Griddle Cakes

This is my favorite recipe for pancakes.  Grandpa used to make giant pancakes on his outdoor electric grill at Diamond Lake. We'd all sit around the picnic table while grandpa flapped jacks.  A fond memory.

These griddlecakes are dairy free and gluten free.  I like to add organic blueberries I picked near Blaine and stored in the freezer.  Enjoy.

Mix together:

1 C. organic rice flour

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. aluminum free baking powder

Stir in:

2 Tbl. melted ghee

1 egg.

1/2 cup nut milk

1/2 cup frozen organic blueberries.

Batter should be thick as cake batter.  Adjust by adding more nut milk if needed.  Spoon into frying pan that has been heating on medium.  Let brown nicely on both sides and serve with real maple syrup.

Variation:  Replace 1/2 C rice flour with buckwheat flour

Apple Pancakes: Instead of blueberries, stir in 1/2 cup peeled and very thinly sliced apples.

Original recipe taken from Fanny Farmer Cookbook

Falafels

1 16 oz. can of chickpeas

1 lg. onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 Tbl fresh parsley, chopped

1 tsp. coriander

1 tsp. cumin

2 Tbl. brown rice flour

Sea salt & fresh ground pepper

Safflower oil for frying

Preparation:

Drain chickpeas, place in pan with fresh water, and bring to a boil.  Allow to boil for 5 minutes, then let simmer on low for about an hour.  Drain and allow to cool for 15 minutes and mash.

Combine mashed chickpeas, garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper (to taste) in medium bowl. Add brown rice flour.  Mix well and form into small balls. Fry in 2 inches of oil at 350 degrees until golden brown (5-7 minutes).

Serving Suggestion
Falafel can be served as an appetizer with hummus or as a main course in gluten-free pita bread with lettuce, tomatoes, tahini, salt and pepper. Falafel can also be formed into patties and served like a burger.

 

Eggplant Frittura

3 Asian egglants (aubergines) sliced 5/8 inch thick
1 1/2 C. Brown rice flour
Olive oil for frying
Sea salt and black pepper

Dredge the eggplant in rice flour and fry in olive oil until golden brown.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with sliced tomatoes, goat cheese, toasted gluten-free bread.

Dairy Free Diet

Here we are at the "Ds" already, which will have fewer recipes, I think, since I can't think of many recipes that start with "D".  I might have to name things, Dang Good Dinner or Darling Egg Omlette.  Anyway,  I haven't eaten much dairy in over 25 years.  It's been fairly easy for me to take it out of my diet, although it has taken many years, perhaps most of my life, to realize I am dairy intolerant.

Now I eat a little goat and sheep cheese.  Recently I've discovered that I have far worst allergic symptoms from eating wheat than from eating dairy.  The problem with starting up again with goat cheese is that I really can't eat much of it without getting symptoms and it's so yummy, I forget and have it for a snack or in burritos or scrambled eggs more often than I should.  I always know when I've had too much as my nose begins to run and my head starts hurting around my eyes.  For me this is sinus related.  I also have digestion problems, and sometimes dizziness.  The dizziness was very pronounced as a child.  Also skin eruptions, dry patches that itch mostly on my face.  Curious--these showed up when I was pregnant with my daughter.  Even then, the docs didn't relate it to food allergies, they just said, get more protein, a cup of cottage cheese everyday, and don't forget several glasses of milk.

After my daughter was born I moved onto a mini farm and raised goats for milking.  My husband was a fan of drinking gallons of milk. He loved the goat milk. I didn't care for it much, so stopped drinking milk.  This is how I began to discover I had an allergy.

If you want to quit all milk products--be sure to read labels because whey, lactose, casein, skim milk, powdered milk, etc. is listed on the label and is in many more products than you realize.  Just say no to dairy for 2 weeks--then add it back in.  See how you feel.  You'll know what to do.

Now how to eat out with a dairy intolerance.  Ask the wait-person to check with the chef to see if there is dairy in the soup and don't forget to ask for no cheese on your salad.  Oil and vinegar dressings are the safest.  I like Mexican food, and I can eat corn tortillas and ordering without cheese is fine with me as the sauces are picante and I still get a lovely dinner.  Italian is a little harder--sides usually work: meatballs, salads, clams, red sauces.  No bread, of course, which is such a disappointment.  Some towns are more hip to serving customers non-dairy and gluten-free meals.  I'm lucky I live in one, so I have more choices than some. Perhaps take along your own gluten-free bread sticks when you eat Italian out.   Not sure the restaurant will allow this, but it's worth a try.  Some Italian places serve rice pasta.  We've come a long way. 

Okay, good luck with this new way of eating.  If you have questions, write them in a comment.  I'll comment back...Cheers!  Nancy

Chicken with Artichoke Hearts

Place in a lightly oiled medium-hot frying pan cook Trader Joe's Organic Chicken Thighs (about 8), one chopped onion, 5 cloves garlic, and salt to taste.

While chicken is cooking, start rice in separate pot.  I like to use Jasmine Brown Rice.  Cook enough to serve four.

When chicken is nearly done, add 9 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed.  1/4 C. chopped fresh dill, cayenne pepper (optional) and 1/2 cup white wine.  Correct seasonings.  Serve over bed of rice.

Baked Lemon Rice with Herbs

Serves 6 to 8

4 Tbl. unsalted butter
2 shallots, peeled and finely minced
2 cups long-grain rice
Grated zest of 2 lemons
1 sprig of fresh tarragon
4 cups hot chicken stock
2 Tbl fresh tarragon leaves
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a medium flame-proof casserole and saute the shallots until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.  Stir in half the lemon zest, the tarragon sprig, and the stock.  Cover the casserole, place in the oven, and bake until the liquid is absorbed and the rice tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Stir in the remaining lemon zest and the tarragon leaves; season to taste and serve immediately.

From: The Martha Stewart Cookbook

Brown Rice: 3 Preparations

Simmered:

1 cup brown rice

1 1/2 - 2 cups cold water

1/8-1/4 tsp sea salt

Rinse rice and place in heavy pot with tight-fitting lid.  Bring rice to boil over high.  As the rice cooks, do not remove the lid.  Turn heat to low and simmer 1 hour or until water has been absorbed.  Serves 2

Roasted:

1 cup brown rice

1-1 1/2 cups cold water

1/8-1/4 tsp sea salt

Rinse rice and toast in a dry skillet, stirring frequently, until golden brown.  This will impart a nutty flavor.  Add water and cook for 40-50 minutes.  Serves 2   

Holiday Rice (to replace bread stuffing):

When rice is nearly down simmering, melt 1/2 cube butter in a stainless steel frying pan.  Add several stalks of celery chopped in 1/4 inch pieces and 1 onion, chopped fine.  Cook until these vegetables are tender.  Add cooked rice, stir.  Now and poultry seasoning to taste.  You may need to add more salt to correct seasonings.  

I love this dish and when I bring it to holiday dinners, it, as well as the stuffing, get polished off.

Butterscotch Brownies

Coltin and I whipped up a batch of these today--and we added chocolate chips.  His dad came to pick him up and he dallied, as the cookies weren't through baking yet.  So when they were ready, all warm and melty, I packed a few in a Tupperware container and put them in a bag, to eat at home.  Then I went back to talking to Coltin's Dad.  Then Coltin showed up with his backpack on, bag in hand, ready to go.  Cookie motivation.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in a bowl.
Add 1/2 brown sugar and stir well.

Add and mix well:
        1/4 tsp. salt
        1/2 tsp. vanilla
        1 egg
Stir in:
        3/4 cup rice flour
        1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
        1/2 cup chopped walnuts
        1/4 to 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Smooth into an oiled baking pan.  Bake for 20 minutes (or until golden) at 350.
    

Buckwheat Bread by Gordana

Here's a bread recipe shared by Gordana.  Thank you for sharing!  Enjoy!  Nancy

"Since I’m from a different culture with a long tradition of making “real” bread, I could call this cake rather than bread. I have one more example of wrong names concerning bread; any toast bread here in US would not qualify in Sarajevo’s bread category, more like soft foam-cardboard that only looks like bread. Our stomachs couldn’t make pace with these breads. So, we had to start making our own bread during the first years here in B’ham, ah what the trouble. At that time (18 years ago) we didn’t have so many good bakeries in town as now.

That all aside, this is a good substitute of bread for me. I have borrowed and tweaked the recipe from a local nutritionist’s blog, to be as simple as possible to make. I buy organic buckwheat (bulk @ Food Coop) and grind it myself with a coffee grinder. I have noticed that if the grinding process is long, the bread turns out a lighter in color. I do grind it for a shorter time (here you have to experiment), the result, a coarse flour as result, see the photo. Original recipe calls for “roasted” buckwheat, but I do not like the taste. Also, original recipe calls for a xanthan gum.  I have read that it is not very good for you at all, so it’s not in this one.

I have stop using rice flour, but if you do it will make the bread more “spongy” and less coarse ( more room for experimenting J) When I add rice flour, I do make my own by grinding organic medium grain brown rice that I buy bulk in our Food Coop.

In this recipe backing soda, vinegar, and agave syrup together act as a baking powder. If you add more flour to make this bread thicker, more of baking soda is needed. 

2 ½ -3 cups organic buckwheat flour

3/4 cup tapioca flour

½ cup organic rice flour-optional

about ½-1 tsp salt

1 ¾  to 2 tsp baking soda

1 TBS organic apple cider vinegar

about 3/4 TBS organic agave syrup (or honey)

¼ cup organic olive oil

1 ½ (about) warm water

Combine dry ingredients and mix.

Combine the rest of the ingredients with water. Pour water mix into dry ingredients and mix with a spoon for a very short time. The dough is better to be little bit “runny” than dry. Have a lightly oiled pan ready and pour the mix in it. Have your hands coated with oil and press the dough evenly, see the photo. The dough needs to have oil on top.  Preheat oven to 390 F, and bake the bread about 15 min, or until it is brown. It’s easy to over bake buckwheat bread. It needs to be little bit soft when it’s done, since it will get harder after cooling.

Then, enjoy eating it J…."  Gordana

Almond Flour Cookies

1/2 cup butter or ghee (Ghee is clarified butter, there is no milk solids in it, just butter fat)

1/4 cup granulated white sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup brown rice flour

2/3 cup almond flour

1 tsp. aluminum-free baking powder

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

Sliced almonds for decorating the top of the cookies

With cold hands, press into 2 inch rounds.  Decorate with sliced almonds.

Bake at 350 for 15- 20 minutes, or until browned.

Note: I haven't experimented with this recipe, yet it is similar to other cookie recipes I use.  I would experiment with using this recipe for a pie crust.

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Brown Rice Pilaf

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut a large acorn squash in half and place, cut side up, on a baking pan.  Add a bit of butter to the center to keep the squash moist. Cook squash for 35 to 45 minutes, or until tender.

Mix the following:
     Cook in butter 1/2 chopped onion and 3 sticks chopped celery.  Once tender add 2 cups of brown rice (you can buy bags of pre-cooked rice at Trader Joe's.  I use a rice cooker.  Season with salt and pepper and poultry seasoning.  The rice should taste like bread dressing.
      Stuff squash  with rice mixture and return to oven for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on whether or not you've just removed the squash from the oven.  Cover with foil if you are cooking it longer.


  

Apple Crisp

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Peel and slice 4 cups of apples.   Fill an 8x8 inch glass baking dish--it may take more than 4 cups.  I like to use Pink Lady apples, but there are many good apples to use, even wild apples in the fall will be delicious.  Shake some cinnamon over the apples (approx. 1 tsp.) and squeeze 1/2 lemon over the fruit if they are sweet but not tart.  A little salt on them brings out their flavor. Toss together.

Topping:

              Stir together

              3/4 cup brown rice flour

              1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar

              1 tsp cinnamon

              1/4 tsp salt

              Cut in 1/2 cup butter (if dairy bother's you so much that you need to replace butter with margarine, then try the soy spreads--there are some very good ones.)  I use my fingers to mix the topping together.  Now spread it on top of the apples evenly.

Bake approximately about 30 minutes.  Serve with coconut ice cream.