Menu-Plan Monday (Menu Swap) November 12

This week I am hosting The Gluten-Free Menu Swap (begun by Natalie over at Gluten-Free Mommy). The secret ingredient is…

Garlic has been used throughout recorded history for both culinary and medicinal purposes. It has a characteristic pungent, ‘hot’ flavor that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, and leek.

Garlic has been used as both food and medicine in many cultures for thousands of years, dating as far back as the time that the Egyptian pyramids were built. Garlic is claimed to help prevent heart disease including atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and cancer (although a recent study showed that found that consumption of garlic, in any form, did not reduce cholesterol levels in patients with moderately high baseline levels). In 1858, Louis Pasteur observed garlic’s antibacterial activity, and it was used as an antiseptic to prevent gangrene during World War I and World War II; in modern naturopathy, garlic is used as a treatment for intestinal worms and other intestinal parasites; garlic cloves are used as a remedy for infections (especially chest problems), digestive disorders, and fungal infections such as thrush.

This Week’s Gluten-Free Menus

Sally, at Aprovechar, has a menu full of wonderful fall vegetables that she gets from a local community-supported agriculture group that she joined. Included this week are Quinoa Pasta with roasted acorn squash chunks, onion, kale, and shaved pecorino with a browned ghee/sage sauce; and Eggplant lentil stew with pomegranate molasses. (And I’m really jealous about the tasting dinner at Whole Foods!)

Sea, at Book of Yum, has another week of international delights, including Roasted Garlic Pumpkin Lasagna (Italian), and Cream of Leek Potato Soup (American). Pumpkin Lasagna seems to be popular these days! (See Ginger Lemon Girl’s recipe.)

Ornery’s Wife, at Thoughts from Miller Manor, is focusing on whole, homemade foods. Her week’s menu is full of great cold-weather foods like stew with corn bread, roast beef with baked sweet potatoes, and chicken enchiladas.

Mary Frances, at Gluten Free Cooking School, has a great picture of her ravioli up on her page! (you weren’t supposed to tell anyone they were meant to be tortellini.) While she claims her menu is simple, it looks good to me: Garlic Chicken (or Tofu) Stir-Fry with Quinoa, Peppers and Basil; African Bean and Sweet Potato Stew; and more Ravioli. She’s also going to be trying out some of her Thanksgiving recipes.

Angela, from Angela’s Kitchen, is joining us this week. She’s both gluten and dairy free (and way more organized the I could ever be – she has a whole month of menus!) Her menu for the week includes such family-friendly and tasty meals as “Kid Kebobs“; Spaghetti and Meatballs; and Creamy Corn and Potato Chowder.

Carrie, at Ginger Lemon Girl, says, and I quote “Menus from now through New Year’s will not be ’spectaculous!’” But I don’t believe her. The Pecan-Encrusted Flounder with Wild Rice Bake and Taco/Chili Rellano Quiche Casserole sound good to me. She is also making “The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies” (which she had better share).

Natalie, at Gluten Free Mommy, is celebrating her third anniversary – Happy Anniversary! Her menu for the week looks tasty, with Cantonese Chicken with Vegetables; Chicken Parmesan; and Savannah Red Rice with Shrimp.

If you have a gluten-free menu you would like to add to the list for this week please email me at: kieferwilson(at)comcast(dot)net or leave me a link in the comment section.

(By the way, this is the link for the administrative page of the menu-swap where you can get information about future weeks.)

My Menu

My menu is fairly boring this week. With planning for the holidays, I’m getting a little lazy in the kitchen. I have to do some baking – probably a loaf of bread and some muffins. If there is anything interesting, I’ll post it.

Monday
Date with my husband
The Boathouse Restaurant has 1/2 price oysters on the half shell every Monday. They also have amazing fries that they cook in olive oil. They are even safe to eat because they are the only thing fried up in the olive oil.

Tuesday
Out with friends

Wednesday
Linguine with Clams (and lots of garlic)
Salad

Thursday
Grilled Lamp Chops
Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Peas

Friday
Enchiladas

My dog, the Red Sox fan