Tag Archives: gluten free

Happy New Year Quinoa Salad

14 Saturday Jan 2012

Posted by in quinoa, seasonal, vegan

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Food:

Happy New Year Quinoa Salad – Makes about 6, 1/2c. servings

2 c. cooked quinoa

1 large pomegranate, seeded

1/4c. chopped parsley

2 T. walnuts and pumpkin seeds, chopped

4 scallions, chopped

1 preserved lemon, inner removed and rind chopped (if you don’t have a preserved lemon use an organic lemon)

1-2 T. olive oil (I used lemon olive oil)

1 T. reserved lemon juice (if you are not using a preserved lemon use the juice from the organic lemon that you use)

pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Check for seasoning and then refrigerate for at least one hour for the flavors to develop.

Nutrition:

Pomegranate- Thought to have mystical powers, the edible seeds of this ancient fruit are cleansing and cooling. They benefit the cardiovascular system and help stabilize blood sugar. (Courtesy of ‘Clean Food’ by Terry Walters)

Quinoa- High protein, non-gluten grain from the Incas. It is a complete protein with significant amounts of lysine, helpful for repairing tissue. Like other whole grains, quinoa helps fight cancer, prevents heart disease and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes. (Courtesy of ‘Clean Food’ by Terry Walters)

Love:

I love quinoa! We eat it for breakfast, lunch, salads and in soups it is so versatile. This recipe came to be because I was excited for the holidays to be over, the New Year to begin and for my healthy eating to get back on track, the holidays were a killer. Some of my clients gave me a jar of preserved lemons for Christmas and I wanted to use them in something fresh, so VOILA this healthy light dish came to be. I’ve made it the last two weeks for my afternoon snack and I think I am going to make it again next week. Hurry and try it before pomegranates are out of season. ENJOY!

Gluten Free and Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

15 Tuesday Nov 2011

Posted by in cookies, dessert, vegan

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 These are Gluten Free Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies
These are Gluten Free Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
I have been making both of these cookies a lot lately, I don’t have a gluten intolerance nor do we eat vegan all the time but I love having these in my arsenal of recipes for a healthier treat, or for the friends in our lives that have special needs in the food department. I got these recipes for Elana’s Pantry, a food blog that I like to follow. Check her out! Enjoy!

White Bean Salad- Farmers Market Inspired

15 Sunday Aug 2010

Posted by in appetizer, beans, salad

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So sometimes I need a quick fresh dish that I can whip up in minutes after work. It’s usually late so it needs to be healthy and light, this white bean salad is a great choice. You can serve it with a large green salad or with a side of wild salmon or free range chicken. It would also be great for a picnic because it won’t go bad in the heat.

-White Bean salad- Serves 2
1 can organic great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. onion, chopped- FM
2 cloves garlic, minced- FM
1/2 pint small tomatoes, cut in half- FM
1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced – FM
handful basil, torn into salad- FM
handful parsley, torn into salad- FM
2 T. olive oil, 2 T. red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
1. Toss all the ingredients in a large bowl and dress with olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper.
2. Serve as soon as possible either alone or as a side.

Remember that you can change up the proportions and make this dish your own, I guarantee I wasn’t the first to think this up. I am however going to double this and pack it for my lunch this week, and for Billy I’m going to use garbanzo beans for his lunch version of this dish. ENJOY!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

22 Tuesday Jun 2010

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I follow the blog Elana’s Pantry, I like to browse through her recipes from time to time and came across this one for Carrot Cake Muffins. The kicker is that Elana’s blog is a gluten free blog, so these little gems are made with almond flour which is very high in protein and a great alternative to flour. They were easy which I love about her treat recipes. Anyways these were delicious and fast to make. Instead of writing out the recipe I’m going to direct you to her blog @ http://elanaspantry.com and search for Carrot Cake Cupcakes. Enjoy!

The Soup

02 Wednesday Jun 2010

Posted by in soup, vegan

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So know one wants to talk about the stomach flu or food poisoning but I’m suffering from one of them. I think last night was the first time I had eatin since Monday morning and I went for my cure all soup. I make this soup at least once a week, I make it when it’s cold outside, I make it when I have had way to much fun the night before and I most certainly make it when I’m not feeling well. I also call this soup Ramen Soup for Adults, which I made on Channel 2’s cooking segment “Monday Mom’s”. It just makes me feel good on the inside, it’s easy and you can add whatever you have in the kitchen. It’s a grown up version of Top Ramen and it’s good for the whole family. Enjoy!

P.S. I’m going to give you the broth recipe which always stays the same and can be doubled over and over to feed everyone, and then I’ll share some things you can add to it to fit your needs and desires.
-Ramen Soup- makes 1 generous serving or 2 moderate servings
2 c. veggie broth
1-2 c. water
2 large garlic cloves, cut in half
1 inch ginger, peeled and cut in half
2 T. liquid amino’s
2 T. mirin
1- 2 tsp. sesame oil
2, 1 inch pieces kombu (sea vegetable, so good for you)
2 tsp. miso paste (dissolved with some warm broth and added to the soup at the very end)
fresh lemon or fresh lime juice
-optional-
sesame seeds
hot rooster sauce
edamame
quinoa (pre-cooked according to directions)
sauted crimini or baby shitake mushrooms
carrots, broccoli, bell peppers
diced avocado
noodles of course (I like somen noodles) you could also use tofu noodles or soba noodles
1. Start with a medium soup pot over medium heat add the vegetable broth, water, garlic, ginger, and kombu (if using carrots, mushrooms and bell peppers, saute them in the pot first to soften them then remove and reserve to add later). Bring to a boil, turn down and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. When the twenty minutes is up fish out the garlic, smash the garlic and add it back to the soup. Add the cooked veggies if using them, also this is a good time to add the edamame. Also add the liquid amino’s and mirin and simmer another 10 minutes. Before serving remove the ginger and kombu. This is where you would add the dissolve miso paste into the soup, make sure the heat on the oven is turned off. The heat kills all the good stuff in miso.
3. Garnish the soup with sesame oil and fresh lemon or lime juice. Oh and of course some hot sauce, I like this soup spicy. (if your having stomach issues, omit the hot sauce)
Tip: If using noodles I cook them separate and put to the side. When I’m ready to serve I divide the noodles between the serving bowls and top with warm broth filled with veggies. Lately I’ve been using quinoa instead of noodles and I’ve been adding diced avocado. Make it your own, have fun.
Kombu benefits: Increases digestibility, reduces blood cholesterol and hypertension. Kombu is high in iodine, calcium and potassium as well as vitamin A and C. (Next time you make a pot of beans, chili or lentil soup add a piece of kombu for these added benefits.)
Miso: Is high in B12 and protein and rich in vitamins and minerals. Some experts suggest miso is a good source of Lactobacillus acidophilus (good for healthy gut).

DIY Recipe- Almond Milk

20 Tuesday Apr 2010

Posted by in DIY, Drinks, vegan

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Almond Milk

I love this almond milk, this recipe was shared with me by my friend Gwen. This is another one of those items I was happy to remove from my grocery list because I can Do It Myself! I buy the almond and dates for this recipe in bulk section of my store, so it saves me money and I have better quality control when it comes to the ingredients. I probably make two jars a week but here’s the only disclaimer, this milk goes bad in about 4 days. If you can commit to using this homemade almond milk you won’t be sorry, it’s delicious and fun. I say fun because it will be a totally new experience for your taste buds and your insides will rejoice to have some thing so fresh and natural. I use this milk in our breakfast shakes and in my raw cereal. I hope you’ll try it,Enjoy.

-Almond Milk-

1/2 c. raw organic almonds (soaked overnight in water, enough to cover an inch above the almonds)
2 tsp. raw agave nectar, pure vanilla extract
4 c. water
1/2 c. pitted dates
pinch of salt

1. After the almonds have soaked overnight, drain and rinse them under fresh water. Place in the blender with the rest of the ingredients.
2. Blend until all the almonds and dates are blended well. Pour the milk into a bowl and let sit 30 min to an 1 hour. (This let’s the milk absorb all the goodness before you strain it.)
3. Strain the milk through a fine mesh strainer into a new bowl, take a spatula and press as much of the liquids from the solids through the strainer. Discard the solids, stir the milk and pour into a mason jar with a lid. Place in the refrigerator until chilled through. Enjoy!

Vegan Chocolate Pudding

05 Monday Apr 2010

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So a few months back I posted an awesome Mint Chocolate Pudding which I love, and then I came up with this one. It’s just a little easier and dairy free which is a great alternative for any diet direction. It has become one of Billy’s favorite ‘treats’, and he requests it often and I feel great about making it for him. I have also made it for my family and friends and they would agree it’s a winner, you may be a little surprised by the ingredients but don’t knock it till you try it. ENJOY
-Chocolate Pudding-
1 14-oz silken tofu (organic)
1/2 c. soy milk, (last time I used some leftover coffee, yummy)
1/2 c. maple syrup (real) or agave nectar
1/2 c. cacao powder (raw chocolate powder)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt, shake of cinnamon, dash of nutmeg
1. Put all the ingredients into the food processor and mix until smooth, just once remove lid and scrape down sides, put lid back on and mix again until totally smooth.
2. Divide into 6 ramekins, place in the refrigerator at least an hour before serving.

Cosmo Hippie Chef Recipe Alert- Raw Buckwheat Cereal

17 Sunday Jan 2010

Posted by in breakfast, Uncategorized, vegan

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This recipe comes from my good friend Gwen, she is always sharing her new finds in the healthy food world. I was looking for something new, fast, healthy and portable for breakfast during the week for Billy and I, this hit the mark. It’s probably going to be new for you, it was new for us but we love it.

-Raw Buckwheat Cereal-

1/4 c. buckwheat groats (I find these in the bulk section of Whole Foods or Good Earth)
1-2 tsp. sunflower seeds
1-2 tsp. gogi berries

Place all these ingredients in some kind of container with a lid. Fill the container with water just above the ingredients and place the lid on and soak overnight. In the morning drain off the water trying not to spill out the ingredients, rinse 2-3 times with fresh water and drain again. When you’ve drained all the water off top with these ingredients. Enjoy!

1/4. soy, hemp, rice or nut milk
1 T. pure maple syrup, or agave nectar
1-2 tsp. pumpkin seeds
2 T. coconut flakes
a pinch of nutmeg
a shake of cinnamon
1/2 banana

When strawberries and raspberries are in season I use those with or instead the banana.

Happy New Year- Vegan Eggnog

06 Wednesday Jan 2010

Posted by in DIY, Drinks

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Wow where does the time go? I hope you all had a great holiday season, filled with lots of love and food. We had a relaxing indulgent one of our own. I’m glad to be back on track and excited for the new year to come. Don’t you think it’s cool that every year we are given time to reflect and plan for a better year or a better us? The funny thing is that we are given that time everyday to reflect and improve. Isn’t life awesome?!

I received two great cookbooks for Christmas and look forward to sharing some new recipes. Here’s one I made during the holidays, and I got it from one of the blogs I follow ‘Elana’s Pantry’.
It’s fun, unique and of course delicious. Enjoy.
Vegan Eggnog ( I know what your thinking, try it anyways!)
3 c. almonds
4 c. water
1 T. vanilla extract
2 T. agave nectar
2 T. yacon syrup
2 t. grated fresh, or ground nutmeg
1/4 t. cinnamon, ground
pinch cloves, ground
1. Soak almonds overnight.
2. Discard soaking water and rinse almonds in a deep bowl of water, repeat until water is clear.
3. Place soaked almonds and 4 cups of water in a vita-mix, or a blender.
4. Blend on highest speed for 90 seconds.
5. Strain milk through a fine mesh paint bag, (I used cheesecloth). Discarding solids.
6. Place almond milk in a half gallon mason jar, add vanilla, agave, yacon, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves, then shake well.
7. Refrigerate until cold and serve.

Elana’s Pantry- Soothing Chai

18 Sunday Oct 2009

Posted by in dessert, Drinks

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The holistic nutrition school I’m attending (Bauman College) sends out newsletters to all there students on a regular basis, and this last on was filled with great tips and recipe for the up coming cold season. One of the mentions was the food blog Elana’s Pantry which is a gluten free blog, I took some time to check our her blog and loved it, I’m not gluten intolerant but I have friends that are and I want to be equipped to help them on there healthy food journey’s. So these next two recipes came from that blog and if you have time you should check it out for yourself.

-Soothing Chai

6 c. water
2 cinnamon sticks
4 cloves
1 inch ginger, peeled
8 cardamon pods
6 blk peppercorns
1 peppermint tea bag

1. Combine all the ingredients in a pot and place on the stove over medium heat.
2. Bring to a boil, turn down and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Strain the tea mixture into 4 mugs, (or in our case 2 large mugs).
4. Serve hot with agave nectar, honey and almond or soy milk. To your taste.

This is warm and soothing, I made it last Sunday morning when it was cold and rainy. It totally hit the spot and made the house smell wonderful. I can’t wait to make it again.

-Pumpkin Pie Muffins

1 1/2 blanched almond flour (I couldn’t find any so I used soy flour which is gluten free, there are lots of gluten free flours on the market you just have to look)
1/4 t. celtic salt (it is a great salt with lots of occurring minerals, if you haven’t tried this it’s much healthier than that crappy table salt, get some! Sorry mom about the word crap!)
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. ground ginger
1 pinch cloves
2 T. grapeseed oil
1/2 c. agave nectar
2 lrg eggs
1 c. fresh baked pumpkin, or winter squash well packed (I used garnet yams)

Preheat oven to 350
1. In large bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. (I like to sift my dry ingredients)
2. In a mixer puree oil, agave, eggs, and pumpkin until smooth.
3. Stir wet ingredients into dry mixture, (I do a little at a time, mix well and then add more until all is mixed together).
4. Place paper liners into muffin pans.
5. Scoop batter into liners, (I got 10 muffins).
6. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes
7. Cool for 2-3 hours and then serve.

These are awesome, and I shared them with friends. I topped mine with a cream cheese frosting, I just mixed organic cream cheese, vanilla extract, and organic powdered sugar just to taste. Who wouldn’t love these this time of year. Make a batch, Enjoy!