Gluten-free Lemon Flax Cookies

  

These cookies are so delicious!  I found

this recipe last week and thought it sounded wonderful.  My Mum has decided to try eating gluten-free for a while, so I figured I might as well start working on some recipes.

I'm a huge fan of citrus zest in cookies and I thought the addition of a little dried rosemary would make for an interesting combination.  It definitely works and the texture of the cookies is just right.

  

Here's what I did...

I gently melted 5 tbsp. coconut oil in a large bowl over a pot of simmering water.  Added 1/2 cup maple syrup and 1 tsp. vanilla extract.

Then I added 2 tbsp. lemon zest and 1 tsp. lemon juice.  I noticed after I added the maple syrup (from the fridge) that the coconut oil started to solidify, so I very gently warmed it again and then mixed it all together.

I added 1/2 cup ground flax seed and 1 cup brown rice flour

 I mixed it all together then added a couple of pinches of dried rosemary (partially ground in my spice grinder) and 1/2 tsp. Celtic sea salt

 I dolloped tablespoons of the mixture onto 2 parchment-lined cookie sheets and baked at 350F for about 22 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets after about 10 minutes.

 Removed from the oven and left on the cookie sheets for about 2 minutes and then placed on a cooking rack.  Yum, yum!!

Lamb Bhuna

My cousin Audrey posted a photo of lamb bhuna on Facebook the other day and I knew immediately what I was making for dinner that night.  She used this recipe.

I read it over, decided it was a winner and promptly ran out to buy the meat and chiles.  I completely forgot to buy the fresh methi, so I used the dried I already had in the cupboard.  I walked to the grocery store, found they only had red chilies, so decided to go with them as I figured it wouldn't make much of a difference.  I also used fresh tomatoes from the garden, rather than canned.  I also didn't bother adding the extra water at the end, as I didn't feel it needed it. I think I pretty much stuck to the recipe otherwise.  This was absolutely wonderful.  Best Bhuna I've made (and tasted) and all three of us just loved it.  I'll be making it again soon.

Here's what I did...

I put 4 roughly chopped chilies into the Vitamix (blender)

 Added 8 cloves of garlic

 About 2 inches of ginger

 Then I whizzed it until it became a paste

I removed half of the paste to a separate small bowl and then added 1/2 a very large onion (roughly chopped) to the blender

 I whizzed all this again until it was a fairly fine paste

 In a small pan, I dry-roasted 4 green cardamom pods, 4 cloves, 4 dried red chilies and a cinnamon stick

Then I ground the roasted spices in a spice grinder

 To a large bowl, I added 1 tsp. each of cumin, turmeric and white pepper

 I added 1 tsp. each of cayenne pepper, Celtic sea salt, coconut palm sugar, coriander and the ground spices

Then I added 1/4 cup dried methi (fenugreek) leaves and 3 tbsp. full-fat yogourt

 To the dried spices, I added the mixture from the blender

 I added 3 lbs. cubed lamb and mixed it all by hand until it was really well coated.  Covered it and left it for about 2 1/2 hours

 After the meat had marinated, I sautéed the other half of the large onion (sliced) until it was lightly browned

Then I added the remaining garlic/ginger/chili paste and sautéed for another few minutes

 Next, I added the chopped fresh tomatoes and cooked until they were softened

 I added the meat and brought to a light simmer.  Next, I covered the pot and let it cook for about half an hour.

By this time, it had let out quite a bit of liquid, so I uncovered the pot and let it simmer for about 2 more hours, stirring occasionally.

 I let it cook until the there was only a thick sauce coating the meat.

I served it atop cooked brown Jasmine rice.  Delish.! :-)

Avocado Banana "Ice Cream"

 

 

I've been looking for some more healthful dessert ideas other than the various cookies and muffins I usually make.  Krestan loves ice cream and I hate for him to be eating the commercially made stuff with all the additives.  I saw this recipe and thought it looked like a keeper.

Here's what I did...

I put one (very) ripe avocado into my Vitamix

 

 I absolutely love this handy dandy avocado-scooping tool :-)

 

 Then I added 1 chopped, frozen banana

 

 I added a tsp. of vanilla extract

 

 Then I added 1/2 cup almond milk and 1/4 cup maple syrup

 

 Finally, I added 1 cup of ice and blended on high for about a minute

 

Until four peaks appeared on the surface.  Mmmm! :-)

Roasted Cauliflower and Cheese Soup

 

 

I was reading Erin's blog
this morning and saw those glorious pics. for creamy cauliflower soup.  Since it's meatless Monday today, I figured it would be a good idea as part of tonight's dinner.  I didn't actually follow the recipe, just sort of did what I thought sounded good (in my head) as I usually do.  

Here's what I did...

 I roasted 1 head of cauliflower (drizzled with melted coconut oil) on a baking sheet lined with parchment for 45 minutes at 400F.

 Meanwhile, I sautéed a chopped Vidalia onion in coconut oil until softened

 I added about 4 cups of broth and 4 roughly chopped garlic cloves and simmered for a few minutes

 Into my Vitamix blender, I added the roasted cauliflower, some roughly chopped extra-aged cheddar (about 100g) and 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard

 I poured the broth, onions and garlic into the Vitamix

 And I added a teaspoon of cayenne

Blended it all up and voila!

Meghan's Magnificent Asparagus Pesto

Once again, this is a Meghan Telpner recipe that worked out beautifully!  When I read that she had made an amazing sounding version of asparagus pesto with the fat coming from wonderful seeds like sunflower and hemp and only a tiny bit of olive oil, I knew I wanted to try it.

I pretty much followed Meghan's recipe to the letter.  The only change I made was to add some nutritional yeast.  I had planned to use it as a spread for crackers, but after tasting it I decided to make some pasta with lots of veggies and beans and toss it in this yummy concoction.  I saved the rest for crackers.

Here's what I did...

I lightly steamed some lovely Ontario asparagus that I'd bought at the Sherway Gardens Farmers' Market.  Then I cooled them and plopped them into my Vitamix blender.

 Added hemp seeds and Sunflower seeds.

Added Dijon mustard, a clove of garlic and a little bit of olive oil.

Added Celtic sea salt, lemon juice and cayenne pepper.

Blended it until smooth, tasted it and decided it needed a touch more sea salt and thought I'd add a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast just for fun :-)

Then I sautéed 2 sliced onions, 2 sliced red bell peppers, 1 sliced yellow bell pepper and 2 Thai bird chilies in some coconut oil.  Added some cooked kidney beans and cooked chickpeas.  Meanwhile, I cooked some whole grain spaghetti.  When the pasta was done, I tossed everything together with about 1/2 cup of the pesto and 2 ladles of pasta water.  This was absolutely delish.!!!