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Posts Tagged ‘dairy-free’

Orange almond chocolate scones – vegan

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , , , on March 8, 2019| Leave a Comment »

 

My son asked if we could make scones this week, and I realized we haven’t made any in the past several months. Have you noticed that at times, you completely forget to make something you really like and/or something your family loves? Do you find that sometimes, a favorite dish just falls from memory for no particular reason?

Luckily, I had an orange, some dark chocolate and all my regular gluten-free flours on hand, so we make these super flavorful and delicious scones. These are very similar to my orange current scones, but the dark chocolate chunks make them more of a treat for my kids.

 

Ingredients

1/3 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled

1/3 cup almond (or other) nut milk

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp almond extract

Finely grated zest of one orange

6 Tbsp of fresh-squeezed orange juice

1-1/4 cup almond flour

1-1/4 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour (I like this brand)

1/3-1/2 cup evaporated cane juice

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips or 1/3 cup of a dairy-free dark chocolate bar cut into small chunks

 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk all the dry ingredients, except for the chocolate, together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Whisk the wet ingredients until well blended. Pour the wet mixture into the dry using a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides. Fold the wet and dry mixtures until just blended. Fold in the chocolate chips or chunks. Using the spatula, scoop out the dough onto a lightly floured cutting board or directly onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Gently pat the dough into a disc shape, approximately 1-inch thick (flouring your hands if necessary to prevent the dough from sticking). Using a chef’s knife, cut the disc into 6-8 pieces (3-4 cuts). Carefully separate the pieces roughly 1-2 inches apart.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a light golden brown color develops on the tops and edges. Remove and allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving. Leftovers can be stores in an airtight container for 2-3 days, once the scones are completely cooled.

You can add a little honey or raspberry jam to these, but they’re so flavorful and yummy on their own, they don’t need anything extra.

Enjoy! 

 

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Breakfast (or lunch) of champions

Posted in General nutrition, Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 22, 2018| 2 Comments »

I did not drop off the face of the earth, but it has been ages since I’ve posted anything here. The past few months have challenged me physically as well as emotionally. Making the decision to move from my comfortable life in northern California to the massive city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, in order to support my husband’s work was incredibly difficult. Convincing the children to go along with the decision was equally difficult. Packing up a significant part of our home (where the expression “pack-rat” got redefined) took far more time than I could have imagined. Getting all the paperwork in order and loose ends tied up–bank accounts, visas, residence permits, nearly drove us insane. Finding homes for some of our beloved pets–since we only brought two to Brazil, I found particularly difficult, and at the end, heartbreaking, since I consider our animals family.

Fortunately, the expat community in Sao Paulo, although relatively small, is wonderfully supportive, and Brazilians in general are friendly and kind. We live adventure nearly every day, and grow from it–personally and as world citizens. On top of requiring me to learn another language, the move has required dietary changes, such as regular servings of pineapple, papaya and watermelon instead of my daily helpings of blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. Chard remains elusive, and rice and beans abound. My cooking has not been spectacular, but a few dishes, and some of my travels definitely warrant sharing.

This dish I made back home, but never got around to posting until now. I call this my “breakfast (or lunch) of champions” because it is full of fiber, protein, and healthy fats, and it’s packed with flavor. In reality, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend eating bacon right before you head out for a 6-kilometer run. But if you have an important meeting, need to run a few hours worth of errands, or are going on a big hike and want sustained energy for 4-5 hours, this dish is perfect.

Like many people, my body doesn’t tolerate most types of beans as well as I would like, but garbanzo beans appear to be the exception, and garbanzo bean flour is the main ingredient in the crepes. I couldn’t be more thankful, because garbanzo beans are a great source of insoluble fiber (important for keeping our colons healthy!), protein, and several vitamins and minerals including iron, potassium, manganese, magnesium and folate.

 

Ingredients

For the crepes, whisk together the following until you get a smooth, runny batter consistency:

1 cup sprouted garbanzo bean flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

3/4-1 cup water

Pinch of sea salt

1 tbsp of avocado oil, plus more for the pan

 

Preparation

Swirl a little oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour in half of the batter and swirl the pan gently to spread the batter evenly across the bottom of the pan. Cook until set and the bottom is just starting to turn golden brown–approximately 2-3 minutes. Carefully flip the crepe over and cook another 2 minutes.

Repeat. This recipe makes 4-6 crepes depending on how thick you make them.

 

Ingredients

For the wrap I call “breakfast of champions,” I place the following ingredients on each crepe and fold in half or in thirds for serving.

2-3 strips of bacon, cooked

1 egg, fried sunny side up

Two leaves of curly kale (tough stocks removed, and lightly braised)

1/2 an avocado, peeled and sliced

Coarse-ground sea salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste

This combination tastes insanely good and flavorful, but you can experiment with whatever you like. I cook the bacon in a cast-iron pan first. After removing the cooked bacon, I drain off the excess fat and lightly braise the kale leaves in the same pan so they pick up all the delicious bits and pieces left from cooking the bacon.

Note: These crepes are super easy and quick to make, but you can double or triple the crepe batter recipe and make a batch so you have them handy. Just be sure to put a sheet of parchment paper between crepes and store them in the fridge in an airtight container. Please note that they are best fresh and warm, as can stiffen slightly if refrigerated or left out for any length of time.

Enjoy!

 

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Coconut Sesame Almond Muffins

Posted in Recipes, Travel, tagged , , , , , , , , , on June 13, 2018| 4 Comments »

 

 

Hello World! It’s been ages since I’ve posted anything, but for those of you who follow me on Instagram, you know I’m still around–cooking and eating. On top of working my “day job”–empowering communities with renewable energy, I decided to move to Brazil with my husband and children. That’s right, at an age when most people plan to stay put at least until their children have graduated from high school, I am moving to a place I’ve only ever visited once (just last month!). And yes, I do wonder if I’m crazy–regularly, these days. There is an insane amount of work involved in moving to another country, particularly when you’re moving as part of a start-up, not as part of taking a new assignment abroad within a large multi-national corporation (that handles all the nitty gritty details for you). I’ve been filling out pages and pages of paperwork in order for our children to attend school in another country, and trying to declutter a house I had no plans of moving out until two months ago, and packing and sorting, packing and sorting, repeat, repeat again. However, my husband and I have always wanted to live abroad with our children–even for just a year or two. We firmly believe it dramatically helps children become world citizens, not just little privileged beings growing up comfortably in their little American community.

Not surprisingly, I’ve been somewhat stressed out, so for those of you who know me well, you know I’ve been baking up a storm. Nothing fancy–just the usual. Fast and easy, gluten-free muffins or breads. The mixing and stirring relaxes me, and the eating of warm, cake-like bread comforts me–at least for a short while.

This recipe for Coconut Sesame Almond Muffins came about because I’ve also been trying to incorporate more seeds into our food. Seeds, particularly pumpkin, sesame and chia, are so nutritious, but I always feel like a bird eating seeds on their own. Lately, I sprinkle them on every salad, and in this recipe, I bake them in!

These muffins use so little added sugar, but they come out sweet, incredibly moist, and with a cake-like texture (“crumb” as my English friends say). You can whip them up in about 10 minutes plus cooking time, and they keep well stored in an airtight container (once they cool completely) for at least 3 days.

 

Ingredients

2 eggs

2/3 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (I like this brand)

1 cup desiccated coconut

1/3 cup cane sugar

1/4 cup white raw sesame seeds

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp baking powder

 

Preparation

Heat oven to 350F. Grease a standard, 12-cup muffin pan or line with paper muffin cups.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until even in color. Whisk in the milk, vanilla extract and oil.

In a separate bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold in using a spatula until just blended. Spoon evenly into the muffin pan. Put in the middle of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until muffins have just a hint of gold, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool at least 10 minutes.

Enjoy warm or at room temperature (although these are so delicious warm, that you may devour immediately and share the still-warm muffins with friends and neighbors!). Store for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

I love the natural whiteness of these muffins, but for fun, you can fold in 1/4 cup of mini dark chocolate chips before baking.

Enjoy!

 

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“waffle pancakes” – dairy-free and paleo

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , on February 8, 2017| Leave a Comment »

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What do you do when your beloved waffle iron suddenly has an identity crisis, and can’t decide if it wants to be a cool iron or a smoking hot iron? You turn your beloved waffles into pancakes naturally.

Seriously, the first time I realized my cherished waffle iron had serious problems, I was in a hurry and decided to make pancakes from the waffle batter just so I wouldn’t have to waste all those good ingredients. However, we love our “waffle pancakes” so much that we regularly make them now. Granted, there’s nothing like the light crisp and chewy center of waffles, so even though I’ve titled this post “waffle pancakes,” you can use this batter in the waffle maker or skillet. (And truth be told, I haven’t replaced my waffle iron yet, because I secretly keep hoping someone will fix it for me.) The recipe is a slightly altered version of Brittany Angell’s “extra-crispy paleo waffles” recipe from her cookbook Every Last Crumb, which is a very valuable book if you’re following a paleo diet and love to bake.

 

Ingredients

3/4 cup almond flour

1/2 cup tapioca starch

1 tbsp coconut flour

2 tsp double-acting, aluminum-free baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 large egg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup dairy-free milk

1 tbsp coconut sugar

3 tbsp coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly*

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

*Increase to 1/4 cup if making waffles

 

Preparation

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add in everything else except the oil and vinegar. Whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk in the oil, followed by the vinegar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add a little more milk if the batter isn’t runny enough to pour.

Heat your skillet or waffle iron. Brush your iron or pan with oil, and pour the batter into 4-inch rounds or into your waffle maker. Cook until light golden brown on both sides.

Top with fresh berries, compote and maple syrup.

Enjoy!

 

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Winemakers cake – gluten-free, dairy-free version

Posted in Desserts, Recipes, tagged , , , , , , on September 14, 2016| Leave a Comment »

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I’ve been promising–at least on Instagram, to share the gluten-free version of my Winemakers Cake (see original recipe here). It’s all I’ve been making lately because it’s super easy and fast to prepare, looks nice when serving to guests, and I especially love that it’s gluten- and dairy-free since I avoid both most of the time. In fact, I like the gluten-free version so much that I’ve been favoring it over the original recipe on most occasions. The crumb seems a bit more delicate even though the gluten-free version doesn’t rise as much as the original recipe.

My local grocer keeps stocking Thomson grapes, too, which is the preferred grape for this cake, and it really feels like an “Indian Summer” dessert–lightly sweet, not too rich or heavy and using the fruit of the season.

If you haven’t already tried this recipe, please do. I know you will love it–especially how easy it is.

 

Ingredients

2 large eggs at room temperature

1/2 cup evaporated cane juice

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk or good-quality almond milk

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour*

1/2 cup almond flour

1 tbsp coconut flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp almond extract

10 oz (about 1-1/2 cups) small, purple grapes**

Confectioners sugar for garnish (optional)

*I like to use Bob’s Red Mill “1 to 1 All-Purpose Gluten-free flour.”

**Thomson or Thomcord grapes work the best because they’re small and jammy in flavor. I’m sure this cake would taste delicious with other varieties, but I would avoid using the more common green or red grapes.

 

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan.

Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until thick and pale yellow in color, about 3 minutes. Add the oil, non-dairy milk, vanilla and almond extracts, and mix until blended.

In a medium-size bowl, mix the flours, baking powder and salt until thoroughly blended. Add the lemon zest, and toss to coat. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until blended. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the flour to absorb the liquids.

Stir 1 cup of the grapes into the batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth out the top using a spatula or back of a spoon.

Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for 15 minutes before sprinkling the remaining grapes over the top of the cake. Bake for an additional 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, and the cake has a nice light golden color.

Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife along the sides before releasing the removing the side of the springform pan. Serve at room temperature with a dusting of confectioners sugar. You can store the cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Enjoy!

 

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Cherry chocolate pecan banana bread

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , , , on February 23, 2016| 4 Comments »

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I can’t seem to get enough of this bread, and I have to confess, I’ve been making it at least once a week. The kids ask to have a slice the second they’re home from school, so we blaze through a regular-size loaf in just a couple days!

Loaded with tons of goodness, just one slice feels like a meal. This bread gives you natural sweetness (just 3 tbsp of coconut sugar in the whole loaf!), an addictive mix of flavors from the cherry and chocolate, and the best part is… You can prepare it in about 10 minutes if you have a high-powered blender like my Vitamix!!

(Recipe adapted from the Zenbelly Cookbook–one of my favorites for simple to prepare, grain-free and dairy-free, tasty dishes.)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3)

3 large eggs

1/4 cup palm shortening or unsalted butter, room temperature

3 tbsp almond or coconut milk

1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup almond flour

1 cup gluten-free flour (I like a blend of arrowroot and cassava)

2 tbsp coconut flour

3 tbsp coconut sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp finely ground sea salt

1/2 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup raw pecans, finely chopped

1/3 cup mini dark chocolate chips (I like this brand)

1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries

 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 7-inch loaf pan.

Place the bananas, shortening, vanilla extract, eggs and milk in the blender. Blend until completely mixed and creamy.

In a medium-size bowl, toss together the coconut, chopped pecans, chocolate chips and dried fruit. Set aside.

In another medium-size bowl, whisk together the flours, salt and baking soda. Pour the contents of the blender into the the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in the coconut, pecans, chips and fruit. Spoon into the prepared loaf pan, and even out using the back of a spoon on spatula.

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Bake in the center of the oven for 50-55 minutes, or until the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the bread has a nice, light brown crust. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edges before inverted onto a cutting board. Best served warm with a little butter or fruit spread, although it really needs nothing.

Store wrapped in foil or airtight container for 3-4 days.

Enjoy!

 

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Cherry chocolate chip scones

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 21, 2016| Leave a Comment »

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These gluten-free, grain-free scones have become a favorite in my home. They boast enough flavor on their own that you don’t need to add jams or spreads (although I think a light spread of whipped coconut cream would make them taste even better). I also like that they don’t come out too dense like so many recipes that rely primarily on almond flour. The three to one ratio of almond to potato starch ensure these baked treats come out light with a beautiful crumb and a slightly crunchy top.

This recipe is just slightly altered from the one in Brittany Angel’s wonderful Paleo cookbook, “every last crumb.” I use slightly less sugar, chocolate chips and fruit. You can use dried cranberries, currants or other dried fruit in place of the cherries. They all work well!

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour

1/2 cup potato starch, plus a little extra for the work surface

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup or 1 stick chilled unsalted butter or butter substitute

1/3 cup coconut or evaporated cane sugar

2 large eggs

3/4 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1/4 cup chocolate chips*

3/4 cup cherries, fresh, frozen or dried, halved and pitted*

2 tbsp tapioca starch for dusting the cherries

*Brittany’s recipe calls for 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup chocolate chip and 1 cup fruit. I think the scones can handle as much as you want. For me, it’s more a question of whether you’re wanting a breakfast bread replacement or dessert.

 

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, whisk the almond flour, potato starch, baking soda and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture consists of pea-sized lumps.

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In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Whisk in the sugar and vinegar. Pour into the flour mixture and mix briefly–just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

In a small bowl, toss the cherries in the tapioca starch. Fold into the dough.

Dust a sheet of parchment paper with a couple tablespoons potato starch. Place the dough on the dusted paper and pat into a circle about 6-7 inches in diameter. Slide the parchment paper onto a baking sheet. Note: I like to slice my scones before baking, but Brittany’s recipe calls for popping the scones in the oven now and slicing later.

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Bake for 35-40 minutes or until firm and golden. (You can cover with foil halfway through baking if you find your scones are at risk of becoming too dark, but this hasn’t happened to me yet.)

Note: Brittany suggests melting an extra 1/2 cup chocolate chips for 1 minute in the microwave, and drizzling it over the scones when they’re out of the oven.

Allow to cool slightly before serving. Serves 6.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

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Soothing smoothie

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , on May 8, 2015| 5 Comments »

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This smoothie is for those days you wake up and simply aren’t excited for a glass of greens, or eggs and bacon, or whatever you usual go-to breakfast is. It’s the kind of drink you want when life has been hectic and you want something soothing and nurturing both in nutrients and taste. Because this smoothie tastes like a dessert to me, I probably make it more often than I should (if you believe too many nuts is a bad thing!).

I’ve been experimenting a lot with cashews lately, and I hope to post some of the winning recipes here soon. Cashews make everything better, in my opinion. They impart a delicious creaminess that many think is only achievable with dairy products. I’ve been trying some cheesecake recipes that are completely vegan. They’ve all been delicious, but I’m just tweaking the recipes to get them right before sharing.

I love this shake because it feels like a warm hug even though it’s cold and creamy. It’s naturally sweet from the banana and dates, and the cardamon adds just a touch of unexpected flavor that lets your mind to travel to distant lands. (OK, you’re wondering *what* else is she putting in her shake?! But I’m serious, sip this drink in a quiet room and your mind might just conjure up images from A Passage to India, The English Patient, or Lawrence of Arabia.)

 

Ingredients

1 cup filtered water or coconut water

1/3 cup raw, unsalted cashews

1/2 a banana, peeled

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 Medjool dates, pitted

1/4 tsp ground cardamon

The tiniest pinch of salt

3-4 ice cubes

 

Preparation

Whizz everything together in a high-powered blender until smooth and creamy. If it’s too thick for your taste, thin with a little more water or ice.

Sit back and enjoy!

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