Monday, February 21, 2011

Millet Hot Cakes

Puffy, light, delicious pancakes!

1/3 cup millet flour
1/3 cup white rice flour
1/3 cup arrowroot starch
2 tablespoons cane sugar, or light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup water
2 tablespoons pure olive oil
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  1. In airtight container, combine millet flour, white rice flour, arrowroot starch, cane sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum, and sea salt; place on lid; shake vigorously to combine; pour into mixing bowl.
  2. Stir water, pure olive oil, and vanilla extract into dry ingredients, leaving batter slightly lumpy; set batter aside until skillet is ready.
  3. Place dry cast iron skillet over medium heat; once heated, add 1 tablespoon pure olive oil or rendered bacon fat.
  4. Using a tablespoon measure, dry dollops of batter, evenly-spaced, into prepared skillet; cook until bubbles rise to surface of batter; flip; cook until nicely browned on both sides; remove to wire cooling rack; serve immediately; repeat process with remaining batter until all batter is used.
  5. Serve with butter of choice (soy-free vegan Earth Balance), and pure Grade B Maple syrup.
Servings: 12 - 16 small pancakes
Preheat: skillet over medium heat; electric skillet to 350 degrees F
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: about 8 minutes per batch

Variations
Add up to 1/2 cup fresh (washed well then dried off) fruit of choice, such as blueberries; or 1/2 cup vegan soy-free chocolate chips (Enjoy Life).

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Soup and Such

Okay so if you can't eat dairy or white kidney beans what do you do for a faux cream based soup? What a quandary! I pretty much gave up on cream of mushroom soup, white sauce, and casseroles of all kinds once my son became sensitive to white kidney beans. As we all know in this situation necessity is the mother of invention so I took to the kitchen and here are the delicious alternatives I came up with.
(choose one of the following, or a combination to equal 1-1/2 to 2 cups)
  • Cauliflower: 2 cups cooked, mashed
  • Potatoes: 2 cups cooked, mashed (Russet work best)
  • Rutabaga: 1 cup cooked, mashed
  • 3 tablespoons potato flour
Base
1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter of choice (such as soy-free Earth Balance), or high-heat oil (such as pure olive oil)
1-1/2 cups GF broth of choice
1-1/2 cups water, or milk of choice (such as Rice Dream), or pure coconut milk

Preparation
  1. In airtight container, combine garlic powder, onion powder, coriander, cumin, mustard, sea salt, black pepper, and potato flour (if using); place on lid, shake vigorously to combine.
  2. Place 6-cup saucepan over medium heat; add butter of choice; add dry spice mixture; whisk into smooth paste.
  3. In a stream, whisk in GF broth, and mashed vegetable (if not using potato flour).
  4. Stir in water; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
  5. Remove pan from heat; pour soup into large serving bowl, or cool completely then refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 months.
Variations
Add up to 2 cups, during step 2 before spice mix; cook at least 6 minutes; proceed with recipe as stated:
  • diced mushrooms of choice
  • diced celery ribs
  • diced carrots
  • diced asparagus
  • diced cooked ham and green peas
  • diced broccoli
  • diced tomatoes of choice

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Basic Creamy Soup

This creamy base is excellent as soup, as a base for casseroles, or as filling for crepes.

2 tablespoons pure olive oil, or coconut oil, or palm oil, or butter of choice
1 medium onion (cleaned and diced small), or 2 tablespoons onion flakes, or 1 tablespoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1-1/2 cups canned Cannellini (white kidney) beans, or canned Navy beans, or cooked cubed rutabaga
1-1/2 cups canned coconut milk (include fat from lid and can), or milk of choice
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1-1/2 cups GF broth of choice, or water
  1.  Place large saucepan over medium-high heat; add pure olive oil and diced onion; sprinkle on 1/4 teaspoon sea salt; cook until onion is translucent, about 7 minutes.
  2.  Drain canned beans into colander; wash thoroughly; drain well.
  3.  Place beans in food processor or blender; add coconut milk, garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; process until smooth.
  4. Pour mixture into saucepan; add 1-1/2 cups GF broth of choice; place on lid; simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Remove saucepan from heat; pour soup off into serving bowl; set aside to cool slightly; serve warm.
Serve immediately, or cool completely, pour into storage container and refrigerate up to 3 days.

To freeze: once completely cooled, scoop soup base into plastic freezer bag; force all air from bag then seal it; lay sealed bag flat on plate or small baking sheet; place baking sheet in freezer; remove sheet once package is completely frozen; store up to 3 months.
Servings: 4
Preheat: None
Prep Time: 30 min
Cooking Time: 20 min

Variations

To use a base for Casserole: omit 1-1/2 cups GF broth of choice.

To use DariFree® (Vance’s): omit beans; omit coconut milk; omit garlic powder; during step 3, add 1/2 cup DariFree™ powder, and an additional 1-1/2 cups GF broth of choice or water; proceed with recipe as stated.

To use potato flour: omit beans; omit coconut milk; during step 3, add 4 tablespoons potato flour and 3 cups GF broth of choice or water; proceed with recipe as stated.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Maple Oaties

2 cups GF oat flour
3/4 cup potato starch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup palm shortening
1/2 cup cane sugar, or light brown sugar
1/2 cup Grade B Maple syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups soy-free vegan chocolate chips (Enjoy Life)
  1. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside; place baking rack in first position; preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. In airtight container, combine GF oat flour, potato starch, baking soda, and sea salt; place on lid; shake vigorously; set aside.
  3. In mixing bowl, beat together palm shortening, Maple syrup, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
  4. Add dry mixture to mixing bowl, beat to combine; add chocolate chips; mix to blend evenly.
  5. Using an ice cream scooper, pack dough firmly to form each cookie; place cookies well-spaced on prepared baking sheet.
  6. Place baking sheet on top rack of preheated 375 degree F oven; bake 12 minutes.
  7. Remove sheet from oven; cool cookies on sheet 5 minutes; remove cookies to wire cooling rack; repeat process with remaining dough.
Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

Sevings: 18 cookies (2" across)
Preheat: 375 degrees F
Prep: 10 minutes
Baking time: 12 minutes