General Tao Sauce

My favourite food has to be Szechuan cuisine. Fried, sweet, spicy, salty... what's not to love??? Ok, so it's not that good for you... but it's soooooooooo delicious!

I have slightly modified a General Tao Sauce from Foodista.com and serve it on baked tofu nuggets that I usually have in my freezer. The sauce can also be used on veggies like broccoli, snow peas and eggplant.

I have tried a whole bunch of General Tao recipes over the years that were much more complicated and time consuming. This one tastes just as good and is super easy to prepare.

Ingredients

• Olive oil for frying
• 3 garlic gloves finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon chili sauce like sambal oelek or Sriracha (try to find a brand without preservatives)
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons gluten-free tamari
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/4-1/2 cup maple syrup (depending on how sweet you want it)
• 2 thinly sliced green onions for garnish
• 1/2 thinly sliced organic red pepper (optional)

Preparation

1. In a bowl, whisk the cornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons water, fresh ginger, garlic, sambal oelek and paprika. Set aside.
2. In a saucepan, bring 3 tablespoons of water and maple syrup to a boil. Turn heat down to low-medium and pour the prepared mixture into the saucepan. Stir and simmer until it becomes a syrupy consistency.
3. Cover your tofu (or veggies) with the sauce.

   Serve with rice/quinoa and garnish with sliced green onions.

 

Notes

Choose organic tofu/non-GMO. Red pepper is on the Dirty Dozen list so organic is better too.

 

Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing

I don't know where this recipe originates. I've had it scribbled on an index card for several years. What I do know is that I have made it several times and it's always fantastic. I highly recommend it on crunchy romaine lettuce leaves.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons dijon mustard
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons blanched, ground almonds
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons gluten-free tamari
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)

Instructions
Blend all of your ingredients in a food processor or high-powered blender.

Smoky Bean Quesadillas

In my opinion, beans need lots of stuff in them to make them taste good. This bean recipe from Veg Web passes the test. It doesn't take long to prepare and can easily be served as a main dish or as a side.

Ingredients

• 1 cup white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• few drops liquid smoke
• garlic powder, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pepper or cayenne pepper, to taste
• 4 gluten-free tortillas
• cilantro, to garnish

Instructions
 

1. Blend together the white beans and tomatoes until very smooth. Add nutritional yeast, liquid smoke, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Blend again until well combined and smooth.
2. Heat a dry nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Put a tortilla into skillet, and spread 1/2 the bean mixture on the tortilla, then top with another tortilla.
3. Cook over medium heat until crisp on one side, then flip and repeat on the other side.
4. Once it is cooked and the bean mixture is warm and gooey, remove from pan, slice into 6-8 wedges. Repeat with the other tortillas. Serve with cilantro and/or fresh salsa.

Notes:

• I'm a little suspicious of liquid smoke's "natural" flavour but I think a few drops on occasion is fine. If you aren't comfortable with it, you can always try to replace it with something else such vegan, gluten-free Worcestershire sauce, molasses or chipotle peppers.  
•  Look for beans packaged in cans that are BPA free like Eden Organic.
• If your tortillas are corn-based, I highly recommend using an organic brand to avoid GMOs.

 

Spicy Garlic Buffalo Wing Sauce (Vegan)

I love spicy wing sauce, I just don't like the wings.

Authentic wing sauce is made with butter so I tried a simple substitution: unsweetened organic applesauce. It worked! I put this on anything but it goes especially well with "breaded" tofu nuggets.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Frank's hot sauce
• 1 cup organic unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder (or more!)
• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (I like Organicville brand but not widely available in Canada)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon tapioca flour (mixed with a couple of tablespoons of hot water)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (gluten-free, vegan)
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper for extra heat

Directions

Mix hot sauce, applesauce, olive oil in a saucepan on low-medium heat. Add garlic power and stir for at least 2 minutes. Turn up to medium heat and add Sriracha, honey and Worcestershire sauce and stir occasionally for a few more minutes. Add the tapioca flour (mixed with hot water) for another 2 minutes to thicken.

Red Thai Curry Peanut Sauce

This thai peanut sauce from Kalyn's Kitchen is meant for chicken but I've made it with gluten-free pasta, sliced red pepper and onions. I've also added tofu. It's excellent.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
• 1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter (without added sugar) at room temperature
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons gluten-free tamari

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup 
• 2-3 tsp. red Thai Curry Paste (I like Thai Kitchen brand)
• 3 tablespoons veggie stock
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro (or more), plus more for garnish if desired
• Dried red chilis or garlic-chili paste, to taste (I like Organicville Sriracha since many other brands have preservatives. I can't seem to find this anywhere in Canada though).

 

Instructions

1. Finely mince the ginger and garlic. In food processor, combine ginger, garlic, peanut butter, rice vinegar, tamari, maple syrup, curry paste, and veggie stock. Add chilis (optional)

2. Heat the oil on low in a large pan. Add 1 cup coconut milk. Stir in peanut/curry/ginger paste mixture and heat through, about 2-3 minutes. Add more spice, if needed.

3. Turn off heat and mix in chopped cilantro.

 

Gwyneth Paltrow's Oatmeal Cookies (gluten-free)

I had heard good things about Gwyneth Paltrow's first cookbook. There are many great recipes in it including her oatmeal raisin cookies. She uses spelt flour, raisins and brown rice syrup which are ingredients I generally don't have on hand. The following recipe is my gluten-free version. Everyone loves them!

Ingredients

• ½ cup organic dried cherries (instead of raisins)
• ¾ cup walnuts, toasted
• 1 cup whole rolled oats (not instant and not steel-cut), divided. Make sure they are gluten-free.
• ½ cup sorghum flour
• ¾ cup gluten-free flour mix (my fave local brand is Cuisine Soleil)
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda (you can use a little less)
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ⅓ cup coconut oil
• 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I prefer organic, alcohol-free)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a small pan (without oil), toast the walnuts until they are golden brown. Stir constantly so that they don't burn. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. Place the cherries in a small bowl and cover with warm water. Let them soak while you work on other stuff.
4. Finely grind the toasted walnuts and ½ cup of the oats in a food processor. In a large bowl, combine this mixture with the remaining dry ingredients.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the wet ingredients and add to the dry-ingredients bowl. Mix it all together. 
6. Drain the cherries and fold them into the batter.
7. Drop the mixture using a tablespoon onto the baking sheets.
8. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until lightly golden.
9. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Makes about 18 cookies.
 

Notes

While delicious, the cookies are a bit crumbly. Use a bit of xantham gum to see if that holds the gluten-free flour a bit better. You can also try a bit of ripe banana too.

Simple Zucchini Pasta

I'll be honest. This is not the most exciting recipe but I've included it to demonstrate that there are some gluten-free "pasta" options that don't involve flour.

This is a very easy and versatile recipe.  You can add any vegetables, protein and spices to your zucchini pasta. Serve as a side or as your main dish.  

 

Ingredients

·         1-2 tablespoons olive oil

·         4 zucchini (shredded)

·         2 onions, chopped (or 1 large onion)

·         3 cloves garlic, chopped

·         1.5 cups mushrooms, chopped

·         1 teaspoon gluten-free tamari

·         1/2 teaspoon paprika

·         1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

·         Handful of chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions
 

1. Shred your zucchini with a julienne tool
2. Chop the onions and garlic
3. On low-medium heat, start sauteing onions and garlic in olive oil. Sauté  for a few minutes.
4. Chop the nuts and mushrooms, add them to the pan and increase to medium heat.
5. Add the zucchini until all vegetables are cooked. Add the nuts (optional)
6. Add tamari and paprika
7. Add the sesame oil as the last step

Faux Frappuccino

I love coffee- the taste, the smell, the caffeine kick. My husband doesn't appreciate the effects of caffeine, especially the heartburn.

I won't lie. I haven't embraced coffee substitutes until now. I've been experimenting with a chicory-based coffee substitute to make yummy faux frappuccinos. Even coffee drinkers will find this recipe delicious!

Some coffee substitutes have wheat in them. If you are gluten-free, make sure you check the labels.

Ingredients

• 2.5 tablespoons chicory coffee substitute (e.g., Caf-lib)
• 1 tablespoon carob powder
• 2-3 tablespoons hot water
• 1 frozen banana
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (I prefer organic, alcohol-free)
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon raw maca powder (optional)
• 1 cup almond milk (almond-coconut milk)
• 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses (sweetener, extra iron)
• 5 ice cubes

Instructions

1. First, dissolve the coffee substitute and carob powder with the hot water.
2. Mix all the ingredients in a high-powered blender, except for the ice cubes.
3. Add the ice cubes and blend

Drink immediately!

"Cheesy" Kale Chips (dehydrator)

I don't know how much they are now but a few years ago, cheesy kale chips were selling in a health food store for more than $13. Ouch. I was determined to make my own. There are tons of recipes online, but this one from Fresh Network was my initial inspiration. You can also add ingredients such as fresh cilantro, garlic, miso, sundried tomatoes or sesame seeds. They always come out tasting great.

I have since discovered that you can make crispy baked kale chips in the oven. The oven is faster but dehydrating veggies does a better job at preserving the nutrients.

Ingredients

• 200g organic kale (Spinach and lettuce are on the Dirty Dozen list).
• 3/4 cup of raw cashews
• 1 large red bell pepper (organic, it's on the Dirty Dozen List)
• Juice of one lemon
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast (at least!) 
• 1 teaspoon of red chili peppers (chipotle peppers work well too)
• Himalayan crystal salt or Celtic sea salt to taste

Instructions

1. Chop the red pepper into small pieces and add to a blender or food processor with the lemon juice. Blend until smooth.
2. Add the cashews, red chili and salt and again blend until smooth.
3. Add the nutritional yeast and blend again. Doing it in stages like this helps you to get the smooth consistency you need without over-heating it. The consistency reminds me of hummus.
4. Remove the stems on the kale and cut into smaller pieces. Put the kale in a large bowl then pour the blended mixture over it and massage it in until all the leaves are coated.
5. Place kale pieces on dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 110 degrees. It should take about 6-8 hours. If they aren't ready, just leave them in until they are!

Aji (Colombian salsa)

I love fresh salsa and pico de gallo. Thanks to Ana for this tangy, Colombian twist! I haven't tried it yet, but chopped mango would be really good in there too.

Ingredients

• 2 large tomatoes
• 1/2 medium onion
• 2 green onions
• 2 handfuls of cilantro
• 1/4 cup of vinegar
• 3/4 cup of water
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• salt to taste
• dried chilis or chipotle peppers, to taste  

Directions

1. Dice the tomatoes 
2. Finely chop the onions and cilantro
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and let sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.

Vegan Gravy with Peppercorns (Gluten-free)

This gravy recipe is thick and delicious. I like it on baked, wedged potatoes. It makes a superb gourmet poutine, if you can eat real cheese or have found a vegan cheese that is edible. I'm sure it would be awesome on top of your favourite meat substitute like tofu steaks, too. 

It wasn't a gluten-free recipe but it works well with a gluten-free flour mix. I added the peppercorns for extra kick but leave them out if you prefer a more neutral gravy. This is far from a low-fat recipe but in its defense, it makes a very large batch!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3-6 cloves of garlic, squashed and minced very well
• 2-3 slices of yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup gluten-free flour mix 
• 4 teaspoons nutritional yeast
• 4 tablespoons gluten-free tamari 
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon sage
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 TB black peppercorns (soaked in water for half an hour to soften)
• extra tapioca flour, if you want to make it even thicker (optional)

Instructions

1. Measure the oil into a small saucepan. Cook the garlic and onion in it for about two minutes on medium or medium-low heat, until the onion is a bit tender and translucent.
2. Add the flour, yeast, and tamari to make a paste. Add the water gradually, stirring constantly. Bring the gravy to a boil on medium to medium-high heat, stirring constantly -- the gravy has to boil for it to thicken.
3. Drain the water from sokaing peppercorns and add them to the pot.
4. Stir in the sliced mushrooms, if desired. Add salt, pepper and sage.
5. If the gravy is too thin for your taste, add small amounts of tapioca flour or cornstarch to thicken it. Use a wire whisk to eliminate lumps.

Serve piping hot.

Gluten-free pizza crust

I love pizza. In fact, I love all combinations of bread and cheese.

I have bought every gluten-free pizza crust available in Montreal and haven't been too impressed (Spice Market is the exception but it's not always available).

I wanted to make my own crust but I've never made bread and was intimidated by yeast. So I tried making a simple almond flour crust this week. My mother-in-law, toddler and husband liked it- I wasn't convinced.  

A few days later, I tried this Gluten-Free Goddess recipe and LOVED it. I added some seasoning and made a few substitutions based on what I had in my kitchen.
 
Ingredients:

• 1 cup tapioca flour
• 1 cup sorghum flour
• 1 cup potato starch
• 1/2 cup white rice flour
• 1/2 cup gluten-free millet flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
• 1 and 1/4 cups warm water (between 110 - 115ºF)
• 1 pinch maple flakes (or other sugar for proofing the yeast)
• 1 packet (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1/4 cup beaten organic free-range egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• pinch of nutmeg

Instructions:

1. The recipe calls for TWO 12-inch pizza pans. (I only seemed to have enough for 1 medium-thick pizza crust). Grease them and dust lightly with gluten-free cornmeal or rice flour. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flours and dry ingredients.
3. Proof the yeast in 1 cup warm water with a pinch of maple flakes (or other sugar). I had no idea what proofing meant! Here is an explanation of proofing.
4. Add the proofed yeast and water to the dry ingredients. Add the oil, eggs and vinegar.
5. Beat the dough until smooth and sticky. Add the remaining 1/4 cup water if you need to. The pizza dough should be creamy smooth and not too thick- it's not sturdy like typical bread dough. It almost borders on batter.
6. Using a silicone spatula divide the dough in half. Scoop each half onto the center of a prepared pizza pan. Using clean, wet hands press down lightly and flatten the dough to create a thin, even pizza shell, with slightly raised edges. You'll have to rinse your hands more than once to do this. Take your time to smooth out the dough with wet palms.
7. Set the pizza shells to rest and rise a bit- about 15 minutes.
8. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
9. When the oven is hot, place the two pizza pans side by side on the center rack (if your oven is too small to accommodate both pans on one rack, you'll need to use two racks; rotate the pans half way through baking time to avoid overcooking on the lower rack).
10. Bake for ten minutes until golden brown (I accidentally left it in for 15 minutes and it was ok)
11. Remove from the oven. Preheat the broiler.
12. Brush the pizza shell with extra virgin olive oil. Season with sea salt and fresh garlic.
13. Sprinkle with Italian herbs.
14. Dress it up any way you like and heat it up for a few minutes on broil.

Ginger-Garlic Tofu

Most recipes require overnight marinating, which takes some planning. This simple recipe (brought to us by Ana) tastes great and is a family fave. It doesn't need to marinate long and is always delicious.  

Serve it on quinoa to soak up the extra sauce.

Ingredients

1 block of organic tofu
1 small onion
3 cloves of freshly chopped garlic
2 TB freshly grated ginger
3 TB gluten-free tamari
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 TB olive oil

Directions

1. Cut the tofu into 1/2  to 1/4 inch slices.
2. Combine the rest of the ingredients and marinate the tofu for about 1/2 an hour.
3. Remove the tofu from the marinade. Scrape off the onions and garlic as best as possible. On medium heat, lightly brown the tofu in a cast iron pan. 3-4 minutes on each side should do the trick. 
4. Pour the marinade on the tofu and serve.

Orange Creamsicle (Vegan)

Remember how good orange creamsicles tasted in the summer as a kid?  This classic treat contains items such as high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup (again!), propylene glycol monoesters, liquid sugar, polysorbate 80, 3 different "gums" and a whole bunch of other hard-to-pronounce ingredients. You can make your own scrumptious, refreshing, raw version in under 10 minutes.

The original recipe from About.com is perfect as is.

Yield: 4 to 8 Popsicles

Ingredients:

• 1 banana
• 1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed organic orange juice (about 6 oranges)
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 2 tablespoons cashew nut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

Blend all your ingredients in a blender and pour the mixture into popsicle trays. I prefer to use a stainless steel popsicle mold. Freeze for 3 to 4 hours or until the pop is frozen solid.

Vegan Pine Nut Rolled Lasagna

Last summer, I was looking for an eggplant recipe so I could use up a few from my garden. I don't love eggplant so I was pleasantly surprised to find how absolutely delicious this recipe turned out. The pine nut paste is so rich and creamy that I didn't miss the cheese.

The recipe is also very versatile because you can use any vegetables you want and even switch up the expensive pine nuts for almonds. The individual rolls are beautiful for serving guests (I put them in onion soup bowls instead of ramekins) but you can simplfy things by doubling the recipe and using a large baking dish. It freezes well.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 8 Gluten-free lasagna noodles (I use Tinkyada)
• 1 Eggplant
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• 2+ Cups Marinara Sauce (your favourite)
• 1/2 - 1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs

Pine Nut Spread

• 1 Cup Pine Nuts
• 1 Tbs Water
• 1/3 Cup of Sun Dried Tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp White Wine Vinegar, or lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dried Italian Herbs
• 1/4 – 1/2 tsp Salt

Variation Ideas:

• Add 1 Cup of sauteed spinach or mushrooms
• Add 1 sauteed onion

Instructions

1. Prepare your noodles as directed. Drain and lay out the noodles on a cookie sheet, greasing it with olive oil so that they do not stick. Set aside.
2. Peel eggplant.  The easiest way to do this is to cut off both ends and use the edge provided to get your vegetable peeler started.
3. Place the eggplant upright on the cutting board. Slice the eggplant in long, thin vertical slices. Then slice each of these in half again, also vertically. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. In a large skillet, begin browning the eggplant strips in olive oil, 2-3 Tbs a batch (or more). When strips are very tender and nicely browned on both sides, set aside.
5. In the hot skillet you cooked the eggplant in, add the pine nuts. Toast the pine nuts over medium-low heat until golden brown, being careful not to burn.
6. Add the pine nuts to your food processor. Grind the nuts as well as you can, then add the remaining ingredients for the pine nut spread. Process until well combined.
7. Preheat oven to 400º F.

Assembly (I recommend you check out the pictures in the original recipe)

1. Spread a little pine nut spread on top of each noodle. You don’t need a lot, it’s very rich! Add eggplant strips, as well as any other filling.
2. Roll up each noodle and place in your baking dish(es) seam-side down. Cover generously with sauce.
3. Top with gluten-free breadcrumbs and bake for 20-25 minutes. Since everything is already cooked, they just need to heat up and slightly brown. If you’re baking them in individual dishes, place all the dishes on a baking sheet for easier removal from the oven. 

Gingerbread Smoothie

I was in a bit of a smoothie funk and looking for ideas. This recipe from TastyYummies caught my attention and was as delicious as it sounded! I didn't change a thing.
 

serves 1

Ingredients

• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup unsweetened organic vanilla almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 1 tablespoon unsulphured blackstrap molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon flax-seed meal (or ground chia seeds)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (grated fresh ginger would be extra nice)
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves
• dash of all spice
• 1 small handful of ice

*additional sweetener, if needed

Add all of the ingredients to the blender and process until smooth and creamy. Pour into your glass, top with a little freshly grated nutmeg (or regular ol ground nutmeg will work too). Serve immediately.

5 Ingredient Vegan Rice Crispy Treats

These rice crispy treats are delicious, only take a few minutes to make and are much healthier than the rice crispy treats I used to love as a kid. What I didn't know then, was that the marshmallows were made from gelatin. Yuck!

As a sweetener, the original recipe calls for brown rice syrup. I've never had the occasion to use it in a recipe before. Ever since I read the news about brown rice syrup containing high levels of arsenic, I haven't been very enthusiastic about trying it. I'm sure it's ok in small amounts but I found alternatives that worked well - blackstrap molasses and honey. It also calls for sunflower seed butter. I've used organic almond butter, tahini and peanut butter. They all worked well.

Ingredients

• 8 cups gluten-free brown rice cereal (use crispy rice, NOT puffed!)
• ¼ cup ground flax seed
• 1/2 cup organic blackstrap molasses
• 1/2 cup organic honey
• ⅔ cup tahini (most nut butters should work
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Lightly oil a 9×13 pan with whatever oil you have on hand. Coconut oil, safflower, sunflower, or vegan butter spread, would work well. Set aside.
2. Place brown rice cereal and ground flax seed in a large bowl. Stir to combine and set aside.
3. In a medium-sized sauce pan or frying pan, add molasses and honey, nut butter and vanilla extract. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until ingredients have liquefied, about 5 minutes.
4. Pour syrup over rice crisp mixture and stir to coat.
5. Once all crisps have been coated, drop the mixture into the prepared pan and even it out with a spatula, pressing down firmly.
6. Allow to sit for 1 hour in the refrigerator before cutting into squares.

 

Easy alternative:

If you want a smaller recipe and something even easier, heat 1/2 cup of peanut butter with 1/2 cup honey (I like to use mostly honey, 1 TB of blackstrap molasses and a bit of maple syrup to make 1/2 cup), tsp of vanilla and liquefy over medium heat. In a bowl, mix puffed rice with the hot mixture and press it into a pan. You can also make small balls while it's still warm and dip one side into melted chocolate chips.

Gluten-free Pancakes

My pancakes never come out looking like the original Glutenfree Goddess recipe but they taste great! I like to add chopped banana or blueberries and chopped walnuts.

PRINT RECIPE

Dry ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups gluten-free flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

Wet ingredients:

• 1 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
• 1/4 cup water (1/4 cup if needed, later)
• 2 organic free-range eggs, beaten
• 4 tablespoons organic coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

OPTIONAL

• 1 chopped banana
• Handful of crushed walnuts or pecans

Instructions

1. Heat pan on medium-high heat. Grease with olive oil.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add in the wet ingredients. Beat well to incorporate. Add optional ingredients, if you want. Your batter should be silky and smooth. Not too thick.
3. Using a ladle, pour a scoop of pancake batter on to the heated pan.
4. Cook about 2-3 minutes on both sides.

Serves 4

Need fat? Almond-coconut milk

My two-year old daughter is on the "petite" side. Physically and cognitively she is developing beautifully (ok, she's a genius!) so we haven't been particularly concerned about her weight. That being said, at every regularly-scheduled medical check up, the subject comes up. Long story short, we could continue to ignore the suggestion of extra weigh-ins and a blood workup or we could find a healthy way of putting on a few pounds. We headed to a holistic nutrition consultant.

My daughter is a FANTASTIC eater. She eats just about anything you put in front of her and most nights she could out-eat a teenage boy. Don't let her size fool you! Overall, the consultant was pleased with the quality and quantity of food my daughter was eating, and gave us a few suggestions for improvement.

The biggest change we made to her diet was replacing her 25 ounces of daily milk (half-goat, half almond milk) with an almond-coconut blend. This gave her the extra fat she needed and took care of her constipation issues (we removed all dairy products and it worked).

The ratio is 5:1 - almond milk to coconut milk (the creamy stuff that comes in a can). If you are not using homemade almond milk, I suggest you use unsweetened milk since the coconut milk is naturally sweet.

In a blender, mix your fresh almond milk (or store-bought) with the coconut milk. Transfer to mason jars and store in a refrigerator for a few days. I don't need the extra fat but love it in my coffee and morning smoothies!

Homemade almond milk

How many times have I heard that fresh almond milk is sooooooo much better than store-bought? I just discovered that it's true! It also takes less than 15 minutes to make and doesn't include weird ingredients. The best part is all the almond flour it produces that I can later use for baking.

Most recipes call for 1 cup soaked almonds and anywhere from two to four cups of water - it depends on how creamy you like it. Add ingredients like vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg or a pinch of salt to make it even better. If you like it sweet, try adding 4 medjool dates per batch. Have fun with it! Using a nut milk bag to strain the pulp is much easier than battling it out with a strainer or cheese cloth.

Here is a good description of how to make almond milk at home.

If you prefer a thicker, creamier, milk (without gums and thickeners), try heating it: http://www.oneingredientchef.com/thick-almond-milk/

"Chocolate is Tasty" morning shake

Ever since we bought a Vitamix 2 months ago, I've been making morning smoothies for the family. They are easy to make, everyone in this house loves them and they are healthy. 

I've been experimenting with all kinds of ingredients and decided to write it down this morning. My two-year old daughter came up with the name: "Chocolate is tasty". Little did she know, there was no chocolate in there!

Makes 2.5 cups

Ingredients

• 1 TB flax seeds
• 1 TB chia seeds
• 1 TB sunflower seeds
• 2 cups almond-coconut milk (or non-dairy milk of your choice)
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 3 TB of carob powder
• 2 TB peanut butter (any organic nut butter will do)
• 1/2 TB honey (optional)

Instructions

1. Grind the flax, chia and sunflower seeds on 7 until it becomes powdery. My daughter is a little sensitive to "chalky" smoothies so I need to make it as smooth as possible.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the honey and blend on high until it is all smooth.
3. Add honey or sweetener, as needed.

Notes:
This recipe was only tested in a Vitamix. I'm not sure you can get a smooth shake with these ingredients, in a blender or food processor.

It was just me and the toddler this morning which is why I only made 2.5 cups. It is also the reason why the shake is so thick - less mess for the little one! Add water or nut milk to thin in out.

"Chocolate" pudding

My daughter is on the "petite" side so I am always looking for ways to add healthy fats to her diet. I have been making "chocolate" pudding for a while, without using an actual recipe. This one most closely resembles what I do. Feel free to substitute the carob for cocoa powder if you prefer.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado
• 6 plump pitted Medjool dates, chopped and soaked if dry (add more or less to taste) 
• 3 Tbsp. carob powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 4 TB almond milk +
• honey or maple syrup (optional)
• 1 TB almond butter or other nut butter (optional)

Instructions

1. Place avocado, dates, carob powder, vanilla and almond milk in a food processor and process until smooth.
2. Slowly add more milk and continue in the food processor until you reach the desired consistency.
3. Add honey or maple syrup if it isn't sweet enough. If I'm feeling lazy, I skip the dates and use only maple syrup or honey. Sometimes I use a little blackstrap molasses for extra iron an add nut butter for variety and extra protein.
4. Eat right away or store in the refrigerator.

Vegan Mac n' Cheese

As a kid, my mother rarely made mac n' cheese because she made food from scratch every night. I begged for it so she made it as an occasional treat. As a university student, I ate more than my fair share of it and finally came to the sad realization that the orange stuff wasn't actually cheese! (Duh). 

Years later, my boyfriend made a gourmet mac n' cheese one evening when we were introducing our parents to each other. They were impressed and so was I! (I married him). The recipe that hooked us all doesn't get made in my house any more- gourmet cheeses, milk, flour, breadcrumbs... no wonder it was so good!

I've tried a few gluten and dairy-free recipes and haven't been all that impressed until I found this one:
http://detoxinista.com/2011/01/move-over-kraft/. 

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1½ cups raw cashews (soaked for at least 4 hours)
• 3 T. fresh lemon juice
• ¾ cup water
• 1½ tsp. sea salt
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• ½ tsp. chili powder
• ½ clove garlic
• pinch of turmeric
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp. mustard (dijon or yellow)

 

• 8 oz. of gluten free pasta of choice (I like local brand, Gogo Quinoa)
• freshly ground black pepper
• paprika, for garnish

optional add-ins: roasted broccoli, sauteed mushrooms, spinach, broccolini.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. If you are adding veggies to your dish, this would be a good time to start preparing them. Boil water to prepare your pasta. Rinse your cashews.
3. Using a Vitamix or high-powered blender, throw the first ten ingredients in and blend until smooth and creamy.
4. Once it’s cooked to your liking, drain and rinse the pasta, then return the pasta to the pot and mix in your "cheese sauce".
5. If you’re adding roasted or sauteed veggies, this would be the time mix them in.
6. Once you’ve mixed everything together, pour the mac n’ cheese into an 8 x 8 square dish and garnish with a sprinkle of paprika and black pepper. Bake at 350F for 10-15 minutes.
7. Let cool for about 5 minutes then serve.

Notes

• While rich and tasty, this mac n' cheese can be a bit dry. I've reduced the baking time from 30 minutes to 10-15 minutes.  I also recommend making a little extra cheese sauce, if you like things saucy like I do!

French Onion Soup (Vegan)

Onion soup is delicious but is usually made with beef broth, bread and lots of cheese. This soup is rich in flavour and very yummy all on its own. I've been making it for several years- it's a family fave.  

I played around with the measurements of this recipe from Food.com. 
Serves 4-6. I usually double the recipe and keep it around for a few days.

Ingredients

 

 

• 2 small onions, sliced (depends on how you like the texture. I've used 3 small onions and found the soup was too chunky, not enough broth)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil                  
• 3-4 portabella mushroom caps, sliced                            
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 cup tomato paste (Good organic ketchup can be used too)
• 1.5  cups dry red wine
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup gluten free tamari                                 
• 1/8 cup dark miso (dissolved in 1 c water or veg stock)             
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

Directions

1. Heat oil in a skillet, over medium heat. Saute onions for 3 minutes before stirring. Cook 20 minutes, or until the onions are well browned.
2. Add mushroom, garlic, thyme, and tomato paste. Cook 5 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns golden brown.
3. Add the wine and scrape the pan, releasing any brown bits. Reduce wine as you simmer for another 2 minutes.
4. Add the stock, soy sauce, miso, and nutritional yeast.
5. Simmer uncovered for about 10 more minutes.

Note:

If you can tolerate cheese, this is a great opportunity for a nice treat! Place a piece of gluten free bread at the bottom of an onion soup bowl, fill the bowl with soup and add 1-2 slices of organic swiss cheese. Place in the oven on broil for a few minutes until the soup is warm and the cheese is melted. Yum!  

 

Gazpacho soup

I looooooooooove gazpacho soup! It is my favourite summer food, especially when the veggies are fresh and local (preferably from my rooftop garden). Because it's raw, I tend to use less onion and garlic than other recipes and leave out the celery (don't love the taste).

The amount of seasoning you put will depend on how spicy you like it and on the freshness of your vegetables. If I have a lot of yummy tomatoes on hand, I will use them instead of tomato juice. That's the fun part about gazpacho - throw in what you want, season it and it always tastes great!  

Ingredients

• 4 cups tomato juice
• 2 red peppers (or one green, one red)
• 4 tomatoes
• 1 cucumber, peeled
• 4-5 green onions
• 1 large clove of garlic
• 1-2 large handfuls of fresh cilantro
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 TB olive oil (optional)

To taste:
Salt, pepper, Tabasco sauce, red pepper flakes, honey, vegan GF Worcestershire sauce.

Go easy on the salt and spices the first time around. Wait until the flavours have blended (minimum 3 hours) before you add more.

Instructions

1. Blend in a food processor, blender or Vitamix to desired consistency. I like it very chunky so I don't leave it in for very long.
2. Put in a covered, non-reactive container and let the flavours blend overnight.
3. Serve cold. Garnish with a little cilantro and green onion. Avocado works too!