antioxidant salad

a fresh start to the new year always calls for a delicious & healthy salad!
i love making this salad & brought it to christmas this year and it was a huge hit..

to make this simple and healthy salad, you will need:

- 2 cara cara oranges cut into chunks
- 1 avocado, sliced
- rubies from 1 pomegranate 
- half of 1 head of broccoli 
- hearty handful of sliced almonds 
- 1 shallot minced
- olive oil & balsamic vinegar
- s&p 

or you can always make a simple dressing:
-1tsp dijon mustard
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- s&p
- 1 clove of a shallot minced

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