Summer Traveling, Everything-Free Style

It has been a while since my last post. I spent a summer traveling, working, driving, coordinating, planning, packing, unpacking, and EATING!

My trip to New York City was without children. So without having to worry about eggs, nuts, or sesame, I was on a Gluten-Free mission. First, we first went to Risotteria (http://www.risotteria.com/), which has GF bread sticks, risotto, meatballs, pizza, paninis, and gluten-free dessert. Everything was great and even greater was not having "food anxiety". 

Next, on the way to my friend's Brooklyn wedding we headed to Park Slope where my cousin Shuna bakes for Brooklyn Larder (http://www.bklynlarder.com/). There I got to try a GF Pistachio Cake, Almond Cheesecake Crust crumbles, and an assortment of dinner foods. You can order her Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour (which I posted about) and many other things on their website. Needless to say, when I went to put on the dress for the wedding I could not breathe. 

Thanks to my cousin Jesse and his GF friend Sami, I found the MOST delicious raviolis I ever had in my life. Bistango (http://bistangonyc.com/) was a dream come true. I actually almost never made it there. As we were getting ready to leave our apartment for the airport, I got an email that our flight was cancelled. We rescheduled later in the day and booked it to Bistango. I sat down and a plate of GF bread and oil was served. It was so good I had to double check that it was really missing the gluten. Then we ordered the Spinach & Ricotta Raviolis with Pesto Sauce and Sundried Tomato & Goat Cheese Raviolis with Marinara Sauce. Both were perfect. 

My last trip was a 2 week road trip to North Carolina. On the trip I discovered the app called Find Me GF. You plug in an address or city and a list of GF friendly places come up. I only wish I found the app sooner. It made roadtripping with allergies much easier. Even though the kids are not gluten-free, a place that is gluten allergy conscious is usually conscious of all allergies. One of those places I found was a bakery in Jacksonville, Sweet Theory (https://www.facebook.com/SweetRevolutionBakingCo). I am coming off a cupcake high at the moment. All of their cupcakes are Gluten-Free, Egg-free, Dairy-Free & Nut-free (they only use coconut oil) and their other desserts are all Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, and Nut-free.  I got the kids donuts and cinnamon rolls, things they never get to eat, and I got us all a dozen of their Everything-Free Cupcakes. We spent all weekend testing the different desserts and I swear to God every single one was perfection! I am dying right now after eating (sharing with the fam) banana, carrot, and chocolate chip cupcakes. Earlier we had vanilla lavender and chocolate brownie cupcakes. I just have to call and see if they mail their desserts. If not, I will have to make a trip up there more often.

Another place I found on the Find Me GF app is Zoes Kitchen (http://zoeskitchen.com/). They are a fast food, mediterranean style restaurant with locations all over the country...not in South Florida, yet! Their food is fresh and simple. They label Gluten-Free, Vegetarian, and Vegan dishes which makes a lot of lives easier. They cater too! Their kids menu is great, offering "chicken fingers" which are actually grilled chicken strips with a side of fruit. 

So here I am full, tired, and looking at piles of laundry. School starts in a week, back to work tomorrow after 2 weeks off, toys and clothes busting out of the rooms, and I truely think it was one of my favorite summers since the kids were born. 

Mango-Coconut Chia Pudding

Now that I have this blog people send me the best recipes! The newest one is from my friend Heather, who eats similar to my family. We had a crazy cooking session at my house the last time she was here but it was too crazy to write about. It was a mediterranean feast of some sorts, with homemade tzatziki,  mint meatballs, salads, etc. but the kids were helping and ingredients were flying. I forgot half the things we did. Next time Heather, aka "Headda", is in town I will document it better.

http://www.food.com/recipe/mango-coconut-chia-pudding-494615

This recipe is an awesome dessert, breakfast, or snack. I, of course, had to alter the recipe a little but it is the kind of recipe that everyone can make their own. I eliminated the almonds and added blueberries and cinnamon. (The cinnamon was a recommendation from my friend Debbi who was here sampling with me. She also suggested adding pineapple to give it a little bite.)

Anyways, I have to make it again soon because I ate it all without sharing with the kids. Emma wasn't too interested but Ava had Will's last bite and liked it. I imagine the more fruit and cinnamon in it the more my kids would eat of it. If I have time to make it on July 4th I will layer with strawberries and blueberries for a fun red, white, and blue treat. 1 batch made 5 single servings so if you are going to make for a party double or triple the recipe.

Thanks for reading and if you make, enjoy!

Best GF Pizza Restaurant EVER

Since the day I stopped eating gluten the only thing I really miss is Pizza. I have found some frozen ones that keep me sane but I have not found a place I can take the family and just enjoy pizza. Tonight that has changed. YOUR PIE. (http://www.yourpie.com/)

First, the gluten-free pizzas are exceptional!!! Not for a second did I miss eating everyone else's pizza. They are prepared in the back, away from all traces of gluten. You have millions of toppings to chose from... pesto, sun dried tomato pesto, red sauce, unlimited free veggies, meats, etc.

Second, they have great options for non-GF peops. They have white crust and whole wheat crust. They are careful with other allergies, such as our kids' egg, nuts, and sesame allergies. They confirmed all ingredients.

Third, the kids options are awesome. They give you a kids pizza, drink (from a fountain with a million choices), and gelato for $5.99. While waiting for your food they gave my kids pizza dough to play with. They had a ball!! Emma asked if we could have breakfast there tomorrow and Ava asked if we can have all future family dinners there.

Lastly, the have wine and beer.

Kids happy, me happy, we are going back!!!!

Carrot Apple Coconut Muffins

Parents always ask how they can sneak veggies into their kids diets. That is probably why Parenting Magazine (www.parenting.com) had a whole page article on carrots and "fun, fresh ways to fix this kid-pleasing veggie".

I had my eye on the recipe for Carrot Apple Coconut Muffins since April's issue. It was a recipe that required ingredients I always have in my house and it sounded really good. I had to modify it a little bit but the muffins were still great. And it was easy enough to make that Vince helped me bake them.

Preheat oven to 350. Mix the following ingredients:
1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
1 cup of peeled, grated Carrots
1/2 cup of peeled, grated Apple (Or I used 1/2 cup of Apple Sauce)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed

Then in a separate bowl mix:
2 eggs (or 3 tsp of Ener-G egg replacer + 4 Tbsp water)
1 tsp Vanilla
1/3 cup Coconut Milk
1/4 cup Coconut Oil
1/2 cup Honey

Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. If it looks like it needs more liquid, add some coconut milk. Add 1 Tbsp of batter to mini muffin tins and bake for 15 minutes, 30 for regular size muffins.

Enjoy being sneaky.

Banana Oatmeal Raison Bars

I have been quite busy lately and haven't been trying new recipes. I am waiting for my Beetnik Gluten Free food delivery and was thinking I would blog again once that came. But yesterday when I saw on Facebook a link for these Banana Oatmeal Raison Bars I figured I could squeeze in some baking time. They actually came out delicious! I think they are even better today though, maybe they aren't meant to be eaten hot. Since there is no sugar they made a good breakfast (I don't like sugary breakfast food). If making as a dessert food, I would replace the raisons for chocolate chips.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheRoadToHealthy/

I shared it on my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheEverythingFreeMommy?ref=ts&fref=ts

I modified the recipe and came up with:

3 smashed Bananas
1/3 cup apple sauce
2 cups of GF rolled oats
1/4 cup Coconut Milk
1/2 cup raisons (Or I think Chocolate Chips would be great)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Mix and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Lucy's Brownie Cakes, Gluten-free + Egg-free + Nut-free + Diary-free

I have been MIA lately I am going to admit why. I messed up. Thank God no one got sick, but I am 95% sure I messed up big time on the kids' allergies.

A few nights ago I went to blog about my Turkey Tacos. I had bought a seasoning packet, Fontera Taco Skillet, at the store that day and read the ingredients at least two times, maybe three. I made tacos, the kids ate them, and so I went online to share them with you. However, I already threw out the seasoning packet so I looked it up online to share the exact info. I immediately noticed the scary words "sesame oil" when the item came up.  I even blogged previously that some of the Fontera packets have sesame oil and I still missed it. My kids had no hives! I do not know what that means. It was one of the last ingredients and the tacos had cheese with very little Turkey, so perhaps they did not react to the little bit? Or has their sesame allergy gone away? Or was it a different flavor that I bought in the store and the one I found online was different? I do not know but I was horrified and mortified and it took me a few days to get over it.

Sometimes, I think these things happen to remind me to be more careful. Stick to what I know works. Stop trying new and creative recipes and give the kids what they like and what I know is safe. Or maybe an accident happens to show you the children have outgrown an allergy. I have no clue. I think we all need to be retested and so I am going to leave it at that...A reminder to go back to the doctor and see where we are at this year.

Here I am today, with a Store Bought suggestion, afraid to try any new items for a while. Lucy's Brand cookies are an easy treat for my family. Their cookies are nut-free, gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy-free. Bottom line, they are safe. And they are good!! So they either have a new item or it is new to my Whole Foods. Brownie Cakes, wrapped in individual servings packs (with two mini brownie cakes). These are PERFECT! They look like cupcakes so I can leave them at the schools for birthdays. I can bring them with me on play dates, to restaurants, while traveling as a "special treat", or to leave in my car in case other parents bring surprise cupcakes to the park. I swear, this little box from Whole Foods has the potential to change my life.

The whole family tested them out and we all approve. Also, try Lucy's cookies. So far, I like every flavor I have tried.

Hope this helps and enjoy!

Whole Foods Indian Red Lentil Soup, Everything-free

I am sorry that I have been out of touch. Spring break, new (old) job, and a little bit of cookers block (if that is a thing?). I am tired and overwhelmed. Headache, potty accident, atomic meltdown, ear infection, shower refusal, allergic reaction to dog, MRI scheduled, planning the summer, school project, kids fighting, Uggs in the rain, eczema.... Yea, I ended up hysterical crying in the doctors office today. There was a student nurse following the doc. I had no control and just melted down. Wonder what their conversation was after I left?

In other news, I stumbled upon the Recipe section of the Whole Foods website and found new inspiration. There are hundreds of recipes, all simple, healthy, and many are allergy free. My first recipe was their Indian Red Lentil Soup.

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/indian-red-lentil-soup

Check it out. Their pictures are better than mine so I am not posting one. It was simple, delicious, and pretty easy.

Passover Desserts, Everything-free

I can't legally say these are traditional Passover desserts but they are acceptable and they are gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, dairy-free...

This cake from The Gluten-Free Goddess is so delicious I can't believe it. I made it a while ago for my vegan cousin. Tonight I am missing some ingredients so I am certain it won't come out as good but I wanted to share it.

Vegan "Flourless" Chocolate Cake Recipe:
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2009/02/vegan-flourless-chocolate-cake-made-in.html

The second dessert I am making I found while looking for an SCD diet dessert for a friend. They are also everything-free and so yummy!! I even made this for breakfast once.

Baked Apples:
http://scdrecipes.blogspot.com/2011/11/baked-apples.html

Happy Passover, Happy Spring Break, Happy Easter, and Happy Sunday!

Neon Green Smoothie

This is my Dear God Don't Let Me Get Sick drink. Of course, I make it different every time but today was worth sharing. Feel free to add or delete anything according to your likes.

I filled half the blender with frozen peaches and mangoes
Then added coconut water to the top of the frozen fruit
And I blended.
I gave part of the mixture to the kids and then added to the rest:
2 cups of Spinach
1/4 inch ginger
Vitamin C (liquid)
Juice Plus capsules (opened up)
Drops of Oregano Oil
Aloe Vera Juice
1 cup of Cilantro

It was the prettiest shade of green and it was delicious.

Coconut Banana Bread, Gluten-free + Dairy-free + Egg-free

When one kids, or two, are sick, my other children feel completely neglected. Like I am abusive for paying any extra attention to their sick sibling. There is a chart somewhere in their head counting the minutes I spend on each, the special treatment I give each, the "favorite foods" I make for each. So since Ava was the only child who was well today, she came home from school in a rage. Emma got to sit NEXT to Vince in the car, Emma got to watch TV all day, bla bla bla.

So after an afternoon and dinner that revolved around Emma and Vince, I decided to make a dessert specifically for Ava. As I have said, she loves banana bread. So tonight I made a variation...Coconut Banana Bread. I found a recipe online and of course, altered it a bit to fit our family's food restrictions/preferences.

http://chocolateandzucchini.com/archives/2012/12/banana_coconut_bread_vegan.php

Banana Coconut Bread:

2 cups all-purpose GF flour
1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup grated coconut

4 small bananas
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tbsp dark rum
1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 350.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, spices, salt, sugar, and coconut. Stir well to combine. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas well. Add the oil, rum, and vinegar, and stir to combine.

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones until no trace of flour remains, without overmixing. Pour into the prepared pan, level the surface with a spatula.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Pull out from the pan and let cool on a rack before serving.

It was a hit! Ava went to bed happy (but only after complaining that it wasn't fair that Emma was sleeping with us).

Lemon Chicken with Cauliflower Butternut Squash Soup & Sweet Potato Fries

Two sick kids home today and I felt chicken and soup was an appropriate dinner. Honestly, I ate my way thru the day and couldn't imagine cooking or eating anything. Being home all day was a great excuse to start a new book (Gone Girl) and snack on everything in my fridge and cabinet. Green smoothie, Omelette with spinach, feta, and sun dried tomatoes, yogurt and granola, quacamole and PopChips, Apple, Banana...

So as a Jewish mother I suppose it is my job to make chicken and soup when my kids are sick.

Cauliflower Butternut Squash Soup:
1 box of Pacific Butternut Squash Soup
1 head of Orange Caulifower
1 cup of carrots
2 celery stalks sliced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Put all the ingredients in the Crock Pot for 5 hours. After 4 hours mix and add Thyme, Salt, Pepper, and Oregano. I actually overcooked the soup and it lost its soupy consistency. It was still delicious but served more like Cauliflower Mash than a soup.

Lemon Chicken:
2 lbs of Chicken Legs
3 Lemons
Olive Oil
2 Sliced garlic cloves
1 tbsp spicy mustard

Mix everything except chicken in a bag and then add the chicken. Leave in the fridge until you are ready to cook. Pour out the chicken and sauce from the bag in a saute pan and cook on all sides. Then bake at 400 for 35-45 minutes.

Sweet Potato Fries:

Ore-Ida Sweet Potato Fries are Gluten-free

Will, my husband, said the dinner had an Indian flare. Hope mama's chicken and soup help my babies feel better. 

Turkey Lettuce Wraps, Gluten-Free + Sesame-Free

Emma said this was one of her favorite meals I ever made. I am shocked. I didn't even think the kids would try it. I think the kids ate it because it was different and they enjoyed making their own wraps (with lettuce, filling, and dressing).

I found this recipe:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/turkey-lettuce-wraps-recipe/index.html

I sauteed ground turkey in coconut oil until no longer pink. Then added broccoli slaw, water chestnuts, chopped garlic, mushrooms, and sliced green onions. Once the veggies were cooked I added a mixture of gluten-free soy sauce (1/4 cup), rice wine vinegar (1 tbsp), and brown sugar (1 tbsp).

I added the filling to iceberg lettuce and topped with a dressing of gluten-free soy sauce (3 tbsp), rice wine vinegar (2 tbsp), honey (2 tbsp), dijon mustard (1tbsp), and water (1/4 cup).

According to Emma, it is worth trying!

Fresh Vegetable Quinoa with Costco Rotisserie Chicken & Brussel Sprouts, Everything-free

What goes well with Costco Rotisserie Chicken? Everything. Tonight I made a Fresh Vegetable Quinoa and Brussel Sprouts. I can't promise the kids will love this but we can try. I used all the left over vegetables and put them out as an appetizer and they ate them all so I won't complain.

Last night was a dinner disaster. I was feeling ambitious and it was a bad idea. I promised to try and stay away from the crock pot, however, I am not cut out for complicated dishes. First, I tried to make fried chicken cutlets. I should have known. All the bread crumbs ended up stuck to the pan, the chicken looked like it was covered in water by the end. I baked broccoli & cauliflower but undercooked it and it was too hard to eat. I sauteed spinach in the same pan as chicken and kids wouldn't touch it because of the bread crumbs all over it. I also made quinoa spaghetti with Classico Tomato & Basil sauce, fortunately something almost impossible to mess up. The saving grace was the arugula pesto my cousin Carianne recommended. I blended arugula, lemon, garlic, olive oil, and salt & pepper. When I diced the chicken, broccoli, cauliflower, and spaghetti and mixed it with the pesto it actually tasted delish! But even after deciding it was delicious, it was not worth the clean up. Frying pan, broccoli baking dish, mini food processor, pasta pan, sauce pan, cutting board, plates bla bla bla.  Soooo, tonight was a Costco Rotisserie Chicken night!!! It is free of all my family's allergies, it is 5 bucks, and it is easy!

Fresh Vegetable Quinoa:
1 cup of uncooked quinoa
2 cups of water
2 tbsp of salad dressing (I used Organicville Olive Oil & Balsamic)

I put the above three things in the rice cooker.

Diced tri-colored peppers
Diced celery
Diced carrots
Diced cucumbers

Mix the vegetables with salad dressing (I used the Organicville for this too) and add it to the cooked Quinoa. Add salt & pepper. You can eat this warm or cold.

Brussel Sprouts:
Mix brussel sprouts with olive oil and kosher salt. Bake at 400 until crispy.

Kitchen is clean, I am not exhausted, & healthy food awaits. In the future I will try and remember my own rule, nothing complicated.

Oatmeal Cranberry Waffles, Gluten-free + Egg-free + Dairy-free

Good Morning! Since the girls slept AN HOUR later than usual today I decided to reward them with a special breakfast. I love making them pancakes or waffles but today I wanted to eat them too. So I made a concoction....

The Vitamix cookbook has a recipe for Oatmeal Cranberry Waffles that I altered. I used the Vitamix but if you don't have one you can just mix it. Also, if you don't have a waffle maker you can use this mix and make pancakes.

In Vitamix on low speed mix:
1 cup GF pancake/waffle mix (today I used Maple Grove Farms)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup hemp seeds
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 1/2 cup water

Then add:
1 cup GF oats
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Add 1 cup to heated waffle maker. I use the hottest setting, I like waffles crispy.

Top with Coconut Butter & Maple Syrup, and Enjoy!!!

Chicken Fajitas, Moros Rice, & Sangria

What goes well with Sangria? Yea, that's where I am starting tonight. I like my meals, drinks, and desserts to match. And tonight, all I care about is the sangria. And if you were walking by my house 10 minutes ago and heard me screaming you would have probably brought me a bottle yourself.

Sangria:
Red Wine
Lime Sparkling Water
Canned fruit with some of the juice

Chicken Fajitas:
Chicken breast tenders
Salsa
Tri-colored peppers, sliced long

I put them in the crock pot for 3 hours (so that they did not shred). But you can saute them in a pan. Put in corn tortillas and top with either quacamole, sour cream, or cheese. BTW if you buy "Fajita seasoning packets" in the store be very careful, they may contain gluten. Just add your own spices and seasoning if you have a gluten allergy.

Moros Rice:
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 can black beans
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt

Put all the ingredients in the rice cooker. I think this is a cuban dish. If you are ever in a cuban restaurant, order this!! It is amazing. It is pretty much rice cooked in black beans.

Drink, eat, and enjoy your evening!

Mexican Quinoa, Everything-free

 

I love Mexican food! I always joke that I could turn anything into a Mexican dish. And like almost everything else I make, I make Mexican food different every single time. Beans, corn, peppers, onions, salsa, avocado, chick peas, cucumbers, spinach, chicken, steak, cheese (regular or dairy-free), sour cream (regular or dairy-free). Mix and Match those ingredients and you have a Dani Mexican Meal. 

Tonight I am making a Mexican Quinoa. I make half the dish in the Rice Cooker.

In the Rice Cooker:
1 cup qunioa
2 cups water
1 can black beans
1 tbsp olive oil
Squeeze 1/2 a lime
salt

Once done, pour into a big bowl. Add your favorite Mexican ingredients. Tonight I am adding:
Diced chicken (leftover from last nights Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos)
Spinach
Salsa (use a fresh one, pico de gallo style)
Diced cucumber
Shredded Mexican Cheese (add after quinoa cools off)
And top your dish with a spoonful of sour cream

Enjoy!

Mongolian Beef, Gluten-free + Sesame-free + Nut-free

We absolutely completely avoid asian food when we are with the kids. I am way too fearful of the nut and sesame contamination. Plus, I find soy sauce contamination has been the biggest problem for my gluten sensitivity. I heard Pei Wei has a gluten-free menu but due to nut and sesame oil we never took the kids. However, I finally ordered it for myself the other night. I had their gluten-free sweet and sour chicken. It was good but all I kept thinking was "I wish it was their Mongolian Beef". As I have said before, when I get a craving I MUST find a way to have it. So I started searching....

It didn't take long before I found a P.F. Chang's gluten-free Mongolian Beef recipe!! The only thing I have to take out is the sesame oil.

http://www.pfchangs.com/chefscorner/recipes/gluten_free_mongolian_beef_recipe.pdf

Serve with brown rice and baked broccoli and Enjoy!

Delivery, Home Cooked, Allergy-Free Meals

It is sort of my dream come true! If I can't make my kids allergies go away, I hope for there to be companies that make my life easier. In the past, ordering in was a life saver. Now when we have a lot of guests over, I am torn between the risks of ordering in verse slaving in the kitchen all day. My newest discovery and answer to this dilemma is a company called Nutritious Family.

www.nutritiousfamily.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nutritious-Family/227314293958759?ref=ts&fref=ts

First, I spoke with Staci, the owner, and discussed our family's food restrictions. Second, she emailed me five choices of meals. She charges by the meal, either adult portion or child. Third, I emailed her my choices and how many of each. Fourth, 24 hours later it was delivered to our door in trays ready to put in the oven!!

I did this for my dad's birthday dinner. There were 11 of us and I ordered 11 adult meals, each came with sides.

Chicken Piccata with Cauliflower Mash & Asparagus
Spaghetti Squash Primavera with Turkey Meatballs & Antipasta Salad
Veggie Fried Rice with Chicken Satay
Italian Sausage Stuffed Peppers with Quinoa and Broccoli

Every single bite was fresh and delicious and for almost the first time I didn't have to worry about my kids or myself eating something we are allergic to. We could all eat every single thing on the table...and we did!! No one could figure out what their favorite was, we all liked everything. We even had a self proclaimed "foodie" at the table and she texted me this morning for the contact information.

You can either order their weekly meals, like I did, or use their other services which include personal shopping and cooking, chef lessons, kids lunches (for orders of 10 or more), and coaching (long distance or local).

I highly recommend using this service if you or your family has food restrictions, enjoys eating healthful meals, or just want some help in the kitchen!

Order and enjoy!

Super Bowl Sunday Ribs, Chips, and Corn Muffins, gluten-free + egg-free + nut-free

Don't miss out on Super Bowl food today. Personally, it devastates  me when I can't eat the traditional food on a special day. And all week, with Super Bowl hype, I have had ribs on my mind. When I was pregnant people always asked what my cravings were. Pregnancy cravings were nothing new to me. I ALWAYS had cravings. Always have and always will. And this week, the craving is ribs. I made Will turn around last night, minutes from our house, to go buy a rack of ribs.

Along with slow cooked ribs, we are making homemade sweet potato chips and gluten-free corn, fig, and orange muffins (from the NY Times, sent to me by my first friend/best friend Eden). I am sorry if I overdose on the slow cooker, it is just so easy.

Ribs:
Rack of Ribs
Diced Garlic
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Brown Sugar
Salt & Pepper
BBQ sauce

Mix & Rub the dry ingredients on the ribs and place in slow cooker on their side. Rub the garlic on the ribs. Cook 7 hours. When done rub BBQ sauce on them and convection bake at 450 for 10 to 15 minutes.

Chips:
Sweet Potatoes
Salt
Olive Oil

Slice the potatoes in thin circles. Sprinkle with olive oil and salt. Bake at 400 for 75 minutes, or until crispy.

Corn, Fig, & Orange Muffins:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/29/health/gluten-free-cornmeal-fig-and-orange-muffins-recipes-for-health.html?ref=healthhttp://&_r=0
I, of course, substituted a few things. I also did not let the figs soak for an hour...too complicated for me.
For the egg-Ground Flaxseed + Non Fat Greek Yogurt
For the buttermilk-Soy milk
For the flour-All purpose Gluten-free flour

Who cares about football, enjoy the food!

Meat Sauce + Spaghetti Squash

I really really really don't like complicated cooking. When a meal takes longer to prep than it does to eat I won't make it again. I end up exhausted and angry and don't enjoy the meal it took me all afternoon to cook.

Maybe that is my fascination with the crock pot. I cook early in the day and by the time dinner rolls around I feel like I ordered in. Clean kitchen and dinner is ready.

Today I made crock pot meat sauce + spaghetti squash.

Meat Sauce:
Olive oil
Carrots
Celery
Onion
Garlic
Ground beef
Tomato Sauce

Saute the veggies and garlic in olive oil. Put in crock pot. Saute meat. Put in crock pot. Add jar of sauce. Cook 6 hours.

Spaghetti Squash:
Cut in half length wise and put face down on tin foil on baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 60 minutes. Spoon out the spaghetti.

Mix the Squash in the Sauce, top with parmesan cheese (if you aren't dairy-free), and Enjoy!