Cauliflower Pizza Crust (Gluten Free!)

It has been quite a few weeks since my friend Susan first gave me this recipe. And after losing it 3 times and running out of cauliflower twice, I finally got it made! It was good, although I altered the recipe a bit. I have an idea for a version that will blend this recipe with the other gluten free crust recipe. Once I get that figured out, I'll definitely post! This was good, filling and yet without all the heaviness of "real" pizza. It made 2 pizzas, 4 slices each, and 2 slices was definitely enough per person.

Gluten Free Cauliflower Pizza

2 c shredded cauliflower (about 1/2 head of cauliflower, shredded using cheese grater and then steamed)
2 eggs
2 c shredded mozzarella (I used a bag of Organic Valley Italian blend which is 1 1/2 c and then 1/2 c Parmesan)
dash each of oregano, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, salt

sauce, cheese, toppings of choice

Preheat oven to 450 degree. Place parchment paper on 2 baking sheets. Mix all ingredients together. Divide and form into 2 large circles.

Bake about 20 minutes. About halfway through I turned the crusts and switched the racks for even baking. Here's what it looked like after baking:

Add sauce (I use Nature's Promise organic sauces), spices (onion, garlic), cheese (Organic Valley Mozzarella), toppings (onion and pepper) and more spices (oregano and parsley). Bake at 350 for a few minutes to melt cheese, it will not take long. Enjoy!

Crab Cakes, Cheddar Biscuits and Spaghetti Squash

I love all three of the foods listed in the title. I just HAD to figure out how to make gluten free garlic cheddar biscuits. So, here's the yummy recipes (thanks again to Susan for the squash recipe!).

Crab Cakes (adapted from the recipe on the back of the Old Bay container)

1 lb crab meat (I was so thankful to have picked mine out of crabs we had last summer!)
2 T mayo
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp Old Bay (but I really didn't measure)
1/3 c gluten free bread crumbs (I didn't measure this either, just sprinkled a little in to help hold it together, I really wanted to have as little as possible.)
2 tsp parsley (yeah, didn't measure this either)

Mix all ingredients together. Form into small round patties (I got 8 out of one pound of meat). Heat skillet on medium heat (too hot and you'll sear the outside but the inside will be cool). Cook on both sides until brown. You can also broil but for some reason I have never done that. Enjoy! These also reheat well on foil in the oven (as you can see from the pic).

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

2 eggs
1 c milk
2 c Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour
1 T baking soda
1/2 c melted palm shortening
dash salt
garlic powder (as much as you like)
1/2 c shredded garlic

melted butter, garlic, parsley, salt grinder

Mix all ingredients and drop on greased cookie sheet (I did not use parchment paper but perhaps should have). Bake about 10 minutes or until light brown on top. When they are almost done, brush with mixture of melted butter, garlic, parsley and salt and return to oven for last few minutes.

The batter was runnier than I thought, and I might eliminate the eggs next time (they were really in there by accident this time). And DO NOT lick the batter- yuck! Don't know what it is, but most of my gluten free batters have tasted horrible! The result was not bad, but not as good as my other, non gf kind. I'll try another incarnation at some point and let you know how it goes!

Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin (to be honest I had no idea how this would turn out, but loved it!)

1 medium spaghetti squash (I wash, cut in 1/2 and boil until soft, then use 2 large forks to scrape out the flesh)
2 T butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 c sour cream
1 c shredded cheddar cheese

Saute squash, onion and butter in skillet about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and add sour cream and 1/2 cheese. Place in baking dish (I used a glass bread pan which worked well) and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes. I liked a little pepper on mine as well.

I know this picture doesn't do it justice but I forgot to take a picture of it in the pan. This also reheats well in the oven!

Chunky Monkey Muffins

I owe the finding of this recipe to my friend Susan. The recipe came from Tropical Tradition's free recipe site. It is SO yummy and absolutely does not have the texture of a gluten free muffin at all. I did make a few tweaks, and mine haven't looked at all like the picture on the site, which is kind of funny. One side affect of these muffins is you may randomly go around saying "chunky monkey, chunky monkey" just for fun. Don't ask how I know ;)

Chunky Monkey Muffins

1/2 c coconut flour
dash salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
dash cinnamon
6 eggs
1/3 c honey
1/3 c coconut oil, melted (I usually place in a small glass dish and place in the oven so it can melt while the oven preheats)
1 T vanilla
3/4 c mashed banana or applesauce (or a combo of both...oooh, this might be yummy with pumpkin!)
1/2 c walnuts, broken in small pieces
1/3 c unsweetened coconut flakes
1/3 c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a small bowl, mix together flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. In a large bowl, mix together banana, eggs, honey, oil, and vanilla. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet till thoroughly mixed. Fold in walnuts, coconut and chocolate.Scoop batter into muffin tins to 3/4 full and bake for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

Microwave?

 

In our fast-paced society, we want everything done quicker. This, of course, has carried over into our food and cooking. I have been leery of  the microwave for a few years now and have tried to cut back my usage. After reading this article I don't care if I never use it again! Yuck! I have always known of the radiation issues, but there is so much more! Here's the skinny, but I encourage you to read the full article.

"Ten Reasons to Throw out your Microwave Oven

From the conclusions of the Swiss, Russian and German scientific clinical studies, we can no longer ignore the microwave oven sitting in our kitchens. Based on this research, we will conclude this article with the following:

1. Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term - permanent - brain damage by "shorting out" electrical impulses in the brain [de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue].
2. The human body cannot metabolize [break down] the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.
3. Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.
4. The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual [long term, permanent] within the human body.
5. Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.
6. The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.
7. Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths [tumors]. This may explain the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in America.
8. The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.
9. Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.
10. Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence."

Scared yet? And how often are we using the microwave? Most likely multiple times per day. And even if some of these claims are false, what is the chance that they all are? To be safe, I'm done with it. The last holdout for me was bacon, since I could never seem to get it quite right in the pan and always did it in the microwave.

I have found that broiling it on a cooling rack at 350 for a few minutes, then flipping the bacon and increasing the temp to 375 gets it done without much more time and just as good of crunchiness. Swab off the grease with a paper towel and you are good to go!

Update: I have recently switch from cooking the bacon on the cooling rack to having it on aluminum foil right on the pan. Sometimes the rack was tricky to clean and the bacon comes out just as nicely! Just broil at 375 or 400 and flip every 5 minutes until done to you crunchiness. I have found when the bacon is close, if I turn off the oven and let it finish it does best.

Of course don't get me started on conventional bacon, that has enough issues (nitrates or nitrites anyone?). We eat Applegate Farms bacon and can get it reasonably priced at BJ's.

Yum, Yum, and YUM! GF Choco Chip PB Cookies

A while back I found a recipe for gluten free chocolate chip cookies (this was before I started eating GF but I wanted to make them for my dad). I needed to purchase quinoa flakes and it took me a while to find them (in the cereal section of Sonnewald) and then after purchasing them, it took me a while to make because the recipe called for 1 cup of peanut butter and that seemed like a lot for a batch of cookies. So I waited, and waited. Then I finally decided to make them for a family get-together. And I couldn't find the recipe. Ugh. Figures! Then, to my surprise, there was a recipe on the back of the quinoa flake box so I used that as my base and made some of the most delicious cookies ever, gluten free or not! The dough was to die for, I could have eaten it all raw! I think that they would make a great raw cookie dough cake pop, covered in chocolate! And these are also vegan! Interestingly enough these were called "crispy" cookies on the recipe, but they turned out chewy for me, perhaps because I shortened the baking time a bit, didn't want them to burn! They have the consistency of an oatmeal cookie due to the quinoa flakes.

GF Chewy Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Adapted from the recipe on the back of the Ancient Harvest Quinoa Flake Box
Made 18 large cookies

1/2 c raw and/or local honey
1/3 c sucanat
1/2 c (1 stick) Earth Balance vegan butter, softened or melted
1/2 c peanut butter (I want to try w/ almond butter next)
1 T vanilla
1 c rice flour
3/4 c quinoa flakes
1 tsp baking soda
dash of salt
dash of cinnamon
1/2 c chocolate chips (or nuts/raisins, but I wanted chocolate)

Preheat oven to 350. Beat honey, sucanat, sugar, butter, peanut butter and vanilla. (I did not use a mixer or hand beater, just a wooden spoon :) Combine flour, flakes, soda, salt and cinnamon in small bowl. Add to first mixture and beat until well blended. Add chocolate chips and stir. Drop rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheet (I used both parchment paper and a greased cookie sheet and preferred the parchment paper). Bake about 12-15 minutes. Cool 1 minute on pan and then cool on baker's rack. Enjoy! And don't forget to lick the bowl!

Gluten Free Pizza

I have a bunch of GF pizza crust recipes I'd like to try. Problem is, many of them have a LONG list of ingredients, and I'm just not into that so much. Unfortunately I think that is the downside of GF baking b/c a greater variety of flours are needed to make a quality product. Other than the coconut muffins, I really haven't baked that much recently. And after baking some more things this week, I feel like I need to get back to the salad/cooked veggie routine and avoid baking, even GF. It's just not what my body needs/wants the most!

Either way, I need to have a way to eat pizza at least every once in a while and this turned out MUCH better than I thought it would after looking at the ingredient list. I used this recipe from the Free Coconut Recipes site by Tropical Traditions. There is a plethora of recipes, many of which are GF. I love ordering from Tropical Traditions, especially when they are having a free shipping sale or a sale on their coconut oil.

Gluten Free Pizza- I found the recipe made 4 slices, but not enough for 4 servings if it was the only food being served. With a salad, though, one slice filled you up! (Although I still ate 2 slices...) Use your favorite sauce (I used Nature's Promise Organic Garden Veggie) and toppings (organic moz and Parmesan, garlic, onion, parsley, oregano).

2 cups whole milk organic mozzarella cheese, shredded (I used an Organic Valley Italian blend)
2 large organic eggs
2 tablespoons flax meal (ground)
2 tablespoons coconut flour
½ teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper out for baking sheet. (Try to get one that is unbleached.)

Mix cheese, eggs, flax, coconut flour, and baking powder together until a sticky wet dough is formed. Spread with a spatula to ¼ inch thickness on a baking sheet lined with one piece of parchment paper. (I'm sure mine was thicker than this.)

Bake for 30 minutes in preheated oven. Halfway through the baking process, flip crust over by sliding it off the baking sheet with the parchment paper, placing the second piece on the sheet, and turning the crust over unto the new sheet and peeling the old paper off. (I was skeptical that this would work, but it did using a spatula to help turn so I didn't burn my hand- the crust was very hot!) Return to oven until done baking.

Remove from oven, slide off of parchment paper, and flip over again for cooling. Once crust is cooled (I did not wait for it to cool), top with sauce, pre-cooked veggies or meats, and cheese. Set crust with toppings under the broiler on high for a minute or two until cheese is melted and bubbly (Watch carefully! I left in a bit too long and the very edge of the crust was a little burnt). Slice and serve.

Artichoke Adventure

I am on a quest to include a greater variety of fruits and vegetables to my diet. I recently started eating (and enjoying) fresh steamed green beans (something I never liked before). At Sonnewald the other week, there were artichokes for just a little over a dollar each so I figured I'd give them a try. I just bought one, that way I wouldn't be out too much money in case we hated it! Almost every recipe I found online said to put olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic cloves on the artichoke (after cutting off the stem and the top) and bake for over an hour wrapped in foil. Well, I did that. It smelled great. It looked amazing. It tasted alright. But the texture- yuck! You could chew on one leaf forever! I felt like a cow chewing the cud. So I don't know if I didn't cook it long enough, if I picked an artichoke that was not quite ready, or what the deal was. Any ideas? Needless to say I'm going to take a break from artichokes for the moment. Hopefully I can figure out what went wrong and try it again!

Gluten-Free Waffles

My kids enjoy having breakfast (waffles, pancakes, french toast) for dinner when it is just us. I don't mind making a "normal" recipe, but since I haven't had waffles in years, I wanted to try a GF version and see if it passed the "kid test". It did! I will warn you, don't like the bowl- the batter tastes horrible! Once I tried it I added mini chocolate chips! But once it was cooked it took on a whole new flavor- yum! It is based on this recipe from the Bob's Red Mill site (they have LOTS of recipes!).

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp Sugar
1-1/2 cups GF all purpose baking flour
1 tsp xanthum gum
1 Tbsp vanilla
Dash (or two) of cinnamon
1 Tbsp melted extra virgin coconut oil
1- 11/2 cup milk (The original recipe only calls for 1/2 c but I found I had to add A LOT more to get the right consistency. I'm not sure how much I put in, so I would start with 1/2 and then add as needed.)
1 large egg

Optional- 2 Tbsp mini choc chips or 1/2 c blueberries

Blend all ingredients except for coconut oil with whisk until thoroughly blended. (I used my Pampered Chef batter bowl). Let batter sit for five minutes. While batter rests, preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions. Lightly oil hot waffle iron, if necessary (I use a Pampered Chef oil spray bottle instead of nonstick sprays- less chemicals and I haven't refilled the bottle yet- in over 2 months!). Pour 1/3 of batter onto heated waffle iron. Close and bake until steaming stops and waffle is deeply browned, about 4-6 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.

Makes 3 waffles (although it should make 4, I think if I made it a thinner consistency I would be able to get 4).

For Pancakes: Just make the batter a little thinner, I separated the batter into 3 (one) cup amounts to make blueberry, chocolate chip and plain. Cook on heated griddle with butter. Once the pancake starts to bubble and become dry on top check the bottom and flip. The second side does not take as long as the first.

My Favorite Potatoes

Potato Chips and French Fries

These are both extremely easy and very tasty when made with coconut shortening! I used a Pampered Chef Simple Slicer on the smallest setting to make the chips. I used mostly sweet potatoes (I only had one small russet left) and found them to taste a lot like the Utz Naturals chips (I don't each chips often, but if I do it is these!).

Heat coconut oil (I didn't check with a thermometer) and test for readiness with one small chip. Fry each batch about 3 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and let drain on cooling rack on baking sheet.

The chips did get a little soggy, so next time I will put on a cooling rack in the oven to help dry the oil off the chips. It was very hard not to eat these as they came out of the oil, since I had to taste one of each batch to make sure it was done enough!

To make the french fries, I cut the potatoes (I use a Pampered Chef apple slicer and then cut the slices into smaller slices), then soaked in cold, salted water for about 1/2 an hour.

Dry the potatoes well. Heat the oil, test a small piece of potato (I didn't use a thermometer at all). Fry the potatoes in batches for one minute, let cook on rack. Once cool, fry again for 3-5 minutes each batch (bummer, you have to keep taste testing to see if they are done :)  You can tell if the crispness is sufficient by looking at them or taking one out to touch (carefully, they are hot!). You may need to turn the heat down on subsequent batches as the oil will keep getting hotter. These tasted like Bricker's French Fries!

Coconut oil can be heated, cooled, and reheated without damage, so I saved this oil for another time. I used it to make fried shrimp, and it definitely had a slight "french fry" taste to it. Next time I'll save the oil and reserve it for a batch of potatoes. I want to try making with sweet potatoes next! (The roll in the picture was homemade and delicious, but now I can't remember what recipe I used, b/c it was a new one to me!)

Popcorn, My Favorite Snack

If you've read my fried chicken post, then you know that coconut oil is my favorite oil. Here is what my favorite snack is right now: popcorn! And it’s super easy to make! I don't even crave it when I go to the movies now, because I know I can make my own at home afterwards (and I'll feel SOOO much better afterwards!)

Popcorn (feeds 2-3, more if you don't love popcorn as much as I do :)
1/3 c organic corn kernels
2 T coconut oil (I use extra virgin, the coconut taste adds a lot without really tasting like coconut at all)
sea salt
medium sized pot with lid

OR if you want to make just a bit more :)

1/2 c organic corn kernels
2 T coconut oil
sea salt
large pot with lid

Melt oil on high heat, add corn, reduce heat a bit and cover. Shake occasionally. You will hear (and smell) the popcorn pop within a few minutes. Shake pot as it pops. When popping slows, check inside and see how it's doing, and perhaps reduce heat a bit more so you don't burn the corn or remove from heat and let a few more pops happen. Dump into lage bowl (you don't really want to eat it out of a hot pot) and add desired amount of salt, toss, and enjoy! Now really, this is not much harder at all than putting a bag in the microwave, and then you don't have all the nasty things happening to your food, as documented in this article! I won't go into it now, but PLEASE reduce the amount of foods you eat that are microwaved!

My New Favorite Breakfasts

I totally give credit for this recipe to my good friend Susan. She has been key in helping me into the low-carb realm (in fact, without this recipe I don't know that I would have been able to do it!). I LOVE this breakfast, which is ironic because before I could NEVER eat yogurt first thing in the morning (nor did I like berries in my yogurt). Now I eat this 6 days a week, love it, and feel full for hours! 

Berry Yogurt

6 oz yogurt (I use my homemade vanilla)
2-3 T ground flax (It is usually cheaper to buy your own to grind, I use a Magic Bullet)
handful of nuts (I eat walnuts and almonds- both raw)
1/2 c blueberries (I haven't tried any other berries yet, but would love to try black/raspberries and strawberries)
1-2 T melted coconut oil (I usually put it in a small Pyrex bowl and melt right on the small stove top burner. It takes very little time.)

Mix everything together except oil. Then add oil, it will be a little weird until the oil cools, then it will be incorporated alright. The picture doesn't do it justice!

 This next breakfast is my favorite Saturday morning post-run/workout breakfast. Gives me a break from the yogurt (but I'm always glad to get back to it on Sunday!). It is simple a cheese omelet (I get my eggs from a local farm) in a brown rice flour tortilla (Food For Life brand) with bacon Applegate Farms). Yum!  I will enjoy a smoothie (3 cubes frozen spinach, frozen berries, ground flax and water) to round out the meal. I used to make my smoothies with yogurt or milk but found out that having dairy with spinach can inhibit the absorptions of the good stuff in the spinach. Switching to water tastes great and has a nice texture but I will admit it isn't as pretty of a color.

Cauliflower Rice?

Want to know how to lower your carb intake while still enjoying delicious Asian fare? Eat it with cauliflower rice! I was so thankful to find this blog when I decided to go gluten free. I did not want this change to cause me to revert to more processed foods. So, finding a low carb, gluten free whole food blog was awesome! I love making homemade Chinese. I would rather eat my own than buy it anywhere! I really thought I had already posted my stir-fry recipe, but I can't find it anywhere on my blog, so I guess not! Here it is! Feel free to exchange veggies for the tastes of your family, although I have found that they will eat these when in this dish, even if they won't any other time. (Oh, and my hubby prefers the cauliflower rice to regular rice :)

Stir-Fry and Cauliflower Rice

1 onion, diced (most for stir fry, about 1/3 for "rice")
4 garlic cloves, crushed and diced (2 for stir fry, 2 for "rice")
1 bag frozen broccoli or fresh
2 zucchini cut into strips
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 pepper, sliced
1 c carrots, sliced (will need a small amount chopped in small pieces for "rice")
handful of raw cashews
1/2 c frozen peas (reserve for "rice")
1 head cauliflower, shredded (I used my cheese grater, this will be the "rice")
2 eggs (for "rice")
coconut oil (use expeller pressed or shortening to not have coconut flavor)
olive oil (if making shrimp)
water
soy sauce (make sure it is non-GMO or use Bragg's Amino Acids)
teriyaki sauce

Meat of your choice
- If using chicken, cut into strips and marinate in mixture of 1/2 c water, 1/8 c soy sauce, 1/8 c teriyaki sauce and 1 T arowroot powder.
- If using shrimp, place on skewers and marinate in mixture of olive oil, soy and teriyaki sauces and crushed garlic and then grill.

Place about 1 T oil in large fry pan or wok. Add garlic and onion and sautee. If using chicken, drain, add and cook until mostly done. Push chicken to the edges of the pan and add cashews and veggies (if using frozen broccoli, I will usually add that later since it doesn't take as long to cook.) Once veggies are almost done, I will add the same amount of mixture that I marinated the chicken with. You will learn to tweak this each time you make it, sometimes I will add more soy sauce or teriyaki as it cooks (aw shucks, you'll need to take a few tastes as you cook to make sure it is just right :) Once I add the sauce, I'll usually turn down the heat and let it hang out while I work on the rice.

Place about 1 T coconut oil in large fry pan (I use one that goes over 2 burners). Sautee garlic, carrots and onion, then add eggs and fry. May need to add more oil, then add cauliflower and sautee, then add peas when almost done. Also add small amount of soy sauce. Serve and enjoy!

Cauliflower Rice

Fried Rice

Fried Chicken (and my new favorite oil!)

I have a daughter who loves fried chicken. I, of course, don't want to even think about how bad it is when bought and eaten from a restaurant, so I decided to make some for her :)  I used Bobby Flay's recipe as a base but had to alter it to work for me. After much research, I realized that I should not be frying foods in organic EVOO anymore, as it does break down and create free radicals (which can lead to cancer) at high heats. So, I turned to something that has been in my cupboard for a while (but mostly for use in baking these muffins), coconut oil. If using coconut oil, you need to make sure it is extra virgin (will maintain a coconut flavor) or expeller pressed (will not have coconut flavor), or coconut shortening (what I have been using for my frying- no coconut flavor). Coconut oil can be heated to a high temperature without breaking down, is a solid at room temperature, can be heated, cooled and reheated without destroying its integrity, and has health benefits. For more info on coconut oil, see this post from one of my favorite blogs or the Tropical Traditions site, where I typically buy my oil (incidentally this is also the site where I purchased my delish Thanksgiving turkey).

In order to eat this recipe now, I would have to exchange a different flour since I am now eating gluten free. Cornmeal would probably work well. I made it with all organic drums (since that is what Giant had this week) and the lone drum above was all that was left! It was a hit with the family :)

Fried Chicken

Ingredients:
4 cups whole milk, with the juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt and ground pepper
chile powder
1 tablespoons Tiger sauce
10 chicken drums
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon paprika
Coconut oil

Whisk together cups of milk mixture, salt, chile powder, Tiger sauce and pepper in large glass baking dish. Add chicken, turn to coat and refrigerate 4+ hours.

Pour 1 cup milk mixture in bowl or small baking dish. Mix together flour, garlic, onion, and paprika (may also add more chile powder if desired). Put one cup of flour mixture in one dish, and the rest in another dish. Drain chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Heat oil (I used a medium sized pot and had it about half full of oil).

Dredge chicken in small flour dish, then in milk, then in second flour dish. Set on wax paper until all pieces are finished. Preheat oven to 350.

You will know the oil is ready when you drop in a little of the flour mixture and it fries quickly. You may need to turn down the oil temperature for subsequent batches as the temperature will keep increasing. Place 2-3 drums in pot at a time, fry about 5-10 minutes, turning if necessary. Once they "look done", place on oven-safe cooling rack that is on a cookie sheet. Place in oven to keep crispy, drain, and continue cooking. Repeat until finished.

I found that I could not save and reuse this oil because of all the little flour pieces left in it, although I suppose I could have strained it using unbleached cheescloth. I have made french fries with this oil and was able to save it for another time, but found that the shrimp I made in it had a distinct french fry flavor :P