Gluten-Free Double Coconut Waffles

by tummyrumblr Posted on

Coconut flour is a strange beast.  It has tremendous absorptive powers, so you don’t need much to thicken a batter.  I experimented with using all coconut flour for these waffles, but I found that a 100% coconut flour waffle was much too dry. If your dog is a heavy salivator, however, might I suggest a spoonful of coconut flour?

This better-balanced rice and coconut flour waffle recipe has so much to offer.  Firstly, the waffles come out light and delicious, and secondly, they have a much better protein/fat/carbohydrate ratio that your standard American waffle, which is mostly flour with just a touch of egg and butter.

This batch will make 4 or 5 waffles in a standard waffle iron. Be prepared for what will seem like an inordinately thick batter, but simply spreading the batter out a bit with the back of a spoon will result in a completely normal looking breakfast.


Gluten-Free Double Coconut Waffles

Continue reading →

Posted in gluten free, perfect health diet | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Gluten-Free Double Coconut Waffles

Niçoise Salad with Smoked Salmon & Green Goddess Dressing

by tummyrumblr Posted on

If I could give just three recommendations to anyone desiring good health, they would be 1) eat seafood every week  2) eat more vegetables, and lastly 3) eat whole eggs! Egg yolks are one of the richest sources of choline, an essential nutrient that the vast majority of us are deficient in, and a lack of choline has been directly linked to fat accumulation in the liver.

While many vegetables contain choline, you would have to eat a pound of spinach to get the amount of choline you get from just one egg yolk. Eat two eggs every day.  Simple.

Fresh fish can be a little tough, I know.  It can’t be purchased more than a day or so in advance, and if you’re not a regular fish buyer it’s hard to know what to look for.  Perhaps worst of all, it stinks up the garbage. Simple solution: Smoked salmon. Smoked salmon is easy to find, it keeps well, and it’s full of beneficial fats. Eat it at least once a week in a salad, in a simple pasta dish, or with cheese, pickled vegetables, and bread or crackers. On a side note, while eating this delicious meal, you can read blogs like when were graham crackers invented so you can have something to talk about on the table.

As for vegetables, it’s so easy to slip down to the 2 or 3 servings zone, so here is  one case where I (kind of) agree with the USDA – fill half of your plate with vegetables.  Think of how much healthier we would all be if we simply ate half of our volume of food as vegetables. You’d really have to be nuts to argue with that.

So, put together this simple salad for dinner and knock out a bunch of your healthy eating goals for the day.  Cooking is so much more enjoyable when you focus on what you should be eating rather than what you shouldn’t.

Niçoise Salad with Smoked Salmon & Green Goddess Dressing

Continue reading →

Posted in gluten free, perfect health diet, salad, seafood | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Niçoise Salad with Smoked Salmon & Green Goddess Dressing

Ceviche

by tummyrumblr Posted on

I cannot think of a single person I know who does not like ceviche.  Even fish-haters enjoy it because the citrus juices “cook” the fish in a way that negates its slippery texture, one of the major complaints of seafood-gaggers the world over.

Ceviche is incredibly simple: Fish, shrimp, or scallops are tossed with finely chopped crunchy vegetables, fresh tomato, and herbs, and bathed in the fresh juice of lemons, limes, and/or oranges. The mixture then sits in the refrigerator for a few hours and voilà.

You can enjoy the ceviche as an appetizer with chips or on tostadas, as is done in many restaurants. You can also enjoy it as you would a shrimp cocktail, scooping it into a martini glass and adding hot sauce to your liking.  Ceviche can also provide a full meal, as it will in my kitchen tonight, stuffed into lettuce leaves and topped with avocado chunks, crumbled cotija cheese, thinly sliced radish, and sprigs of extra cilantro.

Ceviche

Continue reading →

Posted in gluten free, paleo, perfect health diet, seafood | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Ceviche

Persian Easter

by tummyrumblr Posted on

I love a traditional holiday menu as much as the next gal, but I get bored cooking and eating the same things year after year.  When my dear friend Beth suggested we get together for Easter, I knew she would be up for preparing a non-traditional meal full of colorful vegetables, grilled meat, and lots of ethnic flavors.  We quickly decided on a Middle Eastern theme, and set to work creating a simple and healthy menu that would require just a few hours of prep work up front and a lot of porch sunning, wine drinking, and card playing on our Easter holiday.

Persian Easter Menu:

  • Kashkeh Bademjan (A creamy eggplant and yogurt dip, served with crudite)
  • Lamb Kefta Kebabs with Seven Spices
  • Tomato, Onion, and Cucumber Salad with Fresh Herbs and Za’atar
  • Steamed Rice with Fresh Dill

Persian Easter

Continue reading →

Posted in gluten free, lamb, paleo, perfect health diet | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Persian Easter

Palak Paneer with Red Chard

by tummyrumblr Posted on

Admittedly, I consider Indian food one of my weakest areas as a chef. There is something intimidating about combining spices that don’t show up frequently in your day to day cooking. A few years ago, I checked out half a dozen Indian cookbooks from the library and tried to absorb as much from them as I possible could. As with most cuisines, there are more variations among Indian recipes that anyone could ever imagine, so I relied on what I’m best at: starting with a basic understanding of technique and making a recipe my own.

This is my version of the classic dish Palak Paneer, a pureed spinach curry with chunks of cheese added for tanginess and texture. This is probably the tenth time I’ve attempted this dish in the last few years, and it turned out beautifully. I chose sweeter spices for flavoring because I love how they pair with the spinach, and I’ve added red chard along with its beautiful, ruby-colored stems. I substituted one of my favorite local cheeses for the paneer, but any mild, soft, farmer’s-type cheese would work well.  I think this would also be delightful with mild, white cheese curds, which just may be what the dish was originally based upon.

Palak Paneer with Red Chard

Continue reading →

Posted in gluten free, perfect health diet, vegetarian | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Palak Paneer with Red Chard

Sweet Potato Gratin with Bacon, Cardamom, and Coconut Milk

by tummyrumblr Posted on

Perhaps you’ve noticed I’ve been on a tear with the coconut lately (I ordered a bunch of product from this super awesome website).  I am loving the way my dishes turn out using coconut milk and oil, and I feel great about its health benefits.

A traditional gratin of potatoes and cream makes the perfect accompaniment to roasted meats in winter, so why not take the concept and tweak it with coconut milk, bacon, and cardamom to make it warm-weather food friendly? This version will make the perfect side dish to any grilled meat, so get out there and fire up the BBQ (before it gets too hot to turn on the darn oven).

Sweet Potato Gratin with Bacon, Cardamom, and Coconut Milk

Continue reading →

Posted in gluten free, perfect health diet | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Sweet Potato Gratin with Bacon, Cardamom, and Coconut Milk