Waffles and Superfoods ... A Gluten Free Breakfast

I love taking time to enjoy breakfast on a weekend morning. Slowing down to enjoy a meal and the people with whom you are eating the meal is not something we get to do often during the hectic week.

My blank canvas today was Enjoy Life Pancake and Waffle Mix. I doubled the recipe so I have more batter for another meal during the week. I ADDED to the mix 4 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 tsp maple flavoring, and 1/4 cup ground flax seed meal. I created MAPLE CINNAMON WAFFLES as my base.

HINT: Preheat the waffle iron while I was making the batter. 

After the waffle is done, add 1/4 pouch of Big Slice Kettle Cooked Apples with Blueberries and Pomegranates

THEN ... add other toppings of your choice ... or nothing else. The fruit is flavorful and naturally sweet you may not want anything else. You MAY wish to add any of the following for additional flavor and texture:

• assorted seeds
• assorted nuts
• dried fruits
• drizzle of honey
• drizzle of maple syrup
• drizzle of nut/seed butter

Customize the blank canvas to make the breakfast you are looking for today!

Roasted Cauliflower "Steak"

The farmers market has had quite a bit of cauliflower and broccoli recently. I have been finding different ways to use each vegetable and decided to make a cauliflower "steak" the other day ... reminiscing about a fantastic cauliflower steak I ate at Founding Farmer's in Washington, DC.



You can steam the head of cauliflower for a few minutes to start the cooking process, or just place it in the oven hard/raw. The baking time differs based on the size of the head of cauliflower. A raw cauliflower that is the size of an adults hand outstretched (as if they were to attempt to palm a basketball) is 30 -45 minutes.

Ingredients: Head of cauliflower, olive oil, paprika, and non-stick aluminum foil

Instructions: 

• Rinse cauliflower and remove stems for another recipe
• OPTIONAL: Steam head of cauliflower for a few minutes to reduce baking time
• Place cauliflower on non-stick aluminum foil and spray with olive oil. 
• Sprinkle with paprika
• Tent the foil to partially steam the cauliflower
• The last 10 minutes, expose the cauliflower to the heat so it turns out to have some texture.

Enjoy with roasted organic potatoes or mashed potatoes or hummus and gluten free bread

Stuffed Chard Leaves ... REMIX

I revisited my Stuffed Chard Leaves recipe recently as my garden has MANY MANY large chard leaves!

I simplified my recipe to highlight the flavor of the chard leaves. The best thing about cooking is that you can continue to modify recipes to fit your needs, and supplies, at the moment. Be creative!

My blank canvas was my large chard leaf ... Today I filled it with ground turkey, sage, brown rice, and ground flax seeds. I baked it in the oven for 30 minutes.

Ingredients:
Large chard leaves (broccoli work too) I used BOTH red and green chard
1 pound ground turkey
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1/2 cup sage
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup low sodium vegetable or beef broth in bottom of baking dish
Non Stick aluminum foil to cover (allows dish to steam)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350
Harvest and wash chard
Combine meat, rice, sage, and ground flax seed in a bowl
Use a spoon to place meat mixture in leaves and fold (you customize the portion)
Place in a baking dish
Add liquid and cover with non stick aluminum foil
Bake/steam for 30 minutes ... check to make sure cooked through as all oven temps differ

Enjoy with a side of gluten free bread!

Spring Vegetable Pizza

The blank canvas I used for this meal was not only Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crust. To the crust I added spring vegetables including sweet onions and asparagus. To add flavor and texture I added thinly sliced new potatoes (organic), pressed garlic, and crushed red pepper.

The pizza was light and fresh with layers of texture and flavor. It was served with a side salad made from the greens that are bountiful in the garden right now.

Whenever possible eat seasonally and eat locally.

Instructions:

1. Set out the gluten free frozen pizza crust on pizza tray as you are prepping the ingredients and preheat oven to 350
2. Sautee 1 cup of diced sweet onion, 1 cup of slivers of new potatoes, 1 cup diced asparagus stems, and 2 pressed garlic cloves.
3. Prep the pizza crust as the vegetables sautee by spraying with olive oil and sprinkling crust with crushed red pepper flakes
4. Once translucent, add to pizza crust and top with 1.5 cups of grated Parmesan cheese and decorate with the tops of the asparagus spears. 
5. Cook about 20 minutes depending on your oven. Check after 15 minutes. 
6. While the pizza cooks, you can prepare a side salad!

Chocolate Banana Spread

Chocolate and Bananas go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly. The blank canvas I used today was Don't Go Nuts Chocolate Roasted Soybean Spread. I added roasted bananas for an additional layer of flavor and texture.

Ingredients: 1 to 1 ratio of Spread to Roasted Bananas

Instructions: use a fork to mash roasted bananas and combine mashed bananas with the spread.

Serving: Shown here - enjoy with bread (gluten free vegan banana bread is pictured), rice crackers, apple slices, or strawberries (organic is suggested).

Enjoy this naturally sweet treat for breakfast, as a mid day snack. or as a dessert!

April is Earth Month ... Care for the Earth and Your Body by Reducing Chemical Cleaning Products in the Home

When we consider taking care of the planet we usually think of recycling. We also need to consider REDUCING our consumption of chemicals in our homes. Not only is it a poor choice environmentally, but also medically.

Environmentally, one should avoid chemical cleaners as the chemicals eventually can get back into the water supply and cause havoc. Some communities have annual drives to collect household chemicals (ammonia, bleach, fertilizers, and paint stains to name a few) to properly dispose of them (US Fed News Service). These are opportunities for you to drop off the old ... to make room for the new. When I do a Google search for household chemical waste disposal and (name your city) insert San Diego (where I live) I find details for drop-off locations for household cleaners, paint, medications, and pesticides. What does your city offer?



In 2012 a study was published in Environmental Health Perspectives stating "endocrine disruptors and asthma-related chemicals [have been found] in a wide range of cosmetics, personal care products, cleaners, sunscreens, and vinyl products".  As a result of this study, researchers began to delve deeper into isolating which chemicals caused the medical problems from asthma, thyroid disruptions, hormone imbalances, and cancer. They are pushing for better labeling of consumer products.

I rely on cleansers to wash the items that do not go into the dishwasher. Most of the cleaning compounds I use are homemade recipes with limited ingredients. 

Healthier choices, that do not compromise cleaning effectiveness, include plant based products and "family recipes" to make your own cleansers.  Be kind to the environment and your body and transition to plant based cleaners today (while properly recycling your old containers). The next time you need a new product, look for a plant based product. If you need any suggestions on where to start or what products are best, just ask!

Shrimp Patties

I love making amaranth fritters and experimenting with flavor profiles. Some of my favorite flavor profiles include:

• Rosemary, Garlic, Onion
• Basil, Garlic, Red Bell Pepper
• Carrot and Tarragon

Amaranth makes a great hot cereal too! One recipe I have gone back to quite a bit is Amaranth Hot Cereal with Seasonal Fruit 

This recipe starts with the base amaranth fritter recipe and includes shrimp, leeks, and curry powder. Enjoy this with a side of potatoes and a salad or roasted vegetables.

Base Recipe: 
1 cup amaranth
2 cups of liquid (water or low sodium broth)
Instructions: Cook until liquid is absorbed

To Make Shrimp Patties:

• 2 flax eggs
• Leek
• Shrimp
• Curry
• Oil 
• Gluten Free Flour

VARIATION: Add diced chicken or salmon OR omit added meat and enjoy as a vegan meal as amaranth is a complete protein.

Instructions:

1. Prepare 2 flax eggs
2. Sautee 1 cup of diced leeks and six large shrimp (I use cooked frozen shrimp)
3. Dice the shrimp once cooked (small pieces)
4. Add flax eggs, leeks and shrimp mixture to cooked amaranth and stir well
5. Add 2 TBSP Curry Powder and 1/2 cup gluten free flour ... mix well
6. Form into patties and satuee on each side for about 5 minutes
7. Bake in oven (350) for 30 minutes ... turn after 15 minutes

The patties turn out a bit crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. OPTION: You can eat them as finger food  if you make them as bite sized balls. 

NOTE: The beautiful ceramics can be purchased from Bruce's Creative Ceramics. All of his work is table safe. For a full selection of his hand crafted ceramics contact him at bhaggerty39@gmail.com