gluten free

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Collard & Millet Croquettes with Corn Hollandaise Sauce

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These GF croquettes are a wonderful accompaniment with sautéed kale and fingerling potatoes.  Millet is such a great alternative for those on a gluten-free diet. With its sweet and mild taste, you’ll often see it offered as a hot cereal.  It is commonly seen in bird seed.  But, this wonderful grain is  not just for the birds.  Millet is high in copper, maganese, magnesium and phosphorus, and iron.

CROQUETTES:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/4 cup of sliced leeks

1/4 cup sliced collard greens

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup yellow squash diced

3 cups cooked millet

2 Tbsp. parsley minced

2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast (there are both GF and non GF varieties, make sure you buy the correct one if you do this GF)

2 heaping Tbsp. flax-seed meal

1/4 cup water or vegetable broth

salt and pepper to taste

parchment paper

CORN HOLLANDAISE SAUCE:

15 oz. of fresh or canned organic sweet corn

1/2 cup water

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. tabasco

salt and pepper to taste

cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer

DIRECTIONS:

For the Croquettes: Pre-cook millet in a pot and set aside to cool. In a skillet, heat oil and saute leeks, collards, garlic, yellow squash, parsley until softened. In a bowl, combine cooled millet with the sautéed vegetables and add nutritional yeast and flax-seed meal. Add water or vegetable broth.  Salt and Pepper to taste. Mix well.  Form patties and  allow to refrigerate for 1 hour to thicken up on a sheet pan lined with parchment. To bake croquettes, set oven to 350 for 30 minutes.

For the Corn Hollandaise Sauce: Take 15 oz. of corn (either canned or fresh) and cook for 5 minutes.  In a blender, blend the corn along with 1/2 cup water until mix is pureed. Remove blended corn and using a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth, strain the pureed corn into a sauce pan. This allows for the husk on the corn to be removed and for the sauce to be smooth.  In the saucepan, heat the hollandaise on low for 15 minutes or until it thickens. This mix will naturally thicken because of the natural starch and sugar. Because of this, you need to stir it throughout the 15 minutes of heating to prevent sticking to the bottom of your saucepan. Add lemon juice, Dijon, tabasco, salt and pepper.  Whisk again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Blackberry Tart with Banana Almond Creme and Honey Drizzle

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One of my wonderfully made desserts……only problem, I didn’t write down a recipe. It was a little of this, and a little of that. A pinch here and a sprinkle and dash there.  I know what it all consisted of.  I could probably replicate it.  But seriously, being able to pick buckets full of berries is an insane privilege!

 

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Maple Sweetened Pecan Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries

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I know this is not in season, but I was craving this light fluffy pumpkin bread all day today. So, I threw caution to the wind, and went for it.  For my gluten free visitors, just substitute the barley flour for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. It turns out just as delicious.

PUMPKIN LOAF

(yield: 12)

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup barley flour

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 Tbsp. of pumpkin pie spice

2/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup safflower oil

1 cup organic pumpkin puree

1/4 cup coconut milk

1 heaping Tbsp. of flax seeds

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup pecans

1/4 cup dried coconut flakes (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In one bowl combine: barley flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and sea salt.  In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, safflower oil, pumpkin puree, coconut milk, flax seeds, and vanilla extract.  Mix wet into dry, and then fold in cranberries, pecans, and coconut flakes (optional)

2. Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

 

 

 

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Peanut Butter & Chocolate Expresso Zombie Bars

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It’s all about cardio!  When the zombie’s come to take over, you’ll need the stamina and energy this bar can provide to fight them off. They’ll want some too; they’re so delicious.

ZOMBIE BARS

(yield: 6 bars)

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. chunky salted peanut butter (I’m partial to Trader Joe’s)

6 tsp. filtered water

2 oz. dark chocolate chips, lightly ground

4 tsp. organic cane sugar

2 tsp. safflower oil

1 Tbsp. ground flax meal, heaping

1 pinch sea salt

1 tsp. vanilla powder

1 oz. gluten free oats

1 tsp. arrowroot powder

1 Tbsp. expresso beans, grind well

1 Tbsp. chia seeds, heaping

2 oz. dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. You’ll need lined parchment and a sheet pan.

1. Two bowls. One wet & one dry. Whisk together pb, water, and oil in one bowl.  In another, mix together remaining ingredients, except for the 2 oz. of chocolate chips.  Combine wet to dry, and mix thoroughly.

2. Place bar mixture onto parchment and with your hands, flatten to 1/2 inch in height and form a rectangle.  I like to use a bread loaf pan, if it’s available.

3. Bake them at 350 for 45-50 minutes. Allow to cool on the parchment, on a cooling rack.  While they are cooling, melt the 2 oz. of dark chocolate chips.  With a spatula, spread on top of cooled bar.  Allow this to cool for another 15, and then refrigerate until chocolate has hardened.  Once the chocolate has hardened, you can leave them in a covered tupperware and they will last for 5-7 days, unrefrigerated.

 

 

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Who Stole a Cookie from the Cookie Jar?

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Gluten free little bundles of double chocolate chip cookies, and my cookie thief Tildy.

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GF Black Bean and Vegetable Empenadas

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Empenadas; little pockets of goodness!  Having originated from Spain, these pastries are extremely popular throughout Latin and South America, and are often compared to the “hot pocket” of America.  Traditionally, they are often filled with meat, raisins, and olives. However sweet ones do exist , and are often made with guava and cream cheese, or fruit filled. Normally, they are fried.  I like to oven bake mine to make a healthier version. I chose to fill mine with black beans and a medley of diced vegetables.  They are so versatile, you can use the dough and fill them as you like. They are normally fried, but I like to bake mine to make them healthier.

 

GF EMPENADA DOUGH

Yield: 12 empenadas

 

Ingredients:

2 1/4  + 1/3 cups of Bob’s Red Mill all purpose GF flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup of Spectrum organic shortening

1  cup of water

2 Tbsp. of egg replacer from EnerG

* Parchment Paper and a sheet pan for baking.

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together 2 1/4 cup flour, egg replacer, and salt. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Use a fork to stir in water a few Tbsp. at a time, until the mixture forms a ball. Add the remaining 1/3 flour to make certain the texture is correct. Pat into a ball, and flatten slightly.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.  Make filling while dough is refrigerating.

 

FILLING:

 

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. of olive oil + 1/4 cup (set aside 1/4 cup for brushing onto finished pockets)

1 small vidalia onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups of precooked black beans

1/4 cup yellow squash, chopped

1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1 pinch of sea salt

2 Tbsp. paprika

1 Tbsp. cumin

1 tsp. garlic

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 cup organic raisins

1 Tbsp. lime juice

1/8 cup of fresh chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until tender.  Add the squash, black beans, garlic, paprika, cumin, and black pepper. Cook. Stir frequently.  Add raisins, lime juice, and cilantro. Adjust salt as needed.

3. Take the dough from the refrigerator.  Form the dough into 2 inch balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball out into a thin circle. Spoon some of the filling onto the center. Fold into half moon shapes.  Seal the edges by pressing with your fingers or by using a pastry crimper.  Lay finished stuffed and folded pockets onto parchment paper.

4. Brush with additional 1/4 cup olive oil, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

 

 

 

 

 

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GF Chocolate Chip Pancakes

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I used to think the whole Gluten Free thing was just a fad; often raising my eyebrows when I’d hear another friend become one.  That was until my middle daughter whom suffered from keratosis pilaris, began getting worse and worse.  We tried most of the external treatments, and took her to a couple dermatologists. Not surprisingly, neither doctor felt food was a trigger.

As I mom, I think there is a internal warning signal that sounds and tells you to dive into your own research to care for your children when you aren’t satisfied with answers. This is just what I did.  After months of her physically writhing in itchy skin episodes, I decided to try gluten free.  With so many alternatives available, this was so easy.  I swear to you, within a week, the crying and complaints about even the softest of clothing, subsided.  After a month on the diet, I heard no more from her.  In addition to her diet, I include a non-dairy acidophilus, along with shea butter externally.

I am constantly adapting recipes for my family, because eat a plant based diet. So it comes as second nature to switch recipes to meet our needs.   My daughter Margeux LOVES pancakes.  Here is my organic gluten free version. I know you’ll love it.  They are light and fluffy, and taste great even reheated the next day. I enjoy mine with Daiya’s non dairy creme cheese, mango wedges, toasted pecans, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a light sprinkle of organic powdered sugar.

 

GF BASIC WAFFLES

Yield: 6 Waffles

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill all purpose flour

2 tsp. double-acting baking powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 Tbsp. maple granules

3 “eggs” – by EnerG egg replacer (powdered non-dairy gluten free eggs)

4 Tbsp. of safflower oil

1 1/2 cups of almond milk

 

Procedure:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sea salt and maple granules

2. In a separate bowl, beat “eggs”, add oil and milk

3. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients. Pour in liquid ingredients and combine with a few swift strokes.

4. Heat pan and brush with a little oil to prevent sticking, unless you are using a non-stick pan.