Before the eight days of Chanukah begins Tuesday night, I wanted to share a little holiday recipe inspiration that I am super proud of. Not an easy one to replicate without gluten, dairy, and egg. Until now! Don’t you just love that? Me too! I get excited when a recipe overcomes allergen restrictions and it tastes delicious. You know how hard that can be. While most of us know this recipe as kugel or noodle pudding, we knew it as babka.
Butternut Squash Gratin (dairy free, gluten free, grain free, soy free, vegan friendly)
Hey! Before we talk butternut squash things I wanted to share our Paleo experiment with you. Scroll down to the recipe if you came for the food. 🙂Remember back in September, I mentioned giving the Paleo diet a try? We did. Not die-hard though, more Paleo-ish, since I still used non-dairy cheese and cane sugar a few times a month to satisfy cravings and to keep pissed-off feelings to a minimum. Kidding aside, special needs inspires a very, very special love. I’m blessed to have two older sons’ who fully support our journey towards better health AND who are truly the best siblings and sons’ a Mom could ask for. This journey isn’t easy and their support for Mom’s trials and errors means the world to me.
Broccoli salad with Tahini Honey Dressing (gluten free, dairy free, paleo friendly, nut free, refined sugar free, vegan friendly)
Although hearty cold salads are a staple at summer picnics and outdoor gatherings, you shouldn’t wait that long to try this broccoli salad slathered with a creamy tangy kick-ass tahini honey dressing that has, what some may call, the boring broccoli, doing cartwheels. And just look at those bright colors – hello happy school or work lunches!
Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Syrup (gluten free, dairy free, paleo, soy free, vegan)
I guess you could say this is a short-cut version of a sweet potato mash. Kinda sorta. As much as I love making a big family-style casserole dish, I don’t enjoy the extra prep work of chopping, boiling, mashing – you get the idea. And if we took a minute to discuss the boiling part, I would say we then need to add sugar, fat and ‘cream’ to bring back the flavor we lost in the orange-tinged water left behind.
Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts (gluten free, dairy free, nut free, paleo, soy free, sulfite free, vegan)
Thanksgiving is almost here, are you as excited as I am? I bet you are! I’m going to keep it short and sweet since I have many recipes to share with you. Say hello to balsamic brussels sprouts. Oh how I love thee. 
I love, love the taste of balsamic, especially on brussels sprouts. Have you ever had brussels sprouts this way? Goodness gracious does it make this classic Thanksgiving veggie come alive … the tangy, the sweet, the sour pucker … then drizzled over perfectly roasted sprouts with just a touch of snap for texture. Just goodness. Please ignore my overuse of the word goodness – some habits are hard to break and this really is goodness I tell ya.
Classic Caesar Salad (gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soy free)
Caesar salad lovers rejoice!
Has it been way too long since you’ve had a caesar salad? A real caesar salad? Me too. This may not be the real thing but holy YUM is this close. You need this in your life, my friends.
If you think about it, there is really nothing original or unusual about a caesar salad yet it has been a popular starter since the 40’s. Some romaine lettuce leaves, dressing and cubed bread, yet when made with fresh garlic, crisp greens, and the right type of anchovy you have something extraordinary. This was one of my favorite salads way back when gluten and dairy were my so-called friends. And not something that can be made on-the-fly, you know. I tried. The catch: the dressing contains gluten, dairy, and egg. Oh right, that.
Shrimp Kimchi Fried Rice (gluten free, dairy free, soy free)
Asparagus with Mustard Anchovy Vinaigrette + Poached Eggs {gluten free, dairy free, soy free}
Spring is here!
So is asparagus season – yum! Our relationship has come a long way.
Growing up, raw carrots, lettuce, and tomatoes were welcomed on my plate, for the most part, and nothing else. The green vegetables were what I had a tough time with. Mushy, and usually marginally seasoned thus resulting in my conviction: I will never eat vegetables for the rest of my life.
Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad with Persimmon, Jicama, and Coconut Chips
With Thanksgiving days away, I have been thinking about all the things I’m grateful for. Grateful for my family, friends, health, and you, my cyber friends for keeping my life colorful, constant and memorable – blessings I cherish. And, I don’t care how cheesy this sounds, but I want to say THANK YOU, my dear blog friends! YOU make this little hobby of mine so much fun! Seriously, something that started out as a way to journal new recipes on a new journey of food became more than I would have ever thought.
Brussels sprouts with glazed pancetta and pecans
Brussels sprouts, you either love ’em or hate ’em. I find it’s one of those vegetables where it’s a hit or miss. I personally love the little miniature cabbage looking things, but I get that they’re not for everyone. With a little holiday dress-up, even the “brussels sprouts haters of the world” won’t resist this.