Have you ever tasted kelp noodles? They’re different. And delicious.

Lately, I’ve been eating more than my fair share of kelp noodles and I have to say I’m enjoying them immensely. They’re my new favorite food. We eat these low carb gluten free noodles several nights a week with dinner. And did I say they’re delicious? Oh yes, I did.

What are kelp noodles? They’re simply noodles made from kelp seaweed. I believe I first heard about kelp noodles from Kelly of The Spunky Coconut. It took me a few months to get around to actually purchasing them after she told me about their various benefits; since then these gluten free Paleo noodles have changed my life.

You see, I hadn’t had a noodle for at least 6 months, since last fall, when I gave up legumes. Up until that point I had been indulging in these gluten free black bean noodles that Alexa from Lexie’s Kitchen had recommended to me.

Here’s how I personally prepare my kelp noodles:

Please note: kelp noodles have a crunchy texture that is different than that of traditional pasta.

Have you ever eaten kelp noodles? If so, when did you first hear about them? Did they change your life the way they changed mine? Do your children fight over them with you?

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In my opinion nature’s bounty of beautiful, nutritious vegetables is completely underrated.  And beets are a perfect example of this.  They brighten up any meal with their gorgeous earthy reddish-purple color and are highly nutritious to boot.

We eat beets in my house about once a week (our fave veggies are kale and broccoli, not a day goes by without those brassicas at our table, in fact tonight we’re having both, along with this grilled lemon chicken dish).   So, back to beets.  This root vegetable is thought to have nutrients that contain both antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.  The nutrients in beets are also thought to assist in detoxification.  That’s not why we eat beets though, we just like ‘em.  They’re delicious and super easy to prepare!

Roasted Balsamic BeetsNote: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.
3-4 medium beets
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt

1. Wash beets, scrubbing well to remove any dirt
2. Cut beets into 4 to 6 wedges
3. Place beets in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish
4. Drizzle vinegar, oil and salt on top of beets
5. Cook at 375° for one hour (covered), then 15 minutes (uncovered), until almost fork tender
6. Serve

The variety of beets pictured above are not the norm in color when it comes to beets.  Most beets found in the grocery or health food store, are a nice purplish red through and through.  These just happen to be a variety I picked up (and cooked and photographed) last summer from the Boulder farmer’s market.

In case you prefer eating your beets in dessert form, here’s a link to my Purple Velvet Torte (made of beets and chocolate).  And in case you haven’t had your fill of plain old chocolate, check out my Easy Black and White Cake.

In Ayurveda, beets are said to be healing to the Vata and Kapha doshas.  They are tolerated by Pitta best when cooked.

Here are some more gluten free recipes using beets:
-Beet & Spinach Salad from Gluten Free for Good
-Sauteed Beets from Deliciously Organic
-Orange Glazed Beets CrockPot Recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking

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Stuffing. Gluten free stuffing, no less.  While I generally find stuffing to be a time consuming and complex dish to make, I have chosen one that is on the easier side; though be forewarned, I would hardly call this dish easy.

This gluten free stuffing recipe is based on one I found by Sara Foster at Bon Appétit.  It has all the components of a good stuffing recipe: bread (gluten free of course in this case), onions, celery, chicken broth, and eggs.  For me, these ingredients are the foundation for a variety of delicious stuffing options.

Cranberry Apple StuffingNote: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.
½ cup dried cranberries (fruit juice sweetened)
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup grapeseed oil or olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
2 medium granny smith apples, cored and chopped into 1 inch cubes (about 2 cups)
½ cup finely chopped Italian parsley
1 loaf Paleo Bread or Gluten Free Bread 2.0, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 eggs
1 teaspoon celtic sea salt

1. Soak dried cranberries in chicken broth for 1-2 hours
2. Heat grapeseed oil in a large skillet, over medium heat
3. Saute onion until soft, about 15 minutes
4. Add celery and saute for 10 more minutes
5. Add apple and parsley and saute for 3 minutes, until apples just begin to soften
6. Transfer mixture to a very large bowl
7. Bake bread cubes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for 5-10 minutes at 350°
8. Cool bread cubes for 20 minutes after removing from oven
9. Stir bread cubes into vegetable mixture
10. Whisk eggs and salt into cranberry-chicken broth mixture
11. Add egg-cranberry mixture to stuffing, tossing to combine
12. Transfer stuffing to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish
13. Bake stuffing at 350° uncovered until cooked through and browned on top, about 40 minutes
14. Let stand 10-15 minutes
15. Serve

Here are some other gluten-free stuffing recipes you might enjoy:

-Caramelized Onion and Cornbread Stuffing from Carrie of Deliciously Organic
-Wild Rice Stuffing from Ali of Nourishing Meals
-Perfect Homemade Stuffing CrockPot Recipe from Stephanie of A Year of Slow Cooking

Now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. The winner of the Vitamix 5200 Blender is Autumn! Congratulations Autumn!

I wanted to thank everyone who commented and shared their favorite Vitamix recipe (or what they would make with a Vitamix). I also wanted mention that Vitamix will be holding a huge factory sale at their facility on November 20th in Olmsted Falls, as well as special deals online.

Have a great weekend everyone!

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We’re back in town after an amazing vacation and I just can’t get enough grilled veggies. These grilled portabella mushrooms are my husband’s favorite.

I’ve been grilling everything though –zucchini, broccoli and lots of chicken. I’ll be posting a recipe for grilled broccoli before summer’s end. My grill is getting a really good workout these days!

Grilled Portabella MushroomsNote: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.
3 large portabella mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon celtic sea salt

1. Clean mushrooms and cut off stems
2. Rub mushrooms with olive oil
3. Grill 4-5 minutes on each side
4. Serve

My husband and I had an amazing 7 days in Napa last week, then spent 4 days in Davis attending book signings and my 25th high school reunion. During the Napa portion of our program, we left the boys with my Mom and Dad in Davis, California (my hometown) where they had their fill of tennis, screen time and Fruity Pebbles (which are apparently gluten free according to my mother). Needless to say they were spoiled and so were we.

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So, the month o’ cupcakes is over here at Elana’s Pantry and none too soon.  I’m totally ready to hit the green veggies and today I have a nice roasted asparagus recipe for you all.  We are growing asparagus in our garden, though it takes about 3 years for it yield anything, so we’ve got a bit of a wait on our hands for actual productivity.

Gluten Free Girl has a wonderful post on an Asparagus Frittata, so you may want to check that out if you’re in the mood for asaparagus alternatives.

In terms of the nutritional value of asparagus, I was not fully aware of its super food status until reading the wikipedia article. Here’s what wiki has to say:

Asparagus is low in calories and is very low in sodium. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium and zinc, and a very good source of dietary fiber, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, rutin, niacin, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese and selenium.

Wow! That’s a lot for such a stalky green!

How to Roast AsparagusNote: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.
1 bunch of asparagus
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ – ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt

1. Trim dried parts from bottom of asparagus stalks, removing ½ an inch
2. Line asparagus spears side-by-side, in a single layer, in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish
3. Drizzle with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt
4. Give the pan a few shakes to roll the asparagus a half-turn
5. Roast in an oven at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes, remove from oven when tips start to brown
6. Cool a few minutes, then serve

I based this recipe on an article I found at ehow.com on how to roast asparagus. You can check that out too if you’re in the mood for more detail –I like to keep things short and sweet.

If you are in Los Angeles on June 12th I will be doing a book signing at Erewhon Natural Foods from 1-2:30pm.  Hope to see all of you Californians there!

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This is an R rated post.  You may not want to open it in front of children.

How could eggplant not be appropriate for all audiences?  Well, that’s not the problem.  It’s The Tipping Point. That’s the problem.  I read the book during the winter holidays.  It was great, completely interesting and had been on my reading list for a couple of years.

Unfortunately, last night I gave it to my 10 year old son to peruse.  Why did I do such a thing?  We were talking about his school report (on Paul Revere) and I mentioned to him that there was some good information on Revere in The Tipping Point.

I gave him the book to read at bed time and the next thing you know he was asking me, “Mommy, what is that disease, syphilis?”

“It’s just a disease like heart disease.”  I simply responded.  I don’t like to go into detail with the boys on subjects I feel are not age appropriate. He seemed satisfied.

I continued to cuddle with my little boy and the older one walked into the room a few minutes later, “Mom, what’s crack cocaine?” he asked.

Baffled as to what to say, I answered him, “honey, I gave you an inappropriate book to read that has information on sex and drugs.  After I tuck in your brother, I’ll find the parts about Paul Revere and you will not have to read anything else.”  He and his brother chuckled at my blunder and he walked out with a little grin.

I went into his room a few minutes later and we searched the book’s index, finding the relevant material.

The next night at bedtime when we were all discussing what we were going to read he said, “Mommy, I’m not reading The Tipping Point, it’s not appropriate, I have a better book, it’s Daddy’s and it’s called Buzzmarketing.”

Ha!  Might be time for a trip to the library for some age appropriate materials.  Luckily dinner went better than other things.  Here’s one of the items that I prepared.  There wasn’t a drop left at the end of the meal.  Nice to know I can still do something right.

Simple Eggplant CaponataNote: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.
1 medium eggplant, diced into ½-inch cubes (leave skin on)
½ cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2 tablespoons kalamata olives, sliced in half
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt

1. In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, tomatoes, olives, olive oil and salt
2. Transfer mixture to a (9×13) glass oven proof baking dish
3. Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes until eggplant is tender
4. Serve

Serves 4

This dish is quick and easy.  I got the idea for it the other day when my friend Martha said she had roasted eggplant with tomatoes and olives at a holiday party.  It sounded delectable and I was off to the races.

I think any kind of olives would work well in this delicious roasted vegetable dish.  Enjoy!

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Gluten-Free Girl recently announced she is with child.

Out here in Colorado, I have big news as well. Our pet house-bunny was neutered today. After humping every stuffed animal and slipper in the house, we took him to the vet only to discover that contrary to what the Humane Society had told us when we adopted him from their shelter, all of his reproductive capacities were fully intact.

Now, I know this is not the usual subject matter around here and it is even bordering on PG. Probably not a very appetizing way to begin a food post either. However, it was 70 degrees today and everyone has spring fever. Except bunny. He is hunkered down is his cage mourning the loss of his manhood. Alas, population control prevails. After all, you know what they say about rabbits.

Now, onto something more appetizing. Stuffed mushrooms. This classic dish is a favorite of mine, however, I figured I would have to give it up along with cheese –cheese really makes the stuffed mushroom. Happily, I was wrong.

Last week I posted my parsley pesto with sundried tomato recipe. Of late, I have been making stuffed mushrooms using this pesto as the filling. The nuts in the pesto make for a rich and tasty stuffed mushroom. These would be great hors d’oeuvres for a spring baby shower –congrats to Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef!

Gluten Free Stuffed MushroomsNote: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.
1 cup parsley, chopped
½ cup sun dried tomatoes
½ cup pine nuts
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ cup olive oil
1 (8 ounce) package mushrooms

1. In a food processor, place parsley and pulse briefly
2. Add sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice and salt, then pulse until almost smooth
3. Drizzle in olive oil and pulse again briefly to incorporate
4. Remove stems from mushrooms and stuff with pesto
5. Bake at 350° for 30-45 minutes
6. Serve

Serves 4

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In the process of creating this recipe I cooked chestnuts in a variety of ways. I report here: do not bother with the boiling method. This manner of preparation entails the painstaking prying of many little nuts from their shells. During that process I felt like a squirrel –with a knife.

My favorite way, providing both ease and the tastiest results, is the pan roasting method. After you remove the chestnuts from the pan, remove the shells while they are still warm and with a little luck, there will be less prying.

Chestnuts with Brussel SproutsNote: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.
1 pound fresh chestnuts (2 cups)
¼ cup walnut or grapeseed oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds brussel sprouts (4-6 cups), trimmed and cut in half
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt

1. Use a paring knife to score each chestnut
2. Arrange chestnuts in a single layer in a large skillet
3. Toast over a medium flame for 5 to 10 minutes, until shell begins to curl away from nut
4. Remove from heat, partially cool, then peel and discard shells
5. In a large skillet, warm oil over medium heat and add brussel sprouts and garlic
6. Sauté sprouts 5 to 10 minutes, covered, stirring now and then, until lightly browned
7. Add chestnuts to skillet and cook covered additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until sprouts are very brown
8. Stir in salt, sauté an additional 2-3 minutes
9. Serve

Serves 8

I tested this gluten-free Thanksgiving side dish on my husband tonight. As he ate it, he repeatedly stated that he didn’t like chestnuts. At the end of dinner after single-handedly devouring the chestnuts with brussel sprouts, he conceded that maybe chestnuts aren’t so bad and that he might actually like them, as he cleared away the empty serving dish.

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