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. 

Cooking fresh collard greens (vegetarian, vegan)

photo from finecooking.com

Collards (also called collard greens) get a bad rap. They're green and kinda stinky (really only during a long cooking period)... but they are absurdly cheap, incredibly healthy, and super tasty. Collards are part of the cruciferous family (with kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, etc...) and they have compounds that can cause bloating and gas for some people... however if you're a fan of greens, don't pass up collards! Here are some interesting facts on this healthy green: 

Medical News Today stated in a recent article: 

"One cup of boiled collard greens contains 63 calories, 5 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat, 11 grams of carbohydrate (including 8 grams of fiber and 1 gram of sugar), over 250% of your daily needs for vitamin A, over 50% of your daily needs for vitamin C, 26% of calcium needs, 12% of iron and 10% of both vitamin B-6 and magnesium." 

They also stated: 

"One cup of boiled collard greens provides a whopping 770 micrograms of vitamin K; well over 100% of the daily-recommended need." 

Like many greens, collards are made primarily of water, which means they cook down to barely nothing (like spinach)..so if you want to make a BIG pot of greens (to last the whole week or for 4-6+ cooked servings) you'll want to buy 2-4 bunches of the fresh greens. 

Collards have tough stalks, which should be removed before cooking. I like collards prepared the old "southern" way, slow cooked and well... (there's really no other good way to say it)... kinda mushy!I know it sounds strange, especially if you're not a fan of southern foods (especially vegetables)... but collards are great when they are braised with a little bit of liquid and seasonings and slow cooked for hours. You can make them in the slow cooker (I actually included a recipe in my cookbook!)... but they are also super easy on the stove. 

I've read that other people like to take whole collard leaves and blanch them briefly to use as a low carb or gluten-free wrap! I haven't tried that, but it's on my to-do list! 

There's no real "recipe" for cooking greens... your measurements don't have to be specific, but basically here's what I used for this very SMALL batch of greens. (For a bigger batch double, triple, or quadruple the recipe!) Take note that I made these greens without any animal products. If you're a fan of meat or pork products this is traditionally made with a ham hock or ham seasoning and they are divine that way too. 

A Small Mess O' Collard Greens

Makes 2-3 large servings.

• 1 large bunch fresh collard greens, with stems removed and de-veined, and cut into small pieces (cut out the thick, fibrous vein in the center of the leaf -- this makes the collards cook faster and in my opinion makes them more tasty!) 
• 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large poblano pepper, chopped with seeds and white membrane (ribs) removed
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup - 3/4 cup water or vegetable broth

Directions: 

1. In a large dutch oven or stock pot saute onions, garlic, and chopped poblanos in olive oil for 2-3 minutes until softened. 
2. Add greens, red pepper flakes, and water -or- broth to the pot. 
3. Cook on medium-high heat and stir continuously for 5-6 minutes until collards are bright green and start shrinking in size. 
4. Cover pot and turn heat down to low. Continue to cook on low heat for 3-4 hours until greens are softened and yeah... kinda mushy! 
5. We served this with gluten-free, vegan cornbread, sliced tomatoes with fresh ground pepper, and canned pinto beans. 

Some kitteh pics for you... just because! :-) 

Whiskey Jack, chillin' in the cat tree!

Mollie... doing her best job keeping me from writing or reading... :-) 

Max happened to get rolled up in the
sheets to be washed on "Caturday" :-P

Arugula Sprouts Garden Burger

(Let's try this again spelling "ArUgula" correctly! lol) 

My husband loves sandwiches. Seriously, he could eat them every day for every meal. Squeeze in a bowl of cheerios and he'd say he's had a "well-rounded" day of meals!

When the weather gets warmer I really love sandwiches too... along with more veggie-based meals. Salads, raw veggies, and veggie sandwiches.

My favorite gluten-free veggie burgers are Sunshine Burgers. They are gluten-free, vegan, and soy-free as well. They are based from brown rice and carrots with different herbs and seasonings. My favorite is the Garden burger.

Another favorite sandwich ingredient lately has been Rudi's Gluten-Free Multigrain Bread. It's a newly formulated recipe which is softer than their previous frozen breads. It's delicious and truly tastes like the "whole wheat" bread I remember! It was perfect for these sandwiches...

So here's how we made them: 

• Bread: 2 slices Rudi's gluten-free multigrain bread, toasted
• Dressing: Spread with mayo & mustard
• Main Component:  Sunshine Burgers Garden Burger, pan-grilled
• "Cheese": Daiya mozzarella, melted 
• Additional Fillings: Arugula, broccoli sprouts, sliced tomatoes, sliced avocado

What would you add to your veggie burger? 

Carrot Apple Curry Soup Recipe

For the past few weeks I've had this soup swirling through my thoughts. I've been trying to eat a lot more vegetable based meals lately. My tummy hasn't been super happy with meat proteins the past few weeks, I'm not sure why (no, no kids on the way, you don't have to ask!) I just have times when my body craves more vegetables and other times I crave more protein. Right now though, veggies are the bee's knees.

I am a comfort food junkie. I love mashed potatoes... mac and cheese... baked beans... anything creamy and warm, and I love pureed soups. Michael isn't such a huge fan of them, he thinks they resemble an adult version of baby food. And maybe he's right, who knows... but what can I say I love them.

This soup is so incredibly simple and consists of only a handful of ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. It cooks in about 25 minutes and it makes enough for several meals. I kind of see this as an "orange" version of my favorite green soup.  Ha! Did you notice when I posted that soup? Last January! Apparently my body craves veggies in January! 

I added a very tiny amount of curry seasoning to this soup. I haven't always been a fan of Indian curries and I only like it in very small amounts... but in this creamy soup it really works.

Simple Carrot Apple Curry Soup
free of gluten/dairy/soy/grains/eggs/sugar
created by carrie of gingerlemongirl.com
printer-friendly version

1 medium sweet onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 teaspoon curry seasoning (I used Victoria's Gourmet)
5 medium carrots, peeled and diced
5-6 cups filtered water
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: 
In a large dutch oven heat olive oil over medium heat until sizzling. Add diced onions, apples, and curry seasoning and cook on medium heat for 5-8 minutes, stirring constantly until onions are translucent and have softened. Add carrots and continue to cook for another 5-6 minutes until carrots begin to soften. Add 5-6 cups of water, depending on how thin or thick you prefer the soup. Cover and cook over medium low heat for about 20 additional minutes, until carrots and apples are fully cooked through and soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow soup to cool for several minutes and then puree in small batches in a high-powered blender or use an immersion blender. Serve soup with a swirl of coconut milk and a dash of cinnamon over each bowl.


Iris of The Daily Dietribe has started a Monday blogging event called "Five Ingredients" -- which this recipe 7 ingredients, I think it still fits the bill as quick and easy and really delicious and healthy! Go check out all the other amazing recipes in Iris' roundup today! 

Gluten-Free, Vegan, Cane Sugar-Free, Chocolate Chunk Cookies -- Adapted from Real Sustenance

YUM, right?! They really are. I rarely get so excited about making SOMEONE ELSE'S recipe... but this time I genuinely am. And well, like with nearly all recipes, I have to tweak them and change them along the way. I'm not really sure why... I think it might have something to do with having a rebellious personality... my grandmother always called me defiant... so maybe these are defiant chocolate chunk cookies.. who knows!

At any rate, Brittany Angell... the amazing author of the blog "Real Sustenance" and books: "The Essential Gluten-Free Baking Guides" (Part 1 and Part 2) shared these cookies on her blog a few days ago. They reminded me of cookies I had seen on Elana's Pantry several years ago, sort of combined with chocolate chunk cookies from Lauren of Healthy Indulgences, also quite a few years back. I've made both of those cookies as well and hubs (the cookie monster at our house) thought both versions were pretty good (not as good as THESE chocolate chip cookies) but ate them all regardless. He's really not that picky when it comes to cookies.

So I played. I loved that Brittany made them vegan and offered a cane sugar-free and an agave-free version... But I remembered when I tried Lauren's version I threw in a hefty few tablespoons of ground flax seeds, because I love them. Love all that extra fiber, omega-3-fatty-acid-goodness, and the tiny bit of nutty flavor they add. So I added them. And because I went a little wild and crazy with the flavor extracts (ADD the almond extract -- TRUST ME -- it doesn't make them taste like cherries, it makes them AWESOME), I had a really wet dough and decided to throw in some arrowroot starch to thicken it up.

For the chocolate, I had 70% dark chocolate (3.5 oz) Lindt bars which I chopped into chunks.(These Lindt bars do not contain gluten ingredients, and the company uses stringent manufacturing practices to avoid cross-contamination, but it is a possibility and they are honest about it -- so use the chocolate you like best, if you're not a fan of Lindt.) One bar provided about 1 cup's worth of  "chocolate chunks" so it worked perfectly for this recipe!

I've made these cookies 4 times now... and they ARE really, really, REALLY awesome. I can't believe how delicious they turn out with no eggs, no gums, and no cane sugar. Right out of the oven they have an incredible crunch on the outside and a perfect chewiness inside. I can totally see why Brittany named them "Worlds Best Chocolate Chunk Cookies" --  cuz' they TOTALLY live up to the name, especially if you are limiting sugars and trying more lower glycemic, lower carb recipes! Try Brittany's awesome recipe, try my version... either way... MAKE THEM!

Gluten-Free, Vegan, (Almost) Grain-Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Adapted from Brittany Angell's recipe
free of gluten, dairy/casein, eggs, soy, and options for grain-free
printer-friendly recipe

Dry Ingredients: 
2 cups packed, blanched almond flour
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
3 tablespoons arrowroot starch
1 teaspoon baking powder (this brand is corn-free or make your own -- it works SO much better than storebought!)
2 heaping tablespoons ground flax seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients: 
3 tablespoons Spectrum Palm Shortening (or butter, if you can tolerate dairy)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3-4 tablespoons almond milk (start with 3, then add 1 more if you need additional moisture)

Add In's:
1 cup gluten-free, vegan chocolate chunks or chips (I used a 3.5 oz, 70% dark chocolate bar, chopped up)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat. In a large bowl whisk together all dry ingredients. Cut in Spectrum Palm Shortening or butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender or a knife and fork until the shortening resembles very small peas evenly throughout the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and 3 tablespoons of almond milk. Using a little elbow grease, stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until you have a very thick, batter (it might be a bit crumbly). This may take several minutes to be incorporated well. If necessary, use an additional tablespoon of almond milk. The batter WILL be VERY thick though, DO NOT add tons of extra milk, or the cookies will not turn out right. Scoop the dough into golf-ball sized mounds and place on cookie sheet about 2" apart. Flatten lightly and shape with your hands into round cookies. Bake for 12-15 minutes depending on how crispy you want your cookies. The edges should be golden brown when done. Makes 12-15 cookies depending on how large you make them. I'd tell you to store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter or the fridge for 2-3 days and then freeze them for up to 1 month.. but seriously, there won't BE any leftovers!

Carrie's Notes: 

• Almond pulp, leftover from making almond milk will NOT work in this recipe. I tried! It's just too moist and it makes a pile of mush for a cookie. You may be able to make it work with a dehydrator, but in the oven, it just didn't work. 
• You can probably use another nut flour/meal to make the cookies, but I haven't tried it, so I don't know how it works. If you don't want to use a nut flour see the note below: 
• If you are allergic to nuts, just make my regular ol' gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, they are awesome too!
• Use your favorite non-dairy milk in the recipe if you don't like almond milk -- it will work. 
• If you don't have coconut palm sugar: use regular sugar or even brown sugar. I don't know how it would work with liquid sugar substitutes, if you have agave nectar, try Elana's cookies. 

Cumin Honey Salad Dressing Recipe

My favorite shredded cabbage

Last night was grocery night, on grocery nights in addition to getting a week's worth of food, it's also the night I try to buy something super quick for dinner. Because after grocery shopping who wants to spend hours making dinner? (Well, I don't... lol) I bought some of our favorite chicken salad from a local barbecue chain and some sweet potato patties (you southerners will know what those are... lol.... my husband loves them!)

And to round out the meal I decided to use up a package of angel hair coleslaw I had at home. Why do I buy pre-cut cabbage? Because it's easy, that's why... :-) And it makes awesome low carb gluten-free "noodles"... no, it really does! Try the 'angel hair coleslaw' in your chicken soup!

But I wasn't feeling it for a mayo-based coleslaw. So I decided to play with the recipe they had on the package which was for a basic vinegar & oil type dressing.

I made a bunch of substitutions since I didn't have everything the recipe called for. We tried it and it was good, but it needed something. I asked Michael to taste it and tell me what was missing. He tried it and thought for a minute and then said, "Vinegar. It needs some bite... and maybe a little more honey." 

He's getting better at this than I am. 

Because he was absolutely right. That's exactly what it needed. A little bit more bite. A little bit more sweetness. Voila... a brand new, no-mayo coleslaw! 

And the fresh parley throughout the mix.. seriously awesome! If you're a fan of cilantro, use that instead, it will really enhance the flavor of the cumin.

Cumin Honey Dressing for Salads
free of gluten, dairy/casein, soy, and eggs
adapted by Carrie & Michael Forbes, from a recipe on the Dole Angel Hair Coleslaw package
printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients: 
1/4 cup good olive oil
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons white balsamic raspberry vinegar (I used this kind, but use any kind of balsamic vinegar!)
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Directions: 
In a medium-sized bowl whisk together all ingredients. If using immediately add 1 (10 oz.) package of salad mix or shredded cabbage for coleslaw. If saving for a future use simply pour into a glass jar with an airtight lid. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

PS... we also added sliced almonds and toasted sesame seeds to each serving! Really good.

How to make gluten-free soaked oats

I remember a few years ago the "all natural, whole foods, all organic" food blogging community went bonkers over soaked oats.  Basically all you did was add oats to a glass bowl or container, add double the amount of water (or thereabouts) possibly add some lemon juice or something acidic to help break down the oatmeal... and 8 hours later = soaked oats.

But why in the WORLD would you "soak" your oats?

Well, some nutritional experts (especially those in the Sally Fallon/ Weston Price camp) say that soaking grains is the more traditional way to prepare them for cooking. They also believe that by soaking them it breaks down the naturally occuring "phytic acids" that apparently can inhibit the body from digesting the foods properly (or something along those lines.)

I won't try to pretend to be a scientific food expert or a nutritionist... so I don't have any real idea if all the hype about phytic acid is or isn't a big deal nutritionally. All I know (as a lover of all things oatmeal) is that these oats are super tasty, probably healthy, and incredibly easy to make.

So the reason I personally soak oats... because it's so darn easy and it means I can make breakfast the night before and eat it cold or heat it up for a hot, cozy cereal! I love oats and oatmeal. I always have. I grew up eating it and while I don't eat a lot of refined carbs, I love having a warm bowl of oatmeal for breakfast.

Gluten-Free Soaked Oats Recipe Template
free of gluten, dairy/casein, eggs, and soy
printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients: 
1 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats (or quick oats, or steel cut oats, etc... I use Bob's Red Mill)
3 cups water
1/3 cup honey, coconut palm sugar, blackstrap molasses, or sugar substitute of your choice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Optional: 
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 - 3/4 cup raisins, dried blueberries, dried cranberries, etc...
1/2 cup chopped nuts or seeds
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice, etc...

Directions:
Add all ingredients to a glass jar. Stir to combine and cover tightly with lid or plastic wrap. Store in refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight. Soaked oats can be eaten cold or can be heated either on the stove or in the microwave (only takes about 90 seconds.) This recipe makes about 4 (3/4 cup) servings. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

***********************

Want more info on the reasons other people soak their oats? 
Check out these links: 

• Kath Eats Real Food, Overnight Oats http://www.katheats.com/favorite-foods/overnightoats
• Nourished Kitchen, Soaked Oatmeal Recipe  http://nourishedkitchen.com/soaked-oatmeal-recipe/
• Kitchen Stewardship, Soak your Oats  http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2009/11/30/monday-mission-soak-your-oatmeal/
• The Nourishing Gourmet, Soaked Oatmeal  http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/03/soaked-oatmeal-a-filling-and-frugal-start-to-the-day.html
• Passionate Homemaking, Soaked Oatmeal Breakfast  http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2008/09/soaked-oatmeal-breakfast.html 

Note of Curiosity: 
If you click through to some of the links listed above, a few of the recipes have wheat flour included in the soaking ingredients. Since we're gluten-free, we're definitely not adding any type of wheat flour to our soaked oats. I'm not exactly sure how the addition of wheat is supposed to "better" the soaking process... but our soaked oats are completely delicious on their own, all naturally gluten-free. 

{Gluten Free One Pot Meals} Clara's White Bean Florentine Pasta Recipe

Photo courtesy of Sisters Running the Kitchen

It's time for another one pot meal! For my husband and I, one pot meals often save the day! Crockpot meals, casseroles, skillet dinners -- one pot meals can be not only a time-saver, but a money-saver as well!

My friend Clara (of Six Food Intolerance Living fame) is ALWAYS coming up with amazing one pot meals she creates for dinner. I love how she can take simple pantry staples and create a classic and beautiful Italian inspired meal.

A few weeks ago Clara shared this recipe with me. She needed to come up with a last minute meal one night so she decided to throw together some of her favorite white beans/cannellini beans with spinach and pasta. She told me that even her incredibly picky husband loved the flavors & textures of this meal and had seconds!

For an incredible roundup of super easy, all gluten free, mostly one-pot meals, please check out this series, "30 Days: Gluten Free Quick & Easy Meals" that I featured on GingerLemonGirl last summer!


Clara’s White Bean Florentine Pasta
Free of gluten, dairy/casein, soy, and corn (if using corn-free pasta)
Created by Clara Ogren-Rubalcaba, shared with permission
Printer friendly recipe.

2 cups (16 oz.) dry gluten free pasta (penne, linguini, spiral, etc..)
2 tbsp. olive oil, halved
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 cups baby bella (or button) mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon - 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 (15 oz.) can of cannellini/northern beans (drained & rinsed)
1 (15 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes (drained)
1 (7 oz.) bag of fresh baby spinach
Toasted pine nuts, for garnish

Directions:
Cook gluten free pasta according to package directions until “al dente.” Drain pasta, rinse with cold water & stir 1 tbsp. of olive oil over pasta. Set pasta aside.
Add remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed or cast iron skillet. Saute chopped onion in hot oil until translucent & soft. Add minced garlic, sliced mushrooms, and seasonings and continue to saute for an additional 2-3 minutes until mushrooms are soft. Add diced tomatoes and fresh baby spinach. Continue to stir & saute for 3-4 minutes until vegetables are heated through. Lastly, add in cannellini beans & cooked gluten free pasta and cook an additional 3-5 minutes until pasta is heated through. Serve immediately. Makes 4-5 servings.

{Summer Smoothies} Kale Pineapple Protein Smoothie

Kale Pineapple Protein Smoothie served in an old salsa jar

Felt like a quick smoothie this morning. I'm learning to make smaller smoothies. For some reason in the past I always ended up making them HUGE and I couldn't finish them. This little 16 oz. smoothie is just enough! And I love that it fits perfectly in my old salsa jar! I also use earth-friendly glass straws by Glass Dharma... love them!

I did a lot of baking yesterday and even though I didn't eat a lot of it (took it to a gluten free support group meeting), I was really feeling the need to down a few greens today. Kale is one of my favorite smoothie greens. It is SO healthy and you don't taste it at all. My new second favorite ingredient in smoothies is pineapple. It's very sweet and replaces the need for any stevia, honey, or dates!

What are your favorite smoothie ingredients?

Kale Pineapple Protein Smoothie
Free of gluten, dairy/casein, eggs, and soy
Printer-friendly recipe

2 stalks kale, remove the stems
2 rings pineapple + a little juice
half a banana
1 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons vanilla hemp protein powder
1 packet Emergen-C, mixed in about 1/3 c. water
6 pieces ice
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup additional water, if needed

Toss all in a high-powered blender (I use a refurbished Vitamix) and blend on high for about a minute. I generally blend twice just to make sure it's really smooth. Pour into a favorite glass and serve!

Gluten Free Dairy Free Pao de Queijo -- "Cheese" Bread Recipe

Last week we had a potluck at work. I needed something quick to share that I could also eat. We have a small deli/sandwich shop where I work and they are constantly making garlic bread and rolls. The aroma is killer and really makes me crave garlic bread!

I decided on Pao de Queijo, a Brazilian cheese bread. It's super easy to make, only uses one flour and a few simple ingredients. The problem was the cheese. I really don't need to eat cheese. Dairy just doesn't like me and as much as I miss it, I know better.

I wondered how these rolls would turn out using a cheese alternative like "Daiya", a soy free, dairy free
"cheese" product. In general I think it's best just to stay away from processed foods, but sometimes it's nice to still feel like I get to eat cheese! Daiya is the only "cheese" alternative I've found that doesn't contain soy and it melts and gets gooey, just like real cheese. It makes an awesome grilled "cheese" and it's what I put on my homemade pizzas at home.

Turns out it works like a charm in these rolls too! I altered my friend Jaime's recipe to make them casein free and they were a hit. Make these with cheese or with Daiya. Either way I think you'll love them! :-)


Pao de Queijo aka Gluten Free "Cheese" Rolls 
adapted from Just a Gluten For Punishment , by Carrie Forbes at Gingerlemongirl.com
free of gluten, dairy/casein, soy, and grains
printer-friendly recipe

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups tapioca starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder (optional -- good, but not necessary)
2 cups shredded cheese -OR- Daiya "cheddar-style" or "mozarrella-style" shredded "cheese"
2 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter, ghee, or melted coconut oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat. In a large bowl whisk together tapioca starch, baking powder, and garlic powder (if using). Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add shredded Daiya "cheese", eggs, and melted butter or oil. Stir together with dry ingredients until you have a thick, wet batter. Using an ice-cream scoop or large spoon scoop 12 balls of dough and drop them onto the lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. (Alternatively you could scoop them into paper-lined muffin tins). Bake for 8-10 minutes or until they are crusty and golden brown. Serve hot.

Carrie's Notes:

• This is one of the few recipes using tapioca starch that I actually like. I think the shredded cheese & eggs, and oil remove the tapioca starch flavor. And tapioca starch is probably key in the crispiness of these rolls. If you try the rolls with another starch please let me know how they turn out! 
• This dough would also make a REALLY good pizza crust patted out and baked. Granted you'd use a lot of cheese just in the crust, but if you wanted a super easy, low maintenance, crispy, yeast free pizza crust, this dough would be awesome! Just roll it or pat it out onto parchment paper and prebake it for about 10 minutes before adding your toppings!! Enjoy!
• I buy my Daiya cheese online from Cosmo's Vegan Shoppe out of Mariette Georgia. Cosmo's has wonderful customer service and fast shipping. They are super nice folks, tell 'em I sent ya!

Gluten Free, Vegan Banana Bread Recipe

Gluten free, vegan banana bread. Egg free. Rice free. Dairy/casein free. Low sugar/ low glycemic.

A few years ago I completely turned my nose at anything labeled "vegan." I'm not really a fan of labels as it is... but then again you want people to visit your blog... so sometimes labels are helpful, especially to search engines. But I'm getting off topic... A few years ago I knew how to bake. I could bake the heck out of a banana bread, chocolate cake, brownies, apple pie, you name it... but it was always in the traditional sense. Wheat flour. Eggs. Sugar. Milk.

Nearly 5 years later that seems so boring. Anybody can cook & bake like that if they want too. It wasn't until I HAD to change my diet and cut gluten out of my life that I realized it was completely possible to bake without those traditional ingredients.  You don't need wheat, eggs, sugar, or milk to make a good and delicious banana bread!

I didn't necessarily make this particular banana bread for people following a vegan diet. I made it for friends who have kids who can't eat eggs. I made it because I like thinking outside of the box. I made it because I like figuring out new ways to bake old favorite foods.

I've learned so much about non-traditional baking in the past 5 years and every day I learn more. If anything, I've realized there are truly no limits to what you can do in the kitchen.  Just because you have food limitations doesn't mean that your life has to be boring or bland or no longer tasty!

That's the thing I love about gluten free baking. It seems hard at first, but once you step outside of that little American box you were accustomed too of prepackaged mixes, wheat flour, sugar, butter, and eggs... you realize the whole world has been baking with thousands of other ingredients for centuries.

So walk on the wild side with sorghum flour, blanched almond flour, or quinoa. Bake a batch of brownies with millet flour or brown rice flour or amaranth. Make an egg-free cake with ground flax seeds, chia seeds, or mashed bananas. Ditch the white sugar and sweeten a batch of brownies with molasses, agave nectar, local honey, or stevia.

Don't be afraid to try new things. You may not always end up with a perfect baked good every time, but you will have the joy of experiencing new flavors in your kitchen!

Gluten Free, Vegan Banana Bread Recipe
free of gluten, dairy/casein, rice, soy, and eggs
created by carrie @ www.gingerlemongirl.com
print-friendly recipe.

**Makes 3 "7.5 x 3.5" loaves of banana bread**

Dry Ingredients:
1 cup millet flour (5 oz., 140 grams)
1 cup sorghum flour (5 1/4 oz., 150 grams)
1 cup arrowroot starch (4 1/2 oz., 124 grams)
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Wet Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 3-4 small bananas)
1 tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacer + 1/4 cup warm water (or 2 eggs)
1 cup non-dairy milk (I use almond milk)
1/4 cup canola oil, melted coconut oil, or grapeseed oil
1/2 cup honey, agave nectar, or sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Optional Add-In's:
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup allergen free chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl whisk together all dry ingredients. In another bowl mix together all wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until you have a thick cake batter texture. Fold in chopped walnuts or chocolate chips if you are using them. Divide the banana bread batter into 3 (7.5 x3.5) greased loaf pans. (The batter should fill each pan about halfway full.) Add a few half pecans or walnuts to the top of your bread for decoration if you'd like. Bake in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, or until loaves are golden brown, and a toothpick or sharp knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

*Also makes 18-24 muffins. Line muffin pans with paper liners and fill about half full with batter. Top each muffin with a pecan if you'd like. Bake for 17-20 minutes until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Carrie's Notes:

• If you're opposed to using Ener-G egg replacer (or if you don't have any) I think you could make the banana bread or muffins without it, they just may not rise quite as high. 
• Millet flour & sorghum flour: If you don't like these flours, use other whole grain gluten free flours that you like. Brown rice flour, quinoa flour, even bean flours would work just fine in this recipe. 
• This is NOT a really sweet bread. Feel free to up the amount of sugar or honey to 3/4 cup - 1 cup. It should not affect the end result of the rise or texture or the bread. 
• This bread is also delicious toasted and I think it would make GREAT french toast!
• You should be able to halve this recipe easily and make 2 larger loaves of banana bread. I like making it in the smaller loaf pans though because I think it gets a better rise. I use the same loaf pans to make Elana's Gluten Free Bread. 

This recipe has been linked to Amy Green's Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays. Make sure to stop by and see all of the other yummy and slightly indulgent treats that are listed on today's roundup! 

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Muffins Recipe

Here's an easy gluten free "back to school" muffin recipe. Muffins surprise me. Sometimes I like them. Sometimes I don't. I've realized I'm not a fan of fruit muffins because they are often very moist and can go bad quickly (I've eaten one too many soggy fruit muffins). 

Chocolate muffins on the other hand? Well they might as well be cake! I can definitely do "cake" for breakfast or as a mid-morning snack. 

These muffins are super easy to whip together because I used the revised gluten free Master Baking Mix as the base.  Feel free to use any gluten free all purpose baking mix you have on hand! 

Karen M., a dear friend from the GLG Facebook page has become my unofficial recipe tester. She tested these muffins a few weeks ago with her family and here's what she said: "Muffins went over great this morning! We doubled the recipe, used rice milk and used sugar. Made super sized and baked for 23 min. My mom has been craving a double chocolate muffin so she joined us for breakfast and we ate them all! Thanks!"

My husband is not a huge fan of baked goods (unless you count these chocolate chip cookies -- those don't last 24 hours in our house)  but he really enjoyed these muffins and took a few with him to work. If you are a chocolate fan, I think you'll really enjoy these easy gluten free double chocolate muffins. 

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Master Mix Muffins
free of gluten, dairy/casein, and soy
created by carrie @ gingerlemongirl.com
print-friendly recipe. 

Makes 6 muffins

1 cup Revised Gluten Free Master Baking Mix
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1/4 cup agave nectar or- sugar
1/3 cup almond milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup allergen-free chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with 6 paper liners. In a medium sized bowl add gluten free master baking mix and cocoa. Stir together and add milk, egg, agave, and vanilla. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 17-20 minutes until muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Carrie's Notes:

• Egg Free Option: To make this egg free, simply mix 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds with 3 tablespoons hot water. Mix together, allow it to gel and then add it to the wet ingredients in place of the egg. The muffins won't rise quite as high, but will still be quite good!
• Non-dairy milk: Any non-dairy milk substitute will work. Karen used rice milk, I generally prefer almond milk. So use what your family loves. 
• Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix: If you don't have any Master Mix -OR- any general gluten free all purpose baking mix simply use: 1/3 cup sorghum flour, 1/3 cup brown rice flour, and 1/3 cup arrowroot starch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum. Also add 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the wet ingredients. 

This recipe has been included in this week's Gluten Free Wednesdays food carnival hosted by Linda at The Gluten Free Homemaker. 

Gluten Free Vegan Crusty Bread Recipe

Gluten free vegan bread, a few slices from the first batch.

When I first went gluten free I had no idea that I would learn to make my own bread. To be honest, I didn't really eat a lot of bread before I went gluten free. It makes sense to me now -- that by default I instinctively often avoided foods that hurt my body.

Several weeks into being gluten free, I decided to give gluten free bread a try. I used a few recipes from Bette Hagman. I used a bread machine. I made okay bread.

Gradually over the past 4 years I've learned how to make really good bread. I love the techniques involved in baking. I'm always learning more.

Part of this journey has included learning about other foods that also hurt my tummy or cause allergic reactions. I never thought I'd be a person who people considered "picky" when it came to eating. I was the buffet girl. I'd eat anything you put in front of me.

Now that dairy/casein, soy, corn, and shrimp are also not a part of my diet it makes me have great empathy for people with restricted diets.

Many people who cannot tolerate gluten also cannot tolerate eggs, especially while they are still healing. One thing you'll learn about gluten free baking is that normally it uses a LOT of eggs. Thankfully my body can handle the eggs, but I know this is a huge struggle for some people. It can also be costly for everyone else.

Below is a tutorial on making this bread. It's a beautiful process. This "5 minutes a day" technique takes a bit longer time-wise than a loaf of sandwich bread, but I think it is more rewarding and has a much better flavor. Also since you're splitting the dough into two loaves the yeast doesn't have to work quite so hard to help the bread have a higher rise. While these loaves aren't quite as high as a wheat-based french bread, they have a fantastic texture, a beautiful appearance, and slice up well.

Time for bread.

The recipe is below the tutorial. Make this bread by hand at least once so you know what to expect with the texture of the dough. When you feel comfortable with the process, then try making the bread with your stand mixer if you'd like.

First measure out and whisk together the flours, xanthan gum, guar gum, sea salt, and baking powder. Whisking helps incorporate air into your dry ingredients along with making sure the ingredients are mixed evenly.

Next add the rapid rise yeast & honey (or maple syrup) to the warm water. Allow it to sit alone for about 5 minutes to proof. Once the mixture has a yeasty aroma, has turned cloudy, and has started bubbling at the top, it's time to proceed.

Next, you'll add the oil to your yeast mixture and then pour it into the dry ingredients.

Begin to stir. I really enjoy using a wooden spoon. Not sure if it's for nostalgia's sake or if it just seems to incorporate the ingredients well. At first it will look like a wet biscuit dough. Keep stirring.

After the dough looks like biscuit dough, it will slowly thicken up once the gums start working. Next it will look like a thick cake batter. Finally, you'll be able to stir the dough into a stiff batter that will form a loose shape. Gently shape the dough into a ball with the wooden spoon.

Once you have the dough in a ball, pour a few tablespoons of olive oil on it to coat the dough, so you can work it into a solid mass. With your hands, spread the oil over the dough and move the dough to an oiled bowl to rise.

I love using this salad bowl to let the dough rise. A wooden dough bowl works well too. I prefer not to rise dough in a metal bowl because when I used to make wheat-based sourdough, it was said that the metal could interfere with the action of the natural yeast. Now it's time to let the bread rise. Cover the bread with plastic wrap or a tea towel. Allow it to rise in a warm place in the kitchen. Go play. Wash the dishes. Read a good book. This will take 2-3 hours. Give the bread time.

Once the dough has doubled in size it's time to shape the bread into loaves. There is nothing in this world that will make you feel like a baker more than creating your own loaves of bread. Enjoy this.

To shape your dough, you first must move the dough to a floured surface, preferably parchment paper on a cookie sheet that you can slide onto a hot pizza/baking stone. Flour the parchment paper with millet flour or brown rice flour to help give it a crusty bottom. Gently pour the dough from the bowl onto the floured surface.

Using a very sharp knife cut the dough into two loaves or boules (rustic oval loaves of bread) Gently pat them into an oval, careful not to flatten the dough. It will sink slightly while you are shaping it. Don't be alarmed. Now it's time to preheat the oven. If you're using a pizza/baking stone, place the stone (not the bread) in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees. You want the stone to become very hot.

Next, with a sharp knife, add 3 small 1/4" slits on the top of each loaf. This is to decorate your bread and give it an artisan touch. Try not to make the cuts too deep.

While the oven is heating, it's time to allow the bread to rest and rise one more time.  If you want the bread to have a "floury" appearance, like "real" bakery bread, simply sprinkle and gently pat extra millet flour or brown rice flour over the two loaves. Then gently cover the two loaves with plastic wrap or a tea towel and leave them in a warm spot in your kitchen for about 30 minutes. They will rise slightly. After 30 minutes slide the parchment paper with your bread onto the hot pizza stone in the oven -OR- slide the cookie sheet  with your parchment paper and loaves on it into the oven. You'll bake the bread for about 35-40 minutes.

Your bread is finished when you can tap on it and it sounds a bit hollow. It should be golden brown and if you check the temperature with a food thermometer it should be around 180-190 degrees. Allow the bread to cool for at least an hour.

Ideally you can cool the bread on a wire rack, that works really well. It really is important to allow the bread to cool for at least an hour if not more. Because the bread is still warm after being pulled from the oven it's technically still "cooking" and if you slice into it too soon, it will be a bit gooey, especially since it doesn't have eggs.

In the very top picture of sliced bread, I allowed the loaf to cool over an hour which resulted in perfectly textured bread. With this loaf, I was in a hurry to get good pictures and I sliced it after about 30 minutes. I should have waited a bit longer. This loaf is just slightly more moist and doughy than the first loaf. Patience is important with good bread.

Now it's your turn. Time to make bread. Gluten free, egg free, soy free, dairy free yeast bread. Baking bread is a soothing, patient process. Give it time. If it doesn't work the first time, try it again. Good bread takes practice. Allow your hands to learn the movements of mixing the dough and shaping the loaves. Enjoy the process. Go. Make bread.

Gluten Free Vegan Crusty Bread Recipe
free of gluten, dairy/casein, soy, and eggs
created by carrie forbes of gingerlemongirl.com
print-friendly recipe. 

1 1/4 cups almond flour (5 1/8 oz., 144 grams)
1/2 cup brown rice flour (2 1/2 oz., 71 grams)
1/2 cup sorghum flour (2 1/2 oz., 72 grams)
1/2 cup arrowroot starch (2 1/8 oz., 59 grams)
1/2 cup potato starch (2 7/8 oz., 81 grams)
1 teaspoon gluten free, corn free baking powder
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon guar gum
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups warm water ( heated to 110 degrees)
1 tablespoon rapid rise yeast
3 tablespoons honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

• In a large bowl whisk together almond flour, brown rice flour, sorghum flour, arrowroot starch, potato starch, baking powder, xanthan gum, guar gum, and sea salt. 
• Heat 1 1/2 cups of water in your microwave for about 40 seconds or until it's 110 degrees, measured with a food thermometer.
• Add rapid rise yeast and honey to the warm water. Stir to combine and set aside for 5 minutes until it's bubbly and smells yeasty. 
• Add the oil to the yeast mixture and pour the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients. 
• Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon. Stir for several minutes until the dough is like a very thick cake batter and you can form it into a loose ball. Oil the inside of a large glass, ceramic, or plastic bowl and set aside.
• Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil over the bread dough. Using your hands, coat the dough with the oil. Place the ball of dough into the oiled bowl to rise. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a tea towel and set in a warm area of your kitchen.
• Allow the dough to rise for 2 hours, or until it's doubled in size. 
• Place a large piece of parchment paper or a silpat mat onto a cookie sheet. Dust it with millet flour or brown rice flour. Gently pour the risen dough onto the dusted surface. 
• Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into two pieces. Shape each piece into a "boule", or a rustic oval shape. Place each loaf several inches apart on the dusted surface. 
• Using a sharp knife, place three small 1/4" slits on the top of each loaf. 
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven now to get very hot. 
• While the oven is heating cover the dough with plastic wrap or a tea towel and allow it to rest and rise for an additional 30 minutes. This is your 2nd rise. 
• After the dough has risen a bit (around 30 minutes) it's time to put it in the oven. If you're using a pizza stone, use the cookie sheet to slide the parchment paper with the bread loaves onto the hot stone. If you're just using the cookie sheet, place it carefully in the oven. 
• Bake the bread for 30-45 minutes. When finished the bread should be golden brown, should sound a bit hollow if tapped, and should reach an internal temperature of 180-190 degrees if tested with a thermometer. 
• Place the bread loaves on a wire rack and allow to cool for AT LEAST an hour if not longer. The longer you allow the bread the cool, the better the texture will be when you slice into it. 
• To store: Place in a ziplock bag. The bread will keep on the counter for about 3 days. After that slice it and freeze any remaining bread. 

Carrie's Notes: 

• Almond flour is fairly key for the bread to work well. Yet, if you cannot tolerate almonds, I would suggest trying a bean flour in it's place (for the protein and fat content.) I used Honeyville Almond Flour.
• If you cannot tolerate rice, use additional sorghum flour in place of the brown rice called for. 
• Olive Oil: This recipe calls for a large amount of oil compared to most gluten free bread recipes, that is to help replace the fat from the eggs. Oil also acts as a humectant and assists with the texture and moisture content of the bread. 
• Honey, Agave Nectar, or Maple Syrup: This bread also calls for a fairly large amount of "sugar" compared to other gluten free bread recipes. Obviously, if you are a strict vegan, do not use honey in this recipe, please use agave nectar or maple syrup in it's place. The sugar not only helps activate the yeast, but like the oil acts as a humectant to help the bread stay moist and retain it's texture. The sugar also helps to give this bread such a beautiful golden crust. Make the recipe first with the amount of sweetener called for. If you think it's too sweet, try it next time with a lesser amount.
• Many Thanks: I borrowed and combined several techniques, methods, and ingredient suggestions to create this gluten free vegan bread! Many thanks to Shauna & Danny Ahern of Gluten Free Girl and the Chef, Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois of Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes A Day, and Jennifer of The Cinnamon Quill. These incredible people have helped to pave the way for people who need to bake gluten free.

This post is linked to Amy Green's Slightly Indulgent Tuesday's at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free. Make sure to visit her blog today for another wonderful weekly roundup of delicious and healthy gluten free treats!


This post is also linked to this month's "Go Ahead Honey, It's Gluten Free" recipe roundup. There are two themes this month, one being gluten free breads. The bread roundup is being hosted by Choupichen at It's Gluten Free.