Your Gluten Free Recipes

As I sit pondering what recipe to write, our little neck of the woods is under the seasons first large snow storm, blizzard warnings and everything. What better food to eat and watch the snow falling, than a hearty winter soup. One of my families favorite is Calico Bean Soup. We make it frequently in the fall and winter months. It is a comfort food. It is filled with highly nutritious legumes and tomatoes and is a really great whole food to offer to your family. This recipe will take a little advanced planning, as the beans must be soaked overnight and cooked before you can add any tomatoes. The acidity in the tomatoes will prevent the beans from becoming soft if they are not already cooked. I have made this recipe with a variety of meat; turkey ham, ham, prosciutto, pancetta, and homemade Italian beef sausage. They are all wonderful variations and I make according to my cravings at the time. I try to buy natural, organic and uncured meats whenever possible to avoid the cancer causing nitrates and nitrites. I also make sure their are no gluten fillers or MSG added. Since this can be expensive, I use a small amount to add a little flavor and make the soup mostly of vegetables. I use a 11 or 13 bean mix, but I have seen anything from 7-13 bean mixes. Use what fits your preferences. This recipe can be made in a crock pot as well, but the beans must be cooked to the point of being tender before adding to the crock pot.

3 C. 11 Bean mix
2 TBSP. Salt.
2 quarts Water or vegetable stock.
2 Bay leaves
1 pkg. Pancetta (about 1 C. diced meat)
1 Onion, diced
16 oz. Canned tomatoes
1 Red pepper (optional)
1tsp. Chili powder
1 tsp. Lemon juice
2 cloves Garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Wash beans thoroughly. Place in a kettle and cover with water and 2 TBSP salt. Soak over night or for 8 hours.
Drain beans, add 2 quarts of water, meat, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and simmer slowly for 2-3 hours, until beans are tender. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for another 30 minutes. Serve immediately. You may garnish with Parmesan and/or sour cream.