Tasty Recipes from Recipe Wizards

No-wheat recipes

I am 88 and just in the last few years have become allergic to wheat. I am sure there are others like me. I’d like to have recipes for baked goods that do not contain wheat. Thank you.

– Lillian Recktenwald, Murphys

Chicken salad goes Greek

I have lost my favorite recipe for Greek chicken salad and hope someone can help. The ingredients I remember are: cooked chicken breast cut into chunks, aioli, olive oil, feta cheese and black olives. I’m sure there are more ingredients. Can someone help? Thank you.

– Barbara Bell, Des Moines, Iowa

Disneyland’s corn chowder

We recently returned from Disneyland, where we had lunch at the Storyteller Café at the Grand Californian Hotel. We enjoyed the most amazing charred Nebraska corn chowder we’ve ever had. It was a cream-based soup with corn, potato, bacon and cilantro. It was so wonderful, I’d like to re-create it at home. If anyone could provide this recipe or one like it, it would be appreciated.

– Holly Bellamy, Rocklin

Double-layer pumpkin pie

Prep time: 20 minutes

Chill time: at least 4 hours

Serves 8

Tina Wilson of Citrus Heights doesn’t usually like pumpkin pie, but she enjoys the harvest pie served at Coco’s restaurant. It has two layers, one like pumpkin pie, the other like pumpkin mousse.

This recipe comes from Sue Bear of Citrus Heights, who suggests adding some pumpkin (from a second can) to the first cream cheese layer to make it more like a mousse.

INGREDIENTS

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon milk or half and half

1 tablespoon sugar

1½ cups thawed Cool Whip

1 Keebler Ready Graham Cracker Crust

1 cup cold milk

2 boxes (4-serving size each) instant vanilla pudding

1 16-ounce can pumpkin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

INSTRUCTIONS

Beat cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of milk (or half and half) and sugar in a large bowl with a wire whisk until smooth. Gently stir in Cool Whip. (Add a couple of spoonfuls of pumpkin from a second can to this mixture if you’d like a more mousselike layer.) Spread on bottom of pie crust.

Pour 1 cup of milk into bowl. Add 2 boxes of pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk for one to two minutes. Mixture will be thick. Stir in one 16-ounce can of pumpkin. Add all the spices with a wire whisk. Mix well. Spread over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or until set. Garnish as desired. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

Per serving: 319 cal.; 4 g pro.; 40 g carb.; 15 g fat (8 sat., 5 monounsat., 2 polyunsat.); 20 mg chol.; 380 mg sod.; 3 g fiber; 29 g sugar; 44 percent calories from fat.

Sweet potato biscuits

Prep time: 25 minutes

Cook time: 14 minutes

Makes 10 to 12

Malda Martinez of Granite Bay enjoys the Louisiana sweet potato biscuits served at Fresh Choice. She was hoping for that recipe or one similar. Although Fresh Choice was unable to share its recipe, we did feature a sweet potato biscuit recipe in an August Mailbox.

Bill Primrose of Caldwell, Idaho, shares this biscuit recipe that is credited to Meghan Pembleton, special for the Arizona Republic, Nov. 21, 2007.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons cold butter, cut in small pieces

1 cup mashed sweet potatoes (plain or mashed with butter, milk and/or seasoning)

2 to 4 tablespoons low-fat milk (or other type)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Use a pastry blender or 2 knives to make slicing motions through the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, about 3 minutes. With a fork, stir in sweet potatoes. Add just enough milk to make a ball of dough. Turn dough onto a flour-covered cutting board. Roll about ¾ inch thick.

With a 2 ½-inch round cutter (or a wine glass), cut as many biscuits as you can. Place them on an ungreased baking sheet, gather up the dough and repeat until dough is used up.

Bake for 14 minutes. Let cool in pan for 1 minute, then move to wire racks to cool completely.

Per serving, approximately: 125 cal.; 2 g pro.; 16 g carb.; 6 g fat; 16g chol.; 275 mg sod.; 1 g fiber; 43 percent calories from fat.

These recipes were supplied by Gopal Kapur of Roseville, who advocates eating raw foods and occasionally eating a limited- calorie diet to simulate what some people subsist on in other countries.

Prep time: 45 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Serves 4

Note: Prep time includes the 30-minute soak time for beans. Split washed moong beans are available in most health food stores, Indian food stores and WinCo.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup split yellow moong beans

2 cups water for cooking

1 tablespoon cooking oil

¼ cup onion, minced

2 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon curry powder

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 small tomato, cored and diced

¾ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cilantro, minced

INSTRUCTIONS

Check the moong beans for stones or stems. Rinse and soak in a bowl with sufficient water to cover for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain the beans.

Combine beans and 2 cups of water in a medium-size pan with a lid, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to lowest setting, cover the pan partially, and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching.

In a heavy skillet, heat oil over medium heat, add onions and ginger and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often. Add coriander powder, curry powder, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, and pepper flakes, stir and cook briefly, about 15 seconds.

Add diced tomato and salt, stir, and transfer the mixture to the pan with the beans, stir, and continue to cook, covered, for 10 minutes, until lentils are thoroughly cooked (if too thick, add 2 tablespoons water at a time); sprinkle with cilantro.

For each serving, use about one cup of lentils and two warmed whole-wheat tortillas or a small bowl of rice.

Per serving without tortillas or rice: 188 cal.; 12 g pro.; 28 g carb.; 4 g fat (1 sat., 1 monounsat., 2 polyunsat.); 0 mg chol.; 442 mg sod.; 11 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 19 percent calories from fat.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as an appetizer

This lasagna is a quick way to satisfy a craving for Mexican flavors. It’s a snap to prepare using store-bought salsa and black beans. From “The New Lasagna Cookbook.”

INGREDIENTS

2 cups tomato salsa

One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Four 7-inch flour tortillas

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro for topping

Salsa, sour cream and guacamole for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread a thin layer of salsa on bottom of dish. Place one tortilla over salsa.

Top tortilla with one-third of the salsa and a little less than one-third of the black beans and cheese. Top with second tortilla. Continue to layer with remaining beans, salsa and cheese, using about 2 heaping tablespoons of each for each layer of filling.

Repeat layers until all filling and tortillas are used up – four layers. Cover top tortilla with a generous layer of salsa and Cheddar.

Bake, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven. Using a large spatula, remove lasagna from the baking dish and place on a serving dish or serve on individual plates. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Serve with additional salsa, sour cream and guacamole.

Per serving based on 2 main dish servings: 707 cal.; 35 g pro.; 91 g carb.; 25 g fat (14 sat., 6 monounsat., 1 polyunsat., 4 other); 59 mg chol.; 2784 mg sod.; 11 g fiber; 10 g sugar; 31 percent calories from fat

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Serves 10

This recipe comes from Janice Thornton and goes with the chicken enchiladas with roasted tomatillo chili salsa.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups (about 1 pound) dried black beans, picked over

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ medium onion, diced

1 jalapeño pepper, chopped (wear gloves)

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 bay leaf

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large pot, soak beans overnight covered in water by 2 inches. Drain and set aside.

In the same pot, heat olive oil. Add onion, jalapeño, garlic and bay leaf. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add beans, cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, simmer for 1 to 1½ hours or until beans are tender.

Remove bay leaf and discard. Taste beans; season with salt and pepper.

Per serving: 161 cal.; 8 g pro.; 23 g carb.; 5 g fat (1 sat., 3 monounsat., 1 polyunsat.); 0 mg chol.; 601 mg sod.; 9 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 24 percent calories from fat.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes Serves 10

This side dish from Janice Thornton can be used with any Mexican or East Indian meal.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups long grain rice, dry

4 cups water

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 tablespoon turmeric

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 bay leaf

INSTRUCTIONS

Put all ingredients into a heavy-bottom pot, stir well, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook over low heat until rice has absorbed water, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Discard garlic and bay leaf. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Per serving: 100 cal.; 2 g pro.; 22 g carb.; trace g fat; 0 mg chol.; 191 mg sod.; 1 g fiber; 0 g sugar; 2 percent calories from fat.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Fruit

2 bananas, peeled and sliced

1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 cup fresh pineapple chunks

4 seasonal fruits – apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, pitted and sliced

4 ounces seedless grapes

½ cup chopped raw walnuts

1 teaspoon fresh herb of choice, minced

Dressing

1 lemon or lime, or 1/2 orange, juiced

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds, minced fine

1 tablespoon minced fresh herb of choice

1 teaspoon salt-free Italian seasoning

½ teaspoon honey, room temperature

½ teaspoon kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, and shake well.

In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients, drizzle the dressing, and toss well.

Per serving: 276 cal.; 7 g pro.; 42 g carb.; 12 g fat (1 sat., 3 monounsat., 8 polyunsat.); 0 mg chol.; 242 mg sod.; 8 g fiber; 29 g sugar; 36 percent calories from fat.