Gingerbread Biscotti

Christmas spirit is in the streets so it is only necessary that the smell of gingerbread be in my house :)

Dry:

2 1/4 quinoa flour
1 1/4 whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
5 tsp ginger
3 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp chia seeds

Wet:

3 eggs beaten
1/3 cup coconut oil melted
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup white sugar

Add ins:

1/3 cup Crystallized ginger chopped (I didn't have any left for this batch)
Almonds 3/4 cup

Icing:

1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
3 tsp almond milk (added one at a time)

Directions: 

1. Mix all dry ingredients together in large bowl. Add in options now. (I ground my own quinoa flour)

2. Mix wet ingredients in separate bowl. Beat eggs first then add molasses, sugar and melted coconut oil.

Note: Yes coconut oil is a solid at room temperature and is high in saturated fat but no this is not bad. While it is true that coconut oil contains 90%  saturated fat, 45% of that fat is lauric acid, a medium chain fatty acid that converts in your body to monolaurin. Coconut oil is more easily digested than other fats and is used by your body differently than other fats. Most fats are stored in your body's cells, but the fat in coconut oil goes directly to your liver where it is converted into energy. Further with its high smoking point, it won't turn into a trans fat when you are cooking/baking with it. Read more on the benefits here! Plus it tastes delicious!!!

3) Add Wet to Dry. Cut mixture in half to make two loaves. Your mixture will be sticky when you try and handle it. This is normal. I never said this was clean baking... :)

4) Slightly oil pan. Plop, yes plop, half of mixture on one side of pan and shape into retangle. 1 inch thick, 4-5 inches wide, 7-8 inches long. Repeat. Sprinkle loaves with touch of cinnamon. Put in 325 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes. Until loaf centres are solid to the touch. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 300 degrees.

5) Cut loaf horizontally into thin slices with serrated knife and place back on baking pan. Put in 300 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until crisp. Turn once during.

6) Cool. Mix icing. Add 1 tsp of almond milk at a time.

My pretty piping bag! Cut off small bit of one corner.

7. Top with pretty designs using icing!

Enjoy with tea or coffee or as an after dinner treat! Yumm!

Creamy Tuna Casserole (without the cream!)

This casserole is delicious, healthy (many hidden veggies), and does not taste like fish. For all you tuna haters out there I DARE YOU, yes I said it,  to try this recipe as it has a very subtle tuna flavour with all the lean mean protein packed benefits of tuna. 

First: Pasta

1 1/2 cups dry wholewheat pasta

3 cups water

1) Cook pasta al dente or even less. You will be cooking more in oven. 2) Drain pasta and set aside.

Second: The "Cream" aka pureed white pinto beans & chickpeas.

1 can pinto beans

1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans

4 cloves garlic 

2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp lemon juice

1) Add all ingredients into the food processor and process until it resembles a creamy hummus like texture. 2) Set aside. (You can use two cans of any type of white beans)

Third: Veggies

1 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped cabbage
6-7 sliced mushrooms
3 carrots diced
1 medium onion diced
1 clove garlic

1) Heat pan and add oil. 2) Add veggies and saute till onions are translucent. Make sure the veggies are 3/4 cooked. You don't want to fully cook them as they will be going into the oven with the rest of the mixture to cook some more. 3. Set aside :)

Fourth: Sauce

1 package knorr onion soup mix

3 cups Warm/Hot Water

1 package frozen spinach

1) Mix onion soup mix, water and frozen spinach together in a bowl. May have to heat soup mix/water in microwave to defrost frozen spinach.

Fifth: TUNA!

2 cans of tuna

Now grab a large bowl and I mean LARGE and a spoon. Mix Pasta, Cream, Veggies, Sauce & Tuna in your large bowl. This may prove difficult at times and you may or may not have a messy counter. Mine was spotless when I was done :)  yeahh right....

Oil baking dishes with olive oil and divide your mixture between your dishes. 

Sprinkle with Kraft tex mex cheese or regular cheese.

Top with lids. (look at that mess...) I never said I was a clean cook. lol Bake in 350 F oven for 30 minutes

For the next 10 minutes take lids off 

Serve and Mange. My fav part

This dish makes plenty and is easy to stick straight in the freezer after cooking. Thus, when Wednesday or Thursday night rolls around and you don't feel like cooking you have a yummy & healthy dinner. Quick!

Note: I love garlic, thus all the cloves but if this is too much for you, you can cut down. However, garlic is an anti-inflammatory so very good for you. Especially during cold season. 

Also, if you want the casserole even creamier. I would add in 1/2 can of mushroom soup. It is something I will have to play with when I make it next.