Epic Whole Foods Bars

There's a new snack bar in Gluten-Free Town that can sustain you as an unbelievably healthy quick meal, and it lives up to some amazing claims. If you eat meat, listen up, because these bars are good.

EPIC Bars are: Paleo, gluten-free, low-glycemic, soy-free, dairy-free, nitrate-free AND have a one-year shelf life. On top of that, EPIC bars use meat from animals that are vegetarian-fed and grass-fed, antibiotic-free, hormone-free and humanely treated. They don't claim to be egg-free, but I don't see eggs on the ingredients of any of the bars.

According to EPIC's philosophy, these bars "are loaded with anti-inflammatory omega-3's, muscle-building conjugated linoleic acid, and antioxidant rich vitamins A and E." Touting a decent amount of iron, and between 11 and 14 grams of protein per bar, that's all pretty good stuff.

But the best part? These bars are really, really tasty.

It's been a long time since my husband has had a good gluten-free bar that is high in protein that he loved, so when he texted me a photo of the wrapper of a Bison Bacon-Cranberry Epic Bar someone at work had given him to sample, and expressed his love for it, I knew I'd better get on that. I contacted Taylor Collins, one of EPIC's founders, and he kindly sent samples of all three flavors as well as some information and a cute bison sticker. Needless to say, my husband was pretty thrilled.

I think my favorite flavor is the Beef Habanero Cherry, but the Turkey Almond Cranberry was a really close second. My husband's favorite is the Bison Bacon Cranberry, but he really did love all three flavors. I wish I could vouch for the bison flavor, but I'm not able to eat pork so wasn't able to try that flavor since it contains bacon. I have no doubts it's equally good. My oldest daughter loved all three flavors, and she said they were so good, she wanted one for dessert! The youngest has a more sensitive tongue when it comes to spices, so she said they were a little spicy for her.

The only thing that took a few bites to get used to was the texture, but it wasn't a huge hurdle. It's kind of a cross between a Larabar and softer jerky. Not quite what you are expecting, but it wasn't an issue for anyone in this family and once I was used to it, didn't mind it all.

Bottom line is, these bars are GOOD. Good for you, good tasting and a good "meal" to have on hand in your emergency supply kit, for trips or for your next outdoor adventure. My husband is bringing some on his desert biathlon coming up.

For more information on EPIC bars or to order or find a location near you that sells them, you can check out their site at: http://epicbar.com/

(Disclosure: EPIC provided these products for me to sample free of charge. The opinions on the bars are completely my own.)

Stuffed Summer Squash

This. Is. Amazing. (If you like summer squash.)

Once again, forgive the phone photos, but I had to share this yummy dish - made once as an experiment recently and a couple of times since - before I have a chance to make it again and take "real" photos.

This is the way I intended for the recipe to be made, and it was soooo good, but a little more work. The smaller dishes were the rest of the filling poured into the dishes after I'd filled the squash halves.

The second and third time I made this, I cut the squash into strips and put them flat in the pan and just poured the filling over them, rather than try to fill squash halves.

We were recently blessed with a bounty of squash from someone (our garden hasn't been so great, or big, this year) and I was wondering how in the world to fix SO MUCH before it went bad - and make an entire meal of it. Experiments abound in my mind, so this was one of them and we are all glad it was.

Stuffed Summer Squash

(Printable Recipe)

Total time, start to finish: Under 1 hour

1 large and 3 smaller (or the equivalent in volume) round summer squash (I think this is globe squash?) or the something similar (just make sure you've got the volume - summer squash is all good!)

Water

Butter

1 large white onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups prepared polenta (I used this gluten-free kind from Bob's Red Mill)

1 cup shredded mozzarella, plus more for sprinkling

3 large eggs

Kosher or sea salt to taste

Cayenne pepper, a dash or two

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash squash and grease large 13x9 baking dish. 

Slice off stems and ends of squash, then cut in half. Place squash cut side down onto baking dish and bake about 15 minutes, just until squash insides are getting softer.

Bring water for polenta to a boil and prepare polenta according to package directions, then set aside.

While squash is baking and polenta is cooking, melt a tablespoon or so of butter over low heat in a large pan. Add chopped onion and saute over medium-low heat.

Remove squash from oven and scrape squash with a spoon, leaving a little bit on the skin. (At this point you can either slice the squash skin into thick strips to place back in pan, skin side down, or leave the halves to fill in the pan.) 

Place the squash pieces that were scraped off into pan with onion and raise heat to medium-high, breaking up squash into smaller pieces as it cooks and softens for several minutes.

After squash is cooked down some more and softened, remove from heat. Add polenta and season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper.

Add shredded mozzarella and stir to combine. Whisk eggs and slowly add to filling mixture, stirring quickly to prevent eggs from cooking too fast while incorporating throughout filling.

Pour filling into squash halves (in which case you will need a couple of greased ramekins to use up the rest of the filling), or over squash strips. Sprinkle a little more mozzarella over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees approximately 25-30 minutes or until filling is cooked throughout and squash halves or strips are completely softened.

I hope you enjoy! (And I hope this recipe is more clear than mud!)

Ashley's Chocolate Oat Crispy Treats

I've been putting this post off for a while. Making these treats and taking photos of them, and typing this post, kind of makes something so hard seem more final, like there's no turning back. And there isn't. But it was time for me to do it. Today I decided that my children would have these treats for going back to school on Monday.

Please forgive me and overlook any typos, because I'm likely to be a blubbering mess by the time I'm finished. I try hard to not include much of my personal life in this blog, keeping it mostly about food or tips on the gluten-free lifestyle. I have various reasons for this, but I know people want personal, and I often get more feedback when I do give glimpses of my life. I'm not so sure this will be one of those times, but telling you this is the only way I can give you this recipe. I'm going to tell you a very sad story.

If you've read this blog for a while, you've probably seen references to some difficult things I have faced as of late that I said I would write about eventually, particularly in my "And then comes morning" post.

On March 27, 2013 in the early evening, one of the most beautiful spirits to ever grace this world slipped from earth into heaven. Ashley was a beautiful woman, inside and out, a dedicated wife and mother who loved her husband and four young children fiercely, a loving daughter, granddaughter, niece and sister who blessed every person who came into contact with her, a friend who loved deeply. My friend. My closest girlfriend, my kindred spirit on earth. Gone suddenly after catching an illness that had been in her family, like all mothers do, and within less than a week of getting sick, she left us.

I don't make friends easily, at least not the way I did when I was younger. I have lots of friends. I have a lot of women in my life who I listen to as they talk, needing someone to listen. I am their friend, and I love them. But I don't often let my heart open to them. I don't pour my soul out to them. I live in an area that has a high turnover rate. It's a gorgeous part of the country and I'm often told I live in paradise. But it's remote. It's several thousand people in an area that is nearly three hours from the nearest Target. Seven hours from Whole Foods. People either love it, or can't wait to leave. Many who love it can't find work to sustain them and are forced to leave, or live here for a job that will transfer them in a few years. I have made lifelong friends here. Friends who have to leave. The last time I waved goodbye to one of my best friends a few years ago, I said never again. I couldn't keep opening my heart to people who leave me. Even so, I know I am blessed to have people I can call friends in my life when some don't.

I have several close friends and even a couple of best friends - one I've had since the age of 8. I do love her with all my heart. But only one very close friend still lives near me. I have a sister I love with all my heart and she's one of my best friends, too, but she lives across the country. With the exception of my husband, Ashley was the friend who was my closest in the entire world. She was my kindred spirit. We got pregnant at the same time with our second children, and talked for hours each day about everything. We gave birth days apart and were talking to each other on cell phones through labor. We are so much alike, she and I. We had so many things in common - plus when you go through a pregnancy with another woman you are close to, there is a bond that forms that is unlike any other. When you reach that bond, you are able to talk to one another about anything, without fear of what the other will think or say. Ashley had to move away one day, too. Her husband's career took them several states away, as we had known it eventually probably would. But we kept talking every day for years. And until the week before her death, it was usually at least once a week with texts in between.

I last talked to her about a week before her death. She texted me later and told me she was getting sick with the illness that her family had. On Friday we texted back and forth a little, and over the weekend she took a terrible turn in her sickness. On Monday I learned that she had been put in ICU. It was an up and down roller coaster from then on, with bad news and hopeful news. On Wednesday my youngest lost her first tooth in a manner that was fit for a comedy movie, and I naturally took a photo and started to type up the text to send to Ashley, then stopped myself because she was in a coma at that point. I sent it anyway, letting family know it was there and requesting that it be read to her. It was the last communication I had with her, as she passed on hours later. 

It was such an utter shock, so unbelievable and surreal. There were hundreds, and most likely thousands, of people in serious prayer for Ashley. I won't lie that the fact that God had other plans has been hard to swallow and trust.

Months later I continue to want to text her the latest thing, and still occasionally think I'll hear her voice when I hear my phone ring. When my husband was holding me one night after I'd broken down again, my youngest came in and heard me saying these things. "You can still talk to her, Mommy," she told me. "Yes, baby, I can," I said. "But I can't hear her talk back, and that makes Mommy sad." She smiled and said, "But yes you can, Mommy. You can hear her inside of you." And she's right. I can still hear her voice. I can imagine the answers she'd give me. But it's just really, really hard. I can talk to my husband about anything, of course, but there are just some things that husbands really don't want to know sometimes. Things that you can talk to your best girlfriends about.

And I really want to talk to her about our decision for me to home school our youngest, now starting second grade. I never in my wildest dreams imagined I would attempt home schooling with my children. Ashley home schooled her four children (now ages 3-9 - they were ages 2-8 when she passed away). I know she would have so many things to tell me and would love that I was going to try home schooling the sweet girl she felt so close to during our pregnancies.

LIFE can be so unfair, so brutal. 

That a mother of four young children and a devoted wife could be ripped away from those she loves so much and who love her so much is just too much. That her parents and brother, grandparents and aunts and uncles and sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law and countless friends could lose her this way is just too much. It makes me really, really angry. And bitter. And it rocks me to my core and shatters my heart to millions of pieces that can't possibly be seamlessly mended ever again. It makes me scream "Why?" and question everything I've ever believed.

As I said in that post mentioned above, it's just too much. It's all too much.

And so I pray. I pray for those hurting and for those who have lost. I pray for our world and for love to reign. I pray for peace and for comfort, for all and for me. And when I don't feel like I can pray, when I feel too angry or bitter or "what's the point?" to pray, I take a big breath, and take one more step, and say, "I know you can hear me, anyway, God, and I know you'll be there waiting when I can start up again."

And yet, life can be so beautiful.

And then I look outside and see new life. I look at my husband and my children and I see love and joy, and eventually a smile or a laugh comes from me. I remember that there is no sadness or pain in heaven, and that those I've lost are there together, and have faith that one day I'll see them again. And that brings me joy, too, in the sadness of missing them.

That Ashley had lived and blessed so many was beautiful. That I have faith I will see her again is beautiful. That we somehow, someday, sometimes get to see glimpses of beauty in our world and sometimes are able to dwell in that beauty until it soaks into our souls is beautiful. That we are blessed with family who loves us and we love is beautiful. There is so much beauty. And so much pain. I'm still in a lot of pain, and grateful for the beauty and family that surrounds me every moment I breathe.

And this cycle starts all over again. Pray. Breathe. Take another step. Smile. Laugh. Cry. Pray. Breathe. Take another step ...

And it's this taking another step that brings me to this recipe. It's a recipe that Ashley and her children came up with several months ago. "They are sooo good! It's tastes a lot like a 100 Grand bar!" she told me excitedly. "You can use it on your blog if you want!" 

Ashley was probably this blog's biggest fan. With the exception of my family who gets to be guinea pigs and tell me first of their enthusiasm or suggestions for my recipes, Ashley was the most excited about my creations.

She texted me the recipe and we made it, agreeing it was a good snack. Somehow back in February I accidentally erased several months' worth of our correspondence. I kept meaning to ask her to send it again, but when we would talk I would always forget and I can't for the life of me figure out why I didn't just text her to ask for it again. And then she was gone, and I desperately wanted to put this recipe on the blog and no longer had it. 

I knew I needed to figure the recipe out, but I kept hoping by some miracle she would text it to me from heaven or those missing texts would just reappear. In an odd way, as long as I kept putting this off, it wasn't quite so final that I couldn't ask her for it again.

With some brainstorming between me and my family who remembered the treat, and a friend she had told about it but hadn't yet shared the recipe with, I think I got it back. I do remember her original called for 2 cups of oats and crispy rice, but when I made it the first time I thought I should cut back on the oats (gluten-free oats seem different to me for some reason). I also couldn't remember if it contained raisins, but my oldest said it did and her memory is generally better than mine so I added them. I'm pretty sure she had cinnamon and vanilla in the recipe, so I added them, as well, but I could be wrong. 

Regardless, I'm pretty sure Ashley would approve of this final version and I hope you do, too. I hope you make it with your children, and hold them a little tighter today and let you know you love them. Cherish the moments with them, and make some memories. And please say a prayer for Ashley's family whenever you make these.

And slowly, every day, there is light that comes out of the darkness. And there is morning after night. 

Ashley's Chocolate Oat Crispy Treats

(Printable Recipe)

Projected prep time: 15 minutes

1/2 cup almond butter (creamy, natural)

1/2 cup raw honey

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 Tablespoons organic extra-virgin coconut oil

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

1 cup certified gluten-free rolled oats

2 cups gluten-free crispy rice cereal

1/2 cup raisins

In a large saucepan, place almond butter, honey, chocolate chips and coconut oil and stir over low heat until melted together.

Stir in cinnamon and vanilla. 

Remove from heat.

Gently stir in oats, then crispy rice. 

Fold in raisins.

Line two baking sheets with wax paper and scoop out approximately 2 tablespoons of mixture, gently squeezing into a ball and then slightly flattening. Place on wax paper. 

Refrigerate until set. Store in airtight container, preferably in refrigerator.

Makes approximately 2 baker's dozen.

Easy Eggplant Cacciatore

It's a great feeling when you come up with an experimental recipe AND it doesn't take too long. Many times the experimental recipes I'm happy with are delicious, but they take longer than I anticipated or have several steps to get them "just right." This is one of those recipes that is fairly quick and you can't get much simpler as far as how to prepare it. It was a winner in our home, and will be made time and time again.

I was thinking the other day of how easy my chicken cacciatore recipe is and how much I love that it lasts for more than one meal. I wanted to do something different, though, and make it even healthier. I can do without meat for most of meals and wanted something that was very filling and would last for leftovers. I switched out the chicken for eggplant in this recipe and wasn't disappointed. It uses only three ingredients!

In the photo above, I just spread a little spinach to the side of the cacciatore. To eat it, I served over a bed of fresh spinach. The spinach wilted a little from the heat and they taste great together.

Projected time, start to finish: Under 1 hour (note if you use brown rice, this will take a little longer unless you cook it in advance)
(Printable Recipe)

2 medium eggplant
Kosher salt
3 cups cooked rice
23 ounces marinara sauce of your choice (I used a jar of Prego marinara)

Start rice to cook, unless you cooked it ahead of time. (When it's finished, let it sit.)

Wash eggplant and chop off ends. No need to peel. Slice eggplant into 1/2-inch (approximately - you don't want them too thin) rounds and then cube the rounds by slicing vertically and then horizontally. You want good-sized chunks of eggplant.

Place eggplant in large bowl and generously sprinkle with kosher salt, tossing to combine. Let sit for about 15 minutes to draw out some of the moisture.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place eggplant in a colander and rinse off the salt, shake to remove excess water then pat eggplant with paper towels to remove more moisture.

Turn eggplant onto parchment paper in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

Pour marinara sauce into large pan or skillet, then add eggplant and stir to coat. Heat on medium heat until bubbling, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Fluff rice while eggplant simmers.

Add rice to eggplant, stir to combine and simmer for five more minutes.

Serve with salad or over a bed of fresh spinach (heat will wilt spinach a little bit).

Enjoy!

My photo of beauty today isn't the best quality, but it was the best I could get of this mockingbird. Because I wasn't trying to sleep, the chatter didn't bother me. It was running all around in the front yard making all sorts of racket and looking quite cute.

Why I'm sharing this: http://mamameglutenfree.blogspot.com/2012/02/beauty-in-eye-of-beholder.html

Banana Mug Cake

Mug cake. The amazing desserts/snacks that you can mix in a mug, then "bake" in the same mug. All under 5 minutes, from start to ready. I'm in.

I recently saw Jessica's chocolate mug cake recipe on ATX Gluten-Free and had to try it (with a few very minor adjustments) after pinning it. It just kept calling my name. It was very, very good. Very. It was a quick fix for the girls as a special Friday after-school snack.

It wouldn't be wise to make mug cakes as often as I'm tempted to after trying that chocolate one, but I was intrigued and wondered what other flavors I could come up with? (I'll be playing around with them for a while.) My husband cares for chocolate the least of cake flavors, and he loves banana. I'm also on a bit of a warmed bananas kick these days. Why not? I played around with it and had success. Delicious, easy success. It was even fluffy.

While I felt one mug of cake was a little much for one person (I felt pretty full after eating one), my husband had no trouble eating his mug - and topped his with vanilla ice cream as well. He was a very happy man. I do suggest giving the mug several minutes to cool before diving in - the cake stays hot pretty much the whole time. Unless, of course, you top yours with ice cream.

Projected time, start to finish: 5 minutes
(Printable Recipe)

4 tbsp. Pamela's baking and pancake mix (not bread mix) (or other GF baking mix w/baking powder)
4 tbsp. (packed) pure dark brown cane sugar
1 large egg
3 Tbsp. milk of your choice
2 Tbsp. mashed banana
1 Tbsp. organic extra virgin coconut oil (warmed past room temp to get liquid state)
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Grease inside of large microwaveable mug and mix all ingredients very well with a fork. Microwave 1 minute and 30 seconds. (It will look like it it is overflowing but if you use a large mug it shouldn't. It will shrink back once cooling.) Let cool several minutes.

Enjoy!

My daughter also made another beautiful Bendaroosproject that I had to add to the photos because the colors went together so well. She made a lovely flower - and had no idea when making it that the colors were actually similar to a real banana flower.

I hope you are finding beauty in your day.

Why I'm sharing this: http://mamameglutenfree.blogspot.com/2012/02/beauty-in-eye-of-beholder.html

Slightly Sweet Crepes with Caramelized Bananas and Nutella Sauce

Until this past month, I would sometimes make pancakes a little thinner and spread Nutella and fresh bananas on them while hot. (Because bananas and Nutella were made for each other - especially when warmed.) Sometimes I'd roll them up, sometimes I wouldn't. I was trying to imitate a crepe.

Until this past month, my attempts at gluten-free crepes were usually tasty but a major pain that left me not wanting to mess with them anymore. I got most success out of bean flours, but it still wasn't simple. And they always tore when I tried to flip them. (Well, due to the pan I was using, they tore when I tried to flip them when I made gluten crepes, too, but they didn't tear as badly.)

But this past month, crepes were our Gluten-Free Ratio Rally challenge. I was prepared for it this month, and started a few weeks before deadline rather than a few days as in some months. I'm thrilled to say that the crepes I tried the first time around were so successful, I was able to try them a few more times and in different ways with equal success. I was even able to flip them by just lifting an edge up and turning the crepe over with my fingers.

Thicker crepe

These crepes are as close to perfect crepes as I think I've ever gotten, even when I was making crepes with gluten. They don't tear when you flip them, they hold up under rolling ingredients into them or even folding them, and they taste amazing. I was able to make them thicker and even as thin as paper - all without tearing. And the best part, of course, is they have no gluten.

Thinner crepe

Thinner crepe

Given all of the above, I'm very, very grateful that T.R. Crumbley of No One Likes Crumbley Cookies is hosting crepes as our challenge this month! (Thank you, T.R!) Be sure to visit T.R.'s host post (Brownie Crepes with Strawberry Wine Sauce - Oh.Yum.) which is also covering a variety of crepes and fillings he's come up with, along with all of the other crepes rally participants cooked up for you this month. Your mouth will be watering and you will be reaching for your mixing bowl. (See list at bottom of this post.)

Logo designed by Anile Prakash

Speaking of the rally, this month marks the one-year anniversary of the rally's first challenge and posts. Congratulations, rally participants! If you aren't familiar with the Gluten-Free Ratio Rally and what it's all about, you can find more information at my rally page where I include a link to the very first host post by Shauna (Gluten-Free Girl) and as well as links to my monthly rally posts. Using a ratio and weight to make these recipes gives me an independence I'd never experienced in the kitchen before joining the rally. Weight and ratio can do the same for you.

For these crepes, I used Ruhlman'screpe ratio of 1:1:1/2 (1 part liquid: 1 part egg: 1/2 part flour). For example, using 2 ounces for the egg because a large egg is approximately 2 ounces, that would mean 2 ounces liquid: 2 ounces egg: 1 ounce flour. Then you adjust the amount you need by multiplying it.

Given my success with crepes and tearing them while flipping in past trials, I immediately ruled out using my stainless pans. I had success with them in the past only for the first few after getting oil really hot in them, and then the rest would tear. I didn't want to use my cast iron skillet because of the size and weight - I was afraid my arms would be tired in trying to thin out the batter properly.

For the first trial on this challenge, I used my electric frying pan (which is actually a square shape) because it's nonstick. It worked fairly well, but took longer because of the odd shape and trying to keep the batter in a round shape as I moved the pan. So, I ordered this awesome crepe panand seasoned it for the next use. It's had a few uses since then. If you have any desire to make crepes on occasion, or even omelets, and own mostly stainless cookware like myself, I highly recommend getting yourself one of these crepe pans. After seasoning it properly, it's superb. I opted for the smaller size, but it comes in two sizes. All I had to do after seasoning (with potato peels - that was a new one for me!) it was put a drop of oil on a paper towel and rub it onto the pan before starting and a few times throughout.

Now on to the recipe. As mentioned earlier, I have loved bananas and Nutella for a long time. While I've never been a fan of fresh bananas, I love bananas when warmed up and especially with chocolate. (I also love bananas in smoothies, bread, pudding, cake ... just not crazy about eating them fresh and plain.) I adore caramelized bananas - which is how I make them in these photos. To give credit where credit is due, I used Ruhlman's suggestion for caramelizing.

Projected prep time: 5 minutes; Rest time for batter: 45 minutes or longer; Cook time: 1-2 minutes per crepe
(Printable Recipe)

Crepes (makes about 12 in a 7-8 inch pan)
8 ounces milk (1 cup)
8 ounces egg (4 large eggs)
2 ounces (56 grams) millet flour
1 ounce (27 grams) tapioca starch
1/2 ounce (14 grams) teff flour
1/2 ounce (14 grams) brown rice flour
1 teaspoon ground chia seed (I use Salba brand)
Pinch of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon organic pure cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Caramelized bananas:
2 or more bananas, sliced vertically and then horizontally
Butter
Pure dark brown sugar

Nutella sauce:
Nutella
Milk

For crepes, combine dry ingredients together. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk together very well until the batter is smooth without lumps and a fairly thin liquid (it will seem thick at first). Cover bowl and let batter rest at least 45 minutes. If you are letting it rest more than an hour or so, refrigerate it.

Lightly sweep a drop of oil over pan with paper towel. (Use more if you are using stainless.) Heat crepe pan, skillet or pan of choice over medium heat.

This batter will have a lot of the heavier ingredients settle at the bottom while resting, so very gently stir with a spoon to combine again. Continue to do this every few crepes. You may want to add a little more milk toward the end to thin the batter out, but it may not be necessary.

Pour a small amount of batter into pan and tilt and swirl pan gently to coat bottom of pan. Cook until set, about a minute, and gently flip over to the other side to cook just until done.

Set cooked crepe on wire rack to cool, or use immediately.

For bananas, melt a couple of tablespoons (use your judgment on how much butter and sugar based on how many bananas you are using) of butter in pan. Add bananas and a few spoonfuls of dark brown sugar, stirring until bananas are hot and butter/sugar mixture has formed a syrup-like consistency.

For Nutella sauce, in a small bowl combine a few spoonfuls of Nutella with a little milk. Stir until smooth, then continue to add a little milk at a time until it's reached a sauce consistency you are happy with. The Nutella may try to seize at first, but if you continue to stir, it will smooth out.

To fill crepes, spoon some of the bananas hot from the pan into each crepe and roll the crepe up. Top with Nutella sauce.

Enjoy!

Because this post is being written ahead of the publish day, I'm sharing another photo of beauty with you from my walk around the neighborhood the other morning. Bees were buzzing all around this tree, and this little worker was very busy with this particular flower. I hope you are able to find beauty in your day today!

Why I'm sharing this: http://mamameglutenfree.blogspot.com/2012/02/beauty-in-eye-of-beholder.html

**Again, many thanks to T.R. for hosting us this month. Be sure to check out his host post and all the other participants' posts. I can't wait to try out all these new crepes!

Adina ~ Gluten Free Travelette ~ Breakfast Crepes Three Ways

Angela ~ Angela's Kitchen ~ Savory Buckwheat Crepes with Sweet Potato, Mushroom and Kale Filling

Caitlin ~ {Gluten-Free} Nom Nom Nom ~ Buckwheat Crepes

Caleigh ~ Gluten Free[k] ~ Banana Cinnamon Crepes

Caneel ~ Mama Me Gluten Free ~ Slightly Sweet Crepes with Caramelized Bananas and Nutella Sauce

Charissa ~ Zest Bakery ~ Black Pepper Crepes with Chicken Tikka Masala

Claire ~ My Gluten Free Home ~ Victory Crepe Cake

Erin ~ The Sensitive Epicure ~ Socca with Za'atar & Sumac (Garbanzo Flour Crepes)

Ginger  ~ Fresh Ginger ~ Sweet 'n Savory

gretchen ~ kumquat ~ nutella crepe cake

Heather ~ Discovering the Extraordinary ~ "Southwestern" Crepes

Jenn ~ Jenn Cuisine ~ Braised Duck, Fennel and Chestnut Crêpes

Karen ~ Cooking Gluten-Free! ~ Gluten Free Crepes Savory or Sweet

Mary Fran ~ FrannyCakes ~ Gluten-free Peanut Butter Crepe Cake

Mary Fran ~ FrannyCakes ~ Gluten-Free Vanilla Bean Crêpes Sucrées

Monika ~ Chew on This! ~ Dessert crepes with caramelized plantains, toasted coconut and chocolate sauce

Morri  ~  Meals with Morri ~ Russian Blini for Two

Pete and Kelli ~ No Gluten, No Problem ~ Key Lime Crepes

Shauna ~ gluten-free girl ~ Gluten Free Buckwheat Crepes

T.R. ~ No One Likes Crumbley Cookies ~ Brownie Crepes with Strawberry Wine sauce

T.R. ~ No One Likes Crumbley Cookies ~ Basil Tomato and Feta Crepes

T.R. ~ No One Likes Crumbley Cookies ~ Fresh Fruit Crepe

Tara ~ A Baking Life ~ Breakfast Crepes with Eggs and Kale

Jonathan ~ The Canary Files ~ Vegan Crepes for Filipino Spring Rolls

Rachel ~ The Crispy Cook ~ Raspberries and Cream Crepes

~Mrs. R ~ Honey From Flinty Rocks ~ Crepes - Spinach & Dessert

Baked Quinoa Millet Breakfast Pudding

Some of you may remember how much I like baked oatmeal. And you may also remember how much I like the spiced quinoa millet hot cereal from a few weeks back. I got it in my head that the two styles must somehow be combined for one glorious breakfast and wasn't disappointed.

I call it "pudding" because it has a taste very similar to bread pudding. I may even add some vanilla to it next time. Serve it as a breakfast, snack or even dessert. It packs a punch full of protein, fiber and nutrients. If your family is anything like mine, they will gobble it up quickly with "ooh's" and "ahh's" and promptly ask for seconds - if there are any seconds to be had.

The thing that is so great about this is you can make the quinoa millet hot cereal for breakfast one day and you'll more than likely have enough left over (plain, no spice) for making this another day.

Projected prep time (already having the cereal cooked): 5 minutes; Projected bake time: 35-40 minutes
(Printable recipe)

3 cups cooked quinoa and millet cereal (see this recipe)
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil (will try 1/3 cup applesauce next time) (Edit: I don't like the applesauce version as much, but love it with organic extra virgin coconut oil)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup packed pure dark brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients until well-mixed and pour into 8x8 baking dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until done. Refrigerate leftovers.

Enjoy!

It's another windy day today and my throat is feeling a little scratchy from all the dust. I don't think I'll be venturing out again today, so I'll share a photo of beauty from a sunset the other night. It only was beautiful for about 10 minutes, but I enjoyed it while it lasted.

Find something beautiful in your day today.

Why I'm sharing this: http://mamameglutenfree.blogspot.com/2012/02/beauty-in-eye-of-beholder.html

Super Strawberry Green Smoothie

I came up with this concoction for breakfast this morning and enjoyed it to the last drop. I hope you do, too.

Projected time, start to finish: Under 5 minutes
(Printable Recipe)

 6 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice
1 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries
1 peeled banana
2 large handfuls (about 2 cups) fresh spinach
1/8 cup alfalfa sprouts (optional)
1/2 to 1 tsp. spirulina powder
2 to 3 tbsp. hemp protein powder

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Enjoy!

And for my photo today, I took a walk around the park this morning and mostly looked up. I saw several sparrows twittering around a hole in a branch, nearly at the top of the tree. I zoomed in on my lens to get  a better look, and realized that a mama sparrow was making her nest in the hole. In the photos below, the daddy sparrow is guarding the hole. I didn't get a shot quick enough of the mama flying back into the hole, but I did get a couple of her peeking out. I'm glad I was looking up this morning.

I hope you find beauty today.

Why I'm sharing this: http://mamameglutenfree.blogspot.com/2012/02/beauty-in-eye-of-beholder.html