Black Bean, Winter Squash and Greens Quesadilla (SRC)

Posted in Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dish, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

Handheld eats are always a win in my book…they are versatile, they are portable and they are so satisfying! Whether it’s a wrap or a sandwich or a taco, you can pack all the food groups into one lovely bite. This veggie-friendly quesadilla is no exception!

I was assigned Terri’s blog Our Good Life for this month’s Secret Recipe Club reveal, and I enjoyed perusing through her posts of recipes to crafts and family . I wound up picking her Acorn, Black Bean and Spinach Quesadilla this month for two reasons: I had my mind set on Mexican food and I couldn’t wait to test out a quesadilla using Against the Grain’s new gluten-free pita bread (which doubles fabulously as a tortilla). Terri’s Radish Leaf Pesto will be perfect to whip up this spring, her Oat Congee with Fried Egg and Scallions definitely peaked my interest, and her Apple Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding has been bookmarked for the next stormy day when I’m craving comfort food!

Even though Spring is here (or almost here in Montana), I am still enjoying my fair share of sweet potatoes and winter squash. They are a staple in my kitchen and you can always find an uncooked kabocha squash or Japanese sweet potato on the counter ready to be incorporated enemy next recipe experiment! This recipe for a winter squash quesadilla was a huge hit and without a doubt satisfied my hankering for Mexican food!

black bean squash and greens quesadilla

Now this is an ideal flavor combo for me! The creamy texture of the winter squash and the velvety beans complimented the crisp edges on the tortilla and the salty, stringy melted cheese. The sautéed greens added a nice earthy dimension to the dish along with the brightness from the cilantro and fresh squeezed lime juice. I changed up a few things on this recipe based on what I had on hand — I substituted kabocha squash for the acorn squash, I used a gluten-free, grain-free tortilla and I added a bit of cilantro for a bit of brightness. I decided to smash up some of the black beans to help adhere the ingredients together since I stuffed the tortilla with the layers of filling 🙂 Mmmmmm!

Black Bean, Squash and Greens Quesadilla (recipe adapted from Our Good Life)
Gluten-free, Grain-free, Dairy-free Option, Vegetarian, Vegan Option, Nut-free, Sugar-free, Soy-free, Egg-free

Ingredients

1 c small dice cooked acorn squash, kabocha squash or butternut squash
2 T olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp cumin, ground
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 can organic black beans, rinsed
1 small bunch spinach (or your favorite leafy greens), destemmed and chopped
4 gluten-free flour tortillas (I used grain-free Against the Grain pita bread)
6 oz monterey jack cheese or your favorite dairy-free shredded cheese
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro OR 3 Tbsp chopped greens onions

For serving

lime wedges
your favorite salsa and/or guacamole

Instructions

1. Line a cookie sheet with nonstick foil or parchment. Preheat oven to broil.

2. Heat the olive oil and garlic in skillet over medium heat. Add spices and stir for 30 seconds.

3. Add the beans and 3 T water until hot. Mash them with a back of a large spoon if you prefer more a refried bean-ish result, then add chopped spinach or greens. Cook for about one minute, or until spinach wilts.

4. Place the tortillas on the cookie sheet. Place 1/4 c acorn squash, 1/4 of the bean mixture, and cheese. Remove from oven, sprinkle with fresh cilantro and fold over the tortilla to cover the filling.

5. Broil until the top is golden brown, about two minutes. Serve with salsa and/or guacamole and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Serves 4

black bean squash and greens quesadilla 2

For other recipes in this month’s reveal, click the link below!

21Feb2016

Allergy-Friendly Grain-free Waffles (SRC)

Posted in Breads, Breakfast, Dessert, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

As a child, my mom made these Mickey Mouse waffles that I still remember to this day. The waffle iron was in the shape of Mickey’s face and my favorite part was saving his waffle ears to eat last and filling them up with lots of maple syrup…mmm! A good hearty breakfast is right up with there with pizza and brownies on my “top comfort foods list” and waffles are always included.

Not to mention, the smell of waffles cooking is deliciously intoxicating…how can you go wrong with this bread-like goodness that’s fluffy yet crisp on the edges? Plus, you can pile them with toppings from fruit and chocolate chips to savory options like crumbled bacon, scrambled eggs and/or a smear non-dairy cashew cheese (or shredded cheese). YUM!

Allergy-friendly Waffles with eggs

I was assigned Traci’s blog Burnt Apple this month for the Secret Recipe Club, and wow what a fun collection of recipes to search through! Not only does her site contain a delicious repertoire, Traci has a knack for “taking any meal and giving it a healthy makeover.” Her Healthy Pixie Sticks have me intrigued, photos of her gluten-free Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls had me salivating and her Dark Chocolate Thin Mints had dreaming if my old favorite Girl Scout cookies with a fun twist.

I ultimately chose these allergy friendly waffles since I’ve been in a bit of a breakfast funk and I was in the mood for comfort food. The fact that you can roll the waffles with a rolling pin to make a “waffle wrap” also caught my attention! These grain-free beauties use half coconut flour and half tapioca starch which boosts the fiber content, making them chock-ful of healthy fats and balanced carbs.

AIP version of Allergy-friendly Waffles without eggs
I opted to make two batches of waffles: I wanted to test each of Traci’s options – trying both the vegan/AIP (auto-immune protocol recipe) version without eggs and the paleo-friendly version with eggs to see what the difference was in the final product. When struggling with my own health and food allergies, I’ve experimented with AIP recipes so I wanted to give them both a shot. I’m so glad I came across this recipe, it’s a winner! I used coconut milk for the non-dairy milk, coconut oil for the fat and I substituted a sprinkle of stevia (to taste) instead of sugar in both recipes but stuck to the original recipe.

The waffles with eggs were delightful! Crisp on the edges, light and fluffy and filling with a touch of sweet 🙂 When I made the AIP-version of the waffles, they took much longer to cook in the waffle iron than the batter made with eggs, while delicious the result was more gummy and not fluffy like typical waffles. My bananas has light brown specks on them so I think a greenish yellow banana might be better since it’s more starchy and/or increase the amount of coconut flour by 1-2 Tbsp. I will give these a go again! I might even experiment with plantains instead of bananas since they are more starchy in general. Each batch makes about 8 waffles, so feel free to freeze any extras and just pop them into a toaster oven when you want a quick breakfast!

AIP version of Allergy-friendly Waffles without eggs

Allergy Friendly Waffles (lightly adapted from Burnt Apple)
Gluten-free, Grain-free, Soy-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free, Seed-free, Sugar-free, Paleo-friendly, Nightshade-free, Vegetarian, Egg-free option, AIP-option, Yeast-free, Vegan Option

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup non-dairy milk of choice (cow’s milk can be used if you tolerate but won’t be dairy-free)
3 eggs (AIP use two bananas in place of the eggs)
1 tbsp coconut sugar or sugar or a pinch of stevia*
1 tsp alcohol-free pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp coconut oil or neutral oil (can use melted ghee or butter but will not be dairy-free or AIP)
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt

For serving (optional, ideas)

Sliced bananas or fresh berries
Carob chips or chocolate chips or cacao nibs (not AIP-friendly unless homemade)
Maple syrup, drizzle of honey or your favorite jam or jelly
Your favorite nut or seed butter (not AIP-friendly)
Shredded coconut or coconut flakes
Nitrate-free bacon (not vegetarian) or coconut “bacon”
Coconut whipped “cream”

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and butter or oil until smooth. Add in the coconut flour, tapioca or arrowroot flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir just until smooth.
Heat waffle iron according to manufacturers instructions. Brush waffle iron with oil or butter. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of batter onto each waffle iron. (You may need to adjust the amount of batter depending on the size of your waffles). Close and cook according to manufacturers instructions.
Remove waffles from iron (if AIP batter is used, you may need a fork to carefully peel the waffles off the iron), serve immediately or allow waffles to cool to room temperature before placing in an airtight container or Ziploc bag.
To make waffle rollups: While waffle is warm, roll with a rolling pin until flat. Fill with bacon, scrambled eggs, veggies, fresh fruit or any other combination you like. Place toppings in a thin strip along the waffle. Roll up and serve.

Yield: 8 waffles

For AIP-friendly version notes: If your bananas are sweet and speckled with brown, you might consider eliminating the sweetener altogether if you prefer more savory waffles. As I mentioned above, when I made the AIP-version of the waffles, they took MUCH longer to cook in the waffle iron than the batter made with eggs. My bananas has light brown specks on them so a more green banana might be better since it’s more starchy or increase the amount of coconut flour by 1-2 Tbsp.

Grain-free waffles 2 Allergy-friendly Waffles with eggs

For other recipes in this week’s reveal, click the link below!

20Nov2015

4 Ingredient Spaghetti Squash Hummus “Pasta”

Posted in Gluten Free, Lunch, Main Dish, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

What’s a girl to do when the fridge is running on empty and she’s in need of a speedy meal? All I had besides a shelf of staples (coconut milk, chia seeds, tahini and coconut butter) was the following:

half a container of roasted red pepper hummus
half a carton of grape tomatoes
several cups of cooked spaghetti squash

So that’s I made for my lunch concoction… the simplicity of the dish far exceeded the complexity of the taste. I added a tablespoon or so of hemp seeds with a dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper and it was a tasty dish!

spaghetti squash hummus pasta 1

I should have known hummus would be good with spaghetti squash…it’s compliments just about everything! I’ll be making this again on purpose with a few more add-ins for some additional bulk. I am thinking chickpeas or navy beans, sautéed greens and roasted broccoli or caramelized onions. (I have a weird thing about always wanting something green on my plate.)

Please forgive the quick photo snapped on my phone…I didn’t realize how much I’d love this dish until I was part of the way through but knew I wanted to share it!

4-Ingredient Spaghetti Squash Hummus “Pasta”
Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free, Nut-free, Egg-free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Quick

Ingredients

drizzle of olive oil
4-5 grape tomatoes, cut in half or quarted
2-3 cups cooked spaghetti squash
1/4-1/3 cup of roasted red pepper hummus (or your favorite flavor – roasted garlic would be delish)
1 Tbsp hemp hearts
salt and pepper to taste

Your favorite add-ins if desired (roasted veggies, chickpeas, grilled chicken or crumbled sausage etc)

Directions

In a small skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.
Add squash and tomatoes and saute until warmed through.
Stir in hummus and hemp hearts. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

*This serves one person; for a weeknight family meal quadruple the ingredients. You could always microwave all of these ingredients for a 5 minute meal as well.

26Oct2015

Cumin-Roasted Carrot and Golden Beet Soup

Posted in Gluten Free, Lunch, Refined Sugar Free, Sides and Snacks, Soups and Salads, Vegan, Vegetarian by naturalnoshing

Healing is a journey. Besides the physical, it’s also emotional and mental, and just like seasons in life, it can be difficult while beautiful at the same time. I’ve learned to slow down and take time to really breath, or even have a good cry. I’ve learned to really appreciate sleep and listening to my body instead of my “normal routine”. My hope is that this doesn’t come off as complaining or whining, but more as a self-check and better understanding of myself and what my body wants and needs.

cumin beet carrot soup2

For the past 3+ years, I was up by 5 or 6 am and wouldn’t be in bed until midnight or 1 am. Even though I was making healthy food choices and working out, the constant rush-rush, go-go lifestyle and sleep deprivation finally caught up with me.

Add candida, adrenal fatigue, constant sinus infections, viruses and food allergies… my body hit a point and said “NO! Slow down!”. No wonder my body wasn’t keeping up…even though I tried to convince myself I was SuperWoman, that’s far from reality.

My priority now is healing… slowing down, and making sure I get a good night’s rest. If I don’t get enough sleep one night, I’ll take a nap or sleep longer the next night and call it an early evening.

Another thing I’ve enjoyed is simplifying, and that goes for cooking too. Batch cooking and making meals that don’t require 20+ steps or 30 different ingredients. I’ll get the urge to try out a more time-consuming recipe but simple recipes such as this roasted carrot and beet soup are tasty and no-hassle!

This soup is silky in texture, a bit earthy from the beets and cumin and comforting. It’s appropriate for this time of year too –looks a little like Halloween with the orange base and the green “cheese”!

cumin beet carrot soup1

Cumin-Roasted Carrot and Golden Beet Soup
Grain-free, Nightshade-free, Gluten-free, Vegan/Vegetarian Option, Dairy-free, Paleo-friendly, Egg-free, Nut-free, Sugar-free, Soy-free

Ingredients

6-7 medium organic carrots, peeled (if desired) and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
2-3 medium golden beets, peeled (if desired) and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes (can use red beets but will change the color)
2 shallots, chopped into chunks
1 Tbsp olive oil (can sub coconut oil or butter/ghee if you do dairy)
1/4 tsp ground turmeric, divided
rounded 1/4 tsp ground cumin, divided
1/2 tsp dried thyme, divided
1/2 tsp sea salt (I used smoked sea salt for a smoky flavor)
2-3 cups bone broth, low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable stock/broth (use veggie if vegan/vegetarian), or more to reach your desired thickness of soup, I prefer a thicker soup
2-3 tsp lime juice (or lemon juice for a different flavor)

For serving (optional)
chopped cilantro or parsley for serving, optional
Summer squash “cheese” or non-dairy cheese, optional but adds depth of flavor
If you like a little texture in your soup, cubed or sliced avocado

aluminum foil (to create foil packets)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Lay two large squares of aluminum foil down, placing carrots in the middle of one square and beets in the middle of the other. Divide the shallots evenly and place on top of each.
2. Combine herbs, spices and salt in a small bowl (turmeric through salt).
3. Drizzle each of the veggies with 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil, then sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the vegetables.
4. Fold the foil up, creating a seal with each packet and bake for 30 minutes or until tender, the carrots cooked a bit faster than the beets, so check them at 30 minutes.
5. Add roasted veggies and remaining ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Top with cilantro or parsley, squash cheese and/or avocado and enjoy warm!

*If you prefer to roasted your carrots and beets on a baking pan instead of in foil packets, that’s an option too. I like how the foil packets steam the veggies a bit first and then after opening the pouches, I can brown them a bit.

Stovetop Preparation: You can always sauté the carrots and beets first a bit in a dutch oven, add the spices for 30 seconds until fragrant. Then add broth and remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and let cook until the carrots and beets are tender and soft, about 15-20 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree or add soup to a blender on high until velvety smooth (Yay Vitamix!). Season to taste with more salt and lime juice if desired.