Armenian "Cucumber" - a melon?

Recently we heard from a member of our local gardeners group that Armenian Cucumbers are starting to be ripe in the area. We don't have any growing in our yard, so we headed over to Amadio Ranch where they happened to have some. I've mentioned the Amadio's place before. They grow delicious fruits and vegetables. They also have chickens, a cow and some really friendly big dogs who let me hug and pet them (I miss my golden retriever, Roman it's just not the same hugging our little dogs) So for me, it's a win win! They have decent prices and sometimes they slip fun things into an order for us to try. The first Armenia Cucumber we got came to us as just such an add on I believe, and since then we've gone back for more.  The first batch was eaten by Patch because I was sick and unable to eat vegetables. But recently I've been adding veggies back into my diet, and this is the first thing I tried. YUM! I ate them rind and all, sliced into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Patch used a mandolin slicer and put them in her salads. They looked very unusual and I don't know why more people aren't using them in salads around the valley, fun! This picture shows some sliced but with the seeds still inside. I removed the seedy parts from the middle, and it leaves you with interesting looking green bits. They taste pretty much like a cucumber, but it's not and I didn't have an allergic reaction, which is always a plus in my book!


Now technically I'm allergic to cucumbers, so you'd think I would be to these. But I was told they are actually not a cucumber but a melon which explains the lack of hives. You can bet I did my research before biting into them, and then I just tried one bite to play it safe. If you're allergic to a lot of foods you learn to first test things out for yourself as well as reading about foods. I test by first touching the new food to my lips to see if there is any itching or swelling. If nothing happens, I take a small bite and hold it in my mouth waiting for an allergic response. If I still have none, I eat a single bite and wait 20 - 30 minutes. If I still have no allergic response, I eat a small serving and wait for a day or two. Sometimes I have sort of a delayed reaction, but this time I did not. One of the delayed reactions I get is a sort of fuzzy headed feeling. It becomes difficult to concentrate and later I sometimes get a migraine. The fuzzy headed feeling could be stage one of a migraine actually, it's called a pre migraine aura.


Here is one page from the Backyard Gardener that explains a bit about Armenian Cucumbers: http://www.backyardgardener.com/plantname/pda_bef7.html I am very excited to find something delicious, healthy and crunchy that I can add to salads or eat on it's own. I may try looking up some recipes online using these and see what I find, but for now I'm perfectly happy eating them like I would a cucumber.


This one was about a foot and 1/2 long or so, and about as thick as a tennis ball although it varies in size from end to end as you can see. It's shown here near a rather large cucumber if memory serves. (tho that could be a zucchini, I don't remember)  Eric Amadio suggested we save the seeds. I did so by removing the seeds from the melon by hand, placing it in water, and separating the seeds from the slime a bit by hand under the water. Here is some information on seed saving and why the bad ones float: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080731021023AAHGFfP You can bet I am going to save the seeds out of this one, because he says they grow really well in the desert heat, and in my experience, most melons do! I love having edible plants in my backyard, and if you plant them in different months, you have something producing almost year round. Here they are on seed savers: http://www.seedsavers.org/Details.aspx?itemNo=1357 in case you'd like to try them out yourself and don't live in our area.


I'll be planting some of them that I just saved from dinner, although who knows what will grow as they were grown near other melons, so I may get some sort of hybrid melon due to cross pollination, or it is possible they will just grow a lot of leaves. Either way, it sounds like a fun adventure, so I'm going to give it a try and see what comes up. Worst comes to worse, I'll learn from the experience but who knows maybe I'll get some weird Armenian Cucalope LOL!


Next year I may get some seeds from seed savers or some similar place that I know will produce Armenian Cucumbers and plant the melons at different times so that there is only one pollinating at a time. We'll see how that goes for reducing cross pollination in a small area.


If you grow some of your own food, here are some general tips about some delicious plants: http://www.naturallifemagazine.com/9504/seeds.htm but I would recommend you look for a planting calendar that is specific to your area and plant in season, remembering that your yard may have some slight differences such as I have a 10 x 10 portion of my yard which is in shade most of the day and most of the year due to it's position, so this is where I have planted a tree which filters the little light that does get to that area, and beneath it, some berries. I personally use a combination of planting calendars including the one from Gardeners World down the street which of course recommends the plants which they sell, but so far has always been very helpful info, and mostly I use a combo of the information from the http://www.urbanfarm.org/ and the one from the University of Arizona's Agriculture Department:

http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1005.pdfood

Local Myer Lemon Oil

While looking for gluten free lasagna, I also kept my eyes open for lemon olive oil. It was a lucky happenstance that it just so happens some is made right down the road in Queen Creek, AZ. Queen Creek Olive Mill makes Meyer Lemon Olive Oil, which they sell at stores right here in "the valley."

I always try to keep my eye open for products we can buy which are locally grown because it supports farmers in my community as well as making less of a negative impact on the world around us.  I'm not a fanatic about searching locally grown foods out, but when I just happen across them in the type of product I'm already looking for it's a bonus!

We also picked up a lemon and I was looking forward to using the cookie mix I'd picked up but replacing the oil with my lemon oil find, adding some lemon zest, and replacing the water in the recipe with lemon juice. All inspired by a recipe in Gluten Free Girl, which I've been reading while waiting for various doctors visits and lab tests.

Luckily for me some friends came over, one of whom LOVES baking cookies. These turned out really yummy! Not the same as those in the book I'm sure...but delicious enough that people keep going back for more. The other great thing about them is they're really satisfying. After eating one you're like wow that was good, but you're also feeling a bit full and satisfied so there's no rushing back for immediate 2nd and 3rds...but there is a lot of gradual cookie grazing going on in this house these days.

Home Cooked Italian YUM

I LOVE Italian food and Carlie makes some mouth watering pasta dishes. She has lived with Patch and I for the last 8 years and our stomachs are forever grateful. She comes from a family that is half Irish, and half Italian but she is one of those that looks 100% Italian, and from the way she cooks, you would believe it. After I read some of the recipes and comments in the "Gluten-free Italian" cookbook to her, she mentioned that if we could get the hang of cooking with gluten-free pastas we could make just about any of the meals she usually makes because there is no gluten in tomato, cauliflower, nor meat. 


True, although I have noticed the occasional use of wheat-flour in some strangely unexpected places, so we'll keep our eyes open for ways it might try to sneak into our diet. It will depend on how intolerant of gluten I am, but I have read that as little as a tablespoon a day can cause flare ups in some people and we may therefor have to be super vigilant about the ways gluten sneaks into our foods. I believe our new grocery store mantra will be, "When in doubt, leave it out!"


Other than being vigilant by reading the ingredients on pre made and packaged foods, she's right! Preparing Italian food should be pretty much the same as before. 


I found premade gluten-free lasagna noodles at Whole Foods and picked a box up. We are likely to end up making our own pasta some time soon, because frankly, home made is almost always better than pre-packaged, but it's a lot more work to make your own, and we don't have a pasta machine so we will be using prepackaged most of the time. Thankfully the Gluten-free Italian cookbook I bought on amazon does have a pasta recipe that looks like it will make great ravioli. Mmmmmm I can't wait to make interesting fillings for ravioli.

Tonight we made brown rice risotto with chicken. We LOVED IT! And want to make it again. Makes enough for 6-8 people depending on if you serve it as an entire meal as we did, or a hearty side dish.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion
1 small red onion
1 tsp garlic powder (0r 2 cloves of chopped garlic if you ahve them)
10 - 12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast cubed (1 inch cubes)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon rosemary
4 tablespoons diced bacon (or prosciutto if you have it)
2 cups brown rice
2/3 cup cooking sherry
3 cups gluten-free chicken broth, heated (I use swansons 100% natural)
3 cups hot water
6 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 tablespoons grated parmigiano-reggiano
fine sea salt
black pepper 

in large skillet, on medium heat cook chicken with 1/2 herbs till no longer pink in 1 tablespoon olive oil
in large saucepan, on medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter. Cook chopped onions and garlic until soft, but before browned. (about 5 minutes) add the rest of the herbs and the bacon or procsciutto. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Add the rice and stir until well coated with oil. All the grains will appear shiny. Stir in the cooking sherry and bring to a boil. Stir and bring down to a strong simmer cooking until all the sherry is either soaked into the rice or evaporated, then stir in 2 cups of the hot broth. Simmer and stir often until the liquid is almost absorbed. Repeat with remaining broth a cup at a time. Repeat with 1/2 the hot water, and cook until rice is tender to the bite (about 35 minutes) adding the rest of the hot water as necessary until the rice is tender and the risotto is creamy with a slightly soupy consistancy. It should not be dry or sticky.

Turn off the stove, stir in the parsley and 2 tablespoons butter. Taste, and adjust seasoning as necessary. I added more pepper and garlic powder, but not more salt to mine. Seperate into bowls and sprinkle a tablespoon of the parmigiano-reggiano on top of each. Buy a good cheese, it makes all the difference in the world.

We put the leftovers in a sealed container into the fridge so we wouldn't eat it all up in one sitting. It was tempting, but portion control is part of losing weight while still being able to enjoy delicious food. When split into 6 servings, this ended up being 9 points on weight watchers.

Berry Pavlova with Sorbet

Recently a couple of dear friends stopped by to prepare and eat food that tastes good and is relatively healthy.  I say relatively, because it depends on how you define healthy food. The entire meal included cheesy treats, potatoes and squash with lime, and kale salad. 2 hours later, we all shared Pavlova. An entirely gluten free meal which included grains, vegetables, fruits, protein, fats, and starch. Yes, we included desserts in the picture of a healthy meal. Desserts are fine in small amounts, but I definitely gained weight this week trying out so many different gluten-free junk foods and desserts. So I'm back on my weight watchers plan, keeping my food journal which I didn't keep up with last week. I did plug the Pavlova in, and and for one serving of this minus the sorbet it is only 3 points. Not bad for a dessert! We did have 2 scoops of Roman Rasberry Sorbet on the side. We will be eating this again soon as a nice summer treat.

Anyway, with no further ado, let me share this delicious dessert from the joyofbaking.com:

4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 cups light aresol whipped cream
1/2 cup rasberries
1/2 cup blackberries

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (130 C) and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 7 inch circle on the paper.

In a bowl whisk egg whites until they hold soft peaks (medium high with your beater's whisk attachment)
start slowly adding the sugar (a tablespoon at a time) and continue to beat until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. (test ot see if the sugar is fully dissolved, so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers) Sprinkle the vigegar and cornstarch over the top of the meringue and fold in with a ruber spatula.

Gently spread the meringue inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper, smoothing the edges, amking sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher than the center. (You want a slight well in the center of the meringue to place the whipped cream and fruit after it's baked)

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the outside is dray and takes on a very pale cream color. Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar, and let the meringue cool in the oven. When completely cooled, the meringue will feel firm to the touch if gently pressed, but outside will crack a bit, and you will see the inside is still soft and marshmallowy)

The cooled meringue can be made and then stored in a cool dry place in an airtight container for a few days.

Just before serving gently place the meringue on a serving plate. mound soft whipped cream in the center of the meringue. Add berries on top of the whipped cream, and chow down! Serves 6 to 8

Seriously, if you want a dessert, try this. WE ALL LOVED IT!

Accidentally Gluten-Free

The other day Patch and I were discussing gluten-free living and she seemed very worried that switching over would be difficult. As the main person who shops and one of the two main cooks, she was understandably nervous. Besides, Patch has never been one for change. She mentioned wanting me to shop with her so that she does not accidentally buy the wrong things. That would be wonderful since I do love spending time with Patch foraging through the aisles of a grocery store, but my migraines make it very difficult to go grocery shopping as the lights in most stores are intolerable even with wrap around sunglasses and what my friends call the unibomber look. (hat, sunglasses, hoody)

Because I have not yet been tested for Celiac and gluten intolerance, and won't be until at least the 17th of this month, we have not yet officially begun the change to a gluten-free diet. We have however begun reading packaging and noticing which of the foods we regularly eat do or do not have gluten.

So it was interesting to find out that the meal Patch made for us the other night was accidentally gluten-free! And nice to know that something so delicious and so part of our normal style of eating could be part of my gluten-free future. Patch has been kind enough to share her recipe so others may enjoy such a delicious meal in the future.

Pork Loin and Potatoes: (sorry, no measurements of the herbs, Patch came up with this completely by feel)

Pork Loin rubbed with olive oil, salt, pepper, sage, and savory.  roasted on a sheet pan in oven at 375 for 20 minutes, then 425 for about 35 minutes while the potatoes cooked. Let rest for 10-15 minutes after removing from the oven

Potatoes cut into hearty chunks and placed in bowl, olive oil and 4 tablespoons onion soup mix stirred into the potatoes, make sure they're all covered well then place them in a shallow baking pan and bake at 425 for 35 minutes stirring occasionally (2 or 3 times)

Onion Soup Mix Recipe: (Gluten, caesin, and soy free )

• 3/4 cup instant minced onion
• 1/3 cup beef bouillon powder
• 4 teaspoons onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed celery seed
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

Mix and store in air tight container. 

We had this with a side of perfectly steamed broccoli and it was a truly delicious meal. I hope to repeat it some day! Who's kidding who, I ate the leftovers daily for 3 days and wanted to make more when it was gone! The pork loin was tender and juicy, the rub meshed well with the sauce on the potatoes, and the only thing I'd change is to use a low sodium soup mix on the potatoes next time

If you're new to this like we are, and unsure which ingredients in your pantry just happen to already be gluten-free, check out this great list from the Celiac Sprue Association: http://www.csaceliacs.org/gluten_choices.php