The Blue Canooper Cocktail This drink is summer in a cup. It is fresh and zesty. The basil, lemon and blueberry balance each other beautifully. I tried making it several different ways, and this is my favorite. To make one drink: In a shaker muddle together: 3 large basil leaves ¼ cup thawed frozen blueberries (frozen are easier to muddle the juice out of) small pinch of lemon zest Add and shake: 4-6 ice cubes 1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 oz light/white rum (like Baccardi) ¾ oz simple syrup Strain over ice cubes Add a splash of soda water Garnish with fresh basil To make 16 drinks Muddle in a large container: 4 cups thawed frozen blueberries 48/1.3 oz/36 g leaves of basil zest of 2 lemons Add  32 oz of  light/white rum refrigerate for a few hours or overnight When you are ready to serve strain the liquid into a pitcher and add: 16 oz of freshly squeezed lemon juice 12 oz simple syrup ½-1 cup soda water to taste Ice
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The Blue Canooper Cocktail

This drink is summer in a cup. It is fresh and zesty. The basil, lemon and blueberry balance each other beautifully.

I tried making it several different ways, and this is my favorite.

To make one drink:

In a shaker muddle together:

3 large basil leaves

¼ cup thawed frozen blueberries (frozen are easier to muddle the juice out of)

small pinch of lemon zest

Add and shake:

4-6 ice cubes

1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 oz light/white rum (like Baccardi)

¾ oz simple syrup

Strain over ice cubes

Add a splash of soda water

Garnish with fresh basil

To make 16 drinks

Muddle in a large container:

4 cups thawed frozen blueberries

48/1.3 oz/36 g leaves of basil

zest of 2 lemons

Add  32 oz of  light/white rum

refrigerate for a few hours or overnight

When you are ready to serve strain the liquid into a pitcher and add:

16 oz of freshly squeezed lemon juice

12 oz simple syrup

½-1 cup soda water to taste

Ice

Allergy Friendly Drumstick! Yes, you can make this too. You can follow these steps listed on Instructables, but replace with appropriate ingredients: For homemade “Magic Shell” that works wonderfully, I used Enjoy Life’s chocolate chips and coconut oil following these instructions over on Skip To My Lou. It does not harden until it is cold and in the fridge, so let it come down to a barely warm temperature before you dip your ice cream in it. I used the “Let’s Do..” Gluten Free ice cream cones , I used So Delicious’ Coconut Milk Vanilla (soy free and dairy free) Ice Cream, and topped it with crushed S’morable Graham Crackers gluten free (leaving off the peanuts for those with nut allergies). I can not wait for someone to try this!
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Allergy Friendly Drumstick! Yes, you can make this too.

You can follow these steps listed on Instructables, but replace with appropriate ingredients:

For homemade “Magic Shell” that works wonderfully, I used Enjoy Life’s chocolate chips and coconut oil following these instructions over on Skip To My Lou. It does not harden until it is cold and in the fridge, so let it come down to a barely warm temperature before you dip your ice cream in it.

I used the “Let’s Do..” Gluten Free ice cream cones , I used So Delicious’ Coconut Milk Vanilla (soy free and dairy free) Ice Cream, and topped it with crushed S’morable Graham Crackers gluten free (leaving off the peanuts for those with nut allergies).

I can not wait for someone to try this!

Allergy Free Panko Breadcrumbs

Allergy Friendly Panko Breadcrumbs
OK, if there is any bread you can eat, here is how you make Panko
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees
Get out your food processor, put the grater disk on
Take 6 slices of bread slice them in thirds and grate them (I use Sami’s Flax and Millet bread)
Pour the shredded bread on a baking sheet
Bake for about 6 minutes to slightly brown and crispy.

Allergy Free Chicken Parmesan

I often wish I took photos of things the first time I made them. This is one of those times.
I was sitting in my sister’s backyard with one of her friends who was telling me about how she was going to make Chicken Parmesan for dinner.
I thought, “ohhh, that sounds yummy!” I calculated that I had all the ingredients at home and left to start it up.

So now that I started thinking about it, it is a pretty easy dish. The hardest part is doing the breaded chicken

Ingredients:
4 chicken cutlets
3/4 cup tapioca starch
6 tablespoons olive oil + additional 2 tablespoons
1/4 canola oil
3 tablespoons rice milk
1 cup allergy free breadcrumbs (I make my own, but will post that later)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 paprika

1 jar of spaghetti sauce
1 package of Daiya Mozzarella style shreds
I package of Joy fettuccine  brown rice noodles

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Breaded  Chicken Cutlets
You will need four bowls.

In the first bowl toss 4 chicken cutlets with a 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper

Pour in a shallow bowl (by itself)
tapioca starch

Make your egg replacer in another shallow bowl:
Emulsify 6 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons rice milk
(I use a hand blender in tall cup, but you could slowly add the olive oil to the milk whisking the whole time)

Mix together in the last shallow bowl:
1 cup allergy free breadcrumbs (I make my own, but will post that later)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 paprika

Take a cutlet and dredge it in the tapioca starch, then dredge in your egg replacer bowl, then finish up in the last bowl of breadcrumbs. Press the breadcrumbs into the chicken.

Pour about 1/4 cup of canola oil in a pan, heat to medium/high. When the oil is hot enough to make the breading sizzle drop enough cutlets in the pan to fill, but not crowd the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, remove from pan and place on paper towels. Repeat until you are done.

Next spray some cooking oil on an 11”x7” pan (or whatever size works for the number of cutlets you have).
Lay the finished cutlets in the pan.
Pour your favorite spaghetti sauce over the top.
Top with Daiya Mozzarella styled shreds ( 3/4 of a bag or so)

Bake it for about 20-30 minutes.
While it is baking, make your pasta, be sure to follow the instructions on the package.

Serve the pasta and the Chicken Parmesan when hot.
Enjoy!

Allergy Friendly Turkey Melt! Until a friend told me about Sami’s Bakery Millet and Flax bread I was starting to think my bread days were over. It is hard to find a GF bread with no eggs or corn that has a good texture and tastes yummy. Sami’s has made it! I have made a few, but they just dont cut the mustard for me. I was just looking in the fridge and wishing I had something interesting to eat. Then I decided I wanted a turkey melt. Well, Daiya cheese really melts nicely, and Sami’s Bakery Millet and Flax Bread has no gluten, eggs, corn and other items we avoid. Now I just wish my avocado was not mushy and inedible. Oh and the Olive Oil Mindful Mayo has no eggs or soy!
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Allergy Friendly Turkey Melt!

Until a friend told me about Sami’s Bakery Millet and Flax bread I was starting to think my bread days were over. It is hard to find a GF bread with no eggs or corn that has a good texture and tastes yummy. Sami’s has made it! I have made a few, but they just dont cut the mustard for me.

I was just looking in the fridge and wishing I had something interesting to eat. Then I decided I wanted a turkey melt. Well, Daiya cheese really melts nicely, and Sami’s Bakery Millet and Flax Bread has no gluten, eggs, corn and other items we avoid. Now I just wish my avocado was not mushy and inedible. Oh and the Olive Oil Mindful Mayo has no eggs or soy!

Carrot Ginger Spiced Soup My mom has been touting this soup recipe for a while and I finally got her to read it to me over the phone. She often has to make soup for 20 or so people and this one is one of her favorites. It is yummy, easy and low cost to make. If you don’t have some of the spices go to a store with bulk spices and buy just a tiny amount. It is SO much cheaper that way. Carrot Ginger Spiced Soup 2 lbs carrots, sliced 4 cups water 1 tbsp olive oil 1 ½ cups chopped onion 2 medium cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsps fresh ginger, grated 1 ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp cumin ¼ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp allspice 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice In a large pot bring the carrots and water to a boil. Once they reach a boil, turn down the heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until the carrots are tender. In a large skillet heat the oil over med/high heat and add the onions. Cook for about 5 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium to keep the onions from browning. Add the ginger, garlic, spices and salt until the mixture is soft and fragrant about another 5-10 minutes. Add the onion mixture and lemon to the carrots and water. Stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to the food processor, blender or Vitamix until it is nicely pureed. I started with the immersion blender, but the carrots stayed too chunky so I transferred it to the Vitamix at it gave it a wonderful mousse like texture. Serve immediately.
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Carrot Ginger Spiced Soup

My mom has been touting this soup recipe for a while and I finally got her to read it to me over the phone. She often has to make soup for 20 or so people and this one is one of her favorites. It is yummy, easy and low cost to make. If you don’t have some of the spices go to a store with bulk spices and buy just a tiny amount. It is SO much cheaper that way.

Carrot Ginger Spiced Soup

2 lbs carrots, sliced

4 cups water

1 tbsp olive oil

1 ½ cups chopped onion

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsps fresh ginger, grated

1 ½ tsp salt

¼ tsp cumin

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp allspice

4 tbsp fresh lemon juice

In a large pot bring the carrots and water to a boil. Once they reach a boil, turn down the heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

In a large skillet heat the oil over med/high heat and add the onions. Cook for about 5 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium to keep the onions from browning. Add the ginger, garlic, spices and salt until the mixture is soft and fragrant about another 5-10 minutes.

Add the onion mixture and lemon to the carrots and water. Stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to the food processor, blender or Vitamix until it is nicely pureed. I started with the immersion blender, but the carrots stayed too chunky so I transferred it to the Vitamix at it gave it a wonderful mousse like texture.

Serve immediately.

Yes, Pancakes! Christmas morning  I made pancakes (as I do every Sunday morning) for my little family and my visiting gluten free parents. My dad kept walking around saying, “this pancake is gluten free! and egg and diary. It is good!” The recipe is pretty simple. Allergy Free Pancakes! In a medium bowl whisk toghether: 2 cups white or brown rice flour 1/4 cup tapioca flour (or in place of the brown rice flour and tapioca flour use 2 1/4 cups of your favorite GF flour mixture) 2 tsp baking powder (Hains brand is corn free) 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp guar gum or xanthum gum 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional) In a small bowl combine: 2 - 2 1/2 cups alternative milk beverage - we use coconut milk, but almond, rice, soy or hemp should work fine too. (start with 2 cups if the batter is too thick add more milk until the batter becomes pourable.) 2 tsp vinegar, use apple cider vinegar to ensure it has no corn 1/4 canola oil (or other veg oil) 2tbsp agave (or 2 tbsp sugar in the dry ingredients) 2 tsp vanilla extract Directions: Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix with a whisk until just combined. Heat your pan at medium to medium high. Be sure to lightly oil the pan to prevent the pancakes from sticking. Use a 1/4 measuring cup to pour batter onto your hot pan. When the pancake bubbles on top and is lightly golden brown on bottom flip and cook another minute or so until the bottom is cooked to a golden color. Obviously repeat the whole thing until you used up all your batter. I have some lovely pancake molds from William Sonoma in Star Wars character shapes. Yoda is a big favorite with my son. This recipe works fantastically with pancake molds. I usually make extra pancakes and freeze them (just put them in a zip lock with wax or parchment paper between the layers and throw them in the fridge). We eat them all week long until a fresh batch is made again on Sunday.
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Yes, Pancakes!

Christmas morning  I made pancakes (as I do every Sunday morning) for my little family and my visiting gluten free parents. My dad kept walking around saying, “this pancake is gluten free! and egg and diary. It is good!”

The recipe is pretty simple.

Allergy Free Pancakes!

In a medium bowl whisk toghether:

2 cups white or brown rice flour

1/4 cup tapioca flour

(or in place of the brown rice flour and tapioca flour use 2 1/4 cups of your favorite GF flour mixture)

2 tsp baking powder (Hains brand is corn free)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp guar gum or xanthum gum

1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

In a small bowl combine:

2 - 2 1/2 cups alternative milk beverage - we use coconut milk, but almond, rice, soy or hemp should work fine too. (start with 2 cups if the batter is too thick add more milk until the batter becomes pourable.)

2 tsp vinegar, use apple cider vinegar to ensure it has no corn

1/4 canola oil (or other veg oil)

2tbsp agave (or 2 tbsp sugar in the dry ingredients)

2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix with a whisk until just combined.

Heat your pan at medium to medium high. Be sure to lightly oil the pan to prevent the pancakes from sticking.

Use a 1/4 measuring cup to pour batter onto your hot pan.

When the pancake bubbles on top and is lightly golden brown on bottom flip and cook another minute or so until the bottom is cooked to a golden color. Obviously repeat the whole thing until you used up all your batter.

I have some lovely pancake molds from William Sonoma in Star Wars character shapes. Yoda is a big favorite with my son. This recipe works fantastically with pancake molds.

I usually make extra pancakes and freeze them (just put them in a zip lock with wax or parchment paper between the layers and throw them in the fridge). We eat them all week long until a fresh batch is made again on Sunday.

White Bean Chicken Chili

We were at a friend’s house for dinner a few weeks ago and they served us this fantastic chili. We made it for the adults at my son’s birthday dinner. It is great to make ahead as the flavors just get better. It also freezes well.

White Bean Chicken Chili

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
 
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth (gluten and corn free)
1 jar Herdez Salsa Verde (or can tomatillos)
drained and chopped
1 (16 ounce) can diced
tomatoes
1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
seed
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound diced, cooked chicken meat
1 (15 ounce) can white beans
1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oil, and cook onion and garlic until soft.
Stir in broth, tomatillos, tomatoes, chilies, and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove 1-2 cups of the broth add 1/4 cup of the beans and puree in the blender or with a hand blender (this step is optional, it just helps thicken the chili)
Add chicken, and beans; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.