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!

Low FODMAPs Diet, Primal Thoughts, Etc.

Hi All,

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

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

Here's some useful information on the diet:

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

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

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

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

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

I mean Primal.

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

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

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

Anyway, hope everyone else is having a great week!

Shrimp Grok-Amole - a primal feast!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grok-Amole Salad

Adapted from Mark's Daily Apple recipe here

1 lb cooked and peeled shrimp, chopped

3-4 ripe avocados, peeled and chopped

3-4 ripe tomatoes, chopped

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

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

3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

Juice of 1-2 limes

Olive oil

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

Salt and pepper

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

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

Makes 3-4 servings

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

Superly Awesome Cashew Cream

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Just wait, I thought in response.

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

Unbelievable!

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

Success!!!!!!

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

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

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

Raw Cashew Cream by Amy of Simply Sugar & Gluten Free

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

Pumpkin pie, anyone?

Egg Flower Soup

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

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

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

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

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

Egg Flower Soup

2 tbsp starch (cornstarch/arrowroot works great)

dash of salt

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

1/2 c water

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

1 egg, beaten

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

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

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

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

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

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

Help me solve my health mystery!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So what's the problem/problems?

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

Specific intolerances that I am missing?

Lectin intolerance?

IBS (and not following the diet more directly)?

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

I DON'T KNOW!!

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

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

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

Thanks!

What To Eat When Backpacking

Red Castle Mountain

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


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

What we ate:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Our trail mix ingredients:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stephanie’s recommended food for backpacking:

Non-GF Food Suggestions:

Breakfast – Oatmeal

Lunch – PBH sandwiches

Dinner – Ramen/dehydrated meals

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

GF Food Suggestions:

Breakfast – Energy bars/ GF oatmeal

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

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

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

Enjoy!

Camping, Gluten Free

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now that makes for one great weekend!

The stars were not aligned in my favor...

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gluten Free Anniversary! The journey so far.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Very Vanilla and Coconut Cupcakes

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

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

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

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



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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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


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



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

Score!!!

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

Almond Flour Bread

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

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

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

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

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

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

Check out the link here for the breakfast bake.

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

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

Chicken Vegetable Soup

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

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

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

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

Chicken Vegetable Soup

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

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

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

Cream of Mushroom Soup

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


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

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

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

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

Breakfast Bake

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

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

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




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

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

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



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

Bread Cubes for Stuffing, Crumbs, Croutons, and Such

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pumpkin Chai Cranberry Muffins

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best served warm.
These freeze very well.

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

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

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

Anyway, on to the food...


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

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

Sexy Spring Pasta with Roasted Asparagus-Tomato Sauce

(adapted from the Gluten Free Goddess recipe here)

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

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

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

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

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