Spaghetti Squash Goulash

This Spaghetti Squash Goulash is my "go to" recipe on nights that I come home late from work or the gym and just don't have the energy or ambition to cook yet want something nutritious. I love this recipe because as long as you have three basic ingredients on hand—a jar of tomato sauce, ground sausage, and spaghetti squash—you golden. The rest is whatever vegetables you may have in your fridge that you want to throw in. 

I always keep a package of ground sausage, sweet or hot, stocked in the freezer, and a jar of my favorite tomato sauce in the pantry just for this recipe. The spaghetti squash is a more seasonal item, so sometimes I make it over gluten-free pasta or rice, but the squash is my favorite by far.

Below is the recipe for this particular evenings creation. Feel free to mix and match vegetables you have on hand in your fridge. I haven't come across a bad combination yet. If you like the vegetables you put in, I'm pretty sure it will come out just fine.

Spaghetti Squash Goulash
Ingredients:
1 whole medium spaghetti squash
1 lb. ground Italian sausage
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 zucchini, chopped
10 ounces white button mushrooms, chopped
1 jar (24 ounces) tomato sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 green onion, chopped for garnish

Directions:
Carefully cut spaghetti squash in half and place cut side down in a microwave safe bowl. Add about 1/2 inch of water to the dish, cover and microwave for about 15 minutes, or until the squash is cooked all the way through. Once it is cooked through, uncover and let it cool for about 10 minutes before handling. 

While the spaghetti squash is cooking, begin to make the meat/vegetable mixture. Place the ground sausage in a medium-sized sauté pan over medium-high heat. As the sausage cooks, use your spatula to crumble into small bite-sized pieces. Continue to cook sausage until almost cooked through and only some pink is showing. 

Next, add in your onions and garlic to the pan, stir to combine. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, then add the rest of your vegetables to the pan. Cook vegetables stirring occasionally until desired tenderness, about 8-10 minutes. 

Add your tomato sauce to the pan, stir to combine. Add salt and pepper if needed. Turn heat down to low, cover pan and simmer for about 5 minutes while you prepare your spaghetti squash for serving.

Now that the squash has cooled enough to handle, take a spoon and remove the seeds, discard. Take a fork and begin to pull through the flesh of the squash making spaghetti-like strands. Place your spaghetti squash into serving bowls and sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. Spoon your meat/vegetable mixture over top of squash. 

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and green onion. Serve immediately. 

Yield: 4 servings.
This recipe is gluten-free, and nut-free. It can be easily made vegetarian by adding more vegetables in place of the meat.

Crock Pot Beef Bourguignonne

It's getting colder and colder outside and Old Man Winter is fast approaching. Everyone who knows me knows that winter isn't my cup of tea. I know "hate" is a strong word and you shouldn't use it, but hey, "it is what it is."

I hate being cold, or even somewhat cold. 
I hate having to wear a ton of layers just to take the chill off. 
I hate having to scrape ice and brush snow off my car. 
I hate waiting for my car to warm up just so I can stop shivering uncontrollably. 
I hate pumping gas in the winter...I find myself standing there freezing my butt off and wishing I lived in New Jersey so that someone would be pumping my gas for me.
The list could go on and on...

Winter is no fun for me, so I tend to be one that hibernates as much as possible until spring arrives. You are probably wondering why I live in New York then, right? One word...family. I love them too much to leave because if I were to move, it would be to California, and that is just too far.

Regardless of my "hate list" there is one thing that I do really enjoy about the colder months, and that would be comfort food! Even I have to admit that you are never going to enjoy a nice bowl of chili, homemade soups and stews, or a nice big cup of hot chocolate in the warmer months like you do in the winter. It's just not going to work. These kinds of comfort foods are the ones that warm me through and through, and make me feel right at home. So, I guess I should thank you Old Man Winter for that.

This stew recipe is one that I found years ago in a Cooking Light magazine. It was intended to be cooked on the stovetop and had a lot of steps, but I figured why not make it easier on myself and cook it in the Crock Pot? You know, "Set it, and forget it!" 

I've never been a huge fan of your typical beef stew, it's too meat and potatoes for me. Of course this is why my husband loves beef stew. What man doesn't love meat and potatoes, right? I am sure there are some, but probably not too many. So, when I came across this recipe I knew it was more my style, and I knew it would be a good compromise for the two of us. 

The red wine gives this dish a depth of flavor and richness that I really enjoy. We both like mushrooms, carrots, onions, and garlic, so it was perfect in every way. I've made it numerous times over the years, and it is one we look forward to having every winter. 

You can serve this stew as is, or over your favorite gluten-free pasta (shown here with my favorite brown rice pasta by Tinkyada) , quinoa or brown rice. And, if you are so inclined, you could get a nice gluten-free baguette for mopping up any of that delicious gravy! 

I hope you give this one a try and enjoy it as much as we do. 
I may hate winter, but I do love this stew!

Crock Pot Beef Bourguignonne
Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs. beef stew meat
1/3 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 can (14 oz.) gluten-free beef broth
1 1/2 cups red wine (any kind you like to drink)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup carrots, sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 10 ounce packages white mushrooms, quartered
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 dried bay leaves
1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions
1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch with water (if needed at the end)

Directions:
Place stew beef into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag with flour and sea salt. Seal the bag tight and then shake to coat evenly. 

Place all of the liquid ingredients first into a 5-quart crock pot. Then, add the tomato paste and beef mixture. Place all remaining ingredients into slow cooker and cover. 

Cook for about 6 hours on High, or 8 hours on Low. 

If the broth is not thick enough for you at this point you may add some corn starch to it. Take about 1 1/2 tablespoons of corn starch in a small bowl and add some water to it. Mix it well and then pour into the crock pot and stir through. Cover it and let it set up for about 5 minutes.

Serve over your favorite gluten-free pasta, quinoa, or brown rice.

Yield: 9, 1 cup servings.
This recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, September 2004.

Amazing 5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Do you love peanut butter? 
How about chocolate? 
Well then, how about I tell you that these cookies have both those ingredients, and that they are just about the easiest cookies that you will ever make! Yup, it's true, I wouldn't lie. These cookies take only five to ten minutes to prepare, and take about 10-12 minutes to bake. That's it!

Once you take a look at the ingredients list you will notice that there are no oils or flours in this recipe. Please don't panic like I did when I first was introduced to this recipe. I promos you, these cookies will bake just like any other cookie you have made in the past, if not better. The egg replacer and the fat that is naturally in the peanut butter does all the work. 

I can still remember when some friends of mine were telling me about these peanut butter cookies, and I couldn't imagine how the peanut butter wouldn't just melt all over the place. It sounded like a complete disaster. It took me over a year to actually try making them, and when I finally did I was pretty mad at myself for not trying them sooner. They are so good! They are super peanut buttery with just the right amount of dark chocolate. I love to eat them when they are still a little warm with a glass of cold unsweetened coconut milk. Yum! 

Both of my friends recipes were very similar to the one you see here. I have made only a few changes to the original recipe to take them up a notch. So, go ahead and make them today, and I guarantee that they will be amazingly delicious!

Amazing 5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
Ingredients:

1 cup Peanut Butter, chunky or smooth* 

1 cup Coconut Sugar or Brown Sugar, lightly packed

1 1/2 teaspoon Ener-G Egg Replacer plus 2 tablespoons warm water mixed**

1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first 4 ingredients well, then stir chips in to combine. Drop tablespoon sized balls of dough about 1 to 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press the dough down a little by using the back of a fork. Bake cookies for about 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown. Remove from oven and let cool about 5 minutes before removing them from the cookie sheet to cooling rack. Once completely cooled you may put them in an airtight container.

Yield: 24 cookies

This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan.

Notes:

*Do not use natural nut butters, only Jiff, Skippy, etc.)

** You may use 1 large egg in place of the egg replacer. However, please note that your cookies will come ou flatter and will spread out more during baking. I found that the egg replacer did not change the flavor or texture of the cookies at all and allowed the cookies hold their shape much better.

Mixed Berry Coffee Cake

There is just something about starting a brisk fall morning off with a good Cup of Joe and a piece of coffee cake that just warms me through and through. Today, I decided to make a mixed berry coffee cake. This recipe was adapted from a King Arthur Flour recipe for Blueberry Buckle Coffee Cake. I subbed out some of the ingredients they used for either non-dairy or vegan ingredients, and I also used some ingredients that I prefer instead such as coconut oil over butter and as always, I added more cinnamon! 

This cake came out well, the texture a little chewier than I had hoped it would be, but it was still moist and delicious. 

Mixed Berry Coffee Cake

Streusel Topping Ingredients:

1/3 cup Coconut Sugar (I used Trader Joe's)

1/2 cup GF All-Purpose Flour (I use gfJules)

1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon Salt

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) Earth Balance Buttery Stick

Cake Ingredients:

2 cups GF All-Purpose Flour

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 cup Coconut Sugar

1/4 cup White Granulated Sugar

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) Coconut Oil (at room temperature)

1 Large Egg (*use egg replacer to make this vegan)

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup Unsweetened Coconut Milk (in box, not the can)

2 cups Fresh or Frozen Berries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9" round cake pan that is at least 2" deep. 

To make the topping, mix sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Cut butter in with a fork until it reaches a crumbly state and set aside.

Blend flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together in a medium-sized bowl.

In stand mixer, beat together the sugar, butter, egg and vanilla extract. Begin to add in the milk and flour mixture a little at a time alternating between adding the two and ending with the flour mixture. Stop mixer and fold in berries until just blended. Batter will be very thick.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the topping over the batter and bake for 45 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes. You can serve this out of the cake pan or you can remove it from the pan by loosening the sides of the cake with a knife. Tip the cake out into one hand and flip back over onto a serving plate. 

Yield: 12 to 16 servings.

This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and vegan when you swap the egg for egg replacer.

Beautiful Beet Juice

There's something about homemade juices made from whole fruits and vegetables that just makes me want to drink them, and this beautiful beet juice is one of them. The color is just fantastic and it's packed with nutritional benefits.

Although beets have the highest sugar content of all vegetables, it is packed with other nutrients that can improve your health in a variety of ways. Beets can lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation, and they also are loaded with Vitamin C, Potassium, and Fiber. 

Other nutrient packed ingredients in this recipe are carrots, cucumbers, and tart cherry juice. This is one juice you can be happy about drinking with no guilt!

Now, here goes my semi-infomercial moment...

I recently made the financial decision to purchase a Vitamix. It literally took months of convincing from some family and friends. However, after a handful of failures trying to make green juice smoothies with my Nutri-bullet and Ninja, I decided to give the Vitamix a chance. How much better could it really be? I brought over the same exact ingredients that I had been trying to my brother's house, and attempted to make the same green smoothie in his Vitamix. The results were amazing! I couldn't believe the difference between the two. For the first time, I didn't have to chew my smoothie. 

Deciding to purchase the Vitamix wasn't a cheap decision by any means, but so far it has been worth every penny. The Vitamix I purchased cost me $449. (Which actually is now available for $439!) Yes, you read that correctly, I paid $449 US dollars. Yes, for a blender...a freaking blender! 

I know exactly what you are thinking...and the answers to all of these comments would be "No!"

"Is she stupid?" 
No.

"It's just a blender." 
No, no it is not.

"She must be out of her mind!" 
No. (Well, that's debatable, but for other reasons.)

"My Nutri-bullet (insert other blender here) is fine." 
Oh no it isn't!

I thought those same things about the people who tried to convince me as well. But, I can honestly say it is an AMAZING "blender." I say "blender" because this piece of equipment is not like any "blender" I have ever used in my life. This equipment is like a piece of food magic. Seriously, it is. It can juice, blend, and make hot soup. It can make ice cream and sorbet. It can make nut butters galore. It can puree, dice and chop veggies, and it can also ground coffee for crying out loud...what "blender" can do all of that? AND, what blender can do it all well!? None that I've ever used.

I've used my Vitamix at least once a day since I received it just about a month ago. I've only made soup, juices, and smoothies so far but, all with great success and no disappointments.

I make a green juice smoothies almost every day, although this morning I decided to try to make a beet juice smoothie instead since I had a bag full of beets from my local CSA share. I do like my green juice that I make every day, but man, this beet juice wowed me! By using the Vitamix, you get all the nutrients from everything included in the ingredients because you are adding the whole vegetable and fruit including seeds, skin, etc. And, it's not thick as you would expect from blending, it made actual juice!

One benefit to blending instead of juicing is that you get both insoluble and soluble fiber, which keep you sustained longer. A juicer will just extract the juice and leave behind the pulp removing the insoluble fiber. Here is a infographic of the benefits of juicing vs. blending.

Enough about the Vitamix and how great it is. Let's get to that Beautiful Beet Juice recipe you've been scrolling for:

Beautiful Beet Juice
Ingredients

2/3 cup Tart Cherry Juice (100% juice from concentrate, try K.W. Knudsen)
1/4 cup filtered water
1 Tbs bottled lemon juice
1/2 large beet, unpeeled and cut into chunks
1 small carrot, unpeeled and cut into chunks
     (or 4 or 5 bagged baby peeled carrots)
3" of an English Cucumber, unpeeled and cut into chunks

Directions:
Place ingredients in order listed into Vitamix. 
Turn on Low for a few seconds, then switch to High. 
Blend for about 45 seconds. 
Enjoy!

Yield: 1 pint, or 1 serving.
This recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan 

Sweet and Sour Refrigerator Pickles

If you love pickles like I do, then these easy-to-make pickles are for you! Not only are they really easy to make, they are so freaking delicious I've made two batches in the last week! I got this recipe from CherylStyle's website and only changed/added a few things from her recipe to suit my own taste. Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Refrigerator Pickles

Brine Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
4 cups water
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon black pepper corns
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seed
1 bay leaf

Pickle Ingredients:
3 lbs. cucumbers (I used regular cucumbers), sliced about 1/4"
1 yellow onion, sliced very thin with mandolin
2 tablespoons kosher salt
6-8 whole garlic cloves, pealed

Directions:
Place all brine ingredients into a medium-sized non-reactive saucepan such as stainless steel, enameled, or glass—not aluminum or copper. Bring brine to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside to reach room temperature.

While you are waiting for the brine to cool, prepare your pickle ingredients. Slice the cucumbers using a mandolin to about 1/4", slice your onions very thin at your lowest setting on your mandolin. Put cucumbers, garlic and onions in a large colander in the sink and sprinkle with kosher salt, toss to coat evenly. Let sit for 30-45 minutes letting any water the salt may draw out drain.

After the cucumbers, garlic and onions have sat and drained, and the brine reaches room temperature rinse the cucumbers mixture with cold water to remove excess salt. Put cucumber mixture into a large glass bowl. Pour room temperature brine over the cucumber mixture and cover with saran wrap. Place in the refrigerator overnight. 

The next day remove from pickles from refrigerator and stir a few times. Now you can place pickles in jars or plastic containers and keep them in the refrigerator. They are great the first day, but get even better with each day. The garlic stays sharp, so beware! But, give those enough time and they'll be pickled too!

They are not "canned," so don't put them in your pantry, they need to be refrigerated and eaten within a few weeks.

Yield: 5 jars.
This recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free, and vegan.

Ava's Summery Cucumbers with Hummus, Carrots and Raisins

I love when my niece Ava comes over for a sleepover. And when she does, we try and do as many fun things together as we can like playing games, coloring, watching movies, and baking. Having her over takes me back to when I was little and would spend time with some very special people to me in my life.

When I was a little girl, I used to spend a lot of time with my Grandmother and my two siblings, Chrissy and Peter, at my Grandparents house in Brooklyn, NY. We would spend a week each summer with them while our parents took a well needed vacation for themselves. It was always a great time when we were there, and all of us "kids" have many fond memories of those times that we still talk about today. Whether if we were playing together out on the driveway, picking raspberries and blackberries from her small garden, eating delicious meals she cooked for us, or when we'd all venture out to the 5 & 10 (Woolworth's) where she would treat each of us to a toy of our choice, we truly loved spending time with Grandma. 
Pictured below is a photo of my Grandparents on my wedding day in 2001.

I also have a lot of fond memories of my Uncle Ed. Growing up as a child, I remember him always being around, especially on the weekends and during the long summers. He was like a second dad to us kids. I remember him coming over to our house early in the morning and he would empty his pockets of whatever change he had in them to give to us to put in our piggy banks. He would always horse around and play with us, especially with my brother Peter. I remember a few things he used to say to us too that would always make me laugh. If one of us would say "Hey...!" He'd respond with "Hay is for horses!" And, if we were bugging him too much, he'd say, "Stick an egg in your shoe, and beat it kid!" I laughed every time. Maybe in that respect he was more like a big brother to us, and boy did we love it! Uncle Ed was the coolest!

For many years, he and my Dad played guitar and sang together. They would play out at local bars where even on a rare occasion—if the setting was right—we'd be able to go listen to them too. So, on the weekends if you didn't find them practicing their guitars in preparation for the next gig, you could probably find them out on the driveway playing basketball. They were both pretty competitive guys back in the day, so as you could imagine they could be out there for hours on end before calling it a night. 

I've always admired and looked up to my Uncle. He is very special to me. I even asked him to sing Blackbird by the Beatles as a surprise for my Dad at my wedding for our Father/Daughter dance. Blackbird was always my favorite song that they played together so it was very special to me to have him play that song for my Dad and I, and also for me to be able to include him on my most special day.

Since I have been blessed with so many fond memories of time spent with my Grandmother and my Uncle, I wanted to follow in their footsteps and do the same for all of my niece's. I have been able to do this the most with my niece Ava. Ava has been coming to my house for sleepovers since she was about 3 years old. She is now five, and she loves helping me in the kitchen. 

On this particular sleepover we baked some of my Banana Bread Mini Muffins, Nutella White and Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies, and also the recipe I am sharing with you today. This recipe was all Ava's idea, which came from a commercial on TV she saw one day at home. She remembered this recipe completely, and luckily I had everything we needed on hand to make it. 

This recipe is actually quite beautiful when put together. I would have no reservations to serve these to my friends and family at any BBQ, family dinner, or get-together. They make for a perfect summer appetizer or afternoon snack, or in this case, a side dish to our main meal. They are really easy to make, and quite tasty too. Try them for yourself, and I'm betting you'll be making them again soon.

Ava's Summery Cucumbers with Hummus, Carrots and Raisins

Ingredients:
1 English Cucumber
Matchstick Carrots, pre-cut in the bag
1 Small Box Raisins or Craisins
1 Container Hummus (we used Trader Joe's Horseradish flavored)

Special tool: Melon Baller 
(You can use a small metal spoon if you don't have a melon baller.)

Directions:
Wash and dry your cucumber. 

Cut cucumber in about 1 1/2" - 2" slices.

Then, take your melon baller and make a cup for your hummus by scooping 3/4 of the way down into the center of the cucumber removing the seeds. Make sure not to scoop too far down, or too close to the sides, so that you leave yourself a nice cup for your hummus (see below).

Take spoonfuls of hummus and fill in each cucumber cup to the top.

Now, take matchstick carrots and start sticking them into the hummus around the inner edge of the cucumber cup, then add 3 or 4 raisins to the center as shown.

Place them on a serving plate and enjoy. Yes, it's that easy...and Ava gives them the thumbs up seal of approval!

You can also serve these with "refreshin' snacks" (Ava's exact words) such as grapes and pineapple.

Makes 8 cucumber cups.
This recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan.

Garlic Scape Pesto

If you are a garlic lover like me, then you are going to just LOVE this pesto! Every year during the summer I look forward to receiving these odd green curly stalks in my CSA vegetable share from Denison Farms. I tend to put this pesto on just about anything I make including my favorite gluten-free pastas, hamburgers, chicken and even in my breakfast omelets! It is one of my favorite recipes, and literally is one of the easiest things to make. It's garlicky, cheesy, and nutty...what's not to love? So, don't be afraid of these crazy looking garlic scapes, just give them a try!  

What are garlic scapes anyway? In a nutshell, garlic scapes are the flower stems that garlic plants produce before the bulbs mature. They tend to have a milder flavor than your traditional garlic does along with a slight sweetness. But, what makes them even more fantastic is that you don't even have to peel them! Besides using them to make this delicious pesto recipe, you can use them in homemade hummus recipes, mix them into a stir fry, or add them into soups and stews as you would regular garlic. Just experiment and see what happens and let me know what you think.

Garlic Scape Pesto
Ingredients:
8 Garlic Scapes, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup raw pecans, chopped*
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
3/4 - 1 cup olive oil

Directions:
Put all ingredients up to the olive oil in a blender and pulse 5 or 6 times to break down the ingredients. Then, add in the olive oil and blend until smooth. Add more olive oil if needed to get to desired consistency.

*Any nut variety can be substituted here, I just prefer the pecan due to its sweetness.

Makes 2 cups. This pesto recipe can be made and frozen too so you can enjoy it throughout the year. 
This recipe is gluten-free and vegetarian.

Homemade Gluten Free Pizza

Today we’re talkin’ Pizza! One of my all-time favorite foods, and I’m guessing one of yours too. Back in my heyday, I was even called a “pizza snob!” My friends would come to me and ask where the best pizza places were in town, and I had all the answers.

That was all well and good until I was diagnosed and had to go GF! Then everything changed. Since then, it has been my mission to find a delicious local GF pizza. One that even non-GF people would want to eat. My quest for finding even a relatively good GF pizza has been rather disappointing, to say the least, over the past 3 years. 

 

During my first demoralizing month of having to go GF (now five years ago),  I heard that Pizzeria UNO had a GF pizza. At that time, they were one of the few that offered GF anything, so imagine my excitement. Maybe my pizza days weren’t over after all! (Insert the “wrong answer” buzzer here!) Well, when my “pizza” came, I remember nearly coming to tears with disappointment. The crust was just about inedible. I could barely pick it up without it falling apart. What a letdown. But that didn’t stop me from trying others and continuing my mission to find the best!

Three years later, I can say that there are only two places that I would recommend. One is in this area, and the other one is on the state line of Nevada/California. In our area, there is Harvest and Hearth, located on Rte. 67 in Saratoga Springs. See my review of Harvest and Hearth athttp://glutenfreedomny.blogspot.com/p/harvest-hearth.html. The other is Straw Hat Pizza, located in Harvey’s Hotel on the Nevada/California state line. 

Straw Hat Pizza is my favorite  so far. Put it this way, it was so good that I ate one whole pizza all by myself in one sitting. Then I went back the next day, and did it again! It’s really too bad this place is so far away from home. It’s a little too far to travel on a Friday night to get a pizza, and I’m guessing they probably won’t deliver. But I did some calling and eventually spoke with Straw Hat’s manager, and found out that they order their crust from Venice Bakery in California. You can check out all of their GF products online athttp://www.venicebakery.com/info/Our-Products.html. I ordered their crusts online and had them shipped from California. They were still good, but not as good as getting it from Straw Hat Pizza itself, so I haven’t ordered them again. I figure I’ll just have to go back out there sometime and order another one. If you’re in the area, give them a try! 

After lots of searching, coming up with only a few pizza shop choices that were noteworthy, I moved onto trying to make my own crusts, using recipes from other GF experts I found online. 

I must say this pizza recipe that I'm sharing with you today really comes out great. You can make the crust however you like, thicker or thin depending how far you spread the dough. This crust really browns up nicely, and has great texture and taste. The crust doesn’t have the “chew” that a normal wheat flour crust would have, but it’s still really good. My husband, who is not GF, was really impressed with this pizza overall. Every time I make it for myself, he always asks for a bite. He gives it the thumbs up!

PIZZA DOUGH
Ingredients:

1 ½ cups of Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour

½ tsp. salt

1 packet Fleischmann’s Rapid Rise Yeast (1/4 ounce)

2 egg whites, room temperature

2 tbs. olive oil

½ tsp. apple cider vinegar

2/3 cup liquid creamer (soy or dairy), warmed , divided use

additional olive oil, optional

Directions:

Whisk together dry ingredients except yeast; set aside. In a the bowl of a stand mixer (preferred) or large mixing bowl, combine egg whites, olive oil, cider vinegar and 1/3 cup creamer (or water + milk powder alternative).

Turn to low setting and slowly add the dry ingredients to the egg white mixture. Gradually add in remaining creamer to get a firm but very sticky dough that can still be spread. Pour in the yeast and beat on high for an additional 3 minutes.  

Oil your hands liberally and spread!

Spoon the dough into the middle of a prepared pan (like a pizza crisper tray covered with aluminum foil, sprayed with non-stick cooking oil) and liberally oil your hands with olive oil to spread the dough gently into a 12-inch circle. Raise the outer edges so the sauce won’t spill out.

Cover with oiled waxed paper and let the crust rise 10-20 minutes in a warm spot like a warming drawer or oven preheated to 200º F and turned off.

Preheat the oven to 375° F (static). After the crust has risen, poke several holes in it with a fork to prevent large air bubbles forming, then bake for approximately 15 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on your pan, but the crust should have risen nicely by this time, and just begun to slightly brown.

Lightly brush olive oil onto the crust edges. Spread with sauce and toppings (or if making foccacia, sprinkle fresh rosemary, sea salt or other toppings) and cook an additional 20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly. If you add vegetable toppings, I find they taste best if you sauté them in olive oil before adding to the crust.

Note: You may par-bake the crust, freeze and bake for later use. If doing so, stop baking after the first 15 minute bake cycle, cool, then wrap in foil. Place crust in a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for later use. Remove from freezer when ready to use, and thaw at least slightly. Preheat oven to 400° F. Spread desired sauce and toppings and bake for 10 – 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling or the focaccia is lightly browned.

Yield: One 12-inch pizza.

This recipe is gluten-free, nut-free and vegetarian.
This recipe was adapted from Jules Shepard.

Easy 4 Bean Party Salad

This bean salad is so delicious and easy to make, and is always a crowd pleaser at any party I bring it to. It is a great salad to bring because it covers most food and dietary restrictions by being gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan. Anyone can enjoy this simple bean salad, and you can feel good about brining it too since it has some veggies and is packed with protein! You can try experimenting with different beans that you like, and also with some different add-ins such as fresh peas, corn, or green beans. Just use what you have on hand, it's sure to be a winner!

4 Bean Party Salad
Ingredients:
1 15 oz. can Garbanzo Beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can Pinto Beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz. can Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
3 green onions (scallions), chopped
1 7 oz. jar Roasted Red Pepper, drained and chopped

Dressing Ingredients:
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
3 tablespoons Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar
3 tablespoons light Agave Nectar
1/3 cup Light Olive Oil

Directions:
Rinse and drain beans thoroughly and place in a large mixing bowl. Chop green onions and roasted red peppers, place in mixing bowl with beans. Stir together. In a separate small mixing bowl combine all of the dressing ingredients and mix well. Pour over bean mixture and stir to combine well. Can be served immediately, or it can be chilled for a few hours before serving.

Serves 16-20.
This recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan.

Say Cheeeeeese!

Product Name: Van's "Say Cheese!" Gluten Free Crackers
Manufacturer: Van's Natural Foods
Overall Rating: 5
Taste: 5
Texture: 5
Shelf Life: 5
Cost: 5 | $2.99
Company Website: http://www.vansfoods.com/our-products-crackers#

Review: If I were to think back to my "normal" days prior to being gluten-free, my favorite snack of choice would be any kind of cheesy cracker I could get my hands on. Every afternoon you could find me at my desk noshing on some Cheez-its, Goldfish Crackers, etc. To me these little cheesy tasty delights were the perfect snack. Crunchy, a little salty, and bursting with cheese flavor...now who wouldn't love that? And then, I had to go gluten-free....da, da dummmmm! My cheesy cracker days were now over! How sad, right? Well, not anymore! 

Every once in a while I take a breeze down the gluten-free aisle at my neighborhood grocery store to see if there is anything new and exciting on the shelves, and to my surprise I found these tasty little buggers! Van's created a cheesy cracker just for me! Why thank you Van's, my prayers have been answered! 

Without even hesitating these cheese crackers were in the cart. Price did not matter. What was in them didn't matter....well, at least at that very moment it didn't. I paid for them at the checkout and I didn't even make it to the car before that box was open and I was popping them in my mouth. And, boy were these good! You know that one good friend of yours that you rarely see, but when you get together it is like no time has passed? Well, this was just that! It was like I never was away from those cheesy crackers I had been missing for the past 5 years. I was in cheesy cracker heaven.

Then, after they passed the taste test with outstanding marks, I actually read the box to see what was in them. I wanted to see if I was just putting garbage in my mouth, or if they had any nutritional merit whatsoever. And, again to my surprise, these were actually made of good quality ingredients that I could eat AND feel good about it. 

I am very conscious (well, most of the time) about what I eat. I respect my body and try to treat it with a clean and healthy diet. I eat very few packaged foods. So, when I saw that these crackers were made of only good ingredients, I was even more happy than before. These are made with whole grains, no GMOs, and packed with protein. See for yourself!

Since my first purchase only in February, I have purchased 4 more boxes. Now, do I stick to the suggested serving of 30 crackers as stated on the box? Generally yes, but sometimes I just have to go back for "a few more." If you were a fan of the cheesy crackers like me, I urge you to try these. You won't regret it. I promise. 

Van's has another flavor at my local grocery store called "Lot's of Everything." I've tried them, and they are good, but in my opinion just not as good as their cheesy version. They are just in a class all by themselves.

Enjoy your cheesy bites of goodness and please let me know what you think of them too!