Drink Up: Olade serves up refreshing yummy fruity beverages

As I was walking through Vitamin Cottage the other day I found myself walking through the drink isle. Lately I have been really wanted a low calorie and low sugar fruit drink at times when I just need a little something sweet in between lunch and dinner or to go with a meal. So when I saw Olade I couldn't believe it was true. Not only is it low calorie its low carb! Also sweetened with stevia and electrolytes to boost!! I looked at the calorie content and was amazed at what I saw. The unthinkable had come true! I can finally drink cranberry juice without the bitterness and sugar of regular fruit drinks. So I picked up the cranberry flavor and drank it later with my dinner. Wow it was amazing!! The taste was great and now needless to say I have tried all of the flavors and drink one almost every day. Today I drank the strawberry with the lemon mixed in as well, YUM. Finally I can have a strawberry lemonade and not feel guilty about the sugar or empty calories!! You must try this amazing drinks now, I am so addicted haha. I forgot to mention too that it is safe for diabetes which is a total bonus, so drink up and cheers everyone!

Almond Yogurt

So after reading Ani Phyo's Raw Food book I discovered a recipe for Almond Yogurt which got my wheels turning, oh how I have missed yogurt! I had no idea that you could make yogurt from nuts! I love yogurt, there is nothing that beats the creaminess and texture of some yogurt, fruit, and granola. So after trying the new coconut milk yogurt and not being very impressed with the strange taste and high sugar content, I decided to try this recipe. After making it two times I learned how to make it perfect. The first mistake I made was not using a cheesecloth which left the texture chunky and crunchy which was not the yogurt I was hoping for. Also, I made sure to blanch the almonds ridding them of their skin which helped to make a smoother yogurt. So here is the recipe:

1)Blanch 1 cup of almonds:
Boil water and then turn off the heat, throw the almonds into the water and stir for 7 seconds. Strain almonds, and immediately put into an ice water bath. Then pop off the skin between your thumb and forefinger.
2) Place blanched almonds into a bowl and fill with enough water to cover all the almonds, cover and let soak for at least 12 hours
3) Drain almonds and place in food processor or blend with 1 cup water and juice from 1 lemon, blend until it forms fine, watery consistency
4) Place almond mixture into a cheesecloth over a bowl and twist into a ball and squeeze all of the water out of the cheesecloth ball. Keep squeezing and squeezing until only almond pulp is left.
5) Place mixture in a mason jar and cover with a towel for at least 12 hours.
6) Enjoy your yogurt!! The whey of the yogurt will be separated with a yellow line usually an inch from the bottom.

Keep in mind, this can be made with any nut and with the other kinds of nut you do not have to blanch. Also, add jam, vanilla, stevia, or any other fruit or sweetener to make it even better! Hope you enjoy this dairy free, soy free, delicious yogurt, I certainly have!!!!!

Raw Chocolate Chip Cookies

As per usual, I was craving some chocolate after dinner and then the more I thought about it, I wanted some cookies; chocolate chip indeed. But, I only had coconut flour, brown rice flour, and no xanthum gum so whats a girl to do? Make a raw cookie instead! I have been trying a lot of raw recipes lately because of the fabulous health benefits and most of the time its easy and delicious. So I searched the internet far and wide and found this great cookie recipe. It has cashews, oats, agave nectar, vanilla, chocolate chips, and maple syrup. I thought hum how easy and it sounded great! So out came the food processor and the ingredients and off to bake I went, here is the recipe.
2/3 cashews
1/3 gluten free oats
Blend together in the food processor until it forms a fine flour, then add:
2 Tbsp. agave nectar
1Tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
Blend until the dough forms a ball and bounces around the bowl. Then add 1/4 cup chocolate chips ( I used enjoy life chocolate chips) either mix with a spoon or pulse for 5 seconds until combined. Roll into small balls, I made about 17 small balls. Then enjoy! I loved the texture and the taste was perfect, it was almost like a cookie dough, yum!

GF Cookies at Starbucks!

So I have great news my roomate who works at Starbucks came home the other day from her meeting with lucy's cookies and they were gluten free, dairy free, and nut free! I couldn't believe it! There are two kinds a sugar cookie and a cinnamon cookie and are available in 5.5 oz boxes. Then I tasted them and was even more in shock when they tasted so good I had to keep checking the box for the ingredients. I couldn't decide which flavor I liked better either. The cinnamon was so delicious reminding me of the mrs. fields snickerdoodles I so fondly remember. The sugar flavor was also delicious and they both had just the perfect texture and amount of sugar. Also, I tried heating them up but they are much much better straight out of the box. Anyway, I know Starbucks tried a gluten free pastry and it did not turn out as well as expected but this definitely makes up for that mistake. I don't know when they will be available but I think they will be there in the next week so keep checking and ask a barista. Hope you love them as much as I do!

Tortillas!

So you got to love tortillas but finding some without corn is hard. I have tried the food for life brown rice tortillas which are also very good but were so dry and crumbly that I never could say they were a staple for me. So when my friend Gluten Free Dee told me about these great tortillas called sandwich petals I had to try them. They are so incredible and delicious!! I ordered the variety pack and on Monday they did a BOGO special so I got so many tortillas. They have three flavors ancho chile, spinach, and agave grain and are all delicious. I have tried a breakfast burrito with spinach eggs and salsa with the ancho chile, so good!!! I also used one as my hamburger bun and was a quick, great substitute. These tortillas are so versatile and easy to digest and even have probiotics! They stay fresh for up to 30 days without freezing or refrigeration which is great. I have to say that this is great for all of us who are always on the go and need a healthy bread alternative when packing lunches or a great snack. Some other ideas I have are to eat it with hummus and veggies or with almond butter and mashed up strawberries or jam or even cut up and toasted to  make chips. I will tell you how those ideas actually taste when I try them.  Here is a link to their website:
http://www.sandwichpetals.com/

Brownies!!!

Tonight we had a fabulous dinner and my mom was going to make some brownies for dessert for my brothers and my dad. Feeling left out, I decided to try my hand at re-creating my favorite brownie recipe, my mom's recipe I just love the perfect consistency, chocolatelyness, and texture. So I just tried them and they were absolutely delicious!!!! They tasted just like the one's I grew up on. I hope you enjoy!

Gluten Free Brownies
Preheat oven to 325F
In a small saucepan combine 1/4 cup natural cane sugar, 1/2 cup coconut sugar, 1/3 cup earthbalance vegan buttery stick, and 1/8 cup water, bring to JUST A BOIL. Remove from heat. Add 1 cup enjoy life chocolate chips or any chocolate chip you prefer and 1 tsp. vanilla; stir chips until chips melt. Beat in 2 eggs one at a time. In small bowl combine, 3/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour, 1/4 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. xanthum gum. Gradually add flour mixture to chocolate mixture. Spread in greased 8x8 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Gotta Love that Coconut

So I am in love with all things coconut. After trying coconut yogurt, coconut milk, coconut ice cream and a variety of coconut baked goods that all are so delicious, I was delighted to see creamer made with coconut milk. It seems as if they read my mind because almond milk in coffee just wasn't really cutting it as cream for my coffee. I was yearning for that heavy and milky addition of half and half to my daily cup of joe but sort of gave up on having coffee like I used to have it. So when I saw this at Vitamin Cottage and in three flavors I couldn't believe it. I have tried all three and have to say that the sugar content is a little high in the flavored versions but for just using it as little cream in coffee is perfect. I also tried the french vanilla flavor in my hot chocolate and it added a nice vanilla taste. This makes my morning joe amazing and is the reason I can't stop my addiction to coffee.