Pizza!!!

Yes, I've done it! I've created a *good* gluten- and dairy-free pizza! Well, not really created, since I didn't come up with the recipe. But I masterfully copied the recipe, and it actually turned out amazingly. Which is more than I can say to prior attempts at pizza. This is right up there with my memories of Pizza Hut pizza from my childhood, and definitely tied for #1 GF pizza with the one I had in Disney World!
It is my newly-GF cousin's b-day this weekend, and I'm thinking she deserves a pizza party! The boys can have their lame-o glutenous pizza, but we girls will be enjoying something much better :)



Pizza
Gluten/dairy/egg free
Recipe from "1000 Gluten Free Recipes" by Carol Fenster

1 tbsp dry yeast
2 1/2 tsp sugar
2/3 c warm milk (I used soy)
2/3 c potato starch (I used cornstarch)
1/2 c Carol's sorghum blend**
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cider vinegar
Shortening for greasing pan (I used Spectrum. Carol recommends against using pan spray for this recipe)
White rice flour for dusting

Proof yeast by mixing with sugar and adding milk to a small bowl. Allow to foam for about 5 minutes.
In food processor/mixer, add all dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ones, and mix until the dough forms a ball.
Place a rack in the bottom shelf of the oven, and one in the middle. Preheat to 425 degrees F.
Grease a 12 inch nonstick pizza pan (I don't have one, so I just used a baking sheet) w/ shortening.
Place dough on pan and dust with rice flour. Press dough into pan with your hands, using more flour as needed. Try to make the dough as smooth and thin as possible. You can make the edges a little thicker to provide a good crust.
Bake pizza on the bottom rack of the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Add toppings of your choice, then bake on the middle rack for 15-20 minutes until nicely browned. Remove from oven, and brush olive oil on the rim of the crust. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve!
The recipe says it serves 6, but I ate half of it and could have kept going....I'm not sure it will survive the night...
The toppings I used were pizza sauce, canadian bacon, Italian olives, and Tofutti American cheese slices (you know, the individually wrapped ones that are reminiscent of Kraft slices...) I had a few sitting in the bottom of the fridge, and I hadn't found anything I liked them on...but they worked great on the pizza (while it was hot anyway. The cheese took on a different texture/flavor when it was cold).
This recipe is definitely a new staple in my book!

**Carol's Sorghum Blend Flour
1 1/2 c sorghum flour
1 1/2 c potato starch/cornstarch (I can't eat potatoes, so cornstarch is what I use)
1 c tapioca flour

Mix all flours together and store.

Coconut Love!!!

Shhh, don't tell Luke! I swear I went to the gym that day :)

So, the lovely Coconut Gal is giving away my FAVORITE ice cream! Here's the link to her blog - check it out!

GF Bread. Anyone know what I did RIGHT?

So, since I tried this recipe, I've made about a loaf a week. I love it! It's the best gluten free bread ever!
Typically, the ending result looks similar to this:



However, this weekend, my loaf sprang to life, and almost doubled in size! This is nearly comparable to "real" white bread size. I thought about laying it next to a piece of Luke's gluten-bread, but didn't want to risk having to waste a perfectly delicous piece of bread!

The only thing I can think of that I *thought* I'd done wrong, was that I think my water was a little cold, so my yeast didn't proof. At all. I almost threw it out. Could that have been the key? Anyone? Oh, I suppose I also used a real egg, rather than just egg white product. Hm, can't think of any other differences. Also, I've started proofing my yeast separately (so that I can mix it better), but I've done it a few times.

I'll post the recipe again, maybe you can help me figure it out.


Delicious Gluten Free Bread
(Original recipe found here )

2 1/2 cups sorghum flour blend*
2 tsp xanthan gum
2 tbsp acacia fiber (I add this to all my baked goods, b/c it helps with an irritable bowel)
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
1 1/4 - 1 1/3 c warm water
2 tbsp honey or agave nectar
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 egg
1-3 tsp sesame/hemp/flax seeds

Whisk together flour, xanthan, acacia, and salt. Pour yeast, warm water and agave in a medium bowl, and mix gently. Let sit for about 5 minutes to let the yeast rise. Add wet ingredients to dry ones, then mix everything on medium speed for about 3 minutes. It will be really sticky and cake-batter-like. Not very bread-doughish.

Scoop dough into a 1.5 lb loaf pan. Smooth dough out using wet fingers (frequently re-wetting them). Sprinkle seeds over the top. Cover pan with a towel and allow to rise for 20 minutes in a warm spot.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake bread for 35-60 minutes (depending on altitude. Mine only took 35 minutes). Remove bread from pan, and transfer to a wire rack. Place the rack in the oven, and bake for an additional 10 minutes (you could just put it straight on the oven rack, but mine is super dirty :P). Bread should sound hollow when tapped. It should also be lightly golden on top.

Remove from oven, and cool completely on wire rack.

Energy Bars Success!!

So, that's what they're SUPPOSED to look like! When you have all the ingredients, the bars stick together pretty well :)

Again, here is the recipe:


Melissa's Mile High Energy Bars (w/ my variations)

1/2 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup chopped almonds
1 cup quinoa
3/4 cup finely shredded coconut
1/4 cup slightly ground flax seeds
1 cup Erewhon Organic GF Crispy Brown Rice Cereal (I used the twice rice version)
1 cup Erewhon Corn Flakes, crushed
1/3 cup raisins
2 tbsp Enjoy Life chocolate chips
1/4 cup agave
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup almond butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with oil. Spread nuts, quinoa, coconut, and flax seeds out on a cookie sheet (I covered mine with foil for easy cleanup). Bake in the heated oven for 3-4 minutes, checking occasionally, that things don't get too dark. Take the pan out, stir everything, and bake for 3 minutes more. Supposedly everything is to be a golden toasted color, but I didn't notice any change.
Remove from oven and cool. In a large bowl, mix with cereals, raisins and chocolate. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine honey, syrup, almond butter, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Bring to an easy boil over med-low heat. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens a bit. You don't want it to be too thick to work with though.
Pour over cereal mixture, and stir well to coat.
Spread cereal into prepared 9x13 pan, and (I used the piece of foil that I had baked the nuts on) press the mixture into the pan. Cover, and cool in the fridge. Cut into bars. Store in the fridge.

Awesome!!! I'm so stocking my freezer for the summer's adventures!