Menu-Swap Monday, June 23, 2008

Welcome to the Gluten-Free Menu Swap
Monday, June 23, 2008

 

I am hosting this week’s menu-swap, an idea started by Natalie at Gluten Free Mommy as a way for us to get organized (or at least try to!) and to share our recipes, plans, ideas, and thoughts about gluten-free eating for the week.  This week’s ingredient is OREGANO.

Fresh Oregano

I chose oregano as this week’s ingredient because it is an herb that I often cook with and because I have tons growing out in my garden.  I cook a lot of Mediterranean food — whether that’s Italian, French, or Greek — all of which make use of the herb.   Oregano is also a main component of chili powder.

There are several different varieties of oregano: Greek, which is what most people are familiar with; Mexican, which is what goes in chili powder; and Italian, which is a cross between Greek oregano and sweet marjoram.

Send me those menus!  You can leave your link in the comment section or email me at kieferwilson(at)comcast(dot)com.

 

Kimberly at Living Free is joining us for the first time - Welcome!  She has a great looking menu of what I think of as comfort food:  eggplant Parmesan, pizza, and black bean burgers.  The pasta salad with red pear, walnuts and feta sound especially good.

M-Elle of Cooking & UnCooking has a great menu planned for breakfast, lunch and dinner!  (I’m lucky to be able to plan dinner.)  She’s featuring a Gingered Basa (which, I think, is a kind of fish?), RAW Chili, and a Mandarin Chicken Salad.  And head back next week when she will be hosting the menu-swap.

Sea at Book of Yum as usual, has an excellent vegetarian menu with an international flair.  Included this week is Mexican: Black Bean and Corn Soup; Japanese: Miso Eggplant and Grilled Sesame Tofu; and Indian: Cumin Rice with Chickpea and Spinach Curry.  Her “dressing” of the week is actually a chutney — a Mint Cilantro Chutney.  Sounds great!

Gluten Free Goodness has even more oregano growing in her garden than I do!  (And I’m jealous that she already has tomatoes!)  But back to the menu – it looks good too, and seems to be featuring a few things from that garden.  Nightshade stew with oregano and avocado; halibut with pesto; rotisserie grilled chicken with oregano and caramelized spring onions.

Fresh Ginger also has nice looking oregano plants – aren’t fresh herbs great!?  She’s starting today with Crab Cakes (I want your recipe); moving on to a Potato Pizza tomorrow; and then is planning on something Thai then Indian later in the week.  She also made pulled pork and a polenta sausage mozzarella casserole over this past weekend.

Asparagus Thin is aiming for simple meals this week - and it still all looks delicious!  She is planning Stuffed Tomatoes, Swedish Meatballs with a root vegetable gratin, a Caribbean Curry, Tortilla de Patata, and Baked Catfish.

Natalie at Gluten Free Mommy, menu-planned in reverse — she shopped first, then planned her menu around that.  She wrote about her experience, and found it to be much easier than expected due to all her past menus swirling around in her head.  She’ll be serving up Spaghetti with meat sauce, Black Bean Soup with Quesadillas, Sesame Chicken, Flank Steak with Spicy Asian Noodles, and then finally Pizza night!  Also, check out her menu for additional links to simple and easy recipes.

Esther at Lilac Kitchen has her menu up now too.  (She’s starting karate lessens, so watch out!)  She’s trying to increase iron levels with dark green and red meat.  Thus a menu featuring steak, potatoes and spinach; chicken tacos; omelets with cauliflower and broccoli; lamb ribs (yum!); and a potato and chickpea curry.  Keep a watch for the daring bakers’ reveal, which was apparently a big success!

Deborah at One Beggar’s Bread starts out with a description of peanut butter and honey pancake sandwiches.  Sounds good to me!  She has her menu planned out for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The week starts with several BBQ dishes, both chicken and salmon, then she’s making pizza (I’m glad you like it), and quesadillas. 

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My Menu:

Sunday:
Memphis Style Pork Ribs
Cole Slaw
(check back for the rib recipe – I’m “bringing” it to Kate’s BBQ)

Monday:
Ravioli
with homemade pesto!
(I think I have enough basil in my garden)

Tuesday:
Out to dinner with friends

Wednesday:
Something on the grill
probably kabobs
potato salad

Thursday:
Braised chicken
(Italian style with oregano and other herbs)
Gnocchi with (fresh) Sage Butter

Friday:
Pizza
(because you can’t have pizza without oregano!)

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Possibility for the weekend:
Summer vegetable stew with braised rabbit

And I plan to bake more of Kate’s flat bread for sandwiches. It’s so easy to make, and really yummy!

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