Banana Oat Flax Muffins

This is one of those recipes that is a staple in my kitchen. If there was one thing I learned quickly when I first went gluten-free, it was to not give up on baking from scratch. Even if this meant I had to buy a bunch of new flours to work with and many other tricks to learn along the way. And, after almost 6 years of eating this way I still value a home baked gluten-free goodie more than any mix on the market. If you make it right, it cannot be beat. And you may just surprise yourself at being an amazing baker along the way. 

And when you find a recipe that you and your family love, it becomes the stand-in. The classic fall-back-on. It will be the one you make when you need a last minute treat for that trip, party or packed picnic or lunch sack. This recipe is that for me. It involves ingredients that I always have in my kitchen and full of protein, nutrition and whole grains of course. Yes, I may sometimes show-off my baking skills with cupcakes, cakes or whatever other crazy idea comes in my head....but at the end of the day I am just like you...trying to make healthy gluten-free baked alternatives for my family. 

Some thoughts or advice I have for those starting on the gluten-free baking journey...

1. Don't give up if you have a baking flop! Even after 1, 2, or more than 3 times. Try, try again!

2. Be brave. Don't be afraid to buy, try and eat new ingredients. You may just be surprised with what you find.

3. Start simple...start with a recipe you know you and your family will like...and keep those favorite recipes close by for further use.

4. Bake lots and then freeze and store the extras for last minute breakfasts and in the meantime saving time and money as well!

Banana Oat Flax Muffin Recipe
(gluten, dairy, egg, soy, nut and sugar-free)

1 1/4 cup of freshly ground buckwheat flour ( 1 cup of groats ground)
1 cup of freshly ground gluten-free oat flour ( 1 cup of oats ground)
1/2 cup of gluten-free rolled oats
1/3 cup of flax meal (ground flax seeds)
1 1/2 ts. of baking powder
1 ts. of baking soda
1/2 ts. of sea salt
1 ts. of ground cinnamon
dash-1/2 ts. of ground nutmeg, cloves and ginger
1 heaping cup of mashed ripened bananas (about 3 large ripe bananas)
1/4 cup of apple butter (or homemade apple sauce)
1/2 cup of baking oil (soft coconut or light olive oil)
1/3 cup of non-dairy milk (So Delicious coconut milk is my favorite)
juice from 1 lemon (about 2 TB's of juice)
1/3- 1/2 cup of local honey, maple syrup or agave nectar
optional additions: handful of raisins, craisins, blueberries, chocolate chips, or any other favorites.

First, grind your buckwheat groats and gluten-free rolled oats separately in a food processor or high powered blender. Make just over 1 cup of flours of each and then pour into a large mixing bowl. Then add in the rest of the dry ingredients and whisk well together. Then add the wet ingredients and mix well and let the batter sit for 5 minutes to soak up the moisture. Then use a 1/3 cup measuring cup and pour the batter into muffin tins or a greased muffin pan. This recipe will make 9 large muffins, or 12 medium to small muffins.

I kept this recipe simple today and just topped the unbaked muffins with a sprinkle of gluten-free rolled oats for baking. Then bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-22 minutes, until golden brown and no gooey middles.

This muffin is perfectly moist, fluffy, chewy and hearty as well. It is a perfect healthy whole grain gluten-free treat made without gums, starches, or any extras. It is very basic and simple and it will surprise you on how great it is every time it pops from the oven. I have made this recipe over a dozen times and I am always impressed with it's simplicity and great results. I thought it was about time I shared one of my kitchen's favorites with yours! ENJOY!

Hope you are well and getting into the swing of the new fall season.

Much love and light to you today!

Garden Fresh Lentil Chili

I'll be honest. I'm not a big fan of the month of September. If it wasn't for my husband's birthday landing in this month I would boycott the 30 days all together. But alas, I'm just being childish and need to get my act together. September is here whether I fight it or not!

So here we are. Going into the 2nd week of September and I am trying to be brave and make it through to October. I have been asking myself why I dislike this month for a few years now, and I think I figured out maybe a few reasons this past week. 

One reason being that it is a month of starting back at school, routines, and the "normal" week. I love and savor the summer weeks of no where to be and yet plenty of places to explore. {Yes, I still live within the school-world-schedule because of my husband's job and love a summer holiday.} 

So when September shows her face I am usually willing to ignore it for a few days and then have to except it as real. Yes, September usually is a month of beginnings as well, and that is definitely something to celebrate, so I guess there is good and excitement amidst the flurry. But there is definitely a call for bravery in the discovery in how to live in that tension of the old and the new.

This month also reveals other frustrating visual tensions. Like the tension between hot summer weather and the cooler fall tempts. It has been raining on and off here the past few days and the cool brisk fall air has arrived (for a few days at least!). It seems as if summer is having her last fight and eventually gives into the cool fall breeze making itself known. I am looking forward to the cool tempts. Actually praying and dreaming for them, but the on and off hot switch leaves me a bit crazy. I rather pull of the band-aid with a rip and have us fully into cool and colorful October already!

I guess I'm discovering that I am the kind of person that doesn't do well with tension. For better or worse, this is just the kind of person I am. The healing journey will bring you to many places in the road where you start to learn more and more about yourself. More of what you can handle and more of how you need to push yourself to be something more (or less) depending on the truth you are finding in yourself. You have to be willing to live in the tension of letting go of the old and embracing the new.

This is a part of this gluten-free journey as well. Many of us have bad days with our health, diet or gluten. It's how we are wired. We are sensitive inside and out and this will show us new experiences and we have to learn how to be brave, cope and learn from the old and the new. We have to learn how to live in the tension of our gluten-free being in a gluten-filled world. We have to try and be flexible when we feel the need to live in a rigid world most of the time. Don't let bitterness, pain and frustration keep you stuck in the old. Embrace, explore and strive to discover the new. You might just find that the new can be better than you ever imagined. 

My hope for you is that you find yourself on the healing journey working through the tensions. So that you can live, celebrate and thrive actually living in the tension.  Not wishing for the life before or the life ahead. That you live fully present and live discovering more about yourself in this great amazing world.  

And that is where this lovely vegetable chili becomes a part of my September wailings. It represents the bounty still coming from my garden's womb and also the need to cook a pot of warming and inviting chili for comfort. It is a representation of hope for the fall, and a way to cope with the endings and beginnings of this time of year. 

Also, almost all of the veggies in this chili are from my own backyard and was a great use of the tons of green bell peppers I have in every corner of my kitchen counter. Which is something I needed to embrace and celebrate as well!

Garden Fresh Lentil Chili Recipe

(gluten, dairy, nut, and meat-free {vegan})

2-3 TB of olive or coconut oil for sauteing

1 large sweet yellow onion diced

1 ts. of grated fresh ginger

3-4 large garlic cloves, minced or grated

1 large cup of chopped celery (3 stalks)

1 medium-large chopped zucchini or summer squash

3 large bell peppers (or 6 small sweet peppers)

1 large cup of chopped carrots (3-4 carrots)

6 cups of roasted fresh tomatoes and juices (8-10 medium tomatoes)

2 medium roasted ancho or pablano peppers

4 cups of vegetable stock or broth

4 cups of pure water

2 cups of soaked and rinsed dry green lentils

2 cups of cooked chili bean mix  (black, kidney and pinto) 

or use 1 can of black beans and another can of bean of choice

handful of fresh chopped cilantro (or 1 TB of dried)

2 TB of chili powder

1 TB of ground cumin

1 ts. of ground cinnamon

sea salt and black pepper to taste

First, roast 8-10 medium to large tomatoes and 2 ancho peppers in the oven on 400 degrees or under a broiler for 10-15 minutes until the tomatoes and peppers skins shrink down or are a bit charred. Cool off and remove skins from the tomatoes and put the tomatoes in a blender if you prefer a smoother sauce. Then chop the peppers with or without the seeds to add the the chili. If you like spicier, keep the seeds in. Hold on the side until you are ready to mix together.

In a large 8.5-12 quart pot, saute the onion, garlic, ginger and celery in the oil for 5 minutes or until soft. Then add the peppers, zucchini and carrots and cook for another few minutes until color changes a bit. Then add the tomatoes (puree or roughly chopped) and the anchos. Stir well and then add the rinsed lentils, beans, broth and water. Stir well again and then add the rest of the seasoning ingredients. 

Cook on medium to high heat until a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer and let cook for 50-60 minutes until the lentils are soft but not too mushy and the sauce is cooked and blended well together. 

Serve warm. Some options to serve up a nice bowl of this chili are over a bed of cooked quinoa or brown rice. Top with chopped avocado and fresh cilantro or herbs. Or if you prefer extras like organic corn chips, vegan sour cream or cheese those go well with this too. My favorites are cold avocado and fresh herbs. Also a fresh squeeze of some lime or lemon juice is always a nice last touch as well!

Some other additional ingredients that I did not have on hand or in my garden would be to add 1 cob of organic sweet corn kernels. Or sub the zucchini for 1-2 cups of small diced pieces of a winter squash like butternut. I will add that next time when I buy some at the market. Otherwise the zucchini or summer squash work perfect too.

I hope you enjoy this hearty bowl of delisiousness and find comfort, peace and hope for the journey today!

Much love as always!

Date Sweetened Zucchini Fudge Cake

Yes, you read that right....zucchini fudge cake. Sweetened not with sugar, but with dates to boot!

I was surprised to pick yet another zucchini from the garden yesterday. It was gorgeous as ever and it looks like we will be getting another few before you know it. I guess the cooler tempts the past few weeks have kept the plant alive instead of drying up. I am surprised it's still giving us zucchini. I think we must have gotten over a dozen from this one plant alone. It must be getting tired. And to be honest, I'm looking forward to fall and harder shelled squash like buttercup, butternut and pumpkins, oh my! But, let's not get ahead of ourselves, and may we savor one of the last few zucchini and a long 4 day weekend with CAKE!

But, I do love getting a new zucchini. I get all excited when I see it starting to grow on the plant's base. I just can't wait to use it! Either in a dinner dish or yes a lovely baked good. I have been hoping to make another great zucchini chocolate cake this year, and what better way to finish up some summer squash with a chocolate cake. I was excited to discover that zucchini goes so well with dates and together they make the cake moist, chewy and stick together perfectly. I added a few more tablespoons of maple syrup to sweeten it a touch more, but you do not have to if you are trying to stick to just fruits for sweets.

Date Sweetened Zucchini Fudge Cake Recipe
(gluten, dairy, egg, nut and refined sugar-free)
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/3 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup of millet flour
1/2 cup of tapioca flour
1 ts. of baking powder
1 ts. of baking soda
1/2 ts. of sea salt
1/2 ts. of ground cinnamon
2 Tb of ground flax meal
1 heaping cup of pitted dates
1 cup of boiling water
2-3 ounces of dark chocolate bar (72% cacao or higher)
1 1/2 cup of freshly grated zucchini
3 TB of softened coconut oil (or light olive oil)
1 ts. of pure vanilla

optional:
3 TB of pure maple syrup (or honey, or agave)
1/4 cup of allergen-free chocolate chips sprinkled on top

First of all, boil 1 cup of water to pour over a heaping cup of chopped pitted dates. Let the dates, boiling water and the broken dark chocolate bar soak for at least 10 minutes, or you can until it is cooled. Then pour the date, water chocolate mixture into a magic bullet or high powered blender and whip up until creamy and thick. This mixture should look almost like a chocolate pudding mixture.

Then, blend the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add the wet and the date mixture. Mix well and pour into a oiled 9x9 Pyrex pan for a thick and chewy cake. It would also work to pour into a 9x13 pan to be a thinner cake, or more like brownies. If you like, sprinkle some allergen-free chocolate chips on top of cake before baking.

Bake the cake in a 9x9 pan for 50-55 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven, or the 9x13 pan for 40-45 minutes. Make sure to bake until the middle it baked and doesn't come up gooey with a tooth pic. 

Let cool for 30 minutes before cutting and serving. This cake will serve between 9-12 people. Serve just is, or with your favorite vegan ice cream. But to be honest, it is pretty wonderful on it's own. It is a perfect treat for an end of summer celebration. ENJOY!

Well friends, I hope you have some relaxing Labor Day weekend plans. I am excited to spend time with my family and soak up every last bit of summer before schedules, routines and cooler air set in.

Here is a link to some of my other favorite Labor Day weekend recipe ideas. 

Much love as always to you and yours!

Garden Fresh Sesame Noodles

I'm finally back with a great recipe for this time of year... I have made this dish half a dozen times in the last month and it is because it is so easy and fresh and a great use for all the fresh veggies you are gathering from your backyard garden or farmer's markets. Besides this dish being quick, it has become one of my husband's favorites and a sneaky way to get the whole family to eat a nice variety of veggies.

In the late summer, it is nice to have a go-to dish that you can gather most of the ingredients in the back yard or from a local garden stand. Last week I was running around most of the day making stops at stores and even a quick trip to a park for my son to let out some energy. And, then before you know it is 5:15pm and my husband calls to say he's on his way home from work. Ah! How did it get to 5 already?! And, the question of the hour..."what to make for dinner???" It would have to be something that will not cause more stress to a busy day. And that is exactly where this dish comes into action. It is easy to find a few things to chop up from the garden, throw in some wonderful Asian flair and comforting brown rice pasta and viola, dinner in 30 minutes or less!

I am not the first to say that this year's garden was a bit of a disappointment with all the weird weather conditions, lack of rain and excess bugs. The soil just seems tired this year. But regardless, there still has been a bounty, even if there is not an overflow to freeze or can. In some ways, you can't feel guilty for not canning peaches and tomatoes this year because in many places (especially here in Michigan) the weather circumstances have made it difficult. My beans have been producing a ton in the past few weeks, and I couldn't be happier because they are one of my fav's fresh from the vine. Plus, one of my zucchini plants has been a trooper and has produced well over a dozen zucchini and I am thinking we still may get a few more before the season is done. Peppers are just about to pop, I have been having an occasional one here and there, but by next week I think I will have them coming out my ears. I guess that will be one I can freeze for later soups, chilli's and stews this winter. After talking with other gardening friends, it is easy to see that this season hasn't been the greatest, but we are still finding joys and lessons from the earth this year regardless. And this dish will have you sharing in the harvest with it's vegetable variety. All of the veggies and herbs came from my back yard minus the garlic, onion, ginger and carrots. Next year I think I will try and plant those (maybe not ginger though-wrong climate) just to see if I can make this one pretty much from backyard to table. So good!

Fresh Garden Sesame Noodles Recipe 
(gluten, dairy, nut and sugar-free)

1 package of 16 ounce brown rice pasta (I use Tinyada's spirals fusilli, or spaghetti)

3-4 cloves of finely minced garlic
1 TB of finely minced ginger root
2-3 TB of olive oil
1 TB of toasted sesame oil

1 cup (2-3 stalks) of sliced celery
1 medium zucchini sliced and halved
1 large chopped bell pepper (or 2-3 smaller sweet red peppers)
1 heaping cup of finely sliced green beans
2 cups of shredded carrots
large handful of finely chopped fresh basil
large handful of finely chopped fresh cilantro

2-3 TB of wheat-free low-sodium tamari sauce
1-2 TB of rice vinegar
1 ts. of ume plum vinegar
2 TB sesame seed butter (tahini)
2 TB of natural sunflower seed butter
1/3-1/2 cup of water or vegetable broth to thin the sauce
dash of sea salt
dash of black pepper
dash of cayenne powder

First, if you want to chop all of your washed veggies that might be the best way to assemble. Cut zucchini into chucks or half circles, slice the green beans into almost pea sized pieces and roughly chop the bell pepper. I like my celery chopped big and thick as well, but you can chop it thin and make it unseen as well. Then grate 2-3 large carrots to get about 2 cups of shredded carrots, and finely chop a handful of cilantro and basil as well. Grate or mine your ginger root and garlic and then you are ready to start the cooking. Boil a large pot of water for your 16 ounces of pasta and when the pasta starts cooking you can start sauteing your veggies.

Start with pouring the olive and sesame oil in a large saute pan or wok. Then toss in the garlic and ginger first and let saute for at least 2 minutes alone on medium heat, then throw in the celery and peppers, cook down for a minutes and then add the green beans and zucchini. There is really no order to the veggies- just make sure you try and let a few cook down before adding the rest so that they are not all trying to cook at the same time. Cook for another 2-4 minutes until all of the veggies are getting soft and translucent. Then add the tamari sauce and the rest of the liquid ingredients. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Even though there is a lot of sodium in the tamari and vinegar, you still want a touch of the sea salt to bring out the flavors as well. Then lastly add the carrots and herbs and turn down the heat, Let simmer and bubble and make sure to also watch the bottom of the pan to not have any burning. Stir consistently with a nice large spoon or spatula.

Then about this time the noodles should be al dente (about 10-12 minutes of boiling). Then drain the noodles and pour the al dente noodles into the vegetable sauce. Stir well and let sit off of heat for 5-10 minutes for the noodles to soak up the sauce. Then you are ready to serve hot and fresh. Serve with a topping of more fresh herbs or some fresh grated carrot. It looks more pretty that way, but to be honest it is so yummy you will not care too much how it looks and will be thinking about seconds before you finish firsts. 

This dish has everything you want in a late summer meal. It's creamy, tangy, fresh and crunchy, savory and sweet, and not to mention super budget friendly as well. You can add some added protein with some grilled chicken, salmon or keep it vegan with some tossed garbanzo beans or other favorite legume. It is nut-free and you wouldn't know it. It is perfect for the peanut lover that cannot have nuts anymore. And, really, the bottom line is that it's addicting. 

This recipe will serve between 6-8 people, and can be easily stored for leftovers or even a cold pasta salad. I have done both of those options over the past month and it still tastes great!

I hope you are finding yummy recipes to make with all your garden and farmer's market goodies. 

Much love as always!

Stephanie