Gluten-Free Archives | Tasty Oasis

Baked Eggs with Sautéed Mushrooms

May 11, 2016 By Karen

Remember last year when I wrote about trying to reduce the sugar in my life? I did a good job of it for a while, but then my love of all things chocolate and pastry related got the better of me. I went from cutting out sugar, to slowly introducing it back in, to full on “let’s sit at the kitchen table on a Saturday night with two giant batches of cookie dough and two spoons and just go to town.” Because while I know what’s good for me, I don’t always follow through with healthy choices. That’s human, right?

But I am trying to get back on track, making the effort to stay away from refined sugar for a little while. It’s been a few weeks of reading labels, and focusing more on getting satisfaction from the savory foods in my life. Yes, I’m still enjoying fruit, and haven’t shied away from putting a touch of maple syrup and cinnamon into the almond cashew butter I make, but I haven’t had a bar of chocolate or a cookie in 24 days. (That’s huge. You’ve got to know that is huge.) And I’ll be honest, while it’s gotten easier, the cravings STILL haven’t gone away entirely. There’s no doubt that my body had to go through some serious withdrawal, and I had a good five or six days of insane crankiness because of it, but I’m trying to reset my habits. 3pm doesn’t have to mean it’s time for a scone, it could very well be time for some carrots and hummus. (I know, crazy talk.)

The Baked Mushroom Skillet at Lekker 209 in Stone Ridge, NY

The House Made Soda Board at Lekker 209. Espresso Cinnamon? Lemon Basil? Yes Please!

To which end, last week I was inspired to recreate a meal I had on vacation in April. I already told you a little about our time in the Catskills, but here’s a bit more. On our first day, we had lunch at a restaurant called Lekker 209. In Stone Ridge, NY, it’s a small cafe that seemed to have more specials listed on the chalkboard than food on the menu. Homemade baked goods (like lavender honey scones and chocolate chili cookies that I’m currently dreaming about) and creative housemade sodas (like the vanilla cream my kid ordered,) complemented all the locally sourced ingredients that made our mouths water. The meal was so good that we returned for breakfast on our last day. I ordered the Baked Mushroom Skillet, and fell in love. (I even posted a picture of it here.) Luckily, as we were walking out of the restaurant, the open kitchen allowed me to stop and ask the chef how he had prepared it. Generously, he told me the basics of how to make it, and I quickly wrote it all down when I got back into the car….

Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions

March 7, 2016 By Karen

Caramelized Onions. Two beautiful words. If you combine that with Slow Cooker or Crockpot, you’ve got a phrase that’s even more brilliant: Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions. (Do you hear angels singing? You already know how I feel about the slow cooker, don’t you? Remember The Easiest Crockpot Ribs and Chipotle Barbecue Pulled Pork in the Crockpot?) Because a simple onion effortlessly gets transformed into rich and flavorful goodness that can be added to any variety of dishes. With less than ten minutes of prep work, you can get all of your onions sliced thinly, then you toss them with melted butter and olive oil. It all sits in the slow cooker on low for 10-14 hours, and it makes your home smell heavenly. It’s so easy, you’ll wonder why you’ve never done this before. Typically, caramelizing onions the traditional way requires standing at the stove for at least 45 minutes and stirring regularly, making it somewhat labor intensive. This recipe is the opposite of that. You can even set it up to cook overnight while you sleep, which all by itself is pretty cool.

It’s comfort in a pot. And there are some days more than others that we can all use comfort. I recently interpreted something about coping skills,…

Top 10 Healthy Breakfasts on Tasty Oasis

February 29, 2016 By Karen

Toasted Oatmeal with Flax and Chia Seeds

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”

“What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?”

“I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully. “It’s the same thing,” he said.

― A.A. Milne

People always say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but so often it’s tempting to skip it or just grab something boring (and unhealthy) on our way out the door or as we head to work. I’m guilty of it, and almost always regret it as a wasted opportunity. You all know I am a bit obsessed with good food, so to have empty, flavorless calories as my foundation for the day is ultimately disappointing. Over time, I have learned that with a little prep work, I can be stocked with options for quick and easy breakfasts that I can feel good about eating and serving to my family. The photos and links here are my favorite Top 10 Healthy Breakfasts on Tasty Oasis. Some, like the Toasted Oatmeal with Flax and Chia Seeds, the Coconut Maple Granola, the Sesame Date Granola, the Chocolate Pumpkin Nut and Seed Butter and the Applesauce with Vanilla and Cinnamon are all things you can make ahead of time (meaning over your weekend.) The Healthy Green Smoothie with Spinach, Kale and Banana and the Healthy Homemade Chocolate Milk take well under five minutes to throw in the blender so you can drink on the run. And if you’ve got a spare 20 minutes (or less) or planning for a weekend breakfast, Martha Stewart’s Buttermilk Pancakes, Dorie Greenspan’s Maple-Cornmeal Biscuits, and Tasty Oasis’s very own Cardamom Almond Matzo Brei are all worth the extra time. Every one of these recipes is easy, and many of them are refined sugar-free, gluten-free and even vegan.

As always, I would love to hear if you’ve made any of these! Please write a comment, share with your friends on Facebook (the button is right at the top,) or pin this post or the specific recipes to come back to them later. If you hover over any image, the pin icon will appear and make it super simple for you. And if you have any favorite recipes of your own, I am always looking for suggestions. Enjoy!

Healthy Green Smoothie with Spinach, Kale and Banana

Coconut Maple Granola

This Sesame Date Granola is a healthy, hearty way to start your day. Gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and vegan, it is packed with a nutty, slightly sweet flavor that has a hint of spice from cinnamon and ginger. It's so easy to make, and is perfect to grab on the go or present for company.

Sesame Date Granola (Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Vegan, and All Around Healthy)

Doris Greenspan's Maple-Cornmeal Drop BiscuitMaple-Cornmeal Drop Biscuits from Dorie Greenspan are quick and easy to make, and would be perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea, or in your bread basket next time you have company for dinner. | www.tastyoasis.net

Doris Greenspan’s Maple-Cornmeal Drop Biscuits

Martha Stewart’s Buttermilk Pancakes

This Cardamom Almond Matzoh Brei is an extra flavorful version of Passover french toast. In less than ten minutes you have a healthy, easy breakfast that you'll want to eat all year round.| www.tastyoasis.net

Cardamom Almond Matzo Brei

This Chocolate Pumpkin Nut Butter is a quick and healthy way to start your day. Soaking almonds and cashews overnight makes them easy to blend with your favorite seeds, coconut, cocoa and pumpkin, so you can feel good about eating this slightly sweetened boost of protein on your toast in the morning. Refined sugar-free, vegan and gluten-free, it's full of flavor and will even make a Nutella-craving kid happy. | www.tastyoasis.net

Chocolate Pumpkin Nut and Seed Butter (VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE, REFINED SUGAR-FREE)

Cocoa Powder and Ice in the Blender for Chocolate Milk

Healthy Homemade Chocolate Milk (Refined Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free)

Homemade Applesauce with Vanilla and Cinnamon is warm and comforting, and so simple to make. | www.tastyoasis.net

Homemade Applesauce with Vanilla and Cinnamon (Refined Sugar-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan)

The Thai Lime and Lemongrass Sauce You’ll Want To Put On Everything (Including Roasted Salmon)

February 10, 2016 By Karen

We’ve recently made a concerted effort to eat home cooked foods more often, and drastically reduce the number of meals we have out. Instead of seeing it as a sacrifice, I’ve embraced the challenge of cooking more frequently for my family, and look for ways to add new dishes to the rotation. When the food’s good, it’s worth the effort. When it’s just mediocre, it feels like a punishment. So I am determined to put together a collection of manageable, easy meals that will not only be enough for dinner, but provide leftovers for lunches or the freezer. In the last week alone I found a new pork chop recipe that everyone loves, and finally figured out a way to use up extra pasta that people are tired of: spaghetti pie! (I’ll be writing more about that one soon.) It’s been rewarding, and inspires me to keep going.

But a few weeks ago, after many nights of cooking and a really long day at work, I announced to everyone that we would finally go to the local Thai restaurant we’d always liked. We hadn’t been in a while, but my little guy announced the week before that he wanted the calamari and dumplings, and wouldn’t let it go. So off we went on a rainy night, expecting a fabulous dinner. What we got instead was an expensive, underwhelming, extra salty and disappointing meal. I felt terrible. The only good thing about it (except for the company, and the fact that there were no dishes to clean) was the Tom Yum Goong soup. Otherwise, I spent the whole time wishing we had just stayed home and I had cooked the sweet and spicy chili shrimp my older guy had asked for in the first place.

So the next day, after fretting for longer than I should have, I decided that this just means I need to add more Thai food into the repertoire. I decided to start with that sweet and spicy …

Easy 5 Ingredient Roast Pork Tenderloin

January 10, 2016 By Karen

A rainy Sunday, and I am still in my pajamas at 4pm. Not only did my crazy dreams keep me up during the night, but our newest family member, Sir Charles Popcorn Roosevelt Jacob III (aka Charlie) thought it would be fun to alternate sleeping on my head and attacking my hands and feet at all sorts of odd hours. I’ve learned that having a ten week old kitten is oddly like having a newborn baby. Your heart overflows with love and wonder at this mysterious little creature you’ve surprisingly been allowed to take home, and your levels of exhaustion cannot be described. Sure, I could have kicked him out of my room, but when this little grey fluffball wants to curl up and purr in my ear while licking my cheek, it’s really hard to resist! He’s our first family pet, and we’ve pretty much won the cat lottery. Adventurous, playful, and utterly cuddly, he seems to be a dog in a feline body. I’m a little bit obsessed. And a whole lot of tired.

So when given the options of what to do today, I really wanted to do nothing. Not even cook. Not make my Sunday batch of granola, or do the laundry, or finish sending out holiday cards. (Wait, you think those things are supposed to go out the week after Thanksgiving? So they can be displayed all month long on people’s mantels and enjoyed? Yeah, so does my husband. I….well, I can’t get everything together, and a good friend told me you have until Valentine’s Day to get New Year cards out, so I am going with that.) I just wanted to lie on the couch with a cat on my chest, reading my book club book. But you know, I still had to feed my family.

So what do I make when I don’t want to cook, but need to make sure that I have something healthy that will keep for leftover lunches during the week? This 5 Ingredient Roast Pork Tenderloin. It is one of those back pocket recipes I have been making for years that is so easy and quick to prepare, it takes no effort. No chopping, no cutting boards, it means that everything is ready to throw in the oven even before it finishes preheating. Dijon mustard, whatever fruit preserves are open in the fridge, and dried thyme and garlic powder. …

Chocolate Pumpkin Nut Butter (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free)

January 6, 2016 By Karen

Do you dream? Not big, what do I want the world to look like dreaming, but actual sleep dreaming? I do. I have technicolor vivid dreams that play out like complicated shows. They’re either long and involved and jump from scene to scene, or they’re straightforward, but in syndication, repeating themselves year after year, theme after theme. Anxiety dreams that are so cliched they’re embarrassing: I’ve missed every rehearsal, don’t know my lines, am missing my costume, and the curtain is about to go up, or I’ve missed every lecture, and now I have to take the final having never read the books. I’ve got a whole lineup that plays nightly, and I wake in the morning aware of how obvious my issues all are. Sometimes it’s revealing, other times it’s exhausting, but mostly it’s just constant. I dream almost every single night, and I tend to remember details for long stretches of time. I can still recall scenes of dreams I had when I was a kid, and the feelings attached to them. The familiarity I felt towards a celebrity after he had a part in the pictures in my sleep, the freedom of flying through the sky, with clouds all around, doing the breast stroke through the air because of course that’s the most realistic human flying move, or the stomach dropping horror of swinging and falling from the chandelier in the foyer of my childhood home. I depend on my dreams, and I appreciate them. But there are nights that I just wish I could sleep soundly and wake peacefully, rested and refreshed because my brain had simply shut down for the night.

A couple weeks ago was no different. …

Spiced Orange Cranberry Sauce

November 17, 2015 By Karen

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I wrote about it twice last year, when I shared the story of my dad and the pear and cranberry crisp with gingersnaps, oats and almonds, and when I wrote about feeling grateful and Dorie Greenspan’s maple-cornmeal drop biscuits. I love it for the food (obviously,) but more than that I love the traditions we’ve created around it.

We’ve hosted the meal ever since we moved into our home ten years ago. Family comes from near and far, and the best part is that for the last decade it has been low key and drama free. My parents separated when I was 14, so like many kids I had years of juggling holidays and figuring out whose house got priority which year, and there was often stress and nonsense involved. But as an adult with my own home and growing family, I chose to rewrite the terms. …

Alice Waters’ Ratatouille

November 11, 2015 By Karen

Before the warmth of summer is completely forgotten, I wanted to make sure to share this ratatouille recipe with you all. While the farm markets may be closing, I have no doubt you’ll still be able to find zucchini, eggplants, peppers and tomatoes around, because this dish uses all the best that season had to offer. In a perfect world I would have gotten this to you weeks ago, but please indulge my off-season post! Fresh and flavorful, this warm and hearty vegetable stew is comforting on its own, elegant when served as a side to Coq au Vin, and perfect as a topping to polenta or a bowl of your favorite pasta. Sweetness from the tomatoes gets balances by bright thyme and woodsy rosemary, and fresh basil completes it. It is one of those “genius recipes” that is guaranteed to work, and Alice Waters deserves all the credit for it.

I’d always wanted to make ratatouille, but never took the time to follow through on it. But when September’s cooking club theme was announced, I knew immediately what I would contribute. French night, and I was on for vegetables? Ratatouille!!! Obviously, this was the push that I needed. The first time I made this I doubled the recipe and had two pots going at once, and I am so glad that I did. The leftovers are freezer-friendly, and perfect to pull out on a fall night. It also meant I had enough extra to deliver to my friend Al, whose doorbell I rang, all frazzled, still in my apron, who let me take kitchen shears to his herb garden an hour before I had to get to my supper club when I realized that I was terribly short of basil. It was a night of fabulous food and even better company, and participating in this is always a highlight of my month. (The roasted endive and pear salad, the piped french potatoes, and the chocolate pots de creme were all hits, as was the coq au vin. Really, everything was delicious.)

The second time I felt inspired to make it though was all thanks to my neighbor Catherine. Creator of the amazing gardening and food blog The Winebox Gardener, she sent me an email asking if I would take all of her ichiban eggplant that she’d just harvested from her garden. Since she was in the middle of a kitchen remodel, and wouldn’t have a chance to cook it any time soon, she had plenty to share. Who’s going to turn down homegrown eggplant? Certainly not me! I would love to have seen what she would have done with it though, because her writing, adventures around NY and NJ, recipes and photography always inspire me. You really should go check out her blog! (Follow her on social media too, in all the usual places: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter!)

So if you’re looking for something that’s healthy, freezer-friendly, vegan, gluten-free, and all those good things, pick up some vegetables and herbs the next time you’re at the store and try Alice Water’s Ratatouille. It’s worth the effort. It’s satisfying and cozy all at the same time. And if you’re like me, and you find yourself falling into the pumpkin trap that surrounds us these days, there’s no reason you can’t throw some butternut squash or pumpkin into the mix, and with a little added sage, it will embody fall for you too. See, there, everybody wins. Now it’s seasonal! And please, let me know what you think in the comments, because I would love to hear if you make this or any other recipe on Tasty Oasis. All of your experiences and feedback helps me, and other readers, so please keep me posted!…