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Sweet or Savory... Grain Free Flatbread is delish!
It is such a blast sharing these all-new, awesome grain free recipes with you this month! I love hearing you’re making and enjoying these tasty treats right along with me.

Check out this recent email from Alexa, a subscriber from Rhode Island:

“Gigi, Thank you so much for the Grain Free Chocolate Covered Sunbutter Bites recipe! I took your advice and made them for my mom for Mother’s Day! I put them in a candy box in individual white paper candy cups and tied them up with a giant pink bow. Mom loved them!! She is new to the world of food allergies (her allergies are eggs, peanuts, and wheat) and has been a little depressed over not being able to eat some of her favorite candies. She is also sensitive to rice and rice products like rice flour, rice syrup, and rice milk, so that rules out a lot of pre-packaged gluten free foods. That’s why when I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it for her. She absolutely loved them and now you have a new fan (she subscribed to your site and YouTube channel, too). Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I know I’ll make them again and again.”

So, don’t take my word for it, take Alexa’s (and her moms!). My Grain Free Chocolate Covered Sunbutter Bites are superb! If you haven’t already, be sure to whip up a batch soon. I know you’ll love them as much as Alexa and her mom do.

Thank you, Alexa, for your email. It’s inspiring to hear how something as simple as a recipe can make such a difference. Those of us living with multiple food allergies and intolerances know exactly how overwhelming, and yes, even depressing at times, navigating mealtimes can be. Food is at the core of every culture. It defines special occasions and holidays, holds memories of our childhood, and is necessary for life.

That’s why I love demystifying and simplifying gluten free (and other “free”) baking and cooking. Gaining confidence in the kitchen truly makes the difference between “just eating what we can” and really enjoying the foods we love.

This week’s recipe is definitely one for the “Foods We Love” file! I’m thrilled to show you Grain Free Flatbread is possible and delish!

I’m not talking about a dense, egg-y tasting, excuse for flatbread, either. My Grain Free Flatbread is light, airy, and bread-like! This is a versatile recipe, too! Form the dough rounds thicker for sandwich rolls you can slice in half, or thinner for tender, bendable wraps to fill with your favorite meats and/or veggies. You can also make this flatbread sweet or savory (more on this in the recipe!). No matter how you decide to make your flatbread, I know you’ll love this recipe! Let’s get in the kitchen!

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Free from: gluten, grain, dairy, eggs, soy, & nuts!

All May long, we’re going "against the grain" to gain insight into how simple grain free baking can be!  

Last week, we satisfied our munchies with my amazingly simple and delish Grain Free Gluten Free "Pot" Brownies. This week I have another sweet treat to share just in time for Mother's Day!

My Chocolate Covered Grain Free Gluten Free (Oven Free!) Sunbutter Bites are special enough to fill a candy box tied up with a pretty bow for Mom to show her how much you care!

In fact, this recipe is so incredibly easy and FUN to make, you'll want to keep it near the front of your recipe box to use any time you want to share a sweet gift from your kitchen. (We don't even need to turn on the oven for these!!)

Of course, once you try one of these decadent little bites, you might just decide to double the recipe and make extras to nibble on for yourself (I know I do!).

And that's a-OK because these decadent candy bites are free of the most common "Big 8" food allergens as well as gluten free and grain free!! That means nearly everyone can enjoy them! 

Now, let's get that recipe and get in the kitchen!

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Gluten Free Grain Free Brownies
Brace yourself for an action-packed, information-filled month here at GlutenFreeGigi.com!
 
I don’t think we’ve ever had so much fresh, exciting, new, and useful content packed into only a few short weeks!

Take a look what I’ve got in store for you...  Be sure to mark these important dates on your calendar so you don’t miss a thing! Then we'll get to today’s stellar grain free recipe! (To learn more about grain free, don't miss the "A Side of Science" article I wrote discussing the topic here.)

Beginning today, and all month long on Tuesdays, we’re going "against the grain" to gain insight into how simple grain free baking can be! Don’t let anyone fool you into thinking you can’t have your favorite foods if grains are off the menu!
 
Overcomplicated recipes and long ingredients lists are not necessary when cooking grain free. We can enjoy all the foods we love - grain free! - using a few simple tips, tricks (and even some secrets!) I know. I’m going to share them with you this month... It's my May treat for you!

May is also Celiac Awareness Month. Every Thursday in May my “A Side of Science” articles will focus directly on some aspect of Celiac disease (CD). My goal is to raise as much awareness as possible this month by providing science-backed, unbiased information about living with CD you can immediately use to enhance your wellness.

In fact, I’d love it if you would join me in increasing CD awareness by sharing each “A Side of Science” post during the month of May on your Facebook page, via Twitter, or even on your own website if you have one. The more we spread the word, the more people we can educate about CD and living gluten free. That helps everyone, so let’s do it!!!

Also, mark your calendar for Food Allergy Awareness Week May 13-19. Many of you, like me, live with multiple food allergies, so again, let’s work together to share information and ideas about food allergy awareness, especially during this week.

Raising awareness is particularly critical for those of us with children on special diets due to a food allergy. I understand that because I live it every day in my own home with my own child.
 
On May 23rd and 24th I am personally presenting, as part of my ongoing monthly webinars, unique information in a comprehensive discussion on children with food allergies that could literally save your child’s life!
 
I’ll be sharing more details and registration information soon, but save those dates because this webinar is guaranteed to sell out early and it will not be offered again!

Now... on to this week's recipe!
 
I promised delish grain free dishes all May long and this first recipe will not disappoint. My Gluten Free Grain Free “Pot” Brownies take gluten free, grain fee eating to an all time high! 

Even if you aren't grain free, trust me, you will want to keep this recipe handy! It is simply that good.
 
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Legend has it fairies place pots of gold at the end of rainbows. Leprechauns are said to guard the pots. Capture the leprechaun, and the treasure belongs to you!

Of course, if you don’t have time this St. Patrick’s Day to chase after mischievous leprechauns, you can make your own rainbow and pot of gold. It’s simple, affordable, and even if it’s not the “real thing”, rainbows are magical. That's especially true when they are made of an array of naturally gluten free, nutrient-rich veggies!

No less dazzling is my savory Pot O' Gold Dip!

This blend of roasted butternut squash and seasonings makes a terrific dip for raw or steamed vegetables. Everyone will feel lucky when you serve this eye-catching display, on St. Patrick’s Day, or any day of the year!

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Quinoa is a terrific high-protein nutrition-packed food to add to your gluten free diet! For the full "how-to" on quinoa's health benefits and how to use it, read my "A Side of Science" article about Quinoa.

Gluten Free Slow Cooker Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

4 medium bell peppers, washed and dried
2 cans (14.5 ounces EACH) organic diced tomatoes
1 can (14.5 ounce) organic tomato sauce
1 cup quinoa flakes
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup water 
2 teaspoons Italian herbs
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten (or use an appropriate egg alternative - for ideas  CLICK HERE)

First, prepare the peppers:
Cut tops only off peppers to remove stem and expose inside of pepper. 

Gluten Free Gigi Tip!
Don't throw away money!!
After you discard the stem, you can dice the top portion of the peppers. Store it in the fridge in a covered container to use in another dish. From 4 peppers, you may get up to 1/2 cup diced pepper for another use! 

Remove the seeds and white membrane from inside peppers. Seeds and membrane can be discarded. 

Set the peppers aside and get your slow cooker ready by turning it on high. 

Add the 2 cans of tomatoes, tomato sauce, and 1 teaspoon of the Italian herbs and garlic to the slow cooker. Stir. 

Now, prepare the filling...
In a mixing bowl, combine quinoa flakes, onion, mushrooms, water, eggs, 1 teaspoon Italian herbs, salt, and 1 cup of the tomato mixture from the slow cooker. Stir filling ingredients until well-blended.

Divide filling evenly between the 4 peppers, filling nearly to the top. The mixture will puff slightly when it is cooking. 

Carefully place the filled peppers in the tomato sauce in the slow cooker. Cover, and cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until filling appears dry on the top and peppers are fork-tender. 

~g~
Join me in the kitchen and try more of my gluten free recipes.  Click here to see all of the recipes I have for you! Living gluten free tastes so good... you'll see!

To receive every new gluten free recipe right in your inbox each week along with my latest “A Side of Science” articles like this one be sure to click here to SIGN UP for my FREE E-LETTER! 


Let's Connect!

Do you have Comments about a specific post or recipe? 
Please share in the “comments” section below!

Do you have Questions? 
Click here to check out my ALL NEW FAQs and you might just find your answer!

If you don't find your answer in my FAQs, email me: mailbox (at) glutenfreegigi (dot) com. 

I’m always happy to hear from you, but need to ask for your understanding and patience when it comes to responding. I receive lots of email these days, which I love, but it can be challenging sometimes to respond to each one. I answer as many of your questions as possible in my How-To videos and posts so everyone can benefit. Keep watching my videos and website for my answer to YOUR question! 

Follow Along...
On Twitter and "Like" me on Facebook! 

You can also check out my boards on Pinterest and find out what I’m posting on Google+! 

These are places I like to go have fun and share what’s going on in the Gluten Free Test Kitchen and in my HOME Kitchen! 

I love following you, too! Make sure you let me know you’re out there!  

~g~

Thanks for taking time to visit! Come back for my weekly recipe and how-to video posts on Tuesdays and useful "A Side of Science" articles on Thursdays. If you don't, I'll miss you!

My mission here at GlutenFreeGigi.com is to share my experience and knowledge to make gluten free living easy and accessible for everyone. I can help you navigate your gluten free life with ease and confidence because I understand how challenging it can be! Click here to learn more about who I am and my gluten free story.

I’m super-excited to have YOU here!

The journey's fantastic when you're sharing it with folks who have things in common... I'm glad you're sharing the gluten free journey with me!! 

P.S. --  Click here to sign up for my free e-Letter so you don't miss a thing! 

xo,

Gluten Free Gigi     

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Simple & naturally gluten free~homemade Sunbutter with an Apple: Great reNEWal snack!

What an exciting time of year! Crisp, invigorating air fills our lungs, while the spirit of the holidays lingers to warm us. 

Now is when many of us resolve to approach the fresh New Year with a plan for improving our overall well being! 

That's why all January long, as promised, each post here at GlutenFreeGigi.com will focus on our 5-week plan of life-balancing reNEWal! 

An extreme "whole new you" approach feels a bit overwhelming to me. Instead, I focus on balanced healthy living all year. I know you want to do that, too.
 
I also understand it can be difficult to stay on track when life gets hectic. Often, just getting started can pose a challenge. I'm here to help and keep it simple!

In coming weeks, I'll show you easy ways we can pay attention to our health, take time to restore our energy, and fire up our metabolism! We will move toward wellness through balance, with a focus on the foods we eat and staying healthy on our gluten free (or other "free") diet. 

I've experienced first-hand the positive power food can have on our bodies. Over 4 years ago, by making what turned out to be simple changes in what I was eating, I experienced a transformation of health so phenomenal it completely changed my life! This drastic improvement in my overall well-being due to simply changing my diet is why I started GlutenFreeGigi.com. It is my mission to share with others how simple achieving optimal health through diet can be . 

I hope you'll join me here all month long! I can't wait to reNEW with YOU! 

Have a look at what I've got for you this week...
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Coconut Macaroons

With a light crisp exterior, these macaroons remain tender, moist, and chewy inside. They’re sure to please the coconut lovers on your list!
2 egg whites, room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
Pinch of fine sea salt (about 1/8 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons tapioca flour (you may substitute an equal amount of cornstarch if you do not have tapioca flour)
1 cup unsweetened grated coconut

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until they begin to turn white and foamy.
Add sugar and whisk into the egg whites until blended and sugar begins to dissolve.
Add salt, vanilla, and tapioca flour (or cornstarch). Whisk to blend completely.
Stir in coconut.

Scoop mounds of batter onto parchment lined pan. Do not flatten.

Note:
I use a 1/8 cup measuring scoop for 1-ounce (large) macaroons. You may use a 1 Tablespoon measuring scoop for a slightly smaller cookie if you prefer. Be sure to adjust baking time for your cookies according to the size of cookie you make (see below).

For Tablespoon-sized scoops, 15-17 minutes should be enough to bake cookies, but for larger (1/8 cup scoops like mine), you may need 20-25 minutes.

The outside should be light golden around the edges with the tops just beginning to turn golden in spots when done.

Remove from the oven and slide the parchment off the cookie sheet and onto a counter to cool completely before removing the cookies to a serving platter. Store at room temperature up to 1 week.

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