Slightly sweet, buttery, and with pure vanilla extract! These homemade gluten-free waffle cones are crunchy and capture everything you know and love about a freshly shaped waffle cone. From one bowl of batter, you can shape into waffle cones, bowls, or take two disks and make ice cream sandwiches.

With kids in the house, we are a little ice cream obsessed around here. We’ve been churning batch after batch of lemon custard, salted caramel, and this fresh ginger ice cream (pictured throughout).

These cones have been a long time coming!

You can find decent ice cream in the store. That said, the cones are another matter. It’s maddening trying to buy flavorful ice cream cones; I’ve been on the hunt for a waffle or sugar cone that isn’t stale right out of the box for a decade.

It doesn’t exist (or if it does, I haven’t found it).

Cones don’t keep.

It’s a good idea to have ice cream cone ingredients because that way, you can whip up a batch of fresh cones in 15 minutes. Your homemade cones will keep for up to 3 days if you can protect them from moisture.

Why Gluten-Free Cones?

You may be wondering what’s up with the gluten-free flour. My husband has a gluten sensitivity and my culinary training is actually in the specialty diet realm. Bottom line, a tested and perfected gluten-free cone recipe has a ton of value to my family (and hopefully, yours too).

If you’re getting into gluten-free baking, I’m really proud of these gluten-free fudgy brownies (dairy free, too) and for something savory, there’s these gluten-free mini pizzas and these sushi and sashimi bowls.

In case you are wondering, you can make these in a non-stick skillet, but I think it’s significantly easier to use a waffle iron to get the fun pattern like we did here.

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Gluten-Free Waffle Cones or Bowls

You can add additional water to the batter (towards the end) if it thickens too much. When shaping cones, the initial texture will be pliable when warm. As the shapes cool, the cones will harden into whatever their shape is, becoming increasingly crunchy.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword gluten free, waffle cones

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6 cones

Calories 128kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour (also called tapioca "starch") may substitute arrowroot
• 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
• 1 egg white at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 to 4 tablespoons whole milk low-fat milk will also work
• coconut oil or butter for greasing the pan

Instructions

• Mix dry ingredients. In a bowl (preferably with a spout), whisk together the brown rice flour, tapioca, xanthan gum, salt, and sugar until incorporated.
• Form the batter. To the dry ingredient mixture, add the melted butter, vanilla, egg white, and 2 tablespoons milk. Whisk to form a smooth batter. Since you want the batter to remain pourable (but not too thin), you may need to continue to thin it out as it sits with milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Preheat a waffle iron (medium-low heat). Brush a waffle cone iron lightly with either coconut oil or butter. Pour or ladle approximately 3 tablespoons of batter at once. Close the lid and cook until golden, about 2 minutes.
• Remove and shape while warm. Using an offset spatula or a toothpick, carefully pry away the edges. Immediately roll into a cone shape being sure to keep the tip-end as small and tight as possible. You want to cinch the tip together while warm and hold in place for about 1-minute before transferring to a cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining batter and cones.

  Store cones in a non humid environment. They will stay crunchy for up to 3 days at room temperature in a sealed container or glass jar.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1cone | Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 125IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

Ginger ice cream made from fresh ginger makes such a refreshing dessert. Serve it after a heavy meal for an instant palate cleanser that will leave your taste buds dancing.

This ginger ice cream is crazy good–but unusual.

Just like a loud and proud lemon and cream pairing, fresh ginger infused syrup marries extremely well with dairy. We are talking simple, delightful zips of fill-your-whole-mouth ginger flavor.

Why You Need An Ice Cream Machine In Your Life

An $80 ice cream machine is a small investment to make when you consider how easy (and affordable) it is to stretch a few ingredients into multiple batches (and customizable flavors) of ice cream. Think roughly $3/gallon for homemade ice cream. I’m not even sure you could buy ginger ice cream at the store if you wanted to.

In this 7-ingredient recipe, you have egg yolks for a golden color and rich flavor and no carrageenan. Since ginger cannot be added directly to the ice cream due to its fibrous texture, you will learn how to diy your very own ginger syrup, so nothing artificial!

Since I have a few gluten sensitive eaters in my family, it was worth it to me to make homemade gluten free cones to pair with this naturally gluten-free ice cream. Gluten or no gluten, what matters here is homemade. Nothing beats a freshly waffled cone in terms of quality. Definitely recommend.

Serving Ideas for Ginger Ice Cream

You can serve this ginger ice cream with or without crystallized ginger, in a cup or in a homemade gluten-free cone; you can even serve it sandwiched between these molasses ginger cookies.

Ice Cream and Ginger Ale Float

On a hot summer day, you might want to try adding a scoop of ginger ice cream to some carbonated water. That’s right, you can make your very own ginger ale float! Creamy, thirst-quenching, and 100% natural ginger flavor.

Back to the ice cream recipe…Let’s go over all the ingredients you need for the ice creams (and pictured here are the cone ingredients, too).

Fresh Ginger Ice Cream Ingredients:

• sugar: evaporated cane sugar works well for making the syrup
• ginger peeled and grated: peel the ginger root and use a microplane to get a really fine pulp
• whole milk: be sure to use whole milk (reduced fat milk will not work)
• egg yolks: you will temper the egg yolks that give this custard a luxuriously rich flavor
• heavy cream: it’s important to use heavy, full fat cream to get a thick, creamy, and rich ice cream texture
• fresh lemon juice: compliments the flavor of the ginger
• candied ginger (optional): chewy, sweet, and spicy; used as a garnish

Ginger Ice Cream Recipe Step-by-Step

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. You can match these steps with the recipe card (below).

Step 1: Make simple syrup and infuse with fresh ginger.

An infusion is where you extract the ginger flavor into a heated syrup. You’ll strain the pulp at the end and you’ll be left with a golden, ginger syrup.

Step 2: Warm milk and steep with ginger. 

Step 3: Beat egg yolks. 

Step 4: Temper eggs to form the custard.

Step 5: Cool Quickly.

Ice Bath Method: You can quickly cool your dairy mixture by setting the bowl inside of a larger bowl with ice. Stir to cool. You don’t want to pour a really hot mixture into an ice cream machine because then it might not get cold enough to freeze and thicken properly.

Step 6: Churn Ice Cream

Ingredient Tip: Add chopped crystallized ginger when churning the ice cream, if you like. It will add little chewy bites.

Step 7: Freeze

If you’re wondering what I mean when I say “soft serve consistency,” look at the above picture. Your ice cream machine will produce something very soft. If you want to be able to scoop it, you have to freeze it longer (see below).

To get a nice scoop, you should spread the ice cream in a baking pan lined with parchment paper (also cover the top with parchment paper or plastic wrap to avoid freezer burn). Once the ice cream is hard, you will be able to scoop it. This can take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours of freeze time.

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Fresh Ginger Ice Cream

Makes 1 quart (Double recipe if you have a 2 quart machine)

Refreshing ginger ice cream made from fresh ginger with pops of candied ginger. This ice cream is a palate cleanser/dessert in one.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Asian

Keyword ginger, gluten free ice cream, ice cream

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Steeping (30 minutes) + Freezing (4 hours) 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8 scoops

Calories 204kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

• 1 ice cream machine

Ingredients

• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar of choice preferably evaporated cane sugar
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 ounce ginger peeled and grated
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons candied ginger optional

Instructions

• Make simple syrup and infuse with fresh ginger. Combine ¼ cup of the sugar with the water in a small saucepan and bring to a rapid boil. Add the grated ginger and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, remove from the heat, and strain the syrup into a small bowl. Reserve the cooked ginger (still in the strainer) in a separate bowl.
• Warm milk and steep with ginger. Over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan, combine the milk with 2 tablespoons sugar and reserved cooked ginger. When the milk comes to a boil, remove from the heat, and pour in the ginger syrup. Set aside and allow the milk to steep for 30 minutes.
• Beat egg yolks. Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining ¼ cup of sugar until the yolks turn pale yellow.
• Temper eggs to form the custard. Heat the ginger-infused milk once again, on low heat until hot. Pour the hot milk in a steady stream into the beaten egg yolks, whisking the whole time to avoid any lumps or scrambling of the eggs. Pour the custard mix back into the saucepan and cook on low heat, stirring continuously for about 6 to 8 minutes, until the custard thickens to coat a spoon.
• Cool quickly. Put a handful of ice cubes and a cup or two of water in a large bowl. Place a medium bowl in this ice bath. Remove the custard from the heat and strain it into the medium bowl. This cools the custard quickly. With a wooden spoon, press down on the ginger in the strainer to get any juices into the custard.
• Churn ice cream. When the custard has cooled through, stir in the heavy cream and the lemon juice. Pour into an ice-cream maker and add the candied ginger. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Freeze. Most budget ice cream machines will produce a soft serve consistency. If you would like to be able to scoop your ice cream, I recommend pouring into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Top with parchment paper and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Freeze for 4 hours. At this point, the ice cream will harden and you can scoop.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1scoop | Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 38mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 584IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

You can’t go wrong with a crispy tortilla layered with chipotle simmered black beans, pickled red onion, and refreshing avocado slaw. We are covering our bases with these gourmet black bean tostadas and then some.

I really love a simple, yet gourmet, tostada. Can you tell?

In my book, there are a few musts when it comes to tostadas. They must be:

1. crispy, and preferably made with freshly fried corn tortillas
2. have a thick, hot layer of saucy black beans
3. topped with something(s) fresh

Don’t let these guys fool you. These black bean tostadas and every component are weeknight friendly and should only take you about 30-minutes to make (a bit more if you want to make the tortillas yourself).

Here are the Mexican Ingredients You Need:

• Avocado oil: This is a healthy cooking oil with a neutral flavor.
• Corn tortillas: homemade or store-bought
• Salt: sea salt or smoked sea salt are ideal
• ¼ medium white onion diced: don’t be tempted to use an entire onion in this recipe. I have tested this and you should keep the ratios so as not to over-power the beans.
• Garlic: you can mince your own garlic or use the pre-minced kind
• Chipotle chile in adobo sauce canned *1 chipotle chile from the can, roughly chopped plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce: these peppers are smoky and spicy; be careful not to add too many or the beans will be very spicy
• 1 14- ounce Can Black Beans: you can mash these up a bit if you like or use refried beans
• 1 pinch Dried Mexican oregano/regular oregano/fresh minced oregano: this adds a floral, earthy flavor that is important to Mexican cuisine
• 1 pinch Anise seed: while this may seem like a strange ingredient, I encourage you to use it. The anise imparts that something extra that makes these incredibly fresh-tasting.
• ½ Red Onion very thinly sliced: this is used for quick pickling and will become a garnish; I really like the flavor of red onion pickled in salted lime so don’t use a white onion for this
• 3 Limes: limes impart a sweet, sour flavor for pickling the onion; this juice gets re-purposed in the slaw and helps break down the cabbage so that it’s softer
• Jalapeno minced: I like to include the seeds for flavor and spiciness; adds freshness
• Cilantro: a garnish that adds a lemony, peppery, pungent taste to the dish
• Cotija cheese: any mild fresh cheese will work and you can leave off the cheese if you are making these vegan
• Green cabbage: I like the crunchiness of shredded green cabbage; it holds up better than lettuce
• Avocados: you can use the avocado to garnish and to impart a rich, creaminess to the cabbage slaw; acts like sour cream in this recipe

Step-by-Step Black Bean Tostada Recipe

Step 1: Pan-fry the tortillas until crispy. 

Technique Tip: For best results, you need to pan-fry (not bake) the tortillas. Really aim for firm and crispy so that they can hold the toppings without flopping around.

Step 2: Make the beans. 

Step 3: Quick pickle the onion. 

As you can see, the red onion gets submerged in lime juice with salt and this acid breaks down the onion, making it soft and a pretty pink color (see picture below).

Step 4: Make slaw, garnish and serve. 

For the slaw, you can serve this on top of the tostada like you would lettuce or on the side.

You can use store-bought corn tortillas to save time or you can make your own for a restaurant quality experience. Homemade tortillas are easier that you might think, and you don’t even need a tortilla press.

How to Make Homemade Corn Tortillas (Optional)

You can make homemade tortillas in less than 10-minutes by cleverly sandwiching the masa dough between parchment paper, which makes for both easy clean-up and prevents the dough from sticking. Here’s the basic process:

Homemade Tortillas Ingredients:

• 1 cup masa harina
• Lukewarm water
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fat, such as avocado oil, olive oil, or lard

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the masa, lukewarm water, salt, and fat. Mix well to form a thick paste. 
2. Divide masa paste mixture into 4 roughly equal-sized balls. 
3. Set a large piece of parchment paper on the counter. Transfer the masa balls on top spacing far apart and set another large piece of parchment on top sandwiching the masa in between the parchment layers. Press, flatten and roll the masa balls until very flat (approximately ⅛-inch thick). 
4. Peel away the top piece of parchment. Flip to make it easier to peel the parchment away from the flattened masa dough. To do this, you can place the masa over the palm of your hand and carefully remove. Gently lay palm-side-up onto a preheated griddle. Cook 40 seconds, then flip every 20 seconds until cooked through, approximately 2-minutes total. Store tortillas covered to keep moist.

Variations and Serving Tips:

• Cherry tomatoes: Halve and add as a garnish for a pop of color
• Salsa: any fresh salsa
• Taco sauce, hot sauce, or enchilada sauce
• Sour cream, especially thinned with a bit of lime juice and cilantro added
• taco shop guacamole
• shredded cheddar cheese, especially if melted over the beans
• microgreens: such as radish, kale, or arugula
• Just a pinch of this mesquite salt will impart some really special wood smoke flavor.
• Make mini tostadas: If you are making homemade tortillas, you could try serving mini tostadas for a fun appetizer or as a party food for a buffet

Mexican Recipes You Might Like:

• Chilaquiles with Fried Eggs: This is a great breakfast recipe if you end up with extra tortillas
• Bona Fide Fried Ice Cream
• Mangonada Smoothies
• How to Make Chamoy
• Pork Pozole Verde
• Forever Barbacoa – Mexican Shredded Beef

I hope you love a weeknight gourmet tostada as much as I do. Thanks for stopping by. You’re welcome back any ol’ time.

The Frayed Apron is committed to creating high quality recipes that work. We are transparent about the recipe notes we receive:

Tostadas – Tortillas were easy to make, funnily enough I have a low carb tortilla recipe on my website that uses the same method for flattening. These were delicious, my toddler loves the tortillas. I kept a bit of water on hand to keep the dough from drying out as I worked on them. We had these for dinner the night I made them with shredded chicken on top and they were great!

Adam Rahman, Recipe Tester and Photographer

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Smoky Black bean tostadas with avocado slaw and pickled onion

I love a good tostada and these black bean beauties have got it going on! You get bold, smoky and spicy from the chipotle black beans. Plus, the best of the best in toppings: pickled red onion, avocado slaw, and fresh Mexican cheese.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword black beans, tostada

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 535kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• Avocado oil
• 8 corn tortillas homemade preferably or store bought
• Salt to taste
• ¼ medium white onion diced
• 1 garlic clove minced
• Chipotle chile in adobo sauce canned *1 chipotle chile from the can, roughly chopped plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 1 14- ounce can black beans
• 1 pinch dried Mexican oregano regular oregano or fresh minced oregano work, too
• 1 pinch anise seed
• ½ red onion very thinly sliced
• 3 limes
• Jalapeno minced
• 1 ounce cilantro roughly chopped
• Cotija cheese crumbled (optional)
• 1 tiny head green cabbage very thinly sliced (1 cup)
• 3 ripe avocados halved, seeded, and outside peels removed

Instructions

• Pan-fry the tortillas until crispy. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of oil and when it shimmers, add the tortilla in a single layer, cooking one at a time until golden brown. Flip the tortilla and repeat, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel and season with salt while hot. Note: For tostadas, you are aiming to cook the tortillas until they are crispy like a chip.
• Make the beans. In the hot skillet, add the oil and chopped onion with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are slightly brown around the edges. Add the garlic and chipotle chiles. Stir then add the canned black beans, oregano, and anise seed. Leave to simmer. Note: While you can’t over-cook the beans, they can dry out so feel free to add water 1 tablespoon at a time to keep them moist.
• Quick pickle the onion. In a small bowl, combine the red onion, the juice of 3 limes, and 3 pinches of salt. Massage for 10 seconds then set aside and watch as the color transforms. When they appear bright fuschia, they are ready (approximately 10 minutes).
• Make slaw, garnish and serve. Slice 2 of the avocados thinly lengthwise for garnish, set aside. For the slaw, place one avocado in a bowl and mash with a fork. Pour the pickled onion liquid (reserve the onions for garnish) over the avocado. Add the cabbage and massage to create the slaw. Plate the slaw with a sprinkle of cotija. To plate the tostada: Place a layer of beans and garnish with jalapeno, cilantro, cotija, avocado slices, and pickled onion.

Video

Notes

Chipotle chiles are sold canned in adobo sauce. You can include some of the sauce in the beans, if you wish. It has a spicy, smoky flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tostadas | Calories: 535kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Sodium: 488mg | Potassium: 1666mg | Fiber: 28g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 952IU | Vitamin C: 119mg | Calcium: 217mg | Iron: 5mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

Artichokes are such a delicacy but because they contain so many inedible parts, they can be downright daunting. If you love the taste and want to learn how to cut, cook, and eat them with ease, welcome! Today is the day you master the artichoke.

Let me start by saying that I am especially glad you are here. My favorite recipes involve some sort of challenge and the ability to be creative beyond cooking101. I KNOW that if you are reading this, you likely are a frayed apron cook in your own right. I see you!

I covet an artichoke. We never had them growing up.

This weekend, my sense of accomplishment came from teaching my son how to eat his first artichoke. He loved it! Even my husband, who is never excited about artichokes, raved “these are the best!” His apathy for them comes from thinking of them as steamed and lifeless.

All of this is to say, clean your chokes, stuff and roast them and people will think of you as an artichoke angel. Definitely plan on at least an entire artichoke per person. It’s hard to share that prized heart!

Gather Your Ingredients:

Today, we will be steaming, then stuffing and roasting whole artichokes with the usual players: breadcrumbs, olive oil, and garlic but also some pairings that you might not expect: capers, roasted bell peppers, and a citrusy vinaigrette.

When you sink into this artichoke, you will get earthy and briny tastes amplified by acidity (so not quite as rich as a dairy-based recipe). This is a pretty refreshing spring dish with lots of whole foods ingredients.

Would you look at that?

These are so gosh darn pretty. They make for a lovely appetizer for a family brunch. Honestly, I think they’d make a fabulous vegetarian centerpiece. Regardless of how you serve them, you can’t go wrong with an artichoke.

You can even make these gluten-free if you use gluten-free breadcrumbs, making this recipe:

Visual Tutorial on How to Prepare Fresh Artichokes 

Ingredient Tip: Did you know that cut artichokes oxidize and turn black? To prevent them from turning colors, you simply place them in a bowl of acidulated water (water with lemon juice usually) or just rub your halved lemon directly on the artichoke where you cut it open.

How to Cut

It’s probably safest to use a serrated knife to trim the top portion of the artichoke but I almost always use a really sharp chef’s knife.

Other nice things to have are a pair of kitchen shears for removing the pointy end of petals (about ¼ of the way down allows the petals to sit flat). While you can remove the fuzz while the artichoke is raw. It’s quite a bit simpler to do this step after the artichokes have been steamed.

Steam (Don’t Boil)

A steamer basket is key and will enable you to keep the artichokes above the boiling water. Steaming with a spritz or two of fresh lemon juice maintains the color and flavor of the artichokes as they cook.

Cooking Tip: If your steamer basket sits very low, you may need to add additional water halfway through as you really don’t want the artichokes submerged. Boiling will zap your artichokes of their flavor.

After the artichokes have cooled, you can remove the inedible center (so, just remove the fuzzy portion) with a spoon. This will vastly improve the eating experience.

Why Bother Roasting?

While you can eat freshly steamed artichokes, we are using a breadcrumb-based stuffing and we want to get the breadcrumbs slightly golden brown and crispy. Roasting also intensifies the flavor of each ingredient and allows everything to come together.

How to Cook Stuffed Artichokes

Really fill the heck out of your artichokes then roast them until you see the breadcrumbs brown in spots. This could take 15 minutes or longer.

How to Eat

You pull the leaves off one-by-one and bite down pulling and scraping the remove “the meat.” You can use a fork to enjoy little bites of the breadcrumb center, too.

Truly, I was surprised how quickly my 2-year-old figured out how to scrape the leaves with his teeth. He really seemed to get a kick out of this one.

Sometimes a photo (or video) is worth a thousand words. If at any point you’re not understanding an instruction, please check out the images or drop me a comment. I always try to get back to people as quickly as I can.

To reiterate, I love connecting with people who are well on their way through their cooking journey. It means I get to share even more creative recipes (like this one!). Oh, I DO hope you’ll come back:)

Your Curated Recipe Playlist:

• Homemade Pasta
• Rotisserie Chicken How-To with Seasonal Vegetable
• Creamy Rhubarb Lime Sorbet
• Extra Fudgy Gluten-Free Brownies (Dairy Free)

The Frayed Apron is committed to several rounds of testing so that our recipes always work! Here’s the feedback we received from our recipe tester:

Stuffed artichokes – No notes really, instructions were straightforward, it was pretty yummy. My family jokes that artichokes are the only food in the world I don’t like but I think you’ve converted me!

Adam Rahman, recipe tester and food photographer

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STUFFED ARTICHOKES

DAIRY FREE, GLUTEN-FREE, NUT FREE, SOY FREE, VEGAN

Freshly prepared artichokes are a must try. Serve these stuffed chokes as a gourmet vegetarian appetizer or a main course.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword artichoke

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people (1 artichoke each)

Calories 543kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

• steamer pot with steamer basket
• Kitchen shears
• Chef’s knife

Ingredients

• 2 approximately 1-pound artichokes, washed and dried
• ¼ cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove minced
• Black pepper
• 2 tablespoons capers drained
• ½ cup roasted red pepper from 1 roasted pepper or from the jar, minced
• 1/2 cup packed baby spinach minced
• 1 cup breadcrumbs such as store bought or homemade (gluten free is ok)

Instructions

• Prepare the artichokes. Use a chef’s knife or serrated knife to cut straight through the top 2-inches of each artichoke and enough off the base to allow the artichoke to sit flatly. Use kitchen scissors or a chef’s knife to discard any tough outer leaves (usually toward the bottom of the artichoke stem-end). Use scissors to cut sharp tips of leaves.
• Steam the artichokes. Fill a pot with a couple inches of water and place a steam rack on top. Set the artichokes, stem-end up on the rack. Drizzle with about ¼ teaspoon acid (lemon juice or red wine vinegar) per artichoke then cover. Simmer over medium low heat until tender, about 40 minutes (more or less time, depending on the size of your artichokes*).
• Make the stuffing. Whisk together the orange juice, red wine vinegar, mustard, olive oil, garlic, and black pepper. Mix in the capers, roasted red pepper, spinach, and breadcrumbs.
• Stuff the artichokes then roast. After steaming, use a pair of tongs to remove the artichokes to cool on a plate. Gently remove just enough of the leaves from the center to reveal the “hairs” or fuzz. Use a spoon to gently scrape away and discard the fuzz to reveal a clean “heart.” Place the artichokes in a baking dish (or casserole dish) heart-side up so that they fit snugly. Use a spoon to pack the center of each choke with plenty of stuffing. Next, drizzle filling between the leaves; tip: using your fingers to spread the leaves will help you get more stuffing in there. Season each artichoke with salt then roast in the oven for 15 minutes or until the breadcrumb stuffing appears golden. Serve and savor each and every bite.

Video

Notes

Timing artichokes and cook time:

It’s actually pretty difficult to offer a universal cook time for artichokes because they cook at different rates depending on the size and other factors.

If you can pierce them through easily with a skewer, they may be removed from the steamer. You will be roasting further so it’s ok if the artichoke doesn’t just fall right off the skewer (this visual is the one you would look for if you were only steaming and not following with a roast).

Nutrition

Serving: 1stuffed artichoke | Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Sodium: 1252mg | Potassium: 753mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 977IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 189mg | Iron: 5mg

Recipe Photography by Adam Rahman

These are my “extra” brownies because they’re loaded with chocolate galore. 275 grams of dark chocolate to be exact. Can you imagine?

Just look at that crinkly golden hued top. This may be the only indicator that these brownies are, in fact, made from gluten-free flour (which doesn’t brown the way wheat flour does when baked).

Let Chocolate Be Thy Cure

It’s. Been. A. Week.

If you’re here, maybe you’ve had A week, too. These undetectably gluten-free, dairy free and sugar conscious brownies are just the cure to whatever ails your spirit. They offer a dopamine hit straight to that part of your brain that signals pleasure and reward. Treat yo-self.

For the sugar detectives of the world, of course there’s sugar (and lots of it) but I did replace half of the normal refined sugar portion found in not-sugar-conscious brownies. You will love the brown sugar-esque taste of the coconut sugar in this recipe. It’s rich and will remind you of caramel.

Healthified Brownie Ingredients

• Dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate: Look for dark chocolate (any percentage will work) that also contains sugar; if you only use “baker’s chocolate” you will be using 100% chocolate and your brownies won’t be sweet enough
• coconut oil, refined or unrefined; the primary fat in this brownie helps achieve a fudgy texture
• eggs: you will use 2 large eggs, plus add an extra egg yolk for a rich flavor
• pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste: this adds depth and dimension to chocolate desserts; I don’t recommend imitation vanilla even though it’s cheaper.
• evaporated cane sugar: this is the more process sugar (it replaces granulated white sugar)
• coconut sugar: a less refined sugar that has a rich flavor and is available in the baking aisle
• gluten-free flour (tested brands that work in this recipe: Bob’s Red Mill GF 1:1 Baking Flour, Namaste 1:1 Flour blend, or sorghum flour)
• flax meal (made from whole flax seeds): there are a lot of health benefits of flax. You can make your own flax meal by grinding whole brown or golden flax seeds in a spice grinder (aka a coffee grinder). Ground fresh flax seeds have a shelf life of about 3 weeks. This ingredient acts a bit like an egg and helps bind these brownies together.
• Kosher or sea salt: a brownie without salt is a sad thing, indeed. Salt enhances the flavor of chocolate like no other ingredient can.
• baking powder: the leavening agent; be sure your baking powder is fresh (within 1 year old)

Step-by-Step Brownie Recipe (plus some Tips)

Step 1: Preheat the oven and line the brownie pan. 

Grab an 8 by 8-inch aluminum or glass pan and line it with parchment paper (hanging over for easy lifting).

Step 2: Melt chocolate and combine with oil. 

Double Boiler Explained: If you’re unfamiliar, a double boiler is how you want to melt whole dark chocolate. You set a heat-proof bowl on top of a small pot (there’s about an inch of water in the pot). Set the heat to medium or bring to a simmer. Stir the chocolate with a spatula (holding the bowl with a kitchen towel to prevent burns). DO NOT let water get into your chocolate or it will seize.

Step 3: Beat egg mixture for 10 minutes.

Step 4: Make dry ingredient mixture.

Step 5: Combine chocolate mixture with egg mixture then add dry ingredient mixture. Also, add additional chopped chocolate. 

Step 6: Spread batter then bake in prepared pan.

Tool Tip: Use an offset spatula (an angled spatula) to smooth the top of the brownie batter before baking for an even height.

Allow your brownies to cool. Since these are fudgy brownies, we need to wait (up to 1 hour) to fully allow the center to set properly.

You’ll be grateful you used parchment paper which makes for easy lifting. Simply lift and cut into squares on a cutting board. At this point, the brownies should be served at room temperature for the best experience in taste and texture.

Variations and Serving Ideas:

This is where you get to customize your favorite mix-ins, add-ons and presentations. While I recommend sampling the original recipe first, some great additions to try are:

• Chopped walnuts (up to a quarter cup folded into the batter then baked)
• A quarter teaspoon of instant espresso powder
• Served with a dollop of whipped cream and Mexican cinnamon
• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and raspberry coulis
• Topped before baking with flaked sea salt
• Frosted with a buttercream, such as dulce de leche, peanut butter, coffee, cinnamon, chocolate, vanilla, or toasted marshmallow

If you’ve sampled these goodies, please let me know your exact gluten-free flour blend/brand. I’d love to feature your comment!

More Gluten-Free Recipes For You:

• Cold and Creamy Chocolate Coconut Ice Milk
• Creamy Carob Mousse (a no-cook, dairy free pudding)
• Go-To Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

*In response to our tester’s feedback, we increased the cook-time from 30 minutes to 38 minutes. Please note oven performance can vary.

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GLUTEN-FREE BROWNIES RECIPE

DAIRY FREE, GLUTEN-FREE, VEGETARIAN, NUT FREE

These modestly sweet brownies are fudgy and decadent, yet contain loads of wholesome ingredients for quality you can taste. Let me tell you about the premium ingredients: There's melted and chopped dark chocolate, high quality fats (egg yolk, coconut oil, and ground flax), even unrefined coconut sugar!

While you could mix these by hand, you should get out the stand mixer. Following the recommended mixing times and steps will ensure that these delicate brownies hold together and set properly.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword brownies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 9 brownies

Calories 621kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

• 1 stand mixer
• 1 9-inch by 9-inch baking pan

Ingredients

• 2 cups (200 grams) dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
• 1 cup (225 grams) coconut oil, refined or unrefined
• 2 large whole eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
• ¼ cup (43 grams) evaporated cane sugar
• 1 cup (182 grams) coconut sugar
• 1 cup approximately185 grams gluten-free flour (tested brands that work in this recipe: Bob’s Red Mill GF 1:1 Baking Flour, Namaste 1:1 Flour blend, or sorghum flour)
• 5 teaspoons (15 grams) flax meal (ground flax seeds)
• 1 teaspoon (5 grams) Kosher or sea salt
• ½ teaspoon (2 grams) baking powder
• ¾ cup (75 grams) dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate

Instructions

• Preheat the oven and line the brownie pan. Preheat the oven to 320F. Line an 8 by 8-inch pan with foil or parchment paper (hanging over for easy lifting) and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• Melt chocolate and combine with oil. Melt chocolate over a double boiler, once melted remove from heat with kitchen glove and add coconut oil. Mix well.
• Beat egg mixture for 10 minutes. Combine eggs, yolk, vanilla, and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip 5 minutes on speed 2. Scrape the bowl and mix 5 more minutes on speed 2 or until doubled in volume.
• Make dry ingredient mixture. Sift gluten-free flour, flax meal, salt, and baking powder together. Set aside.
• Combine chocolate mixture with egg mixture then add dry ingredient mixture. Also, add additional chopped chocolate. Switch stand mixer to the paddle attachment. Add melted chocolate to egg mixture and mix to combine. Add dry ingredient mixture. Mix until it just starts to come together. Add chopped chocolate and mix in.
• Spread batter then bake in prepared pan. Spread brownie batter evenly in prepared pan using an offset spatula. Bake for 19 minutes, rotate and bake an additional 19 minutes (so 38 minutes total). Note: Toothpick should NOT come out clean because these brownies contain so much chocolate. Cool then cut into squares (cleaning your offset spatula between cuts will help you get cleaner lines).

  Cover and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Video

Notes

Coconut oil: If your coconut oil is solid, melt it before measuring to get the correct volume. Since there is so much chocolate and vanilla in this recipe, you can use either refined or unrefined coconut oil without a detectable coconut taste.

Ingredient Tip: Buy flax seeds whole. You can make your own flax meal by grinding whole flax seeds (gold or brown flax seeds work) into a powder using a coffee grinder. Store ground flax in the refrigerator and use it within 2 weeks. Whole flax seeds are quite shelf stable and will last for years before going rancid.

Flavor Variations: Try espresso (add ¼ teaspoon espresso powder to the batter); add ¼ teaspoon ground cassia bark or “Mexican cinnamon”

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 621kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 37g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 406mg | Potassium: 380mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 197mg | Iron: 1mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

These gluten-free mini pizzas are so good to me.

Ravenous toddlers and infants gobble them up *silently*. Newly gluten-free husbands insist they are as good (if not better than) the local gluten-free pizza restaurant.

Oh, and they must be easy to make because I have made them more than any other recipe this year.

How to Save $ with Bulk Buys

Do you shop at Costco? These days, pretty cost conscious and set about creating this recipe to save money and keep pizza Fridays. Turns out, you can buy and freeze two giant bags of shredded mozzarella from Costco. Costco also now stocks a very decent gluten-free flour blend by a brand called Namaste.

And in case you don’t already know, canned Marzano tomatoes with a sprinkle of Italian seasoning make the world’s BEST pizza sauce (dramatic, I know, but true). You can even find the toppings at Costco; we like the canned mushrooms, salami, and basil pesto.

At the risk of sounding bossy, stock these ingredients and you will always have a dinner back-up plan when you need one. Definitely convenient, tasty, and staggeringly cheaper than eating out.

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust with Yeast

Let’s talk about this crust: It’s mellow in flavor and tastes best when slightly on the crispy side. Basically, just follow the recipe and you’ll be in gluten-free pizza heaven. You’ll get zero complaints.

Let’s talk about yeast: I am recommending active dry yeast in this recipe which gets combined with lukewarm water and sugar; in other words, you have to activate it. While you don’t have to allow your crust time to rise, if you like tiny airy bubbles, you really should be patient and wait. I’m patient about 50% of the time, and I always prefer the crust best when I let it rise.

How to Make Mini Gluten-Free Pizzas – Step by Step Process

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Ingredients:

• extra virgin olive oil is one of the key ingredients for making pizza dough; for flavor and texture
• coconut sugar or honey for the yeast. Feel free to substitute granulated white sugar if that’s what you have.
• active dry yeast
• gluten-free flour: You can use your own bread flour blend or use something like a cup-for-cup all-purpose blend. I like Namaste 1:1 Perfect Flour Blend but we also tested Robin Hood Gluten-Free Flour Blend and it worked well, too. If you try your own homemade blend, feel free to share in the community chat below.
• xanthan gum optional but I like to leave it in because it makes the dough slightly more elastic and easier to spread; you can find xanthan gum (online) in the baking aisle and it’s one of those ingredients that has a long shelf life, so don’t worry about buying it in bulk if you plan on regularly baking gluten-free.
• fennel seed: ground fennel seed is an optional spice that will remind you of the flavor of sausage. Feel free to leave it out, if you desire.
• salt is for enhancing the flavor of the crust. I like sea salt and Kosher salt.
• egg optional–makes for a softer pizza crust–note: I prefer a crispier crust and leave the egg out

Topping Ingredients:

Feel free to use whatever toppings you’d like. These are my favorites:

• Canned san Marzano peeled tomatoes: I like to simply use my fingers to crush the large pieces of tomatoes as I’m topping the pizzas and then use a spoon to get the liquid sauce directly from the can. You won’t believe the flavor of this simple sauce!
• Italian seasoning completes the flavor of the sauce (just a sprinkle per pizza).
• Mozzarella cheese low moisture part-skim shredded: I like to do a thin layer from edge to edge.
• Salami thin sliced such as Genoa, cut into small squares: I sometimes favor salami over pepperoni but feel free to use whatever you like.
• mushroom slices can be fresh or canned; feel free to substitute black olives if you prefer!
• Fresh basil leaves thinly sliced adds something fresh in flavor and color.
• Red chile flakes for serving, if you don’t mind a little heat.

To activate your yeast, be sure to use warm water (below 110F). Bubbles are an indication that the yeast mixture is ready to use.

Whisk your gluten-free flour with the xanthan gum then combine with yeast mixture, salt, and olive oil to form a thick paste (pictured above).

Using the back of a spoon, you can smooth the batter to form flat, disks approximately 1/4-inch thick. Be sure to do this step on top of parchment paper so the pizzas hold together while they bake.

Technique Tip: Keep the toppings light. You don’t want to overload your pizzas because then the crust won’t get as crispy.

Variation Instructions and Inspiration

Deep dish style: You can line a cast iron skillet with parchment paper and spread the batter on the bottom and up the sides. Partially bake for 20 minutes, then add your toppings: sauce, cheese, etc. Bake another 20 minutes, then slice and serve your pizza pie. This recipe yields 1 deep-dish pizza.

Large size thin crust pizzas: You don’t have to make 3-inch miniature pizzas. You can spread your crust out as far as you like (this recipe yields two large thin crust pizzas) as long as you remember to do everything on top of parchment paper on a tray. It’s easier to transfer a tray with a large pizza into the oven than it is to try and move the pizza.

Toppings: thinly sliced ham, pineapple, jalapeno, barbecue sauce, barbecued pulled pork, sausage, peppers, onion, roasted garlic, artichoke hearts, banana peppers, parmesan, buffalo mozzarella, basil pesto, shredded Rotisserie chicken.

So what toppings have you tried? If you like a gluten-free flour, please share your favorite blends in the comments below. We’d love to hear from you!

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GLUTEN-FREE MINI PIZZAS

If you don’t already know, gluten-free pizza “dough” has a spreadable consistency (think: batter) and is unlike wheat pizza dough in that regard. What I LOVE about this recipe is that it requires yeast, so it will remind you of regular pizza dough. For best results, I recommend a few fundamentals: keep the crust ultra thin, top sparsely, and cook until nice and crisp–all on top of parchment paper!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword gluten free, pizza

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Resting Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 9 mini pizzas (about 3-inches wide)

Calories 151kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for greasing sheet trays
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or honey
• 1 cup lukewarm water 105F
• 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour favorite brand: Namaste 1:1 Perfect Flour Blend
• 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum optional but I like to leave it in because it makes the dough slightly more elastic and easier to spread
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed optional
• ½ teaspoon salt
• *1 egg optional–makes for a softer pizza crust–note: I prefer a crispier crust and leave the egg out
• 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
• Toppings:
• Canned san Marzano peeled tomatoes
• Italian seasoning
• Mozzarella cheese low moisture part-skim shredded
• Salami thin sliced such as Genoa, cut into small squares
• 1 can mushroom slices drained
• Fresh basil leaves thinly sliced
• Red chile flakes for serving

Instructions

• Lightly coat 2 half-sheet trays with olive oil and line with parchment paper*.
• In a small bowl, dissolve the sweetener of choice in water and add yeast. Wait until you see bubbles, about 5 to 10 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, xanthan gum, fennel, and salt. Combine flour mixture with bubbly yeast mixture. Stir briefly to combine. Add egg (if using) along with 1 tablespoon of oil. Stir to form a thick, creamy paste.
• Spoon batter onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper to form 6, 3-inch pizzas: With circular motion, spread each circle out with back of spoon to about 3 inches in diameter. Thinner cooks better so get that crust as thin as you can.
• Cover with inverted baking pan and let rise 40-45 minutes. Note: You can skip this step and cook right away but I think the flavor and texture of the dough is lighter, airier, crisper, and more flavorful if you wait.
• Preheat oven to 375° F.
• Top each mini pizza with a thin layer of tomato sauce from the can (as in the sauce and any whole tomatoes that you sort of smash or tear up real small), a pinch of Italian seasoning, mozzarella cheese spread all the way to the outer edges (I love the way it crisps on the outside), salami, and mushroom slices.
• Dribble remaining oil over each mini pizza.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until slightly browned. Best served warm with fresh basil and red chile flakes.

Video

Notes

Note: With gluten-free pizzas, it’s necessary to spread the batter using the back of a spoon. You really need to do this on top of parchment paper or the dough will stick and be difficult to remove.

Testing Note: If you would like to cook the pizza on the parchment paper directly on the oven’s rack, so no sheet tray, you can. I recommend sliding the parchment using a pizza peel or cutting board onto the rack. When opting to do this, I typically do one larger pizza at a time on parchment paper because otherwise the toppings tend to fall off.

Nutrition

Serving: 1mini 3-inch pizza | Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 181mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

Photography by Adam Rahman

My lemon custard ice cream has received mixed reviews. Some say it’s perfect, others say the lemon is too intense. After recently trying a mellow lemon ice cream from a local ice cream shop, I’ve realized that some of my critics have a point. Mellow lemon in ice cream is really good, too.

With that in mind, I’m sharing a toned down lemon ice cream recipe with a twist. Olive oil!

Instead of relying on egg yolks as I do in the lemon custard recipe, this recipe uses the fat from olive oil to add richness (along with full fat dairy, of course). It may sound odd, but it’s really, really good.

I hope you’ll try it and tell me what you think!

You can enjoy the ice cream at home straight out of your ice cream machine as soft serve but I think it’s best if you freeze and scoop it, which takes an additional 8 hours. If you have popsicle molds, you can even make your own lemon ice cream pops!

Either way, you are in for a creamy, sweet treat with just a pop of acidity.

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Lemon Olive Oil Ice Cream

Lemon and olive oil go hand in hand in pound cake, and it turns out, ice cream, too.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword gluten free ice cream, ice cream, lemon

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Freeze Time 8 hours hours

Servings 8 people

Calories 336kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

• 1 ice cream machine

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest from 3 lemons
• 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice strained 3 to 4 lemons

Instructions

• Mix the heavy cream, milk, sugar, zest, salt and vanilla in a medium pot over the stove. Warm over medium-high heat until you see bubbles on the surface, approximately 9 minutes. Whisk occasionally. Remove from the heat as soon as you see it boil.
• Steadily and slowly pour the olive oil into the cream mixture, whisking constantly.
• Stir in the lemon juice. I highly recommend blending in a high speed blender for the most luscious texture and flavor. Cool the mixture in the fridge or use an ice bath to save time.
• Pour the chilled lemon mixture into the freezer bowl of a 1 1/2-quart electric ice cream maker, and proceed according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Transfer ice cream to a freezer-safe container; press a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly on the surface, and seal with an airtight lid. Place in the freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Nutrition

Serving: 1scoop | Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 60mg | Potassium: 89mg | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 705IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 0.1mg

This recipe is part of my cooking Basics series, a collection of recipes that are all about how to cook basic, everyday things.

My dad notoriously undercooked wild rice throughout my childhood. It was always a task to eat it, and I didn’t learn how to cook it until I went to culinary school.

Turns out, you want to cook wild rice like pasta. That is to say, in salted boiling water. You also want to look for the grains to sort of burst open. Trust me, it makes all the difference.

Wild rice fetches a premium price because it can involve being harvested by canoe as it grows in water like a grass; making it difficult to cultivate.

How Much Water to Use When Cooking Wild Rice

Unlike regular rice which involves precise measurements, wild rice is less finicky because the outer shell prevents it from turning mushy. You don’t have to be as precious about the ratios of water to wild rice. Just be sure the rice has plenty of room to cook. In other words, you can’t have too much water when cooking wild rice (but you could have too little).

How to Tell Wild Rice Is Done

Simply dump it into a pot of boiling water and cook until you see the grains burst open. You do want to remove the rice as soon as this happens. It is possible to over-do it with the cooking. As a rule of thumb, wild rice takes anywhere from 35 to 55 minutes, depending on the brand. Just begin checking every 20 minutes or so.

Best Way to Serve Wild Rice

Once strained, the wild rice will have the best texture if you allow it to steam and fluff it with a fork.

You can serve wild rice like a salad with a shallot vinaigrette and some dried cranberries or with a hearty wild mushroom sauce like my mushroom stroganoff. It’s lovely as a side to some broiled salmon and those pan drippings can double as a sauce for the rice, too.

Hope you enjoyed this basic cooking method. Now, grab your apron and let’s go!

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How to Cook Wild Rice

You want to treat wild rice less like rice and more like pasta.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword wild rice

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8 people

Calories 158kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups wild rice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

Instructions

• Boil. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the salt and the wild rice. Stir every so often to ensure the rice cooks evenly. Note: You can check the bag for approximate cook time. Typically 35 to 55 minutes.
• Strain and serve. When you see the grains visibly split open, immediately strain using a fine mesh strainer. Transfer to a large serving bowl and toss with some olive oil or butter to fluff and allow steam to escape. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Nutrition

Serving: 11/2 cup portion | Calories: 158kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 148mg | Potassium: 171mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 8IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

Floral, peppery cardamom paired with sweet, full fat dairy? What’s NOT to love? This homemade ice cream recipe is what home ice cream machines were made for. So grab your apron and let’s make cardamom ice cream from scratch!

For years I made a vegan version of a cardamom ice cream out of canned coconut milk and then I stumbled upon a full fat dairy version and lost my mind. Words won’t do justice to the combination of heavy cream and impeccably fresh and peppery tasting cardamom.

For those in-the-know, ice cream is one of the easiest desserts you can make from scratch. You need a good recipe and a solid machine, and the rest of the magic happens for you.

What I love about cardamom ice cream

It is truly a rare flavor you won’t find gracing the aisles of your grocery store’s freezer section. And it totally should be! It’s divine and everyone I know (with maybe the exception of my dad) loves the floral, peppery notes of cardamom dispersed throughout sweet creamy ice cream.

Which Cardamom To Use

You can steep cardamom pods in the milk (you’ll need about 12), but I actually have found that buying the whole cardamom seeds (so what lives in the green pods) works really well because you can grind them in a coffee grinder in 5 seconds.

*If you can only find ground cardamom in the spice aisle, that will work, too. It’s just likely to be slightly less intense than if you grind it yourself.

Cardamom Ice Cream Ingredients

• sugar of choice preferably evaporated cane sugar (we are making a simple syrup)
• cardamom, preferably freshly ground
• whole milk – fat is really key here
• egg yolks – the addition of eggs makes this ice cream extra rich in flavor, so it’s actually a frozen custard
• heavy cream – you can use either heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (do not substitute for half and half)
• vanilla extract – just be sure to use real vanilla, none of that imitation sh*t
• sea salt – just a pinch will enhance the overall flavor of the ingredients

Equipment – What Ice Cream Machine Do You Have?

You will want to follow your manufacturer’s instructions. I think most home ice cream makers tell you to freeze your quart container overnight (minimum 24 hours) and then you pour the chilled liquid into the frozen bowl while it churns.

I’ve personally owned a Cuisinart 1-quart and it’s decent. I would recommend buying the 2-quart version. Only downside, you might want to stick your ice cream in the freezer for up to 4 hours after churning to get a scoop consistency.

More Ice Cream Recipes For You:

• How to Make Creamy Tropical Ice Cream with Coconut Milk
• Salted Caramel Ice Cream
• Lemon Custard Ice Cream

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Cardamom Ice Cream

Makes 1 quart

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword gluten free ice cream, ice cream

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 large scoops

Calories 391kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

• 1 ice cream machine

Ingredients

• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar of choice preferably evaporated cane sugar, divided
• ⅓ cup water
• 3/4 teaspoon cardamom freshly ground
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• Pinch sea salt

Instructions

• Combine ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of the sugar with the water in a small saucepan and bring to a rapid boil. Add the cardamom and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the milk, bring to a boil then immediately remove from the heat. Set aside and allow the milk to steep for 15 minutes.
• Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining ¼ cup of sugar until the yolks turn pale yellow.
• Heat the cardamom-infused milk once again, on low heat until hot. Pour the hot milk in a steady stream into the beaten egg yolks, whisking the whole time to avoid any lumps or scrambling of the eggs. Pour the custard mix back into the saucepan and cook on low heat, stirring continuously for about 6 to 8 minutes, until the custard thickens to coat a spoon.
• Put a handful of ice cubes and a cup or two of water in a large bowl. Place a medium bowl in this ice bath. Remove the custard from the heat and strain it into the medium bowl. This cools the custard quickly.
• When the custard has cooled through, stir in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Pour into an ice-cream maker. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Most budget ice cream machines will produce a soft serve consistency. If you would like to be able to scoop your ice cream, I recommend pouring into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Top with parchment paper and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Freeze for 4 hours. At this point, the ice cream will harden and you can scoop.

Notes

Notes: For a dairy free version, replace heavy cream and whole milk with 1 can coconut milk.
For a low-glycemic option, replace the sugar and water with 6 tablespoons maple syrup along with 2 tablespoons rice syrup. Do NOT reduce the overall sugar called for or the ice cream will be overly icy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1scoop | Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 221mg | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 190mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 1169IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 1mg

You only need 5 ingredients and hot skillet to get these sautéed snow peas on the dinner table in a flash.

After a long winter, I eagerly await fresh spring offerings, especially snow peas. When I can grow them, I’m usually one to simply eat them right off the vine but then I feel guilty because I know I really should share with the rest of the family.

So here’s a proper recipe and a reason for us all to gather and enjoy together.

Now, snow peas are such a fun raw snack so I wouldn’t dream of distracting from their subtle virtues: their crispness, their mild sweetness, their lovely color.

This is one simple recipe but don’t let that fool you. It packs a punch (especially if you can sneak in some minced mint or tarragon right at the end).

Snow Peas vs Snap Peas – What’s the Difference?

Snow peas have a flat pod with tiny, premature peas inside whereas sugar snap peas are more rounded with larger peas. Since their flavors are quite similar, you can easily use them interchangeably in this recipe.

5 Basic Ingredients for Sautéed Snow Peas

There’s just salt, freshly ground black pepper, olive oil (or butter) and a squirt of lemon juice right at the end. And don’t forget the zest.

Cooking Tips for Snow Peas

Definitely get your pan nice and hot from the start. You don’t want the food to steam too much. Just a quick toss with some fat will bring out the color a bit and will intensify the flavor while preserving the crunch.

After only a couple of minutes of tossing the snow peas in the skillet, you finish the snow peas off with a small amount of acid from the lemon to really make the green color deepen.

These are so pretty, you can’t NOT want to pop them in your mouth.

Serving Ideas

If you’re looking for a few sides to throw together. You can make a great meal with a protein side:

• Broiled Salmon with Honey Mustard Glaze
• How to Make Crispy, Juicy Chicken Thighs
• Pan Seared Steak with Blistered Shishito Peppers

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5-Minute Snow Peas Recipe

Snow peas are a cold weather crop so they are harvested in Spring and Fall. Since the seeds aren't fully mature, they have a mild, sweet delicate flavor.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword snow peas

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 79kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

• 16 ounces 1 bag snow peas
• olive oil or butter
• sea salt
• lemon zest and juice
• freshly ground black pepper or red chile flakes optional

Instructions

• Prep the snow peas. Grab any hard stems and pull to remove any thick fibers that might be unpleasant to eat.
• Sauté, season, and serve. Heat a skillet over medium heat and coat with a glug of olive oil (about 1 tablespoon). Add the snow peas and stir occasionally cooking just a few minutes. Season with salt (pepper, too, if you’d like) and shave some lemon zest over top (a quick squirt of lemon will brighten the green color even more). Serve as a bright, crisp side to salmon or enjoy as-is!

Nutrition

Serving: 11/2 cup serving | Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1233IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg

Photography by Adam Rahman