Gluten Free Braided Easter (or anytime!) Bread

Free of gluten, nuts, soy, corn, with dairy free option

I just got back three days ago from Europe, where my husband and I spent a month traveling by plane, train, car, and bus across four geophysical zones. Twelve days of the trip were spent in Greece, a country I've visited twice now. Since Easter is coming up and Greece is on my mind, I wanted to create a Greece-themed Easter dish to share on the blog.

While researching, I discovered a beautiful, sweet, braided bread known as Tsoureki. Looking over the recipes I found, I realized that they were very similar to the gluten free German Easter bread I posted last Easter (a.k.a. Osterkranz)

Delving a little deeper, I discovered that many different European countries make yeasted, sweet braided bread decorated with coloured eggs for Easter. There are a few common denominators, which I've shared below. I've also, of course, shared a new version of gluten free Easter bread, a little different from the one I made last year.

Of course, this bread is fantastic ANY time of year, so don't confine yourself to just eating it at Easter ;)

GF, Vegan Sweet Pea Spread and Dip + Avocado Allergies

Free of gluten, soy, dairy, nuts, eggs, soy

Ok, I realize this is going to sound crazy, but this pea and spinach spread is really, really good. And versatile.

As is, it's kind of like a low-fat, avocado-free guacamole (for those of you with avocado allergies, read on!). A cheaper version of guacamole. Substituting the cilantro with basil makes it like a mock pesto, a peasto if you will (yeah, go ahead and groan, I couldn't resist). A nut-free vegan pesto of sorts. A much, much cheaper version of pesto.


See? So versatile that it can be both guacamole AND pesto.

Versatile Marinated Chickpea Salad (gluten free with vegan options for #MeatlessMonday)

Free of gluten, nuts, soy, corn, egg, dairy free / vegan option

This simple, versatile chickpea salad comes together in about 2 minutes, and was a lifesaver the other week when we hosted three dinner parties in a row, plus a lunch.

I made a double batch and served it alongside a big bag of mixed greens and some other bowls of things as part of a salad bar. It works particularly well if you're feeding vegetarians or vegans, as it's protein-packed, filling, and flavourful. 

Cheap, Gluten Free Fish Soup in 15 Minutes (soy free option +Meatless Monday) + Buying Ocean-Friendly Fish

Free of gluten, meat, nuts, eggs, dairy, with soy free option

So if you're like me, you probably end up with a little bit of leftover fish from time to time. You know, you bake up a nice big piece of cod or salmon or something like that, and there are a few little scraps that don't get eaten, and aren't enough to make another meal. 

Or perhaps you want to include more fish in your diet, but find that it can be expensive.Or maybe you're sea-conscious and don't want to eat too much in order to protect the environment. 

This fast, easy, fish soup is fantastic for using up leftover fish, or stretching a little piece of fish a long way. And it's super flexible. Every time we make it, it's just a little different, depending on what's in the fridge. 

Easy Gluten Free and Vegan Borscht with Sauerkraut (#MeatlessMonday)

Free of gluten, dairy, soy, & eggs

A while back I shared a post with 25 Ways to Use Beets. There was a borscht recipe in there, of course, but it wasn't mine. This is the very simple, easy recipe I use to make borscht.

And believe it or not, my husband, who doesn't like beets OR sauerkraut, actually likes this borscht recipe. This vegan borscht takes only a few minutes to chop and grate the ingredients, and about 20 minutes on the stove, and is just about the simplest soup I've ever made. And it makes enough to serve 2 people throughout the week.

Which is absolutely perfect as we head into the chilly winter months and crave warm, comforting soup for lunch and dinner. Borscht is a cheap, easy, naturally gluten free and healthy soup that can be served with a big chunk of my Gluten Free Multiseed Multigrain Bread for a complete and satisfying meal!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with a dairy free / vegan option for #Meatless Monday

Free of gluten, eggs, nuts, soy, corn, with dairy free / vegan options

The season of pumpkin is upon us. I had half a large can of pumpkin puree leftover from making my Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie for Canadian Thanksgiving a couple of weeks ago. So I modified my old recipe for Gluten Free Herb Rolls to use up leftover pumpkin puree, and added some cinnamon spice mix. (I have also made a similar version in the past using sweet potato puree instead of pumpkin, so you could use sweet potato instead if you like)

These rolls are simple, tasty, pretty healthy, and versatile. I've had them for breakfast, served them with dinner to guests, and drizzled them with a bit of icing sugar mixed with milk as cinnamon rolls for dessert. 

They also freeze well, so make up a batch and sock them away for later! 

Pumpkin Spice Quinoa Breakfast Bowl (GF, Vegan)

Free of gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, corn, soy

I don't know about you, but I find it hard to get a good, hot, gluten free breakfast that doesn't take forever. I mean pancakes are great and all, but they're not exactly quick.

And the other morning I woke up and it was chilly and raining and I had a cold. Which is funny, because right now it feels something like 30C! It's totally summer weather!

So being sick and it being cold and rainy, I was craving something warm and comforting. I wanted a hot, easy, gluten free breakfast. I'm allergic to oats so oatmeal wasn't an option. I did, however, have a large bag of quinoa in the cupboard. The rest is quinoa breakfast bowl history...

Best Vegan and Gluten Free Pizza Crust & Olive Tapenade (a quick & easy Meatless Monday dinner)

Free of gluten, soy, nuts, dairy, eggs

I almost feel guilty about how easy this pizza crust is to make. When I first started the blog I posted a recipe for an awesome pizza crust. I still love that crust. However, this one is just about as good and takes half the time (and half the bowls, meaning less dishes to clean!)

So if I'm going to feel guilty, I might as well enjoy it. Therefore, I smother the crust in easy homemade olive tapenade and some steamed veggies - both of which I can do while the crust is rising and baking.

The best part? I get two pizza crusts out of this recipe and I can freeze one for an even simpler dinner another night :)

Gluten Free Barbeque Flavored Popcorn (organic, with vegan option) + Meatless Monday

Free of gluten, soy, and nuts with a dairy-free / vegan option

 

Considering that I already have two popcorn recipes on the blog, you might have gotten the impression that I really like popcorn. And I do. I really, really like popcorn. And I love that it's getting easier and easier to find organic popcorn so I don't always have to search so hard to get my popcorn fix! 

Popcorn is a filling, low calorie with a little kick of protein. So I think it's a great snack for Meatless Monday - or any day for that matter.

So I've recently discovered how awesome smoked paprika is. It makes things taste like barbeque and bacon, but without the bacon. After a failed attempt at Mexican Chocolate Chili Popcorn last week, I figured why not try barbeque popcorn? I did, and let me tell you, it's awesome. Like barbeque chips, without the deep fry and white potato. 

Vegan, Gluten Free Matcha Mug Cake (#Meatless Monday) & a Review of Kiss Me Organic's Matcha Green Tea Powder

Free of gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, nuts, corn

Ok, can I brag for a minute? I mean I really do try to be humble. I even share my failures with you - like my epic no-oats granola bar fail or the sugar-free lemon meringue pie that looked so wonderful but tasted so yucky.

But I have to say that I'm quite pleased with my latest experiment.

This vegan, gluten free mug cake is light, has a distinct green tea flavour, is quite healthy, and takes about 5 minutes to make.

Vegan, Gluten Free Applesauce Sweet & Sour Lentils #MeatlessMonday

Free of gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, and soy

Who doesn't love sweet and sour sauce? But unfortunately, it's usually made with a whole lot of sugar and ketchup.

But not this one. No ketchup here. The sweetness comes mostly from unsweetened applesauce, and just a tiny little bit of organic sugar. However, you could also use stevia or maple syrup instead (or, for a non-vegan dish, honey).

This dish is also almost obscenely cheap, healthy, tasty, and easy to make. And I love that it's naturally gluten free, doesn't require any expensive specialty items, and makes a great freezer meal. 

Best Gluten Free Multiseed Multigrain Sandwich Bread (GF Breadmaker Bread)

Free of gluten, nuts, soy

My mom used to always make bread by hand. As a kid there was nothing better than waking up in the morning to the smell of fresh baked brown molasses bread, and slicing up a piece of still-warm bread and slathering it with homemade jam. Like me, mom tends to be a bit of an insomniac and while I get up and write in the middle of the night, my mom usually bakes! 

Although I learned to knead bread at a young age, when I had to go gluten free I thought I would have to give up the lovely thick slabs of bread I had gotten used to. 5 years ago a lot of GF breads were small, flat, gummy, or cardboard like. 

Then my mom kindly bought me a breadmaker! Personally I find that the best gluten free loaves of bread are those made in a breadmaker. Nowadays I don't often pull my breadmaker off the shelf. The reason for that is when I do, I end up gobbling up a whole bunch of this bread at once! It's definitely the very best GF bread I've ever made.

Vegan, Gluten-Free Sprouted Chickpea and Sweet Potato Burger Patties / Falafel for Meatless Monday

Free of gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, nuts, with corn-free option

A while back I accidentally sprouted a big batch of chickpeas. I had soaked a big bunch of garbanzo beans / chickpeas overnight with the intention of cooking them and freezing them. Well you know what they say about the best laid plans o'mice and men. Those peas sat on my counter for a couple of days. 

Some of them ended up in my GF, Vegan Sprouted Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry Soup, and some of them (along with some surplice sweet potatoes) ended up as an allergy-free vegan falafel / salad / burger patties. It was a happy meeting that I intend to repeat over and over. 

Vegan, Gluten-Free Osterkranz (German Easter Bread) & Natural, Homemade Egg Dyes

Free of gluten, nuts, eggs, dairy, soy, corn

Phew! I figured out how to do this just in time for Easter, and it only took two tries!  Osterkranz is a traditional German bread made for Easter. It literally means Easter wreath and, as you can see, the bread is braided and shaped into a wreath.

With some fiddling after checking out several different glutinous Osterkranz recipes I think I can confidently say that this is a pretty good gluten free substitute. And it's actually really easy to make, and the vegan version (this one, and my 2nd try) isn't really any different than the normal one with eggs and butter (my first version).

So here it is, my easy, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, most other allergies-free German Easter bread! The only time consuming part of it is waiting for it to rise :)

Gluten Free and Vegan Sprouted Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry Soup (#Meatless Monday)

Vegan and free of gluten, nuts, and soy

What happens when you end up with an accidental overload of sprouted chickpeas, a bunch of sweet potatoes from the farmers market, and a few pinches of warming spices like turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, and curry?

A cheap, easy, comforting, fibre-packed, pot of soup! And one that happens to be naturally gluten free and vegan!

Cheap and Easy Gluten Free, Vegan Lentil and Vegetable Dinner (for #Meatless Monday)

Schlapped lentils and vegetable dinner
Free of gluten, wheat, eggs, soy, nuts, dairy, and soy

 

Cooked lentils are not particularly photogenic. Nor do they look gourmet when there is a big, brownish lump of them shlapped down on a plate. No, that's not a typo. "Shlap" is the type of noise that a thick mass of brown lentils makes when it if forcibly shlapped off a wooden spoon onto a plate.

But these lumpy little things are crazy cheap, pack a healthy punch and are quite versatile. They've been used around the world for millenia as a super cheap source of protein (30% of their calories come from protein), as well as iron, dietary fibre, vitamin B1 and folate. As a patriotic Canadian, I also find it really cool that Canada, by far, is the world's largest producer and exporter of lentils. [1] Go Saskatchewan!

Despite their appearance, lentils can also be remarkably tasty. My husband, who can be kind of picky, really likes this lentils and veggie dinner (and not just because it only requires one dish to clean up in the end). Not only that, but this simple cooked lentil and veggie dish costs less than $2 to make 4-6 servings of, and with a $2 bag of lentils you can get 2-3 batches of it.

Vegan Mung Bean and Turmeric Curry (Anti-Inflammatory) & Meatless Monday

Free of gluten, dairy, shellfish, eggs, nuts, soy, and corn

Ever wonder what those little green beans in the Asian section at the supermarket are? Mung beans. Little green balls of anti-inflammatory, cooling goodness. Or so says traditional healing from the east.

This mung bean and turmeric curry is like an uber anti-inflammatory stew. And it's great on a few levels because it's healthy, super cheap, easy, made in one pot (easy clean up), and vegan, so it's perfect for Meatless Monday. Also, the curry flavour is super mild in this, so it's not hot or spicy, and is a great intro to curry for those who are hesitant to try it for the first time.

Gluten Free Beet Hummus (Tahini Free), Sesame Seed Allergies & Oral Allergy Syndrome

Free of gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, nuts, tahini, corn

So this happened. And it looked so awesome I was kind of sorry to see the last of it go. It was really fun to eat, especially with some organic, purple tortilla chips.

I served it at a little get together I had for my writing group a couple of weeks ago along with some chopped veggies and chips and it was a big hit.

It was also very easy, so I thought some of you might like it, too!

Some of you, like me, might be avoiding hummus because of the tahini in it. So before I share this lovely pink hummus, I'm going to explain all about sesame seed allergies and why I avoid tahini.

Scrap Stew Two: Apple Cinnamon Cabbage Stew

Free of corn, gluten, eggs, nuts, soy, dairy, Vegan friendly option

I hope everyone had a wonderful and allergy-free Halloween!! Hubby and I had stayed in on Thursday night and had a scary movie and martini marathon. I concocted a chocolate basil martini that was pretty awesome, and as a result have decided to brew basil infused vodka to experiment with more.

So in keeping with the borderline fall weather and my frugal inclinations, I'm featuring another scrap veggie stew this week. Last week I shared my Cannelini Bean & Swiss Chard Stem Stew, made from fridge scraps, and this Apple Cinnamon Stew / Soup is made along the same veins, but this time was based around two slightly wrinkled organic apples I found in the back of the fridge!

Apples in stew = crazy, right? But I'm allergic to raw apples, thanks to Oral Allergy Syndrome, and I couldn't let those expensive organic apples go to waste (hubby bought them to make himself smoothies but then forgot about them). It turned out great, and I will definitely make it again.  The apples lend a touch of unexpected sweetness and this one-pot dinner makes for a great way to clean out the fridge and make a healthy, frugal meal.

Gluten Free Vegetable Scrap Stew: Cannelini Beans and Swiss Chard Stem Stew

Free of gluten, nuts, soy, dairy, seafood, Vegan friendly
 

One of the things I've realized in the process of creating my GF, Locavore-ish Weekly Meal Plans over the last couple of months is that, while I can get pretty creative with baked goods, I have been a bit lazy when it comes to dinners. I find myself falling back on the same stir-fries and quick dinners over and over. 

And when I do get creative with dinners, I don't end up photographing them and sharing them with you, often because we're hungry and the lighting for taking photos sucks at night. This isn't fair to you. You, my dear readers, deserve much more from me.  You deserve healthy dinners, not just Apple Dumplings and Sprouted Lentil Breads. 

So this Cannelini Bean and Swiss Chard Stem Stew (made from end of the week vegetable scraps) marks the beginning of what I hope will be an inspirational relationship between me and my meal planning  - and maybe my new crockpot, too!