But anyway, getting sick and not having the energy to cook good (or bad) food for myself did make me think about my diet and the things that I know are good for me and make me feel good. I stopped the chocolate habit cold turkey, and turned towards the good stuff. Kale is one of those things that makes me feel good. I like to buy it from Whole Foods because they have organic kale in all kinds of varieties, or even better, from the Farmer’s Market when it is in season. The other day, though, the DH took me to my follow up-checkup on my lungs (because he is a sweetie) and I was feeling so much better that we decided to get lunch out together.

Calafia Cafe
Town & Country Village Suite 130
855 El Camino Real (at Embarcadero Road)
Palo Alto California
(650) 322-9200

I had read about Calafia Palo Alto being a good restaurant with a gluten-free menu, and I’d passed it numerous times in the Palo Alto Town and Country square, but I’d never actually eaten there. Half of the restaurant is a deli, and I’m easily intimidated by delis. However, the other half of the restaurant is a nice, sit-down restaurant with menus, and we decided to get a table. I was happy to see the gluten-free labeml on many of their dishes, but weirdly enough, I was even happier to see that they split the menu in half between vegetarian and omnivore options. They even labeled their vegan dishes. Unfortunately, I wasn’t actually that hungry because I had eaten a very full and nutritious breakfast (leftover Dal made my the DH the night before, my hero!). But I decided to order their Braised Greens with Almond Butter, which they describe on their menu as: “rainbow swiss chard, sautéed with shallots, glazed with cider vinegar and finished with a vegan turmeric scented almond butter,
dried cranberries and walnuts.” The small dish that arrived wasn’t very dramatic, but when I took a bite I could literally feel my blood being supercharged with nutrition. The funny thing is, I wasn’t completely in love with the balance of flavor. I could taste cayenne more than turmeric in the almond butter, and was a trifle spicy for me after years of cooking for a DH with a sensitive tummy and now a toddler who despises spiciness. At the same time, I felt so good as I ate it and I was ultimately very happy with it. It was also novel because it was both like something I might cook for myself but at the same time not with the exact balance of flavor I would choose. How often can you go out to eat and feel like you’re getting a more nutritious meal than you would have at home? That is why I fell in love with this restaurant and would go back in a heartbeat. They had an intriguing assortment of specialty smoothie beverages, and tons of entrees and other dishes marked gluten-free and vegetarian. The DH was also happy, although he ordered a gluten menu item of what he called a “salad pizza”- a pizza with goat and blue cheese with a gorgeous pile of arugula on top. (They don’t offer gluten-free pizza, but plenty of other places do so I didn’t mind.)

I did some reading and found out that Calafia was started by a chef named Charlie Ayers that was the head chef at Google for six years after being a caterer for the Grateful Dead. Not only that, but he has his own book called Food 2.0: Secrets from the Chef Who Fed Google. According to the booklist description, “Raw, organic, and fermented is Charlie s mantra, which is reflected in more than 90 easy-to-prepare recipes, whether it s a Kick-start Breakfast, a Power Lunch, or a Light, Bright Dinner. And, following the world-famous formula Charlie used at Google headquarters, the meals and snacks are designed to feed your brain exactly what it needs at different points throughout the workday.” It has been a while since I went to a restaurant that I found as exciting as this one, and after reading more about the chef I can understand why. It isn’t a raw-foods cookbook, and not even a vegetarian cookbook, but I was intrigued enough by the description that I ordered a used copy for myself. I’ll let you know how I like it!

Anyway, their braised green recipe with almond sauce was a delightful restaurant offering and also got me thinking about how I might try my own (very different) version when I brought home some tasty organic kale from the farmer’s market this weekend. Here’s my take on it, which met with approval from my omnivorous dad and allergy-sensitive mother. Toddler Yum found it to be too much green for her, but since she scarfs down raw broccoli, cauliflower, and roasted chickpeas, I think I’ll overlook this temporary disdain for kale. It took me some years to develop a love affair with kale, after all, and now it is my favorite breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu item! I hope you enjoy this recipe for a vegan almond sauce kale recipe as much as we did.

Looking for more kale-almond recipes?
Addictive Vegan Kale Salad
Kale Almond Pesto
Almond Crunch Kale Chips
Chopped Kale Salad with Toasted Almonds
Just Plain Scrumptious Kale Recipes:
Cashew Creamed Kale Recipe
Kale and toor Dal
Kale in Puttanesca Sauce
Gluten-free Cornmeal Dumplings with Red Beans and Kale
Gluten-free Stuffing with Kale, Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms
Kale with Pine Nuts and Raisins
Vegetarian Lasagna with Kale and Cheese
Feta Breakfast Kale

Hey, I’m in the running for the Circle of Moms Top 25 Vegan and Vegetarian Mom Blogger Award!

You can vote once per blog every 24 hours until February 14th at 8pm EST. I’d love to make it to the final count!

Almond Butter Kale Recipe Side Dish  Vegetables  American

Ingredients 2 tsp. grapeseed or olive oil 1 small to medium bunch of kale, rinsed and dried with spine cut out, chopped 3 tbsp. diced onion sauce: 1/4 cup roasted almond butter 2 tbsp. hot water or more for desired texture 1 tsp. agave nectar, maple syrup, honey (look for neutral flavored honey), or simple syrup 1 tsp. lime or lemon juice herbamare or your favorite salt blend dash cayenne pepper or paprika Directions Heat olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet on medium high and add your chopped kale leaves. I like to pan fry them until they get browned and dry in patches, but you can cook them to your preference. When almost done, add your diced onion to the pan and saute until translucent. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. Add more hot water if needed to have a sauce you can pour. When kale and onions are done, put into an attractive bowl and drizzle generously with sauce. Fold sauce into the kale until evenly distributed and serve.

Rating:  8 Original Source:  Inspired by recent restaurant meal, but the contents of my brain. Please do not replicate without my permission. Recipe ID:  1585 Added:  February 5, 2012 Last Modified:  February 5, 2012

As Thanksgiving has gotten closer, I’ve been finalizing my own Thanksgiving menu. Here’s what I’m thinking.

For our main dish, we’ll have a recipe that has signified Thanksgiving to me ever since I first made it over twelve years ago living in Boulder, Colorado, My main dish for Portobella Mushroom Stuffed Acorn Squash (See below). I’ll top it with my favorite Nutritional Yeast Gravy. It might seem strange, but we’ve always enjoyed having some vegetarian or vegan Homemade baked beans with our Thanksgiving meal. This year I think I’ll make it in the our brand new slow cooker! We usually have plain old mashed potatoes, but this year Elise’s recipe for Duchess Potatoes (adapted to be dairy-free). Then I’ll make some Homemade Orange Apple Cranberry Sauce with a side of gluten-free, vegetarian homemade French Bread. For Desserts we will have pre-made gluten-free pie from Crave Bakery in Gluten-free Pumpkin Pie and Pecan Pie Varieties, as well as homemade dairy-free gluten-free pumpkin and Gluten-free Apple Pie.

What are you having for your Thanksgiving dinner menu?

Portabella Stuffed Acorn Squash Main Course  Vegetables  American

Ingredients Stuffing: 24 oz. gluten FREE bread, cubed (any type works, even bread that isn’t that tasty) 1 tbsp. Olive oil 1 tbsp butter 1 medium onion, diced 2 medium carrots, diced 2 medium portabella mushrooms, diced 1/4 cup walnut (or pecan) pieces 1 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning 1/2 cup fresh basil or other herb 1 cup warm vegetable broth 1/2 tsp. Black pepper 1/2 tsp. salt For the Squash: 4 medium acorn squash, halved, with seeds removed 1 cup water 1/2 cup ginger ale 1/4 cup orange juice 2 tsp low sodium gluten-free tamari (San-j preferred) 1 tsp honey juice of a lemon pinch of cayenne pepper Directions Stuffing Instructions: 1) Place bread cubes on cookie sheet and dry them for 20 to 30 minutes in a 250 degree oven, uncovered. 2) Heat olive oil and butter in a large saute pan. Add onion and carrots, and saute over medium heat for 3 minutes until lightly caramelized. Add mushrooms, nuts, and poultry seasoning, continuing to saute for 2 minutes. Add fresh herb, and transfer to a large mixing bowl, then add dried bread cubes, and mix well with broth. Let sit for 30 minutes until bread absorbs all the liquid and the stuffing is fluffy. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Squash Instructions: 1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place squash halves cut-side-down on a cookie sheet lined with foil, or use a nonstick pan. Add 1/2 cup water and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until nearly tender. 2) Combine ginger ale, orange juice, tamari, honey, lemon juice and pepper. Mix well and set aside. Place squash cavity-side-up in a roasting pan. Brush generously with the glaze. Fill the cavity of each squash with the mushroom stuffing, using an ice cream scoop or large spoon. Pack stuffing in the cavity, forming a uniform mound. 3) Pour 1/2 cup water in the pan and bake 30 minutes, until squash is lightly browned and stuffing is thoroughly heated. Enjoy! Notes My favorite vegetarian “turkey”- excellent with gravy. Of course I use a vegetarian gravy made from scratch using nutritional yeast, but you don’t have to. The stuffing is good on its own as well. Mmmm…. Thanksgiving memories.

Rating:  8 Original Source:  Adapted from the Whole Foods Market Flavors magazine, Volume 1 Recipe ID:  1161 Added:  November 22, 2007 Last Modified:  November 21, 2011

Since we were talking soup today, I wanted to share a BRAND NEW soup recipe I developed for you. After making my un-panko roasted squash slices, I had extra squash that i drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper, and then roasted in the oven on 425 until soft. We ate some plain, but one evening as I was debating what to make for dinner, I saw that squash and thought a warm fall soup would be delightful, especially with the homemade vegan and gluten-free rosemary thyme rolls I’d made that morning. (Recipe coming soon!) The resulting soup was delicious. I used celery from our garden, organic onions and carrots as the base, and then I added roasted chestnuts and pine nuts for extra protein. The poultry seasoning added the perfect dusty herbal note, and herbamare makes everything taste better. Everybody liked it except for Toddler Yum, who is suspicious of anything that is orange (except for oranges, which she will inhale like candy). My dairy-free, soy-free Mom loved it. You know some things that are mysteries to me? Why is it that so many companies add flour to their soups for thickening when they don’t really need to have it? And further, why is it that most of the boxed gluten-free soups taste terrible, but that homemade soups are awesome even when they have similar ingredients? One of the few packaged soups I like is the Kettle Cuisine vegetarian soups (review coming soon) which was sent to me for trial and review some time back. Do you have a favorite pre-made soup or a favorite homemade soup recipes? Do you usually serve soup for your Thanksgiving dinner? Share in the comments!

More delicious soup recipes:
Curried Acorn Squash Sweet Potato Apple Soup
Farm Fresh Salad Soup Recipe
Potato Zucchini Soup Recipe
Snowdrops and Baked Potato Soup
Eat the Rainbow Black Bean Soup
Roasted Parsnip Garlic Soup with Mushrooms
Artichoke Soup
Double Mushroom Soup Recipe

This recipe was shared with Wellness Weekend and Sugar Free Sunday.

Nutty Vegan Sage Pumpkin Chestnut Soup Recipe Soup  Vegetables  American

Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 1 small to medium onion, diced 1 stalk of celery (or 2 of skinny homegrown celery), diced 2 medium carrots, diced florets from 1/2 head of cauliflower, separated from the stalk 1 bag of prepared chestnuts or 15 cooked chestnuts, peeled and chopped 1/2 cup pine nuts OR raw whole cashews soaked in water for at least half an hour 1 1/2 roasted winter squash removed from skin 3 tsp GF vegetable bouillon powder 3 cups water 1 tsp. poultry seasoning 1/2 to 1 tsp herbamare seasoning salt 2 cups of water small bunch of fresh sage Directions Heat your olive oil on medium high in a large pot. A dutch oven would be great for this recipe, but you can do it in any large pot. Add your diced onion and saute until softened. Add your diced celery and carrots and saute until carrots soften slightly. Add your cauliflower florets and let them cook until they soften. Throw in your chopped chestnuts and heat through. Throw your chopped chestnuts into the pot with the onions, celery, and carrots. Heat through and then add your roasted winter squash to the pot. Heat and add your vegetable bouillon powder dissolved in three cups of water. Add your vegetable broth to the pot. Drain your pine nuts and process them in a food processor or blender with a little water until you have a smooth, thick sauce. add half of your pine nut or cashew puree to the pot and reserve the rest. Add your poultry seasoning. Use an immersion blender to puree your veggies in the pot. If you don’t have an immersion blender you can use your food processor or blender. Add two cups of additional water as needed. Top with fresh sage. If you like you can puree some sage into the soup too. To serve, add extra water to the remaining pine nut or cashew puree to make it the consistency of heavy cream. Pour your soup into individual bowls and swirl your pine nut or cashew cream into the soup decoratively.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  The contents of my brain. Please do not replicate without my permission. Recipe ID:  1579 Added:  November 18, 2011 Last Modified:  November 18, 2011

People often don’t know what to feed vegetarians, I’m sorry to say. Some people seem to think vegetarians only eat bunny food, and that we subsist solely on leafy lettuce and crunchy raw carrots. I love bunnies and I have nothing against lettuce or carrots persay, but if I had to eat plain, cold lettuce salads every day I think I’d hop off a cliff.

I think it can be intimidating to have a gluten-free vegetarian over for dinner at Thanksgiving when the main course (the big bird) just isn’t our thing. Between the meat and the wheat, a Thanksgiving menu can be full of dishes that strikes terror into the heart of a gluten-free vegetarian. Stuffing often contains non-veg ingredients, and is chock full of poisonous bread that threatens to contaminate everything on the table. Honestly, that mound of gluten scares me down to my little bunny soul. We can have some of the traditional vegetable side dishes, but some of them just aren’t very appetizing. Frozen peas and canned sweet potatoes, anyone? *shudder* Cooking your own homemade gluten-free vegetarian meal for Thanksgiving the first time can be a little intimidating as well. Some recipes are easy to make vegetarian like mashed potatoes, green beans, and most desserts. But what dish can you use as your main entree to take the holiday to a whole new delicious level? And what sides will round out that gluten-free vegetarian meal in such a delicious way that even confirmed carnivores won’t miss the meat?

Over the years I’ve developed some gluten-free vegetarian recipes that make my heart sing every year, and make me happier than the traditional stuff ever could because they taste great. This year I decided to host an event showcasing the best of gluten-free vegetarian Thanksgiving fare both from my kitchen and from other bloggers’ kitchens. I hope it will give those of you with experience lots of new ideas, and help encourage those of you who are new to feeding gluten-free vegetarians. Stay tuned tomorrow for the introduction of another gluten-free blogger’s Thanksgiving recipe and a classic Book of Yum Thanksgiving entree recipe. You can look forward to daily posts with recipes here at the Book of Yum right up to Thanksgiving. What’s your favorite gluten-free vegetarian entree? Share in the comments and I’ll add my favorites to a Thanksgiving recipe link list!

I’ve been thinking about what to make for a gluten-free vegetarian entree this year, and I came up with something new just for you. I have had this recipe for roasted, un-panko coated squash slices floating around my brain for weeks now. I wanted to share it as a special vegetarian and vegan main entree that could take proud center stage in your Thanksgiving meal.
The Raw Ingredients: Squash

The Finished Product

We love nutritional yeast in our house, so I had to include some in the coating. If it isn’t your thing, you could try the recipe without it- but I think you’d be missing out! Because in my opinion a hearty main entree needs a protein accompaniment, I have two options- a crunchy tofu “katsu” for those who enjoy soy, or a roasted chickpea inspired by Indian snacks (with Thanksgiving seasonings instead of Indian flavors).

This post is the inaugural post for our 10 day Vegetarian Thanksgiving Series. Look for this banner on other blog posts and click to come back to this headquarter page for our Vegetarian Thanksgiving event!

Gluten-free Vegetarian Thanksgiving Event Posts:
GF Veg Thanksgiving Episode 1: Un-Panko Roasted Squash Slices
GF Veg Thanksgiving Episode 2: Rosemary-Thyme Gluten-free Roll (with vegan option linked)
GF Veg Thanksgiving Episode 3: Spinach Pie (with Vegan Allergen-friendly Recipe)
GF Veg Thanksgiving Episode 4: Apricot Glazed Brussels Sprouts
GF Veg Thanksgiving Episode 5: NEW RECIPE! Vegan Pumpkin Chestnut Sage Soup with Pine Nut Cream Sauce
GF Veg Thanksgiving Episode 6: Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake
GF Veg Thanksgiving Episode 7: A Cranberry Crustless Pie that resembles a dump cake without the mix!
GF Veg Thanksgiving Episode 8: Portobella Mushroom Stuffed Acorn Squash

Links to all of the recipes posted for our Vegetarian Thanksgiving Event
Bernice’s Wheatless and Meatless Recipe for Baked Cranberry Apple Dessert
Kalinda of Wheat-free Meat Free Recipe for a Vegetarian gluten-free Mushroom Nut Roast
Kim’s Welcoming Kitchen Recipe for Mushroom Socca Tartlet
Kimberly of the Nutty Garbanzo Recipe for Vegan Ginger Kissed Squash Soup
Lauren of As Good as Gluten Recipe for a Pear Custard Pie
Nicole of Special Diet Creation Recipe for Vegan and almost-raw Cranberry Cheesecake

Links with Tips to help you host or safely enjoy a Gluten-free Thanksgiving Dinner:
for the hosts new to gluten-free baking
How to Cook Gluten-free For Guests by Diane
How to Cook Gluten-free for the People You Love by Shauna
for the gluten-free guest
5 Tips for a Safe Gluten-free Thanksgiving of Group Event by Shirley

Gluten-free Thanksgiving Recipe Roundups:
How to Have the Best Gluten-free Thanksgiving and a Recipe Roundup by Heidi
Thanksgiving Recipes and Tips from Karina the Gluten-free Goddess
More Coming Soon!

Dairy-free Thanksgiving Recipe Roundups:
Go Dairy Free Annual Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup *some gluten-free recipes*

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup: (not all recipes are Gluten-free as written)
Vanilla and Spice Vegan Thanksgiving Roundup
Oh She Glows Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup

Desperate for a cookbook with lots of gluten-free recipes to choose from for the holidays? It isn’t too late, especially if you are looking for Christmas recipes too. With Amazon Prime you can get a cookbook in 2 days. I recommend Bette Hagman for her bread and biscotti recipes, Rebecca Reilly for any of her desserts, Annalise Roberts for her baked staples, Ali Segersen for those looking for whole foods recipes that are allergen sensitive, Kelly Brosyna for those looking for low carb alternative flour recipes, and Elena Amsterdam for those wanting almond flour and delicious savory recipes. *None of these cookbooks are specifically vegetarian*

Roasted Breaded Squash Slices Main Course  Vegetables

Ingredients 1/2 large kabocha 1/2 medium sized squash like butternut etc. 2-3 assorted beets or more squash peanut, grapeseed, or olive oil for drizzling Un-Panko Breading: 1 cup Erewhon unsweetened Corn Flakes, crushed 1/4 cup almond meal (I like Trader Joe’s for breading) 1/4 cup nutritional yeast 1 tsp poultry seasoning 1 tsp smoked paprika 2 tsp freeze dried chives or dried toasted onion powder between 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp herbamare (to taste) or your favorite salt blend (if you use plain salt definitely just use 1/2 tsp) *Optional Veg Protein Recipe (Tofu or Chickpea) Directions Prepare kabocha by cutting in half, scooping out innards and seeds, and then slicing squash flash into 1/4 inch crescents. Prepare hard skinned squash like butternut by peeling and then cutting them in half, scooping out the innards and seeds, and then slicing peeled squash into 1/4 inch crescents. Prepare beets by peeling and slicing into scant 1/4 inch rounds. Note that red beets will bleed, so if you are going to use them, do them last and keep them apart from the yellow squash. Golden beets will not be a problem, but they don’t give you the pretty pop of color you get from red beets. I used a combination of yellow and red beets. Preheat oven to 400F. Place your squash and beet slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with your favorite oil. Rub the oil to cover both sides of your veggies. I used peanut oil, but grapeseed or olive would be great too. Combine ingredients for your Un-Panko Breading in a small to medium bowl, making sure your corn flakes are crushed into little flakes. Then place half of your breading into a gallon ziploc bag. Put your oiled squash and beet slices in your ziploc bag in batches and shake so they are entirely covered with breading. Leave red beets for the very last round so they don’t dye your other veggies. Place each batch of breaded veggies on your baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 30 minutes and then turn, baking another 20 minutes or until slices are tender and golden brown on both sides. Serve on a large, beautiful serving dish with optional vegetarian protein accompaniment. Toasted pecans and fresh parsley make nice garnishes.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  The contents of my brain. Please do not replicate without my written permission. Recipe ID:  1576 Added:  November 13, 2011 Last Modified:  November 14, 2011

Roasted Breaded Tofu Cubes Main Course  Tofu  American

Ingredients 1/2 of a firm tofu block that has been sliced horizontally, drained, wrapped in a towel and pressed for at least 30 minutes 1 large dollup of vegan mayonnaise splash of unsweetened, plain soy milk Un-Panko Breading mix (See my Roasted Breaded Squash Recipe) Directions Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare baking dish. After tofu has been pressed, cut it into cubes. Put your vegan mayonnaise in a shallow bowl and add enough soy milk to make it thin enough for dipping. Dip your tofu cubes in the mayo-milk mixture and place in a quart ziploc bag with about 1/2 cup of Un-Panko Breading Mix. Shake gently until tofu is coated with breading mix. Place tofu cubes in a single layer in your baking dish and bake for 20-30 minutes or until breading is crunchy and lightly browned. Serve as the optional veg protein accompaniment with my Roasted Breaded Squash Recipe. Notes I like the plain flavor of tofu, but I think it would be even better if the pressed tofu was marinated in a gluten-free soy sauce before being coated in breading. It was a nice accompaniment to my roasted squash, though. Pictured as served with roasted red beet slices and roasted squash.

Rating:  7 Original Source:  The contents of my brain. Please do not replicate without my written permission. Recipe ID:  1577 Added:  November 13, 2011 Last Modified:  November 14, 2011

Un-Panko Roasted Chickpeas Main Course  American

Ingredients 1 can chickpeas, drained Your favorite oil (grapeseed, olive, peanut) 1/4 recipe of Gluten-free Un-Panko Breading Directions Preheat oven to 400F and prepare baking sheet by covering it with a layer of parchment paper. Empty chickpeas onto sheet and drizzle with your favorite oil, spreading to cover chickpeas evenly. Mix the gluten-free Un-Panko breading into the chickpeas and then spread out chickpeas again. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until Chickpeas and breading are dry and lightly browned. Serve as an optional protein with my Roasted Breaded Squash Recipe.

Rating:  9 Original Source:  The contents of my brain. Please do not replicate without my written permission. Recipe ID:  1578 Added:  November 13, 2011 Last Modified:  November 14, 2011

I have lots of recipes using nutritional yeast:
Un-chicken Roasted Vegetable Soup with nutritional yeast
Nutritional yeast gravy
Yum nutritional yeast sauce
Nutritional Yeast Coated Baked Tofu Strips
Pan Fried Southern Fried Nutritional Yeast Tofu
Mashed Cauliflower with Nutritional Yeast Cheesiness
Dairy-Free Cheesy Nutritional Yeast Spinach Pie

Have you tried nutritional yeast? What is your favorite recipe using nutritional yeast?

My friend Alisa of Go Dairy Free has also Written about Nutritional Yeast

My favorite cookbooks with Nutritional Yeast Recipes (not strictly gluten-free but largely adaptable):

Vegan Tofu Saute Breakfast Recipe Breakfast  Vegetables  American

Ingredients 1 tbsp. Grapeseed Oil 1/2 firm tofu block sliced horizontally in half and pressed between towel for 30 minutes or overnight kept in the fridge 1/4 large onion, diced 1 large carrot, peeled and grated handful of chard or kale, washed, de-veined and sliced into thin strips favorite herbal seasoning blend, especially a dill or shallot based one like Penzey’s Sunny Paris dash of gluten-free soy sauce nutritional yeast to taste, from 2-4 tbsp. herbamare pepper Directions Dice your pressed tofu into small cubes. Preheat a nice pan and add your grapeseed oil. Sautee your onions until they lose their crunch and then move them to the side. Add a little more olive oil if necessary and heat before adding your tofu cubes. Pan fry until golden brown on one side and then turn. Season tofu with your herbal seasoning blend and herbamare if desired. When both sides of tofu are golden brown, Add your grated carrot and chard or kale. Cook until softened, taste, and drizzle a little gluten-free soy sauce on your tofu if desired. Add generous amount of nutritional yeast on top, heat and then flip over tofu mixture so nutritional yeast is evenly distribute. Taste. Adjust seasonings as needed. Add pepper. Those who have grown-up taste buds can dab with srirachi hot sauce as they like. Avocado cubes would also be tasty on top.

Rating:  8 Original Source:  Contents of my brain, please do not replicate without my permission. Recipe ID:  1575 Added:  November 9, 2011 Last Modified:  November 9, 2011

Here are the ingredients for your average Butterfinger:
SUGAR, GLUCOSE, PEANUTS, HYDROGENATED PALM KERNEL OIL, COCOA POWDER, MODIFIED MILK INGREDIENTS, MOLASSES, CORN FLAKES, SALT, SOYA LECITHIN, CORN STARCH, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOUR, TBHQ, CITRIC ACID, COLOUR.

Actually, I’ve read worse, but it just doesn’t sound very good or good for you. And how about that TBHQ? Yum!
So I decided it was time to re-think the Butterfinger. At its most basic, this bar is all about the sweet, sweet peanut filling, crispy corn flakes and chocolate shell. One peanut treat that we love and often eat in our house is the peanut butter lara bar, which is simply peanuts, dates, and a little salt. So I thought, why not make a homemade Lara Bar, give it a corn flake center for crunch, and dip or drizzle it in chocolate?

So that is exactly what I did.

How to make Gluten-free Dairy-free and Soy-free Homemade Butterfingers:

You’ve seen the toddler-friendly version at the top of the post, pictured with Toddler Yum’s Jack O’Lantern. Here is the sexy adult version, which I took to a pumpkin carving party.

It might be me, but I think it looks (and tastes) better than the packaged version! The Erewhon Corn Flakeswere perfect for this because the only ingredients were corn and a little salt. They were a tad plain all by themselves, but in a recipe like this where they are surrounded by healthy sweet ingredients, they are perfect! I’d buy them again, just for this recipe or to use in a savory breading recipe. This recipe was awesome, though, and I love how easy it is to adapt to various food sensitivities. If you need dairy-free but Soy Lecithin is ok and trace amounts of milk are ok, try the Trader Joe chocolate chips, which I used this time. If you need completely dairy-free and soy-free, use the Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips for your coating. If you prefer a really dark (70% cacao) type chocolate, use that. Want it strictly vegan with vegan sugar? Use a vegan chocolate bar. I think it will be delicious every way! Do store it in the refrigerator before eating, though, as the chocolates without soy lecithin are delicate and the bar will stay solid and easy to eat that way.

Here’s some fun pics from the Halloween party…

It was Toddler yum’s first experience carving a pumpkin, or rather, scooping out the pumpkin. Daddy helped, and gave the pumpkin little vampire teeth. Toddler Yum loved it, and even said “Vampire! vampire!” Oh dear, the things they pick up. And yes, there were other people at this party, including a wonderful gluten-free hostess that you might know from her blog that made wonderful sweet potato corn chowder and homemade mounds bars (yum!) I’m so lucky to know many of the gluten-free chefs around, and to be able to welcome this new gluten-free friend to our neighborhood.

Happy Halloween! I hope you have a wonderful holiday with your family, with plenty of treats that work for everybody’s tummy.

Looking for more gluten-free homemade treats?
Sunflower-seed Un-peanut Butter Cups
Elana’s Pantry Healthy Halloween Candy Recipes
Homemade Gluten-free Twix Bar Recipe
Nutty Vegan Butter Easter Candy
Ali’s homemade maple-sunbutter candor (like tootsie rolls)
Ali’s Chocolate Macadamia Nut Clusters
Nourishing Gourmet’s Healthier Candy Recipes
Kelly’s Raw Chocolate Raspberry Candy- refined sugar and other allergens free
Elana’s Peppermint Patties sweetened with Agave

Share your favorite gluten-free candy recipes in the links and I’ll add them to the list!

PS I was so excited about this candy recipe I decided to postpone the conclusion to pumpkin week until at least Monday… Sorry guys, but I wanted to make sure people had this recipe in time for the holidays!

Shared with Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Made from Scratch Tuesday

Healthy Dairy-free Soy-free Butterfinger Recipe Dessert  American

Ingredients Layer 1: 1 scant cup pitted Medjool dates (or regular) 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts 2 tbsp. smooth natural peanut butter 1/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. nutmeg (optional) Layer 2: 1 scant cup pitted Medjool dates (or regular) 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts (can substitute almonds) 2 tbsp. smooth natural peanut butter 1/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. nutmeg (optional) enough Erewhon plain corn flakes to cover surface area of a quart bag Additional smooth natural peanut butter (optional) 1/2 to 3/4 lb of soy-free semi-sweet or dark chocolate for melting 1-2 tsp. coconut oil as needed Directions Get out two freezer-safe quart bags and reserve. Layer One: Put your scant cup of PITTED dates in your food processor and process until you have a smooth paste. Add your peanuts and process until mixture comes together when you press it but there are still chunks of peanut left. Add peanut butter, salt and optional nutmeg and pulse them in until mixed throughout. Remove from food processor with a spatula and put in one quart bag, pressing the air out and sealing it. Then flatten the mixture in your bag until you have a flat sheet of peanut dough. Place in refrigerator on an even, flat surface and chill. Layer Two: Repeat with the second batch of PITTED dates and peanuts. You will fill your second quart sized freezer bag. Chill along with the other layer for 30 minutes or so. Just before you are ready to take the peanut dough out of the refrigerator, put your semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat on half power in 30 second intervals, checking after each interval and stirring as needed. When chocolate is almost completely melted, stir until chocolate is smooth and reserve. I found I needed to add coconut oil to have a thin enough chocolate for dipping. Just add your oil and stir in gently. To prepare peanut bar for dipping, cut sides of freezer bags and peel off the top of the bag on layer one. sprinkle layer one with plain corn flakes. Peel the top of the bag from layer two and careful invert it on top of the corn flakes so you have a peanut bar “sandwich” with corn flakes as the filling. Gently press the layers together, remove the final layer of plastic on top and then cut the peanut bar “sandwich” in 7 logs horizontally and then cut half down the center vertically. If you are preparing this for a toddler, you can make two more vertical cuts for mini butterfinger bites. Prepare a large cookie baking sheet with a layer of wax paper and place a cooling rack on top. Place each bar on the cooling rack with space around each bar so that you can drizzle chocolate down the sides. Prepare each bar by putting a generous dab of peanut butter between the layers to stick them together OR a dab of melted chocolate and pressing then firmly together on the top. Don’t worry if they don’t seem very firmly attached. Once they cool they will firm up and stick together. For adults who like a fair amount of chocolate, you can drizzle chocolate over the top and sides of the bar, using a knife to evenly distribute it. For toddlers, kids, or healthy-minded adults you can drizzle strands of chocolate on the top for a little taste of chocolate. Place the tray in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes to an hour, or until chocolate has set. Remove bars from tray with a metal spatula and put in a tupperware. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Notes Got rave reviews from adults who couldn’t believe how such natural ingredients could taste like the real thing and have the real mouth feel. :D I raved, too.

Additional Pictures

Rating:  9 Original Source:  The contents of my brain, please do not replicate without permission. Recipe ID:  1574 Added:  October 28, 2011 Last Modified:  October 29, 2011

I’ll start the week with a healthy drink for a dairy-free Chocolate Pumpkin Cream Smoothie that sounds naughty but isn’t really. Toddler Yum heard the word “chocolate” and slurped it down like nobody’s business, which made me happy. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we did!

One note- the avocado is there for the additional healthy fats and creaminess. It does add a little flavor so the cocoa is absolutely necessary for smoothing the flavors together, in my opinion. Do be careful not to add too much banana as the flavor is quite strong. It is mostly there for the sweetness, so if you prefer another mild fruit, feel free to experiment.

As part of the Tastemaker program with Foodbuzz, I got the nifty Tervis Tumbler pictured. I thought it might be fun to participate, and we can always use another bpa free, dishwasher safe cup for Toddler Yum. Their 8 oz toddler-sized tumblers look interesting. I might have to get some cups made for Toddler Yum!

Here are some additional recipes for Pumpkin Smoothies:
Vegan
Pumpkin Smoothie with Ginger and Maple Syrup
Sugar-free Pumpkin Smoothie with Coconut Whip
Pumpkin Smoothie with Homemade Hemp Milk
Silken Tofu Pumpkin Smoothie
Pumpkin Smoothie with Flaxseed and Soy
Pumpkin Smoothie with Protein Boost
Pumpkin Smoothie with chia and almond milk
Vegetarian
Pumpkin Smoothie with Yogurt
Brown Sugar Sweetened Pumpkin Smoothie

Other Foodbuzz folks put some interesting things in their Tumblers:
Juiced tangerine limeade

Chocolate Pumpkin Smoothie Breakfast  Vegetables  American

Ingredients 1/2 cup cooked pumpkin (canned ok) 1/2 avocado (peeled and without the pit) 1 cup homemade cashew milk* (or favorite non-dairy milk of choice) 1 tbsp agave or your favorite liquid sweetener (such as homemade simple syrup. Do NOT use honey as it has too much personality) 1 tbsp cocoa powder (NOT optional, although carob powder might be a good substitute if you are sensitive to chocolate) 1 small frozen banana 1 nutmeg for grating Directions Combine ingredients in your blender (a cheap-o blender will be just fine) and process until smooth and creamy. Pour in a glass or cup and grate nutmeg on top for serving. Enjoy! I am curious about what it would taste like frozen into a popsicle- I think it might be pretty tasty. I also considered adding 1/2 tsp of vanilla. I might do that next time. You can also add a pumpkin spice type blend of spices. I like Penzey’s Cake or Baking Spice. Notes *CASHEW MILK RECIPE: I made one big batch of cashew milk that I used in recipes for several days. I soaked 1 cup of cashews overnight with enough water to cover and then drained them, discarding the liquid. I blended them together with water up to the top of my blender (measuring 5 cups including the cashews), to make a milk which I did not strain. I stored it in the refrigerator in a glass pitcher to use as needed. For drinking or to use in hot cereal, I add a drop of vanilla and a little agave to the milk.

Rating:  7 Original Source:  Contents of my brain, please do not replicate without my permission. Recipe ID:  1572 Added:  October 24, 2011 Last Modified:  October 24, 2011