La Casa del Mojito

La Casa del Mojito in Seattle is pretty much a yellow triangle shaped “hole-in-the-wall”. But who can beat a place with bongo and conga drums tucked in the corner while waiting for their food?  Not to mention the food was fantastic!  If any of you have read about my arepa obsession in my previous blog posts, then you know how much I like my arepas! I found La Casa del Mojito online after searching for a good arepa place in the Seattle area. And although they didn’t have arepas after all (they may have them at a different time than we were there), I was happy we found our way there anyway! I’d classify La Casa as a Latin American (Cuban/Venezuelan) restaurant.

As soon as we walked in, Luam Werson, La Casa’s co-owner and at times cook, welcomed us. He was energetic, welcoming, and full of life. I ordered the Pabellon, a traditional Venezuelan dish with shredded beef, red peppers, and onions served with rice, black beans, and fried sweet plantains. What sounds better than that? It was delicious! And the best part, completely safe for me to eat, no gluten, dairy, eggs, nor soy!

If you are in the Seattle area, I highly recommend making your way over to La Casa del Mojito. It is worth the trip just for the food, plus the atmosphere is amazing! And if you are there around dinnertime, try a mojito; it’s got to be good!

7545 Lake City Way NE, Seattle WA 98115, (206)525-3162

www.lacasadelmojito.com

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 12:00 PM 0 comments

Cranberry Orange Sauce

Here is a twist on the old, plain cranberry sauce.  It’s so simple you will wonder why you never made it yourself before!

Serves 8

Ingredients:

1-pound cranberries, fresh or frozen

1-cup fresh orange juice (from about 3 oranges)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

How to Make It:

{    In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, orange juice, and sugar. 

{    Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries begin to burst and the sauce thickens after about 15 minutes.

{    Let cool. Serve at room temperature.

{    Enjoy!

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 6:00 AM 0 comments

Gratitude

How do I thank thee? Let me count the ways. We have all heard the saying but how much gratitude do you regularly practice in your life?  Chances are you probably say "thank you" to the store clerks, waitresses or baristas you see daily, but how regularly do you really see and celebrate the little gifts you receive every day?  A hug, a smile, a seat on the bus, or a door held open? Do you count those as blessings too?

It turns out that if you do, it can be tremendously helpful and healthful! Studies show that the benefits of gratitude may include less stress, more joy, enhanced vitality, improved sleep, faster recovery from illness, more fulfilling relationships, and a deeper sense of spiritual connection. Can’t we all use a little help in those departments? Gratitude works because it promotes positive emotions such as joy, contentment and hope. When we experience gratitude we flood the part of the brain that floods the body with feel-good hormones. If you articulate why you are grateful to someone, it is contagious. They feel good and start to tell other people why they are grateful and it multiplies. Don’t you want to help pass those kinds of feelings around instead of all the negative ones we are bombarded with on a daily basis?

Many families do a round of “what I’m grateful for” at Thanksgiving, but what about trying it all year round, for every dinner?  Just this small practice of gratitude every day may not only help you connect with your family more, but also improve your health! 

"Round the table, peace and joy prevail. May all who share this season’s delight enjoy countless more." – Chinese blessing

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 10:56 AM 0 comments

Hard Cider Gravy!

This is a fun twist on regular, old gravy and it is so yummy!

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Drippings from roasted turkey, still in roasting pan

1-cup hard cider or you could use dry white wine (but what’s the fun in that?)

2 to 3 cups chicken broth

4 tablespoons butter (I use Earth Balance dairy & soy-free buttery spread)

1/3-cup gluten-free flour of choice

Salt and Pepper

How to Make It:

{    Strain the drippings into a large measuring cup or bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes, then skim off and discard the fat. (If you have one of those fat separators thing-a-ma-jigs, you could use that too!).

{    Place the empty pan over 2 burners over medium-high heat. Add the cider and cook for 1 minute, scraping up the bits stuck to the pan. Pour into the skimmed drippings and add enough broth to make a total of 4 cups.

{    Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-heat. Cook the flour, whisking until golden, for about 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the broth mixture and bring to a boil.

{    Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes.

{    Season with 1/2-teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Strain and serve warm.

{    Enjoy!

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 7:00 AM 0 comments

Delicious Apple Stuffing

This stuffing is so yummy, your family won't believe its gluten-free! Not to mention, dairy, egg, and soy free too! And the best part is it is so simple to make!

Serves 8

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter (I use Earth Balance dairy & soy-free buttery spread)

1 loaf multi-grain G-free bread, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 12 cups)

2 onions, chopped

4 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Salt and Pepper

2 Granny Smith apples cut into 1/2-pieces

2 cups chicken or turkey broth (you could use vegetable broth here to make this vegan!)

1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped

2 large egg substitution equivalent (I used 2 tablespoons flax + 6 tablespoons warm water)

How to Make It:

{    Heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a deep, 3-quart casserole dish. Place the bread on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden for about 10 minutes. *

{    Transfer to a large bowl.

*If you want to skip this step, simply cut bread up a day ahead of time and leave it out to dry out!

{    Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened for about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the apples and cook for 2 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil.

{    Add the vegetable mixture, parsley, and sage to the bread and toss to combine. Mix in the egg mixture. Transfer to the prepared dish and cover loosely with foil.

{    Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden for about 12 to 15 minutes more.

{    Enjoy!

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 6:13 PM 0 comments

Old Wives' Tales

I was recently in Portland, Oregon and stopped by Old Wives’ Tales for lunch. Old Wives’ Tales is a popular restaurant in Portland that just happens to be 90-percent gluten free!  Not only are their items gluten free, but many are also dairy and soy-free as well... oh ya, and vegan friendly!  There are so many choices to choose from. The servers are very helpful at figuring out what is in everything to make sure it is safe for you!  I had the Greek Melt. It’s an open-faced sandwich with feta, fresh tomato, mushrooms, sweet peppers, onion, artichoke hearts, Greek olives, and Greek herbs. Instead of the feta cheese, I substituted Daiya cheese instead!  There is a delicious gluten-free bread option for all of their sandwiches. The bread is made by Kinnikinnick Foods.*    The sandwich was so yummy! I couldn’t resist getting one of their desserts while I was there. I got the gluten-free coconut, almond brownie with a scoop of Coconut Bliss-Chocolate Hazelnut ice cream! Delicious! If you are ever in the Portland, Oregon area, stop by Old Wives’ Tales; I promise you won’t be disappointed!

***  Disclaimer, I do believe, after looking into it, the bread by Kinnikinnick Foods does contain eggs. So if you are egg intolerant, it may not be an option for you. Check it out for yourself at http://consumer.kinnikinnick.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/products.home/productcategoryid/1#

Old Wives’ Tales

1300 East Burnside, Portland, OR 97214, 503-238-0470

http://oldwivestalesrestaurant.com/

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 8:42 PM 0 comments