Pasta with Chickpeas

I vary my diet. A gluten free diet is a medical need. I choose to make my diet healthy and limit processed foods, sugar, and salt. I do enjoy going meatless and eating vegetarian and vegan dishes. I always use dry bean that I re-hydrate ... if you buy canned beans try to purchase low sodium beans and, no matter what, rinse them before using them.

Ingredients:
I cup chickpeas
I green bell pepper
1/2 cup diced onion (I used sweet vidalia)
1/4 cup diced garlic
1 tsp mustard seed
2 tsp nutritional yeast
1 cup DRY Banza (chickpea) Pasta
Oil for the pan so the food sautees and does not stick

Directions:
Diced the onion and garlic and sautee in a pan using the oil of your choice (I used Olive Oil)
Use a mandolin to thinly slice the bell pepper
Add pepper, chickpeas, mustard seed, and nutritional yeast to the sautee pan
Boil the water then add the cup of pasta ... cook till al dente (about 3 minutes)
Add the pasta and about 1/3 cup of the water to the sautee pan
Cook until liquid evaporates.

Hot Cereal ... Cold Morning ... Quick Breakfast

Today I tried Bob's Red Mill Brown Rice Farina ... another blank canvas ready to be customized. I added Sensible Foods Crunch Dried Fruit (Orchard Blend) and served a cup of cooked hot cereal with a sprinkle of flax seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and a small drip (about 1 TBSP) of honey. In the recipe I omitted the salt when the water and cereal were boiling. The meal was ready in 5 minutes...not much longer than it takes to get cold cereal and milk on the table. If you make it in the microwave, you will not have a pot to wash!

Have fun playing with your food. If you are in a pinch for time, find packaged goods that are a blank canvas that you can customize so each meal is different ... you will not tire of the product if that is the case! Find your go-to products and meals and pledge to start 2018 with healthy breakfasts!

Apricot Coconut Gluten Free Vegan Cookies

I customized a GLUTEN FREE package cookie mix and made it my own. I substituted flaxeggs for the egg and coconut oil for the vegetable oil. I added diced dried apricots and some shredded coconut. When buying a packaged product, look for ones that are low in sodium and sugar and high in fiber. Look for a "blank canvas" that can be customized ... add creativity to your cooking and play with your food so that no two meals are the same! This recipe used a Gluten Free Cookie Mix by Duinkerken Foods.

Hot Cereal for a Cold Morning

No matter where you live, winter mornings tend to be chillier than summer mornings. At this moment, a large portion of the country is feeling an ARCTIC BLAST...so a warm cereal to start the day will not only provide great nutrition to fuel the day, but also will warm the body!

For this meal I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal. The package called for 3.5 cups of water and 1 cup of cereal. I modified the recipe from here.

Ingredients:
Water (or substitute milk of choice for a heartier meal)
Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal
Fresh Fruit or Dried Fruit of choice
Honey or Brown Sugar

Instructions:
Bring the water (or milk of choice to a boil)
Add the cereal and stir to combine
Reduce heat to low and cover the bowl
Serve a cup of cereal and garnish with fruits of choice
I added CHIA seeds as a garnish ... flax seeds or pumpkin seeds could be used as well

Options:
I added diced dates from Futterman Farms to the cereal as it cooked to add some sweetness. The cereal starts out as a blank canvas allowing you to customize the flavor profile.

NOTE: You can add other dried fruit when cooking and flavor profiles...I see so many possibilities...I cannot wait to play with this food! Cranberry/Coconut ... Berries/Vanilla ... Nuts...Soy/SunButter/NutButter ... I will continue to share!

2018 Gluten Free and Allergen Friendly Expo

Win Tickets to the Expo at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Send me a message ... I will draw names based on those who contacted me on January 15th. Winner will be notified via personal message!

The San Diego #GFAFExpo is February 10 and 11

Oatmeal Pancakes Start with Two Simple Ingredients

Start 2018 on a healthy note ... eat a nutritious breakfast. Breakfast does not need to take a long time to make in order for it to be good for you. Here is a simple recipe that can be customized to fit the flavor profile you are interested in on the day you make it...each meal will be different so the recipe will never get old!

Ingredients and Directions:

• Start with a gluten free oatmeal packet
• Make a flax egg (or use a regular egg or 1/4 cup mashed banana)
• Mix the two together and let "set" for about 5 minutes
• Warn a pan and add some fat (oil or butter) so the pancake does not stick
• Flatten and flip after 2 minutes

NOTE: I usually make two at once

OPTIONS: 

• Add flavors of your choosing such as cinnamon, maple, brown sugar, vanilla, or coconut
• Add fruits in season
• Add nuts 
• Add nut butter, soy butter, sunflower seed butter, or honey (or syrup)

Enjoy this meal that is satisfying and ready in 10 minutes. There is very little set up or clean up ... a win-win situation!

Guava Sauce ... Apple Sauce Style

I published a guava sauce recipe in 2015 and have found it to be useful when guavas are in season. Guavas that fall off the tree when picking and get bruised are great for turning into sauce. An abundance of guavas that ripen at once is a great way to use them before they go bad. The apple sauce formula can be used for any fruit ... the addition of cinnamon is an option to add flavor and a diabetes fighting and memory inducing spice.

Ingredients:
Fresh guavas diced
Cinnamon optional

Directions:
Add diced guavas to a saucepan with a small amount of water (a few tablespoons for a small amount of fruit...up to 1/4 cup for a full pan)
Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to simmer
Cook until fruit softens
Mash or put in a food processor (to create a smoother texture)
OPTION: Add cinnamon to taste