Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free » Vegetarian

Raw Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Amy — Mon, 20 May 2013 10:00:49 +0000

Removing dairy from my diet has completely impacted how I bake. I still miss it – not how sick it made me – but I miss the creaminess, the simplicity, the ease with which I could pull cream cheese, Greek yogurt, or sour cream out of the refrigerator and whip up a lovely dessert.

But, there are have been some unexpected, and quite tasty, surprises along the way. These Raw Lemon Cheesecake Bars are certainly one of them. They’re melt-in-your-mouth uber-creamy and just sweet enough with a nice, tart tang.

If you’ve been around SS&GF for a while, you know I was a a chunky kid. I continually struggled with my weight through my late twenties when I finally figured out that I couldn’t eat wheat or sugar and switched to a gluten-free, refined sugar-free, whole foods diet.

I was raised in the era of ‘fat-free foods’ and ‘spray butter.’ If you wanted to lose weight, you switched to fat-free Twinkies. And, of course, butter was the enemy so instead we sprayed our bread with some bizarre, and probably toxic, yellow liquid that tasted like butter. It seemed normal back then. Now, I have to laugh at the audacity of it all.

There were other ‘fat-causing ideas’ I’ve had to battle along the way. One quite insidious idea that’s come up in recent years is that nuts will make you fat. I’m not at all advocating for a nut-heavy diet. Yes, they’ve got incredible health benefits, including unsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, L-argentine, and plant sterols. They’re also calorie and fat dense. With all things, my experience has shown me that moderation is key.

I eat nuts daily. They’re a nutritious, portable gluten-free snack. But I eat them in moderation and with other foods, like fruits and veggies.

I’ve been wanting to make a cheesecake-type dish since going dairy-free. A couple of weeks ago Lauren shared her Thick Raw Lemon Bars on Slightly Indulgent Tuesday. They struck something inside of me, and I began conjuring up recipes in my head. This is the incredible result.
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Melted Leek & Red Pepper Quiche

Amy — Thu, 09 May 2013 10:00:22 +0000

For those of you still sorting through recipes to plan your Mother’s Day menu, I thought I’d share a quiche that has been a big hit at our house.

I actually started toying with this recipe back in January. My intention was to serve it as a meat-free, dairy-free option for Nate’s first birthday party. His party was in Ohio and we landed just 24 hours before the guests were scheduled to arrive. I barely had time to get the grocery shopping and the cupcakes baked. So, the quiche didn’t make it on the table. Thank goodness I had lots of help with the rest of the food from my sisters, aunt, and mom.

I’ve made this dish several times since. Like most quiches, you can make it the day before and serve it cold, at room temp, or warm. The pie crust can be mixed up and refrigerated for several days before baking. It’s an easy-peasy dish fancy enough for entertaining.

Some ideas for dishes you can serve with this quiche include:

a green salad with Blueberry Pomegranate Vinaigrette
S imple Berry Salad
Lavender-Infused Lemonade
Cucumber Basil Herbal Water
Lemon-Blueberry Muffins

You can also find more Spring Brunch recipes here and here.

And, if you haven’t downloaded your FREE copy of A Gluten-Free Mother’s Day do it now! There are 8 recipes with menu suggestions, each developed by moms. For more details about the book, read this post.
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Raw Apple-Walnut Snack Bars

Amy — Wed, 08 May 2013 10:00:00 +0000

I haven’t talked much about what we’re feeding Nate because, honestly, it’s been a bit of a struggle. When he was 9 months old, we found out that we needed to cut all dairy out of his diet. And, since I have problems with wheat we’re keeping him gluten-free until he’s at least 18 months old so that his gut is developed enough to digest it properly. I may keep him gluten-free longer as baby #2 will need to be gluten-free as well.

At play dates, I see mommas giving their kids dairy yogurt, cookies, and animal crackers. None of those work for our sweet little Nate.

Couple that with the fact that Nate would rather eat an orange (or any fruit) than a cookie or carbs, and the fact that he never, ever holds still and I’m left with the interesting challenge of finding foods that he’ll eat that will also help him gain weight. Or at least maintain his current weight.

I started searching for solutions and wanted foods to be whole-foods based, full of healthy fats, portable, and something he’ll gobble up. In the process I’ve found lots of foods he absolutely loves.
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Lemon Pudding Cakes

Amy — Thu, 02 May 2013 10:00:20 +0000

I’ve been obsessed with lemon lately. Maybe it’s because it’s nearly summer. Or, maybe it’s because I’m pregnant. Regardless, lemon just hits the spot.

Since Nate was born, and especially since he started walking, I have less and less time for baking. There’s always something else that HAS to be done. Washing diapers, picking up toys, folding clothes, scrubbing the high chair. You get it, right? The list is never ending.

When I do have time to be creative in the kitchen, it’s usually when I’m making dinner. And, dinner isn’t my favorite thing to make. Joe looked at me one night and said, “Honey, I know you’d rather be baking but you’ve got Nate to feed and we’ve got another one on the way. You’re a great cook. Just enjoy it.”

I’ve been working on that. And, I do enjoy it much more than I used to.

But, gosh, it doesn’t compare to the joy I get from whipping up dessert, or even a fresh loaf of bread.

So, I stayed up way too late getting these lemon pudding cakes just right. I wanted something sweet-tart, creamy, and light. In my mind, I’d envisioned something you could eat at the end of a summer cookout that would fit the dessert bill without leaving you weighed down. You know, the kind of dessert that has you begging for just one more bite.
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Raid-Your-Pantry Brownies for Attune Foods

Amy — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:00:28 +0000

If there was only one recipe you could make from my site, it should be this one. It’s over-the-top incredible. Joe and I both loved every single last bite.

Instead of your typical, one layer brownie, I made a nut crust, topped that with a super-fudgey, sweet-tart brownie layer, and finished off the dessert with a layer of chocolate-coated Crispy Brown Rice Cereal.

The texture and flavor combinations are bite after bite of bliss.

If there is a flaw to this recipe it would be that I made it for an 8×8-inch pan instead of a 9×13-inch pan. Really. That’s it.

I’m pregnant so I don’t mind admitting that I even ate these brownies before lunch. Typically, in a non-pregnant state I would never eat dessert that early. But, when you’re hungry and craving chocolate and 10:30am these brownies are absolutely divine.

When you hop over to the Attune Foods blog for the recipe, you may not have the exact same ingredients on hand that I used. No big deal. That’s why they’re called Raid-Your-Pantry Brownies. Dig through your ingredients and have some fun! Substitute your favorite nuts, dried fruit, or even throw in some spices. Take my favorite brownie and make it your favorite brownie.

Note: I am a Brand Ambassador for Attune Foods. This post is sponsored by Attune. Truth be told, I loved their products before I started working with them. Their gluten-free, refined sugar-free, GMO-free cornflakes got me through the first several months of my pregnancy when I could rarely stomach anything else. So, you can rest assured that I’m sharing my honest opinion of their products.

Time for brownies!

From my sponsor: Plan to Eat was born from our desire to eat real food – great food – prepared at home, together as a family. Plan to Eat is an online menu planner that uses your recipes, scheduled for the days you want them, automatically generating your grocery list, organized the way you like to shop. Eat well. Eat together. PlanToEat.com.