Bigger Than a Bread Box..

The Eskimos had fifty-two names for snow because it was important to them: there ought to be as many for love.
~ Margaret Atwood

This past week brought a flurry of activity with Valentine’s Day and the Tall Texan’s birthday.  It was also Week 5 of the 4 Week Healthy Self Reset of no sugar, no gluten (which I’m used to at this point) and no dairy.  I extended my time in the program because A.) I was really enjoying how I felt and B.) I hadn’t cooked my way through the all the recipes yet.  I surprised even myself with how well I did with the whole no sugar deal (refined and unrefined).  My weakest moment came on Valentine’s Day.  If you’ve ever been in an elementary school on Valentine’s Day, it’s like being Charlie in the chocolate factory.  Everything in this room is edible!  I made it the entire day until a 2nd grader opened a Kit Kat bar within about 18 inches of my nose.  As the delectable aroma wafted over me, I could feel my entire brain light up like the Disney World parade at night.  Honestly...   Given the fact that Kit Kat’s aren’t gluten free, I refrained from grabbing it from the little rugrat, but what a stark reminder of how close I teeter on the edge of worship at the altar of sugar.  EeGads.

After 5 weeks of no sugar of any kind, my unraveling came with these lemon bars which are dairy free and gluten free, but do call for some raw honey.  The Tall Texan really likes lemon, and seeing as though it was his birthday, they had his name written all over them.

This recipe is from Danielle Walker’s Celebrations Cookbook which I highly recommend.  And since I have such respect for her work, not to mention a healthy regard for the copyright police, I can’t share the recipe.  However, here is a link to a similar recipe from her website.

Over the course of the 5 week reset, one of the things that kept me happy was bread.  As a person with celiac, bread — especially homemade bread — is a luxury.  This recipe is simple and delicious.

I should note that I substituted Hemp milk for the coconut milk, and ghee for the coconut oil as I wasn’t interested in any coconut flavor.  And in the spirit of no sugar, I omitted the tablespoon of maple syrup.  Pop a slice in the toaster, and commence to drool..

A fellow Functional Medicine friend shared this Italian flatbread recipe with me and I am here to tell you that you can make it from start to finish in 15 minutes.  15 minutes! 

And finally, this “Blender Bread” is as easy as tossing seven ingredients into a blender.  Pour it into a pan and bake for an hour.  No kneading, no hand mixing, and no waiting for yeast to rise.

Three simple bread recipes.  All gluten free, dairy free, and sugar free.  Now that’s amoré!