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Monthly Archives: July 2014

July 30, 2014
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My Kitchen Tips

My Homemade Kombucha Experience

July 30, 2014 My Kitchen Tips Leave a comment
Homemade Kombucha

One of the goals I have made for myself over the past 2 years, is to try to buy less prepackaged food and make more myself from scratch. Feeding a gluten-free family automatically means I have to make more at home to ensure safe eating for my son. However, it also puts me in control of the ingredients I use, leading to healthier meals with more whole ingredients. However, some food items are much easier to buy from the market or the thought of making them seems intimidating. Over the past few months, I have conquered one of my “to make homemade projects” which is kombucha. What I once thought would be a daunting endeavor has turned into a fun hobby that requires very little hands on time or effort. The idea of at-home fermentation used to be scary and, to be honest, made me a little squeamish. The message I want to convey through this post is how easy and satisfying the whole process has been.

For those who are not familiar, kombucha is a fermented tea drink. It is created by fermenting tea (usually black tea or green tea) using a Symbiotic Colony of Yeast and Bacteria, also known as a SCOBY. Kombucha is a lovely fizzy, mildly sweet and slightly tangy tea, usually flavored with anything including, ginger, citrus, and berries. The real bonus of kombucha is probiotics. Any fermented food will create probiotics that are essential for a healthy digestive system. Lately probiotics are all over the news. More and more studies are being done that show how critical gut health is to the balance of our whole body. Note: kombucha can contain small amounts of alcohol (typically 0.5% from the fermentation) and caffeine (from the tea).

You can find bottled kombucha at almost any health food store in the refrigerated drinks area. Whole Foods has a wide selection with almost any flavor you can think of. The most popular brand is GT’s Kombucha.  A 16 oz bottle of GT’s Kombucha goes for about $4. This becomes a problem when you are a real kombucha fanatic like me. I can now make it for pennies a bottle (another bonus of making it myself).

Making kombucha at home requires following a simple set of steps and patience. The process takes time, even though you are not actually doing much to move the process along. I followed instructions recommended by one of my favorite bloggers, Sarah Ballantyne, Ph.D. of The Paleo Mom. A link to the Paleo Mom’s kombucha directions is here and the site she recommended from smallnotebook.org, which I followed, is here.

Kombucha

Kombucha

For anyone who is squeamish, the hardest part of the process is getting over the SCOBY. Honestly, it is kind of gross. Click here to see many pictures of SCOBY’s online. However, I have come to love my SCOBY and I am so proud of how it grows and thrives each time I make a new batch of kombucha. I made my own SCOBY from an unflavored bottle of GT’s Kombucha from Whole Foods (steps included in instructions). Worked like a charm. However, you can buy dehydrated SCOBY’s and even kombucha making kits online or use a piece from a friend’s SCOBY.

SCOBY

SCOBY

SCOBY’s live on tea and sugar. The process involves feeding your SCOBY until it uses up enough tea and sugar to your taste preference, bottling, flavoring, and restarting the fermentation. The instructions I link to are a detailed, but simple 2-step process. It is important to follow the instructions to achieve success, but here is a brief overview of what to expect and some of my notes:

  1. Fermentation: Add SCOBY to sweet tea (tea and sugar) and place in the dark at room temperature for 5-14 days. This range allows you to determine the sweetness level you prefer. The longer it sits the less sweet it will get as the SCOBY uses the sugar to live. My sweet spot is 11 days.
  1. Flavor and increase natural carbonation: Remove SCOBY and pour liquid into bottles containing flavoring of choice. I like fresh squeezed lemon juice, pomegranate juice, grape juice and sometimes a hunk of crystalized ginger. Then place sealed bottles in the dark at room temperature for 5 days to develop natural fizz. Refrigerate and enjoy!

All and all the process does not require much of your time, but from start to finish (including 2 weeks if you are making your own SCOBY), it will take about 1 month before you can enjoy your first bottle. However, once you get going, it is a rolling process and now I always have bottles in my fridge. Recently My SCOBY also got big enough to scale up. Not I brew double the amount of sweet tea in 2 large mason jars using 2 SCOBY’s.

SCOBY with Daughter SCOBY hanging

SCOBY with Daughter SCOBY hanging

Kombucha is a fun way to start fermenting at home. I hope this post motivates you to give it a try. Please send me a note or add a comment if you need any help getting started. Have fun!

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July 17, 2014
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Side Dish

Fresh Herbed Quinoa

July 17, 2014 Side Dish Leave a comment
Fresh Herbed Quinoa

Quinoa is a staple in our house. I love quinoa’s versatility, ease of use, texture, and it’s ability to take on a variety of flavors and ingredients. Whether it’s used as a side dish or even for breakfast, I love it. I am a huge fan of making a large batch of plain quinoa and refrigerating it to use throughout the week.

Quinoa is sometimes considered a “super food” because of its high protein content, compared to its grain counterparts. According to the USDA Nutrient Database, quinoa is also high in magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, and folate.  Delicious and great for you, sounds good to me.

This recipe is an easy side dish that can accompany chicken, steak, fish, or shellfish, but I can easily just gobble it up on its own. I was inspired to create it as a way to use up random herbs I obtain through my garden, my CSA and from whatever I have left on-hand from the grocery store. I easily get more than I need for a given recipe and the thought of wasting fresh herbs makes me cringe. Leave your herbs in a glass of water on your kitchen counter. If you see them, you are more likely to be inspired and use them.

Sage, Lavender, Chives, Basil, Parsley, Oregano

Sage, Lavender, Chives, Basil, Parsley, Oregano

 

Chopped Herbs

Chopped Herbs

You can use any fresh herbs you have on hand at the time, such as, basil, parsley, sage, lavender, rosemary, thyme, oregano, or mint. I like to use a variety to create and earthy, fresh taste. Be creative with what you have on-hand. This dish provides the base and you can add the rest. Enjoy!

Fresh Herbed Quinoa
 
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Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
5 mins
Total time
20 mins
 
Vegan
Author: FamilyGlutenFree.com
Recipe type: Side Dish
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa (approx. ¾ cup uncooked quinoa)
  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • approximately ¾ - 1 cup finely chopped fresh herbs (such as: basil, parsley, sage, lavender, rosemary, thyme, oregano, or mint)
  • Sea salt
  • Ground pepper
Instructions
  1. Heat coconut oil in a frying pan under low/medium heat.
  2. Add shallot and cook until tender or slightly translucent.
  3. Add fresh herbs and cook for one minute to wilt and soften them.
  4. Add quinoa and mix thoroughly.
  5. Remove from heat.
  6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3.2.1311

 

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July 10, 2014
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Soup and Salad

Spinach, Strawberry and Pecan Salad with Balsamic Dressing

July 10, 2014 Soup and Salad 2 Comments
Spinach, Strawberry and Pecan Salad with Balsamic Dressing

Fresh spinach and sweet strawberries are a fantastic flavor combination. Add in crunchy pecans and you have yourself a great salad. This salad is fantastic because it is so easy and because it adds a little something special or gourmet to an everyday meal. Although all these ingredients can be found year-round, I especially like to make it this time of year when fresh spinach and strawberries are aplenty. This picture contains strawberries and spinach straight from my CSA! Keep in mind that both spinach and strawberries are on the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen. If you can’t get them from your local farm, buy organic if possible.

Of course, I am a huge fan of making your own salad dressing. If you haven’t gotten on the bandwagon yet, just take a look at the ingredient list next time you purchase bottled dressing at the supermarket. Most don’t even contain olive oil, but use cheap soybean or canola oil.  Plus, they contain an array of stabilizers and preservatives. Making your own at home gives you control and it tastes much better, since you can customize it to your own taste preferences using quality ingredients. I always make mine on the fly when I prepare a salad. If you use basic ingredients that you can easily have on-hand, it takes only a minute or two to whip up.

For this salad, there is no question that it has to use balsamic vinegar. The sweet tangy balsamic pairs excellently with sweet strawberries. I like to keep it on the sweet side, so I also add in fruit preserves or fruit butter. My new favorite is fig butter from Trader Joe’s. It is sweet without overpowering the balsamic, but you can use any fruit preserve or fruit butter of choice.

Trader Joe's Fig Butter

Trader Joe’s Fig Butter

Next time you want to take your standard weeknight meal up a notch, try this salad. I hope you enjoy it!

Spinach, Strawberry and Pecan Salad with Balsamic Dressing
 
Print
Prep time
5 mins
Total time
5 mins
 
Vegan, Paleo
Author: FamilyGlutenFree.com
Recipe type: Soup and Salad
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 large handfuls of baby spinach (preferably organic)
  • 6-8 strawberries (preferably organic), sliced
  • ½ cup raw pecans, roughly chopped
  • 2 tsps balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ tsp fruit preserves or fruit butter (fig, strawberry, raspberry work best)
  • ½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
  1. Place one large handful of baby spinach in each of 2 salad bowls.
  2. Distribute strawberries and pecans among the 2 bowls.
  3. In a small bowl whisk together balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, fruit preserves and sea salt.
  4. Pour dressing over salads and enjoy.
3.2.1311

 

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July 3, 2014
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Sweet Treats

Dairy-free Healthy Chocolate Cream Popsicles

July 3, 2014 Sweet Treats Leave a comment
Dairy-free Healthy Chocolate Cream Popsicles

We are quickly approaching the dog days of summer and nothing beats the heat like a frozen treat. When my son first went gluten-free, we ate a lot of ice cream. I always felt bad that he couldn’t have all the other gluten containing treats during holidays, birthday parties or other gatherings, so his treat was the ice cream or frozen yogurt shop. However, as I began to take a closer look at my family’s nutrition, I decided to cut out a lot of dairy and replace it with plant-based alternative milks such as almond milk and coconut milk. Don’t get me wrong, we continue to visit the ice cream shop and we especially like the frozen yogurt places with their vast selection of toppings (only the gluten-free ones of course), but we swap out the dairy where we can.

One of the easiest places to swap out dairy is ice cream. I think full-fat coconut milk does a fantastic job mimicking the properties of cream. I have had great success using coconut milk in my ice cream maker (recipes coming soon) that every family member has enjoyed. There are also a variety of coconut milk based ice creams hitting the supermarket. However, an easy way to make a non-dairy frozen treat at home, is popsicles. You won’t need a fancy ice cream maker, but you will need Popsicle molds and a blender.

One of my other tricks is using gelatin. I got this idea from Sarah Ballantyne, Ph.D. of The Paleo Mom. She is a great Paleo blogger and author who does a great job explaining the science behind nutrition. Gelatin serves 2 purposes in these popsicles. Gelatin chemically reduces the formation of ice crystals in the Popsicle, making a smoother consistency during freezing. Also, gelatin is a fantastic supplement to anyone’s diet. Gelatin, not Jell-o, is great for your skin, hair, muscles, and joints. It is high in protein, collagen, and essential amino acids. Adding gelatin to this Popsicle recipe is an easy way to sneak this great supplement into your kid’s diet.

You can use unflavored gelatin available at the supermarket (typically Knox brand), in packet form, but I highly recommend using a high quality gelatin. I really like Great Lakes brand beef gelatin (reddish orange container available on Amazon), which is harvested from grass fed cows.

Enjoying a popsicle

Enjoying a popsicle

This recipe is very versatile. You can easily replace the liquid ingredients with your combination of choice. My kids love chocolate, so we like to add a little chocolate to everything. Also, I use agave nectar because it is a liquid, it doesn’t have a strong flavor, and a little goes a long way. However, you can easily swap in honey or maple syrup.

I hope you cool down this summer with a healthy Popsicle!

Dairy-free Healthy Chocolate Cream Popsicles
 
Print
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
2 mins
Total time
12 mins
 
Dairy-free, Paleo, Makes 6-8 Popsicles depending on the size of the molds
Author: FamilyGlutenFree.com
Recipe type: Sweet Treats
Ingredients
  • 1 cup almond milk (preferably a brand that does not contain carrageenan)
  • 1 Tbsp unflavored gelatin
  • 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 Tbsp unsweetened baking cocoa
  • ¼ cup agave nectar
Instructions
  1. Pour almond milk into a saucepan.
  2. Add gelatin and allow it to “bloom” for a few minutes. Meaning, the gelatin will not dissolve, but you will see it begin to turn translucent.
  3. Gently heat almond milk and gelatin just until gelatin dissolves.
  4. In a blender, add coconut milk, baking cocoa, agave nectar, and almond milk/gelatin mixture.
  5. Blend until thoroughly combined.
  6. Add mixture to Popsicle molds and freeze for 4-6 hours or overnight.
3.2.1311

 

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My Taste

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    Cashew Chocolate Chip Dairy-Free Ice Cream

  • School Lunch 1 and Introduction

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    Grilled Pepper Salad

  • Raw Revolution Bars

    Raw Revolution Bars

  • Summer Vegetables Three Ways

    Fresh Green Beans

  • Mint Chocolate Green Smoothie

    Mint Chocolate Green Smoothie

  • My Homemade Kombucha Experience

    Homemade Kombucha

  • Fresh Herbed Quinoa

    Fresh Herbed Quinoa

  • Spinach, Strawberry and Pecan Salad with Balsamic Dressing

    Spinach, Strawberry and Pecan Salad with Balsamic Dressing

  • Dairy-free Healthy Chocolate Cream Popsicles

    Dairy-free Healthy Chocolate Cream Popsicles

  • Spring – Garlic Scapes

    Outdoors

  • Grain-free Crab Cakes

    Grain-free Crab Cakes

  • Easy Mint Infused Water

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  • How to get the Most out of Your Avocados

    How to get the Most out of Your Avocados

  • Lotus Food Rice Ramen Review and Bonus Miso Soup Recipe

    Miso Soup with Lotus Foods Rice Ramen

  • Portuguese Kale and Potato Soup (Caldo Verde)

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  • My Son’s Story

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  • Strawberry Coconut Cashew Smoothie

    Strawberry Coconut Cashew Smoothie

  • Kielbasa with Peppers and Coco-Buttery Basmati Rice

    Kielbasa Peppers Basmati Rice

  • Grain-free Cinnamon Sugar Fun-Dough Cookies

    Grain-free Cinnamon Sugar Fun-Dough Cookies

  • Guide to Building a Better Smoothie

    Smoothie Guide

  • Jovial Pasta

    Jovial Pasta

  • Baked Meatballs

    Baked Meatballs

  • Easy Strawberry Pecan Breakfast Quinoa

    Easy Strawberry Pecan Breakfast Quinoa

  • Pamela’s Baking and Pancake Mix

    Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix

  • Chocolate Coconut Balls

    Chocolate Coconut Balls

  • US Wellness Meats

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  • Cherry Chocolate Almond Smoothie

    Cherry Chocolate Almond Smoothie

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    Omission Beer

  • Fried Turkey Cutlets

    Fried Turkey Cutlets

  • Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

    Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

  • Whole Grain Mustard and Apple Cider Vinegar Salad Dressing

    Whole Grain Mustard and Apple Cider Vinegar Salad Dressing

  • Quinoa with Zucchini and Portobello Mushrooms

    Quinoa with Zucchini and Portobello Mushrooms

  • Orange Cream Smoothie

    Orange Cream Smoothie

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