Healthy pumpkin creamer

Directions:
1. Place the following ingredients in your blender cup:
Dash of ginger
4 Tbsp pumpkin puree
1 can FULL FAT coconut milk (It does not taste coconutty.)
4 Tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

2. Pulse in blender 'til thoroughly mixed.
3. Add to coffee.
4. Thank Angie Good.
The end. ♡ ♡ ♡

HAPPY FALL, FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!

Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:
1 lb Bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 lb Fresh broccoli
1/2 c. Dried cranberries*
1 Red onion, chopped
1 c. Mayo
2 tsp. White vinegar
3/4 c. sunflower seeds, totally optional**
1/2 c. sugar

Directions:
1. Combine white vinegar, sugar, and mayo.  Mix well.  Set aside for about 15 minutes.
2. Combine all other ingredients.
3. Add dressing to the veggies. Stir well.  

* - I used a dried mixed berry combination containing dried cranberries, dried blueberries, and dried cherries.

** - I could not find gluten-free sunflower seeds so I omitted them.

People ask me, "How do you cook / bake gluten-free?"  
My answer always is, "I use regular recipes and use gluten-free ingredients."  This salad is a perfect example of that...every thing listed above was labeled gluten-free (except the doggone sunflower seeds; their package said "processed on machinery that processes gluten, etc.  I don't take any chances as I have no desire to have a headache - no matter how slight, bloated, cranky, sluggish, etc.).

 

Black Bean Salad

Recipe from the fabulous Roxanne

1 - 15 oz. can of black beans, rinsed & drained
1 c. Diced radishes
1 med. Tomato, chopped
1/2 c. Celery, chopped
1/2 c. Sweet onion, chopped
1/2 c. Italian dressing (not zesty) - Hendrickson's is wonderful!

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Chill for an hour.
3. Consume.

Egg Salad with Avocado

Ingredients:
1 Avocado
1 Tbsp Chives
1 Stalk of Celery
4 Hard-boiled Eggs
1-1/2 tsp Lemon Juice, fresh
2 Tbsp Mayo
Dash of salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Combine first three ingredients, mixing well.
2. Add eggs.  Stir well.
3. Add lemon juice, mayo and salt & pepper.

Serve on a toasted English muffin or on toast or just eat it straight out of the bowl you mixed it in!!!! 

Russian Tea Recipe

From Kari’s aunt

2 ½ c. Tang

1 ¾ c. Instant tea

1 ¼ c. Sugar or presweetened lemonade

1 Tbsp. Cinnamon

½ tsp. Cloves

2-3 teaspoons of mixture per 1 cup of boiling water

Guacamole

Here's my fabulous guacamole recipe...

Ingredients:
3 large avocados
1 small container of Greek yogurt
1 smallish onion, chopped
2ish Tbsp. salsa
1 lime

Directions:
1. With a knife, slice avocados in half length-wise.  Using a spoon, remove the pit and discard. Scoop out the yummy goodness of the avocados and place in a bowl.

2.  Add Greek yogurt and chopped onion.

3.  With a fork, mash / stir the mixture.

4.  Add salsa.  Mix again.

5.  Slice lime in half and squeeze lime juice on mixture.  Stir until mixed well.

6.  Serve with chips or crackers or scoop out with a spoon.  

Enjoy!     

Garbanzo Bean Flour Pizza Crust

This makes a 10" x 16" pizza.

2.5 cups garbanzo bean flour

2 cups hot water (I do not boil the water...just heat it up in the tea kettle.)
¼ cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
½ tsp. Crushed red pepper
½ tsp. Oregano
½ tsp. Garlic powder
½ tsp. Parsley (I omit this spice -- YUCK!)
½ tsp. Basil
Generous amounts of pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix ingredients with wooden spoon and let sit in bowl UNTOUCHED for 30 minutes.

Bake 15-20 minutes until crust is cracking and a bit firm.

Remove from oven.

Add pizza sauce, toppings, and cheese.

Bake for another 15-20 minutes → until cheese is melted

Remove from oven and enjoy!!!!

Summer Joy's Oven-roasted Veggie Recipe

Preheat oven:  350˚

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

Balsamic vinaigrette

Beets

Sweet Potatoes

Cauliflower

Carrots

Sea Salt

Directions:

1. Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment oil and olive oil.

2. Cut into quarters and/or halves veggies.

3. Place veggies in a single layer on parchment paper.

4. Cover with a dash of olive oil, balsamic vinaigrette and sea salt.

5. Bake for approximately 90 minutes.

Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

Ingredients:
2 lbs Chicken breast (uncooked)
1 4-oz Green chilies
2 16-oz Tomato sauce
2 16-oz Mexican (or Rotelle) tomatoes
5 16-oz Black beans, drained
1 c. Salsa
Shredded cheese
Tortilla chips


Directions:
1. Combine chicken, green chilies, tomato sauce, Mexican tomatoes, black beans and salsa in your crockpot.  {You may stir.  I'm lazy and don't do this.  I combine all ingredients and walk away.}
2. Cook on low for 8 hours.
3. Serve with cheese and tortilla chips.


This is perhaps my most favorite soup ever. 


Feel free to modify the recipe.  When I need more servings, I add a ridiculous amount of black beans.  Sometimes I dump in the whole jar of salsa - this is usually accidental.  Ooops!!!!

CONFESSION: I could eat my body weight in apple crisp.

Ingredients:
12 Apples, chunked*
Juice from 3 lemons
1-1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla
2 Cups Oatmeal
1 Cup Sugar in the Raw
2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
1/2 - 3/4 Cup Butter, room temperature

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375º.  In a bowl, combine apples, lemon juice and vanilla.  Stir well.  Place apples in greased 9" x 13" baking dish.
2. Combine oatmeal,  sugar, and cinnamon.  Cut in butter.
3. Pour oatmeal mixture over apples.
4. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes.
5. Serve warm.  (And by "serve warm" - eat it straight from the baking dish!!!)

* - I used Pink Lady Apples (which are tart) and a new-to-me apple called Sweet Apples.  I like the Granny Smith & Honey Crisp combination too.

Enjoy!!!

Confession: I love food.

Along with my love of good food, I also love finding new recipes and trying them.  I love it especially when I find a new one that I love!!!  This is the case with last night's quinoa salad.

A couple weeks ago, I was perusing a leftover copy of Real Simple magazine.  I like that magazine because it offers fabulous tips & useful tricks.  The magazine usually showcases a new food and then gives you different options.  In this particular issue, they were suggesting trying couscous.  (Note:  Couscous is gluteneous.  I actually did not know that couscous was a major no-no for the gluten intolerant.  It's listed on my 5-page list of NO-NO's.) 

The picture of the salad looked fabulous...  There were chunks of avocado and onions...and a smattering of kidney beans.  And too top it off - fresh squeezed lime juice.  My taste buds were salivating.

I pondered the recipe and the texture of couscous and wondered if I could substitute to quinoa, so I did the most logical thing...I sent a text to my mom.  She didn't see why it would be issue and bid me goodluck!!!

Sunday night I cooked the quinoa.  It takes about 20 minutes for the all the water to absorb and the quinoa to expand.  Cooking this the night before really did help my Monday night to be too insanely crazy from the time I returned from work and the rush-rush-rush to get back out the door to Ladies Club.

Here's a picture of tonight's (Tuesday) supper - leftover quinoa, kidney bean, and lime salad.

And here's my version of the recipe...

Ingredients:
3 cups of quinoa cooked
2 15-ounce cans of kidney beans, drained and rinsed.
2 avocados, cut into chunks
8 scallions, chopped
2 limes, juiced

Directions:
1. Cook quinoa per directions.
2. Chill cooked quinoa.
3. In a bowl, combine all ingredients and stir well.
4. Stir in quinoa.
5. Serve salad chilled.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer

Dairy Free Pumpkin Spice Creamer

from www.thecoconutmama.com
  

 Ingredients
2 cans of organic coconut milk*
5 tablespoons organic pumpkin puree 

1 teaspoon pumpkin spice**
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons maple syrup or raw honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
extra cinnamon for dusting

 

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients.

2. Add to your coffee.

3. Enjoy!

 

* - I had to tweek this recipe as I did not have any coconut milk.  I used almond milk instead and it tastes FABULOUS!!!

 

** - You can make your own pumpkin pie spice.  This recipe is from The Kitchen Companion by Polly Clingerman (a beloved Christmas present from my college roomie Mandy). 

 

Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

Combine all ingredients. 

Yummy Pumpkin Treat

A couple weeks ago, my mom shared a recipe with me that I am hoping to make tomorrow morning.  I'm not sure of the official name so I came up with "Yummy Pumpkin Treat."  Original, right?  :)

Here's the recipe...

Ingredients:
1 c. Almond Butter
3 c. Pumpkin
1 Egg
1/3 c. Honey
1 tsp. Baking soda

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine all ingredients.  Stir thoroughly.
3. Grease 8x8" brownie pan.
4. Place mixture in pan.
5. Bake 25 minutes.
6. Enjoy warm and maybe with a cup of coffee and your friend.

A new summery salad recipe...

Ingredients:
8 cups baby spinach leaves
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
1 (11 ounce) container mandarin oranges, drained
1-1/2 cups sweetened cranberries
1 cup honey-roasted almonds *
1 cup crumbled feta cheese **
1 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing

* - I used plain slivered almonds.
** - I could not find gluten-free feta cheese, so I used goat cheese.

Mix ingredients all the ingredients, except the dressing, in a large bowl. 
Serve and let your guests put on their own dressing.

I'm thinking you could omit the dried cranberries and allow the mandarin oranges to sweeten the mixture.  Another thought - in lieu of the cranberries, use blueberries.

Honey Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

2 medium bananas, chopped

2 c. fresh blueberries

2 c. fresh raspberries

2 c. fresh sliced strawberries

5 tbsp. honey

1 tsp. lemon juice

¾ tsp. poppy seeds

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the bananas and berries.
2. In a small bowl, combine the honey, lemon juice and poppy seeds.
3. Pour the honey mixture over the fruit and stir gently.

Variations:

Use mangoes, blackberries, and peaches.

How to make the world's best ice tea

1. Boil 4 cups of water.

2. Pour boiling water over 6 Celestial Seasonings Wild Berry Zinger tea bags.

3. Steep for 5 minutes and remove tea bags.

4. Serve over ice.

Enjoy the party in your mouth!!!

I did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I, Angela Dawn Good, pan-seared salmon.  It was soo easy to do which makes me want to kick myself in the shins for fretting and stewing about this.  It's like the time I was nervous about trying circular knitting needles.

Well, pan-searing salmon no longer frightens me.

 I suppose one of the reasons I was scared was I am going to share this with my co-worker who happens to be a foodie too.  You see, I love trying new recipes and then after making the first round - I will then gladly share.  There was no trial experiment with the pan-searing.  If this didn't work, I would have to inform said co-worker that he would need to bring a back-up lunch.  BUT INSTEAD.....(see picture)...DOESN'T IT LOOK DELIGHTFUL?  The salad is mixed greens, cherry tomatoes (halved), and red onion.  LOTS of red onion.  The dressing (lefthand bottom corner) is red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.  Obviously, because you are intelligent (I mean, HELLOOOOOO, you are reading the greatest blog ever!!!!) so I won't tell you that the salmon is pictured on the righthand side.


I love cooking!!!  It's soo therapeutic.  (I never can remember that the "e" is before the "u" in therapeutic.  Thank goodness for spell check!)


And now I am going to paint my toenails and read for a bit....afterall, tomorrow is Monday and this girl needs her beauty rest.


Tootles!

Fabulous salad

Romaine lettuce

Cooked chicken breast, cut up

Cherry tomatoes

Fresh raspberries

Red onion

Raspberry dressing

Confession...

I do not like to chop onions and/or garlic without my dish-washing gloves on.  

Chicken & Quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah")

Ingredients:
2 baked chicken breasts, cubed
1 avocado, chopped
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup quinoa, cooked
1 cup shredded cheese
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup plain Greek-style yogurt (since it tastes like sour cream...I'm going to venture to say that you can substitute this with sour cream)
Romaine lettuce

Directions: 
1. Chopped romaine lettuce and place on plate. 
2. Top with a smackeral of all ingredients listed.
3. Enjoy!

This recipe can also be altered to make burritos.  I haven't found gluten-free burritos so I've not been adventuresome.  The salad version is my favorite.  :)