Sunday, March 28, 2010

My Favorite Bread Recipes

This is for you Ali.

I know I haven't always been the most organized blogger, so I'm making it easier on everyone. Here you are. All my favorite gluten free bread recipes for you to enjoy. I've tried so many different bread recipes over the last 4 years, and these are my top picks!

GF Goddess Sorghum Bread ...seriously the most delicious gluten free bread :)

My latest, more whole grain variation of the recipe above (which I think I might even like more than the amazing original)

Fat Free French Bread (the recipe calls for this rice flour mix, but I've started using Carol Fenster's Sorghum Flour Mix instead, and it still tastes pretty dang good to me)

Flax Seed Bread from the celiac.com forum (you have to scroll down a bit to find the recipe)

Enjoy!


This post is linked to Amy's Slightly Indulgent Tuesday - get the gluten out special edition!

A fantastic bread recipe!


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So...my post from yesterday. I was so distraught for not being able to find that bread recipe! As I was lying in bed, at 3 am, it occurred to me that my iPod does indeed have a history button, and if I checked it, I should be able to find the recipe I pulled up last Sunday. So I repeated the thought over and over in my head as I was falling asleep, as I was too tired to get up and check the iPod just then. Sure enough, this morning I found it!! Hooray!

The recipe is from Amy over at Simply Gluten & Sugar Free.
It originates from this recipe by Karina, the Gluten Free Goddess.

I've been making Karina's version for awhile now, and love it. However, last week, I was looking for a heartier, more "whole-wheat-like" gluten free bread. I tried this recipe last Saturday, but it didn't fly. So I moved on. I am so very glad I did! I really love this new bread.

So that I will never forget this recipe again, I am going to post it where it will be easily accessible...as well as for you all to enjoy!


Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread

adapted from Simply Sugar & Gluten Free

2/3 c sorghum flour
1/2 c buckwheat flour
1/2 c millet flour
3/4 c cornstarch
2 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c milk/substitute (almond milk works great)
1/2 c water (you can just use all water as well if desired)
1 tbsp instant yeast
3 tbsp sugar (or can use 1-2 tbsp honey or agave)
1/2 c eggwhites (or 2 eggs, beaten), at room temperature
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp cider vinegar
1/2-1 tbsp seeds to top bread (I've used sesame and combination of sesame and flax)

Heat milk/water in a small bowl until it is about 110 degrees F. Mix in the yeast and 1 tbsp sugar (or half of the agave). Cover and let rise for at least 5 minutes.
Mix together the flours, xanthan gum and salt in a stand mixer. Add all the wet ingredients, starting with the yeast. Beat for 1-2 minutes, until everything is mixed well. The consistency will be more like a batter than bread dough.
Pour into a greased loaf pan. Smooth the top using wet fingers or a wet spatula. Top with seeds. Cover with a towel and allow to rise for at least 20 minutes in a warm spot.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake bread for 35-45 minutes, or until it sounds hollow when you tap the top.
You can remove the bread from the oven, take it out of the pan, and cool, or if you like the crust to be a little crustier, you can remove it from the pan and place the loaf on a cookie rack. Return to the oven for about 10 more minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't get too dark.
For best results, let it cool completely before trying to cut.
Makes 1 delicious loaf.

Enjoy!

Notes:
I don't have a bread maker, but you can follow the directions on Amy's site if you have one.
The recipe originally calls for potato starch. I used cornstarch b/c I don't tolerate potatoes.
I used the sugar b/c I was out of agave, and it's worked great both times I've made it.
As with most gluten free breads, this is best when served toasted or warmed. It also holds up pretty well for sandwiches.


doesn't it look amazing??

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Help! Looking for GF Goddess Bread Variation

Ok, I have a confession to make. I love to spend hours weekly browsing through other people's blogs to find new recipes. That's not really the confession part, tho...we all do that right? Heh...

Anyway, my new iPod touch....I LOVE it! It makes the whole finding good recipes, then taking them to the kitchen easier, since I don't have to print or copy down recipes. I just pull them up online on my little iPod, and follow along. The problem I have now, is that I don't always keep track of the recipes I try. I'm not saving them to my computer, I don't have a paper copy to file away. Therefore, when I want to make a certain recipe again...I DON'T HAVE IT :(

I've gone back through the blogs I follow for the last month or so, looking for a certain recipe, and can't find it.

My question is, have any of you posted or seen a recent recipe for this amazing Gluten Free Goddess bread recipe (only modified a bit)? I swear I read it. But part of me is thinking maybe I just experimented with different flours. I don't know. All I know is I love this bread, but even more, I loved the variation I made last weekend. And now I don't know what I did...and I don't want to make it wrong.
Your help is appreciated.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Healthy Green Smoothie

Don't judge the picture. I know it doesn't LOOK yummy, but it is :)

I found this recipe over at Winnie's blog, Healthy Green Kitchen.

I love my Vita-mix and am always looking for new ways to use it! This one intrigued me, as it uses two of my favorite green foods: avocados and kale. The combination doesn't sound that amazing, but it is actually pretty good. In the past, I've made fruit smoothies with a few handfuls of spinach, which I totally love (and you REALLY can't taste the spinach, for real!).
So I gave it a go.

I love this recipe! I've tried it with a few variations. I've added a bit of sugar/agave. I've added some pineapple juice. I've added almond milk. I like 'em all.

Just experiment, and see what works for you. This will make 2-3 servings, but it's better fresher, so half the recipe if you wish.

Green Smoothie
1/2 in. piece of ginger, peeled
1/4 slice of lemon
A splash of water
1-2 apples, cored (I've also used applesauce and it works just as good)
5 stalks of kale, stems removed
1 avocado, peeled and pitted
A pinch of sea salt
1/4-1/2 c almond milk or water
Optional: a bit of sweetener, fresh pineapple

Combine the ginger, lemon and water in the blender. Process for about a minute. Pour through a fine mesh sieve into a glass, pressing on the solids.
Rinse blender, and pour the ginger liquid back in. Add remaining ingredients (go slow with the milk), and blend for 1-2 minutes, until completely smooth. Add more liquid as needed. Taste to see if it needs more of anything.
Serve and enjoy!

Don't you feel so healthy?

This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesday!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Grilled Lemon Chicken w/ Peanut Sauce

I ate this salad every day last week! It's so good! I bookmarked it on Elana's blog a few months ago, and have been meaning to try it. So glad I finally did!!
The recipe originates from the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. She is amazing! I love watching her work in the kitchen. I followed the recipe for the chicken pretty exact, so I'll just link you over to it.


Ina's Grilled Lemon Chicken
Tangy Peanut Sauce
The only change I made was grilling the chicken in my George Foreman grill, which worked great. The chicken was very tender and flavorful.
For the peanut sauce, I used red wine vinegar instead of the plum vinegar, but other than that, I followed the recipe as posted by Elana.

I also experimented with the sauce, serving it with the chicken over rice. I didn't like that as much. Maybe I used too much sauce, but it wasn't as good. So, I just went back to eating it as a salad, with some toast or crackers on the side.

Enjoy :)

I won! I won! I won!!!!!!

I seriously haven't won anything since I was at the school carnival in 1st grade, and I guessed the right number of jelly beans in a jar. I ate so many, I made myself sick :P

Well, look at what I just won!!


Last month, Linda over at The Gluten Free Homemaker gave away a $50 shopping spree at iherb.com, basically the amazon of health food stores. I got all these great gluten free goodies! Stocked up on my flours, grains, risottos, and brownie mix! I also got a bag of chips, but sadly they were packed at the very bottom of the box, so they were more like crumbs. Still tasty though :) I highly recommend the brownies, too! The mix is from Gluten Free Pantry, and it's the Chocolate Truffle Brownie mix (GF and DF). Sooooo delicious!
I loved how quickly I got my order! It was at my doorstep within a couple of days. Even better, shipping is free on all orders over $40. Plus, the prices were just as good as my local HFS when they're having a sale, so pretty dang good!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Nothing overly delicious tonight, just saying hi

I know I know...I said I was going to be better about blogging. But I've kind of lost my motivation for it lately :(

Still photographing my successes (though I've been eating a lot of leftovers, and thoughtless last-minute dinners recently), contriving witty posts in my head that aren't getting published, etc, etc. Not much to show for it though.

One of my problems is the massive vacation post that I have yet to finish for my friend/fam blog (yes, I know...technically it's been 2 months today since we left on our cruise).

My other, more distracting problem has been THIS o.O

Can ya blame me?

But, life is a work in progress, right? So, here we go. Take 2 (give or take a few). No energy for anything more tonight....worked a 12 hour day :P But I was determined to post anyway!

So, this is what's been happening in my kitchen lately:


Yes, that's my superman, trying to fix the flood in our kitchen. Isn't he cute?


No worries, all is well. The line to our fridge water was leaking behind the oven. One plumber and a new hose later, and we're as good as new.

I plan on sharing some of my latest and greatest treats real soon. As well as finally getting to do some experimenting in the kitchen this weekend!

Stay tuned!