Spinach Banana Sweet Potato Smoothie (GF/DF)

There are times when I crave something that isn’t fruity or sweet and this one is the perfect solution. Since there is no frozen fruit in this smoothie, you’ll want to serve it over ice.

Spinach Banana Sweet Potato Smoothie

Spinach Banana Sweet Potato Smoothie
Serves 1

1 cup spinach
1/2 banana
1/2 baked sweet potato
1 scoop Enrichables Super Veggie
1 Scoop Enrichables Pea Protein
1/4 cup almond milk
2 cups water

Place all ingredients in a blender container and blend for one minute until smooth.

Enjoy!

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Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. Colleen Finley is an independent advanced director for Pampered Chef. She earns a commission by linking to products she uses and trusts. If you purchase a product through her website link, your cost will be the same, and Colleen will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us enrich lives, one meal and one memory at a time!

Everything on this site, recipes and photos belong to the author and any reprints are only by permission of the author.

Blueberry Sweet Potato Smoothie (GF/DF)

I made this for us today and as soon as Bill tasted it, he said, “oohhhhhh! Chocolate! … right?” 😂😂😂😂.
Well, not exactly but it’s the flavor that come across in this delicious smoothie!

Blueberry Sweet Potato Smoothie

Blueberry Sweet Potato Smoothie
Makes 1 serving

1 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 baked sweet potato
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 scoop Enrichables Super Veggie
1 Scoop Enrichables Pea Protein
1/4 cup almond milk
1 1/2 cups water

Place all ingredients in a blender container and blend for one minute until smooth.

Enjoy!

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Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. Colleen Finley is an independent advanced director for Pampered Chef. She earns a commission by linking to products she uses and trusts. If you purchase a product through her website link, your cost will be the same, and Colleen will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us enrich lives, one meal and one memory at a time!

Everything on this site, recipes and photos belong to the author and any reprints are only by permission of the author.

Tuscan Chicken Bean Soup (GF/DF)

You will love all of the flavors in this soup! We finished our bowls, licked them clean and then tried to lick them again because we didn’t want the deliciousness to end!

Three whole heads of garlic might seem like a lot, but roasting them before adding to the soup gives a mild, mellow taste. If you don’t have the seasoning mix, check the notes at the bottom for substitutions!

Tuscan Chicken Bean Soup

Tuscan Chicken Bean Soup
Makes 4 servings

3 whole heads garlic (about 48 cloves), unpeeled
3/4 tsp salt, divided
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 green bell peppers
1 medium onion
1 lb ground chicken
1 packet Tuscan Herb Chicken Mix
1 can (15.5 oz) Great Northern beans, drained
2 1/4 cups chicken stock

  1. Heat the oven to 400˚F.
  2. Slice about 1/4-inch off the pointed top of garlic heads to expose cloves. Place garlic cut side up in an oven-safe bowl. Sprinkle head of garlic with 1/4 tsp of the salt and drizzle with 2 tbsp of the oil. Cover and bake 30-40 minutes or until garlic is soft. Set aside to cool.
  3. Meanwhile, combine peppers and onion in a Dutch Oven. Sauté, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes. Add chicken and seasoning mix and continue to cook, breaking the chicken into crumbles, until chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes longer.
  4. Meanwhile, gently squeeze cooled garlic from heads into a bowl, discarding the skins and mash. Add garlic, beans, and stock to the Dutch Oven and mix gently. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 10 minutes.
  5. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Cook’s notes: If you don’t have the seasoning mix, use:
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Enjoy!

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Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. Colleen Finley is an independent advanced director for Pampered Chef. She earns a commission by linking to products she uses and trusts. If you purchase a product through her website link, your cost will be the same, and Colleen will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us enrich lives, one meal and one memory at a time!

Strawberry Cheesecake Protein Popsicles (GF/DF)

Two classic flavor combinations: strawberries and cheesecake!  And this time of year we begin seeing an abundance of bright red, succulent strawberries in our markets.  Strawberries are a great source of vitamin C and the perfect treat during late-spring/early summer when the days are hot and the evenings are cool.

The fun secret to these quicksicles is the added benefit of protein.  Just one scoop of the Enrichables protein powder adds 2.5 grams of protein making these feel less guilty (IMO)!  Pea protein (made from yellow peas) promotes a sense of fullness making these the great afternoon snack or dessert after dinner.  The protein provides lasting energy and helps maintain muscle function and mobility.  At only 47 calories each, we can also feel pretty good eating these!  

If you don’t have the Deluxe Cooking Blender, you can make these using any high-speed blender or a food processor.  If you’re using a different quicksicle or popsicle maker, follow the manufacturer’s directions to freeze.

This recipe is not super sweet so if you want a sweeter quicksicle you can add more honey or a little vanilla.  You can also swap in whole milk if you’re not making it dairy free.  Blueberries, raspberries and/or blackberries can be substituted for the strawberries in this recipe.  

Strawberry Cheesecake Quicksicles
Makes 3

6 strawberries, hulled, separated
1/4 cup oat milk
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon non-dairy cream cheese (I use this kind)
1 scoop Enrichables Pea Protein

  1. Slice 2 strawberries using the Utility Knife and set aside.  
    In the Deluxe Cooking Blender, combine the remaining strawberries, milk, honey, cream cheese and pea protein.  Blend on the custom blend setting on the #5 speed.  
    Place the slices of strawberries against the walls of each well of the Quicksicle Maker.
  2. Place the handles in the wells, then fill with the milk mixture to the fill line.
  3. Place in the freezer and freeze until set, about 15 minutes.
  4. Remove the quicksicles using the key and serve.

Enjoy!

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Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links. Colleen Finley is an independent advanced director for Pampered Chef. She earns a commission by linking to products she uses and trusts. If you purchase a product through her website link, your cost will be the same, and Colleen will automatically receive a small commission. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us enrich lives, one meal and one memory at a time!

Everything on this site, recipes and photos belong to the author and any reprints are only by permission of the author.

The Journey Begins

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

So why this blog and why now?  With recently being diagnosed with Primary Hyper-Parathyroidism and doing extensive Googling research, I found information that one of the best ways to help control it is to eat as closely to gluten-free and dairy-free including soy-free and corn-free as much as possible.  WOW!  At first I was really bummed, but then decided that this new lifestyle is going to be a wonderful adventure for me!

gfdfFirst off, anyone who knows me know I like to cook and love trying and testing new recipes.  So here we are!

After the thought of never having a Grandma’s pizza again (especially from our favorite pizza place), I discovered that it’s not going to be as hard as I thought it would be.  I will just need to put in a little more thoughtfulness.  I’m already familiar with gluten-free diets as three of my sisters have Celiac Disease.  It’s really the other three (dairy, soy and corn) that were throwing me off.

And just last week, I found out my BFF is struggling with a similar situation.  While I’m sad for her diagnosis, I’m excited to share this journey with her!

But with that challenge, the Fooducate app came to my rescue!  I upgraded to the premium feature which allows me to scan barcodes of products in the grocery store and it will tell me if there is milk, gluten or soy in any of them.  It’s just missing corn for me but I can read the labels for that!

This is where this blog comes in.  My goal here is to cook real food with real ingredients that anyone can get anywhere in the US at any store, and if you can’t find them in your local store, just ask me I’ll help you figure out where you can.

I’m excited to see where this journey takes me and hopefully I’ll help someone else out in the process.

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