Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Raw Dairy Free Cashew Sour Cream (SCD/Paleo/GAPS)

When I came across a recipe for cashew sour cream in one of my favorite cookbooks from Cafe Gratitude I thought, "Yeah, we'll see." There's like 3 ingredients...how is this going to turn out.  I haven't had real sour cream in years and I so miss this addition to our taqueria night.  I am opposed to soy sour cream and so what's a dairy-free girl to do?  Can I tell you I nearly fell off my chair when I bit into my burrito.  DELICIOUS.  I couldn't believe it.  My kids loved it too, and of course my husband was very impressed.  Please try this and be dazzled by delicious simplicity.

Ingredients
-1 1/2 cups soaked cashews (4-8 hours)
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-2+ tablespoons lemon juice 
-Approximately 3/4 cup filtered water 

How To
1.  Place soaked cashews into blender, preferably a high-speed
2.  Add salt, lemon juice and half the water
3.  Blend slowly and add more water until a desired consistency in achieved 
4.  Add more lemon or salt...this is how to turn this creation into a sour cream.  

Note
*You can change the flavor or color of this cheese very easily by adding one or more of the following: cumin powder, turmeric powder, parsley, cilantro or bell pepper   
*Be creative and have fun with your food
Shared on: Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Wellness Weekend 
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Posted by Amber at 6:32 PM 6 comments
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Saturday, August 27, 2011

For the love of jars


I find that as an alternative cook I have an enormous amount of ingredients.  What's a girl to do? Dig out the ole' label maker of course!  I have a love affair with my label maker.  I go on label making tangents in my house and label everything I can from the kid's toys to items in my closet.  Regretfully, it's not the most environmentally frienldy system, but oh how I love those neat pretty little labels!  

To organize my kitchen, and more specificity, flours and baking ingredients, I find glass jars anywhere I can.  Our local Coop has a fantastic bulk section...I'm talking bulk gf pasta, gf cereal, gf flours, teas, binders, thickeners, honey, almond butter...you name it and they probably have it - so great!  So I don't use plastic for many reasons and feel really good about storing food in glass.  I have had great success at finding glass jars and storage at discount stores such as Ross and Marshall's, and Ikea has by far my favorite glass containers.  For smaller food quantities like those few little left over hemp seeds, I reuse jelly and applesauce jars.  

An organized kitchen is indeed a happy place to create tasty eats!

Flours and the like in cupboard 

Jelly and applesauce jars for powders, seeds, beans, etc.

Glass jars for everyday staples like gluten free oats, cereal and rice
Don't throw away those plastic bins!
Use them to store your baking and cooking essentials  
Glass jars and containers are perfect for storing nuts in the fridge!
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Posted by Amber at 11:50 AM 6 comments Links to this post
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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Raw Vegan Walnut Pesto (SCD/Paleo/GAPS)


 I have to say...I'm very pleased with vegan pesto.  I don't miss the the cheese at all.  And I use walnuts instead of pine nuts.  I guess there is a global pine nut shortage which prompted my local coop to put the pine nuts they did have in these ittty-bitty tiny plastic bags.  I laughed so hard and thought, I can't make pesto with 5 pine nuts!!  Thus, the walnuts made their debut and the outcome...sooo tasty!

Ingredients
-2 ounces of fresh basil (sort of hard to measure in cups, probably 4 cups)
-1 cup raw organic walnuts (you could also toast the walnuts, but do not if making raw)
-3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon (to taste)
-1/2 cup olive oil (or preferred oil)
-1/2 teaspoon garlic granules (or one clove of fresh garlic - or to taste)
-1/2 teaspoon salt


How To
1.  Place toasted walnuts in food processor and pulse a few times.   
2. Add basil, garlic granules, salt and pulse.
3. Turn on food processor, add in lemon juice and drizzle in oil.  Scrape down sides now and then.
4.  Test for seasoning.  
**********
Daddy and Ethan gathering basil from the garden. 
Shared on:  Just Another Meatless Monday  Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Monday Mania, My Meatless Mondays, Mealtime Monday, Made From Scratch Monday, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Allergy-Friendly St. Pattie's Day,  Fat Tuesday,Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Traditional Tuesdays, Whole Food Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Potluck Party Friday, Wellness Weekend, 
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Posted by Amber at 9:50 AM 3 comments
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Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Raw Vegan Banana Fudgesicles (dairy free & cane-sugar free)



Hello and welcome to The Tasty Alternative!  My name is Amber and this blog is a combination of alternative cuisine, organization, green living and holistic healing.  You can read more about me and this blog from the links above.  I'm just thrilled to create my first post today.  I thought it would be fun to kick things off on a sweet note and make one of my daughter's (and son's) favorite desserts, and of course she is helping me out today.  Please let me know how you like this delicious and healthy spin one one of my favorite childhood treats.  

Ingredients:
-1 large ripe banana
-1 can of full fat this or this
-3 tablespoons of grade B maple syrup (also sub: honey, coconut sugar or coconut nectar)
-2 teaspoons vanilla 
-2 tablespoons raw carob power (or raw cacao power)
*I am using carob powder here because chocolate aggravates eczema (my son suffers from this skin condition) and overall, chocolate is far too stimulating for my little ones. 


How To:
1.  Blend ingredients in any blender
2.  Pour into popsicle molds and freeze 4-5 hours
3.  Eat
4.  Enjoy
Yum, yum...tasty! 
**********
Into the freezer 
Shared on:  Just Another Meatless Monday , Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Monday Mania, My Meatless Mondays, Mealtime Monday, Made From Scratch Monday, Wellness Weekend, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Whole Food Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays,, Raw Foods Thursdays 
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Posted by Amber at 2:01 PM 5 comments
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