Basic Bean Soup When I was first learning my way around the kitchen and figuring out how to cook real meals for real people, I steered as far away from soup as possible. For some dumb reason, making soup seemed really difficult. Maybe it had something to do with all those different ingredients swirled together in one pot. Where do you start? I was totally intimidated. After a few years of giving soup the silent treatment, though, I finally decided to figure it out. I quickly discovered that making soup is actually one of the easiest kitchen skills! Heat some olive oil, add meat if you want, saute a bunch of vegetables, add seasonings, cover with Keep Reading
Gluten & Dairy Free Peanut Butter Cups (recipe)
Peanut Butter Cups (Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free) Looking for a yummy dessert to make for those with food allergies or dietary restrictions? How about Peanut Butter Cups? This recipe can be vegan, dairy-free, and/or gluten-free -- it's flexible enough to be experimented with and still comes out delicious. Gluten & Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Cups Adapted from Oh She Glows; Makes 12 cups Ingredients 3/4 cup almond flour/meal (grind almonds in a food processor or high-powered blender if you can't find flour or meal in the store) 3 T coconut flour or oat flour (if using oat flour increase to 1/4 cup) 2 T peanut, almond, or sun butter 2 T Keep Reading
Easy no-bake energy bites (gluten, dairy, and sugar-free recipe)
Easy No-Bake Energy Bites One day last spring, my daughter's kindergarten group had to present a skill to the rest of the class. The boys didn't exactly think outside of the box. Every single one of them brought Legos. Oh yes, could you explain in great detail one more time just exactly how you created that ninja-pirate-laser-crocodile ship? Don't get me wrong, I think little boys are absolutely awesome. But I have to say, the girls dominated show-and-tell that day, especially the little girl who did a cooking demonstration with this recipe for no-bake energy bites. So simple, even a five year old can make them! And so delicious, no one was turning Keep Reading
Roasted Vegetable Winter Salad (gluten-free, dairy-free recipe)
Roasted Vegetable Winter Salad (gluten-free, dairy-free recipe) I used to be terrible at feeding myself lunch. I'd whip out lunch plates for my family like a short order cook at rush hour, but when it came to my own plate I rarely sat down to eat a real meal. I'd peck at some nuts and seeds or nibble on cheese and crackers like some kind of bird, while throwing in a load of laundry, emptying the dishwasher, and responding to three emails. Then I couldn't figure out why I was snappy and shaky and eating a fistful of chocolate chips at three in the afternoon. For the past month or so, I have been making a focused effort to eat a filling, nutritious Keep Reading
Cowboy Caviar (a gluten-free, dairy-free recipe)
Cowboy Caviar The first time I ate Cowboy Caviar was with Herman the Sturgeon. My friend Rebecca and I had just finished hiking back to Wahclella Falls with our crew of little people. We drove over to Bonneville Dam and spread our picnic blanket under the trees next to Herman's tank. The kids bounced around on the grass while we ate lunch together. I quickly ditched my trusty pb&j's and started shoveling Rebecca's Cowboy Caviar in my mouth instead. It was the perfect lunch for hungry hikers and a sunny afternoon. You can whip this delicious concoction together in less than 10 minutes. Pop the lid on the container, grab a bag of tortilla chips, Keep Reading
Macaroon Trees (gluten-free, dairy-free dessert)
Macaroon Trees (a gluten-free, dairy-free recipe) I showed up for New Years Eve with zero resolutions and one platter of macaroon trees. So far, 2015 is looking good (pretty much like 2014...). This is quite possibly the easiest dessert recipe I have ever shared with you. The five ingredients are mixed together in one bowl, shaped directly on the pan, and baked for just 12 minutes. From start to finish, it took maybe 30 minutes to create a sweet little forest of coconut trees. And this was my first time ever making macaroons. I saw the original recipe in a Martha Stewart Living magazine. I had always thought of macaroons as a fussy dessert, like Keep Reading
Gluten-Free Deals: Amazon’s best gluten-free deals
Gluten-Free Deals Here are the best gluten-free deals running at Amazon right now: Lucy's Gluten Free Cookies Snack 'n Go Pack -- $4.99 Final Price: $4.99 each (This is an add-on item that can be purchased with an order of $25 or more.) **Compare to $5.18 each from Walmart.com! Larabar Uber Roasted Nut Bar, 15 pk -- $17.04 Save 5% and Free Shipping with Subscribe & Save Final Price: $16.19 or $1.08 each **Compare to $1.79 each from Walmart.com! Glutino Gluten Free Parmesan Garlic Bagel Chips, 6 oz - 6 pk -- $23.40 Final Price: $3.90 each **Compare to $4.85 each from Walmart.com! Glutino Gluten Free Strawberry Keep Reading