Blueberry Corn Muffins

The corn bread recipe makes a really good blueberry muffin with a couple of quick adjustments. Use the basic recipe and because I like these sweet, I add 1/3 cup more sugar to them. But it's only a suggestion. Just at the end of mixing the batter I add 1 cup of fresh (washed and cleaned) blueberries. I add 5 to 10 minutes on the baking time.

These have passed the "average eater" test. Nobody would have guessed they're gluten free. In fact, I brought them along to a lunch I was invited to. The hostess had encouraged people to bring something to share and I felt it would get me past the awkward "no bread for me, thanks anyway" thing. Everyone tucked in to the blueberry muffins with great delight. I find that grad students usually have no time to cook. However I noticed one person at lunch was politely avoiding the muffins. I casually mentioned that these were egg, dairy and gluten free. Her eyes lit up; "Really? You bake gluten free? I've been GF for two years now and I don't know anyone who bakes like this."

I have a friend who went to Culinary school. She said she didn't want to be rich like Bill Gates, but wanted to make people happy one cookie at a time.

I know what she means.

Really Wacky Cake

Chocolate cake that is gluten, egg, and milk free! I was so happy that this cake was a complete success with the GF friends and non-GF friends. It made my birthday celebration very memorable, especially as we ate the cake with the most amazing coconut ice cream. I didn't feel like this birthday was any different from any other. Friends, food, fun; just the way I like it.

1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
3/4 cup white rice flour
1 teaspoon xanthum gum
5 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
6 Tablespoons canola oil (1/2 cup)
1 1/4 cup cold water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift the flours with sugar, cocoa, soda and salt until they are well combined. Make a well in the flour mixture. In a separate bowl mix the oil, vinegar, vanilla and water. Pour this into the well and mix thoroughly. Pour into an ungreased 9x9-inch baking pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack.

P.S. The icing was a Pamela's Vanilla Frosting mix I picked up at New Leaf (and I've seen it at Whole Foods). I can't say that I am a fan of the frosting. Other people liked it. I used coconut oil for the necessary fat. It did taste better the next day, but it was hard to spread and somewhat tasteless other than a very sugary glaze. Next time, I think I'll make an artful dusting with powdered sugar.

Also, I should mention that the picture above requires 2 batches of this recipe. I baked it in a 10-inch round pan. It made a lot of cake, enough for 8 people and leftovers. This cake works better as single, thick cake - sometimes referred to in cookbooks as "picnic cake". It doesn't "do layers" like some cakes that use wheat flour. If you are really wanting to do thin layers with frosting in between, bake it in a single pan and then slice the baked cake. You'll need spatulas, finesse and a sense of humour as this cake is very moist and can break easily doing such maneuvers.

One batch makes 12 nice cupcakes. Use parchment cupcake liners. Bake for 25 minutes.

Corn Muffins

Also works nicely as a bread. I just wanted something small in my hand this morning for breakfast.

3/4 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup Bob's Red Mill All Purpose GF Flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
1 teaspoon xanthum gum
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer
4 Tablespoons warm water
1/3 cup vegetable oil (like canola)
1 teaspoon roasted sesame oil
1 Tablespoon vinegar (undistilled apple)
1 1/4 cup rice milk (but water may work as well)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (or 325 for a convection oven). Grease or line 12 muffin cups or a 8-inch square baking pan.

Combine the flours, sugar, corn meal, baking soda, zanthum gum and salt in a medium bowl.

Combine the egg replacer with the warm water. Mix until a little frothy.

Combine the rice milk, oils, and vinegar in a small bowl. Add the wet ingredients (rice milk combination and the egg replacer) to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Pour into prepared pans or muffin tins. Smooth the top, mounding up towards the center. I've found once you put this bread in, whatever pattern you leave in the top of the bread will bake that way.

Bake 20 minutes for the muffins or 40 minutes for the 8-inch pan.

Banana Bread - free from Gluten, Eggs, and Milk

My first Gluten Free Post!

I was tempted to make my new Zucchini-Pineapple bread again, but there were 3 overripe bananas on the counter begging to be used. How could I say no?

Juice of one lemon (or 2 small to make about 1/3 cup)
3 overripe (lots of brown spots) bananas - make the grocer happy, take the old separate ones if you don't have any of your own!
1/2 cup light flavored oil (I used a canola/corn oil)

1 cup Gluten Free baking mix
3/4 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup ground flax seed (I buy mine bulk and grind it in a coffee grinder)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped dates (about 8 dates)
1/2 cup nuts (I like pecan)

1 cup rice milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (350 for convection baking). Grease a 4x8 inch loaf pan. I used coconut oil.

Peel and mash the bananas. Add the lemon juice and mix thoroughly. Add the oil.

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until the brown sugar is only tiny lumps and the flours are well incorporated. If you use the dates, and slice them yourself, take a couple of tablespoons of the dry ingredient flour mix and toss the dates in it. It separates them from becoming a single gooey blob. Mix the banana, lemon, oil mixture in with the dry ingredients, dates and nuts. This should look crumbly and rather dry. When the lumps are about 1/2-inch in size start to add the rice milk in three 1/3 cup batches. This will be moist but very stiff batter.

When the ingredients are incorporated, turn into the pan and smooth the top. I even mound it up towards the center. I have found that whatever shape you make these breads - i.e. swirls left by the spoon, never smooth out and are immortalized in the finished loaf.

Bake for 1 hour or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Un-mold the bread and cool on a rack. Don't slice before it is cool.

Black Bean Salad

1 lb dried black beans
couple of sprigs epazote (optional)

Sort, wash and soak the black beans overnight. Rinse beans and cover with water and add the epazote. Cook until tender and they still hold their shape, about 1 hour. Drain, remove epazote, and let cool.

1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano
4 small sprigs of fresh basil (about 2-3 Tbs minced)
1 teaspoon orange rind
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1 orange
5 Tablespoons cold pressed Flax Seed oil or virgin olive oil

Whir these ingredients in a blender or mini chop.

2 medium yellow tomatoes, diced (I used Azoychka)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced (I used 3 Lipstick peppers because they're small)
1/2 onion, finely chopped (I used Walla Walla)
6 diced radishes (celery works too)

Toss the beans, the vinagrette and the vegetables together, adjust seasoning. Let marinate a couple of hours in the refrigerator before serving, over a bed of greens or lettuce is optional.

Curried Lentil Soup with Swiss Chard

1 lb dried lentils
2 quarts water
1 or 2 chopped carrots
1 medium onion, chopped

Sort and wash the lentils. Bring to a boil in a pot with 2 quarts water, carrots and onion. Simmer for 45 minutes until lentils are tender.

2 Tablespoons curry powder
3 - 4 cups chopped swiss chard
salt to taste

Add the remaining ingredients and simmer fo another 8-10 minutes. Serve with fresh cilanto, or chopped fresh tomato.

*optional - 1 cup cooked chicken shredded added at the end, but I don't do that much anymore.

Leek and Fennel Soup

1 medium to large leek
1 Tbs margarine (or butter)
1 head of fennel (fist size)
2 medium potatoes, peeled
2 14-oz. cans of vegetable stock (or 3 1/2 cups homemade will work)
3 Tbs dry white vermouth (or dry white wine)

Throughly clean the leek. Remove the very largest/toughest leaves. I use some of the green, as the soup will soften the leek leaves. Cut in half and slice 1/4" "half-rings". Saute in the butter over a low flame. If the butter isn't enough to "stew" the leek, add a couple of tablespoons of the stock. This keeps the butter to a minimum. Saute until soft but continue to stir as it browns some of the leeks quickly. Chop the fennel fine and add to the leeks. Coninue to saute and add a small amount of stock if it looks like it might burn. Chop the peeled potatoes into a mire poix size (basically as small as you can manage - about 1/4" dice) Add the potatoes and the stock to the pot. Simmer until the potatoes are cooked, about 20 minutes. As they cook and become soft, smash them lightly with the back of a spoon as you stir to make the soup creamy. Just before serving, add the vermouth and heat through.

White Beans and Cilantro

2 cups dry white beans*
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
olive oil for saute
2 chopped tomatoes
4 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
salt & pepper
sour cream or yogurt (optional)

Sort and wash beans. Soak overnight (or do a quick soak by bringing the water to boil for 3 minutes and let stand for an hour). Dump out the water, and put in fresh. Simmer the beans until tender about 1 1/2 hour. Drain. Saute garlic in oil. Don not brown. Add tomatoes and saute a bit more to slightly cook the tomatoes. Combine with the beans; reheat a bit. Add cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. If you wish, add yogurt or sour cream.

*I have, when pressed for time, substituted a package of frozen black eye peas for the white beans. A great time saver.

Zucchini "Latkes"

A great way to use up a zuke bumper crop.

1/2 cup matzoh meal
2 eggs*
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 oz. shredded zucchini or courgette (or other summer squash)
optional - minced fresh tarragon (or other herb of your choice)
1/2 tsp salt (or to your taste)

Some oil for frying

Mix all the ingredients until it is a well combined batter and let "rest" for 15 minutes.

Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet, and spread a spoonful of the batter into the pan and flatten if needed. I get about 3 pancakes in my skillet. Cook until golden brown on each side and serve hot.

* I have successfully used Ener-G egg replacer in this recipe. Use 3 teaspoons egg replacer with 5 Tablespoons of warm water, mixed together. It gives it a more potato-like flavor instead of an eggy flavor.

Served here with diced tomatoes and black beans: