Newest Dairy Free Obsession - Cashew Milk

I've mentioned in previous posts that going dairy free was just as hard for me, if not more difficult, than going gluten free. I miss all the smooth, creamy sauces, melty cheeses, and rich ice creams of my past. Unlike the plethora of easily replaceable gluten free foods that taste just as good as the "original," there seem to be few products that legitimately work as dairy free substitutes.

One dairy replacement product that I truly loved was coconut milk. Coconut milk is a very versatile substitute for many dairy-based products, such as cream and milk. It can be used in savory recipes as well as sweet. The best dairy free ice cream I have ever had was made with coconut milk. I also loved this lemon cream coffee cake, and made it several times. However, sadly, I developed an intolerance to coconut...so that had to go too :(

I've experimented heavily with using nuts as dairy replacements - from my favorite almond milk, to cream cheese substitutes. I have found that nuts work exceptionally well in many forms to create a pretty good milk or soft cheese sub.

Lately, I've been on a nut milk kick. Blame it on being pregnant, where I am consuming way more refined carbs than I'd normally eat. The only thing that seems to appeal to me first thing in the morning is cereal. Thank goodness for GF Rice Krispies and the GF Chex line! When I am ill-prepared, I'll grab a box of store-bought almond milk out of the pantry, and choke that down w/ my cereal. However, nothing beats the consistency and flavor of freshly-made nut milk.

Enter cashew milk.

This has become my go-to recipe for surviving the mornings. It's incredibly rich, it's creamy, and it can be sweetened if you want to have a glass with your favorite gluten free cookies! It works fabulously in smoothies, milkshakes, and ice cream.

Even better, unlike the process of making almond milk, there is no straining involved with cashews! Just run your high-powered blender long enough, and it will get the job done quick and easy! Note: If you don't have a high-powered blender, I would recommend soaking your cashews for at least an hour before processing them, to make them softer.

You can alternate between the sweetener of your choice. I have tried Elana's recipe w/ agave nectar, Gena's vanilla-tinted variation w/ soaked dates, and I've even experimented with adding stevia or a bit of molasses for the calcium benefit. All have turned out great, but I think the agave nectar might be my favorite.

The "recipe" for cashew milk is really quite simple. Give it a try sometime, and you'll see why I love this creamy dairy free drink!


Cashew Milk
Gluten free, dairy free, coconut free, grain free/Paleo

1 c cashews, soaked at least 1 hour
4-5 c filtered water
Sweetener of choice (agave nectar or a few dates soaked for 20 min), to taste
A pinch of salt, if desired
A splash of vanilla extract, if desired

Rinse cashews well after soaking. Combine with other ingredients in a high-powered blender. Blend for 2 minutes on high. Taste, and add additional sweetener if desired.

Serve chilled, and stir well before use. Stores well for 3-5 days.

Notes:

*Most of the recipes I've seen recommend soaking your cashews for 1-8 hours, but I've skipped this step numerous times, and still had success.

*You can also thin the milk out a bit more with an extra 1/2-1 c water, if you'd like to get more bang for your buck.

*One great tip for that last-minute cashew milk craving: Throw a couple ice cubes in with your serving of milk and blend. This will chill the milk enough to pour over cereal.

Banana Nut Muffins - Paleo Style!

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!

Strawberry Shortcake

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.

Easy Dairy Free Chocolate Mousse

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!

Fudge Babies/Brownie Bites

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!

Vegan Mexican Chocolate "Ice Cream"

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

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!

Very Vanilla and Coconut Cupcakes

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.

Grilled Lemon Chicken w/ Peanut Sauce

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 :)

Chocolate Chip Scones and Almond Milk

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

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

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!