Traditional frothy goodness - Honoring my Grandma - Gluten Free Orange Julius

Looking for a great tasty treat? well a drink that is non-alcoholic?
My Grandma is in my thoughts today, so I went looking for a great Orange Julius recipe. Why?  I fondly remember being in Toronto Canada, and seeing an orange, big as a bus front, with person sweetly set inside the James and the Giant Peach..... and they made these great frothy succulent drinks that my bought ans shared.  She told me of times she remembered in New York, and how they used to purchase one for a treat.....

so I wanted to honor her.  

here is one I found that you might find delightful. 

The Budget Savvy Diva says:

What You Need

6 oz. can frozen concentrated orange juice ( of course check the label for purity that it is just orange juide)
1 cup milk (you could use soy milk or almond milk)
1 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (make sure you are using Gluten free vanilla)
8 or more ice cubes

1 Tablespoon of Instant Vanilla Pudding Powder (check that this is gluten free as well)

What To Do

Place all ingredients in a blender except for the ice cubes.

Blend until mixed

Add ice cubes one at a time  – blend until smooth.

"Enjoy I always place the mix in the freezer for about 15 minutes."

credit for the recipe.budgetsavvydiva.com
She found it HERE 

One serving Black forest Cake!

Winter soups and stew are marvelous. I have been working on those too. But as the simple chocolate cake recipe flourished in the past couple of days.  I find that I was trying to figure out how to have friends come over for tea... while being reading with dessert. 
When the mug cake or ramekin mircrowave recipe started my cake lover mind moving.
I love cake and the frosting and the filling and the layers and the complex design of a confectionery delight.

Being
- Gluten Free
- Nightshade Free
- Dairy free
has been challenging in how to maintain a healthy balance of treats and wholesome food that haven't gotten boring.

so I decided to experiment... Yes... this is really from the Quincidence Kitchen!
recipe as before.  except for these modifications.

Things you can add to the recipe for something special.
dash of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
either or both

If you don't have problem with Nightshades... you could always add cayenne pepper.

Well, what did I do?

I added two dashes of cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg, and poured the mixture into ramekins.
Microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds.

Spoon Tablespoons of cherry pie filling onto one ramekin.
the other ramekin I spread a lovely creamy mixture of 1 tablespoon honey, 1/2 cup sour cream tofutti, 1/2 cup cream cheese tofutti, this mixture is an awesome frosting!  so spoon on the cake mixture onto the cherries, figure out what will work for you....
But here is what mine looked like.

I then poor

Less than five minutes ~ Less than five ingredients ~ Less than five supplies ~ 5 star results

Cake *****

Something that makes us mellow.

Some decadence that makes a stoic smile.

Something to make the sweet smile return after a tough day.

Something you need to monitor the intake of as usually eating the whole CAKE by yourself... is bad.

So, this time.

How about a little less guilt, alot more results.

Essential ingredients for a curl up on the couch, or make it and take a break.

Even on the go this is portable as well.

Seriously, how can you go wrong with chocolate cake?

Ingredients/Supplies

• 1- spoon
• 1 - Mug - I like a sizable coffee mug, a soup mug does well too.
• 1 - Chicken Egg try to use the larger and of course if you can freshest makes the best.
• 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar *see tip below
• 2 - Tbls Cocoa - Ah Laska is an awesome cocoa powder.

How is this 5 ingredients you ask?

Well for me to prepare this I simply don't use a measuring spoon, or measuring cups. I use the one spoon to rule them all. That's right the spoon with which I plan on eating the delight.

So I know my larger soup spoons are a tablespoon whn dry material is put on it. Don't level it and you have 2 Tablespoons.

a 1/4 cup?  easy 4 tablespoons

* I pulled out the coffee grinder at an earlier time and put in white sugar. grind fine - espresso setting. TADA! You have a lovely powdered sugar, which I make in batches cause I am NOT buying powdered sugar when white sugar is so cheap.

Directions?   Hmmm
crack egg into mug - if you must use a whisk you won't hurt my feelings... but if you don't have one... just make sure to mix well.
Add powdered sugar, mix.

I might have added cinnamon and nutmet which is the specs you see in the egg/sugar mixture.

Add Cocoa, mix again....

Chocolate lava in the making. remember this is just a soup cup.

a variation in the making of Black Forest Cake - Cherry Pie Filling dollop in the middle

When the mixture is smooth.... microwave for 60 seconds.
let it sit for hmmm maybe 30 seconds.
ALLOW to slightly cool... molten cake on the tongue is sooooo not delicious!
This is why I use the larger coffee mug or soup mug.. cause if you want... after washing off the spoon, you can scoop on some Whipped cream, sour cream, ice cream, cherry pie filling, cinnamon whipped cream, even some greek yogurt... Trust me the cake can stand up to it.

So... if this doesn't have your mouth water.. you are out what?  A buck work of ingredients?  Hmmm... maybe an easy, solution to

• My best friend is coming over and wants to have girl chic flick night. - I have CAKE!
• My boyfriend/girlfriend/best friend just left me. Ah, but I have CAKE!
• My parents just told me to start shopping for myself - I still have CAKE!
• My oh my... I really would love a nibble of cake, but I can't afford to have that much cake in the house... but a nibble would be nice... I HAVE CAKE!
• I need a quick birthday cake for the friend I forget was her birthday - as did everyone else. I mad you a CAKE!

See?
5 Things.
5 Minutes.
and a moment of chocolate delight.

ENJOY!

Please feel free to leave a comment if you liked this post.

need cake - but not the hassle? Part I

I remember a few years ago, reading a blog, and my friends writes her sorrows. She rights about how the last week is just going down the tubes and she wants to make a cake to share, hoping it would make the world a better place. Yet, she realizes she would get to the whip the eggs, or beat the batter, or some such thing, break down crying, and never even get a slice of cake for herself.
I know some of you know portion control is important, and sharing is important, HECK... I know I do.  I honestly just don't feel like making a whole cake to share with people as sometimes finding people to share it with that will come off there diet to share CAKE... *shudder* can in itself be a daunting task.
So, she found a MUG RECIPE.
Yes, one mug of cake is all it takes.
No need to share and no need to go to the store for a Betty Crocker single serving high priced, over preserved, puck of chocolate.

She made me smile.
Perseverance in the search of chocolate is key to the chocoholic members.
So the other day, I was having an exceptionally "woe is me day" and I forlornly thought of the fact that gluten free, dairy free, nightshade free, is $10 a splurge and I don't want 4 servicings. I just want a little treat and don't need the whole BOX OF FREAKING CHOCOLATES thank you Forrest Gump.

I decided to experiment a bit - please link and credit if you are pinning, or cross referencing.

Cocoa/Oat candy bars - 1 day's worth of servings NO MORE... (wink portion control)

1 cup Bob's GF Rolled Oats
3 unleveled (heaping)Tbsp HONEYCOMB - The Old Bohemian Farmer (local farmer's market)
            (yes the whole comb -The Old Bohemian Farmer has a great Raw Honey that I simply adore.
3 Tbsp GF - Organic cocoa Powder Ah laska
1 dash (oh alright about 1/2 teaspoon) GF Vanilla
2 Tbsp soy or almond milk (I used Very Vanilla Silk Soy)

Dollops of Honey comb in the mug first, mush and mash a bit to break it up.
Dump in the oats, roll them around a bit.
Milk next cause you will see that the oat needs some *help* making friends with the rest of the ingredients otherwise.
then the powder... careful to add it slowly or in small amounts or it will "POUF" right out of the mug. (This part... made me laugh the first time I did it.)
When the consistency is questionable... guess what?!?  Add the vanilla extract and mix just a bit more.

take what looks like a mess that isn't making friends, and microwave for 60-90 seconds depending on the strength of your microwave. Bring that steaming mug out, and apply the spoon of doom. No really it all mixes real nice. If not. then add a few more drops of milk to give it a chance.

When you have a rich brown mixture pour out onto a flat wax paper sheet and let cook. Infact put the wax paper on the cutting board, a cookie sheet or even a pizza pan... stick it in the fridge.
Of course your first try you will have to taste test the batch to know when it is really set... so this is why it only makes one day's worth.

Raw Food, Brownies that look SOOO good.... try them

I have cravings!  Don't you?
Some people say that when you stop eating certain foods, you crave them. Well YEAH!!! We hate being told what to do, and what we can't have.

So I am going to tell you what you can have.
These delicious brownies serve my needs as I am an AVACADO junky!
I am a certified chocoholic and I have a desire for BROWNIES!
So, today I happen to find this recipe.
Hope you like Brownies too and will share with me the links you find to Gluten Free/Dairy Free/Nightshade Free treats.

Raw Brownies Recipe

Recipe created by Toni Bark

 Makes 16 brownies.

Published on June 18, 2012

Photo: Richard Majchrzak/Studio D -

Raw Brownies Recipe

Recipe created by Toni Bark

Makes 16 brownies

Ingredients

Base:

• 2 cups walnuts or pecans
• 13 ounces pitted baking dates
• ⅛ tsp. coarse sea salt
• ⅛ tsp. orange zest
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 avocado, pitted and peeled
• ½ cup raw cocoa powder

Frosting:

• 3 avocados, pitted and peeled
• ⅛ tsp. sea salt
• ½ cup raw cocoa powder
• ½ cup raw agave nectar, plus more to taste

Directions

Active time: 40 minutes
Total time: 3 hours, 40 minutes

In a food processor, mix all base ingredients, then pat down in an 8-inch square baking pan. Puree all frosting ingredients in a food processor and spread on base. Cover and freeze at least 3 hours. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve cold.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/food/Raw-Brownies-Recipe#ixzz25tMaLuRc

Today was definately a great and healthy day of fish and vegtables. With beautiful broth and boutiful farmer's market freshness.

Lunch was a lovely sushi buffet with a miso soup.

Dinner I was home and hungary for more simple food.
I decided the zucchini in the fridge would make a delightful start to a tasty meal.

Poached Salmon egg and zucchini steep/stew
3 Tbsp Avocado oil - Ahuacatlan brand
1 medium zucchini rinsed and sliced into bite sized pieces
1 large zucchini rinsed and sliced into bite sized pieces
1 small 4 oz filet of salmon
2 cups freshly home made chicken broth.
1 Large Fresh Egg (Fresh Farmer's Market egg -I find the yolk more golden and tasty when fresh)
1 dash cumin powder
2 dashes onion powder

I poured in the in the beautifully creamy avacado oil to the stock pot, dumped in the zucchin, chicken stock, cumin and onion powder. Stir. let it mix..
then after the stock is hot, I add the vegtable pieces, bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Once a good boil is going, place salmon filet  any other spices you might desir, (be quick)  immediately put a lid on for a 10 minutes on simmer...but then... I turn the heat off and let the dish settle.

An hour later, I turn the heat back on,  gently push the salmon filet to the side of the stock pot...let the mixture reach a steaming point, and as it starts to boil - I crack an egg or two into the vegetable side and put the lid back on for it to cook.
5 minutes turn off the heat.

10 minutes later remove lid and spoon out the deliciously poached egg, salmon and scrumptiously tender zucchini into a lovely korean HOT POT, and enjoy a cup of cocoa infused chai tea with a little silk soy

Looking for great Gluten Free Brownies For Passover?

Try these! moist, and delicious and I recommend the decadence.

Nigella Lawson’s Flourless Brownies
slightly adapted from Nigella Express: Good Food Fast

100th post - DELICIOUSNESS abound

Pamela's makes a lovely mini-single serving cheesecake.
Commonly found in the gluten free area or Organic section, are a single serving cheesecake. I find them useful for last minute indulgence. I also find that if I put a little dish together before an event, and take my own little treat that looks THIS GOOD, I am not jealous of the plethora of treats that are at the holiday parties. Make sure to pack a few cookies and possibly a wonderful little surprise that will make everyone jealous of YOUR TREAT.
Just remember, don't share the spoon with someone who has been including gluten foods in their feasting that day. Get a clean spoon and share, and don't let them double dip.

1 mini-single-serving cheesecake
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup frozen red raspberries
GF Chocolate Syrup.

Here is what my cheesecake for a guest looks like when I am done.

Quick Greek Yogurt Post

The Best Plain Greek Yogurt: Our Taste Test Results
(kitchendaily)

you need to check out the results. Fage is really some great stuff. I was religious as food religious can be with brand due to a few tries of a few greek yogurts.. and this brand is double hand tied for #1 spot. Delicious, nutritious, and truly worth the cooking dexterity.

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Nightshade Free Delicious Dessert

Girl Scout Banana Boats, made in the microwave or Firepit

I remember a delicious treat from the fireside of Girl Scout camp outs.
I never really liked the Graham cracker, so when I realized that a banana, mini marshmallows, and chocolate chips could make something better.... I started something new.

So in the FIREPIT
you slit a banana open, and stuff the cleft with mini GF marshmallows, and GF chocolate. (if you need dairy free, make sure the chocolate is Dairy free), wrap in aluminum foil, fold over the ends tight, and place the delectable banana in the charcoals. You will have to do some trial and error, as each person has a preference for how done they like their banana.

Microwave? In a bowl
Slice the banana into 1 cm sliver discs
CAMPFIRE GF Ultra huge marshmallows work best. slice them into 5 or 6 slices and line a cereal bowl, then place banana slices for the next layer, then sprinkle with 2 to 3 tablespoons of dark chocolate chips, or I break up some Ghiaradelli single serving 72% bars.

Microwave on high for 1 and a half minutes if you need to stop and turn the dish. then another 30 seconds.

IS IT DONE YET?
The marshmallows should puff and melt, the banana will be shiny and smothered in chocolate lumps.. which when gently folded, NOT STIRRED, will allow you a lovely layered dessert.
Enjoy!

Added bonus? this can be prepared ahead of time and put in a Tupperware/Corning-ware (I prefer ceramic to plastic any day) container for a 2-3 pm work treat in the microwave at work. You will drive your co-workers wild with jealousy.

Gluten free over a decade Day 4 of Dairy-free, Nightsahde -free

When you restrict your diet more, you find more reasons to want to enjoy your food.
Arugula Delicious!

3* oz Arugala
1 Very Large Cucumber (peeled if it isn't organic)
1 Avocado
2 cups celery
1/2 cup Craisins
1/4 capers
1 can salmon. small would be better as this is not a salmon salad.

1 large salad bowl

1 small bowl for salad dressing
5 tblspn Grapeseed Veganaise (dairy free and no paprika)
2 tspn lemon juice
2 tspn juice from capers
1 dash garlic powder
1 dash Marjorum
1 dash Thyme
1 dash basil
DO NOT USE MRS DASH... it has nightshades in it, unless you are only going for gluten free, than dash away....
-------------------------------------

Obviously the large bowl requires the ingredients to be chopped so;
dice or chop celery into smaller than bit sized pieces,
the cucumber, I lengthwise halved, then sliced, then halved the semi-discs,
the Avocado you cut in half, and if you are looking for easy ways to get rid or extract the pit, try this **, then gently insert a butter knife and dice avocado flesh inside its shelf, invert shell over salad, and whalla.. easy and mess free.
toss in the Craisins
Crumble the salmon onto the salad terrain.

Dressing? Yes please
mix Veganaise, lemon juice and caper juice first... this thins it out a little bit, and makes it better for the rest of the ingredients to be tossed in and whipped up.

serve out the arugala onto plates, then top off with the nice chutney you just prepared.

Enjoy!



*doesn't sound like much but remember 5 ounces is a tub that a roasted chicken could fit in... so don't fret, I am not making a small salad

Cold "breakfast soup?"

Yes, that is typed correctly. Cold? Breakfast soup?
What is soup?
the irony is that the word originally "soupe" or "sop" included the mechanism of sopping up with bread. Well that would be tragic, as this, soup, needs no bread, or starch what-so-ever.

So here we go.
you can prepare the mango chunks and freeze them overnight, or you can buy a bag of Dole mango frozen chunks. This level of preparation will be left up to you.

Mango Fage cold Breakfast Soup.

(FAGE) mango soup:
2 cups frozen mango chunks
2 cups Fage Total
1 cup Silk Almond milk
Margarita setting on the blender
BLEND, pour in a bowl, insert soup spoon, Enjoy!

Gluten Free Summer soothers, cocktails etc

I was looking at a recipe;

Lynchburg Lemonade
1 part Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey
1 part triple Sec (edited in Grand Marnier)
1 part sour mix
Stir in 4 parts lemon/lime soda
to be garnished with fresh lemon

... well that sounds refreshing!
Then it occurred to me, Triple Sec... is it gluten free? I know Jack Daniel's actually tests their batches for gluten. So I feel safe there, but Triple Sec, I do recall being warned about that!

I should find out.

So, here is a website I have so far found to be reliable. I am not of the belief, nor is my body that all alcohol is gluten free, as some tout the gluten is distilled out, I think we can agree, that our bodies know best.. and three days of gross writhing in agony tells me NAH, not all distillery processes gain gluten free status. So,
Gluten free alcohol
Good to know. here's to you [ clink] Enjoy your summer cocktails

Tennessee Tea
1 1 part Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey
1 part triple Sec
1 part sour mix
2 parts cola (Coca-Cola is gluten free) not all colas are.

Now you should also know, the Jack Daniel's Mustard is gluten free, and tastes great on the brats that you had grilling on the gluten free grill.
ENJOY
TATA!

Mango Lassi - GLUEN FREE and summery - Refreshing

Delicious!
Nutrient rich!
Summer Treat.

• 1 Cup Fage yogurt ( Fage Greek yogurt site )[they ARE gluten free]
  
• 2 Tblspns Honey or Agave Nectar [ easily gluten free]
  
• 1 dash Cardamon [research your spice company, make sure here are no fillers]
  
• 1 dash Nutmeg (prefer ground at the time of use) [research your spice company, make sure here are no fillers that is partly why I grind my own]
• 2 cups Silk (R) Almond Milk (I am sure you could use Whole or 2% milk too) non-fat just isn't as creamy
  
• 2 cups Frozen Mango Chunks.
  

OR

• 2 cups Fresh Mango Chunks and 1 Cup Ice cubes

Blend in the blender.


I found smoothies and making soups in my Oster Fusion - All Metal Drive blender.
ENJOY!

A Celiac at a rummage sale

What is more exciting than finding a great antique chaffing dish fo $1.00 at a garage/rummage sale? The disappointment of realizing that gluten free really does mean for me, that dish will never serve my food. I can't stress enough that gluten free risk is usually a betting man's upper hand. It is simple, thee was stuffing or sauce or something vital gluten put in that dish, and the healthier and more long-term gluten free you become, the less you tolerate gluten. So I don't use Grandma's China, or Great Aunt Elizabeth's gravy boat for food. I found ways to store things in them that assure me the joy of the memories of childhood dinners, such as a wrapped candy dish for the gravy boat, or floating candles in the water of a chaffing dish, an awesome use for a tea cup that was handed down? I planted miniature Thyme plants in two, and they are loved often.

So, second hand tupperware is not such a deal anymore, maybe start a Target Wishlist, or amazon account for the new stuff that you will want. Make sure to pass on the dinnerware set to someone in need, I put mine up to freecycle and requested any social workers that were dealing with a displaced family, contact me. After the floods I go to give a family dishes, pots and pans. HOW COOL IS THAT?

So remember as much as I love Freecycle.org, and rummage and reduce, reuse, recycle, I have to go with the 4th R, respecting my body over my emotions of a cute dinner setting I go a great deal on.

GRAVY.. another thing that is hard to come by at the friend's family or other NON-gluten-free house hold

The man who cooks for me, has tried several recipes for gravy for beef or chicken or turkey, and none even the packages we tried, have come as close to awesome, as this stuff.
http://www.edwardandsons.com/reo_shop_gravy.itml
The savory Herb just takes water.
One cup of water, a little sauce pan and some heat, while whisking away.. and you have TRULY SAVORY gravy. It was soooooo Good.
Road's End ORganics Gluten free Quick Gravy
distributed by Edward & Sons Trding Co., Inc.
PO Box 1326,
Carpinteria, Ca 93014 USA

It is:
Gluten Free
Vegan
Dairy Free
Casein Free
of course also Wheat Free
Certified Organic
Product of USA
So it is Super Awesome and you should try dumplings, or turkey and kinnnicinc Sage stuffing with it.

gluten free soup Progresso Soup figured it out

It isn't suprising that one of the things I missed when going gluten free, was the ease of going to the grocery store, picking up some hearty heart warming soup and then stocking the pantry for the hard days that needed soup to finish them off.
Soup... it is for the soup, the brain to melt from the cold, and the heart to warm from whatever roughness the person had to take from the day.

So progresso does a great job of making a great soup. But they just weren't gluten free, so I passed them in the aisle and never looked back for fear of turning into a pillar of salt, or some such thing.

Last week, my boyfriend so kindly brought to me Cream of Mushroom, New England Clam chowder, corn chowder, and a lovely cheesy broccoli and potato soup. When he pulled the cans out of the bag, I sighed in envy knowing he was stocking my pantry, and these were probably for him. Much to my surprise, these were all purchased for me to taste test, and grade on if we would be return customers.
Well doggone if these weren't the real deal, as I remember them growing up. Delicious, nutritious and again soup is easy to have a serving size, or "cook with a can of cream of mushroom soup".

What a gift.
So there you have it, a can of Progresso is back on the menu at the Quincidence Kitchen Gluten Free household.

Southwestern Style Chicken Chowder	Chicken Rice with Vegetables
Chicken Cheese Enchilada Flavor	Manhattan Clam Chowder
New England Clam Chowder	Potato Broccoli & Cheese Chowder
99% Fat Free New England Clam Chowder

http://www.progressosoup.com/soup.aspx

Panna Cotta

This is probably one of the many times I took one more helping than was polite.
I was just so enamored with the silkiness and beauty of this desert.

Panna Cotta

1/3 C skim milk

1 (.25 oz) envelope unflavored gelatin

2 1/2 C heavy cream

1/2 C white sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Pour milk into a small bowl & stir in gelatin. Set aside.

In small saucepan, stir together cream and sugar and set over medium heat. Bring to full boil, watching carefully as the cream will quickly rise to top of pay. Pour gelatin and milk into the cream, stirring until completely dissolved. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into six ramekins or mold.

Cool uncovered at room temperature. When cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight before serving.

Beat the Summer heat

I got a new hand wand smoothie maker and BANANAS beware!!!

8 oz unsweetened almond milk
2 medium small bananas
1 teaspoon cocoa powder ( I suppose Hershey syrup is GF so you could do that too and skip the agave)
2 teas agave nectar
2 small GF chocolate chip cookies
(yes I know.. naughty, but I haven't had a cookie with ice cream anything in ten years)
half a tray of ice cubes...

put the almond milk and ice cubes in the container in which you which to blend or mix your drink.
Let sit for a few minutes.. This chills the milk much more and means the cubs when made to chips won't melt as fast when the drink is done.
then add two bananas, the cocoa powder and agave, or Hershey syrup, which ever you find suits you, and last the cookies.. other wise they get pulverized too much.
Also, the cookies two the size of half dollars, add thickness to the already thick banana smoosh... so it is for texture.

*GF - Gluten Free

Grilled Chicken, Plantain & Pineapple Skewers

You just might kiss me -
Chicken Skewer summer recipe from www.qualityHealth.com

Vitamins

Thiamin B1 0.27 mg

Vitamin K 6.1 mcg

Vitamin A 1100 IU

Vitamin E 9.8 mg

Pantothenic Acid 1.4 mg

Vitamin B6 0.76 mg

Riboflavin B2 0.32 mg

Choline 83 mg

Vitamin D 0 IU

Vitamin C 110 mg

Vitamin B12 0.29 mcg

Niacin B3 6.3 mg

Minerals

Sodium 270 mg

Zinc 2.3 mg

Copper 0.37 mg

Iron 2.3 mg

Calcium 56 mg

Manganese 1.2 mg

Magnesium 76 mg

Fluoride 16 mcg

Potassium 930 mg

Phosphorus 230 mg
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

©2010 QualityHealth.com. All rights reserved. The material on the QualityHealth Web site is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment provided by a physician or other qualified health provider.