Food is simply more fun when it comes on a stick. Think carnival foods – cotton candy, lollipops, and corn dogs – snacks that bring to mind good memories. When I found this recipe for brownie batter on a stick from Holistic Nutrition coach Amy Layne, I thought I would share the fun!
Amy’s approach is all about being natural and giving your body what it actually needs, not craves. But she’s also very creative, and has come up with a myriad of tasty “desserts”.
I thought about entitling this post “A Tale of Two Cookies,” but thought that perhaps others had over-played that title already. So instead of going for clever, I went with a more straightforward approach.
Yesterday, I worked. I cleaned the house from top to bottom, washed clothes, and worked on numerous school projects. After all that, my stomach was growling, demanding that I feed it after such a strenuous morning! The first thing I thought of was cookies. Perhaps not the healthiest thing to put in an empty stomach, but a craving is a craving, and my mind was made up. With cookies on the brain, I set about finding a recipe that would be delicious, as well as gluten free.
I finally decided on TWO recipes. When baking and using alternative flours, the final product may be quite different from what was originally claimed. Not wanting to fail in my cookie attempts, I ensured that at least one batch would turn out delicious by baking two versions. I also altered the recipes to match what I envisioned for my little indulgence. Guess what? They were both a success! While I now have an over-abundance of cookies, my sweet tooth is sufficiently satisfied.
Preheat oven to 375. In a bowl, cream Butter and Honey Granules until smooth. Mix in the egg, then add vanilla, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add Almond Meal to the mixture until all is incorporated. Fold in the Chocolate Chips.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and then scoop dough by the spoonful. Bake for 12 minutes, or until golden.
Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, stir together Almond Butter, Peanut Butter, Honey Granules, Egg, Vanilla, Baking Soda, and Salt until well blended. Mix in the Chocolate Chips. Drop balls of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet, giving them enough room to spread while cooking. Baking for 10 minutes, or until golden.
As anyone who is Gluten free will quickly lament, dining at an Asian restaurant can have its challenges. Soy sauce is laden with gluten, and getting around this key ingredient can be akin to dining at a French restaurant and asking them to hold the butter. But Disney always rises to a challenge.
Yak and Yeti and Disney's Animal Kingdom
For our latest trip to the World, we decided to try out a few new places – new to us, anyway. I had shied away from certain restaurants over the last few years for the above reason, but wanted to put my faith in the Disney chefs this time around. After a morning spent in Animal Kingdom running from one ride to the next – with breaks only for lion-spotting on a Kilimanjaro Safari – we hungrily approached our lunch spot at Asia’s Yak and Yeti. I tested the chefs, as well as my faith, and both were proved worthy.
The restaurant’s decor is very authentic, as several of the hosts pointed out during our short wait. We were welcomed to have a look around either before or after our lunch, in order to check out the artifacts that had been collected in the making of this dining locale. They claimed that wherever possible, owners had used antique furniture and relics. It really is one of the best themed restaurants in Disney World, but doesn’t get appreciated in the rush to get in and out quickly.
One of several colorful artifacts that make Yak and Yeti a unique experience
Yak and Yeti is one of the few park restaurants not technically Disney-owned, although I was unaware of this crucial detail until we had arrived at the restaurant and been seated. There on the table sat an unassuming advertisement that quietly announced the restaurant’s Landry’s ownership. Having had a not-so-favorable experience with special dining where outside ownership was concerned (namely at Marrakesh in Epcot’s Morocco), it was with trepidation that I opened my menu.
I was put at ease when our waiter arrived, having already been made aware of my restrictive palate. He informed me that Yak and Yeti caters to this request on a daily basis, and that we would both be happy with their most popular appetizer, which could be modified to be gluten-free. This order was taken and a chef was summoned to discuss entree options.
Gluten Free Lettuce Cups
We shared an order of the Gluten Free Lettuce Cups, which were so delicious they could have been made into a meal on their own. Minced chicken, chopped vegetables, and a gluten free soy mixture made these very reminiscent of the PF Chang’s/Pei Wei version. My husband informed me that he would never have known the dish was allergy-friendly.
Traditional Crispy Honey Chicken
After the chef came to give me my many options, we placed our entree order. Obviously feeling nostalgic after those Lettuce Cups, my husband ordered the Crispy Honey Chicken. We typically do not eat at Asian restaurants (much to his dismay), and this was a treat he couldn’t pass up. With the exception of a few grains of rice, he cleaned his plate – stopping just short of making it sparkle.
Malasian Coconut Curry
I chose to go with something a bit different, based on the chef’s recommendation and my own need for something other than the standard. The Malasian Seafood Curry was comprised of Mahi, scallops, clams, mussels, shrimp, zucchini, and tomatoes, all in a coconut red curry broth. While it traditionally came served atop a bed of jasmine rice, I chose to forgo that large amount of carbs and simply opted for the soup. To put it simply, it was amazing. The curry was rich, but not overly “coconuty”. The seafood was fresh, the vegetables cooked just right – had I eaten the rice I would have had to be rolled out, because I ate the huge bowl in its entirety.
After all this, there was no question about dessert. Aside from the fact that both of us were in a happy food coma, we knew that purchases of Mickey bars would be in our not-too-distant future. I could easily have eaten at Yak and Yeti more than once on this particular trip alone – it’s a given that we’ll dine here during our next Asian encounter at Animal Kingdom.
I tend to want to prove that allergy friendly-foods can also be palette-friendly. Perhaps it comes from the snide comments and awkward glances I get when I mention cooking or eating something that is “gluten free” or “vegan.” Holidays with my family is, like many others, centered around food. But the difference lies in the type of food – if it weren’t for me, there probably wouldn’t be a dessert in sight.
Taking it upon myself to provide the sweets this year, I set out looking for a recipe that everyone would enjoy…and I would be able to partake of, myself. Cakes and pies were among my top choices, but as my list of other foods to provide kept growing, my need for a simple dessert increased. These blondies provided the best of both worlds – and everyone seemed to love them!
Blondie (Pie)
1 1/2 Cups Gluten Free Flour (I used King Arthur brand)
1/4 Cups Gluten Free Rolled Oats
3/4 Cups Organic Brown Sugar
1 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 Cup Oil (I used half Grapeseed and half Coconut)
1/2 Cup Applesauce
1 EnerG Egg Replacer
1 1/2 Tsp. Vanilla
1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips, plus more for Topping
1/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts, plus more for Topping
1/4 Cup Flaked Unsweetened Coconut, plus more for Topping
Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees. Prepare the faux egg as directed on box (1 1/2 teaspoons EnerG plus 2 Tbsp. WARM water). Mix together and set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients – flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder and cinnamon – together in a large bowl. Add the oil, applesauce, vanilla, and egg replacer. Mix by hand until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
Measure out and add the chocolate chips, walnuts, and coconut. Gently mix in until evenly spread throughout batter. Place all into a greased pie plate or baking dish. Add extra chocolate chips, walnuts, and coconut to the top (I was very liberal with this!).
Bake for 25-30 minutes, checking to see when Blondies begin to brown – coconut will brown very quickly, but this doesn’t mean the rest is fully cooked). Slice into pie-shaped servings and serve with your favorite ice cream!
I make popcorn at least two or three times a week, and never use the microwaveable kind. Homemade popcorn is not only much healthier, it also tastes better and makes much more – so that my husband is allowed some, as well! There is no additional equipment necessary, and it’s naturally gluten free.
Stovetop Popcorn
Coconut Oil
1/3 Cup Popcorn Kernals
Salt and Butter to Taste
In a large pot, melt coconut oil on medium-high heat (I add approximately 1 spoonful…enough to coat the bottom of the pot once melted). Once the oil has melted, add 3 Kernals of popcorn to the pan and cover the lid. When the 3 kernals pop, add the remaining 1/3 cup of kernals. Cover and remove from the heat (but leave the burner on). By moving the pot back and forth vigorously, shake to distribute oil evenly on all kernals.
Keep the saucepan off the heated burner for 20 seconds. This allows all the kernals to get to near-popping temperature so that when placed back on the heat, all will pop at the same time and none will burn. Put the pan back on the burner and the popcorn will begin popping. Shake the pan again to make sure all kernals are given the right amount of attention on the heated bottom. Once the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove from the heat and pour immediately into a large bowl.
Add salt and butter to taste. Other fun toppings include nutritional yeast, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and Parmesan cheese.
Our condo is allowing Trick or Treaters to come knocking on everyone’s door this year, so I’ll be passing out Reese’s and Snickers with the best of them. I readily admit that Halloween candy is a weakness of mine, and more times than not I wind up with my hand in the candy cauldron along with the kiddos! This year the plan is to whip up some treats that I can indulge in, so that I won’t be eating the bad stuff – I found some great allergy friendly ideas!
Almond Joys and Mounds are my very favorite, and they also happen to be quite easy to make! Elana uses a Mounds Candy Mould, so I will have to hunt one of those down. But there are only 4 ingredients, which makes up for the extra equipment.
My husband isn’t a fan of coconut, but he adores peppermint flavored candies! The use of coconut oil in this recipe doesn’t produce a coconut taste, especially with the strength of the peppermint oil. Once again, only 4 ingredients, and this time no extra moulds needed.
This look so good! A few more ingredients than the rest of the recipes, but I think they will be more than worth it. The Spunky Coconut is such a fun blog for Allergy Friendly foods, and this is just an example.
This one’s all for the husband! It’s my own recipe, and perhaps I’ll try to tweak it and make a few with almond butter and no Nutritional Yeast. But, I don’t think I can possibly get the consistency that I can with the Earth Balance Peanut Butter. Still, it may be worth a shot!
Since I’m unable to eat gluten, soy, and a miriad of other things, I haven’t been able to have too many treats. So when I saw a recipe for Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough bites, I knew I had to try it out! It’s gluten free, dairy free, soy free, and as far as desserts go, pretty healthy!!
Gluten Free Cookie Dough Bites
1 Cup Creamy Almond Butter
1/2 Cup, plus 2 tbsp Raw Honey
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 Cup, plus 2 tbsp Coconut Flour
6 tbsp Ground Flax Seed
1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
1/2 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips (I used Enjoy Life Mini Chips)
In a large bowl, mix together almond butter, honey and vanilla until creamy and well blended. In a separate bowl, mix together the coconut flour, flax seed and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well to combine. Mix in the chocolate chips. Use your hands to knead the dough a few times to combine. If it’s too dry and doesn’t hold together well, knead in one teaspoon of water. Then, scoop out tablespoon-size portions and roll into one-inch balls using your hands. Refrigerate – Makes about 36 cookie bites.
No matter the location I travel to or the posh hotels I sleep in, I will always love Disney’s Grand Floridian the most. The beautiful lobby with its larger-than-life bird cages, the smells that envelope you in a warm embrace, and the feeling of falling down the rabbit hole to find yourself in the Victorian era all make me smile.
The Grand Floridan Lobby invites you to sit and stay awhile
On our last trip, my husband got a massage at the onsite spa, while I simply sat in the lobby next to the piano player. I watched the families coming and going, content to just be in the moment – which is unusual for me!
During that same stay, we had dinner at Citricos, located on the second floor of the main building. It was truly a fantastic experience. The ambiance was hushed and calm – a nice change from the chaos that some of Disney’s restaurants can have. The food was also divine, and the servers very understanding about my Gluten issues. It was a wonderful date night for us!
After being seated and ordering drinks, we both looked over the menu. Our server went to speak with the chef, and then brought him back with her so that he could discuss my options. He also brought a basket of bread with the tastiest butter…I had to capture it on camera and share it with you! Read more
There are many places in Disney where you can stick to your diet, or your convictions, when it comes to choosing which menu item to order. Not so at the 50’s Prime Time Cafe in Hollywood Studios – or at least that was my experience when I looked over my choices. It reminded me of the wise words of Paula Deen, “I’m your Cook, Not your Doctor!”
Sure, they offer some items that would have been lower in fat, lower in calories, or lower in sodium. But they also would have been much lower in taste, and wouldn’t have given me the experience of this celebrated location that I had come for. The reservations had been booked long ago, and I knew I could find gluten free items while still having some good ‘ole homecookin’.
We had a wait of about 20 minutes, and were then sat in a very friendly, very LOUD waitress’s section. But that’s also the atmosphere you need to know about before coming here – the staff treats you like their own family, and that includes admonishments, teasing, and complaints about your not eating enough vegetables. They are also costumed in 50s housewife attire, complete with apron and wagging finger.
She understood I had a food allergy, and told the chef all about it. When he came out and discussed my choices, I was very excited to hear what I could have. With Entrees such as Fried Chicken, Meatloaf, and Pot Roast, the menu items really do take you back to your childhood, reminding many people of a time when they sat around the family dinner table as kids – I learned that I wouldn’t be left out of that journey!
We had the option to start off with a milkshake as our beverage choice, but we made that mistake last year at Sci-Fi. This time we just opted for water and ordered some appetizers.
Beer Battered Onion Rings
Aunt Annie’s Seafood Salad
Jeremy got the Onion Rings, which I was secretly envious of. While some places in Disney offer gluten free onion rings (such as Raglan Road), 50’s Prime Time’s version is deliciously beer battered, making them off limits to me. So he indulged in the two-person sized appetizer, and I chose Aunt Annie’s Seafood Salad. This came with Shrimp, Scallops and Crab tossed in a citrus vinaigrette. It was tasty, but I was saving room for my entree!
Fish Sandwich with More Tartar Sauce than Fish!
Jeremy isn’t one for the usual home-cooked meals that most people think of. He doesn’t like meatloaf, roast, pot pie – and usually likes his fried chicken in “nugget” form. So he bypassed the usuals and ordered the Fish Sandwich. An odd choice to be sure, but he really enjoyed it! I also think he was a little on the full side after all those onion rings!
Chicken Pot Pie - Oooey Gooey Goodness
I however, really like all that comfort food, and opted for Grandma’s Chicken Pot Pie! The chef shocked me when he said that he could make a gluten free version, so I happily took him up on it. It came out piping hot in a very large bowl, and in place of the crust were two large tapioca rolls to soak up all the gooey goodness. I was in heaven!
PB&J Milkshake - and me in the background enjoying my own dessert!
Of course the dessert menu was soon to come, and even though we were full, we had purposefully not ordered the milkshake at the beginning so that we could enjoy dessert. Jeremy got his favorite – the PB&J Milkshake. It tastes exactly like it sounds, and it’s fantastic! I had ordered a gluten free version last year from the bar section of the restaurant, and walked around the park with it for an afternoon snack.
Gluten Free Brownie with Tofutti Ice Cream
I had a special creation made – a Brownie Sundae with Tofutti Ice Cream. I was a little kid in the ice cream shop, wanting to bury my face in the plate that was set in front of me! Rarely do I get dessert anywhere, so my time at Disney is always a delicious indulgence.
We really like 50’s Prime Time. The theming is fun, the food is filling and offers a ride down memory lane, and the waitresses are an attraction in and of themselves!
Disney’s newest restaurant may have to be added to my list of favorites. The decor itself is enough to tempt anyone to stray from their longtime favorites, with bright tile, eclectic lighting, and a view that rivals anything in Epcot’s World Showcase. But the food – well, that’s another story altogether.
Fun Architectural Details and Gorgeous LightingI Would Love These Lights in My Own Kitchen
Always a fan of Mexican cuisine, I made these reservations with high hopes. We had decided that this would be a “dinner and a movie” evening, so we ate an early meal and then headed to Downtown Disney to catch the newly released Pirates of the Caribbean film. What a great evening it turned out to be!
Contemplating the Mango Blueberry Basil MargaritaStay Thirsty, My Friends
As per tradition, we began with a cocktail to kick off the evening in a festive manner. I went out on a limb and ordered the Mango Blueberry Basil Margarita, and was surprised at how great the combination of flavors turned out to be. The basil really enhanced the drink. Jeremy ordered a Dos Equis, because “When in Rome,” right?
One thing about Mexican food – it’s doesn’t always come out picture perfect! But some of the best foods don’t. After being seated, our waitress came and recommended some appetizers to start with. She found out I would be eating a gluten free diet, but the items she had pointed out were naturally GF anyway.
Sometimes Good Things Come in Unattractive Packaging
We started with the Queso Fundido, which came out bubbling in a ceramic dish filled with peppers and chorizo. Of course chips and salsa accompanied it, as well. The Queso had a really amazing flavor – a little bit smoky and rich, with some spice to it. And while it wasn’t the prettiest dish I’ve ever had placed in front of me, it was great nontheless! One point to make though, don’t expect this to be your typical white cheese dip. It wasn’t very liquidy at all – in fact, we used a fork when placing it on our chips after it had cooled off slightly.
Chiles Toreados y Chorizitos
We also ordered the Chilis Toreodos y Chorizitos. This was a bowl of roasted sweet peppers served with mini chorizo sausages. I was surprised by how good this was, because it wouldn’t be something I would ever typically order. But the flavor was fantastic, and it went really well with the Queso.
Our entrees presented themselves shortly after this. We decided to get two entrees and split them so that we could try a little more variety. I’m not sure which one would be the winner, since they were both so tasty!
Chicken "Fajitas" - Always a Classic
The Pollo al Pastor was a marinated chicken that was served with roasted veggies, beans and a pineapple relish. We ate this like fajitas, since all entrees were served with homemade corn tortillas and rice.
Tacos de Camarones
The Tacos de Camarones contained fried shrimp with a chipotle-lime aioli, cabbage, and salsa verde. The shrimp was cooked just right, the aioli made it pop in your mouth for that wow factor. It was also light enough to be able to eat more of the chicken dish!
After this we were stuffed. I’m not talking about your average Disney vacation post-meal feeling. We had eaten so much we couldn’t even look at the dessert menu, which for me is absolutely unheard of! We also weren’t capable of getting snacks at the movie theater, and I had high aspirations of a trip to Goofy’s Candy Co! I regretted the decision not to order dessert later in the week, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to review that course of the meal after the vacation had come to an end. But what I can tell you is that there wasn’t a huge selection…most likely because everyone leaves with overly full bellies!
As was the theme for our week in the World, we loved our dining experience at La Hacienda and will make plans to go there again!
(or Sugar of your Preference)
A Taste of Wonderland 
