Category Archives: dairy free

Friday, September 7, 2012

Mini Vegan Garden Pizzas (allergy-friendly, gluten free, dairy free)

Last weekend I wanted to make something fun for lunch.  Pizza sounded good – garden pizza sounded GREAT.  Although we have many more warm days ahead here in Northern California, I have been dreaming about my winter garden.  So I picked some of our last tomatoes and zucchini and used them for mini pizza toppings.  Some sweet pineapple rounded out the flavors perfectly.  Beet cashews spread (beet “cheese” spread) was a delightful contrast with the pesto sauce.  I hope you enjoy this fun little spin on traditional pizza – and what great way to use up your summer garden veggies.     
Ingredients:
-Pesto sauce here or here 
-Cashew beet sauce (recipe can be found here)
-3 medium zucchinis, peeled, chopped and sauteed with salt 
-2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced
-1 1/2 cups pineapple chunks 
How To:
1.  Make pizza dough as specified.  Don’t be shy with the flour, as this will help you roll out the dough.  Treat it like any other dough.  
2.  Roll out and use a cookie cutter to make the mini pizzas.  Transfer to non-stick surface (such as a silicone mat).  Place the mat directly on a cooling rack to bake or use something like this pizza rack with some parchment paper, and bake for 8 minutes (at 400 degrees).  
3. After baking, remove crusts from mat and cool on the cooling rack (do not cool the pizzas on the mat, as moisture will form).  
4.  Build your pizzas and bake (directly on the cooling rack, no mat) for 8 – 10 minutes.   
Serves 4

Shared on: Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Motivate Me 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, Tastetastic Thursday, Keep It Real Thursdays, Pennywise Platter Thursdays,Wellness Weekend, Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Freaky Friday, Friday Food, Whole Foods Friday

My Birthday Pot Luck Party Friday, 

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Labels: dairy free, gluten free, lunch, summer cuisine, vegan, vegetarian.

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Monday, August 6, 2012

Simple and Delicious Carrot Curry Lentil Soup with Lemon (SCD Friendly) – with a video of the foggy West Coast.

I have a confession, I’m one of those crazy girls that can eat anything for breakfast.  I’ve always been like that.  I never turn down food in the morning just because it’s not “breakfast” material.  See, this is where my sweet husband and I differ.  He likes his meals compartmentalized where I’m all over the place.  I’ll eat cold pizza, roasted veggies, chicken, pasta, any variety of leftovers, pasta, and yes, even soup for breakfast.  I’ve come to realize that this free love with food for breakfast is a good thing on SCD.  Breakfast is perhaps the most difficult part of SCD for me.  It’s a very grain-egg-meat dominated set-up.  But luckily, I’ve found some great substitutes (but I’ve also come to realize that I don’t do well with a lot of nuts on SCD, so I can’t rely on nut-based substitutes every morning).  So what does all this breakfast talk have to do with soup?  Well, I wanted to share a soup with you I’ve been making to eat during the week (for breakfast or whenever).  Mornings are a perfect time to eat soup in the summer.  And let me tell you friends, it gets HOT HOT here in Northern Cali, but the mornings are great, so I don’t shy away from soups.  This soup is so flavorful and filling.  It really hits the spot in the morning and gives me incredible energy – it’s like my new oatmeal (hey, why not).  So I hope you enjoy this simple, versatile soup.  We sure do. 

I need to remember that it’s not HOT everywhere in the summer.  We live about 80 miles from San Francisco, and it can be 110 degrees here in valley and 55 degrees on the coast (no joke).  My husband grew up 1/2 mile from the beach near San Francisco and last week we had a visit with his family.  After a long day playing on the chilly, foggy, beautiful beach I made this soup for dinner and it warmed us right up.  My husband’s heart will always be with the sea.  I love watching him play with our children at the same beach he romped around on as a child.  I’ve included a video of our day below.  

Carrot Curry Lentil Soup with Lemon
Ingredients:
-2 cups brown lentils soaked for 15 – 20 hours (water changed 1x)
-1 medium yellow onion, small chop
-2 cups chopped carrots
-2 cups chopped tomato
-1 can SCD/BPA free coconut milk (or 1 1/2 cups homemade coconut milk)
-3/4 teaspoon salt
-2 teaspoon garlic granules
-2 teaspoons green curry paste* 
-4 cups filtered water 
-Oil of choice (I use grapeseed)

How To:
1.  Coat the bottom of a large soup pot with oil and sauté onions with salt for about 5 minutes.  
2.  Add the chopped carrots and tomatoes, sauté for about 3 minutes.
3.  Add garlic granules and curry paste.  Stir to incorporate.  Add the coconut milk, drained lentils and stir.
4.  Add water, stir. 
5.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and turn down to a simmer on just above low for one hour.  
6.  Turn off heat and keep covered until ready to serve.  Reheat as needed.
7.  Serve with 1/2 fresh squeezed lemon.  I also prefer freshly grated ginger with freshly ground black pepper.  Avocado or vegan cashew sour cream is also delicious for garnish.  
-Serves 6

Notes:

*I can’t guarantee results if a different curry is used.  The green curry paste is fantastic and I highly recommend it.  If you have success in making this soup with a homemade curry or a powder curry, please share in the comments.  

*
The beautiful, foggy West Coast:

 Shared on: Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Keep It Simple Mondays, Monday Mania, Mealtime Monday My Meatless Monday, Just Another Meatless Monday, Made from Scratch Monday,Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Recipe Box Tuesday, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, Whole Foods Wednesdays, Fight Back Friday Freaky Friday, Lifeologia Summerizing Party, Friday Food, 


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Labels: dairy free, main dish, SCD, Soup, vegan, vegetarian.

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Saturday, August 4, 2012

Allergy-Friendly Pizza Crust (free of: gluten, dairy, nuts, eggs, soy, yeast, sugar) with a video!

Last summer I made a vegan gluten-free strawberry shortcake from Without Adornment.  It was super yummy.  And as I ate it I thought, this would make a fabulous pizza crust.  And it sure did.  This was a huge triumph for me in the pizza crust department.  Up until that time I had nothing but bad luck with gf pizza crusts.  Some store bought were so terrible I could barely choke them down.  So what makes this a nice recipe for pizza crust?  Well, for starters, it’s strong and can hold ingredients, it doesn’t have a funky flavor or aftertaste, and it’s easy and very, VERY inexpensive.  And best of all, my son can eat it – and that makes mommy super happy.  Does it taste just like a gluten crust…no.  But it does the job and thus my family eats pizza each week and without all the gunk (especially yeast –  I stay far away from that stuff).  I made a video of how to make the pizza, as the trick to getting it right is baking it on cooling wire, so I recommend viewing the video to see how I bake the crust.  We usually make pizza on the weekends.  Fun and easy.  Okay, so please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. Have fun…hooray for pizza.

Allergy-Friendly Pizza Crust
 
This pizza crust is great for all! Free of: gluten, dairy, nuts, eggs, soy, yeast, and sugar. This recipe is slightly adapted from Without Adornment.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 140 grams brown rice flour (1 cup)
  • 60 grams tapioca flour (1/2 cup)
  • 40 grams arrowroot starch (1/3 cup) or ¼ cup potato starch.
  • 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 1 tablespoon gluten free baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup light tasting oil
  • ¾ cup filtered water
  • ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  2. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl and wet in a separate bowl. Combine.
  3. Mix and form into a ball. Flour your baking mat and roll out dough (see notes). Bake 12 minutes. The crust should be on a mat and then placed on a rack to bake. (If you don't like using silicone baking mats, roll out the dough on parchment paper and then bake on a baking sheet). See Ricki notes below (she baked it this way).
  4. After the crust bakes for 12 minutes, transfer crust from the mat to the cooling rack to cool.
  5. Build the pizza. See here for homemade pizza sauce or here for nightshade free pasta sauce, and we love this dairy free cheese. Keep the crust on the rack. After piling on your topping, bake another 10-12 minutes (on the rack). The longer you bake the harder the crust will get, so be careful. I like the texture at the 12 minute mark.
  6. Remove crust from oven and allow to cool on the cooling rack it was baked on. When cool, transfer to cutting board (or cut on a mat)
Notes
1. If you make the crust too thick it will have a biscuit texture. Go for a thin crust for a more traditional texture.
2. Caution: don't let the dough sit too long in the bowl after you combine the ingredients, as it will start to "grow" from the apple cider vinegar and the baking powder and get really soft. Please see the video. And add as much flour as your need to roll it out. I've made this so many times, so I'm quite used to working with this dough, so be patient with it and yourself. The more flour you add, the more it will come together for and you'll be able to roll it out.
3. You can add spices and flavors to the dough, such as garlic granules. oregano, Italian Seasoning, onion granules, etc.
4. If you're not comfortable using your cooling racks (or not sure if they are oven safe) Bed Bath and Beyond sells a cooking/baking rack for pizzas (however, it looks like the same exact material as my cooking rack). But some folks might feel more comfortable with this: Pizza Baking Rack

 Shared on: Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Keep It Simple Mondays, Monday Mania, Mealtime Monday,  My Meatless Monday, Just Another Meatless Monday, Made from Scratch Monday, Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent TuesdaysRecipe Box Tuesday, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, Whole Foods Wednesdays, Full Plate Thursday, Tastetastic Thursday, Keep It Real Thursdays, Wellness Weekend, Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Freaky Friday, Lifeologia Summerizing Party, Friday Food, Whole Foods Friday

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Labels: allergy-friendly, dairy free, egg free, gluten free, main dish.

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Friday, July 20, 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

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Labels: allergy-friendly, dairy free, gluten free, main dish, vegan, vegetarian.

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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 to your sweetness, you could also add in a few drops of liquid stevia if you’re a super sweet tooth)
-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.  

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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Labels: cane sugar free, dairy free, dessert, ice cream, raw, summer treats, vegan.

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Saturday, July 14, 2012

Chewy Granola Bars (grain free, dairy free, cane-sugar free, SCD friendly)

We are a granola bar loving family.  My husband takes one to work everyday with his lunch and the kids love them for an afternoon snack.  However, it’s hard to find granola bars with (1) no cane-sugar, (2) no grains, and (3) SCD friendly.  So I made some.  And they are super delicious.  They are everything I like in a granola bar: chewy, not too sweet, and easy to digest.  These granola bars are great for SCDers, not only because they are legal, but because all the main nuts and seeds have been soaked and dehydrated for optimal digestion.  I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Ingredients:

Wet
-2.5 ounces seeded Medjool dates (6 dates) soaked for at least 3 hours (I soak mine for 5)
-1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon honey 
-1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon cashew butter (I love this brand)
-2 tablespoons coconut oil

-1/4 teaspoon salt

Dry
How to soak and dehydrate nuts/seeds for better digestion 
-1 cup almonds
-1 cup walnuts
-1/2 cup sunflower seeds
-1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
-1/2 cup dried Turkish apricots, must be finely chopped 
-1/2 cup dried cranberries (sugar free, unsulfered)

How To:
Preheat oven to 350
1.  Add almonds and pumpkin seeds to food processor.  Pulse until they are broken down, especially the almonds.  Mix around with a spoon so the larger pieces are exposed to the blades.  
2.  Next add the walnuts and sunflower seeds and pulse until incorporated and they are slightly chopped (this only takes a few pulses).  These granola bars will only hold together if the nuts and seeds have been chopped enough.  Transfer nuts and seeds to a large bowl and add the chopped dried apricots and dried cranberries.    
3.  Clean out food processor.  Add all the wet ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.
4.  Add the wet ingredients to the nut/seed/fruit mixture and mix WELL. 
5.  Spoon onto a silicone baking mat and bake on a baking sheet.  I have only made this on a silicone baking mat, so I’m not sure how it will cook on any other surface.  Watch for burning if on a baking sheet or parchment paper.  
6.  Form a large rectangle.  I literally smack this together with a silicone spatula – this also pushes the ingredients together.  You’ll need just over 1/2 inch in height.   
7.  Bake for 18 minutes.  Watch for browning.  Every oven is different.  Check at 15 minutes.  You just want a slight browning of the edges.
8.  Remove the mat from baking sheet and transfer the mat to a cooling rack.  Cool completely before cutting.  
Makes 18 – 20 bars

It helps if you wet or oil the spatula while pounding into place 

Crumbled up, these bars make a great cereal!

Serve with homemade milks
____________________________________________________
Shared on: Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Keep It Simple Mondays, Monday Mania, Mealtime MondayFresh 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, Fresh Bites Friday, Fight Back Friday, Friday Food, Show Off Friday, Freaky Friday, 
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Labels: dairy free, gluten free, grain free, SCD, snacks.

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Friday, July 13, 2012

Breaded Jalapeno Poppers Stuffed with "Cheese" and Bacon (dairy free, gluten free, grain free)

In college I ate A LOT of jalapeno poppers.  They were my favorite finger food.  Scott and I would buy those deliciously unhealthy frozen ones filled with cream cheese and deep fried in lard.  But oh man did they taste awesome with a tall glass of Guinness.  I haven’t thought much about poppers in years, but a few weeks ago I decided my cashew “cheese” would taste fab stuffed in a pepper – and why not throw some bacon in there too.  Or keep them vegan, both ways are fun.  This “cheese” spread is outrageous.  It makes a great spread on gf toast, stuffed in celery, and I’ve used it as a “cheese” in grilled turkey and cheese sammies for the kids.   If anything, just try the filling.  But I think you’ll really like these tasty popper alternatives to the gut-busting traditional version.  These would make fantastic appetizers for your next allergy-friendly shindig!  Serve with a cold glass of gluten free beer.
Ingredients:
-15 to 30 jalapeno peppers – quantity really depends on the size of the pepper, so you be the judge.  Twenty medium sized peppers should do ya. 
-1 cup cashews soaked for at least 4 hours (I soak mine for 8)
-1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon filtered water   
-2 tablespoons lemon juice
-1/4 teaspoon garlic granules, onion granules, salt, and Italian Seasoning (the Italian Seasoning is optional but I love these herbs and think they taste great with the cashews).  
-4 to 5 strips of bacon (1/3 cup)

How To:
Preheat oven to 375 
1.  With careful, patient hands, hollow out the jalapenos.  I place all the jalapenos in a large bowl of water.  Wash, keep them in the water, and hollow out each one.  I rinse each one off after I hollow to remove any remaining seeds. 
2.  Cook bacon and set aside. 
3.  In a food processor, add drained cashews, water, lemon juice, and spices.  Blend until well incorporated.   Chop up the bacon into little pieces and the add to the food processor.  Blend until well incorporated. 
4.  With a pastry bag (with no tip) pipe in cheese bacon.  
5.  Do not fill completely, as the cashews cheese expands quite a bit when it’s baked.  I leave a little room on the end.  
6.  Mix together breading (almond flour, salt and garlic grans).  Beat the eggs in a separate bowl.
7.  Dip each pepper in the egg, then roll round in the breading.  You can do this twice for extra thick breading.  Be sure to coat and bread the opening of the pepper.  This will help the cheese stay in place.  
8.  Line a baking dish with parchment paper and place each breaded pepper on the paper (say that 5 times fast)!
9.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the breading is slightly browned.  
10.  Serving size will depend on the size of the pepper.   I’ve made one batch with 20 (big ones) another batch had 30 (smaller ones).  

The Breading Ingredients:
Mix together: 1 cup almond flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt and garlic granules.  Add more as needed  
-2 eggs
Notes:
*The breading is not essential, but makes them taste more like their traditional cousins.  The most time consuming part of this recipe is hollowing out the peppers, the remainder is pretty simple.  Just please be careful with the peppers.  And don’t touch your face under any circumstances.  Bad news.  

Awesome bacon, but not SCD friendly I’m afraid 

This bacon “cheese” is ridiculous.  Love it
Here are some breaded bacon stuffed mixed with naked vegan stuffed ready for the oven (the first time I made these I didn’t line the baking dish, I recommend this step).
Just out of the oven (the middle popper was double breaded) 
See how the “cheese” pushes out.  This is fine, still tastes great, but if you egg and bread over the opening, it helps to hold the stuffing in place (and don’t over stuff). 
Shared on: Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Keep It Simple Mondays, Monday Mania, Mealtime Monday,Scratch Cookin’ Tuesdays, Keep It Real Thursdays, Pennywise Platter Thursdays, Simple Lives Thursdays, Frugal Food Thursdays Fresh Bites Friday, Fight Back Friday, Friday Food, Show Off Friday, Freaky Friday, Friday Foodie Fix
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Labels: appetizer, dairy free, gluten free, grain free.

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Friday, July 6, 2012

Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream With "Caramel" Sauce (dairy free, cane-sugar free, SCD friendly)

One thing I haven’t had in years is caramel.  As a child I just loved warm caramel drizzled over ice cream (ahhh).  I’ve been experimenting with a few different “caramel” sauces, and I think this one is my favorite.  Does it taste just like caramel, no.  Does it taste delicious, yes.  Is it a fun topping on ice cream, yes and yes.  One ingredient that gives it a nice creamy texture is cashew butter.  I always have some of this brand on hand (as I use it to make Danielle’s awesome bread).  It’s an expensive brand, but it has a creamy texture I’ve yet to replicate.  It’s sweet and delicious and makes the most amazing cashew icings.  


SCD Coconut Vanilla Bean Ice Cream 
Ingredients:
-2 cans coconut milk, this brand is SCD friendly
-4 ounces of seeded Medjool dates (7 dates)
-1/3 cup honey (vegans use grade B maple syrup) 
-1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla
-Filling from 1 vanilla bean 

How To:
1.  Soak dates with 1 can of the coconut milk for at least 3 hours
2.  Blend above ingredients until well incorporated
3.  Transfer to ice cream maker and churn until thick
4.  Transfer to glass storage and store in freezer for at least 4 hours
5.  Remove 10-15 minutes before serving (depending on the season- summer 10 minutes, cooler weather, give it up to 15)

“Caramel” Sauce 
Ingredients:
-4 ounces of seeded Medjool dates (around 6 or 7) soaked for at least 3 hours
-2 tablespoons melted coconut oil 
-2 tablespoons honey (vegans use grade B maple syrup) 
-1/4 teaspoon vanilla
-1/8 teaspoon salt
-2 tablespoons cashew butter (optional, but worth it)

How To:
1.  In food processor, blend above ingredients until well incorporated and creamy
2.  Serve immediately on ice cream
3.  Store in fridge and bring to room temp, or warm slightly, before serving 

Shared on: Just Another Meatless Monday, Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Monday Mania, My Meatless Mondays, Mealtime Monday, Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Recipe Box Tuesdays, Traditional Tuesdays, Allergy-Free WednesdaysReal Food Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Pennywise Platter Thursdays, Simple Lives Thursdays, Frugal Food Thursdays Fresh Bites Friday, Fight Back Friday, Friday Food, Show Off Friday, Freaky Friday, Wellness Weekend, Allergy-Friendly Fridays, 

Posted by Amber at

Labels: dairy free, dessert, ice cream, SCD, summer treats.

31 Comments

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Thursday, July 5, 2012

Strawberry Cherry Pie with Cashew Cream Topping (gluten free, grain free, dairy free, cane-sugar free, SCD friendly)

This pie is fantastic.  I do believe cherry pie is the greatest thing EVER.  I made this for my sweetie pie (my husband) for our 10 year anniversary.  He LOVED it and I’m so excited to share it with you (and psst, it’s SCD friendly) hooray!  As you might know, us folks on the SCD don’t have a lot of options in the thickening department.  Gelatin (while not my first choice otherwise) is great at thickening desserts.  But fruit does contain natural pectin, so this may thicken up a bit without the gelatin, but won’t hold its shape.  For vegans not following SCD, I’ve provided options below.  
Enjoy!   


Pie Filling Ingredients:
-1 pound seeded black cherries
-1 pound strawberries
-1/4 cup honey (vegans use 1/4 cup agave or maple syrup)
-3 dates, seeded and chopped
-1/4 cup orange juice
-1/3 cup cool water
-1 packet of gelatin which is 1 tablespoon (vegans use guar gum)*

How To:
1.  Wash and trim strawberries.  Wash and seed cherries (see below for how I seed cherries).
2.  To a medium sauce pan, add strawberries, cherries, honey, chopped dates, and orange juice.  Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer for about 10 minutes.  
3.  Remove pot from heat.  In a small bowl, mix 1/3 cup cool water with 1 packet of gelatin.  Pour gelatin into hot berry mixture.  Stir to incorporate.  You will see it start to thicken up a bit.  
4.  Pour hot berry mixture into baked pie crust (you will have some leftover, so don’t overfill crust.  This leftover mixture makes a tasty jello, so place in a small glass container and store in fridge, when firm, top with cashew cream for a yummy snack).
5.  Allow pie mixture to cool at room temperature.  When cool, place in fridge and allow to set up for at least 4 hours.
6.  Top with cashew cream and serve.

Crust:
-I used this cookie recipe for the crust (omit cacao for SCD and add 2 tablespoons coconut flour)
-It helps to oil the entire glass pie dish, line the bottom with wax or parchment paper, then push in the dough.  Poke some holes in the bottom of the crust before baking. Bake 375 for 12 minutes.  See notes for additional crust recipes. 

Cashew Cream Topping:
-2 cups cashews soaked for 4-6 hours
-1/4 cup coconut oil
-1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla 
-1/3 cup honey (vegans use agave or maple syrup) 
-3/4 cup liquid + more to blend up properly (you can use date sweetened water, nut milk or just plain water for the liquid).  
-2 tablespoons vegetable glycerine  (optional) 
-1 teaspoon lemon flavor (optional)

How To:
1.  In high speed blender, blend above ingredients.  Add the initial 3/4 cup liquid and blend.  Add more liquid until a soft, creamy texture is acheived.  
2.  Transfer into glass storage and place in fridge for at least 4 hours (this mixture will thicken in the fridge)
3.  Top pie

Notes:
*As a general rule, if a recipe calls for 1 packet of gelatin, vegans can substitute 3/4 teaspoon of guar gum.  This resource says to replace gelatin with guar gum at a ratio of 1 part guar gum for every 5 parts gelatin (e.g., 1/2 teaspoon guar gum will replace 2 1/2 teaspoons gelatin). 
*Additional SCD crust recipes: (1) Honey Gram Cracker Crust, (2) Dan’s Awesome Pie Crust, (3) Vegan Raw Pie Crust, (4) Deep Dish Pie Crust

I use one of my stainless steel straws to seed the cherries – they pop right out!
Serve with coconut vanilla bean ice cream (SCD friendly) 


Shared on: Just Another Meatless Monday, Melt in your Mouth Mondays, Monday Mania, My Meatless Mondays, Mealtime MondayFat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Tastetastic Thursdays, Real Food Wednesdays, Pennywise Platter Thursdays, Simple Lives Thursdays, Frugal Food Thursdays, Wellness Weekend, Simple Living Friday, Show Off Friday, Friday Food, Fight Back Friday Fresh Bites Friday, Potluck Party Friday, Recipe Box Tuesdays,  Traditional Tuesdays, Allergy-Free WednesdaysGluten Free Wednesdays, 
Posted by Amber at

Labels: cane sugar free, dairy free, dessert, gluten free, grain free, SCD, summer treats.

25 Comments

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Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Chicken Mole with Grilled Mango, Veggies and Sauteed Cabbage (and Happy 10th Anniversary)

Scott and I had fun making this for dinner over the weekend.  We were out of town for our actual anniversary, which was nice because we had plenty of family around to watch the kids while we snuck out to a movie.  We saw Snow White and the Huntsmen.  Pretty good film, definitely a great choice for the big screen.  

As you know my sweet husband loves his chocolate, so I wanted to make him some fun chocolaty things for our 10 year anniversary, this mole sauce being one of them.  I’ve only had mole once, and I really liked it.  I knew Scott would like it too.  We worked the spices as best we could to get a really flavorful sauce.  He wanted me to go heavy on the chocolate (big surprise) and so I put in two tablespoons.  Also, we made this void of any detectable *hot * spice for the kids (so I recommend adding your own). Happy anniversary to my amazing husband.  I love you!! 

Engaged in Hawaii: 2000 (I really miss his long hair)!
Married Tahoe California: 2002
Camping: 2003
Snowboarding: 2007

 

Okay, back to the food…

Chicken Mole with Grilled Mango, Veggies and Sauteed Cabbage
 
Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 3 cooked chicken breasts, chopped
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • Oil of choice
  • Ground pepper to taste
  • 1 small red pepper, chopped (or other pepper, perhaps one with spice)
  • 1 Roma tomato, chopped
  • 1 or 2 tablespoons dried raisins or cranberries (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic granules (or 2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped)
  • 1 or 2 tablespoons ground cacao (or other chocolate of choice and to taste)
  • 3 tablespoons coconut sugar (or other sweetener of choice)
  • 1 cup filtered water
  • spices:
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, and coriander
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • optional ground cayenne for heat to taste
Instructions
  1. On medium high heat, saute onion with ½ teaspoon salt until translucent. Add pepper and saute until soft.
  2. Add garlic, tomato, and optional raisins/cranberries. Saute for about a minute.
  3. Add all the spices, stir
  4. Add in cacao and coconut sugar, stir
  5. Add water and bring to a boil
  6. Turn down and simmer for 10 minutes.
  7. Turn off heat, add ground pepper to taste, the additional ¼ teaspoon salt, and optional cayenne.
  8. Blend sauce via your preferred method and transfer back into pot
  9. Add chicken and incorporate with sauce. Allow flavors to meld for a bit. Serve hot with grilled veggies, avocado, fresh cilantro, and vegan cashew sour cream.

Tastes amazing with the sauteed cabbage
And all the grilled veggies of course
The kids like to help by taking the cilantro leaves off the stems
 Delicious grilled mango and veggies
Sauteed cabbage is my absolute favorite.
I could it everyday.
And for dessert:
Shared on: Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Allergy-Free WednesdaysWhole Food Wednesdays, Gluten Free Wednesdays, Real Food Wednesdays, Fresh Food Wednesday, Tastetastic Thursdays, Pennywise Platter Thursdays, Simple Lives Thursdays, Frugal Food Thursdays, Simple Living Friday, Show Off Friday,  Friday Food,  Fight Back Friday,  Fresh Bites Friday, Whole Food Fridays
Posted by Amber at

Labels: dairy free, gluten free, main dish.

20 Comments

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