Just Bananas

Ice cream used to be my true love. We spent many long, summer nights together, sat through sappy movies, consoled girlfriends over broken hearts. Our breakup was difficult: I could no longer tolerate his sweetness, or cow-dairy origin and quite frankly, he made me sick.
Yes, it’s been a rough few years, but recently I met someone new that is just as satisfying, creamy and sweet as his dairy counterpart, except that he is actually good for me! Too good to be true? Well, let me introduce you to my new soul mate: the modest and down-to-earth banana.

This past winter, steeped in perpetual boredom, I took a couple frozen bananas out of the freezer to bake a loaf of banana bread. While they were thawing, I became impatient and decided to speed up the process by mixing them up with a hand blender. Lo and behold, this simple process yielded a fluffy, creamy dessert that almost brought me to tears: I never thought I could replace my beloved ice cream, but I did.

This is truly the easiest (and cheapest) dessert to make, especially for a crowd. You can buy a bunch of bananas well in advance and freeze them once they become very ripe, or you can buy them on sale towards the end of their little lives. You can blend in some honey, maple syrup, agave nectar for added sweetness (although it really doesn’t need any if the bananas are really ripe), or add your favorite toppings.

Directions:
1. Get a hold of some ripe bananas
2. Peel bananas and break into small pieces (about 4 or 5 per banana)
3. Put banana pieces into a container and freeze
4. Take bananas out of freezer and let thaw slightly
5. Using a hand blender (unfortunately this does not work in a counter top blender) pulse through banana chunks until a smooth, creamy consistency is reached. It will look almost white, like real ice cream.
6. Serve immediately.

Tip: Once blended, this can be frozen again for serving later, but ice crystals tend to form very quickly as there are no additives to prevent this from happening. Giving the mixture a quick blend again right before serving will ensure the creamiest texture.

Ideas for toppings:
Shredded coconut (pictured above)
Organic chocolate chips
Maple syrup or agave nectar
Chopped almonds or cashews
Orange zest
Banana chips

Ice cream is a food jammed-packed with ingredients on my personal hit list:
cow dairy (see previous post), white sugar, saturated fat, food colouring, artificial flavors, stabilizers, emulsifiers, alginates, viscosity-producing gums and hydrocolloids (huh? Exactly.) Why not avoid a couple servings of that garbage this summer and introduce your new, true love to your friends and family. Maybe you’ll even have them saying: “We scream for NO cream!”

May's Gluten-Free Recipe Rodeo

As promised in early May, here is a round-up of summer fresh gluten-free recipes, hand selected in the spirit of Celiac Awareness Month. So grab a glass of lemonade, park your carcass and kick your boots off, Honey. There are some mighty fine and tasty gluten-free recipes out there.

My theme? Grilling, picnic food, and dining al fresco. You'll find recipes for omnivores, vegans, ovo-lacto vegetarians and pescatarians. Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry Margaritas For Two at Pinch My Salt
Amy Sherman's Curry Deviled Eggs
Nicole's Homemade Mayonnaise at Pinch My Salt
Carrot Mint Salad at Cookthink
Parmesan Crisps with Roasted Tomato Salsa from Karina
Bea's lovely savory tarts
Elise's Asparagus Frittata at Simply Recipes
Food Blogga's Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Fresh Pineapple Chutney
Curry Burgers and Southeast Asian Grilled Veggies from Rambling Spoon
Elise's Curry Rice Salad at Simply Recipes
Grilled Lime and Chile Chicken at Kalyn's Kitchen
Salmon Burgers from Wheat-Free Meat-Free
Book of Yum's Pesto Grilled Veggie Pizza

Sesame Chicken Salad from Coconut & Lime
Quinoa Salad with Shrimp, Cucumber, Mango & Mint from Hedonia
Texas Caviar Pasta Salad from Sugar Magnolia
Amy Sherman's Warm Steak and Orange Salad
Horseradish Spiked Red Potato Salad from Karina's Kitchen

Grilled Eggplant with Balsamic Honey Syrup from Alanna at A Veggie Venture
Grilled Nectarines with Honey Balsamic Glaze from MattBites
Goat Cheese Potato Gratin from Ilva at Lucullian Delights
Gluten-Free Bay's Quick and Easy Cilantro-Lime Broccoli Slaw
Kalyn's Kitchen Mango Salsa with Red Bell Pepper
My Calabasitas

Nami-Nami's No Churn Pomegranate Ice Cream
Ilva's Chocolate Cookies
Go Dairy Free's Brownie Bites
Nami-Nami's Coconut Cream with Poached Rhubarb
Oatmeal Date Chocolate Cookies a Heart Smart recipe from Mrs. GF
My Dark Chocolate Brownies

Food Blogs Now Featuring a Gluten-Free Category:

Cookthink
La Tartine Gourmande
Nami-Nami
Fat Free Vegan Kitchen
101 Cookbooks
Go Dairy-Free
Hogwash

If you have a gluten-free label or section on your food blog- I'm sorry I missed you! Please feel free to leave your link in Comments below and I'll add it in (and thanks for thinking of us gluten-free folks!).

For a list of Gluten-Free Blogs- see the I Blog Gluten-Free Bloggers List.

And what about that luscious looking yellow tomato salad featured at the top of this round-up post?

So easy it's scary.


Yellow Tomato Salad

Pick the most ripe and juicy tomatoes you can find and you won't need to fuss.

5-6 medium sized vine-ripe yellow tomatoes, sliced
2 tablespoons good fruity extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Fresh chopped parsley or basil, as needed
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Tip: If it's hot out, chill your serving plate first.

Arrange the sliced yellow tomatoes on a chilled salad plate. Drzzle with the extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Dust with fresh herbs. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper.

Serves 4.

Gluten-Free Mint Chocolate Cookies Recipe

Mint chocolate cookies and a glass of ice cold hemp milk.

I'll say it up front. For all those perceptive Readers out there. This post? It's a redux slash revamp of a previous chocolate cookie recipe. Why? Because Darling, we are always tweaking and gently nudging recipes toward perfection around here. Though as you and I well know, perfection is unattainable (in the gluten-free vegan baking world, that is). But we can come close. Very close.

And with this latest peppermint chocolate chip incarnation we are a good nibble closer to the best chocolate cookie yet. So of course, I had to tweak and share. These remind me of those Girl Scout cookies called Thin Mints. Except they're chubby (though I suppose one could flatten them a bit if one was so inclined).

These peppermint laced fudgy sweethearts are crisp chocolate goodness.

We freeze ours and serve them slightly chilled. Those of you more adept at fancy baking could try creating heart shapes. (I never have the patience to fuss with dough. I'm more of rustic make a mess in the kitchen blasting Neil Finn kind of baker than a precise "mis en place" to Sarah Brightman kind of gal. But if cookie cutters are your middle name? Knock yourself out.)

These are lovely warm from the oven with an ice cold glass of vanilla hemp milk (pictured is Hemp Dream).

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Lime Chicken Taco Fun

 Fast + delicious- lime chicken tacos.

Grilling season is upon us. But don't you worry, Sweetcakes. This particular gluten-free goddess is not going to waste a heartbeat lamenting hot dog buns. And I'm not going to spend hours in the kitchen trying to replicate hamburger rolls, that even in their wheat loaded incarnation were more of a starchy dry-as-dirt nuisance. Something invented to hold the all fixins' together, but that, when push came to shove, I ended up tearing off piece by piece, peeling around the edges to get to the good stuff.

This was ages before the California In N Out protein style burger was invented (which was, in my humble, wheat-free opinion, sheer, utter low carb genius). Who knew a burger wrapped in lettuce leaves would be so darn tasty? But I digress. Let's get back to the barbecue question.

Are you going to pine for long lost spongy buns?

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Tostada Nueva- an easy gluten-free lunch

 The tostada- made fresh + light

The recent summer weather has nudged me out of my primavera surliness and ignited my desire to paint again. I suddenly feel energized. Focused. Turned on. I've been toning wood and masonite panels left, right and upside down, laying on thick and juicy strokes of pigmented Gesso in rose, peach and ocher- warmth as a foil to my preferred palette for brushy skies and abstractions.

This is a welcome turn. As many of you know, it's been a somewhat weird and challenging seven months. It feels good to be back in my tiny studio again, blasting music and standing upright, paint brush in hand.

And what have I been eating this hot and breezy week, you ask?

Have I got a quick and easy solution for those sultry summer nights when it's too damn hot to turn on the oven. I'm calling the recipe Tostada Nueva. This is not your typical fried corn tortilla topped with shredded iceberg lettuce, red tomatoes and ground beef. Nope. It's light and fresh and snappy. And it's dairy-free (translation- cheese-less) so you can serve it to your GFCF Sweethearts.

I used Trader Joe's Brown Rice Tortillas (thanks to a Fabulous Reader who turned me on to TJ's new gluten-free brown rice wraps) for the tostada base. The rice tortillas cooked up flaky and just crisp enough. I fried them briefly in my iron skillet with a splash of light olive oil.

Tostada Nueva

I topped my brown rice tostada with slices of Applegate Farms Honey and Maple Turkey Breast and pieces of cooked and crispy (nitrate free!) Sunday Bacon, but you could use any of your favorite deli meat. The heirloom yellow tomatoes are bright and citrusy- perfect for summer.

Ingredients:

For each person you'll need:

1 brown rice tortilla-wrap
Olive oil, as needed
3 slices of Applegate Farms Honey Maple Turkey
2-3 pieces of crispy cooked Applegate Farms Sunday Bacon
A handful of organic baby greens
1 smallish yellow tomato, sliced

Honey Mustard Dressing

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey mustard
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
1 dab of agave nectar
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Instructions:

If you are making dressing for four servings, I might quadruple all the ingredients listed except for the garlic- one clove is probably enough.

Assemble your ingredients.

Just before you are ready to eat, heat a little olive oil in a medium hot skillet. Fry the brown rice tortilla on both sides, briefly, until it is slightly golden and crisp. Remove with tongs and place the hot tortilla on a serving plate. (Drain it on a paper towel first, if you like.)

Top with the turkey, fresh baby greens, yellow tomato slices and cooked bacon. Drizzle with the Honey Mustard Dressing. Season with more sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Boom. Dinner is done.

Does it get any easier?

Serve with a side of my Easy Guacamole with Lime. Or how about some of my Horseradish Spiked Red Potato Salad?

Note: I like Applegate Farms because their products are organic, nitrate and antibiotic free, as well as gluten and casein free. Not to mention, delicious.

Goat is the New Cow

Goat diary is a gift from God. I gave up cow’s milk and everything made with it about 3 years ago, and renouncing the mucus-forming, antibiotic-laden, digestion-clogging gook was easy with a little help from a righteous goat.
Without throwing too many cheap shots at the poor, holy cow, I want to explain the basic differences between cow and goat dairy to illustrate why making the switch is an excellent idea for you and your family.

Goat Milk is Easier to Digest than Cow Milk
Our bodies were designed to consume human milk, a perfect food for growing babies. We are born with the ability to digest our mother’s milk, but many people become lactose-intolerant as teens or adults, when our bodies stop producing the enzymes necessary to digest any kind of milk.
Goat milk has smaller protein molecules than cow milk, the most similar to the protein found in human milk. In addition, the fat molecules in goat milk have thinner, more fragile membranes - half the size of those in cow milk. This leads to an average curd tension that is literally 1⁄2 that of cow milk (36 grams for goat milk and 70 grams for cow milk). Curds from milk form in the digestive tract or during cheese or yogurt making (anywhere that the milk is subjected to acid). Having less curd tension means that the milk is less "tough", and easier to digest. Dr. Bernard Jensen (my personal hero) showed that goat milk will digest in a baby's stomach in 20 minutes, whereas pasteurized cow milk takes 8 hours. The difference is in the structure of the milk.

Goat Milk is Nutritious
Compared to cow dairy, goat dairy contains more calcium, phosphorous, vitamin A, riboflavin, thiamine, selemium and less cholesterol!

Goat Milk is non-Allergenic
Goat milk does not contain the complex of proteins that are the main stimulants of allergic reactions to cow dairy products. Therefore, it does not stress/depress the immune system. Seven percent (7%) of U.S. children show symptoms of cow-milk allergy such as wheezing, congestion, frequent ear infections, eczema, skin rashes and digestive troubles. In the vast majority of cases, these problems are often eliminated when goat milk is substituted for cow's milk.

Goat Milk as a Substitute for Those Who Are Lactose Intolerant
Goat milk and goat milk products can be tolerated by most of those who are lactose intolerant. Because unpasteurized goat milk is digested very rapidly, lactose (the main sugar found in milk), does not remain for long periods of time in the intestines, where it can ferment or cause an osmotic imbalance, followed by digestive upset. Additionally, goat milk contains 7% less lactose than cow milk.

Goat Milk is an “Alkalinizer” of the System
Goat milk is a rare dairy food in that it has an alkaline ash. This means that it does not produce acid in the intestinal system. Acidic blood and intestinal pH levels have been associated by researchers with fatigue, headaches, muscle aches and pains, sore pressure points, excess weight, blood sugar imbalances, and excessive yeast populations. Goat milk helps to increase the pH of the blood stream because it is the highest dairy product in the amino acid L-glutamine, an alkalinizing amino acid.

Goat Milk Contains Twice the Healthful Medium Chain Fatty Acids
In comparison to cow milk, goat milk contains twice the content of medium chain fatty acids, such as capric and caprylic acids. These fatty acids are highly antimicrobial. Capric and caprylic acids are used today in dietary supplements to inhibit the growth of Candida albicans and other yeast species. They also boost the immune system and enhance energy.


While in the North America, we may think of goat's milk as a beverage alternative to cow's milk, in most areas of the world, the opposite is true. Worldwide, more people drink goat's milk than cow's milk.

Most people assume goat's milk will have the same strong musky taste for which goat cheese is famous. Yet, in fact, good quality goat's milk has a delicious slightly sweet, and sometimes also slightly salty, taste.

The same goes for it’s fermented friend, yogurt. This is my favorite easy-to-digest indulgence in the morning: a frozen banana, handful of wild blueberries and about a ½ cup of goat’s yogurt. Blend it until smooth and I’ve got a fully loaded breakfast that’s great on the go. I just pour it into a mason jar and make everyone on the subway jealous! This also a delicious dessert.

Goat cheese comes in many forms too. We are all familiar with the soft, spreadable type, but goat cheddar, mozzarella, and feta are also available. I love to put a couple slices of goat cheddar on crusty, whole-grain bread with some jam (the best is my friend Kaitlin’s organic peach and ginger jam that she bestows upon me after the summer harvest. She’s such a lovely girl). This satisfies my craving for a salty-sweet snack, while supplying me with fiber, protein and calcium!

Here’s a simple recipe for a Waldorf salad (pictured above) that is far superior made with goat yogurt. This with a side of quinoa and you’ve got a lunch that really satisfies…

Waldorf Salad with Goat Yogurt
Ingredients
1 large apple
2 stalks celery
1 tsp lemon juice
1 handful of raisins
1 handful of chopped walnuts
4 Tbsp goat yogurt
1 tsp. maple syrup, agave nectar or liquid honey

Directions
1. Chop the apples and toss immediately with lemon juice to prevent browning. Chop the celery and walnuts. Add raisins.
2. Combine the yogurt and maple syrup or other sweetener.
3. Toss all ingredients together and serve.


I hope that I have inspired you to try some goat dairy – there are so many ways to enjoy this delightfully digestible food and many are found at a regular grocery store (a small miracle for those of you who have not yet ventured into a health food emporium). There’s a goat lover in all of us, unleash yours today!

Red Potato Salad with Horseradish

Serve this horseradish spiked red potato salad warm or cold

Ready for some spud love? Here's one of my favorite potato salad recipes. And just in time. Summer has arrived almost instantaneously here in the desert north of Santa Fe. Last week I was layering t-shirts and hoodies to keep warm. I stood shivering at the Santa Fe Farmer's Market (wind always makes me cranky). It felt more like March than May. This weekend? It was quintessential summer weather. Hot bright sun. Dry air. An almost too-warm casita. We turned on the ceiling fans.

On weekends like this you kick off your shoes and peel off your long sleeved black jersey, opting instead for the lime green tank top. You feel your bones begin to knit as you soak up the longer daylight and linger by the roadside during post-dinner walks in the rose hued sun. You smile at the young jackrabbits and their impossibly erect ears. And your thoughts turn to dining al fresco, sitting beneath the dappled shade of the portal with a chilled glass of white and a zesty potato salad. Life in the slow lane.

Last night's Twitter:

Cheap thrills in the desert: S is making animal sounds to alarm a jackrabbit. The sound that makes it freeze in terror? A chicken cluck.

Horseradish Spiked Red Potato Salad Recipe

If you really, really prefer sour cream or mayonnaise in your red potato salad- by all means, Babycakes, add some in. But if you've never tried a mayo-free dairy-free version of this popular summer side dish, why not give my vegan potato salad a whirl? You might even make some new friends at your next barbecue. Those vegans? Sprouting up everywhere these days.

2 to 2 1/2 pounds small red potatoes
Sea salt
1/4 cup fruity tasting extra virgin olive oil, as needed
4-6 tablespoons apple cider or rice vinegar, to taste
1 smallish red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish- I used Bubbies
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1-2 teaspoons dill, to taste
1 teaspoon caraway seeds- optional

Wash and cut up the red potatoes, toss them into a pot of salted fresh water. Bring the water to a boil and simmer the potatoes until they are fork tender. Drain well.

Pour the cooked potatoes into a large bowl. While the potatoes are still warm, sprinkle with sea salt and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and vinegar. Toss to coat and to soften the edges of the potatoes pieces a bit. Add the diced onion, horseradish and toss to distribute. Taste and season with more sea salt and plenty of fresh ground pepper. Add the chopped parsley, dill and caraway; mix.

Taste test. Add more olive oil or vinegar, sea salt or herbs.

Serve warm (so yummy!) or cover and chill.

Remember that chilling the potato salad will subdue its flavor considerably. I always season my potato salad more vigorously if I am going to serve it chilled. Taste test after chilling it and add more seasoning if it needs it.

Serves 6 to 8.

Printer-friendly recipe

Karina's Notes:

This a food allergy friendly recipe- it is gluten-free, soy-free, egg-free, dairy-free.

If you're not a fan of horseradish try my Champagne Vinegar Potato Salad recipe.