tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1148148481277275002012-02-27T10:08:07.430-05:00Gluten, Grain, and Sugar Free CookingMollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-15858699234014603412012-02-22T20:24:00.000-05:002012-02-22T20:28:44.006-05:00

I stopped at MOM's (My Organic Market) on the way home from work today.  I got my usual 5 lb. bottle of clover honey, Kombucha drinks and jarred (not canned) tomatoes.  I love MOMs.  Everything there is good quality, grown and produced by responsible companies.  The building itself is wind powered and a huge banner reminds you to "Terra pass your gas" as you enter. Among other things that most

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-44843111532367934272012-02-17T11:21:00.000-05:002012-02-17T11:22:13.226-05:00

Coconut milk is a staple in our teeny tiny little pantry.  As I've written about before, it's hard to find coconut milk free of sweeteners, preservatives and thickeners.  Comfy Belly has a helpful post on different coconut milk sources, including how to make your own.  For this recipe I used Trader Joe's Light coconut milk which contains only coconut and water.  Since it's light, it's not

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-28120354332468627922012-02-11T21:14:00.003-05:002012-02-15T08:48:51.264-05:00

How about this Valentine's day we put ourselves on a pedestal and eat a delicious dessert free of refined sugar and nutrient dense to top it all off.  When thinking of a new recipe for Valentine's day, I wanted to make a cake with natural red coloring and beets came quickly to mind.  Most of the recipes out there are for a traditional flour-based cake mixing chocolate and beets, like this

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-20582042836896546682012-02-04T09:26:00.001-05:002012-02-04T09:30:09.519-05:00

Perfect for a dinner party or an upscale SUPERBOWL nosh, this makes a heaping portion of Ropa Vieja.  Shredded beef flavored with cumin, beef stock, tomatoes and peppers, this dish definitely has some flair. The lettuce wraps serve as a naturally gluten and grain free vehicle for this delicious flavor combination.  If you are serving it to a gaggle of people unconcerned about digestion,

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-70900545819769908532012-01-29T11:41:00.003-05:002012-01-29T11:41:42.155-05:00

Sweet and cozy, this dairy free coconut milk ice cream is a jewel of a dessert.  Specked with light orange zest and cinnamon notes, the rich coconut and almond flavors are a delightful treat.  Soft Spice Coconut Milk Ice Cream 2 C coconut milk 1/3 C honey zest of 1 organic orange 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/2 tsp almond extract Mix all of the ingredients together

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-77145450012594069112012-01-20T19:05:00.005-05:002012-01-22T11:19:14.928-05:00

Welcome to the new and improved Almond Flower blog!  My wonderful husband with his graphic design skills recently re-designed The Almond Flower look and we hope to continue enhancing the site.  I will be launching a twitter account soon, I hope you will check me out there and continue reading the blog.  Thank you for your continued interest and support!  And now this delicious waffle recipe

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-83152639325266686872012-01-19T09:39:00.004-05:002012-01-21T17:57:53.643-05:00

A New Venture: Peacock Mercantiles ETSY Shop My dream is to one day own a brick and mortar store that sells gluten free baked goods and hand made artistic items.  "Selling Happiness", as a good friend once told me, just like the recent explosion of cupcake shops.  A store that offers not only gluten free, delicious baked goods, but options within those gluten free goods.  Sugar free,

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-37872447162177272722012-01-14T11:45:00.004-05:002012-01-23T09:09:22.043-05:00

Coconut Flour, coconut oil and coconut milk comprise the base of these dairy free cinnamon swirl muffins. Even with all that coconut, there really is not a coconut flavor.  I bet anti-coconut people would  be happy to eat these!  I was inspired by Cinnamon Bun muffins over at ComfyBelly.com. I reduced the coconut flour by half and added blanched almond flour- I like mixing the two

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-64275102749308326732012-01-02T18:09:00.000-05:002012-01-23T09:10:01.590-05:00

Eating gluten free, grain free and sugar free leaves the body cleansed and with more energy, but it does require more time in the kitchen and a longer grocery list.  I tend to overbuy at the grocery store without clear ideas of recipes for the week.  I can't tell you how many times I bought beets with good intentions, only to find them two weeks later, limp and wilted. This is a menu and

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-2180132699665879212012-01-02T16:44:00.000-05:002012-01-23T09:10:36.705-05:00

The nice thing about grain free and sugar free diets is they encourage you to eat foods that are highly nutritious and satisfying- like this Pumpkin Prosciutto Pizza.  I based this pizza recipe on one I ate recently at Rustico.  Mentioned in my GF Restaurant Guide, Rustico is part of The Neighborhood Restaurant Group in Arlington, Alexandria and DC.  When I eat out, my main concern is eating

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-69752452806384145592011-12-28T18:19:00.002-05:002011-12-28T18:24:51.243-05:00

Image from Mackthewriter Can't I Eat Cheesecake Everyday? This was the question I asked myself today as I was finishing off the last of the cheesecake I made for Christmas dinner this year.  I thought it over, then realized I had singlehandedly eaten 1/4 of the dang thing since Sunday. That cheesecake was really, really good.  I used a recipe that included sour cream, substituted honey

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-12897118970335638142011-12-23T16:43:00.004-05:002012-01-12T18:16:42.029-05:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! At a time when chocolates, cookies and pies are everywhere you turn, it's nice to have a healthy staple at the dinner table that also tastes delicious.  It's also extremely easy to make. I'm sure when I was really young I liked the good old canned cranberry sauce.  But this fresh cranberry orange relish has been a staple at my family's holiday meals

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-14641068835370315282011-12-21T23:16:00.000-05:002011-12-21T23:16:14.871-05:00

Eleanor Roosevelt said it, but I honestly thought lululemon came up with it.  Typical.   This summer I jumped off a cliff.  Once in the water looking up, it seemed much shorter.  We trusted our friend that the water was deep enough and after watching everyone do it, I walked down to the water. But then we went back the next day and I did it!  That was

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-84758148594260077152011-12-14T16:00:00.000-05:002012-01-12T18:30:46.148-05:00

 As I sit here typing, sipping on my cup of hot, strong tea sweetened with honey, I am also licking the plate after I downed a slice of this cake- classy huh?  I really wish I had another slice, but this cake disappeared real quick this week.  Moist, dense, crunchy, gooey, rich tasting with a candy sweet center- this is one delicious recipe.  And still, it is high in protein, fiber and

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-74986954144805820282011-12-08T09:00:00.001-05:002012-01-12T18:32:11.049-05:00

Our gluten free vegan friends out there certainly have their challenges!  And if they are trying to cut out the carbs, well there are just not that many options.  This recipe requires no eggs and I used grapeseed oil, but you could easily substitute other fats like coconut oil or vegan margerine.  And if you're not vegan, good old butter fits in perfectly as well!  You may be surprised by

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-27118915042979672712011-11-28T13:54:00.001-05:002012-01-12T18:17:09.919-05:00

I love to give the secretaries at my school a home made gift for the holidays, and I think it may be this delicious Cinnamon Honey Butter with a pack of shortbread cookies this year.  Traditional Cinnamon Honey Butter, like this one at TidyMom.net uses confectioner's sugar to both sweeten and thicken the spread.  For people following a grain free and refined sugar free diet, eliminating the

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-43307180946216456402011-11-24T14:07:00.001-05:002011-11-24T14:25:36.856-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! I'm celebrating Thanksgiving this year in Virginia Beach with my new husband and my official new family! Chris and I have been together for over 5 years now and visiting his family has always felt right and comfortable, so to say they're my new family is not really true.  From the beginning they've loved and accepted me, and me them.  But it is really nice to feel even

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-40440398909166792772011-11-20T19:51:00.001-05:002012-01-12T17:47:17.381-05:00

Okay so in my post for Orange Pumpkin Bread I wrote about growing tired of fall spices.  But I was recently inspired!  I made gluten free muffins for a friend's wedding shower at work.  There is another teacher at our school who has Celiac Disease and the staff are all so knowledgeable and supportive of our gluten free escapades.  My goal was a muffin that tasted delicious, slightly indulgent

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-74644783717915833752011-11-13T14:04:00.001-05:002012-01-12T17:47:55.489-05:00

 Grain free, gluten free (of course), and dairy free!  I am pleased with this fresh take on pumpkin bread!  I love the pumpkin pie flavor common in fall time baked goods, but I have grown a little tired of it.  Pumpkin has a slightly sweet, mild flavor of its own that I've come to enjoy.  Roast it with some honey and palm sugar, topped with a yogurt sauce and you have a common Afghan side

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-75359006276328509542011-10-23T17:52:00.001-04:002012-01-12T17:48:59.551-05:00

We have some loyal Hokie fans around here.  To some, Saturdays in the fall mean football and beer.  I prefer apple cider and naps.  Football makes for great background noise.  But, I love my soon to be husband and his VT compatriots, so I decided to become involved.  Below you will find the first of many gluten free chili recipes. Our good friend, Jamare, and Clover  Chili is a

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-20883422664805238542011-10-18T20:27:00.000-04:002012-01-12T18:26:13.097-05:00

 This creamy, hearty, fresh tasting meal came to be one night when the one spaghetti squash I had was not fit to eat, and the jar of pasta sauce I was sure I had was half empty.  There was a single serving of yogurt left in the fridge; and added as an after thought it actually is what brings this dish together.  This really is a simple, easy and quick dinner.  Adding dill is not necessary, but

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-63149370106179065162011-10-15T15:08:00.000-04:002012-01-29T11:53:43.879-05:00

Thank goodness for apple season!  There are many varieties of local apples in virginia, but my favorite is still Honey Crisp.  These pancakes offer a not too sweet breakfast with lots of crisp apple bites.  I'm looking forward to apple desserts, but I have to say that these pancakes rock in their simplicity and ease of cooking.  It's taken me a while to post these because every other time

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-58049672375102060882011-10-02T21:04:00.002-04:002012-01-12T17:49:34.716-05:00

Creamy and rich, salty and sweet.  Enjoy these tasty layer bars with a cup of strong black tea and you will be in heaven.  While sweet and indulgent, you can still feel good eating these high protein, refined sugar free cookie bars.  Peanut Butter Layer Bars (Gluten and Egg Free) makes 16 Cookie Layer 2 C blanched almond flour 1/4 C grapeseed oil or melted butter 1/4 C honey 1/4 tsp salt

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-30277710465776535232011-09-18T21:50:00.000-04:002012-01-12T17:51:17.104-05:00

I LOVE these muffins!  I've made three batches in the past two weeks.  They are a slightly sweet, wholesome muffin, perfect for the cooler weather we've felt these past few days. Using almond meal helps give these muffins their "bran" color, texture and taste.  Paired with the sugar alternative, coconut palm sugar, there is a really earthy, healthy, caramel flavor.  You could easily leave

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-114814848127727500.post-57852910051938208692011-09-12T20:24:00.000-04:002012-01-12T17:51:58.596-05:00

  Okay, if you prepare these like the recipe says and allow them to cool, they make these tasty little Pecan Pie numbers.  But, if you can't wait and eat a scoop while it's still warm, oh my how you have a delicious mess on your plate. Yep, they really are vegan, gluten free, and still free of refined sugar and grains.  For some variations on the theme, the Recipe Renovator posted these

Mollie Franceshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06728341084517695267noreply@blogger.com1