Coconut Brownies (gluten free & dairy free)

I bought a 1 lb bag of coconut flour months ago and still use it. Although it is expensive, I don't use much when I am baking.  For every 2 tablespoons of coconut flour, there is 70 calories, 2.5g fat, 6g dietary fiber, and 3g protein. It does not taste like coconut so you can enjoy these brownies if you are not a coconut lover. The brand I bought is in a 1 lb green bag called "LET"S DO...ORGANIC."


GLUTEN FREE COCONUT FLOUR BROWNIES
Alison's Wheat Free Brownies (recipe on the back of the coconut flour bag)


Ingredients~ 


1/3 cup butter or non-dairy alternative (I used Earth Balance)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla (I use bourbon vanilla)
1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted 
1 cup chocolate chips, optional


Directions ~


Preheat the oven to 350. In a medium saucepan over low heat, blend butter and cocoa powder. Remove from heat and let cool. In a separate bowl (I used my kitchen aid mixer), mix the eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Blend this into the cocoa mixture. Stir in the coconut flour until the batter is no longer lumpy. Add the chocolate chips, if desired. Bake in pre-greased 8x8 baking pan for 30-35 minutes. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free & Dairy Free & Egg Free & Grain Free)

I have been wanting to try a chocolate chip cookie recipe that was gluten free, dairy free, and grain free (as much as possible).  I found this recipe on the Spunky Coconut website.  I love the website, however she uses expensive ingredients like coconut oil and coconut flour.  I don't use the ingredients on a regular basis, so I don't worry too much about using them.

Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Add to bowl:

1/2 cup applesauce (I used unsweetened)

3 tbsp flax seed meal or 1.5 tbsp Chia seed meal (I used flax)

1/2 tsp guar gum (I substituted xanthan gum which is not grain free)

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

12 drops vanilla liquid stevia (I omitted this and still thought the chocolate chip cookies were sweet enough)

1 tsp vanilla extract (I use burbon vanilla which does not contain any added sugar and i)

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup honey or coconut sugar (I use honey)

1/4 cup coconut oil, liquified  (can also you ghee or butter)

Mix with electric mixer (I use my kitchen aid mixer)

Add:

1 cup almond meal flour (I use Honeyville grain blanched almond flour)

1/2 cup coconut flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder (you can make grain free baking powder but I used regular)

1/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (I use Guittard Dark Chocolate Chips because they are dairy free and I used about 1/2 cup)

Mix again.

Roll into balls and flatten the balls in your hands. (they don't really change shape in the oven)

Or roll out with a rolling pin and use cookie cutters =)

Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.

http://www.thespunkycoconut.com/2010/02/chocolate-chip-cookies-gluten-free.html

Gluten Free & Dairy Free Eggplant "Parmesan"

My husband gave this dish a 10/10. My kids thought the grilled eggplant was chicken. I promise it tastes so much better than the picture looks. Below is a link to the original recipe.

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 lbs ground turkey meat 
• 1 large jar tomato/spaghetti sauce (I used a 24 oz jar of Classico Tomato Basil)
• 1 medium onion, diced 
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 1 medium to large eggplant, peeled and sliced 
• 3 eggs, whisked together
• 1/2 cup-1 cup arrowroot powder (can also use tapioca starch)
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/4-1/2 cup nutritional yeast, like Braggs (this gives the dish a cheesy flavor)
• Gluten-Free Noodles 

Directions: 

• In a skillet, brown the meat & onion
• When the meat is done, add the tomato/spaghetti sauce (see picture below)
• While the meat is cooking, start grilling your eggplant on the stove: Dip the sliced eggplant first in the arrowroot and then the eggs. I used a stove top grill greased with some olive oil. You could also use a skillet to cook the eggplant in some olive oil. Grill both sides of the eggplant until done. Place on a plate or a paper towel until ready to use (picture of my grilled eggplant below)

Layers:

• I used an 8x10 pyrex casserole dish
• Put half of the meat mixture on the bottom
• Layer on half of the eggplant
• Sprinkle on the nutritional yeast
• Layer on the basil leaves
• Put the rest of the meat mixture on
• Layer the rest of the eggplant 

Serve with gluten free noodles 

http://www.myrealfoodlife.com/gluten-free-dairy-free-eggplant-parmigiana/

Fajita Frittata with Avocado Salsa

This is an amazingly good frittata!! I am going to be making this again. Below is a link to the recipe on Marks Daily Apple. I followed the recipe with a few exceptions, listed in the ingredients and directions.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound skirt or flank steak, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (I used 4 fresh minced cloves)
• 1-2 poblano or green bell peppers, cut into thin rounds or strips (I used 1 green pepper)
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin rounds or strips (I used 2 small red peppers)
• 10 eggs, whisked (I used 12)
• 1 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
• 2-3 avocados, cut into small chunks
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (optional)
• juice of one lime juice (I used 2 small limes)
• sea salt to taste

Directions: All the pictures are mine :-)
Season steak with cumin, chili powder and salt. (continue to read for more directions)

Preheat oven broiler to high (I did not do this)

Heat olive oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat on the stove. Add steak.

Saute 3 minutes (meat should be just slightly pink) then add garlic and peppers (I cooked the steak about 10 minutes)

Saute 3 minutes more then add eggs and a handful of cilantro. Stir quickly then turn heat down to medium. Let cook 3-4 minutes, until the egg is set around the edges but still runny in the middle.

• Transfer the pan to the oven under the broiler and cook until the frittata is golden and firm in the middle, about 3-5 minutes. (I cooked mine on the stove a majority of the time with the lid on and broiled for about 4 minutes). 
• Remove from oven.
• Gently mix together avocado, green onion, jalapeno and lime juice. Add sea salt to taste (The frittata will taste just as good without this)

Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/fajita-frittata-with-avocado-salsa/#ixzz1lwXwhkt9

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

I received a head of green cabbage from Bountiful Baskets and it sat in my fridge for over a week until I decided what to do with it. I found a recipe for Stuffed Cabbage Rolls on a grain free food blog and modified it.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey (Foster Farms is gluten free)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, diced
3 carrots finely diced
5 cloves garlic
2-3 tablespoons italian seasoning (you can use whatever you want)
1/2 small can gluten free tomato paste
salt to taste
1 head cabbage, steamed to soften
1-2 cups gluten free broth (I used vegetable broth)

Directions:

• Cook the veggies and meat together in a skillet until veggies are done and meat is tender. Add the seasoning and tomato paste (I would use tomato sauce but I did not have that) 
• While the above is cooking, steam your cabbage until soft. I steamed mine in the microwave for about 10 minutes. 
• Gently peel off the cabbage leaves. The closer you get to the core of the cabbage, the harder the leaves take to get off. I started to cut the stem to tear off the leaves easier. The softer the cabbage leaves, the easier it is to roll in the meat mixture
• With the vein of the cabbage laying down, the cabbage leaf should look like a bowl. Place about 1/4 cup (amount depends on the size of the leaf) inside the cabbage leaf and put together like a burrito.
• Place in 8x10 pyrex casserole dish with the seams facing down and the vein facing upwards. 
• Pour 1 cup broth over the cabbage rolls
• Bake on 350 for 25-30 minutes
• I thought my cabbage would be softer and easier to cut after baking. Next time I think adding 2 cups of broth will help. The outer cabbage leaves were more green as you can see from my picture below.

The link where I got my idea: http://grainfreefoodie.blogspot.com/2009/03/stuffed-cabbage-leaves.html

Gluten Free Toothpaste

I know my blog's name has the word cheap in it, but I had to buy toothpaste for $5.49 at Whole Foods. I am still having symptoms so I decided I would try out a certified gluten free toothpaste. Other toothpastes that are much cheaper state their toothpastes are gluten free but are not "certified gluten free."

After I had my endoscopy, the GI doctor who performed the scope, told me to make sure everything was gluten free, including toothpaste and shampoo & conditioner. I thought that was a crazy idea. Even though you are not ingesting the gluten from these products, your skin still absorbs it and can cause problems.

The toothpaste is called Himalaya Herbal Healthcare by BOTANIQUE.  It is a 5.29oz tube.

Also check out this interesting review of gluten free toothpaste
http://aglutenfreeveganmomwhoknows.blogspot.com/2011/07/gluten-in-dental-products-toothpaste.html

Gluten & Grain Free Granola

I found this recipe on a grain free blog and found this yummy granola.
Ingredients
1 cup pumpkin seeds (I used the raw green ones)
1 cup sunflower seeds (I used raw)
1 cup coconut flakes or shreds (I used unsweetened coconut) 
1/2 cup honey, warmed (I thought this was too much but honey also acts as a binder)
Pinch of salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 TBSP. vanilla extract
1 cup cut up dried fruit (I used apples)

DirectionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a large baking sheet. Mix all ingredients EXCEPT dried fruit. Toss well. Spread on baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes (30 minutes would have burned my granola, so I stirred after 10 minutes, then after 5 minutes, and after another 5 for a total of 20 minutes). Remove from oven and stir in dried fruit. Continue to stir every few minutes during cooling process as well.

When it is cool, it will be deliciously crunchy.


http://grainfreefoodie.blogspot.com/2009/10/yummy-granola.html

Flower Power Eggs

Cut the peppers into 1/2 inch rings

Place in a non stick oiled skillet. I let the peppers cook about 3-5 minutes on each side before putting the egg in.

Crack an egg into each pepper ring, cover, and cook on low heat until until the white part of the egg is done. You can flip over or wait until the yolk is done too.

Sprinkle salt and pepper on for taste. I used italian seasoning.