Good morning everyone. Wow....I am feeling pretty good this morning, I must have gotten up on the right side of bed", as the saying goes. Life lately has been a little hectic to say the least, but I am trying desperately to get myself, and my life back on track.
I had signed up for a Gluten Free Wellness conference being held last night and had woke up yesterday not feeling so well and I almost blew off attending. I am so glad I didn't. I have to say it wasn't the biggest seminar I have attended over the years as it was local, but I was surprised at the knowledge and experience I walked away with.
I met a few new friends, Carol being one, and gained more knowledge in those few hours than I have over the past months. I got to watch two cooking presentations, listen to two knowledgeable Doctor's in the field Celiac disease speak....well I actually listened to one as the second cooking demonstration overlapped with the second speaker, and I was more interested in the FOOD...
I acquired pamphlets pens, a tote, and got to taste various products from companies who had traveled hours to attend. There were soups from Full Flavor Foods which I didn't try as I was too full at the time but looked absolutely delicious, and from the comments of others attending the seminar they were a big hit.
Our local Aviva Brick Oven was on site with delicious gluten free pizzas. So yummy. My husband and I had eaten at their restaurant this summer and not only is the gluten free pizza delicious but the atmosphere with the outdoor tables felt like we were at a ocean resort...If you are ever in the area of Route 19 in Wexford Pa stop in and see them.
Sunny Bridge Cafe did a great presentation of making Roasted Vegetables Over Quinoa which was absolutely out of this world! If you have never tried quinoa before you are missing out. It has a great nutty texture and is on the list of the top 10 foods you should be eating. I will post the recipe at the end for you to enjoy. They are located in McMurray Pa. You can check out their web site at SunnyBridgeNaturalFoods.com This was absolutely my favorite cooking demonstration.
GF Chang' were there with samples which made me want to go back for more, but being as nice as I am and not wanting to be greedy I moved on to the next table.
Edible arrangements was also there and I have to say the chocolate covered strawberry was out of this world!!! The arrangements they make to look like flower arrangements are beautiful, and if you are allergic to flowers like me, this is a great alternative for those special occasions from those you love. Hint...Hint...
The last cooking demonstration was from Grandma Whimsy at http://GrandmaWhimsy.com Although they are working on the new site and it may not be up for a month or so please check them out. She offers a gluten free brown rice flour blend with no added gums...I was impressed with this! She told us this blend can be used cup for cup in any favorite recipe you might have. Although her flours are not found local at this time, and she is over 3 hours away I did buy a bag of flour to give it a test. If your in the mood for waffles, pancakes, cookies, cakes, then bake away, however this is not a good flour for baking breads.
I love sampling new products and "paying it forward" as it were. I just made a bread from a new mix this morning and will give a review on it later this week.....
However here is the recipe I promised at the beginning of the post...
Roasted Vegetables Over Quinoa
1 large head broccoli, chopped, no stems
2 red peppers, julienned
2 medium zucchini, julienned
1 large red onion, julienned
1/2 cup gluten free balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup oil
2 tsp. garlic salt or garlic powder
Course black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350degrees. Cut all vegetables accordingly and place in a large bowl. Add the garlic salt, balsamic vinegar, and oil to the vegetables and toss with your hands until all are well coated. Add the black pepper.
Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes. Stir the mixture several times through the baking process or the broccoli will blacken if not rotated.
To make the quinoa.
1 cup red quinoa
1 cup white quinoa
4 cups water salt to taste
Add both the water and quinoa in a pot and bring to a boil. Add the salt to flavor.
Cook for approximately 15 minutes on med for approximately 15 minutes until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed.
Place the quinoa on a plate and top with the roasted vegetables, top with crumbled feta cheese, and enjoy! This is absolutely a warm inviting dish...
I hope you enjoy the recipe and will come back for more. Until next time, have a great gluten free week.
Sharon
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