Homemade Rustic Marshmallows

One thing that I have LOVED over the last year is Great Lakes Unflavored Gelatin. It is pure protein, and this brand makes it GMO free and is naturally gluten-free as well. It is a perfect supplement ingredient to help with healing from any digestive ailment, especially leaky gut symptoms, and also it is a ton of fun to have in the kitchen with children because what kid doesn't love jello or gummies. You can google the benefits yourself, but a link to get you started on learning more about gelatin is here by Wellness Momma.  You can also look up dozens of recipes and uses on Pinterest. I pin new ones all the time!

I have made gummies for my kids probably once a week over the last year. You can google or pinterest search hundreds of recipes. My favorites have been morphed into a simple one of my own. I use 3 TB of gelatin for every cup of fruit juice. I usually sweeten with maple syrup and use an organic all fruit juice. I split the juice in half and mix half of it with the gelatin and the other half in a saucepan on the stove with maple syrup until boiling. Mix the boiling juice with the gelatin juice and mix and whisk well to get all the lumps out and then pour into molds or pyrex pan while warm. I use a quart pyrex measuring cup to usually do this with less mess and dishes. Then refrigerate until hard or until all eaten :) My kids devour these. Our favorite juices are apple, cherry and cranberry.

But the newest way that I have been enjoying gelatin has been through homemade marshmallows. So yummy and brings back all kinds of childhood nostalgia of hot cocoa and marshmallows. Or really just eating marshmallows from the bag. I had a thing for the fluffy white stuff. This version is SO much better though. Made from wholesome ingredients and no corn yuck or high fructose corn syrup. It is a healthy way to have a treat and even had some nutrients to your life.

First time I made these I followed this homemade recipe by the Urban Poser.  But since then have kinda found a way that I like making them on my own. It's so easy you just need to try it out. I do not have a candy thermometer. I need to get one of those. But I still made these in the mean time. Here is my recipe that I have been playing with...

Homemade Marshmallow Recipe
3/4 cup of pure honey
1/2 cup of pure maple syrup
1/2 cup of pure water
sprinkle of sea salt
splash of vanilla

1/2 cup of pure water
3 TB of unsweetened gelatin

I used the above amounts but did first try to follow the Urban Poser's detailed instructions. I would suggest you do the same and then once you get your marshmallow groove on then you can kinda swing it however you like. It's pretty simple once you try it a few times. You'll be an addict like me in no time.

Some of my notes:
First I put the honey, maple syrup, 1/2 cup of water and splash of vanilla and salt in a sauce pan and start cooking. This process is long and can take around 15 minutes on medium heat. You do this until the mix is somewhat foamy and if you want more precise temperatures and instructions check out the recipe above. While doing this I have the gelatin blossoming with the other 1/2 cup of water. Then mixed the gelatin mixture into the BURNING hot honey water mixture (it is amber brown color) and slowly use a hand held mixer and mix on slow until even more foamy, then raise the speed when it gets thicker to medium and then HIGH. You will start to notice the color changing to white-ish and thickening up. You may want to lick at this point. It is super yummy marshmallow fluff. Then when the marshmallow is stiff you pour the mixture into a pre-oiled and I use tapioca flour dusted pan with parchment as well. I used tapioca flour instead of arrowroot starch. Then you have to let it sit alone for at least 4 hours and it stiffens right up. Then use a non-teeth knife and cut squares of marshmallow, using tapioca flour to help dust and keep less sticky. I stored my marshmallows in a quart ball jar on the counter for up to a week without problems. But really we eat them all in a few days, who am I kidding, haha ;)

I make my favorite homemade hot cocoa , (or make a dry mix to make an easy hot cocoa) and top with a handful of these amazing marshmallows. It makes a picture perfect delicacy every time!

I mentioned in my last post about adding these homemade marshmallows to the plate of a chocolate fondue dipping plate. These are amazing dipped in some chocolate sauce and a fun addition because friends will think these odd looking cubes may be bread, or maybe cheese, but no it's a fluffy marshmallow surprise. These treats are amazing in just about every way.

I hope you try this out VERY soon if you are in a cold and snowy climate like me. It is one of the best ways to stay happy this winter :) That and staying warm and cozy with your loved ones.

Much love to you xoxo

Coconut Applesauce Shortbread Cookies

Hello lovely gluten-free foodie friends. It has been a long while.
A, LONG. while :)

Last summer when I took a hiatus, I moved from our home with two small kids to a temporary {more rural} location for 8 weeks, then finally to our new home in new part of town. It was a long summer and fall and we are still trying to make sense and the craziness and get settled in 2015. I gave myself the space to put a halt to blogging and creating new recipes and just live in the moment and the convenience of the present. And for those friends that I was living with over the summer, they know I can't stay away from the oven for long. They found me baking goodies late into the night as my kids finally went to sleep.

I can't stay away. Not from gluten-free baking. Not from you.

No matter how hard I sometimes want to or need to. I can't stop baking and enjoying the attempt at new recipes and ideas in the kitchen. So I will start again. I have been making a few new recipes that I love over the past year that haven't made it to the blog yet. So that is where I will start. I hope this year will bring many new creative ventures in the kitchen and a continual pursuit of health and healing in the home. Thanks for following along and giving me another reason to put my recipes and thoughts to pen, I mean blog :)

This cookie recipe was born over the holidays when trying to make a simple cookie to serve with Against All Grain's Pumpkin Pudding Recipe. I LOVE this pumpkin pudding recipe because it is so simple and can be eaten as a treat while still sticking to a very simple and healing diet. A friend of mine posted it on facebook around December and I pulled up the link and was like whoa, I have all those ingredients already to go! Yum.

But when I was going to bring this pudding dish to a party I felt like it needed something more with it to look more than just a bowl of orangy pumpkiny poo. I wanted it to be served with a some-thing special dipping treat. So to avoid nuts, and grains, I made a simple shortbread cookie that only required a few ingredients as well. Another way I added these cookies to a holiday treat was a chocolate fondue. I made my chocolate sauce or an easy chocolate dip made from 1 can full fat coconut milk and 1 bag of Enjoy Life chocolate chips both melted together to create a creamy chocolate ganache dip. I made the chocolate dip and centered it in a bowl on a large serving platter then added these cookies, homemade marshmellows (recipe soon!), fresh fruit (clementines, strawberries, bananas, ect) and you have a pretty easy platter of simple deliciousness. These cookies are so simple with simple ingredients that I am sure you could find dozens of ways to enjoy them.

Coconut Applesauce Shortbread Cookie Recipe
{gluten, grain, dairy, egg, refined sugar, soy and nut-free}
1 cup of organic coconut flour
1 cup of soft or melted organic coconut oil
1/3 cup of homemade or unsweetened applesauce
1 TB to 1/4 cup of sweetener of choice: pure honey or maple syrup
1 ts. of ground ginger
pinch to sprinkle of sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If your coconut oil is not soft, then melt it in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Pour the flour and ginger and salt in a pour, add the wet ingredients and then stir quickly by hand with a spatula while wet and sticky. Let batter sit for 5 minutes to let the dough get tough. It should be a soft but pliable consistency. If it is still too sticky then add a dash of flour until it more stiff and pliable. If it is too stiff then add a spoonful of applesauce or sweetener to make it more pliable. Use your hands to press and roll out the dough on a piece of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll out a 1/4 inch thick piece or dough. It is best to use small cookie cutters. No bigger than 2-3 inches in diameter. This will help the final cookie product to not be so easily broken. Coconut flour is very fiberous and it easily broken when baked and dried out. So it really works best to make a small half dollar or smaller sized cookie. 

This recipe will make 3-4 dozen small cookies. Place on baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Watch closely. They bake very fast you can bake a little lighter or longer depending on your preference. I a happen to like them a bit crispy and browned so I bake closer to the 12 minute mark. 

I hope you try these lovely simple treats out and the AAG Pumpkin Pudding as well. A perfect treat even if you are trying to cleanse and heal your body this new year.

Lots of love to you!
Stephanie

Honey Yogurt Cake with Honey Cream Glaze and Fresh Strawberries

Cake. One of my favorite things to make. And eat of course. But still I think I might just love making it more. A moist, dense, fluffy cake to share with a table of people. To celebrate. To give thanks. To share. It is a treat to enjoy by just sitting and being with those you love. This cake specifically has already been shared and celebrated a few times over the past few weeks, and it isn't even my birthday yet! (hint hint, yes another cake recipe in the near future :)

This cake celebrates spring. It's finally made it's appearance and I have been enjoying every ounce of it, even the spring thunderstorm in the background of my typing keyboard. It took a while to get here this year and now that it's finally here it feel so rich and deep that I can't imagine having waited for it for so long. But that is the beauty of spring. The wonder of popping crocuses and buds. The amazement that we still have grass and plants under all those inches of frozen snow we had covering us for months. It's unbelievable, spring came again! And it's fresh morning breath breathes life, goodness and new hope for all the tomorrows.

Hope. Hope that life is so much deeper and fuller than we have ever expected and dreamed. That is also what is a needed reminder when traveling this gluten-free and healthier lifestyle. Some days are hard. You have symptoms, stress and needs that seem to never end. I encourage you to breathe deep and focus on the tomorrow. Take the steps you need to feel strong again and even if they are inch-sized steps and you are only taking one. You can do this. Celebrate the accomplishments you have made. And breathe deep gratitude for life and all it's gifts.

Celebrate. May I suggest maybe with cake? And maybe with those who love and support you most. This life is not meant to be lived alone friends. Even this gluten-free life. We are doing this together and we can find ways to make it seem more normal, more simple, and dare I say....happier than we have known before. That is what this blog is about for me. Encouraging you to stay the course with good recipes and hope for the journey and the healing process. Keep on keeping on dear friends!

Honey Yogurt Cake Recipe
with Honey Cream Glaze and Fresh Strawberries

1 cup of softened organic extra virgin coconut oil
1 cup of powdered coconut palm sugar
3 farm fresh eggs
1/3 cup of pure raw honey
1 cup of coconut culture milk or yogurt (I used So Delicious)
2 ts. of pure vanilla
1/2 cup of tapioca flour
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup of fresh ground GF oat flour
1/2 cup of fresh ground buckwheat flour
2 ts. of baking powder
1 1/2 ts. of baking soda
1/2 ts. of sea salt

First, grind up your coconut palm sugar in a high powered blender to get a powdered sugar to cream with your coconut oil. Cream the oil and sugar together until soft and creamy. You can sub using grass fed butter for the coconut oil, which I actually did once and adds a rich butter flavor to the cake. If you don't have to worry about dairy, grass fed butter is a favorite choice! Also I used So Delicious' newest product of a cultured coconut milk which is very much like a sour cream or plain yogurt. It worked perfect for this cake and makes it dairy-free. I loved how it made the cake moist and dense. If you are fine with eating dairy you could sub the coconut yogurt for any organic plain yogurt or even a greek yogurt if you prefer.

Once you cream the oil and sugar, add the eggs and whisk all together until thick and creamy batter emerges. Then add the rest of the wet ingredients and mix well. Lastly grind GF oats and buckwheat groats in your grinder/blender to get the best GF oat and buckwheat flour. Add in the flours and dry ingredients. Make sure all the dry in mixed in well and then pour batter into oiled cake pan. I used a angel food cake pan for this recipe, but you could use a bundt pan, or 2 round  9 inch cake pans. Bake cake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. If you choose to use 2 9 inch round pan then check cakes around 30 minutes and should be done around then or 35 minutes.

Let the cake cool and then you can whip up the cream glaze to spread over when completely cool. 
Cream glaze recipe is 2 simple ingredients.

Honey Cream Glaze Recipe
1/3 cup of organic extra virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup of raw local honey

Use a small spatula to whip up the glaze and spread over. It is super simple and delicious. Then slice 4-5 fresh organic strawberries side by side and you get 20-25 slices to decorate the top of the cake. I liked making a large strawberry flower on the top of the angel food cake circle pan. 

This cake is somewhere in between a pound cake and a sponge cake. It is so moist and not crumbly. No gums were needed to get this great texture and I love how you don't feel like you are trying to chew a gummy cake log. Cake should be perfectly moist and easy to swallow . This cake is that and recipe that I have made again and again to come out perfect every time.

This would be a good recipe to try out for an after Easter dinner dessert. Strawberries make it look and taste so fresh and beautiful.  I would make this cake again for my birthday next week, but I am thinking of making a carrot cake this year... we'll see what happens :)

Much love to you and yours. May you find a new found hope this spring and ways to rid your life of pain and bondage and welcome fresh beauty and new life. Happy Easter to you!

Mocha Yogurt Cheesecake

Hello 2013- You sure opened the door to the new year with a bang! First, this delicious cheesecake and second, the flu hitting our house starting with my little 2 year old son. I made this last week to celebrate the new year and then...I kinda forgot about it. Life goes on pause while you nurse the sickness and try to get back to normal again (I will have to write another post about some of the cold/flu remedies we survived with another time).

But really, just the lack of sleep alone knocks you out for a few days. The good news is that this cheesecake still tasted good after being found again a few days later. And some would say that cheesecakes only gets better the more chilled it stays. I had to quick snap a photo and share before it was all finished up. Perfectly chilled, slightly honey sweetened and rich and delectable with each bite!

Like I said in my last post, this baby likes it's desserts. And because I have been occasionally eating some organic dairy while pregnant I had some plain yogurt to use up as well. This idea came to me when I thought about how plain organic yogurt, strained, makes a really great yogurt-cheese. Add some leftover coffee and chocolate from the holidays and a magical cheesecake comes into play. This was a new experiment for me, and I am very happy with how it turned out and will be trying this again in the future for sure.

You could easily make this recipe grain-free by omitting the GF oat flour in the crust and subbing it for almond or another favorite nut-flour. Not coconut flour though, it would be to fibrous, but if you like almond flour or meal that would be a great sub there. I was surprised at how the yogurt and eggs really do the trick to make this cake creamy and thick and rich. You won't even miss the traditionally cheesecake made with lots of cream cheese. This is a great healthy cheesecake alternative that I am not ashamed to eat or share.

Mocha Yogurt Cheesecake Recipe
{gluten-free, grain-free option}

Crust:
1 cup of freshly ground gluten-free oat flour
1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup of raw cocoa powder
dash-1/4 ts. of sea salt
1/2 cup of soft organic coconut oil
2-3 TB of local honey or maple syrup
2-3 TB of strongly brewed leftover coffee

First grind some gluten-free rolled oats in a high powered blender to make your own flour. And then mix all of the above ingredients in mixing bowl together well with a spatula or your hands. Then sprinkle into a 10 inch spring form pan, or a 9x13 Pyrex glass pan and press down firmly, and evenly with a spoon or your hands. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Let cool down for at least 15 minutes and then pour the cheesecake on top and continue to bake.

Cheesecake Filling
1 quart organic plain yogurt- strained to equal about 2 cups after whey is removed
6 farm fresh eggs
1 TB of pure vanilla
2-3 TB of strongly brewed leftover coffee
1 cup (4 ounces) of melted chocolate chips or bar pieces
1/2 cup of local honey

First, even before making the crust, you need to pour a quart-sized container of organic plain yogurt (I used Stonyfield Organic Low Fat Yogurt) into a strainer that is covered with cheesecloth (or even a paper towel works too) that has a bowl underneath. Stick back in the fridge for 2-4 hours and let it reduce by half and pour out the whey collecting in the bowl underneath the strainer. Then use the "yogurt cheese" in the cheesecake filling mix.

Mix the yogurt cheese and eggs together then add the rest of the ingredients. You can melt the chocolate over a double-boiler or in 30 second intervals in the microwave. Pour in the melted chocolate last and then whisk well for a minute by hand and then pour over the already baked crust. Bake in the preheated 350 degree oven for 55-60 minutes until the middle of the cake is firm and not liquid. 

Let cool on the counter for an hour and then put in the fridge with a plastic wrap or fitted cover top. Chill for 8-24 hours before serving and then sprinkle with decaffeinated ground coffee beans, grated chocolate or fresh fruit of choice. A simple berry compote could be made as well for topping and serving if you desire. Or if you have a favorite chocolate sauce or glaze for serving that would just put it over the edge!

I hope you enjoy this one or save it in your back pocket for a special occasion.

Until then, much love to you!

Lime Basil Blueberry Cobbler

It's been two weeks since I posted a recipe. I know, 2 whole weeks! Goodness gracious! So much is going on lately...sunny beach days...the summer Olympics...blueberries! And personally, I have been super busy traveling with my husband for work, family reunions, and did I mention...picking pounds upon pounds of blueberries. And anyone who knows me, knows that blueberry picking and freezing is more of a full-time job than a summer pastime.

But, there comes a time when you realize that you are tired. Yes, tired. Tired of the run-around and ready for a nap. So, I have been focusing on that as well. I know as long as I have been on this healing journey I have been more aware how good rest makes a big difference to every area your life. Especially your digestion and your nerves. So I may be preaching to myself here, but "You must be intentional about resting!" Some may call it a day-off, some may call it a sabbath, but whatever you call it, it is a must for a healthy happy life.

And that's where this cobbler becomes involved...

Needless to say, actually enjoying some of the picked blueberries is a must as well. So this cobbler made for a simple summer dessert has brought much resting and enjoyment to some long summer days. That and watching Downton Abbey episodes like mad. Such a great production if you ask me. I have heard others go on about it, but haven't started watching myself till this last week. Maybe I shouldn't share that little time-sucking obsession as of late. But too late, it's true, I'm obsessed.

But, enough of that obsession...:)

And, enough of the small talk, let me share with you this lovely simple summer-time favorite.

Lime Basil Blueberry Cobbler Recipe
(gluten, dairy, soy and nut-free)

Blueberry Filling:
4 cups of fresh picked, rinsed and dried blueberries
1/3 cup of freshly squeezed lime juice
1 ts. of fresh lime zest
1/2 cup of local raw honey (or other favorite liquid sweetener)
6 large fresh sweet basil leaves, finely chopped and minced
1/3 cup of tapioca flour (or starch works too)

In a medium saucepan, put all of the above ingredients except the tapioca flour in on a low to medium heat. Let the blueberries simmer and become a hot liquidy sauce, then after 5-10 minutes slowly stir in the tapioca flour and whisk and fold together until the blueberries and sauce become a tad thicker. Take off heat and pour the blueberry and sauce mixture into a 9x13 Pyrex baking glass pan. Then mix up the following cobbler mix to put on top.

Cobbler Topping:
1 1/4 cup of gluten-free oat flour (I use 1 cup of gluten-free rolled oats and grind in high powdered blender to make homemade flour)
1/2 cup of gluten-free rolled oats
1 cup of sweet sorghum flour or other gluten-free flour mix (I use Bob Red Mill's)
3 TB of coconut palm sugar or local maple syrup
1 ts. of ground cinnamon
1 ts. of baking powder
1/2 ts. of sea salt
1/2 cup of melted organic coconut oil (or vegan butter sub)
1/2 cup of coconut milk beverage (I use So Delicious)

In a mixing bowl, mix all of the above ingredients together well and then crumble or spread it over the blueberry filling in the pyrex dish. You don't have to make it perfectly spread and it can have gaps in between the topping and the blueberries. When it bakes it will all come together. Then bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes until the blueberries are bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Then pull from oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes before spooning into serving bowls. The reason for this is because the blueberry filling is super HOT and liquidy and needs to cool down to thicken and make easier to enjoy. Serve warm with some coconut whipped cream or some of your favorite vegan ice cream.

This flavor permeated cobbler celebrates life, creativity and fresh summer flavors that will have you smiling and sinking deeper into that porch swing. There's nothing like the feeling of a full summer day filled with lots of warm sunshine and activity than with a late summer evening treat. This cobbler infuses lime and fresh basil paired alongside sweet and tart berries and you come up with a pretty amazing collaboration. Plus, no refined sugars, no gluten, dairy, nuts or soy...just a few simple fresh favorites and viola.

I must say as well, this dessert is yes, great on it's own, but what makes it even more than great is a dollop of some So Delicious Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Ice Cream {pictured above and below}. It is not too sweet (or sweetened with fakes), has no artificials or GMO's ingredients and is creamy and perfect in every way.

July also celebrates ice cream (no surprise here) and So Delicious was generous enough to send me some of their best picks to celebrate and enjoy. My personal favorite this week is the Passionate Mango. They are my go-to Vegan Ice Cream people. They offer so may varieties and flavors and I love what the people of So Delicious stand for. Good real ingredients and true to making better options for health and our world. So thank you So Delicious for making this cobbler great. I couldn't have done it without you.

If you haven't heard of So Delicious, check out their facebook page here, and then go here and get a coupon to try one of their great treats. This month and next they are also donating some of the profits from all their ice cream products to the Brees Foundation. Which is just another great reason to eat more cobbler and ice cream these summer days.

So my friends, I hope you enjoy and relax. Work hard, play hard and then rest. Really. This summer treat is a reminder of that to me and I am so thankful to be able to share it with you!

Much love, as always!

Crunchy Honey Buckwheat Oat Cereal

I have been on a breakfast kick lately. Really enjoying cooler and simpler options than the norm. The "norm" for me is hot gluten-free oatmeal or whole grain porridge. It is a hearty bowl of goodness, that starts the digestive fire out right in the morning. That is usually how I roll, but in the summer, and with as hot as this summer has been, you couldn't really want to eat super hot anything in the morning. I've been more into blueberry smoothies and just plain fruit. But this cereal is the best of both for me. It has a nice whole-grain crunch along with some cold non-dairy milk plus fresh, sweet blueberries galore! Yum!

This recipe is super simple, easy to store, and can be very versatile with other additions. I love eating my bowl with hemp milk and fresh blueberries, but you could also add any homemade or store bought non-dairy milk favorite, and could add almost any additional fruit you love. It is full of protein, fiber, and lots of nutritional vitamins like iron and magnesium. Essentials for your health and a guaranteed good start to the day!

Plus, did I mention how wonderfully easy this is. Well, it is. And, also easy to pack along and bring on weekend getaways, camping trips and even longer summer vacations. I love when simple and nutritious work together like that. It just makes eating from scratch and with whole grain healthy ingredients, that much more enjoyable!

Crunchy Honey Buckwheat Oat Cereal Recipe
(gluten, dairy, egg, nut-free, plus vegan option)


2 cups of raw whole buckwheat groats
4 cups of certified gluten-free rolled oats
1/3 cup of sunflower seed butter
1/3 cup of raw local honey (or use local maple syrup to keep it vegan)
3 TB of soft or liquid extra virgin coconut oil
dash of sea salt
dash of ground cinnamon

In a very large mixing bowl, mix all of the above ingredients together with a spatula or your bare hands, Then pour out the wet cereal mix on a parchment papered cookie sheet and spread 1 inch thin along the whole pan. I use a 11.5x17 inch sized cookie baking sheet and that seems to work almost perfect, but you could use 2 smaller sheets, or even one larger if you got it. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Then let sit out and cool on the counter for a few hours until completely cooled and dried. Then pack up the leftovers in 2 quart mason jars, or however you would want to keep and store your new favorite cereal. 

If you haven't tried buckwheat groats yet then you may be up for a new discovery with this recipe. And the short is, that buckwheat is a very nutrient dense grain that is naturally gluten-free and full of many essential minerals and vitamins for your body. And then the oats are a favorite grain that just make you feel like you are more normal when it comes to your food choices :) 

If you are like me, you will want to make a batch and then store it in mason jars on the counter because it is so happy and healthy looking. It is a perfect kitchen decoration, plus very edible. So much more earthy than displaying a nice card board cereal box (recycled of course :)

I hope you are enjoying your weekend thus far. And you are planning to go on a brand new adventure that includes the summer sun, getting wet, and staying cool this weekend. Don't forget to pack along some gluten-free goodies and don't let the stress of eating gluten-free turn you into a grouch. Nobody likes to be around a grumpy gluten-free grouch. Your positivity toward your food and what and how you eat is just as much a part of the healing process as what kind of food you are eating as well.

Don't swallow anger and bitterness, swallow hope, healing and a new day!

Much love as always!

Tangy Kale Slaw

It may be a surprise to you that I just don't eat cookies and cupcakes all day long. I mean, if you base my diet on my blog recipes over the last month you may be thinking I eat nothing else but cupcakes. I do love to create and make cupcakes out of some pretty great and nourishing ingredients, but friends, that is no main course. You body needs all colors of the rainbow to really succeed, and that especially includes the color green!

The truth is I have been trying to eat as many bitter greens, liver and gallbladder cleansing foods and antioxidants as I can this spring. I like to follow a more seasonal diet and try to cleanse and nourish my body with what each season brings for it to eat. And spring brings greens, herbs and eventually strawberries. Some of my most favorite foods on the planet! So, this recipe was built around the idea to have a nice tasty twist on eating the super-green-kale. Not sauted, baked into chips, or thrown in a side salad or stew. Which those are all great options to get some greens into your diet, but in this great recipe kale is the main attraction and it will have you changing your mind about eating green in the first place.  

The other great addition to this slaw is lots of fresh cilantro. Cilantro helps clean heavy metals and toxic buildup in the liver and cleanse the blood. Cilantro is one of the foods you can easily add into your diet and be getting all the benefits of any "super health food" that you could buy for loads of money at the health store. But the best part is that cilantro can be bought for merely a few dollars at almost any grocery store. Or even easier, why not try and grow some in the backyard? Cilantro is one of my all time favorite herbs, but I find it hard to grow in my climate this season. So I bought this cilantro from a grocer, but still full of crispy green goodness until I grow some of my own. 

This slaw is also egg and dairy-free, and would be vegan if you choose not to add the honey. Kale, cilantro, and carrots for sweetness with a simple tangy dressing, you have this simple recipe to remember again and again. It will inspire you to eat more green and will refresh your insides and out.

Tangy Kale Slaw Recipe 

1 bunch of lactino (dino) kale (about 4 cups de-ribbed and washed)

1 heaping cup of chopped cilantro

3-4 carrots, shredded to make about 1 heaping cup 

3-4 celery stalks, finely chopped into about 1 heaping cup

2 TB of prepared dijon mustard
2 TB organic red wine vinegar
3 TB of extra virgin olive oil (hemp, walnut and grape seed work here too)
1 TB of tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 ts - 1 TB of raw local honey (can use agave too, or omit)
3 TB of raisins or dried cherries
3 TB of raw sunflower seeds
dash of sea salt
dash of cracked black pepper

First, de-rib the kale leaves (pull off the middle vein from the outside of the leave and take the two parts of the leaf) and wash them throughly. Wash a whole bunch of kale and finely chop after rolling leaves together like you would chop basil leaves, and roll and then thinly slice, turn the other direction and then thinly slice again. This will make about 4 cups of finely shredded kale leaves. Then finely chop 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, and add that to the large bowl with the kale. Then add the chopped celery and shredded carrots, and pour in the rest of the dressing ingredients. Then, I suggest you use your hands to mix the dressing well into the kale, this will also allow the kale to soak in the moisture and loosen the leaves to be easier to chew. Then top with more sunflower seeds or raisins and serve fresh. Perfect side (or main dish) for almost any meal, especial for spring and summer. This recipe will serve 4-6 people.

I made my favorite way to eat cauliflower, and some basic baked sweet potatoes (mostly for my son), along with the fresh kale slaw for dinner. It was a pretty simple and inexpensive meal. And, I really could not have asked for anything more. If you wanted to add some more protein then add some garbanzo beans to the slaw call it a meal.

A plate-full of vegetables for dinner. Very colorful and fresh! Some cooked and some raw, a good balance for the sensitive stomach to easily digest. And, I always feel to refreshed and nourished after a meal like this. You know the kale and cilantro are working goodness into your body and there are countless ways to thank your body for accepting some great nourishment too.

God is good and He blesses us with food from the ground!

Much love as always!

Triple Berry Triple Layer Cake

Today starts my 28th year on earth. Yes, it is my 27th birthday- that seems so old when I say [type] it out loud. But the truth is, I believe I am young. I am. And I hope I always believe that.

Today is also 'earth day'. A day to be aware of our place of inhabitance. To be aware of our Creator's mark on every tree, plant and blade of grass. For me, today is a reminder of life and how we are called as bearers of God's image to care and sustain all that He has given us.

Today I celebrate life.

My mantra this year is to "Be Brave".

To be brave to wake up each day and thank God for all His gifts. 

To be brave and not let discouragement and pain get me down. 

To be brave and pursue emotional, spiritual, and physical healing and health with reckless abandon.

To be brave and not let bitterness, grief, and struggle win.

To not give up. To keep going. To try again tomorrow. To strive for better.

You have to be brave when you are a sensitive soul like me. Sensitive inside and out. 

Being brave means that I have to make the choice to think positive when the negative is seeping in.

To be brave I have to dust my hands of and try again when I feel like giving up.

Being brave means you have to dream big and being willing to have faith to follow those dreams. 

Being brave for me relates yes to my life as a whole, but also it is a good application to the gluten-free life too. Especially for beginners. Gluten-free friends- you have to be brave. You have to stay the course, don't give up. Don't let the people [or your own voices] around you get you down. Surround yourself with hope and good ideas for success. 

Especially ideas revolving around gluten-free cake that involves three layers and pink frosting! YUM!

 

Triple Berry Triple Layer Cake

1 1/4 cup of freshly ground buckwheat flour

1 1/4 cup of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flour Blend

1 cup of tapioca flour

2 TB of ground chia seed meal

1 TB. of baking powder

1 ts. of baking soda

1 ts. of sea salt

1 ts. of ground cinnamon

2/3 cup of coconut palm sugar or sucanat

2/3 cup of warmed coconut oil

1 TB of lemon zest

2 ts. of pure vanilla

*buttermilk mixture*
3/4 cup of non-dairy milk (I use So Delicious coconut milk)
1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice

*date mixture*
1 cup of dates
1 cup of boiling water

1 1/2 cups of mixed fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries and blackberries

Grind the buckwheat flour out of buckwheat groats and then mix the rest of the dry ingredients with flour and whisk together well. Then add the wet starting with the milk mixture (put milk and lemon juice in separate bowl and let sit for 5-10 minutes). Then add the date mixture (boiling water and dates soaked for 10 minutes and then blended in blender or magic bullet). Then add the warmed coconut oil and the rest of the wet stuff. Grease three 9 inch pans with coconut oil and then put about a heaping 1 cup of the batter in each pan. Spread thin over the whole pan and then press about 1/2 cup of the mixed berries over each cake and press into the batter with a rubber spatula. Then put the 3 cake pans in a preheated 350 degree oven (on the same shelf if possible because they will bake the same). Bake for 30 minutes and then pull from the oven and let cool for 1-2 hours before layering with the raspberry cream frosting. 

Raspberry Cream Frosting Recipe

1/2 cup of room temperature organic coconut oil

1/3 cup of organic spectrum palm oil shortening

1/3 cup raw local honey (or agave or maple syrup could sub)

1-2 ts. of raspberry juice and puree 

Whisk all together in a small bowl with a rubber spatula. Whisk till smooth and then top the cooled cakes. Start with the first layer by placing one of the cakes on a cake plate, spread 1/3 cup of the frosting over the top of the cake. Place the second cake on top. I chose to place the barry side of the cake on the top each layer so I basically just stacked all of the cakes on top of each other. Then repeat with the second cake and place the third cake on top. I saved the prettiest cake for the top. You can either decorate the top with a little of the frosting or you can leave open without frosting because the berries are pretty as well. I used a Wilton star point size 32 to make these little stars on top of the cake.  I wanted to use raw local honey in this recipe, but you can easily use agave or maple syrup too. They all have a distinct flavor, so just be aware of how that will affect the frosting. If you are a strict vegan- stay away from honey. I personally have been in love with raw honey lately and loved it on top of this berry and lemon cake as just perfect!

I made a berry cake this year because it is one that I have been dreaming about for months. I have dabbled in experimenting, but I came back to this simple recipe with lots of sweet lovin' from the berries and the cute pink raspberry frosting. I love this cake! It's perfect and adorable in every way. 

Super moist and sweet from the dates. And the honey based frosting is the perfect touch! The cake is gluten and dairy free, but because of the honey it is not purely vegan. I am not a strict vegan and enjoy local raw honey when I can, especially in spring to combat local seasonal allergies. For me, this cake celebrates life's sweetness. And, I don't need to tell you that it is actually very healthy too :) Almost like eating pancakes or a bowl of fruity porridge. But I didn't say that. You would never know :)

And a slice of cake to celebrate a great year and another year to come. 

I love cake and this this ones just for me.  

I hope you find ways to celebrate your own life and continue to be brave with your life. 

Step outside your box, and dream big. Don't loose heart, friend. 

Much love and light to you today