Posts Tagged by Bob’s Red Mill
Blueberry Buckwheat Waffles
| March 4, 2013 | Filled under Breakfast, Desserts, Fruits, Kid-Friendly |
I live for my weekends. For me, nothing could be more wonderful than sleeping in, snuggling under my pile of blankets. If I could be a fairy tale character, I would be cross between Sleeping Beauty who slept for 100 years and the Princess and the Pea, where I sleep under a million blankets instead of on a million mattresses. I was not born a morning-person by any means – I get up fairly early during the week and cherish every minute of extra sleep I can afford on the weekends. And as much as I enjoy heading out for brunch, I really prefer lazily waking up to make a delicious breakfast while still in PJs. So much so, that I invested in a waffle maker.
While pre-made frozen gluten-free waffles are convenient weekday breakfast solutions, weekends are for busting out that waffle maker. Since going gluten-free, I have experimented with numerous GF pancake and waffle baking mix and most have been pretty good and some great. However, being able to create golden crispy waffles from scratch feels so much more satisfying.
My waffle maker is by VillaWare and I scooped it up on Amazon a few years ago (mine’s an older model). It has plates that are dishwasher safe and removable so you have the option to make traditional Belgian round waffles or the heart-shaped ones (PS I am a sucker for all heart-shaped foods). It also has browning controls, on/off ready to bake lights, and beeps when the waffles are done. The generous spill troughs also mean I haven’t ever had overflow. Although I invested in a fancy-ish waffle maker, you don’t need to spend a lot to have homemade waffles.
Also, you can totally transform this into a dessert by adding some ice cream, chocolate sauce, and all the fixings for a sundae. Or put a scoop of ice cream between two pieces of waffle hearts for a waffle ice cream sandwich. Playing around with the fillings also transforms this into a breakfast/dessert type of meal. A world of waffle-y goodness awaits.
This recipe was adapted from the fabulous BabyCakes Covers the Classics cookbook - Erin McKenna’s second book (highly recommended if you are looking for gluten-free vegan versions of retro 50′s desserts like snickerdoodles, whoopie pies and sticky honey buns). I’ve always been a fan of buckwheat waffles and pancakes so I adapted her waffle recipe and added some blueberries. This recipe yields a pretty big batch of 10 to 12 waffles, which in our house is enough for a substantial breakfast and more to reheat during the week. A sprinkling of powdered sugar and some pure maple syrup is my preferred way of enjoying these waffles, ideally with some Motown playing in the background.
What’s your weekend breakfast like?
Blueberry Buckwheat Waffles adapted from BabyCakes Covers the Classics
Makes 10 to 12 waffles
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups Bob’s Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- 1 cup buckwheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 2 1/2 cup soy milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- 3 Tablespoons agave nectar
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- Powdered sugar and pure maple syrup to serve
Special Equipment: Waffle maker
Directions:
- Preheat waffle maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spray with canola oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum. Add milk, agave nectar, vanilla, and stir until combined. Fold in blueberries.
- Pour 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup batter into waffle maker and bake to desired doneness. Repeat with remaining batter, spraying with oil between batches. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup.
Zucchini Muffins
| May 28, 2012 | Filled under Breakfast, Cakes & Cupcakes |
Do you ever stand in line at a coffee shop and get tempted by the bountiful displays of baked goods only to end up leaving with some crazy awesome donut/danish/cookie/muffin you didn’t plan on getting? I guess one of the blessings/curses of being gluten-free is that I can’t ever succumb to my desire for those delish gluten-filled goodies. So to compensate, I try to satisfy my cravings by baking.
Now I fully admit that gluten-free baking can be a challenge, however, when I come across an easy and fool-proof version, I have to share. This muffin is adapted from Erin McKenna’s Babycakes cookbook and it was moist, delicious, chocolate-y and gluten/guilt-free. So good, that it makes me forget all about those high-priced gluten-filled sugary sweets in the coffee shops. Great for my wallet and my body.
Just remember everything in moderation – too many muffins will lead to ‘Muffin Top” which “is a… slang term used to describe the phenomenon of overhanging fat when it spills over the waistline of pants or skirts in a manner that resembles the top of a muffin spilling over its paper casing.’ Thanks to Wikipedia for that informative and graphic definition.
Zucchini Muffins Adapted from Babycakes by Erin McKenna (Makes 12)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour
- ½ cup flax meal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- ¾ cup agave nectar
- ¾ cup unsweetened soy milk (or non-dairy milk alternative)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup shredded zucchini
- 1 cup mini gluten-free vegan chocolate chips (optional)
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, flax meal, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt and cinnamon. Add oil, agave, soy milk, and vanilla to dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Using a plastic spatula, gently fold in zucchini and chocolate chips (if using) just until evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Do not over mix.
- Pour half cup of batter into each prepared liner, almost filling it. Bake the muffins on the centre rack for 25 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees after 15 minutes. To check doneness, a wooden toothpick will come out clean after being inserted into the centre of a muffin.
- Let the muffins stand in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store muffins in airtight container in the fridge or freeze.
Triple Chocolate Torte
| February 7, 2012 | Filled under Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts |
Valentine’s Day is around the corner and whipping up this luscious triple chocolate torte is a sure-fire way to show your sweetie that you care. It’s undoubtedly a show stopper, covered in a glossy dark chocolate ganache and enrobed in white chocolate slices. Not into V-Day? Me either (sort of). You can totally whip up this crowd-pleasing dessert to celebrate just about anything, from a new job, birthdays, showers, housewarming, festivus, you name it; it’s definitely a special occasion dessert.
As much as I go to baking mixes to help me create gluten-free desserts, this one was an easy adaptation of a recipe I found in the Globe and Mail over the holidays. It’s got a such a small amount of flour in proportion to the chocolate and other ingredients so it was easy to swap in GF flour. That being said, this dessert requires a) time b) planning and c) patience. All in all, it’s a pretty straight-forward recipe to make, Ie. it LOOKS way harder to make than it really is. And if you want to simplify, you can always make it a double chocolate torte and skip the white chocolate slices.
To break it down, this cake takes 3 steps. Step 1 is make the cake. Step 2 is to make the white chocolate slices. Step 3 is to make a ganache and assemble. Basically this cake involves a lot of chopping and melting chocolate (fun) and dish washing (not so fun which – I suggest outsourcing this piece to husbands/boyfriends/roommates/other parties who want to eventually eat this masterpiece).
Making the white chocolate slices is so simple and gives the cake its ‘wow!youmadethatyourself?’ look. Melt the white chocolate chunks and spread it onto a lined baking sheet to chill in the fridge. Once it’s chilled, simply remove and break into pieces and let your inner pastry chef/artist decorate. The more variations in the pieces, the better the cake looks.
The last part of the cake to make is the ganache which is dead simple to do. Seriously, just boil milk, pour it over chopped chocolate and stir to create a smooth and glossy chocolate spread. Pour onto the cooled prepared cake and spread around. It’s so much easier to make than icing or frosting and I love the silky rich taste so much that I just might ‘ganache’ all my cupcakes from now on.
So the next time you have a special occasion and 4 hours to spare, why not try making this amazing dessert? It’s so worth it and remember, after you serve this, you get to relish in all the adoring compliments while enjoy this decadent treat.
Triple Chocolate Torte (serves 8 to 10) Adapted from Lucy Waverman’s Triple Chocolate Torte for Globe and Mail
Ingredients
Cake
• 4 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• ½ cup unsalted butter or dairy-free vegan butter, softened
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
Dark Chocolate Ganache
• 8 oz dark chocolate chips or dark chocolate chopped into small pieces
• ½ cup unsweetened soy milk or regular milk
White Chocolate Pieces
• 6 oz white chocolate
Special Equipment: 9” round springform pan, off-set spatula, parchment paper
Directions:
1. Make cake. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Invert the base of a 9” round springform pan so that it is lip side down (avoids having an indent in the base of the cake). Grease bottom and sides of pan and line bottom with parchment paper.
2. Melt chocolate in a small heavy pot over low heat, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.
3. Cream butter and sugars in a large bowl until like and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions.
4. In a separate bowl, sift cocoa powder and add gluten-free flour, and salt and whisk until well combined. Beat into butter mixture. Stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla. Pour into springform pan and spread into an even layer.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until set and slightly puffed in the centre. Let cool in the pan.
6. Make ganache. Place dark chocolate in a bowl. Place soy milk in a small pot and bring to boil over medium heat. Pour over chocolate and stir to melt.
7. Remove cake from pan and pour ganache over cake, ensuring the ganache spreads to the edge. Use a spatula to help spread evenly over the top and sides. Chill in the fridge to set.
8. Make white chocolate rectangles. Place white chocolate in a small, heavy pot over low heat. Melt slowly, stirring occasionally. When melted, use an off-set spatula to spread evenly on a parchment paper or Silpat sheet lined baking sheet. Place in fridge to harden.
9. Remove white chocolate from parchment paper and break into large pieces and press white chocolate against the sides of the cake, overlapping slightly. Stick leftover white chocolate pieces vertically into the middle of the cake to create a pattern. Chill again until ready to serve. Remove from fridge for 15 minutes before serving.
Chocolate Pear Muffins
| January 15, 2012 | Filled under Breakfast, Cakes & Cupcakes |
I propose that ‘high coffee’ be the new ‘high tea.’ On new year’s day, my parents treated my hubby, sister and I to a lovely high tea. Full of delightful pastries, finger sammies, and fancy teas, it was a luxurious and decadent way to ring in the new year. Honestly, I was slightly hung over and as much as I love tea, I could have really used a huge cup of coffee to help perk me up. That’s when D proposed that ‘high coffee’ should be a thing. And I couldn’t agree more.
So we decided to host a ‘High Coffee’ at our place for some good friends and put out a massive spread. I admit, I went a little overboard. The great thing about hosting a high coffee/tea/brunch, is that you can totally do a combo of store-bought and homemade treats and keep it low effort/cost and stress-free. It’s generally more relaxing to have brunch at home where instead of trying to flag down a waiter for coffee refills, you can just keep the caffiene and mimosas flowing. And at our place, we always serve mimosas for brunch. Why? Because brunch is great and all, but mimosas make it a better brunch.
Also, if my guests are gluten-eaters, I tend to do more gluten-y items than gluten free. I just adapt whatever I’m serving to suit my own dietary restrictions. So I just made gluten versions of the chive cream cheese/cucumber/chicken open face sammies by swapping the bread for a gluten free rice tortilla. Same for the smoked salmon cream cheese Montreal bagel. Also, swapped cream cheese for dairy-free Tofutti version. Easy pea-sy dairy-free cream cheese-y.
I also try to get as much of the prep done the day before. So, plan plan plan. Prep the veggies, condiments, fruit platters, set the table, and have a list of what you need to do the day of. This makes it a breeze to put together and allows you the time and energy to actually relax and enjoy the fruits of your labour. These muffins were baked a day ahead and so were the mini potato crusted quiches we served. So next time you’re thinking of hosting a brunch, try delightful finger sammies, and sweet bite-sized treats. And try these tasty chocolate pear muffins that are healthy and will help minimize chances of getting a muffin top.
Chocolate Pear Muffins (makes 12) Adapted from BabyCakes by Erin McKenna
- 2 cups bob’s red mill GF all purpose baking flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (aluminum free)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 tsp xanthum gum
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted or canola oil
- 2/3 cup agave nectar
- 2/3 cup unsweetened soy or rice milk
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup canned pears cut into 1/2” cubes
- ½ dark cup chocolate chips (gluten free, vegan)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a standard 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthum gum, and salt. Add the oil, agave, milk, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir until batter is smooth. Add the pears and chocolate chunks and stir to combine.
- Pour 1/3 cup batter into each muffin tin cup. Bake on the center rack for 22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. The muffins are done when a wooden toothpick or skewer inserted into the centre of the muffin comes out clean.
- Let muffins stand for 15 minutes in the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
'High Coffee' spread. Did I mention this is for only 4 people? I say 'Let them eat cake (and muffins)!'
Chocolate Crinkles
| December 20, 2011 | Filled under Cookies & Bars, Desserts |
I love the holidays. For the first time in a long while, I’ve been home for the holidays and fully able to enjoy the prep – baking, gift wrapping, decorating, and entertaining. We got a tree (fake), centerpieces (leftover wedding + dollar store), cool wrapping paper (silver + black), and most of the gifts are done. I even snuck in a week in Punta Cana for my cousin’s wedding last week. And now, it’s time to bake Chocolate Crinkles – a truffle-y rich cookie to put under the tree for Santa.
Before going gluten free, I used to make these amazing chewy chocolate cookies by the talented Anna Olsen. I loved her show ‘Sugar’ on the Food Network and remember loving the dreamy white set. She made it look so simple and even though it’s a few extra steps than say my Neiman Marcus cookies, they’re so decadent that it’s worth it. There is only 1/2 a cup of flour in the original recipe which I swapped out for a GF combo of Bob’s GF All Purpose Flour mix, coconut flour and xanthum gum.
To make this recipe mostly dairy-free, I swapped the butter for heart healthy coconut oil. Chopping the chocolate helps it melt quickly over the double boiler. A double boiler is just a heat proof bowl set over a pot with about an 1″ or so of lightly simmering water. The steam from the water heats the bowl, melting the chocolate delicately. It’s important not to let the water touch the bottom of the bowl or the chocolate will get weird and nasty.
Once the chocolate is melted, remove from heat and let it cool down. Next up is prepping the egg mixture. A stand mixer is great but if you don’t have one, no worries. A hand mixer will work great and burn a few extra calories too. Just keep whipping until the egg mixture is pale and thick.
After you have the egg mixture ready, it’s time to add in the melted chocolate. Whisk in together until full incorporated. I love the swirly pattern – so pretty.
Next up it’s time to add in the dry ingredients. Mix together the dry ingredients with a whisk and add into the chocolate egg mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for 4 hours. I know I know, it’s a lifetime to wait for cookies. I’m all for instant gratification, especially after all that melting and stirring (and dirty dishes) so I cheat and wait 2 hours, bake up about a dozen, and put the rest of the batter back in the fridge to full chill.
These cookies are pretty rich so I like to keep them fairly small and dainty so I use a melon baller to scoop out the chilled dough. Roll into balls and then gently roll in some icing sugar and voila, they are ready to bake.
This makes a pretty big batch of cookies (especially if you make little ones) so it’s perfect for your cookie plate or gifting. I know it seems like a lot of steps, and truthfully, it is. So give yourself enough time, make sure your ingredients are all sorted out, and blast those Christmas carols and give it a go. They’re a real treat whether you’re gluten-free or not since you can’t even tell they’re GF. These crinkles are so rich they’re naughty and so gluten-free they’re nice.
Recipe Chocolate Crinkles (makes 36 to 60) Adapted from Anna Olsen’s Chocolate Crinkle recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 10 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 4 eggs, room temperature (preferably organic)
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- ¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 1 Tbsp arrowroot flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp xanthum gum
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
- 2/3 to 1 cup icing sugar
Directions
1. Over a pot of filled with 1″ to 2″ of simmering water, place a heat-proof bowl (metal or glass) and add coconut oil. Stir until melted halfway and add chopped chocolate. Stir until just melted and remove from heat. Set aside.
2. Whip eggs with sugar, vanilla and espresso powder with hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment, until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine GF flour, coconut flour, arrowroot flour, baking powder, xanthum gum, and salt.
3. Whisk melted chocolate into egg mixture until incorporated. Whisk in flour mixture and stir in white chocolate chunks. Cover batter with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours before baking.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
5. Spoon cookie dough with a melon baller or teaspoon and gently roll to shape into a ball. Roll cookie in icing sugar and place on a parchment paper (or silpat) lined or greased cookie sheet, leaving 2″ of space between cookies. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. To test doneness, lift a cookie off the tray – if it comes off cleanly, then cookies are done.
Storing: Cool cookies before storing. Cookies will keep up to 1 week at room temperature in airtight container. Batter also freezes well.
Apple Crumble
| December 1, 2011 | Filled under Breakfast, Desserts, Fruits |
So the holidays are here. It’s official – Movember is over, holiday party invites are streaming in, and tis the season for baked goodies, egg nog, and shopping until you drop. Many of us are hosting parties and attending potlucks (or like me, doing both this weekend) and finding a dessert that everyone can eat can be a challenge. I’m gluten free and mostly dairy/egg-free and I have friends who have nut/sesame allergies. So what dessert do you make to delight everyone’s taste buds that’s actually satisfying? It’s this gluten-free vegan apple crumble. I made this a few weeks ago for a friends dinner party and it was described as ‘Christmas in a bowl’. How sweet is that?
The ingredients for the crumble are pretty basic and are usually in my pantry – Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free oats, vegan butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, brown sugar, Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. The apples are usually ones I bought in a big bag and forgot to eat during the week, either Gala, Granny Smith or Honey Crisp. And lemon is optional.
After peeling the apples, you just slice them into 1/4″ slices. This helps them cook evenly and faster. What’s great about apple crumble is you can make a huge one like this for a crowd or a smaller one (halve the recipe in an 8″x8″ baking dish). Leftovers are awesome on hot oatmeal for breakfast (love desserts for brekkie).
The topping for this crumble is so easy – just a mix of oats, GF flour, vegan butter and brown sugar. Just mash crumble it up with your fingers all together until the butter is the size of peas and spread over the apple mixture. Then it’s ready to bake. To make ahead, I prepare the crumble until this point, cover it and put it in the fridge until I’m ready to bake it. That way you get the warm apple pie smells wafting through the house while it’s baking.
And don’t forget some dairy-free vanilla ice cream – my fave is Purely Decadent Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk ice cream. Made from coconut milk, it’s got a unique flavour that is amazing that everyone, no matter what their food sensitivities are, will love.
Recipe Apple Crumble (gluten/nut-free, vegan) serves 8
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs apples, peeled and cored and thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Canola oil or vegan butter for greasing the pan
Topping:
- ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oats
- 6 Tbsp packed brown sugar
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup vegan butter, cut into small pieces (1 stick)
Equipment: 9”x13” baking dish
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients and toss until apples are evenly coated. Grease the baking dish and pour ingredients into dish in an even layer.
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar and salt and mix until combined. Add butter and using your fingers or a fork, work in the butter until they are pea-sized chunks.
- Spread the topping evenly over the apple filling and bake for about 25 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and topping is golden brown. Let cool slightly before serving with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream.
Chocolate Chip Cookies a la Neiman Marcus
| October 7, 2011 | Filled under Breakfast, Cookies & Bars, Desserts |
Some folks look for new ways to jazz up their Thanksgiving spreads, but personally, I’m a traditionalist. I like everything about Thanksgiving just as it is. In my family, this means the juiciest turkey on the planet, creamy mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy. Traditional right? But then there’s also chili chicken, biryani, shrimp balls, lasagna, BBQ pork, shrimp and veggie stir fry, duck, beef curry, bread, dumplings and salad. Not so typical, but in our Hakka household, we take the best of Indian, Chinese, and Canadian food and feast. These spreads are legendary and friends of the family often hope for an invite, or at the very least, some leftovers.
I’m also a traditionalist when it comes to chocolate chip cookies. Honestly, some gluten-free cookies can be really terrible. There are some packaged ones out there that are just disappointing (especially since they cost a fortune – like really? expensive cardboard? I’ll pass). I’ve also tried a few from bakeries, and while tasty, they’re nothing like the chocolate-y chewy Neiman Marcus cookie.
Do you know the urban legend of the Neiman Marcus cookie? Well you can ready about it here. Apparently it’s a myth which is why NM posts the recipe on their website, for free. It’s honestly the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve ever made (before I went GF) - moist, flavourful, and super simple to whip up. Tender and chewy. Traditional and tasty. Love NM.
During the holidays, I used to bake countless batches of these cookies and give them out as gifts. Since going GF, I thought I’d never have them again. Until now. I figured out a way to swap out the ingredients to create a healthy, just as tasty maybe even tastier version. Bye bye butter, hello coconut oil. Exit flour, enter quinoa flour. I also cut down the chocolate chips again so they hold together better.
The quinoa flour is great because it adds protein and a subtle nutty flavour (even though it’s nut free) – healthy enough for breakfast in my opinion. The coconut butter is great too both for flavour and for those who are dairy intolerant. They bake up so beautifully and fill the whole loft with a warm chocolate chip cookie aroma that is intoxicating. This gluten-free version of the NM cookie is definitely going to be a new tradition in my home. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Recipe (Adapted from Neiman Marcus recipe)
Makes about 20 to 24 cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup quinoa flour
- 3/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder, aluminum free
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, add oil and sugars and beat with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 30 seconds.
2. Add egg and vanilla and beat for another 30 seconds.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder and whisk together until blended. Beat dry ingredients into wet ingredients slowly until combined, about 15 seconds. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Using a 1 ounce scoop or 2 tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto greased sheet about 3 inches apart. Gently press down on the top of the cookie with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula to spread out into a 2 inch circle. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. For a crisper cookie, bake for an extra 2 minutes.
Peach and Blueberry Crumbles
| September 19, 2011 | Filled under Desserts, Fruits |
This past weekend was perfect for strolling through Ever Green Brickworks Farmer’s Market. An early start meant lots of parking and first pick of the goods. It was my first successful visit; my original failed attempt was due to the psychotic parking situation which had me vowing to get there before 11 to avoid the near fist fights in the parking lot. The covered market was full of amazing local/organic produce, awesome eats, a greenhouse and a few artisan crafts.
It’s the first farmer’s market I’ve been to where there was a variety of gluten free options from multiple vendors. My standout GF snacks were: a vegan chocolate cupcake and sweet potato beignets from LPK Culinary Groove , JKKitchen‘s organic fries with cilantro aioli, and Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Salsa and artisan corn tortilla chips by The Mad Mexican. Definitely a recommended Saturday morning excursion – thanks to StylinMommy for posting about Brickworks.
Besides the snacks, the trip also yielded a massive haul of produce including a boatload of Ontario peaches, baby eggplants, zucchini, tomatoes, GF focaccia with poppyseed & onion, sweet potatoes, kale, and fancy mushrooms. The peaches were by far the best score – about 2 dozen peaches for $8 – but what do you do with that many peaches? I peeled and sliced up a few and froze them for future use and will give some away.
These crumbles were a great way to chip away at three or four of them. I feel like fruit desserts are as healthy as a dessert can be while still satisfying your sweet tooth, especially if they are homemade, vegan, and gluten-free. This recipe is an adaptation of Ina Garten’s recipe in Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook. I have a signed copy of the book – I met Ina after standing in line for about 2 hours to get her autograph at Chapters. She is as lovely and likeable in person as she is on her cooking show.
The easiest way to peel a bunch of peaches is to immerse them in boiling water for about 30 seconds and then immediately dunk them in cold water. After this, the peach skin peel off very quickly and easily. I remember when my mom would can peaches and skinned bushels of peaches so we would enjoy her canned peaches throughout the winter.
The gluten free crumble is mainly a blend of brown and white sugar, Earth Balance’s Vegan Buttery Sticks, and Bob’s Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour (all staples in my pantry/fridge). You can make this for your gluten eating friends and they won’t be able to tell that it’s vegan and gluten free. Also, this recipe can easily be multiplied for a crowd. It’s both a satisfying way to end a meal and say goodbye to summer as we head into fall.
Recipe (4 servings)
Fruit
- 1 lb peaches (about 3 or 4)
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest (preferably pesticide free)
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- 2/3 cup blueberries (I used wild blueberries frozen)
Topping
- 1/2 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 4 Tbsp Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks, diced into cubes
Special Equipment: Four 6 ounce ramekins (mine are from Crate and Barrel - for $2.50 a pop they’re a steal)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium pot of boiling water, dunk the peaches in for about 30 seconds. Remove and immediately dunk in a bowl of cold water and remove after 30 seconds. Peel the skin off (it should slide off in large pieces very easily). Cut into 1″ wedges.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and flour. Add the peaches to the mixture and stir to combine. Add the blueberries and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl for a stand mixer, combine the ingredients for the topping and using the paddle attachment, blend on low speed until mixture resembles small peas. Using a fork, break up any large pieces. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use a pastry cutter instead.
- Place the ramekins on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Spoon the fruit mixture into the ramekins in an even layer. Spoon the crumble mixture on top of the fruit, one table at a time, until the fruit is evenly covered. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature, scoop of vanilla ice cream is optional.
Fried Zucchini Spaghetti
| August 8, 2011 | Filled under Italian, Main Dishes, Pasta, Rice, & Grains, Vegetables |
This dish is adapted from Gwenyth Paltrow’s fried zucchini spaghetti recipe from her new cookbook My Father’s Daughter. Now this Oscar-winning, country-singing, glee-starring, lifestyle-blogging, rockstar-marrying, mother-of-twoing, is also a bona-fide cookbook author. I watched her make this simple dish on Rachel Ray today and happened to have a couple of fresh zucchini in the fridge and thought, let’s see how good this Goopster’s food is.
GP’s version was a little simpler, but I happened to have some fresh herbs in the fridge so I added those. And I wanted to do a bit of a detox today after a big-eating weekend, so I opted out on the cheese she used as her sauce base . Instead, I made lemon, garlic and chili infused olive oil which is jam packed with flavour and a little more heart healthy than cheese. (PS – D put some parmesan on his and said it was awesome).
Infused olive oil is super easy to whip up, useful, and tasty. A trifecta. I first learned how to make it watching Food Networks Anne Burrell on her show ‘Secrets of a Restaurant Chef’. I combined her infused oil with GP’s fried zucchini and voila – a tasty fast light meal from my two favourite blonde foodies. You’ll end up with extra infused oil which you can use to grill veggies or to dip your bread into.
Fresh summer zucchini is so yummy – delicate and light. The nutrients are all in the skin so don’t peel them. Using a mandoline makes the slicing super fast and uniform.
I know fried food isn’t exactly detoxifying but… you know… it’s delicious,vegetarian and gluten free. I mean it works for Gwenyth right (like how hot is her body?) And it’s seriously fast. From beginning to end, the entire thing took me 18 minutes and this recipe is definitely going in the week night dinner rotation. Good going Gwenny.
Recipe (Serves 2)
Fast Fried Zucchini Spaghetti
Infused Oil:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- zest of 1 lemon, about 1 Tbsp
- 1 tsp dried chili flakes
In a small saucepan, bring all the ingredients to a boil. Let simmer for about 1 minute, until fragrant, and remove from heat. Set aside until ready to use.
Fried Zucchini Pasta:
- 6 oz dried Gluten Free Spaghetti (enough for 2)
- 2 zucchinis, thinly sliced into rounds
- 2 Tbsp Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour
- Canola oil for frying
- Salt + pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- Chili flakes (optional)
- Parmesan cheese (option, omit for vegan version)
1. Boil pasta in salted water according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add sliced zucchini and GF flour. Toss until zucchini is evenly coated.
3. In a large non-stick frying pan on medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Add zucchini slices in batches. Lay zucchini in an even layer and fry on each side until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with salt immediately. Continue frying until all zucchini is done.
4. In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water, 3 tablespoons of the infused oil, mint, parsley, salt and pepper to taste, and Parmesan cheese if using. Toss to combine. Add fried zucchini and serve. Garnish with extra Parmesan, chili flakes, and infused oil (optional).
My preferred GF pasta and Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Baking Flour
Blue Corn Pancakes with Mixed Berry Syrup
| April 29, 2011 | Filled under Breakfast, Cakes & Cupcakes, Fruits, Sauces & Dips |
Fact: I am a seriously low-functioning individual when I wake up. To put it mildly, I am not a morning person (more like a morning monster). Everyone who has ever lived with me (parents, sister, hubby, and roomies) knows that not only am I a hot mess leaving trails of clothes, makeup and other random items strewn around, I’m waaaay grumpy for having to be awake and at times, hostile (sorry to you all… you are saints). I love my sleep, even more than royal weddings cuz I didn’t even consider being awake for it (sorry Kate & Will… ps Kate I love your dress choice! Well done!).
So for these blue corn beauties to happen, I used mind over matter, strong coffee, and peppy tunes to snap me out of my usual AM sluggishness. And the results were worth it. After I ate these pancakes, my grouchiness was gone and I spent the rest of the morning swoooning over how good they were.
I first had blue corn waffles in the spa cafe at The Enchantment resort in Sedona AZ – they were sooo good. As soon as I ate these light and flavourful waffles, I wanted to recreate a gluten-free pancake version when I got home. The resort has a recipe for blue corn pancakes on their website from their cookbook which I modified (major GF change: I replaced the flour with Bob’s Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour).
I used my usual egg replacer too, and dairy-free yogurt and milk so this recipe is vegan too. When you mix all the ingredients together, the batter will be quite thick. Don’t worry. As long as all the ingredients are well incorporated, you will have fluffy and tasty pancakes.
With normal gluten pancakes, you know when to flip the pancakes when you see those little bubbles appearing on the panckes surface. This batter is thick and those little bubbles are a no-show here. So after 2 to 3 minutes, see if the edges of the pancakes are starting to firm up (not so liquidy anymore) and then flip. They should be slightly golden brown.
Making your own berry syrup is amazingly easy and delicious – my fave combination. I first made this syrup using a recipe from an old issue of Fine Cooking Magazine. This was one of the first cooking magazines I’ve ever purchased and I’m still a loyal reader now. They have really clear directions and mouth-watering recipes that almost always turn out great. Low-functioning morning monster like me? Make this syrup the night before and reheat before serving. Also great using frozen cherries, or any other berry really.
Recipe (Serves 3 to 4)
Low Fat Blue Corn Pancakes (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- 1 cup blue corn meal
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups dairy-free milk (I used unsweetened soy milk)
- 1/3 cup dairy-free plain yogurt (I used plain coconut yogurt)
- 1 egg replacer
- Non-stick cooking spray
Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix. Add milk, yogurt, and egg replacer and mix until well combined. Batter will be thick. Set aside for 10 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the mixed berry syrup (see below).
Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium heat and add cooking spray. Add 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until edges start to firm up and are no longer liquidy. Flip the pancakes and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes or until pancakes are firm when pressed down with back of spatula/pancake flipper. Both sides should be lightly golden brown. Re-spray pan between batches. Keep warm until ready to serve. Makes eight 6″ pancakes.
Mixed Berry Syrup
- 2 cups frozen mixed berries
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/3 cup sugar (I like using organic cane sugar)
Combine all the ingredients in a small sauce pan and heat on low heat until sugar dissolves, about 3 to 4 minutes. Increase heat to high until mixture just starts to boil, then remove from heat immediately. Serve warm. You can make this ahead and gently reheat.
I had to be fast to get this pic of D's plate of panckes, he was starving while patiently waiting for me to make these.
How do I know if what I made is actually good? The plate looks like this after D is done eating. Success!
Fact: I am a seriously low-functioning individual when I wake up. To put it mildly, I am not a morning person (more like a morning monster). Everyone who has ever lived with me (parents, sister, hubby, and roomies) knows that not only am I a hot mess leaving trails of clothes, makeup and other random items strewn around, I’m waaaay grumpy for having to be awake and at times, hostile (sorry to you all… you are saints). I love my sleep, even more than royal weddings cuz I didn’t even consider being awake for it (sorry Kate & Will… ps Kate I love your dress choice! Well done!).
So for these blue corn beauties to happen, I used mind over matter, strong coffee, and peppy tunes to snap me out of my usual AM sluggishness. And the results were worth it. After I ate these pancakes, my grouchiness was gone and I spent the rest of the morning swoooning over how good they were.
I first had blue corn waffles in the spa cafe at The Enchantment resort in Sedona AZ – they were sooo good. As soon as I ate these light and flavourful waffles, I wanted to recreate a gluten-free pancake version when I got home. The resort has a recipe for blue corn pancakes on their website from their cookbook which I modified (major GF change: I replaced the flour with Bob’s Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour).
I used my usual egg replacer too, and dairy-free yogurt and milk so this recipe is vegan too. When you mix all the ingredients together, the batter will be quite thick. Don’t worry. As long as all the ingredients are well incorporated, you will have fluffy and tasty pancakes.
With normal gluten pancakes, you know when to flip the pancakes when you see those little bubbles appearing on the panckes surface. This batter is thick and those little bubbles are a no-show here. So after 2 to 3 minutes, see if the edges of the pancakes are starting to firm up (not so liquidy anymore) and then flip. They should be slightly golden brown.
Making your own berry syrup is amazingly easy and delicious – my fave combination. I first made this syrup using a recipe from an old issue of Fine Cooking Magazine. This was one of the first cooking magazines I’ve ever purchased and I’m still a loyal reader now. They have really clear directions and mouth-watering recipes that almost always turn out great. Low-functioning morning monster like me? Make this syrup the night before and reheat before serving. Also great using frozen cherries, or any other berry really.
Recipe (Serves 3 to 4)
Low Fat Blue Corn Pancakes (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- 1 cup blue corn meal
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups dairy-free milk (I used unsweetened soy milk)
- 1/3 cup dairy-free plain yogurt (I used plain coconut yogurt)
- 1 egg replacer
- Non-stick cooking spray
Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix. Add milk, yogurt, and egg replacer and mix until well combined. Batter will be thick. Set aside for 10 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the mixed berry syrup (see below).
Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium heat and add cooking spray. Add 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until edges start to firm up and are no longer liquidy. Flip the pancakes and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes or until pancakes are firm when pressed down with back of spatula/pancake flipper. Both sides should be lightly golden brown. Re-spray pan between batches. Keep warm until ready to serve. Makes eight 6″ pancakes.
Mixed Berry Syrup
- 2 cups frozen mixed berries
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/3 cup sugar (I like using organic cane sugar)
Combine all the ingredients in a small sauce pan and heat on low heat until sugar dissolves, about 3 to 4 minutes. Increase heat to high until mixture just starts to boil, then remove from heat immediately. Serve warm. You can make this ahead and gently reheat.
I had to be fast to get this pic of D's plate of panckes, he was starving while patiently waiting for me to make these.
How do I know if what I made is actually good? The plate looks like this after D is done eating. Success!
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