Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Luna's Living Kitchen Gluten Free, Vegan and Amazing!

So many friends had been raving about Luna's Living Kitchen and posting mouth-watering photos on Instagram and Facebook lately so I've been anxious to try it. It's a two and a half hour drive from us so we used a trek to IKEA as an excuse for a visit a few days ago. We are not vegan but we do eat many vegan and vegetarian meals weekly so we looked forward to checking Luna's out.

The restaurant exterior is warm and inviting. There are large planter boxes outside and most of them were full of greens. The tall ceilings, huge windows, spare decor and art make for a cozy yet bright interior. Every single employee greeted us with a smile from the moment we walked in. We sat at the juice bar because all the tables were full.

Jonathon was our gracious server and was happy to tell me which items were gluten free. There was a much better than usual selection to choose from. We ordered an organic juice for each of us. Chris chose the Volcano, a citrus blend with a touch of maple syrup and cayenne. I have an aversion to the smell of maple syrup but when I tasted it I fell in love. I ordered the Zinger which was beet, apple, orange, lemon and ginger. The ginger actually gave it more heat than Chris' Volcano. The sweet and hot combination was delicious. Luna's juices are available at our local Whole Foods, too. Pricey, but a healthy splurge.

One of our friend Josh's recommendation was the Rawco Taco Salad so I was glad it was gluten free. That was my order. How gorgeous is that salad?

Underneath the cilantro and sprouts was a large scoop of crumbled walnuts and almonds. The nuts gave it a crunchy, satisfying feel without feeling heavy. The cashew sour cream and hot sauce combination was a perfect touch - so flavorful! The hot sauce had quite a kick without being too much heat. Cool slices of avocado and crispy veggie/flax crackers made a perfect meal.

It's the kind of salad I could eat every day of the week if only someone would deliver it!

Chris ordered the Living Burrito. It was a collard leaf wrapped around sunflower seed refried beans, cauliflower rice, veggies and the same cashew sour cream and pico de gallo that were on my salad. He inhaled it shortly after I took this photo. 

He loves all things cauliflower so he especially enjoyed the cauliflower rice. Chris loved the combination of flavors and textures and found it to be a hearty lunch (he likes big food!) and also commented that he didn't feel weighed down by this large meal.

I'm going to have to get on Pinterest soon and look up some cauliflower rice and cashew sour cream recipes.

This meal makes me want to up my game when it comes to our vegetarian and vegan meals and make them more creative. Summer is a great time to take advantage of wonderful produce.

Josh had also recommended the Lemon Berry Cheesecake and we shared a beautiful slice while Chris had a coffee. 

Hands down the best cheesecake I've ever tasted and again totally vegan. Just the right amount of crunchy nut crust, plain and fruit flavored layers and perfect to share.

We both loved every part of our meal and our experience at Luna's Living Kitchen. While it is quite a drive I know we'll be back - maybe not as often as I'd like - but I can't wait.

This post has been shared on Gluten Free Wednesdays - thanks Shirley!


Sunday, May 4, 2014

Gluten Free Cinco de Mayo Recipes!


Our family loves Mexican food so much we have it several times a week. It has always been a favorite of mine and is something that is so easily adaptable to gluten free life.

This year we are combining a Cinco de Mayo fiesta and Mother's Day so I have a few days to figure out our menu. It will be Aiden's first fiesta and while avocados are the only part of a fiesta he can partake in this time I'm sure by the next fiesta there will be more. 

We'll make it easy so none of the moms have much to do. While I haven't decided what I'm making yet, here are some of my favorites:

These tamales are the easiest tamales you can make and also vegetarian. Once you make your first batch you'll have fun making your own fillings to suit your tastes.

You can literally stuff the masa with anything your family loves from refried beans to sauteed and seasoned veggies to shredded and seasoned meats.

Even really simple meals are so much more flavorful topped with salsa. A simple meal of beans and rice is a fiesta when you add salsa like the bowl at the top of this post.

Salsas come in many different colors and flavors but our family tends to love these two basics. 

The red has my name but since Gabby loves the green version more than anyone I had to name it for her. 

The red is a fresh, medium-hot salsa that takes under five minutes in the blender. Follow the directions for a fast and chunky salsa or puree longer for a smoother version.

The green is a lot hotter, but not a typical green salsa at all. Totally pureed in the blender it's a combination of jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice. Hot but really flavorful. Made in my Vitamix its a smooth and pour-able sauce but made in a food processor or regular blender it will have gorgeous green flecks of cilantro.




Have you ever tried Enfrijoladas? If you haven't you are in for a treat! Instead of enchilada sauce I use a black bean sauce. It's easy peasy and great if you have to avoid things that are too spicy. I fill them just like enchiladas so feel free to use any filling your family enjoys. 

Check out this link for Gabby's cheesy rice, too. Gabby makes massive amounts of it when we get together and it always vanishes!


Fiesta Chicken and Rice Salad is one of my personal favorites. It's fresh and crunchy and so flavorful. It's great for a buffet and makes a wonderful light dinner on hot summer nights.


Another salad favorite is this one! A Creamy Cilantro and Pepita Salad Dressing is so refreshing over a bowl of mixed greens and is really nice and cooling with a spicy meal.

While not Mexican in any way shape or form, after a big meal it's nice to have something sweet but not too heavy. A square of my Praline Blondies are a quick to fix treat we all love.

And for more ideas, please check out Shirley's Cinco de Mayo recipes, too. That Sangria might just make it to our table!

Enjoy!