You can assist service members, veterans & their  families.
Help by providing cards for them to send home this holiday season. The deadline for all cards including Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa is Friday, November 30, 2016.

Items to include in each bundle:

3 blank holiday cards (same holiday per bundle; no glitter)
3 blank envelopes with postage stamps
1 short message to the service member (do not included contact information, only first name) Bundled with a ribbon

Please drop off or mail completed bundles to:

American Red Cross in the National Capital RegionATTN: Holiday Mail for Heroes8550 Arlington BlvdFairfax, VA 22031

If you would like to continue sending signed holiday cards in the traditional sense, please contact your local Red Cross office, Military Treatment Facility or VA Hospital to obtain the local guidelines.

Quintina's last step of TaeSooDo, and onto Hwa Rang Do. Black Belt Testing

This Poor Coconut seller was insulted by a Rich man

10 Life Hacks Every College Student Should Know

The Militant Baker: MY EXCUSE? I'M GLAD YOU ASKED.

The Militant Baker: MY EXCUSE? I'M GLAD YOU ASKED.: By now, we've all seen the fitspiration mom of the year who "unknowingly" unleashed all kinds of fat shaming rage across ...

when you get the time to detox... wait get the time? When does that happen?!?! make it happen make it through

Getting "glutened", "dosed", "doused", "spelled by the wheat Gods".... sigh, however creative your description of the toxic time after ingesting gluten.... the timeframe SUCKS ROCKS!!! 
hmmm
speaking of rocks...
This is something to think about.
When not well, how about knowing that you are going to have to be proactive and not just wait it out, but work hard to find health again. Sure, some of it is the waiting game, but truth is, you can assist your body in finding balance sooner. so Work through it with some great self care.
Here is one time honored tip.
Make the time to take the time! 

This post here has a great reflexology tip to help you get on your way....
Best EOs for Swollen Ankles, Legs & Feet

Try it out.. let me know what you think

something refreshing to drink?

today it is seltzer and apricot juice, but what about those days you want something more?

How To Make Flavored Iced Teas Of All Kinds

http://www.herbs-info.com/blog/how-to-make-flavored-iced-teas-of-all-kinds/

Food... more things nut butter makes BETTER!!!!

I recently found a delicacy of kale chips. Yes, KALE chips that are sooooo addictive.
Here is the company and yes,
THEY ARE PINK.

I was reticent to pay 5:59 a bag, to be eating so much and so many. So I ruminated the ingredients... and walla!  I had such a delicious dinner whipped up in no time for my downtime Sunday evening meal. I was inspired to utilize the kale from the farmer's market, the brussel sprouts, the red and white young onions, and the new flavor of the kale chips... I was only missing the Hibiscus flower essence... but that would have to wait. Maybe next time.. In the meantime,

Kick Butt Cashew Kale

One frying pan full of Kale
10 brussel sprouts... (no idea why 10..but it seemed anymore and the kale would surcome to brussel sprouts)
sauteed new onions 1 cup
avocado oil
1 bunch baby bok choy

throw it in and only "sauteed until it sweats and wilts.".... no need to cook it until the nutrients are gone.

3 slices prosciutto - add the last few seconds... you want it to warm up, but not cook and become tough.

while awaiting the lovely greens to wilt and steam...

Kick Butt Cashew Kale.

I like mixing in small mason jars so that I can see if I got everything in the bottom incorporated. So... mix it up!
- 2 tablespoons of cashew butter
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1 dash cumin
-  1 small dash garlic
- avacado oil or more lemon juice to the make the consistency of your sauce...
I wanted a pasty type sauce to dip my forkful... but the next time, I will probably try it with more liquid.
I remind you , and as for the prosciutto, add it for the last 30 seconds to get warm.. but that is all it needs....you don't want to really cook it as it shrinks and gets tough.
ENJOY!
Of course, for dessert, I could make my  luscious 60 second Black Forest Mug Cake... I could make the Four Ingredient Cookies or DOOM, I wish I had found this link earlier.. there are some fine ideas to be had... but I think we can agree, almond butter or cashew butter would be a great replacement since I don't eat peanut butter.
What do you think... Should I add a flare even more by making chocolate double layer inside out nut butter cups?

Penguins

Penguins: Here are some cute, little, waddling penguins for your homepage.
I am sharing something completely different as sometimes it isn't about gluten or Madagascar, or beer... or bread... but simply something to amuse you for a few seconds.

SOMEONE SAID TO ME... CAN YOU HAVE THIS

WE ALL HEAR IT AT WORK, IN SOCIAL GATHERINGS... Once people find out you have food allergies or gluten intolerance, they start in linke a 2 year old with a little curiousity and no desire to hear the answer.
No that isn't true... you may feel they aren't listening, they are just overwhelmed, like you were... only they don't pay the consequence of suffering exposure.

Remember you can educate, and you can re-educate, but never fear that you will upset someone by turning down food that likely will make you sick from not knowing the ingredients or worse, they just don't understand gluten-FREE....

today's challenge...
you can have wasabi peas.
This gracious and simple person was thinking... two ingredient snack... how awesome! I found something the HR person can share.
Wrong.. they are gluten and wasabi coated peas.  Wheat is used to paste the wasabi to the pea! Sigh...

so, just reminding you... sometimes thy mean well.  Honest!

Garlicky Spinach Mashed Cauliflower Gluten Free/ Dairy free if altered/ Nightshade Free

Garlicky Spinach Mashed Cauliflower
Found it on PBS FOOD.
You can substitute the milk with other lovely items, almond milk, soy milk, help milk.  Love it!
Same for the butter, find a great dairy free spread and you have magic!

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped into florets
• 1 cup loosely packed baby spinach (fresh, not frozen)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• ¾ tsp seasoned salt
• 1 tbsp butter, room temperature
• 3 tbsp milk

Directions

1. Place the cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl with about two tablespoons water. Cover the bowl tightly with microwave safe plastic wrap and cook for two minutes. Stir then cook for another two minutes until florets are just tender. Drain water and set aside. Alternately, you could steam the cauliflower over the stove.
2. Drizzle the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for about a minute, then add the spinach and continue sauteing until the spinach just begins to wilt. Remove pan from heat and transfer garlic and spinach to a food processor or high-speed blender.
3. Add the steamed cauliflower to the food processor, along with the salt, butter and milk. Process until smooth and season to taste.

Yield: 4 servings

Take it to the in-laws, try it for a pot luck. Green and beautiful!
Garlicky Spinach Mashed Cauliflower

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 

Bacon - a great christmas gift - Gluten Free, Nightshade free, Dairy free

Who doesn't love bacon? Well that is rhetorical. Be nice!
The guys at the shop loved to share food. I often have to decline. I did joke once I would bring in chocolate covered bacon for food sharing day.
They all said they would devore it!

But to be honest... I may just look into this recipe.
Smoked pork belly

http://www.takepart.com/sites/default/files/styles/tp_content_wide/public/DIYBacon.jpg
Why wouldn't you want a few pounds of this DIY smoked meat in your fridge? (Photo: Ian Knauer)

gluten free cocktail that sounds nummy - CHERRIES !!!!

So... I look forward to doing cocktails with the clan again.
Sometimes we are classic and we bring a few bottles of wine, and some little snick snacks.
Of course there are the men in kilt days... where the whiskey jug is smoothly and graciously passed.
So... what about the days that you are sitting down to a fire and really a bottle of beer isn't going to work, a Smith n' Kerns is delightful but possibly not right, and it isn't margarita night... I know, I know.. when isn't it margarita night...bear with me here.

I do so enjoy a little maraschino cherry lovliness in a drink sometimes.
I used to order my Captain and coke with Cherry coke, and extra cherries.
The kicker in this drink... well you try it out... you might like the zing.

How about a little number I found today, that is very close to what I used to order when Clubbing in the bigger cities.

Our Blogger calls it the Cherry Whiskey Smash.

Doesn't it look nummy?
So... I know the recipe can be gluten free... which means you might like it for a cocktail hour for work. What you need:
- 1 ounce jack daniels
- 1 ounce cherry juice
- 1/2 ounce amaretto
- 1/2 ounce ginger brandy
- 2 ounces cherry cola
- 5 maraschino cherries
(Serves one, is easily multiplied)
check your ingredients, and be sure to tip your bartender... or if you make it at home... make sure to thank yourself for this treat.

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

cookie stamping - recipes

I found that while shopping for a gift for someone... This gluten free cookie recipe seems to bode well for stampable cookies...
http://www.cookiestamp.com/scottish_sb_rice_flour

Scottish Shortbread

This is a sweet-biscuit-type recipe. Scottish shortbread is famous in many parts of the world and although it is traditionally eaten at Christmas and Hogmanay, it is enjoyed the year round.

Ingredients

                                            

4 ounces (115 grams) flour
2 ounces (57 grams) rice flour or ground rice
4 ounces (115 grams) caster sugar
4 ounces (115 grams) butter
Extra caster sugar for sprinkling
Method

Sift the flour and rice flour or ground rice together. Add the sugar and rub in the butter. Lightly knead the dough on a foured board until smooth. Press the dough into a floured mold or into a greased and lined baking tin. Stamp the dough with a cookie stamp and score with a knife,  prick with a fork if desired, and bake at 375° F (190· C.) for about 25 minutes or until it is beginning to turn brown. Remove from the oven and cut the shortbread into pie-shaped slices, but leave it in the tin or mold to cool. Sprinkle with caster sugar to serve.

From www.myholidayplace.com/christmas/recipes/christmas-breads-dressings.html (Recipes not on the page)

Holiday Fudge ideas - please read and share - or leave a link to another GF/Nightshade free/DF fudge

I love fudge!
I love cake!
I love the holidays.

Over a decade ago... they became a window shopping experience.
Trying to lose weight you ask?

Why no... in fact, just can't afford the sick days.
So. I explain that while i love chocolate, and milk, and flour and potatoes, and peppermint and all sorts of great lovely holiday things.
I am not able to join the table of Turkey stuffed with "Grandma's giblet stuffing and gravy". Nor can I just have a nibble of the luscious french silk pie his mom brought. Oh lord and let us not go into this past years newest challenge.
Mashed potatoes.... sigh... It has been a year since mashed potatoes left my life.

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.

Gluten Free, Paleo PECAN PIE - NO CORN SYRUP

I'm Sharing a great recipe you might love as well.

Need something for the office party?
Try this lovely little treat.

Recipe?


why yes, I would be happy to provide a link to 
Pecan Pie - No corn Syrup, Gluten free, Paleo, Grain free