Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

It's raining and I'm stuck at home waiting for my new tractor to arrive. So, I took all of my nervous energy, and put it into baking.

I really like the King Arthur gluten-free multipurpose four, because so far, it's been the best mix that bakes most like "regular" flour.

The recipe is adapted from the back of the Hershey's special dark chocolate chips.

Vegan, Gluten-Free Enchiladas

I love Mexican food! And, it's pretty easy to be creative with it, while still keeping vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free.

This is another recipe that came out of "box," meaning I used to take my family's boxed Spanish rice that they would have as a side dish with something, add beans and fill a tortilla with it and take it for lunch. A few years ago when I started looking at what was in these "boxed" mixes, I figured I could make something homemade that would taste just as good, but without all the other "stuff."  

I prefer using brown rice for this, because it's healthier than white, and honestly I can't remember the last time I ate white rice! I think this is on the spicier side, because of the mild enchilada sauce and jalapenos, so feel free to omit the peppers or use a different sauce if you don't like spicy food. (Note, I have friend who love spicy things and they say it's not "hot," so it really depends on your taste.)

You will have extra rice leftover if you make only four enchiladas like the recipe calls for. So, you can either make more enchiladas, or serve it on the side along with plain black beans.  The several times I've had leftovers, and took them to work, they they've reheated perfectly in the microwave.

 

Summer Pasta Salad

Growing up my parents always bought those pre-boxed cold pasta salad mixes, and I was never a fan of them. After a while they would make their own with pre-bottled Italian dressing, but I still didn't like that.

I set out to make a vegan, gluten-free summer pasta salad that in the end, tasted similar, if not better than the one they liked.

Make it right in a plastic container to make it easy to stick in the refrigerator, or with you to your next cookout. This goes great with a veggie burger! Feel free to add more or less olives, tomatoes and pimentos to fit your tastes.

Vegan Mint Shake

Originally created as an "adult beverage" for St. Patrick's Day, this vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free shake is delicious and went over extremely well this past March.

It is also being entered into the So Delicious Dairy Free 2013 Recipe Contest.

Lemony Spring Vegetable Risotto With Tarragon

When I think of Spring produce, fresh asparagus, peas and lemons always come to mind. Add that with a pinch of dried tarragon, and you have a perfect risotto to welcome the warm weather with.

This vegan, gluten-free dish has only a slight after hint of lemon, so if you like it a little stronger, just add a little more of the juice. I would suggest adding both the tarragon and fresh squeezed lemon juice a little at a time to fit individual tastes. For example, I like it a little more lemony, but the rest of the family doesn't.

Serve with a light, refreshing glass of white wine.

Cheesy Smoked Gouda, Broccoli and Tomato Risotto Bake

Yum, yum, yum! This gluten-free, vegetarian dish is filled with cheesy goodness and is a really good "comfort" food. I made it for Easter and it got devoured. 

If smoked gouda isn't your thing, use cheddar instead. You can make this ahead of time and then just reheat it at 350 degrees in the oven when you are ready to cook it.

Note, there isn't any added salt in this, but adding some to your individual serving will help bring out the flavors. 

Mini Avocado Cinnamon Spice Muffins

Avocados are a favorite, but I always tend to buy too many of them and not eat them fast enough. So, I started looking around for recipes to do some "different" thing with them.

There is a fabulous website produced by Hass Avocados that tells you everything you need to know about the avocado, and has numerous ways to prepare them. This recipe is based off of their gluten-free mini avocado spice cupcake recipe.

Mine is both gluten free and vegan, and makes two trays of 24 mini muffins. They come super moist, so I would suggest keeping them in the fridge, or somewhere cool and dry.