Chai Spice Coconut Flour Cupcakes(Gluten/Grain/Dairy Free)

These cupcakes are made with coconut flour and honey. Making them a perfect addition to a grain free/refined sugar free diet. So whether you are on a special diet like Paleo, GAPS, or SCD...or just trying to eat a little healthier, these cupcakes are treat that will make everyone happy!


Coconut Flour Chai Spiced Cupcakes



1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted

1 1/2 tsp.

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{recipe review} heather's oaties

One of my favorite food/healthy living bloggers is Heather of Heather Eats Almond Butter. She likes healthy foods, she thinks butter is a good thing (oh thank you Heather), and she loves her oatbran & oats... just like me!

It's her constant journaling of healthy dinners made of greens, grass-fed beef, and fresh vegetables that inspires me on nights when I can't think of anything to make.

Another thing I love about Heather is her sweet tooth... and how she somehow manages to make dessert recipes with healthy things like rolled oats... and they are AMAZING. These little cookies are a variation of Heather's Butterfied Oaties ( for those who are wondering about the dairy thing -- while I cannot digest most types of dairy -- milk, yogurt, ice-cream, sour cream, etc... I can handle small amounts of buttah and I feel like it's a much better alternative than margarine).

I LOVE these little cookies. I've kept them at work as a snack throughout the day. They are crunchy, buttery, just sweet & salty enough! IT's a great combination and such an awesome way to make a healthy snack. Sure, as all snacks they need to be eaten in moderation... but they are really easy, egg-free, delicious chocolate-y snacks!!

Check out Heather's other varieties of Oaties and let me know what you think! Please make them!

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yes, I'll have some chocolate with my breakfast...

One of my favorite breakfasts lately is baked oatmeal made in the slow cooker and then topped with a square of 85% dark chocolate and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or almond butter.

To make baked oatmeal in the slow cooker simply mix it up as directed in the recipe. Then place the batter in a greased slow cooker insert, I use my 2.5 quart slow cooker. Cook on high for 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours OR cook on low for 4-6 hours -- until the edges of the crust are golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

I cut the baked oatmeal into about 5 equal servings and refrigerate them. Then I can take an individual serving to work each day, heat it for a minute or two in the microwave and add the toppings. Easy, delicious, with some healthy protein & chocolate. Because chocolate is healthy you know. It is!

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wordless wednesday - missing fall in the mountains

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Lemon Brownies

This is a good treat for someone that 

doesn't like chocolate.

( I can't believe I just typed that sentence )

In a large bowl combine the sugar, flour

and salt. Add the softened butter.

tip:You can soften a stick if butter in the 

microwave for 25 seconds on 30% power

 Whisk the eggs in another bowl and add the lemon juice,

and zest.

Combine the two and beat until smooth.

I always use the butter wrapper to grease the pan.

Pour in the batter.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Mix the powdered sugar, lemon juice and zest.

 Spread on the cooled lemon brownies.

It will make a nice thin glaze.

Cut into squares.

These have a light yet dense texture, 

similar to brownies. I'll give them their own

new name......Lemonies!

Enjoy!

Lemon Brownies

3/4 C flour

3/4 C sugar

1/4 t salt

1 stick butter, soft

2 eggs

juice from 1/2 lemon (about 1T)

zest from 1/2 lemon (about 1t)

Combine the flour, sugar and salt

 in a large bowl.

 Mix in the softened butter.

In another bowl whisk the eggs with 

the lemon juice and zest.

Add to the larger bowl and mix well.

 Pour into prepared 8X8 brownie pan.

 Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

You can double the recipe and bake in a

 9X13 pan for 30 minutes.

Remove and let cool, then glaze.

Glaze

1/2C powdered sugar

1 T lemon juice

additional lemon zest

stir together

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

note: 1 stick of butter is = to 1/2 C or 1/4 pound.
I use unsalted butter.

Check out my Lemon Lover's Bundt Cake too.

Links: Savvy Southern Style, Designs By Gollum,
EKats Kitchen

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Gluten Free Baking *101* E-Cookbook

 

This little book has been a long time in the making!  Several years ago I started teaching a basic gluten free baking class out of my home and I created this instructional cookbook as the teaching material. 

It's been through quite a few revisions now and instead of only having about 6 basic recipes, it's been revised to contain 24 recipes. Many of these recipes are my favorites here on the blog, but quite a few are brand new recipes that I've both created & adapted to the gluten free/casein free/soy free diet. While this book does not contain hundreds of recipes, I believe the selections here will be some of the most useful recipes for everyday gluten free baking in your kitchen. 

I told my husband a few months ago, that out of all the gluten free cookbooks I had in my kitchen, my printed copy of Gluten Free Baking *101* was the cookbook I used most often for my own baking. That was surprising to me and I wondered if a simple gluten free recipe book with basic, reliable recipes would be just as useful to others. I feel confident that you too will come to rely on this small collection of exceptional gluten free recipes!

A few highlights from the book: 

• Most of the recipes contained in this book rely on my favorite gluten free flours: brown rice flour, sorghum flour, and arrowroot starch. 
• The recipes are easy to follow and budget-friendly.  
• The  beginning chapter gives you background information on ingredients, teaches you how to prevent cross-contamination in your kitchen, and how to create your own gluten free flour mixes. 
• Includes recipes for our favorite chocolate chip cookies, my Dad's best pancakes, the Gluten Free Master Baking Mix -- along with 6 additional Master Mix recipes, a brand NEW and EASY recipe for gluten free sandwich bread,  and many others!

I'm proud of this little book, I've worked hard on it and I'm now happy that I can share it with you. I hope these recipes are as helpful to you as they have been to my family.

You can find this e-book in my "store" located at the top of my page -- http://gingerlemongirl.blogspot.com/p/store.html, along with ordering it from clicking on the pictures above and below.

 Ginger Lemon Girl's Gluten Free Baking *101* E-book

By: Carrie S. Forbes

A basic gluten free instructional cookbook including 24 of Carrie's favorite gluten free recipes.

This cookbook contains many of the best & most used recipes from here on GingerLemonGirl.com, along with additional brand new recipes that are not available on the website. 

$12.00 USD
NOW only $4.99 USD

Click here to purchase! 

E-book will be sent as a PDF file to your email within 24 hours of ordering.

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Pasta with Pesto, Feta & Pine Nuts

Pasta with Pesto, Feta & Pine Nuts

A very tasty, quick and easy mid-week meal!

Serves 4

Prep time:  5 minutes

Cooking time: 8-10 minutes

Ingredients

500g/17 ½ oz Spaghetti

for the pesto

50g/2oz basil

30g/1oz pine nuts, toasted

30g/1oz parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

85ml/3fl oz olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

to serve

200g/7oz feta cheese, crumbled

3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

Method

1.       Cook the pasta as per packet instructions.

2.      Put the basil, parmesan, garlic and pine nuts into a food processor and season well.

3.      Whiz together and with the motor still running, pour the oil in until the pesto thickens.

4.      Stir the pesto through the cooked pasta and serve with the crumbled feta cheese and pine nuts.

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Savory Crepes With Garlic & Rosemary Roasted Veggies (gluten free, dairy free, grain free)

I have always had a weakness for crepes. Sweet or savory, I'll take them anyway they come. When I knew that my "gluten crepe" days had ended, I knew I had to find another option. ENTER: Coconut flour crepes, and they are actually pretty good. Coconut flour is packed with fiber which makes it a great addition to a grain free diet.



I decided to start off with a nice "savory" crepe. One of my

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gluten free blueberry cobbler recipe

Keeping a big batch of gluten free master baking mix in the cabinet is really helpful. On Saturday, I had a partial container of blueberries that were way past their prime, along with a bag of frozen blueberries that I really needed to use up.

My friend Heather A. came to me a few months ago with an old recipe for blueberry cobbler she had when she was growing up. She wanted to make it gluten free. I don't remember ever really talking about what she should use to make it... so she figured out how to make it gluten free all on her own. Several days later she & her husband met us for dinner at a local restaurant and she brought along her homemade blueberry cobbler. I hadn't had a cobbler like this in ages... with a crusty, cinnamon-y biscuit crust and a wonderfully rich, purple, and just-sweet-enough, blueberry filling. It was delicious.  Between the four of us we completely devoured that cobbler and probably could have eaten another one! Soon after I tried to make the cobbler at home... I added more ingredients, changed things a bit... and it just wasn't as good. Heather was right... keeping it simple was the key to this awesome cobbler.

Saturday when I decided to make the cobbler again I wanted to use my Master Baking Mix. I realized this made making a gluten free version even easier... and it made a darn good casserole. I think even Heather would approve!

Heather's Gluten Free Blueberry Cobbler
adapted by Carrie at gingerlemongirl.com
free of gluten, dairy/casein, eggs, and soy
printer-friendly recipe

Batter Ingredients:
1 cup Gluten Free Master Baking Mix (or gluten free Bisquick)
1/3 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons sugar

Filling Ingredients:
3/4 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch -or- arrowroot starch
3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Topping:
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tbsp. butter -or- coconut oil -or- non-stick cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a small casserole dish and set aside. In a small bowl mix together the gluten free master baking mix, almond milk and 2 tablespoons of sugar until you have a thick batter. Set aside. In a small saucepan add water, 2/3 cup sugar, and cornstarch. Mix or whisk together and cook over high heat, stirring constantly until boiling. Allow to boil for 1 minute. The cornstarch/water mixture will turn translucent and thicken. Remove from heat and add blueberries.  Pour blueberry filling into the greased baking dish. Drop the master mix batter by tablespoons on top of the blueberry filling and use a fork to spread evenly over the casserole. It doesn't have to be perfectly covered. Mix cinnamon and 2 teaspoons sugar in a small bowl and sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Dot with butter, coconut oil, or spritz the top of the casserole with non-stick cooking spray (this will help the casserole to brown). Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top of the casserole is golden brown and the blueberry filling is bubbling around the edges. If your casserole dish is too small, you may want to place a cookie sheet underneath the dish to keep it from spilling over in your oven. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes before serving. Serve as is or at room temperature... serve with ice-cream, whipped cream... or my favorite -- just plain the way it is! Enjoy!

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this week's menu - back to school

I made a big batch of Master Mix on Saturday and baked all day! I made blueberry cobbler (I'll share that recipe this week!), brownies, muffins, cookies, etc... most of these treats went to a local college student in town who has celiac disease. I can't imagine how hard it would be to follow a GF diet when you live in a dorm room, you're far away from your family, don't have a kitchen, have to eat in so many social situations, etc... Just to see him go "oh wow" when I handed over the big paper gift bag of safe gluten free baked goods was completely worth it!

See if you can find out about a local celiac college student or high school student in your area.. make them some brownies, deliver them personally... and treasure the smile you'll get back!

Many schools in our area are starting back this week. The stores have been packed with parents picking up school supplies and new backpacks... I overheard a mom at Walmart on Saturday night reminding her daughter they needed Clorox wipes and cotton balls... I just smiled. I remember those days. It was also a reminder to me to pick up a few supplies to donate to a local school. Teachers spend so much out of their own pockets... it's always a good idea to lend them a hand when we can this time of year!

Breakfasts & Snacks This Week:  Potluck at work on Monday, Chocolate Hemp shakes, scrambled eggs, blueberry muffins, oatmeal or oatbran with almond butter swirled in, celery with peanut butter, rice cakes with peanut butter, etc...

Dinners This Week: 

• Monday - Roast Beef with steamed butternut squash & apples, green beans
• Tuesday - GF sandwich night and/or homemade salads
• Wednesday - Fresh summer  GF pasta salad (using Tinkyada pasta) with grilled chicken
• Thursday - Cheryl's sniffle stew (I've become a huge soup/stew fan lately...seems ironic in the summer! lol) 
• Friday - Homemade almond flour GF pizza with salad
• Saturday - Pan-grilled cod with steamed broccoli
• Sunday - Tacos with black beans, tomatoes, and avocados

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Joe's Grilled Tomatoes

I hope you saved 1/2 C of the garlic creamed spinach from the previous post.

This is a fast easy side that goes great
with grilled steak. It's also a good lunch
or a great afternoon snack.  

 Combine the leftover 1/2 C creamed spinach with
2 T melted butter and 2 T bread crumbs.

 Divide the mixture on top of four 1/2" thick slices of beefsteak tomatoes.

 Cover the top with 3 slices of American cheese.

 Real cheese works best (not cheese product)

Broil for 2-3 minutes until cheese is bubbly

 and slightly browned.

Grilled Tomatoes

1 beefsteak tomato

1/2 C garlic creamed spinach

2 T melted butter

2 T seasoned breadcrumbs

3 thick slices American cheese

Slice the tomato into 1/2" slices.

Combine spinach, butter, and breadcrumbs.

Divide on top of the tomato.

Dice the cheese and add to top.

Broil 2-3  minutes

(watch carefully)

Links: Designs By Gollum

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Joe's Garlic Creamed Spinach

Joe's Stone Crab Restaurant on South Beach

 is world famous. They have been a Florida 

landmark for almost 100 years.

 Everybody goes for the amazing stone crab, 

but their sides dishes and key lime pies 

are also very popular.

Here's the recipe for the garlic creamed spinach, 

one of the house specialities.

 Have the ingredients ready because it doesn't take long to prepare.

 Saute the garlic in the hot butter.

 Add the flour and whisk to cook for one minute.

 Add the half and half and cook until thickened.

 Stir in the spinach and seasonings.

 Let simmer for about 10 minutes. 

You can cover it and keep it warm for longer.

Garlic Creamed Spinach

2 boxes frozen chopped spinach,  thawed

3 T butter

1 T minced garlic

1 T flour

3/4 C half and half

3/4 t salt

1/2 t nutmeg

1/4 t pepper

Squeeze all the water out of the spinach and set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and cook the 

chopped garlic about 1 minute until fragrant.

Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.

Gradually whisk in the half and half and cook until thickened.

Stir in the spinach and seasonings. 

Cook on low for about 10 minutes. 

Save any leftover spinach for Joe's Broiled Tomatoes.

I'll post that next.    

Enjoy!

Links: Stone Gable

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Spaghetti with Italian Sausage & Vodka Sauce

Spaghetti with Italian Sausage & Vodka Sauce

Deliciously spicy vodka & sausage spaghetti which is quick and easy to make!

Serves 4

Prep time:  5 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

500g/17 ½ oz Spaghetti

2 tbsp olive oil

450g/1 lb Italian sausage, casing removed and chopped

2 onions, peeled and finely chopped

1 tsp salt

1 tsp chilli flakes

4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 tin of chopped tomatoes

180ml vodka

120ml double cream

Small bunch of fresh basil, finely chopped

Freshly grated parmesan to serve

Fresh basil sprigs, to serve

Method

1.       Cook the pasta as per packet instructions.

2.      In a large frying pan or wok heat the oil.  Add the sausage and cook for 3-4 minutes or until browned.

3.      Add the onions, salt & chilli flakes and cook until the onions are soft and golden, 4-5 minutes.

4.      Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds and then add the tomatoes, stir until thick, about 2 minutes.

5.      Now add the vodka and cook until the sauce has reduced by half, 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the cream and cook for 2 minutes until the sauce has thickened.  Stir in the basil and remove from the heat.

6.      Toss the sauce with the pasta to coat evenly and transfer to a pasta bowls for serving. Top with cheese and sprig of basil and serve immediately.

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giveaway - gluten free on a shoestring cookbook

Every now and then you meet someone who really "gets" you. Nicole Hunn is one of those people for me. She's spunky, quirky, has a keen sense of humor, is not afraid of being honest, a beautiful smile, and she knows how to pinch a penny. Nicole and I have a very similar ideas about being gluten free on a budget. We have different ways of saving money, we each have our own favorite gluten free flours... but we know all about living within in our means -- or at least trying too!

Nicole's cookbook, Gluten Free on a Shoestring (named after her amazing blog), was published in February of this year and I must say it's been a smash hit! What I love about Nicole is her honesty. She's a home cook. She isn't a fancy restaurant chef. She's not trying to impress anybody... she just wants you to be comfortable and happy making gluten free meals that your whole family will love. She wants you to know you don't have to leave your old comfort foods behind. Nicole's book is packed with recipes like pizza dough, cheese crackers, plain bagels, macaroni and cheese, meat"love", and chicken pot pie. Desserts like yellow cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies, and apple pie.  These are the foods that people like me love, remember, and want again. I just want to make food that will make people happy. I'm really not interested in fancy. I'm not interested in expensive ingredients. I just want to make food that smiles and makes people ask for seconds!

Nicole does that for you. She makes it easy. She goes a step further than even I do, by showing you how to make all these amazing things with one gluten free flour mix. I choose to use a blend of  2/3 whole grains & 1/3 starches simply because that works better for my gluten & sugar intolerant body... but for most gluten free folks these recipes using Nicole's favorite Better Batter flour will be a saving grace.

And I have a special copy just for one of you! A beautiful, brand new signed copy of Nicole's amazing book!

Would you like a copy?

Simply check out the table of contents in Nicole's book. Leave me a comment here on the blog and tell me what the first recipe is that you would make and why. Then, if you'd like to have an additional entry, tell your friends on facebook or twitter about Nicole, or about her book, or about my blog and this giveaway -- then leave me another comment here on the blog and let me know how & where you shared!

This contest will be open through Friday August 26th at midnight. I'll announce the winner here on the blog on Saturday August 27th.

Now get cooking!

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Reader Favorites - Sara P.'s Gluten Free Flourless Chocolate Cake

Here's a recent letter from one of my readers. I've been meaning to try this cake from Sara P. for several months and I haven't gotten a chance. This is Sara's version of a flourless chocolate cake with NO added fats and less eggs than most recipes like this call for. I love that this recipe is lower in fat AND sugar than most gluten free, flourless chocolate cakes. If you try Sara's cake, please share with us what you think and send me a picture!

"All the recipes I have tried on your site have been lovely. It's made gluten free baking a lot more pleasant and you helped me to get to know my gluten free flours better and how to use them for a pleasing end result. I'd like to share with you my latest recipe. It's an adaption of the flourless chocolate cake to make it more healthy and I do believe it has a lot of options for flavors too. Such as white chocolate with grated lime peel as just one such example." 

Sara P.'s Flourless Chocolate Cake

free of gluten, dairy/casein, grains, and soy

printer-friendly recipe 

4 oz dark or bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup apple sauce or other fruit puree
3/4 cup sugar or splenda depending on dietary needs
3 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa powder

• Preheat oven to 375 


• Chop chocolate and mix it with applesauce, melt in microwave safe bowl and mix until lumps are gone. 30 seconds at a time. 


• Whisk in sugar and eggs. 


• Whisk in cocoa powder a little at a time until smooth. 


• Prepare 8-9" baking pan by lightly oiling it. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom and lightly oil it as well. 


• Pour in batter and bake 25 minutes. 


• Cool 5 minutes then invert on serving plate. 

Notes from Sara P: 

1. Top with ganache or any other toppings of desire or just eat plain, it's fantastic.


2. Nice thing about this recipe is it doesn't take any expensive or unusual ingredients and by varying out the chocolate with other baking chips, I do believe a host of flavors could be achieved. I haven't tried yet though. It's on my to do list. 


3. I also believe a variety of mix ins could really make the difference in flavors with this cake. 


4. Even with the sugar and whole eggs at 9 servings it's still only 160 calories a slice. It'd be easily adaptable for diabetics.

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wordless wednesday - zumba crew

After my second attempt at Zumba.... taught by the infamous Sue O'Lear of  "Did I just eat that outloud" fame! Her family joined her, the guy in the yellow is her "trophy husband" and she claims the two kiddos in front. :-)  I kinda invited myself to go with my awesome friend (aka work partner in crime) Jennifer of AGirlWhoLovesCupcakes (along with her husband) because I wanted to meet all of her friends, including Alan of Sweating Until Happy, Bryan, and of course Sue & her family. Thankfully, I don't think they minded me joining in their workout!

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Gluten Free, Dairy Free Peanut Butter Pie for Jennie & Mikey

Yesterday I read the news of Jennie's husband on Gluten Free Girl. I sat at my desk at work and cried. I don't even know Jennie. To be honest I had only read her blog a handful of times, but to read Shauna's description of her amazing friends and then to hear how the life of Jennie's husband Mikey had ended so suddenly, so unavoidably... my heart simply broke for her. 

One reason this hit so close to home for me is that my own husband is a "Mikey"... to see her husband dancing with his daughter, to read Jennie's tribute to her Mikey... it made me stop and call my husband immediately to let him know how much I loved him. 

Then I read these words in Jennie's post, "...I kept telling myself I would make it (peanut butter pie) for him tomorrow. Time has suddenly stood still, though, and I'm waiting to wake up and learn to live a new kind of normal. For those asking what they can do to help my healing process, make a peanut butter pie this Friday and share it with someone you love. Then hug them like there's no tomorrow because today is the only guarantee we can count on."

So I made a peanut butter pie. Because it was what I could do. 

And this weekend I am also making chocolate chip cookies for my Michael. I've promised him the past few months I would make those cookies, his very favorite... and I haven't. I've forgotten. I've been too busy. I haven't made time. And it is now time to change that pattern.... this man I love who makes so few requests... the least I can do is make him a batch of chocolate chip cookies to show him how much I love him. 

In memory of Mikey and to honor sweet Jennie and her children, here is a peanut butter pie. If only there was more I could do... 

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Creamy Peanut Butter Pie

free of gluten, dairy, soy, and eggs

created by Carrie Forbes

printer-friendly recipe

makes one 9" pie

Crust Ingredients:

1 cup crushed gluten free cookie crumbs (I used Enjoy Life Vanilla Graham Cookies)

1 tbsp. cocoa powder (omit, if using gluten free chocolate cookies)

2 tbsp. palm shortening

Pie Ingredients:

1 cup creamy natural peanut butter
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons chia seeds mixed with 1/3 cup hot water, set aside for a few minutes to gel

To make the chocolate crust: Mix crushed gluten free cookie crumbs with the cocoa power. Cut in the palm shortening and mix with a fork or with your fingers until the crumbs stick together slightly. Pour the crumbly mixture into a glass pie pan and press into the pan until it evenly covers the bottoms and the sides. Set aside.

To make peanut butter filling:  A) If you have a high powered blender like a vitamix or blendtec, add all ingredients to the blender and blend on high for several minutes until thoroughly combined and super creamy. Pour into pie crust. Top with chocolate chips if desired and place in refrigerator for several hours to set. B) For a "regular" ol' blender, add the chia seeds mixed with water to the blender and blend on high until the mixture has been thoroughly pureed. Pour pureed chia seeds & water into a large bowl and whisk in the peanut butter, sugar, vanilla, and coconut milk. Whisk together until super creamy. Pour into pie pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top if desired and then place in refrigerator for several hours to set before serving.

Carrie's Notes: In hindsite to make this again in my vitamix I would first puree the chia seed/water mixture then add the coconut milk, blending again on high and finally adding the peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla... this is a very THICK batter and I had to blend it on high using the tamper consistantly to blend the ingredients well! But this pie is so worth the effort! Tamper away and enjoy this awesome, vegan pie! 

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{Gluten Free Review} Nutiva Chocolate Hemp Shakes

Here's my favorite summer, on-the-run-breakfast that's been featured in at least a dozen of my gluten free menu plans! I started buying Nutiva Chocolate Hemp Shake back in February when my nutritionist Cheryl, recommend I try them. I had been using a rice protein shake for breakfasts and while the shake contained a lot of vitamins & minerals, it had very little fiber or protein.

Fiber & protein in the right proportions are vital to keeping you full and sustaining you until your next meal. I rely on this shake, boiled eggs, celery w/ peanut butter or almond butter, etc. If I don't have a breakfast with a significant amount of protein (anywhere from 9-20 grams) I'm usually hungry again within 30 minutes.

I love the flavor & consistency of the Nutiva chocolate shake , although I don't follow the directions on the bottle. The bottle says to mix 30 grams powder with only 8 oz. of milk -- I tried that, but it was WAY too thick for my taste. I mix 16-20 oz. of unsweetened almond milk with about 30 grams (about 3 tablespoons) of the chocolate shake powder. I also throw in ice-cubes and sometimes a swirl of chocolate syrup.

I don't have time in the mornings to clean my Vitamix.. so I found these awesome blender bottles that have a wire ball inside of them to help really mix the shake powder with the milk. It works SO much better than mixing in a regular shake container! It does take a good bit of shaking to mix the power thoroughly into the milk... but it's worth the effort. The blender bottles are also BPA free and are super easy to wash, even at work!

Nutiva is an expensive protein shake... but I think for the healthy ingredients it's worth the cost.

Do you have a favorite gluten free protein shake?

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Prawn Curry

Prawn Curry

A very quick and easy curry to make but best of all it is delicious!

Serves 4

Prep time:  10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

500g/17 ½ oz large prawns, peeled and uncooked

1 tsp ground turmeric

¼ tsp sea salt

2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped

2cm fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

3 green chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped

2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp chilli powder

4 green cardamom pods

1 cinnamon stick

400ml can of coconut milk

Small handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped

Basmati rice or Indian breads to serve

Method

1.       Place the prawn in a bowl with the turmeric and salt, mix well and leave to marinate for 10 minutes.

2.      Put the onions, ginger, garlic and chillies into a food processor and blend until you have a fine paste.

3.      Heat a large pan or wok and add the oil, now add the mustard seeds, chilli powder, cardamom pods and cinnamon stick.  Fry for about 1-2 minutes until the mustard seeds begin to pop.

4.      Add the paste and fry on a low heat for about 10-12 minutes, stir frequently.  Now add the coconut milk and let simmer.  Now add the prawns to the pan and let simmer for 2-3 minutes or until cooked through.

5.      Add the coriander and serve the curry with basmati rice and Indian breads.

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