Chocolate Pudding

2 c pureed dry dates (3 cups chopped dry dates with 1/2 c water will make 2 c purée)
2 T butter, mashed avocado, or coconut oil
1/4 c carob powder (or cocoa powder)
1 c milk (I used raw goat milk, but you can use dairy-free milk, such as almond or coconut)
2 t gluten-free vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan & whisk together. Bring to a boil, and keep at boiling for 10 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally with a spatula. Do not stir too often, as this can make the final product grainy.

Oatmeal Eczema Cream

Okay, so it's not food, but this worked so well for us that I HAD to share.

Ingredients:
3/4 c organic coconut oil
1/4 c colloidal oatmeal (you can make your own by grinding old fashioned or steel-cut oats in a coffee grinder) Although this is for topical use, those with extreme gluten sensitivity can use gluten-free oats.
3-5 drops each dōTERRA Rosemary & Lavender Essential Oils (find it here)
1 T avocado oil
ground ginger (or try dōTERRA Ginger EO)
ground nutmeg (fresh is best, but pre-ground works)

Tools:
small sauce pan
mixing bowl
electric mixer
jar with a lid to store the final product.
spatula for stirring & transferring

Directions:

Heat the coconut oil over med-low heat, stirring until completely melted. add the colloidal oatmeal & stir until well combined (it will not dissolve, but it should turn the whole mixture a little cloudy, and there should be no clumps). Add the Rosemary & Lavender EOs. Stir well. For extra moisturizing and regenerative properties, add a couple drops of myrrh oil. Add avocado oil, stir until well combined. Transfer mixture to small mixing bowl & refrigerate to solidify, a couple of hours (the oatmeal will settle to the bottom). Remove from refrigerator and add ginger and nutmeg (1-3 dashes each). Mix with electric mixer until cream is light & smooth, and oatmeal is spread throughout. Transfer to jar for storage. Store in a cool dry place (my basement is cool enough, but some may want to refrigerate).

 Use a spoon to get small amount to apply each time, so as not to introduce unwanted bacteria. massage thoroughly into dry skin, in a circular motion. It will feel a little gritty. The oatmeal exfoliates the dry skin and leaves it feeling soft and smooth. I made this 2 days ago. I have applied it on myself and my son 1-2 times a day, and we are already seeing a major difference. Even the doctor noticed my son's skin improvement, and asked if it was the prescription ointment that was helping... btw, the prescriptions never helped us.

*Disclaimer: While oatmeal itself does not contain gluten, those with celiac or severe gluten sensitivity may need to use oatmeal labeled "certified gluten-free," which means it's not processed in the same facility as gluten products.

Mediterranean Salad with Tabouli & Fatoush

Ingredients
Fattoush or Peasant Salad:

2 cups shredded lettuce (romaine and/or iceberg)

1 large or 2 small cucumbers, small dice

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup chopped parsley, leaves only, no stems

1/4 cup chopped mint leaves, no stems

1/2 to 1 green pepper, diced

1 bunch green onions, finely sliced

1/2 teaspoon sumac

Dressing:

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

2 to 4 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon salt

Pinch of pepper

Tabouli
1 cup water for soaking, plus 2 cups for cooking

1 cup quinoa

1 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

1/2 cup minced fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion

3 tomatoes, diced

2 cucumbers, seeded and diced

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste

1 teaspoons sea salt

Directions

In a large bowl, mix ingredients for the Fattoush.

In another large mixing bowl, pour the water over the quinoa,  soak overnight, drain, rinse, & cook. Add the chopped herbs and vegetables and toss with the mix. Combine the oil, lemon juice, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to quinoa mixture and mix well. Chill.

Top quinoa with the Tabouli. Drizzle with olive oil & lemon juice. Enjoy

Gluten-free Zucchini Bread

3 c almond meal or quinoa flour
1 t salt
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
3 t ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1 c coconut oil
1 c + 3 T stevia
3 t gf vanilla extract
2 cups grated zucchini (or try 1 c grated zucchini, 1 c mashed pumpkin)
1 c chopped walnuts (optional)

Spray 2 8x4 inch loaf pans. Preheat oven to 325° F (165° C).
Mix almond meal, salt, baking powder, soda and cinnamon together in a bowl.
Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and stevia together in a large bowl. Add almond meal mixture to the wet ingredients & beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into the prepared pans.
Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove from pans & completely cool.

Cranberry Sauce

3 chopped red delicious, Fuji or New Zealand apples
1/2 c stevia
About 3/4 c apple juice (I used a 6.75-oz juice box)
1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries
2 naval oranges, cut into small pieces (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat & simmer until thick, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool completely.

Essential Tartar Sauce

1 c mayonnaise
2-4 T wocestershire sauce
2 T organic lemon juice
2-3 T yellow mustard
1/4 c diced dill pickles
5 drops lemon essential oil

Mix all ingredients together. Enjoy with your favorite fish.

Fish with Essentials

5 fillets of cod
1 c lemon juice
1 c avocado oil
3 T stevia
3 dashes white pepper
3 dashes dry mustard
2 drops each of:
oregano essential oil
Black pepper essential oil
Thyme essential oil
3 drops each of:
Rosemary essential oil
Ginger essential oil
Lime essential oil
Lemon essential oil

Defrost fish fillets. Combine liquids & spices in glass dish. Place fillets in mixture to marinate for 30-45 minutes.

Macaroni & Cheese

Ingredients:
2 c dry noodles (I used gf penne)

Sauce:
4 T butter
4 T almond meal
2 T coconut flour (optional)
2 T dry mustard
2 c milk (I used raw goat milk, but you could use non-dairy milk)
8.5 ounces (yes, I weighed this) goat cheese or your favorite non-dairy cheese that had a cream cheese consistency
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions, minus 2 minutes. Drain & set aside.

Melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat. Add almond meal to make a rue. Add the dry mustard & half of the milk. Bring close to boiling until well combined & a thin sauce is formed. Add coconut flour to thicken, if desired. Add the remainder of the milk, and the cheese.  Stir until, cheese is melted & well combined into the sauce. Add the drained noodles to the sauce & season as desired.

Optional additions:
Add vegetables or meat to the sauce before adding noodles,  or use vegetables instead of noodles. Broccoli & cauliflower would go great in this dish.

Pumpkin Bread

1/2 c + 2 T stevia
3 T molasses
1 c cooked & pureed pumpkin
1 T vanilla extract
1/2 c coconut oil, melted
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/4 c apple sauce
1/2 c water, divided
2 drops each cinnamon and ginger essential oils
1 drop clove oil
1/2 t nutmeg
2 c almond meal
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1/2 c nuts, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray standard size loaf pan with cooking spray. Combine stevia, molasses, pumpkin, oil, vanilla, 1/4 c water, banana, eggs & nutmeg. Sift together flour & baking soda.  Slowly add to pumpkin mixture and mix well.  Transfer to prepared baking dish. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

Edit: This recipe was too crumbly with the coconut flour & 1 cup of purée, so the second loaf, I used:
1/2 c + 2 T stevia
3 T molasses
2 c pureed pumpkin
1 T vanilla extract
1/2 c coconut oil
1 ripe banana, smashed
1/4 c almond butter
1/4 c water
2 drops each cinnamon and ginger essential oils
1 drop clove oil
1/2 t nutmeg
1 c rice flour
3/4 c coconut flour
1/c c tapioca flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

I baked this one for 45 minutes, then covered it with foil to stop browning & baked for another 20-30 minutes, until a knife came out clean when inserted. 

Chocolate Icing

4 ounces labne
4 ounces coconut oil

1/4-1/2 c milk or milk substitute
1/4-1/2 c stevia
1 t gf vanilla extract
1/4 c carob powder
2-3 drops wild orange essential oil
Or
1 drop peppermint essential oil

Optional: 1-2 heaping tablespoons instant coffee for mocha flavored icing

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Semi-Sweet Chocolate Icing

Original recipe makes 12 servings
Ingredients
Cake:
 1/2 cup almond flour
 1/2 cup tapioca flour
 1/2 cup rice flour
 1 cup carob powder, sifted
 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
 1 teaspoon baking soda
 3/4 cup coconut oil at room temperature (olive oil works, too)
 3 T molasses
 2/3 cup stevia
 3 eggs
 2 egg yolks
 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 1 T yogurt

1 1/2 c buttermilk
Icing:
 5 ounces carob chips
 1/2 cup yogurt
 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
 1 tablespoon milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan or 24 cupcake cups and set aside. For round cake, one recipe makes 1 8-inch layer plus 1 4-inch layer
In a medium bowl, sift together the almond, tapioca, and rice flours with the carob powder, baking powder, and baking soda.
In a large mixer bowl, cream the coconut oil until light and fluffy. Slowly beat in the stevia & molasses; whip until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time. Add the vanilla. On low speed, combine the four mixture with the wet ingredients.  Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake cake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or cupcakes for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan.

To make the icing, in the top of a double boiler over medium high heat, melt the carob chips (or use microwave). Remove from heat and cool until warm. Stir in the yogurt and vanilla; add milk. Stir in additional milk to make desired consistency. Once the cake is thoroughly cool, spread a thin layer of frosting over the top.

Note: I have not tried the icing, yet. I also forgot the buttermilk, but it still tasted good without it. First picture is the batch without buttermilk. Second picture is a batch with buttermilk. Both taste good, but there is definitely a different texture.so, if you want a dense almost brownies like cake, leave the buttermilk out. If you want a light, traditional cake feel, keep it in or use your choice of milk replacement. 

Almond Gluten-free Shortbread cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup blanched almonds (whole)
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
11/2 tbsps tapioca starch
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
12 tbsps coconut oil (room temperature, plus 2 tablespoons melted, for pan)
1 cup stevia (plus 2 tablespoons for pan)
3 large eggs
3 tbsps orange juice (freshly squeezed)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Gluten-Free Yellow Cake

1 1/2 cups white rice flour (try almond flour)
3/4 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons baking powder
4 eggs
1/2 c + 2 T stevia
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and rice flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.
Mix the white rice flour, tapioca flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder together and set aside.
Mix the eggs, stevia, and mayonnaise until fluffy. Add the flour mixture, milk and vanilla and mix well. Spread batter into the prepared pans.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 minutes. Cakes are done when they spring back when lightly touched or when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool completely then frost, if desired.

BBQ Ribs

1 rack of ribs
1 heaping T Better than Bullion Base (vegetable or Beef)
Water (enough to cover the ribs in a large pot)
1 recipe of BBQ Sauce

Optional: 1 c orange juice, divided

Directions:
Cut rack to fit in pan. Cover with water & add bullion paste. Bring to a boil & cook 45 minutes.

Cover ribs with BBQ sauce. Boil another 5 minutes, then marinate in sauce for at least 30 minutes. Remove from pot & wrap in foil with cooking/marinade juices & add orange juice. Close foil & place on grill for 15-20 minutes. 

Homemade BBQ Sauce

1/2 c ketchup 
2 1/2 T worcestershire sauce
1/2 T chili powder
1/4 t salt
1 t tapatío hot sauce (optional)
1 c water

Mix all ingredients together, refigerate in sealed container up to 2 weeks to use on your favorite meats.

Homemade Ketchup

TOTAL TIME: 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
12 ounces Tomato Paste

3 T molasses or pure maple syrup 

1/2 teaspoon Dry Ground Mustard (optional)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
1/2 scant teaspoon white pepper 
Shallow 1/4 c white wine vinegar 
2/3 cup Water

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Stir until the spices are completely dissolved and incorporated.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge and overnight for the flavors to develop. This ketchup recipe should last for 3 weeks in the fridge.

Use where ever ketchup is called for and enjoy!

Berry Bean Bread

3 c all-purpose flour (I used 5 parts ground almonds, 4 parts ground quinoa, 1 part colloidal oatmeal)
3/4 c stevia
1 T baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
1 1/2 c cooked navy beans (no salt)
2/3 c orange juice
1 large egg
1 c milk (wIuse goat milk, but non-dairy milk would work, too)
1 T grated orange peel (optional)
1/2 c fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 c fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped
1 c chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine flour, stevia, baking powder, salt, & baking soda. Purée navy beans with orange juice in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Add puréed navy beans, egg, & milk to flour mixture. Stir  just until flour mixture is moistened.

Add orange peel, blueberries, cranberries, & walnuts to flour & bean mixture. Stir just until combined.

Pour into greased loaf pan or 24 greased or lined muffin cups. Bake loaf for 20-30 minutes, or muffins for 15-20 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

Pinto Bean Applesauce Raisin Cookies

1 c stevia
1/4 c molasses
1/2 c coconut oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 c cooked pinto beans
3/4 c chunky applesauce
2 1/4 c all-purpose flour (mine is 1 part colloidal oatmeal, 4 parts ground quinoa)
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 c chopped nuts
1/2 c golden raisins

Preheat oven to 375°.
Purée pinto beans & set aside.
In a food processor, combine stevia, molasses & coconut oil. Pulse until smooth. Add eggs & blend well. Add puréed pinto beans & applesauce. Beat until smooth.

Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add to creamed mixture & mix until smooth. Stir in nuts & raisins. Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 15-17 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on rack. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Quick-Soak for Dry Beans

How To Quick-Soak Dried BeansWhat You Need

Ingredients
Dried beans, any amount
Water

Equipment
Saucepan or small Dutch oven

Instructions

Rinse the beans: Pour the beans into a colander and rinse them under cool running water. Check and discard any stones or other debris.
Drain.
Transfer to the saucepan and cover with water: Tip the beans into a pot and cover with about 2 inches of water.
Boil the beans: Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Cook the beans for 1 minute, then remove the pot from the heat.
Soak for 1 hour: Cover with a lid and let the beans to soak in the warm water for one hour.
Drain the beans: Drain the beans into a colander. Rinse and begin to cook according to your recipe.

Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Original recipe makes 24

Ingredients

 1 1/2 cups white rice flour
 3/4 cup almond meal
 1/2 cup unsweetened carob powder
 1 teaspoon salt
 1 teaspoon baking soda
 1 tablespoon baking powder
 4 eggs
 1/2 cup + 2 T stevia
 2/3 cup yogurt
 1 cup milk
 2 teaspoons gf vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 12 cup muffin pans or line with paper baking cups.
In a medium bowl, stir together the rice flour, millet flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, baking powder and xanathan gum. In a separate large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, sour cream, milk and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients until smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter.

Slow - Cooker Healthy Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients
4 green bell peppers
1 lb. ground turkey
1 large tomato, diced
1 T dried basil, or 2 drops basil essential oil
1 t black pepper or 1 drop black pepper essential oil
1 T oregano or 2 drops oregano essential oil
¼ cup chopped onion
1½ cups cooked rice
2 tsp sea salt (divided)
1 small can tomato paste
Instructions
Combine ground turkey, onions, rice, tomato paste, essential oils or equivalent spices and 1 tsp sea salt and mix well.
Chop off the tops and hollow out each pepper, removing all seeds.
Evenly stuff each pepper with the turkey/rice mixture.
Place stuffed peppers in the slow-cooker.
Combine crushed tomatoes, basil and 1 tsp seasoned salt to make a sauce.
Cover stuffed peppers and the bottom of the slow-cooker with the sauce.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Quinoa Pudding/Baby Food

1/2 c quinoa
1 c water
1/2 c peeled & diced apples and/or pears
1/2 c milk (I used goat milk, but dairy-free milk substitute would work)
Cinnamon and stevia (optional)

Bring water to boil. Add quinoa, stir, return to, a boil, then reduced to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add diced fruit. Simmer until fruit is tender & water is absobed. Put quinoa fruit mixture & milk in blender & blend until about the texture of tapioca pudding. Add cinnamon and stevia, if desired. Enjoy!

Orange Ginger Cod

Cod fillets
Freshly squeezed orange juice
Ginger to taste
1 t soy sauce
Water to double the volume of the liquid

Combine liquids. Sprinkle ginger over fillets. Pour juice & soy sauce over the filles in a deep container. Add water. Cover container & swish around to cover uniformly. Marinade up to 20 minutes. Place on baking rack over baking sheet. Pour marinating juice over meat onto the pan & cover with foil tent. Bake at 450° for  12 minutes. Remove foil tent & bake another 12 minutes.

Oatmeal Raisin Bread

3 c plus 6 T warm water
6 t yeast
1 banana
1 egg or 1/4 c tahini or almond butter
1 1/2 t vanilla
3 3/8 c quinoa flour plus 1 c oat flour
1/3 c agave nectar
1 1/2 t sea salt
3 t cinnamon
2 1/4 c raisins

In Mixing bowl, stir yeast into warm water until dissolved. In separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and cinnamon together. In a small bowl, mix mashed banana & egg together. Add banana, egg, vanilla, and agave to the yeast mixture then add half of the flour mixture. Beat with mixer on low speed for two minutes. Add remainder of flour mixture and beat by hand until smooth. Scrape dough from sides down into bowl. Mixture may be thin and runny. Cover and let rise until doubled, about forty minutes. Stir batter down, fold in raisins. Pour into 2 greased  and floured 9x5x3 inch loaf pans. Let rise again about thirty minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown and knife inserted comes out clean. Makes two loaves or 24 muffins.

Homemade Mum Mums

1 cup apple sauce
1 cup rice flour

Mix together until a wet dough forms. Line baking sheet with parchment paper (I used aluminum foil) & spray with cooking spray.

Drop dough onto lined pan & flatten with fingers. Bake at 305° until firm to the touch. I flipped them halfway through.

For other flavors, replace applesauce with pureed vegetables like pumkin, squash, or green vegetable purée & add water until at same consistency as the applesauce.

Silas' Turkey Meatballs

1 lb ground turkey
1/4 c cooked steel cut oats
1/4 c raw steel cut oats
Palm full of dry parsley
1 T dry mustard
1 T ginger
1 t garlic salt
1-2 T Better than Bullion
2-3 T coconut oil
1 egg

Combine all ingredients. Form into meatballs, brown in skillet. Makes about 15 large meatballs

Chuck Steak

Chuck steak
Butter for browning in skillet

Sauce:
1 c prunes
1 T ginger
1 T dry mustard
1/2 t epsom salts
1 c hot water
1/4 c thinly sliced sweet peppers
1/4 c diced celery
1 t Better than Bullion dissolved in 1 c water

Brown the steak in a skillet. Reconstitute prunes in the 1 c hot water. Add the spices & purée in blender. Pour mixture over the browned steak. Place lid over skillet & cook until sauce starts to bubble & almost caramelize. Add the sweet peppers, celery & bullion mixture. Replace lid & cook another 10-15 minutes. Serve sauce as gravy over the meat & potatoes or noodles

Bean Soup

3 cups dry pinto beans
3 cups dry black beans
10 cups water
2 large onion, diced
1 bunch celery, diced
3 T Better than Bullion, flavor of your choice
4-6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2-3 T Garlic salt, to taste
1-2 T Cumin, to taste
1-2 T chili powder, to taste
2-3 T coconut oil

Soak beans over night. Drain, rinse. Put in large pot with the bullion paste, half the garlic & onion, & your spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until beans are tender. In a skillet, sauté the rest of your onion, celery & minced Garlic until translucent. Start adding beans, including liquid, to the skillet a cup at a time. Mash with a potato masher, as if making refried beans. Once you have done this with all the beans, return to the sauce pan & cook as a thick soup.

Gluten-free Protein Bars

Ingredients

    Cooking spray
1     cup California Dried Plum purée
1     cup honey
1     cup orange juice
4       egg whites
1/4  cup grated orange zest (optional) 

1     cup quinoa flour
2     teaspoon cinnamon
2     teaspoon baking powder
2    cup gluten free rolled oats
1    cup chopped nuts & seeds of your choice (I used a mix of macadamias & cashews)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions

Heat oven to 325ºF.  Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray and line with parchment paper or foil, leaving the paper overhanging on 2 sides. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together dried plum purée, honey, orange juice, egg white and orange zest. In small bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon and baking powder. Fold flour mixture, oats, almonds, coconut, nuts & seeds into dried plum mixture.

Press mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake about 30 minutes or until firm to the touch (Mine took 45 minutes). Cool on rack; remove from pan, using paper to lift it out. Cut into bars.

Gluten Free Waffles

4 cups coarsely ground gluten free oats (I ground them in a coffee/spice grinder)
1/2 c buttermilk (I used cultured dry buttermilk mixed into goat's milk, but you could also replace this with a non-dairy milk)
1 t salt
1/4 c oil
3 c hot water
Spray oil for the waffle iron

Combine dry ingredients. Add buttermilk, 1/4 c oil & the hot water. Mix thoroughly. Cook in waffle iron. Done when "ready" light comes on.

This recipe is modified from a recipe by Judy Samuels in the Agape Life Church cookbook.

Quick Cottage Cheese

1 gallon whole goat milk
1/2 c cultured buttermilk (I used 2 T powdered cultured buttermilk mixed in 1/2 cup goat's milk)
1/4 t liquid rennet or 1/8 rennet tablet
1/4 c cool water

Warm the milk to 86°. Stir in the buttermilk. Mix the rennet into the cool water and add to the warmed milk. Let set until it coagulates, about 1 hour. Cut the curds into 1/2 inch cubes.

Heat slowly in a double boiler, until the temperature reaches 110°. Hold temperature for 30 minutes. Stir often to prevent curds from matting together.

When the curds are firm, place into a cloth lined colander. Let drain, for 20 minutes. Lift the curds in the cheesecloth and dip into a pot of cold water. Drain again until curds stop dripping.  Place curds in a bowl and add salt & cream if desired.

I got about a pint of curds, to which I added about 3/4 t cheese salt, & a tad over 3 quarts of whey, to which I will add another quart of whey & use in a ricotta recipe.

Gluten free Sausage Gravy

1 lb. Breakfast Sausage
6 T butter or other fat (I used coconut oil, but if you can drain off 6 T fat from the sausage, that works, too.)
1/3 c plus 1-2 T rice flour (the first time, I used rice baby cereal. Next time, I will try quinoa flour)
4 c milk of your choice (almond milk works, or I used raw goat's milk)
Salt & pepper to taste

Brown sausage, making sure it's broken up & cooked all the way through.
Remove sausage from pan & put the 6 T fat in the pan. Once it is heated & liquid, add the flour to create a rue. Once smooth & bubbly, tu Rd n to medium low & add the milk a few T at a time, making sure to not create lumps with the flour. Once all the flour is added, heat to bubbling & stir one minute. Add sausage back in & serve over gluten free toast or biscuits.

Homemade Cottage Cheese from Goat Milk

What you need:

2 large bowls

1 mesh strainer that fits over the bowl

1 spatula

Cheese cloth

Directions:

First, you want to make sure your kitchen tools are very clean to prevent the introduction of unwanted bacteria. 

Pour the milk into the first bowl & cover with the cheese cloth, securing it with kitchen twine or rubber bands. This makes sure foreign objects & even critters don't get in.

Use fresh or sour milk to make this, but fresh takes a lot longer. The batch shown, was mad with a half gallon of fresh milk & a half gallon of curdled sour milk.

Let the gallon of milk sit out away from heat sources such, as the stove or microwave until it becomes gelled, like a yogurt consistency. (This batch took a week to get there).

Check every 12 -24 hours to see if there is anycream to skim off. This would be your sour cream (I didn't get enough to skim)

Once the milk is like a lumpy yogurt consistency (check be shaking the bowl), strain into the second large bowl. Cover bowl while straining, as this step will take a few hours. At the end of this step, the only thing left in the strainer should be curds, & all the whey should be in the bowl underneath. (Mine took 24 hours to strain)

Now scoop the curd out with, a spatula,  careful not to smear it too much & break it up.

The leftover liquid in the bowl is whey. It can be frozen & used for many things.

Total time for mine took was 9 days, & my family gave me grief for it for the last 5 days of it.

Roasted Stuffed Peppers

Sweet mini peppers
Prego pizza sauce
Homemade Labne

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix pizza sauce & labne together thoroughly.
Your pizza sauce and labne should be at a 2:1 ratio (if using 1/2 cup sauce,  you will need 1/4 cup labne)
Cut tops off the pepper and remove the seeds. Fill peppers with the sauce mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

GF Meat Lover's Pizza with Peppers

2 Premade GF pizza crusts (I used Udi's)
Prego pizza sauce (about 1/2 cup)
Homemade Labne (about 1/2 cup)
3 mini sweet peppers per pizza, plus 2
3 slices Hormel all natural turkey sandwich meat per pizza, cut in small squares
Hormel all natural sausage (about 1/3 package,  cut in small pieces)

Totino's hot sauce (optional)

Mix the pizza sauce and 1/2 of the labne together and spread on the pizzas,  reserving about 2 tsp of the mixture.  Pit the toppings on, then the rest of the labne, in small bits. Fill 2 small sweet peppers with the reserved sauce mixture & place on the pan with the pizzas. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Add a little Totino's hot sauce on top (if that's your thing) Enjoy!