Category Archives: Breakfast

Teasia Coffee Review + Small Batch Cold Brew Recipe

Coffee is my fuel every day. I have tons of favorite coffee creations – iced coffee, espresso, macchiato and most importantly cold brew. I have worked in many cafés in the past and truly have a good sense of when coffee is super fresh. This is the key to a good cup of coffee. Freshness from the producer, freshness from bean to grind and freshness from brewing.     

Teasia reached out to me again to sample a new product they are now carrying: single origin coffee. This product is high quality, roasted in small batches and sourced from single producers by country. Origins include locations from Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia and a few other countries..

I sampled flavors from Nicaragua, Segovia, Malawi and Costa Rica. All three types are bold, smooth, rich and clearly top quality coffee. I personally feel that the best way to sample a really great bean is using it for a cold brew. By brewing the coffee only in cold water and not exposing it to any heat, it reduces the acid and also avoids the flavor change that occurs when heating grounds. Cold Brew coffee really allows you to taste coffee for what it really is. If done well, sugar and milk may not be needed because the final product is great and the taste is smooth and rarely harsh.

I have included my small batch cold brew recipe below. Feel free to adjust depending on how strong you like your coffee.

Want to give Teasia coffee a try? Check them out on their website here http://teasia.com/our-teas-shop.aspx or Facebook http://www.facebook.com/teasiateas .

Cold Brew

Supplies:

¾ cup freshly ground Teasia Coffee

4 cups water

1 nut milk bag (coffee filter and funnel can be used in a pinch if needed)
Start by adding the fresh ground coffee to the nut milk bag. If you do not have a bag, pour coffee directly in to the container. Next, place the nut bag or grind into a beverage container or pitcher that holds at least 6 cups of liquid or more. Then pour the 4 cups of water into the container slowly mixing with the beans. Seal the container and store in the fridge for at least 24 hours. When complete, remove the bag, squeeze out any extra liquid and discard the grinds. If you are not using a nut milk bag, slowly filter the grinds out using the coffee filter and a funnel.

Serve over ice and enjoy!



La Brea Bakery Bread

A good, sliced gluten-free bread is the hardest thing to find in the gluten-free world. Many of us just stick to one of the few name brands we see in stores but most of them are never that great. I recently received samples from La Brea Bakery. This is an outstanding product and available to buy online!

 La Brea Bakery is the #1 selling artisan bread company in the country. La Brea Bakery created award-winning gluten free breads that taste different than most other options available.

They offer two outstanding flavors.  A classic white that is soft with a thin crust. Also a multi-grain that is soft on the inside with a nutty crust. You can find more about each option here . 

I have sampled a great number of gluten free sliced bread and this product clearly stands out. Has all the characters a gluten-free eater is looking for. The flavor of both option is spot on tasting clean and full of fresh baked flavor. Quality is spot on, clearly coming from an artisan company and not a mass produced item. Slice size is nice, not to big or small, great for toast or sandwich. No air holes in the slices which is always important and hard to find. Both options have an actual crust that has its own character and is part of the loaf. Texture soft, smooth, fluffy and not chewy at all. Toast’s up great and hold’s up to anything I have put on it yet. 

Where to buy:

Amazon Fresh 

Find Store Locations Here

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TIME TO WIN!! #BagelandNutButterBonanza

Undoubtedly, one of the best food combinations is peanut butter and jelly!! It’s time to take this creamy and sweet combination to the next level! Working together with Grinders Nut Butter and Sweet Note Gluten-Free bagels we bring the challenge home to you.

What is your perfect combination? What is the ingredient you add to your classic nut butter sandwich? Think outside the box, no jelly, something new and unique.

Sweet Note Bagels + Grinder Nut Butter + (your pick) = the best sandwich ever!!!

Can you fill in the blank? Think you have the best missing ingredient?? Let’s hear it!! Winner gets a bundle gift of Sweet Note Bagels and Georgia Grinder Nut Butters …. Give it your best try and you may win!!!

A bit more about these two great brands:

Sweet Note Bagels- Finally, a New York Style Bagel that is gluten-free, tree nut-free, soy-free, egg-free, dairy free and more! These bagels come in many flavors and are easy to prep in the oven or microwave. The first gluten-free bagel on the market to be crispy on the outside, soft on the inside but with the New York style texture I grew up with. The best part is this super special product is easy to find Shoprite, CVS, Whole Foods or one of many stores near you. Check out this link to find Sweet Note Bagels in your area Location. You can also have an order shipped to your home with the Online Store. Sweet Note is also donating to Camp Celiac this year where I volunteer. Very happy to have our campers give them a try.

   
 

Georgia Grinders Nut Butter- This company makes a wonderful, home style nut butter. Flavors consist of original almond, honey almond, cashew, no salt butter  and much more. Everything made with the highest quality of ingredients, all-natural and non GMO.I am always looking for healthy (paleo friendly) nut butters and this is one of the few that has no added sugar or oil. I have tasted many all natural almond butter but Georgia Grinders is doing something very special. The nut butters are smooth, cream and filled with flavor. The quality of the ingredients being used shows from the very first taste. Buy online at online store or a store near you. When shopping online use code “guiltfreefoodiecutie”.

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It’s your turn. Come up with your favorite match for this classic sandwich and you could win!! Tell me your third ingredient in a post, blog response or Facebook. Make sure to tag it #BagelandNutButterBonanza

Winner will be announced soon. 

  

 

SUNWARRIOR Review

Shakes have become my healthy meal option on the go. After a good workout or running out the door, my daily routine includes a nutritious shake of some kind. Adding protein to a shake can be difficult since many of the powders on the market are filled with junk and not gluten-free.

Sunwarrior is a clean plant based protein and natural supplement option. Sunwarrior offers a large selection of products with items the are raw, organic or all-natural. Can’t beat an option that is gluten-free, soy free, non-gmo, dairy free and vegan.

Many different options are available:

Classic Protein is made from fermented brown rice. This simple formula is suggested for those with food allergies and our more granola customers.
Warrior Blend is a synergistic combination of pea, goji berry, and hemp proteins with the bonus of medium chain triglycerides from coconut. Warrior Blend has a slightly better amino acid profile and includes the anti-inflammatory power of coconut to speed recovery.

Classic Plus relies on brown rice, pea, quinoa, chia, and amaranth for ancient grain goodness without the gluten or carbs. It has a similar amino acid profile to Warrior Blend, but a slightly different texture and flavor.

Read more about this product or buy online at: https://sunwarrior.com/store/

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Simple Silver Dollar Biscuits 

This was my first attempt at gluten-free biscuits. I think they came out great. I cut the rolled dough into small biscuit shapes instead of normal cut-out style which is why they are called silver dollar.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup gluten-free all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 tablespoon coconut sugar

1 pinch salt

2 tablespoons butter (cut into cubed)

2 oz cream cheese (cut in to cubed)

1/4 milk

Start by mixing the all purpose flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together. Next, cut the cream cheese and butter into the mix until you have a crumbly mixture. Then, slowly kneed the milk into the mix. Once mixed well, roll into a log about 2 inches in diameter and ten inches long. Slice log into round disks about 1 1/2 inches thick. Place the round biscuits on a foiled baking sheet. Spray tops well with cooking spray or oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 mins. Next, remove and flip them all and bake for ten more minutes. Once done enjoy with honey or jelly. 

 

Grain Free Carrot Flat Bread

I am always looking for replacements of common starchy items like breads, pizza crust or pancakes. This recipe can be used for all three. I used it as a flat bread and made an almond butter sandwich. This recipe is paleo friendly with no added sugar or grain.

Ingredients:
1 Jumbo Carrot (or two medium)
1 Egg
1/3 Cup Tapioca Flour

Start by cutting the carrot up into large chunks and steaming. Allow the carrot to cool and dry for about an hour. Next, place the carrot, egg and tapioca in to food processor. Blend ingredients until smooth. Next, oil and heat an 8 inch skillet. Then pour the whole mixture in and spread out evenly. Cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Once the bottom is brown, flip and cook the other side for about an addition two minutes. Remove from hot pan and allow to cool.

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Paleo Flat Bread

I am trying hard lately to stick to a Paleo diet as much as possible. Sometimes you just crave bread so I needed a paleo recipe. This recipe worked out pretty well and it was easy.

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup almond flour
1 Cup tapioca flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 almond milk
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt (I used a fancy sea salt)

Start by mixing together almond flour tapioca flour and baking soda in a large bowl. Then add the milk, egg and half the salt. Mix together well and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes. Pour the batter into a well sprayed 3 x 8 baking dish. The bread does not rise much so the sides of the pan do not need to be high. Sprinkle the top with a little bit of the salt. Feel free to add any other flavors like garlic powder, rosemary anything you would like. Bake for 25 minutes at 350°. Enjoy!

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Rice Pancakes

I think I have 10 to 15 different recipes for pancake and waffle batter. This one is a little more unique I’m using cooked rice as the base. This recipe taste a lot like rice pudding and is a unique morning treat. Some Vietnamese bakery items are sort of similar to this.

Ingredients:
1/3 Cup cooked white rice
1 tablespoon tapioca flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Start by breaking up the cooked rice in a food processor. Add all the remaining ingredients except coconut oil and continue to blend in the food processor for about one minute until a thick paste is formed. Let the mixture sit for about five minutes and it will begin to thicken up. Place the coconut oil on a large pan and begin to melt over medium heat. Now carefully place large spoonfuls of the batter on the pan to form nice small pancakes. Flip the pancakes after about two minutes and cook the other side for about two minutes. Serve hot with maple syrup or honey.

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Whole30 “Candy Pecans”

I’m currently trying to do the whole 30 challenge. The rules are you can’t eat any grains, sugars or basically any starches. It is inherently gluten-free and Paleo but you can’t have maple syrup, honey or any type of sweetener. I have been trying to come up with a new snack ideas. This one came out great!!

Ingredients:

2 cups whole pecans
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Start by melting the coconut oil in the microwave in a small bowl. Place the pecans in a large bowl, add the melted coconut butter and toss. Add the cinnamon and continue to toss gently. Spread the pecans out on a foiled baking sheet. Bake at 250° for about 25-30 minutes. Toasting the nuts in the oil will help them caramelize and bring out some sweetness. Allow the nuts to cool and then enjoy.

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Morning Magic Smoothie

Think it’s kind of funny that I have not posted this recipe before. This is a smoothie recipe I use probably four times a week and it’s great. It’s a green smoothie that everyone will love. The secret ingredient is peanut butter powder which is a new product on the market. It’s basically dehydrated peanut butter formed into a powder taking out a lot of the fat but leaving all the protein and flavor.

Ingredients:
1 cup almond milk
1 1/2 fresh spinach
1 Banana (fresh or frozen)
2 tablespoons peanut butter powder

Place everything in the blender and blend well. Make sure that all the spinach is broken up well. Using a frozen banana rather than a regular fresh banana will give the smoothie more of a thick milkshake like consistency consistency.
* if you’re trying to avoid peanuts using 2 tablespoons of sun butter is a great replacement in this recipe

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