Gluten Free Christmas Bark Candy Recipes

When it comes to gift giving, it is hard to go wrong with chocolate, it is gluten free, heavenly, and in my opinion, the food of love! And there is something so special about giving someone something you made yourself.
Now, I am no candy maker or chocolatier but I can make bark. And if I can make bark, anyone can make bark!

Gluten Free Recipes

Here are two simple, holiday appropriate chocolate bark recipes you can whip up in minutes. A little bag or box of bark makes a great hostess gift; it can be shared with others at the party or saved and savored later.

Anyone can go out and buy a box of chocolates and anyone can make bark. I ask you, what would you prefer to give or get?

Pistachio Cranberry Bark Recipe

Ingredients

One 11 ounce bag of semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 ½ cups roasted, salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Line a sheet pan with a piece of parchment or waxed paper.

Place the semisweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high until most of the chips are melted, about 2 minutes.   Alternately you can put the chips in a heatproof  bowl over a pan of barley simmering water (making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water) and melt the chocolate.  Stir until all the chips are melted and the chocolate is smooth and glossy. Add 1 cup of the pistachios to the chocolate and stir to combine. Pour onto the paper and spread into an even layer with a spatula about an eight or a quarter inch thick.

Put the white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high until they start to melt, about 1 ½ minutes.  Alternately you can put the chips in a heatproof  bowl over a pan of barley simmering water (making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water) and melt the chocolate. Stir until smooth. Drop spoonfuls of the white chocolate here and there with a spoon onto the semisweet chocolate. With a knife or back of a spoon swirl the white chocolate into the semisweet. Sprinkle the rest of the pistachios and the cranberries over the top. Let col. Place in the refrigerator until hard, about half an hour. Cut or break into irregular sized and shaped pieces.

Candy Cane Bark
Ingredients

½ cup peppermint candy or broken candy canes
One 11 ounce bag of bittersweet chocolate chips
One 11 ounce bag of white chocolate chips

Directions

Line a sheet pan with a piece of parchment or waxed paper.

Put the candy or broken candy canes into a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or heavy skillet until you have small pieces.

Place the bittersweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high until most of the chips are melted, about 2 minutes.   Alternately you can put the chips in a heatproof  bowl over a pan of barley simmering water (making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water) and melt the chocolate.  Stir until all the chips are melted and the chocolate is smooth and glossy. Pour onto the paper and spread into an even layer with a spatula about an eight or a quarter inch thick.

Put the white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high until they start to melt, about 2 minutes.   Alternately you can put the chips in a heatproof  bowl over a pan of barley simmering water (making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water) and melt the chocolate.  Stir until smooth. Drop spoonfuls of the white chocolate here and there with a spoon onto the semisweet chocolate. With a knife or back of a spoon swirl the white chocolate into the bittersweet. Sprinkle the candy pieces over the chocolates. Let col. Place in the refrigerator until hard, about half an hour. Cut or break into irregular sized and shaped pieces.

Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com

Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/12/easy-gluten-free-christmas-bark-candy-recipes.html

Gluten Free No Bake Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake Recipe

Hold on to your hats ladies and gentlemen…. the Holidays are right around the corner! The need for quick go-to gluten free recipes for desserts abound with an increase in special family meals, entertaining and pot luck parties. Not to worry, I have your back with this no bake, pumpkin praline cheesecake. Seriously, this cheesecake is so quick and easy that even the busiest, most baking challenged person in the universe has no excuse to skip dessert. Oh, and did I mention that it tastes divine? And that it has the appropriate amount of “WOW factor” required for the Holidays?

If you happen to be a person who has hours upon hours to spend roasting pumpkins, making homemade gluten free graham crackers and churning your own butter then you might want to just skip on to other gluten free recipes. If, however, you are like the rest of the planet who realizes there are times when using great convenience products like Kinnikinnick’s gluten free graham style crumbs (thank you Kinnikinnick) and canned pumpkins are not only OK but necessary (hello… Holidays!) then by all means read on and enjoy!

Since the Holidays are jam packed with calories as well as fun festivities, I make my version a bit on the lighter side by using light whipped topping (aka Lite Cool Whip) and low fat cream cheese but if that isn’t an issue then go for it and use real whipped cream and full fat cream cheese.


Gluten Free No Bake Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake


Ingredients


Topping:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1 pinch kosher salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar


Crust:
2 ½ cups gluten free graham style crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter – melted


Filling:
1 – 8 ounce packages cream cheese (low fat or regular) – at room temperature
1 – 15 ounce can of pure pumpkin (do not use pumpkin pie filling)
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped to medium peaks with 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar OR 1 – 8 ounce container whipped topping (regular, low fat or fat free) – thawed (do not add the 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar if using whipped topping)


Directions

Prepare the topping. Line a baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or piece of parchment paper. Melt the 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pecans, salt and brown sugar and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour the coated nuts onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and refrigerate until cooled, about 10 minutes.

Spray a 9 inch springform with gluten-free non-stick cooking spray and line the bottom with a piece of parchment or waxed paper. Spray the paper with some more cooking spray. Combine the crust ingredients, mix well and press firmly into the prepared springform covering the bottom and going up the sides of the springform.

Beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Add the pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt and sugar and beat on medium speed until combined, scraping the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl at least once. With a spatula, fold in the whipped cream or whipped topping until no longer streaky. Pour into the crust.

Scrape the nuts off the pan with a spatula and top the cheesecake.

Refrigerate the cheesecake for 3 hours or up to 24 hours. Store leftovers in the fridge.

Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com

Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/11/gluten-free-no-bake-pumpkin-praline-cheesecake-recipe.html

Gluten Free Almond Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes Recipe

Some of my gluten free recipes are pretty naughty; filled with sugar, butter, cream, fat and calories. Some of my recipes are what we might call nice; notjust gluten-free but grain-free, dairy-free, sugar-free and low in fat and calories. Some might say that my nice recipes are delish enough to seem naughtyand some might say that my naughty recipes are very, very nice.

These cupcakes are definitely nice with just a hint of naughty; they are a remake of a very naughty old family favorite – chocolate cherry cupcakes. I took a gluten-free cupcake recipe that was filled with gluten-free flour, starch, sugar and butter and made it grain-free, dairy free and very low in refined sugar.

They’re a little naughty because they are packed with chocolate chips and maraschino cherries and topped with a sinfully rich, dairy free, whipped chocolate ganache. But in defense of the naughty let me just say that chocolate is filled with all sorts of health benefits and you can even get maraschino cherries that are free of red dye and corn syrup

Gluten Free Almond Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes


Ingredients

1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract – use divided
1 ¾ cups dairy free chocolate chips – use divided
2 ½ cups blanched almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
3 large eggs, separated
¼ cup grapeseed oil
¾ cup agave nectar
½ teaspoon pure almond extract
½ cup maraschino cherries – drained, dried and roughly chopped
12 maraschino cherries with stems for garnish
Slivered almonds for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a standard 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.

Make the frosting by bringing the coconut milk just to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off the heat, stir in 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract and 1 ¼ cup of the chocolate chips. Let sit for 5 minutes then stir well until the mixture is smooth and glossy. Pour into a medium mixing bowl and refrigerate until cold, at least half an hour.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder and salt. Put the egg yolks in one mixing bowl and the egg whites in another. Beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Add the remaining tablespoon of vanilla to the yolks along with the oil, agave and almond extract. Beat on high speed until the mixture becomes thicker and lighter in color, about 2 minutes. Take a scoop of the beaten egg whites and stir into the yolk mixture. Fold the remaining whites into the yolks. Add the flour mixture and fold in until fully combined. Add the remaining ½ cup of chocolate chips and the chopped cherries and mix. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes or until the cupcakes are browned, feel springy to the touch and a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

When the frosting is cold, whip it on high speed with a hand held mixer until fluffy. Frost the cooled cupcakes and garnish with a maraschino cherry and a couple slices of almonds.

Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from
Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com

Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/10/gluten-free-almond-chocolate-cherry-cupcakes-recipe.html

Gluten Free Grilled Steak and Salad Recipe

I am sure most people are familiar with grilling steaks; after all cooking meat over fire is almost elemental – since practically the dawn of time man hasbeen doing it.But what about grilling salad? If this seems weird to you, please let me explain. There is something so sophisticated about grilled salad.

Grilling puts alovely sear on lettuces but more importantly it brings out a sweetness, especially to bitter lettuces such as radicchio and to onions. And by grilling, justfor a few minutes, the lettuce and radicchio gets just wilted enough that they really soak up the flavors of the dressing.For this steak and salad dinner I put a little Asian spin on it by using San-J’s gluten-free Asian BBQ sauce for both the steak and as a base for the dressing.

It is amazing how something so simple can be so special!

Grilled Steak & Salad

Ingredients

Steak
½ cup San-J Asian BBQ Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 pounds flank steak (approximately ¾ inch thick)

Salad
2 hearts of romaine lettuce
1 large radicchio
1 large red onion
Salt & Pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for brushing the vegetables
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon San-J Asian BBQ Sauce
1 pint cherry or pear tomatoes

Directions

Combine the ½ cup San-J Asian BBQ Sauce, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar in a large plastic storage bag. Add the steak, close the bag and toss to coat the steak. Let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes or in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. (If marinating in the refrigerator, let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before grilling.) Preheat grill to medium heat (350 – 400 degrees). Brush the grates of the grill with oil. Remove the steak from the marinade and dry with paper towels.

Discard the marinade. Grill the steak with the lid of the barbeque closed for 8 – 10 minutes for medium rare, turning once. Remove the steak from the grill, place on a platter and cover with foil. Let rest for 15 minutes.While the steak is resting, prepare the salad. Cut the romaine hearts and radicchio into quarters, lengthwise. Slice the onion into ½ inch thick slices.

Brush with some olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Place the onions on the grill and cook with the lid closed for 5 minutes. Turn the onion slices over, add the lettuce and radicchio and cook for about 5 minutes (along with the onions) turning 3 or 4 times or until slightly wilted with some brown spots. Remove from grill and cut the lettuce into large chunks. Separate the onion rings.Whisk together the 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon San-J Asian BBQ Sauce together in a large mixing bowl. Add the lettuce, radicchio and onions and toss to coat. Place on a platter. Slice the steak thinly and place on top of the salad. Scatter tomatoes around.

Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free
raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com

Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/09/gluten-free-grilled-steak-and-salad-recipe.html

Cornmeal Dumplings with Red Beans and Kale Recipe - Gluten Free

I have a question for my gluten-free vegan readers – do you really want vegan food that tastes “meaty”? Honestly, I am curious because I often hear vegan and vegetarian food described as having a “meaty substance” and yet these are dishes for people who have decided, for one reason or another, to eliminate meat from their diet.

I suppose the point is that by adding ingredients to a vegan or vegetarian dish that are “meaty” it makes it more palatable to people who think that meat is essential to a meal.   (Like my husband)

But is “meaty” really the right adjective? Maybe not – I think the correct word is “umami”. Umami is defined as savoriness and is one of the 5 basic tastes, the other 4 being sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. Adding savoriness to a meatless dish would certainly make it more complete for someone accustomed to eating meat.

As we head into Fall I love the idea of one-pot meals that are filling and wholesome and somewhat traditional but with a twist. I also love the idea of leaning into a less meat-filled diet and of packing more nutrients and fiber into my recipes where ever I can.

This dish is meat-free, packed with fiber from the red beans, filled with nutrients from the kale and has a savoriness, or “umami” if you will, not necessarily associated with a meatless meal. It also happens to be topped off with dumplings which kind of distracts from the fact that it is filled with kale for people who “don’t like that green stuff”. (Like my husband)

This simple and savory dish started with a package of Hurst Family Harvest Bayou Cajon Red Bean Soup Mix which contains high quality, non-GMO beans and a flavor packet filled with spicy, smoky, all natural, gluten free ingredients and no MSG. It gets an extra boost of umami from dried mushrooms, gluten free soy sauce and a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Gluten Free Cornmeal Dumplings with Red Beans & Kale
Ingredients

1 packet Hurst Family Harvest Bayou Cajon Red Bean Soup Mix
1 onion, chopped
1 ounce dried porcini or shitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 pound kale, ribs removed and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
¾ cup gluten free flour blend
¾ cup corn meal
2 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
¾ cup water
1 bunch green onions, minced – use divided
Crushed red pepper – optional garnish

Directions

Pour the beans into a pot, cover with warm water and let soak for 4 hours or over night reserving the flavor packet. Drain the water, add the onion, dried mushrooms, reserved flavor packet along with 10 cups of fresh water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 1 – 1 ½ hours or until the beans are tender. Add the soy sauce, pepper, kale and balsamic vinegar, cover and simmer for another 20 minutes. You may need to add a little more water if you want your beans soupier.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, corn meal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add the olive oil and water and whisk until combined and fairly smooth. Add ½ cup of the minced green onions and stir, reserving the remaining green onions for garnish.

Taste the beans and add some more salt and black pepper if needed. Drop the cornmeal mixture onto the simmering beans by big tablespoonfuls. Cover the pot and let simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve with the remaining green onions and some crushed red pepper flakes if desired.

Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com

Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/09/gluten-free-cornmeal-dumplings-with-red-beans-and-kale-recipe.html

Sugar Free Chocolate Gelato Recipe - Gluten Free

I believe firmly that no living thing thrives with deprivation. That is why it makes me so happy to create gluten free recipes for desserts that are rich and indulgent. If I can create a dessert that is not only gluten free but also sugar free and is STILL rich and indulgent then I am not just happy, I am ecstatic!
I just can not think of the words “chocolate” and “deprivation” in the same thought! Seriously, who is going to punish you by making you eat chocolate? And I am willing to bet that one does not think “gelato” and then think “diet”. And yet one of my fairly guilt-free go-to desserts is Chocolate Gelato!
Did you know that gelato is lower in fat and calories than ice cream? Well, it is. Gelato is traditionally made with milk and typically has between 4 and 8 percent butter fat versus ice cream’s 14 to 16 percent butter fat content (at least in America).
So if gelato is lower in fat and calories than ice cream why does it seem so much richer? First of all the lower fat content of milk vs. cream makes it so that the flavors come through much more vibrantly. If you want a rich and sinful dairy free dessert make this with the dairy free milk of your choice – just make sure the fat content is similar to that of whole cow’s milk.
Secondly, I think the silken texture has something to do with it. In commercial gelato that silken texture is achieved by the use of corn syrup. It does something technical (that I could pretend to understand and explain but don’t and won’t) to the milk. But you can get the same result with agave nectar AND have the added benefit of a dessert that is free of refined sugar. Since agave is non-crystallizing it keeps the gelato smooth and silky without those little bits of rock hard frozen sugar that can ruin a good frozen treat.
So if we combine lower fat and calories with refined sugar free and the health benefits of chocolate which include everything from lowering blood pressure and possibly fighting cancer to preventing tooth decay, this Chocolate Gelato is actually down right virtuous! Isn’t it great to have a dessert that is rich, indulgent and virtuous? I think so.
Gluten Free Sugar Free Chocolate Gelato
Ingredients
3 cups whole milk (or dairy free milk)
1 pinch kosher or fine sea salt
2/3 cup organic raw blue agave
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ tablespoons cornstarch
Directions
Heat 2 cups of the milk with the salt and agave in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a simmer.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining cup of milk with the cocoa powder and cornstarch. Add the mixture to the heated milk and agave mixture. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to boil and stir for 1 minute. Strain the mixture into a clean bowl and let cool to room temperature. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 6 hours. (To hasten the chilling process put the mixture in the freezer for approximately 1 hour instead.)
Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and process for 20 – 30 minutes or according to the manufacture’s directions. Place in a covered container and freeze until hard, about 6 hours. The gelato will keep for a week in the freezer, covered.
A gluten free recipe that makes about 1 quart of gelato.
Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com
Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/09/gluten-free-sugar-free-chocolate-gelato-recipe.html

You know what I love most about sliders? The fact that it is perfectly acceptable to eat more than one burger at a time. In fact, it is not only acceptable, it is expected! And I really love it when I can have my sliders on gluten free buns instead of wrapped in a lettuce leaf.
This gluten free recipe puts a Greek spin on the classic burger; ground lamb with crumbled feta and oregano and a quick tzatziki sauce to top it off. I serve the burgers on my amazing Greek slider buns (more about those later!) with the sauce on the side along with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and thin slivers of onion so my guests can doctor up the sliders any way they choose.
A while ago I received a box filled with all sorts of gluten free goodies from Kinnikinnick. Tucked in there was a package of their Kinni-Kwik Bread & Bun Mix. To be honest I didn’t pay much attention to it because when a box is filled with donuts, chocolate cake mix and Oreo style Kinni-toos cookies, bun mix just doesn’t seem that sexy. Well, let me just say this – the bun mix may not be sexy but Oh Boy! is it versatile and what a great workhorse! It makes SOFT rolls and buns – just what you want with a slider. After all no one wants to ruin the taste of a great burger with a hard, crumbly bun that tastes like cardboard. If they don’t currently sell this in your local store, make them! Trust me there are tons of ways to use this easy mix. For my slider buns I added olive oil and oregano to enhance the “Greekness”.
If you want to keep these sliders dairy free, leave the feta out of the burgers and give Maggie’s dairy free tzatziki sauce a try.
By the way – if they don’t sell ground lamb in your grocery store you can always buy a piece of leg or shoulder and ask the butcher to grind it for you. Tell him or her that you are making burgers with it so that you get the right amount of fat; you want most of it trimmed off so the burgers aren’t too fatty but they need to leave some so they don’t end up dry.
I scaled this recipe to make 8 sliders but you can very easily double or triple the recipe for a party. Opa!
Greek Sliders
Ingredients
1 pound ground lamb
3 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Quick Tzatziki Sauce (recipe follows)
8 Greek Slider Buns (recipe follows)
2 roma or plum tomatoes, sliced
½ hot house cucumber, sliced
¼ small white onion, thinly sliced
Directions
Combine all ingredients and divide into 8 equal portions. Roll into balls and then flatten into little burgers. Grill on a barbecue or grill pan over medium-high heat for 2 -3 minutes per side. Do not over cook.
Serve the sliders on the Greek Slider Buns with the Quick Tzatziki Sauce and sliced vegetables on the side.
Quick Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
½ cup Greek yogurt (I use fat free but you can use any kind you like)
¼ cup sour cream (low fat is fine)
½ hot house cucumber, peeled and grated with the large holes on a box grater
2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
1 – 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
Large pinch of kosher or fine sea salt
Large pinch black pepper
Directions
Combine all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Can be served right away but is best if refrigerated for at least half an hour. Can be made a day ahead, stir before serving.
Greek Slider Buns
Ingredients
1 cup Kinni-Kwik Bread & Bun Mix
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup water
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pinch kosher or fine sea salt
1 small pinch black pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush 8 cups in a standard muffin pan with olive oil or spray with gluten-free non-stick cooking spray.
Combine all ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on low to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl once. Increase speed to medium-high and mix for 3 minutes. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups (about 2 tablespoons per cup) and bake for 15 minutes or until the buns are golden brown.
A gluten free recipe that makes 8 sliders.
Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of
Gluten Free Recipes which are made from
Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com
Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/09/gluten-free-greek-sliders-recipe.html

Gluten Free Grilled Orange Chicken Recipe

You know how you are at the mall, famished from all the shopping and bag carrying, and you go to the food court and some enthusiastic teenager pushes a piece of orange chicken at you to taste? Yes? Well I have a confession – sometimes I really wish I could have a taste. I know it is fried and filled with gluten and probably about a thousand calories in just that one taste and that I shouldn’t want to taste it, but I do. I don’t taste it – I WANT to taste it!  After all, eating orange chicken used to be an integral part of my whole mall experience.

I kind of want to hurt that  guy for bringing up the idea of orange chicken to me in the first place. Here I was all set to have a nice healthy salad for lunch and now all I can think about is orange chicken. And so with some disappointment and resentment I eat a salad. And a gelato. And...wel... never mind.

If you, like me, miss the taste of orange chicken at the mall you will be happy to know that you can make a much healthier grilled version very easily with the help of some honey and gluten-free Orange Sauce from San-J. With a little forethought, I can have this recipe mostly prepared and waiting in the fridge for me when I return from shopping and finish my mall experience at home.

Now if I could just get Nordstrom to open up a shoe store in my living room…


Grilled Orange Chicken


Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

½ cup San-J Orange Sauce

½ cup honey

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Directions

Cut chicken into 1½ inch pieces. Combine the San-J Orange Sauce and honey and put half in a medium mixing bowl, reserve the rest for later. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and toss to combine. Let chicken marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature or for up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.  If you are marinating in the refrigerator, let it come to room temperature for 20 minutes before grilling.  If using wooden skewers, soak 4 in water for 20 minutes.  Pre-heat the grill to moderately high heat (450 degrees on a gas grill).

Divide chicken pieces onto 4 skewers allowing the chicken to touch but do not cram together. Brush grates of grill with oil.

Grill for 4 minutes with the lid to barbeque closed. Turn skewers over and grill another 4 minutes covered. Brush the reserved sauce onto the chicken and cook for another 2 minutes, turning several times, or until the chicken is cooked through but still juicy. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

A gluten free recipe that serves 4.


Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com

Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/09/gluten-free-grilled-orange-chicken-recipe.html

Pistachio Crisps Recipe - Gluten Free

Sweet, salty, crispy, crunchy – to me these simple words combine to conjure up the perfect snack.

This gluten free recipe for pistachio crisps is what I call a “high/low” – low on effort, high on payoff! It is essentially gluten free pizza dough, rolled thinly and topped with a salty, sweet mixture of healthy pistachios, brown sugar and kosher salt. It bakes up crispy like a flat bread or cracker and has these little pockets that puff up for a dash of drama. Serve these as an elegant starter with cocktails at your next soiree and you will actually feel like a person who uses words like “soiree”!

Gluten Free Pistachio Crisps


Ingredients

1½ cups good quality All Purpose Gluten Free Flour Blend
1½ teaspoons xanthan gum
1 tablespoon dry active yeast
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 ½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt, use divided
½ teaspoon agave nectar, sugar or honey
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, use divided
2/3 cup hot tap water (around 110 degrees is perfect)
½ cup roasted and salted pistachios
¼ cup brown sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line two baking sheets with silicon baking mats or parchment paper.

Combine the flour, xanthan gum, yeast, gelatin, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, agave (or sugar or honey) and hot water in a bowl of an electric mixer fitter with regular beaters or whisk attachment (not dough hook or paddle attachment).  Mix on low until combined.  Scrape down bowl once.  Turn mixer to high and mix for 3 minutes.  The dough may clunk around in the mixer at first then soften up, this is fine.  The dough will be soft and sticky.

Dust a work surface, generously with more All Purpose Gluten-free Flour Blend or white rice flour and kneed the dough a few times until it is smooth and no longer sticky. Divide dough into two equal portions. Roll each portion of the dough out very thin to fit the baking sheet. Brush 2 tablespoons of olive oil on each piece of dough, going all the way to the edges.

Finely chop the pistachios and combine with the remaining teaspoon of salt and brown sugar. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the dough. Bake for 13 – 15 minutes or until crispy and browned. Break into pieces.

A gluten free recipes that serve 6 – 8 people as an appetizer.

Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/09/gluten-free-pistachio-crisps-recipe.html

Chicken Carabella Recipe - Gluten Free

Back in the 80’s The Silver Palate Cookbook came out and helped people who couldn’t even cook, feel like a gourmet chef with some killer recipes. One of those recipes was Chicken Marbella, a combination of chicken, prunes, capers and olives, a dish that quickly became a dinner party standard.

I wanted to give the recipe a little bit of a makeover with some more depth of flavor and of course I am always looking for how I can cut out steps and make a gluten free recipe even easier.

This is my version; I added a touch of heat with crushed red pepper flakes, some brightness with fresh lemon juice and tossed in some dried apricots, all of which, in my opinion, rounds out the flavors better. To make the recipe simpler and to cut out an extra step, I used Baker Brand Prune Dessert Filling as the base of the marinade and sauce which allowed me to cut out the cup of brown sugar in the original recipe.

This is my favorite kind of gluten free recipe – it is elegant enough to serve to guests and yet it could not be easier. It does require time for both marinating and baking but your fridge and oven are doing all the work (and you are getting all the credit).

I like to use skinless, bone-in chicken thighs in this recipe but you can also use a whole cut up chicken or even chicken breasts.

I call this recipe “Chicken Carabella”, just because I can but you can call it anything you want!

Chicken Carabella


Ingredients

1 – 10 ounce jar Baker Prune Desert Filling
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons dried oregano
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons capers
2 bay leaves
½ cup green olives, pitted and sliced in half
8 skinless, bone in chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
1 cup dried apricots

Directions

Whisk together the Prune Dessert filling, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, red pepper flakes, wine and capers in a 9 by 12 baking pan. Stir in the bay leaves and olives. Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper and add to the marinade, turning to coat. Cover baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to a day ahead.

Remove the baking dish from the fridge and let sit at room temperature while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap, stir in the dried apricots and bake for 1 hour, spooning the juices over the chicken a few times while it bakes.

Serve with rice or quinoa.

A gluten free recipe that serves 6 – 8 people.

Ready for dessert?

Gluten Free Recipes have changed eating habits of Gluten intolerant people. To know more about Gluten free diet and how to prepare a Gluten free recipe in a short span of time feel free to visit our blog : http://bestglutenfree.wordpress.com

Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/09/gluten-free-chicken-carabella-recipe.html

Dairy Free Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe - Gluten Free

I love diners. Some of my best times have taken place over endless cups of coffee under overly bright florescent lights sitting at a slightly chipped table that has seen better days. Elegant restaurants are great but there is just something about a neighborhood diner – a place where the waitress calls you “hon”, the food, while not fancy is predictably good and where you can get breakfast or pie any time of the day. You can, in fact, eat breakfast and pie at the same meal and no one will judge you. Yep! I love diners!

I miss eating pie at a diner. But I am not one to lament losses due to my gluten free diet for very long so I decided to come up with my own, new and improved version of chocolate cream pie – one of my all time diner favorites from a long ago time. What makes this pie new and improved is not just the fact that it is gluten free and dairy free, it is the fact that it is AMAZING!!!! The filling is rich and sinful, the topping a sweet meringue that literally melts in your mouth and the crust is a simple, no bake chocolate affair made with the help of KinniToos, a gluten free sandwich cookie very much like an Oreo. For even more chocolaty goodness I use the fudge stuffed cookies but any kind you can find will work great.

Maybe I will change my name to Flo and open my own diner. Or maybe I will just enjoy my pie!

Chocolate Cream Pie Filling

Ingredients

2 packages Kinnikinnick KinniToos gluten free sandwich cookies
4 tablespoon dairy free butter substitute, melted
1 – 14 ounce can full-fat coconut milk
1 packet (2 ½ teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1 pinch kosher or fine sea salt
12 ounces dairy free semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup of sugar
6 large egg whites

Directions

Place the cookies into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to break them up then process until the cookies become crumbs. Add the melted dairy free butter substitute and process to combine. Spray a 9 inch spring-form pan well with gluten-free non-stick cooking spray. Firmly press the crumb mixture into the pan, evenly covering the bottom and about halfway up the sides. Refrigerate crust while preparing the filling.

Combine ½ cup of coconut milk with the gelatin and let sit for five minutes to soften. Pour the remaining coconut milk and salt into a sauce pan and heat to a boil. Add the gelatin mixture and stir to combine. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate chips and vanilla. Cover the pan and let sit for 3 minutes. Stir until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is fully combined and glossy. Pour into the prepared cookie crust, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.

Place the sugar and egg whites in the heat-proof bowl of an electric mixture and place over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir constantly until the sugar has all dissolved and the egg whites are warm to the touch, about 3 minutes. Attach the bowl to the mixer and using the whisk attachment beat the egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Raise the speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form but the mixture is not dry – about 1 ½ minutes.

Mound the meringue over the top of the pie and using a knife or spatula create little peaks. Place the pie under the broiler for a few seconds to brown the top or use a kitchen torch. Be careful not to burn the meringue. Serve the pie right away or refrigerate until serving time.

This completely gluten free recipes makes 8 servings.

Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/09/gluten-free-dairy-free-chocolate-cream-pie-recipe.html

Asian Barbeque Ribs Recipe - Gluten Free

When San-J asked me to work with their gluten free grilling sauces I was honored and a little excited at the prospect of besting my husband!   After all, in my household, he has been the grilling master.

Sure, I make a mean grilled veggie salad but in my hubby’s politically incorrect words, “vegetables are chick foods.”

I felt pretty confident that I could do well with foods the hubby might consider gender-neutral such as chicken and fish but the real test would be the ultimate he man food – RIBS.

Fortunately, the sauce I choose to use, San-J’s wonderful Asian BBQ Sauce, did most of the work for me, it’s sweet and smoky with a hint of the exotic from ginger, garlic and sesame.

But I still had to cook the ribs properly, so I went over in my mind everything I knew about grilling and I held a couple undercover “intelligence-gathering” conversations with my husband – here’s what I can confidently tell you about gluten free recipes and gluten free grilling:


Gluten Free Grilling Basics


Safety First

If you do not have a totally gluten free menu, make sure you do not allow any cross contamination. Remember, gluten is very sticky and the tiniest bit can make a perfectly gluten free piece of food unsafe. If you must grill food containing gluten on the same grill, keep the food segregated. If you are not sure about the cleanliness of the grill, put foil on the grill or place a grill pan on the barbecue and cook the food in that. You can also wrap your food in foil the place on the grill.


Direct and Indirect Heat

Direct heat is when the fire is directly below the food. It works great for food that cooks quickly such as hamburgers, boneless chicken pieces, fish fillets, shell fish and sliced vegetables.

Indirect heat is where the fire is off to the sides or to one side of the grill and the food cooks over the unlit portion. This works well for larger, tougher foods that need to cook longer such as roasts, whole chickens and ribs.

To create indirect heat with coals you can either push the lit coals to either side of the barbeque or you can make a ring of fire on the outer edge of the barbecue, either way you are creating a section in the center or on the side that is clear of lit coals.

For a gas grill, simply turn off one side of the burners.


Judging the Temperature of a Grill

Just like when cooking food in the oven, when grilling, it is important to cook certain types of food at certain temperatures. If you don’t have a thermostat on your grill you can use the hand method.

Extend your hand, palm side down over the grill about 5 inches above the grate – think of it as if a can of soda in sitting on the grate and your hand is sitting on top of the can. How long you can keep you hand there will determine the temperature. If you can keep it there for 2 to 4 seconds, that’s high heat – 450 – 550 degrees, 5 to 7 seconds is medium – 350 – 450 degrees and 8 to 10 seconds is low, 250 – 350 degrees. All these temps are Fahrenheit.

This is not a game of chicken or a way to test how macho you are – use common sense and pull your hand away as soon as it feels too hot, don’t wait until it hurts and you burn yourself!


Keeping Food from Sticking

If you pre-heat your grill and then oil the grates of the grill your food will be a lot less likely to stick. Just FYI, it is not a good idea to spray non-stick cooking spray directly into an open flame. Trust me on this one!

So there, in a nut shell is what I know about grilling and it has turned me into a contender! I hope it helps you too. If you are looking for the perfect side dish for these ribs, try my Asian  Coleslaw.



Asian Country Style Ribs


Ingredients

3 pounds country-style pork ribs
1 cup San-J Asian BBQ Sauce, use divided plus more for serving


Directions

Place ribs in a large plastic storage bag with ½ cup San-J Asian BBQ Sauce, shake gently to combine and let marinate for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature.

Prepare grill to medium heat (350 – 400 degrees). If using a gas grill, turn off one side, if using coals push them to either side to create indirect heat. Brush the grates with oil.

Remove ribs from the marinade and discard marinade. Cook the ribs over indirect heat, with the lid closed for 20 minutes. Turn and brush with some of the remaining San-J Asian BBQ Sauce. Cover and cook for another 25 minutes. Brush ribs with the remaining San-J Asian BBQ Sauce, wrap tightly in foil and let rest for 30 minutes off the heat. Serve with extra San-J Asian BBQ Sauce on the side if desired.

This Gluten Free Asian Barbeque Ribs Recipe  serves 6.

Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/09/gluten-free-asian-barbeque-ribs-recipe.html

Caprese Salad Recipe - Gluten Free

Once upon a time a caprese salad, bursting with fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella met up with a gluten free pasta salad. They fell instantly in love.

The resulting love child of this auspicious union was the gluten free caprese pasta salad.

A love story if ever I heard one.

Gluten Free Caprese Salad

Ingredients

1 – 16 ounce package gluten free rice pasta (shells, elbows or spirals)

1 ½ cup loosely packed fresh bail leaves, use divided

1 clove garlic, minced

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil (maybe a tad more)

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

6 ounces bocconcini (small mozzarella balls), quartered

Directions

Cook the pasta in heavily salted water 1 or 2 minutes less than the package instructions until just al dente. Drain well and put the pasta into a large serving bowl.

While the pasta is cooking combine 1 cup of the basil with the garlic, finely grated lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until the basil is finely minced and the mixture is combined. Take the plastic top insert from the top of the blender out and slowly stream in the olive oil with the machine running. You want a thick dressing but not as thick as mayonnaise. If the mixture is too thick, add more olive oil.

Once the pasta is cooked and drained pour the dressing over the warm pasta. Toss well and let cool.

Roll the remaining basil leaves up like a cigar and cut into thin slices with a sharp knife. When the pasta has cooled, add the basil, tomatoes and bocconcini. Cover and refrigerate for at least half an hour or up to two days. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.

This gluten free recipe  serves 6 – 8 people.

Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/09/gluten-free-caprese-salad-recipe.html

Glazed Chicken and Peach Skewers Recipe - Gluten Free

Can someone please tell me when it was that children started going back to school before Labor Day? Is this some sort of government conspiracy to gyp parents out of what could be the better part of summer?

As a child I never went to school until the Tuesday after Labor Day weekend. It was the perfect way to ease back into it – four days of school instead of five. Sometimes I wished they would start back even more gradually say one day the first week, two the second and so on. But I would take four over five any day.

It was the same for my children when they were in school. We had Labor Day weekend to get all our back to school shopping done and have one last family day off together before the whole process of packing lunches and doing homework started again.

The last couple weeks of summer are different than the rest. The frantic rush to have fun is over, the vacation suitcases have been unpacked, we have most likely recovered from (or at least sort of forgotten about) having to mortgage the house and stand in line for hours and hours to enjoy the theme parks and we survived the annual trip to (insert relative of you choice here)’s house. And the big chores are pretty much done as well – all those grand plans for projects have either been accomplished or shelved for the next year and finally, FINALLY we can just take it easy and relax!

And then there is the beautiful abundance of late summer fruits and veggies – golden, sweet corn, juicy, red ripe tomatoes, and enough zucchini to feed armies. And peaches!  I love, love, love peaches, in any way shape or form. Bring on the homemade peach ice cream, gluten free peach pies and cobblers and for a special treat, throw some on the grill. Something magical happens when you take a piece of that beautiful, iconic summer fruit and apply fire to it.

This pretty little gluten-free recipe combines ripe peaches with chunks of chicken thighs and a spicy-sweet sauce made by combining hot pepper sauce with some San-J’s fabulous new Sweet & Tangy Polynesian Glazing & Dipping Sauce. The sauce is used as a marinade before throwing the chicken and peaches on the grill and as a base for a simple salad dressing. Toss with some arugula, toasted almond slices and more peaches and this makes the perfect light meal for these lazy, hazy last days of summer.

This recipe is quick enough to whip up after those poor, summer-vacation gypped kids get home from school and easy enough to maintain some laziness to these last few precious days of summer.

Glazed Chicken & Peach Skewers

Ingredients

½ cup San-J Sweet & Tangy Polynesian Glazing & Dipping Sauce
½ teaspoon Sriracha (or other hot pepper) sauce
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
¼ cup slivered almonds
6 firm but ripe peaches, washed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 cups baby arugula, washed and dried
Salt & Pepper

Directions

Combine the San-J Sweet & Tangy Polynesian Glazing & Dipping Sauce and Sriracha. Take out 1 tablespoon and reserve. Pour the remaining sauce into a medium bowl.

Cut the chicken thighs into 20 evenly sized pieces. Put in the bowl with the sauce and toss to coat. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 20 – 30 minutes.

Toast the almond slices in a small, dry, hot skillet over medium high heat until lightly browned and fragrant, about 3 or 4 minutes. Let cool.

Preheat the grill to medium heat (350 degrees). If using wooden skewers, soak four for 20 minutes in water.

Cut four of the peaches into quarters and the remaining two peaches into thin slices. Thread the chicken pieces on four skewers alternating with the peach quarters, beginning and ending with chicken. Brush the grates of the grill with oil. Grill the skewers, with the lid closed, for 8 – 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the peaches are soft with grill marks.

Just before serving, whisk together the reserved 1 tablespoon of sauce with the olive oil and lemon juice. Add the arugula, thinly sliced peaches and toasted almonds. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve salad with the skewers.

A gluten free and gluten free recipe that serves 4 people.

Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/08/gluten-free-glazed-chicken-and-peach-skewers-recipe.html

Gluten Free Baked Cherry and Brie Appetizer Recipe

As we come to the end of summer we also come to the end of the sweet cherry season.  Just when I was starting to take for granted lush, ripe, juicy cherries I realized it was time to start REALLY appreciating them and using them in as many gluten free recipes as I can before they were gone for this year.

So along with blending some into smoothies and baking them into muffins and pies I decided to venture out into other parts of the menu – the appetizer for example.

What’s that you say? Cherry appetizers? Seriously?

Yep, seriously!  Baked with creamy brie and another summer favorite, basil, cherries make for a sophisticated yet seriously simple starter. But don’t take my word for it, throw together this recipe and see for yourself. But hurry! Cherry season is almost over.

Oh and if you don’t already have one, this would be a good time to invest 5 or 10 dollars in a cherry pitter. This one, you can take my word for – they work great!

Baked Cherry and Brie Appetizer


Ingredients

2 pounds sweet cherries, pitted
½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
Large pinch black pepper
¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 – 7 ounce round of brie
8 slices gluten-free bread
4 sprigs of fresh basil for garnish

Directions

Combine the cherries, salt, pepper and chopped basil in a mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to a day ahead.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place on rack in the top third of the oven and the other rack in the bottom third.

Slice the crusts off the gluten free bread and cut each slice in half diagonally to make triangles. Lay on a baking sheet.

Divide the cherries along with any accumulated juices into 4 ramekins. Cut the rind off the round of brie and cut into quarters. Place the brie quarter on top of the cherries. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet.

Put the bread on the top shelf of the oven and the cherries on the bottom. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. Garnish each ramekin with a sprig of fresh basil and 4 toast triangles and serve immediately.

A gluten free recipe that serves 4 people (or 1 really greedy cherry lover like me!).

Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com

Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/08/gluten-free-baked-cherry-and-brie-appetizer-recipe.html

Grilled Swordfish with Orange Fennel Salad - Gluten Free

We all know San-J as the people who bring us gluten free, wheat free soy sauces! But did you know they now also produce GLUTEN FREE GRILLING SAUCES? That’s right, the people who made it not only possible but easy for us gluten intolerant folks to enjoy sushi, have now made it just as easy to enjoy grilling and barbequing. And you don’t have to do a lot of hunting to find these grilling sauces, they are right there on your regular grocery store shelves.

It was my pleasure to develop gluten free recipes for San-J as a part of their overall effort to provide convenient and delicious solutions for those on a gluten-free diet. It was an equally momentous pleasure to become, if only for a couple of weeks, the grill-master of our household!

In our family, my husband is the self-proclaimed grill-master and while the food he “cooks over fire” is always sumptuous, it lacks a certain…hmmm…., let’s say…refinement. Don’t get me wrong, I love big hunks of cooked meat thrown on a platter just as much as the next person - it makes for a terrific backyard barbeque with paper plates and all but is missing the aesthetic quality I would want for say, a dinner party.

This swordfish recipe is beautiful and elegant and yet so easy to prepare. I used San-J Orange Sauce as both the marinade for the swordfish and in the dressing for the lovely, bright salad.

Who is the grill-master in your family?

Swordfish with Orange Fennel Salad


Ingredients

4 – 6 ounce swordfish fillets
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons San-J Orange Sauce, use divided
2 large oranges, peeled
1 large fennel
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper


Directions

Place the swordfish fillets in a large plastic storage bag. Add ¼ cup San-J Orange Sauce and gently shake to coat the fillets with sauce. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Heat grill to medium-high heat (450 degrees).

Cut the oranges into segments over a plate or bowl to catch the juice. Measure 1 tablespoon of orange juice and combine with 2 tablespoons San-J Orange Sauce, olive oil, salt and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Add the sliced fennel and toss gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

Remove swordfish from marinade and discard marinade. Brush grates of the grill with some oil. Grill for 8 minutes with the lid closed, turning once.

Place the orange and fennel salad on plates and top with the swordfish fillets and serve.

A gluten free recipe that serves 4 people.

Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com

Article Source : http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/08/gluten-free-grilled-swordfish-with-orange-fennel-salad-recipe.html

Gluten Free Lemon Pistachio Biscotti Recipe

Before you decide I have completely lost my sanity by presenting a gluten free recipe for a cookie that is not only baked once but twice in the dead heat of summer, hear me out. I think I can convince you that biscotti are in fact the ideal cookies to bake in the summer.

The word biscotti originates from Medieval Latin and means twice baked or cooked. They are dry Italian cookies which have been made for centuries and were originally baked twice to ensure a long shelf life in the days of extended journeys and no refrigeration.

The dryness makes them the ideal cookie for dunking and it also makes them quite portable – perfect for picnics and such. They are low in fat which makes them a good dessert alternative with a glass of Vin Santo – a sweet Italian wine. The thought of sitting on the patio at the end of a light summer meal sharing biscotti and a glass of wine or cup of coffee just cries “summer” to me.

OK, do you see where I am going with all this? I am not saying to stop baking biscotti in the winter, tins of Christmas biscotti studded with pistachios and cranberries dipped in dark chocolate makes for a fabulous gift, I am just saying that we need to start thinking of this as a summer cookie as well.

I like my biscotti dry enough to dip without falling apart but not so hard that they chip a tooth and this recipe results in a cookie that hits that balance quite nicely. I love the combination of fragrant lemon peel and salty pistachios mixed into the barely sweet biscuit. And may I just say that if you do dare to turn on the oven during the heat of summer to bake these, you will be rewarded with not only fantastic gluten free biscotti but your home will smell a little bit like Heaven.

Gluten Free Lemon Pistachio Biscotti


Ingredients

1¾ cup pastry quality gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum*
¼ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ cup olive oil
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Zest of 1 large lemon
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups roasted, salted pistachios (if using unsalted pistachios increase the salt in the recipe to ¾ teaspoon), roughly chopped

* make your own gluten free flour blend by whisking together 1 cup superfine white rice flour with ½ cup superfine sweet rice flour, ¼ cup tapioca starch and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum.

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, salt and baking powder.

In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or with a handheld at medium speed, beat the olive oil with the sugar, vanilla, lemon zest and eggs until well combined. Turn mixer to low, gradually add the flour mixture. Add the pistachios and stir by hand to combine. Place dough on prepared baking sheet and form into a log which is roughly 12 inches long by 4 inches wide and ½ inch high. If dough is too sticky, wet your hands with water. Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, increase heat to 350 degrees and cover the biscotti with two tea towels and let cool for 10 minutes.

Remove the log from the baking sheet and place on a cutting board. Using a thin, sharp knife, cut the biscotti on a diagonal into ¾ inch slices and place the slices back on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until the biscotti are golden brown.

Store in an airtight container, especially important if the air is humid.

A gluten free recipe that makes about 18 cookies.

Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com

Article Source : http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/08/gluten-free-lemon-pistachio-biscotti.html

Cold Cucumber Soup - Gluten Free

I have a confession to make – I have been just plain lazy lately. Honestly, there have been no miles logged on the treadmill, projects I started lay there half done and my oven has seen very little use.

I blame the heat. It is seriously hot out there! And it is not, as my friends who live in the desert can say, a dry heat. Oh no, it is a sticky, yucky, energy-zapping, wet, humid heat. We are talking 96 degrees and 96 percent humidity. I swear little slits have starting opening up on my neck and gills are forming.

No matter how hot it is outside, apparently we still need to eat. This is a lovely, Greek inspired, gluten-free recipe for a cold soup that is perfect for summer. You don’t have to turn on the stove, it requires you expend very little energy and it will help keep you in bathing suit shape with no fat and only about 100 calories in a bowl if you use fat free Greek Yogurt. If making it dairy free and using either soy or coconut yogurt the fat and calories will be higher.

I love this Cold Cucumber Soup for lunch, with a hearty salad for dinner or as a starter for barbeque.

Do you have any go-to, beat the heat, gluten-free recipes?

Cold Cucumber Soup

Ingredients

3 English or European Cucumbers (also called seedless cucumbers), peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, chopped
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup water
½ cup fat-free Greek yogurt (for vegan or dairy free use dairy free yogurt)
1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Place the cucumbers, garlic, green onions and mint leaves in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add the lemon juice, water, yogurt, salt and pepper and process to combine.

Chill in the refrigerator for about 3 hours or until cold. To serve right away, pour the soup into a large mixing bowl and set that bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice and water. Stir occasionally until chilled, about 10 minutes.

A gluten free recipe that serves 4 people.

Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com

Article Source : http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/08/gluten-free-cold-cucumber-soup-recipe.html

Yuca Breads with Spicy Sugar Free Mango Marmalade - Gluten Free

Simple, Gluten Free Recipes often already exist if we look outside of our own culture. When my friend Claudia, who is from Ecuador, told me about a delicious little cheesy biscuit-type bread called “Pan de Yuca”, I just knew I had to try them. Made with tapioca flour, these could not be simpler – there is no combining different flours, no xanthan or guar gum, no special equipment and no gluten free baking anxiety.

In Ecuador, yuca bread is sold in small shops and street stands everywhere along with fruit yogurt. I love the bread but honestly am not a fan of eating cheese bread with yogurt. I don’t know why, I guess I am just not Ecuadorian enough. So I decided to come up with my own compliment to these easy, cheesy breads – a spicy mango marmalade.

The marmalade is as simple as the yuca bread, 4 ingredients, 15 minutes, no pectin, and no sugar. Don’t we just love that? The sweetness of the mangoes is enhanced with Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Raw Blue Agave Nectar and then to balance it out, I added the juice and zest of 1 lime and a red chili pepper (picked from my own garden!) The marmalade is sweet, with a little heat, and a little acid – perfect! I was really lazy and used a one pound package of frozen mango chunks but feel free to use fresh mangoes.

This combo of the gluten free yuca breads and the sugar free spicy mango marmalade is the perfect breakfast combo and the whole thing can be put together in under half an hour. Get the marmalade started and while it is simmering away, make and bake the yucca breads. There is even enough time in there to sip a cup of coffee!

Thank you Claudia for introducing me to this simple, naturally gluten free recipe from Ecuador and for your appreciation of me putting my own spin on it with my sugar free spicy marmalade!

Spicy Mango Marmalade

Ingredients

1 – 1 pound bag frozen mango chunks or 3 fresh mangoes cut into 1 inch chunks
½ cup Organic Agave Nectar
Zest of lime, finely grated
Juice of 1 lime
1 red chili pepper (cayenne or Thai) seeds and veins removes and minced

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to boil, mash the mangoes with the back of a spoon or a potato masher. Reduce heat and let the mixture boil gently until thick, about 15 minutes. Let cool, mixture will thicken up more as it cools. Will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.

This gluten free recipe makes about 1½ cups of marmalade.

Gluten Free Yuca Bread

Ingredients

1½ cups tapioca flour (also called tapioca starch) plus more for kneading
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
2 large eggs
2 ½ cups mozzarella cheese (low moisture part skim seems to work best), grated
½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
¼ cup milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or a piece of parchment paper that is sprayed with gluten free non-stick cooking spray.

Whisk the tapioca flour, baking powder and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, cheeses and milk. Using your hands, mix the ingredients together until it starts to form a dough. Dust a work surface with more tapioca flour, dump the mixture out onto the work surface and knead until the dough is not sticky, you may need to add a little more tapioca. Roll the dough into golf ball sized balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 18 – 22 minutes or until the breads are golden brown and feel firm to the touch.

This gluten free recipe makes 14 – 16 breads.

Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com

Article Source : http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/08/gluten-free-yuca-bread-with-spicy-sugar-free-mango-marmalade.html

Confessions of a Skinny Gluten Free Girl

I was a skinny kid. Actually it is not uncommon for people with gluten issues, who should be gluten free, to be skinny, especially those with Celiac Disease. We have issues with digestion and do not properly obtain nutrients from our food. But I was a seemingly healthy kid, so it was not too much of an issue.  Occasionally some doctor would tell my mother that she needed to fatten me up and so she would feed me extra bananas and make me down milkshakes packed with ice cream for awhile. Not such a bad deal!  I loved bananas, but the shakes were a little harder to handle – I always preferred food lower in fat – I would pick ice milk over ice cream any day, preferred non-fat milk to regular and wanted all visible fat removed from meat (on second thought maybe there was something wrong with me!). But I ate like a race horse so at the end of the day everyone left me alone and just chalked my boniness up to genetics.

I never minded being called skinny; it was just a part of who I was – “The Skinny Girl”. I was a skinny teenager and a skinny young woman, even after birthing two children. As time went by the girls and women we admired became skinnier and I went from being considered skinny to “normal”.

And then I got diagnosed as gluten intolerant and probably for the first time in my life was actually digesting the food I consumed in such great quantities. Combined with hormonal and metabolism changes I gained more weight than I was comfortable with.

I was in my thirties and had never dieted in my life; I had no clue what to do so I just cut down what I ate to next to nothing  and lost the weight. At the time I thought I was so clever but in truth, nothing was further from the truth. Not eating is not the way to properly loose weight if you want to keep it off. And so the craziness began.

After a few years of trying to recapture what I thought of as my identity – The Skinny Girl – I smartened up. I am now happy to be The Healthy Gluten Free Girl.

Eighty percent or so of my diet is really good – tons of organic vegetables, lean protein, whole grains, fresh fruit, some seeds and nuts.   I do eat desserts, I put cream in my coffee (organic cream, organic coffee) and I will even have a little bit of (GASP!) sugar now and again. But I believe nothing thrives in deprivation, so I never deprive myself.

I look at my body like a bank account and I try not to write checks I can’t cover. I keep my body fueled so it will keep going for me. If I indulge a little more than I should then I eat salad for the next meal or I will exercise a bit more. It is all about checks and balances.

I will admit this bank account point of view is a new concept for me. Previously I had been known to occasionally get real busy and forget to eat until late at night and then eat everything in sight and collapse into bed. (Seriously? I am a food blogger – how do I forget to eat?) In essence I was overdrawing my “bank account” and being assessed overdraft fees in the form of extra pounds around the middle.

Nowadays I try to keep my blood sugar even and so I eat often through out the day. I am still busy so I rely on some conveniences. I carry SOYJOY bars in my purse, have some stashed in my glove box and desk drawer and in my gym bag.

Before I was approached by SOYJOY to try their bars I stayed away from nutrition bars either because they contained gluten, tasted nasty or were made with soy isolate. SOYJOY bars are made from real, whole soy (not soy isolate) and real, whole fruit.

One of my favorite flavors is banana – ironic huh? My mom used to feed me bananas to try and fatten me up and now I eat banana SOYJOY bars to keep from getting fat!

I am grateful to SOYJOY for their commitment to making gluten free nutrition bars which are free from soy isolate, providing me a way to keep my body bank account balanced and be a healthy gluten free girl.

Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com

Article Source : http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/08/confessions-of-a-skinny-gluten-free-girl.html

Almond Apricot Mini Cakes - Gluten Free

So, I wake up this Sunday morning thinking I have a luxurious day of goofing off ahead of me. I lazily make a cup of coffee, sit by the window to sip and gaze out at the view and as soon as the caffeine kicks in, it hits me – I have a function to attend with the ladies today AND I promised to bring some gluten free baked goodness. Yikes! As a gluten free recipe developer this should not be such a problem except I sort of had a lazy Saturday (and Friday and Thursday and… ahem, never mind) and no planning or grocery shopping has taken place any time recently. Time to go shopping in my favorite place – the pantry!

Having a well stocked gluten-free pantry is a life saver especially when you make a promise and fail to remember you made such a promise. Oh, and did I mention I have about an hour to bake, shower, look pretty and arrive at the function? That does not leave much time for thinking, let alone doing!

So I grab a can of Solo Almond Paste and a can of Solo Apricot Cake and Pastry Filling from the pantry and decide to make some sort of gluten-free treat. Honestly, I was just hoping for something passable that would not embarrass me in front of the ladies but what I got was really kind of fabulous – somewhere between a muffin and a cupcake with the flavor of an almond croissant smeared with apricot jam wrapped up in a delicate and very lady-like looking delicate mini cake. The entire process took me about 23 minutes to prepare and bake leaving me almost 40 minutes to make myself look fabulous and get there. Fortunately when you arrive somewhere bearing delicious gluten-free baked goods no one really looks at you (and if they do it helps to wear red lipstick, amazing sunglasses and really high heels – it makes you look like you put some thought into your appearance and had it all planned out ahead of time!).

As I sit here now, I am finally getting to enjoy a lazy cup of coffee (afternoon instead of morning) and reflect on my good fortune – I have a great group of gal pals (aka “the ladies”), a well stocked gluten-free pantry and some really killer shoes. Life is good!

Ingredients

1 – 8 ounce can Solo Almond Paste
½ cup unsalted butter or dairy free butter substitute such as Earth Balance, at room temperature
½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
¼ cup sugar
1½ cups gluten free flour blend*
¼ cup milk or almond milk
2 large eggs
1 – 12 ounce can Solo Apricot Cake and Pastry Filling

* To make your own pastry quality homemade gluten-free flour, whisk together 3/4 cup superfine white rice flour, 1/4 cup tapioca starch, 1/4 cup potato starch, 1/2 cup superfine sweet rice flour and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard muffin pan with paper liners or grease it well with gluten-free non-stick cooking spray.

Crumble the almond paste in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until the paste is well crumbled. Add the butter, salt and sugar and process until well combined. Add the flour, milk and eggs and process until the mixture turns into a thick batter. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Rap the pan on the counter 3-4 times to settle the batter.

Using a spoon, take a heaping tablespoon of the Cake and Pastry Filling and spoon into the center of each mini cake,Gluten Free, pressing the spoon into the batter so a little filling goes into the center of each of the cakes.

Bake for 18 – 22 minutes or until the cakes are firm and just starting to brown but are still pale. Let cool.

This gluten free recipe makes 12 mini cakes.

Article Source : http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/07/gluten-free-almond-apricot-mini-cakes.html

The Best Iced Cherry Ring Cookies - Gluten Free

Before the internet, people had to keep recipes and menu ideas somewhere – somewhere real, not virtual. For most it was a recipe box. For me it was, and is, a recipe scrapbook. The scrapbook was actually started by my mother and I love it. It is a treasure trove of magazine articles, newspaper clippings and index cards just waiting to be converted into gluten free recipes. But it is more than that, there are notes about dinner parties, recipes written on the scraps of paper and the back of envelopes, all in my Mom’s handwriting. It is also insight into my mother’s tastes and culinary aspirations. There are also some interesting attempts at complicated long division problems, presumably cutting down the serving sizes of certain recipes.

Over the years I added my own clippings, recipes and notes and it has become a journal of my life; the punch I made for my wedding is in there along with a favorite recipe for clam dip I got from my best friend in high school. Sometimes the notes include the date I made the dish, who I tried the recipe on and the results such as “so good!” or “needs more salt”.

There are arguments that I should scan all these into the computer and make a virtual scrapbook but I never will. I love holding the very piece of paper my mother wrote out her ideas for a Spanish dinner party on or the cookie recipe she clipped from the paper with full intentions of making someday.

I pulled out a clipping the other day that I never recall my mother making for “Iced Cherry Rings” – shortbread type cookie studded with candied cherries and drizzled with a sweet glaze. The date for the clipping was gone but it is obvious it was from a time when good women stayed home and baked cookies for their children to have after school. I can see why my mother, an English woman and fruitcake lover, would pull out this recipe to try. I however am not a fan of candied fruit so I used maraschino cherries, in fact I used a natural, dye and corn syrup free maraschino cherry. I cut out the center in a heart shape instead of a circle, just a little tribute to Mom. Obviously the original recipe was not gluten-free but it was easy enough to convert with the use of good quality gluten free flour and adjusting the baking time and temperature. I also added some vanilla and salt because, well, I just had to.

The dough for these cookies is really interesting; it is dry and crumbly almost like sand until you work it with your hands, then it comes together into workable dough. I love the fact that our hands literally transform ingredients into cookies.

These are charming cookies and I am happy to have finally fulfilled one of my mother’s culinary dreams.

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pans
½ cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1½ cups gluten-free flour (be sure to use one that includes either xanthan or guar gum, if not add 1 teaspoon)
¼ cup maraschino cherries, dried well and chopped
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (more or less)
2 -3 drops maraschino cherry liquid

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets with butter (or line with silicon baking mats).

Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolk, lemon zest and vanilla, mix well. Stir in the flour, add the cherries and mix with your hands until it forms a soft dough.

Lightly flour a surface, roll out the dough to a ¼ inch thickness and cut into 3 inch rounds with a cookie cutter. Cut out the center of each cookie with a 1 inch cookie cutter. Place the rings on the prepared baking sheets. Re-roll any trimmings and cut more cookies. Bake the cookies in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until they are firm and just beginning to color. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Mix the confectioners’ sugar with lemon juice and maraschino cherry juice until it becomes a smooth paste. It may take a little less of more lemon juice so start with less and add a little at a time. Drizzle over the cooled cookies and let stand until the icing sets, about 30 minutes.

This Gluten Free recipe makes 10 – 15 cookies.

To Know more about Gluten Free Recipes and Celiac feel free to visit our website : http://www.simplygluten-free.com

Article Source : http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/07/gluten-free-iced-cherry-ring-cookies.html

Gluten Free Slow Cooker Baked Beans

There are certain things that make me crazy, like when gluten is added to foods that are naturally glutenfree!  Like canned baked beans!  For crying out loud, why ADD gluten to beans?

So I decided to make my own baked beans gluten-free recipe for a barbeque but I didn’t want to actually BAKE them because it is almost 100 degrees outside with like 99 percent humidity – ahhh… the joys of Florida in the summer!

So with a little help of my slow cooker and a bag of Hurst Family Harvest Tri-Bean Soup mix, I made the most wonderful tasting gluten-free baked beans and kept my cool.  They even had this fabulous smoky flavor without an ounce of bacon, thanks to the flavor packet in the bean mix.  I really wanted to keep the recipe vegan for my sister but also please my g-kid Julian whose favorite food in the world is baked pork and beans.

For a nice vegetarian or vegan meal, serve the beans over some gluten-free cornbread like we did – yummers!

You need to plan ahead to make this recipe since the beans need to pre-cook and soak overnight but it takes very little work and I did the pre-cooking while I already had the kitchen heated up making dinner. Love this – do all the cooking at one time!

Ingredients

1 packet Hurst Family Harvest Tri-Bean Soup Mix
8 cups water
1 cup chopped onion (about ½ medium onion)
¼ cup ketchup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
½ cup molasses
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

The night before, combine the bean from the bean mix (reserve the flavor packet for later) and water in a large saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 1 ½ hours.  Pour the beans and the cooking liquid into a bowl, let cool and refrigerate overnight (8 -12 hours).

In the morning, drain off all but 1 cup of the liquid and put the beans into a slow cooker with the reserved flavor packet and the remaining ingredients.  Cook on low for 10 – 12 hours (you can cook longer if you like your beans softer).  To concentrate the liquid more, turn the slow cooker to high for the last hour of cooking.

Can be made several days ahead, it gets better and better with time.  Store covered in the refrigerator.

This gluten free recipe makes 10 servings.

Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com

Article Source : http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/07/gluten-free-slow-cooker-baked-beans.html

Granola Bars – Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Nut Free

A glutenfree girl, a lactose intolerant boy and a tyke with a nasty peanut allergy get into a car…

No, this is not the beginning of a joke, it was the beginning of a family day of adventure, off to trek through the Florida swamps, wrangle alligators, and to top it all off with a refreshing dip in the Gulf of Mexico. A long day and if it was going to be a fun day, allergy friendly snacks were required.

Nothing can ruin a fun day like a carload of hungry, cranky kids!  So along with fresh fruit, hummus and veggies, and an assortment of salty, gluten-free crackers and snacks, I made some allergy friendly granola bars.

The base of these super allergy friendly granola bars is gluten-free rolled oats, Sunbutter (a nut-free peanut butter substitute), a mashedbanana, some melted Earth Balance dairy free butter substitute and coconut sugar. The recipe is almost more like a suggestion because you can elaborate any way you like. I filled mine with pumpkin seeds, dried fruit (a combination of cranberries, blueberries and cherries) and a handful of dairy-free chocolate chunks – healthy with just a touch of naughty, but you can make yours as naughty or nice as you like. Since I was feeding younger kids I used semi-sweet chocolate chucks but rich, dark chocolate would be fabulous. If you like coconut, throw it in! Tree nuts not a problem? Add some slivered almonds. Peanuts ok?  Just use peanut butter.  You get the idea. You can add up to a cup of additional items with no problem and substitute whatever type of seeds you like, a combination is fine too. Mine were fairly simple (due to a four year old palate) and thus were really moist and chewy, if you add in more stuff such as coconut or nuts, it may be a bit drier. I personally like salt mixed with my sweet so I sprinkled on a little more coarse salt before popping in the oven.

I made these for the kids to keep them happy and well fed but to be perfectly honest, they were so delicious my sister and I almost hid them and kept them all for ourselves. (OK, I confess, we did hide a couple and had them for breakfast the next day. I know we are bad grown ups…)

Oh, and in case you hadn’t noticed, these granola bars are not only gluten, dairy and nut free, they are also egg free, vegan and if you use coconut sugar and the Organic Sunbutter, they are also refined-sugar free!  Seems the only thing there are not free of is amazing flavor!



Granola Bars

Ingredients

¾ cup Sunbutter (I like Natural Crunch but Creamy is good too)
½ cup coconut sugar, Sucanat or brown sugar
1 medium banana, peeled and mashed
½ cup butter or dairy free butter substitute, melted
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
½ – 1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
2 ½ cups certified gluten-free rolled oats
½ cup roasted and salted pumpkin seeds
1 cup dried fruit, raisins or a combination – if using larger pieces of dried fruit, chop roughly
½ cup chocolate chunks or chips
(optional – you can add up to a cup of additional ingredients such as coconut flakes, slivered or chopped nuts, flax, chia, sunflower or sesame seeds)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 inch by 8 inch baking pan with gluten-free, non-stick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the Sunbutter, sugar, mashed banana,  melted butter or butter substitute and vanilla until well combined. Stir in the remaining ingredients until they are evenly distributed.  Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely and then cut into squares. Will keep wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for several days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

This gluten-free recipe makes 8 servings approximately 2 ¾ inches square.

Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com

Article Source : http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/07/granola-bars-gluten-free-dairy-free-nut-free.html

Gluten & Dairy Free Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

I was having a conversation with my g-kid Julian about his following a glutenfree, dairy-free diet and he said to me “I just don’t want to have to worry about what I eat!”  Of course he doesn’t, he’s 10!  I know lots of grown ups who don’t want to worry about what they eat either.

I believe the best way to get  kids to embrace their diet, regardless of the intolerance, is to make them a part of the process of creating their food; everything from thinking up menus to shopping to cooking. The best part is enjoying the fruits of their labor.

The other day the g-kids and I planned a whole menu for my son’s birthday, everything was gluten and dairy free and it was abundant; we had London Broil, grilled tilapia, dairy-free mashed potatoes, gluten-free pasta salad, a mixed salad filled with all sorts of fresh veggies and of course a gluten-free birthday cake. The kids came up with the menu, prepared the marinade for the beef, peeled the potatoes, picked basil from the garden and tasted, laughed and enjoyed themselves. They even set and decorated the table. It was a great day and an even better dinner.

A couple days later we actually worked on developing our own recipe together. We decided to make cupcakes and Miss Milla wanted to make a cupcake that tasted like ONE of her favorite cookies (emphasis on ONE because, as per her, it is simply not fair to the other cookies to pick just one favorite) the Snickerdoodle. What a joy to bring the kids into the whole creative process of developing a recipe, they gave their opinions, stirred and wrote down notes and we had a marvelous time, especially when it came to taste-testing.

We kept it easy and started with a packet of Kinnikinnick White Cake Mix which is not just gluten-free but dairy free also. We added cinnamon and vanilla and then topped the cupcakes with cinnamon sugar to replicate the coating from the original inspiration – the Snickerdoodle Cookie. Then we came up with a dairy free “butter” cream frosting and topped it all off with just a tad more cinnamon sugar. The verdict? See for yourself.

Gluten Free Dairy Free Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Ingredients

Topping:

6 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cupcakes:

4 large eggs
¾ cup grapeseed (or other neutral tasting) oil
¾ cup cold water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 Kinnikinnick White Cake Mix
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Frosting:

½ cup Earth Balance (or other dairy free butter substitute)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch kosher or fine sea salt
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 – 6 tablespoons rice milk (or other dairy free milk)

Garnish – Optional

6 cinnamon sticks, each one broken into thirds.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 standard muffin tins with paper liners.

Combine topping ingredients in a small bowl.

Combine eggs, oil, water and vanilla in a mixing bowl and whisk (either by hand or with a handheld mixer) for 2 minutes. Gradually add the cake mix and cinnamon, whisk just until combined. Wisk just until combined, mixture will be a little lumpy. Divide batter among prepared muffin tins. Sprinkle about ¼ teaspoon of the topping on each cupcake. Bake for 20 minutes or until risen, lightly browned and a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool.

While cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the Earth Balance until smooth. Add the powdered sugar. Cinnamon, salt, vanilla and 2 tablespoons rice milk. Start with the mixer or low and combine. Gradually add more rice milk until the mixture becomes a spreadable consistency. Turn mixer up to medium-high and beat for 30 seconds or so until very creamy.

Frost the cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle the frosting with the remaining topping. Insert a piece of cinnamon stick into each cupcake cake if desired.

Cupcakes and frosting can be made several days ahead. For best results store cupcakes unfrosted in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap. Store frosting separately in a covered container in the fridge. Let frosting come to room temperature before frosting cupcakes. Frost the cupcakes no longer than a few hours before serving.

Makes 18 gluten-free, dairy-free cupcakes
Ready for dessert?

Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com

Article Source : http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/07/gluten-free-snickerdoodle-cupcakes-dairy-free.html