Tomato Free Chili 2

Tomato Free Chili 

Ingredients:

1 lb ground meat
1 can Black beans, drained
1 can Kidney Beans, drained
1 medium Onions, diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 large Carrot, diced
1 stalk Celery, diced
2 c Tomato Free Sauce (click here)
2 Tbsp Chili powder (leave out if nightshade free)
1 tsp Cumin (increase to 2 tsp if leaving out chili powder)
1 Tbsp Cilantro
1/2 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Salt
black pepper to taste
Olive Oil
Water

Instructions:

Heat oil.

Add meat onion, vegetables, salt, peper and garlic until browned.

Add tomato free Sauce and seasonings.

Heat until bubbling, the reduce heat and simmer.

Add water to desired thickness and simmer until veggies are tender and flavors are set.


Makes 6 servings.

Coconutty Cacao Yum!

Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

So our life seems to always be changing.  Changing job, changing houses, changing activities, changing ages, changing stomach issues.... Lately, the honey man seems to be having more gut issues and we have been tweaking some dietary things. I've been experimenting with some raw foods and no-grain "cooking" for a while and trying all kinds of fun new things. Coconut flour, coconut sugar, almond flour, flax seed meal as flour, and cocoa nibs are some fun new things. 

So honey loves him some dark chocolate but does not need the dairy and sugar. We were eating at a fellow gluten-free-ers home one night when she whips out these scones with little flecks of chocolate in them! (You should be drooling about now.) After inquiring a little to the ingredients we all pretty much cleared off that plate of scones. Then we asked, "What did you do for the chocolate?"  And the answer was, "cacao nibs." 

A little research on these wonderful little crisps showed some pretty amazing benefits. (Click here for a link to some great info on Cacao Nibs.) 

So, for those who "NEED" a fast chocolate fix in your life without the diary and mounds of sugar...

Coconutty Cacao Yum

1     tsp Organic Cacao Nibs
1-2  tbsp Coconut Oil
Unsweetened Shredded Coconut (to taste)

Mix together in a small bowl and roll out into balls or spread on some yummy GF toast.


NOTE:  Well, of course, you can add sugar if you want. And feel free to double up the recipe and share!!!

Addictive Gluten Free No Bake Cookies!!!

These lasted, oh... 5 minutes!

Warning: this post my be addictive to your taste buds, proceed with caution and lots of calorie reducing jogging.

So a few weeks ago I was having a conversation with some friends about "no bake cookies".  They were talking [and salivating] about how much they "loved" no bake cookies.  I heard them describe their late night kitchen excursions to make the craved for cookies.  I felt left out.  I don't recall ever having eaten "no-bake" cookies that tasted soooo good that I craved making them 20 years later after having been lovingly served them by my mother as a child. [What was I missing in life?  I've got to talk with my mom!]

I inquired about ingredients and cooking methods [confirming my suspicions that we would definitely have to make some substitutions].  Plus, those "no bake" cookies actually had to be heated up in a pot on the stove.  [So technically they were not baked... but did require some form of heating.  Hmmm...]  So, I did what I always do when my taste buds are piqued.... I went home and researched. 

Could there be a TRUE no-bake cookie that didn't require eggs or anything to make it rise while baking?  Was there a cookie that could be held together by something other than peanut butter?  Could it be made gluten-free?  Would it taste like something other than unbaked cardboard?  What about the usual cost factor?  Hmmmm.....

I have to tell you.... [jumping up and down at the computer right now]... what I came up with was phenomenal.... easy.... made with common ingredients... and totally addictive!!!!  They are light, yummy with a hint of chocolate and practically melt in your mouth!  Does telling you that we made them three times in the past week and a half help you understand?  [Mom... how could you have not ever made something like this for your precious darling daughter so many years ago??? It's o.k.... really.... it probably saved me many pounds on my torso... so I forgive you mom.]

Without further adieu....

"Gluten-free No Bake Cookies"

before being "rolled & powdered"

2/3 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter (or g-f margarine) softened

1 1/2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa

1/2 tsp. g-f vanilla

2 c. g-f oatmeal  (I used the old fashioned kind)

"The Powdered Icing"

1/4 c. confectioners sugar

1/4 c. coconut flour (optional... you can just use the powdered sugar)

1) In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar, cocoa and vanilla.
2) Add oats and mix well
3) Squish together about a tablespoon size into a ball, then roll the ball around in the "powdered icing" and place on wax paper.  [Makes about 40 balls]

*** I'm just warning you... go ahead and make a double batch... those little things pop into your mouth and disappear before you know it! 

Options:  You can add things to this recipe like coconut or peanut butter or some flavoring.  You can even roll them in nuts also if you like.

Good nutrition is like a rainbow... sort of

You ask why?  Why is there a picture of dried split peas and lentils mixed together in my bowl?

Well it all started back in elemtary school.  Really!  When one day in nutrition and health they informed us that it was very important to have a variety of food.  Then they explained how our plate should be filled with a "rainbow of colors".  I came home armed with my new knowledge and inspected dinner every night according to it's colorfulness.  My family wasn't impressed.  To this day I still get snickers when I talk about how colorful some dish of food is.  [Families can be so supportive sometimes.]

Well, I am always on the look out on how to try to add in some fiber and beans in our diet.  They are so good for you.  Good for you and cheap!  And there I was all happily browning some ground beef with onion, garlic, carrots.... and realized... I forgot to soak the beans last night!  And, no, there weren't any in a can in the cabinet either.  What to do?? 

I dug through the cabinets and there I spied them..... Lentils!!! The amazing little bean that doesn't have to be pre-cooked.  Twenty minutes bubbling on the stove and yummy dinner would be served.  So there I was measuring out those cute little (yet non-colorful) beans.  Then I spied a small amount of green split peas.  Nice little brightly colored green peas.  "I shall just mix these in with the lentils and add some nice color to the soup." I said to myself.  [bad idea #1] Then I poured them in...... and one small brightly colored split pea dropped out and rolled onto the floor.  I stooped to pick it up......

Then it happened!  "NOOOOOOOOO!"  [Flashbacks started playing in my mind.]  How could I have done this???!!!  Didn't I remember???

The kids are running through the kitchen at this point.  "Go outside!  Go outside right now and take your brother and play!.... No forget setting the table... out!"

I suddenly remembered why I hadn't used that last small amount of brightly colored green split peas.  The last major hive outbreak we had with our then 2 year old had been from him eating a dried pea off the floor.  A floor we had swepted and checked and thought was o.k.  Somehow those little floor crawlers can sniff out a crumb of food from 3 houses down... particularly if they are allergic to it!

So I had sent the children out as I swept up the floor and my heartbeat slowed down.  Then I thought, I'll just separate those peas from the lentils.  [bad idea #2]  Ten minutes later..... frustration set in.  Beans are cheap.  I took this picture, then threw them out!  The risk was not worth those few cents of beans.  Next I proceeded to rinse another batch of lentils for the soup.

Alas, who thought fixing dinner would be so stressful!
Note to self: clean out the cabinets!  And throw out things we don't use anymore.... even if it is colorful!

For you.... a yummy fall soup that is great for when you forget the soak the beans overnight.

Lentil and Beef Soup:

1 lb ground beef (or turkey)
1 chopped onion
1 tsp. garlic salt or chopped garlic (to taste... I like a lot)
4 stalks of celery, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Throw this all in the  pot and brown away. 

1 c. carrots, chopped

Throw these in as you get them chopped, and stir your meat mixture.

1 c. dried lentils
1 pinch thyme (opt.)
1 bay leaf (opt.)
4 c. water

Bring to a boil, then cut the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes or until those non-colorful lentils are soft.

Serve over some brown rice, or a baked potato (if you can) or GF corn bread.  Yum!