Recipe: Potatoes and Onions on the Grill

The Healthier Side of the Potato

I can't remember a time when I didn't love grilling potatoes in aluminum foil packets (although now I line the foil with parchment and nix the butter).  I grew up crisping them up with onions, butter and salt.  Since this is a simple, classic way to cook these wonderful comfort-giving tubers, you may have tried this very recipe.  It may even be part of your regular grill-time magic.  But if you've forgotten about this summer treat, or your dairy allergies have left these carmelized bits of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, mangenese, copper, tryptophan and phytonutrients off the table, I'm here to remind you about them.  You don't have to use butter.  And potatoes are good for most of us, especially the phytonutrient-rich red and purple ones.

The Recipe

This recipe works really well with Old Beau Steaks.  Yum!

Serves 3-4.

Get the grill cranking to about 425 degrees.

Cut 2 8x8 pieces of aluminum foil and 2 8x8 pieces of parchment paper.  Put the parchment paper on top of the foil. I like smaller packets so that there is more carmelization on more of the potatoes. 

Slice 4-6 red potatoes into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices, or 1 inch chunks.  Place as many as you can comfortably fit onto the parchment paper evenly.  You need to have enough foil/paper to fold all four ends into a tight little package.  You can use any kind of potato for this.  I like red or Yukon gold because of their taste and tenderness.

Slice 1-2 onions (any kind will do, but Vidalia are super tasty) into 1/4 inch slices - or chunks.  Place with the potatoes on your parchment.

Drizzle lightly with olive oil. 

Swirl a few pinches of sea salt onto the potatoes and onions to taste. (Sea salt has more nutrients than regular table salts, which have been stripped of nutrients).

On a gas grill, leave them on the hottest part of the grill, covered, for about 30-40 minutes and flip with tongs after 15-20.  Open a packet or two (carefully; the steam is intense) and check to see that the potatoes next to the parchment are nicely charred brown and super tender when pierced with a fork.  If they are, they are done.  You can let them sit in the unopened packet while you cook your steaks, or you can put the steaks on after you flip the packets.  Either way, they will stay hot in the packet for 15 min.  For charcoal grills, put them over a spot on the grill where there is a high mound of coals. 

I like them just like this - no frills.  But once in a while I mix it up.  You can add things like:

• minced garlic or shallots
• parsley,  dill, sage, or rosemary
• black or red pepper flakes; or fresh hot peppers
• green, yellow, red, or purple bell peppers, sliced
• Marconi peppers
• mushrooms
• cooked bacon
• lemon slices

Health Note

Potatoes, as well as tomatoes, peppers (sweet and hot), eggplant and tomatillos, are nightshades and contain alkaloids.  So your doctor might recommend that you not eat them if you have certain conditions. 

I avoid placing my food in direct contact with aluminum whenever possible.  Even though the most recent studies don't show a direct link between alzheimer's and aluminum, it has been studied as a cause and aluminum has been found to be toxic to the nervous system in high doses (how high is unclear).  So I put parchment paper on the inside of the aluminum foil to reduce the chance of unnecessary heavy metal leakage.  To me, let's just steer away from the risks we can and give our immune and nervous systems a break.  And although the potato, the most plentiful crop on the planet, is usually fried, dipped or smothered in something, if you can eat it, give the potato a break, too.  Eat its goodness and partake in its nutritiousness, not its calories.  Although, I admit, the occasional mound of french fries is a thing of beauty, I dont' miss them when I eat this recipe.

For more information on potato varieties in the U.K.:  http://www.lovepotatoes.co.uk/the-potato/potato-varieties/

In the U.S.:  http://www.potatoesusa.com/products.php?sec=Table-Stock%20Potatoes

This post does not consitute as medical advice in any way, shape or form.  As always, consult with your doctor if you have any medical conditions or nutritional restrictions.

RECIPE: CEO Muffins (Maple Cornbread)

Food allergy info: gluten-, dairy, and soy-freeEvery spring I become a little maple syrup obsessed.  No offense to Aunt Jemima, but I used to abhor this amber liquid until I learned a valuable lesson:  the difference between the real thing and the processed corn-syrupy substitute that was so popular when I was a kid.   So, when I saw the bag of blue, stone ground corn meal sitting next to the maple syrup in the refrigerator I had a Eureka moment.  Muffins!

I brought a version of these muffins to my Grand Rapids Chamber CEO Roundtable group to give them a test run.  I love this group of business makers, because they are no nonsense leaders who are full of Eureka moments.  Plus, when it's time to make a decision, they don't linger, they just do it.  I named the muffins after them, because these muffins are equally "no nonsense".  They stand alone, no buttering up allowed.  They aren't too sweet but are super satisfying, and the recipe is decidedly quick to make and bake.   Besides, since the muffins got rave reviews from these hard-to-please folks (one on-the-go Prez said it is perfect to eat in the car - no crumbs), I simply had to name them CEO.

Secret Tip

Real maple syrup rocks and is a great replacement for sugar.  But, like chocolate, the maple needs something to add more depth when used in baked goods.  Coffee is the secret ingredient.  You don't actually taste the coffee, but there is just enough to round out the mapley flavors with the corn.  (Likewise, adding a little coffee to your chocolate dessert recipes adds an indescribable depth of flavor as well).

On a differrent note, try a touch of real maple syrup in your cup of coffee instead of sugar.  You don't need more than a drop of two, and Voila!  There is less sugar in your cup.   You will love me, you will thank me and you will add important trace minerals like zinc and manganese -- instead of empty calories to your java (and your bod).

Recipe

Free from:  Gluten, dairy, soy

Makes 12 muffins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Ingredients

1 & ¼ cups gluten-free stone ground organic corn flour (I used blue corn in mine, but Bob's Red Mill medium grind is great, but is processed in a factory that also processes soy and tree nuts, or Arrowhead Mills GF Organic Corn Meal is tested for gluten to 10 ppm.)

1 & ¼ cups of Jules Gluten-free All Purpose flour

(Jules is made in a facility free of the Big 8 allergens)

1 tsp. of sea salt

1 TBS of gluten-free aluminum-free baking powder

2 eggs

1 c. coconut milk (or almond milk)

¾ c. real, grade A maple syrup

2 TBS safflower oil (or coconut oil)

2 TBS brewed espresso or really good, strong coffee

Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin: pour a little of the oil onto a paper towel, then grease the inside of each little muffin cup.

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (corn flour, all purpose flour, sea salt and baking powder).  Use a whisk so that the flours combine well without any of those unsightly lumps.  In medium bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (egg, coconut milk, maple syrup,  oil and coffee).  Add the wet stuff into the dry stuff and stir until it is “just” mixed.  Wait 1- 2 minutes until the mixture firms up a little. 

Spoon into the prepared pan so that each cup is filled near the top.  Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes (pretty much exactly).  The top of the muffin should be just firm.

Pop out of the tray to cool.  If you use paper muffin cups, wait until completely cooled before diving in so the paper comes off more cleanly.

Serve with anything grilled like steak or chicken.  Or simply consume with a cup of really good coffee.

The Best Allergen-free Chocolate

Since I am a chocolaholic, I will always be on the lookout for the best chocolate for baking, cooking, eating and giving.  Here is a start to my list.  I'll keep adding to it and letting you know what else I find out!

Cooking, Baking & Confections

Barry Callebaut - North America - DARK CHOCOLATE

• Dairy Free (processed on a dedicated dairy-free, dark chocolate North American factory line & tested for milk.)
• Kosher
• Vegan (no animal products are processed on their dark chocolate line)
• Contains small amounts of soy (soy lecithin is used for consistency)
  
• GMO Status?  Currently Unknown.
• **May be OK for gluten and nut allergies (currently, nuts and gluten products are not processed in the North American Factory, however, there is no testing for this at the moment.  Some European factories do process nuts). **If you have nut and gluten allergies, please do your own research

• Used by confection makers, restaurants and bakers world-wide

www.barry-callebaut.com

Check out Tender Palate's recips for Almond Cognac Truffles (contains nuts) & for our Coconut Truffles (dairy-free) using Callebaut.

Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

& Bittersweet Chunks

• Free of the 8 most common allergens (NO wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, or shellfish. Also made without casein, potato, sesame or sulfites).
• Nut-free (tested and produced in a dedicated nut-free and gluten-free facility)
• Gluten-free  (tested and produced in a dedicated nut-free and gluten-free facility)
• **Dairy-free (tested)
• **Soy-free (tested)
• **(produced in a facility that also processes dairy and soy, but produced on a dedicated dairy-and soy-free line.  Ingredients have been additionally tested for the presence of dairy and soy)
• GMO status?  Currently unknown.

http://www.enjoylifefoods.com

Giving & Eating

Indie Candy 

Indie Candy makes allergen-free confections for Tender Foodies of all kinds.  They offer selections that are:

• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free
• Soy-free
• Nut-free
• Kosher
• Vegan
• Feingold Diet Approved

www.indiecandy.com

Check out what The Tender Foodie has to say about Indie Candy in our Review.

Review: Indie Candy

Allergen-Free Sweets for Your Valentine

Having a tough time finding the perfect sweet for your favorite Tender Sweetie? You can pull out all of the stops and make your own, or order from a professional like Indie Candy. Most of their sweets contain none of the “Big 8” allergens. Plus, they cater to special diet protocols (like Feingold, Kosher and Vegan). You would think this is a recipe for crappy candy, but it’s not. It’s tasty. I sampled a few of their Valentine-themed products for you. You don’t have to thank me. No really. Here are my choices.

Dark Chocolate Truffles

Truffles are love. Truffles are sensuous. “Truffle” even sounds romantic. So when you bite into one, you long to hear that naughty little voice in your head say, “Ohhhh. (pause) “Ohhh Yeah.” And these truffles do not disappoint. What I like the most is the initial snap as you bite into the hard chocolate shell and the caramel-like consistency of the center. Yum. Are they as fluffy as the dairy-packed confections that I remember? Not quite. But they don’t have to be. They are the “real thing” and they are very, very good.

Sweet Hearts Gummies

These gummies are yummy. And pretty. Indie Candy uses no artificial dyes or flavors so the wild cherry and watermelon flavors pop genuinely. The texture is satisfying and sexy, too. Might make your gluten-free Valentine’s imagination run wild.

Other products that I sampled were the Pineapple “Love Heart” which was not a favorite (it just tasted like sugar).  But the “Beary Sweet” dark chocolate sucker used high quality chocolate and would please adult and child alike. The packaging of each product is not highly designed, but sweet and down-to-earth.

Sweetheart GummiesThe Company

Before I took my first bite, I wanted to understand the company and its practices. I spoke with the President/CEO, Hanson Watkins. I was sincerely impressed with her knowledge and passion for both confections and health. She emphasized their goal of making things truly delicious, not just allergen-free – a goal that the Tender Foodie requires. Indie Candy carefully sources each ingredient right down to the factory where it is processed and to the seed that is sown. The majority of their ingredients are organic and they do their best to use non-GMO foodstuff. They sell their own in-house artisan candies (no Big 8 allergen is allowed in their kitchen) as well as those from other independent confectioners who cater to more narrow allergen-free markets. The Indie site clearly directs you by allergen, diet and confection and includes the ingredients, so read them.

If you are a Tender Foodie (or a Tender Valentine) and you give Indie Candy a try, let me know what you think!