{Hearty GF Breakfast}

There are days when I am so bored with my breakfast.  Believe me, there are many options for delicious GF and Vegan breakfasts. Yet, somehow I can still get in a rut.  Are you with me or am I the only one running out of ideas at the break of dawn? Probably not, so today I am going to share some of my little breakfast ideas with you.  As I push myself to think outside the box and get creative in the days to come perhaps we can avoid that rut all together!

I have always preferred to start my day with a hearty meal, so cereal just doesn't cut it.  A simple, quick, nutritious and filling breakfast can provide the foundation for a marvelous day, full of energy and mental sharpness.  Consequently, it's worth it to dive in and get creative with your first meal of the day.   If you're new to GF or just wondering what all these options are let me share a few ideas with you:

1. GF Oatmeal - top with nuts, dried fruit or fresh fruit; sweeten with vanilla or regular stevia, agave, honey or pure maple syrup. Mix and match!

2. Coconut Yogurt or Kefir with GF Granola - I prefer plain with stevia and cinnamon granola. Add your favorite granola and/or toppings (see oatmeal).

3. GF Crepe with Vegan Daiya Cheddar Cheese and Caramelized Onion Filling - Yes, it's AMAZING. See BabyCakes new cookbook.

4. GF English Muffin topped with Vegan Daiya Cheese, Tomato and Avocado Slices.

5. GF Bread toasted and spread with Raw Almond Butter.  Topped with a dust of Cinnamon or Sea Salt and a drizzle of Honey.

6. Smoothies!

7. GF Muffins paired with a spoonful of Raw Almond Butter!

 *If these aren't enough check out my recipes under "breakfast".

Finally a very savory and protein filled breakfast -

{Fresh Beans with Wild Smoked Alaskan Salmon, slices of Ripe Avocado and Himalayan Sea Salt}

1 Cup Fresh Cooked Beans (warm or cool)
2-6 oz of Wild Smoked Alaskan Salmon
Fresh Lemon Slice
1/4 Organic Hass Avocado
Dash of Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
Any other Spices you might enjoy!

*For variety, reduce Beans to 1/2 Cup and use a slice of toasted GF and Vegan Bread for your base!

A very different breakfast than you are accustomed to I am sure, but wait till you try it! I use my fresh seasoned homemade Beans as the base.  I tear small pieces of the tasty Salmon and place them on top of the Beans.  A squeeze of fresh Lemon Juice over the Salmon is always a nice addition.   I am obsessed with Avocado, so I can be a bit picky about quality and texture.  Make sure you get a ripe organic Avocado for best flavor. Slice it and fan across the Salmon. Finally sprinkle with Sea Salt and other Spices.  Enjoy!

{Sharing}

Pennywise Platter Thursday

{Pumpkin Oat Breakfast Squares}

It's December! Can you believe how quickly it has come? I love this season.  It's full of everything cozy.  Recently I've had the urge to bake with pumpkin...courtesy of a wonderful Thanksgiving. The treat I'm sharing with you was a complete experiment and turned out quite tasty.  It just might satisfy your pumpkin lovin' too!

{Pumpkin Oat Breakfast Bars}

1 cup Pureed Pumpkin

2 Small Zucchinis (whirled in a food processor)

1/4 cup Agave + 1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup

1/4 cup Unsweetened Applesauce

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

1 tbsp Grapeseed Oil

1 cup GF Oats (Trader Joes)

1 cup Almond Meal/Flour (Trader Joes)

1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

Process all the wet ingredients in a food processor or with a hand blender and place in large bowl.  In a separate bowl whisk the dry ingredients together.  Slowly add the dry to the wet until well blended.  Pour into a muffin tin or baking pan; it's a versatile batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, depending on your oven and the baking pans you choose. Stay close and keep an eye on it.  Once it's a golden brown pull it out and let it cool.  Eat with a smear of butter or raw honey or even just as is! It reheats well, so feel free to store leftovers (if you have any...) in the refrigerator.  Tasty, tasty!

Enjoy!

{GF & Vegan Blueberry Oat Bread}

As an update, I am allowed to follow my regular diet now and how sweet it is to be eating more "normal" again.  I will do my best to never complain about my delicious diet ever again! Since then I have had such fun creating recipes, whenever wedding planning and work permit.  I created this moist loaf a bit ago and forgot to share it with you, so here it is! Try the rescipe or use it as a guide and  experiement.  Let me know how yours turns out! Any other baking risk takers out there? It's a favorite past time of mine to take a few recipes I find and combine their ideas or even to just gather some favorite ingredients from my pantry, pile them onto my little kitchen table and start playing.  I'm not a rule follower, nor an "in the lines" type of artist... 

Here's the steps for my yummy treat.  I loved using Almond and Coconut Flour in this; they are both full of protein and fiber and produce a yummy moistness to the treat.

P.S.  I always get my Almond Meal/Flour from Trader Joes.It's less than half the cost anywhere else!

 

 

{GF & Vegan Blueberry Oat Bread}

1/2 C Almond Meal/Flour

1/2 C Brown Rice Flour

1/4 C Coconut Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1/4 C Grapeseed Oil

1/3 C Agave Syrup

1/3 C Unsweetend Vanilla Almond Milk

1/2 C Water or Almond Milk

1 tsp Vanilla

1/4 tsp Xanthum Gum

1 C GF Oats

1 tbsp Chia Seeds

Fresh or Frozen Organic Blueberries

Mix your dry and wet separately, then slowly pour the wet into the dry until well blended.  After this, gently mix in the Xanthum Gum.  Be careful not to overmix.  Xanthum Gum helps the batter rise, waht gluten usually does in baked goods.  The only downfall is that it can make your batter gummy, so avoid over stirring it.  Next fold in the Oats and Chia, then pour prepared batter into a greased loaf pan.  If you are using fresh blueberries you can fold them in with the Oats and Chia.  If you are using frozen berries, wait and carefully place them (with the help of a spoon) into the prepared batter in the loaf pan.  Otherwise the frozen berries will dye the loaf blue!  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a butter knife comes out clean from the center.  This tends to vary from oven to oven, I have found.   Let it cool and then slice and serve with a delicious buttery spread.
 Enjoy!

{For Other Yummy Treats}

Gluten Free Wednesdays

Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays

{The Everyday-Trader Joe's GF Oats & Coconut Milk}

Today’s every day post is very exciting! I just LOVE making fun new discoveries in our local stores, especially ones that include inexpensive, quick and easy foods.  Trader Joe's is my hero this Saturday.  After enjoying a wonderful afternoon with Freddi Pakier preparing food for her Sunday cooking class, I stopped by TJ’s and found two wonderful treats.  I truly wish you all could have been there.  I was actually giggling in the aisle.  Definitely got a few confused looks, but I did not care in the least! Trader Joe's now carries GF Rolled Oats! Not a puny little bag, but a whole 2 pounds worth, all for $3.99.  WHAT!?

K, at this point I know some of you are saying….what is she so jazzed about and what are GF Oats?  Let me provide some context.  GF (gluten-free) Oats are Oats that  are not grown or harvested near Wheat, preventing the all too common cross-pollination issue.  If you are new to GF take note, Oats are not safe unless they are labeled GF.  Now to bring it home with TJ’s, when looking in other markets you will discover that the same amount (2lbs) of GF Oats will range between $8-$20 dollars.  Outrageous right? Hence, my excitement for the $3.99 Trader Joe's version.  Are you with me now?

Wow, I’m still excited; now onto my second find.  As many of you may have seen, our lovely TJ’s has begun to carry my favorite, Almond milk.  This has been one of my staples for a while and once again TJ’s version is a dollar or two cheaper than any other market.  While parousing this area I noticed a new addition, Coconut milk! Trader Joe's has finally caught up to the Coconut trend (a favorite trend of mine by the way)! I purchased a little vanilla flavored carton for $1.99 and walked away with a large smile on my face. 

My first action, once out the door, was to call my fiancé.  Not surprisingly the conversation consisted of me  talking about food and how TJ’s has risen back to the top of my favorites markets (Yes, I have a list of favorites and yes, I do visit them all frequently…kinda just live for it).  Needless to say, he is a very gracious and patient man.  I’m truly blessed.  Now, though, I am sharing the fun news with you! These are truly some fun and budget-friendly finds.  Hope you find these tips helpful in your weekly shopping.  Till next time…  Enjoy!

{The Everyday - Snacks}

Welcome to my new {The Everyday} posts! I've decided to take the time to share some of the foods I eat on a more regular basis.  I a finding that many of you have questions about the day to day diet.  Questions like, what do I eat for snacks or breakfast or how do I eat enough protein from a Vegan, Raw and GF menu?  I have my staples and the occasional new treats I find and try, so I thought I would begin to share these with you all.  There are so many options out there.  Let's explore them together!

This week I gave a new brand of tasty-looking granola a try.  I've been bored with my breakfast and wanted to spice it up with something! Typically GF granola is loaded with flaxseed, which I'm not  huge fan of, but this granola had all the ingredients I like to use instead! I was so excited! They had a few flavors and though tempted to try all of them, as is my nature, I limited myself to two.  I'm not going to lie, the price for these little goody bags was not easy to swallow, but such is the game with Raw,Vegan and GF food.  The Cherry Ginger and Cranberry Orange were the flavors that made the final cut and came home with me that day.   Needless to say I did not have the patience to wait until morning to give each a  try.  I popped the bags open on the way home and took a nibble a bit of each.  Wow.  I was even more excited.  Each kind had a perfect blend of spice, nutty oatiness and that tart, yet still sweet, dried fruit! I loved both flavors!

When I got home I sat and read a bit about the company.  A wonderful part about the Vegan, GF and Raw community is the stories behind the process of the food.  Real people, small operations and a passion for the health of others.  Typically you can find out about it all on the packaging, but their websites are always fun to visit as well.  Laughing Giraffe Organics is one such company.  They are the creative geniuses behind these new finds.  A family run business, this company makes all of their products by hand. It's aspects like this that make me ok with paying a greater amount for my food.  Quality over quantity, so the opposite of the rest of our commercialized and processed food.  You get what you pay for!  I also love their vision.  They say it well. Yay for pure and whole nutritious food! 

"Laughing Giraffe Organics provides healthy snack foods that are made from the finest organic ingredients. Because our products are made from real unprocessed foods, they are extremely rich in nutritional value. Small amounts will satisfy your snack needs more than “empty calorie” snack foods. Real foods have real calories that are needed to stay healthy and they taste great!"

Vegan Raw Samoa Cookies

January, a month of beginnings and new resolutions.  By now many have already given up on those dreams and goals, allowing themselves to sink back into the well-worn trail of 2010.  It's easy to concoct beautiful visions of new and refreshing habits and lifestyles, but difficult to stay true to them as time passes.  Our daily life swirls around us, slowly wiping away the conviction, motivation and memory we had only weeks before.

Last January I took on a little dream of my own, which over time has built up this lovely Sweet and Salty Life of mine.  Creating this blog was the result of a few nudges, a bit of foodie-film inspiration and a deep desire to write about my culinary creations and experiences.  A year later, I am still here and loving every time I get to share a bit of my story. 

As a part of acknowledging my journey I just want to thank each and everyone of you that have encouraged me, sampled my tasty and perhaps not so tasty experiments, taken the time to read my thoughts, given feedback and most of all shown such a desire to love what has become my passion.  

So cheers to another year of culinary adventure and to all of you my dear friends!

To continue the adventure I bring you a girlscout-inspired treat, the Samoa Cookie! A delicious concoction, this recipe was a pleasant surprise thanks to my delightful, new food processor.  By far my favorite gift from my parents, I have had such fun playing with nuts, fruit, flour, etc. in my beautiful Cuisenart.  The cookie for today is completely Vegan with frosting that is both Vegan and Raw.  Could it be any better for you? 

{Vegan Samoa Cookie}

Ingredients:

Base

1/4 cup Raw Cashews

1/4 cup Raw Almonds

1 TBSP Raw Chia Seeds

1 cup Gluten-Free Oats

1 tsp Macca Powder

2 TBSP Raw Coconut Nectar (raw agave or honey might work as well...just haven't tried it yet!)

1 TBSP Raw Maple Syrup (again....your choice)

Frosting

3 TBSP Raw Coconut Oil

1-2 TBSP Raw Agave Nectar

2 1/1 tsp Raw Cocoa Powder

Dash of Cinnamon

Dash of Pink Sea Salt

Begin by processing the Nuts, Seeds and Oats together.  Add the Macca quickly after and continue to process.  Drizzle in the Coconut Nectar and Maple Syrup and pulse. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and pulse again until the Nuts, Seeds and Oats stick together.  Scoop out and place in a pan lined with parchment paper.  Spread the base pressing it outward  with clean hands until the surface is even and it's about 1/4-1/2 inch thick.  Place the pan in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes. 

While it's hardening, combine all the frosting ingredients in the processor and process until smooth and lightly warm.  Pull out the base and frost your cookie! Return the pan to the refrigerator (for longer preservation put in freezer) until frosting is hardened.  When ready, cut into bars and enjoy! They soften the longer they are out of the fridge or freezer, but you'll eat each so quick you probably won't even notice!

Good luck with your 2011 dreams, may they be just as sweet as this simply delicious treat.

{Linked to}

Whats for Dinner Mom
My Sweet and Savory:Meatless Mondays
A Southern Fairytale
Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays
Gluten Free Wednesdays

Apple Muffins

October is a birthday month! Both of the men in my life celebrate their special days in the first week of this wonderful month. Don't worry, one of them is my Dad.  Haha and he is the one that inspired this recipe!  A lover of the apple and all things that incorporate this tasty fruit, I wanted to find a recipe that used it in a simply delicious way.  My family was having a birthday breakfast for him, so I thought muffins might be a light but filling treat.  Since it's the closest thing to a cupcake, it fit the birthday atmosphere quite well.

The muffins turned out fantastic! I am not just saying that...they really did! Even as I am writing this my Dad is asking me when I am going to make more.

Again, my little backyard apple tree is producing up a storm, so the Michel family has more apples than they know what to do with! Solution?  My Dad says... more apple muffins!

The original recipe is from a wonderful blog called MAID in Alaska. As is typical, I changed a few things here and there, but check out her original recipe here to create your own version.

{Apple Muffins}

6 TBSP boiling Water
2 TBSP Chia Seeds
3 Cups Gluten-free Oats
1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Xanthan Gum
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1 1/2 Cinnamon
2 TBSP Grapeseed Oil
2 tsp Vanilla
1/4 Cup Agave
1/4 Cup unsweetened Applesauce
1 Apple shredded/grated
1 Apple chopped with skin on

To begin heat oven to 350 degrees and heat the water.  Grind the Chia seeds in your blender until they become more like meal.  Once your water is boiling, pour it in with the Chai seeds and set aside. Use the blender again to grind the Oats.  Neither the Oats nor the Chai has to be completely ground, just enough to keep texture while still creating some finer meal/flour.  Combine the Oat flour with the rest of the dry ingredients.

Next shred your first Apple with a cheese grater.  Place the shredded Apple in a large bowl with all the wet ingredients. Gradually add your dry mixture to this wet mixture.  Finally chop your second Apple, leaving the skin on, and fold into your batter.  Pour into greased muffin tins and bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on your oven!

Once they are golden brown, pull them out, let them cool and enjoy! They are delicious right out of the oven. They don't even need butter or honey, although these are always delightful compliments.

Enjoy!

{Other Wonderful Recipe Collections}

Slightly Indulgent Tuesday

MMMondays

Just Another Meatless Monday

My Meatless Mondays

Mouthwatering Mondays

Tuesday Night Supper Club

Tasty Tuesdays

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I did it! I created the tastiest oatmeal chocolate chip cookie yet!  Since I discovered my food allergies I have been attempting to create my favorite cookie, the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip.   It has always been my special cookie, the one I go to in a storm or for celebration or really for any reason I can think of...
Many noble attempts have been made, along with some sweat and perhaps a few tears, to bring me to this moment.  Yes, I know this is sounding a bit dramatic, but if you only knew the pure joy this recipe has brought, you might allow it this once.

How did I find it? Well my inspiration came from a fellow food blogger, Sara.  Her lovely blog is one of beauty and heart and delicious recipes.  Sprouted Kitchen is a place you will want to visit again and again.  Sara's most recent recipe was near and dear to my heart as it included...you guessed it...oats and chocolate! Viewing her and her fiancé's creation captivated me and encouraged me to try once more for the perfect cookie.  Her recipe was a traditional cookie recipe including wheat and eggs and butter, so alteration would be necessary.  Naturally, this got me even more excited!  I do love a good recipe challenge.

From Traveling to Baking...

Standing once again in my sunny California kitchen I breathe in the fresh summer air and pop a juicy Wisconsin cherry in my mouth.  A tart treat from my three weeks of travel, the cherry reminds me of the quaint Door County I had the pleasure of touring.   Delightful either fresh or dry, these cherries are the largest I have ever eaten.  I brought a portion home eager to add an extra flavor with my new found ingredient.  I conveniently found an older recipe of mine this morning and quickly decided it would be perfect with the addition of Wisconsin cherries.  With recipe out, apron on and cherries awaiting their debut I joyfully began creating.

A wonderful morning bite or mid-afternoon snack, these high fiber oat balls will satisfy your taste buds instantly.  It is a simple recipe with basic ingredients.  Though, unless you live in Wisconsin, you will be using ordinary dried cherries, delicious perhaps, but not extraordinary.  Forgive my bias.  I truly hope you can enjoy them some day.  Put it on your list of foods to experience when traveling through the MidWest.

Cherry Oat Toasties
~Makes 15

2 cups Gluten-Free Oats                      
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
1/3 cup Unsweetened Applesauce
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 ripe Bananas (mashed)

1/3 cup Chopped Walnuts

1/3 cup Wisconsin Dried Tart Cherries








Mix Oats, Cinnamon and Ginger in a bowl.  Mash the Bananas with a fork in another bowl and mix in the Vanilla and Applesauce.  Combine the two bowls, mix well, then fold in the chopped Walnuts and dried Cherries.  Scoop dough into palm, press it together with both palms into little 1-2 inch balls. The dough will seem too wet, this is okay just makes sure you really press when shaping and the toasties will stay together.   Grease a cookie sheet and place the toasties about two inches apart.  Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees or until lightly browned.  Serve warm or freeze and reheat for later enjoyment.

A Dairy-Free Summer Treat...Blackberry Cobbler

There is such a wonderful gluten-free blogger community.  I have been so encouraged and even comforted through the experiences they have shared.  Not only that, but the recipes posted on many of these blogs are gorgeous and delicious! I was just recently inspired by this  month's Go Ahead Honey, It's Gluten-Free theme to finally jump in and join.  I have admired from a far and now it's time to give back to the lovely men and women who have shared so much with me.

The host,  Zoe from Z's Cup of Tea, has asked for dairy-free delights.  The assortment of recipes will be published on her blog June 3oth.  I am posting my recipe a bit early, but on June 30th the rest will be up for you to try.  On or after that date follow this link to see the other recipes bloggers have contributed: http://zscupoftea.wordpress.com

I recently made my dad a sweet peach cobbler for Father's day and it renewed my love of cobblers.  As you have read...I am thoroughly enjoying this summer's berry season.  Since I have two lovely little bundles of blackberries just waiting for me in the fridge, I decided to create a recipe for a few, personal blackberry cobblers :).  Sweet and lovely to look at, these dairy-free delights are perfect for a light summer dessert.  Enjoy!

{Blackberry Cobbler}

Ingredients:

~yields 4 ramekins (very small baking bowls)

1/2 c Gluten-Free Oats

1/2 c Garbanzo Bean/Chickpea Flour

1/4 c Potato Starch

1/4 c Sucant

1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum
1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

2 tbsp Organic Palm Oil Shortening

1/2 c Vanilla Rice Milk

1/2 tsp Cider Vinegar

16oz Fresh Blackberries

1 tbsp Potato Starch

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/4 c Agave Nectar + a little to drizzle on top 

In a small bowl combine the first, seven dry ingredients.  In another small bowl combine the Rice Milk and the Cider Vinegar.  Set these bowls aside.  

Mix the Potato Starch, Vanilla and Agave in a new bowl.  

Place Blackberries in a small sauce pan. Turn heat on Medium-High and pour the mixture over it.  Stir occasionally.  Once bubbling, reduce to Medium-Low and eventually simmer at Low heat.  It should thicken into a sauce.

Add the Palm Oil Shortening to the dry ingredients you set aside and chop/blend with a fork to create a slightly chunky consistency.  Pour in the Rice Milk/Vinegar liquid and mix.  It should become thick as you mix.  

Place the 4 Ramekins onto a baking sheet. 
Remove the Blackberries/sauce from heat and pour into the 4 Ramekins.  Scoop a heading tbsp of the dough into each of the Ramekins.  Make sure to cover the Berry mixture completely.  
Lightly drizzle each with Agave and place in oven. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes (depending on your oven) until the top is golden  brown and the Berry mixture is boiling.  Combine with a scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream (like Coconut Bliss) and serve :).  

I loved the process of creating this recipe. I hope you will enjoy its results.  
It's perfect for a small party or dessert for two.  These personal cobblers are a delightful dessert meant to be savored outside in the warm summer air with close friends and family around.  

Blackberry

Antioxidant-Rich Chocolate Chewies...

It was late and I was craving chocolate…..blast my sugar-free trial!  This just would not do.  So, being the problem solver that I am, I decided to create something that was delicious and had the essence of chocolatey goodness I longed for.  The result: my first sugar-free recipe of the month!

It turned out quite tasty, in my opinion.

The chewies combined a subtle foundation of chocolate with a hearty oatiness, complimented by the occasional sweet tanginess of a dried berry. 

Friends are referencing Clif bars and chocolate granola during their test tasting and I would have to agree.  There is something wonderfully granolaish about them.

Antioxidant-Rich Chocolate Chewies

Mix together:

1 1/4 TSP Egg Replacer

1 TBSP Vanilla Extract

1/4 cup Cocoa Powder

1/2 cup Agave Nectar

1/2 cup Maple Syrup Grade A

1 TSP Cinnamon

1 1/4 cup Almond Meal

1 cup Gluten Free Oats

Add:

1/4 cup Dried Cranberries

1/4 cup Dried Cherries

1/4 cup Pecans (broken up with hands)

When mixing, expect an almost gummy dough that is not truly yummy until baked.  Do not be alarmed when sampling the dough! It will turn out much tastier, I promise.

Using a spoon, drop dough onto an oiled pan or parchment paper. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 18 minutes or until crispy on top and cooked through the middle. 

This recipe makes around 6 large chewies or for more manageable sizes 10 smaller chewies. 

Enjoy these goodies for a sweet breakfast nibble or an evening chocolate craving!