GF, Vegan Spring Rolls & GF Chocolate Chewy Crispers!

The incredible recipe for these GF & Vegan Mango Avocado Spring Rolls is available in my new e-book cookbook, The Best of GlutenFreeHappyTummy, available HERE ---> The Best of GlutenFreeHappyTummy  - Only $2.99!

And you didn’t think I’d forget to share my outrageous GF cookies with you?!?

Ever since finding out about my new food allergies, I haven’t been able to enjoy my GF French Macaroons since they’re made with Almond flour, and guess who’s allergic to Almonds?! Yep…Lil Ole Me. SO! I’ve been tirelessly trying to recreate my French Macaroons without the Almond flour. It isn’t possible, until I can get my hands on Pistachio flour — so I’ve tried to create something similar, and I finally got it!

I think I’ll call them GF Chocolate Chewy Crispers.

Here’s what you need:

2 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks
1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups GF Rice Krispies

Glaze:
6 semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 heaping Tbsp peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp water
sprinkle of salt
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Beat egg whites in a stand mixer. When they become foamy, add your cream of tartar. When they form soft peaks, slowy add your sugar. Then beat on high for about 7 minutes, until stiff peaks form. Stop your mixer and sift in your powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Then, fold it in — about 35-40 folds. Finally, fold in your Rice Krispies.

On a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, place about 2 Tbsp worth of batter. Then, reduce heat in the oven to 325 and bake for 5 minutes. Rotate pan, and bake 9 more minutes. Then, turn off the oven and leave them in the Off oven for 30 minutes. When you take them out of the oven, you need to eat one warm — or two:)

After they’ve cooled, drizzle with the glaze. Heat the 1st three ingredients for 10 seconds in the microwave, stir until melted. Then stir in powdered sugar until smooth. You may need to add more water to thin it out.

gorgeous texture -- crunchy outside with soft, chewy inside! YUM!

These are FANTASTIC!!!!!!! The outside has formed a meringue-like crunchy-crispy crust, and then the inside is marshmallow-y with crispy-chewy Rice Krispies mixed throughout. Sinlessly Decadent!

Annie...making herself at home:)

Roxy wanted to rule the other couch :)

Happy Saturday from myself, and the 2 girls who rule the house!

FOr these cookies, I got to use my Kitchen Aid stand mixer! This is such an amazing appliance. And it has so many uses. Not only does it make whipping egg whites super easy, but it also makes cookies, and pasta...you name it! Here's the one I use:

GF Vegan Orange-Glazed Tofu Stir Fry w/ Asparagus!

The house just got a little more exciting! My niece-dog is staying with us for the weekend while my bro and his wife are at a wedding. Annie’s a gorgeous Weimaraner with quite the spirit! So Roxy and Annie are having fun teasing each other and trying to be “top dog.” :)

so delicious!

Anyhoo, tonight for dinner, we had another exotic flavor explosion in the form of a Chinese take-out classic: Orange Glazed Tofu Stir Fry! This wassuper tasty!

check out that gorgeous caramelization on the tofu!

Chinese take-out is notoriously unhealthy — with skyrocketing sodium and fat, and the toxic additive MSG. Well, I took this unhealthy dish, and transformed it to be Happy Tummy Approved — gluten-free, vegan, and healthy!

sweet and zesty orange glaze!

Here’s what you need:

1 bunch of asparagus — ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 leek — cleaned and diced
3 garlic cloves — minced
1 block of tofu — drained, pressed and cut into triangles
green onion — sliced – for garnish
healthy splash of white wine
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp water

Sauce:
juice of 2 oranges — preferably fresh pressed
zest of 1/2 orange
5 Tbsp low sodium Tamari (GF soy sauce)
1 garlic clove – minced
3 green onions – sliced
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp water

Start out by pressing your tofu.

Cut your tofu into 6 slices, and then place them on a clean-kitchen-towel-lined plate, and press with a heavy pan. While they’re pressing, make your sauce. After about 15 minutes, cut the slabs into squares, and then the squares into triangles. Season with salt and pepper.

OK. Take a big, non-stick pan, and spray it with EVOO. Then, place your tofu triangles in a single layer in the pan, and let them form a crust — read: don’t touch them for 5-6 minutes. It was really surprising to me, that when they were searing, they were popping and sizzling! This is a good thing! While they’re searing, sprinkle them with 1 Tbsp organic sugar! Also, combine your sauce ingredients and set aside. Then, flip them, and let the other side sear for another 2 or 3 minutes.

Then add 1 tsp EVOO, your asparagus and leeks. Season with salt and pepper. Stir those around and let them cook for about 3 or 4 minutes. Then, add your garlic; give it a stir, and deglaze with the white wine. Let that evaporate for a minute, and then add your sauce. Coat all the tofu. Then stir in your cornstarch slurry. Let it thicken for about 2 minutes. Toss with your cooked pasta, and garnish with green onion!

mmm!

This meal was SO yummy! The flavor was unlike anything I’ve made before! It was sweet, it was salty, it had a little tang, and a savory garlic undertone! Fantastic! The flavor of the sweet orange was just outstanding with the lemony, earthy asparagus. The sauce luxuriously coated the noodles, making them slurpy and delicious.

sweet, tangy, and 100% delicious!

And the tofu was just fantastic! It caramelized gorgeously, and had a crunchy-chewy crust with a pillowy center. I love this preparation of tofu!

so healthy and delicious!

Overall, this meal really stood out as a decadent, exotically-flavored noodle extravaganza! It was super healthy, with low-fat, high-flavor ingredients! You got a big dose of vitamin C from the fresh orange juice, and anti-oxidants, folate, B vitamins, and fiber from the asparagus! So fresh and so scrumptious!

no MSG here!! only organic goodness!

Tomorrow’s Friday! I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Annie...sleeping after a long day playing outside!

GF V Chili Lime Tofu Stir Fry Pasta!

Yay! My sis-in-law has arrived! Last night was so great chatting and catching up:) Today was a full day for her, house hunting all over Cincy! From 8:15 in the morning, until about 8pm! Whew! So, it was just my dad and I for dinner tonight — a little father/daughter date:) Lucky me!

gluten free AND vegan!

So what did I make tonight? I treated us to GF Vegan Chili Lime Tofu Stir Fry Pasta! Gosh, was this ever good! My mom does NOT like spicy things — read: black pepper is too hot for her:) So, with it just being my pops and I, I was able to make a dish with a little kick. And did this do the trick!

sweet, spicy, sour and salty!

Here’s what you need:

2 carrots, chopped
1 rib of celery, sliced at a diagonal
4 mushrooms, sliced
1/4 an onion, diced
2 spring onions, sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup frozen edamame
handful of spinach, chopped
tofu, drained and pressed
1 tsp EVOO
reserved pasta water

sauce:
4 Tbsp Tamari (GF soy sauce)
1 Tbsp agave
juice and zest of 1 BIG lime
1 garlic clove, grated
5 mint leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (more if you like heat)

yummy mushrooms and carrots!

Start out by pressing your tofu.

Cut your tofu into 6 slices, and then place them on a clean-kitchen-towel-lined plate, and press with a heavy pan. After about 15 minutes, cut the slabs into squares, and then the squares into triangles. Season with salt and pepper.

Sweet Chili Lime Tofu Stir Fry Pasta!

OK. Take a big, non-stick pan, and spray it with EVOO. Then, place your tofu triangles in a single layer in the pan, and let them form a crust — read: don’t touch them for 5-6 minutes. It was really surprising to me, that when they were searing, they were popping and sizzling! This is a good thing! While they’re searing, sprinkle them with 1 Tbsp organic sugar! Also, combine your sauce ingredients and set aside. Then, flip them, and let the other side sear for another 2 or 3 minutes.

Then, add 1 tsp EVOO, and the onions to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, stir them around, and then add your carrots and celery. Let those cook for about 4 minutes, and then add your mushrooms. Allow those to cook down and release their moisture. Add the garlic, and then add your sauce, being sure to coat all the tofu with your sweet and spicy sauce. Stir in your peas, edamame, spinach, and toss everything with your cooked pasta. Stretch the sauce with some reserved pasta water if necessary. Garnish with chopped green onions. YUMMO!

so many outstanding flavors and colors!

This meal was so delicious! I don’t know about you, but I LOVE having an Asian Cuisine night! The flavors of Asian cooking are so bright and fresh! It is a party in your mouth! And this dish was no exception! First, there was sweet, salty, sour and spicy all dancing around in this dish. The sweet agave, salty Tamari, sour lime juice, and spicy red pepper flakes combined to create this deep, complex flavor combination!

GORGEOUS crust on the tofu!

Finally, the textures were just outstanding. The carrots were a little crunchy, the peas and edamame *pop* in your mouth. The pasta is slurpy, and then there’s the tofu! Wow, searing the tofu gave these little triangles an AMAZING crust and texture! There was this delectably chewy outside – and pillowy, yet chewy inside. There was almost a sweet, “bark-like” exterior! A dish that is a 10!

Check the Sign: A spoiled rotten Papillon lives here. :)

Goodbye from Roxy!

Tools used in this recipe: