Low(er) Fat Banana Bread

Old habits die really, really hard.  It turns out that with me, procrastination always manifests itself in baking.  I can't get away from it.  I find it particularly hard to stay out of the kitchen when I have a looming reading assignment, or a tedious paper to write.  And as a new graduate student, I am very quickly lapsing back into the ways of my undergraduate days.  Thus, the result of homework assignments for me often look like this (see above picture).

I don't know if you can really make something like banana bread truly healthy unless you pare it down to just the banana, but with this recipe, I tried to make it less atrociously fattening.  I replaced half the oil called for in the original recipe with my homemade applesauce, and I used olive oil instead of butter or shortening, which is the good kind of fat (monounsaturated fat).  So yes - you have free license not to feel guilty about eating this one.  This was also my first attempt at using chestnut flour.  Chestnut flour looks a bit like sorghum, but perhaps a bit finer grind, and has a lovely nutty smell and flavor that can be a delicious addition to baked goods.  A bag of it was given to me by a friend, who tried making a cake with only chestnut flour and found it to be far too overpowering.  So, heeding her advice, I used only a small bit in this recipe, and I think it was a success!

And oh, my goodness, this was good.  If the pictures look good, it tasted 100 times better.  My apartment smelled like fresh banana bread long before it was actually done, leading to a fairly torturous 40 minute wait until it was finished baking and I could try a piece hot from the oven.  It tastes just like I remember banana bread tasting, and it didn't crumble apart like so many other sad attempts at gluten-free baking. It baked beautifully all the way through, with a lovely brown crust on top and perfect moist consistency on the inside, and no mushy, forgotten wet pockets.  I made mine plain, but this would be delicious with chocolate chips, nuts, or coconut mixed into the batter, too.  You could even go crazy and swirl in some peanut butter or sunflower seed butter right into the bread!  (Disclaimer:  all of those suggestions would totally negate the effort to make this a "lower fat" banana bread - but - would make it taste even more amazing.)

So if you have a deadline coming up, this is the project for you.  Set those books aside, roll up your sleeves, and start mashing some bananas.

Low(er) Fat Banana Bread

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
3 ripe bananas, mashed well
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (make sure it's gluten-free!)
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup chestnut flour (can substitute sorghum flour if desired)
2/3 cup white rice flour
2/3 cup potato starch
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 tsp. sea salt (optional)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

2 - 3 tbsp. non-dairy milk
Optional additional mix-ins:  chocolate chips, flaked coconut, your favorite kind of nut or dried fruit

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Spray a standard bread pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine the olive oil, applesauce, and sugar.  Beat in the eggs, and then the mashed bananas until the batter is fairly smooth (your odd chunk of banana or applesauce is fine).  Add the vanilla extract and stir to blend.  You can beat with a handmixer, but it works just fine if you mix by hand, too!

In a separate bowl, measure the gluten-free flours and mix them together with the baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, and cinnamon (if desired) until well-blended.  Add about one quarter of the flour mixture at a time to the wet ingredients, stirring well each time.  Finally, add 2 - 3 tablespoons of non-dairy milk (I used Trader Joe's Organic Whole Grain Drink) and mix well.

Pour the batter into the bread pan and place in the oven immediately.  Bake for about 1 hour, but start checking it after 45 minutes to see if it is done (ovens may be hotter than the temperature you set them for!).  When a toothpick or knife comes out of the tallest part of the loaf clean, it's done!

Serve warm or chilled.  With gluten-free baked goods, you will usually preserve the freshness better by freezing individual slices and then defrosting/reheating as needed.

Tip:  If you like peanut butter, there is probably no better snack than peanut butter on banana bread!

"Cheesy" Chicken Parmesan

Remember chicken parmesan, fellow dairy- and gluten-free friends?  Remember the cheesy goodness that melted onto the chicken, and the delightful sprinkling of parmesan cheese that danced across the pasta?

Well, remember no more.  Taste.

Well, I won't go so far as to claim that this tastes exactly like the "real" thing.  I don't even know that I can fully remember what the "real" thing tastes like at this point.  But - what I can claim that this is really, really good.  Daiya Vegan Cheese is, in my opinion, the best cheese substitute out there right now, at least of the ones I have tried.  And I have tried a lot of them, friends.  This is so simple to throw together, it will be done before you know it.  But it won't taste that way.


"Cheesy" Chicken Parmesan

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast per person
Marinara sauce (your favorite brand - I used Prego Tomato Basil Marinara)
Daiya Vegan Mozzarella Cheese
Thai Kitchen Rice Noodles

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

In a frying pan, saute the chicken breast until both sides are browned.  Place in a small baking dish, and spoon marinara sauce over the top, and then sprinkle with a generous topping of the Daiya cheese.  Place in the oven for about 10 - 15 minutes, until the chicken is done and the cheese is all melted.

Bring about 3 cups of water to a boil.  Place your dry Thai Kitchen noodles in a glass bowl, and pour the boiling water over them so they are completely covered.  Let the noodles soak for at least 4 - 6 minutes, or until they are done to your liking.  Drain, then remove to a pan and toss with heated marinara sauce.  Sprinkle in a bit of the Daiya cheese and stir until it melts into the sauce. 

Serve pasta next to a baked chicken breast.  Most fun is to eat pasta by twirling with a spoon.

Blueberry Applesauce

It's apple season.  That means weekend trips to apple orchards to take a hayride out into the tree thickets, munching on delicious fruit straight from the tree as you forage for apples that have somehow escaped the notice of apple-pickers past.  A breeze drifts by and you notice a slight chill in the air.  There are children and parents carefully selecting large pumpkins from a hay-strewn patch.

This story almost always ends the same way.  Caught up in the romantic notion of autumn, surrounded by flowering trees and with apples practically falling at your feet, you buy a bag.  Perhaps you buy a 20 pound bag.  And then you get home, and you stare at the bag of apples you've bought, and you think:  What the heck am I going to do with these?

I have yet to finish my own apples from last weekend off, and I only took one-third of the bag that my cousin, her boyfriend, and I bought.  But for a start, I decided to try making applesauce.  And then, halfway through cooking it, I decided to make half of it blueberry applesauce because....well, just because.  Because I had blueberries, and I was curious.  And oh, am I glad I did... 

Both versions of this turned out to be delicious.  You can add more or less sugar (even no sugar!) depending on your own taste and how sweet your apples are on their own.  Mine were a bit tart, so I went the sugar route.  But you don't have to follow this recipe exactly.  Let it tell you what to do.  And if you don't want the blueberries?  Leave 'em out!  Or add your own favorite fruit, and see what happens.

Blueberry Applesauce

6 medium-large apples, peeled, cored, and quartered
1 cup water
up to 1/4 cup brown sugar
up to 1/4 cup white sugar
2 tbsp. lemon juice OR 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
3 sticks cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
dash of vanilla extract (if desired - make sure it's gluten-free!)
1 cup frozen blueberries, rinsed

Place everything but the blueberries into a large pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes, or until the apples are becoming very soft.  Adjust the spices and sugar to your own taste.  Add the blueberries and stir well.  Continue to simmer for another 10 - 15 minutes until the fruit is falling apart.  Remove from heat and mash with a potato masher or a fork.

If desired, serve warm over ice cream or cake, or serve chilled.

Sauteed Asparagus with Dill

A breezy summer evening.  Grilling in the shady warmth of a patio overflowing with thriving green plants.  The smell of hickory almost hugging you as it bastes your dinner in its aroma.  Fat pieces of chicken sizzling under a thick, red, homemade barbecue sauce, which caramelizes slowly over the heat of the coals.

And inside, the smell of asparagus filling the room as it jumps lightly in the pan, hopping with bursts of heat.  The perfect green complement to the deep red of barbecued chicken and light, summery yellow of roasted corn.  All tasting delightfully of hickory.

My cousin Erin used a simple recipe for this asparagus, and one that can pretty much entirely made to your own taste, so the measurements are not exact.  It's what you want it to be. 

And on top of being delicious, asparagus packs a nice punch of nutrients, being high in magnesium, zinc, and iron.  It's also rich in protein, fiber, and an array of vitamins, including vitamins A, C, E, and K.  It's a wonderful weight-loss food, too, as it's very low in fat.  Can it get any better?

So, enjoy!  Saute up some of this asparagus to go with any meal, and adjust the seasonings to your own taste.  You can't go wrong - I promise.

Sauteed Asparagus with Dill

Trimmed asparagus tops

Olive oil to taste

1 tsp. dill (or to taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

Wash the asparagus in cool water.  Trim by removing the bottom third of each stalk, which is the toughest part.  If you bend the asparagus, it will break naturally at the point at which it goes from tender to tough.  How convenient!

In a large nonstick pan, heat the olive oil.  Add the asparagus (add only enough at one time to create a single layer) and turn to coat with the oil.  Sprinkle about 1 tsp. of dill and salt and pepper over the entire layer (or more or less depending on your own taste) and continue to saute for another 5 - 10 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender but still slightly crispy.  It should be bright green in color still.  Serve immediately, or if you are serving it later, cover until ready to eat. 

Check out other recipes that use asparagus on Foodista:

Asparagus

Fresh Summer Vegetable Marinara Sauce

Talk about a fresh dish for a warm summer evening.   You will feel healthy after eating this sauce - trust me.  All of the ingredients for this sauce came straight from the farmer's market and their colors - and flavors - burst out of the sauce.  I recently discovered my food processor buried in the basement, kept in storage during my year away in Swaziland, and - feeling inspired - I used it to grate all of the vegetables that went into this sauce, making it more uniformly delicious with every bite.  I also used only minimal spices so as not to overwhelm the natural freshness and flavors of the veggies.  This became a rather dry sauce, as I let most of the liquid boil off of it, and it ended up with the consistency of a very thick pesto more than anything else (which I enjoyed).  Keep it covered if you want it to be soupier.  But have faith.  Let it do its thing.   Let it simmer away and voila - a beautiful sauce will emerge, one that is slightly sweet from the carrots, a bit tart from the tomatoes, and all around delicious.  

Fresh Summer Vegetable Marinara Sauce

1/2 white onion

1 large carrot

3 cloves garlic, minced

5 juicy and ripe tomatoes

4 stalks bitter greens (kale, turnip greens, spinach, etc.)

1/2 red bell pepper

1 tbsp. olive oil (or less if you can get away with it)

Handful of fresh basil, chopped, or 1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1 - 2 splashes of gluten-free balsamic vinegar to taste (I used Trader Joe's brand)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Prepare your favorite pasta as directed (I used Tinkyada Whole Grain Spaghetti Noodles).

Cut the carrots and onion into large chunks and feed into the food processor to grate (or, if you don't have one, grate them by hand).  Grate the bell pepper and set aside.  Heat the olive oil in your pan and add the carrots and onion; stir to coat well.  Cook over medium heat for about 5 - 7 minutes.  After about 2 minutes, add the minced garlic and stir.

Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes into large chunks and place directly into the food processor.  Blitz them a few times until you have a chunky sauce, and add this to the carrot and onion mixture.  Rinsing out your food processor between batches, chop the bitter greens the same way. 

If you are using fresh basil, chop it into rough pieces and add them to the pot, along with the oregano, salt, and pepper.  Add one splash of balsamic vinegar to taste, and taste it again after about 2 minutes.  Add some more if you feel it needs it. 

Continue to cook over medium-low heat, uncovered, for about 5 - 7 more minutes, or until you are happy with the taste and/or your pasta is done.  

Serve over your favorite pasta and top with Vegan Parmesan Cheese or Daiya Vegan Cheese, if desired.  

Suggestions for using leftovers:   

-Place a corn tortilla on a nonstick pan and spread half with the marinara sauce and half with Daiya Vegan Cheese.  Cook until cheese is melted, then fold and enjoy!

-Mix with shredded turkey or chicken and eat over a bed of lettuce as a salad or in a sandwich.

Raspberry Jelly Roll

This is the beautiful cake that was waiting for me when I arrived home on my birthday.  My mom had sent me a flurry of text messages while I was out with some friends celebrating.  It turned out that she was asking me what kind of jam I wanted in my birthday jelly roll.  After a rapid back-and-forth of flavor discussions, we finally settled on raspberry.  And it was a good choice, and the jam was even homemade!  This is a lovely, light cake that looks fancy and tastes even better!

Raspberry Jelly Roll (Adapted from "The Joy of Cooking" by Irma Rombauer)
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/8 cup tapioca starch
1/8 cup potato starch
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup white sugar, divided
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (optional - we didn't use them)
Confectioner's sugar
3/4 - 1 cup raspberry jam (other flavor suggestions: blackberry, strawberry, apricot, blueberry, etc.)

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Grease a 15 ½" x 10 ½" x 1" rimmed baking sheet (jelly roll pan) and line the bottom with wax or parchment paper.  Do not grease the top of the wax/parchment paper.

Sift flours together with baking powder and salt and whisk in a bowl until thoroughly blended.

Separate the eggs and set the egg whites aside.  Beat all four egg yolks at medium-high speed for 1 minute.  Gradually add 1/2 cup of the sugar and beat until pale and thick.  Gradually add the flour and beat on low speed until smooth.

Using clean beaters, beat the 4 egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl at medium-high speed until soft peaks form.  Slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry.

Using a rubber spatula, fold one-quarter of the whites into the batter, and then carefully fold in the remaining whites.  If desired, fold in the 1/2 cup nuts.

Scrape the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan and spread evenly.  Bake until the top is golden brown and springs back when lightly pressed, about 10 - 12 minutes.  Run a knife along the edges to release the cake from the pan.  Remove the browned crust from the top (it will become crumbly if rolled up with the jam).  Invert the cake onto a sheet of aluminum foil that has been sprinkled with confectioner's sugar (to ensure even distribution of sugar, use a sifter to sprinkle it onto the foil).

Let the cake cool completely before peeling off the wax/parchment paper.  Once it has been removed, spread the entire top of the cake evenly with the jam of your choice. 

To roll the cake up (quoted from "The Joy of Cooking"):

"Starting at a short end, fold and press and inch or so of the cake firmly up over the filling to get started.  Keep these first turns tight; cracking will diminish as the diameter of the roll increases.  Use the sheet of foil under the cake to help roll the cake.  Once the cake is rolled, use two hands to move the roll carefully back to the center of the foil.  Wrap the back of the foil over the cake so that it overlaps the front portion of foil, covering the roll completely and tightly.  Place in the refrigerator to firm the roll before unwrapping and serving."

Notes:  

-Other fillings could include gluten-free custard, buttercream icing, poppy seed filling, chocolate spread, espresso/coffee spread, ganache, or your favorite nut butter.
-The jelly roll became more moist on the second and third days.  If you are keeping it beyond 2-3 days, slice into individual portions and keep in the freezer until ready to serve.

Cheesy Turkey Quesadilla with Mango-Ginger Chutney

My mom has been trying to clean out the shelves in our freezer now for the last few weeks to make room for our frozen fruit order, which we use to make a huge amount of jam each year.  The biggest obstacles to achieving that goal were two fat, frozen turkeys that sat perched on one of the shelves.  Mocking her with the exorbitant amount of space they were taking up. 

So we cooked them.  Both of them...on the same day.  These were not small turkeys, mind you.  Their combined weight was just shy of 50 pounds, and we roasted them all day, one after the other, filling the house with the delicious smell.  I woke up and for a moment, thought it was Thanksgiving.  We cut away the meat for what seemed like hours, never quite seeming to find the end of it, filling up containers and gallon freezer bags with the succulent and tender meat.  About 20 people came to the gathering at which this turkey was served, and while they did their part in helping us consume it, we are still swimming in the leftovers.  I don't mind this, as I love turkey and haven't eaten it in over a year, and hey - it's a chance to get a bit creative with how to use it.  This is what I came up with today.

This is very quick to make, perfect for a dinner or lunch where you don't have a lot of time to prepare a full meal.  And while I don't usually like the texture of corn tortillas when they haven't been cooked, these puff up into a lovely soft shell for the toppings, and the light sprinkling of garlic, salt and pepper on the outside might make you forget that you're eating one made from corn.  I happened to have Trader Joe's Mango Ginger Chutney on hand, but you could really use any chutney you like for this. 

Cheesy Turkey Quesadilla with Mango-Ginger Chutney


For each quesadilla:
1 - 2 tbsp. of your favorite chutney (I used Trader Joe's Mango Ginger Chutney)
~1/3 cup Daiya Vegan Mozarella Cheese
~1/3 cup shredded turkey (or shredded chicken)
1 gluten-free corn tortilla
Any other toppings you like! (sliced bell peppers, mushrooms, red onions, etc.)
Cooking spray
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Spray a small nonstick pan with the cooking oil, coating well.  Sprinkle a generous amount of garlic powder over the cooking spray evenly, and then add a little salt and pepper as well (to your own taste).  Place 1 corn tortilla in the pan and push it around the pan a bit to coat it well with the cooking spray and spices.

Spread about 1 - 2 tbsp. of the chutney over the tortilla.  Sprinkle cheese over the chutney, and then evenly place the rest of your toppings on top of the cheese.  Cook over medium-high heat for about 4 - 6 minutes until the cheese is melted, and then fold in half and continue to cook for another minute or so to brown both sides.  Serve immediately.

You-Won't-Believe-It's-Gluten-Free Focaccia

Look at those beautiful air pockets.  Just look at them.

It's like real bread.  It tastes like real bread, it got beautiful and brown like real bread, and best of all - it's springy like real bread.  You know how most commercial gluten-free breads have the consistency of chalk, or a rock?  Not this one.  You can try to push this one down, but it will spring right back up, almost defiantly - just like gluten-ful bread.

I added some herbs to this to make it more savory, but leave them out for a more versatile bread.  You can easily slice this in half and make a sandwich out of it, or toast it and drizzle honey over it.  You could even make it into French toast, if you so desired.  Spread cream cheese and jam onto a toasted piece, or just eat it plain.

But whatever you do, make it.  You won't regret it, I promise.  It is so easy to throw together, and half the pan was gone in a matter of 15 minutes in my house.  

This is definitely best served the same day.  It was a little drier the second day, but zapping it in the microwave for about 10 seconds made it just as soft and springy as it had been the day before.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge for best results, or if you're saving it for longer than one day, put it in the freezer and defrost before serving.

Gluten-free Focaccia (Adapted from "1,000 Gluten-free Recipes" by Carol Fenster)

1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup warm water (110 F)
White rice flour for dusting the pan
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup potato starch
1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, best at room temperature
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. cider vinegar

For herbed focaccia, add:
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. onion powder

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water.  Put it in a warm place to let rise and foam.

Grease an 8x8 nonstick pan and dust the bottom and sides lightly with white rice flour.

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and add the eggs, vinegar, oil, and yeast-water mixture.  Beat the dough by hand or with a mixer on low until it is thoroughly blended.  If using a blender, increase the mixer speed to medium and continue beating for 30 seconds or until dough starts to get a bit thicker.  The dough will be very wet and will look more like muffin batter (you won't be able to knead it).

Transfer the dough to the pan.  Spread it to the edges of the pan with a wet spatula or spoon and make sure that it is evenly spread.  Let the dough rise in a warm place for at least 30 minutes, or until it has doubled in height.  If you are making herbed focaccia, spray dough with cooking spray and sprinkle the dough with thyme, italian seasoning, and salt.

Preheat oven to 400 F.  When the dough has risen, place in the preheated oven and bake for 18 - 20 minutes.  It's done when you can push down on it and it springs back.  Remove from oven and cool the focaccia in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack.  Remove it from pan and cool another 10 minutes more on the wire rack.  Slice with a serrated knife.

Store in the fridge for up to one day and reheat when you are ready to serve it.  Otherwise, keep it in the freezer, already sliced, and defrost as needed.  Holds together beautifully for sandwiches or grilled cheese.

Creamy Basil Hummus

I love hummus.  It's one of the things I really missed being able to eat during the last year of living in Swaziland.  Sure, I could find hummus occasionally in the store, but the chances of it being labeled "gluten-free" were slim to none.  And without a food processor, I couldn't even make my own at home.  The same was true of pesto.  I love the taste of pesto, but the availability of pesto, period, was very limited, much less pesto that did not include cheese. 

That's why this recipe is so amazing.  It combines the wonderful, creamy texture of hummus with the fresh, bursting flavor of basil into something that you will not be able to stop eating.  It even packs a nice protein punch from the chickpeas and sesame tahini.  We ate this smeared onto our gluten-free breadsticks at an Italian dinner, and it was the perfect complement to the pasta and salads we were eating.  But I imagine this would be equally delicious spread into a sandwich, or eaten alone with chips.  Try adding different herbs in place of the basil if you have a different favorite!

Thanks to my cousin Erin for sharing her amazing recipe for this blog!

Creamy Basil Hummus

1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 green onion (just the green part, not the white part), chopped
1/8 cup plus 1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. sesame tahini
1 large garlic clove (or more to taste), put through the press
A handful of fresh basil leaves
juice from half a lemon
A tablespoon of water (only for thinning)
Salt to taste (optional, I put a dash in last time)
 
Toss all of the ingredients in a food processor. Process until smooth.


Note: I usually had to add about a tbsp of water so that it will process well.  It lasts a little less than a week in the fridge. Also, I think the "handful of basil" is probably about one of those 3/4 oz. packages of fresh basil you can buy at the store.  I just keep tasting it until I feel like it's the right amount of basil and garlic.

Easy Chili Beans on Toast

This is a recipe for a day when you come home hungry and want something filling that will be ready in about 10 minutes or less.  Or for a day when you have a can of beans you need to use up.

The other day, I found myself in both of those situations.  Sometimes you need a cop-out meal, something fast that will satisfy you and save time.  And sometimes, cop-outs can be delicious.

Easy Chili Beans on Toast

2 slices gluten-free bread, toasted
1 can red kidney beans
1/2 tsp. onion flakes
1/4 tsp. garlic powder (or 1 tsp. minced garlic)
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 - 1/2 cup water, to desired thickness

Place the kidney beans into a skillet and heat them.  Add the spices and stir to coat well.  Continue to cook for another 2 - 3 minutes.  Add the tomato paste and stir to distribute evenly.  Add 1/4 cup of water and stir.  As it boils off, add more if desired.  Cook for another 4 - 5 minutes.

Serve over toasted bread.  Delicious plain, or add melted cheese if you are dairy-tolerant, or top with a fried egg.

Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip Cookies

A quick plug is in order here.  My mother sent me a box of Betty Crocker gluten-free chocolate chip cookie mix to try in Swaziland, and this weekend, I busted it out in honor of a Christmas in June party I attended.  The dough ended up very crumbly, and I was a little doubtful as I shaped it into small balls with my hands. I wasn't sure how convincing their cookie act would be as I watched them begin to rise and expand in the oven.  But, about 9 minutes later, they came out of the oven looking - and smelling - perfect.  Perfect.   As in, chocolate chip cookies exactly the way I remember them from my gluten days.  Slightly browned on the edges, deliciously buttery, warm and chewy on the inside.  This is the only gluten-free mix I've tried from Betty Crocker, and based on how fantastic these were (and how quickly they were gobbled up at the party I took them to),I would highly recommend them!

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Banana Chocolate Chip Macadamia Cookies

This is the kind of joy that can result when you are scrambling to get rid of ingredients in your kitchen before moving.  I found about six kinds of gluten-free flours I need to get rid of, and in my freezer, five frozen, ripe bananas.  A chocolate bar.  Half of a bag of almond meal.  

A friend and I were chatting the other day about substitutions for butter in cookie recipes, and I told her about substituting banana in my oatmeal cookie recipe a few weeks ago.  We wondered if that same substitution could work for any cookie, or if the oats made it work with their bulkiness.

Well, it worked for this one.  It really worked.  I feel absolved of guilt as I indulge in these cookies.

They aren't the kind of cookies that retain their shape in the oven, even after I stuck the dough in the freezer for an hour.  They spread.  But they remain so chewy, so delicious, and so addictive after they come out of the oven that you won't mind. 

Banana Chocolate Chip Macadamia Cookies

1 cup mashed bananas (3 medium ripe bananas, mashed)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg + 1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract OR 1 package vanilla sugar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
3 cups gluten-free flour (What I used:  ¾ cup millet flour, ¾ cup tapioca starch, ¼ cup potato starch, ¼ cup brown rice flour, ½ cup buckwheat flour, ½ cup sorghum flour)
½ cup shredded coconut
¾ cup almond meal
100 grams crushed macadamia nuts
1 chocolate bar, chopped or 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Cream together the mashed bananas and sugars.  Add the egg plus the egg white and beat to mix well.  Add the vanilla/maple extract and stir well.  

In a small mixing bowl, mix together the flours, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Add them, little by little, to the wet ingredients, mixing well.  Add the coconut and almond meal and continue to stir. 

Crush the macadamia nuts into smaller pieces and add them, along with the chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate bar) to the dough.

Place the dough in the refrigerator for an hour or two, or in the freezer for 30 - 45 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 350 F and place about 1 tbsp. of dough on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  These will spread a lot as they bake, so be conservative with the amount of dough you use for each cookie.  Bake for 10 - 14 minutes, or until the edges are just turning brown.  Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack before serving.  They'll harden a bit as they cool, so it's ok (even desired) for them to look a little undercooked when they come out of the oven!

Creamy Soy Ice Cream

Yes, it is freezing in Swaziland.  Frost blankets the landscape in the early morning, even after the first light has peeked over the top of the mountains.  Leaving the house without a coat and gloves is not an option.  In fact, even being inside the house without a coat and gloves is not a smart move, as the lack of central heating makes indoors just as cold, if not colder, than outdoors.

However, not even this can overcome my love of ice cream.  It is probably what I have missed eating most for the last 13 months here in Swaziland, as there are absolutely no commercial gluten- and/or dairy-free options available.  Watching crowds spilling out of KFC during the summer months clutching flaky cones stacked high with deliciously creamy vanilla ice cream was like torture, knowing that I was still months away from enjoying any sort of frozen treat.  I usually averted my eyes, mouth watering, and wanting nothing more than a big bowl of Trader Joe's So Creamy or Purely Decadent.

Recently, the small health food store in town let me borrow a cookbook for allergies and food intolerance, and when I found this recipe, I marched immediately to my kitchen and set to work.  I made vanilla and chocolate chip to begin with, and then later experimented with mint chip and maple flavors.  You can take this basic recipe and turn it into any flavor you want.  I used only one can of coconut cream (165 ml) instead of two to reduce the fat content, and while what I ended up with was not as creamy as regular ice cream, it was still delicious.  Still, if you're after a creamier texture, add that second can of coconut cream and see what happens.

I can guarantee one thing: While it may not be as convincing as some of the commercial brands in the U.S., if you are ice cream-deprived, this will definitely satisfy that craving.  Darryn and I sat shivering in our sweatshirts, under a huge blanket, next to the heater, with hot tea in front of us for damage control, enjoying every last bite of this ice cream.

Creamy Soy Ice Cream (Adapted from "The South African Cookbook for Allergies and Food Intolerance")

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch

pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)

1 medium egg, beaten

1 - 2 tsp. vanilla essence or 2 packets vanilla sugar

1 or 2 165-ml cans (1 1/3 cups) Shogun (or other brand) Coconut Cream OR 1 cup Cool Whip

Mix the sugar, cornflour, salt and a little soy milk until smooth.  Bring the remaining soy milk to the boil.  Stir in the sugar mixture.  Cook, stirring, over low heat for 1 – 2 minutes, until thick.

Stir some of the hot mixture into the beaten egg, then return to remaining mixture in the saucepan.  Stir in the essence.  Allow to cool. 

Stir coconut cream or Orley Whip into cooled mixture. Chill until ice cold. 

Churn in an ice-cream maker or freeze in a bowl in the freezer.  If you follow the second method, beat the mixture twice to break up the ice crystals before freezing until firm.

Serve topped with chocolate syrup, crushed gluten-free cookies, sprinkles, caramel, whipped topping, and a cherry!

You can substitute another type of dairy-free milk for the soy milk if you are avoiding soy; I'd recommend a thicker one like hemp milk or almond milk, but rice milk could work as well.

Some suggestions for delicious routes to take with this base of vanilla ice cream:

Coffee ice cream:  Mix 1 tbsp. strong instant coffee powder with 1 tbsp. boiling water.  Add to the cooked ice cream mixture after adding the essence.

Maple ice cream:  Mix 2 - 3 tsp. maple extract into the cooked ice cream mixture after adding the vanilla essence.

Chocolate ice cream:  Mix 4 tbsp. cocoa powder with boiling water until smooth.  Stir into cooked custard mixture after adding the essence.

Orange ice cream;  Add 1 cup orange juice and 2 tsp. finely grated fresh orange rind just before adding cream to the cooked mixture.  Omit vanilla essence.

Mint chocolate chip ice cream:  Add 1 - 3 tsp. mint essence (to taste) to the mixture in place of the vanilla.  Place in the freezer to cool for 10 - 20 minutes before adding chocolate pieces.  Take ½ dark chocolate bar and cut into small chips or pieces and add to the mixture, stirring well.

Quinoa Black Bean Salad with Roasted Corn and Fresh Avocado

I have a surplus of quinoa in my cupboard at the moment, and I have put myself on grocery lock-down, meaning I am not allowed to buy any more food until I have eaten what is in my kitchen already.  I am preparing to move out of my house, and - in fact - out of Swaziland in a matter of 2 weeks, and I can't stand the thought of wasting the food I've already spent money on.

So, I surveyed my cabinets.  Quinoa.  A can of sweet corn.  Half a bag of black beans.  Done and done.

This tasted even more fantastic with slices of avocado mixed in, but it was also very good on its own.  It's a simple salad, thrown together, and it's best chilled overnight after the flavors have had a chance to develop nicely. 

Quinoa Black Bean Salad with Roasted Corn and Fresh Avocado


1/2 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cup water (or vegetable or chicken-flavored broth if you have it), divided
1 15-oz can roasted corn
4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
1/2 large onion, diced
4 tsp. garlic paste
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. garlic powder (only if the garlic taste is not enough for you)
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. onion flakes
2 - 3 tsp. salt
1/2 - 1 tsp. pepper (to taste)
2 - 4 tbsp. lime juice (from concentrate) or juice of 2 fresh limes
Fresh avocado slices (optional)
Salsa (optional)

Put the quinoa with one cup of the water or broth into a pot and a pinch of salt and cook according to directions on package.  When done, set aside. 

Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Drain the can of corn well and place in a large bowl. Drizzle about 1 - 2 tbsp. of olive oil and 1 - 2 tsp. salt and toss to coat.  Spread across the baking sheet and place in the oven.  Stir the corn every 10 minutes and cook until it has been roasted and turns dark, about 30 - 40 minutes.  When done, set aside.

Meanwhile, place the onions in a small saucepan with the olive oil.  Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes, and then add the garlic and stir to coat.  Cook for another 2 - 3 minutes and then add the chili powder, garlic powder, basil, oregano, onion flakes, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper.  Stir to coat and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Add the black beans and stir to coat.  Add the remaining 1/2 cup water or broth, stir, and let simmer for 5 - 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.

Place the cooked quinoa into a large bowl or pot and add the roasted corn, diced green peppers, and the black bean and onion mixture.  Toss to coat and season with salt and pepper according to taste.

Serve with slices of fresh avocado and salsa, if desired.  You could also wrap this salad in a crepe or wrap for more of a sandwich experience.

Almond Quinoa Crackers

I tried a recipe from The Gluten-free Goddess' website for my first attempt at crackers, and I was very happy with how they turned out. I don't have a rolling pin at the moment, so I just pressed them down with my hands, which made them a bit thicker than regular crackers, and also a bit softer than regular crackers.  But they were still delicious.  I ate some spread with peanut butter, and some with tuna salad spread over them.  And some of them, I just ate plain, appreciating the wonderfully grainy texture and the slightly sweet aftertaste.  Store these in an airtight container for several days, and keep them in the fridge to make them last longer.

Find the recipe here.  I used a real egg instead of the Egg Replacer and made half with the onion/garlic powder and half plain.  Both were great, but for spreading something like peanut butter or jam, make the plain ones.

Buckwheat Millet Griddle Scones

These could not be easier, really.  You toss the ingredients together, stir, and plop dollops of the dough onto a hot pan.  Flip.  Done!  They're essentially pancakes, but somehow, magically, they turn into scones in the pan.  They are slightly sweet (made less so depending on how much sugar you want to add) and beautifully grainy, turning golden and crumbly as they cook.  I used a combination of buckwheat and millet flour, but I think you could try it with any other grainy gluten-free flours (such as sorghum).  They even hold up pretty well; I was able to cut them in half and make an egg sandwich out of one, and it didn't fall apart in my hands as so many gluten-free breads tend to do.  I made them a bit sweet, so they turned out tasting like more like a teatime snack than real bread, but they were delicious nonetheless!  Perfect drizzled with honey or with strawberry jam spread over a piece hot from the stove.

Buckwheat Millet Griddle Scones  (Adapted from "The South African Cookbook for Allergies and Food Intolerance")

½ cup buckwheat flour

½ cup millet flour

¼ cup fine maize meal

Dash of salt

1/8 – ¼ cup raw brown sugar, depending on how sweet you want them to be

¼ tsp. baking powder

100 ml water

15 ml oil

1 medium egg, beaten

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  In a separate bowl, combine the water, oil, and egg and mix well.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and mix to form a soft, sticky dough.

Heat a nonstick frying pan on high until hot.  Rub a little oil into the palms of your hands and shape 6 flat cakes from the dough.  Place 3 at a time in the frying pan and close the lid.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Cook scones for 3 – 4 minutes and then cook on the other side for another 4 minutes.  Serve piping hot; split and serve as preferred.  You can also store these in the fridge

Maple and Vanilla Almond Macaroons

I've ended up having to give most of these cookies away by now out of fear that I would end up consuming them entirely on my own.  That is the occupational hazard of living alone and loving to cook and bake, I suppose.  You end up with lots of delicious food that you want to eat, but then comes the inevitable sense of guilt and gluttony as you lose count of the number of freshly baked, soft, and wonderful cookies you have eaten as you stand waiting for the rest of the cookies to bake.

These are delicious little gems, small and light enough that you can eat many without feeling too bad about it.  I tried making them with maple extract and vanilla extract, but you could also experiment with any other flavors/essences you might enjoy.  You could even try them with ground hazelnuts instead of almonds.  Try placing a few chocolate chips onto the cookies straight from the oven for another twist, even though they are just as good plain as they are with icing.  They are soft and chewy right from the oven, but they harden a bit when cooled (but remain pleasantly chewy).  I baked them for exactly 15 minutes, turning the tray in the oven halfway through, and removed them from the hot pan immediately to cool. 

Maple and Vanilla Almond Macaroons

1 large egg

2 tsp vanilla essence OR 1 packet vanilla sugar
1 - 2 tsp. maple extract (if desired)

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 cup icing sugar

1 - 2 tsp. pure lemon juice OR 5 ml finely grated lemon rind

2 cups ground almonds

For icing toppings: (optional)
10 – 15 ml icing sugar for decoration

50 g dark chocolate + 2 tbsp. soy milk

Beat egg, essence and cinnamon together.  Gradually add the icing sugar, still beating.  Beat the mixture until fluffy.  If you are making maple macaroons, add the 1 - 2 tsp. maple extract, depending on your own taste.  If you are making plain vanilla macaroons, omit the maple extract.  

If you are using lemon juice instead of lemon rind, add it to the wet mixture now; otherwise, mix the lemon rind and almonds together.  Add to the egg mixture bit by bit, beating well after each adition.  The mixture will become crumbly.  Knead the crumbly mixture until pliable.  Cover and leave for 15 minutes. 

Roll into walnut-sized balls.  Place on a greased and lined baking sheet.  Press the balls down slightly, allowing space for spreading.  If desired, sift a little icing sugar over macaroons.   

Bake at 180 C/350 F for about 15 minutes, until crisp.  Allow to cool.   

For chocolate topping:  In a small bowl, microwave the chocolate pieces with the few tablespoons of soy milk until completely melted.  Spread onto the cooled vanilla macaroons and allow to cool and harden completely.  

For maple frosting:  In a small bowl, combine icing sugar, water, and maple extract until a thick paste forms.  Spread over the maple macaroons and allow to cool and harden completely.

Store in an airtight container. 

Sweet and Salty Kettle Corn

This recipe makes me think of the enormous kettles of popcorn produced at autumn festivals, where a large man stands wrapped in a heavy flannel jacket stirring a cauldron full of steaming, sugary popcorn with a spoon as tall as me.  That was the inspiration for this recipe.  I have to give credit to my friend Lisa, who suggested adding the sugar at the beginning of the process instead of after the popcorn had already popped.  So in this recipe, the brown sugar is cooked right into the popcorn, creating an addictively crunchy coating, and is balanced perfectly by the salt added at the end.  It's hard to stop eating this - really hard.  Even when the bowl is empty, it's so tempting to make another batch.  I have eaten batches (yes, plural....) of this in lieu of dinner before.  Not my proudest or healthiest moments, for sure, but I can't say that they were my worst, either.  This popcorn is great to make for movie night, or for a snack to have out for company.  And it's so simple to make! 

Sweet and Salty Kettle Corn

4 - 6 tbsp. sunflower oil
1/3 cup popcorn kernels
1/3 cup raw brown sugar
salt to taste

Pour enough oil to coat the bottom of a thick-bottomed pot and add 4 popcorn kernels and place over high heat.  Wait until one of the kernels pops, then add the rest of the popcorn kernels and the brown sugar.  Stir well together, and then place a tight-fitting lid onto the pot.  Get ready to shake....

Take a thick towel and grab the pot by its sides, and - being sure to hold the lid down tight - start shaking the pot every 30 - 45 seconds to avoid burning the sugar.  Each time, after you've shaken the pot for about 5 - 10 seconds, replace it immediately back onto high heat and continue to cook.  Continue doing this even when it starts to pop, until the kernels are no longer popping.  Remove immediately from the pot and place into a large bowl.  Add salt according to taste and let cool for about 5 minutes to allow the sugar to harden.  Break the pieces apart with your hands and serve!

Can be stored in an airtight container for several days.