Tag: Gluten Free

• Banana Buckwheat “Hikecakes”

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on February 17, 2017

  So this happened last week. 

  

  The thing is I used to really dislike when it snowed. Borderline despised it. The snow either put a damper on my plans, or caused me anxiety because I “had to drive in it.” Before my current HR job with Starbucks I’d worked in customer service. When you’re scheduled to work in a job like that, your team relies on you to be there. There were many times I drove to work in the snow when I should have stayed home.

  I had momentary thoughts that there wasn’t quite enough snow for me to call out. How often do we tell ourselves something isn’t enough, when really it has far surpassed any quantifiable amount? Or rather it’s not something that needs a defining amount at all?

  It’s not that my job now doesn’t need me, or that I enjoy abandoning my team, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve realized it’s OK to put your safety before anything else. My commute to Seattle would have made for a treacherous adventure in this, and despite the twinge of guilt I felt for staying home, I relished in the joy of this white blanket of death.

  

  I slowed down. I savored coffee. I reflected. I found the beauty in the snow. The above photo pointed out the multiple difference species of trees that surround my house. There are five showcased in this photo, but there are more in the surrounding panoramic view. I stared at these trees for many long minutes, thinking about how thankful I am to live in a place like this.

  The snow held strong the following few days, and by day three I was ready for it to go. For me snow is best kept in the mountains, where I have a choice to spend time with it or not. Regardless I enjoyed my extra day away from work, giving me a total of six days off. Oh how I love working part time.

  

  Slowing down and staying inside inspired me to test out a new pancake recipe. I don’t often create new recipes these days for a myriad of reasons, but I was determined to find one that my body would handle. I often have to trade presentation and texture for taste, or vice versa, but I found a combination of ingredients that made my soul sing.

  Living with an autoimmune disease is a constant adventure in determining what foods will work with me, and what foods won’t. I’m at a place now on this journey where I no longer work myself into a tizzy of stress over my new lifestyle, and instead I take each challenge as a test of character. The best part about the pancakes I’ve been making is that they’re vegan, gluten free, and refined sugar free, yet they don’t taste like cardboard.

  

  They’re easy, they hold well, and they’re tasty. What they’re not is low calorie, but the beauty of using real food is that the calorie count doesn’t matter. These are my new go to hiking fuel, and for that I call these “hikecakes.” They won’t taste like pancake house cakes, but they do the job.

  All you’ll need are six ingredients, and a high speed blender (or food processor.) I wanted to find a combination of ingredients that allowed me to avoid adding sugar, and to avoid adding baking soda/powder. The sodium content of both baking soda and baking powder adds up quick and sodium is not something I handle well. A scoop of plant based pea protein provided enough sodium to give a good texture, without the added facial swelling.

  

  Banana Buckwheat Hikecakes

  Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk (from a can with NO added ingredients)
  • 1/3 cup + 1.5 tblsp H20
  • 1 medium overripe banana
  • 1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
  • 1 scoop pea protein (I use this brand because it’s one ingredient)
  • cinnamon (I don’t measure this, it’s dependent on preference IMO.)
  • coconut oil (for the pan)

  

  Directions

  Combine coconut milk, water, and banana in a high speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add in the remaining ingredients one at a time in the order listed above, blending each before adding the next. Add more water in half tablespoon increments if necessary. Depending on the size of your banana you may need more water. Be careful not to overdo it with the water though, your hikecake texture should be thick, but it should still move.

  

  Heat a non stick pan with a glob of coconut oil and pour batter into pan, batter makes around three circular cakes slightly larger than a sand dollar. Be sure not to overdo it with the oil in the pan, but put enough to ensure the cakes won’t stick.

  Tasting notes: because these are only sweetened with a banana I added some frozen berries to mine with a drizzle of pure maple syrup. The maple syrup is optional, but I find it necessary. If you’d like to sweeten the cake itself you can swap out the tablespoons of water for maple syrup. If you don’t want to use protein powder you can add a couple tablespoons more of flour, but I make no promises on texture.

  

  Optional pairing: A piping hot cup of coffee, preferable a Latin American blend with a full body and strong cocoa and nutty notes. I’ve been pairing my hikecakes with Starbucks Organic Yukon Blend and the balance of flavors work wonderfully together.

  That’s all I’ve got for today! Just helpin ya’ll out for the upcoming pancake Sunday.

  Q: What’s your go to pancake recipe?

  

  | 46 Comments Tagged Gluten Free, Pancakes, Plant Based, Recipe, Snow, Sugar Free, Vegan

• Body and Heart Music

  Posted at 7:35 AM by Brittany, on January 21, 2016

  “Food is music to the body, and music is food to the heart.” – Gregory David Roberts

  Portland speaks to my soul in ways that Seattle cannot. Earthy, life loving/free spirited people on every corner draw me in with their vegan treats and plant based eats. I’ve made a habit of visiting new places each time I visit, and after spending last Thursday/Friday in the Rose City I can cross five more places off my list.

  .a.n.d cafe.

  After driving for three hours, tummy monster on empty, I was ready to devour coffee and carbs. The place was adorable.

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  I knew what I wanted before I arrived, and to set the theme for this post (and for my life) I couldn’t choose just one. So I had two.

  

  Berries and “cream” waffle and the vegano burrito. So much yes.

  Stop number one complete.

  .arlene schnitzer concert hall.

  

  The reason I went to Portland was to have my soul serenaded once again by my favorite artist. This time with the Oregon Symphony.

  

  

  

  What I would give to harvest a garden with Gregory Alan Isakov. Swoon.

  Went to concert. Slept. Woke up hungover on life and ran to the nearest Stumptown Coffee in brand new Nike Free’s that cost far too much, but with no tax it was OK.

  

  Savored coffee in the Ace Hotel lobby, and momentarily life was perfect.

  .petunias pies and pastries.

  Drank coffee, ate oatmeal, & prepared for sugar coma. Salted caramel cookie square and raspberry lemon coffee cake.

  

  

  Post sugar influx, I ensured much walking was done. I’m a belieber of my new Nike’s. Never thought I would say that, but man do I love those shoes.

  .garden bar.

  First attempt to balance the sugar. It worked. For 1/11th the price of those Nike’s you can build your own salad with as many greens as you want, and 6 toppings.

  Sold.

  

  Or just eat the outdoor plants.

  

  .back to eden bakery.

  Walked around downtown, endured the rain, felt the addiction creeping back through each vein and migrated to my final destination.

  

  $25 dollars later…

  

  I have no words. Thankfully there were three of us and we saved some for later.

  Food and music fueled my two day trip to Portland. Until next time, it’s time for water and greens. I’m officially a walking glucose molecule.

  Q: Where was your last adventure?

  

  | 72 Comments Tagged Explore, Gluten Free, Gregory Alan Isakov, Portland, Vegan

• Moderating Indulgences

  Posted at 7:53 AM by Brittany, on April 16, 2015

  My eats have been somewhat black and white lately. Smoothies, salads, vegetables, sweet potatoes, tempeh, and pretzels. What can I say, sometimes I like simple.

  Dessert has been a hefty bowl of rice chex mix with almond butter and cacao nibs, because I’m currently obsessed with them. OH, and chocolate. Always chocolate.

  

  Starbucks has new smoothies (in select locations) made from cold pressed juice. I add fresh kale and banana to mine. Absolutely obsessed.

  

  

  Eating a consistent diet most of the time makes the days I do “splurge” that much more rewarding. If I eat like a teenage boy every single day, I pay for it.

  

  After my root canal last week I had plans to venture to Seattle for a run at the lake and a feast to follow. I planned this adventure days in advance. Thankfully everything went smooth with my tooth, allowing me to run and eat just fine.

  

  Very welcoming for solo diners like myself.

  I ran five miles, and walked another four miles before ending up at stop number one. A local vegan cafe with a menu packed full of hearty comfort food. I went with tempeh “bacon”, spinach, and tomatoes wrapped in a rice tortilla.

  

  Paired with the best spuds I’ve had in FOREVER.

  In an attempt to keep the space in my gut free for the main event, I walked to and from the cafe. My main objective was to visit my current favorite V/GF bakery in the quaint Seattle neighborhood of Fremont. I love eating local.

  Scratch that, I love eating…period.

  I walked in with my morals, and walked out with 5 extra pounds.

  

  It started off innocent, one cupcake for me, a scone to share, and a slice of berry coffee cake perhaps for another day. Then I saw the pizza…THE pizza that would soon become one of the best slices of pizza to ever pass through my largest facial orifice.

  

  

  Cauliflower, roasted carrots, spinach, red peppers with house-made garlic aioli on a gluten-free crust.

  I struggle to find the right words to describe this, I couldn’t believe it was gluten free.

  I thought I was home free after snagging a slice, and then I saw the discount bin. You know, the one that’s tucked to the side that slowly calls to your soul telling you to splurge on day old items that you definitely don’t need, but that you definitely want.

  

  On top of the scone, the coffee cake, the cupcake, and the pizza I also bought three brownies. Ready for the kicker? I ate a brownie right away. Then I ate the coffee cake, followed by half of the scone. The best part…I felt completely fine.

  No sick stomach, no bloat, no guilt. A few hours later I ate the pizza and then demolished my cupcake leaving me with nothing left (I gave the other two brownies and half of the scone to my mom and sister.) My soul and body were equally full.

  

  Moral of my story is this: when you eat clean 85% of your days, the remaining 15% of indulgences taste so much sweeter. Today I’m going to the dentist to get a crown, and if another day like this is coming my way I’ll get dental work done anytime. Kidding.

  Kind of.

  Four treats in one day will not be a regular occurrence. Thank goodness for running.

  Q: Do you eat whatever you want everyday, or do you moderate what goes into your tank? I feel really crummy when I eat poorly too many days in a row. 

  

  | 60 Comments Tagged Adventure, Food, Gluten Free, Running, Vegan

• Starbucks Christmas Espresso Coffee Tasting

  Posted at 3:42 AM by Brittany, on October 28, 2014

  Over the summer I took a general biology class to kick start my back to school adventures. It was the first of four classes I needed to take in order to apply to a holistic nutrition program, and it was a fantastic class. It wasn’t easy, but it also wasn’t hard. I learned a lot and had plenty of free time to spend my summer in the mountains.

  

  

  

  Fast forward to now and my life consists of chemistry and Starbucks. One of these is not like the other. By that I mean I love my job, and I hate my class. I’m in a constant mood of “blah” and I miss my mountain adventures. Things feel chaotic and I am no longer in a constant place of zen.

   

  

  I’ve realized spending each and every day stressing over one class is doing nothing but damage. My grade isn’t benefiting from my stress, and my happiness is nonexistent. In an attempt to balance my life again I’ve decided to focus on myself, and not feel guilty about it. When I’m done with my school work for the day – I’ll be done. I will do something for myself and not think twice.

  OK I may think twice at first, but in time I hope to balance out my work and play. I started with an at home coffee tasting pairing Starbucks 2014 espresso blend with a pumpkin fudgy cookie.

  

  Life is too short to be miserable, and this class is not worth my stress. If I do the work, I know I will be fine. So I put away my books and turned on my oven to create this mouthwatering pairing.

  These cookies are VERY rich, but mildly sweet. Think of them as a breakfast cookie, making them an acceptable pairing for your morning cup of coffee – specifically this espresso roast.

  Pumpkin Fudgy Truffle Cookies

  

  Ingredients

  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup almond butter
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup raw/organic cacao nibs

  Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F
  2. Combine all items except the nibs in a food processor or large bowl and mix until well combined. Add in the nibs and scoop each cookie onto a lined baking sheet, or use a pizza stone like I do. This made 12 cookies.
  3. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until tops are firm and center isn’t mushy.

   

   

  

  These cookies are soft like a truffle, fudgy like a brownie, and round like a cookie. It’s the best of all three worlds. The raw nibs balance out the sweetness of the maple syrup, but for a sweeter cookie use regular chocolate chips instead. I’m trying to behave with my sugar intake. Trying.

  Tasting Notes: The espresso blend has a caramel sweetness to it that pairs beautifully with flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, and spices. The acidity is low and the body is full helping to enhance the pumpkin flavors of these cookies. Each bite and each sip came together holding hands like two preschool kids on the playground. Two thumbs way, WAY up for this blend.

  

  This coffee will be available to the public sometime next month. I know it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, but I just couldn’t resist this deliciously smooth coffee. A warm cup of the holidays is the perfect way to slow down & appreciate life one day at a time, wouldn’t you agree?

  

  Q: What are your go to activities when you’re in need of some balance? For me I need to explore, bake, run, blog, or simply enjoy a good book or tea with a friend. 

  

  | 62 Comments Tagged Coffee, Coffee Master, Coffee Tasting, Gluten Free, Recipe, School, Starbucks, Vegan

• Garden Harvest – Summer Veggie Salad Recipe

  Posted at 7:41 AM by Brittany, on August 6, 2014

  I’m in the final stages of finishing my coffee master training for Starbucks, and have been lucky enough to go through the entire process with another coworker. She and I were able to get together at her house recently to work on our final “project” for the store.

  

  After working on our project for a little over an hour I decided it was time for a break, meaning it was time to explore her property. She lives on a small farm fully equipped with cows, chickens, a goat, and best of all a small organic garden. Talk about bliss.

  

  I was absolutely ecstatic when I was offered to take some of the luscious bounty home with me. Local, fresh, organic, free produce!? You betchur britches I wanted some! With a bowl the size of a small horse completely filled with green goodness, I knew this would be the perfect opportunity to get crazy wild in my kitchen.

  

  For starters I baked 4 small loaves of zucchini banana bread. I used this recipe and made a few alterations. It was very mild, and definitely needs something on top such as a nut butter or fresh berries.

  

  The real winner of this harvest was my roasted zucchini & carrot black bean salad with a creamy kale and walnut pesto sauce. I wanted to make something that would use almost everything I was gifted.
  

  

  So jazzed.

  Items from my bowl used for this meal were:

  • zucchini
  • carrots
  • snap peas
  • kale
  • basil
  • lettuce

  I also got some cilantro that I used for some taco salads, but I digress.

  Roasted Zucchini & Carrot Black Bean Salad

  

  Ingredients:

  For the salad:

  • 3/4 cup roasted zucchini
  • 2/4 cup roasted carrots
  • 1.5 cups boiled sweet potatoes
  • 1/2 cup black beans

  

  For the pesto:

  • 1/2 cup raw walnuts
  • 1/4 cup + 3 tsp water
  • 1.5 tblsp olive oil
  • 1 tblsp + 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 3 medium sized kale leaves
  • 3 medium sized lettuce leaves (or more kale)
  • 5 medium/large basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup snap peas (just the peas, and this is optional)
  • 1 tsp salt

  

   Directions:

  1. Slice your carrots and zucchini into desired size (you can see what I did in the photo above) and lay flat on a roasting tray. Roast for about 45-60 minutes. The zucchini didn’t roast well and was a bit mushy, but  still edible of course.
  2. Chop about two smaller sized sweet potatoes and fully submerge them in water to boil. Boil for about 20 minutes, be sure not to over boil them or they will fall apart.
  3. While everything is cooking you can make your pesto. Combine all your ingredients into a high speed blender or food processor and combine until smooth. You may want to add more water depending on how thick you like your pesto.
  4. Once all your veggies are done combine everything into a large bowl. This makes enough for 2 people with a bit leftover.

  Note: The veggies are all very soft, so something like crunchy chips or lettuce leaves will round out the texture of this meal.

  I used the rest of my lettuce leaves and I put just a dollop of the pesto sauce on top because I’m not a huge sauce fan. With chips on the side.

  

  I am amazed by the powerful taste of garden fresh produce. 10x better than anything in the store, but I suppose that’s a given! It took me all of three days to rip through this produce. I need a garden!

  Q: Did you garden at all this year? I tried to plant some cilantro, but the slugs got it…no excuses for next year! OH or winter veggies!

  

  | 44 Comments Tagged Coffee, Coffee Master, Farm, Garden, Gluten Free, Harvest, Recipe, Vegan

• Raspberry Chocolate Banana Oat Bread

  Posted at 6:45 AM by Brittany, on July 30, 2014

  One of my biggest pet peeves is when people don’t recognize a perfect banana. I get that we all have different preferences, but just because a banana is spotted or somewhat brown does not mean it’s “rotten.” My ideal banana is somewhat spotted, and never green.

  

  In fact when a banana has some brown to it/ is somewhat over ripe, this is when the nutrients are most readily available for absorption! Plus we all know that spotted bananas make for delicious treats!

  Two sights really captured my soul recently. A cloudy sky, and the above overripe bananas next to two containers of fresh raspberries.

  

  Two completely different sights, both with the same meaning.

  Baking.

  A hot sunny day hasn’t stopped me from baking in the past, but a cool overcast makes it much easier. We go through a lot of bananas at Starbucks, and when they start to look “not yellow”, they’re mine!

  

  We’ve already discussed the abundance of raspberries I’ve been hoarding eating in previous posts, and I decided to attempt a new recipe. Not only have I never combined raspberries and bananas together in a bread, but I’ve also never made my own flour. Until now.

  How I’ve never attempted the simplicity that is oat flour before is beyond me, but now that I have I can say with ease this is a new flour staple in my house. So easy, so simple, so delicious, and so CHEAP!

  Raspberry Chocolate Banana Oat Bread

  

  Ingredients

  • 2 1/3 cup whole GF rolled oats (before making into powdery flour)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 very ripe bananas
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 flax eggs (2 tblsp fresh ground flax + 6 tblsp warm water)
  • 1 cup smashed fresh raspberries
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (plus another small handful)

  Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F and wipe a 9x5in loaf pan with coconut oil.
  2. Make your oat flour by using a high speed blender or food processor. Blend/process until flour like. This should make around 2 cups, which is what you will need for this recipe.
  3. In a medium bowl combine your 2 cups of oat flour with your baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a separate medium sized bowl combine mashed bananas, brown sugar, vanilla, and flax eggs until smooth and creamy.
  5. Slowly add flour mixture into the wet mixture and mix until well combined.
  6. Fold in smashed raspberries and chocolate chips. Pour batter into your oiled pan, and sprinkle a small handful of chocolate chips on top. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Mine took closer to an hour, I have an old oven.
  7. Cool for 10-15 minutes, then remove from pan onto a rack.
  8. Eat with a heaping scoop of vanilla coconut ice cream.

  

  I can’t express how much fun I had experimenting and creating this bread. Having an evening free to bake instead of work or study really made the process that much more enjoyable.

  I had two pieces right away, one by itself and one with PB and more berries, because you can never have too many berries.

  

  

  This bread is delicious, thick, & dense. Don’t bake this expecting light, airy, & fluffy bread. For a better balanced density use multiple mini loaf pans instead of one large one. I could care less, I ate every bit.

  

  I hope my friends at the Virtual Vegan LINKY Potluck don’t mind that I used raspberries for my bread/dessert again. I just can’t get enough!

  Q: What’s your favorite summer berry? Can I say all of them? 

  

  | 66 Comments Tagged Gluten Free, Recipe, Vegan, Virtual Vegan Potluck

• See Jane Run

  Posted at 6:41 AM by Brittany, on July 21, 2014

  A few weeks ago I won a giveaway for a free race entry from P’s blog. Hands down the best giveaway I’ve ever won. I thought I “should” run the half marathon because it’s the distance I’ve raced for the last two years, but I decided to run the 5K. Best decision of the week.

  

  I hadn’t run a 5K “race” since April 2012, and to be honest 5K races really aren’t my thing these days. I don’t usually have a desire to spend $$ on a 3 mile race, but this run was a nice change of pace.

  Everything about this race was on point. Everything.

  It could have been because of my delicious breakfast brought to you by the lady Siren of Starbucks (Komodo Dragon drip coffee-black as night), and a vegan/gluten free pumpkin ginger muffin from The Flying Apron (a local/new to me company I am obsessed with!)

  

  

  THOSE GINGER PIECES!

  It could have been because this was the first race I didn’t stress about arrival/time(MY GARMIN DIED ON ME so I didn’t even use it for the run)/weather/fuel-the joy of a short run means minimal everything.

  

  It could have been the amazing location, with some of the best views I’ve seen on a run. We ran by the water for 80% of the 3.1 miles.

  

  

  See that concrete?? That is the running path. HELLO WATER VIEW!

  It could have been the atmosphere that was overwhelmingly positive, supportive, and full of fun activities. Such as a chalk board to write why you run, a post race photo booth, and posters for spectators.

  

  My addition to the “I run because” board. I run for food, and for a healthy life…full of food.

  

  Bottom right…someone had a different idea. Valid reason…

  It could have been the girl I focused on staying with, whom I thanked after for helping me run my new race PR. If I wasn’t running the half I told myself I had to push it for the 5K. Come to find out, having me on her tail pushed her as much as me chasing her pushed me. Win.

  

  It was so hot out, I was a legit hot mess…this photo booth was very forgiving of my sweaty face.

  It could have been the immense sense of independence and power I felt in running another race among 100’s of other women. I totally choked up while reading the “motto” of this race.

  

  OR it could have been the swag bag full of food I got after the race, along with a glass of champagne and a chocolate coconut bar. I’m not a fan of champagne, or any booze really so I only drank a few sips.  My post race treat was to come later, another C word…take a guess.

  

  I got a medal…for a 5K! This NEVER happens..too legit.

  

  I’m normally a chocolate cupcake connoisseur, but this carrot vanilla cake from the heavens was so.damn.good. After the race/stuffing my face with this cupcake beauty I wandered the area and then ended up heading to Green Lake for a few more miles.

  

  I will definitely do this race again, but next year I would like to run the half. If you have a SJR event in your area (two in CA, one in WA, and one in KS) I HIGHLY suggest you run it. There were even a few men!

  

  OH-and for all you number lovers, my official time was 28:25 (9:09 pace), which is 1:33 faster than my previous race PR. I say “race PR” because I’ve run 3.1 milers on my own time that were quicker. My best EVER in general was at a 9:01 pace. SO CLOSE to sub 9min/mi.

  Also, I’ve not run under 9:30 miles in months, this was indeed a push.

  Q: What was one of your proudest accomplishments from last week?

  

  | 41 Comments Tagged 5K, Gluten Free, Race, Run, Seattle, Vegan

• Raspberry Oat Crumble Bars

  Posted at 9:16 AM by Brittany, on July 17, 2014

  I didn’t plan on posting today, or even posting this recipe at all. I had a couple people ask for it though, and I decided that I wanted to link up with the Virtual Vegan LINKY Potluck, the only link up I ever participate in! Any excuse for baked goods is a good excuse!

  

  With an abundance of raspberries in my house these days, it’s no surprise we’ve been creating all kinds of raspberry based recipes.

  

  This recipe cred actually goes to my mom, the angel that had these delicious bars baked and ready for consumption the moment I arrived home after a morning run in the hot hot sun.

  

  We made these gluten free, but you can easily sub whole wheat flour if you prefer. Either way, prepare for a raspberry flavor bomb.

  Raspberry Oat Crumble Bars (V/GF)

  

  Ingredients

  For the cake: 

  • 1 1/2 cups GF flour (I suggest Namaste Perfect Flour Blend)
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil cut in pieces
  • 1  chia egg  (1 tbsp ground chia and 3 tblsp of water)
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup fresh raspberries

  For the crumble topping:

  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tblsp of gluten free flour
  • pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 2 tblsp coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup chopped almonds
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats

  

  Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F and oil an 8in square baking pan.
  2. For the crumble topping stir together the brown sugar, flour, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Cut in your coconut oil* with a knife and mix-stir until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pecans and oats.  Set aside.
  3. For the cake stir together the flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Cut in your coconut oil* until mixture is crumbled. Add chia egg, almond milk, and vanilla. Stir until combined.
  4. Pour batter into your pan and scatter your raspberries evenly over the surface. Sprinkle the set aside crumble topping evenly over  the berries. Bake until cake is well risen and golden- about 50 minutes.
  5. Remove, let cool, serve, and ENJOY!

  Notes: *You don’t want to use melted coconut oil for this recipe, but solid oil can be difficult to cut. Allow your oil to be somewhat softened as if you were using room temperature butter.

  

  I suggest serving these with a side of more berries, some banana, alongside your morning coffee, or underneath a blob of vanilla coconut ice cream. These were gone in a couple days, and now I need to decide what to make next! Suggestions welcomed! 🙂

  Q: How are you taking advantage of summer berries? We’re on our second batch of fresh picked, local raspberries. We’ve gone through almost fifteen containers.

  

  | 38 Comments Tagged Gluten Free, Raspberries, Recipe, Run, Summer, Vegan, Virtual Vegan Potluck

• One Pot Veggies Spice and Rice (Noodles)

  Posted at 6:37 AM by Brittany, on June 4, 2014

  I have somewhat of a love/hate relationship with peanut butter. I love to dip my spoon into the jar more times than I can count on two hands, but my waistline hates me for it. It’s a tough life I tell ya.

  
  I haven’t had a jar of PB in my house in months, sometimes when I look in the mirror I don’t even know who I am anymore. Instead, I’ve been embracing almond butter in all its nutty glory. I have a bit more self control when it comes to the AB variety, but just a skosh.

  To honor my “just a little bit” mindset with nut butters lately, I made myself an Asian themed meal – all in one pot. Just a little bit of flavor, and just a little bit of almond butter. Full of vegetables, vegan, AND gluten free, but no one would ever notice the lack of meat or milk.

  

  Before cooking.

  Pad Thai has always been a favorite of mine, but I don’t tend to like restaurant versions because they are much too high in sodium. I hesitate to call this Pad Thai at all though because the nutty flavor is much too mild (I did up the amount in this recipe after making it.)

  Instead I’ve channeled my inner child and put my rhyming skills to good use. Veggies-Spice-Rice…because all three are abundant here.

  

  

  I’ve seen these “one pot wonder” meals around the interwebs, but I’d never attempted to make one. I don’t know what took me so long because something this easy should be done over and over again.

  One Pot Veggies Spice and Rice 

   

  

   

  Ingredients 

  • 16 oz rice noodles
  • 6 cups water
  • 3-4 large cloves of garlic, sliced thin
  • 1 tblsp tamarind paste
  • 1 tblsp soy sauce (I used two of the sample packs)
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper
  • 2 inches of a ginger root, cut in 1/4 in pieces
  • 1 large carrot cut into large strips
  • 1 red bell pepper cut into strips
  • 4 green onions cut in half, and then into 2 inch pieces
  • 3/4 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/4 or 1/3 cup almond butter (depending how nutty you want it)

  Optional addition: 1 med/large jalapeno WITH seeds for extra spice.

  For topping at the end of cooking

  • cilantro
  • juice from 2 limes

  Optional topping (which I highly suggest): dry roasted edamame for an extra protein boost. However much you desire per serving.

  

  Directions

  1. Place everything except the cilantro and lime juice into a large stockpot. Cover and bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce heat and let simmer to cook for about 10 minutes. Stir the mix every couple minutes to avoid any sticking.
  3.  Once liquid is evaporated to your liking remove from heat.
  4. If you like salt and pepper season to taste. I didn’t add any.
  5. If you want to, remove slices of ginger. I left mine in because I love the sharpness of ginger.
  6. Stir in cilantro, as much as you feel is needed, and juice from the limes. I also topped my bowl with more cilantro.

  

  After cooking.

  Notes: I used all water in this because I like “mild” flavors. If you want to use vegetable broth instead use 5 1/2 cups of broth and 1/2 cup water. The tamarind paste helps give this a sweet/sour flavor.

  

  Prepping the veggies took the most time, but even this was a quick process. The entire meal was smooth and fast. I served this over a bed of steamed kale, because I always need more green.

  

  

  

  I find great joy in taking the extra time to make something like this. It was a nice break from my usual “quinoa and veggie” mix. 
  

  

  Behind the scenes cell phone shot.

  Q: Do you ever find yourself dipping the spoon one too many times in the nut butter jar? I already know the answer for most of you….

  

  | 47 Comments Tagged Almond Butter, Gluten Free, Peanut Butter, Recipe, Vegan, Vegetables

• Cranberry Chocolate Almond Oat Cookies

  Posted at 6:38 AM by Brittany, on May 22, 2014

  I’m a sweet-o-holic, this is nothing new. My diet consists of fruits and veggies by day, (with some kind of protein e.g. beans, quinoa, rice) and sugar by night. I try to find a healthy balance, but sometimes I get a little out of control with my sugar intake. I eat clean in an attempt to justify my naughty addictions to cupcakes, cookies, and brownies.

  

  Sometimes when I find myself “overdoing it” in the baking department I put myself in a time out. No sugar for “x amount” of time, in an attempt to detox. You can imagine my excitement when I have a party to attend and something like this is posted…

  

  Oh yeah, I volunteer to bring dessert. Perfect excuse to bake, taste a few treats, and then LEAVE THEM SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN MY HOUSE. It’s a win, win.

  Most of my baked goods contain a decent amount of chocolate, and while this recipe has 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, its main stars are the cranberry and oatmeal flavors. This isn’t the typical type of cookie I bake, but my goodness did it knock my socks off.

  

  I’ve discovered an AMAZING GF flour that I will forever be purchasing. It made keeping my fingers out of the raw dough difficult. These cookies are moist, flavorful, fluffy, gluten free, and vegan. I need more…I NEED MORE!

  Cranberry Chocolate Almond Oat Cookies

  Inspired by Two Peas and Their Pod

   

  

  Ingredients

  • 1 cup Namaste Foods GF flour
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup creamy almond butter
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup naturally sweetened dried cranberries*
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips

  *I used cranberries that were sweetened with apple juice opposed to cane sugar. I found these dried cranberries to be much juicier and they taste SO much better.

  
  Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350F, and prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper, or use a stoneware bake pan. I use stoneware.

  2. In a medium bowl mix your flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

  3. Using a stand mixer combine your coconut sugar and almond butter until light and fluffy. Then mix in your almond milk and vanilla.

  4. Turn your mixer to low and add your dry ingredients. Mix until well combined. Fold in the oats, cranberries, and chocolate chips and mix by hand.

  5. Roll the dough into tablespoon balls and flatten with your palm. Bake cookies for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.

  

  To be honest, these cookies don’t even need the chocolate chips.

  I can’t believe I just said that, don’t expect me to say that often. Chocolate chips or not, these are the perfect breakfast cookie.

  

  I have no idea what happened to the other half of that cookie…

  

  Admiration, and excitement to GIVE AWAY TO FRIENDS! This is obviously a “pre hair chop” photo.

  Selfies are totally difficult to take with a heavy dSLR and handful of cookies. I’ll leave the selfies to the pros and stick to baking.

  Q: What is your favorite flavor cookie?!

  

  | 51 Comments Tagged Chocolate, Cookies, Gluten Free, Recipe, Vegan

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