Why I blog- The Virtual Tour

The other day I looked at Face Book and noticed that Amy Kathleen Kelsch from a blog called The Mindful Shopper  had passed on the Virtual Tour Baton to three other bloggers . What I didn't realize at first was that I was one of them! 

This was such a nice surprise especially since I've only recently been introduced to Amy's inspiring blog. The Mindful Shopper is a blog-style shopping website created by Amy Kathleen Kelsch, an expert at finding special items- something for all budgets, personalities, and styles. Her blog is fun and uplifting with lots of beautiful color and photos. I enjoyed reading through her Father's Day suggestions and many of her other posts! I was introduced to so many interesting shopping ideas that I would never of even known about! If you haven't dropped by her blog, I'm sure it is one that you will enjoy. The Mindful Shopper 


                                                   

The Virtual Tour is a weekly blogger's event where bloggers are invited by other bloggers to participate. They then share about themselves and then pass the baton on to three others bloggers who share about themselves and then pass on the baton again etc.. 

It is  an opportunity for my readers to get a peek into who I am, to learn a little about my life, and  understand more about my mission for my blog. Blogging is a big part of my life right now- I meet wonderful people and make great connections. Thank you Amy for inviting me to participate. 
Each of the bloggers participating  focus on answering the same four questions.

                                                     


Here are the questions: 

Question #1 What am I working on?

At present I am working on a few things. I am planning a series for my blog called
Healty Meals Made Easy. I know that we all want to eat well, but it is difficult to find the time to shop, prepare and cook every night. The ideas in the series will focus on making cooking easier and healthier. In addition, I'm working on adding weekly feature called Informative Friday which will highlight valuable cutting edge articles that I find during the week about healing, healthy eating, GMO's, and healthy lifestyle.  Finally, I am working on a real food simplified cookbook that I hope to complete by Thanksgiving.

                                                    

(2) How Does My Work Differ From Others Of Its Genre?
I am a gluten free blogger. However, my blog differs from other gluten free blogs in that all my recipes are vegetarian and I only use real food ( as opposed to processed food) . I take great pride to develop ways I can make real food taste great and still take into consideration my readers busy schedules. I give tips on how to get in and out of the kitchen quickly while providing healthy nourishing meals for one's family. I also use "normal" ingredients that are easily accessible and affordable.

                                               

(3) Why Do I Write What I Do?
I initially started to write by my blog to help me organize and keep track of my recipes and provide an electronic place for family members to find my recipes. It didn't take long before I realized that there were many others out there whom were also looking for healthy, easy to make, gluten free recipes. Many families seem to be interested in cutting down on the amount of meat in their menus.  The recipes on my blog seemed to be a perfect fit!

                                                   

4 How does my writing process work? 

Every recipe that I make has a story, and I love to share it's story with my readers. I very seldom use a recipe from a cookbook;  I  usually develop my own recipes. For me it's a creative activity.  I start by visiting the market or local farm. The produce talks to me and it inspires ideas! I come home and begin my masterpieces. Once I develop a recipe, it's easy for me to write about. I simply share its story. Sometimes, I'm surprised how one of my simplest recipes becomes one of the favorites and most looked at on the blog. 

thank you Amy for giving me the opportunity to participate in the Virtual Tour. 

It's time for me to pass on the Baton to three other Bloggers ! 

I'm Passing the Baton this week to:

Deborah Davis- Deborah's blog is called Urbane Natural. She says it was developed to help inform and shape your path to living healthy, green and natural by design. I find so many wonderful ideas on Deborah's blog. It's fun and uplifting!

Diane - Diane's Blog is called Simple Living and Eating. She says it is a blog about living and eating in harmony with the planet through seasonal eating with the Mediterranean Diet and Traditional cooking. Diane emphasizes simplifying your life and deciding what's most important to you. I love Diane's recipes and interesting posts.

Deb in Hawaii- Deb's blog is called Kahakai Kitchen. Deb shares absolutely beautiful photos and healthy food recipes. Deb lives in Hawaii and says that her blog is about cooking, eating, and living ( mostly healthy) in Paradise. I love her writing style and her unique posts. 

Please visit all of the blogs that I have passed on the Baton too. They are all favorites of mine!
Pin It Please leave a comment so I know you stopped by. Scroll down to the end of the post and click on comments.

French Lemon Artichoke Soup

This lemony lip smacking mixture of artichokes, onions, celery, zucchini, and young potatoes is a delectable soup could be the Middle Eastern version of French ratatouille- same idea- different ingredients. Cooked until soft and blended, this thick"chamid" is often eaten over rice.

 

To make this dish a complete meal, just add 1 cup of cooked chick peas and eat over rice.

The very first time I tasted "chamid" was at my mother in law's house when I was first dating my husband. I was nineteen years old  and had never tasted anything like it. 

My husband- to- be's family was Middle Eastern  but cooked, what was to my palate, very unusual flavors. My husband's family lived in a Middle Eastern country that spoke French and ate many French dishes.   

My background was of Eastern European descent and my mother cooked with spices such as sweet paprika, onion powder and garlic powder as flavorings in her food. While my mother- in- law to be used lots of fresh garlic, fresh onions, ground cumin, fresh lemon juice and turmeric in her food. 

It was love at first bite for me. 

                                    

My mother- in- law origianlly made "Chamid " for a variety of reasons.

1. She was a new immigrant in the United States, had a big family to feed and had to really stretch a dollar. "Chamid" can be made rather frugally and satiate a large family.
2. It's healthy and loaded with vegetables, turmeric, garlic, and onions- all things that are full of antioxidants which are needed to boost the immune system. 
3. It just tastes so darn good. The lemony flavor and the bright yellow color are so inviting and delicious.  (I make my "chamid" vegetarian; My mother- in- law uses chicken stock as a base for her "chamid" )

So there you have it - a delicious, satisfying, health giving real food recipe that's frugal to boot. Eat it over cooked rice or cooked quinoa and add chick peas if you want to serve as a meal. 

Ingredients; 
3 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped fine or pressed.
2 onions, diced
5 stalks of celery ,diced
2 potatoes,  diced ( any kind)
1/2 zucchini , sliced in thin half moon 
1/2 bag of frozen artichokes ( Trader Joe's or any brand)
Vegetable broth for sautéing 
1 teaspoon Turmeric- so healthy for you and adds the beautiful color 
Salt and pepper to taste ( after you add the broth- you may not need salt) 
1/2 cup  freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups water 
3 cups vegetable broth 
Optional: Add cooked cooked chickpeas to make this a complete meal
Beware: Turmeric stains. Do not get it on a tablecloth or your clothes.

Directions: Sautee the garlic, onions, and celery in a little vegetable broth until translucent. Add the potatoes, zucchini, and frozen artichokes and continue to sautee for about 5 minutes. Add the water, broth, turmeric, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed  lemon juice. Cover and cook ( stirring frequently)on low covered until all vegetables are soft ( stir often) add a mixture of water and lemon if more liquid is needed. This makes a rich, but meager amount of soup. It is best eaten over rice like a stew.  
 We love it over a cup of cooked Jasmine Rice..

                          

May be shared on a few of the following    blog carnivals,  Food of the World for June and 

To see the many other healthy gluten free recipes, healthy living tips, kitchen and blogging ideas that I pin each day, follow me on Pinterest Gluten Free A-Z  and Twitter .


Pin It  Click here to view more details Please leave a comment so I know you stopped by. Scroll down to the end of the post and click on comments.

Grain Free Peanut Butter Blender Muffins

Whichever diet you follow, Paleo, grain free, gluten free, or flourless-, these delicious peanut butter muffins are perfect for everyone. AND This recipe is made in the blender, which makes it so fast and simple , you could whip up a batch in the morning before work. It's made with only 5  ingredients and makes 6 regular muffins or 12 mini muffins. I really like the recipe because you don't have to mess with all kinds of gluten free flours ( it's flourless) . Even if you are not gluten free, you and your family will love them.

The other day my friend Seraphine came over for lunch. Seraphine is an excellent cook and although she and her family are not gluten free, she likes to limit the amount of wheat her family eats.I knew these muffins would be perfect to serve to her. I was really pleased when she raved about them and  asked for the recipe.


It seems that many people are trying to cut back on wheat or grains for a variety of health reasons. Some are following lower carbohydrate diets for weight loss , some want to limit the amount of flour and sugar in their diet to regulate stable blood sugars, others feel that grain and flour is unhealthy, and yet others need to follow a gluten free diet as I do.
Pin It

It seems no matter what the health problem, reducing or eliminating sugar and flour is part of the answer. It makes sense. We are a nation that eats way too much sugar and way too many processed products made with flour. We are also a nation where diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure are on the rise; and they all respond to changes in diet.

Homemade flourless snacks are a better alternative than store bought packaged products, especially when they are this easy to make.



The muffins are light and spongy and very flavorful. I especially feel good serving them to my grandkids ( who are not gluten free, but adore these muffins). I like them because they are high in protein, low in sugar, and rich in healthy fats. It's a nutrient rich snack for everyone.

You could make them with many variations as well.

• Use any kind of nut butter (natural  almond butter worked the best for me- if you use peanut butter, use the natural -not real smooth commercial kind) ) 
• Use Sun Butter 
• Add raisins
• Cocoa powder - 1/4 cup cocoa powder) + 2 Tablespoons almond or coconut milk) 
• Chocolate chips ( ok , anything rocks with chocolate) 

Author: Judee Algazi at Gluten Free A-Z Blog
Prep Time: 5- 10 minutes
Bake Time: 8-10 minutes
Makes: 12 mini muffins or 5 regular muffins

Ingredients: 
1/2 cup natural almond butter or peanut butter ( almond butter worked best for me)
1 medium ripe banana
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of organic coconut crystals or raw honey
1/4 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
( I like to use coconut crystals because they are a low glycemic sugar alternative) I get them in the health food store, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe's. 

Directions: 
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a muffin tin with cooking oil and set aside.  Place all ingredients in a heavy duty blender like a Vita Mix or Nutri Bullet because the nut butter is thick, or put the nut butter on top,  and blend until very smooth.  Fill 12  mini-muffin cup 3/4 's full or 6 regular muffin tins.  Bake for 8-10 minutes. Double recipe if you want 12 full muffins. 

I am not much of a baker, so when I do bake it's got to be simple, fast, and healthy.
However, I'm trying to add more baked goods to my posts because I think that is what is wanted.
What type of recipes are you looking for? Dinners? Snacks, healthy desserts, menu plans, Breakfast? Other??
It would be very helpful to know what my readers prefer.. Please leave me a comment . 

If you want to read more about the negative affects of grain on our bodies and mind, read Dr. Perlmutter's newest best seller, called Grain Brain and it's surprising truth about carbs, wheat, and sugar.

Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar--Your Brain's Silent Killers

May be shared on a few of the following 

blog carnivals

                                                                                     

Like my recipes and articles? I post lots more on my social media; Follow me on Pinterest Gluten Free A-Z  and Twitter .   Please leave a comment so I can be  introduced to your blog . I will visit you and  I usually follow on G+, Twitter, and Pinterest.

I am an affiliate for Amazon and receive a small compensation if you purchase anything from Amazon by clicking from my site. This helps me defray the cost of running a blog. Thanks for your support.
Pin It Please leave a comment so I know you stopped by. Scroll down to the end of the post and click on comments.

Gluten Free Blueberry Pancakes

Don't these fresh blueberry pancakes look delicious? . I stopped by my friend Peter's house this morning after my early morning walk with his wife, Paula. When we walked into their house, Peter was making fresh gluten free blueberry pancakes! I couldn't believe how good they looked , and how easy they
were to make. Both Peter and his son Aaron are gluten free, and Peter decided
to make a treat for breakfast.

Of course he offered me some,  but as good as they looked I'm not really a pancake lover.
But I didn't forget about my readers.I snapped a few pictures and the name of the gluten free
mix that he used. As you can see from the pictures, the pancakes were nice and plump and
 Peter said they were full of flavor. He added his own fresh blueberries.  They held together nicely
 and could be flipped easily.

 He uses an all natural mix from a company called  Maple Grove Farms. I looked it up on Amazon and it comes in packs of 4
Maple Grove Farms Gluten Free Pancake & Waffle Mix, 16-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 4)
Peter said he has been using it for years, and it makes amazing pancakes.

What kind of pancakes do you make? I sometimes eat my  flourless banana pancakes that are made from 2 ingredients.

May be shared on a few of the following 

blog carnivals

Like my recipes and articles? I post lots more on my social media; Follow me on Pinterest Gluten Free A-Z  and Twitter .

Please leave a comment so I can be  introduced to your blog . I will visit you and  I usually follow on G+, Twitter, and Pinterest. I would love if you followed me as well Follow me as well : Gluten Free A-Z  and Twitter .
Pin It Please leave a comment so I know you stopped by. Scroll down to the end of the post and click on comments.