Everyone should be acknowledged with a special treat on their birthday. Whether it’s a piece or cake, a slice of pie, or a cupcake it’s important to always pop in a candle and recognize your special day! But sometimes if you’re gluten free it’s hard to come up with a memorable (and spectacular) birthday dessert without a ton of advance planning. That’s why we created this seven-layer cookie cake perfect for any special occasion and super easy to make on the fly! (more…) read more →
I love breakfast. I used to be a coffee and muffin person but over time I have figured out that my breakfast was setting me up to crash and burn. Now on most mornings, I fire up the blender and make a smoothie with protein powder. I find this makes a big difference in my energy, and I have fewer cravings throughout the day.
If your current go-to breakfast is a bagel and coffee, you can do better! The refined flour in a bagel or muffin acts just like sugar in your body. This gives you a burst of energy, then you crash and crave more sugar. The coffee is acidic and it depletes your adrenals. And don’t even get me started on the sugar – or artificial sweeteners – you may be adding to the coffee! This breakfast sets you up for a day of cravings and jitters.
So what should you have instead? (more…) read more →
You beat yourself up enough about your daily food choices. From not getting enough fruits and veggies to cheating on your points. The kitchen shouldn’t be a battle ground and your body shouldn’t suffer the losses. The solution? A remix to some of your favorite foods!
Pizza, pasta, desserts, burgers and more have all been getting a bad rap lately. I’ve never been a fan of catergorizing food as bad or good. The truth is food is meant to be delicious. For this month’s recipe, I took a trip to India to hook up the flavor profile of a traditional Italian favorite: Pizza.
Using store bought garlic naan as the base (or your own gluten-free version) and layering it with a homemade Tikka Masala sauce, fresh roasted veggies, a sprinkle of paneer and a drizzle of cilantro chutney, this pizza will nourish your body, feed your appetite for adventure and impress any guest!
Eggplant Tikka Masala Pizza
Ingredients
20 Spinach leaves
4 Slices of Naan
2 Roma Tomatoes, diced
1 Roma Tomato, sliced thinly
1 Eggplant, halved and scored
½ cup Paneer, crumbled
1 Garlic Clove, grated
½” Ginger, grated
2 TB Tikka Masala paste
1 TB Cilantro Chutney
2 tsp salt
olive oil
Directions
For Eggplant
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Using 1 tsp salt per eggplant half, rub salt in eggplant flesh and let rest for 15 minutes.
Using room temperature water, completely rinse salt from eggplant and dry with paper towels.
Rub grated ginger and garlic over eggplant halves. Make sure to push fine pieces of ginger and garlic into the scored grooves of the eggplant. Drizzle with olive oil and place face up on a cookie sheet.
Roast in oven for 40 minutes
Remove from oven and let rest for approx. 5-10 minutes to allow steam to escape. Using a spoon. Start from one end of the eggplant and scrape the flesh away from the skin. It will be easy since you have already scored the eggplant. Chop it into bite size pieces and set aside until ready assemble pizza.
For Sauce
Place diced tomatoes and tikka masala paste in a small sauce pot over medium-low heat. Mix once in the beginning, allowing paste to flavor tomatoes. Let sit for 10 minutes and allow the tomatoes to break down. Stir once more and reduce pot to a simmer. Let rest for 5-10 minutes more. Sauce will be ready.
Assembly
Spread 1-2 TB of sauce on naan bread and then place 4-5 spinach leaves, followed by 2-3 tomato slices, followed by eggplant and a sprinkle of paneer cheese.
Return pizza to oven at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Although paneer does not melt well, the heat will enhance the mild flavor. Remove from oven and drizzle each slice with a bit of cilantro chutney. Enjoy!
This article was written by guest contributor Shelley Chapman. Shelley Chapman, also known as The Food Relationship Coach™ Wait…foods have relationships? They sure do! Occasionally with each other, but primarily with you. I am what happens when psychology and anthropology tango with a bona fide Foodie. We women and our habits intrigue me, specifically our relationships with our food and our bodies. I help women love and embody their best lives by teaching workshops, public speaking and offering elite private coaching to women. At EatRelateLove.com, I help women get out of the Stuck-Stuffed-Starved™ cycle of eating habits and relationships. My past challenges with compulsive over eating and emotional eating afford me the luxuries of compassion and relatability, but most important, the capacity to guide my clients to a fully satisfied emotional space. Through my work, a woman gains tools for emotional wellness and freedom from emotional eating so she can thrive in her personal and professional life! read more →
Who doesn’t love some yummy comforting pancakes on a weekend morning? The problem is that most recipes have a ton of ingredients or come in those super processed packages with mystery ingredients. This is the simplest pancake recipe I’ve ever come across and the best part—it’s so versatile! You can mix and match ingredients and seasonings to make the perfect pancake no matter what the situation.
Ingredients:
1 egg
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds, coconut OR 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1-3/4 cups gluten free all purpose flour or quinoa flour (if you do eat gluten you can substitute in wheat flour)
1-1/2 cups milk: dairy, almond, rice, coconut or soymilk
1/4 cup canola or coconut oil
1 tablespoon non-aluminum baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Directions:
1. Mix egg, milk, canola oil and vanilla extract in bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Mix almonds, flour, baking powder and sea salt in a bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well.
3. Cook on lightly oiled skillet until golden brown. Serve warm with organic butter, maple syrup, honey, fruit and/or nut butter
Variations:
*Add lemon zest, the juice of one lemon (add a little less milk) and 1/2 cup poppy seeds for lemon poppy seed pancakes.
**You can also experiment with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or for a more savory option you could add in curry powder, garam masala, ginger, garlic and/or pepper