My take on WELLABY'S PITA CHIPS:
I tried the Olive Oil & Sea Salt flavor and they were good. Not something I would necessarily be overly excited about eating by themselves. Not because they tasted bad; they just weren't delicious, but using them to dip into my favorite hummus or dip - perfecto!! Very excited about this, as I was a big fan of Stacy's Pita Chips - which contain gluten - so I have had to say good-bye to those, but I will definitely use Wellaby's to satisfy my hummus/pita chip cravings! They also have Parmesan Cheese, Parmesan & Sundried Tomato and Italian Herb flavors. They are all gluten-free, but they do contain dairy.
Happy Crunching!
Kirsten
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Gluten-Free Flour Volume-Weight Conversions
Here is a handy reference for baking by weight, versus volume, which I highly recommend for gluten-free baking! It will make all the difference and can make or break your baked goods!!
FLOUR TYPE 1 CUP WEIGHT (IN GRAMS)
Almond Flour 112
Amaranth Flour 120
Arrowroot 128
Brown Rice Flour 158
Buckwheat Flour 120
Chestnut Flour 100
Coconut Flour 112
Corn Flour / Masa Harina 112
Cornmeal (Medium) 128
Cornstarch 128
Fava Bean Flour 132
Garbanzo (Chickpea) 120
Millet 120
Oat Flour 120
Split Pea Flour 160
Potato Flour 180
Potato Starch 170
Quinoa Flour 112
Romano Bean 128
Soy Flour 112
Sorghum Flour 127
Sweet Potato 180
Sweet Rice 204
Tapioca Starch 125
Teff Flour 120
White Rice 158
FLOUR TYPE 1 CUP WEIGHT (IN GRAMS)
Almond Flour 112
Amaranth Flour 120
Arrowroot 128
Brown Rice Flour 158
Buckwheat Flour 120
Chestnut Flour 100
Coconut Flour 112
Corn Flour / Masa Harina 112
Cornmeal (Medium) 128
Cornstarch 128
Fava Bean Flour 132
Garbanzo (Chickpea) 120
Millet 120
Oat Flour 120
Split Pea Flour 160
Potato Flour 180
Potato Starch 170
Quinoa Flour 112
Romano Bean 128
Soy Flour 112
Sorghum Flour 127
Sweet Potato 180
Sweet Rice 204
Tapioca Starch 125
Teff Flour 120
White Rice 158
Carrot-Spice Snack Cake
I just got this new cookbook and after making their recommended all-purpose gluten-free flour blend, I made this yummy snack cake. It was AMAZING!!! You'd never know it was gluten-free! The recipe is also dairy-free, but I chose to use butter, instead of the dairy-free margarine. I used almond milk instead of soy and I omitted the raisins, just because I am not a big fan and I figured it would also be more kid-friendly that way. My kids kept asking what kind of cake it was and I just said "snack cake"! I knew if I said the word carrot - they would turn around and run. The verdict - Drew loved it, Will said he didn't like it, but I really think it's because we served it warm, right out of the oven and because it was something new. I sprinkled a little powdered sugar on top and it was just incredible!! I will definitely make this recipe again and you can bet I'll be posting more recipes from this cookbook as I try them!
Enjoy!
Kirsten
PS: The cookbook is called Recipes for Gluten-Free Kids (Fun Eats from Breakfast to Treats!)
CARROT-SPICE SNACK CAKE
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup dairy-free margarine
2 eggs
1/2 cup soymilk or other dairy-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend (see that recipe under "GF Flour Blends")
3/4 cup finely shredded carrot
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup golden raisins
Powdered sugar for sprinkling on top
1) Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2) Beat sugar and margarine in medium bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Beat in eggs, soymilk and vanilla.
3) Stir in flour blend, carrot, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, xanthan gum and salt. Stir in raisins.
4) Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Just before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
NOTES:
~In my Gluten-Free Flour Blends tab - you will find the recipe for the flour blend above. You have to look in the body to make sure it is the one from above mentioned cookbook.
~As mentioned above, I used butter instead of the dairy-free margarine, but if you are completely dairy-free, stick with the recipe as shown!
~I try to stay away from soy as much as possible because it is all GMO and it has estrogen in it, but we love almond milk, so that is what I used for this recipe.
~You could add nuts to this cake if you wanted and that would be delicious, but maybe not as kid-friendly. I omitted the raisins for myself, as well as the kids. I just have never been a big raisin fan.
Enjoy!
Kirsten
PS: The cookbook is called Recipes for Gluten-Free Kids (Fun Eats from Breakfast to Treats!)
CARROT-SPICE SNACK CAKE
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup dairy-free margarine
2 eggs
1/2 cup soymilk or other dairy-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend (see that recipe under "GF Flour Blends")
3/4 cup finely shredded carrot
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup golden raisins
Powdered sugar for sprinkling on top
1) Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2) Beat sugar and margarine in medium bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Beat in eggs, soymilk and vanilla.
3) Stir in flour blend, carrot, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, xanthan gum and salt. Stir in raisins.
4) Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Just before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar.
NOTES:
~In my Gluten-Free Flour Blends tab - you will find the recipe for the flour blend above. You have to look in the body to make sure it is the one from above mentioned cookbook.
~As mentioned above, I used butter instead of the dairy-free margarine, but if you are completely dairy-free, stick with the recipe as shown!
~I try to stay away from soy as much as possible because it is all GMO and it has estrogen in it, but we love almond milk, so that is what I used for this recipe.
~You could add nuts to this cake if you wanted and that would be delicious, but maybe not as kid-friendly. I omitted the raisins for myself, as well as the kids. I just have never been a big raisin fan.
Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour Blend
I just bought this new cookbook, it's called Recipes for Gluten-Free Kids (Fun Eats from Breakfast to Treats!). First of all, it is the cutest cookbook I've ever seen and the recipes in it look amazing too! I checked it out at my local library first and then decided it was worth buying. Anyway, this flour blend is from this cookbook. So far, I have only used it once, for one of the recipes in the cookbook, but I have to say, I was seriously impressed! I made the Carrot-Spice Snack Cake and you would NEVER know it was gluten-free! So moist and delicious!! You can check out the recipe under "Cakes".
Happy Baking!
Kirsten
PS: Again, this comes from the Recipes for Gluten-Free Kids (Fun Eats from Breakfast to Treats!) Cookbook!
GLUTEN-FREE ALL PURPOSE FLOUR BLEND
(This blend is for all baked goods not made with yeast.)
1 cup (158 grams) white rice flour
1 cup (127 grams) sorghum flour
1 cup (125 grams) tapioca flour
1 cup (128 grams) cornstarch
1 cup (112 grams) almond flour or (112 grams) coconut flour
1) Combine all ingrediets in a large bowl. Whisk to make sure the flours are evenly distributed. The recipe can be doubled or tripled. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
NOTES:
~I recommend investing in a kitchen scale! Gluten-free flours really should not be measured by volume, but instead, by weight. 1 cup of white rice flour is not the same as 1 cup of sorghum flour. It can make or break your recipes, really, and it's a small investment. I got my scale from Kohl's for about $30.00 and it works great! This cookbook did not have the weights of the different flours in it, but I have listed them above. I will be putting a handy reference guide on my blog soon with the weights of all of the most commonly used gluten-free flours, so keep an eye out for that!
~I used coconut flour for the last ingredient and it actually has a wonderful and subtle coconut aroma. I think it adds a yummy background flavor to baked goods. Almond flour is awesome too, so either way, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Happy Baking!
Kirsten
PS: Again, this comes from the Recipes for Gluten-Free Kids (Fun Eats from Breakfast to Treats!) Cookbook!
GLUTEN-FREE ALL PURPOSE FLOUR BLEND
(This blend is for all baked goods not made with yeast.)
1 cup (158 grams) white rice flour
1 cup (127 grams) sorghum flour
1 cup (125 grams) tapioca flour
1 cup (128 grams) cornstarch
1 cup (112 grams) almond flour or (112 grams) coconut flour
1) Combine all ingrediets in a large bowl. Whisk to make sure the flours are evenly distributed. The recipe can be doubled or tripled. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
NOTES:
~I recommend investing in a kitchen scale! Gluten-free flours really should not be measured by volume, but instead, by weight. 1 cup of white rice flour is not the same as 1 cup of sorghum flour. It can make or break your recipes, really, and it's a small investment. I got my scale from Kohl's for about $30.00 and it works great! This cookbook did not have the weights of the different flours in it, but I have listed them above. I will be putting a handy reference guide on my blog soon with the weights of all of the most commonly used gluten-free flours, so keep an eye out for that!
~I used coconut flour for the last ingredient and it actually has a wonderful and subtle coconut aroma. I think it adds a yummy background flavor to baked goods. Almond flour is awesome too, so either way, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Mexican Rice
I found this recipe a few years ago and it has been a family favorite ever since. If we are having Mexican for dinner - this rice will be our side dish. You won't know the difference between this recipe and the rice you get in any good Mexican restaurant, yes, it's THAT good..and gluten & dairy-free!
Enjoy!
Kirsten
MEXICAN RICE
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1) Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin.
2) Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
NOTES:
~I use olive oil, but vegetable or canola would be fine too.
~I use Jasmine rice, it's my favorite!
~To make it more kid friendly, chop the onion fairly fine.
~When I'm pinched for time, I skip the onions and just throw in some dried minced onion (add when you add the other spices).
~Check your chicken broth to make sure it doesn't contain MSG! The fewer ingredients, the better!
Enjoy!
Kirsten
MEXICAN RICE
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1) Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until golden. While rice is cooking, sprinkle with salt and cumin.
2) Stir in onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomato sauce and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
NOTES:
~I use olive oil, but vegetable or canola would be fine too.
~I use Jasmine rice, it's my favorite!
~To make it more kid friendly, chop the onion fairly fine.
~When I'm pinched for time, I skip the onions and just throw in some dried minced onion (add when you add the other spices).
~Check your chicken broth to make sure it doesn't contain MSG! The fewer ingredients, the better!
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Cajun Chicken Salad
This is another delicious salad, perfect for summertime - or anytime! It's packed with protein and packed with flavor! Just check the ingredients in your Cajun seasoning to make sure it's gluten-free. If you are dairy-free, you can buy dairy-free ranch dressing.
Enjoy!
Kirsten
PS: This recipe comes from The Pampered Chef Casual Cooking (Easy Recipes for Indoors and Out).
CAJUN CHICKEN SALAD
Spiced Pecans
3/4 cup pecan halves
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
Salad
1 small yellow summer squash, sliced and cut in half
1 small green bell pepper, seeded, cut into rings and quartered
1 cup cherry tomato halves
1 package (10 ounces) mixed salad greens with romaine and leaf lettuce
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4-6 ounces each)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
3/4 cup ranch salad dressing
1) Preheat oven to 350F. For spiced pecans, toss pecans with oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle with combined sugar and Cajun seasoning; toss until coated. Spread pecans in single layer over bottom of baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes until lightly toasted. Remove from oven; cool.
2) Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium coals. Meanwhile, for salad, cut summer squash into slices and then cut in half. Cut bell pepper into rings; cut rings into quarters. Cut cherry tomatoes in half. Toss vegetables with greens; put on platter; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
3) Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Brush with oil. Rub with Cajun seasoning. Place chicken on on grill. Grill, uncovered, 12-15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the center, turning occasionally.
4) Remove chicken from grill. Cut chicken crosswise into slices. Arrange chicken over salad. Sprinkle with spiced pecans. Drizzle with ranch dressing and serve.
NOTES:
~The spiced pecans are so delicious - you can make extra and have them for a healthy snack!
Enjoy!
Kirsten
PS: This recipe comes from The Pampered Chef Casual Cooking (Easy Recipes for Indoors and Out).
CAJUN CHICKEN SALAD
Spiced Pecans
3/4 cup pecan halves
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
Salad
1 small yellow summer squash, sliced and cut in half
1 small green bell pepper, seeded, cut into rings and quartered
1 cup cherry tomato halves
1 package (10 ounces) mixed salad greens with romaine and leaf lettuce
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4-6 ounces each)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
3/4 cup ranch salad dressing
1) Preheat oven to 350F. For spiced pecans, toss pecans with oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle with combined sugar and Cajun seasoning; toss until coated. Spread pecans in single layer over bottom of baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes until lightly toasted. Remove from oven; cool.
2) Prepare grill for direct cooking over medium coals. Meanwhile, for salad, cut summer squash into slices and then cut in half. Cut bell pepper into rings; cut rings into quarters. Cut cherry tomatoes in half. Toss vegetables with greens; put on platter; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
3) Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Brush with oil. Rub with Cajun seasoning. Place chicken on on grill. Grill, uncovered, 12-15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in the center, turning occasionally.
4) Remove chicken from grill. Cut chicken crosswise into slices. Arrange chicken over salad. Sprinkle with spiced pecans. Drizzle with ranch dressing and serve.
NOTES:
~The spiced pecans are so delicious - you can make extra and have them for a healthy snack!
Strawberry Spinach Salad
This is one of my favorite summertime salads - but it's so good, you could have it anytime of the year! And the dressing, oh my goodness, the dressing, I could drink it with a straw it's so good! It's also gluten and dairy-free!
Enjoy!
Kirsten
PS: This recipe comes from The Pampered Chef Casual Cooking (Easy Recipes for Indoors and Out) cookbook, which has some other awesome recipes in it as well!
STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD
Dressing:
1 lemon
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Salad:
1/4 cup sliced natural almonds, toasted
8 ounces (1 1/2 cups) strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/2 medium cucumber, sliced and cut in half
1/4 small red onion, sliced into thin wedges (1/4 cup)
1 package (6 ounces) baby spinach
1) For dressing, zest the lemon to measure 1/2 teaspoon zest. Juice lemon to measure 2 tablespoons juice. Combine zest, juice, vinegar, sugar, oil and poppy seeds in a small bowl. Whisk until well blended. Cover; refrigerate until ready to use.
2) Preheat oven to 350F. For salad, spread almonds in single layer over bottom of baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from oven; cool.
3) Meanwhile, hull strawberries; cut into quarters.
4) Cut cucumber in half lengthwise. Remove seeds with a spoon. Cut into slices, then cut in half.
5) Slice onion into thin wedges.
6) Place spinach in large serving bowl; add strawberries, cucumber and onion. Whisk dressing; pour over salad, gently tossing to coat. Sprinkle with almonds. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Kirsten
PS: This recipe comes from The Pampered Chef Casual Cooking (Easy Recipes for Indoors and Out) cookbook, which has some other awesome recipes in it as well!
STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD
Dressing:
1 lemon
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Salad:
1/4 cup sliced natural almonds, toasted
8 ounces (1 1/2 cups) strawberries, hulled and quartered
1/2 medium cucumber, sliced and cut in half
1/4 small red onion, sliced into thin wedges (1/4 cup)
1 package (6 ounces) baby spinach
1) For dressing, zest the lemon to measure 1/2 teaspoon zest. Juice lemon to measure 2 tablespoons juice. Combine zest, juice, vinegar, sugar, oil and poppy seeds in a small bowl. Whisk until well blended. Cover; refrigerate until ready to use.
2) Preheat oven to 350F. For salad, spread almonds in single layer over bottom of baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from oven; cool.
3) Meanwhile, hull strawberries; cut into quarters.
4) Cut cucumber in half lengthwise. Remove seeds with a spoon. Cut into slices, then cut in half.
5) Slice onion into thin wedges.
6) Place spinach in large serving bowl; add strawberries, cucumber and onion. Whisk dressing; pour over salad, gently tossing to coat. Sprinkle with almonds. Serve immediately.
Mamma Mia! Pancake Mix
My take on MAMMA MIA! PANCAKE MIX:
We tried it this morning for the first time and I have to say we were pleasantly surprised. It's basically made from only two flours, so I had my doubts (the best gluten-free foods tend to use at least 3 or more different flours), but it was very good!
The mix is wheat, gluten, dairy, soy, corn and yeast free! To keep it that way, you can make the pancakes by adding sparkling juice or water and oil, however, we chose to make it using the traditional method on the bag, which calls for milk, eggs and oil. We did use almond milk instead of regular milk.
The batter was thin - so the pancakes were thin and light, but my little guys like them that way. I made silver dollars for them and they said it was the best mix we have tried yet!
This company also makes one of my favorite dip mixes - a garlic dip mix. They use all natural ingredients and so far, I have liked every Mamma Mia! product I have tried!
I am still on the hunt for a delicious "from scratch" recipe, but as far as mixes go, this is the one I would recommend. If you can have dairy, Pamela's pancake mix is my fave (it contains buttermilk)!
Happy Pancake Making!
Kirsten
We tried it this morning for the first time and I have to say we were pleasantly surprised. It's basically made from only two flours, so I had my doubts (the best gluten-free foods tend to use at least 3 or more different flours), but it was very good!
The mix is wheat, gluten, dairy, soy, corn and yeast free! To keep it that way, you can make the pancakes by adding sparkling juice or water and oil, however, we chose to make it using the traditional method on the bag, which calls for milk, eggs and oil. We did use almond milk instead of regular milk.
The batter was thin - so the pancakes were thin and light, but my little guys like them that way. I made silver dollars for them and they said it was the best mix we have tried yet!
This company also makes one of my favorite dip mixes - a garlic dip mix. They use all natural ingredients and so far, I have liked every Mamma Mia! product I have tried!
I am still on the hunt for a delicious "from scratch" recipe, but as far as mixes go, this is the one I would recommend. If you can have dairy, Pamela's pancake mix is my fave (it contains buttermilk)!
Happy Pancake Making!
Kirsten
Friday, February 22, 2013
Wheat May Not Be Good For Anyone!
I was recently reading "Gluten-Free Cooking For Dummies", which I highly recommend, by the way, and I came across some information that I thought was worth sharing! Here is an excerpt from the book:
WHEAT MAY NOT BE GOOD FOR ANYONE
You've probably been raised to believe that wheat - especially whole wheat - is really good for you. Although wheat does offer some health benefits, the same benefits can easily be found in other foods without the unpleasant side effects that many, if not most, people experience. But here's the bottom line: I believe wheat's not good for anyone, whether you have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease or not. Move over, David Letterman - here's my top-ten list of the problems with wheat.
1) Humans don't fully digest wheat
Let's start with some basic biology. It's a simple fact that the human stomach doesn't fully digest wheat. Cows, sheep, and other ruminant animals do just fine with wheat because they have more than one stomach to complete the digestion process. When the partially digested wheat leaves their stomach, it goes to another stomach where it is further broken down, then to another and another until the process is complete.
Unlike our bovine buddies, we humans have only one stomach. When the wheat leaves our tummies, it's not fully digested. Those undigested portions begin to ferment, and do you know what the byproduct of fermentation is? Gas. Icky, belchable, fart-forming gas. For many people, this accounts for the gas and bloating they feel after they eat wheat, whether they have gluten sensitivity or not.
2) Wheat is a pro-inflammatory agent
Recently, lots of books and articles have been written on the subject of pro-inflammatory foods. These foods are rapidly converted to sugar, causing a rise in the body's insulin levels (read more about this in number nine on my top-ten list), causing a burst of inflammation at the cellular level. Almost everyone knows that blood sugar rises from eating sweets (cakes, cookies, and candy). But lots of foods not considered sweets have pro-inflammatory effects - foods that have wheat in them, like cereal, pasta, breads, and bagels. These foods can be high in simple starches; when these are broken down, they act the same as sweet foods, raising blood sugar levels, releasing insulin, and causing inflammation. Bear in mind that the inflammation occurs in all people, not just those with wheat or gluten sensitivities.
It turns out that inflammation, once thought to be limited to "-itis" conditions like arthritis, may actually be at the root of a number of serious conditions, including heart disease, Alzheimer's, and some types of cancer. And if vanity is the only way to prove a point, consider this: Dr. Nicholas Perricone, renowned author of The Wrinkle Cure, considers inflammation to be the "single most powerful cause of the signs of aging."
One great tool for identifying pro-inflammatory foods is the glycemic index (remember this term; I'm going to use it again in number nine). The glycemic index measures how fast your blood sugar rises after you eat a food that contains carbohydrates (like pasta, potatoes, and bread). It rates foods on a scale from 0-100, where water is 0 and table sugar is 100. The lower the glycemic index rating, the less likely the food is to be pro-inflammatory. Foods made from wheat, especially refined wheat, have a glycemic index in the 50 to 80-plus range, putting them on the high side and classifying them as pro-inflammatory.
3) Wheat can cause leaky gut syndrome
So what is leaky gut syndrome? Good question - I'm glad you asked. The simple-and-not-perfectly-correct-but-close-enough answer is that leaky gut syndrome is a condition whereby stuff is leaking from your gut into your bloodstream - stuff that shouldn't be there, like toxins (and large molecules like gluten!).
So how does it happen? When people eat wheat, their bodies produce extra amounts of a protein called zonulin.
The lining of the small intestine is basically a wall of cells that most materials can't pass through on their own. When important vitamins and minerals are present, zonulin tells the passageways in the intestinal wall to open so those nutrients can pass into the bloodstream. The blood then carries the nutrients to other parts of the body, where they can be used to nourish the body.
But when people eat wheat - not just people with celiac disease, but all people - their zonulin levels rise too high, and the passageways open too much and let things into the bloodstream that shouldn't be there. This increased permeability of the lining of the small intestine, known as leaky gut syndrome, can cause a variety of problems health-wise.
For people with celiac disease, leaky-gut syndrome starts the cascade of events that lead to health problems. Gluten is a large molecule that really shouldn't be able to get into the bloodstream, but it does because zonulin levels are too high, and the body allows it in. After it's in the bloodstream, the body sees the gluten molecule as an invader - a toxin - so it launches an attack, and in doing so, it damages the area around the gluten molecule, which includes the lining of the small intestine. The villi, which are short hair-like structures that are designed to increase the surface area of the small intestine so it can absorb more nutrients, are damaged in the attack. That's why people with celiac disease who continue to eat gluten often have serious nutritional deficiencies.
For a lot more details on how gluten affects a person who can't tolerate gluten, grab a copy of my book Living Gluten-Free For Dummies (Wiley).
4) Refined wheat has little nutritional value
Most of the wheat people eat is "refined." That means manufacturers take perfectly good wheat - which has some nutritional value, especially in the bran and germ - and they take the good stuff away, leaving "refined" (read "little nutritional value") wheat. Sadly, that's the form that most of our wheat-based products use - refined wheat nearly void of nutritional value, making it a high-glycemic index food that just makes you fat and messes with your insulin production.
Did you know that manufacturers actually have to enrich refined wheat because they've taken out all the nutrients? And even then, the wheat's not that valuable, nutritionally speaking. Whole wheat provides more nutritional value than non-whole wheat, but it's still wheat, and there are more than just a few reasons that wheat may not be good for anyone.
5. Wheat may cause wrinkles
Aha! Not that got your attention! Okay, so you can live with the gas, bloating and leaky gut syndrome, but wrinkles? I think not! Well then put down that bagel, or buy stock in Botox, because according to some experts, the inflammatory effect of wheat - especially refined wheat - can cause wrinkles (see number two in this top-ten list for more on pro-inflammatory foods).
The most famous of these experts is Dr. Nicholas Perricone, a dermatologist and adjunct professor of medicine at Michigan State University, who maintains that inflammation contributes to accelerated aging and that through diet (and supplements and creams), you can erase scars and wrinkles, increase the production of collagen and elastin, enjoy radiance and glow, and develop a dewy, supple appearance to your skin.
Of course, this wouldn't be relevant unless the "diet" he refers to has something to do with being gluten-free. Although Dr. Perricone doesn't pinpoint gluten as a culprit per se, he does say that the pro-inflammatory response caused by wheat causes the skin to age more quickly, and he maintains that avoiding foods like wheat may help reverse the aging process.
6. Wheat may contribute to menopausal symptoms
Menopause, the time in a woman's life between about ages 45 and 55 marking the completion of her childbearing years and the end of her menstrual cycles, is often a time of marked hormonal changes. Depression, anxiety, headaches, leg cramps, varicose veins, irritability, and the famous "hot flashes" that occur are some of the more common symptoms.
But many doctors believe that lifestyle changes can minimize these symptoms, and one of those lifestyle changes is diet. Although there is some debate over wheat's role in these lifestyle changes, many experts, including Christiane Northrup, MD, author of The Wisdom of Menopause, believe that eliminating wheat from the diet - especially refined wheat - can help relieve menopausal symptoms.
7) Wheat is one of the top-eight allergens
Millions of people are allergic to wheat - so many, in fact, that it has made it onto the top-eight allergen list. Keep in mind that an allergy to wheat is different from celiac disease or other forms of gluten sensitivity - we'll talk more on that later in this chapter.
Allergic reactions to wheat can include gastrointestinal distress (stomach upset), eczema, hay fever, hives, asthma, and even anaphylaxis (a severe whole-body allergic reaction), which is life-threatening.
Other than the anaphylaxis, these symptoms sound a lot like gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, don't they? That's why sometimes it's hard to tell the difference. That's also why sometimes people get allergy testing and find out they're not allergic to wheat - so they're told to go back to a normal diet of pizza, bread, and bagels. Not necessarily good advice, because they could actually have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. So it's important to be properly tested. (Yep, you guessed it - we'll talk more about that later in this chapter, too.)
8) Wheat can mess up your blood sugar levels
Remember in number two when I talked about the glycemic index? Well, dont' worry - it's not really that complicated (and there's no pop quiz). All you need to know is that some foods cause your blood sugar levels to spike, which causes your body to produce insulin. That, in turn, causes your blood sugar to fall dramatically. Basically, your blood sugar levels go from the even keel they should be on, to being the best roller coaster ride in the park. Easy, Evil Knievel. That's not a good thing in this case.
Our bodies are designed to work with stable blood sugar levels. When they're up, then down, and all around, it causes a domino effect of no-so-healthy things to occur. Lots of people talk about hypoglycemia - a weak, shaky feeling that usually goes away after eating, especially after eating sweet foods. Although most people don't have "true" hypoglycemia, they may feel hypoglycemic when their blood sugar drops too much. The problem with the idea of "fixing" this feeling with sugary foods is that it just continues this roller coaster of blood sugar levels that are too high, and then too low. One of the most serious conditions that can result from blood sugar whiplash is insulin resistance and diabetes.
9) Wheat can make you fat
I'm not talking about the kind of "make you fat" that you deserve if you sit around eating donuts all day. I'm talking about the kind that sneaks up on you when you think you're doing everything right, but those getting-tighter-every-day jeans say otherwise.
It could just be the wheat - especially refined wheat. That's because of what it does to your blood sugar - yeah, you can cheat and look back at number eight if you didn't read it well enough the first time - but again, it's not that complicated. Refined wheat is a high-glycemic index food that causes your blood sugar to spike. That makes our body produce insulin, which, by the way, is often referred to as the "fat-storing hormone."
Yikes. Just when you thought you were being so good by leaving the cream cheese off the bagel - you should probably ditch the bagel altogether.
10) Many people have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease and don't know it
I hear things like, "I think I'm allergic to dairy because the cheese on my pizza makes me bloat." Oh, really? What makes you think it's the cheese? Because more people have heard of lactose intolerance than gluten intolerance, they figure that must be what's making them feel icky.
Truth is, most people have no idea that they have a gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, so they usually start pointing to all the wrong culprits; cheese (dairy), tomato sauce (acids), or soy. But they're blaming the wrong foods. These people have no idea that the typical American diet comprised of bagels, pasta, pizza, cakes, cookies and pretzels could be wreaking havoc on nearly every system in their bodies, so they continue to eat them and wonder why they don't feel good.
So how many people fall into this category? No one knows fur sure. We do know that 1 in 100 people has celiac disease - but most don't know it. No one knows how many people have gluten sensitivity, but estimates are that it may be as high as 50 percent, or even 70 percent, of the population. Top that with those who have a wheat allergy, and - here, let em get my calculator out - tons of people + gobs more = an astoundingly high percentage of the populations!
WHEAT MAY NOT BE GOOD FOR ANYONE
You've probably been raised to believe that wheat - especially whole wheat - is really good for you. Although wheat does offer some health benefits, the same benefits can easily be found in other foods without the unpleasant side effects that many, if not most, people experience. But here's the bottom line: I believe wheat's not good for anyone, whether you have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease or not. Move over, David Letterman - here's my top-ten list of the problems with wheat.
1) Humans don't fully digest wheat
Let's start with some basic biology. It's a simple fact that the human stomach doesn't fully digest wheat. Cows, sheep, and other ruminant animals do just fine with wheat because they have more than one stomach to complete the digestion process. When the partially digested wheat leaves their stomach, it goes to another stomach where it is further broken down, then to another and another until the process is complete.
Unlike our bovine buddies, we humans have only one stomach. When the wheat leaves our tummies, it's not fully digested. Those undigested portions begin to ferment, and do you know what the byproduct of fermentation is? Gas. Icky, belchable, fart-forming gas. For many people, this accounts for the gas and bloating they feel after they eat wheat, whether they have gluten sensitivity or not.
2) Wheat is a pro-inflammatory agent
Recently, lots of books and articles have been written on the subject of pro-inflammatory foods. These foods are rapidly converted to sugar, causing a rise in the body's insulin levels (read more about this in number nine on my top-ten list), causing a burst of inflammation at the cellular level. Almost everyone knows that blood sugar rises from eating sweets (cakes, cookies, and candy). But lots of foods not considered sweets have pro-inflammatory effects - foods that have wheat in them, like cereal, pasta, breads, and bagels. These foods can be high in simple starches; when these are broken down, they act the same as sweet foods, raising blood sugar levels, releasing insulin, and causing inflammation. Bear in mind that the inflammation occurs in all people, not just those with wheat or gluten sensitivities.
It turns out that inflammation, once thought to be limited to "-itis" conditions like arthritis, may actually be at the root of a number of serious conditions, including heart disease, Alzheimer's, and some types of cancer. And if vanity is the only way to prove a point, consider this: Dr. Nicholas Perricone, renowned author of The Wrinkle Cure, considers inflammation to be the "single most powerful cause of the signs of aging."
One great tool for identifying pro-inflammatory foods is the glycemic index (remember this term; I'm going to use it again in number nine). The glycemic index measures how fast your blood sugar rises after you eat a food that contains carbohydrates (like pasta, potatoes, and bread). It rates foods on a scale from 0-100, where water is 0 and table sugar is 100. The lower the glycemic index rating, the less likely the food is to be pro-inflammatory. Foods made from wheat, especially refined wheat, have a glycemic index in the 50 to 80-plus range, putting them on the high side and classifying them as pro-inflammatory.
3) Wheat can cause leaky gut syndrome
So what is leaky gut syndrome? Good question - I'm glad you asked. The simple-and-not-perfectly-correct-but-close-enough answer is that leaky gut syndrome is a condition whereby stuff is leaking from your gut into your bloodstream - stuff that shouldn't be there, like toxins (and large molecules like gluten!).
So how does it happen? When people eat wheat, their bodies produce extra amounts of a protein called zonulin.
The lining of the small intestine is basically a wall of cells that most materials can't pass through on their own. When important vitamins and minerals are present, zonulin tells the passageways in the intestinal wall to open so those nutrients can pass into the bloodstream. The blood then carries the nutrients to other parts of the body, where they can be used to nourish the body.
But when people eat wheat - not just people with celiac disease, but all people - their zonulin levels rise too high, and the passageways open too much and let things into the bloodstream that shouldn't be there. This increased permeability of the lining of the small intestine, known as leaky gut syndrome, can cause a variety of problems health-wise.
For people with celiac disease, leaky-gut syndrome starts the cascade of events that lead to health problems. Gluten is a large molecule that really shouldn't be able to get into the bloodstream, but it does because zonulin levels are too high, and the body allows it in. After it's in the bloodstream, the body sees the gluten molecule as an invader - a toxin - so it launches an attack, and in doing so, it damages the area around the gluten molecule, which includes the lining of the small intestine. The villi, which are short hair-like structures that are designed to increase the surface area of the small intestine so it can absorb more nutrients, are damaged in the attack. That's why people with celiac disease who continue to eat gluten often have serious nutritional deficiencies.
For a lot more details on how gluten affects a person who can't tolerate gluten, grab a copy of my book Living Gluten-Free For Dummies (Wiley).
4) Refined wheat has little nutritional value
Most of the wheat people eat is "refined." That means manufacturers take perfectly good wheat - which has some nutritional value, especially in the bran and germ - and they take the good stuff away, leaving "refined" (read "little nutritional value") wheat. Sadly, that's the form that most of our wheat-based products use - refined wheat nearly void of nutritional value, making it a high-glycemic index food that just makes you fat and messes with your insulin production.
Did you know that manufacturers actually have to enrich refined wheat because they've taken out all the nutrients? And even then, the wheat's not that valuable, nutritionally speaking. Whole wheat provides more nutritional value than non-whole wheat, but it's still wheat, and there are more than just a few reasons that wheat may not be good for anyone.
5. Wheat may cause wrinkles
Aha! Not that got your attention! Okay, so you can live with the gas, bloating and leaky gut syndrome, but wrinkles? I think not! Well then put down that bagel, or buy stock in Botox, because according to some experts, the inflammatory effect of wheat - especially refined wheat - can cause wrinkles (see number two in this top-ten list for more on pro-inflammatory foods).
The most famous of these experts is Dr. Nicholas Perricone, a dermatologist and adjunct professor of medicine at Michigan State University, who maintains that inflammation contributes to accelerated aging and that through diet (and supplements and creams), you can erase scars and wrinkles, increase the production of collagen and elastin, enjoy radiance and glow, and develop a dewy, supple appearance to your skin.
Of course, this wouldn't be relevant unless the "diet" he refers to has something to do with being gluten-free. Although Dr. Perricone doesn't pinpoint gluten as a culprit per se, he does say that the pro-inflammatory response caused by wheat causes the skin to age more quickly, and he maintains that avoiding foods like wheat may help reverse the aging process.
6. Wheat may contribute to menopausal symptoms
Menopause, the time in a woman's life between about ages 45 and 55 marking the completion of her childbearing years and the end of her menstrual cycles, is often a time of marked hormonal changes. Depression, anxiety, headaches, leg cramps, varicose veins, irritability, and the famous "hot flashes" that occur are some of the more common symptoms.
But many doctors believe that lifestyle changes can minimize these symptoms, and one of those lifestyle changes is diet. Although there is some debate over wheat's role in these lifestyle changes, many experts, including Christiane Northrup, MD, author of The Wisdom of Menopause, believe that eliminating wheat from the diet - especially refined wheat - can help relieve menopausal symptoms.
7) Wheat is one of the top-eight allergens
Millions of people are allergic to wheat - so many, in fact, that it has made it onto the top-eight allergen list. Keep in mind that an allergy to wheat is different from celiac disease or other forms of gluten sensitivity - we'll talk more on that later in this chapter.
Allergic reactions to wheat can include gastrointestinal distress (stomach upset), eczema, hay fever, hives, asthma, and even anaphylaxis (a severe whole-body allergic reaction), which is life-threatening.
Other than the anaphylaxis, these symptoms sound a lot like gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, don't they? That's why sometimes it's hard to tell the difference. That's also why sometimes people get allergy testing and find out they're not allergic to wheat - so they're told to go back to a normal diet of pizza, bread, and bagels. Not necessarily good advice, because they could actually have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. So it's important to be properly tested. (Yep, you guessed it - we'll talk more about that later in this chapter, too.)
8) Wheat can mess up your blood sugar levels
Remember in number two when I talked about the glycemic index? Well, dont' worry - it's not really that complicated (and there's no pop quiz). All you need to know is that some foods cause your blood sugar levels to spike, which causes your body to produce insulin. That, in turn, causes your blood sugar to fall dramatically. Basically, your blood sugar levels go from the even keel they should be on, to being the best roller coaster ride in the park. Easy, Evil Knievel. That's not a good thing in this case.
Our bodies are designed to work with stable blood sugar levels. When they're up, then down, and all around, it causes a domino effect of no-so-healthy things to occur. Lots of people talk about hypoglycemia - a weak, shaky feeling that usually goes away after eating, especially after eating sweet foods. Although most people don't have "true" hypoglycemia, they may feel hypoglycemic when their blood sugar drops too much. The problem with the idea of "fixing" this feeling with sugary foods is that it just continues this roller coaster of blood sugar levels that are too high, and then too low. One of the most serious conditions that can result from blood sugar whiplash is insulin resistance and diabetes.
9) Wheat can make you fat
I'm not talking about the kind of "make you fat" that you deserve if you sit around eating donuts all day. I'm talking about the kind that sneaks up on you when you think you're doing everything right, but those getting-tighter-every-day jeans say otherwise.
It could just be the wheat - especially refined wheat. That's because of what it does to your blood sugar - yeah, you can cheat and look back at number eight if you didn't read it well enough the first time - but again, it's not that complicated. Refined wheat is a high-glycemic index food that causes your blood sugar to spike. That makes our body produce insulin, which, by the way, is often referred to as the "fat-storing hormone."
Yikes. Just when you thought you were being so good by leaving the cream cheese off the bagel - you should probably ditch the bagel altogether.
10) Many people have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease and don't know it
I hear things like, "I think I'm allergic to dairy because the cheese on my pizza makes me bloat." Oh, really? What makes you think it's the cheese? Because more people have heard of lactose intolerance than gluten intolerance, they figure that must be what's making them feel icky.
Truth is, most people have no idea that they have a gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, so they usually start pointing to all the wrong culprits; cheese (dairy), tomato sauce (acids), or soy. But they're blaming the wrong foods. These people have no idea that the typical American diet comprised of bagels, pasta, pizza, cakes, cookies and pretzels could be wreaking havoc on nearly every system in their bodies, so they continue to eat them and wonder why they don't feel good.
So how many people fall into this category? No one knows fur sure. We do know that 1 in 100 people has celiac disease - but most don't know it. No one knows how many people have gluten sensitivity, but estimates are that it may be as high as 50 percent, or even 70 percent, of the population. Top that with those who have a wheat allergy, and - here, let em get my calculator out - tons of people + gobs more = an astoundingly high percentage of the populations!
Maple Dijon Glazed Chicken
HOLY COW is this chicken delicious!! I made it for dinner tonight. We haven't eaten yet, but I just took a little sample. YUM!! It's funny because I was rushing to get it into the crock-pot at 10:00 this morning, and guess what, on the low setting, it was done by Noon - oops! The recipe said 8 hours - I don't think so! You can tell when a chicken breast is done just by looking at it, seriously! You can also tell by touch when it is almost done - if it feels "solid" and doesn't have any "jiggle", it's probably either done, or almost done. If you aren't sure, just cut into the biggest one in the thickest spot and you'll know for sure! So the timing wasn't right, but it tastes unbelievable! I am serving it with some white rice (to put the extra sauce over) and oven baked broccoli. Seriously yummy meal!
Hope you enjoy it too!
Kirsten
PS: This recipe came from the Six Sisters website: www.SixSistersStuff.com
MAPLE DIJON GLAZED CHICKEN
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
1 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste
1) Place all ingredients except for chicken in your slow cooker and blend well.
2) Add the chicken and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
3) Sprinkle with fresh or dried rosemary for serving.
NOTES:
~When I see chicken breasts, I always think boneless, skinless, because that is pretty much all I use, but this would have taken longer to cook with the bone in, maybe that is what they used? I still have a hard time believing it would take 8 hours though. Use whichever you like, but pay attention to your time, because like I said, mine only took 2 hours to cook fully done on low!!
~I used 4 breasts, which was a few ounces more than 1 1/2 pounds.
~I always recommend 100% pure maple syrup - I get mine for a decent price at Costco.
~This makes a great freezer meal! Just mix all of the ingredients in a resealable gallon bag and freeze it! When ready to eat, remove from the freezer and thaw in the fridge for 24 hours. Then follow the cooking instructions above.
Hope you enjoy it too!
Kirsten
PS: This recipe came from the Six Sisters website: www.SixSistersStuff.com
MAPLE DIJON GLAZED CHICKEN
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
1 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste
1) Place all ingredients except for chicken in your slow cooker and blend well.
2) Add the chicken and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
3) Sprinkle with fresh or dried rosemary for serving.
NOTES:
~When I see chicken breasts, I always think boneless, skinless, because that is pretty much all I use, but this would have taken longer to cook with the bone in, maybe that is what they used? I still have a hard time believing it would take 8 hours though. Use whichever you like, but pay attention to your time, because like I said, mine only took 2 hours to cook fully done on low!!
~I used 4 breasts, which was a few ounces more than 1 1/2 pounds.
~I always recommend 100% pure maple syrup - I get mine for a decent price at Costco.
~This makes a great freezer meal! Just mix all of the ingredients in a resealable gallon bag and freeze it! When ready to eat, remove from the freezer and thaw in the fridge for 24 hours. Then follow the cooking instructions above.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
How To Work With Gluten-Free Flours
I referred to this information this morning when making some oatmeal cookies. I didn't have one of the types of flour that the recipe specified, so I was able to refer to this list to choose something comparable. Great information to keep close by when you're baking gluten-free!
Happy Baking!
Kirsten
HOW TO WORK WITH GLUTEN-FREE FLOURS
When you first start working with gluten-free flours, expect to be confused. I had grown used to baking with regular flour, with a few forays into cake flour, or tipo 00 flour for homemade pasta. Mostly, I just sifted white flour into a bowl and never thought about it.
There are more gluten-free flours in the world than there are flours with gluten. At first, this may feel overwhelming. Eventually, you might feel like we do - time to play!
The main difference between gluten-free baking and the more traditional kind is that you must combine flours to bake gluten-free. There are a few exceptions - chickpea flour for socca, sorghum flour for rotis - but for the most part, you will need at least three flours.
One of the three should be a whole-grain, a solid base: sorghum flour, brown rice flour, garfava flour. The next should be a starch, to lighten up the mixture, since gluten-free baked goods tend to be dense: potato starch, tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour), cornstarch, or arrowroot powder. The third flour should have a particular personality you want to add to your baked goods. Amaranth flour has a soft texture and slight malt flavor. We like it in cookies and cinnamon rolls. Almond flour adds protein and a bit of fat for flavor. Coconut flour adds taste to baked goods, but it sucks up all the moisture around it, so you have to play with the amount of liquids in your treats. Millet flour makes a great crumb. Quinoa flour is savory and great in quiches. Teff flour is the finest-textured flour in the world, so during baking it almost melts, which helps to bind together muffins and quick breads. You can have more than three flours, but work with at least three.
We have learned from years of experimenting and failed baking attempts, along with cookies and brownies everyone loves. However, if you are just starting your gluten-free life, you might find all of this overwhelming. If so, you can make a flour mix of equal parts sorghum flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, and sweet rice flour. You'll see that combination in some of the recipes in this book (Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef). Or, you could also try our other favorite all-purpose mix: forty percent superfine brown rice flour and sorghum flour, sixty percent potato starch, tapioca flour, sweet rice flour and cornstarch.
Simply open bags of flour, or weigh them out, then dump them into a large container in your kitchen. (We buy food storage containers at a restaurant supply store, where they are surprisingly inexpensive.) Whisk the flours together until the flour mix is one even color. Now you can use this as the flour in your kitchen. Play with the flours and learn your favorites.
Most of these flours need to be stored in either the refrigerator or the freezer.
Happy Baking!
Kirsten
HOW TO WORK WITH GLUTEN-FREE FLOURS
When you first start working with gluten-free flours, expect to be confused. I had grown used to baking with regular flour, with a few forays into cake flour, or tipo 00 flour for homemade pasta. Mostly, I just sifted white flour into a bowl and never thought about it.
There are more gluten-free flours in the world than there are flours with gluten. At first, this may feel overwhelming. Eventually, you might feel like we do - time to play!
The main difference between gluten-free baking and the more traditional kind is that you must combine flours to bake gluten-free. There are a few exceptions - chickpea flour for socca, sorghum flour for rotis - but for the most part, you will need at least three flours.
One of the three should be a whole-grain, a solid base: sorghum flour, brown rice flour, garfava flour. The next should be a starch, to lighten up the mixture, since gluten-free baked goods tend to be dense: potato starch, tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour), cornstarch, or arrowroot powder. The third flour should have a particular personality you want to add to your baked goods. Amaranth flour has a soft texture and slight malt flavor. We like it in cookies and cinnamon rolls. Almond flour adds protein and a bit of fat for flavor. Coconut flour adds taste to baked goods, but it sucks up all the moisture around it, so you have to play with the amount of liquids in your treats. Millet flour makes a great crumb. Quinoa flour is savory and great in quiches. Teff flour is the finest-textured flour in the world, so during baking it almost melts, which helps to bind together muffins and quick breads. You can have more than three flours, but work with at least three.
We have learned from years of experimenting and failed baking attempts, along with cookies and brownies everyone loves. However, if you are just starting your gluten-free life, you might find all of this overwhelming. If so, you can make a flour mix of equal parts sorghum flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, and sweet rice flour. You'll see that combination in some of the recipes in this book (Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef). Or, you could also try our other favorite all-purpose mix: forty percent superfine brown rice flour and sorghum flour, sixty percent potato starch, tapioca flour, sweet rice flour and cornstarch.
Simply open bags of flour, or weigh them out, then dump them into a large container in your kitchen. (We buy food storage containers at a restaurant supply store, where they are surprisingly inexpensive.) Whisk the flours together until the flour mix is one even color. Now you can use this as the flour in your kitchen. Play with the flours and learn your favorites.
Most of these flours need to be stored in either the refrigerator or the freezer.
Coconut Almond Oatmeal Cookies
I accidentally bought Bob's Red Mill quick cooking oats, instead of the regular oats recently and I found this recipe on the side of the bag. Tried them this morning, with a couple of substitutions (see "Notes" below) and they were delicious and gluten-free, of course!! Oh - and the dough was killer too!
Enjoy!
Kirsten
COCONUT ALMOND OATMEAL COOKIES
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup evaporated can juice sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 1/2 cups gluten-free quick oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1) Preheat oven to 350F.
2) Cream together the sugar and butter until smooth. Add the milk and vanilla and blend.
3) In a separate bowl, whisk together the oats, sorghum flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
4) Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.
5) Add the coconut and almonds and blend until incorporated throughout the dough.
6) Eat some dough because it's really yummy!
7) Place by rounded tablespoon on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Makes 2 dozen cookies.
NOTES:
~I did not use evaporated cane juice sugar. I use beet sugar at home, but you could probably use whatever type of granulated sugar you have on hand.
~I used vanilla almond milk instead of cow's milk.
~I didn't have any sorghum flour, so I used brown rice flour instead.
~I used regular iodized salt instead of the sea salt.
Enjoy!
Kirsten
COCONUT ALMOND OATMEAL COOKIES
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup evaporated can juice sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 1/2 cups gluten-free quick oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1) Preheat oven to 350F.
2) Cream together the sugar and butter until smooth. Add the milk and vanilla and blend.
3) In a separate bowl, whisk together the oats, sorghum flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
4) Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.
5) Add the coconut and almonds and blend until incorporated throughout the dough.
6) Eat some dough because it's really yummy!
7) Place by rounded tablespoon on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Makes 2 dozen cookies.
NOTES:
~I did not use evaporated cane juice sugar. I use beet sugar at home, but you could probably use whatever type of granulated sugar you have on hand.
~I used vanilla almond milk instead of cow's milk.
~I didn't have any sorghum flour, so I used brown rice flour instead.
~I used regular iodized salt instead of the sea salt.
Gluten-Free Baking
Here is some great information from a cookbook called "Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef"!
Gluten-free baking is not like your mother's baking. Traditional baking is elastic and easy. You can stretch pizza dough, form air pockets in crusty bread and make cookies in ten minutes without thinking too much.
But gluten-free baking, at first, seems far more difficult. You know why? There's no gluten in it. However, if you give yourself some patient time to play, you'll figure it out. We have. Don't expect gluten-free baked goods to match the taste and texture of the original. Let them be themselves. Some of those treats might taste better to you than those with gluten flours, like banana bread with teff. Some baked goods might never match your conception of them, but does that mean you give up? What are you doing to do, go without muffins the rest of your life?
You might need to add a bit more protein (an extra egg white, a splash of milk), as well as a binder like xanthun gum, to replace the gluten in a recipe. We usually use 1 teaspoon of xanthun gum plus 1/4 teaspoon of guar gum for each cup of flour. Sift each flour before you combine them all in a bowl, and then sift them again before you bake. This makes the final mixture on coherent flour.
Cookies, crisps, quick breads, and pie doughs are fairly easy to make gluten-free. Pie doughs are actually easier to make without gluten, because you can't overwork the crust, and you can just pat any spare pieces into the pan when you are done.
Refrigerate pie doughs, cinnamon roll dough, and cookies before you bake them. They need to rest for at least an hour and ideally overnight. Let them sit out a bit before you work with them, to make the dough more pliable.
Be gentle with the doughs. The first time you roll out a gluten-free dough, it's not going to do what you want it to do. When you make gluten-free cookies, don't over cream the butter and sugars. Mix them until they are just combined. This helps prevent spreading.
The hardest baked goods to make gluten-free are those that require a certain structure: some cakes, bread, puff pastry, croissants. Those are where gluten is especially necessary. We're still working on those. That doesn't mean you will never eat bread again. we make bread from the recipe in this book three times a week. But just expect a lot of interesting mishaps at first. You'll want to blame the recipe if it all goes woppy-jawed. Keep trying.
If you bake by weight instead of by volume, measuring out grams or ounces instead of scooping flours into a cup, your baking will be more successful and satisfying. Buy yourself a kitchen scale and start baking.
In short, you will have to do some tasks differently, creating new muscle memory, and playing with different ingredients than you did before. However, once you have learned, it will all feel familiar.
Gluten-free baking is not like your mother's baking. Traditional baking is elastic and easy. You can stretch pizza dough, form air pockets in crusty bread and make cookies in ten minutes without thinking too much.
But gluten-free baking, at first, seems far more difficult. You know why? There's no gluten in it. However, if you give yourself some patient time to play, you'll figure it out. We have. Don't expect gluten-free baked goods to match the taste and texture of the original. Let them be themselves. Some of those treats might taste better to you than those with gluten flours, like banana bread with teff. Some baked goods might never match your conception of them, but does that mean you give up? What are you doing to do, go without muffins the rest of your life?
You might need to add a bit more protein (an extra egg white, a splash of milk), as well as a binder like xanthun gum, to replace the gluten in a recipe. We usually use 1 teaspoon of xanthun gum plus 1/4 teaspoon of guar gum for each cup of flour. Sift each flour before you combine them all in a bowl, and then sift them again before you bake. This makes the final mixture on coherent flour.
Cookies, crisps, quick breads, and pie doughs are fairly easy to make gluten-free. Pie doughs are actually easier to make without gluten, because you can't overwork the crust, and you can just pat any spare pieces into the pan when you are done.
Refrigerate pie doughs, cinnamon roll dough, and cookies before you bake them. They need to rest for at least an hour and ideally overnight. Let them sit out a bit before you work with them, to make the dough more pliable.
Be gentle with the doughs. The first time you roll out a gluten-free dough, it's not going to do what you want it to do. When you make gluten-free cookies, don't over cream the butter and sugars. Mix them until they are just combined. This helps prevent spreading.
The hardest baked goods to make gluten-free are those that require a certain structure: some cakes, bread, puff pastry, croissants. Those are where gluten is especially necessary. We're still working on those. That doesn't mean you will never eat bread again. we make bread from the recipe in this book three times a week. But just expect a lot of interesting mishaps at first. You'll want to blame the recipe if it all goes woppy-jawed. Keep trying.
If you bake by weight instead of by volume, measuring out grams or ounces instead of scooping flours into a cup, your baking will be more successful and satisfying. Buy yourself a kitchen scale and start baking.
In short, you will have to do some tasks differently, creating new muscle memory, and playing with different ingredients than you did before. However, once you have learned, it will all feel familiar.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Caramel Apple Dip
This recipe came from my friend Dena. She made it a few years ago at one of her parties and I just had to have the recipe. It has been a favorite of ours ever since and can usually be found on the table at our parties! You can make it with or without the nuts; many times I make both, to please everyone! It is best served with Granny Smith apples.
Enjoy!
Kirsten
CARAMEL APPLE DIP
1 8-ounce brick cream cheese
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup pecans
1) Mix cream cheese, brown sugar and vanilla until well combined.
2) Fold in nuts and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.
NOTES:
~I break up the nuts a little with my hands before folding them in.
~I usually make this a day ahead, so I don't have to worry about giving it enough time in the fridge the day of a party. If you serve it too soon, it will be grainy. The brown sugar needs time to absorb moisture from the cream cheese and vanilla.
~Don't cut up your apples too far in advance or they will turn brown, even if they are covered, however, you can spritz them with a little lemon juice mixed with water to help keep their color. I serve them with their skins on, so buy organic if you can!
Enjoy!
Kirsten
CARAMEL APPLE DIP
1 8-ounce brick cream cheese
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup pecans
1) Mix cream cheese, brown sugar and vanilla until well combined.
2) Fold in nuts and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.
NOTES:
~I break up the nuts a little with my hands before folding them in.
~I usually make this a day ahead, so I don't have to worry about giving it enough time in the fridge the day of a party. If you serve it too soon, it will be grainy. The brown sugar needs time to absorb moisture from the cream cheese and vanilla.
~Don't cut up your apples too far in advance or they will turn brown, even if they are covered, however, you can spritz them with a little lemon juice mixed with water to help keep their color. I serve them with their skins on, so buy organic if you can!
Artichoke Dip
This recipe came from my sister-in-law. It is her go-to appetizer. It's simple and delicious and you can turn up the heat or tone it down to your taste. It's always a crowd pleaser and usually doesn't last long!
Enjoy!
Kirsten
ARTICHOKE DIP
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayo
2 teaspoons minced jalapenos (fresh or pickled)
4 cloves garlic
dash of black pepper
1) Chop the artichoke hearts coarsely
2) Mix artichoke hearts with all remaining ingredients.
3) Bake uncovered at 350F for about 45 minutes.
4) Serve with bread or tortilla chips.
Enjoy!
Kirsten
ARTICHOKE DIP
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayo
2 teaspoons minced jalapenos (fresh or pickled)
4 cloves garlic
dash of black pepper
1) Chop the artichoke hearts coarsely
2) Mix artichoke hearts with all remaining ingredients.
3) Bake uncovered at 350F for about 45 minutes.
4) Serve with bread or tortilla chips.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Cranberry Lemon Muffins
I was in a baking mood today, so in addition to chocolate chip cookies, I made these muffins and some granola! A couple of weekends ago I was singing at a friend's church and one of the ladies on the worship team brought these delicious gluten and dairy-free muffins in and WOW, they were delicious!! She didn't have lemons, so she used orange zest and that was delicious too!
Enjoy!
Kirsten
PS: This recipe is from elanaspantry.com.
CRANBERRY LEMON MUFFINS
2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
3 eggs
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1) In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda and cranberries.
2) In a smaller bowl, stir together oil, eggs, agave and lemon zest.
3) Stir wet ingredients into dry.
4) Spoon batter into a paper lined 12 cup muffin pan.
5) Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes.
6) Cool and serve.
Make 12 muffins
~She does not recommend Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour for baking. I ordered my almond flour on-line from Honeyville Food Products.
~I used regular iodized salt.
Enjoy!
Kirsten
PS: This recipe is from elanaspantry.com.
CRANBERRY LEMON MUFFINS
2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
3 eggs
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1) In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda and cranberries.
2) In a smaller bowl, stir together oil, eggs, agave and lemon zest.
3) Stir wet ingredients into dry.
4) Spoon batter into a paper lined 12 cup muffin pan.
5) Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes.
6) Cool and serve.
Make 12 muffins
~She does not recommend Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour for baking. I ordered my almond flour on-line from Honeyville Food Products.
~I used regular iodized salt.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Tried this recipe today for the first time and it was awesome!!! When you are mixing up the ingredients, you will think it's strange and the dough doesn't taste like regular chocolate chip cookie dough, but the cookies are fabulous! If you want a box mix - I recommend Betty Crocker's Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, and that dough does taste yummy, but for homemade, this recipe is awesome! They are gluten-free and easily made dairy-free with non-dairy chocolate chips!
Enjoy!
Kirsten
PS: The recipe comes from elanaspantry.com
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 cup dark chocolate chips (73% cacao)
1) Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2) Stir together wet ingredients in a smaller bowl.
3) Mix wet ingredients into dry.
4) Form 1/2 inch balls and press onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
5) Bake at 350F for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.
6) Cool and serve.
NOTES:
~The dough will seem very wet. If it starts sticking to your hands, wash your hands and then continue.
~She does not recommend Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour - it is too course and won't work well for baking. I bought mine on-line from Honeyville Food Products. It is much cheaper to buy it on-line vs. in the store.
~I used regular iodized salt.
~I used gluten and dairy-free Chocolate Dream semi-sweet baking chips and they taste just like regular chocolate chips!
~Make sure you do press the balls down a bit after you put them on the cookie sheet, otherwise they will not flatten like they should.
~I let them sit for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before taking them off, but I found that they stuck to my spatula and if I tried to use my finger to "push" them off onto the cooling rack, they would "smush", so I actually slid them off the spatula into my hand and then carefully laid them on the rack. This worked well and none of them broke apart or were deformed. You could also leave them on the cookie sheet a bit longer so they could firm up more.
Enjoy!
Kirsten
PS: The recipe comes from elanaspantry.com
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 cup dark chocolate chips (73% cacao)
1) Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2) Stir together wet ingredients in a smaller bowl.
3) Mix wet ingredients into dry.
4) Form 1/2 inch balls and press onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
5) Bake at 350F for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.
6) Cool and serve.
NOTES:
~The dough will seem very wet. If it starts sticking to your hands, wash your hands and then continue.
~She does not recommend Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour - it is too course and won't work well for baking. I bought mine on-line from Honeyville Food Products. It is much cheaper to buy it on-line vs. in the store.
~I used regular iodized salt.
~I used gluten and dairy-free Chocolate Dream semi-sweet baking chips and they taste just like regular chocolate chips!
~Make sure you do press the balls down a bit after you put them on the cookie sheet, otherwise they will not flatten like they should.
~I let them sit for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before taking them off, but I found that they stuck to my spatula and if I tried to use my finger to "push" them off onto the cooling rack, they would "smush", so I actually slid them off the spatula into my hand and then carefully laid them on the rack. This worked well and none of them broke apart or were deformed. You could also leave them on the cookie sheet a bit longer so they could firm up more.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Pamela's Sugar Cookie Mix
My take on PAMELA'S SUGAR COOKIE MIX:
Holy delicious sugar cookies Batman! (Can you tell I am under the influence of two little boys!) I need some cut out sugar cookies for the boy's Valentine's Day parties this week, so I decided to try this mix since I am short on time and WOW, was I pleasantly surprised! They are super yummy!!
Best of all, they are gluten and dairy-free!
Pamela's also makes my favorite gluten-free pancake mix, although it is not dairy-free. Their cornbread mix ROCKS too! Pamela's seems to be a consistently good brand.
So if you need a quick sugar cookie mix (or a sugar cookie fix) - this is the one - it's awesome!!
Happy Baking!
Kirsten
Holy delicious sugar cookies Batman! (Can you tell I am under the influence of two little boys!) I need some cut out sugar cookies for the boy's Valentine's Day parties this week, so I decided to try this mix since I am short on time and WOW, was I pleasantly surprised! They are super yummy!!
Best of all, they are gluten and dairy-free!
Pamela's also makes my favorite gluten-free pancake mix, although it is not dairy-free. Their cornbread mix ROCKS too! Pamela's seems to be a consistently good brand.
So if you need a quick sugar cookie mix (or a sugar cookie fix) - this is the one - it's awesome!!
Happy Baking!
Kirsten
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Chicken Parmesan
This is my husband Michael's favorite Italian dish. I made it tonight for the first time (this particular recipe) and it was delicious! My kids even liked it!! The only "complaint" I have (and it was so delicious that it's not really a complaint, thus the quotes) is that the breading does come off easily when handling the chicken after pan frying and while eating, but if you ask me, it doesn't really matter, it tasted awesome!! I served it with noodles (buttered & salted for my son who isn't as fond of spaghetti and with sauce for the rest of us) and green beans with a little butter and garlic salt. Yummy!!
Enjoy!
Kirsten
PS: This recipe is from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook, by Elana Amsterdam. She also has an AWESOME blog, which you'll find at: www.elanaspantry.com.
CHICKEN PARMESAN
2 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups spaghetti sauce
2 cups freshly grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1) Preheat the oven to 350F.
2) Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Cut the chicken breasts horizontally, butterflying them open, then pound each with a meat mallet to flatten. Cut each breast into 2 pieces.
3) In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Dip each cutlet into the egg, then coat with the almond flour mixture.
4) Heat the grapeseed and olive oils in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute the chicken in the oil for 3-5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel lined plate.
5) Pour 1 cup of the spaghetti sauce into a 13x9 inch baking dish. Place the cutlets in a single layer over the sauce. Cover the chicken with the remaining sauce, then top with mozzarella.
6) Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling. Remove from the oven and top with grated Parmesan before serving.
NOTES:
~I used 3 breasts and it was enough for 4 people with a good amount of leftovers.
~The author of this cookbook does not recommend Bob's Red Mill Blanched Almond Flour for her recipes, especially for baking, but it was the only one that I found at Fruitful Yield, so I used it and it was okay for this recipe. I did order a better brand on-line. Bob's Red Mill is a little more coarse and will definitely make a difference in your recipes, especially for baking! Also, it's much cheaper to order it on-line! I ordered mine from Honeyville Grain.
~I used kosher salt, instead of sea salt.
~In the cookbook, the author refers to a "Tomato Sauce" recipe on another page - I just used Prego Spaghetti sauce, to speed things up!
~If you don't have grapeseed oil, I'm sure using only olive oil would be just fine, don't go out and buy grapeseed oil if you aren't going to use it for anything else!
~I didn't measure the mozzarella cheese, but I would say I used less than 2 cups. I just sprinkled a little cheese on each cutlet, with the exception of mine and my son Drew's, because we are dairy-free.
~I omitted the Parmesan altogether, but if you use it, I'm sure it would be even more delicious!!
~You could also leave the cheese off altogether, or use Daiya "fake cheese" and it would be great!
Enjoy!
Kirsten
PS: This recipe is from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook, by Elana Amsterdam. She also has an AWESOME blog, which you'll find at: www.elanaspantry.com.
CHICKEN PARMESAN
2 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups spaghetti sauce
2 cups freshly grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1) Preheat the oven to 350F.
2) Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Cut the chicken breasts horizontally, butterflying them open, then pound each with a meat mallet to flatten. Cut each breast into 2 pieces.
3) In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Dip each cutlet into the egg, then coat with the almond flour mixture.
4) Heat the grapeseed and olive oils in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute the chicken in the oil for 3-5 minutes per side, until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel lined plate.
5) Pour 1 cup of the spaghetti sauce into a 13x9 inch baking dish. Place the cutlets in a single layer over the sauce. Cover the chicken with the remaining sauce, then top with mozzarella.
6) Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the edges are bubbling. Remove from the oven and top with grated Parmesan before serving.
NOTES:
~I used 3 breasts and it was enough for 4 people with a good amount of leftovers.
~The author of this cookbook does not recommend Bob's Red Mill Blanched Almond Flour for her recipes, especially for baking, but it was the only one that I found at Fruitful Yield, so I used it and it was okay for this recipe. I did order a better brand on-line. Bob's Red Mill is a little more coarse and will definitely make a difference in your recipes, especially for baking! Also, it's much cheaper to order it on-line! I ordered mine from Honeyville Grain.
~I used kosher salt, instead of sea salt.
~In the cookbook, the author refers to a "Tomato Sauce" recipe on another page - I just used Prego Spaghetti sauce, to speed things up!
~If you don't have grapeseed oil, I'm sure using only olive oil would be just fine, don't go out and buy grapeseed oil if you aren't going to use it for anything else!
~I didn't measure the mozzarella cheese, but I would say I used less than 2 cups. I just sprinkled a little cheese on each cutlet, with the exception of mine and my son Drew's, because we are dairy-free.
~I omitted the Parmesan altogether, but if you use it, I'm sure it would be even more delicious!!
~You could also leave the cheese off altogether, or use Daiya "fake cheese" and it would be great!
Monday, February 4, 2013
Pecan Sweet Potato Bake
We call this Sweet Potato Casserole in our house. It is so sweet and delicious, you could eat it for dessert! My kids even like it! It's not low-fat for sure, but if you just make it occasionally, it's a great way to get your kids to eat sweet potatoes! Also, it is gluten free and can easily be made dairy-free. It's a great supplement to your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners as well!
Enjoy!
Kirsten
PS: This recipe came from my friend Amy.
PECAN SWEET POTATO BAKE
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup half & half
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons gluten-free flour
1/4 cup cold butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1) Combine first seven ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy.
2) Transfer to a greased 11x7x2 inch baking dish.
3) For topping, combine the brown sugar and flour in a bowl. Cut in the butter until crumbly. Fold in pecans.
4) Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture.
5) Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
NOTES:
~Peel sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces (for faster cooking time) and boil until tender, then mash.
~I have made this using Almond Milk instead of the 1/2 & 1/2 and it turned out great!
~Do not leave the flour out of the topping! I did it once, by mistake, and it definitely made a difference!
~I have never measured the sweet potatoes. I figure 1 large sweet potato is about a cup, maybe throw in one more for good measure and it always come out awesome! So don't waste your time dirtying your measuring cup!
~You can double the recipe for a 13x9 inch dish, but do not double the topping, keep it the same.
Enjoy!
Kirsten
PS: This recipe came from my friend Amy.
PECAN SWEET POTATO BAKE
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup half & half
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons gluten-free flour
1/4 cup cold butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1) Combine first seven ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy.
2) Transfer to a greased 11x7x2 inch baking dish.
3) For topping, combine the brown sugar and flour in a bowl. Cut in the butter until crumbly. Fold in pecans.
4) Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture.
5) Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
NOTES:
~Peel sweet potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces (for faster cooking time) and boil until tender, then mash.
~I have made this using Almond Milk instead of the 1/2 & 1/2 and it turned out great!
~Do not leave the flour out of the topping! I did it once, by mistake, and it definitely made a difference!
~I have never measured the sweet potatoes. I figure 1 large sweet potato is about a cup, maybe throw in one more for good measure and it always come out awesome! So don't waste your time dirtying your measuring cup!
~You can double the recipe for a 13x9 inch dish, but do not double the topping, keep it the same.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Maple and Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin
Just made this on Friday night for dinner and it was delicious!! You've gotta love when dinner's done before you even get your day started! I love slow cooker meals and this one is at the top of my list of favorites! Oh - and it's Gluten and Dairy-free!
Enjoy!
Kirsten
PS: The recipe comes from Six Sisters awesome blog: www.sixsistersstuff.com.
MAPLE AND BROWN SUGAR PORK TENDERLOIN
2 lbs. pork tenderloin
Salt & pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup maple syrup
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (cider vinegar works too)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1) Sprinkle tenderloin(s) lightly with salt and pepper.
2) Place pork in a slow cooker sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
3) Combine garlic, mustard, honey, brown sugar, vinegar, thyme and maple syrup; pour over the pork. Turn pork to coat thoroughly.
4) Cover and cook on LOW for 7-9 hours, or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
5) Remove pork to a plate, cover with foil and keep warm. Pour the juices into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 8-10 minutes. Combine the cornstarch and cold water; whisk into the reduced juices and cook for 1 minutes longer. Serve pork sliced with the thickened juices.
NOTES:
~I used two tenderloins that were about 1 lb. each.
~I thought that the sauce should have been doubled for the amount of meat - and I did not thicken the sauce with cornstarch and it was still yummy.
~7 hours was a little too long for the tenderloins that I made. I would probably check the meat after 6 hours and monitor it after that.
Enjoy!
Kirsten
PS: The recipe comes from Six Sisters awesome blog: www.sixsistersstuff.com.
MAPLE AND BROWN SUGAR PORK TENDERLOIN
2 lbs. pork tenderloin
Salt & pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup maple syrup
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (cider vinegar works too)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1) Sprinkle tenderloin(s) lightly with salt and pepper.
2) Place pork in a slow cooker sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
3) Combine garlic, mustard, honey, brown sugar, vinegar, thyme and maple syrup; pour over the pork. Turn pork to coat thoroughly.
4) Cover and cook on LOW for 7-9 hours, or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
5) Remove pork to a plate, cover with foil and keep warm. Pour the juices into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 8-10 minutes. Combine the cornstarch and cold water; whisk into the reduced juices and cook for 1 minutes longer. Serve pork sliced with the thickened juices.
NOTES:
~I used two tenderloins that were about 1 lb. each.
~I thought that the sauce should have been doubled for the amount of meat - and I did not thicken the sauce with cornstarch and it was still yummy.
~7 hours was a little too long for the tenderloins that I made. I would probably check the meat after 6 hours and monitor it after that.
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