Christmas Carols & Candy Cane Crumbles

Ah the holidays are upon us. I have Christmas music blaring from all speakers of my house, car, and office and am burning down my multiple pine scented candles to the bare bottom. My kettle is brimming with Christmas teas and my fridge busting with Christmas brew. But amidst the poinsettia laden playground in my house, is a more prominent tradition…making sweet, after sweet, after sweet. Christmas cookies, candies, and cakes are swarming my recipe box. This is the way I like to spread my Christmas cheer!

As I believe I mentioned before, fate brought a couple of gluten free, Greek neighbors when we moved. Crazy right? Myrsini has been helping me brush up on my Greek and I am helping her map through America’s maze of gluten free recipes, blogs, and books. We planned to meet last weekend to go Christmas shopping for her house and decorate with all the bulbs and baubles of the holiday. A couple stops and bursting shopping bags later we arrived back at her house armed with holiday gear. Since it was a Friday afternoon, we were setting up Christmas décor, and my 7 year old was feigning for weekend sugar, we knew we had to make some sort of treat. Bonus of a gluten free Greek neighbor? A ready made gluten free brownie mix to play with together.

While I trimmed the tree, my neighbor Myrsini and my son Mitch got to working on the brownies. It would be my first foray with Pamela’s gluten free brownie mix and I was eager to taste test! They decided that they were going to make mini brownie cupcakes, a concoction that was formed in Mitch’s brain and concurred with Myrsini’s direction in the kitchen. The highlight was the two trying to figure out why the dough looked dry…they skipped the oil and water part of the directions. No worries, the blonde saved the day!

Topping the Tree with our neighbor!

After much hand mixing, throwing of dough, dotting each other’s noses, and much taste testing, we patted the mix into Winnie the pooh baking cups, and let them rest peacefully in the oven.

I have never put brownie mix into baking cups but i have to admit it was one of the best/least messy gluten free baking experiences I have ever had. Well, at least the time in the oven…I suppose I cannot discount the before and after bouts of hilarity.

Case in point, Pamela’s brownie mix was deliciously delivered in muffin cups. Some mixes can get gritty but I have always had success with Pamela's mixes. The brownies were crammed with sweet chocolate taste, and had the perfect dense and moist texture. Baking them in individual cups made them easy to serve and kept me from devouring half the pan (it's bad to do that right? right?) It didn't stop me from licking the bowl though. And spoon. And dough off my nose. Sshh don't tell Santa.

I think I will be recreating them this weekend with maybe chocolate icing and candy cane crumbles…Who’s with me!?

Meredith's Monster Cookies

Last Friday night brought a dinner party with close friends, pleasant patio weather, and delectable dishes. We enjoyed an easy menu of Greek salad, pizza, wine, and my contribution, dessert! I have been dying to try a cookie recipe that my cousin Meredith sent to me last week, and this was the perfect chance to whip up a batch. They sounded so naturally scrumptious, and I wouldn’t have to tweak the recipe to make it gluten free. Less work, more flavor? I am there!

The only thing I needed to change was the enormity of a recipe name: Sugar-Free, Egg-Free Peanut Butter & Banana Chocolate Chunk Cookies. That simply wouldn’t do. I think this dessert deserves a decent name, one that gives credit where credit is due too. Meredith’s Monster Cookies is a bit sweeter, and you won’t go blue in the face trying to say it with one breath!

I made mine with vegan semi-sweet chocolate that I had on hand but you can use whatever your little chocoholic heart desires. The result? They turned out to have the perfect cookie texture, a crunchy outer shell and a burst of gooey smoothness in the center. I attribute it to the banana that I pureed instead of mashing. I didn’t want chunks of banana, but rather a banana flavor. I was tempted to throw a flax egg in the mix because the dough was pretty soft but they held together nicely. Loads of lip smacking goodness is packed into tasty treats!

Thanks Meredith for sharing this recipe with me. It will definitely be on my cookie recipe hotlist!

Meredith’s MONSTER Cookies

Ingredients
· 3 large, ripe bananas
· 1/2 cup peanut butter, preferably all-natural
· 1/3 cup canola oil
· 1 tsp vanilla extract
· 2 cups old-fashioned oats
· 1 tsp baking powder
· 1/4 tsp cinnamon
· 1/4 tsp salt
· 1/2 – 1 cup semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips



Directions
Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Puree the bananas and put into a large bowl. Add your peanut butter, oil and vanilla. In another bowl stir together the oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients along with the chocolate and stir until combined.

Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or coated with nonstick spray. I made the first batch a little bigger so I baked for almost 20 minutes. The second batch baked for about 16 minutes.You are looking for a rich golden brown color on the outside.

Remove and let cool. Sneak one or two to taste test…then serve!

Dairy Free Delight

My husband’s family loves brownies and cookies. I have been trying to focus and perfect my baking again, a love affair that seems to have jumped back from hiatus. You can knock me down but I’ll get back up! This sweet toothed inlaws, hubby/determined gluten free baker relationship has been working out well!

I saw an interesting brownie recipe on Elana’s Pantry the other day. Flourless Chocolate Chip Brownies. I have seen flourless cake and such and thought, hey, why not? I loved that the big ingredient was a whole jar of almond butter! Nothing processed, no artificial sugars, just a simple treat. Gluten Free and Dairy Free.

I made a couple changes to the recipe (shocker I know) but decided to keep the eggs for the first round since I have never attempted any recipe like this before. I plan on perfecting a vegan version soon. Here is Elana’s recipe: Elana's Pantry Chocolate Chip Brownies

Flourless Chocolate Chip Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 (16) ounce jar smooth almond butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon organic vanilla extract
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 325F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish (I used Earth Balance).
In a large bowl, blend almond butter until smooth with a hand/immersion blender. Add eggs and blend well then slowly add in agave and vanilla. Add cocoa powder, salt and baking soda and blend until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. The batter was VERY THICK but hey, it’s an arm workout!

Pour batter into baking dish and spread evenly. I taste tested of course and found it to be very delicious! Bake for 35 minutes.

Remove and let cool for at least 15-20 minutes.

THOUGHTS:

My husband said that they were delicious but a little on the dry side and could maybe use frosting on top. My mother in law likes hers “more dry” and said they were very tasty.

I thought they were pretty good. Simple flavors but I do agree they could be a bit more moist. I will work on that! They rose well in the oven and were a perfect thickness. I think some vanilla vegan ice cream on top would make ALL the difference ;)

I will play around with the recipe more to accomplish a moist, vegan version. Any suggestions???

"this is the way I eat my Peanut Butter Cup..."

I don’t have a big sweet tooth but I love putting together desserts. Baking is getting easier each time (minus the occasional GF monster surprise) and I love the smiles I get from my loyal family taste testers.

Lately I have been obsessed with looking at vegan and raw desserts online. I find no bake sweets fascinating and quite frankly a big relief when I don’t have to pray and dutifully check my oven window every 5 minutes. Some of my recent favorites have been frozen banana soft serve, cookie dough “blizzards”, and cookie dough balls dipped in chocolate. I know what you are thinking, “Didn’t she JUST saw that she didn’t have a sweet tooth?” Well, these desserts are not only GF and no bake, but they are also vegan and healthier for you. Plus, the recipes make small portions. Hey, I know it's bikini season but we are still allowed to treat ourselves every once in a while…

I had to show a lot of restraint to get a photo...

Last night I tested out a peanut butter cup recipe I found on http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/. I love Averie’s cooking because it is simple, healthy, and kid friendly. Her daughter gobbles up her healthy vegan goodies with no complaints! I was a big Reeses peanut butter cup fan in the past so I thought it would be fun to try. It was probably the easiest dessert I have ever made! No food processor, no baking, no fuss, and no long list of ingredients. In fact, I had everything in my kitchen pantry! I have been keeping vegan chocolate chips or karob chips around for my chocolate chip cookie dough ball obsession (recipe to come!).

I of course added a couple things to the recipe but feel free to play around with it to your own taste buds desire! You can find her original recipe here: Averie's Raw Vegan 10 Minute Peanut Butter Cups


These make 2 good size cups. I don’t know about you but if it’s in front of me I will eat it so I prepared portion controlled cups!

Vegan 10 Minute Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients

Rich Peanut Butter Goodness!

• ½ cup vegan chocolate (I used vegan chocolate chips)
• 2 tsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons organic creamy peanut butter
• 2 tsp agave nectar
• Pinch kosher salt
• 2 tsp organic pure vanilla extract

Directions

Melt ¼ cup of the chocolate in the microwave (about a minute). Fill the bottom of 2 muffin liners evenly with the melted chocolate. The muffin liners give it the rippled edges like a real reeses.

Mix together peanut butter, honey, yeast, salt and vanilla. If your yeast isn’t mixed well you can microwave it for about 10 seconds. Spoon desired dollop onto the semi hardened chocolate base.

Melt the remaining chocolate and pour evenly over the peanut butter. Put into the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.

Peel wrapper and enjoy! They are pretty rich so one was plenty for me and my husband. I am sure you can make big batches though pretty easily. I see party ideas in the future!

Black Bean Brownies

I know what you are thinking…this GF Indie has gone mad and all those veggies have finally gone to her head. Why would I EVER put black beans in my brownies?? Believe me I was there. And in this case, seeing isn’t believing. Tasting is believing. If you are looking for a healthy, nutritious, and fudgy brownie then you HAVE to try these! My first go around did come out a bit too fudgy consistency, if there is such thing, so I think a little flour, a chia egg, and some more oats will be in order for next round. I also need to use a smaller square pan vs longer pan. Small set back from living with the rents while we build our house. Trial and error. But tasty trial and errors. I am happy to make them again! Which quite possibly might be tonight since I may have gobbled up the first batch already…

Oh and confession: I thought about renaming them yummy poo brownies because that is what my husband said they looked like (not tasted like mind you) but I figured if I was going to convince you readers to try them, that probably wouldn't be the best way...

Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients

• 15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 whole bananas, chopped
• 1/3 cup agave nectar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tbs ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp organic vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup raw sugar
• 1/2 cup instant oats

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Grease an 8x8 pan and set aside. Combine all ingredients, except oats (unless you used raw oats like I did) in a food processor. Blend until smooth, scrapping sides as needed. Stir in your oats (if using instant) and pour batter into the pan.


Bake for approx 30 minutes. I used a longer pan instead of square so my baked quicker. Let cool before slicing. Pop in the fridge or freezer for an easy treat!!

*Recipe adapted from HappyHerbivore

New No Bake Memory

There is always that cookie that reminds you of your Yiayia’s (grandmother’s) house. That cookie that sparks so many memories. Whether you made it with just her, or with your mum, or your cousins, or occasionally if you were feeling nice, your little sister. Have it in your head? Are the sweet smells swarming around you as you read these words?

THAT cookie for me would be No Bake Oatmeal Cookies.

I remember the smells and sounds of her kitchen while we prepped and prepared these sweet little gems. We would anxiously circle my Yiayia while she stirred the peanut butter and chocolate, her always grabbing the oats at just the right time. We would anxiously grab our spoons and clump the mixture onto wax paper, our breaths growing quicker as we tried and get the cookies on before they cooled in the pot. After the stressful task of dolloping we would enjoy the bits of batter that stuck to our spoons. Then we waited. I cannot say patiently because inevitably one of us would end up with chocolate dipped fingertips from ‘testing’ to see if they had dried. Anyone who has made these know that you can visually tell when they have dried on the wax paper but we pretended that we didn’t of course.

Unfortunately my friends, when I have made these mementos outside of my Yiayia’s kitchen it’s just not the same. Maybe the memories that were created in her kitchen are so closely attached to that recipe that nothing can really compare. All the more reason to create something just as memorable though right? And lucky for me, one of the blogs I follow posted a no bake vegan almond butter chew recipe for me to try. Only 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of my time. Which was perfect timing for me because my son had a sleepover and I had to sate their sweet tooth cravings STAT. Trust me, if two hyper first graders demand sugar, you provide sugar. Unless you have a death wish.

I varied from “oh she glows” blog’s recipe slightly in ingredients but obviously our directions our the same.

Here is the link to her recipe:
http://ohsheglows.com/2011/01/05/5-minute-5-ingredient-no-bake-almond-butter-chews/

No Bake Vegan Almond Butter Chews

•1/4 cup chunky all-natural almond butter
•1 ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
•1 cup rice crisp cereal – I used Nature Path’s Organic Koala Crisp
•3 tbsp organic brown rice syrup
•2 tbs chopped bittersweet organic chocolate – I found a small container in the produce section of whole foods that was delicious!

Line a plate with parchment paper. In a medium sized bowl, stir together the almond butter,

brown rice syrup, and vanilla. Microwave on high for 45 seconds. Stir well and immediately add in the rice crisp cereal and chocolate. Stir until all the cereal is well coated.
Wet your hands thoroughly and shape the mixture into ‘golf-balls’. Press mixture together firmly so it will hold. Wet hands after each ball is formed so the mixture will not stick to your hands. Trust me you need to do this or you will make a sticky mess. Plus it makes it so much easier to form the cookies.

Place the balls onto parchment paper and freeze for 10 minutes. You can keep these chews in the freezer in a sealed container. I really enjoy them straight from the freezer. They remain nice and chewy.
Her blog Makes 7 golf-ball sized chews. I somehow managed 10-12 chews but I tend to not exactly measure my ingredients. Guilty… but I ended up with more chews so we aren’t complaining!

Easy G~Free Cookie Recipe

With Christmas caroling its way into our daily agendas, I am constantly surrounded by all sorts of treats. Christmas cards, Christmas candy, Christmas cookies…and therefore Christmas LBs.

But hey, it’s an excuse to indulge right? As long as I can hide out in my Christmas sweaters I will be a jolly ol’ Indie.

Christmas parties have been in full swing, and potlucks have popped up all over my calendar. So the question arises, “What goodie will I bring to this fete that I can eat, and I won’t subject my friends to unfamiliar grounds?” I always made sure that I brought something equally as healthy as it was pleasing. Now I have to add in the factor of of being able to devour my own dish as well. Appetizers, main dishes, sides are no sweat.

It’s the dessert my friends. The perfect ending to a meal.

The easy, go-to dessert to be exact. And what USED to be my favorite things to make? Cakes, cookies, and cupcakes. Even if I bought a boxed start to my desserts, I jazzed it up with added ingredients or my own toppings. But my dear friends, the easy grab a box off the shelf days seem to be over. At least I have not really had success with the pre mixed concoctions that I have purchased. In the four I have tried (I will leave names out as I do appreciate the company's consideration)they don’t bake right, taste grainy, or have a mudslide consistency. Maybe I am just not used to the stuff, but I don’t have the time or money this season to try every gluten free box of potential potluck pound cake.

I could make a homemade dessert that I am sure will turn out lovely, but when you are on the clock you don’t have time to spend collecting 20 different little ingredients that you will pay five bucks a piece for, need one tsp, then not need to use the ingredients for another couple weeks. By then, you are worried that the baking agents won’t hold up as well. Or maybe I am just paranoid about it's shelf life and what little I honestly know about it right now. In my own defense I took a big hit on the dessert front when I was diagnosed and havoc ensued. But that is here nor there, and I still need a dessert with less than 20 ingredients.

Much research again brought me to another “Duh, why didn’t I think of that” moment.

I have made sugar cookies and peanut butter cookies PLENTY of times in the past, and some don’t require any flour at all! Duh, Duh, Duh Mrs. Indie. I am a natural blonde, if you couldn’t tell.

Anyhoo, with those two cookie bases, my options are once again endless. An egg, sugar, vanilla extract, and some peanut butter, and I am back in the game my dears! I can top my cookie concoctions with peppermints, chocolate, nuts, fruit,assorted candies, sprinkles, frosting… I digress. My sweet tooth began to buzz.

Below is a go to peanut butter cookie recipe with holiday topper ideas

that will bring you holiday cheer, and have you smiling from ear to ear. Oh dear, Christmas has this blogger rhyming too much now I fear.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies
•1 large free range organic egg
•1 cup sugar
•1 cup organic peanut butter
•1 tsp kosher salt
•1 tsp vanilla extract (optional but I like what it brings to my baking)

Preheat you oven to 350.

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Roll into balls and place them on a greased baking sheet. Press a fork dipped in sugar in criss-cross pattern (your cookies will be slightly flatter).

OR take advantage of cookie cutters! Instead of rolling your dough into balls, flatten out your mix on a sheet and press away with holiday designs!

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

If you plan on topping with candy:
Let cookies cool on a wire rack until they are just a little warm. You don’t want to melt your topping, but you also want it to press far enough into the cookie to stick.
Press your candy into the cookie and serve!

If you plan on icing or sprinkles:
Let cookie cool completely before adding your iced decorations. I like to buy vanilla icing and add green or red food coloring. To make your own icing piper:I mix my frosting and food coloring in a bowl, then spoon it into a ziploc bag with a spatula. Press the frosting into one tip, and then snip a little off the corner depending how thick you would like your piping. This allows you to have more fun with your icing details and look like a pro!

CHRISTMAS COOKIE TOPPERS (because I am ALWAYS in theme right?)
•Mini candy canes (whole or crushed)
•Hershey kisses
•Peanut butter cups
•Apple slices with cinnamon
•Red and/or green icing
•Red and/or green sprinkles
•Dried cranberries
•Red/Green holiday m&m’s (peanut or plain)
•Almonds
•Walnuts (go crazy and candy them!)
•Shredded coconut (snowy pb cookies)

A G-Free Birthday

The sky is now periwinkle and the clouds dissipate by noon like wisps of fluffy cotton balls. It’s been so rainy and cold this winter that I do not even mind the dewy blanket of humidity that seems to constantly coat my skin. It’s all the blessings from Mother Nature as she turns our season into summer. I crave salads, hummus, grilled meats and vegetables, and of course every fruit imaginable. Luckily for me, all the above are naturally gluten free (minus store bought salad dressings and croutons of course but I never cared much for those things anyway).

My pops had his birthday this weekend. The Chicago Blackhawks played Saturday night. You do the addition and it’s a no brainer that we would host a birthday party for him Saturday night and watch the game. I could think of no better birthday present for him than a first game win for the Stanley Cup. Well, maybe the Cup itself but we have to count our blessings one day at a time right?

I have been asking my husband to make his ribs now for quite some time. My pops’ birthday rolls around and he was more than acquiescenced…Ah well, I knew I would get them one way or another! I cannot reveal to you his rib recipe, however, I will tell you the element that I had to do some research on to make sure that I would be enjoying these without stomach pain. The only stomach pain that is allowed is when I eat way too many and I am stuffed to the brim with joy and satisfaction.
I had read on a few blogs on vinegar and a few reported that it was out of the question. Well my friends, if I thought everything contained gluten, go check and see how many condiments have some sort of vinegar in them! After a couple books and online research I discovered that malt vinegar and flavored vinegars seemed to be the only ones I had to avoid. Since I clearly could not have my favorite fish and chips from the White Lion English Pub here in town anyway, malt vinegar was really not a hard blow to this celiac’s ego. Furthermore, I could have apple cider vinegars for example, just not apple cider flavored vinegars. It’s all in the wording my dears, but we are getting used to obsessively reading every label by now anyway right?

Hosting a party on the first big pool Saturday can be done easy without having to sacrifice too much pool time. We had to get the ribs on by two, so that gave us a good amount of time to soak in the sunshine. That said, once we got home I did not want to be slaving in the kitchen when I could be playing outside. I will forever be a kid at heart which means consequently that I will itch to be outside when the sky is blue and the sun is warm. Those days were always so hard to attend class or focus on work. I will be sure to exclude that opinion in my resume.
The menu:

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

•4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
•2 (15 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained
•2/3 cup tahini
•2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
•1 cup muir glen fire roasted red peppers
•1/2 teaspoon dried basil

In an electric food processor or blender, combine garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, and lemon juice. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add roasted peppers and basil; process until the peppers are finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer hummus to small bowl, cover and chill until you are ready to serve.
I served carrots for dipping, but any crudités or dipping food of your choice works!

B’s Famous Ribs
Husband will not let me disclose. But they are finger lickin’!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

•4 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into sticks
•Ground Cinnamon
•Ground Nutmeg
•Sea Salt
•Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Halve your sweet potatoes and slice into thin strips. Blanch for about 2 hours. Drain.
Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Add enough olive oil to coat. Add Cinnamon and Nutmeg to taste and toss. Lay strips out on a foil covered baking sheet and sprinkle sea salt over the strips.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes turning the fries half way through so they do not burn. Broil for 3 minutes at the very end to crisp. They will not be as crispy as normal fries as the natural sugar content of sweet potatoes is higher. If you like a crispier fry, you may have to take the fry in oil route. I like mine freshly baked and oil free!

Namaste Vanilla Cake with Vanilla Maple Icing

I chose to make a vanilla cake from Namaste’s Vanilla Cake Mix and make icing from scratch. Instructions for the cake are on the bag, and I added a tablespoon of vanilla to give it a rich color. It came out pretty well but I think I will add cream cheese or sour cream to the batter next time to ensure that it bakes with a richer, more moist texture. I did not have time to make it down to whole foods for the icing so I made this one up and it turned out delicious!!

Gluten Free Icing
½ cup Spectrum Natural Organic shortening
½ cup butter, softened
1 tbs pure vanilla extract
2 tbs pure maple syrup
3-4 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tbs milk

Happy Birthday Pops and best of luck to the Chicago Blackhawks!

A Family Affair

I have always loved to eat organic and healthy. My mother always said that I could eat cardboard (referencing the healthy foods) and enjoy it if I put my mind to it. In sharing my recipes with friends, I had a general response of, “Oh that sounds great! If I was gluten free than I would definitely try it!” Here is the kicker my dears, most things that I cook everyday for meals or snacks are naturally gluten free. Fruits, Veggies, Meats, Fish…all delicious and gluten free.
Becoming gluten free opened my eyes to a new world of cooking. It’s easy to throw in a dash of flour to thicken a sauce. But now, I think more about the flavor combinations and can choose from a variety of flours and thickening agents! Just because we have lived our lives so far just experiencing white and wheat flours, does not mean there aren’t a plethora of other choices out there, and much tastier too. It’s been fun to play in the kitchen with coconut flour, almond flour, and brown rice flour! Cooking is a richer experience, and I can taste it in my food.
That said, I decided to have my parents and sister over for dinner the other night. I would prepare a typical meal at my house. I am sure they were bracing themselves all day for the g-free experience. I decided my main course and dessert would be naturally gluten free to show that you really do not have to sacrifice flavors and textures to live my lifestyle. To throw in a challenge for myself, my appetizer would feature a gluten free substitute.

Now of course I made this a themed event. I wanted my table setting to reflect spring and nature since both the plants and I were going through changes. My palette would be greens and lavenders, and bring an eco country feel to the table. I used over sized plates for an easy solution to a colored charger, had multiple vases of shades of purple flowers, used my Nan’s china, and of course created cute place cards out of flowers and paper leaves. These were simple and easy. I took green construction paper and cut out leaf shapes. Then I glued on a skinny rectangular white piece on top. With a glitter glue pen (a blessing to have a 6 year old) draw the first letter of everyone’s name. The rest of the name can be done in purple sharpie. With a hole punch, punch a hole on the inside of the leaf and slide your flower on. Easy, spring place cards!

We are always very comfortable when we entertain my parents (meaning we usually eat with our plates in our laps and watch whatever sport is on in my living room), so I wanted this to be a more formal dinner. There is something special about having all your loved ones sitting around a table enjoying a good meal and wine.
I digress. I suppose we should get onto the meal.
My dinner would be comfort food since the weather has decided to turn quite chilly and I figure I won’t be able (or will not care to enjoy) a hot meal much longer. Although I am bizarre with my food selections sometimes and will want hot soup on a hundred degree day and ice cream during an ice storm.

The menu:

G-Free Bruschetta

•Honey baked brown rice bread (found in whole foods freezer section)
•EVOO
•Fresh Spinach
•Minced Garlic (I minced 2 cloves)
•Freshly Shaved Parmesan
•Dried Greek Oregano
•Tomatoes (I actually decided to leave these out but I know typically with bruschetta that this crime so you choose!)


Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Thaw out 4 slices of the bread in the oven for a few minutes. Take out and quarter them. Drizzle each piece with EVOO. I love the taste of good olive oil so be as liberal as you want. Just do not get it soggy. Nobody likes a soggy bottom ;) Layer your spinach, garlic, and if you so choose, diced tomato. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and blanket freshly shaved parmesan on each piece. Sprinkle the oregano. Put back into the oven for another 5 min or just until the parmesan is bubbling.

Arrange prettily on a platter and serve to your guests with a big glass of wine!

Beef in pomegranate sauce over a bed of chive and buttermilk mashed potatoes
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds grass fed beef
• Sea salt
• Light olive oil, as needed
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
• 1 14-oz can Muir Glen fire roasted crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/8 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs de Provence
• A small pinch of cinnamon

I slow-cooked my recipe in a crock pot because it was the easiest for me and I love how it smells up the whole kitchen. When you are working all day and prepping on your lunch break, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Salt the beef on all sides. Get your slow cooker situated and turned on to High.

Heat a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on all sides to sear in the flavor, using long tongs to turn the pieces. This doesn't take but maybe five minutes, or so. Remove the beef and set aside.

Add a small dash of olive oil to the crock. Add in sliced onion and garlic. Stir to coat with the olive oil. Place the beef on top.

Pour in the pomegranate juice, crushed tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. Stir to combine. Add the cranberries, dried herbs, a pinch of cinnamon, sea salt and ground pepper.

Stir to co-mingle ingredients.

Cover and let the magic happen- about 4 to 5 hours.

Taste Test. I did not add anything but we all have our preferences. I served mine side by side with the mashed potatoes (see recipe below) but over the top would also suffice.

Serves 4. Recipe derived from glutenfreegoddess.

Buttermilk and Chive Mashed Potatoes

• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small shallot, chopped
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Cover the cubed potatoes with cold salted water in a large saucepan and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.

While potatoes are cooking, add the butter to a small saucepan and sauté the shallot until translucent. Add the buttermilk and warm. Season with salt and pepper.
Once tender, drain potatoes, return to pot, and coarsely mash with a potato masher. This is the stress relieving part of the day so enjoy. Stir in the warmed buttermilk mixture, season with salt and pepper and garnish with chives.

Heaven on a plate. Seriously. My mother even commented how long it has been since she ate homemade mashed potatoes. Skip the box flakes and get mashing. Trust me, it’s worth it.

Brown sugar baked Peaches

I was trying to think of a fresh, spring dessert to serve my family. As I meandered through whole foods produce section I was entranced by a delicious aroma. Peaches. Oh! They smelled delicious and ripe. That would be my star of the night. And they were on sales, BONUS! I snagged 4 and the wheels in my head began turning with delight.

• 1 cup organic brown sugar
• 3 tbs melted unsalted butter, cubed
• 2 cups hazelnuts
• 4 peaches

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Kiss your significant other.

Put the hazelnuts in the blender and pulse until roughly chopped. Add brown sugar and butter in the blender until smooth. Half and pit the peaches. Make sure you carve a big enough cavity to hold your sweet mixture.

Place your peaches in a baking dish and spoon in the mixture. Bake for 25 minutes.

Enjoy!

"EGG'stential Circumstances

After I finally found out that all my problems had derived from a gluten allergy, I figured that I would be free to eat whatever did not contain it. However, eggs and sugar still sent my tummy flying off the handle. I had already succumbed to the diet and lifestyle and decided to make peace with it but now I felt like there was a whole list of other dietary demons. I started researching and found that the damage I had unknowingly caused to my small intestine would take up to two weeks to heal, causing me to be sensitive to many foods. Eggs being one of my most volatile villains. They said to slowly reintroduce these antagonistic elements back into my diet and I should react normally in a month’s time. WHEW!
That said, I decided the best way to slowly introduce eggs back into my diet would be to bake! Okay, and maybe a small craving for something sweet. I have baked a couple different cookies, a few cakes and one cupcake recipe so far, and have run across a lot of obstacles in the oven. Baking times are different, and I tend to be a crazed cook staring helplessly into the lit oven, coaching and coaxing the outside of my cakes not to burn as the inside cooks at a glacial pace. Presentation has not quite taken part yet, as my cookies are tending to stick to the parchment paper but everything tastes wonderful! I could not get my hubby and son to stay out of my chocolate chip cookies the other day.
I had a wonderful success with the following peanut butter and banana cake recipe on my first run! The taste of peanut butter and banana marry so well, and the cake was absolutely irresistible! It kept well frozen too, so I had a go to snack attack treat. This recipe, compliments from glutenfreegoddess.

Not only is the cake gluten-free and sugar-free, it's grain-free. So those of you on sugar and yeast-free diets can indulge.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 8 or 9-inch cake pan with greased parchment.

Mix the wet ingredients in a bowl:
4 ripe medium bananas, mashed
1/2 cup organic natural peanut butter (I used creamy for a rich texture)
1/3 cup organic agave nectar or honey (use the agave, so good!)
2 organic free-range large eggs
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract
Whisk the dry ingredients together first, then beat into the wet mixture till smooth:
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 cup fine almond meal
Dash of stevia powder , to taste (I used ¼ cup brown sugar instead!)
Dash of cinnamon or nutmeg, to taste
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and place in the center of the pre-heated oven.

Bake until done - about 35 to 40 minutes - and a wooden pick inserted into the center emerges clean. I went closer to 40 minutes and the middle was still just a tab creamier, but no complaints on this end!

Cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Makes 8 to 9 servings. Freezes well, pieces wrapped individually. Yummy cold.