{the recipe redux - recipe contest} gluten-free dill "encrusted" trout + a giveaway

When I reconnected with Gretchen from Kumquat years ago following a fortuitous discovery on Facebook that we'd both made it to Texas through recent moves, I never imagined all that I would learn from her. She's taught me more about food photography and styling than any one person should have to. I am forever and eternally grateful. And she continues to teach me with every new post, what an amazingly talented recipe developer she is - especially in gluten-free cooking. 

Gretchen and I first started our friendship as (what I now know to be "very") young professionals. She worked in the test kitchen for Oxmoor House & Coastal Living Magazine, while I was in editorial for Weight Watchers & Cooking Light Magazines. I knew her back then to be a super cool RD (we aren't all, you know ;-) with an amazing sense of taste and a wonderful eye for styling & design. (Check out her blog. You'll see not much has changed.)

On that first "meet up" lunch in Fort Worth when our little guys were actually "very" little guys (and I only had one of them), I did quickly learn one thing had changed. Gretchen was living gluten-free.

I've told Gretchen this before, and I'm not afraid to say it here. When she told me that, I was a little on the confused side. I'm dating myself when I say this, but "when I was in graduate school" I vividly remember being in class learning about therapeutic diets and discussing celiac disease as a very rare "intestinal" disorder. I knew that being diagnosed meant a life 100% free from gluten (no room for "cheat days" that I *wrongfully* hear referred to now) and that the digestive symptoms associated with celiac were devastating for anyone living with the disease. I couldn't imagine that this "rare" sensitivity to gluten was something this vibrant young woman sitting in front of me could be struggling with. 

But she was... and so are at least 1 out of every 133 people in the US. 

Just because am an RD, I don't proclaim to know everything there is about celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Unfortunately, I suspect very few people really do. It's an auto-immune disease for which there are many complex theories about why it develops and who it affects. But I do know this from being friends with Gretchen and meeting so many other inspirational women affected by gluten-sensitivity issues through ReDux and Healthy Aperture (hello The Spicy RD & Inspired RD), that being able to adapt recipes to fit a gluten-free lifestyle is an absolute must, and sometimes not an easy task.

So when Frito Lay approached ReDux about sponsoring a recipe contest to develop recipes using their line of naturally gluten-free snack foods, I was inclined to say "yes."

And then I paused.

As my co-founder mentioned in this post, "a dietitian touting chips?"... well, it just doesn't fit.

Or does it? 

For me it really depends on which chips you're talking about, and what you're doing with them. Regular Lay’s Potato Chips and Tostitos Corn Chips in the unflavored varieties are made with only 3 ingredients, either whole corn or whole potatoes, plus oil and salt. I'm not saying every chip on the market fits this mold, and I'm certainly not telling anyone to build their diet around snack chips. But finding nothing more than whole corn or potatoes, oil and salt on a nutrition label is frankly a nice thing to see compared to the laundry list of "stuff" in many of the other popular "healthy" chips on the market. 

...which brings us to this recipe

Dill "Encrusted" Trout 

I came up with the idea at a recent fish fry in my neighborhood (Yes. I live in the south, near a river and we have fish frys. It's what we do.) Every once in a while I'll eat something and think about the fact that people like my friend Gretchen can't eat this same food because it's battered in flour (Thinking these thoughts is an occupational side effect of being an RD, I guess).

Rather than concocting a flour coating made from speciality flours, I decided to do a simple baked, crunchy coating using tortilla chips (I tried out the Simply Natural line of corn tortilla chips from Frito Lay. For families who prefer an organic corn chip, these certainly won't disappoint.) The good news is that whether you're living gluten-free or not, this is a quick and easy dinner option suitable for any family. 

What about you? I'm curious to know - especially from the RDs in the audience - what were your perceptions of gluten-sensitivity when you were a new RD and how, if any, that has changed in recent years?

I'd also encourage you to follow along in the coming week as more entries are added to this recipe contest and most importantly, educate yourself on celiac disease by visiting the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness and the Celiac Disease Foundation.

***

Giveaway!

Frito Lay is offering (1) one lucky reader the chance to win this Gluten-Free Gift Pack in conjunction with this contest. What you can win:

-(1) one chip and dip bowl

-(1) one bag each of Lay’s Classic potato chips and Tostitos Scoops! tortilla chips

-(1) one copy of Nicole Hunn's book, Gluten-Free on a Shoestring

How to enter

• Leave a comment on this post and tell me if you realized the products mentioned in this post were both gluten-free AND made from 3 simple ingredients?
• For additional entries (and PLEASE leave a seperate, additional comment each time you do one of the following to be entered additional times) do the following: (each comment = individual entry)

• Subscribe through RSS or feedburner sign up box over on the sidebar labeled "subscribe by email"
• Follow me on Twitter (@ReganJonesRD)
• Follow me on Instagram (@ReganJonesRD)
• Tweet about the giveaway with a link back to this post
• “Like” The Professional Palate on Facebook and/or share the giveaway news with your Facebook fans and friends with a link back to the post
• “Like” The Recipe ReDux Facebook and/or share the giveaway news with your Facebook fans and friends with a link back to the post
• Follow at least (1) one of my boards on Pinterest

The giveaway ends at midnight EDT, Thursday, May 31st. I will use random.org to choose one lucky winner. Good luck! 

Dill "Encrusted" Trout

by Regan @ The Professional Palate

Keywords: bake entree gluten-free fish seafood

6025390

Ingredients (serves 3)

• 3 trout fillets
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons hummus
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 ounces Tostitos or Simply Natural corn tortilla chips, finely crushed (about 9 whole chips or 1/2 cup crushed)
• Lemon wedges

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place trout, skin side down, in a baking dish lightly coated with olive oil. Combine hummus, dill and lemon juice; spread over top of fish.

Top with chips, pressing lightly to adhere to fish. Bake at 450° for 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with lemon wedges.

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Disclosure: Frito-Lay compensated The Recipe ReDux (co-owned by ReganMillerJones, Inc. and Teaspoon Communications), to sponsor this recipe contest. We are therefore not eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. Opinions expressed are our own.

{the recipe redux} little fish cakes

I really wanted to call these what they are - Sardine Cakes.

 

But let's face it. Sardines are suffering from a bit of an image problem, and I thought I might lose you before this post ever got started.

I recently spoke to a group of my peers at the Alabama Dietetic Association Annual Meeting. The presentation focused on online food trends, and in the course of that session I briefly mentioned the growing popularity of sardines as both a sustainable, nutritious and economical fish option. 

The grimaces in the audience were visible. It wasn't a reaction I was terribly surprised over, but it does give cause for concern when you consider that “we” (RDs) are supposed to be the professionals teaching people how to eat better.

I'm convinced that people's aversion to sardines has less to do with the actual food itself (I mean, what's so weird and gross about a "little fish"), and more to do with the fact most of us simply weren't raised knowing how to eat them or cook with them.

Don't tell that to my Dad. He likes 'em straight out of the tin with hot sauce and crackers. Buddy - my grandad and his dad - liked 'em the same way. 

I've never taken up the cracker-hot sauce approach. Call me fussy, I guess. I've always wanted to do something a little more to my normal kitchen routine. Being an eternal fan of crab cakes, I went that route. And I kid you not, I was AMAZED at how well these turned out.

 

I've tried sardines as a "salad" before (think tuna salad), but didn't find that to be the best approach for my tastes. Sardines are admittedly a stronger tasting fish, and while the salad was good, it didn't beg me to make it again. 

These cakes do. If you've been afraid of sardines before, you must give these a try.

My initial thought was to serve them as shown above...with just tartar sauce. Good choice. But then I thought of Dad and Buddy and decided hot sauce deserved a shot. 

 

Winner. 

The Recipe ReDux has always been about inspiring the healthy eater in all of us - even those of us who grimace at the word “sardine.” Sardines are a nutritional no-brainer, easy on the grocery bill and not at risk for the same sort of overfishing many larger species of fish are (check out this article from Cooking Light to learn more about advocacy for sustainable seafood.) I hope that you will now be inspired to try them, too. 

 

For more great recipes on small fish and vegetables from the sea, please visit the other Recipe ReDux posts below.

Little Fish Cakes ("Sardine Cakes")

by Regan @ The Professional Palate

6024928

Ingredients (9 cakes)

• 1 potato, peeled & diced
• 1 (4.375-ounce) can skinless, boneless sardines, drained
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 2 tablespoons loosely packed chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 1 egg white
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Finely chopped pistachios or whole wheat panko
• Peanut oil

Instructions

Boil potato 10 to 12 minutes or until tender; drain well and mash with a fork.

Combine potato and next 7 ingredients (through pepper) in a medium bowl. Shape mixture into 9 cakes (about 2 tablespoons each). Dredge each cake in pistachios or panko.

Pour enough oil into a nonstick skillet to cover bottom of pan. Heat over medium-high heat. Add cakes to skillet (in batches if needed so as not to crowd pan) for 1 to 2 minutes per side. Serve with tartar sauce and/or hot sauce.

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whole grain strawberry-apple crisp

Strawberry pickin'

My philosophy about it - go early, go often.

Our first run this season was during spring break to a small farm in Dadeville, AL, not terribly far from my my mom's home. Just this last weekend, we made it to a nearby South Carolina farm. We've been to this most recent one before, and it's an impressive spread. Unfortunately, big rains in recent weeks left the crop a little slim. 

Not to worry, though. With two astute pickers by my side and my husband to "supervise" (his favorite role), we ended up with a nice harvest... 

 

...more than enough for this

My husband recalls fondly eating strawberry cobbler as a child.

I do not.

Of all the cobblers I've ever enjoyed, I've never once had a strawberry cobbler (that I can remember). I'm a peach or blueberry cobbler kinda girl. I might allow a blackberry variation in every now and again. But I will not let cobbler morph into any other berry-base. So strawberry crisp will have to do.

I'll also confess that while I adore strawberies, cooked strawberries aren't always my favorite. So for this version, I opted to add in a couple of apples. And boy what a difference it makes (to me). I like the texture the apple gives... not so much "super soft" fruit in every bite, you know? I need a little bit of something to bite into in my dessert.

What about you? Any fond fruit dessert memories?

Can a cobbler be whatever's in season? Or are you a peach or blueberry devotee like me?

***

whole grain strawberry-apple crisp

by Regan @ The Professional Palate

Keywords: bake dessert strawberry apple oats pie

6024834

Ingredients (4 to 6 servings)

For the topping

• 4 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar or coconut sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

For the fruit filling

• 2 cups, trimmed and hulled
• 2 medium apples, cored and diced
• 2 tablespoons sugar or coconut sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8- x 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine butter and next 4 ingredients (through zest) in a small bowl.

Place strawberries and apples into prepared baking dish; sprinkle with sugar. Sprinkle oat topping evenly over fruit. Bake until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling (about 30 minutes).

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happy mother's day

"Youth fades; love droops; the leaves of friendship fall; A mother's secret hope outlives them all."
-Oliver Wendell Holmes

If there's one thing I learned from my mother growing up, I learned how to express love for my children in abundance. I always knew as a child that I was loved... my mother made certain of that. And now as a mom, I realize that's not as easy as it seems. Days grow long, patience fades and sometimes, life is rocking your boat when all you want are calm seas.

Some days being a mom means following behind, picking up what's spilling out of the basket and pressing ahead on what seems like a long road. But the journey shared with those you love and treasure the most makes it completely worth it. 

Happy Mother's Day, Mom.

~Regan 

muffins for mom : blueberry-oatmeal muffins

Clock's ticking.

Are you thinking yet about what you'll do for those special women in your life who deserve to be celebrated on Mother's Day?

Maybe it's a trip to the spa (hello, hint to the father of my children if you're reading).

Or maybe diamonds are your style (seriously... is fine jewelry ever a bad idea? I think not.)  

Or maybe just a day "off" and breakfast in bed (classic, if you ask me, and also always a welcome idea.) 

Then let's get that menu started.

How about Blueberry-Oat Muffins?

Adapted from a similar recipe in Cooking Light - Way to Bake, these are a great option for easing into a whole grain muffin. They're made with oat flour (easily made with a quick whirl of oats in the food processor), and equal parts all-purpose flour and whole wheat pastry flour (my secret weapon in whole grain baking.) I can't imagine a mom who wouldn't appreciate waking up to fresh baked muffins on Mother's Day.

What are you planning for Mother's Day? Or what are you hoping is planned for you on Mother's Day?  

Blueberry-Oat Muffins

by Regan @ The Professional Palate

Keywords: bake breakfast bread whole wheat

6023894

Ingredients (15 muffins)

• 1 2/3 cups old fashioned oats
• 3 ounces all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 ounce whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups blueberries
• Turbinado sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place oats in food processor and pulse until resembles a coarse meal.

Combine oats, flours and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl. Make well in center of mixture.

Combine buttermilk, oil and eggs; add to oat mixture and stir just until blended. Fold in blueberries.

Divide batter evenly among muffin tins lined with baking cups. Sprinkle tops with Turbinado sugar.

Bake for 20 minutes or until done.

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