Healthy Mint Chocolate Mousse

I'm back I'm back I'm back!  Did you miss me?  I think I missed you... just a wee bit ;)

So here's what I've been up to/ MIA here on The GF Wife: 
*Marathon training: just ran 20.5 miles this past Saturday.   I. Am. Beast.  (slow beast) *Work. *I volunteered to be the Ombudsman for USCG Air Station SF and there's lots of work needed to improve that program.  And soon I have to do formal training for it.  (Oh, and the Command took me out to lunch a couple weeks ago!) *Beau is away for training.  So it's just myself, the pups, and crazy kitty for a month and a half. *Beau also gave me a honey-to-do list. *I finished watching seasons 7 & 8 of Grey's Anatomy.  Obviously more important than the honey-to-do list. *AND Beau bought me a Blendtec!!!!!!!!!!!

Which leads me to one of my new favorite desserts that can be whipped up in no time.  Healthy Mint Chocolate Mousse Pie with a chocolate cookie crust!  
I shared this dessert with my friends the other week... and they loved it!  The crust didn't break when I cut it and it complemented the mousse oh so perfectly.  
And I bet you have no idea that its secret ingredient is...  drum roll...  tofu!  ;)

The Mint Chocolate Mousse recipe is lightly adapted from my favorite vegan dessert blogger Chocolate Covered Katie.  She's a genius.  Seriously.
Ingredients for cookie crust (adapted from Gluten Free Baking Classics):
1/4 cup brown rice flour 2 Tbs oat flour 1/4 cup cornstarch 3 Tbs tapioca flour 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp xanthan gum dash sea salt 5 Tbs cold butter/ vegan butter 1 tsp vanilla extract
Ingredients for mint chocolate mousse:
1 package (12-14 oz) firm organic tofu 1/4 cup + 2 Tbs cocoa powder 4 Tbs coconut oil 1/4 cup agave 1 tsp vanilla 1/4 tsp peppermint dash sea salt
Method:
1.  Place all ingredients for cookie crust (except for vanilla extract) into Blendtec or food processor and pulse until it looks like coarse cornmeal. 2.  Add extract and pulse until it starts to form a dough. 3.  Lightly oil a pie dish and press the dough into an even layer in pan. 4.  Bake at 350 F for 18 minutes. 5.  Let cool completely. 6.  When crust is completely cool, combine all ingredients for mousse to Blendtec and pulse until completely mixed together and smooth. 7.  Fill pie crust with mousse and place in fridge until firm!  (Or just eat it right then.  Or out of the Blendtec container.  Not like I do that or anything...) 8.  Enjoy your healthy guilt-free treat!!!!
Linking up at these Fabulous Parties: Made It By Monday @ Baked in the South, Made from Scratch Monday @ Living with Food Allergies and Celiac Disease , Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling, Tuesday Talent Show @ Chef in Training, Crazy Sweet Tuesday @ Crazy for Crust, Gluten Free Wednesdays @ The Gluten-Free Homemaker, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Sweet Treats & Swanky Stuff @ Something Swanky, Anything Goes Linky @ Bacon Time with the Hungry Hypo, Sweets for A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

  This past weekend Beau and I took a trip "down south" to Gilroy where we attended the Annual Garlic Festival!  We watched a cooking competition, ate garlic sweet potato fries, and tasted garlic ice cream... which was actually really good!  After a few hours it got really crowded there so we decided to drive the long way home on scenic highway 1.  On our way home we stopped at a local strawberry farm and picked strawberries!  There were so red and juicy and sweet mmm.  We also found a local farm stand and came home with this bounty of freshness:

  But one thing's for sure- when you pick fresh strawberries they don't last too long.  So I needed to come up with a quick and easy way to enjoy them.  Crisps and cobblers are one of my absolute favorite desserts so I decided why not make a fresh strawberry rhubarb crisp!

Fruit crisps are one of the easiest and quickest ways to prepare a dessert.  They're perfect for serving guests as well as settling your sweet tooth without all the guilt.  I make my crisps with next to nothing sugar.  Most recipes out there call for 1 cup plus of sugar just to coat the fruit.  Fruit is already loaded with sugar so why add more?  It tastes so much better without the added sugar.  Trust me.

Ingredients (for fruit mixture)

2 pounds strawberries, washed, leaves removed, sliced

2-4 stalks green rhubarb sliced to 1 inch thickeness (I only had 2 but I wish I had more for some tartness!)

raspberries (optional)

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

Ingredients (for crisp topping) (I actually halved this recipe because I didn't have enough ingredients on hand!  Feel free to make as little or as much as you'd like!)

2 cups gf flour mix (1 cup rice flour, 2/3 potato starch, 1/3 tapioca flour)
1/2 cup brown sugar (or less!)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp xanthan gum
2/3 cup cold dairy free butter substitute such as Earth Balance (or regular butter) cut into chunks

Method:

1.  Place sliced fruit in large bowl and mix in sugar and cornstarch until fruit seems coated.  Place into 9x 13 in glass baking dish.
2.  Measure out your flours, spices, and xanthan gum and mix in bowl.
3.  Add your butter of choice and using a pasty tool or fork, mix butter and flour until it resembles coarse corn meal.
4.  Sprinkle topping onto fruit.
5.  Bake for about 45 minutes.  Serve warm or cool, top with homemade ice cream, and Enjoy!

Or serve for friends over for dinner!  Our neighbors loved it!  :)

 
Linking up at these Fabulous Parties: Made It By Monday @ Baked in the South, Made from Scratch Monday @ Living with Food Allergies and Celiac Disease , Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling, Tuesday Time Out @ Reasons to Skip the Housework Tuesday Talent Show @ Chef in Training, Crazy Sweet Tuesday @ Crazy for Crust, Gluten Free Wednesdays @ The Gluten-Free Homemaker, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Sweet Treats & Swanky Stuff @ Something Swanky, Anything Goes Linky @ Bacon Time with the Hungry Hypo 

Valentine's Cookie Pie

Warm, chocolately cookie pie.  And it's healthy?

Um, yes please!

I recently discovered a blog called Chocolate Covered Katie which is amazing!  She makes the most scrumptious desserts using healthy ingredients such as stevia, nuts, and chick peas.  Seriously, you have to check it out.  Low sugar, low fat, and added nutrition means I can have more dessert.  Right?  Right!

Anyways, this cookie pie here is a version of the Tollhouse Cookie Pie, but a lot healthier and flour free (yippee!)  I pretty much followed her recipe to a T except I don't have a food processor so I used my electric hand mixer.  It was the perfect Valentine's treat to surprise my hubby with after his long day of flying.

Here is the link to the exact recipe: "Deep Dish Cookie Pie".

this was my version...

     2 cans garbanzo beans (drained)

     1 cup sugar (or brown sugar)

     3 TB vegetable oil

     1 egg

     1 cup quick oats

     1/2 tsp baking soda

     2 tsp baking powder

     2 tsp vanilla

     1/2 tsp salt

     1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1)   Preheat oven to 350 F.

2)   Blend all ingredients except for chocolate chips as smooth as possible (this is where a food processor would come in handy!)

3)   Stir in chocolate chips then press mixture into greased 10 inch spring-form pan.

4)   Bake for about 40 minutes!

So simple and so yummy.  And doesn't taste beany at all.  I pinky promise you because I hate bean flours and beany baked goods!

FYI:  I just bought six more cans of garbanzo beans today in anticipation of making more cookie pies hehe  :)

I also wanted to share what my sweet hubby did for Valentine's Day.  First off he surprised me with roses.  

*swoon*

Have I told you about the last time he gave me flowers?!  

Well, I can't quite remember when... ha ha.

Well anyways, he and two other flight hubbys teamed up and sent us wives on a scavenger hunt.  At each location we had to walk in with a rose and get our cute little goodie bags waiting for us.  Each bag had sweet love cards from our guys! We had such a wonderful girl time together talking about where we're moving, family life, and of course how sweet our guys are!  Love my friends!  And our wonderful hubbys!

Happy very belated Valentine's Day!  xoxo

Something Swanky Sweet Treats Thursday

Tomato Pie: A Northerner's Healthy Version of a Southern Meal

   When I first entered blogland, I remember seeing a post on Tomato Pie.  I had never heard of it before.  So I clicked on it and saw what looked to be the most amazing summer dish.  Mmmm, fresh tomatoes cooked to perfection in a buttery pie crust... I just had to try it!

   This southern dish, however, traditionally has a mayonnaise-cheese topping which frankly sounds gross to me!  And wouldn't that just take away the lovely flavor of fresh tomato?!  So I decided to come up with my own healthy version... the way a Northerner (like me) would do it!  Check it out below... isn't is just drool worthy!  :-)

      First I made a gluten free crust.  I followed Annalise Roberts' recipe and it was super easy to do... possibly easier than a regular glutinous crust!  And to top it off, it didn't get soggy from the tomatoes (even a day later).  

   Ingredients

1 cup plus 2 Tbs flour mix (2 parts rice flour, 2/3 part potato             

       starch, 1/3 part tapioca flour)

2 Tbs sweet rice flour

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/4 tsp salt

6 Tbs cold butter

1 egg

2 tsp orange juice 

   Method

1)   Mix dry ingredients together.  Blend cold butter in with pasty cutter until mixture resembles small peas.

2)   Then add egg and o.j. and mix on low speed until it holds shape and is no longer sticky.

3)   Form a ball with the dough and then roll it out between two sheets of wax paper.  Place in greased pie dish, prick bottom of crust, and bake in 375 F preheated oven for 10 minutes.

   Now on to my "own" recipe!   

   While pie crust is partially cooking in oven, drain a whole bunch of tomatoes!  I sprinkled some salt on mine to help quicken the process.

   Layer some chopped onion, garlic, tomatoes, and fresh basil on top of partially cooked pie crust...

   Add even more basil.  Basil is tomato's best friend!

   Sprinkle a ton of fresh grated parmesan cheese!

   Cook in oven for about 25 minutes...

Enjoy!

Fabulous Lasagna and Summer Berry Pie

Most people cringe when I tell them I don’t eat foods like pasta and bread.  I tell them, I use rice pasta instead and they act all disgusted!  I don’t quite get it… rice pasta has been one of the best things to happen to me!

I prefer Tinkyada pasta brand… it cooks so well.  It keeps its shape, is great hot or cold, and is easy to make al dente or soft depending on your mood.

I developed a super easy and Yummy! lasagna recipe that anyone can make!  I like to make it for company because it’s a sure crowd pleaser and nobody has to know its not glutinous!

                        Ingredients:


          olive oil
          1/2 - whole onion diced
          1/2 bell pepper
          6-12 cloves garlic (we love garlic so I use 12 lol)
          1 package ground lean turkey meat (or beef)
          3 chicken sausage links (pork, beef, spicy)
          garlic pepper seasoning
          veggies of your choice, I like zucchini, spinach

          spicy spaghetti seasoning/mix of Italian herbs

          32oz jar tomato sauce
          1 package Tinkyada lasagna noodles
          14oz jar no-fat cottage cheese
          fresh or dried parsley
          8oz package shredded mozzarella cheese &

          parmesan




                                                                                            Method:

           
1)  Heat olive oil a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion, cook until begins to caramelize.  Add the garlic and pepper and sauté until veggies start getting soft and flavourful.

2)  Add the sausage and ground turkey (chop it with your spoon) and cook it until it starts to brown.  Once meat is thoroughly cooked, pour jar of tomato sauce, spicy spaghetti seasoning (mmm this should be a staple in your kitchen... you can find huge jars of it in BJ's or Sam's).  Let sauce mixture simmer on low for about 15 minutes.  You can either store the sauce in the fridge or use it right away!


3)   Preheat oven 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Our friends Ashley and Tom flew down from Boston!  And
they loved the g-free lasagna!  :-)

4)  In a 9x13 inch baking dish layer lasagna noodles, cottage cheese mixed with parsley, and sauce.  I do this layering pattern twice and then sprinkle shredded cheese.


5)   Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 15 minutes.


6)   Let stand for 20 minutes... if you can't wait to eat the deliciousness then the lasagna doesn't keep its shape... but no worries, its just as YummY!


Now let's talk dessert...!

Beau and I picked 12 pounds of blueberries and 4 pounds blackberries the other day so I thought a fresh berry pie would be a great ending to my dinner party.

I’ve never even made glutinous pie crust by myself so I was a little nervous to make a gluten free one, but it wasn’t bad at all!  Usually when I have to roll out any kind of dough, I end up in tears (just ask Beau haha).  I don’t know what it is, but usually my dough is SO sticky and sticks to the rolling pin horribly!  BUT don’t be afraid, this recipe did NOT stick for me!  SUCCESS!!!!

I used the piecrust recipe from Elizabeth Barbone’s “Easy Gluten Free Baking.”  She says her recipe can be made with either cold butter or shortening, which makes is convenient.  I used butter flavored shortening so my pie crust tasted just like a butter/ shortbread cookie.  It went so well with the berries inside!

photo courtesy of Miss Emma Tang,
berry pie lover!

Ingredients:


1 c rice flour
1/2 c cornstarch
1/2 c potato starch
1 Tb granulated sugar
1/2 ts salt
1/2 c vegetable shortening (or 1 stick cold butter)
1 egg
3-4 Tb cold water




Method:


1)   Mix dry ingredients together.


2)   Use pastry cutter to combine shortening and flour (I used a fork, works just as well!)


3)  Add egg and water.  Add water by the teaspoon if dough is still dry.


4)  Split dough in half and wrap separately in plastic wrap.  Chill in fridge for an hour.  Let stand at room temp for 15 minutes before rolling.  Please note this recipe makes 2 pie-crusts... if you just need one, then halve the recipe!

I would suggest using a bit more water than noted in the crust recipe… mine was a bit dry (even after adding 3 extra teaspoons water) and kept on cracking when I rolled it out after chilling.  But it pieces back together nicely if you wet your fingers and press it back together!