Hanging By a Thread

Almond Joy Cookies {Gluten Free Friday}

Confession: I REALLY LOVE chocolate!

It was a long day…not a bad day, but a long, full day. I really wanted CHOCOLATE (I would say needed, but I know that it's not really a need, but a craving; and a craving is a want). It was too late to make a run to the grocery store. So, I was left to my own devices.

Challenge: To make a sweet, chocolate-y treat even though I need to go to the grocery store; my pantry and fridge are depleted of even basic essentials like butter.

I was undeterred. I often have to make compromises and substitutions when it comes to cooking and baking, and that's OK. Sometimes, as was the case last night, I hit upon a really great combination when forced re-think a recipe.

Result: Almond Joy Cookies…except they're really a combination of Mounds and Almond Joy. They have almonds and coconut and chocolate like an Almond Joy, but the chocolate is dark chocolate like a Mounds bar. And they are DElicious! Oh, and they are gluten free!

Recipe: Dark Chocolate Almond Joy Cookies {Gluten Free}

½ cup coconut oil

½ cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ cup Pamela's Gluten Free Pancake Mix

2 handfuls of dark chocolate chips

1 handful of shredded coconut (I like Trader Joe's best)

1 handful of sliced, roasted almonds

Cream (mix together well) the coconut oil and sugar. Add egg and vanilla and mix in. Stir in pancake mix. Then, add chocolate chips, almonds and coconut.

 

Drop spoonfuls of dough on a foil lined (makes cleanup faster and easier) baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes about 20 cookies.

These cookies are really good...not so pretty, but really good...and that's really what matters! Enjoy!

Over and out…

Anna

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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe {Gluten Free & AMAZING}

Gluten Free Friday {Citrusy Cornmeal Cookies with Dried Fruit}

5 Things {Favorite Kitchen Hacks…from just regular ol’ me}

I have the world's smallest kitchen. The kitchen also serves as the pathway between the rest of the house and the breezeway, garage and back doors. Often during this time of year while I'm cooking dinner in the evening my children are in and out, traipsing through with another gun or a ninja sword or a football helmet or a sleeping bag or spy kits or any number of items that they need for playing whatever they are playing outside with their friends. Cooking in my kitchen is usually fairly complicated due the tiny size and the heavy foot traffic. However, I power through it all, producing fresh, tasty, nutritious meals that my kids either love or hate (one can never tell which it will be); my husband eats it all.

I do spend a large amount on our food each month, but it's important to me that we eat as much fresh, organic and local food as I can possibly get. I take our food seriously, as in I care about what we put into our bodies, but I think planning meals and cooking should be fun. So, I do employ a few hacks to help me make my meals better or easier to prep or clean up.

1. {For the love of all that's good and holy} Refuse to Use Cooking Spray. Seriously, cooking sprays are simply not necessary. When you're baking or roasting, simply use a parchment or foil or a silicone baking sheet liner. And then when it's done, you're baking sheet is still clean (for the most part) and nothing sticks to the parchment, foil or silicone baking sheet.
2. Preserve Herbs. This was the best of use of my herbs ever. I simply chopped up my herbs (Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Sage) last fall and put them in an ice cube tray and filled each compartment with melted butter or olive oil. Then, I froze the cubes. I just take out a cube and use it when I need it for stir fries, sauces, sautés, cornbread, etc. The flavor is abundant and fresh.
3. Hold the Dressing. Make your own. It's easy, it's cheaper and it's better for you. All you need is some oil - I most often use olive oil and walnut oil – and your favorite vinegar or some lemon or lime or orange juice, maybe some honey or maple syrup and mustard, add some spices or herbs, if you like. Start with some oil and vinegar and add what you'd like, small amounts at a time. You can always add more. Just keep whisking and tasting until you get the flavor you want. Same with marinades and sauces. You can do it yourself without all the preservatives and artificial colors, etc. and without extra cost. I recently visited my favorite oil and vinegar shop, Vinaigrette, and stocked up on some infused oils and vinegars; my favorite for summer is Basil Olive Oil.
4. Raid the Pantry. Sometimes everything else takes precedence over going to the grocery store. OK, so, this happens quite frequently at our house. But that's OK because I like this challenge of making a meal from the bits of this and the last of that and combining flavors and testing out ideas and theories. It's fun to take the Pantry/Fridge Meal Challenge; try it yourself sometime.
5. Eat Your Inspiration. I love cookbooks, but I rarely follow recipes. I get inspiration and ideas from reading through recipes and find information about a particular ingredient or flavor and then create my own version, based on what I have on hand or how I like to prepare a dish or my favorite flavor combinations. While I do make meals and treats from scratch and enjoy it, I don't have patience for complicated recipes with lots of ingredients; there's just no need for complication.

Just remember KISS…Keep It Simple, Sista! Simple is good and quick and fun.

I also have a few kitchen tools that I love and that make my time in the kitchen even more enjoyable. Maybe I'll share those another time. For now, I hope you feel inspired to get your creative juices flowing. And don't forget to save your compostable scraps for your garden. Over and out…

Anna

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Lemonies, Saving Grapes, Gluten Free Panko and the History of my Mixer {Recipes}

Lemonies, Saving Grapes, Gluten Free Panko and the History of my Mixer {Recipes}

I have always wanted a big, shiny, beautiful Kitchenaid stand mixer, but I have never had that much money just sitting there without a place to go to buy such an expensive, lovely mixer.

What I do have is a cheap, handheld Sunbeam Mixmaster. I bought that mixer when I was a sophomore in college, about 20 years ago at a Walgreens Pharmacy.

I wanted to bake something, maybe a cake, and I didn't have a mixer. It was late and the closest thing open that might have a mixer was the Walgreens on the corner of Southwest Parkway and Kemp.

That was the year I moved into my own apartment; a little efficiency at Taft Haus Apartments in Wichita Falls, TX. I lived in that apartment for my sophomore, junior and senior years of college. A lot of cooking and baking and drinking and laughing happened in that little kitchen.

Well, needless to say, that little, cheap mixer has seen a lot of action in the last twenty years. I love to bake when I am mulling something over, have a work deadline or celebrating something; sometimes we celebrate even small and simple things like, YAY! We made it to Thursday!

Every year since having the boys, we have beat the dickens out of our egg whites with this mixer while we read the scriptures and we make our Resurrection Cookies the night before Easter. I have mixed and beat the cake batter for each of the boys' birthday cakes with this mixer. I have used it to make new recipes, old favorites and recipes handed down from past generations.

That cheap little mixer has withstood the test of time. It never lets me down. I get perfect white peaks and shiny icings and smooth, thick batter every time. So, I will keep using my cheap, little Sunbeam Mixmaster til it won't mix any more. And maybe, just maybe, one day, I will have a Kitchenaid stand mixer…but probably not.

Well, last night I used my mixmaster to whip up a new recipe. I had recently come across a recipe for lemon brownies that sounded good, but it wasn't gluten free. So, I decided to convert it to GF.

I'm calling mine, Lemonies. They are basically lemon bars; very lemony and moist.

Lemonies

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup gluten free flour (I use a the Trader Joe's blend of gluten free flour)

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

And then zest one of the lemons you squeeze for the juice and add that to batter, but keep other lemon(s) for zesting for the glaze

¼ teaspoon of salt

1 stick of butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat butter, sugar and flour. Add the lemon juice, zest and eggs and salt. Beat some more until the batter is smooth and fluffy.

Grease an 8x8 pan. Spoon batter in and bake approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Check it at 20 and then keep checking it. You don't want it to be overdone and dry.

While the lemonies are baking, whip up the glaze. Beat 1 cup of powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons of lemon juice and the zest from the lemons.

Let the lemonies cool slightly, then pour on the glaze. It will seep down into the lemonies and make them gooey and rich and tart and delicious.

I like to have lemon tasties with a hot cup of coffee, but you can enjoy yours however you please. These will also make a really nice summer treat, as well.

Roasted Grapes, Etc.

OK, that's not all I made last night. I also roasted some grapes, plums and pears that really needed to be eaten. These were a big hit too and so easy to do. We at a few and saved the rest for breakfast with yogurt and granola or over oatmeal. I will definitely be doing this again. What a great way to save fruit that may have gotten to ripe before being eaten.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a jelly roll pan with foil for easier cleanup.

Wash grapes. Wash and cut up bigger fruit, such as the plums and pears I used. Scatter on the baking sheet.

Drizzle with walnut oil (that is what I used, but you can use olive oil, if you like) and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Gently mix the fruit around with salt and oil.

Cook for about 20 minutes. Cool a bit and eat or save for breakfast or for a dessert topping for the next day. Yum!

Parmesan Chicken with Gluten Free Panko

I happened upon gluten free panko at Whole Foods the other day, and I was so excited….probably more excited than one might usually be to find panko bread crumbs, but it opened up more possibilities for me and my gluten free cooking. So, I set out to find a good and simple parmesan chicken recipe for my first experimentation with the gluten free panko. The one I settled on was not gluten free, but it was easy to convert it.

¾ cup to 1.5 cups Panko Bread Crumbs Gluten Free (I used Ian's Gluten Free Original)

2 large or 4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to ½ an inch approximately

¾ cup to 1.5 cups of grated parmesan

3 to 4 tablespoons of Dijon mustard

Thyme, salt and pepper, to taste

Wash and pound out the chicken.

Mix together on a plate, mustard, thyme, salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken through the mustard mixture, making sure to really cover the chicken.

Mix together the panko and parmesan. Pat the panko mixture into the chicken, on both sides, thickly coating the chicken.

Put the chicken on a rack, sitting on the baking sheet.

Bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve over your favorite gluten free pasta and marinara sauce.

It was REALLY tasty.

I got a little carried away in my kitchen last night, but heck it's spring break and the evenings are running long and late and we ate our lemonies in front of the TV, watching Spiderman on Netflix past 9 pm. I hope you enjoy these recipes at your home. Over and out…

Anna

 

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Fractions, Oobleck and Hazelnut Brownies

Some days it just makes sense to whip up some brownies instead of starting dinner...or at least it does to me. And on this particular evening this week, I had a bag of hazelnuts that just begged to be included in this plan.

My current favorite gluten free brownie recipe, adapted from several recipes, is made with corn starch and dark and milk chocolate and so rich and fudgy and gooey and are just perfect for adding a bit of toasty nuts to.

So, as my second grader worked on his math homework, figuring fractions, I got my ingredients ready. When my son noticed the corn starch he remembered that he wanted to make some oobleck.

Oobleck…., you say? Why yes, oobleck, a substance inspired by a Dr. Seuss book. It's made from corn starch and water, and he had made it in school on Dr. Seuss' birthday.

My son drew up the recipe and posted it on the fridge and had been waiting for his chance to make a batch of this liquid-y, solid concoction.

Well, with the corn starch out for the brownies, his saw his chance.

I asked him to help me with the measurements for the brownie recipe first and then we could mix up the oobleck. That's when he noticed the fractions on the measuring cups and he said, "I should just do my homework in the kitchen." So, we paused to talk about the fractions and what makes 1 cup, etc.

It helps that I have standard measuring cups and odd measuring cups from Williams Sonoma. We have the regular 1/8, ¼, 1/3 ½, 1 cup and irregular 2/3, ¾, 1 ½ and 2 cups too. These measuring cups are some of my favorite kitchen items. We measured and figured and mixed.

Then, it was time for mixing the oobleck. The oobleck was messy and runny and solid all at the same time. We colored it bluish green. The boys plunged their hands in, dribbling it down their arms and watching the goo turn to a crusty paste on their skin, laughing at the feel of it between their fingers and the way the color of it left their skin the shade of a zombies.

It's really an odd mixture; it doesn't seem to be able to decide if it's liquid or solid, easily moving back and forth from one form to another.

I finished the brownie batter and put the pan in the oven.

When Will got home at 6 pm, he found us all in the kitchen, but dinner had yet to be started. We were all in good spirits with brownies in the oven and oobleck puddled on the counter, gelling in the bowl, pasting all over the boys' hands and arms and dripped on the floor.

I did manage to get a meal of tasty tacos together for dinner, but not before we had bowls of warm, chocolate-y, ooey, gooey hazelnut brownies with vanilla ice cream.    

Now, generally, our weekday evenings are rushed and busy and someone (or two) is generally cranky or tired or both and we are all preoccupied with our own tasks, but not this night. This night we enjoyed each other and the evening.

Here are our recipes from the evening.

Hazelnut Brownies

1/2 cup salted butter
2 oz dark chocolate
1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use half special dark cocoa and half regular cocoa)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup chocolate chips (again, I use ½ dark chocolate chips and ½ mini milk chocolate chips)
1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped and toasted (toast in oven at 350 degrees for about 7 minutes, allow to cool)

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease an 8 inch round or square pan.
Melt together butter and dark chocolate, stirring until smooth.
Add sugar, cocoa powder and cornstarch. Whisk in vanilla and eggs. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
Pour batter pan.
Bake for approx. 20 minutes, until brownies are set around the edges.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for a scrumptious treat!

Oobleck

1 cup water

1.5 to 2 cups or so of corn starch

Food coloring, if you like.

Mix together and enjoy playing with it.

Isn't it nice when everything comes together? It rarely happens that way in our household, but it's nice when it does. Maybe it was the magic of the hazelnut brownies…I may have to try this again sometime. Over and out…

Anna

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Gluten Free Friday {Taking Breakfast By the Hand}

Gluten Free Friday {Taking Breakfast By the Hand}

Negotiating for Morning Duty

We were married almost 8 years before we had kids. In our discussions of whether to add kids to our little family and if so, when, it was agreed upon that if we did have kids my husband would be in charge of mornings; waking them, getting them dressed and fed, taking them to school, etc. I had him promise he would do this; of course, it did not kick in at birth, but at school-age.

In all seriousness, this was a big deal. It was a point I reminded Will about numerous times before the kids were born and certainly after. I am NOT a morning person and I am ALWAYS running late. So, we knew that it would have to be this way or they would never get to school on time.

Will has lived up to his end of the bargain and gets them dressed, fed and out the door on time (with the exception of yesterday, but that was my fault because I accidentally reset the clock to pm when it was am…it's a long story, but see what I mean? I didn't even have to get them up, and I still messed up).

But the point is I like to do what I can to have healthy, tasty, quick breakfast-by-the-hand options for them to grab in the mornings and contribute a tiny part in helping them get out the door on time.

Breakfast Bites

Truthfully, often that means keeping a good selection of yogurt, cereal, granola bars or applesauce {a healthy version of these items – You've always got to check the labels on these items, they can be filled with junk!}, but sometimes I bake something that can be heated up the next morning, or eaten straight from the fridge, depending on the child.

I have been baking a lot lately, keeping my kitchen warm from the oven, while the temps plunge outside. I have tried both of these recipes several times and each can be customized to your family's preferences.

Both are gluten free, as in there is no flour of any kind in the recipe; that's just the way the recipe comes; no special fiddlin' or finaglin' with it. So, if you need to be gluten free, these recipes will fit the bill. But if you are able to eat gluten, you will still love these recipes.

As always, I have made a few changes to the recipes, but again, feel free to do the same and make it your own.

Oatmeal Cupcakes

{The boys named them this, but they aren't really cupcakes at all}

My boys have always loved oatmeal; the real stuff, we don't do instant EVER! It all started before they were born. A big bowl of oatmeal topped with fresh and dried fruit made each morning by my dutiful husband on morning duty for me was the only thing that kept morning sickness at bay for me with both pregnancies. I also really loved pizza during my pregnancies and so do the boys….ah, but I digress…Oatmeal. It's a breakfast of champions.

In our gluten free home, I use only certified gluten free oats. Note: Some people with gluten sensitivities or Celiac Disease can't handle eating even the certified gluten free oats. I mention this just in case you are thinking of preparing these for someone that must adhere to a gluten free diet; a little heads up.

We have no trouble with the Trader Joe's Certified Gluten Free Oats, which is what I used for this recipe.

Oven: 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Grease muffin tin; makes 12 standard size "muffins"

Ingredients

2 cups oats

½ cup of honey

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup of milk

¼ cup of half-and-half

1/3 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

A few shakes of cinnamon, depending on your taste

Dash of salt

Variety of mix-ins: mini chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruits, chopped apples, dark chocolate chips, coconut, etc.

Mix all ingredients together, adding mix-ins last. I like to top the oatmeal cupcakes with a bit more of the mix-ins too. I usually do a variety of dried fruit, nuts and chocolate.

Bake for about 30 minutes until the edges are golden and center is set. They are great warm straight from the oven or cooled and straight from the fridge; heat them in the microwave for a few seconds for a warm breakfast – can be messing and crumbly. I put them in little bowls and give the kids a spoon.

Egg & Ham Cups I am seriously not a big fan of pork; never have been really. There are a few exceptions: sausage from City Market in Luling, TX; Pitchfork Sausage at the MN State Fair; and Trader Joes' Rosemary Ham. This Rosemary Ham is soooooooooo good. Did you get that? That's a lot of Os. This ham is wonderful in pasta dishes; on grilled cheese sandwiches with a slice of apple; tossed in salads; wrapped around string cheese; and mixed into egg dishes, such as these Egg and Ham Cups. This ham is minimally processed, oven roasted, no artificial ingredients and very tasty!

Note: the original recipe called for bacon, but I think that if you like pork, sausage, bacon or ham will be great in this recipe; or perhaps a turkey bacon or a chicken sausage; that could be very good. So, choose a meat.

Oven: 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Grease a muffin tin; makes 12 standard size "muffins"

Ingredients

Bacon, ham, sausage or no meat

6 eggs

Approximately ¾ cup of chopped peppers and onions

½ cup shredded cheese (I use a blend of cheeses)

½ cup of half and half

Salt and pepper to taste.

Chop up your bacon or ham, onion and peppers.

Beat the eggs with half and half, mixing in the cheese, peppers, onions and meat and salt and pepper.

Pour mixture into muffin cups.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until eggs are set in the center.

The Scoop

These are great recipes to whip up together with your kids; a special time of bonding and baking…if you don't mind the added mess and havoc of cooking with your kids. And really it all depends on mama's mood at the time of these little undertaking; so, go with flow. They are also super easy, hardly-have-to-think-about-them recipes to make all by yourself in a quiet kitchen when you are all alone or they are all asleep….finally!

Have some fun, use your kids' favorite fillings and always take breakfast by the hand as you run out the door for the daily mad dash to work and school.

You're thinking that you should have negotiated with your spouse to take on the morning duties, aren't you? Well, perhaps there's still time. Over and out…

Anna

Gluten Free Friday {Citrusy Cornmeal Cookies with Dried Fruit}

You might be a hermit if:

You haven't left the house in 6 days;

The only person you've talked to on the phone in that time is your mom;

Dressing up means taking a shower and putting on sweats;

You have no plans for leaving your house in the near future;

You don't mind the -35 wind chills brought on by the Polar Vortex because you aren't going out in it; and

Even the lamest Facebook posts and article links seem interesting.

This has been my life after one boy came down with the flu; there was a school holiday; there was no school due to the Polar Vortex; second boy came down with the flu; and there is no school on Monday.

No worries. I have had time to write, bake, read lots of chapters of The Hobbit with my 7 year-old and cuddle with my babies. But I am looking forward to both boys being well and in school and having a choice to leave my little cocoon.

So, if you have some interesting links or bits of information, please post it on Facebook. I will be watching.

Now, if you are feeling like me, stuck at home due to illness, cold, snow, whatever, perhaps you need a recipe to lift your spirits a bit.

These cookies are really delicious and perfect with a cup of coffee, tea, cider or hot chocolate, whatever your poison. The citrusy, fruity flavors give it a burst of sunshine and warmth; just what we need this frigidly cold winter. And while they are gluten free, don't let this stop you if you don't need to eat a gluten free diet. They are truly yummy! And if you need to be gluten free, as I do, then you will want to add this recipe to your stash!

Citrusy Cornmeal Cookies with Dried Fruit

Prep Work

Oven: 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper, for easy cleanup.

Ingredients & Instructions

¾ cup of dried berries. I used the Trader Joe's trio of blueberries, cranberries and golden raisins.

¼ cup spiced rum

Combine these ingredients and stir until fruit is coated and allow to soak while you mix up the cookie dough.

1 ½ cups cornmeal. I use yellow, simply because I like the golden color over the pale white cornmeal.

1 ½ cups cornstarch

¾ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder

½ teaspoon xanthan gum

½ teaspoons salt

Combine these ingredients in large mixing bowl.

1 stick of unsalted butter at room temperature, chopped into small pieces

Combine butter with dry ingredients, mixing it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of whole milk (or combination of ½ and ½ or cream and 2%, etc. - make whatever you have work)

1 tablespoon grated orange zest (or lemon) (reserve orange or lemon for making glaze for cookies)    

1 teaspoon of vanilla (pure, real vanilla only, PLEASE!)

Whisk wet ingredients together.

Combine wet ingredients and dry ingredients. If dough is too dry and won't stick together, add additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time. Be careful not to add too much!

Add rum soaked dried berries and any remaining rum to cookie dough and stir in.

Drop 1 tablespoon sized mounds of dough on cookie sheet.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes or when cookies are dry, being careful to check them and not allowing them to overcook.

Citrus Glaze

While cookies are cooling mix up the orange (or lemon) glaze.

Pour powdered sugar in bowl. Start with about ¾ cup of sugar. Squeeze orange (or lemon, or perhaps both) in bowl. Use fork to mix glaze until smooth and fairly liquid-y. If too stiff, add more juice. If too thin, add more sugar. No exact science here.

When cookies are cool, drizzle with glaze. Be generous with the glaze. The glaze really adds to this cookie!

Now, EAT them! Yum! Whether your dietary needs call for being gluten free or not, you will love this cookie! It is one of my new favorites!

The original recipe for this cookie (I changed a few details and added the glaze) comes from Gluten-Free Christmas Cookies by Ellen Brown. There are some really wonderful recipes in this cookbook, whether it's Christmas time or not!

Note: I am going to try this new segment Gluten Free Fridays and see how it goes. I intend to post not only recipes, but also about particular products, cookbooks, blogs and reviews of restaurants in the Twin Cities that offer gluten free menus.

Enjoy your weekend. Over and out…

Anna

What’s Cooking? {Sweet, Crunchy Brussels Sprouts}

I love to cook, but only when my mind is clear and free and open, and I really only enjoy cooking for my family. {I bake when I am avoiding something; procrastinating.}

For me, cooking is a creative outlet.

If my mind is mired down in stress or conflict or malaise, I cannot create delicious dishes.

Lately, I have been cooking. The creative juices have been flowing.

When I begin to cook a meal, I usually do not know exactly where I will end up. I do not use a recipe, but go on instinct or recollection or an idea inspired from a recipe I've read or a taste I'm craving. I keep it fresh and simple and based on tastes and textures and whatever I have on hand.

I do not dumb down my meals for my kids. If they try it, they usually love it. If they refuse to try it, I give them some fruit, but that is it.

This week, I cooked up a tantalizing, beautiful, delightful side of Brussels sprouts…and my kids loved it!

I started with a package of coarsely chopped Brussels sprouts, some garlic, salt and pepper sautéing on medium to medium low heat with some sunflower oil. I let those cook up nice and bright and caramelized for about 7 to 10 minutes. Then, I squeezed the juice of half an orange over the Brussels sprouts along with 2 spoonsful of honey and let it caramelize a bit more.

I added about half a cup each of chopped pecans and dried berries. I used the triple berry from Trader Joe's; golden raisins, cranberries and blueberries. I let the nuts and berries get nice and toasty for a few more minutes.

And voila! A sweet, citrusy, crunchy, nutritious and tasty side dish.

We paired it with a Toad-in-the Hole; toast with center cut out and egg baked in center.

Dinner was a success!

The point is to think with your senses and get creative with what you have in your kitchen. What are you cooking up at your house? Over and out…

Anna

#GF {Gluten Free}: Ditching the Gluten and Opting to Feel Good

New Year/New Eating Habits

After denying the signs for a while and toying with the idea for a while longer, I finally made the jump to gluten free. I won't bore you with the detailed description of why this became a necessary choice; and frankly, it's none of your business anyway.

I welcomed the change though. I was beginning to feel stuck in a lazy rut, food-wise. I love good, fresh food; I even love to prepare it and create new dishes and combinations, but for too long my focus had not been on our meals; and this seemed like the appropriate segue.

The Meal Plan

For me to make this work, I needed a plan. It couldn't be haphazard grocery shopping and half-hearted meal planning.

I did some research and found some sites that made me feel like this was something I could do without much stress or confusion. Then, I picked up the Park Nicollet Health Newsletter I'd gotten in the mail and found Beth Dooley's {I love Beth Dooley's recipes} super easy, super soothing and soul warming ideas for roasting a chicken each week. And this gave my plan life.

I started by going aisle by aisle through Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and Target taking stock of what choices I had available to me in a gluten free version, or perhaps was naturally gluten free. I gathered flours, crackers, mixes, breads, chips, veggies, fruits, pastas, rice, cereals, nuts and seeds, polenta, corn tortillas and cheese and two big roasting chickens.

I made a meal plan for the first week, each one incorporating chicken in a different way; chicken, veggie, rice soup, soft corn tortilla tacos with chicken, guacamole and cheese, spinach salad with peppers, pears, apples, cranberries, sunflower seeds with a balsamic vinaigrette, chicken salad with cashews, cranberries, mayo and lemon juice in lettuce wraps, nachos with falafel chips, chicken, black beans, salsa, guacamole and cheese.

We roasted the chicken with herbs and garlic in chicken broth with potatoes, carrots, onions and mushrooms on Saturday, then ate them in these meals through the week. It made the transition extremely simple. This week it's not all chicken, as we find our footing in this new way of eating.

Taking it Bite by Bite

It's been just a little over a week, and I already feel a difference. For one thing, I am really thinking about what we're eating. No more stopping for a quick snack at a favorite patisserie; no more running through the drive through; and no more having sandwiches or pizza delivered.

I have found that I no longer crave food, as I always have before. I feel lighter in my gut, and Will and I have both lost pounds; an added bonus.

I have discovered that it's not really about giving up things; it's about trying new options and adapting. Even the kids have accepted this new idea...for the most part. Darling 1 is more excited about it and seems to have gotten a grasp of what it means; Darling 2 is not quite willing to accept all that he is giving up...yet.

And while the whole family has ditched gluten for now; it may not be necessary for all of us to remain gluten free. But it's worth the test to see how we feel and act after several months of eating in this way. So far, it's been easy and tasty; another added bonus.

The Scoop

Have you ever changed your diet in a major way? What was easy? What was hard? Are you gluten free? What's your favorite gluten free blog and/or cookbook?

Right now I'm shooting from the hip and reading lots of labels, but I have come across some great recipes, including chocolate mousse and polenta crust pizzas, and one of my all-time favorite easy meals is gluten free: rotisserie or roasted chicken in a warm corn tortilla with avocado slices/guacamole and shredded cheddar cheese; so simple and so delicious. Over and out..

Anna

 

 

Motherly Recipes: From Anna’s Kitchen {Little Fudgy Cakes}

Is there a mandatory minimum number of ingredients for a recipe to be a recipe? I'm not sure, but if there is, this recipe is on the verge of disqualification. There are only two {yes, two} ingredients in this recipe.

I wish I could say that I had thought to do this, but I didn't. I got it from one of my hostesses at a Norwex party.

Simply mix a chocolate cake mix {I suppose you could use other flavors of cake mix, but I don't know why you would} and 1 can of pumpkin puree, dollop it out into a greased muffin pan or cake pan and bake. That's it! Really!

The result is a rich, fudgy little cake without all the fat. You can't taste the pumpkin at all.

Now, you can put some fun add-ins based on your taste, but you don't have to. I added dark chocolate chips because that's what I had on hand. The hostess at my Norwex party had three varieties: butterscotch chips, chocolate chips and coconut/walnut.

Please do yourself a favor and try this quick and easy, not-so-bad-for-you treat! You can thank me later! This minuscule recipe makes for a very short post! Over and out...

Anna

Motherly Recipes: From the Kitchen of Anna {Pick-a-Top Open-Faced Sandwiches}

Each Easter, our family boils the eggs and dyes them pink, blue, green, yellow, orange and purple, decorates them with stickers, crayons or markers, takes some photos and places them back into the fridge so they don't spoil.

As a child, we boiled them, dyed them and then set them in our baskets; later we hid them in the yard and then let them lay in our Easter baskets until they were rotten; then we threw them out. But as an adult, I haven't wasted them; we eat them.

I try to be inventive with the boiled eggs, but still there are only so many ways to use a boiled egg. This year we actually ate our dyed eggs on Easter. The boys were strangely agreeable to this and loved the choices of toppings for their eggs.

Pick-a-Top Open-Faced {Egg} Sandwiches

• I made a basic egg salad with 6 boiled eggs using liberal amounts of mayo, mustard, chopped sweet and spicy pickles, salt and pepper.
• I toasted some fresh Austrian Pumpernickel from a local baker; in the oven with a little smear of butter.
• I sautéed onion, sweet peppers and mushrooms, separately.
• I chopped fresh chives from the pot outside my kitchen and some cherry tomatoes.
• I placed the egg salad on a large, thin piece of the toasted pumpernickel and served it with roasted asparagus and the choice of all of the above.

The boys piled it on and were excited to choose and to create their own meal.

This is a great way to use up any leftover meat, veggies or cheese. This would work well with tuna salad, leftover roast beef, ham, chicken, meatballs, melted cheese, hummus or any other combination you can think of.

Spinach, peppers {sweet or hot}, onions, tomatoes, asparagus, summer squash, carrots, fresh herbs like basil, oregano, thyme and sage and a variety of shredded cheeses are all tasty options for topping choices.

Choose your favorite fresh, hearty bread and the sky is the limit. You could add a pesto, tomato sauce or cream sauce too.

Kids love to create concoctions in the kitchen and at the table. Give them choices and it might surprise you what all they try. Plus these sandwiches look and taste sophisticated for the adult foodie types too.

For the roasted asparagus, wash and trim spears. Put foil on a cookie sheet and put spears on foil. Drizzle choice of oil on spears. I used Walnut Oil. Sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper. Gently mix with fingers to ensure each spear is coated. Roast for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Enjoy! Over and out...

Anna

Motherly Recipes: From the Kitchen of Anna

Mixin' It Up

When I have something going on in my head; something that I need to work out; something I'm avoiding doing I go to my kitchen and bake. Baking may be my mechanism for avoidance, but once I have my sweet treat, I'm ready to face whatever it is I'd rather not be doing or thinking about. So, I guess it's also a coping mechanism.

When I'm inspired, light-hearted or exuberant I head to my kitchen and cook. This is my method for getting the creative juices really flowing. I put this and that together and craft delicious meals for my family.

I rarely use a recipe when cooking. I may be inspired by a recipe I've read in the past or eaten or heard about or by a flavor or food I've been craving. I generally work with ingredients I have on hand; a bit of this; a handful of that; mixed with this and tossed with that; voila.

I have a knack for knowing which flavors marry well with others; it's an inherited trait. I get it from my dad; one of the best chefs there is. This is fortunate for my family since they have to eat my concoctions.

Baking is based on more precise measurements, of course. So, it's a bit trickier to be inventive with the recipes and truly make them mine. However, I almost never have all the ingredients I need for a recipe. Therefore, I am forced to be creative. And that's OK because I am the queen of substitutions. My recipes almost always turn out really well; I can't remember any we couldn't eat or didn't taste good, actually.

So, here's the point. I've noticed that when I post a random recipe here and there on ML, you all really like that. So, in shaking things up a bit, I thought I'd try posting a Motherly Recipe: From the Kitchen of Anna each week. Some weeks it might just be substitution tip or cooking suggestion; other weeks it'll be a recipe that I have tweaked to make it my own.

Here's one to start out. This is my classic go-to meal.

Anna's Easy, Fresh Veggie Pasta Toss

Start with pasta or rice; whatever you have in your pantry. Cook it.

Next, raid your veggie drawer. Slice and sauté whatever you've got. We usually have onions, spinach, carrots, sweet peppers and mushrooms on hand {in the summer, I usually have summer squash, zucchini and tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower on hand too}

Heat your skillet, pour in a little olive oil or walnut oil {my new fave} or other type of oil you have on hand. Put your sliced veggies in skillet. You can do each veggie separately if you want to keep the individual flavors more intact or throw them in together – keep the spinach out until the end though; it won't need to be on the heat long.

Monitor your heat. You want it hot enough to caramelize the veggies, but not so hot that it cooks them too fast and dries them out. So, a medium high is a good temp for my stove when sautéing. When the moisture cooks out of your veggies and their edges are a caramelized color remove these veggies to a bowl. If using spinach, turn the heat back on, add a small bit of oil to the skillet and add spinach; it won't take long to wilt the fresh spinach. Once wilted, remove from heat.

When your pasta is ready, drain and toss with sautéed veggies, then top with parmesan or feta and/or toasted nuts, chopped olives, etc.

And dinner is served.

I don't cook with meat much {I have an aversion to raw meat}, but if you have some leftover chicken, fish, beef or pork, feel free to toss that in with the veggies. That's tasty too. In fact, when I do have chicken or pork tenderloin, etc., I usually save a portion for the next night to cut up and put in a salad, pasta, stir fry rice dish, etc.

My kids will always eat pasta. And they are pretty good about veggies too {most of the time}, but if there is one they aren't fond of I just chop it smaller than the rest of them. Or they can pick out the parts they don't want.

The Scoop

The thing about my recipes is that they are easily interchangeable with ingredients you have in your kitchen right now. So, you can create your own creation for dinner. Another great thing about this recipe is that it's great cold too. So, take the leftovers for lunch the next day. Over and out...

Anna