Gluten Free Bread by La Brea Bakery

I encountered La Brea Bakery's Gluten Free Bread at the Gluten Free and Allergen Friendly Expo in Del Mar, California earlier this year.

The bread was excellent in taste and texture. I froze the loaves and used slices as desired. The bread kept fresh and defrosted well. The bread made great sandwiches and French Toast. When I made sandwiches with the bread I just toasted the slices I needed. When I made French Toast I either left the slices I wanted to use out overnight to defrost and dry out as I used to appreciate day old bread for French Toast when I was not Gluten Free (I did cover them so ants did not enjoy them before I could).

There are more and more options for Gluten Free bread. Look for this one in a store near you!

Gluten Free Musical Pancakes

  
Before I needed to eat a gluten free diet, I enjoyed pancakes, waffles, French toast, and other breakfast foods based on bread. Since I have adhered to a gluten free diet I have made it a priority to find a replacement for the comfort foods of my childhood. Although comfort foods will never be the same if not made by grandma or mom, I can TRY to recreate the flavor, texture, and remember the times through the cooking experience.

Whole Note Gluten Free Pancake Mix is a great alternative to traditional baking products. They recreate the satisfying and dense nature of a traditional pancake without the sugary taste and crumbly texture of many of other gluten free mixes in the marketplace. This family business started as a personal quest to find a quality gluten free product. The hard work paid off and consumers are benefitting from the hard work of the family! 

This recipe uses the Non-Dairy Pancake Mix with a few substitutions. When making pancakes, use your CLOSED FIST as a measuring guide. Two fist sized pancakes would be an ideal portion. Pancakes are a great dish for a group. They can be customized as they are being cooked as well as served!

Pancake Base Ingredients/Substitution Ideas:

1.    Whole Note Non-Dairy Pancake Mix (the recipe on the box calls for eggs, oil or butter, and milk substitute…I used free range eggs from the farmer’s market, olive oil, and Almond Milk)

2.    1 cup ground flax seeds (I use Bob’s Red Mill)

3.    2 TBSP cinnamon or Almond, Maple, or Vanilla Flavoring.

4.    You could add ½ cup frozen gluten free chocolate chips or diced dried fruit of your choice…blueberries or currants are ideal due to their SMALL size.

Toppings:

1.    You can use honey, syrup, or melted nut butter to top your pancake. Be sure to use a small portion so that you do not turn what started to be a nutritious breakfast into a dessert!

2.    For 2 fist size pancakes top with 1/3 a cup of honey, syrup, or melted nut butter.

3.    Add sliced fresh fruit or another 1/3 cup of diced dried fruits

4.    To add a crunchy texture you could add 1/3 cup of diced nuts – raw and unsalted would be ideal.

Instructions:

I followed the instructions on the box and used 1/2 a box of mix for this recipe…cannot wait to use the second half of the box! You can ALWAYS follow the instructions on the box and NOT add anything else! 

Pictured – Pancakes with HONEY and with MELTED NUT BUTTER.

Gluten Free TRAVEL ... pack EnjoyLife Grab-And-Go Packs

When you are gluten free and traveling you tend to want to have a reliable "stash" of tried-and-true snacks until you can get adjusted to where you are. This is especially important when in transit - through an airport or on a road trip and relying on service stations.

I like to pack raw nuts, dried fruit, and bars as they are easy to pack, small in size, and do not require refrigeration.

Enjoy Life Fruit and Seed Mixes are great! I now include them as part of my travel snacks.

Greek Inspired Quinoa

Quinoa is versatile and I find myself using it quite often. For a savory main dish or side dish, you can add sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and crumble feta cheese. An OPTION...add some olives for a salty flavor.

The dish can be made simple or complex...you chose the layers of flavor you wish to add. The portion size will determine if it is a side dish or a main dish for you!

Ingredients:
Quinoa
Water or Vegetable Broth
Sundried Tomatoes
Artichoke Hearts
Feta Cheese

Optional:
Beets
Olives
Lettuce

Instructions:

1. Cook quinoa according to package instructions. The volume you make is determined by the number of people you wish to serve/desire for left-overs! For the liquid use water or low sodium vegetable broth. Using the broth adds depth of flavor to the dish.
2. In a pan add sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts. For this recipe, I used sundried tomatoes in olive oil from a jar as well as diced artichoke hearts from a jar. I diced the tomatoes into small pieces and used some of the olive oil to sautee the tomatoes and artichoke hearts. 
3. Add beets and/or olives if you wish.
4. Add the quinoa to combine. 

To serve:
Place in a bowl and crumble feta cheese on top
Option...place a bed of lettuce on bottom of bowl for added texture and color!