Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Turkey Meat Loaf

This is a meal that my 8 month old will shove into his face, and my 5 and a half year old step daughter will eat without complaining.  I eat it as well, and love every minute.
If you don't have kids you have NO idea how HUGE this is!

2 tablespoons water
1.5 tsp Ener-G egg replacer
1.5 lb Ground turkey (both white and dark if available)
2 cups chopped spinach
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 small apples, peeled and diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
3/4 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup gluten free oats
1 teaspoon ketchup or tomato paste
1 tsp cilantro
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

Combine egg substitute and water and add the rest of the ingredients. Roll into two large oval shaped loaves. Place in glass pan coated in olive oil. Cook on 375 for 40 minutes or until cooked through. I have added diced sweet potatoes, butternut squash, pears, turnip, carrots and or parsnips in place of ingredient. The most tasty combo I've tried is the one I put in the recipe. I've found it to hold together better too.

Eat Freely.

I have to tell you.  I have a new obsession.  Enjoy Life snacks.  All of them are great, really... But I am pretty obsessed with their new Crunchy Vanilla Honey Graham Cookies.  I am thoroughly addicted.  All the crunchy cookies are good.... But these ones are amazing... I need to stop and just tell you a little more about why their products are so good.  But hold on, I need to eat another cookie first.


Enjoy Life is a company that was founded in 2001 by a man named Scott Mandell.  It is, and always has been, a dedicated nut and gluten free company, but all their products are free of wheat, dairy, soy, peanuts, eggs, tree nuts, fish and shellfish.  Most products they make are also free of potatoes, sulfites, sesame and casein.  They were also the first company EVER to be certified by the Gluten Free Certification Organization.  Do you understand how great this is??!  People who have food allergies can just pick up a box of their snacks and eat them without wondering whether they'll react.  People like me, who breastfeed their allergic babies, can eat whatever they want.. and not wonder how their baby will be later.  It is just a freedom that people don't get when eating products made elsewhere.  I am newly gluten, soy, dairy and egg free and can't find many products that I can eat freely, so Enjoy Life has been such a relief for me.
I recently tried their Chocolate For Baking.  The Megachunks, I tried first, and made the blondie recipe on the box.  I love love loved the chunks themselves, but since having a baby 8 months ago, I've completely lost my brain.  I didn't read the recipe right, I guess.  It called for only 1 cup of the megachunks, but I think I forgot to read the directions.  I added the whole bag and the blondies didn't cook all the way through.  I keep meaning to try them again, but haven't gotten to.  I did try the mini chips and was EXTREMELY satisfied.  I made double chocolate gluten, soy, dairy and egg free cookies and they turned out fantastic!!! The Double Chocolate Granola contains the mini chips, and Oh Em Gee!!  I couldn't get enough of that either!   
I'm so excited that I found this stuff as I was finding out JUST how many allergies my son has.  Seems to me we'll be loyal shoppers for EVER!!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Double Chocolate Cookies, free of most allergens, of course :)

1/3 cup Enjoy Life Mini Chunks
1 cup dairy free butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer
4 tablespoons water
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 cups gf flour mix of your choice (I use Namaste Perfect Flour Blend or Brown Rice Flour)
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking soda
10 oz bag dairy free chips
Heat choc chips in microwave in 30 second intervals until melted.  Set aside to cool.  Combine egg replacer and water and stir well, set aside.
Combine butter, sugars and vanilla in large bowl. Add egg replacer mixture and mix until fluffy. Add cooled choc chips, mix well.
Add cocoa, flour, xanthan gum and baking soda. Mix until combined.
Fold in chips.
Bake on 350 for 11 or so minutes until tops start to crack.

OMG, I needed a fix!!!!  I got it.  This was AWESOME!!! Also, Gluten free, Soy free, Dairy free and Egg free :)
Enjoy!