Trader Joe's Beet Salad

Trader Joe's Beet Salad

Trader Joe's sampled this dish in the store. I couldn't find a published recipe so I jotted down the recipe the food sample lady recited to me. I'm not a fan of beets but this salad is amazing.

The baby beets are sold frozen.
Ingredients:
1box of Trader Joe's Baby Beets
Trader Joe's Hot & Sweet Mustard
1 small can of Mandarin Oranges
TJ's Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar
Fresh Mint
Olive Oil
Crumbled Goat Cheese

Once thawed, the beets are mixed with drained mandarin oranges and chopped fresh mint. The dressing is:
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of the orange champaigne vinegar
1/2 tablespoon of the hot/sweet mustard.
Mix the dressing in with the beet mixture and mash with a potato masher and serve on top of crackers. Add some goat cheese crumbles on the top and WOW.
**The crackers pictures are gluten free 

Family Bento Boxes,, a perfect summertime lunch. (Wheat, Grain, Gluten Free.)

Family Bento Box lunch contents:

Black Forest Ham

Hickory Smoked Turkey

Walnuts

Sunflower seeds

Raisins 

Dried Cranberries

Apple Smoked Gruyere Cheese

White Cheddar Cheese

Strawberries

Apples 

Seriously Delicious Biscuits!

A friend emailed me this recipe, they are some seriously delicious biscuits. The best part? They are wheat, gluten, & grain free. Yum! Thanks Chantelle!! My family loves these. A little butter and honey and it's a real treat. 

1 C almond flour

 1C Ground flax seed

 4 teaspoons baking powder

 4T cold butter  

 4 egg whites ( Whisk to soft peaks)

 350degrees F

about 12-15 minutes until a slight brown.

Pizza,,,,wheat free,,, say what??

Oh yes, it's pizza! Thanks to another winning recipe from Melissa @ Satisfying Eats , We are eating Pizza tonight. Instead of copying her recipe, I'll just send you straight there to her Easy Pizza Crust Recipe. Here are my pics of her steps. Because I'm learning, I'm following her steps exactly, I haven't made any modifications to any of her recipes other than blending the nut butters in her "easiest bread" recipe. The pizza crust was easier than I ever imagined

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Dr. Redmund Burke

This is my son's heart surgeon. We think he's absolutely the best.

Satisfying Eats by Melissa McGehee

Melissa McGehee's Satisfying Eats Cookbook (Wheat Free, Grain Free, Sugar Free, & Hunger Free) is $.99 on Amazon right now! This is a steal, I LOVE her recipes. She lives in Prairieville and this cookbook is a must-have for someone giving up wheat or gluten. She has a yummy alternative for EVERYTHING!! Get yours now before the price pops back up! I LOVE this cookbook.

Chocolate Chip Cookies - (wheat free, gluten free, grain free)

A friend sent me this recipe for chocolate chip cookies or chocolate chip balls, they are so good! (Thanks Lori Landers!) If someone gave you this cookie to eat, you would enjoy a soft delicious cookie and you would be convinced you were eating a cookie made from flour and would never guess in a million years that it's made from chick peas. Sweetened with honey, this cookie is delightful and merges the two best flavors in the world as nothing else comes close to the marriage of chocolate and peanut butter!  

I tried another one of Melissa's Recipes today (Satisfying Eats). This one is "Frosted Flakes" and wow, I'm impressed. A grain free, wheat free, gluten free, sugar free, dairy free cereal. It's very easy and I can't believe how much like boxed cereal it tastes. I am copying her recipe here but I give full credit to Melissa from http://satisfyingeats.wordpress.com/2013/05/14/frosted-corn-flakes-cereal/
The only thing I changed was the sweetener and I used less nutmeg (personal preference)

Frosted “Corn” Flakes Cereal

Recipe can be found here on Melissa's blog: Frosted "Corn" Flakes Cereal

Almond/Peanut Butter bread blends

Today I tried the Almond/Peanut butter bread in a couple of different ways. In my previous post, I used Almond buttter. Today I used two different kinds, the one on the left was  1/2 Almond Butter and 1/2 peanut butter and the one on the right is peanut butter.  My favorite was the almond/peanut butter blend but my husband and son loved the peanut butter.

Peanut Butter/Almond Butter bread.

First I want to say that I can't believe this even worked. The recipe is so basic and simple and doesn't include any kind of flour. It's a little dense like a specialty whole wheat bread but it's moist and holds up well. I got this recipe from Melissa at Satisfying Eats who modified it after getting it from Lisa at 24/7 low carb diner who also modified it from a printed recipe she got for her son who was having stomach issues. It's been handed down, modified and passed around but it's amazing. 

 Easy Almond/Peanut Butter Bread

1 cup natural almond/peanut butter, smooth
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (if PB already has salt, you can omit)
2 servings Stevia (to taste, more if you want sweeter bread)

Blend all ingredients in large bowl until smooth, about 1 minute.   Pour into a loaf pan lined with foil for easy removal.  I used a 8.5X 4.5.  This makes the bread rise a little higher. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. (Times will vary based on different ovens.  Just don't over bake or it will be dry). Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.  Then remove foil and cool on rack.

1/16 of bread is less than 4 carbs! - Courtesy of Melissa at Satisfying Eats.

Cha-cha-cha-changes.....

Out with the old........The wheat filled, grain fulled, genetically modified, gluten ladin products,,,  

In with the new,,,,,   almond flour, coconut flour, coconut oil, garbanzo bean flour, sea salt, unsweetened coconut flakes, chia seeds, golden flax seeds, milled flax seeds, stevia, dried cranberies, raw-hulled sunflower seeds, xantham gum, are just a few of the basics of my new kitchen. Keeping it all low on the glycemic index.

 

Wheat Free, Grain Free, Gluten Free, GMO-Free, and losing the Wheat Belly

I don't blog regularly or consistently as my schedule is usually pretty crazy. Our family has gone Wheat, Grain, Gluten, and GMO free. I am a diabetic, an insulin dependent diabetic wearing a very expensive insulin pump that holds a concentrated insulin that is 5-times more potent than regular insulin because of extreme insulin resistance. After reading Wheat Belly by Dr. William Smith, the decision to change the way our family eats and lives is not only for our health but our well being as well. We are in the beginning of this process and I hope to share our journey through blogging what works and what doesn't and share our favorite recipes along the way.

Facts about Quinoa

Facts about Quinoa:
The name quinoa (pronounced as KEEN-WAH) comes from the Incan word for "mother grain."

Red quinoa is a rare seed, which is grown on small plots at a height of 12,000 feet on the Andean Plateau in Bolivia.

Quinoa is high in protein and contains all 9 essential amino acids and supplements

Quinoa has lysine, an amino acid that is very important for the growth of tissues and repair mechanism

Quinoa is an excellent source of magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorous and even manganese

Quinoa has a high content of fiber, that keeps the stomach full for a long time.

Quinoa slows down the digestion of carbohydrates which keeps sugar level in control.

Quinoa is gluten free.

Quinoa is iron-rich giving you 25% of your daily iron in one serving.

Quinoa is a good source of calcium, magnesium, potassium, riboflavin, B vitamins, B6, Niacin and Thiamine as well as omega 3 making it a “superfood”.

Quinoa is actually NOT a grain, it is a pseudocereal that produces an edible seed.

Cooking Quinoa

Cooking Quinoa

This can be served hot as a side dish, or cold as a salad.

The key to a great tasting quinoa is the washing and toasting:

To wash quinoa, soak in a bowl of water, then place your hands in it and move the quinoa around, then take handfuls of quinoa rubbing it between your hands. This removes the saponin, a bitter natural coating on the quinoa. You'll notice the water become murky and the residue will rise to the surface. Once you've agitated it and rubbed it, rinse in a fine strainer. If the saponin isn't properly removed, the quinoa will have a bitter taste to it but it is harmless. Some people soak

The key to a flavorful quinoa is the toasting:

Now that your quinoa is clean, take the clean, drained quinoa (it will still be wet) and put it a cup at a time in a pan on the stove on medium and stir it around until it's toasty. White quinoa will turn toasty golden. You can smell the nutty flavor as you toast it. Once the quinoa is completely dry, now you can store the toasted quinoa in an air tight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook it or you can cook it immediately.

To cook:

One cup quinoa to 1 ½ to 2 cups of water. I use 1 ¾ cup or until the water is just about an inch higher than the quinoa in the pot. You do not have to boil the water first, just place the quinoa and water in the pot together and boil for about 15 minutes. Unlike rice, you do not have to close the lid completely. I vent my lid and once the quinoa has sprouted (it will sprout it's little tail) and the water is absorbed, it's ready. You can fluff it with a fork. If it's mushy, you used too much water.

There are several ways to serve quinoa. You can substitute your rice dishes with quinoa for a healthy alternative to your meals.

With Red quinoa, I serve with cranberries and chopped pecans and about quarter of a cup of maple syrup.

Some other variations are serving any color quinoa with a southwestern flavor with black beans and corn with cilantro, or a Mediterranean flavor with chick peas, olives, and feta cheese. The possibilities are endless and there are a ton of recipes for it online.

Blueberry mango quinoa salad makes a refreshing summer treat.

If you have a great quinoa recipe, please let me know so I can try it out.

**I buy my quinoa at whole foods in the bulk aisle by the pound. The red quinoa is rare and costs $6.99/lb. White quinoa costs $3.99/lb. There are multi-colored varieties as well. Sometimes they are in the barrels on the bulk aisle as well. You can find it in the regular grocery store sold in a box. Quinoa doesn't go rancid like some other grains (it's actually not a grain but a pseudocereal such as buckwheat and is an edible seed). It keeps in the pantry for a long time (years). It's been said that the vitamin e is what keeps it from turning but it's a great staple in my house.

Eggplant Casserole

Eggplant Casserole:

2 medium/large eggplant
1 1/2 pds ground beef or turkey
1 cup of chedder cheese
1 can mild rotel tomatoes w/chilies
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 onion
2 tsp. minced garlic
plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp.basil
paprika
italian seasonings
garlic powder
cinnamon
salt
pepper



Peel and cut eggplant into chunks and soak in water with salt. Brown ground meat, saute finely sliced onions and add to meat. Add rotel, tomato sauce, 1/2 tsp of chopped basil leaves, minced garlic, a dash of italian seasoning, a dash of paprika, a dash of cinnamon, salt & pepper and garlic powder to taste and simmer. Boil egglant for 1-2 minutes and drain, then in a bowl mix together with the meat mixture. Mix in 1 cup of shredded chedder cheese and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Put in a casserole dish and sprinkle shredded chedder cheese and breadcrumbs on top. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

 

Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Ball

 Chocolate Chip
Cream Cheese Ball
 (Recipe courtesy of Cheryl Lin)

1 (8 oz) block cream cheese
1 stick butter (NOT margarine)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 bag mini chocolate chips (divided)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Soften cream cheese and butter at room temp. (Do not microwave!) Cream together cream cheese & butter. Add vanilla & both sugars. Mix until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of mini chocolate chips. Refrigerate overnight or minimum 2 hours. Scoop chilled mixture onto Saran wrap. Wrap & form into ball. Return to refrigerator. Place remaining chips and/or chopped nuts onto paper plate. Remove ball from refrigerator, shape, and then roll in chips/nuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with chocolate graham cracker sticks, chocolate Teddy Grams or chocolate graham crackers broken into individual rectangles.

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Toast Cups

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Toast Cups

These are so easy and a clever way to make breakfast when you don't have time to serve everything separately. These are not my idea but is a variation of a Martha Stewart Recipe I found on Pinterest.

Ingredients:
Bread
Eggs
Bacon or Sausage (partially cooked or pre-cooked)
Shredded Cheese
Butter
Salt & Pepper

Melt butter in large muffin pan in each cup.
Cut edges off of bread to make a circle and push down into each cup.
Place partially cooked or pre-cooked  bacon or sausage into bread cups.
Add some shredded cheese.
Crack and egg into each cup.
Sprinkle salt and pepper into each cup.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Eggs will be cooked through, even the yolks.


Enjoy!