Windshield Repair?!
Posted on May 16, 2010 in Uncategorized by WendyNo Comments »

This is the only post I’ve done that has absolutely nothing to do with health. Okay maybe financial health. A flying rock cracked our windshield and it’s been expanding ever since and we had to get our windshield replaced ASAP after unsuccessfully trying one of the windshield repair kits. Got a quote from my Toyota dealership for $1200. Are they kidding me? So I Yelped it and found an awesome place next to LAC-USC called GTO Auto Glass. We pulled up on a Saturday afternoon and as soon as we parked, they started working on it right away. Less than 30 minutes later they were done and they charged us $150 out the door. $1200 vs $150??? Isn’t that an insane difference? 
 
Brandon and I were joking that the guys working there probably work there on the side but their main jobs are probably stripping cars because they are so darn efficient at what they do. But we could care less. 
 
GTO Auto Glass 
1001 N Mission Road 
Los Angeles, CA 90033 
323.222.0115 
www.gtoautoglass.com

High ORAC index curry that won’t stress your gall bladder
Posted on May 12, 2010 in Wheat-free, Wendy's Recipes, Recipe Corner, Dietary Section, Uncategorized by Wendy1 Comment »

I like foods with function. And I love curry. So here’s a simple recipe that I have been making a lot that is high in antioxidants (some of these spices are high on the ORAC index) and easy to digest since coconut oil bypasses the gall bladder. Keep in mind that whole spices are the most flavorful so you can toast whole seeds and grind them in a spice grinder instead. Also feel free to use whatever vegetables are seasonal at the farmers market. 
 
Ingredients 
 

  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 tablespoon turmeric
  • 1 shallot, sliced thin
  • 2-3 stalks celery, chopped
  • 3 carrots, chopped
  • 3-4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 lb green beans, ends removed and cut in half
  • Free range chicken legs (3-4) or 1 block non-GMO tofu, cubed
  • 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 can organic full fat coconut milk
  • Fresh cilantro

    •  
    Method 
     

  • Heat large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When pot is heated, add coconut oil and shallot and stir for a few seconds.
  • Add cumin, coriander and turmeric and stir into shallot mixture until softened.
  • Add celery, carrot and potato and saute for a few minutes.
  • Add protein of choice. If using green beans with tofu, add at the same time. If using chicken, add green beans later. Add 1 can of coconut milk then fill up the empty can with water and add that to the pot as well. Bring to a simmer and cover. If you’re doing a vegetarian curry, simmer until veggies are soft. If using chicken, simmer until chicken is cooked through.
  • This can be served with rice but I feel that this is sufficient by itself as a meal. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
    • 1st birthday party cake recipe with non-dairy frosting
    Posted on May 12, 2010 in Wheat-free, Wendy's Recipes, Recipe Corner, Dietary Section by Wendy1 Comment »

    I have searched far and wide for a tasty cake recipe for a 1st birthday that doesn’t include a bunch of crap that I don’t want to feed my baby nor other babies who aren’t ready for wheat, sugar, etc. So I tweaked a few regular cake recipes that I thought would be baby-friendly and here is the final result which I based on Heidi Swanson’s carrot cake recipe. I doubled this recipe to fit a “1″ cake mold by Wilton and it was perfect. 
     
    Ingredients 

  • 1 1/2 c oat flour 
  • 1/2 c buckwheat flour 
  • 2 1/2 t baking powder 
  • 1 1/2 t Saigon cinnamon 
  • 3/4 t fine grain sea salt 
  • 4 oz extra virgin coconut oil (Artisana) 
  • 3 ripe bananas, mashed 
  • 1 1/2 c grated carrots (about 3) 
  • 1/2 c plain yogurt (this might not even be necessary with the oil and bananas for moisture) 
  • 2 eggs, lightly whisked (I tried this recipe with egg yolks too for children under 1 who haven’t introduced egg whites and it worked) 
     
    Method:
     

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees. Rub coconut oil (I used coconut oil spray) along the inner surface of the pan and make sure every corner is well coated so that later on when you turn the cake out it doesn’t crack. Lightly dust the inner surface of the pan with oat flour to further ensure that the cake stays intact. Set aside. 
  • Sift the flours, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a bowl and set aside. 
  • In a separate bowl, combine the carrot and banana. Stir in the coconut oil (this should be a melted butter consistency). Mix in the yogurt and eggs. 
  • Fold in the flour mixture to the wet mixture until just combined. Don’t overmix this! 
  • Pour into cake mold and spread evenly with an offset spatula. 
  • Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a testing toothpick in the center of the cake comes out clean. If you don’t have a convection oven, rotate the pan 180 degrees halfway through the baking process. Remove cake from the oven and let it cool. Turn the cake out onto a sheet pan or parchment-lined cake stand. Now it’s time for frosting! 
     
    I found the most excellent non-dairy frosting that’s not made of weird ingredients at Elana’s Pantry. I am so thankful for bloggers with food sensitivities! I’m a bit skeptical of agave nectar due to recent research that suggests its similarity to high fructose corn syrup but I think that if you use raw agave that hasn’t been heat-treated, this should be okay. And how often do you plan to make and eat frosting anyway? Hopefully not often. 
     
    Ingredients: 
     

  • 1 c organic full fat coconut milk 
  • 1 c raw agave nectar (I actually did think the frosting was a bit too sweet for my taste but I was afraid to mess with the proportions. Feel free to experiment and let me know how it goes.) 
  • Pinch of Celtic sea salt 
  • 5 teaspoons arrowroot powder 
  • 1 tablespoon water 
  • 1 1/4 c coconut oil 
     
    Method: 
     

  • In a medium saucepan, heat coconut milk, agave and sea salt. Simmer for 10 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, combine arrowroot and water to form a smooth paste.
  • Pour arrowroot mixture into saucepan.
  • Insert immersion blender and briefly bring to boil.
  • Remove pot from heat and gradually whisk in coconut oil.
  • Place entire pot in freezer for 30-40 minutes or until the mixture solidifies and turns white. It sometimes takes longer than 30-40 minutes depending on the temperature of your freezer.
  • Remove from freezer and blend again with immersion blender until fluffy. It’s now ready to use! You can use it immediately or store it in a container in the fridge until ready to use.

    •  
    And here are the fruits of my labor… It was delicious considering it was healthy and I’m so proud of my cake! 
     
    cake.jpg