Gift Ideas #1: Homemade Chai Granola (gluten-free, grain-free, low glycemic index)

This Chai Granola, made with cinnamon and cardamom spices, is one of my most popular recipes. I make it with walnuts, but you can use almonds or a combination of nuts. The chia seed meal and applesauce create great clusters that you can break apart and eat as a snack or crumble for cereal. Soaking the nuts helps form the clusters, and breaks down the natural enzyme inhibitors which nuts contain, making them easier to digest.

Homemade gifts are a great way to show how much you care about someone. To make it easier for you, I've included recipe cards below to go along with this gift. The recipe will make about two and a half of these cute quart sized Ball jars. I got them at an Ace Hardware store in my town, but you can also buy them from Ace on Amazon. Double the recipe if you want to make six this size, and don't forget to sign the bottom of your recipe card :-)

I used paper with flecks in it, and thin woven fabric so that I could fray the edges. I attached the recipe cards with hemp after punching two holes in each card.

Download the image at left to print out your own recipe labels.

Chai Granola

gluten-free, grain-free, low glycemic index

Soak 4 cups of nuts for about 8 hours (I used walnuts in the photo above)

Rinse and strain.

Add to a bowl with:

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup almond meal flour

1 cup applesauce with no added sugar

20 drops of vanilla liquid stevia

1/4 cup coconut sugar

In a separate bowl mix:

2 tbsp Chia Seed meal (I grind my Chia Seeds in a coffee grinder)

2 tsp cardamom

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp sea salt

Combine the two bowls.

Dehydrate at 115 degrees overnight, or until it's dry and crunchy.

Other questions? See my FAQ page here.
♥, Kelly

The Spunky Coconut Podcast: episode 3 : Shirley and Kelly

Today on The Spunky Coconut podcast I talk with Shirley from Gluten Free Easily about her event, Home For the Holidays ...Gluten Free Style, gluten contamination, getting diagnosed for gluten and more.

Subscribe on iTunes

Listen to Episode 3 in a new window.

Places and products we mentioned in this podcast:
Eat Fresh and De-Tox Your Life
Enterolab
Autism Research Institute (DAN!)
DAN! doctor list

Thank you so much for supporting me. I am so grateful for you. Happy Thanksgiving!

The Spunky Coconut Podcast:episode 2 : Lexie and Kelly

Above: Lexie and I in May, 2010

Lexie from Lexie's Kitchen joins me to talk about Old Town Arvada, food photography, recipe development, and more!


Subscribe on iTunes

LISTEN to Episode 2 in a new window.

Places and products we mentioned in the podcast:

Penzeys Spices
Udi's Cafes
Rheinlander Bakery
Red Frog Coffee
My Pinterest
Lexie's Pinterest
Velvet Aroma
Healthy Indulgences
Celestial Seasonings Kombucha
Now Foods Krill Oil
Etsy


P.S. I said I would tell you who was who in the baby photos from my last post. The answer is: Ginger is on the left, and Zoe is on the right. They look so alike as babies! :-)

A trip down memory lane & gratefulness.

Thanksgiving makes me sentimental, which is why I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane.

When I was 20 I bought my first car, well jeep. I adored my jeep. I soon regretted getting dark green (wishing I had chosen red), but I loved the sunny tan interior. It had a stick shift, and in a word it was bouncy. I felt like a kid driving a toy car (a good thing in my mind). I drove that little Wrangler all the way across the country, Atlantic to Pacific. There isn't much I want for anymore, but I'd love to get another jeep some day :-)

Here is Andy and my cat, Tiger, in my senior year apartment. It was on the second floor of a really old two story house, and it had a great little porch overlooking a yard and a big old tree in the back. This is the kitchen. It was tiny. There was maybe one foot of counter space between the sink and the refrigerator, and that was it. But I loved it. I painted it this glossy green, and put up postcards I collected.

Andy and I were married on the Chesapeake Bay in Annapolis, Maryland, the town where I spent junior high and high school. I would tell you we had crabs with Old Bay at the wedding, because it sounds so Annapolis, but that isn't true. Haha. I honestly don't even remember eating though. It's all just a blur. But a good blur :-)

Faux Fried Eggplant (gluten-free)

Last night I was searching for inspiration—eggplant inspiration. On Facebook I asked you guys, "What is your favorite thing to do with eggplant?" You all made my mouth water with your eggplant recipes, but what really sounded good to me was fried eggplant. However, I'm not skilled at frying (thank goodness, or I would do it all the time). It dawned on me that I could faux fry the eggplant exactly like I do with my chicken strips . The faux fried eggplant came out so great, I couldn't believe I hadn't thought to do it before. In fact, now that I think about it, I wonder what else I could faux fry? Zucchini would be really good. Okra too...

Faux Fried Eggplant

gluten-free

Optional: Peel two eggplants. My eggplants were about 5 inches wide at the widest part. (I don't like eggplant skin. If you do, then leave it on.)

Slice the eggplant crosswise in about half inch slices.

Lay a cooling rack on top of a kitchen towel.

Place the eggplant slices on the rack and sprinkle them with sea salt.

Wait about 15 minutes, then turn them over and sprinkle the other side with sea salt as well.

Let them sit on the rack for another 45 minutes.

Remove the slices from the rack and press them between two dry kitchen towels to remove as much moisture as possible.

Add three eggs to a bowl and whisk.

Set aside.

Add to another bowl:

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

1/2 cup Quinoa Flake flour* (I'm sure brown rice flour or more almond flour would also work)

1/2 tsp Herbamare

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Whisk to combine.

Place the cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet.

Dip the eggplant slices into the egg, then press them into the flour on both sides. (I pressed them down fairly hard to get a good crust.)

Place them on the rack which is on top of the cookie sheet.

Bake at 450 for about 20 minutes. (I baked them until they were starting to brown, so they had some nice crispy parts. Just keep an eye on them so they don't burn.)

Let them cool for a few minutes, then serve.

I thought they were so awesome with just a drizzle of olive oil, but you can add sauce if you like, or top them with a pinch a Daiya the last few minutes of roasting.

*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.

Other questions? See my FAQ page here.

♥, Kelly

P.S. Thank you all so much for voting for me this past week! You did it—I made the top 25 Food Allergy Mom Blogs!

Easy Blueberry Muffins

I've been working on another muffin recipe, and I think I finally got it :-) These are super simple little guys, that would probably work with any fruit inside, but I've been making them with defrosted blueberries. Enjoy!

Easy Blueberry Muffins

Add to bowl:

4 eggs

2 tbsp ghee (which is casein-free), melted

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

(or 4 tbsp of either ghee or olive oil, but this is my favorite combo)

1/8 tsp chocolate raspberry liquid stevia

1/4 cup honey

Beat with mixer.

Add:

1/3 cup tapioca flour

1/3 cup coconut flour, sifted

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

Beat again.

Let it rest for about 5 minutes.

Add:

1.5 cups of defrosted blueberries

Fold blueberries into batter.

Fill unbleached muffin cups almost full.

Bake at 350 for about 24 minutes.

Makes about 9 muffins.

♥, Kelly

Other questions? See my FAQ page here.

P.S. Today is the last day, so please vote for me! Here's the link:

The Spunky Coconut Podcast: episode 1

Above: Ashley, Marcie (Andy's sister), and Zoe taking a walk last week.
I'm very excited to announce The Spunky Coconut podcast! We're working on getting this available as an iTunes subscription, but until then just click on the link below:

Or LISTEN to Episode 1 in a new window.

♥, Kelly

Pumpkin Chai Bars with a Raw Pecan Crustvegan, gluten-free, dairy-free

Two of my favorite fall treats are pumpkin, anything pumpkin, and chai, anything chai :-) I mostly make my own pumpkin and chai treats, since the ones you get out are usually made with cow milk and tons of refined sugar. Yesterday morning I wondered why I haven't combined pumpkin and chai. So I did. My first try turned into a kind of cake, but it wasn't good, and totally not what I was going for. Then I tried again and I went too far the other way—rather than too wet the crust was too dry. I gave up on the crust ingredients I was using and decided to go for a raw crust. A raw crust is simple and fail-proof for something un-baked. why didn't I think of it in the first place? :-)

I hope you love how it turned out as much as we do.

Pumpkin Chai Bars with a Raw Pecan Crust

vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free

Crust:

Add to blender or food processor:

1 cup pecan pieces (add a handful more if your pecans are whole)

1/2 cup almond meal flour (I use Bob's)

5 soft pitted dates (soak first if they are dry)

1 tsp cinnamon

Puree till it begins to form a ball.

Press into square dish.

Note: You don't need to grease or line the dish first. The raw crust wont stick.

Topping:

Add to a small pot:

3/4 cup coconut milk

3/4 cup pumpkin puree*

1/4 cup coconut sugar (which is low glycemic index)
10 drops vanilla liquid stevia

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp ginger

3/4 tsp cinnamon

Simmer till coconut sugar is just dissolved.

Add:

2 tsp agar powder (Not flakes! You would need far more if you use flakes!)

Whisk agar powder while simmering for about one minute.

Pour over crust.

Refrigerate till solid.

Store in the fridge.

*I used canned pumpkin, but I was thinking today that not all canned pumpkin or home-cooked pumpkin is the same. Some cans are more watery than others, and some home-cooked pumpkins are more watery than others. So I would suggest that if your mixture looks runny after you whisked your agar powder for a minute, then add another half a teaspoon of agar powder. It should look a little thick after whisking for a minute or so.

♥, Kelly

Other questions? See my FAQ page here.

Blueberry Pie (gluten-free, GFCF, low glycemic index)

The holidays are right around the corner, which has me thinking about pie :-) My dear friend, Becki, is the pie queen when it comes to holiday pies. Many years ago (Becki and I have been friends for over ten years) I marveled at all the pies she would make for Thanksgiving or Christmas. But when I used to feel the need for pie, I would go out and buy one. Not anymore of course. Since starting our restricted diet seven years ago I've conquered homemade "cheesecakes," pecan pie, apple pie, and more. One at a time. Today I decided to go for another one of my honey's favorites: blueberry pie.

I based this blueberry pie on my strawberry rhubarb pie. Rhubarb needs more sugar than other pies though, so I was able to use half as much sugar as the strawberry rhubarb pie, and it came out plenty sweet enough. I also used an egg in place of the applesauce/chia seed meal in the crust, which you can do if you like.

Blueberry Pie

Crust:

Pre-bake this this crust for only 5 minutes. Set aside.
Note: I've been making this crust without the baking powder, and it's been turning out fine.

Filling:

Add to medium size pot:

About 5 cups frozen blueberries
Note: Do not defrost them. We're going to use their liquids and coconut sugar to make a syrup.
1/4 cup coconut sugar (which is low glycemic index)
10 drops vanilla liquid stevia

Bring to simmer over medium heat.
Continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, strain the blueberries from the liquids and add them to a bowl.

Simmer the liquids for another 10 minutes.
At the end of the 10 minutes, whisk 2 teaspoons agar powder into the bubbling liquids.
Turn off the heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons arrowroot (tapioca flour would probably work also).

Add the thickened syrup to the blueberries in the bowl (the blueberries should still be hot so the agar doesn't start to harden).
Add the filling to the partially baked crust.
Bake at 350 degrees for another 7 minutes only.

Let cool on the counter for half an hour, chill in the freezer for half an hour more, then serve.
(It's meant to be room temperature—the freezer just speeds up the process :-)

♥, Kelly

Other questions? See my FAQ page here.

P.S. Please vote for me here. You can vote every day up until November 16th.