Gluten Free Sparkling Ginger Cookies

These cookies brim with the festive spices of the season and have a delicate crunch and sparkle from a hefty pinch of raw sugar. To top it off, they're a great cookie for gatherings since it is both vegan and gluten free! Give these easy to make cookies a try - you won't regret it!

Jump to Recipe

We are coming up to cookie time again this year! I don't know about you, but I have lists of cookies depending on who is the intended recipient of them. With luck (and a little bit of free time) I will be able to share each and every (new) cookie I'm making for the holidays - but let's start with these ones!

I happen to have two friends who keep their diet gluten free for various reasons, and while I can't share my mom's absolutely amazing shortbread cookies with them I do try to give them a couple things they can enjoy over the holidays. These cookies were developed after finding a recipe lodged deep in my Pinterest board, and they looked so festive I had to see if I could make a gluten free variant that was still vegan. 

The first (and easiest) swap was the flour. I love the Bob's Red Mill 1:1 flour and I've never had an issue with it failing to hold things together. A bunch of spice, thanks to the cinnamon, ginger and cardamom from Selefina Spices, warmed things up and made the kitchen smell heavenly - pro tip, add the spices to the margarine when it's still quite warm to bloom the spices, it makes them really pop. I also added a hefty dose of a vegan pumpkin spice flavoured protein powder for extra flavour and nutrition. I didn't have any brown sugar left (I made these chestnut flour gingerbread cookies the day before) so I added a touch more molasses, and finally I added some egg replacer powder just as some extra assurance the dough would bind together. Popping the mixture in the fridge overnight resulted in a super easy to work with dough - it scooped like perfect ice cream! A quick roll in raw sugar and I had a batch of cookies ready for the freezer, as well as for immediate baking. 

For those of you baking for a diverse group of people, don't hesitate to make these - heck, just make them even if you aren't gluten free. They're a perfect blend of spicy and sweet, ready to pair with a cup of tea!

Curried Pumpkin and Lentil Soup

This rich, smooth Curried Pumpkin and Lentil Soup is filled with a homemade spice blend on top of curry powder, featuring a selection of Selefina Spices. Make this spicy or mild - the flavour is amazing either way!

Jump to Recipe

 
I love that no matter how crazy life gets, my mom and I can always count on soup to get through it. We do this in different ways - I channel the energy fueled by emotions or stress or what have you into creating a pot full of comforting and ever changing flavour. My mom takes comfort in the care and love I put into the food and the nourishment of the meal bolsters her. 

We've recently had to clear space in our pantry, fridge and freezer to fit in items my grandmother had - the experience was a mixture of laughter, tears, frustration and "what the heck is this?" moments. At the end of it, I had pulled out the fixings for soup that was spicy, smooth and packed full of nutrition. Letting everything simmer away perfumed the house in the best way possible, and the sense of joy that came from my mom seeing lunch was made was immeasurable. She laughed that I had made her "danger soup" given my coconut allergy - which is what I'm going to wind up calling all coconut based soups and stews from now on!

Dairy Free Tuna-Egg Salad

Are you looking for a dairy-free alternative to the classic tuna egg salad recipe? Look no further! This dairy free tuna egg salad will tantalize your taste buds with its creamy, savory flavors. This easy and nutritious recipe is sure to become a favorite in no time. Enjoy!

This tuna egg salad recipe by Beginner Food is packed with flavor and texture from the red onion and pickles. It's light, healthy, and enjoyed in so many ways. Not only is it super easy to make, yet also versatile and foolproof.

Feel free to add different herbs, seasonings, or veggies. This healthy recipe only requires a few simple ingredients. You don't have to be a culinary expert to make this a success.

Here’s What You’ll Need to Make It

• Chef's Knife: Use a sharp blade for chopping, slicing, and dicing ingredients.
• Cutting Board: Let's get chopping! A cutting board is a must-have for any kitchen. A cutting board will help you prep ingredients for all your delicious dishes. You can opt for a classic wooden, a modern plastic, or an eco-bamboo board.
• Egg Slicer: It’s fast and easy to slice eggs with this - it's so much quicker than hand-dicing them! Plus, it's excellent for dicing other things, like mushrooms.
• Mixing Bowls: You can use deep ceramic, or stainless steel mixing bowls for this recipe! These bowls are perfect for combining all the yummy ingredients. They also come in a variety of sizes.

Recipe

1 can (6 oz) tuna packed in water, drained
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup dairy-free mayonnaise
2 fresh tablespoons of squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. In a medium bowl, combine the tuna, eggs, celery, and red onion.
2. Mix mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Do this in a separate bowl.
3. Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the tuna mixture and stir to combine.
4. Gently fold in the parsley.
5. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to blend.
6. Serve in a sandwich or on a bed of fresh celery. Enjoy!

Tips:

• You can add other ingredients such as green onions, capers, or diced apples.
• You can serve this salad over a bed of lettuce or with crackers. 

 

How Healthy Is This Dairy-Free Tuna Egg Salad Recipe?

This recipe has all the real, whole-food ingredients you need to fuel your body for a day of work or play.

●     Tuna: Tuna is a good source of protein and essential omega-3 fatty acids. It is also rich in vitamins A, D, and B12, iron, selenium, and zinc.

●     Eggs: Eggs are rich in protein, iron, vitamins A, D, B12, and B6, as well as folate, phosphorus, and other minerals.

●     Celery: Celery contains fiber, vitamins A, C, K, and B6, folate, potassium, and calcium. It is also low in calories and sodium.

Is Canned Tuna Safe to Eat?

Canned tuna is safe to eat. Ensure to use canned tuna in oil or water rather than brine. The brine contains higher levels of sodium, which can make it too salty to eat.

How Long Will This Dairy-Free Tuna Salad Recipe Last?

This dairy-free tuna salad recipe with eggs will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 7 days. Yet, it's best to avoid leaving it at room temperature for more than two hours, as the mayo and eggs can spoil.

Conclusion

This dairy-free tuna egg salad recipe is a combination of tuna and eggs. It also has flavorful additions like parsley, celery, and red onion. This recipe is packed with lean protein and easy to make with simple ingredients. It's perfect for a picnic, potluck, or backyard barbecue. 

Moroccan Lentil and Rice Soup

Whoever ordered winter can quit it! Thankfully, this Moroccan Lentil and Rice Soup is a perfect way to thaw out after shoveling, building snowmen or tobogganing - packed with earthy lentils, brown rice and a medley of spices, it's a healthy and filling addition to your winter menu.

Jump to Recipe

 

So, we've hit the "dumping of snow on everything we love" part of the year. I know many people love this time - sledding, long walks, skiing and the like, but I am very much against anything that has the capacity to chill me to the bone (or flare my arthritis). So while my mom is outside making snow angels and towing the littles around on their little toboggans, I'm inside making a meal that will warm everyone up. 

This soup was inspired by my discovery of a large bag of lentils and a handful of rice I found in the pantry - both affordable staples for any household with almost unlimited potential which find their way into many a lunch. Having a bevy of spices from Selefina made picking a theme tough though - which part of the world do I travel? Ultimately I went with the savoury spice blend inspired by Morocco - one of my favourite locations to travel culinarily. From there, it was just a matter of assembling the rest of the soup - and discovering that I had a lot of stock on my hands for one pot, finding a second to split everything - and letting it simmer away while I studied for my Paralegal exam.

By lunchtime, the whole house was perfumed with the spice mix, and (having changed out of all the snow gear) mom was first in line for a taste - I'm not going to tell her I had first dibs! Everything melded perfectly after that long simmer, and no spice was dominant (which can be a problem with spice-heavy dishes). Like most soup, it was even better the next day!

Dry January and February Made Simple with Jordan's Skinny Mixes

After a long overdue holiday season, where most of us were having larger groups, parties and other special events, we all need a bit of a reset. Dry January was started in the UK in 2012 as part of a public health initiative, and now millions of people around the world make the choice to abstain from wine, beer and liquor for the month. Making that small change not only helped the pocketbooks of participants - let's face it, alcohol is an expensive hobby - but a study in BMJ Open found that those "who abstained from alcohol for 30 days slept better, had more energy, and lost weight" as well as lower blood pressure, cholesterol and cancer-related proteins in their blood.(link).

 Dry January not only impacts your health habits for the first 31 days of the year though - the above mentioned benefits were shown to continue due to the fact participants had changed their alcohol consumption patterns. Given that the rough estimate of the amount of time needed to break a habit is 28 days, this isn't surprising! In Canada, the Canadian Cancer Society keeps the momentum going with Dry February, which combines alcohol abstinence with fundraising for cancer research.

Sounds great, right? But what about the birthdays, get togethers, game nights.... all those social events that inevitably happen? Harvard Medical School has some pointers:

• Find a substitute non-alcoholic drink. For social situations, or when you crave a cocktail after a long day, reach for alcohol-free beverages like sparkling water, soda, or virgin beverages (non-alcoholic versions of alcoholic drinks.)
• Avoid temptations. Keep alcohol out of your house. When you are invited to someone’s home, bring your non-alcoholic drinks with you.
• Create a support group. Let friends and family know about your intentions and encourage them to keep you accountable. Better yet, enlist someone to do the challenge with you.
• Use the Try Dry app. This free app helps you track your drinking, set personal goals, and offers motivational information like calories and money saved from not drinking. It’s aimed at cutting back on or cutting out alcohol, depending on your choices.
• Don’t give up. If you slip up, don't feel guilty. Just begin again the next day.

 

Jordan's Skinny Mixes is making that first suggestion a little easier on everyone with their great lines of syrups and flavour infusions - from Cherry, to Meyer Lemon and Raspberry (my favourite!) and very unique Strawberry Rose, Mermaid and Unicorn flavours, mocktails take on a whole new life. I love using the Cherry Limeade Flavor Burst in my water when I need incentive to drink more - it's the perfect mix of sweet and tart.

Sugar free, with options for naturally sweetened and Keto syrups with added MCT, there is something for everyone. If sweet coffee your thing but trying to cut back on drinking your calories? Check out their vanilla, hazelnut or mocha syrups with zero calories and all the flavour!

 

Check out more: https://www.skinnymixes.com/

Need inspiration? Try these recipes from Jordan's:

Sober Mermaid:

• Soda Water

• Jordan's Skinny Mixes Sugar Free Mermaid Syrup - tablespoon, build up the flavor as desired 

• Fresh Lemon or Lime - add a squeeze to finish 

Not So Spiked Raspberry Lemonade:

• Still Water

• Jordan's Skinny Mixes Sugar Free Meyer Lemon Raspberry Syrup - tablespoon, build up the flavor as desired. 

• Fresh Lemon & Raspberries - add a squeeze to finish. 

Cherry Limeade:

• 1 cup of soda water or diet sprite

• 1 fresh lime wedge 

• Jordan's Skinny Mixes Sugar Free Cherry Limeade Flavor Burst - one squeeze. 

Shirley Temple:

• 8 ounces of diet ginger ale

• Sugar Free Cherry Syrup - tablespoon, build up the flavor as desired.

• Maraschino cherries - garnish