Recipe category guidelines

PCC uses the following criteria to categorize our recipes.

Course

Appetizers: Final product consists of individual portions that can be hand held and served before a meal (i.e. not an individual muffin or burrito).

Beverage: Final product is served as a drink.

Breakfast: Includes typical breakfast items; final product also may be appropriate for other meals (i.e. quiche, frittata, etc.).

Dessert: Final product is sweet, including fruit, and/or can be enjoyed after a meal (i.e. some traditions include tea/other beverages as part of "dessert").

Entrée: Final product includes 3 to 4 ounces of protein; also can include vegetables, grains and/or pastas.

Salads: The recipe title contains "salad." Final product can be cold or hot, and may include vegetables, pastas, and/or whole grains.

Side dish: Final product compliments a meal but is not necessarily the entrée; however, if the dish includes a significant protein (3 to 4 ounces is a "main" dish portion) it can be considered an entrée as well.

Soup: The recipe title contains "soup," "bisque," or "stew" or is the traditional name for a soup (i.e. Gazpacho).

Category

5 or less: Recipe uses five ingredients or less.

Baking: Recipe uses flour products and requires the oven to bake (i.e. muffins as opposed to "baked" fish).

Global: Recipe is based on a food culture that stems from that region's local and seasonal foods, or modern traditions that are distinct to that place (i.e. Hawaiian salad).

Grains: Recipe uses whole grains and/or whole grain flours.

Beans/legumes: As a legume, peanuts are included in this category.

Holidays: Recipe traditionally is made during a holiday or uses ingredients traditional to certain holidays (i.e. cranberries or sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving).

Kid-friendly: Recipe appeals to children by taste, color, and/or texture, and/or a child feasibly could make or help prepare the dish.

Meat/seafood: Recipe uses animal flesh, including poultry and other fowl, red meats, and seafood.

Pasta: This category includes couscous and orzo, in addition to gluten-free and traditional pastas.

Special Diets

Note about allergens: When a recipe includes "optional" ingredients that can qualify as an allergen or food sensitivity, the recipe is not allowed in that particular category. (i.e. optional slice of bread, or cheese sprinkled on top, would make a recipe not qualify for gluten/wheat-free, or dairy-free or vegan)

If a recipe is marked as allergen free, please understand that some ingredients may vary from brand to brand as to their safety of cross contamination. Please be aware of the foods you need to be cautious of, and read labels before making any recipe.

Corn-free: Recipe does not use corn or corn derivatives like corn syrup, modified food starch, corn starch, etc.

Dairy-free: Recipe does not use milk, cheese, yogurt, or other dairy-derived ingredients.

Egg-free: Recipe does not use egg yolks or egg whites.

Gluten-free: Recipe does not use ingredients containing gluten.

Peanut-free: Recipe does not use peanuts.

Soy-free: Recipe does not use soy or soy derivatives like lecithin, soy "whey" protein, TVP (textured vegetable protein), soy isolates, etc.

Tree nut-free: Recipe does not use tree nuts - macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, chestnuts (not water chestnuts), beechnuts, hazelnuts, pine nuts (pignoli or pinon), gingko nuts and hickory nuts.

Note: Coconuts are considered a tree nut by the FDA and are not included in recipes marked as tree nut-free.

Vegan: Recipe does not use animal flesh or animal by-products such as eggs, dairy, honey, or gelatin.

Note: This does not account for production processes (i.e. wine, sugar, or vinegars made from wine).

Vegetarian: Recipe does not use animal flesh but may include dairy, eggs, and other animal by-products.

Wheat-free: Recipe does not use wheat, wheat flour or wheat germ, or the other "cousins" of wheat such as spelt, kamut, emmer/farro, and rye.