This julienne slicer is the tool that changed my life.  I love to chop, and I can chop very well.  I am able to slice vegetables quite thin and enjoy doing so; I find this practice meditative, in fact.

However, this hand held julienne slicer has revolutionized chopping in my kitchen.  Before I had it I was not able to slice carrots so delicately.  My children love to eat the veggies that I slice with this kitchen tool.  Try it yourself.  You just might have a new favorite toy!

Today was very busy.  I was interviewed on 9 News this morning and had a lot of fun with the host Denise discussing my gluten free cookbook and the goodies that I brought on set.  Unfortunately, I do not have the link to this segment yet.

I also was happy to see my book, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook reviewed on one of my favorite web sites this past weekend, designsponge.com!  That was a wonderful surprise.

If you're on Facebook, come on over and take a look at the Elana's Pantry page.

Purely Decadent's Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Ice Cream

This is my family's favorite ice cream.  I'd have to say they like it quite a bit more than my homemade Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream.

When I posted that recipe last week, several people asked if I had heard of various brands of store bought vegan, gluten free ice creams.  Yes, I have and here it is.  Purely Decadent comes in quite a few flavors and I can attest that each one I have tasted is delicious.

Many people also asked if I had ever made coconut ice cream from scratch.  In fact, I have been making it for the last few years and my boys love it.  They are big coconut eaters and I will post the recipe for my Coconut Ice Cream recipe in the next few weeks.

Although it is supposed to be ice cream weather, we have had day after day of rain here in Boulder.  The creek is little higher every time we walk down to it.  The grey weather has been quite soothing, though the boys are home from school on summer vacation and going just a tad stir crazy.

As for the winner of last weeks Freebie Friday... Gabrielle Dodd has won a copy of Elizabeth Hasselbeck's G-Free Diet.  Hooray for Gabrielle!

Coconut flour is my new favorite flour. I have been experimenting with it for a while --that would be more than 2 years. During this time I have come up with some delicious recipes that lend themselves perfectly to coconut flour.

This flour is a bit lighter than almond flour, which makes it perfect for cakes, muffins and breads. Further, it is gluten free, high in fiber and low in carbohydrates, making it an ideal ingredient for celiacs, diabetics and those concerned with GI (glycemic index).

I have not found coconut flour available for sale in stores in my area to date. I order mine online from WIlderness Family Naturals.

During the next few weeks, I will be debuting some of my coconut flour recipes, including my favorites for blueberry muffins, vanilla cupcakes and devil's food cake. As with my other recipes, these use just one type of flour (rather than the complex combination typical of many gluten free creations) and are lightly sweetened with agave.

Please note: coconut flour and almond flour have very different properties; substituting one for the other in my recipes will not work.

With more time in the kitchen during the holidays, several people have asked me about cookware, specifically, pots and pans.

As you read through the list of items below, keep in mind that stocking your kitchen need not be an overnight process. You can invest slowly and build your own "dream team" set of pots and pans over the years. I received mine as wedding presents more than a decade ago and appreciate them anew every time I cook.

I use my All-Clad Stainless on a daily basis and my inexpensive, cast-iron cookware, nearly as often. Below is a guided tour of my pots and pans and hopefully, helpful hints as to how to stock your kitchen.

Pots
All-Clad ½ Quart Saucepan
All-Clad 2 Quart Saucepan
All-Clad 4 Quart Saucepan
All-Clad 12 Quart Stockpot

Pans
All-Clad 8 Inch Fry Pan
All-Clad 12 Inch Fry Pan
All-Clad 4 Quart Sauté Pan

I enjoy using cast iron for roasting nuts and seeds; below are my favorite size pans. Brand is irrelevant when it comes to cast iron; this type of cookware is heavy duty, inexpensive and long-lasting.

Cast Iron Cookware
9 Inch Skillet
10½ Inch Griddle

If you are a bride to be figuring out how to stock your kitchen or what to put on your bridal registry, the above list is a good place to start in terms of basic, useful pots and pans.

Happy Holidays!

This condiment is a family favorite. We drizzle it on everything from kale to chicken. It adds a wonderful, nutty Asian flavor to dishes. I consider it a kitchen staple.

My younger son especially likes toasted sesame oil and in his enthusiasm, sometimes tries to dump half the bottle on his steamed broccoli. In order to make him think twice before pouring with a heavy hand and drowning his greens, I warn that he must finish all he puts on his plate if he wants dessert!

His ambitious venture: to launch a chain of environmentally friendly clothing stores. I was in.

His concept included minimalist stores constructed of recycled materials which would sell 100% organic cotton clothing; the pièce de résistance --the company would donate 5% of every sale to a non-profit organization.

The first Nau store opened in Boulder in March, 2007. Three more have opened since and several additional locations are slated to open across the country in 2008.

Their fabulous website offers products based on their design philosophy of beauty, performance and sustainability. My husband and I each purchased a few pieces of clothing and find them comfortable, durable and hip. I bought the shirt above and wear it far too often.

Boulder is often called the "Mount Olympus" of the organic food industry. Boulder's Best Organics, a web based business, provides a pantheon of locally made products including soaps, chocolate, wine and tea.

This company offers a convenient way to ship a Rocky Mountain gift basket to far off friends and relatives who need a fix of Boulder. When my friend Stephanie had her baby, I sent a basket of postpartum pampering treats including lotion, chocolate and wine.

My favorites are orange and raspberry jam, though they come in a large variety including rose hip, which is quite tasty as well.

Update: This product has been renamed Rigoni di Asiago. It is still the same product and I continue to enjoy using it. However, the Italian company bought out their American subsidiary and are using the Italian name for the product.

I am addicted to my tube wringer. It drives my husband crazy. Even though we have our own toothpastes, I get out the tube wringer and squeeze every last drop out of his tube before I let him throw it away. I use it as well for ointments and other products that come in a tube. I don't like to waste!

I found out about this from my friend Mary whose husband is a painter. He had one of these metal tube wringers and I decided to get one for home. Try it and see. The manufacturer claims you'll get 35% more product out of each tube. What I know is that my kids think it's a pretty nifty gadget and argue over whose turn it is to wring the tube.

Click on the photo to buy your own mouth puckering bottle.