New Apple Pie Crust Recipe

I'm working on making a better apple pie crust dough, and in general, gluten-free baked goods that don't fall apart so easily. I know Xanthan Gum is supposed to provide some structure, however, I have had some great results with this Rice Protein Powder lately.

New Pie Crust Idea:

1 c. finely milled buckwheat flour (like Hodgson Mills)
1 c. brown rice flour
(you can use some millet flour if you like, or try any other flours)
about 1/2 T. Rice Protein Powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. vegetable shortening or coconut oil (I use Spectrum)
8 T. cold Rice Milk

Mix the flours and salt. Use a pastry blender to cut in the vegetable shortening. With a fork, add the cold Rice Milk, 2 T. at a time. Stop adding Rice Milk when your dough is starting to hold together well (or add more if it's a dry day!)

Make a ball with the dough and cut it in half. The secret is to roll the dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Take one half, roll it out between the two pieces of plastic wrap, carefully remove the top layer and flip the crust in the pie dish. If it is falling apart, just pick up the dough and carefully work in a little more rice milk.

Poke a couple fork holes in the bottom layer, add the filling, the top, and poke a couple more holes or cut slits. Bake at about 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Caramely Popcorn

This is kind of like caramel corn, except it's faster - there's no baking involved. I used Indian ingredients.

I didn't measure anything for my first try, but here's what I did - have fun experimenting!

Popped Popcorn (I usually pop mine in a little safflower oil) Spread the popcorn on 2 cookie sheets lined with parchment paper
about 1 T. Ghee (clarified butter, it is only the fat so it is sometimes ok for people allergic to dairy)
about 1/2 c. Brown Rice Syrup
about 1/2 square of Jaggerty (raw sugar, available at Indian stores)

Cook the ghee, brown rice syrup, and jaggerty in a small sauce pan, bring to a boil then simmer until about 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Mine got up to 250 and was a little too crunchy.

Quickly drizzle the candy over the popcorn and salt the popcorn. Let cool before eating.

Minimally Processed Snacks - NO Crackers!

Who can make it through the day without snacks? Kids definitely can't, and I've gotten used to having a snack with them. A couple of snacks a day can be healthy, but forget all the pre-packaged over-processed commercial snacks. Here's a list of 25 (what I consider to be minimally processed) snacks that are delicious and easy. Not all "low fat, low calorie" snacks, but are nutritious and natural.

1. Grapefruit/Avocado Salad - cut out the sections of a grapefruit & mix with cut-up avocado
2. Popcorn - heat a little olive or safflower oil in a pan, add plain popcorn kernels & pop
3. Yogurt with blueberries, raspberries & honey (I use frozen berries if I don't have fresh)
4. Tortillas - with fruit only jam or nut/seed butters
5. Hard boiled eggs
6. Applesauce (plain, fruit-only or homemade) - can add honey & cinnamon
7. Fruit Salad - when you have a crowd, everyone can bring one piece of fruit & add to the salad
8. Grapes & Cheese
9. Apples with a nut/seed butter
10. Hummus (ground chickpeas - make your own or buy it) and carrots
11. Some sort of bean spread & vegetables
12. Homemade Salsa & corn tortillas
13. Roasted Chickpeas
14. Smoothies (homemade)
15. Smoothie Pops (homemade)

Gluten Free Crepes (still contain eggs & dairy)

I think you can take away the dairy & wheat from Crepes and still come up with something decent...but it seems best if you don't omit the eggs. If you have an egg sensitivity, you might still be able to have yolks, try it without the whites and let me know!

1 c. sorghum flour
1/2 c. buckwheat flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. xanthan gum (holds the crepe together since it's gluten free)
2 c. milk (or rice/almond/soy milk)
1 T. honey
2 T. melted butter (or ghee where the proteins are removed, or olive oil)
1/2 t. vanilla
2 large eggs

Mix the flours, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum in a large bowl. Whisk the milk, honey, melted butter, vanilla and eggs together separately, then whisk them into the dry ingredients. You really should use a well-seasoned crepe pan. Heat the pan on medium-high and melt a little butter in it. When the butter has foamed (but before it burns), add about 1/4-1/3 c. batter, and swirl it around in the pan. When the crepe starts looking "dry" on top, but still a little wet, flip it with a large half-moon shaped spatula. Cook the other side about 30 seconds - 1 minute, then place on a plate, fill with strawberries & bananas, or jam or anything you like.

You can freeze these between wax paper too.

Mexican Beans/Rice (no tomatoes, cheese optional)

Hmmm, what can I make for lunch today? Or dinner tonight?

If you're like me, you're always asking that question. Today was one of those days where I realized I had no meat in the house, and had to think of a decent protein source for lunch.

I had leftover rice and a can of beans. So I created this stir-fry:

2-3 T. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, minced
2 small garlic cloves, minced
chili powder to taste (about 1/2 t.)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
about 1 cup frozen sweet corn
about 2 cups leftover brown rice (I use brown basmati)
1 can black beans, drained (but not rinsed)
fresh cilantro from the garden
salt & pepper to taste

Heat a large skillet or wok on medium-high heat. Fry the onion & garlic for about 5 minutes until tender, then add the chili powder and cook for 1 minute longer. Next add the bell pepper & corn, fry about 1-2 minutes, then add the rice and beans, cover, and cook until hot (about 5 minutes).

Add cilantro & salt & pepper. Serves about 4.

We sprinkled some shredded cheddar cheese on ours. But you really don't need the cheese.

Gluten-Free/Allergy-Free Cooking Classes or Lessons

It's been a while since I've posted a new recipe, as we have been experimenting lately with the kids and trying potentially allergic foods in small amounts. My daughter is now 4 (previously her cheeks turned red and broke out in a rash with avocado, cinnamon, soy, and nuts). Now, she has been able to eat avocado/grapefruit salad, guacamole, small amounts of cinnamon in cookies/oatmeal, some soy sauce in stir-fry and Vietnamese peanut sauce. In reintroducing these past-allergic foods, I have tried to introduce them a little at a time while avoiding over-processed foods.

Some would think that this should be an exciting development; that we can go back to eating anything we want, whenever we want. Yes, it is easier (especially traveling or at parties), but I don't want to go back to the way things were before. We have been cooking allergy-free/gluten-free/refined flour & sugar-free for over 3 years now, and it has become a part of our life. I find my kids do much better eating whole-grains, natural sweeteners and avoiding refined sugar and flour. I don't think we can ever "go back."

One reason for this post: I want to update my readers. There will be more posts coming! We are experimenting more than ever and I want to get back into updating my blog.

But there is also another reason. Has anyone ever taken any gluten-free or allergy-free cooking classes or lessons? Would you be interested in classes if someone were to offer them? I've been thinking about branching out to my community in the Boston area and offering some cooking classes that would incorporate gluten-free/allergy-free/refined sugar & flour-free lessons. Also lessons that incorporate kids cooking, because for us, this has made all the difference for our kids. So, please comment, let me know your thoughts!

"Sugar" Cookies - With Maple & Agave Syrup

My 4-year old daughter saw some decorated sugar cookies at church today. Before we even went downstairs, I was prepared with my organic no-soy graham crackers and promised her we would make some cookies of our own at home. She was excited about making them ourselves and was satisfied with her graham crackers. Yes!

This is the adapted "Betty Crocker" recipe that we used.

1/2 c. organic blue agave syrup (by Wholesome Sweetners - there's a reasonably priced one at Trader Joe's)
1/2 c. maple syrup
1 c. shortening (I have been using Spectrum shortening as it is palm oil instead of soybean oil, but now Whole Foods brand 365 is making a cheaper version of palm oil shortening)
1 t. vanilla
1 large egg (or, 1 1/2 t. egg replacer mixed with 2 T. rice milk)
2 1/2 c. buckwheat flour (fine milled; I like Hodgson Mills)
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cream of tartar
1 t. xanthan gum (necessary to help the dough stick together, since it is gluten-free)

(1) Beat the syrups, oil, shortening, and egg with an electric mixer until combined.
(2) Add the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Stir with a wooden spoon.
(3) I skip chilling my dough because I think the shortening I use works better at room temperature.
(4) Roll out on a cutting board with lots of buckwheat flour (dough will be a little sticky, but with quite a bit of flour it should be easy to handle). Roll them fairly thick; I like about 1/2" thickness...I think it helps them taste more cake-like.
(5) Cut out shapes, bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes.
(6) Cool, then frost if you wish.

We made our frosting using some of the palm-oil shortening, organic pure cane powdered sugar from Trader Joe's, vanilla, and a little rice milk.