A Life in Food by real-life Chef Cheryl Bennett
Rajas, or sautéed poblano peppers and onions, are the perfect topper for burgers, tacos or nachos. This vegan, dairy-free version is a delicious topper to just about anything.
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Apple cranberry chicken salad is full of crunchy apples and sweet tart dried cranberries. It makes a great lunch, perfect on a sandwich or on lettuce for a lower carb option.
This is the chicken salad for people who like tons of flavor and texture. It has plenty of crunch from celery and apples, pecan and almonds, and flavor from the scallions (green onions), parsley and dill.
The chicken is cooked in a slow cooker, so you can get on with your day.
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…Quinoa Salad with black beans, mango and lime is one of my summertime go to recipes. It is light and refreshing on a hot day and lasts for days in the refrigerator so I can eat it all week long for lunch. Gluten-free quinoa salads like this Mediterranean quinoa are perfect for meal prepping.
This delicious side is not only gluten-free, it is also vegan. It is dressed with a light vinaigrette, which makes it perfect for taking to the park or the beach for picnics or bringing to backyard cookouts.
Quinoa and black beans are tossed with vegetables and herbs for a light and delicious summer salad.
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This clementine cake is gluten free, made in the food processor and comes out of the pan like a dream. It couldn’t be easier and it is deliciously moist. The smell of clementines cooking fills the house with a bright, citrusy aroma, which is wonderful this time of the year. Another holiday treat we love right now are these gluten free rum balls.
When the mercury drops and you are puttering around the house, this is the perfect baking endeavor.
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Paleo, gluten free rum balls are a healthier way to enjoy this holiday treat. Made with almond and coconut flours, these paleo treats are easily made vegan or keto with a simple swap.
For another recipe that is made in the food processor, check out this gluten free clementine cake.
If you make a purchase through one of the affiliate links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.
This Paleo Rum Ball Recipe is sponsored by Sprouts Farmers Market. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Pook’s Pantry. As always, all opinions, recipes and photos are my own.
These paleo rum balls are a snap to make and they are perfect for holiday cookie exchanges. A handful of ingredients go into the food processor, then they are rolled into balls and tossed in coconut.
I was able to pick up everything I needed for these paleo treats (minus the rum) at Sprouts. I honestly love being able to buy the store brand of ingredients like shredded coconut for a fraction of the price that I’d pay for another brand.
Buying in bulk is another great way to save at Sprouts. You can buy the exact quantity that you need, so it helps to reduce waste.
Plus, it’s a great way to try new things. I picked up a few scoops of snack mixes and found a new favorite!
These gluten free rum balls are made with almond and coconut flours instead of the usual vanilla wafer cookies.
To easily make these rum balls vegan, swap out the honey for corn syrup. To make them keto, use your favorite sweetener (like a few drops of liquid stevia) in place of the honey.
Making homemade gifts to give to friends and family is something I do every year. These red snowflake takeout boxes make it easy to pack up paleo gluten free treats for gifting.
Another option, if you are shipping treats are Christmas cookie tins. I sent these treats across the country and they arrived looking just like they did when they were packed.
If you are shipping treats to friends and family, these are perfect for mailing. Place a sheet of folded parchment paper on top to keep them in place or put parchment in the bottom of the cookie tin to cushion.
Time needed: 1 hour.
Making gluten free rum balls
Add almond and coconut flours, sea salt, cacao powder, rum, honey, coconut oil and unsweetened shredded coconut to food processor and blend until completely uniform. 
Scoop out portions of rum ball mixture using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon. 
Roll the scooped out mixture into balls using your hands. 
Toss each rolled paleo rum ball in unsweetened shredded coconut, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet to chill in the refrigerator. 
That’s it! It is that easy. Invite a friend over to help you roll and it is even faster. These paleo rum balls are an easy no bake cookie for the holidays and a healthier way to have some of your favorite holiday treats.
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Paleo rum balls perfect for holiday cookie exchanges. A healthier way to enjoy this holiday treat!
To store rum balls:
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Remove from refrigerator
30 minutes before serving to allow rum balls to soften.
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Nutrition information calculated by a third-party company as a courtesy. It is intended as a guideline only.
Thanks for stopping by! Have a delicious day 🙂
Questions? Send me an email, I’m happy to help. I’d love to send you weekly tips and recipes, so you can get updates about what’s happening in the kitchen!
Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my photos or recipe without prior written permission. Thank you!
Melting potatoes are one of the easiest, most delicious ways to get a lot of bang for your buck for a quick side dish. The oven does the majority of the work for you, all you have to do is flip them a couple of times. That tiny bit of effort is rewarded with the most perfectly roasted potato dish to ever grace your dinner table. I love serving these with this Beef Tenderloin Roast for special occasions.
This is the best of both worlds as far as potatoes go. Just like my Cajun grilled potato wedges, the outside is golden and incredibly crispy, while the inside remains tender and fluffy.
This recipe for Melting Potatoes is sponsored by my friends at Idaho Potato. I am so pleased to work with them. As always, all opinions, recipe and photos are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Pook’s Pantry.
Post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of the links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.
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Mediterranean quinoa salad with pistachios, mint and lemon is a quick and easy side or light dinner. This quinoa salad comes together in about 20 minutes, making it a great weeknight option.
It is packed with protein and flavor, and it is also vegan. If you are a meal prepper, this is a perfect recipe to make for the week ahead. It will last for days in the refrigerator, so you can pack it for lunches all week.
originally published: 3/18/16
recently updated: 6/19/19
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Curried cauliflower with golden raisins and ginger is a great side for chicken or steak, but it can stand on its own as a meatless meal. Vegetable sides don’t have to be boring or bland. Roasting cauliflower brings out its sweetness while the curry gives it a little kick and a lot of flavor.
A little spice can go a long way. For example – curry powder. Oven roasted curry cauliflower is a side that you will make again and again.
We are eating more vegetables these days. Also, we are eating healthier. At least, we are trying to eat healthier (when I’m not eating cookies). I love vegetables, I honestly prefer them over meat most of the time.
However, they can be boring if you don’t jazz them up sometimes. This roasted cauliflower side dish has earned a spot in the regular rotation.
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For this particular recipe, the cauliflower is roasted. Roasting cauliflower really brings out it’s personality. It deepens the flavor and transforms it into something completely different than it’s raw version.
To turn this into an Indian cauliflower side dish, we’re using a bit of curry powder. It is hardly an “authentic Indian dish”, but it is seriously delicious.
Awhile back, there was a “cauliflower craze”. It has hung on and had serious staying power, but when cauliflower first became a thing, I must admit, I found it a little amusing and also a bit perplexing. It left me wondering if people hadn’t really eaten cauliflower outside of a veggie tray.
When the people discovered cauliflower – they hit it hard. It was cauliflower rice, cauliflower mash, cauliflower this & cauliflower that. Then, what happened next? The price went through the roof.
I could not, in good conscience, spend $6 for a head when last year it was half that price. Consequently, it led to a dry spell of this cruciferous vegetable in our house. As you can see, it left me a little fired up.
Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that can take on different flavors and can be made in a variety of ways. Indian spices work great with this vegetable, because they are potent and bring a ton of flavor.
While I’m all fired up, let me tell you how I used to prepare this dish. I’ve been making this for the better part of 12 years, give or take. I mixed toasted pine nuts in at the end, while it is still warm.
Why don’t I use them anymore? Remember when the airlines started charging baggage fees to compensate for higher gas prices, but then gas came down and the luggage fees didn’t go away? Yeah, like that.
A number of years ago, the cost of pine nuts more than doubled. The price on my weekly order went from $8 to $20 and I almost choked.
If you happen to catch pine nuts or pignoli, on sale, grab a bag or three and add a handful to the vegan roasted cauliflower. Each bite is nutty and packed with curry flavor. It’s amazing.
Toasting the pine nuts before adding them to the cauliflower is key. Add them to a hot, dry pan and toast for 5 minutes or so until they begin to brown. You will smell them, it is unmistakable so don’t worry that you won’t know.
Be careful not to let them go too long, as they do burn quickly.
If pine nuts are unavailable, but you still want some nuttiness in your side dish, try toasted pecans or cashews in this dish. They will go nicely with the curry and they are less expensive.
When people say that they don’t like a certain food, my first follow up question is “How was it prepared”? Sometimes, I find that it is less about the particular food and more about the way it was cooked (or not cooked).
If you are one of the people that doesn’t love this vegetable, try roasting it. It becomes sweeter and in my opinion, tastier after roasting. Rather than writing off a certain food, try a different preparation. You might find that you actually do like it.
Golden raisins are also known as sultanas or white raisins. Depending on where you live, they may not be available year round. If this is the case for you, substitute regular black raisins.
If you are looking for a few recipes to use up your golden raisins, try the Mediterranean Quinoa Salad or Linguini and Roast Chicken with Golden Raisins. For baking, I use golden raisins in this Irish soda bread and this Apple Chutney Bruschetta is a tasty appetizer using them as well.
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been making this dish for a long time. It was something I used to make at the restaurant, back before cauliflower was a thing. We were always looking for new and different ways to serve vegetables.
Even though the meat is and for the most part, has always been, the star of the plate, I always wanted to serve vegetables that didn’t fade into the background. This curried cauliflower is still one of the most requested by clients and also at home.
This is a perfect recipe for those following a ketogenic diet. Omit the golden raisins and carry on with the rest of the recipe. This vegetable is a staple of keto cooking and sometimes, it’s difficult to think of different ways to eat or prepare it.
If you are watching your carb or calorie intake, this is a great recipe for you too.
Your shares help this site to grow. Do you know someone who would like this? I’d love it if you would share it on Facebook or pin it to your favorite recipe board.
Roasted curried cauliflower with golden raisins makes a delicious side for dinner.
Use a large bowl to toss the cauliflower so you can really coat everything evenly. Use your hand to scoop up from the bottom and keep tossing about a dozen times for best results. Be patient, it will all get coated if you give a minute or two.
For a little color, chop a few chives and scatter on top.
Add pine nuts for extra delicious crunch.
Nutrition information calculated by a third-party company as a courtesy. It is intended as a guideline only.
Thanks for stopping by! Have a delicious day 🙂
Questions? Send me an email, I’m happy to help. I’d love to send you weekly tips and recipes, so you can get updates about what’s happening in the kitchen!
Hello! All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my photos or recipe without prior written permission. Thank you!
Quinoa with vegetables is a fantastic way to use up all of the leftover bits of veggies. This ready to go quinoa gets a little “bulking up” from the addition of sautéed mushrooms, peppers and green beans. Use whatever vegetables you have, this recipe is meant to be flexible!
This Garlic Lemon Quinoa with Vegetables recipe is sponsored by Sprout’s Farmers Market. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Pook’s Pantry. As always, all opinions, recipes and photos are my own.
A fast and easy side makes it to the table in under 15 minutes. Sometimes, I love to putter about in the kitchen. Then, there are days that I feel like my hair is on fire. This is a side for those days.
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This vegan chickpea curry is the perfect meal for busy weeknights and also for special occasions. It is a one pot meal, it’s fast and easy and it makes enough for leftovers the next day. Serve this easy vegan chickpea curry with a crisp white wine and it’s a delicious dinner for two at home.
Ff you prefer to stay in and have a cozy dinner, to celebrate Valentine’s Day, or any special occasion, this is the meal for you.
This easy Indian vegan chickpea curry recipe is sponsored by Sprout’s Farmers Market. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Pook’s Pantry. As always, all opinions, recipes and photos are my own.
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