No Grain, No Pain

Thanksgiving Menu 2011

2011-11-22T21:43:00.000-08:00

I'm rather embarrassed that it has been 2 months since I last posted. Life has been incredibly busy and stressful, but mostly good. However, I have not had much time to keep up the blog.

So, Thanksgiving is just about here, and I'm sure most of you have your menus all planned. However, if you are in need of any last-minute inspiration, here is my plan for the big dinner.

Well, technically, we are having 2 Thanksgiving dinners. Wednesday night, we're having a smaller feast, with just the two of us. On Thursday, we're headed to Grandma's house to celebrate w/ the in-laws. They should have some safe foods for me, but I always like to be prepared, just in case. So I'm sure I'll have a Tupperware or two of leftovers hanging out in my purse.

As far as my meal plan goes, this is the rundown:

For the bird - I have my brine soaking my 12-pound free-range turkey right now, a delicious-smelling concoction from Pioneer Woman (also, check out her tips on controlling saltiness post-brine). I plan on following this recipe to actually cook the turkey tomorrow.

I LOVED this cranberry citrus sauce last year, so I am making it again. But I am struggling to resist the gorgeous photos of this tart recipe, so I think I'm going to halve the first recipe, and make a half-batch of The Food Lovers primal cranberry sauce too! Funny that I never touched this stuff as a kid, and now I can't get enough cranberry sauce!

Rolls - I had planned on making Carol's beautiful GF/DF dinner rolls...but laziness struck, and I hit up the health food store to see if I could find any rolls from my new favorite local bakery! Success! They are a bit pricey, and not at all paleo (but still GF of course), but after my first bite, I decided they're definitely worth the cost! Hopefully I will have the self-control to save the rest for dinner tomorrow.

Since we're on a pretty paleo diet these days, I thought I'd skip the stuffing this year, since I'm the only one who likes it anyway. Hopefully the rolls will be enough to give us our carb-fix (and I'm sure my husband will get his fill of mashed potatoes on Thursday).

Another favorite recipe from last year - Irvin's GF/VEGAN green bean casserole. I've been having dreams about this dish, and can't wait to taste it again! I'm trying an onion-free experiment to see how my body does without them, so I wanted a substitute for the absolutely divine shallot crisps in this recipe. I think I'm going to give this almond "bread crumb" topping a go.

I don't ever remember eating butter pecan sweet potatoes, but someone mentioned them in a blog post the other day, and I started fantasizing. So I did some searching, and came upon this recipe. Knowing Martha, she won't disappoint.

We're bringing a couple appetizers to the big dinner on Thursday. I've got a veggie platter in the works, as well as my favorite cheezy dip from Kristen's Raw. I'm also contemplating baking some bacon-wrapped dates. I wonder how many of those would still be on the plate when we get to Grandma's...

On to desserts.

I keep coming back to this paleo pumpkin pie recipe. I love that it looks like a creamy, fluffy pumpkin filling, but there's no coconut in it! I'm sold! For those who can tolerate coconut, I suggest this chocolate mousse pie which has me salivating. As far as my own chocolate fix goes, I'm also planning on making my chocolate pecan tart recipe again, but I'm wanting to paleoize it if I can. We'll see how that goes.

There are so many great resources out there for paleo/gluten-free/dairy-free and other allergy-friendly recipes, if you can find them! I hope some of the recipes I've listed have inspired you! I can't wait to hear how everyone's meal goes :)

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving all!

Banana Nut Muffins - Paleo Style!

2011-09-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

Funny story: My husband said to me on Tuesday night, "Did you know that it was National Celiac Awareness Day today?" I responded that I was aware, and asked him if he knew that. He said he did now, and I asked how he found out. He said he read it on Failbook, which is a website dedicated to sharing people's failures (it's rather hilarious, but can be crude). His statement cracked me up for some reason. We rely on social media to keep up to date on our friends' birthdays, the news, pretty much everything!

Anyway, things are going pretty well these days. Extremely busy, but it is what it is. Luke's writing up a storm, trying to get applications and essays in to 7 business programs, as well as working full-time and juggling a full load at school. Work is keeping me on my feet as well. I feel like when I'm at home, I do nothing but cook and wash dishes thanks to our paleo lifestyle, but other than that, the diet is going great! Been working out more too, which has been fun! Plus, the sun is back, for the next few days at least, and that makes me happy :)

I wanted to share a recipe that has literally saved me since my husband joined me in this paleo venture. I don't seem to have a hard time finding things to eat...but I really enjoy vegetables. Unlike my husband, whose repertoire of favorable veggies is rather sparse. So, in attempts to keep him fed, and from getting burned out on salads, chicken with (fill in the veggie blank), and bunless burgers, I have tried to find filling, satisfying snacks for him to enjoy.

This recipe is gold.

We both love banana bread, and I really appreciate that this form of said food can be enjoyed without all the non-paleo ingredients, such as sugar, wheat, etc. It's an easy recipe to make, makes a lot, and the muffins are delicious when warmed with a bit of melted butter on top.

Paleo Banana Nut Muffins

Adapted from the recipe in "The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook" by Elana Amsterdam

3 c blanched almond flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp olive oil

3 large eggs

4-5 very ripe bananas

1 c chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12-18 muffin cups with liners.

Put the bananas into a bowl. Using a hand mixer, mash up the bananas. Add the oil and eggs, and blend until the mixture is smooth. Add the flour, salt and soda. Mix well. Add the walnuts, and combine.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown. Check with a toothpick if desired. Let muffins cool in the pan for about half an hour, then serve.

*Note: The original recipe says that this recipe makes a dozen muffins. I don't know if I just have a small muffin pan, but I've gotten 15-18 muffins every time I've made it.

These muffins freeze well, and travel well. They are great warm, but are just as good at room temperature.

Enjoy!

My New Favorite Chicken

2011-09-08T20:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted a lot lately. Cooking paleo-style for two is much harder than I'd anticipated. I feel like I'm running the dishwasher every night, and I've made 3 trips to various grocery stores (2x to COSTCO!!) in the last 2 weeks. Sheesh! But, if nothing else, my husband has been well-fed.

I've been trying to come up with delicious and easy recipes that we both enjoy. It's been a challenge, but I'm persistent. Chicken is something that we often tire of, as we eat it frequently, and I usually make it one of two or three boring ways. Well, no more! The funny thing is, I was going to post a different chicken recipe that I found, and liked...but it has been sent to the back burner tonight. I've also got a couple more treat recipes to share soon.

I was a bit skeptical of this recipe at Everyday Paleo at first. Yes, easy and amazing are both words in the title. But I was still apprehensive. Could it really be that easy? Plus, as I've mentioned before, I have this squeamishly irrational fear of bones, skins and tendons in meat. Yes, it's cheaper to buy those cuts. But it's also grosssssss!

However, in the name of all things paleo, I was determined to try this recipe. With my beautiful, new 5 lb organic, free-range bird. I knew I had to do something great with it!

So worth it! And it really is that simple. 3 ingredients. 1 hour. Incredible results! I really did not stop talking about this chicken at dinner. I am pretty sure I ate a whole pound of meat tonight. It was amazing! I'm already planning my next trip to costco, where I can grab two birds at once for a better price! Seriously, this recipe is a must-try!

Easy and Amazing Roast Chicken
(adapted from this recipe at Everyday Paleo)

1 4-5 lb chicken
salt (I am gonna guess and say I used almost a tbsp)
1 tbsp butter, if desired

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Rinse and dry the chicken w/ paper towels. Place, breast down, in a roasting pan (I just used a 9x13 glass baking dish). Sprinkle with salt all over the outside and inside. Smear the butter around the surface of the bird as well. Bake for 1 hour (mine was just right after exactly 1 hour). Chicken is done when the outside is golden and crispy. I didn't even cut into mine to check it. I just pulled it out of the oven, and let it sit for 15 minutes, then carved. It was perfect! Very tender and juicy on the inside.

Also, the drippings were to-die-for! The flavor reminded me of KFC dinners from my childhood. I think it was the butter :) I kept taking a spoon to the baking dish, and drizzling more juice over my chicken. I was literally tempted to get out a straw...lol.

I am planning on saving the bones, and any leftover drippings, and making stock as soon as we've eaten all the meat off the bird. I bet the flavor is going to be delicious!

The oven did get a bit splattered, just for the record. I don't really mind, it was already dirty. But if you care about the inside of your oven, this may be something you want to be aware of prior to making this recipe.

Hope you will try this soon! Let me know how much you love it too!

Wellness Challenge complete! Vote for me!!

2011-09-02T19:48:00.000-07:00

As you all know, I have been following the Paleo diet for a month and a half now. There have been plenty of ups and downs, but definitely more ups! A new development in my life is that last Saturday my husband came to me, and said he wanted to try eating Paleo for a month. He's trying to get in shape, and hopefully bulk up a bit. Being so tall and lean, he's struggled w/ this in the past, and thinks changing his diet may help his chances. So, I'm cooking Paleo for two now! Well, more like three, since he eats almost twice as much as me...

At my husband's request, we are also trying a more strict Paleo diet for his first 30 days, meaning organic, grass-fed meats and eggs (and veggies, when available). Whew! That's gonna be pricey! Although I found some killer deals at costco, so I'm a little more excited about this aspect!

We've also been eating a lot of fresh veggies out of our garden, which I think rocks!

Conveniently, around the same time as I started my Paleo journey, Katie over at Wellness Mama decided to issue a 30 day Wellness Challenge, chock full of advice, mini-challenges, and spectacular giveaways. I decided to follow along, and started my own Wellness Journal to track my progress, and keep me motivated through the first month of this diet.

The challenge was so great! I learned a lot of great things, from my own documentation, as well as from the others participating. It was a lot of fun too, to be involved in a community of people all striving for the same goals.

Even better, I was chosen as one of the finalists for the grand prize! You can head over here to read my full story, and if you feel so inclined, you can VOTE for me here!

We're headed camping tomorrow, but when I get back, I plan on doing some serious catching up on the blog. I have so many fantastic recipes to post! The one I'll be dreaming about tonight (and hopefully photographing before consuming tomorrow) is Primal Breakfast Burritos!!

Now I'm off to make some banana bread muffins.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend!

Paleo Challenge - Day 30 - Report and Celebrate

2011-08-21T18:55:00.000-07:00

Today is Day 30 of my Paleo diet challenge! How am I looking, feeling and performing?

Officially, I've lost 4 lbs as of last Tuesday (though I expect that number to have gone up since yesterday). I'm going to man up and make my husband take bikini pictures of me tonight, so I have something to compare to how I looked a month ago. I have had a few people comment that I'm looking healthier, or that something looks different about me, so I'm hoping to see good things in the pictures. I haven't really seen a marked difference in the mirror from day to day.

Verdict is still out on how I'm feeling. Some days are good, some are not so good. Not worse than usual, but I was expecting to have my GI issues clear up a bit more. However, I have been eating more red meat, bacon, butter and kale, all of which I have wondered about in the past. Now may be the time to start experimenting with which of those may be triggering my discomfort.

I have definitely been performing better. Yestereday was a testament to that! We did our annual trek up Mt Timpanogos. It was a blast! Finished in 12 hours exactly (w/ a lot of breaks in there). Pics and food log coming soon!

The best part of the day was that I felt like I owned that hike! We've done this hike several years in a row now, and every time, it's kicked my trash! This year, it was still hard, but at the end of the day, I wasn't dead. Which is insane, because last year, I had been working out and hiking quite frequently to prepare myself for this hike. And I did BETTER this year. The only thing I can think of to attribute it to is MY DIET! Paleo living helped me perform better than I ever have!

I also didn't eat as much as I was expecting to on the hike. I consumed about 1500 calories before and during the hike. I couldn't even finish my BLTA sandwich at the top of the mountain!

Then we got home, and after freshening up, headed to dinner. I didn't *feel* overly hungry, considering I'd just burned about 4000 calories! I did end up eating about another 1000 calories, but my deficiency was huge!

Overall this past month, I've been hitting about 1500 calories daily, and have been averaging around 20% carbs, 25% protein, and 55% fat. I'm feeling really good about it. The past 30 days have been quite an adventure, but so awesome!

So ready to jump into month number two!!

Paleo update and this week's favorite links

2011-08-11T18:03:00.000-07:00

No recipe post tonight, just saying hi, and spreading the blogworld love. I will, however, share what I ate for dinner, because it rocked!

Scrumptious Slow Cooker Chicken...and indeed it was! I followed the recipe as posted by Sarah, only I subbed 2 large chicken breasts for the thighs. Oh, and olive oil for the coconut. It was amazing! And my husband liked it too! I picked the onions out of his, of course ;) Next time, I am adding TWICE as many carrots and parsnips though. I seriously felt like I was cheating and eating real potatoes. An awesome dinner to come home to after a long day at work. Ate it w/ some salad fixin's fresh from my garden. Yum!

If you want to know details on what I've been up to over the past week as far as my 30 day paleo challenge goes, head over to Wellness Mama's forum, where I've started a wellness journal. I'm posting my food log, thoughts, plans, workouts, etc. I'm having loads of fun exploring her site, and am excited about some great giveaways too!

You can't fix a body you hate: This is the post I wish I could send to my past self (anytime 2-6 years ago), and to all my beautiful friends who don't feel comfortable in their own skin. Thanks Sarah and Jason for sharing it! It makes me appreciate who I am today even more, flaws and all! Thanks also to my amazing, supportive husband who has always praised my body, even when I felt I was at my worst. Jason has some great points to make. I'm excited to read more from him on his blog, plus he's already super cool in my book, being a fellow Oregonian (can I still count myself as one, even though the last third of my life has been lived in Utah?). Anyway, read the post!

Need more motivation to go paleo/grain-free/eat bacon? Primal Toad's got you covered with his 11 tips to living an awesome life. It really is an awesome way to live your life. I agree wholeheartedly with this post, but my favorite tips would have to be #2 and #9 ;)

Speaking of the good life, the hubby and I are taking the day off tomorrow for some R&R. He's taking the GMAT on Saturday, and we're using tomorrow to charge the batteries. I'm so excited! Massages, movies, lunch, and hopefully some time in the sun. I'm even more excited to have the whole thing behind us, and finally see my husband again (I feel like it's been months!!). Maybe we'll even get to go on a hike together before the summer is over!

Me and Grok on top of the world.

It's taken me almost a year, but I'm finally living this paleo/primal life...

and I LOVE IT!

Week three has been a tough one, in ways other than the diet mostly, but I have had some discouraging days where I'm unprepared to eat. I've found that I'm eating more at the beginning of the day, and not as hungry in the evenings, which helps. I've made some incredible food, which I'm so excited to share (at a later date). Well, it's almost 9:00...which means bedtime (for two more nights)!

Later!

Banana "Ice Cream" Variations

2011-08-06T21:39:00.000-07:00

Remember this post? I don't know whether to thank or curse my friend for turning me onto 1-ingredient ice cream! It has been a serendipitous, healthy treat to have on hand as I've transitioned onto the paleo diet.

I have been playing with this dessert over the past couple of weeks, and have come up with some great variations.

This one has been my favorite so far.

Chocolate Cherry Banana "Ice Cream"

(Cherries Garcia, anyone?)

1 1/2 frozen banana pieces

1 tbsp cocoa powder

A handful of cherries, halved and pits removed

1-2 squares dark chocolate, grated/chopped

Put the banana pieces in blender or food processor. Blend until the banana becomes thick, like ice cream. Scrape down the sides as needed.

Add cocoa powder, and continue blending.

Add cherries and chocolate, and pulse a few times to blend, and chop the cherries.

Scoop into a bowl. Either enjoy right away, or put in the freezer to firm up for a bit.

One of these days, I will take the time to use my food processor to make this recipe, which I think will make this look more ice-creamy.

Avocado Goodness "Recipe"

2011-08-06T21:08:00.000-07:00

I mentioned this fantastic recipe in this post, and figured I'd share my favorite way to enjoy it. It's so easy, it really doesn't even need a recipe!

Sarah at Everyday Paleo created this little delight and I love her for it! It makes a great post workout snack or a fantastic side to most dishes where you want to add some delicious fat.

Avocado Goodness

Recipe adapted from Sarah at Everyday Paleo

1 avocado, halved, w/ pit removed

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

A pinch each garlic powder and salt

A sprinkle black pepper

Arrange your avocado halves on a plate. Either whisk together the remaining ingredients and drizzle over the avocado, or just pour on top of the avocado, and enjoy.

Paleo Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato & Avocado "Sandwich" - 2 ways

2011-08-06T20:26:00.000-07:00

Ok, it's recipe time!

I have always been a fan of the BLTA/turkey club sandwich combo, so I had to try both of the paleo recipes I came across. I couldn't decide which variation of my paleo club sandwich I liked better, so I will share both with you!

First up, we have the Portobello Sandwich. This sandwich was inspired by Sarah @ Everyday Paleo's Chicken Sandwich (doesn't that look delicious?!).

Paleo Turkey BLTA Sandwich #1

2 portobello mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed

A few slices quality turkey lunch meat

1 avocado, peeled and sliced

A handful spinach or lettuce

Half a tomato, thinly sliced

2-3 pieces bacon, cooked

1 tbsp mayo (I know there are some paleo recipes out there, but I haven't delved that deeply into the lifestyle yet. Still using up the ol' Best Foods)

Heat some olive oil in a large skillet, and add mushrooms, cap side up. Cook for about 5 minutes, then flip and cook 5 minutes more. The tops will turn a golden brownish color. Remove from pan.

My mushrooms decided to sweat, and so I put them on a plate w/ paper towels to soak up the excess liquid for a couple minutes.

Spread the mayo on underside of the mushrooms. Pile the remaining ingredients on top of one of the mushrooms, then top w/ the other.

Enjoy, and try not to freak out!

The next variation of my sandwich comes from Mark Sisson's cookbook, Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals. This was the first recipe I bookmarked when flipping through the book. Great foresight!

Paleo Chicken BLTA Sandwich #2

1 chicken breast (1/4-1/3 of the top cut off)

1 tbsp mayo

2 slices bacon, cooked

A handful of arugula or spinach

Half a tomato, thinly sliced

1 avocado, peeled and sliced

Butterfly the chicken breast (cut lengthwise through it so it can be opened up like a book).

Heat a little butter in a pan, and cook the chicken, opened up, for 4-6 minutes, or until browned. Flip chicken over and cook, covered, for an additional 5-10 minutes (depending on the thickness). Don't overcook the chicken, or it will be dry!

Remove from pan, and spread the mayo on the inside. Add the rest of the ingredients, and "close" the chicken breast. Dig in, and revel!

Notes: The original recipe called for a whole chicken breast, but I had a larger-sized piece of meat, so I decided to trim it a bit. I probably cut of about 1/4 of the breast, and may even take off more next time. Keep an eye on your cooking times if reducing the meat.

This one was pretty messy, and the hinge broke, so everything slid out a few times. No biggie. It was good and messy fun!

The cookbook suggests eating either warm or cold. I have only had this warm, but I bet it would make an amazing lunch and plan on trying it cold soon!

This sandwich was much more filling, thanks to the massive amounts of protein, I'm sure. I didn't eat anything else for the rest of the day (5-6 hours).

I ended up with less than half of an avocado leftover w/ both of these recipes, not really enough to save. So I made some Avocado Goodness to go along with each sandwich. I would highly suggest you do the same. You won't regret it!!

Also, if for some reason you need any encouragement to enjoy either of these sandwiches, head over to Primal Toad's blog for 5 Reasons Why Loving Bacon May Be The Healthiest Thing In The World ;) Then you can enjoy your bacon without feeling guilty!

Paleo Diet Update

2011-08-04T19:08:00.000-07:00

Today is lucky #13 (days paleo)! The past two weeks have been rather interesting. I've had a few slip-ups here and there. I've had a couple of unprepared meals of whatever I could scrounge up last minute. I've had a slew of other things occupying my time and energy (family drama, health/medical drama, work stress, husband-about-to-take-a-very-important-test-next-week drama). But overall, I feel like I've done really well!

My withdrawals seem to have been pretty minimal, probably due to my already low-sugar, gluten-free diet (and my toying w/ grain-free eating over the last few months). I had a couple days of irritability/headaches, a couple of days where I could not get enough food in my body (!!), and a couple of days with constant sugar cravings.

A few people have asked me about what I'm eating, so I thought I'd share links to some of the recipes that I've relied on. When I have a little more time to breathe, I will post a recipe or two of my own as well!

Sweet potato chowder from Chrissy at Growing Up Paleo - The only changes I made were subbing almond milk for the coconut milk (I also added a couple drops of coconut extract, since I can't tolerate the real thing but wanted the flavor), 1 tbsp onion powder instead of an onion, and after the first couple bowls eaten, I opted to puree the soup completely (kept getting jalapeno chunks! Love the flavor of the pepper, but not a big ol' mouthful!). This soup was great for my lunches, very tasty and filling. Will definitely make again!

Avocado goodness. The name describes it all. Literally, when I tried my first bite of this recipe, the words that came out of my mouth were "Oh my goodness!" I'm HOOKED! Thankfully my local HFS had a sale on avocados 2 weeks ago (I bought 15), so I've been enjoying my avocados to the fullest (almost out already!). This is a great snack, side dish, or even just a way to use up a leftover avocado half. Praises to Sarah over at Everyday Paleo for this delight (and many other great dishes)!

Smoked Paprika Chicken - Check out Bill and Hayley's awesome blog, which has so many fantastic recipes that I am excited to try! Made this one for dinner the other night, and I loved the way this spiced up my ordinary chicken dinner! I used breast meat, and threw it in my foreman grill, rather than baking. Also, this cute couple has a cookbook coming out soon! I can't wait to get my hands on it!!

I totally dig this salmon, lemon, cucumber and avocado salad. I'm a huge fan of smoked salmon, and this dish hit the spot! Thanks Jessi!

Of course, my first favorite "primal" recipe, Grok-Amole has been added to the rotation, as have numerous recipes from Mark's cookbook Primal Blueprint Quick and Easy Meals.

I've been enjoying simple foods as best I can. Kale salads, fresh veggies from my garden (TONS of zucchini!), and lots of easy snacks: carrots, celery dipped in almond butter, berries, banana "ice cream" (need to post my variations on this sweet treat stat!), and a square of dark chocolate here and there. I have tried to limit my fruit to 1-2 servings a day, to try and reprogram my insulin sensitivity, but I haven't been over-stressing it either.

More to come, I'm sure. This experience has been eye-opening, as I've become more aware of what I'm feeding my body, and appreciating it. I'm hoping to start seeing changes soon, and may even post my before/after pictures someday if I'm brave enough ;)

P.S. If you need some UPlifting thoughts, head back over to Sarah's website for this great motivating post. It's always nice to have a reminder to appreciate this awesome life to the fullest.

Speaking of living life, you made it to the bottom of this wordy post, so the least I can do is throw in a picture of me doing so ;)

I know, it's not exactly food-related (other than the paleo-fueled girl on the left)...

This is me, my husband, and my BFF at the top of Provo Peak on Saturday. The BFF told me last week that she is going to start trying to eat a more paleo lifestyle too! Yay! It's spreading :D

So Paleo

2011-07-26T18:49:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited! I am finally doing it. I'm eating Paleo/Primal! Go me!! I sat down last week, made a list of all the recipes I've found, snack ideas, etc. And I laid it all out on a calendar. I then went grocery shopping, and did some cooking. And here we are.

Had a bit of a rocky start on Saturday, but I'm still going strong. Not feeling sick yet, thank goodness. I attribute that to the fact that I've been making a lot of paleo recipes lately, so I've been eating less carbs/sugar already. I haven't been eating perfectly paleo, but I'm trying as best I can, and not stressing over the rest.

Today was the weirdest day so far. I was STARVING all day. I ate a 3-egg omelet w/ veggies for breakfast, and by the time I got to work (an hour later), I was busting out the almonds. I then went for some sweet potato chips. Then some pistachios. Then it was lunch time. I had a bowl of sweet potato chowder (loaded w/ veggies and chicken). Finished that off w/ some grape tomatoes. Then another helping of sweet potato chips (I know I OD-ed on the sweet potato today, my bad). Finally started to feel satiated. Yeah...this all went into a 5 foot 3, 110ish pound girl, who has not worked out for 2 days. CRAZY!

Once I have some time, I will post some of the recipes I've been enjoying. I'm keeping a food log, may even share that. This has been an exciting change for me, and I'm excited to see the results in my body and overall health.

BONUS: Went to lunch w/ my husband yesterday and was telling him how the plan was going so far. We also went into some of the parameters of the diet, and what I CAN eat. He then said he would be willing to eat paleo with me! WIN!

Stay tuned!

One Ingredient Ice Cream

2011-07-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

I am still testing the waters of going paleo. I've read lots and lots of websites and books! I'm building my own 30 day meal plan to do my one-month-trial. I am pretty sure everything I bought at the grocery store last week was paleo-friendly! Honestly, right now I'm eating 80% paleo. But I'm still hesitating to take the plunge.

Sugar is still one of my big hang ups. I'm trying to incorporate more fruit instead of treats. I'm chewing gum or drinking water whenever I have a craving. Mostly it's working. Still a work in progress though.

A friend posted this recipe on facebook tonight, and I thought, well, at least I know I have the ingredient. So, I ran downstairs to give it a try.

One Ingredient Banana Ice Cream

Original "recipe" here

Easy enough: Slice up a couple bananas and throw them into the freezer for 1-2 hours. Lucky for me, I had some already waiting for me in the freezer (the benefit of having two people in the house who get tired of eating fresh bananas after like, day three of me buying them...).

Put the banana slices into a blender or food processor (I used my Vita-Mix, of course). Process for a minute or two, until things start to get creamy and thick. You will have to stop and scrape down the sides a few times.

When it starts to look ice cream-y, stop and taste it. I did, and while I like bananas, I don't LIKE bananas. So I threw in a tablespoon of dark chocolate almond butter. Blend a little more.

Serve.

Delish! This is very thick, almost like a frozen pudding. I didn't put mine back into the freezer, just ate it, and it was great!

Next time, I think I will try some cocoa powder and almond butter, for a treat with even less sugar.

I am definitely adding this to my list of paleo-approved foods!

This recipe is linked to Linda @ The Gluten Free Homemaker's Gluten Free Wednesdays, and Amy @ Simply Sugar and Gluten Free's Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.

Strawberry Shortcake

2011-07-10T19:49:00.000-07:00

I love strawberries! I like to eat them plain, throw them in my smoothies, enjoy in a bowl of cereal, or add to some creamy and/or chocolate-y dessert.

I know I'm a little behind strawberry season with this post, but I had a carton of gorgeous red berries in my fridge, and wanted to do something spectacular with them. I dehydrated several pints of strawberries last month, and they were fantastic, but a lot of work for a treat that only lasted me a few days. I figured I ought to do something a little easier with this bunch of berries.

I jumped online, and drooled over a few recipes that I've been dying to try...

Carol's Strawberry Almond Tart

Linda's Angel Food Cake

Brian's Strawberry Pie

In the end, I decided on a strawberry shortcake. I followed recipes from Elana's cookbook, The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook, substituting out the whipped cream called for in her recipe.

First, I made the drop biscuits, similar this recipe, which calls for butter instead of oil.

Then I made her vegan Creme Patissiere (pastry cream - here's a great non-vegan recipe and video) recipe, which uses cashews. YUM!

I then layered the creme and berries in a biscuit sandwich. And there you have it!

Strawberry Shortcake

Recipe adapted from The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook

1 batch pre-made drop biscuits (see recipe, below)

1 batch creme patissiere (see recipe, below)

1 pint fresh strawberries

Clean, hull and slice the strawberries.

Cut the tops off of the biscuits.

Arrange biscuits on individual serving plates.

Note: Elana's original shortcake recipe called for 4 cups whipped cream. I managed to get 2 cups of the creme patissiere, but didn't double the recipe.

Classic Drop Biscuits

Recipe adapted from The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook

(makes 8-10)

2 ½ c blanched almond flour

½ tsp sea salt

½ tsp baking soda

¼ c olive oil

1/4 c agave nectar

2 eggs

1 tsp lemon juice

In a large bowl, mix together oil, agave, eggs and lemon juice. Add the dry ingredients on top, and mix together until thoroughly combined.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet w/ parchment paper or oiled foil.

Scoop the batter onto the baking sheet, about 1/4 c per biscuit, and situate them about 2 inches apart. I managed to get 10 from my batch.

Bake for 15 minutes, until biscuits are golden brown. Check w/ a toothpick, if desired. Cool briefly on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack and let cool.

Creme Patissiere

Recipe adapted from The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook

(makes 1 1/2 - 2 c)

1 c raw cashews

1/2 c milk/substitute of choice (original recipe called for all water.I needed to use up some almond milk)

1/2 c plus 1 tbsp water

1/3 c agave nectar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp arrowroot powder

Combine cashews, milk, 1/2 c water, agave and vanilla in a blender. Puree on high for 1-2 minutes, until mixture is smooth.

Pour into a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.

While it is heating, mix together the arrowroot and remaining 1 tbsp water in a small bowl. Stir to create a paste. Keep nearby.

Once the cashew mixture boiling, whisk constantly for 1 minute. Increase the heat to high, and mix in the arrowroot paste. Whisk constantly for another minute, until the mixture starts to thicken. Remove from heat, and let cool for a few minutes. Transfer to a glass jar, and cool completely.

Will keep, refrigerated, for 2 days.

Rainbow Cookies - Go Ahead Honey, It's Gluten Free!

2011-06-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

My dad is coming to town this week to visit. I'm so excited! Part of what I do to prepare for a visit from someone I love is bake. Yep. I make cookies, scones, cake, brownies...something delicious to wow them with! My dad, who has such a sweet tooth, is always pretty excited to sample what I've created.

I know I mentioned a little bit about my dad here, but I wanted to share a little more about the father I respect, honor and love. Our relationship hasn't always been perfect, but he has always loved me, and done what he thought was best for me.

Food has always been a big part of our family, and I remember spending time with my dad in the kitchen, out at the grill, and in the garden preparing food for us to eat. He taught me the importance of hard work, and the reward that comes from that labor (both with food, and in other areas of my life).

Mexican food has always been his favorite, and we ate it quite often growing up. I have fond memories of family vacations, eating out, and hanging out at home. We traveled a lot, but many of my fondest memories are of small things - canning homemade salsa, riding wave-runners out on the lake, yard work, beach camp-outs and kite flying, bike rides, birthday parties, sitting around the fire pit in the backyard, Bryce Canyon family reunions, watching movies and reading together.

My dad is a very smart, spiritual, patriotic man. He works with computers, and knows more about them than anyone I know! He loves sci-fi (I practically grew up on Star Trek), good movies, "classic" literature, See's chocolates, Red Vines, cinnamon candy, music from the 70's and 80's, and photography. He helped publish the local paper when he was younger, and did some of the paper's photography. Thanks to him (and our very own dark room!), I was able to develop my own passion for the art.

I know my dad is going to love these cookies! They are flavorful, yet light, and have a great combination of almondy-nuttiness, mixed with a light fruity taste from the jam. And they're chocolate coated, to boot! Who wouldn't love 'em?

Now, on to the cookies themselves:

When I first laid eyes on this post by Britt @ GF in the City, I knew I had to try it! I've now made these cookies twice. The recipe is a bit time consuming, but breaking it up into two parts helps it feel like it's not taking too long. She did a great job adapting from this Bon Apetit recipe.

I keep forgetting to take a pic, so I borrowed this one from Britt! Yay for Mexican flag-resembling cookies for Dad!

Other than a few substitutions, I followed Britt's recipe pretty closely. Therefore, I am going to suggest you head over to her blog, and follow her well-written, detailed instructions on making these cookies.

My Substitutions/Notes

*I subbed 1/2 c sorghum flour for the millet flour.

*I then subbed 1/3 c millet flour for the brown rice flour.

*I used all tapioca starch instead of a tapioca/potato starch combo.

*I used 1 1/2 sticks of earth balance butter sub.

*I used room temperature eggs. My friend tried to make this recipe, and her eggs didn't stiffen. I think that was why.

*I forgot to buy marmalade both times I made this! So, I used strawberry jam w/ a splash of OJ the first time I made it and raspberry jam w/ a splash of OJ the second. So good!

*Also, I simmered the jam/juice combo a bit longer, to try and reduce the liquid. I ended up needing more than 1/3 c both times.

* I am pretty sure I used more than 2 oz chocolate both times (I used Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips). More like double that!

*Be really careful, and don't rush putting this cookie together. Especially the chocolate part. It seemed my chocolate didn't want to spread well, and I had to go slow, or it wrecked the coating.

*Also, I just used regular baking sheets to spread my dough on, since I didn't have three 8x8 pans and was impatient. They worked well. Try and spread the dough as evenly as you can.

*Cut the cookie up pretty quickly once you remove it from cooling the chocolate. I did 15 min in the fridge, instead of freezer, and the chocolate was a little too settled, and cracked in some places. Next time I'd try 10 min in the fridge.

This recipe is dedicated to my dad. I can't wait to share these cookies with him! I am also sharing this post over at Living Free, where Aubree Cherie is hosting a very special Dads' Celebration of Go Ahead Honey, It's Gluten Free!, the great monthly carnival coordinated by Naomi at Straight into Bed Cakefree and Dried.

New Reads

2011-06-27T20:37:00.000-07:00

So excited to be reading these books! When I'm not caught up in the latest Orson Scott Card book, that is ;)

I bought The Primal Blueprint: Quick & Easy Meals and have found some amazing recipes so far! I have created quite a grocery list from this cookbook.

I won a copy of Salad as a Meal by Patricia Wells...but I can't remember who gave it to me! It's a lovely book, with some delicious-looking salads.

I also won a copy of by Cooking for Isaiah by Silvana Nardone. Thanks to Shirley @ Gluten Free Easily for the giveaway! I can't wait to try some of these mouth-watering gluten AND dairy free recipes!

What are you reading these days?

My Dad

2011-06-19T21:42:00.000-07:00

My dad and me (2009)

I wanted to take a minute to honor my dad on this Father's Day. I mentioned in this post that I was able to do some baking today, and even though I couldn't spend the day with my dad, I did make a couple of goodies in his honor. Well, not just in his honor...he's coming out to visit in a couple of weeks, so I'm stocking the freezer w/ gluten free goodies to share ;)

I have a great father! He's such a kind, caring man, and has always been a good example to me. We're both living very hectic lives, and don't get to see each other or talk often enough, but he is always in my heart. He's often encouraged me to follow my dreams, and pursue my passion for food. He's a great mentor. I'm so thankful to have him as my dad!

Stay tuned for a recipe dedicated to my dad, via Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free! hosted by Aubree Cherie at Living Free.

Giving in to (gluten-free) bread

2011-06-19T20:49:00.000-07:00

Gluten free perfection a la Karina

Ever have one of those days? Where you try to think about everything and anything except for the one thing you're craving most?

Today was one of those days. I know in my last post, I talked about heading down a more grain free path. I've actually been doing pretty good so far. Not strictly Primal/Paleo, but I've been trying to reduce the number of carbs and actual grains consumed. The problem I've run into is being sick.

In the wee hours of the morning on Tuesday, I awoke with severe cramping. It wasn't just my stomach, or my usual food reaction or womanly cramping either. No, these cramps started just below my breasts, and traveled in waves down to my pelvis. This was the weirdest pain I have ever felt, with waves of pain traveling down my body every 5-10 seconds. I went downstairs and heated up my corn bag. I tried laying in different positions (lying on my right side seemed the least unbearable). I tried going to the bathroom, drinking water, stretching, everything I could think of. In the end, I just cried. And, yes, to answer my husband's favorite question, it helped! Ok...no, not really.

Finally, after an excruciating hour, I woke my husband up, and asked him to go downstairs and get the Pepto (didn't feel like I could make it down and up again). I took it, but was still really worried. My husband got online and did some googling. We figured, whatever was going on, most serious stomach problems seem to develop over a period of 12-24 hours. So, we went back to bed, and made plans to call the doctor in the morning. The Pepto finally kicked in, and I was able to sleep again.

I got up for work a couple hours later, and the pain seemed to be at bay. I was hesitant to go to the doctor if the pain hadn't returned, considering I had a busy day ahead of me. So I waited. I wondered if it had been food related, so I trashed everything I'd eaten the day before that was out of the ordinary for my diet.

The lack of sleep caught up to me mid-morning and threw me into a headache. Which wasn't helped by the fact that starting around lunchtime, everything edible sounded repulsive to me. So I had a hard time choking down food. Then in the afternoon, I started feeling some cramping/aching. Not as severe as the nighttime episode, but also unlike cramps that I normally experience.

And I've felt like that ever since. Any time I bend over, turn to the side, basically move my core in any way, I feel the pain. Also when I'm just sitting, I can feel the ache. And the nausea/selective appetite has been pretty bad. I still don't know what's going on, but I plan on calling the doctor tomorrow morning.

So anyway, back to that mouth-watering photo above. What does all of this have to do with me and my plans for a grain free diet? Well, one of the only things that has been remotely appealing the past few days has been Corn Chex cereal with homemade almond milk. I've been eating that for breakfast (and even a dinner or two).

I have had a hard time eating breakfast over the last few years, dealing with some nausea, which my doctor believes to be related to my hypoglycemia. I love breakfast foods, and I generally eat within an hour of getting up, but some days it's a struggle. That's what this week has been, only it's been pretty much the same story with every meal of the day. So finding appealing foods has been difficult, especially when trying to eliminate one of the staples in my life - gluten free grains.

Ever since Karina, everyone's favorite Gluten Free Goddess, posted this recipe on Tuesday, I haven't been able to get it out of my head. Up until today though, I've been so busy, and haven't even had time to think about baking. But I woke up this morning, and it was pouring rain. What did this mean? Baking!!

Yes, having a day cool enough to bake in June in Utah is not common. If I plan on baking something during the summer, normally I will do it at the very end of the day, when I can open the windows to cool the rest of the house.

Luckily, I had a few recipes that needed making this week!

So, I gave in and made the bread. It turned out to be pretty good. It is denser than a lot of breads, but it's hearty. I loved the tang of the olives in it (would probably double them next time), and it made for a great dipping bread. I had it for dinner with some tomato soup.

I substituted a couple of things - sorghum flour instead of brown rice, buckwheat instead of rice bran (I couldn't find anything online for a good sub for rice bran, so I just guessed).

I will keep you all up to date on my stomach issues. If anyone has any suggestions, please send them my way!

And if you feel like baking on a cool summer's eve, make this bread!

No Grain, No Pain - the 5 year anniversary - and changes

2011-06-13T15:42:00.000-07:00

I started this blog 5 years ago, right after I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. The world as I knew it had been transformed. I was starting out on a new adventure - to conquer gluten free eating!

It seems only natural that within a 5 year period, the average person would have developed and changed in many ways. I know that I have.

Physically - here's what I looked like in 2006:

And here's how I look today (well, okay...last week):

Most of the changes to my body I attribute to how I eat, as well as correcting a hormonal imbalance. More details on my body's (40-50 lb!) roller coaster ride here.

Where I am in my life has also changed. I've been working at the same place for longer than I was in high school. I love my job, but the past couple of years have been harder and filled with more challenges and responsibilities than anything I have undertaken, other than marriage ;)

It's been an incredible growing experience!

My marriage has definitely transformed, too! I'm pretty sure I can finally say I've grown up (mostly). It only took 8 years of being married to do so.

Five years ago, we were buying our first house. We were living paycheck to paycheck. Everything we did was looking forward to the future.

Today, we still live in that house (and pay less on our mortgage then when we were renting!). We've bought and paid off two new cars. We're working harder, but we're having more fun, and the rewards are better.

Other than this chronic pain in my lower back/tailbone, I'm feeling pretty well health-wise. So long as I avoid certain foods...obviously.

Since 2006, my reasons for keeping up this blog have also changed. I started the blog to help myself and others have a resource for good gluten free recipes. The name of my blog has been a source of much chuckling these days in my house. What was initially a play on words to describe my attitude towards gluten - No Grain, No Pain - has turned into something more in depth. I don't know if the universe has had a hand involved in the road my life has taken me since starting the blog, or if the path I am on is one that many people dealing with food intolerances visit.

I have gotten many emails over the years asking if I am grain free, due to the name of my blog, and I've had to apologize and explain that this was pretty much just a gluten free site (and then dairy free, and then coconut free, and so on and so on). But over the last year, a seed has been planted in my mind, and it has continued to grow. What is that persisting thought, you ask?

Going grain free.

No grain, no pain.

I've been searching for answers to my continual digestive issues for awhile now. I've always known my body has a hard time with sugars and sweets, so I already tend to avoid them.

In the midst of my studying, I stumbled across an amazing lifestyle. I'm talking about the primal/paleo way of living. No grain, no sugar, and fresh-from-the-earth kinda foods.

Photo courtesy of Mark's Daily Apple.

Check out this great link w/ tons of fantastic resources! And watch the video at the end - Paleo in a Nutshell. It's the perfect summary to what paleo eating is.

Paleo makes sense to me. And so I've dabbled. And read. And read even more! Yet...I haven't been able to take the plunge. Why?

*I'm scared of change/the cost involved/the work involved/cleaning out my pantry/having to give up a lot of my comfort foods.

*I'm lazy.

*I work full-time.

*I have a family and a home to take care of (well, a very overworked husband and spoiled cat).

*But mostly I think I'm lazy.

Here's the deal. It's going to happen. I am determined to at least try this thing for 30 days, and see how I feel. I even stocked up on 10 lbs of grass-fed hamburger that was on sale at the health food store last week!

Those of you who know me know that I am not a jump-in-with-both-feet-first kind of girl. I first test the waters, I work up my nerve, I prepare myself mentally before I make the plunge. That's what I am doing now.

But for those of you seeking grain free foods on my blog, yes, you will be seeing more recipes/advice here on eating and enjoying life, grain free.

Some of my favorite paleo/primal resources have been:

Mark's Daily Apple- The Primal Blueprint

Robb Wolf - The Paleo Solution

Sarah Fragoso - Everyday Paleo

Primal Toad

Easy Dairy Free Chocolate Mousse

2011-06-08T21:01:00.000-07:00

The other day, a friend and I went on a hike at Sundance Resort. I wanted to test out my very out-of-shape body, and see how I handled a climb.

It was a beautiful day, and we had a blast!

On our way out of the parking lot, guess what we spotted:

A moose! This guy cracked me up! I've always wanted to see a moose up close. Thankfully, I was safe behind the wheel of my jeep, but I did manage to get a few good shots.

I keep thinking about that moose, and how he was just chilling in the parking lot. I've been to the tops of mountains. I've hiked miles into the wilderness. And all this time, my moose was just waiting for me at the bottom of a mountain, in a parking lot :)

I think I love moose.

And I think I really love chocolate mousse!

I stumbled upon this great recipe after checking out a recent post by Elana from Elana's Pantry. She made a beautiful mousse, which I was so excited to try! Unfortunately, I can't have coconut foods, so I was out of luck on her 'licious looking recipe.

However, she did have a few links to other mousse recipes, one of which was Kelly's over at Celiac Chicks. She got her inspiration from Rhee at Pioneer Woman.

This mousse is amazing! I haven't had mousse since I was a kid and visited my great grandma at her nursing home. I think I ate three little cups of mousse in one sitting. It was love at first bite.

Well anyway, check out the recipe, and make it! And if you're more patient than I am, you can let your mousse refrigerate for the alloted time, and it will look more like Kelly's pictures, and less like mine. But if you're not as patient as some (that would be me), chill your dish in the freezer for 20 minutes, stir, and it will still be divine!

My adaptations:

I halved the recipe, and it worked fine in my Vita-Mix blender.

I subbed half of the eggs for carton egg whites (due to lack of eggs in the fridge).

I didn't quite have enough chocolate, so I added a scoop of cocoa and a splash of oil. The chocolate I did use was 1 bar of Green & Black's dark chocolate (so I suppose there was a little bit of dairy in there) and a few ounces of Enjoy Life chocolate chips.

I wanted to share this great find, because it is a new favorite. I will be playing with this recipe more. I want to make it sugar free, if possible. Stay tuned!

For those of you who have been following my health situation, I am still dealing with the pain. My 2nd round of physical therapy went really well, and we made some great improvements. However, everything plateaued about a month into the treatment, so now I'm doing home-care for now, and just dealing with the pain. It's less intense, but still definitely there. BUT!! (no pun intended) The hike went well, with no adverse side effects! This gives me hope!

Mt. Timpanogos, here I come :D

Recipe shared @ Linda's GF Wednesdays and Amy's Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays. Head to these great sites for other amazing recipes!

Father's Day

2011-06-06T20:44:00.000-07:00

Father's Day is just around the corner, and amidst the scrambling to find gifts for my dad and my FIL, I keep thinking about Aubree Cherie's challenge this month for Go Ahead Honey, It's Gluten Free.

I don't participate in the monthly events often enough these days, due to my (and my husband's) hectic schedule. But this one, I'm going to. Why? Because I'm a girl who loves good food. Because my boss is going to a conference this weekend, so I have a *little* extra time. Mostly, because I'm a daddy's girl. I've got a big ol' soft spot in my heart for my father. I get misty-eyed every time I shop for cards for him. I know that every card he gets from me will bring a tear to his eye as well. And hopefully a smile :)

I have a lot of food-related memories involving my dad.

We canned homemade salsa and applesauce in the summers from our garden crops. We planted and worked in that dang garden too!

He was the family grill master (and to this day, I still don't know how to use one of those things).

He loved Mexican food (except for onions), and we ate it frequently.

His favorite cake was German chocolate.

He once ate Ritz "sandwiches" made by my little sister, which consisted of two crackers, stuck together with peanut butter and a little lick of her tongue :P

He loved candy and usually had something stashed in his den - hot tamales, jelly belly's, old fashioned root beer, salt water taffy, and truffles.

I have so many great memories of my dad, and I am so thankful to have him in my life!

Instant Gratification Gardening

2011-06-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

Isn't this the cutest little guy you ever saw?

Each night as I water and inspect my garden, I come in the house and report to my husband on my new findings. Dill growing! Lots of lettuce popping up. I see my first bean stalks peeking through the soil. And just last night, I discovered 10 mini bunches of grapes on my vine. That is 7 more than I've ever had produced in a year! I'm so excited!!

My husband is so great, listening and pretending to care about my little garden.

I'll admit, I get to feeling a little frustrated by the lack of growth of some of my crops. I planted them weeks and weeks ago! Where are they???

If you're at all like me, it can be helpful to have something to get you through the slow months as the plants are taking root and gaining strength.

Check out Karen's easy how-to on growing your own sprouts! It only takes 4 days (by day 2, I was jumping up and down as the sproutlings had grown right before my eyes!), and you have great, delicious sprouts ready to eat!

I know she mentions using a fancy little lid that she made, but I was lazy, so I just used a folded paper towel and a hair band to keep it in place. I poked holes in the the towel w/ a tooth pick, and replaced it each day. It worked, as far as I know...

We've been trying to find creative ways to consume the sprouts the last couple of days.

Note to self: 2 tbsp of sprouted sprouts is far more than we need in our house at one time :)

Anyone have any good suggestions for how to enjoy sprouts?

Paleo Breakfast Pizza

2011-05-26T19:54:00.000-07:00

I know I've mentioned my interest in following a paleo/primal lifestyle on this blog before. It's still an idea that frequently visits my mind. And occasionally I'll pick up and peruse my copy of The Primal Blueprint, which resides in the magazine pile in our bathroom. Mostly I've been too busy to try and change things up lately.

The other day, however, I stumbled across this great blog, and it renewed my interest in paleo/primal eating. The following evening, as I was driving home from a long day at work, doing a mental inventory of edible food in my fridge/pantry, I remembered I had all the ingredients to whip up this quick and easy breakfast pizza. I may have driven a little bit faster in my desire to give this recipe a try.

My version turned out really well! I overcooked my "crust" a bit, I think, but it was still delicious. I would also suggest adding bacon or ham, to give the pizza another dimension of flavor. I think this meal was a bit confusing to my taste buds, as I couldn't decide if it was more "breakfast-y" or more "pizza-ish." In my opinion, bacon would have married the two nicely, as it is a flavor that compliments both dishes.

This is definitely going to be a repeat recipe in my book.

Paleo Breakfast Pizza

Adapted from this recipe

8 eggs, whisked

1/2 tsp (ish) garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tbsp dried basil

A few shakes salt and pepper

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 c marinara/pizza sauce

1/2 lb Italian ground sausage (I used basil chicken sausage)

add BACON here. Lots and lots of bacon!

2 medium tomatoes, sliced

1 c sliced black olives

2+ tbsp nutritional yeast or nooch-eez

Other toppings of your choice

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet (my pan is cheap and sucks, so I coated it with pan spray, and added a little less oil).

Combine eggs and seasonings, mixing well. Pour mixture into skillet, cover, and turn heat down to medium. Cook for about 3 minutes. Eggs will be firm on the bottom. Do not stir!

After 3 minutes, remove the lid, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Turn on the broiler, and let broil for about 3 minutes, until the top firms up.

Remove from the oven, and spread the pizza sauce over the surface. Pile on the rest of the toppings, and sprinkle on the nooch.

Return pan to the oven, and broil for an additional 5 minutes.

Slice and serve immediately.

Note: Be sure and use an oven-safe skillet. I don't think mine was. The handle swelled a bit, and it started to smell a little funny in the kitchen.

Also, I don't know how many servings this makes, but I managed to eat half of it in one sitting. Oops ;)

I've shared this recipe over at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free, The Gluten Free Homemaker, and The WHOLE Gang. Check out some great carnivals, filled with amazing recipes!

Nooch-eez (Parmesan cheese sub)

2011-05-26T19:27:00.000-07:00

Nooch-eez

Or as Gena calls it, Hemp-esan (but I couldn't remember what she termed it, when I was explaining it to a friend, so I came up with the name Nooch-eez). Whatever the name you call it, this high-protein, dairy free recipe totally rocks!

It's one of the easiest "recipes" I've ever made, and it's been one of the top 3 staples in my kitchen of late. I smother bread with it (pre-toasting) to enjoy with eggs for breakfast, I sprinkle it on my salads, soups and even pizza. I'm even considering shaking up my traditional kale chip recipe by adding some of this goodness before baking.

How do I make this, you ask? Well, I'll tell you...brace yourself. It's so simple!

Measure into your blender/food processor/coffee grinder (maybe?) equal amounts of nutritional yeast and shelled hemp seeds. I usually do 2-3 Tbsp at a time. I also like to add a splash of garlic powder and a pinch of salt. Then just blend away!

And there you have it.

To enjoy it on toast, simply spritz or drizzle your bread with some olive oil, then apply liberal pinches of the nooch-eez. Toast to desired crispiness in a toaster oven. It will sizzle and brown, but it is still very loose atop the bread, so handle with care.

Fudge Babies/Brownie Bites

2011-05-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

These are amazing! Hard to believe that something that tastes so good is so full of healthful ingredients! But they are.

So you shouldn't feel guilty.

Even after you consume half a batch.

In half an hour.

Especially when you were going to take these to work to share.

You can always make another batch.

Better make it a double...

I came across this recipe on Elana's site, and knew I had to try it. Dates + nuts + chocolate = win in my book! I tried her recipe, but subbed half the walnuts for cashews. I loved them! But I thought I'd made them wrong. They were so crumbly. So I ended up adding a tbsp of almond butter. Still delish! I ended up eating most of the batch with a spoon.

Then I made Katie's recipe, from where these delectable bites originate. Even with a higher date to nut ratio, they were still crumbly. I thought it was supposed to resemble fudge, something thick, pasty. I even added extra dates. Didn't make a difference.

Then I figured, this is probably how the recipe is supposed to be. These ones held together better when I played with the mixture. So, when you make them, yes, this is supposed to be crumbly, you didn't do anything wrong!

I am not a huge walnut fan. Don't love the flavor much. But I try and eat them, because they're pretty healthy. I've found a nice trick for eating them plain - if you soak them in water for half an hour or so, some of the bitter taste leaves them.

I was pleased to discover in this recipe that the walnuts did not overpower the taste. Honestly, I could hardly taste them!

I forced my husband to try a bite, even after making the mistake of telling him what was in it first (dates!). He said it tasted a lot like a brownie. I concur!

Fudge Babies/Brownie Bites

adapted from recipe @ Chocolate Covered Kate

1/2 c walnuts

1/2 c cashews

1 1/3 c dates - I used a mix of Medjool and regular ol' dates

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 tbsp cacao/cocoa powder (my favorite blend has been 2 tbsp cacao, and 2 tbsp dark cocoa)

dash of salt

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until finely chopped.

The mixture will look like a good potting soil - crumbly and dirtish. Pinch a bit between your fingers, to make sure it's sticky enough to hold. If not, you can add more dates, or some nut butter.

Mine ended up having lighter bits in it (from the cashews I think), where Katie and Elana's bites look darker. No complaints here :)

Pour the mixture into a bowl. With your hands (or if you're weird like me, with ziploc-covered hands), form the mix into bite-sized balls.

Try not to consume all at once. Unless you're really hungry.

I'm looking forward to taking these along with me as yummy traveling/hiking snacks.

Check out Katie's Fudge Babies FAQ's and tips. I can't wait to try more variations!

What have you been eating lately?

2011-05-04T21:02:00.000-07:00

I don't know if anyone really even cares...but I'm gonna share anyway :)

I know a lot of people go through phases of eating patterns. Some of it has to do with the seasons (soups in winter, salads in summer), some has to do with what's available at the store/in the garden. Some of it has to do with what's easy, fast, and/or good.

Even though I haven't been posting a lot of recipes, obviously I have been eating over the past few months. So I thought I'd share a bit of what's been entertaining my dinner plate lately.

I've been trying to eat a lot more fresh foods, ie, veggies. I've been planning a lot more meals around what leafy goodness will be highlighting the meal. It's been a challenge at times, but a lot of fun too. Makes my husband laugh when I come home and make a plateful of kale chips...but have no other ideas of what I'm going to eat for dinner.

Green smoothies have been more prevalent in my daily routine. I'm a big breakfast person, and need lots of fuel to get through the mornings, especially after hitting up the therapy. Most days I'll eat eggs and muffins, or toast w/ hazelnut butter awesomeness.

New love affair.

And yes, I have been known to sneak spoonfuls of this stuff. You might be surprised at the number of spoons lounging around my house right now. Unless you'd tried this butter. Then you'd understand.

After eating breakfast, I'll cram some berries/banana/orange/apple/avocado, almond milk, spinach and chia seeds into my Vita-Mix, liquefy, and pour it all into my favorite starbucks cup, just in time to dash out the door.

On the weekends, I've also indulged in smoothie experiments, such as the chocolate-almond smoothie (easy on the banana, add a handful or two of spinach). I have even got the hubs to drink a couple dreaded green smoothies (added some peanut butter to his). I'm trying to see just how much green stuff I can cram into a smoothie without making it taste like a salad :)

I've been experimenting lately with this great new sugar substitute: Stevia! Look at this fantastic haul that I won from Iris over at The Daily Dietribe!

I'm totally digging the vanilla liquid stevia! It's amazing in chia seed pudding! Which is something else I've been eating a lot of lately. Chia seeds. I love 'em! In smoothies, in puddings, added to hot cereal. More to come on chia seeds...

This chocolate chia pudding recipe has been a staple for me lately. It's soooo good! I was recently given some cacao powder, which I'm enjoying, and have been adding it to this pudding in place of cocoa.

Mayan superfood! Yay!

I also love making the chia seed pudding cacao-free, and adding extra vanilla. Topped with some buckwheaties and berries - trust me, it's the perfect afternoon delight!

Also been eating my favorite staples: avocados, kale (new favorite: kale salad - shred up some kale, drizzle with EVOO, sprinkle w/ S&P, then "massage" everything into the kale for a couple minutes), my favorite GF bread, quinoa, and sweet potatoes.

So, that's about it. I'd love to hear what everyone else is eating!

Update on me (blah blah) & awesome nut butter cups

2011-05-04T19:53:00.000-07:00

Again, apologies, as I've been terrible at keeping up the blog these days.

I've been stuck in a rut the last few months. The other day, I asked my husband if 2011 was almost over? I know...we've just barely entered the fifth month, but my attitude lately has been to put my head down, and hopefully just get through another day. It's been a dramatic year thus far, with crazy stuff happening at work, with pain that won't go away, with awkward social obligations (ie, why is everyone freaking getting married right now? Don't they know how much I detest weddings?!?! All the awful reminders of how even the best marriages can start with one of the worst days of your life...). Ahem, enough ranting ;)

I'm a habitual person. I have routines, and I like them. Get dressed, take pills, make breakfast, make lunch, go to work, be productive and happy, come home, make dinner, unwind, sleep. This whole chronic pain and physical therapy thing has thrown a seriously annoying wrench in my routine. I'm getting up earlier, getting to work later, therefore having to stay later, which then means later dinners, and less veg time. Not to mention my usual spring routine of procrastinating...ahem, I mean...getting back into shape for hiking season. Um, yeah, haven't set foot in the gym since January.

I'm also a person who enjoys her creature comforts. My comforts lately have been reading (so many great books, so little time!) and sweets. I don't normally eat a lot of sugar, as it bothers me in more ways than one. Plus my husband has insisted on removing as much sugar from our diets as possible after reading this article (skittles and voltage being the two exceptions). Anyway, so I've been feeling sorry for myself more than usual lately, and have indulged in numerous attempts to drown my sorrows in something rich and chocolaty. Which is especially not smart for someone who has stopped working out over the last 6 months.

This treat, however indulgent it might be, didn't make me feel as bad as a bowl of ice cream or a snickers bar...I was able to justify enjoying it, thanks to the use of dark chocolate and super 'licious almond butter. Plus, my tummy is happier with this than the cheap milk-chocolate store bought variety.

It really isn't as much work as it may seem. Mostly you just have to find something to do until it's ready to eat, otherwise you'll eat half melted candy, which will still be amazing, but I think this treat is best served straight from the freezer!

The original recipe comes from Kelly over at @ The Spunky Coconut. I wanted to post this in time for those of you looking for Easter candy options, but that didn't exactly pan out. Hey, maybe you can make Mom a treat this weekend. Or, just forget the margaritas tomorrow, and celebrate with chocolate instead! Better yet, have margaritas AND chocolate! Ole!

So, to make this divine dessert, you start with the fudge recipe here, and once that's made, you simply fill a dozen cups that have been lined with melted-then-slightly-frozen chocolate. Kelly got all fancy and made frosting for the top, but I just drizzled some additional melted chocolate on mine. The taste testers (the hubs, and the crew at work) loved them! My husband claimed they tasted just as good as "the real ones," which he insisted was an incredible compliment. I personally thought they were even better!

I'm not posting the recipes, since I am feeling rather lazy this evening. Plus, Kelly does a better job explaining the process of creating these masterpieces. I did, however, make a couple of changes to the fudge, which I will mention:

Her recipe calls for coconut oil. Since that stuff kills my stomach, I subbed it out. Instead I used about 50% Spectrum palm shortening and 50% canola oil. Actually, I made two batches, and this was the variation I liked best. I tried using all canola oil, which one of Kelly's readers suggested, and the fudge was just too melty. It may not have mattered in the chocolate cups, but for just plain eating out of the freezer, it was too messy.

I also used what nut butters I had on hand. Once I made the fudge with 1/2 c each creamy peanut butter and almond butter, and the second time, I used 1 full cup almond butter and 1/2 c peanut. This was to make up for the consistency issue I knew the canola oil would present. I couldn't tell a difference as far as flavor, but I really liked the mix of the two butters. You can probably use whatever you have/like/can tolerate. No doubt it will be scrumptious!

One last change. I used less agave than her recipe called for. Just over 1/3 c. It was still super sugary and delicious.

These really are amazing! So hard to just eat one. Seriously! I ate three within the first hour of making them. The rest barely survived overnight until I was able to share them with my coworkers. Even then, it was a near thing (thought about just eating them all at my desk...but I'd promised an amazing Easter treat for the office party).

So make them. You won't be sorry!

P.S. Want to see the most gorgeous sister-in-law ever? I thought so! Head over here to check out shots of my cute little sissy's senior photo shoot.

Haters

2011-04-02T17:43:00.001-07:00

Oh boy, is this a strong subject matter for those of us unfortunate enough to be eating gluten free. Lauren @ Daring to Thrive brought to my attention a recent Dr Oz segment on how "eating gluten free makes you fat."

This bothers me a lot.

A LOT!

"A gluten free diet is a low carb diet" IT CAN BE. That's the thing the segment needed to expand upon, rather than forcing down our throats that the diet makes you fat. In my humble opinion, it's the carbs - the refined, processed foods - that are the culprit for those who gain weight on the diet.

Dr Hyman mentions that gluten makes people w/ gluten sensitivity fat. I definitely agree with that. I have friends who have severe inflammatory responses to gluten - retaining water, puffy faces, etc. That boils down to the primal theory that our bodies are not as tolerant to grains as we would like, due to the fact that most of our human history, grains have not had a prevalent part to play in our nutrition (up until the last century or so). Our biological makeup was never meant to consume these inflammatory grains on a regular basis (enter the Standard American Diet, stage left). Thanks to all the wonders of industrializing, and modern medical health, we have become a world more able to sustain its numbers, but in doing so, have caused these toxic grains to become the mainstay in our diet.

According to this study from 2009, 63% of American adults are overweight or obese.

This insane obesity trend report from the CDC maps out what percentage of Americans are obese in each state.

And yet, the gluten free diet is being knocked on here. Out of the 300+ million people living in America, 20 million of those are on a gluten free diet. 6% of the American population are potentially getting fat from not eating gluten. Hrmm.

For more info about primal/paleo living, check out this fantastic site.

I really like this article I found by Matthew Solan, who writes for Men's Health. He quotes a Dr Lara Field, a dietitian at the University of Chicago:

Still, cutting out gluten can lead to weight loss—but not for the reason gluten-free advocates think. A strict gluten-free diet forces you to stay away from some refined carbohydrates that can lead to weight gain, Field explains. And that, she says, is where the weight-loss secret lies.

Gluten is found in many of the familiar weight-gain culprits: pizza, beer, burgers, pancakes. "Gluten itself probably isn't the reason you've packed on pounds," says Field.

"Eating too many refined carbohydrates is what expands your waistline." Commit to staying gluten-free and your food choices can become a snapshot of a healthy diet—with creative carb substitutions, fruits, vegetables, brown rice, seeds and nuts, along with meat, fish, eggs, and milk products.

Gluten free Oreo's are just as bad as real Oreo's. That's the bottom line. And that is what Dr Oz failed to make clear in his presentation of the gluten free diet. If you're replacing, food-for-food, all the unhealthy things you used to consume when eating gluten, of course you're not going to get any skinnier.

I am not condemning those who indulge in the occasional gluten free goodie. I have quite a sweet tooth myself, and it's only the mild reaction I get to sweets that keeps me shying away from OD-ing on chocolate every night. I love me a good brownie, cookie, cupcake, pie, etc! And when I first went gluten free, I tried so hard to recreate these recipes to help me feel less deprived. And I succeeded! Yes, eating gluten free goodies can be just as rewarding as the old stuff.

The key is to indulge moderately. I usually allow myself one sweet a day. One serving of one sweet a day, not a whole batch of cookies. If I slip up (ie, eat more than that), I don't beat myself up over it (although my tummy often does that for me). But I have learned that I can't feel deprived, or I will binge.

Sorry for the long-winded rant. I'd love to hear what you all think on the matter.

And once you've had time to stew over this injustice, head over to Karina's site. She's not the GF Goddess for nothing. This post brought tears to my eyes. Once you've read that, hopefully you can do as I've struggled to do over the last couple of days, and move on. Forgive those who offend us GF-ers. Those who are too ignorant to allow changes that benefit the lives of those of us who have no choice.

Yes, we get on our soap boxes. Yes, we rant, yes we obsess. But at the same time, our lives (and the lives of those we care for) depend on us doing these things. We have to check labels. We have to be annoying to waiters. We have to discuss ingredients with hostesses.

We do these things, not to make anyone else's life harder, but to protect ourselves. To keep us out of the bathroom for five straight days. To keep us from using up a year's worth of sick days at work due to one moment of ignorance. To keep us living our lives as they were meant to be lived.

Honestly, I wouldn't have my life any other way. Would I rather have to depend on medication the rest of my life for this? No. Or how about having to go to regular doctor appointments, constant blood work, tests, therapy, treatments? No, absolutely not. I am so thankful that I am the one in control of treating this disease for myself.

My life is so very good, despite the things I can't change - the problems I am dealing with right now with my body, the stresses in my job and at home. Life is full of so many beautiful things. Wonderful, loving people, an amazing world around me, lots of opportunities, and really good food! So, despite all the haters, I plan on enjoying it all, and I hope you all are able to do the same :D

Cashew "Pizza Cheese"

2011-03-29T21:22:00.001-07:00

So, what have I been eating lately? I'm going to start with the present, and work my way backward, if possible.

Despite the long absence on my own blog, I have been following everyone else closely. I've also discovered many new blogs. I've been rather obsessed with Gena's website, Choosing Raw. No, I'm not vegan, nor am I a raw foodie. But she's got some amazing creations! I've tried a few in the last couple weeks, with great success.

Tonight, I made a fantastic recipe: Cashew Ricotta w/ Basil & Sundried Tomatoes (AKA Pizza Cheese).

It was delicious with some Glutino crackers for dipping. I even snuck in a few bites with tortilla chips later. I'm contemplating eggs w/ pizza-cheese-topped-toast for breakfast...

Original recipe here.

Recipe notes:

I didn't use miso (none in the fridge)

I added some onion and garlic powder

I used dried basil (I'm sure it would be better with fresh, but now is not the season to be buying fresh herbs)

I used my vitamix, which struggled a bit with blending.

Other than that, I just followed Gena's directions, and was so excited with the results! I hope you'll try this great recipe! I am also anxious to try it in a collard wrap. I don't think I've ever even bought collard greens before...this'll be an adventure!

Getting my head back in the game

2011-03-29T20:59:00.000-07:00

I really have not made blogging a priority the past few months. I have had so much else going on in my life, and it's just gone on the back burner. It's been difficult enough coming up with dinner each night, let alone photographing and sharing it online. I love blogging, don't get me wrong. But 2011 has been a challenging year thus far. I'm rather embarrassed that it is almost April, and this is my first post.

However, I was thinking tonight as I was making dinner...I realized that I have copied, adapted and created so many amazing dishes over the last few years. I would hate to lose all that information, and let's be honest, my mind is not the safest place for storing valuable things like killer recipes! I've been redoubling my efforts in eating fresh, healthy, unprocessed foods as much as I can, and have enjoyed many new foods lately. I would like to be able to access these recipes one day when my life is even crazier than it is now (ie, when I have kids!!).

So, I have resolved to put more effort into my blog again, if for no other reason than to have a place where I can find all my favorite meals and treats. There may not be as many pictures. There may be more links to original recipes, with only my notes on adaptations. But I am still here, and still have recipes I want to share!

Thanks for sticking around :)

Sorry, no great food photos today. But here's a cute pic of the hubby and I skiing a couple weeks ago.

Why I have been absent from the blogworld, and giving thanks

2010-12-17T20:25:00.000-08:00

It's snowing outside, and I am freezing my teeth off with frozen blueberries. Go figure.

Life's been pretty crazy lately. Normally I love the holidays, and love baking during this festive time of year. I've been overwhelmed by all the fantastic recipes I've seen on everyone's blogs! I would love to share with you all the delicious treats I've been working on, but alas, I have yet to make anything worth sharing. Or really, anything at all.

For the last month and a half I've been dealing with some pretty severe pain. A few weeks ago, I finally decided to go see someone about it. I got in to see a sports medicine doctor. She took some x-rays, looked at things, put my body through the ringer, and sent me home with a bunch of prescriptions and a rigorous home therapy schedule.

I've spent the last 2 weeks in a heavily medicated fog of steroids, muscle relaxers and pain meds. Seriously, I've been a mess. I've hardly been eating, I think I may have made it through one of the last 15 days without crying, I've had daily headaches, and my stomach has been so upset. Not to mention the loopiness and nausea/dizziness I get from the pain meds. Such fun!

Finished up the 'roids 2 days ago, and had my follow up appointment yesterday. The drugs didn't fix the problem. They helped, reduced *some* of my pain, but it's still there, and still pretty constant.

So, tomorrow I get to have an MRI done. Yay! Lucky (extremely claustrophobic) me.

But, if it means answers, I'll suffer through it. Most likely I'm looking at lots of physical therapy, possible nerve block injections, and if all else fails, surgery. Hopefully not though. REALLY hopefully not :)

I finally got my Christmas shopping done last night, after 5 emotional hours at the mall (thanks to a painful visit to the doc, and mounting frustration at the looming deadline - it was the one time I was really glad to go shopping with my husband, who kept me going when I just wanted to go home and cry). Everything's been mailed off to the family, and I got our cards sent out today as well. Whew. Just gotta grab a couple more things for my hubby, and I'm set. Thank goodness.

Let's just say I haven't really gotten the Christmas spirit yet. I know, tis the season and all, and I've wanted to. I LOVE Christmas! But with this pain, as well as a busy month at work, and trying to keep the rest of my life together, I've been pretty beat.

I've been living off of almond flour waffles - based on this recipe, as well as this amazing and easy salad, and this delicious tomato soup. Not to mention, lots of Chex cereal in almond milk, as well as anything else I feel like I can stomach.

Like whatever is in the fridge. For example, tonight I had some toasted focaccia bread (w/ oil and garlic salt), a whole package of korean kim (seaweed), and some edamame with salt and lemon. Oh, and a handful of glutino chocolate covered pretzels. It's pretty much been fend for yourself around here. My poor hubby.

Anyway, now that I'm off the steroids, I'm hoping I will start to feel a little better (as far as side effects go). I really want to get in the kitchen and whip up something fabulous. But I have to dig through all the dirty dishes to find the counters first...

I must say, this whole ordeal has made me very thankful for my life. I didn't really do an official thanksgiving post, mostly because I didn't have anything overwhelming to share, other than this totally awesome cranberry sauce. But I will say now, I have a good life. My husband has been incredible over the last few weeks, so patient, caring, and loving. I'm so very thankful for the wonderful man that he is, and that he's put up with all the things I have thrown at him over the last 8 years.

I am also grateful for having a relatively healthy life so far. Nothing I can't control with my diet, a thyroid pill here and there, good food and exercise. I really appreciate a body that has been able to withstand so much, and let me do so much. Like climb to the top of the most beautiful mountain in Utah Valley!

I know, super dorky primal picture of me, but I was so excited to be on top of the world! That was one of the best days of this last year!

I'm thankful for a beautiful, warm home, enough food to eat, cars that get us safely where we need to go daily, a steady job where I am valued, the greatest cat ever, and wonderful friends and family around me. That includes all of you! I am so glad to be a part of this food blogging community, to be able to share with you my successes and learning experiences, and hear about all of yours!

I hope you all are doing well, and enjoying the holiday season! I will (hopefully) be back here soon, with something tasty to share!

Celebrate!! With the best dessert ever!

2010-11-23T20:55:00.001-08:00

I've got many things to celebrate today! First of all, this is my 100th post! Wow! I remember starting this blog more than 4 years ago, and am amazed that I found so much to write about.

Even more exciting, when I logged on tonight, I discovered I had a new follower! I know 30+ people subscribing to my blog isn't an overwhelming milestone, but it makes me happy. I started writing here so that I could share my experience with others, hopefully making their lives easier. I hope I've been able to do that for all of you. I appreciate your comments and all of your awesome blogs as well! You know I'm more interested in reading than writing, though I do occasionally manage to find something worthwhile to share here. Thanks for sticking around as I've improved on my gluten/dairy-free cooking, blogging and photography skills!

The last thing I want to celebrate today really is the best dessert I think I've had since discovering all my food issues (if not the best dessert I've ever had in my life...). And let me be clear. I love my desserts. And I've made and eaten quite a few good ones. This one, however, takes the cake! Or rather, the cheesecake (I know, I know, groan-worthy. I'm sorry...I had to!)

Feast your eyes on this beauty:

Pumpkin cheesecake with a caramel dulce de leche topping. Yep, it's as good as it sounds. When I was debating what to make for my birthday at the beginning of the month, I just kept coming back to this gorgeous photo, and the recipe attached. I took a poll, and this one was the one everyone suggested. So glad I tried it, and so were my friends and family! Even my cheesecake snobs and cheesecake dislikers enjoyed it!

I know this is super late for the Thanksgiving feast. If you've already got something lined up for the big day, I would recommend making it in a couple days, once everyone's had a chance to digest. They will thank you for it.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Dulce de Leche & Pecans

Gluten & Dairy Free

(Original recipe by the amazing Baking Beauties)

3/4 c crushed Cinnamon Chex (I used Rice Chex with a sprinkling of cinnamon)

1/2 c finely chopped/ground pecans

2 tbsp white sugar

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 c butter substitute, melted (I used Earth Balance spread)

3/4 c white sugar

3/4 c pureed pumpkin (Check out this great post on easy crockpot cooking of your pumpkin, or you can always use the stuff from a can)

3 egg yolks

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp salt

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese substitute (Tofutti was a winner!)

1/4 c plus 2 tbsp white sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp sour cream sub (Tofutti again. Original recipe called for whipped cream)

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp vanilla extract (recipe calls for 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp lemon extract, which I didn't have)

Dulce de Leche (for topping)**

Whole pecans (for topping)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle into a 9-inch springform pan, pressing lightly until bottom of pan is covered.

Mix together 3/4 c white sugar, pumpkin, 3 egg yolks, spices and salt in a meidum bowl. Set aside.

Dump the cream cheese into a larger bowl. Beat w/ an electric mixer until light and fluffy (ish. Mine never got that fluffy). Slowly add 1/4 c plus 2 tbsp white sugar, and beat. Add egg, egg yolk, and sour cream; beat well again. Add the corn starch and vanilla. Beat once more until mixture becomes smooth.

Add the pumpkin mixture to the cream cheese mixture and mix well. Pour into the springform pan. Place pan on a cookie sheet lined with foil in case you have any leakage.

Bake cheesecake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes. Don't overbake it. The center will firm up when chilled. Once it's done, turn the oven off, and crack open the door. Leave cheesecake in the cooling oven for 1 hour (this helps prevent the top from cracking).

Once cooled, remove from oven. Cover and refridgerate until ready to dig in. Remove the pan siding (I didn't risk taking the cake off the bottom of the springform pan, so not sure how that would work), and decorate cheesecake with dulce de leche and pecans. (Just FYI, the dulce de leche will stick to anything you try and cover the cheesecake with. You may want to keep the pan siding around to place around the cake if you're covering and refridgerating w/ the topping on).

Serve, and enjoy the praise you will be receiving from those you deem worthy to partake with you in this heavenly experience.

**Dulce de Leche done dairy free

I followed this recipe from allrecipes.com, quartering the original measurements. It worked beautifully! This recipe takes about an hour to make (10 min for processing your own almond milk, and about 45 minutes of stirring to get the dulce de leche to the right consistancy). Read the comments below the recipe on allrecipes if you need help w/ making this.

Dairy Free Dulce de Leche

4 cups homemade almond milk (recipe here)

Approx. 1 tsp vanilla extract, or 1/4 vanilla bean

1 c plus 2 tbsp white sugar

1/4 tsp baking soda

In a large saucepan (yes, you do need to use a large one, b/c this stuff foams), bring the milk to a boil over medium-high heat (original recipe calls to strain at this point, but I found this an unncessary step, as there was nothing to strain in here).

Add vanilla, then stir in the sugar. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Just before the mixture begins to boil, stir in the baking soda.

Turn heat down to medium. Continue to stir constantly for the next 40-50 minutes, until the midxture thickens (grab a good book and a stool so you can sit by the stovetop). I figured mine was done when it resembled a caramel sauce that you would use on ice cream. Not too runny, but not too thick. Takes a minute to come back together when you divide it by running a spoon through it.

Remove from heat, and pour into glass or other heat-proof dish to cool. Once it's cooled a bit on the counter, cover and stick in the fridge to chill before using. Don't use on the cheesecake until the dulce de leche is totally cold.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups (8 servings, supposedly, and just enough to top the cheesecake!).

P.S. Before you dunk that empty, caramely, sticky pan in some water to wash it out, put it back on the stove, add some almond milk, and warm it over med-low heat for a few minutes. Pour into your favorite coffee mug, and enjoy! Makes cleanup that much sweeter :D

P.P.S. This recipe is linked up to Linda @ The Gluten Free Homemaker's Gluten Free Wednesdays event! Check it out!

P.P.P.S. This recipe is also linked up to Amy @ Simply Sugar & Gluten Free's Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Diane @ The WHOLE Gang's Holiday Party, where she is giving away some great cookbooks, as well as Alex's The 12 Days of Bloggie-mas @ A Moderate Life.

Chocolate Pecan Tart

2010-11-13T14:37:00.000-08:00

This delicious GF/DF dessert is great year-round, but I especially liked it after our big Thanksgiving feast last year. When planning my menu, I couldn't decide between something chocolatey and something a little more savory. So when I stumbled across this recipe, I got excited! I love pecan pie! And adding chocolate just seems so right! Satisfies both cravings at once. It was the first pie dish to empty at the family get together. Can I say how proud that made me?

Last year I served it up with a can of fake whipped cream. It was good, and made for cute formations atop the pie, but one of the cans malfunctioned, and so I had to throw it away completely unused. There went $5 :( This year, I would recommend this as a less expensive, tastier dairy free whipped cream substitute. Or use the real stuff, if you want to...and no I don't mean the kind from the blue tub! Real whipping cream on Thanksgiving is definitely a worthy cheat in my book :D

I'll start with the pie crust:

Basic Pastry Crust for a Single Pie
Adapted from "1000 Gluten Free Recipes" by Carol Fenster

1/2 c sorghum flour blend*
1/4 + 1/8 c tapioca flour
1/4 c sweet rice flour
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp guar gum (I just used more xanthan)
1/4 tsp salt
1/16 tsp baking soda
1/4 c shortening or buttery spread (I used Spectrum vegetable shortening)
1/4 c milk (I used almond)
1/2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice

Place dry ingredients plus shortening in a food processor. Process until mixture is crumbly. Add milk and vinegar and process again until a ball forms (break up the dough and scrape down the sides with a spatula if it doesn't form a ball, then reprocess).

Remove dough from processor, and knead with wet hands until dough is smooth.

Shape into a disk, 1-inch thick, and wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.

Note: From here, the recipe goes on to describe how to roll the dough out, transfer to a pie plate, and flute the edges. Lol. Those of you who know me know that I don't do that. I just warmed the dough up a bit in my hands, and spread it into a 9-inch non-stick pie pan, pressing with my fingers until it evenly covered the bottom and sides of the pan. Use wet hands if the dough is sticky. It worked great!

Crust is now ready to be filled and baked.

*Carol Fenster's Sorghum Flour Blend:
1 1/2 c sorghum flour (35%)
1 1/2 c potato starch/cornstarch (35%)
1 c tapioca starch (30%)

Add all ingredients to a tupperware. Cover tightly, and shake until blended.
These measurments make about 4 cups. You can also just approximate it, which is what I often do, using the percentages.

Gluten and Dairy Free Chocolate Pecan Tart
Adapted from "1000 Gluten Free Recipes" by Carol Fenster

1 9-inch pie crust, prepared
1 egg, beaten to a foam (I think I skipped the egg wash)
1 c pecans, chopped
2/3 c chocolate chips (I used enjoy life as a DF option)
1/2 c light corn syrup (I can't remember what I subbed for the syrup, I think it was this recipe)
1/4 c packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temp
2 tbsp butter/sub, melted
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

Arrange the racks in your oven so that one is in the middle, and one is at the bottom. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush the edges of the crust with the egg wash. Arrange the pecans on the bottoms of the crust. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top, spreading evenly.

Make the filling by beating the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until blended and smooth.

Slowly pour the mixture into the crust. Place the whole pie pan on a baking sheet. I covered mine with foil for easy cleanup (but I don't think much splashed over).

Bake pie for 10 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven. Move to the middle rack and place a sheet of tinfoil on top of the pie. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the filling is set.

Remove from oven and cool pie plate on a wire rack. Once it has cooled completely, refridgerate until ready to serve (at least an hour), so that the filling is firm enough to cut. Serve with whipped cream topping of choice.

Makes 8-12 servings.

What are YOU making for Thanksgiving? I want to hear all about your awesome meal plans!

P.S. I'm so excited to share with you all another amazing dessert recipe! Stay tuned for a very special post :)

P.P.S. This post is part of Linda @ The Gluten Free Homemaker's Gluten Free Wednesdays Carnival! Head over there for other scrumptious recipes!

Thanksgiving thoughts and a few tips/recipes

2010-11-11T19:55:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching.

Two weeks and counting.

Anyone else feeling a bit nervous? I might be. Mostly because I haven't thought it through in my head, and formulated my plan.

The holidays make me sentimental. Sorry. You might have to put up with a bit of my reminiscing.

Holidays are not a big deal in our home, mostly b/c I'm the only one who gets excited about them. My husband could probably care less about Thanksgiving (except for the excess amount of dishes I seem to dirty), and my cat will just run and hide if people come over or I try and put a Santa hat on her. I'm sure once we have kids, this will change.

But I grew up in a holiday home. We all got really into the holidays. My mom is obsessed with Halloween. And Christmas! We had our Christmas tree up by Thanksgiving weekend, and it often stayed there until Valentine's Day.

Growing up, we didn't have any family in town, so we found our own to spend the holidays with. My "adopted" grandparents, Jane and Jonathan, always had a glorious feast ready when we came over for holiday events...as well as the latest season of Star Trek on a VHS. I remember falling asleep at my dad's feet as the post-turkey coma overtook me, incorporating Captain Jean-Luc Picard's monologues into my dreams.

My grandma Jane really knew how to throw a party! There were usually 15-30 people at our holiday dinners, and she made sure there was enough food that everyone got leftovers :) Johnny would carve the meat, and my sister and I usually got saddled with the responsibility of setting the table, or keeping the cats away from the turkey. The only thing we didn't like about Thanksgiving dinner was the "weed" salad, which my mom made us eat. There were things like spinach, red lettuce, kale and DANDELIONS in it. So funny that I totally eat all those things now!

New to the allergy-free holiday zone? Check out this article, which features Karina from The Gluten Free Goddess. It has some great tips on how to host for people with food avoidances, as well as how to approach a host for a party you're going to.

Once you get a plan in place, braving the holidays isn't too daunting. Being prepared is the key. Always having more than enough food, so you don't go hungry while everyone around you is gorging. And overcoming your fears (like learning to make gravy! It's so easy! And I used to be terrified of it!!!).

Around here, I've got a pretty good routine down. We're usually invited to my husband's family shindig, hosted by an aunt or grandma. They all understand my dietary needs, however, since I have such a long list of things to avoid, I have learned it's easier for everyone involved if I just bring my own basics.

So, usually the day before Thanksgiving (or the frantic morning of), I'll make myself a turkey, some sides like stuffing, potatoes, rolls, and lots of gravy. I pack up a plate for myself, and will usually bring some fantastic-looking dessert to share with everyone.

When we get there, I'm given the lowdown on what's safe for me to eat, and will join everyone in munching on veggies, cranberry sauce, deviled eggs, and such until dinner is ready. Then when everyone is gathering around the table, I just throw my plate in the microwave, and dig in! I've learned what I need to have at a family dinner to not feel left out, so I make sure and have extra meat and gravy, rolls, and something chocolatey :)

Check it out!! I've found a great potato-free alternative to the omnipresent spuds that accompany most holiday dinners. Mashed parsnips! I was a skeptic, I'll admit. I've tried undercooked parsnips, and the flavor is strong! But, if you actually cook them through, and add the right amount of butter, a little salt, and the perfect plate of meat, this side dish is a miracle to behold!

I don't really have a recipe, so I'll just wing it...

Potato-Free Mashed Parsnips

Boil some water in a pot. Once it's bubbling, add some peeled, chopped parsnips (I don't know how many make a serving, probably one good-sized parsnip per person). Cook until parsnips are very soft. Make sure you don't undercook, or you'll have a helluva time trying to "mash" them!
Once they're cooked, drain the water from the parsnips. Add some butter (or butter sub like earth balance), a splash or two of milk (or almond milk or other sub), and some salt. Using a hand mixer, beat the parsnips in a large bowl, until they resemble, well, mashed potatoes :) Top with a little cheese, additional buttery goodness, or gravy.

Apparently mashed veggies are all the rage. If you're not sensitive to crucifers, and can't find/don't want to try parsnips, you could also check out Elana's mashed cauliflower.

Here are a few of my recipes that have worked well for holiday feasting, or general winter enjoyment:

Bread cubes for stuffing

Pumpkin Soup

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

Thanksgiving Meal Plan 2008, including links to a lemon cream coffeecake and rolls

And I have apparently not posted my stuffing recipe, but that's okay. It's really easy. I found this recipe, which is almost identical to the one I use. Just use the bread cube recipe above, and you're set!

One last thing: Check out the thanksgiving favorites post here by over at Gluten Free Easily, as well as giveaways of two awesome books!!

Thanksgiving preview: Roast Turkey with Prosciutto Hazelnut Butter

2010-11-07T20:43:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is coming up, so I should probably finally post my awesome turkey recipe from LAST year! I guess this is probably more of a post-view than a preview...But, it's so good that I plan on repeating it (I even went out and bought a thyme plant for my kitchen garden!). I figured if anyone else is looking for inspiration, I've definitely got something to share!

Last year for Thanksgiving, I made an amazing meal! I wasn't even jealous that I had to tote around my tupperware at the family dinner. I was that excited to eat my food! I got this recipe from my monthly email from glutenfreeda, a great resource for gluten free recipes! The article highlighted three different turkey preparation methods. Scroll down to the third one. That one's mine.

Isn't that a beautiful-looking bird?

I do have to admit, I am a bit of a wimp when it comes to non-boneless meat. I really have a hard time with all the skin and tendons and stuff. So, to still have the good stuff for making post-Thanksgiving soup, but not have to deal with gizzards and such, I opted for a turkey breast. This one was probably about 6-7 lbs, so I did cut the original recipe in half.

Roast Turkey with Prosciutto Hazelnut Butter

GF/DF

Serves 6

For the butter:

1 1/2 sticks butter (or sub - Earth Balance is great here), at room temp
3 tbsp finely chopped hazelnuts
3/4 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp crushed black peppercorns
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
4-5 oz chopped prosciutto
1 1/2 green onions, chopped

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside 1/4 cup for gravy, reserving the rest for the turkey.

For the turkey:

One 6-9 pound turkey (or turkey breast)
1/2 onion, halved
1 1/2 cloves garlic, halved
3 sprigs of thyme
1 sprig of tarragon
1/2 tbsp crushed black peppercorns
2 1/2 c chicken broth (GF!)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Move oven rack to the lowest position.

Rinse turkey, and pat dry. Trim excess fat. Slide your hand between the skin around the breast and legs to loosen. Spread the butter (minus the 1/4 c for the gravy) under the skin, and covering the outside of the bird as well. Sprinkle salt and pepper inside and out of the turkey. Place turkey on the rack of a roasting pan.

Place the onion, garlic, thyme, tarragon and peppercorns inside the bird's cavity. Tuck wings under the body and tie legs together.

Roast turkey for 1 hour uncovered. Add 1 c broth, and cover w/ a foil tent, continuing to roast for 1-2 more hours, or until the internal temp reaches 175. Baste the turkey with pan drippings occasionally.

Remove from oven and transfer to a platter (set aside the pan drippings for the gravy). Tent with foil to keep it warm. Let it set for about 30 minutes.

For the gravy*:

Reserved 1/4 c prosciutto hazelnut butter
3 shallots (I think I just used an extra onion)
1 bay leaf
1 c dry white wine
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh tarragon
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
Pan drippings from the turkey (recipe called for neck/heart/gizzards, but I opted out of that one), fat strained off if desired
5 c chicken broth
1/8 c GF flour (I think I used a sorghum flour mix)

Melt half of the reserved butter in a large pot over med-high heat. Add shallots and bay leaf. Saute about 20 minutes, or until browned. Add wine and herbs, and bring to a boil. Boil until the liquid has reduced to a glaze. Add half of the pan drippings and broth. Return to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for about an hour. Pick out the herb sprigs and bay leaf. Add enough of the remaining pan drippings and chicken broth to make about 5 cups of gravy.

In a large pot, melt the remaining half of the butter over medium-high heat. Add flour, and whisk for about a minute. Slowly add the gravy, mixing constantly w/ whisk. Cook until the gravy thickens. Taste, and season with salt and pepper if desired.

*Note, I didn't half the gravy recipe, b/c I love gravy!! I only halved the butter, but you get enough flavor w/ the pan drippings mixed in.

**Gluten free flour blends work fine for this. I would also suggest a starch, like cornstarch, or tapioca. It makes the gravy a bit shiny, but it tastes the same, in my opinion. I usually use whatever starch I have on hand.

Next on the Turkey Day Preview agenda: Some tips for getting through the holiday meal unscathed, as well as the incredible chocolate pecan pie I made for dessert last year! Everyone loved it! All of my gluten-eating relatives! But hey, what's not to love about chocolate, right? Stay tuned.

Vegan Mexican Chocolate "Ice Cream"

2010-11-04T21:48:00.001-07:00

Wow, when I got online 3 hours ago, I had every intention of actually posting some recipes tonight. Heh. Well, getting behind on my blogging also put me behind in my blog reading. I guess I find everyone else's blogs more interesting than my own :)

So, I've been really busy the last couple of months. Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally busy. Much more so than I enjoy. I'm more of a laid-back personality, and running a hundred miles an hour is not my favorite thing to do, day in and day out. I've had work, lots of work stuff, training a new girl, taking on new responsibilities as our company grows and changes. I've also gone through a couple of weeks being sick, as well as having a sick cat. I've had family in town and get-together's. I've had an anniversary (SEVEN YEARS ALREADY???). I've had a birthday (NINETEEN AGAIN?? lol jk). I've also had weekly battles with the piles of clothes and dishes that seem never-ending. It's not been all bad, but still, more than I would choose to have on my plate at once.

And in the spare time I have had, I've snuck in my new favorite book series - The Dragonriders of Pern - as well as the occasional weekend WOW-obsessed indulgence with my husband. Yeah, we did spend approximately 15 hours last weekend gaming. Oops.

I have also spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen. I gotta. A girl has to keep herself and her man happily (and allergy-free) fed. I'm super excited to share my pumpkin-fest results, especially the amazing birthday cake I made myself, which I might have to say is the greatest thing I've ever made! Like, EVER. Get excited with me here. Just you wait...

I'm not quite so excited to talk about my quick bread failures. I've decided that I'm more of a muffin kinda gal. But I'll get there. I promise. All these things will be blogged about. Before Thanksgiving, I hope, as I'll have more turkey day recipes to post by then. Oh, and I need to post about my favorite turkey preparation method, seeing as I'm already planning it again for this year.

Right now, aside from this update to excuse my recent absence from the blogging scene, I'd like to share a recipe I made that totally rocked! Remember the super-delicious Mexican chocolate bark I made a couple years ago? Well this recipe reminds me of that. Only it's ice cream!

I've wanted to try this recipe by Elana over at Elana's Pantry for a long time now. Once I got all the pumpkin out of my system, I was ready for something chocolate-infused. This ice cream was it! Yes, I know, winter is rapidly approaching, but I may still be in denial of this (although I did finally resign myself to putting the top back on my Jeep). So of course I listened to the call of ice cream calling my name. There is such a great combination of sweet, chocolatey goodness, with just enough of a spicy bite to tickle the back of the throat.

I was really pleased with how this recipe turned out. However, I found the aftertaste a tad spicy for my current mood. I think I would either tone down the cayenne more, or add some sort of chocolate sauce on top. Or...Mexican chocolate bark!

View the original recipe here (with a fantastic photo by Elana!)

Vegan Mexican Chocolate "Ice Cream"

28 oz almond milk (3 1/2 c or so - I used homemade almond milk, but with half the water added)

1/4 c agave nectar

1 c dark chocolate (I used half a cup of dark chocolate from a bar, and filled the cup w/ enjoy life chocolate chips)

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 pinch salt

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (I halved Elana's suggestion of 1/4 tsp, and would go lower next time, probably half of this again)

1 tsp ground coffee or espresso

1 tbsp vanilla extract (I was a little generous with my tablespoon, but the flavor didn't overpower anything)

Heat the milk and agave to a boil in a medium pot.

Reduce heat and stir in the chocolate, mixing until completely melted. Remove from heat.

Cool mixture for 1 hour (I stuck mine in the fridge for the last half hour to ensure it was cool enough to add to the ice cream maker).

Add the remaining ingredients, and stir well.

Pour into your ice cream maker, and mix away. Follow the instructions for your machine. Mine took about a half hour to mix. The machine turned off, saying the motor was overheated, but the ice cream was still a little soft, so I stuck it in the freezer for a few more minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

P.S. Forgot to mention, this recipe is just one of many delicious dishes you'll find at Linda's Gluten Free Wednesdays! Head on over and join the party!

*UPDATE: This is a great ice cream to make a milkshake out of! Especially if you want to tone down the heat a bit. Just scoop some into a blender, add some almond milk/other milk sub, a little bit of cocoa and agave (to give it a bit more chocolate flavor), and blend until smooth. Genius!!

Savory Veggie Quiche

2010-10-11T18:57:00.000-07:00

This is an awesome recipe! I love the tang of tomatoes in every bite, and it's super healthy. I mostly followed the recipe in The Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam, but made a few adjustments to suit my tastes.

Like she says in the book, this dish is great for breakfast, lunch or dinner! Or all of the above, which is how I ate it when I first made it :D

Savory Veggie Quiche

GF/can be DF

(Adapted from The Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam)

Serves 6

2 tbsp grapeseed oil

2 c thinly sliced mushrooms*

1 c chopped spinach*

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp onion powder (original recipe calls for 1 med onion; if using, saute this first until soft, before adding mushrooms)

1/3 c sun-dried tomatoes in oil (or you can use 1/4 c dry packed)

3 large eggs, whisked

4 oz white cheese substitute (I've used fake mozzarella, as well as the real thing. Recipe calls for goat cheese)

1/2 tsp salt

1 savory pie crust, prebaked** (P.S. I have made this recipe before w/out the crust, and it's still as good. The crust does give a little extra texture though)

4-6 slices cooked bacon/turkey bacon, chopped*

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Saute the mushrooms for a few minutes, then add the spinach, garlic, onion powder and tomatoes. Saute for about 10 minutes (give or take; if using dry tomatoes, you probably want to cook a few extra minutes. The original recipe sautes for 15 min).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine eggs, cheese and salt in a large bowl. Add all the veggies, and stir. Pour mixture into pie crust. Sprinkle bacon on top.

Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. Quiche should be browned a bit and cooked through. Let it cool on the counter for half an hour or until you can't stand it. Then serve it up!

*Notes: Elana's recipe uses 2 c broccoli and 1 c mushrooms, but I don't eat broccoli, so I upped the 'shrooms and added some spinach (I've used both fresh and frozen and both are good).

Also, the original recipe doesn't use any bacon, but when I made this the first time, I felt like it was missing something savory and meaty, so the next time I made it, I added some chopped bacon. Make sure you add it to the top of the dish, otherwise it gets lost in the multitude of flavors.

**Savory Pie Crust Recipe (also adapted from The Almond Flour Cookbook)

1 1/2 c blanched almond flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp (or so) onion powder

1/4 c grapeseed oil

1 tbsp water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour, salt, soda and onion powder in a bowl. In the center of the mixture, whisk together the oil and water. Incorporate the wet and dry ingredients. Press dough into a 9-inch (ish) pie pan.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Crust is ready when golden brown. Remove from oven and cool before filling.

P.S. Forgot to mention, this recipe is just one of many delicious dishes you'll find at Linda's Gluten Free Wednesdays! Head on over and join the party!

Low FODMAPs Diet, Primal Thoughts, Etc.

2010-09-19T20:08:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

So, I have been rather neglectful of my blog updating lately. This is what I've been up to.

I started on the Low FODMAPs diet this week, after a week where I was supposed to be tracking my baseline symptoms...but was actually REALLY sick (I think I somehow ingested some accidental gluten).

Here's some useful information on the diet:

Patsy Catsos' site. She wrote "IBS - Free At Last," which I ordered off amazon, and am using as a guide to my diet. Found the site to be a bit confusing to navigate through, but I appreciate the information she has given: http://www.ibsfree.net/

This is a great little summary of the diet/concept of eating low FODMAPs foods: http://fodmaps.yolasite.com/fodmap-diet.php

Another article explaining the diet: http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/072710p30.shtml

Anyway, look into it if you're interested. It caught my attention, since I react to some really random things, such as beans (not so surprising I guess), wheat, dairy, some fruits, sweeteners...you get the gist. This makes a lot of sense.

So, other than making my meal plans, which I plan on posting eventually, I have been distracted by another way of eating.

I mean Primal.

I'm making my way through Mark Sisson's "Primal Blueprint," which is blowing my mind and getting me all sorts of excited! I'm also reading as much online stuff as I can, ie, blogs. Been frequenting Mark's blog, Mark's Daily Apple, and I just found The Primal Matriarch's awesome site over the weekend, which I've been immersed in.

So many great ideas, so many incredible recipes! What's a girl to do?

How about win a free book over here, to further distract herself? Lol. Just got my copy of "The Pirate Queen" today, and started reading it over dinner. This is why I am choosing to type excuses tonight, rather than type up my meal plan for the week.

Anyway, hope everyone else is having a great week!

Shrimp Grok-Amole - a primal feast!

2010-08-30T20:42:00.000-07:00

So, in my quest to find the solution to my recently prevalent health concerns, ie, more gastro symptoms despite eating less problematic foods, I have been recommended by several people to look into the paleo/primal/hunter-gatherer diet. I've spent nearly all my free time the last two weekends absorbed at Mark's Daily Apple.

The paleo/primal way of eating is a fascinating concept to me. Basically, you're incorporating all the foods that your caveman ancestors ate. You're pretty much eating meat, veggies, fruit, roots and nuts. You're avoiding things like legumes, grains, dairy products and refined sugars (hmm, sound like Stephanie's problem food list to anyone else???)

I've tried a few basic recipes, and so far so good. I like the idea behind the diet, but I'm not positive that this is the cure-all to my problems. Right now I'm looking at getting on the lowFODMAP diet for awhile, which sounds like it may be more appropriate for my symptoms.

However, I did buy Mark's book on Amazon, as well as adding the cookbook to my wishlist, and am so excited to get reading! I will definitely be eating with a more paleo-conscious emphasis!

I was excited, if a bit apprehensive, about this dish. It incorporated many of my favorite foods, like avocado, tomatoes and shrimp, but it still seemed a bit foreign to me.

I loved it! I ate the first batch over the weekend last week, and am eagerly awaiting ripe avocados to make it again!

I ate chips with it the first night (so un-primal of me!), but decided I liked it better without them. Think of it like a great fresh seafood taco, just without the taco shell. It might even be good over some romaine lettuce. Taco salad!

Just FYI, I'm kind of OCD about having equal amounts of food in my bite-fuls, so I chopped everything to be uniform in size (like the shrimp, tomatoes and avocado). I like to enjoy all the flavors at the same time.

Grok-Amole Salad

Adapted from Mark's Daily Apple recipe here

1 lb cooked and peeled shrimp, chopped

3-4 ripe avocados, peeled and chopped

3-4 ripe tomatoes, chopped

2-3 green onions, finely chopped (I used a dash of onion powder and a teaspoon of chives. I think it subbed okay)

1 orange/yellow pepper, chopped (I used a green pepper)

3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

Juice of 1-2 limes

Olive oil

Fresh cilantro, chopped (I just used about a teaspoon)

Salt and pepper

The original recipe called for 1 seeded/finely chopped jalapeno, but I didn't have one. I liked it without.

Mix the shrimp and all the veggies in a large bowl. Drizzle the lime juice and oil over the top, then sprinkle with cilantro, salt and pepper. Mix it all up really well, and serve.

Makes 3-4 servings

*Note: This recipe has been linked over to Amy's Slightly Indulgent Tuesday's Anniversary Edition*

Superly Awesome Cashew Cream

2010-08-30T20:19:00.000-07:00

(photo belongs to Amy over at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free)

Cashew cream. Think dairy free whipped cream. For real!! Never would have thought of it myself. But wow, am I glad I tried it! This stuff is food of the gods!

When in the final rounds of taste-testing, I thrust a spoonful in my husband's face, and said, "Eat. Now." Warily, he glanced at it, then looked up at me and asked the infamous question, "What's in it?"

I bit my lip. I sighed. I nudged the spoon closer to his mouth, and said, "Just try it!" I was greeted with more hesitation.

Finally, I relented. "Cashews and dates," I revealed. He scrunched up his nose, and took half a step back.

I was persistent. "Seriously," I said, a hint of pleading now in my voice, "Just take a taste. It's good. I promise"

He took the spoon from my hand, declaring, "I hate dates. And cashews. Just for the record." Embedded in his words was the underlying meaning, you owe me.

Just wait, I thought in response.

A moment, my breath held in my lungs. The spoon finds his mouth. He takes it out, and savors the flavor for a few seconds. Then....A second lick to the back of the utensil!

Unbelievable!

In his own words, "I would eat that any day."

Success!!!!!!

There you have it, folks. Now you've got to try it for yourself.

I've eaten this atop dairy free pudding, freshly toasted GF bread, peanut butter cookies, almond flour biscuits, and dunked many strawberries (and maybe a few fingers) in it.

So, if you're looking for something to rock your world, a dessert topping that everyone will be wow-ed by, (just in time for the holidays even), this is it!

Raw Cashew Cream by Amy of Simply Sugar & Gluten Free

*the only change I made to mine was I only used 2 dates, rather than 3 (and I don't know if they were medjool...they were the sitting-at-the-bottom-of-my-pantry variety). It was sweet enough for me, and soooooooo delicious!

Pumpkin pie, anyone?

Egg Flower Soup

2010-08-23T20:26:00.000-07:00

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe! There's a restaurant in Beaverton, OR called Chang's Mongolian Grill, where our family ate growing up. We went there for all the special occasions - birthdays, graduation, new years, dates, etc., and all the times in between. We ate there so often in fact, that the owners and chefs knew our names! Every time Luke and I go to Oregon, we try and visit. They do a pretty good job of keeping things gluten free (as long as you go at the beginning of the lunch/dinner hour, since it is a buffet-style place).

We've been to many similar restaurants, and nothing else compares. Their combination of food/sauces is so unique, and so delicious! You start the meal out with hitting up the food bar, where you essentially grab all your "ingredients," then take it up to the grill for them to fry it up for you. You get back to your table, and are greeted by egg flower soup, sticky rice and crepes (don't know if these are GF, haven't asked...). Dessert is a fortune cookie atop chocolate ice cream (on the side for me, though). So good! So worth the trip to Oregon for ;) Just kidding Mom and Dad!

For the rest of the time, when we're Chang's-less, we have Egg Flower Soup.

I found this recipe in my trusty "Life Tastes Good Again" cookbook, but didn't try it until one night, when I was desperately hungry, and short on ingredients. Luckily I had everything for this soup. I started jumping up and down when I tasted it, because it was exactly as I remembered Chang's soup being! This is a great accompaniment to chicken fried rice, or stir-fry. It's also a great dinner when you're home late, and thinking, there's nothing to eat...like I was tonight :)

I've made some variations to the original recipe, and here it is in all it's simplicity and deliciousness!

Egg Flower Soup

2 tbsp starch (cornstarch/arrowroot works great)

dash of salt

2 1/2 c chicken broth (I use Swanson, have tried using homemade, and it's just not as good)

1/2 c water

1/2 - 1 cup carrots, finely minced or grated

1 egg, beaten

Combine the starch and salt in a medium pan. Stirring with a whisk, slowly add the liquids.

Add the carrots. Bring to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring very frequently.

Once it's boiling, decrease the heat to medium. I usually let it cook for about 10 minutes, to soften the carrots.

While gently stirring with a spoon, slowly drizzle the beaten egg into the soup. If you use a whisk, you break the egg up too much. If you pour the egg in too fast, you get big clumps of egg. Which aren't necessarily bad, if you like them. My sister and I used to have competitions to find the biggest egg lump in our soup!

Remove soup from heat and serve hot. Makes 3 full servings, or 5 appetizer servings. Reheats really well.

P.S. This post is linked over to Amy's Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays! Check out the other great recipes posted there!!

Help me solve my health mystery!

2010-08-16T18:16:00.001-07:00

I've been feeling frustrated lately with my gut. I don't know what to do. I feel like I'm fighting two wars:

1 - The battle of Stephanie-feeling-like-crap-all-the-time, and

2 - The battle of "what's for dinner"/"there's nothing good to eat"/"WTF can I eat in the next 30 minutes because I just got home from working a 10-hour day and DON'T feel like cooking!?!"

When I pay attention to the first, I am more careful about eating foods that are considered "safe" (mostly, considered to be IBS-safe). But often, that is more boring, less exciting, and let's be honest, I love to cook/bake/explore the world of food! Eating chicken and rice all the time sucks.

When I devote more energy to the second, I make things that I enjoy eating. I may cheat a bit on my "IBS diet" and have a bit of dairy, more fatty foods, etc. But I feel satisfied in that I'm not eating the same ol' boring food, and my palate is pleased. Problem is, my gut sometimes isn't.

My main symptoms tend to be serious gas, bloating, cramping, and constipation/diarrhea (and associated pain).

Other, possibly, maybe related symptoms are frequent headaches, joint pain-including severe TMD (hello, I'm 26!!! Some days I can't even get out of bed and function without ibuprofen and heat), very intense PMS, irritability (so says my husband lol)...and I'm sure there are more, I just can't think of anything else at the moment.

That may be another possible symptom - memory/brain issues. I've noticed recently that my memory isn't what it used to be (and, like I said, I'm not that old), and I'm really having problems with mixing my words/letters up when writing/typing. I never had problems with dyslexia before, but it's kind of worrying me...

Anyway, I'm not sure what to pinpoint as far as the cause of my symptoms goes, b/c it varies so much, and feels so random.

So what's the problem/problems?

Stress? Yes, I do have a lot of stress in my life, and I cause the majority of it. But is it the source?

Specific intolerances that I am missing?

Lectin intolerance?

IBS (and not following the diet more directly)?

It's all in my head (lol!!)?

I DON'T KNOW!!

I don't eat a lot of sugar, processed foods, or fat. I only eat out 2-3 times a month. I eat mostly lean meats, GF grains, fruits/veggies, nuts, etc. I drink a lot of water. I take an IBS-friendly fiber supplement before each meal, I drink herbal teas, and not a lot of caffeine or alcohol. I take a probiotic daily. I try and take vitamins a few times a week.

Anyone have any advice/suggestions/good resources on where to look/how to figure this out?

I'm thinking about changing up my diet, either by doing an elimination diet or trying the paleo diet. Any opinions on either of those?

Thanks!

What To Eat When Backpacking

2010-08-09T22:07:00.000-07:00

Red Castle Mountain

So, last week, my husband, my father-in-law, and I spent 4 days backpacking in the High Uintas. See a full report on my trip, with lots of pictures HERE.

I wanted to share what I packed for my husband and myself, and what we learned from what we brought. There were definitely things we’ll be doing different next time around to save on weight and space.

What we ate:

For breakfasts, Luke ate 2 packets of oatmeal and a couple pieces of turkey bacon the first couple days. I had made some gluten free hot cereal, which I had frozen in Ziploc bags, and I heated that up each morning for breakfast for me. It was really good! I drank tea with breakfast, and Luke had some Hawaiian Punch.

Lunch was made to be more on-the-go, and it worked out really well. Luke had some peanut butter and honey sandwiches on wheat bread, which seemed good enough for him, eaten with some trail mix and jerky. For myself, the first day I brought some egg salad in a Ziploc bag, and ate that with half a gluten free bagel (made by Udi’s, which I found at our local Einstein Bro’s Bagels). The other days I ate tuna (in the individual pouches) with a bagel half. I also brought some individual mayo packets to mix into the tuna, which made it much more enjoyable (P.S. I stocked up on the mayo at recent trips to fast food restaurants with my husband. Lol).

Dinner consisted of tin foil dinners the first night. The rest of the nights, Luke ate a half packet of ramen, and some bean with bacon soup (which I’d divided and frozen). He loved it! My dinners were actually surprisingly good. I had a packet of Thai Kitchen soup (Bangkok Curry is my favorite), along with some freeze-dried turkey and veggies. I mixed it all together, and it made for a tasty and filling dinner! We also had more Hawaiian Punch with our dinners. We topped off the meal each night with a couple peanut butter cookies. So delicious!

Snacks we packed were trail mix, beef jerky, energy bars for me, oatmeal bars for Luke, dill sunflower seeds, and some Mary’s Gone Crackers Sticks and Twigs (which is a snack similar to pretzels, only gluten free, and healthier. Luke calls it bird food, b/c it’s made from grains and seeds, and tastes like it, but I love it!).

What I recommend for future backpacking trips, knowing what I know now:

(this is mostly for myself, so I don’t forget when next summer rolls around, but hopefully it will benefit you, my readers, as well)

We probably had 10 lbs of food more than we needed! We way over-packed in general, but I think we could have cut back on our weight a bit by watching our food.

So, first on the list: Don’t bother with the perishables. Yeah, it was nice to have bacon with breakfast, and obviously I can’t do oatmeal on the gluten free diet (learned that the hard way last time we went backpacking, that even “safe” oatmeal does not agree with me at ALL). However, my cereal was heavy pre-made. I also wouldn’t want to spend 20 minutes cooking my breakfast each morning, so, I think in the future, what I will do is breakfast on energy bars, trail mix, jerky, and tea.

Luke says that he’d sacrifice good food, like the tin foil dinners, and bean with bacon soup, for a few pounds less in his pack. As unappealing as the freeze-dried meals are, he says he’ll make them work next time. Plus, there’s always ramen. Luke’s dad ate 2 packets of ramen for lunch each day, and a freeze-dried meal each night for dinner. Smart!

My dinners were actually the lightest food I brought. They worked great, tasted good, and I can’t complain. I was really frustrated before we left, because I had found some gluten free dehydrated meals that I really liked, but wasn’t able to get more shipped to me before we would be leaving. So, next time, plan ahead, and order that gluten free stuff way before you need it!

Plus, with perishable food comes a need for a way to store and keep cool. We packed in a couple pounds of dry ice, 2 frozen water bottles (which were nice for having ice-cold drinks, and kept the food cool for a couple days), and a small cooler, which was light by itself, but bulky. Way too much weight there!!!

I brought a couple different energy bars that I really liked:

Lara bars. I really love the peanut butter cookie flavor, but there are a few other flavors that are pretty good too. The cinnamon roll is okay, as are the apple and cherry pie flavors. I enjoyed the peanut butter and jelly flavor as well.

I discovered Organic Food Bar, which may be my new favorite treat! I’ve only tried the Belgium Chocolate Chip flavor, but I really like it. The bar part reminds me of your average energy bar, but nestled in every bite are bursts of creamy, chocolaty goodness! These were great to have up on the trail.

On their website, the price for a box of bars is about equal to the price I paid in the store (about $2.75), but add in shipping…and you’re up to about $3.40. However, I did look on Amazon, and it looks like they sell them for quite a bit less, which is great! Plus, they qualify for amazon prime, which means I get free shipping! So, total cost on amazon is $2.22. Much more affordable for an occasional energy bar!

Just a note: There are a couple of their bars which contain wheat grass and barley grass, but they claim that they are well below the US standard of gluten free. I would still recommend testing them out at home before you open one up on the trail. I will have to give their other bars a try sometime, and report on my findings here. But these I definitely recommend!!

We loved the Hawaiian Punch singles packets! They’re sugar free, but tasted delicious! They were great for accompanying meals, and we ran out too quickly. Pack lots of these, even if you only bring one empty water bottle for them. You’ll want something other than filtered, not-quite-cold spring water to drink. Would have loved some Gatorade as well, but I couldn’t find any individual packets at the store, and forgot to measure out how much would be needed for a water bottle. I’m sure that wouldn’t be too difficult to figure out though. To keep things gluten free, I gave Luke the cup from the mess kit, and drank out of the bottle myself, topping him off as needed.

The GF bagels were so awesome to have, and I would bring them next time. The only problem is, the week we got home, I headed to Einstein Bro’s to stock up again, and was told they have discontinued carrying them! Weak! I’m so sad. They were the best, most “real” tasting bagels I’ve had since going gluten free. Buying them on Udi’s website is probably not an option for me, unless I can find some people to go in with me on them. The price per bagel is the same online as it was to buy at Einstein. But the shipping fees are atrocious! I understand they have to be shipped quickly, and kept frozen to stay fresh, but come on! Twice as much as the cost of one bag of bagels!

I suppose if you buy a few at a time, the shipping fee doesn’t increase much. But I would need to invest in a deep freeze in order to store several bags of bagels, and I don’t have room for that in my current house :P Ah, well, such is life. They did make for very handy meals, and half a bagel was all I really needed at lunch.

Definitely loved the trail mix! We packed way too much of it (filled 2 quart-sized Ziploc bags, one for each of us). We probably only ate half of what we brought in 4 days, and that included sharing some with Luke’s dad. For future trips, I would recommend packing extra M&M’s in the mix. We had a mix of peanut and almond M&M’s, and those got eaten first (I know I don't usually tolerate dairy, but the M's don't seem to bother me in moderation. Score!).

Our trail mix ingredients:

Steph’s: peanut/almond M&M’s, pecans, peanuts, walnuts, almonds, cashews, raisins, dried apples, and dried apricots

Luke’s: peanut/almond M&M’s, pecans, peanuts, walnuts, and almonds

As far as jerky goes, we packed way too much of that too. Probably only ate a serving a day each. But it’s not too heavy, so packing a little extra wasn’t a bad thing. I’ve found a couple of brands that do well with the gluten free thing. Target’s generic brand (can’t think of it at the moment) is good, as well as Hi-Country, which I found at Wal-mart. I don’t know for sure that either is gluten free, but neither lists wheat on the ingredient list, and I have eaten both with no problems. I prefer the Hi-Country jerky, personally. It’s really good!

P.S. I just realized this, and don’t know if I’ve been oblivious all my life, but on most jerky packaging, it says to refrigerate after opening, and best when eaten within 5 days. Was this always the case? We always had jerky in our pantry growing up, and I never remember having to throw it in the fridge. Anyway, side note :) I just took a few servings worth of jerky in a Ziploc bag, and threw the rest in the freezer.

I also packed some Earth Balance butter substitute and a lemon for our fish (that we didn’t get to eat, since we didn’t catch any dinner-worthy fish). The butter was frozen, and in the future, I would probably only pack half a stick, rather than a full one. I also packed some seasoning mix for the fish, that actually worked pretty well with the dinners we ate. I mixed salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder in a prescription pill bottle. I’ve since made grilled chicken with this stuff, and it’s pretty good. I would probably bring all this stuff again, as long as we caught some real fish this time (which mostly I blame on us not having enough fishing gear).

We had no problem with fires, once we got the first one going, which was the only difficulty. We kept the ashes covered with rocks until the next time we needed them. I would still recommend bringing a small propane stove for boiling water, which was mostly what we needed for our meals.

So, in summary (because I tend to ramble on a bit in my posts):

Stephanie’s recommended food for backpacking:

Non-GF Food Suggestions:

Breakfast – Oatmeal

Lunch – PBH sandwiches

Dinner – Ramen/dehydrated meals

Snacks – Trail mix, jerky, seeds, oatmeal/energy bars, Hawaiian Punch or other individual drink packets

GF Food Suggestions:

Breakfast – Energy bars/ GF oatmeal

Lunch – Tuna packets w/ GF bread/bagel/crackers

Dinner – GF dehydrated meals/Thai Kitchen soup packets w/ dehydrated meat/veggies to add

Snacks – Trail mix, GF jerky, energy bars, Sticks and Twigs, Hawaiian Punch or other individual drink packets

Enjoy!

Camping, Gluten Free

2010-06-27T19:43:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a family reunion down in Southern Utah. It was great! So beautiful and so fun to catch up with everyone. My favorite part, though? The food, of course!!!

My aunt and cousin have always had problems with wheat. Recently, my cousin has adopted the gluten free lifestyle, and she's helping her parents do it too. We've had many discussions over the last year or so about different aspects to the lifestyle.
Even more recently, one of my other cousins started having problems with her oldest son developing a horrible chicken-pox like rash. She has looked into exploring the food allergy possibility (she developed a gluten intolerance while she was pregnant with him), and wanted to try eating gluten free with her son while at the reunion.

So, there was a hefty order for gluten free goodies this year.

I brought the following items to share (which were enjoyed by all):
Vanilla almond flour cupcakes (with coconut and chocolate frostings, as well as strawberries)
Chocolate chip scones
Strawberry chocolate chip muffins (I still need to post my variations on this amazing recipe!)
Gluten free rolls (which I still feel like need some work before I post the recipe)
Decadent chocolate cookies (Ack! Another one I need to post!)

Some things I brought for myself:
Beef jerky (Target's store brand doesn't have any wheat in it, unlike most)
Lara bars (my fave flavor is the peanut butter cookie variety)
Mary's Gone Cracker's Sticks and Twigs snack
Glutino crackers (the ritz-like ones) w/ tuna packages
Some cashews and walnuts (softer on my braces than my favorite almonds)
Fresh fruit
Rice Works sweet chili rice chips

I enjoyed my aunt's amazing gluten/dairy free biscuits and gravy each morning (made with almond flour biscuits and almond milk gravy), as well as my new favorite food, of which I was sent home with a bagful: Gluten free bagels from Einstein Bagel Co!!! I enjoyed my first real bagel in 4 years!

Now that makes for one great weekend!

The stars were not aligned in my favor...

2010-06-23T20:55:00.000-07:00

So, I think if I were into horoscopes, my fortune for last Friday would have told me to STAY OUT OF THE KITCHEN!!!
I was very excited to be making two delicious recipes, and they both failed miserably!
So, I am going back to those recipes, and editing them. Just thought I'd let you all know.

First off, we have the Sloppy Dudes I have been raving about. So I made a full batch of this stuff on Friday, hoping to stock up for the weekend so I wouldn't have to cook. My rolls, by the way, turned out better, but they're still needing work, so I'll post them another day. I don't know if it was because I had made a smaller portion the first time or what, but the ratios were way off when I followed the recipe for a full batch.
Problem #1: When using a lime in this recipe, be sure and use a SMALL lime (or a quarter of a larger, lemon sized lime). Both my avocado mash and the meat filling were very strongly lime-y. Still good, but a bit overpowering.
Problem #2: I don't know what happened here, but a full cup of chicken stock was WAY too much for this recipe. I ended up draining about half a cup, after letting the whole thing simmer an extra 10 minutes to try and reduce the sauce. I think I may have an idea of what I did differently (added the correct number of tomatillos this time, as opposed to a couple less the first time I made it), but I don't see how the measurements are off. I recommend just pouring in half the amount of stock, and adding more if needed.

On to dessert. I'm headed to a family reunion this weekend, and we've got a few people eating gluten free, so I am in charge of bringing some safe goodies for everyone to enjoy. Well, the almond flour vanilla cupcakes I made were such a hit, I figured I'd bring them. I thought I'd make a batch and throw them in the freezer to save myself some last-minute work . Since we've got a lot of mouths to feed, I thought I'd change the recipe just a bit, by making mini-cupcakes. So I followed the recipe exactly the same, simply pouring the batter into a mini-cupcake pan, which I had covered with cooking spray. Apparently, that was the wrong thing to do. These puppies NEED to be baked in paper-lined cups. I couldn't get a single one out of the pan. And let me just say, I didn't go easy on the pan spray either. I was worried about the tops overflowing, and sticking to the pan. Well, I had the opposite problem. All the tops came off fine...just without the rest of the cupcake :P
So, for this recipe edit, I am stressing the need for lining the muffin cups with paper! Unless you want to enjoy your cupcakes in crumbs (which turned out to be pretty good with sliced strawberries and melted DF chocolate). Hubby enjoyed eating the tops for breakfast as well, so all was not lost.

This just goes to show you, even those of us who have been doing this whole cooking thing for awhile still get it wrong once in awhile :)

Sloppy Dudes (think turkey burger meets fresh mex tacos!)

2010-06-15T22:23:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to share this new recipe with you all! I made this for dinner tonight, and it was amazing! An inspired dish as well, as it combined all the things I was trying to get rid of before they went bad in my fridge!

I can't even describe this dish. It's a perfect blend of the most unexpected ingredients. The flavors work so well together.

Ok, so think sloppy joe, only think, california style. Fresher. Lighter. Throw some avocado and tomato in there. Add a hint of zesty cumin and a splash of lime.

Yeah, this is it. Don't question it. Just make it!

GF/DF Sloppy Dudes
(adapted from the recipe in "Just In Time" by Rachael Ray)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
16 tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed well
1/2 onion
3 cloves garlic
juice of 1 small lime
1 tbsp ground cumin
salt and pepper
1/2 c chicken stock (more if needed)
2 ripe avocados
4 gluten free rolls*
2 tomatoes
tortilla chips, for serving
(recipe also calls for 1 jalapeno, but I didn't have one. I bet it would be great though!)

Finely chop/mince tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapeno (if using).
Place a large skillet over medium-high, and add oil. Once it's hot, stir in the turkey and chopped veggies. Break up the turkey and mix everything together in the pan. Season with half the lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add half a cup of the chicken stock, and simmer for 5 more minutes. The liquid will have mostly evaporated by the end. Add more liquid if needed.
In the meantime, halve the avocados, remove pits, and scoop out of the skin. Mash avocados in a small bowl with remaining lime juice.
Split and toast or broil the rolls until lightly golden browned.
Slice the tomatoes, and set aside. You can also use additional red onion slices, if desired (raw onions don't do so well with my system).
To assemble, spread some of the avocado over the rolls. Scoop on the turkey filling. Top with a tomato slice. If possible, you can put the top of the roll back on. My rolls didn't split so easily, so I just did open-faced sandwiches. I actually ate them with a fork, as they were a bit sloppy (really the only true resemblance to sloppy joes).
Serve with tortilla chips.

Makes 4ish servings. I halved the recipe, and still think I have enough for 3 meals! Maybe I just need to go heavier on the toppings. My GF rolls aren't exactly ginormous.

*My roll recipe is still a work in progress. The rolls I've made taste good, but they don't really look amazing. Nor do they have that glutenous split-in-half thickness to them. I am planning on testing another batch this weekend, and will post the recipe soon!

I apologize. None of the pictures I took of the finished product turned out that great. So, I photographed all the elements to the meal. Don't they look yummy though?

P.S. If you have leftover avocado mash, it works great as a butter/mayo sub on toast/sandwiches. I make "poor man's butter" all the time by mashing an avocado, and mixing in some lime juice and salt. Soooo good!

P.P.S. This recipe is linked over to Linda's Gluten Free Wednesdays! Check out the other fabulous recipes there!

*Note: This recipe has been recently updated, thanks to a disastrous experience in the kitchen the other night :P

This recipe has also been linked to Diane's Friday Foodie Fix - Tomatillos.

Gluten Free Anniversary! The journey so far.

2010-06-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

June represents a milestone for me. Four years ago, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Sometimes it seems like it's been longer, and other times I think, holy cow, has it already been four years??

Reflecting on the last four years, I feel like I have grown so much in my life in general, as well as in my gluten-free adventure. And it's definitely been an adventure!

I've never really shared "my story" here, the reason being that I prefer to look toward the future rather than dwell on the past. I also feel like this is a somewhat frustrating story, and while the overall ending is VERY happy (gluten-free and feeling better! YAY!), it's not a completely finished story. There are still some mysteries in my health that need to be solved. But, I suppose that's life :)

However, I thought this might be a good opportunity to share it with the world. This is more than just a gluten-free story. It's the story of me discovering the joys of being healthy, and listening to what my body was telling me.

As far back as I can remember, I've always had a "sensitive stomach." I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia when I was 8 years old, and my mom made sure I ate enough complex carbs (LOTS of whole wheat bread), proteins, and limited my sugar intake. For the most part, I had no problem with this, other than the traumatic diagnostic visit to the pediatrician. I remember sobbing uncontrollably in the waiting room for an hour, while they were doing the test, which I think involved pumping me full of sugar to see how my body reacted. Anyway, as a teenager, I began to notice that my body reacted badly to stress. I was frequently gassy and bloated (and never made the connection to comfort foods, of which I overindulged when stressed). It was something I pretty much just suffered through.

I remember on my 18th birthday, my family took me to Outback Steakhouse for dinner. We got a big plate of the bloomin' onion (onion rings) as an appitizer, and I scarfed them! They were soooo good. But, boy did I pay for that later. I was so sick the rest of the night. I don't know if it was too much food and fun, too much grease, or gluten, but this was a pretty typical occurrence for me. Holidays usually meant extra time in the bathroom, emergency pepto bismol, and lots of cuddle time with my bean bag.

I headed off to college, scavenging for cafeteria food and vending machine junk between classes. I ate a lot of quesadillas, chicken pot pies, and breakfast bagels. Yum! But I was definitely not feeling my best.

I never had to worry about my weight growing up. I was always naturally pretty skinny, which I didn't truly appreciate until I got to college. I'm sure there were numerous things contributing to the changes my body went through. In college, I was dealing with some major emotional issues, depression, anxiety, and overall life stress. Plus, I was less active physically than I had ever been in my life (especially when I stopped going to class, and therefore was no longer trekking across campus daily). I got on antidepressants and birth control. And I started gaining weight. Not a lot, maybe 15 lbs. But, considering the last time my weight had fluctuated was my freshman year of high school, this was a big deal to me. However, everyone I talked with about it wrote it off as the "Freshman 15." Maybe that's all it was. But that wasn't the end of it.

I got married a year later. By then, my weight had increased another 5 lbs. My emotions were at an all-time low, and I was still feeling pretty crappy. A year and a half into my marriage, my husband told me he was worried about me. He said he was concerned about my health (ie, I was STILL gaining weight, very inactive, on 3 antidepressants/anti-anxiety medications, sleeping pills, etc), as well as the fact that more often than not, I was coming home from my part-time job completely drained, unable to do much because my body hurt too badly. The cramps were getting worse, and the gas was getting WAY worse :P

So I went to my doctor, with a couple of requests. Get me off of these meds, which I was worried were the cause of my weight problems, and help me feel better!! Doc put me on acid reflux medication. That didn't work. He told me to start taking Beano and Lactaid. That didn't work. He told me I had IBS, and to start following that diet (lots of whole grains, no red meat/fat/dairy). That REALLY didn't work.

I spent some time on an online IBS forum, discussing my situation with other people dealing with similar symptoms. It was then that I was first made aware of gluten intolerance. I did more research on the subject, and realized I might have found an answer. I went back to my doctor, and asked him to test me to for celiac.

The bloodwork came back positive, and he sent me to a GI to verify with a biopsy. The biopsy was also positive. The GI (who barely spoke English) told me I had "the sprue" and that I just needed to cut gluten out of my diet and I'd be fine. Easy enough, right? LOL! He also gave me the name of the nutritionist who worked for the hospital, and said she'd be able to help me. He also recommended I go get a bone scan done, to check my bone density. I set up appointments to see both of them a few days later, and in the meantime did all the reading I could on celiac disease.

The bone scan showed no real damage, just that I was on the verge of having bone problems. So I was told to load up on supplements and followup in the future.

I then went in to see the nutritionist, which was a total waste of my time. She handed me about 50 pages of printed paper, that had come from celiac.com, and told me this would have all the answers to my questions. The questions I tried to ask her, she couldn't answer...and, by the way, celiac.com was the FIRST place I went in my online researching the same day I was diagnosed! I was so mad. Especially b/c my insurance didn't cover the visit with her.

So I went home, feeling completely alone, depressed, but at the same time trying to stay positive. I finally had an answer! More frenzied online researching ensued, as I tried to wrap my mind around this new concept of eliminating gluten from my life. There were lots of failures, and a lot more moments of weakness, where I caved. I went through quite a phase at the beginning where, when I screwed up and accidentally ate gluten, I binged. My mentality was, well, if you're gonna be sick, might as well actually enjoy something...Yeah, that was BAD! Lol. I figured it out eventually. But it took way too long before I could give up my Wendy's JBCs and Kneader's paninis. I think I finally had a "last meal" ceremony, where I made one my favorite gluten-filled dishes, a pizza sandwich (pizza toppings, cheese, and sauce in a toasted sandwich).

I spent a lot of time on the GF forum on celiac.com, finding recipes, asking questions and getting to know other people dealing with this. It is such a great resource, and helped me through the initial transition into the diet.

The first gluten free cookbook I bought was called Life Tastes Good Again. It was written by two women out here in Utah, and they do a monthly GF cooking class. They pretty much saved my life. I began talking a lot with Betsy, online and at the classes, and spent some time with her at her house. She really helped teach me how to cook gluten free.

After a few months, this started feeling doable to me. I was having more baking successes, and less binging. Life gluten free wasn't perfect. I still remember that autumn, the birds flocked to our backyard, where I would throw out rock-hard or completely ruined loaves of bread. Eating out was still very emotionally challenging for me. I got sick at least half the time we went out. And watching other people eat the things that I REALLY wanted to eat sucked, especially when I had to consume another stupid salad. But for the most part, I was feeling better.

About a year into the diet, I started feeling sick again. I went to the GI, who told me I was probably lactose intolerant, and to start taking Lactaid pills. I did, and that helped...sometimes. I went to my general doctor, who told me he wanted to do an allergy test. We did the skin prick test, which showed up somewhere in the middle for dairy. He said to keep trying the Lactaid, avoid large amounts of dairy, and if I was still having problems, that I was probably facing an actual allergy or intolerance to dairy. The only solution for this was to cut it out of my diet. I fought this one more than gluten. I finally felt like I knew what I was doing in the kitchen again, and now the game had changed...It took me at least a year before I committed to giving up dairy for good. This definitely helped the way I felt. I still cheat very occasionally, usually when going out. But I try to avoid making anything with dairy at home.

At the same time, my doctor tested me for candida and a couple of other possible causes. Nothing turned up positive.

Like I said, cutting dairy out of my diet helped. But I was still having problems. I did a lot of reading about elimination diets, other food intolerances, etc. I decided to try somewhat of a reverse elimination diet with some of my suspect foods (just ate really bland foods for a couple days, then added in one of the suspect foods to see how I reacted). That worked...but not the way I was expecting. I spent 3 days eating plain GF french bread, potatoes, rice and bananas. But I was still getting sick. Suspect #1: POTATOES! Definitely reacted to them. Also figured out that I had problems with coconut, popcorn, onions, beans, broccoli, and cabbage. So, cut all those things out. That was not too big of a deal, except for the potatoes, which I have always LOVED, and used a lot in meals, as they were easy, and a very versatile side dish. Coconut was another tough one, since I'd found it to be the best dairy substitute (coconut ice cream!!!!!).
Anyway, got rid of all that stuff, and felt a bit better.

Eventually though, I realized something was still bothering me. So, back to the GI, after a 4 week period where I kept a food/symptom journal. He barely glanced at it, and insisted again that I had IBS. He also wanted to do a biopsy, but we didn't have money for it, so I just went with the IBS diagnosis. He did however give me a prescription for Align, which is a probiotic specifically for people with IBS symptoms. The Align has really helped. I still take it, you can get it over the counter, and I notice a difference when I don't take it.

I was very frustrated at this point. I felt like the IBS diagnosis was a cop-out, and was resentful to be put back on a diet that hadn't worked before.

I committed myself to trying it though, and it really did help. I made two great discoveries along the way. Two items recommended to me by fellow IBS-sufferers: acacia fiber and fennel tea. Both of these things are manufactured by a woman who has revolutionized the IBS community. I mostly follow the diet, straying here and there, but as long as I use these two things, my symptoms are usually kept at bay. I take the fiber religiously, about 10 grams a day, before each meal. I also drink the tea anytime I know I'm going to eat something that may trigger an attack, or when I'm already feeling bloated/gassy. I also use a heated bean bag often when I am feeling sick. That seems to help alleviate the pain.

One other thing I've tried to stick to with the IBS diet is to avoid trigger foods, like red meat, and high fat foods. This definitely makes a difference!

As of today, I still feel like something is bothering me. I just haven't got a clue as to what it could be. I've tried tracking it, and it's inconsistent, so I'm lost. It's not a big enough of a bother to cause me to pursue it. To be honest, the pain I feel these days is nothing compared to the pain I felt when I would eat gluten or dairy.

I feel like I'm a lot healthier. I don't get sick as often, and when I do, it's not enough to contain me to my bed.

Going back to my weight problems. In the midst of all my food adventures, I was still gaining weight. For a girl whose weight hadn't fluctuated more than 10 lbs in 10 years, this was baffling. In about 2 years, I gained 50 lbs. I spent so much money on diet foods/drinks, personal trainers, etc. Finally, through some miracle, I solved the mystery. My GP retired, which I was okay with, since he was the one who had sent me on a goose chase to figure out my GI problems.

I found a new doctor, and eventually brought up the subject of my weight/low energy and possible medication correlations. He immediately ordered a bloodtest. He also asked me about my thyroid. I told him it had been "borderline low" for years, and my old GP told me that as long as it didn't drop I should be okay. New doc told me this was NOT okay, and gave me a prescription for Synthroid.

Within the first month, I started losing weight! And this was 2 months after I had stopped working out with a personal trainer! I was so excited. It took about 6 months, but by the end of 2008 I had gone from 155 lbs to 110 lbs (with very minimal exercising and simply following my GF/DF/IBS diet). Everyone tells me it's unfair. But, boy did it feel good to feel like myself again! In the last year and a half, I have lost 5 lbs, and only gained weight during a 2 month period where my pharmacy switched me to a generic brand. Getting back on the name brand fixed that though!

So, that's me over the last 4 years. Whew. I still get people who ask me how I do it. Give up so much. It really isn't a choice for me anymore. I wouldn't trade how I feel today for how I felt back then for anything! Even for pizza sandwiches! The hassle and inconvenience I experience is nothing compared to the pain I remember living with daily.

I am so thankful to all the resources that helped me get to where I am. Thanks to my family and my in-laws for putting up with my annoying requests at get-togethers and for being the taste testers for all my experiments (especially Ali and DJ!

Thanks to my sister, aunts and cousins, who are all now joining me in being gluten free (it makes me feel so good to be able to help you gals out, to share my successes and failures with you, and for you to help me feel like this matters to more than just me).

Most importantly, I am grateful for my husband, who has always stood by me, helped me, encouraged me, scolded me when necessary, and loved me, no matter how bad things got. Thanks babe, for indulging my more expensive grocery habits, for trying all my new recipes, and for helping me see how much better life is when I'm taking care of my body.

Thank you to all my readers, for sharing your recipes and experiences with the world, and for being interested in mine! I'm excited to keep moving forward, and see where life takes me!

Here's to many more glorious, gluten-free days!

Very Vanilla and Coconut Cupcakes

2010-06-01T19:59:00.000-07:00

Looking for something sweet? Try these lovely and healthy (ish) morsels out. Made with almond flour, they smell and taste delicious! The frosting on top is pretty good too!

I made these for my cousin's birthday this weekend, and they were a hit. She told me they enjoyed the leftovers for breakfast with fresh berries on top. Yum!

The cupcakes were even great by themselves! I loved the way they made my house smell, very vanilla-y! It was beautiful.

I totally deviated from the frosting recipe by using butter instead of coconut oil. But it seemed to work pretty well anyway.

Very Vanilla Cupcakes
(adapted from The Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam)

2 large eggs, separated
1/4 c oil (I used light olive oil)
1/2 c agave
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 c almond grinds (from making almond milk), or additional almond flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line 10 muffin cups. You must use paper cup liners, or the cupcakes will stick to the pan.
Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl until pale yellow. Whisk in the oil, agave, vanilla and lemon juice.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites to stiff peaks with an electric mixer.
Gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture.
Combine the dry ingredients. Gently fold into the wet ingredients.
Scoop batter into muffin cups.
Bake 20-30 minutes, until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean (mine took about 25 minutes).
Let cool in the pan for half an hour, then frost if desired, and/or serve.
Makes 10 cupcakes.

Creamy Coconut Frosting
(adapted from The Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam)

1 c unsweetened coconut milk
1 c agave necter
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp arrowroot powder
1 tbsp water
1 1/4 c butter, melted, mixed with about half a tsp of coconut extract (recipe called for coconut oil, but I didn't have it)

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, agave and salt. Bring to a boil.
Whisking frequently, decrease heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes. This will reduce the mixture by 1/3-1/2.
In a small bowl, combine the arrowroot and water. Whisk together until well blended.
Raise heat on the stove to medium-high, then add the arrowroot paste, whisking constantly for about a minute, until the mixture thickens.
Take the pan off the unit, and gradually mix in the melted butter. Stir until blended smooth.
Place in the freezer, and allow to cool for about half an hour, until the frosting solidifies a bit.
Remove, and whip until thick and fluffy.
Can be used on cupcakes, cakes, or cookies. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

I don't know if the frosting turned out exactly right. It was more of a glaze than a frosting. It kind of oozed a bit. I think I should have let it cool more, or thrown the frosted cupcakes in the fridge before serving. But everyone said it was good, and the frosting was licked off the plates, so I'm assuming it tasted delicious to someone other than just me :) Heck, what's not to love about gooey-coconutty-buttery goodness!

This and other cake recipes are brought together at Gluten Free Wednesdays - Cake Challenge! Check it out for some more great recipes!!

This recipe is also linked to June 2010′s Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten-Free "Cream of the Crop," filled with delicious gluten AND dairy free recipes! Take a look. I'm sure they're gonna be good!

*Note: This recipe has been recently edited, due to a total fiasco when attempting to recreate it.

Score!!!

2010-05-31T15:48:00.001-07:00

Whew! I did it! 8 posts in one month!! I don't know how some people do this on a regular basis :) But I'm gonna try and do it again. It was fun, and I'm proud of myself. Only this time I'll try and not overwhelm everyone with recipes over the course of 5 days.
Now I'm off to enjoy the final hours of my weekend.
Happy Memorial Day to you all!

Almond Flour Bread

2010-05-31T15:43:00.000-07:00

I heart my copy of Elana’s Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook. My mouth waters every time I pull it down off the shelf. Maybe it’s that picture of a big fat chocolate cake on the front…

I swoon over her chocolate chip scones, I adore the cod piccata paprika, the pancake batter in waffle-form (I’ve decided I have a thing against pancakes. I think it’s the texture, since I love the exact same batter so much more in waffle form!) and let’s not forget the Strawberry Crème Tart (ooh, I totally have strawberries in the fridge begging to be made into that recipe)! So many great recipes!

Here’s another good one! Scrumptious sandwich bread. I admit, it’s not your average GF bread. It’s richer, thicker, nuttier, heartier. I have breads I love for sandwiches. But this one, it’s different. Special. I’ve loved it three different ways. As croutons, in a breakfast bake, and as crackers/toasted. See how I did it below the bread recipe.

Scrumptious Sandwich Bread
(adapted from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook)

¾ c roasted almond butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs (I used 2 eggs and ½ c egg whites)
¼ c blanched almond flour
¼ c arrowroot powder
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 tbsp ground flax meal

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a bread pan (Elana recommends grapeseed oil, I just used Pam spray).
In a large bowl, mix almond butter until well blended. Add eggs and stir well. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until thoroughly combined. Pour into pan.
Bake for 45 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven, or until a knife inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan for an hour. Slice and serve.

Check out the link here for the breakfast bake.

Ok, so for the crackers, it was pretty simple. I just sliced the bread very thinly, spritzed it with olive oil and sprinkled with a bit of garlic salt, then threw it in my toaster oven for a good 5 minutes. It was wonderfully crispy! I’m sure these would be great with some spreads/toppings. I was very satisfied with just enjoying them as they were.

And as for the croutons, well, these are awesome! I’ve rediscovered my love for the crunchy morsels, and I’m excited to experiment with more flavor combinations! So, I cubed my bread pretty small (think thumbnail sized pieces, or whatever you prefer, I just enjoyed this size the most and they reminded me of restaurant croutons). I heated a pan with a swirl of EVOO over med-high heat. I added a sprinkle of salt and some chili powder, then tossed in the bread cubes. You gotta watch these babies, they cook fast. I stirred a lot (very gently, so as to not squash them!), and spritzed some extra oil where I felt necessary. Feel them, to see if they’re getting crispy. Five or so minutes is all it takes, and there you go!

Chicken Vegetable Soup

2010-05-31T15:39:00.000-07:00

You all must know by now about my devotion to the first GF cookbook I bought, "Life Tastes Good Again" by Kirsti Kirkland and Betsy Thomas, two local girls who saved my life. However, I don’t believe I’ve ever posted my favorite soup recipe from their cookbook! Shame on me!

So, it’s chicken vegetable soup, and I seem to make it differently almost every time I make it. The page is covered with little notes that I’ve made, variations, suggestions, etc.

I love this recipe, and surprisingly, so does my husband. It was one of those meals I was sure he’d shun, seeing so much green, but he ate it up. Granted, he soaked grilled cheese sandwiches in it...but hey, he got his freaking vegetables!

So, to share with the world, here is my favorite adaptation of this recipe:

Chicken Vegetable Soup

1 chicken breast (cubed)
1 large onion/1 tbsp onion powder
2 cloves garlic, pressed (I use my zester for this)
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
2 large carrots
2 small celery stalks
(the recipe calls for a parsnip, but I’ve never had one on hand to try)
1 (14 oz) can green beans, drained
2 small potatoes (I don’t eat potatoes, so I usually sub 1 c dry quinoa/rice and an extra cup water)
¼ head cabbage/bok choy (and/or leafy greens like spinach or kale)
½ tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
6 c chicken broth (or half broth/half water)
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

Chop all the veggies. In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and sauté for a few minutes. Add onion, garlic and additional oil, if desired. Cook another couple minutes. Remove chicken. Add all the veggies and sauté for a minute or two. Add seasonings and stir. Add chicken broth and tomatoes.
Bring to a boil, allow to simmer for at least 20 minutes, until veggies are softened. Add the chicken and cook for 5-10 minutes more. Remove from heat.
If using potatoes, you can mash some of them to thicken the soup. I will throw half of the soup into my Vita-mix and puree it, then mix it back into the pot. Stir, then serve.

This makes somewhere between 5-8 servings, depending on how much you’re eating, and whether it’s main dishing it, or taking back seat to some grilled cheese sandwiches.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

2010-05-30T10:02:00.000-07:00

This is a handy little recipe to have available. I made this the other night for my breakfast bake, and doubled the recipe so I could store some in the freezer. I also used fresh mushrooms, and I think they made it a little better. I've made this recipe before with canned ones, and it's still really good. So use what you've got.

Cream of Mushroom Soup
(adapted from the cookbook “Life Tastes Good Again”)

2 tbsp butter/substitute
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
Dash pepper
½ c beef broth
½ c almond milk/other milk
3 oz mushrooms (1 can), chopped very fine

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in cornstarch, salt and pepper. Continue stirring for a couple of minutes, until it starts to brown slightly.
Add the beef broth, then the milk. Stir with a whisk, to eliminate lumps. Bring to a boil, and allow sauce to thicken, while stirring constantly. Add mushrooms. Remove from heat.

This recipe is excellent wherever cream of mushroom soup is needed, and is about the equivalent of a can of the condensed soup. I especially love it in tuna casserole or my new favorite breakfast bake!

Breakfast Bake

2010-05-30T09:56:00.000-07:00

This recipe rocks! Wanna know why? Because it’s gluten free AND dairy free! And you don’t miss either!!!

My mom made something similar to this for holidays like Easter and Christmas breakfasts. We loved it. The original recipe here didn’t use mushrooms soup, just milk, but I think my mom used cream of mushroom soup in her version. So I played around with it, and it totally worked! The first time I made it, I didn’t use the mushroom soup, and it was still really good. So, whatever you prefer and have on hand will work I’m sure.

I’m not such a morning person, and don’t really function without my food in the AM. When I’ve made this, I have set my alarm for about an hour before I need to get up, and I’ll throw this in the oven, then go back to bed. It’s a nice counter to having to get up for work to awaken to the smell of bacon and eggs already made and waiting for you!

Gluten/Dairy Free Breakfast Bake
(adapted from this recipe)

3 cups bread pieces, cubed or ripped*
10 pieces fried and chopped bacon (turkey bacon works pretty good here)
8 eggs (I used half eggs and half egg-whites – the kind that come in a carton)
¾ c fresh unsweetened almond milk/other substitute (recipe here)
¾ c cream of mushroom soup (recipe here)
½ tsp salt
1/3 tsp onion powder
¼ tsp black powder

Grease a glass baking dish/pan. Lightly beat eggs in a large bowl. Add milk and soup, and blend. Whisk in the seasonings, then the bacon. Cover the bottom of the pan with the bread pieces, then pour the egg mixture on top.
Cover pan with foil and refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put covered pan in oven, and bake for an hour. Uncover, and bake for 15 minutes more.
Let cool a few minutes before serving.
Serves 8
(although the last couple days, I've been working out and have been eating more. I might reduce this to 5-6 servings if you're a big breakfast eater)

* I’ve tried this recipe twice, and the first time I used this recipe for almond flour bread. The almond bread was great in this, and added extra protein. The second time I made it, I used this great recipe for bread-for-bread-cubes that I will traditionally use for my stuffing. I think the almond bread was a little heartier, but the sorghum bread was lighter, and melted a little more into the recipe, making it creamier (or else that was the use of the mushroom soup). I am more likely to have a sorghum-based bread on hand, so that’s the one I think I will use most. You could also try one of these great bread recipes. I bet it would be fabulous with a gluten free French bread!

Bread Cubes for Stuffing, Crumbs, Croutons, and Such

2010-05-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

Here’s a quick way to make bread cubes. They are great for stuffing, bread crumbs, croutons, or this awesome breakfast bake!

Bread Cubes
(adapted from the cookbook “Life Tastes Good Again”)

3 c gluten free flour*
¼ c sugar
3 ½ tsp xanthan gum
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ½ tbsp yeast
1 ¾ c warm water
¼ c oil
1 tsp rice/cider vinegar
3 eggs

Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Set aside.
Mix flour, sugar, xanthan gum and salt in a bowl or stand mixer. Pour the yeast on top, but don’t mix yet. Combine the water, oil and vinegar, and pour on top of the yeast. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes. Mix everything on low speed (this does also work pretty well if you’re mixing by hand). Add eggs and mix well for at least another 2 minutes.
Spread batter and let rise for 20 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool for a few minutes. Transfer bread to a cutting board. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut bread into ½-inch cubes.

If using for stuffing, return the bread to the pan, and decrease the oven temp to 275 degrees F. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven, and cool.

Once you’ve cubed and cooled them, they can be frozen until needed.

*Here are the flour mixes I recommend. The one that is suggested in the cookbook is Bette Hagman’s GF Mix, which is:
2 c rice flour
2/3 c potato starch
1/3 c tapioca starch

Or you can use (and this is the one I usually use) Carl Fenster’s Sorghum Blend:
1 ½ c sorghum flour
1 ½ c potato starch or cornstarch
1 c tapioca starch
I usually just have a tub of this one mixed up in the cupboard, so I don’t know the accurate conversion.

Pumpkin Chai Cranberry Muffins

2010-05-29T07:33:00.000-07:00

I know we’re well on our way to summer, and this is more of an autumn/winter recipe. But silly me, I’ve neglected posting it for you all. I literally ate these muffins daily last fall. They are so delicious! Give them a try when you’re in the mood for something wonderfully moist, slightly spicy and reminiscent of a thanksgiving feast. And don’t put off making them for a year like I did! You’ll regret it if you do!

This was originally a bread recipe, but the first time I went to make it, I was too impatient to want to wait for bread to bake, so I converted it to muffins. It makes between 15-18 muffins. I've tried it as a bread, and for some reason, it just wasn't as good. So I definitely recommend the muffin version!
Sadly, I do not have a picture for these, but visit Karina’s post to get a great visual!

Pumpkin Chai Muffins with Cranberries
(adapted from this recipe by the GF goddess)

1 c canned pumpkin
½ c light olive oil
3/4-1 c light brown sugar or ½-2/3 c agave nectar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/3-1/2 c apple cider or orange juice
1 ½ c gluten free flour blend (equal parts buckwheat/sorghum/tapioca work great!)
1 tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice or cardamom
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cloves or more ginger

Add-ins
¾ c fresh/frozen cranberries
½ c raisins
½ c chopped pecans/walnuts/almonds
½ c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease or line muffin cups.
Combine wet ingredients. On top of that, pour in the dry ingredients. Mix the dry ingredients together, then stir into the wet ingredients. Mix until smooth. Use extra liquid or flour to thicken or moisten if needed.
Stir in your add-ins. I preferred mine with the cranberries, nuts and sometimes with chocolate.
Scoop batter into muffin cups, and bake for about 30 minutes. Test with a toothpick or knife.
Remove from muffin pan, and cool on a wire rack.

Best served warm.
These freeze very well.

Quick note: I've found, in general that Karina's recipes are a little more sugary than I like, being hypoglycemic, and needing something somewhat hearty for breakfast. I started with the smaller suggested amount of sugar, and thought they turned out great. But if you like your muffins a bit sweeter, feel free to add the full amount.
I've also had great success subbing applesauce for half of the oil. Try that sometime, it's great and good for you!

Goddess Food: Sexy Spring Pasta w/ Roast Asparagus and Tomatoes

2010-05-28T16:03:00.000-07:00

Wow! I have got a lot of blogging to do to meet my deadline. All I can say is it's a good thing we've got a long weekend ahead of us, during which I have sworn off the outside world! Yep, freeway construction plus holiday traffic = not a happy time on the road. So, bring on the Warcraft, baking and blogging! Oh, plus I'm taking on way more than I can handle with some photography projects. Yikes!

Anyway, on to the food...

This pasta is amazing! I mean it! Heavenly!! I love it! I swoon over it! Karina is a genius! The first time I made it, I ate my way through the whole batch before realizing I had just eaten meatless meals 3 days in a row. Impressive!

It is aptly named, in my opinion. This meal is the epitome of sexiness!! You MUST try it! With a glass of wine, preferably :)

Sexy Spring Pasta with Roasted Asparagus-Tomato Sauce

(adapted from the Gluten Free Goddess recipe here)

1/2 of a 1-lb package of gluten free linguine or spaghetti
A fistfull of asparagus, trimmed and sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 leek, sliced thin**
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced fine
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 heaping tbsp capers
2 tbsp raisins (yep, raisins!)
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp dried basil
Pinch hot red pepper flakes (I used ground red pepper)
1-2 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, if desired (which I didn't use)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Move one of the racks up to the top spot in the oven.
Cook your pasta according to the directions on the package.
Mix remaining ingredients together on a baking sheet or roasting pan (I used a foil-lined baking sheet for easy cleanup). Toss with your fingers to incorporate the sauce and seasonings over the veggies. Spread evenly across the pan, and place in the oven. Let it cook for 5-10 minutes, checking every couple minutes. Don't let the asparagus overcook (it's best tender-crisp).
Remove pan from the oven. Gently toss together the cooked, drained pasta with the veggies in a large bowl.
Serve.

*Note: To make up for the lack of meat in this recipe, I sprinkled some chopped cashews on top of the pasta a few times. I think this would be AMAZING with pine nuts mixed in! It's on my grocery list for the next time I try the recipe.

**See this post for instructions on how to clean/prepare leeks. I had no idea!!

Karina says this makes 2 servings, but I managed to get 3-4 out of it. But, then again, it was just me eating it, with a side of GF french bread, so I may not be the best judge of portions.

My New Goal

2010-05-24T22:00:00.000-07:00

So, I've seriously slacked on the blog front lately. Mostly that's laziness. But a little bit of it I'm going to blame on my husband. He's a big gamer, and plays most nights/weekends. When we're home together on the computers, his games get completely ruined by any uploading I do. And let's be honest, food is more fun with pictures. So I put off uploading the pics, until I can do so without causing my husband more anxiety than playing games with 4 complete strangers can cause. Then when I do have time, I usually have other things that seem to take precedence...
I was looking back through my blog archives. The most I've posted in any month is 7 recipes.
Here comes my challenge. I'm going to beat that. This month. Yup, with just a week left in the month. I'm doing it. Just you wait and see. It's gonna be awesome! I've even given myself a winning strategy and head start. I've started typing up the recipes, sans pictures, in a word file. So, stay tuned for super awesomeness of gluten/dairy/everything-else-I-can't-eat-but-am-too-lazy-to-list free recipes (though I'm sure it would have been less complicated to list the foods than adding dashes to every word space)!
You're gonna love it :)

Cod Piccata Paprika

2010-05-24T21:37:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe! I've made it several times. It's my new favorite way to enjoy fish.

This recipe is courtesy of Elana and her amazing almond flour cookbook! I usually half the recipe when I make it, as I am the only fish-eater in my house. I think the first time I made it, I ate both servings right away. So much for leftovers :)

Cod Piccata Paprika
(recipe adapted from The Gluten-Free Almond Cookbook)

1 1/2 lbs cod fillet (I've also used halibut)
1/2 c blanched almond flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground smoked paprika
6 tbsp olive oil (she called for 2 tbsp olive oil/4 tbsp grapeseed, but I only had olive)
1 c chicken stock
1/4 c freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 c finely chopped kalamata olives

Rinse fish, dry, and slice into 4 pieces.
In a shallow bowl, combine flour, salt and paprika. Dip the fish in the mixture, and coat well.
Heat half of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute fish in the oil for 3-5 minutes per side, until golden brown (I had lots of coating left over, so I sprinkled it on the fish in the pan). Transfer to a paper towel lined plate, and keep warm.
Using the same skillet, combine chicken stock, lemon juice and olives, stirring with a spatula to loosen the browned bits of coating from the bottom of pan. Raise heat to high, and cook until sauce has reduced by half. Whisk in the remaining oil.
Pour sauce over the fish, and sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired (I didn't have any, so left out the parsley).

I think this recipe is best served with something green (like steamed kale, pictured), as well as something to help soak up the sauce, like rice or quinoa. The flavor can be a bit overpowering if eaten by itself. But it is so good!

Sherryn's Potato Salad

2010-04-29T22:08:00.000-07:00

I’m a dill girl. Ok, I’m more like an absolutely-anything-sour-girl. Green apples. Lemons. Limes. Grapefruit. Cranberries. Balsamic vinegar. Mustard. Sour cream. Feta. Kalamata olives. And dill pickles. Don’t give me any of that sweet relish. It’s just not my thing.
One story my parents love to tell about me is one of my first food experiences. They gave me a lemon wedge to suck on when I was about a year old, expecting a funny baby face. But apparently I ate it happily. I love sour foods so much that the enamel on my teeth has been eroded severely, and I now have quite sensitive teeth. Yikes! Doesn’t stop me though…
My husband and I have several jars of pickles in our fridge, just for snacking on (his are hamburger chips, mine are whole pickles). He does it too, but almost every time he catches me sneaking one from the jar, he asks me in a half-joking tone if I’m pregnant. But no, I just like my crunchy dills.
I didn’t really eat a lot of actual relish growing up (too many bad sweet relish experiences, I think), but this recipe is my favorite way to enjoy it.
This is the recipe my husband grew up eating, and looks forward to family get-togethers mostly for this reason. I finally got my mother in law to write down the general recipe for me, and fiddled with it until it got the thumbs up from my man (I’m posting this just as much for myself as for you, my friends and readers, since I have a tendency to forget variations when I’m playing in the kitchen).
My mom also made an amazing potato salad, quite often during the summers, when I was a kid. I have racked my brains to remember it. I think she used celery, and didn’t add pasta, but it had the same general taste. Every time I think about it, I remind myself to ask her for her recipe, but never end up remembering when we’re on the phone.
I’ve made this several times with gluten free pasta, and it works great. Doesn’t keep as long though. Just a couple days, then the pasta will sometimes get stiff. I don’t tolerate potatoes well, so often I’ll just sneak a scoop of this for myself pre-pasta, and make the rest for my gluten-loving husband.
I’ll admit, I’ve tried taking several pictures of this salad, and have yet to make a good capture. But let’s be honest, it’s potato salad. Just the thought of it makes your mouth water, right? Or, is that just me....

Sherryn’s Potato Salad

3-4 c peeled, cooked, diced potatoes (or 2 cans cooked diced)
8 hard boiled eggs, diced (I usually remove half of the yolks to reduce the cholesterol)
2-3 c cooked pasta (elbow, shells, etc. Gluten free pasta can definitely be used)
2 c mayo (I’ve used Best Foods Light with no complaints)
1/3 c yellow mustard
1 ½ tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
Dash salt
Dash pepper
1 small jar dill pickle relish
A few splashes red wine vinegar

Garnish
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
A few shakes paprika

Mix potatoes, eggs and pasta.* Add mayo and mustard; fold together. It should have a nice yellow color, and not be too pale.
Add onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, relish and vinegar. Mix carefully but thoroughly.
Taste to see if it needs more mustard, vinegar or relish.*
Scoop into serving bowl. Top with remaining eggs and extra paprika.
Can be served immediately, but it tastes better when allowed to sit for an hour or so.

*Obviously when I’m making this gluten free style, I’m ok to taste test. But if I’m making it for my hubby, I’ll hold off on the pasta until after I’ve mixed everything else and tasted it. If you choose to make this pasta-free, just add a bit less mayo and mustard. It's pretty good that way as well.

My Favorite Bread Recipes

2010-03-28T22:48:00.000-07:00

This is for you Ali.

I know I haven't always been the most organized blogger, so I'm making it easier on everyone. Here you are. All my favorite gluten free bread recipes for you to enjoy. I've tried so many different bread recipes over the last 4 years, and these are my top picks!

GF Goddess Sorghum Bread ...seriously the most delicious gluten free bread :)

My latest, more whole grain variation of the recipe above (which I think I might even like more than the amazing original)

Fat Free French Bread (the recipe calls for this rice flour mix, but I've started using Carol Fenster's Sorghum Flour Mix instead, and it still tastes pretty dang good to me)

Flax Seed Bread from the celiac.com forum (you have to scroll down a bit to find the recipe)

Enjoy!

This post is linked to Amy's Slightly Indulgent Tuesday - get the gluten out special edition!

Sigh....Relief. And a fantastic bread recipe!

2010-03-28T21:53:00.000-07:00

So...my post from yesterday. I was so distraught for not being able to find that bread recipe! As I was lying in bed, at 3 am, it occurred to me that my iPod does indeed have a history button, and if I checked it, I should be able to find the recipe I pulled up last Sunday. So I repeated the thought over and over in my head as I was falling asleep, as I was too tired to get up and check the iPod just then. Sure enough, this morning I found it!! Hooray!

The recipe is from Amy over at Simply Gluten & Sugar Free.
It originates from this recipe by Karina, the Gluten Free Goddess.

I've been making Karina's version for awhile now, and love it. However, last week, I was looking for a heartier, more "whole-wheat-like" gluten free bread. I tried this recipe last Saturday, but it didn't fly. So I moved on. I am so very glad I did! I really love this new bread.

So that I will never forget this recipe again, I am going to post it where it will be easily accessible...as well as for you all to enjoy!

Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread
adapted from Simply Sugar & Gluten Free

2/3 c sorghum flour
1/2 c buckwheat flour
1/2 c millet flour
3/4 c cornstarch
2 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c milk/substitute (almond milk works great)
1/2 c water (you can just use all water as well if desired)
1 tbsp instant yeast
3 tbsp sugar (or can use 1-2 tbsp honey or agave)
1/2 c eggwhites (or 2 eggs, beaten), at room temperature
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp cider vinegar
1/2-1 tbsp seeds to top bread (I've used sesame and combination of sesame and flax)

Heat milk/water in a small bowl until it is about 110 degrees F. Mix in the yeast and 1 tbsp sugar (or half of the agave). Cover and let rise for at least 5 minutes.
Mix together the flours, xanthan gum and salt in a stand mixer. Add all the wet ingredients, starting with the yeast. Beat for 1-2 minutes, until everything is mixed well. The consistency will be more like a batter than bread dough.
Pour into a greased loaf pan. Smooth the top using wet fingers or a wet spatula. Top with seeds. Cover with a towel and allow to rise for at least 20 minutes in a warm spot.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake bread for 35-45 minutes, or until it sounds hollow when you tap the top.
You can remove the bread from the oven, take it out of the pan, and cool, or if you like the crust to be a little crustier, you can remove it from the pan and place the loaf on a cookie rack. Return to the oven for about 10 more minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't get too dark.
For best results, let it cool completely before trying to cut.
Makes 1 delicious loaf.

Enjoy!

Notes:
I don't have a bread maker, but you can follow the directions on Amy's site if you have one.
The recipe originally calls for potato starch. I used cornstarch b/c I don't tolerate potatoes.
I used the sugar b/c I was out of agave, and it's worked great both times I've made it.
As with most gluten free breads, this is best when served toasted or warmed. It also holds up pretty well for sandwiches.

doesn't it look amazing??

Help! Looking for GF Goddess Bread Variation

2010-03-27T18:44:00.000-07:00

Ok, I have a confession to make. I love to spend hours weekly browsing through other people's blogs to find new recipes. That's not really the confession part, tho...we all do that right? Heh...

Anyway, my new iPod touch....I LOVE it! It makes the whole finding good recipes, then taking them to the kitchen easier, since I don't have to print or copy down recipes. I just pull them up online on my little iPod, and follow along. The problem I have now, is that I don't always keep track of the recipes I try. I'm not saving them to my computer, I don't have a paper copy to file away. Therefore, when I want to make a certain recipe again...I DON'T HAVE IT :(

I've gone back through the blogs I follow for the last month or so, looking for a certain recipe, and can't find it.

My question is, have any of you posted or seen a recent recipe for this amazing Gluten Free Goddess bread recipe (only modified a bit)? I swear I read it. But part of me is thinking maybe I just experimented with different flours. I don't know. All I know is I love this bread, but even more, I loved the variation I made last weekend. And now I don't know what I did...and I don't want to make it wrong.
Your help is appreciated.

Healthy Green Smoothie

2010-03-22T21:38:00.000-07:00

Don't judge the picture. I know it doesn't LOOK yummy, but it is :)

I found this recipe over at Winnie's blog, Healthy Green Kitchen.

I love my Vita-mix and am always looking for new ways to use it! This one intrigued me, as it uses two of my favorite green foods: avocados and kale. The combination doesn't sound that amazing, but it is actually pretty good. In the past, I've made fruit smoothies with a few handfuls of spinach, which I totally love (and you REALLY can't taste the spinach, for real!).
So I gave it a go.

I love this recipe! I've tried it with a few variations. I've added a bit of sugar/agave. I've added some pineapple juice. I've added almond milk. I like 'em all.

Just experiment, and see what works for you. This will make 2-3 servings, but it's better fresher, so half the recipe if you wish.

Green Smoothie
1/2 in. piece of ginger, peeled
1/4 slice of lemon
A splash of water
1-2 apples, cored (I've also used applesauce and it works just as good)
5 stalks of kale, stems removed
1 avocado, peeled and pitted
A pinch of sea salt
1/4-1/2 c almond milk or water
Optional: a bit of sweetener, fresh pineapple

Combine the ginger, lemon and water in the blender. Process for about a minute. Pour through a fine mesh sieve into a glass, pressing on the solids.
Rinse blender, and pour the ginger liquid back in. Add remaining ingredients (go slow with the milk), and blend for 1-2 minutes, until completely smooth. Add more liquid as needed. Taste to see if it needs more of anything.
Serve and enjoy!

Don't you feel so healthy?

This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesday!

Grilled Lemon Chicken w/ Peanut Sauce

2010-03-21T22:43:00.000-07:00

I ate this salad every day last week! It's so good! I bookmarked it on Elana's blog a few months ago, and have been meaning to try it. So glad I finally did!!
The recipe originates from the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. She is amazing! I love watching her work in the kitchen. I followed the recipe for the chicken pretty exact, so I'll just link you over to it.

Ina's Grilled Lemon Chicken
Tangy Peanut Sauce
The only change I made was grilling the chicken in my George Foreman grill, which worked great. The chicken was very tender and flavorful.
For the peanut sauce, I used red wine vinegar instead of the plum vinegar, but other than that, I followed the recipe as posted by Elana.

I also experimented with the sauce, serving it with the chicken over rice. I didn't like that as much. Maybe I used too much sauce, but it wasn't as good. So, I just went back to eating it as a salad, with some toast or crackers on the side.

Enjoy :)

I won! I won! I won!!!!!!

2010-03-21T22:30:00.000-07:00

I seriously haven't won anything since I was at the school carnival in 1st grade, and I guessed the right number of jelly beans in a jar. I ate so many, I made myself sick :P

Well, look at what I just won!!

Last month, Linda over at The Gluten Free Homemaker gave away a $50 shopping spree at iherb.com, basically the amazon of health food stores. I got all these great gluten free goodies! Stocked up on my flours, grains, risottos, and brownie mix! I also got a bag of chips, but sadly they were packed at the very bottom of the box, so they were more like crumbs. Still tasty though :) I highly recommend the brownies, too! The mix is from Gluten Free Pantry, and it's the Chocolate Truffle Brownie mix (GF and DF). Sooooo delicious!
I loved how quickly I got my order! It was at my doorstep within a couple of days. Even better, shipping is free on all orders over $40. Plus, the prices were just as good as my local HFS when they're having a sale, so pretty dang good!

Nothing overly delicious tonight, just saying hi

2010-03-17T20:25:00.000-07:00

I know I know...I said I was going to be better about blogging. But I've kind of lost my motivation for it lately :(

Still photographing my successes (though I've been eating a lot of leftovers, and thoughtless last-minute dinners recently), contriving witty posts in my head that aren't getting published, etc, etc. Not much to show for it though.

One of my problems is the massive vacation post that I have yet to finish for my friend/fam blog (yes, I know...technically it's been 2 months today since we left on our cruise).

My other, more distracting problem has been THIS o.O

Can ya blame me?

But, life is a work in progress, right? So, here we go. Take 2 (give or take a few). No energy for anything more tonight....worked a 12 hour day :P But I was determined to post anyway!

So, this is what's been happening in my kitchen lately:

Yes, that's my superman, trying to fix the flood in our kitchen. Isn't he cute?

No worries, all is well. The line to our fridge water was leaking behind the oven. One plumber and a new hose later, and we're as good as new.

I plan on sharing some of my latest and greatest treats real soon. As well as finally getting to do some experimenting in the kitchen this weekend!

Stay tuned!

Unripe Gucamole

2010-02-21T09:53:00.000-08:00

image borrowed from Breakfast with Spanky

Do you ever find yourself in the situation where you are about to enjoy an exotic dish of guacamole, which you've been imagining all morning, and salivating over the vision dancing through your head of such a creamy, zesty combination of foods? Where you've got the rest of your meal together, all boring and chickenish, and to excite yourself, you will be feasting on beautiful avocados, juicy tomatoes, garlic, cilantro and lime blended together, marinated in each others flavors....
Well, that was me yesterday. I'd just bought some gluten free multi-grain crackers at Costco, and was so excited to try them out, topped with guacamole. I chopped my tomatoes and cilantro, squeezed the juice from my limes, zested my garlic, and as I began cutting into my avocado, my heart dropped. It was hard as a rock. I had to get out my chainsaw to get through it. I literally had to saw the skin off the flesh. The dread began to well up inside me, my hope of spicing up an otherwise boring meal of chicken and quinoa fading fast. I reached for my iPod, desperate to search the world wide web for any advice, any help for my situation. Sadly, I discovered I had no connection to the outside world. Oh yeah...I remembered my husband has been upstairs all morning, rearranging our office, and had unplugged our internet.
Frustrated, I glanced around the kitchen. I spotted my Vitamix, freshly washed from having made my weekly batch of almond milk. An idea began to form in my mind. Holding my breath in anticipation, I grabbed the blender, threw in the avocado pieces, a couple scoops of salsa, and some lime juice. I began blending. I added a little bit of almond milk to cream it up, then added half of the other ingredients. I blended for about a minute, scraping the sides down, then added the rest of the ingredients, and blended for awhile longer.
I grabbed a cracker, and nervously scooped a bit of the green goop out of the blender. I raised it to my mouth, my hands shaking, and took a bite. I smiled. I began to breathe again. It was good. Not as amazing as freshly mashed guacamole. There were no ripened chunks of avocado. It was mostly pureed, with a little piece of tomato here and there. But it was a great substitute, and still managed to make a mundane meal better. Way better than throwing up my hands and tossing everything into the trash. I considered it a success :)
So, if ever you find yourself in a similar situation....Relax. Keep breathing. Grab your blender, and remember that life will still go on with guacamole!

Bad blogger

2010-02-17T22:20:00.000-08:00

I love blogging. However, I have been rather bad at it the last few months. One of the problems (well, sort of problems) is that I've taken on more responsibility at work. Trying to run an office is a lot more time consuming than I thought it would be :P
Another problems is that I have so many great friends here online whose blogs seem so much more interesting than mine...so I get on to blog, and end up reading for an hour, because it's more fun than working!
The most annoying of the problems I run into is that my dear, darling husband is a gamer (ok, fine, we both are o.O hehe). We only have a couple of hours each night in which we get to have fun and unwind from the day, before getting up and doing it all again. My husband is really into this particular game which requires him to be very vocal and have his speakers turned up so as to hear his other, equally audible teammates. So between all the explosions, cursing and bossing each other around....it's not the most ideal blogging circumstances. When I blog, I enjoy peace and quiet, or maybe some tunes if I'm in the mood.
Now I know I'm making excuses here. BUT!!!! I confess all this to you, my dear readers, because I have every intention of changing this. I have doubled my number of followers in the last 6 months (don't laugh, please!!), and the whole reason I started this blog in the first place was to be able to share with people my successes in allergy-friendly cooking.
Sooooooooo, what I'm trying to say is, I AM going to be better about blogging. Call it my belated resolution if you will. I figure by getting it out in the open, I will be more accountable. We shall see...

Stay tuned :)

Kale Chips

2010-02-15T22:39:00.000-08:00

I love kale! Seriously, it's so good! But I didn't realize how amazing it was until I tried this recipe. I follow Elana's blog, and she posts recipes w/ kale quite regularly. She mentioned this recipe, and I've been thinking about it for awhile, working up the nerve to try something so weird. Now I think it might be my new favorite way to eat a vegetable.
Go on over to visit the girls over at Celiac Chicks for a prettier picture :) That's where I found this yummy recipe.

Kale Chips
1 head kale
Extra virgin olive oil
salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Rinse one head of kale, then dry. Rip leaves into bite-sized pieces, removing the thick middle stem from each leaf. Toss with extra virgin olive oil, then sprinkle with a little salt. Lay out on a baking sheet (I lined mine with foil for easy cleanup).
Bake on the middle rack in the oven for 12-15 minutes.
Cool, then eat up!

Chocolate Chip Scones and Almond Milk

2010-02-12T21:18:00.000-08:00

This is my new favorite snack/dessert! Chocolate chip scones and homemade almond milk.

The scones recipe I got from Elana's new cookbook, "The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook." I reduced the amount of chocolate from 1 cup, and the original recipe calls for chopped dark chocolate, but enjoy life chocolate chips worked great!

Chocolate Chip Scones
2 ½ c blanched almond flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
1/3 c olive oil
¼ c agave nectar
2 large eggs
¾ c chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together wet ingredients. Mix in dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips. Scoop out onto parchment lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart (8 per sheet). Bake for about 13 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool on baking sheets for half an hour. Serve. Makes 16 scones.

These are great reheated from the freezer. I like to microwave them until just barely warm, then throw them in the toaster oven for a minute or two to firm up again.
I love the flavor of these scones. To me, there is even a hint of a coconutty flavor...probably from the almonds. I love it!

On to the almond milk....

I've been dairy free (mostly) for 2 1/2 years. I haven't had a drink of milk in that entire time. Usually I'm okay with that. But once in awhile, I get the craving to just chug a glass of ice cold milk. Substitute milk products just never wowed me. I'd drink some chocolate soy milk occasionally, and buy whatever's on sale (usually almond breeze) when I needed something to use in cooking/baking.
This recipe is really simple. I've made it several times in the past few weeks, and I love it. To me, it's not exactly milk, but it's definitely a close substitute. I feel like the texture is the same, and when you take a drink, it feels milk-like in your mouth. The almond aftertaste is what throws it off. It isn't bad, but for those looking for a REAL milk-like substitute, this may not wow them. I was pretty impressed though!
The greatest part is, it's healthy, doesn't have any weird additives, and it's cheaper than buying the stuff at the store. I stock up on my almonds when they're $3-$4 a pound at the HFS. 1 pound equals about 2 cups of almonds....which equals about 2 quarts of almond milk. For $3-$4!! That's about what I pay at the store for ONE quart of almond milk. Plus, I feel like the stuff at the store is a bit thinned out. I like how rich the homemade stuff is.

Anyway, enough trying to sell you on the idea :) Try it out for yourself. Then you'll see what I'm talking about! Visit Amy at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free for more info. She's the one who turned me on to this amazing discovery!

Homemade Almond Milk
1/2 c almonds
Enough water to cover (for soaking)
2 cups water
Optional: salt, vanilla and choice of sweetener (I haven't tried adding anything to my milk. I've enjoyed it the way it is).

Put the almonds in a glass jar or bowl. Cover with water, then cover bowl. Soak overnight (or for a few hrs) at room temperature.
Drain water, rinse almonds well.
Pour 2 cups of water into a blender. Add almonds. Blend on high for 2 minutes. Pour through a cheesecloth-lined fine mesh sieve (I did this in portions. I would pour probably 1/2 c liquid in, then let it drip a bit, then gather the cheesecloth together and gently squeeze until all the liquid's out. I then scooped out the almond grinds and threw them in a ziploc bag. Still haven't figured out what to do with them. Then I rinsed the cheesecloth, and relined the strainer).
Keep refrigerated and covered. Lasts about a week. If you don't drink it sooner!!

Enjoy!

Strawberry Cream Tarte

2010-01-13T20:28:00.000-08:00

Hi, I know I haven't been great about posting lately...but I do intend to do better this new year! However, I am on vacation this week, and so, will not have much computer access. I thought I would share these beautiful pictures before I went though.

Anyone know as far as copyright laws go, how much you have to alter a recipe before you can post it? I'm pretty sure everything I've posted to date, I've made major changes to. But this recipe was amazing on it's own! The only things I did different were add more strawberries, and sub one flour for another...I just don't want to get into trouble :D

I'm sure many of you know of Elana from Elana's Pantry. If not, well, she's a great gluten free food blogger, and bakes mainly with almond flour...which I now totally love by the way! I got her cookbook for Christmas, and it rocks! I have been so happy with all the recipes I've made so far! This tarte and the chocolate chip scones are tied for my favorite right now! I bet the tarte would take the cake if I had used fresh, summer-ripened strawberries!
If I can, I will see about posting the recipe when I get back in town. For now, feel free to drool :)

Cinnamon Roll Muffins

2010-01-06T21:25:00.000-08:00

This post is soooooo long overdue! These are what I ate on Christmas morning, and I was so excited to share them with all my blogging friends...yet, here we are, weeks later, and I'm just getting to it. :(

Anyway, this recipe is great! Found it on Elana's amazing site (got her cookbook for Christmas by the way, and I LOVE it!!). Tweaked a couple things based on what I had in the house.

Cinnamon Roll Muffins
Original recipe here

Muffin Ingredients
1 c blanched almond flour
2 tbsp sorghum flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 c salt
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c agave nectar
3 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Topping Ingredients
2 tbsp sugar (approx.)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp olive oil

Make muffins: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins w/ cups. Mix together wet ingredients. Add in dry ingredients, and blend well. Scoop 1/4 c mix into each cup (Elana's directions state this, and I added more to each muffin, but they ended up being a little thick, so I recommend this as well).
Make topping: Mix together all ingredients in a small bowl.
Scoop topping onto muffins.
Bake for 8-12 minutes.
Cool, then serve.
(I can't remember how many this made, but I'm assuming if you only put 1/4 c in each tin, you get at least a dozen)

The directions recommend topping the muffins w/ cream cheese frosting, and I'm sure to experience the full cinnamon roll effect, you would need to do this. However, I loved these just the way they were, with a nice hot cup of tea.

Enjoy, and a happy new year to all!

Turkey day inspiration

2009-11-22T15:57:00.000-08:00

What's everyone doing for Thanksgiving? I haven't quite figured it out, but I *think* I know what I want to make. We're probably going to be visiting family for the day, so I'll just bring my own meal to keep things safe and simple. This has worked out wonderfully in the past.

I'm thinking about brining my turkey. Never done this before, but Shauna has inspired me. Check out this post on brining turkey.
Otherwise, I might try this recipe for a roasted turkey with hazelnut prosciutto butter from Glutenfreeda.
Although I did really enjoy the crockpot turkey I made last year.

As far as sides go, I have some bread in the freezer to make stuffing. I plan on using this awesome recipe from the girls over at Eating Gluten Free.

Rolls! I am going to give another go at making rolls. Never really found a recipe that I LOVED...but I'll look around on my favorite sites, and see what sounds best.

Other than that, I'm pretty much up in the air. I have thought about making a risotto for a side (I have a great recipe for butternut risotto that I need to share), or something with sweet potatoes.

Desserts...I love desserts! But I've always had this thing about Thanksgiving desserts. I can't decide! Growing up, we always had so many to choose from that we just had a little of everything. Sweet, savory, tart, chocolatey...it was all there! I've discovered as I've done my own Thanksgiving dinners that one dessert just doesn't cut it. I've made really good cakes and pies and puddings and cookies. But on their own, they just leave something to be desired.

So I am looking for a little inspiration in the dessert department. I'm thinking of doing something pumpkinish, and something else...any suggestions?

In the meantime, visit my other blog to see my gratitude post and a really cool picture of wild turkeys that we saw this weekend when we went digging up the canyon!

Cranberry Chicken

2009-11-22T14:53:00.000-08:00

Sorry, my husband says this picture looks disgusting. It's the only one I have, so I'm still using it. I've decided that *when* I write a cookbook, I'm definitely going to put pictures in it for each recipe. Once I learn how to better photograph food, that is. All in due time...

I've had this recipe bookmarked for a couple months, but only recently decided to give it a go. Wish I had tried it sooner, cuz I loved it! Except for the part where the carrots weren't cooked enough and I hurt my already-sensitive-newly-braces-covered teeth. I ended up picking them out.
This recipe is great! Seriously! Good, autumn recipe :)

Adapted from "Fix It and Forget It" slow cooker cookbook. I decided I didn't want to wait all day to try this recipe, so I made it work in the oven. The measurements and times are all approximate. Will post the crock pot variation once I try it.

Cranberry Chicken

2 lb chicken pieces (I used a couple of breasts)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 c diced celery
1/4 c diced carrots (original recipe called for onions, I didn't have any though)
1/4 onion powder
1 c whole cranberries (original recipe called for cranberry sauce)
1/2 c bbq sauce (I made my own from a BHG cookbook recipe)

Combine cranberries and bbq sauce. Simmer in a saucepan for at least 15 minutes, until the berries burst. Mash the berries with a potato smasher or fork. Add veggies and seasonings, and simmer for another 10 minutes or so, until veggies are soft.
Place chicken in a baking dish, and drizzle sauce over it. Cover with tinfoil, and bake at 375 for about half an hour, until chicken is cooked.
This is great served over rice. I loved the extra sauce on the rice. Might make a little more next time.

Embracing Autumn and Pumpkin Soup

2009-10-19T20:46:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is that time of year again. I had quite an abundance of tomatoes this season, and have loved them all. Unfortunately I couldn't let them all grow up to be as plump and red as these ones. These are my German Queens, and I am enamored by this heirloom. I gutted a few of the late bloomers, and have dried the seeds to use again next year. If that doesn't pan out, I suppose I can find them again at Lowe's.

This is the most amazing mulligatawny soup! I've been meaning to try a recipe I have marked in one of my books for ages, but never got around to it, as I was hesitant of the combination of flavors. Mulligatawny is a soup most commonly comprised of apples, curry, coconut milk, and chicken. When I saw this dish at Fresh Thyme Soup Co in Beaverton, OR, my new favorite restaurant out there (as they have a great GF menu), I knew I had to try it. Even though it does have coconut milk, which I don't agree with so well. It rocked my world! I had it for lunch at the Cafe w/ some GF cornbread, and again for dinner w/ my own GF bread (see picture). I love it! I'm so excited to try my hand at this recipe, so stay tuned :)

I have been branching out in my cooking lately, and discovered I have quite a fondness for lemongrass. I also have a great fondness for photographing things, which has been magnified by my brand new rockin' camera! I wanted to capture the great purple color of the rings as I was chopping the stalks. I will post our new favorite lemongrass-infused recipe soon as well (just don't pay any attention to my posting track record of late...).

I am finally accepting the fact that summer is gone. I hate to see summer go, as it is my favorite season. However, I always seem to forget how much I enjoy autumn, until it is upon me. This year fall has been rather sporadic, with lots of early snow on the mountains and eerily-Oregon-like rain storms. We've taken a couple trips up the canyons, and I have had my breath stolen by the beauty of this great season. After one such trip, I decided to celebrate the arrival of fall by making this recipe. I dug around for a can of pumpkin, and whipped it up in no time. It was quite good, although next time I will use chicken broth rather than the turkey broth I had in the freezer (it tasted a little too much like turkey gravy, lol).
This recipe comes from the great ladies at Eating Gluten Free, and as usual, is amazing! Very much a fall favorite!
P.S. For the pumpkin-leery readers, seriously, you can hardly taste the pumpkin. This is like a creamy chicken soup. Try it! For real!

Gluten Free/Dairy Free Pumpkin Soup

2 chicken breasts, cubed
1 Tbs. oil
½ sweet onion, chopped (I used onion powder, and a dash of garlic powder as well)
4 c. chicken broth (I used turkey stock b/c it's what I had in the freezer, but would recommend chicken in the future)
2 c. pureed pumpkin
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups milk (almond milk worked fine for me)

In a large pot, heat the oil.
Sauté the chicken w/ the onion and garlic powder until chicken is cooked.
Add chicken broth, pumpkin, and nutmeg and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat, add milk and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Watch it so it doesn't boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve.

I thought the soup was great by itself, very creamy, but the recipe calls for swiss cheese as a garnish. It's been so long, I can't even remember what swiss tastes like (just the smell...).

I also added some cooked white rice to the leftovers, and really enjoyed it. There wasn't enough soup for me to compare whether I liked it more w/ or without the rice. Give it a try.

Grilled Salmon with Strawberry Salsa

2009-08-31T22:30:00.000-07:00

This meal was amazing! The salsa stole the show though! I've never had anything like it. Mango salsas and peach salsas are great, but I was not expecting this. Sweet, sour, tangy, spicy. I loved it! I got the recipe from the back of the salmon package, and doh, I threw it away on the eve of garbage day. I did a search on allrecipes.com, and pieced this recipe together to the best of my memory.

Strawberry Salsa

About 1 lb strawberries, finely chopped
1/4 c finely chopped red onion (I don't eat onions, so I used onion powder)
1/8 c chopped cilantro
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced or grated
1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients. Let sit for half an hour, then serve.

Great with salmon (I just grilled mine on my George Foreman grill) and some rice and GF bread, or corn tortilla chips (that's how I ate all the leftovers).