My oldest son loves to cook and I love his love of cooking. Between football and lacrosse, he is very busy, but always finds time to watch one of the many cooking shows that is regularly on in the background.
One weekend morning we were watching “The Kitchen” and the Sandwich King, Jeff Mauro made Fried Ravioli. My son was intrigued and became insistent that he make a batch. Since we have recently gone gluten free I purchased a package of Three Bridges 3 Cheese Ravioli, with hopes that the ravioli would be tasty. Normally fried ravioli consists of flour and breadcrumbs, however I decided to use rice flour in place of the flour and toasted breadcrumbs from several slices of Udi’s bread and we were good to go. Aside from helping out with the ingredients my son made these all on his own. I am so proud of him in general, but this is just another example of his creative and fun personality that is always up to try something new.
I have been gluten free for about a month now and I can’t begin to tell you the difference I am feeling. “Things” are moving much more smoothly in the stomach region (if you know what I am saying) and emotionally I feel world of difference. I am less irritable, snappy, I feel less anxious and just overall more peaceful. The only major change I have made is eliminating gluten so I am attributing these changes to my new way of eating.
I have to also add that prior to this I ate a LOT of gluten. All-purpose white flour, pasta, cookies, muffins and I were BFF’s. However, since breaking up with these former loves I have found different ways of taming these cravings with other options. One of my favorite recipes is those for Banana Muffins. You can find the original recipe here, which I still make for my boys, however for a gluten free and lower fat version I created this recipe. Now, they are not exactly as light and fluffy as the original version – I can’t tell you that, however they are delicious. I used gluten-free oat flour in place of the all-purpose flour which gives these a chewy texture that I love. My favorite way to pair these is with my homemade raspberry coulis and a light smear of butter.
If you are gluten-free or are considering adopting a gluten-free lifestyle I would recommend giving these a try. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on how these turned out for you.
Gluten Free Banana Muffins
Ingredients
1/4 c. canola oil
1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
3 very ripe bananas, medium size
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 1/2 c. gluten-free oat flour
1/2 c. coconut flour
1/2 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor bowl add the oil, applesauce, sugar, vanilla and bananas. Pulse until smooth. Next add the baking soda and salt. Pulse 2-3 times. Add the flours and pulse 2-3 times, just until combined and then add the chocolate, if using. Again, pulse just 1-2 times to distribute them evenly.
Scoop the batter into muffin tins and bake for about 20-25 minutes depending on your oven.
![FullSizeRender[3]](https://i1.wp.com/www.lipstickblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/FullSizeRender3-768x1024.jpg?resize=640%2C853)
I recently began reading the book Grain Brain by David Perlmutter and was astounded at the scientific findings that have to do with having gluten in your diet. I absolutely adore bread, cookies, cakes, cupcakes, biscuits, muffins…you get the idea. If there is all-purpose white flour in it chances are I will want to get me a piece of it.
So when I started reading this book I knew that I had to make some changes to my diet. Now, I am not going completely gluten free, I am realistic and know that long term this will not be an option that will work for me or for my family. I am however looking for delicious options that will satisfy my need for sweets but hopefully begin to curb my addiction (and yes, I would qualify my love of this as an addiction) to these harmful carbs.
I found a recipe for Paleo two ingredient pancakes and although I was skeptical I went ahead and made them. Surprisingly, they were really tasty. So good in fact that I plan on making some for my boys as I think that they may like them as well – they are that good. The main trick to this recipe is to use bananas that have plenty of brown spots as they will give the pancakes that extra sweetness that they need. I personally like to add berries and a little maple syrup but they are plenty delicious on their own.
I highly recommend giving these a try. The other ingredient in these – eggs is an ingredient I am particularly fond of on their own and I couldn’t even really tell there were eggs in them. Give them a try…I hope you like them as much as I do.
Two Ingredient Paleo Pancakes
(makes 1-2 servings, depending on how hungry you are)
Ingredients
1 banana, ripe with brown spots
2 eggs
Optional Ingredients: Berries, butter, maple syrup
Directions
Place banana and eggs in a blender and mix for about 30 seconds until frothy.
Heat a non-stick skillet to medium heat and spray with cooking spray (I like Trader Joe’s Coconut Oil Spray but use whatever you have on hand) and pour the mixture just like you would regular pancakes. Once they start to bubble just flip them over and you are done.
These are great alone and even better with some berries and if you are feeling a bit decadent – add a touch of butter and maple syrup.
Man oh man is it COLD out! Every morning when I turn on Good Morning America one of the first stories covered has to do with how much of the country is being bombarded with record breaking snow and freezing temperatures. I live in Seattle and although we (thankfully!!!) have not been plagued with this type of winter storm, it is pretty chilly and nothing warms my soul like a comforting pot of homemade soup.
The recipe I wanted to share today is super easy and so comforting. It is a recipe for Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup that I stumbled on years ago while perusing the internet for a yummy and easy chicken soup. The original recipe can be found here, however I have made some changes over the years to make it a bit healthier and tastier, in my opinion. I love to start the soup with a healthy dose of veggies that I like to put in a food processor so that my boys will actually eat the soup and not question everything. You will also notice that I have a bit of an odd flavoring addition which is noted as packets of Ramen flavoring. I know – very weird, but I can’t explain how good that salt in those little packets make this soup! I also like to use either corn starch or potato starch to help make this a gluten free soup and I substituted half and half for the cream in the original recipe as well.
I hope you try this recipe out and let me know what you think. This has become one of our family favorites and hopefully will become one for your family as well.
Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic
3 T. oil
3 T. corn starch or potato starch
4 c. chicken broth
2 c. water
1 package Rice a Roni Wild Rice Mix
2 packets Ramen Soup Mix (I prefer beef flavored for this recipe)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1-2 cups Half & Half
Directions
Over medium-high heat in a large stock pot warm 3 T. olive oil.
Place onions, carrots, celery and garlic into a food processor and pulse until all vegetables come to a very, fine chop. Place vegetable mixture into soup pot and sauté until veggies are lightly golden, about 6-8 minutes. Add starch (potato or corn) and cook for 2 minutes.
Add stock, water, rice mix and ramen packets to the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer, cover pot and cook for 25 minutes over low heat.
After 25 minutes, add chicken breasts and half and half. Warm for another ten minutes and serve.
![FullSizeRender[4]](https://i0.wp.com/www.lipstickblogger.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/FullSizeRender4-768x1024.jpg?resize=640%2C853)
I LOVE chocolate, sugar, candy, sweets, and all sorts of amazing, yummy treats. I have tried to give up sugar at times but was so miserable that I will no longer attempt to deprive myself. However, I have promised to be a bit healthier while I embrace my love of sugary sweetness. This is where my delectable Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding Parfait comes in.
Chia seeds are amazing for you and are such a versatile ingredient. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, high in protein, fiber and anti-oxidant rich to boot! These magical seeds naturally thicken in liquid making them the perfect way to create a healthy pudding. My favorite way to enjoy this pudding is to add granola (for crunch) and fresh fruit (in this case raspberries) for a burst of freshness.
I enjoy this pudding for breakfast or it can be eaten as a snack or dessert. This is such a tasty and healthy dish that you can enjoy it guilt-free any time of day. Please let me know of any healthy dessert swaps that you might have!
Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding Parfait
Ingredients
1 cup milk (I use unsweetened almond milk)
1/4 cup chia seeds
2 T. cocoa powder
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
Granola
Fruit/Berries
Directions
Whisk milk, chia seeds, cocoa powder, brown sugar, white sugar, coffee granules, vanilla extract, and salt together in a bowl until pudding is smooth. Let sit for 5 minutes; stir. Repeat sitting and stirring process at least 2 times.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight. Pour mixture into blender and blend until smooth. Spoon into bowls and top with granola and berries.
