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A Blog for Gluten Free Families Who Want to Eat Better

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September 24, 2015
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Smoothies and Drinks, Uncategorized
matcha, melon, paleo, smoothie, vegan

Melon Matcha Smoothie

September 24, 2015 Smoothies and Drinks, Uncategorized Leave a comment
Melon Matcha Smoothie

I have been in some what of a smoothie reboot lately. If you follow my blog you know that I am a smoothie lover and I enjoy a smoothie for breakfast most mornings. Typically, I like to pack as much into my smoothie as possible.  I’ll take inventory of what fruit is getting a little too ripe or if I have extra coconut milk or leftover canned pumpkin – hey, just throw it in there.  As a result, my Type A personality  is very proud of itself for not wasting and being highly efficient, but my tastebuds are underwhelmed. So, lately, I’ve decided to put a little more effort into complimenting flavors, enjoying the seasonal goodies and trying new things.

My new ingredient to play with lately is matcha or powdered green tea. Matcha has been a hot item on all the natural food outlets lately because it claims to have high concentrations of antioxidants. The idea is that the antioxidants are at higher levels versus everyday brewed green tea. The health benefits are debatable, but I think it is an interesting way to get some antioxidants into my diet. I also love the light, crisp taste of green tea, but I rarely have it at home.  You can use matcha in smoothies, make a latte or put it in baked goods.  However, beware of the caffeine content. I made the mistake of putting a heaping tablespoon of matcha in my smoothie, then having some coffee.  Based on caffeine informer.com, 2 tsps of matcha is about 8 oz of brewed coffee.  Finally, always buy organic matcha to avoid pesticides, which can be quite high in tea.

Now what goes well with matcha in a smoothie? I tried a few things and honestly, it is delicious on its own with almond milk and a little sweetener. However, I wanted to try to find something unique and interesting and that is when I tried it with honeydew melon.

I am the only one in my family that loves honeydew melon. I think it has such a nice sweet, fresh taste, I can’t figure out why my husband and kids don’t go for it. I always bring a giant melon home, carve it up and eat melon for days. Lately though, I’ve started freezing it when I have too much, which is great. It freezes well and great as ice cubes (watermelon is awesome too) or zinged up in a smoothie.

Melon Matcha Smoothie

Melon Matcha Smoothie

Surprisingly, matcha and melon are a great together. This smoothie has a clean, fresh, light and slightly sweet taste. The amount of matcha can be adjusted based on you caffeine tolerance. One teaspoon is enough to get the green tea flavor. I hope this smoothie gives you a delicious boost at breakfast.

Melon Matcha Smoothie
 
Print
Prep time
5 mins
Total time
5 mins
 
Vegan, Paleo, 1 serving as a meal or 2 servings as a snack
Author: FamilyGlutenFree.com
Recipe type: Smoothie
Ingredients
  • 1 cup frozen honeydew melon or unfrozen honeydew melon + 2 ice cubes
  • 1-2 medjool dates (Note: if not using a high-powered blender, substitute honey or agave nectar)
  • 1 Tbsp chia or hemp seeds
  • 1-2 tsps matcha
  • 1 handful baby spinach or kale leaves
  • ¾ cup coconut water
  • ¾ cup almond milk
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
  2. Blend until smooth and enjoy!
3.4.3177

 

 

 

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May 22, 2014
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Soup and Salad, Uncategorized

Portuguese Kale and Potato Soup (Caldo Verde)

May 22, 2014 Soup and Salad, Uncategorized Leave a comment
Caldo Verde

My Mother is from Lisbon and came to the U.S. with my grandparents when she was a teenager. Cooking and food was a big part of my childhood. Going out to dinner was a treat and any get together was a massive feast of home cooked appetizers, entrees and desserts. My tastes and philosophies on food have been heavily impacted by my mom and my grandparents. We ate a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, a lot of fish and shellfish, a little wine, and a lot of bread. Now that my son cannot eat gluten, my family is hard at work trying to reinvent their go-to recipes. However, the emphasis on home-cooked food using fresh ingredients remains. One of my favorite dishes is Caldo Verde (English translation: Green Broth), a popular Portuguese soup that is already naturally gluten-free.

kale

Kale

Caldo Verde is one of my comfort foods. It can be part of a meal or a meal in itself. It is easy to prepare and holds up well in the refrigerator so you can enjoy it over a few days. The base of the soup is made with potatoes and onions. The “verde” comes from kale, or more traditionally collard greens. Typically, my family has always made it with kale, even way before kale got famous. What makes it a meal and adds that something extra, is spicy linguiça sausage.

Linguica

Linguica

Linguiça sausage used to be difficult to find, but now I can find it at most supermarkets. Linguiça is a smoke cured pork sausage and it is used in many Portuguese dishes. I found a “natural” version using pork raised without antibiotics and minimally processed at WholeFoods.

Potato and Onion

Potato and Onion

The soup is prepared by boiling potatoes with yellow onion. Once the potatoes and onion are soft and well cooked, the whole pot can is pureed to form the base of the soup. I like to use an immersion blender right in the pot, but you can also process it in a blender. Shredded kale is then added and cooked until softened. That’s it! The soup is served warm with a few slices of linguiça and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Blended Potato and Onion

Blended Potato and Onion

Shredded Kale

Shredded Kale

Although it’s getting warmer and soon it won’t be exactly soup weather, I actually make this soup in the summer often. It is very light and enjoyable slightly warm and a great way to use up kale and potatoes I get from my crop share. It is also a great option for getting more greens in your diet. I hope you enjoy it!

Portuguese Kale and Potato Soup (Caldo Verde)
 
Print
Prep time
20 mins
Cook time
40 mins
Total time
1 hour
 
Author: FamilyGlutenFree.com
Recipe type: Soup
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 2 ½ - 3 cups peeled white or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 yellow onion, quartered and larger segments separated
  • 1 Tbsp sea salt
  • 1 linguiça sausage, about 12 oz
  • ½ large bunch of kale (any variety will do, but I like Tuscan or flat-leafed kale)
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • additional sea salt to taste
Instructions
  1. Bring potatoes, onion, and 1 Tbsp sea salt to boil in approximately 6 cups of water in a Dutch oven or large pot.
  2. Simmer until potatoes and onion are soft.
  3. While potatoes and onion are cooking, cook Linguiça sausage in a frying pan until brown and slightly crispy on the outside.
  4. Slice Linguiça into ½ inch disks.
  5. Also while potato and onions are cooking, remove thicker stems of the kale and shred using a food processor.
  6. Puree the potato and onion using an immersion blender until smooth (you can also use a blender)
  7. Return pot to the stove and add shredded kale.
  8. Cook until the kale is tender.
  9. Add additional sea salt to taste.
  10. Spoon soup into a bowl. Add a few slices of linguica and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy!
3.2.1310

 

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February 20, 2014
1 Comment
familyglutenfree
Uncategorized

Introduction – Welcome

February 20, 2014 Uncategorized 1 Comment
IMG_7853

Welcome!!!  I am so happy to finally start writing this blog.  Finding a way to share the wealth of information I have acquired since becoming gluten-free and focusing on a whole foods based diet has been a long time coming.

I am not a nutritionist, medical professional or chef.  So who am I?  I am a mom who has been feeding my family a whole foods based gluten-free diet for a year and a half.  I have dedicated myself to learning and understanding the best way to eat gluten-free without sacrificing taste or nutrition.  Am I still learning?  YES!  However, I hope you can come along on my journey to create great gluten-free recipes, eat more quality whole foods, discover great gluten-free products, review restaurants with gluten-free menus, and share great recipes and information I get my hands on along the way.

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