I'm sorry for the lack of posts lately everyone. Things are really taking off with the move and there are just loose ends everywhere that need finishing. It's a hectic mess right now but by this time next months, things should be a lot more settled. :)
In the mean time, I have a nice treat for you! For these upcoming hot summer months, this is a refreshing and quick drink and it has become a recent favorite of mine. I make it all the time - breakfast, dessert, snack, you name it!
Almond Banana Smoothie
from Clara Ogren, Six Food Intolerance Living
Ingredients:
1 cup vanilla almond milk
1 ripe banana
2-3 drops liquid stevia (adjust based on the ripeness/sweetness of your banana)
2 drops almond extract
sprinkle of cinnamon
ice cubes
Optional: spoonful of flax meal, protein powder or chia seeds
Directions:
Pour all ingredients into a blender (I have a Vitamix) and blend on high just until ice and banana are completely incorporated.
Pour in a glass and serve.
Enjoy!
I'm sorry I've been a bit MIA lately. This have been CRAZY around here. There's big changes in the future.
The big news is that we're moving to San Diego! It's something that's been a possibility for quite some time now but nothing was official May 1st and since then, things are moving FAST. We need to be out there by June 21st so we're trying to get everything lined up and set. It's still just stressful at the moment so I haven't really had much time to get excited about it. Plus, having spent most of my life on the East coast, I'm pretty nervous about living on the West coast. Earthquakes, coastal breezes and lack of water have never been an issue for me. The East coast is blessed with plentiful (sometimes all too plentiful!) water, beautiful, thick grass and trees and solid, firm ground. Hubby, however, was born-and-raised in San Diego so he's helping me adjust and it's great that he already knows the area. We've visited quite a bit over the years and I have a few favorite spots of my own so I take comfort knowing that I'll get to enjoy them whenever I want. We went out there last week for a house hunting trip and found a bright, spacious condo that even had a garage - it's tandem which was a new thing to me (but apparently pretty common on the West coast) but I'm loving the storage potential!
Anyway, posts will still be trickling in slowly for a while and will hopefully pick up as I get settled. The blog will see some big changes too as I take out the metro-DC content and add in new San Diego stuff. I hope you all will keep tuned in through all the changes! :)
Thanks!
If you're a gluten-intolerant reader, you've no doubt heard of Ginger Lemon Girl. She's known for her easy, frugal and delicious gluten (and now dairy and soy) free baking. We became fast friends a year or so ago and have chatted nearly everyday since. Well, I'm excited to say that yesterday, I was mentioned on her blog! :)
It was also about a year ago that my husband switched offices and told me that not only were a couple of his co-workers also gluten free, but that one was also allergic to nuts and another was vegan. Of course, my initial reaction was: "Ooooo, what can I make for everyone to enjoy?" It definitely has to be something baked .... definitely something chocolaty (because really, who can deny chocolate?) and definitely something gluten and nut free that was also vegan. Enter Ginger Lemon Girls Amazing Everyday Chocolate Cake (scroll down to see it, her also Amazing Everyday Carrot Cake is listed first). Yum. So yum in fact that Hubby downs it in a minute without one "This is gluten free, isn't it" word or look. From the first time I made it, it's been in heavy rotation in our house - with one addition to Carries original recipe - chocolate chips. How to make a chocolate cake even better? Add more chocolate - 1/4 cup of Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips to be exact! I always felt it gave it just that extra bit of decadence.
So, I knew the recipe I wanted to make for my husbands co-workers, now I just needed to convert it. It had eggs and I often used almond milk in the recipe. Second part - easy. I used Tempt Unsweetened Original Hemp Milk instead of almond milk. But eggs - how do I replace eggs? Not being intolerant to eggs nor vegan, I had never tackled the problem. But with a little research and creative thinking, I figured it out and made an awesome cake. It's slightly more dense than Carries original Everyday Chocolate Cake but hey, who says that's a bad thing?! ;) And the best part was that EVERYONE in the office could have some, enjoy it and eat together. There's nothing more rewarding than having your food bring people together.
And really, isn't that what all us home cooks are doing? Bringing our families, extended families and friends together, for one moment in an entire day, together around a table. Food in which everyone can partake and enjoy. Hopefully, that's what my version of Carries awesome cake can do.
To see Carries post and pictures that will have you salivating, please go to her blog.
Just want the recipe already? Here it is:
Gluten, Dairy, Soy Free and Vegan Chocolate Cake
Created by Carrie Forbes, GingerLemonGirl
Adapted to be vegan by Clara Ogren, Six Food Intolerant Living
Makes: 1 8x8 pan (doubles well for a 9x13 pan) or 12 cupcakes
Ingredients:
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened original flavored hemp milk
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup allergen free chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients, except the chocolate chips. In a medium bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips.
Spray an 8x8 cake pan with non-stick cooking spray or grease with grapeseed oil.
Pour batter into greased lined cake pan.
Bake cake for 18-25 minutes. Test the cake for doneness with a toothpick
Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting with your favorite gluten, dairy and soy free, vegan icing.
Enjoy! :)
