I’m always looking for different gluten free bread recipes. Most of the light, fluffy gluten free breads use eggs for that lightness. But it is possible to make gluten-free breads using baking powder instead of yeast and/or eggs.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Liberally grease an 8×5″ loaf pan (preferably glass for even cooking). In a medium bowl, combine:
2 cups brown rice flour
1 cup of all-purpose gluten free flour (oat, white rice, etc., would also work)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon guar gum or xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon salt
Whisk or stir to combine and aerate. In a smaller bowl, combine:
2 cups non-dairy milk
3 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Whisk or stir before adding to the dry ingredients. Using a large spoon or hand mixer on low, mix until combined. Batter will be the consistency of a cake batter. Pour into the prepared pan. Place in the middle of the oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs. Cool completely before removing from the pan.
This recipe is quite involved and takes some time but it’s not a difficult dish to make. And to be sure, every minute spent on this is well worth the effort! The herbs and spices used amp up the flavor profile and adding some freshly grated lemon zest and lemon juice at the end takes it over the edge! Rather than adding the lemon juice at the end, some sliced lemons on the side would also work.
First, peel, cut in half and then thinly slice:
2-3 medium-sized sweet onions
If you don’t have sweet onions, add 1 teaspoon date sugar when you cook them. Let them sit while heating a medium-sized Dutch oven over medium heat with:
2 tablespoons olive oil
When the oil is shimmering add:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs or boneless, skinless chicken breasts
that are seasoned with:
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
If using skin-on, bone-in thighs, cook skin side down. Loosely arrange chicken in pan (may take more than one batch). Brown on all sides, about 6-8 minutes.Remove to a plate. Drain all but 2 tablespoons oil from the pan before addingthe onion slices.Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring frequently until well caramelized (browned). If not using sweet onions, here’s where to add the:
1 teaspoon date sugar
It can take 25-30 minutes to caramelize the onions because they need to cook slowly so that they don’t burn, we want them browned – caramelized, not burned. Once the onions are ready, add to the pot:
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (or cardamom, nutmeg, or allspice)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
Sauté for about 30 seconds until the herbs and spices are fragrant before adding:
6 ounces sliced mushrooms (Optional, peas would also work)
2 cups chicken stock or bone broth
the browned chicken pieces and any juices on the plate
If using skin-on thighs, be sure the browned side is up. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes. Add to the pot:
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice*
1/3 cup dried fruit (I used cranberries but raisins or dried cherries would also work)
Stir in the rice and fruit, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for another 30 minutes or until rice is tender and chicken is cooked. Most of the liquid should be gone from the pot so be careful not to burn the dish. Remove the chicken from the pot, moving the pot off the heat and re-cover so that it stays hot. Remove skin if using skin-on chicken and let sit for 8-10 minutes before slicing the meat (and removing the bones if using bone-in chicken). Add the chicken back into the pot along with:
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon juice
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley (Optional)
Stir to combine. Reheat until the chicken is heated through and serve. Serves 4-6.
*I used pre-cooked brown rice in my dish so I cooked the chicken 30 minutes before adding the frozen rice and then cooked it only an additional 10 minutes.
Since I don’t care for cilantro and don’t think much of parsley either, I sprinkled some green onions on top of my dish.
This is very easy to put together. It takes about a 20 minutes IF your rice is precooked. Mine took a little longer because I didn’t think to cook the rice beforehand. And since I wanted to add a little Minnesota to this recipe, instead of using straight brown rice, I used a brown and wild rice mix which takes longer to cook but adds a whole lot of flavor. Feel free to change up the vegetables used – broccoli would work just as well as zucchini. And the oregano and thyme can be substituted for an Italian herb mix.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a 9×12 baking pan or a 2-quart casserole dish. In a high-sided skillet, heat over medium high:
2 tablespoons olive oil
When shimmering add:
1 pound ground turkey (this would work just as well with ground pork, Italian sausage or hamburger, just be sure to drain off the fat after cooking)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Break up the meat as it cooks and cook until no longer pink, about 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add:
1 medium onion, diced
2 small zucchini, cut into approximately 3/4″ slices (I quartered mine before slicing so I had chunks)
2 large portobello mushrooms (deveined and diced)
1 medium yellow sweet pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)
3 garlic cloves minced (about 3 teaspoons)
Stir to combine and then simmer for 4-5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add:
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon – 1 tablespoon siracha sauce or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Stir to combine and reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in:
2 cups brown and wild rice mix, cooked
1/4 cup grated non-dairy Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped parsley, flat-leaf or Italian
Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with:
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Bake until mixture is bubbling and the cheese is starting to brown, about 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with another tablespoon or two of parsley before serving. Serves 6.
One of my (and my grandson’s) favorite vegetables is eggplant. I’d stuffed zucchini but never an eggplant but this turned out very luscious, a classic combination of an onion, garlic, sweet pepper and tomato base with rice. It’s a great side dish or add some protein, like sweet Italian sausage, and make it a main dish.*
Serves 2 (or double to serve 4). Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Wash and cut in half:
One medium to large eggplant
Score the middle, being careful not to cut through the skin, leaving about a half inch of meat around the edges. Use a spoon to scoop out the meat to leave a “boat”. Salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil. Place in a greased baking dish and bake for roughly 30-40 minutes until the meat is softened and slightly browned.
While the boats are cooking, heat in a large skillet:
1 tablespoon olive oil
Add:
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced sweet pepper (any color you like)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Eggplant meat, chopped
Sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent and the pepper is softened. Add:
8 ounces finely diced tomatoes (half a can)
2 cups cooked brown rice
3 tablespoons of fresh basil, chiffonade
1 tablespoon avocado oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Stir to combine and cook until heated through before removing from heat.
When the eggplant boats are ready, stuff them with the filling, sprinkle with:
2 tablespoons grated non-dairy parmesan cheese
Return to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes before increasing the oven heat to broil. Broil until the cheese is slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Serve.
*To make it a main dish, reduce the rice to 1 cup and add 1 cup ground Italian sausage.
TIP: This is an Italian stuffed eggplant. For a more Moroccan style, leave out the basil and cheese and instead add:
The brown refers both to the color of the squares and the type of rice cereal. I’ve gotten out of the habit of recommending specific brands in my recipes but I’m making an exception here. The 365 brand from Whole Foods of Brown Rice Crisps contains only 2 gms of sugar per 1 1/3 cup serving which is about as great as we can get with any brand or type of cereal. Since there’s no sugar added in this recipe, just a couple of dates, that’s a fairly good ratio. And these squares are actually healthy, full of fiber, and a serving of fruit to boot. Never mind that they are also tasty.
You’ll need:
1 cup (8 ounces) of dried prunes, figs, or other dried fruit that your family likes
2-5 medjool dates depending on how sweet your family likes their snacks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
sufficient hot water to cover the dried fruit
2 tablespoons carob (or cocoa) powder
1 cup nut or seed butter
6 cups brown rice cereal
In a medium bowl soak the dates and dried fruit in the hot water at least 20 minutes or until they are rehydrated and soft. Line an 8″ square baking dish with parchment paper or spray with a non-stick cooking spray. Place the dried fruit, dates, and vanilla extract along with 1/2 cup of the fruit water and the carob powder into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Heat the nut or seed butter in the microwave for 30-45 seconds until melted. Add the pureed fruit and heat an additional 20-30 seconds. Put the cereal into a large bowl and pour the nut/seed butter mixture over it. Stir to combine and coat all the cereal. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and press the cereal down, spreading it out to cover the entire dish, until smooth and even in the baking dish. Place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.
TIPS: Add some carob or chocolate chips, minced dried cherries, freeze dried strawberries or bananas, etc. to enhance the taste and add more deliciousness to the squares. Spices would work as well, perhaps some cinnamon, allspice or cardamom.
Peanut butter cookies are one of the most popular cookies on the planet but not for those of us with nut allergies. If you can use pumpkin seeds, this may be a cookie for you to try. I’ve been using pumpkin seed butter now for several years. It’s a very different taste, very nutty and earthy. I prefer the butter made from roasted pumpkin seeds but raw is also available; as one might expect, the roasted is brown while the raw is green in color. I haven’t been able to find pumpkin seed butter in a store so I order it online from Amazon where they have several varieties available. I’m sure a google search would find it available elsewhere online if you prefer not to use Amazon.
Just like regular peanut butter, pumpkin seed butter is available in sweetened and unsweetened forms. I prefer the unsweetened which is what is used in this recipe. If sweetened is used, reduce the amount of sugar in the mixture. Makes about 12 cookies.
You’ll need:
1/2 cup date sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pumpkin seed butter (room temperature)
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4-1/3 cup carob chips (or if you can use them chocolate chips)
Prepare a medium size cookie sheet by covering with parchment paper sprayed with non-stick spray. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium size bowl, mix together the date sugar and the water, stir until sugar is dissolved. Add the vanilla, whisk until smooth. Add the pumpkin seed butter, flaxseed, flour, salt and mix until combined. Add the chips and blend. Scoop out the dough by tablespoons and shape into balls and then flatten. Place about an inch apart on the cookie sheet and bake for approximately 10-12 minutes. These cookies won’t raise or spread much. Store in an airtight container or freeze if there are any left!
Pumpkin is a favorite flavor of mine anytime of the year, not just over the holidays. And pumpkin is a natural soother of an upset stomach so it has health benefits as well. Here’s a pumpkin donut recipe that has the spices of a pumpkin pie, mixes up quick and easy and bakes in about 10-12 minutes. Topped with a maple glaze, to die for!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium size bowl whisk together:
2 tablespoons avocado oil
3 tablespoons non-dairy milk
2 tablespoons aquafaba
2 tablespoons maple syrup (use the real stuff here)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon vanilla
When well mixed whisk in:
1/2 cup date sugar
To the bowl add:
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (if you don’t have the mixed, you can use the individual spices – 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon allspice)
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
TIP: If you want the pumpkin taste stronger than the spices, reduce the spices to 1 1/2 teaspoons.
Blend until combined with a spoon. Let sit for a few minutes while you grease the donut pan(s). It will make 6-10 donuts depending on how large you make them. Using a 1 gallon food storage bag, spoon the donut mix into the bag and zip it shut. Cut off one corner and pipe the donut mixture into the donut pan(s). Bake 8-14 minutes depending on how large the donuts are (I made only 6 donuts so baked them the full 14 minutes.) When the tops are set, they are done.
Remove from oven, let cool in the pan for a few minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
While the donuts are baking make the maple glaze:
In a small bowl whisk together:
1/4 cup vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance soy free)
1/2 cup powdered monkfruit sweetener (Lakanto makes one that Whole Foods or Amazon carries)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon non-dairy milk
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
2-3 shakes of salt (or a dash!)
When the donuts are still warm, dip one side into the glaze. If you want to make them really decadent, top them with crumbled (cooked!) bacon right after dipping. Let sit at least a half hour for the glaze to set. When dry, the glaze is really not that visible, just shiny.
I made some Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken today (see my second blog of the day) and had a little substitute soy sauce left over so thought how about some fried rice. One of my favorite dishes, my mother always made it with bacon and eggs but of course, not able to do that anymore. So this one is fairly easy and quick if you use frozen brown rice (I love the packets from Trader Joe but many markets now carry frozen pre-cooked brown rice, just don’t use the instant – all the good stuff is gone and you’re left with just carbs!). Checked the freezer and the pantry and sure enough had a nice variety of vegetables so decided to give it a try. Feel free to substitute whatever vegetables you have in your pantry or freezer.
In a 10″ skillet heat:
2 tablespoons olive oil
Add:
1/2 medium onion sliced
3 stalks celery sliced on the bias
1/2 cup grated carrot
1 cup frozen French cut green beans
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 small can, drained bamboo shoots or sliced water chestnuts
Cook over medium heat for several minutes, stir once or twice to make sure vegetables cook evenly. Then turn heat down to medium low and cover. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Add 1 1/2-2 cups cooked (or frozen) brown rice, stir to combine and cover to heat the rice another 3-5 minutes. Add:
2-4 tablespoons soy sauce substitute
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon red chili flakes or hot sauce (optional)
This is an easy way to use up extra turkey (or chicken if you prefer). I didn’t have a lot of soups growing up because my father wasn’t a “soup” guy. But a long-time friend really loved creamed soups and when she was dying of cancer, one of the few things I could always get her to eat was my cream of chicken or turkey soup. So here’s the recipe revamped without the dairy or gluten.
In a medium size Dutch oven, heat:
2 tablespoons olive oil
Add:
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced turnip and/or parsnip
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon dry sage
Saute over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add:
2 tablespoons gluten-free all purpose flour and stir to mix and absorb all the fat. Let cook for several minutes before adding:
2 cups chicken or turkey STOCK (use stock not broth for a stronger flavor)
1 small bag of mixed vegetables (if you’re like me, remove the corn; wish someone would make mixed frozen vegetables without corn!)
Cover, reduce heat to low and let simmer until vegetables are cooked, 10-15 minutes.
The soup will thicken while it simmers so stir occasionally so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
When the vegetables are cooked, add 1 cup of non-dairy milk and 1-2 cups of cooked brown rice. Heat and serve.
Variations if you don’t care for sage or tumeric, or just want a different taste!
Italian: Add 1 tablespoon diced garlic and substitute thyme, basil, marjoram, and/or rosemary for the sage and tumeric.
Indian: Use a peeled and diced sweet potato instead of the turnip/parsnip. Add 1 tablespoon of curry powder instead of the sage and before the flour. Curry powder needs to develop its flavor so cook it for a few minutes before adding the flour and stock.
Mushroom: Add a 6-8 ounce box of sliced baby bella or whatever mushrooms you love instead of the mixed vegetables.
Vegan: Use vegetable stock instead of chicken or turkey and delete the meat. Add a drained can of your favorite beans.
I’m always looking for new ways to use fish. Fish is one of those proteins that I love to eat but don’t often like to cook. This is a quick recipe that really highlights flavor. Its well balanced nutritionally, very filling, and can be adjusted to serve the tastes of anyone.
In a large hot skillet, add the olive oil, onions, carrots, and celery. Saute over medium heat until celery and carrots are softened. Add the fish and cook thoroughly. Add the rice, quinoa, peas, and herbs.* Stir to combine. Heat through, spritz with the lemon juice and serve with whatever garnishes you like. This time of year, my first garnish is always tomatoes although this year, without my husband’s garden, I’ve had to find fresh tomatoes in the markets.
*Other additions, depending on your tastes, could be some diced peppers, sweet or hot; some hot sauce or chili oil; Old Bay seasoning or other herbs; and perhaps, since I’m now living in Minnesota instead of New Hampshire where this seems to be like seafood back east, some wild rice instead of the brown rice and/or quinoa.
cookingwithoutallergens 