Quinoa Clusters ... Snacks by I Heart Keenwah

Quinoa is an ancient grain with a name that is difficult for many to pronounce. I love the versatility of the grain for use in sweet and savory dishes. It is a go-to pantry staple of mine for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and baking. I was introduced to I Heart Keenwah at the Gluten Free and Allergen Friendly Expo in Del Mar, California in February. The idea of quinoa snacks drew me to the table! The Quinoa Clusters are great as a mid day snack (I enjoy the crunch of the quinoa with the chew of dried fruit) or as a topping to Greek yogurt.

I am excited to have more Quinoa Clusters. They have a crunchy texture with a sweet undertone. I love to travel and lead an active lifestyle so the clusters will be a great snack on an airplane or road trip. They could be carried on a hike or bike ride to provide energy while on an adventure.

Check out the I Heart Keenwah website to see where they can be found in a store near you.

I have taken a picture of the clusters alone as well as on top of Greek Yogurt. I purchase PLAIN Greek yogurt and add flavor with fruit. When berries are not in season I purchase organic frozen fruit and use a medley in my yogurt. This bowl contains peaches and strawberries with Cashew Cranberry Quinoa Clusters.

SunButter and Banana Smoothie

SunButter Sunflower Butter and bananas combine to create a chocolaty flavor. SunButter, bananas, and chocolate combine to create a mild chocolate flavor that has a nutty undertone.

This smoothie is satisfying post-workout or as an on-the-go meal replacement (just add some gluten free protein powder).

This simple and satisfying snack can be made in less than five minutes and takes virtually no time to clean up!

Base Ingredients:

1 RIPE banana

8 Ounces of Almond Milk…chocolate or “original”

            OR 4 ounces each flavor

2 TBSP (heaping) SunButter (I used no sugar added)

Optional Ingredients:

1 scoop of gluten free protein powder if using as a meal replacement

Add an additional banana for thickness

Recipe Extension:

Make the smoothie …and 1.5 to 2 cups of smoothie mix + 1/3 Cup chia seeds for a SunButter/banana chia pudding…pictures to come soon!

Gluten Free Pasta Dinner With FRESH ZUCCHINI Noodles

I was given a great vegetable spiraling device by a co-worker. I love using it to make zucchini ribbons to add to a dish of pasta. The zucchini spirals can be the stand-alone noodles for this dish, or you can also add gluten free pasta along with the zucchini ribbons for a heartier meal.

This dish can be made with the ground meat of your choice, sausage of your choice, or a marinara sauce. Adding crushed red pepper would add some heat to the dish while adding some carrots to the sauce would add a sweeter flavor.

Sauce Base Ingredients:

1 LB ground meat

6 cloves of garlic depending on size

2 inches of a leek or 1/2 a medium onion or 2 shallots

2 to 3 cups of a homemade pasta sauce or jar or pasta sauce

Instructions:

Sautee the garlic, leek, and ground meat in a pan until the meat is nearly cooked through. Stirring as you do so that the meat does not form clumps.

Add sauce, stir, cover, and reduce heat to low.

Pasta:

1 zucchini (I used one about two inches in diameter and about 10 inches in length)

2 cups of gluten free pasta (I used elbows for this recipe)

Instructions:

Bring a quart of water to a boil and add gluten free noodles

Cook about 1/2 the recommended time then add the zucchini ribbons to the boiling water (about 2-3 minutes). 

Check the pasta 2-3 minutes shy of the suggested cooking time – check to see if they are “done” to your liking.

Remove, drain in a colander, and serve.

Serving Suggestion:

Top with roasted vegetable such as crookneck squash or bell pepper

Top with grated parmesan (imported from Italy if you can find it in your store)

Send Me Gluten Free - SUBSCRIBE NOW

From my Send Me Gluten Free Subscription Box I tried the Maple Biscotti-Style Grahams from Pie in the Sky Bakery. I enjoyed them after work (day) and before my workout and teaching yoga class. I added homemade peanut butter (made in my Vita Mix) to the biscotti to add protein to help me make it through my exercise. The crunchy biscotti and creamy peanut butter was a great pairing. I had a few slices of apple and a cup of green tea to complete my snack. 

Try out a box...you will be hooked on the samples and eager to play detective and find full sized versions in a store near you.

You can have a discount of any subscription length by using the code BLOG20. Email me if you have any questions healthyrecipevariations@gmail.com.

Send Me Gluten Free MAY BOX GIVEAWAY

My May box arrived this week from Send Me Gluten Free. I am excited to try the new products! Each box comes with a sample of several products and coupons for products out in the marketplace that I have not encountered. Look for future posts as I let you know about the products from this month’s box.

I am looking forward to trying the products in the box. Many of them are snacks that will be great in my school lunch or as a snack after school and before I teach fitness classes.

If you are interested in SEND ME GLUTEN FREE BOX IN JUNE…send me a private message or email me at healthyrecipevariations@gmail.com. . I’ll draw names from those that messaged me and pick a winner by May 15^th. If you win, I will email you and let you know. 

Chocolate Chia Pudding

 

I love homemade chia pudding for breakfast. I love bananas and Nutella. I found a way to combine both tastes into a dessert. My chia pudding involves only THREE ingredients…more can be added if you wish!

Base Ingredients:

1.5 Cups Chocolate Flavor Almond Milk

1/3 Cup Chia Seeds (organic if you can)

1 Large RIPE Banana or 2 small/medium

Instructions:

Mash the bananas in the container in which you will chill the pudding

Add the chia and chocolate almond milk

Stir to combine (until all chia seeds come into contact with liquid and bananas are spread through the mixture

Refrigerate still set – 30 minutes to 1 hour

Options:

Add more liquid for a runnier texture and less liquid for a thicker texture

Omit bananas if you do not like

Add crumbled cookies when serving for additional texture

Add coconut for additional texture

Use the milk you prefer (cow, camel, soy, etc)

For this recipe I experimented with garnishes:

I garnished with Enjoy Life Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies and a few extra slices of banana

I crushed two cookies and used them as a base and added the pudding on top 

The addition of the cookie added a nice crunch. 

 

SunButter Gluten Free Mini Cheesecakes

SunButter Sunflower butter is a great replacement for nut butters if you have a nut sensitivity. The other day my husband made a chocolate (almond) milk shake with bananas and sunflower butter. That inspired me to make this cheesecake. I used SunButter Sunflower Butter in this recipe. I was introduced to the product at the Gluten Free and Allergen Friendly Expo in February. You can visit the company’s website to see where to find it in your area. Target stores in my area carry SunButter.

I started with my mom’s mini cheesecake recipe and modified it to be gluten free. For the crust I used a package of gluten free crunchy chocolate chip cookies. I added sunflower seed butter to the batter as well as a garnish on top as I served the dessert. The sunflower butter added a subtle salty and caramel flavor to accompany the cheesecake and chocolate crust. The salt and sweet offset one another perfectly.

Crust Base Ingredients:

1 Cup crumbled cookie crumbs (I used gluten free crunchy chocolate chip cookies)

3-4 TBSP melted butter

Instructions:

Combine 3 TBSP melted butter with 1 cup of cookie crumbs

Add extra tbsp of melted butter if needed to moisten crumbs

Add to foil lined muffin tin (6) and press down to form a solid crust

Filling Base Ingredients:

8 OZ Cream Cheese

1/3 Cup sugar

1 Egg

1 TSP Vanilla Extract

1/4 Cup Sun Butter Sunflower Butter (No Sugar Added)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Bring the egg and cream cheese to room temperature.

Cream the cream cheese in a stand up mixer then add the remaining ingredients until incorporated.

Add the filling on top of the crust and bake for 15 minutes or until set.

Garnish:

Add sunflower butter and fresh fruit on top at time of serving. Cut in half for a pretty presentation…perhaps sprinkle a few extra pieces of fruit on the plate as well.

Recipe Variations:

Use a different cookie as a base – perhaps shortbread

Sprinkle sunflower seeds on top for garnish

Add sunflower seeds to the crust to layer the flavor through each level

Use low fat cream cheese

Use a different variety of SunButter