Category: Gluten-Free

Detox Day 1: Emergency Cookies

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PB cookies

Happy Detox Day 1! I just love this day. Everything green is exciting and beautiful. A piece of fruit tastes like sugary heaven, and the background headache is somehow OK. Enjoy!

Well, as a preventative measure just in case the excitement of plant matter wears off during the week, make up a batch of these. They fit in the detox guidelines nicely and will taste oh so good while you’re drowning in raw green goodness. I mean, while you’re LOVING drowning in raw green goodness of course. To dessert!

Gluten-Free, Banana-Sweetened Almond Butter Cookies
Makes 20

1 cup gluten-free oat flour, almond meal, or coconut flour (see below on how to make oat flour)
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans (no liquid)
1/2 cup almond butter (or other nut or seed butter)
1 ripe banana

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make oat flour, in a food processor or blender, blend about 1 1/4 cups of gluten-free oats to make about 1 cup of flour. Set aside.

In a food processor or Vita-Mix, blend beans, nut butter, and banana until creamy.

Combine “flour” with bean mixture until mixed through.

With wet hands, form dough into balls (if not detoxing, the balls can be rolled into a bit of sugar at this point), and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Press down in a criss-cross fashion with a wet fork to prevent sticking.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Per cookie: 77 calories, 4 g fat, 9 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 2 g protein.

See you tomorrow! xo

Where’s that blender?!? 7-Day Detox Starts Monday!

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GriffinSmoothie

Are you ready to tell 2015 who’s boss? Ready to get green fuel from your head down to your to-ee-oes? Join the masses on Monday, January 5th in a 7-day race to declutter your intestinal closet and refuel your engine.  Check out my 7-Day Detox Page for detox prep info and the detox guidelines, along with a day-by-day meal plan (yes, you can veer off the plan as long as you stay within the guidelines).

Spend the next couple days chowing down on veggie meals as you phase out caffeine, alcohol, sugar, gluten, dairy, eggs, and meat, and stock up on detox essentials:

Plantfusion Protein Powder
Kale (Organic)
Cucumbers (Organic)
Celery (Organic)
Carrots
Spinach (Organic)
Onions
Garlic
Bell Peppers (Organic)
Lemons
Apples (Organic)
Frozen Berries (Organic)
Bananas
Beans/Lentils
Quinoa
Corn tortillas (Organic)
Hummus
Tempeh
Raw nuts/seeds
Nut/seed butters
Rice crackers/rice cakes

See you on Monday! Chowder!

XO Jen

Clean Bean Casserole

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Clean Bean Casserole

If it’s not broke, don’t fix it, right? Well. Grandma’s classic isn’t exactly broken, it just needs a little modern-day health booster. This version is just as easy, even tastier (if you can believe it), dairy-free, gluten-free, uses all plant powered, clean, whole foods, and even has a touch screen. Welcome to the millennium, green beans! Give them a spin anytime you’re feeling thankful.


Clean Bean Casserole
Serves 8

Creamy Mushroom Gravy:
1 cup raw cashews, submerged in water and soaked overnight (or at least 4 hours)
1 Tbsp olive oil
20 oz sliced white mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 vegetable bouillon cube

“Fried” Onions:
1 large onion, sliced into crescents
¼ cup almond meal
1 Tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil

Green Beans:
2 lbs green beans, ends removed

Preheat oven to 350°

Mushroom gravy: Blend cashews with soaking water. Set aside. Heat oil in sauté pan and sauté mushrooms and garlic until cooked through. Add cashew “cream” and bouillon cube and continue to cook over medium heat until bouillon cube dissolves. Set aside.

Onions: In a medium-sized bowl, combine almond meal, cornstarch, black pepper, and salt. Stir sliced onions until well-coated. In a sauté pan, heat olive oil and “fry” coated onions. Set aside.

Green beans: Place green beans into a 13 X 9-inch baking dish (pre-steam them for softer beans). Pour creamy mushroom mixture over top and stir to coat green beans. Top with onions and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: 211 calories, 13 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 19 g carbohydrates, 6 g fiber, 8.5 g protein, 16% vitamin A, 37% vitamin C, 6.5% calcium, 15% iron, 11% zinc.
Cheers and thanks!

xo

Jen

Anytime Apple Crisp

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applecrisp

When the Reilly kids go apple-picking, they take it to the extreme. I kid you not, they picked 100 pounds of Fuji apples in less than 15 minutes! Of course, they had to taste-test an apple before deciding Fuji was the one they wanted, and I *have* read that an apple can energize you more than caffeine….

kellerapples

So other than eating them, handing them out to everyone we see, and making a lifetime stash of addiction-worthy Pumpkin Apple Butter, what will we do with all these apples? First on the list, an apple crisp so tasty and balanced, that it qualifies as a complete meal. My oldest mini chef played a key role in the super simple prep…

Anytime Apple Crisp
Makes 8 generous servings

FILLING
8 apples, unpeeled, cored, and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
Juice of 1 lemon, or about 2 Tbsp lemon juice

TOPPING
1 cup oats (I use gluten-free rolled oats)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/4 cup chia seeds (optional)
1/4 cup almond flour, cashew flour, or coconut flour
1/4 cup pure maple syrup or agave
1/4 cup melted non-hydrogenated margarine, or coconut oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, toss to combine all FILLING ingredients. Pour into a lightly greased 9 X 13-inch baking dish.

In the same bowl (no need to rinse), stir together the TOPPING ingredients. Pour evenly over apple combo, cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10 minutes to let the topping brown.

Nutrition Info Per Serving (including walnuts and chia seeds): 292 calories, 14 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 41 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 21 g sugar (mostly apples!!), 5 g protein, 10% iron.

How do YOU apple up? xoxo

DIY Protein Bars (Allergy-Free!)

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Nut or Allergy-Free Seedy Energy Bars in Skinny Dish!

Nut or Allergy-Free Seedy Energy Bars in Skinny Dish!

Ever thought about making your own bars? Eventhough Larabars and the like come pretty close to home cookin’, this recipe will energize your soul, and help you achieve your lifelong goal of turning your kitchen into a food factory. This is an upgraded version of the one in Skinny Dish with hot-off-the-press chia seeds and hemp hearts for superfood power. Use gluten-free oats and sunflower seed butter to impress even your most allergic friends, and enjoy one while you reread why the world is being taken over by food allergies.

Energy Bars

Makes 12 bars
Prep time: 5 minutes
Hands-off cooking time: 15 minutes plus 45 minutes to chill
Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free

1 Tbsp ground flax seed meal or chia seeds, soaked in 3 Tbsp warm filtered water for 10 minutes until a gel forms
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (or gluten-free rolled oats)
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
1 cup hemp hearts, pepitas, or other seeds or crushed nuts
¼ cup packed raisins
1 ripe banana
½ cup sunflower seed butter, peanut butter, or other seed or nut butter
¼ cup agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, coconut (if using), hemp hearts, and raisins.

3. In a separate small microwave-safe bowl, microwave sunflower seed butter, agave, and vanilla for 30 seconds. Stir together until well-mixed. Add ripe banana and crush with a fork to combine. Stir in gelatinized flax or chia mixture.

4. Press firmly into a lightly greased 9-inch by 9-inch baking dish, and bake for 15 minutes. Chill in the fridge for 45 minutes before slicing.

5. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in individually wrapped bags in the freezer for up to 2 months.

NUTRITION SNAPSHOT with HEMP HEARTS & SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER
Per bar: 210 calories, 12 g total fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 42 mg sodium, 18.5 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 10 g sugar, 8 g protein, 18.5% iron

Full of Plants, Free of Gluten

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Baby Carotene

Baby Carotene

Hello healthy herbivores! What’s the word?!? I have been happily sucked into MOMLAND for the last couple months. It’s a pretty place where you put your feet up, drench yourself in life’s miracles, and sip organic green smoothies out of martini glasses. Actually, it’s more like Legoland. Bright lights, fast moving humans, and too many colors to count. Too bad it’s not vegetables whizzing by! Or is it?

Not only do we have an amazing new being in our brood (a little girl, born at 8.1 lbs in early May), but life for the other 3 kids hasn’t stopped, nor has the Vitamix! But now I am back, and I am full-on gluten-free-fabulous.

When the new baby was born, I read a neat article about a new study that had just been published in the journal Diabetes: Could a Maternal Gluten-Free Diet Protect Protect Offspring Against Type 1 Diabetes? I read it while sipping tea and quickly inhaling my very last piece of whole wheat peanut butter toast. Sure, the study was done in mice, but when you have 1 child with type 1, even a study done with mice is motivating. Plus, with a few pesky baby weight pounds to dissolve, perhaps GF is a grand idea anyway. Bring it, Stuart Little!

So as I ventured into GF land, I realized most GF snack foods, breads, and muffin mixes are high-calorie, low-fiber, and rich in eggs, oils, and dairy (not so good for the squishy tubular mid-section of which I’m trying to bid adieu). And EXPENSIVE! Am I supposed to diaper the new baby with the GF Flour Mix packaging? Better idea anyway, I’m sticking with a GF plan that skips the processed goods and highlights the whole ones, and am on a mission to make a high-fiber, plant-hearty GF sandwich bread (read on). This mission may take the remainder of my life on earth.

My day at the moment:

First thing:
Huge glass water, then coffee with coconut creamer (I do love me a cup ‘a joe!) while nursing baby
Exercise:
2 mile hilly run/walk, 100 crunches, 50 sit-ups, 20 push-ups, 30 squats, 600 beads of sweat pouring down face
Breakfast:
Green smoothie: 1 scoop Plantfusion vanilla, 2 c dino kale, 1 c frozen fruit, 1 banana, water
Snack:
KIND bar, apple, OR peanut butter on corn thins
Lunch:
Huge green salad with lots of veggies and beans w olive oil-lemon-salt dressing, 2 pc dark chocolate
Snack:
Veggies, hummus, Brown rice cakes (2, 3, 4…), TJ’s Roasted Seaweed or TJ’s Kale Chips
Dinner:
Stir-fry veggies with tempeh or tofu, OR overloaded veggie burrito fixin’s piled on 2 corn tortillas
2 pc dark chocolate
Bedtime snack:
2 chilled sliced apples topped with cinnamon

For baking, I’ve been substituting GF all-purpose flour blend for regular flour and things have come out well. Until I tried my hand at a healthy, vegan GF sandwich bread, modeled after this one (except using King Arthur’s multipurpose GF flour and flax instead of chia). Mine was edible, and bordering on tasty if you like dense, heavy bread. Yum! I mean, HELP!!

Hugs to plants,
Jen

GF Vegan Sandwich Bread, Take 1

GF Vegan Sandwich Bread, Take 1

 

Watermelon Protein Cooler

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Well hello! I fell of the earth for a bit and finally founnd my way back. Phew! And when I say “fell off the earth,” I really mean I’ve been tackling an enormous pre-baby-#4 to-do list (baby due in 3 weeks). Thankfully, I finally reached item #47: Post something new on BitchinDietitian.com! And here it is. A standby since watermelons have appeared at CostCo, and a creative way to get more watermelons in your life if you’re tackling high blood pressure (new research here).

watermelon smoothie

Watermelon Protein Cooler
Serves 3 (or 1 very thirsty pregnant lady!)

4 cups watermelon chunks (about 430 grams)
12 frozen strawberries (or 12 fresh strawberries, stems removed, plus 1 cup ice)
2 tsp lime juice (fresh is best!)
8 ounces almond milk, hemp milk, or other non-dairy milk
1 scoop protein powder of choice (I like Plant Fusion vanilla)

Blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Each serving has 121 calories, 18 g carbs, and 9 g protein.

See you sooner than later. Cheers! xoxo

Grab Your Garbanzos! 7-Day Detox Starts on Monday!

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Detox Begins!Calling all ladies of the lettuce and men of the maca! Join us as we celebrate 2014 by saying good riddance to the lingering goo of 2013 and hello to more energy, clarity, and green supremacy in the New Year. The Skinny Dish 7-Day Detox will start—rain or shine—on Monday, January 6th. Make room in your fridge, stock up using the shopping list, and warm up your Vitamix. It’s time give your body a real party!

Look forward to new quick recipes, tips, and a long-term plan that will keep you detoxified all year long. See you Monday! xoxo

Sweet Potato Mashup: A Thanksgiving Must

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Sweet Potato Mash

Sweet Potato Mashup

Hate to admit it, but sweet potato mush is the one thing I continue to pass at the Thanksgiving feast. Even with its beta-carotene-rich orange goodness, it just doesn’t tickle my tofu.

Until now.

Determined to one day fall in love with denture-friendly sweet potatoes (of course sweet potato fries have always been a favorite), and inspired by Kathy’s Famous Sweet Potato Mash, it has happened. I am in love with this sweet potato mush!

Sweet Potato Mashup
Makes 5-6 cups (about 10 ½-cup servings)

2 large sweet potatoes, baked or boiled
1 cup vidalia onion, chopped

1/3 cup garlic hummus
3-5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup fresh tangerine or orange juice
1 tsp lemon juice
1 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
salt/pepper to taste


1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.

2. Mash well, but leaving some chunks.



3. Heat/reheat over the stovetop, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes. 

Nutrition info per serving: 68 calories, 2 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 80 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3.5 g sugar, 2 g protein, 43% vitamin A, 3% iron

My version has fewer ingredients than Kathy’s, but please check hers out. Her photos are profesh and her ingredient combos (in this recipe and others) are uniquely gut-pleasing. I don’t know if it’s the garlic hummus, the fresh garlic, the raw onion, or the parsley, but this is definitely a must-try. Hello, Thanksgiving, and hello, orange taters!

Happy healthy holidays!

2 Must-Drink Summer Power Smoothies

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I’m on a new kick this summer — I’ve dropped the breakfast oatmeal and bran flakes and have become a blending maniac! EVERY morning, I throw a bunch of colorful plant matter plus some seeds and perhaps a yummy powder into my Vitamix, blend it, and go. If there are leftovers, I pour them into sealed glass jars and guzzle later in the morning. Here are my 2 favorite blendcoctions:

Daiquiri Power Tower

Daiquiri Power Tower

Chia Daiquiri
Makes 3 12-ounce portions

2 cups frozen organic strawberries
1 banana
Handful organic kale leaves (lacinato or dinosaur kale are my fave), spinach if the kale is too kale-ey
1/4 cup chia seeds (get them at Costco: $10 for a 2-lb. bag): Awesome source of LDL cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber and heart-healthy Omega-3’s
3 cups fortified non-dairy milk such as unsweetened coconut milk: Great source of calcium and vitamin D
1 scoop Vanilla Almondilla Vega One Energizing Smoothie powder: Superstar for protein, fiber, and sweetened with stevia so low-sugar too!

Blend, pour, and go!

Nutrition Info per 12-ounce serving: 246 calories, 12 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 22 g carbohydrate, 14 g fiber, 10 g sugar, 11 g protein, 90% vitamin A, 141% vitamin C, 30% vitamin D, 25% calcium, 14% iron.


Brown Hippie
Makes 3 12-ounce portions

Not pictured, because you might not try it! It’s brown, people. Close your eyes and enjoy!

1 cup frozen organic blueberries
1 cup frozen mango chunks
1 banana
Handful organic spinach leaves
3 cups fortified non-dairy milk such as unsweetened soymilk: Great source of calcium and vitamin D
1 scoop vanilla hemp protein powder (such as the one from Trader Joe’): Super rich in protein, Omega-3’s, and insoluble fiber
1 frozen cube wheatgrass juice (optional): adds nature’s richest edible source of chlorophyll – a natural detoxifier and blood pressure reducer

Blend, pour, and go!

Nutrition Info per 12-ounce serving: 220 calories, 5 g fat, <1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 33 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 19 g sugar, 12 g protein, 31% vitamin A, 37% vitamin C, 30% vitamin D, 32% calcium, 25% iron.

Ta da! 🙂