Posts in gluten-free
vanilla cardamom chia seed pudding + honey poached clementines

My morning routine goes a little like this:

I wake up, usually early, before Michael leaves for work. I make myself a warm water with lemon, and then I make us a green smoothie. 

I take Bayley for a walk, the same route every morning. Two blocks north, four blocks west, two blocks south, then four blocks east back home. I pick up the New York Times from our front door step and go back upstairs and plan my day. 

Recently, I added a new step to this routine. I go out mid-morning and I get a cup of coffee. I quit drinking coffee for about a year because I thought it was healthier to not have that habit, however I found that I was really missing that part of my routine. I was not necessarily missing the coffee or the caffeine, I was missing the ritual of going out to get a cup of coffee.

In my neighborhood, there is no shortage of really good coffee places. I have about three that I frequent depending on my mood and the weather (how far I am willing to walk in the cold) and how strong of a cup of coffee I want (or need).

I love being a part of the morning hustle and bustle. I love watching other people take part in their morning routine. I love seeing the regulars sneer at the tourists who don’t know how to order efficiently. I love seeing what people are wearing and I listen to what they are ordering. I love to watch a good barista at work. 

It’s part of my routine, but I feel like it is a break from my routine. It breaks up my morning.

You might not have guessed it from reading this blog, but I get into a routine with recipes that I make for us at home. I will get stuck eating the same thing over and over, for breakfast especially. It is usually a green smoothie or eggs (made by Michael over the weekend). I’ve been trying to break it up by doing something different one or two days out of the week.

Recently I decided I was going to make some chia seed pudding and keep it around, for breakfast, for a snack, or maybe even for a little dessert. It's super easy to make, it's a set it and forget it type of recipe, so I figured it was an easy way to switch up my routine.

I decided to take it one step further and change up my chia seed pudding recipe a bit. Watch out, things are getting crazy over here. When we were in Switzerland a few weeks ago, a lot of the desserts we had were flavored with vanilla + cardamom. I decided that when I got home I needed to incorporate those ingredients, and chia seed pudding seemed like the perfect candidate.

I have never seen or made a fancy chia seed pudding, so I thought, why not. There is no reason chia seed pudding cannot get fancy. 

This fancy chia seed pudding helped break up my morning recipe routine, and then some. Because it is good to break up the routine once in a while. 

 

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breakfast, dessert, gluten-free, veganJodi Morenochia seeds, clementines, honey, vanilla bean Comments
hazelnut truffles rolled in goji berries // raw + vegan + gf

If we're anything alike, you probably pretend that you don't care all that much about Valentine's Day, but deep down you love it and you're secretly hoping for a surprise delivery of big, beautiful bouquet of flowers. 

When I was single, sometimes I would hope that some really hot guy like ..... say ..... Bradley Cooper would send an enormous lovely bouquet of flowers to my work. You know, because stuff like that happens on Valentine's Day all the time. 

Now that I am happily married, I still pretend like I don't care all that much, and I still secretly hope that Michael will surprise me with flowers, or a food-related thing. And he does. He always does well. 

{and ... sorry Brad, you can hold the flowers, Michael beat you to the chase.}

 

I love Valentine's Day. It's a holiday about love. It's another reason to show the person/people in your life that you love them. It does not have to be a romantic type of love, it can be a friendship love, a parental love, an animal love. Celebrating love is a wonderful thing. 

I think one of the best ways to show someone you love them it to make something for them. And when that something is raw, vegan and loaded with super healthy vitamins and antioxidants, well then you are spreading extra special love all around. 

Nothing says "I love you" like homemade chocolate truffle rolled in a powerful aphrodisiac. Yes you heard me correctly. Goji berries are known in Asian herbalism not only for their high antioxidant content, but also for their aphrodisiac qualities.

Every single ingredient in this truffle is a super ingredient with superpowers. Cacao, cinnamon, coconut oil, and hazelnuts are all great for us, especially when consumed raw. 

I cannot think of a better gift than a homemade truffle that is as chocolatey and tasty as it is good for you. 

Happy Valentine's Day! XO

 

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dessert, gluten-free, raw, veganJodi Morenocacao, dates, goji berries, hazelnut Comments
beluga lentils with crispy brussel leaves, carrots + fennel with a ginger dressing

Yes. I am sharing two salads with you in a row. 

You see, there is something I have to tell you ... salads are my thing. My speciality. My jam. 

I know, It is not exactly the most exciting thing in the world. 

Some people are really good at making awesome, fancy things like creme brulee or pot pie. I am really good at making salads. 

I always wanted to be really good at making one thing. You know, so Bobby Flay would come knocking on my door to do a throwdown. Being the veggie lover that I am, I guess it was natural that salads became my thing. I'm ready for my salad throwdown Bobby. Bring it. 

You might be thinking, what's so special about making salads? Isn't making salads really easy. Well, yes, it is. But anyone who is really good at making one thing puts a lot of love into making that one thing.

I put a lot of love into my salads.

I love to make my own dressing, I love to incorporate a good balance of ingredients, I love to use only what's fresh and seasonal, and I love to add unexpected things. 

It's all about the love and the ingredients. 

As always, whenever I post a salad recipe, I like to think of it more as a guideline or an inspiration for your own salad creations. If you've never used sautéed fennel in a salad, maybe you will try it sometime. If you've only had ginger dressing at a japanese restaurant, maybe now you'll be tempted to make your own at home.

Or maybe you will try this just as I made it. I sure hope you do. 

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gluten-free, salad, veganJodi Morenoarugula, brussels sprouts, carrots, fennel, ginger, lentils Comments
red beet gnocchi with a meyers lemon pesto // gf + vegan

Michael got me a food processor for Christmas. I asked for one. It was probably the last key piece of equipment I was missing from my kitchen.

It is kind of an embarrassing admission. A food processor should be one of the first additions, not the last, but I always seemed to get by without it. After using it once, I can totally see why they're so popular. This machine might change my life. 

As I was using my shiny new food processor for the first time I couldn't help but think about when I first started cooking a lot in college. I had nothing. No food processor, no vitamix, no mandolin ... I barley even had a sharp knife. I had one pot and no pans, which meant sauteing was done in a pot. YEP. Sometimes I'd even roast things in that darn pot. I always got it done. 

You know what .... it did not matter, because I loved to cook so much. 

 

This recipe is for my old college roommate, Kara, who willingly ate my home cooked meals back then ... the good ... the bad ... and the way too garlicky. Kara will never forget my love for pesto and she recently requested that I do a beet / pesto recipe for the blog. Thankfully I have a much better grip on the garlic proportions now (note: less is always more). 

Since I know she probably will not make this for herself, this is my way of coaxing her to visit me in NYC. 

Gnocchi is easier to make than you might think. The ingredient list is short, and it is pretty hard to mess it up. The most challenging part is to get that dreamy, pillow-like texture. I give some tips in the recipe to tackle that. For this particular recipe, I used a gluten-free flour blend and I did not taste the difference from when I made gnocchi with whole wheat flour. If you would like to use all-purpose or whole wheat flour, just switch out the brown rice flour (same/similar proportions). You can also use an egg or not use an egg. I find that the eggs helps bind so that you use a little less flour, but if you do not want to use the egg, the recipe will work fine without it. 

I just love the gorgeous color that the beets add to this dish. It would make for a great valentine's dinner for two, or this would also make a great meal for a friend who comes to town to visit (wink wink Kara). 

 

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entree, gluten-free, veganJodi Morenobasil, beets, garlic, meyers lemon Comments
breakfast in a jar (to-go!) coconut quinoa + a cherry compote with toasted almonds // gf + vegan


Hi Friends. 

I've been chatting with some of you about what kind of recipes are helpful to you, and it sounds like we are all very busy people. Too busy. Too busy to make breakfast, too busy to make lunch, and too busy (and tired) to come home and make dinner. 

With that in mind, I am trying to include more recipes for busy people so that they can eat homemade + healthy more often. Starting with breakfast. 

My great pal, nutritionist, and fellow health enthusiast, Tiffany, asked for an easy recipe for breakfast on the go. This one right here might take a little effort up front, but it can be made ahead of time and it will last you a good couple of days. As you would expect, it is dairy-free and gluten-free and oh-so delicious. 

 

 

Making your breakfast the night or weekend before and putting it in a jar is a great way for you to be able to enjoy a lovely homemade breakfast on the go. Getting into the habit of making breakfast or lunch for yourself at least a few days a week is just one little thing you can do to improve your overall health + might even put a smile on your face.

News flash! You can put anything in a jar and take it with you, not just this recipe. Oatmeal + raisins, muesli + fruit, or maybe even a little yogurt parfait. All you need is 30 or so minutes on a Sunday afternoon, and you have breakfast ready to go for a few days out of your week.

If you do not own a mason jars, you can also make this in whichever travel container you like to use. I love mason jars (who doesn't). They serve so many purposes. The tight lids also offer extra insurance if you are traveling with your breakfast so that you do not end up with it all over your car or handbag. 

Now, of course, if you do not have an office job and you just want to make this for yourself or your boyfriend / husband / girlfriend / stranger, by all means. This recipe is great for that too. 

And remember ... you should never skip breakfast, it really is the most important meal of the day :)

 

 

 

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breakfast, gluten-free, veganJodi Morenoalmonds, cherries, coconut, quinoa Comments
crisp kale + brussels sprout tacos with avocado + a white bean "creama" // vegan

The other day I had lunch with my dear friend, Laura. We had tacos here. They were awesome. 

Our waitress insisted that we order a side of brussels sprouts with the tacos. I am never one to turn down brussles sprouts. The brussles sprouts were awesome. 

When I was eating the tacos, I wished that the brussels sprouts were in the tacos. So the next day I made myself some brussles sprout tacos. Brussels sprout tacos are AWESOME. 

The End. 

 

 

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entree, gluten-free, veganJodi Morenobrussels sprouts, kale, white bean Comments
blood orange + olive oil bundtlette cakes // gf + vegan

I live one block away from the kitchen supply store, Sur La Table. This can pose some problems ... for my wallet. 

I am often tempted to go in there. I can always justify buying kitchen gadgets that are totally unnecessary. I'm really good at justifying buying things that I do not need. 

I really need this cute heart-shaped pot holder. 

I really need another pink blazer. 

I really need this dog-shaped cookie cutter. 

I really need these polka dot socks. 

look ... they're on sale!

I really need a bundt pan. 

No, I really really need a bundtlette pan.

I ended up with a bundtlette pan on totally legit terms. Yes, a bundtlette pan. You know, because every kitchen needs a mini-bundt pan. 

I had bundt cakes on my mind for about two weeks, I really needed to make some. I had also been daydreaming about olive oil cake ever since I had a giant slice at a friend's birthday party. 

See ... totally justified. 

I went into Sur La Table with full intentions of getting a regular ole bundt pan, but then this little guy jumped out at me. 

I love miniature versions of things, don't you?

Olive oil cake might be the best type of cake on the planet. Super moist, really flavorful, and it gets there without the use of butter or milk. I wanted to come up with a gluten-free and vegan version because I figured that the olive oil really takes care of a lot of the things that the butter and eggs would do, and switching out all-purpose flour for some brown rice and almond flour might actually add to the flavor. 

These little cakes are so good, you could make them for anyone. Gluten-free, vegan, anti-vegan, dessert loving, non-dessert loving, I think there is a very good chance they will all fall in love. 

Blood oranges are my favorite fruit from citrus season. They are such a beautiful color, but their real treat is their taste. They are just slightly sweeter and little less tart than a regular orange. When I come across them I buy them by the dozen. Soo good.  

If you cannot find blood oranges, you can substitute regular oranges or any other kind of citrus. Meyers lemons would be great too. 

And, if you do not have a bundtlette pan, you do not have to go out and buy one. You can make this in a regular 9" cake pan. But of course if you want to seek one out, I give you permission - it is totally justified.

 

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dessert, gluten-free, veganJodi Morenoblood orange, olive oil Comments
pho noodle bowl with a spicy lemongrass broth


Big bowls of noodles make me happy. If I had to guess, I would say that you would agree. 

You know what else makes me happy? Easy recipes. I have a feeling that makes you happy too. 

Now that we have determined that we have two things in common, I have something I want to share with you. It's a easy recipe for a big, delicious bowl of noodles. Enjoy :)

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entree, gluten-free, soup, veganJodi Morenobok choy, broccoli, edamame, lemongrass, noodles, shiitake mushrooms Comments
quinoa pancakes with caramelized apples + hazelnuts // gluten-free

For my first recipe of 2013, I hope you weren't expecting a salad or a smoothie. 

Now is probably a good time to tell you that I don't really do resolutions. Not to discourage the cleansers and the dieters - I'm proud of you, yay! - but I do believe that we should be making good decisions to eat healthier all year round, not just in January. 

I do feel it is important to take the time to reflect on the past year and think about what was good and what was maybe not so good and make slight life adjustments accordingly.

If I ate too many pieces of pie last year, maybe I try to not eat so much pie this year. 

If I didn't eat enough kale last year (not really possible), maybe I try to eat more kale this year. 

If I drank one too many glasses of champagne at a christmas party (that may have happened), maybe I try to drink one less next time. 

Cutting things out of your life that you enjoy are only going to make you want them twice as much, at least that is what happens to me. So, I prefer to make little changes in order to create more balance. 

Balance. 

That's what it is all about, isn't it?

Okay, onto pancakes. 

I've been on a bit of a pancake kick lately. More than normal. 

I guess I was feeling like I needed some more pancakes in my life ... you know, to balance things out. 

I made these pancakes with a mixture of quinoa flour and white rice flour, which turned out to be a pretty nice gluten-free blend. The only thing I would mention is that they do have a strong quinoa flavor .... so if you you want more of a subtle quinoa taste, feel free to lessen the ratio of quinoa flour. Say more like 3/4 cups of white rice flour and 1/4 cup of quinoa flour. 

If you did make resolutions, I hope that they are ones that you will benefit from all year and bring balance (and maybe some extra pancakes) to your life. 

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breakfast, gluten-free, vegetarianJodi Morenoapples, hazelnut, quinoa Comments
pine nut + peppercorn shortbread // vegan + gluten-free

I'm a little embarrassed to admit this ..... but ... here it goes .... 

I do not have a single cookie recipe on this blog. Well, until now.

It is not that I do not love cookies, trust me, I do. Having a mid-day cookie is my secret indulgence. I usually pick up a freshly baked one when I am grocery shopping and nibble on it while waiting to check out. Sometimes the checkout person asks me about the half eaten cookie "do you know there is only half a cookie in there?", sometimes they giggle at my response, and sometimes they give me a look like "you couldn't even wait until you checked out to start eating that cookie". 

Michael knows all about my secret mid-day cookie indulgence. I think he finds it funny.  

So for my very first cookie recipe here, I thought it was appropriate to give you a recipe for my favorite cookie of all time.

Shortbread.

Hopefully you know me well enough by now to know that this cookie will not be your average shortbread. These little guys are both vegan and gluten-free. You're probably wondering how shortbread could possibly be vegan, well, I have a trick up my sleeve.

Earth Balance. I use Earth Balance butter in place of real butter. I am not saying that this is a much healthier alternative to using real butter, but for someone like me who cannot have dairy (especially butter) this makes for a great alternative. If you tasted Earth Balance and regular butter side by side, you would never be able to tell the difference. 

As for the gluten-free part of this recipe, since I am fairly new to gluten-free baking I had to consult my favorite gluten-free chef, blogger, and cookbook author, Aran Goyoaga. You might remember I did a workshop with Aran back in September. Her gorgeous cookbook came out shortly after that, and it has since become a staple and reference guide for gluten-free cooking and baking in my kitchen. 

I have had her recipe for shortbread earmarked for some time, and since cookie season is in full swing, I have been playing with some variations of this recipe. She made hers with pistachios (which are wonderful) but I chose to share the pine nut version that I tried the other day. I just love pine nuts in cookies. I also took her advise and added the peppercorns. They add a subtle little peppery kick. The peppercorns dress it up and make it a much more adult cookie. A really really good adult cookie.

I'm snacking on one right now ;)

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dessert, gluten-free, veganJodi Morenopeppercorns, pine nuts, vanilla bean Comments
mini quiches with jerusalem artichokes + chives

It's party time.

That time of year when you have two or three holiday parties to attend each Friday night up until New Year's. 

I love a good party. I especially love a good holiday party. It seems like people are always in such a good mood during the holidays. Party mood, that is. 

What make a party ... good? Good people, good food, good music, good alcohol, and all around good vibes. Throw in a christmas tree, some karaoke, and a guy dressed up like santa and, well, then you have a real shin-dig. 

With all of the partying and entertaining that I have to do this month, I have been working on a few easy go-to recipes that I can bring or serve, whenever the occasion calls for it.  

It's always good to have one or two party recipes up your sleeve. Ones that are easy to make, easy to eat, and can be made a little ahead of time. 

Mini quiches are a great go-to party food. Not only are they easy to prepare, but you can also add or subtract ingredients based on what you have in your fridge or what is fresh. Only have potatoes and green onions  - no problemo. Spinach and mushroom - that will do! 

Bring these to a party and they will surly be a hit. Don't forget to bring a few extra santa hats for your host or hostess. Santa hats are always a hit too. 

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appetizer, gluten-free, party food, vegetarianJodi Morenochives, eggs, jerusalem artichokes Comments
mustard marinated kale with roasted winter vegetables

Back when I worked in the corporate world, things were a little different.

I had to wake up about 30 minutes before my body wanted to every morning.
I wore high heels and starched shirts.
I would have breakfast at my desk, lunch at my desk, and I would prepare both in the little kitchen our office provided (sometimes getting odd glares from my co-workers who usually got take-out or ordered in).
On days that I was busy I would never leave my desk, and on days that I was bored I would find every excuse leave my desk.  

In the winter, I would leave the office an hour or two (or three) after the sun went down. Michael and I would often get home at the same time, and on most nights we would cook.

I didn’t have as much time to get creative in the kitchen on the weeknights. Most nights I would stick to one of the several classic recipes that I knew well.

Roasted vegetables were a staple. 

When I took a bite of a roasted carrot the other night, it reminded me of something. It took me a minute to pinpoint it. Usually food can take you back to a lovely place, a fond childhood memory, a memory of a beloved family member, but not this roasted carrot. This roasted carrot reminded me of my old job. It was strange. It was not necessarily a bad memory, but not a picturesque one either.

It got me thinking.

Sometimes we cook things because they are simple and easy to make. Sometimes we cook things because they taste good. Sometimes we cook things because they remind us of a person a place or a memory.

I realized, roasted vegetables are all of those things to me.

They are easy to prepare, they taste really good, and now that I've thought about it, they remind me of cold, quite nights at home with Michael when we would change into comfy clothes and catch up on our days. Maybe it is a pretty fond memory after all. 

Roasted vegetable in the wintertime are good for the soul.

Kale is good for the soul too.

Marinated kale is just really good period. The marinating breaks the kale down into tender bites that are easier to eat and digest. Massaging the kale helps the process of breaking it down as well. This technique is not only good for this kale salad, but for anytime you want to eat kale raw. 

The roasted vegetables make a hearty addition to the raw kale. Winter salads are best with some kind of warm element. Roasted vegetables not only warm up this salad, but they give it that nostalgic roasted taste that hopefully (for you) has a fond winter memory attached to it. 

 

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gluten-free, salad, veganJodi Morenocarrots, endive, jerusalem artichokes, kale, mustard, shallots Comment