I hadn't planned on there being this much time between my last post and this one but life got away from me. Work got busier, I was working through a pain flare, and my mom had surgery. It's been quite a hectic few weeks. I am finally getting back on track. I have been trying some new foods and eating a more plant based diet. Don't worry, I haven't fully gone vegan, but probably about 75% of my diet is now plant based. Not surprisingly, I feel a lot better. I am even trying out Kombucha for the first time. I don't know who this healthy girl is, but I am liking her. I wish she would have gotten on board in her 20's. Maybe then she'd have a lot fewer health problems!
Part of being healthy is eating whole foods and getting all the nutrients you need to create and sustain energy throughout the day. I have been looking at ways to take some of the foods I am eating and add to them or mix them up a bit to make them more interesting. One thing I need more of in my body is Omega-3. I used to take a supplement but I have such a sensitive stomach that it didn't last long. I consume granola with flax seed almost on a daily basis but wanted to find an additional way to consume more Omega's. Cue Chia seeds.
I made overnight oats the day that my mom had surgery. We had to be there so early that I knew I would never be able to eat breakfast beforehand. So, I brought my overnight oats in a mason jar to save to eat after she got settled. I had added chia seeds to the jar and I loved it. It tasted so good that when I found this recipe, I knew I had to try it.
I am not one for making breakfast on the stove top if I can help it. I am all about quick and easy breakfast (hence the overnight oats). My standard morning breakfast is oatmeal cooked in the microwave with blueberries and granola. I decided to take a chance on something a little different and I loved it! Even cut in quarters, this recipe still made enough for me to have the leftovers the next morning. Find the original recipe here.
Blueberry Chia Oats
1/4 c gluten free rolled oats
1/2 T chia seeds
1/2 Tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c blueberries
pinch of sea salt
1/2 T honey
1 c unsweetened almond milk
Directions:
1. Place all ingredients in a small to medium pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium/low and let simmer for about 10 min. Stir frequently until most of the liquid is absorbed and remove from heat.
3. Transfer to a bowl and top as desired.
I topped my batch with granola, dried blueberries, and almond slivers. Super healthy and very tasty. You can see pictures on my Instagram page: randomcoordinatedchaos.
Get out there and try something new and healthy! Let me know what you find.
Showing posts with label dairy free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dairy free. Show all posts
Sunday, July 16, 2017
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Paleo Strawberry Muffins: Success or Fail?
Baking gluten free, dairy free, and egg free is always a challenge. I have an AA in Pastry Arts and I still struggle to cook and bake this way. I recently started following this wonderful blogger Paleo Gluten Free Eats on Instagram and she has inspired me to start baking and cooking more. Her posts are beautifully photographed and she is always making something interesting and new. Watching her videos and reading her blog made me start searching even further for more recipes that fit in my dietary category. For the most part, her recipes do that, but I also need egg free. It's extremely difficult to find something Paleo AND egg free.
I recently headed the Paleo route only because that diet does eliminate dairy and gluten already. The added bonus is no refined sugar, which I have also been working on cutting down. The only problem with Paleo and my dietary restrictions is that it does include eggs, and usually a lot of them. (In regular cooking, it also usually includes a lot of meat which my body isn't used to. I have also recently eliminated chicken as an experiment). So, with that in mind, I went to Pinterest. I have (as many do) a love/hate relationship with Pinterest. It's mostly that I hate that I love it. As many of us know, though, it's a great resource for recipes, especially for special diets. I found a few recipes I wanted to try but was craving something I could take as a snack for work that also felt summery. I came across a recipe for Paleo Strawberry Muffins. No gluten, no dairy, no refined sugar...but 3 eggs. Going back to my baking training, I remembered that I could substitute a flax or chia "egg" instead of using a powdered egg replacer (which never works as well and smells like chemicals). So, I went on a run to the store to find chia.
The store only had whole chia seeds which I determined would be fine and I could just grind them in the tiny food processor we have. NOPE. This was the one big fail. 20 min of grinding in the food processor and they barely broke down. I tried mashing them in the mortar and pestle we have (that a quick search on Google said would also be an option) and NOPE. Nothing. So, I went forward with the recipe anyway. This was the major flaw in my plan. When the chia isn't broken down into powder it becomes EXTRA gelatinous and way too thick to be an egg replacement. I ended up baking it longer than necessary and it was still a bit gummy. The taste was great but I had to toss the remaining muffins after a few days because they got soggier. I have already ordered a spice grinder so I can try this recipe again!
Try it yourself and let me know how it goes. I have included the regular egg and the chia/flax egg information. The strawberries can be swapped out for raspberries, blueberries or I would think even apples (with a dash of cinnamon...yum). Find the original recipe here.
Servings: 9 muffins
I recently headed the Paleo route only because that diet does eliminate dairy and gluten already. The added bonus is no refined sugar, which I have also been working on cutting down. The only problem with Paleo and my dietary restrictions is that it does include eggs, and usually a lot of them. (In regular cooking, it also usually includes a lot of meat which my body isn't used to. I have also recently eliminated chicken as an experiment). So, with that in mind, I went to Pinterest. I have (as many do) a love/hate relationship with Pinterest. It's mostly that I hate that I love it. As many of us know, though, it's a great resource for recipes, especially for special diets. I found a few recipes I wanted to try but was craving something I could take as a snack for work that also felt summery. I came across a recipe for Paleo Strawberry Muffins. No gluten, no dairy, no refined sugar...but 3 eggs. Going back to my baking training, I remembered that I could substitute a flax or chia "egg" instead of using a powdered egg replacer (which never works as well and smells like chemicals). So, I went on a run to the store to find chia.
The store only had whole chia seeds which I determined would be fine and I could just grind them in the tiny food processor we have. NOPE. This was the one big fail. 20 min of grinding in the food processor and they barely broke down. I tried mashing them in the mortar and pestle we have (that a quick search on Google said would also be an option) and NOPE. Nothing. So, I went forward with the recipe anyway. This was the major flaw in my plan. When the chia isn't broken down into powder it becomes EXTRA gelatinous and way too thick to be an egg replacement. I ended up baking it longer than necessary and it was still a bit gummy. The taste was great but I had to toss the remaining muffins after a few days because they got soggier. I have already ordered a spice grinder so I can try this recipe again!
Try it yourself and let me know how it goes. I have included the regular egg and the chia/flax egg information. The strawberries can be swapped out for raspberries, blueberries or I would think even apples (with a dash of cinnamon...yum). Find the original recipe here.
Servings: 9 muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs (flax or chia substitute: 1 Tbsp. ground flax or chia to 3 Tbsp. water per egg)
- 1/4 cup honey (preferably organic and raw; sub maple syrup for vegan)
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil melted (can also substitute ghee for all or half of oil)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease or line muffin tin (or use silicone baking cups).
- Combine dry ingredients in large bowl with a large whisk. Combine wet ingredients in medium bowl. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently fold in strawberries.
- Use a large ice cream or cookie scoop to fill muffin cups 3/4 full.
- Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
I will be trying this recipe again as soon as my grinder arrives. I will post an update to my trial. So, the verdict is that it was a successful fail. Not a complete fail, but not a complete success. A second trial awaits!
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Homemade Granola: Worth the Time?
Every morning I eat oatmeal with granola. I usually throw some wild blueberries and almonds in there, too. It has become my favorite morning meal. It fills me up, keeps me energized, and is healthy. But what about the granola? Every day I am eating 1/3 cup of store bought granola and the bag only lasts a week at most. How much am I spending on this? What amount of added sugar am I consuming first thing in the morning? The answer is a lot.
Even on sale, the granola I purchase is $5.99 a bag when it's on sale. That's a minimum of $24 a month, but usually at least $30. Yes, the brand I buy is Gluten Free, 5 grain, Non-GMO, and relatively healthy by most standards, but I wasn't happy that I was consuming evaporated cane juice, glycerin, and canola oil every morning.
What is evaporated cane juice? Companies that make it will say it's a natural sweetener. Really, it's just sugar with a tad bit of the molasses still included. All sugar, because of the process that makes it, is evaporated cane juice. So really, it's just a fancier, healthier sounding way to say "processed sugar."
Glycerin is a filler. It's used as a sweetener and preservative. I wouldn't think it would be considered an ingredient for "clean eating." Besides, isn't that an ingredient in soap? Just because it is non-toxic doesn't mean it is edible or should be consumed.
Canola oil is not something I have done a lot of research on, but it seems to be a controversy. I prefer to use olive oil or coconut oil strictly for anti-inflammatory properties and health reasons. I don't avoid canola oil completely, but I figure if there is a controversy, there might be a reason to limit your consumption at the very least.
So, this led me to research Paleo homemade granola recipes. I wanted something that was similar to the flavor of the brand I buy (blueberry vanilla). I found a great recipe and it was really easy to make. You can find the original recipe here. My version is tweaked a bit. The original recipe was so large that it required two sheet pans. Not only do I not have two sheet pans, I am only one person and that much granola would go stale before I could eat it all. I cut the original recipe in half. Also included are directions to read as you go, because my pastry chef instructor would reprimand me as I did not read the whole recipe before starting. It's my way of helping you out so you don't make the same mistakes I made.
Pre-start tips:
1. Pull out all of your ingredients and measure them out.
2. Pre-heat oven to 325* and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (I was out so I used wax paper which wasn't ideal, but it worked in a pinch)
Blueberry Vanilla Granola with Chocolate Chunks
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Total Time: 40 min
Yield: 5 cups
Ingredients
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup almond butter (I used cashew butter)
1/4 cup raw honey
1 teaspoon good-quality vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (I use the GF oats from Trader Joe's)
3/4 cup raw sliced almonds
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (I just used a few shakes as I try to keep things low sodium)
1 cup dried blueberries (I prefer the Steve's Paleo dried blueberries because they have no added sugar, but Whole Foods was out)
**1/8 - 1/4 cup at least 65% cacao dark chocolate chunks (I see this as optional) (I used Enjoy Life allergen-free chocolate chip minis)
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F and line baking sheet with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
2. To a small saucepan, add just the coconut oil. Melt over medium-low heat.
3. Whisk in the almond (or another nut) butter, honey, and vanilla extract. Continue to whisk until melted and smooth. Turn the pan to low heat while you prepare your dry ingredients.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, almonds, salt, and blueberries. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just moistened.
4. Pour the granola onto the baking sheet, spreading evenly.
5. Bake the granola in the oven for 10-12 minutes and then give it a good stir.
6. Return to oven for an additional 10-12 minutes and bake until golden brown.
7. Remove granola from the oven and let it completely cool before transferring to an airtight container and stirring in the chocolate chips.
8. Store the granola in an airtight container for about two weeks.
This recipe turned out great. It's nice and crunchy with just the perfect amount of sweet. It's great for breakfast or a snack. I use this on top of my oatmeal every morning. As a snack, the chocolate chips are a fun added sweetness. However...if you are using it on top of oatmeal or in a bowl with almond milk for breakfast, I suggest you cut the chocolate chips. I add fresh blueberries to mine, so the chocolate is a little odd mixed in there.
I hope you all try this! It's a tasty recipe and has no added sugar, especially if you get the Paleo snacks dried blueberries with no added sugar and cut the chocolate chips. My verdict? DEFINITELY worth the time.
Sorry for the lack of pictures. I was so excited to make this granola that I only snapped one. Enjoy! Be healthy.
Even on sale, the granola I purchase is $5.99 a bag when it's on sale. That's a minimum of $24 a month, but usually at least $30. Yes, the brand I buy is Gluten Free, 5 grain, Non-GMO, and relatively healthy by most standards, but I wasn't happy that I was consuming evaporated cane juice, glycerin, and canola oil every morning.
What is evaporated cane juice? Companies that make it will say it's a natural sweetener. Really, it's just sugar with a tad bit of the molasses still included. All sugar, because of the process that makes it, is evaporated cane juice. So really, it's just a fancier, healthier sounding way to say "processed sugar."
Glycerin is a filler. It's used as a sweetener and preservative. I wouldn't think it would be considered an ingredient for "clean eating." Besides, isn't that an ingredient in soap? Just because it is non-toxic doesn't mean it is edible or should be consumed.
Canola oil is not something I have done a lot of research on, but it seems to be a controversy. I prefer to use olive oil or coconut oil strictly for anti-inflammatory properties and health reasons. I don't avoid canola oil completely, but I figure if there is a controversy, there might be a reason to limit your consumption at the very least.
So, this led me to research Paleo homemade granola recipes. I wanted something that was similar to the flavor of the brand I buy (blueberry vanilla). I found a great recipe and it was really easy to make. You can find the original recipe here. My version is tweaked a bit. The original recipe was so large that it required two sheet pans. Not only do I not have two sheet pans, I am only one person and that much granola would go stale before I could eat it all. I cut the original recipe in half. Also included are directions to read as you go, because my pastry chef instructor would reprimand me as I did not read the whole recipe before starting. It's my way of helping you out so you don't make the same mistakes I made.
Pre-start tips:
1. Pull out all of your ingredients and measure them out.
2. Pre-heat oven to 325* and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (I was out so I used wax paper which wasn't ideal, but it worked in a pinch)
Blueberry Vanilla Granola with Chocolate Chunks
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Total Time: 40 min
Yield: 5 cups
Ingredients
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup almond butter (I used cashew butter)
1/4 cup raw honey
1 teaspoon good-quality vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (I use the GF oats from Trader Joe's)
3/4 cup raw sliced almonds
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (I just used a few shakes as I try to keep things low sodium)
1 cup dried blueberries (I prefer the Steve's Paleo dried blueberries because they have no added sugar, but Whole Foods was out)
**1/8 - 1/4 cup at least 65% cacao dark chocolate chunks (I see this as optional) (I used Enjoy Life allergen-free chocolate chip minis)
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F and line baking sheet with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
2. To a small saucepan, add just the coconut oil. Melt over medium-low heat.
3. Whisk in the almond (or another nut) butter, honey, and vanilla extract. Continue to whisk until melted and smooth. Turn the pan to low heat while you prepare your dry ingredients.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, almonds, salt, and blueberries. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just moistened.
4. Pour the granola onto the baking sheet, spreading evenly.
Before spreading evenly in pan.
5. Bake the granola in the oven for 10-12 minutes and then give it a good stir.
6. Return to oven for an additional 10-12 minutes and bake until golden brown.
7. Remove granola from the oven and let it completely cool before transferring to an airtight container and stirring in the chocolate chips.
8. Store the granola in an airtight container for about two weeks.
This recipe turned out great. It's nice and crunchy with just the perfect amount of sweet. It's great for breakfast or a snack. I use this on top of my oatmeal every morning. As a snack, the chocolate chips are a fun added sweetness. However...if you are using it on top of oatmeal or in a bowl with almond milk for breakfast, I suggest you cut the chocolate chips. I add fresh blueberries to mine, so the chocolate is a little odd mixed in there.
I hope you all try this! It's a tasty recipe and has no added sugar, especially if you get the Paleo snacks dried blueberries with no added sugar and cut the chocolate chips. My verdict? DEFINITELY worth the time.
Sorry for the lack of pictures. I was so excited to make this granola that I only snapped one. Enjoy! Be healthy.
Saturday, December 26, 2015
Chocolate S'mores Cookies: A Guaranteed Hit
I hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday season! I know I have. I honestly can't believe it is over already. I am definitely ready for a detox though. My body is going through sugar shock. For someone that doesn't eat a lot of sweets but has an extreme sweet tooth, this time of the year is so difficult for me. It is definitely time for a detox. But for now...we talk cookies! A couple of weeks ago, they had some cookie recipes in the county newspaper. I adapted from a rocky road cookie recipe to make these.
I made these Chocolate S'mores cookies for work and for my family for Christmas day. A hit in both places. I heard repeatedly how good they were. My boss is "super work out guy" and eats VERY healthy and rarely picks up any sweets. When he went back for another cookie, I knew they were delicious. I put them in the work kitchen at 9am and by noon there were only 2 left. These are easily adaptable to be gluten free. However, I think it would be hard to make them egg free unless you could find a good replacement for egg that would go with chocolate. Powdered egg replacer will not work. Maybe a flax seed mix would work, but I wouldn't recommend that unless you have experience with it, which I do not.
The best part about these cookies? You make them with cake mix! You want to use a double fudge or triple fudge mix. Even a devil's food cake mix would work well. To make them gluten free, you just sub in a gluten free chocolate cake mix. Betty Crocker makes a wonderful mix that can be purchased at a regular, non-specialty grocery store.
The recipe:
S'mores Cake Mix Cookies (makes about two dozen cookies)
1 box chocolate fudge cake mix (or gluten free chocolate cake mix)
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup mini marshmallows, cut in half
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or enjoy life chocolate chips for dairy free)
4 squares graham crackers (gluten free graham crackers can also be used)
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil, and eggs. Mix until well blended. The batter will be very thick.
3. Cut marshmallows in to small pieces (I used kitchen scissors and cut in half). Add marshmallows and chocolate chips to batter. It may be tough to mix. I used a thick wooden spoon to stir.
4. Break up graham crackers in to small pieces. Sprinkle on top of batter and mix carefully. You can also wait and put a couple of pieces of crackers in cookies after scooped.
5. I recommend a cookie/ice cream scoop to scoop 1 inch balls of dough on to cookie sheet. Roll each ball to make cookies more uniform.
6. Bake cookies on middle rack of oven for approximately 10 minutes. (9-11 minutes) Remove from oven and let cool for a couple of minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Make sure they are cool enough to pick up with spatula without falling apart. A cooling rack will help cookies cool quickly and evenly.
If you want an easy recipe that will impress people with how amazing the cookies taste, these are the ones for you! Happy baking! Make sure to comment and let me know if you make these yourself. I would love to know how it went.
I made these Chocolate S'mores cookies for work and for my family for Christmas day. A hit in both places. I heard repeatedly how good they were. My boss is "super work out guy" and eats VERY healthy and rarely picks up any sweets. When he went back for another cookie, I knew they were delicious. I put them in the work kitchen at 9am and by noon there were only 2 left. These are easily adaptable to be gluten free. However, I think it would be hard to make them egg free unless you could find a good replacement for egg that would go with chocolate. Powdered egg replacer will not work. Maybe a flax seed mix would work, but I wouldn't recommend that unless you have experience with it, which I do not.
The best part about these cookies? You make them with cake mix! You want to use a double fudge or triple fudge mix. Even a devil's food cake mix would work well. To make them gluten free, you just sub in a gluten free chocolate cake mix. Betty Crocker makes a wonderful mix that can be purchased at a regular, non-specialty grocery store.
The recipe:
S'mores Cake Mix Cookies (makes about two dozen cookies)
1 box chocolate fudge cake mix (or gluten free chocolate cake mix)
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup mini marshmallows, cut in half
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or enjoy life chocolate chips for dairy free)
4 squares graham crackers (gluten free graham crackers can also be used)
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, oil, and eggs. Mix until well blended. The batter will be very thick.
3. Cut marshmallows in to small pieces (I used kitchen scissors and cut in half). Add marshmallows and chocolate chips to batter. It may be tough to mix. I used a thick wooden spoon to stir.
4. Break up graham crackers in to small pieces. Sprinkle on top of batter and mix carefully. You can also wait and put a couple of pieces of crackers in cookies after scooped.
5. I recommend a cookie/ice cream scoop to scoop 1 inch balls of dough on to cookie sheet. Roll each ball to make cookies more uniform.
I stored mine in a plastic bag and then inside a Tupperware container. It keeps them moist a lot longer than if they were just sitting on the counter.
If you want an easy recipe that will impress people with how amazing the cookies taste, these are the ones for you! Happy baking! Make sure to comment and let me know if you make these yourself. I would love to know how it went.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Pumpkin: It's That Time of Year!
Pumpkin: pro or con? I think I might be both. I love this time of year because you can find pumpkin flavored EVERYTHING. But I agree with many people that it can get a little ridiculous and overwhelming. There are some pretty random things that they make that are pumpkin flavored. Here are just a few odd ones that I have come across: Pumpkin Spice Kale Chips, Pumpkin Pie Kettle Chips, Pumpkin Pie Chocolate Bark, and Hershey's Kisses Pumpkin Spice. Personally, I like to stick to the classics...bread, pie, cupcakes, cheesecake, and cookies. I will taste some of these other odd creations unless they sound TOO weird (I'm talking to you Pumpkin Spice Kale Chips).
Last weekend I had planned on making a new recipe of raw vegan pumpkin no bake cheesecake bars for my friends Jenn and Elijah. How yummy does that sound? Unfortunately, the day I was to visit them, I forgot to soak the cashews so no cheesecake for them. (Sorry Elijah!) The next day I woke up with two cans of pumpkin in my cupboard calling my name. So I went to the Internet for an easy gluten free, dairy free, egg free pumpkin bread. I found the perfect recipe! (original recipe here courtesy of dontmesswithmama.com)
Per usual, I made some modifications to make it perfect for me.
Last weekend I had planned on making a new recipe of raw vegan pumpkin no bake cheesecake bars for my friends Jenn and Elijah. How yummy does that sound? Unfortunately, the day I was to visit them, I forgot to soak the cashews so no cheesecake for them. (Sorry Elijah!) The next day I woke up with two cans of pumpkin in my cupboard calling my name. So I went to the Internet for an easy gluten free, dairy free, egg free pumpkin bread. I found the perfect recipe! (original recipe here courtesy of dontmesswithmama.com)
Per usual, I made some modifications to make it perfect for me.
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups of all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp organic coconut flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- Egg replacer equivalent to 2 eggs (I use Ener-G)
- 1 cup baking sugar (you can use coconut sugar or raw organic sugar)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup organic coconut oil
- 1/3 cup filtered water
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Mix all dry ingredients together with a whisk in large bowl.
-Mix up your egg replacer in a separate container. I prefer to use a whisk for this to get the powder completely mixed with the water.
-Mix all wet ingredients together (make sure coconut oil is in liquid form before mixing. I did not do this and it came out a little lumpy).
-Add egg replacer to wet ingredients mixing well.
-Now incorporate dry ingredients to wet ingredients without over mixing. **You want to make sure it is completely mixed, but if you over mix the batter, the bread can come out a little tough versus soft and moist.
-Scoop batter in to loaf pan that is completely greased (I used dairy free butter in a glass loaf pan and it worked extremely well).
-Place in the oven and bake for 60 min and then test with toothpick. Can be baked for up to 70 min depending on oven.
After removing from the oven, let cool completely before taking out of pan. Gorgeous!
Gluten free baking is an art. This is a fairly easy recipe if you don't over-mix the batter. It came out moist but a little crumbly. Such is gluten free baking. The only thing that the original recipe did not mention is the addition of xanthan gum which helps bind gluten free items. My gluten free flour mix did not have it already in the blend. Next time I would probably add a tad bit of xanthan gum. However, I was surprised at how well this worked without it. So if you are not a fan of gum additions, you could probably leave it out like I did and be just fine.
So if you are looking for a gluten free, dairy free, egg free recipe for the holidays, this is a great idea! You can add chocolate chips, nuts, or dried cranberries if you so desire. This recipe can also be put in individual size loaf pans or a muffin tin. Baking time would be a lot less, so adjust accordingly.
Happy Baking! Today I made a Gingerbread Paleo Granola. Keep an eye out for that entry soon!
Sunday, November 1, 2015
November: Clean Eating Begins!
The last two weeks have been fun celebrating my (yikes) 40th birthday! One weekend I had one of my best friends come down from San Jose to visit and we got to spend some time together and with other long time friends. Then this weekend another best friend took a group of us to Glen Ivy Spa for a day of lounging and pampering. It has been a fun time of celebrating with some of my favorite people. I have the best friends and family! Needless to say, I haven't been eating the best the last couple of weeks. I woke up this morning and decided it was time to get back on track. Enter Pinterest.
Oh Pinterest I love you and loathe you. Pinterest makes me excited about everything and makes me feel inadequate in the same minute. Crafting, drawing, creating, baking, cooking...you name it, I look it up and pin it.
I am not the best cook. When you cook for one, you tend to go the easy route versus the healthy route. With the Santa Ana winds blowing through Southern California the last couple of days, coupled with trying to stay cold free when everyone likes to cough on you in public, I have been a little under the weather this weekend. I immediately thought crock pot cooking! Easy, yet can still be healthy. I have a ton of food issues, mostly food allergies. I try to stay on the healthy side when searching for recipes and I always have to modify to be gluten free, dairy free, and egg free, as well as something I actually like. The recipe I found ended up turning in to something completely different when I was done so it ended up being my own recipe.
It was so tasty and simple, I feel like I forgot something!
What you need:
Chicken (I went for organic, free range chicken tender strips from Trader Joe's)
Chicken stock (again, Trader Joe's. They have gluten free stock)
Sweet potatoes (I used two smaller ones)
Organic Brown Sugar (Trader Joe's)
1/2 Sweet Onion
Garlic salt or chopped garlic
Layer chicken in bottom of crock pot. Top with cubed sweet potato and sliced onions. Sprinkle approximately 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and garlic salt to taste. Fill almost all the way with chicken stock. Cook on high for approximately 5 hours (until chicken is cooked thoroughly). I cooked on high 3 hours and then turned to low for a few more.
The plan was to have it more like a chicken and potatoes meal, but it quickly turned in to a stew that smells amazing. The brown sugar is mostly for the top of the sweet potatoes, but I wanted to make sure there was enough liquid that the chicken and potatoes would cook and be tender. So, I may have gone a little overboard with the chicken stock. But I am happy! The sugar probably could have been left out since the potatoes soaked up the stock, but then the sweetness would be gone. The sweetness makes it taste amazing!
The best thing about the crock pot is you don't have to measure. You just throw it all in and turn it on. I just made a healthy chicken and sweet potato stew with minimal effort and amazing taste! Substitutes are easy. You could easily change out the sweet potatoes for pumpkin, regular potatoes, or even another type of squash or root vegetable. Want it a little spicier? Add black pepper and cayenne? It's whatever you want to make it and it's easy!
Happy healthy eating! Bring on Fall!
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