surfing for recipes

I've been browsing recipes and reading blogs, wading my way through the gluten-free sea, and have come across the babycakes, more than one time. And of course, I wonder how delicious these treats must be, and I wonder what gluten-free secrets this little bakery must hold.


Imagine my excitement when I discovered that Co-founder Erin McKenna had shared some recipes with Martha Stewart - and they were available online.

I made her allergen-free brownies 0nly I cheated and used regular chocolate chips. My first try with Agave and they are delicious!






There was also a recipe for cinnamon toasties, which I intend to try.

I also found these useful substitution tips - particularly handy with the agave as I'm still trying to keep the sugar out.

- Cow's milk can be substituted part-for-part by rice milk or soy milk
- Instead of eggs, you can use 3 tablespoons of applesauce for each egg
- You can substitute sugar with agave nectar, which comes from a cactus and can be found in your organic supermarket
- Use 2/3 cup agave nectar per 1 cup of sugar

Even more searching and I discovered a few more recipes from Erin McKenna and Babycakes bakery...I'm ambitious and also decided to try the Cinnamon banana bread from this batch of recipes - I haven't tasted it yet, but I'm worried I didn't have enough banana. I also substitued the flour mix used in the brownie recipe above as the garbanzo/potato starch/arrowroot appeared to be a trend in her recipes. We'll see how it goes.

On a happy note, the camera and pictures are no longer MIA.

The pizza picture is now up...mmm delicious!


And just because sometimes I take pictures of food that looks good - this was a breakfast when I was still eating yeast bread.

Garlic sauteed spinach and mushroom with poached eggs with toasted "Choices brown rice multiseed bread"

**drool**

GF Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza (also yeast and egg free)

Since I have been eating anti-candida, I have been challenged to find foods, particularly bread products, that are both gluten and yeast free. I have since cut back on deli-meat and cheese, but this was a staple of my diet for at least a month, perhaps longer. This recipe is quick, easy and delicious -YOU can certainly make it. And as a gluten-eating friend of mine said, "it just tastes like pizza". That being said, my husband (who also eats gluten) has expressed his opinion that he only likes it fresh. Personally, so long as its not cold, (the texture gets a little funny, its better if it has been microwaved when eating leftovers) I'm happy.

This recipe has been adapted from Bette Hagman's
"The Gluten-Free Gourmet Cooks Fast and Healthy"

The crust can be made with a dairy-free milk substitute, however as it is pizza you will also then need a dairy-free cheese, which I know can be a bit difficult, however if you don't have a dairy problem, use cows milk and cheese.

I like to eat Pepperoni Pizza, so that is what I am listing here, but of course you can put whatever toppings you would like on your pizza - but remember not to put too many "wet" ingredients (vegetables/fruit) or you will have a soggy crust.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup bean flour*
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup tapioca starch
2 heaping tbsp brown rice flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup milk (or non-dairy liquid)
1/4 cup vegetable oil

~175 grams of GF Pepperoni, sliced thick**
Grated cheese***

*I like to use garbanzo bean flour here - you can use whatever you have on hand or whatever you prefer. I have used a 50:50 mixture of garbanzo and whole bean flour in the past, but found the end result a little too heavy.

** I like the Freybe's Pepperoni the best (I get it at the IGA Marketplace Deli), but Overlander (from Safeway Deli's) is also good, just a little spicier.

***I have gotten the best flavour from an approximately 70:30 mix of mozzarella and cheddar, again adapt to your own taste, or use lactose-free cheese if necessary.

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400F.

In a medium bowl mix together all of the dry ingredients.

In a second bowl, or using your mixer, mix the milk and oil.

Mix the liquid and dry ingredients. (If using a mixer add the dry to the wet, if mixing by hand add the wet to the dry)

You will have a goopy mixture.
Pour mixture onto a greased pizza pan (or a cookie sheet) and use a spatula to carefully spread the batter as evenly as possible on the pan. If you are using a cookie sheet, you don't need to fill the pan, just spread out a 10" circle.

Bake for 12-13 minutes, until slightly browned and puffed. The top may have some small cracks - this is OK.

Working quickly, spread your sauce and toppings on the pizza. Remember for pepperoni pizza, the pepperoni goes on top of the cheese. 175g is enough to put a scant layer under the cheese and then still do a full layer on top. If you like less, use less.

Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly before cutting and enjoy!!

Take extra enjoyment in the fact that this indulgence is made with beans and thus provides a little bit of extra protein to your meal - but also remember if beans make you prone to gas, you may not want to eat the entire pizza in one sitting!!

Testing recipes

I wouldn't want you to think that in the midst of my hectic schedule, I had forgotten to feed myself. I continue eating the staples, rice, cereal, corn, chicken, vegetables and so on...

But I have been trying recipes too...especially Shuana's Recipes and boy does that girl know how to cook?! Her recipes continually turn out delicious!

I made her Gingersnaps and my gluten-eating friends raved about how delicious they were...

I made her Potato Pancakes and my husband and I fought over the leftovers...

I made her Pancakes and my husband enjoyed them so much he had seconds...

I made her Oooey Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies and heard no complaints, but found an empty cookie jar...

I also made her crustless quiche cups, but I burnt them and found them a little boring and bland. I may try again adding an egg yolk or two.

I do peruse elsewhere for recipes, they just rarely perk me up quite the way Shauna's do. I recently tried Pierogies from another GF bogger, but they didn't turn out quite as expected. The filling was delicious, but the dough was too sticky, but when I left it in the fridge overnight it got kind of hard. Boiled up and cooked, it just looked like a pile of mush. A tasty pile of mush, but mush nonetheless...

I also got a great new book, Sweet Alternative that is full of delicious recipes that are Gluten, Dairy and Soy free. Of course, I'm not eating sugar these days, but just this week I needed to bake so bad, I baked some cupcakes out of this book and gave them to everyone at work...They all loved them.

Finally, I have been eating PIZZA like its nobodies business, I found a great recipe in Bette Hagman's Gluten Free Gourmet Cooks Fast and Healthy for Gluten-Free and Yeast-Free Bean Flour Pizza Crust and boy is it delicious. I fed it to a friend for supper the other day and she said "it just tastes like pizza"...can you ask for a better compliment on GF food? I don't have time to post the recipe now, but I will...and if you want it, and I haven't...email me.

GF Bagels...oh my!

I mentioned recently that my First Aid instructor's son had a problem with Gluten when we was young. Turns out, that for the most part he is now able to tolerate it and as a result, my instructor offered me the Gluten-Free cookbook that has been inhabiting her shelves for some time now. Never one to pass up on a free cookbook, I jumped at the offer and have been drooling over the recipes for days.

I passed my test yesterday and am officially a First Aid Attendant in my office. Since the test took the majority of the day, I opted not to go into the office and instead decided to treat myself. I should have been making my vitamin-B rich bread to sustain me for another week, but instead I took a chance.

Instead, I made bagels.

YES, you heard me right, I said bagels. I love to bake new things and the book informed me that "non-celiac tasters say this is delicious and very close to a wheat bagel" and with that, I was determined to try them out. Not only do they look like bagels, those testers were right - they taste like bagels - if you crave them like I do, this recipe is worth the effort.

This recipe is from The Gluten-Free Gourmet Cooks Fast and Healthy by Bette Hagman

Gluten-Free Bagels
(yield 12)

Mix the following in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, using the dough hook attachment

• 2 cups white rice flour
• 2/3 cup potato flour
• 1/3 cup tapioca starch
• 1 tbsp xantham gum
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp fast acting yeast

In a small bowl, whisk together

• 1 egg
• 2 egg whites
• 3/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 cup + 1tbsp warm water

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat on High (using a dough hook attachment) for 4 minutes.

After 4 minutes, the dough should form a ball, if it doesn't add 1 tbsp of (sweet or white) rice flour (up to a max of 1/2 cup) and continue to beat until it does.

Spray two cookie sheets with non-stick spray and sprinkle with cornmeal.

Divide dough into 12 balls (larger than a golf ball, but smaller than a tennis ball) and flatten with the palm of your hand until they are approximately 1/2" thick. Spraying your hands with non-stick spray will make this MUCH easier!

Use your finger to make a hole in the middle of each bagel and evenly space them on your prepared cookie sheet.

Loosely cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise, until doubled in size. (The recipe calls for an hour, but my house is cold and it took about 3 hours)

Once the bagels have risen, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Bring 3" of water plus 1 tsp of sugar to a boil in a large pan and gently drop the bagels in, boiling them for 30 seconds per side. This gives them the characteristic bagel skin that we all know and love.

After draining on a cookie rack (I placed mine over the sink), bake for 20 minutes in a pre-heated oven. I had to tent mine with foil for the last 5 minutes as I was worried about burning, so be sure and keep a close eye on yours if you don't want them burnt.

Allow to cool and then consume to your hearts content.

DELICIOUS!

transition

I've begun to notice that I want to write more often, and I want to write about food. I want to write about what I'm eating, discovering and learning about a gluten-free life. It's an interesting shift, but not surprising. I love to cook, I love to eat and I love to share my knowledge, so it seems only fitting that my on-again, off-again blog, should become the space for me to do so.

Like most people, I was overwhelmed at first. I felt sick from the residual gluten in my body, and I wanted to cry because it seemed impossible to feed myself. Four months later, and I'm no longer frustrated, instead I am inspired.

I have made friends with my local Galloways, have acquired some Gluten-Free cookbooks, and been inspired by Gluten-Free Bloggers immensely.

One of the first, GF bloggers I discovered was The Gluten-Free Girl, and inspiring she is. Her blog flows nicely and incorporates both life and food in an optimistic and realistic manner. Her recipes look delicious, I have some crustless quiche's in the oven, as we speak (I only hope mine are as delicious as hers look) AND the girl has managed to write a book and have it published.

Check out the sidebar, if your interested in GF blogs, I've only found a few I really like so far, but I bet the list will grow. I'm so happy to have found such a wonderful community.

Granola Girl's RECIPES

This is just the begining, but I intend to slowly amass my favourite recipes here. Please be patient and remember to check back.

GLUTEN-FREE Recipes
Gluten-Free Ponderosa Cake
Gluten-Free Bagels
Gluten-Free, Thin Crust Pepperoni Pizza (also Yeast-Free and Egg-Free)

NOT GLUTEN-FREE Recipes
Easy Quiche Lorraine