Everything but Gluten, Dairy, Refined Sugar, Grains, and the Kitchen Sink Muffins

Every night when I got to bed I think about what I’m having for breakfast the next morning.  Having just written a post all about chia, that was all that was on my mind!  I was totally in the mood to bake something in the morning; I dreamt about baking with chia meal all night!  (not kidding) I have been 99% grain free lately, so the idea of using chia meal instead of gluten free flour seemed like a fabulous idea.  My search on the internet for recipes using chia meal was utterly unsuccessful.  So I decided to wing it!  What could possibly go wrong?!  If my creation turned out yucky, I wouldn’t blog about it.  But that was not the case!

I threw some things in a bowl, mixed them together, threw the mixture in the oven, crossed my fingers, and hoped for the best.  Then this happened:

WOW.

They were pretty delish, if I do say so myself!  Ok, I’ll admit that they’re not the prettiest muffins in the world, but they’re nutritious, and that’s what matters, right?!  100% paleo, by the way!

These muffins are chewy and perfectly sweet.  I used a blend of almond flour, chia meal, and ground flaxseeds as a flour substitute. I call these pumpkin muffins, but I actually used canned butternut squash instead of pumpkin, just because I had a can in the cabinet.  Either way works!  As I write this post I am enjoying a muffin topped with a dollop of fruit preserve and a glass of almond milk to wash it down. Here’s how I made these lovely treats.  (I totally made up this recipe.  I used what I had in the fridge and cabinets and totally took a risk.  Feel free to change this recipe to your liking-increase or decrease the sugar, spices, etc.  These work for me, but everyone has different taste buds!)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup flax meal

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup coconut oil

3/4 cups water

1 cup canned pumpkin (Actually, I used canned butternut squash!)

1/2 cup coconut sugar

Spices-add to your liking!  (I used cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.)

Directions: Grind almonds and chia seeds in a blender or food processor until they have a flour-like consistency.  (I ground mine in a nutri-bullet.)  Heat up the coconut oil before mixing it into the batter.  It is a saturated fat, so it’s solid at room temperature.  (I put in in the microwave for 20 seconds.) Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and until combined.  Put the batter in muffin tins (fill each hole about 1/2 way to the top) and bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes.  You know the rule…if you can stick a toothpick in the middle and pull it out without batter on it, they’re probably done!  Enjoy!

What sounds better than home made pumpkin muffins on a rainy Sunday morning?  Nothing, if you ask me.  Especially if they’re made of good, nourishing food.

Ch-ch-ch-chia!

Ch-ch-ch-chia!
Haha, I’m not even supposed to know that jingle…I was only born in the 90s.
Thank goodness that chia seeds aren’t just used for little green fury animals anymore, because I love to eat them!
How do I use chia?!
I don’t usually like to start the day off with a sweet breakfast; my breakfast usually consists of eggs and greens or something of the sort. But sometimes I feel like something sweet in the morning. Like today.  Last night, I mixed together some unsweetened almond milk, chia seeds, and agave and left it in the fridge overnight. I opened the fridge in the morning and viola! Chia pudding!
(Rule of thumb for chia pudding is 3 tablespoons of chia seeds to 1 cup of water. This mixture needs to be in the fridge for a few hours in order for it to gel and get the “pudding” texture.)
Breakfast this morning was chia pudding topped with sliced banana.

More ways to incorporate chia seeds into your diet:
1. Use a chia egg as a substitute for a real egg in your baking. (Score for vegans!) 3 tablespoons of water and 1 tablespoon of chia seed is the equivalent of 1 egg.
2. Throw a tablespoon or two into your smoothie. This will add some protein and omega 3s.
3. Add some chia seeds into your cookie/cake/muffin/bread batter. This will add a nutritional boost and give your final product a subtle crunch. (Grind them up before mixing them into the batter and you won’t notice a difference in the texture.)

4. Grind chia seeds in a blender or coffee grinder to make chia meal-you can use this as a flour substitute.  This works well for baked goods, but also for breading chicken, fish, etc.  

You can add chia to just about anything. Be adventurous!  A little goes a long way. You never know what recipe you’ll improve by adding these itty bitty miraculous seeds!

Cake Therapy Paleo Cake

I had a blast at the Gluten Free Allergen Free Expo in San Francisco a couple weekends ago, and a highlight was definitely Cake Therapy’s paleo cake!  Let’s just say I tried a lot of new products, but this one really stood out.  Cake Therapy was sampling their chocolate and their vanilla cake at the expo.  I tried one bite and was amazed.  It. was. so. delicious.  So fluffy, so moist, and perfectly sweet.  And it was paleo(!), which means no grains, refined sugar, or dairy! How did they do it?  I have no idea, but it was so good that I went back to their booth for another sample.  And another.  And another.  I could still go for some more.  Usually, paleo desserts are so dense, dry, and mealy, but this was truly delicious.  One of the best parts is that the ingredient list is so simple: Organic coconut flour, arrowroot, almond meal, organic coconut sugar, vanilla powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder. That’s all that’s in the vanilla cake! I am so impressed with cake therapy’s work and am excited to buy one of their mixes and bake a cake at home. 

 

 

Hail Merry Miracle Tarts

Wow.  These tarts are amazing.  A couple of weeks ago, I had one of those days where I just needed to go to Whole Foods and get myself a treat.  I was so stressed out, and I needed something to get my mind off of schoolwork. I walked into Whole Foods, which by the way, I could navigate with my eyes closed, and walked straight for the Hail Merry’s Miracle Tarts.  I had tried the Meyer Lemon tart months ago because my sister made me, and it was absolutely amazing.  I knew the other flavors had to be just as good.  I grabbed the Chocolate Mint tart, paid, and practically ran to my car to that I could get home ASAP.  (I think the cashier was judging me a little bit-I was definitely jumping up and down out of excitement at the register.) I was SO excited for this tart!  I got home, dropped my bag on the floor, and dug in.  The thing was in my tummy within about 7 minutes.  It was incredible.  I enjoyed it with some unsweetened almond milk.  Hail Merry’s tarts are thick, creamy, sweet, and 100% irresistible.  They are sweetened with maple syrup and palm sugar, so they contain no refined white sugar.  They are dairy free and there are no grains in the tart-the crust is made out of almond meal.  I can’t wait to try the other flavors: Chocolate Raw Almond Butter, Coconut Vanilla, and Persian Lime.  Hail Merry’s miracle tarts really are little miracles.  I had to talk myself out of buying another one the next day.  I may or may not have had one the day after that….and I tried the Chocolate tart today.  It was amazing as expected.  I am so in love with these desserts.  The perfect treat. 

Larabars

 

Dear Lara Merriken,

Thank you for creating the BEST SNACK EVER!

I literally adore Larabars.  You can usually find one in my purse, car, backpack, or pocket at any given time.  I’ve tried almost every single flavor; my favorite is the Peanut Butter Cookie, but a close second is Snickerdoodle.  Let’s just say that at one point there were five cases of Larabars in my house….

They are delicious, chewy, and I never feel bad about eating them…because guess what? My favorite flavor, Peanut Butter Cookie, has three flavors.  How many?  THREE.  Peanuts, dates, and salt.  That is it. (None of the flavors contain any more than nine ingredients.)

I absolutely love knowing exactly what I’m putting into my body and that I am only consuming a few wholesome and healthy ingredients.  Bars are such an easy and convenient snack, but most of them are filled with not-so-good-for-you junk.  Larabars bring out the best of both worlds-they’re healthy, delicious, and convenient! (Okay, that was 3 things. Oops. They’re just so great.)

On top of everything else, the bars are all gluten free, non-GMO, and kosher.  What else could you ask for?!

Go-To Snacks

 

Come on, who doesn’t get the 4 o’clock munchies?  I definitely do, and if I don’t eat, I get hangry! (hungry+angry=hangry) Whenever I get hungry I just sauté some kale and tofu. Totally kidding-no one has time for that every time they are hungry!  These are my go-to snacks for when my tummy starts making those grumbling noises that we’re all familiar with…

 Dates and Peanut Butter

I. Love.  Dates.  They’re so delicious and so sweet!  Although I would love to just feast on dates alone, I know that’s probably not the best call.  To add some protein to the mix, I cut the dates in half, remove the pit, and smother each side with almond butter or peanut butter.  If I’m feeling like a need a little bit of an additional protein boost, I’ll sprinkle some chia seeds on top of the nut butter.  The combination of PB and dates is heavenly…it really tastes like a Peanut Butter Cookie Larabar (my favorite flavor!  A post about how much I adore Larabars is coming soon!) A few of these date halves and I’m usually set for a couple hours.  This makes a perfect pre-workout snack…lots of carbs for energy!

 Banana and Cocoa Powder

This is a great snack for after dinner when I don’t have much room left but need something sweet.  I simply slice half a banana and sprinkle some cocoa powder on top.  The cocoa powder is bitter at first, but the banana’s sweetness combined with the bitterness of the cocoa is perfect!

 Apples with Cinnamon

 Apple pie….yum.  A yummy and healthy alternative?  Cut some red or green apples into small chunks and sprinkle with cinnamon!  If you’re feeling adventurous, add a drop of vanilla extract and/or some chia seeds for a protein boost.  Simple and delish! (Another great option for that post-dinner sweet tooth!)

 Avo and a Hard-Boiled Egg

The snacks I mentioned are all sweet, and sometimes I feel like I need a snack without a load of sugar (even if it’s fruit sugar.)  That’s when I turn to avocados.  I always have avocados around-they’re usually incorporated into one of my meals or snacks every day.  They contain MUFAs-monounsaturated fatty acids-which are supposed to help keep you feeling full.  Avocados are also so delicious and creamy…LOVE them! If I’m feeling like I need a substantial snack during the day, my go to is half of an avocado and a hard-boiled egg.  I usually add a pinch of salt to my avocado for flavor.  This is a delicious and protein packed snack. 

 These quick and easy snacks are great for whenever hunger strikes, (often!) and are easy for me to pack and bring along with me during my busy days.  

Red Apple Lipstick

Okay, I know it’s silly that my first post isn’t even about food…. but it’s related, sort of!  I’m gluten intolerant, and just learned about the importance of using gluten free lipstick and lip balm.  (Think about it, we totally ingest what we put on our lips.)  Red Apple Lipstick, a company that makes 100% gluten free cosmetics, was kind enough to give me 3 products to try.  I have the Rallye Balm, the Exfoliate Stick, and the lipstick in the color Audrey.  I am in love with all 3 of the products that they gave me, and it’s so great to be confident that I’m not ingesting any gluten when wearing these cosmetics.  These products are paraben free as well-another plus! The Rallye balm and Exfoliate Stick have made my lips so soft, and the lipstick does not dry out my lips and adds the perfect touch of color!  These products also unflavored and unscented, which is great because they don’t irritate my skin.  I am so excited to use up these products and buy more! Thanks so much to Red Apple Lipstick for the samples!  I am in love with these products and it’s so great to be confident that I am using cosmetics that are good for my health.