Wild Veggie: Maple Carrot Custard (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

Last week, I was contacted by Wild Veggie to see if I would be interested in trying out their product and sharing it with you. While I don’t try out a lot of products (either they’re not gluten AND dairy-free, or they’re so full of “junk” that I don’t want to eat), this was one I could definitely get to know. The ingredient list is quite short – basically just veggies, spices, and (gluten-free) food starch. They are vegetable purees, perfect for soups, sauces, or in this case – custard.

Carrot custard? Why not? We make custards out of everything else. This was very easy to prepare – just whisk together the ingredients, pour into greased ramekins, and bake. Then enjoy, drizzled with maple syrup, a few pecans, and if you’re feeling adventurous, a few flakes of coarse sea salt. The flavor is actually reminiscent of Thanksgiving – it’s similar to pumpkin pie – but why reserve those flavors just for a certain time of year? I could enjoy this throughout the colder months. It’s creamy and delicious.

I also tried a bit of the Broccoli Wild Veggie in mashed potatoes. My husband and I both enjoyed it. I have yet to try the red pepper, but I’m imagining some sort of delicious red pepper sauce to accompany a nice piece of fish – halibut, perhaps? It definitely will not go unused! A big thanks to Wild Veggie for sharing their products. 

Wild Veggie Maple Carrot Custard

1 c Wild Veggie Carrot

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 c maple syrup

1 t ground ginger

1/4 t ground allspice

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 t kosher salt

3 T tapioca starch

1 1/2 c full-fat coconut milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk together ingredients. Spray 4 ramekins with gluten-free nonstick spray. Pour mixture evenly into ramekins. Place on a baking sheet and place in oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 25 minutes longer, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm, with maple syrup drizzled over, topped with a few pecans and a few flakes of coarse salt, if desired.

Makes 4.

Kids in the Kitchen: Chicken Parmesan (Fresh Tomato-Carrot Sauce)

By the time it was Matt’s turn in the kitchen, he already had an idea of what to make. (He had the benefit of watching this new routine – visiting the farmers’ market for inspiration – with his siblings.) You see, a few weeks ago, I prepared chicken parmesan for dinner when Matt was over, following a recipe from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam (also the famous Elana of Elana’s Pantry). I followed the recipe pretty closely, only substituting my own sauce for the sauce in the recipe. Matt must have liked it (we all did), since he requested to make it tonight, using fresh tomatoes from the market.

Of course, not only were the tomatoes from the market, so were the onions, garlic, and carrots. In fact, the sauce we made was nearly all local – the thyme, basil and parsley came from my garden. But the best part? Because each of those components were super-fresh and at their peak, the flavors were bright and bold. It’s amazing how nature just knows what tastes best – and if we take advantage, it’s almost like the hard part of cooking is done for us.

Of course, making a tomato sauce from scratch was a bit of work, although a good deal of the time spent simmering allowed for Matt and I to wander off to do other things for a while. It was definitely worth it – several of us might have been tempted to lick our plates clean. While my dish was more of a chicken “un-parmesan” (I sprinkled Daiya mozzarella-style shreds on my dish, which was mighty tasty and dairy-free), it was still definitely a dish worth repeating again!

Recipe for Chicken Parmesan can be found at The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam

Fresh Tomato-Carrot Sauce

4-5 large ripe tomatoes

2 T olive oil

1 medium sweet yellow onion, roughly chopped

1 c carrots, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1/2 t thyme leaves, picked

1 T basil leaves

1 T flat-leaf parsley

1 t dried oregano

1 6 0z can tomato paste

4 anchovies

2 c chicken stock (I used homemade)

Salt to taste

Cut an “X” into the skin on the bottom of each tomato. Heat a medium saucepan full of water to boiling. Using a slotted spoon, lower each tomato into the water and allow to “boil” for 1 minute. Remove and allow to cool enough to touch. Peel the tomatoes and remove seeds. Tear into chunks and place in a bowl. Set aside.

Drain and wipe clean the medium saucepan. Add olive oil and heat to medium heat. Add onion and carrot and saute until carrot starts to soften, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Add thyme, basil, parsley, oregano, tomato paste, anchovies and chicken stock and stir. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has thickened.

Puree sauce either by using a stick/handheld blender, or by pureeing in batches in a blender. Taste and season with salt as needed. Serve with chicken parmesan alongside gluten-free pasta or rice.

Serves 4.