gluten-free | Taste For Life

Charred Breakfast Kale

with Mushrooms + Ginger Tahini

Number of Servings

Serves 4

Ingredients

Charred Kale

1 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, smashed (optional)
6 oyster mushrooms (or mushrooms of your choice), torn
1 Tbsp gluten-free tamari
Bunch of cavolo nero or curly kale, torn and woody stems removed
Handful of baby spinach (optional)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing

4 Tbsp tahini
Juice of 1 orange or lemon
[q:1/2] tsp grated fresh ginger
[q:1/2] tsp sea salt

Serving

1 avocado (optional)
2 tsp sesame seeds or za’atar

Directions

Heat half of the oil in a large skillet over a medium–high heat. Add garlic (if using), followed by mushrooms, and sauté for a couple of minutes on each side until mushrooms start to brown and crunch up. Add tamari and give everything a toss, and then push mushrooms to side of pan.
Add kale and spinach, if using, to other side of pan, along with remaining oil. Sauté undisturbed for about 1 minute until charred and crunchy, and then toss to sauté on other side. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together dressing ingredients.
Divide tahini dressing between 2 bowls and swirl around so it covers sides of bowls. Add kale/spinach, and then top with mushroom shreds, avocado, if using, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds or za’atar.

Nutrition Info

With spinach and avocado: 270 Calories, 10 g Protein, 0 mg Cholesterol, 19 g Carbohydrates, 3 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 10 g Fiber, 21 g Total fat (3 g sat), 586 mg Sodium, [nutrition:5] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin C, Vitamin K, [nutrition:4] Vitamin B3 (niacin), Phosphorus, [nutrition:3] Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B6, Folate, [nutrition:2] Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Zinc, [nutrition:1] Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Magnesium

Chipotle Pico de Gallo

Prep Time

20 minutes

Number of Servings

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 lb ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small red onion, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 chipotle chili in adobo, minced
Juice of 1 lime
[q:1/2] cup fresh cilantro

Directions

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Season to taste with salt.
Let stand 1 hour at room temperature to allow flavors to develop. Serve.

Nutrition Info

46 Calories, 2 g Protein, 11 g Carbohydrates, 5 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 3 g Fiber, 0 g Total fat (0 g sat), 434 mg Sodium, [nutrition:4] Vitamin C, [nutrition:1] Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin K

Salted Chocolate and Banana Bread Blondies

Prep Time

45 minutes

Number of Servings

9 blondies

Ingredients

Blondies

2 Tbsp plant-based milk
2 mashed bananas
[q:1/2] cup peanut butter or nut butter
3 Tbsp maple syrup, honey, or agave
[q:1/2] cup gluten-free flour
[q:1/4] cup sugar or coconut sugar
[q:1/2] tsp baking powder
[q:1/4] tsp baking soda

Topping

Sprinkle of sea salt
Vegan or sugar-free chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix wet ingredients together in one bowl. Fully combine so there are no lumps. Mix dry ingredients together in another bowl. Slowly add wet ingredients to dry bowl. Combine.
Pour into a nonstick 9x9–inch baking dish. You can spray dish with light oil spray or line with parchment paper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven.
Immediately top with chocolate chips and salt. Let chocolate chips melt on top. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Info

With peanut butter, maple syrup, and sugar-free chocolate chips: 230 Calories, 5 g Protein, 32 g Carbohydrates, 14 g Total sugars (10 g Added sugars), 3 g Fiber, 11 g Total fat (3 g sat), 177 mg Sodium, [nutrition:1] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

Tate's Lemon Cookies

Crispy Gluten-Free Cookies

Image courtesy of Tate's Bake Shop

I’ve loved this brand for years, and now Tate’s has come out with a new flavor: lemon. This new variety is buttery, crispy, light, thin, and perfectly browned, just like the Ginger Zinger cookies.

Certified gluten free and kosher, these treats are craft baked “The Bake Shop Way.” What this means is there’s a dedication to quality, and the cookies are lovingly baked and deeply delicious.

Not too sweet, I’ve found these cookies to be a tasty accompaniment to tea. If you like a less tart lemon flavor that’s still bright and sunny, these gluten-free cookies are worth seeking out.

Available in retail locations, or online where 3 7-ounce packs retail for $18.

Chosen Foods Avocado Oil

For a safe, high-heat spray

a bottle of sprayable avocado cooking oil

Image courtesy of Chosen Foods

The first time I heard that gluten was found in some popular baking sprays, I was shocked. Perhaps I ought not have been. After all, gluten has been known to lurk in some surprising places.

Upon learning this I thought to myself, no more cooking spray for me. It wasn’t worth the possible contamination.

So for years I’ve been greasing my baking pans and cooking vessels with a pastry brush and liquid oil. It was a messy job, and I always ended up using too much or not enough oil. I missed the ease, convenience, and speed a spray provides.

Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil Spray is my latest find, and I am happy to have it as my new kitchen companion. I already sprayed a roasting pan with it, and then proceeded to bake breaded eggplant slices. They browned up beautifully and did not stick to the pan, as they normally would have.

I also tried the spray when prepping a glass baking dish for some salted tahini caramel popcorn bars, and the same thing: no sticking and easy clean up!

The Heat Is On

Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Oil Spray has a 500° smoke point, so you can safely roast at high temperatures. You can even use the spray on foods before they hit a hot grill.

No chemicals or propellants are used in this product. Instead, air pressure allows the product to deliver an effective coating to your cookware. The spray is also nonGMO and free of glyphosate residue.

The avocado oil in this spray is neutral tasting, so it doesn’t impart a strong or off-putting flavor. In addition to the unflavored variety, Chosen Foods offers avocado spray in the following extract-flavored offerings: Chipotle, Garlic, Italian Herb, Pumpkin Spice, Gingerbread, and Simply Cinnamon.

A 6-oz bottle of Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado Spray retails for $10.99.

Banana-Blueberry Smoothie

Prep Time

5 minutes

Number of Servings

Serves 1

Ingredients

[q:3/4] cup unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbsp almond butter
1 ripe banana
1 large handful baby spinach leaves
[q:1/2] cup frozen blueberries
1 Tbsp ground flaxseeds

Directions

Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend until mixture is smooth.
Serve immediately.

Nutrition Info

308 Calories, 9 g Protein, 45 g Carbohydrates, 22 g Total sugars (0 g Added sugars), 10 g Fiber, 14 g Total fat (2 g sat), 155 mg Sodium, [nutrition:5] Vitamin E, Vitamin K, [nutrition:4] Vitamin B6, Calcium, [nutrition:3] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Phosphorus, [nutrition:2] Vitamin C, Folate, Magnesium, [nutrition:1] Vitamin A, Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B3 (niacin), Iron, Potassium, Zinc

Asparagus with Asiago

Prep Time

15 minutes

Number of Servings

4 servings

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 or 2 cloves garlic, chopped
[q:1/2] lbs asparagus, trimmed and chopped
[q:1/3] cup shredded Asiago cheese

Directions

Heat olive oil in a saute pan with a clear lid over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
Stir in asparagus and increase heat to medium-high.
Add 2 tablespoons water, cover, and steam one minute, or until asparagus is bright green and just tender.
Remove from heat, stir once more and then sprinkle Asiago over the top.
Replace the lid to melt the cheese and keep dish warm until serving.

Nutrition Info

115 Calories, 5 g Protein, 5 g Carbohydrates, .5 g Fiber, 9 g Total fat, 140 mg Sodium, [nutrition:5] Vitamin C, [nutrition:4] Vitamin A, [nutrition:1] Folate

Shamrock Smoothie

Prep Time

10 minutes

Number of Servings

Serves 3

Ingredients

1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
[q:1/4] tsp mint extract*
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup loosely packed fresh baby spinach
[q:1/4] cup fresh mint
2 Tbsp agave nectar

Directions

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until mixture is smooth.
Divide between 3 glasses and serve.

Nutrition Info

301 Calories, 3 g Protein, 15 g Carbohydrates, 10 g Total sugars (10 g Added sugars), 1 g Fiber, 27 g Total fat (24 g sat), 27 mg Sodium, [nutrition:4] Vitamin K, [nutrition:3] Iron, [nutrition:1] Folate, Magnesium, Phosphorus

Mexican Chocolate Mousse Bars

Prep Time

45 minutes, plus soak / dehydrate / freeze times

Number of Servings

30 bars

Ingredients

Blond Buckwheat Crunch Base

[q:1 1/2] cup soaked and dehydrated almonds
[q:1/2] cup sprouted and dehydrated buckwheat
[q:1/2] cup activated gluten-free oat flour
[q:1/2] cup coconut sugar
2 Tbsp mesquite powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
[q:1/4] cup melted virgin coconut oil
2 Tbsp tahini
[q:1 1/2] tsp vanilla extract

Mexican Chocolate Mousse

2 cups peeled, pitted, and chopped ripe avocado (about 3 small avocados)
[q:3/4] cup cacao powder
[q:1/2] cup coconut milk
[q:2/3] cup coconut nectar
[q:1 1/2] tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
[q:1/8] tsp Himalayan salt
Pinch of ground cloves
[q:1/8] tsp cayenne pepper
[q:1/4] cup melted virgin coconut oil

Enrobing Dark Chocolate

[q:1/2] cup chopped cacao butter
[q:1 1/2] cups chopped cacao paste (also known as cacao mass or cacao liquor—NOT chocolate liqueur)
6 Tbsp coconut nectar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Directions

Prepare Almonds
1. Place almonds in a glass jar or bowl filled with enough filtered water so they’re submerged. Cover the jar or bowl with a clean towel.
2. After 8 to 12 hours of soaking, strain and rinse well. Dehydrate on a lined dehydrator tray at 115° for 24 hours, or until fully dried.
Prepare Buckwheat
1. Soak the raw buckwheat groats in a bowl with enough filtered water to cover the groats. Soak for 20 minutes.
2. Rinse well in a strainer. Leave groats in the strainer and place over a bowl to catch excess water.
3. Place a clean tea towel over the top of the strainer and set aside at room temperature for 24 to 36 hours to sprout, rinsing 2 to 3 times a day.
4. The sprouting process is complete when the tail is the same size as the width of your pinky finger. Rinse well one more time, strain, and spread on a lined dehydrator tray.
5. Dehydrate at 115° for 8 to 12 hours, or until dried. Store at room temperature until ready to use.
Prepare Oat Flour
1. Soak 5 cups of raw oat groats with enough filtered water to cover. Soak for 6 to 8 hours, strain, and rinse well.
2. Spread groats on a lined dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 115° for 12 to 20 hours, or until dried.
3. Ensure your high-speed blender container is fully dry, and then blend the dehydrated oat groats in two separate batches until flour is formed.
4. Sift the oat flour through a fine-mesh strainer or sieve over a dry bowl to remove any leftover unblended, hard granules. If the flour still looks grainy, repeat the blending and sifting process.
5. This recipe yields [q:3 1/4] cups of activated oat flour. Store unused flour in the freezer for optimal freshness.
Make Blond Buckwheat Crunch Base
1. in a food processor, process almonds, buckwheat, oat flour, coconut sugar, mesquite powder, and cinnamon until mixture resembles coarse flour.
2. Add melted coconut oil, tahini, and vanilla. Process again until batter starts sticking together.
3. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and, using your hands, press blond buckwheat crunch base into bottom of pan, creating an even layer.
4. Using back of a spoon, firmly smooth out layer and set aside while you make Mexican Chocolate Mousse.
Make Mexican Chocolate Mousse
1. In a food processor, process avocados, cacao powder, coconut milk, coconut nectar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, cloves, and cayenne pepper together until mixture is smooth. This will take a couple of minutes, and you will need to scrape down sides of food processor.
2. Add melted coconut oil and process again until mixture is well combined.
Prepare the Bars
1. Pour mousse on top of crust in square pan, and even out the layer using an offset spatula. Chill pan in freezer for 8 hours or overnight, until firm.
2. Remove pan from freezer and trim edges with a knife to create a clean line on all four sides. Slice into 2x1–inch bars (you can use a ruler to mark each cut with a knife). Make sure to clean your knife in between each slice.
3. Line a cutting board or tray with parchment paper and transfer bars to prepared surface. Place bars back in freezer for a few hours to firm up before enrobing.
Make Enrobing Dark Chocolate
1. In a stainless steel or heatproof glass bowl, combine cacao butter and cacao paste and melt them down using the bowl over bowl method, being careful not to burn chocolate.
2. For bowl over bowl method, fill a stainless- steel bowl with boiling water from a kettle.
3. Place ingredients to be melted in a second stainless steel bowl (bigger than bowl of boiling water), so it doesn’t rest on water.
4. Rest larger bowl with ingredients in it on top of smaller bowl with boiling water. Stir until ingredients are melted.
5. While bowl is still over hot water, add coconut nectar and vanilla and stir until combined.
6. Remove bowl from heat and let chocolate sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to cool. (If you use the chocolate while it’s still hot, the bars will melt.)
7. Transfer melted chocolate to a small bowl for enrobing.
Enrobe the Bars
1. Remove bars from freezer and, using a chocolate dipping fork or regular dinner fork, dip a bar into melted chocolate for a few seconds with base facing down (chocolate mousse layer should be facing up).
2. Remove bar from chocolate and allow excess chocolate to drip off.
3. Transfer enrobed chocolate bar to lined surface and repeat process until each bar is enrobed.
Place bars back in fridge for 10 minutes to set before serving.

Nutrition Info

1 bar: 361 Calories, 9 g Protein, 28 g Carbohydrates, 14 g Total sugars (7 g Added sugars), 8 g Fiber, 28 g Total fat (10 g sat), 14 mg Sodium, [nutrition:4] Vitamin E, [nutrition:2] Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Magnesium, Phosphorus, [nutrition:1] Iron, Zinc

Ginger Rice Pudding

with Raspberry-Lime Sauce

Prep Time

50 minutes

Number of Servings

6 servings

Ingredients

1 cup arborio (risotto) rice
[q:4 1/2] cups unsweetened coconut milk beverage
1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely minced
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 organic lime
[q:1/3] cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups frozen raspberries
[q:1/8] cup water
3 Tbsp honey

Directions

Rinse rice under cold water. Drain and set aside.
Bring coconut milk beverage to a boil in a large pot. Add rice, ginger, and lime zest. Lower heat to a simmer.
Cook for 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until rice is soft and creamy and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and stir in the [q:1/3] cup of honey and the vanilla. Taste and add more honey if a sweeter pudding is desired. Set mixture aside to cool.
Place frozen raspberries in a saucepan set over medium-low heat. Add water and the 3 tablespoons of honey. Cook for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, until raspberries soften and sauce forms. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.
Serve pudding warm or at room temperature, topped with Raspberry-Lime Sauce.

Nutrition Info

336 Calories, 5 g Protein, 67 g Carbohydrates, 9 g Fiber, 7 g Total fat (5 g sat), 165 mg Sodium, [nutrition:3] Vitamin C, [nutrition:2] Manganese, [nutrition:1] Copper, Magnesium, Potassium

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