My favorite day of the year is almost upon us, the Super Bowl.   I love putting together a spread of fun foods to eat that are gluten free and dairy free and watching the game with friends.  This year I’ll be making some of the recipes in my 2013 Cookbook Desk Calendar.  There are some great options that you can make too no matter if you’re hosting or taking a dish to someone else’s party.  If you don’t have a copy of the calendar order it now so you’ll have it in time to cook up the recipes for the big game.  It will help you on the path to living an easy, healthy, gluten free life.

This year there will be a first for the game.  Two brothers are coaching against each other.  Jim Harbaugh for the San Francisco 49ers and John Harbaugh for the Baltimore Ravens.  Can you just imagine their parents and what that would be like?  I’m guessing they’re rooting for both.  Who are you hoping wins the game, Ravens or 49ers?

No matter who wins you’ll want to have some good eats while watching the game and the commercials.  Scroll down and you’ll see each month and some ideas on how to serve them for the big game.  This calendar is a party in a box!

Oh and don’t forget for those who own this cookbook calendar, to go to the last page and grab the Secret Code for the webpage full of photos giving more detailed directions, links to more recipes using the ingredients in these 12, plus a ton more recipes and cooking tips.

January is a must to have at the party, Jicama Tacos or Tostados.  I love guacamole and anytime I can find more creative ways to use it I will.  Here I’ve combined it with purple potatoes and mushrooms or shrimp and bay scallops.

February Little Lasagna Flowers are good since there are in single serve size.  What you use for the flower itself and the filling is totally up to you.  I give you a few suggestions for both.

March would be good if you cut up this Tunisian Frittata and served it on a pizza peel.  You know the wooden paddle you see them pull pizzas from the oven with.  I love that as a serving dish.  Easy to carry over to the coffee table or even to carry around and serve people from.

April is something you may want to keep for the celebration meal the next day when your team wins.  This Garlic Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg and Prosciutto is a classic but with my twist of Polenta Croutons.

May is something that can be made in a large casserole and your guests can serve themselves this Easy Layered Mexican Casserole.    You could even pair it up with the Jicama Tacos.

June is also a dish you can make in a nice large casserole or lasagna pan.  It also takes just a few minutes to put together and then you pop it into the oven.  With it being winter however I would use canned fire roasted tomatoes instead of fresh for this Oven Roasted Pesto Vegetables Deluxe.

July is the month to use fresh tomatoes for this Can’t Beet California Cobb Salad and since it’s January you’ll want to swap that out for another favorite ingredient if serving it now.  I really like having some type of salad when watching the big game.

August is one of those dishes that looks really hard to make but trust me anyone can do this.  The Summer Vegetable Rosettes you see pictured here was cooked by my husband who is not a cook.  He can make scrambled eggs but doesn’t venture too far from that.  Zucchini is in season during the summer but you can buy it any time of the year.  This recipe uses cashew cream cheese as an option so if you make a batch save some for the many other recipes I’ve shared using that ingredient.

September is one of my favorite fast meals to make, Hash in a Flash.  It uses ingredients you have on hand and is cooked in one pan so clean up is fast.  If you make this serve it in a big bowl and let your guests spoon out as much as they like.

October is a very satisfying and flavorful Smoky Simmering Soup.  It’s one of those great chop and drop recipes right into your slow cooker.  Put it in there in the morning and it will be ready for you at game time.  How easy can it get!

November is another recipe that uses cashew cream cheese.  It’s a wonderful dish for those who want their big game food to be a little fancier.  Cashew Cream Yam Cannelloni served with a bechamel sauce is sure to delight.

December Mushroom Party recipes are perfect for the big game food.  Keep the mushrooms smaller so they are finger foods and not something you’ll need a fork and knife to eat.  I give you three options and the recipes for each.  You can keep them vegetarian and make the Yam Packed Mushrooms or not and make the Crabby Mushrooms or Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms.

Enjoy the game, your friends and family and the good food you’ll make.  I hope your team wins!

So, what are you going to make and who do you hope wins the game?

This is a fast gluten free recipe that can be made to taste any way you like.  There really is no end to the possibilities of seasonings you can use.  If you’re looking for something orange to serve for Halloween try the Buffalo Wing Sauce.  Have fun with your food and have a Happy Halloween!

I do love meatballs.  I take hiding some good vegetables inside for those who won’t eat them otherwise, as a challenge.  How many different and good vegetables can I hide and still have them taste good and something my son will eat.  You may recall my Meatballs With A Heart as a past example.

This week we found out my son will need to be on a Candida diet.  That means at the beginning no fruits or sugars at all, stay away from grains and increase those vegetables.   There’s more to it than that but that’s the abbreviated version   So basically I’m taking away all of his snacks and favorites and giving him his least favorites.

This was the inspiration for the Magic Meatballs.  These are gluten and dairy free but full of vegetables.  It includes natural antibacterial foods like garlic and detoxing herbs like parsley.

The trick to making meatballs like this is the spices you use to dominate the taste buds.  I opted for a Southwestern blend from Penzeys that is strong and flavorful and contains no sugar.  It contains salt, sweet ancho pepper, onion, garlic, Mexican oregano, Tellicherry black pepper, cayenne pepper, cumin, sweet paprika, chipotle pepper and cilantro.

I will be making many variations on this recipe I’m sure.  These are great for week days, weekends, game days or of course you an always serve these for Halloween too!

I also want to tell you about a new piece of kitchen equipment I was given to try.  It’s called the Ninja Cooking System.  It’s a stovetop cooker, oven, slow cooker and steam roaster/baker in one.  When I heard this I thought that’s too many things in one so none will work well.  I’m so skeptical.  But as I’ve mentioned before I’ve moved into an apartment and something that does many things sounded appealing being in a smaller kitchen.  I’ve also found out that when using my oven it heats the whole apartment which is not great in a warm climate.  So I busted this out of the box this weekend and started cooking like crazy.  I made my Paleo Scrapple without having to use an extra pot.  I steam roasted a turkey breast which tastes amazing and I made these Magic Meatballs.  So I’m sold.  I love it.  I can cook anything in here and it’s super easy to clean.  But don’t take my word for it, read Stephanie O’Dea’s review, from A Year of Slow Cooking.  This recipe was shared on Allergy Friendly Friday.

What do you like to hide in your meatballs?

Did you hear the latest news? Subscribers to The Gluten Free Insider Newsletter had a sneak peek.  Don’t miss out on the news.  

Announcing:

I am very excited to share with you that I have created the ultimate cookbook. Wait until you hear how it works. This is a 2013 Cookbook Desk Calendar. That means it is a calendar and a cookbook that sits on your desk in the size of a CD case!

Each month features a color photo and calendar on the front and an easy recipe on the back. Every recipe is gluten and dairy free plus instructions on how to easily make it Vegetarian, Vegan and Paleo. How cool is that?

I don’t know about your family and friends, but mine all have their own dietary needs. My oldest son is a vegetarian but can’t eat soy, my husband eats Paleo, my youngest son thinks the word vegetable is a swear word and for me it’s strictly gluten and dairy free. Having to juggle these needs and not cook 3 or 4 different main dishes for one meal has taught me how to take one recipe and make it work for everyone at the table.

This is what I’ve shared with you in the 2013 Cookbook Desk Calendar. Each recipe is coded and noted to make cooking a breeze.  I even had my non-cook husband give some a try and he looked like a master chef! Check out the August photograph, that’s his work. 

Each cookbook calendar comes in a clear case that flips open to sit on your desk or your countertop as you are cooking from the recipe. I know, brilliant right? So much goodness in a CD case the size of your hand.

BONUS: Every calendar comes with a special code to a hidden page on The WHOLE Gang website that will include additional recipes, tips, tricks, tools and how to make each recipe suit multiple dietary needs at the same time.  That means cook once and everyone eats!

This 2013 Cookbook Desk Calendar is not only great for you, but it makes a great gift for family, friends, teachers, hostesses, co-workers, employees, clients and that person who has everything. Each calendar comes in it’s own gift/shipping box so you’ll be ready to send them out as gifts. If you are giving them as client gifts there is a space in the back for you to place your business card so they’ll know who to thank!

Pre-Order Special:  I am offering you a special pre-order deal for ordering now. If you order this month you will receive $2 off the list price of $14.95 each. This discount will expire October 31st, 2012.  Even bigger savings the more you order.

Pre-Order Now!

Here’s what some folks are saying:

Hash in a Flash is a great one pot dish the whole family loved, including my 12 year old daughter. – Sara Nicole in Bellflower, California

This Vegan Tunisian Frittata has become a staple in my gluten free kitchen. Prior to making it, I wasn’t convinced that I could make a decent tasting frittata without eggs, but this recipe completely changed my mind. It is beyond delicious and on the first and second day, the leftovers were just as delicious as when it came out of the oven. Try it, you’ll be glad you did! - Ellen Allard, Worchester Massachusetts

We very much enjoyed the Vegan Tunisian Frittata. The recipe is very straight-forward and easy to follow for a quick prep meal. While it would make great leftovers, we’re yet to have any left after a meal–it’s a big hit! I would not hesitate to share this with egg eaters, the tofu is a slick substitute! We now keep a container of the easy harissa on hand so we can make this often.  - Johnna Perry Kansas City, Missouri

12 months of great meals!

• January: Jicama Tacos & Tostados
• February: Little Lasagna Flowers
• March: Tunisian Frittata
• April: Garlic Roasted Asparagus with Poached Egg and Prosciutto
• May: Easy Layered Mexican Casserole
• June:  Oven Roasted Pesto Vegetables Deluxe
• July: Can’t Beet California Cobb Salad
• August: Summer Vegetable Rosettes
• September: Hash in a Flash
• October: Smoky Simmering Soup
• November: Cashew Cream Yam Cannelloni
• December: Mushroom Party

This is another fast and easy summer gluten free recipe to help you use what’s fresh and in season and spend more time enjoying the summer.  This uses that fun new kitchen tool I’ve been playing in the kitchen with.  It can help you make really fast, delicious and nutritious meals.

I served these with the Chick and Pork Balls.  Again another recipe working to help you live an easy healthy gluten free life.

You can keep this totally vegetarian and vegan by serving it with beans, tofu or your favorite protein.  Or just serve it alone.  It doesn’t need any help on the plate to make it a meal.

Both of these recipes use what I found fresh at the farmer’s market.  If you find something different, change up this recipe and please let me know what you created.  This was shared on Wellness Weekend.

I’ve always wanted to try my hand at making these. Funny enough I decided to give this a try while I’m not at my kitchen. I don’t have all of the usual tools and equipment or supplies so I got creative.

I found these amazing flowers while at the farmers market. I brought them home and put them on the top shelf of the refrigerator. This not being my typical unit I didn’t know many of my flowers would freeze. What I did salvage was not in the best shape but I was determined to give this a try.

Also with this being my first attempt I wanted to use real cheese as the filling. I’d really like to give cashew cream cheese a try in these now that I have my first ones under my belt.  So this is not dairy free but of course a gluten free recipe.

I only knew a couple of things about attempting this dish after listening to the man who grew these zucchini blossoms talk about them in the farmer’s market.  He made it sound so easy and so delicious.  His main tip is that you need a very thin batter so it doesn’t weigh them down and stuff them with a soft cheese.

I travel with my little Magic Bullet which really comes in handy.  It’s less weight to travel with than my Vitamix and can work on some things if you’re patient.  I used this to make the batter and it worked extremely well.

The most important thing to remember when trying something new is don’t worry about it.  If it fails, well you learned something along the way.  For instance, don’t let the blossoms freeze or they just melt into nothing useable.  Also don’t worry if the cheese sneaks out while cooking.  That just means you need to adjust something like the level of heat.

Let me know if you have ever made stuffed zucchini blossoms and what you stuffed them with.

I’m going to keep playing with this recipe to make a vegan version and a Paleo version.

I am loving only cooking for 5 or 10 minutes and having a meal that fits my easy healthy gluten free life.  Once you get the process of these gluten free recipes down you can start to change up the ingredients and create your own set of 5 minute meals.

This one is great for any meal of the day.  This one I created for lunch and served it with a gluten free wrap of green leafy vegetables and sliced meats.

If you get my newsletter you’ve already seen this cool gadget and gotten these two recipes.  What you’re not receiving the newsletter!  Sign up now so you get the scoop first, plus any offers and discounts will be in that newsletter.  Click Here for more info.

Love this new kitchen gadget! I don’t know why I waited so long to get one. I’ve seen others use it and thought wow that looks cool but really, can’t I just do that with a knife?

I could if I had all day to prepare my meals. If you have endless hours to prepare your meals no need to read on any further.

However if you want to have an easy healthy gluten free life, lots of fun, make great meals and have people who don’t typically eat vegetables start asking for second helpings, well check this out.

For lunch I made a Cucumber and Tomato Salad.

For dinner I made a Zucchini and Squash Pesto Pasta which had no grains in it whatsoever.

Oh the fun I’m going to have with this tool.

So I’ll share the recipes for these two dishes along with the great boulettes de poulet et de porc au pesto.

I just love heading to the farmer’s market without a shopping list.  It leaves me open to finding great foods and often new things I’ve never tried before.  Then I bring them home and start tossing a bunch in a pan for a hash, into a bowl for a salad or into a baking dish to roast up.  It’s all good and will keep you living that easy healthy gluten free life.

This hash was created from my latest trip to the market.  Feel free to change up the ingredients according to what you like and what you find at your farmer’s market.  I served this with my 5 Minute Dover Sole.

I love zucchini season.  They are so abundant and so fresh this time of the year.  I always look for the pesticide free or organic signs at the Farmer’s markets.  One year I would like to grow them myself.  Do you have zucchini in your garden?

I’m often playing with what I’ll stuff inside the zucchini and bake them.  I’ve stuffed it with Quinoa and Vegetables and with Pork and I’ve also shredded the zucchini and Fritters.

I also like to change up what shape I cut the zucchini into when I stuff them.  Tonight I decided I wanted to cut them into rounds, hollow them out and then I thought I would make meatballs and bake them that way.  Well I added a lot of goodness to the meat mixture and I decided to just stuff it in there instead of rolling the meatballs to perch on top.  Maybe someday I’ll go back and try the meatball idea but I’m really glad these were just stuffed.  Oh how good they looked standing on my plate with their white puff of smoke coming out of the chimneys and how amazing they tasted.

The meat mixture includes odds and ends ingredients I had in the refrigerator but if you don’t have exactly the same don’t sweat it.  Make up your own meat mixture, stuff them, bake and enjoy.  Another thing I really liked about this dish was it was a complete meal all in one dish.  Easy to make and easy to clean up!

This article ran in my newsletter, The WHOLE-istic Life last month.  I don’t usually share the information given in my newsletters on my blog, I keep it exclusive.   But I felt this information was so important that I’ve decided to repost it here in order to help save you from my pain.  If you read this in the newsletter forgive this repeat.  Please leave me a comment if you have ever had any experiences like mine.  Also I’d love to know if you have tried either of the juice recipes shared and what variations you made.

Juicing is a part of my daily easy healthy gluten free living diet.  Read and you will see why.

Juice Detoxing From House Rennovation Chemicals

There are times during the year that are natural landmarks for a detox.  Spring and Fall are the two that most folks use.  Four times a year would be even better would be four times a year.  The more you do the better and deeper they work.

This past couple of weeks, I found another reason to detox – exposure to excessive chemicals that my body couldn’t process.

We are having remodeling work done in our house to bring it up to date.  We’ve put a new granite countertop in the kitchen and are also remodeling our bathrooms with granite tops for the vanities.

I’ve never had a granite countertop and had no idea about the installation process.  It turns out that  the installers use an epoxy glue for the seams, a chemical to seal the top and another chemical to clean off the top to remove excess epoxy and anything else.

I was actually away when the kitchen countertop was installed and arrived home on the evening of May 10^th with my son.  I got ten steps into the house and, even though the smell was overwhelming, I didn’t realize the physical and neurological effects the epoxy fumes were having on me.  Thankfully, my son was with me and as I started to bob and weave he got me upstairs and opened the windows so I could get some fresh air.

I kept the windows open all night.  The next morning when I awoke the effects on me were apparent.  I felt nauseous, tired, and my brain felt detached from my head.  I was at a loss for words, couldn’t string thoughts together, my short term memory was not working and I mostly sat in a dazed state.  I also had sharp headache pains around my temple that migrated to different spots on my head. I also had aches and pains all over my body in random places.

My kitchen was still torn apart so I couldn’t cook myself some good cleansing food.  I spent as much time as I could outside in the fresh air.  Thankfully, the weather was amazing.  We spent most of our meals eating out however whenever I came in the vicinity of any type of cleaning chemicals I immediately become ill.  The nausea, dizziness and disorientation returned in full force within seconds.

My reaction was more severe than anyone else in my family.  They call me the canary in the coal mine because I detect odorless gas before most other humans.  I’m not very happy to have this job but I don’t really have a choice.

Thankfully, I’ve taught my family so much about nutrition and detoxing that they stepped in and helped me when I couldn’t help myself.  Off we went to the grocery store and filled the cart with lots of kale, parsley, cucumbers, beets, ginger, apples, pears, pineapple, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cauliflower and baby broccoli.  As soon as we got home I started juicing and drinking.

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been drinking lots of water and fresh juice to help my body detox.  Regular walks outside for some exercise and fresh air has also helped.

It’s been almost three weeks and I’m finally able to get back to writing and taking care of my family.  I’m not at 100% yet but I know I will be as long as I keep drinking my juice and taking care of myself.

I also know that if you are dealing with anything that could be throwing you off balance that juicing and smoothies full of great vegetables and fruit will do your body good.  Drink these to detox your liver, get your kidneys and adrenal glands in better shape to work as the filters they are meant to be.

Now I’d like to share the detoxing and restorative juices I’m using.  If you don’t have a juicer you can make smoothies in a blender.

If you are looking for a juicer I have to say I am in love with mine.  I have a Hurom Slow Juicer.  http://www.slowjuicer.com/

When I watched the video on the Sur la Table website I was convinced this was the one for me.  It is very easy to use and very easy to clean up quickly.  I’m one of those people if it’s too hard to use or especially clean, I’ll use it once and then it will just sit there.

So, with no further ado, here are two of my favorite fresh juice recipes.  First, you’ll find the Green Elixir of Life which is a great way to mix fresh green vegetables with tasty fruit.

The Golden Joy is a great way to sneak in beets.  The combination is sweet and even wins the approval of my most extremely picky son.   The Green Elixir of Life taste is dominated by the fruit used.  The key is to have some type of citric fruit in the mix and your favorite fruits helps too.  The only way to know what will work best for you is to play in your kitchen.

Just a warning about ginger.  It is extremely potent so use only a small amount.  By small amount I mean a slice the size of a dime both in roundness and thickness.  Taste and you can always add more.  Trust me you won’t have enough fruit and vegetables in the house to reverse too much ginger.

Green Elixir of Life

Ingredients:

1 bunch organic kale

1 organic cucumber

large handful organic parsley leaves

1 organic lemon

1 organic green apple

1Ž2 cup pineapple

1 thin slice of ginger root size of dime

Instructions:

Put it all through the juicer.  I like to run the juice through one more time to get it as clear as possible.  I find when I make a pitcher full for the day that it stays together and more fresh for the entire day and even into the next if there’s anything left.

Golden Joy

Ingredients:

2 organic Golden Beet

1 Organic green or red Apple

1 Orange

10 Organic Carrots

Instructions:

Put it all through the juicer.  I like to run the juice through one more time to get it as clear as possible.  I find when I make a pitcher full for the day that it stays together and more fresh for the entire day and even into the next if there’s anything left.

Father’s Day is quickly approaching and one thing I know about most dads is they like a good meal.  As the person making the meal I like it to be an easy healthy gluten free recipe.  This recipe is sure to please both plus it’s also dairy free.  First it has sausage and potatoes which I know is a favorite of many guys.  For those making the dish you can have the base created, store it in the refrigerator overnight and when it’s time to serve finish up the topping and it’s good to go.

Now you might be asking how is sausage and potatoes healthy.  First let me say anytime you are into your kitchen cooking from whole ingredients where you can have control over what goes into your food, well you’re going to eat a lot more healthy than just opening a box of something.  Now potatoes, especially organic potatoes, provide a good source of Vitamin C, B6 and Potassium without the pesticides.  As for the sausage, we’ll just keep the portions of that to a respectable size of two links for the entire pie which makes 16 slices.  If you like you can always swap out mushrooms for the sausage.  Of course if you eat the entire pie yourself, well then you’re on your own.

Another way to keep the sausage more to your liking with less fat and filler than the best thing to do is make your own.  I have a few recipes on this site but you might want to  use the Sweet Italian Sausage recipe.

When serving this pie I suggest a nice big green leafy salad with a simple Easy Healthy Gluten Free Salad Dressing.

With this recipe, as with any of my recipes I like to give you options so please read all the way through the recipe.  If you create more options I’d love to hear them so please share.

Disclosure:  I was compensated for creating a recipe for the Idaho® Potato Commission.  All opinions shared are my own.

You can also view this recipe on the Idaho® Potato Blog.

Welcome back to our weekly event, Friday Foodie Fix.  This is where you link up your gluten free recipes each week that contain the Secret Ingredient!

You will also find each week there will be loads of information on that ingredient so even if you don’t have any recipes to share, you’ll gather some useful information.

Make sure you check back to see what recipes have been added.

To let everyone know where you are linking your recipes you can add the FFF badge into your post and on your sidebar.  Here is the code you can just copy and paste.

<a href=”http://www.thewholegang.org/” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://www.thewholegang.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/FFF-thewholegang.jpg” width=261 height=256 border=0></a>

Simply Dressed Meatballs on bed of Spinach

Healthy Facts

Spinach is a power house of nutrients.  It is packed with Vitamin K, essential for blood clotting and bone health, and has been shown to help reduce inflammation. Not to mention spinach provides a good source of calcium and iron, beta carotene and potassium.  If you are looking to increase your Vitamin B6 and C as well as folate and magnesium this is a great option.   Keep in mind that your B6 and C vitamins are water soulable and cannot be stored in your body so you need to replenished daily and any excess would be simply flushed out.  Vitamin B6 helps maintain healthy brain function, normal nerve function, forming red blood cells, and breaking down and digesting proteins.

How to Buy

I love to pick up spinach at the farmers markets and buy from a local source.  With spinach the fresher the better as far as holding on to nutrients.  Look for bright green leaves without any slimy leaves or dark spots.  Spinach is also something you should buy organic.  It’s very high up on the Dirty Dozen list from the EWG which means it’s exposure and absorption of pesticides is high.  But I’d rather you eat conventionally grown produce is better than eating none at all.

How to Store

When you get home with your fresh spinach give it a nice cold bath, literally.  Fill a clean sink or bowl with cold water and toss in your spinach.  Give it a good spin around and then let it sit for a little bit so any grit can sink to the bottom of the bowl.  Take out the spinach and repeat until no grit is at the bottom of your bowl.   Once done wrap the leaves in a paper towel and put into a plastic bag to store in your refrigerator.  Now it’s ready when you want to nibble, cook or make that morning green juice or smoothie.

Favorite Tip

If you want your leaves crisp let them stay in the refrigerator after washing for an hour or two.  I love to add spinach to my juicer or smoothie but it’s great sauteed in scrambled eggs, stuffed inside a chicken breast and cut into ribbons or chiffanod and put on your pizza.

Last Week’s Favorite Links

Tess the Domestic Diva’s Homemade Fruit Cereal Bars

And Love it Too’s  Strawberry Coconut Butter

gluten free easily’s Gloris Fruit Easily

Did you vote for your favorites?  Each week check the recipes shared and click the Like button for your favs!

Linking up Guidelines

• Share your own recipe using the Secret Ingredient. This must be your recipe, not copied from someone else.  If you were inspired by another recipe you MUST ALWAYS note that in your recipe.
• Link the URL of your Specific Individual Recipe Post,  NOT to your home page.
• Please link back to this post, not a static page so your readers can find the recipes here.
• When you link, please tell us what you’re sharing.
• This is a Gluten Free Resource so please make sure you share gluten free recipes.
• Recipes do not need to be brand new on your blog, just your own and contain the Secret Ingredient.
• There is no limit to how many times you can post on any given Secret Ingredient,  just Link Back.
• Please use the FFF icon in your post and feel free to add it to your sidebar!  Here’s the code:  <a href=”http://www.thewholegang.org/” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://www.thewholegang.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/FFF-thewholegang.jpg” width=261 height=256 border=0></a>

Next Week’s Secret Ingredient for Friday Foodie Fix is …… Spring Onions!

Now it’s your turn to share your gluten free recipes with spinach below.

Welcome back to our weekly event, Friday Foodie Fix.  This is where you link up your gluten free recipes each week that contain the Secret Ingredient!

You will also find each week there will be loads of information on that ingredient so even if you don’t have any recipes to share, you’ll gather some useful information.

Make sure you check back to see what recipes have been added.

This week’s secret ingredient is Strawberries.

Healthy Facts

packed with antioxidents that fight cancer, especially colon and cervical

have been used for antibacterial properties, help with disorders of the pancreas and spleen, a liver tonic and treat sore throats

contains flavonoids, a group of phytochemicals that can counter cell damage in teh body and potentially reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and aid memory and other brain function.

contains vitamins C, E and high in fiber

low in calories and sugar content

How to Buy

The fresher the berry the better.  This is one berry that you really want to make sure you buy ORGANIC!  Strawberries always rank high for pesticide residues and I doubt you really want to eat a mouth full of that.

How to Store

Don’t wash your berries until you are ready to use them.  When you do be very gentle and pat them dry.  Store them in the refrigerator but to get the best tasting flavor from them bring them to room temperature when you are ready to eat.

Favorite Tip

With farmers markets being open and tons of amazing strawberries around, buy some extra and freeze them.  Wash as noted, spread out onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and place in freezer.  Once frozen transfer to a container or plastic bag and enjoy all year long.

Favorite Past Links

Strawberry Cobbler from gluten free easily

Strawberry Swirl Brownies from Good Life Eats

Homemade Strawberry Julius from Alisa Cooks

Linking up Guidelines

• Share your own recipe using the Secret Ingredient. This must be your recipe, not copied from someone else.  If you were inspired by another recipe you MUST ALWAYS note that in your recipe.
• Link the URL of your Specific Individual Recipe Post,  NOT to your home page.
• Please link back to this post, not a static page so your readers can find the recipes here.
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Next week’s gluten free recipes Secret Ingredient is …. SPINACH!

The other day I made a quick and easy lunch that I offered to share with my husband.  He refused stating he didn’t like cauliflower.  I reminded him he’s eaten it on many occasions and really liked it.  He then added “that’s my story and I’m sticking with it.”  Well he shared this story along with some great leadership points on his Next Level Blog.   He had many requests for my recipe so thank you to all who asked.

So today I’m sharing this fast and easy recipe you can make for any meal.  Yes you can make this for breakfast too.  If you are wedded to eggs scramble a few and serve alongside.  I like to munch on some sunflower seeds or a few almonds with this dish too.

Here is one of my secrets on making this meal fast.  I have an amazing Spice Tiffin that was created by Anupy Singla Gupta.  I love this and I’m seriously considering converting all of my other spices to these containers.   All I need to do is scoop out my spices using one of the two measuring spoons that comes with the tiffin and the cool half moon catch to level off that measurement and I’m set.  You know if I put my baking supplies in one of these I might actually bake.  It makes measuring and getting to these ingredients so fast and easy.  I’m in love.  When I purchased my tiffin I also made sure to get the spices.  I’ve been using them ever since and you know I’m one of those sensitive gluten free gals so they are good to go.

Anupy also wrote a great cookbook that I originally bought for my son when he was in college, The Indian Slow Cooker: 50 Healthy, Easy, Authentic Recipes (affiliate link).  Authentic, easy and healthy recipes to cook up in your crockpot.  How great is that!

Here is my recipe for today.  I’d love to hear from you what you love to cook up that makes an easy healthy gluten free meal.  This recipe was shared for Allergy Free Wednesdays on Tessa The Domestic Diva.

This gluten-free and dairy-free dish of Sautéed Endive, Mushroom and Crisp Pancetta with Wine will melt in your mouth and make your body dance with joy (read on to see why).   It will also have your diners asking for more.  Shhh plus I snuck in a bonus recipe for the Almond Chicken I served this with at dinner.

In fact it was so good I only had time to grab my iPhone to get a picture before it was devoured.  This dish was so fast and easy to make and tasted so amazing that I will be making it many more times for sure.   Maybe the next time I make it I’ll steal some off to my photo table to get more shots.

Let me share just a little about the ingredients before I share the recipe.  Endive might be one of those items you passed over in the grocery store because you were not sure what to do with it.  Let me assure you there are many ways to enjoy endive but more importantly I’m going to give you the reasons why you should give them a try.

Endive are of course low in calories, fat, sodium and cholesterol free.  They are loaded with vitamins and minerals our bodies need such as vitamins B and C, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, folate and selenium.  Plus they are a good source of both beta-carotene and potassium.   If you are looking to have more fiber in your diet and you don’t eat whole grains then endive is a great option since it’s high in complex fibers.  It also aids in digestion including helping to remove toxins from your digestive track.    Are you sold yet?

I love to put them into a pan and sauté or keep them raw and fill them with amazing morsels of shrimp and crab or maybe something as simple as egg salad.  They are really very versatile.  Don’t forget if you are a smoothie or juice goddess like me, toss them into your morning smoothie and get all of those health benefits in your drink.

Mushrooms, especially the Shiitake mushrooms used here are also filled with great health benefits.  Mushrooms are a great source of your B vitamins and minerals such as selenium, copper and potassium.  Mushrooms have been shown to help protect against some cancers and are full of antioxidant power.  But here are my two favorite benefits of mushrooms.  They are one of only a few sources of Vitamin D in real food, not added or fortified.  Plus mushrooms, especially shiitake, oyster and split gill mushrooms contain beta-glucans that have been shown to stimulate immunity in our bodies helping us resist allergies and help in the process to metabolize fats and sugars in our bodies.

So now you see why your body will be doing the happy dance with both endive and mushrooms helping your body stay healthy.  Now this recipe does include pancetta which you can add more or less or even take out completely to keep this a vegetarian and vegan recipe.  Serve this recipe for your best dinner party or your Tuesday night family dinner.   Either way, get these great ingredients on to your plate and into your body.

OK I know this is going to sound totally crazy to some and I can’t believe it myself, but this “go insane every spring from seasonal allergies gal” has left this body.  Yep it is now April and where I live all of the trees have bloomed, shed and now have leaves on them.  People are out cutting their grass and flowers are popping up everywhere.  Even the cherry blossoms came early.  What am I doing?  I’m out walking in the beautiful spring sunshine taking deep clear breaths and super excited.

Every year I have spent miserable in the Spring.  I don’t bother to wear eye makeup because I’ll rub it off as I just about rub my eyes out of their sockets.  My ears will itch.  My throat will itch.  My tongue will itch.  My skin will itch.  My nose would run in both directions.  I couldn’t walk around the block without making sure I had something to drink for when I start gagging on the pollen.  Once they changed the laws around my OTC allergy medicines like Claritin, I would be frantic that when I could go get my next box, only one per week,  they would be out.  Sometimes they were and I’d have to drive around to 5 different places looking for them.

So what is this magic cure?

I gave up sugar and started drinking different green smoothies.  Yeah I know that sounds too easy or too impossible.  So by now some of you are rolling your eyes and thinking, yeah like that is going to work.  Well I say what do you have to lose except maybe saving your eyeballs from being rubbed out of your head and your poor nose from too many tissues.

This all started with my detox that I actually started 2 weeks before the one on my blog, and kept refining it as I went.  Actually I feel so much better I’m really not ready to let in too many of the other foods again.  You know that saying, nothing tastes as feeling good feels.

Remove this!

Here is what I removed:

The only sugars I ate were from fruit for the first 3 weeks.  The last week I added a tsp of Raw Manuka Honey to my hot tea.

Taking the sugar out of my body helped keep the inflammation down and not trigger that antihistamine reaction.  Not eating the simple carbs and wine kept the body from converting that to the sugars that cause inflammation and weight gain.

Add this!

Then I did the second part of this equation, I added in antioxidant and anti-imflammatory foods.  This helped the body fight off those horrible allergic reactions to the pollen.  Adding in green vegetables and whole foods makes this even more appealing.  I like adding more than removing but both are key.

Here is what I added to my days:

Now obviously these were not all tossed into a smoothie.  So I’ll share with you the recipe for two of my favorite smoothies.

Like how I snuck in exercise to the list.

Oh and before you get all mesmerized by the green smoothies, let me address your doubts.  First feel free to google avoiding sugar to allevate seasonal allergies.  I did this post experiment and found tons of articles.  Wish I would have read some first.

Next there is one thing you need to know about me, I hate whining.  If something is bothering me or you, then I say let’s do something about it.  If your allergies are any way as close to annoying as mine where they interfere with your life, than what do you have to lose.  Give this a try.   Add in the good food and by all means get rid of that sugar.  Try it just for 30 days.  Give your body time to process all of the gunk out.  I’ll warn you however, once your body realizes you are going to give it amazing foods it will start doing amazing things for you.   Oh and it will ask you keep these on the menu.

Green Ginger Goodness Smoothie

Ingredients:

4 kale leaves ripped into pieces, I love the dino kale

1 organic green apple, cored and cut into chunks

1 organic rib of celery cut into chunks

3-4 inch piece of organic cucumber cut into chunks

1-2 inch piece of ginger peeled and cut into chunks

1 organic lemon, cut the rind off and if you can find the seeds grab them but not necessary

1-2 TB organic chia seeds

4 ice cubes

1/2-1 cup filtered water

Instructions:

toss all of the ingredients into you Vita Mix.  If you don’t have a strong blender you can still make the smoothie you will just need to blend it longer to get that smooth texture.  You may want to add the water slowly until you get the consistency you like.

Pour into a tall glass and grab a straw!

Green Good Morning Smoothie

Ingredients:

4 kale leaves ripped into pieces, I love the dino kale

1 organic kiwi, peeled and cut into chunks

3-4 inch piece of organic cucumber cut into chunks

1 organic green apple, cored and cut into chunks

1 organic lemon, cut the rind off and if you can find the seeds grab them but not necessary

1 grab of organic parsley

1/4- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, just shake it 4-6 times

1-2 TB organic chia seeds

4 ice cubes

1/2-1 cup filtered water

Instructions:

toss all of the ingredients into you Vita Mix.  If you don’t have a strong blender you can still make the smoothie you will just need to blend it longer to get that smooth texture.  You may want to add the water slowly until you get the consistency you like.

Pour into a tall glass and grab a straw!

Now I want to hear from you!

Has anyone else had the same experience?  Do you think I’m totally off my rocker?  Are you willing to give it a try?  What’s your favorite green smoothie?

Ok it’s the weekend and you’ve had all week to talk yourself in and out of joining me for a Spring detox.  So what’s it to be?  It’s only two weeks or 14 days or however you want to look at it.  In the greater scheme of the timeline of your life it’s a blip.

However it could be a very important blip.  It could go from being a blip to being a life changing experience.  You might find a few more fruits and vegetables you like to eat.  Maybe you find that eating no grains at all really makes your body happy.  You could make new friends while talking about the detox on The WHOLE Gang Facebook page or reinforce a current relationship by pairing up to do it together.  The possibilities are endless.

So let’s make the commitment together.  Print this detox pledge out and sign it, post it on your frig, bulletin board, Pinterest Board or your dog.  Somewhere you’ll see it everyday.  Please read the disclaimer at bottom.

Now if you’re a sharing person, grab this badge below and post it on your Facebook or website.  Let people know you are working on your health and encourage others to do the same.  One little change is what leads to the next little change and before you know it you turn around and see how many great things you are doing for your health.  Make sure you visit The WHOLE Gang Facebook page for additional tips and encouragement along the way.  We’re in this together!  Click here to grab the badge!

Let’s get to your Weekend Prep for Diane’s Detox.

There are two main things I would recommend you do in preparation for the next two weeks.

1.  Plan out what you want to eat and then make sure you have it in stock.

2.  Clear out, hide, give away what you are going to avoid for the next two weeks.

OK so let’s start with step number 1.  Grab your calendar and see what you have planned for these next two weeks.  Are there events that include food outside your home like business meetings, parent teacher gathering, birthday party at the office or anything that might come up on the spur of the moment like your office mates invite you out to lunch.  If you plan for how you will handle these events, then you will be prepared with your response to their questions or you’ll know what you’re going to eat.

Grab my menu planner and let’s get started creating a delicious menu that will have you eating like royalty.  The WHOLE Gang Weekly Menu 2012

Note anytime you won’t be making your own foods or know exactly what you are eating.  Look at the list for Diane’s Detox and see what you will be working towards.  Are you going for the whole list or maybe this is your very first detox so you’re going to pick a few.  It’s totally up to you.  For instance if you already live gluten free you may want to try eating no grains at all.  Whatever you are going to include in your detox keep that front and center.

Now I like to make a list of all the foods and drinks I will be eating for the next two weeks.  I always like to focus on the postive and what I can control.  A good list already available is the Primal Blueprint Shopping List.  On that page you can find a listing and a link to a pdf of that list.  If you are not familiar with Mark Sission he is the creator of the Primal Blueprint which is his version of a Paleo Diet.  I’m not here today to talk about this diet, but I do like his pdf list of foods.  Something I need to make for myself with foods I like to eat.  I took this list and crossed off anything with dairy as the list is already gluten free.  I underlined any foods I either don’t like yet or have not tried yet.  The rest of the foods left were fair game for my quick menu.  As this goes on I may try some of the new foods or the ones I don’t like yet.

I find it’s so much easier to look at a list of what I can eat and go from them when planning a menu.  I took this list and checked out what was in my refrigerator and freezer.  Was there anything from the list that I could use as a starter for my menu.  Yep, lots of frozen organic meats and wild caught seafood in my freezer so I was set.  I however was low on fruits and vegetables so I need to stock up on those after I create the menu.

So what’s a gal to actually eat on this detox?  Lots of fresh veggies, fruits, some nuts and seeds along with lean proteins.  It’s really easy to keep myself satisfied while doing this as long as I pay attention to what my body is telling me.  Make sure you take the time to listen to your body.  If you feel hungry, wait a little and see if it stays or did it pass.  If it passed you may have been bored, tired or maybe distracted.  If it stays than your body is really hungry and you should feed it.

During the next couple of weeks I’ll share recipes and menu plans that we will be eating around my house.  One thing you can count on is big plates of amazing salads.  Here’s my tip to make this super easy.

Go shopping and grab a bunch of veggies you’ll want in your salads and then do a little prep.  I bought one of the plastic rectangular containers of Organic Power Greens.  It had baby spinach, baby kale and baby chard and is a great salad base.  I’m totally recycling that container and making it into my salad bar.  I’ll prep my ingredients and put them into zip plastic bags and put them all into that container.  Then all I need to do is grab my new container of greens and then my new salad bar with all the fixings.

Here are my leafy greens which I only buy organic:

Here is what is in my salad bar:

I keep the tomatoes on the countertop as you shouldn’t refrigerate those.

Also on hand will be my jars of:

I won’t use many of these in my salads but with a large variety no two salads will be exactly alike.

I also like to have a can of Pole Caught American Tuna on hand to toss some of that in my salad one day.

So what’s in your salad bar?  I’ll warn you once you give this a try you’ll make a new salad bar every week and you’ll never look back.  You’ll never head to one of those weigh your salad, salad bars and spend a fortune on something that you can make at home.

Oh and for my salads I usually make my mason jar dressing.  Here’s the recipe:

Almost forget the clear out which was number 2!  This is the easiest part unless your house is your food trap.  Grab those chocolate bars, bags of sugar and anything on that list of what you don’t want to eat for these two weeks and bag it up.  Put it in another room, give it to a family member to hide or whatever works for you.  For me out of sight out of mind.  I put it down in the basement in a bag because that’s too much effort to go grab it for a quick thoughtless pop into my mouth without thinking before I realize I ate way too many.  I would have to make an extra effort to go and get it which gives my brain time to make another choice.

So are you ready!  Make a menu, go shopping so you have those ingredients on hand and prep your salad bar.  You’re setting yourself up for success!

Disclaimer

The assistance provided by The W.H.O.L.E. Gang is for informational purposes only. Neither The W.H.O.L.E. Gang nor Diane Eblin is a licensed registered nurse. Any information shared by us is not intended to substitute medical advice from a licensed health care professional. The W.H.O.L.E. Gang makes every attempt to provide accurate information on gluten free foods and lifestyle. However, neither The W.H.O.L.E. Gang, nor Diane Eblin assume any legal liability for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of the information provided or make any warranty that the advice or information offered will result in improvement of your health or well-being.

You agree that you will not under any circumstances disregard any professional medical advice or delay in seeking such advice in reliance on any Content provided on or through the The W.H.O.L.E. Gang and Diane Eblin. Reliance on any such Content is solely at your own risk.  

We highly recommend that you always carefully read labels before using or consuming any food product, supplement or medicine and consult with your own physician or medical advisor on any matter relating to your health and well-being or any medical condition you may have.

The W.H.O.L.E. Gang and Diane Eblin expressly disclaim all liability arising out of the use by you of any information provided. 

These little Guaco Tacos are easy to make grain free, gluten free and dairy free and are perfect for anytime.  These are great if you have just made your guacamole or if you have some left over from your big game party!  You will absolutely love these.

I first had a version of these little bundles in LA at José Andrés restaurant The Bazaar (review coming soon).  Of course he had a really creamy version of guacamole in his little bundles and they held together like a little pouch.  He added a little crunch into the bottom with some crumbled Fritos.  I tried that and it was good but the secret to the crunch is really in the “shell” so you can keep it grain free by not using them.

So the secret to the crunch is the “shell”.  It’s thinly sliced jicama.  Yep you read that right.  All you need is a way to slice them.  A mandoline or V slicer works great.  They are as much fun to make as they are to eat.  Just in case you don’t eat all the ones you make, they will still be crunchy the next day.  Jicama is a great vegetable to use for this too because they will not discolor.

Now that I’ve shared this little secret can you just imagine all the fun things that can go into thin slices of jicama.  But for these grab your guacamole recipe and lets get started.

Ingredients:

guacamole

jicama peeled and sliced thin

fresh cilantro sprigs

Directions:

After you peel the jicama slice it as thin as you can.

Next I lay out some slices onto a plate and if you want to add in crunched up Fritos do that first.  Then spoon on a teaspoon of guacamole.  You can top each one of these with a sprig of fresh cilantro or just the plate.

Pick it up and shape as a taco or whatever you fancy.

These make a great snack, topping to your favorite Mexican dish or even potato skins.  Let me know how you use them.

I think zucchini is an amazing vegetable.  You can create so many different recipes that you can have something different every week.  I however have a very picky eater.  We have many discussions over the topic of potatoes not counting as a vegetable and raisins not counting as a fruit.  You can see I have a challenge on my hands but I do love a good challenge.  He will however eat my Zucchini Fritters.  I have a couple of secrets for your meat eaters of the family who you want to get a few more vegetables into their bodies.

Shhhh, If you make these a little smaller they make great finger food for a party like the Super Bowl this weekend.  Sneak in a few vegetables amongst the chicken wings.   You can even serve them with a little something to dollop on top like a sour cream either made from dairy or cashews like I used for the Best Ever French Onion Dip or the Pumpkin Dip.

These are also great to make the same time you are making my Quinoa and Vegetable Stuffed Zucchini.  You can use the extra insides of the zucchini that you’ve removed to stuff them.

So the first secret is a little bacon or pancetta.  I’ll crisp some up in a pan as a topping for the fritters and then cook the fritters using a little of the pancetta oil created.  I realize this is like cheating but he’s eating mostly vegetables since I only cook up 1 or two slices of the meat.

The second secret is if you also have someone who you have a hard time getting to eat vegetables, don’t shred the zucchini like is often done, finely chop it.  I use the food processor.

If you want to keep them completely vegetarian you obviously want to skip the whole pancetta step.  You can use coconut oil and keep the healthy fats.  Either way I don’t use very much oil in the pan as these are not deep fried, just cooked more like a pancake.

Ingredients:

1 organic zucchini whatever leftover zucchini fillings you have from making the stuffed zucchini.  If you have none add in another zucchini

1/3 large onion chopped

1 tsp Majestic Garlic or 1 clove garlic

1 organic egg

1/2 cup garbanzo bean flour or your favorite flour

1/8 cup tapioca flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

Celtic Sea Salt to taste

Coconut oil or pancetta oil

Directions:

Cut the ends of the zucchini off and discard.

Cut the zucchini into 4 pieces.

Toss them along with the other zucchini, onion and garlic into the food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

In a separate bowl beat the egg.

Mix in the contents of the food processor into the bowl and add the flour and seasonings.

Using a tablespoon from your drawer, spoon this batter into your heated pan with either the pancetta oil or coconut oil and cook over medium high heat until browned.  Turn it over gently and finish cooking.

Remove from pan, sprinkle with a little salt if you like and serve.   You can also top them with the crisp pancetta if you like.

Zucchini is typically a summer vegetable but of course you can buy it year round.  I typically only cook these in the summer but I was really missing my zucchini.  It’s also one of the few vegetables I can make into fritters and my son will eat them.  I’ll share that recipe tomorrow in case you want to make some for the big game.  They are great to pick up and eat and you can sneak a vegetable in amongst the chicken wings and guacamole. (Gluten-Free Zucchini Fritters)

Previously I’ve shared my recipe for Easy Pork Stuffed Zucchini but I wanted to give you my vegetarian version.  It’s grain free, egg free and dairy free so I guess it’s vegan then.  This will be a great meal to pull out when you are not eating meat no matter if that is how you eat every meal or just once in awhile.

When I make these I like to cook the stuffing ingredients first and mix that all together.  You can even use this stuffing mix for mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, onions or other vegetables you like to stuff.  Have fun with these and mix up what you add to the stuffing or what you stuff.

Ingredients:

3 small zucchini about 6-8 inched in length

1/2 onion diced

1 tsp Majestic Cayenne Garlic or 2 cloves garlic minced and 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper

8 oz mushrooms chopped

large handful of spinach chopped

1 1/2 cup cooked quinoa

Red sauce, marinara or pasta sauce

Celtic Sea Salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp organic coconut or olive oil

Direction:

Cut the ends off of the zucchini, cut it in half and then scoop out the seeds with something like a melon baller, a teaspoon or anything you can find to scrape out the seeds.

Use about one third to half of what you just scooped out and chop that up.  The rest can go towards your Zucchini Fritters.

Preheat a frying pan and saute the onions in a little coconut oil.  When they start to brown add in the garlic or Majestic Garlic and let combine.  Set aside in a mixing bowl.

Saute the mushrooms and after they brown add in the chopped spinach and just combine.  Add this mixture into your mixing bowl.

Add in the cooked quinoa to your mixing bowl and mix well.

This is a good time to give the stuffing a taste and see if it needs any salt or pepper and make an adjustment.

Put a nice layer of sauce in the bottom of the baking pan so it comes up a little on the side but not very much.  I’d say 1/4 – 1/2  inch.

Lay the empty zucchini into the sauce and then add the stuffing into them.

Cover tightly with foil and place in preheated oven to 375 degrees.  Let it cook for 30-45 minutes or until the zucchini is tender.

Notes:  If you are a fan of cheese you can sprinkle a little on top and heat without the foil on top.

If you are a fan of meat sprinkle a little crispy pancetta on top when serving.

This is one dip you will want to make sure you have an abundance of items to dip into it. My favorites are potato chips, cassava chips, celery, carrots, peppers, cucumbers and my fingers.  This is great to also serve as a garnish for chicken or pork and is great as a spread for a wrap.  My favorite however is to eat it watching the Super Bowl game next month.

If you’re a long time subscriber to my newsletter you’ll recognize it from a very old newsletter.  I always like to share some recipes in the newsletter before I share them here.  Just another reason to subscribe. (link to the right)

Today I’m also going to update this recipe to keep it soy free too.  I do this by using Cashew Cream instead of the soy cream cheese and sour cream.  It works perfect and still highly addictive.

Best Ever Gluten and Dairy Free French Onion Dip Recipe

Ingredients:

8 oz Cream Cheese (Tofutti gfdf)**

4 oz Sour Cream (Tofutti gfdf)**

2-3 large onions sliced thin

1 cup organic chicken stock *

1 tsp garlic powder

1-2 tsp Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1-2 tsp Butter (Earth Balance Buttery Spread Soy Free)

Celtic Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Cut your onions in half and then into thin slices. A V-slicer or mandoline is great for this but if you don’t have those make sure your knife is very sharp.  Heat your pan on medium high. Heat up the oil and butter until it starts to ripple. Add in your onions and toss them around so they all separate and are coated with the oils. I like to use tongs to do this instead of a spoon or spatula. It gives me more control over the onions.

Keep an eye on them and as they start to brown mix them up so every onion has it’s chance to brown on the bottom of your pan. You’ll want them to brown deeply but not burn. Once they start to brown you can turn the heat level down so they continue to brown.

If you are using a non-stick pan instead of stainless it will not work as good, but it can still be done. This whole process can take 15-30 minutes depending on your pan and how many onions you have. Once you are happy with how brown they are, add in the chicken stock and reduce the liquid so it’s almost all gone.

Once this is done remove your onions and let them cool to room temperature.

In your food processor mix the two cheeses and the garlic powder. Scrape this out into a mixing bowl. Once the onions have cooled add them to the processor and chop them. You decide how small you want the onions to be. I don’t like big pieces of onion in my dip but you might.  If using cashew cream cheese instead mix in the chopped onions and garlic powder in a bowl.

Once these are processed add them to the cheese mixture and combine well. Give it a taste test and see if you want to add in any salt and pepper. Be warned, that taste testing can be dangerous to your waistline if you taste the whole bowl.

This makes a good size bowl of dip. Once your party is over, what can you do with the leftovers besides just dipping?

It makes an amazing sauce for your Swedish meatballs and noodles, a topping for a grilled chicken breast and a great addition to your brown gravy.

Notes: 

You can always substitute regular dairy for those who eat it.

* To keep this vegetarian use vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock.

** To keep this soy free use Cashew Cream Cheese

1. Soak the cashews in water for 3 hours. If you are short on time you can use hot water and soak for 20 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Drain the water and add cashews, lemon juice, salt and water to very fast blender like a VitaMix (affiliate link).
3. Start off slow and increase in speed as the cashews begin to break down. Add in more water if needed. Blend until creamy. This took me 10 minutes going slow until the very end where I put the Vitamix on high.
4. Let this cashew cream set up in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to a couple of days.

Do you have guests with different food allergies or intolerances in your family?  Maybe they just don’t like the same ingredients in their salad?  It’s Thanksgiving and they’re all coming to your house for dinner, so what’s a host to do?

Individual Stacked Salads, of course!

The beauty of these salads is you can make them the day before, cover and store them in the refrigerator and bring the salads out as you sit down to your meal.  How great is that?!?  Salads are always the last thing you’re thinking about and they can sometimes get left off until dinner is almost over and then you jump up and run to get them.  Oh wait, that’s me.  You can also make these salads the same day and let those who want to help in the kitchen keep busy.  You can even have everyone make their own if they are feeling creative.  Simply set out the ingredients, including your dressings, and let them build their own.

Let your creativity out and build your favorite salads in a glass.  Add in what you like, remove what you don’t like or can’t eat.  Mix and match ingredients and you could have a different salad almost everyday, not just holidays.

My salads here are made using the Simply Dressed Salad Dressings from Marzetti.  I had a lot of fun creating these salads and having the dressings all ready to go was great.  These are sweet and tasty dressings that are gluten free and some are dairy free too.  You can read my recent review of their products.

Serve your salads on a plate.  When ready to eat, place the plate on top of the salad, hold tight, and then flip it over.  Slowly and gently pull the glass up and your salad will be completely dressed on your plate.  This is not something I would let your younger  or older guests attempt on their own.  You can even do this yourself and serve them on the plate ready to eat.

Here is the formula to follow for your Individual Stacked Salads.

First you want to prepare all of the ingredients you’ll layer in the glasses.  When you assemble them you’ll want everything at your fingertips.  I LOVE my Spiral Vegetable Slicer  (affiliate link).  It makes any vegetable look appealing even to those who say they don’t like vegetables.    (affiliate link).  It makes any vegetable look appealing even to those who say they don’t like vegetables.  

Grab a short tumbler glass with straight sides. I bought my glasses at Pier One Imports.  Add your dressing first, about 1 – 2 TB.  I used 2 TB, the serving size on the Simply Dressed Salad Dressing labels.

The next layer is something that can sit in the dressing without absorbing it all or making it wilt if you are making these the day before.  Tomatoes, onions, olives, peppers, carrots and such.

Then layer away.  Think about how the layers will look next to each other.  Color and textures are key.

Make sure you lightly press these layers into place so you can keep it compact.  This will also help if you want to have the salad hold this shape when you flip it.  I don’t care either way, stacked on the plate or scattered to fill the plate, it all tastes great.

Oh and here is the best part, there is no wrong way to layer these salads.

You can also use this method with just about any salad recipe you have.  Take the list of ingredients and layer them instead of adding them to a bowl and mixing.  Here are a few salad ideas to choose from to get you started:

Chopped Salad

Pineapple, Bacon and Arugula

Vegan Slow Roasted Tomato and White Bean Salad

Grilled Jicama Bean Salad

Deadly Serious Beet and Spinach Salad

Chinese Chicken Salad

Vegan Jicama Salad

A Little Crunch of Cabbage 

Golden Beet, Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad

Arugula, Pear and Pomegranate Salad

Here are some of the stacked salads that I’ll be serving to my family:

Pictured here:

Simply Dressed Balsamic Salad Dressing with tomatoes, red onions, fennel, red peppers, spinach and beets.

Simply Dressed Ranch Salad Dressing with tomatoes, zucchini, red onions, cucumbers, mushrooms, hard boiled egg, romaine lettuce and carrots.

Simply Dressed Pomegranate Salad Dressing with tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, carrots, romaine lettuce and golden beets.

Other ideas:

Simply Dressed Champagne Salad Dressing with tomatoes, red onion, fennel, bacon, and romaine.

Simply Dressed Strawberry Poppyseed Salad Dressing with tomatoes, onions, spinach, almonds, dried cranberries and mushrooms.

Simply Dressed Caesar Salad Dressing with romaine, onions, cheese, kale, and jicama.

Simply Dressed Greek Feta Salad Dressing with tomatoes, olives, red onions, cucumber, green peppers, parsley and feta cheese.

Disclaimer:  “I was one of six bloggers selected by T. Marzetti Company to be a Simply Dressed Ambassador. They compensated me for my time, however, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.”

And now it’s your turn.  Here is your virtual salad bar.  Let me know what combinations you choose for your Individual Stacked Salads.

Leafy Greens

Vegetables

Protein

Fruit

Crunchy

Herbs and Starch

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Well I shared my Chicken Meatballs Recipe with you last week and I thought just in case you missed this recipe in my newsletter, you might like the side dish I served with them.  So here are my gluten and dairy free Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon.

If you’re thinking you don’t like Brussels sprouts I challenge you to make these to give them a try.  I know you’re thinking about those over boiled sulfurous smelling vegetables you were told to eat as a kid.  However, if you cook them properly you will have a delicious sweet dish.  Trust me, have I let you down yet?

What’s so good about this recipe?

1. Anything cooked with bacon tastes great so why not?
2. They are loaded with Vitamin A and C plus healthy quantities of fiber, iron, phosphorus and potassium.

Start off with a good choice when bringing home your Brussels sprouts.  Look for firm, green, uniform sized Brussels sprouts with no browning leaves.   The smaller the sprout the sweeter and more tender they will be so if you’re taking the challenge because you think I just might be right, then go for the small ones.  Store loosely wrapped and no longer than 3 days as the longer they are around the more their flavor intensifies.  I love when I find them on a stalk and can pick them off myself.  They are in season from late August through March so go shopping now.  Let me hear how yours turn out.

What is one of the best things you can do for the people you love?  Feed them good food that is good for them.  If you have loved ones in your family that are picky eaters and it’s really hard to get them to eat good foods you’re going to love these meatballs.

I add lots of different ingredients in many different combinations.  I’ll share one combination for you to try but don’t be afraid to come up with your own combination.  Now once you have cooked these meatballs you’re probably wondering how to serve them.  You can do just about anything with them.  Serve them as is with a side of your favorite vegetables.  You can use them on top of a pizza, in a soup, on top of pasta, in a stir fry or on a sandwich.  I’m sure you’ll share other ways with me.

You can also change the overall flavor of the meatballs by choosing which spice combinations you use or what sauce you serve them with.  The basic idea is to get some nutrient dense foods mixed into the meat so they are eaten.

Make sure you read all the way down to the notes section for lots of options.  These were shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays and Book of Yum Kale Roundup.

January is Detox month over at G-Free Mom.  Every day this month a different blogger is sharing a recipe with you to help you eat fresh fruits and vegetables.  All the recipes will be gluten free juices, smoothies or soups.  I’m happy to be contributing to this event.  January is a great month to get ourselves back onto this path and using a detox is a great way to to jump start that.

You know there have been two words that have put fear into me, detox and green smoothie.  Detox sounded hard to do, restrictive and painful and green smoothies well those are just two words that didn’t go with each other in my mind.  Well that is until I’ve started on both.

I started making green smoothies after Ali at The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen shared one that didn’t seem too far out there so I gave it a try.  I actually liked it because it tasted more like the fruit than the vegetables.  I didn’t have a very good blender so I had to let it run a long time to get a smooth drink.  Now that I have my VitaMix I can make amazing smoothies in no time at all.  A fast and easy way to get really good nutrients into my body.

I’ve realized you can just about put any fruit or vegetable combination and come up with something that tastes good.  If you have an over powering taste, adding some cinnamon is a great trick to tame that taste and move it to something you’ll enjoy.  Oh and cinnamon is really good for you too!  I have gotten my husband hooked on these smoothies and now I’m working on my youngest son.

This kid does not like vegetables.  I have to get very creative to make something he’ll eat with vegetables and I have lots of secrets on that topic (promise to share soon).  We have over the past year increased his list of vegetables he’ll eat, but it’s not going to include a green smoothie in a glass right now.  So this smoothie has more fruit than vegetables but it’s a start.  I have gradually added in more darker green vegetables to this recipe and it has still maintained the good taste he’ll eat.  I add kale and spinach and serve it in a tall thermal cup from Starbucks and a dark colored straw.  He knows not to open the lid.  My hope is that he never reads this post or the gig is up on how many vegetables he’s really eating.

When you make a smoothie I think it’s more of an art than a science.  What I mean by that is you don’t have to put in exactly what you read in a recipe.  You add what you like or what you have on hand.  Just make sure you give it a taste before serving, especially if you are trying to hide something.

So this smoothie I’m sharing was first created by Melissa on Gluten Free For Good as Cherry Cabbage Chia Recovery Smoothie.  I’ve made it so much it felt like mine but it’s really her creation.  She adds yogurt and uses napa cabbage in hers.  I changed those items up according to our needs.  If you are looking for more smoothie ideas, food that’s not only good but good for your body and want to know why, go to her blog.   Everything she creates has been great.  Our family particularly loves her Healthy Power Bars.  Melissa is amazing and creates recipes that are packed with ingredients that are good for you on so many levels.

Friday Foodie Fix

This week’s Secret Ingredient for Friday Foodie Fix is tomatillos.  I love tomatillos.  I like to make Tomatillo Salsa and Creamy Tomatillo Salsa.  I also love to make Rick Bayless’ crockpot meal of layered chicken, tomatillios, onions, potatoes and pickled jalapenos.   I’ve added them to my Mexican Pizza and Mini Tomatillo Chicken Burgers.  They also taste great in soups and salads.

Last year I grew the tomatillos that are pictured here.  The plants were prolific and I lived on tomatillos.   This year I planted a purple tomatillo plant and I only harvested 3 so far.  Oh well, I always find the green ones at the farmers market.  I really wanted to make purple salsa like Andrea Meyers from Andrea’s Recipes.  It looks amazing and since they are freshly grown on her property, I’m sure it tastes amazing too.

If you have never played with tomatillos you really need to give them a try.  They are covered in these thin paper like husks that when you remove leave a sticky film behind.  It is easily rinsed off.   They are often called the Mexican green tomato and belong to the same nightshade family as a tomato.  Tomatillos are rich in Vitamin A and contain a good amount of Vitamin C.

If you have never tried tomatillos because you were afraid you wouldn’t like them or know what to do then this is the time to try them.  Next month I am hosting the blogging event known as Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free that was started by Naomi Devlin.  She authors the blog Straight Into Bed, Cakefree and Dried.  My theme for the event is Scared Silly!

These are recipes using foods you were scared to eat but once you tried them realized it was silly.  It’s really easy to participate.  Simply write your blog post and send me an email with the photo and the link to the post no later than Saturday, October 23rd.  I will then compile them all and share them in a post at the end of the month.  I hope you will join in and share your recipes.  Email your link and photo to diane at thewholegang dot org.  If you think you are going to participate let me know in the comments, on facebook or email.

Now if you have already created recipes with tomatillos please share them here and now.

Next week’s Secret Ingredient is ….Thyme

October 15- Grapes

October 22- Balsamic Vinegar

October 29- Pepitas

Who doesn’t love a creamy dairy free potatoes au gratin with a little ham that is gluten free and peas to top it off!  I’m a little late in sharing this but it’s never too late to add this to your menu.

This is another quick and easy meal if you have a few kitchen tools.  You know what they say, having the right tools is half the battle.   You’ll need a way to slice the potatoes so they are thin and the same thickness.  You have some options.  You could use a knife but I find it really hard to get them all the same thickness.  I use my food processor.  You could also use a Mandolin or V slicer.

For this recipe I had bought these peas fresh from the farmers market but you can use frozen peas too.  Please do not use peas from a can.  They are too mushy.  If  you don’t like Ham you can substitute chicken, pork, turkey and even a nice piece of fried fish would work.

Ingredients:

3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced thin

2 TB Butter – I use Earth Balance Buttery Spread, gf, df, soy free

1 cup Cheese- I use cheddar and mozzarella Daiya gf, df, sf

Celtic Sea Salt

Fresh ground cracked pepper

1/2 cup milk- I use almond milk

parsley for garnish

I Ham Steak cubed

1 cup fresh peas

Directions:

Fix your potatoes first and get them into the oven.  They take approximately 40 minutes to cook. The ham and peas are fast.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and prep the ingredients.

Rub the bottom of your casserole dish with the butter so the potatoes don’t stick.  Add a layer of potatoes with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  I like to overlap the potatoes just slightly and follow the edges of the pan no matter what the shape.  If using a round dish make rings until the bottom is covered.  Sprinkle with 1/4 of the cheese and 1/3 of the butter in little pats.

Repeat this until you end up with a top layer of potatoes.  Pour the milk on top, cover with foil and put into the oven to bake for 20 minutes.  At that point uncover the dish and add the remaining cheese on top and bake another 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

While the potatoes are cooking you have your pick.  Sort through the day mail, email, talk with the kids, walk the dog, sit and enjoy a glass of wine, chat with your spouse or anything else you fill your time with.  I like catching up with everyone but often it’s paired with walking the dog.

When the potatoes are cooling for that 5 minutes, add the ham to a pre-heated pan and warm through while it caramelizes on the edges. Toss in your peas and cook a little longer.  If you are using frozen peas allow a little longer cooking time.

This was shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesday’s on the Simply Sugar and Gluten Free Blog written by the talented Amy Green.

This was also shared on Penywise Platter Thursday on the delicious blog The Nourishing Gourmet.

Friday Foodie Fix

Today’s Secret Ingredient for Friday Foodie Fix is Honey!  Sweet sticky liquid gold.  A wonderful gift to us from bees.  I like honey in my tea, in my muffins, salad dressings, glazes and sauces.  The best honey I’ve tasted came from fellow blogger Shirley from gluten free easily.  Tastes amazing.  I’m not sure what types of flowers her bees hang out with but I like it.

This honey has also been showing up in my hot tea for the past week while I’m fighting off this nagging cold that won’t seem to bug off.  The honey does make my throat feel much better.

After reading Gluten-Free Girl and The Chef’s new cookbook, I’m looking for White Truffle Honey.  They use it in one of their recipes and it sounds amazing.  I have honey and I have white truffle oil.  I’m not sure if I can make my own or not.  I’m hoping to find some so I can taste the real thing.  I have lavender honey and creamed honey but that is the extent of my honey collection.

What types of honey do you have?  How do you use honey?  Share your stories and recipes.  I can’t wait to hear about different types of honey.  Feel free to share as many recipes as you like.  I’d love to see our totals hit an all time high.

Next week’s Secret Ingredient is ……. tomatillos!

schedule:

October  8- Thyme

October 15- Grapes

October 22- Balsamic Vinegar

October 29- Pepitas

Friday Foodie Fix

Today’s Secret Ingredient for Friday Foodie Fix is plums.  I have loved plums since I was a kid.  The dark sweet plums were always a summer treat.  Plums can be round or oval and 1 to 3 inches.  They can be yellow, green, red, purple, and indigo blue.  Fresh plums are available May through October so eat up now.   Plums are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium.   They are also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A and Vitamin K, and a very good source of Vitamin C.  Don’t forget most of their calories do come from natural sugars.  At only 30 calories each you may be wondering why you don’t eat them everyday.

One week at the farmers market I found both red and purple plums.  They were amazing.  I put them together for a wonderful plum sauce with a kick.  Well it actually had too much of a kick.  For some reason I thought 2 chocolate habaneros were better than one.  My oldest son and I liked it but my husband doesn’t like food that hot.  The only way to really cool it down would be to add some sour cream which would change the sauce completely.

Plum Sauce

1/2 onion and 1 clove garlic diced and softened by cooking in 1 tsp butter and 1 tsp oil.

Add that to your VitaMix along with 1-2 dozen organic plums (seed removed) 1 chocolate or regular habaneros (remove seeds and membranes-could start with 1/2 pepper), juice of 1 lime, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp clove, 1 TB honey, and salt.  Blend until smooth and return to saucepan.

Taste to see if you have a good balance.  You can add more honey, salt or spices.  If you want to add more heat with the pepper, add some back to the VitaMix along with the pepper to blend, then return to saucepan.  If you don’t have a VitaMix you can use a really good blender.

Now it’s your turn to share what you do with your plums?  Do you cook with them or just use them raw?  Do they bring back memories?  I hope you will share your stories and your recipes.

Next week’s Secret Ingredient is ……Honey.

As promised here is a listing of the upcoming Secret Ingredients!

September 24- Honey

October 1- Tomatillos

October  8- Thyme

October 15- Grapes

October 22- Balsamic Vinegar

October 29- Pepitas

Friday Foodie Fix

Today’s Secret Ingredient for Friday Foodie Fix is Chickpeas.  They are also called garbanzo beans and in Italy ceci.  Chickpeas are legumes.  They are round but with sensual curves and a pale creamish yellow color which is nothing like a lemon.  Firm texture and a nut like flavor fill your mouth.  You can even undress them by taking off the skins.  Chickpeas can be purchased canned and dried and are often found in many dishes from India, the Middle East, Mediterranean cuisine and even Mexican meals.

Chickpeas are a good source of zinc, folate, dietary fiber, protein and calcium.  So what’s not to love about chickpeas?

This week I shared two of my favorite recipes using chickpeas, La Cecina and Roasted Chickpeas.  I’ve also used them in my Pasta Fagioli, Amazing Toasted Nuts, Falafel, and  Tuna Chickpea Salad.

Now it’s your turn to share your recipes and ideas for chickpeas.  Please link to the recipe page with this ingredient and then link back to this post so people can find more chickpea recipes.

Please see the master page for Friday Foodie Fix with a complete listing of all the past Secret Ingredients and rules.  Coming soon a month schedule of Secret Ingredients for those who like to plan ahead!

Next week’s Secret Ingredient is …..Plums!

Yes, this week’s edition of 30 Days to a Food Revolution is written by me.  I’ve wanted to join in but wanted to make sure I gave lots of great bloggers a chance to share.  With this being  August with lots of people on vacation there was an open week.

Diane’s Recipe:  Italian Torta

Diane’s Tip:  Use what you have on hand, especially if it came from your garden or local farmers market.

This may sound silly but this is one of those meals I make when I don’t want to cook.  Now I realize I’m cooking but for me this is a no-brainer recipe because it’s a method and I’ve done it so many times I just don’t think about it.  This meal is also Budget Friendly and can be made in no time flat.  I like to serve it on a pizza paddle but it’s grain free!

Ingredients:

Eggs

Fresh Vegetables

Potato- white or sweet

Onion and Garlic

Tomatoes if going with Italian

Salty meat on hand like bacon

Herb from garden- I used basil, thyme, rosemary

Directions:

I’ve gone back to a little trick with bacon that is a great way to always have some ready to use without eating a whole package. (yep) First let me say I only use organic uncured bacon.  I don’t think I’ll ever go back.  When you open a package of bacon, take out what you don’t need at the moment and roll each slice individually.  Then I use that plastic wrap that is sticky but you can use any type.  I space out the bacon and cover it so each piece has plastic all around it.  It makes little packets of individual rolls of bacon.  Then when I need it I can just grab one or two pieces and save time and money.

I start this recipe by putting two of those frozen pieces of bacon in my skillet so they cook up nice and crisp and flavor my oil.  Once they are cooked remove the bacon to use as a topping.

Of course to keep this vegetarian either omit the bacon or use a vegetarian version.

Dice up the onions and potatoes.  Cook them in a little oil in the non-stick skillet.  I like to use Organic Virgin Olive Oil but Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil works great too.  Remove them from the pan.

Next saute whatever other vegetables you have.  I always have mushrooms around and this week I had zucchini from the farmers market.  Once browned remove from pan and combine with onions and potatoes.

Now you want to toss in your tomatoes and herbs.  These cute little round cherry tomatoes came from my garden.  This tomato plant is growing like crazy.  It’s taken over my front garden and I don’t do anything to take care of it.  Love that.

Once the tomatoes have started to burst open and start to char remove the herbs, add in your eggs that you have beaten for a few minutes.  The longer you beat the fluffier it will be.

When a little crust starts to form on the bottom add back the vegetables spread throughout the pan.  I also sprinkled it with fresh spinach leaves.  Add in some Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper and sprinkle with some Daiya cheese.  You can also top with basil.  I used both the green and the purple opal basil.  Oh and don’t forget to toss in the bacon.  Turn down the pan from medium high to medium.  If your pan is small you will need to put a piece of foil over the top to it will cook.  You can always finish it in the oven but I was in a hurry so I just used the foil even on a large pan.  Before serving top with basil.  I used both the green and the purple opal basil.  When the eggs look cooked you’re ready to eat.

I slid it onto the pizza paddle and cut it up like a pizza.  It was a great fast meal that went great with a glass of wine.

Shared this on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.

Back from vacation and still trying to unpack my bags and my stories.  They will be coming soon.  Coming back from the west coast to the east coast can really make me tired but I woke up bright and early on Saturday morning to head to the farmers market.  I picked up these tomatoes and peppers.  You can guess what I’ll be cooking with this week.

I love these orange tomatoes because they are so sweet.  So the first thing I made was a BLT.  Oh and to brag on luck, the cherry tomatoes are from my own garden.

These peppers will go into my pasta for dinner along with the Roma tomatoes, some capers, red wine, yellow squash and mushrooms.  Add in a little garlic, fresh basil, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

I also picked up some corn on the cob, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatillos and beets.  I’ll be using the beets in my smoothie tomorrow morning.  I need to go back and search on the ideas for the beet greens.  I don’t want to waste anything.

I also received a wonderful gift of POM juice from POM.  I can’t wait to start playing with it.  I love it in my smoothies but I want to bake with it, make sauces, and I will have to give Shirley’s gluten free easily’s Pomerdoodle Ice Cream a try.

I picked up some arugula this weekend too so I’m going to try some of the recipes shared last week on Friday Foodie Fix.

I’m also going to sort through my menus and pictures of food from my trip and try to recreate some of those great meals.

Now if you want a list of ideas for each day of the week, check out this week’s menu from last year- July 27th.

Have a great week!  I hope you will join in on for this week’s Secret Ingredient for Friday Foodie Fix- Whipped Cream!

More menus available on Orgjunkie.

Friday Foodie Fix

Today’s Secret Ingredient for Friday Foodie Fix is Arugula!  I love that peppery little green leaf.  If you happen to plant one in your garden be ready to be showered with lots of great harvests.  I planted on little plant last year and it spread like crazy and we were overflowing with arugula.

You will often hear Arugula called Rocket, especially if you watch Jamie Oliver’s show Jamie at Home.  He has more creative ways to use this little gem that are so tasty.  I like to add it to salads, sandwiches, pastas, and make pesto with it.  It was part of my Pesto Shrimp on Polenta Portobellos and Salad with Champagne Dijon Vinaigrette.

Arugula What do you like to make with Arugula?  Share your recipes here and don’t forget to link back to this page on your blog.  You can always check on any past Secret Ingredient and add keep adding in recipes.  If you add in an old recipe of yours, please go back and mention where you shared it and link back to that page here.

Next week’s Secret Ingredient is ……..Whipped Cream!

Friday Foodie Fix

This week’s Secret Ingredient for Friday Foodie Fix are peaches!  There is nothing like biting into a really fresh ripe and juicy peach.  But there are so many more ways to use peaches.  They taste great as a dessert but you can also use them in savory dishes with chicken and a nice white fish.

As I was writing this I realized I have not cooked with peaches in a long time.  Well that is going to have to change.  But I need some ideas.  Peach So please share your recipes using peaches here with Mr. Linky.  If your recipe is not ready, you can come back anytime and add in the link.  I will be highlighting all of the summer Friday Foodie Fix recipes at the end of the season.  To find all of the past Secret Ingredients, visit the Friday Foodie Fix homepage.

Next week’s Secret Ingredient is …………. Arugula!

Lately I’ve started watching the Cooking Channel to keep me company while I cook.  There are a few shows on there that keep my attention and sometimes I have to be careful not to burn my dinner when I get too engrossed.  I like David Rocco’s Dolce Vita and Roger Mooking Everyday Exotic. Today I’m sharing my version of Roger’s Curried Macaroni and Cheese, but mine is completely gluten, dairy and soy free.

My vegetarian son Andy who loves Indian food and I, were watching this episode together and he looked and me and said I had to make that for him.  Well what’s a mom to do.  So every trip to the grocery store I would look for the long green hot chile peppers.  When I found it I knew we were in business.  I also had to make sure I was stocked up on Daiya Cheese, Earth Balance Butter Substitute, gluten free pasta elbows and the gluten free flour.

This recipe is like most traditional macaroni and cheese dishes.  It starts with a bechamel sauce, add in the cheese and then the pasta.  When making a bechamel one typically uses equal measures of butter to flour.  This will make a rich thick sauce.  I love what Roger did with this sauce.  When melting the butter, he added in red onion and a green hot chile split lengthwise.  The flavors from those ingredients have a chance to combine before adding the flour.  It’s a great idea that I’m going to use as I continue on with my list of variations on Mac & Cheese.

I made this over the weekend and Andy had some leftover tonight.  He said it still tasted great and had held up well.  The only thing he would change would be to add in one more green chile for a little more heat.  I’m freezing the rest so we’ll see how that turns out on reheating.

Friday Foodie Fix

Today’s Secret Ingredient for Friday Foodie Fix is cherries.  I’ve had a love affair with cherries since I was a kid.  I have memories of walking through the farmers market eating an entire bag of cherries.  I like to use them in ice cream, smoothies, breakfast, lunch or dinner.  Yesterday I decided to melt some Enjoy Life Chocolate and dip the cherries into it.  The cherries I got from the farmers market didn’t have stems so I had to add toothpick so I could dip them and then pick up.  These were so addicting, I had to leave the house to stop eating them.

Cherries are said to date back as far as 300 B.C and were named after the Turkish town of Cerasus.  Cherry trees are known for their beauty and if you come to visit me in early April, you can attend the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.  There are so many things to share about cherries that you have to grab your Food Lover’s Companion for the rest. I’ll leave you with this last tip from the book: “… almond extract makes cherries taste more like cherries in baked desserts like pies, cobblers and cheesecakes…”

What are your tips for cherries?  What recipes can you share that use cherries?  I’m hoping someone will share some savory recipes besides all of the sweet ones I’m sure we’ll get.  I can’t wait to try them all.  Please use Mr. Linky to share and the comments section.  For all of the rules please visit our Friday Foodie Fix page.  Thank you for mentioning and linking to this page on your recipe page on your blog.

Next week’s Secret Ingredient is ……………….. Crab!

Friday Foodie Fix

Today’s Secret Ingredient for Friday Foodie Fix is raspberries.   Raspberries come in three main varieties- black, golden and red.  I’m only used red raspberries in dishes but have seen the golden ones at the market.  These little berries contain a fair amount of iron, potassium and vitamins A and C and are packed with antioxidants.  They are fragile and should be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days in a moisture proof container and in a single layer.   Some folks like to add raspberries to their lemonade.  I think that sounds great.  Raspberries are said to be great simply served with a little whipped cream.

But don’t let that stop you from cooking with them.  You might want to try Stephanie O’Dea’s  Turkey with Raspberry Chipotle Sauce Crockpot Recipe. She is the author of the blog A Year of Slow Cooking and the cookbook Make it Fast, Cook it Slow.

I’ve used frozen rasperries in my Berrylicious Shake and the dessert I made last night, Raspberry and Blackberry Pavlova but I forgot the  Whipped Cream (dairy free too).

What about you?  What are you making with raspberries?  Use Mr. Linky to share.  Please add a link to this post to the recipe post you share so we complete the circle of link love.  Make sure to share the link right to your recipe, not just your blog.  If you don’t have a blog leave a message and share what you are making.

Also, this is the last call for Homemade Hamburger Helper recipes and photos.  Can’t wait to share with you what has been submitted already.  Look for that next week sometime.

Next week’s Secret Ingredient is ….summer squash!

Wow, it seems so strange to be back to a “normal” blogging routine.  In case you totally missed it, from April 26th through June 4th there was a really special event going on.  30 Days to a Food Revolution.  There was so much amazing information shared.  I’m still sifting through it all and making sure you have all of the links on our dedicated page up at the top here, 30 Days.

It’s taking me days to sift through all of the tweets, comments and newsletter sign ups to draw winners for the cookbooks being given away.  I’ll be announcing those winners later so keep watch on Twitter, Facebook and here!

Tomorrow I have a treat for you.  Just in case you are already missing the 30 Days to a Food Revolution, not to worry.  Every Tuesday, for as long as I can, will be a guest blogger sharing their recipe and tip as we continue our 30 Days to a Food Revolution!

Make sure you check in on Friday to learn what the Secret Ingredient will be for Jun 18th when we start back with that weekly event.  If you have never participated in that event, well now is the time.  Check out our dedicated page to Friday Foodie Fix at the top of this blog for all of the details and past Secret Ingredients.

mushroom, spring onion, spinach, yellow squash, red onion, tomato, Old Bay seasoning, Daiya Cheese-mozzarella & cheddar (gf,df,sf)

Monday- Garlic Scapes Stir-fry with Salmon and Quinoa

Tuesday- Pork Tacos with stewed pickled  jalapenos, tomatillos, onions, and mushrooms, side of beans

Wednesday- Homemade Hamburger Helper

Thursday- Chicken Chow Mein

Friday- Farmer’s Market Veggie Pizza

Saturday- Leftovers

Sunday- Individual Lasagnas with homemade pasta

For more menus visit OrgJunkie.

Double Chocolate Clementine Vita-mix Cake

In February of 2007 I found out I could not eat gluten ever again.  Not too long after that I found out I couldn’t eat rice or dairy.  For the past 3 years I have learned how to convert my cooking pretty easily to accommodate this. I have finally started to take on baking as the last frontier in the world of making things for myself and my family.  Let me say it’s been a very long time since I’ve had a chocolate cake with chocolate icing.

Well the wait is over!  Let me tell you, I think I’m in love.  This chocolate cake with chocolate glaze is the most moist, delicious cake I’ve ever eaten.  It doesn’t have that strange texture you can sometimes get from gluten free baking.  My whole family is so excited.  They are begging me to make this cake again.  I had to search but I found one last bag of Clementines so we’ll be having cake again this weekend, but then not for some time.  Not because I couldn’t try it with oranges or another fruit, because we would over eat.

So if I were you I would stop reading this right now, run to the grocery store and grab any clementines left you can find.  If you are out of luck, well give it a try with some oranges.

I can thank Shirley from gluten free easily for helping to make this happen.  Back in December last year she shared her recipe for Double-Chocolate Clementine Cake on her blog and also through Friday Foodie Fix when the Secret Ingredient was Clementine.  As soon as I saw it I knew I was going to have to give it a try.  I had already decided 2010 was going to be my year to learn about baking gluten and dairy free.

With my husband’s birthday coming I thought this would be a great cake to make.  Now I happen to have a bad habit of not reading the entire recipe when baking before I start and it often gets me into trouble.

For instance I didn’t realize she had baked it in an 8 inch springform pan.  I only had a small one, around 5 1/2 inches.  So I quickly grabbed my cupcake pan.

OK, ready to go.  First thing it said was to cook the clementines for 2 hours.  What, we had to leave the house in 1 hour.  Well I was not going to finish my day with no cake.  Luckily I had just purchased a Vita-Mix Professional 500.  I’m still learning all about this wonderful machine but let me say, I don’t know why I waited so long to get one.  Yeah, it costs a lot of money but not like buying a car.  Save up a little at a time and get  yourself one of these gems.  Amazing smoothies, sherbets right from the container in 5 minutes and even hot soup!  Deep breaths Diane, deep breaths.  I’m so in love with this.  I really wish I had purchased it at the beginning of my gluten free journey.  Eating those amazing green smoothies is so good for your body.

But back to my cake dilemma.  So I thought with the soup setting on the Vita-Mix I am able to make steaming hot creamy soups in 5 minutes so why not clementines for this cake.  So I scrubbed them, tossed them in with a splash of OJ, set it to hot soup and pushed start.  I even Skyped Shirley to ask if this would work.  She had not tried it before but was anxious to hear.

When the Vita-Mix turned off, yes it automaticly turns off at the end of the pre-programmed cycles, I had a hot velvelty creamy mixture of clementines that looked divine.  It looked so good I had to taste it.  Wow, talk about tart.  Suggestion, don’t taste it until it’s baked into the cake.

So I baked the cake and cupcakes and set them out to cool.  The glaze also called to be made in a sauce pan so I thought, why not.  I tossed all of the ingredients into the Vita-Mix and hit hot soup.  The most amazing hot chocolate glaze came out of that pitcher I could have shrunk myself and jumped in.

So here is Shirley’s recipe with my adaptations.  As a serving suggestion that made this cake even better if you can imagine that, I served it with my Easy Gluten and Dairy Free Whipped Cream that I make from coconut milk.

One more thing that makes this cake even more special to me.  After I had made the cake and it sat out a day or two we decided to wait until the following weekend to eat it.  I wrapped it and tossed it into the freezer.  When we were ready to eat I took it out that morning so it could thaw.  It tasted like I had just made it.  So are you thinking what I’m thinking.  Move over shrimp and fruit, make room for a little more cake in the freezer!

Clementines creamed ready for chocolate cake

This was so effective that I had to take a taste, but don’t.  Wait until it’s baked into the cake with a little sweetness.

Dry ingredients for cake

Now if for some reason you already have this mixed together it would be like having your own cake mix that tastes better and costs less.

Chocolate Clementine Cupcakes hot from the oven

I got almost an entire pan of these cupcakes in addition to the cake.

Cooled cake waiting for glaze

When I took the cake out of the oven it was a little higher and then it settled.  After it cooled I took it out of this pan to pour the glaze over the top.

Chocolate glaze waiting to be tasted

UPDATE:  Made this again with Brad and he added chocolate chips from Enjoy Life.  Now it’s a Triple Chocolate Clementine Cake and man was it good.

Cake Ingredients:

5 clementines

1/4 cup orange juice

6 eggs

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 1/3 cups Honeyville blanched almond flour (or finely ground raw almonds using your Vita-Mix)  I tried jk gourmet almond flour and it worked great.

1 heaping teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder- I like Scharffen-Berger

Directions:

Scrub your clementines and cut into quarters.  Check for seeds and remove if you find any.  Add your orange juice and clementines to the Vita-Mix, secure the lid and select the Soup setting.  If you have an older version check the directions for the setting used to make hot soup.  This setting takes 5 minutes.  You may need to tamper the clementines a little at first but the quickly incorporate.

During that time I mixed together the remaining ingredients, greased and lined my spring-form pan with parchment paper, put cupcake papers in that pan and cleaned my knife and cutting board.  When the clementines were done I put them into a bowl so they could cool a little.  I was afraid if I mixed them right in with the eggs I would end up with scrambled orange eggs.

Mix everything together and pour it into your prepared spring-form pan or cupcake pan or both like I did.  Bake at a 375 degree oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour.  With my pan being smaller than the size Shirley used, it took closer to 40 minutes to bake and so did the cupcakes.  Make sure you test it with a toothpick that after inserted comes out clean.  Shirley’s tip is to cover the cake with foil after 40 minutes so the top doesn’t get too brown.

Now is the time to be patient.  Let this cake cool before you spring it loose.  But of course the cupcakes are ready a little faster.

Glaze Ingredients:

4 TB of water

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 TB Olive Oil

2 pinches of Salt

This is a double version of Shirley’s glaze recipe.  If you are making cupcakes you need more since you are covering more surface area.  If you are making just one cake you can go back to a single recipe and cut this in half.  But, nothing wrong with a little extra glaze!

Glaze Directions:

Put all of the ingredients into the Vita-Mix and use the hot soup setting.  When it’s done just pour it over your cake and cupcakes.  Of course don’t forget to put some wax paper under your cooling rack to catch any glaze that might drip off.  After it cooled we pulled the paper out and peeled off the chocolate drips.   It was like eating Dots.  Remember that candy that comes on a long sheet of paper.  Not sure if it’s still around but that chocolate glaze was not to be missed.

This is one terrific cake and I hope if you make it you will send us your photos too.
Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

This was also shared on Gluten Free Wednesdays and Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.

Friday Foodie Fix

This week’s Secret Ingredient for Friday Foodie Fix is carrots.  I love to munch on carrots and so does the Easter Bunny.  Don’t forget to put some out for him.  I love carrots.  They’re delicious, cheap, great raw or cooked and pack in tons of Vitamin A.  One of my strongest memories from being a kid was my dad pulling up carrots from his garden, hosing them off and eating them right there in the garden.  I had no idea carrots could taste so good.  I wish I knew what type he grew because I would plant some in my garden.

If you buy carrots with the greens still on top remove that greenery as soon as possible because it removes the moisture and vitamins from the roots.  Store your carrots in a plastic bag in the refrigerator buy not near apples that emit ethylene gas and that can give carrots a bitter taste.  Make sure when buying carrots they are firm and have no cracks.   If your carrots become limp, re-crisp them in a bowl of ice water.  If you are using shredded carrots in a recipe that calls for 2 1/2 cups, start with 1 pound of fresh carrots.

I think carrots are often over looked or maybe a last minute thought.  Well they can be around my house.  I love roasted carrots and in the past my family has not so I stopped making them.  Well now that they are eating more healthy with more real foods I think I’m going to give them another try.  Adding fresh ginger with some salt and pepper is one of the ways I like to roast them.

I also love carrot cakes.  For my birthday last year I made Elana Amsterdam’s of Elana’s Pantry recipe from her Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook and it was amazing.  I also love the muffins Ali Segersten from The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen has in her Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook and make them often.  I also want to have a replay on the Glazed Carrots I made last summer with the North African Meatballs.

Do you eat carrots or just feed them to the bunnies?  Do you prefer them raw or cooked?  Do you use a recipe when making carrots or do you just wing it?  Please share your recipes with Mr Linky or your non- recipe recipes in the comments section.

Next week’s Secret Ingredient is ………..Plantains!

Wow, is that a mouthful or what.  Alright now those of you who, like me, say you don’t like beets or you’ve never had them please keep reading.  I had never eaten or cooked beets before creating this recipe but I said I would make the salad course for our Gluten Free Progressive Easter Dinner Party.  This salad came to me as I was falling asleep the other night and I was hoping it would taste as good as I imagined it would look.  Well I hope this looks great because that’s how it tasted.

The beets have a mild sweet taste that pairs really well with the creaminess of the avocado, the bite of the greens, the crunch of the nuts and the sweet citrus of the orange.  It was like a little party in my mouth.

Now that I’ve eaten roasted beets I don’t know why it took me so long to give them a try.  This was an easy salad to make but it can be messy if you don’t wear gloves and keep a wet cloth on hand.   Make sure you check out the notes at the end for a few options.  I hope you will give this a try even if it’s something new.  Don’t you think this makes a great colorful presentation for an Easter dinner?  If you make this please take a picture and send it in.  I’d love to share your creations.

Next on the stop for our Gluten Free Progressive Easter Dinner Party is Katrina from Gluten Free Gidget with our main course.  On Thursday Shirley from gluten free easily will be serving a side dish and on Friday she will be serving our dessert.  If you missed the Deviled Eggs appetizer yesterday please visit Shirley for that recipe and make sure you read the story of the plate.

This recipe will make 4 plates as shown.

This recipe was shared with Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Gluten Free Wednesdays.

Ingredients:

1-2 Organic yellow beets roasted, peeled and sliced

1-2 Organic red beets roasted, peeled and sliced

1 cup water

2 slices of red onion

1 organic avocado sliced

2 orange cut into segments

4 handfuls of frisee

1 handful of watercress

4 tsp toasted pine nuts

juice from orange

9 tsp Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6 tsp Sherry Vinegar

Celtic Sea Salt and white pepper to taste

Directions:

Scrub the beets and cut off greens.  Now I’ve heard you can cook those greens like you would spinach but this was my first time with beets so maybe next time I’ll give that a try.  If you have cooked beet greens please share your experience.

Now you want to keep the yellow beets seperated from the red beets or your will only have red beets.  Toss the yellow beets with 1 tsp oil and 2 tsp sherry vinegar first, then the red beets next.  Cover a cookie sheet with foil and make a little ridge with the foil to seperate the beets.  Make sure you pull up the sides and create corners with the foil to hold in the liquids.  Place the red beets on one side and the yellow beets on the other side.  Add a total of 1 cup of water to the tray.  If you have the same amount of beets on each side then just divide it evenly.  Cover with foil, seal the edges and bake for 60-75 minutes.  You can test the beets with a fork.  It will not be the same consistency as a baked potato but the fork will move into the beet when cooked.

Once the beets have cooled put on gloves to peel them.  If you don’t you will look like a dyed Easter egg which may stay on you until next Easter.  Peeling a roasted beet is super easy.  I used the edge of a tablespoon and just scraped the skin right off.  I then placed it onto a piece of parchment or waxed paper to keep my cutting board from getting stained.

Cut each beet into 1/4 inch slices.  Make sure you wipe down the knife before changing colors.  Segment the orange (over the bowl you’ll mix the dressing into), slice the avocado and red onion and wash up the frisee and watercress.    For a good representation on how to segment an orange visit Vegan Yum Yum’s post on Making Pretty Orange Segments, AKA Supreming.

I like to squeeze any extra juice from the orange membranes and any that got cut away in the skin, into the bowl.   Add in 4 tsp of sherry vinegar and 8 tsp of organic extra virgin olive oil.  Whip it with your whisk until it emulsifies.  Add in salt and pepper to taste.  That means taste it before you pour it over you salad so you know you like the taste.

For the presentation I started with a bed of frisee.  Then I added the avocado and orange segments.  Next came the sliced beets topped with the red onions, pine nuts and watercress.  Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve.

Notes:

Do not assemble this salad until just before serving.  The red beets will bleed onto the yellow beets and avocados.

For a less formal presentation you can cut the beets separately into chunks along with the avocado.  Also you can cut the orange segments in half.  Start with the frisee but into the center place the two colors of beets.  You could have red on one side and yellow on the other or add them randomly.  Around that center circle place your cut up avocados and oranges.  Sprinkle the red onions, pine nuts and watercress on top and drizzle with the dressing.

If you eat dairy small pieces of goat cheese would be a great addition to this salad or if you prefer feta.

If you are not a fan of pine nuts feel free to leave them out but I would still add something in for that crunch factor.   Walnuts would be a good option.

One last thought, you could always use a separate pan for each color of beets so the colors don’t run together when you roast them.

I love soup all year round but especially when it’s cold out.  I also like fast soups that taste like a soup that has cooked all day long.  Here it is!  Beef Brisket Vegetable Soup relies on your leftover piece of brisket and the stock it made while cooking.  I’ve shared two of the many ways to season and cook the beef.  For more details on that please read Gluten Free and Dairy Free Comfort Food is Good Anytime and Beef Brisket. Not only will you have soup in under thirty minutes, but it will cost you pennies for the pot!

Keep in mind this is a method recipe.  You can create this same type of soup with a roasted chicken, turkey or pork butt that you’ve cooked in your crockpot and saved the stock it created and the have some leftover protein.

Ingredients:

1 stalk organic celery sliced

3 organic carrots peeled and sliced

1 large shallot diced

4 small to medium Yukon Gold Potatoes rough chop

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup filtered water

3-4 cups beef brisket stock

1 piece beef brisket – size of your fist

Directions:

Prepare your vegetables.  I left the skin on my potatoes but you can peel them if you like that better.  I was going for speed as I was very hungry.

Heat your soup pot between medium high and high.  Add the oil into the hot pot and the celery.  Once that starts to soften add in the onion and carrots.   Let them cook up a little, then add in your water and potatoes plus the seasoning.

Bring to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the carrots and potatoes start to soften.

Now add in your parsley, thyme, beef brisket stock and the meat.  Before you add in the meat you will want to shred it and take any big chunks of fat off.

Heat this until it starts to boil then turn down to low to keep warm.  Taste for seasonings as you may want to add salt and pepper.  However with this being the stock that was created when cooking your seasoned beef brisket, it should already be packed with flavor.

Serve when ready to eat!

Notes:

You can use a yellow onion if you don’t have shallots.  Just make it around a tablespoon on diced onion.

Add in whatever vegetables you have on hand and enjoy in your soups.  If the soup is just for me I add in some frozen green beans and peas.   I also really like mushrooms in this soup.

You’ll also find this dish on What Can I Eat That’s Gluten Free and Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.

For years I used to make a hot spinach and artichoke dip and served it in a bread bowl.  We would inhale it at parties and people would beg for it at my Super Bowl Party.  It’s been some time since I made it last and to eat it now it would need to be gluten and dairy free.   For some reason I decided it would be best served as a pizza instead of a dip.  Scott thought I was crazy, Brad scrunched up his nose and the dog sat and listened attentively.  Good dog.

So tonight I finally made this creation.  Brad wanted no part of it which was just as well.  He had a plain Pulled Pork Pizza, no sauce or cheese.  But Scott and I dined on an amazing creamy delicious and very filling Spinach and Artichoke Dip Pizza.  Yes, it was gluten and dairy free but you can make it however you want.

This will most likely make an appearance at my Super Bowl Party.  I use the dip recipe to make 2 pizzas with a thinner topping on a rectangle pizza and cut into squares.  One can’t be worrying about if your food will fall apart when you’re watching the big game.  Around here it’s pick it up and stuff it in and don’t miss a play!

Now if the whole thing on a pizza causes you frown wrinkles, you can just keep this a dip!

Ingredients:

1 box frozen chopped spinach

1/2 red onion diced

3-4 cloves of garlic diced

1/2 can of artichoke hearts, rough chopped

1 large roasted red pepper, diced

1 tsp thyme

4 oz cream cheese – I used Tofutti made from soy

2-4 TBS sour cream- I used Tofutti made from soy

1 cup white wine 1/2 cup chicken stock- can substitute vegetable stock

2 tsp arrowroot

Celtic Sea Salt Course

ground black pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Butter – I use Earth Balance Buttery Spread Soy Free

Pizza Crust- I use Chébé All Purpose Mix (found at grocery store & in my shop)

Red pepper flakes- optional topping

Directions:

First thing to do is thaw your box of spinach and then get every last drop of liquid out.  To do this I put it into a kitchen towel and squeeze it until no more liquid comes out.  The towel really helps with the torque of twisting.

Heat the oil and butter on medium high until the oil ripples.  Add in the onions and cook until they start to become tender.  Add in half of your garlic and cook for another minute. Now add in your red pepper and thyme to heat for one more minute.  Pour in the wine and stock.  Reduce to 1/2 to 1/3.  

Now add in your artichoke hearts and heat through.  Add in your spinach and combine.  At this point you can either sprinkle with the arrowroot or create an arrowroot slurry. Turn off the heat and add in the cream cheese and sour cream.  Combine well.  Add salt and pepper and taste.   Adjust to your liking.

Mix together your pizza dough and roll is out.  I like to use cornmeal to keep it from sticking to my rolling pin and pan.  As far as pizza dough mix goes I can’t tell you about very many of them.  I cannot eat rice and so many use rice flour that I’ve not tried them.  I can however tell you about Chébé.  I love it.  It mixes together fast and easy.  I’ve used it to make calzones, Stromboli, bread sticks, and countless types of pizza.  It’s next performance will be buns for my sliders.  Have the cute little cutter and all.  Back to pizza!  For this pizza I used the All-Purpose Mix because it’s free of spices.

To really make this pizza pop I made a garlic paste to coat the edges or crust part your hold.  Let me say this took my Spinach and Artichoke Dip Pizza from good to amazing.  Don’t skip this step.  If you’re afraid to make a garlic paste don’t be.  You really can’t mess it up.  But let’s say you’re out of fresh garlic by all means use minced or granulated garlic.  Don’t skip this step!

To do this take your chopped garlic and add a generous pinch of salt to cover.  Take the side of your chef knife and place it at an angle on the mix.  Pull it towards you and press the garlic into the board.  Also use  a circular motion while pressing.  You are trying to flatten it with your knife.  Keep pushing the mix back together into a pile and then spreading it out with your knife.  This is how you break down the garlic and create a paste.

With your dough rolled out, brush the edges with olive oil.  Now distribute the garlic paste around the edges.  Add your spinach and artichoke dip into the center of the pie and bring it out to the crust that you’ve created with the garlic but don’t cover it.  Bake according to the dough directions. (mine took 25 minutes)  I like to eat my slices with a generous sprinkle of red pepper flakes.  This is a very filling pizza that is piled high with the dip.

Notes:  To make this dip go a little further it really is enough for 2 pizzas with a thinner layer of dip.  I would definitely do that if I was serving it at a party.  Make a large rectangle pizza and cut it up into squares.

If you eat dairy feel free to mix in a 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese to the dip.  You can also used regular cream cheese and sour cream.

To keep this vegetarian and vegan, use vegetable stock instead of chicken.

For a twist you can add in crab to your dip before spreading on the pizza.

If you’re looking for gluten free casseroles, check out the Gluten Free Homemaker.

This is my winter version of Roasted Tomato and Basil Soup.  In the winter there are no fresh local tomatoes.  Buying tomatoes at the grocery store means they are coming from far away and I know they will not be as amazing as those fresh picked summer tomatoes.  Oh I how love those summer tomatoes.  But, now that it’s winter I have to rely on canned tomatoes.

This time of year is for me the best time of year for soup.  I’m excited to share this recipe as part of the Gluten Free Light Winter Warmers Progressive Dinner.  I am hoping to gather many more soup and stew recipes.  Check out the whole schedule at the bottom of this post.

Ingredients:

1 large can Fire Roasted Whole Tomatoes

1 large can Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes

1 large can Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes

1 large organic onion diced, Cippolini or Vidallia sweet are recommended

4 large cloves of garlic chopped

5 ounces of fresh basil leaves

Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

1-2 cups of filtered water

Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/3 pound thinly sliced prosciutto

Directions:

In a stock pot, saute the onions until soft and starts to brown.  Add in the garlic and combine.  Add in the tomatoes and basil.  Take off the heat and using your immersion blender, blend all until smooth.  If you don’t have an immersion blender you can spoon the soup into a blender a little at a time then return to stock pot.  Taste and adjust with salt and pepper.  Simmer for 30 minutes.

Topping:

Pre-heat oven to 350.  Place slices of fresh prosciutto on a foil lined baking sheet and bake in oven for 18 minutes until firm and almost crisp.  Take out and let cool before you crumble.  This is a wonderful topping for this tomato soup.  Of course if you would like to keep this a vegetarian/vegan soup omit this topping.

Notes: If you want to use just one type of canned tomatoes use the Fire Roasted Whole Tomatoes.  You are going to get a lot more flavor from whole tomatoes than crushed.  You’ll notice it immediately.

Gluten Free Light Winter Warmers Progressive Dinner Party

Monday January 18th Karen from Cook4Seasons made Creamy Potato Leek Soup and Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Gluten Free Croutons by Alison from Sure Foods Living.

Tuesday January 19th - Winter Fire Roasted Tomato Soup w/ Prosciutto Topping from Diane- The W.H.O.L.E. Gang.

Wednesday January 20th -Mexican Seafood Soup from  Diane- The W.H.O.L.E. Gang and SeaMaiden from Book of Yum with a Vegan Un-Chicken Roasted Vegetable Soup.

Thursday January 21st – Amy from Simply Sugar and Gluten Free servedBlack Bean Chili with Butternut Squash & Swiss Chard and Shirley fromgluten free easily shared Wassail.

Friday January 22nd -Ali from The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen served Moroccan Chickpea and Potato Soup.

Friday Foodie Fix

Eww . How dare you.  That’s what my son said when he saw that broccoli was our Secret Ingredient for Friday Foodie Fix.  I guess he thinks no one will share any recipes for broccoli or that they will and I’ll make them for him to try.  So let’s get him eating more broccoli and share some recipes here.  I’ll see if I can sneak a few pics of him trying them out.

Broccoli originated in the Mediterranean as a form of wild cabbage.  You may have heard about broccoli raab or brocoletti di rape which is not directly related to broccoli but looks like it would be.  However broccolini is a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale.  So are you confused or did that clear everything up?

Broccoli is an excellent source of folate, phytonutrients like betacarotene and lutein, manganese and potassium.  A cup of broccoli has as much calcium as a cup of milk and broccolini is rich in vitamins A and C, folate and potassium.    But can you do more than steam or boil it?  You sure can.  How about braising it very slowly with garlic, lemon juice and olive oil.

How do you prepare your broccoli?  I can’t wait to try out your recipes on my family!  Use Mr. Linky to share your recipe and please link back to this post.

Next week’s Secret Ingredient is …………. Clementine!

I served these Cranberry Chocolate Nut Truffles at Thanksgiving and they were a big hit.  They are super easy and fast to make and of course gluten and dairy free.  They are also soy free!  If you find out you need to take a treat with you to a party and you’re leaving in 15 minutes, you’re saved!  Make and take these treats.  This recipe is part of today’s’ No-Bake Gluten Free Desert Progressive Dinner Party theme.

UPDATE:  This recipe was shared on Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays!

Here is the entire schedule for the Gluten Free Dessert Progressive Dinner Party.  If you missed anyone make sure you go back to see what great treats they created.

Monday December 7th Baked Desserts with Shauna-  gluten free girl and the chef made Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls,  Alison-  Sure Foods Living made Grandma Anne’s Butterhorns, and Ali-  The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen made Soft Molasses Cookies.

Tuesday December 8th Frozen or Chilled Desserts with Shirley- gfe gluten free easily made Honey Cinnamon Grand Marnier Ice Cream and me The W.H.O.L.E. Gang made Chocolate Sorbet with Roasted Chocolate Nibs.

Wednesday December 9th Chocolate Desserts with Karen- Cook4Seasons made Raw Goji Berry Truffles and Ali- The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen made Milk Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting.

Thursday December 10th No-Bake Desserts with me, The W.H.O.L.E. Gang.

Friday December 11th Favorite Desserts with Melissa- Gluten Free For Good made Babycakes Brownies and Jean- Gluten Free Organics made Ready in a Week Fruitcake.

Warning- these truffles are so easy to make and taste so good you can get carried away and keep making and eating them.  Pace yourself, it’s a long holiday season.

This recipe makes approximately 40 truffles.  I tried to count when I was done but people kept stealing them off the tray.

If you missed the big announcement yesterday, read up on how you can win a cookbook.

Ingredients:

1 cup organic raw Almonds

1/2 cup organic raw Pecans

1/2 cup organic raw Walnuts

10 large Medjool Dates, pitted

1/2 cup dried organic Cranberries (I used fruit juice sweetened)

1 1/2 cup melted chocolate (I used Enjoy Life-gluten, dairy and soy free)

Directions:

Chop your nuts in a food processor.  I would recommend you do the almonds first before you add in the other nuts if you want smaller almond pieces.

Put chopped nuts into a medium mixing bowl.

Add your dates to the food processor to chop.

Add those into the nut mixture.

Now add in your dried cranberries.

Melt the chocolate and combine with your nut, date and cranberry mixture.

Scoop out about a tablespoon of this mixture and form a ball.  Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Do this quickly before your chocolate hardens.  For this reason I would not double this recipe, but make it twice if you want more.

Substitutions:

If you don’t have the dried cranberries, you can always leave them out.

You could add just about any type of dried fruit to this recipe.  Raisins, blueberries, raspberries, papaya, pineapple, apricot, fig, prunes, goji berries, coconut or ginger.  Each change will give you a different taste.  Make sure if it’s a large dried fruit that you chop it down to raisin size.

Jerk Seasoning

Having a dry Jerk Seasoning on hand is great for those times  you want to infuse the Caribbean flavors into your meals.   There are many good Jerk Seasoning mixes available.  Each one is a little different.  Penzeys has both a Jerk Pork and a Jerk Chicken & Fish Seasoning.  They both have the basic ingredients with the Jerk Pork seasoning having cinnamon, anise, cloves and mace while the other has more of smokey heat with cumin, chili and jalapeño.

While I like buying the pre-mixed seasonings, I also like to mix my own so I have more control over the flavor I want.  This mix can be used for fish, chicken, pork and even grilled vegetables.  At Penzeys you can  buy the individual seasonings with an empty bottle.   I like that they sell these empty containers in many sizes.  This way you can get creative!

Quick gift giving tip.  If you love to cook or know someone who does you can get great gift boxes from Penzeys.  You can order them online.  For packing materials they use cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and bay leaves.  How cool is that!

I used this Jerk Seasoning in my Cubano Jerk Burger.  Check back tomorrow for that recipe.

Ingredients:

1 TB ground allspice

1 TB ground nutmeg

1 TB thyme

1 tsp Ceylon cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp toasted onion powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp granulated garlic

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 TB black Tellicherry pepper

1 TB organic sugar

Directions:

Measure, mix, pour into your container.  Wish there were more directions but this really is just that simple.  This all fit into my 1/4 cup jar.

This was submitted to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free.  Check out all of the recipes shared.

When I was traveling to San Francisco I had an amazing meal of Lemongrass Chicken at The Slanted Door.  I’ve wanted to try and recreate it ever since.  Well one night I just couldn’t wait any longer and created this dish with what I had on hand.  The ingredients are a little different but it worked.

I did not have any green onions or fresh jalapeño peppers.  I did have a jar of pickled jalapeño peppers that I drained and rinsed.  Not as good but will do in a pinch.  I also added soy noodles and a red bell pepper just to add more volume and fresh taste and texture after using the jarred jalapeños.

The nice thing about this meal was it was cooked in one pan and ready in under 30 minutes.  To speed up the process you can cut your red onion and start cooking with that while you are cutting up the rest of the vegetables.  If you are using the fresh jalapeño  peppers, work with those first so you can get those hot oils off your hands.  If you are not use to preparing your shrimp, this will take a little time the first time you try it.  You will get very fast at this skill in no time.

Don’t forget to read all the way to the end for your notes and substitution ideas.

Ingredients:

1-2 TB Sate Paste

2-3 tsp fish sauce – I used Thai Kitchen that states it’s gluten free

1 stalk lemongrass or 1-2 tsp dried lemongrass

6-8  jalapeño peppers sliced on angle with seeds removed

4 red hot chili peppers left whole

2 green onions sliced

1/2 -1 red onion sliced

1 red bell pepper sliced thin

1 pound 26-30 shrimp or whatever size you have, butterflied

handful of peanuts, rough chop

Celtic Sea Salt & pepper to taste

2-3 tsp Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1-2 tsp Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

1 package of soy noodles- these are already cooked and heat up fast

See bottom of post for substitution ideas.

Directions:

First prepare your ingredients.  I also prep the shrimp and then put them back into the refrigerator to stay cold until I’m ready to put them into the pan.

To butterfly your shrimp, run your knife along the back of the shrimp almost all the way through the shrimp but not.

Butterflying your shrimp

This should allow the shrimp to open flat.

If you butterfly your shrimp, it will make your shrimp look twice as big when it cooks up and will give it more area to absorb the seasonings.  Great when you are using a smaller shrimp and a full flavor seasoning recipe.

First you want to saute the red onions, jalapeno and red peppers, not the chili peppers,  in a medium high pan with a little combination of oil.  Remove them from the pan before they are soft.  You want some crunch to your vegetables.  I add them to the bowl I’ll be serving from.

Save cooking your shrimp until last.

Keep your pan on medium high.  Once hot add the oil and then the shrimp.  Make sure your shrimp are dry or you will be steaming your shrimp.

As the shrimp cooks you can see them opening up.

Before the shrimp are over cooked, add in the Sate Paste and fish sauce to coat the shrimp.  This should take only a minute to get them all coated. Add back the vegetables and combine.   I used both the fresh lemongrass and dried.  Make sure you taste it to see if you want to add more Sate Paste.  Now add in your green onions, red chili peppers and chopped peanuts. If you are using dried lemongrass add that too.  Taste again and adjust the salt and pepper.

For the soy noodles that came in a pouch with liquid, I drained them in my fine mesh colander and ran them under hot water.  Toss into pan to combine and put all back into the serving bowl.

Note:  If you use fresh lemongrass you will want to cut it into long pieces that you can pull out before you serve.  When making this dish I only had 1/4 of a red onion.  It will work best with the 1/2 – 1 whole onion unless you have a monster red onion.

If you don’t like spicy hot do not bite into the hot peppers.  If you leave them whole they will only flavor the dish and not make it hot.  Make sure you take all of the seeds and membranes out of the jalapeño peppers and again, you will have more flavor than heat.  If you leave any of the white membrane you will have heat.

Substitutions:

You can make this dish with chicken instead.  I would use a combination of both breast and thigh for the most flavor.

As far as noodles, feel free to use your favorite type.

Also, using fresh jalapeño peppers is recommended.

If using shrimp you can use a larger size or smaller size.  I would still keep it to one pound.  You can also remove the tails if you don’t want to use your fingers when eating.

If you did not make your Sate Paste ahead of time you can use the Thai Kitchen Chili Paste and add in more peanuts.

I love bacon and anytime I can cook with it I do.  I know, yell at me now but I only use organic bacon.  Now I’ve made Gluten Free Jalapeno Poppers before, but never without dairy.  Well when I opened Ree Drummond’s new cookbook The Pioneer Woman Cooks and saw BBQ Jalapeño Poppers, I knew I had to get busy adapting her recipe so I could eat it.

First let me talk about this new cookbook.  It is beautiful.  If you have not checked out her website, The Pioneer Woman, go there first.  Then you’ll want to pick up her cookbook.   In The New York Times Dining section this week they described her book as “a portrait of a real American family kitchen”.  Throughout the book you get a glimpse into life on a cattle ranch, her family and the food from her kitchen.  I was fortunate enough to meet Ree and hear her talk at the BlogHer Food Conference in September.  She is just as down to earth in person as she comes across in her cookbook.  Now the recipes are not gluten free or dairy free so you will need to adapt them, but I think you will enjoy them.  If you have questions about changing up ingredients, just drop me a note.

Her recipe for the poppers is the first recipe in her cookbook.  I can’t wait to get busy on making more.

So, now on to my version of BBQ Jalapeño Poppers.  I’d like to thank Alisa Fleming from One Frugal Foodie and author of Go Dairy Free the book and the website.  She gave me the heads up on Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese.  I was looking for a good non-dairy substitute that was gluten free, non-hydrogenerated and didn’t taste like a foam cushion.  So I bought a container and I have to admit, I didn’t taste it until the poppers where cooked.  I was a little nervous and didn’t want to know if it tasted bad before it was cooked.

Well let me say, the BBQ Jalapeño Poppers tasted amazing.  They are so full of flavor and gluten and dairy free.  I’m in love.  I also made this recipe with pablano peppers for a mild version.  You can eat just one of those for a whole meal!

Now the filling for Ree’s BBQ Jalapeño Poppers was cream cheese, cheddar cheese and green onions.  I added a little more to the cream cheese mix.  You can really add whatever you like to the mix.

I’m also going to take Ree’s dare of putting two of these on my hamburger.  She warns of instant addiction and you know what, I bet she’s right.  I’m going to give that a try today with my leftover BBQ Burgers (ground beef mixed with BBQ sauce).

Update:  This was submitted to What Can I Eat That’s Gluten Free and Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.

On to my version of Gluten and Dairy Free BBQ Jalapeño Poppers!

Ingredients:

10 organic Jalapeño peppers

1 organic Pablano peppers

1 container Cream Cheese- I used Tofutti non-hydrogenerated Better than Cream Cheese

2 organic green onions, sliced

1 tsp crushed cilantro

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp toasted ground onion

1/2 diced organic avocado

12 slices organic bacon, gluten free- half slice for jalapeño peppers and full slice for a pablano pepper

Your favorite BBQ sauce – I used Organicville Organic Original BBQ Sauce with no sugar (find it in my Favorite Food section in the store)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 275 degrees.  No that is not a typo.

Carefully slice your jalapeño peppers in half and remove the seeds and membrane.  You can use a knife or spoon and you may want to even wear gloves to keep the hot oils off your hands.  If you don’t, make sure you get that oil off of your hands before you do anything else.  If you would accidentally touch your nose, eye or anywhere else on your body, it will burn like the dickens.  Run you hands under cold water, smacking them back and forth.  Then you can use some soap just for good measure, again with the cold water.

Mix together the cream cheese, green onions, seasonings, and avocado.

Spoon or using a tiny spatula, add the mix onto each jalapeño and pablano pepper.

Now you want to take your bacon and wrap it around the pepper.

Brush on the BBQ sauce and then secure the bacon onto the pepper with a toothpick.

BBQ Jalapeño Poppers

Cook in the oven for 1 hour.  This temperature and timing is how Ree cooked hers.  I thought at first that can’t be right but you know it worked perfectly.  That hour of cooking gave me time to get the rest of the meal ready.

I won’t lie, this takes time to put together.  But it is so worth it.  My mouth is watering now just writing about them.  I’m going to take the rest and freeze them for the next football game and these will definitely be at my Super Bowl Party.  I also think next time I make these I will make a double batch so I have more leftover for later.  They are that good!

Substitution ideas:

You can use any type of cream cheese and add in any other hard cheese to that mix you like.

If you want different flavors,  change up what you mix into the cheese and the type of BBQ sauce you use.

If you like it hot, leave in some of the membrane on the peppers.  Warning, I did that and when I say hot, I mean hot.

If you want to make these but you want a lower heat or not heat at all, try using a long red sweet pepper, red, orange or yellow bell pepper cut into quarters or the pablano and cubanella peppers that are mild.  You can always check the scoville scale or heat level of peppers.

If you can’t find organic produce, try for local and if that’s not available get what is.

Note:  I like strong flavors and the amount of cumin and cilantro did not stand out as strongly as I would like so I would add just a little more.  You should adjust to the flavors to what you like.