Blueberry Oat Muffins by the Gluten-free Goddess

This is possibly the tastiest muffin I've ever had. Including all of the gluten-ful ones I had before being diagnosed. If you like hearty oats, delicious cinnamon and brown sugar, and blueberries, prepare to be blown away by these little treats. I have been wanting to try the recipe (which you can find by clicking here) from Karina (the Gluten-free Goddess) for a while now. Well, this morning, I went to the farmer's market and found an unbelievable deal on blueberries - 16 oz. packages for only $2.49 each. So I came right home, opened Mozilla to Karina's blog, and set to work mixing sorghum, cinnamon, brown sugar, oats, and fresh, ripe blueberries. Tempted as I usually am to eat a baked treat hot from the oven, I couldn't quite do it with these because they needed to cool for a little while to firm up. They were slightly fragile when I removed them from the pan, but they were solid enough by the time I had one. I still wouldn't necessarily expect to be able to grab one and eat it on the go, but that was fine by me! (**Note: if you refrigerate them, they hold up pretty well, and you would probably wouldn't need a plate.) You could try them with other berries, too - I'm guessing that raspberries, cherries, or apples would be delightful as well. These muffins have a wonderfully comforting combination of flavors, and I am constantly amazed by what alternatives to wheat and animal products can produce - a gluten-free, vegan muffin that tastes at least as delicious as anything you've had that contains gluten. I promise.

Namaste Carrot Spice Cake with "Buttercream" Icing

All I can say is, this is worth the $5.99 you'll spend for the mix. Worth every penny. This could not be easier to make - all you need are the normal cake mix side ingredients: eggs, oil, and water. And if you want to turn it into a carrot cake, all you have to do is shred or process a cup (or more) of carrots and toss them into the mix. You could do the same with shredded zucchini. I bet this would taste great with shredded or diced apples, too. If you like raisin, nuts, or coconut, throw some of those in. It's a very versatile cake mix, and I swear, everything I've tried from Namaste has come out absolutely perfect and has been a crowd-pleaser. I made this cake for my book club this weekend, and everyone loved it! You really can't tell that it's gluten- and dairy-free, and no one else will either, if you don't tell them. I'm putting the (very loose) recipe for the icing that I made below, and if you're a coconut fan, consider sprinkling some over the icing when you make it, perhaps along with just a little bit of cinnamon. But just buy this mix. Do it, now. You won't regret it.


"Butter""cream" Icing

1 8-oz. package Tofutti "Better than Cream Cheese"
1 1/2 tbsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1 - 2 cups powdered sugar (depending on your taste and desired consistency)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 - 3 tbsp. vanilla soy milk (or other vanilla non-dairy milk)
2 - 3 tbsp. tapioca starch or potato starch

Mix the Tofutti "cream cheese" and Earth Balance together first well, eliminating all the lumps. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, and then add the vanilla and soy milk to your own taste. Then add the tapioca starch (it doesn't clump too much, but you might want to sift it for consistency's sake) and mix very well together until you have a nice, smooth, and creamy mixture. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to let it thicken before spreading it on the cake. Sprinkle coconut over the top of the cake, if desired.

Pasta with Garlic Tomatoes and Balsamic-roasted Asparagus

Only because of Soulard Farmer's Market could I have made this big pot of pasta by spending less than $2 for the non-staple ingredients. I love it. I got a huge bundle of asparagus and a small carton of cherry tomatoes, and mix that with a pantry stocked with spices, and it turned into a delicious and filling meal. I don't know why I was in the mood for asparagus, of all things; probably just because I happened to spot it right after I bought the tomatoes and the potential for a nice color contrast struck me all of a sudden. Well, it turned out to be a tasty decision, regardless. The freshness and simplicity bursts out of this dish. And if you didn't want to bother with the pasta or tomatoes, the asparagus by itself would be a tasty side dish with chicken.


Pasta with Garlic Tomatoes and Balsamic-roasted Asparagus

1 bunch asparagus, bottoms chopped off and chopped into1 1/2 inch pieces
4 tbsp. gluten-free balsamic vinegar, divided
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided
1 carton cherry tomatoes (I think I had about 10 tomatoes), halved
1 1/2 tbsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil flakes
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder (optional)
1 cup brown rice pasta (or gluten-free pasta of your choice)

Cook pasta as directed. If it gets done before the sauce, drain and cover with cold water to prevent it from becoming gummy. When you are ready to mix the sauce into the pasta, drain again.

Preheat the oven to 450 F and line a baking sheet with foil. Place the chopped asparagus, 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, rosemary, parsley, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a bowl and toss to coat. Place the asparagus on the baking sheet and bake for about 5 - 8 minutes, stirring halfway through and keeping a close eye on it to prevent it from burning. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a sauté pan, melt the 1 1/2 tbsp. of Earth Balance Buttery Spread, and then add the minced garlic. Sauté together for 1 - 2 minutes, and then add the tomatoes and basil flakes. Cover and let heat for about 5 minutes, and then crush the tomatoes a bit with a spoon. Add the 2 remaining tablespoons of balsamic vinegar (more if you want a stronger taste of it), and salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Depending on your own taste, you could also add more rosemary and parsley as well. Continue to cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes, until the tomatoes are falling apart and there is more of a sauce-like consistency. Add the roasted asparagus to the pan and stir, continuing to heat, until the entire mixture is well-coated with sauce and is hot. Add to the pasta and toss to coat.

If your pasta got done early and you were keeping it in cold water, return the pot to the heat just until heated through. If you have a good parmesan cheese substitute, you could serve it with this, but it will taste great on its own, too!

Coconut Almond-crusted Tilapia with Pineapple Coconut Rice

I am trying really hard to eat more fish, and really, to talk myself into having more of a taste for fish. At this point, I can feign interest in fish; appreciate what is coating the fish; and I enjoy the lightness of it. But I really want to develop more of a passion for fish. I meet so many people who are really passionate about their seafood, and I feel like I must really be missing out on something, as I sit in the dark corner eating my plain, ordinary chicken while everyone else is basking in the light of a delicious fillet of Mahi Mahi or some other fish I don't know anything about. So the other day at the grocery store (there aren't many days when I CAN'T refer to "yesterday at the grocery store," by the way - I go shopping for food entirely too often), I wandered into the seafood section and picked out a little bag of frozen tilapia fillets. This is what came of it. And please, if you do have any suggestions for me of what kinds of fish or seafood to try, and how to prepare it, leave a comment for me!!

Coconut and Almond-Crusted Tilapia with Pineapple Coconut Rice

For the rice:

1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 small can of diced or chunky pineapple (~1/2 cup)
1/2 of 1 small can diced green chilies
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 5.5-oz can coconut milk

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Cook until onion starts to become translucent, and add the can of diced pineapple and the 1/2 can (or more if you desire) of diced green chilies. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the 2 cups of water and the can of coconut milk, bring to a boil, and then add the rice, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over reduced heat for 40 - 50 minutes, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. You should be left with a slightly creamy rice dish.

For the tilapia:

2  4-oz. tilapia filets
1/2 cup ground almonds (hazelnuts or macadamia nuts would work very well, too)
2 tbsp. shredded coconut flakes (I used unsweetened)
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 egg + 1 tsp. water or soy milk

Preheat the oven to 425 F or prepare a saute pan. Whisk the egg and water/soy milk together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the ground nuts, coconut, thyme, ginger, salt, and pepper. Take each filet and dip it first into the egg mixture, and then into the nut mixture, coating well and evenly. If you are baking the filets, place them on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 - 12 minutes. If you are sauteing them, place them in the prepared pan and cook for about 5 - 7 minutes, flipping them once or twice. Serve with the pineapple coconut rice.

Another Flourless Chocolate Cake

I have to preface the recipe to this cake by telling you that hidden in the directions for this cake is an opportunity to burn the calories you'll take in by eating it. That's right. All you have to do is break your electric mixer, and you're on to calorie-burning heaven. It takes a lot of upper arm stamina to beat egg whites into stiff, foamy peaks by hand, and to beat egg yolks and sugar into a "light cream," so I'm confident that I can now eat at least one extra piece of cake with absolutely no guilt. This is a naturally gluten-free recipe for flourless chocolate cake - and it's a much simpler recipe than the one I posted here back in July. Not that that one wasn't heavenly, but if you're looking for a slightly quicker recipe, this might be a better option for you. The process reminded me a lot of the one for the pavlova I made, which was like a big macaroon/meringue, and while this cake was described as being "rich and dense," I found it to be refreshingly lighter that I had imagined. The flavors are not as complex as they are in other chocolate cakes that I've had, but this would still be a good cake to serve to company. It's a nice, solid recipe. It would be even more delicious and elegant-looking with a ganache topping drizzled over the top, or with a caramel or coffee-flavored drizzle. Feel free to improvise! **Update: I made this one again last week, and this time, I lined the bottom of the spring-form pan with sweet cherries and sprinkled them with brown sugar, and then poured the batter over it and baked for about 40 - 50 minutes, until a toothpick came out clean. When it was cooled, I drizzled a dark chocolate ganache and caramelized almond slivers over the top. See additions to recipe below.


Light Flourless Chocolate Cake

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I used the Belgian chocolate from Trader Joe's)
3 tbsp. strong coffee
6 eggs, separated
2/3 cup + 6 tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup almond flour (you can substitute hazelnut flour)
powdered sugar to top (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Spray a springform pan with olive oil or grease with shortening.

Brew a small cup of coffee and chop the 6 oz. chocolate. Place them in a bowl together and heat in the microwave for about 1 - 1 1/2 minutes until fully melted. Remove from the microwave and set aside to cool.

Separate the eggs into two bowls. Using an electric mixer (if you have one) or a whisk, beat the egg whites until they start to foam. Add the 6 tbsp. sugar in and beat until the egg whites form stiff peaks. Or until your arm feels like it will fall off. Set aside.

In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with the 2/3 cups sugar until a light and creamy mixture forms. Add the salt and cooled chocolate, and then using a spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the mixture until well-mixed. Fold the almond flour in gently. Pour into the pan and bake for 30 - 38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. I had to bake mine for about 38 minutes, and it was perfectly moist inside when it was done.

Let cool completely in spring-form pan on a wire rack before removing the sides of the pan. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, or a combination of powdered sugar and cocoa powder, or drizzle with caramel or a ganache topping and caramelized almonds (see below). Chill until ready to serve.

Optional Toppings:

Dairy-free Ganache Topping

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I used Trader Joe's Pound Plus Bittersweet Chocolate)
1/2 - 3/4 cup vanilla soy or hemp milk, heated

Chop the chocolate into small chunks (so it will be easier for it to melt). Heat the soy or hemp milk in the microwave, and when it is hot enough, pour over the chocolate. Stir well, making sure to break up any lumps. Drizzle immediately over the cake and then top with caramelized almonds, if desired.

Caramelized Almond Slivers

1 cup slivered almonds
3 - 4 tbsp Earth Balance Buttery Spread
3 - 4 tbsp. brown sugar

Melt the buttery spread in a pan, then add the brown sugar and mix well. Add the almonds. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often. The brown sugar and buttery spread will start to get thick and bubble; continue to stir, but be very careful because it will burn quickly at this stage. Continue to heat for 1 - 3 more minutes, then remove from heat and spread out on a sheet of parchment paper or a plate to let cool. Break into smaller pieces once cooled, if desired.

Creamy Guacamole

Avocados were on sale this week at the grocery store, and since I am a total impulse buyer when it comes to food, I bought 2. They have been getting more and more mushy all week, and today I realized that it was now or never. So I made some guacamole to go with my chili (of which I have approximately one vat left), and it turned out great! The beauty of guacamole is that you can do everything to your own taste, which is what I did, and I think it turned out to be quite delicious.

Creamy Guacamole

2 ripe avocados
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/8 tsp. onion salt
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup diced tomatoes (optional - I didn't have any on hand, but I'd suggest using them)

Mash the avocados and mix until creamy, and then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Chill until ready to serve. Stir before serving.

Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

After two weeks of traveling and after this hectic week of getting back into the swing of things at home and work, I have been aching to cook myself a good, fresh meal. My tour guides in Israel were really great about ordering me gluten-free meals as we traveled around the country, but the meals were mostly either giant bowls of plain lettuce, tomato, and cucumber, or they were TV dinner-type meals with "certified gluten-free" written in Hebrew and Arabic across the top, which, while filling, were not particularly satisfying or wholesome. While I was very grateful for the attention that was paid to my diet, I have been craving something homemade and delicious ever since eating the first meal on the plane over. It has blisteringly cold all week in St. Louis, and I've had to spend all too much time outside, walking to work and class. I know, I know - we're babies. People who live in Minnesota are probably scoffing at Missourians, complaining about our "cold weather." Does it make it better if we're just not used to this kind of cold in Missouri?? Maybe not. But nonetheless, St. Louisans were collectively very chilly this week. Today I spent the morning inside, sipping my coffee and skyping with a dear friend who is many miles away, and what better way to cap off that kind of morning than with a steaming bowl of chili and a nice big piece of my favorite cornbread for lunch? I made the recipe for this chili up as I went along, and a lot of it was done to taste, which I would advise you to do as well. As I roamed the aisles of Trader Joe's last night, I picked up random cans of beans, an onion, ground turkey, and a little package of baby sweet potatoes with a vague plan to turn it into a huge pot of chili this weekend. Today I decided to get experimental with the spices, and I even added some chocolate and balsamic vinegar to add more depth to the flavor. It turned into a wonderfully thick and delicious chili, exactly what I was hoping for. This makes a huge pot, so be prepared either to share it or live off of it for several days! I will probably freeze several individual portions of it to bring out when I don't have time to cook a meal in the weeks to come.

 
Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

1 lb. ground turkey (or vegan/vegetarian meat substitute)
1 medium red onion
2 - 4 cloves garlic
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 15-oz. can pinto beans
1 20-oz. can red kidney beans
1 15-oz. can white kidney beans
1 15-oz. can Cuban-style Black Beans (Trader Joe's brand)
4 -5 baby sweet potatoes or 2 medium sized sweet potatoes, diced into bite-sized pieces
2 - 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth (Trader Joe's brand)
2 - 3 tbsp. chili powder (to taste)
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic salt
2 - 3 tsp. cumin (to taste)
1 tsp. oregano flakes
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 - 2 tsp. Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (to taste)
2 - 3 tsp. balsamic vinegar (to taste)
salt and pepper to taste

optional: fresh avacado, sour cream, and salsa to garnish

Put the onion and ground turkey into a large pot and cook over medium-high heat until the turkey is cooked (or, if you are making the vegetarian/vegan version, until the meat substitute is heated through).  Drain the excess fat and add the tomatoes, all of the beans, the diced sweet potatoes, chicken broth, and spices, and stir well. Bring back to a soft boil and then reduce heat and cover. After it has cooked for about 20 minutes and the spices have had a chance to mingle, add the chocolate and balsamic vinegar to taste and continue to cook, covered, over medium-low heat for about 30 - 45 more minutes (I was baking sweet potato cornbread at the time, which partially dictated the cooking time for the chili, so just use your own judgment). Serve with fresh avacado, salsa, sour cream, if you like, and/or a nice thick slice of cornbread.

Crunchy Maple Sunbutter Granola

I have been making food for myself to bring along as snacks on my upcoming trip to Israel, and I've been trying to create a variety for myself so I don't get totally sick of one thing. I used to love crunchy granola in my pre-celiac days, and now that I've started eating oats again, I wanted to try to create my own granola. My first attempt at granola was good, but it was more like muesli; it wasn't crunchy and didn't clump together at all. So this time, I used sunbutter and maple butter to add thickness and stickiness, and it turned out beautifully. It made the whole apartment smell wonderful, and it tasted absolutely delicious. The maple butter and honey added a touch of sweetness, but the sunbutter filled out the taste and texture and balanced that sweetness. I will be making this often!  

Crunchy Maple Sunbutter Granola

1 1/2 cups oats (certified gluten-free)
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup roasted cashews
1/4 cup toasted pecans
1/4 cup raisins (or more to taste)
1/4 cup cranberries (or more to taste)
**You can substitute any other dried fruit, nuts, or seeds of your choice - this would be great with: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, slivered almonds, dried cherries, etc.
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup sunbutter (or peanut butter)
1/2 cup maple butter or creamed honey
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 300 F. In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut flakes, cashews, pecans, raisins, cranberries, and cinnamon. Add any other nuts, seeds, etc. that you would like and mix well. In a small saucepan, combine the sunbutter, maple butter, honey, and vanilla and heat until melted. It will still be pretty thick. Pour it into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix very well until the heated mixture has been spread throughout the mixture. I used two spoons and sort of chopped the chunks of sunbutter into the oats. Line a baking dish with wax or parchment paper. Pour the mixture into the pan and bake at 300 F for 30 - 40 minutes. The granola will still feel soft when you take it out of the oven, but it will harden as it cools.

Chocolate Chip Cookies by Ginger Lemon Girl

Wow, is all I can say to these. Ginger Lemon Girl's blog is one of the ones I look at regularly for ideas and recipes, and I went to her site this weekend in search of a good cookie recipe to try with my cousin. Well, they are very appropriately titled "Ginger Lemon Girl's BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies," and you can find the recipe for them here. The trick is to bake them only for the 7 - 10 minutes that is recommended, and then as they cool, they firm up and are wonderfully soft and chewy, and practically melt in your mouth. To put them through the ultimate test, my cousin and I devised a slightly sneaky plan. We went out to my family's house for a gathering right after we baked these, and I asked her to be the one to walk into the house with them to see how people liked them. When I walk into a gathering with baked goods, people immediately begin casting me and the baked goods suspicious looks. So Erin brought them, and people were clamoring for them, saying how much they loved them - and then we told them that they were gluten-free, and they were pretty shocked. So that right there should tell you how awesome these cookies are! Thanks to Ginger Lemon Girl for the recipe!

Gluten-free Challah Bread

I am still in shock at how authentic this came out. With Hannukah coming up next week, and with it being our first go at it gluten-free, I did some poking around the internet for recipes I could try. I came across this recipe by the blogger of Gluten-free Bay, and oh, my, was it good. I altered the recipe a little bit, so I'm going to post my slightly tweaked version of it here, but please visit Gluten-free Bay to see the original recipe here. Thank you, thank you, thank you for this recipe!

It has the same texture and slight sweetness as the challah I remember, and the same eggy fluff and taste. It is truly wonderful, and it is actually a piece of cake to put together (especially compared to regular challah, which one typically has to knead and braid). If you love and miss real challah, try this recipe. You won't be disappointed. It's especially delicious with some homemade black raspberry-mango jam slathered over a warm piece straight from the oven!


Gluten-free Challah Bread

2 1/4 tbsp. active dry yeast
2 tsp. sugar
1 cup warm water
1 cup potato starch
1/2 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 tbsp. xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. dry potato flakes
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
4 eggs + 1 extra egg yolk (at room temperature is best)
1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tbsp. water, for glaze
1/3 cup raisins
Poppy or sesame seeds (optional)
Baking spray / vegetable oil spray

Mix the yeast, warm water, and sugar and place in a slightly warmed oven, covered with foil, for 10 minutes until it has bubbled to the top.

In a large bowl, combine potato starch, corn starch, brown rice flour, white rice flour, tapioca starch, salt, baking powder, dry potato flakes, and xanthan gum. Add the vegetable oil, honey, eggs, and yeast mixture and mix at high speed until it is all well-mixed. Add the raisins and blend in by hand until they are well-dispersed.

Spray a 9-inch cake pan with baking spray. Grease your hands by spraying them well with baking spray as well, and then take large portions of the dough and shape them into large balls of dough (about 3-4 inches in diameter) - I had enough for about 6 - 7 balls - and arrange them in the pan with one in the middle. You don't need to press them together.

Make the egg glaze by combining one egg yolk and 1 tbsp. water, and brush over the top of the dough. Spray a piece of plastic wrap and cover the pan, and put it into the still-warm oven to rise. Let rise until the dough is about an inch above the top of the pan, then remove from the oven and preheat it to 350 F. Brush another coat of egg glaze onto the dough and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.

Bake for 20 minutes, then cover with foil and bake for another 25 minutes. If desired, remove the foil during the last 5 minutes of baking to let it brown a bit more. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 - 10 minutes, then turn out onto the rack to continue to cool.

Serve warm from the oven if possible (although I recommend waiting at least 10 minutes before slicing/consuming)! Freeze or refrigerate extra slices.

Apple Cranberry Cake

I've made this a couple of times now, and it is a very hearty, satisfying cake with a sweet tartness that smacks of fall. It's another one of Karina's recipes (one of my favorite gluten-free bloggers). I've tried it once with the egg replacer and once with 2 eggs, and both times have been successful, and everyone has been a fan of the taste. It tends to puff up quite a bit while baking, almost overflowing out of the pan, but it just ends up as a nice, high cake. I would put a sheet of foil underneath the pan as it's baking to catch any apple or cranberry juice that drips out of the pan, though. You can find the recipe from Karina here. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Bolognese

I discovered Bolognese sauce when I lived in Germany. I never really found the type of thick tomato sauce that I was used to here in the States while I was living there. Instead, when I ordered spaghetti in restaurants, I would be served a heaping portion of this sauce, which is so simple to make, yet so complex in flavor. The meat is cooked for so long that it practically falls apart, the celery and carrots create a unique blend of tastes, and the red wine and broth simmer for at least an hour and a half, mingling together. It all results in a sauce that is bursting with flavor. I had some soy chorizo that I bought at Trader Joe's in my fridge, and I threw some of it in to spice things up a bit, but the sauce would turn out fine without it, too. You could make it vegan by omitting the ground turkey and replacing it with the soy chorizo instead, and by substituting vegetable broth for the beef broth. Vegan or not, people will love this sauce!
   
Spaghetti Bolognese

1 lb. lean ground turkey or beef
1/2 cup soy chorizo from Trader Joe's OR 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
4 shallots, chopped OR 1 onion, chopped
3 tsp. minced garlic
3/4 cup shredded or diced carrots
3/4 cup shredded or diced celery
2 bay leaves
3/4 tsp. thyme
3/4 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1/2 - 1 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 - 2 cups red wine
2 - 2 1/2 cups beef broth (Emeril's)
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato sauce or 2 tbsp. tomato paste (optional)
1/4 - 1/2 cup milk (hemp, soy, or another thicker milk) (optional)
3 tbsp. potato starch (optional)
Vegan Parmesan Topping (optional)

Combine the meat, onion, garlic, carrots and celery in a large saucepan. Brown the meat, stirring often to break up any big pieces. When the meat is browned, add the soy chorizo and spices (thyme, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper), stir in, and continue cooking over medium heat for 2 - 3 more minutes.

Add the can of diced tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups red wine, and 2 cups beef broth and stir. If desired, add either 2 tbsp. tomato paste or 1/4 cup tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook over medium-low heat for 1 1/2 hours, stirring regularly, until you are happy with the flavor.

Meanwhile, cook the brown rice spaghetti as directed. I cooked mine for 15 - 16 minutes.

When you are ready to serve the pasta, if you want the sauce to be thicker, you can add 1/4 - 1/2 cup plain hemp or soy milk to the sauce, and 3 tbsp. (or more) of potato starch to thicken. Serve over brown rice spaghetti noodles and top with Vegan Parmesan Topping.

Maple Cranberry Granola

I love granola, and I love maple anything. Tonight, I was trying to rest and recover from the bad sore throat/cold that has me down this week, but after a whole day of being in bed and another night today of just sitting around, I was itching to do something. I've missed granola since going gluten-free, and so tonight I just threw this together as an experiment. It turned out to be very tasty, although next time I would probably bake mine for a little less time. (Mine was in the oven for about 37 minutes and turned out to be rather crispy, and I probably could have taken it out after 30.) Feel free to throw any other types of dried fruit, seeds, or nuts, as this is completely versatile and can be adapted to your own taste. You could also substitute honey for the maple syrup if you prefer.

Maple Cranberry Granola

1 cup gluten-free oats or soy flakes
1/2 cup organic unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup cranberries, raisins, or a combination of both
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp. canola oil
1/4 cup very hot water
1 tsp. gluten-free vanilla

Preheat oven to 300 F. Place a sheet of wax paper on a baking pan (preferably one with sides). Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the maple syrup, oil, water, and vanilla, and stir to mix. Pour over the dry mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Spread evenly into the pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then stir the granola around, and bake in 5 minute increments until the desired crispness is reached. Cool, and then store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.  Keep it in the fridge and it will last even longer.

Herbed Focaccia Bread

This is the first bread I have made that, to me, is indistinguishable from bread made with regular wheat flour. My taste buds have changed since going gluten-free, and sometimes what tastes convincingly like the original to me is, in fact, still rather odd-tasting to others who try it. So I even gave some to my roommate to try, and she confirmed it. Just look at those beautiful air pockets! And it was spongy and soft, and when I made a sandwich out of it, it didn't crumble into tiny pieces with the first bite. I froze most of the loaf in slices, and found that it reheats well, too. The taste of rosemary permeates every bite, but subtly, so that you can still use this bread for sandwiches. The recipe is from Carol Fenster's 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes, and I would highly recommend this cookbook. It has an absolutely fantastic selection of foods you probably miss, and best of all, produces wonderful results that taste like the original and with the right texture, too. So, just a little plug for Ms. Fenster (I suppose she's actually Dr. Fenster, but whatever).

Turkey Sweet Potato Enchilada Casserole

Like many others, I left Thanksgiving dinner with a giant tupperware container full of turkey which, after 3 additional mini-Thanksgiving meals of turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing, I am struggling to use up. So today I thought I'd use it for something very different from a Thanksgiving meal and make turkey enchiladas with the extra sweet potato I had leftover from Thanksgiving as well. Technically, I used 2 sweet potatoes, since I used up the rest of my mashed sweet potatoes in this casserole as well. This was delicious and flavorful, and so easy to throw together. I chose black bean and corn salsa for a nice complement to the sweet potatoes, and with the enchilada sauce and chilies, this turned out to have a bit of a kick to it! I would serve this to company with a side of Spanish rice. I made mine in a small circular casserole dish, but for company, I'd probably make it in a square one so it would be easier to get out in cleaner servings (I basically just scooped mine onto my plate in a big mess). Enjoy!

Turkey Sweet Potato Enchilada Casserole
*Note:  Ingredients change all the time, so please double-check all processed ingredients with the company before using to be sure they are gluten-free.

1 - 2 cups leftover turkey, shredded
1 jar Newman's Own Black Bean Corn Salsa
1 can La Victoria Green Enchilada Sauce
1 can La Victoria Red Enchilada Sauce (I used hot)
1 small can fire-roasted green chilies
2 sweet potatoes (I used some leftover mashed sweet potatoes, and then cut up another and boiled it in slices)
8 - 10 small Mission white corn tortillas

In a small casserole dish, layer the following ingredients until the dish is full: Black Bean and Corn Salsa, spoonfuls of green and red enchilada sauce, 2 - 3 corn tortillas, shredded turkey, sweet potatoes, green chilies, salsa, green and red enchilada sauce, etc. I did not use any cheese substitute, and honestly, these were flavorful enough on their own. But obviously, if you want to add some shredded cheese or cheese substitute on top, it would also be delicious.

Bake at 400 F for 40 - 50 minutes until the sauce is bubbling. Serves 4. Could be served with Spanish rice.

Thanksgiving Feast

This was my first Thanksgiving/major holiday as a gluten-free girl, and I am not going to lie - I was pretty nervous about it. I wasn't sure how I'd be able to eat anything at our traditional dinner besides turkey, and even there was room for doubt with cross-contamination issues. I think people with food allergies don't understand the anxiety that comes with large gatherings of people consuming food together, and especially on holidays that focus almost exclusively on that particular activity. There is food everywhere that smells delicious and which is off-limits for us, and people are touching all the food, eating, grabbing, and then touching everything else. Which is why, if someone reaches into my stash of food and grabs something with their bare hands, I get super nervous about gluten-contamination. For the most part, my family is understanding of the gluten-intolerance, but I usually feel like it is something that some people are a bit bemused by, and sometimes I end up feeling like they think it is just me being high-maintenance. My mom (who also went gluten-free) and I both tried to have a nice variety for ourselves, and I kept it all stashed away until it was time to eat. The menu, aside from turkey and another batch of the delicious sweet potato cornbread I made from the Gluten-free Goddess' website last week, included the following side dishes, which I found to be absolutely heavenly. I truly feel sometimes like I'm getting to eat the better food when I'm at gatherings of people, and while I missed getting to eat the 8 different kinds of pies that were at my grandma's house, I did make this pie from (guess who??) Karina's website: Vegan Pumpkin Pie, which was creamy, smooth, and very light in texture. It didn't go over too well with my family, but that's because almost no one would even give it a chance. But my other friends LOVED it (as they did the sweet potato cornbread), as did I! My mom made the recipe for sweet potato casserole pictured below, and it was delicious - sweet, with beautiful caramelized pecans on top, and slightly crunchy. The mashed sweet potatoes were silky smooth, thanks to the hemp milk I added. (I think I've been won over to hemp milk, by the way - at least for baking and cooking, it is fabulous!) And the stuffing, I have to say, rivaled my mom's normal stuffing, and in her words, it was "excellent." Altogether, Thanksgiving was great, and even with the food anxiety that always comes at big family gatherings, I had a great time, and best of all, didn't get sick!

Sweet Potato Casserole

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
4 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Earth Balance Buttery Spread (or butter, if you can tolerate it)
1/2 cup coconut milk if desired
1 1/2 cups sugar - but sugar is added to taste
2 tsp. vanilla
optional: 2 mashed bananas (usually made without it)
Dashes of nutmeg, salt, cinnamon, and ginger

Sprinkle half of the nuts into the bottom of a 2 1/2 quart greased baking dish. Mix everything else together except the sugar. Add the sugar to taste. Pour mixture on top of nuts and sprinkle the top with the rest of the nuts. Bake uncovered for about 1/2 hour or until a knife comes out clean.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped coarsely
2 small white potatoes, peeled and chopped coarsely
salt to taste
thyme to taste
2 tsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread
2 - 5 tbsp. hemp milk, to desired consistency

Place potatoes in a pot of cold water with a dash of salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes until the potatoes are soft and break apart when pierced. Drain and mash potatoes together. Beat with a fork until creamy, then add Earth Balance Buttery Spread, salt to taste, and hemp milk, and beat it all together until the desired consistency is reached. Add a generous sprinkling of thyme, to taste.

Thanksgiving Stuffing

1 loaf gluten-free bread (I used Food For Life White Rice bread, and it turned out to be slightly gummy)
1/2 - 1 liter gluten-free chicken broth (I used Swanson)
3/4 cup raisins/cranberries, or a combination of both
4 -5 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 giant onion, finely chopped
2 granny smith apples, peeled and finely chopped
2-4 tbsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread
A generous amount of black pepper and basil
Smaller amounts of thyme and parsley

Place the bread slices on foil-covered oven racks and bake at 250 - 300 F until the bread slices have been dried out. Remove from oven, cool, and break into small pieces in a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a small saucepan, place 1 cup broth with the cranberries/raisins and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 - 10 minutes to soften the dried fruit. In a separate saute pan, place the Earth Balance Buttery Spread, celery, onion, and apple, then add the spices (very heavy on the black pepper and basil), and saute until the onion is translucent (but not mushy). Add the onion mixture to the broth mixture, and then add that whole mixture to the dried bread pieces. Toss to mix it all together, adding more broth as needed to moisten the bread slices.

If using as turkey stuffing, add a lot more broth and stuff it into the turkey. If you are just making it on its own (which is what I did), place the whole thing in a baking dish and pour more broth over the whole thing, then cover tightly with foil and place in the oven for at least 30 - 50 minutes. Check on it after about 25 minutes and, if necessary, pour some more broth over it to make sure there is enough moisture (otherwise, the bread will be pretty gummy and chewy). I added roughly 3/4 liter of broth in total, and mine came out to be pretty soft and easily chewed.

Kim's Sweet and Tangy Meatballs

My dear friend Kim and I met at a volunteering event this year. Both of us were hanging back from the kitchen as the other volunteers were lining up for pizza. Kim invited me to have some, and when I leaned over and told her that I have celiac and wouldn't be able to eat pizza, she exclaimed that she, too, was gluten-intolerant, and furthermore couldn't have dairy. "I can't have it either!" I exclaimed. And from that moment, we were foodie BFFs. We spent the next 30 minutes talking like little girls about food, gluten-free cookies, non-dairy substitutes, food blogs, celiac resources, etc. We started a tradition of bringing dinner or dessert for each other each Tuesday at volunteering, or something new to try. And last week, we spontaneously decided to go to Trader Joe's together and wander around there. Because that's how foodies have fun. I can't tell you how much I love going grocery shopping. It dumbfounds me when people tell me it's their least favorite thing to do. How could anyone not love wandering through the aisles, letting the imagination run wild with the possibilities of each ingredient? I can literally spend hours in international groceries, or natural food stores. That's exactly what Kim and I did, and as she's been on this diet for a lot longer than I have, she has a much wider repertoire of dishes that she makes and is very innovative with putting ingredients together. She suggested this simple recipe, and I finally got to try it out yesterday. It couldn't have been easier to make, and it has a tangy sweetness that is very satisfying. I served the meatballs with rice, but if you made the meatballs smaller, you could definitely serve them as a party food with toothpicks. Both of my roommates tried it, and it passed the taste test with them as well.  Enjoy!

Kim's Sweet and Tangy Meatballs

For the meatballs:
1 lb. lean ground turkey
Basil, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and minced onion
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tbsp. apricot, peach, or cherry jam
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
3/4 cups gluten-free oats

For the sauce:
1 jar Apple Cranberry Chutney (from Trader Joe's)
3/4 - 1 cup Trader Joe's BBQ Sauce
1 cup rice, cooked as directed

Preheat oven to 350F. Make rice as directed. I used brown basmati rice and boiled 1 3/4 cups water with 1 cup rice and 1 tsp. salt, then reduced heat and covered to steam for 25 - 30 minutes until all the water is absorbed.

Mix the ground turkey with the egg, oats, and about 1 tbsp. or more of basil, oregano, and minced onion, and about 1 tsp. of salt, pepper, and garlic powder (more or less depending on your own taste). Add the jam, Worcestershire sauce, and maple syrup. Shape into small meatballs and arrange in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Brown the meatballs to lock in the moisture and shape, and then transfer them to a 9" x 13" glass baking dish.

In a separate bowl, mix together the jar of Apple Cranberry Chutney and about 1 cup of TJ's BBQ sauce, then pour over the meatballs and stir to coat them. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 350F for about 25 minutes. Serve over rice. If you wanted to make a special party treat, make the meatballs smaller and serve with toothpicks as an appetizer.

Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Spiced Icing

This cake is so moist that it practically melts in your mouth, and it was a huge hit among vegans and non-vegans, the gluten-free and the glutinous alike. I got the recipe (surprise, surprise) from the Gluten-free Goddess' website (you can find it here), but I made a few modifications for mine:

*I left out the raisins and nuts and just made it plain, although I'm sure it would be delicious with pecans, dried cranberries, or raisins, or all of the above.
*I added about 1/2 tsp. more of cinnamon and 1 tsp. more of pumpkin pie spice to the batter.
*I baked this in a 9" x 13" glass pan at 350 F for 23 - 25 minutes. If I had baked it any longer, I think it would still have turned out fine, just a little less moist.
*I made a brown sugar and spice icing (also based on this recipe by Karina) with Earth Balance Buttery Spread, brown sugar, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice to taste, vanilla, a little soy milk as needed for moisture, and about 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar. I melted the Buttery Spread and cooked it with the brown sugar until it was bubbly and thick, and then just beat it all together until it was thick, and then I spread it over the cooled cake and placed in the fridge immediately. I still haven't quite mastered how to avoid separation of the icing, but refrigerating it definitely helped. As I said, these were a huge hit, and every last one was eaten up. This was my first time baking with Ener-G Egg Replacer, and I think it turned out to be excellent! If you bring these to Thanksgiving, probably no one will even be able to tell that they're lacking in more traditional ingredients. Delicious.

Sweet Potato Cornbread by the Gluten-free Goddess

Without fail, every recipe that I try from the Gluten-free Goddess' website turns out perfect and delicious and impossible to resist, and I just wanted to give yet another link to a recipe that I love. This sweet potato cornbread is moist and wonderful, with a delicious hint of cinnamon and a perfect balance of flavors. I had one piece by itself and cut one piece in half, toasted it in the oven, and spread it with sunbutter and honey and maple butter for lunch. This versatile bread would be a perfect addition to a hot bowl of chili or stew, or on its own.   You can make this vegan by using egg subsitute for the eggs (4.5 tsp. egg replacer plus 6 tbsp. warm water).

German Hazelnut Jam Cookies (Engelsaugen)

Can I just say that I heart Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix? Everything I've used it in has turned out with a wonderful texture that has been a close imitation of a gluten-containing version. These cookies are ones that I made with my roommate Janina when I lived in Germany. It was a marathon of Christmas cookie baking that year - we made batch after batch, ending up with countless kinds of cookies. We stumbled across this recipe totally by chance as we were looking at websites with recipes, and they turned out to be so heavenly and wonderful that they instantly become a favorite. They're dangerous to keep around - you'll find that you've lost count of how many you've popped into your mouth without thinking about it. So tonight, I tacked a conversion to gluten-free, and they actually turned out to be almost indiscernible from the original. This is partly because so much of the texture and flavor of the cookies comes from the ground hazelnuts, but also partly because of the wonderful properties of Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix. I make these cookies using my own homemade raspberry jam. I've tried using store-bought jams, and they just never taste the same. Raspberry is by far the most wonderful flavor to use with these; they complement the hazelnuts beautifully. But I have found that any other dark berry jams work well too, as does apricot jam. If you do use jam from a store, try to buy the least processed kind you can - you will want the extra flavor and fruit texture for these.


Hazelnut Jam "Angel Eye" Cookies (Engelsaugen)

1 cup Pamela's Baking Mix (plus a few tbsp. if the dough is too wet)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Dash of salt
1 package of vanilla sugar (German ingredient available at int'l markets) OR 1-2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup hazelnuts, finely ground in a food processor
7 tbsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread, chilled
1 egg yolk
Powdered sugar to sprinkle on top
Raspberry, Apricot, or another dark berry jam

Combine the baking mix, sugar, salt, vanilla sugar and ground hazelnuts in a bowl. Cut the butter into pieces and add it and the egg yolk to the dry ingredients. Cut the butter and egg into the dry ingredients with a pie cutter or knives, and then, when the butter is in smaller pieces, use your hands to knead it and form it into a ball of dough. Cool in the refrigerator for 60 minutes. Take out the dough and remove by tablespoons, using your hands to form into a small ball, and then use your thumb or the handle of a wooden spoon to create a dent in the top. Bake at 300 degrees for 12-18 minutes or until relatively firm, and remove carefully to a cooling rack. I found that after baking for 18 minutes, the cookies would cool into slightly crunchy cookies. If you prefer chewier ones, bake for less time (~15 min.) but let them sit on the cookie sheet for a minute or two after removing from the oven to let them firm a bit before removing to the cooling rack. When cooled, fill each cookie with jam and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Store in airtight containers, preferably refrigerated. If you are not going to serve these right away, either freeze part of the dough or freeze the cookies themselves to preserve the texture.