Flaxseed Bread

One Day One Recipe has this intriguing 2 ingredient Bread, what could go wrong ?!

What didn’t? The Flaxseeds didn’t break down in the food processor, the oven temperature was too low, bake time was too short, the bread was gooey, the flavor was lacking albeit I added Salt.

I was determined to make this high fiber, high omega-3, gluten-free, lectin-free, yeast-free, gum-free bread. After several tries and tweaks I had success. Scroll down for the recipe.

• used Egg Whites brought up to room temperature
• used hot 425°F oven for 30 minutes plus an additional 30 minutes at 350°F
• doubled the recipe and add Cinnamon, Salt and Honey
• placed ingredients in a small loaf pan lined with parchment paper
• copied method used by the GF Bread with Yogurt recipe
• kind of an “A” frame rise but it was a better result than the standard loaf pan

flaxseed-breadDownload

Green Goddess Dressing

This Dip’s a Hit ! My daughter, Selena loves to dip raw veggies into this Green Goddess Dressing adapted from the Barefoot Contessa’s recipe with Tahini ala the Mediterranean Dish.

You need 4 cups of fresh herbs. I use 2 bunches of Parsley (not Italian Flat Leaf), 1 bunch of Dillweed, a bit of Cilantro and a big spoon of Pesto, if I don’t have Basil on hand. Anchovy Paste gives you that umami essence and Chili Flakes give your green salad a kick.

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Lemon Squares

A marriage made in heaven: The lemon-y tart filling from Healthy Lemon Bars on top of the shortbread-like crust of Coconut Lemon Bars. Kudos to SweetPeaChef and Baked by an Introvert.

Important: Pour the filling immediately over the hot crust. Some recipes suggest letting the crust cool for 30 minutes but when I tried that I got topsy-turvy results, no fun eating upside-down Lemon Squares, not pretty either.

Click on the links above for the original recipes or view/download the hybrid PDF below

Healthy Coconut Lemon BarsDownload

GF Bread with Yogurt

We tried the Hungry Happens 2 ingredient Yogurt Bread. Hubby liked it but thinks Bakerita’s GF Bread with Yogurt is amazeballs, the best GF bread made to date ! It’s just like Sourdough Bread, crusty on the outside and soft with a slight tang inside without the hassle of creating, feeding, discarding, storing Sourdough culture. Makes great toast!

Definitely a challenge, I was a bit skeptical about baking this loaf at 425F for 80 minutes, turning off the oven and taking the bread out of the pan and leaving it to cool another hour in the oven. Plus it was suggested that we allow the bread to cool overnight, NOT ! The purpose is to allow the loaf to cool completely to the touch to cook out any gumminess from the Psyllium Husk gel.

I used gfJules GF Flour Blend instead of Rachel Conner’s recipe so I had to add 30grams+ extra warm water to get the right dough consistency as her reviewers suggested.

The original recipe uses Instant Yeast and a Banneton Basket. It works but I had the best rise results by activating regular Yeast. My recipe PDF is for using the Bread Proofing oven setting, regular Yeast, gfJules GF Flour and a 8×4″ loaf pan lined with parchment paper.

gf_bread_with_yogurtDownload

1st cooling stage is naked in the oven.

Spinach & Feta Brownies

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Stella of Hungry Happens does it again ! You use a 10oz box of Spinach for this lazy man’s healthy Spanakopita. This easy recipe reminds me of the crust-less quiche made with Bisquick. To be Gluten Free you can use half Almond Flour and gfJules GF Flour but use all Flour if you add extra veggies like sauteed Mushrooms, roasted Red Peppers & Garlic.

There is Feta Cheese, Mozzarella and Parmesan but I’ve tried Goat/Sheep’s Milk Feta, Cheddar and Nutritional Yeast too…whatever’s on hand works. Stella uses fresh Dill but I’ve had success using Frozen Dill, just use a tad more.

Spinach and Feta BrowniesDownload

Greek Yogurt Cake

I love this easy 3 ingredient Greek Yogurt Cake but I love it even more when I add a sweetener, Vanilla, Lemon and Orange Zest. If you don’t have Citrus Zest, add a dash or two of Lorann’s Orange Oil. If you only have regular Yogurt on hand, make your own Greek Yogurt, check this link.

You can pour the batter in a small lined springform pan. Mini pans or a silicone loaf pan works too. Stella says to let the cake cool and deflate for 30 minutes, then chill 2 hours or this custardy low carb dessert will taste too eggy. Serve with fresh fruit or fruit compote.

Greek Yogurt CakeDownload

DIY Yard

Homemade Compost Accelerator

Help! The Compost is full and you’re having a hard time turning yard waste. It’s usually jam packed after the winter thaw and you’re antsy to prepare the flower beds and pots. The less soil you need to buy the better, right? 4 ingredients help speed up the process, great results in a few days.

Homemade Compost AcceleratorDownload

When the Compost is mature (no smell), you can feed your plants Compost Tea. Just fill half of a big bucket with non-chlorinated Water (or let it sit overnight) then add a couple of shovels of Compost. Let it seep a few hours, then serve your green customers, they’ll love it. That’s the simple recipe, if you want to spend more, you can add unsulfured Blackstrap Molasses, Kelp & Fish Fertilizer too.

Homemade Lawn Food

I used to spend $40 for FABULAWN, a time released lawn fertilizer. Luckily Chemistry Cachet came up with this strange concoction ofBeer, Baby Shampoo, Epsom Salts, Club Soda and Ammonia. Cool thing about Alexis, she explains the function of each ingredient and assures us that it is not toxic to pets. I was a bit nervous to try it at first but I use it monthly without burning the grass. I don’t have a fertilizer container that attaches to the hose so I’m the funny lady that dilutes and applies it manually with a giant watering can. I have to repeat this a couple times despite having a tiny lawn. I have the sprinkler set up before I start so I can quickly finish the process unbeknownst to nosy neighbors. Since we’re semi-desert scorching hot here, I mow my clover-grass lawn early, fertilize and soak well with the sprinkler before it gets too warm.

Homemade Lawn FoodDownload

Fresh Basil Pesto

Nothing like fresh Pesto on your Pizza, in your Salad, Gnocchi or Lamb marinade. Mom made a basic Pesto recipe using 2 cups packed Basil leaves. But I’ve had success using Basil and organic Dandelions and/or Carrot Tops too. The key is using Extra Virgin Olive Oil, organic Garlic and salty Cheese. I’ve used Parmesan and Asiago. One day, I’d like to try sheep’s milk cheeses like Pecorino Romano or Manchego.

fresh-basil-pestoDownload

I place surplus Pesto in muffin size silicone cups or ice cube trays, then freeze.

Roasted Tomatoes

I love the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten has such a love affair with food. Her Roasted Tomatoes recipe is simple, but spot on. Great served with slices of Bocconcini and snipped fresh Basil.. You can use them as a salad garnish, a pizza topping, or a sun-dried tomato substitute in a pinch.

When the Tomato Harvest is going well or your Tomatoes on hand are getting too ripe or wrinkly for serving, that’s when I roast my Tomatoes. I’ve used Tomato Slices and Grape Tomatoes cut in halves or thirds. To minimize Lectins, I try to squeeze out as many seeds as possible before roasting. To avoid messy clean ups and aluminum exposure, I line the baking sheet with foil then parchment paper. The Tomatoes become concentrated and carmelized in 25 to 30 minutes but I flip the Tomatoes over every 10 minutes to prevent scorching..

If you roast many trays, you can dehydrate them at 135 degrees. When the Tomatoes are completely dry, store in Mason Jars. I pop in a non-toxic desiccant packet (saved from supplement bottles) to help keep them dry.

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Hot German Potato Salad

If you’re a Bacon Lover this Hot German Potato Salad is for you. Good ol’ comfort food alongside Pot Roast and Gravy comes to mind.

Yukon Gold Potatoes and a tart Bacon Vinaigrette are the stars of this dish. To kick it up a notch, add minced Jalapeno.

Hot German Potato SaladDownload