Decadent Raspberry Chocolate Smoothie

This smoothie tastes so decadent and dessert-like I just had to put it into a wine glass!

I needed a morning snack that was quick and something I could take on the go (and no I didn't take the wine glass in the car.. the smoothie got transferred into a plastic cup). What comes to mind? A smoothie of course! Although this one really tastes more like a milkshake, it contains only healthy ingredients and is not too thick so.... a smoothie it is.

What you'll need:
6-10 fresh raspberries
1/2 ripe banana (fresh or frozen is fine)
1/4 c vanilla hemp milk + water as needed for the right consistency
1 packet (or 2 tbsp) Justin's Chocolate Hazelnut Butter

Put all ingredients into blender and blend until thoroughly mixed. Feel free to add any extra fruit, I personally think mango would be delightful ;) The combination of hemp milk and nut butter adds a decent amount of protein but if you are looking for more of a protein shake you can add hemp protein powder but make sure to also add more liquid as well so it doesn't get too thick.

That's it, now go enjoy!

Absolutely Amazing Flatbread

I am SO excited to share this recipe with you!!! I found it on the Gluten Free Cooking School website. I read the ingredients and had everything on the list, the description sounded awesome and I love that they have the nutrition facts for not one but two pieces of this delicious, soft and oh-so-amazing flatbread!

You can find the original recipe here. The only change I made was substituting millet flour for the garfava flour - I'm still avoiding beans as much as possible. The cooking time, 15 minutes, was perfect in my oven,  letting it sit for a few minutes in the pan before cutting into it was the difficult part!!

Also, make sure to lightly grease the pan and dust with flour (I used the rice flour) - this makes it the bread pop out of the pan without a problem at all :)

This bread is so good, I barely got in a second picture!

I ate 2 pieces with my soup the same night of making this and put the other pieces in a plastic bag stored on the counter. The next day the bread was still moist as ever, didn't crumble and toasts perfectly! I'm planning on making this bread in the future with some modifications to see the different types I can make... a sweet version, an herb infused bread, I may even try to roll it out to make a pizza crust! I'll let you know how those go.. in the meantime, enjoy this incredible, REAL bread!

Revamped Morning Cereal

This breakfast is so simple but it is so delicious, filling, and oh so healthy! Some mornings you just feel like cereal... it is comforting and something that almost never upsets your stomach. This mixture of cereal can be varied, using any berries or fruit you have on hand and using any non-dairy milk (or if you can tolerate dairy, regular milk!) Personally, I think the combination of tart raspberries, sweet dried mango and creamy vanilla hemp milk is the perfect match - but feel free to experiment!

The cereal I eat 99% of the time is Enjoy Life Crunchy Flax Cereal. It is filled with fiber and protein, has a great crunch and actually stays with me until lunch time!

Top this with fresh raspberries and chopped dried mango (any dried fruit you have will also work), and add  your preferred amount of Pacific Foods Vanilla Hemp Milk. Enjoy with a large cup of green tea and your morning will be transformed! Okay maybe that is a little dramatic but.... it is a great way to start any day :-)

Just Sweet Enough Granola

Before cutting dairy out of my diet.. I used to make homemade granola every 2 weeks. Yogurt with granola and a banana was my go to breakfast about half the time, and if it wasn't for breakfast it made it into a snack at some point throughout the week.

Ironically, the same time I had to cut out dairy I also had to cut out oats. Bummer right?? Well I'm happy to say that I have slowly incorporated gluten free oats back into my diet and everything seems to be feeling just fine!

So here is the scenario... It's Sunday afternoon, I have been working on a project for most of the day, my back is very sore from hot yoga yesterday and I'm still in sweatpants... what's a girl to do?? Well bake something of course!!

I've been thinking about making granola for a while now but couldn't find a recipe I was absolutely thrilled with. Of course I could turn my old fall-back granola recipe into one that is gluten free but with the gears in my head turning all day I thought... I'll just mix and match and create my own! Here is what I came up with...

1 c gluten free oats

1 c chopped cashews

1/2 c chopped walnuts

1/2 tsp baking spice (this is a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice - if you don't have this make a mixture of cinnamon and nutmeg)

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/3 c applesauce

1 tbsp walnut oil

1/2 tbsp real maple syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 c flax cereal (or rice cereal, whatever you prefer)

1/4 c raisins

Mix all the dry ingredients in a medium size bowl. Slowly heat the wet ingredients in a small skillet until all are incorporated (if it starts bubbling on the sides turn the heat off). Mix the wet ingredients with the dry. Bake on a baking sheet with parchment paper (or lightly spray with canola oil), bake for 15 minutes then take it out and mix together. Bake for another 10 minutes, take out and mix again. Add flax cereal and raisins and bake for another 5-8 minutes. Take out and let cool, it will get more crunchy as it sits. 

This recipe makes almost 2 cups of granola. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Enjoy!

*A small disclaimer: This granola is not very sweet. The raisins add a little sweetness, the perfect amount for me, but if you are someone who likes sweeter granola or are making these for a sweet treat or snack, add either 1-2tbsp agave nectar or 1/4 cup brown sugar to the wet ingredients.*

A Perfect Fried Egg & Green Chili Cornbread

For the last month or so I have been able to add eggs back into my diet (thank goodness!), I don't eat them all the time but when I do it is a treat and a nice break from my typical breakfast rotation. I made this Green Chili + Cinnamon Cornbread from the Gluten Free Goddess yesterday and it accompanied our dinner of "naked" burritos perfectly. After dinner I was thinking of what I could have for breakfast to switch things up and the light bulb turned on... A perfectly cooked fried egg with a slice of the cornbread, and a banana of course ;-)

As you can tell with my breakfasts so far... I tend to fair on the simpler side, however, I am strong believer that simplicity is well worth whatever time it takes. Cooking an egg and heating the cornbread on the skillet does require more work than pouring a bowl of cereal... BUT the benefits are so much greater and the taste will leave you drooling for more.

**A quick side note... When I was younger anytime my mom would make french toast for breakfast it was always accompanied by a fried egg. The mixture of the sweet french toast and syrup with the savoriness of the yolk and the egg meshed together PERFECTLY... this breakfast dish reminds me of that... almost bringing me back to life at home with the parents ;-))**


To prepare this breakfast you will have to have the cornbread left over, meaning you'll get to enjoy it (at least) twice!! It is very simple to make and the addition of green chilies and cinnamon is incredible!

To prepare your breakfast cook one (or two) eggs in a skillet. While the egg is cooking warm the cornbread on all sides (flipping after about 20 seconds for each side) - this gives it a nice crust and well... who doesn't like freshly warmed cornbread?! When the egg is cooked and the cornbread is crusted, place both on your plate and cut up any fresh fruit you'd like. That's it! Simple yet delicious, enjoy!