You can’t tell that these gluten-free cookies are gluten free! Photo courtesy Cheryl’s.

We have dear friends and readers with gluten sensitivity, so we keep an eye out for anything above the ordinary that they might enjoy.

When Cheryl’s offered us a taste test of their conventional versus gluten-free cookies in advance of National Gluten Free Day (January 13th), we didn’t hesitate to bite.

They said we wouldn’t be able to taste the difference, and they were correct.

No one could tell that the GF cookies were gluten free. The texture had no graininess or other telltale sign of most gluten free cookies.

The one difference is that the GF cookies are less sweet than the conventional ones. But this feature would only be noticed in a side-by-side tasting.

So if you want cookies for yourself, or are looking to Valentine’s Day gifts, head to Cheryl’s.

There are gift boxes of every description, filled with:

 
(We tasted only the chocolate chip and snickerdoodle GF flavors.)

The cookies are produced in a dedicated gluten-free facility, and are individually wrapped for grab-and-go as well as freshness.

Check out the selection at Cheryls.com.

What’s up, Doc?

The humble carrot, dressed to impress.

Winter, with its paucity of produce choices, is the best time to enjoy root vegetables. The most familiar—and the easiest to convince family members to eat—is the carrot. Here, some ideas from the familiar to the less so. Below:

> The history of carrots.

> How carrots became orange (they were originally white).

> Carrot salad recipes.

> January is National Carrot Month. April 4th is International Carrot Day.

> February 3rd is National Carrot Cake Day.

> April 30th is National Bugs Bunny Day. September 28th is International Rabbit Day.
 
 
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO ROOT VEGETABLES

Root vegetables most common in the U.S. include the beet, carrot, celery root (celeriac), Jerusalem artichoke, garlic, kohlrabi, onions (use baby onions), parsnips, potato (use small waxy potatoes), radishes, rutabaga, salsify, and turnip.

Root vegetables are high in vitamins and minerals, which they absorb from the ground. Many are high in vitamin A, B complex and C; plus antioxidants. Root vegetables are an excellent source of fiber.

Many of these can be eaten raw, steamed, sautéed, baked, roasted, stir fried, or fried.

In the case of carrots, Whether baby, heirloom or standard, carrots and their root kin are waiting at your nearest market.
 
 
COOKING CARROTS

Beyond boiled carrots, carrot salad and crudités, consider these preparations:

Different choices here: Roasted carrot or mixed roasted vegetable sandwich, with or without goat cheese; or carrot pickles or carrot slaw on a ham, turkey or other sandwich.

 
 
WAYS TO TREAT ANY CARROT PREPARATION

 
Do you have a favorite carrot preparation?

If it’s not listed here, please let us know!

[1] “Cooked” carrot salad. Here’s the recipe from Walnut Frog.

[2] Carrots with other root vegetables (here, radishes and baby onions). Here’s the recipe, with a maple-honey glaze, from Kalamazoo Gourmet.

[3] Pan-fried carrots with parsley. Not the red skin: It’s an heirloom variety. Here’s the recipe from The Nourishing Gourmet.

[4] These glazed carrots are accented with sesame seeds and pomegranate arils for more color. Here’s the recipe from The Café Sucre Farine.

[5] Grilled carrot sandwich on crusty bread with goat cheese, apricot jam and toasted pine nuts, at The Wayfarer | NYC.

[6] This picture is not Photoshopped: These are natural mutations. See how it happens, below (photo courtesy The Wayfarer).

The original wild carrots were white, like parsnips. According to Colorful Harvest, marketer of rainbow carrots, the cultivated purple and yellow carrots—mutations—were eaten more than 1,000 years ago in what is now Afghanistan.

Other colors are the product of generations of traditional plant breeding. Orange carrots were first successfully bred in Holland from an orange mutation by Dutch farmers. Here’s the history of carrots.
 
 
FROM WHERE DO CARROTS GET THEIR COLOR?

Deeply colored produce are rich in nutrients, including antioxidants. Different antioxidants produce the different colors or carrots:

 
________________

*Tenderness, moistness and delicacy depend in part on how and where a vegetable is grown. Those grown in a hot, dry climate without sufficient irrigation can turn out to be pretty hot and spicy. If you end up with that character, you can reduce the spiciness by blanching the cut pieces in salted, boiling water. (Source)

†Other common root vegetables, that don’t necessarily lend themselves to these preparations, include include daikon, ginger, horseradish, jicama and turmeric.
 
 

[1] Citrus with beets and greens have eye appeal and taste great. Here’s the recipe from Southern Living (photo © Southern Living).

[2] Pretty as a picture. Here’s the recipe from the Today Show (photo © Today).

[3] An elegant take on ambrosia (recipe at right, from Fosters Market).

[4] Cara cara oranges (photo © Whiteflower Farm, which sells Cara Cara trees).

[5] The three main varieties of blood oranges have different levels of red. That doesn’t indicate sweetness; it’s just a varietal characteristic. Here, the tarocco blood orange variety (photo © Good Eggs).

It can be served for lunch or dinner:

 
When you mix colors, the results are truly glorious. They’re pretty, taste and good for you!

You can have a base of greens:

 
The dressings can be:

 
Garnishes can add:

 
You can also add another colorful winter favorite, beets, to the salad.

There are endless variations of citrus salads. Here are two classic combinations; elaborate on them as you wish.
 
 
RECIPE #1: AMBROSIA WITH CITRUS & FLAKY COCONUT

In Greek mythology, the gods ate ambrosia and drank nectar, fragrant foods that were typically reserved for divine beings.

While no descriptions of either these foods survive (the word ambrosia means delicious or fragrant and nectar indicates a delicious or invigorating drink), scholars have long believed that both ambrosia and nectar were based on honey.

The elegant recipe that follows (photo #3) is from Fosters Market Cookbook, recipes from a fine market and café in Durham, North Carolina.

Here’s a recipe for another style of ambrosia from Alton Brown, with a sour cream dressing, pecans, grapes, mini marshmallows and more.

Ingredients For 8 To 10 Servings

 
Preparation

1. PEEL the citrus. First cut off the tops and bottoms with so the fruit sits flat. Then place on a cutting board and cut away the skin and pith, working around the circle between the fruit and the pith.

2. SLICE each fruit into rounds or half rounds, depending on the size. Remove any seeds.

3. PLACE on a large platter or individual plates, and sprinkle with any juice that has collected on the board. Sprinkle the dried cranberries/cherries and coconut over the top.

4. ZEST the lemon over the salad; then cut in half and squeeze the juice over the citrus.

5. SERVE, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
 
 
RECIPE #2 FOLLOWS, BELOW.

Hannah Kaminsky of Bittersweet Blog developed this recipe by browsing the produce aisle and picking up what was available.

“Something about the acidic, subtly sweet citrus, creamy avocado, and crunchy macadamia nuts make this salad utterly unforgettable,” Hannah says. “Don’t just take my word for it, because I’m afraid I can’t do it full justice in a few short sentences. It’s just too good to fully explain in words. This simple, invigorating combination will brighten short winter days.”

If you don’t like avocado, or can’t find a ripe one, she recommends:

“Mix citrus segments with any other fruits that are available; or make an all-citrus salad, combining segments from grapefruits, oranges, blood oranges, cara cara oranges, and so forth. The mix of colors is absolutely gorgeous.”

Ingredients For 2-3 Servings

For The Macadamia Nut Dressing

 
For The Salad

 
Preparation

[7] A pretty preparation: dressed TexaSweet red grapefruit segments in an avocado half (photo © Texasweet).

2. PLACE the arugula and fennel in a bowl and toss with the dressing; or if you prefer, serve the dressing on the side. Divide the greens between 2 or 3 bowls.

3. TOP with equal amounts of grapefruit, avocado, and macadamia nuts. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper as needed, or simply place the shakers on the table for self-service.
 
 
MORE WAYS TO USE CITRUS

 
 
THE HISTORY OF GRAPEFRUIT

But the grapefruit’s ancestor, the pummelo (also pomelo or shaddock), comes from far away—it’s native to Malaysia and Indonesia. Pummelo seeds were brought from the East Indies to the West Indies in 1693 by an English ship commander. The grapefruit may have been a horticultural accident or a deliberate hybridization between the pummelo and the orange

Here’s more.
 
 
HOW TO SEGMENT CITRUS

[1] Poaching salmon is the easiest way to enjoy moist, tender fish, without cooking fish aromas. Here’s a recipe from Cooking Light. [2] Our favorite way to make beef tenderloin is to poach it. Here’s a recipe from Martha Stewart. [3] If you make chicken in a pot, or chicken soup with pieces of chicken, you’ve poached a bird. Here’s a recipe from Enki Village. [4] Our first poaching attempt was inspired by classic French dish (here’s the recipe from Buck Cooks).

Poaching food is a topic that doesn’t come up much these days.

The age-old moist-heat cooking technique simply submerges raw food in a liquid. The technique cooks the food without pulling the moisture from it: The protein is moist, never dry.

The food cooks at a relatively low temperature (about 160°–180°F), which is especially good for delicate foods (eggs, fish) that might fall apart or dry out with other cooking methods.

Heartier foods—an entire beef tenderloin or chicken—work equally well.

Decades ago, when we tried to master the art of French cooking, we purchased a large, oblong fish poacher, a pan created to poach a whole fish.

Cold poached salmon was a mainstay of French cuisine, served with dill sauce and marinated cucumbers. We loved it and ate it regularly, at the numerous classic French restaurants that graced New York City back then. It looked easy to make, and it was.

But we subsequently discovered that serving it nicely takes a bit of training. The captains at the French restaurants new how to cut neat slices, avoiding the bones. Our salmon looked like it had been hacked by starving hordes. Sigh.

We stuck the poacher in the cupboard (until, 10 years later, we learned to poach an entire beef tenderloin, a cinch tot slice), and stuck to poaching fillets. They require zero skill to serve.

START POACHING TODAY

Just about any food can be poached, poaches up moist and flavorful, and can be served warm or cold.

Poaching proteins are an easy and healthy preparation; all your healthcare providers and trainers approve. Poaching has:

 
Bonus:

You end up with an extra dish, or part thereof.

The poaching liquid becomes a delicious broth that can be served later, thickened into a sauce, or used in other recipes.

WHAT’S IN THE POACHING LIQUID?

The poaching liquid can include whatever flavors you want, from the base to the add-ins.

Our wine editor, Kris Prasad, who taught us to poach a tenderloin, advised: “Toss in whatever you have: leftover wine, herbs, soy sauce instead of salt, a splash of balsamic, citrus juice or vinegar for tartness. Anything works.”

The poaching liquid can be:

In terms of add-ins: Add in whatever flavors you like, from classic mirepoix—carrots, celery, onions—and fresh herbs, to the less obvious—cardamom, cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole nutmeg, etc.

Don’t wait to try them: You may discover that poaching proteins is your favorite food discovery of the year.
  

Since it became a media darling in 2011, kale has found its way into every type of recipe imaginable. Even chocolate bars.

Compartes Chocolatier in Los Angeles makes artisan chocolate bars with what have become more or less mainstream add-ins: Brownie, Coconut Macadamia, Coffee & Cacao Nibs, Crispy Rice, Matcha, Peanut Butter, Salted Caramel, Salted Pretzel, Smoked Sea Salt and Whisky, among others.

Some are quite fun: Animal Cookies, Cookies & Cream, Granola, Malt Ball, Piña Colada, Popcorn, S’mores.

There are the “seen here first” flavors, the chocolate bars taking a cue from trendy cupcakes: Birthday Cake, Biscuits & Honey, Cereal Bowl, Donuts and Coffee, Hazelnut Toast.

And then there’s the Vegan* Zen Bar, a 75% dark chocolate bar filled with kale crisps, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds, and no added sugar.

Check it out here.

While not particularly edgy, a second kale preparation that caught our eye was this chopped kale and herb garnish on a strip steak, from Upper Story restaurant in New York City.

The balsamic-glazed steak sits on a bed of sautéed greens and garlic smashed potatoes, with a Port sauce and fried onion rings.

Not exactly health food, but the kale makes it on trend.

Until the “next kale” hits the store shelves.
 
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO WITH KALE?

While cooks have been using kale on everything from grilled cheese sandwiches to pesto, here are some more fun applications:

[1] A chocolate bar with kale crisps, seeds and no added sugar from Compartes (the bar has no Brussels sprouts and tomatoes; they are just photo props). [2] A New York strip steak topped with chopped kale and herbs, at Upper Story | NYC.