Alternative Treats

New (to me) Veggie Burger!

2011-06-13T17:13:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered Sunshine Burgers. They are Organic, Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free, and absolutely delicious!

These burgers are awesome! :) So far, they are a breeze to make as they hold up well in a skillet and in the toaster oven. I am guessing they will be great on the grill too (I'll let you know). Sunshine Burgers have only a few simple ingredients, proving that sometimes less is more!

Original flavor: Brown Rice, Sunflower Seeds, Carrots, Herbs, and Sea Salt. -See what I mean?? Simple!!
Other flavors: Garden Herb, Barbecue, Falafel, Breakfast, and Southwest.

Find them in the frozen food section. 3 burgers come in each box.

The burger was my lunch today. It fit well in between my lightly toasted, *Udi's brand, gluten-free, whole grain bun, and paired nicely with a vegan, cilantro pesto I got at my farmer's market. :) Yum. I almost... almost made tater tots just for the cuteness factor for the photo. However, if I had done that, I would have eaten them. So, I opted for the cut veggies. I am so happy I went with them. They were so fresh and wonderful tasting, and they provided a nice crunchy texture I would surely have missed if I had opted for another side. Yay for good choices! :)

*Side note: Yes, you did hear me correctly... Udi's now makes hamburger and hot dog buns!! My health food store was out of the hot dog buns, but I was able to try both flavors of the hamburger buns. I prefer the Whole Grain Hamburger Bun over the Classic. The buns are NOT vegan.

Click here to use Sunshine Burgers' store locater to find their burgers near you!!!

Sundays And Summer's Start

2011-06-05T18:50:00.000-07:00

Sundays are a great day for me. I wake up knowing that I am headed to the farmer's market for that week's vegetables and fruits. Yet, that is not the only thing on the schedule...

The plan is to first walk to our local organic juice bar, Real Raw Live.This place has so many interesting juices, smoothies, and wellnessshots to choose from. Today, I got their "French Toast Raw Smoothie." Liquid breakfast at it's finest. Seriously tasty. :)

Smoothie in hand, we then walk to the Hollywood Farmer's Market.

Summer is here, and I couldn't be more excited! At the farmer's market, I turn left, I turn right, and there are so many amazingly fresh vegetables, fruits, and smiles to see. There is so much to choose from. So much to taste and smell. And, everyone is so happy to be there, including me.

We spend a lot of time looking at all the food, talking with the farmers/vendors, trying before we buy, and listening to the musicians. More times than not we share a tamale before our walk home. Today, we opted to just make lunch at home. I was anxious to eat some of our new foods!

Sundays are such a positive and inspiring food day for me. I have so many ideas of things I'd like to make right now! And, with such fresh, local, organic food at my fingertips, I have no excuse to not experiment with more alternative treats. :)

Organic, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Sausage

2010-11-01T15:14:00.000-07:00

Every once in a blue moon I would like a little spicy sausage. However, the most difficult thing when looking for one is finding one without a pork casing and added fillers! Well, I found the sausage I like and it's by Applegate Farms.

Applegate's produces quite the selection (8 different sausages to choose from), but I stick to the Chicken/Turkey varieties. Every sausage is gluten-free, and most of them are casein (a milk protein)-free and dairy-free. None of them are in a casing and they are pre-cooked. They have more of a hot dog sort of consistency, but I am pleased with that (I like knowing they are fully cooked). :)
Their Andouille- Chicken and Turkey Sausage, is my favorite. It is a little spicy, and it can be added to all sorts of dishes. Although, usually I keep it pretty simple by cutting it up and adding it to a pasta marinara or an omelet. Okay, okay, and sometimes, when I am lazy, I just dip it in some ketchup and mustard and eat. ;)

Here are all of Applegate's Sausages:

Organic Sweet Italian Sausage

Organic Spinach and Feta Sausage
Organic Pork Kielbasa Sausage

Organic Pork Bratwurst Sausage
Organic Pork Andouille Sausage
Organic Fire Roasted Red Pepper Sausage
Organic Chicken and Apple Sausage
Organic Andouille Sausage

These selections are all organic, the animals humanely raised and are never given antibiotics, and Applegate doesn't add any fillers, nitrates or nitrites to their products.

Give them a try. :)

Mulled Apple Cider

2010-10-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

Hot, mulled apple cider is a favorite of mine! I love when fall rolls around and I can start drinking this tasty beverage. I gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside when I start to smell all the spices blend with the apple juice. Very comforting. :)

I always add extra cinnamon in my cider. I love cinnamon. (Did you know that cinnamon helps your blood sugar go down? Well, it does. So add more cinnamon to your daily diet. :) )

If you are not interested in putting together your own mulling spices, go out and buy some pre-made. I recently went to Sur La Table and found they have an all natural, gluten-free mix! Yes! The 6oz mix is enough spice for 3 gallons of apple cider... that's a lot of cider.

If you don't have a Sur La Table near you, you can order it online from their website.

Cozy up to some mulled apple cider tonight! :)

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

2010-10-28T15:37:00.000-07:00

Halloween is this weekend, and we have been ready in this house, decoration-wise, for the last month and a half! We still have a few things to do though before the big day...

One of those things included carving a pumpkin. And, what does a carving pumpkin leave you with??? Pumpkin seeds!! I love toasted pumpkin seeds. mmm...

Jamie got to work this morning. He cleaned out all the insides of a pumpkin we chose at the pumpkin patch from our trip, then carved out 2 eyes, a nose, and a big smiling mouth! I took the seeds, washed them, seasoned them, and toasted in the toaster oven. I seasoned one small batch with salt, and the second batch I seasoned with some turmeric, sea salt, black pepper, and a dash of cayenne.(Check out the health benefits of Turmeric here. It's sooo good for you!)

Delicious! (They are almost all gone already.) I made mini pumpkin pies yesterday, but I still working on the recipe so I haven't taken any pictures yet...Tomorrow, I will be making more Halloween treats. :)

Harvest Time!

2010-10-26T15:36:00.000-07:00

I have been gone for awhile... sorry. But, I am back now!

Jamie and I went on a quick trip down the west coast and got back this past weekend. He had never been north of Central California, and I knew this would be our last opportunity, this year, before the rain sets in. We drove from Seattle, WA down to Los Angeles, CA. We packed in as much fun as we could while visiting with friends and enjoying the gorgeous weather! There was sunshine every single day... boy were we lucky. :)

Besides the sunshine, one thing we also noticed was that is was definitely harvest time!While in Northern Oregon, we happened to arrive the night before an apple pick up. Now, most of us are used to going to the store to pick up a bag of apples or going to the farmer's market and choosing some to take home. Well, my friend was able to choose the varieties she wanted, they were in a large box, and the cost was just right. (I actually couldn't believe how cheap they were.) My goodness, if I had known about her being able to get apples like that, I would have put in a large order and driven them home! Alas, I didn't, but she was nice enough to give us a bag for the road. :)

There are pumpkin patches everywhere right now. We stopped at a nice one with a corn maze! Fun Fun Fun.

On the final day of our trip, we were taken to a friend of a friend's home. They had an amazing garden! I wish I had my camera with me so I could have shown you, but everything in their garden was huge. Trust me. :) They must be living on some serious prehistoric volcanic soil or something. Everything was dinosaur sized... The tomato plants were flourishing. The fig tree was out of control... I have never seen so may figs on one tree. There were lima beans, ginger, and apple trees. They also had 3 giant agave plants that, I wouldn't doubt you could use each leaf as a small canoe. Ha! We harvested some tomatoes, lima beans, and apples! The figs were being protected by some angry looking wasps so we admired the tree from afar. Next time!

So, now we are home, and I am getting back to work:

- We will carve a pumpkin very soon, and I will season and toast up some pumpkin seeds. Yum!
- I will make a pasta sauce using the tomatoes.
- The apples are going to be used in something fun.

...So much to do! So much to enjoy!

I love this time of year!!!

Dairy-Free Vanilla Bean Ice Cream In Baby Waffle Bowls

2010-10-01T16:52:00.000-07:00

The weather outside is still warm warm warm. Today, I was in the mood to make some more treats for this heat and decided to make ice cream. Vanilla Bean and Chocolate Chip Ice Cream with a touch of Cinnamon, anyone? Me, please!

I also decided to use a product I have purchased before, but have never actually used: MimiCreme. Have you heard of it?

MimiCreme is a made using almond and cashews. It's a dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, and vegan cream substitute. It comes in 3 varieties: Unsweetened, Sweetened, and Sugar-Free Sweetened.

I figured today was as good a day as any to give it a try, so I made an ice cream with light coconut milk and the MimiCreme as the base.

The ice cream turned out well. I added vanilla bean, cinnamon, and mini chocolate chips (from EnjoyLife) to it. The consistency is like a soft serve ice cream, and since it is so warm outside and new this stuff would be melting quickly, I decided I need a mini cone, or waffle bowl to put the cold treat in. I took out my petite waffle cone maker and got to making up some serving bowls... uh, mini cups really. :)

The result: Cute little scoops of ice cream in a tasty little waffle bowl. Perfect for picking up and eating right then and there. Great for a party!

Vanilla Bean Chocolate Chip Ice Cream in a Coffee Maple Waffle Bowl. Dairy-Free, Soy-free, Gluten-free, Vegan,

I flavored the waffle bowls with a little coffee and maple syrup. I'd definitely add more coffee flavor and maple next time (perhaps a maple extract so I don't add in more sweetness). This was pretty subtle, and Jamie wanted to taste more coffee. :)

Holy cow! It was delicious. It was sort of like I made a fancy coffee drink in the form of an ice cream and waffle bowl. Yum. Now, I don't like coffee as a drink, but I always liked coffee ice cream, and the smell of coffee beans so dessert coffee was a good choice for me. :)

Ok, I have to get back to eating these little cups of joy. :)

Easy Breezy Jel Dessert For A No Effort Day.

2010-09-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

It has been blazing hot in Los Angeles the past few days!! Yowzers! I have refused to use the stove so everything I eat is either fruit, salad, or something I can quickly heat up in the toaster oven. Today, I decided I needed a super easy, hardly no effort, cool treat to eat. :) I had just the thing in my cupboard:

All Natural Raspberry Jel Dessert from Natural Desserts
It's Kosher, Gluten-free, Vegan, Dairy-free, etc, etc, with no artificial colors or flavors. There are other flavors, including "unflavored," allowing you to get creative. :)

All it takes is 2 cups of hot water to dissolve the jel mix, you pour it into your serving glass or mold and place it into the refrigerator to set. I added some raspberries to each glass for added deliciousness. The jel takes very little time to set (unlike gelatin molds that take quite a bit of time), so you can get to enjoying your treat soon after you make it!

The texture is smooth and delicate. It practically melts in your mouth. Easy to make and it's tasty tasty!

If you can't find this in your local health food store or Whole Foods Market, you can certainly purchase it online. Here is one online link, but if you google "jel dessert," you'll find many places that sell it. :)

I just read that adding less water to the mix might make the jel more firm. I haven't tried this, but I will. I'll let you know what happens...

Keep cool!

Disneyland: Gluten-Free Options For You!

2010-09-24T12:08:00.000-07:00

I haven't spent much time in the kitchen lately... I know, bad. I have been in and out of town so much, it's been difficult for me to really get in there and do my thing. Oh excuses, excuses, huh?

Well, this week, we spent 2 days at Disneyland and California Adventures in Aneheim, CA. Fun Fun Fun! If you are gluten-free (or kosher), you can go into Disney's City Hall on Main Street, and pick yourself up a list of food items that are suitable for one of those diets. The list is good for Disneyland, California Adventures, and their Resort Hotels.

I picked up a list for both the gluten-free and kosher to see what was being offered. Unfortunately, they don't have lists for any of the other major food allergies, and the lists don't include all ingredients, leaving you to ask the chef in each venue to go look for theirs. I found out why while speaking to the chef at the Redd Rockett's Pizza Port in Tomorrowland. She said that Disney uses soy oil in basically everything. Wow! Boo. :( She said it's because they don't use peanut oil since there are so many peanut allergies... um, I think it's because soy oil is a cheap oil. However, at least they aren't using peanut oil. :) I plan to call Disneyland to put a bee in their bonnet about soy. I'll let you know how it goes.

I usually pack my own food when we go, but it is nice to supplement at least one meal a day from the park. You can only do so much cut veggies, trail mix, fruit and sandwiches. (Although, all that sounds so delicious right now... mmm.) :)

So, while at Pizza Port, we ordered a couple of gluten-free pizzas (they are personal pizzas that take about 5 minutes to make). I couldn't eat the crust because I found out they use soy oil in it, but Jamie and another friend ate away. They liked it. Jamie prefers the Bob Red Mill's Pizza crust we make at home, but overall, the pizza was enjoyed.

I ordered the gluten-free pasta with marinara sauce. The chef was surprised they didn't use soy oil in the sauce too, but I was just relieved to find out I could put something over my noodles. They were generous with the portion (it took about 20 minutes to get my food). Next time, I think I would add in some broccoli, etc. I have no idea why I just got such a basic dish. haha. I suppose I was just excited to be ordering something gluten-free.

Okay, okay... I am home now. Looks like I will be spending the rest of the day in the kitchen!! :)

UPDATE: I called Disneyland and made a formal comment/suggestion to them regarding the soy oil and also about possibly adding ingredients to their lists. I had to call 2 different departments before getting the proper number for these sorts of suggestions. The poor woman on the other end of the line had to listen to me go on and on about food allergies, etc. I also explained that a lot of people who have Celiac often develop other food allergies, and it would be helpful for them if they had an ingredient list right there on the gluten-free reference sheet. The woman was very nice, very helpful, and just took notes of what I was saying... even though all she heard was probably, "Blah blah blah." hahaha. Anyway, I was assured the comment goes through a string of people, right to the top. I'll let you know if I hear anything more. :)

Petite, Gluten-Free Waffle Cones, Made At Home. :)

2010-09-20T19:12:00.000-07:00

Last week, I ordered a Waffle Cone Maker. I got the petite version instead of the regular size.

I decided to go with the petite version for a few reasons:

1. Anything mini is super cute in my book.
2. I can make a stroopwafles (or a version similar)! (Created in the Netherlands and are a favorite in my house.)
3. Not only cane I shape them as a cone, I can make mini waffle bowls, and I can shape them to look like canoli and stuff them with something... i don't know what yet. The great think is that there are options. :)

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Soy-Free Petite Waffle Cones

I won't lie, it took a bit of time (2 differentbatches actually) to figure out how to get the cone just right, so thatI could roll it without breaking it, but not soft enough that it turnedout soggy. I think I am getting pretty close to having them look andtaste the way I want.

I used one of my gluten-free waffle mixes, added some almond flour (for added taste and fiber), almond milk (instead of regular milk), and used unsweetened apple sauce + a flaxseed and water mix (to replace the eggs).

The gluten-free mix worked wonderfully in the waffle maker. Sometimes, you just don't know if a gluten-free or vegan recipe will be too delicate, but in this case, it worked so well. I am very happy.

Ahhh... I am excited to fill them and eat them now!! Okay, okay... In the picture on the right, you can see 1 cone filled with an ice cream. Well... I ate that. mmmm The cone held up nicely. It had a nice crisp crunch to it once I got down to the cone. :)

Living Without

2010-09-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

I love opening my mail box and finding my new edition of Living Without "The magazine for people with allergies and food sensitivities." It is such a good resource for people (or their family and friends) living with food allergies and/or a food intolerance. I keep my old issues and reference them, when needed. :)

If you are not familiar with this magazine, please go try to find a copy at your health food store and flip through it (Whole Foods Market definitely carries it), OR check out their website. Not only can you can read most of the current issue there, but they have all sorts of extras (such as recipes, tips for travel and health, and lots of other interesting articles)!

If you are not able to subscribe to the physical magazine, simply subscribe to the website, and read the current issue's articles there.. it's FREE!

My subscription is up come December, but there is no way I won't renew it. This is a little joy I don't want to live without!

P.S. This could just be that great gift you are looking to give someone this year for the holidays...

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-09-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

Gluten-free, Soy-free, Dairy-free, Egg Free.

I was at the market, looking at all the gluten free flours and mixes, when I decided to try 1‧2‧3 Gluten Free's Chewy Chipless Scrumdelicious Cookies mix. (that is quite the name, isn't it?)

This was my first time trying the 1‧2‧3 Gluten Free Brand (based out of Cleveland, Ohio). It was a success. I would use their product again. On the inside of the box, they give many different options to vary the cookie you make. I chose to make the Egg Free Cookies (with chocolate chips).

I , of course, altered this recipe a bit. Really, I wouldn't be me if I wasn't adding my own special touches to these mixes. :)

The recipe suggests you use 2 tbls Flaxseed Meal + 6 tbls Water to replace the 2 eggs in the original recipe. I used 1 tbls Flaxseed + 3 tbls Water and 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce instead.

I also added 1/4 cup ground Pecans (aka Pecan flour) for added flavor, texture, and fiber.

I used my favorite allergy friendly chocolate chips by Enjoy Life! (dairy, nut, and soy-free. vegan) The chocolate chips are so darn cute too... the most petite chips you'll ever find. Perfect for chocolate chip cookies, garnishing on cupcakes, etc.

The cookies came out very nice! A bit sweet for me (although, it didn't stop me from eating 6 of them), but Jamie loved the sweetness. I didn't get a sugar high though, must have been my added nut flour! ;)

I used my small scoop from OXO (scoop equals about 2 tsp) for each cookie. This creates about a 2 inch cookie when baked. Perfect size.

The cookie mix makes up quite a few small cookies (it says 100 cookies on the box. I don't think I totaled 100 though).

I didn't want to commit to eating all of the cookies at one time (because you know I would), so I only baked up 1 cookie sheet worth (about 15 cookies).
For the remaining cookie dough:

- I took out one of my thin cutting boards (since my cookie sheet was in the oven).
- I used the small scoop to gather the cookie dough and place each unbaked cookie onto the cutting board.
- I made some room in my freezer, and placed the board into it.
- Once the cookies were partially frozen, I removed them from the freezer.
- I then placed each one into a plastic zip bag, removed all the air I could, and placed them back into the freezer.
-repeat as necessary (i did this process twice).

Now, we can bake up just a couple cookies at a time!! This allows the over eater in me to settle down and respect my portion control! Plus, I can bake them in the toaster oven... easy breezy.

:)

BBQ Breakfast

2010-09-08T13:20:00.000-07:00

This morning, after writing the blog about our Labor Day dinner, I realized, I had not yet had enough of the BBQ sauce. I had to incorporate it into breakfast. :)

I sliced some pre-cooked polenta*, seasoned it a little, and sautéed it. I then made a sunny side up egg seasoned with salt and pepper.

I placed the egg on top of the polenta that rested on top of a little BBQ sauce. Paired with some mesclun greens, pea shoots, and avocado, I knew this breakfast would do me just fine.

Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free.

This was quite tasty. I loved the hint of spiciness the BBQ sauce added to the dish.

* Polenta is made from cornmeal. It is pretty simple to make, but if you are looking for an easy, lazy way out, you can buy it pre-cooked. Pre-cooked polenta is pretty easy to find. It comes in a tube shape. Look for it.

Labor Day Meal BBQ-style.

2010-09-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

On Monday, we returned home to see that the neighbors had invited friends over for a Labor Day BBQ in the courtyard. Since we do not yet have a BBQ of our own, we decided to make our own "barbecued" dinner inside... Afterall, I had some delicious BBQ sauce in my cupboard just screaming to be used.

I absolutely love Bone Suckin' Sauce (designated all natural and gluten-free)! It is such a good BBQ sauce. Please try it. I used the Hot this time, but the Mild is also very good for those of you who don't like spicy.

Basing the whole meal off of this BBQ sauce, we started cooking.

Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free, Egg-free.

Jamie, my sous chef and boyfriend, cleaned all my veggies for me (sweet, huh?) and made the salad.

I tossed the potatoes with some herbs, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic. They were pan fried.

I sautéed the celery, carrots, and green beans all together with a little salt and pepper to taste.

The corn, well, I boiled the corn, and when they were done, I coated them with a little Earth Balance (soy-free) and sprinkled on some BBQ/Chili powder. (I wanted to squirt a little lime over the top, but I forgot...).

The chicken was super easy. I dipped each piece in a seasoned rice flour (rice flour, salt, pepper, cayenne, herbs, garlic), and browned then in a saute pan. (Actually, I used the same pan I cooked the potatoes and the vegetables in- one pan equals less clean up.) I poured the BBQ sauce over the chicken and kept the heat on to continue cooking the chicken, while allowing the BBQ sauce to create a nice glaze around each piece.

We made a nice lemonade, sweetened with honey, to drink during dinner. (sorry, not pictured. We were running out of light, and I was becoming impatient with hunger... so we began to eat instead.)

We discovered that the potatoes were so good dipped into the BBQ sauce left in the pan.

The whole meal was a great way to end the long Labor Day weekend. :)

S'more Please!

2010-09-03T17:06:00.000-07:00

S'mores!
What a great treat to have on Labor Day Weekend (or whenever your heart desires).

The s'mores (pictured below) I made in the comfort of my home, using my toaster oven. They are super easy to make, and it takes little to no time at all!

Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free, Egg-free

I found some gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free graham-style crackers called "S'moreables," recently. I was super excited to come across these in my local health food store. They aren't very sweet so they match well with the marshmallow and chocolate.

No worries, though, if you can not find these graham-style crackers, feel free to use a gf cookie instead.

Now, I have never been a big fan of marshmallows, but I finally found a brand I enjoy. Elyon Brand, Gluten-Free Marshmallows are so good! They are a bit grittier (for lack of a better word) than traditional marshmallows, but I prefer them so much more. These are also made using a fish gelatin for those of you who don't indulge in beef (like me). Plus, their packaging is super cute. :)

Your toaster oven should be set to 350°F.

Place a marshmallow on a cracker, and a small piece of chocolate (your choice. I love dark chocolate) on another cracker. Put it in the toaster oven until the marshmallow browns on top (about 1 minute). Remove, and let cool for a minute before place the chocolate cracker over the marshmallow. You can certainly make more than one S'more at a time.

Tips:
The S'moreables crackers don't easily break into 2 pieces like traditional graham crackers. To make things easy on yourself, leave the cracker whole and make a larger S'more. The cracker itself is not big to begin with.

Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on your S'more before sandwiching the 2 halves together. Not only does this add flavor, but cinnamon also helps regulate your blood sugar levels. A little cinnamon, in such a sweet treat, sounds like a perfect match to me. :)

Melting the chocolate pieces can prove to be a bit messy. For an alternative, use a chocolate spread instead. (if you use the spread instead of the chocolate piece, there is no need to put that half of the cracker in the toaster oven.) I went camping last month, and we used a peanut butter, dark chocolate spread from Peanut Butter & Co (gluten-free) instead of the chocolate piece. It worked out so well! It allowed us to roast our marshmallows over the fire, then apply the hot marshmallow to the cracker without the mess of melting chocolate. Brilliant.

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend!
xo

Good Ol' Pot Pie

2010-09-03T10:24:00.000-07:00

Pot Pie is such a comfort food for me, as I am sure it is for a lot of people. What is nice about it is that it is a simple dish that families love. And, now that I've discovered Bob Red Mill's Gluten-Free Biscuit and Baking Mix, the crust that tops of the pot pie is easy, tasty, and flaky.

1 bag will make enough to cover 2 large, family-sized pot pies. Follow the recipe for the crust on the back of the package. In a previous post, I mentioned that this crust is an exception for my "no garbanzo bean flour in baked goods" rule. It works for this because the crust is for a savory dish. Please don't use it for a dessert. If you do, you will be disappointed.

Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free, Egg-free

Allergy friendly changes:

Take your favorite Pot Pie Recipe (Chicken, Vegetable, etc)

My mother's recipe wants you to have the vegetables pre-cooked before mixing together (boiled potatoes, boiled chicken, steamed carrots, etc). I prefer just a bit more flavor, so I saute all of the ingredients together with some herbs and spices.

Because I, typically, don't use dairy, I replace the milk with coconut milk (light), or almond milk.

My recipe calls for broth, but I just use water. Since I am seasoning my vegetables beforehand, I really don't need the broth. Plus, it's cheaper to use water. :)

Since I make mine gluten-free, I replace the flour in the sauce with an arrowroot, cornstarch, or potato starch.

Tips:
If you have oven safe pans, choose one that you can saute all the ingredients in, pour the sauce over, cover with the crust, and pop into the oven. It will save you from having to clean multiple dishes. The less mess for me to clean up, the better. :)

Gluten-free crust can be tricky to roll out. To make things easy on myself, I place the dough in between a large piece of parchment paper. I roll out the crust as you normally would, but this way, I don' have to worry about the crust sticky and breaking apart. :)

To be super cute, make individual pot pie's for each person. This way, if you want to make some vegetarian, and some with meat, you are able to. Saute all the vegetables in one pan, and cook the chicken in a separate pan. Fill each oven-safe container with the vegetables. Add the chicken to the appropriate dishes, before adding the sauce. Be sure to distinguish between the vegetarian and the meat pot pies by using different colored dishes or marking the crust. :)

GF Ice Cream Cones + Homemade Ice Cream = MMMM

2010-08-30T19:06:00.000-07:00

My goodness was I excited to find these gluten-free vegan ice cream cones by "Let's Do..." (Edward & Sons Trading Co. - The same company I use for my gf sprinkles). When I discovered they made sugar cones (on top) as well as the cake cones (on bottom), I became as giddy as a school girl. I always LOVED sugar cones. mmm...
(Side note: The sugar cones do have a soy lecithin, but the cake cones are soy free)

Yesterday, I pureed some fresh strawberries from my farmer's market so I could make a strawberry ice cream. The ice cream was made using the puree, a touch of honey, vanilla, and coconut milk. It came out nicely, but I am still working on my recipe. :)

What better way to eat homemade ice cream than on an ice cream cone? Uh, no other way when you are bringing back some serious childhood memories. ;)

And, not only did I eat one last night, but I had to eat both I used to photograph today. Oh no, I couldn't let them go to waste, and I was alone taking the shots... a definite "no brainer." No sugar rush, no heavy feeling, and lots of smiling occurred while I ate my ice cream cones outside. I, actually, wouldn't be surprised if I was humming and doing a little dance; I was in my own happy little world of alternative treats.

Food Is Food, Right?

2010-08-27T13:56:00.000-07:00

Well, not all food is considered equal. And, this food is not exactly edible. However, it is nourishment... for your skin. :) I'll take that for sure.

Skin Food by Weleda is wonderful!

My goodness, this stuff makes me feel like a lady!

I actually think I forgot I was a lady until I put a small amount of this rich lotion on my hands. As I massaged it in, allowing the cream to be absorbed into my skin, I soon realized my hands felt silky and soft, making me feel down right feminine.

It is worth every penny. A little goes a long way, and I only use it on my hands after a long day in the kitchen with a lot of dishes.

I have it on right now, and just had to tell you about it. I love this stuff!

You can find it at your local health food store (ask if they can order it if they don't have it in stock), Whole Foods, or online. If your store has a sample, try it. Walk around the store, feel pretty, then add it to your basket. You won't be disappointed.

Weleda has a lot of really great products, using natural ingredients. Read about their natural ingredients here.

Garden Fresh Tomato Pasta

2010-08-27T11:29:00.000-07:00

I recently went to my grandparents's house for a visit, and I left with 2 containers of cherry tomatoes just picked from their garden. Delicious.
My Farmer's Market provided me with leeks and kale.
I had my gluten-free pasta of choice ready to go in my cupboard.

Sounds like it's going to be pasta for dinner! Yum. (and easy.)

My pasta of choice is from Tinkyada. This pasta cooks up nicely, the consistency is excellent, and it tastes good. If I am ever making a pasta dish for guests, this is the brand I go for... they don't even notice it's gluten-free, but they do notice they feel less heavy and tired when they are done with dinner.
:) (The spiral shape is my favorite)

Tip: If you are on a budget and have a Trader Joe's near you, Trader Joe's make a gluten-free rice pasta that cooks up well. Just watch it more closely when cooking to no make sure you don't over cook it into a mush.

For this dish:

In a large saute pan on medium heat-

1/2 leek cut thinly in 1-2 tbls olive oil.
Sprinkle in dried oregano, basil, thyme.
Add in quartered cherry tomatoes.

As you notice the tomatoes start to cook,
Add in 2 cloves chopped garlic.
Add salt, pepper, and dash of cayenne.

When you see the tomatoes have released a lot of their juices,
Add in your kale**

Taste. Then add in more salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

Pan for boiling pasta-

Add in pasta to hot water. I usually add in about 1 tbls olive oil to the water to prevent the noodles from sticking to each other.

When the noodles are just about done, turn off the water. you don't want to over cook, and this will allow you a moment to prepare your colander for draining.
Drain the pasta.
If the pasta will rest for a bit before the sauce is complete, toss it with a small amount of olive oil and salt (optional).

**Kale- I use Lacinato Kale (also known as Dinosaur Kale).

After removing the thicker part of the stem, I cut the kale into short, 1/4-1/2 inch wide pieces. I put them into the pan when there is liquid on the bottom of the pan because I feel this helps remove any bitterness the leafy greens may have. So far, my theory has worked well for me. I hope it will for you too. :)

Cool Down, Freeze Your Grapes

2010-08-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

I was excited to get back in my kitchen for some serious cooking... What I wasn't expecting was the heat wave. It's too hot for me to cook right now. It's suppose to cool down by the weekend though, and I will be ready.

I am trying to stay cool, and to do that, I am taking some leads from my childhood. As kids, we would take the grapes from the refrigerator and pop them into the freezer. Frozen grapes are so good and very refreshing! Try it, you'll like it!

Epicurean from Skateboard Parks to Cutting Boards

2010-08-24T17:37:00.000-07:00

Epicurean cutting boards are lightweight, easy to store, they can be put into the dishwasher (if you are lucky enough to have one), and you can rest really hot items straight from the oven on them. Also, they are made from sustainable materials. :)

I have been using mine for years, and I am so happy with them. Every time I go to their website, I see more and more products they are coming up with. I can't wait to get my hands on more of them.

And... not only do I love using my Epicurean cutting boards, but I am loving the company as well.

Waste not, want not. :) I really like the story of how the company came to be:

"Epicurean was born out of TrueRide Inc., a respected design and build contractor specializing in custom municipal skate parks. In an effort to reduce senseless waste from TrueRide’s excess material used in skate park construction, Epicurean was founded and introduced a new line of professional-grade cutting surfaces for the residential kitchen." Read the rest on Epicurean's Website.

Read about their GREEN efforts here!

There are many options of where to purchase. Check out their online store locater to find a store near you. They also sell their products online from their website.

TIP: When using your cutting board, please be safe. Be sure the board is not able to move around on your counter. I keep a small piece of a non-slip material (non-slip drawer liner or placemat), that I cut to size, placed beneath my cutting board.
Not only is the material great for keeping you safe while slicing and dicing, it can also be used in a couple other ways around the kitchen:
1. It can help you grip and open a stubborn jar.
2. It can be great to place under a bowl that you are using to mix in (sometimes you just don't have extra hands to spare).

Bob's Red Mill GF Flour Mixes + Other Ramblings...

2010-08-21T20:58:00.000-07:00

I just returned home. I was out of town, and had been for almost 3 weeks, so I apologize for not getting into the kitchen and taking more delicious food pics for you. Next week, I will have no excuse though! On Sunday, I will have the pleasure of going to my farmer's market and stocking up on all sorts of wonderfully fresh foods. On Monday, I will be happy to get back to the swing of things in the kitchen! I am super excited. :)

When baking Gluten Free, you have to blend together the right equation of different flours to get a positive outcome. In the most recent years, gluten-free options have skyrocketed, and there are many talented people out there who have done the work for you and have their blend for you to purchase.

Beyond flour blends to exchange 1:1 for wheat flour, if you are making a homemade dessert, there are also so many mixes for brownies, cakes, breads, etc... just waiting for you and your family to try.

I do, however, encourage you to check the ingredients before you buy. Depending on what the mix is for, it could make the difference between a yummy result and a funky one. I believe that a big no-no when baking something sweet is use a Garbanzo Bean (Chickpea) flour. The aftertaste is just upsetting to me. Anytime, I see a flour mix in the store, I am sure to check it for this. Now, don't get me wrong, Garbanzo Bean flour has it's place. It does hold up very nicely, but works best with a savory use.

Next week, I'll be sure to make a Chicken Pot Pie using a crust that uses the Garbanzo Bean flour in the mix. I'll tell you how it's done so you can make it at home too. Be sure to come back for that. :)

In saying all of the above... For awhile, I gave up trying to buy any of Bob Red Mill's Gluten Free Mixes. It seemed the no-no flour was in everything. Yuck! (I never gave up using their basic, one ingredient flours though- always great!)

Well, GOOD NEWS! They are now making some fantastic mixes!!! Tasty, successful, easy to use mixes. (I used the GF Pizza Dough mix for the crust of the pizza I made a few weeks ago.) Check out some of Bob's Red Mill Gluten-free products here.

Not only is Bob's Red Mill stepping it up for the Gluten Free (and other dietary needs) community, but I learned recently that on Bob's 81st birthday he announced that the company has a new Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), making this an Employee Owned Company!! Go Bob! (Read more about this here.)

Bagels! Gluten-Free And Tasty. :)

2010-08-10T23:48:00.000-07:00

Udi's Gluten Free Foods has many different bread and granola products. A friend of mine told me to try them awhile ago, and I hadn't yet, so I was really happy when my second cousin recently gave me a gluten free bagel to try at our annual family camping trip.

Unfortunately, I accidently left it in my mom's camp. :( Once I returned home though, I immediately picked up a bag of the bagels at Whole Foods Market. (Unlike most gluten free breads that are found in the frozen foods section, these are found in the bread isle.)

I got home and quickly threw the soft bagel into the toaster oven. I spread on some of Earth Balance's Soy-Free Buttery Spread (uh, I'm super excited about this product too!!). And, as you can see, I took a couple bites before setting it down to photograph. I couldn't help it, the bagel was begging me to try it. ;)

Gluten-free breads are often more dense than regular gluten breads, but this bagel was light and airy before and after toasting. (I think it is sort of funny since it wasn't as heavy or chewy as a gluten bagel.) The bagel was strong, and didn't fall apart on me... perfect for spreading something on it. Even though it didn't have the same texture as a traditional bagel, I still enjoyed it very much in both taste and texture. (It the texture tasted more like a store bought bagel and not fresh from the bagel factory bagel- if you know what I mean.)
Turns out, it works pretty well as a bun for a burger too. (Lox and cream cheese would be fantastic too!)

I am now very much encouraged to try the rest of Udi's products. They all look pretty darn tasty. :)
The bread products are all Dairy, Soy and Gluten Free, but they do contain Eggs.
Udi's makes granola that is all that but egg-free too.

Cheesy, Melty Yumminess. :)

2010-08-09T09:18:00.000-07:00

Daiya - (Pronounced: Day-ya) is a new discovery of mine. It's a dairy-free, soy-free, vegan cheese alternative. It melts! Hands down, this is the best cheese alternative I have come across so far. It is superior in taste and texture than all the other fake cheeses I've tried. And, I am just really impressed that it melts so nicely. :) I love that this vegan "cheese" doesn't have casein (protein in milk) or soy in it. It's about time someone got something like this out on the market.

I have been making quesadillas, mac & cheese, and pizza with it.

It comes in two flavors, Cheddar Style and Mozzarella Style. The Mozzarella Style is my favorite. :)

You can find out more about Daiya on their website.

...Kitchen Sink Breakfast.

2010-07-30T13:20:00.000-07:00

We are headed out for the next 4 days, and I didn't want to our fresh food to go to waste. There is food we can bring with us, and food we just can't... and the can't, is what made up our breakfast this morning... "Everything but the kitchen sink." :)

I don't know if it's much to look at, but I thought I get a picture just to keep my personal training of picture taking and blogging on track! **yes, I am patting myself on the back haha ;-).

Eggs scrambled with black beans, zucchini, carrot, red potatoes, and sage. Sitting on a bed of mesclun greens, topped with pea shoots! We later added avocado... mmm... not pictured (again), but mmm.

Pizza for lunch!

2010-07-29T15:54:00.000-07:00

For lunch we made something delicious... Pizza!

Yummm... I love pizza! My mom use to make us homemade pizza when we were kids. I always enjoyed when we had our own personal size pizza crust to add toppings to... so much fun! I was brought right back today when we busted out our soon to be lunch. :)

Since I don't eat wheat, I don't often indulge in the comfort food of pizza.
I was happy to see that Bob's Red Mill is making a Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix. I was happier to find out that it tastes pretty good. :)

Caramelized Onion and Zucchini with Fresh Basil to top it off. :)

Maki Rolls

2010-07-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

I got a late start yesterday. It finally came together though... just before sunset. (minus putting up the blog today. haha)

I wanted to have a use for one of the avocados I mentioned in the last post. I thought Maki Rolls would be a good choice!
Of course, I forgot to put the avocado on the plate of items to put inside the avocado- I could have at least placed the halved avocado in the background. Next time, I'll be more thorough. ;)

Maki Roll: I used the Fuerte Avocado (so creamy!), Carrot, Cucumber, Pea Shoots, and a Sesame Seeds. Very simple. Very tasty.

You can barely see it, but in the bottom left corner of the Maki Roll image, I used a soy(less) sauce I recently found. It's called Coconut Aminos, by Coconut Secret. Pretty good. It passes nicely as a soysauce replacement. :)

Avocados

2010-07-27T13:30:00.000-07:00

I am loving that I live so close to the weekly Hollywood Farmer's Market. Every Sunday morning, Jamie (bf) and I wake up and head over to the market. We now have specific vendors we like to go to. :) Everyone selling is so friendly and helpful. Last week, we discovered a small organic avocado booth. I am not sure how we missed it every week before. There are other people selling avocados there, but this little stand calls to me. We made sure to stop by this week for a new round of delicious avocados.

We picked up a couple Hass, and Fuerte. They had one more type of avocado on sale, but we figured we try it maybe next visit. Of course, now, I can't remember the name of it. The avocado is round and a bit larger than the Hass and Fuerte. According to the CA avocado website, I think it might be the Reed Avocado, but it doesn't sound familiar. grr... I hate when I do that. I suppose since I wasn't purchasing the fruit this week, I didn't store the info in my noggin. Not a very good excuse. haha I'll get the name next week.
I do remember that it reminded me a bit of an avocado that grows on the central eastern coast of Florida. The vendor told me that the difference between the FL and this CA avocado is that the CA one is fattier. Yes! Fattier means it is probably that much more delicious. :)

Anyway, we purchased our Hass and Fuerte avocados. Before I could put them into our bag, the vendor handed me one of those round avocados (we'll call it the Reed)! How nice! She said that she wanted me to have try it. So cool! I love the Farmer's Market!

I am going to dive into this avocado tomorrow! Big plans!!! And, then, I think I will try to grow my own. In fact, I think I am going to try to grow all 3 varieties. I am going to take the seed and see if I can get this thumb of mine to turn green. (I tend to stunt the growth of all my plants- it's time I learn how to get the to thrive!)

Click here to grow your own avocado tree. :)

"Get it together" ...

2010-07-27T13:02:00.000-07:00

... that's what I keep telling myself. :)

I have been pretty bad about the blogging. I suppose I just haven't found my groove yet. It does amaze me though how guilty I feel every day I do not post a blog. haha... silly?

Last week, I was recipe testing brownies. This week I will do the same, I think. The problem is, is that I don't stop to take pictures. And, once I am through with the day, I don't post my blog because there is no image to attach. I need to just keep telling myself to take pictures!!!!! That, and/or I need to stay consistent and get a blog written... with or without a photo.

Ok, ok... I'll get it together... you'll see.
xo

Liz Lovely

2010-07-21T13:14:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness...

I have been a bit obsessed with the gluten-free cookies from Liz Lovely for quite some time now. They are vegan and gluten-free cookies of deliciousness. (There are gluten filled cookies to choose from too)

So many times I have purchased gluten-free cookies (you know, for research ;-) ), and so many of those times I have been disappointed with the product. I mean, gluten-free baking can be difficult, and to also tack vegan to the list increases the challenge by far!

The Gluten-Free, Vegan Cookies from Liz Lovely, are, so far, superior to all the other packaged cookies on the market. Yum. Soft, moist, delicate but not too fragile that the cookie completely falls apart on you, and flavorful. They can be a bit sugary, but if you share with a friend or 2 (2 generous cookies in one package), then that helps. :)

I have yet to try all the flavors, however, my favorite so far is the "Gluten-Free Chocolate Fudge." (It's like a brownie) WOW! If you like chocolate then this is the ticket!

-The Chocolate Chip tastes just like pre-baked cookie dough. It would be delicious mixed in to a homemade ice cream.

-The Ginger Molasses has it's good batches and bad. If you get the batch that bakes up thinner then feel like you just won! The thicker cookie outcome is too soft, and I feel like it loses it's flavor. Although, that might just be because it's cakier and less cookie-like (plus, i think it's more dry when thicker). Anyway, the candied ginger pieces they always put on top are the best!

-The German Chocolate Cake Cookie is yummy. coconut, chocolate, walnut... mmmm

I was eating the chocolate fudge too often within the past year, so I decided to take a break. Slowly, I will try all the other Gluten-Free flavors, which include: Snickerdoodle, Triple Chocolate Mint, Oatmeal Raisin, and Coconut Lemon. (These all sound wonderful to me)

Gluten-Free or not, Check out more on the Liz Lovely Website.

Burger Time

2010-07-15T19:10:00.000-07:00

I found these burgers from Bahama Rice Burger when I was back in NYC and thought they were delicious. With all my traveling and moving this past year, I forgot about them until I ventured down the frozen foods isle at my local Whole Foods Market. Yipee!
I still have to toss a patty on the grill to see how they hold up, but there are instructions on the box of how to do so. I have only heated them up in a pan so far. I had one for lunch yesterday, and it is still as tasty as I remember! There are many different varieties, but Mediterranean is my favorite so far.
I definitely recommend you check them out. You can't beat a soy-free, vegan, gluten-free ready to go burger! Yum.

Update: I went camping recently and threw this the grill. Success! It totally held together, and I was very happy about that. I do feel like it turned out a little bit dry, but my sister's dairy-free pesto did just the trick to bring it back to life! Delicious. :)

Strawberry Cupcakes

2010-07-14T11:04:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I have been terrible at getting this blog going.
I have been working in my kitchen though. :)

I will try to get a handle on balancing blog writing and recipe testing. I am hoping that my brain can get wrapped around this soon. Cross your fingers for me.

Sooo... with all that in mind, I did get my act together this past Saturday. A friend of mine saw me post earlier in the week on facebook about me recipe testing some cupcakes (I know, my bf keeps telling me I am suppose to be posting stuff like that on this blog... still learning...). She asked if I'd make some cupcakes for a birthday party she was hosting over the weekend.

Yah! I remembered to take a picture before delivering 2 dozen cupcakes to her house on Saturday afternoon.
So here it is: Strawberry Cupcakes

Cupcake: Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free, Egg-free, Low sugar (no refined cane sugar or artificial sweetener used). (Coloring from beet juice and hibiscus)

Frosting: My next step will be to create a healthier, lower glycemic frosting... for now though this was Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free.

Sprinkles: Gluten-free from "Lets do...Sprinkelz" Super cute. Pastel colors are natural too.

Here we go...

2010-05-26T14:32:00.000-07:00

Okay, well, I hope I am not starting this blog prematurely. I just had a moment where I felt I needed to write the first one. ... try to get myself motivated to really get things started... Finally!

I just moved back to Southern California from New York. My boyfriend and I have been in our new place for 3 weeks, today. There is still plenty to do in terms of getting my kitchen together (as well as the rest of the place!), but so far so good. I keep trying to tell myself that I will need this or that before I begin my recipe testing, however, the truth is, I can start now and add as I go along.

I was living in the lovely New York City. There is such an amazing energy there, and I really fit in well. I could have lived there for many more years, however, I decided to leave because some of my siblings started adding to our family tree, and I wanted to be closer to these cute little buddles of joy. Also, one of my best friends (Who is, hands down!, one of the best food photographers ever- lucky me!) was also moving to the L.A. area, and I thought she'd be good motivation for me to complete more recipes for the cookbook I have been writing (and putting off) for many years. And, it seemed like it was the right time for change. So, once my boyfriend let the idea of moving sink in, we went ahead and left a place both of us have called home for quite awhile.

So, here I am, living in Los Angeles, trying to make good of my goal to complete my cookbook. Motivate, motivate, motivate. :)

I suppose it is important for me to tell you that I make food for people with special dietary needs, such as food allergies/sensitivities/intolerances, etc. I have been doing this for 13 years now. :)
I am a Chef and Health Counselor, although, I'd say I am not active with either one of these until I actually get myself back into the kitchen... soooo
Here we go...