KEEP POSTED!!!!

I AM SORRY, EVERYONE!! i lost my password and couldnt figure it out for months and it all wasnt working with me.. but STAY TUNED.. i promise some delicious new recipes as well as some amazing ideas!!!

I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO COOKING MORE AND SHARING TONS!!

xxoo LAURA

products & toiletries

i usually post about food and recipes that we use - but after watching dr.oz last week & since i have been experiencing more GI issues, i have been looking closer at everything that i use daily. that means toiletries, as well. lotions, soaps, face washes, detergents, make up, etc. i am finding a couple really important things.. names of things that you wouldnt have any idea contained RBWO (rye, barley, wheat & oats) - that infact DO contain RBWO.

when you read this in an ingredient list, this is what it really means:
-TRITICUM VULGARE (wheat bran)
-SECALE CEREALE (rye seed extract)
-HORDEUM VULGARE (barley)
-AVENA SATIVA (oat bran)
-COLLOIDAL OATMEAL (when not marked gluten free)
-WHEAT STARCH (in mascara)
-WHEATGERM OIL (in many lotions, moisturizers, lipsticks, anti-ageing products)
-TOCOPHEROL(may indicate wheatgerm oil)
-HYDROLYZED WHEAT STARCH (shampoo, conditioner, sprays, gels & dyes)
-WHEAT BRAN 
-HYDROLYZED WHEAT PROTEIN (HWP)
-PVP CROSSPOLYMER
-WHEAT AMINO ACIDS
-AMINO PEPTIDE COMPLEX (barley)
-PHYTOPHINGOSINE EXTRACT (barley)
-BETA GLUCAN (oat)
-ADHESIVE ON ENVELOPES (do not lick)
-MALTODEXTRIN
-HYDROLYZED MALT EXTRACT
-HYDROLYZED OAT FLOUR
-HYDROLYZED VEGETABLE PROTEIN 
-KERNEL OILS/ FLOURS
-TRITICUM VULGARE GERM OIL
-TRITICUM VULGARE GLUTEN
-TRITICUM VULVARE STARCH
-WHEAT AMINO ACIDS
-WHEAT GERM GLYCERIDES
-WHEAT GERMANIDOPROPALKONIUM CHLORIDE
-YEAST EXTRACT
-WHEATGERMANIDOPROPYL ETHYLDIMONIUM ETHOSULFATE


....(i plan on modifying this list whenever i find something new!!)


these are very helpful hints on how find gluten free products all the time. everyday i am learning more and more about this allergy that i have. i just hit the year mark from when i went gluten free & aside from feeling a bit better- i still have a lot to learn. 


Gluten/wheat-free cosmetics
100% Organics – GF/WF/DF
Afterglow Cosmetics – GF/WF/DF/NF
Balaton Spa – GF/WF/DF/NF
Balm Balm – GF/WF/DF
CocoonU Organic range – GF/WF/DF/NF
Essential Care – GF/WF/DF/NF
HerbFarmacy – GF/WF/DF
MuLondon.com – GF/WF/DF/NF
NATorigin – GF/WF/DF
Pai Skincare – GF/WF/DF
Premae Skincare – GF/WF/DF/NF
Queen Cosmetics – GF/WF/DF/NF
Raw Skin Food – GF/WF/DF/NF
Ruby Red Cosmetics – GF/WF/DF
Scoop Sensitive Man – GF/WF/DF
Skin Blossom – GF/WF/DF 
SoPhyto – GF/WF/DF
Witch Skincare – GF/WF/DF/NF


source: Skins Matter

seasoned sea scallops

- old bay seasoning
- garlic salt
- olive oil
- 4 to 5 scallops per person, medium sized


combine and make a thin layer of spices on a plate, heat oil in shallow pan.
dip the scallops on the flat side into the spices and then place in pan. 
on high heat, turning every few minutes, cook until nice and tender.

quick & easy chicken soup

- celery stalks
- carrots, sliced
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1/2 onion chopped
- salt & pepper to taste
- frozen packaged brown rice
- 1 carton of gluten free chicken stock
- 1 yukon gold potato, diced
- 4 cups of water
- sprinkle of oregano
- pulled apart and shredded rotisserie chicken


- boil the veggies & chicken for about an hour - then add the brown rice (you can also use noodles or quinoa). keep boiling for more flavor..

rice noodles with stir fried vegetables

- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 zucchini
- 1 shallot
- 2 cloves of garlic
- enoki mushrooms
- shitake mushrooms
- king trumpet mushrooms
- green beans
- asparagus
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- sesame oil ( to coat pan )
- gf soy sauce
- rice noodles
- dried chili flakes
- grated ginger
- grated lemongrass

stir fry the veggies with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, chili flakes, grated ginger, and grated lemon grass..
boil a pot of water until water is... well, boiling.. take off the heat and add dried rice noodles and place lid on. leave for 10 minutes. come back and then add rice noodles to the stir fried veggies and toss until noodles are coated. when finished add chopped green onions and cilantro leaves.

easy and quick pasta salad

basically what you see is what you get.. this is the perfect take-a-long side for a summer get together

- 1 bag of cooked gf pasta

- 1 pt of grape tomatoes halved
- 1 can of garbanzo beans
- 1/2 red onion chopped
- arugula sprouts or arugula
- sun dried tomatoes chopped
- artichokes chopped
- kalamata olives sliced
- salt & pepper to taste
- roasted red peppers
- capers
- olive oil & balsamic vinegar 
- juice from 1 lemon

banana chocolate chip bread

INGREDIENT LIST:
- 2 very ripe bananas
- 1 cup of light brown sugar
- 1 1/4 cups gf flour ( i use the arrowhead mills baking flour because it has baking powder & other dry ingredients already in it ) 
- 2 eggs
- cinnamon
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 6 tbsp of safflower oil
- your desired amount gf & vegan chocolate chips 
- pinch of salt
- vegan shortening
- 1 loaf pan

preheat oven to 350 degrees.

smash up bananas, add 1 cup of light brown sugar and 2 eggs. mix well, add a pinch of salt, 1 1/4 cup of flour, cinnamon, vanilla, chocolate chips, and 6tbsp of safflower oil.. keep mixing and then use a vegan shortening to grease the loaf pan and put mixture into pan. 

place in oven for 20-25 minutes until you can place a wooden skewer into the center and when you take it out it is clean. ( if still sticky, give it another 5 minutes ) transfer to a cooling rack and enjoy when still slightly warm.

turkey & white bean chili

- 2lbs of ground white meat turkey

- 1 small can of tomato paste

- 2 tablespoons of yellow mustard

- 1 can navy beans

- 1 can canellini beans

- 1 lg can of diced tomatoes

- lots and lots of chili powder

- chipotle chili flakes

- red chili flakes

- 1 splash of cinnamon 

- olive oil

- 1/2 yellow onion diced

- 2 cloves of fresh garlic

- chicken stock (fresh or canned/boxed)

fixings :

- red onions

- sliced grape tomatoes

- arugula micro greens

- avocado slices

- cholula

cobb salad

- 2 ears of grilled corn on the cob
- 1 avocado
- 3 strips of peppered turkey bacon
- 1 head of boston bibb lettuce
- 1-2 breast of grilled chicken
- 1/4 red onion chopped
- 1/2 lemon
- s & p
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar


combine together and toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, s & p and 1/2 of a lemons juice..


i use this for dressing on everything! it is the perfect salad topper!!

Naked popcorn with spicy dark chocolate drizzle

this is probably one of my most favorite things of all time. chocolate drizzled popcorn. but i have substituted my old favorite, milk chocolate, with Vosges Haute Chocolate Red Fire Chocolate Bar. simple 40 seconds in the microwave and then stir until completely smooth. drizzle over Popcorn (i use half naked popcorn.) and enjoy!! i have mine with a warm cup of tart cherry juice.

swiss chard & baby bella mushrooms over pasta

YOU WILL NEED:


- 1 bunch of swiss chard/ rainbow chard/ whatever chard you would like
- 1 container of baby bella mushrooms quartered
- 1 shallot chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic chopped
- olive oil
- salt & pepper to taste
- thyme (sprinkle)
- oregano (sprinkle)

- sautee the shallots and garlic in olive oil until translucent 
- add the mushrooms & chard and mix around until wilted
- sprinkle on the thyme, oregano, salt & pepper.

(i usually am boiling a pot of gluten free pasta at the same time and sometimes add a couple table spoons of pasta water to make the veggies wilt faster.)

i usually finish with a little bit of rao's homemade tomato sauce & this is just a delicious - vegan & filling meal.

home made tomato sauce

home made tomato sauce

- 1 pt grape or cherry tomatoes

- 1/2 chopped shallot

- 2 cloves of garlic chopped roughly

- fresh basil

- olive oil

- canola oil

- salt & pepper to taste

- splash of white wine

simmer and toss with pasta for a very light, delicious & easy sauce.

VEGAN & GLUTEN FREE BIRTHDAY CAKES IN PENNSYLVANIA!

Miss Bliss Bakery

 


okay, so i know i usually post all my own cooking and i know i have been slacking lately (due to forgetting my password to blogger) but THESE CAKES ARE AWESOME!!


my sons 3rd birthday day & party day cakes were vegan & amazing!! we have used other bakery's in the past and these FAR surpassed taste and appearance! PLUS, he was so excited with the designs & was so happy to show them off to everyone.


Linda Platt is a true talent, check out her other work on Miss Bliss Bakery. She even delivers the cakes the night before & makes your life 10x easier!!

hake in lemon, caper, shallot & white wine sauce

ingredients:

-2lbs of hake fish (like a cod)

-1 tablespoon of capers

-the juice from 4 lemons

-1 small shallot

-dried parsley (or fresh)

-s & p

-1 clove of garlic minced

-a nice amount of white wine (i use a pinot grigio or whatever is cheapest)

- 4 generous tablespoons of vegan butter

-olive oil

-coat the bottom of the baking dish with olive oil, add the lemon juice, shallots, garlic, capers & white wine.

-add the fish, cover the fish with the sauce & top with salt pepper, vegan butter, s&p and parsley.

-keep the fish covered with tin foil for about 15 minutes & then keep adding the juices on top of the fish so it really takes on the flavor. i cook it on 350 for about 20 minutes. 

 plate: hake, brown rice & heirloom tomato, cucumber & avocado salad.

local boneless beef sirloin steak with borsari seasoning salt

 


the simplest dinner & most delicious way to prepare a steak.. in my opinion.
rub the steaks with borsari seasoning salt, put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes & simply put on the grill to desired temp.

avocado, heirloom tomato, mushroom & basil salad

super easy, just chop, throw in a bowl, dress & enjoy!


-1 avocado
-2 whole heirloom tomatoes
-4 basil leaves 
-2 mushrooms (white button)


the dressing is:  
-olive oil
-balsamic vinegar
-1/2 of a lemon juiced
-s&p to taste

watercress, bibb lettuce & english pea simple salad

a simple side salad with a lot of flavor & very healthy!!

-raw english peas

-bibb lettuce

-watercress

-2 lemons

-olive oil

-s & p

.. that is it!!

the watercress is a bit spicy & it tastes really earthy & clean. a really refreshing summer salad idea.

gluten and dairy free meatballs

when i make meatballs i like to make at least 50-70 at a time. we usually eat them for a couple days or freeze them, but they always go quickly & are a fam fave!!


i tend to use bison meat for everything because it is a very lean meat & tends to be better for you. i also prefer the taste to regular beef. 


-2.5-3 lbs of ground bison meat
-2 tablespoons of fresh minced garlic
-1 hefty teaspoon of oregano (dried)
-1 teaspoon of basil (dried)
-1 teaspoon of onion powder 
-1 teaspoon of parsley (dried)
-a nice dusting of garlic powder
-1 cup of GF/DF breadcrumbs ( i use glutino prepackaged & sometimes i make my own by grinding up glutino crackers ) 
-1 whole egg


mix together with your hands really well.


roll into balls, i usually make 1" meatballs spread out on a pan lightly sprayed with a spray oil.
cook for about 20minutes on 375 degrees one side and then flip to the other side to continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes.


i always then start a large pot filled with a tomato sauce of your choice and 1 can of tomato paste and then put the already cooked meatballs in to simmer for 30+minutes for a very delicious sauce. 


in the fall we always eat the meatballs over roasted spaghetti squash and we also put it over brown rice or GF pasta. its up to you how you choose to use them!!


enjoy!!

 

pulled pork tacos

i always get very excited when i find something that can make my life easier on a really busy day, that is allergen friendly AND tastes good!! 

this was a great find that we had friday night for dinner..

 taco toppers:

-tomatoes

-avocados

-lettuce

-red onions

-daiya cheese

& 

-cholula

i use hard taco shells because they are GF but the rest of the family uses whole wheat tortilla wraps.

chocolate covered soy nut butter eggs

this recipe just happens to be vegan, GF & nut allergy friendly.. i know you are thinking its probably gross-- but ITS NOT!! it happens to be amazing & a nice treat for my little allergic son.


i used a recipe and just subbed items to make it allergy friendly- it only contains soy.


[credit to what megans making ]

 

you will need :
2 bags of vegan chocolate
1 jar of soy nut butter
16 tablespoons of vegan butter spread (or 2 sticks)
4 3/4 cups of powdered sugar
ALSO, i added 1 tablespoon of vanilla 

next organics | dark chocolate covered coconut

my chocolate craving helper.. i am loving this vegan & gf candy that i absolutely cannot get enough of.. if you see it- grab it!! they sell out soo quickly!!

cheese pizza & mediterranean pizza

< start by using udi's GF pizza crust which happens to also be dairy free & is found in the frozen food aisle.
ingredients in cheese pizza:
-daiya mozzarella cheese 
-garlic powder
-onion powder
-GF DF parmesean cheese
-udi's pizza crust


mediterranean pizza :
-marinated artichokes
-roasted red peppers
-kalamata olives
-red onion
-tomato sauce ( i use RAO's )
-GF DF parmesean cheese 
& after it comes out of the oven i topped it with 1 thinly sliced heirloom tomato and garlic powder.


bake on 375 for 7-10 minutes .. really great for a quick meal or even as an appetizer.

picnic lunch with all leftovers

< left: my sons lunch, right: my lunch


all leftovers with pulled rotisserie chicken on top. healthy, filling & super easy.

items in our pantry that we use daily

because a meal is gluten free & dairy free does NOT mean it has to lack taste..


these are some of my favorite cooking helpers that seem to help make everything delicious. 


-thai kitchen sweet red chili sauce
-sriracha sauce
-cholula hot sauce
-coarse sea salt
-borsari (sea salt with added spices. great on chicken, seafood & steaks)
-spectrum canola spray oil with butter flavor (completely vegan & gluten free)
-balsamic vinegar
-smoked peppercorns in grinder
-cold pressed olive oil
-gluten free tamari 
-RAO's homemade arabbiata tomato sauce (spicy)
-herdez salsa verde & rojo medium

roasted brussel sprouts on skewers

fact: everything on skewers is more fun!




-brussel sprouts
-olive oil
-s & p
-skewers


& that is IT!!!


-clean & cut the brussel sprouts and slice in half
-put the halves on the skewers 
-rub them with olive oil
-sprinkle s & p 
-put in oven on 350 for 15minutes then flip & cook another 10-15 min...


( the crispy parts are the BEST parts )

cilantro lime chicken lettuce wraps with sweet chili sauce

ingredients to make chicken:


-cilantro
-juice of 4 limes
-zest of 1 lime
-olive oil
-s &p 
-4 chicken breasts


put in the oven to bake at 375 for 30 minutes. half way through covering with tin foil & turning chicken to pick up flavor. 










after it is done cooking, shred into strands..

shredded chicken then gets mixed with the juice it was cooked in for extra added flavor. 

cut up veggies for the lettuce wraps..
i use shredded carrots, cucumbers, green onions, red peppers, cilantro, avocado & lime wedges.




boston bibb lettuce is the best lettuce to use as a wrap...
keep an eye out for it, it usually comes in a big plastic clam shell container.




we eat ours with sweet chili sauce & sriracha..
ENJOY!