TILT - Sweet Snack Edition!

In this edition (edition #2 if you are counting) of Things I Love Thursdays I'll be giving you a quick peek into some of the awesome gluten free snack foods I've found and loved over the last 4 years of gluten-freedom.  I figured I'd focus on the sweet tooth side of the house...well, because currently that's what I'm craving!

Yay!!

Get excited with me!!

Ok, so it's not that exciting for most...but if you are new to the gluten free world and feeling lost without your fav snack goodies...then this really IS exciting!

So without further ado (and because I need to high tail my behind to bed before work tonight)...here are some of my favorite gluten free sweet snacks (note, they are not all vegan...I have gluten free kids too that are not vegan).

I was recently inspired by Heather at Kiss My Broccoli to take a closer look at the KIND granola I've been spying on the commissary shelves...finally, when I saw this flavor at TJ Maxx I knew it was kismit and had to pick it up...thankfully I did because it turned into this...

That would be fresh figs from my CSA that were delivered fresh to my door yesterday with some of this yogurt (also a fav snack)...

Along with some of this protein powder mixed in (great for snack-like smoothies!)...

There was also a banana and possibly a bit of this sprinkled on top...for good measure (great for snacking cinnamon toast with GF bread!)...

This healthful snack was sorely needed after I completed a long brick workout (meaning I rode my bike and then got off and ran...my legs felt like bricks, hence the name)...20 mile ride, 5 mile run...it was hot, I was hungry...but I feel ready for my race next weekend!

I also snacked on one of these bad boys along the way...get them, they are like crack...not that I would actually know, but you get the darn point!

After the grueling, hot workout I acted a bit juvenile and cooled off for a minute...can you blame me??

 

Ok...a bit offtrack...back to the snacks!!

These bad boys get me through many cravings for something sweet and quick...see, not just for kids!

They make gluten free grown ups happy too!

Another great cookie is by Enjoy Life...they make great GF treats but we love these little lemon guys, they are tiny and totally scrumptious!

Alright, lastly...again cause naptime is calling my name...my kiddos fav snack that I though was lost forever in gluten land...ice cream sandwiches!!  Before I figured out how to make my own I found these goodies at Whole Foods and was super stoked!!

 

Sorry about the sideways-ness of the pic...the tired girl is winning over the OCD girl here and I'm not turning it!  Besides, it doesn't change the flavor of these yum-o treats...so get to it already and buy some!


That's all for today folks...no recipe today since I'm still trying to perfect a few...I'll get some out soon!  Have a great day and this tired girl is heading to dreamland!

No longer a carnivore...week one in pictures

AHHHHmazing GFV Ice Cream Sandwich

It's been almost one week since I started this vegan quest with my best friend Bex in order to take control of my health and huge risk factors related to cancer and high cholesterol. I'll admit I was skeptical and a bit nervous about the huge change to my diet and to my lifestyle. I'm already gluten free (for over 2 years now) so taking away another huge component of my diet was a daunting task. But armed with knowledge, recipes, and a healthy dose of motivation I embarked upon the week with a sense of adventure and a desire to cook up some good gluten free vegan (GFV) grub. Monday was the weekly bed date and Bex had the fabulous idea of "tuna" melts...so I scoured for recipes and finally settled upon this fabulous recipe from Happy Herbivore. I had also picked up some GFV chocolate chip cookie dough and Bex again came up with the idea to make them into ice cream sandwiches (with coconut milk chocolate ice cream). As you can see from the picture above, they turned out amazing. As did the tuna melts...we were off to a great start.

Although I can't map out every meal of the week, I can show you some pics of the goodness that ensued.

Pesto stuffed portabella mushrooms...I made the pesto in the Cuisinart. Lots of basil, olive oil, garlic, almonds, nutritional yeast...all pureed and mixed with vegan Daiya mozzarella cheese and stuffed into a cleaned out portabella mushroom and baked. Served them over quinoa cooked in No Chik'n Bouillon. Amazing meal!

I then used the Cuisinart again (it may be my favorite GFV appliance) to make vegan chocolate pudding. I then made almost a game out of it at work by making nearly every nurse taste it and try to guess what it was made out of (avocado). Only one nurse got it (go Jenny!). It was so, so yummy...really took care of any chocolate craving I could have possibly had...but small doses, because it's rich!

The above skillet concoction is a fair representation of how most of my meals for the week looked. Basically I just threw veggies and tofu into the skillet with whatever spices I fancied and possibly of soyrizo...and then plated it over rice, quinoa, or potatoes. Or maybe I was feeling adventurous and wrapped it in a corn tortilla (rice and beans are a fav...or my own GFV chili).

GFV french toast. Gluten free bread soaked in coconut milk egg nog and mashed banana, then pan "fried". Seriously amazing...didn't even require syrup!

Cashew "sour cream" served over my GFV chili or portabella mushroom fajitas was a total hit! So much so that you can see the finger tracks through the bowl!

Not everything I made this week was from scratch. This banana bread was so simple. Just add some Ener G egg replacer, warm water, and 2 mashed bananas...and voila! Amazing, moist, fresh GFV banana bread straight from the oven. It's really, really good!

So that about wraps up my first week as a non carnivore. Here's hoping the rest of the weeks ahead are as flavorful and fun!