Life, Gluten Free

Maple Meringues

If you've never made meringues before, you should definitely give it a try. It's a fun project to do with your kids. My daughter really enjoyed making these, it was our first time making meringues! They are tasty and store well in an air-tight container. Let us know if you try these.

Maple Meringues

Servings: 24

Ingredients:

3 egg whites

1/3 cup organic maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch fine sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees fahrenheit.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, add egg whites, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt.

Beat on high with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form (this can take about 3 minutes or longer).

Once well beaten, add to a piping bag with star tip.

Pipe onto the baking sheets. 

Bake at 200 or 2 hours.

Do not open oven (this can cause the meringues to collapse).

After 2 hours, turn off oven and keep them in for another hour or so.

Enjoy and store in air tight container! 

 

Grain Free Apple Cider Donuts

Ingredients:

2 cups Organic Apple Cider

1 1/4 cups Cassava Flour

1/3 cup Organic Cane Sugar 

1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoons Sea Salt

1/2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice

2 eggs

3 tablespoons Avocado Oil

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar

Directions:

Measure out 2 cups of the organic apple cider and simmer in a sauce pan over medium heat for about 15 minutes. This will reduce it and concentrate the flavors. Once reduced, measure out 1 cup and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin spice and salt).

In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, 1 cup reduced apple cider, avocado oil and vanilla.

Slowly incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry. Add the apple cider vinegar as you do this, and mix until well combined.

Grease a donut pan with avocado oil. I use this silicone donut pan.

Use a spoon and evenly distribute the batter into each donut mold. This makes 6 donuts using the pan I have.

Bake donuts for about 15 minutes, until just golden brown and tooth pick comes out clean.

Remove the donuts and let them cool on a plate or a cooling rack.

Whisk the apple cider glaze ingredients together. Once the donuts are still just a bit warm, you can dip the tops into the glaze. 

Apple Cider Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup Powdered Sugar

2 tablespoons Organic Apple Cider

1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

We've also made these donuts and dipped them in a homemade marshmallow glaze!

Photo below. We hope you enjoy these grain free donuts.

5 Steps for a Fall Detox

Autumn offers us the perfect opportunity to slow down and check in with our bodies. This year, 2020, has been especially challenging; requiring us to quickly adapt to a new normal. And while we may have done our best to go with the flow, stress is a normal part of life and it affects all of us. But unfortunately, stress takes a toll on our immune system in the process and negatively impacts our overall wellbeing.

A light detox can help our immune system cope better and give our system a break from the heavy load we carry. Below are some gentle ways to accomplish a detox, clear our skin and hopefully brighten our moods in the process.

1. Warm lemon water in the mornings. You probably have heard this before and you may even already do it. It's such a simple way to clear our body for the day ahead. It's great for our digestion and lymphatic system. Lemon is alkalizing to the body and supports liver detoxification. You can also add ginger or turmeric for anti-inflammatory support. 

Here is a simple recipe to get you started:

• 1/2 of an organic lemon
• 1-inch piece fresh ginger 
• 1/8 teaspoon ground organic turmeric
• 1 cup boiling purified water
• Organic Honey to taste (optional)

Instructions

• Put on purified water to boil.
• Squeeze one half of a large lemon into your preferred tea mug then add in the sliced ginger and turmeric powder.
• Once the water is boiling, pour about a cup into your tea mug and let it sit for a few minutes before drinking.
• Add honey to taste if you'd like.

2. Autumn spices can help to naturally detox the body by enhancing digestion and increasing circulation. Think cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cardamom! A great and simple way to add these into your diet would be to incorporate them into your recipes or tea. A warming and cleansing treat would be stewed apples with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom and maple syrup or coconut sugar. You could also make a warming tulsi tea with these spices. Tulsi tea supports our digestion, respiratory health and reduces cortisol to help combat stress and anxiety.

Enjoy a nourishing up of tulsi tea with warming spices:

• 1 tea bag of organic tulsi tea
• 1 cup of boiling water
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• Honey to taste (optional)
• Organic coconut milk (optional)

Instructions

• Brew one bag of organic tulsi tea in your favorite mug.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin spice, sweetener of choice and a splash of coconut milk.

3. Clear and support your skin. Our skin is the largest organ in our body and it absorbs everything we put on it. It also is impacted by toxins in the air and water. Below is one of my favorite skin care routines using all-natural gluten-free products by EvanHealy.

 Naturally support your skin and leave it feeling refreshed and hydrated:

• Apply EvanHealy Blue Chamomile Cleansing Milk (dairy free).
• Rinse with warm water and pat dry.
• Apply a generous misting of EvanHealy Lavender Facial Tonic with Hydrosol. Spray it on your face and neck too.
• Finish with an application of EvanHealy Rosehip Facial Serum (Blue Chamomile).

4. To further support skin health and promote detoxification, try dry skin body brushing. The benefits of body brushing include the removal of toxins by stimulating circulation and the lymphatic system. Before you shower or bathe, use a dry skin brush. Start at your feet, using long strokes and work up toward the center of your body and upward toward the heart. You can also add epson salt to your next bath. Epson salt contains magnesium which helps to release toxins and relaxes your muscles.

5. Have you tried Art Journaling? Being creative is a great way to boost your mood. This can help us cleanse our thoughts and focus on what is really important to us. Recently, I've tried Bullet Journaling which has been a fun way to decompress and keep track of each month. I like to write down appointments, fun things we've done as a family and what books I read each month.

Here's a list of what you need to get started if you haven't tried it before:

• A Bullet Journal or Art Journal
• Art Journal Pens 
• Highlighters
• Washi Tape
• or you can also get a How To Guide and Bullet Journal Set

I hope this list helps get you inspired for some easy autumn detox and stress-relief practices that you can apply to your daily schedule. Happy Autumn!

Allergy-friendly Halloween Candy

Halloween is coming! And while it may look different this year due to uncontrollable circumstances, there are still opportunities to have fun. What is everyone planning on doing this Halloween? We'd love to know.

We ordered some fun fall-themed "easter eggs" to fill with treats and do a scavenger hunt. We also LOVE to decorate our house for halloween, go to the pumpkin patch and carve jack-o-lanterns.

Since my daughter has food allergies, it's really important that we make sure the candy she eats is safe. I am always on the hunt for new allergy-friendly candy, especially when it's also naturally flavored and naturally colored. I've compiled a list of our favorite candy. Hope you enjoy the list and be sure to grab some yummy allergy-friendly treats for your family!

We are super excited about this list as it contains allergy-friendly gummy bears, fruit chews, CANDY CORN, lollipops, chocolate bars, bubble gum, bubble gum filled pops and more! Click the links to order!

Torie & Howard Fruit Chewies (we especially love the sour ones!)

• Assorted flavors variety pack 
• Sour Apple
• Pomegranate and Nectarine
• Lemon & Raspberry

 

YumEarth Candy (nut-free, peanut-free, organic, gluten-free, dairy-free)

• Giggles (These are so GOOD and a healthy alternative to skittles)
• Candy corn
• Sour Beans (love these sour jelly beans)
• Giggles Individual 2oz packs
• Sour Giggles
• Lollipops
• Super Sour Lollipops       
• Vitamin C Lollipops               
• Sour Twists
• Lemon Drops
• Fruit Snacks
• Assorted Hard Candy Drops
• Citrus Grove Candy Drops
• Gummy Worms
• Black Licorice
• Pomegranate Licorice
• Strawberry Licorice
• Peach Licorice

Enjoy Life Chocolate Candy (Free from gluten, wheat, dairy, soy, sulfites, lupin, fish, crustaceans, peanuts, tree nuts, casein, egg, sesame, mustard, and shellfish)

• Dark Chocolate Halloween Mini Bars
• Chocolate Halloween Candy Variety Pack
• Rice Milk Halloween Chocolate Mini Bars
• Chewy Chocolate Bars
• Dark Chocolate bars
• Rice Milk Crunch Bars

 

Surf Sweets Candy (top 8 free, gluten-free, organic, non-gmo). 

• Sour Worms
• Gummy Worms
• Watermelon Rings
• Jelly beans
• Fruity Bears

 

SmartSweets (low sugar, top 8 free)

• Sourmelon bites
• Swedish fish
• Variety pack 6 flavors (swedish fish, peach rings, sour blast, gummy bears, fruity bears, fruit chews)
• Peach rings
• Sour blasts
• Fruity Gummy Bears
• Variety pack 4 flavors (swedish fish, peach rings, sour blast, gummy bears)

 

Made Good Granola Bars (Top 8 free, a super tasty nut-free granola bar). They come in bars and also cute little round granola minis!

• Halloween Chocolate Chip Mini Granola Bars
• Made Good Granola Bars Chocolate Chip
• Made Good Granola Bars Variety Pack (cinnamon apple, berry)
• Made Good Granola Bars Cookies and Creme (love these!)
• Made Good Granola Bars Chocolate Banana
• Made Good Granola Minis Variety Pack
• Made Good Granola Minis, Granola Bars and Crispy Squares Variety Pack (try them all!)
• Made Good Strawberry Granola Minis

 

Tree Hugger Gum (our favorite all natural allergy-friendly gum)

• Variety Pack
• Variety Tube Pack
• Bubble Gum Filled Pops (WE LOVE THESE!)
• Mini Gum Sticks

 

Try their Bubble Gum Filled Pops if you haven't!

SO good.

 

 

 

Bear Real Fruit Yoyos (all fruit, no added sugar)

• Sour Mango Apple Yoyos
• Strawberry Yoyos
• Sour Raspberry Apple Yoyos

 

Don't see your favorite allergy-friendly candy on the list? Let us know if we missed any! We are always looking for new options to try :) Happy October and Happy Halloween!