Cranberry Pistachio Cookies! GF, V, SCD & Breaking News!!

Tags

almonds, dairy free, dates, dessert, GF cookies, GF dessert, gluten free, grain free, SCD, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, vegan

Hey Hey Happy Tummies!! What a great week this is shaping up to be!

BREAKING NEWS!! As of tomorrow, I will be switching to BLOGGER!! But no worries, when you type “glutenfreehappytummy.com” into your address bar, it will automatically redirect you to my new site. Or, if you want to bookmark my new site, www.glutenfreehappytummy.blogspot.com that would be great too:) The only downside, is that those of you who get my posts via email will no longer be receiving them:( But I’ve got some really exciting recipes coming at ‘cha! It’s a new year and with it comes a whole slew of new recipes!

Including…….this one!! CRANBERRY PISTACHIO COOKIES!!!!

 

They’re Gluten Free, Vegan, and Specific Carb Diet friendly, and RAW!

Oh my gosh these were amazing. I ate the entire batch myself!! And I’m not ashamed!! :D

Here’s what you need:

1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup pistachios
4 dates
1/8 cup dried cranberries (unsweetened)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Garnish:
1/8 cup pistachios, rough chop
1/8 cup dried cranberries, rough chop

You ready for the easiest directions ever?!? THROW EVERYTHING IN THE FOOD PROCESSOR AND BLITZ THEM UP!! That’s it!! Let it run for about 1-2 minutes until a ball forms. Then, roll roughly a Tbsp of the dough into a ball, and then roll in the chopped pistachios and cranberries. Chill for at least an hour…or dig in right away if you can’t resist!

How amazing were these cookies…let me count thy ways! They were wonderfully chewy, with a nice crunch from the chopped pistachio coating. They were sweet and nutty with a slight tang from the cranberries! They were absolutely wonderful!

And so pretty too! The red and green made these so whimsical and fun! They looked like they were “bejeweled” or “bedazzled!” They’d be great for Christmas too!

They were gone before I could give any away to my friends or doormen! Oops! Looks like I’ll be making another batch this weekend!

Did you guys watch the People’s Choice Awards tonight? All I have to say is, “Way to Go Sandra Bullock!” She received the humanitarian award for her work with a New Orleans school. It was a really beautiful story:)

Alright, that’s it for tonight! Please be sure to bookmark glutenfreehappytummy.blogspot.com and check back tomorrow for another new recipe!

 

Almond Tortillas! Grain & Gluten Free!

Tags

almonds, asparagus, Body Ecology Diet, cilantro, dairy free, gluten free, guacamole, mexican, quinoa, Ulcerative Colitis, Wisconsin

Just a quick post tonight – Saturday summer evenings should not be spent indoors – there’s a dock waiting outside to star gaze on :)

beautiful sun off the lake!

So tonight, I channeled my inner “taco-rista” and made my own tortillas! With the Body Ecology Diet, all grains are prohibited except for quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, and millet. So, I made Grain (and Gluten) Free Tortillas made out of ALMOND FLOUR!

gluten-free, dairy free and body ecology diet friendly!

Let me preface by saying that my expectations were low low low! But these turned out to be amazing!! Truly! Not necessarily the most (wrap-able), but that’s probably because I didn’t roll them while they were warm (I had to wait for our company to arrive).

fresh and delicious!

And I bet you have all the ingredients right now!

guacamole makes everything better!

Grain and Gluten Free Almond Tortillas! (serves 1 — makes 2 tortillas)

1/3 – 1/2 cup almond flour
1 egg white
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp EVOO

Preheat oven to 375. Combine your ingredients together in a bowl with a wooden spoon. I will be seriously sticky — almost like paste! Then, divide the batter in half. Place half the batter on a piece of parchment paper. Put another piece of parchment paper on top and spread it out as thin as you can. LEAVE THE TOP PAPER ON…it will be a parchment paper sandwich! Do the same with the other half of the batter. Then, place the “parchment sandwiches” side by side on a baking sheet. Bake for 6 minutes as a parchment sandwich! Then, when you take them out of the oven, the parchment will fall right off! YUM!

peppers, asparagus, and onions, oh my!

And what did I do with these fabulous tortillas?! I made Quinoa Fajitas!

mmm!

Here’s what you need: (serves 1 with leftovers)

1/4 cup quinoa cooked in 1/2 cup veg stock
1 red pepper, cut into 1/2 in pieces
1 red onion, sliced, and then cut in half
4 stalks asparagus, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
veg stock
3 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp dried oregano
3 green onions, sliced
cilantro, chopped
1 recipe killer guacamole

Killer Guacamole:

2 avocados
3 Tbsp red onion, finely minced
squeeze of lime
1 garlic clove, grated
handful chopped cilantro
salt

Mash avocado with salt and lime juice with a fork. Stir everything in. Refrigerate. Delish.

While your quinoa is cooking (for 15 minutes), saute your onions in 1 tsp EVOO with salt, pepper, and your spices. Let them soften for about 5 minutes on medium, and then add in your asparagus. Let it cook for about 4 minutes. Deglaze with veg stock. Then, add in your pepper and garlic. Let those cook for about 5 more minutes. Then, take off the heat. When your quinoa finishes cooking and has absorbed all the liquid, stir in about 1 1/2 tsp of cilantro and a squeeze of lime (if desired).

To assemble:

Place your tortilla on your plate. Top with the quinoa, veggie mixture, green onions, guacamole, and fresh cilantro! YUM!!

such vibrant colors!

This meal was SO delicious! As you know, I have a special relationship with Mexican flavors — I love them:) Let me start with the almond flour tortillas — they were outstanding! I let them cool before using, so they weren’t pliable, BUT they were wonderful for my “open-face” fajita! I could pick it up like pizza and it held all the toppings! And not only is it high in protein, but it is delicious, with a slightly nutty flavor!

fiesta!!

And then the fajitas themselves were fantastic! There was a wonderful smoky – spiciness from the cumin and chili powder. The veggies had a fabulous crunch, and the quinoa gave it a nice “pop!” Topped off by the rich and creamy guacamole, it was an outrageous dish!

Any fun plans for Sunday?

Until Tomorrow!

GLUTEN FREE PUMPKIN MUFFINS!!!!

Tags

almond, breakfast, dairy free, dessert, eggs, GF muffins, gluten free, Maker's Diet, pumpkin

I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am to share this recipe.  First…a little background:

Every Christmas my mom makes this AMAZING pumpkin tea bread and gives it as gifts to our friends. It is so delicious and so full of gluten. I remember just eating the batter by the ladle-ful growing up…it was that ridiculously yummy. And she’d undercook it so it was still batter-y and wet in the very center. Ok..enough…I’m beginning to salivate.

Well anyway, pumpkin bread has been The #1 Thing I’ve missed since being gluten free.

But have no fear glutenless lovies: GF pumpkin goodness is here for the taking! And since its made with almond flour, you can even lick the bowl!!! (If you’re cool eating raw eggs).

yum yum yum!

I found this gem of a recipe here from Glugle Gluten Free Blog.

My only tweak to the recipe was that I used EVOO instead of grapeseed oil, and I was quite shy in the agave department. I baked mine for 19 minutes and they were perrrrrfect!

Their texture was delectable. They were super moist, yet light and airy! They were not at all dense, crumbly or chalky like so many other gluten free baked goods. They were truly a treat! And with only 1/4 cup of oil, you can enjoy them guilt free! Sounds like the perfect snack or morning goodie to me!

Enjoy and try not to eat them all in one day!

mmmmm!

Gluten Free Fried Rice with Mango Spring Rolls!

Tags

brown rice, carrots, chinese, cucumber, dairy free, eggs, ginger, gluten free, Maker's Diet, mango, peanut butter, peas, radishes, spring rolls, tofu

I’m back in Cincinnati after a great trip to the mountains. There’s nothing quite like being with family in the beautiful outdoors. It was a wonderful escape, but now, back to reality! And back to healing! I have to be honest: I deviated from The Maker’s Diet a tiny bit while I was there: eating different types of cheese and dessert. But now back to the straight and narrow!

Here’s a fabulous recipe that my whole family LOVED. Its Chinese Fried Rice with Mango Tofu Spring Rolls!

yummm!

This was so delicious. Hands down tasty. The creamy savoriness of the scrambled egg, with the salty sweet flavor of the tofu, along with the nutty chewiness of the brown rice was divine. Accompanied by the sweet peanutty crunch of the spring rolls; this meal was a flavor explosion in your mouth!

To make the tofu, I marinated the pressed and drained teeny tiny cubes of tofu in my tasty marinade found here.

To make the rice, it was pretty simple. Either use day old rice, or cooked rice. I started out by sautéing diced onions, carrots and minced garlic in 2 tsp of EVOO. In a separate skillet, I scrambled 1 farm fresh egg just until the whites were runny. (They will finish cooking when they get added back in with the rice). Set eggs aside in a small bowl. Once the onions and carrots have been sautéed for about 5ish minutes, add in the cooked tofu cubes and the rice. Also stir in 2 T tamari (gluten free soy sauce) mixed with 2 T water and a touch of grated ginger. Finally, stir in the scrambled egg and frozen peas. Yum!

For the spring rolls: you will need:

1 mango, diced

Several radishes, grated

1 cucumber, seeded and grated

1 carrot, grated

Cooked tofu cubes

Chinese rice paper spring roll wrappers

Bowl of warm water

Assembly: the rice paper is like brittle plastic when you buy it. To use: you have to soak one for about 5-10 seconds in warm water till it becomes pliable. Then spread it out on a plate and fill it with the radishes, cucumber, carrots, tofu and mango. Then roll it up like a burrito, and repeat! These yummy treats we’re served alongside this addicting peanut dipping sauce. Let me tell you, I could have eaten the whole bowl! It is that good!

1 T peanut butter

1 t agave

1 1/2 t apple cider vinegar

water to consistency

grated ginger

Mix all together and adjust to taste…add more cider if its too sweet.

This meal was a definite 10! Enjoy!

Gluten Free Bread Take 2!

Tags

dairy free, eggs, GF Bread, gluten free, Maker's Diet, olives

So here we are at the end of another day. Its easy sometimes to get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that we lose sight of what’s important, and forget what we have to be thankful for. Today, surrounded by my family in the beautiful outdoors, I was reminded how truly blessed I am to have a family that loves and supports one another. I am thankful for friends who care and love and accept you. Little blessings add up to big grace from above.

Now onto a recipe. Like I said, my mother and I have been trying to find a delicious gluten-free bread recipe. We found one that we thought would be amazing: an olive focaccia.

Let me preface this by saying that this bread was just okay.  It had a wonderful garlicky flavor, but the texture was lacking.  It was a BEAUTIFUL loaf of bread. But, it wasn’t the crusty, airy, chewiness that we were hoping for. That being said, we ate all the way around the outside where it was crusty, but left the center.

beautiful, yes...but...

I think if we would have rolled it out to be thinner, it would have achieved the crunchy crustiness we so desired.

...a little too dense

So here’s the recipe: from The Gluten Free Goddess. Make at your own risk!

Breakfast for Dinner!

Tags

avocado, breakfast, brown rice, dairy free, eggs, gluten free, green pepper, Maker's Diet, mushrooms, red pepper, spinach, tomatoes, Ulcerative Colitis

Things are looking up around here! The healing process is slowly inching forward with the higher intake of protein! And with the new addition of farm fresh pastured eggs to my repertoire, what better dish to serve then Breakfast for Dinner!

More specifically, this dish should be called Scrambled Egg and Avocado Burritos! This dish was YUMMO.

Check out that glorious brown rice tortilla!

I first sautéed onion, red and green pepper, mushrooms and spinach, and then poured in 5 whole eggs and 2 egg whites *beaten*. (this was feeding 3). I added salt and pepper and scrambled them up! I served it in a brown rice tortilla with some avocado slices and diced tomato on top.

Lets have a tortilla heart to heart.  For GF-ers, flour tortillas are obviously a “no no.” And corn tortillas, although they are a nice substitute, are chuck full of preservatives and usually made with GMO corn. Well, do not fret my wheat avoiding lovies. Food for Life makes AMAZING, I repeat, AMAZING brown rice tortillas. My parents even love them. Their texture is chewy and stretchy and rivals the flour tortilla! Since we discovered these at our health food store 2 weeks ago, I have literally eaten at least one every day!

Breakfast for Dinner was a very satisfying treat that I hope you try out! Happy tummies!