Lydia's Chex Mix ( the BEST gluten and dairy free Chex Mix)

 Lydia's Chex Mix

     I have strong opinions about some things, and how Chex Mix is made is one of them. It should be baked in the oven, not the microwave. You need to use different amounts of seasonings than the box says, and also you should make your own seasoned salt. I have been making the Chex Mix in my family since I was a teenager. It was always one of my favorite Christmas treats. We would have it once a year, my mom would make two sheet trays of it and we would snack on it from Christmas until New Years. One year I asked to make it and I tweaked the recipe in little ways that made have a more intense flavor, and didn't leave any piece missing the seasoning. I've had friends and family ask why my Chex Mix was so good, here is my top secret recipe!

Lydia's Chex Mix

Ingredients 

7 TBSP Miyoko's vegan butter ( you can use regular butter if you don't need it dairy free)

3 TBSP Gluten Free Worcestershire Sauce

2 tsp  homemade seasoned salt ( recipe at the end )

1/2 tsp onion powder

9 cups gluten free chex ( I like all Rice chex but you can use a mix of Rice and Corn Chex)

1 1/2 cups gluten free pretzels ( my favorite brand is Quinn)

optional ( 1/2 cup of mixed nuts or peanuts)

Gluten Free Seasoned Salt ( Inspired by Iowa Girl Eats)

https://iowagirleats.com/homemade-gluten-free-seasoned-salt-10-ways-to-use-it/

5 TBSP fine sea salt

1 TBSP paprika

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

Directions

1) Pre-heat oven to 250 and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.

2) Place the vegan butter, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings in a medium sized measuring cup and microwave in 30 second increments until the butter is melted. 

3) Pour the Chex cereal, pretzels, and any add-ins on the sheet pan. 

4) Stir the butter and seasoning mixture well and pour it over the cereal evenly. Use your hands or a spatula to stir the mixture to make sure it is evenly distributed.

5) Place the sheet pan in the oven. You will bake the mixture for a total of one hour, stirring every fifteen minutes.

 Set a timer for every fifteen minutes, remove the pan, stir the mixture, and then place it back in the oven. Repeat until you have reached one hour.

Enjoy!

The Chex Mix will keep for 2 weeks in a sealed container on the counter. 

Peanut Butter Truffles (gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free)

Peanut Butter Truffles

     I have always loved the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. My mom always made buckeyes for Christmas. I still love them, but they have A LOT of powdered sugar in them. I wondered if there was a way I could make something similar in texture and taste but without all the added sugar. These peanut butter truffles taste just like a buckeye but won't leave you feeling a sugar rush afterwards!

Peanut Butter Truffles

Makes 20-25 depending on size

Ingredients

1 cup creamy peanut butter ( I use Skippy Natural or Simple Truth Organic for these)

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup finely ground gluten free oat flour (you can make this yourself by blending oats in your blender for 2 minutes until very finely ground)

1 package enjoy life chocolate chips

flaky sea salt for finishing

Directions

1) Combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, and oat flour in a bowl and mix until a smooth mixture forms.

2) Place the mixture in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to set.

3) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon roll the mixture into balls and place them on the parchment lined baking sheet.

4) Place in the freezer for 30 minutes to set.

5) In a deep coffee mug melt 1 cup of the chocolate chips in 30 second increments until melted and smooth. 

Dip the peanut butter balls one and at time with a fork, tapping the fork on the side of the mug to remove the excess chocolate. 

Place the dipped truffle back onto the parchment paper and quickly sprinkle with flaky sea salt before the chocolate sets.

6) Place the truffles in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set. 

Enjoy!

These will keep for two weeks in the refrigerator, or two months in the freezer. 

These also taste great without the chocolate coating if you don't like chocolate! Just make sure to let them set up really well the in the freezer so they don't loose their shape. 

 

Gluten and Dairy Free Oreo Balls

Gluten and Dairy Free Oreo Balls

      The first time I had Oreo balls was in 2006, yes, I remember the year. My friend Lana and I had both graduated from college and she was living with our friend Stephanie. Stephanie and Lana made Oreo balls that Christmas and I thought they were the best tasting Christmas candy I had ever had. I really wasn't into Christmas treats much because I had never been a fan of cookies, but I could eat these all day long! They quickly became a tradition at our yearly Christmas party. There were a few years I had to skip out on them due to dietary restrictions but a few years ago I figured out a way to make them gluten and dairy free so everyone could enjoy them still! 

Gluten and Diary Free Oreo Balls

Makes 20

Ingredients 

1 10.5 ounce package of Glutino Vanilla Creme Cookies ( you can use another gluten free brand just make sure you use the same amount of cookies, about 18)

4-5 oz. Daiya Cream Cheese Style Spread

1 package Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet mini chocolate chips

optional- a white chocolate drizzle, Walmart makes a Great Value Brand dairy free white chocolate chip

Directions

There are two ways to make the oreo balls, I prefer mine to have more of a smooth truffle texture, my husband prefers them to have chunks of cookies in them still. Depending on your preference follow the directions that go along with that for step #1.

1) If you want smooth Oreo truffles, place the cookies in a food processor and pulse the mixture for a minute on and off until the cookie crumbs are smooth.

For a more chunky mixture, dump the cookies into a large ziplock bag and hit them with a rolling pin until they are the desired consistency, some chunky cookies, but a lot of small crumbs.

2) Place the crumbs in a bowl and stir in 4 oz. of the cream cheese until smooth. Use your hand to see if the mixture will stick together, if it is too dry add a little more cream cheese as needed. I have found with the gluten free cookies and dairy free cream cheese the amount of cream cheese varies sometimes when I make them. 

3) Place the mixture in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up so it will scoop out easily.

4) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Once the mixture is ready, use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to form the mixture into balls. Use your clean hands to roll the balls into a smooth shape. Place the freezer for 20 minutes to set.

5) Warm up 1 cup of the Enjoy Life Chocolate chips for 30 seconds at a time in a coffee mug until the chocolate is smooth. I like to use a coffee mug so that the chocolate will be deeper than a bowl and easier to dip!

6) Quickly dip the semi-frozen Oreo balls one at a time into the melted chocolate, drip off the excess chocolate and place them back on the parchment paper. When you run low on chocolate chips add more to your mug and heat in the microwave until smooth and melted. Since the Oreo balls are semi-frozen the chocolate will set quickly but you can place them back into the freezer for a few minutes to set.

7) If you want a white chocolate drizzle, melt 1/4 cup of the white chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second increments until smooth. Dip a fork into the white chocolate mixture and drizzle the Oreo balls. Place back in the fridge to set.

These will keep for two weeks in the refrigerator, or two months in the freezer. They must be refrigerated, set them out right before serving.

Enjoy! 

My little kitchen helper!

 

Crunchy Peanut Butter Maple Candy or Healthy Butterfinger Bars

 Crunchy Peanut Butter Maple Candy

     The first time I made this recipe I didn't believe that such simple ingredients could taste exactly like my favorite candy bar. I took them to friends and family members and many of them said they tasted even better! You know that flaky crunch you get when you bite into a Butterfinger? This candy has that! The process of boiling the maple syrup and cream of tartar to the perfect temperature and then quickly adding in the peanut butter is what creates that signature crunch. The recipe is very simple, but does require a candy thermometer. I've tried making candy before without one and it turns out so much better when you know the exact temperature rather than just trying to time it. I hope you make these and love them just as much as I do! 

Crunchy Peanut Butter Maple Candy 

Makes about 24 depending on the size 

Ingredients 

1 cup pure maple syrup

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup creamy peanut butter ( you want a smooth PB for this, not a chunky natural one, I used Skippy Natural)

1 cup chocolate chips, I use Enjoy Life to keep them dairy free

Coconut oil for greasing the saucepan and a knife

Directions

1) Place the 1 cup maple syrup and 1/8 tsp cream of tartar in a small saucepan over medium heat.

2) Grease the upper part of the saucepan, just above the maple syrup with coconut oil. This will help it not to boil over. 

3) Place a candy thermometer in the mixture. Mine has a clip you can use on the side of the pan, so that the thermometer is touching the maple syrup mixture but not sitting on the bottom of the pan. DO NOT STIR the mixture.

4) Note: You will boil the mixture until it reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit. It took about 10 minutes on my stove.

5) While you wait for the mixture to reach the correct temperature, measure out the 1 cup of peanut butter into a medium sized bowl. You will want to have this ready because you need to work quickly once the maple syrup is ready.

6) Line a small sheet pan (mine is 8x11) with parchment paper and grease a knife with coconut oil so it will be ready.

7) Once the maple syrup mixture reaches 300 degrees immediately pour it over the peanut butter. You will need to stir it very quickly so that the mixture will combine before it starts to set. 

8) Once it is combined quickly pour it onto the parchment lined sheet pan and spread it with the back of a  spoon or spatula, if the mixture starts to stick you can grease the spatula with a little coconut oil also. 

9) Use your greased knife to score the candy, I made mine into about 1 inch squares but you can cut them as large or small as you would like your candy to be.

10) Place the candy in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until it feels set.

11) In a microwave safe bowl melt the chocolate chips for 30 seconds, stir, and microwave in 30 second increments until it is melted.

12) Dip each piece of candy in the chocolate and place on the parchment paper. Return to the refrigerator for another 30 minutes until the chocolate has set. 

Enjoy!

This candy will keep two weeks in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can keep them at room temperature but the dairy free chocolate will start to soften, so I prefer to take them out right before serving.  

This recipe was inspired by 

https://www.realfoodwithjessica.com/2020/08/01/paleo-vegan-butterfinger-candy-bars/

French Press Cold Brew Coffee

 French Press Cold Brew Coffee

     I was introduced to cold brew coffee about 15 years ago when I was working at Starbucks. At the time they didn't have cold brew but one of my fellow baristas told me about a local coffee shop, Blue Line, that had started carrying cold brew. She told me the process of "brewing" the coffee without heat created a smooth, less acidic cup of coffee. Being the coffee lover that I am, I went to try it the first chance I could. I was hooked! Since then I have bought different types of systems to make my own cold brew at home. I have a large cold brew coffee system but some weeks I just want enough to last me a week and so I use a French Press to make it. This recipe makes a strong concentrate like you would get at a coffee shop. You use the concentrate and add water to make a smooth cup of coffee to your liking. You can serve it hot or cold, and also use the concentrate with milk to make more of a latte type drink. If you have digestive issues some people, myself included find cold brew coffee to a more gut friendly way to enjoy coffee.

French Press Cold Brew Coffee

Ingredients

4 oz. coarsely ground coffee

3 cups cold water

Directions

1) Place the ground coffee in the French Press.

2) Slowly pour the 3 cups of cold water over the grounds.

3) Stir gently to make sure all the grounds are wet.

4) Cover and let sit overnight or 12-14 hours.

5) Push the plunger on the french press down slowly and pour the liquid into a large jar to store.

6) To serve use a 1 to 1 ratio of water to coffee concentrate for a strong cup of coffee. To make a latte use 1/4 cup of concentrate to 8 oz. of your favorite type of milk. You can also add hot water to make a hot cup of coffee.

The concentrate will keep covered in the fridge for two weeks, if it lasts that long!

Enjoy!

No Bake Pumpkin Pie Bites

 No Bake Pumpkin Pie Bites 

     Growing up pumpkin pie wasn't my favorite. I loved the cool whip my mother would top the pumpkin pie with, but I would avoid the pumpkin part. That has changed over the years and I look forward to a piece of pie each year if someone in my family (usually me) decides to make a gluten free pie! This year I didn't want to wait until Thanksgiving for my pumpkin fix so I set out to make a no bake dessert I could keep in my freezer to satisfy my pumpkin pie craving! These little bites taste so similar to pumpkin pie, but with the much welcome addition of chocolate! 

Ingredients

1 cup softened dates

1/3 cup coconut butter or cashew butter

3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp cinnamon

pinch of sea salt

1 tsp vanilla 

1/2 cup canned pumpkin ( make sure it's not pumpkin pie filling or it will be too sweet!)

1/2 cup oat flour ( if you don't have oat flour just blend oatmeal or pulse the oatmeal in your food processor until it is a fine flour consistency)

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, I like Enjoy Life to keep these dairy free

Directions

1) Put the 1 cup of dates in a glass measuring cup and cover with water. Microwave the dates and water for 30 seconds and then allow to soak for 5 minutes until the dates soften. Drain the water off and add the dates to the bowl of a food processor.

2) Pulse the dates until they are smooth. Add the coconut butter, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, pinch of sea salt, vanilla, and pumpkin. Pulse again until the mixture is combined.

3) Add the 1/2 cup of oat flour and pulse until the dough comes together. It will still be sticky but that's okay. Remove the blade and stir in the mini chocolate chips.

4) Place the dough in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to set.

5) Use a small cookie scoop to make 18 pumpkin bites. 

6) Place the pumpkin bites back in the refrigerator for another 15 minutes to set. 

Enjoy!

Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. I prefer them frozen or just slightly defrosted. 

Nutrient Dense Pumpkin, Kale, and Chicken Stoup

 Nutrient Dense Pumpkin, Kale, and Chicken Stoup

     I have been looking at pumpkin soup and chili recipes for a long time trying to decide if I wanted to try one. None of them had the ingredients I was looking for, or they contained foods I couldn't have. I decided to create my own and this "stoup" isn't quite a soup or a stew, and definitely not chili, hence the name. It is so comforting and full of so many nutrients I could eat it anytime of day, even for breakfast! The sweetness of the sweet potatoes and pumpkin, plus the earthiness of the herbs gives it such great flavor! If you can handle onions feel free to add 1/2 a cup of chopped onion after you cook the chicken.

Ingredients

1/2 TBSP olive oil

1 pound chicken cut into one inch cubes

3 large carrots peeled and chopped

1 sweet potato peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces 

1 can pumpkin 

1 bunch kale washed and cut into small pieces with stems removed

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 tsp sage

1/2 tsp rosemary

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tsp sea salt

Directions

1) In a large soup pot set to medium heat add the 1/2 TBSP olive oil and 1 pound of chicken cut into pieces, sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes until browned and cooked mostly through.

2) Add the 2 cups broth, can of pumpkin, sweet potatoes, carrots, thyme, rosemary, sage, and salt. 

3) Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stir, and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 25 minutes until the potatoes and carrots are soft and the mixture starts to thicken.

4) Add the chopped kale and cook for another 5 minutes until the kale is tender. 

5) Check to see if more salt is needed and add accordingly, serve with an extra sprinkle of sea salt. 

Enjoy!

This soup will keep in the fridge for 4 days and also reheats very well after being frozen in individual servings.