Yogurt

Homemade Yogurt

Homemade Yogurt with Blueberry Sauce

4 cups of milk
2 tablespoons yogurt

Turn your crockpot on hot to warm it up, add a cup of water.

Set out your yogurt so it can get to room temp

Heat milk until slightly bubbly, not boiling, about  185 degrees. Stir constantly.

Cool heated milk by placing the pan into a larger pan or sink full of cold water. Cool until you can stick your finger in it comfortably without burning, about 110 degrees.

Measure out one cup of milk. Remove water from crockpot and place the rest of the milk into it.

Mix the cup of milk with the yogurt. Pour into the crockpot.

Turn off the crockpot. Wrap it in a large bath towel.

Let sit untouched for 8 to 24 hours.

Place in fridge to cool for at least 1 hour. (Do not stir)

Serve with honey and/or fruit.

Set aside 2 tablespoons of yogurt in a separate container to use as a starter for your next batch. Once you have a starter, you do not need to buy store bought yogurt. 

If you don't have a crockpot you can use anything (Such as a cooler that has been warmed) to keep the yogurt slightly warm. 

Homemade Yogurt

Gluten-Free Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

Biscuits and gravy were a special treat in my home growing up. We only had it when my Aunt Doris came to visit about once or twice a year. When I was older, before I discovered the joy of cooking real food, I use to make them with refrigerator biscuits, powdered gravy and precooked sausage. Yuck! That just won't do anymore. This recipe is proof that you can still enjoy your favorite foods even if you do go gluten-free.

1. Start by baking your biscuits. You can make the gravy while they are baking. Click here for a great biscuit recipe form Elana's Pantry or try the one below. I am still working on making my own recipe.

Drop Biscuit Recipe

2 ½ cups almond flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup butter

2 eggs

1 tablespoon honey

Combine the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls. Combine both together and mix well. Use a spoon to scoop the dough onto a cookie sheet. Adjust the size according to how big or small you want your biscuits. Bake them (at 450 degrees F) for about 15 minutes or until brown.

2. Cook your sausage.

Homemade Sausage

We usually buy our ground pork in bulk at Costco and then make a large batch of the below recipe and freeze them in individual packages. 

1 lb ground pork

1/2 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sage

2/3 teaspoon marjoram

1/3 teaspoon savory

1/3 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, grounded

Place pork into a large bowl. Add all the spices. Combine together well. I usually use my hands to make sure that it is combined well.

Place sausage into frying pan. Cook until it is brown and crumbly.

3. Create Gluten-Free Gravy

Gluten-Free Gravy

1 lb cooked sausage

2 tablespoons white rice flour

2 cups of milk

When your sausage is cooked check how much oil you have in the pan. If you have less than 2 tablespoons add enough butter to make up for it. Add white rice flour and cook until the flour absorbs the oil. Add the milk 1/4 a cup at a time until it is the consistency that you want it.

4. Combining all items into biscuits and gravy

Place a crumbled biscuit in each bowl, top with sausage and then the gravy mixture.

Coconut Oil French Fries

These have to be the best french fries we have ever tasted. Best of all, they are healthy and packed with flavor.

Coconut Oil French Fries

6 medium potatoes

1/2 cup of coconut oil

Season salt to taste

Wash the potatoes. Leave the peels on. Slice them to French Fry shape. Heat coconut oil in a frying pan. Lay the potatoes in the pan. Make sure that they are laid out flat and not overlapping each other. You might have to cook them in several batches depending on how many fries you want to make. Season the fries with season salt. When they are golden brown flip them over and cook until both sides are golden brown and they are soft in the middle.

Strawberry Short Cake Gluten-Free Almond Flour

Sweet Drop Biscuit Recipe

2 ½ cups almond flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup butter

2 eggs

4 tablespoons honey

1 lb strawberries

1 cup heavy cream

Combine the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls. Combine both together and mix well. Use a spoon to scoop the dough onto a cookie sheet. Adjust the size according to how big or small you want your biscuits. Bake them for about 15 minutes or until brown. 

While the biscuits are baking. Prep the strawberries. Wash, core and slice them into fourths. If your strawberries are not sweet you can add 1 tablespoon of honey and let them soak in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. 

When the biscuits are done let them cool slightly. Top with strawberries an then a dollop of whipped cream. 

Rosemary Onion Crackers Gluten-Free

Gluten-Free Rosemary Onion Crackers

Chris sometimes eats these before he goes to the gym in the morning. 

1 cup ground flax seed

½ teaspoon sea salt

1½ teaspoons rosemary

½ teaspoon onion powder

¼ cup maple syrup

1 tablespoon whole flax seeds

¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a food processor, mix ground flaxseed, salt, rosemary, onion powder, and whole flax seeds.  When mixed add maple syrup and mix again. Place onto a cookie sheet and press to flatten to about ½cm thickness.  Score the crackers. Sprinkle with salt and bake for 20 minutes. These crackers are awesome with a slice of cheese.

This recipe was adapted from here.

Mongolian Beef

Mongolian Beef

1 lb flank steak

¼ cup cornstarch

2 teaspoons coconut oil

½ teaspoon ginger (minced)

1 tablespoon garlic (minced)

1 tablespoon salt

1 cup water

½ cup coconut sugar

1 tablespoon molasses

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

2 green onions (sliced)

1 medium onion (sliced)

Coconut Oil (for frying)

Cut steak into ¼” thick slices and coat with cornstarch. It must sit for 10 minutes or the batter will not stick.

In a sauce pan, heat 2 teaspoons of oil. Add garlic and ginger, stir fry 10 seconds. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, and water. Add coconut sugar and molasses and dissolve into the sauce. Add red pepper flakes. Bring the sauce to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Heat up about a cup of oil in your wok to about medium heat. Add the beef slices to the wok and cook for 3 minutes (or use a deep fryer). 

Remove the meat from the wok with a slotted spoon. Add onions to the wok and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the steak back to the wok and pour in the sauce. Cook while stirring until the sauce began to bubble.

(Makes 2 Servings)

Garlic-Coconut Crispy Fried Chicken Gluten-Free

Garlic-Coconut Crispy Chicken

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons coconut oil

4 garlic cloves, minced, plus 6 cloves peeled and smashed

6 thin-cut, boneless chicken thighs

2 cups coconut flakes

1 cup white rice flour

3 eggs

2 tablespoon garlic powder

½ cup cornstarch

Salt and pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 3 tablespoons oil, minced garlic, and chicken in a zip-lock bag and refrigerate while preparing remaining ingredients.

2. Spread rice flour in shallow dish. In another shallow dish, whisk egg whites until foamy. Combine coconut flakes, garlic powder, and cornstarch in third shallow dish.

3. Start mashed potatoes while the chicken is marinating.

4. Remove chicken from bag and season with salt and pepper. One at a time, coat chicken lightly with rice flour, dip in egg whites, and dredge in coconut mixture, pressing to adhere. Place chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and let dry 5 minutes.

5. Heat ½ cup oil and 3 smashed garlic cloves in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until garlic is lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Discard garlic and fry a pan full of chicken until crisp and deep golden, about 2 minutes per side. Be careful the coconut will burn easily. The chicken will finish cooking in the oven.  Transfer to a baking pan. Set aside oil, wipe out skillet, and repeat with remaining oil, garlic cloves, and chicken.

6. When all of the chicken is fried, bake in the oven for 1 hour or until the chicken is completely cooked.

Save the garlic oil for chicken gravy to go with the mashed potatoes. You can also throw the discarded garlic into the potato water for added flavor. 

Apple Crepes Gluten-Free

Apple Crepes Gluten-Free

Crepe Batter
1 cup rice flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup milk or cream
3 tablespoons butter, melted
½ teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs

Apple Filling
2 tablespoons butter, melted
5 apples, peeled, cored, and cut in wedges
1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup dried cranberries

To create the apple filling place apple filling ingredients in a frying pan and cook for five minutes until the apples are soft. Set aside.

Combine the Crepe batter ingredients into a large bowl, one ingredient at a time. Mix with an emersion blender. If you don’t have an emersion blender you can use a regular blender. Add more milk or cream until it is smooth.

Heat an 8 inch frying pan. Place ¼ cup of the batter in the pan and move it around until it make a thin layer.  Cook for about 1 minute and then flip it over and cook the other side for about 30 seconds.

Serve the filling inside the crepe.

You can also use other fillings. Apple is our favorite. We also like cream cheese and raspberries.

Cream Cheese and Raspberry Crepe

This recipe was adapted from the Gluten Free Bible page 34

Autumn Soup

I received this recipe in an email from my Aunt JoAnn. Chris and I loved it.

Autumn Soup

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef

1 med. onion, chopped

1 lg. can of tomatoes (they can be crushed or whole, if whole you need to break them up)

1 can of water from the tomato can

2 potatoes, diced and peeled

1 1/2 cups of diced celery

1 - 2 tsp. of dried sweet basil

Salt and pepper to taste.

Brown the hamburger with the onion. Add it to a crock pot with all the other ingredients. Make sure that the liquids cover the raw vegetables. Put on low for 6 hrs. or less. Most of the stuff will be ready.

If your going to have company for dinner, add another potato, and some chopped celery.

Beef Pie with Creamed Mushrooms

Don't forget to defrost the beef and start cooking the rice!!

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 egg white
1 cup rice, cooked
1 onion, minced
2 carrots shredded
1/4 cup parsley, minced
1/2 cup milk
garlic

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all ingredients together. Press into a 9in pie pan. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes.

While the crust is baking make the creamed mushrooms for the filling.


3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups milk
1 lb mushrooms, sliced

Brown the mushrooms in butter. Add the cornstarch and stir. Add milk slowly and stir until thickened. Poor mushroom mixture into beef crust.

Stuffed Mushrooms

These were so delicious that they felt sinful. We wanted to make them again right away but it is hard to find the larger portobello mushrooms here in Korea. We often find them in the supermarket already sliced.

5-6 large portobello mushroom caps

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 tablespoon garlic, minced 1/2 lb Italian sausage, ground

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese,softened

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wash mushrooms. Remove stems.

Cook sausage and garlic in oil until the sausage is cooked. Stir in cream cheese, Parmesan, pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Fill each mushroom with the stuffing. Bake for 20 minutes.

You can make these ahead of time and freeze them. They don't last long enough in my house to make it to the freezer. Just pull them out of the freezer and bake for 20 minutes.

These recipe was inspired and modified from this website.

Chris' Coconut Peppermint Hot Chocolate

I found a hot chocolate recipe at Elana's Pantry, which inspired us to come up with this recipe. Chris was excited about the coconut milk. We had never thought about using coconut milk in our hot chocolate. It made it rich and creamy. 

Chris’ Peppermint Coconut Hot Chocolate
2 servings

½ cup coconut milk

1 ½ cup whole milk

3 tablespoon cocoa powder

¼ cup coconut sugar

¼ teaspoon peppermint extract

Mix everything together and heat until warm. Serve with left over candy canes to stir with.

Hearty Beef Stew

Stew is comfort food for me. I remember my grandmother making it when I was young and it brings back great memories.

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 lb stew meat

3 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 medium carrots, cut into 1in pieces

1 large potato, cut into 1 1/2 in pieces

1/4 cup celery, cut into 1 in pieces

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 dried bay leaf

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Brown stew meat in coconut oil. Place all items in a baking dish. Bake for 2 1/2 hours.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Base Ingredients:
6 large potatoes, cubed
1 large onion, diced
1 quart homemade chicken broth
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup butter
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste


1 cup cream
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Garnish: chives, sour cream, bacon, and cheese


Cook the base ingredients in your crock pot for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Add the cream, cheese, and garnishes.

Spud Special Soup

3 tablespoons of butter
1 large onion
1/2 cup carrot, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic
4 cups diced potatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 cup browned sausage
1/2 cup cheese, grated

Brown sausage in a pot. Add butter, onion, carrots, and garlic and cook until the onion is soft and clear. Add potatoes, broth, salt, pepper, parsley, and sausage. Cover and simmer until all ingredients are cooked. Stir occasionally. Turn off the heat and add the milk. Serve with cheese as a garnish.

Gluten-Free Cranberry Lemon Muffins

I found this recipe at Elanas Pantry.

2 cups almond flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup grape seed oil
3 eggs
1/2 cup agave nectar, honey, or maple syrup
1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest.

Combine wet ingredients and dry ingredients separately, then combine together. Place in a lined muffin pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Gluten-Free Breakfast Bars

I found this recipe at Elanas Pantry. My husband does not care for raisins so he made these with cranberries. They were really good. He eats a bar just before going to the gym. It holds him over until breakfast. We took them to work one day for a snack but they were a little too greasy. I would rather eat them at home.

1 ¼ cup almond flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup grapeseed oil

¼ cup agave nectar, honey, or maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup shredded coconut

½ cup pumpkin seeds

½ cup sunflower seeds

¼ cup almond slivers

¼ cup raisins or cranberries

Mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Then add grape seed oil, agave, and vanilla. Then add the remaining ingredients. Press into a 8x8 pan with wet hands to push down the dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Crockpot 7 Layer Dinner

4 potatoes sliced

1/3 cup rice

1 lb raw hamburger

1 onion, chopped

1 small carrot, sliced or chopped

1 lb mushrooms, sliced or chopped

1 tsp sugar

2 (14 oz ) cans of diced tomatoes, undrained

salt and pepper to taste

Mozzarella (or other) cheese. 

Layer each item item in the order listed. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours. Add cheese to individual plates.  

Last time we made this we forgot to add the salt and it still came out great. This is the perfect throw it all in the Crockpot and have dinner waiting for you when you get home from work meal. 

Cream of Spinach and Sweet Potato Soup

Chris does not like sweet potatoes or spinach so we thought he would hate this meal that a neighbor gave us, but one bite and he was hooked. He is still not sure why he likes a dish with so many items that he does not like in it. I think it is great because spinach and sweet potatoes both have a lot of nutrients and we need to keep them in our diet. Also it is beautiful when served.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large bunch of spinach
1 lb mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup rice
1 lb sweet potatoes, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium squash, chopped
2 cups beef broth or Better than Bullion
3 bay leafs
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups heavy cream

Cook oil, garlic, onion, and spinach until the spinach is bright green. Add sweet potatoes, mushrooms, rice, broth, bay leaves, salt and pepper.  Simmer for 30 minutes on low. Add the cream and stir until warm, then serve.

The vegetables in this soup are bright and delicious. 

The cream really makes it a comfort food. 

Zucchini, Black Bean and Rice Skillet

This was so good the first time we made it that when it was gone and we discovered we had left over black beans we made it again the next day. You can use canned black beans, but I soaked dried black beans over night and then cooked them in the crock pot with an onion and season salt all day. We cook the rice in a rice cooker while we are waiting for the meal to cook or just use left over rice.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups zucchini, quartered lengthwise
1/2 cup diced red and yellow bell peppers
1 can (15 oz) of black beans drained in rinsed or 2 cups of soaked dried black beans cooked in the crockpot over night.
1 can (15 oz) of diced tomatoes, un-drained
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of cooked rice
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Heat oil in a frying pan. Cook zucchini, bell pepper and garlic for 5 minutes, constantly stirring. Add beans, tomatoes, and rice. Stir until the rice is warm. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.