We have been shopping Flagstaff like kids in a candy store. We have bought everything from new underwear to computer games, from groceries to a new purse, hair cuts, pedicures, a new cell phone, and some new hair barretts. But this afternoon, we went to Frontier Natural Foods, and I was absolutely in shopper heaven!
It’s not that they had a lot of gluten free stuff, they did. It was because the food was arranged for sale so artistically that really got to me. Just look:
We didn’t buy much, because we had already bought groceries yesterday, but they had a few things I just couldn’t resist: some Brie, some fresh basil (OH how I love fresh basil!), some pine nuts, eggplant, shallots, and some chicken and apple sausage. I had apple sausage for the first time last year in Pennsylvania, and I have to tell you, I love it. But you can’t find it in most places, so when I saw it in their butcher case, I got three links of it.
I also found Kinnicknick bread and bagels, which were in the freezer case. As soon as we came home, I toasted one of those bagels. It was sooooo good! I haven’t had a bagel since I went gluten free in April 2007. Now I have four more in the freezer.
I knew I wanted to do some bruschetta since I had all the makings for pesto, but I wanted to cook that eggplant, too. However, I knew I did not want to make eggplant parmesan. I thought about it for a bit, and here is how I cooked it:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ links of your favorite sausage, casings removed and crumbled up
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup mushrooms, chopped
1 medium eggplant, cut in halve lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp, leaving the shell intact.
salt and pepper
½ cup Italian blend shredded cheese
½ cup gluten free bread crumbs
Chop the eggplant pulp. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the sausage, shallots, garlic, chopped eggplant, and mushrooms, and sautee until the sausage is browned. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cheese and bread crumbs, keeping aside about 3 tablespoons of each for topping. Stuff the mixture into the eggplant shells, top with remaining cheese and bread crumbs, and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
I served this with shrimp cocktails and bruschetta. FabGrandpa loved it. He said he felt like a KING!
lupingirl says
Sounds delicious!
I love that first pic with the bell peppers – I had Ken take some for me at Whole Foods the other night of all the red peppers stacked up.
Kelley says
That store looks wonderful! The colours!
And that dinner looks delicious. So when are you coming to Australia?
Dee says
oh my goodness that food looks so good!
Cathy says
I bet Fabgrandpa did feel like a king – you prepared a meal for a king!
The photos are beautiful. Isn’t it funny that fresh food always looks so beautiful?
teeni says
That market looks fantastic – so much produce displayed so wonderfully! Seeing it there just makes me want to cook some healthy delicious meals!
Linda's Place says
I just love our Whole Foods Market…over by the Big Chicken, which you can read about in my earlier blogs…I am going to get busy this fall and winter and do some postings to my Blog spot…Summer is just such a busy time for me…Harry’s Market is to die for…I can’t wait until Alan and I go there again….touche’ My Seester 😉