Pumpkin Coffee Cake

This is absolutely delicious!!!

Ingredients:

Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Flour
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon (I added a lil extra cuz I love it)
3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts

Coffee Cake:
2 cups Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon of Potato Starch Flour (or xanthum, I'm just cheap)
2 teaspoons baking POWDER
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking SODA
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 can of pumpkin
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For streusel topping, combine flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in med bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly, stir in nuts and set aside

Combine the coffee cake dry ingredients in small bowl and set aside (make sure to mix them together before setting aside)

Beat butter and sugar in large mixing bowl until combined. Add eggs one at a time.
Beat in vanilla and pumpkin.
Gradually beat in flour mixture.

Spoon 1/2 of batter into a greased and floured 9.5" pie pan or 9" cake pan. It's sticky so you will need to spread with spatula. Then layer 3/4 cup of the streusel topping and add remaining batter. Top with the rest of the streusel topping.

Bake 350 for 45 - 50 minutes until a knife comes out clean. It takes a little bit for the center to get done. The first piece may fall apart some but it is truly delish!

Let me know what you think!

Raw, Vegan, Gluten and Dairy Free Soup

This is by far the easiest recipe in the world. Really cut up a few things, throw them in the blender and walah dinner!

1 large avocado (pitted and peeled)
1 large red pepper (de seeded and chunked)
2 cups rice or soy milk
1 cup water
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro (chopped)

Put them all in a blender and turn it on.
Put it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving.
Delish!

You can't beat this for Vitamin C content and ease of making the hardest thing is to let it get cold so you can really taste the flavors. I hope you enjoy it!

Gluten Free Diets - The New Fad

Okay this was an impromptu poll that I participated in, however I found it quite interesting.

Poll Results

About Poll
Do you follow a gluten-free diet?
Yes, I have celiac disease so I have to avoid gluten. (34)	54%
Yes, I don't have celiac disease, but I feel better when I avoid gluten. (15)	24%
No, I don't follow a gluten-free diet. (13)	20%
Total Votes: 62

15 people who participated in this poll have adopted a gluten free diet even though they don't have celiac disease. I wonder how many are like me, married to a DH who has a sensitivity and follow the gluten free diet plan. I have found that I am less bloated, hold less water, have slimmed down and generally feel more energy when I follow the gluten free diet. I'm not certain it's the gluten free diet or the fact that we have eliminated preservatives in our diet because everything is fresh foods. Well, I thought it was interesting and I'm proud to be gluten free most of the time!

Enjoy the day knowing people are choosing your diet plan for themselves!

Oh No - Gluten Allergy, how will I grocery shop?

You have just received a diagnosis of Celiac or Gluten and Wheat sensitivity. Your first thoughts are oh no - what in the world can I eat. It's a daunting thought especially in a world of chicken nuggets and fried everything. But I promise there is a plethora of foods available to you that taste amazing and are gluten free.

My first question is what does your grocery cart look like? Here is my cart from today's grocery experience. Look at the colors, the textures and yes that is a bag of corn chips in there. You have to be diligent in your shopping but your regular grocery store has most of what you need and if they don't ask them to stock it. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the first order of business upon entering the store. You will need to have these on hand every week. I clean up the lettuce and fruits that need to be prepared (strawberry, grapes) as soon as I get home that way I know they are ready for consumption whenever I'm in the mood to eat. Lunch can be deli meat (Boar's Head Oven Roasted Chicken and Turkey Breast are gluten free). I ask at the counter to see the actual packages with nutritional information on them to ensure gluten free. Boar's Head actually says it on their packages. A quick stop at the seafood counter for fresh(like) shrimp and the meat counter for ground beef (91/9). I'm halfway done with the shopping for the week. Then it's the sale items and Bob's Red Mill section. My Smiths (Kroger) carries a wide variety of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free products with my favorites being the pancakes, pizza dough and all purpose baking flour. You can serve any of these to your wheat eating friends and they won't know the difference. Yes also in that shopping cart above you see Rice Chex. Thank you General Mills for your conscious effort towards a gluten free product in your Rice and Corn Chex. Some people think they can't buy store brands but you can. Today I purchased store brand organic peanut butter, tea bags, soda water, pickles, potato chips and organic butter. For some reason butter is okay for me but milk and cheese isn't. These products are truly fine, 2-3 ingredients all gluten free so read the labels you might be surprised at the items you still CAN have even with your diagnosis.

I know it is overwhelming to think about everything that has wheat in the products and it is for everyone around you too. The key for eating is to eat food products that are whole foods. It may take a little more preparation but your body will love you for taking the time. Good luck with your next shopping experience!

“There’s a growing awareness that gluten intolerance is a disease,” Hamelink said. “A diagnosis like that can be devastating at the time but there are many, many resources out there and it’s not impossible to eat gluten-free.” From an article on MLive.

Your diagnosis of celiac or gluten intolerance truly isn't the end of eating delicious foods however it is the beginning of a new way of thinking about food. You will need to adjust your thoughts to "whole, real foods" nothing processed and certainly nothing from the bakery at a grocery store (I keep hoping though). The way we think about eating now is one or two ingredient foods. Like apple, banana, lettuce, beef, chicken, pepperoni; these are all single ingredient foods that when cooked are delicious. You will find herbs, various oils (olive, flax, sesame) and butter to be your friends. You will eat a rainbow of colors and textures while being gluten free. Your ability to cook will soar and your taste buds will find natural flavors enticing. It isn't a life sentence to cardboard tasting foods, it's a glorious new beginning to eating foods that are rich in natural flavor.

Join us on this journey and try some great new foods.

Sweet Potato Delight

I know you guys are going to think I am crazy but this was truly delish!!!

1 sweet potato cooked and peeled, sliced 1/2" slices
1 banana, sliced in half and length wise
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
4 Tablespoon of nuts
1 - 2 Tablespoons of Honey or Syrup

Heat oil in sauce pan 2 - 3 minutes on medium heat (5)
Place the banana (flat side down)and sweet potatoes in the skillet and cover
Cook for 2 minutes
Start a smaller skillet on another burner warming at level 4
Remove lid from original skillet and cook another 5 minutes (do NOT flip, you want one side fried and one side not)
Roast the nuts in the smaller skillet - stirring constantly
be careful these will burn quickly if left unattended

Place the banana/sweet potatoes on plate, browned side up
Drizzle with honey or syrup
Top with nuts

This is delish! However, I think we needed a double recipe for my DH and myself.

Enjoy!!!

YAY - General Mills!!!

Just found this article on AllRecipes.com and thought I should share it with you. Enjoy Chex cereals as they are gluten free (except Wheat and Multi)... http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Good-Morning-Chex-Lovers-Were-Gluten-Free/Detail.aspx

Look for recipes that utilize these cereals so we can support those who support the gluten free lifestyle.

Better Bean Burger

This is an adapted burger from the Allergy Self Help Cookbook. It was so very good!!!

1 can garbanzo beans (rinsed and mashed)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ribs celery (diced)
1 carrot (shredded...if you like carrots you could add another one)
2 oz package of chopped pecans
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/8 cup sesame seeds
1/3 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Bobs Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mash the garbanzo beans in a large bowl
Add all nuts, mix thoroughly
Add olive oil, mix thoroughly
Add celery and carrots, mix thoroughly
Add salt
Add honey, mix thoroughly
Add flour 1/2 teaspoon at a time until the mixture is thick enough to make a patty

I used the large pizza stone but the recipe says parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Anyways, you form the patty's (6 but I only got 5) and put in the oven for 18 minutes.
Then you turn the patty's and cook another 10 minutes.
I added cheese and broiled for 2 minutes.

Serve with chips and lettuce and you have yourself a meal!

Delightful. DH even went back for seconds!!!

Enjoy!

Almond Spread

This is a gluten and dairy free spread you can use for veggie dip or in place of mayo in "sandwiches"

1/2 cup almonds
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice (I used 1/2 lemon)
2 tablespoons olive oil (you can also use avocado or walnut oil)
1 teaspoon of honey
1 1/2 teaspoons of mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
ground red pepper (I didn't have this so I shook some flakes in it and it worked too)
2 tablespoons of Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Flour

Place nuts in a blender and blend until it's a fine powder
Add 1/4 cup water and process for a minute
Scrape the blender
Add the rest of the ingredients (except the flour)
This will be liquid
Add the flour and blend

Transfer the liquid to saucepan and heat for 5 minutes or until thick - constantly stirring to avoid burning.

Let cool about 10 minutes and you have a spreadable substance.

Enjoy!!!

Now on the diet...ugh!

So we are starting to watch our calorie intake here at the Garrett household. It's been quite trying as some days we don't eat enough calories, some too many calories and some empty calories. But at least our caloric intake is now on the radar screen.

Our goal is to eat everything in the correct portion size. You would be amazed at how many times we eat two or three servings of something and don't even know it. So we have started this week with measuring out portion sizes for us to eat and it has been quite eye opening.

1/2 cup of strawberries is a serving (4 med to large strawberries)
15 grapes is a serving
1 cup of soy milk is a serving
15 pretzels is a serving
12 Triscuits is a serving (not gluten free)
13 potato chips is a serving

We have found if you eat serving sizes you are more apt to want to eat 6 times a day as the portions don't keep you filled for the entire day. However, our goal is to get it to the point of servings size is the norm.

So this morning we had loaded scrambled eggs

2 egg whites
2 large eggs
1/2 small onion
1 small potato
1 jalapeno pepper
2 tbls butter
1 tbls olive oil

cut the potato, pepper and onion into small pieces and saute in 1 tbls of butter
I added the 1 tbls olive oil because everything started sticking to the pan

scramble the whites and eggs together

add 1 tbls of butter to the saute mixture then pour the eggs over it

mix it up and serve up!!!

250 calories per serving (mainly from the butter and oil)

when I add in my coffee and creamer (decadent creamer, but i love it) my morning is 500 calories and gluten free!!!