Basil and Time

Spicy Sweet Potato & Caramelized Onion Tacos

2011-10-01T13:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Earthy Girls Fresh Market, I came home last evening with a selection of fresh peppers. Although there are many to choose from, my favorites have always been Poblanos. They are just the right amount of spice that my husband is satisfied, and I can still get the kids to eat them. Fast forward to this morning, as I sat perusing Sunset magazine. I came upon a small article about a Seattle restaurant selling Spicy Yam & Caramelized Onion Tacos. That sounded perfect for lunch, and since there wasn't a recipe given, I came up with my own version.

Spicy Sweet Potato & Caramelized Onion Tacos

2 sweet potatoes, cut into small 1-2" wedges

1 onion, sliced

1 poblano pepper

1 chicken breast, skinless & boneless

1 avocado

1 lime

taco seasoning

olive oil

6 corn tortillas

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Defrost your chicken breast in the microwave. Put a rather large pot of water on the oven to boil, and put the sweet potato wedges in it. Boil until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the water and place the sweet potatoes on a sil-pat lined cookie sheet. Add to them the sliced onion & coat with about 1-2 TBSP olive oil and sprinkle with taco seasoning until well coated. Now slice the chicken breast down the middle, creating two chicken breasts of the same size that are now thinner. Drizzle olive oil and taco seasoning, or chicken seasoning of your choice, over the top of the chicken. Place both cookie sheets in the preheated oven to cook for 15-20 minutes, until sweet potatoes are nicely roasted, onions are caramelized and chicken registers 180 degrees.

While the items are in the oven, roast your poblano pepper over an open flame if possible; blackening the skin entirely. If this is not an option, you can wait until the other items have cooked and quickly turn the oven to broil to complete the step there. Place the pepper in a bowl & cover with a dish cloth to allow it to sweat for a few minutes, then peel off the skin, remove the seeds and slice thinly.

Prepare your avocado by slicing it thinly, along with your lime wedges. Warm your corn tortillas slightly in the oven, so that they are pliable but not hard. Assemble your tacos, and place the lime wedges on the plate. Serve with salsa & sour cream on the side, or turn the avocado slices into guacamole. Enjoy!

A Beautiful Fall Birthday Lunch

2010-10-02T13:23:00.000-07:00

A fantastic Fall birthday lunch. Bocconcini Salad, Sweet Cucumber Salad & Chili Chicken Soft Tacos

Chili Chicken Soft Tacos - can also be served with guacamole & salsa

Bocconcini Salad - Such a simple salad to make, and tastes divine.

As a good friend and I sat visiting in her kitchen the other night, I heard the faint call of peppers & tomatoes beckoning me from outside her kitchen window. It's not just that I am envious that I don't have my own garden this year, or even that I had some sense of desperation at the mere chance of all of that gorgeous produce freezing soon. It's that her garden is a true representation of her spirit. She pours herself into each and every section of it, and you can see that she has the same kind of love for it as she does a child. It's hard NOT to want a piece of that for your table.

It didn't matter that it was pitch black that evening. The minute my friend saw I had some interest in the garden, she dutifully donned a miners headlamp, along with her garden boots (I realized afterwards that you definitely NEED outside boots, especially at night!) and we set off through the maze of chicken suburbia towards the garden gate.

I knew that my husband's birthday was coming up, and some of his favorite things were awaiting me in that garden. So, with headlamp on, we dug through and I came home with several bags of ripe tomatoes, sweet peppers along with mildly spicy Poblanos, a fresh bunch of basil and a dark green cucumber.

Today I made him a fantastic array of all of his favorites. Chili Chicken Soft Tacos, Bocconcini Salad & Sweet Cucumber Salad. I thought I would share the recipes and remind everyone that the hourglass is slowly running out on this beautiful summer weather. I hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy some of summer's greatest achievements before that crisp fall weather arrives!

Bocconcini Salad

Slice Fresh Mozzarella & ripe tomatoes and arrange in layers on a serving tray. Drizzle with EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil), and sprinkle chopped fresh basil over the top. Sprinkle with sea salt & freshly grated pepper to finish.

Sweet Cucumber Salad

Slice cucumber thinly (2 mediums or 3-4 small) Place in a deep serving dish that you can cover. Mix 1/2 cup white sugar with 1/2 cup cold water and melt over the stove in a saucepan. Once the sugar has dissolved, add about 1/2 cup of white vinegar and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix thoroughly and pour over your cucumber. Store in the fridge until ready to serve cold.

Chili Chicken Soft Tacos

Set the oven to broil and place 2 - 3 fresh Poblano Peppers on the top rack. Turn every few minutes to blacken the skin. When all sides are blackened, take out and place in a bowl and cover with a towel to steam. Turn the oven down to 375 degrees.

Roast 4 chicken breasts in the oven. I generally cut the breasts down the middle to make two thinner versions from one breast. Drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper then roast at 375 degrees for about 20-25 minutes until temp. is around 180 degrees internally.

While the chicken is roasting, pour 2-3 TBSP olive oil in a saute pan and saute 1 thinly sliced onion along with 1 large sweet pepper (red in this picture). Cook them on medium low temps to soften and caramelize, but not burn. Once cooked, sprinkle with sea salt (about 1 tsp, but according to taste... you want it semi salty to taste). Then remove from pan onto a serving tray.

Remove skins from the broiled Poblano Peppers and slice open to remove the seeds as well. Thinly slice and add them to the tray of onions and sweet peppers.

Once the chicken is done roasting, remove from oven and thinly chop. Heat 1 TBSP of olive oil in your saute pan and saute 3 finely chopped garlic cloves in the oil for about 30 seconds. Then add in the chicken. Juice one lime over the top of the chicken and garlic and saute for a minute more, then scoop the mixture on the serving tray next to your onions and peppers.

Warm corn tortillas in the oven and serve with guacamole & salsa. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes ... with a healthy twist!

2010-08-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

I have been STARING at the slow decomposition of 2 avocados in my fridge for almost a week now. Leave it to Costco to give me like a dozen of the best darn avocados out there, then I have to figure out what to do with them before they go bad. We can enjoy a good bowl of guacamole around here the same as the next family... but every night, for two weeks? Not so much.... so THEY. SAT. THERE .... staring back at me. Crying for me to figure SOMETHING out that would make the kids beg for more. Well, little did I know this is a common dilemma among health foodie bloggers, as I was able to find the perfect Avocado Icing from Straight into Bed Cakefree & Dried to go on top of my Chickpea Cupcakes... yes... I said it.... Avocados & Chickpeas for DESSERT!!

Please, before you turn to the next blog in your reader, hear me out. This stuff is tasty, no joke. I went into it challenging myself to make the cupcake equally as healthy as the icing, and while perusing my cabinets found a can of chickpeas. "Why not?" I asked myself. So go ahead, give these to the kids for breakfast if you must.... indulge in them yourself... it's health food people!

Yummy Chickpea Cupcakes with Avocado Icing -

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place muffin liners in muffin pans and get out your food processor.

3 eggs

4 oz semi sweet chocolate baking bar, melted in microwave

1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, washed & drained.

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 c brown rice flour

1/3 cup cornstarch

2 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp instant coffee

1/2 cup olive oil

pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla

Process the chickpeas in the food processor, then add in the eggs and process a bit more. Add in the remaining ingredients and process again. Use a 1/3 cup scoop to fill each muffin liner (total of 12). Bake in the oven for 20-23 minutes, remove & cool.

Avocado Icing -

2 ripe avocados (you know the ones.... staring at you from the fridge)

1/2 cup honey

4 TBSP cocoa powder

1 tsp instant coffee

Blend in the food processor (wash it first from the batter you just did in it) until it is smooth and creamy and has no grains of avocado left... after all, you wouldn't want to give it away.

Although my kids were rapt with curiosity as I was doing all of this, eager to have a sample or two. They thought the icing tasted GREAT! When spread on the Chickpea Cupcakes ... even better!!

Homemade Bumble Bars

2010-03-31T14:21:00.000-07:00

It has most definitely been "a while" since my last post. House building and kid raising will do that to a gal. I have noticed lately though that in my attempt to be a "super mom", I have had to resort to buying pre-packaged "health food" snacks for my kid's lunch boxes, such as Lara bars, Bumble bars, Clif kid bars, etc... instead of finding the time to make my own. Nothing wrong with those choices for sure, but over time they do take a toll on the ole' pocket book. My son's favorite treat are the bumble bars, so I decided to stop off at my favorite whole foods bulk aisle and give these a try. I rounded up bags of raw sesame seeds, golden flaxseeds and the like and this morning I dug in. When I tried these out on the kids later on the "Thanks soooooo much mom!" "These are soooooo good!" was all the praise I needed. *I did come up with the recipe below and then wondered if perhaps someone else had tried the same thing and found a post here that was a bit different than mine, but looked just as tasty! Enjoy!

Homemade Bumble Bars -

1/4 cup crushed slivered almonds

1 cup raw sesame seeds

1/4 cup golden flaxseeds

3 TBSP brown rice syrup

3 TBSP agave syrup

pinch of cinnamon

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract.

After mixing all of this, it will most definitely be sticky and messy. Press it into an Pam sprayed square baking dish and cook in the oven at 170 degrees for about 2 hours. When you pull it out, it will still feel soft, but will firm up upon cooling. I almost think they were a bit too crunchy for me, but I may have kept them in longer than two hours and not realized it. You will all have to play with the times a bit depending on whether you want them chewier or crunchier. Either way though, they were a very close substitute to the same bar I pay over a dollar each for!

*The hubby thought they were a little crunchier than the bars you buy. So I would say maybe cut down on cooking time and pull them out after 1 1/2 hours and see what you get.

The Best Gluten Free Biscuits .. A Sunday Morning Dream

2009-10-26T17:48:00.001-07:00

There is something so necessary about a good biscuit. A biscuit you can make up on those cold Sunday mornings, or perhaps for those Sunday evening breakfasts we are so fond of in this house. Something that is so good that the kids AND the husband keep going back for more ... until you know what... you are out of biscuits and they are asking for more. These have quickly become a regular on our table. Enjoy!

Fluffy, Buttery Biscuits -

2 cups brown rice flour

1/2 cup + 1/3 cornstarch

(don'task me why those measurements.. I just kept adding until I liked what I saw and haven't bothered to update the recipe)

4 tsp baking powder

3 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp salt

8 TBSP sugar (again with the measurements)

1 cup butter, cold & cubed

4 eggs

1 cup rice milk (or your choice)

2 TBSP sour cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. mix dry ingredients in a food processor, then add in cubed butter and pulse until crumbly. Finally add in the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. Turn out onto a rice floured work surface, and sprinkle the top with a little rice flour. Then lightly press out to about 1 1/2 − 2 inches thick & cut with biscuit cutter. (I flour mine to help with sticking) Place in a greased 13 x 9 inch pan. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until top is browned, and biscuits have risen.

Baby It's cold outside... but I'm warm in the kitchen

2009-10-06T16:10:00.000-07:00

Leaves are changing color, tumbling one after the other across my lawn. I love watching the world go by out my kitchen window as I am busily baking warm, yummy creations in the oven. I ran across this Apple Danish recipe at Flour Arrangements

It looked to good to resist. So I got to work. The wonderful thing about gluten free goodies, especially yeast risen ones, is that they don't require a lot of fuss. You mix, shape, and wait a bit to rise, then bake. No all day double rises required. Frankly, us gluten free foodies deserve something to be a little easier in our lives, don't we? The only modifications that I made from the original recipe were to replace the tapioca flour with cornstarch, and the corn meal with corn flour. Also, when I make it again I will definitely double the appley filling.. I love the taste of it.

After the fun of baking and braiding, I had to get on with the realities of the day, and paired the yummy danish with gluten free cornbread muffins, and a layered chicken salad. Both have become such a staple in our home that I know the recipes like the back of my hand. I must say, the cornbread recipe is by far the best that I have ever tasted (if I do say so myself), better than the original for sure.

Gluten Free Cornbread Muffins

* can also be poured into an oiled cast iron skillet that has been prewarmed in the oven.. for that crispy outer crust.

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup brown rice flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

mixed together, then create a well in the center of the bowl and add:

1 cup hemp milk (or whatever you like)

2 eggs

1/2 cup olive oil

Mix... mix...mix, then pour into your oiled muffin pans and bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes... more if you are baking in the skillet.

They are DELICIOUS.. especially when served warm along side a chilled

Layered Chicken Salad

Simple to make, if you do a little prep.

in a 13 x 9 in deep dish pan layer:

organic lettuce greens

frozen green peas

sliced organic carrots

quartered boiled eggs

thinly sliced roasted chicken breasts, cooled

a handful of chives, chopped and sprinkled over.

In a separate bowl mix:

1/2 cup or more Canola Mayonnaise

1 - 2 tsp of sugar

Spread over the layered salad, then topp with grated mozzarella cheese, and sprinkle with more chives if you desire.

Dinner is SERVED!!! Time to go play with the kids.

Chili Steak Stew

2009-03-22T18:34:00.000-07:00

Rainy days mixed with sick kids has me thinking about warm & spicy bowls of soup. Not too spicy, but just enough to kick start the immune system and make you feel warm and fuzzy all over. That's a lot to ask from a bowl of soup, I know.... I sort of went the route of a Stew & Chili combined. A little kick mixed with a hearty blend of round steak & vegetables.

Chili Steak Stew

1 1/2 lbs round steak, cut into small bite size cubes

1 TBSP olive oil

1 onion chopped

1/2 sweet green pepper, chopped

1/2 sweeet red pepper, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tsp chopped jalepeno pepper

1 can organic adzuki beans, drained & rinsed

1 can organic tomato sauce

1 can organic diced tomatoes

1/2 cup water

1- 2 cups organic low sodium chicken broth

2 TBSP mild chili powder

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

couple dashes of hot sauce, to taste preference

Heat 1/2 the oil in large stock pot and cook the vegetable for about 5 minutes or until slightly cooked. Remove from pan. Heat remaining oil and brown the steak in it. Drain off liquid and any fat. Put the vegetables back in the pot, along with the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then lower temperature to simmer for several hours. In my case I think I started it right after lunch and let it go until around 5 pm. It was probably ready long before that, just allow it to cook until a good thick broth forms & the meat is fork tender.

Sweet Potato Pita - Gluten Free

2009-03-10T15:52:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning with energy to burn... that is a rare event when you have a toddler. So, I decided to make good use of it and bake up something in the bread department that might be used for school lunches, and dinner tonight. Like always, I turned to my fellow bloggers for inspiration. This day I happened upon a gal all the way from the UK. ... she had several wondeful recipes for pita's that really struck me. First off, let me say to those of you that are new to the gluten free world. It's not unusual for most of your baked items to be more "white flour-ish" less "whole grain-ish" than I prefer. I am going for the baked items to be a healthy alternative to the whole wheat we can no longer eat. So, when I saw this recipe.. all those different whole grains & the sweet potato really jumped out at me. The one problem... converting the ounces by weight into standard cup measurements.. basically something I wouldn't need a scale to make. Luckily I had one of those scales that I use for soap making.. so I got busy.. I think that they turned out to be fantastic. The sweet potato really adds to the subtle sweetness of the pita, and luckily all of mine popped up in the oven just like normal pitas would . We have already begun feasting on them, as they made a great "home from school snack" stuffed with almond butter & bananas. As for tonight, they are going to be stuffed with Ginger Lime Chicken Salad. Thanks go out to http://www.milkforthemorningcake.blogspot.com/ for her creativity.

Sweet Potato Pitas

1 1/3 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup teff flour (she listed millet, but I substituted)
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt
1 tsp yeast (possibly more for a bigger rise next time)
1 tsp honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1 organic egg
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup roasted sweet potato, skin removed

Mix dry ingredients first, then add in the wet. Leave for 5 minutes in the bowl while you ready the area for rolling out the dough. I used saran wrap & a little rice flour to coat each "egg sized" ball before rolling it out into an oval shape about the size of my hand. I left on the silpat lined baking sheets for about 30 minutes, as I prepared the rest. Preheated the oven to 390 degrees, and sprayed them down with a spritz of water & a sprinkle of seeds before popping them into the oven for 10 minutes. I rotated the pans about half way through. Removed from oven, cooled, sliced & used a knife to pry them open in the places where the bubbles didn't form.

Honest Kids Juice .... almost as good as water..

2009-03-03T16:49:00.000-08:00

While meandering through the Walmart aisles the other day.. I happened upon a fantastic find... Honest Kids Organic Thirst Quenchers. These are simply... Fantastic, as they have only 40 calories per pouch and are filled with water, and organic juices. They give your kids a 100% hit of Vitamin C in a cool package.. From the Makers of Honest Tea & Honestly.... I am in love with them. My kids love them, and they are the perfect alternative to sending the same old thermos full of water in their lunches. Plus it's every organic eating, gluten free kid's dream ... they are cool to look at and show their friends.

Kid Friendly & Quick Too.... Turkey Burger Drumsticks Rock!

2009-03-03T11:12:00.000-08:00

I am always on the search for quick and easy ideas for dinner that will thrill the kids. When I found a recipe for something similar to these in Rachel Ray's magazine, it was just the incentive I needed to get dinner on the table last night. Gluten free, healthy, oozing with melted cheese inside & crunchy on the outside... can you say Yumm-O to Rachel for the idea. Of course I added my own spin to it, and they were served up along side Sweet Potato Fries & steamed broccoli. Needless to say they were gone in no time.

Turkey Burger Drumsticks

1 lb ground turkey

1/4 cup or so milk (cow, soy, hemp, whatever)

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 tsp parsley flakes

1 tsp dijon mustard

(a tsp of any spice mixture you might like to jazz up the flavor... or not)

2 oz of mozzarella cheese (I use organic valley mozzarella)

2 cups or so Crushed CornFlakes cereal in a bag

6 - 8 skewers, break in half to make 12-16

In a bowl, mix the turkey, 1/4 cup evaporated milk, the onion & 2/3 cup crushed cornflakes; season with salt & pepper, parsley, dijon & other spices. Divide into 12 - 14 portions. Cut the cheese into 12 small cubes or thin sticks and thread onto each of the skewers. Wet your hand with a little extra milk, then mold some of the meat around each cheese piece, shaping into 2 inch ovals or smaller. Basically a little bigger than a large meatball, but oval shaped. Add the remaining cornflakes to a plate and coat each "drumstick" with the crushed cornflakes.

Rachel mentions to cook in a large skillet with olive oil, but I chose to put these on a cookie sheet in the oven lined with a silpat.. I preheated the oven to 400 degrees as I was also cooking the sweet potato fries at that temperature. I sprayed the "drumsticks" with olive oil spray & cooked in the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until the internal temperature was 180 degrees.

The sweet potato fries were made by cutting one sweet potato into "fry size" pieces and tossing in a little olive oil, salt & pepper and roasting at 400 for about 30 minutes. Occasionally shaking the pan to toss the fries around to brown on all sides.

A Sweet Tart for my Little Tart

2009-02-22T09:41:00.000-08:00

Anything with lemons in it is always a big hit with my family. Yesterday was no exception. Having an entire day with just my daughter and I at home always inspires me to get busy in the kitchen making & baking with her by my side. She wanted to create a dessert, not an unusual request from a 7 year old. So my job was to not only make it gluten free, but also a bit healthier than it's lemony counterparts. Each serving of this gooey, lemon scented, sweet tart is only 316 calories & bonus... has 5.2 grams of protein in it. So, as far as desserts go my friends, you can rest assured this one will not spend a lifetime on your hips. And the kids .... they gave it two thumbs up!

Lemon Tart with an Almond Crust (8 Servings)

3/4 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 TBSP sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 TBSP butter
1 TBSP canola oil
1 large egg yolk (reserve egg white for later)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup cold water

Mix dry ingredients together first in a food processor, then add in butter that you have cut up into cubes, pulse until crumbly. add in remainer of ingredients & pulse again until all ingredients are incorporated. Grease a tart pan with butter or spray. Press the crust mixture into the pan and up the sides, making as even as possible. Place in the freezer

for 10 minutes to harden & preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake crust for 10 minutes, then remove from pan.

In your stand mixer mix together the following ingredients for the filling:

1 egg white (you saved from the crust recipe)
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup lemon juice

pour ingredient into your tart shell & bake for 25 minutes on 375 degrees. Remove from oven and let cool. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar. * Inspiration for this recipe came from a fantastic photo that I found at www.heythattastesgood.com so go check it out... it's chock full of gluten free recipes.

Gluten Free Dinner Rolls

2009-02-16T18:29:00.000-08:00

There comes a time in every gluten free converts life when you just want a good tasting dinner roll. I'm thinking "mini sandwich sliders" for little one's lunch tomorrow and these definitely fit the bill. They had that crusty, herby smell almost from the get go while baking in the oven & came about having risen and cracked open.... Yum. Speaking of Yum... the original recipe came from www.bookofyum.com ... I adapted it a bit by removing the tapioca and replacing it with cornstarch. For some reason tapioca and I do not agree... one of many things in my life I am sure. Try these.. especially if you are searching for that yeasty, warm, crusty outside that reminds you so much of standard rolls. You will not be disappointed.

Gluten Free Dinner Roll Recipe

Ingredients
3 eggs - use Extra Large (otherwise 4 large eggs)

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups milk (I used hemp milk, plain)

1 tsp. salt

1 TBSP xanthan gum

1/3 cup potato starch (NOT flour)

1 cup white rice flour

1 cup brown rice flour

1 cup tapioca starch (I substituted corn starch)

1/3 c. GF teff or buckwheat flour

1 TBSP active dry yeast

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

For rosemary thyme variation, mix chopped fresh thyme and rosemary, and dried onion flakes with a dash of olive oil and reserve. I used dried rosemary, italian seasoning & dried onion flakes in mine & decorated on top)

Garnish: More fresh, chopped rosemary (or dried), fresh thyme, chopped, black or kosher/gourmet salt (large crystals are key), dried onion flakes, and anything else you feel like.

Directions

Preheat Oven to 380 degrees.* Note: the gal who wrote this actually started these at a higher temperature, more like 450, and then turned the temperature down, in the attempt to get a crunchier crust. Try experimenting with the temperature and see what you like. I personally warmed my oven up to 450 along with the water inside to create steam, then turned the oven down when I put the rolls in.
Beat eggs in heavy duty mixer and then add oil, vinegar, and sugar, combining. Add dry ingredients. Warm milk in the microwave (or on the stove) and add to the bowl, gently folding it into the flour. Add your rosemary thyme mix. Turn on motor, let ingredients combine thoroughly then turn power to medium and leave for 4 minutes while it stirs.
Spray baking pan (cookie sheet type) with nonstick cooking spray and/or line with parchment paper. The original recipe says to flour your hands with gluten free rice flour and grab a ball of dough from the mixing bowl. Gently shape it into a roll. Place it on the prepared cookie sheet. Make another roll, continuing until all dough has been used for rolls. I used a spoon and sort of formed the rolls that way.
Brush with whisked egg. Sprinkle with garnish (fresh herbs, salt, onion), poppy seeds or sesame seeds if desired.

Let it rise in a warm place until doubled. (Frankly mine never doubled, but I did let them sit for 20 minutes to rest before I put them in the oven).

Place a pan 1/2 inch of boiling water on the lowest rack in the oven 5 minutes before you put the bread in and leave in there until bread is done. Open oven, put in your rack of rolls and let bake for 20-25 minutes. This should result in a crunchier outer crust.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls ... so BAD, but so GOOD!!!

2009-02-08T16:00:00.000-08:00

There are times in your life to eat healthy, which I would say is MOST of the time in this house. Then there are times when your husband tells you that the one thing he misses from the pre gluten free days is a good warm cinnamon roll. Of course the kids are always willing participants, so online I went in search of somebody elses idea for cinnamon rolls, because FRANKLY.. I was at a loss. I do believe I have found the mother ship folks. These went together in about 30 minutes of prep work, no need to even rise. Popped them in the oven and WALAH!!! the best darn cinnamon rolls that my husband says he can remember tasting. Even better than the wheat variety according to him. So, with valentines day fast approaching, what better time to bake up these SWEETS for your SWEETIE. Mine loved them and you know they say there is no better way to a man's heart than through his sweet tooth. So, I am allowing this one indulgence for all of you out there who might like to go off the health wagon for the day. Enjoy.

Cinammon Rolls (recipe from http://www.iamglutenfree.blogspot.com/)

Serves 8 or 9

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons shortening (I used butter)

1/4 cup sugar

2/3 cup of milk, room temperature

1 packet yeast (about 1 tablespoon)

1 egg

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup potato starch

1 cup corn starch (someone subbed arrowroot successfully)

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 1/2 teaspoons xantham gum

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

TO SPRINKLE ON BOARD COVERED WITH PLASTIC WRAP

1 - 2 tablespoons sugar

FILLING

1 cup brown sugar ( actually cut this down to 1/2 cup and had leftovers)

1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped nuts - optional

GLAZE

¾ cup powdered or confectionary sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

milk to thicken (I used soymilk)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In medium bowl, combine shortening and sugar. Mix well. Measure warm milk and add yeast to milk. Whisk well to fully dissolve. Add milk/yeast to sugar mixture. Add remaining ingredients. Mix very well, being sure to remove all lumps. Dough will be quite soft. Take a piece of plastic wrap and lay it out so it covers a 13 1/2" x 13 1/2" square. Sprinkle sugar on the wrap. Lay ball of dough on top of that. Then pull out another sheet of wrap and gently lay over the dough. Pat the dough down into a roughly squarish pancake. Lift the top wrap up and then reposition it. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough in between the two layers of wrap. Occasionally you'll have to lift and reposition the wrap because it gets "stuck" under the edges. You might have to occasionally flip the whole thing over. Make sure that when you're done you've got ABOUT a 13 1/2" x 13 1/2" square of dough.Remove top piece of wrap. Combine filling ingredients. Spread evenly across dough's surface. (Original recipe poster suggested leaving about a 1 1/2" sugar free edge because when you roll the dough all the sugar shifts and fills this in; otherwise all the sugar spills out). Use the bottom piece of wrap to lift the edge of the dough and start to roll it up forming a long cylinder. Start with the sugary edge, which will be the center of your roll and roll toward the sugarless edge. Cut off or trim up the irregular ends of your "log". Then cut into 8 or 9 slices of similar size, about 1 1/2" wide. Place rolls into a greased round glass pie pan. Bake approximately 20 minutes, until tops are lightly browned. Combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk to make glaze. The amount of milk you use will depend on how thick you want the glaze to be. Stir until all lumps are dissolved. Drizzle over warm rolls if desired.

Homemade Pizza Worth Making at Home

2008-12-08T18:18:00.000-08:00

I tell you, this Gluten Free business can be hard somedays. Especially if you have a family that loves their pizza. Unfortunately there is only one place that I have found where I can order gluten free pizza and have them deliver, and that is San Diego. Washington State farm country on the other hand...... not so much. So, it was up to dear ole mom to devise a plan. I didn't just want some sort of thing that kinda resembled pizza. I wanted the real thing darn it. The thing about this pizza is that is was fantastic. We all loved the way the crust felt light on the inside and crispy on the outside. I threw some pasta sauce, leftover grilled chicken, steamed veggies & mozzarella on top and it was a meal for the whole family. I found this recipe online at www.suretalent-books.com/recipes. What I have found about gluten free baking is that you can actually play around with the recipe and substitute this flour for that one. So don't be alarmed if for some reason you are out of teff flour. I have successfully substituted sorghum or buckwheat. It just changes the flavors a bit or the appearance, but hey you might just find out that you like your new creation better anyway. So tonight, when the kids ask what's for dinner, you can say "Pizza!"

Thick Crust Pizza

1 1/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup millet flour

2 cups white rice flour (I have used brown rice too)

1/4 cup teff flour

1 1/2 TBSP Xanthan Gun

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 pkg active dry yeast

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

2 TBSP sugar

1 TBSP honey

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 egg white

1 3/4 cups warm water

Place cornstarch, flours, xanthan gum, salt, spices & yeast in the mixing bowl; mix. Add in the vinegar, sugar, honey, oil, eggs, egg white & lastly the warm water; mix. Increase the speed to high and beat for 4 minutes.

Coat your pizza pans with spray. Dough will be a bit sticky to work with. I used a spatula sprayed with nonstick spray to help spread it into a pizza shape. Form the dough around the edge of the pizza thicken that the inner region. Allow to sit in a warm, dry location loosely covered with plastic wrap for 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and pre bake the crusts for 20 minutes. Remove the pizza crusts for the oven. Increase the temperature to 400 degreees. Then add your toppings of choice & cook for an additional 20 minutes. Just make sure the meat you put on top is ALREADY cooked. Enjoy!

One Yummy Loaf of Zucchini

2008-08-20T14:33:00.000-07:00

Aaahhh Summertime. Warm Breezes (sometimes gale force winds), Sunshine & LOADS of garden vegetables. I just hate to see a huge zucchini grow for nothing. It's not as if we MEANT to let it get that big, we just missed it nestled amongst the weeds and various other non-discernable things I have growing out in the garden patch. I decided to give that big zucchini its' due and work up a couple of yummy loaves of bread with it. Now I am new to the world of gluten free bread baking, but I must say that I was very pleased with the outcome. In the past we have baked zucchini bread which seemed sort of dense and heavy, and using this recipe we felt like it was moist on the inside, crunchy on the outside & really light in texture. So GO ON, get out there and SAVE THE GIANT ZUCCHINI and enjoy!

Yummy Zucchini Bread

2 cups pecans, (1/2 finely chopped, 1/2 moderately chopped)

3 cups freshly shredded zucchini (I used a food processor with grate attachment)

1 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cup raw sugar

4 eggs

4 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

3 cups gluten free flour (1 cup white rice flour, 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch)

3 tsp xanthan gum

Shred the zucchini and chop the pecans in a food processor and set them aside. Use a mixer to beat the eggs and add the sugar, oil and vanilla. Add the baking soda, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Slowly pour in the flour and xanthan gum until well mixed. By hand, mix in the zucchini and pecans. Pour into two greased loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 75 minutes. Let cool and slice.

* recipe adapted from celiac.com, with several modifications made

Also makes excellent pumpkin bread, when you substitute canned pumpkin for the zucchini

I Have Entered The Realm of Gluten Free Bread Baking

2008-07-24T18:48:00.000-07:00

Mmmmm. Fresh baked, warm from the oven, melted butter and honey slathered all over, rice bread...... say what??? Did I just say Rice Bread? Let's face it folks, there is nothing worse to someone who is trying to go gluten free, than the idea that you will be missing out on that fresh from the oven, baked bread smell. I used to pride myself on my "artisinal" bread baking skills. Heck, I even grew my own yeast for a while. So, the idea of giving up on that was indeed heartbreaking. Enter a new challenge. How to bring that feeling back into my life, without compromising my health.

This latest challenge was actually sort of fun. I knew that I could digest rice without a problem, so the flour was a no brainer. I think this recipe actually surpassed my expectations of what rice bread could be. It's light, airy, and quite yummy. So, for all those gluten free converts who are looking to bring home-baked bread back into your lives, give this one a try. Special thanks go out to my Naturopath who gave me the original recipe for this bread. As with all things though, I felt the need to improvise a bit, and change it up.

Homemade Rice Bread

2 cups brown rice flour

1 cup white rice flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

3 tsp xanthan gum

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 3/4 cup warm water

2 pkgs rapid rise yeast

2 TBSP butter

3 eggs, separated

1 tsp vinegar

Place flours, xanthan gum & salt in a mixer. Blend on low. In a small bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water & add yeast. Wait until it foams slightly then blend into the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter, egg yolks, vinegar & slightly beaten egg whites next. Beat on high for 2 minutes. Spoon dough into a greased bread pan. Slash diagonally every few inches and brush with more melted butter. Gently cover with cloth and let rise in a warm place until double in size, approximately 30 minutes or so. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake 40-45 minutes, or until the center is done and top is golden brown. Remove from pan to cool. It can be sliced and frozen in the freezer for optimal storage. It makes great french toast in the mornings, as my kids can attest to.

It's A Party !!!

2008-05-21T17:38:00.000-07:00

Class birthday parties are usually a chore for me to remember, as I end up having to send along a "special" cupcake so that my daughter can partake in the festivities. When her birthday comes around, it's a great opportunity to make something that she can enjoy with her whole class. These gorgeous Honey Sour Cream Cupcakes made with Sprouted Wheat Flour did the trick. This was a great recipe to try on them as it isn't so far removed from something they might normally eat. I filled them with a gooey Lemon Curd & topped them off with a generous helping of Cream Cheese Frosting. When in doubt there is always the frosting!! They were a hit all around & can I say it felt good for my daughter to be able to serve them something she normally eats at home.

Honey Sour Cream Cupcakes

1 cup sour cream

1 cup honey

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup raw sugar

1 TBSP olive oil

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

3 large eggs

2 cups Sprouted Wheat Flour

1 tsp baking powder

Cream together first 7 ingredients, beat in eggs until light and fluffy; then add flour & baking powder. Fill miniature cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake at 350 until done. About 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool then fill with Lemon Curd. I used a miniature syringe (the kind you use to give medicine to a baby) and poked it into each cupcake and filled them with about a tsp of the lemon curd in each one.

Lemon Curd Filling

1/2 cup sugar

3 TBSP cornstarch

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup orange juice

2 tsp grated lemon rind

3 TBSP fresh lemon juice

2 large egg yolks

1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine sugar & cornstarch in saucepan. Stir in water, orange juice, rind, lemon juice, and egg yolks. Bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Cook until thick (about 2 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cover and chill at least 1 1/2 hours. Fill interior of mini cupcakes, then top with your favorite cream cheese frosting recipe and serve.

Back in the Saddle Again

2008-05-11T14:20:00.001-07:00

I'm BACK!!!! With the little man already a month old, I am feeling really good these days. Being as I spent the last month of the pregnancy on bed rest, I got a chance to watch A LOT of tv. Most of which was the food network. I am a sucker for Throwdown with Bobby Flay, and Dinner Impossible with Robert Irvine. I've even got my 5 year old son interested in who wins the throwdown. So, as soon as I was back in form, I headed off to the kitchen to try out a few new recipes I had collected. I figure when Robert Irvine can throw together a meal for a hundred in a few hours and have people say it's the best food they have ever tasted, I need to give him a shot. That's where this fantastic Ginger Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe came from. It went together fairly quickly, and we had enough yummy leftovers for my husband to revamp the recipe into Chicken Wraps the next day. The sauce is both sweet & tangy at the same time, and seem to get even better the next day. This was also a perfect recipe to let my daughter do the measuring & blending, as it did not require her to be near the stove. Also it works for those of us who need a wheat free option for dinner.

Ginger Sweet & Sour Chicken

Sauce:

1 fresh lime

2 TBSP water

2 TBSP cornstarch

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 small jalepeno pepper, seeded & diced

2 cloves garlic, crushed & quartered

1 tsp peeled fresh ginger root, diced small

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Chicken:

1 cup rice flour (or all purpose flour)

salt & pepper

1 lb boneless chicken breasts cut into "chicken finger" sized strips

oil for sauteing chicken

Microwave the lime in a small bowl and set aside until it is just cool enough to handle. In a small bowl, create a slurry by gradually whisking 2 TBSP water into the cornstarch. Through the feed tube of a running blender add, 1 at a time, the vinegar, jalepeno pepper, garlic, ginger, salt, black pepper, and sugar. Then squeeze the lime from the micro-waved lime through the feed tube into the mixture. Then, leaving the blender running, ad the slurry to the sauce, and pour the olive oil in a slow thin stream.

Heat oil in a pan, season the flour with salt & pepper and dredge the chicken strips (I used rice flour), saute chicken, turning to brown on both sides until internal temperature in done. I served it with brown rice, roasted local asparagus, and the dipping sauce.

The next day it was even better when we made Chicken Wraps with the leftovers. We used ezekiel sprouted "flourless" tortillas, brown rice, chicken, lettuce & the ginger sauce over the top. Very, very good. I tell you it feels good to be back in the saddle again.....

Almond Butter Cookies

2008-03-25T08:34:00.000-07:00

As I am still hanging in there with baby #3 (37 weeks coming up on Friday), I decided it was high time I got up and started baking again. Besides with two other children in the house, you can never be without some sort of healthy cookie option waiting and ready to go for those after school munchies. This almond butter cookie definitely fits the bill. With all the healthy fats, fiber & protein in each yummy bite, you may never go back to Mrs. Field's again. Another bonus for those days when the little ones are helping with the recipe ... no eggs, so they can dig in to the cookie dough and enjoy!

Almond Butter Cookies

1 cup quinoa flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup almond butter

3/4 cup Welch's White Grape Juice Concentrate

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup choc chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix wet ingredients in a bowl first, then add in dry ingredients & mix thoroughly. I roll into a ball about a heaping tsp for each cookie & press them down a bit onto a cookie sheet lined with a silpat, then bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on a rack & store (aka HIDE) in the freezer if you wish to keep them around for longer than a few days.

Mini Honey Mustard Meatloaf ala Daddy Style

2008-03-14T12:39:00.000-07:00

Lets just say that my husband has been a "little" busy these days with me on rest for the next few weeks until the baby comes. With two other kids in the house, work & meals to prepare, it can get a little much for any Mr. Mom. However, he definitely has risen to the occasion with this tasty meal. In fact, he decided to triple the recipe and freeze 2/3 of them to cook after the baby comes. Normally his super-sizing ways are a bit out of control for me, but in this instance I am profoundly grateful. This recipe was courtesy of our new Everyday Food Magazine. We both thought the original recipe was a bit plain for our tastes, so he kicked it up a notch Daddy Style and I must say we enjoyed it immensely. Not to mention the fact that everyone had their own little mini meatloaf on the plate in about 30 minutes.

Mini Honey Mustard Meatloaf ... Supersized Daddy Style

3 lbs ground beef

2 large eggs

1 cup ezekiel bread crumbs (ground, dried ezekiel bread)

1 onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

8 stalks of celery, diced finely

6 dashes hot sauce (less for mild, more for hot)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided into two 1/2 cup servings

salt & pepper to taste

4 TBSP honey mustard

4 TBSP ketchup

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl mix together honey mustard & ketchup, set aside. In another larger bowl mix ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs, onion, garlic, celery, hot sauce, 1/2 mozzarella cheese, salt & pepper. Form into 2 x 4 inch small loaves on a cookie sheet lined with a silpat. Top each with a little bit of the honey ketchup mixture & remaining mozzarella cheese. If baking now, place in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes until internal temperature reads at least 180 degrees. I served it along side of snap peas & sweet potato fries. The remaining loaves can be frozen for use in the future. Makes 12 mini meatloaves

Lots of Sitting = Lots of Knitting

2008-03-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

All the mandatory resting I am doing these days, has given me the opportunity to sit still long enough to be able to make something new for the little man. If I can keep him in long enough (35 weeks today, yay!), he might actually be big enough to wear it home from the hospital. It was a really simple Easy Baby Cardigan, knit in the round from knitting pure & simple. It was a free pattern, and I adapted it to have a collar, rather than the hood shown in the photo. The newborn hat pattern came from nonaknits.typepad.com and was also knit in the round. I love the self striping pattern that the Classic Worsted LP yarn gives the set, and its a very soft, washable yarn with a mixture of wool & acrylic. Now I have my sights set on knitting matching caps for the entire family to use next winter. That's 5 & counting! Wish me luck.

When Life Hands You Limes....

2008-03-11T10:21:00.000-07:00

Over the past few weeks I have definitely been served up the saying "When life hands you ..... limes" in my own life. Both literally & figuratively. By literally I mean we certainly are blessed to be living in a land of abundance. Take Costco for instance. Never in my life have I seen a place where you can go in, and for less than $3 come home with a bag full of limes. I don't know what the average gal needs with 2 dozen limes, but it makes for quite a challenge to use them all. I chose the opportunity to make super yummy"Coconut Lime Bars" for the family. I revamped the recipe from one I found online a while ago. As far as the figurative connotations of this saying go, being pregnant has finally caught up to me. Unfortunately after three rounds of early labor, I am now officially on "rest" until the end of the week. So, as much of a downer as it is not to be on the go, it has given me a great opportunity & excuse to finally sit and be still before the baby makes his debut. Although my husband has temporarily taken over the position of head chef, I retain my right to supervise all situations from an incline position on the sofa. It seems to be going well so far. (At least for me?) So, I say when life hands you limes folks ..... make Coconut Lime Bars and celebrate. A new baby is soon on his way!

Lime Bars

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1 can sweetened condensed milk

zest of one lime

3/4 cup flour (of your choice)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup ground slivered almonds

1/4 cup cold butter

1/4 cup shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8 pan and set aside. Mix the following ingredients for the crust & pat into the pan: flour, sugar, ground almonds & butter. Bake for 12 minutes. In a separate bowl mix the lime juice, condensed milk & zest. Once the crust is out, pour this mixture into the pan, top with the shredded coconut and return to the oven for another 15 - 17 minutes. Cool, cut into bars & refrigerate or freeze for later.

Beef Stew with Winter Vegetables & Quinoa Cornbread

2008-02-22T12:36:00.000-08:00

As I look out the window at the melting snow, I know that spring is just around the corner. Time for a cleaning of the house, and a clean out of the fridge (if you know what I mean). Not to mention that in our house, a new baby is almost ready for his big debut. Which means that I have been taking it a bit easier these days, and looking for ways to make the biggest impact at mealtime, with the least amount of effort. This particular meal was a big hit with everyone, and great for throwing out (or in my case throwing in a pot) the last vestiges of winter.

Beef Stew with Winter Vegetables

1 TBSP olive oil

1 lb round steak, cut into 1" cubes

Salt & Pepper

2 - 3 cups organic low sodium chicken broth

2 cups water

3 celery stalks, chopped into large bite size pieces

3 carrots, peeled & chopped into large bite size pieces

3 parsnips, peeled & chopped into large bite size pieces

1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into large bite size pieces

1 tsp hot sauce

2 tsp italian seasoning herb blend (with thyme & oregano)

1 tsp cornstarch

In a large stockpot heat olive oil, brown round steak for about 5 - 6 minutes until a nice brown color. Stirring occasionally. Season with Salt & Pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp of each at this stage). Pour 1 cup of the chicken broth & 2 cups water into stockpot, bring to a boil & then reduce heat, cover & simmer for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, add everything else (along with the remaining chicken broth ) except the cornstarch. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat again, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until everything is fork tender. Check taste & season with more salt & pepper if desired. When done, in a small bowl take 1 tsp cornstarch & mix it with 2 TBSP of the hot broth from the stew, then pour this mixture back into the stew and return the pot to a boil until broth is thickened. About 2 - 3 minutes. Serve along side of Quinoa Cornbread.

Quinoa Cornbread

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup quinoa flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup soymilk, plain

1 egg

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Oil a cast iron skillet & place in the oven to warm. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, make a well in the center of the bowl and add in the wet ingredients. Pour the mixture into the preheated cast-iron skillet and bake for 30 - 35 minutes until the edges are golden brown & the top appears done.

A Sweet Treat

2008-02-14T17:50:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is the perfect time to splurge a bit and enjoy a piece of chocolate ... or two. I figure with all the scientific data out about how dark chocolate is high in antioxidants & other good stuff Mother Nature provided, you should be able to enjoy an occasional treat. The ground almond meal is a low carb, high energy alternative to traditional flour, and when mixed with the brown rice flour makes this brownie perfect for those with gluten intolerance. This recipe was adapted from one I found on glutenfreegirl.com. I added a bit of ground flaxseed, for the omega 3s, just to appease the guilty concious a bit. Enjoy your Valentine's Day & these yummy brownies ... consider them To Your Good Health!

Dark Chocolate Brownies

5 oz Dark Chocolate, semi sweet .. choose the best quality

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1 cup brown sugar (or a bit less if too sweet)

1/2 cup almonds, finely ground in a food processor

1 TBSP ground flaxseed meal

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup choc chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, oil & foil the bottom of a square pan (I think 8 x 8). Melt the dark chocolate & butter in the microwave. Beat eggs in mixer until frothy, then add chocolate mixture & brown sugar. In a separate bowl combine almond meal, flaxseed, rice flour, salt & soda. Slowly add to the mixer, adding vanilla in the end. Stop the machine and stir in the pecans & choc chips. Pour into pan and bake 35 minutes. Let cool and ENJOY!!!

GreenPan for a Green Girl

2008-02-12T12:50:00.000-08:00

Having never been a big fan of the previous "non-stick" technology used with my cookware, nor the idea that I had to use huge amounts of oil to make other pan's non stick, I was very excited to see the new GreenPan hit the market. I generally don't like the smell that comes with heating a conventional non stick pan, and I had heard countless reports about the safety aspect of overheating the pans, or breathing in the fumes to much. (ie. keep your little birds away from the kitchen while you are cooking, sort of thing) I took a look at the company's website and this is what they had to say about the new GreenPan.

"In contrast to the classical PTFE-based non-stick technology (using PFOA as a processing agent), Thermolon™-coated cookware releases 50% fewer greenhouse gases during production and contains NO toxic substances that could be released at high temperatures. GreenPan™ brings you the latest development in non-stick cookware, a completely PTFE-free product. Thermolon™, non-stick-coatings on high quality cookware. GreenPan™ cookware combines and outperforms on all features of conventional PTFE-based non-stick cookware but with a safeguard for your health and the environment:

Temperature resistance up to 450°C (850°F)
No toxic fumes are released if overheated
High Quality Non-stick
Durable and highly scratch resistant
0% PTFE & 0% PFOA
Environmentally friendly production, significant reduction in CO2 emissions in production."

excerpt taken from www. green-pan.com

When these folks say its non stick, they mean it. We have had great success with our new pans, and virtually all you have to do is wipe them clean when you are done cooking because "nothing" sticks to them. We bought ours as a set from HSN by Chef Todd English, but I also noticed Amazon had a line from Martha Stewart. A pan that is both easy to use, good for the environment and good for my health? As Martha would say .... it's a good thing!