Creamy Cilantro & Pepita Salad Dressing

When we left California several years ago good Mexican food was really hard to find in this area but everything has changed drastically over the years.  Now there are good Hispanic sections in regular grocery stores and many small Hispanic grocery stores so I can buy any ingredient I could possibly need to make all of our favorite Mexican foods. Mexican restaurants and Taquerias are all over the place and serve great, authentic food. Of course not all of it is gluten free or free of the artificial colors, flavors and preservatives we avoid so I make it for my family often.

My friend Kerry from California sent me a newspaper clipping shortly after moving here. It was the copy of the salad dressing from one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. It instantly made me homesick for good friends and good Mexican food and I put it on the side of the fridge with a magnet so I wouldn't lose it. Back then I couldn't find the Cojita cheese and pepitas the recipe called for so I saved it and waited. Eventually I forgot all about it even though it was still on the side of the fridge

Our favorite Sunshine Burger Wrap - Rice Tortillas wrapped around
a crumbed Sunshine Burger with lettuce, Carrots,
Creamy Cilantro & Pepita Salad Dressing
with extra toasted pepitas for crunch!

When we were planning the menu for Marc and Marie's party I noticed the now yellowed and spotted newspaper clipping. It seemed perfect for our tostada buffet. It's creamy and flavorful and now it's pretty darn healthy. The original recipe called for a ton of mayonnaise and cheese but I've lightened it up a bit and made it vegan to boot. I soaked two cups of raw cashews for a few hours and used them to substitute the mayo and cheese. The cashews aren't a lot less calories and fat than the mayo and cheese but they are a healthy vegan protein used in moderation. They give the dressing a wonderful creamy texture just like the original. I lowered the oil a bit and added spiced, toasted pepitas.  It's really very easy to make as I just toss everything in the blender and gave it a good whirl.  Chill and serve over greens, on sandwiches or use as a dip.

Creamy Cilantro and Pepita Salad Dressing

Begin by soaking cashews - I put them in the bowl after lunch so they'd be ready by dinner:

2 cups Raw Cashews in
2 cups filtered water at least 2 hours and no more than 6 hours.

Meanwhile toast the pepitas in a small saute pan over low heat.

1 teaspoon oil
1 cup Pepitas
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Saute and stir until slightly toasty and fragrant.  Add:

salt and pepper to taste

Let cool.

Pour the cashews and water into blender container and add:

1 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 4 ounce can Green Chilies
2 large bunches of Cilantro, washed and roughly chopped.
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 cup Toasted Pepitas
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Blend at high speed until completely processed and creamy. This makes a lot and keeps in the fridge for a few days.

Serve over mixed greens with extra toasted pepitas to garnish.

Enjoy!

Shared, on Gluten Free Wednesdays 5/7/14!

Lovey's Lunch at Wrightsville Beach

Last week Marc and I stole away to the beach during the middle of the week. Chris was awesome - he was working from home and helped with Joe's obligations so we, rather I, could play hooky. I know that now that Marc's graduated and searching for his first "real" job being able to do things like this may not be in our future.  So I asked him if he would take me to lunch at Lovey's for my birthday and he sweetly complied.

Lovey's is our favorite lunch spot in Wrightsville, NC.  It's just a few minutes away from the beach and we always, always stop at Lovey's whether to buy lunch or fill out our picnic. It's a great health food store and cafe.  There are wonderful gluten free specialty items in the store with some  that even our local Whole Foods doesn't carry.

The cafe is great - we've never had an issue with cross contamination after several summers of visits. Make sure your order taker knows that you are gluten intolerant and don't just "prefer" to be gluten free and they will take care of you. The sandwiches and wraps are perfect for a picnic on the beach. Their menu is varied and there's something for everyone from vegan to omnivore. There's also a large food bar with hot items and lots of salads.

One word of caution - I avoid the pastry case entirely.  There are some wonderful looking gluten free treats but they sit on plates next to, above and below regular treats and I cannot risk that cross contamination. They have some that are pre-wrapped on the counter and there are many other options in the grocery section to choose from so no worries.

This time Marc picked the chicken quesadilla and I ordered a Sunshine Burger grinder - as I almost always do.  Both came with chips, his with salsa, too. We picked up some drinks and a treat and went straight to the beach.

We found our parking spot down near the end of the beach where the dunes are so beautiful. Weekdays in May are usually quiet but the beach was nearly empty.  We gathered all our gear and just about as soon as we got settled the wind kicked up and the drizzle started.

Oh well, we were still at the beach, still having a great picnic and still hanging out together!

Marc's lunch looked amazing - the brown rice tortilla was crispy and filled with chicken and cheese and all kinds of veggies.

But eating it in the wind and drizzle proved difficult.  =D


My Sunshine Burger Grinder is almost exactly what I make but I never have Green Goddess dressing on hand and it's part of what makes Lovey's different and "beachy" to me.

Pictures were pretty much impossible with the wind so you'll have to trust me that it tasted much better than it looks here.

For our dessert we had wandered through the gluten free section while we waited for our lunch and Marc found these goodies. They were really sweet and chewy and perfectly wonderful. Loved the coconut to chocolate ratio. Far too sweet to be in our usual rotation but perfect for a splurge. How the package got a little melted sitting in the cold I will never know.

Just after we finished the cookies the sun came out again and it was gorgeous.

Marc swam a bit and then we walked and watched the kite surfers taking off and gliding across the waves and sky. I love the chance to hang out with my guys and I know how precious these times are. Before we knew it we had to leave but not before one more quick trip to Lovey's for a few groceries to take home and coffee. We'd both been off coffee for a few weeks and we both feel much better for it.  Still it was getting cool out again and a hot cup sounded great. I think I will make it a very occasional indulgence.

(((Another quick stop into a shop yielded a birthday gift for Joe.  Shhh! I can't tell you where or what because his birthday is tomorrow!)))

We no sooner got on the freeway and the heavens opened up. Serious downpour with lightning flashing across the horizon. Marc was an excellent driver and I felt safe enough to try to capture a picture of the lightning that was entertaining us. Marc pulled this shot off video I took.

We made it home safe and sound with not a drop of rain having fallen at our house. Even with that rainy drive home, there's nothing as relaxing as the beach for me and I can't wait for our next trip.

When it comes to eating out in Wrightsville and Wilmington, we really have not explored too much. We often pack picnics and Lovey's is so convenient and great we haven't felt the need. When we stay overnight we have a kitchen so we usually cook something easy.  But on our way into Wrightsville we noticed a new Mellow Mushroom and when I checked it out online later I found there's one in nearby Wilmington, too.  Both locations carry gluten free crusts. We've had really good luck with the few Mellow Mushroom locations we've tried so we'll definitely give it a shot sometime this summer.

But good news for people who do want/need more options in the area. A couple of nights ago I was looking up a restaurant that Marc and Marie will be going to in Wilmington with her family this weekend and found this new-to-me site Eat, Drink and Be Gluten-Free with a Wilmington dining list. I've only had a chance to skim through Kimberly's site but I know we'll be back to check it out.

Easy Gluten Free Homemade Veggie Burgers

Remember Monday’s post when I said I’d doubled the rice and lentils to make veggie burgers? Well, here they are. I love Sunshine Burgers* and usually have a box in the freezer for an almost instant lunch or dinner.  But when I’m out, I make my own.  This is one of the fastest and least expensive recipes you can make and its a great vegetarian protein combination, too.

For this recipe I had set aside approximately three cups each of the lentils and the rice. I added the chopped veggies and seasonings and used an immersion blender to get the texture I wanted. Pushing the blender down through the mixture several times the mixture was mostly pureed but still had some whole rice grains and lentils for texture. This is a really basic recipe you can change with your favorite herbs and spices.

Veggie Burgers

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Line baking sheet with parchment paper

3 cups cooked brown rice

3 cups cooked lentils

2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

½ cup grated carrots

¼  cup minced onion

1 clove minced garlic

Dash of salt, pepper and cayenne

Place everything but 1 Tablespoon of olive oil together and 1) blend with immersion blender or 2) blend with food processor or 3) mash with a manual potato masher.  Do not over blend or process as you want some texture.

Shape one cup spoonfuls of mixture into patties on the parchment paper. Drizzle about ½ teaspoon of olive oil on top of each patty and brush over top.  Bake until browned – about 25 minutes in my oven.

The sandwich rolls were made with a one loaf-sized package Pamela’s Bread mix.  I used the standard bread recipe and shaped it into six rolls. The dough is very sticky, so smooth it over with very wet hands to get a nice, smooth bun shape.  They also took about 25 minutes to bake.

Joe is a purist and had a plain cheese veggie burger.

Mine was topped with a roasted red pepper and eggplant spread and I added a handful of fresh baby spinach. So yummy!

*Why Sunshine Burgers?  Because they are not only gluten free but soy free and non-GMO. They're the only brand I've found that meets our needs and they just taste great, too.

Like Sunshine Burgers homemade veggie burgers can crumble easily so transfer them from baking sheet to bun with a spatula. You can purposefully crumble them when making wraps or adding them to nachos. 

Sunshine Wraps for Lunch!

Today is an absolutely gorgeous day - certainly not typical for January in our area. Tomorrow's forecast is cloudy and at least twenty degrees cooler so we had to make the most of today.  The sun is shining, the breeze is perfect and it made a great day for lunch on the porch.

This was our gluten free lunch.  Quick to make, easy and healthy. We love these wraps made with Sunshine Burgers. They are my favorite go to fast food.  I don't buy many processed or packaged items but these are gluten free, soy free, casein free, vegan and delicious.  The Southwestern is our favorite.  (For Feingold friends I am sure the original flavor is approved but you'll have to check your foodlist on the others).  Food for Life Brown Rice Tortillas make fabulous and sturdy wraps. We added a green salad and a tall glass of cold Kombucha and for just a few minutes it felt like summer.

Sunshine Burger Wraps
(Makes six large wraps)

2 Boxes Sunshine Burgers - your choice of flavors (3 per pkg.)
1 pkg.    Food for Life Brown Rice Tortillas
1            Red Bell Pepper, sliced into matchsticks
2            Carrots, grated
1            Cucumber, sliced into matchsticks
1/8         Red Onion, sliced paper thin
1 Cup    Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
1 Cup    Guacamole


Heat the Sunshine Burgers according to package directions.

Have your veggies ready (and be creative with your own favorites), assembly goes quickly.

I use a  large cast iron skillet and heat each tortilla for about a minute on each side to soften.

Plate the warm, softened tortilla and crumble a Sunshine Burger down the center.  Layer on all the toppings and roll it up keeping the ends on the bottom, cut in half and serve.

Time to get back outside and play!