It is still a little early for strawberry season, although in the Deep South it is just beginning. My grocery store has had strawberries for the past couple weeks and I finally bought some! They were actually pretty good for this early in the season. If like me, you are yearning for the fresh fruit of summer, check out Mrs. G.F.’s post about Community Supported Agriculture. I was pleased to find that there were several farms near me that were still accepting members.

Oh, I made strawberry fools today.

A fool is an old-fashioned English dessert that is made from pureed fruit and whipped cream or custard. It can be made with a variety of different fruits. Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, or kiwi make great fools.

I love the simplicity of this dessert. I love that it is naturally gluten-free! This is the perfect dessert to throw together for last minute company- it’s fool proof!

STRAWBERRY FOOL

1 cup fresh fruit, strawberries in this case

2-3 Tablespoons of sugar

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 Tablespoon of sugar

Puree about 3/4 cup of the fresh fruit with 2-3 Tablespoons of sugar. Sweeten to taste- When you use fresh fruit there is no way to know, without tasting, the exact amount of sugar needed. Refrigerate the puree for several hours or overnight.

Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the refrigerator for a few minutes until cold. Whip the cream and a tablespoon of sugar until soft peaks form. Gently fold in the fruit puree- leaving some white streaks of cream. Transfer into wine glasses and layer with the left-over strawberries. Cover and refrigerate for up to four hours before serving time.

You may consider adding liqueur or orange/lemon zest.

Serves 4.

If you liked this post, please Stumble it! or Add to Del.icio.us.

Posted by Natalie
Filed under: Celiac, Desserts, Egg-free, Gluten Free | 4 Comments »

I have dubbed this recipe, “Monkey Bars,” because Jude, my little monkey, loves them. Not to mention that he acted like a monkey while I was making them. He has claimed ownership over mommy’s onions and throws them at every opportunity. I had just swept the floor, but decided that it was best to let him have his fun so I could cook. After he went to bed, I found an onion in his toy basket. I may have to start counting them. I am sure there is a lost onion in my living room somewhere. My belly has gotten too big for me to check under couches.

BANANA CHOCOLATE COCONUT BLONDIES “MONKEY BARS”

1/4 cup butter for mixing

2-3 Tablespoons melted butter for topping

1 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar for topping

2/3 cup shredded coconut for mixing

1/4 cup shredded coconut for topping

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips for mixing

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips for topping

1 cup ripe, mashed bananas

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup Pamela’s Baking Mix (or other gluten-free flour combination with leavening)

1 egg

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 baking pan. Mix 1/4 cup softened butter with the brown sugar until combined. Add the egg, mashed bananas, and vanilla. Add the Baking Mix. Stir in 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 2/3 cup of shredded coconut. Pour in the prepared baking pan. Combine shredded coconut, melted butter, and sugar; sprinkle over top. Spread about 1/4 cup of chocolate chips over the top. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes about 16 bars.

*Bar cookies may be stored, tightly covered, in the pan in which they were baked.

If you liked this post, please Stumble it! or Add to Del.icio.us.

Posted by Natalie
Filed under: Baked Goods, Celiac, Chocolate, Cookies, Desserts, Gluten Free | 11 Comments »

As I was sitting at breakfast on Saturday in my yoga pants and over-sized t-shirt, I turned to my husband and said, “I have done a terrible job getting dressed with this pregnancy.” Without skipping a beat he chimed back, “At least the food is better this time, honey.” I laughed. I am a sucker for chauvinist humor. And I suppose, there would have to be a grain of truth for it to be funny. The first time I was pregnant, I worked until the day I delivered, and when I got home I did not have the energy to cook. I had just gone on my gluten-free diet and the search for food could get desperate at times.

The first person to cook gluten-free for me was my mom. My mom came out to take care of me in the throws of the first trimester and stayed for a week. She figured out how to make all my favorite comfort foods and had food on the table for me when I got home from work. It was fabulous! I cried when she left. Since the early days of the gluten-free diet, things have gotten easier, healthier, and more delicious. I have to say, it also helps that these days I am taking life in the slow lane.

I made this quick and easy recipe Sunday night for dinner:

CHICKEN AND RICE WRAPS WITH GINGER SAUCE

Food for Life Brown Rice Tortillas

1 lb chicken tenders

1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar

Juice from one lime

sea salt

pepper

teaspoon of olive oil

Lettuce or Cabbage

Shredded Carrots

Shredded Cucumber

Cilantro

Jasmine Rice, cooked

Sliced Green Onion

GINGER SAUCE

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

6 tablespoons yogurt or mayonnaise

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup finely peeled fresh ginger, chopped/grated

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

Directions:

Marinate the chicken with lime juice, 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, sea salt, and pepper while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Combine the ingredients for the ginger sauce and puree them in a blender.

Heat the olive oil over med-high heat. Cook the chicken tenders about six minutes each side or until browned and cooked through.

Put chicken, rice, and remaining wrap ingredients in bowls on a large platter with ginger sauce on the side.

P.S. If you have tried Food for Life Brown Rice Tortillas, hop on over to Gluten Free Food Reviews and give your opinion!

If you liked this post, please Stumble it! or Add to Del.icio.us.

Posted by Natalie
Filed under: Celiac, Dinner, Easy, GF Living, Gluten Free, Poultry | 4 Comments »

Migas is a Tex-Mex dish of eggs, corn tortillas, and various other interchangeable ingredients. The word itself means, “crumbs,” in Spanish. Migas is wonderful enfolded in a corn tortilla with refried beans to make a Migas Taco. There are so many ways to make this dish. I always go with what I have on hand in the pantry and fridge.

MIGAS TACOS

6 large eggs, beaten

2 oz. chopped green chiles (about 1/2 a can)

1/4 cup onion

1 clove garlic, peeled

1/2+ green pepper chopped

2 oz. cheese of choice

1 cup baked tortilla chips, broken into pieces (Here is a recipe if you want homemade)

1 avocado, cut into pieces and squeezed with lime juice

1 tomato

2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped

salt

pepper

Directions:

In a mini-food processor, combine garlic, green chiles, and onion. In a med. bowl, combine eggs, salt, pepper, and tortilla chips. Heat a small amount of oil over med. heat; add the green chile mixture and chopped green pepper. Cook until green pepper softens- about four minutes. Pour in the egg mixture and “scramble” until eggs are done. Remove from heat. Stir in tomatoes, avocados, and cilantro. Serve with warm tortillas and refried beans.

Serves 4.

Other great Migas ingredients:

• assorted bell peppers
• bacon
• chopped ham
• chorizo
• green onion
• cayenne pepper
• jalapenos
• sour cream

If you liked this post, please Stumble it! or Add to Del.icio.us.

Posted by Natalie
Filed under: Breakfast, Celiac, Easy, Eggs, Gluten Free, Mexican, Vegetarian | 4 Comments »

Before going gluten-free and moving to Raleigh, I used to love going to Mexican restaurants. Now in order to get good refried beans, I have to make them at home. My little boy also loves refried beans, so I feel better knowing they were made by me! I got this recipe from Chevys Fresh Mex Cookbook. The only alteration I made was adding more jalapeño for a little more heat. Here is the recipe I used:

REFRIED BEANS

3 cups dried pinto beans ***Special gf note: I bought dried pinto beans once only to find out they contained wheat! Crazy! Buy a brand that is gf.

3 quarts water

6 slices uncooked bacon, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup onion, diced

1 Tablespoon chopped garlic

1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and chopped (original called for 1/2 of a jalapeño) **Keep in mind the membranes and seed contain 60% of the heat of a jalapeño, so retain what you can handle**

1 Tablespoon chile powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 Tablespoon salt

Directions:

Soak the dried pinto beans overnight. The next day, fry the bacon in a large dutch oven over med. high heat until crisp, about six to eight minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno and cook for about five minutes. Stir in the chile powder and cumin and cook for one minute more. Add the beans- stirring to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the dutch oven. Bring to a boil then decrease to med. heat to simmer for about 2 hours. When the beans are cooked, add salt and cook for a few more minutes. The pinto beans are done and only need to be refried! In order to get refried beans, heat 3 Tablespoons of shortening until steaming and then add 1/2 cup of onion. Once the onion is translucent, add 4 cups of the pinto beans (with the cooking liquid). Mash until your heart’s content. Save the rest of the pinto beans to be used as a soup or for another recipe.

Serves: an army!

If you liked this post, please Stumble it! or Add to Del.icio.us.

Posted by Natalie
Filed under: Celiac, Egg-free, Gluten Free, Mexican, Sides | 7 Comments »