I decided to do some gluten-free baking this morning to mix things up a bit around here. Feeling adventurous, I decided to create my own recipe for some peach muffins, since I LOVE peaches, and they are starting to come into season. In fact, I have my very own peach tree. (Here's to hoping it produces fruit this year!) Since I also love peach cobbler, I thought it would be super tasty to make a peach cobbler muffin. I pulled a bunch of potential ingredients, as well as the usual baking as sundries and went to work, hoping they would turn out.
Oh. My. Goodness.
Yum-o!!!! You would never know they are gluten-free! And with the almond, coconut and flax, they even have some redeeming qualities. I am sure you could pour the batter into a small loaf pan as well - adjusting the baking time, of course. You could even drizzle a bit of powdered sugar icing over it or just slather a touch of butter. SO GOOD!!! I am definitely adding this recipe to my gluten-free collection. Just thought I would share. :)
R’s Gluten-Free Peach Cobbler Muffins
1C almond flour
2T coconut flour
2T flax meal
1t baking soda
1/4t sea salt
2t cinnamon
3 eggs
1/4C grapeseed oil
1/4C + 1T peach preserves (I use Fredericksburg ones from Costco)
1T honey
1t vanilla
1/4C finely chopped (about ¼ in) fresh peach
1.Combine all of the dry ingredients.
2.Add the wet ingredients.
3.Stir in the fresh peaches.
4.Pour into well greased muffin tin (2/3 full).
5.Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes.
So super easy! Now, if I can just stop us from eating them all...
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Vita-Blessing / Vita-Curse
Oh, VitaMix!!! Why oh why can you make so many naughty pleasures!?!?
The temptation became too great for me this weekend. After getting yet another allergy test that stated that I have no allergies to dairy (PTL!!!), I couldn't resist making myself a coffee drink in the VitaMix. And oh, what a coffee drink it was!
The Experiment
I am not a straight coffee drinker, but chocolate with a hint of coffee? Well, that is another story. I decided that if I am going to cheat, I am going all the way. (I am an all-or-nothing type of girl!)I started out with some milk and Ghirardelli cocoa powder and blending that until frothy. Keith brewed up an extra strong pot of malibu blend coffee that has a hint of pralines and coconut. We added a couple shots to the mix, along with some fresh whipped cream (organic, of course). Add some ice cubes, blend on high, top with whipped cream...
Move over, Starkbucks!
Oh. My. Goodness. Smooth, chocolately creaminess with a hint of gourmet coffee. Amazing!!! MUCH better than a mocha frap at Starbucks. Keith and I tried to hide the divine concoction from the girls, but alas they made their way into the kitchen. Maybe it was the sound of the jet engine on our counter, you think?? We tried to slowly administer a tiny bit to Lily, as the child needs no help in the energy department.
We had tons of coffee left over, so I froze the rest into an ice cube tray for later. WAIT. LATER??? This is not good. NOT GOOD AT ALL.
"Everything is permissible but not everything is profitable."
Funny how the small things in life have deep and powerful lessons behind them. Just as I can use the VitaMix to make some amazing healthy meals to nourish my family, I can also use it to potentially harm my family's health by overloading them with ice cream and coffee drinks. Even delicious ones! A hammer can build up or tear down. Same for a VitaMix. It just goes to show that God uses all circumstances to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in us. In our case, self-control. I pray that we use this marvelous tool to build up the health of our family more than tearing it down. Maybe the Lord will supernatually make broccoli smoothies taste like mocha fraps. Hey, this is JEHOVAH, you know. For all this, Lord, we are thankful. :)
The temptation became too great for me this weekend. After getting yet another allergy test that stated that I have no allergies to dairy (PTL!!!), I couldn't resist making myself a coffee drink in the VitaMix. And oh, what a coffee drink it was!
The Experiment
I am not a straight coffee drinker, but chocolate with a hint of coffee? Well, that is another story. I decided that if I am going to cheat, I am going all the way. (I am an all-or-nothing type of girl!)I started out with some milk and Ghirardelli cocoa powder and blending that until frothy. Keith brewed up an extra strong pot of malibu blend coffee that has a hint of pralines and coconut. We added a couple shots to the mix, along with some fresh whipped cream (organic, of course). Add some ice cubes, blend on high, top with whipped cream...
Move over, Starkbucks!
Oh. My. Goodness. Smooth, chocolately creaminess with a hint of gourmet coffee. Amazing!!! MUCH better than a mocha frap at Starbucks. Keith and I tried to hide the divine concoction from the girls, but alas they made their way into the kitchen. Maybe it was the sound of the jet engine on our counter, you think?? We tried to slowly administer a tiny bit to Lily, as the child needs no help in the energy department.
We had tons of coffee left over, so I froze the rest into an ice cube tray for later. WAIT. LATER??? This is not good. NOT GOOD AT ALL.
"Everything is permissible but not everything is profitable."
Funny how the small things in life have deep and powerful lessons behind them. Just as I can use the VitaMix to make some amazing healthy meals to nourish my family, I can also use it to potentially harm my family's health by overloading them with ice cream and coffee drinks. Even delicious ones! A hammer can build up or tear down. Same for a VitaMix. It just goes to show that God uses all circumstances to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in us. In our case, self-control. I pray that we use this marvelous tool to build up the health of our family more than tearing it down. Maybe the Lord will supernatually make broccoli smoothies taste like mocha fraps. Hey, this is JEHOVAH, you know. For all this, Lord, we are thankful. :)
Friday, March 11, 2011
Vita-LOVE
Love at First Blend
I never knew I could hold so much love and admiration towards a kitchen appliance. Oh, how I wanted this machine for a long time, and Wednesday the day finally came. You know you have hyped something up when the mailwoman casually walks up to the door, sets down the package,rings the door bell and busily turns and strolls back to her car only to be startled by the screaming coming from behind the door. “MOM!!!! IT’S THE VITAMIX!!!!
I ran down the stairs, lept over a couple very enthusiastic children, threw open the door, snatched up the box and immediately took it to the kitchen to unpack. As I am carefully unpacking the box, the girls are chanting “VitaMix, VitaMix” and dancing around the island. Maybe I played up the visions of homemade ice cream a bit too much… I quickly demoted my coffee maker from its choice position on the kitchen counter, and replaced it with the VitaMix. I must say, it is an imposing machine. I admired it a bit before responding to the girls’ cries to look through the recipe book. This machine is more than a mere blender. From smoothies to specialty drinks (mocha cappuccino, anyone?), soups to dips and salsas to bread batter, it can almost make anything!! And cleanup? Just fill it halfway full with water and a couple drops of dish soap, turn it on high for a few seconds, rinse and your done.
I must admit I was quiet intimidated by the thing. I’m a decent cook, but this has the potential to take me to another level. Perhaps afraid that the machine wouldn’t live up to its hype, I let my shiny new VitaMix sit there in its proud position for the night.
I was determined to this ride for a test drive today, so when lunch time rolled around, it was VitaMix time. I quickly threw some frozen blueberries, coconut milk and ice in the thing and within 30 seconds, I had slush. COOL! I gave the girls a bit and poured the rest into some popsicle forms for later. Now the real test: vegetables – and lots of them.
HOLY MOLY!!!
It’s a bit like throwing your veggies into a jet engine. This thing could liquefy a tire iron!!! I left it running for about 4 minutes and came back to piping hot soup. AMAZING!!! The machine was but not the soup. It was gross. Bad combo of flavors – bleck! But, the texture was divine. Ditching the nasty soup, I decided to just have a salad. I tossed some more veggies into the container and in 2 seconds – no lie, I had perfectly chopped veggies. Cleanup was 30 seconds. I am loving this!!
The girls are pumped for berry-picking season, as visions of strawberry and peach ice cream and blueberry sorbets dance in their little heads. With the awesome power of this machine, I will occasionally slip some greens into those glorious concoctions. I can hear it now. “Thanks, Mom, but why is my ice cream green???” Hee hee!
We love you, VitaMix!!!
I never knew I could hold so much love and admiration towards a kitchen appliance. Oh, how I wanted this machine for a long time, and Wednesday the day finally came. You know you have hyped something up when the mailwoman casually walks up to the door, sets down the package,rings the door bell and busily turns and strolls back to her car only to be startled by the screaming coming from behind the door. “MOM!!!! IT’S THE VITAMIX!!!!
I ran down the stairs, lept over a couple very enthusiastic children, threw open the door, snatched up the box and immediately took it to the kitchen to unpack. As I am carefully unpacking the box, the girls are chanting “VitaMix, VitaMix” and dancing around the island. Maybe I played up the visions of homemade ice cream a bit too much… I quickly demoted my coffee maker from its choice position on the kitchen counter, and replaced it with the VitaMix. I must say, it is an imposing machine. I admired it a bit before responding to the girls’ cries to look through the recipe book. This machine is more than a mere blender. From smoothies to specialty drinks (mocha cappuccino, anyone?), soups to dips and salsas to bread batter, it can almost make anything!! And cleanup? Just fill it halfway full with water and a couple drops of dish soap, turn it on high for a few seconds, rinse and your done.
I must admit I was quiet intimidated by the thing. I’m a decent cook, but this has the potential to take me to another level. Perhaps afraid that the machine wouldn’t live up to its hype, I let my shiny new VitaMix sit there in its proud position for the night.
I was determined to this ride for a test drive today, so when lunch time rolled around, it was VitaMix time. I quickly threw some frozen blueberries, coconut milk and ice in the thing and within 30 seconds, I had slush. COOL! I gave the girls a bit and poured the rest into some popsicle forms for later. Now the real test: vegetables – and lots of them.
HOLY MOLY!!!
It’s a bit like throwing your veggies into a jet engine. This thing could liquefy a tire iron!!! I left it running for about 4 minutes and came back to piping hot soup. AMAZING!!! The machine was but not the soup. It was gross. Bad combo of flavors – bleck! But, the texture was divine. Ditching the nasty soup, I decided to just have a salad. I tossed some more veggies into the container and in 2 seconds – no lie, I had perfectly chopped veggies. Cleanup was 30 seconds. I am loving this!!
The girls are pumped for berry-picking season, as visions of strawberry and peach ice cream and blueberry sorbets dance in their little heads. With the awesome power of this machine, I will occasionally slip some greens into those glorious concoctions. I can hear it now. “Thanks, Mom, but why is my ice cream green???” Hee hee!
We love you, VitaMix!!!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
It's Not Cheese, But...
I LOVE cheese. LUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUV cheese. Even dog food would taste good with cheese on it! (don't worry, never tried, just a theory) Alas, tragically all dairy products are a banned substance on my gut regeneration program.
Life without cheese was just getting be to too tough on this cheese connoisseur, so I went on a seemingly fuitless search for a suitable substitute. Looking through several vegan foodie blogs on the subject of cheese, I kept reading rave reviews about this new "cheese" carried at Whole Foods. "It tastes just like cheese!" "It melts!" "It stretches!" "It's delicious!" "It's incredible" "It's AMAZING!" "It's the answer to world peace!!!" Okay, I made the last one up, but you would think that this "cheese" could be the answer with all the over-the-top accolades it was getting.
My first thought, honestly, was, "these people are nuts! They wouldn't know a good cheese if their lives depended on it. These people rave about tofu, for Heaven's sake!" You see, I am a cheese snob. I admit it. But, humility and yearning started to set in after I made my girls one too many grilled cheese sandwiches. MUST... HAVE... CHEESE.
Enter Daiya
I caved to the reviews of the vegans and drove across town to get a few packages of Daiya "cheese" to test. The "cheese" is shredded and comes in two flavors: cheddar and mozzarella. It's dairy-free, gluten-free and preservative-free with no artificial flavors, which are all positives. I grabbed two of each, figuring that if it tasted anything like cheese, I am going to stock up.
We rushed back home, and I quickly steamed up some broccoli and cauliflower to sprinkle it on. Excitedly, I ripped open the cheddar flavor bag and poured it on my veggies, a bit heavy-handed. I gobbled down the first bite and... CHEESE! Well, for the most part. It's more like the cheese packets for the microwaveable Kraft mac 'n' cheese than a fine aged cheddar, but it tastes like cheese none the less. As far as the melting and stretching part, it does change shape into a stretchy blob, but what can you realistically expect of flavored pea protein?
Overall, I am satisfied with this Daiya "cheese". I am really looking forward to making a gluten-free flax meal pizza crust and trying out the mozzarella flavor. Add some homemade tomato sauce, fresh garlic, spinach and onions, and walla!! Vegan deliciousness. It also keeps me from being too snarky while my kiddos devour their REAL grilled cheese sandwiches. For that, Lord, I am grateful. :)
Life without cheese was just getting be to too tough on this cheese connoisseur, so I went on a seemingly fuitless search for a suitable substitute. Looking through several vegan foodie blogs on the subject of cheese, I kept reading rave reviews about this new "cheese" carried at Whole Foods. "It tastes just like cheese!" "It melts!" "It stretches!" "It's delicious!" "It's incredible" "It's AMAZING!" "It's the answer to world peace!!!" Okay, I made the last one up, but you would think that this "cheese" could be the answer with all the over-the-top accolades it was getting.
My first thought, honestly, was, "these people are nuts! They wouldn't know a good cheese if their lives depended on it. These people rave about tofu, for Heaven's sake!" You see, I am a cheese snob. I admit it. But, humility and yearning started to set in after I made my girls one too many grilled cheese sandwiches. MUST... HAVE... CHEESE.
Enter Daiya
I caved to the reviews of the vegans and drove across town to get a few packages of Daiya "cheese" to test. The "cheese" is shredded and comes in two flavors: cheddar and mozzarella. It's dairy-free, gluten-free and preservative-free with no artificial flavors, which are all positives. I grabbed two of each, figuring that if it tasted anything like cheese, I am going to stock up.
We rushed back home, and I quickly steamed up some broccoli and cauliflower to sprinkle it on. Excitedly, I ripped open the cheddar flavor bag and poured it on my veggies, a bit heavy-handed. I gobbled down the first bite and... CHEESE! Well, for the most part. It's more like the cheese packets for the microwaveable Kraft mac 'n' cheese than a fine aged cheddar, but it tastes like cheese none the less. As far as the melting and stretching part, it does change shape into a stretchy blob, but what can you realistically expect of flavored pea protein?
Overall, I am satisfied with this Daiya "cheese". I am really looking forward to making a gluten-free flax meal pizza crust and trying out the mozzarella flavor. Add some homemade tomato sauce, fresh garlic, spinach and onions, and walla!! Vegan deliciousness. It also keeps me from being too snarky while my kiddos devour their REAL grilled cheese sandwiches. For that, Lord, I am grateful. :)
"You wash your hair with WHAT???"
Once I started reading the labels on food, I began reading the labels on EVERYTHING. That includes anything from crackers, fruit snacks, lotions to the topic of today: shampoo and conditioner. At first, I thought if I bought any "natural" shampoo and conditioner, my hair would be more luxurious, the itchy scalp would disappear, and all would be dreamy in the hair world. NOT SO. Lots of those so-called natural hair products still slip sulfates into their formulas. If you don't know about sulfates, they cause hair loss over time. Not good. Plus, these suckers are $10 - $15 dollars a bottle - a VERY small bottle. What a racket. So, what's a girl to do? I knew I was not going to go back to the regular stuff, so it was time to think out of the box.
Research time!!!
After much searching, I have found a formula that made sense and has saved lots of cents!!! I chunked my expensive, pseudo-natural shampoo and conditioner for a solution of water, baking soda and borax along with a solution of raw apple cider vinegar and water as a rinse, and my scalp feels the best it has in quite some time, and my hair loss is greatly diminished. I simply comb in some organic plant and nut oils with lavender (hair oil from Tropical Traditions), and my hair is just as shiny and manageable – and healthier! - from simple ingredients God created. PTL! And the cost? I can get a 13.5 pound bag of baking soda for about $6 at Costco. A sizable box of borax(a natural mineral) can be found on the laundry aisle for close to $3. Bragg's raw apple cider vinegar is a bit over $5 dollars for 16 ounces. Water? Free. :) I simply put the mixtures (1:5 solutions, 5 being water) in squeezable condiment bottles, and we are good to go! The clear bottle is the baking soda, and the red bottle - complete with the word "KETCHUP" in bold letters and a 1950's era waitress holding a cheeseburger - holds the vinegar solution. LOL, I promise I am not enjoying ketchup and cheeseburger (I only hallucinate about them) in my shower!!! It may not be conventional, but it works!
Research time!!!
After much searching, I have found a formula that made sense and has saved lots of cents!!! I chunked my expensive, pseudo-natural shampoo and conditioner for a solution of water, baking soda and borax along with a solution of raw apple cider vinegar and water as a rinse, and my scalp feels the best it has in quite some time, and my hair loss is greatly diminished. I simply comb in some organic plant and nut oils with lavender (hair oil from Tropical Traditions), and my hair is just as shiny and manageable – and healthier! - from simple ingredients God created. PTL! And the cost? I can get a 13.5 pound bag of baking soda for about $6 at Costco. A sizable box of borax(a natural mineral) can be found on the laundry aisle for close to $3. Bragg's raw apple cider vinegar is a bit over $5 dollars for 16 ounces. Water? Free. :) I simply put the mixtures (1:5 solutions, 5 being water) in squeezable condiment bottles, and we are good to go! The clear bottle is the baking soda, and the red bottle - complete with the word "KETCHUP" in bold letters and a 1950's era waitress holding a cheeseburger - holds the vinegar solution. LOL, I promise I am not enjoying ketchup and cheeseburger (I only hallucinate about them) in my shower!!! It may not be conventional, but it works!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Going Glory Days (or Not So Glorious)
Looking Back at History
As some of you may know, my intestines really don't like me. I can understand with how I treated them over the years. Mom and Dad both worked and did the best that they could with the time and knowledge they had. Back then all people knew were the four food groups and to eat some from each. No one thought there was any difference between fresh and canned veggies.(Organic what??) My diet consisted of Dominos mushroom and pepperoni pizzas, McDonald's cheese burgers, donuts on the weekends, lots of ham and bologna and cheese sandwiches and Doritos. And milk. LOTS of milk. I would drink 5-6 glasses a day. Milk does the body good, right? (Apparently not.)Dad did cook dinner for us most nights, and we did get a bit of "the good stuff" - mostly out of a can and doused in ranch dressing or cheese. We just didn't know, you know? My intestines were growing angry...
Fat = SATAN
When I was in college, the "carbs good, fat very bad" diet was all the rage. Anyone else fall for this one? I must have purchased thousands of boxes of Snackwell's during that time never looking to see that they had replaced the fat with loads of sugar and preservatives. My diet was mostly potatoes, pasta, bread. Have you all ever done paper mache? What do you use as glue? Answer: flour and water. What was I eating most? Answer: flour. And considering our bodies are made up of 70% - 80% water... I ate glue during college, and my intestines were downright ticked.
Looking back, I can clearly see how my diet, couple with years of antibiotics, ravaged my digestive system. I am thankful for how long it lasted. Given the continual assault it endured, I need to be even more mindful that there is no such thing as a quick fix. I have tried them. I cannot reverse 30 years of damage in 30 days. But, what I can do is try to give my body the best nutrition possible and start the process, and that's where I am.
As some of you may know, my intestines really don't like me. I can understand with how I treated them over the years. Mom and Dad both worked and did the best that they could with the time and knowledge they had. Back then all people knew were the four food groups and to eat some from each. No one thought there was any difference between fresh and canned veggies.(Organic what??) My diet consisted of Dominos mushroom and pepperoni pizzas, McDonald's cheese burgers, donuts on the weekends, lots of ham and bologna and cheese sandwiches and Doritos. And milk. LOTS of milk. I would drink 5-6 glasses a day. Milk does the body good, right? (Apparently not.)Dad did cook dinner for us most nights, and we did get a bit of "the good stuff" - mostly out of a can and doused in ranch dressing or cheese. We just didn't know, you know? My intestines were growing angry...
Fat = SATAN
When I was in college, the "carbs good, fat very bad" diet was all the rage. Anyone else fall for this one? I must have purchased thousands of boxes of Snackwell's during that time never looking to see that they had replaced the fat with loads of sugar and preservatives. My diet was mostly potatoes, pasta, bread. Have you all ever done paper mache? What do you use as glue? Answer: flour and water. What was I eating most? Answer: flour. And considering our bodies are made up of 70% - 80% water... I ate glue during college, and my intestines were downright ticked.
Looking back, I can clearly see how my diet, couple with years of antibiotics, ravaged my digestive system. I am thankful for how long it lasted. Given the continual assault it endured, I need to be even more mindful that there is no such thing as a quick fix. I have tried them. I cannot reverse 30 years of damage in 30 days. But, what I can do is try to give my body the best nutrition possible and start the process, and that's where I am.
Hallucinating About Cheeseburgers
Wow, it has been such a long time since I blogged! Well, here I am over a year later looking for the same answers to the same health questions. I thought if I tried blogging about it, maybe it would make the process a bit easier, and maybe I can help someone along the way...
The Not-So-Enthusiastic Vegan
After much research, I recently found a natural, gut regeneration program that looked very promising. After reading a 200+ page book about the process, I decided that I need to commit to this program. One problem: veganism. Not to offend any vegans out there, but I am a protein eater. And by protein, I mean meat. A bowl of beans cannot come close to competing with a perfectly grilled ribeye (medium rare, oh yes). Don't get me started on cheeseburgers and the most divine baby back ribs to ever grace your lips made by my sweet husband. BUT, I am committed... so no meat. Not even a bite. All I can eat is mostly steamed veggies and whole grain porridge. God help me. :)
I had my first hallucination about cheeseburgers a couple days ago. Juicy, delicious 100% beef with a slab of perfectly aged cheddar on a fluffy, mouth-watering bun toasted to perfection with a slather of organic butter (hey, it makes me feel better!). It looked delectable; it smelled divine; it tasted... like barley porridge. Jolted out of my reverie by the utter blandness of my breakfast, I stared with more than a tinge of jealously at my children happily devouring their scrambled eggs and cinnamon toast.
So, this is my lot. And surprisingly, I am thankful.
There's a lot to be said about delayed gratification. There is a lot to be learned in the waiting, in the process of healing. God, in His incredible grace, is using these moments to teach me lessons way beyond food and health. It's about waiting, enduring for His best. And the moments of weakness are invaluable opportunities to trust Him more.
The Not-So-Enthusiastic Vegan
After much research, I recently found a natural, gut regeneration program that looked very promising. After reading a 200+ page book about the process, I decided that I need to commit to this program. One problem: veganism. Not to offend any vegans out there, but I am a protein eater. And by protein, I mean meat. A bowl of beans cannot come close to competing with a perfectly grilled ribeye (medium rare, oh yes). Don't get me started on cheeseburgers and the most divine baby back ribs to ever grace your lips made by my sweet husband. BUT, I am committed... so no meat. Not even a bite. All I can eat is mostly steamed veggies and whole grain porridge. God help me. :)
I had my first hallucination about cheeseburgers a couple days ago. Juicy, delicious 100% beef with a slab of perfectly aged cheddar on a fluffy, mouth-watering bun toasted to perfection with a slather of organic butter (hey, it makes me feel better!). It looked delectable; it smelled divine; it tasted... like barley porridge. Jolted out of my reverie by the utter blandness of my breakfast, I stared with more than a tinge of jealously at my children happily devouring their scrambled eggs and cinnamon toast.
So, this is my lot. And surprisingly, I am thankful.
There's a lot to be said about delayed gratification. There is a lot to be learned in the waiting, in the process of healing. God, in His incredible grace, is using these moments to teach me lessons way beyond food and health. It's about waiting, enduring for His best. And the moments of weakness are invaluable opportunities to trust Him more.
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