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Strawberries - in season for spring - are the perfect partner for my Dairy Free Lemon Ice Cream!
 
Even though there's still a chill in the air, the sunny skies and warmer temps of spring can't help but bring chilled bowls filled with frozen treats to mind! 

Of course, I want a recipe that comes together in a snap with a few simple, affordable ingredients. I know you do, too! 

My dairy-free ice cream fits the bill, but that's not all...
 
This recipe is versatile enough to become our warm weather "go to" dessert - no oven required!

So, this week, I'm sharing with you my recipe for Dairy Free Lemon Ice Cream along with several variations I've made!
 
And I have so many more in mind... The possibilities for this simple ice cream seem nearly endless, and that's precisely the idea!
 
I'm excited for you to take this recipe, check out my variations, try one (or more!) of them, then make your own custom flavors of rich, creamy dairy-free ice cream to keep you cool all spring and summer long!
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Few things capture the taste of spring like a crisp, light salad that's simple to prepare and bursting with flavor! 
 
And this Spring week is a perfect one for my Naturally Gluten Free Apple Fennel Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette... Sweet apple and mild, anise-flavored fennel tossed in a light herb vinaigrette make a tantalizing combination! 

This dish is also a super-flexible time saver... You can make it a day in advance, so it's a perfect "take-along" dish! I even put it to the test for this year's Easter brunch. Saturday evening, I took about 15 minutes to put together this salad and then stored it in the fridge overnight. The next morning, off to Easter brunch I went with no worries of last-minute prep or cleanup! 

My salad was SUCH a big hit with everyone I had to write the recipe down for four people and left with an empty serving bowl! 

Everyone was so busy raving about the salad's flavor, I hardly had a chance to explain the OTHER great thing about my salad... By using fennel, I've made sure it also packs a powerful nutrition punch! 
 
If you haven’t used fennel before in your cooking, this salad is the ideal introduction to this healthy veggie!

Fennel is a relative of carrots and dill. It is brimming with vitamin C, it's full of fiber, and it contains plant nutrients with anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties.  

Of course, it's understandable if fennel hasn't made its way into your kitchen. That big veggie looks a little intimidating and the bulb is a bit tough. And, truth be told, unless someone shows you, those feathery fronds, long stalks, and that big bulb can be tricky to prepare. That's why I made this short video showing you exactly how to prep fennel and use it! 

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How about a 2-ingredient gluten free recipe so scrumptious you won't be able to resist?! 

What if I told you it's super-simple to make and GOOD FOR YOU, too?

Sounds too good to be true, but I assure you, it's not. 

My Gluten Free Avocado Fries have all this and more!

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Gluten Free Quinoa Stuffed Peppers ~ a simple, affordable, delish Slow Cooker dish!


Even though I'm not vegan or vegetarian, many people on a gluten free diet are one or the other. That's why this is among the top nutrition questions I receive: "How can I get enough protein if I don’t eat meat (or dairy)?" 

The answer is simple, and gives us another reason to LOVE living gluten free! My answer also provides great information for EVERYONE, not just those who don't eat meat (or animal products). 

Adding healthy variety to our gluten free diet keeps it interesting and tasty! (Find out more about how to add nutritious variety to your gluten free diet in my article on "Taste Groups".) 

Incorporating certain gluten free whole “grains” into our diet is a fantastic way to get healthy protein on our plate, and much, much more! Today’s focus... QUINOA!


What is Quinoa?

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), while referred to as a whole grain, really isn’t a grain at all.  It’s a tiny seed from a plant in the Goosefoot family.

Some familiar relatives of quinoa are beets (check out my most recent article on beets), Swiss chard (find my healthy, nutritious gluten free Cannellini Beans with Chard here), spinach (try my simple gluten free vegetarian Spinach Squares), and amaranth.

Like its familiar relatives, quinoa is a great way to add nutrition to our gluten free diet! Check out some of the health benefits of quinoa...

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From Gluten Free Gigi’s dairy free, soy free, nut free recipe box:
 

This week’s How-To videos:
     - 1-ingredient Homemade Jam (Vegan)
     - Spinach Squares for Brunch (Vegetarian)
     - Healthy Baked Quinoa (Vegetarian)

~g~

Over the next four weeks, I’ll be sharing a series of short “How To” videos to show you step-by-step how to make my 12 personal favorites from our first year here at GlutenFreeGigi.com.

This week, we begin with three recipes that are perfect for your gluten free, dairy free, soy free, nut free brunch or breakfast table.

Each of these quick and easy dishes is low in fat and high in nutrition, making them ideal choices for your busy gluten free life.

Not only will I show you how simple these dishes are to make, I’ll show you exactly how budget-friendly healthy eating can be by providing cost per serving for each dish.

Affordability never tasted so good!

First, find out how simple it is to make your own homemade fruit spread with my...

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Impressive enough to please a King; simple enough to please me!
When the first King of Athens sought a patron deity for his city, he required contenders to offer up an impressive gift. Poseidon, god of the seas, thrust his trident into the earth, releasing water. Quite valuable, except that the water was salty and hardly of any use to the people of Athens.

Then, in steps Athena, goddess of wisdom and skill, with her gift of the olive tree. The rest, as they say, is history...or more acurately, Greek mythology.
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Take your pick ~ are you a mild child or do like a little fire & ice?
Maybe it's that feel-good South American vibe I've got going on since that stellar dining experience at Fuego Mundo earlier this week.

[You did read the review, didn't you? Well, if you haven't gotten around to it yet (or if you loved it so much you'd like to read it again), click HERE.]

Or perhaps it's that mangoes, at least from Florida and Mexico, are in season.

Could it be that those sexy ripe mangoes in the fruit bowl were calling out my name, practically begging me to incorporate them into a dish?

Very likely all of the above. I find a ripe mango irresistable and have been caught standing over the kitchen sink with mango in one hand, paring knife in the other, syrupy nectar dripping off my chin and fingertips, without a care in the world. I make no apologies.
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Store bought jam is highly overrated. It's high on sugar, low on real fruit, and never really makes the mark in regard to taste. I like my fruit spread to taste like...fruit.

And there's something rather indecent about adding as many cups of sugar as fruit when making homemade confiture. Of course, in jams and jellies, sugar acts as a preservative, so is necessary when concocting large batches of your favorite bread spread for long-term keeping.

In my case, I can't promise that I'll want a particular flavor of jam next week, much less next year, so the preservative action of sugar isn't winning me over.
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I love avocadoes. I know many of you do, too. What's not to love? This tropical fruit is chock full of fiber, is rich in potassium, and is packed with vitamins like B, E, and K.
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Even if you cast aside the fact that this green delight contain loads of heart healthy oleic acid, it still receives high marks for other attributes, like the silky texture, rich buttery flavor, and versatility. Versatility? Why, yes. Don't tell me all you're doing with these verdant beauties is making smoothies and guacamole!

Take a look at just how versatile this fab fruit can be, and discover that all avocados are not created equal!
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This recipe is adapted from one found on the website Mexican Dessert Recipes, which appears to be defunct since 2008; however, I'm linking to the original recipe in the interest of giving credit where credit is due. My adaptations are for dairy-free and to simplify the method. After making it twice, I realized a step or two can be omitted with equal results.
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