Strawberry Poppyseed Vinaigrette (REVISTED)

I originally developed this recipe for Strawberry Poppseed Vinaigrette back in the summer of 2015 long before I had discovered the purity and A+mazingness of F. Oliver’s EVOOs and aged balsamics. Not only did I revisit this dressing this past weekend at my March demo at Hart’s Local Grocers; but I reworked the recipe using the velvety goodness that is F. Oliver’s Farmstand Strawberry balsamic & Fresh Basil olive oil. Now that I’ve gone F. Oliver’s I can never go back. Neither will you.

Strawberry Poppyseed Vinaigrette (Reworked)

Ingredients

1/2 cup roasted strawberries
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons F. Oliver’s Farmstand Strawberry Balsamic 
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons F. Oliver’s Fresh Basil Olive Oil
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Preparation

In a blender or food processor combine, roasted strawberries, brown sugar, F. Oliver’s Farmstand Strawberry Balsamic, salt, and mustard. Process for 30 seconds. With blender or food processor on high, gradually add F. Oliver’s Fresh Basil Olive Oil in a slow, steady stream. Stir in poppy seeds.

Meyer Lemon Zucchini Pasta w/ Artichokes & Fresh Pressed Meyer Lemon Olive Oil

Zucchini is one of my favorite types of squash and I have several recipes that incorporate the mildly flavored summer gourd on the blog (here, here, & here) . Still, I don’t know why it took me so long to jump on the “zoodle” (zucchni+noodle) trend. My first foray was a LIVE demonstration at last year’s Rochester Home & Garden Show which led to a Cooking & Baking with Zucchini class.

I’m revisiting the “zoodle” for this month’s demo at Harts Local Grocers for the masses. Even though veggie noodles have been a long standing trend in the food world; the masses are still catching on and spiralizing zucchini to replace and/or supplment wheat based pasta isn’t something that most people think to do.

This Meyer Lemon Zucchini Pasta w/ Artichokes is the perfect foray into veggie based noodles and the addition fo F. Oliver’s Fresh Pressed Meyer Lemon Olive Oil & their Reserve Balsamic elevate a very simple dish from good to great. The Myer lemon olive oil has an aroma that makes you feel like you are eating under a fresh Meyer lemon tree and the balsamic is out of this world. This recipe truly demonstrate the joy of gluten free vegan cooking. Taking fresh, simple,  veggies and transforming them into something special with the right touch off artisanal finishes.

Meyer Lemon Zucchini Pasta w/ Artichokes

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Fill a medium stock pots about halfway with water and set to boil.  Add pasta and boil according to package directions.When pasta is ready, drain, rinse under cold water and add to a large bowl.
  2. Add spiralized zucchini, minced garlic, and artichokes. Zoodles do not need to be cooked.
  3. Add F. Oliver’s Felix Oliver’s Special Reserve BalsamicF. Oliver’s Fresh Pressed Meyer Lemon Olive Oil, salt, cracked black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, onion powder, dried onion flakes, and sugar. You may add more oil and/or cider vinegar and sugar according to your taste.
  4. Recipe is best prepared and refrigerated 2-3 hours prior to serving or the day before.

Spinach Apple Salad featuring F. Oliver’s Orchard Ripe Red Apple Balsamic

This fresh Spinach Apple Salad is the bee’s knees and the addition of F Oliver’s Orchard Ripe Red Apple Balsamic makes it even better. This salad is super simple and the perfect base for other addition like golden raisins, cranberries, walnuts and more.

But you know my mantra: K.I.S.S

Keep It Simple Silly

This salad needs nothing more than ripe granny smith and red delicious apples, fresh spinach, F. Oliver’s Heady Garlic Olive Oil and their Orchard Ripe Red Apple Balsamic.

Spinach Apple Salad

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Prepare salad ingredients and toss in a large salad bowl. Plate salad and garnish with sea salt, cracked black pepper, and F. Oliver Olive Oils.

Gluten Free Product Review | F. Oliver’s Olive Oils

F. Oliver’s Oils and Vinegars is a specialty store  that offers estate olive oils and infused vinegars. They have locations in Canandaigua, Ithaca, and right here in my hometown of Rochester, NY.

F. Oliver’s has a mission of sourcing the freshest and highest quality olive oils and vinegars, herbs and spices. But I must be clear, F. Olivers is so much more than just olive oil. Obviously olives, olive oil, and balsamic vinegars are naturally gluten free. But even the best national brands in all their expensive glory don’t compare to the artisanal goodness of the pure pressed olive oils and balsamic vinegars that F. Oliver’s uses for it’s diverse array of naturally infused oil and vinegar blends.

What Makes F. Olivers’ Better?

Fresh Ingredients

All of F. Oliver’s olive oil is extra-virgin (EVOOs), fresh and often pressed within weeks of its harvest and crush date. Think of the highest quality grapes from California used for wine. Their single varietals have a crush date included with them and the stores regularly rotate the selection so none of the EVOOs are on the shelf past their sell by date.

The olives are crushed within hours of harvesting, ensuring that the olives remain fresh; preventing damage from handling, fungus and other issues associated with delays between harvest and crush.  The olives are mechanically pressed using only the highest quality olives and there are no chemicals or lesser quality oils used in production. As there are no packaging laws in the US, the EVOO industry is ripe with fraud and not all producers can make these guarantees.

More Than Oils

In addition to their amazing olive oil blends, F. Olivers curates a diverse selection of natural infused balsamic vinegars that are made in Modena, Italy, in the traditional style, using the highest quality grapes. Flavors like Farmstand Strawberry, Apple Orchard Apple, Maple, and Coffee are just the tip of the iceberg. These vinegars can literally be added to your water or even drank straight from the bottle like wine. They are that fresh and that good. The texture is like velvet and unlike anything you’d find in any store. The brand also creates spice blends that range from cinnamon and nutmeg to turmeric and coriander.

 F.Oliver’s olive oil is made from 100% real olives with nothing fake, phony, or gluten filled.

Always Gluten Free All The Time

What sets’ F. Olivers EVOOs apart from lesser brands are their flavor-infused blends. These blends combine only natural ingredients with no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, binders, or gunk! Blends like lemon & basil taste literally like the garden and smell even better. I loved the fact that I can be confident that my olive oil is 100% real oil with nothing fake, phony, or gluten filled.

What Does This All Mean?

F. Olivers is a Rochester based company making amazing artisanal oils and balsamics using processes, techniques, and ingredients that are fresh, natural, organic and better than the rest. I could go on and on about how wonderful the company is but I’ll let my original recipes speak for themselves.

If you live in Rochester, join me tomorrow Saturday March 18 from 12:00-2 PM for my Gluten Free in store demonstration. I’ll be sampling the three olive oil flavors and threee vinegars that Hart’s Local Grocers carries as well as three original recipes that incorporate F. Oliver’s amazing oils.

If  you can’t join me in person, don’t fret; the recipes will go live tomorrow afternoon and be available to everyone no matter where you cook. What’s even better is that F. Oliver’s products can be shipped directly to your door so you too can discover how high quality olive oil can change your life. Visit them on the web (www.folivers.com) or by clicking here.

 

Gluten Free Menu Plan: December 4-10, 2016

After a year hiatus, Gluten Free Menu Plans are back on theglutenfreechefblog. Menu plans are a feature to help you plan your week in gluten free breakfast and dinners. Curated from recipes featured here and from my favorite food bloggers our menu plan’s feature an eclectic mix that can cater to all audiences including recipes that are vegan, dairy free, plant based, and of course gluten free. Be sure to comment if you make one of the recipes featured here over the course of the week.

Breakfasts
Peanut Butter Coconut Granola w/ Almond Milk and Banana

Eggs in a Pepper (Recipe & Photo by OMG Gluten Free Blog)

 

Baked Apple Pie Smoothie

Chocolate Banana Apple Smoothie
Pumpkin Spice Pancakes w/Almond Milk

For more gluten free menu planning ideas visit Lynn’s Kitchen AdventuresFor paleo, gluten free, & dairy free recipes visit Minimalist BakerFor recipes that combine whole foods with Weight Watcher’s savvy visit Everyday MavenFor lunch ideas visit Oh My VeggiesFor lunch box and super kid friendly recipe ideas visit I’m A CeliacYOUR THOUGHTS?

Dinners
Heart Sweet Potato Cabbage Soup (VEGAN)

Simple Turkey Meatballs

Hearty Sweet Potato Cabbage Soup (VEGAN)
Creamy Pumpkin Soup

Honey Balsamic Tofu Stir Fry (Vegan)

Dessert of the Week: Salted Cinnamon Sugar Caramel Apple Blondies


Honey Lemon-Ginger Bourbon Hot Toddy

This Honey Lemon Ginger Bourbon Hot Toddy will cut through even the worst head cold or flu and I’m updating it two years later just as a severe head cold threatens to over take my body. I’m convinced this along with a positive fighter spirit will significantly diminished the duration and magnitude of my ailment.

Honey Lemon Ginger Bourbon Hot Toddy

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 oz (2 tablespoons) bourbon
  • 1 tablespoon mild honey
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup boiling-hot water

Preparation

Put bourbon, honey, and lemon juice, ginger, and lemon in a 6-ounce mug. Top off with hot water and stir until honey is dissolved. Steep for 5 minutes. Drink using cinnamin stick straws.

 

Banana Almond Butter Protein Smoothie featuring ProYo Dutch Chocolate High Protein Frozen Yogurt

The snow’s coming down. I’m watching it fall

The snow’s coming down. I’m watching it fall. Yep! Old Man Winter is officially here in Upstate, NY and what better way to start the day (and unofficial start of winter) than with a cool, creamy, high protein “almond butter” smoothie. And this isn’t any regular smoothie. This is a high protein smoothie featuring ProYo’s Dutch Chocolate High Protein Frozen Yogurt.

This is the perfect breakfast to start even the coldest of days and filled with 20+ grams of protein, banana, Justin’s Almond Butter and Blue Diamond Unsweetened Almond Breeze it’ll keep you full and powered until your morning pick me up. Get into my exclusive recipe below, be sure to come back tomorrow for another ProYo inspired dessert recipe and last but not least, head over to www.proyos.com to learn where you can purchase your very own ProYo’s high protein frozen yogurt.

 

Banana Almond Butter Protein Smoothie featuring ProYo Dutch Chocolate High Protein Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients

¾ cups Blue Diamond Unsweetened Almond Breeze
1 4 oz tube ProYo Dutch Chocolate High Protein Frozen Yogurt *
2 teaspoons Justin’s Almond Butter
1 teaspoon raw honey + 1 pinch of sea salt
1 medium frozen banana, peeled and cut into 6 pieces

Preparation

  1. Add all ingredients into a blender in the order listed and process until smooth
  2. Add more liquid if needed to blend. Transfer to a serving glass with ice.
  3. Serve immediately.

* Can be substituted with ProYo’s Banana Vanilla High Protein Frozen Yogurt and for an added treat add in blueberries and strawberries for a PB & J flavor. 🙂