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Blueberry or Cherry Yogurt

No need to buy flavored yogurt. Make your own! Blueberry or cherry yogurt are a cinch with just a few simple ingredients and none of the bad stuff.Blueberry Or Cherry Yogurt - Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Yogurt is one of my favorite foods! But if you gave me a container of store-bought flavored yogurt I probably wouldn’t touch it.

Most yogurt contains artificial flavor and color in addition to fillers and chemical sweeteners. Regardless of the health status of most yogurts, I think they are just way too sweet. Anybody else?

My family’s palates have definitely changed when it comes to how sweet our food is. So I’ve been making yogurt at home for years. Sometimes I make it from our raw milk. When we don’t have enough milk to spare I just buy plain, whole milk yogurt and add our own flavor.

When flavoring your own yogurt the possibilities are endless!  I come up with all sorts of creations, depending on what we have in the house. It’s fun to have variety.

I like to make cookies ‘n’ cream yogurt when we have homemade cocoa puffs, oreos® or brownies on hand. I’ve even been known to make caramel apple, strawberry swirl, cherry pie and a few other crazy flavors.

But two of our favorites (and two of the easiest) are blueberry and cherry. Just a few simple ingredients and you have the best yogurt you’ve ever tasted. No overpowering sweetness. No artificial flavor. Just pure, simple ingredients.

With blueberries and cherries in season this yogurt makes the perfect breakfast or snack any time of day. When the fresh fruit isn’t in season any more you can still enjoy delicious yogurt using frozen fruit.

If the flavor and health benefits aren’t enough, making your own flavored yogurt from large containers of plain yogurt really saves money. A single serving yogurt is about $1.00. You can buy a tub of plain yogurt for about $2.00 and make six servings out of it. That is a huge savings.

I like to take five minutes in the evening to prepare individual yogurts. Then breakfast is ready when we get up in the morning. You can even take it on the go.

If you like fruit on the bottom yogurt you’ll love my versions of blueberry and cherry yogurt. Stir in some homemade granola for a complete breakfast treat. What is your favorite yogurt flavor?

Blueberry Or Cherry Yogurt - Homemade Dutch Apple Pie 2

This post is linked to From The Archives Friday.

Blueberry or Cherry Yogurt
Serves 1
A quick and flavorful variation of yogurt without any fillers.
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup whole milk yogurt or coconut milk yogurt
  2. 2 Tbsp. pure blueberry juice or cherry juice
  3. 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
  4. 1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries or cherries
Instructions
  1. Combine the yogurt, juice, syrup and fruit.
  2. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
Notes
  1. If using frozen fruit it is best to let the yogurt sit for at least one hour to let the fruit thaw.
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In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. It will not change the cost of any products for you.

Dairy Free Egg Free Creamy Butterscotch Pudding

df ef butterscotch pudding

Homemade pudding is such a tasty treat! But typical pudding is made with milk and eggs. That eliminates pudding for many people with allergies.

I recently made a dairy free chocolate pudding for my son. It was a huge hit. But over the last few weeks I’ve been wondering if eggs are bothering him again. I didn’t want to take away his special treat.

So I experimented with a new pudding that is also egg free.

This butterscotch pudding is creamy and delicious! It is so “buttery” that I almost called it caramel pudding. It is also very healthy with its gut-healing gelatin.

My son likes to eat it with crushed graham crackers mixed in. It’s like his own little pudding trifle.

I just love that it’s safe for him to eat, easy to make and filled with good stuff.

Are you looking for an easy treat that is dairy, egg, nut and gluten free? This is it! It only takes about ten minutes to make so you can have it in no time.

df ef butterscotch pudding 2

Dairy Free Egg Free Creamy Butterscotch Pudding
Serves 4
A creamy butterscotch pudding that is gluten, egg and dairy free.
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup coconut milk
  2. 3/4 cup milk substitute (oat, rice, almond, etc.)
  3. 3/4 cup coconut sugar or sucanat
  4. 1 tsp. gelatin
  5. 2 1/2 Tbsp. tapioca flour
  6. 1/4 tsp. sea salt
  7. 1 tsp. organic vanilla
Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan combine the milks, sugar, gelatin, flour and salt.
  2. Let set one minute while gelatin is absorbed.
  3. Cook pudding over medium heat, whisking frequently.
  4. When pudding thickens remove from heat (this takes about 10 minutes).
  5. Add vanilla. Whisk.
  6. Pour into serving dishes.
  7. Serve immediately or refrigerate. The pudding will become firmer as it cools.
Just Take A Bite https://justtakeabite.com/


In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Red White and Blue Swirl Ice Cream

Red white and blue swirl ice cream is a colorful and festive ice cream made with raw cream, fresh fruit and grass-fed gelatin. The perfect summer treat!red white and blue swirl ice creamRed, white, and blue in your ice cream too? YES!

As I was planning my weekly ice cream flavor recently I decided to make something for Independence Day.

There are plenty of red, white, and blue foods you can buy at the store. But it’s hard to find one without food coloring.

This red, white, and blue swirl ice cream uses only real ingredients to create a colorful treat.

Raw cream, egg yolks, and natural sweeteners are used as the ice cream base. Then as an added bonus it has grass-fed gelatin (use code TAKE10 for 10% off) to bump up the nutrition.red white and blue swirl ice cream 3

You can make it with dairy or without. We made a batch of each so the whole family could enjoy it!

My kids love this fun, festive ice cream. Not to mention the swirl is great plain!

There is no need to resort to junk food to celebrate a holiday with bright colors. Real food is good food. And it can be just as colorful and flavorful.

This Independence Day enjoy a big dish of red, white, and blue swirl ice cream.

red white and blue swirl ice cream 2

Red, White and Blue Swirl Ice Cream
A colorful and festive ice cream made with real ingredients.
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Red Swirl
  1. 1 cup strawberries (or raspberries) (fresh or frozen)
  2. 1 tsp. gelatin
  3. 1/3 cup sweetener (cane sugar, coconut sugar, honey)
Blue Swirl
  1. 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
  2. 1 tsp. gelatin
  3. 1/3 cup sweetener (cane sugar, coconut sugar, honey)
Ice Cream
  1. 2 1/2 cups cream (preferably raw) (can be replaced with coconut milk)
  2. 1/2 cup whole milk (preferably raw) (can be replaced with coconut milk)
  3. 1/2 cup sweetener (any combination of cane sugar, coconut sugar, honey or maple syrup)
  4. 1 Tbsp. organic vanilla
  5. 1 - 3 egg yolks (optional)
  6. 1 Tbsp. tapioca flour or arrowroot (optional, helps thicken, especially if not using yolks)
  7. 1/4 tsp. sea salt
Red and Blue Swirls
  1. In a small saucepan combine the strawberries and gelatin.
  2. Let sit one minute.
  3. Add the sweetener.
  4. Cook over med-low heat until mixture begins to bubble.
  5. simmer for two minutes.
  6. Pour strawberry mixture into a bowl.
  7. Refrigerate until fully gelled, about 30 minutes.
  8. Repeat this process with the blueberries.
  9. Set aside half of the mixtures for later use.
Ice Cream
  1. Cut the strawberry and blueberry jellies into small chunks if really firm. Set aside.
  2. In a blender combine the cream, milk, sweetener, vanilla, egg yolks, flour and salt. Blend until smooth.
  3. Process the ice cream in an ice cream mixer according to manufacturer's directions.
  4. During the last 2 minutes of processing add the strawberry and blueberry jelly.
  5. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container.
  6. Freeze until firm.
Notes
  1. This recipes makes enough strawberry and blueberry swirl for two batches of ice cream. You can also use the leftover swirl to eat plain or use as jelly.
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Honeyed-Dew

honeyed-dewI often serve some kind of fruit side dish with our dinner. I try to have variety or simply make fruit salads with whatever fruit we have on hand and is in season.

Recently as I was preparing dinner I was trying to think of what to do with the fruit we had on hand. My son is allergic to grapes and bananas. So those were out. That left honeydew.

We all enjoy honeydew plain. But I wanted to spruce it up a bit. So our honeydew became honeyed-dew.

The honeyed-dew only took about 30 seconds to prepare. It was so refreshing at dinner, and everyone liked it. My son kept sucking on the fruit like a popsicle.

You can make it in a bowl to serve to a group or put the honeydew on sucker or popsicle sticks for a cool treat kids will eat any time of day.

If you don’t have honeydew you can use a different type of melon. You could even use grapes or berries. No matter what fruit you choose this is a healthy, simple side dish or snack.honeyed-dew 2

Honeyed-Dew
A simple and refreshing side dish or fun treat for kids.
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup honeydew, cut into chunks
  2. 1 Tbsp. honey
  3. 1/4 tsp. sea salt (optional)
Instructions
  1. Place the honeydew in a bowl or on sticks.
  2. Drizzle with honey.
  3. Sprinkle with salt.
  4. Mix or spread over the fruit.
  5. Freeze the fruit for about 60 minutes.
  6. Stir before serving to make sure the syrup covers the fruit.
Notes
  1. This recipe can easily be doubled, tripled, etc. depending on how many you are serving.
  2. The "popsicles" can stay in the freezer for an easy snack.
Just Take A Bite https://justtakeabite.com/

Homemade Chocolate Covered Toffee

chocolate covered toffee

Did you grow up eating candy bars like Heath and Skor? I did. They were two of my favorites!!

I recently made a homemade version of chocolate covered toffee. It reminds me of my childhood favorites. Milk chocolate outside. Buttery toffee inside.

Homemade Chocolate Covered Toffee

The best part is that these chocolates only contain real ingredients and are super easy to make!

I made them for a Father’s Day treat. They would also be perfect for Valentine’s Day. I wouldn’t mind having them on hand any time for a sweet treat.

Easy Grain-Free Dessert

I used candy molds to make them into individual chocolates. You could also make a batch in a large pan and break it into pieces to be more like a candy bar. Either way you can’t go wrong.

These chocolates are gluten, grain, nut and egg free. So they are a perfect treat for someone with allergies.

chocolate covered toffee 2

Homemade Chocolate Covered Toffee
Yields 30
Homemade buttery toffee topped with milk chocolate.
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Ingredients
  1. 3 Tbsp. honey
  2. 1/4 cup butter
  3. 1/2 cup brown cane sugar, sucanat or coconut sugar
  4. 1/4 - 1 tsp. salt (to taste)
  5. 12 oz. chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. In a small sauce pan combine the honey, butter, sugar and salt.
  2. Cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to bubble, stirring frequently.
  3. Continue to simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and pour the toffee into a parchment lined 8" baking dish.
  5. Allow to cool in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
  6. While the toffee is cooling melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler.
  7. Fill the bottom of candy molds with chocolate (1/4 - 1/3 full) or pour 1/3 of chocolate into a parchment lined 8" baking dish.
  8. Allow the chocolate to firm in the fridge.
  9. When the toffee is cool enough to handle, break or cut it into small pieces (if using molds).
  10. Place a piece of toffee on top of the chocolate layer in each mold or lay the entire toffee piece on the layer of chocolate in a baking pan.
  11. Top the toffee with the remaining melted chocolate.
  12. Allow to cool in the refrigerator until completely firm (at least 30 minutes).
  13. Remove chocolates from mold or break chocolate into bars/large chunks.
  14. Store in a closed container in the refrigerator.
Notes
  1. If you are making individual chocolates, there will be leftover toffee. This makes enough toffee for about two batches of chocolates (use 24 oz. chocolate chips to use up all of the toffee).
  2. The toffee is great on its own.
  3. If you add extra honey the toffee will be more like chewy caramel for chocolate covered caramels.
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Easy Beef and Bean Enchilada Bake (gluten, egg, dairy, nut, rice free)

beef and bean enchilada bakeSometimes it is very tough to cook for my family. I have to work around food allergies and intolerances. Of course they are different for everyone in the family. So normally I end up cooking a lot of separate items so everyone can feel good and eat well. But it is a lot of work!

It’s pretty rare that I make casseroles. It’s hard to make one that we can all eat. But last week I came up with a super easy casserole that we all enjoyed! I actually did make it three different ways to meet our needs. The big difference was that making different versions didn’t require any extra work.

The main recipe uses tortilla chips, ground beef, tomato sauce, beans and cheese. I left the cheese out for my son’s dairy free version. My version was simply ground beef, cheese and beans so that it was corn and tomato free.

This casserole is naturally gluten, egg, rice and nut free. You can make it dairy free by leaving out the cheese. There is still plenty of flavor. If you don’t tolerate corn you can substitute another starch like cooked rice or quinoa.

I loved that I found a way to use up the bits of tortilla chips at the bottom of the bag instead of throwing them away. If you’re looking for a super easy, allergen-friendly dinner this is it.

Easy Beef and Bean Enchilada Bake
A quick prep casserole that is allergen-friendly and has big enchilada flavor.
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Ingredients
  1. 1 lb. ground beef (or turkey or chicken)
  2. 15 oz. tomato sauce
  3. 1 Tbsp. tapioca flour, arrowroot or cornstarch
  4. 2 cups pinto beans (cooked)
  5. 2 cups crushed tortilla chips
  6. 2 cups shredded cheese (optional)
  7. salt and garlic powder to taste
Instructions
  1. Brown the meat. Season with salt and garlic powder.
  2. With the heat still on, sprinkle the flour over the meat and mix.
  3. Add the tomato sauce.
  4. Simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste. Remove from heat.
  5. Heat the oven to 350*F.
  6. In a 2 qt. casserole layer 1/3 of the crushed chips, 1/3 of the meat mixture and 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat layering two times.
  7. Bake, covered, for 35 minutes.
  8. Remove cover and bake another 5 minutes.
Notes
  1. The tortilla chips can be replaced with another starch like cooked rice or quinoa.
  2. This can be turned into a skillet meal by sprinkling the cheese and chips into the pan of meat after simmering the sauce.
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This salted dark chocolate ice cream has the perfect balance of salty and sweet in creamy, rich chocolate.

Salted Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

This salted dark chocolate ice cream has the perfect balance of salty and sweet in creamy, rich chocolate.This salted dark chocolate ice cream has the perfect balance of salty and sweet in creamy, rich chocolate.

In the summer I make ice cream a LOT. Usually it’s once or twice a week. I make some of our favorites quite often – mint chocolate chip, vanilla paired with hot fudge, chocolate and candy bar.

In addition to the standards I love to experiment with new flavors! I’ve made blueberry cheesecake, rhubarb pecan, sea salt caramel and even blue moon (plus many others).This salted dark chocolate ice cream has the perfect balance of salty and sweet in creamy, rich chocolate.

For my latest ice cream creation I made something dear to my heart…salted dark chocolate ice cream.

I love putting salt on my ice cream (crazy pregnancy hormones make me crave salty and sweet together…now I’m hooked). It really brings out the sweetness. I especially love adding salt to chocolate ice cream.This salted dark chocolate ice cream has the perfect balance of salty and sweet in creamy, rich chocolate.

I figured I might as well put salt IN my ice cream instead of adding it every time I scoop a dish.

I combined cocoa powder and carob powder to get a really rich, dark chocolate flavor. Then I added plenty of unrefined sea salt to give a good contrast.

salted dark chocolate ice cream collage

If you tolerate nuts, chopped almonds would be great in this ice cream. If you don’t tolerate dairy you can make it with coconut milk. It still tastes wonderful!This salted dark chocolate ice cream has the perfect balance of salty and sweet in creamy, rich chocolate.

Are you like me and grew up eating a Wendy’s Frosty along side french fries? That’s what this salted chocolate ice cream reminded me of as I was eating it.  YUM! Chocolate plus salt…what could be better?!

Even my daughter LOVES it. So it is very kid friendly. It’s a perfect summer treat.

If you like chocolate ice cream you’ll love this salted dark chocolate ice cream. It’s like chocolate ice cream kicked up a notch.

This post is linked to Allergy Free Wednesday.This salted dark chocolate ice cream has the perfect balance of salty and sweet in creamy, rich chocolate.

Salted Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
A rich chocolate ice cream with a hint of sea salt to bring out the sweetness.
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Ingredients
  1. 21/2 cups cream (preferably raw) (can be replaced with full fat coconut milk)
  2. 1/2 cup whole milk (preferably raw) (can be replaced with full fat coconut milk)
  3. 1 - 3 egg yolks (optional)
  4. 3/4 cup sweetener - honey, maple syrup, cane sugar, coconut sugar
  5. 1/3 cup organic cocoa powder
  6. 1/4 cup carob powder (can be replaced with cocoa powder)
  7. 1 Tbsp. vanilla
  8. 1 Tbsp. tapioca flour or arrowroot (optional)
  9. 1/2 - 1 tsp. unrefined sea salt (to taste)
Optional add-ins
  1. 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
  2. 1/2 cup chopped almonds
  3. 1/2 cup dried cherries
Instructions
  1. In a blender combine the cream, milk, egg yolks, sweetener, cocoa powder, carob, vanilla and flour. Blend until smooth.
  2. Add salt, starting with 1/2 tsp. Blend. Taste and adjust to liking.
  3. Process the ice cream according to manufacturer's directions (mine takes about 20 minutes in a Kitchen Aid attachment).
  4. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe dish. Stir in add-ins.
  5. Freeze until firm.
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Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake

 

Strawberry rhubarb cheesecake is a a rich and creamy dessert that is gluten and nut free and combines the flavors of spring and summer.This Gluten Free strawberry rhubarb cheesecake is perfect for any summer celebration.For Father’s Day this year I decided to spoil my husband with a special dessert. He’s always interested in new recipes that utilize the rhubarb from our garden. So I combined that with one of our favorite treats – cheesecake!

This cheesecake is packed with flavor. The rhubarb is slightly tart, the strawberries are sweet, and the cheesecake is slightly tangy. Combined you get a perfect balance.gf strawberry rhubarb cheesecake 3

One of the best parts about this dessert is that you can make it 100% from scratch, right down to the graham cracker crumbs and cream cheese. All of the components of the cheesecake can be made in advance. Then the assembly is quite simple.

gf strawberry rhubarb cheesecake collage

I also love that you can make this cheesecake gluten and nut free. I use my homemade gluten free graham crackers for the crust. If you want to soak your grains I have a soaked version as well. If you don’t need it to be gluten free you could also make whole wheat, soaked whole wheat or sourdough grahams. I make homemade cream cheese from yogurt and sour cream from raw cream.

Strawberry rhubarb cheesecake does take a little planning and preparation. But each component requires very little hands on time. You just have to start a day or two (or even a week if that works best for your schedule) in advance of when you want the cheesecake to be ready. It makes a wonderful treat for a special occasion. Even kids will love it!

The next time you want an extra special spring confection try strawberry rhubarb cheesecake. You can spoil one (or all!) of the special dads in your life with this delicious dessert.

gf strawberry rhubarb cheesecake 4

Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake
A rich and creamy cheesecake that is gluten free, totally from scratch and perfect for spring.
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Cheesecake
  1. 1/2 recipe graham crackers (about 2 cups crushed, see links in post for recipes)
  2. 3 Tbsp. organic cane sugar, sucanat or coconut sugar
  3. 6 Tbsp. butter, melted
  4. 2 cups cream cheese at room temp (preferably homemade - see link in post for recipe)
  5. 1 cup sour cream (preferably homemade - see link in post for recipe)
  6. 1 1/4 cups organic cane sugar, sucanat or coconut sugar
  7. 3 eggs
  8. 1 tsp. vanilla
  9. 1 Tbsp. organic lemon juice (optional)
Strawberry Rhubarb Filling/Topping
  1. 3 cups total of strawberries and rhubarb, diced
  2. 2 Tbsp. butter
  3. 1/4 cup organic brown cane sugar, sucanat or coconut sugar
Instructions
  1. Prepare the graham crackers, cream cheese and sour cream.
  2. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor or blender to make crumbs.
  3. Cook the strawberries and rhubarb in 2 Tbsp. butter and 1/4 cup sugar in a small pan for about 10 minutes, until soft.
  4. Divide the strawberry rhubarb mixture - 1/3 for the filling and 2/3 for topping. Let cool.
When ready to prepare the cheesecake
  1. Heat oven to 350*F.
  2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, 6 Tbsp. butter and 3 Tbsp. sugar. Press mixture into the bottom of an 8" or 9" spring form pan.
  3. Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
  4. Gently spread 1/3 of the strawberry rhubarb mixture onto the crust.
  5. In a large bowl beat the cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla and 1 1/4 cups sugar until smooth.
  6. Add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition.
  7. Add lemon juice if desired.
  8. Pour the cheesecake batter over the strawberry rhubarb filling.
  9. Place the spring form pan in a large pan.
  10. Fill the bottom pan half way with water.
  11. Bake the cheesecake for 90 minutes.
  12. Turn the oven off and allow the cheesecake to set in the oven for 30 minutes.
  13. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.
  14. Top slices with the remaining strawberry rhubarb mixture when serving.
Notes
  1. The graham crackers can be prepared up to 3 weeks before making the cheesecake.
  2. The cream cheese and sour cream can be prepared up to 1 week before making the cheesecake.
  3. Any ratio of strawberries and rhubarb will work. I used 2:1 rhubarb to strawberries to let the rhubarb flavor stand out.
  4. The strawberry rhubarb filling is optional. You can make the cheesecake without the filling and just use the topping.
  5. The topping can be served cold, room temperature or warm.
  6. If you like a very firm cheesecake chill it in the freezer for about an hour before serving.
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 This post is shared on Allergy Free Wednesday.

Gluten Free Dairy Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies

gf df chocolate chunk cookies

 Who doesn’t love chocolate chip cookies? I know I do! I grew up in a house that always had fresh chocolate chip cookies on hand. My mom is known for her cookies. There is no special recipe. But she knows how to make them just right.

Last week I decided to bake a batch of cookies for one of our Father’s Day goodies. But I wanted to make them so the whole family could enjoy them – allergies and all.

This is my version of chocolate chip cookies that is gluten, dairy, rice and nut free. They are light and crunchy. A perfect treat for everyone.

The next time you have a craving for cookies try a batch of these chocolate chunk cookies. 

This post is shared on Allergy-Free Wednesday.

gf df chocolate chunk cookies 2

Gluten Free Dairy Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Yields 3
A light and crispy chocolate chip cookie that is very allergen-friendly.
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Ingredients
  1. 2 cups any combination of gluten free flours (i.e. white rice, brown rice, amaranth, tapioca, sorghum)*
  2. 1 tsp. baking soda
  3. 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  4. 3/4 cup organic palm shortening
  5. 1 1/2 cups coconut sugar, sucanat, cane sugar or brown cane sugar (using half each of two kinds of sugar gives great flavor)
  6. 1 tsp. organic vanilla
  7. 3 eggs
  8. 1 -2 cups gf df chocolate chunks (or any chip you like)
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 350*F.
  2. Cream the shortening and sugars.
  3. Add the vanilla and eggs. Beat well.
  4. Add the dry ingredients. Mix well.
  5. Stir in the chocolate chunks.
  6. Place on an ungreased baking sheet in 1-2 tablespoon scoops.
  7. Bake 15 - 18 minutes (shorter for softer cookies, longer for crispier cookies).
  8. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets before moving the cookies to a cooling rack.
Notes
  1. *The cookies will turn out best if at least 1/3 of the flour mix is a "white" flour like white rice or tapioca.
Just Take A Bite https://justtakeabite.com/
 

In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Pesto Quinoa Salad

pesto quinoa salad

It’s that time of year again. Time for picnics and potlucks and family gatherings. It’s always tough to figure out what to bring.

Are you sick of potato salad and pasta salad? Or are your kids like mine and won’t touch either of those anyway?

This pesto quinoa salad is my solution! It has a lot of flavor from the pesto. But it’s not overpowering. So even my sensitive palate daughter enjoys it.

The other great part is that this salad is very allergen friendly. It basically has three ingredients – quinoa, peas and olive oil. You can swap peas for another vegetable if you don’t like them or don’t tolerate them.

As an added bonus you don’t have to worry about this salad spoiling after being outside for a little bit.

Pesto quinoa salad can be served as a warm side dish or chilled. The leftovers are great for easy lunches. You can add a little cooked chicken for a complete meal. I even added a few chickpeas and topped it with a fried egg for lunch! It was delicious.

I use a very simple pesto made with peas. A traditional basil or spinach pesto would also be delicious. For a nutrient boost you could even make it with pummus!

If you’re looking for an alternative salad for your next picnic or just want a new side dish for your dinner at home try this pesto quinoa salad. Both of my kids said it was great! If they approve, it must be good.

 pesto quinoa salad 2

Pesto Quinoa Salad
Serves 4
A simple spring salad that is perfect for picnics.
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Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup quinoa - soaked and drained
  2. 1 cup water or chicken broth
  3. 1/2 - 1 cup peas (frozen, thawed or fresh)
  4. 1/4 cup pesto (I use pesto made with peas* - you can use any pesto you like)
To taste (optional)
  1. salt
  2. garlic powder
  3. parmesan cheese
  4. chopped nuts
Instructions
  1. Soak the quinoa for 1 - 24 hours. Rinse and drain.
  2. Bring water or broth to a boil in a sauce pan. Add the quinoa, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 12 minutes.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat. Keep the lid on.
  4. After 10 minutes add the peas to the pan of quinoa. Cover and let sit 5 - 10 minutes.
  5. Stir in the pesto.
  6. Season to taste.
  7. Add nuts or cheese if desired.
  8. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.
Notes
  1. If you are taking this to a group gathering double or triple the recipe.
  2. *For a simple pesto blend 2 cups thawed peas, 1/2 - 1 cup extra virgin olive oil (can replace some of the oil with water for a milder flavor), sea salt and garlic powder to taste in a blender until smooth.
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