Tag: Gluten Free
Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola Bars
Today I’d like to talk to you about a very important nutrition topic–one that affects each of us every day. It’s something near and dear to my heart and I can’t wait to share it with……
Not now, dear! I’m writing an important blog post! Now go and play like a nice child! I’ll be with you in a few minutes when I’m done telling my readers about the exciting topic of…….
Didn’t I just tell you to find something to do? What is so critical that you need my attention right this minute?
Ugh, no! Didn’t you just eat lunch an hour ago? Why have you been so constantly hungry ever since you’ve been home for the summer? I feel like I’m feeding you every ten minutes! Do you eat this often at school?
*Sigh…* All RIGHT. Let’s see, you already ate all the fruit in the house, and you’ve already had three bowls of cereal, and I don’t want you chowing down on unwholesome junk. How about these chewy peanut butter chocolate granola bars I made? Thankfully, they were super simple to make, and they’re nutrient-dense and not too sugary, just like a growing dinosaur needs. How does that sound?
Whew! Now where was I? It seems like there was some awesome nutrition topic I was going to write about, or maybe some great recipe? I can’t remember. With these dinosaurs home for the summer constantly needing to be fed, my blogging game just isn’t up to par. Oh, well. It’ll come to me.
Chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola Bars
(Adapted from Kristine’s Kitchen)
Ingredients:
2 c. old-fashioned oats (gluten-free, if necessary)
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/3 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. applesauce
1/4 c. honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. chocolate chips
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch glass dish, or line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, whole wheat flour, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk together melted butter, peanut butter, applesauce, honey, and vanilla.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir to incorporate. Mix in chocolate chips.
- Spread the mixture evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake 25-35 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing into bars. Store in an airtight container.
Makes 12 bars.
Almond Joy Overnight Oatmeal
I first heard of overnight oats a couple of years ago in one of my nutrition classes. To get a sense of how to take a diet history, I was assigned to interview the girl next to me about her typical day’s eating. Back up–actually, she interviewed me first, and striving for full disclosure, I told her about my daily sweet indulgence, my penchant for muffins, and my occasional handfuls of barbecue chips. (Along with, of course, the other good stuff I also eat.)
Then it was her turn. I think I remember her food narrative word for word because, frankly, it was so preposterous and holier-eating-than-thou. “Well, I start the day with a banana–before I WORK OUT FOR 90 MINUTES–then I have some overnight oats with organic yogurt, no sweetener. For lunch I have grilled tilapia and about three cups of vegetables…” (Who the eff eats three cups of vegetables in one meal?) Anyway, the list went on ad nauseum until I was convinced this girl was on a mission for the title of “World’s Healthiest Eater”–that or “Definitely A Healthier Eater Than You, You Scum.” But the main thing about the interview that stuck with me (other than those three cups of vegetables) was her mention of the overnight oats. What were overnight oats? I looked them up, only discover that overnight oats are an oatmeal you assemble at night, stash in the fridge, and eat cold in the morning. Well, that sounded nasty with a capital N. Cold oatmeal? Isn’t that what they feed prisoners of war?
So I can’t really remember why I decided to try it.
Somewhere along the way, though, I did, and was floored to realize that….shhhh…it’s basically like eating oatmeal cookie dough. Especially when you make it with ingredients that make it taste like an Almond Joy candy bar. I’m not going to claim this recipe is healthy, exactly, but it sure is a hearty breakfast that will keep you full for the hours until lunch. (You could bypass some calories by subbing more almond milk for the Greek yogurt in it, or cutting back the coconut, almonds, and chocolate chips.) I also came to realize how incredibly convenient it is to put in the work of making your breakfast the night before so you can pull out a self-contained, 100% ready-to-go meal in the morning. Totally worth it.
As a food blogger, I realize I’m pretty late to the game when it comes to the whole overnight oats phenomenon. It’s one of those trendy foods that cropped up three to four years ago or so and has been a drippy mason-jarred mainstay for food bloggers ever since. (Seriously, what’s with the drippy mason jars? I can’t help but picture these bloggers with really sticky fingers after their oatmeal photo shoots.) So, I know–overnight oats, that’s sooooo 2013. But also soooooo tasty, and soooo convenient to grab out of the fridge on a busy morning. So okay, girl next to me in nutrition class, you win this one. As for your three cups of vegetables, though…I can’t compete.
Almond Joy Overnight Oats
(Inspired by Rabbit Food For My Bunny Teeth)
Ingredients:
1/2 c. old-fashioned oats (gluten-free, if necessary)
1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt
1/4 c. almond milk
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1-2 Tbsp. mini chocolate chips
1 1/2 Tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 Tbsp. sliced almonds
Directions:
The night before you intend to eat the oatmeal, mix all ingredients in a bowl or glass (or a drippy Mason jar–ha). Cover and store in the refrigerator overnight until ready to eat!
Mediterranean 7-Layer Dip
Awhile back, I read a Buzzfeed article called 24 Things You Know If You’re Always Hosting Dinner Parties. (Be warned, if you read it, there’s quite a bit of unnecessarily foul language in the article.) Some of the items on the list were so true that I wondered if the Buzzfeed author had been spying on my house recently as I prepared to host events. As is probably obvious from the fact that this blog has an Entertaining section, we throw a lot of parties at our house–not just dinner parties, any parties! White Elephant Christmas parties, Nacho Libre parties, Butterfly Tea Parties, Beatles Singalong Parties! With dreams for the future to host a Murder Mystery Dinner, Talent Show, and Grown-Up Prom, just to name a few. Anyway, as a frequent party hostess, I can tell you, like the Buzzfeed article, that certain truths are universal to hosting large number of people in your home. Like the fact that you always buy a ton of alcohol, thinking there’s no way people will drink it all, and they always do, or that you shouldn’t bother to vacuum your carpet before a party, only after.
BUT…the one truth that prevails above all else when you host any event that serves food–yes, the one tried and true guarantee is this:
Someone will ALWAYS bring hummus and pita chips.
When did this happen? I feel like the general American public was only introduced to hummus, like, ten years ago. How did this rookie food item rocket up the ranks of party appetizers to become El Capitan of potluck takealongs? My theory is this: it’s classier than a bag of chips but just as easy and only slightly more expensive. But psssst…I have a secret up my sleeve. If you really want to impress with your contribution to a party spread (and you just gotta have that hummus), there’s a better way than the Trader Joe’s grab-and-go standard. This richly flavored 7-layer Mediterranean dip starts with a hummus base, but builds on it with cucumber, tomatoes, red pepper, feta, artichokes, and Greek yogurt for a truly unique party dip. Layering with fresh ingredients adds vitamins, flavor, fiber, and crunch, along with bright colors that make for a visually interesting and much more substantial side than hummus alone. I served it at a recent house concert we hosted and it went over beautifully.
So give it a whirl when your next “heyyyyy, we said we’d bring something to that party this weekend” moment hits. Your friends will thank you.
(The other option, of course, besides taking it as an impressive dish to a party, is to use it as a head-’em-off-at-the-pass menu item when hosting potlucks.
“Hey, we’re coming on Saturday! How about I bring pita chips and hummus?”
“Actually, I’ve already got that covered. How about something else?”)
P.S. No hard feelings if you’re reading this and you’ve ever brought hummus to one of our parties…I still love you. 😉
Mediterranean 7-Layer Dip
(Adapted from Cookin’ Canuck)
Ingredients:
8-10 oz. container regular hummus
1/2 c. cucumber, diced
1/2 c. tomato, diced
1/2 c. roasted red pepper, diced
1/2 c. Greek yogurt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. salt
2-3 canned artichoke hearts, chopped
1/3 c. crumbled feta cheese
2 Tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, minced
Directions:
- In the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch pan, spread hummus in a smooth layer. Sprinkle with cucumber and tomato.
- Drop yogurt by tablespoonfuls over the vegetables. Smooth with a spatula or the back of a spoon and sprinkle with paprika and salt.
- Top with artichoke hearts, feta, and parsley. Refrigerate or serve immediately. Goes great with pita chips, crackers, or raw vegetables!
Pavlova with Fresh Berries
Awhile back, when I hosted my In-Home Yoga Ladies’ Night, I was faced with a dilemma common to many of us these days: the need to make a dessert (or any shareable dish, really) for a group of people with various food allergies and avoidances. I won’t go into my strong opinions on the current trends in food avoidances just now–I’ll save that frothing-at-the-mouth rant for another post. Suffice it to say that regardless of my opinions on other people’s food choices, when I invite them to eat at my home, I want to at least make some kind of effort to accommodate their modified diets, if I can keep track of them. In this particular instance, the goal was to create a dessert that was both gluten and lactose-free (and still actually tasted like a dessert, not a ball of wax). Well hmmmm, I thought, that knocks out just about every one of my personal favorite desserts. Ix-nay on the ownies-bray right there, as well as the ie-pay and the ookies-cay. Even the ice cream and udding-pay! What’s left?
I’ll tell you what’s left: SUGAR. No one’s allergic to sugar! But setting out a bowl of sugar for guests to dive into like a free-for-all dog dish really doesn’t scream elegance. Thankfully a thought in the back of my brain came along to whisper “Pavlova!” Pavlova is a meringue, which means its primary ingredients are egg whites and sugar whipped into a frenzy to create what I would describe as a “crusty pillow” if that didn’t sound so gross. Because really, this dessert is divine, and not at all like a crusty pillow, except that it has a lovely crunchy outside crust and a pillowy, marshmallow-y inside. Pavlova, if you’ve never heard of it and are wondering why it has a Russian name, was named for the ballerina Anna Pavlova, presumably because of her airy, delicate grace (“pillow”) and maybe because she became a crusty old broad later in life (“crust”)? Don’t quote me on that. Legend has it that a New Zealand chef created this dessert in her honor, and it has apparently become the national dessert of New Zealand. P.S. There is no national dessert for the U.S. Please write your congressman immediately.
For my yoga ladies’ night, this delicate dessert was a definite hit, and I must say everyone was surprised and very pleased to discover they could eat it, even with their modified diets. My kids also went nuts for it the next day when they were allowed to eat the leftovers. My 7-year-old even requested it for his next birthday cake. So the next time you’re on the hunt for a gluten and lactose-free dessert, keep pavlova in mind for something with pretty presentation and amazing taste. Let’s just hope no one’s allergic to eggs, cause in that case, I got nothin’.
Pavlova with Fresh Berries
(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)
Ingredients:
4 egg whites (carefully separated so that not even a speck of yolk is included)
1 1/4 c. white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. cornstarch
10 oz. container TruWhip whipped topping*
3/4 c. fresh blueberries
1/2 c. fresh raspberries
*Note: TruWhip is lactose-free, but does contain a trace amount of milk protein. Bear this in mind when preparing this to be allergy-friendly.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a rimless baking sheet with parchment paper. Trace a circle around a 9-inch pie pan on the parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. (This means small peaks will stand up on the end of your beaters when you turn the mixer off.) Add sugar gradually, about 1-2 Tbsp. at a time, beating after each addition. By the end, the mixture should be thick and glossy.
- Gently fold in vanilla, lemon juice, and cornstarch.
- Spoon mixture into the pre-drawn circle on the baking sheet, smoothing with the back of a spoon to build up a slight edge around the outside.
- Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack.
- When cooled, transfer to a serving platter, spread evenly with TruWhip, and top with berries.
Serves 8.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon with Mint Vinaigrette
Being married to a New York Italian, I have slowly become familiar with the unique vocabulary this special culture uses to describe its food. When we first met, I had no idea that when Anthony’s mom said “mutzadel,” she was referring to what I would call “mozzarella,” or that “gabagool” meant “capicola.” (Not that I knew what capicola was, anyway. It wasn’t exactly a staple in my German-Swiss upbringing.) For years I thought my husband’s family simply had their own strange ways of pronouncing these Italian foods, but apparently, it transcends just his family. I eventually found out that ALL New York Italians use these words. This satirical video of a Brooklyn spelling bee pretty well sums it up:
I can only assume it’s one of those linguistic phenomena where words from a mother language get altered in trickling down the generations and become almost unrecognizable, like a game of Telephone.
Now that we’ve been married almost 12 years and I’ve figured out the lingo, every time I make the appetizer pictured here, I can’t help but think of it as calling for “brahjzoot,” the New York Italian pronunciation of “prosciutto.” This must be some kind of rite of passage–if we ever go to Brooklyn, I’ll fit right in! (Ha.)
Even if it’s pretty unlikely I’ll ever pass for a New York Italian, at least I have this delightful recipe for a variation on a classic Italian appetizer: prosciutto-wrapped melon. I especially love this version for its tangy vinaigrette that combines fresh mint and golden balsamic vinegar. (Another food I never knew about until recently! The “golden” aspect of this balsamic allows the melon to keep its own attractive color.) With warmer weather upon us, this 5-ingredient, light and refreshing starter would work well for an outdoor gathering, paired with a Chardonnay….
…and perhaps (why not?) some “mutzadel” to go with it.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon with Mint Vinaigrette
(Adapted from Fine Cooking)
Ingredients:
1 ripe cantaloupe
2 Tbsp. thinly-sliced fresh mint leaves
1/4 c. Tbsp. golden balsamic vinegar, depending on sweetness of melon (the sweeter the melon, the more vinegar you can use)
1/2 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
6 oz. thinly-sliced prosciutto
Directions:
- Slice the cantaloupe into chunks or thin wedges, removing the rind.
- In a medium bowl, stir together golden balsamic vinegar, mint leaves, and black pepper. Toss cantaloupe slices in this mixture until coated.
- Slice or tear the prosciutto into 1 to 2-inch wide strips and wrap around each melon slice. Place on a serving platter and serve immediately.
Serves about 6-8 as an appetizer.