Trying to take care of mumma, post-surgery. Although she doesn't have dietary restrictions, I figured it would be easier on her system and free up more energy for her recovery if I kept things dairy-free + gluten-free.

Chicken Marbella Possibly the best recipe ever. My mom, dad, and I all loved this one sooo much that I think I would have paid the entire Threshold tuition just for this recipe. Thank you, Louise! Amazingly dairy-free + gluten-free :)

Cider-braised chicken One of my few go-to recipes. I've made it several times and never get tired of it. Love the caraway. It always turns out, even when I didn't have cider, a key ingredient! Once I added a diced potato but it's better without and served with rice. Perfect dish for fall.

Lentil soup The Barefoot Contessa is so reliable.

Mushroom and apple quinoa By the same folks as the cider-braised chicken recipe. Lots of nice ingredients but nobody asked for it again.

Sweet potato pie This one was a bit of an experiment and came out better than I expected. I substituted unsweetened coconut milk for the cream and omitted all the sugar (both white + brown). It still came out sweet and tasted great with vanilla ice cream, err...coconut sorbet. I didn't make the crust, so I cheated there, but the filling is vegetarian + dairy-free = vegan + gluten-free.

Finally, attempting to do anything for my mom reminds me of the final word on gifts for mothers: