Potato, Spinach and Garbanzo Bean Curry {GF + Vegetarian}

Potato, Spinach and Garbanzo Bean Curry

A spicy, healthy Potato, Spinach and Garbanzo Bean Curry.  Gluten Free** (omit naan bread) and Vegetarian recipe!

**For Gluten Free, omit naan bread (or use GF version) and always make sure the ingredients you use are clearly labeled Gluten Free, including your spices!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds or mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 tablespoon cayenne (or to taste)
• 6 tablespoons curry powder (or to taste)
• 6 tablespoons garam masala (or to taste)
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
• 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 minced jalapeno peppers
• 4 small Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 can garbanzo beans
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 2 pounds fresh spinach, rinsed, stems removed, and chopped
• 2-3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves; finely chopped

Directions:

1. Wash and peel potatoes. Place them in boiling water to partially pre-cook, about 10-minutes. Remove from water and cube. 
2. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and cook, stirring, until they pop. Or, add mustard powder if you don't have the seeds. Add cumin, coriander, turmeric cayenne, curry powder and garam masala and cook, stirring constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant. 
3. Add the onions, the (cubed, partially pre-cooked) potatoes, garlic, ginger and jalapenos and cook for approximately 10-15 minutes. 
4. Add the garbanzo beans followed by the spinach; cook until the spinach is wilted. 
5. Add the tomatoes and cook over medium-low heat until curry is thickened, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. 
6. Add the cilantro and stir well. 
7. Serve hot over quinoa or rice if following a Gluten Free diet OR with naan bread if not on a GF diet. 

Product Review: Shirley J Gluten Free Chocolate Brownie Mug Cake

[Product Review]: Shirley J Gluten Free Chocolate Brownie Mug Cake

Overall:

Overall I recommend the mug cake, specifically the Chocolate Brownie Mug Cake, mix from Shirley J.  

The cake is quick, it's so easy, requires no specialized equipment (except a microwave) and little to no skill to make.  Even those of you who hate cooking and baking or who fear you're no good at it can make this mug cake from Shirley J with great ease and great results.  Seriously.  A great, single-portion cake in a little over a minute.  What's not to like about that?

I also think it's a boon to those of you out there who don't have celiac disease yourselves, but who have family or friends that do.  You'll really make your family member / friend/ co-worker with celiac a happy camper if you can make or gift them their own individual, GF cake so that they can enjoy dessert along with everybody else!

PROS:

So fast, so easy:  Takes only about two minutes to open the package, whisk in the water and add the chocolate chips.  Cooks in 90seconds in the microwave.

Low energy requirements:  Requires only 90 seconds in the microwave versus hours of baking in a conventional oven.  This is especially nice if you're in a hot climate and are paying to cool your home--turning the oven on is always painful in that situation.

No special equipment required: All you need is the mix, additional chocolate chips, a fork, water, a tablespoon, a microwave, and microwaveable mug.  These are all very common household items, even for people without full or well equipped kitchens (like college students).

Taste: Cake is very moist and the chocolate flavor is there. 

Versatility:  The flavor profile of the mix could easily be slightly varied with a dash of vanilla, cinnamon, orange oil, or espresso powder.  You could also probably easily add walnuts or pecans, marshmallows, or coconut to the mix in small proportions.  You can also serve the cake with frosting, ice cream, or whipped cream.  Or, you can do like me and eat it with a big mug--yes another mug--of almond milk.

Individual Portioning:  Individual portioning makes it easy to satisfy your sweet tooth without getting sucked into eating or getting rid of a multi-portion sized cake.

Great Gift Idea: The mugging kit, which includes a microwaveable mug and 1 pack of mug-cake costs around $15.  The mugging kit would make a great gift for a GF friend, co-worker, or relative and is in a good price range for moderate to low-cost gifting.

CONS:

Additional Ingredients: 1/4 cup chocolate chips called for by mix is NOT included.

Texture:  Nice and moist, but has a grainier mouth-feel than a traditional cake.  The same is true of almond-flour based cakes and some others using non-traditional flours.  This is really a mild "con," as the texture is merely slightly different rather than poor or unappetizing.

Cost: If you buy 1 packet of Shirley J's mug cake the mix runs you about $3.  The more economical way to buy is to purchase a 5-pack of a single flavor for $12.95.

Harictos Verts and Crimini Mushrooms served with Quinoa, Poached Egg, and Red Wine-Sundried Tomato Sauce

Harictos Verts and Crimini Mushrooms served with Quinoa, Poached Egg, and Red Wine-Sundried Tomato Sauce 

This is definitely a rustic-style comfort food made healthy!  The recipe is vegetarian and gluten free and could easily be varied to accomodate a vegan diet.  I used the sauce over  quinoa, instead of pasta, for a complete vegetarian-friendly protein.  The sauce could very easily be turned into a healthy-style "cream" sauce by adding 0% plain Greek Yogurt.  I actually gave it a try by putting a little bit of the sauce in a separate bowl and mixing it with Greek Yogurt and it added the creaminess of a heavy cream sauce without adding the fat.  I think this variation would be great on pasta!

Ingredients--

• 1 6oz can Organic Tomato Paste
• 1 10oz can diced Hot Rotel Tomatoes
• 1 cup jarred Organic Marinara Sauce (I use Newman’s Own brand)
• ½ cup diced (or strips) sundried tomatoes (not in oil; add more to your taste)
• 8 cloves garlic; minced (add less/more to your taste)
• 1 Bell Pepper (I used ½ red and ½ green); diced
• Basil; chopped to taste
• ¼-1/3 cup Red Wine
• ½ cup water (added to sauce to thin; be conservative)
• Small handful of cherry or other small tomato (I left smaller ones whole, sliced bigger ones in half)
• 1-2 cups Crimini (or Baby Bella) mushrooms; sliced in half
• 2 heaping handfuls Haricots Verts (French Green Beans)
• ½ cup uncooked Quinoa; prepared according to instructions (this is enough quinoa to serve 2-3 people; remainder of recipe feeds about 2x that so increase quinoa as needed)
• 1 egg; poached (you need a pot of hot water + vinegar)*
• Olive oil; to taste
• Salt + Pepper; to taste (I used about 50/50 regular sea salt and smoked sea salt)
• Parmesan; grated (to taste / optional)

Directions--

1. Sautee halved Crimini (or Baby Bella) mushrooms in sauté pan with olive oil and salt and pepper until tender.  Remove mushrooms to bowl and reserve liquid produced while cooking.
2. In large sauce pan sauté minced garlic and bell peppers in olive oil.  When tender and browned add reserved mushroom “juice,” tomato paste, diced tomatoes, marinara sauce and sundried tomatoes.  Add wine, water, and salt and pepper and allow to cook down for 7-10 minutes on low heat.  Add chopped basil. 
3. Add Haricots Verts and cook on medium-low temperature for 5 minutes or until beans start to get tender.  Add sautéed Crimini mushrooms and cherry (or other small) tomatoes.
4. Continue to cook on low heat until Haricots Verts are tender and fully cooked (they should still have a little crunch to them).  Stir grated parmesan cheese into sauce if desired or use as garnish. 
5. Plate quinoa (I packed mine in a mini-bowl and turned it out on top of my plate to have a molded-quinoa look); top with portion of Haricots Verts and Crimini in sundried tomato + red wine sauce.  Top with poached egg and garnish as desired.
6. Enjoy with your left-over red wine!

* Not sure how to poach an egg?  See one of my favorite food blogs for instructions: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/08/how-to-poach-an-egg-smitten-kitchen-style/

Notes on Variations + Dietary Restrictions--

1. This sauce can easily be transformed into a healthy “cream” sauce to be used over pasta by adding 0% plain Greek Yogurt.  One caution:  Add the yogurt in small batches of the sauce and combine into larger portion to retain yogurt’s live cultures.  Using Greek Yogurt in the sauce will make it taste like a cream sauce without the added fat and calories and will boost the protein considerably.
2. Recipe is Gluten Free and can be made vegan if poached egg and parmesan are omitted.

Cauliflower "Hot Wing" and Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

Cauliflower "Hot Wing" and Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing {Gluten Free + Vegetarian + Low Carb}

I have been a vegetarian for a long, long time.  And, I have my Dad to thank for this--ever swift to point out inconsistencies between what people profess and how they behave.  My Dad, relatively early in my life, pointed out the disconnect between the way I vocalized my responsibilities toward animals and my actual behavior--namely, my propensity to eat them.  And, though it was a struggle early on to change eating habits, my vegetarianism has persisted into adulthood and I don't  imagine ever giving it up.

If anything, I'm thankful for my vegetarianism: it has made me creative.  I sort of have to be creative, because there are meaty things that I crave--foods that I used to enjoy very much--that I like the challenge of making anew.  I try to re-create them in vegetarian form.  And, this post is about one such attempt to re-create a beloved meat dish, the hot wing, to fit my vegetarian lifestyle.  And, it was a successful attempt!

Blending the hot wing sauce, blue cheese dressing, and celery traditional to the hot wing meal, my Cauliflower "Hot Wing" and Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing is an amazingly satisfying nod to the beloved hot wings of my carnivorous past.  

Recipe: Cauliflower "Hot Wing" and Spinach Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower, 1 head chopped into florets
• Hot Wing Sauce (I used a mix of Paula Deen's mild and hot hot wing sauces***); approx 1 cup
• Approx. 1/3c. Garbanzo Bean Flour (I use Bob's Red Mill brand)
• Approx. 1/3 Nutritional Yeast (I use Bob's Red Mill brand)
• Pepper, to taste
• Smoked Sea Salt, to taste
• Liquid Smoke, a dash or to taste
• Baby Spinach
• Celery, chopped
• Tomato, chopped (use to taste)
• Red Onion, diced (use to taste)
• Carrot, shredded (use to taste)
• Avocado, sliced (use to taste)
• Yogurt-based Blue Cheese Dressing
• Queso Fresco, cubed (optional)
  *** Paula Deen's wing sauces do not list wheat in their ingredients lists.  However, they are not clearly labeled Gluten Free.  If you have celiac disease or a strong wheat intolerance than you may consider searching out a brand that explicitly labels their hot wing sauce Gluten Free.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.; prepare baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Clean and chop cauliflower into florets.  Dip cauliflower into hot wing sauce combined with liquid smoke.
3. Coat dipped cauliflower in mixture of garbanzo bean flour, nutritional yeast, pepper and smoked sea salt.  
4. Place on baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. followed by an additional 3-5 minutes on broil.
5. Meanwhile, assemble salad fixings, including: spinach; tomato; celery; carrot; avocado; red onion; queso fresco (optional); Blue Cheese dressing
6. Remove Cauliflower "Hot Wings" from oven.  Let cool a few minutes before tossing in leftover hot sauce and placing on top of salad.  
7. Serve & enjoy!

Lucy's Holiday Cookies: Easy Gluten Free Stocking Stuffers!

Lucy's Holiday Cookies: Easy Gluten Free Stocking Stuffers

Odds are that the Gluten Free friend, family member, or coworker on your Christmas/ Holiday list was not so naughty this year as to earn him or herself a nice big, hunk of coal.  But, for anyone not super familiar with Gluten Free eating, finding the perfect stocking stuffer or small gift could pose a bit of a challenge.  So much of a challenge, in fact, that coal might start to look like a decent solution.  Okay!  Maybe that's a stretch...

Over the years the Gluten Free market has become increasingly populated with pre-made food items that are both tasty and pretty affordable. They still, typically, cost a little more than their wheat-containing counterparts but there are a lot of options out there nowadays that won't break the bank.  

Tasty pre-made Gluten Free baked goods, like cookies, are more readily available now than when my father went on the Gluten Free diet about 8 years ago.  In fact, companies like Lucy's are even developing Gluten Free baked goods geared toward the holidays, including their new "Holiday Sugars" and "Chocolate Merry Mint" cookies.  

Both of Lucy's Holiday Cookie varieties satisfy an impressive range of common dietary restrictions; they are:

• Gluten Free
• Peanut Free
• Tree-Nut Free
• Dairy Free
• Egg Free
• Trans-Fat Free
• Kosher
• Cholesterol Free
• All Natural

In other words, whether you're searching for a small item as a gift or stocking stuffer for someone who is Gluten Free, Vegan, allergic to nuts, or lactose intolerant, these cookies have you covered!  

Lucy's elimination of these allergens does not only speak to their interest in individuals practicing a range of specialty diets, it speaks to the company's awareness of an issue plaguing many Gluten Free eaters--a large number of the Gluten Free population, in addition to not tolerating wheat products, suffer a host of other food allergies and sensitivities.  For the individuals with Gluten Free eating requirements and additional food allergies to boot, safe pre-made foods are hard to find, and Lucy's is one of the companies that caters to them.

Lucy's commitment to their Gluten Free and Allergen afflicted client base is readily signaled on their website, which prominently displays their Gluten Free certification, their dedicated production facilities, and the list of allergens the company has made its reputation on excluding from its products. In addition, the website provides a page of Food Allergy Resources including links to support groups and information for persons with Celiac Disease or food allergies.

Roasted Squash and Apple Salsa: 2-Ways

 Roasted Squash and Apple Salsa: 2-Ways

Apple Salsa: NOT some tomato-based, apple-saucy nightmare of a culinary creation.  I promise.

I'm a huge fan of the blog Love and Lemons; it's one of the food blogs I check most weeks and which helps fuel my recipe-pinning obsession on pinterest.  Recently I found posted to the blog a recipe for Roasted Squash and Apple Salsa and was intrigued by what was a really unexpected combination of flavors and ingredients.  

I embarked upon acquiring the ingredients, not entirely sure all the while whether I thought I'd love the final product or just take some sort of perverse satisfaction out of being open minded enough to try such a strange concoction.  My boyfriend was also a bit skeptical when I told him what was on the menu for Tuesday night.  Apple salsa?  There flickered across his face a moment of hesitation, maybe even a disbursed sense of confusion and horror as he imagined what this "apple salsa" business might entail.  His consternation was only momentary however, as he quickly settled back down into his customary I'm-a-boy-who-eats-anything mode.

The Roasted Squash and Apple Salsa was incredibly easy to make and, what's more, it wasn't just some whacked-out Fall recipe to be made once in honor of the season and resurrected nevermore.  Instead, it was actually really delicious.  The boy-who-eats-anything thought so as well, admitting that the Apple Salsa on his dish was vastly different from the "Apple Salsa" of his imagination--some tomato-based, apple-saucy nightmare of a culinary creation that might find its home properly on something like the Food Network show Worst Cooks in America.

The ACTUAL dish is not tomato-based and the texture of the Apple Salsa is more along the lines of a chunky pico de gallo than a traditional salsa.  In my version of the recipe I used a combination of three different seasonal squashes--Butternut Squash, Acorn Squash, and a Pie Pumpkin--which I roasted until they were cooked but still firm (not mushy).  In my Apple Salsa I used one extra jalapeno and substituted leeks for scallions.  In addition to being milder, I think the leeks are just prettier than scallions!

Roasted Squash and Apple Salsa Version 1: The Vegan-in-Texas Fall BBQ Extravaganza Meal  {Gluten-Free + Vegan/Vegetarian + Low-Carb}

For my first version of the Roasted Squash and Apple Salsa I prepared the recipe as called for by Love and Lemon's original recipe.  However, as noted above I used leeks in place of scallions, added an extra jalapeno, and used a combination of different squashes--Butternut, Acorn, and Pumpkin--and cooked them until they were cooked but still firm, not mush.  In other words, shoot for the squash version of al dente pasta.

I served the Apple Salsa over the warm (not hot) diced squash using large ramekins as my dish (pictured above).  The white ramekins really made the colors of the squash and salsa pop, and as we all know we eat with our eyes before we eat with our mouths!  Seriously, it can make a substantial difference in your enjoyment of a meal if you take the time to boost its aesthetic.

I served the Roasted Squash and Apple Salsa with a Fall cocktail of my own creation in which I combined Sparkling Cider, Cranberry Cocktail Juice, and Campari.  I didn't measure anything and just eye-balled it, but you'll want the sparkling cider as your highest-proportion liquid and, of course, the Campari as your lowest-proportion liquid. 

And, because it's Texas, I figured I might as well serve up some oven-roasted barbecued extra-firm tofu and tempeh.  Much, I'm sure, to any real Texas Barbecuer's dismay.

Roasted Squash and Apple Salsa Version 2: The I'm Lazy and Hungry for Lunch Roasted Squash, Black Bean, Avocado, and Apple Salsa Burrito  {Vegetarian}

For lunch the next day I decided that a Roasted Squash and Apple Salsa Burrito using black beans, diced avocado, mild serrano salsa, and some plain 0% Greek Yogurt was my ticket to a tasty, lazy lunch.

Here's how to make your own I'm Lazy and Hungry for Lunch Roasted Squash, Black Bean, Avocado, and Apple Salsa Burrito:

What you need:

• Leftover or fresh-made Roasted Squash and Apple Salsa; squash diced small enough to easily fit in burrito
• 1 Large Burrito shell (I used a spinach variety)
• 1/4 cup fat free Refried Black Beans
• 1/2 Avocado; diced (or guacamole)
• Your Favorite Salsa (I'd go Tomatillo Salsa or Serrano or Hatch Chili Pepper Salsa rather than regular tomato-based salsas)
• 0% Plain Greek Yogurt (in place of sour cream)

Instructions:

1. Heat up in separate bowls about 1/4 cup of fat free refried black beans and about 1/3-1/2 cup of the squash (you should dice it down even smaller to fit in the burrito better!)
2. Dice 1/2 of an avocado or prepare guacamole to your taste
3. Warm large burrito shell in microwave for specified time (check labeling) to soften
4. Top with black beans, squash, avocado (or guacamole), your favorite salsa and apple salsa.  
5. Roll to form your burrito.  Top with desired amount of 0% Greek Yogurt!  Enjoy!

Broccoli and Pea Soup with Bob's Red Mill Nutritional Yeast {Gluten Free + Vegan + Low-Carb}

Broccoli and Pea Soup with Bob's Red Mill Nutritional Yeast {Gluten Free + Vegan + Low Carb}

It's starting to get cold out there.  Not so much in Texas, but today it's a cool 63 degrees and not threatening to get too much warmer before the day is out.  It's a welcome downturn in temperatures in the midst of the record highs--in the 80's--that have been plaguing the state this year.  Apparently Texas didn't get the memo that Winter is just around the corner and Fall is already well settled-in.

Broccoli and Pea Soup with Bob's Red Mill Nutritional Yeast

It's hard to legitimate cooking up a pot of hot soup when it's 80-degrees outside, but in the (relatively) cool 60's I felt it was an activity well worth the effort and not likely to overheat me!  So, I made myself some broccoli and pea soup using a product I've been wanting to use--but hadn't had the chance to use--for a while: Bob's Red Mill Nutritional Yeast!  

What is Nutritional Yeast?

Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast.  It has a yellowish, flaky appearance slightly resembling corn meal.  I have to admit, it's not the most appetizing looking product at a first glance, but don't let the yellow coloring or flaky, dry texture fool you.  This is a tasty and nutritional product.

Nutritional Yeast is used frequently by vegetarian and vegan cooks to impart a nutty and cheesy taste while also lending whatever it's used in an added level of creaminess.  Nutritional Yeast is a complete protein (a sexy characteristic in the eyes of vegetarians and vegans!) and is high in vitamins, including the B-complex vitamins.  It is naturally Gluten Free and does not contain sugar or dairy.  

Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Labeling

Nutritional yeast can be purchased at most specialty food stores, such as Whole Foods, or purchase directly from manufacturers online.  I like Bob's Red Mill Nutritional Yeast because of it's certified Gluten Free.

What Can I Use Nutritional Yeast In?  Or, Why Would I Bother?

In Vegetarian and Vegan Gravies for the Holidays!:

With the holidays right around the corner, Nutritional Yeast is a good product to know about.  It's an ingredient called for in many vegan, vegetarian, and  GF gravies that you can find recipes for online (for example this one: Vegetarian/Vegan Nutritional Yeast Gravy which could be easily adapted to be Gluten Free by substituting GF soy sauce and your favorite GF flour alternative).  

Nutritional Yeast is not just a seasonal ingredient for vegetarians and vegans who want to be able to eat their mashed potatoes and gravy like everyone else, though.

To Produce a Thicker, Creamier Texture:

Nutritional Yeast can be used to flavor and thicken everything from sauces (a post on vegetable pot pies using Nutritional Yeast coming soon!) to soups.  It can be used in place of traditional wheat flour in Gluten Free gravies as a thickening component, as well as in other sauces that require flour as a thickener.  It would also serve as a good substitute for flour in a roux, used in traditional New Orleans cooking, including Gumbo!

In Place of Bread-Crumbs for Gluten Free and Low-Carb Eaters:

For those who are Gluten Free eaters or Low-Carb eaters, it can be used in place of bread crumbs as a binder in things like lentil or meat patties or as a bread-crumb replacement to use on top of casseroles.  Although I haven't tried it--YET--I think Nutritional Yeast combined with hemp hearts would make a truly fantastic, crunchy casserole topper! 

As a Cheese Alternative for Vegan and Lactose-Intolerant Eaters:

The vegan and lactose-intolerant folks out there should take note of the fact that Nutritional Yeast is an effective cheese alternative.  It can replace cheese in dishes ranging from cheesy-mashed potatoes to macaroni and cheese (no joke!  Nutritional Yeast Macaroni and Cheese).  

The uses above are only some of the many ways Nutritonal Yeast can be used in cooking.  A quick online search for recipes incorporating it will yield plenty more results.  It's versatile in addition to being awfully tasty--as I found out when I made myself some Gluten-Free, Vegan, and Low-Carb Broccoli and Cheese Soup.

Recipe: Broccoli and Pea Soup with Nutritional Yeast

Ingredients

1-1.5 head broccoli (steamed until cooked but still slightly firm)

2 bags organic frozen peas (thawed)

1 large onion (finely chopped)

4-6 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

1.5-2 containers Vegetable Stock (depending on desired thickness)

1 Can Canellini Beans

Smoked Sea Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

3-4 Tablespoons Bob's Red Mill Nutritional Yeast, or to taste

1 tablespoon Olive Oil (or butter)

Directions

1. Cut broccoli head into florets and steam in large pot with steam basket until tender but still firm.  Remove from heat.  Meanwhile, thaw frozen peas.
2. Place chopped onion and garlic in large pot and cook in olive oil until onions are translucent.  
3. In a blender process broccoli and peas in batches adding vegetable stock to help liquefy the ingredients.  Add each liquefied batch to pot with onion and garlic.
4. When all of the broccoli and peas have been liquefied, add any remaining vegetable stock to the pot.  Add canellini beans.  
5. Season with smoked sea salt (or regular sea salt), pepper, and nutritional yeast.  Add as much seasoning as necessary and additional vegetable stock depending on the thickness you desire for your soup.
6. Bring to a simmer for 5-7 minutes.  Serve!

Product Review: Raw Revolution Organic Live Food Bars

Product Review: Raw Revolution Organic Live Food Bars {Gluten-Free + Vegan + Kosher}

Over the last few months I've been conscientiously trying out raw foods--including homemade Watermelon-Tomato Gazpacho and raw zucchini pasta, but also purchasable raw fare like GO RAW's Carrot Cake Cookies and Sprouted Sunflower Seeds.  What I hadn't yet found and was looking for as a pre- or post- gym snack was a RAW food bar that appeared (to me) both nutritious and yummy.  

Photo from rawrev.com

Then, I found Raw Revolution's Organic Live Food Bars.  Gluten-Free, Vegan, Kosher, Organic, and Peanut-Free (for those of you with peanut allergies!) these bars come in a range of amazing flavor varieties including:

• Golden Cashew Organic Live Food Bar
• Heavenly Hazelnut Chocolate Organic Live Food Bar (my favorite!)
• Spirulina Dream Organic Live Food Bar
• Almond Butter Cup Organic Live Food Bar
• Apple Cinnamon Organic Live Food Bar
• Cherry Chocolate Chunk Organic Live Food Bar
• Chocolate Coconut Bliss

My foray into Raw Revolution's Organic Live Food Bars involved munching down on their Golden Cashew, Heavenly Hazelnut Chocolate, and Spirulina Dream Bars and I enjoyed them all!  

I have no doubt that the other flavors on offer as as good as the ones I've tried.  I'm a chocolate lover (I know I'm not alone in this!) so the Cherry Chocolate Chunk and Chocolate Coconut  Bliss varieties are at the top of my list of things to try soon.  So, too, is the Apple Cinnamon variety which, now that the weather is cooling down, seems like a great Fall treat reminiscent of the iconic apple pie.

Nutritonal Information: Raw Revolution Organic Live Food Bar 

The Raw Revolution Organic Live Food Bars are about the standard size of any other food bar you can buy--raw or not--about 2 oz.  But, unlike  many of the food bars on offer they are USDA certified organic and contain no preservatives and no artificial ingredients (hurrah!).  Moreover, their packaging proudly boasts that they do not contain refined sugars or proteins.  

Using the Spirulina Dream variety as my sample for nutritional data, nutritionally, these bars pack Omegas 3 and 6 as well as 3 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein (more or less depending on the variety of bar you choose).  Their caloric, fat, and carbohydrate levels are fairly high at: 230 calories, 14 grams of fat, and 23 grams of carbohydrates per bar.  

But, these little bars are meant to be fuel for athletes and people on the go who need this balance of carbs, calories, and fats to make their activities possible.  No wonder, then, that professional athletes Brian Lopes (professional Mountain Bike Racer) and J.P Walker (professional Snowboarder) endorse the product and appear prominently on Raw Revolution's website.  

I certainly felt no lag in energy and no uncomfortable tug of hunger when I snacked on these bars in the morning prior to heading to the gym to do my own workouts!

Pumpkin "Pie" Super Smoothie {Gluten Free + Vegetarian + Low-Carb}

Pumpkin "Pie" Super Smoothie: {Gluten Free + Vegetarian + Low-Carb}

The Fall is a magical time.  Beloved squashes come into season to festively line the produce section of grocery stores while, in other corners of the store, ghoulish Lady Gaga, Marilyn Monroe, Vampire, and Frankenstein Monster costumes haunt the shelves hoping for a chance for a great debut trick-or-treating on Halloween.  The Fall is crisp, and warm, and spicy.  It's like biting into a pumpkin pie, rich creamy and complex with warming nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and clove.

For the past week I've celebrated the coming on of Fall by drinking it up in the form of  a Pumpkin "Pie" Super Smoothie.  What a great way to indulge in Fall flavors every morning!  

Fall Squash

My Pumpkin "Pie" Super Smoothie is Gluten-Free, Vegetarian and Low-carb, and is made with organic pumpkin puree, 0% Plain Greek Yogurt, hydrated Chia Seeds, Almond Milk, a frozen banana, and those warming pumpkin pie spices I mentioned above, and Bob's Red Mill Hemp Protein Powder--a GREAT easily incorporated source of extra protein--that USED to be produced under Gluten Free certified conditions.

I'm sad to report that shortly after I got my batch of Hemp Protein Powder Bob's Red Mill issued a statement on their website saying that it is no longer going to be producing the product as Gluten Free.  While I give Bob's credit for posting the change in production quality, I'm disturbed by the switch from producing a Gluten Free certified product to a non-certified product and disconcerted that many potential consumers who've used the Gluten Free certified batches produced in the past won't have any easy way to learn about the change in the production standards.  

If you need an easy, Gluten-Free Hemp Protein replacement I've got you covered.  Try blending Hemp Hearts--easily available at specialty stores or online--into a powder and still enjoy that extra boost of protein and Hemp's nutty flavor.  This is going to be my new go-to solution for incorporating Hemp Protein into my diet.

[Recipe] Pumpkin "Pie" Super Smoothie

Bob's Red Mill Hemp
Protein Powder, formerly GF

Ingredients--

• 1/3C. Organic Pumpkin Puree
• 1/3C. 0% Plain Greek Yogurt
• 4TBsp Hemp Powder (if no GF Hemp powder is available, grind Hemp Hearts into a powder in your blender)
• 2-3TBsp Hydrated Chia Seeds
• 1 Frozen Banana, peeled and chopped into sections
• 1/4C. (approx) Almond Milk (I used vanilla, no-sugar-added variety)
• 3-4 Ice Cubes
• Pumpkin Pie Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove)
• Optional: Stevia or other sweetener

Directions--

1. Blend all ingredients together in blender until smoothie consistency is achieved.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust {GF + Low-Carb + Vegetarian}

Guiltless Cauliflower Pizza Crust: Gluten Free  +  Low-Carb  + Vegetarian

The Versatility of Cauliflower--Who Knew?

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

It seems apparent to me now that in spite of all of the time I've spent watching shows like Chopped and Iron Chef America on the Food Network that I know practically nothing about cooking beyond the most conventional forms of cooking knowledge--stuff like, don't chop your fingers off and salt your water before cooking pasta as well as an understanding of basic ingredient combinations and uses.  But, recently, with my growing interest in eating vegetarian, raw, Gluten Free, and low-carb foods I'm discovering a whole different set of cooking techniques and ingredients, as well as some surprising but wonderful uses for those ingredients.

Perhaps the most versatile ingredient I've been working with recently is cauliflower.  Cauliflower seems, in many ways, to be a magical vegetable to eaters of raw, Gluten Free, and low-carb diets.  You can make it into a lower-carb version of mashed potatoes referred to as "Cauli-mash" or "Cauliflower Mash," you can food process it into a raw rice-like substance called "Cauli-rice," and you can use the florets in place of noodles in an otherwise traditional-style macaroni and cheese (I highly recommend this, by the way!).  But, cauliflower has yet another trick up it's sleeve--it can become that food of the Gods, PIZZA!  

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

I've always heard that bacon is the hardest things for vegetarians and vegans to give up and, also, the hardest food for them to continue to resist eating through the course of their commitments to either diet.  I think pizza is that evil, siren of a food for a lot of Gluten Free and Low-Carb eaters.  In fact, I know that many people who have gone Gluten Free due to Celiac Disease or other issues crave pizza so much that they dream about it at night.

Happily, dreams can come true--at least in the realm of pizza consumption--regardless of whether you're eating a Gluten Free and/or Low-Carb diet through the versatile miracle that is cauliflower.  I discovered this through the website of The Detoxinista whose recipe for a cauliflower pizza crust formed the basis of my own.

The first time I made the cauliflower pizza crust I did not have all of the proper ingredients (I was  missing goat cheese) and I winged it, using a reggiano instead.  Needless to say, the recipe didn't turn out well.  BUT, it was a good trial and error experience because it led me to a Q&A with The Detoxinista about how to make the recipe itself--rather complicated--a bit more simplistic for the everyday, at-home cook.  And, it gave me a good idea of how much or little I can tweak the recipe without causing a pizza-tragedy to ensue.

Cauli-Rice

While the original recipe from The Detoxinista calls for food processing cauliflower florets into a rice-like consistency, steaming this "cauli-rice," and then putting it into a cloth to wring out the extra water, I found that this process can be significantly simplified.  Instead of steaming the "cauli-rice" and then expelling the water from it--which, frankly, was not pleasant as the "cauli-rice" did not cool quickly and the water expelled was very hot!--you can freeze the food-processed cauliflower florets (no cooking necessary) ahead of time, defrost in a colander and THEN proceed on to your squeezing.  Still, perhaps, a little time consuming, but at least this way you are squeezing out cold water onto your hands rather than nuclear hot water!

Before I get on, finally, to the recipe let me say that this Cauliflower Pizza Crust is simply amazing.  To boost the flavor profile, I added some fennel seeds, a dash of smoked sea salt, and pepper to the crust "dough" in addition to the oregano called for and, also, opted to use herb-encrusted goat cheese for extra herby-flavor.  In the future I'd like to add some fresh rosemary and maybe garlic to the crust.

I got a little more creative with my toppings than The Detoxinista in her post, using an organic store-bought red sauce, mozzarella cheese, crumbled herbed goat cheese, minced garlic, chopped spinach, sundried tomatoes, and a ton of fresh, chopped basil.  

[RECIPE] Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Ingredients

Baked crust waiting
for toppings!

• 1 Medium-Large Head Cauliflower, broken down into Florets
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 C. soft herbed Goat Cheese; plus more for topping
• 1 Tsp. dried oregano
• Fennel Seeds; to your taste
• Smoked Sea Salt; to your taste
• Black Pepper; to your taste
• TOPPINGS--chopped spinach; goat cheese; mozzarella (fresh or shredded); organic red sauce; minced garlic; sundried tomatoes; fresh basil (chopped)

Directions

Done!

1. Place cauliflower florets in food processor in batches and process into a rice-like consistency to make Cauli-rice.
2. Freeze Cauli-rice in air-tight container or freezer bag.
3. Remove Cauli-rice from freezer and let thaw in a colander; transfer to thin dish cloth or cheese cloth and wring out excess moisture.
4. Beat egg and add 1/3 C. herbed goat cheese and Cauli-rice with excess water expelled; mix well to fully incorporate all ingredients.  Add oregano, fennel seeds, salt and pepper and mix.
5. Cover a square or round baking sheet with parchment paper--Don't forget this!--leaving crust about 1/3inch thick (I just eyeballed it) press and form the dough into the pan making the edges a little higher to form a traditional crust-look.
6. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 40minutes; remove from oven and cover with desired toppings before returning to the oven for additional 10 minutes.
7. ENJOY!  

Faux Pho {Vegan + Vegetarian + Gluten Free + Low(er)-Carb}

Kate's Faux Pho

{Vegan + Vegetarian + Gluten Free + Low(er)-Carb}

I've been hearing a lot about faux Pho, a vegetarian version of the popular Vietnamese soup, practically since I moved to Texas. Specifically, I heard that I should get myself to Jenni's Noodle House to try it.

Recently, I did just that with a friend and absolutely loved the faux Pho. I love the spicy broth, the tofu, the noodles, but most of all, I love all of the toppings--cilantro, bean sprouts, sliced jalapeno, basil, and limes--that you get to add to the dish yourself. 

 There's something supremely interesting about this. It's interactive food! Food that you can spice and flavor using the toppings to suit your own palate. Maybe the most satisfying part of this interactive portion of Pho is the way you get to blend fresh and cooked food, as well as the way you can create layers of texture and flavor. Bottom line is that I was sold on it the first time I had it and have been craving it since.

Faux Pho, it's a piece of cake ... if you shop at Whole Foods

Which brings me to last weekend. I was home for my Dad's birthday and already had the glimmer of future faux Pho glimmering in my brain--I'd found a recipe already and pasted the link squarely in the center of my computer screen. While with my parents I stole (with permission) some of their dried Shittake mushrooms and got very excited that I was one ingredient closer to my Pho. Then, there came a trip to that magical, over-priced store Whole Foods. Cruising the asiles I found more ingredients for my Pho--what excitement.

First, I found Gluten Free Soba/ Buckwheat style nodles. The noodles seemed like a healthier alternative to traditional rice or other carb-heavy, low-nutrition noodles, and I liked that they were made from non GMO plants and were organic (for whatever the organic label is worth). 

 Whatever excitement I felt over these noodles paled in comparison, however, to my excitement at discovering the faux Pho motherload: Pacific Natural's Vegetarian Pho broth (gluten free; vegan, vegetarian).

This broth makes creating Faux Pho at home incredibly simple and much less time consuming.  Making stock bases can be expensive--you have to buy all of the spices and other ingredients that flavor the stock--and it requires a good deal of time on the stove.  In other words, making stock requires planning in advance and some free time.  Pacific Natural Vegetarian Pho base makes it a much simpler affair.

I had some misgivings that the broth wouldn't be up to my standards--that it just wouldn't taste how the broth at Jenni's Noodle House did. But, I was wrong. The broth is a bit mellower--especially on the mushroom and anise flavor-- than Jenni's (a good thing in my mind).  

I found that by adding 3 cloves of smashed garlic, about 5 green onion blulbs, 2 key limes sliced in half, sliced jalapeno peppers, and a small hunk of ginger that the broth was more than suitably tasty. When the flavors of these items had infused the broth, I removed all but the garlic and jalapenos and discarded them.

To the pepped-up broth I added tofu which I marinated for a couple of hours and then grilled on my teeny tiny new George Foreman Grill (I marinated the tofu in a combination of GF Tamari brand soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, hot pepper flakes, and garlic and chili "sauce"). I then added my GF Buckwheat noodles and let the soup simmer for a while while I chopped up and otherwise prepared my toppings, which included: Mung Bean Sprouts, Limes, sliced Jalapenos, Green Onion, Cilantro, and Basil. 

The end result was delicious. My faux Pho was spicy, flavorful, and just absolutely satisfying.

[Recipe] Faux Pho

Ingredients--

• 2 cartons Pacific Naturals Vegetarian Pho Broth (gluten free)
• GF Soba/Buckwheat Noodles or GF Rice Noodles
• 1 Cup Dried Shittake Mushrooms (added to broth)
• 1 Package Firm Tofu (marinated, sliced, and grilled if you so desire--otherwise you can just plop it in the soup)
• Sliced Jalapenos (for seasoning the broth and for serving on top of the soup)Mung Bean Sprouts (healthier than soybean sprouts, for serving on top of the soup)
• Chopped Basil (for serving on top of the soup)
• Cilantro (chopped for serving on top of the soup)
• Limes (halved or quartered for seasoning the broth and for serving on top of the soup)
• 1 Small bundle of Green Onions (bulbs removed and used to season broth, tops chopped and served on top of soup)
• 3 Cloves Garlic, smashed and added to broth
• Fresh Ginger, small chunk peeled and added to broth

Instructions--

1. Pour the Pacific Naturals Vegetarian Pho Broth into a large pot on the stove.
2. Season with limes, garlic, green onion bulbs, ginger, and jalapenos and let simmer for 15-20 minutes or until flavors are infused. Remove limes, green onion bulbs, and ginger.
3. Prepare and add Tofu.  Marinate and grill tofu if desired or merely drain and press to release water.
4. Add GF noodles.
5. Simmer for 3-5 minutes while preparing ingredients to go on top of soup (bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, jalapeno, green onion).
6. Pour faux Pho soup base into a large bowl and put "toppings" in a separate dish to add immediately before you consume soup.  Eat with a combination of spoon and chop sticks!