Healthy Blueberry Crumble

Every summer the second June hits I start thinking about blueberries. I love them, in everything and in every way. Tonight, as I was thinking about them, I felt I simply had to make something indulgent...so I winged it with my own version of a Blueberry Crumble. While I will admit, this was a little runny (I forgot to add some almond flour to the blueberry mixture) it was still so good, and suited me just fine. Here is the jist of what I did...I know, I barely ever have an exact recipe, but you can "wing it" too, and see what you come up with! It's fun! Oh, and by the way, this recipe suggestion is using all whole, healthy, real foods, without refined white sugar, without gluten, dairy, or soy. Best thing about it (besides the taste) is that it is full of healthy power packed nutrients! The blueberries/quinoa/almond flour nourish with antioxidants, protein, iron, calcium, & fiber! Food is the most fun when what you choose to eat actually benefits your body with each bite you take!

I preheated the oven to 400* and used coconut oil to "butter" a 8x8 glass baking dish. Next I mixed together: Almond Flour (Honeyville is my favorite), Quinoa flakes, organic cinnamon, a pinch of sea salt, a little birch xylitol and a little coconut palm sugar, and a drizzle of grapeseed oil to creat a crumbly mixture.

Next, I took about a bag of frozen organic blueberries and added a 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce to it, along with the juice of 1 lemon, some cinnamon, a small amount of xylitol and coconut palm sugar (no more than 1/4 c. combined total, but probably less). Now, remember to add in a little almond flour to soak up some juice). After tossing all of this together, I poured it in my prepared dish, and using a fork, I covered the top evenly with my crumb mixture.

I baked this for about 20 minutes...basically until the crumb topping was browned and the blueberry mixture was thicker and bubbling.

Made my night very sweet...
 
      So nice to indulge once in a while...

Served with unsweetened almond milk...pure food bliss!

Nourishing "Fried" Rice

So this was pretty much dinner every night last week! Okay not every night, but 4 nights! I made it one night as a quick dinner for myself after the kids were in bed. Just took some leftover brown rice and threw in a bunch of stuff I had in the kitchen. I loved it so much I made it the next night for my hubby and I. He loved it so much he requested it 2 more nights! I varied it slightly each night using different veggies and it was fab each time. Gotta love it when that happens!

So, I began with 2 slices of Nitrite/Nitrate free Turkey bacon...cooked it in my wok, removed it and set it aside. Next, I added a drizzle of grapeseed oil to the grease left in the wok (great flavor!) and sauteed a variety of organic veggies...my favorite addition had shredded carrots, onions, garlic, shallots and baby bok choy. In the version in the pic above I used snow peas since I ran out of bok choy- it was still delish). One night I even used zucchini...To each version I added Celtic Grey Sea Salt as the veggies cooked.

After the veggies were done, I removed them from the wok, and set them aside. I then scrambled 2 eggs, adding some sea salt to them. Finally, after removing the eggs from the wok, I added a little coconut oil to the wok and tossed around my leftover brown rice until heated through. Finally, I chopped the turkey back into small pieces, added all the ingredients back into the wok, tossed, plated and served. SO GOOD!

Turkey Veggie Avocado Wrap

For the most part, I have given up "breads," but every now and then I feel the need to have some sort of "sandwich" not wrapped in lettuce. Here, I took a Brown Rice wrap and made myself a little turkey veggie wrap that was delish! I first peeled and cut an avocado, and put that in my small Magic Bullet cup. I added a tiny drop of grapeseed oil, the juice from 1/2 a lime, sea salt, cilantro and a dash of garlic powder. Spun that around a few seconds and I have my favorite dressing/mayo replacement/dip in the world. I spread that across my warmed wrap, added cucumber spears, shredded carrots, romain lettuce, tomato spears, and gluten free organic free range turkey slices.  Added some raw peppers, celery and tomato wedges as a side and I was one happy lunch-eating mama.

It's the Simple Things

It truly is the simplest things that make us the happiest. Take this plate of cut up fresh organic fruit. Fruit. Plain. Cut. It is fresh. It is FULL of GREAT stuff. It is Whole, REAL food. And it makes me so happy.

Sometimes, we get caught up in the idea that we have to "prepare" fruits and veggies for them to be enjoyable...or we say we don't eat as much of them as we should because convenience foods are so much faster. Really? What is easier than peeling a banana? It is a portable snack, in it's own package. Throw an orange in your bag and you have a perfect food to eat in the car or on the go...whenever hunger strikes.

These days, I realize more and more...the simpler, the better...and it makes me happier and healthier!

Cranberry Goat Cheese Salad with Chicken

I was in the mood for spring and decided this salad would help me celebrate that it is coming soon. I started with Organic Romain Hearts. Added grilled chicken breast, diced organic apples, dried cranberries, goat cheese crumbles, and for crouton crunch without the gluten, I crumbled up some Cracklebred. To dress it I combined fresh lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, Celtic Sea Salt, Fresh Pepper and EVOO. Perfect.

Gourmet Gluten Free Pizza

 After making gluten free pizza almost every Friday night for a solid year plus, one gets quite over it. For several months I have made this for my family and opted to eat something else entirely; I could not bare the thought of eating it again. Then, because of a cleanse I was doing, I could no longer eat it, and the smell became very enticing again. Now that I am free to eat it, I decided I would make one regular for the kids, and vary the toppings to spice things up for the grown ups. This week I baked eggplant and added a few dollops of ricotta and loved it!

Prep eggplant...remove most but not all of the skin...slice vertically into thin slices and lay out on a cutting board or plate. Sprinkle with sea salt and let sit for 10 minutes. This draws out the moisture and some of the bitterness. While waiting, pre the dough...
Use Bob's Red Mill Whole Grain Pizza Crust Mix
Prep according to directions
While dough is rising, wipe eggplant with a paper towel to remove the moisture and some of the salt. Place in a baking dish with some EVOO and bake eggplant slices at 350* until tender and slightly golden on top
Use VERY WET hands when spreading out dough onto pans
Bake dough 7-9 minutes without toppings
Top with a little mozzarella directly onto the crust
Add a little bit of your favorite g free pizza sauce, sparingly
Top with eggplant slices (broken into smaller pieces) and ricotta cheese by the teaspoon full
Add more mozzarella, and a drizzle of EVOO
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until desired doness :)
Enjoy!

Celebrating a Year of Good Health!

My family recently celebrated our 1 year anniversary of being gluten free! December 27th was one year since my sweet little girls first heard the words "Celiac Disease." We have experienced a lot of changes this year, as we learned about this condition and adjusted our lives accordingly. Our youngest daughter, now 3, made an astounding turnaround. When we think about the fear and sadness we felt last December as we watched our little one suffer with no answers...we are overwhelmed with gratitude and joy at her instant transformation once going gluten free. After only 2 days g-free she was her old self again; she smiled, she played, she slept! And in 4 weeks time she looked completely different, gaining back 4 much-needed pounds. She went from tired, uncomfortable, weak and frail to joyful, healthy, and full of life!

We never could have imagined the joy that this new journey would have brought us. To see our children become the picture of health is more than enough joy, but we have cause for even more. We have discovered how incredibly important nourishing our bodies truly is. We have changed the way we view food...it is an amazing gift. If we choose wisely, it can change and improve every aspect of our lives. The food we eat impacts our physical body, our emotions, our spirit, our everything. It is true, the saying "change your food, change your life." Throughout our year, we have learned that going gluten free is not always convenient, but always an adventure. It has opened us up to a whole new culinary world! It also pushed us to re-examine everything we eat and toward making the best choices possible, so that we can build our immune systems, heal our bodies, increase strength, and improve our lives. Eliminating gluten was the first step. Seeing food as a way to nurture ourselves, celebrate life, and bring out our creativity were the steps that changed everything. We do not do it all perfectly...we have so much to learn, and we give ourselves grace. But we realize that there is more to a meal than the taste, convenience and tradition. There is a new opportunity with each meal to do something good for ourselves, and to make a good decision that will reap fruit in our lives.

Nutrition, health and wellness has become a passion for our family. It has been a source of great joy and fulfillment. Using our experience to help others has been so much fun! It is my sincere hope that every person who reads this blog would take at least one step toward a healthier and more satisfying life. If one recipe idea or post would help someone else navigate their journey a little easier, than my joy becomes more complete! We all deserve to treat ourselves and our families with the best we can do. Nourish yourself and celebrate life!

With love and of course, JOY!
Lori

Cream of Buckwheat

This morning I finally found a decent substitute for oatmeal. I actually purchased the box of cream of buckwheat last January, but it took me until this morning to try it. Turns out it satisfies my craving for maple oatmeal.
I followed directions on the box. :) I used coconut milk and almond milk (in place of milk or water). After cooking my buckwheat for the recommended time, I took it off the stove, stirred in a little vanilla extract, a dash of salt, a touch of agave, a swirl of pure maple syrup, and sprinkled some cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice on top. Perfect!

Zucchini Asiago Fettucini with Pecans

Yesterday I made a delicious lunch that was so fast and easy and looked pretty sophisticated. I will post a picture of it, soon...I enjoyed it so much I wanted to post it right away. It is:

Gluten free, healthy and very comforting!

I followed a recipe I found in Southern Living, and made a few variations to suit my taste and diet.

Simple ingredients:
1 medium to large Shredded Zucchini
Fresh Garlic (to taste- I used 2 cloves)
1/4-1/2 c.* Shredded Asiago
1 serving Brown Rice Pasta (Tinkyada Joy)
1/2 TBSP* (or less) EVOO
1/2 TBSP* (or less) Butter (light)
Handful of Toasted Pecan pieces
Sea Salt and Fresh Pepper
Fresh Basil (I used 2 cubes of fresh frozen basil from Dorot)
1/4 c. Pasta Water

*I used less butter, oil and cheese than the recipe called for and I still found it a little bit rich for my tastes...next time I make this I will use less of all three. I would also add more zucchini and take away a little pasta to make it even healthier.

Gently heat pecans in a dry pan over medium heat until slightly toasted; set aside. Prepare Pasta according to directions. Meanwhile. Saute the zucchini and garlic in the EVOO and Butter until soft. Remove from heat. After Pasta is cooked, toss into zucchini mixture, add fresh basil, asiago cheese, sea salt and pepper and about a 1/4 c. of the pasta water. Sprinkle the pecans over the top and enjoy!

Favorite Snacks, continued

Here are a few more of my favorite small meals or snacks:

Tomato Slices with Sea Salt

Simply slice tomatoes and sprinkle fine sea salt on top...this is also great with a drizzle of balsamic...
Try different types of tomatoes...the texture and flavor vary greatly!

Raw Veggies with Hummus

I am loving raw peppers or cucumbers with hummus...my fav hummus brands are Sabra and Trader Joe's creamy classic.

Tuna and Carrot Lettuce Wraps

Try tuna and shredded carrots rolled up inside a lettuce leaf (I love bib lettuce or iceberg for this)...Sometimes I add vinegar, salt and pepper to give it some zing. For a fast lunch, I like to use Trader Joe's pre-made Tuna Salad

Hot Chocolate

1 c. Almond or Coconut milk, unsweetened (Almond Breeze Original and So Delicious are good)
2 tsp. cocoa powder, unsweetened (such as Hershey's)
1/4 tsp. xylitol or a little less than 1 tsp. Agave or a combination

Microwave the milk for 1 min. and 30 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients, and stir with a spoon and then whip with a whisk. To change it up every once in a while I add cinnamon or a dash of sea salt.

Pumpkin Seeds and Dried Fruit

As a quick snack or if I am on-the-go and need something to hold me over I love to pair shelled pumpkin seeds (seasoned with sea salt) and dried fruit such as apples, cherries, and cranberries/or raisins. I like the salty and sweet combination. Read labels on dried fruit packages and make sure you are not buying fruit sweetened with sugar. The only dried fruit I buy sweetened is cranberries, and I choose the ones that are sweetened with natural apple juice.

Chocolate Fix

If I really want something sweet, and typically that means chocolate, I have found that one small square of No Sugar Added Chocolate from Simply Lite is enough to satisfy. This is sweetened with maltitol, so use very sparingly. It is available at Trader Joe's.

"Cheese and Crackers"

This always feels like a splurge to me, and it kind of is since there is white rice and evaporated cane juice in it, but it is a good choice when trying to find a substitute for actual cheese and crackers:

2 Cracklebred sheets
1 wedge Laughing Cow

Spread the very low calorie cheese on top of your cracklebred and enjoy slowly! I love the swiss on top of the original or tomato oregano crackers.

Celery, Carrots, Tomatoes and Cultured Sour Cream and Onion Dip

Raw veggies
Cultured Sour Cream (available at Earth Fare)
Minced onions
Onion Powder
Sea Salt and Fresh Pepper

This tastes best if mixed and chilled for a couple of hours before serving. I love Frontier's Onion Dip mix (thank you, Robyn!) but in a pinch when I am craving it and don't have it on hand, this works well!

Banana and Almond Butter (or PB)

Love this combination! And to make it fancy for kids, try rolling it in shredded coconut and a few chocolate chips!

Cheese and Grapes or Cheddar and Apples

Classic combos...so good!

Tortilla Chips with Salsa and Sour Cream

I love to take the Trader Joe's Organic lightly salted tortilla chips and dip them in a good g-free salsa and a dollop of lite sour cream or plain non-fat Greek yogurt. The creamy and tangy combo is so nice. I especially like the Trader Joe's salsa that has a hint of lime in it.

Air-popped Popcorn

Midnight and white corn kernels
Olive oil
Sea salt
Lite butter

Turkey, Provolone and Lettuce Roll-ups with Dip

Wrap turkey, a cucumber slice and cheese in a lettuce leaf, roll up and dip into a mixture of lite sour cream (cultured, or sub in Greek non-fat plain yogurt), lemon juice, sea salt and any herbs you prefer. So nice!

Baked Apple Goodness

Preheat oven to 400. Scoop out the top and seeds of a medium to large apple, leaving the bottom so it can hold ingredients. Place apple in a glass dish and fill with a little water. Drizzle a lemon juice into apple, put a small pat of butter inside, drizzle agave nectar or sprinkle xylitol inside and over top. Add a generous amount of cinnamon and if you like, allspice, nutmeg, or ginger, or a combination. Bake for about an hour or until apple is soft and tender. Place apple in serving dish and either eat as is, or top with:
1 small scoop of coconut ice cream (agave sweetened) or a no sugar added "ice cream" or fro yo of choice
or
In a small cup combine light whipping cream or half and half with a tiny bit of vanilla extract and agave or xylitol. Pour mixture over apple. Eat while apple is warm!

In my next snack post I will share some fruit dip ideas, including my favorite fall treat, Pumpkin Dip!

Favorite Healthy Snacks

So, the more I learn about food and nutrition, the more passionate I become about it, the more I want to learn about it, and share that with others. It is a cycle that keeps repeating, but it is making my life better, and that of my precious family. Lately, I have been eating clean, exercising 5 days a week (an hour each weekday), and making sure I am keeping up with my probiotic and vitamin intake. In addition to being gluten-free, I am now "bread free," caffeine free, flouride free, and refined sugar free (almost completely...every now and then I get some of the evil white stuff through vit C, almond milk, or the like).What a difference these things have made in life. I have always been health-conscious, but now, I am committed. I enjoy feeling stronger, having more energy, and I love the absence of the side effects of a sugar craving/crash. Finding new ways to get the most power-packed nutritional punch into my husband and kids' diets is a continued but fun challenge. Below are some of my favorite new snacks...things that give us energy and help steer us away from the simple carbs and sugary treats. Hope these snacks inspire you to find healthy snacks to incorporate in your weekly menus.

Apples and Almond Butter

1 apple
lemon juice
Justin's Almond Butter (any flavor) or your fav brand

Slice up an apple into thin wedges, drizzle lemon juice over them. Spread Justin's Maple or Classic (or Honey) Almond Butter...enjoy!

Rice Cakes and Cream Cheese

Organic Brown Rice cake
1/3 less fat cream cheese (I prefer organic)
cucumber slices and/or shelled pumpkin seeds

Spread cream cheese on your rice cake...top with thinly sliced cucumber (I prefer English) and or Pumpkin seeds...or both! So satisfying!

Protein Smoothie

Ice
1/4-1/2 c. Almond milk (I prefer original flavor, Almond Breeze)
2 TBSP nonfat plain Greek Yogurt (no sugar added)
2 tsp. chocolate flavored Almond Butter (I love Justin's)
Arbonne Vanilla Protein Powder (1/2 single serve packet)

Mix all ingredients in blender or Magic Bullet and enjoy with a fat straw or a spoon.
This is excellent as a post-workout recovery shake or as a meal replacement. It took me a while to enjoy protein powders, but this recipe actually made me LOVE it!

Strawberries with Balsamic and Basil

Hulled, sliced strawberries (of course, organic are preferred)
Dried Basil
Black Pepper
Balsamic Vinegar (I love Moderna)

Simple mix ingredients together to taste and refrigerate for several hours....soooooo good!

Maple Cottage Cheese

1/2 c. lowfat or nonfat cottage cheese
1 tsp. organic pure maple syrup

Heat cottage cheese in microwave for 30 sec- 1 min. Top with a drizzle of maple syrup and enjoy!

This is only a few of my fav snacks...I will write more, soon!

Smoothies!!!

M

 Cherry smoothies...

 Watermelon honey lime smoothies...

 Chocolate Almond Milk smoothies...

 Chocolate Banana and Strawberry Banana Smoothies...

 Mixed Berries N Cream Smoothies...

Strawberry Mango Blueberry Smoothies...

I. Love. Smoothies. Lately, I have been making smoothies like crazy: breakfast smoothies, post-workout smoothies, or lunch replacement smoothies. Occasionally, I will make one to replace a desert craving- I know that if I have one of these, I will not be crazing anything else. Making smoothies with fresh, gluten free, wholesome food is fun and quick. It is an excellent way to get lots of fresh and healthy ingredients into your diet. So easy to make, just take fresh fruit, frozen fruit, almond milk, greek nonfat plain yogurt, spices, vanilla, protein powder, veggies, anything! Whirl them around in a blender or Magic Bullet and you have a meal in a cup. So good, so healthy, and very filling. Its a great way to get in some extra protein, fiber, vitamins, and a sneaky way to hide some fruit or veggies in the kids diet. Sometimes, as I create a smoothie, I think about what I would like to get out of it, for example: my banana muffin smoothie ingredients gives me prebiotics, probiotics, fiber, protein, potassium, magnesium, to just name a few things!)
Creating a healthful smoothie is also a great way to spoil your appetite before going to a party or out to a restaurant (so as not to overindulge in less than ideal food later)! Just be mindful of what you are putting into your smoothies so you use them appropriately (ie: high protein for breakfast or post-workout, fresh fruit smoothie as a snack) so you do not wind up thinking you are having a snack when you actually created a whole other meal!
Creating new smoothie recipes is really fun! Here are a few of my very favorite combinations:

My "Banana Muffin" Smoothie:

3/4 c. Almond Milk, original flavor
1/4 c. Plain, nonfat Greek Style Yogurt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (or more, to taste)
1 frozen banana (medium)
1-2 Tablespoons Almond Meal
Dash of sea salt
Sprinkling of cinnamon (to taste)
dash of nutmeg, optional
pinch of raw or brown sugar, optional

My Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Pie Smoothie (Yes, it is that good!):

3/4 c. Almond Milk, original flavor
1/4 c. Plain, nonfat Greek Yogurt
1 frozen banana (small)
dash of salt
1 Tbsp Almond Meal
1 Tbsp Peanut Butter
sprinkling of cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch (less than a tsp.) raw or brown sugar
Cocoa Powder (2 tsp or to taste)

Unbelievable!!! Smooth, rich, thick, delicious!

Mixed Berries and Cream Smoothie:

Greek Yogurt
Milk
Frozen Strawberries
Frozen Blueberries
Frozen Raspberries
Vanilla Protein Powder
Vanilla extract

Strawberry Mango Smoothie:

Frozen or fresh Mango
Frozen or fresh Strawberries
water
squirt of lemon juice
(Can add anything to this: OJ, Veggies, Fruit, etc.)

All natural, gluten free, and so fun!

Blend and Enjoy!

Dangerously Good

Gluten Free. Nothing in it that is hard to pronounce. Really, really good. Dangerously good. So be careful! Available at Earth Fare.

Really Good Chips!

This is one of my very favorite new gluten free finds from Trader Joe's. Tastes so much better than you would expect...it is hard not to eat the whole bag at once!

Everything Peach!

Summer in the South means PEACHES! I adore this fruit, and it is in abundance right now, which means I have been very busy making yummy gluten free peach confections for weeks. Peach pie is my favorite. I was a little skeptical that a "gluten free" peach pie would be just as pleasurable as a traditional one, but I was very pleasantly surprised! While at Whole Foods, I stumbled upon a pre-made frozen gluten free pie crust...I was thrilled! This worked so well! The only issue I had was that there was no dough provided for a top crust, but I worked that out by creating a "cobbler" type topping and it came out beautifully. My sister-in-law Samantha made a gluten-free apple crunch recently using Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten Free flour. It was so good! I decided to test it out for this recipe. I combined the gluten free flour with brown sugar and butter (and a dash of salt) and put it on top of my peach filled pie. Worked like a charm! For the filling, I simply peeled and chopped about 7 peaches, added sugar, a drop of lemon juice, and tapioca. After filling the pie shell with the peaches, I placed pats of butter on top and then the cobbler mixture over the butter.  I baked it in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. The smell was fantastic! After this pie came out of the oven there was no telling any difference. If you cannot find a gluten free pre-made pie crust, I would suggest making your own by using an all-purpose gluten free flour as a substitute for regular in your traditional pie recipe.

To make the most out of every peach, I took the advice of a good friend, Cherrie, and made Peach Jam out of the scraps left behind from peach pie making and peach freezing. I boiled the little pieces of peach that surround the pits, adding water, pectin, sugar and lemon juice and made a fabulous refrigerator jam that works so nicely on toast, pancakes, cottage cheese, anything! Very easy to do- simply purchase Sure Gel or Ball Fruit Pectin and follow the directions on the box.

For another great peach recipe idea, look in my previous posts for Grilled Peach dessert! It is sooo good!

Tilapia with Heirloom Tomatoes and Capers over Jasmine Rice

Here is a great gluten free dinner idea that works especially well for summer. I created my own sauce for this tilapia dish by heating extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan,  adding fresh crushed garlic, chopped shallots, a little chicken broth, heirloom grape tomatoes sliced lengthwise, some jarred capers, a little sea salt and fresh pepper and a pat of Earth Balance to finish it off. I cooked this just until the tomatoes were tender and the flavors melded nicely together. The sauce simmered on the stove over low heat while I prepared the rest of the meal. I simply cooked the tilapia on the stove in a large non-stick pan for several minutes on each side.  The jasmine rice was steamed in the microwave, and green beans in a pot of water on the stove. It all came together really quickly- 20 minutes max. For a pretty presentation, plate the rice, top with tilapia, cover with the tomatoes and sauce, add green beans (french green beans would have been better but I didn't have any on hand this day) and your done! It really is an easy but elegant dish, and so delish!

Roast Beef "Pitas"

Pitas. Something I had not enjoyed since going "gluten free." I decided last week that had to change. After thinking for a few minutes about how I can create something as a suitable alternative, I remembered the Udi's pizza crusts that are sold at Earth Fare. Though these are not my favorite choice for actual pizza, they are now a "go to" product for sandwiches! These crusts are a little tough, but if warmed individually in the microwave for 30 seconds max, they become softer and easier to work with. I made my husband and I a great lunch by taking a warmed crust, topping it with a slice of Havarti cheese, rare roast beef slices, a squiggle of horseradish cream, arugula, sea salt and fresh pepper. Cut into two sandwiches, and served with raw baby carrots and fruit, it was a hit! We liked it so much that the next day we made "pitas" with just roast beef and fresh mozzarella...sooooo good!

                                                   (1 crust makes 2 hearty pita sandwiches)

Patriotic Stripes Cake

Yesterday, as part of our July 4th Celebration, we indulged in a gluten-free version of a Martha Stewart recipe I found and made last year. The original recipe was in Living last July, and called for angel food cake and peach sorbet. I omitted the peach sorbet to make my cake purely red, white and blue, and I changed the cake to a gluten-free vanilla cake. To my delight, the recipe turned out great! It was refreshing to have on such a hot day, too. Ingredients include a white or yellow cake, blueberry jam or compote, vanilla ice cream, frozen yogurt, or gelato, and raspberry sorbet.
I started by making 2 boxes of Gluten Free Pantry Old Fashioned Cake Mix as directed except I subbed in for the milk and butter with almond milk and canola oil. I baked it in a 9x13 inch glass dish. After cooling, I sliced the cake in half, and placed the bottom half on a sturdy baking sheet. I spread blueberry jam on the entire bottom half. (I used a combination of store-bought jam and my own homemade blueberry compote). I then placed the cake in the freezer and let vanilla gelato sit on the counter to soften.

Next, I stirred the softened vanilla gelato and spread over top of the jam. Again, I let freeze for about 1 hour, and let the raspberry sorbet soften on the counter. I then spread the raspberry sorbet over top, placed the remaining top half of the cake over top of that, and wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and froze overnight. The next day I simply unwrapped right before serving, sliced the cake in three parts lengthwise, and then into individual serving sizes.

For more even/straight stripes, use a blueberry jam that does not have chunks of whole blueberries in it, or simply puree the jam or compote until it is smooth. I personally like the texture and taste of whole blueberries, so my lines were wavy but still delicious. I think this cake has lots of potential...I may be posting a variation using chocolate cake and strawberry, raspberry and vanilla fillings. And that is only the beginning of what I plan to try out with this! Enjoy your own versions! :) Happy Birthday, America!

Quick snack- always a favorite!

Three simple ingredients, one sweet and healthy snack, and completely gluten free, of course. Nonfat plain or vanilla flavored Greek Style Yogurt, sliced strawberries, and a sprinkling of dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips. Perfect! This is a great snack for after a workout (great protein source), or for sitting by the pool (easy to pack in a disposable plastic container and put over ice in an insulated bag, or a great choice for an after school or after summer camp snack for the kiddies! Variations are endless: try blueberries, or raspberries or a combination, try peaches over raspberry flavored yogurt for a peach-melba twist. Have fun!