The Tasty Alternative: July 2012

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Allergy-Free Wednesdays Week 28: August 1, 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.

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, guidelines, and legal information. Thank you!
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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 (most viewed by readers):

Mexican Chocolate Cake
From: Gluten Free Gidget

Gluten and Dairy Free Monkey Bread
From: The Non-Dairy Queen

5 Minute 4-Ingredient Raw Protein Bars
From: Beyond The Peel

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

Snack: Sweet Potato Chips with Yogurt Mustard Dip
From: Sensual Appeal

Savory: Carrot Cake Pancakes
(Made these - they are super tasty!)

From: Gluten Free Happy Tummy

SCD: Bean Free hummus and Olympic Bento
From: Cuter Than Gluten

Thanks for visiting Allergy-Free Wednesdays!

And thanks for being awesome and reading through our guidelines before linking up!
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Friday, July 27, 2012

Homemade Cashew Butter + Cashew Honey Spread (SCD Friendly)

I've been straight obsessed with cashews lately. I can't get enough. I've been using them in everything. What a fabulous little nut, wouldn't you agree (ahem, unless you're allergic that is). What prompted me to make my own cashew butter is the pricey jarred cashew butter I use to make Danielle's awesome bread (as seen in the pictures). I can get it pretty darn close, but I think you need a magic machine to yield the creaminess you'll find with Artisana. But it does the job and I love it. I wanted to share with you how easy it is to make it yourself. I make this in a high speed blender (Vitamix). I know for sure it will not become creamy in a food processor (trust me, I've tried). Cashew butter is delightfully creamy and mixed with honey it's quite divine. I hope you'll give it a try.

Ingredients:

-2 cups room temperature raw organic cashews *

-1/2 teaspoon oil (or as needed)

How To:

1. Add the cashews to blender and start on low, allowing the cashews to turn into flour. Then turn it up a notch and use the tamper to keep things moving.

2. You will feel like the motor is going to burn out, but you're okay (and it's loud). Keep it moving.

3. I don't turn the blender on high during this process (you know, that left switch) - I just keep it turned up to about 10.

4. After it looks really well incorporated and starts getting creamy, add in the little bit of oil and continue blending. The oil just helps move things along in the final process. Add more as needed.

5. The cashew butter will be very warm the longer you blend. YOu might want to take a break if things are getting too hot. Use a silicone spatchula to scoop everything out. Don't worry about the little bit remaining between the blades, just make a smoothie and it will clean it right out.

6. You can store the cashew butter in an air tight container in the cupboard.

Cashew Honey Spread:

-1 tablespoon honey

-2 tablespoons cashew butter

-Mix until incorporated

Notes:

*If you're not comfortable with 2 cups of cashews, start with 1, and after some practice, you can move up to 2 cups.

*The cashews must be room temperature!

*Add oil as needed. Don't burn out your motor...and PLEASE don't blame me if you do. :-)

Shared on: Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Keep It Simple Mondays, Monday Mania, Mealtime Monday, My Meatless Monday, Just Another Meatless Monday, Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, Whole Foods Wednesdays, Raw Foods Thursdays,

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Allergy-Free Wednesdays Week 27: July 25, 2012

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

Featured Recipes & Highlights

So without further ado...

May I present you with the three most popular submissions:

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Zucchini Brownies
From: Happiness Diaries

Healthy Almond Butter Banana Fudge
(I made this - soooo awesome!!)

From: Beyond The Peel

Gluten Free Caramel Gooey Bars Revised
From: The Non-Dairy Queen

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

Drink/Smoothie: Honeydew Lime Mint Cooler
From: Coconut Mama

Savory: Easy Allergy-Friendly Dinner Rolls

From: Whole Intentions

Summer Salad: Creamy Kale and Cherry Salad
From: Gluten Free Cat

Thanks for visiting Allergy-Free Wednesdays!

And thanks for being awesome and reading through our guidelines before linking up!
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Sunday, July 22, 2012

Spreading the Love Part III: The Food Stories Award

Over the last two months I've received three awards from my fellow bloggers, and I couldn't be more honored and humbled by all the love. Thank you! First, I've twice received the Sunshine Award (for spreading kindness and inspiration) from Judee at Gluten Free A-Z and Heather at Gluten Free Cat, second the Food Stories Award (for excellence in story telling) from Caralyn at Gluten Free Happy Tummy, and third the Addictive Blog Award (for interesting, creative content) from Minnie at The Lady 8 Home. Now it's my turn to spread some love...and you know I'm always up for that. In this post I pass on the Food Stories Award. See here for Spreading the Love Part I (The Sunshine Award) and here for Part II (The Addictive Blog Award).

Award #3:
The Food Stories Award

(Excellence in Storytelling Award, nominated by Caralyn at Gluten Free Happy Tummy). Check out her blog when you get a chance. It's full of amazing recipes, including BED and SCD. Thanks you, Caralyn!

My nomination for The Food Stories Award:
Farty Girl

When I received this award I immediately knew which blogger I wanted to nominate. She's one of my favorite bloggers with food stories that can make me both sink deep into thought or laugh out loud. I love her honest, authentic posts that are generally a mix of healthy recipes, thoughts on life, what she's struggling with and/or conquering, and of course, toots. It's Farty Girl my friends, and if you haven't had the pleasure of visiting her blog, you must do so. I greatly admire her unwavering dedication to healing her IBS, and her journey to find the best balance of all things health. She also reminds me of some of my closest "real life" friends, so I can't help lovin' this girl. So thank you Farty Girl for always inspiring me, and sharing your smart, fun and REAL stories on love, life, food (and toots).

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If you're so inclined:

Here’s how it works:

The nominee should visit the award site (http://foodstoriesblog.com/food-stories-award/) and leave a comment indicating that they have been nominated and by whom. (This step is so important because it’s the only way our judges will know who is being considered for the monthly award).
The Nominee should thank the person that nominated them by posting on their own blog & including a link to their blog.
The Nominee should include a courtesy link back to the official award site (http://foodstoriesblog.com/food-stories-award/) in their blog post.
Share one random thing about yourself in your blog post.
Select at least five other bloggers that you enjoy reading their stories and nominate them for the award. Include these nominees in your blog post. Many people indicate that they wish they could nominate more so please feel free to nominate all your favorites.
Notify your nominees by leaving a comment on their blog, including a link to the award site (http://foodstoriesblog.com/food-stories-award/).

Food Stories has put together a phenomenal team of judges to review all nominees and to select a Food Stories Award Winner for each month.

IMPORTANT … In order to be considered for the monthly award, you must fulfill each of the listed steps above. After your site is reviewed and all the steps have been followed then the site will be added to the “official” nominee page for entry into the monthly giveaway. Please feel free to comment below or if you have any questions/comments.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Easy and Delicious Lasagna (dairy free, gluten free, vegan)

This lasagna recipe came about after making Kelly's lasagna many, many times. I love her recipe, but wanted a vegan version. Cashews are the answer! I love cashews, they are a dairy-free girl's best friend. They really mimic the flavor and texture of cheese. I'm excited to share this recipe with you because it's honestly super delicious. My husband LOVES this lasagna. And it takes no longer to make than traditional. The most annoying part for me though is the noodles. They take so long to boil and I only do a few at a time. I've tried using those no-bake noodles, but I don't recommend them. But other than that, everything comes to together nice and quick. And the key to any lasagna (as you might know) is allowing it enough time to cool before serving. The lasagna you see here was cooling for at least an hour. I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as we do.

Ingredients:

-Gluten Free Brown Rice Lasagna Noodles. I use about 12 total noodles. (I think this brand is the best).

-1 batch cashew cheese filling (recipe here).

-Homemade marinara sauce (recipe here). You could also use store bought marinara, just try and find low sodium

-Optional (Daiya shredded "cheese" on top for presentation)

How To:

Preheat over to 375

1. You honestly make this lasagna like any other regular lasagna.

2. Make the marinara sauce.

3. Make the cheese filling.

4. I use a 15x10x2 inch Pyrex baking dish. I start with some sauce and cheese on the bottom of the dish, then start layering noodles, cheese, sauce, noodles, cheese, sauce, etc. I just swirl the cheese and sauce together in each layer, you want nice thick coating so the noodles don't get dried out. The cashew cheese will thicken quite a bit while baking and will "puff" up.

5. You can finish the layers by adding some dairy free cheese shreds on top, but this is totally optional.

6. Bake covered (I don't use foil in my kitchen, so I use a stainless steel cookie sheet to cover) and bake for 45 minutes.

7. Allow at least 30 minutes to cool.

You can see here how well this stays together.

Delish.

Shared on: Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Keep It Simple Mondays, Monday Mania, Mealtime Monday, My Meatless Monday, Just Another Meatless Monday, Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays,Gluten Free Wednesdays, Whole Foods Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, Keep It Real Thursdays, Full Plate Thursday, Tastetastic Thursday, Fresh Bites Friday, Fight Back Friday, Friday Food, Show Off Friday, Freaky Friday, Whole Foods Friday

Herbs That Help Fight Stress & Increase Mental Clarity

Please read my disclaimer before continuing on. Thank you

I think we all know stress is super bad for our bodies. And stress can come in many forms: overworked, depressed, constantly angry, troubled by past traumas/memories, anxious about a new chapter in life or transition, money, etc. When I'm anxious, angry, sad, overworked (physically/mentally), I strive to find my balance back to a state of calm and control - calm and control AMID the stresses of life, they aren't going anywhere, so we need to learn how to cope. This is where behavioral interventions are key and can significantly help reduce the affects of stress on our bodies. Behavioral techniques coupled with herbs can help us retrieve balance. Because come on, LIFE is stressful, love is stressful, having kids is stressful, family is stressful, missing the turn is stressful, waiting in line is stressful, waiting in line with kids is ridiculously stressful. Let's get the stress under control so we can enjoy the many awesome things that life has to offer.

And look less like this:

And more like this:

Herbs to Help Fight Stress and Increase Mental Clarity:

Vitamin B Complex

Great for natural stress reduction. Vitamin B can be taken everyday - very safe and super good for you. I take these

Chamomile

This is my all time favorite! Chamomile is my #1 go-to for stress relief. It has a gentle, mild calming effect - great for bedtime. Targets central nervous system. I find this in bulk at my local Coop (little dried flowers). I use one tablespoon with 8 ounces boiling water. Steep for 15 minutes.

Lemon Balm

Gentle relaxing effect on the central nervous system. Few side effects (long term use okay). Good for reliving tension and fighting stress.

Valerian Root

Traditionally used as herbal remedy for insomnia.

(does not give you that groggy feeling in the morning. Do not take for more than 2 weeks)

Used to calm nerves. Non addictive. Great anxiety fighter.

Licorice Root

Contains a natural hormone alternative to cortisone, which can help the body handle stressful situations, and can help to normalize blood sugar levels as well as your adrenal glands, providing you with the energy necessary to deal with the stressful situation at hand. Some claim licorice stimulates cranial and cerebrospinal fluid, thereby calming the mind. Click above link for additional stress fighting herbs.

I purchase licorice root in bulk at my local Coop. To use: I steep 1 teaspoon in 8 ounces boiling water 3x per day.

Rooibos (aka red bush tea)

Rooibos is touted as a tea that helps improve brain function. Caffeine free, this tea targets the central nervous system and has a calming effect. It's used to strengthen mental clarity without causing any side effects (such as the jitters or exhaustion). An excellent herb for nervous tension. One study cited that the antioxidant flavanoids in rooibos tea were as much as 50 times more potent than even green tea. Rooibos is naturally sweet.

Passion flower
Considered a mild sedative and can help promote sleep. Passion flower also treats anxiety, insomnia, depression, and nervousness. The parts of the passion flower plant that grows above ground can be dried and steeped for tea. Otherwise, passion flower is available as a tincture, capsule, and even as a juice. Please use this herb with caution - many known side effects.

Attention and Focus Herb Blend

Bach's Rescue Remedy

*

More pictures of people looking stressed (that I thought were funny):

(or maybe she's super hungry?)

Holiday stress! OR A ghost is strangling her with Christmas lights.

Pictures of people being meditative and calm (which I thought you might appreciate after seeing that woman eat her computer):

peace

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Shared on: Fat Tuesday, Allergy-Free Wednesdays

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Spreading the Love Part II: The Addictive Blog Award

Over the last two months I've received three awards from my fellow bloggers, and I couldn't be more honored and humbled by all the love. Thank you! First, I've twice received the Sunshine Award (for spreading kindness and inspiration) from Judee at Gluten Free A-Z and Heather at Gluten Free Cat, second the Food Stories Award (for excellence in story telling) from Caralyn at Gluten Free Happy Tummy, and third the Addictive Blog Award (for interesting, creative content) from Minnie at The Lady 8 Home. Now it's my turn to spread some love...and you know I'm always up for that. In this post I pass on the Addictive Blog Award. See here for Spreading the Love Part I (The Sunshine Award) and here for Part III (The Food Stories Award).

Award #2: The Addictive Blog Award

Thank you Minnie from The Lady 8 Home for the nomination!

The rules for the Addictive Blog Award are: Thank the person who nominated you and link them back. Share a little bit about why you started blogging. Copy and paste the award onto your blog. Nominate up to 10 other bloggers you think are addictive enough to deserve the award. This is a fun award to pass on to other bloggers. It's a nice way to expand your blogging community, introduce your readers to new blogs, and of course, spread some love. No pressure to continue on and nominate other bloggers. But it's fun and always awesome to make someone smile.

Why I started blogging: I started blogging for several reasons: (1) to create a special place to keep and reference my recipes, (2) to share my recipes with others, (3) and perhaps most important, to connect with other people/bloggers struggling with disease and/or also living an alternative foods lifestyle.

Here are my nominees

1. Kathy from: Kathy's Table. When I found Kathy's blog, I looked through all her posts. It's a blog of great interest to me, as Kathy also has Crohn's disease and shares SCD recipes, but she also throws a few classic dishes in there from time to time. Her love of cooking and healthy cuisine is addictive!

2. Dawn from: Cuter than Gluten. Dawn is a new blogger, and just released a cookbook Culinary Creativity. How exciting. Her blog and recipes are very fun and creative and I look forward to watching her blog grow.

3. Zoe from: Z's Cup of Tea. I just recently found Zoe (via Shirley) and I'm so glad I did. Her recipes are dairy free, gluten free and SCD. She's a super creative cook and I admire her passion for family and health.

4. Sarah from: The Cyclist Wife. Sarah is a local blogger and one of my friends. I am nominating her blog because her posts are fun, amusing, and eclectic. You'll find yourself reading post after post and smiling all along the way.

5. Allergy-Friendly Taste Buds. Offers recipes that are free of: nuts, peanuts, dairy, sugar, gluten, citrus, eggs and soy. WOW! Allergy-Friendly Taste Buds also highlights recipes from other bloggers, so I always find something new and great on her site.

Allergy-Free Wednesdays Week 26: July 18, 2012

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

Featured Recipes & Highlights

So without further ado...

May I present you with the three most popular submissions:

Why I Never Use Agave
(excellent read)
From: Real Food Forager

S'mores Bars
From: Hope's Kitchen

Avocado Fudge
From: Good Girl Gone Green

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

SCD: Red Slaw
(check out Vicky's super creative vegan SCD mayo)!
From: Gluten Free SCD and Veggie

Salad: Grilled Chicken Southwest Salad With Chipotle Dressing
From: Cooking Gluten and Dairy Free

Ice Cream: Rich Chocolate Ice Cream
(dairy free, gluten free, cane-sugar free, vegan)
From: Gluten Free Easily

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

Monday, July 16, 2012

Raw Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream (vegan, dairy free, cane-sugar free)

Since reviewing their products, I've been dreaming about Blue Mountain Organics' cashew based ice creams. They are so creamy and flavorful. Such a healthy summer treat. So last week, I finally got around to making my own cashew based ice cream. I'm quite used to making coconut milk based ice creams, so I wasn't sure how this was going to turn out. But it did, and deliciously so. What we have here is a raw, vegan, dairy free, cane-sugar free, chocolate ice cream that's so creamy it feels like velvet in your mouth. It goes without saying that my chocoholic husband proclaimed this as his new favorite dessert. Good, because it's super easy to make and super good for you. Knock yourself out my dear.

Ingredients:

-2 cups cashews (soaked for up to 6 hours)

-2 tablespoons coconut oil

-1/4 cup raw cacao (or more for you chocoholics)

-1/3 cup grade B maple syrup or local raw honey
-1 tablespoon vanilla

-1/4 cup dates (about 4) seeded and soaked in 1 cup filtered water for at least 2 hours (I soak mine for 4)

-1 cup date water + 1/2 cup filtered water

-1/4 teaspoon coffee flavor

-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-Dash of cayenne (optional)

How To:

1. To a blender add drained cashews, coconut oil, cacao, maple syrup, vanilla, dates with date water plus an extra 1/2 cup water, coffee flavor, and cinnamon. Blend until incorporated (if mixture gets warm from blending, wait until it has cooled before adding it to ice cream maker).
2. Add to ice cream maker and churn until thick.
3. Transfer to glass container and store in freezer for at least four hours.
4. Remove from freezer 20 minutes before serving.

Notes:
*I use this ice cream maker and it works great, and it's a perfect middle ground size.

(affiliate links in post}
Shared on: Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Keep It Simple Mondays, Monday Mania, Mealtime Monday,Fresh Bites Friday, Fight Back Friday, Friday Food, Show Off Friday, Freaky Friday, My Meatless Monday, Just Another Meatless Monday, Fat Tuesday, Traditional Tuesdays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Scratch Cookin' Tuesdays, Recipe Lunchbox Tuesdays, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, Keep It Real Thursdays, Full Plate Thursday, Tastetastic Thursday, Raw Foods Thursdays, Wellness Weekend, Fresh Bites Friday, Fight Back Friday, Friday Food, Show Off Friday, Freaky Friday,

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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Allergy-Free Wednesdays Week 28: August 1, 2012

Friday, July 27, 2012

Homemade Cashew Butter + Cashew Honey Spread (SCD Friendly)

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Allergy-Free Wednesdays Week 27: July 25, 2012

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Spreading the Love Part III: The Food Stories Award

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Easy and Delicious Lasagna (dairy free, gluten free, vegan)

Herbs That Help Fight Stress & Increase Mental Clarity

peace

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Spreading the Love Part II: The Addictive Blog Award

Allergy-Free Wednesdays Week 26: July 18, 2012

Monday, July 16, 2012

Raw Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream (vegan, dairy free, cane-sugar free)

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