Holiday time is here! After waiting patiently throughout the year, this week people will celebrate Christmas and continue to celebrate Hanukkah. (Have you got all your shopping done yet? Me, neither).
It may be a cliché to say it, but blogging has truly changed my life, and I am so thankful that you’ve chosen to spend a bit of your precious time with me here during the past year. Thank you!
Happy holidays to each and every one of you. I look forward to sharing more great food, health information, stories and comments from The Girls over the next year!
And while I’m sure everyone is insanely busy with their own holiday celebrations, I decided to go ahead with Wellness Weekend this week just in case you have the chance to share some of your festive meals with everyone here. I loved seeing all your entries from last week, with so many already in the holiday spirit!
Enjoy your time with friends and family, and have a great holiday season!
xo Ricki
Some highlights from last week, based on the theme of “holiday veggies”:
Readers’ Choice, Savory: Low Fat Hummus from Healthy Kitschy Vegan. Wonderfully spiced, with a secret ingredient and no oil!
Readers’ Choice, Sweet: Black Bean Chocolate Mint Cookies from Janet at The Taste Space. I just posted my own version of these, so I can attest that they’re yummy!
Thank you to every one of you who played along by submitting your recipes! I love seeing what you all make each week. I always look forward to seeing what you’ll come up with!
Please join us for Wellness Weekend this weekend! There are so many options for healthy foods. . . whether or not you’re vegan, remember that many salads, veggie side dishes, pasta dishes, desserts, smoothies, and more are naturally vegan and can all be included!
Here’s How to Participate (PLEASE READ THESE GUIDELINES CAREFULLY BEFORE LINKING UP!):
The event occurs once a week, starting Thursdays at 8:00 PM my time and running until Monday at midnight.
Simply link up a recipe you made (and posted about) within the past week that contains health-supporting ingredients (see list below). Use the Linky Tool at the bottom of the page. Please do not link more than once to the same web page!
Please link the post with your recipe, NOT your blog’s home page. The post must contain a recipe.
You may submit more than one recipe, but please follow the guidelines for each one individually. ONLY ONE THUMBNAIL PER POST, PLEASE.
Please be sure to mention this event and include a link back to this post so that others can find all the recipes posted!
Feel free to use the blog badge, above (or see the left sidebar of this page–if you need the html code, let me know and I’ll send it to you). Many thanks to Adrienne of Whole New Mom for setting up the badge code for me!
As always, I hate to remove links, but will do so if they don’t comply with the guidelines.
What your recipe CAN contain:
Any good-for-you, whole foods, especially those with antioxidant properties or “functional foods” (ie, offering naturally medicinal or health-promoting qualities–such as garlic, coconut oil, all vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc.)–but any fresh, real food is welcome!
Natural sweeteners (coconut sugar, agave, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, stevia, Sucanat, rapadura, coconut nectar, yacon syrup, etc.)
Vegan ingredients (even if you’re not vegan, OF COURSE you can still play along! You’ll be surprised at how many foods are naturally vegan; and if not, there are many subs you can use for eggs, milk or butter–include vegan options and we’re good to go!).
Note that this is NOT AN ACD-ONLY EVENT. Any real food ingredients that are sugar-free and vegan are more than welcome–so use that maple syrup, those mushrooms, that nutritional yeast, miso, etc! I’m just looking for healthy, whole foods recipes.
What your recipe cannot contain:
White flour, white sugar, or any highly refined, highly processed ingredients (note that regular brown sugar is actually refined!);
Anything almost entirely artificial (ie, most boxed mixes, fast food, faux “cheese,” faux “meat,” or margarine, unnaturally colored cereals or other foods, etc.);
Animal products (meat, chicken, fish or seafood, or their by-products, gelatin, eggs, dairy, butter or honey).
“Hey! Why was my entry removed?”
The most common reason entries are removed is because they don’t adhere to the guidelines:either they don’t contain a link back to this post, they contain ingredients that aren’t listed here, they are a re-post of a blog entry that is more than one week old, or they contain neither a recipe nor anything directly related to food preparation. If you render a recipe vegan-friendly by adding a vegan option to your ingredients, your post will be good to go! For older posts, you’re welcome to re-post them during the week of the event, or choose a newer recipe.
Another reason posts are removed is because the link leads to an advertisement or a business blog. Please do NOT link up posts that are merely referrals to a different post or the home page for another blog event.
Only one thumbnail per post, please. If your post contains two suitable recipes, link up once and people will still see all your fabulous recipes when they click on the linky.
I hate to have to remove links! PLEASE read the guidelines before posting!
NOTE: A few of you have mentioned problems linking up in the past couple of weeks because of the backlink requirement. If the linky won’t work for you, please let me know so I can tell the Linky Tools owner and the problem can be fixed!
Do you remember what it felt like when you were young, when it seemed everyone else had something you didn’t (but you wished you did)? As a gradeschooler, I watched from the sidelines as my friends zoomed around the neighborhood on their new banana-seat bicycles (my parents told me they couldn’t afford one). Then at age 14, I attended my first “social” (what boy-and-girl parties were called back then) and watched from the sidelines as my friends all spent the evening necking with boys (does anyone still say “necking” any more?!); I was perched on a folding chair shoving potato chips into my mouth and guzzling Diet Coke next to MS, the only other dateless girl in the group.
So, when I started the ACD back in 2009 and I had to watch from the sidelines at Christmas time as all my friends sipped wine and champagne, nibbled on pâtés and cheeses/cheezes, consumed obscene amounts of chocolate and sugar. . . well, it felt uncomfortably familiar, I’m afraid.
For you, dear readers, I wanted something better this holiday season. I’ve heard from several of you who’ve just recently embarked on the ACD yourselves, and I remember all too well how despondent one can feel when one wants goodies. . . but there just aren’t any appropriate goodies to be had (ie, without sugar, gluten, dairy, yeast, molds, alcohol. . . et cetera).
Well, here you are. I’ve brought some goodies for you.
And yes, the recipe is suitable, even if you’ve just started the diet and you’re barely into Stage One.*
These cookies are an adaptation of the Black Bean Chocolate Chili Cherry Cookies I saw (via Wellness Weekend last week) on The Taste Space, which were an adaptation of Sarah’s cookies on My New Roots. Now, those other cookies, it is true, contained cocoa powder. And cocoa powder in cookies translates to “CHOCOLATE! IN COOKIES!”–something I never turn down if given the opportunity. However, neither cocoa nor maple syrup are permitted in the first stage of the ACD; so I made some substitutions.
I’ve decided that my mission in 2012 will be to convince carob naysayers that the sepia pod is appealing and delicious in its own right, not merely a second-rate chocolate substitute. Sure, chocolate is my first love, my highschool sweetheart**, if you will; it’s like the guy that sets your heart fluttering whenever you see him, even years later, even after the romance fizzled and you’ve been divorced for decades, the intervening years traced like fine tributaries across your face. Carob, on the other hand, is a more solid, more placid lover; the one you meet in your 40s at the bridge club, the one you call “friend” before “lover,” the one that is consistent and reliable and steadfast. Fewer sparks, perhaps, but a connection that goes deeper, brings out the best in you, is more permanent. That’s the way I love my carob right about now.
I played a bit with the original recipe, adding almond butter to compensate for the lower fat content in the carob. These are not fudgy cookies, but still dense and soft; you’ll find them lovely, moist and almost cake-like. If you’re not a fan of coconut, you can add homemade dried cranberries for a contrast in color and added chewiness. If you happen to be following later stages of the diet, feel free to sub some/all of the liquid sweeteners with agave or coconut nectar, or use goji berries or other dried berries (sugarfree, of course) as your fruit of choice.
These little gems really do feel like a treat–something I think we all deserve about now!
Happy Holidays, Everyone!
Other ACD-friendly favorites:
Cinnamon-Spiced Coconut Bark (Stage 1 and beyond; but note that some diets don’t allow cashews; if so, use walnuts or almonds)
Crimson Mousse (Stage 1 and beyond; but note that some diets don’t allow cashews; if so, use macadmia nuts)
Raw Frosted Lemon Poppyseed Bars (Stage 1 and beyond; but some diets don’t allow cashews; if so, use other nuts, such as almonds or walnuts)
*Please note that there are many versions of the anti-candida diet in existence, and yours may advocate something different. This recipe is suitable for the first stage of the diet I followed; please be sure to check with your healthcare provider to ensure that the recipe is compatible with your diet!
**Considering how early on I was addicted to chocolate, it really should be more like, “my kindergarten sweetheart.” But I couldn’t say that because, well, it just sounds creepy.
Mexican Spiced Black Bean Carob-Cranberry (or Goji Berry) Cookies (adapted from The Taste Space)
Suitable for ACD, all stages (yay!)
A little bit cakey, a little bit chewy, these cookies are a satisfying sweet. Don’t expect to confuse them with chocolate–they have a caroby taste all their own, which works extremely well with the spice mixture and sweet berries.
1 can (19 oz or 540 ml) black beans, rinsed very well and well drained (see Note 1 below)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin coconut oil, preferably organic
1/4 cup (60 ml) homemade dried cranberries or shredded unsweetened coconut (for later stages/non-ACD, use goji berries, raisins, regular dried cranberries, etc.)
Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment or spray with nonstick spray.
Place beans, coconut oil, almond butter an carob powder in the bowl of a food processor and process until very smooth. Add remaining ingredients except for chips and cranberries and process again, scraping down sides if necessary (it will have the consistency of a muffin batter, soft but able to hold a shape if scooped). Remove the processor blade and stir in the chips and berries by hand.
Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, scoop the dough onto the cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) between them. Use the back of a spoon or a silicone spatula to spread the cookies out and flatten them to about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick (they will not really spread during baking).
Bake for 20-30 minutes, rotating the pans about halfway through, until cookies are dry on top and browned on the edges and bottoms. Allow to cool completely before eating. Store, covered, in the refrigerator. Makes 22-25 cookies. May be frozen.
Note 1: You can certainly use dried beans that you soak overnight and then cook yourself; use about 1-1/2 cups (360 ml) cooked beans. In this case, however, you must be sure to cook the beans extremely well–almost overcooked–or they won’t blend as easily as the canned ones do.
Note 2: If you like the taste of yacon syrup, you can use a full 1/3 cup (80 ml) of yacon instead of adding the glycerin. Alternately, if you are at a later stage of the ACD or not on it at all, feel free to use a full 1/3 cup (80 ml) of coconut nectar or agave nectar.
Welcome to Week 3 of A Gluten Free Holiday 2011, the holiday event created by Amy and shared each week by yours truly (and four others–check below for all the participating blogs)! This week’s topic, Gifts of Good Taste, is hosted by Alta of Tasty Eats at Home. Hop on over to see what edible gifts Alta has to share, or to link up your own favorite gifts-of-food recipes (and be sure to enter the giveaway while you’re there!).
I thought this would be a perfect week to share some of my own favorite recipes on the blog that would also make fantastic homemade–and edible–gifts.
Before we get to the food, though, we’ve got another cookbook giveaway!
The book Alta is giving away this week is Artisanal Gluten-Free Cupcakesby Kelli and Peter Bronski. So if you’re a cupcake fan, or if you want to win a great gift for someone else who is, enter the giveaway by leaving a comment on Alta’s blog or by linking up a recipe there.
And now, the food. . . .
In my younger years, I made almost all of my gifts myself (edible or otherwise). Of course, the fact that I was a student living in penury (I won’t say I was a “starving” student, because with my love of dessert, that was never even a vague possibility) was one factor contributing to my motivation for making everything from scratch (unlike today, when the motivation is trying to remain free of the dreaded candida symptoms).
More importantly, though, I always believed that homemade gifts demonstrated how much you cared about someone, giving to them both your time and your thoughtfulness. Since time is at a premium for all of us these days, we have to choose wisely–both what we’ll make, and to whom we’ll be giving it!
For those very special people on your lists, you might want to mix up one of the following. (NOTE: Some of these recipes are made with spelt and/or higher glycemic sweeteners such as sucanat or maple syrup. Recipes with an asterisk * fall into that category; the rest are gluten free and lower glycemic.)
“Mum, it’s great that you’ll be making some homemade gifts this year. . . so does that mean Chaser and I will be getting homemade peanut butter treats? Mmm!”
This month’s featured ingredient is one that Kim and I both adore. Although they’re a bit of a paleface compared to many other antioxidant-rich vegetables, they offer lots of great nutritional value as well as deep, succulent flavor. They may at first appear like off-white carrots, but this month’s veggie offers its own unique, healthy and delicious properties. We’re talking about–
They may look like albino carrots, but the gnarly parsnip, native to Asia and Europe, provides many health benefits. One of the less-lauded root veggies, parsnips appear to be paler carrots with somewhat bumpy exteriors and a light yellow or off-white flesh inside. Their flavor has been described as alternately nutty, sweet, or peppery; I also find them somewhat earthy. Because of their high starch content, they brown and caramelize well when roasted, releasing natural sugars for a mild, sweet flavor.
Known as a biannual plant, the flowers blossom from June until August, though only the roots are consumed (unlike carrots, the tops of which can be eaten). [source] Interestingly, parsnips aren’t grown in warmer climates because they require frost to develop their flavor (one reason they’re so abundant where Kim and I live, I guess!) [source]
Health Benefits of Parsnips
While parsnips are a white root vegetable like potatoes, there are some significant differences between the two. Parsnips contain lower levels of protein and vitamin C than spuds, but they do provide more fiber. And parsnips contain a host of nutrients, offering an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, pantothenic acid, copper, and manganese. They also contain good amounts of niacin, thiamine, magnesium, and potassium. [source]
In fact, some sources suggest that parsnips can be used to help regulate bowel movements and to keep the liver healthy. [source]
When choosing your parsnips, look for cream or lightly tan exteriors, with a skin as smooth as possible. The smaller roots are the more tender ones; the larger roots tend to become woody.
Parsnips should be peeled unless they’re organic (in which case, wash well and scrub away any visible dirt before cutting and cooking). Some sources suggest that parsnips should never be eaten raw, but this is a fallacy; it’s just fine to eat them that way! Use them to replace some or all of your potatoes in a mash; chop or grate and include in soups, stews or pasta sauces; roast on their own or in root vegetable fries; or mix up with your favorite carrot cake recipe, substituting parsnips for some or all of the carrot. The possibilites are endless!
Now, it’s time for you to show us what YOU can do with parsnips! You have until the end of the month to link up your favorite parsnip-based recipes.
To participate, please adhere to the following guidelines. We hate to remove entries, so PLEASE READ THE GUIDELINES CAREFULLY BEFORE LINKING UP!
Cook up a recipe–whether yours or someone else’s with credit to them–using parsnips.
Your recipe must be made for this event, within the month of the challenge–sorry, no old posts are accepted. Then, post the recipe to your blog (if you don’t have a blog, see instructions below).
Be sure to mention the event on your post and link to the current SOS page so that everyone can find the collection of recipes. Then, link up the recipe using the linky tool below.
As a general rule, please use mostly whole foods ingredients (minimally processed with no artificial flavors, colors, prepackaged sauces, etc.). For example, whole grains and whole grain flours; no refined white flours or sugar (but either glutenous OR gluten-free flours are fine).
Please ensure that recipes are veganor include a vegan alternative (no animal products such as meat, fish, chicken, milk, yogurt, eggs, honey).
Please use natural sweeteners (no white sugar, nothing that requires a laboratory to create–such as splenda, aspartame, xylitol, etc.). Instead, try maple syrup, agave nectar, brown rice syrup, coconut sugar, dates, yacon syrup, Sucanat, stevia, etc.
Feel free to use the event logo on your blog to help promote the event!
Have fun and let your creativity shine!
You may enter as many times as you like, but please submit a separate entry for each recipe, and submit only one entry per blog post.
If you don’t have a blog, you can still participate! Simply email your recipe, or recipe and a photo, to soskitchenchallenge@gmail.com. We’ll post it for you.
For all the details (and to view past challenges), check out the SOS Kitchen Challenge page. Deadline for submission is Wednesday, November 30, 2011. Kim and I look forward to seeing all your culinary creations using parsnips!
Welcome back to our very first SOS Kitchen Challenge of the new season! After a slightly protracted summer break, Kim and I are back in fine form with our monthly event that asks you to cook up either sweet or savory recipes using a featured ingredient. Many thanks to all of you who’ve been asking about the event–it feels great to be back!
Our ingredient this month has a humble history, but has recently joined the ranks of “super foods” like blueberries, spinach, and pumpkins. Their ravishing red color is unmistakable and their sweet-tart flavor is unique and versatile. And, they’re just in time for Canadian Thanksgiving (October 10th)–and the start of the fall/winter holiday season in general! Any guesses yet? Okay, okay, we’ll tell you. Our featured ingredient this month is…
Cranberries are related to blueberries and grow in sandy bogs in cool climates of the Northern hemisphere. The short shrubby plants have long trailing vines featuring evergreen leaves, distinctive pink flowers, and shiny plump berries. Unripe cranberry fruits are white and the fruits deepen to the characteristic red color as they ripen. Native Americans used cranberries as food, medicine and dye. European settlers quickly caught on to the versatility of cranberries. In fact, they are responsible for the name,”cranberry,” which derives from “crane berry”. The distinctive shape of the wiry stem and flower petals and stamen reminded them of the neck, head, and beak of a crane. American colonialists shipped plants to Europe in the early 1800s, where the cranberry quickly gained popularity throughout Great Britain and Scandinavia.
Kim and I are lucky, as we both live in cranberry country–cranberries are grown throughout southern Canada and in northern portions of the United States. In fact, Kim’s home state of Wisconsin leads the way in U.S. production, pushing out more than 50% of the crop! Kim has often mentioned how she and her family drive through the countryside to find low-lying bogs dotted with shining red berries, how she grew up eating them in a variety of ways (and even once toured the Ocean Spray cranberry plant in Tomah, Wisconsin and the Cranberry Festival in Eagle River, Wisconsin–I’m so envious!). While my own history isn’t quite so cranberry-filled, I do love them and have been enjoying cranberries both fresh and juiced ever since I first embarked on an ACDdiet back in 1999. Today, cranberries in some form are an almost-daily occurrence in my diet.
Cranberries are in season from October through December, and can be found fresh at grocery stores and green markets. Frozen berries can be found all year round. Almost 95% of the cranberry crop is processed into juice, dried cranberries, and sauces, while the other 5% is sold raw. When selecting fresh, raw cranberries, look for firm fruits that are deep red and free of blemishes. Firmness is a key indicator, and ripe cranberries will actually bounce when you drop them. This trait has earned them the nickname “bounceberries”.
Fresh cranberries can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three weeks or can be frozen for several years (!). If freezing them, rinse the berries, then place in a single layer on a flat baking sheet or pan, and freeze. Remove the frozen berries from the pan and place in a freezer bag and seal tightly. Frozen cranberries can be used as-is in recipes; there is no need to thaw. Cranberry juice should be stored in the refrigerator or frozen for later use. Dried cranberries will keep for 6-12 months if well-sealed.
Culinary and Nutrition Benefits of Cranberries
The fruits are incredibly versatile. Thanks to their sweet-tart flavor, they can be used for a variety of sweet or savory applications. Use them in sauces, chutneys, relishes, smoothies, and in baked goods and other desserts. Dried cranberries are an excellent addition to breads and muffins, granola or meusli, or as a snack on their own. For a savory option, try adding to stuffings, salad dressings, salads, or as a tart flavor element to soups or stews. Cranberry juice can be used to make everything from agar agar molds to punches to flavorful apple cider blends or even Tempeh Bourguignon! Kim and I have both enjoyed using cranberries on our blogs. Check out Kim’s Stevia-Sweetened Apple-Cranberry Sauce or my Stevia-Sweetened Dried Cranberries, for instance. In addition to amazing culinary variety, cranberries pack a lot of nutrition in a small package. They are a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and dietary fiber.
Additionally, they contain powerful phytonutrients that may help support the cardiovascular system, immune system, and may even reduce the risk of cancer. Cranberries also contain compounds that may help prevent and eliminate bacterial infections of the urinary system, particularly in cases of urinary tract infections. Cranberry pills or unsweetened cranberry juice are often suggested to people (and animals) struggling with UTIs! Cranberries are truly an amazing fruit! Kim and I both think these little red berries pack an admirably powerful punch. And we want to see what you can do with them, too.
So feel free to get cooking and show us your best with cranberries this month!
How to Participate in the SOS Kitchen Challenge
To participate, please adhere to the following guidelines. We hate to remove entries, so PLEASE READ THE GUIDELINES CAREFULLY BEFORE LINKING UP!
Cook up a recipe–whether yours or someone else’s with credit to them–using cranberries (for our purposes, you can use whole berries, fresh or frozen; dried cranberries; or cranberry juice).
Your recipe must be made for this event, within the month of the challenge–sorry, no old posts are accepted. Then, post the recipe to your blog (if you don’t have a blog, see instructions below).
Be sure to mention the event on your post and link to the current SOS page so that everyone can find the collection of recipes. Then, link up the recipe using the linky tool below.
As a general rule, please use mostly whole foods ingredients (minimally processed with no artificial flavors, colors, prepackaged sauces, etc.). For example, whole grains and whole grain flours; no refined white flours or sugar (but either glutenous OR gluten-free flours are fine).
Please ensure that recipes are veganor include a vegan alternative (no animal products such as meat, fish, chicken, milk, yogurt, eggs, honey).
Please use natural sweeteners (no white sugar, nothing that requires a laboratory to create–such as splenda, aspartame, xylitol, etc.). Instead, try maple syrup, agave nectar, brown rice syrup, coconut sugar, dates, yacon syrup, Sucanat, stevia, etc.
Feel free to use the event logo on your blog to help promote the event
Have fun and let your creativity shine!
You may enter as many times as you like, but please submit a separate entry for each recipe, and submit only one entry per blog post.
If you don’t have a blog, you can still participate! Simply email your recipe, or recipe and a photo, to soskitchenchallenge@gmail.com. We’ll post it for you.
For all the details (and to view past challenges), check out the SOS Kitchen Challenge page. Deadline for submission is Monday, October 31, 2011.Kim and I look forward to seeing what you do with cranberries this month. It’s good to be back!
["You know what they say about an apple a day, right, Mum?"]
Okay. . . now that you’ve all stopped laughing at the rudimentary blog badge I created above (thanks to all on Facebook who recommended Picnik. . . talk about a steep learning curve), it’s time to introduce the event!
With the SOS on hiatus until September, though, I realized that I’ll really miss having a recipe sharing event! So to tide us all over until then, I’m introducing a new weekly event on my blog: Summer Wellness Weekends! It’s my own little locale where I’ll invite you all to share recipes that you made during the previous week, ones that contain ingredients known to support good health (and of course you’re invited to participate even if it’s not summer where you are right now!).
As you probably know if you’ve read this blog for any length of time, I promote a sugar-free, gluten-free, whole foods, vegan diet. But as a Holistic Nutritionist, I know that what I eat isn’t always the healthiest option for everyone else.
So here’s what you need to know to participate (PLEASE READ THESE GUIDELINES CAREFULLY BEFORE LINKING UP):
The event will occur once a week, starting on Thursday evenings and running until Monday evenings throughout the summer.
Simply link up a recipe you made (and posted about) within the past week that contains health-supporting ingredients (see list below). Use the Linky Tool at the bottom of the page.
Please link the post with your recipe, NOT your blog’s home page.
You may submit more than one recipe, but please follow the guidelines for each one individually.
Please be sure to mention this event and include a link back to this post so that others can find all the recipes posted!
Feel free to use the blog badge, above (or see the left sidebar of this page–if you need the html code, let me know and I’ll send it to you). Many thanks to Adrienne of Whole New Mom for setting up the badge code for me!
As always, I hate to remove links, but will do so if they don’t comply with the guidelines.
What your recipe CAN contain:
Any good-for-you, whole foods, especially those with antioxidant properties or “functional foods” (ie, offering naturally medicinal or health-promoting qualities–such as garlic, coconut oil, all vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc.)–but any fresh, real food is welcome!
Natural sweeteners (coconut sugar, agave, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, stevia, Sucanat, rapadura, coconut nectar, yacon syrup, etc.)
Vegan ingredients (even if you’re not vegan, OF COURSE you can still play along! You’ll be surprised at how many foods are naturally vegan; and if not, there are many subs you can use for eggs, milk or butter–include vegan options and we’re good to go!).
Note that this is NOT AN ACD-ONLY EVENT! Any real food ingredients that are sugarfree and vegan are more than welcome–so use that maple syrup, mushrooms, nutritional yeast, miso, etc! I’m just looking for healthy, whole foods recipes.
What your recipe cannot contain:
White flour, white sugar, or any highly refined, highly processed ingredients
Anything almost entirely artificial (ie, most boxed mixes, fast food, unnaturally colored cereals or other foods, etc.)
Animal products (meat, chicken, fish or seafood, or their by-products, gelatin, eggs, dairy, butter or honey)
During the summer, it’s so easy to create healthy dishes with the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables! And even if it’s not summer where you are, there are still loads of foods that could be considered good for your health and contain natural ingredients.
I can’t wait to see what y’all mix up!
“Sounds great, Mum! So, can I eat that apple now?”
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!
Before I get to this week’s wonderful Giveaway Gone Wild, it’s time to announce the winner from last week’s giveaway of a beautiful handcrafted Strawesome glass straw!
Number 69, Laurel Alanna McBrine! Here’s Laurel’s comment:
And, I like you on Facebook – think I have done it all now, looking forward to sipping my smoothie Thanks, fun promotion.
Congratulations, Laurel! Looks like you’ll be sipping that smoothie from a glass straw after all. Please contact me at dietdessertdogsATgmailDOTcom this week to claim your prize. If I don’t hear from you within a week, I’ll choose another winner.
And now, on to this week’s giveaway–one you’ll all want to enter! (for full details, see the end of this post).
I know that many of you are already fans of Amy, the blogger behind the wildly popular Simply Sugar and Gluten Free (which recently got a facelift–check out the new look!). A few months ago, Amy published her first cookbook, Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, and her publisher kindly sent me a copy for review.
For someone like me (on an anti-candida diet), the combination of sugar-free and gluten-free was incrediby enticing. Unlike many other gluten-free cookbooks, this one already fit my “no-sugar” requirement! I couldn’t wait to see the book.
The cookbook is filled with recipes and lots of useful information written in Amy’s clean, approachable style. She begins with a personal story explaining why she eats sugar- and gluten-free. The book wraps up with a comprehensive chapter called “The Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free Kitchen Guide,” in which she offers tips on flour blends, kitchen essentials (all the products you’ll need to reproduce the recipes), and even a list of her favorite kitchen tools. The chapter is also peppered with tip boxes containing info on how to succeed at GF baking, conversions, kitchen organization, and more. The book is capped off with a list of resources, including books, blogs, and where to purchase products.
The book’s full title is Simply Sugar and Gluten Free; 180 Easy and Delicious Recipes You Can Make in 20 Minutes or Less, and given how time-strapped so many of us are these days, this is a very appealing promise. I decided to dig in.
Before I talk about what I cooked up, however, I should mention that the book is not a vegan cookbook–though it does contain some vegan recipes or options. Obviously, I didn’t try out any of the dishes with meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, etc. Having said that, though, I was pleasantly surprised at how many of the recipes I could easily adapt. Occasionally, Amy offers vegan variations, and even when she didn’t, I had no trouble finding many recipes to try. And so, on to those I sampled!
First up, I made some very quick and simple Carob Nut Cups. Resembling peanut butter cups without the peanut butter filling (or the chocolate!), these snacks were dense, caroby treats that provided a great afternoon pick-me-up. Made with unsweetened carob chips, they were just sweet enough; I added a bit of stevia for a slightly sweeter version. I really enjoyed these (since I am, as you know, a fan of carob), as did the HH (who is not always a fan of carob).
Next, I turned to the Apple Carrot Breakfast Cake, which I baked up as muffins. For several years now, I’ve been sending the HH off to work in the morning with a homemade muffin (since, when I don’t, he opts for the far less healthy–and more hydrogenated–Tim Horton’s variety). These were quick and easy to put together, moist and sweet without any added oil or sweetener at all. And I had no problem substituting flax ”eggs” for the original recipe’s eggs. The original recipe called for a whipped topping, but I found these didn’t even need it. And the HH enjoyed many days of healthy breakfasts courtesy of Amy!
Another dessert I couldn’t resist were the Carob Chip Cookies. Believe it or not, the finished product was actually a bit too sweet for my current ACD-accustomed taste buds (they contain a cup of coconut sugar); this was also another recipe very easily adapted to a vegan version, and the HH raved about them. “These taste just like real cookies!” he enthused as he grabbed a second (and later, a third) cookie. (I chose not to ask what that compliment would imply about my cookies). As Amy tells us in the preamble to the recipe, “No one ever mentions that they don’t taste the chocolate, and the plate is always empty in no time” when she serves these to friends. I can believe it.
Finally, I couldn’t resist making the Black Bean Soup (a simple switch from chicken to vegetable stock rendered the recipe 100% vegan). The final product wasn’t exactly photogenic (it looked kind of like those kids’ watercolor paintings in which they mix all the colors together. . . swampy and mudlike), but boy-oh-boy, did it taste fantastic! The HH raved over this one, too. And the soup was incredibly simple to make (though I should point out that it’s one of the few recipes in the book that’s not actually ready “in 20 minutes or less”–you have to soak the beans overnight, then simmer for 1-1/2 hours; you could, however, cut the prep time by using canned beans). We cleaned up the entire pot in two days–it was that good.
If you’re looking for a general-purpose cookbook that covers a variety of courses from appetizer to dessert, all in easy-to-follow recipes that work as promised, this book would make a perfect addition to your kitchen. From the basics like Herbed White Bean Dip and Simple Sautéd Swiss Chard to more exotic combinations like Olive Oil-Zucchini Muffins, Blueberry Quinoa Crumble Bars or Chocolate Teff Cake, you’re sure to find something that suits your fancy.
Amy’s publisher has granted permission for me to reprint a recipe–I hope you’ll enjoy these quick and easy Carob Nut Cups!
1 cup unsweetened carob chips (I used vegan chips)
2 tsp non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (I used coconut oil)
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp roasted salted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut, plus extra for topping
Line 10 cups in a mini-muffin pan with mini-cupcake papers.
Place the carob chips and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl that will fit snugly on top of a saucepan. Bring 1 inch of water to a gentle simmer in the saucepan. Place the bowl on top of the pan and turn off the heat. Let the carob and coconut oil sit for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, place the sunflower seeds in the bowl of a mini food chopper fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until the seeds are chopped. Add the measured coconut and poulse several more times until combined.
Stir the carob and coconut oil until melted. Add the sunfloer and coconut mixutre to the carob and stir until combined. The mixture will be thick. Using two small spoons, evenly distribute the carob mixture among the cupcake papers, being careful to keep the tops of the papers clean. Tap the muffin tin several times on the countertop to level the melted carob. Sprinkle the tops with the extra coconut and press lightly into the carob. Let sit at room temperature until firm, or refrigerate to speed up the process. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several weeks. Let the nut cups sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.
Makes 10 coconutty snacks.
NOTE: I added 10-15 drops vanilla stevia to the melted chips/coconut oil before stirring in the remaining ingredients.
TIME FOR THE GIVEAWAY!
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!
I’m delighted to report that the kind folks at Ulysses Press have offered to provide a copy of the book for one of you!
To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post telling me why you’d like the book.
As always, you may acquire additional entries by doing any (or all) of the following:
Subscribe to Amy’s blog, “like” her on Facebook, or follow her on twitter (then come back and leave a separate comment for each one);
Subscribe to this blog, “like” the DDD page on Facebook, or follow me on twitter (then come back and leave a separate comment for each);
Go to the Ulysses Press cookbook page and browse through their other cookbooks (then come back and mention one you found interesting).
The contest will remain open for a week (until midnight on Sunday, June 26th), at which time I’ll randomly choose a winner. The giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents (with apologies to my international readers!).
Good luck, everyone!
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!
In my 30s (aka the “Decade of the Dinner Party”), I used to bake a lot of elaborate, very involved recipes. I mean, a lot. As I recall, I held a dinner party in my little basement apartment about once a week. Since most of those soirées featured more or less the same guest list (hey, B & P! Long time no dinner party! Are you guys still in California?), I felt it necessary to bake something entirely different each Saturday. Actually, I would have felt that way regardless–I just like to try new things in the kitchen. (No, no, not those kinds of things, silly! I’m talking about cooking and baking). One of my favorites was a ten-layer meringue-and-buttercream concoction that alternated layers of mocha meringue with either chocolate or coffee buttercream, topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce and little gold dragees. Needless to say, that one was a huge hit.
Today’s recipe reminded me of that gilded extravaganza, if only because it’s multi-layered, involves a creamy filling, and–most importantly–requires more than one day’s preparation. (The original recipe, in fact, tells you to take at least 4 days lead time if you wish to serve this beauty, but I’ve cut it down to three. See, there are some benefits to eating ACD-friendly!)
I guess I must love a challenge more than I realize, because as soon as I saw the original recipe from Fine Cooking, I thought, “I must make this anti-candida friendly.” Now, that’s no mean feat, given that we ACDers can’t eat sugar, refined flours, gluten, anything too starchy or moldy, and–in my case–eggs or dairy. Yowzah. Then, a few days later, Iris posted her “Birthday Cake Challenge.” You see, Iris is about to celebrate a major b-day (the last year of her 20s) at the end of this month, and she’s asking for people to post cakes that would be appropriate. And wouldn’t you agree that this beauty fits the bill perfectly?
I decided that I wanted to make the cake as allergen-free as possible–more than just gluten-free and refined-sugar free. In other words, no eggs, dairy, gluten, refined sugar, nuts, corn or soy.
For the cake, I adapted the Golden Vanilla Cake recipe from Sweet Freedom by using my all-purpose GF flour mix instead of the spelt and adding xanthan gum; those were the only changes required to the original recipe (and I was amazed at how easy it was to convert to gluten-free!).
The vanilla pastry cream (used in place of the original corn cream) is from my Desserts without Compromise ebook (no real changes necessary, but I did gussy it up with a pinch of turmeric and a touch of coconut sugar). And while I couldn’t use corn cream in order to avoid major allergens, millet is a different yellow grain, so I figured that would do just fine.
Finally, to replace the strawberry preserves, I cooked up a simple strawberry compote along with the fresh berries. And while the preparation was a wee bit (!) time-consuming, it is all, astonishingly, still within the confines of the anti-candida diet (well, the later stages of the diet, anyway).
The original recipe also instructs you to freeze the cake to “set” it, then defrost in the refrigerator for 36 hours. I decided to forgo the freezing, partly because agar doesn’t freeze well, but also because it didn’t seem necessary–the cake was ready to go as soon as I assembled it.
Having said all that, this is really not a “daily” ACD dessert. Now that I’m in the final stages of the diet (Stage 3), I am able to eat a dessert this decadent, perhaps, once a month. Starch-heavy, high carb and naturally high-sugar foods are generally avoided, even on maintenance, so if you do make this cake, consider it a once-a-month (or less) indulgence, eat only a moderate slice, and consume it only after a day or two of low-glycemic and low-starch eating.
Which will work out perfectly, since you’ll have at least 3 days to think about it while you’re preparing the cake.
[For those of you who think I'm insane to make thisdon't have an extra four days to make cake want to use the individual aspects of the recipe on their own, the cake is great as cupcakes or in a larger pan; the pastry cream is wonderful in a tart shell, covered with fresh berries, or in a parfait; the cookies (uncoated) are terrific as decorated holiday sugar cookies, or with tea; and the strawberry spread is a perfect stand-in for jam, or served atop pancakes for breakfast.]
Special Occasion ACD-Friendly, Allergen-Free Strawberries and Cream Triple Layer Cake with “White Chocolate” Covered Cookie Crumbs (inspired by this cake from Fine Cooking magazine)
If you’ve been on the anti-candida diet for a while, if you can’t eat gluten or sugar or eggs or dairy or nuts or corn or soy–No longer must you miss out on spectacular showpiece cakes on special occasions! This stunning three-layer confection is impressive both aesthetically and for its superb combination of light and tender cake layers, cookie-crumb garnish, custardy-smooth pastry cream filling and sweet-tart, juicy strawberry filling and topping. There’s no need to tell anyone this is a “special diet” cake–they’ll never know.
For the Cake, adapted from Sweet Freedom’s recipe (can be made up to 3 months ahead):
3 Tbsp (45 ml) finely ground flax seeds
3/4 cup (180 ml) light agave nectar
3/4 cup (180 ml) unsweetened plain or vanilla soy, almond or rice milk
1/3 cup (80 ml) sunflower or other light-tasting oil, preferably organic
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line three 8-inch (20 cm) round pans with parchment paper, then spray the parchment with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flax, agave nectar, soymilk, oil, vanilla and vinegar. Set aside while you mix the dry ingredients, or at least 2 minutes.
In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour the wet mixture over the dry and whisk again to combine; do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly among the three pans. If you have a kitchen scale, you can weigh them to ensure they are exactly the same; if not, set the pans side by side on the counter and just estimate. Spread the batter evenly in the pan and smooth the tops.
Place two pans on the top shelf and one pan on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake 20-25 minutes, rotating the pans about halfway through, until the tops are puffed and deep golden and a tester inserted in the center of each pan comes out clean (depending on where they were situated in the oven, the cakes may not all be ready at exactly the same time; if necessary, remove one or more as they are ready and keep baking the others). Leave in the pan until completely cool, then run a knife along the sides and invert onto a cooling rack. Peel off parchment, then gingerly wrap in plastic and place on the cooling rack (or a cutting board or plate) in the freezer until firm. Store in freezer bags until ready to use. May be frozen for up to 3 months.
Cookie Crumb Garnish (coated cookie crumbs can be made up to one week ahead; store in a covered container in the refrigerator):
1 recipe Sugar-Free Sugar Cookies, below
1 recipe “White Chocolate” Coating, below
Sugar-Free Sugar Cookies (adapted from this recipe; can be baked up to 3 months before using)
6 Tbsp (90 ml) light agave nectar
1 Tbsp (15 ml) finely ground chia seeds
2 Tbsp (30 ml) unsweetened plain or vanilla soy, almond or rice milk
1/2 cup (120 ml) coconut oil, solid at room temperature (if necessary, place in refrigerator until solid)
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray.
In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the agave, chia seeds, soymilk, vanilla and lemon extraact. Set aside while you measure the dry ingredients, or at least 2 minutes.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine evenly. Drop the coconut oil in large chunks over the flour mixture. Then, using your hands, pinch the mixture between your thumb and forefingers repeatedly until it comes together and the oil is completely blended into the flour. The mixture should appear crumbly but hold together when squeezed in your hand. (Note: the dough should NOT be the same as a pie dough, with visible, pea-sized bits of coconut oil distributed throughout; it should all be smoothly and completely blended into the flour).
Pour the wet mixture over the dry and stir well to combine. You should have a soft and sticky dough, but one that holds together.
Gather the dough and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about an hour. Once firm, remove the dough from the plastic and place on a lightly floured piece of waxed paper or countertop and roll out to about 1/4 inch (.5 cm) thickness. Cut into rectangles about 3 x 2 inches (8 x 5.5 cm) big. Place the cookies about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on cookie sheets. Gather any remaining dough and roll again; repeat until all dough is used.
Bake in preheated oven for 10-13 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets about halfway through, until cookies are deep golden brown on the edges. Cool completely before removing from the cookie sheets. Makes 24-30 cookies. May be frozen: wrap in plastic and store in an airtight bag or container in the freezer until ready to use, up to 3 months.
“White Chocolate” Coating (should be made just before you coat the cookie crumbs):
4 cups (320 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut oil, preferably organic
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp (30 ml) coconut sugar
30-50 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste
Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender (I use a VitaMix) and blend until perfectly smooth and almost liquid; this will take some time, and you will have to push the mixture toward the blades using the tamper. When it’s done, it should be pourable and the consistency of a very thin natural almond butter. Use immediately to make the Cookie Crumb Garnish.
To make the Cookie Crumb Garnish (coated cookie crumbs may be made up to a week ahead; store in in a covered container in the refrigerator):
Have the freshly made “White Chocolate Coating” at the ready.
Break the cooled cookies into chunks and place them in a food processor. Process until you have coarse crumbs. No pieces should be larger than a pea. Turn the crumbs into a medium bowl.
Pour the freshly made white chocolate coating over the crumbs in the bowl. Toss with a fork until they begin to clump together and form little balls; keep tossing until all the crumbs are coated. If the mixture seems too wet, place the bowl in the refrigerator for 10 minutes and then toss again; repeat until the coating is firm and you have a bowl of little clumps. Break apart with your fingers if necessary to ensure that none of the pieces is larger than a pea. If you’re making the garnish ahead of time, transfer to a covered container and store in the refrigerator. Otherwise, refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Pastry Cream Filling (can be made up to 3 days ahead):
1/4 cup (50 g) dry millet
1/2 cup (120 ml) water or plain or vanilla rice milk (only rice milk will do for this)
1 can (14 oz or 400 ml) full-fat coconut milk (I use Thai Kitchen)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) packed coconut sugar
pinch fine sea salt
1/8 tsp (.5 ml) turmeric, optional (for color)
20-30 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste
1 Tbsp (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pure almond extract, optional
Place the millet and water or rice milk in a medium pot and bring to the boil; lower heat to simmer, cover, and cook until the liquid is almost absorbed, 15-20 minutes.
Add the coconut milk, coconut sugar, salt and turmeric and return to the boil over medium heat. Lower heat to simmer once again and continue to cook, stirring frequently to avoid scorching (a silicone spatula works well for this) until the grains of millet have begun to open and break apart and the mixture has the consistency of very thick oatmeal or thick wallpaper paste, 30-50 minutes. If necessary, add a bit more water, 1/4 cup (60 ml) at a time, to ensure that the mixture has cooked long enough. Don’t worry about overcooking at this point–the longer it cooks, the better!
When it’s reached the desired consistency, stir in the stevia, vanilla and almond extract. Stir and taste; adjust sweetness if necessary. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Pour the mixture into a high speed blender (I use a Vita Mix) and blend, scraping down sides as necessary, until perfectly silky smooth. Pour into a large bowl. (If you are using a conventional blender, you can still make it; blend in smaller batches and transfer each blended batch to a bowl after mixing, then stir it all together in the bowl). Allow to cool at room temperature before covering and chilling in the refrigerator at least 6 hours or overnight. It will thicken as it chills. May be made up to 3 days ahead; store, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to use.
For the Strawberry Filling and Topping (can be made up to 2 days ahead):
3 pounds (1.4 kg) fresh strawberries, preferably organic
juice of 1/2 lime
10-20 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste
2 tsp (10 ml) agar powder (not flakes–I used this brand)
Measure out 2 heaping cups of berries (about 15 large berries), choosing the most beautiful looking ones for this purpose. If you’re making the cake now, hull and slice about 2/3 of the beautiful berries into slices; hull and quarter the other third of the beautiful berries (keep the two piles separate). The slices will be used beween the cake layers and the quartered berries will be used as garnish on top. (If you’re making the cake a day or two later, don’t slice or cut the separated 2 cups (480 ml) of berries; leave those whole, and store them in the fridge until you need them. Slice and quarter right before you assemble the cake).
Hull the remaining berries (everything but the 2 cups you removed) and wash well. Place berries in a blender, in batches if necessary, and purée until liquefied. Transfer the liquid to a medium pot. Squeeze in the lime juice and stir.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then lower heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently to avoid scorching, until the mixture reduces to 2-1/2 cups (600 ml) total (about half the original volume), 1-1.5 hours. Add the stevia and adjust sweetness level if necessary. Whisk in the agar and simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl. Allow to cool until it reaches room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator and refrigerate until cold (it will be firm at that point). If making ahead, store, covered, in the refrigerator up to 2 days (and keep your fresh berries in the refrigerator as well until ready to use).
To Assemble the Cake:
Keep the cake layers frozen (they will defrost very quickly–mine were defrosted by the time I assembled and finished photographing the cake–but it’s much easier to assemble everything with frozen layers). Bring all your other components to your work station: the coated cookie crumbs, the pastry cream, the strawberry spread and the sliced and quartered fresh berries.
Measure out one cup (240 ml) of the cookie crumbs and set aside for garnish. Divide the remaining cookie crumbs in half.
Place one frozen cake layer on the center of a cake platter or serving plate. Cover the top with half the pastry cream; spread evenly with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with one half of the (non-garnish) cookie crumbs. Measure out 2/3 cup (160 ml) of the strawberry spread and dot the top of the cake layer with spoonfuls of it evenly over the crumbs, then spread it as evenly as possible to cover the surface evenly using the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with half the sliced fresh berries.
Top the first layer with another frozen layer, and repeat the toppings, first spreading with the rest of the pastry cream, sprinkling with the other half of the non-garnish cookie crumbs, covering with 2/3 cup (80 ml) of the strawberry spread, and sprinkling with the other half of the sliced berries.
Place the final frozen layer on top of the cake. Cover the top with 2/3 cup (160 ml) of the strawberry spread, leaving about 1/4 inch (1 ml) of cake uncovered around the edge. Sprinkle with the quartered strawberries and the cookie crumbs you reserved for garnish. (You may have a bit of the strawberry spread left over at this point; if so, store in a jar in the fridge up to 4 days. It’s great as a jam or atop pancakes).
At this point, you may serve the cake immediately, or store, covered, in the refrigerator for 6-24 hours. Serve cold, from the fridge. Makes 8-10 stupendous servings. It doesn’t keep well for much longer, however, so should be made for an occasion with 8-10 eaters, if possible. . . over time, the cake will absorb moisture from the fillings and will seem more like a trifle by day two (not that there’s anything wrong with that. . . . ).
And since it’s also such a celebratory cake, I’m submitting the recipe to Kelly’s Our Spunky Holiday event as well, for the 4th of July! Drop by Kelly’s blog next week to see all the other recipes in the roundup as well.
[No Gluten, Get Happy: The easiest way to bake gluten-free is with no flour at all! How about Happy Hemp Two-Bite Brownies?]
Welcome to Day Nine of the blog event from Diane over at The Whole Gang, 30 Days to Easy Gluten-Free Living! The objective of this event is to show you all how easy it can be to eat gluten-free. And today, I’m going to talk about baking.
Baking, gluten-free.
Whew! I think my hair just got a new ‘do after the breeze that whooshed by as hoards of you ran for the exits! For those of you still here, grab a cup of tea, have a seat, and settle in as I explain why, after a lifetime of baking with wheat, I’ve come to love gluten-free baking even more.
In a nutshell, here are my five top tips to create amazing baked goods–all without stress, anxiety, or trauma (and of course, no gluten!).
[My first time using sweet rice flour (also called glutenous rice flour: Red Bean Pastry Cookies. You can, too! ]
1. Something New: Gluten Free
When I first learned that I’d have to adopt a gluten-free diet (as part of the anti-candida regime I’m following), I was more upset about having to give up baking than having to give up gluten per se. As someone who’d been baking since I was about six, I simply couldn’t imagine a life without delicious baked treats!
In Stage 2 of the diet, as soon as I was able to start incorporating flours back into my recipes, I pulled out one of my favorite recipes (I think it was a carrot loaf), and baked it up using brown rice flour in place of the all-purpose wheat. Hmmm. . . .can you say, “brick”? Or how about, “Crumbly, totally tasteless brick” at that!
It wasn’t until I realized that baking gluten-free is an entirely new endeavor that I finally began to learn about–and appreciate–gluten-free baking on its own merits. If I moved to Florida from here in Toronto (and believe me, deep in February, I’ve often thought about it), I wouldn’t expect to wear the same winter clothes over there, now, would I? Or if I started dating a new guy (no worries, HH, this is for illustration purposes only), I’d never expect him to have the same taste in wine, like the same music, or dance the same way as the previous beau, either. So why should gluten-free baking work exactly the same as glutenous baking? Once I “got” that reality, the rest was easy.
There’s no need to reinvent the wheel (or wheel of foccacia, either, for that matter). Whenever I begin a new enterprise, I first check out what the authorities in that field have done before me. I rely on their wisdom and experience to get me started. In the case of gluten-free baking, I began by using all-purpose mixes that would allow me to substitute one-for-one instead of wheat flour, and baked up several batches of my favorite sweets that way first. By using tried-and-true flour mixes, I knew that my baked goods would work and would give me a feel for what goes into an all-purpose gluten free flour mix.
What’s in an all-purpose mix? Well, to answer that question you’ll need to consider a bit more about glutenous versus gluten-free flour. Here are some key points:
i. Gluten-free flour has no gluten (duh).
Gluten is the protein in wheat that acts as “glue” to bind together the baked goods. It provides texture and holds things together. Without it, baked goods crumble and break apart like dried-out sandcastles on the beach. By combining different gluten-free flours in one mix, you help to alleviate that effect. (Another trick is to add a binder that replaces the gluten–see number 3, below).
ii. Wheat flour comes in only a few varieties, but varieties of gluten-free flour are almost endless.
In fact, this is one of the reasons I love baking gluten-free: most of us grow up used to the neutral, bland flavor of wheat in baked goods. Gluten free flours, on the other hand, are often derived from other grains that confer their own distinct taste. Amaranth and quinoa offer a sturdy, almost mineral flavor; buckwheat is earthy and nutty; teff resembles a combination of carob and cocoa; rice is mild and delicate; and so on. In addition, there are loads of non-grain gluten free flours; major categories are starches (cornstarch, tapioca, arrowroot, potato starch, etc.); bean and legume-based (chickpea, garfava, bean, soy, etc.); and nut based (coconut, almond meal, hazelnut, etc.). For a fairly comprehensive list of gluten-free grains, starches and flours, check this post.
iii. The best gluten-free baking uses a combination of flours. I know that some of you out there will disagree on this point, and certainly there are some gluten-free recipes that use only a single flour (often millet, sorghum, oat or almond, in my experience). But since gluten-free flours are so different from wheat and each is unique, I find that my best baking projects combine different flours depending on my mood, the recipe and the kind of result I seek.
For instance, muffins or quickbreads work better with more hearty flours such as quinoa, amaranth, or sorghum; light and delicate results follow when you use a greater percentage of starchy flours or mild-flavored grains like rice or millet; and sandy, chewy cookies seem to work best with a combination of all three main types of flours (grain, bean, starch). As you experiment in the kitchen and learn more about the types of flours, you’ll discover which flavors and textures you like best in your own baking.
But no one wants to waste ingredients while they’re learning, right? So for those who are just beginning, I’d recommend the following all-purpose mixes I’ve tried from some of my fellow gluten-free bloggers:
Maggie’s Bean Free Blend: I used this for a pie crust and it was fantastic–light, flaky, delicate.
As I mentioned above, gluten is the “glue” that helps to bind (and to a lesser extent, leaven) baked goods. As a result, the best gluten-free baking usually includes a binder meant to replace the gluten. The most common binder is eggs, but since I don’t use those, I add flax meal or other vegan egg replacers in my baking. Other binders include fruit purées, nut meals or flours, or nut butters (I tend to use nut butters more than meal; I also sometimes use seed butters, such as tahini or sunflower seed butter).
However, in recent years, most people also use xanthan gum, a powdery substance that you sift into your flours before you mix up your batter or dough, which creates results a lot like gluten in baked goods. You can also use guar gum. I’ve also seen recipes calling for agar agar (a vegan gelatin) as a binder as well, when xanthan gum isn’t used. As a general rule, most flour blends use about 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) xanthan gum per cup of flour; for more sturdy baked goods such as muffins or scones, you may need to add a wee bit more (up to 1 tsp/5 ml per cup). I always use an egg replacer plus the xanthan gum; after all, glutenous recipes contain eggs and gluten, right?
[Yes, you can still have light-as-air, cakey Whoopie Pies, gluten-free!]
4. Lighten Up.
Gluten free flours tend to produce a slightly heavier product than wheat flour (another consequence of losing that gluten!). As a result, I always add a bit more leavener to my gluten-free creations than I used to with my wheat-based baked goods. If a wheat-based recipe calls for 1 tsp (5 ml) of baking powder per cup of all-purpose flour, with my gluten-free mix, I use 1-1/2 tsp (7.5 ml) instead (plus about 1/4 tsp (1 ml) extra baking soda for heavier flours). Again, you may need to experiment a bit as you go, but that’s a good rule to start.
Yes, pun intended: those of us who must eat gluten-free are already going with our guts, of course! But it’s also important to learn what works for you and your digestive system, then experiment until you find those ideal recipes. For me, too many starchy ingredients cause a recurrence of my candida symptoms, so as much as I love fluffy, feather-light cupcakes and cakes, I don’t bake too many of them these days. Luckily, I also love fudgy, dense chocolate brownies and cookies–and they have made several appearances on this blog since I went gluten-free.
[Hazelnut Melting Moments. . . a Divine Gluten-Free Cookie--and thank goodness that Chocolate is Gluten-Free! ]
5. Have Some Fun!
So that’s why I love gluten-free baking: it allows me to be inventive as I mix up something different each time. I can tailor the final flavor and texture to match the character of the particular baked good, whether light and airy or more substantial and dense. And I can benefit from the varied nutritional profiles of the different flours when I bake, instead of producing baked goods that all offer the same set of nutrients over and over in their flour.
Like any creative endeavor, cooking is never quite the same each time we do it; and the same is true of gluten-free baking. If you approach the task with a bit whimsy and a bit of adventureousness–like a playtime in the kitchen–you’ll find that gluten-free baking is fun, satisfying, and really easy, after all.
There will be a whole month of 30 Days to Easy Gluten-Free Living posts on Diane’s blog. Here’s a list of all the topics and contributors:
I hope everyone had (or is still having) a great Mother’s Day today! Behold what I found on the mantelpiece this morning:
Yep, for the first time ever, this year I received a card from The Girls. I guess that hintingcajolingbegginghaving temper tantrums being a loving partner all year really paid off!
But I’m not here to talk about breakfast (unless, of course, I slip in an extra mention that a copy of my breakfast ebook, Good Morning! Breakfasts, is being given away over at Tasty Eats at Home until May 14th–if you haven’t yet, go enter!). No, I’m here to talk about this month’s SOS ingredient, carob, and these amazing cookies I baked up!
Unlike many people, I’ve never really thought of carob as a replacement for chocolate (even though I did end up creating a “faux chocolate” recipe with it when I first started the ACD).
In general, I think it’s better to remain 100% of what one really is than be 75% of something or someone else. The last time I tried to imitate another person’s style was back in high school, when I donned embroidered Lee overalls, grew my hair long and painted a little flower on my cheek so I could be more like my then-idol, The Nurse. I ended up catching my hair in the overall’s buckles and losing a fairly large chunk of it. I was decidedly not a happy little hippie.
[A batch made with unsweetened carob chips added.]
Similarly, there are certain foods that are frequently considered inferior versions of something else. For years, margarine was the poor relation of butter (of course, after that it went through the very popular “cholesterol-free-even-though-hydrogenated-but-we-don’t-know-that-it’s-bad-for-you-yet-so-let’s-all-eat-margarine” phase, before it evolved to the “margarine-is-the-devil-real-butter-is-better-than-trans-fat-full-spreads” and finally “let’s-make-trans-fat-free-margarine-but-it’s-still-a-chemical-so-let’s-continue-to-eat-real-fats-once-again” phase). Or how about the debate over whether tofu can be used to impersonate meat in vegan dishes? And years ago, when I decided to enjoy Segura Viudas as a favorite Cava, I was informed rather undiplomatically by one acquaintance that “it’s not real champagne, you know.” (I did know. I loved it anyway.).
I’ve always felt kind of sorry for sweet little Carob, in fact, living life as a second-rate stand-in to cacao–sort of the way Jan was to Marsha, or Montreal is to Paris, or Lady Gaga is to Elton John (or is it Lady Gaga to Madonna? No matter–I suppose she was just born this way.).
[Simple and unadorned.]
This recipe was inspired by one I found in a very old cookbook of mine, called The Alternative Chocolate Cookbook (see, even culinary professionals view carob as a chocolate pretender). I’ve completely revamped the recipe so it’s gluten free, sugar free and vegan–in fact, the only thing I didn’t change was the spotlight on carob–to create a light, crisp cookie with just a hint of chewiness inside, very much like a sugar cookie. A whisper of cinnamon helps to emphasize carob’s natural sweetness, with just enough coconut sugar and stevia to make this sweet enough to qualify as “cookie.”
These light confections were perfect alongside a cup of Sencha tea, or sandwiched together with some sugar-free, allergen-free Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (the HH’s preferred way to nosh on them).
If you’ve been thinking of carob as a lesser form of chocolate, now’s the time to appreciate this lovely, slightly fruity, barely sweet legume for its own merits. Sort of the way moms appreciate their children.
Light and not too sweet, these cookies are perfect for an afternoon snack with tea or as the base for sandwich cookies. Made without the chips, they’d be great crumbled for a tart or pie crust.
1/4 cup (40 g) lightly packed coconut sugar
2 Tbsp (30 ml) water
20-25 drops plain or vanilla liquid stevia, to your taste
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut oil, preferably organic, melted (I used refined so there would be no coconut flavor, but these would still be great with a hint of coconut)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) finely ground flax seeds
3 Tbsp (45 ml) carob powder
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) baking powder
1/4 tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) xanthan gum
1/3 cup (80 ml) unsweetened carob chips, optional
3.2 ounces (90 g) all-purpose GF flour mix (2/3-1 cup, depending on the mix–I used Amy’s Basic GF Flour Blend, which equaled 2/3 cup; other flours will yield different volumes for the same weight)
In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, water, vanilla and stevia so that the sugar begins to dissolve. Add the coconut oil and whisk vigorously to combine, or beat with electric beaters (it’s okay if the mixture appears curdled). Mix in the flax seeds.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, carob powder, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and xanthan gum. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir to create a slightly sticky dough. If using the carob chips, add them now. Create a roll about 8 inches (20.5 cm) long, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. (If you’re in a rush, you can freeze the log for about 15 minutes, until firm, then proceed).
When ready to bake the cookies, preheat oven to 375F (190C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Using a sharp knife, cut cookies about 1/4 inch (.5 cm) thick and place about an inch (2.5 cm) apart on the cookie sheet. If the dough cracks or if the cookies are squished when cutting, press with your fingers to re-shape into circles.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the sheet about halfway through, until cookies are slightly puffed and lightly browned on the bottom. Cool 5 minutes before removing from the cookie sheet. Store in an airtight container. Makes 12-16 cookies. May be frozen.
And since it’s also such a celebratory cake, I’m submitting the recipe to Kelly’s 
