Something about that light...

The winter months of January and February have proven to be particularly challenging and less illuminating, shall we say, than expected...but sometimes that just happens during the long, darker days of winter. Though the days are short and the nights long, winter can also become a valuable season I'm finding to move through wrapped in a warm blanket so your piggies don't freeze, while seeking clarity. One of my wisest and best-est friends emailed me this link last week pertaining to "winter" and what this season could really mean to many of us if we dare to shift our focus a bit, to broaden our views, and move out beyond our own preoccupations and worries. I found the words and intention spoken by Tony Robbins incredibly profound and helpful. I've never really been a fan of his, but after watching and listening to this snippet I chose to shift my judgmental view a bit and instead, see through his words into his heart. And isn't that just truly such a part of being so human? Passing judgement...bad girl.

I was stretching my legs last week on the trail around the Lafayette Reservoir, one of my truly favorite places to run and take in the beauty of nature. As I came around a particular bend in the trail I was literally stopped by what my eyes had naturally been drawn towards and were feasting upon...this photo (above) of a gorgeous Oak tree with the most amazing winter sunlight shining through. I'm pretty sure that my iPhone wasn't able to capture its perfect beauty but it did a pretty good job, considering. In that moment, I was reminded again of nature's beauty and truth. A tree can only stand in its place and be a tree. The sun is also just shining and doing what it knows to do for the past gazillion or so years...and when the two collide they are simply sharing the stage, never outdoing the other, but being who they were created to be. I love, no wait, admire the simplicity of that truth. There are no false pretenses in nature. A Range Rover won't help that Oak look any cooler, if ya get my drift. And just to sum that thought up, today's Yogi tea bag affirmation says so much, "Live in your strength." Wise little tea bag.

I was so inspired by the simplicity of such glorious light I decided to cook a new recipe that night with simple ingredients and minimal prep/cook time. In the mood for chicken and grilled romaine (which is really a treat), I came up with this little number (aided by my new Bon Appetit app, I have to admit) that's easy on the budget and sure to please everyone at your table, assuming they aren't offended by their salad being baked in the oven and a little charred!

Parmesan Chicken with Ceasar Roasted Romaine ~
4 Servings - The heat chars the edges of the edges of the romaine leaves and softens the inner layers.

- 7 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breasts

- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

- 1/2 Cup grated Parmesan, Pecorino, or Asiago cheese (about 1.5 oz.)

- 1/2 Cup gluten-free bread crumbs (Glutino makes a good product)

- 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

- 2 Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley

- 2 Garlic cloves, chopped, divided

- 2 Large hearts of romaine, halved lengthwise

Preheat over to 450 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Season chicken with salt and pepper; place on prepared sheet. Combine cheese, bread crumbs, 2 Tbsp. oil, parsley, and 1 garlic clove in medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Pat bread crumb mixture onto breasts. Roast chicken until crumbs begin to turn golden, about ten minutes.

Drizzle romaine with 1 tbsp. oil and sprinkle with remaining 1 chopped garlic clove. Season with salt and pepper. Remove sheet from oven; place romaine around chicken. Roast until chicken is cooked through and lettuce is browned at edges, about 5 minutes. Divide among plates. Garnish with lemon wedges for squeezing over.


The finished product after thorough taste-testing - It passed with big "Yumms" all around the table.


I seem to be learning more and more...that simple really is more, and more, really is less.

A tastier way to live, as it turns out!

I Heart Kale...

Most of you know by now that I have a special place in myhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif heart and stomach for Kale, the earth's most nutritious super-green! Kale just makes me happy and is so loaded with goodness it's the kind of food that as you are eating it, puts a smile on your face knowing you are feeding your body such goodness.

The other night I decided to experiment with my poached egg obsession...and add kale into the mix. You see, the poached egg tradition runs long and plenty in my family. My maternal grandmother was a huge fan, passing the love of eggs just-cooked-enough-to-get-rid-of-the-runny-whites, down to my mom...who then passed the tradition on to me. A true treat for me when visiting my parents, is when my mom prepares her poached eggs on GF toast for breakfast (or dinner), paired with my favorite tea. Simple, yet delicious and always leaves me feeling a sense of kindred spirit with my mom in the kitchen. Over the years, we've even come to "customize" our poached eggs with perfectly paired avocado, yogurt or Parmesan cheeses, and herbed butter slathered on the toast prior to the layering. It's just damn good no matter how you like to put your ensemble together.

So...as I cooked up a batch of the most fresh and beautiful kale the other night I had an inspiration..."Why not layer the seasoned kale between the toast and my poached eggs, then sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan on top?" So I did! The only things omitted from my recipe were the soy sauce and lemon - not sure I'm brave enough to try that combo with eggs.

It seriously made for the perfect dinner. Simple. Healthy. Nurturing, comfy food.

At this point, I'm fairly convinced that eggs in some form or another, can be paired with most any dish or meal. Perhaps it's my French genes talking but I'm not kidding about this opinion. The more I explore and learn how to become a better home cook, the more I want eggs to be a part of my meals...organic, humanely raised, fresh farm eggs, that is.

I would love to hear how your prepare eggs and what's a favorite recipe so do share!

Happy cooking.

Happy Heart Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

On this day dedicated to love, I was inspired to share my most favorite and inspirational greeting card that I've kept with me and close to my heart for ten years. I bought it at a little card shop in Sun Valley, ID one cold winter day right when I needed it. The warmth and depth of the words expressed on the card melted my heart and inspired me...so much so that I've always kept them close and have read and re-read the lines more times than I can recall over the last decade.

The power of words light up my life.

What might light up your life or heart today, as we celebrate Valentine's Day, is knowing which yummy candies are gluten- free and safe, and which sweets are to be avoided. Be sure to review the list and read all the ingredients before you bite into that sweet treat. There's no better way to put the kibosh on any romantic dinner than by getting gluten poisoning...so, might I suggest spending a few less seconds gazing into your sweetie's baby blues and instead, avert your longing gaze towards the menu items that you KNOW are safe and/or carefully read over the entire ingredients list of any packaged goodies. I'm betting that an extra smooch will make up for the diversion.

Say I love you to someone special today...and don't forget to remember how special you are too. :)

Happy chocolate.

Granola all day...

I'm a granola addict. Granola on yogurt, as cereal, as a healthy snack...I've even been known to throw a little in with my cream of rice followed by a dollop of Greek yogurt to top it off - Yum! Buuuuut, I was growing tired of the gluten-free store bought granola on the market. Let me say however, they were all wonderful additions to the GF market when a few brands hit the shelves over the past couple of years, but with the "roll-your-eyes" high price of store-bought granola and the "less than super fresh taste," I'd grown tired of packaged and was so ready to find a great recipe and make my own.

I'd tried creating a few batches using the obvious ingredients; Gluten-free oats, almond, etc. but the flavor was a bit drab and didn't create the crunch I was wanting to bite in to. So, as I was perusing one of my favorite blogs, Orangette, I came across Molly's posting about her obsession for granola too! The recipe she found on a mutually beloved food site, Food52, featured a fab recipe for Early Bird's Farmhand's Choice granola that popped up in the “Genius Recipes” column at Food52. It sounded so delish, including the sweetness of molasses and brown sugar, AND savory texture of olive oil - Ahh, that's what I was missing!

Update: - Are Oats Gluten-Free? This has been a question circulating around as a bit of a mystery. Do your research and always read the labels so you know the oats you are buying have been certified GF which should guarantee no cross contamination. Here's a link to Jane Anderson's About.com Celiac Disease site and an update on gluten-free oats and what you should know before you buy and bake.


Olive Oil and Maple Granola
Adapted from Nekisia Davis, Early Bird Foods, and Food 52

Knowing how pri$ey nuts and seeds can be, I tend to buy mine at Trader Joe's or in the bulk section at Whole Foods, which makes them more affordable and able to keep a constant supply on-hand. I also was able to find coconut chips in bulk.

"The next time I make this, I might cut back a little on the brown sugar, but I recommend trying it as written first." Orangette

- 3 Cups rolled certified gluten-free oats (make sure that the oats state they are gluten-free - I use Bob's Red Mill GF Oats)
- 1 cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup raw hulled sunflower seeds
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut chips
- 1 1/4 cup raw pecans, whole or chopped
- Packed 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 3/4 cup maple syrup, preferably Grade B
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp. organic cinnamon
Dried cranberries and/or raisins are optional but you'd be crazy to leave them out! Trader Joe's has wonderful dried cranberries with orange essence ~ Yum!
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut chips, pecans, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to mix. Add the olive oil and maple syrup, and stir until well combined. Spread the mixture in an even layer on the prepared sheet pan. Bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until the granola is golden brown and toasted, about 45 minutes. Remove the granola from the oven, and season with more salt to taste. Cool completely on a wire rack. If you'd like, stir in some dried apricots, cranberries, or cherries.

Note: Granola will keep at room temperature for up to a month in a sealed container.

Makes about 7 cups




Just add to your favorite yogurt or as a mid-day snack -

WARNING - one handful will never suffice!

Happy Cupcakes~

Ever just have a day when you feel like baking cupcakes? I do. You see, I've been recovering from yet another bout with gluten poisoning that took place last week at a restaurant in Seattle. Such a bummer, because Seattle has always been bit like my "gluten-free Mecca," offering such a vast variety of safe foods cooked by chefs who know what hell they are doing. Ignorance happens. The life of a Celiac...but I digress. The point of this blog post is to reflect upon tasty little cupcakes I baked the other night, inspired by the longing for batter I couldn't quite eat yet, and a need to be creative, using my beautiful oven and new Breville hand mixer!

The more time I spend in my kitchen, pouring through foodie magazines, or blogs the happier I become. It's a really good time to love food in this country. The sheer abundance of informative, creative and exciting cooking ideas flooding the Internet and pleasing the eye on glossy pages splattered with divine looking dishes, just waiting to be introduced to each of us, is stupendous and overwhelming...in a good way, of course. It's also a lot of fun to try new recipes and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Baking little cupcakes to ease a week of being "glutened" doesn't really make sense, does it. I mean, when you can't really eat and your head is foggy how does one find inspiration blending flours and standing in a kitchen waiting for a tasty treat that cannot yet be enjoyed, due to the violent bulldozing of little villi? Well, call me strange or just understand that there's a peace for me that comes from creating anything in my kitchen to share with others or for myself...but sharing is way more fun.

My little montage of photos in honor of delish vanilla cupcakes with lemon curd is intended to be shared and passed along. It's a super easy recipe that you'll find on Bob's Red Mill vanilla cake mix. The lemon curd is a favorite of mine found at Trader Joe's.

What's better than handing someone a sweet little treat baked with love and good ingredients?

Vanilla Lemon Curd Cupcakes ~

Loving my new Breville hand mixer

Yes, I cheated and used good old Bob's GF mix

I love this lemon curd from Trader Joe's ~ a dollop will do ya'

Pop them in the oven...

Voila! Happy cupcakes for all

The beauty of the Golden Gate...I can never get enough of this magnificent sight, the sound of the waves lapping on shore and the view of the mighty Pacific.

It was the perfect view and place to have started the New Year...all full of possibilities and endless light.

Grace & Gratitude ~ Happy New Year!

As this year of 2011 comes to a close, I am feeling an array of emotions brought on by days past and an excitement to eagerly step into the New Year. It is needed; it is time. This year has evoked every human emotion for me, all the symptoms of life choices and important journeys taken. Each emotion and feeling has stretched, pulled, pushed and tugged me in every which way, but all, as I sit here today in reflection on a bumpy flight from the east coast to west, have left me breathless and sated with two feelings that outweigh the others, grace and gratitude.

I do my very best in every life situation to handle whatever comes my way with grace. I certainly don’t always succeed and sometimes I fall, but the simple word itself conjures such inspiration and tranquility that it makes you want to try even harder to incorporate its true essence into your life.

Gratitude can prove more challenging than grace, or so I’ve experienced. We can all focus on what didn’t happen, what dreams didn’t quite come to fruition or live up to our expectations. We can choose to live in those empty spaces of unfulfilledness or realize that a journey is a journey and along the way life shows up to offer guidance or shift our glance, always knowing better than we. I have learned in 2011 what it means to consciously wake up every day and choose gratitude. It has become an inherent part of my life and it’s as powerful and important as choosing a life-partner, or making an important decision that alters your course.

I can honestly say that the combination of choosing to live a (gluten-free) life of grace and gratitude has opened me up to see the abundance in my life and within the lives of all those around me. It has reminded me again and again to embrace every soul that I’ve drawn to my life, whether they are close-by for the duration, or leave their individual mark of influence while passing through.

Just the other day I toured the Tennis Hall of Fame Museum in Newport, Rhode Island with my brother. I’ve been back east for Christmas with my family and exploring my brother and his family’s new city of residence. My brother and I have shared a deep love for one another and tennis our entire lives. One of my fondest childhood memories was spending hour upon hour hitting tennis balls against our wooden garage door together, honing our shots, saving our competitive juices for when we hit the court. He usually beat me and still does to this day, but the bond that one sport can form between siblings is priceless and enduring. Wandering through the museum we arrived in the “Andre Agassi room,” a special section dedicated to Andre’s career and accomplishments due to the fact that he was inducted this past July. As we made our way through the room we were both stopped in our tracks by Andre’s induction speech that was being played as a loop on a TV monitor above. Taking in only part of his speech would not do…no, we listened and watched the emotional speech in its entirety.

Having read Andre’s book, “Open,” this past summer, I felt a stronger connection to the heart-felt words of life that he was so eloquently expressing, while fighting back his own tears the whole way through. One of the most moving parts of his book and consequently his speech, was the story of his encounter with Nelson Mandela, while visiting Africa en route to safari. The words that Mr. Mandela imparted on Andre were life changing and helped guide him to the next steps of his journey, but this time by making more “careful choices” along the way and living a life with more care. That really stuck with me. By the time Andre’s speech came to a close my brother and I felt tears welling and were so moved by the transformation of a life that one man was so willing to share with all of us, with the world. Whether you’re a great athlete, famous author or a simple person moving through the world while struggling, growing, stretching each and every day, none of us can truly find our greatness until we’ve “spent a little time at rock bottom and gotten comfortable there,” as Andre so perfectly expressed. For it is from that space that we all find ourselves and relearn what is truly important to take with us on each of our journeys.

If you haven’t read “Open” read it. The book struck me to the core and has lingered in a very significant way. Now, I realize that at one point I had a raging crush on the guy and my brother in turn, only dressed in Agassi gear (yes, we were obsessed), but the point it this…we can all get in our own way, we can fight destiny, we can even choose to ignore the whisper of our authentic self until it bursts through, but without question and as difficult as this is to grasp at times, everything in one’s life happens for a reason. Period.

Along those lines, I wanted to share two of the most important lessons I’ve learned this year that have come to me through other blogs I so enjoy reading, and both arrived at just the right time. I hope these powerful quotes fill you up in a way only you can know, as they have for me. How life changing a quote can be. Words, powerful words.

“Expectations are premature disappointments”

“Maturity is the capacity to endure uncertainty"

A very blessed, abundant, and gluten-free New Year to you and yours ~

Happy 2012!