Tag: recipes

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Seasonal Summer Recipes

Eating with the seasons isn’t just a culinary trend — it’s how our bodies were designed to thrive. When we choose foods that grow naturally in each season, we align with nature’s rhythm, support local agriculture, and nourish our bodies with the nutrients we need most during that time of year.

Summer is all about hydration, antioxidants, and energy. The sun is stronger, our days are longer, and our bodies need more support to stay cool, energized, and protected from oxidative stress.

Looking for healthy seasonal summer recipes? These 5 summer dishes are fresh, hydrating, and super easy to make.

Hydrating Watermelon Mint Salad

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups seedless watermelon, cubed
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Optional: dairy-free feta alternative (like Violife), sprinkle of sea salt
    Instructions:
    Toss all ingredients in a bowl. Chill before serving. Refreshing, hydrating, and great for hot days!
  • Nutritional Highlight: Lycopene for heart & skin health, hydration, vitamin C.

Heirloom Tomato Basil Toast

Ingredients:

  • 2 slices gluten-free bread
  • 1 ripe heirloom tomato, sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, halved
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • Sea salt & black pepper to taste
    Instructions:
    Toast the bread, rub with garlic clove, then drizzle with olive oil. Layer tomato slices and basil. Season and enjoy!
  • Nutritional Highlight: Antioxidants, vitamin K, immune support.

Zucchini Noodle Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium zucchini, spiralized or thinly sliced
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp coconut aminos
  • Sesame seeds & green onions for topping
    Instructions:
    Seasonal Summer Recipes – Gluten, Dairy & Soy Free
    Sauté garlic in oil, then add zucchini and bell pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add coconut aminos, stir well, and serve topped with sesame seeds.
  • Nutritional Highlight: Vitamin A, fiber, blood sugar balance.

Mixed Berry Chia Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup mixed fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
  • 1 cup coconut yogurt
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tsp raw honey or maple syrup
  • Optional: gluten-free granola or chopped nuts
    Instructions:
    Layer yogurt, berries, and chia seeds. Drizzle with honey and top with crunch if desired. Chill 15 minutes to let chia absorb liquid.
  • Nutritional Highlight: Antioxidants, fiber, brain and heart support.

Grilled Corn & Avocado Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 ears fresh organic corn, grilled and kernels removed
  • 1 ripe avocado, diced
  • 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt, pepper, and cilantro to taste
    Instructions:
    Mix all ingredients in a bowl and serve cold or at room temperature. Great as a side or taco topper!
  • Nutritional Highlight: Lutein for eye health, fiber, B vitamins.

I hope your summer is going well and allowing you to enjoy the bounty of fresh foods available to us.

XO,

Terri

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Gluten and Dairy Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

What do the holidays mean to you? For me, the core memories of being with those I love shine through especially brightly at the holiday season.

I am especially reminded of Christmas Eve at my grandmother’s house. There were always meatballs in the crock pot, cookies on a tiered tray (which she always topped with a bow for extra festiveness) and a loud, love-filled house with people coming and going as their schedule allowed. It was a combination of the people there, the foods, and the immense feeling of joy that became intertwined.

When I became a mom, these traditions became even more important for me to pass on. One of our traditions definitely involves baking. The variety of cookies often change but one that is a family favorite is a chocolate crinkle cookie. My mother-in-law introduced us to these and when she did, we were in the thick of a biomedical treatment for our son and his diet was one that did not include gluten, dairy, or soy. So, I took her beloved recipe and I adapted it!

I’m sharing it with you because these are family favorite, in fact, I am signing off to go make a batch to cook up for Christmas eve! (Santa loves these too 😜)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil
4 oz unsweetened chocolate (each ounce consists of 1 tbsp melted coconut oil mixed with 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder)
2 cups crystallized coconut sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups gluten free flour blend
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Powdered sugar for rolling cookies in

Instructions:

  1. Mix oil, chocolate and sugar together in a mixer.
  2. Add one egg at a time until each is thoroughly mixed. Add vanilla.
  3. Add in flour, baking powder and salt into mixture.
  4. Chill overnight.
  5. When ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees, roll by the teaspoonful into balls.
  6. Drop into a small bowl with powdered sugar, roll to coat, place on baking sheet with parchment.
  7. Place about 2″ apart and bake 10 – 12 minutes.
  8. Do not over bake. Makes about 6 dozen.

These are best when eaten fresh. You can save the raw batter and heat up smaller batches over the course of a few days if you prefer.

Feel free to adapt as your special diet dictates. I have not made these with almond flour or coconut flour, but they work so well with just about any 1:1 gluten free baking mix.

Whatever your holidays include, I am wishing all the best for you and your family, at this special time and always.

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Paleo Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Fall is here! The leaves are changing, I dress for fall in the morning, summer by mid-day, and then back to fall in the evening. Can you relate? Maybe my CA and FL friends can’t but if you are feeling the change in weather then I have just the recipe for you.

Or maybe you are just a PSL person, if so, it is win-win!

These paleo muffins are a hit for everyone I have ever served these to. Whether they are used to eating gluten free or for those who have no idea what gluten is, the subtle pumpkin spice flavor and the chocolate chips make everyone fall in love.

This muffin recipe is easy to make, freezes well, and can be adapted to your dietary needs. It uses maple syrup instead of refined, white sugar which has a lower glycemic index and contains some antioxidant nutrients as well. These muffins are higher in protein and contain pumpkin which has beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, and folate! And it is grain free. For some individuals, grains can contribute to inflammation in the body. Nourishing yourself during the fall and winter months with nutrient dense, low sugar foods is an excellent way to use nutrition to support your immune system.

Ingredients:

¾ cup Coconut Flour 

½ cup Pumpkin Puree (canned or homemade) 

¾ cup Maple Syrup 

6 Eggs 

2 heaping teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice 

¾ teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar 

¼ cup Lilly’s Chocolate Chips which use stevia or use your favorite dairy free chocolate chip but that will increase the sugar content

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees & line a muffin tin with 12 parchment baking cups 

2. Combine all ingredients and stir well with a whisk to break up any clumps 

3. Bake 25-30 minutes 

4. Muffins are done when you test with a knife and it comes out clean 

5. Enjoy

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Paleo Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

We live in an interesting growing area. At high elevation, we can get frost and freezes that destroy our gardens if we are not careful. In fact, that actually happened to our tomato plants at the start of the season.

We’ve also gotten a lot of rain this year, like torrential rain. While the streets and flood zones from the fires did not necessarily appreciate that, my garden sure did.

As such, we have 1 zucchini plant that is producing prolifically. In fact, it seems each time we go out and look, we have another huge zucchini ready to be picked!

That means zucchini-everything around here.

I wanted to make zucchini bread although I don’t like to make breads as much as I like to make muffins.

Muffins are easier to cook (less time baking) and I feel like they are more moist as a result of the reduced baking time. And, these are perfect portion sizes where with breads, I am more likely to keep nibbling and not pay attention to exactly how much I am eating.

So if your garden runneth over with zucchini, this can be a great way to get it into even your most veggie-resistant child. Note, these are not necessarily low sugar. You can play with alternatives like maple syrup or swapping out some of the sugar for stevia. You could also use Lily’s Stevia Sweetened Chocolate Chips which are also allergen friendly as a way to cut down the sugar.

Disclosure: I am an Amazon affiliate and as such, the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

You will need:

2 eggs (preferably at room temperature)

1/4 cup almond butter

1/4 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cups almond flour

1/3 cup tapioca flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit .

Line your muffin pans with parchment liners.

Grate 2 cups of zucchini then pour onto a clean kitchen towel, roll up and squeeze the excess moisture out. Unroll the towel and allow the zucchini to dry out further on the counter while you begin making the batter.

In your stand mixer, mix on low eggs, almond butter, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and vanilla

In a another bowl, combine the dry ingredients: almond flour, tapioca flour or arrowroot, baking soda, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix on low until combined. The zucchini adds a lot of moisture so don’t worry that your batter looks thick at this point.

Add your shredded zucchini and chocolate chips, mix until well blended.

For ease and precision, I use an ice cream scoop, to fill muffin tins. But you can use a spoon or spatula to fill them 3/4 of the way. I got 16 muffins out of this recipe.

Bake in your preheated oven for 22-25 minutes or a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool and enjoy!

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Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Peach Dump Cake

Have you ever made a dump cake? I will be honest, I had never even heard of a dump cake!

But, when I found myself hosting impromptu guests for dinner, I wanted to have a delicious dessert to end our meal.

That’s when I found out about dump cakes.

They are notoriously easy to make, you do just what the name implies, dump everything into a baking dish. Seriously.

And what is better in summer than something with peaches?!?

You will need:

45 – 60 oz peaches (canned, fresh, or frozen)

1 tbsp organic cornstarch

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup coconut oil (hardened)

1/2 c sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 gluten-free flour blend – don’t have one you love? Here is my recipe that I use.

1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly grease a 9×13 pan with coconut oil.

Place peaches into the greased pan. Toss with cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well mixed. Sprinkle over the top of the peaches evenly. Sprinkle brown sugar on top.

Use a cheese grater or 2 knives to roughly grate the hardened coconut oil. Sprinkle grated oil over the top of the cake mix layer.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until golden.

Helpful Tips:

You can use fresh, frozen, or canned peaches. I used organic canned peaches in pure juice. Syrup will provide additional sugar content to the recipe so beware. You can rinse off canned peaches that have been canned in syrup for better results.

I drained some of the cans I used but I didn’t drain them all. I found that the liquid helped make the cake not so dry.

If you are using frozen peaches, let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes prior.

The nature of dump cakes make it hard to spread the flour mixture evenly. If you have high spots, they may not mix with liquids and remain raw. I used the back of a spoon so smooth out the high spots and make the cake even. That’s where the juice from the peaches came in handy. If you notice dry spots while baking, use a spoon to flatten it out so it can absorb some liquids. 

The great thing about this recipe is that you can swap the fruit for ones that work for your needs / allergens / intolerances. Just be mindful of the liquid content and plan / adapt accordingly. I made this with pineapple also and it worked great. Berries would probably work as well but you may find you need to add more liquid.

I hope you enjoy!

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My Favorite Gluten-Free Flour Blend

If you cook or bake gluten-free then you know the importance of a great flour blend.

When I look at recipes, I focus on what we want to eat and convert the recipes as needed.

Eating gluten-free or dairy-free shouldn’t hamper what you can or can’t eat.

Now, this is coming from a person who is down the road on a gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free diet for over 15 years, it wasn’t always so.

I used to eat based on what was available for my son. It took years to have the confidence to recreate family favorites or new recipes I wanted to try.

Which is exactly why I am sharing this information with you. I want others to have an easier time of it than I did.

So, here is my blend for a terrific 1:1 flour mix that has worked great for me for many years.

Recipe:

Gluten-free Flour Blend

You will need:

1 c rice flour

3/4 c tapioca starch

1/4 c sorghum flour

1 tsp xantham gum

Mix all together and store in an airtight container in a cool place. Use as you would any flour for recipes.

Enjoy and if you use this blend in your cooking or baking, I’d love to hear how it goes for you so please post in the comments below.

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Maple Glazed Carrots

This is a great springtime recipe!

It is gluten, dairy, and soy free and is lower histamine.

Ingredients

  • 1 -1/2 lbs organic carrots, diced
  • 1/4 cup organic coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup organic, grade B maple syrup

Directions

Place carrots into a pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Drain and transfer carrots to a serving bowl.

You can drizzle the maple syrup on the warm carrots or you can briefly sauté for a slightly caramelized flavor.

Enjoy!

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GFCF Keto-Friendly Chocolates

Valentine’s Day is almost here!

Everywhere you look it is a veritable minefield of chocolatey treats!

Over the years as we have refined our diets based on individual need and looked at reducing processed and high-sugar things in our diet, it was challenging to celebrate and stay on track nutritionally.

But, we learned how to adapt and honor our bodies and our needs while being festive and celebratory!

I wanted to share a recipe I have used for many years now that can be adapted to whatever your tastes are. You can easily create treats for your loved ones that are completely sugar free – or you can adapt them and use a different sweetener like organic maple syrup, coconut sugar or nectar, or monk fruit, etc. It really is based on your taste preference.

You simply melt the coconut oil, mix with equal amounts cocoa or cacao and your desired sweetener (like stevia) to taste and pour into molds.

These do have more of a dark chocolate feel so if you are looking for a more milk chocolate version, this is not it.

And because it uses coconut oil which is liquid at 78 degrees, you will want to store these in the refrigerator.

But, for those on a low/no sugar diet, those just wanting to limit their sugar intake, these make for a nice option.

For those who don’t need a sugar-free version, you can also melt allergen-friendly chocolate chips (Enjoy Life is my preferred brand) in a double boiler and pour into molds as well.

Being on a special diet doesn’t mean missing out on holidays or treats!

I’d love to hear what you think. If you make these, please comment below how they turned out and how you customized them.

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