COCO-LIME SQUARES

This is an exotic twist to the classic lemon bars.
The extra tartness and bright zest of the citruses is so uplifting and great mood enhancer for this time of the year!
I've got the recipe from a Martha Steward's magazine, and excitedly substituted the little flour that is used in it with gluten free sorghum flour. It worked like magic!
I'm giving you this interpretation of the original recipe -it is easy, light, tart and great twist for a Valentine treat!

Crust:

. 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter.
. 3/4 cup Sorghum flour
. 3 tablespoons whole brown sugar  
(I am slipping here on the sugar use; for the sugar conscious, use xylitol or other favorite sweetener)  
.1/2 cup finely shredded unsweetened organic dry coconut. 
.few pieces of gluten free white chocolate (you can use cacao butter instead, or just skip this ingredient)
.1/4 teaspoon course salt 
.1 tablespoon vanilla extract. 

Filling: 

.3 large organic eggs
.2/3 cup whole organic sugar.
.3 tablespoons Sorghum flour.
.2/3 cup fresh lime juice (regular lime juice or K-lime juice also works great)  
.more coconut flakes and organic powdered sugar for sprinkling. 

Directions: 

Crust:
1.Preheat oven to 375 F
Lightly butter an 8-inch square or round baking pan. 

2.Combine sorghum flour, brown sugar and salt in food processor and pulse a few times.

Add butter and pulse until large pieces are the size of peas.
Add the coconut flakes,white chocolate and vanilla extract, and pulse a few more times. 

Transfer mixture to pan, and pack down firmly with the bottom of a cup or a large spoon, raising the mixture up to the sides of the pan (mixture is sticky, so it works fairly easy). 

Bake until crust is golden brown-about 18-20 minutes(watch not to burn the sides).

3. Filling

In a mean time prepare your filling- whisk together eggs and granulated sugar, then whisk in the sorghum flour. Gently stir in the lime juice, (do not whisk or stir vigorously or batter will become foamy. 

4.Take crust out of the oven and pour filling over hot crust.Reduce oven to 300 F. Bake until filling is set,about 15 minutes- check in the middle with a tooth pick-if the filling is still liquid-y, let sit a bit more in the oven. 
Remove and let cool before cutting. 

Cut in 1-inch squares,dust with powdered sugar and coconut flakes and serve!
Great with an afternoon coffee!


ENJOY!

FLAT BREAD WITH SPINACH AND MUSHROOMS

I was very pleased to find this recipe in a Marta Steward's magazine and adapt it to a gluten-free version.The dough came out so tasty and sweet,we could not have enough of it!I was trilled to be able to have such a rich treat-something between pizza and kish-gluten free and guilt free!

So, here it goes: 

Ingredients:

For the crust:

.1 cup amaranth flour

.1 cup sorghum flour

.3/4 cup Arrowroot flour 

.2 tbsp. coconut flour 

.1/2 tbs. baking soda

.1/2 teaspoon salt

.1 tbsp.maple syrup or a sweetener of choice 

.5 eggs

.1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

.1/4 cup olive oil 

For the filling:

.1 pound portobello mushrooms (you can also use button, mixed or shiitake mushrooms) 

.4 cups baby spinach

.2-3 tablespoons olive oil
.1/2 tbsp. salt 
.a dash of black pepper

For the dressing:

.2 eggs

.1/2 cup heavy cream (or milk)

.1 tbsp salt

.6 ounces fetta cheese (or other favorite cheese) 

.3-4 cloves of garlic 

.1/2 tbsp.oregano

.1/2 tbsp.basil (the herbs an be fresh or dry)

Directions: 

Heat oven to 275 F.

Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients for the crust. It is done pretty much like my award winning PALEO BREAD, only it has an extra cup of sorghum flour.Mix all wet ingredients and slowly add them to the flour mixture.Stir and kneed till the dough is formed-this mixture does form a firm dough.

Brush a baking pan with olive oil and dust with flour-(mine was 11-by-7-inch pan, but it could be spread thinner, for a crispier crust)
Press the dough to the bottom of the pan,forming it much like a pie crust-leave a rim to the side. 

Step 2: Before you start the baking prepare the filling ingredients.

On a baking sheet toss mushrooms with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.Spread in a single layer and roast for about 10 minutes.Take out, push mushrooms to one side and place spinach on empty side; roast until wilted, about 3 minutes.

Step 3:  Now you are ready to bake-you can put the 2 together- baking pan with the crust and the baking sheet with the mushroom in the oven. Put the mushrooms on a higher rack. In 10 minutes add the spinach to the side of the mushrooms. In another 3 minutes take the sheet with mushrooms and spinach out of the oven and mix together. 
Reduce oven to 350 F and leave the crust for another 10 minutes-watch it not to burn-it does bake fast!  

Step 4: While the crust is baking, mix the dressing ingredients in a blender- cheese, eggs, heavy cream, garlic.Add herbs and pulse to combine.

Step 5: Take the crust out of the oven. Spread the mushrooms and spinach mixture over crust, and pour the dressing mixture over top. 

Step 6: Return the bread to oven, and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until the dressing is set.Remove and let cool. 
Cut as pizza or kish and serve.
  

Enjoy with a glass of red wine! 

NOTES:

Do not let the many steps of the recipe dissuade you! It is really a simple one.Once you get all your products together,it actually takes about 30 minutes to make this hearty treat, which could be an appetizer as well as a full dinner.  

STRAWBERRY CREAM SWEETHEART PIE

         This recipe is irresistible, it takes 10 minutes to prepare, it is not only gluten free, but also diary- free, and it gives you the same sumptuous feeling you get from a cheese cake pie.I found it in the Tropical Traditions  recipe page, but I changed it a bit as I always do -( I have a hard time fallowing recipes, even my own:)

    This pie could be your little Valentine's present,too-the pink, the strawberries, the buttery taste--it'd be perfect!

     Here it goes: 

Products:                          

Pie crust:   

 .1 cup raw or toasted cashews 

-substitutes-pecans, walnuts 

or hazelnuts.If you have 

toasted and salted nuts,just 

soak them for 1/2 hour 

in water(this is just what I did)    

 .1/2 cup dried, unsweetened 

shredded coconut flakes. 

 .1/2 inch butter or a spoonful 

of ghee-optional for the 

buttery lovers (I did use it!)

Filling:

.2 cups+ fresh strawberries

.2 tablespoons Vanilla extract

.1/2 cup xylitol, raw honey or your favorite

 sweetener.

.1 pinch see salt

.1 cup coconut oil, melted in a double boiler. 

Preparation:

Put crust ingredients in a food processor and grind, till smooth and creamy.If you use butter add it last.I used cashews and hazelnuts and it made a gorgeous pie crust mixture with the butter.

Press the crust mixture onto a 9 inch pie plate,building it on the sides.(it will not be baking, so any nice dish would do.

Place the filling ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth and creamy,adding the coconut oil last. 

Pour on top of crust, cover with foil wrap, and put in the freezer for up to 3 hours.It will be done as soon as 1 hour.

Can be kept in the refrigerator after that. 

Just heavenly...!

Serving tip:

Take out and cut with a hot knife-you run the knife under hot water and then cut.Serve immediately.Serving it with a hot spatula also worked good to keep in whole and not crumble the crust. 

                                                             

Just pressed into the plate 

NOTES: 

                                                                   

                                     

I am going to try and add some cream cheese to the filling next time, for a cheese cake kind of taste-I believe it would take it well.But for those on dairy free diet,with no butter and no cream cheese it still tastes heavenly!

You can garnish it with coconut flakes,chocolate, fresh strawberries, or other favorites, for even better presentation. 

The filling can be made and used on its own--coco/strawberry cream, or ice cream,if you keep it in the freezer.          

  

AMARANTH- ORANGE GLUTEN-FREE CRAPES

   Crapes are one of my favorite things for breakfast and one of the first I had to give up after going on gluten-free diet and I though I'd never have them again. Crapes are one of those things that you cannot just whip up- it requires the right day,time, mood, and most of all patients. And even if you have the crape-making skill dawn to a science, sometimes they just won't come up right. There is even a saying that  making a first crape is like having a first child-you just experiment with it till you get the art of making it right. Then it gets easier with every next one.

        But to the point of gluten-free crapes-making a crape is hard enough gluten or no gluten, and this is even a more daunting task-the thing about crape batter is that it has to be fine and thin and in order for a crape to stay together it needs the gluten, which acts like a glue. The non-gluten flours are crumbly, for they do not have that sticking agent. After many experiments I finally found the right flour combination for the perfect gluten-free crape. 

What you need: .non-stick stainless steel skillet

               .deep ladle for pouring the batter 
               .tablespoon in hand for spreading and evening

Pour the batter very slowly 

.paper towel on hand  
.stick of pasture butter (coconut oil can also be used)

Ingredients: 

             .1 cup Amaranth flour

             .1/4 cup arrowroot powder

             .2 eggs
             .1/2 cup coconut milk (or almond milk)
             .1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
             .2 tablespoons flax seed meal (optional, adds fiber                                        
              and texture, if you desire) 
                                       .2 tablespoons water 
                                       .pinch of sea salt
                         .1 tbls xylitol (or sweetener of choice)
                                       .zest of one orange 
                              (makes 5 crapes; double for  more)  

Rotate the skillet to get the batter evenly spread 

 Directions:

1.combine amaranth and arrowroot powder and mix well; the arrowroot is going to act as your gluten, so make sure it is evenly mixed with the flour; add the flax seed meal.

2.drop in the eggs and the coconut milk and start mixing with a fork or a hand beater. Batter has to be the consistency of eggnog-if batter is too thick it won't make smooth pliable crapes;if it is too thin-the crapes will be braking and not stay together.
Add the 2 tablespoons of water to thin it at the end,or if it gets too thin,then add some more amaranth flour.                          

3.add the vanilla,salt, xylotol,  
and the grated orange zest at the    end(make sure orange is well washed) 

This is how it should look before flipping over 

Cooking steps:

1.Fire and skillet- put skillet on the lowest possible fire -it will get hot enough for about a minute. 

2.Butter the bottom of the skillet with  butter stick; do not put too much butter or leave it too long to melt-it will start burning and smoking and burn your crapes. 

3.Pouring-get a full ladle of the batter and slowly pour it in                  the middle of the skillet. 

Fix edges and rips with a tablespoon 

4.Spreading- spread the batter swiftly before it has started to cook all the way, by lifting the skillet and rotating it, so the batter covers as much of the skillet's surface as possible. Ideally if the fire is low and the mixture is the right consistency you won't need a spoon to help it spread.    
But if something like this to the left on the picture happens, you can spread with the tablespoon to achieve a round crape.With the spoon you can also repair a broken crape by quickly adding a spoonful of the batter in the hole or rip-it will immediately seal it. 

Perfectly cooked crape 

5. Flipping- when one side of the crap is done-no more then 30-40 seconds- flip the crape,with the skillet if you are experienced to do that move, or with an wooden spatula.The cooked side should look like the picture to the right. If you wait too long it will start burning and make a tough, inflexible crape; too early-and the batter will flap all over and crape will rip. 

6.Cook the back side less then the first-30 seconds, and flip out in a plate. Butter edges with the butter stick again-this keeps them moist and soft. 

7.Continue with the rest of the batter, as you clean your skillet and spoon with the paper towel between each crape; this will keep the skillet from starting to burn on the left overs and each crape will come out as good as the previous one.If skillet gets too hot,put it aside of the fire while pouring the batter in, and then return to cook through. This will keep the crapes soft and prevent burning.

Rolled or folded, with fruit or cheese spread 

    

 Serve crapes folded or rolled with anything that you like.I prefer mine with fruits or reduced fruit jam . These ones are great with orange, since they have the orange zest zing to them already.But if you have no restrictions in your diet you can use nuts,chocolate spreads, feta cheese,cream cheese,honey,maple syrup,jam.

ENJOY!

GOOD TO THE LAST BITE! 

             

RAW ROLLED CHOCOLATE SALAMI CAKE

         This is an old European favorite that I thought I would never be able to have again! WOW, I really rejoiced when it came out!The gluten free cookies came to save the day!
    The cookies are important here, since they have to be firm and not melt in your mouth cookies.It was a matter of finding the right cookies for the cause, for this so easy, so rich and decadent desert, that you can also keep in your fridge for up to a month!-for these special holiday guests,or just to have and to hold- for any occasion.You can be sure that each time it  will taste as fresh and delicious as the last time you had it.

Old European favorite for any time, with a rich German chocolate taste 

Here it goes:

Ingredients:

.3 heaped tablespoon Cocoa powder
.4 tablespoons pasture butter-melted-(I really like the butter for this recipe, rather then the coconut oil; you can easily use the coconut oil if you like, but butter gives it that rich taste)
.1/2 cup crushed gluten free cookies-I used gluten free short bread cookies;it does work best with firmer ones; if you use regular cookies the animal cracker kind are the original for this recipe.
.1 cup + coconut milk 
.1/2 cup crushed walnuts.
.2 tablespoon Maca powder
.2 tablespoons Mesquite powder (I have and use these powders, but since they are not always readily available you can skip them or  use one or the other only) 
.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
.1/4 cup xylitol
.pinch of sea salt
.unsweetened coconut flakes (or almond meal for dusting the top)             

HOW TO ROLL THE SALAMI CAKE 

 Directions:

1.Mix dry ingredients-cocoa powder, maca and mesquite powder, 
xylitol, and salt.

2.Soak the crushed cookies in a bowl of coconut milk (almond or regular milk can also be used)-do not over-soak the cookies- stir while soaking and leave them quite firm. 

3. Mix in the cookies along with what's left over in the bowl of the coconut milk (no more then 2-3 tablespoons of it)into the dry mixture.Stir in the walnuts at this time, too.

4.Melt your butter in a double boiler and slowly pour in the mixture while stirring. 
Mixture will be sticky.


Rolling: I found out that the best way to do that is in a clear plastic wrap-the log will be about 8' long. Cut out at large piece of the wrap and spread on the table. Pour the mixture in it and start forming it with the plastic wrap.It is really fun and easy to manipulate the shape this way- you can make it as thick as you like,round or rectangular for your favorite presentation.
I like the slightly rectangular shape-you can really get the edges with the plastic foil. 

                  
Place in the freezer, wrapped firmly in the plastic foil for 1 hour (or more if you are not using it right away) 

You can also dust each separate piece for variety -- in this case-almond meal 

Dusting:When you take out the log, unwrap the plastic foil and leave in room temperature for a few minutes, so the upper layer can become sticky.This is so you can roll the salami cake in coconut flakes, almond meal or some other crushed nuts of your choice. The original recipe calls for confectioner's sugar, so if you consume sugar you can dust it in it. I did my with coconut flakes. You just spread the foil and sprinkle the coco flakes,nuts, or sugar on the foil and start rolling the cake and pressing slightly over the foil until the top is completely covered with the dusting.Brush away the excess of flakes or powder. 
                                    
Serve in small portions of two pieces- it is a rich desert and 1 or 2 pieces are quiet enough. 


If you can stop at that, that is!


ENJOY!

Can be kept in the freezer for up to a month, firmly wrapped in the plastic foil 

PUMPKIN BREAD MUFFINS

 I know it is already time for Christmas treats, but I am not over my pumpkin obsession. Before I start off on the Christmas and leave the pumpkin to rest for the year,I have to share this recipe,since it came out surprisingly well.
Now, this is not your 5-minute treat, it requires some prep time, but it is well worth it. 
The equivocal name of bread muffins came because my intention was to make pumpkin bread, similar to banana bread; but then in the process I could not resist adding the cranberries and chocolate chips, so that made for more of a muffin mixture, and instead of pouring it into the baking pan I filled up the muffin cups. 
It was a good idea, since my girl would not have tasted pumpkin bread, but she did enjoy the muffins!

Preparation:
I used my left over pumpkins from the 
fall holidays to make these. They are the real little pumpkins that are used 
for decoration all over in the fall.
These little ones are so hard to cut, but once severed, I made them into wedges and put them right in the oven to roast for about an hour at 350 F, or until they start to caramelize on top. Then remove,cool and put in the fridge until ready to use. 


Ingredients:

.4 cups roasted pumpkin
.4 eggs
.4 tablespoons coconut oil
.1/2 cup coconut flower
.2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
.1 teaspoon baking soda
.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
.1 teaspoon cinnamon
.2 tablespoons xylitol
.pinch of sea salt
.1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
.1/4 cup dried cranberries for garnish  

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 F.

2.Combine the pumpkin, eggs, coconut oil in a blender, food processor or a mixing bowl (for hand mixer)

3.Once the wet ingredients are blended, add the coconut flower, 
arrowroot powder, baking soda, vanila, cinnamon, sea salt and xylotol and mix well. 

4.Pour the mixture out and spoon into your muffin cups.Makes 12 regular size muffins.
(If you decide to make a bread you can grease a 9X5 loaf baking pan and pour the mixture out in it to bake for 55-60 minutes)

5.Decorate tops with cranberries and chocolate chips and put some inside if you wish-I stuck some chocolate chips in the center of my muffins, and left some for the top.  

6.Place your muffin pan in the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes-check center with a tooth pick.Note-center might remain soft, similar to pumpkin pie. 

7.Take out and cool completely before serving.

ENJOY!

   

  

PUMPKIN SOUP WITH GINGER AND CURRY

                       Isn't it wonderful when the fall holidays are over and just between Thanks Giving and Christmas there is so many pumpkins left over from decoration. Every year I cannot let myself throw out these beautiful fruits (or vegetables) and cut them and chop them,bake,roast and boil, to make a number of delicious things, one of which is the pumpkin soup.

Golden Hubbard Squash 

Here is a very minimalist             
pumpkin soup recipe made 
out of a Golden Hubbard Squash.
(this is squash, but it is sweet and meaty which makes for a hearty pumpkin soup;
you can use any variety of pumpkin    
you have on hand)    




INGREDIENTS:

.1 medium Golden Hubbard Squash or other pumpkin variety.
.1 white union
.1 tablespoon of freshly grated ginger root
.2 tablespoons of olive oil.
.1 cup coconut milk.
.1 teaspoonful salt
.1 lemon
.curry powder 

Directions:

1.Cut the squash or pumpkin, pill the slices and boil in water with a pinch of salt-20 minutes.

2.Take out of water and drain.

3.Saute the unions in the olive oil,add the grated ginger at the end.

4.Mix together the squash and the sauteed mixture, wait to cool  dawn and put in a food processor.

5. Mix until smooth.

6. Return back to the boiling pot, heat up gently, add the salt, curry, and coconut milk at the end.Do not overheat, it is not necessary to bring to a boil.

7. Squeeze half a lemon on top-gives it a nice kick and brings out the flavor.

8.Serve hot, sprinkle with curry and add a leave of parsley,mint,or other fresh herb of your choice.

ENJOY!

Great to share on a cold winter day! 

NOTES:
-I like things spicy, so I put more freshly grated ginger in my bowl of pumpkin soup- it warms you up even more and it is good immune support in the winter.For an extra hot kick add cayenne pepper to taste.  
-you can make this soup with milk or heavy cream.But I love how coconut milk combines with it, and also I decided to try lent untill Christmas, so I substitute the milk products when I can.