GF Carrot Cake Pancakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

 Emily loved grating the carrots, it was the first time she was interested in eating carrots since she was a toddler, 3-4 years ago! 

• 1 1/2 C (220 g) gluten free all purpose flour
• 2 t baking powder
• 1 1/2 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t salt
• 3/4 C milk (I used buttermilk for 1/4 c of it)
• 1/4 c (60 g) packed brown sugar
• 1 t canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 1/2 c (165 g) shredded carrots (we used much less, 1/2-1 c)
• 1/2 c shredded sweetened coconut 

1. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add milk, brown sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Can mix wet ingredients separately first or beat the eggs in the measuring cup at least. Stir in carrots and coconut.

2. Spoon batter in 1/4 c measures on hot greased (cooking spray) pan or griddle over medium heat. Turn pancakes when tops begin to bubble and edges are cooked. 

3. Serve with frosting (I used leftover buttercream frosting I had from cupcakes I had made, which was very good). Can also make cream cheese frosting by combining 2/3 c powdered sugar (80 g), 2 oz cream cheese, softened, 1 T milk, and 1/2 t vanilla.

GF banana bread (or zucchini bread)

Paul really liked this banana bread recipe from the America's test kitchen cookbook and wanted a similar zucchini bread recipe that boils off some of the liquid and that doesn't use milk (the milk always makes it taste rubbery I think) so adapted it on 9/9/22 and was really happy with the result. Emily ate a muffin and 2 slices of bread and wanted to keep eating more. Even Becky liked it. The entire banana bread version of the recipe was completely eaten in 2-3 days at the lake cabin the week before.

•  9.5 oz (2 C + 2 T) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I use Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 baking flour)
  
• 1 T baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t xanthan gum (if not already in the blend)
• 5 large very ripe bananas (1.75 lbs), peeled (OR 2 medium zucchini, finely grated)
  
• 6 T butter (original was 1/2 C)
  
• 1 t cinnamon (I added this for the zucchini version) 
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 5.25 oz (3/4 c packed) brown sugar
• 1 t vanilla extract 
  
• 1/2 C walnuts, toasted and chopped, optional
• mini choc chips, optional (I like to add some to half of the loaves)
• berries, optional
  
• 2 t granulated sugar, optional
  

1. Grease muffin or bread pans. I like to use 2x4 pans and muffins for smaller serving sizes. One recipe made 6 muffins and two 2x4 loaves. 

2. Microwave bananas, even if not frozen, although storing them frozen is easiest way. Bananas should be softened with about 1/2 to 3/4 c liquid. Set bananas in fine mesh strainer inside a medium saucepan to drain the liquid into the pan. You can leave them there with the spoon sitting on top to help press moisture out, stirring occasionally. (skip this step if using grated zucchini)

3. Whisk first 5 dry ingredients in a small bowl.

4. Cook banana liquid (or grated zucchini) over medium-high for about 5 minutes or until reduced (to about 1/4 c for banana liquid). Add butter and remove from heat as soon as its melted. Let cool 3-5 minutes. 

5. Mix bananas (if not using zucchini), cinnamon, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer to make sure there aren't banana chunks. Add cooled butter/fruit liquid. Add flour mixture and mix until thoroughly combined. Add walnuts and any other mix ins or add to batter later, after it's in the pan. After everything is in the pans, sprinkle sugar over top (optional, this doesn't seem to add much). 

6. Bake at 350. About 20-25 minutes for muffins, 35-40 minutes for 2x4 pans and 55-75 min for 9x5. Toothpick will come out clean and it will be nicely browned. Let cool in pan on wire rack for 10-15 minutes before removing to wire rack. Let cool completely, at least an hour for a 9x5 loaf. Can reheat in 300 degree oven for 10-15 minutes later, if desired.

Mongolian Beef (gf)

• 3 T soy sauce (gf)
• 1 t sugar
• 1 t cornstarch
• 1 T hoisin sauce (gf)-I just used another T soy sauce since I didn't have this
• 1 t rice wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar, worchester might also be good)
• 1 t sesame oil (I just used canola)
• 1/2 t red pepper flakes (less if you don't want it very spicy)

•  1 T oil
• 1 pound flank steak, cut into 1/4 in slices
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T peeled and minced fresh ginger (I used equivalent dried)
• 3-5 scallions, cut into 2 in pieces (I diced them)
• brown rice to serve with

1. Combine first group of 7 ingredients in a small bowl, mixing well to dissolve cornstarch.

2. Heat oil over medium-high. Add beef and cook until browned. Add garlic and ginger (or add it to the bowl if using dried) and cook for 1 minute. Add scallions and cook for 30 seconds. Add soy sauce mixture and cook until thickened, about a minute. Serve with rice.

Gluten free bread

 I'm learning the technique for "Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" by Jeff Hertzberg amd Zoe Framcois. The standard recipe makes four 1 lb loaves but can be doubled or halved. It works well to leave it in the fridge for several days, up to 10 days for bread that doesn't have eggs and 5 days for bread with eggs.

• 6 1/2 C (2 lb, 3 oz or 990 grams) all purpose gluten free flour (they have a recipe with white rice, sorghum, and tapioca flour, potato starch, xanthum gum, but bob's red mill 1-to-1 is very similar).
• 1 T yeast
• 1 T Kosher salt (can increase or decrease by 1/2 T if desired) 
• 2 T sugar (optional, for browning)
  
• 3 3/4 C (1 lb 14 oz or 850 g) lukewarm water (100 degrees or less)
• cornmeal or parchment paper

1. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl (pack flour tightly or weigh it). Add water and mix with spoon or stand mixer with paddle attachment. No kneading. If you're in a hurry you can pull off 1 lb loaf, shape on a piece of parchment paper and put in cold oven. Bake at 400 for 75 minutes. It will be denser and flavor won't be as complex. Can only be done with fresh dough, not refrigerated.

2. If you have time, it's best to cover with lid that's not completely airtight or loosely with plastic wrap (not a towel, dough is too sticky) and rest for 2 hours at room temperature. 

3. Do not punch down or stretch dough. It can go in the fridge for later (it can be easier to work with cold) or pull of a 1 lb loaf and gently shape on pizza peel with lots of cornmeal to prevent sticking or parchment paper. It also may work to set it directly on a heavy gauge baking sheet that's been greased or with parchment paper or silicon mat. Use wet fingers to smooth the surface. Allow to rest for 60 minutes, 30 minutes if it's not refrigerated and 90 minutes if it's a larger loaf or if you want to see if longer rest time helps to avoid a loaf that's too dense. 

4. Preheat a baking stone or something cast iron like a skillet in the middle of the oven at 450 degrees. It takes 20-30 minutes at least. Place an empty metal (not glass) pan on any shelf that doesn't interfere with the bread. Water will be added to it for steam. 

5. Dust the top of the loaf with flour. Slash a 1/2 inch deep cross, scallop, tic tac toc, etc. into the top using a wet serrated bread knife. May need to wipe off after each slash. 

6. Slide loaf onto preheated stone/cast iron. Pour 1 cup of hot water from the tap into metal pan and close oven to trap the steam (if your oven has trouble trapping steam there are alternative methods, like cover it and let it use its own moisture to create the steam, but remove cover for last third of baking time. Can use aluminum foil, a clay baker, metal bowl, cast iron pot...). If you use parchment paper, pull it out after 20 minutes for a crisper bottom crust. Bake for 45 minutes total or until crust is richly browned and firm to the touch. Ideally it will also crackle when taken out of the oven, as it's being exposed to room temperature air. Allow to cool completely (about 2 hours) on a wire cooling rack. It will likely seem underdone if you eat it warm, it needs lots of time to set. 

7. Remaining dough goes in the fridge or in 1 lb portions in the freezer for up to 4 weeks, then defrosted overnight in the refrigerator. Reuse the same bucket for a more complex "sourdough" type effect. You can even mix a new batch of dough in with up to 2 cups of older dough.   

Variations: 

• Paul tried "Seeded Flaxen loaf" recipe which also includes 1/2 c ground flaxseed, 1/4 c sesame seeds and 1/3 c honey (so I left out the sugar for this). 
  
• Eggs: Can use 4 eggs in place of some of the water. Just put eggs in first, then add the water to add up to the same amount. 
• Seeds: can be added on top. Instead of dusting with flour, brush with water and sprinkle seeds on top just before putting in the oven. Up to around 1/4 C of seeds can also be added to the dough, like in seeded flaxen loaf above, but can use other seeds like whole flaxseed, sunflower, poppy, etc. 
• Herbs: 1 t. dried thyme and 1/2 t rosemary added to the water, for example. 
• There are many variations of shapes described in the book. For sandwich bread, grease a 8.5 x 4.5 in loaf pan. Drop a 2 lb piece of dough into the pan and smooth the top with wet fingers. Cover loosely and allow to rest for 90 minutes. Baking stone isn't required and if you omit it, preheat only for 5 minutes, temp will be 425 for this. Metal tray is still pre-heated. Just before putting loaf in oven, brush with water and slash a 1/2 in-deep cut down the center. Add at least 1 c hot water to pan and bake 55-60 minutes until richly browned and firm. Can wait up to 10 minutes to remove bread to a cooling rack. 
• In a Crock Pot: Dust the piece of parchment paper with rice flour before setting the dough on top. Place dough with parchment paper in crock pot. Turn temp to high and put on cover. Bake 75 minutes (depending on slow cooker, make sure the manufacturer says it's ok to make recipes that don't include water). Keep an eye on it starting about 45 minutes. Top should be firm when it's done, although softer than usual. Bottom will be crisp. At the end, can put in oven (without the parchment paper) for 5 minutes under the broiler if you want it darker and crispier. Allow to cool on rack. 
• There are many recipes in the book which also include a whole grain gluten free flour blend which features teff flour. I'm very interested in trying some of these as well.
  

Gluten Free pumpkin bread

•  5.5 oz (1 1/4 c) all purpose gf flour (I have tried several kinds that all worked)
• 3/4 t baking powder
• 1/4 t baking soda
• 7.5 oz (3/4 c) canned pumpkin puree
• 3/4 t ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/8 t ground nutmeg
• pinch ground cloves
• 1 t white sugar (original recipe said 1/2 c but I like maple syrup better)
• 1/2 C maple syrup/brown sugar/lakanto in any combo 
• 1/4 c vegetable oil
• 2 oz cream cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2 T buttermilk (or milk is fine)
• 1/2 c walnuts, toasted and chopped fine

1. Make sure oven rack is low enough for bread to rise. Grease 8 x 4 (original says 8.5 x 4.5) or two 2 x 4 loaf pans.

2. Whisk flour, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. 

3. Combine pumpkin, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is reduced a little, 2-4 minutes. Remove from heat and add sugars, oil, and cream cheese until combined, there should be no pieces of cream cheese visible. Let mixture rest for 5 minutes (while you grind and toast walnuts and turn on oven to 350).  

4. Whisk eggs and buttermilk in separate bowl (or try just adding to pot?) and add to pumpkin mixture. Add flour mixture until thoroughly combined with no lumps, about a minute. Add walnuts. 

5. Put batter in pan(s) and bake at 350 until center comes out clean, 45-50 min for 8x4 pan or 35-40 minutes for 2x4 pans. Let pans cool on wire rack for 20 minutes then set on wire rack and cool for 1.5 hours. It may be gummy and seem uncooked if you eat it before it's cooled, since the grains need time to set. Wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Can re-heat in a 300 degree oven for 10-15 minutes if desired.

Chinese Lemon Chicken (gluten free)

•  Canola oil for frying
• 1/2 c cornstarch (set aside 1 t for sauce)
  
• 2 lb chicken (breasts cut in pieces or wings/legs/etc)
• 1/2 c gluten free broth
• 2 t fresh lemon zest
• 5 T lemon juice
• 1 T soy sauce (use gluten-free tamari soy sauce if needed)
  
• 3 T brown sugar
• 1 t oil (sesame recommended but others ok)
• 1 t salt
• 1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 c chopped scallions
• 2 cloves garlic (can used dried instead if you put directly in sauce)
  
• 1 t peeled and chopped fresh ginger (can used dried instead if you put directly in sauce)
  
• 1 T sesame seeds
• rice or noodles for serving with

1.  For sauce, combine 1 t cornstarch, broth, zest, juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, salt, red pepper flakes (also garlic and ginger if you're using dried). Set aside.

2. Heat oil over medium high heat. Coat chicken with cornstarch and cook.

3. Add scallions, garlic, and ginger in 1 t oil for 30-60 seconds. Add sauce, scraping browned bits from pan bottom. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Gluten Free pumpkin chocolate chip muffins

•  1 1/2 C gluten free all purpose flour
• 1 t baking powder
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 t pumpkin pie spice (1/4 t each allspice, ginger, nutmeg, cloves or some other combo of these)
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 c brown sugar (original said 1 c)
  
• 1/4 c canola oil (original said 1/2 c, but too oily)
  
• 1 c canned or fresh pumpkin
• 2 eggs
• 1 t vanilla extract
  
• 1 c choc chips
• walnuts as desired
• try 1/2 C oats (I just sprinkled some on top of a few of the muffins which was good, but try mix in)

1. Spray muffin pan (makes 12-18 muffins) or line with cupcake wrappers. 

2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Add brown sugar, oil, pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla. Can mix them separately first, but since it doesn't have gluten, there's no real reason to do that. Add chocolate chips, nuts, etc. 

3. Spoon into muffin pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes (turning around, halfway through).

Gluten free cornmeal griddle cakes

•  1 C cornmeal
• 1/3 c gluten free all purpose flour
• 2 T sugar
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/4 t salt
• 2/3-3/4 c buttermilk
• 2 T canola oil, plus oil for frying (bacon fat was good)
• 1 t lemon zest, optional (I didn't use for our first try)
  
• blueberries or chocolate chips, optional (or try whole pieces of corn)
  
• syrup on top of finished pancakes if you like (they taste like corn bread or hush puppies so honey might also be good)
  

1. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Add oil and buttermilk and mix until batter is thickened. Add lemon zest. Add berries or chips or can also add these to individual pancakes. 

2. Let rest for 20-30 minutes if you can, it will hydrate the flours better. Heat pan or griddle over medium heat with oil. Pour 1/4 c of batter at a time and cook until bottoms are golden. Flip with spatula and cook until other side is finished. Serve with extra berries, chips, syrup, lemon curd, whatever you like. 

Adapted from "Fast and Simple gluten-free" by Gretchen F. Brown, R.D. 

-Many good recipes here.