Tag Archives: gluten free

29

May. ’16

Oat and Jam Cups (gluten free and vegan)

I came up with this recipe last summer when I made a large batch of homemade sugar-free blueberry jam and didn’t know what to do with it all.  I don’t eat PB&J sandwiches very often so I created this jam-filled snack.  These cups can be eaten for breakfast or as a healthy snack or dessert.  You can use any type of jam you like, but try to find an organic jam with little to no sugar added to keep this treat healthy. 

Yield: 12 cups

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 1/4 cups oat flour*
  • 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups jam of choice

*To create oat flour, simply grind oats in a coffee grinder or food processor (1 cup of oats will NOT equal 1 cup of oat flour, so measure again after you grind the oats).  You can also substitute whole wheat flour if gluten is not a problem for you.

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350*F.  Grease a muffin pan or line with cupcake liners.  

2.  In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients except the jam.  Mix well. Place a tbsp of the oat mixture into each cup and press down with the back of a spoon or your fingertips. Place in oven for 10-15 mins until golden.  Remove from oven.

 

3. Add 1 1/2 tbsp of jam into each cup, then add a tbsp of the oat mixture on top. If you have extra oat mixture, just distribute it evenly among the cups. Place them back in the oven for another 15-20 mins, until the cups have browned slightly on top. Allow the cups to cool in pan for at least 10 mins before removing.  

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17

Apr. ’16

Apple Pie Muffins (gluten free and vegan)

 
I was craving muffins this morning and I happen to have an excessive amount of apples in my fridge right now so I decided to wing a recipe.  Since my daughter scarfed down two of these muffins in record speed I figured the recipe was blog-worthy.  These muffins are healthy, gluten-free, and vegan too! They don’t rise like regular muffins which means they are more dense and filling, making them great for a quick grab-and-go breakfast. 

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups oats
  • 1 cup almond meal
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp cloves 
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 apples, peeled and grated
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 chia egg* (or regular egg)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • *to make a chia egg, combine 1 tbsp ground chia with 3 tbsp water and let sit 5 mins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.  Grease a muffin pan and set aside.  

2.  In a large mixing bowl combine all of the dry ingredients and stir well.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and combine well.

3.  Fill pre-greased muffin pan.  Bake in oven for 28-35 mins, until edges are brown and toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.  Let sit in pan for 5-10 mins before removing.  

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03

Apr. ’16

Healthy Oat and Buckwheat Gluten-Free Pancakes

  
I’ve been trying to incorporate buckwheat into my family’s diet more often because it’s one of the few grains that counts as a complete source of protein.  Despite having wheat in its name, it actually contains no wheat or gluten so it’s perfect for anyone on a gluten-free diet.  

Ingredients:

  • 2 very ripe bananas 
  • 1 egg or chia egg*
  • 1 cup milk of choice
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup + more for serving 
  • 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
  • 2/3 cup oat flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder 
  • 1 tsp baking soda 
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • Butter or oil, for greasing the pan

*to make a chia egg, mix 1 tbsp chia seeds with 3 tbsp water. Let sit 5-10 mins until a gel forms.

Directions: 

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, mash the bananas and then whisk in all of the wet ingredients.  Combine well.  
  2. In a separate mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients.  Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until well combined.  
  3. Preheat a skillet on medium-low heat.  Brush with either butter or oil and pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the batter onto the skillet.  Cook for a few minutes until bubbles form on top, and then flip over and cook a 1-2 mins more.  Makes 6-9 pancakes, depending on size.  Serve with maple syrup and fresh fruit.  Enjoy!
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27

Mar. ’16

Quick and Easy Healthy Oat Bites (gluten free and vegan).  

 This recipe is perfect for when you want a quick and healthy treat but don’t have much time.  All you need is one mixing bowl (no sink full of dishes!), 1 mini muffin pan and less than 20 mins.  I used buckwheat flour in this recipe because it’s gluten free and nutritious (buckwheat is one of the few vegetarian sources of complete protein), but feel free to substitute a different flour.  

Ingredients:

  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted 
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/4 cup oats
  • 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
  • 1/4 cup raisins (optional)

Directions: 

1.  Preheat oven to 350*F.  Grease a mini muffin pan and set aside.

2.  In a large bowl, mash the bananas.  Stir in the maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Add oats and buckwheat flour and combine well.  Stir in raisins.  

3.  Spoon batter into the pre-greased mini muffin tin.  Bake for 10-12 mins until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Remove from pan and let cool.  Makes 24-30 bites, depending on how large you make them.  Enjoy!

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19

Mar. ’16

Raw Energy Balls (Vegan and gluten free)

  Although I try to eat nuts and seeds on a daily basis, they can get kinda boring which makes it hard to stay consistent.  That’s why I created these healthy raw energy balls; they can be eaten for breakfast or as a mid-day snack when you’re tempted to eat junk food.  To make this recipe even more healthy, you can soak the nuts and pumpkin seeds overnight and then rinse them to remove most of the phytates (phytates in nuts and seeds bind to certain nutrients which prevents your body from absorbing them).  Make sure they are completely dry again before using (wet seeds and nuts will not blend properly and will taste different as well).  Although I stay away from making chocolate goodies due to my husband and daughter’s GERD, you can also add raw cacao powder to satisfy your chocolate cravings.  

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup almonds*
  • 1 cup walnuts*
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds*
  • 4 tbsp ground chia seeds
  • 1/8 tsp of salt
  • 1 1/2 cups pitted medjool dates
  • 3 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp raw cacao powder (optional)

*preferably soaked for 8 hours or overnight, and then rinsed and dried before processing.  Soaking is not a required step.  


Directions:

1.  Place the nuts and seeds in your food processor and blend until they form a coarse flour.  

 
2.  Add the remaining ingredients and blend until a dough-like texture is formed.   

 
3.  Form the dough into 20-25 balls using your hands.  Keep refrigerated. 

 

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08

Mar. ’16

Healthy Apple Pie Recipe (gluten free, grain free, and vegan)

 
I haven’t been to a McDonald’s restaurant in ages but the one thing I miss is, believe it or not, their apple pies.  What I don’t miss is the sick feeling I would get afterwards due to who-knows-what ingredients they add to make it so artificially tasty and addictive.  So I decided to make a healthy version.  A healthy, gluten free, vegan version that I could enjoy with no guilt or sick feeling afterwards.  Not only can you have this for dessert, but you can also enjoy it for breakfast as well since it is basically nuts and apples combined into a delicious pie.  

Ingredients: 

For the filling:

  • 10 medium apples
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice 
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt 
  • 3 tbsp arrowroot powder

For the Crust: 

  • 1 cup almond flour 
  • 1 cup unsalted cashews
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • Water


Directions:

1. Grease a 9 inch pie dish and set aside.

2.  Peel and thinly slice the apples.  Stir in lemon juice, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until well combined.  Remove 1 cup of seasoned apples and set aside.   

 3.  Cook the rest of the apples in a pot on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are fork-tender (about 10-15 mins).  Remove from heat and add arrowroot powder.  Stir until well combined. Set aside.  

4. Place the cashews in a food processor and process until powder-like.  Add the almond flour and salt and process until combined.  Add the coconut oil and combine.  Add a teaspoon of water at a time and pulse until a dough ball forms. 

 
5.  Press the dough into the greased pie dish with your hands until flattened out and even.

 
6.  Pour in cooked apples. 

 
7.  Arrange the remaining cup of uncooked apples on top of the pie as shown below (or however you like). 

 8.  Bake at 400*F for 35-45 mins, until crust is golden.  

Now even though this is a healthy pie, try not to eat it all in one sitting. The nut base adds a good dose of healthy fats so enjoy in moderation!

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17

Aug. ’15

Healthy Carrot Muffins (gluten free)

 My daughter has been asking for a lot of baked treats lately, so to avoid being the “mean” mom who always says no, I’m making more of an effort to bake healthy treats with hidden veggies and no refined sugar.  These muffins are a great way of satisfying your kids’ sweet tooth (and yours!) while still getting important nutrients.  The honey and coconut oil make them super moist with just the right amount of sweetness.  

Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients: 

2 1/2 cups grated carrots

1/3 cup coconut oil

3/4 cup honey

1 chia egg* (can use regular egg instead)

1 cup oat flour (ground oats)

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) 

*to make a chia egg simply mix 1 tbsp of ground chia seeds with 3 tbsp water and let sit for 5 mins

Directions:  

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.  Grease a muffin pan or line with muffin cups.

2. In a medium bowl, combine carrots, coconut oil, honey, and egg.  Stir until well combined.

3.  In a large bowl, combine oat flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Stir wet ingredients into dry until just combined.  Stir in optional add-ins.  

4.  Spoon mixture evenly into muffin pan.  Bake for 25-30 mins, or until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.  Cool for 10 mins in pan. Remove and cool on rack.

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23

Nov. ’14

Easy Veggie Moussaka Recipe (gluten free!)

I love moussaka but finding a good vegetarian recipe is not easy, especially one that is gluten free.

My recipe is a combination of Jamie Oliver’s veggie moussaka and Martha Stewarts’s meat moussaka with my own variations thrown in. I pre-bake the veggies in the oven instead of pan frying them to save prep time, and the typical bechamel sauce is replaced with a feta and ricotta cheese mixture to make this moussaka gluten free.

Although this recipe is quicker than others, making moussaka is time consuming so save this for a day that you have a little extra time to put dinner together. It is worth the effort though, and even meat eaters find this veggie moussaka to be delicious.

Ingredients:

1 LARGE eggplant
2 medium zucchini
4 small red potatoes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
12 tbsp Coconut oil  (or Vegetable oil)
1/2 cup Sprouted green lentils (regular lentils will work too but take longer to cook)
1 red onion
1 jar (25 oz) of Pasta Sauce
1 cup Feta cheese
1 cup Ricotta cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400*F.
2. Cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2-1inch slices. Combine the salt and pepper with 6 tbsp olive oil on a baking sheet and toss with the eggplant. Place the eggplant slices in a single layer on the baking sheet (you may need more than one). Place the baking sheet(s) in the oven and bake for 20-30 mins until soft and fully cooked (the eggplant slices will shrivel and shrink a bit).

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3. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Cut the zucchini into 1/2-inch slices as well, and toss both the potato and zucchini slices with the remaining 6 tbsp in oil. Spread the slices into a single layer onto baking sheets and bake in the oven for 20-30 mins until soft and slightly golden.

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4. Cook the lentils according to package directions (sprouted lentils cook in 5 mins, regular lentils will take much longer). Drain any excess water and set aside.
5. Dice the onion and sauté in a little bit of oil for 4-5 mins in a saucepan. Add the lentils and tomato sauce. Stir until combined then set aside.

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6. Layer half of the eggplant slices in the bottom of a 3-quart casserole dish. Layer half of the potato and zucchini slices on top of the eggplant.

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7. Pour half the sauce mixture over the layered vegetables. Then layer the rest of the eggplant, potato and zucchini slices over the sauce. Pour the remaining sauce on top.
8. Combine the ricotta and feta cheese in a large bowl and then spread evenly over casserole.
9. Broil in oven until cheese is spotted brown (about 10 mins).

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10. Cut into squares and serve.

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