Beverage

I love to enjoy this almond milk with cereal, in smoothies, and in hot rooibos tea. I try to avoid drinking it by the glass, because it will usually be gone in a day if I do that.

Vanilla Almond Milk

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Two Eggnog recipes. The first, a Vegan Eggnog Coffee (or tea) Creamer that will transform a boring cup of coffee into a healthy eggnog latte. The second, a Light, Dairy-free Eggnog recipe made with dairy-free milk, ground spices and a touch of coconut sugar.

If you really knew me you’d know…

I brew a pot of tea every morning before I do anything else.

I am obsessed with Christmas music. It blasts from every area of my home, car and iPod from November 1 to Read More »

Do you remember the first time you drank Gatorade?

I do! I was at a track and field meet. After the race, my coach passed me a bottle of Gatorade and told me to drink it to avoid feeling sick.

The neon color should have been enough to raise a red flag, but I drank it anyway. 5 minutes later I felt like I’d been hit by a truck. Sugar overload! I could feel the  Read More »

Gluten and Dairy Free High Protein Banilla Smoothie © 2010 Teri Lee Gruss

Kids love this creamy delicious high protein “banilla” smoothie. There’s a lot of nutritional value in this 5-minute busy morning gluten and dairy free smoothie. Use a frozen banana for extra creamy texture.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unsweetened dairy free milk substitute – (Use your favorite. Mine is light coconut milk.)
• 2 ounces dairy free protein powder (I used Healthy-N-Fit 100% Egg Protein Vanilla Ice Cream Flavor)
• 1 peeled and sliced medium frozen banana
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Dash of nutmeg (optional) Read More »

Fruit salad smoothie

Here is a really great smoothie that my kids and their friends made with our leftover fruit from a fruit salad.  They loved it and so did I! Read More »

This week’s Friday’s Find makes this Smoothie Queen very happy.  Not only is it made by a company that I already love, but it opens up flavor options without added sugar.  I love So Delicious Coconut Milk, but I usually purchase the unsweetened version to avoid sugar.  I have to admit that I do look longingly at the Vanilla, because it is truly sooooo delicious.  In coffee, over cereal, in smoothies, it’s just wonderful. But since I’ve cut out sugar, the vanilla sweetness has been but a lovely memory.

Until now.

This week I happened to see a carton of So Delicious Sugar-Free Vanilla Coconut Milk at Whole Foods.  While I was thrilled to see that it didn’t have cane sugar, I took a good hard look at the ingredients hoping that I wouldn’t find artificial sweeteners instead.  I was glad to see that it is sweetened with stevia and monk fruit.  Sweet!  Tempted to fill my cart, I decided to take just one box and see how I liked it first.

I should have filled the cart.

This vanilla coconut milk helped Read More »

1) Gluten Free Goddess has a great list of appetizer ideas, some of which are also vegan and vegetarian friendly.
2) My Crockpot Cranberry Glazed Meatballs are so easy to prepare.  Just let the meatballs simmer in the crock pot, and they will be ready just in time for your guests to arrive!
3) For a little kick, try this Gluten Free Black Bean Salsa and serve with corn or rice chips.

Beverages

1) This Blood Orange Champagne Cocktail from Epicurious.com will liven up Read More »

Why pay all that money for almond milk when you can make it fresh, fresh, fresh; one-ounce serving of almonds (about 23 almonds) is an excellent source of vitamin E, magnesium and manganese, and a good source of fiber, copper, riboflavin, and phosphorus. Not to mention, every ounce has 6 grams of protein, and 12 grams of heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Now that’s a lot of nutrients for such a small package. Courtesy Almond Board of California

Ingredients

• 1 cup natural or blanched almonds
• 3 cups water
• 1 tsp. honey

Equipment

Blender.

Process

Add ingredients to blender.  Process at low speed for 1 minute, then 3 minutes at high speed until smooth.  To remove remaining solids, strain the mixture through cheese cloth, if desired.  Refrigerate.

All smoothies are quick to make and enjoy, but this smoothie is full of natural protein and the  vitamins and minerals needed for muscle strength and vitality plus carbohydrates for energy.

Ingredients

• 8 oz. milk or milk substitute (rice milk, nut milk, soy milk)
• 1 tablespoon natural creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon carob powder or 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon honey or fructose sweetener
• 1 tablespoon rice bran
• 1 tablespoon rice protein powder
• ¼ teaspoon gluten-free vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
• sprinkle salt as desired

Equipment

Blender.

Process

Add the milk or substitute to blender then add rest of ingredients.  Blend on high speed 1 to 2 minutes, or until thick and creamy.  Makes one serving.