Parsnip & Sweet Potato Fries with almond butter coating

Ingredients:

3 parsnips, peeled & cut into uniform fry shape
2 small yellow sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into uniform fry shape
3 Tbsp natural almond butter
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp (I used more) sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400°.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.  In a medium bowl, mix your almond butter, olive oil and sea salt together.  Add your cut fries to the bowl and stir to coat evenly.  Lay your fries out on the parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Note:  every recipe I read like this claimed the fries were crispy.  They are not crispy using this method.  So I don't know what those people are talking about.  I tried cooking a few a bit longer and they simply burnt.  It's possible that I might try pre-baking the fries at a low temperature to dry them out a bit before coating in nut butter next time.  That might work but anyhow, we didn't mind the texture to be honest.  So what if they're not crispy!  See, the thing is, they taste really great!  We had no problem devouring the entire pan.  Next time I make them I might add a little fresh ground black pepper to the mix as well to make them a bit more savory.  :)

Granola Bars.....

I found a great granola recipe...here 'tis.  I have left  the recipe all together up top so that if you want to make this the pictures are not in the way.  Just highlight, copy and past into word or pages.

Ingredients
2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal (not quick-cook)
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (I used ground vanilla bean)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped pitted dates (had prunes on hand)
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.
Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.
Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the dates, apricots, and cranberries and stir well.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares.  Freezes very well.  I wrapped up individual squares in waxed paper and froze them.

Chopped fruit, nuts and wheat germ.

Buttered baking dish with parchement.

 

Brazilian Peppertree Honey and ground vanilla bean!

Honey, butter, brown sugar and vanilla bean and and salt in saucepan.

Oh, go ahead....take a bite!

grilled plantain

After experimenting with plantain only once before I decided to try again.  And this was delicious! 
Wait until your plantain is ripe.  A ripe plantain is anywhere from yellow with some black spots to mostly black.  I allowed this one to ripen to about 1/2 black.  It can easily take weeks for a plantain to ripen on your counter top, so be patient.  Green plantains are used in savory dinner dishes.

Ingredients:
1 or 2 ripe plantains
canola oil for brushing and grilling
salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Peel your plantain and slice diagonally into 1/2 slices (or smaller if you want them more crisp)

2. Brush canola oil on both sides of your plantain slices and grill on a hot clean grill for about 3 minutes per side.  You want an even yellow color throughout with some nice grill marks. 

3. Season with a pinch of salt and serve. 

Super with brown basmati rice and a poached egg! 

Baked Polenta Fries

Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.  Polenta Fries are an easy treat anytime.  You could make your own polenta from scratch first, or simply use a prepared tube like Scarpone's brand.
You should probably know.  I use my convection mode on my oven for almost everything.  I know a lot of you don't actually have convection ovens so I never really mention that.  

Ingredients:
1 tube plain prepared polenta
Olive oil
Coarse Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 450°.
2. Remove the plastic sleeve from the tube and cut your polenta in half crosswise.  Then cut in half length wise and cut those into 4 or 5 strips each. The fries taste best when they are not too thick.
3. Drizzle some olive oil on a baking sheet and place your polenta wedges on the sheet.  Use a brush to brush some more olive oil on the tops of the polenta strips.  Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper and place your cooking sheet on the middle rack of your preheated oven.  Bake for 40 minutes or so (until lightly browned) , turning once about 1/2 way through the cooking time.
4. Remove your fries when they are crisp and lightly golden, place them on a paper towel.  You could at this time toss them with some nice spices like oregano or season salt.  Serve with ketchup.  Make a nice chipotle ketchup if it is an evening meal!

Natural No Bake Carrot Cake

Ok so it's not really a cake.  It's pretty darn healthy though and tastes awesome!  

Ingredients:

4 cups grated carrots
1 cup of medjool dates, (pits removed)
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
2 Tbsp organic apple butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 lemon, juice of
1 cup organic shredded coconut
1 cup organic raw walnuts
organic coconut oil for greasing your 9x9 pan

Directions:

1. Use a food processor to grate the carrots, remove carrots and set aside.
2. Place your dates, ground flax seeds, apple butter, cinnamon and lemon juice in a food processor and process until blended.  Add the coconut and walnuts and process until the walnuts are coarsely chopped.
3. Add the carrots back to the food processor, process just enough to blend.
4. Press your finished mixture into a greased 9x9 pan and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving. 



Icing Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw whole cashews (soaked)
2 medjool dates (pits removed)
1/2 Tbsp agave nector
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
shredded coconut for topping
lemon zest for topping
walnut pieces for topping

Icing directions:

1.  Process the cashews, dates, agave, lemon juice and vanilla extract  in a food processor until smooth.  Add the water until desired consistency of icing is reached.
2. Spread icing on carrot cake, top with coconut, lemon zest  and walnut pieces.

Apple Butter Baked Acorn Squash

Since I work from home most mornings, it's easy for me to prepare a hot breakfast like this, but even if you don't have that luxury, this dish is so easy you could do it too! Just pop the squash in the oven when you get up and by the time your dressed for work, voila! hot breakfast.

Ingredients:

1 acorn squash
2 Tbsp organic apple butter
2 pats of butter
salt & Pepper to taste


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cut your acorn squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and extra pulp.

2. Place your acorn squash pieces skin side down in a shallow baking dish. Fill each squash with a generous dollop of apple butter, top with a pat of butter and season with salt & pepper. Add some water to the dish (about 1/4 inch). Bake on the middle rack for about an hour (or until nicely caramelized).

3. Serve hot. Use a fork to scoop out your yummy squash.

Shrimp Cocktail sauce

I had some precooked shrimp in the freezer but nothing to dip them in! Well this cocktail sauce is ready in a flash and it's extra yummy.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup thai chili sauce (be sure it is gluten free before buying)
1/2 cup organic ketchup
juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp prepared horseradish
1/2 to 3/4 Tbsp gluten free Worcestershire sauce (see my recipe on previous blog post)
1/4 tsp. hot chili paste
salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve as dipping sauce with cooked, cooled shrimp.

Baked Sweet Potato Breakfast

For breakfast, or lunch, or dinner, or anytime! I love sweet potatoes. Luckily sweet potatoes are very good for us! This is one of my favorite ways to prepare them. I always make extra so I can keep some in the fridge for a snack. A sweet potato baked with skin is an excellent source of vitamin A. They are also a very good source of vitamin C and manganese. In addition, sweet potatoes are a good source of copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron. (you must eat the skin!)

Ingredients:

3-5 small sweet potatoes (I usually buy the yellow flesh variety from my organic market)

2 Tbsp of either quality vegetable oil or olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

butter


Directions:

1. Move oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 400° F.

2. Wash and dry the outer skins of the potatoes. Cut off any small hard bits. Using a fork, stab the potatoes three or four times each.

3. Rub the potatoes with oil to cover and arrange them on a foil lined baking sheet with space in between. Bake for 40-50 minutes (do not turn) or until a knife slips easily into the center.

4. Salt and pepper to taste and serve with a little butter if you are feeling decadent. (they taste really great without I promise!)

Lefse

Lefse is a Norwegian flat bread made with potatoes. My grandma used to make huge batches for us and send them via greyhound every Christmas. I decided to make a gluten free version and I must say it worked out very nicely!

Ingredients:
6-8 cups boiled russet (or similar dry potato) potatoes (boil them with the skin on)
1 tsp. vegetable oil
dash of salt
as much Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour as needed (between 1-2 cups). You don't want too much moisture in your potatoes or your finished dough.


Directions:

1. After boiling the potatoes, rice them with a potato ricer and let them sit until they are completely cooled down and room temperature.

2. Once the riced potatoes are cool, add the vegetable oil and salt and mix. Next add some flour (just a little at a time) and mix it in. The dough should end up firm enough to roll out like pie crust. Sprinkle flour on the rolling surface before trying to roll out the lefse rounds. You want them very thin. As thin as you can make them. For this reason we rolled ours out on a sturdy cutting board in order to slide the lefse round onto the griddle without it breaking.

3. Place the rounds one at a time onto a hot frying griddle. You could use a pancake griddle, a lefse griddle or even a cast iron pan if that is what you have. Do not grease the griddle.

4. Cook each side until lightly browned. Remove from heat and place on paper towel to cool a bit. Store between sheets of wax paper.

5. Lefse tastes great with a little butter spread on it and rolled up. As kids we loved rolling it up with peanut butter and honey. You can make a sandwich with it. It freezes excellent (between sheets of wax paper). It also keeps nicely in the fridge for a few days.


I love LEFSE!

The King's Quesadilla

Elvis loved fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. He used to fry up his sandwiches in heaps of butter, using big slabs of soft bread, huge amounts of sticky peanut butter & bananas. My version is considerably healthier and lower in calories. Still, I have to warn you, while these are tasty little treats, one serving is plenty.


Ingredients:

2 small white corn tortillas ( I use Tres Marias white corn tortillas by Pradera Natural Mexican Food Products)
1 Tbsp natural, organic crunchy peanut butter
1 banana, peeled & sliced thinly
1 tsp. organic peanut oil

Directions:

1. Spread a thin amount of peanut butter on one of your corn tortillas. Don't go all the way to the edge or it will just bubble out and burn. Arrange your banana slices on top, cover with the remaining corn tortilla.

2. Heat a small amount of peanut oil in a non stick skillet on med heat. When the oil is hot, place your corn tortilla sandwich on the skillet. Cook each side until lightly browned. Cut into quarters while singing Love me Tender

African Plantain Curry

I like to try new things. I saw this recipe and wanted to try it right away as I have not really eaten much plantain in my life. I have had some African cuisine but I have never attempted to make it. This recipe comes from my favorite new book, Curry Cuisine
Anyhow, it was easy to make and I'm quite certain I liked it. It's a totally new taste for me but yes, I liked it and I would make it again.

Ingredients:

4 plantains
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 tsp. mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 Tbsp curry leaves
1 onion, finely chopped
1 3/4 inch fresh ginger, finely chopped
2-4 green chilies, seeded and chopped
pinch of ground tumeric
fresh cilantro leaves, chopped for garnish
lemon juice, to sharpen

Directions:

1. Put the unpeeled plantains in a steamer basket set over a pan of simmering water. Steam for 10 minutes. They should still be quite firm to the touch.

2. While the plantains are cooking, make the masala. Heat the oil in a wok or pan and toss in the mustard seeds, followed by the cumin seeds and curry leaves. As soon as the seeds begin to pop, add the onion, ginger & green chilies. Turn the heat down to low, cover the pan, and cook for about 10 minutes (until the onion is softened)

3. When the plantains are cool enough to handle, strip off the peel with a sharp knife and grate them lengthwise into thick coarse shreds.

4. Add the turmeric to the masala while still on the heat, stir to combine. Add the grated plantains and fry for another 5-7 minutes. You want to make sure the plantain still has texture and bite. If it is sticking, add a little water.

5. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and add a squeeze of lemon. Serve with rice. Good with pickled relishes, spiced chilies etc.

Crispy oatmeal & cacoa nib cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose gluten free flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 sticks of butter (1/2 cup sticks), room temperature
1/4 cup Agave syrup
3/4 cup sucanat
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (wheat free -uncontaminated) rolled oats
1/4 cup organic cacoa nibs (raw chocolate)

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 350 °F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together.

3. Using a paddle attachment on your mixer, at med low speed, beat the butter and the sucanat and agave syrup for a minute or two until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, beat again for half a minute. Add the flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Gradually add the oats and continue mixing on low until everything is combined well. Add the cacoa nibs and stir to combine.

4. Using your hands, make balls with slightly less than 2 Tbsp of dough and spread out on parchment leaving at least 2 1/2 inches between each cookie. Flatten slightly with your fingertips before baking for 11- 14 minutes. Bake only one cookie sheet at a time. When the cookies are flat and deep golden brown, remove from oven and cool the cookies while still on the cookie sheets at least 15 minutes before removing from cookie sheet. You will get about 8 cookies on each sheet for a total of 24 cookies. Cookies are crispy and not overly sweet.

This recipe was adapted from a cooks illustrated recipe. I have made mine gluten free, and limited the processed sugars. The cacoa nibs are a special addition and taste great in the cookie.

Nachos for dinner!

My husband "Kencent" was reading Cooks Illustrated again. There was a story called Nachos Done Right, he HAD to have nachos! I happily went along. I bought myself some lactose free mozzarella to use. It might still be too much dairy (my tummy will hurt) but what the heck, you only live once.
Here is the recipe with our changes-

spicy beef topping- (replace this part with heated refried black beans if you are vegetarian)

2 tsp. cold pressed canola oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 large garlic clove , minced
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 pound lean, grass fed ground beef

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a med. skillet over med heat until hot, add onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, spices and salt, cook, stirring constantly for a minute. Add ground beef and break up with wooden spoon, stirring until beef is no longer pink (5 minutes or so). take off heat and set aside



Cheesy Nachos with Guacamole, salsa and spicy beef

1/2 bag of quality white corn tortilla chips
150 grams of lactose free, organic mozzarella cheese
2 jalapeño chiles, sliced thin
2 green onions, sliced thin
1 recipe fresh guacamole- (see below)
1 recipe quick salsa- (see below)

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 400°

2. Spread the chips in an even layer on tin foil layered on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle evenly with cheese, beef and the jalapeño peppers. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle with green onions. Serve with salsa and guacamole- (see below)

Guacamole

Ingredients:
2 small ripe avocados
1 Tbsp minced red onion
1 garlic clove, minced fine
1/2 jalapeño chile, minced
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped fine
salt to taste
1/2 lime, juice of

Directions for guacamole-

1. Halve 1 avocado, remove pit and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl. mash (don't decimate) to combine with onion, salt, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro and salt.

2. Halve the remaining avocado and remove pit, scoop out flesh and dice into fine cubes. add to mashed avocado mixture, sprinkle with lime juice and lightly combine with fork. don't mush it all up! salt to taste.


Salsa-

Ingredients:

1/2 jalapeño chile minced fine
1/4 red onion, peeled, and minced very fine (as if you were a human food processor let's say)
1 clove garlic, minced very fine
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped fine
salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste
1/2 lime, juice of
2 small ripe tomatoes, chopped very fine, (try to keep the juice that comes out of them as well.)

Directions for salsa-

1. Stir to combine all finely chopped ingredients, add the lime juice and season to taste.

My Sister Nancy's Chocolate Oatmeal "Energy" Bars

um, I was craving these. Don't say you weren't warned. Highly addictive.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sucanat (or 1/2 cup packed brown sugar if you prefer)
2/3 cup almond butter (any nut butter will work)
1/4 cup agave syrup (corn syrup is in her recipe)
1/2 cup butter - room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups uncontaminated rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or blueberries or raisins.....)
2 tbs. sesame seeds
1 cup organic dark chocolate chips (less if you prefer more fruit to chocolate ratio. we don't.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir well to mix, Pour into a 9x18 baking dish and press down well to an even bar. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. let cool completely before cutting or even refrigerate for a bit to set.

Coconut Quinoa Hiking Bars

I wanted to make a convenient bar to bring with me hiking. Quinoa is loaded with protein. Combined with coconut, dried fruit and nuts, this delicious square will give you energy to spare. I made this recipe to be gluten free, dairy free, cane sugar free and processed flour free. You will love it for a quick breakfast bar as well!


Ingredients:
3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed in a fine mesh strainer
1 1/4 cup cold water
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups organic shredded coconut (sulphur free)
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped fine
1/2 cup dried prunes, chopped fine
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped fine
1/4 cup almond butter, room temperature
1/3 cup agave syrup
3 Tbsp. brown rice flakes
1 Tbsp. peanut oil


Directions:

1. Place the rinsed quinoa in a med saucepan and cover with the water, add salt and stir once. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Cook for 20 minutes undisturbed. Once cooked, remove from heat and place in a large mixing bowl to cool. Allow to cool while preheating the oven to 325 degrees F.

2. While the quinoa is cooking, chop your nuts and fruit.

3. When the oven has reached temperature add the almond butter to the still warm quinoa and mix well. Next add the agave syrup and mix well again.

4. Add the chopped fruit and nuts to the quinoa mixture now, stir, add the oil and finally add the coconut and brown rice flakes. Mix until everything is combined.

5. Press mixture evenly into a greased 8x8 pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges are starting to brown. Allow to cool before slicing into bars.

enjoy!

Kiwifruit

The Kiwi Fruit- Twice the vitamin C of Oranges; amazing antioxidant properties; excellent magnesium, fiber, and potassium. It's a super fruit and I just had it for dessert. :) Happy weekend folks!

Canadian Currywurst and sweet potato fries

for a quick and delicious meal.
You will need-
Gluten free spicy Italian sausages or Bratwurst (my german friends will die at this suggestion)
organic ketchup
curry powder

grill your sausages on the barbecue on med. about 15-20 minutes until done through.
slice the sausages, drizzle with organic ketchup and spoon some curry powder on top and enjoy!

serve with sweet potato fries and more organic ketchup for a delicious treat.

I know what your saying? "Where's the greens?" - Do what I did.
Eat a large salad for lunch . Mine consisted of sprouts, grated carrots, various lettuces, and diced boiled egg. :)

Shrimp salad rolls -with Peanut Sauce and Spicy Sweet & Sour dipping sauce

Shrimp salad rolls
Ingredients:
6 ounces vermicelli noodles, softened in hot water and cooked until just tender (a couple of minutes), rinsed under cold water and drained, cut into 3 inch lengths
2 large carrots, peeled and grated
3/4 cup fresh thai holy basil (or sweet basil leaves) finely shredded
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Spicy Lime dressing -mix together
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
juice of 2 limes
1 med jalapeno pepper, chopped
2 1/2 Tbsp. sucanat

24 round rice paper wrappers (8 inch diameter)
1 head leaf lettuce, separated, rinsed, dried and tough center bits trimmed
1 pound medium shrimp. poached in boiling water until pink, peeled, sliced in half lengthwise and deveined

we use rice wrapper rolling plates available at specialty asian stores.

Directions:
1. In a bowl, combine the noodles, carrots, basil, and cilantro. add the spicy lime dressing and toss to coat

2. Fill a wide shallow pan with hot water & spread a dish towel out on a work surface. Dip a rice wrapper in the water for about 3 seconds until softened and place on towel . (or use the rice wrapper plates to make things much easier for you if you are a novice. We bought ours in chinatown)

3. Place a lettuce leaf on the lower third of the rice wrapper. spoon a scant 1/4 of the noodle mixture onto the lettuce, arrange 2 shrimp halves next to each other, and roll up into a cylinder, tucking in the ends as you go. Place the roll on a platter and cover with a damp towel to keep from drying out. repeat with remaining wrappers. you will get better at it. :)
serve with the two sauces below:

Peanut sauce-

Ingredients:
1/4 cup gluten free hoisin sauce
(to make hoisin sauce- in a med bowl stir together 4 Tbsp. Gluten free soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter, 1 Tbsp. honey, 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar, pinch of garlic powder, 2 tsp. sesame oil, 2 dollops of hot sauce and a pinch of black pepper. stir well it will mix eventually)

2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. sucanat
1/3 cup water
1 tsp. macadamia nut oil
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. crushed red pepper

Directions:
1. In a small bowl combine hoisin sauce, peanut butter, tomato paste, sugar, and water and stir until smooth.

2. Heat a small heavy saucepan on high and add the oil and heat until hot (20 seconds). Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and stir for about 5 seconds. stir in the peanut butter mixture, and cook (turn the heat down slightly) for about 3 to 4 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature

Spicy Sweet-&-Sour Dipping sauce

Ingredients:

1 tsp. crushed red pepper
Juice of 3 limes or 2 lemons
1/4 cup fish sauce
3 Tbsp. sucanat
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. grated carrots

Directions:
In a medium bowl, soak the crushed red pepper in the lime juice for 3 minutes. Add the fish sauce, sucanat, and garlic and stir to dissolve the sucanat. just before serving, add the carrots. (sauce will keep coverd in fridge for several days)

Ants on a log

celery, almond butter and dried currants.
a very mature snack

spicy roll

My local grocery store has a dedicated sushi chef who prepares the sushi fresh on site everyday. I love it. I thought I would post this in order to give some information that anyone who is going gluten free might not know. If you decide to go out for sushi, you will need to be very careful about your choices. There is wheat in nearly everything. Regular california rolls or anything made with imitation crab will have wheat. Almost all soy sauce has wheat. I buy wheat free San-J Lite Tamari organic soy sauce. Generally it is safest to make it yourself unless the restaurant you are in can give you a precise and detailed list of ingredients. These spicy rolls are made with shrimp/salmon and tuna. and I used my own soy sauce for dipping. delicious!
On another note- We make a really mean Shrimp Salad Roll that I plan to serve this weekend. You can expect photos and instructions by sunday! :)