Crispy Rice Sun Butter Bars

Crispy Rice Sun Butter Bars

     I have a sweet tooth so I like to have something on hand I can grab when that sweet tooth hits. I came up with these bars after having a hard time finding a bar at the store that met all the criteria I wanted. No peanut butter, made with gf ingredients, and sweet but not too sweet. These bars are sweetened just enough to feel like a treat. They also include a great crunch from the crispy rice and the addition of chia and hemp seeds gives them a nutrient dense boost. They can be kept at room temperature but I prefer the extra crunch you get from keeping them in the refrigerator or even the freezer. I love a recipe that its easy enough to make in just a few minutes and can also be flexible based on what you have on hand.

Crispy Rice Sun Butter Bars

Ingredients 

2 cups gf puffed rice cereal ( Nature's Path and One Degree Organics brands have them) 

2 TBSP hemp seeds

1 TBSP chia seeds

1/2 cup sun butter

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 TBSP coconut oil 

1/4 tsp sea salt 

Directions

1. Line a 9 inch loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a large microwave safe bowl add the sunbutter, maple syrup, and coconut oil. Microwave for 30 seconds, remove and stir, and microwave for 30 more seconds. 

3. Stir the mixture and then add the rice cereal, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and sea salt. 

4. Press the mixture into the parchment lined loaf pan using a spatula to press the mixture firmly down. This will help to shape the bars and allow them to set. 

5. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cutting into bars. 

Enjoy!

* You can just any nut or seed butter in place of the sunbutter. You also may add other nuts or seeds, or even coconut just make sure your total of dry ingredients is very close to two cups or the bars will be dry. The hemp and chia seeds aren't in a large enough amount to need to count towards the two cups.  

 

*These bars keep best in the refrigerator in a sealed container for a week. They can be kept at room temperature in a sealed container but will be softer when you eat them. You may also freeze them for up to three months. I personally like the texture of them frozen! 

 

Old Fashioned Key Lime Cookies

 Old Fashioned Key Lime Cookies 

     These cookies are inspired by my Grandma Lucille Elliott. When she moved up to Omaha, Nebraska after living in Miami most of her life she brought an old cool whip container full of frozen key lime juice she had juiced. She knew that key lime pie was my favorite dessert she made and she didn't think you could get key limes in Nebraska. You didn't used to be able to but now during the right season you can find them! I used regular limes in this recipe as I couldn't find key limes but both work well. I love the soft texture of these cookies from the addition of sour cream, baking soda, and baking powder. The recipe is based on my Great Aunt's old fashioned sour cream cookies, or as they were called in her recipe book, boy and girl cookies. I think maybe it's because she used boy and girl cookie cutters? Whatever you call them these cookies are delicious! 

Old Fashioned Key Lime Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature 

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 TBSP key lime zest

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

2 3/4 cups flour or gluten free flour ( I used Pamela's Gluten Free Blend)

1/4 tsp salt

1tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder 

Key Lime Drizzle

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 TBSP key lime juice

1-2 TBSP milk of choice

1 TBSP key lime zest divided 

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer cream the sugar, butter, and lime zest for 1-2 minutes until fluffy.

3. In a separate medium sized bowl combine the flour, salt,  baking soda, and baking powder stir to combine. 

4. Turn the mixer to low and incorporate the eggs one at a time, turn the mixer to medium speed and add in the sour cream until incorporated. 

5. With the mixer on low speed slowly add the flour mixture a third at a time, once the flour is all added stop the mixer and use a spatula to stir a few times to make sure all the ingredients are evenly mixed in. The dough will be sticky but should still roll out well. 

6. Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper lightly sprinkled with flour. Using a rolling pin roll the dough out to 1/4 of an inch, added more flour as needed so it does not stick. 

7. Using a 3 inch diameter round cookie or biscuit cutter cut the cookies into round discs and place at least 2 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. You will need to bake these cookies in batches or use two cookie sheets for all 18 to fit. Repeat steps 6-7 gathering the dough together, rolling it out, and cutting the cookies out until all of the dough is used. 

8. Bake the cookies for 10-11 minutes until lightly browned on the bottom. The tops will still be light.

9. Let the cookies cool for 30 minutes before frosting. 

10. Make the key lime glaze, in a medium bowl sift the 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Add in 2 TBSP lime juice, 1/2 TBSP lime zest, and 1 TBSP milk of your choice. Using a whisk combine the ingredients until a thick glaze forms. If the glaze is too thick add a tsp of milk at a time until it is the right consistency. 

11. Once the cookies have cooled place the glaze in a piping bag and snip of the end. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies using a back and forth motion. Before the glaze sets use the remaining 1/2 TBSP of lime zest to sprinkle over the cookies.

Enjoy!

These cookies will keep at room temperature for 5 days. 

Gluten Free Apple Spice Bread

 Gluten Free Apple Spice Bread

    I love making apple desserts! I do enjoy pumpkin spice, but apple has and always will be my go to. This bread is so good with a cup of coffee and even better the second day. The oat flour in the recipe adds a great texture and flavor that you don't get with using just gluten free flour. I like to cut it into individual slices and keep it in the freezer so I have a treat to offer guests (mostly my little sis) when they come over!

Gluten Free Apple Spice Bread

Ingredients

1 Cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flour

1 1/2 Cups Gluten Free Oat Flour *see note 

1 1/2 Cups coconut sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cups apple chopped into small pieces 

1 egg

1 cup almond or coconut milk

1/3 cup coconut oil melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

2 TBSP coconut sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon 

Directions

1) Pre-heat oven to 350 and line a bread pan with parchment paper or grease with coconut oil.

2) Using a whisk mix together the egg, coconut sugar, coconut oil, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl until incorporated. 

3) Stir in the gluten free flour, oat flour, baking powder, and cinnamon just until combined. You don't want to overmix gluten free flour or it will become tough.

4) Gently stir in the apples.

5) Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the topping.

6) Bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Depending on the depth of your bread pan it may take even longer. Mine took about 45 min.

7) Cool the bread for at least 15 minutes before slicing. 

Enjoy!

This will keep at room temperature for 4 days wrapped tightly but also freezes in slices really well!

*note- to make gluten free oat flour blend oats until a very fine texture, similar to almond flour in a high speed blender. You also can buy oat flour, Bob's Red Mill and Thrive Market have gluten free oat flour. 

You can use all Bob's Red Mill gluten free flour in this recipe and it will still turn out great but I really like the taste and texture better with a mix of the two flours. 

* Subs- you can sub brown sugar for the coconut sugar, and butter for the coconut oil.

* I have also made this bread with cardamom as a 1 to 1 sub for the cinnamon and it tasted great! When I'm in a LPR flare I can't handle cinnamon but do just fine with cardamom so feel free to try it if you love cardamom as much as I do! 

Dairy Free Cheeseburger Soup

 Dairy Free Cheeseburger Soup

This soup is one of my favorite things to eat on a chilly fall night. The little tang from the mustard in the soup gives it that cheeseburger flavor, and blending the veggies makes have a great texture! You can sprinkle a little dairy free cheese on top, So Delicious Brand is my favorite for their ingredients and taste! I love to freeze this soup in individual servings using my "souper cubes" to heat up for a quick lunch! 

 Dairy Free Cheeseburger Soup

Serves 4 ( you can double the recipe to feed a larger crowd, )

Ingredients 

1 lb ground beef

1 cup peeled and diced carrots

3 cups diced russet potatoes 

4 cups chicken broth

2 tsp salt divided 

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried parsley 

2 tsp yellow mustard ( mustard from a bottle not mustard powder)

note: the salt may need to be adjusted based on if you are using low sodium chicken broth, this recipe was made using Pacfic Brand Organic Chicken Broth that has a medium salt level. If you double the recipe double everything but the salt, start with the 2 1/2 tsp and add more if needed. 

Directions

1) In a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat add the ground beef and 1 tsp salt. Brown the meat for 5-6 min until cooked through and remove to a dish.

2) In the same pot add the diced carrots, russet potatoes, chicken broth, onion powder, and 1 tsp of salt. Bring to boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are cooked until fork tender. 

3) Stir in the yellow mustard and dried parsley. Remove two cups of the soup and puree in a high speed blender for one minute until smooth. 

4) Add the puree and the ground beef back to the soup pot and simmer on low for 5 minutes. 

5) Taste and adjust salt if needed. 

Serve with a sprinkle of dairy free cheese, and chopped pickles if you want! 

Enjoy!

This will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator and also freezes really well in individual servings. 

Chimichurri Sauce and Marinade

 Chimichurri Sauce and Marinade 

     The first time I had Chimichurri was in Miami. I grew up going to Miami because that's where my dad was from and where my grandparents lived. It wasn't until I was a teenager that I started to understand the rich food culture Miami had. I would go to the grocery store just so I could explore all the local brands. I loved seeing things like fresh empanadas in the bakery case, and isles full of all sorts of marinades and sauces I had never heard of. Soon I had to make sure I left room when I packed for Miami to bring some of those precious shelf stable sauces home with me. Once I ran out I would start to look up recipes for how to make them on my own. I have always thought Chimichurri was such an easy way to add TONS of flavor to meat and chicken. When I had to stop eating acidic food a few years ago to heal my vocal chords, I forgot all about one of my favorite condiments. I made it recently and was so happy to add it back into my life! Chimichurri is a specialty of Argentina and Uruguay. It's made from lots of fresh parsley, olive oil, and vinegar. I like to use a mix of parsley and cilantro, while not as traditional I have seen many recipes made this way and I like the flavor of the mix of herbs. If you don't like cilantro feel free to use all parsley! 

 

Chimichurri Sauce and Marinade

(makes about 1/4 cup, enough to marinate 2 lbs of meat or to be used as a dipping sauce, double the recipe if you want to marinate meat and also have some to serve on the side)

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves 

2 tbsp chopped red onion

3 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP red wine vinegar

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes 

1/2 tsp sea salt 

1/2 tsp fresh black pepper

optional 1 clove of garlic or 1 tsp garlic infused oil

Directions

1) Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse 10 times or until all ingredients are roughly  chopped.

You also can use an immersion blender for about 10 seconds but the mixture will be a finer texture.

How do you use Chimmichurri?

Serve Chimichurri alongside grilled steak and chicken kebabs as a dipping sauce or drizzle it over the meat for lots of flavor! It's so good you will want to put it on everything! It's also great on eggs and any type of cooked veggie. 

Chimichurri makes a great marinade. Rub the mixture over 2 lbs of chicken or steak cut into 1 inch pieces for kebabs and let marinate for at least 6 hours before grilling. 

Enjoy!

The chimmichurri will keep in a sealed container for 3 days in the fridge. 

Gluten Free Greek Yogurt Blueberry Muffins

Gluten Free Greek Yogurt Blueberry Muffins

     These are the best gluten free muffins! My husband, son, and dad all love blueberry muffins. I tweaked a recipe I had made before to make these protein filled muffins a little healthier. Brian, my husband will tell me the truth about gluten free baked goods and he LOVES these. The muffins are especially great right out of the oven when the top is crunchy and the center is warm. I love to serve them with a little butter spread on top. The addition of greek yogurt makes for a great texture and added protein, almost 6 grams per muffin!

Gluten Free Greek Yogurt Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients 

3 TBSP melted butter

2/3 cup coconut or maple sugar, plus 2 teaspoons for sprinkling 

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup greek yogurt 

1 3/4 cup Bob's Redmill Cup for Cup Gluten Free Flour ( the blue bag)

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (2 tsp gf flour to coat blueberries) 

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt 

Directions

1) Pre-heat oven to 375 and line a 12 serving muffin tin with liners

2) In a large bowl whisk the melted butter, 2/3 cup sugar, and vanilla for 1 minute until combined.

3) Add the greek yogurt and eggs and whisk until well combined. 

4) Measure the gluten free flour, salt, and baking soda on top of the wet mixture. Stir with a spatula making sure the mixture is well combined. 

5) In a small bowl combine the blueberries and 2 tsp of gf flour. This will help the blueberries to not "bleed" when you mix them in and also help them not sink to the bottom of the muffins when baking.

6) Gently fold the blueberries into the muffin mixture. If you are using frozen blueberries you will want to do this very gently and only a few times so that the blueberries don't start to streak the batter. 

7) Divide the batter evenly between all 12 muffin tins. Sprinkle the 2 tsp of sugar over the tops of the muffins, this makes them have a crispy, sweet top. Bake for 17-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Some gluten free flours take longer to bake than others so watch them closely, add a minute at a time if they are not cooked through. 

8) Allow to cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!

These will keep for 4 days at room temperature in a sealed container or freeze for 3 months. 

This recipe was adapted from Skinnytaste Yogurt Chocolate Chip Muffins 

 

Peanut Dipping Sauce and Dressing

 Peanut Dipping Sauce and Dressing 

   

  I love dips and sauces, I always have. I feel like they make a dish. Over the last few years because of health issues most store bought sauces contain ingredients I can't have, and most homemade versions have vinegar, which is also a no-no for me. Vinegar is what makes dressings acidic and makes them so good! I have experimented for awhile with a peanut sauce that tastes just as good as the versions that contain rice vinegar, but is safe for those who can't have vinegar. I LOVE this sauce. I dip spring rolls in it, I drizzle it over chicken, I thin it out a little and use it as a salad dressing. I make a batch of this each week and keep it in the fridge for an easy way to add flavor to a meal. 

Peanut Dipping Sauce and Dressing 

Ingredients 

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 TBSP maple syrup

3 TBSP coconut aminos 

1 TBSP toasted sesame oil

1-3 TBSP of water depending on use for the sauce 

( optional, 1 TBSP of fresh cilantro or green onions, I wanted to make a sauce with ingredients I always have on hand but if I have some fresh herbs to add it makes it even better!)

Directions

1) Combine all ingredients except for the water in a small jar and mix with an immersion blender until well incorporated. You can also use a whisk but it will be a lot creamier if you use an immersion blender. 

2) If you are using it as a dipping sauce serve as is. 

3) For a salad dressing slowly add one TBSP of water at a time to reach desired consistency. The sauce also will thicken in the refrigerator overnight so you will need to stir it or add a little water or coconut aminos before serving as a dressing. 

ENJOY! 

Keeps for 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed jar.