Crock Pot Classic Baked Beans From Crock Pot Slow Cookers

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Cook Time

8-10 hours on LOW
4-5 hours on HIGH

Slow Cooker

4 - 4.5 Quarts

Yields

6 servings

　

Ingredients
48 ounces pork and beans
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
　
Directions
1. Place all of the ingredients in the Crock-Pot® slow cooker, mixing to combine.
2. Cover; cook on Low 8 to 10 hours (or on High 4 to 5 hours).

Crock Pot Stuffed Pasta Shells From Crock Pot Slow Cookers

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Cook Time

4½ - 6 hours on HIGH


4 - 4.5 Quarts
5 - 5.5 Quarts

Yields

　

Ingredients
20 ounces cheese stuffed pasta shells
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons olive oil
28 ounces plum tomatoes, canned
6 ounces tomato paste, canned
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup white wine
　
Directions
1. Sauté mushrooms in a skillet.
2. Add mushrooms, tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, garlic and white wine to slow cooker.
3. Cook on High 3½-5 hours.
4. Add shells and cook for 1 additional hour.
Sunbeam Products, Inc. d/b/a Jarden Consumer Solutions ("JCS") has not tested these recipes and is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you try from our website. You may not achieve the results desired due to variations in ingredients, cooking temperatures, cooking times, typos, errors, omissions, or individual cooking abilities. Please always use your best judgment when cooking with raw ingredients such as eggs, chicken or fish. o

Crock Pot Italian Roast From Crock Pot Slow Cookers

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Cook Time

8 - 10 hours on LOW
4 - 5 hours on HIGH

Slow Cooker

6 - 6.5 Quarts

Yields

6 - 8 Servings

　

Ingredients
12 ounces tomato paste, canned
4 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 envelopes dry onion soup mix
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
4 pounds chuck roast
32 ounces diced tomatoes, canned
2 onions, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
4 bay leaves
　
Directions
1. Mix together all ingredients except roast.
2. Place roast in slow cooker. Add soup mixture.
3. Cover; cook on Low 8-10 hours or on High 4-5 hours. Remove bay leaves before serving.
Sunbeam Products, Inc. d/b/a Jarden Consumer Solutions ("JCS") has not tested these recipes and is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you try from our website. You may not achieve the results desired due to variations in ingredients, cooking temperatures, cooking times, typos, errors, omissions, or individual cooking abilities. Please always use your best judgment when cooking with raw ingredients such as eggs, chicken or fish.

Crock Pot Lamb and Orange Marmalade From Crock Pot Sow Cookers

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Cook Time

6 - 8 hours on LOW
4 hours on HIGH

Slow Cooker

Yields

　

Ingredients
8 lamb chops
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon oregano
4 cloves garlic
1 orange
salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
　
Directions
1. In skillet, brown lamb in oil, drain well. Thoroughly combine wine, orange juice, oregano, garlic, salt, pepper, and bay leaf.
2. Brush browned lamb with mixture and place in stoneware.
3. Cover and cook on Low 6-8 hours, or High 4 hours.
Sunbeam Products, Inc. d/b/a Jarden Consumer Solutions ("JCS") has not tested these recipes and is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you try from our website. You may not achieve the results desired due to variations in ingredients, cooking temperatures, cooking times, typos, errors, omissions, or individual cooking abilities. Please always use your best judgment when cooking with raw ingredients such as eggs, chicken or fish.

Crock Pot Pork Chops with Potatoes in Mustard Sauce From Crock Pot Slow Cookers

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Cook Time

7-10 hours on LOW
4-5 hours on HIGH

Slow Cooker

4 - 4.5 Quarts
5 - 5.5 Quarts
6 - 6.5 Quarts

Yields

　

Ingredients
6 to 8 pork loin chops
2 tablespoons cooking oil
10 1/2 ounces cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 medium potatoes, cut into thin slices
1 onion, thinly sliced
　
Directions
1. In a skillet, brown, pork chops on both sides in hot oil.
2. Drain. In stoneware combine mushroom soup, chicken broth, mustard, thyme, garlic and pepper. Add potatoes and onion, stirring to coat.
3. Place browned pork chops on top of potato mixture.
4. Cover cook on Low for 10 hours or on High for 5 hours.
Sunbeam Products, Inc. d/b/a Jarden Consumer Solutions ("JCS") has not tested these recipes and is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you try from our website. You may not achieve the results desired due to variations in ingredients, cooking temperatures, cooking times, typos, errors, omissions, or individual cooking abilities. Please always use your best judgment when cooking with raw ingredients such as eggs, chicken or fish.
rko

It's Back!!! Gluten Free Jubilee at Sprouts!!

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It's that time again, folks!!!! Gluten Free Jubilee at Sprouts!

May is Autism Awareness month at Sprouts and in honor of that, they are offering 25% off all gluten free products starting April 28th and continuing until June 2nd!!!



Stop by your local Sprouts and stock up on all your favorite gluten free goodies! (including Van's products...have you entered to win a coupon for a FREE box yet!?!) While you're there, you can also elect to donote to Autism Speaks!! Spread the word!

Winners of the Van's Free Coupons!!

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Thanks to everyone who participated! The odds of winning were fantastic--everyone who entered won!! Yaaay!

So here's all the winners:

Blogger Entrants:

Michelle and Lauren

Twitter Entrants:

@kimicalg
@jenniferGFinGA

And yes, I said there would be 5 winners, but only 4 people entered! So I guess the last winner is...me!! Hooray! :)

To all the winners: Please email me your address at gfsteph@gmail.com or if on Twitter, please send it to me in a DM! I hope you all enjoy your free gluten free waffles/pancakes/french toast sticks! I know I will. :)

Back From Hiatus

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I am making my return to blogging and boy, do I have a lot to fill you in on!

I took a little hiatus from blogging, though I never devoted an offical post to it because, to be honest with you, I wasn't sure if it was going to be a hiatus or a permanent end.

I had been struggling a bit with the direction of my blog and felt I had lost why I originally started it to begin with. My initial vision for this blog was to write about my life living gluten free and somehow along the way I felt it dissolved into a strictly product review site. At the same time, I was struggling with whether or not I even wanted to share more of my private life. So, I was at a crossroads.

Then, one of the biggest events to ever hit my personal life happened. And I had a decision to make. I decided to take some time away to focus on my life, then would decide later on whether or not to continue. I made my blog private and deleted my twitter. I needed some time to focus on me, my husband, and our family. I didn't want the distractions of social media. Basically, I was burnt out. And I felt like I was living a lie because I had huge, huge things going on that I wasn't sure I wanted to share with the blogosphere.

What was that huge news? Well, I'm ready to share it now...

Ladies and gentleman, I am pleased to annouce our son, Benjamin, born in January 2011!!

I found out last May that I was pregnant and wasn't sure if I wanted to share such private information on the interwebs. After several months of debating, I decided just to take the stress of keeping up with the blog off my plate.

I have decided now that I want to continue with my blog but get back to what I always wanted it to be. No pressure, no guilt over not posting, just a girl in front of her computer writing about her life, which just so happens involves being gluten free (and dairy free and chocolate free, but more on that another time...).

I am excited to be back and part of the gluten free/blogging community once again. I'm sure there is a lot to catch up on!

(Also, I've restarted my Twitter (GF_Steph). Follow me here. Follow me so I can follow you!)

My Life Now

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Well, the cat is out of the bag. I'm a mom now.

I had a relatively uneventful and normal pregnancy. My celiac disease was a non-issue the whole time. I am thankful to say that I remained gluten free during my entire pregnancy and did not encounter any cravings involving gluten-filled foods that I couldn't find a perfectly acceptable GF substitute for. Even eating gluten free at the hospital was a breeze. That surprised the hell out of me! They asked upon check in if I had any dietary restrictions, and then all my meals were completely gluten free without me having to utter another word about it. I expected the food to suck real bad too...one day they brought me gluten free french toast...but it was actually really good and I enjoyed it! I guess I worried about starving to death for nothing!

Other news...I am officially a stay at home mom. It was a decision that was made for me, unfortunately, when I was laid off three weeks before giving birth. It couldn't have come at a better time for us though, as we had been considering whether or not we could make me staying home with the baby work. I considered the lay off the universe's way of telling me that this is where I belong.

Benjamin is currently two and a half months old. I just found out at his doctor's appointment last week that he is having a reaction to something in my diet. It was something that I was suspecting given his fussy nature and other symptoms I noticed (rash, etc). So, I am currently eliminating all dairy and chocolate from my diet to see if it is the problem. I'm about a week into it right now. His pediatrician said to continue for 30 days to truly see if there is improvement or not. One of the first things I thought when I was told I'd have to start a gluten free diet was, "But wheat is in everything!" But gluten free and dairy free? Holy crap, that sure narrows your choices because milk is in everything too! Luckily for me though, the doctor said after 30 days I can slowly add dairy back to my diet to determine Benjamin's threshold. I'm already looking forward to eating the biggest chocolate bar I can get my hands on!!

I also talked to his doctor about whether or not my celiac disease makes him more susceptible for food sensitivities and he said no. It's just whether or not he got my celiac gene. We won't know obviously until he starts solid foods. And at that time we either watch for an obvious reaction or test to see if he's reacting. Either way he'd have to be ingesting glutenous foods. I'm undecided at this point what direction I want to go. Being gluten free isn't the end of the world. I've considered just avoiding introducing any gluten to his diet, at least for a while. I guess we'll figure it out when the time comes and I talk more in depth with our pediatrician. I'll get his opinion because I really feel he would know the best approach. I have to say that I was very impressed when I brought up celiac disease and he did not miss a beat. He was very well informed on the topic which brought me great comfort! I kind of expected an empty look when I brought it up, considering my history with my own doctors and the topic. One time I mentioned being gluten free to my doctor and, after giving me a confused look, he asked me why. I said, "because of my celiac disease...?" Way to go doc! Way to read my chart! Lol. I can handle myself though, but when it comes to my son, I'm glad he has a doctor who is knowledgable and educated on celiac disease. Hooray!

Other than that, life is good. Having a baby is hard work, there is no doubt about that! Giving up dairy and my favorite food group in the world (chocolate) has been difficult as well, but at this point, I'd eat rice all day every day if it meant my baby was a little happier (and easier) day to day.

Well, that's all for now. With that I'll leave you with a picture of Ben being totally awesome at life:

Gluten Free/Dairy Free Check In - Week Two

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Well, I have officially rounded the bend of two weeks being dairy free. Our pediatrician says that it takes at least this long for the cow's milk proteins to get out of my tissues. Now for the next two weeks, we monitor Ben's behavior to see if the elimation diet has made any difference.

So what have I noticed?

This past week, it's like I have an entirely different baby. A baby that I actually enjoy being around, and believe it or not, I miss him when he goes to sleep. Ben has been a fussy, fussy baby since his 2nd day of life. It was downright exhausting most days. If he wasn't sleeping, he was crying or fussing and nothing could make him happy. Getting him to sleep was a battle most of the time too. You can imagine how frazzled and helpless I felt at the end of each day. But now? He's smiling this HUGE smiles that engulf his whole face. He's content to sit by himself in his bouncy seat and stare at the monkeys hanging from the bar in front of him. He kicks his legs and throws his arms out at the same time, thoroughly entertaining himself. He's chatting up a storm, filling our house will coos, gurgles, and loud shrieks. And he rarely fusses at all. He's happy to just stare at whatever is around him, taking it all in. It is amazing. And dare I say, EASY?

Yesterday we had him out and about all day long and he barely napped. I thought for sure that he was going to have a meltdown of epic proportions. But he didn't. He was just hanging out, quiet as can be. Several people even said he was such a "chill" baby. It's borderline weird to hear someone say that given the struggles we encountered during his first 10 weeks of life.

It's exhilarating though. I feel like a whole new woman. I can leave the house without worrying about whether or not he'll tolerate it! As far as my limited diet goes, I had a hard time at the beginning. I felt like I was starving to death the first couple of days. It was frustrating because it was like starting all over from the beginning. What unassuming products have dairy? What can I eat? How can I go on living without chocolate and ice cream, and most importantly, chocolate ice cream? But luckily with this elimination, I knew what to expect. I knew the first few days were the hardest. And I knew that loading up my house with several options of safe foods would be the key to my survival and sanity. And even luckier this time around, Udi's products already exist and are all dairy free as well! Best news of my life!

So I'm putting this elimination diet is the WIN category. I'm glad we figured this out. And I'm glad I already had experience being on a restricted diet because it really made for a smooth transition. Being GF/DF isn't the end of the world. Besides, if it wasn't for this little experiment I wouldn't have discovered my new favorite food: STRAWBERRY SORBET!! *dies*

Free Flowers

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I got a call that sweat shirts at a local store were on sale for $3.  My teenage daughter said, "I could use a couple more sweat shirts."  Off we went.  As we were leaving the store an employee was handing out flowers.  We really didn't know why, but thought it was a nice gesture.  The flowers were handed to my daughter, but when we got home she offered me one.  I reached into the bouquet to pull one out and out came a stem with 4 blossoms and 2 buds.  We both laughed that I reached for one and got 4.

I went to my china cabinet and got out a bud vase.  The flowers are just beautiful and sitting in my kitchen.  They make me smile every time I see them.  A little breath of spring in the winter time.


This morning I saw some flowers that made me laugh.  This is how a teenager takes care of their flowers.  I present "The Teenage Bud Vase."

New Recipe - Sticky Biscuits

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We like to make Monkey Bread every now and then around here.  It's not complicated, but it is time consuming.  When I saw this recipe for using refrigerator biscuits it reminded me of Monkey Bread.  I had to give it a try.  The only minor problem I had was I only had 1/4 cup of pancake syrup.  I had considered using some pure maple syrup from the fridge.  Maybe combining it with some Caro syrup, so the maple flavor wouldn't be so strong.  In the end I thought there was so much butter and brown sugar it would be OK only using the 1/4 of syrup I had.

 I was right it was just as sticky as anyone would want it.
I love the toasted flavor of the nuts.  Personally I don't think they should be optional.  I used only almonds today, but pecans would be really good too.
I took the liberty of changing the name of the recipe.  It was originally called "Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring."  Check out her blog called "The Jones Way."  With a recipe this yummy, she's bound to have more great things over there.
Sticky Biscuits

2 small tubes refrigerator buttermilk biscuits
OR 1 1/2 tubes Pillsbury Grands! buttermilk biscuits
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 cup pancake syrup (any brand you like
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped pecans, optional
1/4 cup chopped almonds, optional

Spray a fluted/Bundt pan with non-stick spray

Combine the melted butter and syrup in a small bowl and set aside.

In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts (if desired).

Place about half of the syrup mixture in the bottom of the pan. Then sprinkle half of the brown sugar mixture on top. Lay the biscuits on the bottom of the pan, overlapping edges (closely together) to form a ring. Top with remaining syrup and sugar mixtures.

Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool for 1 minute in the pan, then invert onto a serving platter and enjoy.

** I ended up using 1 1/2 tubes of the Pillsbury Grands! refrigerator buttermilk biscuits (1 tube didn't seem like enough) and baked it for about 30-40 minutes.

So simple.


So delicious!

Zingy Zig Zags is finally finished!

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Nearly 3 years later I finally got this finished.  I had connected this project with watching football.  So, it took several football seasons to get it done.  I only worked on it while watching football.  Since the 49ers were doing so well this season I got very close to finishing.  When the 49ers didn't make it to the Super Bowl I decided to go ahead and watch it and work on my afghan.  Still not finished I then decided to keep working on it until it was done.

Fringe and all it's done!
The only bad thing about his afghan is it's from a book about using up your scrap yarn.  I had to buy more yarn to finish it.  I was 10 inches away from finishing it and I just couldn't stop it would have been too narrow.  I can't believe my "use up the scraps" afghan has caused more scraps.  I have lots of yarn left over.  Considering making another afghan from the "Scrap Afghan" pattern book or will it be creating a vicious circle?  I was lucky this time that the colors of yarn were still being sold.  I may not be so lucky next time.
The one family member who I think loves afghans the most couldn't wait to relax on my nearly made blanket.  Turned my back for a second and who was already laying on it?  Yes, Poodle-Doo couldn't resist a finely crafted homemade afghan.

Quick and Delicious Chicken Empanadas

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My daughterneeded 15 culture points for Spanish and asked for ideas.  I said I had always wanted to try making empanadas.  What did she think?  She loved the idea.  I wanted to find a recipe that would be super simple as we didn't have a lot of time to really cook from scratch... after school... after track practice and before bedtime on a school night.  It had to be good though.
I found a recipe from "Semi-Homemade" Sandra Lee.  It really seemed very easy and I had all the ingredients but the pie crust.

I went one step further than Sandra Lee and I bought premade pie crusts from Pillsbury.  My folks use them at Thanksgiving for their pies and they always tastes just fine.  I didn't have time to mix and roll out pie crusts

This recipe was surprisingly SO delicious we are definitely going to make them again.  It was a great mother/daughter cooking project seeing as my daughter doesn't like to cook. 

We had an assembly line.  She worked on making the filling.  While she was doing that I cut out the pie dough.  After the filling cooled I would fill the pie dough.  It was a messy affair that took finding a technique to keep the filling in as I pressed it closed.  After wetting the edge of dough using my teaspoon cookie scoop I would plop the filling on the dough.  Then I would fold the piece in mid air with the fold facing the ground.  That way I used gravity to keep the filling in the empanada as I pinch it closed.  I would first pinch the dough closest to the fold on each side.  This made a cup like structure that made all the difference in the world in keeping the filling in.  I then gently pressed up to the top of the half circle evenly on both sides.  I handed the empanada off to my daughter who then pressed the edge with a fork and forked the top of the little pastry.  She lined them on on a cookie sheets and baked them.  Using 2 packages of Pillsbury pie crust and my 2 1/2 inch cutter I got about 64 empanadas.

They were a big hit at school.  She got 25 points for her Spanish sentences about making empanadas and the class got to eat them.

Chicken Mini Empanadas (with my tweaks)

Ingredients

• 2 Pillsbury Pie Crusts
• 1 11-ounce can white chicken meat, drained
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 1 3-ounce can sliced ripe olives
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
• All-purpose flour, for dusting

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken, salsa and olives. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese. Cool slightly.

On a lightly flour-dusted surface, unroll the dough that has been brought up to about room temperature. Using a 3-inch-round cutter (my cutter was about 2 1/2 inches), cut out 36 circles, rerolling the scraps as needed. Place about 1 teaspoon of chicken mixture in the center of each circle. Moisten the edges with water. Fold the circles in half and pinch to seal. Pierce the tops with a fork.

Place the empanadas on a baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes, or until golden. Serve hot.Lynne's note:  A couple of the empanadas didn't seal despite wetting the edge, pinching close and pressing edge with a fork.  It worked out OK as none of the filling came out.  We used these "ugly ones" to taste test.

Oreo Cookies on a Stick

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I saw Oreos dipped in chocolate on a stick online and thought how cute, yummy and quick would these be for a bake sale at my daughter's school.  I did a search online.  Read up on how others had made theirs and decided on a couple things.  I didn't want to open each cookie up to put the stick in as a couple sites recommended.  I definitely wanted to use popsicle sticks verses the white candy sticks.  I just loved the look of the stick.  I also loved the look of the white candy coating with sprinkles.
What I needed... 2 packs of "Double Stuf" Oreos, one pack of popsicle sticks, 2 - 12oz. bags of white candy coating (I used Guittard), and sprinkles of your choice.  This made 52 Oreo pops.  I think I had about 6 broken cookies that didn't even make it to the stick process.  DH was glad to put them out of their misery.
For each cookie I measured how far I wanted the stick to go in then I pushed it into the cookie.
I found that probably half the cookies were either already broken or I broke them pushing the stick in.  Not sure which.  Holding the cookie semi firmly with fingers and thumb of one hand as I pushed the stick in kept everything together.  I found the frosting held the cookies together nicely and that the broken cookie wasn't a factor in the finished product. 

Only one time out of 52 did a piece of the broken cookie dropped off into the chocolate. I just picked it up and stuck it back in place. No problem.

52 cookies on a stick waiting to be coated.
 After a few air pockets emerging on the sides I decided it was better to coat the center of the cookies before coating the top and the bottom.  I never dipped the cookies as I didn't think they stay on the stick and the broken cookies might fall a part.

  I used a spoon to drizzle candy coating around the center frosting section Then I spooned some coating on the top and using a "saucing a pizza like swirl" I spread the coating.  Flipped the cookie over and repeated.  I then gently tapped side of stick with my finger to loosen up the excess candy coating to drip back into the double boiler.  Good thing I did this as with 2 - 12oz bags of candy coating I was JUST able to coat 52 cookies.  Would not have been able to do 53.
 I put all the cookies on wax paper.  It was a little too warm in my kitchen yesterday for them to set in a timely manner. I ended up putting them in the freezer for 15 minutes.
 Since these were something quick I wanted to try for a bake sale I didn't bother standing them up to set and putting sprinkles on both sides.  For a party at my house I might do that.
 They just turned out adorable. They looked like something one would have to buy. I know they will be a hit at the bake sale. I could have sent them over like this, but I was feeling very crafty yesterday.And I wrapped each one in a little bag.

Greater Phoenix Gluten Free Expo!!

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The Greater Phoenix Gluten Free Expo is back!

This expo is being held at the Sheraton Cresent Hotel on April 16th from 10 am to 2 pm. The cost of entry is only $5. I went last year and it was fun! They give you a bag and you are loaded up with free samples and goodies of gluten free products! You also get to meet a lot of great people from local restaurants that offer gluten free menus and meet representatives from some gluten free companies! Last year I even spoke with the general manager of the Outback Steakhouses in our area and told him that I ALWAYS get glutened at their restaurants! If they talk the talk, they better be able to walk the walk, right?

Here is the location information, I hope everyone in the Phoenix area is able to check it out:

Sheraton Cresent Hotel
2620 W Dunlap Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85021

You can also visit their website for more info.

GF/DF Week 3, Funny Story, Amazon, and Granola Bars

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I made it through another week. This week was hard, I'm not going to lie. Chocolate is my best friend and I've been thinking about it constantly. It's a weakness. It's hard too that everywhere I look there is delicious Easter candy on sale. Of all the holidays (and yes, I do rate them based on candy selection), Easter candy is my favorite. Delicious chocolate bunnies and tiny chocolate eggs and, even better, chocolate eggs stuffed with all kinds of yummies...I love it all and I'm lusting over it in the aisles of the grocery stores. Ben was also having a bit of a rough week (I'm blaming a growth spurt) so I was feeling a bit defeated. But I stuck it out and I have decided to divert my attention to making homemade strawberry sorbet. Hooray!

While I'm talking about my adjustment to being dairy free, I have to share a funny story. Last Saturday, Brandon and I were celebrating our anniversary 2 days early and went to dinner at the same fancy restaurant we go to every year. I was concerned about navigating the menu now that I had extra precautions to take. I made sure to tell the waiter to omit the butter on my steak, and we had him hunt down a GF/DF dessert option (hence my new obsession with strawberry sorbet) and I thought, Yay! I aced my first restaurant trip! So here's the funny part -- I was really worried about my salad course. They had a wedge salad but I knew I couldn't have ranch dressing on it. I'm not much of a fan of other dressings so I chose something else...something that only had oil and vinegar on it! What was it?? Fresh Mozzarella and Sweet Tomato salad. Caprese, essentially. I ate it, enjoyed it, didn't think anything of it and neither did Brandon! HAHAHA. I was sooo concerned about avoiding the dairy in ranch dressing that I ate three slices of mozzarella cheese without so much of a second thought. But what makes this story even funnier? I didn't realize that I did this until a WEEK later. For some reason, that salad popped in my head and I stopped and thought--Waaaaiiiitttt a second...mozzarella is cheese! I told Brandon later and he had the same reaction as me! I can't believe we missed that!! Hahaha--duuuhhhhh. I've been so used to just looking for hidden gluten that it's kinda hard to switch gears and analyze all ingredients for dairy too. Oy. Well, there's always a learning curve!!

In other news, I have to say that I love love love Amazon. I buy a rediculous amount of stuff from there already, but I've just recently discovered the joys of ordering gluten free products from there as well. For example, my 6-pack of Kinnikinnick Animal Cookies just arrived today and I'm already plowing through my first box. But what's even better is that you can get a 3-pack of Udi's gluten free granola or if you don't want to commit to one flavor, you can get their sampler pack! How convenient is that?!?! I love it! What I especially love is that a 3-pack is only $14.00 which equals out to about $4.67 a pouch. I think at Sprouts I pay $5-6 each! Ouch! I love their granola so this is a major SCORE for me!! (By the way, I'm not getting paid or anything to say this, I'm just genuinely excited to find this as I can't always get to Sprouts when I'm out of these things because of the little one.)

Finding Udi's gluten free granola sold in bulk on Amazon is perfect timing because I just made the most addicting gluten free granola bars!! I use to love putting their granola in yogurt but since I can't do that anymore, I had to find a different way to get my fix. Granola bars are perfect because I can grab it quick and eat it on the go and one-handed! That is a must these days! The batch I just made last Friday barely lasted through the weekend; it was sooo addicting.

Here's the recipe in case you want to give it a try. I'm going to type it up exactly as I did it. I had to wing it a bit because I discovered that my light brown sugar was as hard as a rock. So I improvised and used granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of molasses. My next time making it I will probably half the molasses because that flavor was very prominent to me when I first bit into it. These are also pretty sweet so make adjustments according to your preference.

Chewy Gluten Free Granola Bars

1/4 cup butter (I used dairy free Earth Balance)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 package Udi's gluten free Au Naturel granola
1 cup Enjoy Life Perky's Flax cereal
1 tablespoon flax seed meal
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium size bowl, combine the granola, flax cereal, flax seed meal, cinnamon, xantham gum, salt, and vanilla extract. Set aside. Combine butter, honey, sugar, and molasses in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until sugar is melted. Remove from heat and add to the bowl of dry ingredients. Toss the mixture to completely combine and coat. Spread and pack firmly into a greased 13 x 9 inch pan. I let it sit for a couple of hours at room temp to harden up. You can also speed up the process by putting in the refridgerator for an hour or so.

These were so delicious I'm making a second batch today. :)

Gluten Free/Dairy Free Check In -- Week 4 & 5

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We might have hit a breakthrough. It hasn't been easy though.

Last week was hard. On top of being fussy, Ben started to really fight me at feedings. He would latch, unlatch, arch his back away from me, squirm, cry, sometimes scream...it was exhausting and truly baffling. I was at a month being dairy free--which originally seemed like the answer! But here I was, my baby was sleeping less and was now apparently trying to launch himself away from me while screaming during feedings. And to top it all off, the eczema on his legs was flaring up. We took him in to the doctor's office because I just didn't know what direction I should take. Continue dairy free? Test it? Find out if it's a different food? He also started fighting taking a bottle like a champ. We switched him to soy formula which he took to fine at first (he gets formula in the few instances I'm away from him). Then he would have nothing to do with it. So was soy a problem? But he won't take the hypoallergenic (read: $$$$$) formula either. Is he just being opinionated and picky?

As you can see, my head was spinning so fast and I didn't know what to do. Within the first 5 minutes of being with the doctor he said, "Yep, he has reflux!!" He wrote us a prescription for Zantac that really seems to be helping a lot. He told me to wait a week and then try to start challenging the dairy and see if Ben has a reaction. He said to just start eating dairy as I normally would, but to be honest, I am TOTALLY chicken to just jump back in. I'm afraid I'm going to eat something cheesy and delicious then follow it up with a big ol' bowl of chocolate ice cream, then all of the sudden at 3 am Ben is going to unlatch, look up at me with his red eyes, sprout horns, and before I have a chance to protect myself, he'll just eat my head right off. I'm baby steppin'. Dunking my little pinky toe back into the dairy pool, if you will. I had some ranch dressing the other day (I KNOW, RIGHT?!?!). Then allowed myself a chocolate pudding cup a while later. Yesterday I had the same, but I threw some white cheddar cheetos in the mix. So far, Ben has been an angel. Last night he even slept 7 1/2 hours.....STRAIGHT. I don't anticipate this happening again, however; I feel like babies like to giveth and then taketh away and laugh in your face while you're crying from sleep deprivation.

Deep down in my heart, though, I'm secretly hopeful that the reflux has been the problem all along and I can go back to my life wherein I drowned myself in cheese, and ice cream, and chocolate cupcakes. Also, my birthday is about a week away and I would really like to eat an entire gluten free chocolate cake (with chocolate frosting) all by myself and not suffer the wrath of demon-dairy baby.

This week I finally made my first solo outing with the baby...and where did I go? Gluten Free Country Store, of course!!! It had been waaaaay too long since I'd be there, and boy have I been missing out! They have so much GOOD stuff! And a ton of things I haven't tried yet! I was sad though because without knowing whether or not I am staying dairy free, I had to turn down a lot of really good looking food! I'll definitely be making another stop if I get to enjoy dairy again. But I did get Better Batter flour mix to try! And also some Enjoy Life dairy free chocolate chips. And some dairy free/soy free butter. So do I see some chocolate chip cookies in my future? Hmmm....maybe!

Also....Happy Earth Day!!!

[image credit]
This year, in our house, we are trying to lessen our waste amd reduce our carbon footprint by starting to cloth diaper (about 3/4 of the time, at least at first). So we're going green and saving some green at the same time! Hooray!
Alright, well I'm off to take care of the baby...what's that? You'd like to see some super adorable pictures of him?
Okay!

Dang, I make cute babies. :)

Mexican Taco Soup (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

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I got this recipe from the Whole Foods Recipe App on my iphone. I changed it here and there to fit my needs. I really liked it! It was simple, easy, and used things I almost always have on hand. Plus, I just really love Mexican food.

Mexican Taco Soup

1 pound ground turkey
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 package taco seasoning
2- 14 oz cans of gluten free chicken broth
1 can black beans, rinsed
1- 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 can corn
1 1/2 cups medium salsa

Brown turkey in a large skillet. At the same time, cook onions in a large soup pot until translucent. Add garlic and turkey to the onion in the soup pot. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the meat and add the remaining ingredients. Simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes and enjoy!

Sooo easy, perfect weeknight meal!

Little crawler, dairy light, and thanks

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Hi everyone! I hope you all are enjoying your summer! The heat here in Arizona has been absolutely brutal. Ben and I aren't getting out of the house much these days because I just can't handle toting a nearly 20 lb (!!!!!) baby around in his 20 lb carseat without dying of heat stroke. So my days have been filled with this...

And with rescuing Benjamin from sticky situations like these...

And this..
As you can tell, he is officially MOBILE! He is in every single corner of this house and is exploring every possible inch he can get to. It has been a lot of fun watching him discover his world, but it also doesn't leave very much downtime for me. I'm enjoying every day as it comes, but am collapsing into bed each night completely exhausted. I'm going to have my hands full with this kid!

To play a little catch up, Benjamin just turned 6 months old. He is tipping the scales at just over 19 pounds and his doctor has confirmed that he is definitely bigger overall than most babies his age, but he's perfectly plump and not overweight! LOL :)


We have gotten his acid reflux under control--finally!! He has a pretty severe case, requiring 2 different medications to keep it under control. He's become a much more pleasant little boy since figuring it out!

He's also started solids! I give him rice cereal, as well as vegetable and fruit purees. He's taken to it really well and so far isn't a very picky eater. Fingers crossed this continues! I'm making the majority of his baby food, except for a few things that I can't get a smooth enough texture out of (like green beans) and things I'm not interested in trying to puree (like prunes...blech).

I talked to his pediatrician at his most recent appointment about his milk protein sensitivity. He told me that as he gets older, his threshold for how much he can tolerate will increase. So, after what--4 months or so?-- of being dairy free, I now consider myself dairy-light. I am allowing a little bit of dairy in my diet. Okay....full confession time? I may have gone a little overboard in the last few days because I'm so excited about having some of my favorites again. :) Oh, and for the record, the first splurge was pizza. And ranch dressing. I nearly died in the car afterwards when I realized I could eat CREAM CHEESE again! And no more spending a ridiculous $6 for a bag of dairy free mini chocolate chips!

I'm so excited about having more options again that I am itching to get in the kitchen and dust off my apron and get to baking. With, you know, real butter! I recently tried the Better Batter gluten free flour mix to make breaded chicken breasts and I loved it so I can't wait to see how it holds up in other recipes. Hopefully sometime this week I'll have my answer.

Benjamin's pediatrician is also 100% on board with not introducing any form of gluten into Ben's diet until I feel comfortable (have I mentioned that I LOVE his doctor?!). Right now I won't even think about it until probably after he turns a year old (which will be never, right? Because my baby is never going to grow up. RIGHT?!). I'm going to wait until then to make a more firm decision based on what feels right to us.

Lastly, to wrap this up so I can go to bed, because it's 9:28 pm and therefore encroaching on my bedtime, I just want to thank everyone who wrote to me to give me their tips on being dairy free! I appreciate all the advice that was given to me! It's always hard to start a new elimination diet so to have people telling me what works for them was a big help to me and I appreciate all the encouragement and support! Thank you!!!!

Gluten Free Banana Bread Using Better Batter

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I've been on a total banana kick lately...which is funny as several years ago I used to hate bananas. But now, they are the cream cheese to my bagel <3. I also recently picked up some Better Batter flour mix at Gluten Free Country Store (this is an uncompensated review, btw) that I've been itching to use. So what better than to combine the two and make banana bread!!!

I found the recipe using Pinterest (umm...hello, love that site). The original recipe can be found here.

The results didn't disappoint!!

Gluten Free Banana Bread

 (pics are from my iPhone, so sorry if they are shitastic)
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup), softened (sub dairy free if necessary)3/4 cup brown sugar2 eggs1 tsp vanilla4 large overripe, mashed bananas2 cups Better Batter Flour Mix1 tsp baking soda1 tsp cinnamon1/4 tsp nutmeg1/4 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine butter and sugar until creamy. Add mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Beat until well combined.
In a separate bowl, combine GF flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir until combined. Pour into a greased bread pan.
Bake for 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before removing from pan.
(again...iPhone pic. My apologies)
I can't vouch for what non-GF banana bread tastes like (see: aforementioned hatred of bananas), but to me, I can't tell this bread is gluten free! It is dense, but not spongy. It's moist, but not mushy. It has just the right amount of sweetness. The crust is the best part: a little crunchy, a little chewy. This bread is so delicious, I will definitely be making it again! And again. And again.

So far I love Better Batter's flour mix..it is a cup-for-cup substitute that stands up in recipes really well. If you haven't browsed their website yet, check out their recipe archive. So many good recipes, it leaves my head spinning!!

If you live in Arizona, the ONLY place I have been able to find Better Batter products is at Gluten Free Country Store! Check them out ASAP! Love them!

Corned Beef And Cabbage

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"In the U.S. and Canada, consumption of corned beef is often associated with Saint Patrick's Day. Corned beef is not considered an Irish national dish, and the connection with Saint Patrick's Day specifically originates as part of Irish-American culture, and is often part of their celebrations in North America."

"In Ireland, the closest traditional dish is bacon and cabbage [more akin to Canadian style bacon or ham]. Corned beef and cabbage became popular in the U.S. after Irish immigrants in the northeast used corned beef instead of pork in the dish. This substitution was likely due to the low cost of corned beef in the U.S."

"Corned beef was used as a substitute for bacon by Irish American immigrants in the late 19th century. A similar dish is the New England boiled dinner, consisting of corned beef, cabbage, and root vegetables such as carrots, turnips, and potatoes, which is popular in New England and parts of Atlantic Canada."

"Corned beef is prepared before the actual cooking of the meal by seasoning a cut of beef with salt [large grains of salt were known as corns] and spices and the natural meat juices. "

"This meat is then placed whole, like a rump or pot roast into a crock pot, which in olden times was a ceramic pot over a fire, filled with cabbage and carrots, and, when available, red potatoes."

"However, after Luther Burbank's alteration of potatoes, the potatoes were chopped when placed in the pot. Rutabaga or turnips are also common ingredients. This meal can be left in a crock pot all day but must be kept in the naturally humid environment of cooking meat. Corned beef and cabbage is often served as a whole meal. Common condiments include horseradish, mustard, and cider vinegar."

"New England boiled dinner is the basis of a traditional New England meal, consisting of corned beef or a smoked "picnic ham" shoulder, with cabbage and added vegetable items, often including potato, rutabaga, parsnip, carrot, white turnip and onion. When using a beef roast, this meal is often known simply as corned beef and cabbage even with the addition of other vegetables."

From wikiHow

Corned Beef And Cabbage Recipe

5 lbs. [2.27 kg] corned beef brisket 6 peppercorns Cold water 1/2 lb. [227 g] salt pork 3 parsnips

6 carrots 6 small turnips 8 small white onions 6 medium potatoes 4 to 6 wedges of green cabbage Parsley Melted butter

Place the corned beef brisket in a large pot along with 6 peppercorns. Cover the corned beef and peppercorns with cold water, place the lid on the pot, place it over medium-high heat and allow the water to come to a boil. Lower the heat once the water comes to a boil and simmer the beef for 4 to 5 hours, or until tender.

Skim the fat off the top of the water with a spoon occasionally. Rinse all of the produce in cold water. Cube the parsnips and carrots, peel the turnips and onions, quarter the potatoes, cut the cabbage into wedges and chop the parsley while the beef cooks. Remove the beef from the pot once it is cooked, and place it in a warm area to rest.

Place 1/2 lb. [227 g] of salt pork in the simmering pot along with the prepared parsnips, turnips, onions, carrots and potatoes and allow them to cook for 30 minutes. Put the cabbage wedges into the pot for the last 15 minutes of cooking, so that all of the vegetables will be ready at the same time. Make herb butter by mixing the chopped parsley into melted butter, while you wait for the vegetables to cook. Slice the corned beef against the grain with a sharp knife. Arrange the corned beef and vegetables on a platter, and discard the salt pork. Spoon the herb butter over the vegetables and serve with mustard and pickles.

Text Credit: Wikipedia || Wikipedia || wikiHow || Image Credit: Flickr

Cherry Pie

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In the U.S. today is Presidents Day. To celebrate the day and honor our nation's first President today's recipe is cherry pie.

Excerpt from A history of the life and death, virtues and exploits of General George Washington by Mason Locke Weems ~

As told to Mr Weems by an aged distant relative who referred to the youth George Washington as a 'cousin': "When George," said she, "was about six years old, he was made the wealthy master of a hatchet! of which, like most little boys, he was immoderately fond, and was constantly going about chopping everything that came in his way. One day, in the garden, where he often amused himself hacking his mother's pea-sticks, he unluckily tried the edge of his hatchet on the body of a beautiful young English cherry-tree, which he barked so terribly, that I don't believe the tree ever got the better of it."

"The next morning the old gentleman, finding out what had befallen his tree, which, by the by, was a great favourite, came into the house; and with much warmth asked for the mischievous author, declaring at the same time, that he would not have taken five guineas for his tree. Nobody could tell him anything about it. Presently George and his hatchet made their appearance."

"George," said his father, "do you know who killed that beautiful little cherry tree yonder in the garden? " This was a tough question; and George staggered under it for a moment; but quickly recovered himself: and looking at his father, with the sweet face of youth brightened with the inexpressible charm of all-conquering truth, he bravely cried out, "I can't tell a lie, Pa; you know I can't tell a lie. I did cut it with my hatchet." "Run to my arms, you dearest boy," cried his father in transports, "run to my arms; glad am I, George, that you killed my tree; for you have paid me for it a thousand fold. Such an act of heroism in my son is more worth than a thousand trees, though blossomed with silver, and their fruits of purest gold."

From wikiHow

Cherry Pie Recipe

Double crust pie using pie crust mix 4 cups cooked, tart cherries 1 cup sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a pie pan with an 8-inch round of pie pastry. Drain cherries well. Combine flour, sugar and salt. Add cherries to flour mixture and stir gently. Pour cherry mixture into pastry line pie plate. Dot cherry pie filling with butter. Moisten lower edge of pie crust. Press edges firmly to seal. Cut slits on top of pie crust. Bake about 40 minutes or until the pie is golden. The filling will be bubbling through the pie slits.

The image shown uses a latticed rather than fully covered top crust.


Text Credits: Google Free eBooks || wikiHow Image Credit: wikiHOW

Mardi Gras King Cake

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"The first week of January in New Orleans starts the King cake season. King cakes first appeared after 1872, when the Rex Krewe selected the Mardi Gras colors [purple, green and gold]. The traditional King cake is a coffee cake, and is oblong and braided. It is iced with a simple icing and covered with purple, green and gold sugar."

"Each cake contains a hidden bean or small plastic baby, and custom tells that whoever finds it must either buy the next King cake or throw the next King cake party. One Mardi Gras organization uses the King cake tradition to choose the queen of its annual ball. Hundreds of King cake parties are thrown every year and hundreds of thousands of cakes are made, bought and eaten every year."

"A king cake [sometimes rendered as kingcake, kings' cake, king's cake, or three kings cake] is a type of cake associated with the festival of Epiphany in the Christmas season in a number of countries, and in other places with the pre-Lenten celebrations of Mardi Gras/Carnival."

"In the United States, Carnival is traditionally observed in the Southeastern region of the country, particularly in Mobile, Alabama, the towns and cities of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, southern Louisiana and New Orleans. In this region, the king cake is closely associated with Mardi Gras traditions and is served throughout the Carnival season, which lasts from Epiphany Eve to Fat Tuesday."

"The traditional colors of Mardi Gras are purple[for justice], green [for faith], and gold [for power]. These colors are said to have been chosen by Grand Duke Alexis Alexandrovitch Romanoff of Russia during a visit to New Orleans in 1872. This doctrine was reaffirmed in 1892, when the Rex Parade theme "Symbolism of Colors" gave the colors their meanings."

Some believe the significance of the cake's decorative colors are purple for royalty [hence the name king cake] gold for wealth [this in connection to king cake also being served during the Christmas holidays; symbolic of the 3 wise men bringing gifts to the baby Jesus], and green for good luck and monetary fortune.

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!

From Foodista

King Cake Recipe

For The Cake: 1/4 cup of butter 1 teaspoon salt 16 ounces sour cream 2 packages dry yeast

2 eggs 6 cups to 6 1/2 of all purpose flour divided 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon cup butter, softened 1/2 cup brown sugar

For The Frosting: 3 cups of sifted powdered sugar 3 tablespoons butter 5 tablespoons milk 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 drops of food coloring.

Colored Sugars: 1 1/2 cups sugar divided 2 drops of green, yellow, red and blue food coloring.

Combine 1/4 cup of butter, salt, and sour cream in saucepan. Heat until all has melted, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly.

Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar in warm water as according to directions on package. Let yeast stand for 10 minutes.

Add butter/ sour cream mixture, eggs, and 2 cups of flour in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed of an electric mixer for about 2 minutes or until smooth. Gradually stir in remaining 4 cups of flour to make a soft dough.

Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, until elastic. Place dough in a well greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (80-85 degrees) for one hour. Dough will double in bulk.

Combine 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Punch dough down and divide in half. Turn one portion of dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll onto a 28x10 rectangle. Spread softened butter and cinnamon mixture on dough. Roll dough in jellyroll fashion, starting at one end and roll towards other end. Halfway down the roll, add filling of choice [cream cheese, chocolate, Bavarian cream, fruit filling, etc.]

Finish rolling to end and gently place dough roll seam side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bring ends of dough together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching the edges together to seal.

Cover and let rise in a warm place 20 minutes.

Bake a 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Repeat procedure with remaining dough, butter, and cinnamon mixture.

Combine powdered sugar and butter. Add milk (at room temperature) to desired consistency for drizzling. Stir in vanilla. Divide frosting into three batches, tinting one green, one yellow, one combining red and blue for purple. Yields about 1 1/2 cups.

Place divided sugar in three jars or bowls. Place a drop of green in one container and mix well. Repeat for yellow and purple colored sugar.

Decorate each cake with batches of colored frosting and sprinkle with colored sugar.

In the recipe above, the time needed to allow the yeast to rise does not permit a quick prep or bake time. my time saving tweak for a king cake recipe is substitute a basic scratch cake recipe using flour, milk, whole eggs and egg whites, sugar, butter, baking powder, salt. A bundt pan makes a decorative shape. For the frosting dilute Karo syrup pour over the cake and then sprinkle colored sugar crystals.

Text Credits: Wikipedia || Wikipedia || Foodista.com || Image Credit: sookie's King Cake

Hearts Of Palm Salad

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Heart of palm, also called palm heart, palmito, or swamp cabbage, is a vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing bud of certain palm trees. It is costly because harvesting kills the tree. It is eaten raw, usually in salads, and has a mild, slightly sweet nutty flavor and a pleasant texture. In appearance it is off-white and usually sold as round stalks about an inch in diameter and 4-5 inches long, in jars or cans with salt water.

Heart of palm, also called palm heart, palmito, burglar's thigh, chonta, palm cabbage or swamp cabbage, is a vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing bud of certain palm trees notably the coconut [Cocos nucifera], Palmito Juçara [Euterpe edulis], Açaí palm [Euterpe oleracea], sabal [Sabal spp.] and pejibaye [Bactris gasipaes palms].

Harvesting of many non-cultivated or wild single-stemmed palms results in palm tree death [e.g. Geonoma edulis]. However, other palm species are clonal or multi-stemmed plants [e.g. Prestoea acuminata, Euterpe oleracea] and moderate harvesting will not kill the entire clonal palm. Heart of palm may be eaten on its own, and often it is eaten in a salad.

An alternative to wild heart of palm are palm varieties which have undergone a process of adaptation to become a domesticated farm species. The main variety that has been domesticated is the botanical species Bactris gasipaes, known in Ecuador as chontaduro, in Costa Rica as palmito, and in English as the peach palm. This variety is the most widely used for canning.

Peach palms are self-suckering and produce multiple stems, up to 40 on one plant, so harvesting several stems from a plant is not so expensive because the plant can live on. Another advantage it has over other palms is that it has been selectively bred to eliminate the vicious thorns of its wild cousins. Since harvesting is still a labor intensive task, palm hearts are regarded as a delicacy.

As of 2008, Costa Rica is the primary source of fresh palm hearts in the US. Peach palm is also cultivated in Hawaii, and now has limited distribution on the mainland, primarily to the restaurant trade. Florida's wild Sabal palmetto or cabbage palm was once a source of hearts of palm but is now protected by conservation law.

Brazil was the highest producer of uncultivated hearts of palm, but in the 1990s its quality went down - mostly because of unsustainable poaching for stems [called colete, Portuguese for "vest"] of the main producing species, Euterpe edulis - which is now considered as threatened with extinction in the wild. This left the market open for Ecuador to export its cultivated hearts of palm. Ecuador is now one of the main producers of hearts of palm. France is the largest importer of hearts of palm.

From Foodista.com

Hearts Of Palm Salad

For The Vinaigrette: 1/2 lime or lemon juiced 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 1 teaspoon sugar 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt to taste Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

For The Hearts Of Palm Salad: 1 can palm hearts - (14 to 15 oz) drained, and sliced crosswise 2 ripe mangoes peeled, sliced thin 2 ripe avocados (or 1 large) peeled, stoned, and thinly sliced 1/2 cucumber peeled, sliced thin 1/2 Scotch bonnet seeded, chopped fine (or other hot chile pepper) 1/2 lime or lemon to be squeezed on avocado to prevent discolouring

To make the dressing: Mix the first 4 ingredients and then drizzle olive oil in slowly while stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Assemble all the salad ingredients in a bowl and serve the dressing on the side.

Editor's Note: The photo illustration differs from the recipe in that the photo includes hard boiled egg, lettuce, tomato and beets and does not have avocado or peppers. my tweak of the recipe would be to eliminate the hard boiled egg and have mixed greens of frisee and radicchio and a vidalia onion.

Text Credit: Heart Of Palm || Heart Of Palm || foodista.com
Photo Credit: FromArgentinaWithLove.typepad.com