Swirled Blackberry Sage Banana Muffins

Swirled blackberry sage banana muffins.  Aren't they pretty?  The name even sounds pretty....blackberry sage.  These were inspired by a favorite tea of mine, the (you guessed it) Blackberry Sage flavor of Republic of Tea.  I used to go on afternoon tea runs with a friend of mine when we used to work together, and the people at the place we visited would make any tea iced.  We tried them all - but the blackberry sage remained my favorite.

A few weekends ago, a spree at Haymarket landed me three containers of blackberries.  I was pondering what to do with them on the ride home.  I continued to ponder as I washed them and put them in the fridge.  And then, it hit me.  Of course.  It had to be something with sage.  So I pulled out one of my favorite recipes for banana bread and reshaped it into delicious sweet-savory muffins. 

These rocked.  If you're a sage fan, give these a try - it really brings the flavor of the berries to the forefront without crowding them.  I had a hard time refraining from eating all of them in one sitting, but I kept it together and ate a respectable number (only two, I swear) and saved the rest to share with friends. 

Swirled Blackberry Sage Banana Muffins
Makes about 16 - 18 muffins

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 ripe bananas
1.5 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup sorghum flour
2/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 - 2 tbsp. ground dried sage, depending on your own taste (I used 2 tbsp.)
1 cup blackberries, either chopped into small chunks and stirred in, or pureed and swirled on top of each muffin

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line two muffin trays with 18 paper liners or spray with cooking spray.

Combine the wet ingredients together and stir well.  In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sage and sift together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix well.

Now you have two choices - you can either add chunks of blackberries to your muffins, or you can puree the blackberries and swirl them in.  I swirled, but I can't say it would be a bad idea at all to swirl AND add whole chunks.  But do what you feel is right for your muffins.  If you're adding chunks, chop up the berries and add them to the batter, stir lightly, and then spoon even amounts into the paper liners.

If you're swirling, puree the blackberries in a food processor.  If desired, push the mixture through a sieve to get the seeds out (but it's not really necessary).  Add about 1 tbsp. of blackberry puree to each muffin and swirl around in the batter using a knife or fork.  If desired, sprinkle the top of each muffin with a little more dried sage.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or just until they are slightly browned and spring back when you push down on them.  Remove from the oven and let sit in the hot pan for another 2 - 3 minutes until they firm up, then remove them carefully and place on a wire rack to cool.  Serve warm or cold - they are delicious either way!  Store leftovers in the fridge until ready to serve.

Chocolate Coconut or Cinnamon-Glazed Vanilla Mini Cake Donuts

Mmmm, donuts.  How long has it been since you've had a donut?  I had to really think about that question.  Before this summer, it had been at least as long as I've known I have celiac (roughly 3.5 years), if not longer.

But now, armed with my Norpro donut pans (a birthday gift from my sister!), donuts are back in my life.  We've had a happy reunion.  Which is part of why I was so excited about this month's Gluten-free Ratio Rally assignment: donuts and fritters.

Now, I know that everyone loves a good, traditional, fried donut.  Who couldn't love them?  I thought about going that route.  But I wanted to take this opportunity to make some awesome, slightly healthier baked donuts.  The ratio I came up with for cake donuts was 2 parts flour: 1 part liquid: 1 egg.  The amount of fat used was so negligible that it doesn't even warrant a place in the ratio - it was 2 teaspoons for the entire batch!  Instead of non-dairy milk, I used cranberry juice as the liquid base in these.  For me, this ratio created a donut that held together and didn't crumble in my hands, and had a slightly dry crumb that was perfect for absorbing the glaze I slathered all over it.

I experimented with several different glazes for the donuts - I tried vanilla, plain chocolate, chocolate coconut, orange (which ended up tasting like a gumdrop - no, thanks), powdered sugar cinnamon, and cinnamon glaze.  I think I can safely recommend any of the above, with the exception of the orange (unless that's your thing, in which case, go crazy!).  But in the end, my two favorites were the cinnamon and chocolate coconut glazes.  A little tip - these are fabulous if you freeze them once they're glazed.  The chocolate ones reminded me of those chocolate Entenmann's donuts, which I used to love. I brought both versions into work, and everyone loved them - especially the chocolate ones.  "Phenomenal" and "out of this world" were used to describe the flavor

Our host this month was Meg of Gluten-free Boulangerie.  Check out her blog for her recipe for Old Fashioned Raised and Cake Doughnuts, and for a list of all of the other amazing recipes from the other blogger participants. You can also look below my recipe at the bottom for the list of all the other bloggers and recipes in the Ratio Rally this month. 

So say yes to donuts!  Check out what happens when a group of creative bloggers put their minds to something.  Beautiful - and delicious - things result.

Chocolate Coconut or Cinnamon-Glazed Vanilla Mini Cake Donuts
Makes about 18 mini donuts or 10 regular donuts

5 oz. / 1 cup gluten-free flour blend (I used 1/2 cup potato starch, 1/4 cup sorghum, and 1/4 cup brown rice flour)
2.5 oz. white sugar (~1/4 cup + 2 tbsp.)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread, melted
1 egg
2.5 oz. cranberry juice (~1/4 cup + 2 tbsp.)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

For the chocolate coconut glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
3 - 4 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 - 1 tsp. coconut extract (to your own taste)
1 - 3 tbsp. hot water

For cinnamon glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
 2 - 4 tbsp. hot water
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 325 F.  Spray two mini donut pans or two regular donut pans with cooking spray.

Combine the dry ingredients first and mix well.  In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients, mix together, and then add to the dry ingredients.  Stir to combine, making sure there are no patches of dry flour.

Place the donut dough into a plastic baggie and cut a hole in one corner (this is your makeshift pastry bag).  Pipe the dough into each donut tray, filling it about 2/3 of the way full.

If you are making mini donuts, bake for about 6 - 8 minutes, or just until they spring back when you touch them.  For regular donuts, bake for about 8 - 9 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave in the donut pans for about 2 - 3 minutes to allow them to firm up.  When they're firm enough not to fall apart, gently remove them from the donut pans and place on a wire rack to cool.

Make whichever glaze your heart desires, preferably in a wide, flat bowl.  Drench each donut in glaze, rolling it around to ensure that all sides are covered.  Place each newly glazed donut on a plate or tray and place in freezer until glaze is frozen.  Then you can remove them from the tray and store them in tupperware - but it's still a good idea to place a sheet of wax paper between each layer of them.

Store in the freezer or fridge until ready to serve. The chocolate donuts tasted best frozen, but the cinnamon ones are equally good frozen or refrigerated.

Here's a list of all the other amazing bloggers and their recipes for donuts or fritters!

Britt of GF in the City | Blueberry Fritters

Brooke of B and the Boy! | Apricot Fritters

Caleigh of Gluten Free[k] | Beetroot Fritters

Caneel of Mama Me Gluten Free | Thai Fried Bananas

Charissa of Zest Bakery | Picarones (Sweet Potato & Pumpkin Fritters)
Claire of Gluten Freedom | Chocolate Coconut or Cinnamon-Glazed Vanilla Cake Doughnuts
Gretchen of Kumquat | Peach Cider Doughnuts
Jean of Gluten-Free Doctor Recipes | Cinnamon Apple Fritters
Jeanette of Jeanette's Healthy Living | Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts
Jenn of Jenn Cuisine | Mini Raspberry Doughnut Cakes
Lisa of Gluten Free Canteen | Apple Butter Maple Syrup Doughnuts
Mary Fran of Frannycakes | Raspberries and Cream Doughnuts
Mrs. R of Honey From Flinty Rocks | Jelly Doughnuts
Pete & Kelli of No Gluten, No Problem | Jelly Doughnut Holes
Rachel of The Crispy Cook | Chocolate Doughnuts with Chocolate Glaze
Silvana of Silvana's Kitchen | Vanilla-Glazed Chocolate Chip Doughnuts
Shauna of Gluten-Free Girl | Glazed Yeast Doughnuts
Tara of A Baking Life | Brioche Doughnuts with Italian Plum Jam
T.R. of No One Likes Crumbley Cookies | Sweet Pepper and Pancetta Fritters

Chewy (Better Than) Fig Newtons

Who doesn't love fig newtons?  Seriously, if such people exist, I have not met them. 

I don't know exactly what made me crave them last week.  It may have been because the last time I was at Trader Joe's, I came across a new product that made me want to jump in the aisle.  Fig butter!  And it was so cheap.  Needless to say, I stocked up, afraid that it would disappear quickly, like other favorite TJ's products that have vanished oh-so-suddenly from the shelf, leaving me standing forlorn in the aisle (cranberry chutney, I'm talking to you!).

These are super simple to make - I swear.  You mix the dough, spread it on parchment or wax paper, spread the fig butter over half of it, and then fold it over.  It's like a little fig burrito.  AND - they are gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free.  Seriously. 

For my first attempt, I tried this recipe from Elana's Pantry just as she made it.  They were tasty, all right - but I didn't feel like they had the heavier texture of fig newtons that I was really looking for. 

So I innovated a bit.  I tweaked the flours, adding some more whole grainy goodness to balance out the plain almond flour.  I made the dough a little drier, and substituted applesauce for some of the fat.  I baked them for slightly less time. 

They came out so wonderfully, even I can't believe it.  I brought these into work with me, and my co-workers couldn't believe they were gluten-free.  One woman liked them so much that she kept checking in with me to see how many I had left, torn between taking one at the expense of someone else and just, you know, really wanting another fig newton.

But maybe you'll think of some other, new way to make these that will be even better.  If you do, please share your own tweaks with me.  Until you come up with your favorite version, though, these will definitely hit the spot for a fig newton craving. 

Chewy Fig Newtons
Makes about 40 small cookies

1/2 cup almond flour
1 cup + 1 tbsp. sorghum flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. canola oil
2 tbsp. applesauce
2 tsp. vanilla extract
6 (or more) tbsp. fig butter (you can buy this at Trader Joe's or use any other fig jam/butter)


In a small bowl, combine the flours, salt, and xanthan gum and mix together well.  In another small bowl, combine the agave nectar, honey, oil, applesauce, and vanilla and mix well to combine.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix together until it's as smooth as it can be.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. 

Remove the dough from the refrigerator.  Take about half of it and plop it onto one side of a large piece of wax paper.  Fold the wax paper over in half and use a rolling pin to make an even rectangle that is about 10 - 12 inches long and about 4 inches wide.  Peel back one half of the wax paper (so that the top of the dough is now exposed) and then transfer the whole thing to a piece of greased parchment paper for baking.  You can do this by greasing the parchment paper, then pressing it onto the top of the dough, then flipping the whole thing over and peeling back the rest of the wax paper (which will now be on top).

Spread a generous amount of fig butter along one half of the dough - as much as you want, really.  Go crazy.  Make them figgy.  Then, using the parchment paper to help you, fold the dough in half.  Peel back the parchment paper carefully from the top of the cookie.  Use a knife or fork to tuck in the dough fringes so that none of the fig butter is exposed. 

Place the parchment paper on a baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 10 - 13 minutes, or just until the dough is set and is ever-so-slightly browned.  It may not look totally done - that's ok.  Remove from the oven and let sit on the pan for about 3 - 5 minutes, then, using a sharp knife, cut into little fig newton squares and cool on a rack. 

Repeat the process with the other half of the dough, or freeze it to use later.  Keep refrigerated, but leave out at room temperature or zap in the microwave briefly before serving for the best flavor.

Decadent Lemony Berry Coffeecake

Uh, yeah.  That cake tasted as good as it looks.  Better than it looks, if you can believe it.

I know this isn't technically a post for the Gluten-free Ratio Rally, but I feel this need to profess the power of the ratio again.  Because Oh. My. God.  This cake is seriously amazing.  Like, out-of-this-world good.  And it is possible because of a ratio.

My cousin was visiting me last week, and it was a total food bonanza.  It's sort of our thing.  We wander around grocery stores, and we talk about recipes.  And when we're in the same physical space, we cook and bake.  A lot.

After a trip to Boston's Haymarket, we came home with bags of fresh berries - probably about 2 pounds of them.  We had cherries, strawberries, and raspberries - and they were just begging to be part of something baked and delicious.

Done and done.  I consulted the ratio that Ruhlman has in his book for sponge cake (which is one part each of flour, eggs, fat, and sugar), and then we innovated a little with the flavors and flour blend.  I'm always one to reduce the fat and substitute something else, so I used applesauce to keep it moist.  And actually, there's more applesauce than fat in this cake - only 6 tablespoons of Earth Balance buttery spread in the WHOLE THING.  Think of how many extra pieces you can eat with all those fat calories you're saving (I know my cousin and I thought about that.  And then we definitely ate those extra pieces.).

And the result?  My gluten-eating, cake-loving cousin said it was the best cake she'd ever eaten.  The word "phenomenal" was dropped multiple times by both of us (in between mouthfuls).  I brought pieces around to my co-workers, who dubbed it "wonderful" and "delicious."

So you can make this one for mixed company, is what I'm saying - for gluten-eaters and gluten-haters alike.  Barring berry-haters, I suspect everyone will love it.

Decadent Lemony Berry Coffeecake

**Please note that all measurements given below in cups are approximate, as I used my kitchen scale to make this cake and used an online converter to figure out the volume measurements.

4 eggs
8 oz. white sugar (~1 cup)
3 oz. Earth Balance Buttery Spread (3/4 stick or 6 tbsp.)
5 oz. applesauce (unsweeted, natural) (~1/2 cup)
1.5 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/4 tsp. lemon zest
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla
3 oz. tapioca starch (~3/4 cup)
2 oz. sorghum (~1/2 cup)
3 oz. brown rice flour (~1/2 cup)
(OR 8 oz. of your favorite gf flour blend)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum
3/4 lb. berries, chopped into small pieces (we used cherries, raspberries, and strawberries, but you could use any dark berries you think would go well in this)

For crumble topping:
4 - 6 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (or more to your own taste)
2 tsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Spray a glass 9" x 13" baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium or large mixing bowl, beat the eggs (preferably with an electric mixer) with the sugar until it's frothy.  Add the Earth Balance, applesauce, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla and mix until it's well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum.  Add about 1/3 cup at a time to the wet ingredients, beating on medium speed until the batter is very smooth.

Pour the batter into the 9" x 13" pan.  Press the berries lightly into the top of the batter.

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and Earth Balance.  Mix with your fingers until it's finely crumbly.  Sprinkle the cake generously with the cinnamon sugar crumble topping.

Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool for as long as you can stand it before eating a piece (we lasted 20 minutes).  Keep refrigerated once cooled.  It's fantastic if you warm it slightly in the microwave before eating.

Banana Rum Cupcakes with Rum Glaze for the Gluten-free Ratio Rally

Soft. Fluffy. Spongey. Moist. Tender. Crumbly. Cake-y.  

Sadly, those usually aren't the first words that that come to mind to describe many gluten-free cakes I've tried from the store.  But that, up there?  That is a cupcake.  A real cupcake.  It is all of those words, to a tee.  And what is behind all of those happy descriptors?

A ratio.  A beautifully simple ratio.

Our host for the Gluten-free Ratio Rally this month is Kate of Gluten-free Gobsmacked.  She's inspired us all to make some delicious variations on white and yellow cake.  Check out her blog for her recipe for Basic White Birthday Cake (I could have used this a few weeks ago for my own birthday!) and for links to all of the other fantastic recipes the members of the Rally came up with (which you can also find at the end of this post).

Sometimes the ratios that Ruhlman describes need a little tweaking.  A few adjustments; a little less flour here, a little more liquid there, an extra egg here, a dash more sugar there.  But for me, his ratio for sponge cake worked perfectly.  One equal part each of flour, butter, sugar, and egg gave me a cake with an incredibly tender crumb, and a beautifully brown and spongey top.  It tasted like real cake - the kind I remember from my gluten days (you know, the kind that made me sick, but was delicious - but that's beside the point.)

Of course, I had to do SOME kind of tweaking to make it my own.  One of my absolute favorite cakes ever is my great aunt Gene's rum cake. (Whenever I see the cover of the cookbook Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters, I always think of aunt Gene and rum cakes, for some reason - I think it makes me think of other, older times and places and scraps of paper tucked between the tattered pages of cookbooks, holding the keys to unlock the secrets of the most delicious things your family has passed down.)  I wanted to make a cake I could drizzle her rum glaze over, so I used some banana in place of half the butter to balance out the rum flavor (which also had the added advantage of making it a lower-fat cake).

The result was absolutely heavenly.  These are best served warm, so either drizzle the glaze over them while they're still cooling and consume right away, or store refrigerated and then reheat them in the microwave for 20 - 30 seconds before serving.  Cold, they are still pretty delicious, but they are a bit harder.  Warmed up, they practically melt in your mouth.  I was both sad and very, very glad that I had used the ratio to make only 4 cupcakes.  I shudder to think of myself in the alternate scenario, which would likely have resulted in my eating a full dozen of these.  That's another reason ratios are awesome - you can make as many - or as few - as you like.

Trust me, you will not be sorry you made these.  The commitment is minimal anyway - you can just make 4 to start and see how you like them.  It's perfect for girls living alone, or for you and just a few friends.  I'm pretty sure you'll want to get right back into your kitchen to make more, though.  It's hard to resist an old-fashioned favorite like rum cake.

Banana Rum Cupcakes with Rum Glaze
Makes 4 cupcakes - can easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled, or...you get the idea.

For the cupcakes:
25 grams Earth Balance Buttery Spread
25 grams very ripe banana (about 1/4 medium banana)
50 grams white sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. rum extract
20 grams potato starch
15 grams tapioca starch
15 grams sorghum flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. xanthan gum (probably optional, but I didn't try the recipe without it)

For the rum glaze:
1 tsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread
2 tsp. water
1.5 tbsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. rum extract

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Place 4 cupcake liners in a muffin/cupcake pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine the Earth Balance Buttery Spread and the banana.  Whisk together until smooth, then add the sugar and mix well.  Add the egg, vanilla, and rum extract and beat together.

In a separate small bowl, combine the tapioca starch, potato starch, sorghum flour, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum.  Add to the wet ingredients and mix well.

Pour into the prepared cupcake liners and bake at 350 F for 15 - 17 minutes or until a toothpick or knife inserted into the cupcake comes out clean.  Mine took exactly 17 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let sit in the hot muffin pan for another 3 - 5 minutes (so they don't fall apart when you take them out).  Remove to a cooling rack and let cool the rest of the way, or until you can't stand it anymore and have to eat one.  When they are totally cool, poke a bunch of holes in the top with a fork and drizzle a good amount of rum glaze over the top so that it sinks into the cupcake.

Store in the fridge until ready to serve.  Microwave for a few seconds before serving.

To make rum glaze:  Combine the butter, water, sugar, and rum extract in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Continue to simmer for 1 - 3 minutes or until it just starts to get thick.  Drizzle over the cooled cupcakes immediately (or it will get too thick to drizzle).

Here's a list of all of the other amazing cake recipes to come out of this month's Ratio Rally:

Basic White Cake by Kate at Gluten-free Gobsmacked
Boston Cream Pie by Britt at GF in the City
Chocolate Hostess Cupcake Dupes by Erin at The Sensitive Epicure
Chocolate Pistachio Pound Cake by Amie at The Healthy Apple
Coconut Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes by Gretchen at Kumquat-Blog
Confetti Cake by MaryFran at FrannyCakes
Czech Cherry Bublanina by Rachel at The Crispy Cook
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes by Caroline at The G-Spot
Edna Lewis Busy-Day Cake by Shauna at Gluten-free Girl
Frangelico Cupcakes with Nutella by Lisa at Gluten Free Canteen
Fresh-Squeezed Lemon Cake by Caneel at Mama Me Gluten Free
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins by Marla at Family Fresh Cooking
Lemon Tea Cake by Kate at KateAlice Cookbook
Mocha Buttercream Yellow Birthday Cake by Dr. Jean Layton at GF Doctor Recipes
Nina’s Hot Milk Cake by Charissa at Zest Bakery
Tiramisu Cake by TR Crumbley at No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
Traditional Birthday Cake by Karen at Cooking – Gluten Free!
Vanilla Cupcakes by Winnie at Healthy Green Kitchen
White Cake with Apricots & Blueberries by Brooke at B and the Boy
White Chocolate Cupcakes by Caleigh at Gluten Freek(k)

Banana Cream Pie Bites

I DARE you to eat only one of these.  Triple dog dare you.

I developed this recipe for the Boston Pie Experiment this last weekend.  It was a pie contest really (or maybe pie bonanza is a better way to describe it, with just under 30 different kinds of pies to be sampled), but I didn't enter to compete.  I kind of just wanted an excuse to bake a ridiculous number of pies and create a new recipe.

This recipe underwent many iterations over the last few weeks.  I tried almond milk and coconut milk (both vanilla and regular flavors). With and without gelatin.  With less Earth Balance and with more Earth Balance. As a whole pie and as tiny pie bites.  They were all delicious, but I finally settled on this recipe as the one that held up best under adverse conditions (read: outside of refrigeration for any period of time).  My co-workers tried it, and I made one for my friends for my birthday a few weeks ago.  It got rave reviews.

My personal goal was not to win the pie contest.  It was simply to have people like my pie, even though it was the ONLY gluten- and dairy-free pie amid 30 regular old gluten pies.

And they did.  I tried not to stare at people as they ate it, but I surreptitiously stole glances at them as they tasted this, an expression of surprise coming over their face as the flavors washed over them (first the lovely banana flavor topped with whipped soy cream, followed by the slight kick of the gingersnap crust).  I read their mouths through the din in the room as they commented to their friends, "That is REALLY good!" A few people came back for a second sample.  And one of the guys running the event even high-fived me after tasting it. 

It was a true test of taste to put a banana cream pie with a gluten-free crust and no cream (!) up against the buttery, flour-y, dairy-laden pies I was surrounded by.  But no one (that I saw) spit this out.  Most seemed to enjoy it, perhaps to their surprise.  And that's all the prize I wanted.

Banana Cream Pie Bites
This will make one regular banana cream pie or about 50 - 70 banana cream pie bites.

For the crust:
1 bag Trader Joe's Gluten-free Gingersnaps
2.5 tbsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread

For the filling:
1 tbsp. brown rice flour
1 tbsp. sweet rice flour
1.5 tbsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup + 3 tbsp. white sugar
3 very ripe medium bananas
3/4 cup So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk (Trader Joe's has a new vanilla coconut milk that works, too!)
1 packet Knox gelatin + 2 tbsp. hot water (don't mix until right before you're going to use it!!)
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1.5 tbsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread

If desired: Soyatoo Soy or Rice Whip to top (totally optional!)

For a whole pie:  A regular pie dish.
For banana cream pie bites: Mini-cupcake liners.


Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Put the whole bag of gingersnaps and the 2.5 tbsp. Earth Balance in a food processor and blend until very smooth and crumbly.  You want these to be very tiny crumbs that are well-incorporated into the butter.

If you're making a whole banana cream pie:  Pour the crumb mixture into a pie dish and pat it evenly around the sides and bottom of the pan.  Make sure you pat it down very firmly.

If you're making banana cream pie bites: Place a heaping teaspoon of the mixture into each mini-cupcake liner.  Using your thumb or the teaspoon, press it down firmly into the cupcake liner, creating a little well for the banana cream. 

Separate your egg yolks and whisk them lightly in a medium-sized bowl.  Set aside.

Rinse the food processor out and blend the bananas and coconut milk together for about 3 - 4 minutes, or until very smooth.  In a large sauce pan, combine the brown rice flour, sweet rice flour, cornstarch, sugar, and salt and whisk together.  Add the banana and coconut milk mixture and whisk together.  Combine the Knox gelatin powder with 2 tbsp. of hot water, whisk together, and add immediately to the pot, stirring it in well (if you don't add it right away, it will become a block of gel).  Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly to avoid the flours settling, until it comes to a full boil.

When it comes to a boil, turn off the heat.  This is where it gets slightly tricky. You're going to add some of the hot mixture to the egg yolks, but just a tiny bit at a time, whisking each bit thoroughly into the eggs before adding more.  You're doing this to bring the temperature of the eggs up slowly so they don't cook or curdle on you.  Add about a tablespoon or less at a time until you've added about 1/3 of the banana cream mixture, and then return the egg mixture to the original pot and mix it in with the rest of the banana cream.  Return to medium heat and continue to whisk until it comes to a boil.  Boil for 2 more minutes (keep on whiskin'!) and then remove from heat.  Stir in the vanilla and Earth Balance Buttery Spread.

If you're making a whole banana cream pie: Pour the whole thing into the pie crust you prepared earlier.  Bake for 10 minutes at 350 F.  Remove from oven and let cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set.

If you're making banana cream pie bites:  Measure out a heaping teaspoon of banana cream for each pie bite. Bake for 6 - 8 minutes or until the edges of the crust are golden brown. If you're baking two trays at once, be sure to rotate them halfway through so they don't bake unevenly.  Let cool and then refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set.

No matter what kind of pie you're making: Top with Soyatoo Rice or Soy Whip and any leftover gingersnap crumbs before serving, if desired.  And try not to eat all of it yourself!

Fresh Carrot Salad with Sunflower Seeds and Blueberries

I love cooking - that much should be obvious.  But there are days when even I can't take it.  Days that are so hot, and so lazy, that I just want a 5-minute meal.  To put a bunch of things in a bowl and be done.

Today was one of those days.  And it also happened to be the day that one of my friends sent me the link to the New York Times Minimalist guide to summer salads.  The list is extensive, with almost any ingredient I could think of, put together with ingredients I might not have thought of right away. 

Number 7 on the list caught my eye immediately.  I had carrots.  I had blueberries.  I love both.  It was a done deal. 

This salad comes together in a matter of minutes, and will be a lovely addition to whatever else you're having for dinner, or great on its own as well.  The crunchy carrots and sunflower seeds balance the berries, and the lemon and pepper bring out the flavors in a refreshing, delicious way.  It's delightful.

Save this one for a hot day when you want something quick, refreshing, and cool.  And enjoy.


Fresh Carrot Salad with Sunflower Seeds and Blueberries (from this list)

1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup blueberries
1 - 2 tsp. olive oil
2 - 4 tbsp. lemon juice (to taste)
black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients.  Eat.  Enjoy. 

Grilled Eggplant Pesto Melt

You know how sometimes you turn around and the person who's been there all along is the one you end up wanting?

That's how I'm feeling about eggplant right now.

Who knew it was so full of flavor, and that it would develop such an irresistible, almost buttery texture when grilled?  That it would melt on the tongue like that?  Clearly I didn't know what I was missing.

I made pesto the other night (something I've been meaning to do forever, since buying dairy-free pesto is usually not possible, and when it is, it is not cheap).  So far, I've made pesto chicken wraps, and I've had some on pasta.  And tonight, I threw some on the grilled eggplant I had just made.  And just for good measure, threw some Daiya Vegan Cheese on top.  And oh, my God.  Heaven.  This is a super easy dish to make, and if you eat enough of it, it could totally be your dinner!  But it would also be an excellent appetizer, and just fancy enough in its simplicity to be party food.  It takes less than 15 minutes to put together - but I swear it won't taste like it.

For grilled eggplant:
1/2 eggplant, cut into thin slices
Cooking spray or olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For topping:
1-2 tsp. basil pesto per eggplant slice
Daiya Vegan Mozzarella Cheese

Heat a nonstick pan with cooking spray.  Place the sliced eggplant over medium heat and fry for about 4 minutes on each side, or until it's browned on the outside and soft on the inside.

You can do this next step either while it's still in the pan, or you can use the oven or microwave.  Spread some pesto on each slice of grilled eggplant and sprinkle with Daiya Cheese.  Heat until it melts.  You can either make them into little eggplant sandwiches or leave them open-faced.  Serve immediately.

Whole Grain Cherry Almond Zucchini Muffins (Low-fat!)

"There's something very summer about cherries," someone at work said to me this week.  I couldn't agree more, and what perfect timing he had, because there just so happened to be a sale on cherries this week.  Organic cherries, at that.  And conditioned by years of watching my mother stockpile groceries, I followed my instincts.  I came home with 5 pounds of dark red cherries, glistening with matte condensation.

Ambitious as I may be, I can't eat 5 pounds of cherries before they go bad.  I needed to find some way to use them, or at least to preserve them.  So I started pitting them (my fingers are still slightly purple), and one episode of Gilmore Girls later, I had a mountain of halved, pitted cherries sitting in front of me.  Begging to be used, and pleading with me to infuse something baked with their tart sweetness.

The flavor combination was easy, because cherries go beautifully with almonds.  Theirs is sort of a famous little affair.  So it was really just a matter of finding the medium I was in the mood for.  In the end, I settled on muffins.  Whole grain muffins, specifically, and ones that would use less fat.  Muffins I could eat a few more of without feeling guilty.  Which turned out to be a very wise choice in this case, as these muffins turned out to be heavenly - a little too heavenly for comfort, actually.

Mine turned out to be pretty moist, which is partly due to the substitution of applesauce for some of the oil, and partly due to the shredded zucchini and squash (I used half zucchini and half yellow squash simply because that's what I had in my kitchen, but you should feel free to use all of either, if you only have one or the other).  The fresh chopped cherries add a tart sweetness, the perfect complement to the almond flour and extract.

The bottom line is that they're fabulous, and would be wonderful to eat any time of day (I, um, may have turned them into my dinner tonight).  So next time you find yourself wondering how to use those cherries you just bought, try this recipe out.  And I dare you to stop at just one.

Whole Grain Cherry Almond Zucchini Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup combination of teff flour, brown rice flour, and sorghum flour
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup smooth applesauce
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup shredded/pureed zucchini and/or yellow squash
1 egg
1 tsp. flaxseed meal + 1 tbsp. warm water
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract (optional)
3/4 cup chopped (pitted) cherries

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line a muffin tray or spray with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and mix well.  In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, applesauce, shredded zucchini/squash, sugar, egg, flaxseed meal and water, and vanilla and almond extracts.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to mix.  Add the chopped cherries (with as little of the water as possible) and stir to mix.

Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin tins.  Bake at 350 F for 25 - 35 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.  These end up being very moist even after baking for a long time, so definitely take them out after 35 minutes.

No Bake Chex Mix Granola Bars

I've had a couple of attempts at granola bars recently, mainly because they can get so expensive to buy at the store.  So far, mine have mostly turned into granola because they just won't flippin' stay together long enough to be called bars. 

I won't claim that these are the sturdiest of bars.  But as you can see, they stayed in the shape of bars long enough to be photographed.  So that's something.  They actually stayed bars all day, especially if they were in the fridge.  I don't think they'd necessarily survive a long hike in a backpack (at least, not without some serious tupperware protection), but they have definite potential for someone who is looking for bars for light use. I know I'll be making them again.

And they are really, really tasty.  A friend of mine had sent me a link for Grain-free Granola Bars, and I thought, why not?  It fits in with my general pursuit of bars at the moment.  But I'm not grain-free, nor did I want to rely solely on nuts for my bars.  So I adapted it and added some finely ground-up honey nut chex, and more honey than what was originally called for.  I also studded mine with some crushed chocolate chips because.....well, I don't have a reason, actually.  Because chocolate is never a bad thing to add. 

If you want a stickier bar, feel free to add more honey, or maybe some agave nectar or maple syrup.  Experiment with your own favorite combination of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.  Go with Cinnamon Chex instead of Honey Nut.  Make these your own!

No Bake Chex Mix Granola Bars (Adapted from "Grain-free Granola Bars" on the Joyful Abode blog)
Makes one 8 x 8 pan of granola bars (about 15 small bars)
*You can double this recipe for thicker bars, or for a 9 x 13 pan.

1 cup Honey Nut Chex, ground finely
1/4 cup almond meal
3/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds, ground finely (but not into a paste/butter!)
2 - 3 tbsp. of combination of flax seeds, chia seeds, and sesame seeds, ground up finely
1 tsp. salt
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (I used Let's Go Organic 40% Reduced Fat)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or your favorite dried fruit)
1/2 cup honey
2 tbsp. coconut oil (substitute another oil or butter if you don't have it)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 - 1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Don't preheat the oven.  They're no-bake - yay!

Line an 8 x 8 pan with a sheet of wax paper (believe me, you'll want to have that paper there or you'll never get these out of the pan whole).

In a large bowl, combine the ground chex, almond meal, ground sunflower seeds, salt, ground flax, chia, and sesame seeds, dried cranberries, and the shredded coconut.

In a small saucepan, heat combine the honey, coconut oil, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Heat over low-medium heat until melted and it starts to bubble.  Pour over the dry mixture and stir well to coat.

Pour it into the pan and if desired, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the mixture (they might melt a little if it's still warm from the honey/coconut oil).  Using another piece of wax paper, press it really hard into the pan.  Like, really hard.  Remember, you want these to become bars!

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.  When ready to eat, remove the wax paper from the pan and cut into bars.  Store in the fridge so they stay in bar form.

Gluten Free Ratio Rally: Pasta!

Sadly, this month was a little too busy for me to participate in the gluten-free ratio rally.  I had one feeble attempt at pasta a few weeks ago and then time slipped away from me until it was too close to the deadline to start over.

But despite my own failure to participate, you should definitely head over to Jenn's blog, Jenn Cuisine.  Jenn hosted this month's event, and her recipe for Tagliatelle with Smoked Salmon can be found here. 

Pasta rocks.  We all know it.  And that's all the more reason to go and check out all of the amazing recipes that people came up with this month for gluten-free pasta.  Pasta we can not only eat, but make in our own kitchens!  I encourage you to check all of them out!  And join us next month for cakes with Kate of Gluten-free Gobsmacked hosting.

Brooke from B & the Boy! made Ravioli w/strawberry filling and chocolate berry sauce
Caneel from Mama Me Gluten Free made Multi-grain fettuccine
Charissa from Zest Bakery made Linguini with smoked salmon and creamy vodka sauce
Erin from The Sensitive Epicure made Ravioli w/ shrimp, spinach, mushrooms, & cheese filling in browned butter
Gretchen from Kumquat made Vegetable lasagna
Jenn from Jenn Cuisine made Tagliatelle with smoked salmon, peas and parmesan
Lisa from Gluten Free Canteen made Lokshen kugel
Karen from Cooking Gluten Free made Homemade gluten free pasta
Mary Fran from Frannycakes made Pasta with pink vodka sauce
Meaghan from The Wicked Good Vegan made Vegan gluten-free homemade pasta, in creamy artichoke tagliatelle
Meg from Gluten-Free Boulangerie made Fettuccine with sun-dried tomatoes
Pete and Kelli from No Gluten, No Problem made Tortellini
Rachel from The Crispy Cook made Smoked paprika noodles with garlic scapes and herbs
Shauna of Gluten Free Girl made Gluten free fresh pasta
Silvana from Silvana’s Kitchen made Lemon-poppy pasta with tomato, corn and basil
Tara from A Baking Life made Fazzoletti with wild mushrooms and spring onions
TR from No One Likes Crumbley Cookies made Tomato basil pork raviolis

Cheesy Meatball Wrap

Here's a super simple meal idea for dinner, and a way to use some leftovers.  Make a batch of Savory Dinner Crepes and melt some Daiya Vegan Cheese onto it while it's heating in the pan.  Heat up pretty much any random leftovers that sound good to you (I had some delicious Sweet and Tangy Cherry Apple Meatballs from the previous day) and use them to fill each crepe once the cheese is melted. You could load the crepes with roasted vegetables, or with any meat of your choice; with cheese and fruit; with taco meat; with beans; with whatever your heart desires/whatever your fridge contains! 

Once they're filled, fold over; eat.  So fast, so simple, and totally delicious.  So simple I won't even put it into recipe form.  This is a purely prose recipe.  And these wraps are so convincing that they won't even crumble if you refrigerate them for a few days; they still bend. 

Enjoy the dinner mix and match!

Blueberry Cobbler Granola

I'll confess that granola is not actually what I set out to make yesterday.  I was trying to make snack bars.  You know, the kind that, uh, don't fall apart when you try to eat them.  But this turned out to be an ambitious goal.  No matter how much honey I added, they stubbornly refused to stay together in bar form.

But that's ok.  I was putting too much pressure on them to be something they're not.  This was a granola recipe from the beginning.  I see that now.

And once I just let it be granola, it all fell into place. At first I was going to call this Blueberry Muffin Granola, but when I shared it with two of my friends, they immediately said it tasted more like cobbler.  Which makes sense, since it probably shares more ingredients with cobbler than muffins.  But, the point is really that it will taste like a delicious baked blueberry dessert of some kind, and you'll probably have a hard time not eating all of it from the pan.

I had originally added only 1/4 cup of honey, but after baking them for about 20 minutes, it was clear that the mixture was too dry to stay together in bar form.  So I added another 1/4 cup in the hopes that this would help - but it didn't.  And then I ended up with really sticky, soft granola.  Which, again, was delicious, but feel free to adjust the amount of honey according to your own tastes, since it's not going to stay together anyway.

I'm sure this would be wonderful with other add-ins - maybe some flax or chia seeds, or nuts, or a different combination of dried fruit.  Go crazy if you feel like it.  But if you're a blueberry fan, stick with what you know.  You won't be disappointed.

Blueberry Cobbler Granola

1 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 - 1 cup dried blueberries
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 - 1/2 cup honey
2 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 - 3/4 cup vanilla almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line a 8 x 8 pan with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, toss the oats, coconut, blueberries, salt, and cinnamon together.  Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl and mix together lightly, then toss with the oats.

Spread over the pan evenly and place in the oven for at least 30 minutes (for a softer granola) and for up to 50 minutes (for a crunchier granola).  Stir around every 10 minutes or so, and remove when you're happy with how browned it is.

Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.  If there's any left.

Savory Dinner Crepes

These were delightful.  I was feeling like pancakes tonight, but the thought of the heaviness stopped me (even though breakfast at dinner is one of my favorite things).  So, despite being sorely tempted to use the blueberries I got on sale last week to make fluffy syrup-laden flapjacks, I opted for a lighter option.  One I could fill with something healthy.  I had some roasted vegetables leftover from last night.  I had eggs.  I had Daiya cheese.  It was a done deal.

This recipe was adapted from one I found in Living Without.  I adjusted the amounts for being a single girl living alone who does not need to eat 15 crepes for dinner.  I also made it entirely whole grain - no starches in these!

And they turned out to be fabulous.  Soft and fluffy.  Bendable.  And the ingredients are so simple and minimalist, with no sugar or salt added.  They hold together so well that I suspect (although I have not yet tried it) that these could function as wraps to be eaten on the go.  You could get creative and add herbs or spices to them.  These were my first try and I loved them plain, but hey, you should go nuts.  They're going to be your dinner, not mine - so add whatever you think will taste good.  These are a delicious way to dress up your favorite ingredients for a healthy dinner or lunch!

Savory Dinner Crepes
Makes 4 medium crepes

2 tsp. Earth Balance Buttery Spread, melted and cooled
1 egg
1/6 cup sorghum flour
1/6 cup brown rice flour
1/8 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (I used Sunsational Sunflower Milk - have you tried it?  It's pretty tasty!)

Beat together the melted Earth Balance and the egg.  In a separate small bowl, mix the sorghum flour, rice flour, and xanthan gum and add to the egg mixture and beat to combine.  Add the non-dairy milk little by little, mixing to incorporate each bit before adding more.  It will be thicker than regular crepe batter, but thinner than pancake batter. 

Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.  When the pan is hot, add about 1/4 cup of batter and spread evenly around the pan, either by tilting the pan or by using a spatula.  Cook for 2 - 4 minutes or until the first side is browned, and then flip it over and cook until the other side is browned (for about another 1 - 3 minutes).  Remove to a plate to keep warm.

Fill with anything you like!  I filled one with roasted yellow squash, red peppers, onions, and mushrooms.  Then for the other, I beat one egg with 1 tsp. water and cooked it over medium-high heat spread thinly over the pan like a crepe.  I sprinkled some Daiya Vegan Cheese over it and added some salt and pepper.  Then when it was done, I folded it up into the real crepe.  They were both fantastic.

Heavenly Healthy Vanilla Blondies

Some blondies weigh you down, you know?  The fat.  The cup after cup of sugar.  But not these.  These blondies are better than that.

I could tell you what I think about them.  I could tell you how addictive they are, and how guilt-free you should feel eating them (at least relatively speaking).  I could get into my many thoughts on that subject.

But maybe it would be more compelling for you to hear a sampling of adjectives from the many people in my life who had a chance to try these:  Amazing.  Awesome.  Delicious.  Addictive.  Wonderful.  Something you definitely should make again.

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. 

These use a can of chickpeas as their base, but don't worry about it tasting beany.  It really doesn't.  I will warn you that an ever-so-slightly bitter aftertaste may linger on your tongue, but I barely noticed it, and others didn't notice it at all.  The vanilla really knocks the bean taste out of the picture in these.  I ate several warm from the oven and had to force myself to walk away.  I brought them all to work the next day just to avoid eating the rest of them all by myself.

So don't be afraid of the beans - embrace the beans.  The short story is, these are divine.  And blissful.  And light.

Heavenly Healthy Vanilla Blondies
Makes one 9x13  pan

1 can chickpeas
2 1/2 tbsp. peanut butter or Sunbutter (or you can substitute another nut butter)
2 tbsp. Marshmallow Fluff
1/4 cup applesauce
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1/3 cup potato starch
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine the flours together with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  In a food processor, combine the rest of the ingredients and blend until very smooth.  Add the flour mixture and continue to pulse until smooth.  Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.  Spread evenly into the pan and bake at 350 F for 30 - 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

These are fabulous right from the oven but become even more moist and lovely after sitting overnight.

Fudgy (but secretly healthy) Brownie Batter Dip

I've become ever-so-slightly obsessed with finding healthy ways to pig out on foods we all love to indulge in.  Like cookie dough, for instance.  Mmmm, cookie dough - why is it that it tastes so much better than the cookies themselves?  I've pondered the same question for brownies.  Maybe more than is normal.  There's something illicit about eating brownie batter, and at the same time, nostalgic. And, you know....sometimes unsafe.

But fear no more, because there is nothing unsafe about these.  No raw eggs.  Just raw awesomeness.  It takes mere minutes (minutes!) to throw together, and the only problem is that it might take an equally short amount of time before it's gone.

I know that this is pictured on a cracker here.  But I'll be honest with you - even though I'm calling this a dip, I know you won't judge me if I tell you that I ate most of it straight out of the bowl with a spoon.  After all, that's how brownie batter was meant to be enjoyed: unmitigated in its delicious fudginess.

Fudgy (but secretly healthy) Brownie Batter Dip

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
3 - 4 tbsp. cocoa powder (to your own taste)
2 tbsp. Marshmallow Fluff or Ricemellow Vegan Marshmallow Cream
2 tbsp. agave nectar
1/4 cup brown sugar (more or less to your own taste)
2 tbsp. nut butter (I used a combination of peanut butter and sunbutter)
2 tbsp. smooth applesauce
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tbsp. flaxseed meal (optional)
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine everything but the chocolate chips in a food processor and blend until very smooth.  Adjust everything to your own taste.  Remove to a bowl and stir in the chocolate chips.  Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.  For best results, eat with a spoon, or serve as a dip with gluten-free graham crackers.

Tangy Vegan Chili

And just when I thought I couldn't be surprised by chili!  This is a recipe I have actually been meaning to post since a few months ago, when I first had it at a party hosted by my friends Matt and Mimi (click on their names to check out their fabulous blogs). It was an April Fool's party, and there was talk of chili, so I came with a batch of my banana cornbread muffins in tow, still warm from the oven.  Before I'd even climbed all of the stairs, I could smell the chili wafting down to me.  And if it smelled good, it tasted even better.

Matt made the chili, but says the recipe comes from his mom, Fonda Lowe.  It's a forgiving recipe, and most of the spices can be added to your own taste.  What you see below is an adaptation of what Matt did, which was based largely on the availability of ingredients in my kitchen when I made it.  It is quick and easy to throw together.  You can use any beans you want - black, white, pinto, chili.  Go to town!  The taste offers a slight departure, but one you'll be glad you took - trust me.  It's a chili that might not taste exactly like the chili you're used to.  That's because of a few less traditional - but brilliant - additional ingredients.  This chili is smoky and sweet, with a little kick and tang.

The other wonderful thing about this chili for me was that it introduced me to an ingredient I had never tried before: textured vegetable protein (Bob's Red Mill makes a gluten-free one!  I haven't checked any other brands.).  And therein lies the secret to the "meatiness" of this vegan chili.  TVP is super easy to use and expands into hearty little chunks that add an air of dense protein to the chili. 

It's seriously, seriously good.  Just try making it and not practically licking the pot clean.

Tangy Vegan Chili

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, chopped finely
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 large or 2 small green peppers, diced
2 tbsp. tomato paste + 1 1/2 cups water OR 1 can diced tomatoes (with the juice) + water to cover all ingredients
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Textured Vegetable Protein
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 - 2 tsp. chili powder (to taste)
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 bottle Trader Joe's Barbecue Sauce
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed well
2 - 4 tsp. liquid smoke (optional, but highly recommended) (Colgin is gluten-free!)

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the olive oil and onion in a pot and cook over medium heat for about 4 - 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and continue to cook until the onion is translucent.  Add the green pepper, tomato paste, water, textured vegetable protein, spices, barbecue sauce, black beans, and liquid smoke and stir well.  Bring to a low boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 - 30 minutes, or longer.  Basically, you should simmer it until you are happy with the way it tastes.  Add more water as needed if you're going to simmer it for a longer period of time.  It's delicious on its own or served with corn bread.

Reposted in Australia!

First, let me apologize for not posting all that much over the last few weeks - my computer broke and is (allegedly) being repaired.  But I've got a ton of awesome recipes just waiting to go up, including Healthy Brownie Batter Dip, Healthy Cookie Dough Dip, Jam Pocket Cookies, Cinnamon-Sugar Rugulach, and Soft Chickpea Wrap Pizza.  So get ready for more deliciousness in the weeks to come!

In other news, one of my recipes was featured on the blog of the Australasian Baker, the National Baking Industry Association of Australia!!  Click here to see the post.  It will also be appearing in their print magazine!  It's hard to conceive of people on the other side of the world looking at my blog and trying my recipes, but it's a huge honor to have been featured!

Cheesy Eggy Toasted Quinoa

Toasted quinoa. Where have you been all my life?

This is one of those meals that is so simple, and so quick, that you couldn't imagine it would be quite as delicious as it is. But I did not want this one to end. This was an absolutely heavenly new way to experience one of my favorite grains (I got the idea from this blog).  The slightly nutty flavor of quinoa becoming crunchy and toasted on the stovetop, with melted Daiya cheese and dried thyme, and then topped off with a runny fried egg - perfection. Simple flavors that combine into a lovely meal that is at once both light and hearty.  I would eat this for any meal, to be honest with you, but have had it mostly for dinner so far. One of my friends did make it for breakfast and loved it in the morning. So there you go - solid proof that it's delicious any time of the day.

Cheesy Eggy Toasted Quinoa
Serves one

Cooking spray
1/2 - 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 cup Daiya Vegan Cheese
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste

Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and spread the quinoa out in a single layer (or as close as possible).  Sprinkle the thyme in and toast it over medium heat, stirring only occasionally, until it starts to brown. 

Make a good-sized well in the middle of the quinoa and crack the egg into it.  Make sure it has enough room to spread out and cook evenly or the quinoa will burn before it's done!  Sprinkle the Daiya cheese over the whole thing and continue to to toast, reducing the heat slightly.  When the egg is as done as you'd like it to be and the "cheese" is melted, transfer the whole thing to a plate.  Add salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!

Top Hat Cookie Dough Balls

I'm borderline obsessed with these cookie dough balls (as you may have noticed given how many times I've posted about them).  So a few weeks ago, a friend was over at my house, and I decided to make them with a slight twist.  I decided to give them hats.  Chocolate hats.

Now, these cookie dough balls do not need the chocolate hats in order to be delicious.  (And by the way, they're inspired by the "Fudge Baby" recipes on Chocolate-Covered Katie's blog.) They are addictive and wonderful (and relatively healthy!) totally on their own.  But....they were pretty fabulous with the chocolate ganache as a topping.  Dangerously so, in fact.  Mine weren't very nicely shaped (as you can see), but if your experience is anything like mine, they won't be around long enough for anyone to notice.

Top Hat Cookie Dough Balls

7 dates, pitted
1/3 cup cashews, lightly salted
1/3 cup oats
1/3 cup coconut flakes
2 tsp. (or more!) vanilla
Dash of salt
1 tbsp. flaxseed meal (if desired)
1 - 2 tbsp. marshmallow cream or Ricemellow vegan cream
1 - 3 tbsp. So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer (Original flavor)
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For ganache topping:
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 - 4 tbsp. So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer

Combine the first 9 ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  You want to be able to shape these with your hands into little balls, so if it's too runny, add some more oats, coconut, or cashews to make it thicker.

Roll the dough into balls and arrange on a plate.

In a small pan, melt the chocolate chips and So Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer together just until it forms a thick melted chocolate paste.  Spread the chocolate ganache onto the top of each ball of dough.  You can eat them right away, or chill them in the refrigerator or freezer until you're ready to serve them.  They are delicious at any temperature!