Monday, January 31

Congratulations Heidi Shipley! Email me your address, and the size you want Kelly(insert@)theSpunkyCoconut.com and I'll get your onesie or t-shirt sent right away :-)

I don't have a new recipe today, so I'm going to do something I hardly ever do here on Spunky, and just talk a little :-)

Last night it began to snow, and it's been lightly snowing all day. I know some of you are probably really tired of snow right about now, but despite Colorado's reputation, we don't get much snow here in the Front Range. It snows tons up in the mountains at places like Vail, Aspen, and Breckenridge, but down here... not so much. Just one myth about Colorado. (Another is that the summers are mild, like Maine. Wrong again. It's mid 90's for two months—ugh.)

This morning I came downstairs and opened all the shades so I could enjoy watching the snow fall. I cooked up the second half of the batter (leftover from dinner last night), and we had Lexie's crepes for breakfast. So good. Then Zoe and Ashley played for a while before enjoying a nice hot bath. They pretended to be baristas in the tub, with toy cups and teapots, before getting out and (since we weren't planning on going anywhere today) putting on fresh pajamas.

One of our favorite things to do on snow days is read really great winter chapters from our favorite books. Today we cuddled up on the couch and read the last few chapters of On the Banks of Plum Creek. We started at the part when Pa goes to town even though Ma has a bad feeling about it. He gets stuck in a snow storm coming home. Ma and the girls try to be brave and stay warm for three days while Pa is missing in the crazy blizzard. The end always makes me cry, even though I know what's going to happen. It's so good.

After lunch Ashley and I made gingerbread cookies and frosting, while Zoe wanted to do some more reading on her own. With my help Ashley added all the ingredients and mixed the dough with the electric mixer. I'm so proud of how well she's doing. And speaking of how well she's doing, her doctor called this afternoon with some test results. As you may know from the first time I talked about recovering Ashley, we are working with our DAN! doctor to pull toxins from Ashley's body. She is incapable of excreting them herself because she has a mutated enzyme.

Ashley's lab tests show that she is continuing to detox things like mercury, aluminum, and lead, just to name a few. This is a real blessing and a very big deal because, as her doctor said when we got one heavy metal test back, "I've never seen so much mercury [in a patient/child] before." And her tests for two years leading up to chelating (detoxing) showed no toxins were being excreted at all. So thank God it's coming out with chelation.

On a much lighter note, I'm also grateful not to be nauseous anymore :-) I didn't realize so many of you were pregnant or had babies and grand-babies until you left comments on my last post (when I told you I'm pregnant). Some of you asked how I was feeling and said you were interested in my pregnancy diet, so here's what I have to say so far. Being nauseous stinks, but four things I found really helped: Candied ginger, apple cider vinegar mixed in water (well, that one's more for acid reflux than nauseousness), eating mini meals all day, and drinking mineral water. I really don't like mineral water though, so I added juice, like R. W. Knudsen organic Just Concord grape juice. Something about the bubbles makes me feel better.

Now that I'm not really nauseous anymore I've been craving things non-stop, mainly meat. I don't normally eat a lot of meat, and I almost never crave it. So it's unusual for me, but I'm listening to my body. I've also been craving pickles, which my husband thinks is hilarious. The problem with most of my cravings is that they hit me so fast. All the sudden I just have to have pancakes, usually at night, or grilled chicken, usually at breakfast. :-)

So as the sun begins to go down, and the snow continues to fall, I'm off to make dinner. I don't know what it will be—I have to search around the fridge and pantry. I think I have some sweet potatoes I can bake and some spinach I can wilt. Sounds like it's going to be a hodgepodge of what's left. Maybe I'll throw it all into a soup. Mmm... I love food.

♥, Kelly

News and a Giveaway!

Congratulations Heidi Shipley! Email me your address, and the size you wantKelly(insert@)theSpunkyCoconut.com and I'll get your onesie or t-shirt sent right away :-)

This giveaway is now closed.

Some big changes are happening at our house. And some things are the same too. Zoe and Ashley are such a joy to spend my days with, usually ;-) They are so smart, creative, and funny. They fill me with love. You can read more about them here.

Yesterday I had a big change. I got my hair cut. Really cut. Ten-inches-going-to-Locks-of-Love-cut. I've been thinking about going short again since August, and I finally had to do it. I feel free as a bird with my new 'do:

And there's another big change on the way, that I have been aching to tell you about. I'm three months pregnant...

Here I am this morning, posing for you with a spunky onesie that I just had to get for our little B on the way. And in celebration of little B, I'm giving one of these onesies away to one of you :-)

Or a spunky kids t-shirt. Or a spunky adult t-shirt...

If you win, you can choose any size from my store, and I'll send it to you. Just leave me a comment to enter. In your comment please give me your first and last name so I know it's really you when I get your email (if you win), and not someone pretending to be you so they win! This giveaway will close this Monday, January 31, at 12:00 in the afternoon.

♥, Kelly

Blueberry Nut & Seed Muffins (grain-free, dairy-free)

Congratulations Natte! You are the winner of Desserts Without Compromise! Please send me your email: Kelly(insert@)TheSpunkyCoconut.com

Last night I watched Julie and Julia for probably the 10th time :-) So, of course, after I watched it, I had to eat two poached eggs. "How can something as simple as a poached egg be so perfect?" I wondered. Then I drooled over this muffin by La Tartine Gourmande and all of the photos and recipes on La Tartine Gourmande. If you haven't been to this site yet, you're in for a treat. So beautiful.

This morning I made the muffins, and they were sensational. Seeing that the recipe made only about 8 muffins, I decided to double it for my family of four. However, when I looked at the amount of sugar and oil that doubling the recipe would need, I made some changes. Here is what I did:

I doubled the recipe but in place of white sugar I used 1/2 cup coconut sugar (which is low glycemic index and unrefined) and I added 1/4 tsp vanilla liquid stevia. (So I used half the amount of sugar the recipe called for.) I also added 1 tsp cinnamon. Rather than double the oil (I used coconut oil, liquified) I used the single batch amount and added 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp applesauce. For the quinoa flour I ground Quinoa Flakes in my Magic Bullet (a Blendtec or coffee grinder will also work) because we prefer the milder taste of the flakes. Finally I substituted 2 cups of organic blueberries for the fruit.

They took about 18 minutes to bake in my oven.

What I love about this recipe, besides how yummy the muffins are, is that all the flours are nuts and seeds. You grind the walnuts into meal, and quinoa and buckwheat are seeds, not grains, making this is a grain-free recipe. These muffins are so healthy and easy to digest. I can't wait to make them again, and try another recipe from La Tartine Gourmande.

♥, Kelly

Karina's Hot Artichoke Dip gluten-free & vegan

Recently I spied Karina's Hot Artichoke Dip, and I immediately knew that I wanted to make it and enter Sea's January, Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger event. Seeing Karina's Hot Artichoke Dip brought back wonderful memories of family get-togethers, where my mom, grandmother or aunts served hot creamy dip before dinner. I can't remember the last time I had something like that. So I told Karina, as soon as I make my homemade yogurt again, I'm going to make this dip. And today I did :-)

I didn't use the parmesan, and couldn't get my hands on frozen artichoke hearts. But I did find canned artichoke hearts in water, rather than oil. Also, I forgot to buy slivered almonds, so I used olive oil and almond meal on top instead.

The only bad thing about it was waiting for it to cool. Hehe :-) Once it was cool enough, the girls and I sat around our table, well, more like leaned over the table, caveman style, devouring Karina's dip. It is so delicious.

♥, Kelly

Grain-Free Nutty Szechuan Noodles gluten-free, dairy-free

This is what I ate for dinner tonight. Sigh. Isn't it beautiful? It tasted as good as it looks too. As you know, I don't eat a lot of grains. For one reason, Ashley and I have a hard time digesting them (especially rice), and for another reason, I gain weight just looking at grains ;-) So I keep my grain consumption to a minimum. But I was really in the mood for my nutty szechuan noodles tonight. Hmm... what to do? First I found a bag of 100% buckwheat noodles (buckwheat is a seed, not a grain) hiding in my pantry, and I thought about making those for me and Ashley (hubby does not like buckwheat).

Then, as I peered into my fridge for veggies to throw in, I saw zucchini. Light bulb. I remembered my nifty new julienne slicer that Elana told me about, and I recently ordered. I've been loving it. Now when I'm at the grocery store, I buy zucchini in bulk ;-)

This turned out so good, I may never it it with pasta again. I hope you love it too.

Grain-Free Nutty Szechuan Noodles

For the sauce:

Add to small pot:

1 cup broth

1 tbsp San-J gluten-free Szechuan sauce for mild, 2 tbsp for medium, 2.5 tbsp for hot

2 tbsp brown rice vinegar

2 tbsp almond butter or Sunbutter (I use one of each)

2 tbsp honey

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 tbsp GF tamari sauce

Bring barely to a simmer, watching so it doesn't boil over.

Reduce heat to low.

For the veggies and "noodles":

Chop and wash about 4 cups of red cabbage.

Saute over low to medium heat for about 15 minutes.

Add one red pepper, chopped.

Saute about 10 minutes longer.

Turn off the heat.

Lightly steam 4 zucchini that have been julienned. I used this tool.

Combine cabbage, red pepper and steamed zucchini.

Top with sauce.

Optional: Usually when I make this I add lightly toasted sesame seeds, but tonight I didn't have them on hand.

Tip: I always double or triple the sauce recipe when I make this, so I can use it throughout the week.

♥, Kelly

Coyote Cookie Bar Freezer Fudge

If you have my second cookbook, and you've made my Coyote Cookie Bars, then you may suffer from the same problem I do: Eating all the raw cookie dough :-) Last time I made them I had to eat some of the dough (as usual) and it got me thinking... this would make a great freezer fudge.

So I made some changes, like increasing the chia seed meal. I pressed the dough into a lined bread loaf pan and froze the bars. Whenever we need a snack, I just reach into the freezer and take out a slice. They satisfy our craving for something sweet, but they're low glycemic index, so they don't spike our blood sugar. Plus the protein fills us up and gives us the energy we need. They're a great snack.

We used almond butter, but you can also use Sunbutter or a combination of the two. They would also be good with some chopped walnuts thrown in.

Coyote Cookie Bar Freezer Fudge

gluten-free, casein-free, grain-free, egg-free, dairy-free

Add to bowl:

1/2 cup almond butter

1/2 tbsp vanilla

1/4 tsp vanilla liquid stevia

1/4 cup applesauce

1/4 cup coconut oil, liquified

1/4 cup Chia Seed meal (I grind my seeds in a coffee grinder or Magic Bullet. 2 tbsp seeds is equal to about 4 tbsp meal)

Mix.

Add:

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup coconut sugar (which is low glycemic index)

1/4 cup dairy-free chocolate chips

1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

2 tbsp coconut flour

1 cup Quinoa Flakes (quinoa is a seed, not a grain)

Mix.

Add to bread loaf pan lined with unbleached parchment paper. As you can see by my photo, just press the paper in and scoop the dough on top. No need to trim the paper.

Press the dough down firmly. I use a Spoonula to do this.

Freeze for about two hours, then slice.

Store in the freezer.

If you're thinking about adding coconut oil to your diet, check out this article by Bruce Fife, N.D.

♥, Kelly

Desserts Without Compromise, by Ricki Heller, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, egg-free

Today I'm really excited to be offering a giveaway for my friend, Ricki. You may know her by her terrific site, Diet Dessert & Dogs. Ricki and I have a similar approach to recipes. We both use lots of nuts and seeds, and we have a shared love of stevia :D

Ricki has offered to giveaway her eBook, Desserts Without Compromise (free of gluten, dairy, eggs and refined sugar) to one lucky winner. She gave me a free copy to review, and I knew immediately which recipe I wanted to try first: Creamy Vanilla Pudding (pictured above). Mmm. After reading the recipe, I was so confident we would love it that I went ahead and made a double batch. I'm so glad that I did! We had it last night and again this morning. It's uber-yummy.

Her Creamy Vanilla Pudding is simple to make, and as Ricki advises, can be easily adjusted to your preferred sweetness level. I love that, because we have a low tolerance for sweetness. Next on my must-make list are her Peachy Pudding, Quick Berry Sorbet and Grain-free Fudgy Brownies. Is your mouth watering too, or is it just me? :D

To enter to win, just leave a comment. Also in your comment I need to know your first name and last name initial so I can identify you. And don't forget to come back and see if you won! This giveaway will end at 12 in the afternoon, on Monday, January 24th. I'll announce the winner that evening!

♥, Kelly

This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations Natte!

gluten-free at Martino's Pizzeria, Lafayette, CO

We went to Martino's for gluten-free pizza today. Despite Zoe's decision to wear short sleeves, it was a very cold, kind of overcast day. Not exactly typical for the area, but a nice change. (Yesterday it was so warm and sunny that I didn't even need a coat on my walk.) We don't get television at home, so a cozy pizzeria with the football game on a big flatscreen TV was also a nice change :-) Zoe and Ashley played happily with the wooden pizza set, while they prepared our...

...gluten-free pizzas with Daiya (dairy-free) cheese. Mmm...

I've mentioned Martino's before, but it's worth saying again: They have awesome pizza. The crust is made by Sweet Escape and it's excellent. Plus the sauce is great, and toppings they offer make for the perfect pizza.

What I didn't realize until after I ordered is that they also carry Sweet Escape bread for sandwiches. Whaaaat? I already had my heart set on a pizza anyway, but now that I know about the gluten-free sandwiches, I can't wait to go in for one of those! (Even with the fabulous gluten-free bread, the sandwiches are only $8.00!)

Finally, the gluten-free cookie that they warmed in the oven was the icing on the cake. And it's gluten, dairy and nut free. Hello. This place is very allergy-friendly. You've gotta go.

♥, Kelly

Pot Pie Pockets gluten-free, casein-free, egg-free

Some of you, as well as my hubby, wanted to know if I could make another filling for my pocket pies. I had some leftover chicken that I needed to use, so I thought a pot pie pocket sounded really good. We used to love pot pies before we went gluten-free, and like my chicken strips, we haven't eaten them in ages. I can still picture us in the kitchen of our first townhouse, making pot pie. How I loved comfort food. And I still do.

My honey did love this pot pie pocket, but he said he would prefer a traditional pot pie to this pocket style. I think it's funny, he thought there was too much crust. My how times have changed. Back in the day there was no such a thing as "too much crust" or too much breading of any kind. We were carb fanatics.

But he's right, it would be excellent presented as a traditional pot pie, or even in large ramekins with crust only on the top. Those are always pretty. If you decide to use this crust for a large pie dish or to cover ramekins, this video on how to roll out and transfer my dough may be helpful.

Pot Pie Pockets

gluten-free, casein-free, egg-free

Follow the crust recipe by clicking here.

Pot Pie Filling

Saute:

3/4 cup finely chopped celery

3/4 cup finely chopped carrots

3/4 cup finely chopped onion

While that's sauteing, make the sauce:

Add to pot over low to medium heat:

2 tbsp ghee (which is casein-free) or coconut oil

When the ghee or oil has heated add:

2 tsp tapioca flour

Whisk and let it cook for about a minute.

Add:

1 cup cashew milk

(How to Make Cashew Milk Video)

Whisk until the sauce thickens, then turn off the heat and add:

1/2 tsp Herbamare

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp poultry seasoning

Whisk together.

Add to bowl:

sauteed veggies

about 2 cups finely chopped or shredded cooked chicken (I used leftover roasted chicken)

and the sauce

Combine.

Put the pockets together as shown here.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 22 minutes.

♥, Kelly

Spinach & Artichoke Pies gluten-free, casein-free, egg-free, vegan

I set out to make spinach and artichoke calzones this afternoon. I made some a couple days ago, but I wanted to make a few changes to the crust. These came out amazing, and so much better than the first try (which wasn't bad), but they also didn't come out as calzones. They came out as spinach and artichoke pies. And I'm soooo excited!

The crust is flakey and fabulous, just like a great pie crust should be. The filling is so creamy and delish no one would ever know these pies are dairy-free. I hope you like them too!

Spinach & Artichoke Pies

gluten-free, casein-free, egg-free, vegan

For the filling:

Puree:

1.5 cups white beans (like navy beans)

2 tbsp artichoke heart liquids

3/4 tsp Herbamare

When the beans are creamy and smooth add the puree to a bowl with:

24 oz of artichoke hearts, no liquid (I get the glass jars that are 12 oz)*

1 cup Daiya mozzarella (or preferred dairy-free cheese)

16 oz frozen organic spinach that has been strained through a kitchen towel (to remove as much water as possible)

Combine and set aside.

Pie crust:

Add to Bowl:

1/2 cup applesauce (with no added sugar)

4 tbsp Chia Seed meal (I grind my seeds in a coffee grinder or Magic Bullet. 2 tbsp seeds is equal to about 4 tbsp meal)

Optional: For egg-users: add two eggs and omit half of the applesauce and all of the chia seed meal.

2 tbsp water

1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup coconut oil, liquified

Mix with electric mixer.

Add:

1 & 1/4 cups almond meal flour (I use Bob's)

2/3 cup coconut flour

1/3 cup tapioca flour

1.5 tsp baking soda

1.5 tsp baking powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp onion powder

Mix with electric mixer.

Reach into dough with a 1/2 cup measuring cup.

Pack it down slightly and level it off.

Knock the dough out of the measuring cup, onto a small piece of unbleached parchment paper.

Fold the paper over the dough and press down to create a circle.

Pull the paper back, flour the dough slightly and roll it into about a 6 inch circle.

Use your hands to go around the edges, gently pushing them in for a nice circle shape.

Add a couple heaping tablespoons of the filling to one side of the dough, as shown above.

Lift the paper and roll the dough over the top of the filling, as shown above.

Peel the paper back and touch up the dough with your fingers if necessary.

Use a fork to poke the top of each pie.

Place the pies on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 22 minutes.

(Keep an eye on it, as oven temperatures vary.)

Makes six lovely spinach and artichoke pies. Yum :-)

*I like to save my artichoke heart liquids for pasta, dressing or dip.

♥, Kelly

Battered gluten-free Chicken Strips with honey mustard dressing

The other day I came across my first handwritten recipe book. It's really cute. I covered a small blank sketchbook with pages from a cooking magazine and Mod Podged over the top to protect it. Then I made tabs for sections like bread, chicken, and casserole. Most of the recipes came from my mom—things she made when we were growing up. Banana bread (Bisquick), beef stroganoff (Campbell's). And a few of my own too: Spinach Ricotta Pie (most likely from the back of a pre-made pie crust box), and my long lost favorite... "The Best Chicken Strips."

I felt a touch sentimental and a touch embarrassed of myself ;-) It was from the first year Andy and I were married—A.K.A. the height of my homemade gluten and dairy consumption. The recipes are filled with words that make 2011 Kelly cringe like, "lite ranch dressing" and "canned cream of mushroom soup." I feel bloated just imagining it.

But reading about "The Best" chicken strips made me miss them. So I decided to create some equally awesome chicken strips a decade later for the new me :-) My first try was good, but I wanted a thicker "batter" type of crust, and I wasn't satisfied with the flour blend. This morning I made them again and I'm so happy with the results. I can't wait for you to try them!

Battered Chicken Strips

gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free

Rinse about 1.5 pounds of chicken breast & cut into strips. Set aside.

Add to bowl 1:

1.5 cups almond meal flour (I use Bob's)

1/2 cup Quinoa Flake flour*

1/2 tsp Herbamare

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Whisk to combine.

Add to bowl 2:

4 eggs

Optional: 2 tbsp Vegenaise Grapeseed Oil

Whisk.

I like to use a fork to skewer the chicken for this process.

Take a skewered strip of chicken and dip it in the egg mixture.

Let the excess run off.

Next put the chicken in the flour mixture.

Brush the flour mixture over the chicken and egg.

Lightly shake off the excess.

Dip in egg then flour again.

After the strips have each been dipped in egg and flour twice, lightly shake the excess again and place them on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 450 degrees for about 18 minutes.

Use a spatula to transfer the strips to wire racks to cool so the bottoms dry. Otherwise the bottoms will be soggy.

Serve with gluten-free ketchup or honey mustard sauce.

Honey Mustard Sauce:

Add equal parts extra virgin olive oil, dijon and honey (like 1/4 cup of each). Whisk. Taste and add more mustard if you like.

*I don't like quinoa flour, but I love quinoa flakes. I think the flakes taste nothing like the flour. So I blend my own quinoa flake flour in my Blendtec or Magic Bullet, and it only takes a few seconds. You can also use a coffee grinder.

♥, Kelly

PS Thanks again to all of you who were able to come yesterday! I had the best day!

Chocolate Date Frosting & Book Signing

Once in a while it hits me... the craving for a slice of chocolate cake =) I've always been crazy for chocolate cake. And believe it or not, I think the cakes I make now (that I'm gluten-free) are even better than the ones I use to eat many years ago.

This cake recipe isn't new. I have three chocolate cake options for you: My original chocolate cake, which you can find here (and in my first cookbook), my grain-free chocolate cake, or my vegan fudge cake. The latter two are in my second cookbook, Grain-Free Baked Goods & Desserts.

What is new is this decadent frosting. As it usually goes, I was standing in my kitchen when the idea popped into my head: Chocolate date frosting. Oh yeah. It's out of this world. =)

So I'm about to give you this recipe now, but first there is something I want to ask you: Would you like to try a slice of this cake and frosting, made by yours truly?

This Saturday, January 8th, at 1:00 I'll be at Red Frog Coffee for the opening of my art show and signing cookbooks. I would love to meet you! I'll be the one with the chocolate cake =)

Also, I can't make any promises, but I've invited a couple of my other gluten-free blogger friends to come out and say "hi." I'm not going to say who, but they are some uber-talented ladies =)

I hope those of you who are close can come out, and if you have my cookbook(s) already, bring them for me to sign! I'll also have some available for sale if you don't.

Chocolate Date Frosting:

Add to food processor:

1.5 cup pitted dates (soaked overnight if they are dry)

3/4 cup plain cashews

Begin to puree. While pureeing gradually add:

1.5 cup coconut milk

Puree till creamy and smooth.

Add:

1/8 tsp sea salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

1.5 tbsp tapioca flour

1/3 cup coconut oil, liquified

1/2 cup cocoa powder

Puree till creamy and smooth.

Taste, and add more cocoa if necessary.

Freeze for about half an hour or refrigerate till cool.

Makes enough for one single layer cake. Double for a layered cake.

♥, Kelly