Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Can I say YUM? I got this recipe from the Gluten Free Goddess, which I greatly admire for her many creations. I have modified it to fit my needs and to streamline it for kids and adults alike. I like pumpkin chocolate chip cookies to be soft and to melt in your mouth – perhaps that is a Utah thing. In Utah we don’t wait for autumn — we eat these year round. 1 cup white rice flour 1 1/4 cups gluten free baking flour mixture 1 1/2 cups lite brown sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 2/3 cup pumpkin puree (canned is fine) 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened (20 seconds in microwave if from the fridge) 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla 1/4 cup honey 1/2-1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips     Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, leavening and spices. In a separate large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, butter, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix together well. Add 1/4 honey to sweeten more. Then add chocolate chips.   Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Makes 18 large cookies or two sheets. If you use an Airbake pan, make sure you keep pan level when taking out of the oven so that cookies don’t fall off. Remove cookies and parchment paper onto counter or kitchen table to cool. Use a second piece of parchment paper for the second sheet of cookies.

Read Full Post »

Vegetable Masala

I found a recipe for vegetable masala on the internet, and I have modified it for two reasons: I wanted it to taste more like what I tasted at Honest Restaurant in Ahmedabad, India, and I also wanted to take advantage of the fresh spices that are available in American supermarkets. Masala simply means “spicy,” and in Ahmedabad, you can expect your nose to water within seconds of taking the first bite. This recipe is probably not as hot — adjust as desired. I will also note that I am not a vegetarian, but after trying vegetable masala for the first time, I realized that I could become one.

Make the garam masala spice beforehand and use it for several dishes of masala. In India, they roast each of these whole spices all day and then crush them altogether, resulting in a more potent, flavorful masala than what we will get out of bottles we buy from the store. But as an American, I use the spices in bottles from the store.

4 TB coriander
2 1/2 TB cumin
1 TB black pepper
1 TB white pepper
1 1/2 tsp. dry ginger
3/4 tsp. cardamom
3/4 tsp. cloves
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. crush bay leaves

Combine in a sealed container and store in a cool, dry place.

Ingredients:
4 raw potatoes, washed, peeled and cubed
2 TB raw ginger root, peeled and chopped into pieces
1 bag frozen vegetables, snowpea and green bean mix
1/2 cup raw or frozen cauliflower, cut into medium pieces
2 tsp. salt
2 TB olive oil
2 tsp. mustard seeds
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 white onions, chopped
2 jalapenos, chopped with seeds removed
1 Anaheim pepper, chopped with seeds removed
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4 tsp. garam masala
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can coconut milk
cilantro leaves to taste

Instructions:
Combine the cubed potatoes, cauliflower and ginger in a medium sized pot and add 1 tsp. salt and fill with water. Cover and boil until tender. Drain and set aside. Place the other frozen vegetables in a separate pot, and add 1 tsp. salt and fill with water. Cover and bring to a boil. Drain immediately and set aside.

Combine the olive oil, cumin and mustard seeds in a large pan on medium heat. When the seeds begin to pop, add the onions, garlic and peppers and cook until tender, stirring regularly. Stir in the cumin, cayenne pepper and garam masala. Add the tomatoes with the juice and cilantro leaves. Then stir in the potatoes, cauliflower, ginger, and other vegetables. Finally, add the coconut milk. You can let this simmer for 10 minutes or for up to two hours on low heat. Serve with yogurt and rice. For the rice, choose a high-quality, long-grain rice such as Indian-grown Basmati or Thai-grown jasmine rice. Indians make their own yogurt, and I find that plain Greek yogurt is a pretty close substitute.

I will note that coconut milk is not traditionally used in vegetable masala from Ahmedabad, but I think it works as a nice thickener that compliments all the other spices. Coconut milk is used more prevalently in other regions in India. I will also note that I recommend using organic vegetables, especially the ginger root, which produce a better flavor.

Read Full Post »

Chicken Salad Sandwich with Apple and Cilantro, gluten free

You can also substitute the apples and cilantro with grapes and cashews, a recipe you may be more familiar with. However, the apples and cilantro combination are my favorite.

4 or 5 chicken breasts (check to see that they don’t have any preservatives that contain gluten)
1 quart limeade
2 large and crisp apples, sliced into small pieces
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, sliced into small pieces
2 sticks of celery, diced into small pieces
1/2 red onion, diced into small pieces
1 1/2 cup gluten-free mayonaise (Kraft Mayonesa with lime works great)
1 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp. curry powder
juice of half a squeezed lime
salt to taste
pepper to taste
gluten-free bread

Instructions:
On the night before, thaw raw chicken breasts in cold water for about 4 hours. Drain. Place in a sealed container and add limeade. Marinate overnight. The next day, place chicken and limeade in a 13×9 pan and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake chicken at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes covered with tin foil. Remove tin foil and turn breasts over. Then bake for an additional 15 minutes uncovered. Let cool.

Chop apples, cilantro, celery and onion and place in a medium-sized bowl. Chop them into small enough pieces so that combined, they’re easy to eat between two slices of bread. Set aside. For the sauce, in a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, honey, curry powder, lime, and salt and pepper.

Slice chicken into small pieces and add to the medium-sized bowl. Then add the sauce and blend everything together well. Chill for about two hours and serve cold. Serve with gluten-free bread as sandwiches or on top of one slice. For an extra something special, toast the bread. Mmmm

Read Full Post »

Apple Crisp, gluten free

I found this recipe at glutenfreeonashoestring.com/apple-crisp-again.

10-12 apples, cored and cut into thin slices
1 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus more for dusting
1 cup sugar, plus more for dusting
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups rice flour
1/2 cup gluten-free oats
1 cup pecans or walnuts (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 glass pan. Place sliced apples inside pan and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. In a separate bowl, cream the sugar, cinnamon, butter and vanilla. Blend in rice flour, egg, and oats. Then blend in nuts. Spoon mixture on top evenly. Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm with gluten free ice cream of whipped cream.

Note: It’s best to make this in the fall when the apples are in season and are the crispest.

 

Read Full Post »