BBQ and family gathering season is in full swing!

I love chickpeas and have adopted them as a great protein source.  I love to add them to a lettuce salad and even better make them without lettuce in this recipe.  This is also a great recipe to make the day before a potluck or BBQ and let it marinate overnight.

What you will need:
Serves 4-6 (you can double this recipe if you like)

540ml can or 2 cups of chickpeas (approximately)
1/2 of an cucumber, chopped
1/2 of a red pepper, chopped
a handful of cherry tomatoes, chopped
a stock of celery, chopped
1/4 cup of red onion chopped
1 tsp of dried dill (or seasoning of your choice)
1/2 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp pepper
​1 tsp of lemon juice
3/4 cup of Italian salad dressing (store bought or homemade)

How to make it:
Chop all veggies, drain and rinse your chickpeas.  Combine veggies, chickpeas, seasoning and salad dressing and marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Stir it up a couple of times.  

Gluten free, dairy free and tasty!

Bring it to your BBQ, potluck or in a container for a healthy and satisfying at work lunch.  Fresh, crunchy and delicious!

I hope you are enjoying a wonderful Sunday!🍁

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Last weekend it was rather cold in Waterloo for May in fact we had snow!  Yikes

I decided to roast some things in the oven because it felt like the beginning of fall rather than spring and so I made roasted carrots and parsnips (purchased at the St Jacobs Market).

The recipe is as follows:

4 carrots
4 parsnips
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh dill

Chop the carrots and parsnips and mix with all the other ingredients and roast for about 1 hour at 375 degrees (depending on your oven).
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When fork tender and caramelized it's ready to serve.   A Tasty Side Dish!  

Enjoy and I hope you are having a great weekend!☀️☀️

These are yummy, easy "bake free" and can be made gluten free and dairy free if necessary

What you will need:

3 cups quick oats (Certified gluten free if necessary)
1 cup shredded coconut
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter, margarine or coconut oil (for dairy free)
1/2 cup milk (or non dairy substitute)

How to make them:

1. Mix oats and coconut together in a large bowl
2. Mix the next 4 ingredients in a pan on medium/low heat and stir until smooth, bring to a boil on medium heat for 2 minutes while stirring
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir well
4. Drop by tablespoons onto parchment lined cookies sheets - 2-3 of them

Cool, eat and enjoy!

 These also freeze well

​Happy Sunday!😊❤️

I hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful weekend with some sunny weather!
I just wanted to share this super easy granola recipe with you, it is so easy that there is no reason to buy granola and so tasty that you will have snackers attacking it right out of the oven!

 It is one of my treasured family recipes, no kidding it's in my "book" and if it is there it's good, but you will have to try it to see if it makes the cut for you and I believe it will!

​You will need:

• 4 cups of large flake oatmeal (you can use gluten free oats as well)
• 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 cups sliced almonds or pecans (or other nuts of your choice)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup honey

How to make it:​
Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees
Mix all ingredients together well and pour into a 13 x 18" pan and stir occasionally while it is cooking for about 35-45 minutes.  It should be golden brown.  Allow to cool, stir occasionally and store in an air tight container.

It is so simple to make, makes a large quantity all at once and has all natural ingredients. You never know what  is in granola that is purchased at the store. Preservatives?

I spent the last couple of days at my sisters and teaching my "Simply Colours" class at a business near her and she made this wonderful soup for me! It was delicious.  

If you are interested in learning tips on proper methods of canning and preserving as well as money saving advice and ideas check out her website at www.preserveforlife.com 

On to the recipe!
You will need:
5-6 cups of chicken stock ( Vegan =vegetable stock) or more as needed- see #4 below
1 1/4 cup red lentils
1 large garlic clove
1/2  large onion, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 large bell pepper diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs of celery diced
1 cup of chopped tomatoes
4 oz of mushrooms, chopped
1 cup of chopped green beans
1/2 bunch fresh spinach
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried basil
2 cups of rice (cooked)
1/4 cup of cilantro (optional)

How to make it:
1.  Combine stock, lentils, garlic, onion, salt and pepper in a large pot and bring to a boil.
2. Chop your vegetables and add to pot as they are ready along with tomato paste and seasonings
3.  Once to a boil, reduce to a simmer and stir every 10-20 minutes until lentils have broken down(at about 60-90 minutes).
4.  This is a thick soup , but 1/2" of liquid should cover the vegetables at all times, so add additional stock if needed. When lentils are soft it is ready to eat.
5.  Garnish with a scoop of rice and sprinkle with fresh cilantro
6.  It's even better the next day!!

This was so savoury and warming on a cold winter day!❄️⛄️

Recipe courtesy of www.preserveforlife.com

Happy Sunday!!

I have been gluten free now for about one and a half years and have been purchasing over priced small sliced, gluten free bread that I don't even like! Enough is enough!

 I decided to try this recipe and I feel like I have found gold!!  I know it looks a little lumpy, but the taste and texture is wonderful and the slice size is normal!

I just had to share and I hope that others enjoy it as much as I do.

What you will need:
YEAST MIX:

• 1½ Cup Water 
• 4 Tablespoons Honey
• 2½ teaspoons Dry Active Yeast 

DRY MIX:

• 3 Cups of all purpose gluten free flour mix (mine is "Our Compliments")
• 1½ teaspoons Xanthan Gum 
• 4 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt

WET MIX:

• 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
• ¼ Cup Olive Oil
• 2 Large Eggs  (or EnerG egg replacer)

How to make it:  (follow directions exactly for best results)

1. In measuring cup, measure & warm water to just above body temperature - should be warm to the touch (not hot or cold). Stir in Honey and add Yeast last. Set-aside & let proof for approx. 10 minutes.
2. Combine Dry Mix ingredients in small bowl.
3. Combine Wet Mix ingredients in bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
4. Mix just for a few seconds.
5. Add in the proofed Yeast Mix and mix again for just a few seconds.
6. Add the Dry Mix and beat on medium-high for approx. 3 minutes. Dough will be wet, but thick and sticky!
7. Oil and flour your  9 x 5" loaf pan 
8. Using a spatula, scrape the bread mixture into your prepared loaf pan and set on top of your stove to proof while the oven is preheating. Be sure to smooth out the loaf with wet fingers before proofing as the loaf will not smooth out itself.
9. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
10. It is important not to over-proof the bread - just let it rise until the mixture is approximately double in size (20-30 minutes depending on your room temperature.) Don't let it rise above your loaf pan… or just until it crests the top. 
11. Bake for approx. 30-45 minutes. If the crust is darkening too quickly, you can cover it with foil (tent open ended) and return to baking until done. 
12. Remove loaf pan from oven and let cool for 3-5 minutes before turning out onto your cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before attempting to cut into slices. Use a bread Knife to cut into even slices and wrap in saran and then place all in a zip lock bag to keep  fresh. Refrigerate or freeze to maintain freshness.

Also. after making and tasting this bread, I think you could add cinnamon and raisins to this and/or savoury herbs and spices and it would be wonderful this way as well.

I would love to hear what you think of this bread, please comment below if you make some.  

​Happy Sunday! 

Recently I shared a full dairy and wheat version of this classic and here is a recipe for the gluten free, dairy free version that I made and it is excellent.  I had to stop myself from eating them rapid fire!  They freeze well and are great with tea!!

Ingredients:
1 cup plus 2 1/2 tablespoons of rice flour
1/3 cup plus 2 1/4 teaspoons of potato starch
3 tablespoons plus 3/4 tsp tapioca flour
1/2 tsp xanthan gum (can use ground flax seed or chia seed as alternative)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons hazel nut flour (made from ground hazelnuts) (Could use almonds as well)
12 tablespoons coconut oil
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg 
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup rasberry jam

Sift all dry ingredients together except sugar, stir in hazelnut flour. Set aside. Combine coconut oil and sugar and mix on high until light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla and beat until just combined.  Add dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.  Chill for 2 hours 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Using a small scoop, drop by 1" balls onto a greased cookie sheet, make indents in centre and fill with jam. Bake 12-14 minutes or until edges are slightly golden.

Yum, You will not be disappointed!

Happy Sunday! I hope you have most of your Christmas Baking Done!

This is self explanatory if you look at the photo below, but I recently brought this to a potluck and thought I would share. Enjoy!

Happy Friday, I hope you are enjoying the Holiday Season!!

​Hi everyone, as you can see I have not posted since last wednesday as I was busy with the activities of the season!  I was attending a neighbourhood Christmas party, Christmas shopping, attending the Christkindl Market in Kitchener and baking of course.


​Check out the Christkindl Market at http://www.christkindl.ca a wonderful activity for the whole family in Kitchener, Ontario Canada- try to attend it next year!  This market had hand made baked goods, quality handcrafts, wonderful food and music and was a nice way to launch my husband and I into the Christmas spirit. 

This is a really good dense muffin, perfect for reheating and breakfast

​ mmmmmmmm! Enjoy

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup coconut or rice milk
• 2 large eggs ( or egg substitute)
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups Frozen or fresh Blueberries

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1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly  grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line with paper liners.Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt in a medium bowl until blended. Whisk together coconut oil,  coconut milk, eggs (or substitute), lemon zest and vanilla in a large bowl until combined. Stir in flour mixture until partially moistened. Fold in blueberries until evenly mixed. Batter will be thick, do not over stir. Divide batter evenly between muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full.Bake 10 minutes. Rotate pan and continue to bake about 10 minutes longer or until muffins are golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 3 minutes. Serve warm or remove to wire rack to cool completely.