Strawberry Cream Tarte

Hi, I know I haven't been great about posting lately...but I do intend to do better this new year! However, I am on vacation this week, and so, will not have much computer access. I thought I would share these beautiful pictures before I went though.



Anyone know as far as copyright laws go, how much you have to alter a recipe before you can post it? I'm pretty sure everything I've posted to date, I've made major changes to. But this recipe was amazing on it's own! The only things I did different were add more strawberries, and sub one flour for another...I just don't want to get into trouble :D

I'm sure many of you know of Elana from Elana's Pantry. If not, well, she's a great gluten free food blogger, and bakes mainly with almond flour...which I now totally love by the way! I got her cookbook for Christmas, and it rocks! I have been so happy with all the recipes I've made so far! This tarte and the chocolate chip scones are tied for my favorite right now! I bet the tarte would take the cake if I had used fresh, summer-ripened strawberries!
If I can, I will see about posting the recipe when I get back in town. For now, feel free to drool :)

Cinnamon Roll Muffins

This post is soooooo long overdue! These are what I ate on Christmas morning, and I was so excited to share them with all my blogging friends...yet, here we are, weeks later, and I'm just getting to it. :(

Anyway, this recipe is great! Found it on Elana's amazing site (got her cookbook for Christmas by the way, and I LOVE it!!). Tweaked a couple things based on what I had in the house.

Cinnamon Roll Muffins
Original recipe here

Muffin Ingredients
1 c blanched almond flour
2 tbsp sorghum flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 c salt
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c agave nectar
3 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Topping Ingredients
2 tbsp sugar (approx.)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp olive oil

Make muffins: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins w/ cups. Mix together wet ingredients. Add in dry ingredients, and blend well. Scoop 1/4 c mix into each cup (Elana's directions state this, and I added more to each muffin, but they ended up being a little thick, so I recommend this as well).
Make topping: Mix together all ingredients in a small bowl.
Scoop topping onto muffins.
Bake for 8-12 minutes.
Cool, then serve.
(I can't remember how many this made, but I'm assuming if you only put 1/4 c in each tin, you get at least a dozen)

The directions recommend topping the muffins w/ cream cheese frosting, and I'm sure to experience the full cinnamon roll effect, you would need to do this. However, I loved these just the way they were, with a nice hot cup of tea.

Enjoy, and a happy new year to all!

Turkey day inspiration

What's everyone doing for Thanksgiving? I haven't quite figured it out, but I *think* I know what I want to make. We're probably going to be visiting family for the day, so I'll just bring my own meal to keep things safe and simple. This has worked out wonderfully in the past.

I'm thinking about brining my turkey. Never done this before, but Shauna has inspired me. Check out this post on brining turkey.
Otherwise, I might try this recipe for a roasted turkey with hazelnut prosciutto butter from Glutenfreeda.
Although I did really enjoy the crockpot turkey I made last year.

As far as sides go, I have some bread in the freezer to make stuffing. I plan on using this awesome recipe from the girls over at Eating Gluten Free.

Rolls! I am going to give another go at making rolls. Never really found a recipe that I LOVED...but I'll look around on my favorite sites, and see what sounds best.

Other than that, I'm pretty much up in the air. I have thought about making a risotto for a side (I have a great recipe for butternut risotto that I need to share), or something with sweet potatoes.

Desserts...I love desserts! But I've always had this thing about Thanksgiving desserts. I can't decide! Growing up, we always had so many to choose from that we just had a little of everything. Sweet, savory, tart, chocolatey...it was all there! I've discovered as I've done my own Thanksgiving dinners that one dessert just doesn't cut it. I've made really good cakes and pies and puddings and cookies. But on their own, they just leave something to be desired.

So I am looking for a little inspiration in the dessert department. I'm thinking of doing something pumpkinish, and something else...any suggestions?

In the meantime, visit my other blog to see my gratitude post and a really cool picture of wild turkeys that we saw this weekend when we went digging up the canyon!

Cranberry Chicken

Sorry, my husband says this picture looks disgusting. It's the only one I have, so I'm still using it. I've decided that *when* I write a cookbook, I'm definitely going to put pictures in it for each recipe. Once I learn how to better photograph food, that is. All in due time...

I've had this recipe bookmarked for a couple months, but only recently decided to give it a go. Wish I had tried it sooner, cuz I loved it! Except for the part where the carrots weren't cooked enough and I hurt my already-sensitive-newly-braces-covered teeth. I ended up picking them out.
This recipe is great! Seriously! Good, autumn recipe :)

Adapted from "Fix It and Forget It" slow cooker cookbook. I decided I didn't want to wait all day to try this recipe, so I made it work in the oven. The measurements and times are all approximate. Will post the crock pot variation once I try it.

Cranberry Chicken

2 lb chicken pieces (I used a couple of breasts)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 c diced celery
1/4 c diced carrots (original recipe called for onions, I didn't have any though)
1/4 onion powder
1 c whole cranberries (original recipe called for cranberry sauce)
1/2 c bbq sauce (I made my own from a BHG cookbook recipe)

Combine cranberries and bbq sauce. Simmer in a saucepan for at least 15 minutes, until the berries burst. Mash the berries with a potato smasher or fork. Add veggies and seasonings, and simmer for another 10 minutes or so, until veggies are soft.
Place chicken in a baking dish, and drizzle sauce over it. Cover with tinfoil, and bake at 375 for about half an hour, until chicken is cooked.
This is great served over rice. I loved the extra sauce on the rice. Might make a little more next time.

Embracing Autumn and Pumpkin Soup

Yes, it is that time of year again. I had quite an abundance of tomatoes this season, and have loved them all. Unfortunately I couldn't let them all grow up to be as plump and red as these ones. These are my German Queens, and I am enamored by this heirloom. I gutted a few of the late bloomers, and have dried the seeds to use again next year. If that doesn't pan out, I suppose I can find them again at Lowe's.

This is the most amazing mulligatawny soup! I've been meaning to try a recipe I have marked in one of my books for ages, but never got around to it, as I was hesitant of the combination of flavors. Mulligatawny is a soup most commonly comprised of apples, curry, coconut milk, and chicken. When I saw this dish at Fresh Thyme Soup Co in Beaverton, OR, my new favorite restaurant out there (as they have a great GF menu), I knew I had to try it. Even though it does have coconut milk, which I don't agree with so well. It rocked my world! I had it for lunch at the Cafe w/ some GF cornbread, and again for dinner w/ my own GF bread (see picture). I love it! I'm so excited to try my hand at this recipe, so stay tuned :)

I have been branching out in my cooking lately, and discovered I have quite a fondness for lemongrass. I also have a great fondness for photographing things, which has been magnified by my brand new rockin' camera! I wanted to capture the great purple color of the rings as I was chopping the stalks. I will post our new favorite lemongrass-infused recipe soon as well (just don't pay any attention to my posting track record of late...).

I am finally accepting the fact that summer is gone. I hate to see summer go, as it is my favorite season. However, I always seem to forget how much I enjoy autumn, until it is upon me. This year fall has been rather sporadic, with lots of early snow on the mountains and eerily-Oregon-like rain storms. We've taken a couple trips up the canyons, and I have had my breath stolen by the beauty of this great season. After one such trip, I decided to celebrate the arrival of fall by making this recipe. I dug around for a can of pumpkin, and whipped it up in no time. It was quite good, although next time I will use chicken broth rather than the turkey broth I had in the freezer (it tasted a little too much like turkey gravy, lol).
This recipe comes from the great ladies at Eating Gluten Free, and as usual, is amazing! Very much a fall favorite!
P.S. For the pumpkin-leery readers, seriously, you can hardly taste the pumpkin. This is like a creamy chicken soup. Try it! For real!

Gluten Free/Dairy Free Pumpkin Soup

2 chicken breasts, cubed
1 Tbs. oil
½ sweet onion, chopped (I used onion powder, and a dash of garlic powder as well)
4 c. chicken broth (I used turkey stock b/c it's what I had in the freezer, but would recommend chicken in the future)
2 c. pureed pumpkin
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups milk (almond milk worked fine for me)

In a large pot, heat the oil.
Sauté the chicken w/ the onion and garlic powder until chicken is cooked.
Add chicken broth, pumpkin, and nutmeg and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.
Reduce heat, add milk and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Watch it so it doesn't boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve.

I thought the soup was great by itself, very creamy, but the recipe calls for swiss cheese as a garnish. It's been so long, I can't even remember what swiss tastes like (just the smell...).

I also added some cooked white rice to the leftovers, and really enjoyed it. There wasn't enough soup for me to compare whether I liked it more w/ or without the rice. Give it a try.

Grilled Salmon with Strawberry Salsa

This meal was amazing! The salsa stole the show though! I've never had anything like it. Mango salsas and peach salsas are great, but I was not expecting this. Sweet, sour, tangy, spicy. I loved it! I got the recipe from the back of the salmon package, and doh, I threw it away on the eve of garbage day. I did a search on allrecipes.com, and pieced this recipe together to the best of my memory.

Strawberry Salsa

About 1 lb strawberries, finely chopped
1/4 c finely chopped red onion (I don't eat onions, so I used onion powder)
1/8 c chopped cilantro
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced or grated
1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients. Let sit for half an hour, then serve.

Great with salmon (I just grilled mine on my George Foreman grill) and some rice and GF bread, or corn tortilla chips (that's how I ate all the leftovers).

Chicken Salad Over Avocado

This is a really simple meal, a good gluten free alternative to your average sandwich. My aunt made this for us at a family reunion campout this summer. I loved it!
I've tried to recreate it without a real recipe, so these are all just approximations. Sorry, I'm usually a recipe follower, and I hate improvising, but I was hungry, and wanted to have this. Couldn't get a hold of my aunt for the recipe...I still thought it was great :)

Chicken Salad Over Avocado

Cooked chicken meat, chopped/shredded (a breast works great here, as does canned chicken)
Grapes, halved
Celery, chopped
Walnuts, chopped
Mayonnaise
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Avocado, peeled, halved, pit removed

Mix all ingredients except avocado. Taste. Add anything that may be lacking. Serve over avocado. Corn tortilla chips work great as a side.
In the picture, I chopped up the avocado and ate it like a salad. But it also works great to use the avocado as a "shell" for the salad. Yum!

Catching Up

Wow! I realized I haven't posted anything since MAY! What a slacker! We've had a pretty busy summer, and I have just neglected the blog. Been making lots of yummy recipes, so I have plenty of ammo. Just no time to post. But I'll bump it up on my priority list. I'm so excited to share my new favorite recipes with everyone! #1 these days - Gluten Free ZUCCHINI Brownies!

Be back soon :)

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!

Energy Bars (sorta)

So, you might have noticed the change in the blog. I decided it was time for a new look! It's spring, and my blog needed a little spring. My favorite time of year is actually summer. I'm getting so excited for some sun, swimming and outdoor time! Especially hiking and biking and all those things that are so hard to pack gluten/dairy free snacks for...until now!
This recipe is my first attempt (but there will be more) at a gluten and dairy free energy bar. It tastes incredible! But...it didn't really work out as a bar. It ended up being more like a really great "granola." That's okay. I've been eating it with a spoon right out of the container. I tried it on some soy yogurt, and added extra to help the taste of the yogurt...definitely not as good as the real stuff. At least the "granola" was good! I imagine it would be great on some ice cream/substitute. I took a small baggie-full to work, and scarfed it down way too quickly.
Part of the reason I think mine didn't hold form was the preparation method I changed. The original recipe calls for some almond butter. I had none. So I used a little Earth Balance w/ some ground almonds. Yeah, it tasted GREAT...but I don't think it was a very accurate substitution. When I was able to get to the store, I grabbed some peanut butter. I melted some, and mixed it into the finished "granola," hoping I could rectify my mistake. No luck. So, I will try again once I'm out of my first batch. I really liked the flavor of it without the peanut butter. It was very interesting. I might make two batches next time, to see if the almond butter adds a different flavor than the peanut butter.
Anyway, enough from me. Here's the recipe already!



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

1/2 cup chopped walnuts/pecans
3/4 cup chopped almonds
1 cup quinoa (or, if you can handle them, GF oats)
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
1/3 cup raisins
2-3 tbsp Enjoy Life chocolate chips
1/4 cup honey or agave (I used honey since it's thicker, and I was lacking PB, but next time I'll try agave)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup almond/peanut 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 up, 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, nut butter, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Bring to an easy boil over med-low heat. Stir constantly for 3-4 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.

I promise to post my second attempt at this recipe soon! Stay tuned :)

Original recipe here.

Really Good Noodles and Chicken

I am so excited about this recipe! It is REALLY good! I don't eat a lot of red meat, or pork, or eggs. Mostly I eat chicken, fish, and turkey. This is great, since it keeps my gut happier. But my taste buds aren't always as excited by this. I easily fall into a rut, where I get bored making the same things over and over again for meals. This happens especially with chicken. I get SO tired of chicken! This recipe is the cure for that! The noodles are good, but the chicken is amazing!!! Even Luke enjoyed it...and he's the dip-everything-in-ranch kind of guy. Granted, he ate his with plain, glutenous noodles and butter. I didn't think he would enjoy venturing this far from the normal, plain foods he enjoys. But seriously, he liked it! That makes it a double winner in my book!

I can't wait until lunch tomorrow so I can enjoy it again. I'm gonna make some more of the chicken next week, and try it on a salad!



Really Good Noodles and Chicken
Gluten/Dairy Free Version

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced as desired (I cut my breasts in half, then in half again)
salt and pepper
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3 tbsp honey
8 ounces spaghetti (I used Tinkyada GF fettuccine)
2 tbsp butter/substitute (I used Earth Balance spread)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup bacon/real bacon bits
1/2 cup cream/milk sub (I used soy milk, and it seemed okay)
3 roma tomatoes, seeds and core removed, diced
Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to directions, then drain and set aside.
Spray BBQ grill rack (or George Foreman Grill!!) with pan spray, and preheat. In a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp of the lemon juice and the honey together, then add the salt, pepper, and rosemary. Toss in the chicken pieces, and allow to marinate for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cook chicken until no longer pink. Mine got a little burned, but I think that it was from using EVOO to oil the pan. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.
In a large skillet, melt butter, then add garlic. Saute and stir for 2-3 minutes, then add bacon and cook for another minute. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, and cream/substitute. Stir in the noodles. Add a little more milk if sauce is too thick. Stir in tomatoes and parmesan cheese.
Serve immediately with a portion of chicken on top of pasta.

*To be honest, I wasn't completely sold by the pasta. It was good enough, but was just a little weird. May have been the soy milk sauce, the lack of Parmesan cheese, the use of real bacon instead of bacon bits. I also felt it had too much lemon zest. I'm not a huge fan of lemon zest, unless I can't really sense it. I would recommend trying the sauce as close to the original recipe as possible. Or, maybe just serve the chicken on some pasta tossed with EVOO, tomatoes, and wilted spinach. That was what I wished I'd had after eating the pasta. Just my two cents :)

Original recipe here.

Dairy Free Almond Joy Bars

WARNING! This recipe is very dangerous! Can be addicting!

I found this recipe over at Lauren's blog, healthy indulgences. I was dying for something sweet and chocolate covered. Mine don't look as pretty, but they sure do taste good! Definitely comparable to the real thing! I don't know about the healthy part though, as I changed the ingredients a bit. Probably healthier than an actual Almond Joy bar. But not if you eat four of them in one sitting. My stomach wasn't too happy with me after that. But it was worth it :)

Dairy Free Almond Joy Bars

1 1/2 c finely shredded coconut
5-6 tbsp coconut oil (I used Spectrum palm shortening)
1/3 c milk substitute (Lauren uses coconut milk, but all I had was soy. It worked.)
1/4 c sugar (Lauren uses erythritol, but I didn't have any)
1/8 tsp agave (I was just guessing on this, her recipe calls for 1/16 tsp pure stevia extract, but yet again, I had none)
Raw almonds
About 7 oz Enjoy Life chocolate chips
Pinch of salt

Soften shortening in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Mix together coconut, milk sub, sugar, agave and salt. Add shortening. It should resemble a paste.
Drop dollops onto foil or waxed paper. Work them with your fingers into log shapes, similar to the "fun sized" length candy bars you can buy in the store.
Top with almonds, if desired, and press the almonds into the filling a bit.


Slide foil onto a baking sheet or cutting board (to keep things flat). Freeze for 5-10 minutes.
Microwave the chocolate for 30 seconds. Stir, then microwave for 30 seconds more, until chocolate is smooth and melted.
Stick toothpicks into cold filling and use that to dip into the chocolate (I didn't have toothpicks, so I tried using my fingers, which was very messy. The easiest way ended up being just to scoop the chocolate out with a spoon, and smear over the filling. But, I didn't get the underside. I suppose freezing them again, then flipping them over to coat the bottoms might work. Anyway, it seems it would be much easier with a toothpick!!!)
After dipping, return to the foil/wax paper, and remove the toothpick. Wait a couple minutes for the chocolate to harden, then enjoy!
Makes about 20.
These keep best in the fridge. I bet they're good frozen too. I didn't think to try that!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yes, I've been on a roll tonight. It's been awhile since I posted new recipes, and then BAM! Overload. Sorry about that. Been a bit preoccupied.
I worked almost 100 hours this pay period. I've been catching up on several weeks worth of Heroes, House and Dollhouse. I've been emerged in the sixth Harry Potter book, which I'm listening to again. I've been pretending to take care of the house. And I've been trying to figure out what's wrong with what I'm eating these days. I've been busy.
I think I figured it out! The latest culprit in my stomach's attempted murder mystery. ONIONS! I made this huge batch of veggie stock a couple weeks ago, and used it to make several fabulous soup/stew recipes (which I shall post soon).
No matter which of these great recipes I ate, I was very sick! Frustratingly so. So I ate every ingredient I could think of that was common in the recipes, sort of a reverse elimination diet...and came to the conclusion that it is probably the onions. I've never really been a huge onion eater, per se, but I do enjoy the flavor. So, we'll give onion powder a try in a couple weeks, see if that will be an adequate substitute.
But, I've deviated from my original subject. These delectable creations!



They are divine! Again, I must praise Karina! Although, I do rather enjoy her photos of the "jumbo" muffins. I don't have a jumbo muffin pan. I think these are still pretty good, for being regular-sized.
Original recipe here.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes about 1 dozen

3 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed (I used 2 bananas + about 1/4 c applesauce)
1/4 c light olive oil
1 c light brown sugar (I actually only used 1/2 cup)
2 tsp vanilla extract (make sure it's gluten free!)
1 egg
1/2 c sorghum flour
1 c Featherlight flour mix*
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 c mini chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand are great for those avoiding dairy), or 1/2 c chopped nuts, or 1/2 c dried fruit

Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl. Make sure there are no big banana chunks (that's really gross if you get a bite of that!). Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to the wet ones. Beat until smooth. Add a couple tbsp of milk/non-milk substitute if needed. Add the chocolate chips/nuts/fruit.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spoon into greased or lined muffin cups. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Use a toothpick or a butter knife to check (should come out clean).
Cool muffins for a few minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack.
Best served warm. Can be easily reheated in the microwave (and throw in the toaster oven for a minute afterward if you like).

The banana flavor in these was not overwhelming, like you get in banana bread. It may have been the chocolate. Whatever it was, they were moist, flavorful, and delicious!
Next time, I might decrease the chocolate chips to about 1/3 cup, and add some finely chopped pecans (enough to make up the difference to 1/2 cup). Or maybe mix dried cranberries and chocolate chips...mmm! These were good, but not too dessert-ish. I would recommend halving the sugar like I did if you want them for a breakfast. They were on the verge of being too sugary for me. But not quite ;)
Now, if you want a dessert muffin/cupcake, try these. They taste pretty similar.

Amazing Sweet Potato Chips

I love Karina's website! I am always so excited when I see she's posted a new recipe.
This one isn't new, but it's definitely at the top of my faves list right now. I haven't had a potato chip in AGES! I stopped eating them since I noticed a trend of bloating and cramping after eating. I always assumed it was the fat/oil content. Until I figured out it was actually the potatoes themselves (although it may have been the fat/oil as well).
Eating with a sensitive stomach can be challenging, and sometimes frustrating when there are so many "normal" things I can't enjoy anymore. Praise Karina, potato chips are no longer on that list!
Her recipe can be for either regular or sweet potatoes, depending on which you prefer. I really don't think these tasted much different than "regular" potato chips. Although, mine were not quite equally sized. I hate cutting sweet potatoes. I can never get the thickness even, and so I ended up with a lot of half rounds, as well as many thick and thin chips. Not enough to stop me though! I might try slicing the potatoes with my food processor next time. And believe me, there WILL be a next time!

Sweet Potato Chips

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, sliced very thin
Light olive oil, as needed
Sea salt, as needed

Heat about an inch of oil in a large, deep skillet. When the temperature is very hot (I used a candy thermometer to try and get it to about 350 degrees F, which was almost exactly medium heat setting) place just enough chips to fill the pan without crowding them. Fry until golden crisp. This was hard for me to determine when they were done. A lot of mine were overcooked, and a lot ended up still soft in the middle (due to my horrendous sweet-potato-cutting skills). Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels. Lightly salt them while they're still hot.
Repeat with the next batch until all the chips are cooked.
Add more oil as needed, but you don't need to drench them in the oil.

This makes about 2 servings (or 1 if you're really excited to eat these and get carried away).

I noticed these went soft really fast. They were great and crunchy when still hot, but once they'd cooled, and I'd eaten my fill, I threw them in a ziploc. By the end of the day, they'd sogged up a bit, and even toasting them in my toaster oven didn't crisp them up enough.
So maybe they're a same-day snack. Well worth the time and energy :)

Gluten Free Pita Bread

Here's another recipe from Kate's blog, gluten-free gobsmacked. This one is good. It wasn't what I was expecting though. I was really craving an authentic, almost sourdough pita bread. This is more like a thick pancake. It works well for tucking a sandwich into, but just tasted like bread to me.
I stuffed mine with peanut butter, mashed up sweet potato, tuna and melted soy cheese, spaghetti sauce w/ turkey meatballs, and turkey, lettuce, tomato w/ a little mayo and mustard (my favorite!). I also just toasted a couple and ate 'em plain. Yum!

Gluten Free Pita Bread
Makes 8 -10 pitas, depending on size (mine made 10, but next time I'd try to make them a bit bigger)

1/2 cup sorghum flour
1 1/2 cups Featherlight flour mix*
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp gelatin
3 tbsp almond meal
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 tsp agave nectar
2 eggs
1/4 hot water
2 tbsp melted butter/butter sub (I used Earth Balance)

Proof yeast with agave and warm water. Let set for about 5 minutes.
Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Heat remaining 1/4 cup of water. Stir in butter. Add hot water/butter, eggs and yeast mixture to dry ingredients. Blend until dough/batter forms. Dough will be a bit sticky.
Preheat oven to 500F. Prepare baking sheets by covering them with a parchment paper (I was out of parchment paper, so I just used foil, and sprayed it with Pam). Grease hands (pour a little oil into a measuring cup, then drizzle into your hands. You will have to do this a few times). Break off a piece of dough about the size of a large egg, and shape it into a ball. I recommend making all the balls first, then flattening them. That way you know how much of the dough to use. When you flatten them, they should be the size of a medium pancake. Lay the shaped pitas on the pan. These don't rise, which I learned after using 4 baking sheets to make this recipe, so you can cram them onto your pans.
Cover with dish towels, and let pitas rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes. Preheat oven to 500F. Once the pitas have risen, bake for 5-6 minutes. They will brown a bit, but shouldn't burn. Although my oven didn't like being that hot, and started smelling a bit smoky.
Transfer the pitas to a cookie rack, and allow to cool. You want to cut the pita in half, then slice an opening into each to make a pocket. Can be reheated in the microwave or in a toaster oven.

*Featherlight flour mix:
2 cups rice flour
2 cups tapioca flour
2 cups cornstarch
2 tbsp potato flour (not potato starch flour)
I make mine without the potato flour, since I don't eat potatoes.

Gluten Free Pepita-Powered Bread

Recipe by Kate, over at GF Gobsmacked.
I've been meaning to try this recipe for awhile now. I've read lots of rave reviews from people who have tried it. I'll admit, I liked it, but didn't LOVE it. I might have to play around with the ingredients a bit more.
It did have a very "whole-grainy" feel to it, and it smelled very good. The texture was great. The bottom of the loaf stuck to my pan, and so it doesn't look very pretty. I liked it best toasted w/ some sort of sandwich topping (made an open-faced club sandwich, and a tuna sandwich w/ pickles). I'd give it a 4 out of 5 though. A very filling, hearty bread, a bit sweet-tasting. And quite pretty too! Best enjoyed when watching your husband play you yet another "really good" song from the latest Guitar Hero game :)

Gluten Free Pepita-powered Bread
Makes one loaf

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup flax seed meal
3/4 cup millet flour
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
1/2 cup tapioca flour (I used cornstarch as I was out of tapioca)
1 1/2 cups water, divided
1 1/2 tbsp agave nectar
1 1/2 tbsp yeast
2 eggs
2 tsp xanthan gum
2 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp melted butter or butter sub (I used Earth Balance). I also halved the amount of butter and used half applesauce to reduce the fat.
Extra handful of pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top

Warm 1/2 cup of the water to proof your yeast. Add agave and yeast. Stir. Set aside to proof for 10 minutes.
Process pumpkin seeds in food processor until evenly ground. Add flaxseed meal, millet flour, tapioca flour and quinoa flakes. Process until quinoa flakes have been mostly ground down.
Pour flour mixture into mixer. Pour proofed yeast over the top. Add the eggs, xanthan gum, brown sugar, and melted butter. Pour in 1/2 cup of the reserved water.
Mix together on low until the batter is even. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of water. Mix again on low well mixed. Beat on high for 5 more minutes.
Prepare bread pan by spritzing the bottom and sides/corners with olive oil (by the way, this is what I did, and why my bread stuck to it...)
Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth out with wet hands. Sprinkle remaining pumpkin seeds over the top of the loaf.
Place pan in a warm place and let rise about 20-30 minutes (until batter rises to the top of the pan).
Preheat oven to 350F. Bake bread for 30-45 minutes. Check bread after 15 minutes. If the top is getting too brown, cover loosely with a piece of foil). My bread took an hour to bake. Just keep checking it.
Remove from the oven and let sit in pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool for at least half an hour on a wire rack.
Enjoy :)

Seriously The Most Delicious GF Bread Ever

I found this recipe on Karina's blog the other day, and was itching to try it. Finally the weekend rolled around, and I got my chance. It was every bit as good as I had imagined. I finished off the last piece yesterday, and batch number two is baking in the oven right now. Here it is, in all it's glory, with a few minor adjustments. My third batch will hopefully give the millet flour a go, but I have yet to find it at any of the local HFS's...may have to order some online, just for this recipe.

Delicious Gluten Free Bread

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 (I always go for baby-bath warm water)
2 tbsp honey or agave nectar
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 egg (or, in my case, 1/4 c egg white. The original recipe is egg-free)
1-3 tsp sesame/hemp/flax seeds (I used 3 tsp flaxseed)

Whisk together flour, xanthan, acacia, and salt. Pour yeast on top, then add water and half of the agave. Let sit for about 5 minutes to let the yeast rise. Add additional wet ingredients, 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 or a 7-8 inch baking pan (I don't have a bread pan that big yet). 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.

So far this bread has been great as an open-faced turkey and mustard sandwich, open-faced tuna sandwich, toasted with butter and garlic salt, toasted with homemade meat sauce on top, and fresh out of the oven with a dollop of cream cheese frosting (don't ask...I was so excited to have created a successful dairy-free cream cheese using Tofutti cream cheese, and didn't have anything to try it on!).

Next on the list, french toast! And maybe a grilled cheese sandwich (w/ DF cheese).



*Sorghum flour blend
1 1/2 c sorghum flour
1 1/2 c potato starch/cornstarch (I use corn b/c I can't tolerate potatoes)
1 c tapioca flour

Mix together in a large tupperware. Keep on hand for all your favorite recipes.