Pesto Remix!

Tags

cilantro, en papillote, gluten free, green pepper, Maker's Diet, mushrooms, pesto, vegan, wild rice, zucchini

What a weekend! It was so great having everyone together! Under our roof, we had 7 people and 2 dogs! This afternoon, the last of the crew left, and now we’re back to just three. I am so grateful for the memories created this weekend.

the first bloom of spring!

So with a strikingly quiet and calm house, I decided to use up some of the leftover veggies from this weekend. We had a random bell pepper, zucchini, and cilantro, plus lots of limes due to our healthy supply of beer!

yum!

I decided to make another Fish en Papillote (Fish in Parchment) — or in this case, tin foil! I served this with delicious Cilantro Pesto Rice!

such a beautiful presentation these canoes give!

We had a beautiful fillet of grouper from Lobsta Bakes that was wild, ocean-caught, and fresh from that morning! I made it “en papillote,” or in little tin foil canoes. I placed the fillets on beds of julliened vegetables, and they cooked in a steam bath of white wine, lemon and dill.

Here’s what you need:

1 green bell pepper, sliced thin
1 zucchini, sliced thin
4 mushrooms, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
fresh dill
white wine

ready to be sealed!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I portioned out my fish into 3 servings, and seasoned with salt and pepper. I laid out 3 large sheets of tin foil and laid a bed of bell peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms on each. I placed the fish on top, followed by the lemon slices and fresh dill. After folding up the sides and ends a bit, I poured a healthy splash of white wine over the fish. (This is what steams your fish and veggies!) Then fold up the sides and ends so it is all enclosed, creating a little canoe. Bake for 45 minutes, or less, depending on the thickness of your fish. Carefully open your papillote (the steam can burn!) and enjoy! Delish!

little canoes waiting to be put in the oven!

With these delectable packages, I made Cilantro Pesto Rice! This pesto remix was outstanding! So fresh and bright!

just look at that cilantro pesto rice!

Here’s what you need:

1 box wild rice

1 bunch cilantro, stems chopped off
2 stems of kale, stalks removed, steamed
1-2 garlic cloves, (depending on how garlicy you like it)
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
juice of 1 1/2 limes
1 Tbsp EVOO
salt
water to desired consistency

Steam your kale to wilt it — just a minute or two. Put everything in the food processor, and whirl it around until it is a nice, thick, pesto! Mix this with your cooked wild rice. Yummy!

so healthy and fresh!

This dinner was delicious. It’s amazing that this patched-together-meal-to-use-up-leftovers could be so gourmet! Cooking fish in the tin foil canoes makes them so moist, tender, and flavorful! They take on the flavor of what they’re cooked with. This fish had the wonderful flavor of wine, dill and lemon! And the veggies were just wonderfully tender. Simply splendid. And this dish definitely brings the drama, as you unveil the succulent fish and veggies, waiting to be enjoyed!

all cooked in a steam bath of lemon, dill, and white wine!

Finally, the rice. Goodness, was this every scrumptious! Using cilantro in this pesto was so delightful! It gave it a truly bright and fresh flavor that you can only get from cilantro! This freshness, paired with the nutty, crunchy-chewy texture of the wild rice was absolutely delicious. A flavor explosion to say the least!

spring is here!

Here’s to a great week!

Birthday Eggstravaganza! ::sorry couldn’t resist!::

Tags

ahi tuna, brown rice, carrots, chinese, coconut oil, dessert, edamame, GF cake, gluten free, green pepper, Maker's Diet, mushrooms, peas, vegan

The disposal is all fixed! After an early morning house call, we’re back in business and ready for a great Saturday! The boys went golfing while the others went house hunting again!

So tonight, we’re celebrating my sis-in-law’s birthday! And earlier in March, I made this delectable meal for my dad for his birthday, and  I was requested to make the same meal for her birthday tonight! Haha, we are creatures of habit!

buttery and succulent Ahi Tuna!

Dinner was my delicious Seared Ahi Tuna with Chinese Stir Fry Rice! Oh. My. Gosh. SO fantastic! The key to this amazing meal is having outstanding, organic ingredients — most importantly the fish!

Lobsta Bakes‘ wild, ocean-caught Ahi Tuna is sushi grade, and the most GORGEOUS ruby red color — a sign of an extremely fresh fish. Ahi Tuna is best eaten seared — very, very rare, and nearly raw. Just a minute or 2 per side on a screamin’ hot pan. When you just sear both sides, the middle maintains this buttery, melt-in-you-mouth consistency. Outstanding.

With it, I made my scrumptious Chinese Veggie Stir Fry Rice! It pairs so beautifully with the Ahi Tuna because the tuna itself is marinated in a fantastic, bright Asian marinade. The vegetables were so fresh and crisp with great Chinese flavors! Beautiful colors, bright flavors, and wonderful textures! The nutty rice, the salty sauce, buttery tuna, crunchy peppers and carrots, and peas that *pop* in your mouth. Truly a magnificent dining experience.

You can find my full recipe here — and I highly HIGHLY recommend this dish. It is a show stopper!

such delicious cake!

To end the meal with a birthday flare, I made again, a Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free cake with Vanilla Coconut-Oil Buttercream. HOLY COW! It was from a cake mix ::sigh:: but still phenomenal. Light, fluffy, moist, and not at all crumbly, chalky, dense, or unpleasant like a lot of GF baked good. It was Pamela’s Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Mix.

And then the frosting! Get outta town! Can you hook me up to an IV of this stuff?? (This is coming from someone who hasn’t had sugar in 6 months!) Because of my UC flare, I’ve eliminated dairy from my diet…so how do you make a butter-less buttercream? Some vegan icings use margarine, which I am against….its just a bunch of hydrogenated oils and processed chemicals. So I used…COCONUT OIL!

Coconut oil is amazing. It is solid at room temperature, and liquefies if you heat it – like for a stir fry. But there are SO MANY outstanding health benefits of coconut oil. It is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, full of antioxidants, helps with digestion, nourishing for your hair, and is actually heart healthy, despite its high saturated fat content! You see, the molecule chains are much shorter than all other types of saturated fat which have long chains. Coconut oil’s molecules are processed by the liver and used as instant energy, instead of being stored in the body as fat, like butter and shortening. It’s truly an amazing ingredient that is being continually researched for its amazing health benefits.

Frosting:

1 cup coconut oil
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 – 2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 Tbsp almond milk

Blend the coconut oil until smooth. Then slowly add the rest of your ingredients while you blend.  Store at room temp, and frost on a completely cooled cake. It will melt when it gets too warm.

look at that outrageous frosting!

This frosting was lick the bowl good. We couldn’t get enough! My mom even said she preferred it over regular buttercream because it had “a more wonderful consistency!” This cake was a food-bliss moment:)

The entire meal was absolutely delectable, and even MORE fantastic because my ENTIRE family was together! This was such a great, great night full of laughter, sharing stories, and joy. There is nothing sweeter than a united family — not even my cake:)

a show stopper:)

Make this dish, share it with your family, and revel in the goodness that is togetherness.  Have a Happy and Blessed Easter!

Birthday Bash!

Tags

ahi tuna, brown rice, carrots, chinese, coconut oil, dessert, edamame, GF cake, gluten free, green pepper, Maker's Diet, peas, Ulcerative Colitis, vegan

Today was a great day! My brother and sister-in-law came in town to celebrate my dad’s birthday! We had such a great day, catching up and hanging out.  There’s something almost electric in the air when *most of* the whole family is together. There’s lightness and joy in every breath. Not to be sappy, but there’s nothing quite like a united family. And I am so thankful for mine.

ahi tuna...so succulant

So I know that today is St. Patrick’s Day, and we’re supposed to be honoring our Irish heritage (50% woo woo!)….but…………we ate Chinese food tonight instead! Nothing against our potato loving ancestors, but Lobsta Bakes just had the.most.amazing sushi grade Ahi Tuna today. It was one of their fresh catches. Wild, ocean-caught, and the most beautiful ruby red color! We just couldn’t pass it up. Chinese Ahi Tuna it is! And hey…we ate potatoes yesterday! :)

mmm!

I’ve made this fantastic meal before….you can get my recipe here. I seriously recommend trying this! Everyone literally licked their plates. It was delicious!

Ahi Tuna –conceptually– can be a bit frightening…nearly raw fish?!?! But fear not, Happy Tummies!! Sushi Grade is your key here…..and that is why Lobsta Bakes is so incredible. Their fish is naturally Sushi Grade because it is so dang fresh! Ahi Tuna is best served rare –just seared– because the consistency in the ruby center melts in your mouth like butter. It is SO outrageously tasty and decadent.

The veggie rice was also amazing. The vegetables were so fresh and crisp with great Chinese flavors! Beautiful colors, bright flavors, and wonderful textures! The nutty rice, the salty sauce, buttery tuna, crunchy peppers and carrots, and peas that *pop* in your mouth. Truly a magnificent dining experience.

my half eaten piece....i was just so excited, I forgot to take a "before" picture!

Finally…no birthday is complete without a birthday cake!! Last night, I wasn’t able to partake in dessert, but tonight, I was in hog heaven! :) I made a fantastic Gluten Free Vanilla cake with Coconut Oil Buttercream. Oh boy. Somebody pinch me.

truly amazing gluten free, dairy free cake! We made a good dent!

Confession: It was a cake mix. But such a good one and I HIGHLY recommend it! It was Pamela’s GF Vanilla Cake Mix. It was not your typical dry, crumbly, dense, chalky, gummy, gluten-free disaster. Quite the opposite. It was glorious! Light, fluffy, and completely delicious!

Bengals Birthday Napkins:)

Finally, the icing….my oh my. Can you hook me up to an IV of this stuff?? (This is coming from someone who hasn’t had sugar in 6 months!) Because of my UC flare, I’ve eliminated dairy from my diet…so how do you make a butter-less buttercream? Some vegan icings use margarine, which I am against….its just a bunch of hydrogenated oils and processed chemicals. So I used…COCONUT OIL!

Coconut oil is amazing. It is solid at room temperature, and liquefies if you heat it –like for a stir fry. But there are SO MANY outstanding health benefits of coconut oil. It is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, full of antioxidants, helps with digestion, nourishing for your hair, and is actually heart healthy, despite its high saturated fat content! You see, the molecule chains are much shorter than all other types of saturated fat which have long chains. Coconut oil’s molecules are processed by the liver and used as instant energy, instead of being stored in the body as fat, like butter and shortening. It’s truly an amazing ingredient that is being continually researched for its amazing health benefits.

outrageous coconut oil "buttercream" frosting!

Frosting:

1 cup coconut oil
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 – 2 tsp vanilla extract
1-2 Tbsp almond milk

Blend the coconut oil until smooth. Then slowly add the rest of your ingredients while you blend.  Store at room temp, and frost on a completely cooled cake. It will melt when it gets too warm.

This frosting was lick the bowl good. We couldn’t get enough! My mom even said she preferred it over regular buttercream because it had “a more wonderful consistency!” This cake was a food-bliss moment:)

Finally, as I mentioned yesterday, I had a 3 1/3 hour doctor appointment for my UC. I am so tired of being sick, and I think we’ve finally found a natural therapy that is going to work! Right now, I’m still taking Asacol, but “stepping up” treatment in the drug world would be either a dirty steroid, an immune system modulator (which basically suppresses your immune system to the point of almost non-existance), or Remicade, which I don’t even really know what it does, but it involved and IV 4 times a week, and seriously messes up your immune system, health and wellbeing. Not to mention, is 15 Grand a month. So we decided to try a naturopath. We are very hopeful. UC is an autoimmune disease, and so my immune system attacks itself. This naturopath is going to calm it down, and rebuild it. Sounds good. But it comes as a full-time job………check out my pills….4 times a day.

new pill regimen...4x a day. And yes, that's my bag from NYC...I haven't unpacked yet

Wish me luck.

GF, Vegan Fajita Fiesta!

Tags

avocado, beans, brown rice, cilantro, gluten free, green pepper, Maker's Diet, mexican, red pepper, tomatoes, vegan

Mexican food is just good. Straight up. There’s something about the fresh flavors, and the interactive nature of building your own burrito that make it an all-around fantastic dining experience. Well tonight, we had a vegan fajita fiesta of our own, complete with all the fixin’s!

a flavor symphony!

Now, of course, an authentic carne asada burrito with the white cheese sauce is something that would make any vegan go weak in the knees. Now-a-days, that delicious decadence would not keep my tummy happy…quite the opposite in fact. But back in the day…shoot…I was the burrito carne asada queen! Cincinnati, or at least in the suburbs where I live *right now*, there are more obscure, little, Mexican restaurants than you can believe. While you’re at one, there are 3 others within eyesight, and I’m not even kidding. Cincinnatians are serious about their margaritas. Anyway…growing up, we frequented Mexican restaurants probably once every 2 weeks. And every time -without fail- I’d order the burrito carne asada…dripping with the creamy queso blanco white sauce. — I’m beginning to drool.

mmmm! sweet and crunchy bell peppers

Well, tonight’s dinner was a bit different. Lose the meat and cheese, and enter fantastic veggies and flavor!

So: Tonight’s Vegan Fiesta! I served warm, chewy –AMAZING– brown rice tortillas with homemade Un-Refried Beans, warm and flavorful veggies, my famous guacamole, and homemade pico de gallo! Oh my Gosh. This was Mexican food like you’ve never had before — the flavors were just EXPLODING! It funny how when you lose the heavy cheese sauces and sour cream, how much the true flavors and textures of the ingredients can shine! It was a symphony on your palate!

cool, creamy, bright and fresh guacamole!

Lets break it down: First, my Guacamole:

1 avocado
1 Tbsp minced onion
squeeze of lime
1 small garlic clove, grated
1/2 small tomato, seeded and diced small
handful chopped cilantro
salt

Mash avocado with salt and lime juice. Stir everything but the tomatoes in, and then gently fold in the tomatoes. Refrigerate. Delish.

amazing texture in the GF tortillas!

Next: Homemade Pico de Gallo

cherry tomatoes, halved
1 garlic clove, grated
1 1/2 Tbsp red onion, finely diced
handful chopped cilantro
healthy squeeze of lime juice
salt

Combine all in a bowl and refrigerate. Serve on the side, or with chips.

Now: Homemade Un-Refried Beans

1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 can organic pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup veg stock
salt

Saute the onion and garlic in 1/2 tsp EVOO for 5 minutes with the spices. Add in the beans and mix for a minute.  Then, mash with a potato masher and stir in the veg stock. Let the beans absorb the liquid.  Serve and enjoy. Yum!

my burrito, pre-roll :)

Finally, the star of the show: The Veggie Fajitas!

1 red onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
6 button mushrooms, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced

Spice mix:
1 Tbsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp paprika
salt and pepper

Saute your onions and garlic in 1 1/2 tsp EVOO with the spice mix for about 5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add in the mushrooms, and let them release their moisture – about 5 minutes. Add in your peppers and cook for about 3 minutes, until they are crisp-tender. You don’t want raw peppers, and you don’t want mushy peppers. Fill your tortillas with this glorious mixture, serve it over rice, or over tortilla chips!

This meal was just phenomenal. My parents raved about it. I filled my tortilla with the beans, veggies, and guacamole. First, the flavor: the beans were unreal – they were so creamy and authentic tasting. Deep, buttery, and so delicious. The veggies were fantastic. They had such a smokey, warm flavor from the cumin and chili powder. However, the sweet, freshness from the peppers and onions were still able to shine through. This, paired with the cooling, bright and fresh guacamole with the cilantro was just outstanding. So many flavors. There was spice, warmth, tang, sweetness, and freshness.

a yummy, vegan, GF fiesta!

Finally, the textures made this meal one to remember. First: the tortilla: Food for Life makes these excellent brown rice tortillas. It’s hard to believe they’re gluten-free! They’ve got the chewy, elasticity, like that of a good flour tortilla–but gluten-free! Pair that with the melt-in-your-mouth onions, crisp-tender peppers, creamy and filling beans, all rounded out by the cool and creamy guacamole. It was truly and exceptional experience.

Have your own fiesta! You’ll be glad you did! Happy tummies!

 

 

The BEST Gluten Free Pizza Crust — and PESTO PIZZA!

Tags

eggs, gluten free, green pepper, Maker's Diet, mushrooms, olives, pesto, pizza, Roxy, tomatoes

Tonight was a breakthrough. A win for team GF! Pizza is probably #2 on the list of GF foods that are most longed for — only behind great, crusty, sandwich bread.

Well let me just say, this crust did not taste gluten free.  The texture, the flavor, the crunchiness and chewiness made this crust 100% delicious.  I will go so far as to declare that I am no longer looking for a crust recipe — this is my #1. The outside of the crust was that crunchy, golden texture that everyone loves. Then the center maintained that crisp-chewiness. It was not at all dense, crumbly, cakey, or sandy like most GF crusts. Just good.

All of that gorgeous veggie goodness! This was before the blanket of vegan cheeze :)

And it was pretty easy to make…in fact, this was more like making a quick bread batter than dough.

This makes enough for one medium-ish pizza–it fed 3 people. If you’re feeding 4, you’ll definitely want to double the recipe and make 2 pies. We made ours in a stand mixer, but a hand mixer would work just fine. Here’s what you’ll need.

1 cup tapioca flour

1/2 cup sorghum flour

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup GF AP flour mix (I used Bob’s Mill)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 Tbsp light brown sugar

1 cup warm water (not boiling, but warm)

good pinch of sugar

3/4 tsp active dry yeast

1 Tbsp olive oil (You can use 2 Tbsp, but my tummy only likes 1)

1 beaten egg

1/8 tsp apple cider vinegar

Here’s what you do: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add all the dry ingredients and sugar to your mixer and mix them all together. (Use a hand whisk to make sure they are well incorpoated). Then proof your yeast in 1 cup of warm water with a good pinch of sugar. It will foam–let it sit for about 10 minutes.  While the yeast sits, combine your beaten egg, oil, and vinegar in a separate bowl. Then, with your mixer on low, slowly pour in your yeast water, and egg mixture. Beat that for about a minute on medium until it become smooth and battery.

Then, pour your batter onto a parchment-paper-sprayed-with-olive-oil lined cookie sheet. (That was a mouthful!) Using a silicone spatula, spread it out until it is nice and thin. Then, let that sit by the oven for about 15 minutes.

Bake it for 10 minutes, then take it out, spray it with EVOO, and return it to the oven for another 15 minutes until it is golden — keep your eye on it! You now have the most amazing pizza crust to top with whatever your heart desires!

check out that gorgeous emerald pesto!

Here’s how I topped it — WITH PESTO!

1 cup fresh basil

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

2 garlic cloves

juice of half a lemon

1 Tbsp EVOO

3-4 Tbsp water

salt to taste

Whirl those in the food processor until you get your gorgeous, emerald creamy pesto!

So the pizza had a pesto sauce instead of a red sauce.  This was the absolute correct decision. Then I topped it with:

1 onion, 6 sliced mushrooms, 1 green pepper — all sautéed together with 1 tsp EVOO, 2 grated garlic cloves, S & P.

sliced kalamata olives, chopped sun-dried tomatoes

Veggie Shreds Mozzerella Style Vegan Cheese

The GF crust to end all crusts.

Oh. My. Gosh. This was AMAZING! The crust texture was phenomenal, the pesto was packed with fantastic basil and garlic flavor, the olives were salty, and the sun-dried tomatoes were sweet and deep. All combined to pizza perfection :)

Give this a try. You won’t be disappointed! — And Roxy wanted to make an appearance:)

Roxy...being a diva :)

Seared Ahi Tuna with Chinese Stir Fry!

Tags

ahi tuna, brown rice, carrots, chinese, edamame, ginger, gluten free, green pepper, Maker's Diet, mushrooms, peas, vegan

OK. Breathe.

I need to remind myself, because I am just brimming with excitement to share this recipe with you.

Check out that gorgeous ruby red ahi tuna!

Let me preface this by saying that I was not planning on going with Chinese cuisine today. BUT…we encountered a “game changer”…in the form of Sushi Grade AHI TUNA.

My goodness, did Lobsta Bakes give us a real treat today. When my dad walked in the shop this morning, they pulled out the most AMAZING Ahi Tuna. We’re talking: not even in the case yet — right off the truck fresh! It was deep ruby red, sushi grade, and of course, wild, ocean caught, antibiotic free, and never frozen. Beauty, in the form of a fish!

delicious:)

Ahi tuna is best served very rare…as in, seared for just a minute. But here’s the thing…since you’re eating nearly raw fish, it is imperative that it is sushi grade…meaning extremely fresh! That was not a problem for us, since we got it from Lobsta Bakes:)

So I marinated the tuna for about an hour in the fridge, to give it a great chinese flavor. Here’s the marinade:

2 T Tamari (gluten free soy sauce)

1 T grated fresh ginger

1 BIG garlic clove, grated

1 t fresh lime juice

1 green onion, thinly sliced

small squeeze agave

1 tsp EVOO (or sesame oil if you have it)

I combined these ingredients with the tuna steaks in a gallon ziplock bag.  I made sure they were all coated, and then put the bag (on a plate incase it leaks) in the fridge.

Fresh Veggies with Melt-In-Your-Mouth Tuna!

Then I put some brown rice on the stove, and started the stir fry.

Here’s what you’ll need.

1/2 red onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 in chunk of fresh ginger, grated

healthy pinch of red pepper flakes

1 big portobello mushroom, sliced into bite size pieces

1/2 green pepper, sliced into matchsticks

5 carrots, sliced into matchsticks

1/3 c edamame

Sauce:

2 T tamari

2 T vegetable stock

1 T white wine

1 t apple cider vinegar

squeeze of lime juice

squeeze of agave – probably about 1 tsp

1 tsp sesame oil (if you have it…we didn’t)

Sautee your onions in 2 tsp EVOO with salt and red pepper. After they soften for a couple minutes, add the carrots and peppers. Allow those to soften for a bit. Add in the garlic, ginger and mushrooms.  Allow to cook until the mushrooms are tender and the carrots are no longer super crunchy. Stir in the frozen edamame, and then stir in your sauce.

Searing your fish: In a super hot, non-stick pan sprayed with olive oil spray, sear each side for 1-2 minutes. If you want it less rare, you can cook it longer, but I wouldn’t recommend it!

so much flavor!

This meal was so wonderful. First of all, it is aesthetically beautiful with all of the vibrant colors from the veggies and the ruby red tuna. Next, the textures….oh my Gosh. The tuna was absolutely like butter. It melted in your mouth. So satisfying. Contrasting the tuna were the crisp veggies, and the sticky rice. Finally, the flavor. There was such a full, zesty Chinese flavor!

Although it was Fat Tuesday, we definitely kept it light and healthy. Not without the flavor and flare though! Try this fantastic dinner! You won’t be disappointed! Happy early Ash Wednesday!

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa and Lime Rice!

Tags

chocolate, cilantro, cucumber, dessert, eggs, french macaroons, GF cookie, gluten free, green pepper, Maker's Diet, mango, peanut butter, Roxy, salsa, vegan, wild rice

I now understand why they say dogs are (wo)man’s best friend.  I have a confession: my dog, Roxy, has not always been my #1 fan. In fact…you could say we had a love/hate relationship. I bought her with my own money when I was in 7th grade. I fell in love with “the cute papillon in the window”…goodbye savings, hello Roxy.  Well, lets just say she bonded with my mother…and ONLY my mother.

my new best friend...she CHOSE to lay there!

To make a long story short, it seems that Roxy has a sixth sense and can tell that I am in pain. She has been my steadfast companion while I’ve been in my Ulcerative Colitis flare: staying by my side all day. And she now comes up and lays on my chest! I was able to snap a couple pictures of my new best friend. :)

Roxy...hanging by my side:)

It may have taken 9 years, but she finally has come around.

mahi mahi with amazing mango salsa

For dinner tonight, I made Grilled Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa, and crisp cilantro lime wild rice! Ooooh boy this was amazing. My parents raved, saying this was the best meal I’ve made yet!

For the salsa:

1/4 red onion – fine dice–almost minced

1/2 yellow pepper, dice

1/2 cucumber, seeded and diced

1 mango, diced

juice of 1 lime

1 tsp EVOO

chopped cilantro

salt and pepper

Combine all in a bowl and pop in fridge for a half hour. This recipe originally calls for red pepper, but we only had yellow.

moist, flakey, and completely delicious

This was the garnish for my Grilled Mahi Mahi! Oh boy! Our friends at Lobsta Bakes have done it again! They provide Cincinnati with fresh-never frozen, wild, ocean caught, flown-in-daily-from-Maine, antibiotic-free fish! They have been an absolute lifesaver since I’ve been in the flare and eating The Maker’s Diet. Anyway! I grilled the Mahi Mahi steaks till they were flakey and juicy.

This is my dad’s favorite fish. He likes the meaty texture, (and the mango salsa didn’t hurt either :) )

cilantro lime rice and gorgeous mahi mahi

Finally, I made wild rice that was flavored with cilantro and lime. Holy Cow. Zesty!! First, wild rice is so fantastic because of its nutty flavor and crunchy texture. Not to mention the drama it brings to the plate with its dark, deep hue. I made it with veg stock, and then after it had evaporated all the liquid, I stirred in the zest of 1/2 a lime, the juice of 1/2 a lime, and a big bunch of chopped cilantro.

This meal brings a great *zing* to your palate with the sweet mango and the tangy lime and fresh cilantro. You definitely will not be disappointed!

light, airy, and so adorable!

Finally, I had the urge to make french macaroons again yesterday, and they came out much prettier than the first “rustic” batch! The recipe is here. I left them on the counter for a bit longer than 15 minutes, and that made the difference!

chocolate peanut butter macaroon!

I filled them with chocolate icing, peanut butter icing, and “swirl.” I just mixed the named ingredient with a touch of almond milk and confectioner’s sugar. How pretty!

 

GF Breakfast for Dinner: Home Fry Remix!

Tags

breakfast, eggs, frittatas, gluten free, goat cheese, green pepper, Maker's Diet, mushrooms, olives, potatoes, red pepper, spinach, tomatoes

This week is quickly coming to a close, and I feel like I’ve been left in the dust! Where did it go?! I have a faint idea, but lets just move on to this delicious dinner.

For dinner tonight, since we all were feeling a bit disoriented that it was already THURSDAY, we decided to be even more discombobulated and have breakfast for dinner! :)

fantastic frittata PACKED with veg! look at that!

I served a beautiful frittata packed FULL of veggies; but the show stopper was the most amazing side of rosemary home fries! I mean, these were crispy-crunchy on the outside, and a soft pillow on the inside. Total decadence. But here’s the crazy thing — only 1 1/2 tsp EVOO!

I’d like to apologize for the crazy flash/dark thing going on with the pics today. Technology.

GF Breakfast for Dinner! Wooo!

First the frittata:

1/2 red bell pepper; small dice

1/2 green pepper; small dice

1/2 red onion; small dice

6 button mushrooms; sliced

6 sun-dried tomatoes; chopped

10 kalamata olives; sliced

big handful baby spinach; rough chop

4 whole eggs + 2 egg whites; beaten

2 oz shredded raw goat milk cheese (Old Kentucky Tomme)

Start out by spraying your oven-safe, large frying pan with olive oil spray and then add 1 tsp  EVOO.  Sautee the onions for about 5-6 minutes until tender. Then add in the peppers. Let them soften for about 4-5 minutes. Stir in your mushrooms, and allow them to reduce in size.  At this point, you may be wondering how the eggs are going to fit in here. Have no fear…it will reduce! Once the mushrooms have become 1/2 their size, stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and add the spinach, stirring until the spinach wilts. Once wilted, take pan off the heat (allowing it to cool so the eggs won’t instantly scramble), and stir in the olives.

After the pan has cooled for about…5-6 minutes, pour in the beaten eggs.  Put it have on the burner, and slowly stir at medium heat. This is to incorporate all the veggies and to allow all the eggs to heat evenly, not just the ones around the side. As soon as you start feeling the mixture thicken, stop stirring and just let it cook and set. Once you see the outside has formed a bit of a crust and is lemon yellow, gently run a silicone spatula around the edge. Lightly sprinkle the goat cheese over it and place in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until the eggs are cooked through.

I know the pictures may look a bit cheesy, and dare I say…greasy (shudder)…but that is just the camera flash glare…there is only a slight amount of cheese on there….barely 1/2 oz per person!  Trust me on this one…my tummy would not be happy!

frittata right out of the oven! beauuutiful!

Next! The ROSEMARY GARLIC HOME FRIES!!

Oh my Gosh. Total yumminess.

garlic rosemary oven fries that rock!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Take 2 russet potatoes and cut into 1/2 in chunks. Soak in cold water for 15 minutes. Then drain and dry them as best you can. I wrapped them in a clean kitchen towel several times.  Place on an olive-oil-sprayed baking sheet and pour 1 1/2 tsp EVOO over top and toss to coat. Lightly sprinkle with s & p (you will add more later), and add in about 1 T chopped rosemary and 2 minced garlic cloves and toss again. Bake for 40-ish minutes: stirring every 10 minutes until nice and golden brown: crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. When you take them out, sprinkle with more salt to taste.

This meal was amazing. My parents were RAVING about the home fries. “Restaurant quality!” Served with organic catsup…get outta town! :)

Time for bed! See ya tomorrow!

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!

The Truth about Protein

Tags

brown rice, eggs, frittatas, gluten free, green pepper, Maker's Diet, mushrooms, olives, pasta, red pepper, spinach, tomatoes, Ulcerative Colitis, vegan

When you are trying to heal from an Ulcerative Colitis flare, you must rebuild the lining of your intestines. In order to do that, you need amino acids. Where does one find amino acids? In protein!

For vegans, including protein in their diet must be of utmost importance. It definitely has been for me. This is a difficult task though, because I have been avoiding beans due to their high amount of fiber, which would hinder my healing process. Thus, no matter how many cashew-based pasta sauces and tofu scrambles I have, my protein needs for healing are nowhere near being met.

One of the reasons I had decided to eliminate animal products was due to all the antibiotics, growth hormones, genetically modified corn diet, and disease-causing living conditions imposed upon livestock and chicken today.  Food just isn’t the same as when we got eggs and chicken from local farms, and cows grazed on an open field of grass, instead of GMO corn. You can learn more about his through these amazing documentaries: Food Inc.; Forks Over Knives; Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead; and Food Matters. You can view these all on Netflix, and I HIGHLY recommend it.

But back to healing: Enter Patient Heal Thyself. This book was written by Jordan Rubin, a guy just like me who had UC and healed himself totally naturally by following the Maker’s Diet: the diet basically designed by God: free range eggs, wild ocean caught fish with scales and fins (NO SHELLFISH), grass-fed livestock with split hooves and that “chews the cud” (NO SWINE (pork)). And instead of cow milk….grass fed GOAT milk!

So I decided to ditch my tofu for a while a try this out. I started incorporating Ohio farm fresh organic eggs and ocean caught fish from Maine flown in every morning from Lobsta Bakes about 1 1/2 weeks ago, and I can honestly say I can feel my body healing.  It is really exciting. I think the Maker’s Diet is really onto something. So for my vegans out there, my next slew of recipes all contain eggs, or fish.

So for my first recipe, I made Roma Pasta with a “Fried” Egg and Mini Veggie Frittatas!

For the pasta, I stir-fried onions and garlic in 2 t EVOO, added in some mushrooms, tomatoes and fresh basil. I also added a touch of pasta water to stretch the sauce.  I added the cooked pasta to the pan and stirred it all together. “Fried” 2 eggs in nothing but a non-stick pan and some olive oil spray. The beauty of this dish is that the egg becomes the sauce. You break the yolk and then stir it in to the rest of the pasta. I cannot tell you how yummy this was.

On the side…mini frittatas!

I cracked 2 eggs in a bowl and beat ’em up. I added sautéed onions, mushrooms, spinach, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, olives, salt and pepper. I poured this mixture into 6 *olive oil sprayed* muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees until the eggs are set…probably 10 minutes give or take.

This meal was so unbelievably delicious and high in healing protein!