Black Bean Quinoa Salad

     

This is a wonderfully colourful salad and was a hit when I took it to a family picnic. With the quinoa and black beans it is almost a full meal all by itself but also goes great with what ever you have going on the barbecue.

 

Quinoa has become very popular lately and for people who are trying to eat less gluten this is great!  Years ago if you didn't want to eat wheat, rice was pretty much the only option. Now quinoa is on the scene with 10 grams of protein and 8 grams of fibre in 1/2 cup which makes it great for vegetarian dishes as well.  I love the delicate texture and the mild taste, it really just compliments any other food you put with it.  

 

I love this salad because it is so colourful and tastes so fresh with the tangy lemon dressing and the corn which gives a nice sweet pop.  I found some good quality dried basil and I think this is the key to the fresh taste.  If you have fresh basil this would be great too!

  

 Black Bean Quinoa Salad

• 1 cup raw quinoa
• 2 cups water

Place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Yield 4 cups. Let cool.

• 2 cups cooked black beans
• 1 1/2 cups canned or frozen corn
• 1/3 cup chopped green onion
• 1/3 cup diced red pepper
• 1 Tbsp. dried parsley
• 1 Tbsp. dried or fresh basil

Dressing: 

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. Sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. Pepper

In a large bowl mix quinoa, beans, corn, onion, pepper, parsley and basil.  In a small bowl mix all dressing ingredients.  Toss together and chill.  Salad will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.  

Black Bean Quinoa Salad was shared on Gluten Free Fridays and Meal Plan Monday

Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

There is nothing quite like chocolate chip cookies to bring back memories of childhood!  Fresh out of the oven, still warm with the chocolate chips melted and soft.  Or better yet, fresh out of the freezer still cold with the chocolate chips nice and crunchy!  After school, with a glass of milk, all the problems of the day don't seem so big anymore.  

 This gluten free version of an old favourite is as good as Mom's.  When they first come out of the oven they are a bit crisp but after they were completely cooled I put them in a sealed container and they became so moist and chewy and the flavour is amazing.  The child inside all of us needs a chocolate chip cookie once in a while.  But it is hard to have just one!

 

 

Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup cane sugar (or 1/2 cup white sugar + 1/2 cup brown sugar)
• 2 large eggs
• 4 tsp. Vanilla
• 2 cups Gluten Free Flour Blend
• 1 tsp. Baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 cup GF oatmeal
• 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

Cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat until light.  Stir together flour, soda, salt and xanthan gum, add to batter and mix until well combined. Stir in oatmeal and chocolate chips.  Refrigerate for one hour then shape dough into one inch balls and flatten with the palm of your hand on a cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 -12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Yield: 2 1/2 doz.

Chicken Potato Salad

 

Most people aren't too fond of leftovers but I will tell you a secret, I love them!  I sometimes even make extra food so I don't have to cook the next day.  Some meals do make better leftovers than others and some things are even better the next day.  We all have times that are more busy than others or sometimes want to bring leftovers for a lunch on the go. This is is a perfect recipe for that, and luckily my family loves it! 

The next time you are cooking chicken and potatoes, make extra for a wonderful full meal salad.  It can be served two ways.  If you are going to eat it right away then you can mix all ingredients together in a large serving bowl but, if it isn't going to be eaten for a while I just layer it on a plate or in a container to be mixed at the time of eating. This keeps the lettuce nice and crisp.  

Like anything with mayonnaise, keep it chilled.

 

 

Chicken Potato Salad 

**Per person**

• 2 large lettuce leaves
• 1 green onion
• 1/2 cup cold, cubed potatoes 
• 1 cup cold, cubed chicken
• 1 Tbsp. Easy Blender Mayonnaise 

Tear lettuce, chop onion.  Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Serve immediately.

Easy Blender Mayonnaise

 

I am looking forward to fresh garden vegetables!  Lettuce, spinach, onions, tomatoes, they all taste so good and make meal prep in the summer so easy.  My family is very happy to be served these wonderful vegetables every day all summer long in various combinations, but the favourite is with mayonnaise.  Maybe it's the Belgian blood.  This was all fine until I realized that store bought mayonnaise is not very healthy.  I have been reading labels more often lately and I don't always like what I see!

 Learning to make homemade mayonnaise has been on my to-do list for over 25 years now.  I had been told it was easy but when ever I tried it didn't work, it would always separate into a lumpy, oily mess! It has been quite a while now since I had attempted but I have done some research and decided to try again.  Success!  I figured out the secret, all ingredients must be at room temperature! Maybe I had been told this before, I don't remember.  Often this is the way it is, things are easy once you know the trick.  So basic mayonnaise is egg, oil, salt and either vinegar or lemon juice then you can add any spices or seasonings you like.

 

Easy Blender Mayonnaise 

**All ingredients must be at room temperature **

• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 
• 1/2 teaspoon honey(optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika 
• Dash onion powder 
• Dash garlic powder 
• 1 cup avocado oil

Place all ingredients except oil in blender and process for 30 seconds.  Cover (the lid for many blenders have a whole for adding liquids). With the blender running add oil in a thin, continuous stream.  Mixture will thicken.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  Refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Easy Blender Mayonnaise was shared on Gluten Free Fridays and Savoring Saturdays  

Gluten Free Apple Puff Pancake

Hot out of the oven, crispy and sweet, covered with whipped cream.. What could be better?

 German Puff Pancakes or Dutch Babies are something that our family was just recently introduced to.  My daughter was visiting a friend and she brought home the recipe for a puff pancake with a sausage filling.  (Which I will share in a future post)  I modified the recipe, made it gluten free and added some apples and cinnamon to give you a wonderful Mothers Day treat!

For Mothers Day I wanted to share a poem with you that was special to my Mom:

Live Each Day To The Fullest 

By S.H. Payer

Live each day to the fullest. Get the most from each hour, each day, and each age of your life.  Then you can look forward with confidence and back without regrets.

Be yourself - but be your best self.  Dare to be different and to follow your own star.

And don't be afraid to be happy.  Enjoy what is beautiful.  Love with all your heart and soul.  Believe that those you love, love you.

Forget what you have done for your friends and remember what they have done for you.  Disregard what the world owes you and concentrate on what you owe the world.

When you are faced with a decision, make that decision as wisely as possible - then forget it.  The moment of absolute certainty never arrives.

And above all, remember that God helps those who help themselves.  Act as if everything depended on you, and pray as if everything depended on God.

 

 

Gluten Free Apple Puff Pancake 

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 cooking apples (Spartan or Macintosh)
• 3/4 cup Gluten Free Flour Blend
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum 
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp. cane sugar or honey 
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a cast iron skillet melt butter over medium heat.  Peel and slice apples, sauté them in butter for 5 minuets, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, combine all other ingredients in a mixing bowl or blender.  Blend until smooth.  (I use an immersion blender in a mixing bowl)  pour the batter all at once into the hot skillet with the butter and apples.  Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until pancake is set and slightly browned.  Serve immediately with sweetened whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.  

Gluten Free Apple Puff Pancake was shared on:  Gluten Free Fridays and Savoring Saturdays