 1 minute.
Put two tortillas on a plate, add about 2 tablespoons of calabacitas, 1 egg and a little cheese to each. Add salt and pepper.
Addition: You can add a little sausage if you need protein.
Non-allergy note: I also add guacamole and/or salsa for those that can eat it.
Wow, you are really going to town, Suzanne! Thanks.
She needs recipes! 🙂
suz, you rock! thank you. 🙂
no problem. let me know if you guys want more. I am obviously a cookbook addict 🙂
Baked salmon with turmeric
Ingredients:
1/4 lb cut of salmon (I use Alaskan wild salmon. It tastes more salmony. Adjust other ingredients for different sized pieces)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
Pinch of salt
(not sure if you can eat black pepper. If you can’t, leave it off and just use a pinch of salt)
Olive oil
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees
2. Put enough olive oil on salmon to make it a little moist.
3. Sprinkle the turmeric over the salmon. Apply more olive oil if necessary to get the turmeric to the consistency of a paste. Spread turmeric with finger to make sure it mixes with oil.
4. Sprinkle coarse black pepper and salt over salmon
5. Put salmon on broiler pan (I put parchment paper over pan and salmon on paper)
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes (don’t overcook or fish will dry out)
I make this a lot because it’s really fast. You can dress the fish in the time it takes for the oven to heat up. The oil, by the way, pan fries the skin of the fish while it cooks if you use parchment paper. Both fish and skin are tasty,
Thanks, Babu.
yum!
Are plantains on the “OK” list? That would open up a whole world of mofongo-ish possibilities… vegetable, meat, or fish! Mmmm…
Plaintains are out, Rachel. Sorry.
Yucca? Jicama?
yucca if cooked is probably okay in small doses. jicama is a little too dicey.
Black Bean Breakfast Tacos (a la Big Truck)
These are my favorite breakfast tacos from the best restaurant in Oklahoma City, Big Truck Tacos. (Eggs don’t seem to be a given in TX/OK in breakfast tacos like they are here in NM)
2 corn tortillas
2 cups black beans
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot
handful baby spinach (I like organic girl)
lemon
salt to taste
Soak the beans overnight, covering with a couple inches of water. Strain out the water. In a crockpot, add the beans, 2 cloves garlic (sliced), and 1 shallot diced finely and cumin. Cover with water and cook on low until beans are done (this will take 5-6 hours on low). After the beans are done, salt to taste. You might want to check every now and then until you get the water amount right — it’s sort of trial and error based on how old the beans are and the kind of crock pot you have.
Steam the tortilla on a sandwich press, on the stove or microwave and put in a tea towel or between two plates to keep steaming.
In a frying or saute pan, heat the olive oil on medium and swirl around the pan. Add the last thinly sliced garlic clove and wait about 20 seconds. Add the baby spinach and wilt (don’t overcook).
Add beans and spinach to tortillas.
Notes:
– I’ve found that it is important not to salt at high altitude until after the beans are cooked. Otherwise they will never cook.
– For those without allergies you can add epazote, mexican oregano and (my favorite) smoked paprika to the black beans while cooking.
– I like the crock pot method for cooking beans at altitude better than the pressure cooker. Plus if you make extra you can have them all week.
– You can also add salsa to the tacos if you aren’t allergic to tomatoes, chiles or tomatillos.
– You can mash the beans roughly with a fork if you like them to have a creamier consistency.
Oops sorry this should be:
In a frying or saute pan, heat the olive oil on medium and swirl around the pan. Add the last thinly sliced garlic clove and wait about 20 seconds. Add the baby spinach and wilt (don’t overcook) and squeeze a bit of lemon on top.
Mjadra (Lentil Potage)
This is from the awesome book “Lebanese Cuisine” by Madelain Farah. It sounds really basic, but the key is to get the shallots or onions really carmelized to flavor the lentils and rice.
1 cup uncooked lentils
4 cups water
1 large shallot or small onion — finely chopped/finely sliced is ok too (for those that aren’t allergic you can use a large onion or several large shallots )
1/3 – 1/2 cup olive oil or vegetable oil depending on the size of the shallot/onion
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cumin
salt to taste
1/2 cup uncooked rice
Rinse lentils and place in a pan with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes uncovered until cooked (but not mushy). Keep an eye on the lentils… the timing will vary based on how old they are and what kind you use.
Meanwhile saute the onions on medium heat in the oil until they are carmelized. Keep a close watch on them and stir often to ensure they don’t burn. This could take 10-20 minutes. After onions are done and the are lentils almost cooked, add the rice and the onions/oil to the lentils. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat. Cover and cook for approximately 20 minutes (this time will vary with altitude). Add pepper, cumin and salt (to taste).
Notes:
– I’ve seen recipes for this where you cook the lentils at the same time as the rice, but I’ve found that at 7000 ft, you really can’t do this. The lentils often take longer to cook than the rice.
– Serve with a side of yogurt spiced with ground cumin.
– If you use a lot of shallots, err on the side of more olive oil to carmelize. For Lauren, if you use just one large shallot you can move to the low end of the spectrum on the oil. It sounds like a lot but you need it to carmelize the shallot nicely (it takes a good amount of oil to do this) and integrate with the lentils. It makes a lot of Mjadra so you will be eating it for days.
Suz, you are awesome.
If you add more chicken and greens this gets heartier, more wintery and stew-ish. Have fun with proportions and let me know what you think! Mmmmm….
Kale Soup
olive oil
6 shallots, chopped
1 clove garlic chopped fine
1 bulb of fennel, rough chopped
1 bunch kale**, rough chopped
5-6 C chicken stock
1 can each chickpeas and white (cannellini) beans, drained and rinsed
(*leftover roasted chicken, off the bone, chopped into bite-sized pieces)
1 T dried sage
In a large heavy Dutch oven, heat the olive oil, add the shallots, garlic and fennel, and let caramelize over very low heat. Then add the kale and 1/4C of the chicken stock. When it cooks down, add the rest of the stock.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1/2 hour. Add the chickpeas and beans, cook 1/2 hour more, check for salt/pepper as needed. (*Add any leftover chicken. Simmer for another 15 minutes.) When you turn the heat off, add the sage and stir in well.
** or collards or turnip greens, or a combination
Hi Sharyn and Lauren, here’s my penny worth – I plan to blog it but I mucked up taking a photo of the Mackerel before it was cooked – it is so beautiful and I want the photo to illustrate my blog, so I’m off to buy another tomorrow and cook it again, this time for my lunch !! well I thought it was delicious 🙂 And if you can’t get mackerel any oily fish is good.
Mackerel Coconut Curry and a Chard Bhaji
Ingredients –
• 1 tbs of vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 tsp of brown mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 12 curry leaves
• 1 onion, peeled, and chopped into small pieced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 whole mackerel, gutted and cleaned. And cut into chunks or “steaks” roughly an inch thick
• 1/2 tsp of tamarind paste
• Coconut milk – I use the blocks of coconut so slice off a 2 inch piece and add it to the curry. Alternatively use approx 1/2 can of coconut milk
• Water
• Salt and pepper
Method –
• Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan and when hot add the seeds (mustard, cumin and fenugreek) and the curry leaves, let them sizzle in the oil for 30 seconds.
• Turn down the heat and then add the chopped onions and gently fry until they are cooked – translucent but not browned
• Now add the ginger, garlic along with the turmeric powder and stir it in.
• Next add the coconut milk. If like me you use a piece from a block of coconut, add 2 or 3 tablespoons of water at the same time, stir it in well, and bring back to a simmering point
• When the coconut is well dissolved and mixed in, add the mackerel to the pan, and stir gently.
• Bring the contents of the pan back to a simmering point and add the tamarind paste, stir this into the sauce.
• The fish shouldn’t take long to cook, maybe 5 minutes in total. I take a piece and check it to see the colour of the flesh.
• You may need to add more water if the sauce is getting too thick, add a bit at a time. I also add a pinch of salt towards the end, I ‘ll leave that decision to your taste buds.
Chard Bhaji
I heat up a drop or two of vegetable oil in a pan, add a teaspoon of mustard seeds, and half a chopped onion, when the onion is nearly cooked (translucent) I add some garlic and ginger, give it a stir and then add my rinsed cleaned and chopped chard, a tablespoon of water and a pinch of salt. I then put a lid on the pan (wok), turn the heat down and let it steam/cook for about 3 minutes until the chard is wilted and cooked – but not over-cooked!
We ate this, well I ate the fish curry, my OH had a teeny taste (he’s veggie) with a simple pilau flavoured with black peppercorns, cloves, a bay leaf and a couple of cardamom pods.
That looks so good!
Fish & Veggies
Serves 2
3-4 teaspoons butter or margarine
2 carrots, cut in very thin diagonal slices
2 ribs celery, cut in very thin diagonal slices
10-12 ounces cod fillets
2 tablespoons gluten-free flour (optional)
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
salt & pepper to taste
4 lemon wedges
Heat 2 teaspoons butter in a large non-stick skillet and add carrots and celery. Saute for 5 minutes on medium-low heat. Cover and heat for 5 minutes more on low heat. Push vegetables to one side of skillet. Coat fillets with flour (or just pat them dry). Turn heat up to medium and saute fillets in the remaining 1-2 teaspoons butter until lightly browned, turning carefully with a spatula. Season with salt, pepper & lemon rind. Cover and cook over low heat about 5 minutes more, or until the carrots are tender and the fish is cooked through. Serve with the lemon wedges, to squeeze lemon juice over the fillets.
Note: Light-tasting olive oil can be used instead of butter or margarine. Any thin-sliced fresh veggies may be used. (The original recipe included thin-sliced potatoes.)
Thank you for your submission. It’s really fun to see what comes in.
Thanks, Judy.
Slow Cooker Chai Chicken with Veggies
This is in response to Lauren’s wish for one-pot dishes that can be cooked simply in quantity, then frozen. I used a standard upright 4 quart crock pot. For a larger pot, you may have to add a bit more liquid. Cook on high unless you have one of those super-atomic crockpots.
1 to 1 1/2 pounds of frozen skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, unthawed
4-6 zucchini or mixed summer squash, chopped into large chunks
2 cans chosen from the following list, drained and rinsed in colander: black beans, lentils, garbanzo beans, corn, or hominy
Optional: chard or kale, chopped into large pieces
One tablespoon of cardamom seeds or a teaspon of ground cardamom
One teaspoon of ground cloves or other acceptable spices
Two inches of fresh ginger, cut into half inch slices (remove before serving)
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 cup water, chicken broth, or coconut milk (optional)
Plain yoghurt (Greek is great)
Salt to taste
Place frozen chicken in pot first. Sprinkle cardamom and cloves on chicken surface, then add garlic and ginger on and near the chicken. On the sides add the beans or corn, then squash near the top layer. Put a little liquid at the side, but don’t overdo or let the spice wash off the chicken. You want the chicken to cook without much liquid, and it will produce its own broth as it cooks. Cook 4-6 hours on high. Dice or shred chicken in pot and mix to distribute flavors. You can re-spice at the end to taste. Serve with a dollop of yoghurt in the bowl and salt to taste. Freezes well. Keep zucchini at the top and it won’t overcook even with hours in the crock pot. Smells divine!
I am going to try this one, Suzanne, perhaps without the zucchini (maybe with butternut squash in the winter).
I frequently combine brown rice, black rice, wild rice and quinoa, together with beans. Cook using only water or broth. I prefer to use just water. Freezes well.
Broiled Carrots with turmeric
Since you made the salmon with turmeric, I thought I’d throw you another one. I go with a turmeric theme as I’m South Indian and we’re a turmeric eating people.
Ingredients:
Medium carrots (not sure how thick a carrot can be and still cook right. Medium ones work well. If thicker ones don’t, cut them up into smaller pieces.
Olive Oil
Turmeric
Black pepper and salt (can skip if you can’t eat black pepper and/or salt.
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Cut off tip and knob (where greens sprout off) of carrots.
3. Peel carrots.
4. Drizzle with olive oil
5. Roll oiled carrots in turmeric.Get to where carrot is coated with a layer of turmeric dust. If the turmeric won’t stick, add more oil. About 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric per carrot will due.
6. Roll carrots again in salt/pepper mixture. I use about 3 parts pepper for 1 part turmeric and a pinch of salt. Adjust for taste. If it won’t stick, add more oil.
7. Arrange carrots on parchment paper and place on broiler pan. Put in middle rack of oven (you can grill the carrots as well, but I don’t have a grill. Baking works fine for me.)
8. Bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes.
The cooked carrots will shrink, soften and be a little blackened. They will taste a little sweet, which contrasts nicely with the spiciness of the turmeric and pepper. They make a nice side dish. If you want to serve smaller pieces, cut the carrots before cooking.
Note –
I tried eating this in a hotdog bun once. The bread neutralized the spiciness of the turmeric. The carrots, though, went pretty well with spicy mustard. So if you want to make a carrot dog, cut the carrots to hotdog bun size, bake nekkid without turmeric or pepper, and serve with mustard.
A baked carrot without anything is a little sweet. I don’t like it alone, as when I like something sweet I like it sweeter than that. But if you have trouble with honey and sugar and want something sweet, you might want to try just backing a carrot alone.
Good morning everyone. Thank you so much for all the recipes! I am in the process of cooking all of the wonderful food and look forward to working with Sharyn to award the prizes.