Cook It Allergy Free » ~ Breakfasts

A Gluten-Free Mother’s Day

Kim-Cook It Allergy Free — Wed, 01 May 2013 13:00:09 +0000

A Gluten-Free Mother’s Day: Recipes By Moms For Moms

I have a surprise for all of the Mommas out there today. A beautiful FREE ebook from Attune Foods featuring Gluten-Free (and often free of many other things as well) Recipes from some amazingly talented Gluten-Free Moms.

Within the pages of A Gluten-Free Mother’s Day: Recipes for Moms by Moms, you’ll find gluten-free dishes with simple ingredients for breakfast in bed, brunch, recipes designed specifically for cooking with kids, and those you can make ahead of time.

And there is something for every type of dietary restriction, too. Mom can choose her favorite and hand the recipe off to Dad, or she can bring her kids into the kitchen and let them help prepare a meal to celebrate her.

The recipes include:

Blueberry Breakfast Pudding with Granola Topping from Kim Lutz (vegan, tree nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free)
Turkey Strata Muffins with Orange Slices and Balsamic Glaze from Beth Hillson (tree nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free)
Corn Flake Quiche Lorraine from Karen Morgan (tree nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free)
Roasted Asparagus and Tomato Tart from Kelli Bronski (vegetarian, tree nut-free, peanut-free)
Blueberry Scones with Vanilla Lemon Sweet Cashew Cream and Homemade Blueberry Chia Seed Jam from Maggie Savage (vegan, egg-free, dairy-free, peanut-free)
Peanut Butter Crunch French Toast with Maple-Peanut Butter Syrup from Alta Mantsch (vegetarian, dairy-free, tree nut-free)
Chocolate or Carob Tart with Dairy-Free Whipped Topping from Adrienne Urban (vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, peanut-free)
Strawberry Streusel Oatmeal Breakfast Cake from Kim Maes (vegetarian, dairy-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free)

And as a special treat for you…EVERYONE gets a copy. Why? Because as a gift for all of those hard-working Moms out there, this gorgeous book is FREE. Yes. FREE….

SO… if you have a Mom, are a Mom, know a Mom, or know someone that is like a Mom… share this book with them.

Shout it from the rooftops. Pin it. Share it. Tweet it… and then… go download yourself a copy pronto. You will be thrilled you did.

Your Mother’s Day meals will be delightful because of it!

And I even have one of my family’s favorite brunch recipes included in the book….

My Make-Ahead Strawberry Streusel Oatmeal Breakfast Cake.

When I asked the boys which recipe I should include for the cookbook, this was the one they both immediately agreed on.

And if you know my boys…this was a big deal. They don’t agree on much very often… so I knew I had to go with this one.

You’ll find my recipe and so many other wonderful ones in the ebook. So go ahead and download your FREE copy of A Gluten-Free Mother’s Day: Recipes for Moms by Moms. You’ll be so happy you did. I promise.

And leave a comment here telling me what you are doing for your Mother’s Day – hopefully it will include cooking something incredible from this book!

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll Recipe – The Hands Down Winner!

Kim-Cook It Allergy Free — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 15:13:39 +0000

This Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll Recipe was begging to be made.

Why?

Because we had our first official cold snap that lasted longer than 3 days last weekend. And isn’t that just as good a reason as any?

We are seriously wimps here in Scottsdale, AZ. And while it was in the low 20′s for quite a few days, I do have to remind myself to quit complaining when I think about the rest of you who are enduring below zero temps.

But like I said…we admit it. We. Are. Wimps. And apparently so are my tomato and pepper plants. While I tucked all of my veggies in the garden in like little babies to try and protect them, those beautiful peppers and all of my tomatoes took a beating and just could not hang with those below freezing temps. Boo.

Anyway, to pass the time while I was mourning their loss, I decided to do some baking and indulge the boys.

Because, after all, if we can’t eat our veggies we might as well eat cinnamon rolls. That must be a saying somewhere. Right?

Plus, like I mentioned before…these babies were begging to be made.

And because I made my Gluten-Free Kringle Recipe this year for Christmas morning instead of my usual Best Ever Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls (okay, perhaps I am slightly biased), I thought it would be fun to whip up a batch of those sweet rolls.

And just for the record, it shocks me every time how quickly a treat like this can disappear from my boy’s plates.

However, the day that their brussel sprouts get devoured just as quickly as these Cinnamon Rolls is when I will know I have done my job right.

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Rolls

Easily Dairy-Free

2/3 cup Milk (or Coconut Milk), warmed to 110 degrees-but DO NOT let boil
1 packet of Yeast** (or about 1 tablespoon)
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
2 tablespoons Butter (or Coconut Oil)
1/4 cup Grapeseed Oil
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 large Egg (or can use 1 Tbsp flax meal mixed with 3 Tbsp HOT water – letting sit for a few minutes to gel)
1/4 cup Potato Starch
3/4 cup Arrowroot Starch
1/2 cup Millet (can also use 1/2 cup buckwheat or 1/2 cup super fine brown rice flour)
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 1/2 teaspoons Guar Gum
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt

Filling:

1 cup Brown Sugar (or Coconut Sugar), packed
3 tablespoons Cinnamon
1/3 cup Butter, softened (or 1/3 cup Coconut Oil)
1/2 cup Raisins, or more to taste

Icing:

4 tablespoons Butter (or Coconut Oil)
1 cup Powdered Sugar (Corn-free)
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1/8 teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons Milk (or any dairy-free alternative), or less, to reach desired consistency

**Note: make sure your yeast is active. If no bubbles/foam form after 5-10 min when mixed with the warm milk., throw out and start with new yeast

Directions:

1. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl of mixer and let sit for 5-10 minutes (checking for bubbles/foam for active yeast). Then add the sugar, butter, oil, and vanilla to this yeast mixture, stirring to combine. Then add egg (or substitute) and whisk again to combine.

2. In medium bowl, sift/whisk together potato starch, arrowroot starch, millet, baking soda, guar gum, baking powder, and salt. Then slowly add flour mixture to active yeast/milk mixture in the mixing bowl and mix slowly to combine. Dough will seem sticky (this is right).

3. Place dough in a greased bowl and put in warm place to rise for about an hour.

4. After dough has been allowed to rise, place a piece of plastic wrap (about 14×14 inches) on counter sprinkled with sugar and a little oil and then place dough on top, then another equal sized piece of plastic wrap on top and roll out dough until about 1/4 in thick. Remove top piece of plastic, then spread softened butter (or coconut oil) on top of dough. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins and sprinkle evenly over butter/oil, leaving a 2 in. edge free of the filling so it won’t squeeze out when rolling.

5. Using the bottom piece of plastic wrap, lift the dough and begin to rolling into a log, without squeezing too tightly. Once rolled, to slice it, take a 12 inch piece of dental floss and slide it under the roll. Bring ends up and and holding ends above roll, cross them over as if you are about to tie them. Pull tight and you will have a perfect cut. Repeat 7 more times to slice the log into 8 pieces. Dental floss cuts perfectly without squeezing out your filling. Place rolls into greased 9 inch round cake pan.

6. Okay, here is a trick. You can make these the night before up until the end of step 5. Then put them in the fridge covered with plastic wrap until the next morning. In morning, bring them to room temp for about 30 minutes and then cook in an oven preheated to 375 degrees for 22 minutes, until the tops are lightly browned.

7. While rolls are baking, mix together all icing ingredients with hand mixer until reach desired consistency. When rolls are ready, allow to cool for a few minutes, then drizzle with the icing. Enjoy.

Gluten-Free Kringle Recipe for Christmas Morning

Kim-Cook It Allergy Free — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:00:01 +0000

The perfect Gluten-Free Kringle Recipe for your Christmas Brunch! I mean it.

Do you know what a Kringle is? If not, you really should…

A Kringle is a hand-rolled Danish pastry dough that is then shaped, filled, baked, and finally… iced.

Every year, my in-laws receive a delectable Kringle from some of our family friends. And every year no one in my immediate family can eat that gluten-filled treat. They just watch and drool as the rest of the non-gluten free members of our extended family devour the delicate Danish Pastry.

This year, I had an “Aha” moment. I could not think of why on earth I could not make my own gluten-free version of a Kringle.

So. Guess what? I did.

And the results literally shocked me. This thing is amazing. I have never seen my boys or my husband…or even my non-gluten-free father-in-law…love something so much. There was not a crumb left the first time I made this…or the next, or even the next four times I whipped it up again.

Here is the best part.

The dough only takes 5 minutes to put together. It is so stinking easy. Simply toss the ingredients together, then throw the dough in the fridge to firm up for about one hour…while the kiddos are opening the presents perhaps. Roll out that dough and spread on that yummy filling. Roll it up. Throw it on your baking sheet and into the oven. Whisk up a quick icing right when it comes out and you have yourself a beautiful Gluten-Free Kringle Pastry for your Christmas brunch.

And by the way, this is all decadence and should not be confused with a healthy breakfast dish. The Holidays are a time for a little splurging, right?

Gluten-Free Kringle Recipe

Also Nut-free and Easily Dairy-Free

Ingredients:

Dough:

2 Cups All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour Blend (works well with Pamela’s Baking Mix or Pure Pantry All Purpose Mix)
1/2 Cup Butter, softened (For Dairy-Free: use Earth Balance Buttery Stick)
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Sea Salt
2 1/8 tsp Dry Yeast (about half of a Dry Yeast Packet)
1 egg, beaten
1/2 Cup Milk, or Coconut Milk

Filling:

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar or Coconut Sugar
2 tsp Cinnamon
4 Tbsp Butter, melted (For Dairy-Free: use Earth Balance Buttery Stick or Coconut Oil)
1/2 Cup Raisins, optional

Glaze:

1 1/4Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp Butter, softened (For Dairy-Free: use Coconut Oil)
2 Tbsp Milk, or Coconut Milk
2 Tbsp Hot Water
2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, add flour blend, butter, sugar, and salt. Using pastry cutter or two forks or your hands, blend together until mixture is crumbly. In separate bowl, mix together yeast, beaten egg, and milk. Add milk mixture to dry mixture. Continue to mix until blended. Dough may seem sticky. Do not worry. Take dough and place on large piece of plastic wrap (at least 11 x 17 inches big). Flatten dough into a disc and wrap it in the plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour (or longer).

2. When dough is ready, preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon. Melt butter and set aside. Remove dough from refrigerator and open plastic wrap. Leaving dough in center of wrap, take a second similar sized piece of plastic wrap and lay it on top of the dough disc. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out into a 1/8 inch thick and 11 x 17 inch rectangle.

3. Brush the dough with 3 Tbsp butter and then cover evenly with the cinnamon sugar mixture, reserving a couple of teaspoons of sugar mixture. Rolling from the long ends of each side, roll each side towards the center until both sides meet. Roll the assembled kringle off of the plastic wrap onto ungreased cookie sheet. It really does not matter if you place it face up or face down. Brush dough with remaining 1 Tbsp butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture.

4. Bake 20-25 minutes, until slightly firm to touch. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes while making glaze. To make glaze, simply whisk together powdered sugar, butter, milk, water, and vanilla until smooth. Top Kringle with glaze and serve.

Serves: 6-8

Gluten-Free Dairy Free Holiday Breakfast Recipes

Kim-Cook It Allergy Free — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 11:44:45 +0000

Here are just some of my Favorite Allergy-Friendly Holiday Breakfast Recipes that I like to whip up during these cozy winter weekends.

And although it is not always cold or blustery during our Arizona winters here, we like to at least pretend it is on the weekends…even if we do have to crank down the Air Conditioning just to make it cool enough to justify that fire burning in the fireplace …

And hey. Those AC vents sure help to spread the yummy smells of these breakfast treats, as they are cooking, all through the house.

All of these recipes are Gluten-free and Dairy-free... but they are all easily made free of lots of other allergens too…

So..here ya go!

Our 4 Favorite Gluten-free Dairy-free Holiday Breakfast Recipes:

First up – Chocolate Dessert Waffles for Breakfast. These are my boy’s favorite breakfast treat. They usually only show up on the table during the holidays. They go really fast around here too. You have to act fast to make sure you get some of these before they are gone.

Next on the menu: Cinnamon Bun Cake with an Eggnog Glaze – this one is perfect to serve to guests. They will surely be impressed (and totally will not realize how easy this one is to whip up). It looks (and tastes) like a giant cinnamon roll, but without all of the cinnamon-roll-fuss.

Another quick, yet impressive, one: Grain-Free Apple Puff Pancake. This is actually so quick to throw together, and you actually whip the batter up in your blender. It puffs up beautifully while it bakes and all of the caramelized apples that you laid on the bottom rise right up to the top for a yummy treat.

And then there is my personal favorite: Overnight Cinnamon Raising Oatmeal CAKE!! One of the reasons I like this one so much is that you make it the night before and just pop it in the oven in the morning. Those are my kind of mornings. It smells amazing and tastes even better. It is like eating cake for breakfast…only way healthier!

There you have it. These are what just happen to make it into our breakfast rotation over and over again during the holidays. I just thought I would share with you all in case you were looking for some easy family-friendly breakfasts for the coming holiday mornings.

Enjoy!

What are some of your favorite holiday morning treats. Share them below!

Vegan Gluten-Free Energy Bites – A Power-Packed Snack

Kim-Cook It Allergy Free — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:00:34 +0000

These Power-Packed Gluten-Free Energy Bites are the newest rage in our house…

The idea came from my good friend who has been making a version of these on a regular basis in her house. She can make a double batch and then have them disappear within days.

Not too long ago I decided I would come up with my own version of these (mainly because I could not get a hold of her to get her recipe on the day that I had planned on making them). So…I had to improvise.

I am not sure what she will think of my version compared to hers, but at least my kiddos made an official call that these rock – especially because they can make them completely by themselves.

We have made them three more times since the original batch, and they are a coveted treat once the boys roll in after school.

They are a power-packed snack and go a long way in holding over the kids to get them through that “witching hour” after school. And they definitely rank up there at the top of our list, along with our other favorite healthy treat, the Gluten-Free Oatmeal Granola Cookie Bars.

They boast a punch of protein, a hit of Omegas, and are totally nutrient dense. They are naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, and nut-free (though you can easily add nuts to these too). They are also raw.

For a treat that takes only 5 minutes to throw together, you really can’t go wrong by keeping these stashed in the fridge for a quick and healthy snack!

Vegan Gluten-Free Energy Bites

Ingredients:

1 Cup Certified Gluten Free Oats (or Quinoa Flakes if you don’t tolerate Oats)
3 Tbsp Ground Chia
3 Tbsp Raw Shelled Hemp Seeds (or Pumpkin Seeds, Coarsely Chopped)
2-3 Tbsp Raw Cacao Powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
2/3 Cup Sunflower Seed Butter (or your favorite Nut Butter)
1/3 Cup Maple Syrup OR Raw Honey
2 tsp Vanilla
1/3 – 1/2 Cup Mix-Ins (such as Raisins, Dried Cranberries, or Allergy-Friendly Chocolate Chips-or a combination of all)

Directions:

1. In large bowl, combine Oats, Ground Chia, Hemp Seeds, Cacao Powder, Cinnamon, and Sea Salt. Add in Sunflower-Seed Butter, Maple Syrup, Vanilla, and Mix-Ins. Mix until just combined.

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 1 Tbsp of mixture and roll between hands into ball. Place on cookie sheet. Repeat until all the mixture is used. Depending on the size, this should make about 20-30 balls.

3. Place cookie sheet in refrigerator for about 30 minutes to set. Once chilled, store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

And for my list of 10 Allergy-Friendly After School Snack Ideas, go check out my post on The Balanced Platter today to find even more ways to beat that dreaded “witching hour”.

What is your favorite after school snack? Do you have any new ideas for me?

5 Minute Gluten Free Maple Cinnamon Granola and The Most Boring Week EVER!

Kim-Cook It Allergy Free — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:00:12 +0000

This morning I was sitting at the table munching on my Gluten Free Maple Cinnamon Granola and reading my latest issue of “The Week” magazine in total peace and quiet.

(Okay, the peace and quiet part did not really happen with two boys still home for summer…but it sure sounded like a nice way to end that thought. Plus, I am totally allowed to daydream).

Anyway..as I was reading amidst the chaos, one article caught my attention. It was about how technology is slowly turning us into addicts. Yes. They called us addicts.

They shared that studies have been done to show that brain scans of avid internet users can resemble those of cocaine users and alcoholics. Let it be known that it was also mentioned that the very ones who helped to create this technology are now trying to warn of the dangers of constantly being connected and are teaching their own company employees to be anything but.

The article went on to say how now the newest trend online is to step away from the Internet and actually be…present in our lives! Gasp!

Geez. I must be ahead of the trends (and folks, this never happens-usually I am far behind the trends)…that is what I have been trying to do all summer with my boys. It is also why I was not around too much here…

So while Google, Facebook, and Twitter (the very ones who have contributed to this incessant need to be connected) have been busy teaching their own employees about meditation and “mindfulness” and warning them of the dangers of constant online connection, I have been practicing this myself and I will tell you we have had one heck of a good summer!

We have been playing on the beach, learning to surf, swimming non-stop in the pool, playing tennis, and…even cleaning ovens (since the boys surely cannot make a mess inside there).

But…now school is about to start and I need to do something to prepare my boys again for those early mornings and all of the routines and schedules that are right around the corner.

Basically, I need to put an end to all of this fun!

Never fear, though! I have a brilliant plan. It is called Operation Bore-the-pants-off-’em! I am going to make this last week before school starts THE MOST BORING ONE EVER!

No activities…No outings…No fun. Nope. Nothing. Nada. I may even get really nasty and throw some homework assignments in there.

Operation Boredom is going into full effect.

I want them begging to hit the books again next week instead of moaning about it.

And with the preparations for our busy mornings starting up again, I want to have some nice easy breakfasts that are nutrient dense but quick to put together.

This Nutrient-Packed Gluten-Free Maple Cinnamon Granola is one of those recipes that goes a long way in our home. It takes only about 5 minutes to throw together the night before. Then two hours in the oven at 225 degrees, tossing once or twice. Then you can just leave it in the turned-off oven over night and it is perfectly crisp and ready in the morning.

Just pour some allergy-friendly milk over it or toss it with your favorite allergy-friendly yogurt and you have an easy-peasy breakfast that is packed with good protein, omega goodness, and fiber…a great way to send those kiddos off to school with some good brainpower!

By the way, this recipe makes quite a bit, so this should last you quite a while depending on how big your family is. This 64 oz container was filled to the top right after I made it. This picture was taken about a week later and we had been eating it every day.

Oh..it also makes your house smell unbelievable as it bakes in that low temp oven.

Gluten Free Maple Cinnamon Granola Recipe

Ingredients:

6 Cups Old Fashioned Certified Gluten-Free Oats
1/4 Cup Coconut Palm Sugar (or Brown Sugar)
1/4 Cup Ground Chia Seeds
1/4 Cup Ground Hemp Seeds
1/4 Cup Ground Pumpkin Seeds
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
1/2 Cup Maple Syrup, preferably Grade B and Organic
1 Tbsp Vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees. In large bowl, mix together: Gluten-Free Oats, Sugar, Ground Chia Seeds, Ground Hemp Seeds, Ground Pumpkin Seeds, Ground Cinnamon, and Sea Salt.

2. Make a small well in the middle of the Oat mixture. Add Coconut Oil, Maple Syrup, and Vanilla. Mix wet ingredients together and then combine well with dry ingredients.

3. Spread evenly on parchment lined baking sheet. Place in oven for two hours, gently stirring every 45 minutes. After two hours, shut oven off and leave baking sheet in oven over night (or for at least a few hours if making it on the same day). In the morning, it will be just right.

Note: It is best to add any mix-ins at the time you are eating the granola. Plus, this way you can tailor it to each person’s tastes.

Some different ideas are: raisins, dried cranberries, pecans, almond slivers, mini chocolate chips, dates, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, dried apples, or fresh fruit.

And don’t forget… for some great lunch ideas now that it is time to head back to school, here is my list of 50 Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Ideas!

And for a fun raw treat idea and one that I have served quite a few times for breakfast, head over to my post today on The Balanced Platter and get my recipe for Raw Berry Pudding Pie Cups - I also give you 6 reasons not to feel guilty about eating them.

Now I want to know one thing…Whatever happened to not going back to school until after Labor Day?

Grain-Free, Dairy-Free Apple Puff Pancake…Lillian-Style!

Kim-Cook It Allergy Free — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 18:22:19 +0000

Today, I have a something a little different for you.

I am sharing a fun video from Lillian’s Test Kitchen. The sweet and comical Lillian is allergic to gluten, dairy, cane sugar, and soy. She created her Vlog as a place to experiment and test recipes for the very first time, on camera, so we can see what it is really like to make a particular recipe for the first time. Her videos are always humorous and will never fail to make you laugh.

In this video she decided to make one of my recipes. She chose my Grain-Free, Dairy-Free Apple Puff Pancake as her recipe to test.

Go ahead and watch as she tries out the recipe and gives her opinion of the end result!!

I admit I was crossing my fingers the entire time to see if she actually liked it…watch it now and find out for yourself.

Now, hopefully you enjoyed the “adventurous spirit” of the ever-so-whimsical Lillian! And just possibly she inspired you to go and make this simple Puff Pancake Recipe for yourself!

7 Easy Steps to Make Your Own Water Kefir and Why You Should

Kim-Cook It Allergy Free — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:48:30 +0000

Water Kefir.

Totally Allergy-Friendly. Gluten-free, Dairy-free, and, of course, Egg-free, Nut-free, Soy-free. And most everything else-free, too. It is a wonderful Vegan beverage option.

As I am finishing up my Vision Board for this coming year, I have determined that one of my goals on it is to Make More Kefir, especially Water Kefir, since it is so completely allergy-friendly.

Water Kefir is also so full of health benefits and a wonderful healing beverage:

It is a natural supplier of various strains of healthy bacteria and yeasts (probiotics) to our digestive tract and can help to bring balance to your inner microflora
During the fermentation process, it becomes an excellent source of Vitamins B1, B6, and B12
It has a tonifying and cleansing effect on the intestines
It is perfect for a Vegan Diet
It has antibiotic and anti-fungal properties
In addition to the good bacteria and beneficial yeasts, it also contains many vitamins, minerals, and amino acids
It strengthens the Immune System
It has a cleansing effect on the entire body
It helps to eliminate Candida issues
It can help to normalize metabolism
It helps to treat skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne
It can reduce inflammation in the body
It can improve the function of the liver
It can increase energy levels and lend an overall feeling of good health
It is very inexpensive to make

**Do remember that by adding these wonderful live probiotics to your diet, you are going to be changing your internal ecosystem. There may be a brief period where you will experience “die-off” (such as headaches, diarrhea, body aches, etc) as some of the good bacteria replaces the bad bacteria. You body is just working on eliminating the bad toxins. This does not happen for everyone but it is a possibility. Just add the Water Kefir into your diet slowly and this will help your body to adjust without many side effects.

And it is so so easy to make, dairy-free or dairy-full (you just use Milk Kefir Grains for the Dairy version), that I thought I would teach you all how to do it, so you, too, can possibly make it one of your goals for this year too.

7 Easy Steps to Make Your Own Water Kefir:

1. Order Water Kefir Grains from Cultures for Health or another reputable source.

2. Gather INGREDIENTS once you rehydrate your Grains after they arrive:

Quart or half gallon glass jar (I make a half gallon at a time)
Plastic Strainer (not metal – kefir grains do not like metal)
Wooden Spoon for stirring (not metal)
Organic Cane Sugar or Sucanat or Rapadura (see **Sugar Note)
Water Kefir Grains.

**Sugar Note: The grains will consume most of the sugar as they ferment. The longer they ferment, the more sugar they will consume.

3. Dissolve 1/2 cup sugar in a small amount of hot water in your jar (cut amount of sugar in half if making by the quart). Then cover dissolved sugar with enough cool water to almost fill half gallon jar (leaving about 2 inches unfilled at top) and stir with wooden or plastic spoon.

Spring water with good mineral content is preferable (instead of filtered or Reverse Osmosis water). If using tap water, however, you need to remove chlorine first by placing it in a bowl and letting the water sit over night – chlorine will evaporate. If using filtered water, you may want to add a few drops of liquid minerals back into the water (grains thrive on the minerals), such as Vital Earth Fulvic Minerals or add a half (rinsed) pastured egg shell to the jar.

4. Add 1/2 cup of kefir grains (use 1/4 cup if making in quart size jar) to room temperature water. Cover jar tightly with towel and then a rubber band to secure it in place.

**Kefir grains can multiply. A good ratio to remember is: 1/2 cup grains to half gallon water to 1/2 cup sugar. Cut amount in half for quart size containers.

5. Let kefir culture at room temperature for 24 – 48 hours. The longer you let it sit, the less sweet it will become as the grains consume more of the sugar. I find that just over 48 hours is good. Bubbles may appear as it cultures. This is normal (although does not always happen). If your family is used to a sweet flavor, start with a shorter period of time (like 24 hours) the first time, then try letting the grains culture a bit longer for each new batch.

**There is a small amount of alcohol that is produced as the microbes feed on the sugar and produce lactic acid, alcohol (ethanol), and carbon dioxide. This is what causes the bubbles/carbonation. The alcohol content in kefir varies with the fermentation time, and is usually less than 1% .

6. Strain off the finished liquid into another container using a plastic strainer (remember-grains do not like metal), once you are done culturing the grains, and cover with an airtight lid. At this point, rinse your grains thoroughly and you can use them to begin your next batch.

7. Now you can flavor your prepared Water Kefir (or just leave it as is).

FLAVOR OPTIONS:

Cream Soda: Add 2 Tbsp of Good Quality Vanilla per half gallon to your Prepared Water Kefir

Fresh Fruit-Flavored: Add your choice of fresh organic fruit to your prepared Water Kefir. Change fresh fruit out every day and replace with new fresh fruit. Good choices (either alone or combined) are: strawberries, orange slices, kiwi slices, mango slices, sliced grapes, lemon slices, etc).

Dried Fruit-Flavored: Add your choice of dried organic fruit to your prepared Water Kefir. Change dried fruit out every seventh day.

Fruit Slushie: Blend your prepared Water Kefir with fresh fruit and ice cubes for a refreshing treat. Strawberries and kiwi are favorite combination in our house. Or add Water Kefir to your favorite smoothies in place of your liquid.

Cucumber Lemon Mint: Add Cucumber Slices + Mint Leaves + Lemon Slices to your prepared Water Kefir. Change out the fruit every 24 hours.

Ginger Lemon Flavored: Add 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice to prepared Water Kefir + lemon slices + 4 Tbsp grated fresh Ginger, and 1 Tbsp Good Quality Vanilla

To sum it up, Kefir is a wonderful healing aid. It provides so many benefits to our health and well-being. And for something that is so easy to prepare, we really should have no excuse for including it into our diets more often.

And it goes along perfectly with this month’s theme for Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free being hosted by Maggie, from She Let Them Eat Cake.

Her chosen theme, and incidentally, one of my favorite topics of all: Foods That Heal.

She will be sharing information from wonderful bloggers that bring us ideas on how to bring health and nourishment to our bodies, our minds, and our souls.

I would definitely say that Kefir is right up there in that category. I am encouraging you to give it a try and come back and let me know if it helped to improve your health in any way!

Cinnamon Raisin “Bran” Muffins and Vision Boards

Kim-Cook It Allergy Free — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:44:04 +0000

Well, I am back after the longest hiatus from my online life yet.

It felt amazing. I spent the most wonderful days with my family and enjoyed the most stress-free holiday season that I have ever had.

While I was languishing in the time with my loved ones, I really thought about what was important to me and what I really want to focus on in 2012.

These two little munchkins are at the TOP of my list…

It turns out, I do not have a long list of “resolutions” or “goals” for 2012. I feel pretty good about where I am in my life right now.

I achieved just about everything I put on my Vision Board for 2011. And now I am so anxious to get started on my new board for 2012.

Oh. Have I ever told you? I am a huge believer in Vision Boards.

The premise behind them is that when you surround yourself with images and words of who you want to become, what you want to do, where you want to live or go on vacation, where you want to see yourself in a day/ a month/a year, your life changes to match those images and those desires.

They are so fun and easy to make. The best way is to go through magazines and find words and images that call out to you. Look online for photos or inspiration as well. Type up some goals. Then get busy cutting, creating, and designing a collage of how you would like your year to go.

Here is a tip. It is a lot of fun to do this with friends. And wine. Trust me.

When you are done with it, place it where you are going to look at it every day. My husband and I put ours in the bathroom. It might sound weird, but you spend a lot of your life in the bathroom. I can see it from my shower, from the toilet, and from where I put on my make-up. That is a lot of time spent staring at what I want to manifest in my life.

Here is my board from last year. Yup. Right in plain sight.

I will just say it was a good year.

I am ready for the new one. Are you?

I just sent the kids out the door for their first day back to school in 19 days. NINETEEN DAYS! That is the longest holiday break we have ever had.

Getting back into the routine today was rough. After all of those lazy mornings, it was hard (really hard) to be out of the door on time…especially when the alarm that I thought I set never went off. I am just so happy that I thought ahead enough to make these Cinnamon Raisin “Bran” Muffins and some hard-boiled eggs the night before so we had a good protein and fiber filled breakfast to get those little brains ready for the day.

These muffins are filled with omega goodness and protein. They are a great treat to start the morning off right and a perfect snack to throw into your child’s lunchbox. As written, they are Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, and Soy-Free, with directions on how to also easily make them Nut-free and Egg-free. I shared a version of these a while ago (hence the reason the photo may look familiar). But with minor tweaks, I am sharing it again just because we love them so much around here.

And because they are what started our New Year off.

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Cinnamon Raisin “Bran” Muffins

Also Refined Sugar-Free and Soy-Free and Easily Egg-Free and Nut-Free

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Gluten Free Flour Blend – I use The Pure Pantry Organic All-Purpose Baking Mix (Check to see that there is xanthan gum in your flour blend of choice -if not, add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum to this recipe)
1/2 cup Almond Flour, such as Honeyville (for Nut-Free version use an additional 1/2 cup of your gluten-free flour blend instead of Almond Flour)
1/4 cup Flax Meal (OR 2 Tbsp Ground Chia Seeds)
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Aluminum-Free Baking Powder
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice (or more to taste; or just use an additional 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoons Honey (liquified, not solid)
3 eggs (for Egg-Free: Mix together in small bowl: 3 Tbsp Unsweetened Applesauce with 1 1/2 tsp additional Baking Powder with 2 Tbsp Warm Water and with 1 1/2 tsp Ener G Egg Replacer – use mixture where you would add eggs)
4 Tablespoons Coconut Oil (measured in liquid form), or Grapeseed Oil
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1/4 cup Coconut Milk
3/4 cup Raisins (soak raisins for 20-30 minutes before adding to the batter, then drain on paper towel – this will prevent them from sucking moisture from the muffins as they bake)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line or grease a muffin tin. In a medium bowl, thoroughly sift together gluten free flour blend, almond flour (or additional flour blend), flax meal or ground chia seeds, baking bowder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice (or additional cinnamon), and salt.

2. In a high-powered blender, add eggs (or already mixed egg-replacer), honey, coconut or other mild tasting oil, vanilla, and Coconut Milk. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds to one minute.

3. Mix the wet ingredients into the sifted dry ingredients. Then gently fold in the raisins.

4. Fill muffin liners or greased tins 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!

And now as I am sitting here in my quiet house, eating one of these muffins, I am thinking about how I want this day, this week, this year to go, and I honestly cannot wait to see what unfolds.

And because I am such a believer in Vision Boards, I am challenging YOU to make a Vision Board of your own! Will you do it? Come on and join me!! Bring on 2012.

This post is linked to Cara’s Cravings Blog Event for Heart-healthy Breakfasts.

8 Favorite Allergy-Friendly and Gluten-Free Brunch Ideas

Kim-Cook It Allergy Free — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:44:12 +0000

I am so sad that the SSGF Gluten-Free Holiday Event is already getting close to the end. We have only one more week after this one. And next Thursday She Let Them Eat Cake will be all about the Holiday Desserts Theme. There will be an amazing line-up to look forward to. Of that I am sure.

This week’s theme , however, is actually one of my favorite parts of the season….Holiday Breakfasts and Brunches!

Ricki, of Diet, Desserts, and Dogs fame, is in charge today. And her Gluten-Free Oatmeal Poppyseed Scones will wow you, without a doubt.

Ricki is also giving away a copy of her amazing cookbook, Sweet Freedom (which I reviewed glowingly here).

She is also giving away a copy of Gluten-Free And Vegan Holidays, by Jennifer Katzinger:

If you read my last post for gfe-gluten-free easily’s Home for the Holidays event, I talked about how the simple moments are what are so important to me this season. And the lazy morning brunches with my family are some of my favorite moments.

However, because a certain appendage of my body is currently dressed in this latest accessory, I am not technically supposed to be in my kitchen whipping up a brunch recipe worthy of the Wow Factor.

But seriously. Just admit it. You are insanely jealous of my new boot. I would tell you the quickest way to earn yourself one, but then I would just have to hide my face in embarrassment.

My path to this footwear is pretty pathetic. I will just keep it to myself.

And because my husband would surely place me on the naughty list if I was on my feet trying to create something fun to share with you today, I am just going to bring you a little round-up of 8 of my favorite Allergy-Friendly and Gluten-Free Brunch Recipes that usually grace our morning table at this time of year. You can go check out the recipes and decide for yourself which one tickles your fancy!

Oh, and all of these recipes have notes to easily make them friendly to your allergens!

Drumroll Please (with no further ado and in no particular order):

1. Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Cinnamon Bun Breakfast Cake with Dairy Free Eggnog Glaze:

2. Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Chocolate Dessert Waffles:

3. Vegan Banana French Toast:

4. Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Pumpkin Pie Waffles:

5. Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Cake:

6. Grain-Free Apple Puff Pancakes:

7. Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Apple Cider Pumpkin Pancakes:

8. Gluten-Free Cinnamon Raisin Rolls:

Okay, now make sure to go on over to Ricki’s and check out her recipe and enter to win her awesome giveaways today!

And please tell me…what is gracing YOUR brunch tables this season?