About Denise

              

Hi new friend!  Welcome to Where Food And Family Meet!

If you love food, but have to cook and eat differently from others or you cook differently for someone else, you have come to the right place! In 2012, a minor illness quickly turned into a MAJOR problem.  My gall bladder died and had to be removed.  I suddenly found myself unable to eat the way I used too.  I was severely fat-intolerant and have suffered from major digest issues ever since.  After years of illness that should have resolved own it's own and didn't, I began extensively researching food, diets and eating habits that would all me to continue eating the foods I loved.
What I found was that there doesn't seem to be one diet or food group or special way of cooking things, other than a low-fat diet, that really worked for me and I like to eat from a variety of diet lifestyles and cuisines.  The need to cook and eat differently, shouldn't stop you from being able to cook and eat all the things, no matter what your dietary needs, lifestyle and choices are.

The foods I eat focus on a low-fat diet because of my fat-intolerance issues, but other than that I like to eat foods that are a mixture of different dietary life styles. Sometimes it is gluten-free, sometimes it is meat-free, some-times it is dairy- or soy-free, sometimes it is none of those, because hey, I LOVE TO EAT, so sometimes it's just good old fashioned comfort foods.  

I get asked ALL THE TIME, "Denise, what DO you eat?"  Well, the answer is simple, I eat the same thing everyone else eats, made the way I can eat it.  Friday nights are homemade pizza nights at our house.  Once you start making your own pizza, you will NEVER want take-out pizza again!  Are you gluten-free?  No worries, I've got a great pizza recipe for you too! And no pizza dinner is complete without bread sticks.  This Little Caesars copy-cat recipe is sure to be a crowd pleaser at your house too.  

P.S. Don't mind the fact that some of the photos still have my old website name on them.  I'm still making some upgrades to get everything branded with the new site name 😀.

 

In the early years of my digestive issues, ground beef wasn't something I could tolerate well and I didn't eaten at a fast food restaurant, except for Subway, for a long time.  Thankfully now I can tolerate very lean ground beef, but for a long time I used to miss burgers and fries.  Most fake meats are just, UMMMM.....NASTY!  I wanted a ground beef substitute that would not only taste great, but make a great burger and hold up as meatless crumbles in soups and sauces like chili and pasta sauce.  After a LOT of trial and error, I finally created my vegan meatless crumbles & meatless burgers and have become two of my most popular recipes!  

  

Pot roast has always been a favorite of mine!  I love way the potatoes, carrots, celery and onions soak up all the goodness of of the broth and juices. This vegan version of "pot roast" is sure to be a crowd pleaser!  It's perfect for a cold fall or winter night or a family gathering.  Many people have told me they serve this at Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners and it's aways a hit! There are three ways you can make this, bake it in the oven, slow cook it in a crock pot, or fast cook it in an insta-pot or pressure cooker.  I've done all three methods and included those in the cooking instructions for you.

Desserts are a big deal at my house.  When I became fat-intolerant I had to learn a whole new way of cooking and baking to make our favorite treats.  My Refrigerator No Bake Cookies are so easy to make and you don't even have to turn on the stove!  If you are looking for a real treat then try my No Cook Overnight Powdered Milk Ice Cream.

 

Who new that chocolate pudding could be make with dates? This pudding is super creamy and rich but nearly fat-free and doesn't use protien powders, dairy, soy or refined sugar.

My easy Vegan Nut Butter Chocolate Chip Protien Bars are so simple to make! With lots of whole food incredients you can have a quick no-bake snack or dessert in no time. Don't let the word "protien" fool you!  These are packed with protien, but are not made with protien powder.

 

Who doesn't love to nibble on the chocolate chip cookie dough when your making cookies?  Now you can make a bowl of edible chocolate chip cookie dough that is safe to eat. It's gluten-freen and flour-free and will satisfy that sweet tooth craving everytime! 

Speaking of gluten-free, when I was early on in my digestive illness, my doctor recommended I try a gluten-free diet.  I was totally gluten-free for three years.  I know how hard learning to cook and bake gluten-free can be.  I experimented with several store-bought gluten-free flour blends but none of them tasted right or produced a quality finished product.  Since I couldn't find a blend that I loved, I created my own perfect gluten-free flour blend.  I love it!  It makes the BEST gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, soft sandwich bread, biscuits, and tortillas, cinnamon rolls, and .

 

 

 

One of the hardest parts about gluten-free baking is always trying to figure out the right ingredients & quantities to make a good gluten-free flour blend that actually WORKS!.  Can I get an amen??  That's why I love my personal flour blend that I created!  

WANT TO MAKE A BATCH OF GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR THAT MAKES DELICIOUS BAKED GOODS, BUT DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START? GET THIS HANDY PRINTABLE CHART WITH ALL THE INGREDIENTS & QUANTIES 

TO MAKE 6, 12, 18, OR 24 CUPS!