Gluten-free Cornbread

Andrew told me repeatedly that he did not like cornbread when we got married.  We've been married for a little over 8 years and I think I honored the not liking cornbread crap until about a year or two ago.  I finally told him I like cornbread and he would just have to deal.  Well, guess what....he likes this cornbread.  Go figure ;)

Gluten-free Cornbread

2 c gluten-free flour blend

1/2 c white sugar

3 T baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 c shortening

4 eggs

2 c milk

2 c cornmeal

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum in a large bowl. 

Cut the shortening in the way you would when making a pie dough. You should end up with pea-size pieces in a sandy flour.

Combine the eggs and milk in a small bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid. Stir with a rubber spatula until everything is combined.

Stir in the cornmeal, whisking fast, until it is just combined. Do not overstir.

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Slide it into the oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the sides of the cornbread are slightly shrinking from the pan and a toothpick comes out clean.

Cranberry Date Bars

Apparently, I have a thing for dates lately.  I used to think I hated them...maybe it was the type?  I'm not sure.  But, I've been trying out the ones from the bulk bin in Winco and so far, I would say I like them...a lot...definitely more than I should!

Cranberry Date Bars

18 or so dates (use a few more if they are tiny, few less if they are huge...I know, really helpful right?)

1 c dried cranberries

1/2 c raw cashews

1/2 c raw almonds

1/2 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

In food processor, roughly chop the dates and cranberries.  Take them out and put them in large bowl.  Add nuts, cinnamon and salt to food processor and chop until fine but stop before it turns into butter.  Combine the chopped dried fruit and nuts.  Mix well by hand...it will be sticky!  Press into a 8x8 pan or a bit smaller one if you have it.  I lined mine with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for an hour, cut into squares, and try not to eat all at once.

Find more yummies at Pennywise Platter Thursday or Slightly Indulgent Tuesday! 

Slow Cooker Citrus Pork Roast

Make this immediately!  It is yummy.  Love citrus and pork.  Serve this with baked potatoes...the "gravy" is awesome on them too. (Adapted from this recipe.)

Slow Cooker Citrus Pork Roast

pork roast - medium size
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons coconut aminos or soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup orange juice

In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, thyme, ginger and pepper; rub over roast. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown roast on all sides in oil.

Place roast in slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the broth, sugar, lemon juice, coconut aminos/soy sauce and orange peel; pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160º.  Our roast had a bone so we cooked it a bit longer.

Remove roast and keep warm. In a saucepan, combine the cornstarch and orange juice until smooth; stir in cooking juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with the roast. 

PS. If your roast has a bone, save it for making stock!

For more good ideas visit Pennywise Platter Thursday!

Energy Balls

My friend posted a link to a page about making healthy energy balls.  I tried them tonight and they came out great...especially if you don't eat many sweets.  Andrew didn't think they were sweet enough.  Go figure!

Energy Balls

10 dried dates - pour boiling water over the top for about 3 minutes

1 tsp cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 c walnuts

Optional: additional cocoa powder or unsweetened coconut for rolling

In a Vitamix or food processor, chop the nuts until they are a fine meal but not butter.  Add the cocoa and salt.  Mix.  Drain the dates (save the liquid for cooking with later) and add.  Process until the mixture holds together.  Roll into small balls (bite sized) and roll in cocoa powder (if you like them dark) and/or unsweetened coconut. 

Find more @ Slightly Indulgent Tuesday and Pennywise Platter Thursday!

Italian Turkey Meatballs

Now that I'm not pregnant and the holidays are over, it's time to focus on my health again.  I've been having a hard time feeling good about myself since Dylan was born and really having a hard time getting back to eating well.  Eating well for me means limiting my grains, dairy and sugar.  Ha!  That's been quite the joke.  

So, for the month of January, I'm not eating any sugar, grains, or dairy.  We are nine days in and besides a little bit that I couldn't control, I've done extremely well.  I also feel my mood picking up.  I've been eating a ton of veggies and fruits and good meats.  It's not a bad way to be.  Today, I made turkey meatballs that were delicious.  Not sure what I'm going to use them for...so far we've just been snacking on them as is but I thought I'd share them with you.

Italian Turkey Meatballs

2 lbs ground turkey (I used the 7% fat turkey)

1 tsp fennel seed (ground into a powder in a coffee grinder I use as a spice grinder)

1 tsp each onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp each cumin, nutmeg and ginger

1 1/2 tsp each oregano, basil, thyme, salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Throw everything in a bowl and mix together like crazy.  Don't be afraid to get you hands in there.  Yes, it feels gross but it works great!  If you can, let the mixture sit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.  Form into small balls and put on a broiler pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Spray the top of the meatballs and bake in oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

For more yummy ideas check out Pennywise Platter Thursday!

Variations on a Theme...Chocolate Drop Cookies

I've had fun adapting another couple of recipes to come up with this one.  They are quick and easy.   Just be patient with them though and don't let your butter get too soft or they will spread.  But, they eat either way!

Chocolate Drop Cookies

1/2 c butter

3/4 c brown sugar

1/4 c honey

1 T vanilla

1 tsp hazelnut extract

1 T finely, finely ground decaf coffee beans(or go for the full monty and use caffeinated)

1 3/4 c easy gluten-free flour blend

1/4 c cocoa

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 -1/2 tsp salt (smoked salt is good if you have it)

2 T sugar for rolling the cookies in

Blend butter, sugar and honey.  Scrap it down and make sure the honey is fully incorporated.  Add the vanilla, hazelnut extract, and coffee beans.  Mix well.  Add flour, cocoa, soda and salt.  Blend until everything comes together. Scoop into balls (approx. 1 T) and roll in sugar.  Put on greased cookie sheet, leaving some space between them in case they spread.  Cook at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.  Let cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes and then finish cooling them on a wire rack.  Watch them disappear.  Makes between 18 and 24 depending on size and how much of the dough you eat!

Find more at Slightly Indulgent Tuesday! 

Additional variation (March 10, 2012)

Chocolate Drop Cookies

1/2 c shortening

1 c white sugar
1 egg

1 T hazelnut extract

1 T finely, finely ground decaf coffee beans(or go for the full monty and use caffeinated)

1 3/4 c easy gluten-free flour blend

1/4 c cocoa

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 -1/2 tsp salt (smoked salt is good if you have it)

Basically, mix and bake as directed above.

Easy Recipes: Sneaky or Frugal

We had leftover butternut squash fries from the other night and I don't really care for them as leftovers. We also had some white beans from our produce box I cooked up last week and an open can of re-fried beans. Smoky bean soup to the rescue!  Used chicken stock that I made to puree the squash and added it to the bean soup.  I also added a can of tomatoes and left the corn out.  Put everything in the crock-pot and let it cook all day.  Made for a tasty, quick dinner after we got home from our evening walk. So was it sneaky or frugal...or maybe both :)

Check out more yummies at Vegetarian Foodie Fridays #27!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This recipe was so easy.  I hate making enchiladas with corn tortillas...even if I dip the tortillas in the sauce they seem to tear.  So, I cheat and just layer them!  I based this recipe on one I found at $5 Dinners.  Not sure why I've never thought of making my own enchilada sauce.  It was definitely an "Oh duh" moment.


Chicken Enchilada Casserole


2 T butter
1 poblano chile, finely chopped
1 anaheim chile, finely chopped
1 clove garlic

2-3 pre-cooked chicken breasts - I used leftover fried chicken breasts

1/2 c quinoa cooked in 1 c. water

6 oz. tomato paste

18 oz water (three cans of water from the empty tomato paste can)

1 T chili powder

1 tsp each of cumin, garlic powder, salt and chipotle powder

1-2 c. corn (I used frozen, canned or fresh would be fine too)

18 small tortillas

1-2 c shredded cheddar (would be totally fine without it though)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring water to a boil and add quinoa.  Turn heat down and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Melt butter and saute garlic and peppers over medium heat in large pan. In separate pan, mix tomato paste, water and spices; bring to a simmer.
4. Add chicken; cook until heated through.
5. Add cooked quinoa and corn and 1 c. of sauce.
6. Spray 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray.  Put thin layer of sauce in bottom.  Layer with 6 tortillas.  Spread with another thin layer of sauce.
7. Spread half of chicken mixture.  Sprinkle a bit of the cheddar.
8. Layer another 6 tortillas and sauce.
9. Spread remaining chicken mixture.
10. Layer remaining tortillas, sauce and cheese.
11. Cover with foil and cook for 20 minutes.

NOTE: This was not spicy...it was flavorful.  Add more spice or poblanos if you want it spicy. 

For more yummy recipes, check out Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet or Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar & Gluten Free.

Cran-Almond Scones (GF)

When the first thing out of Andrew's mouth after taking a bite of one of these is "Oh yum!" I know I need to share.  Let me start off by saying I adapted a recipe from The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen; I didn't create it, just made a few alterations.

It's not raspberry time of year so I used dried cranberries. I grew up in Bandon, am a bit partial to the West coast varieties, and know good cranberries.   Clearwater Cranberries is making some of the best dried cranberries to be had.  They use cane syrup and a light coating of oil to keep them from sticking together.

I think Andrew and I have gone through almost 7lbs since the beginning of February.  I'll soon be featuring another recipe highlighting these wonderful gems.  You have to buy them in 25lb boxes but Scott might be willing to sell direct.  I bought two boxes in February and sold some to friends and family.  No one has been unhappy.  In fact, I need to call Scott and see about another box!

Cran-Almond Scones

1 c. brown rice flour
1/2 c. sorghum flour
1/2 c. tapioca flour
1 T. baking powder
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 c. cold butter
1/3 c. maple syrup
scant 2/3 c. milk
1 T. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 c. slivered almonds
1/2 c. dried cranberries
raw sugar

Preheat oven to 425.

Sift together the dry ingredients in large bowl.  Cut the butter in until it resembles coarse crumbs (I did this with butter straight out of the fridge...be sure you have a good pastry cutter and patience...it works, really!)


In smaller bowl, mix together the maple syrup, milk, vanilla, and almond extract.


Add liquids to dry ingredients and stir.  The mixture will thicken a bit as it sets.  Add the almonds and cranberries.  Drop onto greased cookie sheet (makes between 6 and 8 scones).  Sprinkle a bit of raw sugar on top of each scone.


Bake 15-19 minutes.  Let cool a bit and enjoy with a cup of hazelnut coffee or whatever you want, I guess!


This was submitted to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free.  Go there for more yummy recipes!  Also posted at Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet.

Easy Creamy Tomato Soup

Somehow life seems to be getting away from me lately.  Not sure how that happens.  But, sometimes we just need a little comfort.  A grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup fits the bill quite well!

Easy Creamy Tomato Soup

1-2 T butter or olive oil

4 cloves garlic, diced

1 med onion, diced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried rosemary

4 cans (15 oz) petite diced tomato

1 can coconut milk or 8 oz package of cream cheese

1 T honey

6 T sherry

Melt the butter.  Saute the onion, salt and garlic on medium until the onion is translucent.  Add the spices and cook for about 1 minute.  Add the tomatoes, including liquid, and the coconut milk/cream cheese.  Stir in the honey and sherry.  Cook 30-40 minutes.  Blend until smooth, being careful of the heat.  Enjoy!

Linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesday and Pennywise Platter Thursday

Christmas Day and Smoky Black Bean Soup

Well Christmas Day has come and gone...as have my folks.  It was a pretty low key day.  Gluten-free apple cake for breakfast, a hike at the ever great Shellburg Falls, and Smoky Black Bean Soup and Cornbread for dinner.  Tonight is Christmas with the Jones side.  Smoked roasted chicken, smoked beef ribs, pumpkin biscuits, roasted carrots and cherry sorbet.  Can we say, "Don't need to eat for a week!"

Smoky Bean Soup (adapted from here)

olive oil
6-8 cloves garlic, minced (smoked garlic is yummy here too)
1 T smoked paprika
2 tsp cumin
1-2 tsp chipotle powder (depending on how hot you like it)

2 cans petite diced tomatoes (14-15 oz)
2 cans black bean refried beans
2 cans black beans
2 c. frozen corn
salt to taste
(water or chicken broth as needed)


Saute the garlic in the olive oil 1-2 min on medium until cooked.  Add the spices and stir around, letting the spices heat up a bit.  Add the canned and frozen goods, including liquids.  Stir well to get the refried beans to break up.  Add additional water/chicken broth as needed.  Cook on medium, watching to be sure it doesn't scorch for 20-30 minutes.  Serve with any or all of sliced avocado, cheese, sour cream/yogurt, green onion, lime juice, and cilantro.


Alternative: Cook garlic and spices as directed above.  Transfer to crockpot.  Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low for 6-8 hrs.  This works the best really!

Sunflower Cookies

In case you haven't noticed, I like food and blogs.  So, I read a lot of cooking blogs.  Well, The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen, is one of them.  Today, I've taken the opportunity to try about three of their recipes.  So far so good. Of the three, I decided I want to share the Sunflower Cookies recipe.  Please visit the link to see their recipe. I've included what I did below...very few changes other than leaving out the raisins...not so much of a fan. This cookies are ridiculously easy...the most involved part being grinding the sunflower seeds!  Andrew gave them a "They're okay," which is pretty good...he doesn't really say something is great unless it's his favorite food of all time. 

Sunflower Cookies (from The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen)
 1 c raw sunflower seeds, ground into a flour - I used a coffee grinder I keep around for this type of thing
1 c brown rice flour
1/4 c tapioca flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c melted coconut oil
1/3 c maple syrup, grade B
2 T applesauce
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.
Grind the sunflower seeds and mix with the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.  Mix thoroughly until all of the dry ingredients have been incorporated.
Roll into 1-inch balls and place on greased cookie sheet.  Flatten with a greased glass.  Bake in the oven for approx. 13 minutes.  Cool on pan.  Enjoy!


For more good food check out Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free's Slightly Indulgent Monday.

Oh Shit Chocolate Cake...or How I Gained Two Lbs This Weekend!

This recipe is one of those that you just cannot make that often...because it goes straight to your...well you know! My mother designed it originally and now I've made it gluten-free. I think I have a bit of refining to do yet but it's good enough I thought I'd go ahead and share it today. It's not slightly indulgent...it's totally indulgent. And, just fair warning, don't eat four pieces in the course of a weekend or you really will gain at least 2 pounds. As my husband, Andrew, says..."It's gluten-free not glutton free!"

Oh Shit Chocolate Cake (as in oh shit that's good, and oh shit I ate too much!)

Sift together:
3/4 c millet flour
1/2 c corn starch
1/2 c tapioca starch
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 c sugar
1 c cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Add:
2 eggs
1 c milk
1/2 c oil
1 T vanilla

Mix well at medium speed for 2 minutes and then add 2/3 c boiling water (coffee would work well here too.) Pour into well greased and floured bundt pan.

Filling:
8 oz cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 c sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 c chocolate chips (I like dark or semi-sweet)

Mix first four ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop filling in center of pan all of the way around. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes on a rack, then remove from pan and let cool completely. Top with cream cheese frosting and chill.


Cream Cheese Frosting:
1/2 c butter (at room temperature)
8 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 2/3 c powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla

Mix well.

Cherry "Sorbet"

I don't have a pretty picture or hardley even a recipe for this week's entrance into Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free's Slightly Indulgent Mondays but I can tell you it's easy and great. This is one of those almost too easy to be true "recipes"...if you can call it a recipe. We freeze pitted cherries in the summer when they are ripe and sweet. Then, when it's hot or we just want a cool treat...I defrost them in the microwave until I can just barely puree them with the immersion blender (and yes, it really is an immersion blender that works best). Once all the fruit (approx. 4 c frozen) is pureed, I add a bit (1/4-1/2 tsp) of almond extract. If you have cocoa nibs to put on top that's great...if not...that's fine too! Sometimes this makes one serving and sometimes it's two. Just depends on how generous I feel that day! This works well with strawberries and blueberries too.

Fresh Nectarine Pie (GF)

Can I just say oh my goodness?! I love this pie. Really, I hate cooked fruit so this is just perfect - a pie and eating a fresh nectarine! But, since I know gluten causes problems for me and my mom, I wanted to make a good gluten-free crust. It's hard enough for most people to just make a good regular crust. As you can tell, I'm a bit of a crust snob. This isn't 100% there but it's pretty darn good! I adapted a cooking.com recipe. We typically aren't huge rice flour fans around here...it's usually gritty so I avoided it. And, I am starting to veer away from potato starch as well. So, here it is...try it. I think you'll like it!


Fresh Nectarine Pie

For 1 nine inch crust (the bottom crust):
1/3 c millet flour
1/3 c tapioca starch flour
1/3 c corn starch
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c shortening
1/4 c cold butter
1 lg egg, cold
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together millet, tapioca flour, corn starch, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt.

Cut shortening and butter into dry ingredients. Blend with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles small peas. Beat egg and vinegar together and mix into dough. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out between plastic wrap or wax paper until slightly bigger than the pie pan (approx. 1.5 in) (NOTE: I use a gallon ziploc freezer bag, cut into two pieces. Stuff doesn't stick, it's pretty heavy and can be washed and reused multiple times!) Gently peel one side of plastic off and then lay it back down, flip over and gently peel the other side off. Then flip onto your hand, cover with the pie pan and flip over into the pan. Now, re-peel the first side off (you peeled it the first time so it would be easier this time). Make it look nice in the pan, trim the edges and crimp or whatever you like to do. I like to cover mine with a pie crust shield so the edges don't get too brown. Since we are going to use this as a pre-baked crust, poke the crust with a fork.

Bake in the oven 12-16 minutes or until it starts to brown a little. Let cool.

Fruit Filling
4 c nectarines, peeled and sliced
1/4 c sugar + 3 T cornstarch mixed together
1/4 tsp almond extract, optional

Measure 1 c nectarines and add enough water to bring it to 1 1/2 c. (if using almond extract add it now). Put into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, without stirring. Once boiling, add sugar/cornstarch mixture all at once and stir. Continue to stir and boil until the mixture thickens and gets clear (approx. 2 minutes). Remove from heat and let stand for about 10 minutes to cool. Put remaining sliced nectarines in the cooled pie shell. Pour cooled mixture over the top, making sure you cover all of the "raw" nectarines (this keeps them from turning brown). Chill for two hours...and try not to eat it all at once!


NOTE: Works great with peaches, blueberries (I increase the amount, pack them in), and strawberries. It's okay to have fun with it!

This is my contribution for Simply Sugar & Gluten Free's Slightly Indulgent Mondays.

Banana Coconut Pecan Muffins (Corrected!)

These are great! I adapted this recipe from Karina's Kitchen. By the way, if you haven't checked out her blog...do so. It's full of yummy gluten free recipes.

Preheat oven to 375. Spray 8-12 muffins tins (I used the silicon deals).

Mix together in large bowl:
2 c banana puree (give or take a cup)
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c olive oil (I forgot this the first time I posted it! So sorry.)
1 T vanilla
1 egg

Sift together in a separate bowl:
1 c sorghum flour
1/2 c potato starch (or corn starch)
1 c unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp cinnamon, heaping
1/4 tsp nutmeg, heaping

Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Mix well. Add 1/2 c pecans if you like them. Spoon into the muffins tins...go ahead and fill the tins really full if you like! Bake for about 20 minutes. Let cool for ~5 min and then pop out of the tins.

These are excellent right away or the next day with peanut butter.

NOTE: I don't like a really sweet muffin...if you looked at the original recipe you might have noticed I increased the bananas a bit and cut the sugar back a lot. Feel free to add more sugar, but if your bananas are really, really ripe...well then these should be sweet enough. I also prefer the unsweetened shredded coconut. If you have regular, that will make the muffin sweeter too.

This is my contribution for Simply Sugar & Gluten Free's Slightly Indulgent Mondays.