Mexican Chopped Salad

This has to be one of the easiest recipes ever and I know it's going to be in our menu rotation a lot this spring and summer. Its so fast and easy and it's been my very favorite meal we've had lately. In fact Chris liked it so much he asked me to blog it so we'd remember to make it again.

Last night we wanted some sort of salad for dinner and had some leftover grilled chicken and some perfect avocados to use. This was the result. If I was making this for just me, I would skip the chicken because my serving was great without it. This was a huge main dish salad for two, but could easily be a side salad for more to share.

Here's how easy it is:


Mexican Chopped Salad

1 Chicken breast half, grilled and chopped
2 Avocados, chopped
1 to 2 cups Cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup Red Onion, chopped
1 large bunch Cilantro, finely chopped
1 large Jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
Juice of half a Lemon
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix to blend gently so the the avocado mixes with the lemon juice but doesn't get to mashed.

Serve as is or on a bed of mixed baby greens as we did.

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash, Spinach and Black Bean Tacos

For a good, long while I have been on kitchen auto-pilot making mostly the same things. The time has now come to work on my menus.

I'm currently researching the best diet for me as I start treatment for breast cancer and while I have just started the process I know that increasing the most nutritious veggies, herbs and spices is as important important as drastically cutting sugar. Cutting sugar has been easier than I expected so I'm focusing on getting the good stuff in.

There are so many different theories are out there - Vegan, Keto, Mediterranean, etc. - all been recommended by various people and sources. I can see pluses and minuses to most so am taking my time and learning what will be right for my situation with my necessary restrictions like gluten free, dye free, etc. So while I continue to research I'm making lots of old favorites (especially Sri Lankan recipes with all the turmeric, ginger and spice) and some new vegan dishes.

Vegetables are a favorite, so it's not a burden to try and reconfigure my diet but it can be a challenge to make them a main course when you love spicy flavors and strive to use only whole foods rather than processed items.

The guys are not changing their diets but are getting exposed to lots of new veggie dishes in the process. So far they are just adding them to their usual meals and it's working out fine for everyone. Joe, especially, has surprised me with embracing arugula and watercress in his salads and trying some different roasted veggies. So in many ways this is a win win for us.

This is one dish I experimented with on our last Taco Tuesday and we liked it so much I made it all over again on Friday - doubling the recipe for leftovers. It's super fast and easy and very satisfying.

I've tried this combination in a crispy taco shell, without tortillas in a bowl and wrapped in in collard leaves. Every version was delicious and I've got another two pounds of butternut squash to saute tonight.

Butternut Squash, Spinach and Black Bean Tacos

Saute in a medium sized saute pan:

1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
1 large Onion, minced
4 large cloves Garlic, minced

In another small saucepan heat:

2 cups Black Beans (approximately, either homemade or canned)

When the onions and garlic are softened, add:

1 teaspoon Cumin
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne (this will be spicy - just a dash if you don't love it hot)
1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano
1 pound Butternut Squash, cut into cubes

Continue to saute until squash is cooked through - about 15 minutes or so. I mashed a bit with the back of a spoon as I stirred.

Just before you are ready to serve, toss in:

2 cups packed and rinsed Baby Spinach which will wilt and heat through in a minute.

Serve in taco shells, as nachos, in bowls or rolled in a large steamed kale leaf and top the squash and spinach with black beans, and guacamole and any favorite salsa you like.

We love to add a mixture of cilantro (one whole large bunch), onion (one medium to large) and jalepeno (at least one large) all minced together and liberally spooned on top. I make up this mixture at least once a week and use it to top almost all Mexican and Asian foods I make. It will keep a couple of days in the fridge.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we have.

Cilantro Hummus!

Traditional hummus is one of my favorite things all year round. Whether I make or purchase it, there is almost always a container of it in the fridge. Hummus makes a great vegetarian protein snack with crackers (I especially love it with my flax crackers) or veggie sticks, and is an awesome spread on sandwiches. A favorite breakfast is simply a half a toasted gluten free bagel spread with hummus.

We love it plain or drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sumac or paprika. Chopped olives are my personal favorite, or addiction if I'm honest, these days.

My cilantro hummus is a spring and summer favorite.  It's creamy and cool and has a fresh pop of flavor. It takes just minutes to make and can be adjusted to your tastes easily.

Made as shown below it's very mild, at least with the jalapeños I use. If you like more heat, just add another jalapeño or switch to a pepper with more kick. Habanero is my favorite. The more cilantro, the better, as far as I'm concerned. I use a large bunch - about a cup and a half of washed leaves and stems. Cilantro has many health benefits so I'm always adding it to something I'm making.

This hummus is a great way to get your raw veggies in. Above I used daikon radish. I love the look of the perfect circles and crispy bite of the radish with the creamy hummus. Our veggie selection to the right wasn't the most exotic or beautifully sliced today but they were still delicious.

Cilantro Hummus is great as a spread on a veggie burger like my Chipotle Lime and Black Bean Burgers. My favorite crackers for this hummus are my Spicy Pepita and Almond Crackers which I like for a quick lunch. This combination also makes a nice appetizer with a lighter meal.

To really amp up the color and kick, spoon a little of Gabby's Green Sauce on top.

Cilantro Hummus

3 cups Garbanzo Beans
1 large bunch Cilantro, or enough to equal about a cup and a half leaves and stems
1 large Jalapeño, seeded
1 medium clove Garlic
1/4 cup Lime Juice
1/4 cup Olive Oil
Salt, to taste

While all ingredients can be put into a food processor at one time and blended, I like to use my Vitamix for an even creamier hummus.  If you use a Vitamix you will need to use the tamp to keep things mixing and moving to blend quickly. Just add all ingredients to the Vitamix at once and blend until smooth and creamy for about two minutes.

The flavor will improve as it chills so plan on letting it sit in the fridge an hour or two prior to serving.

Enjoy!

Happily shared on Gluten Free Wednesdays thanks to Linda the Gluten Free Homemaker!

b.good - healthy, local, delicious and gluten free

b.good is a restaurant we fell in love with on a recent trip to Portland and Wiscasset Maine. We visited the Portland store at least three times in our five days in Maine. The other two days we were in Wiscasset.

The Portland, Maine store employees were friendly and helpful in keeping our food gluten free and so delicious. The six of us tried just about every gluten free item on the menu from burgers to salads to kale and quinoa bowls. Everyone absolutely loved everything. Especially awesome are the kids meals. We loved it so much it just didn't seem worth the bother to look up other safe restaurants.

The photo on the right is our last visit up in Maine. Loved the brick and the photos of the local farmers.

So the wait for the Raleigh store seemed ever so long. But open it did last week!

Chris, Joe and I went on Friday for lunch. This was their second day open and the line started clear across the restaurant. We obviously were not the only people anxiously waiting for them to open. The line moved quickly and the young man taking our order was friendly and capable. He quickly told us the couple of items we couldn't have and assured us the rest were safe.

The look of the Raleigh store is fresh and new and the farmer photos are local to our area. I was happy to later hear that JMF Photography took their photos.

We ordered and found a spot at the counter in front of the window to sit.  While I all but stopped drinking sodas years ago, at b.good I indulge with their outstanding Maine Roots soda. My family loves lots of their flavors but I always get the root beer. It's just like what we had growing up ages ago - creamy and perfect.

The guys' burgers and my chicken sandwich were perfect. The toppings are fresh and local, as are the burgers and chicken breasts. The veggie patties are house made and vegan (but not gluten free).

But the fries are amazing. If you're gluten free you know what a big deal safe gluten free fries are but at b.good you can get sweet potato or regular fries. Both are absolutely awesome.

The next day Marc, Marie, Aiden and I ran in for lunch. We arrived just before the doors opened and by the time they did open there was another family waiting with us. Several others filled tables before long.

The crowd Friday at lunch was definitely a work crowd and the Saturday lunch crowd was mostly young families. Steve Woodward, the owner said he was pleased with the lunch turnout but also pleasantly surprised by the dinner crowds, many of whom live in the apartments above the restaurant. How convenient would it be to just pick up dinner and take it right upstairs?? It seems a perfect location for everyone.

Marc and Marie ordered burgers and I ordered the spicy avocado lime kale and quinoa bowl.  It was my first b.good bowl and I ordered it as a healthy and maybe lighter choice. It was such a great combination of fresh veggies with a very spicy and flavorful sauce that I have a new favorite. So fresh and satisfying.

One thing I really love about b.good is their kids meals. Our sweet Aiden loves to eat and Marie and Marc feed him real, whole foods. The kids meals at b.good live up to their requirements and Aiden loves them.

Saturday he enjoyed a bunless turkey burger (freshly grilled and juicy) and a side of veggies. He loved the tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots and kale.

Aiden - so happy and busy with his kid's meal.

It's so nice to be able to walk into a restaurant and know that we can all enjoy healthy, local and delicious food without a worry about gluten. I can't recommend b.good highly enough.

Happily shared on Gluten Free Wednesdays at Gluten Free Easily!

Honey Sriracha Madness

So this Honey Sriracha Madness is Marie's fault entirely. You see, Marie, Marc and Aiden were running in the grocery store as Joe and I were running to our car a few weeks ago. 

Marie mentioned she was making Honey Sriracha Chicken for dinner that night and I was intrigued. A quick check of Pinterest later that night gave lots of variations. All super simple and I never did go back to look at a recipe.

And since it's been way too long since Aiden has made an appearance on the blog I am sharing this photo our amazing Gabby took at his dedication last month. It's hard to believe he's going to be one in just under a month!

But back to food. So why am I giving you three? Because it was a great excuse to put up a pic of Aiden and because it's really good! I love to play around with a good recipe and make it my own varying ingredients to my family's tastes. You can adjust the honey and Sriracha to your taste to make it sweeter or milder or scorching hot! 

For the Honey Sriracha Chicken Bowls, I just let one and a half pounds cubed chicken simmer in a tablespoon of coconut oil. As the cubes were barely cooked through I added about 1/4 cup honey, about a tablespoon Sriracha and a dash of lime juice and garlic and simmered until the sauce was thick and caramelized but not dry.

Stop when you like the consistency - really saucy to drizzle over the rice - simmer a little less time. Super caramelized, go a little longer.

It was amazing over a bowl of steaming rice with some fresh herbs sprinkled on top. We used mint, cilantro and basil for a Thai-inspired flavor.

Our favorite vegetarian version is this delicious Honey Sriracha Mushroom Sauté.

It's super simple. Clean and quarter a pound of mushrooms. Sauté mushrooms in a medium skillet in one heaping tablespoon of honey and one heaping teaspoon of Sriracha. No oil is necessary. Leave the lid off and stir everything together. The mushrooms will release their juices and the sauce with start to thicken after a few minutes. We love this served over rice (fried rice in this pic) and with kimchee.








Honey Sriracha Beef Lettuce Wraps have to be the easiest lettuce wraps you can make and are amazingly flavorful. To make these simply brown one pound of organic, grass fed ground beef with about a half cup of minced onions. Stir in the same heaping tablespoon of honey and heaping teaspoon of Sriracha and sauté until the sauce is thickened.

I topped lettuce leaves with julienned red peppers and spiralized cucumber and added the beef and cilantro. Chris loved these even though our lettuce didn't "wrap" this time. 

Relax in the kitchen and be creative - it makes eating healthy much more fun.

Happily shared on Gluten Free Wednesdays!

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!

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!

November Gratitude - Day Thirteen

Today I am thankful for today's rainy, drizzly, downright cold and gray soup weather!

This is the soup I've been making making weekly for the last few weeks.  I created it during the October Unprocessed Challenge.  I needed a soup that didn't have a stock base because none of the stock containers I had on hand fit the challenge. This is easy, fast, nutritious and so delicious.  It's also low in calorie and inexpensive both of which are always a good thing.

I love cooking with Tumeric as it is a great anti-inflammatory and great for aches and pains and I add even more garlic when fighting off a bug. The spices are the key to the flavor and you can vary the veggies depending on what you have on hand. I like a blend of onion, carrots and butternut squash the best. I've been cheating and buying peeled chunks of butternut squash at Trader Joe's because it's so fast. I would love to try pumpkin but Chris really has a pumpkin aversion. If it sounds good to you, go for it and let me know how it is.  The red lentils and spice combination are similar to Dal, hence the name.

Dal-icious Soup!

In a large soup/stock pot, sauté

1 or 2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
2 pounds chopped veggies - approximate amount, include at least 1 large onion
3 cloves Garlic, or more to taste
1 teaspoon Tumeric
1 teaspoon Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne or one fresh Cayenne Pepper, sliced and de-seeded.

Continue to sauté until spices are fragrant and golden but not browned.

Cover vegetables with boiling water making sure the water level is about two inches over the veggies to leave room for the lentils and mushrooms later. Simmer over low heat for an hour or until you're nearly ready for dinner. Simmering longer just mingles the flavors.

When veggies are soft, use an immersion (stick) blender to purée thoroughly.  Then add:

1 pound Red Lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 pound sliced mushrooms

Stir occasionally as the lentils cook and the soup thickens. It takes about fifteen minutes for me.

If it's a little too thick for your taste you can thin it with more water. Add:

Salt & Pepper to taste.

I love to top a bowl with a large handful of chopped cilantro to give it a nice, fresh and healthy kick.

Gabby, there's a jar in the fridge waiting for you.

Enjoy!

Creamy Cilantro & Pepita Salad Dressing

When we left California several years ago good Mexican food was really hard to find in this area but everything has changed drastically over the years.  Now there are good Hispanic sections in regular grocery stores and many small Hispanic grocery stores so I can buy any ingredient I could possibly need to make all of our favorite Mexican foods. Mexican restaurants and Taquerias are all over the place and serve great, authentic food. Of course not all of it is gluten free or free of the artificial colors, flavors and preservatives we avoid so I make it for my family often.

My friend Kerry from California sent me a newspaper clipping shortly after moving here. It was the copy of the salad dressing from one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. It instantly made me homesick for good friends and good Mexican food and I put it on the side of the fridge with a magnet so I wouldn't lose it. Back then I couldn't find the Cojita cheese and pepitas the recipe called for so I saved it and waited. Eventually I forgot all about it even though it was still on the side of the fridge

Our favorite Sunshine Burger Wrap - Rice Tortillas wrapped around
a crumbed Sunshine Burger with lettuce, Carrots,
Creamy Cilantro & Pepita Salad Dressing
with extra toasted pepitas for crunch!

When we were planning the menu for Marc and Marie's party I noticed the now yellowed and spotted newspaper clipping. It seemed perfect for our tostada buffet. It's creamy and flavorful and now it's pretty darn healthy. The original recipe called for a ton of mayonnaise and cheese but I've lightened it up a bit and made it vegan to boot. I soaked two cups of raw cashews for a few hours and used them to substitute the mayo and cheese. The cashews aren't a lot less calories and fat than the mayo and cheese but they are a healthy vegan protein used in moderation. They give the dressing a wonderful creamy texture just like the original. I lowered the oil a bit and added spiced, toasted pepitas.  It's really very easy to make as I just toss everything in the blender and gave it a good whirl.  Chill and serve over greens, on sandwiches or use as a dip.

Creamy Cilantro and Pepita Salad Dressing

Begin by soaking cashews - I put them in the bowl after lunch so they'd be ready by dinner:

2 cups Raw Cashews in
2 cups filtered water at least 2 hours and no more than 6 hours.

Meanwhile toast the pepitas in a small saute pan over low heat.

1 teaspoon oil
1 cup Pepitas
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Saute and stir until slightly toasty and fragrant.  Add:

salt and pepper to taste

Let cool.

Pour the cashews and water into blender container and add:

1 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 4 ounce can Green Chilies
2 large bunches of Cilantro, washed and roughly chopped.
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 cup Toasted Pepitas
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Blend at high speed until completely processed and creamy. This makes a lot and keeps in the fridge for a few days.

Serve over mixed greens with extra toasted pepitas to garnish.

Enjoy!

Shared, on Gluten Free Wednesdays 5/7/14!

Spicy Sriracha Potatoes

This post was supposed to be about Marc's first cooking lesson but I have to blog this recipe quickly so that I don't forget the measurements.  These are just too good to wait. And I just got too excited to eat this plate to take the time to take better photos. Potatoes do that to me.

Recently Chris and I went to PF Chang's for lunch.  Every time we go - which really isn't often - it's a great gluten free experience. Friendly waitstaff and one of the largest gluten free menus around - you can't go wrong. Our last couple of visits we've had the spicy Dali Chicken.  It's the hottest dish on their menu and we just love it.  But the chicken doesn't thrill me nearly as much as the spicy potatoes and leeks.

I've wanted to give the dish a try for a while and didn't have much luck finding a recipe in any of my books or online that looked right to me. I knew I'd have to wing this one.

This afternoon the bowl full of tiny organic rainbow potatoes sitting on the counter just called out to me so I just dove in.

I decided to skip the chicken and make these vegan. Chris volunteered to slice the potatoes thinly while I tried to figure out what to use to spice them up. We threw them in the hot pan with coconut oil. Aren't they the prettiest potatoes ever? 

Garlic, cumin, Sriracha hot chili sauce and green onions were lined up on the counter and tossed in one at a time. PF Chang's uses leeks in their dish but I had green onions and they worked really well.

From start to finish these took only thirty minutes. The potatoes were so thinly sliced that they cooked in no time at all. A few stuck a bit but the browned flecks were really yummy  and added to the dish so don't worry about that.

The garlic went in just after the potatoes had started to get soft and all the seasonings went right in after that. That quick! And we absolutely loved this dish.

Marc wants to make these together soon so he can make them for Marie.  Chris would like me to add some veggies to the potatoes next time so I think I'll start with several handfuls of kale or spinach.

So next time you're in the mood for something spicy, try this.


Spicy Sriracha Potatoes

In a large pan over medium heat saute:

1/4 cup Coconut Oil
5 cups Potatoes, thinly sliced

Some potatoes will brown a bit, some may stick, just scrap them off the bottom and gently move them around. When potatoes are soft and just cooked through add:

3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons Sriracha Sauce
1 Tablespoon Gluten Fee Soy Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1 cup Green Onions, chopped

Stir until everything is mixed and heated through.  Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Can't Be Beet Bars!

Beets - do you enjoy them? I never really tried until I was well into my forties and was reading through Nourishing Traditions. Now I love them. They seem to be one of those love/hate vegetables. My sons hate them. Really and truly despise them. But they are so healthy and so full of necessary minerals that I had to find a way to sneak them into something they would enjoy. They LOVE these bars.

I remember reading somewhere a long while back that the very first Red Velvet cakes were that deep red color because of beets - not awful artificial dyes - was someone's mom just being sneaky for her kids' health? So chocolate was the obvious choice to combine with the beets. It had been quite a while since I'd made any of my usual almond meal bars/breakfast cakes so I assembled the ingredients and just tweaked a bit. I had canned beets on hand so I used those - of course cooking and pureeing fresh beets would work, too. This is another oil free recipe and I am sure using flax/water for eggs would work well.

My guys know and expect me to add vegetables into just about anything I make and they're happy that I do it.  They'd rather have yummy (yet nutritious) bars than beets on their plates.

Can't Be Beet Bars!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Lightly grease 13 x 9 pan with coconut oil.

In a blender combine until completely pureed:
6 large Eggs
1 can sliced beets (15 ounce, approx.)

Pour into mixing bowl (I use my Kichenaid) with:
1 lb Almond Meal
2/3 cup Organic Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

When thoroughly mixed add:
1 cup White Chocolate Chips
1 cup Dark Chocolate Chips

Stir to blend and spread into baking pan.  Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until firm in center.  Cool completely before cutting.

Enjoy!

Curried Squash Soup with Spicy Pepitas & Chives

The smell of this soup is intoxicating. It makes me miss walking into my friend Migi's house because it always smelled of wonderful Sri Lankan spices. She cooks everything from scratch and nearly all Sri Lankan food starts out with similar spice blends. If only we weren't a continent away now. Anyway, it makes me so happy when when this scent fills my house.

Butternut squash and carrots give you tons of Vitamin A and the spices are full of anti-oxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties. The pepitas (pumpkin seeds) are full of minerals and protein. It's great when something so tasty can be so healthy, too.

This is a really quick soup to make. If you have homemade broth, by all means use it but a box of organic gluten free vegetable broth works great.  Fresh ginger would have been great but I was out and used powdered today and it worked beautifully.  You can adjust the heat with the cayenne from just a dash to a good shake.  

The spices toast in a bit of olive oil to bring out their flavors and then simmer in broth with the garlic, onions, carrots and squash until the vegetable are soft which took about fifteen minutes. All that's left to be done is to quickly puree and stir in some coconut milk to give it an extra creamy flavor.

While the veggies simmer toast a cup of pepitas and you'll be ready to serve in about thirty minutes.

Curried Squash Soup with Spicy Pepitas & Chives

In a large saucepan, saute together the following until the spices just start to lightly brown which takes under five minutes:

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Tumeric

1 teaspoon Cumin

1 teaspoon Ginger

1/4 teaspoon Sri Lankan Curry Powder or Curry Powder of your choice

dash Cayenne

When toasty, add:

2 large Garlic Cloves, chopped

1 small Onion, chopped

1 cup Carrots, peeled and chopped

1 pound Butternut Squash (approximately)

1 quart Gluten Free Vegetable Broth

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmering.  When vegetables are soft, turn off heat and puree the soup using an immersion  (stick) blender right in the pot on the stove.  (If you use a counter top blender do it in batches of two or three. )

When well blended and creamy, add:

1 can Coconut Milk, regular or light

Stir and bring back to a simmer.

While your soup is cooking, start toasting the pepitas.  

In a medium saute pan over medium heat add:

1 cup raw pepitas

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Cumin

dash Tumeric

dash Cayenne

dash Ginger

Stirring frequently to coat the pepitas in oil and spices toast until medium brown. Add sea salt if desired.

Chop desired amount of Chives - I used about a teaspoon per bowl.

To serve, ladle soup into bowl sprinkle with chives and toasted pepitas.

Enjoy!

Meatless Monday - Curried Coconut Vegetable Soup

My poor Marc is sick.  Really gunky, tired and achey sick.  If anyone ever needed a bowl of steamy hot soup full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and love – it’s Marc. 

I like to keep a variety of spices, beans, rices and gluten free pastas in the pantry to make fast impromptu meals. A couple of bags of frozen veggies in the freezer will round out just about any pantry meal. Lentils are the quickest cooking dried bean/pea I know of so that helped me decide what soup to make.  We them in just about any form – from Sri Lankan Lentils to veggie burgers so why not soup, too?

It takes about ten minutes to put everything together and well under an hour to simmer. You can adjust spices to taste and even vary the amount of water to make a thinner or thicker soup. Any veggies you like will work for this soup but I used a bag of mixed veggies and one of sliced okra today.

Curried Coconut Vegtable Soup

In a very large pan over medium heat, sauté:

1 cup Onion, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Cumin

1 teaspoon Tumeric

½ teaspoon Ginger

Cayenne, to taste

Curry Powder, to taste

As soon as the onions and garlic are soft the spices will have cooked enough to bring out their flavors.

Add:

1 cup Red Lentils

1 can Coconut Milk

2 quarts (give or take) Filtered Water

Simmer at least thirty minutes but longer if desired.  At this point you can use an immersion blender to puree the onions and lentils for a smooth and creamy base.  I didn’t do that this time so it’s a bit chunkier with a thinner broth.

Then add:

1 lb. Vegetables – your choice, chopped.  I used a frozen chopped mix this time.

1 lb. Okra sliced – I used frozen this time

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

Simmer until vegetables are cooked through.

Serve with love and enjoy!

Spicy Pepita & Almond Crackers

Gratefully shared on Gluten Free Wednesdays - April 16, 2014.

Years ago when I met my dear friend Terri she taught me how to make delicious dehydrator crackers.  They are gluten free, grain free and full of healthy, flavorful ingredients.  Terri always dehydrates them to keep her crackers raw and full of enzymes but I’m not nearly as patient and I bake mine at a very low temp until dry.  The lowest temperature my oven will do is 170 degrees.  I think that’s probably too high to be considered raw but that’s the temperature I usually use.  Baking at a higher heat will be faster but you really need to be really careful so they don’t over brown. The great thing is, though, you can dry or bake them to suit you.

 I’ve long since lost the original recipe but this recipe is so versatile and adaptable so use what you have on hand and your own tastes. I believe we used sunflower seeds and whole flax seeds with our almond meal in the beginning.  Terri liked curry if I remember correctly and I loved lots of Jalapeno in mine.  I decided to make a tray of crackers yesterday and pulled out what sounded good and what was handy.  There was a beautiful Cayenne pepper in my garden so I used it. Because they can be so much hotter than Jalapenos are I partially deseeded it before chopping.  When I use a Jalapeno I leave the seeds. Even one entire Cayenne didn’t make the crackers hot, just flavorful. I usually use the juice of limes but had lemon handy and there really wasn’t much of a difference.

The hearty texture and kick of spice pairs nicely with guacamole, hummus or black bean dips.  A little container of these babies in your bag would be perfect for a quick snack while you’re out. They’re high in protein and low in carbs to give you a boost without the sugar low other snacks can give.

The guys tried them today and they both liked them and they weren't too hot for Joe. If I were making them to my taste I'd have thrown in another Cayenne.

Spicy Pepita & Almond Crackers

1 large Carrot, finely grated

1 large handful Cilantro, chopped with stems

1 Cayenne Pepper, partially deseeded and chopped

1 cup raw Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

1 cup Almond Meal

2 tablespoons Flax Meal

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon Cumin

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

Mix everything together in a food processor or Vitamix with tamp.  I’ve even used my stick blender successfully.  You can decide how lumpy or pureed you prefer the texture.  Today I really blended it all to a really smooth dough but you can see there are specks of veggies and seeds.

Spoon out onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  Cover with another sheet of parchment and roll as thin and flat as possible.  Use a knife or pizza cutter to cut the crackers to the size and shape you prefer.  I find giving them the fork marks helps them to dry more evenly and quickly.

Baking at 170 will take a few hours - yes hours - but the oven is barely on and hardly needs tending to.  The best part is your house will smell amazing all day.  After about two hours I flip them over so they dry underneath.  Check every thirty minutes or so after that and move them around to keep them drying evenly.  If I need to run out during this time I just flip the oven to warm to slow it down a bit.

If you prefer to bake them at 350 or so you'll need to watch them closely to make sure they outer rows don't burn.  You'll want to flip and move them after about 15 minutes and then about every five minutes.

If you're patient like Terri, follow your dehydrator's instructions.

Enjoy!