Friday Eye Candy: Farmers' Market, Strawberries, and a Peek at My Beach Path

Organic strawberries make gluten-free luscious and beautiful.

I have been sitting here in my chair, as bone quiet still as a nun in a pew at midnight, with nary a poetic turn of phrase in sight. I am trying to conjure words for strawberries. And summer. And the newly minted sensation of actually, finally, living by the sea. I keep thinking about breathing- because the ionized ocean air is so sexy gorgeous you could eat it with a spoon. And because for the first time in a long, long time I can feel myself uncoil a bit and allow a long, soft exhale to trail into the stream of salty wind that whistles through the crack of an open window above my bed as I blink awake to the whoop of a sunrise surfer ripping his way down a foamy curl. His joy is infectious. And I smile. And yawn.

The word gratitude comes to mind.

Not to mention, abundance. This week's farmers market was indeed abundant, tumbling wild with the jewels of summer. Boxes and boxes of fragrant strawberries. Buckets of cherries. Crates of plums. Potted herbs and June blooms- peonies and Japanese iris. So I offer you eye candy today. The gift of color. And ten gluten-free strawberry recipes to inspire your weekend and get you in the mood to whoop.

It's summer. Live a little. Get juicy.


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Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Warm from the oven gluten-free crumble with quinoa flakes.

We've been blessed with fecund weather here in West Hollywood. Love is in the air. House finches are singing. Mourning doves coo. Roses are unfolding their velvet petals. Jacaranda trees are bursting with violet-blue corollas. In other words, picnic perfect.

I've been messing around with crisp and crumble dessert recipes this week, intent on creating an easy summertime dessert for backyard get togethers and grill side dining. So although I have featured a strawberry rhubarb crisp in the past (kissed with a hint of balsamic vinegar) I decided to play around with an alternative topping to the classic pairing of tart rhubarb and sweet ripe strawberries. And I grabbed a secret ingredient from my pantry.

Can you guess what it is?

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Blueberry-Strawberry Cobbler

A vegan berry cobbler. Two berries are better than one.

Baking at sea level- in an unfamiliar oven- has been a challenge that has humbled your intrepid gluten-shunning goddess at large. My mojo is askew. All my old tricks and tweaks for high altitude baking are no longer required. It's like losing a third of your favorite play list. Or half your shoes. All the left ones. I have to realign my route. I must toss out all my assumptions (a favorite mid-life goal, anyway, so I may as well practice it).

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Strawberry Cobbler Cake

Dear Gluten-Free Goddess,

Not another strawberry recipe! Please. And a cake recipe at that? Pfffft. I've had it with all your so called strawberry deliciousness. Will you just get over it already? What do you think this is, strawberry season? I'm totally bored with the whole strawberry thing. Good Gracious Lord In Heaven. Where the bleep are the broccolini recipes? The watercress and sardine tarts? The marinated scapes, head cheese and tripe? Where's your squid ink linguini recipe? I can't find it anywhere.

And must I mention, boutique beans? You of all people- living in your precious New Mexico desert. Or have you moved to Hollyweird now? (that figures). I want boutique heirloom bean recipes. I need my daily fiber, if you get my drift.

What? None of the above?

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