Gluten Free Raspberry Fig Cookie Bars

This recipe was inspired by and all but stolen from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's theppk.com.  But since I'm doing my best to avoid wheat and gluten, I wanted to provide a GF version of this brilliant baking accomplishment.  I highly suggest taking a stroll through The PPK- it's an incredible resource of recipes and ideas.  Just remember who sent you there and come back to say hi every now and then.

This is one of those recipes that makes me chuckle when someone says, "you're vegan and gluten free? What do you eat? Don't you feel deprived?!"  Yes, so deprived.  Doesn't that photo just spell deprivation? These cookie bars have the perfect amount of fruit to allow you to justify to yourself why you ate all of them in one sitting.  But just the perfect amount of gooey figgy center, and sweet melt-in-your-mouth golden fluffy crust to let in the perfect amount of guilt.  Come one, we all know how good it feels to be bad.

Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

  Happy New Year!  It sure has been a long time since my last original post, and my goodness do I miss you!  I haven't posted new recipes because for the past 3 months I've been really tired.  And sick.  And couldn't stand the smell of food.  And hated all of my favorite foods.  And had weird cravings.  Catching my drift yet?  I'm gonna be a mama! Let's just say the first trimester made me a much stronger person, and now I feel ready to conquer the world! Or at least some super delicious recipes!

This first recipe comes from my friend Kristen, who I now consider a gluten free baking goddess.  She also gave a great tip.  If a gluten free baking recipe ever calls for baking soda, she omits that and just adds baking powder - it won't rise with baking soda...who knew?! Kristen, we owe you our lives for this recipe. 

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

It's been a while! I have not forgotten about my little blog, my life has just been busy busy! I'm going to cheat this week and re-post a couple great recipes for Thanksgiving!!!  No table should be without the famous BROCCOLI CHEESE!!! *As is, this is not Gluten Free, but with a few simple substitutions, it easily could be! BONUS: If you're thinking about making a Green Bean Casserole, you can use the Cream of Mushroom Soup recipe below!

Thai Teak Restaurant

Michael's Pineapple Fried Rice with Tofu...incredible!

 On our way home from running errands today, we found the cutest little restaurant in Santa Monica called Thai Teak.  They also do massages and sell orchids, but we just stopped in for the food - which was OUTSTANDING!  For $20 we got 2 entrees and an appetizer the size of an entree.  It was fresh, insanely delicious, and very filling - we both had leftovers! The kitchen was super clean and the man who served us our meal was so sweet.  It's the perfect little place for a quick lunch or dinner or maybe even a date :) The tables are bar-style by the windows, but it was still quite cozy.  I would give this place a perfect 10! 

I had chow mein tofu! YUUMM!!!! 

So if you're in or near Santa Monica, I'd definitely give this place a try!! It's located at:

2400 Main St
Santa Monica, CA 90405

Lentil Bowl

 This is very similar in taste to the Lentil and Brown Rice Casserole, but it's made with quinoa and cooks in a pot instead of in the oven..and in half the time.  It's the perfect dish for a stormy summer night.  Easy to make and easy on your budget, this is definitely a new staple!

Pizza Bellos

 While drooling my way through the prepared foods section at Whole Foods, I spotted these little guys.  Although I was tempted to buy them, I knew I could make them in 15 minutes for a fraction of the cost - so I responsibly made my way over to the produce section.  I'm big on texture, so I think I was more excited for cute mini pizzas than actually biting into a portobello crust, but.... once again I was pleasantly surprised.  They were so scrumptious and completely satisfying.  Now you can have pizza every night!! Much better than that English toast concoction my mom used to always make - sorry ma...

*if you don't use the veggie sausage they're gluten free
 

Strawberry-Watermelon Granita

Photo Credit Thomas J. Story*

 I love everything about this.  The name is delicious, the dish is beautiful, and it cools you from head to toe the second it hits your tongue.  I had a giNORMOUS watermelon that I knew we'd never finish, so I went to watermelon.org for inspiration - these people are passionate about watermelons!  I put my own spin on their watermelon granita to cut out the sugar and add a little extra somethin somethin.  The slushy flakes of granita are so light and cold and flavorful, it's the perfect dessert for a hot summer day.

In the Meantime...

Wedding season is among us! A HUGE congratulation to Kristen and Elias and Corey and Caitlin!  Cooking has taken a back burner (hehe), but I promise to get some recipes (Watermelon Granita, anyone?) up soon! In the meantime, my cousin sent this to me today and I just had to share - too cute!

(click to see full size)

Gluten Free Cinnamon Pancakes

Since cutting gluten from our diets, Michael and I had yet to have a fluffy, melt in your mouth, good ol' fashion pancake.  Well, days of "I don't mind the texture because it tastes pretty good" are over.  We've tirelessly eaten pancakes every Sunday for the past couple months in an attempt to perfect this recipe.  I know, it's tough, but someone's gotta do it.  Trial 1: we bought a mix from whole foods and they were good...if you like soft pretzel-y pancakes.  Trial 2: we added a little buckwheat.  Also good...if you like soft pretzel-y buckwheat pancakes.  Trials 3, 4 & 5, we halved the mix and played around with other flours.  Not bad, getting closer, but we knew they could be better.  Trial 6 (or 7?): The winner!  Fluffy, melt in your mouth, good ol' fashion Sunday morning pancakes.

How to Make Almond Milk!

 When I make my own almond milk each week, I feel like I've one-upped Betty Crocker.  It's fun, delicious and oh-so satisfying.  And compared to boxed milk, it's much more rich and creamy.  Yum! You're going to need a liter-sized mason jar, a big bowl, and a nut milk bag.

It might seem like a big to-do at first, but after you've done it once or twice and get the hang of it, it's super duper looper easy.

Heavenly Fried Rice

Happy July!!!  This freakishly flavorful dish is adapted from The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone.  Alicia's is deeelicious; and we had a lot of fun putting our own little twist on it.  The depth of flavor from the garlic and ginger is divine.  I love this meal.  Maybe a little too much.  Don't tell Michael.  What I have listed below is the "creme de la creme" version - feel free mix up the veggies and toppings.   However! The magical ingredients I wouldn't mess with are the: vinegar, tamari, ginger and garlic.  We make this with quinoa every now and then too!  *sigh* ....it's so amazing and versatile :)

Mediterranean Summer Salad

 Could this be any more beautiful??  I love summer veggies!  This is inspired by my all-time favorite Vegetarian Times recipe - the Toasted Panzanella Salad.  I bulked it up with beans and quinoa to make it a complete meal.  This is the perfect salad to take to a picnic or bbq or to impress your friends with when you have them for dinner.   I could pretty much live on this stuff...and ice cream.  

Mexicali Salad with Chipotle Ranch Dressing

 I promise I wouldn't post a salad unless it was dynamite, and this is nothing short of that.  We have this for dinner at least once a week!  The nutrition in this is off the charts - protein, potassium, iron, calcium, antioxidants, zinc, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, folate, vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, K - to name a few...it's exciting.  What's also exciting is that you now have the recipes for our Marinated Kale and Chipotle Ranch!   They're aaaawwweesooommee!!! Essentially, this salad is 3 staple recipes thrown together: Marinated Kale, Burrito Filling, and Chipotle Ranch, so it might seem like a lot of steps, but after you've made it once, you'll see just how simple it is!

Crazy Bran Bowl

I went to see an acupuncturist to try to find out why I've been fatigued in the afternoon.  I drink my green juice, I eat my veggies, I eat plenty of protein, my sleep was good...I was stumped.  He told me that for some people, hot and cold foods really affect their energy levels.  He said that in Chinese medicine, your biggest and hottest meal is in the morning - it goes way back to the 4am start time on the farm.  Since I was having green juice and smoothies for breakfast (very cold), I thought I'd give hot cereal a try.  He was right.  Crazy bran bowl in the morning and green juice and smoothies for lunch is the formula that works for me.  It only takes about 6 minutes to make and it's delicious! Let's get crazy!

Blood Orange Fig Chutney

 I have a confession.  I almost got selfish with this one.  On Saturday we threw a surprise bridal shower for Kristen and I brought this along.  It was inspired by a recipe we learned at a cooking class taught by Rachel Carr and Kristan Andrews of SunCafe.  I also made the Southwest Quinoa Salad, hummus (I'll share that soon), and Michael made an almond cheeze log (stay tuned for that one!)  There were mostly non-vegans, and I was worried it would get looked over, but boy oh boy was that chutney a hit!   "Award-winning!" "Incredible!" "Oh my god are you kidding?!" 'What IS this!?"  "Are you a professional chef?" "This is crack!" was some of the praise this unassuming little bowl of chutney received.  So, for a good 5 minutes before I started typing this post I contemplated whether I should share it with the world, or keep it as my secret weapon.  But - alas - I want to be popular and loved so here you go ;)