Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Cranberry Orange Granola

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I've been in a cooking rut lately...or just really, really busy with life outside of the kitchen...or both.  Life has been crazy busy.  My boys both started school last week and this week and I have a huge project at work that has me going in at odd hours day and night...so, I've been thinking of recipes, but haven't had much time to play in the kitchen.

Finally, today, I took the afternoon off of work (mainly because I had to go back in later in the evening) and I finally got to test out one of the recipes that has been stewing in my head for who knows how long.  And can I just say, it's amazing...really, it's about the best granola I've had. And what's great about this recipe is that you can easily change it up pretty much any way you want to with nuts, fruits, etc.


This post is featured on Allergy Free Wednesdays, Allergy Friendly Friday and Whole Food Fridays.

Cranberry Orange Granola
2 cups gluten free rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup buckwheat grouts
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup dried apple pieces

Directions
Preheat oven to 300F. Grease a large baking sheet/pan and set aside.

Combine the oats, nuts, buckwheat, and seeds in a large bowl.  Add in the honey, coconut oil, vanilla, and orange juice and mix until everything is evenly coated. 

Spread the mixture onto the baking sheet and bake for ~45minutes, stirring every 15-20 minutes.  Remove from oven once the granola has turned a golden brown.

Mix the orange zest, cranberries, and apple pieces into the granola.  Continue mixing the granola every half hour while it cools on the baking sheet.

Once cooled, place granola in an airtight container.  If stored at room temp it should be good for about a week.  If stored in the freezer it will last a couple of months.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Weekly Menu (8/26/12-9/1/12)

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This week in our half of the Bountiful Basket (I share with my brother) we got:
  • brussel sprouts
  • romaine lettuce 
  • cauliflower
  • anaheim peppers 
  • cherries 
  • nectarines
  • apple pears
  • champagne grapes

I also have green leafy lettuce, oranges, apples, peaches, corn on the cob, potatoes and carrots to supplement the basket.


This week for breakfast: There is Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins to choose from, fresh fruit, and cereal for the kids; and smoothies, water kefir with fruit puree, scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, and baked oatmeal for me.


This week for lunches: School is in full swing now for both of my boys: my older son is in second grade and takes a lunch from home, my younger son is in preschool and eats lunch at the sitters--she does an awesome job taking care of him.   For myself, I plan on eating leftovers, I'll also have carrots and cauliflower with hummus everyday and a glass of water kefir with fruit puree (a good portion of my nectarines, and cherries will go to that). My husband always has sandwiches, chips, and a banana in his lunch (boring, but that's what he likes).

School Lunch for my older son (he can have dairy):
Monday:
  • Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich on Udi's Bread (his very favorite lunch)
  • Nacho Cheese Doritos (they are now gluten-free and he is quite excited to have them) 
  • Grapes
  • Milk
Tuesday:
  • Make your own pizza: Schar Crispbread, Pepperoni Slics, and Cheese Slices (he can have dairy)
  • Carrot sticks and ranch
  • Orange slices
  • Milk
Wednesday:
  • Banana Chocolate Chip Muffin
  • apples slices and carrot sticks with peanut butter
  • milk
Thursday:
  • Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich on Udi's Bread (his very favorite lunch)
  • Lay's potato chips 
  • Grapes
  • Milk
Friday:
  • Pizzadilla (mozzerella cheese and pepperoni cooked between two corn tortillas)
  • Carrot sticks and ranch
  • Orange slices
  • Milk
 
This week for dinner:

Sunday:

Monday
  • Hamburgers on Udi's buns
  • Corn on the Cob
  • Green Salad (with my lettuces and kale)
  • grapes

Tuesday:

Wednesday:
  • Pork Tamales
  • Nachos (we use Daiya cheese) 
  • carrots and cauliflower with hummus or almond butter
  • Sliced apple pears and nectarines
Thursday:
  • One-eyed sandwiches
  • Bacon
  • hashbrowns 
  • Grapes and oranges
Friday:
  • chili rellano casserole (going to convert a recipe, hopefully its good)
  • corn tortillas 
  • salad
 Saturday:

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Adopt a Blogger: Danielle from Against All Grains

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I'm taking part in Adopt A Gluten-Free Blogger again. If you’re not familiar, Adopt A Gluten-Free Blogger is a monthly event created by Sea at Book of Yum to help us gluten-free bloggers get to know each other and recreate each others recipes. This month it is hosted by Alta from Tasty Eats At Home. This month, I adopted Danielle from Against All Grains

Danielle was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at 22, and after suffering for a few years, decided to take her health in her own hands by drastically changing her diet.  Her blog is perfect for those on gluten-free, Paleo, Primal, SCD and GAPS diets.  Everything is grain-free and refined sugar-free, along with most also being dairy-free.  Her recipes are incredible, so it was hard to choose what to showcase on here.  I decided to go with her Not-a-Grain Bars (gluten-free 'cereal' breakfast bars), which meant I also would get to showcase her Blueberry Preserves, since they are part of the bar recipe.


So, first let's talk about these preserves.  I've been cutting back my refined sugar intake drastically (by the way, I feel so much better without sugar) and have been looking for a good refined sugar free jam recipe.  So, when I came across hers I had to try it.  It is super easy to make, and made just the right amount for me to enjoy.  It would be easy to make a larger batch or to switch up the fruit, as well.  This recipe will definitely be my new go-to jam/preserves recipe from here on out.


 Now let's take a look at these breakfast bars.  Don't they look delicious?  Well, they are definitely delicious.  They put Nutrigrain bars to shame with both taste and nutrition (and the fact that these are naturally gluten free).  These bars a protein packed and only sweetened with honey, so there definitely is no reason to feel guilty about eating them.

 And on top of that, they are kid-friendly.  My little one has been devouring them every day since I made them.  So, they are the perfect snack to add to school lunches or as an after school snack.  Really, this recipe will be made again and again in my house.

Thank you, Danielle, for your incredible blog with these fantastic recipes!

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Healthy Lunchbox Series at 'And Love It Too!'

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Guess what? I got to be a guest blogger for Sunny over at And Love it Too! as part of her Healthy Lunchbox series she's putting on right now.  The series is going for an entire month with bloggers giving tips and recipes everyday.  Go check it out here and see my post here. :)

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Weekly Menu (8/19/12-8/25/12)

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This week in our half of the Bountiful Basket (I share with my brother) we got:
  • brussel sprouts
  • tucsan kale
  • cauliflower
  • onions
  • plums
  • nectarines
  • apple pears
  • green grapes
  • bananas 

We also got the guacamole add on pack which had:
  • avocados
  • green onions
  • yellow onions
  • garlic
  • cilantro
  • limes
  • jalapenos
  • anaheim peppers
I also have cherries, lettuce, oranges, clementines, apples, red grapes, peaches, watermelon, green peppers, corn on the cob, celery, potatoes and carrots to supplement the basket.

This week for breakfast: There is Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins to choose from, one-eyed sandwiches, fresh fruit, and cereal for the kids; and smoothies, water kefir with fruit puree, scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, and baked oatmeal for me.

This week for lunches: The first part of the week the both boys will be taken care of at their sitters' house. School starts on Wednesday, so my older son will be getting a lunch from home starting then.  For myself, I plan on eating leftovers, I also have green peppers, carrots, cauliflower, and celery with hummus everyday and a glass of water kefir with fruit puree (a good portion of my plums, peaches, nectarines, and cherries will go to that). My husband always has sandwiches, chips, and a banana in his lunch (boring, but that's what he likes).

School Lunch:
Wednesday:
  • Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich on Udi's Bread (his very favorite lunch)
  • Fritos
  • Grapes
  • Carrot sticks and hummus
  • Brownie (it is the first day of school and that deserves a treat!)
  • Chocolate Milk
Thursday:
  • Make your own pizza: Schar Crispbread, Pepperoni Slics, and Cheese Slices (he can have dairy)
  • Carrot sticks and ranch
  • orange slices
  • mini banana chocolate chip muffins
  • Milk
Friday:
  • Ham Sandwich on Udi's Bread
  • apples slices and carrot sticks with peanut butter
  • fritos
  • mini pumpkin chocolate chip muffins
  • milk
 
This week for dinner:
Sunday:  

Monday
  • Pork Tamales (we buy ours from 'The Tamale Man')
  • Nachos
  • Guacamole
  • Corn on the Cob
  • Green Salad  (with my lettuces and kale)
  • Grapes 

Tuesday: The Cache Valley Gluten Free Group is hosting a family picnic:
  • Hamburgers and/or Hot Dogs (it's a BYOM, so it's whatever meat I grab)
  • Udi's Buns (provided by Udi's, thanks Udi's!)
  • Potluck GF salads and desserts, I'll be bringing sliced watermelon and brownies

Wednesday:
  • Pastrami Sandwiches (on Udi's Bread)
  • Roasted potatoes, cauliflower, and Brussel Sprouts
  • Corn on the Cob
  • Sliced apple pears and nectarines
Thursday:
  • French Toast (on Udi's Bread...I got the bread for a really good price), I like to top mine with almond butter, the rest of the family prefers maple syrup.
  • Bacon 
  • Grapes  and oranges
Friday: We will be at my husband's grandma's house for dinner:
  • Pot roast
  • Mashed Potatoes (made with chicken broth instead of milk and butter)
  • veggies
  • I'm planning on bringing a dessert, I just haven't decided what to bring yet.
Saturday:
  • Chili
  • Fritos
  • Green Salad
  • Corn on the Cob
  • grapes

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Caramel Cashew Ice Cream

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I know, I know, I'm back to doing ice cream recipes. I haven't had time to do a lot of experimenting in the kitchen lately, so ice cream has been the easiest thing to play with.

Growing up, my family would stop by Utah State's Aggie Ice Cream pretty much every time we went to Logan.  It didn't matter how many flavors there were, there were really only two in our minds: Lemon Custard and Caramel Cashew.

I have a decent lemon custard recipe, but hadn't made a caramel cashew one yet, so I made a super easy one that doesn't require too much effort.


The base is the same as for my double chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.  The coconut sugar (or brown sugar, if you prefer), gives is a nice caramel flavor. And then after making the base, it's simply adding in the cashews, easy as that. I added only 1/2 cup of cashews to my ice cream, and ended up sprinkling more on top to get the texture I wanted.


This post is featured on Allergy Free Wednesday, Allergy Friendly Friday, and Gluten Free Friday.

Caramel Cashew Ice Cream

1 can coconut milk (full fat)
3/4 cup non-dairy milk (So Delicious Coconut Milk)
2/3 cup coconut sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2-3/4 cup roasted, salted cashews, roughly chopped (amount just depends on your taste preference)

Directions:
For the ice cream base, combine the milks, sugar, salt, and vanilla and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. (I've discovered that having it prechilled yields a smoother ice cream). Then freeze according to your ice cream maker's directions.  The last 5 minutes add in the cashews and enjoy!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Weekly Menu (8/12/12-8/18/12)

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This week in our half of the Bountiful Basket (I share with my brother) we got:
  • lettuce
  • tucsan kale
  • tomatoes
  • celery
  • mushrooms
  • green peppers
  • mangos
  • galia melon
  • bananas 

I also got an order of mangos (4kg, which was about 14 mangos...which I split with my brother) and the guacamole add on pack which had:
  • avocados
  • green onions
  • yellow onions
  • garlic
  • cilantro
  • limes
  • jalapenos
  • chipotle peppers
I also have grapes, cantaloupe, corn on the cob, and carrots to supplement the basket.

This week for breakfast: I've replenished my muffin stock, so we have Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins to choose from, one-eyed sandwiches, fresh fruit, and cereal for the kids; and smoothies, water kefir with fruit puree, hard boiled eggs, and baked oatmeal for me.

This week for lunches: The boys are taken care of at their sitters' house. I plan on eating leftovers, I also have green peppers, carrots, mushrooms, celery, and tomatoes with hummus everyday and a glass of water kefir with fruit puree (a good portion of my mangos and cherries will go to that). My husband always has sandwiches, chips, and a banana in his lunch (boring, but that's what he likes).
This week for dinner:
Sunday:   
  • Roasted Turkey (Just use a gf flour to coat the oven bag, I also add the tops of my celery that are normally discarded to the bag as well.) 
  • Mashed Potatoes and gravy (using the turkey drippings and chicken stock, if needed and thickened with corn starch) 
  • Corn on the Cob
  • Rolls
  • Melon salad

Monday
  • Turkey Sandwiches on either Schar Crispbread or Udi's bread
  • Tomato Soup (we LOVE the Imagine brand) 
  • Kale Chips
  • Green Salad 
  • Melon Salad and grapes 

Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
  • Crepes
  • Ham and Eggs
  • Sliced Fruit (bananas and mangos)
  • Grapes 
Friday:
  • Hamburgers and hot dogs on Udi's buns
  • Oven fries
  • Green Salad
Saturday:
  • Pizza Pie Cafe : Which will include a specially made GF pizza for each of us, freshly made-to-order GF pasta and a salad bar. 

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Seeded Multigrain Bagels and Some Bread Making Tips

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I really love my multigrain seeded bread, so I decided to convert it to bagels. Now, looking at the list of ingredients, it looks like an awful lot to have to measure out.  Bread making tip #1: When you have extra time, measure out all the dry ingredients for you bread (minus the yeast) and place it in an airtight container...I make several batches of the dry ingredients, so when I want bread, I can pull out one of the containers and the wet ingredients and be done.  It definitely makes this recipe much faster to make.  And bonus, the dry ingredients are exactly the same for these bagels as for the multigrain seeded bread


I have been having people ask me why their bread isn't rising, or how to get it to rise better.  Gluten free flours like water...they absorb it, leaving the bread dense and dry, and unable to rise.  Make sure you have enough water in the dough/batter, and let it rise in a humid environment.  For a loaf of bread, I follow Nicole Hunn's advice, which is heat a very wet tea towel in a microwave.  Once it is piping hot, quickly open the microwave, place the loaf of bread inside, put the hot towel on top and shut the microwave again.  This closed environment should stay warm and moist enough for the 20-30 minutes needed to let the bread rise.  If your recipe requires longer, just take the bread out and reheat the towel and do the same thing over again.

Now for larger items, like a pan of bagels, rolls, or breadsticks...This will be basically the same type of thing, but in the oven, instead of the microwave.  Heat the oven for a few minutes at 200F, then turn it off.  Place a baking pan on the bottom rake of the oven and fill it with boiling water.  Place the bread in the oven and leave the door shut until it's time to preheat the oven.  Finish letting the bread rise on the countertop, while the oven preheats.  Then you should be good to go! So, to summarize, make sure you have enough water present while the bread is rising for it to rise.


Now on to the bagels.  This recipe is a simple modification from my bread recipe and is easy to make, especially if you've premeasured the dry ingredients.

This post is featured on Allergy-Free Wednesday and Bake Your Own Bread.

Multigrain Seeded Bagels
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup millet flour
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1/3 cup almond meal
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (1 packet of Knox Gelatine)
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon millet
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds, plus more to sprinkle on top
1 tablespoon roughly chopped pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, plus more to sprinkle on top
1 tablespoon poppy seeds, plus more to sprinkle on top
Boiling water bath:
6-8 cups water, boiling
1-2 tablespoons honey

Directions

In a small bowl  mix together water, yeast, honey, oil, and vinegar.  Let sit for ~3-5 minutes. In a medium bowl (I used my stand mixer for this), stir together dry ingredients.  Add the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined.  Once combined, mix on high speed for 3-5 minutes.

Divide the dough into 4 portions.  Grease your hands with shortening and shape each portion into a ball. Place onto a greased cookie sheet and poke the center with your finger. Move your finger around, until the hole is a decent size and the bagel now resembles a bagel.

Place in a warmed oven (with a pan of hot water on the bottom rake) and let rise for 20-30 minutes. Towards the end of the rise, remove the bagels and the pan of hot water from the oven and preheat the oven to 400F.

When the bagels have finished rising, place them one at a time in the boiling honey water. Boil on one side for about 30 seconds, then flip and boil it on the other side for another 30 seconds. Remove the bagel from boiling water and allow it to drain on a cooling rack, while you boil the other bagels.

Place the boiled bagels onto a greased cookie sheet and sprinkle the tops with sesame seeds, poppy seeds and/or sunflower seeds.

Bake bagels in preheated 400F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are a nice golden brown. Remove from oven, and allow to cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before enjoying.  If you don't eat them fresh from the oven, store them in the fridge and reheat them in the microwave to make them taste fresh.
The bagels should last a few days if stored in the fridge and a few months if stored in the freezer.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Weekly Menu (8/5/12-8/11/12)

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This week in our half of the Bountiful Basket (I share with my brother) we got:
  • lettuce
  • red potatoes
  • tomatoes
  • cabbage
  • peaches
  • mangos
  • melon
  • blueberries

I also have grapes, cucumber, bananas, cantaloupe, corn on the cob, onions, garlic, and carrots to supplement the basket.

This week for breakfast: I've replenished my muffin stock, so we have Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, and Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins to choose from, one-eyed sandwiches, fresh fruit, and cereal for the kids; and smoothies, water kefir with fruit puree, hard boiled eggs, and baked oatmeal for me.
This week for lunches: The boys are taken care of at their sitters' house. I plan on eating leftovers, I also have carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes with hummus everyday and a glass of water kefir with fruit puree (that's probably a good portion of my mangos, peaches, and cherries will go).
This week for dinner:
Sunday:   

Monday
  • Navajo Tacos (topped with refried beans, ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, etc)
  • Green Salad 
  • Melon Salad 

Tuesday:
  • Pulled Chicken (maybe as sandwiches, haven't decided)
  • Coleslaw
  • Chips
  • Peaches and grapes
Wednesday:
  • Sweet Pork and Corn Tortillas
  • Basmati Rice
  • Sliced Mango
  • Coleslaw 
Thursday:
  • Pancakes (blueberry ones)
  • Bacon
  • Hashbrowns 
  • Grapes 
Friday:
Saturday:
  • Pizza
  • green salad
  • Fruit salad