Gluten-Free Organic Garden Update
Our garden is off to a great start. All of the seeds germinated well, the seedlings are growing, and we have even been harvesting the quick growing salad greens for fresh organic salads. The greens taste so crisp and flavorful when they are freshly picked and consumed with a few vegetables topped with a healthy dressing.
Many of the herbs have been used for cooking and some of the transplanted strawberry plants have produced berries. The berries are so juicy, no sugar is required. As well, medium sized blueberry bushes that we purchased from a heritage sale have lots of green berries that will eventually turn blue. My children seem to be enjoying the process of watching everything come to life in the garden and are asking many questions about the plants and how long we will have to wait to eat everything, especially the berries.
Our Backyard Creation: A Gluten-Free Organic Garden
On the Easter weekend, we started to build an organic garden in our backyard. With this new garden, we are hoping to grow high yield gluten-free crops to support our goal of eating fresh, local, organic produce. My husband, a mechanical engineer, is quite talented with our home based projects and he is doing a lovely job with this garden. We now have water barrels to collect rain water, a composting system, a new gardening preparation area, and a garden that is ten times larger than the small children’s size garden that we previously had. We are hoping to grow, tomatoes, broad beans, peas, potatoes, carrots, beets, leeks, onions, parsnips, asparagus, berries, grapes, various types of lettuce, and many different herbs in our new garden. We are currently researching types of plants, planning the layout for planting, and reviewing various sites to buy seeds for new types of plants.
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My Gluten-Free Dining Experience at “Real Food Daily” in Santa Monica And West Hollywood, CA
Recently, my husband, my 3 children and I went to Los Angeles, California, USA. We did the typical tourist activities with visits to Disneyland, California Adventure World, the Hollywood Kodak Theatre, Universal Studios, the San Diego Zoo, and both the Santa Monica and Venice beaches. The weather was warm, sunny and overall it was a wonderful family trip that, as usual, went by far too quickly.
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Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Maple Cinnamon Flan
I love the cinnamon and maple flavour of this custard. It can be served warm fresh from the oven or later, after it has cooled in the fridge.
To begin, get a ceramic or stoneware pie pan, a larger pan with 1 inch of water in it, and a large mixing bowl.
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free Lemon Pudding Cake
This cake divides into 2 layers as it bakes. The upper layer becomes a light cake that covers a rich lemon pudding layer underneath. It is relatively easy to make, but does require a second pan with 1 and 1/2 inches of water for the the baking dish or pan to sit in while it bakes. I use a large stoneware pan so I have purchased a large foil roasting pan that is large enough for it to sit in.
The finished cake can be enjoyed warm from the oven or later after it has cooled in the fridge.
Part 5 of 5 Part Christmas Dinner Series: Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free Lemon Meringue Pie
The sweet coconut flavour of this crust complements the smooth, rich lemon flavour of the filling, combined with the light fluffy melt in your mouth meringue. For me, this dessert provides a nice light ending to a Christmas meal. If this sounds good to you, get your oven mitts, a large and small mixing bowl, and a sauce pan, then proceed with this recipe and experience some lemon goodness!
Part 4 of 5 Part Christmas Dinner Series: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Roasted Vegetables With Herbs
The wonderful flavours of yams, sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, and leeks combined with an olive oil of your choice and fresh herbs, make a delicious addition to a Christmas meal. While cooking, the potatoes are infused with the flavours of garlic, rosemary, sage, and leeks. We enjoy this dish so much that we frequently make it throughout the year to accompany our other dishes. I cook this dish in a stoneware pan because I enjoy the way the stoneware browns the potatoes, but they will brown in a metal or a ceramic pan as well.
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Part 3 Of 5 Part Christmas Dinner Series: Gluten-Free, Corn-Free Cranberry Sauce
I started making my own cranberry sauce years ago after I moved to British Columbia, Canada, where cranberries can be bought fresh from the market since they are grown and harvested here. I was surprised at how simple and easy this sauce is to make. The vibrant Christmas red of the cranberries add an interesting flare of color to a Christmas meal and the flavour is an intriguing mix of mostly sweet and and a little tart. To add to the fun, the fresh cranberries make a festive popping sound as they cook.
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Part 1 Of 5 Part Christmas Dinner Series: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Corn-Free, Hazelnut And Mandarin Stuffing
This rice based stuffing has been a favourite of our family for a few years. It is infused with the rich flavour of hazelnuts and tangy sweetness of mandarin oranges combined with a light olive oil of your choice. It is relatively simple to make and provides a rich source of flavour within the turkey as it roasts, adding to the pan drippings which will be used in the gravy.
