{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Hummus


For some {strange} reason, the idea of making hummus has been really intimidating to me. I don't really know why, but I didn't see how I'd ever be able to make it quite as yummy as the variety we buy from a local restaurant. Today, that all changed.

I made hummus!

And it's yummy!

You can make hummus too. I promise.

Ingredients:
1 Can Garbanzo Beans {drained, with the liquid reserved}
1/4 Cup Liquid from Garbanzo Beans
2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice {add more to taste, if you'd like}
2 Tbsp. Tahini
3 Cloves Garlic, crushed and peeled
1/2 tsp. Salt {add more to taste}
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Directions:
Pulse garlic in a food processor to break it up as much as possible.
To the food processor, add garbanzo beans and 1/4 cup liquid, and blend until you have a thick paste.
Add lemon juice, tahini, salt a olive oil and mix very well, pausing to scrape the sides of your bowl.
Taste, and add more salt, lemon juice, etc. if desired, mixing well between additions.

I love hummus with tortilla chips, or spread on a corn tortilla for the base of a wrap. Of course it's also yummy with fresh veggies!

Red Beans and Rice


I love red beans and rice, and can see a lot of this dish in our {winter} future. You know what I also love? The price. Red beans and rice are so inexpensive to make, and I'll bet you've already got most of the necessary stuff tucked away in your pantry or fridge.

You'll Need:
1 lb. {ish} Small Red Beans
4 Garlic Cloves
1 Large Onion {or two medium. the point? onion. LOTS of onion.}
5 Celery Sticks
1 Green Bell Pepper
3 Bay Leaves
2 tsp. Thyme
1 tsp. Oregano
1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes {or more to taste}
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1 tsp. Tobasco Sauce {or more to taste}
2 tsp. Liquid Smoke
Salt {to taste}

Cooked Rice, to Serve

To Make:
Soak your red beans overnight in a covered dish. Start with about two inches of water over the beans, and add more as you need to. When you're ready to cook the beans, drain and rinse them before moving them to the pot you'll cook them in.

Place beans in a large, heavy pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil while you prep your veggies.
Finely chop {or use a food processor) garlic, celery, green pepper and onion.
Add veggies and spices {except salt}, plus liquid smoke to the beans.
Once the beans come to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and cover, stirring occasionally.
Cook beans 2-3 hours until they begin to fall apart and the mixture thickens. Add water if necessary.
Once the beans are completely tender, add salt and additional seasoning. You'll need a lot more salt than what *feels* normal. Add a bit at a time, stirring to combine well, until the flavor is right.

Remove bay leaves and serve beans over rice.

Wordless Wednesday

Gluten, Dairy, and Soy Free Blackstrap Molasses Cookies


You'll Need:
2 Cups Gluten Free Flour Blend
2 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
2 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Xanthan Gum
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 Cup Grapeseed Oil
1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup {real} Maple Syrup
1/2 Cup Blackstrap Molasses
1 Tbsp. Hot Water

Small bowl of Granulated Sugar

To Make:
Combine dry ingredients in medium sized mixing bowl, stirring thoroughly.
Combine wet ingredients in a small bowl, then add to the flour/dry mixture.
Stir thoroughly to incorporate.
Place dough in the fridge while the oven preheats to 350 degrees.

To Bake:
Take dough from the bowl in uniform, small amounts, rolling each into a ball. I like to use a small scoop so they're all the same.
Roll the dough balls in the granulated sugar, then place evenly on parchment paper.
Bake for approximately 11 minutes at 350 degrees.
Cool on the pan for several minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Curried Pumpkin, Butternut Squash and Peas


We tried this recipe last night for dinner. It was yummy, but tasted even better today as leftovers for lunch. I used far more butternut squash than pumpkin, but you could split the two ingredients equally--or leave one out all together--with equally yummy results. I used my rice cooker to make a big, fluffy pot of basmati rice to serve with our curry.

What You'll Need:
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Onion, Sliced into Wedges
1 Garlic Clove, Smashed
1 Tbsp. Curry Powder
1/2 tsp. each Salt & Pepper
2 Pounds Butternut Squash and/or Pumpkin, Peeled, Seeded and Cubed
2-3 Medium Red Potatoes {I used Purple Potatoes}
1 1/2 Cups Veggie Broth
1/2 Cup Golden Raisins
3/4 Cup Frozen Green Peas
Fresh Cilantro

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
Add onion and cook to golden brown.
Add garlic and stir to combine, cooking for about one minute.
Add curry powder, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
Add pumpkin and/or squash, and potatoes, and cook for about five minutes, stirring often.
Pour in broth and add raisins, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes.
Add peas, and replace the lid, allowing to cook another 15 minutes or until potatoes and squash are tender.
Serve over basmati rice, garnished with cilantro.

Gluten, Dairy, and Soy Free Puffed Oven Pancake {aka: Dutch Babies}


This is a very, very regularly requested weekend treat. Everyone loves it! Perfect for a lazy Saturday breakfast, and so, so worth the wait while it bakes in the oven.

Ingredients:
4 Eggs
6 Tbsp. Honey, divided
1 tsp. Fresh Lemon Zest
3/4 tsp. Salt
1 Cup GF All-Purpose Flour Blend
2 1/2 Cups Almond Milk
1 Cup Raspberries
1/4 Cup Earth Balance
1-2 Cups Fruit, such as Strawberries, Raspberries or Blueberries

To Make:
Place an oven-proof skillet (about 12 inches) or 9x13 pan in the oven and preheat to 425 degrees.
Whisk eggs, 1/4 cup honey, and lemon zest in a medium bowl.
Add the salt, flour, and 1/4 cup almond milk and whisk to smooth.
Mix in the rest of the almond milk.
Puree the raspberries in a food processor until smooth.
Remove the hot pan from the oven and add the Earth Balance. Swirl it around to coat the bottom/sides of the pan.
Pour in the batter.
Spoon the raspberry puree into the batter, so that it is distributed throughout the pan.
Reduce the oven to 400 degrees, and bake the pancake until the edges are a deep, golden color. About 30 minutes.
Remove pancake from the oven, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. DON'T skip this step!!
Combine the fruit of your choice in a small bowl, and mix in the remaining 2 Tbsp. honey, allowing the mixture to sit for at least 15 minutes.
Immediately before serving, spoon the fruit over the top of the pancake.

I've shared this recipe at... The Gluten Free Homemaker {gluten free Wednesdays}, Life as Mom

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.
*****

Pico de Gallo


This is a snack-time favorite in our house. I love to load up on cilantro when I make it!

You'll Need:
3-4 medium tomatoes
1 medium white/sweet onion
1 jalapeno pepper
Cilantro
Lime Juice
Salt

Making it is Easy:
Dice the tomatoes, onion and jalapeno (careful--no touching your eyes!) and combine in a bowl. Chop as much cilantro as you'd like and stir it into the mix. Splash in a bit of lime juice, sprinkle with salt, and stir to combine.

{Almost} Wordless Wednesday


My boy. Can't get enough of him!

Gluten and Soy Free, and Vegan Sugarless Oat Cookies


These are such a yummy little treat. Perfect, even, for breakfast! They're sugarless, gluten and soy free, and vegan. You can mix and match the add-ins as you please, too. What's not to love??

You'll Need:
1 1/2 C. Gluten Free Oats
1 C. Shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Ground Cloves
1/4 C. Almond Meal
1 C. Any Combination: mini chocolate chips, dried cherries, raisins, dates, prunes, etc.; chop larger fruits.

3 Ripe Bananas, mashed
1/4 C. Canola Oil {Coconut Oil would work nicely here, I think}
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions:
Combine the first group of ingredients, taking care to mix everything completely and break apart clumps of dried fruit.
Combine the second group of ingredients in a separate bowl.
Blend the wet ingredients into the out/fruit mixture.
Scoop rounded spoonfuls onto Parchment Paper and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden.

The cookies will hold together a bit better if you press them a bit as you're forming the scoops. After they're baked, take care in moving them from the cookie sheet. Once they cool, they'll hold together more, but they aren't the tidiest cookie around either!


Psst! You might also really like this gluten free, vegan, sugarless oatmeal cookie recipe.

Gluten, Dairy and Soy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies



I did something today. Something big.
For me, anyway.
Since my gluten, dairy and soy free life began a year ago, I've been seriously mourning the loss of a good chocolate chip cookie. Seriously. This girl LOVES her chocolate chip cookies.

But that all changed today, because I did it! I finally created *the* recipe. The perfectly chewy, squishy, not-too-crunchy, doesn't-go-flat chocolate chip cookie recipe. The best part of that? I get to share it here. Consider it the Grand Opening for this new little blog of mine.

If you don't have these ingredients on hand, go and get them. Now. You'll thank me later.

You'll Need:
3/4 C. Earth Balance {Soy Free} Spread
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
1/4 C. Granulated Sugar
1 egg {or egg replacer... and yes, it works!}
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 C. Gluten Free Flour Blend {I use Bob's Red Mill AP Blend}
1 C. Brown Rice Flour
2 tsp. Corn Starch
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Xanthan Gum
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 C. Chocolate Chunks {Enjoy Life Chocolate Chunks are my friend!}

To Make:
Cream together the Earth Balance, Brown and Granulated Sugars
Add the egg {or replacer} and vanilla
Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl
Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients
Stir in the chocolate chunks
Refrigerate the dough for at least 20 minutes. Optional--but will result in fluffier, more round cookies.
Spoon onto Parchment Paper and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes

The final step? Try not to eat them all. Seriously.