tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67801078175222454772024-02-22T11:56:22.453-07:00Just a thought...Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.comBlogger156125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-92166263585142575992012-11-26T10:00:00.002-07:002012-11-26T10:00:55.525-07:00Sweet & Sour Lentils<div style="text-align: left;">
I was skeptical about this recipe...an entire meal with just lentils? Weird. However, it actually turned out quite well and hubby said it was decent. Although he did say it would be better with pork :)</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I didn't take a picture because I didn't think it was going to be any good, and it's not very pretty!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The original recipe is from <a href="http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/sweet-and-sour-lentils.htm">Hillbilly Housewife</a>, and I made very few changes to it. I think next time I would also add pineapple chunks to it, and maybe add a small amount of pork for an 'almost meatless monday' meal. Also, hubby suggested that some roasted peanuts sprinkled on top before eating would add extra tastiness...I love it when hubby has culinary suggestions, often he just gives a thumbs up or a thumbs down, so input is appreciated!!</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><u>Ingredients</u></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>1 Cup Lentils</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>2 1/2 Cups Water</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>2 Beef Bouillon Cubes (Mine are vegetarian due to those being the only gf ones I could find!)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>A sprinkle of Bay Leaf Pieces</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>1/4 Cup Pineapple or Apple Juice</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>1/8 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>1/8 Cup White Vinegar</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>1/4 Cup Brown Sugar, Packed</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>2 Garlic Cloves, Minced</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>1 Tbsp. Oil</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>1 Red Pepper, Diced (I'm sure other peppers would be just as good, that's just what I had)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>1 Large Onion, Diced</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>2 Cups Rice, Cook as Directed</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Pineapple chunks (optional)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Peanuts (optional, obviously leave out if you are nut free!)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>Place lentils, water, beef bouillon cubes and bay leaf pieces in a pot and bring to a boil. Cook until tender. Stir occasionally. </b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>While that is cooking, in a large frying pan, saute onion and pepper in oil, until tender/onion is translucent.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>In a small bowl, mix together pineapple/apple juice, apple cider vinegar, vinegar, brown sugar and garlic. (If using pineapple chunks, add them here.)</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>When lentils are tender (most of the liquid will be absorbed), add them to the frying pan with the cooked onions and peppers. Add the juice mixture and stir to mix. Heat until bubbling and serve hot over rice. (If adding peanuts, add them to the top.)</b></div>
Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-74137684057758457002012-11-20T11:38:00.000-07:002012-11-26T10:01:40.400-07:00Gluten Free Penne Carbonara<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtuZOirYe6J4knhzRCNrrdhJ4LZnoyJOD_PWeRSAEhPvNVQjG9nSlvdcOLciHn9CgbD_VTf1kUPH_y8X0L1qnuiq2T2Bc-uEbVjYiQy1AkfgKvy9eaAHRQrYXRqmPy8njj-wgPVAmKYTo/s1600/penne+carbonara-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtuZOirYe6J4knhzRCNrrdhJ4LZnoyJOD_PWeRSAEhPvNVQjG9nSlvdcOLciHn9CgbD_VTf1kUPH_y8X0L1qnuiq2T2Bc-uEbVjYiQy1AkfgKvy9eaAHRQrYXRqmPy8njj-wgPVAmKYTo/s400/penne+carbonara-001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gluten Free Organic Quinoa, Amaranth, Brown Rice Penne. Delicious!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Yesterday was meatless Monday...well we went with 'almost meatless Monday' instead. :)<br />
<br />
Gluten Free Penne Carbonara<br />
<br />
1 lb GF Penne, cook as directed<br />
1 Tbsp. Oil<br />
1 Onion, diced<br />
3 Cloves Garlic, minced<br />
1 Cup Bacon Bits<br />
1 Tomato, diced<br />
2 Cups Heavy Cream<br />
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese (fresh grated, or powdered)<br />
4 Eggs<br />
<br />
<br />
Cook pasta as directed (if using gf pasta, do NOT overcook, this can happen quickly so it pays to stay close to the stove for the 6-8 minutes it takes to cook!).<br />
Fry onion in oil until translucent, then add garlic and mix together. Add bacon bits and tomato and fry for 1-2 minutes until tomato softens. Remove from heat until pasta is ready.<br />
<br />
Lightly beat eggs in a bowl and add heavy cream and parmesan cheese and mix together.<br />
<br />
Strain pasta and put back into pot. Add onion mixture. With pot over low heat, slowly add cream and egg mixture. BE PATIENT! If you try to heat it up too quickly by raising the temperature, you will just end up with cooked eggs on pasta! Stir together and slowly heat through, stirring often.<br />
Serve hot.<br />
<br />
This was wonderful! I think next time I would add some spinach in at the end too, just to add some colour, but it was great just the way it was too!<br />
<br />
I know it has bacon so it's technically not 'meatless', but I think this will make it into our meatless monday rotation on a regular basis!!Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-31713414518919660922012-10-30T11:13:00.000-06:002012-10-30T11:13:18.789-06:00Gluten Free PlaydoughMy son has started preschool this year and one of my immediate concerns was playdough. While my son is pretty good at not eating things that shouldn't be eaten he's still a little kid. Also, the cross contamination of playing with playdough and then touching his mouth and we are still not sure how sensitive he is to skin products containing gluten. Long story short I signed up to be playdough mom and I make gluten free playdough for the entire school. I have to make 5 batches every couple of weeks, and although this is an annoyance (and a cost), I feel a lot better knowing that he can happily play with the other kids and not get sick!<br />
The first day I brought the playdough in, the teacher commented "This feels like regular playdough!". I was pretty happy, because I didn't want the kids to have to play with anything gross, I just wanted it to be 'regular'.<br />
<br />
This recipe is from <a href="http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/raisingaglutenfreechild/r/PlayDough.htm">About.com</a> and it works great every time. It cooks up the same as old school playdough (see recipe <a href="http://kitchen-addiction.blogspot.ca/2011/06/playdough.html">here</a>), and seems to keep well and last about the same amount of time.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>1/2 Cup Rice Flour (I've used brown and white with no difference, just don't use sweet rice flour!)</b><br />
<b>1/2 Cup Corn Starch</b><br />
<b>1/2 Cup Salt</b><br />
<b>2 Tsp. Cream of Tartar</b><br />
<b>1 Cup of Water</b><br />
<b>1 Tsp. Oil</b><br />
<b>Food Colouring (I prefer the paste food colouring, but liquid works well too. If using paste, make sure you use warm water as it mixes better.)</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Mix together the dry ingredients in a pot. In a separate bowl measure water and add food colouring of your choice. Remember that the colour will lighten significantly once it is added to the dry ingredients and starts to cook. Add the oil to the water. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and cook over medium - medium high heat until it forms a ball. Cook until no longer slimy. Stir constantly!! Remove from heat and let cool. Store in an airtight container or ziploc bag.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I'm busy compiling a list of other art supplies/crafts that can be done gluten free, as I try them out I will post them here!<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Tip: This recipe does not double/triple well. You must make each batch individually. What I do is set out 5 small containers and 5 glasses. I measure all the flours out and colour all the water/oil mixtures before I start cooking anything. Then all I have to do is dump the dry ingredients in the pot, add the liquid and stir. 5 times over. But it's much easier then stopping to measure everything out every batch :)</i>Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-83150467345657250372012-10-28T16:12:00.000-06:002012-10-28T16:12:30.154-06:00S'more Brownies<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv00GJ2QJqkCA52tfiru7lzoO11RpFiw6gPmZUHA6wDXl09Nyah-PfaoZFbBumLFIDmGmu0SKWOYOJw9YoRavJ3CrGdxKYZieiJlSmmkym-AaRqwm7O7kobP77i0bwqbJpT4rW_q_-v2Y/s1600/2012-10-27+18.29.12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv00GJ2QJqkCA52tfiru7lzoO11RpFiw6gPmZUHA6wDXl09Nyah-PfaoZFbBumLFIDmGmu0SKWOYOJw9YoRavJ3CrGdxKYZieiJlSmmkym-AaRqwm7O7kobP77i0bwqbJpT4rW_q_-v2Y/s320/2012-10-27+18.29.12.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apparently all marshmallows are not created equal as evidenced <br />by the 3 in the middle that were from a different package!</td></tr>
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This idea came up when I googled 'easy dessert' the other day. Of course the entire recipe was glutinous, so I have pieced together my own version :) If you are not gluten free, just make/buy a graham cracker crust and use your favourite brownie recipe! It's a fun recipe, that involves a lot of gooey marshmallows...just like smores :)<br />
<br />
<b><u>'Graham Cracker' Crust</u></b> from <a href="http://glutenfreefix.com/easy-graham-cracker-crust/1721/" target="_blank">Gluten Free Fix</a><br />
<br />
4 Tbsp. Melted Butter<br />
2 Tbsp. Honey<br />
1/4 Tsp. Salt<br />
1 Tsp. Cinnamon<br />
1 1/2 Cups Almond Flour (Meal), packed<br />
<br />
Mix everything together and press into pan (I used a pie plate, but a 9x9 would work too!) with your fingers. Cook at 350F for 20 minutes or until browned all over. I cooked 10 minutes, then put a piece of foil over and cooked another 10 to ensure it was done, but not too brown.<br />
<br />
<b><u>Brownie Recipe</u></b> from <a href="http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/17650/chocolate+fudge+brownies+wheat+and+gluten+free" target="_blank">Taste</a><br />
<br />
1/2 Cup Rice Flour<br />
1/2 Cup All Purpose GF Flour<br />
1/4 Tsp. Baking Powder<br />
1/3 Cup Cocoa<br />
1 1/4 Cups Sugar<br />
2 Eggs, lightly beaten<br />
2/3 Cup Butter, melted<br />
<br />
Mix together dry ingredients, then add eggs and butter. Mix until just smooth. Pour over baked graham crust and bake at 350F for another 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs.<br />
<br />
I made these ahead of company arriving, so I let it cool then did the final step later and the marshmallows didn't really stick to the brownies. I think if you made them and did all the steps while hot it would work better.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjxe58VYSsY4ovAr_dl10JJUxOMvRwvQBLdqzvamlh9I_RltPxu9xJ2X86SzXyipdVaZNO84cEJ-05rI-o0IPnH2UkO27-FpHpt65pJMlcqdHtFbiibyEEjWb0e0G8biwm5r6oVCgACU/s1600/2012-10-028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjxe58VYSsY4ovAr_dl10JJUxOMvRwvQBLdqzvamlh9I_RltPxu9xJ2X86SzXyipdVaZNO84cEJ-05rI-o0IPnH2UkO27-FpHpt65pJMlcqdHtFbiibyEEjWb0e0G8biwm5r6oVCgACU/s320/2012-10-028.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All lined up and ready to roast!</td></tr>
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<b><u>Marshmallow Top</u></b> (original idea from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/smore-brownies-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">Food Network</a>)<br />
<br />
Large Marshmallows<br />
<br />
Top the brownies with marshmallows (standing on end), then place on rack close to burner and 'toast' them! Watch carefully because bad things can happen fast in the world of marshmallows!<br />
<br />
When toasting is satisfactory, remove from oven, cut into squares and serve :)Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-81589461182933222062012-10-11T17:01:00.002-06:002012-10-11T17:02:41.033-06:00Fish...bacon?<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Yup! Fish bacon! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I was at a sushi restaurant a few months ago and tried a dish that contained fried fish skin. It was delicious! So this last weekend when we cooked some salmon steaks at home I tried it out, and it was just as good! It was from BC sockeye salmon which was amazing too!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9zXrsrq6fngIfapejGp3IbTRkAPFZxeaPbgvNGXOWUPi79hx5rcAXX5BAw9T3QofxatUMPyCNXIM6DYbArmIy2zegsHWpHZoODN2M57SODH_lm8HorbwZKPmVrzfRuV4y6hCpR5fdWMc/s1600/Salmon+Bacon-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt9zXrsrq6fngIfapejGp3IbTRkAPFZxeaPbgvNGXOWUPi79hx5rcAXX5BAw9T3QofxatUMPyCNXIM6DYbArmIy2zegsHWpHZoODN2M57SODH_lm8HorbwZKPmVrzfRuV4y6hCpR5fdWMc/s320/Salmon+Bacon-001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">The finished product!</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
All you need to do is peel the skin off cooked salmon steaks, add a small amount of oil to a frying pan and lay out the strips of skin as you would bacon (hence fish bacon!). BEWARE! This splatters a lot more then regular bacon, I suggest having a lid handy to shield the pan with in between flipping while it's cooking. It doesn't take long, so don't walk away. Take off the pan when it looks fried (see picture!).</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Let cool and enjoy. It's very rich and tasty!</div>
Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-64601876280628534802012-10-01T22:45:00.000-06:002012-10-01T22:45:29.487-06:00GF Pastry<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOpfBXT6qWA9vbebRysflFRMd884Tp2o6hxfuOkhbt7omS4W31UgSXsgnY5_XwyKZd9VOXLgjZcl81ohU4t1zv71AALC1kmalx9_LuRD47kKPDzwA7jJse01UOEVrOYDNN_PyzI67cEA/s1600/pot+pie+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOpfBXT6qWA9vbebRysflFRMd884Tp2o6hxfuOkhbt7omS4W31UgSXsgnY5_XwyKZd9VOXLgjZcl81ohU4t1zv71AALC1kmalx9_LuRD47kKPDzwA7jJse01UOEVrOYDNN_PyzI67cEA/s320/pot+pie+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yummy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Almost a year after going gluten free, I feel like we are finally coming to a successful recipe collection. One thing that was sorely missing was pastry though. Thankfully <a href="http://www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca/2008/10/gluten-free-pastry.html" target="_blank">Mennonite Girls Can Cook</a> has come to the rescue!<br />
This pastry was flaky, it held together and it tasted fabulous (and even tasted not so bad raw!).<br />
<br />
I used all butter instead of shortening since I didn't have any, and it still turned out great!! I was finally able to make my favourite <a href="http://kitchen-addiction.blogspot.ca/2011/08/chicken-pot-pie_09.html" target="_blank">Chicken Pot Pie</a> again! And the kids actually ate supper without fuss :) And I'm super excited to be able to make pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving!<br />
<br />
<br />
INGREDIENTS <br />
1/2 cup tapioca flour<br />1/2 cup cornstarch<br />1/4 cup potato starch (NOT potato flour)<br />1 cup sweet rice flour<br />dash of sugar<br />1/2 tsp salt<br />rounded teaspoon of xanthan gum<br />1/2 cup butter<br />1/2 cup shortening<br />1 egg<br />1 tbsp vinegar<br />4 tbsp ice water<br />sweet rice flour for rolling<br />
<br />
<br />
Blend well together the flours, xathan gum, salt and sugar.<br />
Cut in butter and shortening <br />
Beat egg , add vinegar and ice-water. <br />
Stir into flour mixture forming a ball. (Add a little more water if too dry) <br />
(You may knead this a bit since rice flour crust can stand handling.) Knead until you have a smooth soft ball. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkq-WjeFyuZJdxCDdw0G8gpXDHGFqoJhbQ8uxgReAGH6BzsbnzWTo8_7Dfuqsk1oppD6GTMbsGh5k7jfkYiJ89cohrhuKCT8rxweyOAdfvpbwqT8uqlm0vCYGoDUzCF9otkSuA61-5XCU/s1600/pie+dough.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkq-WjeFyuZJdxCDdw0G8gpXDHGFqoJhbQ8uxgReAGH6BzsbnzWTo8_7Dfuqsk1oppD6GTMbsGh5k7jfkYiJ89cohrhuKCT8rxweyOAdfvpbwqT8uqlm0vCYGoDUzCF9otkSuA61-5XCU/s320/pie+dough.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It looks like 'real' pie dough!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Refrigerate dough for 1 hour or more to chill. <br />
Roll out between wax paper or saran wrap dusted with sweet rice flour. Peel off top layer of
wax paper/saran wrap , flip over onto pie plate and then carefully peel off the
other layer of wax paper and fit pastry into pie shell --
for single crust pie or for double add filling and then top with top
crust . <br />
Bake at 375' until lightly browned.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJOeKDA-1b-oFl7i9jTYsIO6wy6IBcbaF5irKKS972iK01LWqkM-0SM_pFTSwx3mv3YkYsoWfTaD4C9RtlKhMmAKsRFnaxwiHnK8eiaOJkAgFxYGajpzqcTAMMpSa5Te-ZGIt4wj216w/s1600/pot+pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOJOeKDA-1b-oFl7i9jTYsIO6wy6IBcbaF5irKKS972iK01LWqkM-0SM_pFTSwx3mv3YkYsoWfTaD4C9RtlKhMmAKsRFnaxwiHnK8eiaOJkAgFxYGajpzqcTAMMpSa5Te-ZGIt4wj216w/s320/pot+pie.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished product</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-48329157613025857182012-09-13T09:37:00.001-06:002012-09-13T09:39:36.391-06:00Sugar Free, Gluten Free Anytime MuffinsLately I have felt as though the fun has been sucked out of the kitchen...read labels, bake food I really don't like, and never produce a product that looks perfect anymore. I don't experiment with my own recipes because wasting gluten free ingredients is seriously a crime! But finally I am starting to feel drawn back in. What changed? I started *gasp* buying bread! I finally found a wonderful gf bread recipe that even I liked to eat on a regular basis, but then I found <a href="http://getitfresh.ca/" target="_blank">Kinnikinnik</a>....their bread is soft, bouncy, good texture and tastes good. And the best part is that it's less then a $1 more per loaf for me to buy then it is for me to bake (and that's not including my time or the electricity to turn the oven on!). I'm so excited! Plus I've found that Safeway carries their bread, frozen but I'm ok with that! So it's not only good tasting, it's somewhat convenient too. So I've had a few weeks away from baking, I've been gleefully opening bags of bread from the freezer and the sense of fun that the kitchen used to offer me is returning.<br />
Tonight my hubby called me a 'whirlwind' in the kitchen, and it felt good. It's been a long time since I have been busy enough to warrant being called that! What was I making?<br />
<br />
Super healthy eat anytime muffins!! Courtesy of <a href="http://www.mennonitegirlscancook.ca/2011/06/wonderful-any-time-muffins-gluten-free.html" target="_blank">Mennonite Girls Can Cook</a> (my new favourite website!!)<br />
They are sugar free, gluten free and packed full of good for you things!<br />
<br />
I did not change anything in the recipe except to use ground flax seed and I made them as muffin tops because...well why not? :)<br />
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INGREDIENTS<br />
3/4 Cup Almond Flour (meal)<br />
3/4 Cup Brown Rice Flour<br />
1/2 Cup Xylitol<br />
1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda<br />
1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder<br />
1/2 Tsp. Ginger<br />
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon<br />
1/2 Tsp. Salt<br />
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (GF)<br />
1/2 Cup Steel Cut Oats (GF)<br />
1/4 Cup Flax Seed<br />
1/2 Cup Raisins<br />
3 Tbsp. Oil<br />
1 Large Egg<br />
1/3 Cup Milk (or almond milk etc)<br />
4 Medium Carrots, Shredded<br />
1 Medium Ripe Banana, Mashed<br />
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Prehead oven to 400F. Coat a 12 Cup muffin pan with oil (I used coconut oil, it works great!)<br />
Whisk together flours, xylitol, baking soda, baking powder, spices, oats and flax until there are no lumps. Stir in raisins.<br />
Mix oil, egg, milk, carrots and banana in another bowl. Add to flour mixture and stir until blended.<br />
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Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 23-25 minutes (depending on your size of pan). Serve warm or at room temperature. To store keep in an airtight container, up to 3 days.<br />
Great with some butter, some cream cheese or drizzle honey on top!<br />
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NOTE: I did find that my steel cut oats were still kind of crunchy in the finished product. I think next time I will mix up the liquid ingredients first, add the steel cut oats and let them soak while I measure and mix the dry ingredients/shred the carrots :)<br />
<br />Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-61618407498553276972012-08-28T09:06:00.000-06:002012-08-28T09:07:08.400-06:00Korean Beef <div style="text-align: center;">
Ahhh! Is it already the end of August? Where oh where did summer go? I feel slightly like a chicken with no head this year. Everytime I sit down to do something on the computer I get distracted by my school timetable and feel the need to pick up my textbook instead of blogging/emailing etc. </div>
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Last summer our meals consisted of a lot of hamburgers and hot dogs. This year buns (or any bread items) are such a premium item around here that we have strayed from that. I have had to find a few other meals that are quick, easy and don't need the oven turned on! </div>
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I came across this recipe on the blog <a href="http://elizabethbryant.blogspot.ca/2010/05/korean-beef.html" target="_blank">LizzieWrites</a>, and have made it numerous time throughout the last few months. Hubby loves it, the kids gobble it up and it makes the house smell fantastic!! From start to finish this recipe takes approx. 20-30 minutes (and most of that time is waiting for the rice to cook!). All I've changed are some quantities because I found her sauce didn't make enough to decently simmer the meat in.</div>
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I've made this so many times and I keep forgetting to take a picture. One day I will learn, one day!</div>
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<b>Ingredients</b></div>
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<b>1 pound lean ground beef,</b></div>
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<b>1/2 cup brown sugar</b></div>
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<b>1/2 cup soy sauce (I use a GF one)</b></div>
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<b>3 cloves garlic, minced</b></div>
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<b>1/2 tsp ginger (1 tsp if using fresh ginger minced)</b></div>
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<b>1 tsp crushed red peppers (or more if you want it spicier!)</b></div>
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<b>1 Bunch green onions, diced (optional)</b></div>
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<b>Rice, cooked as directed..</b></div>
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<b>Brown ground beef with garlic. Mix brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger and red peppers in a bowl. Add to cooked ground beef. Simmer for 5 minutes to blend flavours. Serve over hot rice. Top with diced green onions if desired.</b></div>
Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-57574035243867679722012-08-09T21:09:00.003-06:002012-08-09T21:45:04.196-06:00Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets<div style="text-align: center;">
My son (and usually my daughter too) miss out on a few things that most kids take for granted...being able to stop in at (gag) McDonalds and have a happy meal, or even just being able to have chicken nuggets on a whim at home. I try my best to make sure if we go somewhere where other kids will be eating something (usually pizza at Christmas parties!), I bring 'exactly' the same thing for him to eat so he feels included, otherwise I don't usually let either kid have anything. They are too young to understand why one gets to eat something yummy in front of the other (I don't have any either if that's the case!). </div>
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I've been kind of stumped on what to do for the inevitable McDonalds birthday parties. In fact, we went to 1/2 a birthday party earlier this year just to avoid such a problem (we played and had cake (the mom was nice enough to make a gf one!!!), and gave presents, but then we left when everyone else headed to McDonalds). Today I finally solved that problem!! I made some amazing (if I do say so myself) chicken nuggets. They were easy to make, freeze well uncooked and fry up in a matter of minutes. Don't look at me like that, yes, I deep fry things for my kids occasionally. Due to the high heat used and the minimal time immersed, I really do think they absorb less oil then if I pan fried them in 1/2" of oil. But I digress...I'm sure these would be tasty pan fried, or even baked. At least now I have an option that I could cook at home, bring to the party and let him eat along with everyone else. Yay!</div>
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I hesitate to call this a recipe, but here goes:<br />
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Ingredients<br />
1-2 Cups Corn Flake Crumbs (GF)<br />
2-4 Tbsp. Oil<br />
4-6 Chicken Breasts<br />
1 Egg<br />
1/4 Cup Milk (If you need dairy free, I'm pretty sure water would substitute here just fine!)<br />
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Place Corn Flake Crumbs in a shallow dish and sprinkle 2 Tbsp. of oil over them for every 1 cup used. Mix up crumbs. Corn does not absorb liquid as wheat does, so this seems to be a necessary step to make it 'sticky'. (Although this may be a gf specific step, I'm really not sure...experiment!) Chop chicken breasts into nugget size pieces or strips. Mix together egg and milk in a bowl. Dip chicken pieces into milk/egg mixture, then roll in corn flake crumbs. Place on a baking sheet. When the baking sheet is full, place in the freezer.<br />
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<b>NOTE: If you are making these from previously frozen chicken, you must cook all of the pieces once re-frozen to avoid becoming ill, if you are making these from fresh chicken then the freezer life (I think) would be the same as if you just froze the chicken.</b><br />
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When you are ready to cook, either bake in the oven (from frozen) at 425F for 20-30 minutes (I'm guessing here since I fried them!), or pan fry until cooked through. For deep frying, set your fryer to 375F and when the oil is up to temperature, place a single layer of frozen nuggets in the basket. Fry for 3-5 minutes (depending on size). When the oil stops making a lot of noise, generally whatever food is in there is done! That's my rule of thumb :)<br />
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I have not tried to freeze these after cooking. I have some leftovers in the fridge that I intend to re-heat in the oven tomorrow, but I think they would freeze ok.<br />
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In the words of my 3.5 year old "These are AWESOME Mommy!". I hope you enjoy them as much as we all did! :)<br />
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<i>Note: I purchased my corn flake crumbs (see picture below) from amazon.com, and had them delivered in the states and had someone pick them up because I needed gluten free, however if you do not need gluten free Kellogg's has a corn flakes product that is available at any grocery store. It contains barley malt, so it's a no no in our house!</i></div>
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<br />Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-88767807423609453762012-07-29T12:59:00.000-06:002012-07-29T12:59:50.173-06:00Gluten Free Blueberry Muffin TopsI know I have been horribly absent this month. I am currently in the middle of a very heavy course, and it includes lab days which I have been prepping for. Hopefully it will be over soon and I can get back to some fun things in life! Summer is passing me by while I have my nose shoved into a textbook!<br />
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I bought 20lbs of blueberries last week and froze most of them for smoothies and winter baking, but kept 5lbs out for immediate use. I decided some blueberry muffins would be wonderful and wanted to try out my new muffin top pans that arrived from (where else!) <a href="http://well.ca/products/paderno-6-cup-muffin-top-pan_53512.html?affid=KITADD" target="_blank">well.ca</a> this week! What are muffin top pans? They are shallow wide muffin pans that allow you to get mostly just the muffin top (the best part in my opinion!) of the muffin!!<br />
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This<a href="http://www.glutenfreelyfrugal.com/2011/10/03/blueberry-muffins/"> recipe</a> from Gluten Free Frugally was a first attempt for me and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, but I would like to make some recipe changes since they are very sticky once cooked. It actually tastes quite 'normal' and is something I can actually make myself eat :)<br />
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INGREDIENTS<br />
1/2 Cup Sugar<br />
4 Tbsp. Butter/Margarine/Oil<br />
4 Eggs<br />
1 Cup Milk<br />
1/2 Tsp. Vanilla<br />
2 Cups GF All Purpose Flour Blend<br />
1/2 Tsp. Salt<br />
1/2 Tsp. Xanthan Gum<br />
4 Tsp. Baking Powder<br />
2-3 Cups Blueberries<br />
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Mix together sugar, butter and eggs. Once creamed, add milk and vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients (except blueberries) and mix on medium high for 4-5 minutes. Fold in blueberries. Scoop into pans and bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.<br />
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<i>Note: The way this recipe is composed, I would think if you left out the Xanthan Gum and substituted regular all purpose flour it should turn out as a great non gluten free muffin!</i>Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-53850803627256751902012-07-04T15:59:00.001-06:002012-07-07T09:34:33.213-06:00Apple Crisp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I often try to come up with desserts that aren't really desserts, but are good enough to classify as such. Although my kids do get sugary desserts from time to time, I definitely try to limit them (even then, I do try to find the healthier route to it, such as the <a href="http://kitchen-addiction.blogspot.ca/2012/07/chocolate-puffed-quinoa-squares.html">Puffed Quinoa Squares</a>). I never thought I would be the type of mom that would serve fruit for dessert, or that I would have the type of kids who are excited by apples and peanut butter, but here we are :) I decided today to spruce things up a little bit and make it a little more dessert-y. We eat a LOT of fruit in our house. Being gluten free limits a lot of things we would normally have for snacks, so by default we go to fruit for snacks (and tomatoes, but that's another story). The amount of bananas I buy would make you laugh, and the amount of apples in our fruit bin could cause a small avalanche. </div>
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Today's dessert is apples. Apple crisp to be exact. Just a unique, very easy version :)</div>
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
Apples, halved and core cut out (see picture)<br />
Cheese<br />
1/2 Cup of Butter, or Oil works too. Coconut oil would be delicious I think!<br />
1/2 Cup Oats (make sure they are GF oats if you are gluten free!)<br />
1/2 Cup Quinoa Flour (If you are not GF, use regular AP flour here)<br />
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar<br />
1 Tsp. Cinnamon<br />
Pinch of salt.<br />
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Melt the butter (or if using oil just pour in!), and add oats, quinoa flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. \Mix well until everything is moistened. </div>
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Cut cheese into small pieces and place inside apple holes (see picture). </div>
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Place the crumble mix on top of the cheese and apple. </div>
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Place on a pan in the oven and bake at 350F for 20-30 minutes. </div>
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Enjoy hot with ice cream or frozen yogurt, or just by itself. </div>
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The measurements above made more then enough for 2 apples (4 halves), and I have enough left over for probably another 2-4 halves, depending on how thick you top the apples. </div>
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The type and amount of apples and cheese is up to you. Cheddar does taste wonderful with apples though!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaXBcSazS8PBqiG5yU2LLW2qB9mI-VuEeErUwgAAGl180EueYYQgBb_VzAMetLi5OO2hUJLe99Vi4iUp0-gB5l33na5EAjXmymMyjVez2ghigWTzcczh2Vfm6-77dF2cQ4JZCHt_5QGgE/s1600/apple+crisp3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaXBcSazS8PBqiG5yU2LLW2qB9mI-VuEeErUwgAAGl180EueYYQgBb_VzAMetLi5OO2hUJLe99Vi4iUp0-gB5l33na5EAjXmymMyjVez2ghigWTzcczh2Vfm6-77dF2cQ4JZCHt_5QGgE/s320/apple+crisp3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slice apples in half and scoop out core.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMDRbLjF8hgsd63-3u22KVs45jih4FmSLbZM-ER5ZbWkfA0OMKIkGpiQ1Ywt21BxbyL7QmyD2_y0p_5QvcaSiHjhFKoLPbBOIM6TzHXBJZA7563cOB8PNIj524dWxnjYxrlpNTlHaUN4/s1600/apple+crisp4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjMDRbLjF8hgsd63-3u22KVs45jih4FmSLbZM-ER5ZbWkfA0OMKIkGpiQ1Ywt21BxbyL7QmyD2_y0p_5QvcaSiHjhFKoLPbBOIM6TzHXBJZA7563cOB8PNIj524dWxnjYxrlpNTlHaUN4/s320/apple+crisp4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add cheese cubes to the holes.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6X-aOO91vSrskJxnqYyzhvv8sUNgEdEHBUn00wCvm2bvplmgS7ohr9MxM-RIq3UF1PaPdfgvnKQLtcoi_fc1JX3WeG1nSfUU_WCjyRCN8LpuYSJeZM-Wk6ujTvecVIJfdxh-FviIh2v8/s1600/apple+crisp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6X-aOO91vSrskJxnqYyzhvv8sUNgEdEHBUn00wCvm2bvplmgS7ohr9MxM-RIq3UF1PaPdfgvnKQLtcoi_fc1JX3WeG1nSfUU_WCjyRCN8LpuYSJeZM-Wk6ujTvecVIJfdxh-FviIh2v8/s320/apple+crisp.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add crumble topping and bake @350F for 20-30 minutes.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sPhWSR2LdcENkGMlmDbrExE_x0TqZ-0XoF_BGAg8jFvSEgVoRQNo6qzOzdku1XEw41iDwgPXpVljxdfSlpdlK3BPifcseE-hlXivRBRAfnDKHlX9jfwCg0zouB75Hv0VgnrUTHVAPjI/s1600/Apple+crisp2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5sPhWSR2LdcENkGMlmDbrExE_x0TqZ-0XoF_BGAg8jFvSEgVoRQNo6qzOzdku1XEw41iDwgPXpVljxdfSlpdlK3BPifcseE-hlXivRBRAfnDKHlX9jfwCg0zouB75Hv0VgnrUTHVAPjI/s320/Apple+crisp2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serve warm. With or without ice cream or frozen yogurt.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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These have a really cute presentation and the cheese adds that extra little taste that makes them delicious!!Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-10316029135827126092012-07-02T20:23:00.000-06:002012-07-05T15:17:23.541-06:00Chocolate Puffed Quinoa SquaresA wonderful part of being a kid (and an adult!) is biting into a chewy, gooey chocolate puffed wheat square. I've been searching high and low for a gluten free option (since puffed wheat is obviously not a good idea!), and I finally successfully came across a great substitute ~ If I do say so myself!<br />
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I went by this <a href="http://betchacanteatjustone.wordpress.com/2010/11/04/chocolate-puffed-wheat-squares/">recipe</a> and changed the amounts up a bit for the gf version. Something that was important to me was to be able to make them without *gag* corn syrup, and this recipe was perfect!!</div>
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I found <a href="http://well.ca/products/gogo-quinoa-puffed-quinoa_14962.html">Puffed Quinoa</a> on Well.ca as well as <a href="http://well.ca/products/gogo-quinoa-amaranth-puffs_14977.html">Puffed Amaranth</a>. For this recipe I have only tried it with the quinoa so far. <i>(Reminder: If you are ordering anything from <a href="http://well.ca/">well.ca</a> use coupon code 'kitchenaddiction' for $10 off your first order of $40 or more. Expires July 10/12). </i></div>
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This makes a small recipe, but (of course) puffed quinoa is more expensive then puffed wheat, so I went with a small batch to experiment :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lgKB35GK41oU3PH7CBSZR4k8VsF3BllJfB5Bnc3vk-VJbIjH3m5aE9kv5yn4a1G8aOLMRX3grfziYwrDOBa1ZFgOC6Z4buSeQEatTgd458MqFtdm-ounKjsOtcdy5N88zqxjq43SDiI/s1600/Puffed+Quinoa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lgKB35GK41oU3PH7CBSZR4k8VsF3BllJfB5Bnc3vk-VJbIjH3m5aE9kv5yn4a1G8aOLMRX3grfziYwrDOBa1ZFgOC6Z4buSeQEatTgd458MqFtdm-ounKjsOtcdy5N88zqxjq43SDiI/s320/Puffed+Quinoa.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Ingredients</b></div>
<div>
3.5 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder</div>
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1/4 Cup Honey</div>
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1/4 Cup Brown Sugar, Packed</div>
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1/4 Cup Butter</div>
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2 Cups Puffed Quinoa </div>
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Grease a baking pan. I only have a 9x13 so that's what I used, but the squares were quite thin, a square baking pan would be best. </div>
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Ina saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the cocoa powder, honey and brown sugar and stir until smooth. Boil for about 30seconds to a minute.</div>
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Pour the chocolate sauce over the puffed quinoa in a large bowl and stir until well coated. Pour into greased pan and smooth with a spatula. Let cool completely before cutting into squares. Store in the fridge, especially in the summer or they will start to melt!</div>
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They are not quite as chewy as a puffed wheat square, but they are very good. And they are a really good substitute if you cannot have wheat but are craving a puffed square! </div>Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-49805709756079829142012-06-19T08:37:00.001-06:002012-06-19T08:37:20.271-06:00Meal Planning<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>I need help. </i></div>
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There now that I've admitted it, it should get easier right? I hope so. </div>
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I'm stuck in a rut of waiting until naptime, and then frantically trying to decide what to make for supper. The problem is that between 2 toddlers, trying to workout regularly, special diets, school work and all the regular household chores, I seem to end up throwing together the same thing over and over again. Then I get part way through the month and realize all the ground beef is gone, but there is lots of other meat left and I have to get creative again :) Also, I've been trying to workout and do some studying during naptime so that I can have a (small) life in the evening when hubby gets home. If I can get some studying done during the day then I only have to do an hour or two in the evening vs burying myself in a pile of books all night! But when I procrastinate all morning on supper prep I end up cooking at naptime and my time is gone! </div>
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So these are my questions....</div>
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If you meal plan, how do you do it? Do you plan 1 week in advance? 2? A month? What is your system? Do you stick with it? Do you preplan everything or just the meat part? Do you find that even though you plan you deviate from your schedule? </div>
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I have found multiple ideas on Pinterest that I want to make for a menu board (because I know myself, if I make something crafty I will actually use it lol), but I'm interested to know what everyone else does. I've done the chalkboard (write it up every month) menu on the inside of the pantry door and it ends up getting erased or I end up forgetting about it. So I want to do something fun and functional.</div>
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I've seen ones (like <a href="http://www.bhg.com/decorating/storage/organization-basics/free-printable-storage-labels/?sssdmh=dm17.547525&esrc=nwdiy090711&email=393475069#page=9">THIS</a>) <span style="background-color: white;">that are magnetic and allow you to add magnets for main, veggie and side separately. I can see this coming in handy with using everything in the fridge. Every time you go grocery shopping put the magnets on the board for what you have bought, then make sure you use all the magnets before shopping again :)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgf2My6VYYJzWrRj-jI3ItGysJYQpEpRgl_nwFFYju7MCVHVJlqEPqE9DJ-uYn1jNZQFtxCh-vKKRX3_DQUNEO_e5xVs2_IfyGS1T3P7r1KUEeTXLm7cKpliFSfJeZyjqA_D5HTLEJnk/s1600/menu+board+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgf2My6VYYJzWrRj-jI3ItGysJYQpEpRgl_nwFFYju7MCVHVJlqEPqE9DJ-uYn1jNZQFtxCh-vKKRX3_DQUNEO_e5xVs2_IfyGS1T3P7r1KUEeTXLm7cKpliFSfJeZyjqA_D5HTLEJnk/s320/menu+board+2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Other ones (like</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><a href="http://heartlandpaper.typepad.com/heartland_paper/2010/08/menu-planner-on-studio-5.html" style="background-color: white;">THIS</a><span style="background-color: white;">) are simple and it's just a choice of a pre-decided meal. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuMZsF8IBpBkDGFS-jY1pCHTgV-YQF_i-I8Y9Ekrqjn9ojbTvPTQOVlk57o7nnAmTj_3J6XK5YsjCg1T_GCQsT42IDH4uOyM_uIrG2iTOQdFn_mAMD_N7VEviPnxUn22o_CzoIfKaN6yc/s1600/menu+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuMZsF8IBpBkDGFS-jY1pCHTgV-YQF_i-I8Y9Ekrqjn9ojbTvPTQOVlk57o7nnAmTj_3J6XK5YsjCg1T_GCQsT42IDH4uOyM_uIrG2iTOQdFn_mAMD_N7VEviPnxUn22o_CzoIfKaN6yc/s320/menu+5.jpg" width="162" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Then there are the over organized ones (like</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><a href="http://ohsochichi.blogspot.ca/2011/03/meal-planning-board-tutorial.html" style="background-color: white;">THIS</a><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">&</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><a href="http://robbygurlscreations.blogspot.ca/2011/04/robins-menu-board-part-iii.html" style="background-color: white;">THIS</a><span style="background-color: white;">) that would probably just give me a headache everytime I looked at it! Is anyone out there really this organized? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSgdcTQU-eaRgiqtXB0KXqjLTctINBQUuOU1E1Vjs24BydUmD2ZcYA6XOXaM9Pnah9oZ_Ar1NGcLfg-R3EGDmCnFLZbhvcDAzA_cVoJoC_rnZF62HWMXYNE89j6v4xQ3BV4d4puY-AvQ/s1600/menu+board+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijSgdcTQU-eaRgiqtXB0KXqjLTctINBQUuOU1E1Vjs24BydUmD2ZcYA6XOXaM9Pnah9oZ_Ar1NGcLfg-R3EGDmCnFLZbhvcDAzA_cVoJoC_rnZF62HWMXYNE89j6v4xQ3BV4d4puY-AvQ/s320/menu+board+3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_FnTATxpkVhR0w7EUJ63ecLLsC_YF0XHjRrBDuqJWoxhOUKrxGtvZrro29qGRRdMoIx_cPWl1HhcDVe45k3RYqns3yg3TkrHnrnO2NxbPARAr3fmUkeKxphdw8My4zIZmiLEKLIrZOA/s1600/menu+board+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv_FnTATxpkVhR0w7EUJ63ecLLsC_YF0XHjRrBDuqJWoxhOUKrxGtvZrro29qGRRdMoIx_cPWl1HhcDVe45k3RYqns3yg3TkrHnrnO2NxbPARAr3fmUkeKxphdw8My4zIZmiLEKLIrZOA/s320/menu+board+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Personally I am leaning towards one like the first picture above (the magnetic one) or one like <a href="http://momcoloredglasses.com/crafts-reviews-recipes/crafts-diy/meal-planning-menu-board-diy/">THIS</a>, recipe/ingredients are printed on the back with the name of the meal on the front. Printed on business cards with small nail holes punched into each one so they hang easily: </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQmlELBf8weBvptn-11iBDkQ1d6Dh3dxFLYOCy-hoD3t081wH2fWyVdp5Fp8oxrnAH9OSmAwKo6dX0xI3tfM1Q4xByjSRKooGHY8E0Qz6xH7BuleXNW4c6daPlNJFYYqDz_kyCf9yzgM/s1600/menu+board.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZQmlELBf8weBvptn-11iBDkQ1d6Dh3dxFLYOCy-hoD3t081wH2fWyVdp5Fp8oxrnAH9OSmAwKo6dX0xI3tfM1Q4xByjSRKooGHY8E0Qz6xH7BuleXNW4c6daPlNJFYYqDz_kyCf9yzgM/s320/menu+board.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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What do you think? Please leave me a comment with what you do for meal planning, I need help! I've been up for 2 hours already this morning and would love to have supper already prepped or at least planned. However it's not happening! I'm thinking it's going to end up being a taco salad night...again!</div>Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-84655937579348157762012-06-12T17:00:00.001-06:002012-06-12T17:00:03.150-06:00Perspective<p><a href='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLnJi0mvpjcqlIoqBPl1ZAP1qJc-6F8d2MRZnhaY3jL5tsn5x6bZFY6GXFeFg6sLyZhDhEOfkJ5xgf0GP0CAxDioioVzVeM74Y-RdejmuicayxmoLi4VTNau32zVs8RuiA5dztY1aHOU/s0/2012-06-12%25252008.05.49.jpg'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLnJi0mvpjcqlIoqBPl1ZAP1qJc-6F8d2MRZnhaY3jL5tsn5x6bZFY6GXFeFg6sLyZhDhEOfkJ5xgf0GP0CAxDioioVzVeM74Y-RdejmuicayxmoLi4VTNau32zVs8RuiA5dztY1aHOU/s400/2012-06-12%25252008.05.49.jpg' /></a></p><p>Just to put things in perspective....this bag of brown rice macaroni from Bulk Barn (so not even the good stuff) is over $10! Its not that big of a bag either. A regular bulk bag but I could have fit more in :)<br> <br/> <br> <br/> Just thought I would share my frustration...also one of my reasons for being so frugal on everything else that I can! <br> <br/> </p> <br/> <div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.4</div>Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-48180887519102729042012-06-08T08:09:00.000-06:002012-06-08T08:09:11.500-06:00New Look, New Widgets<div style="text-align: center;">
I'm sure you've noticed a new look (it was about time!), including a few extra widgets. I am most definitely NOT trying to spam anyone :) I just thought I would give a few things a try. ONLY things I personally buy or places I personally shop from. I love wagjag deals and thought I would share. I also love amazon.ca and their free shipping over $25 (on most things). I have ordered from them frequently, and have only ever had 1 item that didn't work. I contacted them and they sent me a link to print a pre-paid shipping label. I sent it back and was issued a full refund! Great service. Well.ca is one of my favourite places to shop for the hard to find things. There is no minimum for free shipping. So if you are looking for one item or several it's a great deal! I do find some of their prices to be a bit higher, but often they will have a sale that give you a great deal. They also carry a number of things I have not been able to find elsewhere.</div>
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I have personally picked out things that I either use regularly or know something about. There will be no 'weird' items or 'adult' items in keeping with the theme of this blog. I figured I do enough product reviews etc. that I may as well direct people to the products too!</div>
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In full disclosure I will be upfront and tell you that if someone does click on one of these products and ends up purchasing them, I do earn a small amount. I'm not actually expecting to get anything out of this, but thought I would give it a try and see what happens. It's still going to be the same posts etc. Nothing is changing in that regard :) </div>Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-22012260461170484772012-06-05T14:04:00.000-06:002012-06-05T14:04:53.587-06:00Flourless Buns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfXSOwYvzYtgpREpv0y8dUXSxfsByMzF8pBteNmfqBnAp8KnXT-bhyphenhyphendV4-lyHLXDt7CdyPFKhnLCLGu16mZ6kzLshqxi_8Ze6p5prsBDYpU1KKiyUieACrx30sBhvv4cq81Wb99xhr7c/s1600/2012-06-04+16.44.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCfXSOwYvzYtgpREpv0y8dUXSxfsByMzF8pBteNmfqBnAp8KnXT-bhyphenhyphendV4-lyHLXDt7CdyPFKhnLCLGu16mZ6kzLshqxi_8Ze6p5prsBDYpU1KKiyUieACrx30sBhvv4cq81Wb99xhr7c/s320/2012-06-04+16.44.39.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Weird huh? All this time I have been trying multiple flours trying to capture the 'real' taste and the best bun recipe I have come across is a flourless one! They have a bit of a different texture, kind of a cross between a popover and a biscuit, but they actually behave like real buns, and by that I mean you can <i>TEAR</i> off a piece rather then crumble off a piece!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgff1SPFCQ0qPwefkwBZEnYo3QHbAOoxm5-o-CkQ5nSt535QJzaUjDfDtL6o6BynzpvAYTKv8ycN37j6F_8SmQjCtRTu8BMfizMyoKRyUM2JHPQvABM2vAhdH398aoAbptMRkvIZxwskiU/s1600/2012-06-04+16.45.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgff1SPFCQ0qPwefkwBZEnYo3QHbAOoxm5-o-CkQ5nSt535QJzaUjDfDtL6o6BynzpvAYTKv8ycN37j6F_8SmQjCtRTu8BMfizMyoKRyUM2JHPQvABM2vAhdH398aoAbptMRkvIZxwskiU/s320/2012-06-04+16.45.43.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I was very skeptical when I came across this recipe at <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/gluten-free-rolls-42322/review?pn=2">Food.com</a>, but there were enough good reviews that I thought I would give it a shot, and I'm glad I did :)<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
<b>4 Tbsp. Shortening (Butter works too)</b><br />
<b>3 Tbsp. honey</b><br />
<b>2 Eggs</b><br />
<b>1 Tbsp. Yeast</b><br />
<b>1 Cup Sour Cream</b><br />
<b>1/2 Cup Potato Starch (or Tapioca Starch)</b><br />
<b>1 Cup Cornstarch</b><br />
<b>1/2 Tsp. Baking Soda</b><br />
<b>1 Tbsp. Baking Powder</b><br />
<b>2 Tsp. Xanthan Gum</b><br />
<b>1/2 Tsp. Salt</b><br />
<b>3/4 Tsp. Vinegar</b><br />
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<b>Directions:</b><br />
Preheat oven to 350F.<br />
Combine all ingredients and mix well to remove any lumps.<br />
The dough will be more of a sticky batter-like mess. Wet your hands to handle it. To make buns shape into balls or use an ice cream scoop to make them even. Place on greased baking tin, muffin tin or popover tin. OR if you want to make hot dog buns (which is what I did), shape into rectangle-ish shapes on a greased cookie sheet (or use parchment paper).<br />
Bake for 18-20 minutes, until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.<br />
Let cool, they will fall a little bit as they cool.<br />
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I think I'm going to see if I can get this to turn into some sort of pizza dough since it's something I will actually eat! (I just haven't been able to convince myself to eat gf bread/buns on a regular basis, but these are good!)<br />
I'm also hoping the dough might substitute for my Deep Fried Cheese Balls that I used to make! I think this recipe is definitely worth some experimentation, plus it's a really economical recipe as well requiring things you can find in pretty much any grocery store!<br />
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<br /></div>Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-18652105618429666422012-05-25T12:22:00.001-06:002012-05-25T12:22:17.370-06:00Using Dried Beans<div style="text-align: center;">
I have had a friend request a 'how to' on using dry beans, so here is my method :) </div>
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It can seem intimidating at first if you haven't done it, but once you have done it once you'll realize just how simple and convenient it is to always have beans ready to go. I do this once or twice a month.</div>
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1. Sort beans to remove any bad ones, or any dirt or rocks that may be in your bag. (You will be surprised what you can find!). I also remove any beans that float...my rationale is that if only a few are floating and most have sunk I go with the majority!</div>
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2. Place the amount of beans you want into your slow cooker pot, keeping in mind they will almost double in size! (My rule of thumb is less then half a pot, but more then a quarter). This can be done in a regular pot as well, but a slow cooker allows you to cook them the next day without monitoring them on the stove top.</div>
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<b> </b><i> note: some people add a few tsp. of baking soda at this point to help reduce gassiness after eating...our family is used to eating beans and it doesn't seem to bother us so I skip this step. </i></div>
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<b>NEVER add salt when cooking or soaking your beans or they will not become tender no matter how long you cook them!</b></div>
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3. Fill with water, almost to the top of the pot.</div>
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4. Let soak overnight. (8-12 hours)</div>
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5. The next morning, drain the water, rinse the beans and place back into the slow cooker. </div>
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6. Fill with water, almost to the top of the pot.</div>
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7. Cook on low for 8-12 hours (depends on heat of slow cooker, amount of beans etc.)</div>
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8. Beans are finished when fork tender (or if you like crunchier beans, stop cooking when they reach your desired texture).</div>
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9. Divide into containers (I do 3 cup portions, including bean juice) and freeze for later use.</div>
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There you have it. Easy peasy and so much cheaper then buying canned beans! I have done this with black beans and kidney beans, and both have worked really well. I always freeze them in their juices to avoid drying out and then depending on what recipe I'm putting them in I either rinse them or add everything in. I add black beans to almost every ground beef dish that I make. Sometimes as <a href="http://kitchen-addiction.blogspot.ca/2011/10/published-with-blogger-droid-v1_25.html">Refried Beans</a>, and other times I just add the beans plain.</div>
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Dry lentils do not need to be soaked, nor do they need to be cooked very long. For lentils, I rinse them well and then I boil them on the stove until tender (5-10 minutes) and then I blend and add them to things like macaroni and cheese for extra protein!</div>Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-83439185208337089062012-05-15T16:24:00.000-06:002012-05-15T16:24:57.156-06:00Quinoa Oat Muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_IEDLDfwcrrTMBkjLnmFYzEKZ2-ZbT_m_adsOHg2NEkK4xRBeLirikcj92uveip1FGvsEmtFqYsfoGDvZpFhgx0LBxuoFiZo0qwlcrfJ9Jhhyphenhyphen4cd9jcmb12FtVtKB865aYofzsujSkHM/s1600/QMuffins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_IEDLDfwcrrTMBkjLnmFYzEKZ2-ZbT_m_adsOHg2NEkK4xRBeLirikcj92uveip1FGvsEmtFqYsfoGDvZpFhgx0LBxuoFiZo0qwlcrfJ9Jhhyphenhyphen4cd9jcmb12FtVtKB865aYofzsujSkHM/s320/QMuffins.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I was so excited to find a GF recipe that didn't call for many different flours that I had to try this right away. I had just picked up some quinoa flour at <a href="http://www.bulkbarn.ca/en-ca/index.html">Bulk Barn</a> and was itching to try it out. I am a frequent shopper of bulk barn and I love it when they get a new gf product, I always get some to try right away! I love quinoa because of it's high nutritional content, and now I can use it more often! I use GF oats for this recipe, obviously if you aren't avoiding gluten then by all means use your regular oats!! This recipe is from <a href="http://virtuallyveganmama.com/2011/02/quinoa-oatmeal-mini-muffins.html">Virtually Vegan Mama</a> so these are vegan depending on the type of milk you use. I've made these with coconut milk (the drinking kind, not the thick canned kind) and also with cows milk and they both turned out great! Whether you are a gf house or just trying to eat healthier I would say give these a try. My kids love them and they are packed full of all sorts of good for you things!<br />
<br />
1 Tbsp. Ground Flaxseed mixed with 3 Tbsp. Water<br />
1 1/4 Cup Quinoa Flour<br />
1 Cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (not instant, but not steel cut either)<br />
2 Tsp. Baking Powder<br />
1/4 Tsp. Baking Soda<br />
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon<br />
1 Cup Milk (any type is fine)<br />
1/2 Cup Date Syrup (Recipe coming soon, if you don't have this use maple syrup or even honey instead)<br />
2 Tsp. Vanilla<br />
1/4 Cup Raisins<br />
1/4 Cup Chopped Dates<br />
1/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a muffin pan (or mini muffin pan).<br />
<br />
Mix 1 Tbsp. of Ground Flaxseed with 3 Tbsp. of Water, set aside.<br />
Mix together dry ingredients.<br />
In a separate bowl mix together flaxseed mixture and other wet ingredients.<br />
Mix everything together. Fold in raisins, dates and nuts. Mix until just combined. Spoon batter into muffin pans. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool slightly before removing from the pan. Enjoy! These are best enjoyed within a few days of baking but will last longer if stored in the fridge.Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-46224933056497325002012-05-03T21:53:00.002-06:002012-05-03T21:53:28.421-06:00Happy 1 Year!<div style="text-align: center;">
Last year, today, I started this blog...</div>
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I started it with the intent of sharing a few recipes and a few thoughts. I never thought I would be at almost 6,000 views and have as many posts as I do a year later! I also never thought this would end up being a mainly gluten free friendly blog nor did I imagine the major changes my life would undergo in a year! </div>
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Going gluten free has definitely been a major challenge and I have enjoyed being able to share my thoughts and recipes as I go along. I assure you, there have been some major flops, but I always look forward to a recipe that turns out. Not only for the joy of eating it, but also for the joy of being able to share the newly found knowledge in the hopes that I can save someone else the disappointment of a recipe disaster!</div>
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I love sharing recipes and new findings, and I hope to be able to continue to do so in the next year. As noted, this blog has turned into a gluten free blog (although I have not deleted non gluten free posts from before), and I hope that some of the recipes have still been relevant for the non gluten free kitchen! I miss real bread terribly so you may just find me in your kitchen chowing down on your freshly baked loaf of bread one of these days...I'll try to knock first :)</div>
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<i>Happy 1 Year to Kitchen Addiction! Here's to another year of good eating!</i></h3>Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-50836193589259939552012-05-02T08:55:00.001-06:002012-05-02T08:55:37.363-06:00Taco PieI love any type of meal that can be served from one dish. Things that I can prep earlier and then throw into the oven 30 minutes before supper. This taco pie certainly fits that bill.<br />
It's gluten free (of course) and quite tasty. I've made it two nights in a row, but the first night I followed a different recipe for the 'filling' and I wasn't happy with it. It was good, but forgettable. I knew I needed to make it again right away with changes so that it would be memorable and I would then remember to make it again later! The crust recipe is from <a href="http://www.dealwisemommy.net/2012/04/dinner-idea-real-taco-pie-2/">Here</a>, but I wouldn't make her meat recipe again. Like I said, it was good but not great. As soon as I bit into the original version of this pie, I had a lightbulb moment. Refried beans! That's what this needed. So without further ado....Taco Pie! (Which of course was gobbled up before I took a picture, that's what happens when a tasty supper is pulled out of the oven with 4 adults and 2 children looking on! Just imagine a taco pie and that's what it looked like!)<br />
<br />
Crust:<br />
1/4 Cup Butter<br />
2/3 Cup Milk<br />
1 Tbsp. Taco Seasoning<br />
2 1/2 Cups Instant Potato Flakes (as I've said before, not a huge fan of instant anything, but when cooking gluten free sometimes we have to make do!)<br />
<br />
Melt butter in a small pot. Add milk. Bring to a boil and add taco seasoning. Mix well. Remove from heat and add Potato Flakes. At this point you may need to add a few Tbsp. of water to get it to mix properly. You want a 'doughy' type of consistency, but you do want all the potato flakes mixed in.<br />
<br />
Press into a pie plate. Bake just the shell at 350F for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool (or if you are in a hurry add the filling right away and just bake. Prebaking/cooling just allows the crust to firm up a little bit, but it's not a complete must-do!)<br />
<br />
Filling:<br />
1 lb. Ground Beef<br />
1 <a href="http://kitchen-addiction.blogspot.ca/2011/10/published-with-blogger-droid-v1_25.html">Recipe of Refried Beans</a><br />
<br />
Cook and drain beef. Cook refried beans. Mix together. Scoop into shell. Bake at 350F for approx. 25-30 minutes or until the crust starts browning.<br />
Remove from oven and top with cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Serve with sour cream.Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-44605304340471807512012-04-19T21:17:00.000-06:002012-04-19T21:17:49.824-06:00Vodka Cream SauceThis is my first time cooking with alcohol beyond wine and I have to say I'm thoroughly impressed! The whole family gobbled it down in no time!<br />
I cooked up chicken breasts and cubed them, then put them into the sauce. Poured it all over rice pasta (a twisty kind, I'm really not sure what type!) and it was delicious. I haven't been able to stomach brown rice pasta very much since we switched and I ate a huge plate of this! And it was easy!! I was out of tomato sauce, so I used 2 tins of whole tomatoes (I blended them first), and 3 Tbsp. of tomato paste and let it boil for about 15 minutes before adding it to the recipe, worked like a charm!<br />
<br />
2/3 Cup Vodka<br />
1 Cup Whipping Cream/Heavy Cream<br />
3 Cups Tomato Sauce<br />
Meat (Bacon would taste good, I used chicken)<br />
Pasta of your choice.<br />
Parmesan cheese, for topping.<br />
<br />
Cook your meat, pour in vodka and boil for 4-5 minutes until it has reduced by about half. Add tomato sauce and cream. Let simmer for 20ish minutes. Serve hot over pasta of your choice and top with Parmesan cheese!Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-49926376147051659042012-04-13T09:09:00.000-06:002012-04-13T09:09:20.871-06:00Easy LunchBoxes<div style="text-align: center;">I have been searching for a year for the perfect lunchbox. With all the gluten free food I pack around I needed something! Everyone here has super fast metabolisms and they eat a lot more then the normal person, so when we all go out for the day I pack food enough for 6+ people even though there are only 4 of us! I was sick of zipper bags, wrong sized containers, and losing things in the diaper bag. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbfuH16LF13wtKvu_7_X_dIPztgNWX_mN1dFlA92duDGhGh8pd5il0S_WseP7HHbRSw9nBujFikeEXtBBpgTODhmOuL7548U9QkCopu3wgFHeZed_RT9gXuslLQx-8rPhseso6gQrtSo/s1600/lunchboxes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicbfuH16LF13wtKvu_7_X_dIPztgNWX_mN1dFlA92duDGhGh8pd5il0S_WseP7HHbRSw9nBujFikeEXtBBpgTODhmOuL7548U9QkCopu3wgFHeZed_RT9gXuslLQx-8rPhseso6gQrtSo/s320/lunchboxes.jpg" width="166" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture from www.easylunchboxes.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I came across the <a href="http://www.easylunchboxes.com/">Easy Lunchbox</a> and knew I had finally found the right ones! I ordered 2 sets of containers and 2 cooler bags from their <a href="http://www.amazon.com/b/qid=1?ie=UTF8&me=A1KTPR5SG7YG7D&_encoding=UTF8&tag=thelimelight&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325">Amazon store</a>. I can fit hubby's lunch for work into the cooler along with extras like yogurt cups and fruit. He loves the smaller side containers because the pickles for his sandwiches can be separate (without using a zipper bag every day!). Sounds like a small deal, but pickles make a sandwich soggy if you put them on the night before, especially on gluten free bread! For my kids I love all the separate compartments in each container because I can pack multiple snacks. I can also be assured that all the gluten free snacks for my son are separate from things only his sister can eat by assigning one container to each of them (we have all gone mostly gluten free but I still have some cereal bars etc. for when we are out for her). They are light to pack around. Who needs heavy weight just from containers in their bag? And the cooler allows me to pack foods that would normally not last very long in my bag. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-Iy94u2dR_OHt5Y6aaw4dxsq2BBBXyrLViyeJqUFryfnBm3v-ElUow5AYtQgatTpfLnfabRNMiLk1sVZoMbFQXIGiNiv_QHkxSNRc5K4f3TX7q-gQs-Dna0AcwzrMzJUnHsBsL5MaZE/s1600/4containersInASet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-Iy94u2dR_OHt5Y6aaw4dxsq2BBBXyrLViyeJqUFryfnBm3v-ElUow5AYtQgatTpfLnfabRNMiLk1sVZoMbFQXIGiNiv_QHkxSNRc5K4f3TX7q-gQs-Dna0AcwzrMzJUnHsBsL5MaZE/s320/4containersInASet.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture from www.easylunchboxes.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Customer service is AMAZING. I pulled a lid off one container and a small piece from the bottom broke off. Possibly a stress fracture from shipping who knows, the other ones didn't do it. I emailed customer service and within the hour Kelly Lester, mom & CEO, emailed me back offering a free replacement piece shipped to my door as well as tips for how to make them last as long as possible. No questions asked. I had ordered mine to be shipped to my parents who were in US for the winter. They are home now so she is shipping my replacement to me in Canada.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">They are definitely NOT flimsy take and toss pieces, and they do NOT discolour or warp in the dishwasher (2 things I hate about plastic containers). They are heat resistant enough that they can even go on the bottom of the dishwasher! I love the cooler size, 3 containers fit easily, or 2 plus extras. The lids, although not leakproof, offer quite a good seal. Enough that you don't worry about one compartment's food tasting like the others! They ARE plastic, so keep in mind that eventually they will wear out. But it depends on your use. Anywhere from 4-12 months is the lifespan. I suppose it depends if you hand wash or use a dishwasher, if you use them daily, if you abuse them, and if you just wipe them out (sandwich crumbs) at the end of the day and reuse vs washing them. From how sturdy they feel I expect them to last me a year or more!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">If you're on the hunt for lunchboxes I would recommend giving these a try. They are not so costly that you would strangle your kids (or husband lol) for losing them, but at the same time they are not cheapo ones that you would toss out on purpose for a long time!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">All in all I'm very happy with my purchase and with the follow up customer service!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">**I was not compensated in any way to write this review. I paid the same price everyone pays on Amazon! I'm just the type of person who shares when I find something I love! (Just ask all the people who own a <a href="http://www.bobgear.com/">BOB stroller</a> because of my raving!)**</span></i></div>Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-27002576485455388152012-04-12T07:21:00.001-06:002012-04-12T07:21:59.347-06:00Chocolae Mousse<p>I know I havent been on here in ages. With company, the kids, my courses (Ill have 12 credits in just under 16 weeks!!) and regular day to day stuff I have been swamped. So when I needed a dessert the other night I knew it needed to be fast!<br> <br/> This was the easiest thing Ive made in awhile and it was a hit!</p> <br/> <p>3 Cups Whipping Cream<br> <br/> 2/3 Cup Cocoa<br> <br/> 2/3 Cup Sugar</p> <br/> <p>I whipped the cream part way and then added the sugar and cocoa and whipped it the rest of the way but Im thinking I could have put it all in at once and it would have been just fine. Whip until desired consistency (fairly thick but not overdone).<br> <br/> Serve by itself or with fresh strawberries etc. Soooo tasty!</p> <br/> <div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.4</div>Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-38569850136468517152012-03-26T20:11:00.000-06:002012-03-26T20:11:24.878-06:00Laundry Soap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSAEwWZfxGZ1-TNH0Yi4h7epBRpvTr6-TLCSCmR5MEhyphenhyphenBf6T1FZtzPZHtWmomAha5si6e71dRPNzx56moNNW0Jfd9oAt4JLwdjAxalrrsYUw-n4MSQa9Ey-BaS4WUQAb645Z1VhzKjIxc/s1600/Laundry+Soap2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSAEwWZfxGZ1-TNH0Yi4h7epBRpvTr6-TLCSCmR5MEhyphenhyphenBf6T1FZtzPZHtWmomAha5si6e71dRPNzx56moNNW0Jfd9oAt4JLwdjAxalrrsYUw-n4MSQa9Ey-BaS4WUQAb645Z1VhzKjIxc/s320/Laundry+Soap2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I have been wanting to make my own laundry soap for awhile now but I had a stockpile of <a href="http://www.rockingreensoap.com/">Rockin Green </a>(which I love, but is pricey!) that I had purchased through a co-op buy for quite a good deal. I realized today that the stockpile had come to an end. Time to either buy more soap or make some. No more procrastinating!<br />
I was very particular about finding a powder recipe as I can't stand liquid soap, and I settled on this one from <a href="http://www.tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/">TipNut</a>. Very simple, very easy and very cost effective.<br />
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1 Cup Washing Soda<br />
1 Cup Borax<br />
2 Bars of Ivory Soap, grated<br />
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Of course I used my Vitamix :) It grated the soap up quite well, then I mixed all the ingredients in a large bowl and in small batches put it back into the Vitamix to blend it up thoroughly. The whole process took me less then 15 minutes. I'd say that's less time then reading all the labels in the grocery store trying to find a soap that doesn't have a ton of chemicals in it!<br />
It says to use 2 Tbsp. per load. I will probably use 1 because I have my <a href="http://norwex.com/norwex.php?lng=7&cnt=38">Norwex</a> <a href="http://norwex.com/productdetail.php?prd=108&ova=&ctg=5&lng=7&cnt=38">Magnet Ball</a> that allows me to use about half the amount of any soap!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHic1ENBDZK7evPEdjsfoop9HEvr5sHPsOvGDCEiEpGV-OqpZKtJVC2Y6gBRZjb6vKGTkRo6Pzq0YdxNR54bXijqqhg0RhTcSFDbKKyhdcktuFJx-xY23E67d3hCk8eZOw8K0o9gCuGc/s1600/Laundry+Soap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimHic1ENBDZK7evPEdjsfoop9HEvr5sHPsOvGDCEiEpGV-OqpZKtJVC2Y6gBRZjb6vKGTkRo6Pzq0YdxNR54bXijqqhg0RhTcSFDbKKyhdcktuFJx-xY23E67d3hCk8eZOw8K0o9gCuGc/s320/Laundry+Soap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Now, the cost breakdown, be prepared for a lot of numbers. I like to be thorough!</u></b></div><br />
(If I had planned ahead I'm sure I could have gotten some of these things on sale, but the fact that I found everything I needed in a small town grocery store is good enough for me today!)<br />
<br />
<i><b>Including GST</b></i><br />
Washing Soda, 3kg: $7.32, 1 Cup = 240g = $0.586/cup<br />
Borax, 2kg: $7.34, 1 Cup = 170g = $0.624/cup<br />
Ivory Soap, 3 bars: $2.30, 1 Bar = $0.767/bar x 2 bars = $1.533<br />
<br />
<br />
Total Soap Made = 3 Cups, 558g = $2.743<br />
<br />
Regular Use, 2 Tbsp = 22g = $0.108/load<br />
<br />
<b>Magnet Ball Use, 1 Tbsp = 11g = <u>$0.054/load</u> </b><i>(I feel this price could drastically be cut down if I planned ahead and bought everything on sale)</i><br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i>I haven't tried this on a load of wash yet since all my laundry is caught up (hence realizing I was running out of soap today!). But never fear, testing will commence soon! Laundry is unfortunately accumulating as we speak :)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br />
</i></div><div style="text-align: left;">I will post a usage review soon, and if it works then my next task is to find a dishwasher soap recipe that works as well!</div>Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6780107817522245477.post-21312211379854076842012-03-20T08:16:00.002-06:002012-03-23T12:25:39.006-06:00VITAMIX!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYwTx4lHrO_NYqFXqHglrJkvGN_IKAMYU7kMqt0qO5Lt4-tfSlM5IOy95jZT1toIfHYjchT_vdROlS51nYhT0e_iymY5NGjfJkg8gLVFhr1OPEsYk_gssDXVkYk1nvXxSVJFEvcKIQpng/s1600/vitamix2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYwTx4lHrO_NYqFXqHglrJkvGN_IKAMYU7kMqt0qO5Lt4-tfSlM5IOy95jZT1toIfHYjchT_vdROlS51nYhT0e_iymY5NGjfJkg8gLVFhr1OPEsYk_gssDXVkYk1nvXxSVJFEvcKIQpng/s1600/vitamix2.jpg" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div>"<a href="https://secure.vitamix.com/CA/default.aspx?index.aspx?COUPON=">Vitamix</a>!" is what I found myself shrieking as the doorbell rang yesterday. This coming from someone who doesn't usually become overly emotional about anything caused my husband and children to laugh at me all day. I don't care. My Vitamix is here!<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>If you remember (or care) I bought a <a href="http://kitchen-addiction.blogspot.ca/2011/05/juicing.html">juicer</a> last summer. I loved it, but it took a lot of effort to clean, a lot of fruit and veggies to get a good glass of juice and some veggies just don't taste nice when juiced lol. I decided I wanted a Vitamix. They are not cheap so I started selling kitchen items I don't use anymore. First to go was my wheat grinder attachment for the kitchen aid. I had ground wheat in it once and because gluten is glue you can never get rid of the dust in a machine like that especially one that doesn't go in the dishwasher. So I sold it! Next to go was my bread maker. Although it did have a gluten free setting, again it's one of those no dishwasher hard to clean items that I wasn't willing to risk. And I make bread at least 2 loaves at a time to keep up with my family, so out it went. Next was the juicer. Once I sold the juicer I gleefully clicked 'buy' on the Vitamix website and waited somewhat patiently. I opted for a reconditioned one for a couple of reasons. They are cheaper (Number 1 reason!), they still have a 7 year warranty, and although it didn't come with the optional cups (dry grinding cup etc.), they can be added later. (The packages that included those cups were <b>alot</b> more!) I wanted to make sure I would use it before I went overboard. The biggest downside is they only come in white, not really a problem for me!<br />
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</div><div>I am replacing a blender I bought at a liquidation store for $10 almost 10 years ago, and I am in love! </div><div>I had to go write a test yesterday and was gone most of the afternoon and I had to finish a paper in the morning so I didn't really get to experiment until last night except for making a smoothie for breakfast. It is an AMAZING machine! I started at just before 8pm and I made a smoothie for hubby's lunch for today, guacamole, soup, and sorbet! All by just after 930pm!</div><div><br />
</div><div><b><u>My 1 Day Review</u></b></div><div><br />
</div><div><b><u>What I like so far</u></b></div><div><b>1. Easy to clean </b></div><div> - Just fill part way with water and add a few drops of soap. Blend for a few seconds until clean!</div><div><b>2. Actually blends</b></div><div> - No more chewing parts of the smoothie!</div><div><b>3. Makes hot soup</b></div><div> - Not lukewarm, an actual nice hot eating temperature! In only 4 minutes!</div><div><b>4. Blends ice</b></div><div> - Properly! No chewy pieces in the sorbet I made.</div><div><b>5. Makes healthy taste good</b></div><div> - The sorbet I made had only 1 Tbsp. of sugar in it and I made enough for 3 adults to have a nice amount.</div><div><b>6. Provides quick meal options</b></div><div> - Soup in literally less then 15 minutes including prep (baking potatoes in the microwave). This is especially important since we lost all quick meal options when we went gluten free!</div><div><br />
</div><div><b><u>What I don't like so far</u> </b><i>(And I'm reaching here to find anything lol!)</i></div><div><b>1. High speed is really loud</b></div><div> - But that's kind of to be expected considering how powerful it is at that speed!</div><div><b>2. It's tall</b></div><div> - It doesn't fit under my cupboards with the jar and the lid on, but I don't really care. It will fit if I leave the lid off. </div><div><br />
</div><div>All in all I'm thoroughly impressed! Hubby was slightly skeptical about it when I first started talking about it, but as always humored me in my new found kitchen fascination. Last night he was impressed. He said it definitely exceeded his expectations. He was most impressed by the soup. The fact that steam was coming off the soup when it was done blending was the deal sealer!</div><div><br />
</div><div>If you are on the fence about whether this blender is worth it, in my opinion it is <b>definitely </b>worth it!. I have to do more experimenting, but I forsee it replacing my food processor, and possibly even my stand mixer! I have peanuts and pumpkin seeds sitting on the counter ready to make peanut butter and pumpkin seed butter later today...eee...sooooo excited! And after that, rice milk (made waaaay easier then what I was doing <a href="http://kitchen-addiction.blogspot.ca/2011/06/rice-milk.html">before</a>), seeing how it mixes my gluten free bread, different smoothies and soups, and lots more!</div><div><br />
</div><div>On that note, no more typing. My Vitamix is calling my name. I`m off to blend! I think we are going to eat soup a lot this week :)</div><div><br />
</div></div></div>Lee Annhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08587775174456551686noreply@blogger.com0