Posts Tagged ‘dairy free’

8 May

Cappello’s Almond Flour Pasta (Gluten, Grain, And Dairy-Free)

Posted by Crunchy Hot Mama in Celiac Disease, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Paleo. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

In honor of Celiac Disease Awareness month, let’s talk food.  (See last year’s post here)

Check it out.  It’s the pasta of all pastas!  Well, it is for us Paleo people.  As most of you know, grains, carbs, and dairy are a no-no when eating Paleo, so what does that mean?  No pasta.  Say what?  You’re telling a 100% Italian gal that she can’t have pasta?  Try again.

Cappellos gluten free pasta

I’m only kidding.  I know that was part of the choice we made when deciding to go Paleo, and I honestly don’t regret it.  Do I miss pasta every now and then?  Sure.  Do I feel better without it?  You can bet your bottom dollar I do.  So, when I came across Cappello’s in my Paleo Magazine, I thought, this has to be a joke…Paleo-approved pasta at the click of a mouse?  Done!

It took me sometime to actually order it though.  Their pasta is pricey since it’s fresh made and shipped on dry ice, but I finally bit the bullet, and am here to blog about it.  I went for the Taste of Each and got 2 fettuccine, 1 gnocchi (say ‘in-yok-ee‘), and 1 lasagna.  Don’t get me started on all the wrong ways to say gnocchi.  My hubby drives me nuts on purpose by calling it ‘n0-kee.’  He knows better than to argue with this Italian girl.

Cappellos gluten free pasta Taste of Each

After some deliberation, and trying all 3 kinds, I would have to say the gnocchi is a bit mushy.  Maybe because it’s been forever since I’ve had it, but Josh did agree and he’s the non-gluten eating guy.  The fettuccine and lasagna both have a bit of a mushy texture to it, but it’s not terrible.  Just slather it with sauce, veggies, sausage, and grass-fed beef and it’s all good.

Cappellos gluten free gnocchi

You can always keep is simple with just some homemade pasta sauce and shredded chicken.

Cappellos gluten free fettuccine

Or go all out.

Here’s the lasagna I made the other day.  It’s completely dairy-free, as in zero cheese on it, and has kale instead of spinach.  I’ll be back to post the recipe of this mouth-watering meal, complete with two meats.  The cool thing about it, was I made two small pans, so we could eat one that night and freeze one for later, so it will be ready when baby comes.  Winner, winner, lasagna dinner!

Cappellos gluten free lasagna

Well there you have it, gluten, dairy, and grain-free pasta delivered to your doorsteps.

Have you ever tried Cappello’s or heard of it before?  Or will you continue to enjoy your big bowl of carbs while laughing at me for giving up pasta?  It’s cool, I made my pasta-free bed and will continue to lie in it.

Note: Photos are from here and here.

3 May

She Doesn’t Know Any Different

Posted by Crunchy Hot Mama in Baby, Celiac Disease, Child Rearing, Crunchy, Food, Gluten-Free, Paleo. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

I almost titled this post, ‘She doesn’t know any better,’ but thought that wouldn’t be fair.

I wanted to do a post talking about the way Emma eats.  Those crunchy people out there won’t really be surprised at what she eats, but most people I’ve encountered are shocked and maybe a little disgusted at what she eats, what she’s allowed to eat, and what is not mama-approved.  Don’t get me wrong, we don’t eat the way I would prefer 100% of the time, after all I am human (and prego) so I allow myself off the hook now and then.

During this first trimester, though, all I wanted was junk and tons of food.  My nutritionist told me my body wanted protein-I randomly craved grass-fed burgers and couldn’t seem to get enough of them!  Luckily, I’m not eating like a savage through the second trimester, but I do have to force myself to eat more greens.  I was told I should have 3 cups of greens a day (I think that goes for everyone), and still struggle to get that much in.

pasta fun

As for Emma, she’s pretty good at what I feed her.  When I make breakfast: eggs, bacon, and sautéed spinach, she usually steals my serving and ends up asking for more.  She’ll even go to the fridge and ask if we can have sardines for breakfast, knowing there are leftovers in the fridge from the day before.  Most will balk at the thought of sardines (and I even have to force myself to eat them) especially for a 2-year old, but she doesn’t know they’re supposed to be nasty.  I figure if I start her early on good sources of calcium, since we don’t do dairy, they we can stave off the osteoporosis that runs in my family.  I was devastated when I found out I had osteopenia at 28, so this mama could learn a thing or two from the wee little one.

sardines

What got me to this point in how I feed her were a few reasons.  When I read Primal Body, Primal Mind a year and a half ago, my world was turned upside down!  I learned what our food does to us, good and bad, and knew that I needed to start her on the right path STAT.  There seems to be too much junk in our food supply these days and I feel like we’re setting up our kids for illness down the road (or even sooner).  I wanted to give her a fighting chance at setting the stage now, knowing I can’t control what she eats forever.

The kicker for me was probably her first birthday.  Mind you, we were all still eating grains back then, but I struggled what to do when it came time to celebrate her turning one.  She never had sugar, unless it was fruit, in the first year of her life, so why in the world would I set a big, sugar-laden cake/cupcake in front of her for the sake of pictures?  It honestly was abhorrent to me.  I’m not here to judge what others do, this is the thinking that goes on in my over-analyzing brain.

Emma's cake

So, I settled on making her a Hummingbird cake (read more in this post).  I fretted all the way until I set the homemade cake in front of her.  Would she like it?  Would she eat the whole thing?  Was I a terrible mother for offering this to her when her system was still so fragile?  Ironically, she wanted nothing to do with it!  It could have been that she wasn’t feeling well, was over-tired, or didn’t like getting dirty, like her daddy.  Either way, I was relieved.  Yes, I just admitted I was happy that my one-year-old didn’t want sugar on her birthday, what can I say.

Emma being green

I would even go to the extremes of bringing her food everywhere, or asking waiters for the best possible thing she could have on the menu, like sliced avocado or steamed veggies.  That’s not to say I ate the best then, but since she’s older and will want what I am having, I live by this motto:

“If I wouldn’t give it to my child, why should I eat it?”

Is it a bit extreme?  Maybe.  But that’s okay for me.  It’s actually made me eat and drink better.  Emma and I only consume water, hot herbal tea, and Kombucha.  I don’t care to have sodas or sweet tea, knowing they cost more when eating out and do ZERO things for my body.  I have to admit, once you kick the sugar habit you A) don’t want it anymore and B) will find sweet things are way too sweet.  It’s been a win-win for me.

Emma eating dairy free chocolate ice cream

My other motto is ‘Kids are blank slates, so why not expose them to the world?‘  They don’t know what’s supposed to be gross or nasty at this young age.  Just because some adults don’t eat Kipper, capers, or kale chips, doesn’t mean the child needs to dislike them without being exposed to them.  Emma doesn’t know what chicken nuggets, soda, or candy are and I intend to keep it that way for a long time.  I want to educate her that food is fuel for our bodies and can also hurt them at the same time.  I constantly tell her that water is good for us because it keeps us hydrated and cleans out the body.  Ya’ll know I over-explain things to her, but I guarantee she understands and is filing it away for the future.  It’s sometimes scary what kids will remember!

Emma eating bone marrow

This way of thinking has led us down a really exciting road.  Our whole family is trying things I never had considered before: collard greens, sorrel, kohlrabi, sardines, bone marrow, Kombucha, organ meats, etc.  I have to say it’s been fun branching out into a world I never knew.  I know it helps going to Farmer’s Markets or local shops and asking the growers what certain foods are and how to prepare them.  What’s even better, is with Emma being so young I can set in her mind that these foods are good for her and actually tasty.  I know this will carry through with her as she starts cooking with me and when she goes out on her own.  I figure I owe it to her as her mother to set a solid foundation.  Maybe I’m a little obsessed with food, but that’s been my life ever since getting diagnosed with celiac disease over 30 years ago, so I can’t help it!

Chef Emma

Yikes!  I had no idea this post would be this lengthy, but this topic is very important to me.  Food does so many positive and negative things for our body, that if I can give my family the best possible choices, we might have a fighting chance at not getting cancers and having good health in general.

What about you?  Am I alone in this venture?  Do you feed your kids any ‘crazy’ foods?  My hope is that this gets you thinking and exploring with your kids-I promise it’s never too late to set them on the healthy path!

PS-I’d like to send a shout out to my mama (Emma’s Nonna), who’s 35 years young today!  Happy Birthday to the most amazing and beautiful woman I know!

Nonna & Emma

25 Apr

Gluten Free Cookie Dough Bars (Dairy & Grain Free)

Posted by Crunchy Hot Mama in Dairy-Free, Food, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Paleo, Recipes. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .

Oh man, I couldn’t wait to share this recipe with you!  Since I discovered it from my good friend, Casey, I have already made it twice.  The first time I made it was for my mom’s group, called MOPS.  I wasn’t sure how it would go over, but apparently they liked it so much that it was all gone.  Josh didn’t even have a chance to try them, so I figured I owed it to him to make another batch.

You can play around with the nuts and the type of chocolate you use.  The first time I made them, I used this dark chocolate from Whole Foods, and the second time, I used the good ‘ole Enjoy Life dairy free chocolate chips. As for the nuts, her recipe calls for almonds but I used cashews since that’s what I had-I was pleasantly surprised (even though cashews are my favorite nut).  Do check out her blog to see her step by step pictures to make sure you are doing it correctly.

whole foods dark choclate

Now on to the deliciousness!

Gluten Free Cookie Dough Bars (Paleo)

From Purely Thriving

gf gluten free dairy free grain free paleo cookie dough bars

  • 1 ½ cup ground almonds
  • 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • ½ cup tahini
  • ¼ cup raw cacao nibs (or chopped chocolate or chocolate chips)
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 C coconut oil
  • 2 Tbsp raw honey
  • 2 tsp vanilla

1. If you don’t already have ground almonds, place plain almonds in a food processor and process until you have ground almonds. Be sure not to process too much or you’ll end up with almond flour or butter.

2. Place ground almonds, unsweetened shredded coconut, tahini, salt and cacao nibs in food processor. Pulse approximately 10 seconds.

3. Carefully heat coconut oil in a sauce pan (not the microwave!), being careful not to burn.

4. Add honey and vanilla to coconut oil and mix well.

5. Add mixture in sauce pan to nut mixture in food processor and process until creamy.

6. Pour into an 8×8 pan. You can line with parchment paper or plastic wrap to make removal easier if you’d like.

7. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

8. Remove from refrigerator and slice into 16 squares.

Optional: Melt 1 oz of dark chocolate in a sauce pan.  Remove refrigerated cookie dough and drizzle melted chocolate over the top. Return to refrigerator for 30 minutes. If you don’t have any chocolate, don’t let that stop you from making these. They’re plenty sweet without it.

More options: Try almond butter or sunflower butter in place of tahini, or walnuts in place of almonds. Use what you like or what you have on hand and change it up until you find your favorite combination.

19 Apr

Paleo Coconut Flour Waffles (Gluten, Dairy, And Grain Free)

Posted by Crunchy Hot Mama in Dairy-Free, Food, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Paleo, Recipes. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

I found this recipe from Wellness Mama, and since I’m in the mood to post on food, how about this one to start your weekend off right?  When I initially made her recipe, it was dry and dense, so I played around with it and added some more liquid to it.  We were making these for our celiac group’s annual waffle breakfast and I was put in charge of coming up with a Paleo recipe.  I was not about to serve something dry and dense and possibly turn people away from the thought of going Paleo, so here goes!

Paleo Coconut Flour Waffles

Adapted from Wellness Mama

paleo gluten free grain free dairy free coconut flour waffles

  • 8 eggs
  • ½ cup melted butter or coconut oil
  • ½ cup coconut flour (plus a little more)
  • heaping Tbsp of homemade applesauce
  • Almond milk
  • 1 tsp-1 Tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • fresh or frozen berries (optional)

1. Crack the eggs into a medium-sized bowl and beat with a whisk or immersion blender.

2. Add the melted butter or oil, applesauce, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and baking soda and mix well.

3. Add the coconut flour and mix well (immersion blender is best for getting rid of clumps).

4. Batter should be thick. If it is too thin, add a little more coconut flour. *I added a splash or two of almond milk, because I did want it a little thinner and less dense.

5. Spoon into heated and greased waffle iron and cook until light brown and firm to the touch. My iron told me when they were done, but if you need to time it, it should be about 3 minutes.

6. Serve with a pat of butter and homemade strawberry syrup (heat frozen strawberries and blend) or pure maple syrup or almond butter and frozen berries.

8 Apr

I Left My Heart In Austin (Day 2): Dai Due, Frank, La Condesa, And Lick

Posted by Crunchy Hot Mama in Dairy-Free, Food, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Paleo, Restaurants, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

To continue with my whirlwind trip to Austin, let’s move on to day 2 (see day 1 here).  Warning: it’s lengthy!

This day was exhausting yet filled with lots of walking, driving, and of course, stuffing our faces.  The plan was to hit up the farmer’s market, grab some breakfast, and plan out the rest of our day.

Sustainable Food Center (SFC) Farmer’s Market and Dai Due

Our first stop of the morning was to the gorgeous SFC farmer’s market in downtown Austin.  This market ‘boasts over 110 farmers and vendors and is the largest certified* growers-only farmers’ market in the state!’  Jackpot, baby!

SFC farmer's market

We did a quick walk through of all the amazing vendors then headed to Dai Due for some much needed breakfast.  Dai Due Butcher Shop is an old-style sausage and charcuterie source, available at local farmers markets.  Our weekly menu of meats and condiments changes with the season.  All of our meats, vegetables and herbs come from local ranchers and farmers, and are treated with simplicity and minimal processing.

Dai Due Butcher Shop in Austin

After much hemming and hawing, Casey opted for the Pan Haus and I decided on the Shrimp and Grits.  I told Casey I better not send a picture to Josh…he would for sure hate knowing I’m eating one of his favorite dishes while he busts his butt at work.  I did my best not to brag what a wonderful time we were having while he was stuck in the nasty weather at home.  What a good wife I am.  Not!

shrimp and grit from Dai Due

With our bellies full of local goodness, we walked around and stopped at several vendors to check out their fare.  We grabbed a tamale (Casey’s first) along with a gluten-free cinnamon roll, which was too sweet for both of us, then grabbed a seat to enjoy some live music.  As we sat there, I was telling Casey, this is what a Saturday should be about: picking up some local produce/meats, listening to live music, and letting Emma run around in the fresh sun…no Saturday morning cartoons for this mama!

When we finally finished drooling browsing and decided we had lamented seen enough, it was time to go.  We headed back to the house to put everything in the fridge and get ready for the second half of the day.

duck and goose eggs

Oh, we did grab a few eggs that we’ve never tried before and thought why the heck not!  Casey and I split a dozen duck eggs and she bought a single goose egg.  We both agree that the duck eggs are out of this world, and Casey seems to think the goose egg was a bit much to handle (it’s equivalent to 2 regular eggs).

Frank and The Sipping Room

Next on our agenda was lunch (I told you the trip was all about food).  It happened to be my best friend of 29 year’s birthday, so I invited her to come up from San Antonio for lunch.  I kept raving about this sausage/hot dog place called Frank, so Casey agreed to go there and save La Condesa for later.  My friend, Cat, was running late (as usual), so we swung by The Sipping Room for some hot tea and coconut tomato soup.  It happened to be in a nice shopping center, so we did a little walking, girl chatting, and shopping while sipping on our tasty beverages.

me and Cat at Frank

When our stomachs couldn’t take it any longer, we hoped in the car and headed to Frank.  They are the ‘Purveyors of Artisan Sausage’ and you can bet they ain’t messing around!  All Frank Sausages are made IN-HOUSE or locally for Frank by Hudson Sausage Co.  Aww yeah.

I was torn on which frank to choose, even though I’d been there before, so this time I went with the Jackalope, which was custom-made smoked antelope, rabbit, and pork sausage, cranberry compote, sriracha aioli, cheddar.  I held the cheese like a good girl, but splurged on getting it on the gluten-free bun, while Casey went sans bun.  I’m pretty sure I could have eaten two, as hungry as I was, but decided to hold out for dinner and what was to come afterwards.  Yes, the fries are gluten-free!

gluten free sausage from Frank

La Condesa

After lunch, we decided to walk down 6th street to see if it was worth hitting up again later that night.  The night was still early, but it was pretty busy with people already getting their drink on, as well as gearing up for a night of bachelorette parties and techie debauchery.  We agreed to see how dinner went and go from there.

It couldn’t have been but an hour or so that Casey and I both expressed our hunger.  We have both met our match in the eating department, so after a few stops to some fresh, local stores (and a new hat!), we decided to walk our lunch off the four blocks to La Condesa on West 2nd street.

Once the server came back with our marked up menu, it was that time again to decide what the hell to eat.  I tell you what; it’s tough making that many food decisions in one day…but sure is nice not cooking and cleaning it all up!

guacamole tasting from La Condesa

We both decided to split the Guacamole Tasting and I’m darn glad we did.  You got a sample of each of their four guacamoles along with their four salsas.  I already knew which one I would love, and wasn’t steered wrong when I brought the bite of jump lump crab to my mouth.  Out.of.this.world.  We both couldn’t stop until all the bowls were licked clean!  Who knew you could make guacamole so many different ways…I told myself to tuck those ideas away for getting crazy at home.

crab tostadas

For our entrées, I ordered the Cangrejo Tostadas (to keep with the lump crab theme) and a side of Coles de Bruselas (Brussels sprouts), and Casey went with the Cochinita Pibil (pork) Taquitos.  I tell you what, when those Brussels sprouts came out, both tables on either side were asking what in the world I had ordered.  This was where the meal got fun and very Austin-like.  I told the girl it was the sprouts and she said no way, so I told her to stick her nose in my bowl and decide for herself.  I think Casey was a little embarrassed by me, but I feel like that’s totally Austin-to get to know your neighbors while you eat.  Once the girl decided it was the sprouts, she made sure to order them, and I made sure to try to recreate them when I got home.

Brussels sprouts

We finally wrapped up our meal, with no dessert, and headed back to the car.  We were torn on what to do for the night, since the previous was a bust, and finally settled on heading back to Bufalo Bob’s Chalupa Wagon for the *ahem live music.

Lick

When we got to Bufalo Bob’s, and discovered he was closed AND the live music was non-existent, we headed across the street for some hot tea and a gluten-free mocha cookie from Fair Bean Coffee.  Being in Austin surrounded by live music, we found yet another performer, named Court Hoang, and settled in to hear him play.  It was a chilly night but nice to relax outside, surrounded by food trucks, and listen to a guy with only a microphone and an amp.  Sometimes it’s the simple and free things in life.

mocha cookie and tea

After he finished his set, Casey looked at me and asked if we could head over to Lick (again) for a late night cap of yummy, local ice cream.  I of course said yes, and we were promptly cruising the one street over to fill up our frequent buyer card.

flavors at Lick

This place is pretty cool.  Their slogan is, Honest Ice Creams, and that it is.  The milk comes from a ’herd consisting of handpicked Jersey, Brown Swiss and Holstein cows that are never given hormones or antibiotics and are primarily grass-fed.’  Ya’ll know I’m all about grass-fed AND no hormones or antibiotics…so if you MUST have your ice cream, check this place out.  They even have compostable cups and spoons; I’m in love!

Lick dairy free ice cream in Austin

What really drew us were the non-dairy varieties.  They have four dairy-free/vegan choices, made from primarily coconut, so I didn’t have to break my no dairy eating and was able to indulge.  I’m pretty sure Casey would have liked me to leave her there, so she could curl up with one of the dairy-free pints, but alas, we still had more eating to do on Sunday.

After Lick, we decided to go back to the house and watch Eat Pray Love on her iPad…and man am I glad we did.  At about 10pm we heard some terrible storms blowing through (which most of the state got), and I had to laugh a little thinking about all those dolled up girls running for shelter in their 4″ heels, while we were nestled up just chillaxing.  I was convinced that we made the right choice, while visions of dairy-free coconut ice cream danced in Casey’s head.

hanging out on 6th street in Austin

All in all, it was an exciting day, and fun to see what a city that prides themselves on supporting local is like.  I promise Sunday’s recap won’t be this long (good grief!).  I told ya we covered a lot of ground and I was not about to let all the yumminess go unnoticed.

22 Mar

I Left My Heart In Austin (Day 1): Bufalo Bob’s, Salty Sow, & Magnolia Cafe

Posted by Crunchy Hot Mama in Dairy-Free, Food, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Organic, Paleo, Restaurants. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

First, let me apologize for being MIA last week, we were in Missouri for a funeral, so I didn’t have the time to do any posting.

Second, if you caught any of the pictures I posted on my Facebook page, you can remotely guess what an AMAZING time I had in Austin.  You will probably get tired of hearing me rave about Austin, so just deal with it.  When you go crunchy, it’s a blessing to have a crunchy Mecca close to you!

We did so much that weekend, that I decided I’ll break up our trip by days, that way you can see where we went and more importantly what we ate.  I was overwhelmed at how many places had garden beds out front and supported local farmers.  My hope is that there is a shift in restaurants reaching out to surrounding farms, so we know exactly where our food comes from and what’s in it.  I know it’s a pipe dream but it will keep my hope alive.

Austin sunset

So, without further ado, here’s what day one of our crunchy trip to Austin looked like:

Bufalo Bob’s Chalupa Wagon (Food Truck)

As soon as we got in town, we dropped our bags off at the Airbnb that Casey had chosen for us (a first for both), and headed for the door.  It was a drizzly day, well weekend for that matter, but we were determined to NOT let that slow us down!  When your world revolves around gluten-free, grain-free food, you will brave the elements no matter what.

Buffalo Bob's Food Truck

The first place we stuffed our face at was Bufalo Bob’s Chalupa Wagon (that’s not a typo) on 1st Street.  It was tough to find in the rain, but man I’m glad we did!  Bob and I talked for about 20 minutes about pesticides, GMOs, and the state of our food system, meanwhile Casey was trying to stay dry while drooling over all the food.  He was very particular about no cross-contamination with our gluten-free food, which made us very appreciative.

The menu consists of vegetarian offerings, along with natural chicken, and natural bison chalupas.  After mulling over the menu for some time, Casey and I both decided on the Cordoba chalupa, which has hummus, flax seeds, bison, spinach, tomato, and parmesan cheese.  They were delicious and loaded with shredded spinach, which made this mama happy!  Who would have thought to substitute shredded spinach for lettuce…genius?

Bison chalupa from Buffalo Bob's Chalupa Wagon

After bidding them goodbye, with the promise to return, we hurried to my car and scarfed down our provisions in the rain.  Those chalupas definitely hit the spot and were a great way to start the trip.

Bob and his wife

Salty Sow

Our next stop was to the Salty Sow for dinner.  Their tagline is Swine + Wine + Beer.  It was a really cool atmosphere and Casey was super excited to try their French fries fried in duck lard.  I admit I was excited, too, because I’d never heard of duck lard, and couldn’t wait to actually have some fries.  Sadly, it turned out they were not gluten-free.  Boo.

marrow bones from Salty Sow in Austin

Once the waiter came around and finally brought our menu back marked up with gluten-free safe items, we got down to decision-making.  We started off with the Roasted Bone Marrow (Casey’s first time) and Truffled Deviled Eggs.  For the entrée, we split the Duck Breast with roasted turnips and added a side of mashed potatoes.  Oh my word…I’m not sure if I was that hungry, but everything was divine!  I just about licked the bowl of potatoes and nearly fainted at how tasty the turnips were.  I think we both branched out that night and were pleasantly surprised.

duck breast from Salty Sow

Magnolia Cafe

Magnolia Cafe was our late night trip after a failed attempt to get our groove on on 6th street.  We were both shocked that with it being South by Southwest (SXSW) at how dead the party scene was.  I guess we hit the college kids being gone on spring break, and apparently since it was the techie part of the festival, no one wanted to shake their booty.  Sad times for sure.

Magnolia Cafe in Austin

So, after bar hopping to probably 10 different places, we finally gave up.  I convinced her to try Magnolias (in the hopes of getting the famous Mag mud, which is loaded queso) since it was one of those local dives that you just have to experience while visiting.  After her talking me out of the queso, due to my NO DAIRY eating, we both ordered omelettes.  I noticed that you could add some ground beef or bison to your omelette, so I had the waitress add some bison.  Um, little did I know that that meant adding an ENTIRE BISON BURGER INSIDE MY OMELETTE!  Holy cannoli!  I couldn’t believe that they shoved that whole thing in there…or the fact that I cleaned my plate.  The burger was too juicy and delicious and I was not about to let it go to waste.  It’s hard to tell in this pic, but it’s in there!

bison stuffed omelette from Magnolia

After gorging ourselves on breakfast food, we wrapped up our late night meal and headed back to our house.  I knew that was only a small taste of the amount of food we were about to consume the next day, and was excited to make an entire trip about food, knowing the weather would keep us mostly inside.

Next up is day 2 of our Austin adventure, so get ready for some more good eats from some delicious restaurants and local fare.  We covered a lot of ground and food that day, so be prepared to feast your eyes and taste buds.

Note: Photo from here.

26 Feb

Two 2-Ingredient Dairy-Free Ice Cream Recipes (Gluten And Grain Free)

Posted by Crunchy Hot Mama in Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Recipes. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

Whew, after I finally cooled down from my rant last week, I thought it would be nice for those of you who are on this dairy-free journey with me, to have some indulgences (so as not to go crazy).  I discovered these recipes around Valentine’s Day but didn’t have the chance to post them.  *You know you have success when your non-dairy-free hubby approves!  Score one for this mama.

These two recipes are reediculously easy and call for an ice cream maker or a blender.  We happened to have both, one from our wedding, and the other from a hand me down (best one yet).  You don’t have to have these specific brands, but these are what I used.

Without further delay, let’s move on to the goods!

Two Ingredient Decadent Chocolate Ice Cream (Ice Cream Maker)

From Homemade Mommy

2-ingredient dairy free decadent chocolate ice cream

Note: You choose how much chocolate you want to use– if you are more of a milk-chocolate fan, then go for one bar, if you like it darker, then use more.

1. Empty half of your can of coconut milk into a saucepan or double boiler.

2. Break your chocolate bar into pieces, and add it to the coconut milk.

3. Heat the mixture over low heat, stirring frequently.  The only way you could mess this recipe up is by burning the chocolate, so be mindful of that.  It doesn’t need to boil, just get it warm enough to melt all of the chocolate.

4.  Add the remaining coconut milk and blend it together by stirring.

5.  Pour your mixture into the ice cream machine and blend until thick! I intended to wait only 20 minutes but pulled it out at 45. No biggie.

6. For optimal texture, enjoy immediately, otherwise, store in an airtight container in the freezer.

7. You can top with additional chocolate chips or diced bananas, if you like.  Enjoy!

If you thought that recipe was easy…wait until this guy!  Their recipe called for peanut butter, but since that’s not allowed with eating Paleo, I opted for almond butter and was not let down.

Two-Ingredient Banana Almond Butter Ice Cream (Blender)

From Two Peas

2-ingredient dairy free banana almond butter ice cream

  • 4 very ripe bananas, sliced into coins
  • 2 Tbsp almond butter

1. Peel bananas and slice into ½ inch coins/discs.

2.  Arrange banana slices in a single layer on a large plate or baking sheet. Freeze for 1-2 hours.

3. Place the banana slices in a food processor or powerful blender (Vitamix). Puree banana slices, scraping down the bowl as needed. Puree until the mixture is creamy and smooth.

4. Add the almond butter and puree to combine. Serve immediately for soft-serve ice cream consistency. If you prefer harder ice cream, place in the freezer for a few hours and then serve.

5. Enjoy!

Note-if you have a hard time creating a creamy consistency, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of almond or coconut milk to help puree the banana slices. Make sure you use a powerful food processor or blender!

Come on people-it doesn’t get any easier than this!!  Now you can’t feel sorry for yourself because you gave up dairy and have nothing ‘human-like’ to eat.  No excuses.

Emma eating dairy free chocolate ice cream

Seriously, Emma couldn’t get enough of either recipe, but she really liked the banana one.  This is the kind of recipe that I don’t mind giving to her at any time throughout the day…it’s no different from her snack of almond butter on banana coins.  No worries here.  Oh, I think I will have to try pouring it into my popsicle molds next time I make these puppies!  That would be a great way to beat the Texas summer heat-when it finally comes around.

There ya have it, easy as pie ice cream in a blender with only two ingredients dairy-free recipes!  Are you running to the kitchen right now to make one or both of these bad boys?  I still have both in my freezer, and intend to savor them a little at a time.

Hopefully your dairy-free journey is going well and you’re not falling off the wagon (it’s not worth it!).  I actually have a good friend who’s going dairy-free while nursing her daughter, so we are keeping each other in check.  Maybe an accountability partner could help you, too.  It always helps to let someone know when you are about to cave, so they can walk you back from that ledge, my friend.  Stay strong little root!

14 Feb

Valentine’s Schmalentine’s….Let’s Just Eat!

Posted by Crunchy Hot Mama in Food, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Holidays, Paleo, Recipes. Tagged: , , , , , .

♥ Happy Valentine’s Day ♥

valentine's day heart2

Or something like that.  I’m still not sure of the point of this alleged ’holiday;’ unless it’s just to keep Hallmark in business.  Despite that, and despite the fact I do have a special someone(s) to share it with, to me it’s about the food!  Ya’ll know by now that food is my life, so let’s make this day, or any other day for that matter about food.

In my post on Arizona, I purposely left out the part about a cake we made for Josh’s mom.  I brought 3 of my 4 Paleo cookbooks and decided on a decadent cake for the kids to make her.  The kids had a blast and I highly recommend getting little ones involved.

kids helping to bake a cake

Mind you, a two and a seven-year old were my main helpers, so while it didn’t turn out pretty, it was quite tasty.  I went with a recipe from my Make It Paleo book and it was rich a hit!  There’s nothing like seeing four cousins all get together over chocolate cake.

frosting a cake

So, without further ado, let’s get baking.  Pardon the picture; it wasn’t the prettiest of cakes due to mismatched baking pans.

Dark Chocolate Cake

From Make It Paleo

Make It Paleo dark chocolate cake

  • ¾ cup coconut flour, sifted
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 10 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup melted coconut oil
  • ½ cup Hazelnut Frosting (below)
  • 1 cup Chocolate Ganache (below)

Prep Time: 15 minutes, Cook Time: 35 minutes, Makes: 1 cake

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. In a small bowl, combine sifted coconut flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.

3. In a large bowl, or mixer, blend eggs, vanilla, maple syrup, and melted coconut oil.

4. Add dry ingredients to wet and blend.

5. Grease two 9-inch cake pans with coconut oil.

6. Pour batter into pans.

7. Bake for 35 minutes.

8. Test center with a tooth pick—if the tooth pick comes out clean, then the cakes are done.

9. Remove cakes from oven and cool.

10. Frost the middle layer of the cake with Hazelnut Frosting.

11. Frost the outside of the cake with Chocolate Ganache.

Hazelnut Frosting

  • 1 ½ cups roasted hazelnuts
  • 3 Tbsp macadamia oil
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Place nuts and oil into food processor and blend until you have created a creamy consistency.

2. In a pot, or double boiler, melt chocolate chips over low heat.

3. Add hazelnut butter to melted chocolate chips, then remove from heat and refrigerate.

4. Place 1 cup of chilled dark chocolate hazelnut butter in a small bowl and whip with a hand mixer until fluffy.

Chocolate Ganache

  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 4 Tbsp butter or coconut oil

1. In a pot or double boiler, melt chocolate chips over low heat.

2. When chips are completely melted, transfer into a small bowl and let cool for about 10 minutes.

3. Add butter or coconut oil to melted chocolate and blend with a hand mixer until combined.

4. Quickly pour over cake and spread to frost while it is still warm; when it cools it hardens to a ganache.

If that doesn’t get you excited, how about some of these:

chocolate dipped strawberries

I just melted about ¼ cup chocolate chips and stirred in 1 Tbsp of coconut oil and then dipped.  After watching a commercial for chocolate-dipped strawberries, I decided to get creative with some chopped pecans and chocolate chips.

My next inspiration was from this blog.  I had pinned this a while ago but never executed it…until now.  I decided to sweeten the pot but brushing some pure maple syrup on them before the baking process.  All I can say is DE-VINE!

bacon hearts

I also whipped up some plain chocolate dipped bacon just for fun.  If you couldn’t tell, I was on a rampage to make sweets AND incorporate bacon.  Does it get any better than that?

chocolate covered bacon

And because I couldn’t.stop.making.hearts., I kept the trend going with breakfast this morning.  I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter I had lying around, sprayed it with some EVOO, and cooked the eggs on the griddle, in the bacon grease from the other hearts.  This is the BEST bacon EVER!  Here is what that looked like for Emma and me.

Valentine's Day breakfast

I was going to do these heart-shaped eggs, but didn’t feel like messing with it this morning; my kitchen was messy enough.  I am still planning to make these cupcakes before Josh gets home, so I will let you know how they turn out, and add them to my recipes pages when I’m done gorging.

It may seem like I’m big into Valentine’s Day, which I’m not, but any excuse to bake/cook/eat chocolate is alright with me.  And if you have a gorgeous day like we did, you could always grab a trusty helper and get a few tasks done.

v-day carwashing

I know I’m not typical, but it’s all good.

I hope everyone has a great day, whether you celebrate this made up day or not.  Do you have any plans or traditions that you do?  Are you one of those who celebrate it as Singles Awareness Day?  Either way, it’s cool, let’s all get together and JUST EAT!

Note: Photo from here.

25 Jan

Natural Grocers In Denton, Texas

Posted by Crunchy Hot Mama in Dairy-Free, Food, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Grocery Stores, Kombucha, Organic, Paleo. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Sorry I’ve been M.I.A. this week, my hubby and I got some stomach bug, so I’ve been wiped out.

I did want to let you know about the grand opening of Natural Grocers in Denton, TX.  If you have never been nor heard of them, check out their site to find the one closest to you.  I love this place and will drive the extra miles, past Sprout’s & Whole Foods, to get the best bang for my buck.

Natural Grocers in Denton Texas

Natural Grocers only sells certified organic produce, naturally raised meats, and in my opinion, have the best prices when it comes to their packaged goods.

organic produce from Natural Grocers

I’ve been hooked from the moment their first store opened up and it’s not hard to see why.  Here’s a note from their Director of Marketing:

“We have been around since 1955 and are cornerstoned in Customer Service as well as Nutritional Education. We strive to offer a very large inventory of all natural and organic groceries, dairy items, bulk items, prepacked items, frozen, all natural raised and fed meats and poultry, all natural and GF supplements and a large body care section for the shoppers that are looking for all natural and environmental products at the some of the lowest industry prices.”

I love this store for so many reasons: 1) it’s small so it feels like a neighborhood market, 2) everyone is super friendly there, and 3) they are anti-GMO!  Yeah buddy!

non-gmo at Natural Grocers

My crunchy friend, Casey, went with Emma and me and we were like kids in candy stores!  We went up and down every aisle, checked and rechecked the fresh, beautiful produce, and were finally able to select our purchases.  I got two Against the Grain pizzas for dinner that night, along with fresh toppings, and Casey ended up with a case of Kombucha for $1.65/bottle!  That is a freakin’ steal…that stuff is normally $3.49 a pop, so she totally loaded up.  We were both loving the Grand Opening specials, that’s for sure.

case of GTs Kombucha from Natural Grocers

Also, this new store has a gathering area and shiny, lime green Demo kitchen.  I can definitely foresee some gluten-free/paleo cooking demos coming, and can’t wait to be #1 in line!  Their first event was entitled ‘Bacon Brigade’ and was slated for last night, but sadly I had to miss.  You know I love me some bacon and was bummed I missed the sampling.  Oh well, there’s always next time.

Demo kitchen in Natural Grocers

There you have it, my quick recap of a health food store (that’s finally close to me) that I’m in lurve with!

Have you ever been to a Vitamin Cottage or Natural Grocers, or is this our first time hearing about them?  Check them out when you get a chance or request one in your area, you won’t be disappointed!

I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend, and feels better if you’ve been sick like me.

11 Jan

Hangin’ Out In The Hill Country

Posted by Crunchy Hot Mama in Bakeries, Crunchy, Dairy-Free, Food, Gluten-Free, Restaurants, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Man, I love Austin and the surrounding Hill Country!  It’s my favorite city in this awesome state, besides The Sparkling City by the Sea, Corpus Christi (my hometown).

Corpus Christi

We spent Christmas with my parents, then headed back a week later for a multi-event for a few days.  Emma made the trek with me, yet again, and this trip took us to so many gluten-free restaurants, that it made my head spin and yearn for more.  When I talked to my hubby on the drive back, I asked ‘can we pleeeeese move to Austin?’ to which he replied, ‘we’d be soooo broke!’  That’s okay; I don’t need much…just some land, a few chickens, and a garden.  I’m a simple girl-in my frizzy head anyway.

The point of this trip was a trifecta of reasons.  First, was a dear friend’s ‘reception’ at a country bar, second was my dad’s birthday, AND third was seeing Young House Love for the third time!  Yes, you read that right, I saw them at every stop in Texas.  You know it’s bad when John and Sherry see you and get excited and offer up hugs.  I’m not a stalker…just hopelessly devoted a big fan.

Young House Love book signing in Austin,TX

Besides dealing with the boatload of rain our ENTIRE state got, Emma and I had a nice trip hanging out with her Nonna and Granpy, so it wasn’t a total bust.  Plus, it didn’t help that I hit up my Find Me Gluten Free App and only stopped at four gluten-free places…though there were more than the stomach could bare:

#1)  Cool Mint Café in San Marcos, Texas.  *They offer garden fresh produce, herbs and fruit, organically or naturally grown by Hill Country farmers, naturally raised beef, pork and poultry, and fish approved by Monterey Bay Aquarium “Seafood Watch .” (pictured: bleu cheese burger with tomato soup)

Cool Mint Glutenn Free Cafe in New Braunfels, TX

#2) Wild Wood Bake House & Café in Austin, Texas.  *They offer vegetarian, vegan, soy free, dairy free, or lactose free options. Everything is gluten free! (pictured: battered and friend calamari & sweet potato chips)

Wild Wood Bake House & Cafe in Austin, TX

#3) Galaxy Café in Austin, Texas.  *They serve ALL NATURAL, free range, hormone and antibiotic free beef, chicken and eggs. (pictured: club wrap with side salad)

Galaxy Cafe in Austin, TX gluten free

#4) Mama Fu’s in Austin, Texas. (pictured: steamer bowl with chicken)

Mama Fu's Asian House in Austin, TX gluten free steamer bowl

#5) The non-existent Red Oak Bakery in New Braunfels, Texas.

Are you seeing a café theme here?  I sure am.

I found all of these places on my trusty Find Me Gluten Free App on my oh-so-smart-phone.  That thing sure does help in a pinch…especially when I went to Atlanta for a conference and didn’t preplan.  In other words, download that Free puppy stat!

If you have ever thought about visiting Austin or the surrounding area, do yourself a favor and GO!  I have lived in south, central, and north Texas, but my heart belongs in the Hill Country.  I can remember since I was very little, travelling to Schlitterbahn every summer and loving it!  Schlitterbahn is the world’s most amazing waterpark, nestled in the little German town of New Braunfels (say: brawn-fuls).

Schlitterbahn

Schlitterbahn New Braunfels Waterpark is the #1 Waterpark in the World for 14 Consecutive Years! Not only is Schlitterbahn New Braunfels Waterpark the most popular summertime waterpark in the United States, but it is also ranked as the #1 Kid-Friendly destination in the state of Texas. The park is located on the banks of the spring-fed Comal River in New Braunfels, between San Antonio and Austin, in south central Texas.

Need a family vacay for Spring Break or the summer?  Get thee to the Hill Country!  There’s so much to do, see, and eat, that it’s ridiculous.  They have museums, waterparks, good BBQ, the world’s oldest dance hall-in Gruene (say: green), and gorgeous views.  Oh yeah, don’t forget about the Bluebonnets!  This post wasn’t supposed to be an ad for VISIT TEXAS, but sure is sounding like it.  If you can’t tell, I’m not that found of the city I live in now, and yearn for a place that’s crunchy, has water to play in, and where people venture outdoors for fun.

As I mentioned in my Christmas post, I found some amazing local olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and can’t wait to share it with you.  The info, not the oil and vinegar…unless you want to come over for a few shots.  Ha!

Don't Mess with Texas

Alright, enough mumbling.  Have you ever been to Austin, the Hill Country, or Texas, period?  Have I piqued your interest in visiting this great state, where EVERYTHING IS BIGGER?  It’s kind of true; and yes, we are proud of being Texans.  If you need ideas on where to go or what to do, just ask.  I’ve lived in Texas 32 years and can definitely steer you in the right direction.

Note: Photos are from here, here, and here.

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