Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Frosting Dairy-Free


Frosting (Dairy-Free)

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free
Adapted from Shiny White Frosting: http://www.allergy-freekitchen.com/


Note: Makes enough to frost a double layer cake!

Ingredients
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract (omit if it is not available)

Method:

In a saucepan, stir together sugar, water and cream of tartar.

Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is bubbly.

In a medium mixing bowl (preferably using a table top mixer), whip the egg whites and vanilla to soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar mixture to the egg/vanilla mixture while whipping constantly until stiff peaks form (About 7 to 10 minutes).

Frost your cake!

Fresh Blueberry Pie

Fresh Blueberry Pie (optional - Meringue Topping!)
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free

Ingredients:
Pie Crust
1 pre-baked pie crust (my allergy-free pie crust works well)

Blueberry Filling
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsps arrowroot starch
1/8 tsp sea salt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (I used frozen for this part)
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups fresh blueberries (Fresh is the ONLY way to do this part right)

Meringue Topping
4 egg whites
7 tbsp white sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (gluten free)

Method:

If topping the pie with meringue, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Blueberry Filling: Combine sugar, arrowroot starch and sea salt in a medium sized sauce pan. Add two cups fresh or frozen (thawed) berries and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils, thickens, and clears. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. cool.

Place the 2 cups fresh berries into the pie shell and top with the cooked berry mixture. If you are topping the pie with meringue, do this prior to chilling the pie.

Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Slowly add the 7 tbsp of sugar, one at a time, until stiff peaks form. Spread the meringue over the cooled blueberry filling, sealing the edges at the crust.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown.

Chill the pie, and enjoy!

Friday, March 26, 2010

Gluten-Free Matzah Balls (for soup)

Matzah Balls, Gluten-Free (for soup)
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free

Ingredients
4 Eggs
2 teasppons sea salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups almond flour/meal (sifted)

Method
In a medium bowl, beat eggs, 1 tsp salt, and pepper for 2 minutes on medium speed. Stir in the almond flour. When thoroughly combined, refridgerate for 2-4 hours.

When the thick batter is completely chilled, and the moisture is absorbed, remove from the refridgerator and roll it into 1 inch balls.

Drop the balls into a large pot of boiling water (containing 1 tsp salt). Reduce the heat, cover and simmer the balls for 20 minutes. They turn fairly white when they are cooked.

Remove the cooked matzah balls from the boiling water, using a slotted spoon, and add them immediately to chicken soup/stock and serve, or store them in a tightly covered container and refridgerate untill needed.

To re-heat refridgerated matzah balls, simply drop them into hot chicken soup/stock for a few minutes, then serve.

Interesting texture, but pretty good.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Matzah Crackers Allergy-Free

Matzah Crackers (Allergy-Free)
Adapted from recipe by Ruth Heiges

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup potato starch (not the fine powder, but the white starch)
1/4 Cup ground almond meal
2 Tbsp oilve oil
2 Tbsp water (keep 2 additional tbsp of water in reserve)
1/4 Tsp sea salt

Method:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F

Mix together the potato starch, almond meal, and salt and make a well (hole in the middle).

Mix the olive oil and 2 tbsp water in a small cup, and pour into the well.

Using a fork, blend together the wet and dry ingredients into a soft dough. Knead and form it into a ball. If the dough is not pliable enough to roll out, add a little more water (up to a maximum of 2 more tbsp of water).

Line a cookie sheet with baking parchment and, using a rolling pin, roll the dough out - fairly thinly - on the parchment (like a thick cracker). If the dough is sticky, dust it and the rolling pin with potato starch. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into squares (3-4 inches big) to make it easier to break up later. Using a fork, prick the dough all the way through in rows to prevent the matzah from curling up too much.

Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until slightly brown around the edges and fairly dry.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Crepes

Crepes
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free

I have used these crepes with Peking duck (in combination with the like-hoisin sauce and shallots), with savory dishes (Such as chicken and broccoli crepes), and for dessert (fill with fruit and dust with powdered sugar). Yum!

Ingredients:

Dry
1/2 cup sweet rice flour
1/2 tsp sea salt

Wet
3 eggs (beaten)
3/4 cup rice milk
2 tbsp sunflower oil

Method:

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Make a well (a hole) in the middle . In a smaller bowl, thoroughly combine all the wet ingredients and pour them into the well of the dry ingredients. Mix it all together to create a very thin batter. Cover the bowl and let it stand for 20 -30 minutes (to allow the flour to absorb moisture). Just before cooking, stir well to ensure no flour has settled on the bottom of the bowl.

To make the crepes, use either a non-stick frying pan (for large crepes) or non-stick griddle (for many, smaller ones) on medium to medium-high heat. For larger crepes, pour batter into a frying pan and swirl it around until it is the size that you want. Thin batter is better for rolling.
When the edges begin to lift, using a thin spatula, turn the crepe over and heat briefly on the second side.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Simple Duck Sauce

Simple Duck Sauce
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free

Very good with Peking Duck or other fowl that needs a lift from a sweet, fruity sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened apple sauce (free of allergens)
1/2 cup plum jam or jelly (free of allergens)
4 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp crushed and finely chopped garlic

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook on medium heat and stir constantly (to be sure it does not burn or stick) until hot. Cook for one additional minute.

Let mixture cool, then serve. Can be used cold or warm. Store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a month

Hoisin "Like" Sauce

Hoisin "Like" Sauce
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free, Vinegar-Free

Excellent as a condiment for Peking duck (recipe forthcoming), or any other meat/poultry that needs a lift from a heavier, hearty sauce.

** Warning** Does contain Soy!

Ingredients:
5 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce (Tamari brand recommended)
3 tbsp almond butter
3 tsp honey
2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp gluten-free garlic powder
Dash of white pepper
(For additional spiciness, add a few drops of gluten free, chinese hot-sauce)

Method:
Simply mix all the ingredients by hand. No cooking required. Can be used cold or warm.

Store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a month

French Meringues

French Meringues
Naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, yeast-free, soy-free, corn-free, peanut-free

These little treats truly are delicious. Remember that you don't really bake meringues (they should not go brown), you are drying them in the oven - which is why the temperature is so low.

Also, when making meringues, you only use the egg whites. Consider making another recipe along side it that uses the left over egg yolks.


Ingredients

4 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
2 1/4 cups gluten free, corn free, confectioners' sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

Line two or more baking sheets (or glass pans) with baking parchment (NOTHING sticks to baking parchment!).

In a glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy using an electric mixer. Sprinkle in sugar a little at a time, while continuing to whip at medium speed until all the sugar is mixed in and the mixture becomes stiff and shiny. When it gets stiff and shiny, stop mixing and transfer the mixture to a large pastry bag. Pipe the meringue out onto the prepared baking sheet using a large round tip or star tip.

Place the meringues in the oven and place a wooden spoon handle in the door to keep it from closing all the way. Bake for 3 hours, or until the meringues are dry, and can easily be removed from the pan. Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temperature, with parchment between the layers.

Lemon Chicken

Lemon Chicken
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free

A wonderful, summery flavour!

Ingredients

2 ½ pounds of wings (or chicken pieces)
½ cup fresh lemon juice (can use bottled)
5-6 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp crushed back peppercorns
2 tsps sea salt
¼ cup olive oil

Warning: Add the ingredients in the order given before mixing, or the lemony flavour will be lost.

Method

Place chicken in a large glass or enamel bowl and pour over it the lemon juice, garlic, and crushed peppercorns. Sprinkle on sea salt, pour the olive oil all over the chicken last, and finally stir.

Marinate at room temperature for two hours, or in the refrigerator overnight (There is more lemony flavour the longer you let it soak!). Stir occasionally to re-coat the chicken.

BBQ the chicken wings until brown and cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Turn after the first 10 minutes. For larger chicken pieces, increase the time accordingly.

Serves 2-4 people.

Dairy-Free Quiche


Dairy-Free Quiche
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free

Ingredients
1 pre-made, allergy-free piecrust (see my previous posts for a good pie crust)

3 eggs
1 cup rice milk
6 slices turkey bacon
1 cup fresh broccoli, chopped
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Pepper to taste
¼ tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Have ready the allergy-free pie crust (thaw it if it was previously frozen).

Scramble eggs in a bowl, and blend in the rice milk. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste, and add nutmeg, if desired.

In a frying pan, cook the turkey bacon until almost crisp. Chop into small pieces and set aside. In the same pan, saute the onion with olive oil until soft, then add the broccoli. Continue cooking until the broccoli is crisp, but cooked through.

Place the cooked veggies and bacon in the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture all over them to fill to the top.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes until set, and a fork inserted in the center comes out clean.
Serve hot.

Basic White Cake


Basic White Cake
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free

This is a great basic white cake, however you can get creative by adding flavourings and fillings.

Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup gluten free flour (¼ cup sweet white rice, ¼ cup brown rice, ¼ cup almond meal/flour, ¼ cup arrowroot)
2 Tbsp tapioca flour
6 Tbsp potato starch (white starch, not the beige flour)
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/3 tsp sea salt
1/3 tsp gluten free baking soda
1/3 tsp gluten free baking powder
3/4 cup soured rice milk (1 Tbsp of lemon juice in ¾ cup of rice milk)

Method

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a large bowl, cream eggs and sugar well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 cup of gluten free flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, sea salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Using an electric mixer on low, add the dry ingredients, alternating with the soured rice milk, to the creamed mixture. Don't overbeat.

Pour into greased and floured 9x4-inch pan.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Notes: This is a great cake all on it's own, but can also be used for birthday cakes or layer cakes. The lemon filling from the lemon meringue cake works well with it, or use gluten free jam or fresh fruit. It can also be used to make cupcakes - just reduce the amount of baking time (about 25 minutes - or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean). Look for the Dairy-Free Frosting recipe to top it off!



Thursday, March 18, 2010

Chicken Shepherd's Pie


Gluten Free, Chicken Shepherd's Pie
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Corn-Free, Soy-Free, Peanut-Free

Ingredients

Potato layer

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
3 tablespoons rice milk (or more for a creamier texture)
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Chicken and vegetable layer
1 cup frozen peas** (or any other vegetable you would like to use)
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound lean ground chicken
2 tablespoons tapioca flour
4 tablespoon strained tomatoes (plain tomato sauce without spices) – spiced to your taste
3/4 cup chicken broth (free of gluten, dairy, corn, yeast, and soy)
1 tsp oregano or gluten free organic Italian seasoning
Sea salt and pepper to taste

**Note: instead of peas, use any vegetable or combination that you like. Saute fresh veggies for a few minutes (till soft) or defrost frozen ones.

Method
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash. Mix in 1 tbsp of sunflower oil, rice milk, and finely chopped onion. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

Either run the frozen peas under hot water, or microwave them in a little water for 3 minutes on high. (If you use other vegetables, sauté them or boil them until they are slightly soft). Drain, and set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.)

Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and cook until clear. Add ground chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Pour off excess fat, then stir in tapioca flour and cook 1 minute. Add tomato sauce and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Spread the ground chicken in an even layer on the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. Next, spread a layer of peas (or whatever vegetable you have ready). Top with the mashed potato mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Lemon Meringue Pie




Lemon Meringue Pie - Adapted from Emilie S.
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Yeast-Free, Soy-Free, Corn-Free, Peanut-Free

This allergy-free recipe uses the pie crust from an earlier blog. Even people without allergies will LOVE this one.

Ingredients

Lemon Filling
1 cup white sugar
2 tbsp tapioca flour
6 tsp arrowroot flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 and 1/2 cups water
2 lemons, juiced and zested (hint, chop the zest until it is VERY fine)
4 egg yolks beaten

Meringue
4 egg whites
7 tbsp white sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (gluten free)

1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked (see earlier blog)

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the lemon filling, in a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup of white sugar, tapioca flour, arrowroot flour and sea salt. Stir in the water, lemon juice, and finely chopped lemon zest. Place the four egg yolks in a small bowl and set aside. Cook the lemon filling over medium-high heat, stirring infrequently until the mixture becomes hot (not quite boiling). Gradually (this is important!) whisk in 1/2 cup of the hot lemon mixture into the bowl of egg yolks. When thoroughly combined, whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the lemon filling. Continue to heat the lemon filling until boiling, stirring constantly until thick. Remove it from heat. Cool slightly, then pour the filling into the baked pie crust.

To make the meringue, in a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Slowly add the 7 tbsp of sugar, one at a time, until stiff peaks form. Spread the meringue over the hot lemon filling, sealing the edges at the crust.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes, or until the meringue is golden brown. Cool completely and serve!





Pie Crust (Allergy Free) for Dessert or Main

Allergy-Free Pie Crust
Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Yeast Free, Soy Free, Corn Free, Peanut Free

Dry Ingredients
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup arrowroot flour
1/4 cup almond meal
2 tsps sugar
pinch of salt

Wet Ingredients
2 tbsp rice milk
6 tbsp sunflower oil
**You can use one additional egg yolk to replace 1 tbsp of rice milk for a firmer crust

Method
Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a medium sized bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, then make a well (hole in the middle of them).

In a measuring cup, mix together the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well of the dry ingredients. Combine the wet and dry ingredients thoroughly and let it stand for 10 minutes, allowing the flours to absorb the moisture.

Press the thick mixture into a 9 inch pie plate (I use a glass one to avoid burning). If you are using this recipe to make a fruit pie or lemon meringue pie, press the batter completely up the sides of the pie pan.

Bake for approximately 10+ minutes, or until the crust is fairly dry and starts to brown.

Lemon Loaf

Lemon Loaf
Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Yeast Free, Soy Free, Corn Free, Peanut Free

Ingredients:

Loaf
½ cup sunflower oil
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
½ cup rice milk
1 cup brown rice flour
½ cup tapioca flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 ½ tsp baking powder (gluten free)
½ tsp sea salt
Grated rind of 1 lemon

Glaze
Juice of 1 lemon (4 tablespoons maximum)
¼ cup granulated sugar

Method

To make the loaf, in a large bowl mix the sunflower oil, sugar, and 1 egg. Beat in second egg. Blend in rice milk.

In another bowl, thoroughly mix together the rice flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, sea salt and lemon rind. Pour into the batter and stir just to moisten. Let sit for 10 minutes (so the brown rice flour soaks up the moisture). Grease a 23x12x7 cm loaf pan with sunflower oil. Bake in 325 degree oven for 50 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then glaze.

To make the glaze, combine the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Prick the top of the loaf all over with a toothpick to allow the glaze to sink in. Spoon the glaze evenly over the top of the hot loaf. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then remove from pan. Cool and wrap

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Chicken Lasagna

Chicken Lasagna
Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Yeast Free, Soy Free, Corn Free, Peanut Free

Ingredients
9 rice lasagna noodles (for a three layer lasagna)
¾ lb ground chicken (or turkey, if you prefer)
½ medium sized onion finely chopped (use a whole one if you love onion)
1 and 1/4 tsp sugar

2 large handfuls of fresh spinach, stems removed, washed, and coarsely chopped.
1 bottle (750 ml or 1 liter) of strained tomatoes (no spices)
3 cloves of garlic
1+ 1/2 tsp organic Italian seasoning (gluten free)
1 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Note: add any other vegetables that you like to add variety. Green peppers, celery, or broccoli for example. Just chop and sauté them a little, and add them to the sauce. Also, if you like a spicier sauce, adjust the seasonings in the sauce.

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F

Pasta
In a large pot over medium high heat, bring the pasta water to the boiling point. When it has boiled, add the rice pasta and follow the directions. Be sure to separate the noodles (by stirring) as they will stick together. Do NOT over cook the rice pasta as it will not hold up well. Once it is al dente, rinse it under cool water to remove the starch. When the pasta has cooled, keep it floating in cold water until you are ready to use it.

Sauce
While the pasta water is coming to a boil, heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the onion and sprinkle it with ¼ tsp of sugar. Cook through, and then reserve it for use later.

In the same frying pan, add the ground chicken and sprinkle it with about ½ tsp of sea salt and ½ tsp of Italian seasoning and cook over medium to medium high heat until cooked through. When the chicken is nearly done, add the garlic and cooked onion. Continue cooking until the chicken is cooked thoroughly.

When the chicken is cooked through, add the bottle of strained tomatoes and season it with 1 tsp of Italian seasoning, 1 tsp sugar, ½ tsp salt and 1/8 tsp of white pepper.

When the sauce is heated through, taste it and adjust the seasonings. Often the strained tomatoes need a little extra zip of salt and pepper. If you like, and can tolerate additional spices, (example, cayenne or chili), add them to the sauce now.

Assembly
In a small lasagna pan, spread a little sauce in the bottom to keep the first layer of pasta from sticking. Cover the bottom of the pan with the first three noodles. Add 1/3 of the sauce and ½ of the fresh chopped spinach leaves. Cover this will the next three lasagna noodles. Add 1/3 of the sauce and the remaining spinach leaves. Cover this with the last three lasagna noodles. Add the remaining sauce. Do not put spinach leaves on the top layer as they will likely burn.

Bake for 25-30 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.

Let the lasagna sit for 10 minutes, then enjoy.
Works well as a leftover too. My family prefers it the next day.

Pizza

Pizza - (Adapted from the recipe by Linda Sowry)
Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Yeast Free, Soy Free, Corn Free, Peanut Free

Crust (thin-crust style)
½ cup tapioca starch
½ cup white rice flour
1/3 cup arrowroot flour
1 teaspoon baking powder (gluten free)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
Seasoning – pinch of each, dried parsley and gluten free, organic Italian seasoning
¾ cup rice milk
¼ cup olive oil

Sauce
½ cup strained tomatoes
¼ tsp sea salt
Pinch of gluten free, organic Italian seasoning
Pinch of dried parsley
Toppings as desired
*This is a very mild sauce. Spice it up with additional spices if desired.

Toppings
Use whatever veggies or meat you like. Simply ensure that whatever meat you use is pre-cooked (turkey-bacon, chicken, etc.), and the veggies (green pepper, onions, tomatoes, broccoli, mushrooms etc.) are thin enough to cook in 5-7 minutes.

Method
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
To make the crust, in medium bowl, thoroughly combine the three flours, baking powder, sea salt, xanthan gum, and spices. In a smaller bowl, combine well the rice milk and olive oil and then mix into the dry ingredients to form a very soft, sticky dough (more like a very thick batter). Let the dough sit for 10 minutes to allow it to soak up the moisture, then lightly stir a final time.

Spread carefully on an oiled (olive oil works well) pizza pan or on a cookie sheet lined with baking parchment to form a 10-inch circle, about a ¼-inch thick. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned around edge. Remove from oven.

For the sauce, mix the strained tomatoes with the three seasonings. No need to heat it. Spread a thin layer of sauce over the pizza crust and sprinkle any toppings you want over top.

Return the pizza to the oven and bake 5 to 7 minutes, or untill everything is heated through.
Makes approximately 4 servings.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Joel's Dinner Rolls



Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Yeast Free, Soy Free, Corn Free, Peanut Free

Makes 6 large or 8 medium rolls

What I have discovered, through trial and error, is that rice flour on its own does not make a good bread. Actually, the less white rice flour you use, the better your bread will taste, and the more bread-like the texture.

I also discovered that gluten-free and yeast free bread also means the structure of the bread is not very stable - so using a muffin tin really helps create a way for the dinner roll to have structure and rise.

These rolls are EXCELLENT right out of the oven and for up to 2 days if you keep them wrapped. After that, they lose moisture.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients
¼ cup potato starch (It's the white starch, not the beige, fine flour)
1/8 cup arrowroot flour
1/8 cup brown rice flour
½ cup tapioca flour
¼ cup sweet rice flour (or white rice if you cannot find sweet rice)
¼ cup almond flour/almond meal (really just finely ground almonds that look like a course flour)
2 tsp baking powder (gluten free)
1 ¼ tsp xanthan gum
½ tsp sea salt

Wet Ingredients
2 eggs
1/3 cup sunflower oil
Little less than ½ cup rice milk

Method

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • In one bowl, mix all the dry ingredients well.
  • In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients well, blending in the oil.
  • Combine the wet and dry ingredients together taking care that the oil does not separate from the eggs and milk. No need to overmix. The batter (not dough) should be very thick, slightly lumpy, and sticky. If needed, you can use a little more tapioca flour to make it manageable.
  • Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes while the flours absorb the moisture, then stir a couple of times to ensure it is all still combined.
  • Use an ungreased, non-stick, six hole, muffin tin and spoon the batter evenly into the 6 holes (about ¾ full), or ½ fill 8 muffin holes (no paper cups needed). Alternatively, drop large spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

    Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until the tops just begin to brown, or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

    Enjoy!

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

A whole new way of eating

A Whole New Way of Eating

Recently, my husband was diagnosed with several food sensitivities. As a result, I have embarked on a culinary journey like I have never experienced before. We have a six year old child as well, who does not have any food issues, and therefore I am trying to develop recipes that the entire family can enjoy, and we can also serve to friends.

Foods to Avoid
My husband was told to completely avoid:
Gluten, and all grains except rice and rye
All dairy
Yeast
Corn
Soy
All red meat, with the exception of lamb
All shellfish
All oils with the exception of olive, sunflower, safflower and sesame
Peanuts, cashews and hazelnuts
There are a few fruits and one or two veggies to avoid, but those are the biggies. My husband is also having some trouble maintaining his iron levels, so recipes rich in iron are also a priority.
With luck, I will post the recipes that we feel are worthy of serving to friends and family, and perhaps they will help others with food sensitivities. Many of the recipes you will find here have been adapted from gluten-free only versions, or from family favourites.
All the best,
Toby