Pregnancy is funny that way. Out of no where, I am overcome by a sensation of “I must eat now.” And when it happens, I suggest that no one get in the way of me and the refrigerator.

The kind of food that satisfies me is different, too. I need carbs and a whole lot more healthy fat. I find myself snacking on cereal, bread and cheese, avocados, and peanut butter. It’s not my normal diet.

I wish I could say that I’ve become the guru of pregnancy diets, that I’ve mastered how to eat a healthy and balanced diet while a little life is growing inside of me. That’s not the case. My cravings change from week to week. For several weeks I couldn’t eat enough black grapes. I ate 15 pounds. And loved every last one. Now I’m on a grapefruit and avocado kick. I bought 20 grapefruits a couple of weeks ago. They’re almost gone.
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Read the rest of Raspberries & Cream Parfait

© Amy for Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free, 2012. | Permalink | 21 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Do you ever walk through the dried fruit aisle or the bulk bins reading the ingredients? So much of the dried fruit is covered in sugar and sometimes oil. It makes certain foods on the ‘no-no’ list for me – trail mix, most dried fruit, and ingredients for some cookie recipes.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been good with limits. When there’s a will, there’s a way.

Enter my Excalibur Food Dehydrator. Joe bought it for me for our anniversary last year. He would have rather bought me jewelery or taken me on a trip. I wanted an Excalibur. What can I say?

I’ve been having all kinds of fun with it. I make yogurt, fruit roll ups, and my favorite – banana chips.

They’re so incredibly simple (who needs complicated??) and they’re so much better than anything you can buy at the store (of course!).

The banana chips I remember from way-back-when were sweet and really crunchy. My banana chips are still sweet and slightly crunchy but they’re almost taffy-like. They melt in mouth. An all-natural, good-for-you candy.

I have to admit that I’m most excited about using my Excalibur Food Dehydrator when the baby gets a little older. It’s a little ways off since I’m still pregnant but it feels good to know I can give our baby healthy treats that taste better than store bought ones.

Other Gluten-Free Banana Recipes:

• Banana Carob Snack Cake from SS&GF
• Vegan Chocolate Banana Scones from Family Fresh Cooking
• Banana Bread (dairy-Free) from Book of Yum
• Baked Bananas & Banana Cobbler from The Gluten-Free Homemaker

Much love,

Amy

© Amy for Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free, 2011. | Permalink | 23 comments | Add to del.icio.us

Last week I had some apples rolling around in the fruit drawer that were on the verge of going bad. I can’t stand to throw food out so I chopped up the apples and threw them in my CrockPot. (I like the programmable kind.) I thought about adding a cinnamon stick but then decided to let it cook au natural.

Four hours later, I pulled out a big piece of apple, scraped the cooked flesh away from the skin and took a bite.

Baked apples, in any form, have always been a favorite of mine. I spent hours recreating my childhood favorites to include in my book – Apple Crisp, Apple Pie with Pecan Crumb Topping, Baked Apples stuffed with Currants. And there’s Joe’s favorite, my French Apple Tart.

There wasn’t anything special about these apples. No sweetener or spiced added, just big chunks of fruit thrown into a slow cooker with a little water. The first bite didn’t disappoint. The sweet flesh was still a little firm, reminiscent of biting into an apple pie. I let them cook for another hour, when I deemed them ready for the food mill.

I like my applesauce chunky so I use the disk with the largest holes when I run it through the food mill. It leaves little pieces of apple skin, too, which adds to the texture and mouthfeel. If you like your applesauce smooth, use the small disk.

Spread warm applesauce on your favorite loaf of zucchini bread or pumpkin loaves. Eat it cold with nothing at all or topped with a sprinkling of cinnamon or nutmeg.

Other Gluten-Free Apple Recipes

• Apple & Carrot Breakfast Cake from SS&GF
• Apple Cinnamon Zepploe from Simply Gluten-Free
• Kohlrabi and Apple Slaw from Tasty Eats at Home
• Coconut Flour Apple Cake from Gluten-Free Goddess
• CrockPot Apple Coffee Cake from A Year of Slow Cooking

© Amy for Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free, 2011. | Permalink | 33 comments | Add to del.icio.us

The recipe is from my book. (Ricki from Diet, Dessert, and Dogs is giving away a copy…make sure to stop by and read her review, get a recipe from my book, and enter to win.)

It was a favorite among recipe testers. In fact, it got many “best granola ever!” responses, even from families and husbands.  Of course, Joe and I love it. There are big clumps of crunchy, cinnamony-sweet oats, seeds, and nuts. We always dig through and pick out the big chunks and the little pieces in the bottom of the jar get sprinkled on yogurt.

Some of the healthier ingredients include:

• Pepitas, which Natural News calls one of nature’s perfect foods, and contain amino acids, calcium, potassium, B vitamins, and beta carotene
• Sunflower seeds contain vitamin E, vitamin B1, manganese, and magnesium
• Flaxseed meal is an incredible source of omega-3 fatty acds
• Oats are a whole grain and a good source of dietary fiber
• Unsweetened applesauce stands in for some of the oil so the overall fat content is reduced

To make this nut-free, simply substitute 1/2 cup each of pepitas and sunflower seeds for the almonds.

Also – stop by DinnerTool.com. They’re featuring one of my favorite slow cooker meals this month.

Other Gluten-Free Granola Recipes

• Chewy Granola Bars from SS&GF
• Crunchy Gluten-Free Granola from She Let Them Eat Cake
• Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars from Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom

What are your favorite summertime, easy-to-travel with snacks?

© Amy for Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free, 2011. | Permalink | 15 comments | Add to del.icio.us

As you know, Amy is one talented, inspirational, and creative woman. When I first came across Simply Sugar & Gluten Free I was on a quest for sugar-free inspiration, and Amy’s recipes did not disappoint. Have you tried her yeasted buckwheat pancakes? I die every time.

After becoming a holistic nutritionist in 2008, I started improving my personal health by creating recipes to support healing and balance throughout my life. Soon my friends and family were begging me to document my gluten-free kitchen creations so they could make them too. So, after months of planning, I began Healthful Pursuit. My goal was simple, to connect and learn from people, share my story, insight, and possibly inspire those looking to make healthful changes in their lives.

A couple of months into blogging, I realized I was sensitive to sugars, in addition to my corn, dairy and gluten sensitivities. At first I panicked – how is one supposed to share indulgent recipes when they can’t eat sugar? Thankfully, blogs like Amy’s helped me find my way through the sugar-free realm. It wasn’t long until I was replacing sugar with medjool dates, unpasteurized honey, coconut sugar, fruits, and stevia (stevia is a scary one, but if done right, it can taste amazing).

My personal road to health has taught me about the importance of high quality ingredients, how to listen to our bodies to optimize our health, and best of all, how to have fun in the kitchen. And believe you me, I’ve had my fair share of kitchen fun, specifically when I made my own dairy-free, sugar-free yogurt parfaits.

By making your own yogurt you can:

• Save money
• Use any kind of milk you want – hemp, cashew, almond, oat, sesame…
• Add massive doses of probiotics
• Make all sorts of unique flavors – lavender, honey, chocolate hemp, rose, apple cinnamon, pumpkin spice, or carrot cake!
• Be proud of yourself for making something that your body will thank you for!

These Berries n’ Cream Parfaits with Homemade Coconut Yogurt are bursting with flavor, fiber, and nutrients. Best of all, they don’t require a yogurt maker. Just a cooler, a couple of jars, and you’re set. There is a secret ingredient in the yogurt… think you can guess what it is?

… chia seeds!

Printer-friendly recipe

Berries ‘n Cream Parfaits

Makes 2 parfaits

Vegan, Gluten free, Dairy free, Sugar free, Yeast free, Corn free

Raspberry puree, homemade coconut yogurt, vanilla protein yogurt, and lime marinated strawberries topped with coconut and fresh mint leaves.

Yogurt layer

2 cups homemade coconut yogurt [recipe below]

Raspberry sauce

1 cup raspberries, puréed

2 tsp arrowroot powder, diluted in 2 Tbsp water

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp lemon juice

Granola layer

1 cup willy vanilly [protein] granola or a gluten-free granola of your choice

Strawberry topping

2 cups strawberries, diced

1 tbsp apple juice

2 tsp coconut sugar

Zest of 1 lime

Juice from 1 lime

1 tsp mint, chopped [optional]

2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions

To make the strawberry topping: mix the apple juice, coconut sugar, lime zest, and lime juice in a medium sized bowl. Add the strawberries and place the bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes.

To make the raspberry sauce: dilute arrowroot powder with cool water. Set aside. Heat the raspberry purée and lemon juice in a small pot on medium heat, whisking for 2-3 minutes. Add the arrowroot mixture to the raspberry mixture and continue to whisk until boiled. It should get thicker over 2-5 minutes. Once you’ve reached the desired thickness, allow to cool before dividing between two glasses.

Bringing it all together: raspberry sauce should already be at the bottom of your two glasses. Top with yogurt, then granola, strawberries. Repeat once more and top with mint leaves and shredded coconut.

Printer-friendly recipe

Homemade Coconut Yogurt

Makes ~ 4 cups of yogurt

Vegan, Gluten free, Dairy free, Sugar free, Yeast free, Corn free

Ingredients

800mL (a generous 3 1/4 cups) reduced fat coconut milk

2 tbsp coconut butter

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

pinch white powdered stevia – if you don’t like stevia, use 1-2 tbsp coconut/palm sugar or honey

2 tbsp freshly ground chia seed *see note

8 servings of non-dairy probiotics – I used this acidophilus

Medium sized cooler + boiling water OR 1 towel + heating pad

Directions

1. Place coconut milk, coconut butter, vanilla, and stevia in a blender. Turn on high for 8 minutes. [This should heat your yogurt to the desired temperature. If you have a weak blender, transfer to a saucepan and bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 4 minutes before bringing back to the blender to add your chia seed]
2. Continue to blend while adding chia seed. Blend until mixed before turning blender off and removing lid.
3. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
4. Add probiotics, return lid and pulse.
5. If doing the cooler version:place boiling water in cooler to the 3 inch mark. Once the yogurt has cooled, pour into 2 – 1000mL (1 quart) mason jars and place in the cooler for about 15 hours. You may have to change your water halfway through to ensure it’s hot enough. Refrigerate for 8 hours.
6. If doing the heating pad version: once the yogurt has cooled, pour into 2 – 1000mL (1 quart) mason jars and wrap in a heating pad [set on lowest setting] and a towel. Allow to sit for 15 hours. Refrigerate for 8 hours.

Note: the chia seed is what thickens the yogurt. If you make this yogurt with other nut milks, more chia seed may be needed. For example: almond milk yogurt will need a total of 4-6 tbsp ground chia seed. I found that anything past 4 tbsp of chia begins to taste very chia-like. Another alternative to chia would be agar agar flakes but I would start with a small amount of 1-2 tsp until desired consistency is met.

What other fun do I have in my kitchen?

Well, there are my favorite breakfast cakes, otherwise known as 5 minute Quinoa Flake Bakes. All of the flavors I’ve made were good, but Double Chocolate Crunch was definitely my favorite. These cakes are quick to put together, sugar-free, filling, and delicious. Would you believe me if I told you there was avocado hidden in there?

Another was a recipe I created for my birthday not too long ago. These Maple Oat n’ Apple Jars were the perfect gift of nut buttery, oatmeal, sticky goodness.

This Carrot Cake Loaf with Cream “Cheese” Icing is a regular at our house. I like to eat it a couple of hours before my weekly long run. I kid you not when I say I run quicker with this in my tummy!

Lastly, I couldn’t go without sharing one of my sleepy smoothie recipes. All measuring and preparation is done the night before you enjoy this delectable breakfast. All you have to do is wake up, throw in the blender and enjoy. My favorite? Sleepy Cookie Dough Strawberry Cheesecake.

Although sweet treats are my favorite, I promise you I make tons of balanced recipes too. After all, healthful living is all about balance!

Thanks, Amy for inviting me to guest post today. I hope you all had just as much fun as I did! Please feel free to visit by my blog, Healthful Pursuit, to say hi, or connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, or StumbleUpon.

© Amy for Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free, 2011. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us