Wheat and dairy free brownies

Ahh, brownies. I love them. On their own or mixed with (wheat-free) vanilla ice cream, they’re the best. But, alas, once we learned of our food allergies, my old brownies were no longer useful.

Allergens: egg and soy

The recipe I followed is from Gluten-Free Girl;I’ll repost it here for less clicking around.

The recipe:

• 8 tablespoons non-hydrogenated margarine
• 4 oz of bittersweet (semisweet) dark chocolate. I used a dark chocolate bar from Ghirardelli.
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour

Cut the chocolate and butter into small pieces and place in a large metal bowl over a pan of boiling water. Stir until melted and combined. (Make sure to turn the heat down once the water is hot.)

Mix the eggs and sugar, then add in the vanilla and salt. Add in the flours then the chocolate/butter mixture. Pour into a greased 8 by 8 inch pan. Here’s where I did my “thing”– I sprinkled the top with both white and chocolate chips. Put in the oven at 400F for 25 minutes.

Brownie baking hint: Stir this mixture as little as possible and also wait until completely cooled before cutting!

The verdict: These? ARE GOOD. No, really. They’re really, really good. They taste just like how brownies should taste, though I can almost detect a teeny tiny bit of a bitter taste from the chocolate. Impress your gluten, dairy and wheat-free friends! Impress people who can eat whatever they want! I’ll most definitely make these again.

Review of Bob’s Gluten-Free Choc. Chip Cookies

Yes! Another chocolate chip cookie recipe! Why? Well, because what is one person’s favorite is another person’s idea of junk. Also, I believe you can never have enough cookie recipes, even if they are all chocolate chip.

I found this recipe online; I had a few packages of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour sitting around. So, I figured I might as well see what his recipe tastes like.

The Recipe:

Allergens: Soy

• 1 2/3 cup Bob’s GF all purpose baking flour.
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg or Ener-G egg replacer (we used egg replacer)
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Mix the margarine, sugars, egg replacer and vanilla in a bowl. Beat in all the dry ingredients and then the chocolate chips. Bake at 350F for 10 to 12 minutes. I suggest flattening the cookies about halfway as these, like many others, do not tend to spread.

The verdict:  The dough by itself did not taste good. In fact, it was borderline gross. It was hard to work with as it remained one big clump. Did not spread while baking, thus making very small cookies. Once cooked, they tasted better though I think there are other recipes out there that are tastier– though they aren’t gluten free.

Probably one of the better gluten-free and vegan recipes I’ve had so far. The cookies aren’t very sweet, though they are chewy with a bit of the graniness that comes with non-wheat flours.

Wheat-free (Vegan) peanut butter cookies

So, you have to make dessert for someone with a wheat allergy. Wait. Step away from that plate of blueberries you plan on handing her while the rest of you dig into cake. Make this recipe instead. You do not need any fancy flours and the only thing you probably don’t have on hand is Ener-G egg replacer to make it Vegan.

But, if you don’t need to worry about eggs…you don’t even need that!

I found this recipe over here while searching for a wheat-free pb cookie recipe. This is so easy, so simple, I had to bring it over to share.

Allergens: Peanuts, possible egg

The recipe:

1 egg (or egg replacer)

1 cup sugar

1 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt.

Mix all together in a bowl and then roll these into balls. If you make 36 balls like the recipe suggests, you must be making the smallest cookies in the world. Place in the oven at 350F for 12 to 15 minutes.

Hint: These did not spread for me, even though the recipe said they would. I took them out at 10 minutes, did my business with the fork by pressing them down and stuck them back in.

The verdict: This is a very crumbly cookie and doesn’t look like it would travel (or ship) that well, which is bad for me because that’s exactly what I planned to do with these. These are pretty good and if I didn’t know better, wouldn’t know they were lacking any ingredients.

Definitely one to keep on hand if you’re in a pinch.

Sweet rice coconut cake

Originally, I started this recipe because I wanted to find a more moister white cake. While I liked the other white rice cake on this blog, I thought it was a bit too crumbly for what I wanted.

So, I changed a few things around and tried sweet rice flour– an ingredient I couldn’t find many recipes using online.

Allergens: possible dairy or possible soy

The recipe:

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup yogurt (either dairy or soy)

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup of sweet rice flour

1/3 cup sweetened coconut

1 tsp baking powder

Mix the sugar and oil in a bowl, then add in the yogurt and vanilla. Mix for a few minutes until it is well combined. Add in the flour, coconut and baking powder. Pour into a 9 by 9 greased pan and bake for 35 minutes at 400F.

The verdict: When I tasted the batter, I thought it was a bit grainy and extremely sweet. But, sweet rice flour IS grainy and uh…sweet. This cake has mixed results. My husband described it as “weird” in texture but said he loved it. The texture isn’t one that I love. It is chewy and dense. This cake is one that doesn’t rise well, which explains the density. It is also sweet, which became too much when pared with icing.  I highly suggest you don’t put much icing on this cake. That being said, it did taste good, it is just that the “weird” texture of it threw me for a loop. You could almost turn this into a “bar” treat, such as a lemon bar– perhaps dusted with a little powdered sugar or some fresh fruit?

Wheat allergy? Flours to keep on hand.

When I first started going without wheat, I went to a Whole Foods to “get some flour.” Once I got there, I quickly realized I should have done my homework. There were about one zillion types of flour, which I soon found out (once I was home) did different types of things.

That’s right. All non-wheat flours are not the same. Here are the ones I keep on hand, which it seems that I use most often.

• Spelt
• White rice flour
• Brown rice flour
• Barley flour
• Gluten-free all purpose mix (though I have to say I wasn’t thrilled with the outcome of cooking with it.)

Personally, I don’t think that keeping soy or potato flours on hand is necessary. Soy has such a strong taste and smell that you’ll hardly reach for it. Potato flour, at least for me, has been pretty hard to find. I do have potato starch, but rarely use it.

I also recommend keeping rolled oats (for oatmeal) on hand. You can put them into a food processor to make oat flour! That’s double duty, which is my kind of thing. While you’re at the store and in the mood to spend some cash, look into Arrowroot powder and Xanthum Gum. We have Arrowroot, which is a thickner, but I did not buy the Xanthum because of the price. I might eventually, but if you rarely have a chance to get to a specialty store, I’d suggest keeping some on hand.

Wheat-free (Vegan) bread

Tell someone you can’t have wheat and they’ll most likely look at you and say “What do you eat?” Honestly? Right now, it is a lot of string cheese and apples. I have used Pamela’s Wheat-Free Bread Mix before and loved it. But, like many specialty items, it is expensive (I want to say $5 for a bag). It was a great bread, but not one I could use to make a sandwich.

So, I started looking online to find a bread I could make myself…from scratch. This takes quite a few ingredients, but if you’re a wheat-free baker, you should get used to having these on hands. I do have to tell you that I found the recipe here, but figured I’d give my take on the product.

Allergens: Soy (The recipe calls for egg, but I used an egg replacer.)

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

1/2 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast (or 2.25 teaspoons if you buy in bulk)

1 1/4 cup water

1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening

1 cup brown rice flour

2 cups white rice flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

4 teaspoons of Xanthum Gum (or, if you’re cheap like me, 1 tablespoon of dry pectin)

1/3 cup soy powder (can use 2/3 powdered milk if you can’t have soy)

1.5 teaspoons salt

2 eggs

Dissolve the 2 tea. sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small bowl. Pour the yeast on top and mix, otherwise it rises REALLY slow. Set aside for 10 minutes or until it is really foamy.

Combine the water and shortening in a saucepan until it melts. Set aside until it is lukewarm.

Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, then add the yeast. Blend and then add the shortening/water mix. Blend again. Add in the eggs or your egg replacer.

At this point, you should knead the bread for a few minutes. If you’re like me and have never kneaded bread in your life, here’s a little primer on how to do so. Let me point out that you SHOULD NOT knead bread on wax paper. It just doesn’t work. Do it on your counter top or on the table.

Place the dough in a warm place (anywhere here in Texas is warm!) for about an hour, letting it double. For some reason, mine didn’t double. Place your dough in greased pan(s) about 3/4 full.

Cook uncovered at 400F for 10 minutes. Cover with foil and bake for 50 more minutes.

The Verdict: My bread didn’t rise, thanks to my not kneading it enough. KNEAD YOUR BREAD, PEOPLE. Otherwise, it tasted pretty good…though I think it could have been a tad sweeter. I’d like to try it again, though I’d add a bit more sugar and knead the ever-living daylights out of it.

Wheat-free tortillas

Since I live in Texas, eating Tex-mex is as normal to me as walking. I love Mexican food and would eat it all the time, if I could. While I like a corn tortilla on a hard taco or enchiladas, I am not a fan of the corn tortillas on their own.

I am a tortilla snob.

Part of the problem with having multiple allergies to deal with is that you often end up having to make a lot of your food. For me, that includes “flour” tortillas. I found a recipe for flour tortillas and then started changing it for my needs.

Allergens: Soy

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup white rice flour

1/8 cup soy flour (gives the tortillas a bit more flavor)

1/4 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup potato starch

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon non-hydrogenated shortening

1 cup warm water (add more if needed)

Combine the flours, salt and baking powder. Add in the shortening and mix with a fork or your hands. Slowly add in the water. In theory, you are supposed to have a dough that is soft but not sticky. That didn’t happen for me. I kept adding more flour and more water and it just didn’t work. It never got non-sticky and soft. My suggestion is to mix the ingredients and add water until it is the consistency of cake batter. If the mixture is too watery, I’d add in a bit more of the brown or white rice flour but NOT the soy.

Remember, this is a learning process for all of us!

Heat up a pan without any oil. Get a ladle and pour some batter on the pan like you would to make pancakes. Here’s the trick that worked for me: Start slowly and spread the batter out with your ladle to make it as thin as possible. I found that when I made several “puddles” on the ladle (close together) and then used my ladle to connect that it worked well. Flip when the bottom is turning brown.

Verdict: These are not traditional “flour” tortillas, due to the alternative flours used. We joked that they were pancakes, though they did have the taste of a flour tortilla. My husband enjoyed them and requested more. They also taste good heated up with some “butter” on them. I will be remaking this recipe soon, so I might be re-tweaking it.

Wheat free and Vegan chocolate cake

I’ve got to admit, having a good chocolate cake recipe is very important for someone who loves to bake. I’ve tried this recipe as both a cake and cupcakes; it will make about 12 cupcakes and one small cake. In addition to eating it all myself, I’ve given cupcakes to non-Vegans/allergy people and they said it was good.

That’s enough for me!

Allergens: none

Ingredients:

1.5 cups of spelt flour

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

3/4 cup water

Sift together all the dry ingredients, then add the wet ones. Pour into greased pan and bake at 350F for 45 minutes. (If you are making cupcakes, I’d suggest setting the timer for about 12 minutes or so but keep an eye on it because I didn’t time it when I made mine.)

The verdict: Again, yummy. I think, personally, that this cake is better with a chocolate “buttercream” frosting than with a white one. Sugar sprinkles also add a little extra crunch that went nicely with the texture.

Wheat-free Vegan pancakes

I used to make a kick butt whole wheat pancake recipe. Then, I stopped eating wheat, leaving me without a recipe for Saturday mornings.

So, I searched around for a recipe, but couldn’t find one that fit my needs. So, I decided to create one.

Allergens: Soy

Ingredients:

1 cup white rice flour

3/4 tablespoon Agave Nectar or honey

2 tablespoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup of soy (or rice) milk

2 tablespoons canola oil

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl, then add all the wet ones. Stir until mixed and then place on a heated griddle. This is a small recipe, it is just enough for my family of two adults and two small children. If you have more in your house, I’d consider doubling the recipe.

The verdict:

I put cold maple syrup on these for some weird reason, so it made the experience a little less enjoyable. Otherwise, I thought these were still good and reminded me of “regular” pancakes. I really enjoyed the texture of these pancakes. Definitely one I’d make again!

Yet another chocolate chip cookie recipe

Okay. I admit it. I love cookies, especially chocolate chip cookies. So, I decided to try yet another recipe to see if it was better than the barley chocolate chip recipe.

This recipe is adapted from this recipe over at Cookie Madness. I was looking for something that I could do with spelt and this recipe reminded me of a favorite recipe of mine that uses dairy, eggs and wheat. Before I go any further, I feel the need to say that when I list an allergen, I’m listing one of the main eight. I know that it is possible to be allergic to almost anything, so instead of listing everything out, I’ll just pick the main ones.

Allergens: none (does contain gluten)

Ingredients:

1 1/8 cup spelt flour

1/4 cup oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup maple syrup (I LOVE the Maple Syrup from Whole Foods)

1/3 cup canola/vegetable oil

1.5 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup sweetened coconut

1 cup dairy free chocolate chips

Oven at 350 F. Mix the flour, b. powder, b.soda, salt and coconut in a bowl. Add in the rest of the ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet and cook for 11 minutes. I personally suggest taking the cookies out with about 1.5 minutes left to flatten with a spoon because they didn’t flatten/spread at all.

The Verdict: Another winner. I love, love, love the coconut/oats/chocolate combo. I think that these have a milder taste than the barley cookies that I previously used. I also liked how they were very soft and chewy the next day. They were so good, actually, that I forgot to take a picture and ate them all.