Sunday Breakfast

This morning the family is packing up to head off to the beach after a homemade breakfast.
The waffles were phenom-nom-nomenal and packed a healthy punch with some Mila too.

Waffles are a family fave for breakfast, lunch or dinner so it's funny we don't have them more often but after crawling in the cabinet to reach the waffle iron we were ready for a souped up repeat these babies.

This recipe made 7 belgian waffles

2 C Gluten Free Bisquick
1/3 C Mila
1/3 C Pecan Meal
6 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Pure Vanilla
3 C Milk/Vanilla Soy Milk works best
2 Eggs
Cinnamon to taste

Crushed Pecans as desired

okay, so it's not the prettiest
picture, but I wanted you to see
the color

Mix all ingredients, except crushed pecans, until the batter is a consistency you feel is ready for the waffle iron! I started with 2.5 cups of milk and added the last 1/2 cup for a smoother batter.

Add crushed pecans after pouring batter onto the waffle iron.

Cook for 5 minutes or until the steam stops rising.

As I mentioned in my last waffle post, The pecan meal makes the finished product come out a bit darker than regular waffles but they are OH SO Tasty :)

Week Two: Eat your greens!

So another week has come and gone and it's time to convert my chicken scratch into a comprehensive blog post about my plant consumption. One which will inspire you to eat your greens and flesh out a shopping list for my bestie. No pressure (grin)

Last week's grocery cart :)

So what was special about this week? What did I do differently, you ask?
Well, although there are some carnivorous meals, I was intentional about how much animal product I allowed on my plate. I surpassed the 3/4 veggies/grains to 1/4 meat/fish rule and made meat my condiment.

I have some recipes and product reviews I'll link back here soon but for now this week's menu.

Weekday breakfasts are the same each day, our morning smoothie. This week we replaced the coconut water with aloe vera juice and added some local honey since it is allergy season. I'm not CRAZY about the aloe vera juice, but I don't hate it either.

I'm also a left-overs for lunch kind of girl. So you'll note that dinner or a portion of it the night before, becomes the basis for lunch the next day.

And Mila is still a staple (check out the link, it's new and fancy shcmancy). As it is part of our growing business, the hubs and I have been learning more about its benefits and still can't help but sing the praises of this little miracle seed. Its been a part of my diet for nearly 4 months now and  I'll save the Mila info for those who are interested... back to the week's menu

Monday:


Lunch - shredded lamb and collards 
Snacks - clementines (so good this time of year) and mixed raw nuts
Dinner - Chicken thighs with sweated squash

This squash was AWESOME. I can't guarantee that it remains in the "raw" category as I didn't test the temperature but if it did manage to stay below 118 degrees, we're good. My one regret is I didn't snap a picture because it was also gorgeous. The veggies stay vibrant, don't get mushy and OH LA LA the flavor

• summer squash and zucchini squash sliced into 1/2 inch chunks (or larger)
• 1 bag of orange and red sweet peppers, sliced in half and de-seeded
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 2 TBSP olive oil
• Place all ingredients in a large heavy saute pan with lid, cook on low heat for 30 minutes

Tuesday:


Lunch -  Black Bean Tacos
Snacks - Popchips and salsa
Dinner - Sweet Tomatoes (Tuesday night is family dinner out night)

• April is Lemon month at Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation and the Summer Lemon Tossed Salad is DELISH and Gluten Free :)

Wednesday:


Lunch -  Leftover sweated squash with a scoop of Mila (so good even the next day)

one bag/2 servings

Snacks - Veggie chips and Salsa
Dinner - Shirataki Spaghetti

• I was VERY impressed with these noodles. They cook up quick, have very few calories, no sugar, no gluten...a Babs Dream. We had them with fire roasted tomato marinara with a bag of fresh baby spinach leaves wilted into the sauce during the last few minutes of cooking and Al Fresco Sun-dried tomato Chicken Sausage. Why go to the trouble of a tofu noodle when you're just gonna add sausage? Remember, this is my 90% plant based plan AND these Shirataki noodles are a great gluten free option AND great for those who want pasta with out all the carbs.

Thursday:


Lunch - Khinoor Rice & Curry (didn't blow my skirt up) 
Snacks - Rice crackers and wasabi
Dinner - Smoothie with a scoop of Mila (Thursday night is Planet Smoothie night every other week)



Friday:


Lunch -  Eggpant Marinara with Spinach (Remember I mentioned it freezes well? It does.)
Snacks - raw nuts and raisins
Dinner - Tofu pad thai



Saturday:


Breakfast - Large coconut water with 2 scoops of Mila
Dinner -  Kung Pao Chicken with steamed veggies

• I didn't intentionally go for a "no chewable food" morning and afternoon, but my Mila carried me through the day, probably because I was focused on the happenings at the Central Florida Earth Fest!

Sunday:

Breakfast -  Gojiberry Granola Bar and Decaf Skinny Vanilla Soy Latte


Lunch - left over Kung Pao Chicken with veggies with a scoop of Mila

Dinner - UPDATE: Salad WAS on the menu but we wound up at Pizzaria Uno so I opted for an artisan pizza on a gluten free crust. It was phenom! Dried figs, tomatoes, broccoli, all drizzled in balsamic vinegar on a GF crust painted with pesto, and goat cheese for the final touch. 

So, how are you doing on your quest toward a predominantly plant based diet?
Do you have an recipes to share?
How do you "measure" your percentages?

Share...as we know better we do better :)

An ode to Brinner, Pumpkin Pancakes

Today's post is en hommage to a friend and fellow blogger Jennifer. Several weeks back she posted a recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes that I just KNEW I had to convert to a gluten friendly version. They are super yum and although we had them for Breakfast on a special Sunday morning, they would definitely make a great Brinner (breakfast for dinner).

These are the ingredients from Jen's original recipe

• 2 cups Bisquick
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
• 2 T sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-2 dashes pumpkin pie spice

This is how I adjusted the recipe to be allergy friendly (not just gluten-free)

• 2 cups Gluten Free Bisquick
• 2 T ground flaxseed in 1/3 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 - 3/4 cup Almond milk
• 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
• 2 T sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-2 dashes pumpkin pie spice

Blend all ingredients until well combined. note* I used more milk than the original recipe called for and this may be due to the nature of the GF bisquick,  but you can always start with less and add more as Jen suggested.

I cooked these in our cast iron skillet with a bit of butter to give them a nice crispy outside and they were a hit with the fam. Very tasty with a bit of syrup or agave nectar, and savory with a sprinkle of salt and pepper...so they go either way and are a nice alternative to potato pancakes.

Sometimes, you gotta have a smoothie

The hubs and I have developed a nice little smoothie addiction as of late. We've been Planet Smoothie fans for years and they have several gluten free options...but it's not always convenient to head out to our local smoothie place and NONE of them are open early enough for us to have them in the morning...so we experiment with our own.

We have a personal blender by Hamilton Beach that works better than ANY full size blender I've ever owned for crushing frozen fruit and giving a nice smoothie consistency.

Our recipe:

1 cup Naked Juice (check the label for gluten free options)

2/3 cup frozen fruit

1 banana

1/4 cup Stonyfield Farm French Vanilla Yogurt

1 scoop RAW Meal

Blend

Drink

YUM

We were using Mila's chia seeds in place of the RAW Meal, but honestly the were a bit pricey and we like all the ingredients in the Garden of Life product and it's readily available at our local WFM. It does add some substance to the smoothie though, so I may switch to skim milk or a lighter juice to balance things out.

From the Garden of Life Website:
Containing 26 superfoods from RAW organic seeds, sprouts and greens, RAW Meal provides 34 grams of protein, 9 grams of fiber and a healthy 2.5 grams of fat making it an excellent choice for “weight conscious” individuals. RAW Meal also offers 20 Vitamin Code vitamins and minerals providing at least 100% of the Daily Value of 16 key nutrients.

Just as important is what’s NOT included in RAW Meal.  It is gluten-free, dairy-free and lactose-free. It has no fillers, no isolates, no synthetic nutrients, no artificial sweeteners and no preservatives.

We've decided, it's good stuff!
I've been reading some intriguing smoothie recipes lately...we have basil that needs to be harvested before it gets too cold here (yes it gets cold in Florida, last night it was 28 degrees!) So next week's menu includes a strawberry basil smoothie...I can't wait.

What'd You Eat?

Keeping in mind my intention when I started this blog, I'm starting a series called "What'd You Eat?"
I'll be the first to admit that typing out a product review for every thing I eat is a bit daunting ...and may be a bit daunting to you the reader as well... I mean that's A LOT of reading. There are days I just want to know WHAT I can eat...give me the skinny, a bulleted list...just something to give me an idea.
So here goes...

In no specific order I'll have a post per week listing several things that were on my menu the week before. Some may be repeats, some may be newbies that become a product review, but it's a good jumping off point ... a place where you can say "ooh I saw that on sale at the store this week" and get ideas for YOUR grocery list.

In return? comment and leave me some ideas too...Lord knows I get tired of the same old same old too!
Listed items in blue are links to the actual product website (or a link back to one of my product reviews)

Enjoy!

Nutty Rice with Yoplait Banana Creme yogurt
Udi's Plain Bagel
Peter Pan Reduced Fat Peanut Butter
Egg Beaters Egg Whites
Van's Gluten Free Waffles
Colby jack cheese
Mozarella Cheese sticks
Progresso Soups
Bananas, Apples, Oranges, Grapes and mmmm Nectarines!
Amy's Frozen Meals  (I personally love the Mexican and Indian flavors!)
Chicken on the grill
Corn on the Cob
Sauteed Asparagus
Steamed Broccoli
Tinkyada Spaghetti
Pork roast (rubbed in fresh parsley, rosemary, olive oil and lemon juice)
BLT's on Udi's
Curried Chicken and peppers

hrmm...just looking over my list I see that I count on "gluten free" products for breakfast (which needs to be quick) and lunch which is usually at work. I bring dinner leftovers several times a week which is a treat but it's nice to have some quick options in the freezer.

So, What'd YOU eat this week?

I've waffled before, I'll waffle again.

A few weeks ago I spotted NEW Gluten Free Bisquick on the dreaded bottom shelf of our local grocer. I'm SO glad I saw it!

Last night I made homemade belgian waffles following the recipe on the back of the box. I added 2 Tablespoons of pecan meal for some flavor and BOY oh BOY were they delicious! My family raved over them and has definitely put them on the "make these again" list!

The pecan meal made them bake a bit browner in the waffle iron but the consistency was fantastic and the flavor was delish!

The box offers recipes for pancakes, waffles and biscuits along with some side panel recipes for pizza crust, chicken and dumplings and chicken nuggets so this box would be a good one to have in the family pantry!

Again, I add my "safety tip" that you should check to see whether or not YOU can tolerate the PPB that are allowed in any foods that are produced with a GF label.

I also recently received a cook book I can't WAIT to try out, You Wont Believe it's Gluten-Free by Roben Ryberg. I always "read" my cookbooks before I try anything. With tabs in hand I mark pages of recipies that look interesting then can flip to the tabs when I'm feeling creative.

If you're anything like me, you have 6 or 7 different gluten free flours in the pantry without the slightest clue of what to do with them. In my desperate search for some sort of normalcy in baking I wound up with some I can't even pronounce! This book makes sense (and use) of them all!

I'll be sure to post recipe successes (and failures) here soon!

And in the mornin, I'm makin WAFFLES!

This morning as I "oohed and aahed" over breakfast my hub said, "I remember when you cried because you thought you'd never eat anything good again....and then you'd eat something that you shouldn't (with gluten) and feel even worse!" And he's right, I would. I would get sooo mad that they could eat whatever they wanted and I had to eat cardboard that I'd just say SCREW IT and gluten myself.

I don't do that anymore
And I don't want you to EVER do that!

My response was immediate and heartfelt, "THAT's why I started my blog!"
And indeed that IS why I have started this blog...to share my gluten-free nuggets of wisdom and tricks I've learned along the way and share nummy product and recipe ideas.

And today's product IS INDEED nummy!

Van's Natural Foods Wheat and Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Waffles.

Y U M
They are very apple-y.
They toast up nicely and do not get crumbly when you cut into them and they smell glorious while they are toasting!
The best part? They TASTE like waffles.

Van's makes these waffles in several different varieties. We have a box of the blueberry in the freezer now...I think I know what's for breakfast tomorrow!