Lentil, Sweet Potato & Coconut Curry

My husband and I love Indian food. Since becoming gluten-free, I love it even more because I can eat so much of it. Many Indian foods are vegetarian and are full of lentils, beans and nuts - it's all so up my alley. This Indian-inspired dish, from the amazing blog Detoxinista, was quick to put together, is extremely tasty and filling, and is vegan and gluten-free. The leftovers make an awesome, quick lunch and are so much more satisfying than a bowl of cereal - which is my typical-mom-in-a-hurry-lunch (if I even eat lunch at all).

Serve this curry over cooked quinoa or rice. Enjoy!

Here is the recipe straight from Detoxinista:

• 1½ tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup dried red lentils
• 1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 large carrot, sliced lengthwise and chopped
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon mild curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3½ cups vegetable broth or water
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup raw cashews <this is optional and my addition - and they were YUMMY!>

• 2 cups of cooked quinoa OR rice (my husband said he would have preferred rice)

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the onion until it's turning a little golden. Add the lentils, potato, carrot, and spices/seasonings, and stir to combine everything.
2. Add the water or broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes, or until the lentils and sweet potato are tender. Stir in the ½ cup of coconut milk. Serve over cooked quinoa or rice. If using cashews, sprinkle them on top of curried lentils.
3. Curry will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge. Leftovers can be frozen.

Peanut Butter, Coconut & Cranberry Energy Bites

My friend, Kim, asked me to try and replicate these yummy energy bites that we keep buying at our local farmer's market. They are absolutely delicious and they make the perfect quick breakfast or snack. I think this recipe is pretty darn close to the original! Easy to make and no bake! These are also gluten free! Enjoy!

• 1 cup oats, old fashioned (gluten free if desired)
• 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
• 2 Tablespoons flax seed
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut, plus 2 Tbl more for rolling
• 1 Tbl cinnamon
• 1/4 cup honey OR pure maple syrup
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  OR almond butter
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped into tiny pieces

In a large food processor, add the oats, chia seeds,  flax seeds, unsweetened coconut and cinnamon.   Pulse until finely ground and combined. Add the honey and peanut butter. Turn the food processor on and watch the mixture turn into a large ball. Let it roll around in there for a minute or so until the dry ingredients are well combined with the honey and PB.  Add the chopped dried cranberries and pulse to combine.

Using your hands, roll the mixture into 1 inch balls and place on a piece of parchment paper. Roll each ball into unsweetened coconut.

Refrigerate and eat within a week. Enjoy!!

Cashew Corn Chowder with Cilantro Cream

Mercy, this soup was good! So flavorful and very filling. Perfect on this chilly winter night. Here's another EXCELLENT recipe from My New Roots. I love everything this woman does- her cookbooks, her blog, her instagram....she's amazing and so are her recipes.  Enjoy!

This soup made enough for two adults. 

Here is the recipe verbatim from the My New Roots blog:


1 Tbsp. coconut oil or ghee <I used olive oil>
2 medium yellow onions
6 cloves garlic
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. cumin
cayenne to taste
3 ears fresh corn <I used four>
4 cups vegetable broth
1 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lime juice
½ cup raw cashews, soaked overnight (4 hours minimum)

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. When hot, add turmeric, cumin and cayenne and cook for about a minute, until fragrant. Add onions and salt, and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic. If the bottom of the pot becomes dry, add a little broth instead of oil to moisten things up.

2. While the onions and garlic are cooking, husk the cobs of corn. Cut off the kernels by standing the corn on one end and slicing downwards. Add corn kernels to the pot and stir to coat with spices. Cook for 5 minutes then add the remaining broth. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until the corn is bright yellow and sweet, about 5 minutes. During this time, make the cilantro cream (see recipe below)

3. Once the corn is cooked, remove pot from heat and transfer the soup to a blender, reserving a few tablespoons of the whole corn kernels for garnish. Add soaked and rinsed cashews. Blend on high until completely smooth. Add water to thin, if desired. Season to taste. Return soup to the pot to keep warm if necessary. Serve with cilantro cream, a drizzle of olive oil, a few kernels of corn and plenty of cracked black pepper.

Cilantro Cream
½ cup raw cashews, soaked overnight (4 hours minimum)
1 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lime juice
1 cup cilantro (leaves only, loosely packed)
½ cup water
1 Tbsp. raw honey (or agave)
1 tsp. sea salt
pinch cayenne, if desired
½ small clove garlic, if desired

Directions:
1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until completely smooth. Season to taste. Store leftovers in a sealed glass container.

Almond Flour Banana Bread - Gluten Free!

HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!! Oh, I think I have found it! Yes, I have! The most perfect gluten free banana bread recipe ever! Yep, I said it and I believe it with my whole heart! This banana bread has zero gluten in it, zero butter, no refined sugar and tastes like the real deal - it'll give any gluten-filled banana bread a run for its money.  I'm always feeling left out of eating baked goods (being gluten free and all).....but now that I have this in my arsenal, I see many yummy days ahead! I am always leary of using gluten-free flours as substitutes in regular recipes - many GF flours have a funky taste and so many of them are almost all tapioca and cornstarch!! So, when I saw that this recipe from the blog, Live Simply, uses ONLY almond meal, I got VERY excited to try it. And it did not disappoint - not one bit.

**If you can't find almond meal, you can make your own by finely grinding raw almonds in the food processor.

 Here is the recipe straight from Live Simply:

• 2½ cups blanched almond flour <I used Bob's Red Mill>
• 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon good-quality salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup whole milk yogurt <I used 1/3 cup sour cream>
• 2-3 very ripe bananas, mashed <I used 3 small-ish bananas>
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts <I omitted the walnuts and used 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips>

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Grease a loaf pan with butter or coconut oil.
3. In a large bowl mix together the dry ingredients: almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda.
4. In a medium size bowl, whisk together the eggs. Add in the honey, yogurt, mashed bananas, and vanilla. Whisk together until combined.
5. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined. Fold in the chopped walnuts <or chocolate chips>.
6. Pour the batter into a loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes <I baked it for 61 minutes, but I checked it at 50 and 56 minutes> until the center is firm.
7. Allow to cool. Remove from pan.
8. Slice and enjoy!