Hi there, I am Beth from Tasty Yummies! I am so excited to be hosting here on Beard and Bonnet as part of the 2012 Gluten-free All-Star Recipes event. Thanks so much to Meg for having me!
I started sharing my gluten-free recipes on Tasty Yummies nearly 3 years ago when I decided to clean up my diet, cut out all processed foods and be much more mindful and aware of everything I was eating and where it was coming from. I had already been following a strict gluten-free diet for over 5 years, but I found myself falling into the trap of eating the worst, overly processed and garbage-filled foods, just because they had the label "gluten-free" on them. I was terrified to experiment with baking and creating my own recipes, beyond what I was already making that was naturally gluten-free. In turn, though I felt better and healthier in some ways as a result of following a strict gluten-free diet, I was still feeling sluggish, getting headaches and I had put on weight from all of the junk I was eating. Gluten-free or not, what I was consuming just wasn't good for me.
After cleaning up my diet, developing a confidence in the kitchen, and being very mindful to focus on seasonal and clean foods, I quickly and very easily lost 30 pounds and haven't looked back since. This has been the easiest lifestyle change I have ever made and I have never ever felt better.
Overall, I eat a lot of naturally vegan foods and I maintain a mostly vegetarian diet. At home we do eat some meat (all grass-fed from a wonderful local farmer named Pierre), at most, once a week, sometimes as little as once a month, so I like to consider myself a "conscientious omnivore". In addition to eating as healthy as I possibly can for me, I also have a daily yoga practice, which I have found to be the perfect compliment to my lifestyle, mentally, emotionally and physically. For the first time ever, I have found a way of living that fits me and my body, it never feels like work or a struggle and I am constantly grateful for all of it.
My Favorite From 2012
Before sharing Tasty Yummies' 2012 Gluten-Free All-Star Recipes, I wanted to celebrate an all-star blogger whom I love and one of her recipes that I absolutely adore. This grain-free pizza crust created by the insanely creative Brittany from Real Sustenance, is to die for delicious. I knew it would be good, since every recipe I have made from Brittany always is, but I honestly didn't expect it to be that good. This crust is thick, fluffy and grainy with the perfect amount of crisp to the outside. It holds up really well to toppings and I even replaced the eggs and adapted it to be totally vegan for a cobbler topping, here is that recipe. This recipe is definitely my go-to pizza dough now!
Be sure to check out Real Sustenance for even more amazing recipes. http://realsustenance.com
Tasty Yummies 2012 Gluten-Free All-Star Recipes
I hope you enjoy these most popular recipes from Tasty Yummies this past year. In looking at stats and page visits alone, I have to say, my readers love sweets and chocolate. For someone that prefers savory over sweet every time, this always makes me giggle. Sweet treats definitely get a lot more attention in the blogging world, that's for sure. These three recipes are not only readers' favorites, I have to say, all three are favorites in my kitchen as well, and have been made countless times in different variations.
1) Dark Chocolate Coconut Treats {Vegan, Gluten-free + Refined Sugar-Free}
These simple to make sweet chocolate treats have become a favorite in our house. We both LOVE the combination of chocolate and coconut and a refined sugar-free version of a classic candy bar, I am sure you know which one 😉 Since I have added a mini muffin pan to my kitchen, I usually make them in there now, for a smaller more bite-sized treat, plus they last longer. Here is the recipe.
Rose said: "I’ve been eyeing these up for a while. Made them for a group the other night and words out around town already with people asking about them. Yum they were so good."
2) Kalamata Olive and Herb Socca with Roasted Vegetables {Gluten-free + Vegan}
I honestly cannot believe I hadn't discovered socca until this year. Boy have I been missing out. Soccas are super simple to make and you can get really creative with add-ins and toppings. You could even make a sweet dessert socca by adding a little sweetness and some cocoa powder. This particular recipe was so simple, I made it for lunch one afternoon in the middle of a work day. Here is the recipe.
Johanna said: "Thank you for the recipe! That was delicious. Kids ate it too."
3) Chocolate Peanut Butter Road Trip Energy Bars {Gluten-free, Vegan + Refined Sugar-Free}
These bars in some variation or another have become a road-trip staple around here. They are so quick to whip up and they are so sinfully delicious, it is hard to believe they are healthy. Here is the recipe.
**Bonus: I change the recipe a bit every time I make them, based on what I have on hand, here is a fun seasonal version I made recently for another road trip, Chewy Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars.
Portia said: "These are in the oven right now and I’m standing here watching the timer do it’s countdown. My younger son and I were eating the “dough” and it was DELICIOUS! The smell is making my mouth water. It’s going to be a “treat before dinner” kind of night:-) One minute to go!"
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If you would like to keep up with Tasty Yummies, please check out the blog here for more gluten-free recipes that focus on clean, fresh and seasonal eating. Please also feel free to connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram to see what I am up to. You can also subscribe to my RSS feed or sign up to receive emails whenever I post a new recipe.
Thanks so much to Lexie for organizing this wonderful all-star series and thanks to all of the lovely ladies that are participating. I am honored to be a part of such an amazing community of talented bloggers! Happy Holidays to everyone and I wish you all very tasty, healthy and happy 2013!
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