Baked Taquitos - Super Easy 4 Ingredients - gluten free and top 8 allergen free *vegan option

Simple, healthy and cheap!

This is a 4 ingredient (minus spices) go-to dinner that everyone in our family loves. One part of it that I really love is that I'm sneaking in beans that my picky eater doesn't even notice.  

It can be very universal in the fact you can sub in or out the ingredients, depending on what you prefer or have on hand.  In this recipe I use ground turkey, but beef, chicken or pork is just as good.  The beans are refried, but I have used black and kidney too.  We need to use a Allergy Free "cheese", but you can use the real stuff if tolerated!  You can even switch out the corn tortilla if needed.  Making them a baked Taquito helps with keeping them healthy, quick to make and less of a mess to clean up in the end. 

I keep this recipe very simplified since cooking whole foods from scratch every night can be daunting!  It almost feels like cheating to me~  Adding in onion, peppers, olives, corn, cilantro, avacados and any other delicious ingredient would kick it up even more- the skies the limit if you want to take the time.  But you won't be disappointed with just the basics!  

Another plus of this recipe is that it makes a large serving amount which can be used for leftovers or put in the freezer and reheated in the oven when needed.  (I have doubled and tripled this before just so I had freezer food for the future)  The recipe ends up being pretty cost effective since it uses such basic and few ingredients.


gluten free and top 8 allergen free *can be vegan


Baked Taquitos:

1 lb.  Ground Meat of choice (or meat substitute)
1  15.4 oz can Organic Refried Beans
20  Organic Corn Tortillas- 5 inch round
1/2 Cup  Allergy Free Cheese

1/2 tsp.  Garlic Powder
1 TB  Chili Powder
salt and pepper to taste

Oil of choice
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Drizzle oil -(about 1-2 TB) to coat pan.  
In large skillet brown ground meat until fully cooked.  Add in whole can of beans and spices. Cook and stir until completely mixed together.   Warm tortillas in microwave until soft.  Fill softened tortillas with some meat and cheese.  Roll and lay seam side down on oiled pan.  Brush tops of filled tortillas with oil and sprinkle with salt.  Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes.  Enjoy!

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Gluten Free Fridays

Black Bean Fudge Brownies-gluten free, vegan & top 8 allergen free

There is nothing better than having your super picky eater scarf down dessert made out of black beans and prunes!  Trickery at it's best.  

This is one of those recipes that you probably have all the ingredients on hand and is really quite simple to throw together. 

I would add that this particular brownie recipe is for a fudge brownie, not cake like.  It is very dense and rich, but not overly sweet.  Using the coconut type sweeteners really help to keep the sweetness under control, which can be quite a problem when cooking Allergy Free.  

The prunes that I am adding is simply baby food.  It works perfect! I had been making a homemade date paste for these types of recipes, but found this works equally as good, and it's one less thing I have to do!  Plus, you can store it in the cupboard and have on hand when needed.  






gluten free, vegan and top 8 allergen free     


Black Bean Fudge Brownies:

2 Cups  Black Beans  (cooked)
1/3 Cup  Prunes, pureed          (I use baby food prunes 2.5 oz)
1/3 Cup  Unsweetened Applesauce        
2/3 Cup  Coconut Nectar          
1/3 Cup  Palm Sugar        
1/4 Cup  Coconut oil (melted)
3 tsp.  Pure Vanilla Extract

1/3 Cup  Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/4 Cup  Brown Rice Flour
1/4 Cup  Potato Starch
2 tsp.  Baking Powder
1/2 tsp.  Salt
2 TB  Egg Replacer Powder

1/2 Cup  Allergy Free Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a brownie pan with parchment paper.
In food processor combine all wet ingredients.  Black beans, prunes, applesauce, nectar, sugar, coconut oil and vanilla extract.  Process until smooth, scraping down when needed  (you will still have some black bit from the beans, that's o.k.) .
Add dry ingredients to wet mixture.  Cocoa, brown rice flour, potato starch, baking powder, salt and egg replacer.  Process until mixed well.  Stir in chocolate chips by hand.  Spread into prepared baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Cool and frost.  Enjoy!

Fudge Icing:

1/2 Cup  Allergy Free Chocolate Chips
2 TB  Coconut Oil

Allergy Free Sprinkles

Add ingredients to a microwave safe bowl and microwave 30 seconds, stir and repeat until melted together.  Pour over cooled brownies and let set up.  Add sprinkles.  *for quick set up, place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.  



*Notes and Substitutions:

My brownie pan in 8 X 12, but a 8 X 8 would be fine too.

You can use canned black bean or homemade cooked.  The 2 cups equals just a little less than two cans- 15 oz each.

I use baby food pureed Prunes (2.5 oz)- you could also use date paste which would give a little bit more sweetness to the end product.  

The prunes and applesauce are interchangeable, you can use all of one or the other if needed. (prunes give a little bit more "depth" of flavor)

The applesauce equals about a  4 oz applesauce cup.

If you can't find coconut nectar, maple syrup works good too.

I can't use flax or chai in my daughters food, but I'm sure those would work good in replacement to the Egg Replacer if needed for a binder.

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Sweet Cereal Snack Mix- gluten free, vegan and top 8 allergen free

Here is a highly addictive allergy free cereal snack mix.  It just takes minutes to prep and bake.  

You can play with the flavor of this and add in any extra spice(s) you like or even different ingredients depending on your allergies, likes or dislikes.

This always ends up in a cereal bowl with "milk" for me~



gluten free, vegan and top 8 allergen free


Sweet Cereal Mix:

2 Cups  Rice Cereal 
1 Cup  Cocoa Brown Rice Crispies Cereal 
1 Cup  Pretzels ( I use Energ-G- allergy free)
1 Cup  Organic Raisins
1 Cup  Organic Coconut Flakes (unsweetened/non toasted)

1/4 Cup  Coconut Oil
1/4 Cup  Coconut Nectar
1/4 Cup  Honey or Maple Syrup
1/4 tsp.  Organic Pure Almond or Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 340 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment.
In large bowl mix together dry ingredients (minus coconut).
In small saucepan heat to simmer coconut oil, nectar and honey, remove from heat and add in extract.  Pour over dry cereal mix and stir to coat.  Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake 10 minutes.  Remove from oven, add coconut flakes, stir and bake for another 5 minutes. Cool and store in a airtight container.  Enjoy!

Just throw the dry ingredients in a big bowl to mix.

Bring the wet ingredients to a quick simmer and add to dry.

Bake for 10 minutes then add coconut and bake 

another 5 minutes and done!

Once cooled, store in a airtight container.

Home Sweet Fall Home

Next to cooking,  I love to decorate

 for the Holidays and different seasons.  I go through a lot

of tablescape and mantle changes throughout the year!

Mr. Skeleton is new this year!

I thought he would go perfect with 

my favorite black tablecloth~

I always like to add some bling~

This is one of the two fireplace mantles.

I usually end up rotating the silk plants for

the different seasons or holidays, but the "base"

basically stays the same.

 The chalkboard is new this year and has been

a lot of fun changing out for all different

occasions.  

 Happy Fall!

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Crumble Muffins - gluten free, vegan and top 8 allergen free!

These delicious Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins taste like a mini crumb cake.
  
A very simple muffin recipe, but sure to please most anyone!  This would be wonderful for breakfast, brunch, snacking or dessert.  

You could certainly replace the raspberry filling with any preserve flavor and change out the chocolate chips for nuts (if your allowed) or even coconut instead.  It's a very versatile recipe, so feel free to get creative!

I hope you enjoy-



gluten free, vegan and top 8 allergen free!



Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins with Coconut Crumble:
makes 12 muffins

1 1/4 Cups White Rice Flour
1/2 Cup  Brown Rice Flour
1/4 Cup  Potato Starch
1/4 Cup  Tapioca Starch
1/2 tsp.  Xatham Gum
1/2 tsp.  Salt
2 tsp.  Baking Powder
1 tsp.  Baking Soda
1 tsp.  Ground Nutmeg
1 Cup  Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup  Canola or Coconut Oil (melted)
1/2 Cup  Unsweetened Applesauce
1 tsp.  Pure Vanilla Extract
5+ TB   Milk Substitute ( I use Unsweetened Rice Dream)
1 TB  Egg Replacer mixed with 3 TB warm water
1/3 Cup  Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips

1/2 Cup  Raspberry Preserves

Crumb Mixture:

1/4 Cup  Brown Rice Flour
1/2 Cup  Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup  Unsweetened Coconut
1/4 Cup  Oil  (I use either melted Coconut or Canola)
1/2 tsp.  Ground Nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line pan with 12 baking cups.
In small bowl combine all the Crumb Mixture ingredients, stir well-set aside.
In large mixing bowl with paddle attachment add; white rice flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xatham gum, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg.  Mix on low speed until blended.  Add in brown sugar, oil, applesauce, vanilla, milk substitute and egg replacer mixture.  Mix on medium speed, scraping down when needed, until ingredients are incorporated.  You may need to add a tablespoon or more of milk substitute if batter is to thick.  Keep in mind this is not a pourable batter when adding extra liquid.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Fill prepared baking cups up 1/2 way with batter, add a spoonful of raspberry preserves.  Fill to top with remaining batter and top with crumb mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25- 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool.  Enjoy!

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Double Chocolate Chip Cookies *Date Paste sweetened! -gluten free, vegan & top 8 allergen free

We are trying out a new sweetener in our house and the winner is.........Date Paste!

Our long reoccurring battle with yeast in my daughters gut has significantly changed-for the worse, as she has now become a teenager.  (along with a slew of other issues!)  
As any parent of a Autistic child knows, nothing stays the same for long.  So as soon as we are comfortable with a certain protocol of diet, bio-meds, lifestyle, etc.  there will be a small ripple and then the flood gates will open and we need to re-adjust!  

Now its our time to try out some delicious treats with some new, even healthier sweeteners.  The first recipe I am posting is made with homemade Date Paste.  Luckily it's a very simple process to make and lasts for weeks in the refrigerator and months in the freezer.  I thought it would be best to start with a cookie since my daughter never turns her nose up to them!  The cookie gods were with me as she loved this version.  Phew.

I would list this as more of a cake-like texture and far less sweet than your "normal" cookie, but just as satisfying.   I made them "plain" and then topped a few with toasted organic unsweetened coconut- my favorite.  You could change it up and add a mint extract instead of a coconut or vanilla extract, which I will do with the next batch.  (We have some serious chocolate mint lovers in the family.....)  Or if your lucky enough to be able to eat nuts that would be really good too!   I also added some allergy free chocolate chips to this recipe to be sure my daughter would eat them. You can leave them out if desired.

Our love of food will never die, and truly the cleaner we eat the less junk we crave!  


gluten free, vegan and top 8 allergen free!




Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies *Date Paste Sweetened:
makes about 25-3 inch cookies

1 Cup  White Rice Flour
3/4 Cup  Brown Rice Flour
1/4 Cup  Potato Starch
1/4 Cup  Tapioca Starch
1 tsp.  Xantham Gum
1/2 Cup  Organic Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 tsp.  Baking Soda
1/8 tsp.  Baking Powder
1/2 tsp.  Sea Salt
1 TB  Egg Replacer mixed with 1/4 Cup warm Milk Substitute ( I use Rice or Coconut Milk)
1/4 Cup  Butter Substitute (I use Earth Balance Soy Free Butter Sticks)
1/2 Cup  Spectrum Shortening
1 Cup  Date Paste
2 tsp.  Organic Pure Vanilla or Coconut Extract
1/4 Cup  Milk Substitute (I use Rice Milk)
2/3 Cups  Allergy Free Chocolate Chips (I use Enjoy Life) *optional

Preheat oven to 370 degrees.  Prepare cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper.
In large mixing bowl with paddle attachment add;  egg replacer mixture, butter substitute, shortening, date paste,extract and milk substitute  Mix on medium speed, scraping down when needed until combined.  Add in all the dry ingredients;  white rice flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xantham gum, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Mix on low until combined.  The dough will be very sticky.  Stir in chocolate chips and refrigerate cookie dough for 20 to 30 minutes.  Once refrigerated drop spoonfuls of cookie dough on baking sheets and press down with a wet glass bottom or spatula to flatten.  You can top with extra topping at this point if desired. Bake 7-9 minutes.  Cool completely and enjoy!


Date Paste:

Organic Dates (pitted)  * medjool dates are the sweetest
Hot water
Sea Salt
Organic Pure Vanilla Extract

In a large bowl, place dates in and cover with hot water.  Let sit for 30 minutes or more.  Once soaked, place dates into food processor or blender (minus soaking water) and process until smooth. Adding any extra soaking water when needed to smooth paste.  Once smooth add sea salt and vanilla to taste. Store in a air tight container in the refrigerator-will last a couple weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

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