"Mangocado" Ribbon Salad! GF, V, SCD & Paleo!

Hey Happy Tummies!!

I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth, I promise!

Things have just been suuuuuper busy around here! I’m actually writing a book!! :D

I won’t get into too much detail, but I’ve just been devoting all my spare time to working on that…soooo that’s why I’ve been a bit absent.

So let’s just dive right back in, shall we!?

I’ve been to Sundance, Florida, and Cincinnati since I’ve last seen you lovelies. Sooo, I think I’ll just do a quick recap.

So Sundance. I go every year with my family to do some skiing, spa-ing, and of course, taking in some great films!

I had a fantastic time. It was especially fun this year because my little niece was with us! She brings so much joy and life to our family. What. A. Cutie.

I thought I’d share some highlights.

Let’s start with the Spa:)

We went to the Spa at the Stein Eriksen Lodge. It was just phenomenal. If you’ve never treated yourself to a trip to the spa, consider this your personal invitation!

It was so beautiful. The “relaxation room” had a roaring stone and wood fireplace with sweeping views of the mountain. Rustically fabulous. And there were all different kinds of hot teas and little nibbles to enjoy while you wait for your massage.

What. A. Treat.

Afterwards, my sister-in-laws and my mom and I went to the Stein’s restaurant and had cocktails and fondue. :D

Next: the Skiing.

What can I say, Deer Valley really is the best place to ski. They’re one of the only ski resorts that don’t allow snow boarders! It’s a very relaxed and tranquil atmosphere. We skied for 5 days. Incredible.

Now for the best part: the DINING!

My goodness, where to begin? Probably my favorite place we ate was at the Seafood Buffet. 

First, let me preface this by saying that my family consists of “big eaters:” I’ve got 2 older brothers and a dad, who are all over 6 feet, athletic, and fit as a whistle. Park City’s restaurants, although fabulous and 5 star, leave them still hungry. And there’s nothing more frustrating to the menfolk than paying out the nose for an itty bitty amount of food, and then leaving hungry. Plus, my diet is rather particular, so I end up getting basically a boring salad with oil and vinegar. No thanks. SOOO, my family has discovered the Seafood Buffet. 

It is amazing. Now, you’re probably thinking about a Golden Corral….nope! This is a gourmet buffet. It’s at midmountain, and every evening the ski resort transforms the lodge into a 5 star restaurant brimming with fresh seafood, sushi, salads, and desserts. Yes, your eyes are not tricking you, that is a buffet of fresh king crab legs! WOW!

I mean, that is a VAT of CLARIFIED BUTTER, people. 

But what my family loves best about this place is that it is nearly ALL gluten free! There were only one or two sauces that weren’t gluten free. So we were in Heaven.

My favorite dishes were the gorgeous salad with pecans and cranberries, the seared-to-order ahi tuna, and of course, the king crab legs. It was the dinner that dreams are made of :) hehe

We also saw some great films and did some shopping...for crazy sunglasses :)

Alright, that’s enough about Sundance. Onto today's recipe!

Guys, hang onto your hats, because this is a winner!

Allow me to present my latest obsession. Literally, you guys, I eat this all. the. time.

Introducing my “Mangocado” Ribbon Salad!

(See what I did there??) Mango + Avocado = Mangocado  Hey hey hey!

OK, I’m a nerd, moving on.

But seriously this was so delicious and healthy. Ribbons of carrots and crunchy veggies, smothered in a sweet and creamy dressing. A perfect ten.

Here’s what you need: (Serves 2)

Salad:

3 carrots, spiralized. (I used multicolored carrots – orange, yellow, and purple)
1 zucchini, spiralized
1 red pepper, sliced thin
1 cucumber, spiralized

Garnish:

3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced

pistachios

Creamy Dressing:
1 Avocado
1 Mango
Juice of ½ a lime

2 tsp fresh grated ginger

This recipe couldn’t be easier. Cut your veggies into ribbons, using either a spiralizer, mandolin, potato peeler, or sharp knife. I used a spiralizer. Put them in a large bowl.

Place your dressing ingredients into the food processor. Process until smooth. It will be thick.

Toss your ribbons with the dressing. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and pistachios.

Devour.

My goodness, you guys. This. Dish. Rocks. You see, I’m kinda a stickler for salad dressings. I guess you could say, I’m a snob. Because, I don’t like when they add artificial this and presevative-laden that to it. I just like real ingredients – things I’m able to pronounce. Well, let me tell you, this dressing couldn’t get any more wholesome if you tried!

It is so incredible. Rich. Thick. Creamy. Buttery. Sweet. Gingery. I could go on and on. I seriously could probably drink it, to be honest! But this dressing, smothered over the cold, crunchy veggies was just aweeesomeee! And then the salty crunch of the pistachios and the bright, fresh kick of cilantro at the end really put it over the top.

And the colors! My, oh my. It was like spring had sprung on my plate. The orange and purple and green and yellow. It was just so pretty. I knew, just from looking at it, that my taste buds were in for a treat.

Make this dish. You will become a believer of the dream team: Mango and Avocado. Or as I like to refer to them: Combo Dombo – Combination Domination.

See ya tomorrow!

Almond Berry Avocado Disappearing Salad! GF, V, SCD, BED & Paleo!

Hey guys!

My apologies, it has been waaay too long! I've been going on hyper speed for the past couple weeks.

Wishing I could slow down for a bit and take in another Wisconsin sunset! *sigh*

Looks like this will have to do ;)

Next up: life update!! (but first -- sneak peak of this fab recipe)

Some excitement to share with y'all! Last week, I had my birthday, as well as my graduation, & I shot an NFL commercial! It was a really busy yet awesome week!


Here's yours truly at the shoot :D Go Bengals!

And tonight, I wanted to share with you one of my absolute favorite recipes from this summer....my Almond Berry Avocado Disappearing Salad! And why do you ask, is it called the disappearing salad?! Welllll....let's just say it's so delicious that it's gone in no time! ohh I'm such a cheese ball :D haha

But seriously...this salad was my favorite dish that I made this summer. I make it at least twice a week. It has become a staple.

And it's Gluten Free, Vegan, Specific Carb Diet friendly, and Paleo!

Here's what you need:

Serves 2 hungry folks

1 red bell pepper, sliced very thin
1 cucumber, sliced thin on a mandolin
2 large carrots, sliced thin
1/2 red onion, sliced very thin
1/4 - 1/2 cup blueberries
7 strawberries, sliced
3-4 Tbsp cilantro, minced
3 Tbsp chopped almonds
3 Tbsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
sprinkle of sunflower seeds
baby spinach

Dressing
1 ripe avocado
juice of one lime
1Tbsp apple cider vinegar
4 drops pure liquid stevia alcohol free
2 Tbsp water
Pinch salt

Chop all your veggies either on a mandolin (carefully!) or with a sharp knife. Mix your dressing together in a small bowl or food processor. (I just used a bowl). Mix until it is a creamy dressing-like consistency. Toss the fruit, nuts, and veggies with the dressing in a large bowl until well coated. Top a bed of baby spinach with a large helping of the salad. Garnish with almonds, pepitas, and sunflower seeds (and more dressing if desired). Eat chilled.

My goodness, this salad is SO easy, SO delicious, and SO addicting!! There's something about the creamy buttery avocado dressing with the sweet and juicy blueberries/strawberries, the crunchy almonds and the fresh cilantro make this salad irresistible!

My family got to try this when I debuted it in Wisconsin, and my mom declared that this was her favorite meal I made all week.

It's cool and crunchy, sweet, tangy, and completely and utterly satisfying. And its unbelievably healthy too! Lots of protein from the nuts and seeds, healthy fats from the avocado, antioxidants from the berries, and wholesome nutrition from the veggies!

Finally, it is just gorgeous with all the bright colors. Red, orange, lime green, dark green, blue and purple! In one word---fabulous!! :D

What are you looking forward to this week?

Also -- what did you guys think of the finale of the Bachelorette? Can you believe that she chose Josh??!! I kinda saw it coming...I mean come on, he's from her hometown!

Purple People Pleaser Salad! GF, V, SCD, BED & Paleo!

Hey everyone!

I'm so glad you all enjoyed my post on Hu Kitchen! What a fabulous dining experience!!

So, even though school supply commercials are starting to pop up on TV, I'm still in FULL summer mode! I hope you are too:) I mean, it's still July! We've got August ahead of us! (Which, IMHO is the best  month...cuz it's my birthday month:))

I love summer because of all the fun social get-togethers! During the summer, cookouts are the name of the game. I don't know about you, but whenever I go to someone's house for dinner, I always want to help with the cooking and bring a dish. How many times have you said, "I'll bring the salad!" It's probably the standard "bring along" dish, (aside from dessert).

Well, why not bring a salad that will steal the show:) Yep...no more boring "salad in a bag." This dish will be the hit of the cookout!

It's colorful, crunchy, healthy, and absolutely BURSTING with flavor!

I call it, my Purple People Pleaser Salad!

And it's Gluten Free, Vegan, Specific Carb Diet, Body Ecology Diet friendly, and Paleo!

Here's what you need:

Serves 2 hungry people (as a main dish...4 as a side dish)

1/2 head of purple cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, shaved into long strips with a veggie peeler
1 cucumber, seeded and sliced
1/4 red onion, sliced thin and soaked in ice water
1/2 red pepper, sliced thin
15 green beans, chopped into bite sized pieces
1/2 avocado, diced
3-4 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
12 cashews, chopped

Dressing:
1-2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
2 Tbsp almond butter
juice of 1 lime
10 drops alcohol free pure liquid stevia (SCD use 1 tsp honey)
2+ Tbsp water

The prep couldn't be easier. Carefully prepare your veggies: either with a mandoline or a knife. (I just used a knife). (*After you slice your red onion, place them in a small bowl and cover with ice water for 5 minutes. This will take away that sharp onion-y bite*) In a big bowl, combine your veggies and cilantro.

Next, make your sauce by whisking the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Add enough water to make it "drizzly."

Finally, toss your veggies with the dressing. Garnish with chopped cashews and extra cilantro. Serve chilled.

Oh my gosh, how good was this salad!?! The first thing that hits you is how beautiful it is. There's so much color going on on the plate! There's purple, red, orange, green -- it's so whimsical!!

Then the flavor - holy cow. Hold onto your hats, folks. This dressing is good enough to bathe in! Haha Seriously! It's tangy, sweet, gingery and nutty. So incredibly delicious.

And the crunchiness of the veggies is just phenomenal. Each veggie brings a specific flavor to the dish. The carrots and red peppers are sweet, the cabbage is a bit more savory and stringy like spaghetti. And then the avocado. OH the AVOCADO! It is rich and creamy, and adds this luxuriousness to the salad.

Finally, the cilantro provides the perfect fresh *pop* to punctuate the dish. :) Loved it. Loooooved iiiit!!

What's your favorite dish to bring to a cookout?


Want more GFHT?  You can now get my e-cookbook, The Best of GlutenFreeHappyTummy for only $2.99 on Amazon!

Bejeweled Brussels Sprouts! GF, V, SCD, BED!

Hey guys!!

Soooo I have something exciting to share with you….

I’ve been working on a……

GlutenFreeHappyTummy VIDEO SERIES!!

Yep!! Cooking demonstration videos!!

So to kick things off, I’ll share a video for my brand new recipe….BEJEWELED BRUSSELS SPROUTS!!

Oh my gosh this was an incredible salad: Pan seared Brussels sprouts with roasted beats, pistachios, and roasted grapes with a champagne vinaigrette. Sounds luxurious, eh?

And its Gluten Free, Vegan, and Specific Carb Diet friendly with some Body Ecology Diet substitutions!

Here’s what you need: (serves 1-2)

About 15 brussels sprouts, halved
1 beet, sliced into ¼ inch rounds
24-30 grapes
¼ cup shelled pistachios
1 cup baby spinach/per person

Dressing:
3 Tbsp champagne vinegar
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 drops pure liquid stevia (SCD use ½ tsp honey)
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place your beet slices on a baking sheet that’s been lined with tin foil and sprayed with olive oil. Spritz with olive oil, but do not season with salt and pepper yet. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping once at 15 minutes. When you flip them after 15 minutes, add the grapes to the sheet and bake them with the beets for the remaining 15 minutes.

While they’re baking, cook your beets. Heat 2 tsps EVOO in a large skillet. Place them cut-side-down in a single layer in the pan and then let them sit and form a crust for about 4 minutes. Flip and let the other side get golden brown. Finish with salt and pepper and set aside.

Next, whisk your dressing ingredients together and set aside.

After you take your beets and grapes out of the oven, let them cool slightly. Then, cut the beets into matchsticks.

Assemble your salad by placing your Brussels sprouts, beets, grapes, and pistachios on a bed of baby spinach. Top with your dressing and dig in!

Holy cow, this was OUTRAGEOUS!! If you’ve never roasted grapes before, put your laptop down and do it now! They are SO incredible! I’m not even kidding, they taste like candy! They just burst in your mouth with this intensely sweet, “grapey” flavor! You see, when they’re roasted, the sugars in the grape caramelize, creating this fabulous, complex, deep sweetness. That complimented the golden, crispy brussels sprouts, the earthy sweet beets, and the salty, nutty pistachios! And then the champagne vinaigrette bathed everything in this sweet, bright dressing that had the slightest hint of grape!

And it was SO beautiful too!! All the emerald colors made this a regal looking dish. The earthy green brussels sprouts, ruby red grapes, deep purple beets, jade pistachios, and deep green spinach. Picture perfect.

Needless to say, I though this dish rocked! I WILL be making this dish again soon.

So much for a “humble” brussels sprout! This one stole the show!!

BED options: Sub roasted red peppers for beets, Sub almonds for pistachios, Sub lemon juice for vinegar, Omit Grapes. 

You can watch my cooking demonstration for this recipe here: http://youtu.be/vZ4xl-VAPzU

Need a good chef’s knife? Here’s the one I use and love!

This recipe is featured on Healthy Vegan Fridays & Wellness Weekend!