Grain-Free Casein-Free Banana Berry Bundt Cake!

Well, some of you have seen this recipe before....it's nearly identical to my Banana Blueberry Muffin recipe.  But I wanted to do something a little different this time, so I baked the muffin batter in a Bundt cake pan.  My family loved the way it turned out: moist and tender, with a texture similar to pound cake, and bursting with berries!

Ingredients:

2 large (or 3 small) very ripe bananas, about 1 1/2 - 2 cups mashed
1/4 C melted coconut oil or grapeseed oil
3/4 C agave nectar
2 tsp vanilla extract
6 eggs
3/4 C coconut flour
1 C plus 3 T almond flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 rounded C blueberries, blackberries, boysenberries, or raspberries, or a mixture (if fresh, dry them well after washing)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin pans generously with shortening (I use Spectrum).

In a large bowl mash the bananas and beat until smooth; add the eggs, agave, vanilla, and oil and beat with a hand-held mixer or stand mixer until smooth and "emulsified" (meaning there should not be a skim of oil on top, but the oil should be completely incorporated). In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Dump the dry ingredients into the banana mixture; mix together thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the bowl frequently. Fold in the berries, or you can simply layer the berries in the Bundt pan alternately with the batter if you wish.

Spoon muffin batter into a greased Bundt cake pan. Bake at 350 for approximately 40 - 50 minutes, depending on your oven, until deep golden brown on top.  You may test the cake the same way you test a pumpkin pie: insert a table knife and if it comes out clean it's done.  My cake took 50 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it to wire racks to finish cooling.

Enjoy!!

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Grain-Free Clementine-Cranberry Baby Cakes

Here is a recipe (also posted on my other blog) that I created based on the Clementine Cake; I did use agave nectar this time as the sweetener and made them in muffin tins. These little cakes have a wonderful fresh fruit taste and fragrance, but are not overly sweet. They're moist, yet firm...not crumbly as many gluten-free, grain-free baked goods can be.

Ingredients:

Approximately 1 pound of clementines (for me that was 10 tiny clementines)

1 heaping cup fresh or frozen cranberries

6 eggs

1 C minus 2 T agave syrup (1 scant cup agave nectar)

2 C almond flour

1/3 C coconut flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions:

Remove any stem remnant from each clementine if necessary; place whole clementines into a pot with cold water to cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and cover pot, cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Drain the clementines and set aside to cool until you can handle them.

As the clementines cool, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Total bake time is approximately 18 - 22 minutes depending on your oven and how full the muffin cups are.

Grease approximately 20 - 22 muffin cups (if you plan to fill them about 2/3 full).

Coarsely chop the cranberries by hand or in a food processor. Set aside.

When the clementines are cool, cut each one in half and remove the seeds, if any. Squeeze excess water out of each clementine half by hand. Then process them in a food processor until pureed.

Beat the eggs then add the agave nectar. Mix almond flour, and baking powder together in a separate bowl, then add the egg-agave mixture. Mix well, adding the clementine puree after the eggs and agave, and the chopped cranberries last.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans and bake for 18 - 22 minutes, depending on your oven. The top will yield but rebound when done. It's normal for the sides of the baby cakes to be dark golden brown, but the tops should only have a few brown spots.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan on a rack. These are wonderful right out of the oven, but are even better the next day!

Grain free, dairy free, pliable flatbread!!

I first published this recipe and the previous one on my other blog; sorry it took so long to get them over here to the archive!

Another recipe we've become fond of recently is a very tasty grain free flatbread originally posted by Liz (aka "lonewolf") in one of the forums on celiac.com.


Grain-Free Flatbread

Ingredients:

4 egg whites
2 - 4 egg yolks (note: original recipe calls for 2 yolks, but 4 works too)
1 tsp melted butter (or coconut oil for dairy-free/casein-free version)
1 tsp agave nectar or honey
1/2 C almond flour
dash salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Separate egg whites and yolks....


Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.


Beat yolks with melted butter or coconut oil, dash of salt, and agave or honey.


Sprinkle the almond flour over the egg whites and fold in gently along with egg yolk mixture.


Spread the batter onto the parchment paper into a 12" by 12" square (if using 2 yolks only) or a 12" by 14" rectangle (if using 4 yolks). Make sure the thickness is uniform over the square (or rectangle). Bake at 350 for 12 minutes; it should be turning golden brown on top when done.


This bread is so versatile! You can simply cut it into squares and use them for regular sandwiches, or into the right-sized rectangles to be wrapped around hot dogs as a bun-replacement. You can even take an entire sheet of bread and cover it with Dijon mustard, ham slices and Swiss cheese, roll it like a jelly roll, microwave it until the cheese starts to melt, slice and serve.


OK....it's not as flexible as wheat-based bread, so it does tend to crack a bit when you're rolling it up, but it's still AMAZING bread when you consider that it's entirely grain free!

Clementine Cake

The luscious cake pictured above is my version of a Nigella Lawson recipe, Clementine Cake. Actually this recipe is all over the Internet in various forms, and was brought to the attention of the larger public by Starbucks, who sold a similar cupcake called the "Valencia Orange Cake" for several months. It was advertised as "gluten-free" so people didn't buy it often (unless they HAD to buy gluten free), so Starbucks decided it was unpopular and stopped selling it. :(

The great thing about this cake is that it's ALWAYS been gluten free, because it's traditionally made with almond flour. You can use oranges, clementines (which are a type of mandarin orange) or even a mix of oranges and lemons with extra sugar, but clementines are my preference because the little ones I buy at Trader Joe's have very thin skins. The thinner the skin, the better your chances are of having the cake turn out well, because thick skins contain more pith (the white part) and can make the cake bitter.

We had Clementine Cake for our dessert on Christmas Eve; it received rave reviews! Here is my version; as usual I used both almond and coconut flours:

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Grain-Free Clementine Cake

Ingredients:

Approximately 1 pound of clementines (for me that was 10 tiny clementines)

6 eggs

1 1/4 C sugar (yes, I used sugar....I do plan to try it with agave syrup)

2 C almond flour

3 T coconut flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions:

Remove any stem remnant from each clementine if necessary; place whole clementines into a pot with cold water to cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and cover pot, cook for 2 hours. Drain and, when cool, cut each clementine in half and remove the seeds, if any. Squeeze excess water out of each clementine half by hand. Then finely chop the clementines in a food processor until they achieve a sauce-like consistency.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Total bake time is about 40 - 50 minutes.

Grease and line an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper.

Beat the eggs. Mix the sugar, almond flour, and baking powder together in a separate bowl, then add the beaten eggs. Mix well, adding the processed clementine "sauce" last.

Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 30 - 40 minutes; cover the cake with foil at that point to prevent the top from burning. Cook for 10 more minutes or so until a metal skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. It's normal for the outside of the cake to be dark golden brown; it's also normal for it to "puff" up above the pan and then settle back down towards the end of baking.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan on a rack. This cake is fabulous as soon as it cools, but is even better the next day after the flavors blend and mellow....it's moist, light and delectably citrus-y. Yum!!

Clementine-cranberry scones (icing optional)

This is a recipe I first posted on my other blog.

I've managed to create a clementine-cranberry scone that is gluten, grain, soy, and dairy free! Well, OK.....the icing I put on top is not grain free because powdered sugar has cornstarch in it, but you can skip the icing if you desire.

Ingredients:

Scones:
4 eggs
1/4 C coconut oil, melted
3 T agave syrup
several drops (8 - 10) of liquid stevia to taste
1 T clementine (or orange or tangerine) zest
Freshly squeezed juice from 2 clementines (about 3 T juice)
1 C fresh cranberries
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 C coconut flour
1/3 C almond flour**
1 T flax meal
1/2 tsp baking powder

Icing:
3/4 C powdered sugar
orange or clementine juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut oil, and agave syrup until well mixed; add the clementine juice and zest. Coarsely chop the cranberries in a food processor, then add them to the egg mixture. Combine the salt, coconut and almond flours, flax meal and baking powder in a separate bowl, then stir into the egg-oil mixture, blending well. Add the stevia drop by drop to taste (scones aren't supposed to be very sweet), and mix thoroughly.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for approximately 16-20 minutes (start checking them at about 16 minutes), until beginning to develop golden-brown spots on tops. Makes 8 scones.

Optional icing: Let scones cool, then make clementine (or orange) icing by stirring a couple of teaspoons of juice at a time into the powdered sugar until it reaches the desired consistency. Drizzle icing over scones; let sit long enough for icing to harden a bit, then serve.

**Note: I am following Elana Amsterdam's suggestion and using ONLY finely ground blanched almond flour. Some almond flours on the market simply are not fine enough to give a good texture to baked goods. For example, Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour just doesn't work. The flour that I'm currently using is Honeyville's Blanched Almond Flour.

P.S. These scones are not the typical shortbread type scones, they're a lot moister.

Pumpkin Cheesecake: Grain Free, Sugar Free

I found this recipe at a site that publishes low carb recipes! Yum!

Ingredients

Crust:
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1/2 teaspoon each of ginger and cinnamon
4 Tablespoons melted butter
Sugar substitute equal to 4 Tablespoons sugar (try 1/4 tsp liquid stevia)

Filling:
3 8 oz packages cream cheese at room temperature
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sugar substitute equal to 1 1/2 cups sugar (try 3 - 3 1/2 tsp liquid stevia, to taste)
1 can (about 15 oz) pumpkin
1 Tablespoon vanilla
5 eggs, preferably room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

Heat oven to 375 F.

Prepare springform pan: put a piece of parchment paper over the bottom of the pan -- no need to cut it to size, just snap it into place when you put the tighten the sides. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan in heavy-duty foil, to protect from leaks.

1) Combine ingredients for crust, and press into the bottom of a springform pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and beginning to brown.

2) Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl and beaters. This step will be repeated several times and is important. The mixture will gradually become lighter, and the denser stuff has a tendency to cling to the bowl. You won't be able to incorporate it as well later, so keep scraping.

3) Add spices and sweetener. Beat again, scrape again.

4) Add pumpkin and vanilla. Beat well, scrape.

5) Add 3 eggs. Beat well (about a minute), scrape.

6) Add the other 2 eggs and cream and beat another minute. Pour mixture into pan over crust.

7) Place pan in a baking pan and pour boiling water around the sides, about halfway up. Lower the oven temperature to 325 F. and bake for for 60 to 90 minutes, checking often after an hour. When the cake is firm to touch but slightly soft in the center, or the center reaches 150 to 155 F, remove from oven.

8) Remove sides from pan. Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature, or up to 3 hours. Cover and chill, ideally for another 3 to 4 hours.

Grain-Free Banana Blueberry Muffins

Another recipe for grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free muffins!

This recipe makes approximately 20 muffins, if you fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full.

Ingredients:

2 large (or 3 small) very ripe bananas, about 1 1/2 - 2 cups mashed
1/4 C melted coconut oil or grapeseed oil
3/4 C agave nectar
6 eggs
3/4 C coconut flour
1 C plus 3 T almond flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 rounded C blueberries (if fresh, dry them well after washing)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin pans generously with shortening (I've used both Crisco and Spectrum).

In a large bowl mash the banana and beat until smooth; add the eggs, agave, and oil and beat with a hand-held mixer or stand mixer until smooth and "emulsified" (meaning there should not be a skim of oil on top, but the oil should be completely incorporated). In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Dump the dry ingredients into the banana mixture; mix together thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the bowl frequently. Fold in the blueberries.

Spoon muffin batter into greased muffin pans. Bake at 350 for approximately 20 - 23 minutes, depending on your oven, until beginning to brown on top. Allow the muffins to cool in the pans for 10 - 15 minutes, then remove them to wire racks to finish cooling.

NOTE: the muffins will be very fragile just out of the oven, and will feel overly moist, even oily on the bottoms. But as they cool, they firm up and absorb the excess moisture and oil. This is likely due to the absorbent properties of the coconut flour; it allows the muffins to stay moist and delicious for days.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins: grain, gluten, and dairy free!

Here is a recipe for scrumptious gluten, grain, dairy (and sugar) free pumpkin muffins I came up with recently. I did post this first on my other blog, but will always archive the recipe here as well.


This recipe makes approximately 21 muffins, if you fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full.

Ingredients:

1/4 C melted coconut oil or grapeseed oil
1 C agave nectar
1 15-oz can pumpkin (100% pure pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie mix)
6 eggs
3/4 C coconut flour
1 C plus 3 T almond flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp (rounded) ginger
1/8 tsp cloves

NOTE: 1 15-oz can of pumpkin is approximately 1 3/4 C of pumpkin puree, at least for Libby's pumpkin!

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin pans generously with shortening (I've used both Crisco and Spectrum).

In a large bowl combine the eggs, agave, oil, and canned pumpkin with a hand-held mixer until smooth and "emulsified" (meaning there should not be a skim of oil on top, but the oil should be completely incorporated). In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda and all the spices. Dump the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture; mix together thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the bowl frequently.

Spoon muffin batter into greased muffin pans. Bake at 350 for approximately 21 - 23 minutes, depending on your oven. Allow the muffins to cool in the pans for 10 - 15 minutes, then remove them to wire racks to finish cooling.

NOTE: the muffins will be very fragile just out of the oven, and will feel overly moist, even oily on the bottoms. But as they cool, they firm up and absorb the excess moisture and oil. This is likely due to the absorbent properties of the coconut flour; it allows the muffins to stay moist and delicious for days.

As I mentioned before, I made 21 muffins by filling the muffin cups about 2/3 full. If you fill yours with more batter, you will have larger (fewer) muffins and may have to bake them a bit longer.

Casein-Free, Grain-Free Drop Biscuits

Another recipe from my other blog....

I'm still experimenting with coconut and almond flours, attempting to replace all of the other gluten-free flours that I've become accustomed to using. Here is a very nice drop biscuit recipe I came up with (casein-free cousin to the garlic cheese biscuits) which uses both almond and coconut flours, as well as a bit of flax meal; my husband says they taste very much like Bisquick biscuits, only better.

I like the flavor and the texture of the almond-coconut flour combo.....I will continue to experiment! :)

Ingredients: (updated 11/22/09 and again on 11/26/09)

4 eggs
1/4 C coconut oil, melted
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 C coconut flour
1/4 C almond flour**
1 1/2 T flax meal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1-2 T agave syrup (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and coconut oil (and agave if using) thoroughly. Combine the salt, coconut and almond flours, flax meal and baking powder in a separate bowl, then stir into the egg-oil mixture, blending well.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for approximately 16-20 minutes (start checking them at about 16 minutes), until beginning to develop golden-brown spots on tops. Makes 8 biscuits.

**Note: I am following Elana Amsterdam's suggestion and using ONLY finely ground blanched almond flour. Some almond flours on the market simply are not fine enough to give a good texture to baked goods. For example, Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour just doesn't work. The flour that I'm currently using is Honeyville's Blanched Almond Flour.

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits - Grain Free!

I posted this recipe first over on my other blog (My Experiment in Gluten Free Living), but wanted to archive it here, of course.

I have been experimenting with coconut and almond flours lately, and have been trying to see if combining them makes any sense. Here is one recipe that turned out well; my family loved them!

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1/4 C coconut oil, melted
1/4 tsp salt
1 T garlic powder
1/3 C coconut flour
2 tsp flax meal
2 tsp almond flour**
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 C grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and coconut oil thoroughly. Combine the salt, garlic powder, coconut and almond flours, flax meal and baking powder in a separate bowl, then stir into the egg-oil mixture, blending well. Add approximately 3/4 of the grated cheese, reserving a little for the tops of the biscuits.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; top with reserved cheese. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until beginning to develop golden-brown spots on tops. Makes 8 biscuits.

**Note: I am following Elana Amsterdam's suggestion and using ONLY finely ground blanched almond flour. Some almond flours on the market simply are not fine enough to give a good texture to baked goods. For example, Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour just doesn't work. The flour that I'm currently using is Honeyville's Blanched Almond Flour.

Gluten Free Italian Bread

This recipe is from Jill's blog (Chef Silly Cooks Again):

Makes 2 loaves- about 20 servings

2 T active dry yeast
2 T sugar, divided
1 C warm water (about 110 degrees F)
1/2 C egg whites or egg white liquid
1 ½ C potato starch
½ C corn starch
1 cup Chebe Flour Blend or your favorite GF flour blend (preferably on with Tapioca flour in it; if it has xanthan gum, be sure to omit it from the recipe)
½ teaspoon Guar Gum
½ teaspoon Xanthan gum
½ teaspoon Baking Powder
1 ¼ teaspoon Salt
¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Rice or cider vinegar
Flourless pan spray
Water bottle to mist

Directions:

Dissolve yeast and one teaspoon of sugar in the water, set aside

Spray the bread pan or line with parchment paper

Sift together all of the remaining dry ingredients

Combine egg whites, yeast water, olive oil and sifted dry ingredients together in the bowl of a stand mixer on low for about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl, add vinegar and mix for another 30 seconds on medium.

Working with a rubber spatula dipped in a glass of water, divide dough in half onto each side of the bread pan. Shape the loaves into identical “logs” about 8-9 inches long. Keep the spatula wet as you do this. Square off the ends of the loaves. Make three shallow slashes in the top of the loaves, at an angle. Spray the top of the bread with the pan spray.

Place on the center rack of the oven. Turn the oven on to 425 degrees F and set the timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, open the door of the oven slightly, reach in and spray the top of the loaves several times with your water bottle. Close the oven up and set the time for an additional 20 minutes. If you want to repeat the spray 2-3 times, it will make your crust a little crunchier.

After the 20 minutes are up, use an instant read thermometer and check for an internal temperature of 205 degrees. Cool completely before slicing, and wrap tightly once it is cool.

NOTE: If you need sandwich rolls, you can make several smaller loaves instead of 2 large ones; reduce cooking time appropriately.

Gluten Free White Birthday Cake

Found this recipe at Amanda's Random Ramblings (cute blog!). I used it to make cupcakes for Emma's third birthday:



Ingredients:

1/2 C white rice flour
1/2 C sorghum flour
2/3 C tapioca starch
1/3 C potato starch
1 C white sugar
2 tsp gluten free baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp xanthan gum
3/4 C (1 1/2 sticks) softened butter or margarine
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 C milk (any type, I used rice milk)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease pans or line muffin pans with paper cupcake liners - this recipe makes 18-24 cupcakes, 2 6-inch round layers, 1 9-inch square cake, or 1 10-inch round cake.

Thoroughly combine the first 8 dry ingredients in a bowl.

Place softened butter in bowl of stand mixer and beat until fluffy. Add flour mix gradually to butter, blending on lowest setting until combined, then changing to setting "2" on the mixer until mixture is crumbly, about 1 minute.

In small bowl, lightly whisk eggs and vanilla together. Add eggs to mixer and mix until smooth and thick, about 1 minute. Add milk and mix for 1 more minute. Batter will be light and fluffy.

Spoon into prepared pan(s) and bake until toothpick is clean. Time will depend on the shape of your pan, but should be about 20-22 minutes for cupcakes, up to 45 minutes for a loaf pan.

Allow to cool in pans for about 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. Frost when cool. Very good but, like most gluten free baked goods, best when eaten right away. Should be eaten within 24 hours of baking, otherwise it becomes too dry and crumbly.

Dark Chocolate Gluten-Free Brownies

Such a WONDERFUL, decadent recipe, from Karina's blog:

Ingredients:

5 ounces Belgian dark chocolate
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 C almond meal
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Optional:

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired
1/2 cup extra semi-sweet chocolate chips for the top, if desired

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8-inch square baking pan.

Melt the dark chocolate and butter in a large measuring cup in the microwave. Stir together to combine. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs on medium high till frothy. Add the brown sugar and beat until the mixture is smooth.

Add the melted chocolate mixture into the egg-sugar mixture a little at a time - incorporate it slowly- and beat well for a good minute. The chocolate will look smooth and glossy.

In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients: almond meal, rice flour, salt and baking soda; whisk together. Add the dry flour mix into the chocolate mixture and beat well for a minute. Add the vanilla, beat another half a minute or so.

If you are adding nuts, stir in the nuts by hand and spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Shake the pan a little bit to even out the batter.

Layer the semi-sweet chips all over the top of the batter and press them in slightly, if adding.

Bake in the center of a preheated 350 degree F oven for 33 to 35 minutes, or until the brownies are set. Don't overcook. (Err on the side of gooey, if you must- that's what I do; I find gluten-free brownies taste better slightly undercooked and soft in the middle than over-cooked and crumbly.)

Cool on a wire rack; chill before cutting.

Liz's Gluten Free Microwave "Buns"

I got this recipe from the gluten free forum on celiac.com; Liz (aka lonewolf) posted it. I know it sounds weird, but trust me, these rolls are FANTASTIC!

Ingredients:

1 large egg
2 Tbs. brown rice flour or sorghum flour
1 Tbs. almond meal
1 Tbs. golden flax meal
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. sugar (or one packet Splenda)
1/2 tsp. cocoa powder
shake of salt

Directions:

Spray a custard dish (or any baking dish that will yield a hamburger bun sized "loaf") with non-stick spray. Crack egg into dish and stir with a fork until it's well mixed. Add all other ingredients and stir well. Cook in microwave on high for 90 seconds. You may have to loosen around the edges with a butter knife. The result is dense but reminds me a little of whole wheat bread. It is fairly low carb, especially made with sorghum flour.

NOTE: best dish to cook in is a 6-inch cereal bowl or soup mug with fairly straight sides. If you mix up about 8 servings worth or more of the mix in a Ziploc bag, you can make this quickly with one egg and 1/4 C of bun mix per bun. Makes a good sandwich roll!

Gluten Free Low Carb Cheese Muffins

From the book, "Cooking with Coconut Flour" by Bruce Fife, N.D.

Ingredients

3 eggs
2 T butter or coconut oil, melted
3 T coconut milk (I've used heavy cream when I didn't have coconut milk)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder (I used more like 1/4 tsp)
1/4 tsp onion powder (I used a tablespoon of dried onion flakes instead)
1/4 C sifted coconut flour
1 C sharp cheddar cheese, grated (I used a bit more than that)

Directions

Blend together the eggs, butter or oil, coconut milk and seasonings in a medium bowl, then add the coconut flour and mix until there are no lumps. Fold in 3/4 of the grated cheese, and distribute the batter amongst 6 well-greased muffin cups. Top the muffins with the remaining cheese and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

These muffins may even be legal on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, since I know that both coconut flour and coconut milk are legal, and these particular muffins do not use sugar or baking powder.

Julie's Best Gluten Free Bread

I found this recipe on the "Mennonite girls can cook" blogsite; one of the "girls", Julie, cooks gluten free and makes the most wonderful gluten free bread. I've reproduced the recipe here for your convenience, but please go look at Julie's site too.

Ingredients

1 cup warm water
3/4 cup milk (I used rice milk)
3 large eggs
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp. molasses
2 rounded tsp. xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup white bean flour
1 cup Kinnikinnik bread/bun mix (or 1 cup brown rice flour)
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp sugar
1 pkg reg. yeast or 1 tbsp.

Directions

In heavy duty mixer beat eggs slightly , then add other wet ingredients.

Sift together dry ingredients and then add to the liquid, beating hard for about a minute . You will see the batter change and become smooth. (Consistancy needs to be right.. batter that is too thick will not rise .. too thin it will rise and then fall. If it looks like a too-thick cake batter then it is probably just about right!)

This recipe makes one regular size loaf. Line the bottom of the pan with wax paper and lightly oil the pan. Gluten-free baking tends to stick more than regular wheat flour.

To rise put the pans in the oven with the oven light on....and cover the pans with a towel. (Note: take the towel off after 1/2 hour or the towel will stick to the bread)



Let rise for about an hour until loaves round over the top of the pan.
Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees - or until tops are nicely browned - do not underbake.

This bread keeps well, also freezes well and after the first day is good toasted ! If you use the rice milk (or almond milk or hemp milk or whatever) it's casein free.

Banana-Blueberry Muffins

Well, the original recipe is from Karina's Kitchen:, and she actually made a Bundt cake. But I like to make it as muffins....and boy are they good!! No one could possibly tell they are gluten free.


Ingredients

3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed into puree
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons raw agave nectar or honey
1/2 cup light olive oil
1 1/3 cups golden brown sugar
1 cup buckwheat flour (or superfine brown rice flour)
1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch/flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 teaspoons fine grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 heaping cup organic frozen wild blueberries

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, beat together bananas, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, honey or agave nectar, oil and brown sugar until smooth. Add in the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum, lemon zest, cinnamon and nutmeg and beat until smooth. Fold in frozen blueberries

If you want muffins, grease muffin pans and fill each cup about 1/2 full. Last time I made this recipe it made 20 muffins. Bake in the center of preheated oven for about 20 minutes.

If you really want a bundt cake, grease the pan, scoop the batter into the pan and smooth evenly. Bake in the center of a preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes until the cake is firm but gives slightly to touch.

Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!!