Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Cupcakes

These dense, gluten-free carrot cake cupcakes are topped with an easy cream cheese frosting and can be made up to 2 days in advance.

TOTAL TIME: 35 MIN
SERVINGS: MAKES 12 CUPCAKES OR 24 MINI CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups almond flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 cups grated carrot
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar
BUY INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325º. In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, and maple syrup. Stir in the carrots and 1/2 cup of the pecans and add into the dry ingredients. Stir to thoroughly combine. Pour the batter equally into a paper-lined cupcake tin. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean, then set aside and cool in the tin for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl or stand mixer, whip together the butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth.
Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, spread with frosting and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of chopped pecans and serve.

MAKE AHEAD

Cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Wheat-Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Coffee Icing

Makes 12 cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with parchment or paper liners.

Ingredients:
3/4 rounded cup sorghum flour
3/4 rounded cup potato starch, cornstarch or tapioca starch
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup organic cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 cup warm coffee (not too hot or it will make the starch gluey)
2 eggs
3 tablespoons organic canola or coconut oil
2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon light tasting rice vinegar

Instructions:
Whisk together the flours and dry ingredients.
Add in the coffee, egg, oil, vanilla and vinegar. Beat the batter for a full two to three minutes until all the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth.
Using an ice cream scoop, plop the batter into the cups and smooth the tops.
Bake in the center of a preheated oven till done- about 20 minutes or so.
Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack (don't let them sit in the baking pan too long or they'll get soggy).
Frost when completely cooled. See recipe for coffee flavored icing below.


If the batter "climbs" the beaters, slow down the speed and slightly lift the beaters to encourage the batter to move back down into the bowl. Move your beater around the bowl in figure eights, at a slight angle. Practice your technique- soon you'll be winging around gluten-free vegan baking like a pro.


Vegan Coffee Icing Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cups confectioner's (powdered) sugar
2-3 tablespoons Spectrum Organic Shortening or vegan margarine
2-4 ounces cold coffee, as needed
1 teaspoon bourbon vanilla

Instructions:
Starting with the least amount of liquid, beat the sugar to incorporate the shortening, coffee and vanilla. if you need more liquid, add a small amount at a time. beat for two minutes or so until smooth.
If you need to stiffen the frosting, add a little more confectioner's sugar.
Chill the frosting before using it. I chill it, covered, for roughly an hour.
Frost the cupcakes. Cover in an air-tight container until serving. best eaten the first day. If making ahead of time, chill frosted cakes briefly in the freezer before wrapping individually and freezing.
Cook time: 1 hour, total
Yield: Serves 12

Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats, divided
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate (at least 65 percent cacao)
Parchment paper
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt


PREPARATION

Heat oven to 375° and set racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. In a food processor or blender, pulse 1 1/4 cups oats until very finely ground. Add cornstarch and baking powder; pulse briefly. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in chocolate and remaining oats. Drop dough by tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt. Bake until edges are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Try: 350F for 9 min

(original recipe yields very crispy, brown cookies)



http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/flourless-oatmeal-chocolate-chunk-cookies-51236040

General Fruit Crumble / Crisp Guidelines

For a crisp that serves six to eight, a good place to start is with 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter: then add equal parts light brown sugar (1/2 cup) and two parts flour (1 cup). **Note: I sub almond meal, quinoa flour, oats, etc... for flour. 

Add a generous pinch of salt, and a pinch of cinnamon and/or nutmeg. If you want to add rolled oats or slivered almonds, mix these in now, too—you can add just a little, or up to as much as the amount of butter used.

Almond Meal Pie Crust

Ingredients

• 2 cups blanched almond flour
• ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 large egg

Instructions

1. Place flour and salt in food processor and pulse briefly
2. Add coconut oil and egg and pulse until mixture forms a ball
3. Press dough into a 9-inch pie dish
4. Bake at 350° for 8-12 minutes

Torta di Riso

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
3 cups chopped leeks
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cooked rice
1 1/2 cups finely chopped cooked spinach, squeezed dry
3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Brush a pie plate with 1 tablespoon olive and dust with 1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir leeks with a pinch of salt in hot oil until leeks are soft and sweet, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir garlic into leeks and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir leek mixture, rice, spinach, 3/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, eggs, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg together in a bowl. Transfer spinach-rice mixture to the prepared pie dish and smooth the surface with a spatula; dust the top with remaining 1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven until torta is lightly browned around the outside and firm to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes.

*** Notes: I doubled the recipe, used different vegetables (1 large red pepper, 1 large green pepper; about 2 cups of peas, 1 large onion in place of leeks), and subbed some shredded cheese for about half of the parmesan. I also added some milk (w/o measuring) since the rice looked too dry. It probably totaled about 1/2 cup to 1 cup. The results were very good. I think the dish would have been much too dry without the milk. 

Shakshuka Recipes

New York Times Version

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1 (28-ounce) can whole plumtomatoes with juices, coarsely chopped
¾ teaspoon salt, more as needed
¼ teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
5 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 1/4 cups)
6 large eggs
Chopped cilantro, for serving
Hot sauce, for serving


PREPARATION
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook gently until very soft, about 20 minutes. Add garlic and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes; stir in cumin, paprika and cayenne, and cook 1 minute. Pour in tomatoes and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; simmer until tomatoes have thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in crumbled feta.
Gently crack eggs into skillet over tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are just set, 7 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with hot sauce.

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Dave Leibovitz's Shakshuka

3 to 4 servings

Adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi and Secrets of the Best Chefs by Adam Roberts.

I’ve made Shakshuka a number of ways; in individual baking dishes, so everyone gets their own portion, to using a large skillet, so folks can eat communally. I’ve given indications for how to do both.

Because everyone likes their eggs cooked differently (which is why when I was cooking in restaurants, I refused to work breakfast shifts – talk about stress!), keep an eye on the Shakshuka as its cooking and use the times indicated as guidelines; various factors can affect cooking times and it’s hard to say precisely how long they will cook. When served, the eggs should be still runny so that the yolks mingle with the spicy sauce.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 – 1 chile pepper (or to taste), stemmed, sliced in half and deseeded, finely diced/minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika, smoked or sweet
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed, or 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 pounds (1kg) ripe tomatoes, cored and diced, or two 14-ounce cans of diced or crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon red wine or cider vinegar
• 1 cup (20g) loosely packed greens, such as radish greens, watercress, kale, Swiss chard, or spinach, coarsely chopped
• 4 ounces (about 1 cup, 115g) feta cheese, cut in generous, bite-sized cubes
• 4 to 6 eggs

1. In a wide skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and wilted. Add the chile pepper, the salt, pepper, and spices. Cook for a minute, stirring constantly, to release their fragrance.

2. Add the fresh or canned tomatoes, tomato paste, honey, and vinegar, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened somewhat but is still loose enough so that when you shake the pan it sloshes around. (Fresh tomatoes may take a little longer to cook than canned.) Stir in the chopped greens.

3. If you want to finish the Shakshuka on the stovetop, turn off the heat and press the cubes of feta into the tomato sauce. With the back of a spoon, make 6 indentations in the sauce. Crack an egg into each indentation, then drag a spatula gently through the egg whites so it mingles a bit with the tomato sauce, being careful not to disturb the yolks.

Turn the heat back on so the sauce is at a gentle simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes, taking some of the tomato sauce and basting the egg whites from time-to-time. Cover, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until the eggs are cooked to your liking.

4. To finish them individually, preheat the oven to 375ºF (180ºC.) Divide the sauce into 6 baking dishes and press the feta cubes into the sauce. Set the baking dishes on a baking sheet, make an indentation in each, and crack and egg into the center. Bake until the eggs are cooked to your liking, basting the whites with some of the sauce midway during baking, which will take anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes – but begin checking them sooner to get them just right. If the yolks begin to get a little firm on top before the whites are cooked, drape a sheet of foil over them, but avoid having it touch the yolks.

Serve with lots of crusty bread for scraping up the sauce.

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Saveur's Version
This classic Israeli breakfast, a dish of Libyan origin, can be served as a main course for any meal of the day.

SERVES 4-6

Ingredients

• 5 Anaheim chiles or 3 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1 (28-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained
• 8 eggs
• 1⁄2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Warm < a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Pita-Bread">pita, for serving
• 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

Heat oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high heat. Add chiles and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.
Put tomatoes and their liquid into a medium bowl and crush with your hands. Add crushed tomatoes and their liquid to skillet along with 1⁄2 cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 20 minutes. Season sauce with salt.
Crack eggs over sauce so that eggs are evenly distributed across sauce's surface. Cover skillet and cook until yolks are just set, about 5 minutes. Using a spoon, baste the whites of the eggs with tomato mixture, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with pita, for dipping.

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The Simplest Recipe...

Ingredients

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)
1 cup cubed tofu or feta (optional)
6 eggs
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cloves garlic, roughly diced
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 lbs fresh tomatoes, unpeeled and cut in quarters, or one 28 oz can

Directions

Place the tomatoes, garlic, salt, paprika, tomato paste, and vegetable oil in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, over low heat until thick, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Ladle the tomato sauce into a greased 12″ frying pan. Bring to a simmer and break the eggs over the tomatoes. Gently break the yolks with a fork. If adding feta, tofu, and parsley, sprinkle them on top. Cover and continue to cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, until the eggs are set. Bring the frying pan directly to the table. Set it on a trivet and spoon out the shakshuka.

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Einat Admony's Recipe (Taim and Balaboosta Chef / Owner)

EPICURIOUS FEBRUARY 2014

In Israel the word shakshuka is synonymous with breakfast. It's best with a slice or two of challah bread to sop up the juices. This is a version of my dad's recipe, except that he used to mix the eggs together, because my older sister refused to eat the egg whites. Here is the recipe I prefer.

YIELD: Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
• 1 large jalapeño chile, cored, seeded, and chopped
• 7 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground caraway
• 1/2 bunch Swiss chard, stemmed and chopped, or spinach
• 8 to 12 large eggs

PREPARATION

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and sauté over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the bell peppers and jalapeño and cook just until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and sauté for another 2 minutes.

2. Slowly pour in the tomatoes. Stir in the bay leaf, sugar, salt, paprika, cumin, pepper, and caraway and let the mixture simmer for 20 minutes. Layer the Swiss chard leaves on top.

3. Crack the eggs into the tomato mixture. Cover and simmer for approximately 10 minutes or until the whites of the eggs are no longer translucent.

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Panna Cotta Recipes

(From Smitten Kitchen)

Yogurt Panna Cotta with Honey and Walnuts
As far as panna cottas go, this is on the soft side but will still slice or hold a form. For a firmer panna cotta, reduce the milk or cream by 1/2 cup. I used this recipe as my starting point but altered the proportions so it used one container, not one plus a fraction of another, always irksome, of yogurt. I significantly reduced the sugar; I recommend 1/2 cup for a standalone but not achingly sweet yogurt panna cotta that could be served with fresh berries or just a drizzle of honey. If you’d like to fully drape or coat the panna cotta with honey, I recommend dropping the sugar to 1/4 cup to compensate. I also replaced most of the suggested cream with milk, using 1 1/2 cups milk with 1/2 cup cream; you can use all cream, all milk, or anywhere in-between but I found that at least a small amount of cream added a richness that stretched far. As for the yogurt, I used, and highly recommend a full-fat Greek yogurt. The dish will work with others (lower fat and non-Greek yogurts) but it is astronomically more delicious with the real deal. If you only have regular yogurt but want to approximate the richness of Greek yogurt at home, you can set yours to strain in a fine-mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter or layers of cheesecloth over a bowl in the fridge for a few hours or up to a day until the yogurt on top thickens.

[Updated 4/29/13 to move the lemon juice addition to the end, as some people were experiencing curdling when it was heated. So sorry for any trouble.]

Yield: 1 9-inch round panna cotta or 7 to 8 1/2-cup servings*

Panna cotta
Neutral oil such as canola or safflower
4 tablespoons (60 ml) water
2 1/2 teaspoons (1 packet or 1/4 ounce or 7 grams) unflavored gelatin
2 cups (460 grams) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
2 cups (475 ml) milk, heavy cream or a combination thereof (see note up top), divided
1/4 to 1/2 cup (50 to 100 grams) granulated sugar (see note up top)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)

To serve
1/3 to 1/2 cup (110 to 170 grams) honey
1/2 to 3/4 cup (55 to 85 grams) walnuts, toasted, cooled and coarsely chopped

If you plan to unmold the panna cotta later, lightly coat the inside of a 9-inch round cake pan or smaller dessert cups with the oil. (No need to if you will scoop it from its cups.)

Place water in a small bowl. Stir in gelatin and set aside until the gelatin softens, about 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk all of yogurt and 1 cup of milk, cream or a mixture thereof. In a small saucepan, bring remaining milk or cream and sugar to a simmer. Stir in water-gelatin mixture (it will dissolve immediately) and remove from heat. Whisk this mixture into the yogurt mixture, then stir in lemon juice at the end. Pour mixture into cake pan or smaller cups and chill in fridge for at least 2 hours for small cups and up to 8 for a large pan. It’s best to do this the night before you need it, to be safe.

To unmold the cake pan, fill a larger baking dish with 1-inch boiling water. Dip panna cotta cake pan in it for 10 seconds, then flip it out onto a flat round platter. (A curved one will cause the panna cotta to appear sunken in the middle.)

To unmold smaller dishes, bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer and dip the bottom of a small panna cotta cup in one for five seconds, then invert it onto a plate. Repeat with remaining cups.

Right before you serve the panna cotta, sprinkle it with walnuts and drizzle it with honey. This needs to be done right before you serve it because the honey will (unfortunately) become liquidy and roll off it it sits on the panna cottas for too long.

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David Leibowitz's Panna Cotta

• 4 cups (1l) heavy cream (or half-and-half)
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 2 packets powdered gelatin (about 4 1/2 teaspoons)
• 6 tablespoons (90ml) cold water

1. Heat the heavy cream and sugar in a saucepan or microwave. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

(If using a vanilla bean, scrape the seeds from the bean into the cream and add the bean pod. Cover, and let infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the bean then rewarm the mixture before continuing.)

2. Lightly oil eight custard cups with a neutral-tasting oil.

3. Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a medium-sized bowl and let stand 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Pour the very warm Panna Cotta mixture over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin is completely dissolved.

5. Divide the Panna Cotta mixture into the prepared cups, then chill them until firm, which will take at least two hours but I let them stand at least four hours. (Judy told me American refrigerators are colder than European ones. )

If you’re pressed for time, pour the Panna Cotta mixture into wine goblets so you can serve them in the glasses, without unmolding.

6. Run a sharp knife around the edge of each Panna Cotta and unmold each onto a serving plate, and garnish as desired.

Skirlie (Scottish Oats Recipe)

Spring Skirlie (Non traditional)
I use a non-stick pan, with enough room to stir the spinach in which can take up a lot of space before it wilts down.

Serves 2 - 3 as a side dish


100g, about a cup, of rolled oats (also called old-fashioned oats, oatflakes and flaked oats)
2 tbsp olive oil
4 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 large handfuls baby spinach, washed and roughly shredded
Hot water
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the spring onion and cook for for five minutes, taking care not to burn.

Add the thyme leaves. Reduce the heat and stir in the oats. Cook on a low heat for five minutes. The oats will absorb the oil and develop a toasty flavour.

Add a small splash of hot water and continue cooking for a couple more minutes . The oats should soften slightly but keep their shape. Add a little more water if desired.

Stir in the spinach and warm until the spinach has wilted into the oats.

Serve immediately, ideally in warmed bowls.


http://www.mostlyeating.com/skirlie-fast-savoury-oats




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Skirlie with Onions

4 servings

• 4ounces bacon fat (may substitute vegetable oil) or 4 ounces beef suet (may substitute vegetable oil)
• 2onions, finely chopped
• 4 -6ounces chicken stock
• 8ounces old-fashioned oatmeal, lightly toasted (do not use instant or quick-cooking oats)
• salt and pepper

Melt the fat or heat the oil in a large frying pan.
Add the onion and cook until soft and golden.
Add the oatmeal and mix in well.
Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the stock and allow it to be absorbed by the oatmeal.
Season well and serve with light creamy mashed potatoes.
(Skirlie may also be used as a stuffing for any kind of game bird or poultry. It is also a very good accompaniment to rich meaty and gamy stews).

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Gluten Free Berry Cobbler

YIELD: 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS

Filling:

• 1-1/3 cups frozen blueberries
• 1-1/3 cups frozen blackberries
• 1-1/3 cups frozen raspberries
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Topping:

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
• 1 cup gluten free quick oats
• 1/3 cup gf flour blend
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Filling:
Mix berries, sugar, cinnamon and corn starch in a large bowl.
Add water and lemon juice. Pour mixture into a 8-inch square baking dish.

Topping:
Combine butter, brown sugar, quick oats, gf flour and cinnamon
in a medium sized bowl with a pastry blend er until butter is in small pieces. Sprinkle over top of berries.

Bake for 45 minutes until fruit is bubbly and topping is browned. Serve warm or at room temperature. Delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

** NOTES: Made with all wineberries. Seems like topping amount is excessive. 

Watermelon Gazpacho

Ingredients

• 2 cups watermelon, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 large tomato
• 1 serrano chili (or sub red chili powder to taste)
• 2 tbs vinegar (cider + balsamic)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbs chopped cilantro
• 1/2 green bell pepper 
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• salt to taste 

Reserve 1/4 cup diced watermelon. Blend remaining ingredients until mostly smooth with small chunks or per your preference. Serve garnished with diced watermelon.

Waffle Recipes

Gluten Free (or Whole Wheat) Waffles
Yield: 4 large waffles or 8 small

Ingredients
1 and 1/4 cup brown rice flour (or whole wheat flour if not GF)
1/4 cup almond meal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup orange juice + 3 tablespoons orange zest (juice/zest of 2 large oranges)
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 tablespoon honey



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Whole Wheat Waffles
Serves: 4 - 5

Ingredients

2 large eggs
1 ¾ cups milk
¼ cup oil or melted butter
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour (I used King Arthur’s organic white whole-wheat flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS


Preheat your waffle iron.


In a large mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, honey, cinnamon, and baking soda until well combined.


Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk together just until the large lumps disappear.


When the waffle iron is hot, dab it with a little butter and then ladle some batter onto the center of the iron. Follow the instructions that came with your waffle maker to know how long it should be cooked (mine takes about 3 - 4 minutes each).


Serve with syrup, honey, powdered sugar or fresh fruit.


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Gluten Free Waffles Total Time: 35 mins

Active Time: 15 mins

Makes: 6 to 8 waffles

For these gluten-free waffles, a mix of almond flour, rice flour, and tapioca starch (plus a mashed ripe banana) keeps things crisp, light, and naturally sweet. Fresh or frozen blueberries baked into the batter offer the perfect flavor and textural contrast.

1 cup almond flour
1 cup brown or white rice flour
1/3 cup tapioca starch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 large very ripe banana
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
4 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozenblueberries
Cooking spray
Salted butter and maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

1Heat the oven to 250°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Set a wire rack on a baking sheet and place it in the oven.
2In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, rice flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, and salt to break up any lumps.
3In another bowl, mash the banana, then add the melted butter, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. Whisk until combined. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until the ingredients are moistened and just combined. Stir in the blueberries.

Gluten Free Garbanzo Bean and Brown Rice Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

(makes approx 28 cookies)

Ingredients

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1/8 cup almond flour (approx) 
• 1 tbs flax seed
• 1/2 cup sugar (1/2 cup results in very lightly sweetened cookies; could use up to 3/4 cup if you prefer your cookies sweeter; approx 1 cup would yield conventionally overly sweet cookies)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional, esp. if using commercial peanut butter with salt added) 
• 1/2 cup peanut butter or other nut butter 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Mix all dry ingredients (up to salt) in a large mixing bowl. Stir in peanut butter, vanilla and egg until mixture is crumbly. Slowly add milk, stirring to incorporate evenly. Mix until batter is thick and uniform. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop batter by 1 tbs mounds onto a lightly greased cookie sheet, leaving approx 1 inch between each cookie. (Batter is thick and will not run during baking.) Try to flatten each cookie slightly unless you prefer cake-like cookies.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned. 

Cool completely before eating.

Gluten Free Almond and Brown Rice Flour Pancakes

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 8 pancakes

Ingredients

2 eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup milk
½ cup sliced fresh strawberries or other fruit
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup almond flour
¾ cup brown rice flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, chopped fruit and vanilla extract.

Add in the flours, baking powder and salt and stir together until combined.

Add enough oil to a skillet to coat the bottom and heat to medium.

Measure ¼ cup of pancake batter and pour on the skillet. A 12” skillet will cook 3 pancakes at a time comfortably.

Allow the pancakes to cook until the edges firm up and small bubbles rise to the top.

Flip and cook on the other side an additional minute or two until pancakes are cooked all the way through.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients
1/2 cup Pecan Halves chopped
1/2 cup Pure Maple Syrup or Honey
2 Eggs large *
1/2 cup Potato Starch
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 Tbsp Molasses
1 tsp Cider Vinegar
1/3 cup Tapioca Flour
1-1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Ground Allspice
3/4 cup Pumpkin canned
1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
3/4 cup Garbanzo Bean Flour
1 tsp Xanthan Gum
1-1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray standard 12-muffin pan with cooking spray or use paper liners.

Combine pumpkin, maple syrup, molasses, oil, egg (or tofu), and vinegar in large mixing bowl. Beat on low until very, very smooth, about 1 minute.

Combine remaining ingredients (except nuts) and add to pumpkin mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened. Stir in nuts. Transfer batter to prepared pan (use spring-action ice cream scoop for uniformly-sized muffins) and bake for 25-30 minutes or until firm.

Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Makes 12 muffins

*Egg Alternative: Use 1/2 cup silken tofu, blended until smooth.

Persian Turkey (or Lamb) Kebabs

Persian Turkey Kofta Kebabs
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 3 kebabs • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 185.4 • Fat: 8.3 g • Protein: 22.9 g • Carb: 5.1 g • Fiber: 0.8 g • Sugar: 0.3 g
Sodium: 114.5 mg (without the salt)

Ingredients:

20 oz 93% lean ground turkey
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic. minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (I have subbed cilantro for a different, but also great, flavor)
2 tbsp bread crumbs (I skipped; could use oats, but it would be looser)
1/4 tsp allspice (I used about 1 tsp)
1/4 tsp coriander (I used about a tablespoon) 

(I also added ground cumin)
1/4 tsp paprika (I used about a tablespoon)
1/4 tsp chili powder (I used 1-2 tsp)
salt and fresh pepper (to taste)

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the ground turkey, onion, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, spices, salt and pepper until evenly blended. (I used a food processor for a smoother texture) 

Divide into a heaping 1/4 cup portions so you get 12; roll into log shaped ovals. Place on a cookie sheet and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. If using wooden skewers, soak in water at least 30 minutes before grilling.

When ready to eat, preheat grill to high heat. Carefully insert the skewer through the formed meat.

Grill for 10 to 15 minutes on indirect heat turning occasionally, until meat is no longer pink.

Serve with yogurt tahini sauce (plain yogurt, tahini, minced garlic, lemon or lime juice, salt, optional honey) or yogurt cucumber sauce. 

How to Grill Duck Breast

Season duck. (I use some combination of salt, garlic or onion powder, rosemary, pepper, cumin, usually.) Then....

1.

Grill the duck breasts skin side down over moderate heat until lightly charred and crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn the breasts and cook for about 4 minutes longer for medium-rare meat. Transfer the duck to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes.

----

2. 

Heat a grill to medium (make sure it's not too hot since the key is to cook duck slowly to render the fat) and wipe down the grates with an oiled towel. Place the duck skin-side down on the grate and cook until the skin is seared and the fat is rendered, 4 to 5 minutes. (If there are occasional flare-ups from the fat, move the duck around on the grill to a new spot away from the flame each time.) Flip the duck over and place on a cooler part of the grill. Cook for an additional 5 minutes for medium-rare. Let rest for 5 to 7 minutes before cutting against the grain into thick slices.

Quinoa and Almond Burger

Combining quinoa with raw almonds, these are protein-rich veggie burgers. They are very flavorful without being spicy for little palates. Try serving with sliced avocado.

What you'll need
— 2 cups raw almonds
— 1 small-medium clove garlic, cut
— 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
— 1 tbsp tamari
— 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste or ketchup
— 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
— 1/4 tsp sea salt
— 3/4 cup green onions, sliced
— 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
— 1 1/2 cups cooked/cooled quinoa

What to do
In a food processor, add almonds, garlic, balsamic, tamari, tomato paste, rosemary and salt. Puree until the nuts are very finely ground, and becoming a little sticky. Add green onions and sun-dried tomatoes, and pulse through until the mixture starting to hold. Add quinoa and process/pulse until well incorporated. Remove mixture, shape into patties. Cook on a non-stick skillet over medium heat, 5-6 minutes on each side. Makes about 6 patties.

http://www.todaysparent.com/recipes/vegetarian-recipes-kids-will-love/?gallery_page=10#gallery_top

Protein Power Balls / Truffles

What you'll need
— 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
— 1/2 cup coconut flour (or 3/4 cup rolled oats)
— 1/3 cup hemp seeds
— 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
— 1 1/2 cups pitted dates
— 3 tbsp cocoa powder
— 2-3 tbsp chocolate protein powder
— 1/4 tsp sea salt (scant)
— 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

What to do
In a food processor, process the pumpkin seeds, coconut flour, hemp seeds and sunflower seeds until fine and crumbly. Add the dates and process slightly. Add remaining ingredients and process until mixture forms a ball — this will take a few minutes, keep processing! Take small spoonfuls (about 1 tbsp) and roll in balls. Makes 25-28 balls.

Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with Garbanzo Bean Flour

Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs at room temperature, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger powder (optional)
4 tablespoons peanut butter
1 1/2 cups chickpea flour
3/4 cups oats
1/2 teaspoon salt (if using salted butter, omit)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (or use 3/4 tsp baking powder)
2/3 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix butter, sugars, molasses, eggs, and vanilla.

Mix chickpea flour, oats, salt, soda, and baking powder in a separate bowl.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop by the heaping tablespoon onto a greased baking sheet. 

Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. 

Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing. Cool completely on a wire rack.