Tag Archives: Gluten Free

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Gluten Free Carrot Cake

Hands Down…This is THE BEST Carrot Cake I have ever had! Seriously!

Believe it or not this carrot cake was first I have ever made. Of course I tweaked about three different recipes and came up with my own. It is now a favorite. I made this recipe for Thanksgiving, 2016. I wanted a cake. A carrot cake, and in order for the hubs to enjoy it the cake needed to be gluten free. I was so concerned that it was not going to be good, at the last minute I made a chocolate cake just to be on the safe side in case the carrot cake was not a hit. It was a home run!

RECIPE

           The BEST Gluten Free Carrot Cake

  • 1/2 cup organic unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 egg whites
  • 4 1/2 cups (1 pound) organic shredded carrots
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 box Gluten Free yellow cake mix
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup organic raisins
  • 1 1/4 cups finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two parchment-lined 8″ round cake pans.
  2. Beat together applesauce, eggs, carrots, and spices. 
  3. Whisk the cake mix and baking soda; add to the wet ingredients.
  4. Stir in raisins and nuts.
  5. Spoon (or pour) the batter into pans.
  6. Bake for 60 minutes.
  7. Remove the cakes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before turning out of the pan onto a rack to cool. Frost when completely cool. (See below)

 Icing

  • 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
  • 12-ounce of the lower fat cream cheese (1 1/2 packages) Note: Fat Free will not work.
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3 1/2 – 4 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

  1. Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth.
  2. Add salt and vanilla; beat in the sugar. 
  3. Beat in a teaspoon of milk if the frosting is too stiff to spread or beat in more sugar if it’s too thin.

Jennie B’s Tip – Bake the cakes a few days ahead of time and freeze. This makes for easier, prettier icing and it will make your cake more moist. Store in refrigerator. Pull out about an hour before serving.

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Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

I got a…”You have mastered Pumpkin Bread!” from the fam and I must say it is pretty durn good.IMG_1126

This Pumpkin bread is Gluten Free, Grain Free and almost Sugar Free. This recipe not only taste good but it truly is healthy. Supplying you with protein, complex carbs and healthy fat. It is a total win win! You feel like you are doing oh so bad when are actually doing oh so good! You could even slice off a piece, toast it and smear a little almond butter on top…oh hush your mouth! Doesn’t that sound GOOD?

The Recipe…

1 cup almond flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

3/4 cup pureed pumpkin (I use organic canned pumpkin)

1/4 cup raw local honey

1/4 unsweetened organic applesauce

3 eggs

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla

10 drops of stevia

Combine all wet ingredients then add the dry ingredients. Using a fork, stir until blended well. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake @ 325 for about an hour.

As always, if you fix this recipe please share with me your thoughts. Also, please share on your social media outlets.

Enjoy!

Jennie B

 

 

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Trader Joes…Oh How I Love Thee

Have you been to a Trader Joes? If you have one that is local, or fairly local, I encourage you to go check them out. They have all kinds of goodness and much of it is cheaper than your bigger grocery stores. I mean just look at this picture of my local Trader Joes. Doesn’t it just look inviting and fun? IMG_20160205_105340398

I want to share with you one of my first experiences at this Trader Joes. Not only do they have good prices on a lot of their items but they also have a good selection of gluten free items. You can click HERE to check out their list of gluten free items.

If you have read my story  you know that my husband is gluten intolerant. When he went totally gluten free I was so overwhelmed!!! From reading books, to surfing the web (because everything on the web is TRUTH! Right? Yes I am being sarcastic). I mean, the whole gluten free thing was not on my radar to learn at that time in my life. Well…I didn’t get to choose when Jennie B learned all about gluten, it was kinda thrown at me. So, I set out to get him off gluten. Please remember that just because something is “gluten free” DOES NOT mean it is healthy! There is gluten free CRAP out there just like there is regular CRAP out there. Anyways, I printed off Trader Joes gluten free list and headed out. I walked into to store (feeling very OVERWHELMED). The experience of Trader Joes is not like your typical grocery store. Just the energy in there alone can get your heart racing, but in a good kinda way. They are totally up beat, fun peeps running the show. I had this list, and a long one list at that, didn’t know where over half the items where in the store and when I would find them I would have to make sure they were in fact GF. They have a little, and I mean little, GF sign on the products that are gluten free, which can be tricky to find. I bet I went back and forth from this aisle to that aisle back to that aisle saying, “Excuse me!”, “Where is this?”, “Where is that?”, “Do you know if you have this?”, etc. I mean I was ready to pull my hair out. I was wishing they served wine at the end of every aisle! No joke! (Yes, I would have drank that wine and called the hubs to come pick me up and all HIS GF groceries). It was an experience, let me tell ya!

That was the then and this is now! I LOVE Trader Joes. I mean I truly get excited about going to TJ’s! I really do, and NO I do not need the wine at the end of every aisle. Lol!

I thought you may enjoy some of my favorite items that I purchase on a regular basis. There is definitely more, but here are some of my top ones. I hope maybe this will inspire you to get to a Trader Joes and also to show you that you can get healthy items cheaper if you shop around.

Organic Apples and Pink Ladies at that!!!!

This is probably my #1 Fav and LOOK at that price!

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Organic Liquid Stevia. This is my #2 Fav.

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Organic Unrefined, Cold Pressed, Coconut Oil

TJ6

21 Seasoning Salute (I use this on A LOT)

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Organic Quinoa (Frozen, just heat up and serve…Yes please!)

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Organic Green Beans

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Organic Pears

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Organic Brown Basmati Rice

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Organic Green Tea

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Organic Beets (This one is for the hubs…Jennie cannot stomach beets)

TJ3

Trader Joes is also a great place to find processed meats that DO NOT contain sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite, one of the top five ingredients we should really try to eliminate from our diet. They also have decent prices on nuts, nut butters, frozen organic veggies, fresh organic veggies like spinach, kale and broccoli.

You can also find skin care products, Vitamin E oil, cleaning products, etc. Like I said up top, if you have not experienced Trader Joes, go check them out.

I would LOVE to hear some of your favorites finds from TJs.

Much Love,

Jennie B

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Jennie B’s Healthy Fried Rice

Do you or someone in your house hold like that greasy fried rice you get at your local Chinese restaurant? My son Loves it…I mean he could eat it everyday I do believe.IMG_1113

I wanted to come up with a “Healthy” version of the good ole Chinese Restaurants Fried Rice…I did AND it has been a HIT!

Did you know that local Chinese restaurant of yours uses white rice? Which is a bad (simple) carb. Now some may argue and say white rice is an okay carb, but white rice has been stripped of the majority of its nutrients and of its fiber. Brown rice is what you will find being served in Jennie B’s kitchen. My favorite is Trader Joe’s Organic Brown Basmati Rice. Brown rice is a complex (good) carb. It provides us with nutrients and fiber.

Jennie B’s Fried Rice Recipe

Cook your rice as directed.

-1 cup of your cooked Organic Brown Rice

-1 scrambled Egg

-1 tsp of EVO

-1-2 tsp of Organic Soy Sauce (I use Gluten Free) If it is organic than it is nonGMO

Scramble your egg first in a skillet. Then add your cooked rice, EVO and soy sauce. Continue to stir and get the rice a little “fried”. You are pulling that moisture out a bit by doing this. Add a little pepper if you’d like and it is ready.

Adding pulled or diced Chicken Breast is also very good. Serve it up with a salad and you have a balanced meal!

NOTE: If you are fixing this for more than two or three people you need to double the recipe.

As always, please let me know if you fix it and your thoughts!

Also, don’t forget the share bars for your social media outlets that can be found at the top and bottom of all my post. Share the LOVE.

Much Love,

Jennie B

 

 

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Gluten Free, Sugar Free… Oh So Good Strawberry Pie

Jennie B’s Ohhhh So Good Strawberry Pie

While it has taken me a couple of attempts to get this right, I think I finally got it!

I took my moms full fledge Strawberry pie recipe and made it my own. This pie is not your typical “gel” strawberry pie that you are probably use to eating. You know the ones that are made with that nasty remade gel? You go and buy that gel, bring it home, pour it over some strawberries, put that in a pie crust and you have your strawberry pie. The only thing bought in this recipe is the gluten free crust. You can totally make your own, it is just easier to buy a pre made that is made with the same ingredients I would use.

You will have to play with how many berries it takes to fill your pie shell depending on the size of the berries and the size of your crust. For this recipe I used just your basic size and my berries were pretty big. You also will have to make more of your “gel” if you either like more gel OR if your pie crust is bigger.

The Recipe…

-Bake your crust and let cool as directed.

-Cut up 25-30 berries and let dry (cut to the size of your liking). Once dry, place in your cooled crust. IMG_1175

-Cut up about 20 more berries and put in sauce pan. Mash with a potato masher. Add a little water, if needed, to make 2 cups. Bring to a slow boil.

-Add 10 drops of Stevia and 3 Tbs of nonGMO corn starch or arrowroot powder. (Add cornstarch a little at a time so it will not clump up on you. I use a small sifter and stir it in as I add it.) Once it starts to thicken pull off the stove and let cool. It will thicken even more as it cools. (Hint: if it gets to thick just a little water to thin back out a bit. Add very little at a time.) If you prefer to add a “sugar” (like coconut sugar) or a baking stevia, start with 1/2 cup and taste test before adding anymore. It often depends on the sweetness of the berries as to how much sugar you may need and individual preference.IMG_1173

-Pour cooled “gel” mixture over strawberries and chill.IMG_1177

Side Note: You can add a tin layer of cream cheese (low fat if you prefer) on the bottom of the crust and this will help prevent the crust from becoming soggy. That is why you want your berries to be good and dry. We do not have the problem of the crust getting soggy due to the pie not lasting long enough.

As always, if you make it please let me know what you think. Also, share the love and you can click on the share bar to share on your social media outlets.

Enjoy!

Jennie B

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Healthy Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

These babies are GOOD!IMG_20160325_142012276

While at my aunts home one day she shared one of her sacred cookies (as she called them) with me. I typically would not have eaten one of her cookies as they were usually your typical cookie loaded with crap. BUT, when she told me the ingredients I was curious as to how good they were. Wow! I was impressed! Especially with them being Paleo friendly, Gluten free and Dairy free. I fixed these for my Birthday, so I could have a little treat, and as you know with the hubs being gluten intolerant it was a treat for him as well. Oh, I must tell you that our son loves them too!  They are a win win in our home.

-1 1/2 cup Almond Flour

-1/4 tsp Baking Soda

-1/4 tsp Salt

-2 Tbs Coconut Oil, melted (unrefined & cold pressed)

-1/2 tsp Vanilla

-1/4 cup Honey (local & raw)

-1 Egg

-1/2 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.

Melt coconut oil (in another bowl). Then add vanilla, honey and egg. Add your dry mixture to the wet and then stir in your dark chocolate chips.

Put in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Scoop a tablespoon size ball onto parchment paper that is on a cookie sheet.

Bake for five minutes and, with a spatula, flatten gently and bake an additional 5-8 minutes. Let cool on wire rack.

If you make these please let me know what cha think!

Much Love,

Jennie

 

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Jennie B’s Kinda like Chili Soup

One thing I always look forward to, when coaching a group of peeps, are the shared recipes.IMG_20160122_184106872

In my 21 Day Full Body Detox one of my Detox Warriors shared a recipe for a Kale and bean soup. While it was good (to me) my boys would not eat it, so I put Jennie B’s twist on it. They Loved it. My husband even said it is his new favorite. Whoa! I must of done good!

Kinda Like Chili Soup

-1 small onion

-1 tsp EVO

-2 can diced tomatoes

-1 can great northern beans

-1 can chili hot beans

-2 cooked chicken breast (I boiled mine)

-2 cups chopped Kale

-2 Tbs chilli powder

-1/2 tsp cumin

-1/2 tsp black pepper

-1/2 tsp garlic powder

Few shots of Frank’s Hot Sauce (optional)

I your pot sauté your onion with EVO, cook until transparent. In a blender, blend the 2 cans of tomatoes. Add tomatoes to the onions. Then add remaining ingredients, minus the Kale. Add the Kale towards the end and it is ready when the Kale has wilted.

Enjoy! And as always I would Love feedback if you fix it.

Much Love,

Jennie

 

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Healthy Sweet Potato, Apple and Parsnip Bake

Sweet PotatosThis is truly about as healthy as you can get!

Nothing but real food, a little water and (my favorite spice) cinnamon.

A couple of Thanksgiving’s ago I wanted to do something different for the “sweet potato” dish. My husband and I love sweet potatoes. We eat them almost everyday. Nine times out of ten you can find a couple already baked in our fridge. Why? Because when you plan and prepare you have things cooked sitting your fridge ready to heat up. Right? Anyways, sweet potatoes are by far my favorite complex (good) carb. I literally could eat one at every meal. I know, I’m weird. So, I searched the internet for recipes and found a couple that sounded good. Most of them called for honey, brown sugar or maple syrup but being that sweet potatoes and apples natural sugar I thought I could pull it off without adding any kind of sweetener. Guess what? It worked! Talk about good!

The Recipe

Bake four good size sweet potatoes until almost done. Peel and slice.

Peel 2-3 baking apples (I like granny smith’s)

1 large Parsnip

2 Tbs water

Sprinkle Cinnamon on top

Cover and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. Uncover and check. Continue baking if need be.

Note: I peel and slice the apples then cut the slice in half. I also put in a slice of a parsnip every other layer. If you really like parsnips use two and layer however you wish. As I am typing I just thought, eew, you could chop up some pecans and sprinkle on top. Pumpkin seeds would be good too. Add your own touch and let me know how your touch turns out.

Enjoy!

Jennie

 

 

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Rockin’ Gluten Free Cornbread

My Rockin’ Gluten Free Cornbread1764

I have gotten my cornbread recipe down…

It so ROCKS if I do say so myself!

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

3/4 cup milk

2 cup corn meal (make sure it is GF)

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

2 tsp baking powder

1 Tbs raw honey (local is best)

2 Tbs melted butter (make sure it is GF)

Combine dry ingredients and add to wet ingredients. Be sure to whisk wet ingredients together. (Some people like for the eggs to be room temp) Bake in greased 8×8 glass dish or cast iron skillet @ 450 for 20-25 minutes!

I freeze any leftovers and that works very good!

Enjoy!

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Healthy Ranch Dip

This dip is SO easy AND healthy AND yummy! When you eat this dip on your veggies, you are getting a double punch. You are getting your Complex Carbs AND Protein!Greek Yogurt Dip

-16 oz Plain nonfat Greek yogurt

-1 packet of hidden valley ranch mix

This is great to keep in the fridge to have a dip for your your raw veggies.

You can also add milk (whatever kind you use) and put in a shaker…and BAM you have a dressing!

Be Happy. Be Healthy. Be You.

Jennie