Princess Slaw w/ Broiled Flounder!

Princess Slaw?

Princess Slaw! Pink Radishes and Purple Onions!

What in the world is that?

Princess?? Well…it’s a tangy, cabbage coleslaw-like dish, without dairy. And….it’s pink and purple:) It’s so dainty and pretty, it makes you feel like a princess when you eat it!

so crunchy and flavorful!!

OK — maybe a bit of a stretch, but hey…whatever floats your boat, right?

warm and nutty quinoa…mmmm!

Tonight for dinner, I made my Princess Slaw, with Broiled Flounder, and Quinoa. It was SO yummy!!

Here’s what you need for the Princess Slaw:

1 head of cabbage, shredded
1/2 red onion, sliced paper-thin
6 radishes, sliced paper-thin, and cut in half
sea salt and pepper
pumpkin seeds, toasted

Dressing:
juice of 1 big lemon
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp whole “grain” mustard(homemade or store-bought — can also use dijon)
1 tsp EVOO
6 drops pure stevia extract
fresh dill, chopped

Using a mandolin, carefully shred your cabbage and radishes. You can also slice your onion on the mandolin, or slice paper-thin slices by hand. Place all these in a big bowl. Then, add about 1 1/2 tsp sea salt and several grinds of pepper over the veggies. Toss to coat everything with salt — this causes the raw veggies to soften slightly, and release their moisture, creating the beginning of the dressing. Then, pour the dressing over the veggies and toss to coat. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Serve garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds. SO GOOD.

the pumpkin seeds provide a nice *pop!*

With this, I served broiled flounder. Wow, Lobsta Bakes’ wild, ocean-caught flounder was super delicious! It was so moist and sweet! I broiled it with 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, paprika and chili powder. I LOVE the crust on this fish: it brings a little heat, which compliments the sweetness of the fish perfectly!

beautiful crust on the flounder:)

I also served this with quinoa. I stirred in some spinach and sliced green onions to the cooked quinoa, which was quite delightful.

so cooling and refreshing! delish!!

This meal was fantastic! The Princess Slaw was SO DELICIOUS! It was so crunchy, light and refreshing! It was addicting! Your fork kept going back for more and more! It was cool and slightly *zingy* on your palate. The coolness of the slaw, paired with the warm and nutty quinoa was wonderful. The temperature differences, textural variety, and flavor explosions made this meal a 10!

This meal is made possible due to my mandoline. It makes the slicing and dicing super simple. It also allows you to achieve a super thin shred. Here's the one I use, that has a hand guard:

Happy Tummies!

GF Cauliflower Pizza Crust & Homemade Mustard!

I’ll tell you what…there’s nothing quite like getting together with old friends. It’s so wonderful — you pick up right where you left off. Each person is slightly different — older, more mature — but comfortingly, exactly the same. They know you better than anyone, and love you just the same:)

Tonight’s dinner was a bit like that — slightly different, but the same. I’m talking about my Body Ecology Friendly Pizza. It was comforting pizza — but different. How? The crust.

mushrooms, peppers, and olives, oh my!

The crust of this pizza was made out of Cauliflower and Ground Hazelnuts! Yes, you heard that correctly — Cauliflower is back with a vengeance! So far, we’ve roasted it as steaks, andmashed it like potatoes. But this time, it debuted as a crust! A wonderful, crispy-edged, gluten, grain, and dairy free crust!

so colorful and flavorful!

Here’s what you need for the crust:

1 head of cauliflower, processed to a crumb
1 cup + hazelnuts, ground into flour
1/4 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbsp quinoa flakes
3 egg whites
salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 450. In your food processor, process your cauliflower, onion and garlic into a crumb — don’t let it become a paste! You will need to do this in batches. Put the processed cauliflower into a large bowl. Add in your egg whites and stir to combine. Then add in your hazelnut flour and quinoa flakes. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and divide your batter into 2 pies. Spread it with a silicone spatula as thin as you can get it! Bake for about 25-35 minutes, until the edges brown.

so tasty!

Top the pizza with your favorite toppings!

fresh from the oven!

I topped mine with pesto and sautéed onions, garlic, red peppers, shiitake mushrooms, and olives! It was delicious!

gluten, grain, and dairy free!

Here’s the pesto recipe:

1 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
2 garlic cloves
juice of half a lemon
1 Tbsp EVOO
3-4 Tbsp water
salt to taste

Whirl those in the food processor until you get your gorgeous, emerald, creamy pesto!

The pesto sauce is one of my favorite was to top a pizza — it is SO bright and fresh. It pairs so beautifully with the savory, garlicy veggies.

my parents’ gooey, cheesy pizza

My parents topped their pizza with tomato sauce (I can’t have tomatoes on the Body Ecology Diet, and I’m allergic), my sautéed veggies, and LOTS of mozzarella cheese! I must say, all that gooey cheese made my mouth water!

fantastic crispy edges!

This meal was great! The crust was so “out of the box!” Now, it’s not your “pick up and eat” type of slice — it’s definitely a “fork-and-knifer.” The outside crust did get very crisp and crunchy — and you could pick it up! But the center was soft yet firm. The flavor was great — it was almost sweet because of the hazelnuts! It was a great change of pace.

a nutritionally dense plate!

Now I’m not saying that ((B.E.D. aside)) given the choice between a great GF slice, and a cauliflower crust slice I’d go for the latter. But, given my dietary prison situation right now, I was grateful for a comforting slice pizza, graciously provided by cauliflower:)

And finally — Homemade Mustard!

Now you may be wondering why I tackled such an odd condiment. Well, on the Body Ecology Diet, the only vinegar you’re allowed to have is Raw Apple Cider Vinegar. (All others create a favorable environment for yeast). As a result, all prepared condiments are off limits because they’re made with red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, etc., or contain SUGAR. Soooo, I made my own mustard!

gorgeous whole “grain” mustard!

And it is REALLY good. Like, my mom said if I sold this in a gourmet store, it would go for about 8 bucks.

Here’s what you need:

1/2 cup mustard seeds
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup water
2 drops pure stevia extract
1 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp allspice
3/4 tps tumeric

In an airtight container (like a mason jar), soak the mustard seeds in the vinegar and water for 2 days. Then, add your stevia, salt, and spices, and blend until you get your desired consistency. I used a Magic Bullet, and blended for about 15 seconds – it gets thicker the more you blend.

It definitely packs a spicy punch! But it is SO fantastic! And I love the whole “grain” texture! I like eating it with millet crackers, with veggies, and stirred into my zesty spinach! You can also make a salad dressing out of it by thinning it with a little olive oil, honey, and water!

Let’s make it a great week!

FOOD PROCESSOR ALERT!! My handy dandy food processor was the muscle behind this pesto. Also, I got to use my cute little Magic Bullet when I made my mustard. I love this little gadget. It's perfect for making smoothies or sauces or...mustard! It's so convenient and easy to use. Here's where you can find one:

When the Results are Rotten

Here’s A Sneak Peak of Dinner….But First……..

delicious!

Today was a bit of a downer day. I don’t mean to bring negativity to my Happy Tummies, but I got the results back from a food and environmental allergy panel I took about 3 weeks ago. I got a bunch of blood drawn, sent the results to a lab in Massachusetts, and have waited with bated breath for results that could lead to some answers for my UC.

I’m at the beginning of my 4th week on my new holistic regime, and part of the therapy was to check for food allergies. Well…they came back, and not so wonderfully. I mean, I guess I should be thankful that there’s not more, or more severe allergies, but it still is crummy.

Drum Roll Please:

Wheat
Egg Yolks
Tomatoes
Almonds
Cashews
Yeast
Green Peas
Coconut
Ginger
Black Walnuts
Pineapple
Green Beans
Pinto Beans

So, this list doesn’t seem like a big deal, but the top 5 are staples in my diet — and all store-bought GF products usually contain yeast AND egg yolks.  Almond milk has been a lifesaver, and cashews are my favorite snack.

Here’s a typical day:

Breakfast: Eggs + GF Tortilla —- no more yolks
Lunch: Eggs + Tomato salsa + cilantro + GF Tortilla —– no more yolks or salsa
Snacks: Almonds, Cashews, Raisins, GF Chips w/ Hummus, Apples — no more almonds or cashews
Dinner: I cook all the time withginger, peas, TOMATOES, sun-dried-tomatoes, coconut, almond milk, and eggs — not anymore! No more yummy homemade Marinara Sauce oramazing Pad Thai or Chinese Stir Fry or Curries or Frittatasor Homemade GF Pizza! ::tear::
Snack: Almond – Cashew – Raisin – Dark Chocolate homemade trail mix — goodbye
Dessert: French Macaroons (Made with almond flour) — adios!

Ok enough wallowing in self-pity.

As with everything in life, I need to see the good in this.  I need to realize that although these foods are foods that bring enjoyment, they also could be culprits to why I’m still not completely healed from my Ulcerative Colitis flare yet.  This is a blessing in disguise, because now I have something that I can control to help in the healing process.  By avoiding these foods, I could possibly stay away from flares indefinitely, or at least prolong my remission! I’ll just have to be more creative making yummy, delicious, healthy and nutritious gluten-free and vegan fare without these ingredients — at least for right now.

yum!!

Ok, thanks for letting me vent. Now on to dinner tonight! I made a delicious Zesty Spinach and Mushroom Pasta with Broiled Flounder! It was D-licious!

the mushrooms were chewy and full of earthy flavor

Here’s what you need:

1 box of mushrooms — sliced
1 onion — diced
5 garlic cloves — minced
1 box of baby spinach — chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
2 tsp Dijon mustard mixed with 2 Tbsp water
1 tsp corn starch mixed with 2 Tbsp water
pinch of nutmeg
reserved pasta water

zesty spinach and mushroom GF pasta!

Saute your onion in 1 tsp EVOO, salt and pepper. Let it soften and start to brown. Then, add your garlic and mushrooms and let them release their moisture and brown. Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping up the bottom of the pan. Add your veggie stock and spinach, and cover the pan for 2-3 minutes to wilt the spinach. Then, stir in your mustard sauce and nutmeg. Finally, stir in your corn starch slurry and allow the sauce to thicken. Add in your cooked brown rice pasta and toss to coat. Use a little pasta water to thin it out if necessary. Enjoy!

check out that gorgeous dill and lemon crust!

With this delicious pasta, I served amazing wild, ocean-caught flounder from Lobsta Bakes. I broiled it for 15 minutes with 1 tsp EVOO, lemon zest and juice, salt, pepper, and fresh dill. This was SO unbelievably moist and tender. And the dill gets a little charred underneath the broiler, so there’s a hint of smokiness. So delicious!

so flakey and moist!

This meal was fantastic. The pasta was so flavorful! There was a zesty tang from the Dijon mustard, paired with the earthy chewiness from the mushrooms, and deep green savoriness from the spinach. All tied together with the slight garlic backdrop. Truly outrageous.

gluten-free and vegan!!

Until Tomorrow!