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Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (GF)

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Oatmeal raisin cookies anyone?  Hope you’re all having a great week and if you have kids at home, hope the first days of school are getting off to a smooth start. Here’s a lunch box or after school treat for all you cookie lovers out there…soft, chewy, oatmeal raisin cookies spiced with cinnamon and a hint of nutmeg.  These really do taste like the old-fashioned classic we know and love, and no one would ever guess they’re made without gluten!

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (GF)
 
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Recipe type: Gluten Free Snack, Cookies
Serves: 12
Ingredients
Wet
  • ½ c butter, softened at room temperature
  • 1 c coconut sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Dry
  • 2½ c oats divided
  • 3 tablespoons arrowroot starch/flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ c raisins
  • ½ c chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or non-stick silicone mats.
  3. Transfer 1½ cups of oats in a spice grinder/blender to produce oat flour and add to a medium bowl.
  4. Add the rest of the oats, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and arrowroot and set aside.
  5. In a large bowl beat the butter with a hand mixer until creamy and soft.
  6. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla and scrape the sides with a spatula until evenly combined.
  7. Add the flour mixture and beat for 1-2 minutes on medium speed.
  8. Fold in the raisins and optional nuts.
  9. Using a 2-inch ice-cream scoop or spoon, drop the dough on the baking sheets leaving plenty of space between.
  10. Bake for 19-22 minutes reducing the oven to 325 three quarters of the way through.
  11. If your oven doesn't cook evenly like mine, rotate your pans halfway through as well.
  12. Let the cookies cool completely before moving them off the pan.
  13. Makes 11-12 large cookies.
  14. Enjoy!
 

Rosemary Balsamic Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

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Tomato season is here in SoCal and I’m enjoying every minute of it!  Some of the varieties we’re seeing at our local farmer’s markets are new and interesting to me, and I certainly want to try them all.  It’s so wonderful eating ‘real’ tomatoes again after living in Texas for so many years.  Perhaps it’s the soil there, but even homegrown tomatoes tasted, well…let’s just say they left much to be desired.

Roasting tomatoes bring an intensely concentrated flavor and the result is a juicy, succulent, candy-like morsel.  Use your favorite flavor profile; I absolutely love this combination of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, and garlic, with a touch of honey to create a bit of caramelization.  They are so tasty and delicious; you can’t mess these up!  Let us know if you have some tomatoes sitting around your kitchen or garden waiting to be roasted.  We had these in a spinach salad last night, but here are 10 more things you can do with roasted cherry tomatoes:

  1. Add to any pasta dish
  2. Top polenta squares with pesto/cheese
  3. Add to quesadillas or crepes
  4. Add to soups or stews
  5. Put them in your favorite quiche
  6. Topped on pizza, bruschetta, or flat bread
  7. Toss in your favorite curries
  8. Add to risotto, rice, or quinoa dishes
  9. Use them as a base for roasted tomato salsa
  10. Add them to pan roasted potatoes during the last 5 minutes
Roasted Rosemary Balsamic Cherry Tomatoes
 
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Recipe type: Gluten Free Side Dish
Serves: 1 pint
Ingredients
  • 1-pint cherry tomatoes
  • 1 Tbl olive oil
  • 2 Tbls balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed or minced
  • 2 rosemary sprigs, coarsely chopped
  • Coarse salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 300°F
  2. Combine and toss all ingredients directly on a baking sheet. Spread them out into one layer and roast for 40-45 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft. If you're using larger tomatoes they'll take a bit longer to cook. Use the taste test and cook to your liking 😉
 

Simple Banana-Orange Matcha Smoothie

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We had to make the difficult decision to put our sweet 13-year-old kitty, Ollie, to rest this past week.  My daughter Elena just left to catch her flight, and fortunately, Maya was still here to help keep our two dogs calm while the vet came over to help Ollie pass peacefully at home.  We were grateful to keep her home with us, instead of having her endure the stress of hauling her to the vet.  I remember doing that with my kitty many years ago, and learned there is a better way. I know she’s in a better place now; the last 6 weeks were pretty rough on her as she developed squamous cell carcinoma in her eye.  We loved her so much and she will be sorely missed. Remember to hug your babies tonight. XO

I’m glad I had this post ready to go before Ollie passed.

With the hot summer we’ve been having, I’ve often been looking for simple, cold things to eat or sip on, especially in the peak heat of the afternoon. This easy banana-orange and matcha smoothie is one of Maya’s favorites and she made it almost every day she was here. The only thing I changed was the addition of an orange for a little more citrus flavor, and I swapped the flax seeds for hemp hearts.   It’s so simple to prepare (you don’t even have to worry about freezing the banana beforehand!), yet the addition of the healthy fiber and fats from the flax/hemp seeds makes it surprisingly satisfying. Best of all, the ice cools you down and the matcha powder offers a mild kick when you get hit with the lethargic afternoon heat of the season.

A quick shout-out to matcha, or powdered green tea leaves: Matcha has a moderate amount of caffeine but it also has L-theanine, an amino acid that delivers a sense of calm. So, if you’re like us, very sensitive to caffeinated coffee and the jitters that ensue, matcha is a great option. Plus, it’s packed with antioxidants. Though the slight vegetal taste may be odd at first, it is easily mellowed with other flavors, like banana and orange! Always choose organic matcha when possible. I like this one.

Enjoy and stay cool!

Simple Banana Matcha Smoothie
 
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An easy, cooling and light pick-me-up for a summer's day!
Author:
Serves: 1 serving
Ingredients
  • 1 ripe banana, fresh
  • 1 small orange, peeled and quartered
  • 1 heaping cup ice
  • 2 tablespoons hemp seeds (chia & flax work fine as well)
  • 1 teaspoon matcha powder
  • 1-2 pitted dates or stevia to taste
  • ½ tsp vanilla (optional)
Instructions
  1. Put all ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
 

Grain Free Granola-2 Ways

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Making your own granola at home is so satisfying and economical.  There aren’t too many granolas on the market that I really like and I much prefer making my own.  The last bag I purchased was ten bucks; you can make a lot of granola for ten dollars!  And you can control the amount and type of sugar used, and even make it without grains like these two recipes here.  I’m not against all grains but I know some people don’t tolerate them well.  I rarely make the same batch twice because I end up using all my leftover nuts and seeds along with the fruit I have on hand.  I couldn’t decide which recipe to post so I thought I’d leave you with two of my favorites.

The first is a chewy, dried apple cinnamon flavor – nothing super fancy but darn tasty…almonds, coconut flakes, hemp hearts, hmm what else, oh yes cashews, a touch of coconut oil and honey.  My husband’s been eating it on his vanilla ice-cream while I’m enjoying the chocolate strawberry version on my favorite Coyo yogurt.  I used walnuts and maple syrup and left out the coconut.  The freeze-dried strawberries really take it over the top as a perfect compliment to chocolate. Both are nutrient dense and grain-free, but you absolutely can add some oats to these recipes and they would be just as delicious.  What are your favorite ways to enjoy granola?

Grain Free Granola-2 Ways
 
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Recipe type: Snack
Serves: 4 cups/recipe
Ingredients
Apple Cinnamon Granola
Dry
  • 1 c slivered almonds
  • 1 c chopped cashews
  • ½ c coconut chips
  • ½ c hemp seeds
  • ½ c sunflower seeds
  • 1 Tbl cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 c chopped dried apples
Wet
  • 2 Tbl melted coconut oil
  • ¼ c honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
Chocolate Strawberry Granola
Dry
  • 1 c chopped walnuts
  • 1 c slivered almonds
  • ½ c hemp seeds
  • ½ c sunflower seeds
  • ¼ c cacao or cocoa
  • ½ tsp salt
Wet
  • 2 Tbl melted coconut oil
  • ¼ - ½ maple syrup
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • ½ c freeze-dried strawberries, add after the granola is cooked
Instructions
  1. For both recipes:
  2. Preheat oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Add all dry ingredients to a large bowl.
  4. Mix wet ingredients in a small bowl until well combined.
  5. Add wet to the dry and stir until everything is nicely coated.
  6. Spread the granola evenly on the pan and bake for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
  7. Cool and store in airtight jars.
Notes:
  1. Adjust your sweet level for both recipes. I thought the chocolate granola needed more maple syrup to bring out the flavor of the chocolate.
  2. You can definitely swap out some of these ingredients with your favorite nuts/fruits. Pecans work really well.
  3. For the chocolate recipe, add the strawberries after it's baked.
 

Caramelized Banana Split

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So just in case, you were wondering about where the banana split originated from, here it is!   In 1904, a gentleman by the name of David Strickler, a 23-year-old pharmacist from Latrobe, Pennsylvania who enjoyed making sundaes at the store’s soda fountain, thought it would be a good idea to add a banana to his sundaes.  The charge for a sundae back then was a whole 10 cents! News spread quickly and a few years later a popular recipe was published that called for a split banana, a couple scoops of ice cream, whipped cream and topped with a maraschino cherry and chopped nuts.  Latrobe, Pennsylvania now celebrates its 111th year of the banana split and this delicious treat certainly has stood the test of time.  Who doesn’t enjoy a good banana split?

This recipe started out with fried plantains because I was looking for something just a little different, but I ended up with caramelized bananas because they’re a bit sweeter than plantains.  If you’ve ever made plantains sweet rather than savory, they have to be super ripe, meaning they need to turn black which can take at least 2 weeks or they won’t be soft and sweet enough.   I kept getting impatient and cutting into them too soon.  If you do decide to try this recipe and use plantains, make sure you plan ahead and let them get black before making your split.  Either way, I think you’ll enjoy this tropical twist on an American favorite.  You can add a couple scoops of your favorite vanilla ice-cream while it’s still warm, so it starts to get a little melty along with some tart mango sauce, macadamias, and coconut chips.  So awesome for a cool summertime treat!  Please leave a comment below if you too, love banana splits.

Caramelized Banana Split
 
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Recipe type: GF Dessert
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 bananas
  • ¼ coconut sugar
  • 1 Tbl ghee, butter, or coconut oil
  • 4 scoops vanilla ice-cream (vegan or dairy)
  • 1 mango
  • 2 Tbls lime juice (or use 1 Tbls lime and 1 Tbls rum)
  • ½ c whipped cream or coconut cream (omit cocoa)
Garnish
  • Macadamia nuts, coconut chips, cherries
Instructions
  1. Wash, peel, and chop the mango and transfer to a high-speed blender with the lime juice and/or rum until smooth, then set aside.
  2. Slice the bananas in half lengthwise and coat each side with coconut sugar.
  3. Heat a small pan with the ghee/butter/oil on medium heat and cook the bananas for a few minutes on each side.
  4. Transfer to an oval bowl and let them slightly cool.
  5. Top with ice-cream, then mango sauce, whipped cream, followed by the garnishes.
  6. *If you use the coconut cream recipe, omit the cocoa.
 

Smoked Salmon Quinoa Bowls

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I spent the last few days smoking 10 pounds of sockeye salmon; now my whole house smells like salmon since all of our windows were open.  It reminds me of past summers in Alaska except for the open windows!  I’m testing my luck with my pressure cooker as well, which I haven’t used in years.  Hopefully, we’ll have some tasty salmon put up for the winter!

I may be in one of my ‘bowl’ meal obsessions lately.  This bowl is a quick and healthy weeknight meal loaded with lots of nutrition and so satisfying.  I used broccolini, avocado, and tomatoes, on a bed of lightly seasoned quinoa, with a lime yogurt sauce.  You can swap your favorite veggies and also replace the quinoa with black rice, or omit it entirely if you’re off grains.  So delicious!

Have a great week everyone!

Smoked Salmon Quinoa Bowls
 
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Recipe type: GF Dinners
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Quinoa
  • 1 c red quinoa
  • 2 c water
  • 3 Tbl olive oil
  • 2-3 Tbl lime juice
  • ½ - 1 tsp salt
Bowl Toppings
  • ¾ lb smoked salmon (I used hot smoked)
  • 1 bunch broccolini
  • 1 avocado
  • 1-pint cherry tomatoes
Yogurt-Lime Sauce
  • 2 c yogurt
  • 2 Tbl lime juice
  • 2 Tbl olive oil
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 2 tsp umeboshi vinegar
  • Fresh ground pepper
  • Optional: 1 garlic clove, or garlic salt to taste
Instructions
Quinoa
  1. Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and transfer to a medium saucepan.
  2. Heat on medium until all the water is absorbed to lightly toast, then add the water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes until all water is absorbed.
  3. Transfer to a bowl and toss with olive oil, lime juice, and salt. Adjust your seasonings to taste.
  4. Divide into 4 bowls and set aside.
Bowl Toppings
  1. Flake the salmon in chunks.
  2. Steam the broccolini for 5-8 minutes.
  3. Chop the tomatoes in halves or quarters.
  4. Slice the avocado in thin slices.
  5. Divide all topping ingredients evenly on the quinoa.
Yogurt-Lime Sauce
  1. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until combined. If using garlic cloves, it's best to use a high-speed blender. Adjust your seasonings to taste here.
  2. Top the bowls with the sauce or serve on the side.
  3. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. Umeboshi vinegar is pretty salty. If you substitute a different vinegar you may need to add some additional salt to the sauce.
 

 

Amazing Artichokes

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Not sure you’ve ever seen the trailer of Chef Nick Stellino on Create TV when he says: “I have no idea how it happened – the first guy that looked at an artichoke and said, hmm, I think I can eat that!”  I laugh so hard every time I see it.  Here’s a clip with him going into more detail about this lovely, sometimes intimidating vegetable.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZK8wMRcx6E

I’ve had a love affair with the artichoke my entire life.  I remember growing up picking each leaf one by one and scraping off the edible part with my teeth. My mom cooked them often and every time we sat down to enjoy them, she took pride to tell us how good they were for our livers.  She liked the smaller ones where she would boil them in a light broth of onion, parsley, garlic, and lemon.  Stuffing them with a breadcrumb mixture was also her specialty.

If you’re not familiar with how to cook artichokes, take a look at the video below and the step by step recipe instructions.  This is one of my favorite ways to prepare them; I prefer the smaller globe variety that you can find at Trader Joe’s for a great price during the summer season.  Nutritionally, my mom was right, they’re great for the liver and digestive tract, and packed with vital antioxidants.  They contain a good amount of fiber and are a great source of iron especially for vegetarians.  While the heart of the artichoke is most often consumed, and so worth the patience it takes to get to,  the leaves are actually where lots of the important nutrients are stored.

You can serve these up as a side dish, appetizer, or as a main course if your hubby is out of town like I do!  Artichokes are a great vegetable to introduce to kids and lots of fun to prepare and eat together.  Give us a shout if you have some artichoke tips and recipes to share!

 

Amazing Artichokes
 
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Recipe type: Vegetable Side Dish
Serves: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
  • 4 small to medium artichokes
  • 2-3 Tbl olive oil
  • 4 cloves fresh minced garlic (use 1 clove for dipping sauce)
  • Course salt & pepper
  • 1-2 lemons
  • ½ c melted butter or ghee
Instructions
Choosing Artichokes
  1. When choosing artichokes it's best if they feel heavy and the leaves are tightly closed. Keep in mind that an artichoke is a flower bud, and as it gets older the leaves will start to open and dry out. Another indicator of a fresh artichoke is to press the leaves against themselves, and they'll create a slight squeaking sound.
Cleaning & Cooking Artichokes
  1. Before exposing to water, cut about 1 inch off the tips of the leaves with a sharp knife, trim the stem, then use your kitchen scissors to cut off the little thorns on the lower leaves. Remove any smaller leaves at the base of the stem.
  2. Slice in half, wash and add them to a large bowl of water with lemon slices to keep them from getting brown.
  3. Transfer to a steamer pot and steam for 20-30 minutes, or until a sharp knife inserts through the center heart.
  4. Heat a large skillet with the olive oil and 3 cloves of garlic, and cook 1-2 minutes on medium heat.
  5. Add the halved artichokes, cut side down, and cook for 5-10 minutes until golden, then flip for a few more minutes.
  6. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fresh lemon juice.
Dip
  1. Melt butter/ghee and add ½ lemon and 1 clove minced or crushed garlic (optional)
  2. Perfection!
  3. Notes: If you see that the artichokes are turning brown too quickly, you can rub the ends with fresh lemon. This dip is very light because I like to taste the full flavor of the artichokes, and sometimes don't even use a dip. If you're looking for a bigger punch, you can also find 10 simple dips for artichokes on the Kitchen Treaty website.
 

Salmon Cucumber Bites

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Ah, the lovely cucumber, so versatile and refreshing.  These cucumber slices can be topped with an array of garnishes, but I used smoked salmon because I just smoked several pounds of it in my Little Chief smoker this past weekend. Oh, what fun that was; it had been way too long!  My husband and I love little bites and many evenings we make an entire meal out of them.  You can, of course, also serve these as a tasty snack or an appetizer to tide you over until dinner is ready.  They’re so crisp, healthy, naturally gluten-free, and you can whip them together in 15 minutes or less!  Use your favorite yogurt, cream cheese, or goat cheese, then top with a touch of smoked salmon, and fresh herbs.  Great for summer parties with family and friends!

Salmon Cucumber Bites
 
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Recipe type: Appetizer
Serves: 25-30 slices
Ingredients
  • 1 English Cucumber
  • ½ c your favorite yogurt, cream cheese, or goat cheese
  • ¼ lb smoked salmon chopped in small pieces
  • Fresh herbs like chives, dill, or mint
  • Optional: capers and/or olives
Instructions
  1. Wash and slice the cucumber into ¼ inch rounds and top with your choice of yogurt/cheese, then salmon and herbs.
  2. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  3. Best when eaten the same day.

Sour Cherry Pistachio Seed Loaf

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Who doesn’t love bread?  I have fond memories of baking bread while raising my girls during my Alaska days in the 80’s.  Most of it was yeasted but I also enjoyed making unleavened bread back then. This beautiful seed loaf reminds me of those no rise loaves of bread.  Who would have thought back then that gluten-free would be such a big thing these days?  This loaf is so simple, nutty, delicious, and loaded with great fiber.  It makes wonderful toast and keeps several weeks in the fridge.  You can also sub in your favorite nuts, seeds, and dried fruits so the possibilities really are endless.  If you’ve ever felt intimidated by the seemingly complex process of making your own bread, this is a great loaf to start with.  It’s also economical, and a great way to spend quality time with your family in the kitchen – not to mention the amazing aroma from a fresh loaf of bread.  Pure joy. ?

Sour Cherry Pistachio Seed Loaf
 
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Recipe type: Gluten Free Bread
Serves: 1 loaf
Ingredients
Dry
  • 1½ c gluten-free oats
  • ½ c hemp seeds
  • ¼ c sunflower seeds
  • 2 Tbl whole millet seed
  • 2 Tbl chia seed
  • 2 heaping Tbl ground psyllium husk
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ heaping c coarsely chopped pistachios
  • ½ heaping c coarsely chopped dried sour cherries
Wet
  • 1 c water
  • 1 Tbl honey
  • 3 Tbl olive oil
Instructions
  1. Grease an 8 x 4 bread loaf pan.
  2. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together.
  3. Mix the wet ingredients in a small bowl and add to the dry; combine well with a spatula.
  4. Transfer to the bread loaf, top with seeds of your choice, cover with a towel and let sit for at least an hour. Several hours is fine too.
  5. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F and bake for 1 hour.
  6. Remove from oven and cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife.
  7. You can flip the loaf out of the pan after 15-20 minutes while cooling.
 

Melon Sparkler

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A melon ball stuffed watermelon was a recipe my mom learned to make from my dad’s cousin who had already been in America before my folks arrived from Italy. I have fond memories of summer parties and celebrations where she would stuff a huge watermelon with overflowing balls of goodness.  Seems like this was a Midwestern thing, but I’m not sure? Maybe one of you fine Midwesterners can chime in on that one! I do know that I absolutely loved it and thought the melon balls were so much fun to eat this way.  She didn’t soak them in anything but kept them plain and simple and we always had fruit after dinner, before dessert.  With so many courses and so much food, eating was a delicious marathon.

I’m really not a big cocktail fan or even drink much alcohol anymore but thought these little melon balls needed something extra…so here we have a super simple summer melon cooler with pineapple juice, Prosecco, and a touch of cooling mint.  It’s simple, refreshing, and great for a dinner party; you know the kind, where you hang your string lights on the backyard patio and reconnect with family and friends after the sun goes down, maybe even around a nice cozy outdoor fire.  I’m so grateful to have a beautiful view from our deck at our new home in So Cal (complete with string lights!) where I can host dinners and sip on sweet drinks like this one!

Feel free to post a pic if you decide to include this in your backyard party this Summer!

Melon Sparkler
 
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Recipe type: Cocktails
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • Melons (watermelon, cantaloupe, and/or honeydew)
  • 1 bottle of Prosecco (you won't need the whole bottle but you can drink the rest!)
  • 1 c pineapple juice
  • 2 Tbl finely chopped mint
  • Fresh lime
Instructions
  1. Use a small 1-inch melon ball scoop and scoop the melon balls into 4 equal parts in 4 glasses.
  2. Each glass will hold about 20 balls.
  3. For each glass, add ⅓ c Prosecco and ¼ c pineapple juice.
  4. Top with mint and a splash of lime.
  5. *You can also soak the melon balls for a few hours for a more concentrated flavor; either way it will be delicious!
 

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