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By Jennifer S Rigby

One of the biggest challenges about going gluten-free is giving up those scrumptious wheat filled desserts. Let's face it, rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, sorghum, millet, almond, etc., just cannot compete with the binding of wheat flour. I thought all was lost when I had to give up those mouth-watering desserts. Fortunately, a lot of my misconceptions have been dissolved, as I have learned how to tweak, experiment, and enjoy gluten-free dessert recipes.

Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes interview

When I was younger, I could eat anything. Now that the glory days are over, the waistline isn't as trim, and my body has changed a lot from having children. I realized that my cooking needed to be all natural in order to be healthier. So, not only have I given up all of the preservative laden desserts, but also the gluten ones as well.

My thinking about desserts had to do a 180 degree flip. The first realization I had was that I did not always need to have flour in my desserts for them to taste good. I started to experiment and came up with a great chocolate covered almond recipe. Now, I had to be careful with this one, since there could be a lot of hidden preservatives. I converted to dark chocolate to solve this problem and all natural vanilla. The ingredients for this recipe are almonds, dark chocolate chips, all natural peanut butter, all natural butter spread (to keep it dairy-free, butter can be used if you are not dairy sensitive), and all natural vanilla (vanilla can be tricky, since it can have hidden gluten in it).

Turn the pan onto medium low and combine all of the ingredients, except the almonds. Once they are melted and combined, turn off the heat and add the almonds. After the almonds are smothered in chocolate, pour onto a cookie sheet covered in wax paper. Place the cookie sheet in the fridge and harden the chocolate. These are a mouth-watering delight that I have added to my gluten-free dessert recipe collection.

Now that I have a dessert that does not contain flour, I cannot give up on my attempt to have flour desserts. For years, my sons could never have a banana cream pie, since they were allergic to dairy. The banana cream pie that I grew up on was basically whole milk with a few other ingredients. I did not want to kill my sons off, but I wanted to allow them the opportunity to taste this type of pie. So I set to work to try and make it dairy free. That was an awful challenge. I remember attempting on with rice milk. Oh, it was awful! Then I went gluten-free along with two of my daughters.

This last Christmas, I was determined to make a gluten-free dessert recipe that was worth indulging in. I went out on a limb and experimented with a banana cream pie. It actually worked! I used coconut milk, eggs, evaporated cane juice crystals, a gluten-free flour blend, all natural vanilla, and a natural buttery spread. I was nervous as I tasted it. It did not have the flavor of the recipe I grew up with, but it had a different flavor that was scrumptious and worth coming back too. I did not have to throw this pie out, nor did I stop myself at one piece.

Going gluten-free is not the end of enjoying desserts. It does require an open-mind and an ability to experiment. A quality gluten-free dessert recipe does not need to contain exotic ingredients, or very expensive ones. These recipes just require some knowledge along with trial and error. Yes, cinnamon rolls may be a thing of the past, but not all indulgences have to be put on the shelf. Just do some research and find some great and trusted gluten-free dessert recipes.

Best Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes:

Let Them Eat Chocolate Cake! Gluten Free Dairy Free Dessert Recipe
Apple Cranberry Pocket Pies Recipe
Sun Dried Tomato Focaccia Bread Recipe - Gluten-Free
Gluten-Free Peach Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Streusel Topping
Free Raspberry Coconut-Almond Bars

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By Justin Ravnell

There are a multitude of reasons for a family to go grain-free and sugar-free. Perhaps your son has celiac disease, so his immune system can not tolerate gluten. Maybe your husband is at high risk for heart disease or diabetes. Maybe you are simply one of the thousands of people who are beginning to understand the health benefits of a grain-free diet.

Delicious Bella Pizza Recipe:  Gluten-Free, Vegetarian

Great! You've taken the first step and gotten the grain and refined sugar out of your life. But what now? Well, you can start with this delicious Bella Pizza. By switching out the dough for a mushroom cap, you will:

• reduce carbohydrates by nearly 30 grams
• increase fiber
• increase protein by about 3 grams
• cut out the gluten (which is inflammatory for everyone- not just those with gluten allergies)
• increase iron
• add niacin, a brain-health mineral

Not to mention, it's a lot easier to wash a mushroom cap than to knead dough! You can whip up this dish for a quick family dinner, or serve onbaby bella caps for a delicious appetizer. Any way you dish it, Margarita Bella Pizza is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Margarita Bella Pizza Recipe

This delicious pesto, tomato, mozzarella pizza on a mushroom cap is quick, easy, and delicious!

4 Portabella Caps, rinsed and patted dry

6oz Fresh mozzarella, sliced into four rounds

1 Large organic tomato

4 tbsp Basil Pesto (see recipe below, or use prepared pesto)

2 tbsp Olive Oil for brushing

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

1. Brush both sides of mushroom caps with olive oil.
2. Place oiled mushrooms on a glass baking dish, stem-side-up.
3. Spread one tablespoon of Basil Pesto on the ribbed, dark "top" of each cap.
4. Slide the tomato into ¼ inch thick slices. Place one slice on top of the pesto. (If your tomato is smaller, you may want to use two slices per pizza.)
5. Top each pizza with a slice of fresh mozzarella.
6. Place pan in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes or until cheese is just melted and mushroom is cooked through.
7. Serve immediately.

To make the Basil Pesto:

Toss all the ingredients in the food processor for a quick pesto!

Place 1/3 cup packed fresh basil, 1/3 cup raw pine nuts, 3 cloves garlic (peeled), 3 tablespoons olive oil, 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese in a food processor. Blend for about thirty seconds until everything is minced together with even consistency. Salt to taste.

This pesto recipe makes about 1/3 cup.

You can change it up by replacing the pesto with traditional pizza sauce, then topping with your favorite toppings. The kids love to help on this one. They can make their own personalized Bella Pizzas using everything from pineapple and Canadian Bacon, to BBQ chicken and cheddar. Delizioso!

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By Jessica M Dean

It seems like more and more people are becoming sensitive and allergic to so many things! It feels like an allergy epidemic but maybe it's just me blowing things out of proportion. Anyway, my biggest concern about this epidemic is how can I make a chocolate cake that tastes like chocolate cake and not like a carob-quinoa-sprout-raw cacao-brownish thingy??? This was really scary and quite a conundrum for me.

Let Them Eat Chocolate Cake! Gluten Free Dairy Free Dessert Recipe

It's easy to break out the rice flour, tapioca starch, canola oil, corn oil, etc. but the end result of those ingredients are, to me, very dry and tasteless. Those ingredients, both nutritionally and taste-wise do not have high standards at all. So I went into the kitchen and started tampering with my current gluten free chocolate cake recipe to see if I could make it dairy free as well. One of my inspirations for starting my own recipe blog is Elana Amsterdam of Elana's Pantry. I use her site as a reference point from time to time for my own creations. So I visited her website once again for a little inspiration and remembered that she uses grapeseed oil as a substitute for butter in her recipes. I had thought about using coconut oil but I wanted to create a chocolate cake that tastes like old fashioned homemade chocolate cake. So I tinkered with my recipe and came up with a gluten free dairy free chocolate cake recipe that, if I may humbly say, is pretty fricking great! Here it is...

Gluten Free Dairy Free Dessert Recipe: Chocolate Cake

1/2 cup blanched almond flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 oz. coarsely chopped unsweetened chocolate

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup grapeseed oil

1/2 cup almond milk, unsweetened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. white vinegar

2 eggs

Note: This recipe will make an 8X8 inch square cake. Double the recipe for a 9X13 cake pan or two 9in. cake rounds. For cupcakes, use a 12-cupcake tin and line with cupcake liners. This recipe will yield 12 cupcakes.

Prepare your pan(s). Pour a little grapeseed oil into your baking pan(s) and, using a basting brush, wipe the entire pan and sides with oil. Line pan(s) with parchment and pour a little more oil over the parchment and brush the oil all over the parchment. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350*.

In a bowl combine flours, cocoa powder, baking soda and sea salt. Set aside.

In a double boiler on medium heat put in the grapeseed oil, sugar and chocolate and let them melt for about 5-7 minutes. Whisk to combine ingredients and then take top pan of double boiler off stove and let cool for about 3-5 minutes. You will combine all the rest of the ingredients in this pan.

When chocolate mixture has cooled to warm add eggs, vanilla and vinegar and mix well with your whisk. Next add the flour mixture and unsweetened almond milk alternately in 2 batches. Whisk well to incorporate all ingredients.

Pour into your prepared baking pan(s) and bake for 30 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

For cupcakes, fill each cupcake liner to half with the batter. Bake cupcakes for 15 minutes.

Cool your cake(s) completely and frost.

Here's a simple gluten free dairy free chocolate frosting for your cake (cupcakes):

1/2 cup grapeseed oil

1 cup organic powdered sugar

1/2-3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

a pinch of sea salt

Put all ingredients into a mixer bowl and beat with a hand beater or stand mixer until all ingredients are well blended and creamed together. Put buttercream in refrigerator for 1 hour or until ready to use. Before using, mix again, mixing until sheen forms on buttercream, about 20-30 seconds and then frost cupcakes or cake.

I hope you enjoy this delightful delectable.

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By Rebecca J Gray

Have you recently found yourself debating taking up a gluten-free lifestyle but are confused by the array of information available on its advantages? There is a large amount of material that points to eradicating gluten as a reasonable step in an individuals balanced diet. Gluten is found in any food item containing wheat.

Five Reasons Why You Should Remove Gluten From Your Diet

1. There is data to suggest that a gluten-free diet suits the human body's digestive system more than one containing wheat for several reasons. Firstly, people cannot completely break down wheat which leaves people (including those with no technical intolerance) feeling at the very least bloated and a little unwell. Secondly, wheat often produces a spike in insulin levels which one should try to avoid.

2. A gluten-free diet is currently the sole viable route once someone receives a diagnosis for celiac disease or gluten intolerance. One may read this and think this point does not, as a non-sufferer, apply to them but this may not actually be the case. 1% of the population to is deemed to have celiac disease but the reality is that far more are simply undiagnosed. Following a gluten-free diet ensures one is not unintentionally flaring up an allergy. With some medics concluding that up to 40% of the population may be at risk for gluten sensitivity the potential gains of a gluten-free diet are worth bearing in mind.

3. It may not be just your own well-being that is helped by a diet free from gluten. It has been proposed that children who are gluten intolerant are more likely to have ADHD, autism and problems with their immune system if no changes are made to their diet.

4. The nutritional benefits of refined wheat are almost non-existent and thus, serve little purpose in a healthy diet. There is no doubt that supermarkets make massive financial gains from selling such products. Incidentally, this is also the case with commercially produced gluten-free products but there is no need to actually use these products when one is avoiding gluten.

5. A gluten-free diet can be just as exciting and varied as a diet which includes gluten. The misconception that one is restricted is not really founded. For example, rather than a standard bag of pasta one could buy quinoa or buckwheat. One may even find their food becomes more diverse without the inclusion of gluten as they become more inventive with other options available to them!

Initially, a gluten-free diet can seem quite intimidating and one may be unsure of what is ok for them to eat. Total Diet Food is a food delivery service in London that can provide a complete set of meals and snacks that cater for this diet.

Gluten Free and Recipes That Include Gluten Free Adjustments:

Flourless chocolate cake recipe - an easy gluten-free recipe

Easy Coconut layer cake recipe - Gluten-Free

Chocolate truffle cake recipe - gluten-free

Best Turkey Meatloaf with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Pecan Crust ( Gluten-Free Recipe )

Gluten-Free Irish Soda Bread Recipe (and tips on baking gluten-free)

Delicious Gluten-Free Vegan Bread Recipe - dairy-free and rice-free

Pasta with Homemade Ragu Sauce Recipes - Gluten-Free

Gluten-free: Frosted Carrot Cake Quinoa Bars Recipe

Sun Dried Tomato Focaccia Bread Recipe - Gluten-Free

Gluten-Free Zucchini Quinoa Breakfast Cake Recipe

Gluten-Free Peach Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Streusel Topping

Gluten-Free: How to make chocolate chip cookies

Italian baked stuffed shells recipe & Gluten-free

Healthy homemade gluten-free granola recipe

Easy gluten free baked macaroni and cheese recipe

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Beets, Chick Peas and Orange

Gluten free cornbread recipe with Green Chiles + Cinnamon

Maple Sweetened Almond Zucchini Mini-Muffins - gluten-free

Flourless Chocolate Cake - gluten free chocolate cake

Creamy Detox Soup Recipe with Coconut Milk

Best Gluten-Free Pancakes Recipe

The Gluten-Free Diet Cheat-Sheet: How to Go G-Free

Gluten-Free Chicken Soup for Body and Soul

Mulligatawny Soup Recipe with Jasmine Rice

Quinoa Salad with Pears, Baby Spinach and Chick Peas in a Maple Vinaigrette

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Easy baked chicken breast recipes

By Meet Karina

There's been a hint of fall in the air. The deep night sky glitters with stars. Mornings are cool, bordering on chilly. I stand outside the portal's edge, in the sand, sipping a mug of yerba mate, and scan the cottonwoods along the bosque below, looking for the tell-tale tinge of gold.

Soon they will be yellow, a golden trail north that snakes along the Chama River. It will be time for stacking pinon to burn in the kivas. I relish the warmth of the cozy fires to come, the evenings spent wrapped in thick sweaters reading, sipping cognac.

And for the first time in years I am not dreading winter.

Baked chicken recipes

Baked chicken with peppers is gluten-free.

Alex's Favorite Baked Chicken Mediterranean

This is my son Alex's favorite baked chicken recipe. It's a family-style recipe that constantly changes yet retains its essential character- that of pure comfort food laced with the best of Mediterranean flavors. It's lovely served over fragrant brown rice or herbed quinoa. Or serve it with sea salt-roasted potato wedges. It's an easy weeknight dish for the chilly days of autumn.

Ingredients:

4 split organic free-range chicken breasts [skinless are fine]
Sea salt and gluten-free Lemon Pepper seasoning, to taste
1 14-oz can Muir Glen fire-roasted tomatoes with juice
3/4 cup of your Muir Glen pasta sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup red wine
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups of thin pepper strips- mixed green, yellow and orange peppers
2 large portobella mushrooms, sliced
10 to 12 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped black olives
2 heaping tablespoons capers
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly oil a 10x13-inch baking pan with olive oil.

Wash the chicken in cold water and pat dry; season with lemon pepper; place in the baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken breasts.

Loosely cover with foil and bake until the chicken is no longer pink inside, anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes depending upon the size of the chicken breasts, etc.

Serve with brown rice, quinoa or mashed potatoes. Offer crumbled feta or goat cheese as a garnish.

Serves 4.

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Best chocolate cake recipe

Readers' hands-down favorite: my flourless chocolate cake.

By Meet Karina

Flourless Chocolate Heaven-

Perfection for a Gluten-Free Diet

This is my go-to dessert whenever I'm having guests. Everyone loves it. And the best part is- the recipe is inherently gluten-free. No substitutions. In fact, this is the same flourless cake I've been making for years. It never contained flour. The only thing I've tweaked post-celiac diagnosis is adding more coffee and vanilla.
Just because.

Sexy dense chocolate dessert. Gluten-free.

Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe

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Dense, sexy chocolate deliciousness on a plate. This is such an easy recipe, especially if you use a food processor to do the work. Serve this to non-gluten-free folks with no apologies. None. Zip. Nada. And for gluten-free folks? Hand out seconds (we deserve it, don't we?).

Ingredients:

16 oz. solid dark chocolate (use your favorite GF dark chocolate bars)
1 cup organic light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup organic white cane sugar
3/4 cup very hot strong coffee (or use espresso powder in very hot water)
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons unsweetened organic cocoa powder
8 large organic free-range eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon bourbon vanilla extract- yes, a tablespoon!

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prepare a 10-cup Springform pan by lining the bottom with a circle of buttered parchment. Wrap the outside of the whole pan (underneath, to catch any leaks) with a big piece of foil.

Break up the dark chocolate into pieces and pour the chocolate into the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until the chocolate breaks up into small bits. Add the sugar. Pulse until the chocolate and sugar turns into an even, sandy grain.

Pour the hot water or coffee slowly into the feed tube as you pulse again. Pulse until the chocolate is melted. Magic!

Add the butter pieces and the cocoa powder, and pulse to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla, and process till smooth. The batter will be liquid and creamy.

*Note for cooks across the pond: One stick of butter here equals 8 tablespoons, or one half cup, 4 oz.

Pour the batter into the lined Springform pan.

Bake at 350º F in the center of the oven, till puffed and cracked and lovely - about 55 to 65 minutes. (Note - it took an hour plus 15 minutes when I baked this at high altitude.) Use a wooden toothpick to check the center of the cake; pick should emerge clean, with maybe a crumb.

Place the cake pan on a wire rack to cool. The cake will deflate. Don't worry! When cooled a bit, press down on it gently with a spatula to make it even, if you wish. Or not.

When the cake is completely cooled, cover, and chill it for at least three hours (best up to eight hours), until serving. Overnight is even better.

Serve thin slices with drizzled chocolate sauce or a sprinkle of sifted powdered sugar. Garnish with a fresh berries or mint leaves.

Yield: 12 to 15 slices

Note: Yes, Darling, this is a rich, sweet treat. We enjoy our sugary treats in moderation- don't we? Gluten-Free Goddess advises consuming no more than 2 tablespoons of sugar a day. xox

gluten free flourless chocolate cake

Dear Lovely Vegans-

I'm often asked if this recipe can be veganized- made without eggs and butter. While a butter sub might work- I'm sorry to say that the recipe really relies on the eggs for structure and rise- and no vegan egg substitute is going to replace eight eggs.

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Easy cake recipes

Truffle Cake is a flourless chocolate cake worthy of Spring.

By Meet Karina

The intricate lace of bare oak branches reaching to the piece of schoolyard sky framed by my kitchen window is softening, filling in with bursts of tender green leaves so young and sweet you miss them at first glance. Spring has arrived. The oaks say so.

To celebrate the season of reawakening, I say we bake a cake.

Yes, another cake. I know, I know. I baked a luxurious Coconut Layer Cake for you just last week. But. It was a cake with flour (albeit gluten-free flours). And what do I feel like baking this week? A flourless cake. A cake so rich it tastes like a truffle. Not the infamous pig snuffled treasure. No, Darling. The chocolate truffle. That heavenly impostor, hiding in the guise of that woodsy French piggery fungi. Spoonfuls of deep, dark ganache rolled in cocoa powder (to look like dirt, of course).

And I didn't want just a chocolate cake topped with ganache, either. I wanted to bake the ganache itself. I wanted the cake to taste like a sweet and satiny truffle- I wanted the cake to live up to its name. Truffle Cake inspires expectations. So I fiddled around with my Flourless Chocolate Cake recipe and rustled up a divine and creamy chocolate cake so special you'll want to share it with company. It's simply too good to keep to yourself. Try it. It's shockingly easy to make. Just give yourself time to make it ahead. It is at its best chilled overnight.

Silky satin chocolate cake with a dusting of dirt- I mean- organic cacao powder with a secret ingredient. Raw maca powder.

Throw in a little superfood magic. Why not?

Beyond fabulous. Truffle Cake worthy of your Spring celebration.

Karina's Wildly Rich, Decadent Chocolate Truffle Cake Recipe

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Yes. This is a wildly decadent, butter-rich chocolate cake. Perfect for serving on a special occasion when you have gluten-free guests. Gluten eaters won't miss the flour one bit. And gluten-free folks will feel pampered beyond belief. Tip: Make it the day before you serve it.

Ingredients:

1 cup whipping cream

2 1/2 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons bourbon vanilla extract* or see notes

7 organic free-range eggs

1 cup light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Organic cacao powder with maca, for dusting

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line the inside bottom of a 9-inch Springform cake pan with a circle of parchment paper. Wrap a large piece of foil around the outside of the pan, covering the bottom and sides, to catch any leaking drips. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, gently heat the cream over low heat. When the cream is fairly hot, melt the chocolate chips by adding them slowly to the pan as you whisk. Add the butter, in pieces. Whisk until the chocolate and butter are melted. Add the vanilla extract. As soon as the mixture is melted, smooth, and glossy remove it from the heat.

Using a wire whisk attachment, beat the eggs, light brown sugar and sea salt until the eggs are foamy and doubled in volume, roughly 3-4 minutes. (This is where a KitchenAid stand mixer comes in handy.)

Slowly add the cooling chocolate mixture to the eggs, and beat gently until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Bake in the center of a pre-heated oven for one hour, until the cake is set and cracked. It will still appear a bit loose in the center, underneath. This is fine.

Place the cake pan on a wire rack to cool. When the cake is close to room temperature, lightly cover and chill the cake overnight.

Before serving, gently loosen the cake from the sides of the pan using a thin flexible spatula. Release the Springform clasp and remove the ring. Place the cake on a cake plate.

Dust the cake with a sifting of cacao powder with maca.

Cook time: 1 hour

Yield: 18 thin slices- this cake is super rich!

GFG Notes:

After chilling, and before serving, allow the cake to sit out for a few minutes before you serve it- to achieve the best satiny texture.

I've made this recipe kid friendly by using a good vanilla extract for a kick of warm vanilla flavor. For serving adults, you could use your favorite orange, coffee, or even raspberry liqueur instead. Tune into your taste buds and make them happy.

Serve with fresh berries in season.

Vegans and dairy-free folks like me- don't be sad. I'm working on a dairy-free version for us.

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Healthy turkey meatloaf

Gluten-free turkey meatloaf with sun-dried tomatoes and pecan crust.

A Turn Toward the New

By Meet Karina

The morning was cool and bright. It was going to be one of those quintessential Cape Cod autumn days. A day tourists swoon over. Worthy of a post card with The weather is sublime- wish you were here scrawled in black gel cursive between sips of a Hot Chocolate Sparrow latte. The sky was a cake bowl of cobalt blue with that particular pink edge to it that only painters notice, the blush that softened the tree line at the north end of the West Barnstable marsh gentling the heavy greens of the pines and oaks into a bluish, almost violet gray.

She brushed her teeth with fennel toothpaste and spit into the low slung sink, pausing to breathe. A long inhale to slow her heart. The cottage was pin drop quiet. The boys had climbed the rubber lined steps into the school bus hours ago, peanut butter and honey sandwiches bagged, milk money in their pockets. She had waved from the street and watched them navigate the bus aisle in shadow, avoiding her maternal gaze, not turning to wave back. Too risky, she understood. 

The walk back up the curve of road to the rental she had found last spring felt different this morning. Not because of the air and its September clarity that sharpened the asters and the Queen Anne's Lace with impossible precision- though she felt a kinship with the acute focus the turning of the seasons always brings. That sense of realignment, a perennial return to purpose. Ironically, she always felt as if fall was the season of new beginnings. Not spring.

Fall was the season she woke up, as if from a dream. 

Today was the first day of a plein air painting workshop. A post-divorce return to premarital roots, when she painted for the love of it- not the pragmatic bill-paying need of it. Painting for an income (however necessary it may be) is dangerous business. Courting the marketplace changes your work. A self consciousness slithers in and infiltrates your choices. The observer becomes observed. Judged. Rewarded for meeting expectations.

She had always been more than willing to please. To notice the cues and needs of others. It was more than habit. It was ingrained in her bones. She had an uncanny knack for it. And she hated it about herself. She hated her automatic willingness to anticipate and acquiesce. Sometimes she would hear her own words hang in the air and for a quantum, split second wonder who had just spoken. There were entire days lost to living outside herself, hovering above her left shoulder, just beyond reach.

Stepping into the tiny sunlit kitchen she stood still for a moment, tempted by the cluttered breakfast table. The sticky bowls and spoons. The allure of distraction. The comfort of routine. But it didn't take. She snatched her car keys off a hook and grabbed a canvas bag of painting gear by the door, turned the knob with her free hand and opened it wide. Three minutes later she made a right at the empty bus stop, and accelerated east down Old King's Highway.

To be continued...

Turkey meatloaf recipe

This gluten-free turkey meatloaf is studded with sun-dried tomatoes and herbs.

Gluten-Free Turkey Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Pecan Crust

This simple turkey meatloaf is moist, flavorful and light. And you won't miss the gluten. Using fresh gluten-free bread crumbs (I used Udi's sandwich bread) gave this loaf a wonderful texture. The sun-dried tomatoes (I used Trader Joe's organic dry packed sun-dried tomatoes) and fresh herbs add a satisfying tang and depth. The pecan crust makes a crunchy top that adds a touch of fancy.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground organic turkey (not too lean- for best flavor)
1 large organic free-range egg
1/3 cup plain rice milk
3 pieces of gluten-free bread
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste

For topping:
1/2 cup chopped salted pecans

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a 9-inch ceramic or glass loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey with the egg and rice milk.

Process the gluten-free bread into crumbs. Add them to the turkey mixture.

Add the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, herbs. Season to taste with sea salt and ground pepper. Mix to incorporate all your seasonings.

Scoop the turkey mixture into the loaf pan and use the back of a spoon to press it into a loaf shape.

Sprinkle with chopped pecans and press them into the top.

Bake in the center of the oven for 50-60 minutes, until done (internal temp. should be 165ºF).

Let the loaf rest for five minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes:

This is a gluten-free dairy-free soy-free recipe.

Leftover loaf makes fabulous sandwiches. 

If you prefer using regular milk, it will work in this recipe.

To be nut-free, skip the pecan crust. 

Makes one two-pound loaf.