Gluten-Free Review: Viva la Campagna! (con pancakes!)

The coast ranges of Central Oregon don't really have much in common with the coast ranges of Italy's Campagna. More maples and pines, not so many olives and cedars. But we found Campagna Gourmet's delectable Olive and Sundried Tomato Pesto at a country farm stand on the main road from Salem (not Salerno) to Pacific City, and snagged a jar for beach picnicking.

... Which we totally forgot to do. As I was putting away some of the last bits from the wedding trip (read: The "Where the heck are we going to put this?!" boxes) I spied the jar, along with a Hot Pepper Jelly (from the same company) we picked up at the same time.

Pestos are usually loaded with Parmesan cheese, so finding a vegan pesto is always a bonus. The texture is spot-on. It has a smooth yet coarse mouth feel, with just the right amount of oiliness, and little flavor bursts from the herbs.

As a spread, though, the richness of the sundried tomatoes and the oily delight of the olives is overwhelmed by the salt content. Unfortunately, it's just too salty. What this product is perfectly suited for is blending; it would be an exquisite base for puttanesca sauce, or folded into hummous for a flavor boost.

I love savoury pancakes, and the pesto makes a perfect addition (as well as a garnish). Normally my savoury pancakes are full of veggies in varying combinations, but in the interest of letting the pesto take the spotlight, I've simply added some fresh tomatoes and chopped sweet onions. I used amaranth and millet from my bulk grain jars, coarse-milled just before cooking in my coffee grinder for maximum freshness! :)

The pesto adds an intense depth to these rustic cakes, set off by the sweetness of the onions and tomatoes. The kale, with its dark, bitter overtones, is the perfect complement.


Campagna Pancakes

2/3 cup millet flour
2/3 cup amaranth flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. vinegar
1 1/4 cups unsweetened soymilk
1/4 cup Campagna Olive and Sundried Tomato Pesto
2 roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise and sliced (into little half-moons)
1/4 sweet onion, chopped
1 small bunch of basil, chopped

Stir together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Fold in soymilk and mix thoroughly. Then, add Campagna (I just like saying it - say it with me now: Caaampaagnaaa) Pesto, tomatoes, basil, and chopped onion.

Dip a 1/4 cup measure into the batter and pour into a large frying pan over medium heat (about three per batch). Cook on one side until the bubbles pop and batter doesn't sink back in.

When the down side arrives at a nice dark golden brown, flip! When the second side reaches the same color, go ahead and take 'em out. Next round...

Be sure to serve them hot and crispy, as they lose that nice texture after sitting a while. If you must let them stand, try putting them on a wire grate rather than a platter.

Garnish with chiffonaded basil, a dollop of the pesto and some simple kale (below). Makes about 18 pancakes.

Simple Kale

1/4 sweet onion, chopped
6 kale leaves, stemmed & chopped
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for frying

In a pan, warm oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute until golden. Toss in kale leaves, lemon juice and vinegar, and saute for about a minute, just until the kale brightens in color. Transfer to a bowl to prevent overcooking.

Quinoa-Millet Salad with Ambercup Squash

I went on my weekly (weekendly, to be more accurate) Farmer's Market run today, and I'm so pleased! Among my finds: a huge bunch of kale in different varieties, a bag of fat, juicy carrots, and Roma tomatoes.

At one booth, I saw what I took to be the first pumpkins of the season. The lady who grows them told me that despite the look, they're not actually pumpkins, but a drier, more flavorful winter squash called "Ambercup".

A challenge, if I ever did see one! :D

So this dish is a mildly sweet, protein-rich grain salad. I only used a quarter of the squash, so I'll make a nice creamy soup with the leftovers.


Quinoa-Millet Salad with Ambercup Squash

1/2 cup each quinoa and millet, cooked (can be cooked together!)
2 cups cooked winter squash, chopped
2 kale leaves, chopped fine
1 large carrot, shredded finely
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp. honey or agave
1 1/2 Tb. olive oil
1 tbsp. lemon juice
splash of orange juice (maybe 2 Tbsp.)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
salt to taste

In a food processor, grind sunflower seeds down to a coarse meal. In a large bowl, mix sunflower seeds, kale, and carrots, and toss lightly. Then, add the vinegar, honey, oil, and cinnamon.

Once your quinoa mix and squash are done, throw them into the bowl. Drizzle the lemon and orange over the top, toss, and season to taste. Serve warm! :)

Warm Beet Salad with Tangy Mustard Dressing

Beets! Ah, how I love thee.

I can still remember the first time I bit into a raw beet (with the tops still on) in front of Jeremy on a road trip. He got very wide-eyed and said "You can DO that?!" He likes raw beets too, but had only ever had them peeled and chopped in salads and things. He took a bite, and ended up eating more than I did. I've turned him to the raw side of the beet! ;)

This salad, however, does not showcase raw beets. At first, I was thinking of making pan-fried beet fries. The more I cooked them, though, the more I thought having a sweet glaze on them would be divine... and it was! Oh, how it was...


Warm Orange-Balsamic Beet Salad

2 large beets, sliced into French-Fry-style strips
1/2 cup salt-free veggie stock
1/2 cup orange juice
3 Tb. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil for frying

baby spinach
orange segments, quartered

In a nonstick skillet, heat olive oil on med-high. Toss in beets, salt, and pepper, and saute for about 5-7 minutes. Start adding the veggie stock in splashes, letting the liquid mostly evaporate before adding more. This should take about 7-10 minutes. If your pan evaporates too quickly, turn the heat down slightly.

Once the veggie stock is gone, do the same with the orange juice, and toward the end, add the balsamic by the tablespoon. When the beets look good and caramelized with a thick glaze, take off the heat.

Add the warm beets to a bed of spinach and orange, and dress with:

Tangy Mustard Dressing

1 Tb. honey or agave
2 tsp. dijon mustard
splash lemon juice

Whisk ingredients together, and drizzle over beets and greens.

Makes two bowls.

Sprouted Buckwheat Tabbouleh

I'm a minimalist when it comes to tabbouleh. I like fresh, raw ingredients, and no sloppy mess like we've probably all had at cheap falafel stands. Tabbouleh (or tabouli) has bulgur wheat, which I was never quite fond of, so I decided to make it with buckwheat. But cooked buckwheat? Meh. I had a good-sized bag of buckwheat, so I decided to sprout it.

When you soak buckwheat, it gets slimy and gooey like flax, but not quite so much goo. I think I rinsed them like five times each rinse/drain cycle just to relieve them of their goo! After about two days though, the buckwheat had thoroughly sprouted, and (much to my excitement) the goo had gone away! They were dry, poky, and beautiful. :)

I also have to admit that I have dreams of galettes (which is a traditional dish of Brittany: like a savory, gluten-free crepe) with sprouted buckwheat, but I believe that's another post. ;)


Sprouted Buckwheat Tabbouleh

1 (thin skinned) cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 large tomato, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped (about a handful)
1 cup sprouted buckwheat
drizzle Extra Virgin olive oil (maybe about a tablespoon)
1 Tb. lemon
Salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Toss all ingredients in a large bowl and enjoy!

It's too bad I didn't have mint on-hand. I would've chopped up a couple sprigs - maybe 2 tablespoons in this dish. I love the crisp, green taste of fresh mint. Mmm...

Ginger-Lime Tofu with Citrus Marmalade Glaze, March Joust Entry

Here's my entry for the Royal Foodie Joust!

Ginger-Lime Tofu with Citrus Marmalade Glaze, Coconut Quinoa with Pink Peppercorns, Orange Balsamic Chard and Radish Greens

I'm so pleased with this menu, because they compliment each other so well. The delicate flavour of the quinoa counterbalances the citrus kick of the tofu, and the greens had a smooth, almost creamy texture from the radish tops.

The tofu was wonderful in itself, with the texture very akin to pork, and even the color was spot on. I find that red wine and tofu cooked together in most forms makes for a good substitute for heavier meats in recipes. My fiance said that it reminded him very much of a gourmet version of orange beef he used to get at Chinese restaurants, and he gobbled up everything left in the pan, including the leftover glaze!

A wonderfully pink Valentine's meal, indeed. :)

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Ginger-Lime Tofu with Citrus Marmalade Glaze

13 ounces of firm tofu
3 tbs. grated ginger
5 tbs. lime juice
2 tbs. red wine (merlot)
2 green onions, diced (just the dark green tops; reserve the whites for later)

Cut tofu into quarters, then slice each quarter lengthwise into three cutlets. Place tofu into a freezer-safe container, and add in red wine, ginger and lime juice, making sure to coat.
Place in the freezer overnight (this firms up the texture of the tofu, making it more meat-like.) Remove from the freezer and allow the mass to thaw.
Drain and spread tofu cutlets onto a cookie sheet, and place in the oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees, then flip, and return to the oven for 20 more minutes. Both sides should be a nice golden brown.
Arrange the tofu in a baking dish. Pour on the marmalade glaze and top with diced green onion.
Bake at 400 degrees for another 10-15 minutes, or until the glaze has reduced slightly. (It will get very bubbly, the bubbles should start to rise just a bit.) Garnish with diced green onion tops and diced red bell pepper [not pictured - thought that up while we were eating!]

Citrus Marmalade Glaze

1/2 cup marmalade (lemon, grapefruit and orange, with black currant juice)
1/4 cup white wine (chardonnay)
large pinch of ground pink peppercorns
1 tsp. whole pink peppercorns
1 tsp. lime juice
1 tbs. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. wheat-free tamari
pinch cayenne pepper, to taste

Simmer all ingredients in a small saucepan over VERY low heat (watch that it doesn't burn!) to till it reduces by about 1/4.


Coconut Quinoa Pilaf with Pink Peppercorns

2 cups sprouted quinoa
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup coconut water
1 tsp. lime juice
squeeze of lemon
1 tsp. coconut oil
2 tsp. ground pink peppercorns

1/4 onion, thinly sliced and caramelized with 2 tsp coconut oil and splash of coconut water (reserve pan for sautéing the greens)

Heat coconut oil in a pot on med-high heat, and add quinoa, sautéing for about 5 minutes. Add coconut water, lemon, lime, pepper, and salt, and simmer on med-low for about ten minutes, until the liquid evaporates. Once the quinoa cools a bit, toss in the onions. Serve on a bed of watercress.


Orange-Balsamic Chard and Radish Greens

4 chard leaves, roughly chopped (stem sliced thin and reserved)
1 large bunch radish tops, destemmed and large leaves torn in half
Whites from diced green onion
Juice from half a navel orange
Splash balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. coconut oil
pinch salt

Warm 1 tsp. coconut oil in the pan you used to caramelize the onions, and add the green onions. Sauté for 2 minutes, until softened. Add chard, toss to wilt slightly, then add the radish greens, orange juice, salt and balsamic. Once wilted, plate with a sprinkling of ground peppercorns and a few raw chard stem pieces.



Enjoy! If you like this recipe, vote for me at the Joust on March 1st, Thanks!