With gluten free products starting to gain in quality and popularity, it’s important that your restaurant has a few options for those with gluten allergies. Others prefer these types of dishes as a means of maintaining digestive health. While gluten free recipes tend to have a bad reputation as far as taste and texture is concerned, there are many ways around this. The rise in allergy awareness and the subsequent uptick in companies creating gluten free products has helped the quality significantly. Many restaurants are struggling with how to adopt this trend into their menu. Here are 3 great gluten free dishes that you can add to your menu and increase restaurant revenue.
Garlicky Spinach Dip with Hearts of Palm
Ingredients
Chips:
22 (6-inch) corn tortillas, each cut into 8 wedges
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon salt
Dip:
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Asiago cheese, divided
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 (14-ounce) can hearts of palm, drained and chopped
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
1 (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
1 (6.5-ounce) tub light garlic-and-herbs spreadable cheese
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°.
To prepare chips, arrange tortilla wedges in a single layer on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat wedges with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with salt. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until wedges are crisp and lightly browned.
Reduce oven temperature to 350°.
To prepare dip, combine mozzarella, 1/4 cup Asiago, sour cream, and remaining ingredients, stirring until well blended. Spoon spinach mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Asiago. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Serve warm with chips.
Black-Bean Chili With Winter Squash
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large chopped onion (1 1/2 cups)
1 medium diced yellow bell pepper (1 cup)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium vegetable broth
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped mild green chiles
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 medium winter squash (about 2 pounds)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preparation
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beans, broth, tomatoes, green chiles, chili powder, chipotle chile powder, and oregano. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Uncover and cook 10 more minutes.
Cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out and discard seeds, pierce with a fork a few times, and put in a microwave-safe dish with 1/4 inch water. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave on HIGH 8 minutes or until tender. Let cool; peel with a small sharp knife, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks. Stir squash into bean mixture; cook 5 minutes. Stir in salt. Serve warm.
Fresh-Chorizo-and-Potato Tacos
Ingredients
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chopped chipotles in adobo
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas, warmed
Tomato salsa, chopped white onion, cilantro and lime wedges, for serving
Preparation
In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with 4 inches of cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, until tender. Drain and let cool slightly. Peel the potatoes and coarsely mash them in the saucepan.
In a large bowl, knead the pork with the salt, garlic, paprika, chipotles, coriander, oregano and vinegar. Gently knead in the potatoes, leaving some chunks of potato.
In 2 large skillets, preferably cast-iron or nonstick, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chorizo-potato mixture to the skillets and press into an even layer. Cook over moderately high heat undisturbed until a crust forms on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Turn the mixture in sections and cook until browned and crusty on the bottom, about 5 minutes longer.
Transfer the chorizo-potato mixture to a bowl and serve with the tortillas, salsa, onion, cilantro and lime wedges.
Whether you’re looking for a few gluten free dishes to add to your menu or considering a full scale gluten free overhaul, Quikstone Capital Solutions can help your transition and restaurant revenue. Gluten free products tend to be more expensive and harder to find. There will also be a need to advertise your new menu options. For this and other ways to expand your business, consider a merchant cash advance from Quikstone Capital Solutions.
For more ideas on how to Grow Your Restaurant Business download our 2016 Restaurant Investment Guide.
