Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour Mix

Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour Mix

Small Batch:

1 1/4 cups brown rice flour
1 1/4 cups white rice flour

1 cup sweet rice flour

1 cup tapioca flour

scant 2 teaspoons xanthan gum

Bulk Batch:

1 24-oz bag brown rice flour

1 24-oz bag white rice flour

1 24-oz bag sweet rice flour

1 20-oz bag tapioca flour

2 1/2 Tablespoons xanthan gum

Whisk ingredients together in a large bowl and transfer to an airtight container.

Flourless Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

You know a recipe is good when every time you make them, your friends ask beg for the recipe!  You can find cashew butter at Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, or substitute your favorite nut butter.  You'll never miss the flour in these!

Flourless Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
adapted from theviewfromgreatisland.com
makes about 18 cookies

1 egg
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar (or substitute coconut sugar, or granulated monk fruit/erythritol, such as Lakanto)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon molasses (optional)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt if nut butter is unsalted
1 cup unsweetened cashew butter (or nut butter of choice)
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar, baking soda, molasses, vanilla, and salt.  Add nut butter and stir until well combined.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Using a 1 1/2" cookie scoop, scoop the dough into balls and place on a baking sheet 2 inches apart.  Flatten the dough slightly with your fingers or a spatula.  Bake for 12-13 minutes or until they are golden around the edges.  Allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Lemon Coconut Bars

A nice twist on the traditional lemon bar with the addition of coconut.  I made these bars for a luncheon and had more than enough to share with my bookclub that evening.  They are so easy and so delicious.  They are perfect for Spring - should it ever get here!



Lemon Coconut Bars
adapted from Sweet Gratitude by Judith Sutton

Shortbread Crust
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
grated zest of one lemon
scant 1/4 tsp salt
2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour mix, or all purpose flour

Lemon Coconut Filling
4 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose gluten free flour mix, or all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
grated zest of one lemon
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 3/4 cups (7 ounce package) sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper with opposite sides hanging over the pan.  Butter all 4 sides of the pan, but not the bottom of the pan.
In a bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and confectioners sugar on medium speed until well blended.  Beat in the lemon zest and salt.  On low speed, add the flour in two additions and beat until just mixed.  Press the crust mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan.  Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the crust is golden around the edges.
While the crust is baking, make the lemon coconut filling.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until light.  Add the flour and baking powder, then beat in the lemon zest and juice.  Stir in the coconut.  Pour the topping over the hot crust and bake for 25-28 minutes or until the topping is lightly colored and no longer jiggly, and the outside edges are golden brown.  Cool completely, then refrigerate until chilled.
Pull the bars out of the pan by pulling gently on the parchment overhang "handles".  Carefully peel off the parchment and place on a cutting board.  Using a sharp knife, cut into 24 squares.  Uneaten lemon bars can be refrigerated for a week or frozen up to one month.

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

Happy Thanksgiving Friends!  I always look forward to the leftover turkey just so I can make this soup.  It is one of my favorites and very easy to make.  It's a real comfort food and perfect for the weekend after Thanksgiving when you may be out shopping all day or just lounging around (like me!).

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup
adapted from mountainmamacooks.com
Serves 6

3 T butter or ghee (for dairy free)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
3/4 cup chopped celery
8 oz mushrooms, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T all-purpose or gluten-free flour (I used white rice flour)
4-5 cups turkey or chicken stock
1 T soy sauce or coconut aminos (for soy/gluten free)
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup wild rice
2 1/2 cups cooked turkey (or chicken), chopped
1/4 cup cream or half and half (omit for dairy-free)
1 T chopped fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

1.  In a large pot, melt the butter and oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until the vegetable are soft, about 10 minutes.
2.  Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook 5 minutes more.
3.  Add the flour and cook while stirring about 3-4 minutes.
4.  Stir in the stock, soy sauce, and bay leaf. and simmer for 30 minutes.
5.  Add the wild rice and simmer for 35 minutes.
6.  Add turkey, cream, thyme, salt and pepper and simmer another 20 minutes.  Add more stock or water to thin as needed.

Cinnamon Chocolate Swirl Banana Bread {Grain Free}

This banana bread is seriously good.  No grains, no sugar, no gluten - it's hard to believe.  You'll need coconut flour and almond butter, but the rest of the ingredients are common pantry items.

The cinnamon chocolate swirl is fantastic.  The bread is sweetened only by the bananas and a little honey in the swirl.  I think you should give this bread a try if you are needing a little treat without the guilt!

Cinnamon Chocolate Swirl Banana Bread {Grain free, Sugar free}
adapted from The Paleo Kitchen by Juli Bauer and George Bryant

Coconut oil, to grease pan
For the bread:
4 medium bananas, or one pound peeled
4 large eggs
1/4 cup unsalted grass-fed butter, such as Kerrygold, melted
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
For the swirl:
2 tablespoons unsalted grass-fed butter
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (I used one tablespoon)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon honey

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9x5" loaf pan and line with parchment paper.

Combine the bananas, eggs, butter, and almond butter in a food processor and process until smooth.  Add the remaining bread ingredients and process until well mixed.

In a double boiler, melt the swirl ingredients until fully melted and smooth.  Pour the bread batter into the prepared pan, then pour the chocolate swirl on top.  Use a knife to swirl the chocolate into the bread batter.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle.  Allow to cool 15 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and allow to cool completely before cutting.

Pumpkin Pie with Oat Crust {gluten free}

We traveled to New Bern, NC this past Thanksgiving to visit my parents and to see my brothers and their families.   The family is expanding with marriages and a baby on the way and it's rare these days that we are all together, but everyone was there and that made it really special!

I made this pumpkin pie to serve alongside my brother's famous rhubarb custard pies so that the guests could have a gluten-free option.  I had no idea how it would taste until we cut into it and tried a piece.  It was so good that Mark dubbed it "best pumpkin pie ever", gluten-free or not!  Coming from a pie connoisseur, that's saying something!  The crust held together nicely and the pumpkin custard sliced up beautifully.  If you're looking for a gluten-free dessert to make for Christmas, try this recipe!  Happy Holiday Baking!

Pumpkin Pie
Adapted from ancestral-nutrition.com
Makes one pie

2 cups pumpkin puree (I used homemade roasted pumpkin puree)
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup honey (I might try a little less next time)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or add 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cloves)
Oatmeal pie crust (recipe below) or crust of your choice

Prepare the crust and chill.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, canned coconut milk, and 1/2 cup honey until smooth.  Whisk in the eggs, cinnamon, and pie spice.  Pour into the chilled pie crust just below the crimped edges.  Carefully transfer to the preheated oven and bake for about 50 minutes or until the filling is no longer jiggly in the middle.  If you have filling leftover, pour it into ramekins and bake until done (no jiggles).  Cool completely and chill before serving.


Oatmeal crust

Adapted from Good Without Gluten by Jules, Lepoutre, and Yanase

Makes a single pie crust

80g (2/3 cup) oat flour

45 g (1/3 cup) tapioca starch

40g (1/3 cup) almond flour

50g (1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon) confectioners sugar

1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

80g cold butter (6 tablespoons), cut into pieces

1 egg

Place all dry ingredients into a food processor and pulse to combine.  Add the butter pieces and pulse until butter pieces are pea sized or smaller.  Add the egg and pulse until mixture holds together.  Press the dough into the pie plate using wet hands, or parchment to keep your hands from sticking (a little tricky but try different things and see what works for you).  Try not to make it too thick at the corners of the pie pan like I did (i.e. try to make it the same thickness all the way around.)  Crimp the edges and chill until firm, about one hour.  

Banana Pecan Oat Bars

Looking for a healthier treat to take to a meeting or get-together?  These delicious banana oat bars are a great alternative to those sweeter snacks that are made with refined sugar and flour.  You could even grab a bar for a quick breakfast on the go, and they are great with a cup of tea in the afternoon.  They are also wheat and dairy-free.  Enjoy!

Banana Pecan Oat Bars
adapted from Naturally Sweet and Gluten-Free by Ricki Heller
Makes 12-16 bars

1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 Tablespoon finely ground flaxseed
1/4 cup coconut or almond milk
1/4 cup avocado oil or melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon natural smooth nut butter, sunflower butter, or coconut butter
2 medium, very ripe bananas
1/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup whole oat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment or coat the pan with coconut oil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar, maple syrup, flaxseeds, milk, oil, vanilla, and almond butter until sugar is dissolved.

Cut the bananas into chunks and add to the bowl.  Mash the banana chunks with a fork, leaving a few smaller pieces here and there.  Stir in the cranberries and chopped pecans.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, oat flour, baking powder and salt.  Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture and stir well to combine.  The mixture will be wet.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top.  Bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is dry and a tester inserted into the middle of the pan comes out clean.  Cool completely before cutting into bars.  Freeze any portion which will not be consumed within a day or two.