There’s nothing quite as wonderful as sharing a meal with people you love.

Joe and I were fortunate enough to do exactly that on Sunday.  We drove out to the country to visit long time friends, Helen and Leonard.  It’s a trip we don’t make often enough.

Helen’s Garden Herb Bouquets

We arrived to find an inviting dinner table set with the bright colors of summer, each plate garnished with a bouquet of fresh herbs tied in earthy raffia.

Helen and I share a love of many things, one of them being food & cooking.  I was her Sous Chef in the preparation of a nourishing & delicious meal while our husbands relaxed on the couch, talking about manly things like cars and sports.

Learning from Miz Helen

Like me, Helen was also born with the gift of being an incredible teacher.  She talked to me throughout the entire process, giving me her best hints and tips.  I soaked them all up.

I often call Helen and ask her how to do something.  Whether it’s a marinade or a gardening project she always has an solution for me.  Many times she’ll say that I was the fourth or fifth person to call and ask the same question.  So, I began urging her to start a blog.  It took a couple of months but she’s now at Miz Helen’s Country Cottage sharing her wisdom.  If you want to know about herbs, gardening, or just good cooking stop by, do a little reading, and make sure to say hello.

Enjoying Helen’s Homemade Pickles

With two food bloggers cooking the meal, there were pictures being snapped all evening long.  It’s just another thing that we both love.

Helen’s menu -

• Fresh Greens Topped with Dilled Pickle Pot Yogurt Dressing (recipe soon to come…)
• Homemade Pickles
• Fresh Baked Bread (for Joe & Leonard)
• Rosemary & Thyme Roasted Pork Loin with Mango Salsa
• Herb Roasted Summer Squash & Sweet Potatoes
• Peach Ice Cream – sugar-free!
• Lemon Ice Cream – sugar-free!
• Raspberry Peach Crisp (made by me – recipe will be in my upcoming book)

Did you notice that Helen made not one – but two – sugar-free ice creams?  This is the first time since going gluten-free and sugar-free that anyone, aside from my husband, has joyfully and purposefully made me dessert.  I held back tears of joy while we all enjoyed our Raspberry Peach Crisp topped with ice cream.

Lemon Ice Cream nestled with Raspberry Peach Crisp

There is a deep place inside me that was healed that day.  Those of you that are gluten-free understand all too well what it feels like to excluded from joining in.  But to be able to be a part of, to share the same food as everyone else, is a moving experience.

Helen has a way of loving people like that.

Baked just to spoil our husbands…

The only thing on the menu I couldn’t eat was the bread – and Helen wasn’t going to bake any.  I insisted that she make it for our husbands and they both agreed that Helen’s homemade bread was something they’d rather not go without. Can you blame them?

Helen took my vanilla bean ice cream recipe and made it her own – it’s egg-free and doesn’t even have to be cooked.  Just make sure to let the gelatin bloom fully before adding it to the other ingredients.

Texturally, it’s much like a fruit sorbet.  I love the lightness of the flavor and texture.  It was heavenly with my Raspberry-Peach Crisp and made a perfect ending to a more than perfect meal.

Print friendly recipe

Lemon Ice Cream
Helen Adams of Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
Amy Green of Simply Sugar and Gluten Free

Mix
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin with
½ cup whole milk and set aside until the gelatin blooms

Mix
1 cup whole milk
2 cups half & half
Pinch of salt
½ cup light Agave Nectar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
Zest of 1 lemon

Add
The ½ cup whole milk and gelatin mixture
Mix well.

Freeze according to your Ice Cream Freezer directions.

Much Love,

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Even though Joe and I don’t have kids of our own (…yet) I’ve been thinking about school starting and healthier snacks for kids.  I taught elementary school for many years and school lunches were always a sore spot for me. I watched kids eat pizza, tater tots, and cookies for lunch.  And when they couldn’t concentrate in math class I knew exactly why.

As a chunky little kid, my lunch was packed by my mom nearly every day. Even then, school lunches were not real healthy.  Anyone else remember the big chunk of cheese they served as a side dish?  And that chunk of cheese went along with a cheeseburger and fries!

So why the snack cake and not a bowl of fruit?

Let’s face it – kids love dessert.  So do adults…look at how we drool over desserts on blogs.

Deprivation doesn’t work. Anyone who’s dieted and cut out every sweet that makes you smile only to find themselves with a big bowl of ice cream three weeks later knows that. (I couldn’t possibly be talking about myself, could I?)

But what about a healthier snack filled with the nutrients of bananas, slightly sweet, eats like a snack bar, and can be whipped up in 10 minutes? That’s what this moist Banana Carob Snack Cake is all about.

It reminds me of a cake my mom used to make for us when we were kids – she’d pack it for our camping trips. I love the big chunks left from fork-mashing the banana and the way it pairs with the carob.

Don’t Miss This…

Alisa from One Frugal Foodie is putting together a FREE e-book filled with healthier Back-To-School snacks. She’s looking for recipes that pack a nutritional punch.  Read more about her Back to School Mission on her blog.

Or This…

Carrie from Ginger Lemon Girl is featuring me on her blog today as a “Gluten-Free Must Read.”  When she told me I was the first blogger in her new series I was overcome with tears of gratitude.  It’s the best feeling in the world to know that a fellow blogger admires my work enough to share it with her readers.  Thanks so much, Carrie!!

Now hop on over to her blog and see what she has to say!

What’s your families favorite healthier snack?

This post is linked to Pennywise Platter.

Print friendly recipe

Banana Carob Snack Cake
makes (20) 2 inch snack cakes

1 1/2 cups fork mashed, ripe banana (about 3 medium bananas)
1/3 cup palm sugar
1/4 cup canola or grapeseed oil
1/4 cup 1% milk
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups sorghum-garfava flour blend
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup unsweetened carob chips

Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together mashed banana, palm sugar, oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour blend, baking soda, cinnamon, xanthan gum, and salt. Dump dry ingredients onto wet ingredients and mix until combined.  Stir in carob chips.

Pour batter into the prepared pan.  Bake for 15 – 18 minutes until snack cake is firm and a toothpick tests clean.  Let cool completely in baking pan on a wire rack before slicing.  Freeze individual pieces for an easy snack for lunches, enjoy with a cup of afternoon tea, or serve as a breakfast cake.

Much Love,

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After doing a mental refrigerator inventory, I decided to use some leftover cream cheese while it was still good.  I’ve made blueberry cheesecake ice cream but I wanted something quick, simple, and a little more versatile.

This ice cream base came together in about 5 minutes. After letting it chill, I gave it a good stir and then poured it into my ice cream maker.  The resulting ice cream was rich, tangy and creamy – just like frozen cheesecake. And it’s made with healthier ingredients, too.

Because it’s so rich you don’t need a lot of this ice cream to feel satisfied. Eat it with lots of fresh berries.  Take a bit of the ice cream, scoop up a berry, then savor it.

Slowly.

Other Delicious Ice Creams to Try

• Creme Brulee Ice Cream from Gluten-Free Easily
• Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream from Tasty Eats at Home
• Mint Chip Ice Cream from Diet, Desserts, and Dogs
• Vegan Peach Ice Scream from Gluten-Free Goddess

This post is linked to Two for Tuesdays at A Moderate Life.

Print friendly recipe

Cheesecake Ice Cream with Fresh Blueberries
serves 3 – 4

1 cup 1% milk, divided
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
6 ounces light cream cheese
2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 drops liquid stevia

Put 1/2 cup milk in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Sprinkle with gelatin and let gelatin soften for several minutes.  Heat until milk scalds, stirring often to dissolve gelatin.

Meanwhile, put remaining 1/2 cup milk, cream cheese, agave, and lemon juice in a blender or VitaMix.  Strain scalded milk mixture into the blender.  Start on low, increasing speed to medium, blending until thoroughly combined.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in heavy cream, vanilla extract, and stevia.

Let ice cream base chill for several hours or overnight.  It will be very thick.  Stir well with a large spoon until smooth.  Stir freeze according to manufacturers directions.  Place in freezer to harden.  Allow ice cream to sit at room temperature for 5 – 15 minutes before serving, or until it’s easy to scoop.

Much Love,

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When I was at the Fancy Food Show, one of the vendors was passing out plump bing cherries covered in chocolate sauce.  I decided to whip up my own chocolate cherry concoction when I got home.

I adapted this recipe from Eating Well, making it gluten-free and sugar-free. And quite tasty, too!

Though the batter was quite thick, I decided not to add any extra buttermilk because I knew the cherries would release some of their juices as they baked.  It was the right move.  They’re a little denser than a typical cupcake, not too sweet, and have a prominent chocolaty flavor.

Delicious. And healthier, too. With only 1/4 cup of oil, they’re lower in fat but get lots of moisture from the buttermilk and cherries.

Any fruit would work well in this recipe – strawberries, blueberries, or even raspberries would be nice.  Another option would be dumping the batter into a cake pan and making a chocolate snacking cake.  That would be divine.

I used my Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting.  I love how it pairs with chocolate and it holds it’s shape beautifully when piped.

Happy 4th of July!

Joe and I are staying home for the holiday – we’ve both been traveling and are ready for a quiet weekend at home. More importantly, our dogs are scared of the fireworks.  We’ll be at on the floor with our babies, reassuring them that the loud booms will pass.

What are your holiday plans? Are you cooking anything special?

Print friendly recipe

Chocolate-Cherry Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
makes 10 cupcakes
adapted from Eating Well

1/2 cup garbanzo bean flour
1/2 cup garfava bean flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 tablespoons potato starch
1 tablespoon tapioca starch
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
3/4 cup palm sugar, divided
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
1 1/2 cups pitted cherries, chopped
10 cherries with stems for garnish

For Frosting:

1 recipe Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line 10 of the 12 holes of a standard muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Sift together the garbanzo bean flour, garfava bean flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum.  Whisk until uniformly mixed.

Add grapeseed oil to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle.  Gradually add 1/2 cup of palm sugar while mixer is running on medium speed until sugar and oil mixture is grainy.  Add egg and vanilla and mix well.  Add remaining palm sugar slowly and mix until smooth.

Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk, alternating, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.  Scrape down the bowl as needed.  Fold in the chopped cherries.  Use a standard spring release ice cream scoop to divide the batter evenly.

Bake for 20 – 22 minutes, rotating 180 degrees halfway through, or until a toothpick tests clean.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once totally cool, top with whipped cream cheese frosting and garnish each cupcake with a cherry.

Much Love,

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Who doesn’t love a blondie?  I don’t know how I went for 33 years without ever eating one but after making my first batch I was hooked.

And, yes, they’re dairy free.  In fact, they’re vegan.  I know, coming from me that’s a mild shock.  I love creme fraiche, fromage blanc, heavy cream, butter, yogurt, and cottage cheese.  I’m not giving them up unless I have to.

So when Zoe from Z’s Cup of Tea announced this months Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten-Free theme – Dairy-Free Delights – I knew I’d have to get creative.

I’ll be honest…I had a little help with this month’s Go Ahead Honey project.

My Secret Kitchen Helper

(boring full disclosure – I’m sharing this because I think it’s a great solution, not because I’m getting paid for it.)

Cooking dairy-free makes my head spin just like it did when I started baking gluten-free and sugar-free.  Without any experience, it’s hard to know what will work and what won’t and in what proportions should be used.

Yesterday I downloaded a new iPhone app – Cook It Allergy Free.  I decided to give it a try and played with Kim’s Butterscotch Blondie recipe.  Within seconds, I had 7 substitutions for butter – and it even told me how much to use.  I could do the same thing for eggs, milk, and a variety of other allergens.

Usually I spend some time researching what works well and in what amount.  Not this time – I just pointed, clicked, and cooked.

Does it work?

I was a little skeptical.  In fact, I looked at my blondie batter and thought I was going to have a big flop.  Not so.  These blondies are fabulous in every way.

Of course, cooking with different ingredients has a learning curve because the ingredients don’t behave in the same ways.  Cook It Allergy Free can help make the transition smoother.  Less baking disasters is always a good thing.

I did make a couple of modifications of my own – I subbed a half cup of palm sugar for the original cup of brown sugar.  And, because I was worried about the batter I added two tablespoons of almond milk which was probably unnecessary.  To make these a little healthier, I used 4 tablespoons of shortening instead of 8 and added 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce. The extra applesauce made these more cakey than chewy.

Instead of butterscotch chips, I searched my pantry and found the perfect amount of dried apricots which tastes fabulous with carob.

You can learn more about Kim’s iPhone and iPad app and find great tips for cooking allergy free on her blog.

Reminder

• I’m guest posting at Ginger Lemon Girl’s 30 Days of Quick & Simple Gluten-Free Meals – go check out my Summer Chickpea Salad. Then make it in less than 10 minutes.
• You can still submit your Go Ahead Honey post to Zoe until Sunday, June 27th…you have all weekend to whip up a Dairy-Free Delight!

Got any allergy-free cooking tips?

Dairy-Free Cranberry Raisin Blondies

Note:  I totally forgot that Pamela’s contains dairy when I put together this post.I love Pamela’s because it’s quick, simple, and always gets the job done right.  For those who can eat dairy, it’s a top-quality product.

Thank you to Anna, Alta, and Carey for reminding me.

So, I made a second batch with a different flour blend so you’d have a choice. You can use any dried fruit or nuts with the batter.  On the second batch without Pamela’s I used raisins and cranberries because that’s what I had on hand.

So how are they different?  I didn’t soak the raisins or cranberries so they’re not as moist as the Apricot Carob Blondies.  The Cranberry Raisin Blondies are nice and cakey little chewiness.  Both are delicious in their own way but next time I’m going to soak the raisins and cranberries.  I like the texture of the Apricot Carob Blondies the best.

Print friendly recipe

Apricot Carob Blondies
makes 16 blondies
created with help from Cook It Allergy Free

1  cup dried apricots
1 cup Pamela’s Ultimate Baking & Pancake Mix (not dairy free)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup palm sugar
1/4 cup Spectrum Organic Shortening, melted
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup vegan carob chips

Preheat oven to 35o degress F.  Lightly mist an 8×8 pan with baking spray.

Put apricots in a heat proof bowl.  Cover with water and microwave for 30 seconds.  Set aside.

Sift together Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk until evenly combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together palm sugar, shortening, applesauce, and vanilla until smooth.  Drain apricots and chop into small pieces. Set aside.

Dump dry ingredients into wet ingredients and fold until nearly incorporated.  If batter is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of almond milk.  Add chopped apricots and carob. Fold in until just combined. Turn batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.  Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until top is golden brown and blondies pull away from the sides of the pan.  Let cool completely before cutting.

Note:  The dried apricots are a little tricky to slice cleanly. Pop the bars into the freezer for 15 – 2o minutes before cutting.  Use a very sharp knife for the cleanest cuts.

Print friendly recipe

Dairy Free Cranberry Raisin Blondies
makes 16 blondies
created with help from Cook It Allergy Free

1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup quinoa flour
1/4 cup arrowroot
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup palm sugar
1/4 cup Spectrum Organic Shortening, melted
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup of raisins and dried cranberries, combined
1/3 cup vegan carob chips

Preheat oven to 35o degress F.  Lightly mist an 8×8 pan with baking spray.

Whisk together sorghum flour, quinoa flour, arrowroot, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.In a separate bowl, whisk together palm sugar, shortening, applesauce, and vanilla until smooth.

Dump dry ingredients into wet ingredients and fold until nearly incorporated.  Add raisins, cranberries, and carob. Fold in until just combined. Turn batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.  Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until top is golden brown and blondies pull away from the sides of the pan.  Let cool completely before cutting.

Much Love,

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