Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Quinoa Pilaf

Yum
I have people tell me all the time that they tried quinoa once, but they thought it was gross, or too bland for their liking, etc., and they haven't had it since.  Quinoa, like anything else, has to be cooked right to taste right...and you have to make sure you rinse it off first, to remove the bitterness from the hulls. 


I'm adding this recipe to show how simple it is to add amazing flavors to a bland dish...this works for rice, millet, amaranth...well, any grain you are cooking.  So, take an extra 3 minutes and dice up some veggies to add with your quinoa and it will change the dish entirely.


This post is featured on Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Allergy Friendly Friday, Whole Food Fridays, and Gluten Free Fridays.


Quinoa Pilaf
1 tablespoon olive, coconut, or canola oil
a pinch of whole cumin seeds (I average about 8 seeds, I would guess)
2 cloves garlic
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them toast for a couple of seconds.  Add in the garlic, carrot, and celery and cook for a 1-2 minutes. Add in the quinoa and stir to coat it in the oil and veggies.  Add in the water and salt.  Bring to a boil, then cover and turn the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and most of the water is absorbed.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Weekly Menu (10/28/12-11/3/12)

Yum
Sorry, this is late.  Today has been quite busy.

This week in our half of the Bountiful Basket we got:
  • broccoli
  • cauliflower
  • butter lettuce (my favorite for wraps!)
  • cucumbers
  • tomatoes
  • spaghetti squash
  • yellow squash
  • onions
  • pomegranates
  • pears
  • blackberries
  • bananas

I also have 1/2 pineapple, acorn squash, 1/2 a butternut squash, celery, beets, potatoes (I just got farm fresh Idaho potatoes...50 lbs for $10...I love living so close to the farmers!), and carrots to supplement the basket.

This week for breakfast:
For the Kids:
For me: (I get up 2-3 hours before anyone in my house, hence why I have a separate breakfast)

This week for school lunches:
  • PB&J on Udi's bread or Schar crispbread with pepperoni and cheese
  • My son has just discovered a love for pomegranates...so I'll be putting pomegranate seeds in his lunch daily. :)
  • chips or crackers
  • milk

This week for dinner:


Sunday:
  • Teriyaki Chicken (we use Coconut Aminos)
  • Basmati Rice or Quinoa (haven't decided)
  • Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower
  • green salad, carrot and cucumber sticks
  • pineapple and blackberries 
 
 
 

Monday:
  • Clam Chowder 
  • Grilled Ham Sandwiches (or lettuce wraps for me with ham, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc)
  • sliced pears

Tuesday
  • tacos (leftovers for me or taco lettuce wraps)
  • green salad and carrot sticks
  • pomegranate seeds 

Wednesday: Happy Halloween! 

Thursday:
  • one-eyed sandwiches
  • sausage
  • hashbrowns 
  • bananas
Friday:
  • Spaghetti
  • Spaghetti Squash and maybe gf pasta, too
  • Green Salad and carrot sticks
  • sliced pears
Saturday:  We're going out to lunch with my Mother-in-law, so I doubt we'll be too hungry...

Monday, October 22, 2012

Yogurt Cheescake

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One thing I have missed is cheesecake.  It has been years since I've had one, and even though I tell my husband that I don't mind when he orders a slice of cheesecake at a restaurant, I do, I just don't want to be mean in denying him his cheesecake.  So, I finally decided it was well past time in making my own cheesecake.  And it worked!  Now, be warned, you have to plan ahead to make this.  You need at least a good day just to make the yogurt cheese, and then hours to make and cool the cheesecake, so plan ahead.


I have invested in a yogurt cheesemaker...it's basically a fine mesh container that sits over a square container...but it's contained and doesn't take up too much space in my fridge, and I love it.  But, you don't have to have one to make yogurt cheese, a strainer with cheese cloth over a bowl works just fine, too.

Enjoy!


Yogurt Cheesecake
2 cups GF graham cracker crumbs (a batch of my graham crackers makes just over 2 cups of crumbs)
1/4 cup coconut oil (or dairy-free margarine), melted
3 large eggs
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons GF flour blend
2 cups dairy-free yogurt cheese (I used my yogurt and with the cheesemaker, it only took about a day to get the right consistency)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease an 8" springform pan (I only have a 10" and it's way too big).

Combine the graham cracker crumbs and the coconut oil together.  Press into the bottom of the pan.

Beat together the eggs and agave nectar.  Add in the vanilla and flour blend, blend thoroughly to make sure there are no lumps.  Gently whisk in the yogurt until just combined.

Pour batter into the pan and bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes (for a 10" pan) or 45-50 minutes (for an 8" pan) or until barely set in the center.  Turn off the oven and cool the cake in the oven.  (Let it sit there for a couple of hours).

Bring the cake to room temperature (once again, leave it alone and let it sit for a couple hours), then refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

This post was shared on Slightly Indulgent TuesdaysGluten Free Wednesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Fridays, Whole Food Fridays and Allergy Friendly Fridays.

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Weekly Menu (10/21/12-10/27/12)

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This week in our half of the Bountiful Basket (I share with my brother) we got:
  • onions
  • tomatoes 
  • butternut squash
  • lettuce
  • kale
  • asian pears
  • bananas
  • pineapple
  • grapes 
      I also have acorn squash, bananas, celery, beets, and carrots to supplement the basket.


      This week for breakfast:
      For the Kids:
      For me: (I get up 2-3 hours before anyone in my house, hence why I have a separate breakfast)

      This week for school lunches: 
      • PB&J on Udi's bread or Schar crispbread with pepperoni and cheese
      • bananas, grapes, applesauce, or mandarin oranges
      • chips or crackers
      • milk
      This week for dinner:

      Sunday: We are going to my parent's house for dinner...I believe it will be grilled chicken, baked potatoes, salad, etc.

      Monday:
      • Sweet Pork (with black beans mixed in)
      • Basmati Rice or Quinoa (haven't decided)
      • corn tortillas for my family...my pork will just be over rice
      • green salad and carrot sticks
      • grapes
      Tuesday
      • tacos (leftovers for me)
      • green salad and carrot sticks
      • sliced asian pears 

      Wednesday:  
      Thursday:
      • crepes
      • ham and scrambled eggs
      • bananas
      Friday: Saturday:  We have a few halloween parties, including a chili cook off...we are bringing our own chili :)
      • Chili (I thicken it with a roux made with millet flour)
      • baked potatoes
      • salad

      Thursday, October 18, 2012

      Gluten Free Nutrition Info

      Yum
      First of all, thank you to all of you that voted for me for the Top Food Allergy Moms 2012...I am number 25! Thank you!



      Now for the reason for this post...I have been working on this for months and finally have gotten it to the point that I feel that I can share with you. I created a new page that you can easily find and refer to when you want to find information on the most common flours, grains, nuts, etc that are used in gluten free baking.  I have the main information in a pdf file that you can easily print off and have for your own reference.  I've also shown how you determine if a protein is complete, and have a table showing how I calculated whether or not the proteins are complete.

      I hope this page will be helpful for you.

      Wednesday, October 17, 2012

      One last final plea...

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      First of all...thank you to all of you that have voted for my blog. It is in the running for the Top 25 Food Allergy Moms. If you enjoy my blog, would you take just a few seconds and click the link below and go and vote for Live Free, Gluten Free? Today is the last day to vote! You have until 4PM PST, please take a couple of seconds out of your day and click the link below, then scroll down to my blog and click the vote button. Thanks!



       

      If you're wondering why you should do this.  Remember, all of my recipes are free for you and I don't make money off of my blog.  This would give me exposure to other readers and to companies that use bloggers for promotions and giveaways...it could be a win-win for all of us, if you vote.  So, please help me out! Thank you! And thank you for reading my blog!

      Tuesday, October 16, 2012

      Refined Sugar Free Pumpkin Bread

      Yum
      First of all...thank you to all of you that have voted for my blog. It is in the running for the Top 25 Food Allergy Moms. If you enjoy my blog, would you take just a few seconds and click the link below and go and vote for Live Free, Gluten Free? There is only today and tomorrow left to vote! You can vote every 24 hours, so please do! Thanks!





      Also, for those of you that live in our around Cache Valley Utah.  I am doing a cooking show at the Providence Macey's on tonight at 7:00pm.  I'm making apple fritters and pumpkin bars, so please come! It's free and you get treats, it can't get better than that!
      I have been modifying my recipes to be refined sugar-free, most of the time I forget to write down what I did...this time I actually remembered, so I have it for you, too.  This is based off my pumpkin bread, and it still tastes fantastic. This post is featured on Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Whole Food Fridays, and Allergy Friendly Friday.



      Refined Sugar-Free Pumpkin Bread
      1/2 cup coconut oil
      1/2 cup coconut sugar
      1/4 cup honey
      2 eggs
      1 teaspoon vanilla
      1 can pumpkin
      2 cups gluten free flour blend
      2 teaspoons baking powder
      1 teaspoon baking soda
      3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
      1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
      1/4 teaspoon allspice
      1/2 teaspoon salt
      1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (optional)

      Directions1. Preheat oven to 325F, and lightly grease a bread pan or muffin tins.

      2. Cream coconut oil, sugar, and honey together.  Add eggs, mixing well after each one.  Add vanilla and pumpkin and mix until well blended.

      3. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients (except chocolate chips, if using).  Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir until combined. Fold in chocolate chips, if using.

      4. Pour into prepared bread pan or scoop into muffin tins, and bake ~1 hour for bread or 30 minutes for muffins.

      Saturday, October 13, 2012

      Weekly Menu (10/14/12-10/20/12)

      Yum
      First of all...thank you to all of you that have voted for my blog. It is in the running for the Top 25 Food Allergy Moms. If you enjoy my blog, would you take just a few seconds and click the link below and go and vote for Live Free, Gluten Free? There is less than a week left! You can vote every 24 hours, so please do! Thanks!



      Also, for those of you that live in our around Cache Valley Utah.  I am doing a cooking show at the Providence Macey's on Tuesday at 7:00pm.  I'm making apple fritters and pumpkin bars, so please come! It's free and you get treats, it can't get better than that!

      This week in our half of the Bountiful Basket (I share with my brother) we got:
      • acorn squash
      • lemons
      • grapes
      • lettuce
      • asian pears
      • bananas
      • potatoes

        We also got the Asian add-on pack which had:
        • Celery
        • Snow Peas
        • Basil
        • Green Onions
        • Ginger
        • Garlic
        • Onion
        • Water Chestnuts
        • Napa Cabbage
          I also have lemons, carrots, beets, and bananas to supplement the basket.


          This week for breakfast:
          For the Kids:
          For me: (I get up 2-3 hours before anyone in my house, hence why I have a separate breakfast)

          This week for school lunches:  (we have fall break starting on Wednesday, so this is just for Monday and Tuesday)

          • PB&J on Udi's bread or Schar crispbread with pepperoni and cheese
          • fresh fruit, applesauce, or mandarin oranges
          • chips or crackers
          • milk
          This week for lunches at home:

          Wednesday:
          Thursday:
          • Hot Dogs
          • chips
          • fruit
          Friday:
          • Corn Dogs (I'll eat leftovers from dinner)
          • carrot sticks
          Saturday:
          • Sandwiches
          • chips
          • fruit
          This week for dinner:


          Sunday:

          Monday:
          • Chicken Red Curry Soup (I'm experimenting)
          • Fresh Spring Rolls using the napa cabbage, carrots, celery, and basil
          • sliced asian pears 
          Tuesday: Cooking Show night! See above for details.
          • Tacos (I'll eat left over soup)
          • green salad and carrot sticks
          • grapes

          Wednesday:

          Thursday:
          • French Toast
          • bacon
          • bananas
          Friday:

          Saturday:
          • Pulled Pork Sandwiches
          • Baked Potatoes
          • carrot and celery sticks

          Tuesday, October 9, 2012

          Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes or Waffles

          Yum


          So, I really love pancakes and waffles.  We have one or the other at least weekly.  It's fast, easy, and filling.
          Now, this recipe is indulgent enough it could be your dessert. 


          Or, you could use it for breakfast and make your kids feel spoiled.  These honestly taste just like oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, they are just way faster to make. :) 


          They are fantastic both as waffles and as pancakes, without having to modify the recipe at all.  So, whatever mood you are in, you can enjoy these.


          This post is featured on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Allergy Free Tuesdays.

          Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pancakes
          3/4 cup non-dairy yogurt (I use my homemade yogurt)*
          1/4 cup non-dairy milk*
          1 egg
          1 1/4 cup GF oat flour
          3/4 cup GF quick cooking oats
          2 tablespoons coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
          1 teaspoon baking powder
          1/2 teaspoon baking soda
          1/4 teaspoon salt
          2 tablespoons coconut oil, softened (optional...I forgot to put it in one time and they still turned out fantastic)
          1/2 cup dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips

          Directions
          In a small bowl mix together yogurt, milk, and egg.

          In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients, and pour in the wet ingredients. Whisk together to remove any lumps. Mix in the coconut oil (if using) until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.

          Pour about 1/4 cup scoops of the batter onto a heated griddle. (I have an electric griddle that I heat to 325-350F). Once the bubbles form and start popping on the top of the pancake, flip and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes. Makes 8-10 pancakes depending on their size.

          For waffles: Cook in a preheated waffle maker, until browned and crisp.  (Follow the manafacturers directions).

          *You could also use 1 cup non-dairy milk that has been soured with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, in place of the yogurt/milk above.

          Saturday, October 6, 2012

          Weekly Menu (10/7/12-10/13/12)

          Yum
          First of all...thank you to all of you that have voted for my blog.  It is in the running for the Top 25 Food Allergy Moms. If you enjoy my blog, would you take just a few seconds and click the link below and go and vote for Live Free, Gluten Free? You can vote every 24 hours, so please do! Thanks!



          This week in our half of the Bountiful Basket (I share with my brother) we got:
          • red bell pepper
          • summer squash
          • green leafy lettuce
          • tomatoes
          • potatoes
          • red grapes
          • strawberries
          • apples
          • plums

          We also got the Mexican add-on pack which had:
          • Avocados
          • Limes
          • Tomatillos
          • Jalapenos
          • Cilantro
          • Onions
          • Garlic
          • Grey Squash
          I also have lemons, carrots, beets, celery, and raspberries (from our bushes) to supplement the basket.


          This week for breakfast:
          For the Kids:
          For me:

          This week for school lunches:
          • PB&J on Udi's bread, ham sandwiches, beef jerky, or Schar crispbread with pepperoni and cheese
          • fresh fruit, applesauce, or mandarin oranges 
          • chips or crackers
          • milk
          This week for dinner:

          Sunday:
          • Teriyaki Beef Shortribs (I use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce)
          • Green Salad
          • Basmati Rice
          • Sauteed zucchini/grey squash
          • sliced strawberries 

          Monday:
          Tuesday:
          • Hamburgers/Hot Dogs with Udi's Buns
          • Oven Fries 
          • green salad and carrot sticks
          • grapes

          Wednesday: (I have a GF planning meeting, and I'll be eating dinner there, so this is for my family)
          • Tacos 
          • apple slices
          • Carrot sticks

          Thursday:
          • Waffles
          • bacon
          • raspberries and sliced plums

          Friday:
          • Chili (I thicken mine with a roux made from millet flour)
          • Baked Potatoes
          • Carrot sticks and apple slices

          Saturday: The kids and I are heading down bright and early to the GF Expo in Salt Lake.  After our fill of the expo, we'll spend the rest of the day playing in Salt Lake...which means we'll be finding food there, as well (probably Chick-fil-a and/or Red Robin).

          Tuesday, October 2, 2012

          Honey Oat Pancakes

          Yum
          First of all, if you read my blog and enjoy it, would you take a minute and go and vote for it?  Thanks!


          My family loves pancakes, really who doesn't?  We eat them weekly, I would say, and lately I've been trying to make them a bit healthier.  I've been replacing my gluten-free flour blend with different mixtures of whole grain flours...and I'll post some of those recipes later.  But by far the biggest hit has been this one.  This one is pure comfort food, mainly because oats are such a familar taste.  When my husband tried these, he asked if they were wheat pancakes...of course, I gave him the look of 'are you insane, why would their be wheat in our house!?!' and then told them they were oat pancakes...I think he just knew it was a normal tasting flour.

          I actually really love these with fresh raspberries mixed in...the raspberries are so juicy when you cook them, you don't need any syrup or toppings at all. So, these pancakes are great plain or with whatever mixins you can come up with.

          This post is featured on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Allergy Free Wednesdays.

          Honey Oat Pancakes
          3/4 cup non-dairy yogurt (I use my homemade yogurt)*
          1/4 cup non-dairy milk*
          1 egg
          1 tablespoon honey
          1 1/2 cups GF oat flour
          1 teaspoon baking powder
          1/2 teaspoon baking soda
          1/4 teaspoon salt
          2 tablespoons coconut oil, softened.

          Directions
          In a small bowl mix together yogurt, milk, egg and honey.

          In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients, and pour in the wet ingredients.  Whisk together to remove any lumps. Mix in the coconut oil until smooth.

          Pour about 1/4 cup scoops of the batter onto a heated griddle.  (I have an electric griddle that I heat to 325-350F).  Once the bubbles form and start popping on the top of the pancake, flip and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes. Makes 8-10 pancakes depending on their size.

          *You could also use 1 cup non-dairy milk that has been soured with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, in place of the yogurt/milk above.