Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Quick Sweet Potato Bread

Makes two loaves

I just developed this recipe with sweet potato instead of pumpkin since I've had some allergy trouble with pumpkin in the past. These came out absolutely delicious--moist and filled with spice. It is gluten-free but not dairy-free (there is some buttermilk in the baking mix).

1 lb. can sweet potato or butternut squash puree (available at Trader Joe's)
3/4 cup dark brown sugar (or Rapadura)
1 cup olive oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
3 cups Pamela's Wheat-Free Baking Mix
1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Mix together sweet potato puree, sugar, oil, eggs, and spices in a mixing bowl until well blended.
2. Add baking mix and stir gently until combined. Fold in walnuts.
3. Grease 2 bread pans, line with parchment paper, and then grease the paper inside the pan. Divide bread mixture evenly between the two pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean in the center.

Muffins Instructions: Prepare batter as above. Grease muffin tins and fill 3/4 full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean in the center. Makes 17 - 20 muffins.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Coconut Chocolate Patties

From Martha Stewart Living. No flour, no bake cookies to delight your gluten-free friends! They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days. Makes about 20.

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
3 drops pure almond extract
3 3/4 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted*

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and spread cocnut in a single layer on parchment. Place in oven until golden and toasted, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to color evenly. Remove from oven, let cool completely.

2. In medium bowl, combine toasted coconut, almond extract, and melted chocolate. Stir gently until combined. Press about 1 Tbls coconut mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture. Place in the refrigerator until cookies are set, about 20 minutes. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

*You can find non-dairy semisweet chocolate at a health food store if you are looking to avoid both gluten and dairy.

Zucchini-Cilantro Dip

Adapted from Martha Stewart. Absolutely delicious dip for veggies of any kind! Makes 2 1/4 cups.

1 3/4 cups organic, cultured sour cream (or Creme Fraiche)
2 Tbls olive oil
2 Tbls white wine vinegar
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 small, firm zuccini, washed, trimmed, and finely grated
1/2 bunch chopped, fresh cilantro
salt & pepper to taste

Whisk together the sour cream, oil, vinegar, and garlic until smooth. Stir in the remaining ingredients and refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Christy's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 4 dozen

I had a craving for cookies the other night, and came up with these using McCann's Irish Oatmeal. They have a hearty, chewy texture unlike virtually every other gluten-free cookie I've tried. Even though two of my children and I react to gluten, we are able to tolerate McCann's Irish Oats with no trouble at all! We had tried Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Oats, and we all reacted to them. But I read about Irish oats being gluten-free, and the McCann's brand has really worked for us. I believe a small percent of celiacs also react to a protein in oats, but we do not. For some reason, American oats are not gluten-free.

1 cup Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread, room temperature*
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. gluten-free vanilla
2 1/2 cups Pamela's Baking Mix
2 cups McCann's Quick & Easy Irish Oatmeal, processed in food processor until finely ground (30 seconds to one minute)
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 bag Ghiradelli's 60% Cacao Bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnut pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cream buttery spread with sugar for 4 to 5 minutes, until very light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
2. Combine Pamela's Mix, processed oats, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Gradually to creamed mixture, stirring gently by hand until just combined.
3. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.
4. Drop by rounded Tbls. onto greased cookie sheets (or cookie sheets lined with parchment paper, which I prefer). Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350. Remove from oven and let cool on sheets for 5 minutes before removing to rack to cool completely.
5. Enjoy!!

*Diary content: I used the Earth Balance instead of butter, but you can easily use real butter. My daughter reacts to dairy, so I cut the dairy down by using the Earth Balance. However, Pamela's Baking Mix does contain powdered buttermilk, so this recipe is not dairy-free. My daughter does okay if she only occasionally has a bit a diary.

Sugar content: Although this recipe has less sugar than most cookies, it is certainly not sugar-free! But I reduced the sugar from most recipes by 1/4 to 3/4 of a cup (depending on the recipe). Also, the bittersweet chocolate has less sugar than even semi-sweet. The oats are a healthful whole grain, and the walnuts are good for you as well. But these should still be considered an occasional treat for those watching their carbs and sugars.