Cooking for Paleo and Gluten-Free Eaters

My friend Abby recently had a baby, and I wanted to bring her some food. However, in addition to me being vegetarian and not knowing how to cook meat (or having any desire to), Abby has a few dietary restrictions of her own that made cooking for her a bit of a challenge -- albeit a fun one. First, her husband cannot tolerate gluten, so the whole family eats gluten-free. Second, she is on the paleo diet to lose her baby weight.

I didn't know anything about the paleo diet. Apparently, the idea is that you should eat like our caveman ancestors ate -- lots of meat, fruit and veggies, but no grains, legumes, or dairy.  Many of the meal suggestions I came across were heavy on the meat. But, you can find just about anything on the internets, and I was eventually able to find a few recipes that fit the bill of being vegetarian and gluten-free and paleo.

Apple pie bars, to help the nursing mama keep up her energy levels.

Sun-dried tomato broccoli soup...when cooking for an omnivore, vegetable soup is something I often turn to.

Grain-free chocolate chip cookies.

After delivering all the goodies and cuddling with a sweet two-week-old (new baby smell! ahhh!), I came home and fixed a simple dinner. I made the tamarind quinoa from Appetite for Reduction. I love its exotic, sweet/spicy flavor! Gotta remember to bookmark that recipe for sure. I served sauteed garlicky kale on the side.