Gluten free Buckwheat Bread

16 oz Buckwheat flour
10 1/2 fl. oz luke-warm water
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp dried yeast
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp honey
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp salt
2 eggs

1. Add the sugar and yeast to the water, stir and set aside for about 10 minutes for the yeast to activate.

2. Break the eggs into a bowl and add the vegetable oil and honey. Beat mixture until frothy.

3. Put buckwheat flour into a large bowl. Make a large well in center. Sprinkle salt over, add the egg mixture, vinegar and yeast mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined and you have a thick mixture.

4. Pour the mixture into a lightly greases 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch pan. Cover with an oiled plastic wrap and leave in a warm place to rise. Once it reaches the brim of the pan, bake at a preheated 375 degree oven for 35 - 45 minutes.

5. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack and cool completely. 

Note:

This is a sturdy bread that makes great sandwiches. I had the first warm piece with butter and honey and it was also excellent with a sweet filling. This bread reminds me of strong Eastern European breads.

Since this has no gluten, it will not keep well, but can be sliced, wrapped in plastic wrap, placed in a plastic bag and frozen. I do this with all my gluten free breads and they last for weeks.

 

 

Granola

2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup silvered almonds (or any kind of nuts)

1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes

 2 - 3 Tb maple syrup or honey

2 Tb. virgin coconut oil

1. In a glass measuring cup place maple syrup and coconut oil and heat until melted. Stir and set aside.

2. Heat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Place oats, nuts, and coconut in a mixing bowl, stir until all ingredients are mixed. Pour maple and coconut oil over oats mixture. Use your hands and mix until all the ingredients are evenly coated.

4. Place the oats mixture in a foil/parchment lined cookie tray and spread out in a thin layer. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

5. Cool completely and then store in a tightly sealed mason jar or air tight container.

Note: Use any combination of ingredients that you like. You can add dried fruit to the mixture as well.

Gluten Free Orange Bread

Sometimes after chatting with my sisters I get fiercely nostalgic for the memories of our childhood, especially tea time - cups of hot tea and whatever was baked fresh that day. I needed to bake today and this recipe did the trick for me. This tender crumbed bread with hints of orange zest and a sugar crusted top was just right.

1 1/2 c. Brown Rice Flour mix
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp salt
Grated rind of 1 large orange
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 c granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 c fresh orange juice
1/4 tsp lemon extract
2 tsp granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and orange and lemond rinds in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. Beat butter and sugar in a bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. And flour mixture, mix until almost combined, and then add orange juice and lemon extract. Mix until just blended.

4. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 5 loaf pan. Sprinkle top with granulated sugar. Place pan in oven and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

5. Cook in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Slice with serrated knife.

6. To store in refrigerator - wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator for up to five days. Can be frozen up to 6 weeks.

Note: I did not use freshly squeezed orange juice, I used whatever I had in the carton. I am not fond of lemon extracts so I left that out. I used a teaspoon of lemon powder instead of the rind. And I can honestly say that the bread was scrumptious.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancakes

These are the fluffiest pumpkin pancakes and if you don't tell, no one would know these were gluten free. Definitely my "go to" recipe for warm cinnamon scented pumpkin pancakes that scream Fall.

1 1/2 c. low fat milk or light coconut milk

1 c pumpkin puree

2 eggs

1 egg white

2 tbsp. canola oil

2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c gluten free all-purpose flour

4 tbsp. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

1/4 tsp. xanthan gum

1. In a large bowl mix the flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice and xanthan gum. Whisk thoroughly and set aside.

2. Mix together milk, pumpkin puree, eggs, egg white, canola oil, vinegar and vanilla until thoroughly blended.

3. Pour pumpkin mixture into flour mixture and whisk together until no lumps of flour are left.

4. Heat up a griddle, coat with canola oil, and using a 1/4 cup measure, pour pancake batter onto the griddle. Flip pancakes when bubbles form on the surface, and cook for a couple of seconds or until lightly browned.

5. Serve hot with butter and maple syrup. Freeze leftover pancakes.

Note: Makes 24 1/4 cup pancakes. Make half of the recipe if you do not want so many pancakes. I like making a full batch and then freezing them to enjoy on a work day when I don't have time to make them.

Gluten Free Dumplings

I love chicken and dumplings and I make good dumplings -- light and fluffy. I have memories of my mother peeping over my shoulder to see how I made mine because she claimed that hers were never as good. I have been putting off trying to make gluten free dumplings, afraid that they would not be good enough and I would be disappointed. Today I had a powerful craving driven by dental work and I just needed the comfort of soft dumplings and savory chicken broth. Let me just say -- I can eat chicken and dumplings again!

 

1 cup all-purpose gluten free flour (I use my brown rice mix)

1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup milk (low fat but not nonfat)

 

1. Make your favorite chicken broth recipe. I used the leftover chicken pot pie filling and just added more chicken stock to make it more watery and it was perfect. It had shredded chicken, celery, carrots, potatoes and onions already in it. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer.

 

2. In a small bowl, mix flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt with a whisk until well combined. Add the milk in a steady stream whisking as you go. Whisk until the batter is smooth.

 

3. Drop the dumpling batter by tablespoonful into the shimmering soup, allowing for room to expand. Cover the pot partially and allow dumplings to cook through for 7 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.



Lemon Shrimp and Asparagus Stir Fry

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 lb. asparagus, cut into 2 -3 inch pieces

1 clove garlic, minced

2/3 c chicken stock

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp grated ginger

1/4 c lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

salt & pepper

olive oil

 

1. Heat up a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan and place shrimp in a single layer, sprinkle salt on shrimp and cook for three minutes on each side. Remove shrimp and place on a platter.

 

2. Return the pan to the heat, add another tablespoon of olive oil, and asparagus and garlic and saute until cooked but still crisp.

 

3. While asparagus is cooking, whisk chicken stock, soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice and zest and ginger in a bowl, and set aside.

 

4. Add chicken stock mixture to asparagus and cook until thickened. Add shrimp to pan and heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

 

5. Serve over steamed rice. Makes 4 servings.



GF Chocolate Fudge Cake/Cupcakes

Couldn't believe it when hubby took a bite of these cupcakes and said he couldn't tell that this was gluten free! These are chocolatey and light and fluffy and there is no need for another chocolate cupcake made with wheat.

4oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 3/4 c Brown Rice Flour Mix

1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 c canola oil

1 1/2 c fat-free milk

2 c granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 9-inch round layer cake pans with parchment or wax paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. If making cupcakes, line 24 cupcake pans, set aside.

2. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, until completely melted. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.

3. Put flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and xanthan gum in medium bowl and whisk to mix. Set aside.

4. Place canola oil and milk in a measuring cup and whisk thoroughly. Set aside.

5. Beat sugar and eggs in a large bowl of electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla. Add dry and wet ingredients in two additions at low speed, and then mix at medium speed for 1 more minute.

6. Pour batter into prepared pans. Place in center of oven and bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Bake 18 - 20 minutes for cupcakes.

7. Cool cake layers in the pans on a rack for five minutes. Use a small knife to cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Invert cake layers onto a rack, peel of paper and cool completely.

8. Frost with buttercream or chocolate fudge.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped, melted and cooled

1/2 c (1 stick) butter, softened

2 c powdered sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add melted chocolate and mix well.

2. Fold in powdered sugar gradually, beating until sugar is completely incorporated. Add vanilla and beat well. Frosting should be soft and spreadable. Frosting will stiffen slightly at room temperature.