Chocolate Chip Bars

Great!

1-1/2 cups GF oat flour, or brown rice flour, or millet flour, or buckwheat flour

1 cup tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch

3/4 cup potato starch, or cornstarch

3/4 cup brown rice flour, or quinoa flour, or white rice flour, or sorghum flour

4 teaspoons xanthan gum

1 tablespoon egg replacer powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 cup palm shortening, or pure pork lard

1/2 cup soy-free vegan buttery spread (Earth Balance), or unsalted butter, or  butter of choice

1 cup cane sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup water (omit if using pork lard)

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

20 ounces (about 2-1/2 cup) soy-free vegan chocolate chips (Enjoy Life)

1. Place baking rack in third position; preheat oven to 350F; line 12x17 rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In large airtight container, combine GF oat flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, brown rice flour, xanthan gum, egg replacer powder, baking soda, and sea salt; place on lid; shake vigorously to combine; set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, combine palm shortening, Earth Balance, cane sugar, light brown sugar, water, and vanilla; beat with electric mixer until light and creamy.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet; beat to combine; beat in chocolate chips.
5. Turn dough out onto parchment-lined baking sheet; press to even out; place in preheated 350F oven; bake 45 minutes.

Remove sheet to wire cooling rack; cool in pan; cut into desired shapes; store in airtight container up to 5 days.

Servings: 48 bars

Preheat: 350F

Prep time: 10 min

Baking time: 45 min

Still baking .... looking good, smelling even better!

Hot Cocoa Cookies

These beautiful cookies will certainly satisfy a hot cocoa craving!

3/4 cup GF oat flour, or millet flour, or buckwheat flour, or amaranth flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour, or white rice flour, or almond flour, or hazelnut meal, or quinoa flour

1/2 cup tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch

1/2 cup potato starch, or cornstarch

1/2 cup soy-free vegan 100% pure unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon egg replacer powder

2-1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

10 tablespoons soy-free vegan buttery spread (Earth Balance), or palm shortening, or pure pork lard, or 1 cup unsalted butter

1-1/2 cups cane sugar, or light brown sugar

1/4 cup water

Coating

3 tablespoons cane sugar

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)

1. Place baking racks in second and fourth positions; preheat oven to 400 degree F; line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In airtight container, combine GF oat flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, cocoa powder, egg replacer powder, xanthan gum, cream of tartar, baking soda, and sea salt; place on lid; shake vigorously; set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, cream together Earth Balance, cane sugar, and water; beat with electric mixer until creamy and fluffy.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet; beat to form dough.
5. In small container, combine Coating - cane sugar, powdered sugar, ground cinnamon, and chili powder (optional); place on lid; shake vigorously.
6. Using tablespoon, scoop dough and form into 36 balls; roll each in Coating; place well-spaced on prepared baking sheets, 12 cookies per sheet.
7. Place baking sheets in preheated 400 degree F oven; bake 5 minutes; swap baking sheet positions; bake 5 minutes; remove sheets to counter to cool; cool cookies on sheet 5 minutes; remove cookies to wire cooling rack; cool completely prior to storage.

Store in airtight container up to 1 week at room temperature.

Servings: 36 cookies
Preheat: 400 degree F
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes per batch

Variations
To use egg: Omit egg replacer powder and water; beat 2 eggs in during step 3.

To use applesauce: Omit egg replacer powder and water; beat 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce in during step 3.

To use baking powder: Omit cream of tartar, baking soda, and sea salt; add 2 teaspoons baking powder.

Doughnuts

You will be in heaven with these crispy, yet airy delights!

6 - 12 cup pure olive oil, or lard, or palm shortening, or palm oil (for deep frying)
1 cup very hot water
1/4 cup DariFree powder (Vance's)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1-1/2 tablespoons pure olive oil, or oil of choice
1 tablespoon 100% pure organic lemon juice
1/2 cup millet flour, or garbanzo bean flour, or sorghum flour
1/2 cup GF oat flour, or millet flour, or sorghum flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour, or white rice flour, or almond meal
1/2 cup potato starch, or cornstarch
1/2 cup tapioca starch, or arrowroot starch
1/2 cup cane sugar, or light brown sugar, or Maple sugar, or Palm crystals

1-1/4 teaspoons xanthan gum

1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1. In large mixing bowl, whisk together very hot water, DariFree powder, applesauce, pure olive oil, and lemon juice; set aside.
2. In airtight container, combine millet flour, GF oat flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, cane sugar, xanthan gum, baking soda, sea salt, baking powder, and cinnamon; place on lid; shake vigorously.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet; beat just to combine; set aside 15 minutes.
4. Dust large work area generously with GF oat flour, or millet flour, or brown rice flour; turn dough out into center of surface; dust dough heavily with GF flour of choice; pat dough to 3/4" thick; using donut cutter, punch out 16 doughnuts / donut holes (gather scraps, roll into ball, pat to 3/4" thick, cut out donuts until all dough is used).
5. Heat pure olive oil to 375 degrees F; carefully drop doughnuts into oil - do not crowd. Fry until golden brown on all sides, flipping as needed.
6. Using large slotted metal spoon, remove doughnuts from oil; place on several layers paper towels to cool and drain.

Eat warm - or place into paper bag with cane sugar and cinnamon (or powdered sugar), roll down top of bag and shake to coat doughnuts.

Cool completely to store in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Servings: 16 doughnuts, 16 doughnut holes
Preheat: 375 degrees F
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 3 - 6 minutes per batch

Hollandaise Sauce (vegan, soy-free)

This egg-centric sauce can be made, surprise, without eggs! Enjoy this hearty sauce over English Muffins topped with Breakfast Sausage, or drizzle over asparagus for lunch!

1 tablespoon potato starch, or arrowroot starch

1/4 teaspoon fine ground black pepper

1 pinch garlic powder

1 pinch onion powder

1 pinch sea salt

2/3 cup water

1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons GF mustard of choice (page 186), or Dijon mustard (page 179)

1 teaspoon honey, or agave nectar, or cane sugar, or light brown sugar

2 tablespoons soy-free vegan buttery spread (Earth Balance®), or butter of choice, or pure olive oil

1. In small airtight container, combine arrowroot starch, fine ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and sea salt; place on lid; shake vigorously to combine.
2. Pour water into small saucepan; whisk in dry ingredients; place over medium heat; cook, whisking constantly, until sauce begins to thicken, about 3 minutes.
3. Remove saucepan from heat; whisk in lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, and butter of choice; whisk vigorously at least 1 minute.

Pour hollandaise sauce into a warmed serving dish; use immediately.

To store: pour sauce into storage container; refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

To reheat: add 1 tablespoon water to a small saucepan set over medium heat; quickly whisk in desired amount of cold hollandaise sauce; heat through, whisking constantly; serve immediately.

Servings: about 3/4 cup

Preheat: None

Prep Time: 5 min

Cooking Time: 3 min

Notes

Tapioca starch is not recommended for this recipe.

Graham Crackers

This is it, people! The best graham cracker recipe I have ever developed!! Fairly easy to make and very yummy - definitely kid-approved!

2/3 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 cup oat flour, or garbanzo bean flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour, or white rice flour, or sorghum flour
1/3 cup millet flour, or garbanzo bean flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar, or cane sugar, or dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon Vance's DariFree powder, or dry milk powder of choice
1-1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons cold pure pork lard, or cold diced palm shortening
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons honey of choice
1-1/2 tablespoons molasses
1/2 teaspoon pure organic lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Line a half-sheet baking pan with parchment paper; set aside; place oven baking rack in first position; preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In bowl of food processor, combine tapioca starch, potato starch, oat flour, brown rice flour, millet flour, light brown sugar, DariFree powder, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon; pulse to combine.
3. Measure cold pork lard by the tablespoon; add each to food processor bowl; pulse to form loose, shaggy dough.
4. In small bowl, combine water, honey, molasses, lemon juice, and vanilla extract; whisk to combine thoroughly.
5. Add liquid to food processor bowl; process just to form soft dough.
6. Turn dough out onto parchment paper; cover with second sheet of parchment paper; using rolling pin, roll to large rectangle, about 1/8"-thick; trim to straight edges, if desired.
7. Using a sharp knife, slice dough into 2"-square grid (or use cookie cutter of choice to punch out desired shapes and sizes, such as teddy bears); prick surface of cut dough with tines of fork; using thin spatula, move cut squares onto prepared baking sheet, placing about 1/2"-apart; sprinkle top of dough with cinnamon and sugar, if desired.
8. Place baking sheet into preheated 350 degrees F oven; bake 12 - 15 minutes (the longer these bake, the stiffer and crunchier they will be once cooled); remove sheet from oven to wire cooling rack.

Cool crackers on baking sheet; once cool, remove to plastic storage bag or container; keep at room temperature up to 7 days, or freeze up to 6 months.

Servings: about 4 dozen 2"-crackers
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Preheat: 350 degrees F
Cooking Time: 12 - 15 minutes

Are allergen free and gluten free the same thing?

No.

Allergen Free excludes IgE-mediated antigens, and rotationally limits IgG-mediated antigens from the daily diet; all food is prepared for the individual in a way that it most appealing, nutritional in content, and with the least allergenic-potential.

Dietary restriction is an effective treatment for many chronic, destructive immune dysfunctions. Dietary restriction must, in the very least, be monitored by a qualified, Medical professional licensed in their area of practice. Ideally, it is a diet based on avoiding known, defined allergens should be tried, with close self-monitoring, to scientifically demonstrate overall improvement in physical, physiological, and most definitely mental health.

Gluten Free excludes wheat, barley, and rye from the daily diet. A strict adherence is vitally necessary for those who are diagnosed as have Celiac disease; a serious, life-threatening autoimmune disorder.

However, gluten free is implicit when considering allergen free. Allergen free means the daily diet is based on the immunological profile of each individual.

Allergen Free always excludes:

Egg yolk, egg white: 2 distinct proteins that should be separately tested for Ig-mediated immune response.

Dairy/Casein/Lactose: 3 Ig-mediated events that should be separately tested for immune response.

Wheat/Gluten: 2 distinct proteins that should be separately tested for Ig-mediated response. "Wheat Free" only means the product excludes wheat grains - so barley, rye and oats can be present (not okay for a Celiac who would react to the gluten in the barley, rye, and cross-contaminated oats). However, gluten free does indicate wheat free.

Soy, soy lecithin: this allergy may also include all other legumes, such as green peas, garbanzo beans, green beans, etc. Can cross-react with peanuts (a legume), pea protein, and guar gum. Soy appears in vitamin supplements as Vitamin E or mixed tocopherols, and is also used as a preservative in cereals and as an emulsifier in chocolate.

Peanuts: Ig-G mediated response is to Aspergillus molds so citric acid (derived directly from Aspergillus niger mold) is also excluded.

Tree Nuts: almond (an apricot), cashew (an apple), tree nuts: pecan, walnut, hazelnut (filbert), brazil nut, hickory nut. Most people also exclude coconut solids - some allow coconut oil due to its healing qualities.

Seeds: Sesame seeds are the most common, sunflower seeds are becoming the replacement to peanuts.

Fish: allergy is to usually to specific class of fish, such as white fish, (cod, haddack, pollock, white fish); causes digestive distress, muscle pain, inflammatory process is initiated. The Ig-mediated immune response is most often due to the lack of proper enzymes to breakdown the muscle protein of the fish flesh.

Shellfish: this is an allergy is to ALL crustaceous creatures, including snails and grubs; lobsters are on the same genetic tree as cockroaches. These proteins are very hard on the liver - a lot to detoxify, chance of bacterial poisoning or heavy-metal exposure must be considered.

Other common foods that may illicit an allergic response in many individuals:

Corn (including corn flour, cornstarch, and corn syrup)
Yeast (active dry yeast as well as Nutritional yeast and Baker's yeast)
Sugar - in any form.
Nightshades (potato, tomato, peppers, eggplant)
Allium family (garlic, onion)

An elimination diet should be employed to isolate and identify trigger foods. An elimination diet must be strictly followed for accurate results. A basic elimination diet should be at least 6 weeks in length.