Healthy Holidays

Now that Halloween has come and gone and we are already in the month of November (can you believe it?) the holiday season is in full swing. We all know what that means: lots of social gatherings, lots of food, lots of drinking, did I mention lots of food? With high calorie meals and sweets constantly around and practically in your face it can be hard not to go overboard on the eating during this time of year. If you need a break from the high fat foods and sugary sweets just try this simple recipe that is not only light in fat and calories, but very filling and rich in plenty of nutrients. 

Don't get me wrong, I fully enjoy holiday treats or just sweets in general, but they still should be enjoyed sparingly even when you make them with healthy unrefined ingredients. My hubby and I love to splurge once a week on a heavier meal (usually meat and higher fat foods) and one of my homemade gluten-free tasty treats, but the rest of the time we stick to the basics and keep it simple: brown rice, quinoa, veggies, and beans. It gives our sensitive stomachs a break from hard to digest rich foods and it makes those splurge eats and treats even more enjoyable! So this year keep a more balanced ratio of healthy foods and holidays splurges by cooking more simple meals at home. Here is just one of the many simple and healthy meals I will be sharing this season.


Aduki Bean Soup with Cabbage Salad
Serves 4

- Add 2 cups dry Aduki beans and 8-10 cups water in a cooking pot.
- Bring to a boil, then turn down to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. These beans are great because of their short cooking time.
- At the end of the cooking time season with desired amounts sea salt, ground black pepper, granulated garlic, and oregano.
- Add fresh chopped cilantro and onion to the beans and serve with a scoop of brown rice or quinoa
- Then top it off with the prepared cabbage salad.

Prepare the cabbage salad while beans are cooking:

-  For 15 minutes soak 1/2 cabbage head, 2 carrots, green onion bunch, and aduki bean sprouts (any bean sprouts will work) in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon unrefined Apple Cider Vinegar and water to remove all bacteria and parasites.
- Rinse veggies and finely chop the cabbage, grate the carrots, chop the green onion, then add all chopped veggies and sprouts together in a large bowl.
- Add sea salt and about a half teaspoon each of cayenne, chili powder, and paprika to the salad.
- Add less of the seasonings if you do not handle heat well, it can be spicy. 
- Add fresh squeezed juice of 2 lemons.
- With clean hands or spoon mix all salad ingredients together.

I like to add the cabbage salad to the bean soup with the quinoa or brown rice and eat it all together in one big soup bowl. For healthy fats I add a teaspoon of olive oil or some fresh sliced avocado on top.  This meal has so many great flavors and they all come together very nicely. So eat up and enjoy, I know I did!

Fun Health Facts:

- Aduki beans detoxify the body, reduce swelling and inflammation, and promote weight loss.
- Aduki beans and all sprouts are easier to digest than other beans and legumes.
- Cabbage improves digestion, beautifies the skin, and purifies the blood. It can be used to treat constipation, the common cold, cough, and even mental depression or irritability.
- Carrots are one of the richest sources of the anti-oxidant beta carotene which protect against cancer and other diseases.

Anytime is the perfect time for a Pancake Party!

It is the perfect time of the year to make and enjoy some delicious and nutritious pancakes with your family, kids, or friends. So get together and spend some fun quality time whipping up something that everyone loves. They are so easy to make that anyone can do it, even the kiddos and all you bashful cooks. Forget those pre-made boxed pancake mixers, they have no taste and no nutritional value. Now is the time to start making your favorite foods from scratch, it is so much easier than you think and well worth it in the end. Here are some of my favorite pancakes you can try:

• Sweet Potato Pancakes
• Pumpkin Pancakes
• Banana Pancakes
• Buttermilk Pancakes

GF Pancake Recipe
Choose your flavor: Puree cooked sweet potato or pumpkin, mash very ripe bananas, or make your own buttermilk by mixing 1 cup choice of nut or dairy milk with 1 TBS. lemon juice or vinegar and let sit on the counter for 15 minutes.
- 1 cup pancake flavor filling (pick one from above)
- 2 cups brown rice flour or millet flour
- 2 Tbs. fresh ground flaxseed 
- 2 cups milk: use organic milk, or any nut milk, buttermilk pancakes need 2 Tbs. acid with the 2 cups milk of choice and do not need 1st ingredient on this list.
- 2 beaten eggs (choose organic or hormone-free and cage-free eggs, if you have an egg allergy just substitute with 2 more Tbs. of fresh ground flaxseed)
- 2 Tbs. melted unsalted organic or hormone free butter (vegans can substitute with coconut oil)
- 2 Tbs. grade B maple syrup (optional)
- 2 teas. vanilla extract  (choose gluten-free and corn-syrup free)
- 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (optional)
- 2 teas. cinnamon (optional)
- 1/2 teas. salt

In a large bowl, mix together the flavor filling of choice with eggs, milk, melted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth.  Add the flour, fresh ground flaxseed, salt, cinnamon and mix until well incorporated, add the lemon juice at the end for lighter pancakes and cook in a oiled/buttered and heated skillet.

Top with 100% Grade B Maple Syrup or freshly made fruit syrup.
*Never use Grade A Maple Syrup, it contains harmful ingredients like formaldehyde.

GF Fresh Fruit Syrup
Choose from lilikoi, blueberry, cranberry, or berry of choice.
- 1 cup water or juice (blueberry, cranberry, or pomegranate).
- 1 cup berries (fresh or frozen).
- 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice.
- 1/2 cup sucanet or coconut sugar.
- 1 Tbs. tapioca flour.
In a saucepan,  mix the water/juice, berries, sweetener, and tapioca flour, bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to a simmer and let cook until mixture reduces. Remove from pan and let cool and firm up.

I do not have to tell you to enjoy this one! Today is Aloha Friday and I made some banana pancakes for me and my happy hubby from some freshly ripened bananas I picked up from the farmers market yesterday. I can't wait to try the sweet potato pancakes next!

Onolicious!

*Ono means delicious in Hawaiian. ;-)

This one is the buttermilk pancake with lilikoi syrup.

Fabulous Fresh Fish Dinner

Yesterday, Angel made his second attempt to catch us a fresh fish for dinner. On his first attempt he got caught on the rocks and fought for hours to get his hook free, twice, but luckily he is a very patient fisherman, which I am so proud of. =)

So this time we headed to a pier, so the rocks would not be an issue, and waited patiently after he cast out his first line. After some time, he reeled in the line after feeling a tug and saw that something had stealthily snatched up the bait without getting hooked. So he tried again and it was not much longer that he got his first catch! He started reeling it in and when the fish finally emerged, we saw how huge it was, and then we realized it wasn't a fish at all, it was a baby Hammerhead Shark!

Angel lifted the Shark up and we saw that it was bleeding pretty good, so he wanted to get the hook out and release it quickly so it wouldn't die. Realizing he did not have any pliers to pull out the hook safely, and with no experience handling sharks, Angel asked a nearby fisherman for help. The guy quickly and with no hesitation pulled out the hook with his bare hands and threw him back in the ocean. Whew, what an adrenaline rush! I certainly have never seen or been that close to a Shark!

Unfortunately, I failed to catch a picture of the shark, but with the use of a AA battery-operated camera with storage of only 11 pictures, I sadly missed the opportunity because the batteries were not in and I could not delete a picture fast enough to make room for just one more. Angel attempted a few more times for another catch and made friends with the other fisherman who helped save the day. He gave Angel some tips and pointers on where to go and what kind of bait to use for his next try.

Instead of fresh fish caught by my husband, I made dinner with a fresh catch we picked up from the local market. So, if you get in the mood for a healthy, light, and satisfying fish meal, give this simple  recipe a try.

Grilled Mahi Mahi on a bed of Brown Rice and Fresh Greens

- Cook desired amount of brown rice in rice cooker or pot.
- Choose a white fish, fresh or frozen, and wild caught (avoid farm raised fish).
- Marinate the fish in: olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, and chili powder. 
- Prepare Fresh Green Salad: I used fresh green leaf lettuce, cilantro, purple onion, carrots, and avocado.
- Top with your favorite fresh salsa or freshly made lemon and olive oil vinaigrette.
Tip: Soak all fresh produce in a mild solution of apple cider vinegar for 15 minutes to remove bacteria and parasites.Use 1 T. vinegar per gallon of water or 1/4 C. per sinkful.
- Cook fish on a grill pan or outdoor grill until white and cooked through.

Hope you enjoy this nutrient dense, delicious, and satisfying meal...we certainly did!

Summer Living Smoothie Style!

If you have read all my blogs for the month of June then by now you should know a few things about me:

1. I love summer
   
2. I love to cook AND eat (especially Mexican food)
   
3. I love to be physically active (aka play) outside
   
4. and last but not least,

did I mention that I LOVE Summer!

One of the many reasons I enjoy summer is because of the abundance and variety of fresh, ripe, sweet, and juicy fruits that are just waiting for me to eat them. You should enjoy them as much as possible too because they pack a good nutritional punch in every bite with all the vitamins, minerals, and disease fighting antioxidants they contain. Don't forget to eat from every color group because each color provides different health benefits.

These are my absolute favorite smoothie concoctions that I enjoy eating almost every day during the warm months for lunch or as a pre workout energy meal. They are always affordable to make when produce is in season and I can take them with me to work or any place I need to go and they also take very little time and energy to prepare. So blend up one of my favorite mixtures or come up with your own by including your favorite fruits of the season.

Tropical Tahitian Blend

• Half of 1 fresh pineapple


• 10-12 ounce bag of frozen mango


• 6 ounces of frozen or fresh blackberries (berries are optional but add a nice great touch)


• 3-4 cups of unsweetened Almond milk

Tropical Thailand Blend

• 10-12 ounce bag of frozen mango


• 4 fresh peaches


• 3 -4 cups of unsweetened Almond milk

Berry Bonanza Blend

• 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries


• 1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries


• 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries


• 3-4 cups unsweetened Almond milk

Add fruit to blender and blend until smoothie style.
These amounts make enough for 2 to 4 people at a time so you can adjust accordingly for individual servings.
The key to a great smoothie is choosing one frozen fruit to create a better blend.
Pick your frozen fruit of choice for any of these blends.
Many times it is more affordable to buy frozen fruits, especially berries, mangoes, and other tropical fruits that are not grown here.

Health Facts:
- Almond milk is naturally free of gluten, soy, dairy, sugar, cholesterol, peanuts, casein, eggs, saturated fat, and MSG.
- It is an excellent source of calcium, vitamin D & E, and a good source of vitamin A.
- It is naturally vegan and low on the Glycemic Index which is good for diabetes control and weight management.
- It contains only 40 calories and 3.5 grams of (healthy fat) per cup.
- My favorite brand: Blue Diamond Almond Breeze

So drink up and use Almond milk for all your baking, cooking, and/or drinking needs!

Summer Living Salad Style!

It is now officially summer and my favorite time of the year because: I get to run, swim, bike and be active outside all day, it is hot and sunny during the day and warm at night, and finally there are so many options for delicious and nutritious meals.

This is the best and easiest time of the year to boost your health: all you have to do is soak up the sun to get your daily dose of Vitamin D, play (be active) outside to get your physical activity, and eat all the fruits and veggies in season to get plenty of vitamins, minerals, and cancer fighting anti-oxidants.

This recipe makes it very easy to add more veggies to your daily diet, you can eat as a side dish or as a meal with a scoop of quinoa, that is my favorite way!

GF Organic Summer Salad

• 1 head green leaf lettuce
• 1 head red leaf lettuce
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
  
• 1 medium purple onion
• 2 carrots
• 1 cucumber
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms

Serves 4-6 people, I make a big salad that lasts about 2 days for me and my hubby.
Chop all veggies and mix together in a large bowl.

Fresh veggies are all naturally gluten-free but beware of processed bottled dressings that not only may contain gluten but also preservatives, additives, and unnecessary sugar. This dressing recipe is so easy to make, it only takes a few minutes to prepare, and it tastes way better than that bottled crap. =)

GF Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Italian seasoning: or combine dried herbs: oregano, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary.
  

In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, lemon juice, and desired amounts of salt, pepper and dried herbs.
Serve 1 or 2 spoonfuls over a serving of salad.

Health Tip /Facts:
Eat your salad with this lemon vinaigrette at the end of your meal to ease digestion, absorb more minerals and nutrients, promote weight loss, cleanse your blood, and cool the body from summer heat.

These leafy greens and veggies are full of nutrients that help eliminate waste from the body, reduce body fat, keep your skin looking and feeling healthy, cleanse your blood, reduce inflammation and infections, and prevent and treat illness, disease, and cancer.

So eat them all up!

Mexican Brown Rice

I am so happy brown rice is gluten-free because it provides so many health benefits and it is easy and fun to cook in so many different ways that never fail to turn out amazing. To get more insight of the many healing qualities of brown rice, visit the link below to view my facebook note:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/note.php?note_id=355085354823

I like to eat whole grain brown rice at least 2 to 3 times a week and this recipe will give you another great way to include it in your diet as well: you can serve it for any meal as a side dish or make it the main course by adding beans, meat, or veggies. To make the perfect meal that is vegetarian as well, try this rice with my homemade refried beans recipe (recipe featured last month) and top with avocado and salsa verde (recipe in January 2011 archive). This also goes very well with my Carne Asada, enchiladas (recipe coming soon), and much much more! I sure hope you get to try it soon!

Organic and GF Ingredients

• 3 cups rinsed whole grain brown rice
• 1 medium white or yellow onion
  
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves
• granulated garlic powder
  
• kosher or sea salt
• extra virgin olive oil
  
• water
  

Preparation:
In a pot filled with water, boil the tomatoes until the skin starts to peel off, then drain the water and cover the pot to let the tomatoes steam. After steaming for about 5 minutes, peel the skin off the tomatoes and puree in a blender until smooth with salt, garlic cloves, and garlic powder.

In the rice pot, add olive oil, enough to fill the bottom of the pot, and heat up on medium heat. Then add the rinsed brown rice and chopped onion and turn up to medium high heat, stir frequently, for about 10 minutes, until rice is evenly browned.

Add water and the tomato puree to the rice pot: make enough liquid to double the rice, this recipe needs 6 cups total of water and tomato puree together. Keep on medium high heat and bring to a boil.

After rice boils for a couple of minutes, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 65 to 75 minutes or until rice is fluffy and water is evaporated. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Let's Cook!

Summer Living Carne Asada Style!

I need to apologize for the long break I have taken from my food blog, sometimes life gets in the way of things you want to do and that is exactly what happened. I planned on sharing my favorite Mexican recipes for the month of May because of Cinco de Mayo but I was unable to post them all due to my blogger break. Now it is already June (and thank God for that!) because I was in dire need of warm weather and summer to arrive here in the Mid-West after our stubborn lingering winter made our spring season painfully cold.

I must say, I feel like a completely different person in the warmer months: I love living!
There is nothing like good friends, good music, good outdoor fun, and good food of course! I only left out family because that is the one thing I am missing in my life right now. I cannot wait for the times I will get to share with them.

So this meal is dedicated to family, friends, summer, and living it up! I love to cook, but I LOVE to cook even more for family and friends. I am truly blessed to have a husband who enjoys and appreciates every meal I make, but I still do not feel completely satisfied unless we have others to share with the experience of a truly delicious and nutritious meal.

Carne Asada

• Grass Fed skirt steak


• GF Soy Sauce: San J Organic Tamari GF Soy Sauce


• Juice of 1 lime


• Granulated garlic powder


• Kosher or Sea salt


• Freshly ground black pepper

-Prepare the charcoal grill first (that is where my husband comes in handy =)
-Place steaks flat in a large and deep baking dish.
-Add garlic powder and salt and pepper to both sides of steaks.
-Add fresh lime juice and enough soy sauce to cover the steaks.
-Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Grill steaks on each side, I prefer cooked to medium well.

The Fix-ins:

• Enjoy Life GF Whole Corn Tortillas: Found at Whole Foods. Just warm up on the grill after the meat is ready.


• Rebecca's Salsa Verde (see recipe in January 2011 archive)


• Rebecca's Guacamole (recipe coming up soon!)


• Freshly squeezed lime juice


• Chopped cilantro and onion

Don't forget your favorite cocktail!
I prefer a Pina Colada or Mai Tai: Recipes coming soon!

I get affordable grass fed beef from City Fresh Market located at the French Market in Chicago. Look up your local farmers markets for farmers who sell affordable grass fed beef, and by that I mean they are cheaper than Whole Foods Market. You should expect to pay more for good quality food. You will actually save money by staying healthy and avoiding expensive medical bills.

Health Facts:
Grass-fed cows are humanely raised on free range farms and are never fed corn and/or grains because that causes them to get sick and in turn need antibiotics. You are more likely to get food poisening from conventional meat than from grass-fed meat.
Meat from grass-fed cows contains no hormones or antibiotics and contains less saturated and total fats than conventional beef, it contains 2-4 times the amount of Omega-3's and 3-5 times the amount of CLAs, all believed to improve cardiovascular health and fight cancer and disease. Beef is also a good source of protein, iron, and Vitamin B12.

GF Strawberry Liquado

The next addition to my month of Mexican recipes goes to the Mexican version of what we know as the smoothie. This delicious treat is perfect for warm days and will satisfy your thirst and hunger at the same time. Enjoy it as a snack, meal, or even dessert!

I have come up with many varieties of delicious smoothies (which I have yet to share) but when my husband whipped up this version for me I was hooked on the first slurp. This is something his mother, Aurora Camacho, used to make for him when he was a child. I am so grateful for all our wonderful mothers who have taught us so much. Just one of the many important things I learned from my mother-in-law and husband is:
the most important ingredient in any recipe is Love- and love can be found in just about any Latin recipe. I hope everyone, especially all the great moms, had a wonderful mothers day this year!

Ingredients

• 1 bag of frozen strawberries (2 cups)
• 2 cups of unsweetened almond or coconut milk (add extra water in need)
• 1 pinch of cinnamon
• 2 TBS. local raw honey

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until liquado. Add more almond milk as needed. The key is to have it more liquidy than smoothie.

Sorber!

Mexican May(hem): GF Plantain Empanadas

It is now the month of May and I cannot tell you how excited I am for the recipes I am about to share. This month I will be focusing on all things Mexican! I have been waiting to share my favorite Mexican dishes for a while now and if you have tried mi Salsa Verde or Chilaquiles recipe than you know this white girl ain't no joke. =) I absolutely loved growing up in Los Angeles, not just for the great weather and ocean, but also because it exposed me to authentic Mexican culture and cuisine. Mexican food is not only my favorite food but I believe it to be the most delicious food in the world! Yeah I said it.

My first Mexican recipe for the month of May comes from a restaurant in Mexico City and was shared by Pati's Mexican Table; a cooking show on PBS featuring authentic Mexican recipes. They called it Plantain Quesadilla's, but because of the way it is cooked, how it looks, and a few minor changes I made to the recipe, I am calling them Empanadas. Whatever you call it is not the point, what matters is the end product and how much you are going to love it! It was labor intensive and time consuming, but what authentic Mexican food isn't? And more importantly, what authentic Mexican food isn't worth the time and effort?

Plantain Empanada stuffed with Refried beans

Makes from 6 to 8 large Empanadas

Ingredients

• 4 large or 6 medium yellow plantains
  
• 1 bag dried pinto beans
• 2 jalapenos
• 2 anaheim chilies
  
• 2 hot banana peppers
• 1/2 white or yellow onion
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
  
• safflower or olive oil
• kosher or sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• garlic powder
  

Rebecca's Refried Beans

There are many ways to make refried beans but I like to add a little kick to mine. To prepare: soak dried pinto beans over night in a large pot of water. Drain and refill water at least once, I like to drain twice through soaking process to remove excess acid from the beans so they are easier to digest. In the large pot filled with water, bring the beans to boil then turn heat down to low and cover and simmer for 2 hours. Do not add any salt to the beans until the end of the cooking process (your beans will turn out very hard if you add salt too early). When beans are tender, drain the water leaving a little left in the beans to keep the beans moist. Mash the beans until smooth. Dice all peppers/chilies and chop onion and cilantro. In a large pan saute chilies, onion, and cilantro in olive or safflower oil on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add mashed beans, kosher or sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and garlic powder and mix together. Turn refried beans on low and cook for 10 more minutes.

Plantain Masa

The key to making the masa is selecting the right plantain. There are 3 stages you can cook a plantain: green, yellow, and black. Make sure you use only yellow plantains (they may have some black spots.) Place the whole plantains, with skin on, in a large pot filled with boiling water. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes, until they are thoroughly cooked. Remove from the water and let cool. Peel the plantains, slice, and mash together with your hands until very smooth.

Make round balls of about 3 inches. Press in between plastic rounds in a tortilla press or roll with a roller until you get a flat disk. Place a tablespoon of refried beans right in the center and fold like a turnover and press edges together with fingers.

In a large deep skillet, add enough oil to have an inch high. One medium heat, about 5 minutes later, when it is hot but not smoking, insert the empanadas a few at a time. Let them fry, about 4-5 minutes on each side until nice and browned. Remove and place on a paper towel to drain excess oil.

Optional: Serve with Mexican crema and mi salsa verde (recipe found in blog archive January 2011)

!QUE SABROSO!

O GF Brunch: "Bread-with-a-hole-with-an-Egg-in-the-Middle"

It is a chilly, windy, and rainy spring Saturday and my stomach was growling so my awesome Boobie Love (in case you don't know my husband and I call each other this <3) made me the most delectable dish ever! I love that he comes up with the most creative and wholesome meals at times when I need a break from the kitchen, and yes, even I need a break sometimes. I must give my mother-in-law credit for this because she really taught him all he knows. Aurora Camacho, the Cooking Queen, created a Breakfast King (Angel Camacho); a title no one could strip either of. They both have earned these titles by simply making meals out of whole healthy foods and plenty of love (the secret ingredient to any meal or treat).

Sorry for all the cheese, but cheese is good sometimes =)

So this delicious and nutritious breakfast, brunch, or even great for lunch and dinner was something my mother-in-law, Aurora, used to make for her Sun (Angel) when he was a little boy. It uses a few simple and pure foods that turns into a satisfying, healthy, and comforting meal.

Angel has always wanted to make this for me and I am so lucky he was finally able to after I found a healthy gluten-free sandwich bread that is also dairy, soy, and nut free too.
The brand is Udi's and it is the Whole Grain Bread made from whole grain brown rice flour. You can find it at Whole Foods market, Pea Pod in Chicago, or online at:
www.udisglutenfree.com

The rest of the Ingredients are just as simple:
- Eggs (from cage free, hormone and anti-biotic free, vegetarian fed chickens, aka: organic)
- Unrefined extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher or sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper

From my Boobie Love, here is how you make it:
- Use a pan that is wide enough to fit at least 2 slices of bread in at the same time.
- Fill pan with olive oil, just enough to thinly cover the bottom, and heat slowly on medium heat.
- Use a round cookie cutter (or a small rimmed glass) to cut out a hole in the middle of the bread; hence the name of the dish ;-)
- In the pan cook the bread slightly, for about 1 - 2 minutes on each side.
- Don't forget to cook the cut out bread circles too.
- After bread is slightly cooked add one egg in each hole of each slice of bread.
- Cook egg in the bread slowly on no more than medium heat and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- When the white of the egg is cooked, flip over and finish cooking on the other side.
- Add more salt and pepper on the other side and bread circles.
- The middle yolk should be cooked over easy when finished.
- Plate and serve

Use the toasted bread circles to slurp up the yummy egg yolk as you eat through this dish.

I wish this meal never ended! Mmmmmmmmm

Spicy Friday Fish Tacos!

One of my all time favorite foods goes to the famous fish taco. Instead of waiting for a trip to California, Mexico, or Hawaii (where the best fish taco's are made and eaten) I decided to master it right now in my own kitchen. It is so easy anyone can do it and look and feel like a gourmet chef. I love great fish recipes because they are so rich in healthy omega-3 fats and lean protein. This recipe also provides plenty of vegetables and whole grain corn. It is just a light and delightful meal that is perfect for any health conscious eater and food lover!

Ingredients

Organic & Gluten-free (O GF)

- 1/4 head of cabbage
- 1/2 bunch of cilantro
- 1 avocado
- Rebecca's salsa verde (see recipe in January 2011 blog archive)
- Mexican crema, sour cream, or favorite shredded cheese (optional)

Prepare taco toppings:
- chop cabbage and cilantro, dice avocado, and prepare homemade salsa.

Gluten-Free Corn Tortillas:
- Make your own by using Maseca (masa harina flour), lime juice, salt, and water.
- Knead and roll dough into balls, then flatten with a tortilla presser.
- Cook on a comal (flat pan) for about 2 minutes on each side.
- If you cannot make your own find a healthy whole grain and gluten-free brand.
- My favorite brand that uses organic sprouted whole grain corn: Food Life
- Food Life tortillas can be found at Whole Foods.
- If you have a corn allergy / intolerance, Whole Foods also has a delicious brown rice tortillas.

Prepare spicy fish:
- 4 fillets of either mahi mahi, halibut, or talapia fish
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons oregano
- 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
- juice of 1 freshly squeezed lime
- 1/2 cup unrefined extra-virgin olive oil

In a large pan heat olive oil on medium-high heat.
In a bowl mix together flour, chili powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, and salt.
In a separate bowl squeeze juice of one lime.
Dip fish fillets in lime juice and then cover with spicy flour batter.
Cook fish in pan with heated olive oil until browned and crispy, about 5-7 minutes on each side.

Finalmente: Create your Spicy Fish Taco!
- On each tortilla add: fish, cabbage, cilantro, salsa verde, avocado, crema (optional), and a squeeze of lime.

Es muy delicioso!

GF Crispy Fried Cod and Spinach Greens

After a long winter with little to no sun exposure, our bodies need all the vitamin D it can get. So during the late winter and early spring I like to eat plenty of foods rich in this vitamin because for many of us sun exposure may not happen until April or May. There are many sources of food that provide Vitamin D but the best source of D is from the sun. Make sure during those warm months of the year you get sunshine for at least 20 minutes a day.

On of my favorite fish to eat, Cod, is not only high in vitamin D but also contains healthy omega-3 fats, protein, and has the least saturated fat and cholesterol of all animal products. Add this super food into your diet by trying this very simple recipe that is not only gluten-free but free of most food allergies and intolerance's like: wheat, corn, soy, dairy, eggs, and nuts.

Ingredients
2 cod fillets
unrefined extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup brown rice flour
kosher or sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon paprika

-Heat olive oil in a frying pan on medium high heat
-Mix brown rice flour, salt, pepper, and paprika in a bowl, rinse the fish and coat with the flour mixture
-Cook fish on each side until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes on each side.
-Squeeze fresh lemon juice over fish.

Serve organic crispy fried fish with freshly steamed organic spinach and quinoa.

Enjoy this fantastic fish dish!

GF Cranberry Almond Muffins

After making my blueberry muffins I wanted to try a more festive version to share at a holiday work party. I also wanted to share this with others who have a food allergy/intolerance or those who follow a vegan diet so I made it without dairy, butter, eggs, corn, soy, and gluten (of course). I used my homemade cranberry sauce and you would never be able to tell there was no butter, eggs, dairy, or processed sugar and flour in this delicious little Christmas treat!

This cranberry sauce is really simple to make and it only takes about 10 minutes to prepare. It is also really delicious and perfect with any holiday meal.


Cranberry Sauce
1 bag cranberries
1 pint blueberries
1 cup water
1/2 cup sucanet or coconut sugar
1 teas. cinnamon
lemon zest
1 Tbs. lemon juice


In a large saucepan add 1 cup water and 1 cup agave and bring to a boil. Add cranberries and blueberries and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add cinnamon, lemon zest, and lemon juice and cook on medium heat for 5 more minutes.


Preheat oven to 375 and bake for 22 minutes

In a large bowl mix together:
- 2 cups brown rice flour
- 1 cup almond meal
- 2 teas. kosher or sea salt
- 2 teas. baking soda
- 1 teas. cinnamon
- 1 cup sucanet or coconut sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup almond or coconut milk
- 1 teas. vanilla
- 1 Tbs. unfiltered apple cider vinegar

Swirl in about 2 cups of the cranberry sauce to the mix

Spoon in cupcake pans and sprinkle the top with crushed almonds

You are going to love this tarty and perfectly sweet treat!

Guilt-Free Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins

Back in the days before I was diagnosed with Celiac disease one of my favorite foods to splurge on was the Blueberry muffins at Souplantation Restaurant. After my quest began to cook any food that I loved or desired so that I could enjoy food again, I finally conquered the blueberry muffin. Not only is this delicious muffin gluten-free but it is corn, soy, dairy, egg, butter, and nut free as well. Making it free of all food intolerances and allergies not to mention Guilt Free too!

Your asking how did I do it? Below is the answer, and you will not believe how amazingly scrumptious it is until you make it and try it yourself. So get up and get to cooking!

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees

In a large bowl combine
- 2 1/2 cups organic brown rice flour
- 1 cup organic ground flax seed
- 2 teas. baking soda
- 1 teas. salt
- 1 teas. cinnamon
- 1 Tbs. gluten free vanilla extract
- 1 cup organic unsweetened applesauce
- 3/4 cup grade B maple syrup
- 1 cup organic and unsweetened coconut or almond milk
- 10 ounces organic blueberries

Scoop into cupcake pans using unbleached cupcake papers.
Cook for 20 minutes.

This little super muffin is full of fiber, omega 3's, antioxidants, and pure love.
So Eat and Be Happy!