For the Love of Food!

Coconut Chia Crackers (grain free/gluten free, egg free, soy free, vegan)

2012-01-26T08:20:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in my Easy Grain-Free Flatbread recipe post, I was attempting to make crackers when I "accidentally" made bread instead. Good accident. But- it didn't solve my cracker problem. So back to work again. Now I've become obsessed! I've made these crackers 3 times in the past week and my flatbread everyday as well with various modifications. Why? Because it's really easy. Especially when you leave your jelly roll pan, silpat, and rolling pin out :)

So for the crackers I decided to use Chia Seed meal along with the coconut flour and I made these herb crackers by throwing in some garlic powder and Italian Seasoning blend. You can leave them out or add other flavors you might like- nutritional yeast (for a "cheesy" flavor), rosemary, cinnamon, etc... If you're wondering about the wonderful nutritional benefits of chia, click HERE.

Coconut Chia Crackers

(grain free/gluten free, dairy free, soy free, egg free, nut free, paleo)

½ cup Coconut flour

¼ cup Organic Chia seedmeal**

¼ cup Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

¾ cup Boiled Water

1/8 tsp Sea salt

1/8 tsp Granulated garlic

½ tsp Italian Seasoning

**For the Chia seed meal I grind whole Chia seeds in my blender or coffee grinder into a powder and just store it in the fridge in a jar.

Pre-heat the oven to 375ºF

Using a whisk or fork, mix the dry ingredients in a bowl until well incorporated.

Add the coconut oil into the bowl.

Add the hot water a little at a time, stirring as you add it in. (This will melt the coconut oil.)

Mix well with a spoon, stirring and mashing out any lumps that might still exist. Once you have a uniform dough in a ball, place it on your silpat or unbleached parchment-paper lined tray and roll out. Keep rolling your dough until it is as thin as you can get it without seeing through or tearing it. Feel free to move pieces of dough around and press it in- the dough is forgiving and easy to "cut and paste."

Mine rolled to be approximately 14.5” x 10” in measurement. Slice into squares with a pizza cutter.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes depending on your oven. 15 minutes got me a soft bread-like cracker, 20 firm but crisp, and 25 minutes extra crispy and darker.

Makes approximately 49 crackers (at 7 rows x 7 rows)

Easy Grain-Free Flat Bread

2012-01-16T21:09:00.003-05:00

I posted the other day on my Facebook page about an "accidental" recipe I had made and have been really excited about... so here it finally is! I wanted to test out a few more things with it, so I've been working on that.

What I was aiming to make was some simple grain free crackers and ended up with a great flatbread instead! I was sent some Psyllium Fiber by Konsyl to test out for gluten free baking, so I was also eager to incorporate it into my baking to see how that went. Turns out the Psyllium powder is great- especially as an egg replacer and binder so it works well to keep the bread together.

I have really enjoyed this bread because (other than the few ingredients) it's so easy to roll and flexible- it doesn't crumble or break like a lot of gluten-free tortillas and breads do and is reminiscent of Persian Lavash bread.

I've given two variations- one is the basic recipe, and then you can add on whatever you like to adjust the taste or make something a little different.

Easy Grain Free Flat Bread

(gluten free, egg free, dairy free, soy free, vegan)

1/2 cup Coconut Flour

1/8 cup (2 TBSP) Psyllium Fiber Powder

1/4 cup Coconut Oil

1 cup boiling water

optional:

1/8 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp granulated garlic

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning herb blend

Whisk the coconut flour and psyllium together in a bowl along with the salt and herbs if using. Add the coconut oil. Add the hot water a little at a time, stirring as you add it (will melt the coconut oil). Mix well making sure all the dry bits are incorporated.

Roll (with rolling pin) or pat (with moistened spatula) the bread out on a Silpat/Silicone Lineror unbleached parchment paper-lined jelly roll pan until thin and even. The dough is forgiving, so feel free to move pieces around and repair patches as you go along. I tried baking as two separate pieces (picture below) and as one large bread and both worked out well.

Bake at 375º for 15-20 minutes depending on your oven and how thin you've rolled the bread. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature before slicing/eating.

Enjoy!
(ps- if you haven't been eating a lot of fiber recently, don't eat the whole pan at once!!)

Equal Exchange Coffee Review

2012-01-01T09:30:00.001-05:00

I recently had the opportunity to sample a new product that I thought would be important to share with others- The Equal Exchange Congo Coffee Project coffee blend.

If you're not a coffee drinker, you might enjoy hearing about the project anyways or buy some for someone who is- I'm an occasional coffee drinker myself, but I really feel that if you are going to drink any, this is definitely one of the more important products to support.

First about the project:

A portion of the sales from this coffee is donated to the Panzi Foundation which supports the medical programs of the Panzi Hospital in the D.R. Congo which provides life-saving treatments, counseling and aftercare programs to more than 2,000 survivors of sexual violence each year. You can find more information on this project on their site if you are interested – http://www.equalexchange.coop/congocoffeeproject

From the site: "The challenge for the survivors of sexual violence and women with gynecological conditions to access primary as well as secondary health care remains significant. This is due to factors such as displacement, political insecurity and lack of capacity within the local health structures. More than 5,000 women were raped in South Kivu alone during 2009, according to the UN."

For every bag of coffee sold, Equal Exchange will donate $2 to the Panzi Foundation. All of Equal Exchange's products are fairly traded from small farmers, making this a great company to support.

So now the what is the coffee all about??!
I really loved this coffee. It is a blend of East African Coffees that is smooth and balanced, with rich chocolate, sweet vanilla, brown spices and a hint of fresh berry. One of the things that bothers me about a lot of coffees is that either they are too weak or too bitter if they're strong. This blend was able to remain bold without that bitter taste- it was smooth and rich and was able to hold its own without any cream or sugar added. My husband was a big fan of it as well and said that it was definitely one of the best coffees he has had!

To prepare it we ground the whole beans and brewed it in the french press. One day we even made mochas with it using a little So Delicious Chocolate Coconut Milk drink!

Thank you to Mambo Sprouts for providing me with the opportunity to learn more about this great company and its efforts!

Coconut-Ginger Curried Chicken & a So Delicious Giveaway!!

2011-12-14T23:46:00.003-05:00

I just returned from a fabulous warm-weather vacation and made this recipe up remembering the amazing flavor of fresh coconut and strong, delicious spices coming together... definitely one of the most tasty chicken dishes I've made! It is a bit on the spicy side, so definitely reduce the cayenne if you don't like spicy food. I don't eat rice anymore, but it would be delicious served on top of a fluffy bowl of brown rice.

I also used So Delicious Coconut milk drink in this recipe - I really love this drink. I give it to my daughter to drink all the time and use it in desserts, but not that often in my cooking, so I was excited to use it here. It has a light and smooth flavor that is pleasing even if you're not that crazy about coconuts! I am quite excited to offer some free So Delicious products for you to try, so check out my giveaway at the bottom of this post.

Coconut-Ginger Curried Chicken

1.75 lbs (approx) organic chicken leg quarters*

1 large sweet potato (1 heaping cup chopped)

3 organic carrots (1 cup chopped)

4 large organic collard green leaves (2 cups packed/chopped)

1 Tbsp grated ginger

4 large cloves crushed garlic

2 Tbsp curry powder

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp salt

1 tsp oregano

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (less if you don’t want it spicy)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk

2 Tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut

1 12 oz can organic black beans (optional)

*vegan option: Tofu would work well here, or just use the black beans and forget the meat

Mix together in a small bowl the ginger, garlic, spices, and olive oil. Gradually add the coconut milk while stirring and set aside. Place the chicken (or tofu) in a large, oiled pyrex and arrange the vegetables around it. Pour the sauce over everything. Cover the pyrex in foil and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 1-2 hours.
To cook: preheat oven to 375ºF. Cook for approximately 40 minutes, remove foil, and cook another 5-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (internal temp of 165 ºF)
Serve with lime slices over brown rice or alone.

THE GIVEAWAY & PRIZE:

I will be running a giveaway here for 5 free So Delicious products of your choosing + coupons for more amazing products!
The giveaway will be limited to U.S. residents only, and I will send prizes to the winner directly.

To Enter:
There are multiple ways to enter the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest ends at Midnight EST on December 19th, 2011. Please check back here on Tuesday December 20th to see if you've won! I will need your email address to obtain your mailing information for the prize, so make sure to get in touch with me if you are the winner.

Good luck!

Crunchmaster Giveaway Results!

2011-12-01T13:48:00.001-05:00

I greatly apologize for the delay in posting these results- I'm out of town and didn't have access to a computer :(

I am happy to announce that I have picked a winner for the Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Crackers giveaway chosen by random.org:

The winner is Kristin Caudill!!!

Kristin please email me at nooshins [at] gmail [dot] com with your mailing address, and Crunchmaster will send you your case (12 bags) of crackers in the mail! Congratulations!

Crunchmaster Review and Giveaway!

2011-11-20T21:02:00.001-05:00

I recently received a case of Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Crackers as part of the Moms Meet Blogger Program that I’m involved in (I’m a Moms Meet Ambassador – we sample natural and organic products). I was sent the White Cheddar, Roasted Vegetable, and Sea Salt varieties, and all three were delicious! I had never tried any of the Crunchmaster crackers before, so they were a nice surprise. I was asked to review the White Cheddar variety, so here we go:

To put it simply, these crackers taste pretty amazing. They are definitely called “Crunchmaster” for a reason – they are a crispy, crunchy tasty little snack that is quite addictive. I’ve eaten a few different varieties of gluten free crackers and these are by far the best. It’s been a while since I’ve had wheat crackers, but I think the texture is similar and the taste doesn’t scream “rice cracker”. Even my non-gf husband called them highly addictive. You definitely don't have to be gluten free to enjoy these.

Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Crackers are:

Oven-baked, with a unique, crunchy texture
Wheat-free and certified gluten-free
21g or more whole grains per serving
A good source of fiber
All natural
Free of saturated fat
Cholesterol-free
Delicious, with a great multi-grain taste

I do think that these would be enjoyable for people of all ages- kids and adults included. They come in a shiny ziplocked package and stay fresh (even if you forget to seal it- oops!). The Cheddar variety is not overwhelmingly covered in cheese- it's more of a mild flavor so you still taste the cracker and it doesn't taste too artificial which is a bonus.

So overall, I definitely recommend this product! I do have to say I probably would eat the Sea Salt the most – I could put a nut butter on it and make a nice snack out of it, and the Vegetable ones reminded me of Wheatable crackers I used to eat ages ago (also delicious). I eat dairy so rarely (with a Lactaid pill) that the Cheddar is more of a treat. So if you haven’t tried Crunchmaster, check it out- it’s available at a lot of conventional grocery stores as well as the more specialty stores like Whole Foods, etc.

Find Crunchmaster online at:
www.crunchmaster.com and
www.Facebook.com/crunchmaster

Disclaimer: I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms MeetSM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms MeetSM blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

THE GIVEAWAY & PRIZE:
I will be running a giveaway here for 1 Case (12 bags) of Crunchmaster White Cheddar Multi-Grain Crackers!! That's a lot of crackers!!
The giveaway will be limited to U.S. residents only, and the brand will send prizes to the winner directly.

To Enter:
There are multiple ways to enter the giveaway!

Make sure to leave a comment for *each* entry

“like” For the Love of Food! on Facebook (<-- Click link) (1 entry – leave a separate comment. If you already like For the Love of Food! on facebook just leave a comment that you do)
“like” Crunchmaster on Facebook (<– click link) (1 entry – leave a separate comment. If you already like Crunchmaster on facebook just leave a comment that you do).
Tell me (in a separate comment) why you would like to win these crackers! (1 entry)
Share this giveaway on your blog or Facebook page and let me know (1 entry – leave a separate comment.)

Contest ends at Midnight EST on November 27, 2011. Please check back here on Monday November 28th to see if you've won! I will need your email address to obtain your mailing information for the prize, so make sure to get in touch with me if you are the winner.

Good luck!

Vegan Quinoa Stuffing (gluten free, dairy free, soy free)

2011-11-10T16:47:00.000-05:00

I think I've made some variation of this quinoa stuffing every year for Thanksgiving now since I went gluten free, but never wrote the recipe down. I just took this to a vegan Thanksgiving potluck the other day (shout-out to the Mindful Mommas!) so it gave me the opportunity to finally write it out. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and while traditions are nice, I love experimenting with different types of dishes and modifying old ones. If you make this, feel free to add other chopped veggies that you like (like mushrooms!) or leave it as it is. I used a Rapunzel vegetarian bouillon cube for this recipe, but any vegetable broth will do, or if you must, chicken or beef broth.

Vegan Quinoa Stuffing
gluten, soy, dairy, nut free

2 cups quinoa, rinsed and soaked overnight**
1 Rapunzel Vegan Vegetable Bouillon with Sea Salt
4 cups water

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion
3 large cloves garlic or 6 small
2 cups chopped carrots
3 cups chopped celery
1 tsp rubbed sage
1 tsp cinnamon
1.5 tsp rosemary (lightly crushed)
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp Italian seasoning blend
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4-1/2 cup dried organic cranberries

optional:
sliced sauteed mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
chopped pecans, walnuts, or pine nuts

**I soak my quinoa the night before, so it cooks a bit faster as well

Heat oil and spices in a pot and stir continuously for one minute
Add the onion and garlic, stir and cook for 5 minutes at medium/low heat. Add more olive oil if it looks too dry.
Add the carrots and celery and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the veggies are cooking, prepare the quinoa:

Rinse and strain the quinoa. Place 2 cups of boiling water in a small pot with the bouillon and stir until melted.
Add another 2 cups of water and the quinoa
Bring to boil then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the germ in the quinoa has come out, but it is not mushy (see pictures)

When done cooking, add the cranberries and pour the quinoa into the big pot with the veggies, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking broth for later.
Stir well and allow to sit- the liquid will become absorbed. A little before serving, you can add the rest of the reserved broth to keep it moist.

If you are looking for some other delicious ideas for Thanksgiving, here are a few of my other recipes that would be great for Thanksgiving or any fall/dinner meal:

Creamy Wild Rice and Chicken Casserole

Roasted Butternut Squash with Corn

Stuffed Butternut Squash

Stuffed Vegetables

Gluten Free Sweet Potato Pie

Dairy Free Cranberry Parfait

Gluten Free Apple Pie

Gluten Free Blueberry Pie

I have also submitted this recipe to November's 'Go ahead honey, it's gluten free!': Thanksgiving Dishes hosted by Brittany at Real Sustenance.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy Thanksgiving!

Go Ahead Honey it's Gluten Free October: Spiced Desserts!

2011-10-29T07:08:00.003-04:00

I am so excited to share this month's 'Go ahead honey, it's Gluten Free!' roundup!! Created by the lovely Naomi, this monthly theme event features amazing gluten-free treats from a variety of bloggers.

For the month of October, I chose the theme "Spiced Desserts" in honor of autumn, warmth, and creativity.

The recipes submitted did not disappoint, and I am pleased to share with you the following:

I hope you brought with you a warm drink as we step into our autumnal lineup!

Rustic Cranberry Pumpkin Spice Biscotti by Valerie at City Life Eats features Pumpkin Pie Spice (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves) in this creative fall delight!

Cardamom Chocolate Bark by Naomi at Straight into Bed Cakefree and Dried elevates chocolate to another level by including cardamom alongside toasted almonds.

Stuffed Poached Pears by Kalinda at Wheat Free Meat Free feature both cinnamon and cloves in this unique and visually appealing dessert.

GF Pumpkin Snickerdoodles by Lauren at As Good as Gluten have cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg in these soft and chewy pumpkin treats.

Healthy Pumpkin Donuts by Tessa the Domestic Diva are highlighted by aromatic cinnamon on this new take on an American classic.

Kaju (Cashew) Ladoos by Sonia at Flip Cookbool brings the aromatic cardamom to center stage in this beautifully presented dessert.

High Fiber Pear Walnut Muffins from Iris at the Daily Dietribe bring us cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and ginger- perfect for anytime of day!

Pumpkin Butter Pecan Chocolate Chip Bars by Shirley at Gluten Free Easily was especially creative in incorporating pumpkin butter that was made with pumpkin puree, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, allspice, nutmeg.

Finally my own- Baklava Cake by Noosh at For the Love of Food! This cake includes cardamom, saffron, and fragrant rose water, a taste of Persian desserts made simple and gluten free.

Thank you to all of our wonderful contributors for this month - I can't wait to try some of these new recipes!

Make sure you check out the November 2011 Go Ahead Honey hosted by Brittany of Real Sustenance bringing her fantastic real food approach to - "Thanksgiving"

Baklava Cake (grain free, egg free, dairy free, soy free, gluten free)

2011-10-28T21:01:00.002-04:00

I've been dreaming about making this cake for months now... I love Persian Baklava - the aromatic flavors of cardamom and rosewater, mixed with the crunch of almonds and pistachios. Delicious. A few months ago my aunt made what she called Baklava Cake, something I hadn't seen before. My husband of course ate it and loved it, and I watched patiently as he devoured a plate full of it. On two occasions.

My original idea was actually just to make a cake called "Honey Almond Cake" but then I thought I could go ahead and add in the extra spices and flavors and see how the Baklava Cake would turn out. Success! Now I totally understand that these flavors are not for everyone- especially the American palate. So if you want to leave them out, it's up to you, and you can just have the Honey Almond Cake and call it a day. Or you can just add less. The first time I made this I actually made it with Persian Saffron as well (my idea was actually "Saffron Honey Almond Cake!") which I appreciated, but I'll also leave that up to you if you're adventurous and want to add it in (it's also an expensive spice to acquire.)

The best news about this cake is that it’s really simple and easy to make. Because it is egg free I added in the Chia seed meal, and the Apple sauce adds sweetness and replaces butter. I used almond flour from Trader Joe’s in this recipe- it’s inexpensive which is helpful, but I also added the weight if you want to weigh and use your own almond flour. I’m sure blanched almond flour will be even lighter and more delicious.

This is my submission to October’s ‘Go ahead honey, it’s gluten free’ – Spiced Desserts that I’m hosting here on For the Love of Food!

Baklava Cake
(gluten, soy, dairy, egg, grain free)

½ cup organic applesauce (unsweetened-just apples)

1 Tbsp organic chia seed meal

1/3 cup - ½ cup honey (depending on your taste)**

½ Tbsp Rose Water

2 cups almond flour (Trader Joe’s)/7 ¾ oz/220 g

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cardamom powder

¼ tsp Celtic Sea Salt®

1 tsp of prepared saffron (optional)

**If you like it sweeter, you can also add in 1/4 cup Coconu Palm Sugar

Topping

Slivered almonds

Ground pistachios

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease either an 8” glass pyrex or an 8” parchment-lined pan.

If using saffron prepare: take ¼ tsp saffron threads and grind in a mortar and pestle. Add ½ Tbsp boiling water and let sit while you go on to the next step.

In mixer bowl, beat applesauce with chia meal on high for one minute stopping once to scrape down the sides and bottom.

Add honey, rosewater, and saffron (if using) and beat until combined.

In a small bowl whisk together the dry ingredients: almond flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom, and baking powder. Add to mixer bowl and beat just until incorporated. Stir once or twice with spatula/spoonula
just to make sure the bottom was mixed in.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.


In glass pyrex

In parchment-lined pan

Top of cake should be golden and toothpick comes out clean.

Cool on cooling rack until cool, slice in diamonds, and top with crushed pistachios and slivered almonds.

Enjoy with a nice hot cup of tea!

Blogiversary Giveaway Results!

2011-10-27T08:31:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Melanie!! You're the winner of the Blogiversary package! Please email me at nooshins [at] gmail.com with your mailing address and I will put the package in the mail for you.

Thank you to everyone for your kind words and for entering the giveaway. If you didn't win, stay tuned- I have *two more* giveaways coming up in November from some great companies.

Egg & Grain Free Pumpkin Spice Muffins - Gluten free/Egg Free/Dairy Free/Soy Free

2011-10-25T20:23:00.002-04:00

Since I have gone egg free, I've really noticed how difficult it is to find good baked recipes without eggs in it. I think the flavor is still quite good in eggless desserts, but most of the time they lack the fluffy texture that an egg can provide. I'm actually quite happy with the way that these pumpkin muffins turned out - they have a good texture and were easy to make. The cashew-date frosting is totally optional, but adds a nice bonus and can move the muffin from breakfast to dessert :)

I ground my own almond flour for this recipe, so it had some larger bits of almond in it which I like- you can always add some nuts into yours if you like the extra crunch.

I am also submitting this recipe to the "Our Spunky Holiday" roundup.

Egg Free Pumpkin Spice Muffins
(gluten free, dairy free, soy free, grain free, egg free)

2 Tbsp ground Organic Chia Seed meal
2 Tbsp Organic Flaxseed Meal
5 Tbsp boiling water

1 can organic pumpkin puree (15 oz/425g)
1/2 cup honey
1 cup coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup Organic Coconut Flour
1/2 cup almond flour (I ground my own here)
1/2 cup tapioca or arrowroot flour
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1.5 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp baking powder

Preheat your oven to 350*F and grease your muffin pans (I made 12 large and 12 mini with this recipe)
In your mixing bowl add the boiled water to the flax and chia meals (grind your chia first and then measure). Mix well then allow to gel for about 5 minutes while you assemble your dry ingredients.
In a small bowl whisk together all of the dry ingredients and set aside.
Add the coconut oil and vanilla to the flax/chia combo and blend well (the heat of the water should melt it if your coconut oil is still solid)
Add in your dry ingredients and blend just until incorporated, stopping once to scrape the bottom and sides with a spatula
Pour into your muffin tins and bake for approximately 40 minutes.
Remove from oven when the muffins are dark and look firm. Test with a toothpick, but it will still be a bit gooey.

**Allow your Muffins to cool on a wire rack! I enjoyed them warm, but they will still seem like they're not cooked if you don't let them fully cool. Store on the counter for up to 2 days or in the fridge- it will get a little harder if refrigerated. Top with cashew-date frosting if you like once cooled (see below).

Cashew-Date Frosting

1 cup raw cashews
3 dates
3 Tbsp coconut oil
Soak your cashews over night or in boiling water (covered) for an hour or two. In another small bowl, your food processor or blender bowl cover your halved dates with boiling water. Let soak until soft. Pour out the soaking water and reserve for later if needed. Blend the dates, cashews, and coconut oil until creamy. If you need a bit more water to blend, add some of the date water. Place in refrigerator just until chilled and then pipe or spread onto muffins.
Enjoy!

Four Year Blogiversary + A Giveaway!

2011-10-22T21:06:00.003-04:00

It's hard to believe that it's been four years since I started this blog! Four years ago I was overwhelmed, excited, determined, and a bit nervous about this new gluten free thing that I had started. It had been only about a month or two and I felt like I was being proactive in the process of my healing and support by starting his site... and I definitely was. I couldn't come up with a name for my site, but all I could think of was how much I love food and didn't want to feel deprived- I wanted to celebrate, so that's how I became "For the Love of Food!" :)

I have learned a lot and gained so much through the gf and food blogging community and I am so grateful for having this as my home base and place to chart my progress and keep track of ideas and recipes as they come to me.

Up until now I have had thousands of visitors from over 50 countries- from Denmark to Armenia, Brunei to Singapore. I love hearing from you- whether by comment or email.

So in honor of my fourth blogiversary, I have created a new Facebook page that you can "like" and hear more from me on, as well as share your own thoughts, ideas, and questions on.

So click on "For the Love of Food" and "like" the site and hopefully this community can continue to expand in great ways.

I have also decided to have a giveaway in honor of this event because who doesn't love free things?!

Here are the items that I'm giving away:

This little package I'm putting together includes a great cookbook "Sweet Alternative" by Ariana Bundy, a Cherrybrook Kitchens GF Pancake and Waffle Mix, and a Bob's Red Mill GF Pancake Mix.

Receive one entry for each of the following:
(leave a separate comment for each)

"Like" For the Love of Food on Facebook and let me know in the comments on this post.
Leave a separate comment letting me know what type of dish you would like to see a recipe for.
Share via your blog or FB about the giveaway and let me know.

The winner will be chosen using a random generator. I can only ship to U.S. addresses at this time. The giveaway will close on October 26th, and I will announce the results shortly thereafter, so make sure you check back to see if you won!

Quick Achiote Black Bean and Collard Green Soup

2011-10-21T22:11:00.003-04:00

Tonight I was in the mood for a quick and savory fall soup! I love black bean soups, so tonight I thought I would put a bit of a different twist on it with a different spice and veggie blend. I made the whole dish in probably 30 minutes and loved it. You can of course let it simmer longer for a deeper flavor, but the less it cooks the more fresh the veggies are, so I don't recommend it.
Achiote, also called Annato is a great, rich and flavorful spice that I've really enjoyed using in my cooking. It can be found in most international sections of grocery stores under either name in powder or seed form. I used the powder in this recipe- already ground. The good news: it's pretty inexpensive too! If you don't have it, you could probably sub a smoked paprika for a similar quality.
For the beans, if you plan in advance definitely use dry, but I love the Eden brand canned onesbecause the cans are BPA free, and they use Kombu seaweed instead of salt! Amazon has a great subscribe and save deal as well.

Quick Achiote Black Bean and Collard Green Soup
(gluten free, soy free, dairy free/vegan, grain free)

1 small onion or 2 Tbsp dried onion flakes
3 Tbsp coconut oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp achiote powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano or Mexican oregano
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (depending on your tolerance)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt

3 carrots, chopped
1 green bell pepper
1 red pepper (mine was a skinny long one, but bell will do)
4 large collard green leaves, chopped

4 cups organic broth (chicken or veggie)

1 can Eden Organic Black Beans

Avocado, sliced - optional

Heat your coconut oil. Add the onion and saute until soft. Add the garlic and spices and stir for about a minute over medium heat, letting the spices release, but careful not to burn them. Add the carrots and stir for a few minutes, letting them soften a bit (you can chop your peppers and greens while these cook). Add the peppers and greens and stir for a minute or two. Add the broth and beans, stir, and bring to boil with the lid on. Once boiling, lower the heat and let simmer for another 5-10 minutes, taste, and serve garnished with avocado if desired.

Pear and Fig Coconut Cream Tart (gluten free, dairy free, soy free, egg free, grain free)

2011-10-16T23:02:00.000-04:00

With the end of summer comes a lot of figs at my parents' house... this means a lot of figs in my refrigerator!! I can usually eat a few, but have been playing around with different things to do with them. I dehydrated a bunch and those turned out well, but I also had an overabundance of pears from our CSA boxes that I wanted to use. I have to admit, I've never liked pears.

I love pretty much all fruit except maybe papaya and pears. I can of course eat them, but I just choose not to. When baked however, apparently they taste much better! So I decided to play around with a grain free, simple crust, and a simple and savory cream to put the fruit on top of. It came out really well and I ate it for breakfast, morning snack, afternoon snack, .... you get the point :)
You can totally use more fruit than what I did- I was playing around with this recipe- using canned coconut milk gives a much more coconutty flavor than coconut milk drink (like So Delicious) and is thicker.

Pear and Fig Coconut Cream Tart
(gluten, soy, dairy, egg, and grain free)

Crust
2 cups almond meal
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 Tbsp chia meal in 2 Tbsp hot water
1/8 tsp celtic sea salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Cream
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1 can full fat coconut milk
1/4 cup arrowroot flour

2 small ripe pears (approximately 9 oz before cutting), sliced
4-5 ripe figs, sliced

Prepare your crust:
Mix your chia and water and set aside to gel. Mix all of the ingredients together with a fork or whisk and press into a 9.5" tart pan(mine has a removable center).

Cream:
Over medium heat, warm your coconut milk, honey, and vanilla. Once it is about to boil, whisk in your arrowroot. Remove from heat and pour into tart shell.

Gently place your fruit onto the coconut cream and bake in the oven at 350^ for approximately 25 minutes or until the fruit looks soft and the crust firm.

Before Baking

Removed from Pan

Cool on counter and then place in the refrigerator to firm up. Remove from pan, slice and serve.

Enjoy!

Note: I had a little cream and fruit left over, so I took two of my Nutty Cacao Energy Balls and pressed them into a crust, added the cream and fruit and baked it alongside the big tart for a personal snack :)

Ginger and Sesame Stir Fry with Kelp Noodles (gluten free, soy free, dairy free, grain free)

2011-09-24T21:24:00.002-04:00

With my recent reduction in grain consumption has come more modifications and researching and wondering... What about noodles? I sometimes use sweet potato starch noodles that I get from the Asian grocery store by us, but someone also recommended Kelp Noodles to me and of course I was eager to try. I recently found them on iHerb and quickly ordered a bunch!

If you're not familiar with iHerb.com, they're a great company that sells over 19,000 natural products and offers UPS Ground Shipping for free to orders over $40.00. The best thing about them is that if you use my link or referral code, you'll get $5 off with your first order! In case you don't use the link, my referral code is "LEP856"
iHerb sells two types of kelp noodles for only $2.79 a bag:

Sea Tangle Kelp Noodles
Kelp Noodles with Organic Green Tea

Kelp noodles are mineral-rich and totally raw, so you can eat them as is- they're crunchy and tasty. You just rinse them and toss with whatever you want. Or you can make them softer and enjoy as a regular noodle. To soften them, you can do a variety of things: either soak in lemon juice for about 10 minutes and rinse, dehydrate for about 20 minutes, or mix them with any sauce you cook and let it sit for a few minutes. The sauce will soften the noodles nicely.

This month's 'Go Ahead Honey, it's Gluten Free" is the Chinese Lantern Festival, hosted by The Daily Dietribe, and this is my submission.

Ginger and Sesame Stir Fry with Kelp Noodles

(gluten free, soy free, dairy free, grain free)

Veggies
1/2 lb. broccoli, cut into florets
6 carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
2 bell peppers, sliced
2 medium yellow onions, sliced
8 medium cloves garlic, chopped
3 Tbsp finely chopped ginger (or grated if you are opposed to ginger chunks)

Sauce
3 Tbsp sesame oil
6 Tbsp Coconut Aminos
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1/8 tsp chili pepper (or more if you like it spicier)

1 lb organic chicken breast, sliced (optional)
4 Tbsp coconut oil

sesame seeds to taste
2 tsp corn starch (or other starch) melted in a bit of cold water (optional)
1 package Sea Tangle Kelp Noodles

Mix your sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat 2 Tbsp coconut oil in wok. Add 1 of your sliced onion and cook for a minute. Add 1/2 your chopped garlic and 1/2 your chopped ginger. Stir for another minute, careful not to let them burn. Add all of your veggies except for the bell pepper and mix well in the wok. Add a few spoons of the sauce to coat the veggies while they cook. As the sauce gets absorbed, continue to add a few spoons while it cooks, just don't let it form a pool on the bottom of the wok until you've added about 1/2 of the sauce. Cook until the veggies are soft but still firm and set aside.

In the same (now empty) wok, heat the rest of your coconut oil and add the other onion. Cook until soft, then add the rest of your garlic and ginger. Cook for a minute, then add your chicken and a few spoons of sauce. Mix well and continue to cook until chicken is almost done. Add the rest of the sauce and the veggies to the chicken and mix well. If you want the noodles mixed with the rest of the dish, add them in with the veggies so that they can become soft while they cook. If you would like your sauce a bit thicker and coating the food, add the melted cornstarch now and stir well. Cook for a few minutes, serve, and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. If you are enjoying the noodles separately, place them on the bottom of your bowl and cover with the stir fry. Enjoy!

October Go Ahead Honey It's Gluten Free: Spiced Desserts

2011-09-21T16:37:00.005-04:00

Welcome everyone to October's theme for "Go ahead honey, it's gluten free!" If you're not familiar, this wonderful blogging event was created by the lovely Naomi at Straight into Bed Cakefree and Dried. This is my second time hosting, and I am honored to participate again, not only as a contributor!

So- for October's theme I decided to go with "Spiced Desserts". What does this mean?? Well with the coming of fall, we tend to crave more soothing and aromatic foods to warm us, so I thought I would choose something along those lines... I also love using spices in everything, so why not desserts?? :) So many spices can have healing attributes as well, so why not give your dessert a healthy boost?? So go ahead and branch out - I can't wait to see what people come up with - and yes, beverages are okay for desserts as well (see a great example below).

Here are a few examples in case you're looking for inspiration or scratching your head thinking I'm crazy:

Here is one of my own:

Cardamom Rosewater Tarts

And some others from fellow bloggers:
Spiced Vegan Chai Cocoa
Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies
Caramel & Indian Spice Poached Pears with Honeyed-Crème Fraiche & Honey Roasted Almonds
Chocolate Chili Truffles

Want to join in? Here's how:

Come up with a recipe for a gluten-free spiced dessert. Post your recipe by October 26th, linking back to this post. Send me an e-mail with the link to your post and a photo of the recipe and the subject of "Go Ahead Honey"
If you don't have a blog, just e-mail me your recipe and a photo, and I'll add it to the round up of recipes at the end of the month.
Submissions should be sent to me at [nooshins at gmail dot com] by October 26th for a round up of all the recipes at the end of the month.
Please be sure to let me know if you have any questions – feel free to email me or you can ask them in the comments section of this post.

No Bake Apple Crumble Bars (Gluten free, Egg free, Dairy free, Grain free)

2011-09-19T09:42:00.001-04:00

And just like that- Fall is here! As much as I love the warm/hot weather, what I love most about the fall is the food that comes with it. One of my favorites for baking is fresh, crisp apples. I made this yesterday morning for breakfast in a hurry and loved the results! It's super simple to make and great for breakfast or a dessert.

I've been staying away from grains recently (in addition to my usual plus eggs now as well) so I've been playing with a lot more coconut and nut flours. The coconut/almond flour combo is so creamy and delicious and is a natural sweetener in itself, so I barely used any in the actual recipe. I used blanched almond flour from Honeyville, but I'm sure it would taste fine with regular almond meal as well- just a different texture.

Feel free to double it and use an 8" pyrex- I used an 8.5"x5" glass loaf pan. I didn't bake mine, but if you do, let me know how it comes out!

No Bake Apple Crumble Bars
(gluten, soy, dairy, egg, grain free)

Apple Filling

3 organic apples (I used granny smith- a tarter flavor)
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp water (add more if you like it more gooey)
1/2 tsp saigon cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

Crust/Topping
1 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
3 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp Alcohol-Free Vanilla
1/8 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
Slice and peel apples- I used my apple slicer and then cut them one more time in half and peeled them. (Next time i might use my handy apple corer/peeler/slicer :))

Place them in a pan with the rest of the filling ingredients and cook over medium heat. Stir occasionally and cook until fork tender. If you want a more gooey or sweet apple, you can add more maple syrup (or honey) or water.

While your apples are cooking, put your almond and coconut flour and salt together in a small bowl and stir with a fork, breaking up any clumps. Add the oil, honey, and vanilla and stir well.

Press a little over half of the mix into your pyrex and top with the apples. Take the rest of the topping and sprinkle it evenly on top of the apples and press lightly.

Place in the refrigerator and chill until firm. If you cut it immediately it will still taste great, but it will fall apart when you try to cut it and tastes a bit different warm than cold. Both are great though!

When chilled, cut into bars and enjoy with a nice warm cup of tea!
(makes 6 bars)

Milk Alternatives - Make your own!

2011-09-13T21:12:00.003-04:00

So to follow up on my last post about milk, I wanted to provide a few alternatives to moo-cow milk. My husband bought me a Blendtec for my last birthday which has reallllly helped with my being able to make these drinks. If you have a Blendtec, Vitamix, or other high powered blender they will definitely be easier to make, but I'm pretty sure you can make these in a regular old blender, it just might take a little longer. My best guess is that the Magic Bullet would work well for a cheaper option. Haven't tried the Ninja yet, but I've heard great things.

**One product I will refer to and LOVE are my jelly strainer bags. I use it to strain the coconut or almond milks and they're really cheap and fantastic - and not messy. Click Here to see which ones I use- the best deal I've found and 2 are included. I throw them in the wash and they're still fine.

Recipes:

Coconut Milk
So my number one favorite dairy-free "milk" is coconut milk. It's delicious, nutritious and has the best consistency in my opinion. Also bakes the best (tied with hemp milk for consistency) in cow milk recipes. You can buy fortified coconut milk drinks (or other nut/seed drinks) from a variety of companies now including Trader Joe's, So Delicious and Silk in a variety of flavors- sweetened with stevia or cane sugar, unsweetened, chocolate, vanilla, or unsweetened vanilla. There are also a great variety of coconut milk products for sale (ice cream, yogurt, kefir, and more) but I won't get into that :)

I make mine using shredded coconut from Tropical Traditions.
They have great untreated organic coconut in a bucket or 1lb bag and tend to have coupons and deals available. If you buy from them, make sure to use my Referral Code: 5685168 so we both get something free!

Here is my recipe based on a number of others I've seen:
Coconut Milk
1 cup shredded organic coconut (see above)
5-6 cups boiled water*
1/2-1 tsp guar gum (optional)
Place coconut and about 4 cups of the boiling water in blender. Blend a few minutes. Pour into jelly bag held over a pitcher and squeeze until most of the milk comes out. You probably want to wait until it's cooler or use gloves. Pour the pulp out of the bag and back into the blender with around another cup of water- just enough to make it blend. Repeat the straining process. You now have coconut milk!
If you wish to serve it immediately, go for it. If you want to keep it in the fridge, I recommend using some guar gum. Pour the milk back into the (cleaned) blender and add 1/2-1 tsp guar gum** (depending on how thick you want your milk). Blend and then pour again into your jar.
Shake/stir before serving.

*If you want your milk thicker/more creamy use less water. You have to play around with it to find your desired amount.
**Guar gum is an extract of the Guar bean found in India and Pakistan. I find it cheaper and better than Xanthan gum (derivative of corn). If you don't use it, your milk will separate and be thinner after standing for a while.

Here is Tropical Traditions' recipe for coconut milk

Here is another recipe from Elena's Pantry

Almond Milk

Here is Elena's recipe
Kelly's Almond Milk video

Cashew Milk

I use the recipe at the Spunky Coconut:
Kelly's Cashew Milk recipe

Sunflower Seed Milk
1/c cup raw sunflower seeds
2 cups water
1/4 tsp guar gum (optional)
soak your seeds 4-5 hours or overnight. drain and rinse them. place in blender with water and blend until smooth. if serving immediately stir and drink. if not, add guar gum and blend again. stir before serving.

Before Guar Gum

After Guar Gum

Hemp Milk

Here is a simple, straightforward recipe

Enjoy!
Let me know if you have any questions!

Gluten Free Baby Edition Pt. 3 - No Milk??

2011-09-13T11:47:00.004-04:00

I've been having a lot of conversations recently about cow milk alternatives and of course what I have been giving to my daughter to drink and why... For now we're staying away from dairy and she is loving a variety of coconut, sunflower, cashew, hemp, and almond milks. They are all super healthy and while her main beverage of choice is still breast milk she loves these as a snack or with food as well. Store bought milks are fortified with vitamins so in that way are more of an equivalent to cow's milk, but I tend to make my own a lot of the time.

So why not give milk? I'm not even going to start to touch on the issue because there are so many many reasons why people believe this. If you just google "why is milk bad?" you can turn up hundreds of results and check it out yourself. I am not a nutritionist and in no way have I researched all there is to know on the subject, so please do your own. I should note- I am not totally anti-dairy- I don't judge you if you drink it/eat it, etc., I just prefer to stay away from it (and so does my body :)) Here are a few reasons for avoiding it though:

To start- the fact that most of the world is lactose intolerant is definitely something to consider... perhaps our bodies were not meant for cow's milk and that it was just meant for baby cows??

Milk increases the amount of mucus in your body- definitely not good for you when you're sick and contributes to you getting sick.
Some say that since dairy products contain lactic acid it causes bone erosion. This is related to why statistics show that women who consume dairy products are more likely to develop osteoporosis. It has also been linked to numerous other diseases and illnesses - diabetes, stroke, etc...

My main reason- it's just not necessary.

American culture thrives off of unhealthy eating and is what people love to promote. I hear all the time how people get excited about how much junk food they ate and how their kids love it so much- and I hear pride in that. It will take a lot to shift our minds to being excited about things like how we grew great veggies and made our own food out of it instead. Because of unhealthy eating, milk has become a great way for kids to get their nutrients- vitamin D and Calcium in particular. Were kids to eat a well balanced diet, this would really not be necessary.

Vitamin absorption in veggies is actually better than in milk, and you can get all of the nutrients necessary out of diet- no pills, no drinks. Vitamin D might be the only exception if you're not in an area of the world that gets enough sun (and spending enough time outside). To deal with that, I give my daughter a few drops of Vitamin D each day (except during the summer). Fish, liver, and egg yolks do provide a good source of vitamin D as well.

So what are good sources of calcium to replace that milk? Spinach, broccoli, collard greens, molasses, tahini, and more.

Here is a link of the top 10 veggies for calcium.

I really like this Canadian list of food sources as well as intake recommendations for both calcium and vitamin D as well.

So I never like to dismiss something without giving alternatives, so stay tuned for my next post about how to make your own nut and seed milks!

Nutty Cacao Energy Balls

2011-09-08T11:37:00.001-04:00

Due to my daughter's recent sleep (lack of) habits, i've been running pretty low on energy these days... I've been looking for a non-caffeinated pick me up as well as snack to keep me going, so I came up with these little yummies to help out. I researched Maca a bit and decided it was a great addition to my diet so they're featured in these. I also use the herb Shatavari but both the Maca and Shatavari are optional if you're not interested! You can also add your favorite protein powder in it as well.

For the nuts/seeds- I switch up here and there what I use. I normally add cashews as well, but didn't use them this time. Feel free to add/subtract your favorite nuts or seeds!

Nutty Cacao Energy Balls

1/2 cup each: almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/4 cup chia seeds
3 Tbsp Maca powder
2 Tbsp Shatavari powder
5 Tbsp Cacao powder
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp saigon cinnamon
1/2 cup coconut oil
5 medjool dates

Place nuts, seeds, and powders in food processor and pulse until powdery. Add dates and coconut oil and continue to pulse until the dough starts to hold together a bit.

Roll into balls- you can either use your hands, or I also took a heaping Tbsp and formed it into balls in the spoon and then put it in a container. I layered them between parchment paper and put in the refrigerator until chilled.

Makes approximately 26 balls.

Cinnamon Skewered Kabobs-Take 2!

2011-08-30T21:36:00.001-04:00

I posted my Cinnamon Skewered Lamb Kabobs (click for recipe) in the fall of last year, so I wanted to try them again this year but with organic grass fed beef instead. It turned out really well, so if you're looking for an idea for a labor day barbecue, these are so easy and delicious! You can use beef, lamb, or even ground turkey.

I made these in the morning and kept them covered in the fridge until I was ready to grill them in the evening. Making them in advance causes the flavors to be more intense though, so I recommend decreasing the salt a bit if you plan on doing that.

The other change I made was the cover the ends in foil- this helped to keep the cinnamon from burning.

Before Cooking

Summer Chocolate and Berry Mini-Trifle (gluten free, soy free, dairy free, egg free, grain free)

2011-06-30T20:07:00.002-04:00

I've had this recipe in the back of my mind since we went to a party recently and someone brought a huge trifle. I of course couldn't eat it, but I love a good layered dessert and think they look and taste amazing. Of course they involve a little extra work, but I think it's worth it. I don't have a trifle bowl, due to the moratorium placed on my kitchen purchases, so I used dessert cups.

I'm also entering this into Kelly's "Our Spunky Holiday" roundup in honor of Independence Day. I went with red, white, blue, and chocolate :)

I used a couple different recipes to make this, so here we go!

Summer Chocolate and Berry Mini-Trifle

(gluten free, soy free, dairy free, egg free, grain free)

Cake layer:

I used my Mini Coconut and Almond Cake recipe for the cake. I put it in a glass bread pan and baked for approximately 40 minutes. It will still be a bit soft when you take it out, but it firms up when cool, so a toothpick test won't necessarily work.

Cake out of the oven

Chocolate Pudding Layer:

1 cup raw cashews (soaked and softened in hot water)

1/4 cup raw cacao powder

1/2 cup coconut milk (I used So delicious unsweetened)

1 tsp vanilla

dash cinnamon

pinch of sea salt

Place all ingredients in blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Place in the refrigerator to chill (it will firm up).

Coconut Cream Layer:

You can use Kelly's recipe HERE but probably cut it in half. Or, you can just take the cream off the top of a chilled coconut milk can or your favorite whipped topping.

Putting it all together:

I started with chopped strawberries, then a layer of cake broken up a bit as seen below. How much you use will depend on the dessert cup that you use - I used about a third here.

Next, a layer of the chocolate pudding, followed by the coconut cream and blueberries (and more strawberries if you wish.

You can always add more layers, especially if making it in a taller glass like this one below:

Chill in the refrigerator and then enjoy!

Gluten Free Baby Edition Pt. 2 - Leftover Purees??

2011-06-24T14:49:00.003-04:00

And now for part 2 of my gluten free baby post! :)

I made a wide variety of pureed fruits and veggies for my daughter and had them frozen in wonderful cubes (in these and these and these) and labeled, and had a great system... and then she started wanting more finger foods. So I thought- how can I make this mush into something she can hold?? I also have issues with store bought snacks that are full of crap (see my first post here)

From many cubes of food I have now made little biscuits that she loves. They're super quick and easy and you can adapt them to whatever you have around. I now don't measure anything and just go by sight because it really doesn't make a huge difference in terms of taste and durability. I encourage you to play around with the idea and see how easy it is to make them! The good part- they're not processed. No added anything, fresh and organic with no fillers or added sugar.

So here's the first recipe I made:
Homemade Baby Fruit/Veggie Biscuits

~3/4 cup organic vegetable puree (I used broccoli, string beans, and brussel sprouts)
1Tbsp mashed banana
1 Tbsp apple sauce/pureed organic apples (nothing added)
2 Tbsp coconut flour
dash of cinnamon

If frozen- put in pot and heat veggies just until warm. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and form into little biscuits (whatever shape you want) on a Silpat Baking Mat or greased baking sheet.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until done.

Options- Depending on if you want a more savory or sweet biscuit, I have now started adding other ingredients/combinations:

This is the texture you're looking for- can stand on it's own but not too thick or runny

I used a piping bag for these

-Almond Flour (great and nutritious addition to the coconut flour)
-Spices: depending on which veggies you're using
   ~cumin
   ~curry
   ~Italian herbs (pre-mixed, oregano, basil, marjoram, rosemary, etc...)
   ~coriander
   ~garlic powder
-Coconut milk/almond milk
-Baking powder

These I made with baking powder, coconut milk, almond flour, coconut flour, and brussel sprouts

*note- I still do give my daughter purees here and there. The more difficult foods to chew like greens, brussel sprouts, etc need to be pureed or they'll cause the child to choke!

Gluten Free Baby Edition Pt. 1

2011-06-03T15:14:00.005-04:00

Since I had a baby, many have been asking me what I plan to do about having her tested for celiac or if I've been feeding her gluten, etc...

This hasn't been an easy decision for me or my husband, so we're taking things slow, doing research, talking with our (experienced with CD) pediatrician, and being cautious. I'm really not crazy about wheat anyways and all of the refined unhealthy forms that it comes in, so the urgency to introduce it is really not there.

Regardless of that, I had a tough time finding snacks for my daughter that didn't have added salt or sugar or empty fillers like rice and corn. I know to a lot of parents these are not a big deal, but I really do think about everything I put into her body and whether or not it will provide nutritional benefit or not. I also consider the fact that nutritional excellence has a huge impact for children, and childhood is an important time for growth. Yet so much of our food industry (like school lunches) is working against them, so the more I can do as a parent now, the better off they will be in being armed against what's out there when they go off to school and are bombarded by what is accepted as "kid food".

One big influence for me in considering these issues has been the book by Dr. Joel Fuhrman: Disease-Proof Your Child: Feeding Kids Right. I actually read this book long before I had my own, because I took a lot from it myself and ways to change my diet (before I went gluten free). I am not a total fuhrmanite and don't follow his diet completely, but there is a lot of amazing advice, recipes, and guidelines for ways to help your entire family to enjoy good, healthy food without making it boring.

So- I totally digressed. I was talking about snack food. I couldn't find anything. So I made some quick and easy snacks that I'll be sharing here and there. My daughter loves them and as a mom with very little time these days, I can throw something together for her quite easily.

My first project was a teething biscuit. I had already introduced gf oats and quinoa to my daughter, so I made biscuits out of each of those. You can fiddle with the recipe to make different shapes, etc. These were actually kind of small, so shaping them as bars might be helpful as well. Water content will also change cooking time and softness so add more "flour" as needed. These are mostly just recommendations for what you can do, so good luck! :)

Quinoa Baby Biscuits

1/4 cup Quinoa Flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 cup pureed organic pear (I used some that I had made for baby food)
1/8 cup water
**1tsp coconut oil (see note)

GF Oats Baby Biscuits

1/4 cup certified GF Rolled Oats (blended into flour) or you can use preground Oat Flour
1/8 cup pureed organic pear
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp cinnamon
**1 tsp coconut oil (see note)

Blend ingredients and put into mini muffin tray. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 15 minutes.

*Note, the longer these stay outside the soggier they become, so don't make too many at once!

**Now that my daughter is older, I add in a bit of coconut oil to keep them from sticking to the pan

Packed up and ready to go! I love these little snack cups from Green Sprouts. You can order them here:

I also love these cups:

Mini Coconut & Almond Cakes (gluten free, soy free, grain free, dairy free, egg free)

2011-05-17T15:34:00.007-04:00

One afternoon I was craving a small "healthy" dessert as a snack, so I came up with this little coconut cake and was quite pleased with the results! It was small enough to satisfy my craving and delicious at the same time and the best part- I made it quickly while my daughter napped. I ended up jazzing it up a bit (see the pictures) for dessert that evening for my husband and I as well, so you can eat it plain or with a little extra something!

I am also entering this recipe into this month's 'Go Ahead Honey it's Gluten Free' - 'Garden Tea Party'. It's the perfect little snack that you can whip up quickly and enjoy with a delicious cup of tea.

Mini Coconut & Almond Cakes

1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 Tbsp flax meal + 3 Tbsp hot water
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut milk (room temperature)
1/8 cup raw honey
1/8 cup coconut oil (liquified)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add the liquid ingredients into the dry and whisk until moist and incorporated. Pour batter into silicone cupcake holders. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. They will appear soft until cooled.

I ate some plain and topped others with equal parts coconut oil and dark chocolate melted together and some toasted coconut. Delicious!