I am not an indecisive person, if given a choice between a rock and a hard place I use my head and my heart, make a decision and then commit to my choice 100 percent. When there is a difference of opinion between my hubby and me, we settle it in an intelligent, sensible, mature manner – Rock, Paper, Scissors!

This particular gluten free recipe however left me uncharacteristically indecisive – I just can’t decide whether it is best eaten as a stew spooned over mashed sweet potatoes or poured into a casserole dish, topped with the sweet potato mash, baked and served as a vegan, Southwestern version of Sheppard’s Pie.

In the end it was trying to come up with a name for the recipe that swayed me slightly. Technically a Sheppard’s Pie is made with lamb. When the same type recipe is made with beef, it is called a Cottage Pie. So what would I call a pie made with black beans, vegetables and Southwestern seasonings? Ranchero Pie? Garden Pie? Nothing stuck me as having the right ring to it.

The good news is you can serve it either way or even both – which is what we did. The first time we ate it in the stew version and then I turned the leftovers into individual pies that were easily reheated in the oven or microwave – perfect for our busy weekend.

Sometimes the secret to quick cooking is actually taking it slow. I started this recipe with a bag of Hurst Family Harvest Chipotle Lime Black Bean Soup Mix, let the beans soak in the fridge for a day, simmered the beans unattended for a couple hours and then about 30 minutes before dinner I put some sweet potatoes on to boil and turned the soup into a savory, complex vegetarian stew by sautéing onions, corn, peppers and mushrooms and bringing it all together with a bit of gluten free taco sauce.

While this dish seems to have brought out an indecisive quality to my personality, there is one thing I am totally certain about – I love this recipe! In fact, I have been eating it all weekend and have yet to tire of it.

If you wish to turn this recipe into a Sheppard’s Pie type meal just pour the stew into a baking dish, top with the mashed sweet potatoes and heat in a 400 degree oven until the mixture is bubbly and the top started to brown (about 15 minutes). You can even prepare the pie ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate then heat for about half an hour or so in the oven before serving.




 Print This Recipe Gluten Free Southwestern Black Bean Stew with Sweet Potato MashIngredients1 bag Hurst Family Harvest Chipotle Lime Black Bean Soup Mix
5 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 large) – chopped
Salt & pepper
2 tablespoons butter or dairy free butter substitute
1 – 3 tablespoons milk or dairy free milk (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 poblano pepper, finely chopped
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (if frozen, let thaw)
¼ cup gluten free taco sauce
1 tablespoon corn starch, tapioca starch or arrowroot powder

DirectionsPlace beans in a large bowl and cover by at least 2 inches of water. Let soak from 8 – 24 hours in the refrigerator. Reserve the seasoning packet.

Drain and rinse the beans, put in a soup pot with 6 cups water and the seasoning packet. Bring to a boil, cover the pot, reduce the heat and let the beans simmer for 2 hours or until tender and almost all of the liquid has cooked off.

30 – 40 minutes before the beans are done place the chopped sweet potatoes in a large pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the water from the potatoes, return them to the hot pot and mash with a potato masher. Add the butter and salt and pepper to taste. If the potatoes are not creamy enough, add a tablespoon or two of milk or dairy free milk and mash to desired consistency.

While the potatoes are boiling, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the onions and cook until they start to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the bell and poblano peppers and the sliced mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened and are starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the corn, cook for another minute then add the beans and any of the bean liquid to the vegetables. Add the taco sauce. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Whisk the cornstarch (or tapioca starch or arrowroot powder) with 3 tablespoons of water, stir into the vegetable mixture and boil for 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.

To serve, spoon some of the mashed sweet potatoes into a large, shallow bowl and top with some of the bean stew.

A gluten free recipe that will serve 6 – 8 hungry people.


Ready for dessert?

Simply…Gluten-Free Desserts is now available, with over 135 recipes not featured in my blog.

Available at bookstores including Barnes & Noble, Borders, Powells, Books-a-Million and Amazon. You can get it also HERE.
http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2012/04/gluten-free-southwestern-black-bean-stew-with-sweet-potato-mash-recipe.html 

Since you have been diagnosed with Celiac and its the end of those regular food items you were having till now does not essentially mean that its the end to your culinary experiences. There has been a lot of research for Gluten free recipes. The result is that we have numerous Gluten Free dishes today to be presented on the platter that will bring saliva in the mouth of people who are gluten tolerant. 

Although you are presented with a list of food products that need to be avoided. But the list of recipes that you can have is growing almost everyday. To add to it many companies are waking up to the opportunity of presenting Gluten Free food products for people who love eating out. As a result many restaurants and cafes have started separate chains where you can order your favorite dishes that are simply gluten free and will surely leave a taste that is hard to forget. 

Gone are the days when people suffering from Celiac used to have cream of rice for breakfast, rice cakes for lunch, and boiled rice for supper; in an effort to avoid the gluten that is amply found in Bread, pizza and all dishes made of wheat, barley and rye. Packaged food nowadays comes with certification and accreditation about being gluten free. Its time to celebrate the Gluten Free Regimen instead of abhorring it. 

As part of the celebrations that you are going to undertake while you embark on a Gluten free journey we bring out the best method to prepare a Gluten Free Strawberry Marscapone Pizza that will serve four people and will make your weekend a special one. 

For a Gluten Free Strawberry Marscapone Pizza you need a lemon, a pint fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled and quartered, granulated sugar 1 tablespoon, 1 box Gluten Free Bread Mix, 2 tablespoons grape seed oil, lightly beaten eggs 2, quarter cup of water with 4 teaspoons of raw sugar, 4 ounces Marscapone cheese, 2 tablespoons of honey are essential, mint leaves for garnish and don’t forget to get 4 tablespoons gluten free chocolate. 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, but before that you need to grate the zest of the lemon finely with a micro plane grater. Along with that you need to squeeze the juice of the lemon and toss with the strawberries and 1 tablespoon of sugar, then let it sit. 

Next you need to combine the Chebe mix, oil, beaten eggs and water, make sure you keep mixing these ingredients until they mostly combine; then dump the mixture into a clean work surface and knead until the dough is smooth. Now you need to divide it into 4 equal portions and roll them into balls of equal size. Roll the balls into 5 inch circles and lay a piece of parchment or wax paper on a work surface so that the circles can be placed on them. Pricking the bottom of each pizza crust several times with the tines of a fork is essential. Baking the crusts for 12 – 15 minutes or until the crusts are browned is advisable. Later Remove from oven and let cool.

Combining the Marscapone cheese with the grated lemon zest and honey is the next step; keep stirring it until it gives a smooth texture. Spoon the mixture evenly onto the cooled crusts and with the back of the spoon spread the mixture into an even layer. Drain the strawberries and spoon them on top of the Marscapone cheese. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon of chocolate or fudge sauce, garnish with a sprig of mint and serve.