Gluten Free Pasta Salad

I love pasta salad because it’s endlessly adaptable. Feel free to switch out any of the veggies for any fresh vegetables you see at the Farmer’s Market (the Palos Heights Farmer’s Market is on Wednesdays from 8-1). Also, we have a great gluten free fusilli pasta at the store by Cadia that’s perfect for this recipe!

Ingredients:

12 oz Gluten-Free Tri-Color Rotini*

2 Cups Chopped English Cucumber (1 large cucumber)

2 Cups Chopped Red Bell Pepper (1 medium pepper)

2 Cups Chopped Orange Bell Pepper (1 medium pepper)

2 Cups Chopped Yellow Bell Pepper (1 medium pepper)

2 Cups Halved Grape Tomatoes (1 pint)

1 Cup Chopped Red Onion (about ½ medium onion)

1 Cup Sliced Black Olives (1 3.8 oz can)

Italian Dressing:

½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

½ Cup Red Wine Vinegar

1 TB Dried Parsley

1 TB Dried Oregano

2 Tsp Dried Basil

½ Tsp Black Pepper

See the entire recipe and directions at Strength and Sunshine.

How to Make a Flax Egg

This is barely a recipe, but it is a handy thing to know if you’re vegan or have allergies (or just run out of eggs in the middle of a recipe)! Flaxseed and water combined can easily take the place of an egg in any baked goods recipe!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal (ground raw flaxseed)

• 2 1/2 Tbsp water

See the entire recipe and directions at the Minimalist Baker.

Spring Greens Salad (GF & Vegan)

This is a delicious spring salad that is wonderfully fresh and delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

For the salad:

½ cup quinoa , rinsed and drained

1 tsp ground turmeric

Salt & pepper to taste

A bunch of fresh asparagus (7-8 spears), cut in half

1 tsp olive oil

½ cup fresh peas

½ cup sweetcorn (fresh or tinned)

½ cucumber , thinly sliced

2 big handfuls of spinach leaves

2 tbsp pine nuts

A bunch of fresh mint leaves , roughly chopped

2-3 sprigs of spring onions

1 avocado , thinly sliced

Juice of ½ lemon

For the dressing:

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp lemon juice

Honey or maple syrup to taste

See the entire recipe and directions at Fit Foodie Nutter.

Golden Milk Smoothie

This is a wonderful, simple smoothie recipe that helps to reduce inflammation throughout the body, plus it has some amazing antioxidants! While you can use fresh ginger and turmeric root, this recipe is nice because it gives alternatives for using ground spices so it’s easier to make in a pinch.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup frozen mango chunks

½ frozen bananas

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (use a dairy-free substitute if needed)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric or 1 Tablespoon peeled and grated fresh turmeric

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger or 1/2 Tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or your favorite milk)

pinch of black pepper

See the entire recipe and directions at Eating Bird Food (one of my favorite recipe blogs).

Lemon Blueberry Zucchini Cake (GF)

This delicious cake is perfect for spring, plus it’s gluten-free (and can easily be made dairy-free with a couple of substitutions)!

INGREDIENTS:

Wet ingredients:

1 cup shredded zucchini (from 1 medium zucchini)

2 eggs

½ cup honey

zest from 2 lemons

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Dry ingredients:

1 ½ cup packed blanched fine almond flour

¾ cup gluten free oat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the blueberries:

1 heaping cup fresh blueberries

2 tablespoons gluten free oat flour

For the lemon frosting:

½ cup butter (or sub vegan buttery stick), at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

To garnish:

Extra blueberries for sprinkling on top

See the entire recipe and directions at Ambitious Kitchen.

Roasted Veggies!

This is barely a recipe, but I’m posting it because roasted vegetables are so easy to make, and are a wonderful and delicious way to add more fresh vegetables to your diet. They’re a perfect side dish, and are fantastic added to pasta or rice or even eaten on their own! You can easily customize it to your personal tastes (my favorites are cauliflower, red peppers, and mushrooms).

Any vegetables you like:

• Cauliflower

• Broccoli

• Peppers

• Mushrooms

• Green Beans

• Zucchini

You’ll also need:

• Olive Oil

• Salt

• Pepper

• Garlic Powder

• Italian Seasoning

DIRECTIONS:

Chop vegetables into roughly similarly sized pieces (it doesn’t hugely matter, it’s just so they cook more uniformly). Also, keep in mind that they’ll shrink after roasting.

Toss chopped vegetables in a bowl with a generous pour of olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 

Bake on an unlined cookie sheet at 425 degrees for 15-25 minutes (you may want to cook them longer or shorter depending on how soft you like your vegetables).

Enjoy immediately or refrigerate to add to upcoming meals.

After roasting, a bit of fresh lemon juice or parmesan cheese is delicious too!

Tapioca Flour Crepes (GF)

Crepes are a lot easier to make than one would think. You don’t need a special crepe pan, a large skillet works just as well. They make a delicious breakfast or snack, and can even be made with herbs or savory fillings for a unique, light dinner.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup tapioca flour

• Oil for brushing pan

See the entire recipe and directions at the Spruce Eats recipe blog.

Gluten Free Seed Bread (Vegan)

This is a wonderful, hearty bread that doesn’t require kneading. It’s very filling and is full of minerals and healthy fats (plus it’s vegan and gluten-free)!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2½ cups grams certified gluten-free rolled/old fashioned oats, divided

• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons hulled pumpkin seeds

• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons hulled sunflower seeds

• 1¼ cups walnuts or pecans, chopped (or replace with more pumpkin & sunflower seeds, or hemp or sesame seeds to keep nut-free)

• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons ground flax seed

• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon chia seeds

• 1½ teaspoons fine salt

• 2½ teaspoons baking powder

• 2½ tablespoons maple syrup, or 1½ tablespoons brown sugar (the bread isn't sweet, it just balances the flavors)

• 2½ tablespoons avocado or olive oil

• 1¼ cup plant milk, unsweetened & unflavored

See the entire recipe and directions at A Virtual Vegan.

Coconut Flour Muffins (GF)

These muffins are absolutely delicious and are easily customizable with your preferences and with what you have on hand, plus they only require six ingredients!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted

1/2 tsp baking powder

6 large eggs room temperature

1/4 cup butter softened and salted (or dairy-free margarine if needed)

1/4 cup milk of choice

1/3 cup honey

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup blueberries optional

See the entire recipe and directions at This Big Man’s World.

Detox Green Matcha Smoothie

This smoothie is absolutely full of antioxidants; I’ve been drinking every day for breakfast and absolutely love it. It’s a great way to start the day! Feel free to double this recipe depending on the size of your blender!

INGREDIENTS

Note: this recipe fits perfectly in a 16oz. blender cup like the Ninja Fit

1 tbs. flax seeds

2 tbs. hemp seeds

1 frozen banana (halved)

2 tsp. matcha powder

1 cup of almond milk (or water)

½ - 1 cup fresh spinach leaves  

DIRECTIONS:

Put all ingredients in your blender cup, with spinach leaves last.  I have a 16 oz blender cup, so I just push in as many spinach leaves that will fit and have the blender top fit on.

Blend until well combined.  If the mixture is too thick after blending, add a little bit of water and blend again to the desired consistency.

Flax Carrot Apple Muffins

This wonderfully healthy muffin recipe can easily be made gluten-free. The sugar can also be reduced if desired (though it’s already lower in sugar than most muffin recipes). These muffins are a great source of plant-based omega 3s, fiber, and nutrients!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup flour, whole wheat*

• 3/4 cup flaxseed, ground

• 3/4 cup oats, dry

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 2 cup grated carrot

• 2 cup, grated apple

• 3/4 cup milk (or non-dairy milk)

• 2 large egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup cranberries, dried (you can substitute raisins, but it’s extra good with the cranberries)

*Note- for a gluten-free recipe substitute almond flour and make sure you use certified gluten-free oats

See the entire recipe and directions at Super Healthy Kids.

One Bowl Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake

This is a wonderful treat for a chilly night, and it makes the house smell fantastic while it’s baking! It’s also easily made dairy-free if needed. It’s especially delicious with a cup of holiday flavored tea (we have some great new Limited Edition teas from Republic of Tea at the store this month)!

Ingredients

Wet ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cool enough to touch

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup blackstrap molasses

1 egg, at room temperature (very important)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)

Dry ingredients:

1 cup oat flour (see this link on how to make oat flour from oats)

1 cup packed fine blanched almond flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the frosting:*

¼ cup butter or vegan butter, at room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese or vegan cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*Note: For a dairy-free cake, I’d recommend a powdered sugar glaze on top of the cake rather than the cream cheese frosting. You can find a great, simple glaze recipe here.

See the entire recipe and directions at the Ambitious Kitchen.

Panera Copycat Black Bean Soup

This soup has become a regular meal at our house- it’s delicious! It’s an instant pot recipe, though it can easily be made on the stovetop as well. Black beans are a great source of vegetarian protein, and adding more legumes to your diet has so many health benefits- they’re full of nutrients and fiber needed for a healthy diet!

INGREDIENTS:

1 onion, chopped

2–3 garlic cloves, minced

2 stalks of celery, chopped small

1/2 bell pepper, chopped small

1 small carrot, diced small

1.5 tsp cumin

1 cup dry black beans, rinsed

3 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp salt

1/2 lemon juiced (2 tbsp)

Note: I’d suggest making it according to the recipe for the first time, but for me, it had a little too much salt, lemon juice, and cumin, so now when I make this soup I reduce those amounts slightly, as well as reducing the amount of water for a slightly thicker soup. Also, when I make it I always double it to make a larger amount.

See the entire recipe and directions at Okonomi Kitchen.

Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie

I absolutely love pumpkin pie, but it’s sometimes a tricky thing to make when you’re dairy-free. I’ve made a lot of dairy-free pumpkin pies over the years, and some haven’t turned out as well. I made this one recently and thought it turned out great and was nice and simple.  I've put an egg substitution idea below for a vegan pie.

INGREDIENTS:

1 store-bought pie crust (or unbaked homemade pie crust)**
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup canned coconut milk (the full fat kind, not “light” coconut milk)
2 large eggs*
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

*For a vegan substitute, add an extra 1/4 - 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree. I’d also recommend adding 2 tbs of cornstarch, since no one wants a liquidy pumpkin pie!

**If you need a gluten-free pie crust, we have some available at the store, otherwise, here’s a great gluten-free pie crust recipe.

See the entire recipe and directions at Boston Girl Bakes.

Vegan Apple Cake

This upside-down apple cake looks absolutely gorgeous on a dessert table, and is a nice Thanksgiving option for people with special diets (there’s a gluten-free option at the bottom of this recipe). It’s also a lot lower sugar than most dessert recipes and doesn’t require a cast iron pan like most upside-down cake recipes do. This is a cake that everyone would enjoy, and let me tell you from experience, people with special diets REALLY appreciate when hosts make them dishes that they can actually eat!

Ingredients:

For the caramel apple topping:

4 tablespoons vegan butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt (you can add up to 1/2 tsp for extra salty caramel)

1 cup sliced apples

Dry ingredients for the apple cake:

1 1/2 cup flour*

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:

1 cup soy milk (or almond milk, oat milk, or any other plant-based milk)

1 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar or lemon juice

1/3 cup oil any neutral-flavored oil will work

1/2 cup apples diced

*For a gluten-free cake, try substituting almond flour, the almond taste goes very well with the flavors in this recipe. Almond flour does not rise as much as regular flour, but it is definitely delicious!

See the entire recipe and directions at The Hidden Veggies.

River's Pumpkin Bread

My daughter River loves this bread, it’s a favorite fall treat! This is a lower-sugar version than most quick breads and is full of antioxidants from the pumpkin! It makes a great breakfast or snack, and it makes your home smell delicious while it’s baking!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can pumpkin

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup oil

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp each of clove, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger

• 2 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add all ingredients to a mixer except flour and mix well.

2. Add flour and mix until combined, try not to overmix.

3. Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 65-70 minutes.

4. You can also make these into regular-sized muffins, which cook at 350 degrees in about 20 minutes.

5. Wait until the loaves are cool before slicing.

6. Enjoy!

NOTES:

This recipe is extremely adaptable to be used with whatever you have in the house. I've made it with white flour, whole wheat flour, with bananas, with applesauce, and even rum or almond extract when I was out of vanilla.

You can also add raisins or chocolate chips, or increase the sugar if desired, but I prefer it plain since it has less sugar that way (I even once made this and forgot the sugar, and we still ate it!).

I usually double the recipe and then freeze them as individual slices which can then be heated up in the toaster.

Creamy Pumpkin Pie Bars (GF & Vegan)

This recipe is a great way to satisfy a craving for pumpkin pie with a lot less work, plus it’s allergy-friendly!

INGREDIENTS:

CRUST:

1 cup gluten-free rolled oats

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1/4 tsp sea salt

2 Tbsp coconut sugar

1 Tbsp maple syrup

4-5 Tbsp melted coconut oil 

FILLING:

2 3/4 cups pumpkin purée

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup coconut sugar (or substitute your favorite natural sugar)

1/4 cup unsweetened plain almond milk

2 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or sub mix of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves)

1/4 tsp sea salt

FOR SERVING optional: Coconut Whipped Cream

See the entire recipe and directions at the Minimalist Baker.

Quinoa with Lemon, Shallots, and Herbs

Quinoa is a wonderful, versatile grain, and this delicious recipe can easily be made into a main dish with the addition of garbanzo beans or another protein source.

INGREDIENTS:

1–2 shallots (or ¼ of an onion) – very thinly sliced – see notes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 ½ cups quinoa, rinsed, drained (rinsing removes bitterness)

2 1/4  cups water

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 ½ teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon granulated garlic (or use 1–2 minced garlic cloves with the shallot)

1 teaspoon dried oregano (or italian seasoning, or herbs de Provence, or similar)

Garnish:

lemon zest from one small lemon,

sprinkling of fresh herbs ( italian parsley, dill, basil, cilantro)

2 tablespoons slivered almonds (optional- other nuts & seeds are ok, or just leave off)

sautéed shallot (see notes) or crispy shallots

drizzle of good olive oil– optional but good.

See the entire recipe and directions at Feasting at Home.

Matcha Blender Muffins

These delicious muffins are from a great new gluten-free recipe blog I discovered- Erin Lives Whole. Matcha is a green tea powder full of antioxidants and gives baked goods a unique flavor.

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 cups rolled oats

2 tbsp matcha powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

2 large bananas

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup almond milk

1/2 cup sliced almonds

See the entire recipe and directions at Erin Lives Whole.

No Bake Oat Bran Snack Bites

These little bites are a tasty treat for a quick breakfast or snack, plus they’re no-bake so they won’t heat up your house on hot days! Our Bob’s Red Mill oat bran is also on sale this month for $1.99 a bag, so be sure to pick some up!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup peanut butter, or almond butter

1/3 cup pure maple syrup, or honey

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt 1 cup rolled oats

1/3 cup almond meal, or almond flour

1/3 cup oat bran

1/4 cup whole flax seeds

1 tablespoon whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour (optional)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped (or raisins or other dried fruit)

1/2 cup roasted almonds, chopped (optional for coating)

See the entire recipe and directions at Best Recipe Finder.