Mexican Cauliflower Explosion! GF, V, BED, SCD!

Tags

avocado, Body Ecology Diet, cauliflower, cilantro, gluten free, grain free, guacamole, mexican, New York City, peas, red peppers, SCD, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, tomatoes, vegan, Wisconsin

Big day today. We’re rolling down the highway back home to Cincinnati. I’ll be there for less than 12 hours though….

because…..

I LEAVE FOR NYC IN THE MORNING!!

“don’t leave me!” – Roxy

Clearly, I am beyond excited. In fact, the past 3 nights, I’ve had dreams about NYC – and I never dream! I think my mind is on a Public Relations campaign for the city:)

so delicious!

So anyway, last night, I made one heck of a meal. We got off the water late — we wanted to eek out every last ounce of sunshine, so we didn’t get back until 6pm! I made dinner and ate it in 45 minutes! Talk about quick, easy, and delicious!

“i love the lakes! let’s stay here forever!” – Roxy

What was it? A delicious Mexican influenced dish of…you guessed it…cauliflower! :) Mexican Cauliflower Explosion!

Spicy roasted cauliflower, topped with crunchy veggies and cooling guacamole!

catching some late evening sun:)

And it’s Gluten Free, Vegan, and Specific Carb Diet friendly with a Body Ecology Diet option!

Here’s what you need: (serves 2)

1/2 head of cauliflower, broken into florets
chili powder
paprika
garlic powder
salt and pepper

1 red pepper, diced
1 tomato, diced (BED omit)
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Guacamole:
1 avocado
1 Tbsp minced red onion
1 garlic clove, grated
1-2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
squeeze of lime
salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place your cauliflower florets on a tin-foil-lined, olive-oil-sprayed baking sheet. Spritz with olive oil, and sprinkle with your spices. (Only use a TINY bit of garlic powder – it is potent!!) Bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Meanwhile, prep your veggies, and make your guacamole. Simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Mash your avocado with the back of a fork. Mix well to combine. Refrigerate until you serve.

To assemble, create a bed of cauliflower. Top with your tomato, red pepper, green peas, and guacamole. Garnish with some fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

amazing spicy roasted cauliflower!

This meal was faaaabulous! There’s nothing like crisp-tender, roasted cauliflower with smooth and creamy guacamole! The spices on the cauliflower filled the kitchen with an amazing aroma. My parents walked in and said, “it smells so good in here!” And it tasted even better:)

Roasted cauliflower takes on an almost nutty flavor – just perfect! And then the guacamole was a show stopper! Cool, creamy, rich, indulgent, but super healthy! It was fresh and bright from the lemon and cilantro – just wonderful with the slightly spicy cauliflower.

the green peas give a nice pop of color and flavor!

And the juicy tomatoes chimed in, almost creating a sauce! Finally, the peas – they added a delicious pop of starchy goodness! Not the first ingredient you’d think of when you think of Mexican food, but they were delightful!

Do you remember your dreams? What was your weirdest one?

Until tomorrow!

Golden Beet Cauliflower Pizza! GF, V Opt’n, SCD!

Tags

almonds, beets, Body Ecology Diet, cauliflower, eggs, gluten free, grain free, New York City, peas, pizza, SCD, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, vegan, Wisconsin

It’s hard to believe that my time at home is rapidly coming to a close. It’s been a long, difficult journey with my Ulcerative Colitis flare, and I’m finally well enough to return home to NYC. It has been almost a full year – 11 months.

There are so many things I’m looking forward to, going back. Seeing friends, independence, pursuing my acting career, just living.

super tasty!

So tonight for dinner, I made something special:) A pizza! And not just any pizza – Cauliflower Pizza!! It’s my favorite:)

what. a. crust!

Grain and Gluten Free, and Specific Carb Diet friendly with a Vegan option. And actually, the crust itself is Body Ecology Diet friendly!

fabulous!

Pizza is such a celebratory food. It makes an appearance at almost every party. So I thought I’d celebrate the closing of one chapter of my life, and the beginning of another very exciting one:)

so colorful!

Here’s what you need: (Serves 1)

Crust:
1/3 head of cauliflower, riced and wrung dry (about 1 cup when packed and dry)
2 egg whites (Vegan Option: 2 flax/chia eggs)
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
sprinkle of garlic powder

Toppings:
1/2 cup sugar snap peas, sliced in thirds
1 Tbsp red onion, sliced paper-thin

Sauce:
2 golden beets, diced into small pieces

creamy golden beets

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put your raw cauliflower florets into the food processor, and process until it resembles rice. Then place “rice” in a clean kitchen towel and wring out all the excess water. This is really important! I get about 1 cup of water out of my cauliflower! Combine it thoroughly with your almond flour, salt, egg whites and garlic powder. Cut 2 sheets of parchment paper the size of a baking sheet. Put your batter onto one sheet of parchment, and place the other sheet on top. “Smoosh” it out as thin as you can. LEAVE THE TOP PAPER ON, and bake as a “parchment sandwich” for 30-35 minutes. Take out, spray with EVOO and return to the oven for another 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, steam your beets until soft and tender. Also, blanch your sugar snap peas in boiling water for 30 seconds until they are bright green. Finally, soak your onion slices in ice water for about 10 minutes. (This gets rid of the bitter oniony bite).

After your beets steam, put them in the food processor with some salt and pepper. Process until smooth and creamy. (You’ll need to scrape the sides 3-4 times).

so flavorful!

To assemble, top your crust with the beet sauce, your sugar snap peas and onion. Enjoy!

wait, there’s cauliflower in that?!

Ok. This. was. incredible!! Everything about it rocked my world – the flavors, the textures and the colors!! First, the flavors! The beets were sweet and earthy, which went wonderfully with the sweet peas and nutty crust. A symphony of flavors!

delicious!

Next, the textures were wonderful! The crust was phenomenal. I highly suggest trying this! It’s crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and you can actually pick it up with your hands like a pizza! The smooth and creamy beet sauce went wonderfully with the crunchy snap peas. Marvelous.

want a slice?

Finally, it was just beautiful! The yellow-orange sauce with the bright green and purple was whimsical and dramatic. Very appropriate for my return to NYC:)

crunchy sugar snap peas and onions!

What toppings do you get on your pizza?

Until tomorrow!

This recipe is featured on Sugar Free Sun, Made from Scratch Mon, Melt in your Mouth Mon, My Meatless Mon, Share it Sat! Allergy Friendly Fri!

Beet and Pesto Napoleon! GF, V, SCD!

Tags

basil, beets, gluten free, grain free, peas, pesto, SCD, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, vegan, Wisconsin

What a day, what a day. I’ll tell you what, it really is a luxury to live in a place where you can see the sunset every night.

Our home in Cincinnati is in a neighborhood with lots of tall trees, so you can’t see the sunset. But here in the Northwoods, with the vast, expansive lake with western exposure, the sunset is our nightly entertainment. There truly is something so tranquil and peaceful about a sunset. It’s like God telling you, “everything is going to be okay.” :)

Beet and Pesto Napoleon!

So anywho, tonight for dinner, I went a little whimsical…again:) There’s just something about beets — they bring out the Dr. Seuss in me.

what a plate!

Well, these weren’t purple beets — although I do love that dramatic hue. No, these were golden beets – a delicacy I’ve never before experienced!

lovely:)

So what would be more fun than a napoleon out of beets! So now for the filling — not cauliflower…something green…broccoli — eeh — I know…peas and basil!! A Green Pea Pesto! Perfect. Done.

such vibrant colors!

And it’s Gluten Free, Vegan, and Specific Carb Diet friendly!

creamy green pea pesto!

Here’s what you need: (Serves 1 – makes 2 Napoleon)

1 golden beet, sliced in 1/2 inch rounds

Filling:
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove, chopped
juice of 1/2 a lemon
3/4 cup basil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub and dry your beets (no need to peel, just scrub). Place your beet rounds on a tin-foil-lined, olive-oil-sprayed baking sheet. Spritz them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 25 – 30 minutes minutes, flipping half way through.

Meanwhile, place your filling ingredients in the food processor, and process until smooth and creamy, scraping the sides several times.

To assemble: Place about 2 Tbsp of filling between each beet slice. Garnish with fresh chopped basil.

wowsers!

This dish was fabulous! I just love beets – they’re sweet, they’re savory, and they’re the perfect canvas for pretty much anything, but especially pesto! They were wonderfully chewy yet slightly firm, and coupled with the creamy green pea pesto – it was fabulous!!

terrific!

The flavors were outrageous too. The pesto was bright and fresh from the lemon and basil, with a subtle garlic note. Paired with the sweet and earthy beets, it was just delightful!

mmmm!

And it was a beautiful dish — the bright yellow-orange, with the pop of green, it was just lovely!

What’s your favorite type of napoleon? Sweet or savory?

Until tomorrow!

This recipe is featured on Full Plate Thurs, Tastetastic Thurs, Pennywise Thurs! GF Fri, Wellness Weekend, Foodie Friends Fri, I’m Lovin It, Freaky Fri, GAPS Fri, Fresh Bites Fri, Healthy Vegan Fri, WHole Food Fri, Foodie Fri!

Purple Pick-Me-Up Slaw! GF, V, BED, SCD!

Tags

avocado, Body Ecology Diet, cabbage, carrots, cilantro, ginger, gluten free, grain free, peas, red peppers, salad, SCD, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, vegan, Wisconsin

Gosh, I am always so blown away by your compassion and encouraging comments. Thank you for your overwhelming response of support after yesterday’s post. I truly have some wonderful friends on here:)

So today, we spent a beautiful day on the water. The sun was shining, the air was beginning to feel like fall, and we were the only boat on the chain.

Purple Pick-Me-Up Slaw!

We cruised for about 4 hours, and then came in, sun-kissed and wind-blown.

crunchy red peppers!

Sounds like the perfect evening for a crisp, refreshing salad!

a crisp ending to a wonderful day on the water!

Enter: my Purple Pick-Me-Up Slaw! Crunchy veggies in a tangy, ginger-lime dressing. Just fabulous!

so colorful!!

And it’s Gluten Free, Vegan, Body Ecology Diet and Specific Carb Diet Friendly!

Here’s what you need: Serves 4

1/2 head of cabbage, sliced thin on a mandolin
1 cucumber, deseeded, and sliced thin on a mandolin
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced paper-thin
1 cup sugar snap peas, sliced
2 carrots, chopped
3-4 Tbsp Cilantro
1 avocado, diced

Dressing:
juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp ginger, grated
10 drops of alcohol free, pure liquid stevia (SCD use 1 tsp honey)
1 tsp EVOO
salt and pepper

Couldn’t be easier: Carefully prep your veggies on a mandolin or with a knife. Place everything in a big bowl and sprinkle with salt. (This begins to release their juices and start a bit of a dressing). Combine the dressing ingredients in a little bowl, and then toss with the salad. Chill before serving. Enjoy!

gluten free, vegan, BED and SCD!

This meal was so good. And it’s an awesome dish because a) it feeds a lot of people, b) it comes together in a snap, and c) it’s super delicious and people love it!

crazy purple cabbage!

It is so beautiful with all the colors. Purple, red, orange, green, lemony yellow – it is truly stunning! People are drawn to it and want to taste it!

buttery avocado!

And when they do – it is just refreshing and delightful! The ginger and lime together, create a bright, “zingy” flavor that is just perfect with the crunchy, cool vegetables. It tastes the way it looks:)

so crunchy and wonderful!

And it’s even better the second day – the flavors have married and it’s the perfect “round two recipe” — stuff it in a pita or wrap, add some grilled protein, or eat it as is!

What’s your favorite easy weeknight dinner?

See ya tomorrow!

This recipe was featured on Allergy Free Wed! Wellness Weekend!

Acorn Squash Pudding! GF, V, BED, SCD!

Tags

Body Ecology Diet, cashews, cinnamon, dessert, gluten free, grain free, SCD, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, squash, stevia, sugar free, vegan, Wisconsin

Two words: Musky Days.

You know how I said that I’m in the Musky Capital of the World up here in the Northwoods? Well…let me just tell you, these guys love their fish!

This weekend was the 3-day long festival celebrating…..you guessed it…..musky! People came out of the woodwork for this fishy street fair – all 676 of them! There was an antique car show, street vendors, live music, artisans, and fireworks. It was fun to be up here for the big hubbub. :)

Now, I want to preface this by saying that…well…there’s no other way to put this…err…this pudding looks like…well…crap…literally. Hah

I put the yellow squash into to food processor, and when it mixed with the cinnamon…much to my horror (cue Jaws music)…it turned…brown! The worst color for something ‘pudding-ish.’ But I knew that you could handle a non-pageant-winning-recipe:)

I was planning on scrapping — or rather, flushing — this recipe (sorry couldn’t resist:) ), just because of its appearance, but it was truly so magnificent that I felt obligated to share…even if the pictures were less than stellar.

So now….brace yourselves. I’m about to share with you a recipe for……..SQUASH!

Yes, it’s August 13, and even though it is a scorcher everywhere else in the country, it’s starting to feel like fall in the Northwoods! In fact, there were frost warnings these past few nights!

So I picked up an acorn squash at the organic market the other day! Let the autumnal anticipation commence!

Small Confession: I had dessert for dinner tonight.

Big Confession: It was made out of vegetables….Acorn Squash to be exact.

Yep! I made a delicious Acorn Squash Pudding! For dinner! And it totally rocked my socks — even though it doesn’t quite look that spectacular!!

Gluten Free, Vegan, Sugar Free, Body Ecology Diet, and Specific Carb Diet Friendly!

Think pumpkin pie filling meets gingerbread cookie, but guilt free and out-of-this-world creamy!

Here’s what you need:

1 acorn squash, roasted

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
scant 1/8 tsp ground cloves
scant 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup raw cashews
pinch of salt
1 1/2 tsp honey (OR: 2 droppers-full of alcohol-free pure liquid stevia for BED)

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Cut your acorn squash in half vertically. Brush the flesh with olive oil and place it face down on a baking sheet lined with tin foil, sprayed with olive-oil. Bake for 30 minutes, until the skin starts to wrinkle and it is wonderfully soft.

Take it out and let the halves cool. Then, scoop out the flesh (I also sliced off & discarded the black caramelized part when the squash was touching the baking sheet) and place it in your food processor with the rest of the ingredients. Process until rich and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides several times.

This pudding is…oh my gosh…SO good! I have a terrible weakness for anything that even remotely resembles pumpkin bread batter – and this is it! The sweet cinnamon, nutmeg and clove provide the perfect warm spice that one thinks of when fall rolls around. And the nutty-sweetness of the squash is just the perfect compliment.

The texture is wonderful too. It’s so luxurious and creamy from the cashews. It has a silky quality that is so fabulous.

And it’s great warm or chilled too! I put half of it in the freezer for an hour and it was the consistency of ice cream! Score!

So, let’s just have a good laugh, and let this be a lesson to never judge a book by its cover…or rather…brown food tastes good! :)

What’s your favorite healthy dessert?

Time to go watch the closing ceremony! I’ll be gettin’ my Spice Girls on! ;)

See ya tomorrow!

Pesto Zucchini Pasta Pile Up! GF, V, BED, SCD!

Tags

basil, Body Ecology Diet, broccoli, gluten free, grain free, pasta, pesto, SCD, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, vegan, Wisconsin, zucchini

Well, our time up North is slowly winding down. It’s been a good couple weeks, getting the house put back together after the fire back in May. Time to start thinking about going back to Cincinnati.

Pesto Zucchini Pasta Pile Up!

It’s actually been really nice to be “unplugged.” Granted, I still have the Internet, but not a TV. We’re waiting to get the cable box reinstalled — and evvvvverything taaaaakes loooooonger up here in the Northwoods. :)

oh my gosh, YUM!

It’s been kinda fun though, going to the different sports bars and watching the olympics. We bring a deck of cards and my Macbook (for GFHT posting, of course;) ) and camp out. I’ve had a couple glasses of wine, and thankfully my tummy has been okay with it! Yay! It’s been my first sip of alcohol in 10 months! Can you believe it!?

That is quite a feat, given how much I love going out with my friends.

Me, Dancing, Pre-Flare :) we’ll get back there, I have faith!

Like I said yesterday, my hair reflects my personality….what do you think? :)

wow

So anyway, that was a fun little trip back in time. I’ll get back to those days, where I was exuberantly full of zest and life. And with the Specific Carb Diet, I’m hopeful it will be one day soon here. But for now, back to the present. Back to healing. Back to Wisconsin.

the tomatoes give a bright burst of flavor!

Can you believe that it’s already starting to feel like fall up here? They were already selling acorn squash at the organic market today! (ps. I got one :) Get excited)

giant pile of green goodness!

So tonight for dinner, I had a bunch of basil that was on its last leg. You know what I’m talking about. I’ve got an avocado that’ll be in the same boat tomorrow. Time for some more pesto!

what a plate!

And this time, on Zucchini Pasta!! Yep! I had a Pile of Pesto Pasta for dinner! And it was gooooood. :) And I threw in a stalk of broccoli to the pesto mix, just for the health of it;)

And it’s Gluten Free, Vegan, Body Ecology Diet and Specific Carb Diet SCD Friendly!

Here’s what you need: serves 1

1 zucchini, “noodlized”(I always go with 1 zuke per person)

3/4 cup fresh basil
2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp EVOO
salt
1 stalk of broccoli, steamed (optional)

handful of cherry tomatoes (BED: omit)

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. After you “noodlize” your zucchini, using either a peeler, mandolin, or spiralizer, squeeze them in a paper towel, and then put your noodles onto an olive-oil-sprayed baking sheet, spritz them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put them in the oven for about 30 minutes, until they become vibrant green.

Meanwhile, steam your broccoli (if using) for 6 minutes until bright green and tender. And, make your pesto by combining all of your pesto ingredients in the food processor. Process until rich and creamy. You will need to scrape down the sides about 5 times.

Also, roast your tomatoes (if using) in the oven or on the stove top for about 8-10 minutes, until the skins are starting to wrinkle and brown.

slurpy zucchini noodles!

Finally, after your noodles come out of the oven, gently toss them with your pesto, and top with the roasted tomatoes.

catching some late evening lake sun!

This meal was terrific! It is so amazing to me how zucchini can actually have the texture  and “twirlability” of regular noodles! It’s crazy how good this was. My mom loved this too — “It tastes so fresh! You could serve this to company.” — There you have it sports fans:)

mmmm!

But it really did have a bright and fresh flavor that just exploded! The fresh basil, combined with the lemon, garlic and buttery pine nuts is a combination like no other. And the roasted tomatoes just brust in your mouth, providing a nice sweet and juicy contrast.

Gluten Free, Vegan, BED, SCD!

It was all around delightful. And so pretty too:) I love a big ol’ pile of green goodness!

OK, time for the Men’s 10M Platform final!

See ya tomorrow!

This recipe is featured on Gluten Free Wed, Kids in the Kitchen, Hearth and Soul, Cast Party Wed, & Allergy Free Wed! Wellness weekend!

Broccoli Pesto Pate! GF, V, BED, SCD!

Tags

basil, Body Ecology Diet, broccoli, fish, gluten free, grain free, pesto, red peppers, SCD, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, vegan, Wisconsin

Today was one of those soul-satisfying days where it rained softly outside all day, and you just got to stay inside, cozy, with a mug of tea.

what a plate!

It was especially homey being on the lake. You could see the pitter-patter of the rain drops on the surface of the water – perfect when you’re snuggled up inside.

such fantastic texture!

So when dinner time rolled around, I felt like something to reflect the day: comfort foody – and just plain good.

wild, ocean-caught cod!

I had a beautiful bunch of basil that was just begging to be used, so it was settled: Broccoli Pesto Pate!

I served it two ways: one as the star of a salad, and one on top of a beautiful broiled cod fillet. It would also be amazing with some pita chips or other “starchy” kinds of things: Triscuits, pasta, a baked potato — but then, those things are not on the Specific Carb Diet, so the salad/fish options were just my cuppa tea:)

so beautiful!

I got my wild, ocean-caught, fresh-never-frozen cod from Lobsta Bakes. It’s an amazing fish shop in Cincinnati. We froze the fish and brought it up to Wisconsin with us…because we’re that cool:)

nom nom nom!

And it’s Gluten Free, Vegan (minus the fish ;) ), Body Ecology Diet and Specific Carb Diet friendly!

Here’s what you need: serves 2

1 large stalk of broccoli, including the stem, chopped and steamed
1/2 cup packed basil
2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove, chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp EVOO
salt and pepper

1 red pepper, cut into thin strips and baked
1 cup baby spinach (per person)
1/4 cup blueberries (optional, BED omit)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place your red pepper strips on an olive-oil-sprayed baking sheet, spritz them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 9 minutes, stirring once half way through.

Mean while, steam your broccoli for about 7-8 minutes, until bright green and tender. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process, and dry. Add your broccoli to the food processor along with all the other pesto pate ingredients. Process until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides twice.

To assemble the salad, put a bed of baby spinach on your plate. Put a layer of roasted red peppers on top, and then put half of your broccoli mixture on top of that. Sprinkle with blueberries if desired.

—–OR—–

Broil your cod for about 10-15 minutes until flakey in 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, cumin and garlic powder. Top with roasted red peppers and your broccoli pesto pate.

This meal was great. The pate was so flavorful and the texture was marvelous! It was rich, creamy, and luxurious – all thanks to the steamed broccoli!

Gluten Free, Vegan, BED, SCD!

It was just bursting with the fresh flavors of basil, garlic and lemon, which went perfectly with the smokey, roasted red peppers. And the blueberries provided a nice sweet surprise! It sounds strange, but it was totally delicious!

yes, the blueberries work in this dish, I promise!!

But my personal favorite way to eat this was on top of the fish. The smokey-spice of the chili powder and cumin were the perfect complement to the pesto. And this was sans-blueberries:)

delicious!

Do you like rainy days? What are your favorite rainy day activities? — Reading? Watching movies? Baking cookies?

Until tomorrow!

This recipe is featured on Pennywise Thurs!

Eggplant Roll Ups & Napoleon! GF, V, SCD!

Tags

avocado, eggplant, gluten free, grain free, SCD, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, tomatoes, vegan, Wisconsin

Wow, thank you all so much for the wonderful words of encouragement and hope after yesterday’s post. My heart is so full and overwhelmed with everyone’s outpouring of love. Thank you:)

fabulous!

Today I did wake up with a new-found hope, knowing that I’m right where I’m supposed to be. I’m going to take advantage of every moment.

Eggplant and Avocado Roll Ups!

So after a long day of running errands with my mom (still cleaning up fire damage in Wisconsin), I decided to whip up something particularly yummy for dinner.

amazing napoleons too!

Enter: My Eggplant Avocado Roll Ups!

delicious avocado and tomato filling!

Hold up…**screeching tires**…Eggplant and avocado?!? Yep! You read that right! Eggplant and Avocado team up to create a delicious dish!

golden brown deliciousness!

And, it’s Gluten Free, Vegan, and Specific Carb Diet SCD Friendly!

fantastic little bites!

Here’s what you need: (Serves 2)

1 eggplant, sliced thin, lengthwise on a mandolin
1 roma tomato, sliced in thin rounds, then sliced in strips (for a napoleon, just rounds)

Guacamole:
1 avocado, mashed
1 Tbsp finely minced red onion
1 garlic clove, grated
healthy squeeze of lime
salt

Preheat oven to 425. Carefully slice your eggplant paper-thin on the mandolin. Then, place them on 2 olive-oil-sprayed baking sheets. Spray the eggplant with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 13 minutes, flipping halfway through.

While your eggplant is roasting, slice your tomato and make your guacamole. Simply combine all the guac ingredients in a bowl and mash with the back of a fork.

Now, you have two options. You could either make the Roll Ups, or you could create a Napoleon. Both are wonderful, and aesthetically stunning options.

Eggplant Napoleons!

Roll Ups:
Place 2 strips of tomato, and about 1 tsp guacamole on one eggplant strip, and roll up!

what a meal!

Napoleon:
Stack 3 eggplant strips on top of each other. Then, put a slice of tomato and 1 Tbsp guacamole. Place 3 more stacked strips of eggplant on top of that, and top with another slice of tomato and more guacamole.

yummmm!

This meal was terrific. The flavors and textures were superb! By cooking the eggplant in super-thin strips at a high temperature, they become crispy on the outside and wonderfully chewy on the inside! You could eat them all by themselves!

so fresh!

And the combination of that chewiness with the rich and creamy avocado and juicy tomato was so delightful!

stuffed with love:) haha

And they were so beautiful to look at too! The napoleon had a striking beauty about it, while the roll ups were so intriguing – you just wanted to know what was inside!

so healthy and so yummy!

There were absolutely no leftovers of these! They were all gobbled up!

look at that texture!

And finally, I’d like to give a big thank you to the wonderful Richa over at Vegan Richa for nominating me for the “Hope relay”. In case you missed it, here is my Hope post:)

What’s your definition of Hope?

Until tomorrow!

This recipe is featured on Full Plate Thurs and Tastetastic Thurs! and Wellness Weekend! and Healthy Vegan Fri!

A Hope-Filled Birthday & Strawberry Cupcakes! :D

Tags

almonds, award, cupcakes, dessert, eggs, gluten free, SCD, Specific Carbohydrate Diet, strawberries, Ulcerative Colitis, vegan, Wisconsin

Hey Happy Tummies! Yep, it’s my BIRTHDAYYYY! Twenty Four years old today. (I spelled it out, because seeing the number scares me a bit!) haha

Strawberry Cupcakes!

I know, I know…”that’s younggg!” But here’s the thing…This past year has been a tough one. Very tough.

And let me just digress for one moment here before I delve into my narrative. My good friend Sarah over at This is What I Eat tagged me in the Hope Relay! So a big big thank you to Sarah!

It’s funny the way things work out sometimes. Because just last night, on the eve of my birthday, I had a long chat with my mom about this very topic.

OK, truth time – It was more than just a chat – It was more of a tear-filled, angry-at-times, “real” moment for me, with my mom being the comforting shoulder to cry on.

You see, this was more than a birthday for me. It was a milestone. A marker. An irritating reminder. As you know, I have Ulcerative Colitis, and have been in a flare for a long time. Nearly a year.

Last year, I spent my birthday in NYC, where I was living. I was in a show, hanging out with all my friends. Life was great. Mid-show: I started flaring. September 16 to be exact. My mom came out and lived with me to help me finish the show in such a debilitated state of health. I then had to move home because of the flare.

It has been almost a full year. My body has rejected all of the UC medications to help me get back into remission. There are 2 options left, which are dirty megadrugs – and even those only work in a small number of patients.

So last night, I was angry. It was the first time since being sick that I really allowed myself to go to that dark place. I don’t like negativity, but sometimes you have to mourn. And last night I was mourning the loss of my 23rd year of life. I had a lot of hopes and dreams for that 23rd year that I’ve had to completely surrender. Did I ever think that I would spend that “golden year” on a couch, writhing in pain for the majority of the day? No. I thought I would be in NYC, living out my dreams, having fun with friends, flourishing. Last night, I finally allowed myself to be angry about that.

But then hope stepped in.

After a good 20 minutes of tears, the conversation shifted. You see hope is a funny thing. Even though this past year was not the life that I had planned for me, I was supposed to endure this trial. I was supposed to go through this for a reason.

Like gold refined by fire, I know that I’m supposed to learn something invaluable from all of this. And I have hope in that. I have learned so much from this time here at home. It may not sound like it after reading about last night’s episode, but I really have. I have been taught so much patience and trust. I’ve had to surrender everything and trust that God is going to see me through this. I have hope in that.

I have hope in this new Specific Carb Diet. A lot of my symptoms have improved since implementing it. Not 100%, not even 80%, but they’re improving.

And most importantly, I have hope in this 24th year of life for me. Life. That’s exactly what it is. I am so thankful for life, and am going to make the absolute most of it. When I’m healed, I am going to live life to the absolute fullest – overflowing – spilling onto those around me and filling up theirs too. Watch out world :)

One doesn’t appreciate life until it’s gone. Or appreciate health until theirs has been compromised. Joy until they’ve experienced true loss. Prosperity until they’ve been without.

I have hope in my future. Starting today. On my birthday.

Thanks for letting me indulge in a little introspective meandering.

little strawberries peeping through!

And on that note, I’d like to tag: (Don’t feel obligated – it’s summer!:) )

Jen @ My Big Fat Grain Free Life!

Ricki @ Diet Dessert and Dogs!

Thank you again to Sarah for the tag:) You rock girl!

a sweet ending to my birthday!

So for a birthday treat today, I made Strawberry Cupcakes! Yep, they’re Gluten Free and Specific Carb Diet friendly!

SCD friendly and gluten/dairy free!

How’s that, you ask? Well…they’re made with almond flour! So not only are they grain free, but they are also protein powerhouses!

yum!

And SO incredibly delicious. And cute too. All they needed were a pair of black and white saddle shoes and they were ready to party:)

yay grain free!

PS: I have not tried to make these vegan with a flax/chia egg, so I don’t know if that works. Sorry!

cupcakes make me smile :)

Here’s what you need: (makes 4 cupcakes)

2 egg whites
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup chopped super-ripe strawberries
tiny pinch of salt
1 tsp honey (SCD) or 2 dropper-fulls of alcohol free pure liquid stevia

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form medium peaks. Fold in your almond flour, salt and sweetener. Finally, fold in your strawberries.

Line a cupcake tin with 4 liners. Spoon 1/4 cup of the batter into each tin. Bake for 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

These cupcakes were just the perfect sweet treat to celebrate. They were wonderful! The texture was amazing: light, airy, spongy, delicate. Just fabulous.

so wonderful!

And the flavor was just outstanding! They weren’t overwhelmingly sweet – they were just right. They allowed the beautiful flavor of the strawberries to shine through! And there was a subtle nuttiness from the almond flour to compliment the fresh, sweet strawberries!

delightful strawberry flavor!

It was so nice to be able to enjoy a sweet dessert that was SCD-legal on my birthday. And let me tell ya, they were a hit! My mom loved them! We both had two! :)

Here’s to an awesome 24th year. Starting today!

What’s your favorite kind of birthday cake? Growing up, I always had a Dairy Queen ice cream cake. What about you?

See ya tomorrow!

This recipe is featured on Slightly Indulgent Tues, Tues at the Table, Tasteful Tues and Real Food Forager, Allergy Free Wed, GF Wed, Health 2Day, Hearth & Soul, & Cast Party Wed! & Whole Food Wed & Allergy Friendly Fri!

On the Road Again!

Tags

gluten free, New York City, Ulcerative Colitis, vegan, Wisconsin

What a beautiful wedding! My friend was such a stunning bride, from the inside out!

It was so much fun seeing my old friends from college too – great to catch up, dance, and celebrate!

This was their getaway car – isn’t it awesome!?!

I’m on the road again today! Flying back to good ol’ Wisconsin.

So this is pretty fun: This was one of my first blog posts: Moroccan Madness. It was before I started developing my own recipes. It’s so interesting to look back and see how far you’ve come:)

So last Thanksgiving, my mom and I went to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! It was so incredible to be there in person! SO MANY PEOPLE! This was when I first started my Ulcerative Colitis flare, and my mom came out to stay with me to help me finish up the run of the show I was in while horribly sick. It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving will be here before we know it!

Fall in the city is one of my favorite times. The weather is perfect and the trees (yes there are trees in the city!) are just alive with color!

There is so much beauty in this city — both big and small details that make NYC truly home:)

big!

small:)

Alright, gotta go pack my suitcase and head to the airport! See ya tomorrow with a new recipe!