Spring Miso Vegetable Soup

I made this spring inspired miso soup for the last retreat I cooked for. It came out warm and filling, yet had that light and flavorful touch I was hoping for. Sometimes when spring truly comes we are ready to give up the thick, creamy and hearty soups that have been keeping us warm and nourished throughout the winter, but still our bodies are needing that lighter, warm and nourishing broth and vegetables to help get us through the whirlwind of spring and seasonal changes. This soup used the miso based broth which I was new to trying, but I was pleasantly surprised to truly love it especially paired with sauted mushrooms and wild rice. Such a flavorful touch and grounding combo. I hope you give it a try, especially if you are looking for ways to try miso, bok choy or even the fresh spring peas that you might be starting to see at your newly opening farmer's market.

I wasn't able to snap more pictures and thankfully I captured one before the soup got eaten up, but hopefully these flavors and new recipe ingreidents will leave you inspired to give it a whirl- seriously worth it if you are feeling adventurous and looking for a warm and delightful spring soup.

Much love and happy cooking, xoxo

Spring Miso Vegetable Soup Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, seed and nut-free}

3-4 cloves of garlic finely minced
1 cup of sauted mushrooms
1 TB of olive oil
1 cup of wild rice cooked in
2 cups of water and 1/2 ts. of sea salt

In a small pot, saute the garlic and mushrooms in olive oil until soft, then add in the dry wild rice and saute the dry rice into the oil for a few minutes, then add in the water and a good hearty pinch of sea salt. Let cook on medium heat until it starts to bubble- then turn down heat to low and cover and let cook at low until water is gone and then turn off the heat and let it sit under cover for another 15 or so minutes for the rice to finish it's cooking. Then it is ready to dump into the rest of the soup...

In a large soup pot add the following...

1-2 TB of olive oil
1 bunch of boy choy washed, dried and cut up (about 2 cups)
3-4 cloves of finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup of white onion finely chopped
1 cup of finely chopped green onions or scallions
1 ts. of sea salt
1 ts. of black pepper

Saute the above until soft, about 10 minutes, then add the water, beans, cooked wild rice and the rest of the ingredients. Once the water is warm with all the soup ingredients you can drop in the 2 TB of miso paste and watch it dissolve and flavor the broth. Let it cook in for another 5 minutes, but then it is ready to serve. It is a super quick soup to make after you make the rice rice. It is ready to serve within 15 minutes or so after everything is mixed into the broth together. 

6-8 cups of water (can add more if you want it more brothy)
1 29 ounce can of white beans 
1 heaping cup of fresh spring sweet peas
1/2 cup of finely chopped parsley
2 TB of Eden shiro rice miso paste

If you would like to sub in thinly sliced asparagus unstead of peas, I think that could be a nice spring touch. If you wanted to add in kale instead of boy choy I think that could work too, but the bok choy truly adds a simple new flavor and I love how the stalks get soft and easy to eat within the soup. Give it a try!

Much love as always! Hope you are finding new ways to stay inspired int he kitchen this spring- this soup is here to help and also if you haven't gotten to your local farmer's market yet- that is a great place to start as well.... you should be seeing some spring greens, peas, and asparagus popping up.

Abundance Bowls

I have been seeing recipes pop up over and over again on Pinterest and Instagram for such a thing called Buddha Bowls, or Healing Bowls, or Layered Bowls, or Abundance Bowls. Have you seen these too?!? I love it because it seems like they are always just a touch different, but really are all in the same recipe pool with a few common layered parts to make it complete. You can make them with different flavors or veggies depending the season or what you got left in the fridge or pantry. They are fully flavorful and always amazing in color and appeal. I am forever hooked!!!

The common thread for all these bowls is this....
-a grain base (basmati rice, quinoa, buckwheat, millet...)
-a roasted veggie or root option
-a legume or bean protein
-a fresh veggie or green salad option
-a fresh avocado or herb topping

I like to stick to these bowls being vegan, but you could obviously add a meat protein or egg if that is more up your alley than some lentils or beans. If you ask me, this is the best version of a vegan meal...It covers all the bases of feeling nourished and satisfied after a meal.

Truly a beautiful bowl of what real healing food entering your vessel should be all about. It makes you stop and be mindful of each bite as it enters your mouth and as you swallow and reach for the next. The textures...the colors...the warmth and love....So good!

The name "Abundance Bowl" really stuck with me though and thought it would be worth a recipe post to help teach us that this "bowl" really is not super hard if we take the time to make the pieces and have it available for a few days of meals on end. I love that name though because it truly describes to me what it offers. Abundance. You don't need more than what this bowl can offer. It covers all the bases of tastes, textures, nutrition and on and on. It is more than enough. It offers abundance and maybe even a little hope for the journey....(to your mind, soul and body). And because they can so easily be made to be full of abundance without meat or animal proteins I like making them that way. You can add meat to many other meals through your week if that is your diet, but this one really can be so satisfying without meat. If you are looking for ways to eat less meat for health or environmental reasons- here is your start...!

Abundance Bowl Recipe Layers

Cooked Basmati or Quinoa are my go-to's. I like making at least 2 cups dried (4 cups cooked) for these recipes to enjoy and then have easily ready in the fridge as leftovers. 

I almost always cook my basmati in 1 TB of coconut oil and then add the water or even more coconut milk as the liquid part. I usually add a sprinkle of sea salt to the water as well. I cook on medium heat half covered until the water is gone and then I turn off the heat completely and fully cover and let it sit for 15 minutes and then it is always ready to fluff up and serve.

I mostly like to cook my quinoa with a little more flavor... I usually saute a little onion, shallots, or garlic first with some olive oil and then toss in the dried quinoa and after a few minutes add in the water part and sea salt and maybe some pepper. I cook on medium heat till water is gone, half covered and then after water is gone I turn off all heat and cover fully and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then it is ready to fluff up and serve. 

Roasted Roots
1 medium Japanese Sweet Potato
1 medium sweet potato
2-3 carrots
2 medium beets
1-2 TB of olive or avocado oil
sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper
1-2 TB of fresh or dried rosemary, oregano, sage and thyme

Cut up cubes of all the above roots and spread out on a parchment covered baking sheet, rub with the oil, salt, pepper and herbs and bake in a 375 oven for 25-30 minutes until soft and crispy.

Green Garlic Lentils
3-4 fresh garlic cloves sauteed in 1-2 TB of olive or avocado oil
1 cup of green lentils that have been washed and/or soaked and rinsed
2 ts of dried turmeric
1/4- 1/2 ts. of black pepper
1/4-1/2 ts. of sea salt
2 cups of water

In a medium saucepan, saute the garlic, and then add in the lentils, spices and water and let cook n medium heat, half covered until water soaks in and lentils are soft. Then turn off the heat and cover and let it cool and cook the rest of the way. Then within 15 minutes they are ready to serve.

Crispy Curry Garbanzo Beans
1 large 29 ounce can of Eden Garbanzo beans
sprinkle of sea salt
sprinkle of black pepper
1-2 ts of curry powder
1 TB of olive or avocado oil

You can cook these two ways... To get them crispy, almost like crunchy chips or nuts, rub them with the oil and spices and spread them on a baking sheet and bake them around the same time as the roots, or maybe closer to 20 minutes at 375. Or you can put all the ingredients in a sauce/frying pan and warm and crisp up over the open flame in a pan and cook for 5-10 minutes. The crispy ones are great for snacking and topping almost anytime- the ones from the pan are a little more soft and easy to make the main dish with the rest of the ingredients. 

Kale or Mixed Greens Salad
1-2 bunches of lacinato or curly kale washed, dried and cut up in chunks
rub with 1/4-1/3 cup sweet lemon dressing and then top with some of the following...

thinly sliced red onion, or celery, or radishes
sliced pears or apples
roasted pecans, almonds, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds
shaved carrots, raisins, craisins, pomagrante seeds, or dried cherries

Sweet Lemon Dressing
1 fresh lemon squeezed (about 1/4 cup of juice)
add fresh zest from lemon too
1/3 cup of California olive oil
1/4 cup of pure honey or maple syrup
1-2 TB of apple cider vinegar
pinch of sea salt
pinch of black pepper
pinch or dried Italian blend herbs

Put all of the above in a small 1/2 pint jar and shake up until it is all well mixed and emulsified. Then you can pour over the salad or just have available to drizzling over as an option for your guests. 

Add fresh slices of avocado 

Add LOTS of fresh cut cilantro, parsley or basil or a mix of it all if you have a fresh herb garden

You can eat all the parts separate in the bowl, or you can layer and pile it on and mix it all up, or you can put it in a wrap or make a larger salad with it all. It really is what you make it. These have been my go-to layers and like I said I am hooked! This is me on my deck the next day after I did all the cooking enjoying the left-overs and abundance...

I hope you give this recipe idea a try, or even at the least it inspired you to eat more whole, fresh, and colorful. You deserve it- this is a way to show love and kindness to yourself and to those around you.

Much love and abundance to you my friends!! xoxo

Homemade Pizza Crust {gluten, dairy, egg and yeast-free}

Pizza... either you dream of it or despise it in your newly made gluten-free life. I understand. Mostly I miss the convenience of just ordering a pizza like it's no thang. The nostalgia....oh and so easy.... and loved by most. And let's be honest... pizza and your favorite drink of bubbly [mine currently is grape kombucha ;)] is just the BEST home-date-night food with your love [and holey comfy clothes, faithful couch and your favorite show]!  Plus, I love the creativity of colors, flavors and textures of making homemade pizzas. I grew up on making homemade pizza dough weekly and that's why I probably ached to find a recipe to start making for my own little family. Friday night is now known as pizza night in our house... and my son reminds me most nights of the week how many days till Friday because of it ;)

Although I am just sharing, I actually have been making this dough for years. It is based on 'my bread' recipe with a few adjustments that I have developed over the years to make it a crispy crust and a softer-chewier center and all around great crust. It also has no yeast- or eggs- so it is VERY allergy friendly, not to mention wonderful to not have to wait for anything yeast-rising or proofing. It is just ready to go after you whip it up and roll it out. Like magic ;)

The recipe makes 4 personal-sized pizza doughs, or 2 large, or 3 mediums. I usually end up making 3 different pizzas in our house. One for the dairy-lover, one for the dairy-free and even one for the just sauce and toppings and no cheese/cheeze too. So yes, we have our fair share of allergies and opinions around these parts. Which makes creating your own personal pizza that more fun. They also freeze GREAT- so roll out and bake an extra, then freeze to be ready to just pull out and top with your toppings and bake- its the closest thing to frozen pizza if you ask me :)

The beauty of pizza is that you can make it what you like. Oh the toppings and combos I have made over the years! Some of my favorites have included using a hot pepper jelly, cilantro, leftover BBQ shredded chicken, with fresh herbs and a possible sprinkle of goat cheese ;) I love the sweet, spicy combo almost always and so having a fruit (apples, pineapple, pears, raisins) addition is totally my favorite. Another great topping was caramelized onions and apples over a pizza with BBQ chicken and forgo the cheese option altogether.  That is fab too. My go-to, have in the fridge already combo is peppers, onions, kale, sausage, and herbs and cheese option (Daiya is pictured, but we have used goat, organic mozzarella and other local farm cheese combos). We have one child with severe dairy allergies in the house, and a child that can tolerate and LOVES cheese, so I am NON-judgmental when it comes to whatever kind of cheese or no cheese you add to a pizza. It really is what you make it and I have had some great pizzas with and without it too. So don't let the cheese discourage you from making a pizza.....pile it high with veggies, slaw, saute, more sauce or whatever makes you happy and your body can still feel great too.

Homemade Pizza Crust Recipe
{gluten, yeast, dairy, egg, nut, seed, soy and sugar-free}

4 TB of psyllium husk powder
1 cup of pure water
3/4 cup of non-dairy milk (I used coconut milk beverage) Or even add more water
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
2 TB of honey
2 TB of olive oil

In a large mixing bowl, whisk up the above well until it starts to thicken and make sure NO clumps. Then add in the following dry ingredients...

1 1/2 cup of finely ground certified GF oat flour (I ground GF rolled oats to make flour)
1 cup of white rice flour* (plus 1/2 cup more for kneading and rolling out)
1/3 cup of potato starch
1/3 cup of tapioca flour
2 ts. of baking powder
1 ts. of sea salt
1 ts. of baking soda

Use a spatula to first mix up the wet and dry together well. Then start to use your hands to knead and roll the dough into a large ball. Use a sprinkle of more rice flour if it is sticky when you knead to get a nice large ball of dough. If you are making personal pizzas.... cut the ball into 4 quarters. Otherwise, break up the big lump into 2-3 pieces and place each ball onto a parchment paper with a sprinkle of rice flour. Roll out with a rolling pin into a 6x6 inch for personal circle and then to get perfect edges, cut with a clean pizza cutter roller and make the sharp edge. Use the remaining dough cut off in another lump of dough until you are done.

Then bake the crusts first before adding toppings in a 375-400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. I left a range for tempts and times because each person varies on whether they like crispy/crunchy  or a softer crust. That is up to you ;) Bake and let sit for 15 minutes before adding toppings or let cool completely and have ready for the dinner hour, or wrap up and put in the freezer. 

*You can also sub in different flours for the oat, and rice. If you are trying to avoid those grains, you can sub buckwheat for the oats, millet for the rice and quinoa to cover the rest. That is a protein rich combo as well. It is a bit more earthy tasting and perhaps a little more "healthy granola crunchy" tasting. But still does the job if you have been on a strict grain-free diet- it is a good starting place to add in the easier digesting grains or some even call them seed grains because they are much more commonly digested like seeds over grains. 

After your crusts are ready, add your favorite sauce and toppings and bake for another 15-20 minutes in a 375-400 degree oven. I have found that baking at a higher tempt with shorter time gets the toppings right where I like them, but also a slower bake works too.... Another thing based on preference. So just watch it carefully so that you don't burn. I have also found baking closest to the middle section of any oven proves the best results. 

Now it's time to settle in and ENJOY! I love pizza night just as much as the kids, so I guess I shouldn't blame it all on them that it stuck :) It is such a great family night and a way to add some traditions and routine into our home. I hope you give this recipe a try and find your own groove with it and enjoy it as much as us. Much love as always. xoxo

Turkey Sausage, Kale and Cherry Stuffing

This has been my stuffing recipe for the past 4 years and I have never shared it with you. I've thought through why this hasn't happened and I guess it is just because it always gets eaten so fast after the holidays that I don't have time to take pictures and document it. Also things are always so busy in the kitchen around the holidays that it just hasn't been a recipe I have taken the time to write down and make into something to share. I know- it seems a bit complicated because of a few steps, but it is relatively easy after you bake and dry out the bread. And if you have made my bread before and have become a master at it yourself then you are more than half-way there. I think my bread is what makes it special. It's hearty and thick and gets all perfect with the other soaked flavors. I know Martha Stewart makes a versions of this type of stuffing with her own regular bread- so there's that- but, this one is special because of my bread. There are so many stuffing recipes out there and some have very passionate opinions when it comes to stuffing- but let me tell you- this recipe will forever change your mind about stuffing. And as I finally served it to some of my closest friends over last Thanksgiving- they declared it was their favorite dish I EVER made. That seems quite the exaggeration if you ask me :) Because we all know that I make a lot of food- and these friends have probably had 100's of my recipes- but they fell in love and when you fall in love- you say crazy things :)

Turkey Sausage Kale Cherry Stuffing Recipe
{gluten, dairy, soy, nut, seed and refined sugar-free}

2 loaves of bread- this BREAD RECIPE doubled
after baking the bread, cooling it and letting dry-out- cut each loaf into slices and then cube up each slice to come up with a 11x15 baking sheet worth of bread cube crumbs. 

Then bake and dry out in a 300 degree oven for 20-30 minutes and then check and toss through and then bake again for 20-30 minutes until the bread cubes are like croutons and hard and very crunchy. The timing on this may vary with each oven, but basically you have to keep checking on them to make sure they are getting dried how and crunchy and not burned. 

2 pounds of raw turkey sausage 
(I buy mine at a local farm at the farmer's market- it is actually a "breakfast" sausage blend, but it is just seasoned with paprika, herbs, sugar, and a little black pepper and salt. Any favorite turkey sausage or even pork sausage will do the trick- just make sure it is raw so you can ground it up with all the seasonings. I buy mine frozen, so I thaw it out for 12 hours and then toss in a large 8 quart pot and ground up and brown into chunks. Then pour our of the pot while you sauce up the rest of the veggies and then you can add in back in before you add the broth. 

2 TB of olive oil for sautéing
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 whole bunch of celery, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves finely chopped and minced
1/2-1 cup of chopped poultry blend fresh herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary)
1/2 cup of fresh chopped parsley
1 1/2 cups of finely chopped lacinato kale

Sauté on medium heat the above veggies and herbs for 5-10 minutes to get the onion and garlic soft, then add back the browned sausage, and then add the apples, cherries and broth.

1-2 small peeled and finely chopped apples
12 or 16 ounces of organic dried cherries
4 cups of organic chicken broth

Cook in the broth and let it come to a boil and then pour the bread cubes in the huge pot and turn off the heat. Toss and mix as quickly as you can so that the broth evenly distributes itself over all the bread cubes and then very quickly pour into a large 11x15 Pyrex dish, or even a 9x13 work for it to have it in a pile in the middle, or you can use a 9x9 to use up the rest of the mixture. Or if you have a special glass (oven OK dish) that would fit the whole mixture. Then use foil to cover it- let it sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but it can be over night. I have also froze it at this stage and pulled it our the day of the dinner. Then, the day of the meal, bake off in a 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes. For the first 30 minutes with the foil on, and then the last 20 with the foil off to get some crispy tops of the bread pieces. If you don't like or what crispy edges, and prefer a more moist finish, then go ahead and keep the foil on. Make sure the middle is HOT before you totally pull from oven. Then let cool for a few minutes before serving with the rest of the feast and fixings.

This is a perfect Thanksgiving stuffing- but also has been eaten as a cozy comfort meal through out the winter months. It would pair well with a roast or ham as well for Christmas. There is no going back after you have tried it- so let it be known I have warned you :)

Much love xoxo

Damn Good Crock Pot Beef Stew

Thank you, God- for crock pots, stews, soups and whatever else you can cook-up, leave and then serve wonderfully a few hours later. But really this is my favorite crock pot meal for some reason- it is so simple, yet completely nourishing and satisfying. And worth swearing over- it's that damn good!

This time of year the bones need warming-up at most meal times. I'll confess soup and stew are on my brain majority of the time for meal planning. It only feeds into my day-dreaming about opening up a soup and bread shop some day.... ahhhh :) A girls gotta have dreams and goals, amiright?!

Maybe some of you wonder why I care about vegan (no eggs or dairy) options for many of my baked goods, but still consume meat and feel OK about posting a recipe where beef is a main ingredient. I will tell you... Although, I respect and value the views of any person on their food/consumers journey- me and my family eat solely based on what we do not have allergies/sensitivities to in our house. So we are not paleo, vegan, GAPS, AIP, keto, or whatever trending names for diets are out there currently.We eat what we have found to not cause hives, breathing issues, digestive distress, IBS, headaches, and the list goes on for our sensitive issues. So we are not under any real diet label- it isn't easy or straight forward, but I work damn hard to provide nutritious food for myself and family that will help us promote the best health, balance and peace in our house. And this involves meat sometimes. Because no one is allergic to meat in our house ;) THANK GOD! But we choose the best options available to us if possible, which means pasture-or grass-fed, without the use of pesticides or antibiotics, and hopefully from a local farmer as well. So the beef stew meat I use in this recipe I buy from a local farmer that sells at our local farmers market. I can get it for 6 dollars a pound and buy meat for this meal under 20 dollars that will last us 2-3 nights of food. So I call it a "frugal meal", yet it is still a treat in our house because we do not really eat beef at this caliber more than once or twice a month.  So yes, I get food and diet and nutrition has LOTS of opinions on the matter- trust me- after 10 years of being in the "biz" of food and recipes and holistic health I GET IT! But I always come back to with myself and my clients--- what is your body telling you--- to be best nourished, balanced, and at peace- this is a different answer for every person, so the reminder is to be curious and kind, and not judgmental to yourself or others. OK- I get off my soap box now!!! time for the recipe :)

Damn Good Crock Pot Beef Stew Recipe

{gluten, dairy, soy, nut, seed and sugar-free}

1 very large onion, finely chopped

5 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 TB of grated turmeric

1 TB of grated ginger 

1 bunch of green onions or leaks finely chopped

pinch of sea salt

1-2 TB of avocado or olive oil

In a large pot, sauté the above ingredients until soft. While that is happening, coarsely chop up your potatoes and carrots below...

2 pounds of potatoes chopped into cubes

2 pounds of carrots sliced

3 pounds of grass-fed or pasture raised beef stew meat (most grocers have this meat already designated as "stew" meat)

1 ts. of sea salt/black pepper to taste

Then dump the above carrots and potatoes into the crock pot, when the onion saute mix is soft dump those over the carrots and potatoes and mix together then dump your raw fresh beef stew meat cuts in the same sauté pot and just brown the meat on all sides and use up the oil/onion juices in the pot as well. When the meat is browned on all sides, dump that also in the crock pot with potatoes and carrots and mix well to get an even mixture. Then you can add your fresh herbs and sprinkle and mix those in.

1/2 cup of fresh herbs- I use a combo of thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano if I got it

1/2 cup of fresh chopped parsley 

Then in the same pot you used to saute your onions and brown your meat- add 4 cups of broth, sprinkle in the tapioca flour and the following spices...

4 cups of broth: use either bone broth or veggie...I usually use a mix of both

1 6 ounce can or organic tomato paste

2 TB of tapioca flour

1 TB of dried Italian herb blend

1 ts. of ground garlic powder

sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper

Use a whisk and blend in the tomato paste and flour into the broth and you make a thickened gravy after about 5-7 minutes over high heat. Then pour this gravy over all the holes and crannies of the potato and meat mixture already in the crock pot. It will soak to the bottom of the crock and you will start to see in on the edges of the mixture. Set your cook time on low if you have 8 hours to cook. But f you have 5-6 then put it on high. I usually start mine cooking around 9-10 am in the morning and leave it on high until 3-4pm, and then put it on low or keep warm for the last house of cooking and serve around 5-6 for dinner.

Toppings to serve: 

I love to serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley (or cilantro is great too)

Some on my family also love a dollop of sour cream

And most in my family make this a full wonderful mean with a large slice of my bread

I make this meal probably every 3-4 weeks during the winter. And it is a beloved favorite and every time I think- is there a more filling meal? My favorite part of the meal though is the fact I can make it in the morning and have the whole day to go on family adventures or accomplish some other task of the day and just roll into the kitchen at dinner time and serve it up with delight! It must be some form of magic if you ask me. The past few Christmas Eve's I've made this that morning and after a party (or two), an evening church service, then we come home to a warm nourishing meal out of the crock pot and snuggle in for the next 24 hours of magical Christmas. I hope you do something similar so that you have less work in the kitchen. 

Much love, xoxo

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

So for those of you that have noticed....it's been awhile since a recipe. Six months to be exact. And because of lots of friendly nudging and bugging I decided it was about time to get back into posting recipes. A lot has happened sine I last posted. Let's see...I missed the whole summer on the blog. I passed 1,000 likes on my Hope for Healing Facebook Page. (That's just crazy to me!!!) Then, oh yeah, I had a beautiful baby girl and she is just gorgeous and perfect in every way. An angel baby. Yes, a miracle in more ways than one, and has left me enjoying every second of her new born world. I had bit of a traumatic birth and have needed the time to recover and spend no time thinking about recipes and blogging and only about healing and figuring out life as a new mommy again. I won't get into details about my birth story, but I am grateful to be alive. And I'm not being dramatic. 

And I am reminded of the birth of this blog as well...trying to spread a little more HOPE for the HEALING journey towards health and life after going gluten-free (or whatever health and healing journey you are on!) So I decided to pick up my pen and apron again... I may a bit slower to post with two little ones, and there may be less small talk and just recipes, but I'm pretty sure that's what keeps you coming back for more anyways ;)

We have been eating lots of simple meals and old favorites of late. Lots of my go-to meals and trying to get my 3 year old to eat anything fresh. We have been eating lots of fresh foods from our backyard and local farmer's market. There is no food better than the one's from your backyard. Fresh, ripe and perfectly delicious. And now here we are fully into the fall season with gorgeous squash and pumpkin to add to everything. Including a vegan mac and cheese to make it fall-licious!

Here is a simple fall favorite that I have been making at my house for a while now, but haven't posted for some weird reason. And as we have had it a few times already this fall, I thought it would be a good easy recipe to post after such a long leave of absence. And, my favorite comfort food for sure would be mac and cheese. No questions asked. It was my favorite food as a child. My quick answer to the 'favorite food' question and now as an adult it has only morphed into something creamier, more nutritious and with no actual cheese!

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Recipe

(gluten, dairy and nut-free)

1 medium yellow sweet onion

3 finely minced cloves of garlic

2-3 TB of olive oil, ghee, or even leftover bacon grease to add extra flavor

2 TB of white rice flour (or tapioca or arrowroot flour work just as well)

2 cups of non-dairy milk (I like to use So Delicious coconut milk beverage here)

1 ts. of sea salt

1/2 ts. of fresh ground black pepper

1 ts. of ground paprika

1/2 ts. of ground tumeric

1 ts. of Italian seasoning blend or just ad a dash of dried rosemary, oregano and basil

1/3 cup of nutritional yeast

optional: 1- 1 1/2 cups of Daiya shreds 'cheddar flavor' cheese

2 cups of butternut squash puree 

(make ahead of time by blending a medium baked butternut squash with a splash of water)

2-3 cups of fresh pure water

1 16 ounce package of elbow rice noodles. I only use Tinkyada brown rice elbow noodles here. 

Fresh chopped parsley to serve.

In a large pot or dutch oven (10-12 quart), saute the chopped onion and garlic until translucent and soft. Then sprinkle in the flour and make a little bit of a rue substance, then add the milk and wisk fast to blend in the flour and milk with the onions and garlic. You should get a thickened cream-looking sauce. Then add the seasonings, nutritional yeast and dairy-free cheese. Let the sauce come to a boil and then  add in the creamy butternut squash puree, water and dry pasta noodles. You are going to cook the noodles in the sauce. To do this, you need to turn the heat to medium and stir CONSTANTLY to make sure the noodles don't stick and to ensure a creamy mac and cheese. It should take 12-15 minutes until the noodles are cooked and you will notice they start to plump and add thickness to the sauce. It's a marriage of dry and wet and ends in a creamy goodness. I said to add 2-3 cups of water because depending on how thick your butternut squash puree is you may need a little more water or "wet" to get the noodles to soften properly. When the noodles have taken over the sauce. It is finished. Take off the heat completely and let sit for 10-15 minutes to soak together and cool off. Then ready to serve! Serve with a big sprinkle of fresh parsley or other favorite fresh herb blend. 

You can also pour into a 9x13 pan, top with your favorite GF bread crumbs and olive oil, and then save or freeze to bake in the oven for a later date. Serve big boy slices after warmed in the oven for 30 minutes with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Happy Fall and Enjoy!

Momma's Lamb Stew

There are lots of ways to make lamb stew (and you can google all of those if you like), but I have made a simple lamb stew a few times over the last month that has been perfect for my little guy to feed himself (and for his momma to eat alongside of him). Or more accurately I should say, my boy will want to eat anything I put in my mouth, even if I offered it to him hours before and I wasn't eating it and he will refuse. I could literally eat anything, and he would want it. So I had to come up with a good meal option for the whole family, with lots of nutrients, protein and iron. Lamb meat was my babe's first option for animal protein because it is the easiest meat to digest and the amount of good fats to feed his growing body was another plus plus.

This stew is full of flavor, and not to mention lots of healthy vitamins and minerals. Especially pasture, grass-fed lamb that has amazing amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids. These fats are crucial for the brain and other organs to run smoothly. Also, lamb meat contains amazing amounts of B vitamins which are very helpful for the central nervous system and promote a healthy metabolism. Some of the minerals high in lamb meat are selenium and zinc which help with the absorption of nutrients and also allow the cardiovascular system to run smoothly.

Lamb has been eaten by people for thousands of years. Some of the most ancient cultures valued the nutrients found in lamb, especially in the Mediterranean region. Even the popular 'Mediterranean Diet' today has lamb meat as a main source of protein because of all of the cardiovascular health benefits and Omega-3 fats. Having a balance of mostly plants, whole grains and some fish and lamb is the basis of the diet, and has been given credit for being one of the healthiest regional diets in the world.

Basically, lamb is a very healthy option for the meat eater (or flexitarian like me), and especially if you can buy it from a local farmer that pastures his lambs. Seriously, this meat option has all of the same benefits that are found in wild salmon, but the best part is that you can buy it more locally (that is unless you live in Alaska!)

I have been buying lamb from a local Michigan farm at my local farmer's market. If you have a local farmer's market then I would suggest looking there first for a lamb or organic meat farmer. If you can't find any options there, then I would suggest googling local organic meat farms in your area and you may just find out that you have a farmer closer than you think. I love supporting the local farmer, and I can guarantee the local farmer cares about you too. He cares for his crops, and his animals so that you can eat a nourishing meal that comes straight from the farm.

I love how simple and flavorful this meal is. Perfect one pot meal that has all you need in it...with lots of protein to carry you through the day and root veggies to ground you this fall season. I leave my veggies chopped in big chunks so to make it easy for my babe to pick up and eat. So here is my take on a traditional lamb stew... enjoy!

Momma's Lamb Stew Recipe

1 large yellow or sweet onion

3-4 garlic cloves minced or finely chopped

1-2 TB of olive oil

1- 1 1/2 pounds of pre-cut lamb stew meat-with bits of fat is best (fresh or thawed from frozen)

2 cups of pealed, sliced, roughly chopped carrots circles

2 cups of chopped chunks of potatoes (I used organic local white, and leave my unpeeled for extra potassium in the broth and skins to eat, but you can peel if you like)

1 cup of chopped curly kale

2-3 cups of vegetable broth (more or less depending on how watery you want it)

1 ts. of sea salt

black pepper to your liking

sprigs of fresh or dried rosemary to flavor during cooking, or add a TB of fresh thinly chopped

fresh chopped parsley for last minute flavor or serving

In a large stock pot, saute the chopped onion and minced garlic for a few minutes until soft. Then add the raw lamb stew meat and brown up and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Then add the chopped veggies and broth. You can also add the herbs for added cooking flavor. Then cover and cook for 30-40 minutes and you can even cook longer on low if you really want soft soft meat. When potatoes, carrots and meat is soft and perfectly ready to melt in your mouth... it is complete. If you put a rosemary spring in, don't forget to pull it out...and serve with fresh parsley if you desire. This stew will feed 8-12 people, or a family of four plus leftovers for lunches or dinner during the week. Perfect comfort food if you ask me. Just as good as any homemade chicken noodle soup option if you are feeling under the weather. And with all the B vitamins you will be feeling happy and tip top in no time!

Feeding your children good nourishing food is one of the most important things you can do with your life. It is worth the effort, the challenge and the time and money. Really, you are giving them a gift of the quality of a good life (and probably quantity of many years as well). If you feel like giving up today because your babe is giving you troubles... I would encourage you to try again. Try something new, or add a new twist... but for their sake, don't give up. It is worth it. You are a good momma and your hard work in the kitchen is not in vain.

I hope you have a warm and cozy Wednesday.

Much love to you as always!

Chicken "Parmesan" (gluten and dairy-free)

There are a few meals that I make that I feel that my whole family loves. This is one of them. When you eat gluten-free, you do not get to indulge in breaded chicken or Italian food often. I know how that goes...It just seems like those days are over for you. You can only eat rice and beans. Until you find an easy recipe like this to make at home and viola your dining table will be turned into an Italian cucina (kitchen). I could make this recipe again and again, and it would not disappoint. It is a keeper, and so I will share it with you...

This recipe is based on a recipe I made in the past, Crispy Chicken Strips, but this one is a bit modified to fit the idea of having Chicken Parmesan with pasta. It does not have any cheese of any sort, so you may be disappointed if you are looking for a cheesy dish. Yet, in my opinion, the crispy breading over the chicken doused in marinara tastes like the perfect combo and makes me reminisce the days I would go to an authentic Italian restaurant and get a similar dish.

Chicken dry mix breading:

1 1/2 cup of ground almonds

2 cups of organic corn meal

2 ts. of sea salt or a tad more depending on your taste

2 ts. cracked pepper

dash of cayenne pepper

2 ts. paprika

1 TB of dried basil

Liquid mixture to dip:
1 cup of almond/coconut beverage/rice milk
juice of one lemon (about 2 TBs)

1 and a half pounds (or so) of organic chicken breast or local chicken without hormones or additives

*You want to get out a big piece of parchment paper and lay out the chicken breasts. Cut them in half or thirds and then lay over the rest of the parchment paper. Then with a meat pounder or tenderizer you are going to want to pound the chicken until it is it is flattened.

*Then you will dip the chicken pieces into the milk/lemon mixture and then dip into the breading. Lay all of the strips in a Pyrex baking pan, I used a 9x13 and also an 8x8 to fit all the pieces. I drizzled olive oil on the pans before laying the strips and I also drizzle some olive oil on top of the strips before I put them in the oven. Not too much ( maybe around 1/4 cup total after drizzling all over under and on top) just a little drizzling to keep it crunchy too.

*Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes depending on how big and thick your chicken pieces are. Mainly just check to see if the chicken is cooked and no longer pink. Once done, let cool for a few minutes, but it is ready to serve up.

*Serve with your favorite gluten-free pasta and marinara sauce. I make my sauce from scratch by blending in the blender 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes with herbs, olive oil, salt&pepper, and a touch of either lemon or agave. Blend and warm on the stove. My favorite gluten-free pasta is Tinkyada Brown Rice brand, I have never been disappointed with their brand options.

*Serve with a side of spinach or arugula salad, or a green veggie. And your meal is complete. I have written before on how I like to serve meat as a special occasion mainly because I think we overeat meat in America, but also because I like to buy quality local or organic meat which is always a little more pricy. But this feast of a meal will give you leftovers if you are a 4 person family, and would probably serve about 8-10 people with the recipe as is.

So, this breaded chicken recipe has come in handy for many yummy dinners. I also made a fresh salad the next day with some of the leftover chicken warmed and chopped on top. It was fabulous. Fresh ingredients, good protein and a happy momma. :) I hope you try this one out, you will not be disappointed.

Have fun in your kitchen and enjoy!

Much love!

Stephanie

Butternut Squash Gluten-Free Gnocchi

Welcome to October! And, welcome me to being past-due-date pregnant. Ah, yes! I am miserable in a good way. I am not sure how that happens really. I feel miserable and antsy, but so super excited that it really can't be more than a week more till we meet our baby. So, I have been trying to balance keeping busy and resting. Which is how this recipe was invented. On the couch. Yes. And hungry. Going to the kitchen and realizing that the beautiful winter squash on the counter needed to be broken into. Which is 5 minute meal, but totally worth it when it's ready.

Winter squash and pumpkins make fall another reason to love the season. You have to make the effort to enjoy their flavors fresh, but seriously, totally worth the trouble. I bake like 2-3 at a time and the kitchen (here are some basic instructions for any winter squash baking) will be warm on a 50 degree day and the smell is sweet and fall-like. Kinda like the nostalgic smells of apple cider and pumpkin pie this time of year. Join in the fun and become domestic: bake your own pumpkins and squash. Say goodbye to canned and frozen squash, who knows where and when that came from anyways. It took me a few October's to really catch on, but now I fill my kitchen and cool basement with a bushel of squash and let it last and enjoy it for a few months. Perfect hibernation food. This is my first effort to use some of the butternut squash I baked a few days ago, and it turned out perfect. So, here's to October and baby-waiting!

I made a basic gluten-free gnocchi recipe last winter with just Yukon potatoes and it turned out great. My Italian husband even said that they tasted like his great-grandmother's from the old country, which of course made me blush, but really they were pretty good and I was surprised myself. I haven't have authentic gnocchi in a long time so we made have been deceiving ourselves, but still a nice special dish to enjoy with some gluten-free class.

Butternut Squash Gluten-Free Gnocchi Recipe

2 1/2 cups of boiled, cooled and mashed yellow potato

2 1/2 cups of baked and mashed butternut or buttercup or even pumpkin

1 cup of white rice flour

1/2 cup of brown rice flour

1/2 cup of tapioca flour or starch (potato flour/starch works too)

1 ts. sea salt

1 ts. of cracked black pepper

1 TB of fresh chopped thyme

1 TB of fresh chopped sage

1 handful of fresh chopped basil

6 egg yokes, separated from whites and whipped together

Mix all the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs last and make sure you get everything well whipped together. Add more rice flour if you need to make it stiffer or to roll out on your parchment-topped table. Cut the dough into 4 parts (seen below) and pull out each section and roll into 1 long or 2 shorter logs. This batter may be sticky depending on your potato and squash moisture levels. Just remember that it is ok if it is sticky because it will cook fine in the boiling water in a minute.

Once you roll out the logs with a little flour on your paper, then cut the logs into about 12 pieces and you will have little "pillows" or shapes that you will have ready to dump in a large pot of boiling water. Have the largest pot you own boiling with 3/4 full of water. Gently drop the "raw" gnocchi pillows into the boiling water. Make sure not to overload the pot with the gnocchi. Put in like 24 at the most. Then wait like 5 minutes and you will see them start to float to the top of the boiling water. This is when you will know that they are cooked and ready for fetching. Use a strainer-ladle to retrieve them from the pot of water and place them in a drying plate or bowl to dry off just a bit. Then they are ready for serving with your favorite marinara sauce. I shared an easy tomato sauce in my last gnocchi recipe, but you can serve it with a favorite canned or jarred version as well to make it easy.

This recipe will make up to 96 gnocchi, so you can eat half in a meal and then freeze the other half. They are very filling, so at the most you could probably eat 8-12, so this recipe could serve up to 8 people at one setting, but like I said, they are great for freezing. I have been busy making and freezing a few meals and this recipe will work perfectly for pulling from the freezer for a quick and easy dinner.

Serve with a fresh side of veggies or salad to get the most out of your meal. Also, some meatballs or side of meat may be a good option as well.

I hope you try these delightful fall gnocchis out and enjoy. I love finding ways to use the squash I bake and have on hand in the fridge or freezer. One large butternut squash could leave you with 4-6 cups of squash to use, so in meals, breads and pies I find my way around using as much of it as I can. It is a nutritious and filling way to get the best out of your food this time of year. I am looking forward to being creative with it and enjoying the flavors of fall in the meantime. If you are wondering the best place/deal to find it, check out your local farmer's market. I could buy a whole bushel's worth (like 9-10 squash variety) for like 6 dollars. So super cheap and healthy. Besides that, they are like an instant fall decoration on the counter in the kitchen.

I hope you enjoy and have a blessed weekend!

Much love to you!

xoxo

Stephanie

Green Meatballs (and farmer's market love)

In Grand Rapids, there is one main farmer's market venue that everyone knows about it (well, at least I think everyone should know about it!) And this market is a beautiful picture of how the surrounding rural areas of west Michigan really do produce all kinds of food this time of year. There is beautiful colors everywhere and people are happy and smiling. (It must be all the fresh food making people high on life). And I personally have a love for fresh food, so what a better place to shop and buy some of the best local food you will ever find. Yes, it is a beautiful thing to be able to live in the city and enjoy the farm food on your plate at home. I am truly thankful, and you better believe I tell my farmers that I appreciate all their hard work for me to have a colorful and delicious dinner at home.

I realize that most cities have farmer's markets now days...and in fact because it seems to becoming a little more popular (or trendy if I must say) that they are growing and producing more of a sustaining income to our local farmers. This excites me because I know if you are reading this at your home that is 300 miles away you can still probably participate with a local farm market of your own. And if you are living in another country even, you probably know a local venue where you buy your fruits and veggies.... so fresh food is making it way back to our plates... it's not like you have to give up convenience to do this either... it is just a change of mind. You have to decide that instead of buying fast food or packaged microwaveable food that you go to the market instead and you buy a load of fresh fruit and veggies (and local meat, eggs, cheese and the list goes on...)

My last trip to the bustling market left me with 3 full bags of food for under 25 dollars. Incredible! Really... can you get any cheaper than that?! I bought a pound of free-range grass-fed beef, green onions, pea pods, 2 qts. strawberries, 2 lbs. of rhubarb, a bag of cucumbers, squash, green leaf lettuce and garlic scapes. I could have spent more on little extras like just in season cherries, raspberries, peppers and tomatoes... but I know they will be around for a few weeks and may even find myself going out to one of the farms to pick my own...

Rhubarb is one of my favorite finds... because it is so interesting and can be paired perfectly with other fresh fruit like strawberries... or apricots or cherries as well... And I made sure I bought enough to freeze a little just in case this is the last week it is available at the market. I am not sure how long it will be in season, so for now I indulge :)

The strawberries were on there way out this week as well... Last week they were EVERYwhere and you could smell them a half mail away from the market because they were so perfectly ripe and sweet. This week I bought 2 quarts from my favorite farm that doesn't use spray on the berries. Look how perfect and delicious they are! So yummy. I have not made a large batch of jam yet, but that could be in my future...until then I am freezing some to save for baking and smoothies and of course I will eat as many as I can before they are frozen :) A few of my favorite recipes to make with rhubarb and strawberries are: Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins, Rhubarb Strawberry Pie, and Honey-Sweetened Rhubarb Tart. Those are just some of my favorites, but I am sure you could find many other recipes this time of year to use up those yummy ingredients.

Now, I was trying to share my "green" meatball recipe with you... so back to the green part. They are green because of all the fresh greens in them, but also because all the ingredients are from the local farmer to save on waste. Less packaging, chemicals, and money really. So, why not eat locally?! It can be easy and delicious... so here is my recipe to share...

"Green" Meatball Recipe

1 pound of local ground meat (either ground beef or ground lamb works best)

3/4 cup of freshly chopped green onions

1 clove of garlic minced

handful of fresh basil and sage chopped finely

1 local farm fresh egg

1/2 cup of gluten-free bread crumbs (I have used a slice of my favorite GF bread crumbled, or also you could use 1/2 cup of crushed GF crackers to turn them into a "bread crumb" as well..or there are a few GF bread crumbs brands you can find at health stores.)

1-2 ts of cracked black pepper

1-2 ts of sea salt

2 ts. of paprika

1 TB of olive oil

Mix all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and take a small handful of the meat mixture and form a little ball. This recipe makes about 9-10 large meatballs, or 12-15 smaller meatballs. It just depends on what kind of size you want to do. Put them in a slightly olive-

oiled Pyrex glass baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until they are browned and crispy looking and the middles have been cooked through and through.

They should come out of the oven ready to serve. They are pretty flavorful with the green onions and herbs, but if you may need to add some more salt and pepper to them if that is your preference. You could serve these with some marinara sauce or pasta, or alone with another side of baked potatoes or another veggies. They are a yummy way to use some fresh local ingredients, and they are so simple too...but since I had some peas and garlic scapes I wanted to eat I decided to make a little saucing side to serve with the meatballs over some of my favorite gluten-free brown rice pasta. So here is what I did to make the peas tossed over the pasta...

I plucked out a pint of peas from their pods and this was a good serving for one or two, but if you want to serve more people make sure you get a quart or more of pea pods. The peas are so cute sitting in their pods, but after you pluck them you can really see their radiant green color. You can steam them to make them a bit softer or eat them raw too... whatever you want. I decided to saute them with some garlic, olive oil and ghee (clarified butter) and viola you have a nice little sauce to top your pasta and eat with your meat balls. So I put the peas, 2 minced garlic cloves and the heads of 4 garlic scapes with a TB of olive oil and then 1 TB of ghee or butter works too. Saute for about 3-5 minutes until the peas look bright green and the garlic is cooked into the oils. The garlic scapes are what is pictured below. They are these funny looking vines... I have not used them a lot in cooking yet, but I think they give off a lot of flavor and they are kinda fun to use with garlic or in substitute for a garlic clove.

After you saute the peas, garlic and oils then you have an instant sauce with the veggies to pour over your GF noodles, and then add a meatball on the side and viola dinner is served, fresh from the farm to the table.

So easy and yummy too... I hope you enjoy... and don't forget to make a rhubarb strawberry pie for dessert. Fresh food always tastes best and once you change over to fresh foods you may find yourself smiling more and making your weekly trip to the farmer's market. It really is addicting! Not to mention it is fun to check out any new produce throughout the summer. I am looking forward to more peppers and tomatoes in the next few weeks... and of course the fruit... YUM! Enjoy friends and have a great week!