• 15May
    by Sandy |  Add your comment: 0

    I love a good sandwich. Going gluten free has been relatively easy – not really but now I can usually do without cakes and cookies – besides there are some decent gluten free versions of those. One thing I have been missing is bread. Most commercial gluten free/egg free breads are dense and not so appealing. I decided to give making my own a go so of course hit google. I found this recipe and with the raves on the comments section I had to give it a try.

    The first loaf was great but didn’t rise so much – I think because I mistakenly used potato flour instead of potato starch. The house filled with the aroma of fresh baked bread! I had tears in my eyes…not really but it does sound dramatic ;) The next loaf was a winner – as in taller though it is a relatively short loaf so sandwiches are a bit small – portion control, HA!
    I made some adjustments to the recipe and made this recipe for 1 loaf. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

    * Exported from MasterCook *
    GF EF Sandwich Bread
    Recipe By     :
    Serving Size  : 12    Preparation Time :0:00
    Categories    :
    Amount  Measure       Ingredient — Preparation Method
    ——–  ————  ——————————–
    3/4           cup  millet flour — 3 oz
    3/4           cup  tapioca flour — 3 oz
    3/4           cup  potato starch — 3.3 oz
    1/2           cup  sorghum flour — 2 oz
    1/4           cup  teff flour — 1.13 oz
    2          teaspoons  xanthan gum
    1           teaspoon  sea salt
    1/2      teaspoon  baking powder
    1/4           cup  sugar
    1         tablespoon  yeast — proof in 1/4 c warm water with pinch of the 1/4c sugar
    1         tablespoon  extra virgin olive oil — or melted butter
    1                cup  water — warm; or 3/4c water + 1/4 c yoghurt
    2        tablespoons  flax seed — ground + 1/4 cup hot water stir til gelatinous
    Grease 9 x 5 x 3 pan with butter or vegetable oil and dust with rice flour
    Mix together dry ingredients
    Mix together wet ingredients
    Add wet to dry
    Bake at 375 for 50-60 minutes
    - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -
    Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 67 Calories; 2g Fat (21.8% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 179mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.
    NOTES : variations:
    Rye bread – add 2 1/2 tsp caraway seeds, 2 t molasses, 1T cocoa
    For cinnamon roll dough – replace 1T EVOO with 2T butter
    Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

    Gluten Free / Egg Free  Sandwich Bread

    Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method

    ——– ———— ——————————–

    3/4 cup millet flour — 3 oz

    3/4 cup tapioca flour — 3 oz

    3/4 cup potato starch (not flour!) — 3.3 oz

    1/2 cup sorghum flour — 2 oz

    1/4 cup teff flour — 1.13 oz

    2 teaspoons xanthan gum

    1 teaspoon sea salt

    1 tablespoon yeast — proof in 1/4 c warm water with pinch of the 1/4c sugar

    1/4 cup sugar

    1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil — or melted butter

    1 cup water — warm; or 3/4c water + 1/4 c yoghurt

    2 tablespoons flax seed — ground + 1/4 cup hot water stir til gelatinous

    Grease 9 x 5 x 3 pan with butter or vegetable oil and dust with rice flour.

    Mix together dry ingredients

    Mix together wet ingredients

    Add wet to dry.

    Let rise in a warm place until the bread is just to the top of the pan – about 1 – 1 1/2  hours.

    Bake at 375 for 50-60 minutes. The bread is done when you tap it and it sounds hollow.

    I made this variation on Monday so I could have pastrami sandwiches:
    Rye bread – add 2 1/2 tsp caraway seeds, 2 t molasses, 1T cocoa

    After the bread has cooled I slice it thinly and put in the freezer. When I want to make a sandwich or make toast I just take out what I need.

    I’ll post a picture when I make another loaf.

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  • 22Apr
    by Sandy |  Add your comment: 0

    This is a variation on a recipe I developed for a cooking demo at the Women’s Cancer Resource Center last night on Southwest Cuisine – today’s lunch so P can try them. This version uses ground flax in place of the egg and yogurt + water in place of the buttermilk. I used flax because I am sensitive to eggs and yogurt because it was on hand.

    Gluten Free Blue Corn Griddle Cake

    Gluten Free Blue Corn Griddle Cakes

    1 cup blue cornmeal (organic from Arrowhead Mills)
    1/2 cup brown rice flour (or amaranth)
    1 teaspoon sea salt
    3/4 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

    2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
    2 tablespoons ground flax seed mixed with 1/4 cup warm water
    3/4 cup whole milk yogurt
    1/3 cup water
    1 cup frozen cut corn (or fresh)
    1/4 cup scallions, sliced
    1/4 medium jalapeno pepper, finely diced
    1/2 cup Monterey jack or Mexican cheese blend, grated

    Extra virgin olive oil for cooking griddle cakes

    Combine dry ingredients (cornmeal through pepper) in bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (butter through cheese). Fold the dry ingredients into the wet.

    Heat a cast iron griddle to medium high heat. Lightly coat the griddle with olive oil. When the griddle is hot, make a griddle cake with ¼ cup of batter. When they are ready to flip, little bubbles will start to appear on the top of the cakes (and the bottoms will be slightly browned) – about 3 to 4 minutes on the first side. After flipping, you can check the bottoms of the cake for doneness – this will take about an additional 3 minutes per cake.

    Makes about 12 cakes. Serve hot.

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  • 16Apr
    by Sandy |  Add your comment: 0

    The search was on…too many over-ripe bananas and unable to rely on the standby banana bread recipe due to the need to avoid gluten and eggs.

    Here is what I ended up with:

    Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Bread

    1 1/2 cup millet flour
    1 1/4 cup brown rice flour
    1/4 cup teff flour
    1/3 cup sugar
    3 Tbs ground flax seed
    2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    1 Tbs baking powder
    1/2 tsp xanthan gum
    1/2 tsp Redmond Real Salt
    3-4 very ripe bananas
    1 1/4 cup water
    1/4 cup butter, melted
    1 tsp vanilla extract
    2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

    Preheat oven to 350F

    Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

    Mash the bananas and mix with the water, vanilla and butter.

    Mix the banana mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips.

    Pour batter into a well buttered and rice floured 9×5x3 loaf pan.

    Update: I have used a 9 x 9 square pan and it works well too.

    Bake at 350F for 50-70 minutes – until a knife poked into the center comes out clean.

    Cool in the pan for 20 minutes then finish cooling on a rack. Best to slice when fully cool but who can wait…

    Enjoy!
    Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Bread

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  • 29Nov
    by Sandy |  Add your comment: 0

    This is the latest candied yam recipe. Slightly healthier than previous iterations. A must have at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

    Bake 4 pounds (4 large)  orange yams (sweet potatoes) at 350F until soft and the skins are “loose” – about 90 minutes. Let cool and peel skins off. Cut into 1 1/2″ disks. Arrange tightly into a 9″ square baking dish. Brush a generous amount of the bourbon brown sugar glaze and bake at 325 for 30-40 minutes. Brush on some more glaze and bake another 20 minutes.  If you want to crisp up the top you can brush on more glaze and put under the broiler for a few minutes. Serve warm.

    Bourbon Brown Sugar Glaze (approximate)

    1/4 cup butter
    1/2 cup brown sugar
    2 T bourbon
    1/2 tsp vanilla

    Put all ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. The butter and brown sugar should blend together into a nice thick glaze.

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  • 28Nov
    by Sandy |  Add your comment: 0

    In the last few years, I’ve tried a number of holiday recipes for the first time and a few were big hits. Cranberry Sauce, Apple Crumble Pie, a new method of making spiced nuts, Artichoke Dip and more.

    This year I tried to remember where I got the recipe for the, I swore the best Cranberry Sauce I’ve ever had…I could not remember and barely could remember any ingredient past…well, cranberries!

    So, I will use this blog as it was intended, to record recipes I have tried and also family favorites – both old and new.

    Ok, now to the the recipe in the title of this post. Since I am wheat free and egg free these days I wanted a holiday dessert that I could enjoy. On the plus side, Patti really loves cheesecake. This recipe is a blend of a recipe I found from Whole Foods and Rose Levy Beranbaum’s Pumpkin Cheesecake.
    The Whole Foods recipe is a basic refrigerator cheesecake but I was hesitant that the pumpkin wouldn’t have that nice baked caramelized quality even though I am using canned pumpkin. So I stumbled on the Beranbaum method of cooking the pumpkin in a sauce pan with the sugar. Viola! A + B = Spiced Refrigerator Pumpkin Cheesecake

    Then I made up a crust that used a combo of oat bran and almond meal to avoid the wheat in graham crackers or gingersnaps.

    Spiced Pumpkin Refrigerator Cheesecake

    Amount  Measure       Ingredient — Preparation Method
    ——–  ————  ——————————–
    2/3           cup  almond meal
    1/2           cup  oat bran
    1/4           cup  brown sugar
    1           teaspoon  cinnamon
    1/2      teaspoon  ground ginger
    1/4      teaspoon  allspice
    1/4      teaspoon  salt
    4        tablespoons  butter — melted

    4        tablespoons  butter
    1/2           cup  brown sugar
    1                cup  pumpkin puree
    1           teaspoon  cinnamon
    1/2      teaspoon  ground ginger
    1/4      teaspoon  allspice
    1/4      teaspoon  salt
    1           teaspoon  vanilla extract

    16            ounces  cream cheese — 2-8oz packages, room temperature

    Preheat oven to 400°F.

    In a medium bowl, combine almond meal, oat bran, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, salt and melted butter. Press mixture into bottom of a 8 or 9-inch springform pan and about 1/4-inch up the sides. Bake until golden brown and toasted, 7 to 8 minutes; set aside to let cool completely.

    In a small, heavy saucepan, melt the butter and sugar together. Stir in the  pumpkin purée. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a  simmer, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes.
    Add the cinnamon, ginger, allspice, salt. Turn the heat to low and cook, stirring
    constantly, until the mixture has darkened and thickened a bit, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature.

    In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the cooled pumpkin mixture; beat until smooth. Transfer pumpkin mixture to prepared pan, spreading it out evenly over the crust. Cover and chill until set, about 6 hours, or overnight.

    Un mold and slice:
    Be sure the cheesecake is thoroughly chilled – I froze mine. Have ready a serving plate and a cutting board as wide as the cake wrapped in plastic wrap.
    Use a hair dryer to warm the outside side of the pan. Release and gently loosen the ring and then lift it off.
    Set the board with the plastic wrap on top of the cheesecake and carefully invert the pan. Heat the base of the springform with the hair dryer and lift it off.
    Set the serving plate on the bottom of the cheesecake and reinvert the cake. Lift off the plastic-wrapped board.

    To cut neat slices, use a sharp, thin-bladed knife dipped in hot water (wipe off excess water) between each slice.

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  • 29May
    by Sandy |  Add your comment: 0

    It’s gluten free, egg free, dairy free…

    The ‘there’s no there there’ Carrot Cake

    Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
    ——– ———— ——————————–
    8 ounces crushed pineapple — drained, reserve liquid
    4 tablespoons flax seed — ground
    3/4 cup water
    2 cups carrots — shredded
    1 cup walnuts — chopped (optional)
    1 cup brown rice flour
    2/3 cup almond meal
    1/3 cup glutinous rice flour — ‘Mochiko’
    2 teaspoons cinnamon — ground
    1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    3/4 teaspoon sea salt
    1 1/2 ounces coconut oil
    2/3 cup sucanat or rapadura — (dehydrated sugar cane juice)

    Preheat oven to 350. Grease and rice flour a 13″ x 9″ baking pan.

    Drain pineapple well (squeeze), reserving juice.

    In a small bowl, make a slurry with the ground flax and reserved pineapple juice.

    Grate carrots and chop walnuts. In a medium bowl, mix rice flours, almond meal, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

    In large bowl, beat coconut oil and sucanat on medium until well mixed. Add flax slurry. Beat some more. Fold in dry half dry ingredients. Stir in water then fold in the remaining dry ingredients. Stir in walnuts, pineapple and carrots by hand. Try not to over mix – it will not rise as much if you do. Immediately pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake in the botton third of the oven at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until done – check by inserting a toothpick in the center. The toothpick should come out clean.

    The texture is definitely different than your typical cake – a bit chewy. I like it best the next day :) -the flavor seems to mellow out.

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  • 25Jan
    by Sandy |  Add your comment: 0

    A request for a recipe so here it is…..BUT, if you try it – you have to post in the comments how it turned out for you.   

    I’d still like to get around to doing a sugar-free version…I plan to get to it this weekend for some friends that are coming over for dinner. Keep your fingers crossed…   

    * Exported from MasterCook *   

    Bean Cake – Chocolate   

    Recipe By : Sandy at Tao de Kitchen
    Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
    Categories :   

    Amount Measure Ingredient — Preparation Method
    ——– ———— ——————————–
    2 cups black beans, cooked — *see Note
    1/2 cup almond meal
    4 large eggs
    1 cup sugar — or sub sucanat
    1/4 cup cocoa powder
    1/2 teaspoon baking powder — use 1 t if you want it fluffier
    1/4 cup butter
    1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    1 teaspoon vanilla  

    Mix all ingredients in blender. Pour into a buttered 9 x 9 baking dish. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.   

    *you can also use a 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinse

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