Harvest Quinoa

Fall is in full force here. The air is cooler, crisper. The leaves are gorgeous shades of red, orange and browns. The grocery stores are full of yummy fall produce.

I had some frozen leftover pork roast and some sweet potatoes. From there I planned a meal perfect for this cool evening!

So I can up with this quinoa recipe. I used to use packaged wild rice mixes. They are yummy but full of MSG and who knows what else. Plus, quinoa is a protein so it's super good for you!

I didn't measure as I went (sorry!) but this should be very close. I really don't think you can mess this up! Make substitutions to suit your tastes.

Harvest Quinoa

• 1 cup of quinoa
• 2 cups + 1/4 c. of vegetable broth
• coconut oil for sauteing
• 1/8-1/4 cup of chopped onion
• 1 apple (I used a red apple that we got in our CSA but you could use a granny smith for something different.)
• 1/2 cup pecans (or walnuts or almonds)
• 1/4 c. raisins (or dried cranberries)
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1/2 tsp sage (after sampling it baked the 1/2 tsp is too much. Try 1/4 tsp)
• 1/2 thyme (after sampling it baked the 1/2 tsp is too much. Try 1/4 tsp)
• 1-2 tsp parsley
• salt to taste
• 1/4 c. orange juice

Rinse the quinoa and cook in 2 cups of broth according to package instructions. I use a rice steamer.

Meanwhile, saute onion, apples and raisins in the coconut oil. Set aside when soft (you can go ahead and place this in your baking dish. A 9x9 should work). Toast nuts until warm and lightly browned. Mix with onions, apples and raisins. Add herbs and spices.

Add in the quinoa when it's cooked. Then splash in the juice and extra broth. Bake until warmed again and flavors meld.

Dairy, egg and sugar free HOT FUDGE CAKE

My husband LOVES Hot Fudge Cake or Brownie Pudding as he calls it. But it calls for almost 2 cups of sugar! I made it for company but I couldn't make it "just because".

Tonight I did some substitutions and ended up with this.

It was yummy!!! It had a little bit of a coconut flavor but that's not a bad thing! Maple syrup is still a sugar but it is less processed, has health benefits and is sweeter than sugar so you use less. :)

Hot Fudge Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons baking cocoa

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 + 2 tbsp cup coconut milk (or other plant milk of your choice)

2 tablespoons coconut oil(or fat of your choice)
1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup baking cocoa

1 1/2 + 2 tbsp cups very hot water    Mix flour, 2 tbsp of the cocoa, baking powder and salt. Mix in oil. I used coconut oil at room temperature and just used a fork to blend it with the dry ingredients like you would if you were making a pastry. Add in 1/2 maple syrup, milk and vanilla. Spread in a square baking dish (I just made half a cake so my pan is smaller than what this recipe needs).

In a separate bowl, mix water and maple syrup. Zap in the microwave until hot. This was necessary since I keep my syrup in the fridge. Even with HOT tap water it wasn't hot enough. Mix in cocoa. Pour on top of the cake in the pan. DO NOT stir.

Bake at 350 for probably 30-40 minutes. Since I just made half my cooking time was less. You want the cake firm but there will be a layer of hot pudding sauce on the bottom. 

You can serve with some whipped coconut milk or non-dairy ice cream.

Coconut Chocolates

There are a few dairy free chocolate bars on the market. Hint: look for foods that say parve. But homemade is always better! So here is repost from my other blog.

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There's only  one thing I like more than chocolate and that's chocolate that's almost healthy!

A friend of mine made me some chocolates with coconut oil, cocoa and maple syrup. I was sold! The super dark chocolate. The way they melted in my mouth. I was beyond addicted. So naturally I wanted to make them myself.

My first several attempts were total flops. But good chocolate is worth fighting for so I finally perfected my method and have come up with a recipe ready to be shared and loved!


Coconut Chocolates

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
• 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Grade B Maple Syrup
  
  Heat oil and syrup on medium low until oil is melted. Remove from heat and add cocoa powder. Whisk until smooth. Put 2 tsp in mini muffin papers or candy liners. Set in the refrigerator or freezer until set. Devour.
  
  Helpful hints:
• Low and slow is key. Don't rush the process!
• The oil and syrup must be the same temperature when you mix them if you decide not to heat them together. I have ruined so many of these by dumping cold syrup in the warm oil. This results in a harder, less smooth and melty chocolate. They still taste good but do not have the irresistable texture I love so much. 
• I have used Hershey's cocoa powder and Trader Joe's. Hershey's seems to been smoother but I know some have concerns with it not being Fair Trade. I am unsure of the status of TJ's but the cocoa is a little bit grainier.
• I have added essential oils to these. Adding peppermint makes them taste just like Andes mints. Yum! Orange oil is also good if you like that flavor combination(Please note that I use Young Living essential oils. I feel these are safe for consumption. Not all essential oils are created equal and should not be ingested.) 
• Because of the coconut oils low melting point these should be kept chilled at all times.

Dairy Free Cream of Broccoli soup

I remember eating canned cream of broccoli soup as a child. So smooth and creamy. And broccoli, I love broccoli! Now, aside from the whole canned part and who knows what garbage is also in it, I couldn't indulge the creamy soup because of the dairy.

So, when my potato soup was successful I employed the same concept to create a yummy cream of broccoli soup!

2 broccoli crowns, chopped (you can leave it in pretty big chunks, I even chopped up the stalk)
8 or so baby carrots
some onion or onion powder
1 block of no-chicken bullion or broth of your choice
2 tbsp of butter, Earth Balance or other fat (remember that dairy doesn't seem to bother my family so we use butter in moderation)
2-3 tbsp of flour or other thickener if GF
1 can of 365 canned coconut milk (Has anyone used another brand? I'm curious if another brand would be detectable since I find this brand the most mild.)
salt to taste

Boil your broccoli, carrots, onion/onion powder and bullion in enough water to cover them. This step only takes about 10 minutes so work on your roux while this cooks.

Melt your butter and add in flour or thickener to form a roux. Don't cook too much since the butter will brown and alter the taste (this is a great thing when making meat gravies but not so good for lighter cream soups). Remove from heat and whisk in your coconut milk. Set aside.

When the veggies are tender add in the roux/milk mixture. Allow to simmer for a few minutes just to let the flavors meld. I think it took me less than 30 minutes start to finish to make this soup.

Best part, my dad LOVED it. He even had seconds! He's usually picky and resistant to my health food ideas but he told me more than once it was "very good". Victory is mine!

So after two successful cream soups with this method I say the sky is the limit! I want to try asparagus and artichoke next! Let me know how this recipe works for you!

Creamy Potato Soup

Creamy Potato Soup 
Yield: 4 bowls
 
4 potatoes, cut, peeling optional
1 cube of no-chicken bullion or broth of your choice
1 can of coconut milk (I like 365 Brand from Whole Foods. It has the mildest flavor.)
4 tbsp of butter or fat of choice (My family does okay with butter. But you could use Earth's Balance or another oil.)
3 tbsp of flour or other thickener
salt to taste
Italian seasoning

Cut and boil potatoes with bullion/broth and seasonings. You want just enough liquid to cover the potatoes.

In a separate pan make a roux with the butter/fat and flour/thickener. Add in coconut milk and remove from heat.

Add in roux mixture when potatoes are almost cooked. Allow to cook until potatoes are tender.

You could top with veggie shreds, bacon, green onions, etc but I ate mine plain. I want to try it with carrots, celery and onion at some point!

Ice cream. Yogurt. Cheese. Ice cream!!!

All foods I LOVE and miss. I was a daily ice cream eater. I loved yogurt for breakfast and snacks. I thought the more cheese the better. So why in the world would I give it all up??? Simple, all these foods make me feel BAD!

But I would have never known that this was the reason for my body aches, burning joints, fatigue and seemingly random nausea if I hadn't had my son (more on that in a minute). Since I was 17, I've been to multiple doctors seeking an answer for my health issues. They pretty much could only rule out that I didn't have lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, muscular dystrophy or fibromyalgia. Great! So thankful I don't have these health issues BUT what did I have? Best they could tell me....mitro valve prolapse and restless leg syndrome. The answer prescription drugs....at 17.

Fast forward a few years and I wised up and tossed the drugs. I was tired of being brain dead. (That whole thing is a totally other blog!)

Then a few more years and I was a newly crunchy mom with a little boy who loved to nurse. But he also gagged and choked. Terrifying for any new mama! So I consulted with a few crunchy friends who thought we were dealing with silent reflux due to a dairy intolerance. The fix....to go dairy free.

It was.pure.torture! My ice cream! My cheese! What could I eat??? Initially I attempted to substitute foods. I tried rice milk ice cream, almond milk ice cream and coconut milk ice cream. Coconut milk was by far the best but was spendy. I tried soy shreds which come to find out aren't dairy free. But beyond that they were basically just salty and didn't really melt. So after a while I gave up and just started eating other things and stopped trying to substitute things. You know what? Now I LOVE pizza without cheese. Especially veggie pizzas! So much more flavorful. Same with tacos.

The amazing thing about all this....my health issues almost completely went away! No more burning joints, no more jumpy legs, no more belly problems. Why had NO doctor addressed the most basic of factors....diet? (I think I know why but again, that's another blog post!) So my son nursed 2 1/2 years and I stuck with avoiding most dairy.

Then during my pregnancy with my daughter I added some dairy back in. Mostly yogurt. It was even the first thing I wanted after she was born. I hoped that baby girl wouldn't have the same issues. For a while her symptoms weren't as obvious. Then she began to completely empty her tummy after nursing. I finally decided to get stricter again and see where it got us. Once again, it fixed the problem! She's 14 months now and still has reflux if I indulge too much.

So between my babies and my personal health, I attempt to avoid obvious forms of dairy. When I don't, I pay for it. I succumbed to an ice cream cone Friday night and woke up Saturday with body aches, burning joints and over all yuckiness. One day I'll learn!

Through this journey I have mostly concluded that while yummy that our bodies aren't made for cows' milk. Cows' milk is for baby cows. I would even venture to say that way more people have dairy intolerances than they realize. I would have never thought that cutting dairy would "cure" me. So I definitely suggest that everyone give dairy free a go just to see if it improves anything for them. As a side note, it takes 2-3 weeks for all dairy to get out of your body. So it is a little bit of a commitment but it's been way worth it for me!

So anyway, I hope to post some dairy free recipes on this blog. Some will just be dairy free by nature but some will be adaptations from dairy recipes. Be looking for Poppy Seed Chicken and Creamy Potato Soup!

Just because it's dairy free doesn't mean it can't be Yummy-FULL!!!