Category Archives: Vegetarian

Broccoli Leaves, and a Green Juice with Celery, Apple, Ginger, and Parsley

Have you ever had broccoli leaves? I don’t mean the tiny little one-inch leaves that are typically on the broccoli stems you get at the average grocery. I’m talking about a full, big leaf – the leaves that surround the broccoli plant. Up until recently, I’d never given a thought to whether these leaves were edible, nor had I the opportunity to find out. Like I mentioned, they’re not found at the grocery, and I’ve only tried to grow broccoli once, and it didn’t turn out so well. (I am trying again – we’ll see how it goes!)

But as I saw in my weekly local box from Greenling, I was to receive broccoli leaves. Hmm, I thought. What will I do with those? I imagined they would be similar to collard greens, and when they arrived, I wasn’t far off. They are hardy and have a similar texture. But I didn’t quite receive enough to make a pot of greens. What to do, what to do?

Then I started looking into the nutritional punch these greens could provide. Turns out, broccoli leaves provide protein, thiamin, pantothenic acid, niacin, calcium, selenium, iron, vitamins A, B6 and C, riboflavin, manganese, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. The leaves, it turns out, are a richer source of beta-carotene than the stalks or florets. I figured that the best way to enjoy these was to take them for all their nutritional worth and juice them!

I love to juice. I have a green juice almost every morning, often consisting of some leafy green, some cucumber, celery, ginger, lemon, and often parsley. I actually make little packs for the week so I can quickly throw my juice concoctions into the juicer before I head off to work. My fresh green juice gives me a burst of energy and really revitalizes. I think I’m addicted, truth be told.

This time around, I opted to utilize those broccoli leaves for a change of pace.

A few minutes later, I had a refreshing, energizing juice. The broccoli leaves were mild – even milder than my typical kale that I most frequently use in my juice. I opted for some apple for a change of pace, but just a tad - I don’t like my juices too sweet. The result was a clean, green juice that I adored. So if you’re at a farmer’s market, see if you can seek out broccoli leaves, or ask your farmer to bring them. Or grow your own!

While juicing doesn’t really need a “recipe” per se, here’s what I used:

Print Recipe

Broccoli Leaf Green Juice (gluten-free, raw, vegan)

5 large broccoli leaves

2-3 stalks celery

1/2 inch knob of ginger

1/3 of a green apple

large handful of parsley

Wash and cut all produce to fit into your juicer. Following your juicer instructions, juice all produce. Enjoy juice as soon as possible for maximum benefit!

Makes 1 serving.

Do you juice? Share your thoughts and recipes about juicing at Udi’s Gluten-Free Living Community!

 

This post is linked to 5-Ingredient Mondays over at The Daily Dietribe and Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.

 

posted on Monday, February 25th, 2013 by altawrites Posted in breakfast,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Grain-Free,Healthy Meals,Paleo/Primal,Quick and Easy,Refined Sugar-Free,Vegan,Vegetables,Vegetarian 5 Comments

Chocolate Chip Brown Rice Crispy Cookies

Here’s a Valentine’s Day thought: What if a rice crispy treat and a chocolate chip cookie met, fell in love, and had children?

My bet would be that these treats would be the offspring.

The other day, I was in my pantry and the Erewhon box of Crispy Brown Rice cereal was staring back at me. You’ve forgotten me, it seemed to exclaim. Oh no, I replied, I just…wanted to make something special with you. That’s all!

(What, you don’t have conversations with your cereal boxes?)

Anyway, I determined that now was the time to make that “something special”. I didn’t want another rice crispy treat (although I adored making these peanut butter ones, as well as these maple pecan ones!). I wanted to take this cereal in a different direction. So why not attempt to combine two iconic treats into one?

The result was a chewy, delicious chocolate chip cookie with the lovely, crisp texture of the crisp rice cereal. I was smarter this time around than most – I had plenty of kids around to whom I pawned off these addictive treats. No one seemed to mind. I definitely had my fair share, especially with tastes of the cookie dough (which admittedly tastes more like a rice crispy treat, much to my delight – oh, the pains the baker must go through!).

I dare you to eat just one!

[recipe-link]

Chocolate Chip Brown Rice Crispy Cookies (gluten-free, dairy-free)

1/3 c coconut oil, softened slightly

2/3 c coconut palm sugar

2 t vanilla extract

4 T maple syrup

1 egg

1/2 c brown rice flour

1/2 c gluten-free oat flour

2 T tapioca flour

1/4 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1/4 t xanthan or guar gum

1 1/2 c gluten-free crispy brown rice cereal

1 c chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life minis)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the coconut oil and coconut palm sugar. Add the vanilla extract, maple syrup, and egg and continue to beat on medium speed until incorporated well. In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the brown rice flour, the oat flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, salt, and the xanthan or guar gum. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and beat on medium-low speed until combined well. Add in the crispy brown rice cereal and chocolate chips and stir in.

Scoop small balls of dough (about 2 tablespoons-sized) and place on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove and allow to cool a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Makes about 1 1/2 dozen.

 

posted on Wednesday, February 13th, 2013 by altawrites Posted in Baked goods,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Kid-Friendly,Quick and Easy,Vegetarian 11 Comments

Red Velvet Pancakes with Maple Cashew Cream

Need a Valentine’s Day breakfast idea? Or just want to sneak some healthy vegetables into your unsuspecting child’s diet? Moist, fluffy, and bright pink-red, these little darlings are sure to please.

Personally, I love sneaking healthy ingredients into foods. My favorite meatloaf recipe is one that hides some carrot, celery, and ground chia or flaxseed. I’ve made spaghetti sauces with simmered and pureed carrots in addition to the usual tomato. I’m always a fan of tossing spinach in my smoothies (although most of the time, the green color doesn’t ”hide” so well…) And I’ve hidden beets before in chocolate truffles. So why not hide beets in pancakes in plain sight?

These days, most red velvet cake recipes obtain their bright-red color from artificial food dye. I’m not a fan of artificial dyes, so I opted to go the old-fashioned way – get my red color from beets! As long as you take care to keep the batter as acidic as possible, the beets should retain their red color in the batter even after cooking. So rather than using lots of baking soda (too alkaline), I used baking powder and eggs for lift. I also only used a touch of cocoa powder (not dutched – again, dutched is too alkaline) to keep the pancakes bright. The result?

Beet-red pancakes – literally! Fluffy, moist, lightly sweet, barely chocolate-y pancakes that tasted marvelous. Of course, they were even more marvelous with a drizzle of homemade maple cashew cream sauce, and a little more maple syrup on top as well. While they’ll be sure to bring smiles to the faces of any little ones, I will admit they made excellent fuel for a good run in some cool, drizzly weather afterwards.

Print Recipe

Red Velvet Pancakes (gluten-free, dairy-free)

1/2 c chopped roasted beets (I peeled and cut 2 large beets into 1-inch chunks and roasted in the oven for about 40 minutes)

3/4 c coconut milk

2 T water

2 eggs

1/4 c coconut palm sugar

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 c tapioca starch

1/2 c brown rice flour

1/2 t salt

2 t baking powder

1 T cocoa powder (not dutched)

1/4 t guar gum

Place the chopped beets, and coconut milk in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Puree until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Add the water, eggs, coconut sugar and vanilla extract and puree until well-blended and smooth.

In a medium bowl, add the tapioca starch, brown rice flour, salt, baking powder, cocoa powder, and guar gum. Whisk together until blended. Add the flour mixture to the food processor and process again until smooth.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Grease with a little coconut oil if desired. Pour 1/4 cup of the batter onto the skillet and spread out to about a 4-inch circle with the back of a spoon. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the edges look like they’re starting to dry. Carefully flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve pancakes with Maple Cashew Cream and maple syrup.

Makes about 8 pancakes.

Maple Cashew Cream (gluten-free, vegan)

1 c raw cashews, soaked for a few hours

1/3 c water

juice of 1 lemon

2 T maple syrup

about 1/2 t salt

2 T maple syrup

Drain the soaked cashews and place in a high-powered blender along with the water, the lemon juice, maple syrup, and the salt. Blend on a medium-low speed, stopping to scrape down the sides, until smooth. Add additional water as needed to thin the cream if needed. Store remainder, refrigerated, for 3-4 days.

This post has been linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.

posted on Monday, February 4th, 2013 by altawrites Posted in breakfast,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Kid-Friendly,Refined Sugar-Free,Vegetarian 24 Comments

Curry-Roasted Kabocha Squash with Rosemary

It’s already starting. That itch, that impatience…you know, the kind that comes with this time of year. I’m already missing farm-fresh produce. I’m thankful that I live far enough south so that there are some things that grow through the winter. I have kale, cilantro, and oregano that are doing well in my garden, and of course the sage and rosemary that double as decorative landscaping in the front flower beds are handy to have around. But I miss the farmer’s market. I miss the bounty of vegetables. I miss having so much in my CSA share from week to week that I have to become extremely creative in my attempts to use it all. I still have a bit in the freezer from the summer – some green beans and some blueberries – but mostly, I’m stuck with grocery store wares. (I do have to say, however, that Greenling helps tremendously with ensuring I get some fresh goods this time of year!)

So I’m making do with what I can find, and this time of year, it’s winter squash. It’s a good thing there are countless varieties, and I am quite enamored with most all of them. Especially kabocha. It’s definitely not a pretty squash – green and bumpy. Getting a knife into it is tricky, as it’s quite hard when raw. But it’s worth it, because when roasted, its flesh is sweeter and creamier than the best butternut or pumpkin. It’s velvety and sumptuous, and is amazing in pies, baked goods, risottos, or simply roasted.

This time around, I opted to cut wedges of a kabocha squash I’d picked up and roast them. Rubbed down with a bit of coconut oil, fresh rosemary, and Madras curry powder, the squash was popped into the oven, and an easy 30 minutes later, it was perfectly creamy with caramelized edges. I won’t lie – I had more than my fair share with dinner, and enjoyed leftovers with breakfast the following morning. And now, writing about it makes me wish I had more.

Let’s just say, this squash has a way of reminding me to appreciate all the seasons, even the ones without tons of readily available greens.

Print Recipe

Curry-Roasted Kabocha Squash with Rosemary (gluten-free, vegan, refined sugar-free)

1/2 large Kabocha squash, cut into 1 1/2-inch thick wedges

3 T coconut oil, melted

1 T Madras curry powder

1 T coconut palm sugar

1 T rosemary needles, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup. Rub down the squash wedges with coconut oil, and then rub curry powder, rosemary, coconut palm sugar, salt and pepper all over.

Roast for 30 minutes, flipping the wedges over halfway though. Remove and serve.

Serves 4-6.

 

posted on Monday, January 14th, 2013 by altawrites Posted in Budget-Friendly,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Grain-Free,Healthy Meals,Paleo/Primal,Quick and Easy,Refined Sugar-Free,Vegan,Vegetables,Vegetarian 10 Comments

Quinoa Protein Breakfast Bars

I have a sneaking suspicion that a great many of you are focusing on healthy eating with renewed vigor. Am I right? Of course, if you’re changing up your routine, it can quickly become overwhelming. (Especially if you’re not accustomed to cooking all of your meals, and are now making an effort to do so – I feel ya there!)

Something that helps immensely to keep me on track with healthy eating is to prepare things in advance. Sunday afternoon is my “prep” time – I go to the grocery store, and when I come home, I make sure I have made a few essentials made for the coming week to take to work. Often this includes prepping for my daily morning green juices, cutting up veggies and fruit for snacks, and boiling some eggs for easy breakfasts. Sometimes I’ll even make crackers or trail mix to help with snacks.

This week, I decided I wanted to change up my breakfast routine a bit. Often, alongside the hard-boiled eggs and green juice, I’ll enjoy a piece of fruit, or some avocado and tomato. And while I am all for variety during other meals, I’m happy to eat the same breakfast day in and day out. For whatever reason, though, this week called for a change. Enter these protein breakfast bars.

I occasionally use protein powders for green smoothies as a breakfast solution. I don’t use them every day, as I prefer to get my protein from whole food sources, but sometimes, protein powder in smoothies is convenient. I often switch from brand to brand, although I am partial to Vega Performance Protein. I was pretty excited to find another gluten-free, non-dairy protein powder with an ingredient list I could definitely get behind – pumpkinseed protein powder. I found this brand – Omega Nutrition – and their protein powder is 100% organic and is reasonably priced. And get this – the ingredients? Organic pumpkin seeds. That’s it. Love when I don’t have to decipher whether something is actually food or not. (And no, I have no affiliation with Omega Nutrition, I just happen to love this powder.) I also like that it blends pretty well into my smoothies without any real flavor or texture issues.

This time, however, I decided to use it in these bars. I’ve seen people bake cakes and cookies with protein powder, so why not a healthy breakfast bar? These bars ended up chewy, subtly sweet, and satisfying – kind of akin to an oatmeal cookie. They’re not just for breakfast – they could be packed for a good little snack any time of day – but they’re great to make ahead of time and have on hand for the week. With a good amount of protein from the protein powder, peanut butter, and quinoa, plus fiber from the chia seeds, quinoa, and pureed fruit, they can help power you through your morning without being hungry. That’s key for me – I don’t want to feel like I’m starving an hour after breakfast!

So if you’re one to crave a little treat in the morning, these bars might just do the trick, and keep you on track to developing a new, healthier breakfast habit!

Print Recipe

Quinoa Protein Breakfast Bars (gluten-free, vegan, refined sugar-free)

1/4 c peanut butter (I made my own, so the only ingredients were peanuts and salt)

1/4 c pumpkinseed protein powder (I am unsure whether you can substitute other protein powders, but give it a try!)

1 ripe banana

1/2 c unsweetened applesauce

1/2 c mashed sweet potato (I make mine using this method, but don’t always add maple)

2 t ground cinnamon

1/2 t liquid vanilla stevia

1/4 t fine sea salt

1 1/2 t baking powder

1 T ground chia seeds

3 T maple syrup

1 c quinoa flakes

1/2 c raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9 in X 9 in baking pan and set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, puree the peanut butter, protein powder, banana, applesauce, sweet potato, cinnamon, stevia, salt, baking powder, chia seeds, and maple syrup until well combined and smooth. Scrape into a medium bowl and stir in the quinoa flakes and raisins. Scoop into the prepared baking pan and spread out evenly.

Bake for 25-30 minutes (mine took 28 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the edges start to brown just a bit. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Store in refrigerator for a week, or in the freezer for several months.

Makes 16 squares.

Want to talk more about health and fitness goals? Join our Live Chat on Wednesday, January 9, 2013, at 9PM EST at Udi’s Gluten-Free Living Community. We will be discussing New Year’s Resolutions and health and fitness goals!

 

posted on Monday, January 7th, 2013 by altawrites Posted in Baked goods,breakfast,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Kid-Friendly,Refined Sugar-Free,Vegan,Vegetarian 15 Comments

Chocolate Gingerbread Cake Balls

Well, just in case you didn’t manage to finish all of that spicy gingerbread cake that I shared the other day, I have a solution. In fact, this might be such a tasty solution, you might hide away half of that cake just for this purpose. Or heck, even make a whole cake. I won’t judge.

Not when there are cake balls at hand.

These may look fancy and complicated, but I assure you, they’re not. And of course, while in this instance, I used gingerbread cake, you could simply apply this process using any cake you choose. Same goes with the frosting used in the cake balls – I used some of The Spunky Coconut’s chocolate date frosting I had left over (Did you know it freezes well? I often freeze leftover frosting, for you never know when you need just a little!) from another cake I made a few weeks ago, but you could use any frosting you desire. These cake balls are all about taking advantage of what you’ve got, and making the most of it.

In this instance, I think the combination of gingerbread and chocolate definitely added up to more than the sum of its parts (which were darn tasty to begin with!). Before these cake balls came to be, I’d never combined chocolate and gingerbread. Now, I think I’m going to forever combine the two. What a dream combination. These cake balls aren’t overly sweet, and not too rich, but they’re decadent enough to satisfy. Of course, after taking these to my office to share around, I’ve had some confess to me they’ve had several. Hearing this from regular gluten and dairy-eaters, this is music to my ears.

Print Recipe

Chocolate Gingerbread Cake Balls (gluten-free, dairy-free)

½ of a baked gingerbread cake

½ t ground cinnamon (optional, but helps to boost that “gingerbread” flavor once the chocolate mixes in)

½ t ground ginger (optional, but helps to boost that “gingerbread” flavor once the chocolate mixes in)

¾ c your favorite gluten-free chocolate frosting (I used The Spunky Coconut’s Chocolate Date Frosting)

About 5 oz dairy-free bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped

Sprinkles or candied ginger for decorating (optional)

 

In a large bowl, crumble the cake with your fingers. Add the cinnamon and ginger and mix in. Add the frosting and stir into the cake crumbles until everything is smooth and comes together well.

With your hands, roll the cake balls into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet. Freeze for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate. You can do so by placing a double boiler (or as I do, place a metal bowl over a small saucepan with about 2 inches of water) to simmer over medium-low heat, and place all but about an ounce of the chopped chocolate into the bowl. Melt the chocolate, stirring. Finally, add the remaining chopped chocolate and stir until melted completely. Reduce heat to the lowest setting.

Remove the cake balls from the freezer, and one by one, dip into the chocolate, rolling to coat completely. Place back on the baking sheet, and top with candied ginger or sprinkles before the chocolate hardens. Repeat with the rest of the cake balls.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. They should stay firm out of the fridge, but the chocolate may go a touch soft if you have the heater cranked in your house.

Makes about 2 ½ dozen.

posted on Wednesday, December 19th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Baked goods,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Vegetarian 8 Comments

Spicy Gingerbread Cake

For just about my entire life, I have never been much of a cake person. Most cakes, in my opinion, were dry, and much of the store-bought variety had tooth-achingly sweet frosting. Mostly, I preferred pies and cookies as my desserts of choice. For most every birthday, my Mom would instead make me an angel food cake, one of the only cakes I truly liked.

Fast forward to gluten-free adulthood. During my adult life, I’d managed to enjoy a few other cakes that I rather enjoyed, but I didn’t really spend much time thinking about cake until I went gluten-free. And then, suddenly, cake seemed like a good idea! Not only good, but great!

Only now, cake wasn’t so easy. Oh sure, there are mixes out there, and some aren’t half-bad. But if I’m going to make cake, I want it to be superb. Heavenly. It doesn’t have to be all dolled up with frosting, or even have to be complicated at all. But it has to deliver.

So here we are, and it’s almost Christmas. I’ve seen gingerbread everything around lately, and the allure of those spices were calling my name. So I set to work making a gingerbread cake. The first rendition failed – it wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t good enough to relish. I wanted a cake I would be glad to share with family and friends alike. So after more trials, I arrived at this.

A gingerbread cake so light, airy, but yet full of rich molasses flavor and spicy cinnamon and ginger. I was amazed that I could make such a light cake with only one egg, but there it was in all its glory. With a sprinkle of powdered sugar, it was definitely fit for any holiday get-together. Personally, I could see it being the perfect little treat after dinner, in front of a fire with family, a cup of coffee in hand (decaf for me, thank you!).

If for some reason you don’t manage to finish it all, don’t despair. Because, you see, my friends, this cake does double-duty. Leftovers can be made into fancier holiday fare. Stay tuned, for more gingerbread goodness is to come!

Print Recipe

Spicy Gingerbread Cake (gluten-free, dairy-free)

½ c tapioca starch

¾ c teff flour

¾ c brown rice flour

1 ½ t guar gum

1 ½ t baking soda

½ t baking powder

1 T cinnamon

1 T powdered ginger

¼ t ground cloves

½ t salt

1 c raw turbinado sugar (or coconut sugar)

6 T blackstrap molasses

½ c maple syrup

1 large egg, room temperature

10 T vegan butter, room temperature

1 c water

Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan and set it aside.

In a large bowl, combine the tapioca starch, teff flour, brown rice flour, guar gum, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor, Add the sugar, molasses, maple syrup, egg, and vegan butter. Turn on food processor to blend, stopping to scrape down sides. Add the flour mixture and continue to blend. Last, add the water and pulse to incorporate at first. It will be lumpy to start, but once you’ve pulsed the food processor a few times, then turn it on to blend the water in completely. Blend until smooth.

Scrape the batter into your prepared pan and smooth it out. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Sprinkle powdered sugar over for serving.

You are welcome to try to remove the entire cake from the pan, but personally, I enjoyed slicing it directly in the pan, and serving the slices straight from there.

posted on Tuesday, December 18th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Baked goods,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Vegetarian 12 Comments

Gluten-Free Holiday Progressive Dinner: Garlic-Roasted Mushrooms with Herbs

Update: This giveaway is now closed. The winner is Gail, who said she loved making chicken stir-fry over buckwheat noodles as her 30-minute meal. Seems a lot of people love buckwheat noodles, as I saw those were mentioned several times! Anyway, congratulations, Gail!

Today is Day 3 of the Gluten-Free Holiday Progressive Dinner! If you missed Days 1 and 2, visit Daily Bites for some delicious Figgy Cocoa Wedges and Cook It Allergy Free for an amazing four-ingredient appetizers, such as Pear and Arugula Stuffed Proscuitto Cups with Balsamic Drizzle or Bacon Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Chopped Pistachios and Chives!

I’m sharing with you a super-easy, allergy-friendly, crowd-pleasing side dish that is definitely more than the sum of its parts. That seems to be the way with a good mushroom dish, in my opinion. Sure, it’s an unassuming gray little thing going in, but magic happens in the oven. The mushroom surrenders in the heat, releasing meaty, rich flavors and a sumptuous bite. Tossed with a healthy dose of garlic and a few herbs, these babies are happy alongside a turkey, Christmas goose, ham, prime rib, or even as part of a vegetarian holiday feast. Personally, I could eat the entire batch and not feel ashamed. They’re that good.

But my favorite part is that they are stupid easy. In fact, you can toss the mushrooms with garlic and herbs ahead of time, and just put them in the oven while you finish other dishes for your meal. They’ll happily cook away with no fussing, and are ready in 20 minutes. For me, simple dishes like this are the key to a successful holiday meal, when I have so many other balls in the air. A word of advice though – you might want to double the recipe, as they’re likely to disappear quickly.

Before I share the recipe with you, however, I have to tell you about the book I’m giving away today! Cybele Pascal, author of The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook, has recently published another amazing book, Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking: 30 Minute Meals Without Gluten, Wheat, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Fish, Shellfish, and Sesame. When you have food allergies, celiac disease, or intolerances, especially when you have more than one, simplicity in your meals is key! This book can be a life-saver for busy weeknights. (In fact, it’s going on my Amazon Wish List!) I’m giving away a copy to a lucky reader, hoping that this will make for a lovely holiday gift for you or someone special!

To enter for your chance to win a copy, please leave me a comment below telling me your favorite 30-minute meal. Best of luck! The giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents ages 18 and over, and will end at midnight Tuesday night, December 18th, 2012.

And now, the mushroom recipe you’ve been waiting for!

Print Recipe

Garlic Roasted Mushrooms with Herbs (gluten-free, grain-free, vegan, sugar-free)

1 lb fresh crimini mushrooms

4 garlic cloves, minced

¼ c extra virgin olive oil

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 t fresh thyme leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ c fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil. Toss the mushrooms with the garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme, salt and pepper. Roast until the mushrooms are juicy – about 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and toss with the parsley while still warm.

(hint: to streamline your meal, you can prepare this recipe up to the point where you would put it in the oven, and instead refrigerate for a few hours. Then, when it’s time, just pop in the oven as directed.)

Serves 4.

posted on Wednesday, December 12th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Budget-Friendly,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Grain-Free,Healthy Meals,Quick and Easy,Refined Sugar-Free,Vegan,Vegetables,Vegetarian 33 Comments

Chocolate Almond Fig Biscotti

Years ago (in the pre-gluten-free days), I didn’t get biscotti. Why would anyone want what amounted to, in my mind, a stale cookie? Fast forward to present day, where I love a crunchy, not-too-sweet treat to accompany a cup of coffee or tea, especially if it’s studded with dried fruit and nuts. I suppose over time, one’s tastes can change! But now, since I no longer eat gluten or dairy, biscotti are a rare occurrence.

So I made my own.

These are a perfect holiday treat either for yourself, family, or friends. Make some as an evening dessert, a breakfast treat, or wrap them up and give them as edible gifts. They’re gluten, dairy, and egg-free, and are sweetened slightly with honey (which could be substituted with agave nectar to make them vegan), making them friendly for just about anyone’s diet. The combination of chocolate, almonds, and dried figs is indulgent without being overly rich. And while I’m not usually a fan of dipping any cookie, I must say, these are quite satisfying dipped into a cup of coffee.

I might just have to have another.

Print Recipe

Chocolate Almond Fig Biscotti (gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, refined sugar-free, vegan-adaptable)

1 1/4 c blanched almond flour

1 T + 1 t unsweetened cocoa powder (not dutched)

2 t tapioca starch

1/4 t salt

1/4 t baking soda

5 T honey (for vegan, use agave nectar)

3 T chopped almonds (I used roasted Marcona almonds, but any will do)

3 T chopped dried figs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a food processor, add the almond flour, cocoa powder, tapioca starch, salt and baking soda. Pulse to combine. Add the honey and pulse again until the dough comes together in a ball. Remove the dough and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (you’ll be using this as your workstation as well as the baking sheet), and press the dough together with your hands (kind of like kneading dough, but not nearly as strenous!). Add the almonds and figs and mix in with your hands too. The dough should be barely moist enough to come together. If it is too moist, add a bit of tapioca starch. If too dry, add a sprinkle of water.

Once the almonds and figs are mixed in, pat the dough together on the baking sheet into a log about 2 1/2 inches wide and 10-12 inches long. Place in the oven to bake for about 20 minutes.

Remove and allow to cool on the baking sheet for at least 30 minutes. Lower the oven to 300 degrees.

Once cooled, slice the dough with a serrated knife into pieces about 1/2 inch thick on the diagonal. Separate out the biscotti onto the baking sheet and bake again for 10-12 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely before serving.

Makes about 10-12 biscotti.

Want more gluten-free holiday cookie ideas? Join us this Wednesday, December 5, 2012, at 8PM EST for a Live Chat at Udi’s Gluten-Free Living Community! We will be swapping gluten-free holiday cookie recipes!

This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.

 

posted on Monday, December 3rd, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Baked goods,breakfast,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Grain-Free,Kid-Friendly,Paleo/Primal,Refined Sugar-Free,Vegan,Vegetarian 8 Comments

Quinoa Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Pecan Glaze

I know it’s been pumpkin-mania around the internet. We can’t help ourselves. After all, who can resist that creamy goodness, especially when it’s only in season for a few months out of the year? Personally, I love to put it into anything and everything right now. I’ve snuck pumpkin into enchilada fillings, chili, soup, shepherd’s pie, and even cookies. But why stop there? After all, as far as I’m concerned, the months of October and November were made just so we could eat pumpkin.

And not just pumpkin. Other winter squashes are just as welcome. Butternut, acorn, kabocha, delicata, turban…I could just keep on going. I love them all, and this time of year, I hoard them, buying way more than I need, and squirreling them away in my pantry. They all get used, of course, in due time. With the latest squash roasting, I decided to use the puree for a new breakfast treat – donuts.

Because if there’s one thing that can top pumpkins this time of year, it’s donuts. Pumpkin donuts.

These are on the healthier side, however, as they’re baked, gluten and dairy-free, and are made with quinoa flour, which is packed with fiber and protein. But don’t let all those “healthy” things make you think they’re not delicious. With warming fall spices, the pumpkin, and the maple syrup glaze, they certainly score points in the “yum” department.

Print Recipe

Baked Pumpkin Donuts with Maple Glaze and Pecans

For the donuts:

1 c pumpkin puree

¼ c melted coconut oil

½ c maple syrup

2 eggs

2 t vanilla extract

¼ t vanilla stevia extract

¼ t apple cider vinegar

1 c quinoa flour

½ c tapioca starch

1 t guar gum

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

2 ½ t cinnamon

¼ t nutmeg

¼ t cloves

¼ t allspice

1/8 t salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease donut pans and set aside.

In a stand mixer or food processor combine pumpkin, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, egg, apple cider vinegar and stevia. Beat or process until smooth and fully combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients . Add to wet ingredients and beat or process until batter is nice and smooth.

Spoon batter into donut pans. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes and remove the donuts from the pan and set on a cooling rack.

While the donuts are baking, make the glaze:

2 T maple syrup

¼ t cinnamon

½ c organic powdered sugar

1-2 T almond milk

Whisk together in a small bowl until a thick glaze is formed.

Chop about ½ cup pecans and set aside.

While still warm, dip each donut halfway into the glaze, and then sprinkle chopped nuts on top. Place on a cooling rack with a paper towel underneath to catch drips.

Makes 9 donuts.

posted on Tuesday, November 6th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Baked goods,breakfast,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Kid-Friendly,Vegetarian 21 Comments

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