Gluten & Allergy Free Expo coming to Dallas, TX!

I am so excited! Just learned about the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo coming to Dallas next month! Nov. 15 & 16 from 9:00am-3:00pm. Get your tickets now! They are also still looking for volunteers, what a great way to be part of something great and important!  Also, calling all Gluten Free Bloggers and Authors, sign up now to be an official member of the team and be a part of promoting this amazing event!

But wait, there's more!  Download your free "Find Me Gluten Free" app at http://www.findmeglutenfree.com/ to easily locate Gluten Free businesses near you!

AND, check out http://www.sendmeglutenfree.com/ to get new gluten free foods shipped straight to your door every month!  With low cost, full and sample sizes, and the ability to earn coupon codes for your feedback on your favorite foods, it's a win-win and a great way to try out new gluten free foods!

I'm happy to help people find more resources like these that make being gluten free a breeze!  Hope to see you at the Expo!

Yours truly,

Country Mama Hippie Chic
AKA Brandi Schunk

Flavorful Friday: Egg Muffin Cup Recipe

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

If you're like a lot of people, morning can be a busy time.  Finding a way to provide a quick, easy, and nutritious breakfast that your whole family will enjoy can sometimes seem impossible.  Today I'm here to help with a tried and true make-ahead breakfast recipe that fits the bill!  This recipe for Egg Muffin Cups is so flexible, I encourage you to play with it and make it your own.  You can make it morning of, or make it ahead and refrigerate or freeze portions to be easily available when needed.  Simply reheat in the microwave, in the oven, or in a skillet and you're ready to go!  Gluten free and healthy, this recipe is sure to be a hit!  This is also great to take to buffet pot luck breakfasts or brunches!

I always welcome comments and feedback, as well as suggestions on how I can make this a great resource for you!  Leave a comment here or email me at bouncybrandi@gmail.com

Yours truly,

~ Country Mama Hippie Chic

AKA Brandi Schunk

Egg Muffin Cups Recipe

Ingredients:

5 Slices of Natural Uncured Bacon

2 Handfuls Fresh Spinach, well-chopped

½ Yellow Onion, finely diced

1 Handful Fresh Broccoli, minced

1 Tbsp Unrefined Coconut Oil

9 Eggs

Celtic Sea Salt to taste

Fresh Ground Pepper Medley to taste

24 cup mini-muffin pan

Butter for greasing pan

Instructions:

Cook Bacon in pre-heated skillet, flipping and moving it about the pan regularly to cook evenly.  Remove bacon to paper towels to cool and drain.  Pour most of bacon grease out of pan (pour into a coffee filter suspended in the top of a jar to filter and collect for later use in cooking.)  Add Yellow Onion to pan with bacon grease and sauté lightly on medium heat.  Add Spinach and Celtic Sea Salt when onions start to become translucent and continue to sauté until spinach is wilted (slightly limp.)  In a separate pan, sauté Broccoli with Coconut Oil and Celtic Sea Salt until broccoli is soft.

While veggies are sautéing, move bacon to cutting board and mince well.

In a large bowl beat Eggs together with Celtic Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper Medley.

Grease mini-muffin pan with butter. 

Add to each muffin cup the sautéed onions and spinach, the minced bacon, and the broccoli, building layers in that order.  Pour eggs slowly into each cup until about half full.  Once all cups have eggs, use the remaining eggs to completely fill each cup.  I find that doing this in two passes works well and gives the eggs an opportunity to fully incorporate into the veggies and bacon.  It also ensures that you have enough egg for each cup.

Carefully move muffin pan to middle oven rack and cook at 350 for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and starting to brown around the edges.  Allow to cool on a rack for about 5 minutes.  Remove from pan and serve immediately, or transfer to the refrigerator or freezer for meals or snacks on a later day.  Note: Allow to cool completely in refrigerator before transferring to freezer to lessen occurrence of freezer burn.

Additional options:

·      Fresh spinach and broccoli can be replaced with frozen.

·      Could be made with only broccoli or only spinach

·      Top with shredded cheese before cooking.

·      Top with salsa and/or hot sauce when serving.

·      Serve with sour cream.

·      Add pre-cooked brown rice to the muffin cups first and press it down to make a “crust”.

·      Could be made with only broccoli or only spinach or practically any other veggies could be used in place of spinach and broccoli, carrots, asparagus, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, etc.

·      You could also make these in larger muffin cups, or spread it all in a pie pan or casserole dish to make a quiche.

·      Sausage can be used in place of bacon, or the meat can be left off entirely.

·      You could also add cooked hash browns or chopped fried potatoes.

Flavorful Friday! Split Pea Soup Recipe

Mark 12:42-44 NIV

…42A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. 43Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; 44for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on."

God has been tugging on my heart lately, when we set our hearts to give generously, and believe in the Provision of the Lord, opportunities will show themselves for us to give from what we have, even if it is only a little, trusting that God will be there to provide for us...
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

With temperatures getting cooler, it's nice sometimes to cozy up to a warm bowl of soup.  A couple of months ago I made my first split pea soup and have been really happy with this simple recipe.  I had never had split pea soup until the first time I made it, so I can't say how it compares to any other split pea soup recipe, but I can say it's a huge hit in my house and hope you'll love it, too!

If you've never had split peas, I encourage you to try out this recipe in your kitchen.  Split peas are super cheap, full of good proteins, relatively easy to digest, and cook quickly compared to most beans.  Full of vegetables, vitamins, and nutrients, this soup is sure to please!

Yours truly,

~ Country Mama Hippie Chic

AKA Brandi Schunk

Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:

·      1 C Green Split Peas, rinsed

·      1 C Bone Broth (beef/chicken combo gives a good depth of flavor)

·      1 C Filtered Water

·      ½ Yellow or Red Onion, diced

·      6-8 Garlic Cloves, peeled and minced

·      1 Celery Stalk, finely chopped

·      1 C Carrots, chopped

·      ½ tsp Celtic Sea Salt

·      ½ tsp Ground Pepper Medley

·      ½ tsp Dried Oregano (or a few fresh Oregano Leaves)

Instructions:

            Rinse split peas either by placing in a colander under running water, or by covering them with water and pouring off the water several times.  Place Green Split Peas, Bone Broth and Water in a 3-quart pot with a lid.  Bring to a boil and then stir and reduce to low heat.  Simmer, covered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

            Add Onion, Garlic Cloves, Celery Stalk, Carrots and seasonings, stir and simmer on medium-low heat, covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Additional Options:

• ·      Add about 1 C Cooked Shredded or Diced Chicken 10 minutes before done
• ·      Top with Fresh Diced Avocado when serving
• ·      Top with a few shavings of Parmesan Cheese when serving
• ·      Add Hot Sauce while cooking or when serving
• ·      Add Cayenne while cooking or when serving

Flavorful Friday! Spinach Watermelon Refresher Recipe

Flavorful Friday!  Spinach Watermelon Refresher Recipe

John 4:14 New International Version “but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Even as fall firmly establishes itself with cooler temperatures across the region on the heels of a big storm, I thought I would give Watermelon one last hurrah of the season.  As of last week, Watermelon could be found at bargain prices, and perhaps you still have a few ripening in the remains of your summer garden.  Here is a recipe I put together this summer that instantly became one of my favorites.  I love this beverage on hot summer day as a nice afternoon pick me up, and it could serve as breakfast as well.  Not to mention, this is a great way to get kids excited about drinking their greens!  Enjoy!

Also today I wonder if you might do me a quick favor?  Some people have noted that they signed up on my blog to receive emails when I post a new blog entry, but they have not been receiving any notifications.  If you have entered your email on my site, will you kindly let me know if you are or are not receiving these updates?  Thanks so much for helping me deliver these health-minded messages to you in a timely manner.  = )

Yours truly,

~ Country Mama Hippie Chic

AKA Brandi Schunk

Spinach Watermelon Refresher

Servings: 1

Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Handful Chopped Cold Watermelon

2 Handfuls Fresh Spinach, washed

1 Handful Ice Cubes

½ C Filtered Water (or Water Kefir or Kombucha)

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in blender and blend well.  Serve in a tall glass and enjoy!

Options:

-Add some of your favorite Protein Powder

-Add ½ - 1 C Yogurt or Milk Kefir