Broccoli and Tofu

April 15, 2014 kristenannLeave a comment

You can’t really ever go wrong with tofu and broccoli, at least in my oldest son’s opinion. His favorite way to eat that healthy combination used to be wrapped in a spelt tortilla with garlic sauce. He even wrote an essay about that dish in third grade when asked about his favorite thing to eat, but sadly, he can’t eat spelt anymore and corn tortillas are just not the same. They are great for soft tacos, quesadillas, and ‘beandillas’, (a quesadilla made with refried beans instead of cheese) but corn tortillas just do not complement the broccoli and tofu like the spelt did. He missed that dish terribly, along with countless others, once his gluten intolerance was discovered, but now he’s found a new favorite way to enjoy broccoli and tofu. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 package brown rice fusilli

½ yellow onion

2 crushed cloves of garlic

3-4 cups broccoli, cut into bite size pieces

1 package extra firm tofu, drained and wrapped in paper towels to get out extra water

Approx. 2 T. olive oil (1 for the stir fry and 1 for the pot of pasta)

1 T. balsamic vinegar (or to taste)

1 T. gluten free Tamari

Dried basil and oregano to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

For this dish, I start the water boiling for the pasta as I begin the cutting up process. Pour in at least one tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pan, and then add the onions, cooking until translucent. Next the garlic should be added in, with the broccoli following. Pour the vinegar over the broccoli while stirring the veggies. Add the tofu then cover the tofu with the tamari. While cooking, stir in the herbs, salt, and pepper, and cook until the broccoli is bright green and the tofu is warm throughout with a bit of browning. Meanwhile, make the fusilli according to the package directions, and when all is done combine into approximately 4 bowls. This is one pasta dish that doesn’t require parmesan, but feel free to add it if you prefer, or if you like just drizzle on a bit more olive oil. For my son and I, we do not add anything but our forks.

dairy free · food · food allergy blogs · gluten free · gluten free food · gluten free foods · health · vegan · vegetarian

Smoothie Recipe

April 13, 2014April 16, 2014 kristenannLeave a comment

This is the smoothie I’ve been making lately and I like it because it doesn’t use any fake milk products. When we want cereal or need milk for baking I do use coconut milk because it seems the closest to a real food product, but I like to avoid it when possible. I know some people make their own coconut milk without all the questionable additives like carrageenan, but really we just don’t use it that often enough to warrant making it myself. Picking battles I guess. Anyway, the recipe:

Smoothie for one:

1 cup water

1 T chia seeds

1 serving of protein powder ( a serving depends on what brand)

1 small banana

1 handful frozen berries

1 leaf of kale or small handful of spinach (optional)

Let the chia seeds soak in the water for about 10 minutes. Add in the other ingredients and blend until smooth. I also open up a probiotic capsule and pour in the contents for a little extra gut goodness. If you aren’t already riding chia’s wave of fame this is an easy way to jump on.

Chia provides fiber and omega 3’s and if you remember the old commercials for chia pets, you can consider eating them revenge for years of that terrible ear worm. Some claim health benefits from weight loss to sugar management also, but basically chia is having a moment just as CoQ10 and bee pollen did before. It’s all good stuff, I’m just saying it’s not a miracle worker. The smoothie is darn yummy though and it feels especially good to drink in that much nutrition in one glass.

dairy free · food · Food allergies · food allergy blogs · food sensitivities · gf foods · gluten free · gluten free bread · Gluten free eating · gluten free food · gluten free foods · gluten intolerance · gluten intolerant · vegan

Some New Gluten Free Finds

February 28, 2014March 1, 2014 kristenannLeave a comment

I don’t know how long I’ve been overlooking this bread, but I have a feeling it’s pretty new to the scene, but boy has it made a splash. I’d say about half the time I go searching for it, there’s none to be found:

This is Olivia’s Super Free Baguette and that picture is from their site: http://oliviasuperfree.com/home.html. I’ve been making garlic bread with the baguettes~ olive oil, Tuscan salts, garlic, 425 degrees for 10 minutes, and it turns out really lovely. I can imagine making a big sub sandwich with these too. The texture is great, the flavor is good, and the lightness makes it easy to use in meals (as opposed to being so heavy that all you can do with it is slice and eat it.) The kids whole-heartily approved.

The other bread I’ve found lately is Flying Apron’s new white bread which tastes even better than their old one and they are actually finally making enough that you have a decent chance to buy one on white bread days, (bonus!), which at the Redmond location are Tuesdays and Thursdays.

This is a hearty loaf made with quinoa, oat, and I think sorghum flour though I could be wrong about that last one. It has the whole grain goodness of stand-out healthy grains which is so rare in a gluten-free loaf. I love this bread but surprisingly, my sons are not full-on excited about it, though my oldest adores the white rolls made from the same ingredients~ go figure. I think they have gotten so use to the fluffy lightness of gluten-free breads that this denser loaf seems strange to them, like a child who’s been eating regular white bread suddenly tasting a whole wheat loaf~ not exactly the same thing. That’s fine for now because it means more for me! I’ve been making veggie sandwiches with this bread~ one side gets hummus spread on it, the other gets avocado, and in between goes spinach and lettuce, tomatoes, red peppers and whatever else I can find. I haven’t had a fulfilling sandwich like that in so many years I can’t even begin to remember~ until last week that is, at which time I started having them almost every day. Seriously, if you are in the Seattle area and haven’t tried this loaf because you aren’t in the habit of buying a ‘white’ bread~ this loaf will surprise you.

Those two breads above are also vegan, soy, and nut free~ it can be done!

The last product is a granola bar from KIND. These are not the same bars that have been around for a long time, they are different~ flatter and wider for one thing, but the best part is at least one flavor, the oats and honey, is nut free.

This pic is from their website.

Trying to find a gluten-free, dairy-free protein bar that doesn’t have any nuts in it, especially almonds, is extraordinarily difficult. We eat some bars from Nugo and Enjoy Life Foods, but having a new one to throw into backpacks for snack time is extremely welcome at this point.

If you have any new gluten-free favorites, let me know~ I’d love to hear about them.

dairy free · gf bread · gf foods · gluten free · gluten free bread · Gluten free eating · gluten free food · gluten free foods · vegan

Gluten Free Bakery in Bellevue

August 21, 2013 kristenannLeave a comment

Eden B bakery is not your typical gluten-free bakery. In fact I’d bet that it’s the only bakery in the greater Seattle area, gluten-free or not, that could ask, “Would like a Jeep or Dodge with that muffin?” The location, inside a Jeep dealership, makes it an awkward place to stop by, unless you relish navigating between smiling, over-helpful, car salesmen so much that you choose to do so even when not in search of a new car. The place is worth the trip though, because it’s location isn’t all that makes it unique~ they also make salads, sandwiches on gluten-free bread as well as offering a nice selection of muffins, sweet breads, and the like. Some of the goodies are also vegan, but not all (maybe 1/3 of the selection) and my sons both picked the gluten-free, vegan ding dongs. I’ve never seen a homemade ding dong before, and they had never even heard of a ding dong, so that was a fun find. My oldest loved it but my younger, pickier son…not so much. I probably should have guided him to the big gf, vegan snicker doodle cookies that they had because you can can’t go wrong with straight sugar on top, but maybe next time. Along with the sandwiches and bakery goods they also have espresso drinks plus bags of gluten-free chips and such to round out a pleasant lunch. We’ll definitely go back though I’d go back more often if it were in a less awkward place~ something about going to a Jeep dealership for a sweet-fix just doesn’t feel right.

food · Food allergies · food allergy blogs · food sensitivities · gf foods · Gluten free eating · picky kids · vegan · vegetarian

Lentil Love Affair

July 20, 2013July 21, 2014 kristenannLeave a comment

I’ve written about lentil soup enough to signify I’m no casual lentil-liker, and I’ve seen several recipes for lentil salad this season which makes me think they might be having a popularity surge…I don’t know that for sure, but what I do know is that I’ve just been cooking up lentils like a mad woman lately and my husband and oldest have been eating them up just as fast (when I share that is.) Here’s how I’ve been cooking them: 1.5C French green lentils cooked in a pot with 4C veggie stock, 1 chopped leek, 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped carrot and a bay leaf, plus some olive oil poured in there too. Once the lentils are cooked through (about 20-30 minutes) I add some cracked pepper and Mediterranean salts to taste. They are good in a bowl, wrapped up in corn tortillas, spread on slices of gluten-free bread or crackers, or served over rice. Another thing I’ve found that has been making my life a little easier is a vegan cheese my youngest actually likes on pizza. Yay! I thought that was a lost cause because everyone seems to like daiya cheese best but he doesn’t like it one bit (I do though!). He likes follow your heart brand, so I guess I learned to try different brands when they refuse to eat something. He’s also loving Amy’s brand gluten and dairy free frozen pizza with spinach. That is the first time ever he has voluntarily eaten a green vegetable and liked it. I’d even say loved it!

dairy free · Food allergies · food allergy blogs · gluten free · Gluten free eating · gluten free food · gluten free foods · vegan

Gluten Free and Vegan Snack

June 17, 2013 kristenannLeave a comment

Just a quick note to say that we just discovered Biena roasted chickpeas and they are delicious! My oldest and I are excited about this new allergy-free snacking option. We just have tried the sea salt one so far, but I have hopes that the sweeter ones might even win over my youngest and pickiest. They are great just out of the bag, but they would definitely be a fun addition to a salad. Here’s a picture from their website:

vegan

Tofu Wraps

August 15, 2012September 23, 2012 kristenannLeave a comment

This was a total use-up-what-is-in-the-house kind of dinner, but my oldest loved it and I thought it was pretty good too. Here is the tofu part:
1 14oz pkg tofu cut into 1 inch cubes or smaller
2 T toasted sesame oil
2 T gluten free tamari
1 T red wine vinegar
1 T lime juice
2 t (Thai or lemon or regular) basil
Mix the liquids, pour over tofu, add basil and let it sit while next part is starting, for which one needs…
2 big cloves of garlic, minced
olive oil poured into a fairly big pan
Heat the oil, add garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the tofu and extra liquid, black pepper and Mediterranean salts and cook for 8-10 minutes. Set aside when finished.

For my son I warmed up a flour tortilla, added some greens to the middle, cut green onions, red peppers and garlic sauce. On top of the veggies I added the tofu, then wrapped it all up into a handheld meal. He loved it, though he did not trouble himself to put back the red peppers that fell out, so I’m not sure I’ll add those next time.
As for me I wanted to use up the gluten free hot dog buns in the house, (their date is today and I can’t possibly put another gf package of uneaten bread type stuff into the freezer. With just one person eating gluten free in the house I end up with a lot of freezer food), so I put down a big bed of cilantro on the bottom of the bun and added the tofu. It was awesome. For those that don’t like cilantro (and I know you are a passionate people) I’d recommend Thai basil instead. The tofu is quite Asian tasting with that toasted sesame oil so sticking with Asian herbs would be best.

gluten free foods · vegan · vegetarian

Polenta with White Bean and Garlic Sauce~ Gluten Free and Vegan

July 11, 2012June 10, 2017 kristenannLeave a comment

The other I was walking and apparently quite hungry because I thought up a recipe I couldn’t wait to try out. Yesterday I was able to start it, but since I haven’t been to the grocery for a few days I am somewhat hampered by what I have on hand. What I did have on hand was Bob’s Red Mill corn grits which I made into rosemary infused polenta, with cannellini bean and garlic sauce/paste and some veggies on top. The polenta was easy~ I followed a mixture of directions and added rosemary (minced, and from my front yard) while it was cooking on the stove top. It was only about a T and I should have added more rosemary and/or some other herbs to the 2C water/1 C cornmeal because it was blander than I like. I didn’t add butter like a lot of the recipes recommend, which might have added a bit more taste also, so perhaps next time. I then sauteed in a pan olive oil, onions, rosemary, garlic and at the last couple of minutes, a can of cannellini beans including about half the water that was in the can. This all went directly into the food processor to make a thick sauce, to which I added about a cup of basil leaves from my back yard. I actually wanted to make a full on pesto to add a layer to this dish, but I didn’t have enough basil so did it this way instead.

Those two items went into the fridge overnight, then in the morning when I put the sauce on the polenta it looked like this:

Next the chopped red peppers, artichoke hearts, and onions went on top with Mediterranean salt, black pepper, basil and oregano:

I cooked it in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes, and then broiled it for another 10 to get the top browned a little. It was a good hearty dish, especially served on a bed of spinach, but next time I will add a lot more herbs because it lacked flavor. The real reason I’m posting about it is that you can do this kind of thing with just about any sauce, bean, and/or veggie available and it is a great gluten free dish. I suppose you could add meat too if you wanted. Next time I will do either pesto or red sauce and add the whole beans on top with the veggies. Or I might do a refried bean version and some Mexican cheeses. The options are endless~ just be sure to have plenty of herbs on hand to make the polenta really shine and not just a carrier for the other ingredients.

gluten free · vegan

Quick Mexican Meal (GF and Vegan)

June 13, 2011September 23, 2012 kristenannLeave a comment

This combination has been building in my mind all week~ several cravings colliding into one corn tortilla. I’ve just been waiting for the perfect meal in which to make it where my husband could be my non-gluten intolerant, non-vegetarian guinea pig. It finally happened yesterday. We went for a long drive in the country which was something we often did on the weekends before kids. It used to be a time of daydreaming about a simpler life, finding funky art galleries and indulging in extra espresso. Yesterday had a different goal and feel all together~ we were on a rock hunt. In order to fix up our yard a bit we need rocks to terrace and ground the place so we went to a couple of quarries to price out rocks and get an idea of what exactly we want. I never knew so many options existed! I also forgot how long these drives can last when my husband is behind the wheel with a project in mind, so I did not fully prepare the car with sufficient distractions for the boys in the backseat. Their book on CD was scratched so they couldn’t finish Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which left them both silly and disappointed at the same time. The kids’ cds in the car drive my husband loopy so the radio stayed on a neutral rock station. I didn’t bring their leapsters b/c I didn’t think we’d need them. We did. The boys did all the silly stuff brothers do in the back of station wagons on car trips~ and they did it all in about a 2 hour period~ loud screams, naughty jokes, fighting over space, trying to make each other laugh with goofy eye pulling faces, and more loud screams. I reached for my Kava blend~ forgotten. Both my husband and I had frazzled nerves by the time we were home. He was more in his head, calculating costs and time and logistics. My own head was stuck somewhere in the middle of the backseat being batted around by the loud goofiness that seemed to just get louder with every reminder to use ‘inside voices’. So, by the time we got home it was time for a good meal and I had to shake off my frazzles and focus on food, which is always a good way to calm down. I already knew exactly what I was going to make. Here’s the recipe: I warmed two corn tortillas in a dry pan, then picked them up and spread refried beans I’d previously made with Tabasco sauce stirred in on the warm sides, then warmed the other (dry) sides of the torts. Next I added greens from a bag of mixed salad greens, plus a lot of fresh cilantro leaves. On top of the greens I placed two think slices of avocado each, then topped them with pico de gallo salsa (from Whole Foods.) They were delicious, both to me and my lovely guinea pig. The kids had eaten during the whole car ride so they didn’t try it, but I’ll be making these again very soon so they will have their chance.