Start Your Morning Right..with Pancakes!

My favorite breakfast meal has always been Dad's homemade pancakes.  Though our family recipes have been slightly changed due to the removal of gluten from our diets, the family experience is the same, if not better. 

Dad's Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Almond flour
• 1/2 cup Brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup quinoa flour
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Combine ingredients
2. Cook on a cast iron frying pan.

Makes 4 or 5 medium pancakes

Kale Chips - Crispy Crunchy Goodness

My mom introduced me to this recipe about a year ago.  At first, the recipe sounded way too odd for me, but then I tried them.  Kale chips have a very deliteful crunch.  They are the perfect after-school snack because they are cruchy, salty, very nutritious, and they even taste pretty good.  Try them.  Love them.

Kale Chips

Ingredients:

• 1 Bunch kale
• Coconut oil to oil pan
• Sea salt
• Other preferred seasonings

Instructions:

1. Wash the kale and dry thoroughly
2. Rip leafy parts of kale into chip-size pieces
3. Spread Kale on oiled baking pan (make sure the pieces are not overlapping too much)
4. Add salt and other desired seasonings
5. Bake at 350 F for 10-15 minutes

**Make sure the chips are completely cooked and crispy, but not burnt

Wrap It Up with a Lettuce Wrap

Lettuce wraps are becoming more and more popular in sandwich shops and are even beginning to pop up in select sit-down resaurants.  Though many gluten-free people would simply have their sandwich made into a salad, I would suggest they first try having their sandwich  turned into a lettuce wrap.  There is something very fullfilling about having all the flavors packed into one, burrito-like unit, something you can hold in your hands.  Plus, if you are really worried about the mess, you can have your lettuce wrap wrapped in parchment paper.  Problem solved!

Lettuce wraps can easily be made at your house or apartment.  They are quick and easy to make and are fairly cheap, depending on what you put in them.  In the past, I have made wraps as simple as tuna fish with mayo.  Yum!

Homemade Hot Chocolate for those Blustery Days

I believe there is nothing better to do on a bluster day than snuggle up on the couch, pop in a movie, and sip some homemade hot chocolate.  ...after your homework is done, of course...

Homemade Hot Chocolate for those Blustery Days

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Almond milk
• 3 tbsp Cacoa powder
• 3 tbsp Honey
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 tsp Cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Thouroughly stir or blend ingredients 
2. Heat mixture in a sauce pan

 

 

Chocolate Cake Anyone?

My older brother's birthday was just a month ago, and, weeks in advance, I knew I wanted to make him a chocolate cake to celebrate.  However, I had no idea where to start.  You see, he is also gluten and dairy-free, which makes things rather difficult in the chocolate cake department, if you know what I mean.  However, after much searching and seeking I found the perfect cake mix and a delicious, yet demanding, frosting recipe.

For the cake, I used Pamela's Products Chocolate Cake Mix.  The directions were straightforward and simple, and the results were phenomenal!

But what is a birthday cake without frosting?

Coconut Cream Frosting
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup agave nectar
pinch celtic sea salt (regular sea salt works too)
5 teaspoons arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon water
1¼ cup coconut oil

1. In a medium saucepan, heat coconut milk, agave and salt, simmer for 10 minutes
2. In a small bowl, combine arrowroot and water to form a smooth paste
3. Pour arrowroot mixture into saucepan
4. Whisk vigorously to combine, then bring to a boil, briefly, until shiny
5. Remove pot from heat and very gradually blend in coconut oil with a hand blender
6. Allow pot to cool for 10 minutes
7. Place pot in refrigerator for 45-120 minutes, until frosting solidifies and turns white
8. Remove from refrigerator and blend again with a hand blender, until fluffy
9. Spread over cake or cupcakes

http://www.elanaspantry.com/

Homemade Larabars

Whether you like the store-bought Larabars or not, you should try this recipe. Homemade treats always taste better, and are usually cheaper too!

Homemade Larabars

Ingredients:

2 cup Pitted whole dates

1 cup Almonds

1 cup Pecans

1 tsp Vanilla

1/2 cup Dairy-free chocolate chips

1/4 cup Shredded coconut

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, separately chop almonds, pecans, and dates.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients.  Using your hands to mix works best, in my opinion.
3. Oil a 9" x 13" Baking pan
4. Press the mixture evenly into the pan
5. Refrigerate for 1 hour

**The great thing about this recipe is you can always substitute new ingredients to get a new flavor.  Just make sure you have equal amounts of wet and dry ingredients.

Satisfying Your Sweet Tooth

Being gluten and dairy-free often makes it difficult to satisfy a prominent sweet tooth.  Especially when the desired delicacy is something smothered in chocolate.  Thus, I have come up with a very simple recipe that can be whipped up in just a minute or two.  It is nothing technical at all, and it really hits the spot.

Chocolate Covered Almonds

• 1 handful of almonds
• 1 tsp Cocoa Powder
• 1 Tblsp Honey or Molasses (I usually use molasses to keep my bloodsugar in check.)
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 2 or 3 dashes of Sea Salt

Directions

• Mix all ingrediates to an even consistency.
• Enjoy.

Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie

I made this pie with my niece, who is not much younger than me.  We knew we wanted to make something together and decided on a cream pie.  I decided it needed to be a coconut cream pie, and she decided it needed to be a chocolate-flavored coconut cream pie.  So, that was that. 

Thanksgiving Recipe #2

Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie

Nut Crust

(You can always use a normal baking crust, but I prefer this one, because it is so easy to make. I, also, think the nutty taste is quite good with pie.)

• Chop walnuts and almonds in a food processor to a grainy/flour consistency.
• Oil a pie tin (glass works best)
• Pour flour into a pie tin little by little, pressing the flour with your fingers so it solidly layers the bottom and sides of the pan. (The crust should be about 1/8" thick.)

Pie Filling

• 1/2 c Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 c Coconut Oil 
• 1/4 Tsp. Sea Salt
• 1/2 C Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut
• 3 Egg Yolks
• 1/4 C Arrowroot Flour
• 1/4 C Cold Water
• 1 C Unsweetened Coconut
• 1/2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1 Tbsp. Baking Cocoa Powder

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix together the arrowroot and water. Set aside.

2. In a medium-sized saucepan, mix together the coconut oil, sugar, salt, Cream of Coconut, and egg yolks. Use a wire whisk to break up the egg yolks and stir up the mixture a bit.

3. Place over medium heat and very slowly bring to a boil, whisking constantly.

4. Stir the arrowroot and water again then slowly add to the egg mixture stirring constantly until thickened, 30 seconds to a minute. Add cocoa powder. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and coconut. Pour into the cooled crust.

5. Place plastic wrap directly on the pie filling and place in fridge 2 hours. Top with the coconut cream.

Yummy Pumpkin Pie

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, because it offers me the chance to try out new recipes while enjoying the company of family or watching good ole classic films (Jane Eyre, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter).  This Thanksgiving, I made a Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie, a pumpkin pie, and, of course, the traditional Paleo Pumpkin Muffins.  As always, there wasn't enough time to try all of the recipes I hoped to, but I guess there is always Christmas, right? 

Thanksgiving Recipe #1

Yummy Pumpkin Pie

The Nut Crust
(You can always use a normal baking crust, but I prefer this one, because it is so easy to make.  I, also,  think the nutty taste is quite good with pie.)

• Chop walnuts and almonds in a food processor to a grainy/flour consistency.
• Oil a pie tin (glass works best)
• Pour flour into a pie tin little by little, pressing the flour with your fingers so it solidly layers the bottom and sides of the pan.  (The crust should be about 1/8" thick.)

Pie Filling

• 1 3/4 c. pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin
• 3/4 c. Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

• Combine all the ingredients.
• Add the filling to the crust.
• Bake at 400 degrees 45-55 minutes.
• Cover the crust with foil or a pie shield after about 30 minutes.  
• Let cool before cutting.