pulling up a few Thanksgiving favorites

Thanksgiving dinner can be overwhelming.  These are my favorite recipes.  The cranberry sauce is easily made ahead, as is the pie (if you like it cool like me).

{Also be sure that your turkey is gluten free!}

cranberry sauce

maple glazed sweet potatoes

pumpkin pie--not egg free

Can I just say that this is the best?  It's my mom's recipe subbing coconut (whole fat) milk for the cream...so good!

country style stuffing  --a real, gluten free, and yummy stuffing!

Overnight Blueberry French Toast

This is one of our family's favorites for Special Breakfasts like birthdays or Christmas morning. 

before baking

before eating...note the gorgeous dinnerware

What you'll need:

One loaf GF bread (homemade or not, it all works)

1 dozen eggs

1 can whole fat coconut milk (I like Thai Kitchen)

1/3 c. maple syrup

1 c. blueberries

Sauce:

1/4 c. maple syrup

1/4 c. agave nectar

2 tbsp. tapioca starch

1 c. water

1 tsbp. coconut oil or butter

1 c. blueberries

The night before, cut bread into 1" cubes; place into a greased 9x13" dish.  Top with blueberries.  In a large bowl, beat eggs. add milk and syrup and mix well.  Pour over bread and cover.  Chill over night.  Remove from fridge 30 minutes before baking.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and eggs are set. 

Fod the sauce:  In a saucepan, combine all ingredients except blueberries and whisk well.  Bring to a boil on medium heat.  Stirring constantly, allow sauce to boil for about 3 minutes.  Add blueberries and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for another 7-10 minutes or until berries have burst.  Serve over French toast.

Chinese Kick {Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Chow Mein, and General Tso's Chicken}

I have been on a Chinese food kick the past week or so and it's all Andrea's fault.  My friend Andrea has been doing a "Make it yourself" series and the last couple of recipes were Chinese.  I never knew Chinese food made at home really could taste so good (without the added MSG, preservatives, ect) and be so, well, Chineasy.  My kids loved both, which is important for this mom...although, I do tend to try out a recipe 3-4 times on my family before I scrap it.  Sometimes kids just need familiarity and then, wham!  They love it.  I had also found some reusable wooden chopsticks for the family, so we're trying our hand at that, too. 

So here's a link to Andrea's Chow Mein and Chicken Lettuce Wraps.

The chow mein  and lettuce wraps are simple to make GF:

-use brown rice pasta, such as Trader Joes or Tinkyada (don't over cook!)
-use wheat free/gluten free tamari, such as San-J brand (which you can also get soy free...)
-use any starch as your thickener.  I've found that tapioca, arrowroot, and potato all work perfectly.  Just be sure that your potato starch is starch and not potato flour.

Seriously, these are good.  Go ahead.  Try them.  And I dare you to use chopsticks.

The other recipe that I found that will be on our menu is General Tso's Chicken found at Tasty Kitchen.
It is gluten free from the get-go, and really good!  The change up's I made were the thickener and the sweetener, and to omit the chili garlic sauce.  I used tapioca starch as the thickener and agave as the sweetener.  Really, the only problem I had was in the frying; the oil splattered somethin' fierce.  But it was worth it. 



 

Spicy Coconut Chicken

I have been craving sweet potatoes lately chili roasted sweet potatoes, to be exact.  I had some chicken breasts in the fridge and since I would be baking, thought I'd whip up some baked coconut chicken as well....and, since I had the oven on, I decided to make an apple crisp, too.  Gotta be efficient with our energy usage these days, right?  Right.  Grin.  My husband is gonna love me.  It's baking right now.  I added cinnamon and subbed blueberries for the blackberries, but it's essentially the same.  We're also having confetti rice salad or some coleslaw.  Or both.  But I digress. 

Spicy Coconut Chicken

What you need:

4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into chicken-finger-sized chunks
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 c. sorghum flour
1 c. unsweetened coconut
1/2 tsp. each:
black pepper
coriander
chili powder
Italian seasoning
crushed bay leaves
cumin
1-2 tbsp. sea salt, depending on your salt needs/likes/desires.

What you do:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Mix seasonings together and set aside.
In a blender, blend coconut and sorghum together.
In a bowl, toss chicken pieces in the olive oil.
Add 2 tbsp. seasoning blend and toss.
Add coconut/sorghum mixture and toss yet again. 
Lay out not touching on a baking sheet (or two).
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until outside is crisp and slightly golden and chicken is no longer pink.
.

Blueberry Basil Quinoa Salad

Blueberry and basil may be an unusual pairing, but I like it!  I was in the greenhouse looking for some cilantro, but it's all gone to seed so I turned towards the basil--and it's still going strong! 

4 c. cooked CHILLED quinoa
1/4 c. diced green onions
1/4 c. fresh basil, coarsely torn
1/3 c. cold pressed olive oil
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp. whole fruit only blueberry jam
1 pint fresh blueberries
1/2 tsp. cumin
sea salt to taste

Mix quinoa, green onions, and basil in a pretty bowl; set aside.  In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, blueberry jam, and cumin.  Toss gently into salad.  Add sea salt to taste.  (I used around 1 1/2 tsp.)
Refrigerate leftovers.

vegan orange julius

The kids had been out playing all morning and where we are, even the mornings are hot.  So when they came in, I knew they were ready for something cool.  I had some orange juice concentrate in the freezer and thought I'd try for an orange julius-type smoothie.  It turned out just right.

In a high-powered blender, mix on high:

14 ice cubes
1 12 oz can oj
1/4 c. agave
2 cups almond milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla bean powder

serves 4

Mediterranean Chicken with Pasta-- A Simple Favorite

This is a simple dish for those on-the-go nights, or just when you're too tired to do too much in the kitchen.  Don't let the green olives put you off!  I had no idea they could be so good until I tried this.  All my kiddoes down to the 3 yr old love them in this dish.  Add a salad and you're good to go.

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN
2-3 lbs chicken thighs, skins removed
cold pressed olive oil
1-28 oz. can whole tomatoes (gf)
1-4 oz. jar manzanilla (green) olives (gf)
4-6 cloves garlic, diced
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. unrefined sea salt
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tbsp. tapioca, potato, or arrowroot, or corn starch
water
1 lb. gluten free pasta (we like Trader Joes and Tinkyada)

Put a large pot of water on to boil (lidded saves both time and energy).
Cook pasta according to directions.

Meanwhile:
In a large lidded skillet, drizzle a bit of olive oil and brown chicken thighs for 5 minutes on each side.
Add the tomatoes, olives, garlic, honey, salt, and basil.
Simmer with lid on at medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until thighs are no longer pink and juices run clear.
Stir occasionally and break up the tomatoes a bit.
Add starch to a bit of water; add slurry to skillet and allow to thicken slightly.
Serve over pasta.

Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

My husband bought me this for Christmas and now that the weather is turning, it's time to get it out and get crankin'!  (Er, plug it in)  I am so excited for this coming hot season (and believe me, it WILL come!).  I love ice cream.  Factor in that we don't eat dairy, and then add the cost of yummy vegan ice cream in stores and THEN add the fact that our little health food store only carries 3 varieties of one brand (vanilla, chocolate and mint chocolate chip) and you've got one sad girl...until now.  Home made ice cream is too easy!  Just mix ingredients in the blender and then pour into the ice cream maker for 20 minutes, tops.  My husband and I made this vegan raspberry recipe the other night for our date after the kiddos were in bed.  Ice cream and old tv shows like The Andy Griffith Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show--who could ask for more?

--Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream--

In your blender, mix:

1 can coconut milk, whole fat (I like Thai Kitchen)
1/3 c. agave nectar
3 cups frozen raspberries
1/2 tsp. vanilla bean powder (it's a new love of mine--I got mine at mountain rose herbs) or sub vanilla exract; just make sure it's gluten free like Simply Organics.

Pour into ice cream maker and follow your machine's directions.  Add 1/4 c. chocolate chips (we use Enjoy Life brand) when the icecream is setting but not quite frozen.  Serve with your favorite old-time sitcom.

Sweet and Spicy Glazed Meatballs

I love meatballs.  My sister thinks I'm strange for that, wink.  My husband's mother makes a good meatball and that's where I learned it.  My sister in law makes some little meatball appetizers that are glazed with grape jelly and chili sauce.  Cocoa at Chocolate on My Cranium makes them that way, too.
I liked those and then I saw these apricot glazed brunch meatballs from Mennonite Girls Can Cook and those looked great, too!  I thought that these jelly-glazed meatballs were a rare commodity, until I noticed variations popping up all over the place, including my grandma's 80th birthday party.  (They served meatballs in the BBQ sauce/grape jelly version.)  All this to say that I have my own version as well.  I didn't want to spend 4 bucks for chili sauce (which is gluten free [Heinz] from what I understand).  So I had to make my own.  And sis likes them.  So here goes:

Sweet and Spicy Glazed Meatballs

Meatballs:
1 1/2 lb. ground beef, turkey, or combo
1/4 c. millet flour (or whatever non-starchy flour you have on hand)
1 tbsp. apricot jelly
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. chili powder

Sauce:
1/2 c. apricot jelly ( I like Polaner's brand)
1 heaping tbsp. chili powder
dash cayenne, optional
1/3 c. GF ketchup (I use Hunt's because they don't use high fructose corn syrup)
1/4 c. water
2 tbsp. starch (arrowroot, corn, tapioca, potato...)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix meatballs and form into 1 inch balls.  Bake for 20-23 minutes or until cooked through with no red/pink.  (turkey may look slightly pink regardless)
While they are baking, whisk sauce ingredients in a small saucepan.  Simmer over medium heat til all ingredients are dissolved and sauce thickens slightly.  Serve over rice.

Gluten, Dairy and Egg Free Pizza Crust--FINALLY!

I have had pizza only a teeny tiny handful of times since going gluten free as a family--gluten free pizzas are expensive!  Add to that no dairy or eggs, and...well...the crusts don't taste too great...or they don't hold up to toppings very well....
The one time I enjoyed GF pizza was at Picazzo's in Tempe, AZ.  They've got some great stuff, folks.  However, the cost was a bit much for our budget--20 smackers for a medium-sized pizza!  (After being GF for two years, with no pizza whatever, it was well worth it just that once!)  So if you're ever in Arizona, check them out for some seriously great pizza!
But, if you're not planning a scorching summer trip to AZ any time soon, try Karina's (aka Gluten Free Goddess) pizza crust!  It is amazingly good! 

I followed her recipe with the exception of eggs; there, I used Ener-G's Egg Replacer.  They turned out extremely well and the kids had such fun putting them together!

Crust dough after rise

Pizza after baking

Karina has a lot of great recipes, and many are dairy and egg free or can easily be made so.  She has the distinction of being the first gluten free blog I ever visited.  

Trail Mix Popcorn

I threw this  together for a family gathering that was featuring multiple types of popcorn--kettle, peanut butter, and pink popcorn, to name a few.  We served them in cute little paper bag baskets.  They were an especial hit with the kids.

TRAIL MIX POPCORN
8 c. popped corn
1/2 c. maple syrup
1/2 c. cranberries
1/2 c. coarsely chopped nuts (hazelnuts, pecans, almonds)
1/2 c. chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life brand)
sea salt to taste

Heat maple syrup over a medium low heat.  Bring to a boil and boil for about 2 minutes.  With popcorn in a large bowl, pour maple syrup carefully over popcorn and carefully stir.  Add cranberries and nuts; mix.  Add chocolate chips and barely mix in.  Pour into a 9x13" pan, salt, and freeze to cool completely.  Store in an air tight container. 

{gluten, dairy, and egg free} blackberry hazelnut cake balls

Elana over at Elana's Pantry has been making various kinds of these tantalizing chocolate bites.  We had a huge extended family gathering where I knew there would be all sorts of yummy treats that my daughter can't eat, including cake balls.  The fam was serving everything from muffins to meatballs, various kinds of popcorn to jalepeno poppers (which I graciously offered to deseed and proceeded to POP a seed in my eye, OUCH!)  I made glazed meatballs, banana muffins, cookie bars, trail mix popcorn, and these cake balls.  No complaints and no deprivation.

blackberry hazelnut cake balls~~

I used Elana's chocolate cake recipe, subsituting Ener-G egg replacer for the eggs.

After the cake cooled, I crumbled it and added about 1/3 c. blackberry jam (I like Polaner's).

Next, I formed them into balls.  Elana used 1/2 c. jam so if yours are not staying together, add a bit more jam.

I then melted about 1/2 c. Enjoy Life chocolate chips and dipped them, rolling them in chopped hazelnuts while the chocolate was still soft. 

This made about 30 cake balls.  These turned out really well. They also keep well in the freezer.  Elana's always got something great going--check out her site in my sidebar!

Roasted Red Bell Peppers

I'd been buying jarred roasted red peppers for years, but once I figured out how easy it is to roast them myself, there's been no turning back.  (I'm sure everyone else already knows how simple it is, but just in case, I thought I'd do a post on it.) 

Roasted red peppers are SO YUMMY!  They are great in pasta dishes of all sorts, as well as in paella and salads and salad dressings. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash peppers.

Optional:  Rub on a little cold pressed olive oil.

Set upright on a baking sheet.

Bake for 45 minutes, turning every fifteen minutes.

Remove from oven and cool.

Carefully (check for hot spots) remove skin.

Eat within 3-4 days or freeze.

These are a few recipes with roasted red pepper potential:

hoppin' johns

roasted red pepper vinaigrette

spaghetti with mushrooms, kidney beans, and roasted red peppers

paella

confetti rice

Classic Gluten Free Banana Bread (or Muffins)

Pre-Gluten Free Era in our home, I had a banana bread recipe that was just right; good with nuts or without, made with whole wheat and honey.  I've been working on a replacement for some time and I think this is it!  We've made these three times this week and with various flour mixtures and they are very forgiving. 
The first attempt had tapioca starch and lots of sorghum.  The next attempt had no starches added at all as I had run out, and the last attempt had very little sorghum.  It even doubles beautifully, yay!

Classic Banana Bread and Muffins--Gluten, Dairy, and Egg Free

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES

CREAM:

4 bananas
1 c. honey
1/2 c. coconut oil
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. water

IN A LARGE BOWL, MIX:

2 1/2 c. gluten free flour (I used millet and brown rice)
1/2 c. sorghum
1 tbsp. Ener-G egg replacer
1 tsbp. cinnamon
1 tsp. unrefined sea salt
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 c. pecans, optional

ADD WET INGREDIENTS TO DRY AND MIX WELL

FOR MUFFINS:

Pour into muffin cups and bake for 25-30 minutes.  Tops should crackle a bit.  Makes 2 dozen.

FOR BREAD:

Pour into  2 greased bread pans and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until toothpick comes clean and top is crackled.  Let cool in pan 5 minutes; remove and allow to cool fully.

The shortest month of the year...and Simple Spanish Rice

Is apparently too short to post in!  I have been meaning to get on here and add a few recipes.  Life sort of got away from me!  So this is my one official post for the month of February.

Simple Spanish Rice
In a large sauce pan on medium heat, saute in a couple tablespoons olive oil (I like cold or first pressed) for just a couple of minutes, stirring often:
1 onion, diced
2 cups white rice
1 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. sea salt.

Add 4 cups of water, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer til done; about 20 minutes.

Fluff up with a fork and serve.

Triple Berry Cobbler

We had this for breakfast this morning.  Every now and then you just gotta have a special breakfast; today was one of those mornings.  The rest of the day was crazy-chaotic, so it was nice to begin it in such a laid-back way.    I have pics of this (we took when we were finished), but my camera is awaiting a newer, longer lasting rechargeable battery, so it'll have to wait.

So, it's been months since my blog has had any pizazz at all.  Thanks to my wonderful husband, this blog actually looks, well, more like a blog!  He is my Tech Support, as well as The Keeper of the Photos.  I am so glad I have him to help me! 

[triple berry cobbler]

preheat oven to 400 degrees

in a 9x13" baking dish, mix:

1- bag of mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries)
2 tsp arrowroot powder
1/3 c. agave nectar

in a small bowl, make up a batch of these biscuits, adding another tbsp or two of agave if you like.

drop twelve small biscuits on top of berry mix in your dish.

bake for 25-30 minutes, or until biscuits are cooked through. 

[serves 6]

Hoppin' Johns {BLACK EYED PEAS}

 We eat a lot of legumes around here--black beans, kidney, white, pinto, anasazi, lentils, and black eyed peas.  Aside from the lentils and BEP's (black eyed peas) I soak them all overnight and then let them cook away on the stove til they're ready--usually three hours.  I throw in a couple of garlic cloves and bay leaves.  That's it while they're cookin'.  Did you know that salt makes legumes hard?  I learned this the "hard" way,  pun intended.  So throw your salt in at the end. 
Now lentils and BEP's don't take that long to cook at all (about an hour) and would fall apart if soaked overnight.  When I remember, I soak them for an hour before cooking.  The salt rule doesn't seem to apply to either of these.  Hoppin' Johns usually have rice in them, but we prefer them without.

HOPPIN' JOHNS

1 cup turkey bacon or turkey ham
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
3 c. black eyed peas
2 tbsp. cold pressed olive oil
1 bay leaf
1/2-1 tsp. chili pepper flakes
2 tsp. sea salt
6-7 c. water

In a large pot, saute bacon, onion, and red pepper in olive oil for about ten minutes.  Add garlic, bay leaf, and chili pepper flakes.  Saute another minute.  Add black eyed peas, water, and salt.  Simmer on med-low for about an hour, adding a bit more water if necessary, til BEP's are cooked through. 

Gluten free on a budget

This has been on my mind a lot lately and if any of you are like me, then you've been pondering it, too!  We are on a tight budget and food takes up a lot of it!  I know there are children out there that eat like birds, but none--not one!  have been sent to our home.  Poor kids inherited fast metabolisms from dad and a love for food from mom, so they're doomed.  And what kid isn't into social eating?  Dad's eating?  Kids want to, too.
Pre-gluten free, I still made everything (mostly) from scratch, but it was full of gluten.  Duh.  Or, doh!  I had a grinder and made our own multi-grain breads, rolls, muffins, desserts, ect.  Our food storage was full of wheat, barley, white wheat, spelt, kamut (my favorite!), rolled oats, oat groats, and steel cut oats...you get the picture.  Each of those, if not gluten-guilty, is guilty by association.  And I loved Annie's Mac and Cheese for those busy days (with lots of brocolli!).  But, I also had brown rice, and quinoa and used those on a regular basis--just not really in baking. 
Now we are gluten free and gluten free packaged items cost more.  The trade off is that they usually have better ingredients.  Even organic, if that means anything to you.  And probably not GMO, which is nice.  We also lost eggs and all dairy as well.  Or rather, my daughter did, and we all eat to her, for the most part.  So off the top of my head, here are some tips for eating gluten free on a budget:

• Eat alike.  Feed the whole family the same meal.  Saves in many ways, but especially mom's time.  Cooking different meals for different family members is tough.  (tho I know some who have many intolerances and have to do this...) Home isn't a restuarant.  Which brings me to my next thought:
• Limit eating out.   The good gluten free restuarants are pricey!
• Invest in a good grain grinder like the Whisper Mill or NutriMill--my Whisper Mill is four years old and I've never had an issue with it!  And, obviously, don't buy used--same rule applies to grinders as to cutting boards.
• Buy grains and anything else you can in bulk.  I buy my grains and legumes in 25 lb.  bags.  Other items I buy in quantity:  agave nectar, raw local honey (it's cheaper as a local source), sea salt, baking powder, starches, olive oil, coconut oil, ect.  Sweeteners and oils are usually cheaper by the gallon or more.  I buy my coconut oil in five gallon buckets.
• Stock up on staples on sale--canned tomatoes, coconut milk, olives, ect.  Or at least buy one or two extra when you can and keep them out of rotation to stock up your pantry.
• Keep aside a portion of your food budget (if at all possible) to save towards your larger purchases (if you can't buy them outright) such as bulk grains, ect. 
• Utilize Amazon's Subscribe and Save and Mom's club for whatever packaged items you may need...chocolate chips, starches, ect.  I have a running shopping list and try to buy one 6 or 4 pack of something a month to stock up the pantry--free shipping and 15% off their regular pricing applies in many cases.
• Cook from scratch.  If you can make it, don't buy it pre-packaged.
• Buy naturally gluten free foods:  potatoes, legumes, fruits, vegetables (frozen, too!), ect. are all gluten free.
• Check out your local scene:  you may be able to find raw honey (for example) less expensively in your area...farmer's markets are great, as is:
• Gardening!  Depending on grocery costs in your area, gardening may be a good way to help the budget--it's also great for exercise.
• Buy your meats and poultry on sale--even just one extra helps.

I'll try to post more ideas as I think of them.  These are some of the ways our family eats well--both gluten (and dairy and egg) free and on a budget.

peanut butter chocolate ganache frosting

This goes well on brownies or cake.  For cupcakes, I dip the tops in the warm frosting.  Easy-peasy.  The recipe makes enough for one 9x13" pan of brownies, but I double for cake.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Ganache

1 tbsp. coconut oil
1/4 c. agave
1/4 c. peanut butter
3/4 c. chocolate chips (I use enjoy life brand)

In a small saucepan, over a low flame, gently melt ingredients together, adding chocolate chips last.  Remove from heat as soon as melted.  Spread over brownies, dip cupcakes, or frost cake. 

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, and Egg Free Drop Biscuits

I have been working on biscuits for a long time.  Just when I seemed to get a recipe down, it wouldn't turn out the next time I made them.  My husband took these on too, and we got to a point where they were, well, just okay.  I've been experimenting a bit with almond flour, thanks to Elana's Pantry (link on my sidebar).  I think I finally figured out a recipe that works for us.  And the cinnamon raisin variation is a favorite with my kids.

DROP BISCUITS

1 1/2 c. almond flour
1 c. sorghum or rice flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tbsp. ener-g egg replacer
2 tsp. agave nectar
4 tbsp. coconut or grapeseed oil
1/2-3/4 c. water or safe milk

directions

in a large bowl, mix dry ingredients, including egg replacer.  with  a fork, cut in agave and oil.  Add water and mix completely.  Drop biscuits onto a baking sheet with a large spoon or ice cream scoop.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-13 minutes or til lightly browned on top.

cinnamon raisin version: 

-add 1 tsp. cinnamon to the dry ingredients
-up agave to 4 tsp.
-after mixing biscuits, gently incorporate 1/3 c. raisins into the batter. 
-bake as usual

makes 12 biscuits

Roasted Red Pepper Balsamic Vinaigrette

I googled the spelling and Vinaigrette it is!  This is my go-to dressing.  Though I just as often leave out the roasted pepper, lol. 

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. honey
1 clove garlic
half of one roasted red pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
dash of pepper
3 tbsp. diced red onion
1/3-1/2 c. cold pressed olive oil

• blend everything but the olive oil
• turn blender to low and slowly drizzle in olive oil
• leftovers keep 1-2 weeks

blueberry right-side-up cake

This was a totally unexpected surprise.  I was making Flying Apron's Berry Corn Muffins, but had to sub some things.  I wasn't sure how {if} it would turn out...turns out, it made a dessert instead.  My husband said it reminds him of pineapple upside down cake, only with blueberries.  The cake sort of seperates during baking, so there's these subtle layers going on...yellow, cream, and blue.  It was quite a hit.

blueberry right-side-up-cake

~preheat oven to 375
~mix dry ingredients in a large bowl:

1 c. WHITE rice flour
1/2 c. potato starch
1/3 c. corn grits
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt

~blend together:

1/2 c. grapeseed oil
1 1/4 c. water
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. agave
2 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tbsp. flax seed
1 tsp. gf vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. lemon oil or 6 drops doterra essential oil

~pour blended ingredients into the bowl and mix with the dry ingredients. 
~pour into a greased 9x13" pan (the batter will be thin) and gently sprinkle blueberries on top--you want them to sort of float.
~bake for 25-30 minutes, til golden and the blueberries are well set.

Spaghetti with Mushrooms, Kidney Beans, and Roasted Red Peppers

With a name like that, do I even have to add a recipe???  Another quick post while sitting home from church with the baby.  This is a fast and easy meal, if you have everything on hand.  It is good alone with just a salad, or with chicken as well.

Spaghetti with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

1 lb. gf brown rice pasta ( i like tinkyada's or trader joe's)
2 c. kidney beans
1 c. mushrooms
1 c. roasted red peppers
4 cloves garlic
2 c. spinach, coarsely chopped
1/4 c. cold pressed olive oil
1/4 c. water

• cook pasta
• saute garlic gently in olive oil
• in a blender, blend together on low:  garlic in olive oil, 1/4 c. water, 1/2 c. roasted peppers (retaining other half for dish)
• saute mushrooms
• add kidney beans, pasta, remaining peppers, and spinach
• heat through
• salt ans pepper to taste
• serve

Vegan Chocolate Pecan Ice Cream--Vita Mix Style

I am holding a sick baby, typing one-handed, so these posts will be short--and some of them, sweet. ;-)  I had a need for chocolate ice cream the other night and invented this.  It was amazingly creamy.  My husband approved, too.  You do need a high-powered blender for this, otherwise you'll have ice chunks.
chocolate pecan ice cream
1/4 c. boiling water
1/2 c. gf cocoa
1-14 oz. can coconut milk, full fat
1 tsp. gf vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 c. agave nectar
4 c. ice
1/2 c. pecans

• in a freezer safe bowl, mix boiling water, cocoa, and vanilla--it won't be totally liquid
• add coconut milk and agave and stir well
• add xanthan gum; make sure it's mixed in well
• freeze for an hour, stirring once or twice
• add ice
• pour into blender
• mix on high, stirring with the blender's tamper
• pour back into your bowl and add pecans
• serve immediately; freeze leftovers