Afternoon Coffee, Procrastination, and Peanut Butter Cookies

Don't judge... Yes, that's instant coffee! I'm the only one who drinks coffee in the GLG household, I don't like the environmental impact of K-cups.. and let me tell you, Nescafe is darn better than Sanka (well, Sanka circa 1990 which tasted like charcoal.. I haven't tried it lately though... ;-) 

It's a quiet Sunday, I was enjoying a small afternoon cup of coffee and I pulled out my "Introduction to Library and Information Science" to begin reading chapters 8, 9, 10  for my assignment next week and then it dawned on me, it was a great time to make cookies.  I know, I thought it was brilliant timing too! 

My favorite peanut butter cookies are the ol'  "1 cup of peanut butter + 1 cup sugar + 1 egg" recipe... but I didn't want to use THAT much peanut butter (do you know how expensive peanut butter is these days?) or THAT much sugar... or really...let's be honest...do I need THAT many cookies?

Probably, I don't need any cookies...

A few months ago I bought a used hardback copy of the 1974 edition of the Joy of Cooking. I wanted to get a copy I could actually use since the beloved paperback that my Dad had when I was growing up, is literally falling apart.

I love that cookbook. His favorite chocolate chip cookies came from Ms. Irma Rombauer and probably a bunch of other meals we used to eat growing up like meatloaf, oyster stew, and chicken a' la King. I wonder where Irma learned to make chicken a' la King.

These are basically the peanut butter cookies in Joy of Cooking (1974 ed.), but I made them gluten-free (of course) and halved the recipe. You could easily make this recipe egg free, If you choose to do that I would replace it with 1 tablespoon of water mixed with 1 teaspoon of ground flax seeds. Stir that mixture together and allow it to 'gel.'

If you decide to double the recipe below, just use a whole egg instead of an egg white (or double up on the flax seed substitute.)

Basic Peanut Butter Cookies
adapted from the 1974 edition of 'Joy of Cooking' by Irma Rombauer
gluten-free, soy-free, easily egg-free, vegetarian
yields 30 - 1.5" cookies

Wet Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine of choice, (or even extra peanut butter if you're a big fan)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter (we like chunky, all natural)
• 1 egg white (or 1 tablespoon water mixed with 1 teaspoon ground flaxseeds)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Dry Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup arrowroot starch (or starch of choice -- potato starch, cornstarch, tapioca starch, etc...)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 
2. In a large bowl cream together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and peanut butter, until creamy and fluffy.
3. Stir in the egg white and vanilla. 
4. In another bowl whisk together all dry ingredients. 
5. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until you have a sticky, slightly wet cookie dough. 
6. Drop batter by small spoonfuls (about a teaspoon and a half per cookie) onto the cookie sheet. Placing a few inches between each cookie - we make 12 cookies per batch. 
7. Flatten cookies by gently pressing with the back of a fork in a criss-cross pattern. To keep the fork from sticking to the cookie, dip in granulated sugar between criss-crosses. 
8. Bake for 11-14 minutes until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. 

Product Review: gardenlites™ Veggie Muffins

Product: gardenlites™ Veggie Muffins

Last week I received a big box of gardenlites™ Veggie Muffins to try. I was sent five different varieties (was rather blown away by that! I was expecting maybe 1 box! lol), and Michael and I have tried two of them so far. Since they were individually packaged, we took them with us to work for snacks and/or for breakfast. ALL of the muffins are gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and soy-free, and are PACKED full of vegetables! What I really love (in addition to the allergen-free goodness) is that these muffins have 5 grams of fiber EACH, plus 3 grams of protein! 

They are low in sugar and the main ingredient in each muffin is a veggie! So far we have tried the Carrot Berry Muffins and the Blueberry Oat Muffins. Next on my list to try is the Zucchini Chocolate Veggie Muffins! The company doesn't necessary market the products as gluten-free, because they want them to be seen as a healthy baked item for all folks, not just the gluten-free crowd!  

To give you an example of the nutritional info (which you can also EASILY find on the gardenlites website - I love that!), here's what you'll find in the Carrot Berry Muffins, which are so far my favorite variety: 

Nutritional Info: 

• Calories: 120 for one muffin
• Total Fat: 2 grams
• Cholesterol: 20 milligrams
• Sodium: 250 milligrams
• Total Carbohydrates: 24 grams
• Dietary Fiber: 5 gram
• Sugars: 11 grams
• Protein: 3 grams

Ingredients (for the Carrot Berry Veggie Muffins):  
Carrot, Pasteurized Egg Whites, Pasteurized Whole Eggs, Evaporated Cane Juice, Brown Sugar, Soluble Corn Fiber, Corn Starch, Sorghum Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Canola Oil, Dried Cherries (cherries, rice flour), Dried Blueberries (blueberries, sugar, sunflower oil), Dried Cranberries (cranberries, rice flour, sugar, sunflower oil), Baking Powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, corn starch, monocalcium phosphate), Potato Starch, Cinnamon, Salt, Vanilla Extract.

Other Current Flavors Include: 

• Golden Corn Veggie Muffins
• Zucchini Banana Chocolate Chip Veggie Muffins
• Zucchini Chocolate Veggie Muffins
• Blueberry Oat Veggie Muffins

Having these muffins in the freezer the past week has been a nice treat! When I needed a quick breakfast or snack, I grabbed one from the freezer. You can allow them to defrost on the counter or just pop them in the microwave for about 30 seconds to have a warm, "fresh-from-the-oven" tasting muffin!

I love that vegetables are the first ingredient in these gluten-free treats.  It can be pretty easy to incorporate fruits into other foods and baked goods, but vegetables can be a challenge. I think kids would really enjoy these muffins and they would be perfect for lunch boxes.

The muffins are quite moist and have a tender crumb. They are individually wrapped, which makes them very convenient. Also, for those concerned about the environment, they really don't have a lot of extra packaging which I really appreciated.
 
The gardenlites website is extremely consumer-friendly and easy to navigate and you can easily find where to purchase gardenlites products, along with ALL the ingredient and nutritional info for each product they carry (simply click on each product!). I really appreciate that they make it so easy for a consumer to find their information. I feel like when companies are proud of the products they carry, they are open and completely transparent about sharing their information.

These are muffins I would definitely purchase when they become available in my area!

GLG Disclosure: 

The product samples were sent to me by Gardenlites.com. to review on my blog if I CHOSE to do so. 

This is NOT a sponsored post and I did NOT receive monetary compensation. 

The opinions and photography in this post are completely my own.

Product Review: Cybele's FREE-to-EAT Oatmeal Raisin Gluten-Free Cookies

Product: Cybele's FREE-to-EAT™ Oatmeal Raisin Vegan & Gluten-Free Cookies

I bought a box of these cookies at my local Food Lion grocery store a few weeks ago. I bought it on a shopping trip to replenish my desk drawer at work. I always try to keep a few gluten-free options in my desk for that inevitable 3 pm snack attack!

I was excited to find Cybele's cookies in my local grocery store. We don't exactly live in a gluten-free abundant area, so whenever I find a new snack that fits my dietary criteria it's fun to give it a try.

My first thought about these cookies was the box was quite small (which really isn't that unusual for gluten-free baked goods). It has about 12-13 cookies in it and suggests 2 cookies per serving. The box of cookies cost $4.59, which in my experience really isn't too bad a price for gluten-free products. This means the cookies were about .38 a piece.

Nutritional Info: 

• Calories: 110 (for two)
• Total Fat: 4 grams
• Cholesterol: 0 milligrams
• Sodium: 85 milligrams
• Total Carbohydrates: 20 grams
• Dietary Fiber: 1 gram
• Sugars: 11 grams
• Protein: 1 gram

Ingredients:  Gluten-Free Oats, Raisins, Brown Sugar, Organic Palm Oil Shortening, Gluten-Free Flour (Brown Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Tapioca Flour), Evaporated Cane Juice, Water, Fructose, Golden Flaxseed, Brown Rice Syrup, Grap Juice, Rice Dextrin, Vanilla Extract, Baking Soda, Xanthan Gum, Sea Salt, Sunflower Lecithin, Cinnamon.

I have to tell you that when I tried the cookies, I wasn't sure what to expect. MOST packaged gluten-free cookies are very hard and crisp... which generally I don't mind. I like a crisp texture now more than I did in my pre-gf days... however it's nice to find a soft cookie.

THESE cookies were truly fabulous! 

They were soft and chewy! The texture was really good for a packaged cookie! The cookies were perfectly moist and the raisins, big and delicious. I felt like the company didn't skimp out on the fruit, which was nice. You had a bite of raisin with nearly every bite! You can taste just a hint of cinnamon in each cookie and they were definitely sweet, but not overly sweet.

I love that Cybele created this recipe using oats and flaxseed, along with being dairy-free AND egg-free! Quite a feat for a GOOD gluten-free cookie! These cookies are ideal for kids with food allergies because they are "top 8" free, so no peanuts, dairy, eggs, wheat, soy, tree nuts, fish, or shellfish. SO a great option to take to school functions and for weekly lunches! They are also baked in a dedicated gluten-free facility so you can rest assured they are free from cross-contamination!

If you wanted too, I think you could easily microwave the cookies for about 5 seconds to give them a warm, "fresh - out - of - the - oven" flavor.

They were really pretty cookies and they looked homemade, not like a store-bought cookie.

I will definitely buy these cookies again, I think they would be great to have at home in the back of the cabinet for a time when you have unexpected company and need a nice dessert!

GLG Disclosure: 

I purchased these cookies on my own dime because I wanted to try them out. I was not compensated or given free product by Cybele's FREE-to-EAT Inc or asked to do a review.  

The opinions and photography in this post are completely my own.

Gluten-Free Streusel-Topped Blueberry Muffins 2.0

I started making these muffins back in 2008 and I still love them! I make them a bit differently now than I did back then. I don't use as many gluten-free flours (the less complicated the better!), I don't use fake margarine anymore (Velveeta is a different story...), but I sure do still whip those egg whites! 

These muffins are just so pretty I felt like I should showcase them again. There are four components to the muffins, the wet ingredients, the dry ingredients, the streusel ingredients, and whipping the egg whites... so technically you might need to get four bowls dirty to create these beauties. But honestly, I don't think you'll regret it. It's worth washing 4 bowls. 

The muffins are perfect for a brunch or even as dessert and I think they will travel well. I'm actually going to test out that theory tomorrow on a trip to see some good friends in Richmond, Va.

You could of course use any other berries for these muffins. Even chocolate chips, banana bits, chopped peaches or apples, etc... One thing I've learned though is definitely measure out those berries. While the fruit (or blueberries) are the showcase of these muffins, if you go overboard the batter will become too wet and the muffins will be gooey in the middle. Nobody wants a gooey muffin.

So here's the revised recipe, simply updated to using the ingredients that I now keep on hand in my pantry. I hope you'll enjoy them either by using the original recipe or the one below!

Gluten-Free, Streusel-Topped Blueberry Muffins
--created by Carrie Forbes author of Gingerlemongirl.com
--free of gluten, dairy, and soy
--printer-friendly recipe

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1 cup arrowroot starch
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients: 

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup light-tasting olive oil or melted butter

Streusel Topping:

• 3 tablespoons brown rice flour
• 2 tablespoons GF oats or blanched almond flour
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons butter or coconut oil

Glaze:

• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1-3 teaspoons orange juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, applesauce, almond milk, olive oil or melted butter and sugar. Add the flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture and fold just until combined. Fold in blueberries.
4. In another bowl whip egg whites until stiff. SLOWLY fold the whipped egg whites into the muffin batter. (If you still see streaks or clumps of egg white that is OKAY, it does NOT have to be completely incorporated!)
5. Spoon batter into a greased or paper-lined muffin tins (makes 10-11 large/ bakery-sized muffins or 24 mini-muffins).
6. In a small bowl, mix together streusel topping ingredients. Sprinkle evenly over unbaked muffins.
7. Bake for 18-21 minutes. Depending on the temperature of your oven, you may have to bake muffins longer. They are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. If you hit a blueberry while testing it will stain your toothpick purple! 
8. Cool muffins on a wire rack.
9. Mix glaze ingredients together. Only add enough orange juice to give the glaze the consistency you desire. Drizzled on completely cooled muffins. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chai Latte Cupcakes with Nutmeg Cardamom Icing (Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Vegan)

No, I didn't throw paleo out the window! This is one of the recipes in my baking cookbook and I've been meaning to share it with you here on the blog because there's actually a typo in the cookbook. And it's my fault! I looked over that recipe 500,037 times and still somehow didn't catch that typo!! Fingers crossed that's the only typo in the book!

But I really want you to have this recipe. It's probably one of my very favorites in the entire book not only because it's gluten-free, but because it contains pumpkin and chai spices, it's soy-free AND it's also vegan. Yep. No eggs or dairy in that lovely cake.

This is the recipe I keep turning too when people ask me to make them cupcakes for a friend or a neighbor, for a birthday or just because. They are spicy and sweet and they make nearly all tummies happy! They are moist and decadent and have a really lovely crumb. And that homemade icing, it's TO DIE FOR.

I actually made the cake this week for a fundraiser for a family in our community. They are going through some really tough times with medical issues and when a neighbor asked if I could donate a cake, I gladly jumped at the chance. Even if it's a treat that I really shouldn't be eating due to sugar or grains, it's still a joy to make them for other people.

So here's the deal with the recipe in cookbook, this recipe is listed on page: 187 in the cakes and cupcakes chapter as Chai Latte Cupcakes with Nutmeg Cardamom Icing. What needs to be corrected is that the original recipe in the book ONLY makes about 9-10 cupcakes and NOT 24. It's a small batch recipe. It can EASILY be doubled, tripled, even quadrupled! For the cake above I actually tripled the recipe and ended up with a 2 layer cake and about 8 cupcakes. How I managed to look at that recipe hundreds of times and miss that mistake, I will never know... but trust me, it won't make 24 cupcakes! (Unless maybe they are minis! lol)

Either way, it's a really delicious cake or cupcake. I'd love to come up with a grain-free version of this recipe without eggs (since there are SO many folks who follow paleo, but who also need to follow an autoimmune protocol or have egg sensitivities), but until then I hope you can enjoy this version! And while you're at it, double the recipe and share them with a friend!

Pumpkin Chai Latte Cupcakes with Nutmeg Cardamom Icing
Created by Carrie Forbes
Reprinted with permission from "The Everything Gluten-Free Baking Cookbook" 
Free of gluten, dairy, soy, eggs
Printer-friendly Recipe

Ingredients | Serves 9

Cupcakes
1 cup brown rice flour or sorghum flour
¹⁄³ cup arrowroot starch or tapioca starch
½ teaspoon xanthan gum
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¹⁄8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup almond milk, warmed to 110°F
4 black tea bags
¼ cup light-tasting olive oil or canola oil
½ cup unsweetened applesauce or plain pumpkin purée (I highly recommend the pumpkin) 
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting
1 cup Spectrum Palm Shortening (Or Crisco™ if you're cool with that or butter if you can tolerate dairy!)
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
3–5 tablespoons ice water

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with 9-10 paper liners and spritz with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the brown rice flour or sorghum flour, arrowroot starch or tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and pepper. Set dry ingredients aside.
3. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, heat almond milk in the microwave to 110°F. Add the tea bags and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags.
4. In a medium bowl mix together the tea-steeped milk, oil, applesauce, sugar, and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until you have a thick cake batter.
5. Fill the lined muffin tins 3/4 full of batter.
6. Bake for 25–30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean and the tops are golden-brown. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then turn out cupcakes onto wire racks to cool completely.
7. Make the frosting: In a medium bowl, cut shortening into confectioners’ sugar with a pastry blender. Stir in spices. (If you prefer a less-spicy frosting, use only ½ teaspoon of each.) Mixture will be crumbly. Thin the frosting with ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you get the consistency you desire to frost the cupcakes.
8. Store any remaining cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Carrie's Notes:

• To increase the pumpkin flavor in the cake even more, you can easily replace up to 1/3 cup of the almond milk with additional pumpkin puree. 
• Any type of non-dairy milk OR regular milk will work.
• Coconut palm sugar will work perfectly in place of the sugar, you can also decrease the sugar to 1/2 cup without compromising the texture of the cake. 
• For chai tea, simply whisk together the spics called for in this cake and add 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture to your regular hot tea with a splash of almond milk or regular milk. Coconut milk would also be lovely.