The Tasty Alternative: March 2012

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Monthly Round-Up: March 2012

Hello friends. Geez, where did March go?
Here we are again for another monthly round-up.
I don't know about you, but I spend A LOT of time searching for dinner ideas - far more than anything else. So this month I put together a nice variety of ideas ranging from meat based to vegan. Scott and I were vegetarians for years (before my Crohn's diagnosis) so I appreciate vegetarian and vegan meals. Currently, we eat meat-base dinners about 3 nights per week and the other nights are a mix of vegetarian and vegan, sprinkled with raw dishes. Here's to a fabulous April full of good eats and good health!
Salud.

Sweet Chicken and Parsnip Balls

From: Lisa @ Allergy-Free Vintage Cookery

Teriyaki Eggplant Steaks

From Kalinda @ Wheat Free Meat Free

Beet Burgers

From Ricki @ Diet, Dessert and Dogs

Baked Chicken Strips with Honey Mustard Sauce

From: Danielle @ Against All Grain

Nut Roast

From Vicky @ Gluten Free, SCD and Veggie

Oven Baked Chimichangas

From Tessa @ Tessa the Domestic Diva

Honey Mustard Glazed Salmon

From Jen @ My Big Fat Grain Free Life

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Enchiladas

From Nancy @ Real Food Allergy Free

Tender Chicken Curry in the Crock Pot

From Laura @ Gluten Free Pantry

Adzuki Bean Shepherd's Pie

From Adrienne @ Whole New Mom

Here are some dinner ideas from The Tasty Alternative:

Gluten Free Garden Summer Pasta
Vegan Jamaican Red Bean Stew with Coconut Rice
Roasted Leek and Mushroom Pork Chops
Sun Dried Tomato and Artichoke Heart Vegan "Pasta"
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Gluten Free Pasta with Delicata Squash Sauce

Thursday, March 29, 2012

St. Patty's Day Giveaway Winners Announced via Video

A big thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway!

Here is how I picked the winners

(out of a hat!)

Please see below to verify your comment and then

email me so I can put you in contact with Hilary.

Congratulations to the lucky winners!!

1. Lora

Comment: Sounds like a neat book.

And better than buying smoothies at $7 a piece.

2. Reggie

Comment: I love to do smoothies and I am always looking for new and healthier ones!

And since our last name is the same it would be really neat to win a copy!

3. Juliette

Comment: Hi love your blog! The e-book would be a super awesome gift. I donated one of my kidneys twelve years ago and this would totally help detox my body and keep my one kidney energized and running smooth-y (pun intended)! Also, my twin sister suffers horribly with Crohns/IBS disease and I could help her to get on the right track to a healthier way of eating with this e-book. Thank you for the opportunity to enter this amazing give away.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Roasted Asparagus Soup (Vegan/SCD Friendly)

Can you tell I'm on a kick here with the creamy soups? Cashew cream just adds so much flavor and texture to vegan dishes. Just love it. My husband told me this soup tastes like an "asparagus cheese soup." So there you go.

Lemon and thyme make a strong appearance here. I load on the thyme for its healing qualities (we all suffer from allergies, and thyme is a great way to decrease phlegm and heal respiratory distress). Thyme also imparts a mild lemony flavor which I love with asparagus. I find that roasting the main ingredients adds far more to the dish than just boiling or sauteing. You don't have to roast, but I recommend it. I served this soup with sauteed lemon pepper Brussels sprouts, and Danielle's crusty rolls...all very complimentary.

It was like a spring party for my mouth.

Fabulous.

The healing benefits of thyme

Ingredients

-1 lb fresh asparagus, cut in half

-1 medium zucchini, peeled, trimmed and rough chop

-1 medium yellow onion, rough chop

-6 cloves fresh smashed garlic

-3 cups cashew cream*

-4 cups filtered water

-1 teaspoon salt

-1 tablespoon dried thyme (if using fresh, only add about 1 teaspoon)

-Oil of choice

-1 tablespoon garlic granules + 1 teaspoon garlic granules

-1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

-Fresh ground black pepper to taste

How To

1. Add the asparagus, onion, zucchini, and garlic to your favorite roasting dish and toss with oil and 1 tablespoon garlic granules

2. Add to a 400 degree preheated oven and roast for 30-35 minutes

3. In a large soup pot, add roasted mix, cashew cream, water, salt, and 1 teaspoon garlic granules. Bring to a gentle simmer, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

4. Turn down to low, cover and let cook gently for about 30 minutes. Uncover and turn off heat. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes, then blend with immersion blender (or blender of choice).

5. Stir in dried thyme and lemon juice. Serves 4.

6. Garnish with dried thyme, a squirt of lemon and black pepper

Notes:

* For cashew milk: soak 1 cup of cashews in filtered water 4 to 8 hours. Drain, rinse, and blend with 3 cups filtered water (I use a Vitamix). Poor into glass jar and store in fridge up to 4 days.

Shared on:
Just Another Meatless Monday, Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Monday Mania, Ruth's Real Food 101 (Mondays), Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Traditional Tuesdays, Fat Tuesdays, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, Whole Food Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Full Plate Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Freaky Friday, Wellness Weekend, Fresh Bites Fridays, Lunch Box Love Fridays, Allergy-Friendly Fridays, Friday Food, Superfood Sunday, Sunday Night Soup Night

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Allergy Free-Wednesdays Week 10: March 28, 2012

Hello and welcome to Allergy-Free Wednesdays (AFW).

AFW is a weekly blog hop where folks can share their allergy-free cuisine, gain knowledge about allergy-related topics/issues, and connect with others living or caring for someone with food allergies.

Featured Recipes & Highlights

Each week AFW features the three most popular recipes from the previous week, and the six AFW hostesses will highlight their favorites. Please note that your submission must contain a link back to our Allergy-Free Wednesday's Blog Hop in order to be featured. Click HERE for last week's entries and the appropriate back link.

So without further ado...

May I present you with the three most popular submissions:

Copycat Krispy Kreme Donuts
I think the title here says it all.
From: Homegrown Beanies

Foodie Friday-Gluten-Free Pizza Dough
Yuuuum! I love me some pizza!
From: Sensitive and Centsible

Breakfast Cookies (Paleo/SCD)
These are amazing! Great breakfast for kids!!
From my pal Danielle @ Against All Grain

And here are the three fabulous recipes/posts I chose to highlight:

SCD: Bean Salad with a Mint Dressing (SCD & GF)

From my pal Vicky @ Gluten Free SCD and Veggie

Sweet: Gluten Free, Sugar Free Orange Date Walnut Muffins
I'm really loving these ingredients and I appreciate a sugar-free sweet treat!
So thank you for this great recipe. I'll be making these soon.
From: Gluten Free Delightfully Delicious

Savory/Soup: French Lentil and Vegetable Soup
I can't wait to try this soup by Debbie. It looks amazing and I'm loving the ingredients. If you haven't checked out Debbies' Sunday Night Soup Night, please do. Some excellent recipes to search through. I visit the archives all the time for soup inspiration!

From: Debbie at Easy Natural Food

Thanks for visiting Allergy-Free Wednesdays!
And thanks for being awesome and reading through our guidelines before linking up!
_________________________________

Monday, March 26, 2012

Sautéed Lemon Pepper Brussels Sprouts

I've been on a HUGE Brussels sprout kick lately, sauteing them up for lunch, or as a side dish for dinner. They are so delicious. I like to keep mine very simple - some salt and fresh lemon juice does the trick my friends. Ah, the perfect springtime food! Please try this one for me.

Curious about these cute little greens? See here for their history, nutritional info and more.

Ingredients:

-1 lb of Brussels

-1/2 cup leeks (optional, but worth it)

-1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

-1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

-Fresh ground pepper to taste (optional, but worth it)
-2 tablespoons oil of choice (I use grapeseed)

How To
1. Add oil, leeks and salt to a large saute pan. Sauté on medium heat until wilted and soft (about 5 minutes).
2. Trim, slice and wash the Brussels. Add to leeks and sauté on medium heat.
3. When Brussels are slightly wilted turn off heat and add in lemon juice and mix. I like my Brussels with a bit of crunch (not mushy).
4. Serve warm or room temp (or cold). Garnish with fresh ground pepper.
Serves 4

Shared on these fabulous link parties: Cowgirl Up Mondays, Just Another Meatless Monday, Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Monday Mania, Ruth's Real Food 101 (Mondays), Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Traditional Tuesdays, Fat Tuesdays, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, Whole Food Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Full Plate Thursday, Pennywise Platter, It's a Keeper Thursday, Freaky Friday, Wellness Weekend, Fresh Bites Fridays, Lunch Box Love Fridays, Friday Food, Superfood Sunday, GFE April Virtual Support Group, Paleo AIP Recipe Round Table

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Sun Dried Tomato and Artichoke Heart Pasta (SCD/GAPS/Paleo)

I've been on a total zoodle kick. Today I used them in a dish I usually prepare with brown rice pasta, and the zoodles (adorably named by Jen) were a perfect substitute! And this meal comes together quickly, like 10 minutes- no joke! As someone with IBD, I have a very hard time digesting brown rice pasta (all grains really) which is why I wanted to make it SCD. This dish was very filling and extremely satisfying, and I felt so light and peaceful. No digestive distress. If you haven't used zucchini yet for the noodle factor, you should because they are awesome.

Salud!

Sun Dried Tomato and Artichoke Heart Pasta

GAPS, SCD, Paleo, Vegan

Ingredients:

-1/2 cup chopped onion (red or yellow)

-1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives

-1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes (confirm ingredients)

-1 6.5 ounce jar of marinated artichoke hearts (confirm ingredients)

-2 cups fresh organic spinach

-4 medium peeled and trimmed zucchinis

-1 1/2 teaspoons garlic granules (or 3 fresh garlic cloves, minced)

-Oil of choice

-1 teaspoon dried basil

-Optional: red pepper flakes and black pepper

How To:

1. In a large saute pan, add in some oil and heat on medium low

2. Add onions, olives, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and garlic granules, and saute for a few minutes

3. Add in spinach and saute until slightly wilted

4. Add in zucchini noodles and saute for just a couple of minutes

5. Remove from heat, add in dried basil and optional red pepper flakes and black pepper, and a few fresh spinach leaves for garnish

Notes:

*I use this gadget to get the zucchini to look like pasta noodles.

*Or this awesome julienne peeler works great too.

Shared on: Just Another Meatless Monday, Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Monday Mania, Ruth's Real Food 101 (Mondays), Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Traditional Tuesdays, Fat Tuesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Whole Food Wednesdays, Full Plate Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Freaky Friday, Wellness Weekend, Fresh Bites Fridays, Lunch Box Love Fridays, Fight Back Friday, Allergy-Friendly Fridays, Friday Food, Pot Luck Party Friday, Superfood Sunday, Friday Food Fix

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Allergy-Free Wednesdays Blog Hop Week 9: March 21, 2012

Hello and welcome to Allergy-Free Wednesdays (AFW).

This is a weekly blog hop hosted by myself and six other fabulous allergy-free bloggers. Your weekly submissions will be shared on all 7 blogs! Check back each week for reader favorites and recipe highlights.

Before linking up - PLEASE click HERE to review rules and guidelines. Thank you!
_________________________________

And when you get a chance, check out my giveaway!

3 lucky readers will win a copy of Hilary Greenleaf's new eBook:
The New Green Smoothie Diet

No fuss or obligation.
Click here to enter. Good luck!
Winners will be announced next week.
_________________________________

Featured Recipes & Highlights

So without further ado...

May I present you with the three most popular submissions:

10 Alternatives to Buying Gluten Free Bread
Check out this great post!
From: Gluten Free and Loving It

Gluten and Rice Free Multigrain Bread
I'm so going to try this bread.
I have yet to find my groove in the bread-making department,
but we all have to start somewhere, right! This is it.
From my pal Megan @ MAID in Alaska

Sloppy Joe Pie Recipe
Lots of good deals on this site.
From: Coupon Teacher

And here are the three fabulous recipes/posts I chose to highlight:

Sweet: Gluten Free Chai Spiced Sweet Potato Donuts

Okay, I'm sold. Tessa got me interested in making donuts, then I saw the cute little donut machine used to make these delicious things - I'm so in!
Can't wait to try all the great recipes out there.
From: Premiditated Leftovers

Savory: Coconut, Lime, and Quinoa Fish Stew
My stomach started growling after I saw this...and I just ate, so what's that mean!? Really great mix of ingredients. And fish is sort of scarce in recipes (which is understandable considering the quality of fish these days). But our local Coop has wonderful, wild caught fish that would taste great in a soup.
From: Peanut Butter, Passports, and Epinephrine

Healthy Snack: Creamy Green Collard Smoothie
I've been on a serious smoothie kick these days.
And so this recipe caught my eye.
First, the color is gorgeous, but the recipe totally sold me.
Quick, easy, and delicious.

From: @ Home with Gina C.

Thanks for visiting Allergy-Free Wednesdays!
And thanks for being awesome and reading through our guidelines before linking up!
_________________________________

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Beet Pickled Eggs

I nearly cried over these eggs, the smell alone actually made me very emotional. Why? Well yes they are super good, but I was overcome with emotion due to the warm, loving memories these eggs brought rushing back. So I was nineteen years old the last time I ate one of these eggs. It was with my beloved Gramie, whom I speak of often here on this blog. She made these ALL the time for me growing up. So the last time I ate one of these gorgeous, perhaps unconventional eggs, was fifteen years ago in my Gramie's kitchen where we sat and salted these delicious pickled purples, laughing about something I'm sure (she was a born prankster, had a killer sense of humor - very early on I was exposed to the likes of George Burns, Groucho Marks, Jack Benny, Lucille Ball, Milton Berle, etc.), hence my current love of comedy. I digress...

I didn't have Gramie's recipe here for these eggs, however, I'm elated over my attempt - pretty spot on. Oh these eggs. It's hard to describe the flavor, I think they are simply delicious. They are so easy to make. Fun for a spring celebration. If you're feeling adventurous, I encourage you to try. You won't be disappointed...and Gramie will smile knowing people are making her famous purple eggs!

Ingredients:

-6 peeled hard boiled eggs (or more, I would say up to 12, and pickle a tad longer)

-4 medium red beets, peeled and cut (use raw, not cooked)

-2 cups raw apple cider vinegar

-2 cups filtered water

-1/2 teaspoon salt

How To:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a glass bowl

2. Cover and pickle in fridge for 36-48 hours

3. The longer these pickle the deeper the color penetrates the egg

4. When ready to eat, simply slice open and serve with a touch of salt or make them into deviled eggs

Notes:
*Don't throw out those gorgeous pickled beets either, add them to a salad as is, or try roasting or a saute.

I made deviled eggs with my pretty purple huevos.

They were outrageous!

Shared on: Just Another Meatless Monday, Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Monday Mania, Ruth's Real Food 101 (Mondays), Cowgirl up Mondays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Traditional Tuesdays, Fat Tuesdays Real Food Wednesdays, Whole Food Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Full Plate Thursday, Pennywise Platter Thursdays, Freaky Friday, Fresh Bites Fridays, Lunch Box Love Fridays, Fight Back Friday, Friday Food, Superfood Sunday, Whole Food Fridays,

Thursday, March 15, 2012

St. Patty's Day: SCD/Paleo Style - and a few other things

Here are just a few fun, green themed dishes I will be making on St. Patty's Day - all SCD friendly!

Breakfast:

Egg scramble with zucchini, spinach, and pesto

Lunch:

Pesto zucchini pasta

Snack or Appetizer

Lemon walnut stuffed avocado

Dinner:

Creamy Vegan Broccoli Soup

Dessert:

Key lime pie

***************************************************************

(LOVE IT)

Music

One of my favorite Irish punk bands: Flogging Molly

The Drop Kick Murphys also rock!

Top 10 Irish drinking songs

Pandora has great Celtic and Irish stations

Putumayo Celtic Crossroads

Amazing Celtic band: Lunasa

(My kids jump up and start dancing around the house - every time to this one)!

Here are some additional ideas for food, fun, and crafts

Check out this round-up of gorgeous green inspired dishes over at Against All Grain

Fun slime for kids that could easily be made green with this food coloring

DIY Shamrock Garland

Delicious Kale chips from Tessa the Domestic Diva

5 fun and eco-friendly St. Pattie's Day projects

A serious GREEN smoothie from Shirley over at GFE

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Saturday, March 31, 2012

Monthly Round-Up: March 2012

Thursday, March 29, 2012

St. Patty's Day Giveaway Winners Announced via Video

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Roasted Asparagus Soup (Vegan/SCD Friendly)

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Allergy Free-Wednesdays Week 10: March 28, 2012

Monday, March 26, 2012

Sautéed Lemon Pepper Brussels Sprouts

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Sun Dried Tomato and Artichoke Heart Pasta (SCD/GAPS/Paleo)

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Allergy-Free Wednesdays Blog Hop Week 9: March 21, 2012

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Beet Pickled Eggs

Thursday, March 15, 2012

St. Patty's Day: SCD/Paleo Style - and a few other things

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