The Most Delicious Pot Roast Collaboration Meal!

      Recently we "gluties" haven't had time to blog, but we always have time to eat deliciously and gluten free. We were recently inspired to start sharing our tips again after we had the MOST delicious meal last weekend, that we made together ourselves. It's a true collaboration...Silvia made the main dish and Charlese made the sides and chocolate cake for dessert!  This meal was called "the most delicious gluten free meal ever" by a very picky friend, so we hope you enjoy it as much as we all did.

Pot Roast Collaboration Meal:

Crock Pot Roast w Rustic Gravy

Bacon Rendered Green Beans

Scalloped Yams with Gruyere

Braised Romaine Hearts with Balsamic Gorgonzola Reduction

Hurley Mom's Chocolate Applesauce Cake

Crock Pot Roast with Rustic Gravy

1 (5 pound) 7 bone-in Beef Chuck Roast
1 Tbs Potato Starch, or as needed to coat meat
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 med Onion, chopped
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
3 Carrots, chopped
2 stalks Celery, chopped
1 Tbs Herbes de Provence
1 Tbs Tomato Paste
1 1/2 c Beef Broth
1 Sprig Fresh Rosemary
2 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
1 Bay leaf
Salt and Pepper
Cornstarch, for Gravy

Prepare roast with a sprinkle salt and pepper, then follow with a light sprinkle of the potato starch. In a hot saucepan, add olive oil and then quickly brown beef on all sides. Remove from pan. Add onion, garlic, carrots and celery and sauté with Herbes de Provence just until onions are slightly soft. Turn off heat and pour vegetables from pan into to crock pot, then add tomato paste and beef broth. Finally add roast and put rosemary and thyme sprigs plus bay leaf on sides of the meat. Set on LOW for about 8-10 hrs. Drain fat periodically when needed. To serve, remove bay leaf and sprigs and serve with veggies and rustic gravy.

Rustic Gravy: Spoon about 1-2c of leftover sauce from crock pot into saucepan and warm, do not strain. Add 1/2c cold water and cornstarch to desired thickness. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Bacon Rendered Green Beans

1 Lb of Organic Green Beans, cleaned and trimmed 

2 slices of Applegate Farms organic Bacon, chopped

1 Tbs of butter

Salt and Pepper

Saute bacon pieces in a large saucepan until soft, not crispy. Leave in pan and add green beans. Toss with bacon and sauté for a minute or two, then add lid to steam until soft. Remove lid and continue to sauté until browned and bacon is crispy. Toss together a few times and add salt and pepper to taste.

Scalloped Yams with Gruyere

(recipe was shared with by a friend who was also an acclaimed chef for an Orange County restaurant)

3 Large Organic Yams, unpeeled
1 Tbs butter, softened
1c Heavy Cream
2-3 c Shredded Gruyere (Trader Joe's Gruyere/Cheddar blend)
1/2 c Crumbled Gorgonzola
Dried Thyme
Salt

Preheat oven to 350. Slice yams to a medium thickness. Using a 13x9 casserole pan, pour softened butter onto base and coat. Add first row of yams. Pour small amount of cream and add sprinkling of cheese plus thyme. Layer yams again and repeat. Finish with top row, perfectly scalloped (layered) yams, rest of cream, and plenty of cheese and thyme.

Bake 45 min at 350 or until top layer of cheese is browned. Allow to rest 15-30 minutes, then serve.

Braised Romaine with Balsamic Gorgonzola Reduction

2 Organic Romaine Hearts

1Tbs Olive Oil

1 c Crumbled Gorgonzola

2 c Balsamic Vinegar

Slice romaine hearts, lengthwise, in half. Using a grill pan, heat olive oil and add romaine, flat side down. In a small saucepan, add balsamic vinegar and slowly heat until it reduces to a syrup consistency and add gorgonzola. Remove romaine when warm, before it withers. Serve with balsamic reduction poured over and sprinkle with additional gorgonzola if desired.

Hurley Mom's Chocolate Applesauce Cake

(this recipe was given by a dear client and friend with celiac disease who's loving mom prepared some special homemade desserts just for her and this one she shared with us)

This is a very rich and chocolately cake that has an oozy gooey texture. It is absolutely delicious, enjoy!

1 1/2 c White Sugar (we used Trader Joe's Organic sugar)
1/2 c Canola Oil
2 eggs (we used flax meal egg substitute: 1 egg= 3 Tbs water + 1 Tbs flax meal and allow to sit)
2c Applesauce, not chunky
2 c Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix (gluten free flour mix)
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
2-3 Tbs Cocoa (we used Trader Joe's Baking Cocoa, it's the best!)

1 c Chocolate Chips (we used Ghiradelli)
2 Tbs Brown Sugar

Preheat oven to 350 and oil and flour a 13x9 baking pan.
Cream together sugar, oil, eggs (or substitute), and applesauce with hand mixer or in stand mixer. In a separate large bowl, sift together Pamela's Baking Mix, baking soda, cinnamon, and cocoa, then add to wet ingredients and mix until incorporated. Pour into baking pan and sprinkle chocolate chips and brown sugar onto wet mix before baking (see photo above). Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. It will be gooey in the center, but shouldn't be too wet when tested with a fork or toothpick. Allow to rest and cool before serving.