vegan/gluten free mac & cheese

I am happy to report that the changes I have made to my diet over the past 3 months since Lucy was born have helped tremendously with controlling her reflux. I have cut out all dairy (and been eating vegan as much as possible), no spicy and acidic foods and gotten rid of most wheat (gluten)! Talk about discipline folks!!! Something in these changes have not only made a difference for Lucy's tummy but have made me feel really amazing both inside and out!

But boy do I miss creamy cheesy dishes! So I set out scouring the internet (thanks to many of you for the links!!) to get inspired to create some of my own recipes to somehow recreate or at least come close to some dishes that would satisfy my cravings. Let me just say nothing will come close or taste like real cheesy goodness- at least to me- but I am so happy that I can enjoy something a healthy and keep my dear daughter comfortable.

After doing tons of research and reading lots of recipes here is my take on a quick vegan and gluten free mac & cheese.

There are all sorts of gluten free pastas out there- Whole Foods and Trader Joes seem to have the a bigger selection but I have also been able to find some options at the regular grocery store too.

Boil pasta and drain water leaving just a little pasta water in with the noodles and return pan to burner set to low heat.

Add the pureed squash to the noodles (you can buy this frozen or puree your own).

Add grated vegan cheese (this is actually a really great dairy free option- it melts and tastes almost like real cheese!)

Mix in the salt, pepper, spices and mustard.

Optional- add a dollop of vegan butter or margarine.

Keep mixing everything on low until the cheese is melted.

The result is a quick creamy pasta dish that tastes like light version of mac & cheese and is perfect for adding your favorite vegis, meatless sausage or even the real thing.

pasta shells, dairy free cheese

dairy/gluten free muffins

So if you didn't hear, our little Lucy has struggled with reflux issues since birth. Its been a challenge over here but with time, patience and LOTS of altering the way we do things- she is getting better and better every day. The biggest alteration has been my diet which now has TONS of restrictions- the big ones are dairy and wheat (not so fun for a gal who likes to pig out on cheese and bread!)

So I have been on a hunt for recipes that will satisfy my taste buds and keep Lucy happy. My favorite so far is one that I actually came up with after doing my research and it is YUMMY- dairy free and gluten free pumpkin muffins (they still have sugar but thats ok with me!)

Simple mix up the dry ingredients.

Add the wet- pumpkin and applesauce.

Mix well.

Fill baking cups with batter.

Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes.

The result is a really moist muffin with lots of flavor! I can easily eat an entire batch!

fall spice cookies

One of my favorite fall treats are spice cookies and my favorite recipe is an easy one that I've put my own little twist on (a pinch of ingredients here and there). I LOVE these cookies and could eat dozens of them (and actually have in the last few week!)

In a bowl, mix together all dry ingredients

Using a mixer, beat egg, molasses and butter into the dry ingredients until combined and a dough forms.

Roll dough into little balls, sprinkle with sugar and line on a baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes

andy's chicken and kale curry

My husband loves to cook and he has a knack for coming up with his own recipes with unique flavor and simple ingredients. One of my favorites is his curry chicken and kale- a hearty dish perfect for a fall evening.

Start by chopping all of the fresh vegetables.

In a pan, cook the chopped sweet potatoes, potatoes, garlic and onion in a little bit of peanut oil until "almost" tender.

Grill or bake the chicken breasts until tender and chop into bite size pieces. Andy likes to fry the chicken in peanut oil until golden brown.

Add a couple tablespoons of curry powder to a mixture of coconut milk (16 oz), chopped potatoes, chopped kale, chicken, 2-3 garlic cloves, 2-3 chunks of ginger, diced red chilis, a pinch of salt and pepper and a pinch of chili powder.

Simmer for about 30-40 minutes on low heat.

We like eating ours with naan (Indian flat bread)

it is is perfect for dipping!

baked cake doughnuts

Ok so if you didn't know (from this post, this post and this post) I love doughnuts-like A LOT. In fact I have a dream of one day opening a doughnut shop in my hometown on the Oregon Coast someday.

If I could eat doughnuts everyday I would but that wouldn't be so healthy. So recently I have been on a mission to make my own doughnuts without the frying.

When I found this super cool doughnut pan it sealed the deal- I had to make my own baked doughnuts. This great pan makes a variety of different doughnut possible!

To my surprise there are all sorts of fabulous baked doughnut recipes out there and I paired a couple of them together to come up with my own.

I started by mixing the dry ingredients-

2 cups of cake flour

3/4 cup of sugar

2 teaspoons of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon

and then added the wet ingredients and mixed everything together-

3/4 cup of buttermilk

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of butter

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Next I added the batter to the doughnut pan.

and baked at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes.

I let them cool and then dipped the doughnuts in melted butter and then dipped then in cinnamon and sugar.

And while I put another batch in the oven I quickly devoured a warm cinnamon and sugar doughnut.

going....

going....

just about gone :) yum

For my second batch I made a simple glaze-

1/4 cup of milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups of powdered sugar.

Combine everything in sauce pan and heat on low.

Whisk everything together until combined and remove from heat.

I dipped the doughnuts into the glaze

and set on a drying rack.

Regardless of the glaze or topping these doughnuts are so delicious but taste more like cake than a fried doughnut- a perfect way to satisfy a doughnut craving :)

turkey sliders and homemade chips

Today is the beginning to a summer holiday weekend and what doesn't say summer like burgers and chips!? I am not a big meat eater and but when we do eat it we typically try and replace red meat with a leaner option- turkey meat. Lately we have been loving turkey sliders- the perfect little bite size burger with all kinds of simple and delicious toppings- perfect for a light dinner or even for a backyard party!

I start by seasoning my ground turkey meat (this is always changing and I am always trying new things).

For this batch I used a little smoked paprika, some Italian, seasoning and a dash of tabasco, 1 egg and shedded cheese.

I mixed well and then formed them into bite size patties, keeping in mind that they will shrink a little when cooking.

Next I cook them up- you could also grill or for a really healthy option- bake in the oven.

I also cooked up some turkey bacon- again a little healthier option than regular bacon.

I think the secret to a yummy slider is a good roll- my favorite to use is a Hawaiin sweet roll.

I start building my sliders with the roll and patty

and then add all kinds of different toppings- you can get really creative with this or keep it simple.

grilled mushrooms, spinach, dijon mustard and sharp cheddar cheese

pickle, turkey bacon, cheese and a dollop of blue cheese

grilled onions, cheddar cheese and spiced mayo

dijon mustard and shredded parmesan cheese

All of the sliders get the top bun and a little toothpick to hod them together.

mmmm...so yummy!

You can't have a burger without something to go with it! I LOVE homemade potato chips- not the healthiest but once in a while you gotta do it! Using a mandolin slicer, I start by slicing up a potato into paper thin slices.

Next, I heated up vegetable oil in a sauce pan (filled about half way)

I dropped the potatoes in and fried until they were golden brown.

I soaked up the excess oil by placing chips on a paper towel

and then seasoned with salt, pepper and fresh herbs.

what better way to enjoy a slider than with a handful of fresh, homemade potato chips!