My bagged lunches (in fact most of my meals) include mainly fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and occasionally yogurt. To add variety, I try to be as creative as possible when packing food to take with me.

Cool Pear Salad

Ingredients

• Container 1: cut up spinach leaves, raisins, cashews
• Container 2: fresh pear (cut into cubes or slices), plus 1 teaspoon of lemon juice (keeps the pear from browning, and adds flavor to the salad.)
• Container 3: plain yogurt, I like to use Chobani Greek Yogurt
• Container 4: fresh nectarine cut into slices or cubes, ½ cup frozen mixed berries (keeps the yogurt cold in my thermal bag, and will melt by mid-afternoon, just in time to enjoy!)

 Preparation

To assemble the salad, simply open the container with the lettuce (if you plan ahead, you can use a container that will accommodate using as a serving dish) and add the pear and plain yogurt to the top. Wa-la! instant salad!

Cool Pear Salad

The post Cool Pear Salad Gluten Free Idea For Bag Lunch appeared first on Rural Creative Life.

Adding blueberry topping

Ingredients

Crust

• ½ cup Butter
• ¼ cup Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Tapioca Flour
• 1 ¼ cups Almond Flour

Lemon Layer

• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup Honey
• 2 Tablespoons Almond Flour
• 2 teaspoons Lemon Peel
• 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• ¼ teaspoon Baking Powder

Blueberry Topping

• 2 cups fresh or frozen Blueberries
• ½ cup Water
• 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
• ¼ cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Tapioca Flour

Preparation

Beat butter in mixer. Add sugar until well mixed. Add flours and mix until crumbly. Press into the bottom of an  ungreased 8” X 10” baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees until browned on the edges (about 15 minutes.)

While the crust is baking, mix together eggs, honey, almond flour, lemon peel and juice, and baking powder. Pour over baked crust. Bake 20 minutes more, or until set in the center.

On the stove top whisk together water, tapioca flour, sugar and lemon juice. Add blueberries. Cook and stir over medium high heat until liquids become thickened and bubbly. Spoon over baked mixture. Serve warm or cold. (My husband tells me it would be great A-la mode!)

[Show as slideshow]

The post Blueberry Lemon Bars That Are Gluten Free appeared first on Rural Creative Life.

For myself, Gluten Free has been a way of life for about 20 years. I started eliminating wheat, rye and barley from my diet in the early 1990’s after consulting with nutritionist Dr. Susan Brown* who diagnosed me with Leaky Gut Syndrome. Gluten avoidance was part of eating an Elimination Diet suggested by Dr. Brown. After two weeks on this diet, I felt like a different person, no longer suffering from constant stomach cramps, bloating, erratic blood pressure, insomnia, migraine headaches, tingling sensations in my arms, high white and red blood cell counts, test results pointing to liver issues, and a host of other symptoms.

At that time, gluten free meant you avoided wheat, barley and rye products. Over the past 20 years, I have practiced avoiding these foods most of the time. A few times, thinking that perhaps my tolerance was built up to gluten (after all, I technically do not have an allergy to it), I would resume eating it again. Each time I did various symptoms appeared.

Getting serious about my diet for good

After having half my thyroid removed due to a benign lump in 2007, I decided to get serious about my diet for good. I felt much better after avoiding wheat, barley, and rye again. However, I still could not pinpoint some nagging symptoms including an extremely low Vitamin D count, trouble sleeping, and constant bloating (which to me means gaining 4-8 lbs of water weight a day, and then losing it by the next morning.) Upon seeing a presentation by Dr. Osborne, I was stunned to see many of the symptoms I have had over the years described as gluten intolerance. It finally makes sense. And I am happy to know I am not the only one with this issue. I began avoiding corn, rice, and oats, among other grains containing gluten proteins, which included gluten proteins in the capsule and binders found in my vitamins.

Immediate results

Immediately after seeing this presentation the first week of February 2012, I am starting to feel the results kick in. I can now sleep for 4 hours at a time during the night and my energy level during the day has improved.

*Disclaimer: I have summarized my story in regard to relationships with medical professionals. While consulting with Dr. Brown, my general practitioner conducted all tests and blood work, and was kept abreast of all results and changes in my nutritional plan. This process took place over the course of 18 months. Also while I have found personally found benefits to abstaining from gluten I do not represent Dr. Osbourne. Please see complete disclaimer at the bottom of this page.

I continue to see my general practitioner on a regular basis as part of my healthcare plan.

The post Why gluten free? appeared first on Rural Creative Life.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups – quinoa (unprepared)
• ¾ cup – olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic
• salt to taste
• ⅓ cup – chopped chive
• 1 tablespoon – dried basil
• 4 medium tomatoes
• 2 cucumbers
• pepper to taste

Preparation

Cook quinoa on stove top with 3 cups water on medium heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed; sometimes I do this a day or two ahead and store in the refrigerator but not necessary.

• Fill a large bowl with the cooked quinoa.
• Whisk together olive, lemon juice, garlic, and salt then toss well with quinoa.
• Chop chives and layer on top of the quinoa.
• Layer basil on top of chives.
• Chop tomatoes and layer over basil.
• Seed and chop cucumbers and layer over the tomatoes.
• Sprinkle pepper over cucumbers, to taste.
• Cover and place in refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Remove from the refrigerator and mix to incorporate the layers and add more salt if needed.

[Show as slideshow]

Let me know what you think of the recipe and where you served it.

The post Tabouli made with quinoa is gluten free appeared first on Rural Creative Life.