My HealthiNation Episode is Up!

Hey Happy Tummies!

OK -- time for the big announcement I promised:)

My Episode on HealthiNation is up!

You can check out my episode for GF Coconut Raisin Cookies here ----> http://www.healthination.com/topics.php?page=gluten-free-tasty

Just click on the middle recipe (the picture of the cookies) and you can watch my episode!

I had a lot of fun filming this with HealthiNation! I'll let you know when the next episode come out:)

Alright...that's all for now! Have a great day!


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

Sweet & Chewy Kale Chips! GF, V, SCD, Paleo!

Hey Happy Tummies!

How was everyone's weekend? Things here are going swimmingly! I'm currently learning a song in Spanish for an audition on Wednesday...yeah sooo that's happening:)

So since the weather is getting cooler, it's officially acceptable to start using the oven again! If you're anything like me, I never turn on the oven during the summer!  It's just too dang hot! But now, bring it on, baby!

And just what did I make?

Sweet & Chewy Kale Chips!

Now before you run screaming the other way at the thought of "sweet" and "kale" in the same sentence, just hear me out. Truuust me, this is a winner.

This recipe was my recreation of one of my favorite treats from Hu Kitchen! They make a similar kale chip call Sweet Kale Crunch and it. is. rockin. Again, I can't even begin to describe my love for this SCD-Friendly restaurant, so you'll just have to try them out the next time you're in NYC :)

That's the sign outside Hu:)

Back to the kale treats.

These little guys are addicting! And they're a super healthy sweet treat for lazy Sunday afternoons (or anytime really!) I made them when I was home for myself, my dad and brother to munch on during the Bengals game. They both really enjoyed them! We cleaned the entire tray of them!!

And they're Gluten Free, Vegan, Specific Carb Diet friendly and Paleo!

Here's what you need: (Serves 2-3)

3 large stalks of kale, washed, dried and torn into bite sized pieces
½ cup chopped cashews
½ cup chopped pecans
2-3 Tbsp EVOO (You can use coconut oil -- I haven't tried this b/c we didn't have any, but it would be delish!)
2-3 Tbsp honey (Vegan option: Agave)
½ tsp cinnamon
¾ cup raisins

Preheat your oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray it with olive oil. Make sure your kale is bone dry (otherwise it will steam instead of crisp up) and tear it up into bite sized pieces. Put your kale pieces into a large bowl. Drizzle your EVOO and honey over the kale. Then, with clean hands, massage the oil and honey into the kale. Massage for about 2 minutes, making sure to coat every nook and cranny. *This is messy, just embrace it.* Next, sprinkle in your remaining ingredients and massage them into the kale as well. (You'll notice the kale has become much more pliable.) 

Spread your kale out in a single layer on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the remaining nuts and raisins at the bottom of the bowl over top the kale on the baking sheet. Bake for 15-16 minutes. *Note: Due to the honey, these chips can burn extremely easily. As soon as you begin to smell the cinnamon and sweet pecans, take them out. They'll crisp up.)

Where to begin on this unconventional sweet treat?! Can I just say, kale is the new black?! ;) But seriously, who would have thought that kale could be so delicious? -- And a DESSERT?!!!

For all the skeptics out there, this recipe truly transforms kale! I know personally, I used to think kale was a hearty, bitter, green that had no business sneaking its way into a dessert. But this recipe will convert you!! It did for me!

These little bites are crispy from the kale chips, but then crunchy, chewy and sticky from the raisins and nuts. They are wonderfully nutty and sweet with a subtle warmth from the cinnamon.

And the raisins were my favorite part. They were intensely sweet, and paired phenomenally with the cinnamon and honey.

I dare you to try this recipe. You'll find yourself making them every week for Sunday football! :)

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

Gluten Free Monster Cookies!

Hey Happy Tummies!

How was everyone's weekend?

I was spoiled this weekend. I got to go home to celebrate my mom and brother's birthdays!

Yep. So I got some quality family time. And loved every minute of it.

So, I wanted to do something special for my brother for his birthday. He has recently gone gluten free, so I thought...why not de-gluten-ize his favorite cookies and make him a batch!!! So that's exactly what I did.  And let me tell you...these were a hit.

Yep, everyone gobbled them up. By the end of the weekend, all 24 cookies had been devoured! And they're allllllmost good for you!!

And the best part: they're gluten free!!!

Here's what you need: (makes 24 LARGE cookies)

3 eggs
1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
1 cup organic white sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/4 Tbsp corn syrup
2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 stick softened organic butter
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
4 1/2 cups certified gluten free oats
1 1/2 cups organic raisins
7 oz (1/2 a bag) sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 - 1/3 cup salted sunflower seeds


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in the given order in the largest bowl you have. The batter will be thick and sticky. Use an ice cream scoop and scoop 6 cookies on each parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 13 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE. You'll think they're really underdone, but they're not. They'll firm up and be perfect. Makes 24 cookies.

So, I wasn't able to eat these, because they aren't SCD legal, but these used to be my all-time favorite cookie. These are seriously the best cookie on the face of this earth. I know,I know...that's quite a statement. But it is the absolute truth.

First of all, they're SO moist and chewy. Something magical happens in the center of these cookies. The butter, peanut butter and sugar create this caramel-like gooeyness in the center. Just this ooey gooey goodness that only can be achieved by under baking them:)

The raisins are sticky and chewy have an intense sweetness that is complimented perfectly by the salty sunflower seeds. And the coconut becomes all toasty in the oven and gives the cookie a decadent texture and flavor.

Finally, I think it goes without saying, but peanut butter is the food of the gods. Seriously. I mean, there's even a restaurant, Peanut Butter & Co. in NYC that is dedicated to it. And trust me, the peanut butter is the star of the show in this cookie.

And I don't think it's possible to describe how good the kitchen smells when these cookies are baking: peanut butter, sugar, toasted coconut -- Yankee Candle wishes it could replicate this heavenly smell.

Do yourself a favor: make these cookies. Give half away...or not. Just try and get them into the oven without eating all the cookie dough first. I may or may not have lost a few would-be cookies to batter snatchers:)

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

Monster Pancakes! GF, SCD & Paleo!

Hey Happy Tummies!


How was everyone's week? Things here are going great!


I want to share some excited news with you all!


On Friday I had an awesome day...


I shot several episodes for a new cooking show by HealthiNation!

It was a great day on set. I made my Vegan FroYo. We shot in this adorable little kitchen studio in Brooklyn complete with exposed brick and natural light-drenched, original wooden floors. It was a Pinterest-lover's dream kitchen:)

So yeah! I'll be sure to pass along the episodes when they're finished, but in the meantime, you can check out their neat website.

Sooo, when I got home last night, I wanted to have a celebratory meal. And in my opinion, nothing says "party" like breakfast for dinner! Especially.....PANCAKES!

And not just any pancakes......MONSTER PANCAKES!!

Yep. These officially rock. Basically, they're my decadent monster cookies in pancake form!

These could also be called "kitchen sink" pancakes because they literally have SO MANY healthy and yummy ingredients in them: coconut, raisins, peanut butter, and sunflower seeds with a fabulous drizzle of strawberry purée to take it over the top!

Delicious AND healthy?! Count me in!

Here's what you need: (serves 1 -- makes 4 silver dollar pancakes)

1 egg + 1 egg white
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 "droppers full" of pure liquid stevia (SCD sub 3 tsp honey)
1 1/2 Tbsp EVOO
1/4 tsp baking soda
Pinch salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp organic natural peanut butter
2 Tbsp shredded coconut (unsweetened)
2 Tbsp sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup almond flour

Drizzle1 1/2 cups strawberries (I used frozen that I thawed)

Start out by creaming your peanut butter and egg. Add in your sweetener, vanilla, oil, and spices. Stir in the remaining ingredients. The batter will be thick.

Heat a non stick frying pan on medium. Add 1 tsp EVOO and scoop four 1/4 cup pancakes. Let them cook for about 3 minutes a side, or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, purée your strawberries in the food processor.

To serve, top the pancakes with a healthy serving of the strawberry sauce and enjoy!

Wow. A meal fit for a queen! Let me tell you!

These were not some wimpy pancake. No ma'am. These were thick and chewy, with bits of chewy and sticky, crunchy and crispy!

These were so much fun to eat because of all the fun surprises hidden inside! Every bite had a different hidden gem inside from the raisins to the coconut to the sunflower seeds!

And the flavor was just outstanding. These were like a PB & J on steroids! The peanut butter in the pancake really gave it a wonderfully nutty and rich flavor that went perfectly with the bright and sweet strawberry purée!

Next time you're hankering for a special meal --breakfast, brunch, lunch, or even dinner --- give these monster pancakes a try!

They're so freakin fantastic, you won't believe they're actually healthy!

Coconut Raisin Cookies! GF, SCD, V Option!

Well I'm back in NYC after a fabulous week at Sundance. I hope you all enjoyed my "reporting" from the slopes!

What an amazing week it was. I don't know about you, but I always find it hard to settle back into reality after a great trip. Especially with family. I'll admit...I was totally "that girl" at the airport. Yep...I shed a tear saying goodbye to my fam.

So anywho...one of the films that we saw...the documentary, Blood Brother, won both the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Award at Sundance! It was such a moving and inspirational film. It was about this guy who moves to India and lives/works at a hostel for children with HIV and it documents his journey and love story with these kids. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.

So yesterday, after a foggy flight back to NYC, I arrived home to a seriously frigid city. We're talking  stinging cold. Like the unexposed skin literally stings when you walk outside!

So back in Deer Valley, at the Fireside Dining, Chef Shane made my sister-in-law and I these AMAAAAZING almond flour cookies. So naturally, I was inspired to make them when I got home. And boy were these spectacular!

Coconut Raisin Cookies!

And they're Gluten Free, Sugar Free & Specific Carb Diet friendly with a Vegan & Body Ecology Diet option!

Soft, pillowy and chewy goodness, all in a little bite sized cookie.

Here's what you need: (makes 5 small cookies)

1 package of coconut butter (2 Tbsp)
1 egg - room temp (Vegan option: 1 flax/chia egg)
2 "droppers full" of pure liquid stevia (SCD use 3 tsp honey)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup almond flour
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp raisins (BED use dried currents)

Preheat oven to 350. "Cream" your egg and coconut butter in a medium sized bowl until it is well incorporated. Add in your sweetener and vanilla. In another small bowl, combine your dry ingredients. Mix your dry and wet together, and fold in your raisins. Scoop 1 Tbsp of the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 14-16 minutes. Makes 5 cookies.

Wow. These were SO good! Exactly the sweet treat I was after! The coconut butter made these cookies incredibly soft and moist! And they weren't crumbly or chalky at all, like many gluten free baked goods!

The texture was marvelous. They were fluffy and pillowy, with these little pops of sweet-chewiness from the raisins.

The cinnamon gave them a warm spiciness that complimented the nuttiness beautifully.

Next time you want a little sweet something, try these cookies! They come together in a flash, and are just the right size to satisfy that sweet tooth! And since it's a small batch, you won't have 100 cookies laying around for the next week tempting you:)

Until next time!

For this recipe, I creamed my coconut butter and egg with my KitchenAid hand mixer! I love it because it's pink for breast cancer:) You can find one here:

Butternut Squash & Candied Pecan Pancakes! GF, SCD, w/ BED & V Options!

Hey guys! How's everyone's week going? Things here are great! I love Mondays...but then, you already knew that!

How do you guys like the new site?! Remember, if you previously received my posts via email, you can drop me your email address and I'll add you to my GFHT Email List! Woo!

So tonight, I made a real treat for dinner. I mean, we're talking...this should be illegal. :)

I had about a cup of diced butternut squash leftover...soooooo...I made...

Butternut Squash & Raisin Pancakes w/ Candied Pecans!!

And they're Gluten Free, Grain Free, and Specific Carb Diet Friendly w/ both a Vegan and Body Ecology Diet option!

Here's what you need: (Serves 1)

1 cup diced butternut squash, small dice, roasted
heaping 1/3 cup almond flour
1 tsp cinnamon
healthy pinch salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 egg whites (Vegan Option: 2 flax/chia eggs)
2 droppers-full of pure liquid stevia (SCD use 2 tsp honey)
3 Tbsp raisins (BED omit)

Garnish:
6 "candied" pecan halves (see directions below)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and spritz with olive oil. Place your butternut squash on the pan, and spritz with olive oil. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake for 30 minutes, until tender, flipping once, halfway through.

Meanwhile, candy your pecans. I have a cheater's way to do this:) Take a Pyrex measuring cup (or other microwave-safe dish), and put your pecans in it. Spritz them lightly with olive oil, and then sprinkle them with a tiny bit of salt, about 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, and 1 "dropper-full" of pure liquid stevia. (Or if you're SCD, 1 tsp honey). Toss/shake them about so they're all coated. Then, microwave for 25-30 seconds. They'll come out beautifully spicy and sweet! I sometimes make this for a snack!!

Once your butternut squash is out of the oven, Mix together your dry ingredients in a small bowl. Then, in a larger bowl, beat your egg whites with your handy dandy hand mixer (or whisk) until medium peaks form. Then add in your stevia (or honey) and continue to whisk. Finally, gently fold in your dry ingredients, being careful not to deflate the egg whites too much. Then fold in your raisins. (not the squash yet).

To make the pancakes, place 1/3 of the batter onto a screamin' hot, olive-oil-sprayed, nonstick skillet. Once your cake is down, carefully place pieces of the squash on top. Let cook for about 3 minutes on the one side, and then carefully flip, and let cook for 1-2 more minutes. Makes 3 silver-dollar pancakes. Garnish with your candied pecans and any extra squash you may have.

Oh. My. Gosh. These were amazing!! I was really craving some delicious pancakes and these seriously hit the spot! In fact, if I were blindfolded, I'd think I was eating dessert!! They're THAT good!

The texture on these was so airy and light. You'd think they'd be heavy because they're made of almond flour, but just the opposite! They were ethereal! And you'd get these chewy, sticky raisins, and creamy pieces of butternut squash...simply heavenly!

And the flavor was faaaabulous! My, oh my! There was the sweetness from the squash and the stevia, complimented by the warm, spicy cinnamon. And then you'd get a pop of intense sweetness from the raisins! All on a beautiful nutty backdrop from the almond flour and candied pecans.

Seriously, do yourself a favor and make these pancakes. You will find yourself making them weekly!! 

There were several tools that made this recipe possible. First and foremost, a good chef's knife is critical, especially when breaking down a butternut squash. A good chef's knife is an investment, but it really transforms your cooking. Then, my Kitchen Aid hand mixer made beating the egg whites super easy! Plus, it's pink for breast cancer! Finally, my nonstick skillet combined with my olive oil sprayer were key players.  Here are the ones I use: