Gluten Free, Sugar Free, & Sugar Free Buckwheat Pancakes

These are a delicious alternative to the white flour, sugar laden everyday pancakes. It only takes minutes and is extremely satisfying.These are safe if you suffer from Candida or Gluten intolerance. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 Cup of Organic Buckhwheat Flour
1 Beaten Egg
1 tsp of Sea Salt
1/2 tsp of Vanilla
2 Tbl of Canola Oil
1 Tsp or Tblsp of Cinnamon
1/2-1 Cup of Plain Rice Milk
1 small packet (1 tsp) of Stevia powder

Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a griddle under medium to high flame. Mix all other ingredients, including the extra tablespoon of canola oil.  Add more of less rice milk depending on how you like your pancakes. Pour batter by spoonful into the heated griddle. Wait until top side bubbles and flip the pancake. Serve with berries or use some agave nectar on the side. Makes 4-6 pancakes.

Pea Soup

I love pea soup. This recipe is simple and tasty. Enjoy

1 pound and 3 cups of fresh or frozen peas
1 leek, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
5 cups of vegetable stock
2 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
2 Ounces of fresh spinach, shredded
1/3 cup of green cabbage finely shredded
1/2 small head of lettuce, finely shredded
1 Celery stick, finely chopped
a large handful of parsley, coarsely chopped
4 Teaspoons of fresh mint, chopped
1 Tablespoon of Herbs de Province
Sea salt & Pepper to taste

Put peas, leek,and garlic in a large pan. Add the stock, bring to simmer for 20 minutes. Transfer to a blender, Vitamix, or food processor and process until smooth. About minutes before the pea mixture is ready, heat the oil in a deep pan. Add the spinach, cabbage, lettuce, celery and herbs. Cover and sweat the mixture until soft. Add the pea mixture to the vegetables and herbs. Heat through. Season with Herbs de Province, sea salt and pepper. Serve hot.

I Love This Gadget!!!

I think I have found the best invention since sliced gluten-free bread! It is an expandable sink strainer! If you juice, make smoothies, eat salads or just love your fruits & vegetable this is for you. It fits on any sink and it is nice and spacious. Other expandable strainers have been small. You can give your produce a shower after you spray it with your favorite veggie wash.

I bought it at Shaw's in the baking aisle. Click here to buy it online. I paid $12.99. Online it is $14.00 plus shipping. You can do a search. The company is Bradshaw International, Inc. The line is called "good cook".

Staying healthy takes work. If I can find things that are priced reasonably and make the whole experience more pleasurable I will post them on my blog. If you have a gadget you can't live without let me know.

Be Well, Laura L

Real Organic Hot Chocolate

I was in the supermarket this morning with a few hundred other snow-loving people and I was stocking up on the neccessities. I thought I would pick up some hot chocolate. Snow seems to put me in a hot cocoa mood. Well, it had been awhile since I bought hot chocolate. I picked up the Swiss Miss and looked at the ingredients. Wow! I couldn't believe how it is so processed and artificial. All the brands are terrible. Here is my dairy free alternative to this dilema. I just made some and it is so yummy and easy. You can use organic cow's milk too.

1 Carton of soy, almond, hemp or rice milk

1/2-3/4 Cups of Organic chocolate

1/4 Cup of Agave Nectar

1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

Put all ingrediants in a saucepan and stir until chocolate is disolved. Do not let the hot chocolate boil. Cook for a few minutes and then serve! No artificial anything. And it warms the heart!!!

Gluten-Free Brushetta Pizza

I love pizza but it doesn't love me. I have had to make some adjustments and I am really satisfied with the outcome. Here is my version of pizza.

Ingredients

1 Medium onion, sliced in long strips

2-3 Bulbs of garlic, chopped fine

1 1/2 Tbsp and 1/2 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Package of Gluten Free Pizza Crust-found in the frozen food section of most health food stores. I got my package at Whole Foods. There are a few different kinds. A few brands have no gluten but have dairy. I prefer Vicolo. It that is made from corn meal. They use non-GMO (Genetically Modified) corn. It was delicious. This package has 2 crusts.

2 Large Tomatoes-chopped, drain excess liquid!

1/2 Bunch of broccoli florets (You can also use zucchini, eggplant and cauliflower. Use combinations!)

1/4 Cup fresh basil, chopped

1 Tblsp dried oregano

Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (or whatever the package of pizza crust suggests) Start by sauteing the onion and garlic in 1 1/2 Tbsp of the oil. Place two crusts on a broiler pan. Place the drained tomatoes on the bottom. Add you broccoli and other veggies. Top with the onion mixture. Scatter the basil on top. Sprinkle the seasonings and drizzle the remaining oil on the top of it all. Bake for about 15-20 depending on how crispy you like it. Serve with a tossed salad. Enjoy!

Optional Ingredients: Mushrooms and olives (not canned) are another great addition.

     

The pizza crust I like                                                                              

Onions and garlic sauteed in a separate pan.

Zucchini Potato Soup With Arugula Salad

I made this soup in my shiny new Vitamix. It was so easy however you can make this on the stovetop. Here is how.

Ingredients

2 cups of Vegetable Broth

1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice

1 Medium Zucchini, chopped

1/2 celery stalk, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 teaspoon of bell pepper, green

1 1/2 potatoes already baked. I used small Yukon Gold because they baked quickly

Salt & Pepper to taste

Put all ingredients except potatoes in a saucepan over medium flame. Cook until veggies get soft. Then add pre-baked potatoes for 5 minutes. Take off heat to puree. If you have a hand held immersion blender it works best. If not transfer in batches into a regular blender. Be careful it is hot. Pour back in sauce pan and heat for 5 more minutes. Salt & Pepper to taste. Serves 2-4

Arugula Salad

4 cups of Arugula in a pre-washed salad bag

1/2 of a red onion

1/2 cucumber sliced

Lemon Juice, Toasted Sesame Oil, and Gamasio to taste

Separate ingredients on 2-4 plates depending on your portions. Use Lemon Juice and Oil sparingly. Gamasio is a sea salt, seaweed mix. You will find it in the Asian section of a natural food store.

Gluten Free Apple Crumble

I just bought incredible organic Gala apples so I thought it would be a great time to share this recipe. This is one of my own concoctions. Feel free to expand on it. It is a delicious all natural dessert to have at any holiday party. Enjoy!

6 peeled & cored organic apples-your choice of what type but I love Gala.
1/2 Cup of Organic Raisins (optional)
1/2 Cup of Brown Rice Flour
1/2 Cup of Organic Quick cooking oats (for gluten free make sure package states it is gluten free)
1/2 Cup of Organic Butter or Ghee (clarified butter, truly my weakness) softened at room temperature
1 Tsp  + 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 Tsp each of nutmeg, ginger and cloves (optional)
3/4 Cup + 1/4 Cup of Agave Nectar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place peeled apples & raisins in a glass pie plate. Drizzle the 1/4 Cup of Agave Nectar and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon over and mix. In a separate bowl mix remaining ingredients. This is the crumble. Scatter the crumble mix over the apples and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm with a cup of ginger tea.