Gluten Free Rosemary Cheese Crackers

Gluten Free Rosemary Cheese Cracker Recipe

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Crispy, crunchy, cheesy gluten free crackers, you couldn't ask for a better combination!  These crackers are packed with nutrition but they are so delicious I dare you to just try and eat only one!  

I know as a mom I am always looking for healthy snacks for my kiddos.    It can be difficult to find affordable gluten free snacks!  Most boxes of gluten free crackers cost between $5-$7!!  

With two tween kids I can't afford to pay for a $7 box of crackers that they will plow through in 30 minutes!  If you are the mother of tweens or teens you know what I mean.  The options for gluten free crackers in the health food store are endless, however, that doesn't mean that they are healthy. Sure they have a substitute for every cracker on the snack isle of the grocery store.  You can find gluten free Saltines, Ritz, Graham crackers and more.....

I'm not going to pay $7 for a box of junk!  Why pay for refined flours, refined oils, sugar and other ingredients that have no nutritional value!  I created this recipe as a solution to the sad excuse for snacks in the health food stores.  

** I know a lot of women think if they got it from the 'health food' store it must be healthy.  Sorry, but that is absolutely NOT true.  You would be shocked at the ingredients I have found in products on health food store shelves!!  

Sucralose

High fructose corn syrup

Isolated whey protein

Isolated soy protein

White, bleached flour

isolated fructose

 and many more......

Health food stores carry A LOT of junk!!  All of the 'muscle building' isolated protein garbage, poor quality mineral supplements, weight loss supplements and a host of other cheap, unhealthy products.  I find it ridiculous that anyone would believe that some isolated powder would make you 'grow' muscles!  Sorry to burst your bubble but exercise builds muscle not protein!  Yes, you need protein but NOT massive amounts of it, however, supplement companies have got body builders hooked on their refined garbage and they make a lot of money convincing them that they need it!  Kudos to them for their very effective marketing.

Health food stores are not much better than regular grocery stores, you really have to wade your way through a lot of junk.  Don't even get me started on 'pasture-fed' meat and 'organic' dairy products.  I will leave that for another post!   

These rosemary cheese crackers literally take like 5 minutes of prep!!  Busy moms don't have time to slave away in the kitchen trust me, I know!  

Let the kids help you  make these crackers, they will love helping you!!  It is a great summer activity to get the kids in the kitchen and let them help you make their afternoon snack.

s.

Vegan & Gluten Free Spicy Asian Noodle Salad

Vegan and Gluten Free Spicy Asian Noodle Salad

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Low calorie, iodine and calcium rich kelp noodles are topped with fresh, finely chopped vegetables smothered  in a rich, creamy and spicy sesame asian dressing.  This salad is a light, refreshing summer lunch with a kick!

You'll notice the noodles are clear, they are nutrient rich kelp noodles.  The noodles are gluten free and delicious.  If you eat them raw they are quite crunchy which I don't mind.  

***If you like soft noodles soak them in the dressing for an hour before lunch and they will be perfect, soft noodles.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Father's Day.  I made a delicious, vegan French toast for my husband at breakfast and topped it with fresh sliced strawberries, maple syrup and sprinkled on stevia instead of powdered sugar.

We had an amazing vegan Father's Day BBQ with amazing veggie burgers that featured:  celery, bell pepper, onion, carrots, almonds and black beans.  We also had grilled corn, potato salad, melons and an amazing chocolate silk pie with a brownie crust and raw ganache topping.

I know I have tempted many of you by announcing that I made some delicious vegan calamari, however I still want to tweak the recipe a bit before I post it so it will be a little longer before it is posted.  The taste and texture of the mushrooms were great but the breading wasn't as crunchy as I would have liked.....so you'll have to wait!

We have been incorporating more raw foods into our diet lately.  It always seems that as summer rolls around I crave a lot more fruit and fresh foods.  During the COLD winter months we eat a lot more hot soups and baked potatoes.  

My husband has finally come around and decided that he needs to eat more living foods!  Hurray!  That is not an easy thing for him but as he has begun suffering from increasing back pain, arthritis, fatigue and health problems I think it has finally inspired him to eat better.  He eats a vegetarian diet, but NOT a healthy one.  He consumes MASSIVE amounts of sugar.  For example, he will get a veggie sandwich at subway and follow it up with 3 or 4 cookies!

I am so glad he is feeling inspired to change!   A vegetarian diet is obviously a step in the right direction toward living a compassionate life, but it certainly does not guarantee health if you fill that vegetarian diet with soda, oreos, potato chips, cookies and other vegetarian junk food.  I am converting my junk food vegetarian husband into a health food superstar vegan hubby!  I will keep you updated on his health and diet progress.

I know that you all know I do not advocate consumption of refined vegetable oils.  I do find it odd that we condemn white flour because it is stripped of fiber and nutrients and yet we do not condemn vegetable oils which are also stripped of fiber and nutrients!  However, I do allow about 1-2 tsp. of oil per serving in some recipes because it adds the right flavor or texture to a dish.  

**The sesame oil is VERY  important to the flavor of this dish and adds a negligible amount of fat.  Don't skip the sesame oil.

Applebee's style Blackened Tempeh & cooking tutorial

Applebee's style Blackened Tempeh Salad example for the Tempeh cooking tutorial

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A delicious dish based on the All-American favorite restaurant Applebee's.   This dish features delicious cajun spiced blackened tempeh served over a cool, crisp salad with a signature creamy dressing.  

Tempeh can be a little tricky when you first start to prepare it.  It does not have any flavor of its own and so if it is not properly marinated or flavored you can end up with a pretty flavorless dish.     If you are not going to marinate the tempeh, boil it for about 10 minutes  prior to adding it to any casserole, soup or other recipe to reduce the bitterness.

The marinade possibilities for tempeh are endless.  You can prepare thai, italian, chinese, cajun, mexican marinades to accent any dish you are preparing.  Tempeh works beautifully ground for burgers, cut in squares for kabobs, strips for tempeh bacon, or crumbled for sausage.  Don't be afraid to experiment with tempeh.

Tempeh sausage flavors include: liquid smoke, garlic, onion, nutritional yeast, tamari and sage.  You can add a little heat if you like with red pepper flakes

Tempeh bacon:  add a little natural food coloring such as beet juice or turmeric, nutritional yeast, garlic, tamari, liquid smoke, olive oil, sage, thyme, parsley, rosemary, salt.

Tempeh is a traditional food from Indonesia.  It is made by naturally culturing soybeans through a controlled fermentation process.   The soybeans used in tempeh are soaked prior to fermentation.  The process of making tempeh increases the nutritional value of the soybeans.   Tempeh is sold in many varieties, including multi-grain with flax, barley, spelt and other grains.

I am considering changing the format of the blog.....

There are some exciting changes coming that I will announce in the next few months.  I have been working on a new project that I think you will all enjoy!

I have had less time to work on the blog recently and I have found that readership has dropped significantly due to my decrease in posting.  

I am considering only posting photos of the recipes along with articles and cooking tips.

I will only continue to post recipes if there is enough interest in me doing so.  

Instead of posting the whole blackened tempeh salad recipe I will explain how to marinate and cook tempeh.

Quinoa and Vegetable Salad with Low Fat, Oil Free Citrus Dressing

Quinoa Vegetable Salad with Citrus Dressing

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Nutrient-packed quinoa salad topped with a delicious low-fat, oil-free citrus dill dressing.  This salad would make a delicious lunch or a light, refreshing dinner on a hot summer evening.  The The combination of fresh lemon and orange juice make a perfect citrus combination in this refreshing dressing and the dill adds a delicious flair of flavor!
We had a fun Memorial Day BBQ complete with grilled veggie burgers, corn, potato salad, watermelon and a delicious 7 layer bar dessert that unfortunately did not set up.  
It is so hard when you  make this delicious dessert only to take it out of the oven and realize that it did not firm up!!!  I was at my moms house dealing with very limited access to ingredients and of course the dessert has to be a complete flop!  It would have made a FABULOUS topping for some homemade vanilla ice cream though.
I made a delicious crust with gluten free graham crackers, pecans, turbinado and some earth balance.  Topped with with a delicious coconut, pecan, vanilla cream and chocolate chips.  It would have been the perfect dessert if I had had access to some silken tofu or cashews to help thicken up the coconut cream topping....  Oh well I guess you can't win every time.
I made these delicious veggie burgers with pinto beans, kidney beans, brown rice and a bunch of delicious flavors and so I decided to make it again for memorial day.  I added some potato starch to make sure they held together on the grill....BIG MISTAKE!  Don't change recipes on the day you are serving other people!  The potato starch made the veggie burgers gooey!  I tell  you I really succeeded in messing up the memorial day BBQ Royally!    However, we had  a great time and everyone enjoyed the day despite my culinary disasters. 
I hope you enjoy this delicious salad recipe as much as I did!

Delicious Vegan Penne Florentine

Vegan & Gluten Free Penne Florentine

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Whole grain pasta, sauteed yellow squash, and spinach smothered in a creamy sauce with a hint of spicy kick to it.   This delicious dairy free cream sauce has a 'secret' ingredient that boosts its protein content and nutritional value...Shhh the kids won't even know it's in there!

The two most common complaints I hear from busy moms....picky kids who won't eat healthy food and how to sneak healthy ingredients into foods their children WILL eat.  I have found a myriad of ways to get vegetables in my kids meals.  In fact, my vegetable based cheese sauce is a staple lunch ingredient for them everyday.  It takes a little creativity but you can find ways to sneak vegetables, beans, fruits and other healthy foods into your kids meals, and even into their desserts!

**One tip to make whole wheat pasta softer like white pasta, cook it twice as long as white pasta!  I learned that trick and it made all the difference for my family.  Brown rice pasta however is soft with less cooking so I don't have to worry about that anymore but I know there are many people struggling to like whole wheat pasta because they don't know how to cook it.

This delicious dairy free penne florentine features white beans in the cream sauce.   Why would I add a can of white beans in my cream sauce....sneaky added nutrition!

The white beans add the following nutrition per serving of penne florentine

Protein......9.5g

Fiber.........6.5g

Folate.........21%

Calcium.....10%

Iron.........22%

Zinc........18%

Omega 3's......7%

You can add beans in homemade ice creams, brownies, cream sauces and many other recipes to boost nutrition.

Along with striving to create healthy meals that will appeal to the whole family, its always nice to create recipes that are simple and easy.  Busy mom's need simple recipes they can create easily for their family.  

Who doesn't love pasta with a cream sauce?  This is the perfect family meal!

Sunburger and Spinach in a Garlic Cream Sauce Recipe

Sunburger and Spinach in a Garlic Cream Sauce over Brown Rice Recipe

If you would like to continue following my work please visit my new site:  http://www.plantbasednutritionista.com

I hope to see you there!

A simple, hearty dish featuring sauteed spinach and crumbled sunburgers in a rich, creamy cashew garlic cream sauce.  This simple recipe features a gourmet flavor in the garlic cream sauce, yet, it can be made in a matter of minutes.  

When I don't have the time to sit and wait nearly an hour for brown rice to cook I use one of my favorite quick and simple alternatives....instant brown rice.   It only takes 10 minutes!


So, when my nutrition clients complain that they don't have time to cook brown rice and use white rice instead I don't buy it for one minute!  If you don't have time to cook brown rice you have two simple solutions!


1.  Instant Brown Rice:  I buy instant brown rice so I can use it for breakfast or for times I really don't have time to cook brown rice and I want something quick and easy.  No excuses, instant brown rice is FASTER than white rice.  Yes, it is more expensive but it is a lifesaver when you are in a pinch.


2. Brown Rice freezes extremely well!  On a lazy Saturday afternoon or on a day when you have some time on your  hands cook up a HUGE batch of brown rice and freeze it in freezer bags or plastic containers.  I freeze brown rice with 4 servings per bag, that way I can easily defrost enough for my family.

When you make the commitment to improve your health and eat healthier you have to find ways to make it work.  For every excuse there is a simple solution.  You  have to be willing to put forth the effort though, if you are a chronic excusitarian, healthy eating certainly is not for you!   I have dealt with dozens and dozens of people and it is rare to find one who is willing to do what it takes, but those who are willing are always the ones who are able to completely reverse diabetes, fibromyalgia and other chronic diseases.  It is a joy to find that rare diamond in the rough who is ready and willing to do what it takes!  It is these individuals who keep me going, seeing their dramatic healing inspires me to move forward despite seemingly insurmountable opposition.

It is interesting to me that those who let food dictate their lives, their friends, their habits, and their health become horrible Food Snobs!  

I heard this word first from my sister in law who called her husband a food snob because he is a picky eater.  I thought it was quite cleaver, however, I decided to put my own spin on the term food snob.  I believe a food snob is someone who is intolerant of others food choices and exhibits this by incessantly mocking, teasing, arguing, and trying to start debates at the dinner table about food.   A food snob is someone who is so insecure about their own food choices they feel they have to hate, gossip about, or make fun of anyone else who has the courage to change dietary habits.    Honestly, who cares!  I don't make comments to anyone about their personal dietary choices, I honestly don't care and it is none of my business!  If they want to come to a dinner party and bring their own alfalfa hay or horse manure to gnaw on what difference does that make to me?   

They also refuse to accommodate others dietary choices because they honestly assume that there is something inherently wrong with avoiding a certain food due to ethical, moral, religious, simple personal choice, or health reasons.   My husband once asked me if I would be willing to accommodate someone who was on a low carb diet and I said absolutely!   I wouldn't be willing to cook meat simply because I find it absolutely repulsive but I could absolutely accommodate a low carb diet if need be.  I would make a delicious salad topped with a nut-based dressing,  a delicious seitan marsala or something like that.  It might be different than what they are used to but I would certainly be willing to do so if I had invited someone to dinner and found out ahead of time that this was their personal dietary choice.   

Over the last 8 years I have met some wonderful people who were excellent examples of love and kindness and I have met some very poor examples as well.  When we lived in Virginia a wonderful, sweet woman invited us to dinner and when I informed her that we were vegetarian she didn't skip a beat, she said okay, great we will make a great vegetarian meal.  She did make a beautiful meal, we all ate and had a great time.  When we were moving she came by the night before we moved out with a box FULL of food.  She said I know you probably don't have anything for breakfast in the morning so I brought you this.  It was full of fruit,  dairy free biscuits, granola and all kinds of delicious food!  It was wonderful, because we really didn't have much for breakfast in the morning and we all enjoyed what she had brought.  It also had some vegetable soup for lunch the next day too.   I have learned great lessons from people along the way about being loving and accepting despite differences but I have also had some very painful experiences from those who have been rude and hateful.

Don't we all have foods we simple do not like? I know I certainly do and always have.  We all have foods we don't like and that is OKAY!   Some people think fruit is unhealthy and don't eat it, some people don't like soy or think it is unhealthy, some people don't like vegetables, some people don't like 'carbs', some people don't like eggs, some people don't like dairy and some people don't like meat...... it's ALL okay.

We were invited to roast hot dogs at a neighbors house and we politely said we would be happy to bring our own and we brought our veggie dogs and they ate their bratwurst and we had a great time and food was a complete non-issue.  This is the way it SHOULD be! 

You are not a food snob because you avoid a certain food for ethical, moral, religious, personal or health reasons!  You are a food snob when you refuse to accept others because of their food choices.

Okay, enough of my ramblings and on to the delicious recipe.

Millet Berry Vanilla Porridge

Millet Berry Vanilla Porridge Breakfast Recipe

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I hope to see you there!

A hearty, healthy and yet delicious breakfast that will keep you going strong all morning.  Delicious mix of apple, berries, millet and vanilla gives this porridge a delicious flavor.  This millet berry breakfast is packed with nutrition and will satisfy even the pickiest eater.  Serve this on a cool rainy spring morning or as a nice beginning to a beautiful fall day.   This makes a great gluten free substitute for cream of wheat.

One of my fondest memories as a child was waking up in the morning at grandma's house and smelling the delicious cream of wheat cooking in the kitchen.  As a child I didn't know how she did it but grandma made the BEST cream of wheat ever!  It just wasn't the same when I was at home....  Waking up and smelling that delicious breakfast is something I will never forget.

At grandma's house you were never hungry, well, better put, you were always STUFFED! We would make delicious wonder bread toast slathered in butter and dip it in our cream of wheat, Mmmmmm that was a delicious breakfast.   As an adult I now know how grandma made her cream of wheat so special.  It was slathered in butter, sugar and 2% milk!   Well, just as those childhood memories are in the distant past so are my indulgences with butter, refined sugar and cows milk but that doesn't mean I don't like to take myself back to those wonderful mornings at grandmas eating cream of wheat and wonder bread toast!

Now as a gluten free adult it makes it even harder to create that delicious breakfast I loved as a child but this is my nutrient packed, whole foods, antioxidant rich version of cream of wheat.

My son really enjoyed this breakfast and he is usually ALWAYS hungry.  If he eats a bowl of cereal he is usually back in the kitchen an hour later looking for something else.  Some of that is obviously emotional eating and some of it is the fact that he is a big boy.  Who would have know that a 4' 11" mom and a 5' 7" dad could have a child in the 90th percentile of height and weight who is on track to be 6' 2"!!!

Okay, so feeding a pre-teen boy is expensive, but, this amazing porridge holds him until lunch which is a great feat in itself!  It is very filling and he actually really enjoys it!  If you are feeding boys that are breaking the bank this is a very cheap solution for breakfast.  Luckily  millet is a very inexpensive grain and it is also very healthy.

Nutrition Breakdown for 1 Cup Millet

Calories.............207

Protein..............6.1g

Omega 3's..........4%

Folate................8%

B1......................17%

B2......................13%

B3......................17%

B5.......................6%

B6......................14%

Iron....................4%

Zinc...................20%

It also has much more but that is just the basics!

Nutrient Breakdown for 1 serving of millet berry porridge

{I calculated 1 serving as HALF of the recipe}

Calories.................325

Protein..................8g

Omega 3's..............130%

Vit. A.....................10%

Folate....................14%

B1..........................17%

B2..........................26%

B3..........................14%

B5..........................9%

B6..........................21%

B12.........................34%

Vit. C......................9%

Vit. D.....................15%

Vit. E.....................5%

Vit. K....................17%

Calcium................12%

Iron......................10%

Magnesium...........27%

Manganese............51%

Phosphorus...........23%

Potassium.............9%

Selenium..............5%

Zinc......................20%