Search Results for "pasta sauce"

Loaded Veggie Pasta Sauce

Have you ever wondered how to get your family to eat more veggies? My husband complains about squash and zucchini because he doesn’t like the texture, and he hates the flavor of eggplant. His vegetables are limited to broccoli, green beans and peas. When he’s not traveling for work, I set out Young Living MultiGreens for him, but I feel like I’m constantly slathering him in Thieves and Oregano essential oils (our kids are germ boxes and he takes the hit), and his immune system could definitely benefit from some veggies. So I sneak the veggies in this sauce, and he eats them because he likes its flavor. 

The secrets that make this dish delicious (even for a non-veggie lover) are:

  1. Cut your vegetable into very tiny pieces. I slice the eggplant, zucchini, squash, and shallots lengthwise in half. Then, thinly slice them in ¼ inch rows. Next, slice them ¼ inch rows horizontally.img_9046-updatedimg_9049
  2. Sauté your vegetables until they extremely tender.
  3. Essential Oils – I love cooking with oils and sautéed vegetables, because it adds a very flavorful mild taste. It’s also convenient for me, because when I buy a fresh herbs they often spoil quickly or I don’t have them when I am ready to cook. On the other hand, Young Living oils never expire and I can use them for lots of other health benefits too. Make sure that you are only using medicinal therapeutic grade essential oils if you cook with them, because a pure oil is not really pure. 100% pure means that an oil only needs to contain 10% plant, and that leaves room for chemicals and fillers; I wouldn’t apply them to my body, let alone ingest them. If you’d like to cook with essential oils – the 2016 Essential Oil Culinary Collection is a great place to start. 2016-culinary-collectionI never thought that I would cook with oils, but I was traveling to visit friends and wanted to make a veggie hash for breakfast. They didn’t have any fresh or dried herbs, but you know that I had my oils! We were all floored at how delicious the dish turned out. You can learn more about cooking with essential oils here: https://www.youngliving.com/en_US/products/vitality

 

Loaded Veggie Pasta Sauce

  • 3 shallots
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 yellow squash
  • 1 eggplant
  • 1 jar Organic Pasta Sauce (I use the Kirkland brand from Costco or Trader Joe’s)
  • 2 cans organic tomato sauce (I use the Kirkland brand)
  • 5 drops Young Living Basil Essential Oil ( 2.5 – 3 tablespoons fresh or 2.5 teaspoon dried)
  • 3 drops Young Living Thyme Essential Oil (1.5 tablespoon fresh or 1.5 teaspoon dried)
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley (dried works too)
  • Extra virgin organic olive oil (I use the Kirkland brand)
  • 1 lb grass-fed organic ground beef or bison (optional – Costco has a great selection)
  • ½ tspRedmond’s Real Salt
  • Pepper to taste
  • Gluten-Free noodles (my favorites are Andean Dream Quinoa Pasta or Trader Joe’s Quinoa Pasta)

Directions: 

  1. If you are going to use meat – brown it first. Drain the juice from the meat, put in a bowl, and set it aside.
  2. Cut your vegetables very fine. See pictures above.
  3. Peel your garlic cloves, smash them with your knife, and finely mince them.
  4. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the pan. Add your vegetables and sauté them. Add additional olive oil when needed.
  5. Chop your parsley and fresh herbs if you are using them instead of oils or dried.
  6. Add the parsley, basil, and thyme, and continue to sauté until they are very moist and tender.
  7. Add pasta and tomato sauces, salt and pepper to taste, and meat if desired. Stir and simmer on low heat.
  8. Creates a hug pot of delicious veggie sauce.
  9. Serve over gluten-free noodles or make a killer lasagna with it; I will post the dairy-free gluten-free  lasagna recipe with cashew cheese next.

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Modification: Not in the mood for pasta? I sometimes substitute the tomato sauce and pasta sauce for a can of organic tomatoes. These vegetables have so much flavor that you can eat them as they are or serve them over rice!

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Eggplant Chickpea Pasta (Vegan & Gluten-free)

This video describes tips and tricks and the ingredients that I used. If you have any questions, ask away in the comments!

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Eggplant Chickpea Pasta (Vegan & Gluten-free)

  • Servings: ~12
  • Difficulty: easy
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This easy light eggplant chickpea pasta dish has an olive oil sauce with fresh basil, parsley, garlic and tamari to bring out the flavors of the fresh garden vegetables. It's perfect for a summer or fall bbq or picnic, and is a complete meal.

Tips: If you have time, marinate your eggplant overnight with the tamari, shallot, basil, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. See the video for this tip!
Credit: My Real Dish

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon real salt
  • 3 ½ tablespoon chopped fresh basil
  • ½ cup parsley
  • 1 large shallot
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup olive oil (+ 3 tablespoons for sautéeing in the pan )
  • 12 grinds of the pepper grinder
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 3 small eggplants 
  • 2 heirloom tomatoes
  • ½ bag of gluten-free pasta (I used Trader Joe’s quinoa & rice spirals)
  • 1 – 15.5 oz can of chickpeas (garbanzos), rinsed and drained


Directions

  1. Prepare water to boil on the stove for the pasta with a little salt and olive oil. DO NOT overcook the pasta, it will make it mushy.
  2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas (I open the can almost all the way and leave a small portion attached, making it easy to rise and drain until the water runs clear or save the brine to make a vegan lemon meringue or key lime pie)
  3. Finely chop the eggplant, shallot, parsley, and basil, dice the bell pepper, mince the garlic, and chop the tomatoes in big chunks.
  4. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat on the stove in a large sauté pan.
  5. Add eggplant, shallots, garlic, and bell pepper to the pan and sauté for 3 minutes.
  6. Add basil, parsley, black pepper, real salt, tomatoes and continue to sauté until the eggplant and onions are translucent and the peppers are slightly tender (if you haven’t marinated overnight).
  7. Combine with the cooked pasta and the 1/2 cup of olive oil, and serve!

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Zucchini & Summer Squash Pasta Salad

This summer we’ve been grilling with friends a lot. Since I haven’t been eating meat, I’ve been experimenting with veggie dishes to bring to parties. I’ve been loving tons of fresh zucchini, summer squash, and tomatoes. Look how pretty it looks!

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This vegan gluten-free dish is sure to be a hit with any group! It also is a great way to use fresh veggies from your garden or a local farmer’s market!

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Zuchinni Pasta Salad

Zucchini & Summer Squash Pasta Salad

  • Servings: 15
  • Difficulty: easy
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This gluten-free and vegan pasta dish is easy, quick, and loaded with veggies and chickpeas for protein.

Tips: (1) Feel free to substitute fresh, dried, or even young living essential oils in the recipe. I’ve provided the options. I talk about my dish with essential oils here in this veggie pasta sauce post. I’m available to help you use them in and out of the kitchen. You can order them here. (2) Never overcook gluten-free noodles because it makes them mushy. Add a little olive oil to the water with gluten-free noodles (this keeps them from sticking), stir them, and boil them for the minimum time recommended. With this recipe strain them, and rinse them with cold water.

Ingredients

  • 1 zucchini 
  • 1 summer squash
  • 1 large sweet yellow onion
  • 3 tablespoons minced garlic
  • parsley (1 tablespoon dried or 3 tablespoons fresh)
  • basil (1 tablespoon dried, or 3 tablespoons fresh, or 6 tiny drops of Basil Young Living Essential Oil)
  • oregano (2 tablespoons dried, 6 tablespoons fresh, 12 tiny drops of Oregano Young Living Essential Oil)
  • 1 can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
  • 8 oz chopped mushrooms
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes (I used cherry heirloom tomatoes)
  • 1 bell pepper (I used orange to add color)
  • 1 teaspoon real salt
  • 5 grinds on pepper grinder
  • 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil + 3 tablespoons
  • 1 bag gluten-free noodles (I used a spiral quinoa noodle because they are more firm)

Directions

  1. Start a pot of water to boil on the stove with a little salt for your noodles. Be prepared to start the noodles when the water is ready.
  2. Wash vegetables (I used Thieves Fruit and Veggie Spray).
  3. Slice zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, and mushrooms. Chop bell pepper and fresh herbs (if desired). Mince garlic and onion.
  4. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan.
  5. Sauté bell pepper, zucchini, summer squash, garlic, and onion for ~3 minutes.
  6. Drain and rinse your chickpeas
  7. Add mushrooms and herbs, salt, and pepper. Continue to sauté for ~3 more minutes until veggies are almost tender.
  8. Add chickpeas and tomatoes to the pot, along with 1/2 cup olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Sauté for 1 minute more.
  9. Stir in the cooked gluten-free noodles.
  10. Serve cold.

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I brought it to a BBQ.IMG_8135.JPG

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Eggplant Pizza Bake

Eggplant Pizza Bake

I was craving pizza, and planned on making eggplant pizzas. However, when I started to brainstorm my meals for the week, I wanted a way to stretch my recipes and save prep time. So after making the Protein Loaded Pizza Sauce, I prepped the veggies for pizza, and then made extra for this dish. It’s a divine combination of tomato, eggplant, zucchini, cajun spice, and goat cheese. 

Start with the Protein Loaded Pizza Sauce. It will take 30-60 minutes to simmer. Then prep your veggies and start your Eggplant Pizza Bake.eggplant-pizza-bake

Ingredients

Directions:Prepare the Protein Loaded Pizza Sauce.

  1. Preheat oven to 500.
  2. Clean the veggies. I soaked the mushrooms in Young Living Fruit and Vegetable Soak – it is the best at getting dirt off fruits and vegetables.
  3. Chop garlic and shallots.
  4. Slice zucchini into ¼ inch thick slices, and slice mushrooms.
  5. Slice eggplant in ¼ inch slices, and place them on a couple cookie sheets. img_0799
  6. Put 1/4 cup olive oil in a measuring cup with 4 drops Young Living Basil Essential Oil and 2 drops Young Living Thyme Essential Oil. I talk about my dish with essential oils here in this veggie pasta sauce post. I’m available to help you use them in and out of the kitchen. Click here to learn how to order them. img_0798
  7. Brush the olive and essential oil mixture on the slices of eggplant. Salt and pepper generously. Flip them over and repeat with the other side.
  8. Sprinkle 2 chopped cloves garlic on the eggplant.
  9. Broil eggplant at 500 for 7 mins
  10. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in pan on medium-high heat, add zucchini, shallots, and remaining 2 cloves of garlic, and sauté for 3 minutes. 
  11. After three minutes add 2 tablespoons olive oil, mushrooms, 2 drops Young Living Basil Essential Oil, and 1 drop Young Living Thyme Essential Oils. Cook until tender, but not mushy.
  12. Change the oven temperature to 350.
  13. Slice the sausages (if desired). I like this brand because it’s antibiotic, gluten, casein, nitrates, nitrites, and MSG-free. This flavor has a little kick, and one sausage adds just a hint of cajun spice to the dish. I’ve been in search of vegan / gluten-free sausages and they are a hard findimg_0805
  14. Spread a thin layer of pizza sauce at the bottom of a 10 x 12 glass pan – this prevents the eggplant from sticking without using a spray.
  15. Place eggplant on top of the sauceimg_0811
  16. Sprinkle the goat cheese over the eggplantimg_0816
  17. Top with a layer of mushrooms, zucchini, and sliced andouille chicken sausage (omit for vegetarian, but consider a sprinkle of a cajun spice if avoided).
  18. Repeat layers. Eggplant, sauce, goat cheese, mushrooms, zucchini, and sausage. IMG_0824.JPG
  19. Bake for 45 minutes. 
  20. Remove from oven, and let it cool for 10 minutes.IMG_0831.JPG
  21. Serve & enjoy!img_0841

What are your favorite eggplant dishes?

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Gluten and Dairy Free Lasagna

What food did I miss most when I eliminated wheat and dairy? Lasagna. My uncle owned a fine-dining restaurant, and he taught me how to make a melt in your mouth delicious lasagna. It’s the perfect comfort food. I tried to recreate it with Daiya cheese, and it was just disgusting. I could not bring myself to eat it. So here is my twist…

The only vegan cheeses that I enjoy are the cashew cheese that I make and Vegan Chao Slices. We did a French raclette meal and I used the Chao Slices – they actually melt like real cheese and don’t have a weird taste. It is the closest to dairy cheese that I’ve tried so far. Anyway, buy Chao Slices; they will change your veggie burger.

ChaoCombo3DF_Rgb-1024x547.pngWhen I first made this, I had never used Chao Slices at the top layer of my lasagna. I used a goat cheese block from Trader Joe’s, and grated the cheese at the top of the lasagna to give it the firmer cheese top.img_9060

If you are vegan, or are allergic to goat cheese, use Chao Slices on top if you want a solid cheese top to your lasagna. Or, just add the cashew cheese first, then sauce to the top and sprinkle with Veggie Go parmesan.

Gluten Free Dairy Dairy Free Lasagna

  • Loaded Veggie Pasta Sauce  – my husband says you can’t even taste the veggies!
  • 1 box of rice lasagna noodles 
  • cashew mozzarella cheese (I doubled the recipe)
  • Veggie Go “parmesean”
  • 1 brick Goat’s Milk Cheddar Cheese or Chao Creamy Original Slices – you can decide if you want to make it vegan

Directions:

  1. Create your Veggie Pasta Sauce.
  2. Bring a large pot of hot water to boil for your lasagna, and begin your Cashew Cheese. 
  3. When your water is boiling, stagger your lasagna noodles in the pot in a  criss-cross placement around the pot; it keeps them from sticking together and helps them cook evenly.
  4. Cook your noodles ½ the time that the box suggests. This keeps them from getting mushy.
  5. Carefully remove the noodles from the water, place them on towels, and pat them dry. This keeps them from sticking together and overcooking in the water.
  6. Preheat the oven to 375.
  7. Begin to prep the lasagna.
  8. First spread a layer of sauce at the bottom of a large pan (instead of using an oil spray).
  9. Put one layer of lasagna noodles, a layer of sauce, scoop the vegan cashew cheese, top goat cheese (if desired but not needed) and then repeat for 3 layers. I have done it with or without goat cheese – both ways are delicious.img_9057IMG_9062.JPG
  10. On the top layer pick what suits your preference: start with lasagna noodles (1) put a layer of sauce, vegan cashew cheese, goat cheese, and Veggie Go parmesan cheese as pictured. Or, (2) put a layer of sauce, the vegan cashew cheese and top with chao cheese slices (3) put a layer of the vegan cashew cheese, then the sauce and sprinkle with Veggie Go parmesan cheese 15 minutes before the dish is complete. IMG_9066.JPG
  11. Cover with aluminum foil, and cook at 375 minutes for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, remove the foil, and cook for another 15 minutes until cheese is melted on top.
  12. Let cool for 15 minutes and enjoy!img_9074

Easy Summer Vegetable Paella (Gluten-free)

It has been almost two years since I have been to Spain. On my last trip, I had the BEST vegetarian paella in Valencia at the Plaza Doctor Collado in Valencia. It was worth every minute of the 40 minute wait; if you ever visit Valencia, go to this tiny restaurant with a lovely patio. I’ve been missing Spain, and this rainy unseasonably cool summer weather has me craving something comforting. On Tuesday, I visited to our local Kirkwood Farmer’s Market, left with tons of fresh local produce, and decided it was time for vegan paella. Hopefully, it will hold me off until next summer when I get to go back to Spain!

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Easy Summer Vegetable Paella (Gluten-free)

  • Servings: ~15
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

A vegan take on this Spanish dish loaded with tender summer vegetables and saffron-infused rice; it's gluten-free and a simple one-pan allergy-friendly meal.

Tips: to add a ‘seafood’ like taste, add the hearts of palm, or omit if you don’t want a ‘seafood’ flavor.
Credit: My Real Dish

Ingredients

  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon saffron
  • 1 eggplant
  • 1 yellow squash
  • 1 zucchini
  • 8 oz mushrooms (I used Baby Bella Crimini)
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 cup parsley
  • 1 onion
  • 3 cloves minced garlic (2 tablespoons)
  • 2 cups tomatoes chopped or one 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups brown short grain rice
  • 4 cups veggie stock (gluten-free)
  • ¼ cup lemon juice (juice from ~1 ½ lemons) + extra sliced lemons to garnish
  • 1 teaspoon Redmond Real Salt
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

  1. Prepare the vegetables. Clean the vegetables using cold water and a vegetable cleaner (I like Thieves Fruit & Veggie Spray and Thieves Fruit & Veggie Soak). Chop the onion and bell pepper, slice the mushrooms, and mince the garlic. Cut the ends off the zucchini and summer squash, and cut them in half horizontally and then slice small cylinders ~1/4″ thick. Slice the eggplant lengthwise in half, thinly slice it in ¼ inch rows, and ¼ inch rows horizontally.
  2. Chop the parsley and juice the 1/4 cup lemon juice in order to prepare the herb sauce. Combine parsley, 1/4 cup lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil into a small mixing bowl and set aside.
  3. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a very large pan.
  4. Sauté chopped vegetables, onion and garlic in the pan for ~7 minutes.
  5. Add tomatoes and 1 teaspoon Redmond’s Real Salt and continue to sauté for 3 minutes.
  6. Add rice to vegetable mixture and sauté until mixed well.
  7. Add herb sauce, vegetable broth, saffron and paprika. Bring to a low boil for 10 minutes. Stirring every couple of minutes.
  8. Cut hearts of palm in small cylinders ~1/4″ thick, and add them to the rice mixture.
  9. Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes.
  10. Serve with a slice of lemon on top.

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Joint Care And The Vegan Diet

There are many reasons why we may choose to eschew animal products in our diets. For some, it’s merely a matter of practicality. They are intolerant to lactose or allergic to eggs or they have trouble digesting meat. There are many who see the ethical cost of a plate of chili con carne or a t-bone steak too great to justify. Why should animals live short and agonizing lives in order to sustain a species that can get by just as well without them? There’s also the issue of sustainability. We’ve become much better educated over the past few decades about the enormous harm we’re doing to our environment and documentaries like Cowspiracy have highlighted the enormous amount of water, energy, and resources that go into raising livestock for slaughter. Whatever our reasoning for turning to a vegan diet, we want to ensure that we are able to keep our bodies fit, healthy and youthful without causing suffering.

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Image Credit

Taking care of our joints

For this reason, here we’re going to look at maintaining healthy joints on a vegan diet. For years conventional wisdom has taught us that we should load up on oily fish for healthy and mobile joints and ensure that we drink lots of milk for healthy bones. The science behind the latter is contentious, to say the least. Aside from keeping your joints well supported with the kinds of products you’ll find at Arthritis Hope.com, it’s important to maintain good joint health through our diet. We should also make sure that we engage in regular strength training to strengthen the muscle tissue around our joints to reduce the stress and pressure on them, especially in exercise.

Here are some principles of joint care on a vegan diet;

It’s all about anti-inflammatories

Most joint pain is caused by inflammation whether it’s the result of a condition like arthritis or simply overexertion at the gym. As such your diet should be packed with natural anti-inflammatories to keep your joints healthy and mobile whatever your age. These include;

  • Basil – It not only adds some extra flavor to your sauce, but it also contains eugenol, which is anti-inflammatory and is important for health problems like arthritis or inflammation in your gut.
  • Garlic, onions, and leeks – Some of the most potent anti-inflammatories out there.
  • Ginger- Tasty, versatile and can not only help to combat inflammation but has also been proven to be a great immune booster.
  • Apples- They’re not just anti-inflammatory, they’re rich in antioxidants and quercetin which is important for developing new cartilage for healthy joints. Check out my tasty Sweet Potato Carrot Soup with garlic, leeks, ginger, and apples.
  • Squash– It’s naturally anti-inflammatory, it’s delicious and it’s oh-so-versatile. Check out this delicious squash recipe

 

What to avoid

While a vegan diet is free of the kinds of foods traditionally known to trigger inflammation like red meat, cookies, and pastries containing saturated fats like butter or shortening and dairy products, it’s important to remember that ditching animal products is not a panacea in and of itself. It’s perfectly easy to be unhealthy on a vegan diet, which is why you should avoid processed foods in general, particularly trans fats like margarine and high sodium foods like potato chips. You should also steer clear of refined carbohydrates like white bread and pasta which are also chock full of hidden sugars which will increase your body fat ratio and put more stress on your joints.

Maple-Glazed Carrot Salad

Sometimes some of my favorite recipes come from trying to find ways to use jumbo bags of carrots from Costco! This salad is one of those recipes. It’s Sunday so I’m not working; I made a stew and had some carrots leftover. My son likes maple-glazed carrots, so I made him some for lunch and then I looked at my salad bowl. Why not add them to my salad?! It was a good experiment.

I’ve talked before about my husband’s limited vegetable preferences. He, of course, is not a carrot lover, but if they are coated in a little maple syrup – that is a different story! However, since he’s not a vegetarian, he added 4 gluten-free chicken nuggets to it, and he ate a huge bowl. I am just happy that he ate his carrots!

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MAPLE GLAZED CARROT SALAD

  • Servings: ~2 large salads
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Credit: My Real Dish

Tip: (1) I didn’t have any fresh lemon when I was making this dressing. So I used Young Living Lemon Vitality Essential Oil. You can use this for so many things, not use cooking. I talk about using essential oils in cooking here. You can purchase the lemon essential oil here. Or, feel free to substitute 1 tablespoon of lemon juice instead. (2) This salad only requires 2- 3 tablespoons of dressing, so you will obviously have remaining dressing. But I stored it in the fridge and have been using it on so many different salads. (3) It serves two large salads as a full meal, or you will have 4 – 5 side salads.

Ingredients

Salad

  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 avocados
  • 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped (~10 cups lettuce)
  • 3 cups chopped carrots
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon vegan butter
  • pepper to taste

Maple-Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

  • 1 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 5 drops Young Living Lemon Essential Oil  (or you can add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice)
  • 1/16 teaspoon Redmond Real Salt


Directions

  1. First, prepare the carrots. Chop 3 cups of carrots.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon vegan butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.
  3. Add carrots, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and sauté continuously (~8 minutes until they are slightly tender).
  4. While carrots are cooking, chop lettuce and prepare the salad dressing.
  5. Chop the lettuce and serve with warmed cooked carrots, along with all the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss. Serve with the Maple-Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing!

CARROT SALAD

 

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Top 15 Gluten-Free and Vegan Foods 2018

When I first found out that I couldn’t eat wheat, dairy or eggs – I wondered what I would eat. Everyone recommended Veggie Straws and Skinny Pop, and while they are gluten-free, I’ve decided to share some of my favorite allergy-friendly, vegan and gluten-free products. If you have recently discovered a gluten-intolerance and have no idea what to eat, or have a gluten-free vegan family member staying with you over the holidays and have no idea what to have in the house for them, then this list is for you!

FYI – I participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. However, all of the products I am recommending in this post are my personal favorites that I frequently eat, make and enjoy.

Breakfast Foods

I am focusing on breakfast, because not only is it the most important meal of the day – it’s often the meal that gluten-free folks struggle with the most.

(1) Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten Free Pancake and Waffle Mix, 18 oz

Cherrybrook Kitchen makes a pancake mix that does not require eggs. I substitute non-dairy milk and the pancakes are fluffy and delicious!

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(2) Van’s Gluten Free Waffles (Original, Blueberry and Apple Cinnamon)

I love Van’s Gluten-free Waffles. They are vegan and gluten-free! I often like to eat them with peanut butter and maple syrup (don’t knock it until you try it)! My kids eat them almost every day.

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(3) Simple Mills Naturally Gluten-Free Almond Flour Muffin Mixes, Pumpkin Muffin, Chocolate Muffin & Cake and Banana Muffin, 3 Count

All of the Simple Mills Mixes are delicious. I use non-dairy milk, and instead of egg I substitute 1/2 banana per egg in the banana muffin mix, 1/4 cup pumpkin purée per egg in the Pumpkin Muffin Mix and 1/4 cup applesauce per egg in the Chocolate Muffin mix in order to make them vegan.

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(4) Pamela’s Products Gluten Free Biscuit and Scone Mix, 13 Ounce

I never thought that I would eat biscuits again until I found this mix! I made the drop biscuits because I don’t have time to roll out the dough.

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(5) Arrowhead Mills Organic Rice & Shine Hot Cereal

This cereal is available at my local grocery store Dierbergs here in St. Louis, Fresh Thyme and Whole Foods. It takes 3 minutes to make, and I serve it with a little fresh fruit, non-dairy milk, and maple syrup.

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(6) Envirokidz Organic Gluten-Free Cereal, Peanut Butter Panda Puffs, 10.6 Ounce Box (Pack of 6) 

There hasn’t been an Envirokidz Gluten-Free Cereal that we haven’t liked. You really can’t go wrong with any of them, it just depends if you want your kids to have chocolate for breakfast! They are available at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods too.

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(7) Bobo’s Oat Bars Stuff’d Bars

Everyone knows about Kind Bars and Larabar Bars (the Chocolate Coconut Chew and the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip are my favorites). However, my local grocery store, Dierbergs gave out a sample of these bars and I fell in love! The Bobo’s Stuff’d Bars are my favorite – I’ve had the Chocolate Almond Nut Butter Filled, The Coconut Almond Butter, and Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter and all are to die for!!!. If you don’t want to spend the extra money for the stuff’d bars, the non-stuff’d are good as well; I particularly like the Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip Bar.

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(8)Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Quick Cooking Rolled Oats, 32-ounce

Overnight Oats are all the rage right now. I have been experimenting with some recipes too. Pick up some of these Gluten-Free Quick Oats and you’ll be grateful!

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Gluten-Free Vegan Bread & Pasta

(9) Schar Deli-Style Bread Gluten Free — 8.5 oz(Case of 6)

This is the best gluten-free sandwich bread on the market. It doesn’t crumble and it tastes like a normal slice of bread!

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(10) SCHAR | Baguettes- [Gluten Free] 12.3 Oz [1 Pack]

This is the only vegan and gluten-free baguette that I’ve found, and I won’t look any further unless I find one that can beat the price but still tastes as good. I often slice it, spread some vegan butter on it and make a toasted garlic cheese bread with it! I love it with pasta.

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(11) Andean Dream Fusilli Quinoa Pasta Gluten Free (3×8 Oz)

This pasta is a no-fuss gluten-free pasta that doesn’t get mushy or stick together. It is delicious!

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Gluten-free Crackers

I love these crackers crumbled into soups, eaten as a snack, dipped in peanut butter, hummus or avocado.

(12) Simple Mills – Almond Flour Grain Free, Gluten Free Crackers

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(13) Ka-Me Gluten Free Rice Crackers, Sesame, 3.5 Ounce

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Desserts

 

(14) Mi-Del GF Pie Crust, Choc Snaps, 7.1 Oz

If you are in a hurry and don’t have time to make a crust from scratch, this chocolate cookie crumb pie crust will make the rush worthwhile!

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(15) Enjoy Life Crunchy Cookies, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free and Soy-Free, Chocolate Chip, 6.3 Ounce (Pack of 6)

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Creamy Curried Broccoli and Cauliflower Soup

Potlucks. They are a nightmare for people with food allergies or dietary restrictions. For two years, I didn’t eat at our World Language Department potlucks – I was the party pooper that brought her own meal. One Spanish teacher always used to bring a broccoli cheddar soup made from a mix; however, I can’t eat that obviously because I don’t eat wheat, dairy or eggs. I decided that the broccoli cheddar soup tradition needed a healthy refresh since another colleague would get migraines from the MSG in the soup mix and couldn’t eat it either.

Something that I have missed since changing my diet is a creamy broccoli cheddar soup. I realized that I used to go to Panera Bread A LOT when my 3-year-old suddenly blurted out my phone number at the drive-through window for their rewards program!!! So I decided to make a gluten-free vegan plant-based creamy broccoli soup in a slow cooker not only to keep our potluck tradition but also to satisfy my cravings! Somehow my vision changed into a Creamy Curried Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup!

Creamy CauCreamy Cauliflower & Broccoli Curried Soupliflower & Broccoli Curried Soup

  • Servings: 15
  • Print

This Creamy Curried Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup is spicy, vegan, and gluten-free with flavors of lime and ginger; adjust the cayenne spice to meet your preferences.



Credit: myrealdish.com

Ingredients

  • 1 carrot
  • 1 celery
  • 1/2 large onion
  • 1 red pepper
  • 2 cups baby potatoes (I used red and yukon from the Dynamic Duo Little Potato Company)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons garlic or 3 large cloves
  • 1 can coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk (I used Thai Kitchen)
  • 1/2 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
  • 7 oz soft tofu
  • 1 leak
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (or less for less spice)
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2  teaspoon yellow curry
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley
  • 1 lime (juice of 1 lime)
  • 8 oz cauliflower – use this recipe to bake your own baked cauliflower or use frozen grilled or roasted cauliflower; I’ve used 1/2 of this bag from Trader Joe’s:IMG_1544
  • 8 oz of frozen broccoli
  • 4 drops Young Living Ginger Vitality Essential Oil (you can also use 2 tablespoons fresh or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 3/4 teaspoon Redmond Real Salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper (and extra salt and pepper to taste)
  • 16 ounces gluten-free veggie stock  (I use Kitchen Basics because it’s the only brand here in the US that is both gluten and MSG free).IMG_1555


Directions

  1. If you are going to bake the cauliflower and not use frozen, heat your oven and start preparing it first. Follow the recipe here.
  2. Chop carrots, red pepper, leaks (minus the stalks, just the white bulbs), celery, onion, garlic, and potatoes.
  3. Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan & sauté vegetables with ¼ teaspoon Redmond Real Salt and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper. Sauté for 5 – 7 minutes until veggies are tender.
  4. Move vegetable mixture to the crock pot. Add the nutritional yeast, turmeric, curry, dried parsley, juice of 1 lime, 1/2 teaspoon Redmond Real Salt, and 4 drops Young Living Ginger Vitality Essential Oil.IMG_1540 updated
  5. Pour in the vegetable stock.IMG_1548
  6. Purée tofu and coconut cream in the Vitamix or blender until smooth.
  7. Pour tofu cream mixture into the crock pot and combine the cauliflower and broccoli.IMG_1551
  8. Cook in the slower cooker on low for 6 hours.
  9. After it is done, scoop portions into the Vitamix or blender. You will have to purée it in sections and transfer it to a big serving bowl.
  10. Salt & Pepper to taste.
  11. Serve and Enjoy!


Tips for this recipe:

  1. You can read about my dish on cooking with essential oils here, and can purchase them here. Let me teach you how to use them in many ways, both in and out of the kitchen!
  2. Curry – if you are using yellow curry and it’s not coming out the way you like it – an easy fix is with ginger, coconut cream, or lime! These ingredients will help your curry taste just right! So if it’s not the flavor you want in your soup, play around a little more with those three ingredients to get your dish just how you like it!

 

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