Mango Sweet Rice

Evan and I absolutely love Thai food. It's one of our go-tos when we want to go out to eat but can't decide where to go. Thai food is something we both can always agree on. One thing I've noticed in my explorations of Thai cuisine is how complexity of the entrees contrast with the simplicity of the desserts. I mean, have you ever looked up how to make curry paste? Anyway, the other day we bought some sweet rice at our local Filipino market, and tonight we decide to attempt making a Thai dessert: mango sweet rice.

It was delicious! It was creamy, sweet, and not at all heavy. My only complaint is that we only used one mango. I would definitely use two next time. Here's the recipe!

Mango Sweet Rice

2 mangoes, diced
1 can light coconut milk
3 cups sweet rice
3.5 cups water
1/4 cup honey

1) Place rice in a colander and rinse it until the water runs clear (we forgot this step and it turned out fine, but I think it would have been better had we remembered).
2) Bring the water to a boil. Add the rice, reduce heat to medium and allow the rice to steam for 12-14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed.
3) Add the coconut milk, honey and the mango. Stir and serve!

Busy, busy, busy

I logged onto my blog the other day to get my recipe for red velvet cream cheese cupcakes. In doing so, I realized that I haven't posted since July 12. July 12! I couldn't believe the amount of time that has passed since my last post. A lot has happened since then.

Life has been whirlwind these past four months. Evan and I both started the first jobs of our careers, and these jobs certainly keep us busy.

In my new job as a 7th grade teacher, I am learning just how much goes into being a teacher. Yes, there are the 6.5 hours that you spend at school with the kids, but within that time you're not just teaching academic content. You're helping kids understand that their actions have consequences. You're helping them deal with all kids of conflict, and teaching them how to think before they speak. You're disciplining bad behavior, rewarding good behavior, checking homework and helping them reach high expectations.

Then, there's all the time that you spend outside of those 6.5 hours going to meetings, planning lessons, contacting parents, creating documents and grading. Sometimes, it's really difficult to for me balance my work and personal life. 

It's been a steep learning curve being a teacher. I struggle a lot with how to deal with certain situations that come up, especially since there are so many things that middle schoolers do that are inexplicable. But, the experience is invaluable. I know that God is preparing me for future teaching positions and he is teaching me things about myself that I would never have learned if I was anywhere else. 

Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cupcakes!

First of all, I would like to apologize for the lack of posts in the last couple of months. In my defense, I was in Africa for a month, and we just moved to a new locale. That being said, I hope you readers are still out there and ready for a gluten-free cupcake recipe that will totally rock your world!

I love cupcakes. They are the perfect size to satisfy a sweet tooth but help you not go overboard (unless of course you have no one with whom to share your batch - then they are just dangerous!). But, when I went gluten free, baked goods, especially those with a lot of sugar because of Evan's diet, seemed to be a thing of the past.

That is, until I found this recipe on Pinterest.

Like I said, I love cupcakes, and red velvet cupcakes, well let's just say that I would ditch a chocolate cupcake for red velvet any day. And the ones in this recipe had a CREAM CHEESE FILLING!! As my mouth started producing an inordinate amount of saliva, I had to make some, and I had to figure out how I could make them gluten free so that Evan could revel in the red velvet glory with me.

These are the cupcakes created by this glorious recipe:

Do you see how amazing?? How pretty?? Trust me, you need to try them, and don't worry about the fact that red velvet cupcakes are typically slated for Valentine's Day. These should be made and eaten NOW.

Enjoy, my friends! Enjoy.

Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Ingredients

Filling:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons honey
1 ½ tablespoons lightly beaten egg (break egg, mix with fork, measure)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Batter:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons white rice flour
2 teaspoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil
2/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar because we didn't have any white vinegar, and it was just fine)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon red food coloring
3/4 teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons sour cream

Directions: 
  

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line eight muffin tin cups with baking cups.
2.  Prepare your filling - Mix the softened cream cheese and honey together, and then add the egg and vanilla and set aside. Because of the viscosity of the honey, I found it was best to warm the cream cheese prior to use.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the white rice flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
4. In another bowl, combine the oil, sugar, vinegar, red food coloring, sour cream and vanilla. Once this is thoroughly mixed, slowly add it to the flour mixture until they are just mixed together.
5. Fill each baking cup about one third of the way with the batter. Spoon the filling over the batter so that each cup gets an approximately equal share of the filling.
6. Spoon the remainder of the batter over the cupcakes to form a bulls-eye pattern.
7. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes.
8. Eat and enjoy!

 

Spicy Thai Noodles

I love Thai food - the spices, the colors, the flavor combinations...seriously, everything about Thai food. Now, I can't make Thai food at home as deliciously as they make it in Thai restaurants. But, sometimes I come across a recipe that comes close.

This particular recipe is easy and quite delicious. What I love best is that it is so versatile! The first time I made it I topped my delicious, spicy noodles with cilantro and onions. The second time I mixed the noodles with broccoli, red bell pepper and some other veggies. It was delicious both times! This is a great recipe to experiment with. Its simplicity allows you to add just about anything that you like.

So, allow me to share this wonderful recipe with you! I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:


1 package rice sticks
1 tbsp crushed red pepper
3/4 cup vegetable or sesame oil
6 tbsp honey
6 tbsp gluten free soy sauce
Crushed peanuts, chopped onions and cilantro to taste

Directions:


1. Cook rice sticks according to package directions.
2. Heat oil and crushed red pepper over medium heat in a small pan for about 2 minutes (you can use more or less crush red pepper depending on how spicy you want your noodles).
3. Strain crushed red pepper out of the oil and save the oil.
4. Stir honey and soy sauce into the oil.
5. Toss cooked rice sticks in the oil/honey/soy sauce mixture and peanuts, onions and cilantro.

(modified from http://asmallsnippet.blogspot.com/2011/03/spicy-thai-noodles.html)

Bisquick Recipes

I have noticed that lately there have been a lot of recipes popping up on my Pinterest feed that call for Bisquick. I had no idea you could make so much out of the stuff - cakes, cookies, rolls, muffins...the list of baked goods from Bisquick goes on and on. I'm sure most of you knew that you can make all this stuff from Bisquick, but did you know that it's super easy to make your own?? I didn't, until I found the Wikipedia article on Bisquick. According to this article, one cup of Bisquick can be substituted for:

• 1 cup of flour (gluten free, of course!)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons of baking powder
• 1/2 a teaspoon of salt 
• 1 tablespoon of oil or melted butter 

I tried it. It works wonderfully!

Cinnamon Rolls with Sugar Free Frosting

Have you ever perused the Breakfast display in a supermarket bakery? It is filled with muffins, croissants, coffee cakes, frosted breads, and of course, cinnamon rolls. These "breakfast" items are designed to give you a moment of pleasure and then leave you hanging in an hour or so when the sugar crash happens.

But that doesn't mean we can't still eat them!

What I love most about being on a gluten-free diet is discovering and trying new recipes. Last night, Evan and I made gluten-free cinnamon rolls that are truly delectable. They aren't quite as gooey as the Pillsbury rolls that come in the can, but they don't contain the additives and preservatives that you'll find in store-bought cinnamon rolls (the frosting has some because it's made from instant pudding mix). So, here is the recipe! I encourage you to try it.

Ingredients


Dough


2 cups gluten free bread mix
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
water

Filling


3 tbsp butter, partially melted.
3 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Frosting


1 oz box sugar free pudding mix (any flavor - we chose vanilla for the cinnamon rolls)
1/2 cup skim milk
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions


1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream and the gluten free bread mix. It will probably crumbly, so add water as needed to create a doughy consistency. If you add too much water, making it really sticky, you can add rice flour to balance it out.
2. Roll the dough out between two sheets of wax paper. You'll want about 1/2 an inch thickness and try to make it sort of rectangular. This helps make the cinnamon rolls similar sizes.
3. Mix together the butter, honey and cinnamon. Be sure it is completely blended, then spread it on the cinnamon roll dough. It is best to put more of the cinnamon mix near the end that you will begin rolling up the dough because as you roll, the mix will get pushed towards the end.
4. Roll up the dough and slice as thick as you desire using a sharp knife dusted with rice flour.
5. Place rolls in a circle and touching each other with the tails facing inside the circle on a greased cookie sheet. Brush with milk or heaving whipping cream and bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. While the rolls are baking, mix the sugar-free pudding mix, milk and whipping cream using a mixer on medium speed. You will want the frosting to be fluffy but not too thick.
7. When the rolls are done, take them off the cookie sheet so they stop baking. Place on a plate, and spread frosting on the rolls. Enjoy while warm!

Store extra rolls in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

Grilled Bananas

Okay, so I am a self-professed chocolate addict. When we go out to eat, I always have to take a peek at the dessert menu, and if anything includes the word "chocolate" I am immediately sold. Chocolate has all too often served as a pick-me-up on a bad day, or as a mode of stress relief.

That being said, this grilled bananas recipe is probably my favorite dessert. It's so delectably rich that I cannot get enough of it. It's creamy, flavorful and surprisingly simple! I know the picture isn't the best, but seriously, if you love bananas or coconut at all, you will want to try this one.

Ingredients


1/2 cup coconut cream
2/3 cup heavy cream
4 bananas
Juice and rind of one lime
1 tbsp vegetable or peanut oil
1/2 cup dry, unsweetened coconut

Directions


1. Beat the coconut cream and the heavy cream together in a bowl until thick but floppy. Cover and chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.
2. Peel bananas and toss in lime juice and rind. Lightly oil a preheated grill pan and cook the bananas, turning once, for 2-3 minutes, until softened and browned.
3. Toast the dry unsweetened coconut on a piece of foil under a broiler until lightly browned. Serve the bananas with the coconut cream, sprinkled with toasted coconut. (NOTE! The browning of the coconut does not take long, only about one minute! Be very careful with this step because it is super easy to burn.)

Lasagna!

Coming from an Italian family, I grew up eating lasagna. Delicious, messy, meaty lasagna. Of course, when you're married to someone who a) did not grow up in an Italian family, and b) is gluten free, you don't get to eat lasagna very much. When I first asked Evan if he like lasagna, he said he didn't really remember. It had been over ten years since his last lasagna, and he was pretty sure it was Stouffer's.

Then, one lucky Christmas, my aunt gave us some rice lasagna noodles. I bought a casserole dish, and we created Evan's first every homemade lasagna. It turned out perfectly. The mozzarella cheese browned a bit on top, and the inside of the lasagna melted into a delectably gooey mess.

After we got married, we realized how difficult rice lasagna noodles are to come by (and how expensive they are!). Luckily, our very resourceful neighbors mentioned that they had used zucchini slices in place of lasagna noodles. We were very skeptical at first - after all, neither of us very enthusiastic about zucchini. Still, we decided to try it, and we were amazed with the quality of our lasagna! Not only was it incredible the first time around, but it kept excellently in the refrigerator, so we were able to take it with us to work for lunches.

Now, we always use zucchini for our lasagna noodles, and you can really use any lasagna recipe, but I've put mine here, just in case you'd like to try it.

Gluten Free Zucchini Lasagna


Ingredients


2 zucchini, cut into thin, vertical slices (a cheese slicer works well for this)
1 16 oz container ricotta cheese
3 cups grated mozzarella cheese
2 lbs cooked ground beef
Grated parmesean (optional)
1 can tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
Basil, rosemary, crushed garlic and oregano to taste

Directions


1. Thoroughly mix tomato sauce and tomato paste, heat on the stove and add as much basil, rosemary, garlic, and oregano as desired (you can add other seasonings too, these are the ones we like in our lasagna)
2. Lay zucchini slices down in a 13x9in baking pan. Create a single layer and cover the bottom of the pan.
3. Heat ricotta slightly in the microwave, and mix in a handful of mozzarella (the heat makes it easier to spread the cheese).
4. Spread approximately 1/3 of the sauce on top of the zucchini, along with about half of the meat and ricotta cheese mixture.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 to create another layer. (Be sure to put a final layer of zucchini on the top)
6. Spread the remainder of the sauce on top of the last layer of zucchini, and cover with mozzarella and parmesean.
7. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and slightly browned around the edges.

Mennonite Cooking

Like many of you gluten free eaters, I am always looking for new gluten free recipes to try. But when my in-laws gave us Keepers at Home Gluten Free Cooking*, I was slightly skeptical about it. I never expected a gluten free cookbook to be compiled by the Amish and Mennonite communities, but after trying some of the bread and cookie recipes, I figured out what a great resource it is! It contains some truly delicious recipes and several different gluten free flour mixes. One of the best resources in the book is the tips on converting just about any baked recipe into a gluten free recipe:

• When substituting rice flour in a cookie recipe, add 1 tsp gelatin to every 3 cups of flour.
• Adding an egg if the recipe already calls for eggs improves texture because rice flour is lower in protein than regular flour.
• Xanthan gum is an important additive!
• For breads add 3/4 tsp. per cup of flour
• For cakes add 1/2 tsp. per cup of flour
• For cookies add 1/4-1/2 tsp. per cup of flour.

I know I am going to have fun experimenting with various recipes that normally call for wheat flour. I think I'll try to improve upon the chocolate chip cookie recipe my neighbor created.

*Keepers at Home Gluten Free Cooking is published by Carlisle Press, located in Sugarcreek, Ohio.

Christmas musings

Working at a retail store, you get to meet all kinds of people - especially during the holiday season. Many are joyful and are excited to share the season of giving with friends and family. Others take it upon themselves to show up their rich friends by giving extravagant gifts they can't afford, while others are so focused on gift-giving that they forget the reason for the season. I often get very frustrated, because I tend to take the stresses of others onto myself - healthy, I know.

Still, during this time of year I always like to take stock of what's really important in my life. I have so many blessings, that it's hard to for me to understand why anyone could hate the holiday season. I have my health, a wonderful family and incredibly faithful friends.

One thing that I love about the holidays is the food! This might be something somewhat superficial to be thankful for, but I absolutely love all the goodies that are cranked out during the Christmas season. My dad in recent years has discovered a love for baking. Two Christmases ago, he cranked out over 200 cookies and probably 10 pounds of peppermint bark. I was in sugar heaven, though I don't believe my hips appreciated this so much. My in-laws always love having people over for dinner, but the holidays are particularly special - there are tons of food, and lots of love around the table.

In order to include Evan in the holiday festivities, my entire family likes to make sure that Evan has food he can eat. My mom made Chex mix this year using only rice and corn Chex. My dad is going to make two turkeys for Christmas Eve dinner - one with regular stuffing and one with gluten free stuffing. My aunt always puts croutons on the side of the salad so that he doesn't have to pick them out.

I guess the reason I love food really, though, is the interesting power it has to bring people together. Haven't you noticed how people are always gathered at the hors d'oeuvres table? At least that's what happens in my family. Eating and talking. Sometimes playing games, sometimes poking fun at each other, but there is always love.

Pie Crust

Fall is one of my favorite times of year. Now, I certainly do not love it because the weather gets colder and the days get shorter. I love the myriad of colors, the way my house gets so cozy and the way a pumpkin spice steamer tastes. What I love most of all, however, is the produce. I have never been one to turn down a slice of apple or pumpkin pie. Or any kind of pie for that matter.

Like me, Evan is a true lover of pie. But, like most people who have to go gluten free, he was worried he may never eat pie again. Luckily, his mom came to the rescue. She thought there must be some way to make a pie gluten free. After much trial and error, they came up with the following pie crust recipe. I hope you enjoy it! It's delicious, simple and much healthier than your average pie crust.

Almond Flour Pie Crust


Ingredients

2 1/4 cups almond flour
5 tbps butter
1/4 tsp salt

Directions

Mix all ingredients together well. Press into a pie plate and fill with your favorite filling! (Note that this recipe DOES NOT work for crusts on top of pies.)

Crohn's and Genetics

Last year, I took a class on human genetic variation. As the final project for the class, we had to write a 10-15 page paper on a topic regarding genetic variation in humans. I decided to focus my paper on Crohn's disease. Because Crohn's is an autoimmune disease, I figured there had to be some kind of genetic connection. If there is a mutation in a gene that codes for a cell receptor on digestive cells, then the body could identify it as foreign and thus attack the cells. 


So, I'd like to share with you my research. This paper is called a "review of the literature." I perused the research of others, compiling and synthesizing it to create a somewhat comprehensive view of the studies that have been done over the years. 


Enjoy this first installment!

It is estimated that 60 to 70 million people are affected by some sort of digestive disease in the United States alone. One to two million of these cases of digestive disease are inflammatory bowel disease, which can be separated into two categories: Crohn’s disease and colitis (Head and Jurenka 2004). Both are defined as a chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. Crohn’s disease can occur anywhere in the digestive system, but is typically found in the ileum or colon (Shoenstadt 2004).  Colitis is essentially the same thing, but is only found in the colon. This review will be focusing on Crohn’s disease, which is a complex interplay of environmental and genetic risk factors. While the evidence is inconclusive as to the exact cause of Crohn’s disease, Western style treatments focus on using drugs. However, the literature suggests that changes in diet can treat the disease much more effectively. Therefore, more research needs to be done on diets that are helpful to people with Crohn’s disease.


While Crohn’s disease is less prevalent than colitis (according to National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC 2010) statistics in 1998, Crohn’s affected only 359,000 people, whereas colitis affected 619,000) in 2004 it accounted for 1.1 million ambulatory care visits and 141,000 hospitalizations in the US. Furthermore, 1.8 million prescriptions were made in 2004 for the treatment of the disease (NDDIC 2010). Clearly, the disease has resounding effects. It is typically diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 35 and is the result of inflammatory T helper cells that cause lesions in the digestive tract (Cariappa et al. 1998, Forcione et al. 1996).

Many studies have been done on the demographics of people that Crohn’s affects. It is generally thought of as a primarily “white” disease, in that is rarely found in people not of Caucasian descent. Jeshion et al. (1998) found in a study of 337 children with Crohn’s that 92.9% of their subjects were white, 4.4% were black, 1.2% were Hispanic and 1.5% were other, unspecified races. In contrast, Shapira and Tamir (1994) note that in the United States, the United Kingdom and Sweden, Crohn’s has been predominant in Jewish patients. Shapira and Tamir’s study examined the prevalence of Crohn’s in the Euro-American, African-Asian and Israeli populations of the Kinnaret sub-district of north Israel. They found that the prevalence of the disease in the European-American born population was twice that of the other two populations. This suggests that susceptibility to the disease correlates more with country of origin rather than just their race. This conclusion supports Ghosh and Rona’s (2003) statement that a Western diet is one of the most prominent risk factors of Crohn’s disease.

          

Almond Torte

Evan and I are a match made in heaven. He loves to bake, and I love to eat the products of his baking. Last Christmas, my parents discovered a recipe for almond torte. Being the wonderful people they are, they made modifications to make this delectable dessert "Evan friendly." From that time on, we make this almond torte when we want a fancy dessert. The best thing about this dessert is that you can top it with almost anything and make it your very own. We like berries, and I like chocolate. Anyway, here is the recipe! I hope you like it.

Ingredients


3/4 cup whole almonds or almond meal
Butter (enough to coat bottom of a 2qt baking dish)
1 tbsp plus 1/2 cup honey
4 large eggs, separated
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt

Directions


1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add almonds and cook 2 minutes. Drain, rinse almonds with cold water, and slip off and discard skins. Pat dry with a kitchen towel and set aside (if using almond meal, you may skip this step).
2) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix butter and 1 tbsp honey together and coat inside of a 2qt or 10 inch baking dish.
3) In a blender or a food processor, whirl almonds until finely ground (be careful not grind them into almond butter). If using almond meal you can skip this step.
4) In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks with remaining 1/2 cup honey for several minutes until pale yellow and thick. Gently stir in almond meal or ground almonds and almond extract. Set aside.
4) In a large clean bowl, beat together egg whites and salt until firm and peaks form. Stir 1/3 of the whites into yolk-almond mixture to combine thoroughly, then gently fold in remaining whites. Pour batter into prepared dish and bake until set and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Serve topped with your favorite toppings!

An Advantage of Your Non-Dominant Hand

As I was browsing my iGoogle page, I clicked on the news module and stumbled upon an article which discussed a study done by researchers of the University of Southern California. Apparently, one way to cut down on overeating is to eat with your non-dominant hand. 

The study put participants in a dark movie theatre to watch a series of movie trailers. The participants had easy access to both fresh and stale popcorn. When the researchers compared the amount of popcorn eaten with the non-dominant versus dominant hand, the amount of stale popcorn eaten was 30% lower when the participants used their non-dominant hand. The amount of fresh popcorn eaten didn't change significantly.

The study also looked at whether the environment affected the amount of food eaten. The participants were also placed in a darkened meeting room and watched a slideshow, again with popcorn close at hand. The researchers found that less popcorn of both stale and fresh varieties was eaten in the meeting room than in the theatre.

Now, this really doesn't have much to do with gluten free eating, I just thought it was an interesting idea. After all, even if you are being healthy by eating gluten free, it won't do much for you if you can't control how much gluten free food you put in your mouth.

Yogurt - Homemade is best

When you think about the things that you make from scratch, yogurt doesn't tend to be on the list. However, if you are on a specific carbohydrate diet (SCD) like Evan, then if you eat yogurt you only eat the homemade kind.

Before I met Evan, I had no idea that yogurt could be made at home. I figured that it was some complicated process that milk had to go through in order to become yogurt and that it was best left to the "professionals." And, I'll admit that I prefer store-bought yogurt. However, after reading up on the subject, I'll be working to change my tastes.

Now, obviously this thinking is quite flawed. Before the mechanization of the food system there was yogurt, and the people that made it got along just fine without any fancy equipment. And, according to one article, they were better off for it.

In spite of catchy advertising and sophisticated equipment for making yogurt, the big companies like Yoplait and Dannon are getting it all wrong. Some store-bought yogurt is fermented for only one hour! This isn't nearly enough time for all the lactose to be broken down and for the probiotic cultures to grow. Instead, yogurt should be fermented for a full 24 hours if you want to see the full benefits - but you won't find these benefits in a store.

One of the best wedding gifts we received was from Evan's parents. They gave us a wonderful Yogourmet yogurt maker, which is the same one they bought when Evan went on the SCD 10 years ago. They found out about the Yogourmet yogurt maker through a lady named Lucy. Lucy maintains a website called Lucy's Kitchen Shop, which contains products especially for the specific carb diet.

Now, making your own yogurt is actually incredibly easy. The yogurt maker comes with specific directions, so I won't detail them here. However, if you have a digestive disease, I highly recommend purchasing a yogurt maker in order to replenish the good bacteria in your digestive tract. It will do you a world of good.

Larabars

One of the things I have come to realize is that making a quick lunch on a gluten free diet is not easy. Most people can throw together a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and toss some crackers into their lunch bag and call it good. Obviously, gluten free eaters aren't free to do this. We have to be much more creative, or we have to be willing to spend a bit more money on decent gluten free bread.

One product that Evan and I love as a supplement to a sack lunch is Larabars. These fruit and nut bars are not only gluten free but also dairy free, soy free, vegan, kosher AND non-GMO. The best part is that the contain only things that are good for you - there are no preservatives; they are 100% fruit and nuts.

Evan and I first discovered Larabars at a small snack shop on our college campus. Evan read the ingredients and became very excited because they were something he could actually eat. He was also excited because each bar contains about 200 calories. Because of his diet, it is very difficult for him to gain weight, so high calorie snacks are always a bonus for him.

Now, for those of you who are on a gluten free diet and are worried about your snacks having calories, don't be. Because of the composition of these bars, they provide you with good fats, have no cholesterol and have at least 4 grams of protein. The benefits of eating these bars definitely outweigh the number of calories. Besides, in going gluten free you eliminate some of the most useless calories from your diet - cookies, cakes, doughnuts, bread, refined pasta...I could go on and on, but I won't.

If you are interested in trying Larabars, I'd recommend purchasing a single bar first. Their flavor takes some getting used to, and some flavors are better than others. Be warned - stores will charge up to $2 for a single bar. However, the most cost-effective way to purchase them is buy them at Costco. The box contains 15 bars in three different varieties and costs about $15, saving you up to $1 per bar.

Fusilli with Mahi Mahi and Broccoli

When I got home from class today, I was having a craving for Mexican food. However, since we didn't have any diced tomatoes with green chilies, I thought I should figure something else out (I love to mix refried beans with diced tomatoes and green chilies).

Well, since I couldn't get Mexican food out of my head, I decided to thumb through a cookbook that my aunt gave me a few years ago. I haven't cooked much out of it because many of the recipes require either a lot of ingredients or a lot of time, and I generally do not have either of those things.

Luckily, I stumbled across a pasta recipe that sounded simply delightful - Fusilli with Monkfish and Broccoli. I scanned the ingredients, and I realized that I had all the ingredients to make the recipe with a few modifications.

Upon completion of the recipe, Evan and I sat down to eat. With the steaming pasta sitting in front of me, I felt like life was complete. It has been a long time since I made pasta with homemade sauce other than spaghetti sauce, so I was very excited to try something new. We were amazed at how my experimentation yielded such a delightful dish.

So, I've decided to pass along the recipe with my modifications to you. It's a wonderful combination of gluten free whole grains, fish and vegetables. By the way, the picture is of the leftovers. I'm sorry that I don't have a more appetizing shot for you! I was more focused on eating it that photographing it when it was done!

Ingredients

4 oz broccoli, divided into florets

3 tbsp olive oil

12 oz mahi mahi fillet, skinned and chopped into bite sized pieces

2 garlic crushed, crushed

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup corn starch

14 oz brown rice fusilli

Parmesean cheese

Directions

1. Divide broccoli into small sprigs. Boil broccoli for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold running water, set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add mahi mahi, garlic and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes or until fish is opaque. Pour in white wine, yogurt and corn starch. Cover and cook until sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in broccoli.

3. While the sauce is cooking, cook brown rice fusilli according to package directions. Drain and place back into cooking pot. Add sauce and stir. Serve immediately.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

One of my favorite things to do on a rainy day with my friends was always to bake. We'd make cakes and brownies from boxes of course, but our favorite was homemade chocolate chip cookies. Obviously, the recipe found in the Betty Crocker cookbook doesn't work very well if you're on a gluten free diet. Luckily, I have been given a recipe that, in my opinion, is much better than old Betty Crocker.

These cookie bars are soft and chewy, and because they contain honey rather than sugar as a sweetener, they taste even better than your average chocolate chip cookie.

I have just a couple of notes about this recipe. First, I refer to the cookie mixture as batter, not dough, because prior to baking it really has more of a batter consistency. Second, these cookies are VERY soft, and really don't hold together that well after baking. However, if you place them in the freezer for a few hours prior to serving, they hold together much better and have more of the consistency of a "normal" cookie. I don't typically do this because I like my cookies really soft, but it's simply a matter of preference.

Anyway, here is the recipe! Enjoy the gluten free cookie goodness!

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter

1 cup honey

3/4 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups rice flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 12 oz package gluten free chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Cream the butter, honey, vanilla and eggs in a large mixing bowl.

2. Mix in the flour

3. Mix in the baking soda

4. Add about half of the chocolate chips and mix

5. Pour cookie batter into a 13x9 inch baking pan

6. Sprinkle as many chocolate chips as desired on top of the batter

7. Bake for about 10 minutes. Check at 5 minutes by sticking a toothpick or knife into the middle to see if it comes out clean. If it does, they are done!

Laguna Cafe

Yesterday, Evan and I celebrated our first anniversary. Since we went to Hawaii in May, we didn't do anything extravagant. However, we did treat ourselves to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II in IMAX 3D, which was beyond epic, along with an amazingly delicious dinner at the Laguna Cafe.

Prior to our experience last night, we had been to Laguna Cafe a few times, always with friends. Upon our first visit, I admittedly was not expecting much, since the reviews generally stated that the food was overpriced for what you get.

They were wrong.

The prices (I think) are quite reasonable, especially for a locally owned and operated venue that uses local, fresh ingredients. They are very comparable to other dinner restaurants. And of course, they serve up some delightful dishes, many of which are gluten free. Their burgers are divine, and their seafood is top notch. Their steaks are infinitely hard to forget.

Last night, we began with a light seafood crustini, a creamy mix of crab, shrimp and white fish (3rd picture). Normally, it is served on a crisp crustini, which is a type of cracker, but we requested some gluten free dippers. We were pleasantly surprised when we were served with a plate of tortilla chips, along with cold, fresh red bell peppers, avocado and cucumber. The vegetables paired wonderfully with the seafood mixture, and it was the perfect way to open our meal.

Next, we were served our entrees. Both of our meals were preceded by a light spinach salad. Still, with weak resolve, I ordered the portobello mushroom ravioli with sweet red pepper alfredo. Obviously, nothing about this dish was gluten free, except the aged parmesean cheese that topped it. Evan's entree, however, was obviously gluten free and is probably of much more interest to you as a reader.

Evan ordered the coho salmon, which was served with a fresh mango salsa, Laguna's signature rosemary potatoes and fresh vegetables (2nd picture). The salmon was seasoned and cooked to perfection, while the salsa added a summery touch. Also, I normally think of potatoes as "filler" when they are included with a meal. However, the roasted rosemary potatoes served by Laguna Cafe are a wonderful compliment to any entree. Evan drank a glass of Old Vine Zinfandel (recommended by our waiter) which enhanced the flavors of his meal.

Finally, we arrived at dessert (3rd picture). Now, one of Laguna's downfalls is that they do not have many gluten free dessert options. However, the one they do have is to die for. It is an apple pie sundae, composed of apples prepared as they would be for a pie, top notch vanilla ice cream, warm Ghirardelli caramel and whipped cream. Upon a simple description of this dessert, we knew we had to order one. We could not have been more satisfied with this choice. The sumptuous flavor of this dessert enveloped our tongues from the very first bite. Our waiter also provided us with a tasting glass of a sweet madiera wine which rounded out this delectable treat.

Laguna Cafe is a wonderful stop for anyone looking for a relaxed, upscale yet affordable dinner with a friendly waitstaff and great atmosphere. The restaurant does not have a website, however you can purchase gift certificates on Restaurant.com to make your dining experience even more budget friendly.

Website: http://www.restaurant.com/rdc/laguna-cafe-spokane-american-restaurant-rid=352040?&mcn=00055092

Adaptation for Pancakes

Quite some time ago, I posted a recipe for gluten free banana pancakes. If you've tried them, you know they are delicious. However, there is a small adaptation you can make if you are out of bananas, or simply don't like them. Instead of using a banana to bind the pancakes together, you can substitute a teaspoon of tapioca flour. When you make this switch, the pancakes are still totally gluten free, but they don't take on their own flavor. This is ideal if you're looking to add your own ingredients, like strawberries, blueberries or chocolate chips.

I hope you'll use this adaptation to create your own favorite pancake type!