Peanut Butter for the Masses

Happy Holidays, everyone!  Decided to bust out the food processor (actually...do I ever put it away?) and make PB gift bags for everyone.  Went to Meijer and found a box of 12 of these ADORABLE canning jars for $8.00!  Each holds 4 ounces, so they're the perfect size for gift bags.  And they come with fancy-schmancy labels as well. 

I made three flavors -- pumpkin pie, gingerbread, and candy apple.  The first two were from this chica's blog...well, I'll just link you to both recipes. 


http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/09/13/pumpkin-nut-butter/
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/12/04/gingerbread-peanut-butter/

Basically, her blog is all about healthy desserts and brekkie foods.  Most of them involve chocolate.  Best.  Blog.  Ever.  Haha.

This lovely pink butter is my own creation.  And I'm gonna share it with you.  :D


Candy Apple Peanut Butter


You'll need:


8 oz. natural PB
8 oz. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp cinnamon
Splash of vanilla
A few drops of red food coloring

Blend everything except for the honey.  Nuke the honey for about ten seconds, add to the mixture and then blend until it thickens.  Note that the honey makes this REALLY sweet, just like a candy apple!  But...if you're like me, and aren't a fan of overwhelmingly-sweet things, you can just leave it out.

P.S. -- I know, I know; this recipe isn't intended for any special diet.  But it's just too nommy to not share!

Porridge in stick form.

Even after the sugary chaos that surrounds Halloween has passed, autumn still seems to be the season for comfort food.  It is for me, anyway.

I used to be a big fan of oatmeal during this time of the year.  I would buy those huge containers of plain instant oatmeal and season it with...well, just about everything!  Butter, salt, and pepper...applesauce and cinnamon...pumpkin and chai spice...you name it!

As any individual leading a g-f lifestyle probably knows, oats on their own do not contain gluten.  HOWEVER, due to the fact that many companies that manufacture oat products produce said products on lines that also handle gluten-containing materials, many people who cannot tolerate gluten aren't able to have oats.

Which really sucks.

Of course, they do make g-f oatmeal, and it is pretty tasty.  But it tends to be about three times the price of normal oats.  And, for whatever reason, I can't find them anywhere!  Not even at Meijer.  I really don't want to order my oats online and then have to pay shipping and handling. 

Grits have been a pretty decent substitute over the last few months.  Since I have Southern roots, I quite enjoy a lovely, steaming bowl of grits in the morning, mixed with the tiniest smidge of butter and sprinkled with salt and pepper. 

As lovely as buttery corn glop is...I did get tired of it eventually, haha.  Right about the time the sight of grits was starting to make me sick, my mother introduced me to...another type of corn glop.  In stick form.

Polenta is made from boiled cornmeal.  The starch's gelatinization gives each stick its shape, and helps give it a creamy texture when blended.  You can find it in the Italian section at any grocery store.  It's basically Italy's take on porridge.  You can blend it up like I do and season it with salt, pepper, and garlic (don't forget to top with cheese and tomato), or you can slice it up and fry it. 

Maybe throw in some meat and stir-fry vedgies as well?  Mm. 

Allergy-Proof Pumpkin/Chai/Chocolate Chip Biscotti

I made this for a fall-themed party last month.  Oh man, was it ever amazing.  I um...quite literally ate the entire batch, because everyone else was afraid to try it.  Maybe I won't tell everyone what I put in a dish next time I bring food to a party...mergh.

Anyway, my biscotti is loosely based off this recipe:

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pumpkin_biscotti/

Mine was gluten-free and egg-free.  I used brown rice flour, and subbed 1/2 cup mashed banana for the two eggs.  As for spices, I omitted the nutmeg, ginger, and cloves and added a scoop of Mystic Chai instead (each container comes with one of said scoops).  I then added chocolate chips, and sprinkled more chai mix on top before popping it in the oven.  I swear, that stuff is like crack for me, haha!  I drink at least one cup of it a day, and I sprinkle it over everything -- yogurt, sliced apples, sliced bananas, you name it!  

This is different from your run-of-the-mill biscotti, in that it is soft and fluffy, as opposed to dry and crunchy.  This is thanks to the rice flour.  They don't do so well when dipped in coffee (...or chai), but they're still pretty amazing, if you ask me.  Of course, I may be kinda biased.  ;)

Hi.

Welcome to the new blog!

Yes indeed, this is where I shall be posting my recipes/culinary disasters from now on.  You can read about them, or even try them out if you have a burning desire to do so.  However, for the most part, this is simply a place for me to document my crazy kitchen adventures.  Since I have a bad memory, and tend to forget exactly which crazy adventure led to which disaster, etc.

I was vegetarian for nearly six years, and I loved every minute of it.  Unfortunately, I've developed a high sensitivity to gluten and, as of about a month ago, I made the decision to become a gluten-free omni.  Trying to be both a vedgehead and g-f is complicated!  I don't think it's a decision I'll regret.


Still, feel free to talk to me if you have any interest in going vedge.  It's a great lifestyle, and I highly recommend at least trying it out at some point during your life.

Here's the old blog, if anyone's interested.  I also know of quite a few awesome online resources for seasoned/aspiring vedgeheads, so hit me up if you want!

http://theedgeofvedge.blogspot.com/


So, what kinds of recipes will be on here, you ask?  Well, I can tell you this much right now:  many of said recipes will be gluten-free, but some might not be.

I don't want to be yet another g-f blogger.  Believe me, the interwebs have no shortage of those at the moment!

But I do want to help out others with special needs, in terms of food. In order to do this, I need you (Yes!  You there!) to give me your two cents.  Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or any other conditions affecting the way you eat, I want to hear from you!

Here's how it's gonna go:

1. Tell me about the special diet you're on -- what you can and cannot eat, etc.

2.  Let me know what, exactly, it is that you want.  Maybe you're a celiac craving some cake, or a diabetic longing for dessert?

3. Aaaand I'll try my hand at making it!

Seriously, go ahead.  I enjoy a good culinary challenge!