This pumpkin cornbread recipe uses quinoa flour as part of the ingredients, though the overall cornbread flavors are not overpowered by quinoa's strong taste. Adding in a whole cup of pumpkin puree adds a touch of sweetness that creates balanced flavors and a wonderfully moist cornbread.

This luscious gluten-free, vegan apple pie uses a slightly different type of pie crust recipe. I first created this crust for a potato-pea samosa recipe. Everyone loved it so I decided to create it into an apple pie. The dough isn't your normal pastry dough because I don't use a saturated fat. Instead I use a mix of grapeseed oil, applesauce, ground chia seeds, and baking soda to create the flakiness.

This is a super simple recipe for making your own refined sugar-free, nut-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free candy. It has only two ingredients plus a little sea salt. It kind of reminds me of a Tootsie Roll but without all of the cell-damaging hydrogenated oils, genetically engineered corn syrup, artificial flavors, and sugar!

This simple gluten-free oatmeal cobbler is also refined sugar-free and vegan, though you can use butter if you like. I make it with Italian plums but you could use any variety of plum or pluot. It can also be made with peaches, blueberries, or blackberries. I've been dehydrating Italian plums like crazy lately. My children love to eat them as a snack in the winter. I keep filling up glass jars and storing them in the back of the pantry. Italian plums can also be halved, pitted, and frozen to use throughout the year.

Anyone remember those orange creamsicle popsicles we enjoyed as children? This frosty dairy-free smoothie captures those flavors and provides a host of nutrients and protein. I got the idea for this smoothie from one of our favorite restaurants, Thrive Cafe, in Seattle. Whenever we are in Seattle or driving through we make a stop there either to dine in or to get take-out for the road. It is a mostly raw, vegan, organic cafe with very reasonable prices. All of the to-go containers are biodegradable too!

We've been experiencing a rather cold, rainy spring here in the pacific northwest so the other night I made a big pot of vegetarian chili. It would not have been complete without a batch of warm corn muffins. Our family enjoyed these so much that I decided to share them with you. I needed to make another batch yesterday just so I could get some photos.

Stocks or broths can be used in many different ways, well beyond soups. Homemade stock is far more nutritious than store-bought stock, even the organic brands. For one, commercial stocks, whether chicken or vegetable, use many different "natural" flavorings. What is a natural flavoring anyway?

A few weeks ago, the night before Valentine's Day, my daughters asked me to make cupcakes and frosting to give out to their friends at school. I had an idea to make a healthy frosting using almond butter and coconut oil. Thinking that I needed to chill the frosting for a while before spreading it onto the cupcakes, I made it first. A few hours later I took it out of the refrigerator to whip up into what I thought would be this beautiful, light, and fluffy frosting. For a second it did look like that, and then the oil began separating.

Lacto-fermented vegetables are cultured vegetables. You've probably heard of sauerkraut, kim chi, and sour dill pickles, right? These are all forms of lacto-fermentation. Many people use whey as a starter but it is not necessary as long as you use enough salt. Making your own lacto-fermented vegetables is so easy that once you start you'll be hooked!

I have had a number of requests for slow cooker recipes. Thank you! You have inspired me to use my slow cooker more often in the last few weeks! It is so nice to simply add all of the ingredients to the pot, walk away, and come back hours later with a warm, hearty meal in front of you. I have a few new slow cooker recipes to share with you in the coming weeks (both meat and vegetarian).

Happy Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year here in the northern hemisphere. As we were heading out to the beach today with the kids, my 6 year old said to me, "mama, that's weird, I thought today was supposed to be the darkest day of the year, but it's the sunniest!" Yes indeed, today was a beautiful day to spend at the beach playing on the warm, sunny rocks and exploring the trails. Also a good day to come home and bake gingerbread muffins to warm us up along with mugs full of hot spice tea!

My children have so much fun cutting out and decorating these lovely gluten-free Christmas cookies! This time of year takes me back to baking gingerbread and sugar cookies with my mother. My brothers and I would decorate dozens of cookies with beautiful colored sprinkles and bright white icing. I wanted to share that experience with my own children, only with a healthier, gluten-free version. This recipe uses coconut sugar as the main sweetener, along with a powdered coconut sugar icing.

When I’m making a special treat for our family or friends, I love using coconut sugar. Its rich, caramel-like flavor adds depth without being overly sweet, and best of all—it doesn’t come with the jittery, heart-palpitating effect that cane sugar can bring. This simple method for making powdered coconut sugar is perfect for icing cookies and cakes or replacing powdered sugar in any recipe. All you need is a good high-powered blender to transform granulated coconut sugar into a fine, fluffy powder that works beautifully in baking, glazes, and frostings.

For many of you Thanksgiving revolved around a turkey, right? You can make good use of the leftover bones and skin and create a nourishing bone broth. Stock made from leftover vegetable scraps and the bones of animals is extremely economical. Think of how much that box of organic chicken broth costs at your local grocery store? And think of the added flavors and strange ingredients in those store-bought stocks.

Okay, this smoothie doesn't look too green now does it? Berries and greens blended up equal brown. Although the color may not look too appetizing, the flavor is amazing! My 4-year old twin boys drink it with a straw. They now race to see who is done first. We hear "done" and then "done" and then "no, I was done first" and then "I'm not playing first game." Just so you all know, drinking your smoothie as fast as you can is not optimal for digestion.

We like to roast a whole, organic chicken on occasion for family meals. In the wintertime I will serve it with sautéed winter greens, such as kale and collards, a few spoonfuls of raw sauerkraut or cultured vegetables, and roasted root vegetables.

If you're gathering with loved ones this holiday weekend and want to bring a treat that feels both indulgent and deeply nourishing, these flourless walnut brownies are a perfect fit. Rich, chocolatey, and satisfying, they’re made without any grains or flours—just whole walnuts and raw cacao powder as the base.

I thought these healthy gluten-free chocolate cupcakes with bright orange frosting looked quite festive for halloween. You could even offer them to your children in exchange for their candy loot! My children normally go trick-or-treating and then come back home and give most of their candy away to the last of the trick-or-treaters. Oh what joy they have in doing this! Then they put whatever remaining candy they have next to their bed and in the middle of the night the hungry candy gnome comes to take it away.

The days are getting shorter, colder, and busier! Having simple, nourishing meals ready to eat when you get home from work or school is so important. Now that the weather has changed, I've been using my slow cooker more often. This chicken curry recipe is so simple that I almost didn't post it! I've made it a number of times in the last few weeks; too many actually, because now my children are starting to complain!

Making your own gluten-free brown rice flour tortillas is so simple! With just a few ingredients you can make healthier tortillas at home. My recipe is egg-free and xanthan gum-free as well. I use a cast iron tortilla press to quickly press all of the tortillas, and then I cook them in a hot cast iron skillet on my stovetop. If you don't own a tortilla press you can roll the dough in between two pieces of parchment paper using a rolling pin. I've made so many versions of this recipe to try to figure out the best method for getting flexible tortillas.

Do you ever crave that rich, creamy taste of sour cream but are sensitive to dairy products? I created a very simple replacement for sour cream that can be dolloped over baked potatoes or yams, spooned over beans and rice, added to tacos, used to make a layered taco salad, or used to make no-bake "cheesecakes"!!

Happy New Year! Cheers! This is our favorite green juice recipe, in fact, our children think it's the bomb! They love it. Serve it in a pretty glass with a stainless steel or glass straw. I think you'll find that this green juice is very mild tasting and quite enjoyable to drink.

This recipe creates a beautiful purple-hued sauce, reminiscent of sweet and sour sauce! In the summertime here in the Pacific Northwest we go around town and pick boxes full of fresh Italian plums. I pit and freeze many of them to use for sauces like this throughout the year. Use this sauce to dip nori rolls into or drizzle over sautéed vegetables and rice. We love it over grilled salmon too! If you can tolerate soy products, then replace the sea salt in this recipe with about 2 tablespoons of organic wheat-free tamari.

Serve this cheese-like dip with a platter of crackers and vegetables such as cauliflower florets, raw green beans, celery sticks, cucumber slices, and kohlrabi slices.

This mayo recipe is full of heart-healthy fats and potassium! Use as a spread for your favorite sandwich, or use to make a fish salad with leftover cooked salmon (or another type of cooked or canned fish).

This nourishing gratin recipe contains winter vegetables and a sauce made from raw dairy. Research has shown that raw milk from cow’s grazing on grasses, and dairy products made with it, contains higher levels of essential fatty acids, such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Pasteurization decreases minerals and vitamin C, and makes the vitamin A in milk much harder to absorb because the protein that assists with its absorption in the intestines is destroyed during pasteurization process.

This is one of our favorite ways to enjoy sweet potatoes. Serve with roasted chicken, gravy, and sautéed kale for a balanced meal. You can use any milk of your choice but I prefer to use homemade Raw Almond Milk. I normally use dark orange sweet potatoes but white sweet potatoes work just as well.

Serve this delicious peanut dipping sauce for fish sticks, chicken, or spring rolls. It's also quite tasty as a dressing for cabbage-cilantro slaw!

This dairy-free and vegan mashed potato recipe is just as creamy and flavorful as one made with milk and butter. Although you might think that using six cloves of garlic could be overpowering, the garlic flavor is actually quite subtle. Draining the cooked potatoes and reserving the liquid to help mash the potatoes is a great alternative to using any type of milk.

This is a low-glycemic alternative to mashed potatoes. While I love potatoes, sometimes I can feel a little “weighed down” after eating them. This is diabetic-friendly, so go ahead and enjoy them with roast chicken and gravy! I’ve also made this recipe before into a “cheesy” casserole by adding a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast to the food processor along with the cauliflower.

Serve this light and zesty cabbage slaw on top of a spicy bean or meat stew, or on top of bean or meat tacos.

This frosting has the perfect amount of sweetness with a mild chocolate flavor. It is luscious and fluffy, just perfect for frosting your favorite layered cake or cupcakes! For frosting one dozen cupcakes, make a half batch of this recipe.

Did you know that buckwheat isn’t technically a grain, but a fruit seed? Despite being commonly grouped with cereal grains due to its similar culinary uses, buckwheat belongs to a completely different botanical family. It’s naturally gluten-free, nutrient-dense, and incredibly versatile—making it a favorite ingredient in whole foods and allergen-friendly kitchens. For over two decades, I’ve used raw, freshly ground buckwheat flour in my gluten-free baking recipes. It’s one of the secret ingredients that gives my baked goods their unique texture, mild flavor, and nutrient boost.

These gluten-free cookies use medjool dates as the main sweetener. Dates are rich in minerals and B vitamins. I always use sprouted brown rice flour when making these, but regular brown rice flour works as well. Serve cookies with raw almond milk for a healthy treat!

The trick to making this recipe is to chill one can of coconut milk overnight. When you open the can, the cream will have hardened and separated at the top and the watery part is left behind on the bottom of the can. We use this thick, spicy cream to dollop on top of the Spicy Mung Bean Burgers. It is also delicious over cooked quinoa and beans with chopped avocado and cilantro on top.

I like to make this soup in late summer when the Roma tomatoes and fresh fennel are plentiful. I freeze it in quart jars to enjoy when the weather cools. Serve with a grain-free or whole grain flatbread and a garden vegetable salad for a light summer meal.

This easy gluten-free and vegan dessert makes the perfect ending to a summertime meal. You can use this topping with any fruit filling. For Thanksgiving, try sliced apples and fresh cranberries, or use nectarines and freshly picked blackberries at the end of the summer, or, in the Spring, try chopped rhubarb and fresh strawberries!

If you are in the mood for a sweet snack then this recipe can be whipped up within 10 minutes! I like to have a container of some sort of nut-date ball in the refrigerator for my children to pack in their school lunches. One ball serves as a sweet treat and also a good dose of protein and healthy fat.

Practically any starchy vegetable can replace potatoes when making fries. I’ve used parsnips, celery root, and sweet potatoes, but my favorite is the humble rutabaga. You can keep it simple and season them with sea salt, or for more flavor, try adding freshly ground black pepper, curry powder, or dried thyme.