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!

Cinco de Mayo Celebracion: GF Mango Margaritas

Cinco de Mayo ("fifth of May") is a Mexican holiday that commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The holiday has little significance in Mexico and is observed primarily in the U.S. and the state of Puebla to celebrate Mexican heritage and pride. Mexicans and Latinos living in California during the American Civil War are credited with being the first to celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the United States. Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence day, the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico.

Ever since I was a child growing up in California, Cinco de Mayo has always been a holiday that was celebrated and recognized. It is a great way to partake and enjoy the wonderful food, dance, and culture of the Mexican people. Now that I am an adult, I also love to enjoy a delicious homemade Margarita!

If you are unable to enjoy one today, make sure you get a chance soon. I will be making one for my husband and I while listening to Ana Gabriel and watching Teresa on Univision, as soon as I finish this blog.

Today I am sharing my favorite margarita recipes, don't be afraid to make up your own version. The key is using pure ingredients and a quality tequila. Tequila brands I recommend are: Hornitos and 1800 for the budget conscious, and Patron and Don Julio when you are able to bust out the big bucks.

Makes 4 servings

Mango Margarita

• 4 shots puro de agave (100% from agave) tequila reposado
• 1 bag (14 ounces) of frozen mangos
• juice of 2 limes
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup sucanet

Add all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Before pouring, salt the rim of all margarita or cocktail glass's.

Strawberry Margarita

• 4 shots of puro de agave (100% from agave) tequila blanco
• 1 to 2 bags of frozen strawberries
• juice of 2 limes
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup sucanet

Add all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Before pouring, salt the rim of all margarita or cocktail glass's.

Viva Mexico!

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

O GF Mushroom Rissoto

This savory and satisfying meal is perfect for spring when the weather is still trying to warm up and you need a filling yet light meal that is great for maintaining a healthy body. Brown rice is a powerful healing food that is great for the prevention and treatment of many healths conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. All the taste and nutrients in brown rice are lost when processed into white rice. White rice or refined rice (like minute rice) only contributes to chronic diseases like diabetes and obesity.
Don't miss out on the many health benefits of brown rice, here are just a few:

Slows the aging process
Boosts respiratory function (for asthma)
Detoxifies the body
Protects from cancer and most diseases
Enhances brain function and improves memory
Converts fat to lean body mass (muscle)

Whole grain brown rice takes about an hour to cook so plan ahead. If you do not have enough time to prepare the same night then make it the night before.

Ingredients
organic, gluten-free, vegan, allergy free
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 container (8 oz.) white mushrooms
- 1/2 oz. dried or 2 oz. fresh porcini mushrooms
- 1/2 oz dried or 2 oz. fresh shitaki mushrooms
I like to use Melissa's dried porcini and shitaki mushrooms
- 3 to 4 carrots
- 1 purple onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup whole flax seeds
- unrefined extra-virgin olive oil
- white wine or sherry wine vinegar
- kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- dried oregano, marjoram, thyme, and garlic powder

Chop and slice mushrooms, carrots, onion, cloves, and parsley.
In a large pan heat olive oil on medium high heat and add all chopped veggies and flax seed. Saute for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add dried herbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and drizzle over wine or sherry vinegar.
Stir and let wine or vinegar evaporate (a couple of minutes).
Add cooked brown rice and stir until well incorporated and hot.
Serve and garnish with fresh parsley

Savor every bite!

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!

O GF Cocoa Banana Bread topped with Banana ice cream

After a long, dark, and freezing cold first week of spring, a warming comfort food was definitely necessary to pull through this winter season that just does not want to let up here in the Midwest. I had some very ripe organic bananas just asking to be used so I decided to make my delicious banana bread recipe with a chocolaty twist. The smell it creates while baking will make your mouth water even before the first bite!

Tip: if you ever have ripe bananas and you don't have time to bake them, don't let them go to waste, just freeze them. I will tell you how to make the most healthy and delicious ice cream from them!

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

Ingredients

Organic & Gluten-Free (O GF)

- 3 / 4 very ripe bananas
- 2 cups brown rice flour
- 1 cup ground flax seed
- 1/2 cup unsweetened & alkaline free cocoa powder ( I use Chatfield's)
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla (without corn-syrup, read the label)
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda

In a mixing bowl mash ripe bananas, add beaten eggs, agave nectar, almond milk, melted butter, and vanilla and mix together.
In a separate mixing bowl add all dry ingredients and mix together, then add to liquid ingredients and mix until well incorporated.
Pour in a buttered 9 x 9 baking pan and bake for 60 minutes.

Banana Ice Cream Topping
- Use 2 or 3 frozen and peeled bananas
- In a food processor or blender add frozen bananas and a 1/2 cup coconut or almond milk.
- Blend for about 5 minutes or until very smooth.
- Top over any dessert or eat as is
- It is that easy and delicious!