Chewy Coconut Chocolate Chip Bars

I have made this bar in homage to  the classic church basement treat, the seven-layer bar.

1-1/2 cups unsweetened coconut shreds or flakes
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon sunflower oil, or oil of choice
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup millet flour or sorghum flour or GF oat flour or buckwheat flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour, or white rice flour, or millet flour
1/4 cup GF oat flour, or pure rice bran, or GF quick-cooking oats (Bob's Red Mill)
1/4 cup tapioca starch, or cornstarch, or potato starch, or arrowroot starch
2 teaspoons egg replacer powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar, or evaporated cane juice, or granulated sweetener of choice
1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup pure olive oil or oil of choice
2 tablespoons rice milk, or milk of choice, or water
1-1/2 cups GF granola of choice
1 cup soy-free vegan chocolate chips (Enjoy Life)

1. Place oven baking rack into middle of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F; lightly coat a 9x13" rimmed baking sheet with pure olive oil then dust with GF oat flour or GF flour of choice.
2. In a bowl, whisk together coconut, powdered sugar, oil and water; set aside for at least 10 minutes to rehydrate coconut.
3. In an airtight container, combine millet flour, brown rice flour, GF oat flour, tapioca starch, egg replacer powder, xanthan gum, baking powder and sea salt; place on lid and shake vigorously to combine.
4. In mixing bowl, beat together light brown sugar, applesauce and rice milk; beat with electric mixer set on high for 1 minute.
5. Add dry mixture to bowl and beat to combine; add granola and chocolate chips; beat just to combine.
6. Spread dough into prepared rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle on prepared coconut and place on middle rack in a preheated 350 degree oven; bake for 27 - 30 minutes, or until coconut is nicely browned.

Remove pan to wire cooling rack, allow bars to cool in pan for at least 30 minutes. Cut into bars and serve immediately, or place cut bars on wire cooling rack to cool completely prior to storage in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Can also refrigerate up to 10 days, and store frozen up to 3 months.
Servings: 20 bars
Prep time: 15 minutes
Preheat: 350 degrees F
Baking time: 27 to 30 minutes

Lemon Bars

For those of us who believe we can cheat and get away with it, this is a recipe for my all time favorite treat, Lemon Bars.

THIS RECIPE CONTAINS EGGS!

Despite the above statement, I did indeed develop this recipe and I know God was watching cause I only had to make this one batch - and whala! awesome, delicious, I'll regret it later, Lemon Bars!

1/2 cup millet flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup GF oat flour or almond meal
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup evaporated cane juice (cane sugar)
1 tablespoon brown rice flour
1 tablespoon tapioca starch
1 teaspoon freshly-grated lemon rind
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice (from about 3 medium lemons)
2 large eggs
1 egg white
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place oven rack in middle of oven. Lightly oil an 8" baking dish.
2. In an airtight container combine millet flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, powdered sugar, GF oat flour, and sea salt; place on lid and shake to combine. Pour the bowl of a food processor.
3. Add olive oil, a tablespoon at a time, pulsing to between each addition; the mixture will appear like large peas. Pour crust out into prepared baking dish; press into bottom of dish and to meet all sides.
4. Place baking dish in preheated 350 degree F oven and bake for 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, combine evaporated cane juice, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, grated lemon rind, lemon juice eggs and egg white; beat with wire whisk to combine and to dissolve sugar completely.
6. Remove crust from oven; reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
7. Pour lemon egg mixture over crust and return to oven; bake 20 minutes.
8. Remove from oven to wire rack to cool completely prior to refrigeratating for at least 2 hours.

Once cold and set, remove from refrigerator and sprinkle on 2 tablepsoons powdered sugar, slice into bars and serve.

Yield: 12 - 16 bars
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Streusel Bread

Good to eat any time of day! When sliced-thick this bread makes delightful French toast.

Streusel
1/3 cup GF rolled oats (not quick oats)
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon GF oat flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
2 tablespoons chopped pecans, or walnuts, or almonds, or GF rolled oats
4-1/2 teaspoons olive oil, or oil of choice

1. In container with tight-fitting lid, combine rolled oats, sugar, oat flour, cinnamon, sea salt, and chopped nuts; place on lid and shake vigorously to combine.
2. Add oil, replace lid and shake to coat all with oil; set aside to prepare batter.

Bread Batter
1/2 cup GF oat flour, or millet flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour, or white rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch, or 3 tablespoons arrowroot starch
1/2 cup tapioca starch, or cornstarch
4 teaspoons egg replacer powder
1-1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup light brown sugar, or granulated sweetener of choice
1/4 cup olive oil, or oil of choice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, or vinegar of choice
1-1/3 cups water or milk of choice

1. Place oven baking rack in middle position; preheat oven to 350 degrees F; using palm shortening lightly grease a large loaf pan, dust with flour of choice (such as GF oat flour or brown rice flour), tap out excess and set aside.
2. In large airtight container combine GF oat flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, egg replacer powder, xanthan gum, baking soda, sea salt and baking powder; place on lid and shake to combine; set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl, combine light brown sugar, oil, vanilla extract and vinegar; beat with mixer set on high for 30 seconds; add dry ingredients from step #2; beat on high for 30 seconds, add water then beat for 2 minutes on high.
4. Scoop one third of the batter into prepared loaf pan and spread evenly; sprinkle on one third of the streusel; repeat this process two more times, ending with streusel on top. If desired, swirl batter gently with a butter knife.
5. Place loaf in 350 degree F preheated oven on middle rack and bake for 55 minutes.
6. Remove pan to wire cooling rack and cool in pan for 10 minutes; run a sharp knife around the inside of loaf pan to loosen bread; turn pan over onto wire rack and release loaf to rack to continue cooling. Once completely cooled, wrap loaf tightly in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator or at room temperature up to 5 days.

Servings: about 12 slices
Prep: 15 minutes
Preheat: 350 degrees F
Bake Time: 55 minutes
Cooling time: wait at least 30 minutes to slice, and at least 1 hour before wrapping to store.

Slow-roasted Garlic-Tomato Sauce

Here's another attempt to use abundant tomatoes in a yummy, easy, creative way. Enjoy!

2 pounds organic cherry tomatoes, or tomatoes of choice
4 bell peppers, a variety of colors
1 medium onion
2 head garlic (about 16 cloves)
1/4 cup olive oil, or oil of choice
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, or dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1. Line two 9x13 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F; place oven racks in third and fourth positions.
2. Rinse and remove stems from tomatoes; place on clean dishtowel then roll tomatoes around to dry; if using larger tomatoes, cut in half or quarters; place tomatoes and any liquid in large bowl.
3. Rinse bell peppers then remove stem, ribs and seeds (leave in ribs and seeds if you want a hotter sauce); slice in peppers half; rinse again then dry the same as tomatoes; add to bowl.
4. Peel onion then slice into 4 chunks; dry off then add to bowl.
5. Peel garlic and add to bowl; drizzle on oil and stir to coat all.
6. In a small bowl or jar with lid, combine light brown sugar, sea salt and black pepper; whisk or shake jar to combine; sprinkle over oiled vegetables and stir to coat evenly.
7. Place onion sections and bell peppers (skin side down) on prepared baking sheet; spread tomatoes and garlic on second prepared baking sheet; place sheet with tomatoes on the lowest of the two oven baking racks and the sheet with peppers the next rack up.
8. Bake for 1-1/2 hours at 275 degrees then increase oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake for 30 minutes.Remove sheets from oven to cool for at least 5 minutes; lift parchment paper sheets and pour contents (including liquid) into the bowl of a food process or blender, or place in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher. Process peppers, onion, garlic and tomatoes to desired consistency; serve immediately as a warm sauce, or pour sauce into a glass jar with an airtight lid and refrigerate up to 2 days; serve cold or reheat in a saucepan set over medium heat.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Preheat: 275 degrees F (raise to 325 degrees F after 1-1/2 hours)
Bake time: 2 hours

Variations
Add one or more during step 5:

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
• 1 leek, cleaned and cut in half
• Any other peppers of choice, cleaned and cut in half

Raw Tomato Sauce

We planted four sweet cherry, four Roma and two purple heirloom tomato plants in this years' garden, and they have been abundant! You can only eat so many freshly-picked tomatoes!!! So what to do? I sure didn't want to remove all the skins to can them ... how about as little processing as necessary to yield a safe, delicious product? What yummy sauce could I develop simply and easily? Here is the fruit of my labor .....

3 pounds fresh tomatoes of your choosing, preferably organic
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or pinch of freshly-ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh Basil leaves, torn if large
Coarse sea salt

1. Wash then remove stem from tomatoes; dry by rolling rinsed fruit on paper-towel lined baking sheets.
2. Using a very sharp knife, coarsely chop tomatoes into uniform chunks; pour off liquid and chunks into a large bowl.
3. Thinly slice garlic cloves; add to tomatoes.
4. Drizzle on olive oil of choice, red pepper flakes, and torn basil leaves; mix ingredients together using a gentle folding motion.
5. Sprinkle on coarse sea salt to taste; cover bowl with a lid, a large plate or plastic wrap; set in cool place for at least 1 hour prior to serving.
6. Serve immediately, at room temperature, over cooked pasta of choice; sprinkle on more basil leaves, to taste.

Refrigerate unused sauce in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Can serve cold or warmed slightly in saucepan set over medium heat.

Servings: 4 when used as a topping for cooked pasta

Pickled Peppers

Some like it hot - and some don't. I like this particular recipe because it yields a mellow spicy hot sweetness that most people tolerate and like. You can change the heat by how you process the peppers. Leaving the ribs makes a spicier hot pepper, leaving the ribs and seeds, well that is one hot pickled pepper!

2 cups water

1 cup organic raw apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar of choice, such as evaporated cane juice

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt, or 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 red jalapeno pepper

1 green jalapeno pepper

1 yellow banana pepper

1.        Rinse peppers then dry using a paper towel. Place a pepper on the cutting board and cut off the stem end, turn pepper on end and insert small paring knife into pepper cavity and gently twist to dislodge ribs and seeds, being careful to not cut through the wall of the pepper. Rinse pepper inside and out with cool water. Return to cutting board to chop pepper into large rings; place peppers in 4-cup (1 quart) glass jar.

2.        Add water, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and sea salt; place on lid and shake vigorously to dissolve sugar and salt.

3.        Cure peppers at room temperature for 1 hour then refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Drain liquid away prior to serving, or use a slotted spoon to remove peppers from brine then serve.

Yield: 4 cups (1 quart)

Prep: 10 minutes

Cure: 1 hour, room temp

Storage: Refrigerate after 1st hour; consume within 2 weeks