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Chocolate Chia Seed Superfood Pudding – Gluten-free and Vegan
Does anyone else find that they crave chocolate more than ever in February? With all the Valentine’s Day recipes in blogs and magazines and all the treats in stores, I feel like I see the stuff everywhere! Of course, a good quality chocolate treat isn’t bad for you, in moderation, but why not a chocolate treat that actually has tons of additional, wonderful health benefits, even?
Today as part of my ongoing Restricted Diet series with Free People, I am sharing a super simple to make, raw Chocolate Chia Seed Superfood Pudding that will knock your socks off. The best part about this pudding, besides it being chocolate, is that you can really make it you own. Select your favorite toppings, add some cinnamon or cayenne for a little heat, whip up some coconut cream for topping, the possibilities are endless.
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Southwestern Quinoa Bites Recipe with Avocado Dipping Sauce – Gluten-free and Vegan
This month of guest-bloggers just keeps on going and bringing more and more of my favorite foodie ladies here to share amazing treats with you guys. Today, we have the amazingly talented Cara, of Fork & Beans, with us, sharing an incredible recipe that would be perfect for your Super Bowl party this weekend or heck for any occasion really and they are a super creative way to use up some of your leftover juice pulp!
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Beth. Oh Beth. My love story goes way back with this girl from almost the beginning of Fork & Beans. I adore her personality from behind the computer and in person–she is the kind of girl you want fighting on your team. It is of my upmost pleasure to be here with all her loyal readers–YOU–sharing this recipe today!
Over the past couple years I have become a huge lover of juicing. I even bought an Omega (which I LOVE) and I now make a tradition of going to the farmer’s market every Sunday to buy fresh produce to juice at home for the entire week. The thing about juicing, however, is that there is a ton of pulp left over from the vegetables. I always feel guilty about throwing it all away because there is still food to be eaten despite the fact that it is the leftover fiber of the vegetables and fruit. I just never really have known what to do with it (translation: I never put that much thought into it) That is, until now.
Now I am starting to get creative with all that extra fiber and beginning to throw it into everything I can think of. About a year ago I made these Italian Quinoa Bites which were a HUGE hit (and unbelievably good!) and it immediately hit me that the pulp would pair perfectly with a new-and-improved flavor. And trust, it so is! These make the perfect appetizers or even meal in and of itself. Read the rest of this entry »
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Gluten-free Soft Pretzel Bites (Dairy-free with Vegan option)
We go to Disneyland a lot, we have season passes, it is just up the road and it’s magical – so duh, why wouldn’t we? Disney is super gluten-free friendly. I can always find multiple options there and no matter which restaurant I select, they send the chef out to speak with me directly about my intolerances and allergies, to tell me what my options are. It’s so comforting to feel so safe with my food outside of my home. Of course, if you know me, I always want more. Those carts that sell the Mickey Mouse shaped pretzels, they just kill me. Disney doesn’t have gluten-free soft pretzels and I don’t blame them, it isn’t a simple feat. My hubby loves getting those tempting hot pretzels and it has created a nearly year-long craving for me. I had plans of making pretzels in October some time for Oktoberfest, but that month somehow got away from me. The craving however has only got stronger.
I finally had an entire day alone in the kitchen to play with a gluten-free soft pretzel recipe. However, rather than fight with a gluten-free dough to make traditional twisted pretzels, I have done that before, it just ends in me being angry and frustrated, I decided the shape is less important than the taste and texture! I just wanted that traditional yummy soft pretzel taste to shove in my face, no matter the shape or size. So, soft pretzel bites became the clear winner!
Please trust me when I ask you not to get overwhelmed by the ingredients and instructions on this recipe. I know it seems like a lot, I am sure it seems like many steps, but the moment they come out of that oven and you bite into one that’s still warm with it’s both soft and chewy inside a slightly crispy outside, you will forget how much time you spent making them. The day I was working on this recipe, I made them THREE times! THREE. In less than 8 hours. I was in the kitchen all day making pretzels and it was never that bad or overwhelming, I got into a bit of a rhythm and it never felt like too much work. The hardest part for me was getting the measurements just right, and that work has been done for you already, after that – they are surprisingly easy.
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Dark Chocolate Drizzled Popcorn Balls (Gluten-free & Dairy-Free)
I love the challenge of creating healthier versions of classic recipes. Earlier this week I asked my Facebook readers: what Halloween treat would they like a re-imagined healthier version of? Popcorn balls popped up (pun intended) quite often! Traditional popcorn balls are usually loaded with butter, sugar, corn syrup or marshmallows, etc. I figured the easiest way to hold these together without all the junk was honey! It worked perfectly and it gave the popcorn a nice caramel-like color and flavor, too. The dark chocolate drizzle on top is optional, but I do have to say it really makes these extra special and it shouldn’t be skipped if you can help it. Dark chocolate and salty-sweet is an amazing combo.
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Vegan Pumpkin Spice Almond Butter Fudge (Gluten-Free)
Phew this has been a busy couple of weeks here on Tasty Yummies. I hope you guys have enjoying all of the new stuff and I am not overwhelming you with pumpkin already. I have obviously been inspired by the start of the new season!
I love coming up with fun new ways to enjoy pumpkin this time of year. Who wants to get stuck in a pumpkin rut? Not me! There are plenty of muffins, cookies, smoothies, lattes, etc – so a simple no-cook pumpkin almond butter fudge recipe seemed like a fun new way to enjoy pumpkin.
This sweet treat is super simple to make, grain-free, refined sugar-free (depending on the chocolate you use on top), vegan, etc. If you can’t have nuts, consider trying sunflower seed butter in place of the almond butter. Read the rest of this entry »
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Salted Dark Chocolate Nut Bites
A true test of how much I love one of the many cookbooks in my collection, is how messy and “used” the book appears. If there are oil stains, melted chocolate fingerprints, bookmarked pages, etc – you know it’s one of my favorites. I haven’t had Kelly from The Spunky Coconut’s new cookbook in my collection for even a month yet and it already has quite a few of those things. If you pulled it off my shelf right now, you’d swear I have had it over a year. It looks that used, already.
The Paleo Chocolate Lover’s Cookbook features 80 gluten-free treats for breakfast and dessert and it will have you drooling just a few pages in. I know you guys know this already, but I don’t go crazy over all sweets and baked goods. I am just not wired that way. But, if you were to set something in front of me that has been dipped in some melted high-quality dark chocolate, it almost doesn’t matter what it is. I will eat every last bit of it. I don’t need heavy rich desserts, I rarely crave sugary, sweetness, but when I do – just a little something chocolatey usually does the trick for me. Sometimes just a small square of cold dark chocolate is all I need. Satisfying and comforting.
Making healthy, gluten-free chocolate treats that aren’t loaded with refined sugars and grains is just so gratifying and you can still enjoy the rich goodness without the guilt. I am so excited to now have a healthy chocolate “bible” of sorts, to refer to for the perfect chocolate treats whenever I want. An entire book filled with recipes, every single one safe for me and my way of eating. There are breakfast options, cakes, cookies, pies, ice cream, candy and so much more. There is even a section of savory recipes including stews, salads and other dinner-time meals. Besides all of the recipe goodness, Kelly explains some basic tips on getting started with a Paleo lifestyle, going in depth about specific ingredients and techniques. Plus she shares the science, history and ethics of chocolate and some of her favorite brands of store-bought chocolate. It is an incredibly comprehensive book about one of the most yummy topics you can think of! Read the rest of this entry »
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Pumpkin Chai Smoothie {Gluten-free, Vegan & Refined Sugar-free}
It isn’t even October yet and already I have consumed several pounds of pumpkin! I seriously want to put pumpkin on and in everything right now. Probably my most favorite way to enjoy pumpkin is in smoothies. I like to get creative and play around with adding in different things, sometimes I add in spinach or maybe some protein powder, other times I like to just play around with different spices. With this smoothie I altered the spice mix a bit to mimic the lovely spice combinations in a good chai tea. One of my favorite flavor profiles. The beauty of this smoothie is that you can add in more of the spices you like (or others not listed) or take away any of the spices you don’t care for. You can truly make it your own. Read the rest of this entry »
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Grain-free Flatbread with Figs, Caramelized Shallots, Goat Cheese and Arugula (Gluten-free with vegan options)
The fig tree is slowing down a bit, but my love for figs is definitely not. I am still “gettin’ figgy wit it”, over here. You would think with all the figs we picked, that I would be over them, but I am definitely not. I made this flatbread a couple weeks ago, when Mark was out of town. I was headed to a friend’s house, since her hubby was away, too. A little yummy girls night of hanging! Besides the amazing company, it was a good thing I had someone to share this with, I seriously think I could have sat down and devoured the entire thing myself!
This flatbread crust is super simple to make and it is perfectly thin and crisp. But not too crisp and cracker-like, which I am not exactly a fan of. The figs are perfectly soft and sweet, which compliment the creamy goat cheese wonderfully and the caramelized shallots are rich, subtly sweet and have a little smokey, earthy flavor. Do not, I repeat DO NOT skip out on the caramelized shallots. You will forever regret it. That I can promise you. I will leave the drizzle of balsamic vinegar over top up to you. I love it and I think it’s a great finishing move, but I also don’t necessarily think it needs it. I say serve it with the balsamic bottle on the side, decided on a piece by piece basis.
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Roasted Balsamic Fig Popsicles – (Gluten-free & Dairy-free w/Vegan Option)
I know to many of you, sharing a popsicle recipe in September might seem silly, it seems everyone has already made the switch to fall foods, but we had some seriously hot weather out here in Southern California last week, it was in the 90s for several days in a row. Even in spite of that, I am not looking to rush summer off so quickly. I love it, we have plenty of months ahead to enjoy pumpkin recipes and hot soups, let’s enjoy this while we have it.
We are back down to more manageable temperatures this week, but I am sure we will get more of that heat again before we totally settle into fall, so treats like this will be perfect. A great way to enjoy what is fresh and in-season, but appropriate to the temperatures. In the midst of that heat I was still picking figs from our tree and although I have tons of baked goods and other delicious recipes for the figs lined up, I wasn’t in the mood for any of them. I wanted something light, cooling and sweet. I was able to roast the figs for this recipe early in the morning when it was still cool out, so it didn’t affect the temperature of the house too much, you could also roast them at night and place them into the fridge until the next day.
After the popsicles had set and were totally frozen, I ended up waiting until mid-afternooon the next day to enjoy one outside on the deck in the sun, during the hottest part of the day and it was heaven! These popsicles are so creamy and rich, the perfect amount of sweetness with a lovely robust and almost savory flavor from the balsamic roasted figs. You could also roast the figs with a red wine or liquor, such as Grand Marnier, Chartreuse, or Cointreau, you just might want to take down how much honey you add, though, so they aren’t too sweet. Read the rest of this entry »
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Fermented Salsa – Gluten-free, Vegan
First off, I know for many of you, your very first question will likely be “Why?” Why would you ferment salsa? Well, I suppose that could be asked about many things. Why ferment? Admittedly, fermentation and cultured foods is something I am newly interested in and I am still learning a lot about. So, I will just share some of what I have learned about why fermented foods are so good for us.
There is so much more to having a balanced and happy gut than we realize. It is now estimated that over 500 species of bacteria are present in our intestinal track with reports of 50 – 75% of our immune system activity residing there. In our modern world filled with antibiotic drugs, chlorinated water, antibacterial soap and pasteurized foods, we are killing off all of the good bacteria we need to maintain good health and digestion. If we don’t actively replenish this good bacteria that we need, we won’t get the proper nutrients out of the foods we are eating.
Why Ferment?
There are so many healthy enzymes that flourish and live cultures that are created when vegetables are fermented, creating an environment full of probiotics, enzymes and minerals which are important in maintaining healthy digestion and a healthy body. These live cultures, usually bacteria or yeast, that fermented foods contain, help balance the microflora are a little city of tiny organisms in our large intestine that, when working well, help digest fiber, protect us from things we’d rather not absorb like carcinogens, and keep the bowel healthy.
The probiotic good bacteria and enzymes in fermented foods help to populate our gut and intestines with Lactobacilli which are really important for healthy digestion. They also help to eliminate toxins from our body, so eating them will allow your intestines to detox, which is a really good thing! All of this beneficial bacteria (or probiotics) have also been shown to help slow or reverse some diseases, improve bowel health, aid digestion, and improve immunity! I am a huge proponent of taking a daily probiotic, which has changed the way my gut feels on a daily basis.
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Apple Spice Granola (Gluten-free + Vegan)
How is it already time to be thinking about fall? It just doesn’t seem right. I feel like we were just talking about summer being around the corner. Phew, it has flown by. I try really really hard not to rush the seasons. I personally don’t think we should be talking pumpkin recipes for at least a few weeks. What’s the hurry? Let’s enjoy the summer weather and produce while we still can.
I am going to try my hardest to hold off on pumpkin recipes at least until October. Let’s see if I can do it.
With that being said, we did get some apples in our CSA box this past week, so I was inspired to create something a little bit autumney. This granola is so simple to make and it is wonderful with your favorite dairy or non-dairy milk as cereal, it’s great over yogurt or ice cream or just on it’s own by the handful, as a snack. Read the rest of this entry » -
Kalamata Olive & Goat Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes – Gluten-free
If you follow my Facebook page, you probably have seen the excessive amount of tomatoes coming from my garden. It is crazy. I am having to get really creative over here with all of them. It has been quite fun, actually.
These simple to make Kalamata Olive & Goat Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes are super simple to make and they make a great appetizer for an end-of-summer BBQ or picnic. If you don’t love olives, simply leave them out, this will still be super delicious. For a different variation, if you are vegan or avoid all dairy, try stuffing your tomatoes with some mashed avocado with cilantro, or a homemade guacamole. That’s equally as delicious.
I have been experimenting more and more with enjoying small amount of goat milk and sheeps milk cheeses and yogurt, I tend to not notice any issues when I eat it, so I do it very sparingly and in small amounts. I think for many people, this seems to be the case, outside of those with serious intolerances or allergies. At any rate, I have missed cheese a bit, so it has been a nice addition to my life. Do you have issues with dairy? Is it all dairy or just some?
This recipe was originally shared on the Free People Blog BLDG25 as part of my ongoing Restricted Diet serie.
[print_this]Kalamata Olive & Goat Cheese Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
- 24 heirloom cherry tomatoes (about 1 pint), washed and dried
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, chopped finely (optional, if you don’t like olives, you can leave them out)
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, roughly chopped (fresh basil would be great, too)
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Dash of sea salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, sliced thin
Slice the top off of cherry tomato, about 1/4-inch. Gently scoop out the seeds using a small spoon — I find a 1/4 teaspoon works perfectly. Drain off any juice that accumulates in the shells. (If your tomatoes are rolling around, you can slice a tiny sliver off the bottom of each so it will sit without rolling.)
In a bowl, mix together the goat cheese, Kalamata olives, fresh oregano, black pepper and sea salt together. Get it stirred up really well so it is creamy — I found a fork works perfectly. You may want to add just a small splash of water to get it moving.
Gently spoon the mixture into the tomatoes. Arrange on a serving platter, top them with the fresh cut chives and serve immediately.
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Cocoa Dusted Macadamia Nuts – Gluten-free, Vegan + Refined Sugar-free
A few months back, I was lucky enough to have a very sweet and lovely Tasty Yummies reader, Rina, offer to send me some of the beautiful macadamia nuts she and her family grow here in California. Their company is called CaliMac Nut Company. I obviously said ‘yes!’ Macadamia nuts are something I don’t often splurge on at the store.
First, I used some to make the crust on my 4th of July Vegan “Cheesecake” and then I struggled to decide what to do with what remained. I didn’t want to waste them and just use in any ‘ol boring recipe. I wanted them to shine! I originally wanted to make a fun homemade macadamia nut version of “Nutella” with them, but to be honest I worried if it didn’t come out properly, I would be wasting so many beautiful nuts. I wanted to savor each and every one of those beauties. But I loved the idea of combing the cocoa flavor with the slightly sweetened toasted nuts. I decided on a snack that we could take on our pending road trip to San Francisco let month and enjoy easily while in the car and at our booth for the weekend. Enjoying each and every one and celebrating the lovely place and family that they came from with every bite, I love food with a story and I am always so grateful when I can know exactly where it came from and the love that went into growing it.
These beautiful cocoa dusted nuts are full of so much flavor! They have a wonderful roasty crunch, a subtle sweetness from the maple and the cocoa gives a nice punch of rich, earthy flavor. I like that they aren’t overly sweet, so the flavor of the nuts aren’t overpowered and I really enjoy that you get the flavor of the sea salt, which I personally find compliments chocolate more than almost anything. Macadamia nuts are higher in fat than many other nuts, which is why I think this recipe is a wonderful way to enjoy them. A few of these nuts are all you really need, they are rich and satisfying. Close the package up and come back to them again later. No need to consume them all at once. I do feel it is important to note, concerning the fat in macadamia nuts, between 78 to 86 percent of the fat is monounsaturated (the good for you, heart-healthy kind of fat). Monounsaturated fat helps lower cholesterol and decreases your risk of heart disease and stroke. In addition, macadamia nuts are one of the only food sources that contain palmitoleic acid (a type of monounsaturated fatty acid that may speed up fat metabolism, thus reducing the body’s ability to store fat). (SOURCE)
Feel free to use raw cacao (which is what I did) instead of traditional cocoa. The health benefits on raw cacao are incredible and so worth it. Did you know that raw cacao has more antioxidant flavonoids than any food tested so far, including blueberries, red wine, and black and green teas. In fact, it has up to four times the quantity of antioxidants found in green tea. Additionally as we all know, cocoa in any form is great for your cardiovascular health.
You can play with the recipe a bit and add some cayenne pepper and/or cinnamon for a fun and spicy “Mexican Hot Cocoa” twist on the recipe. And, if you can’t get macadamia nuts or you would like to use a different nut, this recipe would also be great with almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts or cashews. These would make a wonderful gift wrapped up in a cute handmade package or in a vintage canning jar. Oh gosh, is it bad that I am already thinking about edible holiday gifts?
Thanks again Rina for sharing your delicious macadamia nuts with me. I will certainly be ordering some when the season starts back up again! I cannot wait.
NOTE – as a dog lover who is ALWAYS obsessed with the things that are unsafe for my baby girl, it is very important for me to note that macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs, inducing a temporary yet severe weakness and other possible and very serious side effects. Keep those tasty babies high up and out of Fido’s way, please!!
[print_this]Cocoa Dusted Macadamia Nuts – Gluten-free, Vegan + Refined Sugar-free
- 2 cups raw organic macadamia nuts
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey (if possible, choose organic and/or grade B, for both)
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl combine macadamia nuts, maple syrup and sea salt. Use a rubber spatula to mix together, fully coating the macadamia nuts. Spread the nuts in a single layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, stirring at least twice during baking to prevent the nuts from burning.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Immediately return macadamia nuts to the bowl, add cocoa powder and toss to coat, making sure the nuts are all evenly coated with the cocoa powder.
Fully cool and store in an air tight container. [/print_this] -
Chocolate Peanut Butter Road Trip Energy Bars – Gluten-free, Vegan + Refined Sugar-Free
Some of you may recall seeing this recipe before, I shared it in the spring of last year during one of our busiest travel seasons. After sharing my tips for traveling with a restricted diet last week on the Free People Blog BLDG 25, I thought it would be great to share one of my favorite recipes for traveling with the readers over there. These Road Trip Energy Bars are one of my go-to treats to make and bring along on every trip. They travel well and they are super simple to make. Read the rest of this entry »
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Curried Sweet Potato Chips – Gluten-free + Vegan
Oh gosh, what is it about crispy potato chips that are so satisfying? These delicious baked sweet potato chips are the best alternative to store-bought bagged chips that you could ever find. They are light and crispy and full of so much flavor from the curry powder. I have no shame in admitting that store-bought kettle style crispy potato chips are definitely one of my biggest weaknesses. I never buy them or have them in my house, for fear that I would sit down and eat an entire LARGE bag in one sitting.
These simple-to-make chips really satisfy that craving for me and the best part is, you can play around with the flavors. Besides the curry powder, which is one of my very favs, you can also just add salt and pepper, or maybe some smokey chipotle powder or even a sweet mix with a little cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg. The possibilities are endless.
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Chipotle Almond Spread / Dip (w/other Favor Variations) – Gluten-free + Vegan
Since we have been here in California I have really been getting back to my roots of making all of my own foods, right down to breads and dips, etc. I sometimes hate the extra time to make things I can buy at the store, but the quality is unmatched and the same goes for the health benefits. When you are making your foods from scratch, there are no unknown ingredients, no preservatives or other junk. Just good clean food.
It is hard to remember why you do it, when your life gets busy and the packaged food is glaring at you from the aisles of the store, with “wonderful” health claims like gluten-free, organic, all natural, non-gmo, etc. But remember this doesn’t necessarily mean it doesn’t have strange, unknown ingredients in it, still.
I was craving a snack the other day and didn’t want hummus again, but I wanted something similar but sans bean. This creamy spread is thick, still a tad bit chunky (depending on how long you process), and served best with crackers or fresh vegetables as a dip. It is also great spread on a slice of toast or fresh bread, or added to steamed veggies, pasta, rice, quinoa or other grain. It is perfect in a wrap or on a veggie burger and really nice in place of mayo or mustard on your favorite sandwich or in place of mayo in tuna (or mock tuna) salad.
[print_this]Chipotle Almond Spread / Dip (w/other Favor Variations) – Gluten-free, Vegan
yields just over 1 cup of dip- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup raw organic almonds, soaked overnight* OR 2 cups of leftover almond pulp (without vanilla or sweetener)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice (from appox 1/2 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 3 teaspoons liquid aminos (or soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon ground chipotle (or whatever herb or spice you prefer)
- sea salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup of water (you may or may not need this, and it may be less – you won’t need this if using almond pulp)
Optional add-ins to change the flavor profile:
- Spices like chipotle or smoked paprika.
- Fresh herbs like rosemary, cilantro, mint , basil, etc
- Vegetables like roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, jalapeños
- Try roasting an entire bulb of garlic and adding that.
- The possibilities are endless.
You can really have fun with this dip and make it however you want. Add in whatever you’d like, make combinations. Just make it your own, the base stays the same, you can just tweak the recipe as you see fit. My three favorite flavors personally are chipotle, rosemary and roasted garlic.
Place all ingredients in your food processor and pulse just until chunky. You can either continue blending for a smoother spread, or stop while there are still little chunks of almonds. I like it to where it isn’t totally smooth and creamy and a tad bit of the nuttiness comes through. You may want to drizzle in a little water if it seems like it is too thick or chunky, use your own judgment.
*soaking the almonds is important to making this dip creamy, otherwise you would end up with almond butter if you processed it long enough.
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Spring Cleanse – Curry Quinoa Crunch – Gluten-free + Vegan
It seems kinda odd for the first recipe I am sharing on this cleanse to be a snack, but with today being day 1 of my 7-day spring cleanse, I decided last night to come up with a healthy and cleansing savory snack that would give me the crunchy satisfaction that I often times crave throughout the day. This way I would be sure to stick with the plan and no get derailed by something crunchy and naughty in a moment of weakness. Sure there will be plenty of veggies, but since I will be eating most of them steamed, sautéed or roasted – I knew I would still be craving some of that crunch that I adore. 9 times out of 10, I find myself craving savory and crispy over anything sweet you could ever put in front of me! It doesn’t even have to be salty for me, there is just something so satisfying to me about a crunchy snack.
After I made that Maple Cinnamon Crunch Quinoa Granola a while back, it gave me the idea to tweak the recipe a tad and make something savory for this cleanse. Since I am allowing myself some select grains, sparingly, and quinoa is on that list, I thought it would be perfect. Plus – curry powder which is already one of my favorites, is loaded with so many great spices to aid in digestion, detoxification and cleansing, like cumin, turmeric, fenugreek, pepper, etc.
From Kulreet Chaudhary, M.D. regarding The Secrets of Ayurveda “Ayurveda recognizes 6 tastes—sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent. The American diet often has plenty of the first 3 – sweet, sour and salty – but is often missing the last three (which as you might recall are quite beneficial to a spring cleanse.) Because curry satisfies all 6 tastes, it helps you eat less at each meal.Each of the ingredients provides its own unique contribution to health and all the spices together are a powerful combination that counteracts disease and aging. Cumin and coriander in particular help with digestion. Conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, gas and abdominal cramps can be remedied with regular use of these two spices. The real ―superstar of curry powder is turmeric. It is a potent antioxidant, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory that has been studied in relation to several conditions including cancer, wound healing, arthritis and Alzheimer’s disease. You can use turmeric in curry powder or get it in tablet form to increase your consumption.”
Feel free to add any of your favorite nuts to this and as mentioned below, using more than a drizzle of sweetener would certainly make for a more clustery type snack, which is what I had intended, but I wanted to use little to no sweetener so I went very conservative.
I have been posting my meals and anything related to the cleanse on my Facebook page so far, and when I have a recipe to share, I will be posting it on here, so please stay tuned for more recipes and tips throughout the week.
[print_this]Curry Quinoa Crunch – Gluten-free + Vegan
- 3/4 cup uncooked organic quinoa, rinsed (I used tri-color)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
- a scant drizzle of honey or maple syrup
- 1-2 teaspoons curry powder (salt free)
- a dash of salt
- a pinch or two of cayenne, if you like a little extra spice.
- Optional: unsweetened organic shredded coconut or coconut chips
Preheat the oven to 375º F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Make sure the quinoa is plenty dry after rinsing (I wish I had let mine drain a bit longer). Toss the quinoa with oil, curry powder and a drizzle of honey. The more honey you use, the more it will cluster, but since I am on a cleanse I wanted to limit the amount. Add a dash of salt. If you’d like you can add coconut and you can add it before you put this in the oven or after. I didn’t think of it until after so that is when it got added.
Toss the ingredients together very well and spread into a thin even layer on the parchment paper lined cookie tray.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until the quinoa begins browning. Remove from the oven and let fully cool. Break into pieces or clusters (again it will cluster more than what mine did, with more sweetener).
This is great on it’s own by the handful or it would be really nice on top of salads or steamed/sautéed veggies, etc.
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Chewy Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars – Gluten-free + Vegan
So, I’m doing a little something different today, I’m posting this recipe from the road. I don’t mean just that I’m on the road away from home, but I am actually in the road, in the car. We are driving to Chicago and we are somewhere in Ohio right now, about 6 hours from our final destination. I made these granola bars for this trip and I had every intention of photographing them and writing up the recipe to share before we left. Of course I ran out of time and didn’t get time to set up a quick photo shoot with my nice camera, as usual. As I was packing these up for the drive, I thought rather than not sharing the recipe at all, I would just snap a few quick photos with my iPhone and make it work.
They may not be the best photos, but you get the idea. These granola bars are full of goodies and lots of flavor. They aren’t the super crispy crunchy kind, but more soft and chewy, which I prefer. I added in mini chocolate chips, dried currants, sliced almonds and shredded coconut. Feel free to add in your favorite extras and make these your own. If you are using fresh pumpkin purée , which is what I did, make sure you squeeze or drain any excess water from it, so you don’t end up with soggy bars.
if you are in Chicago this weekend, come see us at the Renegade Craft Fair Holiday Market on Saturday or Sunday!
[print_this] Chewy Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars – Gluten-free + Vegan
Makes 8 bars (you can also cut them into smaller squares to 16 or more)- 2 cups certified gluten-free rolled oats
- 1/2 cup certified gluten-free oat flour
- 1 cup fresh pumpkin puree (canned will also work)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup (honey or coconut nectar would also work)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds (or flax seeds)
- 1/2 cup mini-chocolate chips (certified gluten-free and vegan)
- 1/4 cup dried currants, cranberries or raisins
- 1/4 cup sliced almond, plus a tad but extra for the top
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut, plus a tad but extra for the top
Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease an 8″ x 8″ glass baking pan very well (with coconut oil, butter, oil, etc), or line it with foil, leaving some overhang on two of the sides so you can easily pull it out of the pan to make cutting even easier (this is what I did).
In a large mixing bowl, add all of your ingredients. Mix and mash up very well until it is all well combined. Get your hands in there if you really want to.
Press the mixture firmly and evenly into your pan. Sprinkle a bit more coconut, chopped nuts and some cinnamon on top. Place the pan into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Don’t worry if the bars seem a bit soft, they will firm up as they cool. After it has completely cooled, either lift the entire thing out of the pan and cut into bars or squares, or cut while it is in the pan.
These can be stored individually in the fridge or freezer. Since I made these two days ago, I stored them in the fridge and then wrapped each one individually in a little piece of parchment paper and a sandwich bag for easy eating in the car. [/print_this]
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Grain-free Banana Coconut Mini-Loaves – Gluten-free, Dairy-free + Refined Sugar-free
If you follow me on Instagram you probably already know this, but I just love Instagram 🙂 It is probably my favorite social networking platform there is right now, because it is just a little glimpse into people’s lives. Very few words, just a quick glance. It doesn’t feel totally invasive and it is rare that you have people complaining on there or posting political rants, etc. I just feel like it is a big celebration of everything happy going on in our lives. I love seeing peoples pets, their kids, what they are working on, a snapshot from their amazing vaction and of course, all of the food. Some days I put up so many photos of food, I am sure most of my non-food blogging friends want to (or do) unfollow me, but I personally love seeing what is happening in everyone’s kitchens. It is always so inspiring and exciting.
A week or two ago my good friend Esther, who I sadly haven’t seen in a while, posted a photo on Instagram of some amazing little mini-loaves she just pulled out of the oven. They looks delicious and I loved the pan she made them in. The pans are all connected and just the perfect sized little treat, I had never seen anything like it. I mean, what is it about miniature things that is just so irresistible? When I asked Esther where she got it from, she said just up the street from her (she lives in Princeton, NJ), and she offered to pick one up for me. Yay! So, I told her to tell me what it costs and I would send her the money. Next thing I know a package comes in the mail to me, with the pan and a sweet note, as a birthday gift from Esther. It made my whole day! Thank you again so much Esther! The very next morning I started thinking about what I would make with it.
I had some bananas in the pantry that were definitely overripe, so I thought I had to make some banana bread but I wanted to do something a little different and create a grain-free recipe made with my favorite, almond and coconut flours, that also included some yummy coconut, since the two go so well together.
Even after playing around with so many baked-good recipes that use the combination of almond and coconut flours, I am still amazed every time I bake with it and it comes out with a grain-like quality to it, it really surprises me each time. I always expect a weird goopy mess that doesn’t quite work. These mini-loaves are just perfection, they are moist and spongey like any good banana bread should be, plus I really love the little bits of coconut throughout and on top. These loaves would also be good with nuts on top or some mini-chocolate chips (both of which I thought of after it was too late). By the way, how great is that plate? Perfect for these mini-loaves right? That was a super thoughtful birthday gift from my friends Sarah and Brian. I have some pretty amazing pals!
What’s your favorite mini-food or mini kitchen gadget?
FYI – this is the mini-loaf pan that I used for reference. Each loaf well measures 3 13/16″ x 2 1/2″ and 1 1/2″ high, I haven’t tried this recipe as a single loaf or even the slightly larger mini-loaf pans, so I cannot attest to how it will come out, likely it will work, the loaves will probably have less height to them and you will have to bake it for longer. If you experiment with different loaf pans and this recipe, please let me know how it comes out. Thank you!
[print_this]Grain-free Banana Coconut Mini-Loaves – Gluten-free, Dairy-free + Refined Sugar-free
makes 8 mini-loaves- 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour (I like Honeyville)
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut, saving a small amount for the top of the loaves
- 2-3 large ripe bananas, mashed (you are looking to get about 1 1/2 cups)
- 4 extra-large local farm fresh brown eggs
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350º F. Grease your mini-loaf pans with a little coconut oil, I used this pan.
In a large bowl combine the almond and coconut flours with baking soda, sea salt and shredded coconut. In a small bowl combine the eggs with the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and the mashed bananas, whisk until very well combined.
Pour wet ingredients into the dry and mix well until fully incorporated.
Divide the batter evenly into the 8 mini-loaf pans, smooth it out a bit with a spatula and sprinkle a little shredded coconut on top of each loaf.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Test with a tooth-pick for doneness. Remove loaves from oven, let cool in pans for 10-15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.I find for these type of grain-free baked goods, that storage in the fridge seems to be best, I usually just cover or wrap them in plastic wrap or put them in a large ziplock bag. When I am ready to eat one, I pull it out, give it 20 seconds in the microwave or a minute or two in the toaster oven and then I slather a little coconut oil on top.
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Apple Pie Smoothie – Gluten-free, Vegan + Refined Sugar-free
I honestly think I love fresh local apples this time of year just as much as pumpkins and I feel like they don’t get nearly the same amount of love! We finally got out this weekend apple picking at Blackman Homestead farm in Lockport. I didn’t realize it until it was too late that most all of the local farms that normally offer u-pick options started the u-pick earlier this year due to the unseasonably warm winter we had that started the trees blossoming early. That plus some late spring frosts and lots of rain and an extremely hot and dry summer – crops all across the region were definitely affected in lots of different ways. Thankfully most apple farms were affected by all of this only by having early harvests, otherwise no worse for the ware. (Most local apple farms may not have u-pick options, but almost all of them do have their apple harvest already picked and ready for purchase, so please make sure to continue to support your local farms whenever possible)
We were lucky that as of Friday at Blackman Homestead the Crispins were ready for picking so we were able to make the trip out on Saturday morning, grab some bags and pick some of the beautiful brightly hued apples! Most of the apples that were left were at the way tops of the trees, but we didn’t mind, we climbed up the ladders and grabbed as many as we could. It was the perfect crisp cool fall weather and the sun was even out for most of our time there. I didn’t want to bombard this post with photos so look for more pics from our trip in this week’s upcoming Friday Photo Fun Day post.
I plan to make lots of fun baked goods and also some fun savory dishes, with the Crispin apples we picked so look for more apple recipes in the coming weeks! I of course also grabbed a bag of my very favorite apple there is, the honey crisp. I seriously am in love with honey crisps, they are so amazing just on their own, sliced up. YUM!
While we were at the farm, I of course grabbed a gallon of their delicious fresh pressed cider. Made from their apples and with no other junk added, it is so delicious. I love apple cider just on it’s own, but I also really love it hot and spiced (and sometimes spiked), it is great in baked goods and now, smoothies! This smoothie is so simple to throw together and it is like fall in liquid form. The comforting apple pie aromas from the spices and the crisp apple cider, plus a little bit of creaminess from the almond milk, it was perfect!
[print_this]Apple Pie Smoothie – Gluten-free + Vegan
makes 2 small servings or 1 large serving- 1 frozen organic banana
- 1 cup unsweetened organic almond milk (I use homemade)
- 1 cup unsweetened local apple cider* (look for good quality made with just apples, no sugar or preservatives added)
- 2 or 3 Medjool Dates (or use your own sweetener of choice such as maple syrup, stevia, honey,coconut sugar, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- dash of ground ginger
- dash of ground cloves
- 1 small handful of ice
Add all of the ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth and creamy, add as much ice as you would like. Top with a light sprinkle of ground cinnamon and serve.
NOTE: If you don’t have apple cider, a high quality apple juice will also work
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Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding – Gluten-free, Vegan, Sugar-free
I will spare you the details of my obsession with pumpkin, I know you are all well aware. Let’s just say I cannot get enough and I am constantly trying to come up with new recipes to sneak it into. This quick and simple chia pudding recipe is a great way to indulge in all of the wonderful pumpkin pie flavors and aromatic spicy scents, but without any of the guilt. It is sugar-free so technically you can even eat it for breakfast and not feel bad about it, which is what I do. Make it the night before, let it set up in the fridge overnight and you have a perfect treat for a crisp, cool fall morning.
This chia pudding is really great with a dollop of freshly whipped coconut cream on top, too. This pumpkin pie inspired treat was a wonderful way to finish off my September series of gluten-free recipes with Free People. This post was originally shared on the Free People blog, BLDG 25.
[print_this]Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding (gluten-free, vegan, sugar-free)
serves 2-4 – makes approximately 3 cups
- 1 cup coconut milk (the canned kind – lite or full-fat)
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk of your choice)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (here’s how to make it yourself)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- pinch of ground cloves
- 5 medjool dates, pits removed
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
Puree everything but the chia seeds in a blender until smooth, combined and thick. You may see a few little bits of the dates still, it’s OK. Pour the mixture into a glass bowl or a mason jar, stir in the chia seeds. Make sure to stir well to combine. Cover the bowl or put the lid on the jar. Keep in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 4 hours.
Spoon or pour into bowls, top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and maybe even some fresh whipped coconut cream, if you wish. Serve cool or room temperature.[/print_this]
