hands of love #26...

Ready for some recipes???

It's been a year since our last "hands of love" post!  Originally, the posts were during our time of "nutritional therapy" as Caroline's hair was falling out and we dived head-first into the world of gluten free eating to see if it would make any difference.  (Who knew that would be the way we'd discover that Marc would be the gluten free one among us?!)

When we ventured into the land of gluten free, I knew very little about food or cooking, and so it's probably not a surprise that the whole endeavor was FAARRR more burdensome than enjoyable initially.  But it was through that crazy time I began to read ingredient labels and understand what was IN our foods and why that mattered.  Cooking began to give me more joy as I understood more about it.  I'm definitely no "foodie," and I'm definitely not on any type of strict food restrictions, but I do love to (as much as I'm able) make and eat meals full of nutritious, whole foods that actually work for my body instead of against it.  (and most of those happen to be naturally gluten free!)

I found some great recipes to share!

THIS (pictured left) is the salad I want to eat for the rest of my life:  Southwestern Chopped Salad with Cilantro Dressing.   Oh my goodness, yummmmmm.  It'd be great for picnics, church functions, company, everyday, anyday, TODAY.

Both kids ate this salad.  (can I repeat that?)
BOTH KIDS ATE THIS SALAD.

(I'd probably double the ingredients in the dressing next time, because can you really get enough Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing in your life??)

I'm convinced the secret to cooking with small children or if you're super busy is one thing:
THE CROCKPOT.

I'm all about dumping in a bunch of stuff and having dinner waiting for me when I get home.  It's even better when I can double or triple the recipe to freeze extras for future meals, and here's one of those easy, GREAT meals: Enchilada Chicken Stew.  (just garnish with cilantro and avocado.  Honestly, honestly- I didn't miss the cheese this time.  But of course, you could add it!)

Here's another super delicious one: Quinoa & Vegetable Stir Fry.  Quinoa (pronounced "KEEN-wah") is a grain, similar to rice but with more protein and nutritional content.  I actually didn't have any quinoa on hand, so I opted for brown rice instead, and doubled the amount of rice the recipe called for.

I also added some shrimp cooked in soy sauce to the meal.  (for the record, Kikkoman and La Choy soy sauces are gluten free)

This was a yummy alternative to coleslaw, No-Mayo Avocado Slaw.  Took me 10 minutes to make.  Next time, I'd put less vinegar than the recipe calls for, but it was still a GREAT side dish with our hamburger/hot dog cookout with neighbors.  (And not to mention, stocked full of good veggies.)

There you have it!  From my hands of love to yours.  

hands of love #25...

It's been a year and a half since our last "Hands of Love," can you believe it?

These posts started, of course, when we were trying nutritional therapy to see if it might help Caroline's hairloss before we knew she simply had alopecia.  (which requires no special diet)  Crazy enough, that's also how we discovered Marc's sensitivities to gluten.

We're still cooking gluten free around here for Marc's sake.  After 3+ years, cooking gf has become old hat.

People sometimes think gluten free = healthy, and that's not necessarily the case.  You can eat just as much junk on a gluten free diet, and just because it doesn't have wheat in it doesn't mean it's going to help you feel better or lose weight like some fad dieters want to believe.   I think the key to feeling good and boosting your immune system is to eat and cook with as many REAL, whole foods that occur in their natural state and haven't been processed.

With our move downtown and traveling this summer, our family's eating has been less-than-stellar, to say the least.  My kids only seem to want carbs (as do I!), and I'm tired of it.  It was time to find some carb-free recipes (that didn't taste carb-free, you know?) that I could add into our rotation in order to increase the amount of vegetables we consume.

Here are a few worth sharing!

1.  Chicken enchilada stuffed zucchini boats.  Sound weird?  Maybe.  But instead of a tortilla, there's a zucchini to eat in its place. And though it wasn't my favorite meal of all time, it was pretty good!  Here's the recipe I used.  (save time by skipping the make-your-own-sauce part--- unless you're into that sort of thing--- and just buy the canned enchilada sauce)  

Caroline only ate the inside filling part (which also had zucchini in it!), and Jameson chowed down the whole thing.   This week I'm trying an italian stuffed zucchini boat- we'll see if that goes over any better...

If you're going to try any of these recipes, though, THIS is the one to make!!!

2.  Vietnamese Cauli-Fried Rice.  Get the recipe here.  (again, don't worry about making the extra sauce part, just make the fried rice dish)  Cauliflower fried rice, people.  That is where it's AT.  You won't even miss the carbs.

Of course I didn't tell the kids this was cauliflower and not rice.  I just served it and watched them pig out.  Caroline said between bites, "Mom, this rice is SO good!  Is it quinoa?"  

"No, it's not quinoa," I answered, pretty dang proud of myself.  "Do you want to know what it is?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"It's actually cauliflower!" I was so giggly and beside myself, if only I had waited until after she had finished it.  

She set her fork down.  "Ewww, it's gross.  I can't eat that."  (ha ha ha!!)

 Another carb-free option we made were lettuce-wrap tacos.  I've never tried a lettuce wrap, nor have I had the desire to try one.  Gluten free people, this is where I have felt so sorry for you as I watch you roll up your hamburger patties in LETTUCE.  In my book, lettuce is NEVER to be a substitute for bread...

Maybe that was why I gave the kids the option of the lettuce wrap.  (aaaaand they opted for tortillas, of course)

But surprisingly, it wasn't too bad!, especially with a big ol' heaping of homemade guacamole dumped on top.  :)

Of course the easiest, quintessential carb-free meal is to make spaghetti and substitute the noodles for spaghetti squash noodles.  In all of these options (except for the cauliflower rice), I'd say you've gotta be pretty committed to eating healthy, because we all know there is just no comparison between the taste of a squash vs. real pasta.

An oven-baked frittata (aka crustless quiche) was a super easy carb-free lunch one day.   Here's an easy recipe that you can adapt for whatever's left in your fridge.  (I think I used chopped spinach, leftover sausage and cheese)  Serve it with a small side salad, bacon, fruit, whatever!






There you go.  Made for my sweet family with hands of love, in hopes that a few more veggies will be consumed...  hope you enjoy!

where she needs to be...

Well, I must say, as difficult as the adjustment to school-life has been for me, I can't neglect to tell you all the wonderful things about it, too.


This girl is LOVING school.  She was made for it.  She comes home with so much new knowledge (in kindergarten!), and so many new, sweet friends.  One of them is the little girl in her class without a hand... how precious is that?

And for her to have an amazing art teacher that is beautifully bald like her... how could I be more grateful?

So even though the change of pace has been difficult, every day confirms that she's exactly where she needs to be.


Here's what they're working on this week alone. (this is a classical Christian school, fyi, from a reformed episcopal background, though students and faculty are from over 40 different churches in the area)  


We've got a ton of papers in the folder each day, and I love how she adds her own Caroline "signature" by putting a flower headband on top.  :)


On a little side note, I'm actually having fun with the school lunch thing for now!  (I know, I know- I'm sure this eagerness won't last too much longer...)  I spent an ungodly amount of money for this lunchbox (called a Laptop Lunch), but it's seriously been AMAZING for us.  In addition to school lunches, we take it on trips and pack snacks in it, and I don't know if it's the bright colors or the little, separate containers, but I can pack a bunch of veggies in there and they'll surely be gobbled up.

If you search on Pinterest, you can find parents who get a little crazy, over-the-top obsessive about this lunch packing thing, but for me, it's kinda fun to think of what simple things I can fit into each container, and the best part is- it miraculously comes home EMPTY every time.  (that probably makes it worth the investment...)


Here's a lunch I packed the other day-- 1/2 turkey/cheese sandwich, Pirate Booty, cucumbers & carrots with ranch to dip in, a pickle, blueberries, and a cookie.  Not to shabby, eh?


Here was yesterday's-- 2 hardboiled eggs, salad with ranch, a muffin (just taken out of the freezer-- made these with her several weeks ago), veggie straws, grapes, and a cheese stick.


What's also nice about having big sis in school is that I've gotten much more one-on-one time with this handsome fella.


He is growing by leaps and bounds now at 10 months, and everyone concurs that he is the most content, happy baby around.  (Thank you, God.)


He's having a good time exploring the house on his own and taking a couple of naps before it's time to go pick up sister.  He is usually cracking up laughing at her on the way home-- his way of saying he missed her.


I'd say the feeling is mutual on her side, too.  :)

Still trying to figure out how to help decompress the after-school exhaustion and irritability.  (Whew, it's hard!  Some days I feel like my child is possessed!)  But it'll come.  (...right?)

Still.  Even amidst the craziness, God has been gracious to pour so much blessing upon our heads.

hands of love #24...

Well, not much "new" stuff to share this time, but still thought I'd (Amy) post some pics anyways!

Unfortunately, Marc's not been feeling well lately. Even on his gluten free diet, all of his abdominal pain & gastro "issues" have resumed, and it's left him frustrated and feeling sick. After doing some more reading and research, his main theory is all of his sugar intake which he hasn't been limiting since before the holidays when all of this started. (we know he has a problem with sugar because after he drinks a sugary drink, for example, he'll break out in a rash & get really itchy!)

So now, in addition to being gluten free & mostly dairy free, he's now recently made the decision to try to help his gut heal by going GRAIN-free and sugar-free for a time. (I know, I know. We're now those wierd, kooky people.) We know it seems ridiculous, but for Marc, he said he was feeling so bad that he was willing to try anything, and after a week & a half of it, he is feeling SO much better. (though I don't think this will last much longer!!! I must admit, Caroline and I have run out for pizza when Marc is eating lunch with a student...)

So what can you eat when you're going temporarily grain-free??, people ask. (no rice, no wheat, no corn.)

Made with hands of love....

A TON of salads. (that goes without saying, I'm sure)

Eggs, bacon, & fruit for breakfast.

A hamburger wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun.

Steak, potatoes, steamed veggies.

This dish without the quinoa...

I found a recipe online for "paleo" pancakes... they were interesting, lemme tell ya... there's a reason I'm NOT posting the recipe online.... :)

A crustless quiche.

Omelets with any toppings inside.

Lots and lots of these frozen pops from fresh smoothies that we make. (a GREAT way to pack in veggies like spinach & kale into your kids, by the way)

And the BEST thing to eat (whether you're on a restrictive diet or NOT!) was a homemade, cauliflower pizza! For those of you who didn't try making one the first time we posted one, now is the time to try it! You will seriously be amazed. There's no flour or grain in it. Yep- a crust made of a vegetable. AND it's delicious. Perfect.

Here's the recipe. This is what it looks like when you get the cauliflower, eggs, & cheese shaped into a "crust" on your pizza stone.

After you bake it, it comes out like this.... yumm!

Then put whatever toppings you want on it, bake it a little longer, and...

out comes your pizza! Hope you will try it & see what you think!

hands of love #23...

Oh, do I have some incredible recipes for you, so get your pens & paper ready!! (I'll wait.)

It's so exciting when you find those KEEPER recipes, you know? The ones you know you'll be adding into your regular repertoire, not just saving for special occasions?

And because they're naturally gluten free, (no special modifications needed) they're great for anyone whether you're GF or not!

Got your pen ready yet? Ooh, I am so excited to share these!

Made for my sweet little family with hands of love...

Southwestern Salad with a Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette. Whenever I make mexican food for company, here's THE salad I'm making to go with it. It is DELISH. I didn't go all out like the recipe calls for-- didn't get cojita cheese (just sprinkled on some of the mexican cheese I already had), didn't have any pumpkin seeds on hand, didn't put any tortilla strips (though I could've put a few of our tortilla chips broken up on top), and didn't have any avocado on hand, either. But whatever. It was soooooo good.

HERE'S the 2nd greatest recipe of all time, folks. I'm serious. (the first one is at the bottom of this post!) Best chicken I've ever had hands down. The meat was literally falling off the bone-- unbelievable. And get this-- it's made in the CROCKPOT!!!! (woohoo!!!) So easy. Here's the recipe. (and I'm liking the blog I found it on, too. She even includes how to use the bones from the chicken to make homemade chicken broth to use when cooking rice or quinoa or for soups, etc.) MAKE. THIS. DISH. (and then let's rejoice at how yummy and easy it was together!)

Broccoli cheese soup. (in my feeble attempt to try to eat more vegetables & a little less meat in my life)

Speaking of no meat, this meal was entirely made up of veggies!! It's pasta sauce with mushrooms (instead of meat) over spaghetti squash for the "noodles" with a side cucumber/tomato salad. No meat, and no starch. This type of meal is definitely the way to pack in some veggies, though I have to admit I'm hungry a couple of hours later....

For any of you who haven't tried using a spaghetti squash before... Just cut it in half longwise, scrape out the seeds, rub a little olive oil on the side with the seeds, place it face down on a baking sheet, and cook it at 350 for 40 minutes or so. When you take it out of the oven and turn it over, use a fork to gently scrape out the insides & it will instantly come out as "noodles." You can eat the noodles with white sauce, with marinara, or maybe just sprinkle on some parmesan cheese if that appeals to you more.

It's worth trying! Caroline definitely prefers the real noodles, but I can still get her to eat these if I top it with enough sauce. :)

A cobb salad using leftover ham from Christmas dinner.

And HERE it comes, ladies and gentlemen... THE recipe of a lifetime, especially for you gluten-free'ers... (drum roll here, because I, of all people, am NOT a good dessert maker...)

a FLOURLESS chocolate cake!!!!!!! (did you catch that? Flour-LESS!!!) And it's SOOOOO easy to make! Whether you're gluten free or NOT, this is like the silkiest tasting brownie you've ever had-- serve it warm with ice cream on top & it's to DIE for. TRUST me. NO more brownie mixes! THIS is it. I've already made 2 of these things for company THIS WEEK. :) Outback Steakhouse (which is very gluten-free friendly, by the way) has something similar to this on their regular dessert menu, and Marc says this rivals it.

Flourless Chocolate "Cake"

9 ounces of semisweet chocolate, chopped (get the good stuff at the grocery store that comes in squares-- ours is in the health section-- I used a combo of dark & milk chocolates for mine)

1/2 cup butter (or Earth Balance spread, for dairy free)

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

a little cocoa powder

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease an 8 inch round cake pan, and dust with cocoa powder.

2. Melt the chocolate & butter separately. (I did this easy breezy in my microwave)

3. Mix melted chocolate & melted butter, stir in sugar, eggs (already beaten), & vanilla. Pour into prepared pan.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack and cool completely. Slices can also be reheated for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving. (serves 8)

It's probably not too hard to convince you guys to make this one, eh? :)

Hope you can enjoy the labors of these hands of love!

hands of love #22...

Don't know why, but these "hands of love" have been uninspired lately! Everybody goes through cooking ruts, though, right? There's no doubt I am in one now.

But life still rolls along and you gotta eat! And in our case, that means eating gluten free. (thankfully Marc is back on dairy, though he limits it by drinking coconut or almond milk with his cereal in the mornings)

Some people have asked us recently about starting a gluten free diet, or how to cook for a friend that's gluten free & coming over, so I thought I'd share a few pointers. Hopefully some of these "Hands of Loves" blog entries have given you ideas along the way, and hopefully it has shown that it's not as crazy of a diet as everyone seems to think initially. (like I did!!)

BUT! If you are attempting a gluten free diet (or thinking about it for various health ailments-- it's amazing how many of our family members have been greatly helped and will never go back!), there's a few SUPER important things worth mentioning.

1. The main thing is that there can be NO (absolutely NO) cheating. It's not a diet like that. If you cheat even once, it negates any improvements you might have had in your gut, even if you don't feel it right away. Some people say they are helped by limiting gluten & not eliminating it altogether, but if your body has any sensitivity to it/intolerance, with continual digestion of gluten, you are potentially looking at major health issues in the future. (gluten intolerance is currently being linked to all types of major diseases---not just celiac-- and doctors are finally starting to screen for it more often-- most of the time it goes undiagnosed as IBS or it's already surfaced as asthma or migraines or other chronic conditions...)

I say-- if you're thinking about trying GF-- why not try it for 2 weeks and see if any of your symptoms are improved? For Marc, I remember he actually felt WORSE the first 2 days, but by day 3 it began an amazing improvement in his energy, gastro stuff, attentiveness, and mood. Of course, he's dropped over 40 pounds, too, but that was never our intentions in doing this diet-- just a nice side-effect!)

2. The second most important thing! To truly get the benefit of a gluten free diet to see if it works for you, you MUST avoid any possibility of cross contamination. This is a biggie that often gets overlooked because it seems extreme at first, but if you are sensitive to gluten, it only takes a TRACE of the darn thing to get in & wreak havoc on your system.

If you're cooking gluten free in your kitchen, some of the things you HAVE to do:

• NEVER put gluten free bread in your toaster. Think about it- there are TONS of crumbs in there. Gluten free means it's never TOUCHED anything with gluten. We have 2 toasters. We bought a cheapie and labelled it GF for Marc's bread.

• Use a new stick of butter when you're cooking for your gluten free buddies. Your old stick of butter (and the plate that it rests on) has likely been in contact with bread or crumbs.
• Get new condiments-- especially peanut butter or jelly that you have spread onto bread and then put it back into the jar. Ketchup, mustard, etc. also apply.
  
• Make sure your pots and pans are washed WELL to avoid any cross contamination possibilities.
• Check all your medications, your spices, every last food or sauce in your cabinets to ensure there is no gluten in them. Learn which brands of soy sauce, for example, don't have gluten in them.
• Cross contamination is HIGHLY likely in any restaurant, but probably less likely in those with a specific gluten free menu. (Outback Steakhouse is extremely accommodating and they have a gluten free dessert that is to die for!! You can also eat GF on-the-go at Chick Fil A & Wendy's if you know what to get.)
  

Crazy, huh? It sounds like keeping a kosher kitchen! (in a way, it is!) Those are just a few things off the top of my head-- the learning curve is steep, but once you KNOW what you can eat, it's very do-able. And delicious, too! Just not super convenient.

Sorry for that rabbit trail! Don't know if that stuff is helpful or not.

Now to the food. With the cold weather upon us, we've been craving more of the warm, comfort foods...


Shrimp and grits with broccoli. YUMMMMMM...


Gluten free macaroni. (this recipe is from Jerry Seinfeld's wife's cookbook called "Deceptively Delicious" because there's also pureed butternut squash in here, too! You'd never know...plus you're adding a veggie in there!)


Pasta with sausage.


Chicken quesadillas with more butternut squash snuck in! (also from "Deceptively Delicious")


Creamy potato soup.


Sweet and sour drumsticks.


APPLE PIE!!! This was my biggest gluten free accomplishment yet, folks! I need to try a different crust recipe next time b/c this one wasn't THE one, but when I find it, I'll be sure to share with you. The filling was DELISH! My gluten free hubby, who NEVER gets to eat pie anymore, (b/c I don't bake!!) was in heaven anyways. :)

I'm also convinced that to go gluten free, it's a team effort. It takes a support system for someone to do it, especially if you're not the one who usually cooks in your family. It's a commitment from me (who is NOT gluten free) to help my loved one that must be.

I originally took on the gluten-free challenge to see if it helped the health of my daughter, but the Lord was really preparing me to help my sweet husband. That blows my mind.

These hands, though they're uninspired, have still got lots of love. :)

hands of love #21...

Fall is here and it's time for warm comfort foods like soups and chili! (and thankfully Marc's back on dairy again! Although he's only eating it in small amounts...)

For any of you who are gluten free or know someone who is, I MUST recommend a cookbook for you--- Gluten Free Quick and Easy. Seriously, I've never kept coming back to the same cookbook so often because I'm loving every single recipe I make. So many of our previous "hands of love" recipes have come from this book-- it's amazing, and I keep forgetting to mention it to you guys. Here's 3 recipes I used from it just this past week:


Kelli's White Bean Chili. (except I had cans of tri-colored beans to use instead) DELICIOUS.

Then I used the leftovers(or you could freeze it) to make this one the next day:


Crispy Corn-Chip Pie.


Thai Salmon Chowder. Make salmon for dinner one night, and cook an extra one to freeze or use in this recipe later. This is ideal for a light lunch, whether you're gluten free or not! Marc & I LOVED it. Would've been even more beautiful & tasty had I stirred in some cilantro before serving, but oh well! Here's the recipe:

1 cup of gluten free chicken broth
2 medium red potatoes, unpeeled but scrubbed
1 tsp minced onion (I used onion powder)
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1 can (14.5 ounces) coconut milk
1 cup frozen yellow corn, thawed (I used fresh corn that I already had)
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tblsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce or crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 cup cooked salmon, in chunks
1 tsp dried parsley, for garnish (didn't have any)
1/2 tsp paprika, for garnish (forgot this)

1. Bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium-heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the potatoes, onion, and salt, and cook, covered, 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add the coconut milk, corn, curry powder, thyme, lime juice, hot pepper sauce, and garlic powder and bring to serving temperature, stirring constantly. Do not boil. (I also took a fork and sortof mashed the potatoes into the soup)

2. Gently stir in the salmon, taking care to keep chunks intact. Heat to serving temperature. Serve immediately, garnished with dried parsley (or cilantro) and paprika.

Makes a generous 4 cups. Serve with a green salad and/or bread!


I'm also trying to incorporate more vegetarian dishes into our repertoire, but honestly, we're struggling with not feeling full! How do vegetarians do it? Would love some great GF (FILLING) meatless recipes and ideas if any of you have some! Here, I substituted lots of veggies where I'd normally use ground beef with spaghetti sauce over GF pasta.


FlourLESS Peanut Butter Cookies. (that's right- flourless.) Here's one we ALL can whip up really quick!

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350. Stir together the peanut butter & sugar in a bowl. Beat in the baking powder. Add the egg. Mix until it is all well combined.

Be prepared to get your hands messy, as the dough is sticky. Roll dough into a ball. (the smaller, the better they hold together) You can roll the ball into white sugar at this point, but I didn't. Put onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper & bake in the oven for about ten minutes. You'll know the cookies are done when they feel coherent but still a little soft. Let the cookies rest for at least 5 minutes. (I gently pressed down on mine with a fork to help them flatten.) After 10 minutes or so they will have hardened. Eat 'em & enjoy!

Made for you, my sweet family, with hands of love!