gluten-free meals | The Sweet Life

Smoky Barbecue Bowl

April 8, 2013 19 Comments

When I first moved to Portland I was quick to find The Bye and Bye, an all vegan bar and restaurant that serves some amazing soul food. One bite of BBQ tofu and I was hooked on it. I went to The Bye and Bye weekly, ordered a BBQ bowl and an IPA, and enjoyed the evenings of my youth.

I haven’t been to The Bye and Bye for awhile. The last time I went was my 29th birthday. I had just come from 4+ hour of getting tattooed and certainly wasn’t in the mood for a celebration.* However I remember that birthday as feeling young and crazy.

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Then I got pregnant, had a baby, and turned 30. Now I don’t go to ~~The Bye and Bye~~ out. So I brought The Bye and Bye home by this recreation of the Barbecue Bowl. And now that I’m thirty (one), I’d much rather not shout over loud music while I eat or wait in line to use the bathroom. Home with Eden and Jason is exactly where I want to be.

*Don’t get a 4+ hour tattoo on your birthday, get a massage.

Smoky Barbecue Bowl
vegan & gluten-free
serves 2:

1 cup brown rice, cooked (1/2 cup dry)
8 ounces extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
2-3 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 cup black eye peas
1/2 bunch kale
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 avocado
1/2 batch Barbecue Sauce (recipe below)

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Barbecue Sauce
adapted from Vegan Comfort Food by Alicia Simpson
makes about 2 cups

1/4 cup white onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup molasses
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp liquid smoke
pinch of cayenne

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onions and saute until translucent. Let cool. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Store in the refrigerator.

Barbecue Tofu:
Cut tofu into 1” cubes and place in a shallow container. Add 1 cup of barbecue sauce and stir to combine. Allow tofu to marinate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Remove tofu from excess barbecue sauce, saving extra sauce, and transfer to a small bowl. Add nutritional yeast and mix to coat. Place tofu on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, flip tofu over, top with remaining barbecue sauce, and return to oven for another 10-15 minutes until browned and chewy.

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Making the Barbecue Bowl:

1. Heat up black eye peas in a saucepan over medium heat. Add about 1/4 cup barbecue sauce and stir to coat.

2. Steam kale until slightly soft. Mix with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

3. Assemble bowl by placing rice on the bottom. Top with black eyed peas, BBQ tofu, and steamed kale. Finish with a few slices of avocado.

4. Add extra barbecue sauce, hot sauce, or nutritional yeast to taste.

5. Enjoy

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Do you have a favorite place to eat or meal to order?

Now that I don’t go to The Bye and Bye much, my new favorite meal (that I must work on replicating) is the Bistro Beet Burger at Portobello. Oh Myyyyy!

You might also like:

Smoky Red and Black Bean Chili

Spaghetti Squash and “Meatballs”

Lemon Pepper Quinoa Pasta with Blackened Tofu

Lemon Pepper Pasta with Blackened Tofu

Quinoa Stir Fry with Peanut Ginger Sauce

Filed Under: dinner Tagged With: bbq, dinner, gluten-free meals, southern, tofu

Raw Coconut Lime Tart

March 21, 2013 28 Comments

tart6 Spring is here!

Although I’m not sure if the Northwest got the message. Yesterday was one of the rainiest days I’ve seen all year, interrupted only by a wild hail storm that left the earth dusted in white.

Oh wait…that’s exactly what spring looks like in the Northwest.

But I actually LOVE the spring in Oregon. Sure there are many rainy days between now and June, but the cherry blossoms have already started blooming, the days are lasting into the evening, and people are heading out to their gardens to get early seeds planted. And when the sun does come out, Portland becomes alive in all it’s quirkiness, ready with any reason to party in celebration of spring.

(By the way, I am SO excited that Portland will play host to Vida Vegan Con this year so that many of you have the chance to experience Portland for yourselves.)

The Sweet Life began last spring (it’s about 1 month away from my 1 year blogoversary and the release of my first cookbook!) and it has been fun to go back and see some of my early postings. For example, this Raw Coconut Lime Tart is inspired by one of my first recipes the Coconut Lime Cream Cake. I was planning on remaking the recipe and getting up some better pictures (food photography had it’s learning curve), but then I realized it was the recipe that needed a makeover. At the time I made it, I thought it was a raw dessert. It wasn’t until after a reader pointed out that canned coconut milk was not raw, that I realized I had a lot to learn.

Learn I did, and this new recipe is completely raw as well as nut-free, a perfectly sweet way to welcome in the new season.

tart7 Raw Coconut Lime Tart
makes (4) 4” tarts or (1) 9” tart

Coconut Crust

1 1/2 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1/4 cup flax meal
6 large dates, pitted
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Coconut Lime Filling
1 cup fresh, young coconut meat (about two coconuts)*
1 small avocado
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp raw agave, coconut nectar, or maple syrup
1 tsp coconut extract
zest of 2 lime
pinch of salt
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted

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To make the crust, blend together the ingredients for the tart shell in a food processor until moist and sticks together when pressed. Divide into four 4” tart shells (or one 9” shell) and press evenly into shell, filling the bottoms and sides. Place in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.

To prepare the filling blend all the ingredients together in a food processor or high powered blender. Scoop into chilled tart crusts and spread even, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Place tarts in the freezer until frozen solid. (2-4 hours) Once frozen all the way through, remove tarts from pans with a knife. Let thaw for 20 minutes before serving. Top with shredded coconut and a lime wedge.

Store in the freezer.

*If you haven’t used fresh young coconut meat before, watch this video on opening and preparing a coconut.

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You might also like:

Tropical Coconut Ice Cream Sundae

Raw Carrot Cake Bites

Raw Lemon Curd

Raw Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake

Filed Under: Raw/Mostly Raw, sweets Tagged With: coconut, dessert, gluten-free meals, nu-free, qa, raw, tart

Raw Thin Mints and Sugar-Free Oreos

March 19, 2013 10 Comments

Do you have an overwhelming sense of Deja Vu?

oreothins

Yeah, me too.

A couple weeks ago I made some homemade Thin Mints and Oreos. At the end of the post I asked if anyone would be interested in seeing a RAW version of these cookies. The answer was yes. I got emails, facebook messages, and comments on the blog eager to see what I could come up with.

So I made these Raw Mint-Filled Oreo Cookies just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. They turned out to be a BIG HIT. In less than a week these cookies became one of my most popular post of all time. I thought the success of these cookies meant I was done, able to begin other culinary ventures.

But the requests for Raw Thin Mints kept coming. It was back to the kitchen. Meanwhile I was getting some requests for agave-free raw oreos.* So while I was making the Thin Mints, I decided to have one more go at the Oreos too. But for real, this is the last time.

I managed it. Raw Thin Mints and Raw Sugar-Free Oreos.

*The topic of sweeteners is incredibly controversial, enough so that I will eventually compile my thoughts together and publish them on the blog.

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Raw Thin Mints and Oreo Cookies
makes about 24 Thin Mints or 12 Oreos

Sugar Free Cookie Base

1/2 cup packed dates, pitted and soaked at least 30 min
1/4 cup water (reserved from soaked dates)
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1 cup almond meal
1/2 tsp salt

*add 1/2 tsp peppermint extract when making Thin Mints

Oreo Filling

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp coconut butter
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 drops stevia extract (to taste)

Thin Mints

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1-2 tbsp raw agave (to taste)
1/2 tsp peppermint extract

*I tried using Stevia for the chocolate coating but was not happy with the results.

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Sugar-Free Chocolate Cookie Base:

Drain dates, reserving 1/4 cup of the water. In a food processor or blender mix dates and water until they form a smooth paste. Add cacao powder, almond meal, and salt and blend until combined. Transfer dough to a countertop and kneed into a ball.

Place dough in between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out to about 1/4” thickness. Chill dough for 20 minutes.

With a 2” cookie cutter cut cookies and place them on dehydrating sheets. Repeat until all the dough is used up, re-rolling as needed. There should be about 24 discs. Dehydrate at 110 degrees Fahrenheit for about 12 hours, until cookies are slightly firm.

Oreos

In a small bowl combine the coconut butter and vanilla extract, mashing it with a fork until smooth. Place about 1 tsp in between two cookies and press together lightly. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Thin Mints

Combine the ingredients for the dipping chocolate. If chocolate is thin, place in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to thicken. Submerge cookies into chocolate and coat fully. Remove with a fork, allowing excess chocolate to drain off. Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and allow cookies to set up at room temperature (about 1 hour). Store in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

raw oreos

What popular cookie would you like to see “VEGANIZED” OR “RAWIFIED” ?

I had been thinking about making Samoas as it is Girl Scout Cookie Season, but am open to other options.

You might also like:

Raw Chocolate Almond Fudge

Homemade Thin Mints

Raw Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Raw Mint Oreo Cookies

Filed Under: gluten-free desserts, Raw/Mostly Raw Tagged With: cookies, gluten-free meals, healthy, raw, sugar-free

Raw Mint Oreo Cookies

March 10, 2013 19 Comments

oreos1 I did it! And just in time for St. Patrick’s Day:

Raw Oreos with Minty Cream Filling.

It took me several attempts to get this recipe right. For awhile I was trying to make a cookie that would work for both Oreos and Thin Mints like this one here but somehow the cookies were turning out tasting like neither. So I combined the idea into this minty oreo, and finally found a result worth sharing.

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Raw Mint-Filled Oreo Cookies
makes 12 sandwich cookies

1 1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup raw agave nectar or maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

*maple syrup is not a raw ingredient, but an alternative for those who choose not to eat agave nectar.

Mint Cream Filling

1/2 cup coconut butter
2 tbsp raw agave nectar
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
5-6 mint leaves, optional (for natural coloring)

In a small bowl mix together almond meal, cacao powder, and salt until thoroughly combined. Add agave nectar and vanilla and mix until a uniform dough has formed. Kneed together to form a large ball.

*For a smoother look, blend the almond meal and cacao powder in a food processor to a fine powder before adding the remaining ingredients.

Place dough on a sheet of parchment paper. Top with another piece of parchment paper and roll out to about 1/4” thickness. Chill dough for 20 minutes.

With a small 2” cookie cutter cut cookies and place them on dehydrating sheets. Repeat until all the dough is used up, re-rolling as needed. There should be about 24 discs. Dehydrate at 110 degrees for 16-20 hours, until cookies have hardened.

To make the filling, blend together the ingredients using a handheld mixer or stand up mixer. Place about 1 tsp of filling on top of half the dehydrated cookies, topping with the other half. Press down lightly to spread the filling.

*If using fresh mint leaves for color, puree first then mix with the rest of the filling ingredients.

Store in refrigerator.

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On a totally non-related subject: Who’s going to Vida Vegan Con?

I just bought my ticket and I’m so excited! I’m really looking forward to meeting some of my favorite vegan bloggers and showing off this fantastic city that I call home.

You might also like:

Raw Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie

Raw Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake

Raw Chocolate Almond Marble Fudge

Homemade Oreos

Filed Under: gluten-free desserts, Raw/Mostly Raw, sweets Tagged With: cookies, desserts, gluten-free meals, holiday, oreos, raw, st. patrick's day

Raw Nutella

February 25, 2013 8 Comments

Eden hates my Vitamix.

nutella

This makes it a bit hard to enjoy this awesome machine I finally purchased. It all started with this recipe. Sitting in her highchair enjoying a banana, her peaceful world was suddenly interrupted with the deafening sound of the Vitamix’s SERIOUS motor grinding nuts into butter. In a second her face turned red, tears streaming down her cheeks as she struggled for breath.

The next time I tried holding her. I turned on the blender, ran into the next room soothing her while she buried deep into my chest. 30 seconds at a time I would sooth her, run back into the kitchen (child in arms), turn off the motor, scrape, scrape, scrape, then repeat the whole process over again. This wasn’t very effective for either the nutella or the child.

We went through a short “cry it out phase” which lasted less than 10 seconds. That didn’t work either.

Now she cries when she sees me washing the blender’s container or wiping down the lid.

I really don’t know what I’m going to do about this.

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At least I managed to make this RAW Nutella.
And when I gave Eden a small spoonful it seemed to make up for what will now be known as “The Vitamix Trauma”.

Raw Nutella
makes about 1 cup

1 cup hazelnuts, soaked for 8-10 hours
1/4 cup raw agave or maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
2-4 tbsp raw almond milk*

Drain and rinse hazelnuts and place in food processor or high-powered blender. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Depending on the strength of your blender, this may take 10-15 minutes to get the desired consistency.

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Once the hazelnuts turn into a buttery consistency, add the sweetener, vanilla, salt, and cacao powder and blend until smooth. Slowly add almond milk until desired consistency.

*If you aren’t concerned about the nutella being entirely raw, you can use store bought almond milk. However if you want to make your own, Angela from Oh She Glows has a great tutorial on making raw almond milk here.

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You might also like:

Raw Vegan Goat Cheese

Raw Lemon Curd

Easy Raw Chocolate Mousse

Raw Caramel Sauce

Filed Under: Raw/Mostly Raw, sweets Tagged With: chocolate, gluten-free meals, hazelnuts, raw, spreads

Raw “Goat Cheese” Salad with Pears, Hazelnuts, and Cherries

February 17, 2013 2 Comments

stackedsalad4

Last week on Valentine’s Day my mom hosted a luncheon for her daughters (me and my two sisters) and our daughters (Eden and my two nieces). It was a very nice occasion to get together; we watched the little ones run around chasing each other, made valentines cards out of contruction paper, and hunted for hidden treasures. At the lunch my mom served a stacked salad inspired by this. I, of course, then got inspired to make my own version because I can’t imagine a more elegant way to enjoy a fresh salad.

Originally I was planning on using Diaya spreadable cheese to stack in between pears and arugula, but with a desire to eat less processed foods and more raw foods I realized this dish was the perfect time to try making a raw nut cheese.

cheese

stackedsalad5

Vegan Goat Cheese Stacked Salad
Makes 2

1 large pear
1 large handful of fresh arugula or mixed greens
2-3 tbsp chopped hazelnuts
2-3 tbsp dried cherries

Macadamia Nut “Goat” Cheese
Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Macadamia Nut “Goat” Cheese
Makes about 3/4 cup

1 cup macadamia nuts, soaked 8-10 hours
1 tbsp unpasteurized white miso
2-3 tbsp water, as needed
pinch of salt
2-3 tsp lemon juice

Drain and rinse the macadamia nuts.

In a food processor or powerful blender mix together nuts, miso, salt and water (as needed) until it forms a smooth paste. You may need to stop the blender and scrape down the sides a couple times. Transfer onto a double layer cheesecloth, wrap into a small log, and let cheese to sit out for 12- 36 hours in a warm area of the house; the cheese becomes more tangy and salty as it sits.

Remove cheese from cheesecloth and adjust flavors (if necessary) by adding lemon juice and/or salt. Store in the refrigerator.

Sweet Apple Cider Vinaigrette

2-3 tbsp raw agave
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp cold pressed olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

In a blender combine agave, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice. With motor running, slowly add olive oil until thick and well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Store in refrigerator.

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To assemble the salad: Core the pear and slice it into thin slices. Place few leafs of arugula on a plate and cover with a pear slice. Top the pear with a few hazelnut-sized pieces of nut cheese and a couple of dried cherries. Layer with a couple more small pieces of arugula and repeat 4 times. It will look like this:

arugula
pear
goat cheese & cherries
arugula
pear
goat cheese & cherries
etc….

It will also look like this:

stackedsalad

Top with cheese, cherries and a few crushed hazelnuts and finish with Sweet Apple Cider Vinegar. Serve immediately.

You might also like:

Cuban Tempeh

Raw Tuna Salad

Spinach Strawberry Salad

Raw Taco Salad

Filed Under: dinner, Raw/Mostly Raw, salad Tagged With: dinner, gluten-free meals, nut cheese, raw, salad

Smoky Barbecue Bowl

Raw Coconut Lime Tart

Raw Thin Mints and Sugar-Free Oreos

Raw Mint Oreo Cookies

Raw Nutella

Raw “Goat Cheese” Salad with Pears, Hazelnuts, and Cherries

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