Turkey Day Game Plan 2012

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Seems everyone right now is sharing their awesome recipes on the blogs, which offers an overwhelming array of delicious foods to choose from.

This year, things are going to be simplified in our house. We'll probably visit the in-laws for the usual feast, which means I will need to be stocked with some safe dining options. I'm cool with that, I love Thanksgiving food (and especially leftovers)!

However, due to the increasing size of my belly, and the strain on my poor muscles, I am not allowed to spend as much time on my feet. This has severely cramped my ability to cook lately (and do dishes, darn...).

So, this is my plan for the big day:

The Amazing Feast of 2011 

The bird: I have a 10 lb free-range turkey on its way, which I ordered from my favorite Sprouts Farmer's Market. I plan on keeping it simple, and following this winning recipe from allrecipes.com.

The sides: My favorite green bean casserole for the past few years - Thanks to Irvin at Eat the Love for allowing me to enjoy this classic dish without all the gluten and dairy! (pictured above)

Still debating between these two recipes - Roasted Orange Sweet Potatoes from Gluten Free Girl & The Chef - or Cinnamon Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (I know it's a recipe from a yogurt website, but I plan on subbing cashew cream in for the yogurt). 

Of course, I'll be whipping up a batch of Cranberry Citrus Sauce from Kim at Cook it Allergy Free! I can't get enough of this stuff. I've been dreaming about it for months now, as the weather's hinted at getting colder ;) (pictured above)

If I have any leftover sauce, I may try adding some of it to this gorgeous cake recipe from Iris at the Daily Dietribe. 

Dessert: Of course, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without something amazing to satisfy the sweet tooth! I'm sticking to my tried and true (and much loved) Chocolate Pecan Tart. I think I'm going grain free on the crust this year (I love the Food Lovers' almond flour crust!), and will somehow be adapting the filling (possibly using Hallie's pecan tart as a guide?). 

I promise to follow up this year with the results of all this hard work!

What do you all have planned this year?

*The photo above is from last year's dinner, however, I never posted a follow up on how everything turned out! It was great! The turkey was deliciously flavored, and I definitely enjoyed all my leftovers :)

Paleo Chocolate Mug Cake

I've seen the one-minute cake or microwave cake recipes floating around over the years. Before going GF, I even kept a box of chocolate cake mix on hand, with the exact measurements for a "single-serving" cake posted on my fridge. You know, just for that time of the month, and other emergencies which only chocolate could fix. But I never really gave the gluten free version a chance...

I got really excited earlier this year when I saw this Paleo Mug Cake recipe over at The Wannabe Chef's site. It was grain free, and had the option to be sugar free to! So I tried it out. I loved it! And then...I kept making it. Over and over and over again!

I've adapted this recipe a bit to suit my preferences. Honestly, I never measure the ingredients I'm adding, just eyeball it. I have added chia seeds to give it a little more texture, and for some extra fiber and Omega 3's. My favorite mix-ins are chocolate chips and/or nuts (walnuts or pecans work great). I also enjoy topping it off with a little something extra once it's made. Try an extra tablespoon of peanut/almond butter (let it melt on the hot cake). Or a dab of cashew cream. Or your favorite fruit preserves. However, it really is amazing just by itself.

Topped with extra chocolate chips and walnuts.

Give this little treat a try next time you have a craving for something rich and chocolatey! I promise, you will quickly become addicted as well.

Paleo Chocolate Mug Cake
Gluten free, dairy free, sugar free, grain free/Paleo, can be nut free

Serves 1

1 small, ripe banana
2 Tbsp nut/seed butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
5-10 drops stevia, or 1-2 tsp agave (optional)
2 Tbsp cocoa powder (I like a mix of regular and dark cocoa)
1 Tbsp chia seeds
Mix-ins: 1-2 Tbsp chocolate chips, chopped nuts, dried fruit (optional)
Topping: 1 Tbsp nut butter, jam, whipped cream/cashew cream (optional)

In a small bowl, mash banana with a fork until it is smooth. Add nut butter, and mash again. Then add the egg, vanilla, and sweetener. Mix again until everything is well blended. Add cocoa and chia seeds, and mix very slowly (cocoa can be messy if you try and mix it too fast). Then stir in any mix-ins.

Pour batter into a microwave safe dish or mug. Do not over-fill the container, because this cake will rise in the microwave.

Microwave on high for 2 - 2 1/2 minutes, or until center of cake looks set.

Enjoy!

Cake can be eaten hot or cold. Or for breakfast. Or however you want it ;)

Topped w/ homemade Oregon blackberry-raspberry jam from my dad and step-mom! Amazing!

Chocolate Chip "Milkshake" (Green Smoothie)

Yup, this is the latest and greatest of my green smoothie experiments. I've been on something of a cashew milk kick lately, and for some reason all that creamy goodness has me craving milkshakes! This baby boy LOVES his milkshakes!

The other day, I was craving a chocolate milkshake, and then once I created it, I realized that what I really wanted was chocolate chip ice cream! So I took the smoothie a bit further...

I've played with this one a bit over the past few days, and have really come to enjoy it. Of course, I added the avocado and spinach to justify it as a "healthy" treat ;)

As with most of my smoothies, the measurements are more of approximations. Taste test as you go, and you'll come up with results that work for you.

A great tip I wish someone would have told me awhile back is to experiment slowly w/ avocados in sweets. I absolutely love avocados, and obviously I love dessert, but I jumped in too fast with trying them out together, and had a few bad experiences before I figured out that I liked to add avocado slowly. Here's my rule of thumb: Start w/ half of the amount of avocado called for in a recipe (unless it's the centerpiece ingredient), then taste and add a little more if you like it, and then a little more...and compensate if it becomes too strong (add more chocolate, sweetener, etc). I really don't want to actually be able to *taste* the avocado in my smoothie, but it does add to the texture. Plus, it's a fantastic, healthy fat!

Anyway, back to the recipe!

Chocolate Chip "Milkshake" Green Smoothie
Gluten free, dairy free, coconut free, can be nut free
Makes about 2 c (1 large serving)

1 banana, cut into chunks and frozen
1-2 tbsp almond butter, or other nut/seed butter
1/2 c cashew milk, or milk of choice
1 1/2 - 2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 - 1 c raw spinach
1/4 - 1/2 avocado
Additional sweetener, to taste (I have enjoyed a couple drops vanilla stevia, and a dollop of molasses the most)
A couple ice cubes
1 tbsp dairy free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)

Blend all ingredients except ice and chocolate chips in a high-powered blender, until smooth. Taste, add additional sweetener, liquid, cocoa, as desired.

Add ice and chocolate chips. Blend again, until ice is incorporated. Serve and enjoy!

Hint of Chocolate Green Smoothie - GF/DF/SF

So, here's a quick fun little recipe for your enjoyment this evening.

I LOVE green smoothies. This just so happens to be my new favorite smoothie. It also has one of my new favorite foods in it.

Raw cocoa/cacao butter! I love this stuff! I especially love scraping the extra oil up after I melt it for my smoothie, and rubbing it all over my hands. P.S. I bought my cocoa butter on amazon. It was about $15 for a pound.

The smoothie is pretty simple to make. It's also quite versatile, so play with it. I decided to use cocoa butter since I'm trying to consume more fats, and can't have coconut. I had just bought the cocoa butter because I really want to try making my own lotion or body butter. Yes, this makes me a little bit hippie (we don't use the H-word in our house...all sorts of jokes generally follow - mostly my husband's doing).

Anyway, back to the recipe. Give it a try, adjusted to your tastes.

Hint of Chocolate Green Smoothie 
Gluten, dairy and sugar free

Makes 1 serving

1/2 - 1 banana
1/2 - 3/4 c almond milk or milk of your choice
a handful or two raw spinach
2 tbsp cocoa butter, melted
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 - 2 tbsp almond butter or handful of nuts
1/3 c crushed ice
a splash of vanilla
a couple drops of stevia (optional)
1 - 2 tbsp cocoa/cacao powder (optional, but makes the chocolate flavor more potent)

Add all ingredients except the ice to your blender. Blend on high until smooth, about a minute or two. Taste, and adjust accordingly. Add ice, and blend again.

Serve and enjoy!


Note: I have made this several times while on a sugar free diet. The only sugar I'm allowed is one serving of green banana a day. So, while I think this is good and very sweet just the way it is, you may feel the need for additional sweetener. Add away!

Thanksgiving Menu 2011

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 "Ice Cream" Variations

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.

Paleo Diet Update

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

One Ingredient Ice Cream

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

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!

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.

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!

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

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

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

Celebrate!! With the best dessert ever!

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

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!

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!!