Gluten Free Flour Tortillas

GLUTEN FREE FLOUR TORTILLAS

¾ cup brown rice flour

¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose gf flour

½ cup potato starch

½ cup tapioca starch

1 tsp. guar gum

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. Hain Featherweight Baking Powder (grain free)

¼ cup grapeseed oil

1 cup hot water

Whisk together dry ingredients.  Add oil and blend until crumbly.  Add half a cup of the hot water and knead dough in the bowl.  Gradually add the rest of the hot water, a little at a time, until you can knead the dough into a smooth ball.  Sprinkle rice flour on the counter and divide dough into 8-10 small balls.  Cover with a damp towel.  Preheat a non-stick skillet on high.  On the floured surface, roll each ball into tortillas, about 6” wide, working one at a time.  For clean, round tortillas cut around a small plate with a sharp knife.    Place tortilla in skillet for a few seconds until bubbles appear, then flip over and cook other side til slightly golden brown.    Serve warm.

These are fantastic for quesadillas, fajitas, burritos, breakfast burritos, etc. 

Dough can be frozen and thawed with excellent results. 

Roll the dough into a log, then cut in 10 equal pieces.

Roll each piece into a ball, and cover with a wet towel.

Place ball on a floured counter and roll out with a floured rolling pin to about 6" in diameter.

Place in a hot skillet. Wait for bubbles to form, like this before flipping.

Cook the other side 1-2 minutes til golden.

Perfectly warm, soft tortilla!!!

Linked to: Allergy Free Wednesdays

Pumpkin Spice Donuts

I decided to surprise my kids with donuts when they got home from school today - since they had school and I did not.  They've been looking at the recipes I've looked up and wanting pumpkin spice donuts - so I created them from several recipes to be Mandie safe.  

Pumpkin Spice Donuts

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1 1/2 tsp. Hain Featherweight Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. guar gum
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. vanilla powder
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup hot apple cider
Cinnamon sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Brush donut pans with oil (this recipe made 12 regular size and 12 mini donuts).   Whisk together dry ingredients.  Create a well in the center of dry mixture.  Add in oil, pumpkin, and hot cider.  Mix until just combined, but don't overmix or batter will be tough.   Add batter to cavity on pans so each is 3/4 full. Sprinkle tops with cinnamon sugar.   Bake for 6 minutes then rotate pans in oven and bake for another 6 minutes.  Test with toothpick inserted in center.  Cool in pans for 2 minutes, then remove to rack to cool.  May top with icing, cinnamon sugar, or powdered sugar.    I topped donuts for everyone but Mandie with Enjoy Life chocolate chips and cinnamon sugar. 

Top: boys donuts with chocolate chips
Bottom:  Mandie's with cinnamon sugar

Allergy Friendly Egg Rolls, Fried Rice, and Sweet N Sour Sauce

Lately my family  has been craving Chinese.  Needless to say, with all of our allergies, especially soy, gluten, and peanut, eating out is pretty much off limits.  I searched around and finally found a few recipes for things we craved most, and made all of the necessary changes to make them totally Mandie-safe.  What an amazing meal it was!!!  It satisfied all of our cravings, and Steve even loved the Sweet & Sour sauce. That is huge!  The man does not like most sauces or dips or dressings of any type (though my homemade are more and more often winning him over!).   As an even better note, since it is all homemade and not deep fried, it is WAY healthier than take out food!   See what you think!    Mandie loved these so much that she begged for this to be a meal that we take up to WI next week when we go see her allergist!  I will do that!










 Here is the package of egg roll wrappers from my local Philippine grocery store.

 This is what they look like when they are dry.  Very stiff and breakable.  This is what they look like after they've soaked for 30-60 seconds.  Very flimsy and slippery. 

 To use them, first get out a couple of round cake pans and fill them half full of water.  Place a rice wrapper in each pan and soak for 30-60 seconds, until all stiffness is gone.  Place on a counter top or cutting board to fill with whatever you choose. I used a mix of cabbage, onion, and carrot that I ran through my food processor and combined with my homemade pork sausage.  I seasoned it with Chinese five spice powder.   

 Here is my filling. I use the medium cookie scoop from Pampered Chef, which is 1-2 Tbsp., and place a scoop along the near edge of the rice wrapper and  spread it out a bit.

 Next, fold the near edge up over the filling.











Wrap each end up over the middle of the filling, and fold the filing over until all of the wrapper is covering the filling.  Place on a well greased baking pan and brush with oil.  Bake at 400* for 20-30 minutes til crisp.  We served these with Fried Rice and Sweet & Sour Sauce.

Allergy Friendly Pork Egg Rolls

1 package rice paper wrappers
1/2 head of cabbage
1 onion
4 carrots, scrubbed and topped
1 lb ground pork (or any meat of your choosing)
Chinese 5 Spice Powder
Grape seed oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease two baking sheets well with cooking spray (I use my jelly roll pans).  Using a food processor, finely shred cabbage, carrots, and onion.  Put 1-2 Tbsp. of oil in a large skillet.  Saute shredded veggie mix for about 5 minutes, until soft.  Add ground pork and spices (we also used our breakfast sausage seasoning) to taste.  Cook until meat is fully cooked.  Fill two round cake pans each halfway with cool water.  Add one rice wrapper to each pan. Let set for 30-60 seconds until fully pliable. One at a time, remove wrapper from water and spread gently on a cutting board. Place a new one in to soak.  Using a medium cookie scoop, place one heaping scoop of filling about 2 inches from the near edge of the wrapper.  Spread it out into a log shape.  Fold the near side of the wrapper over the filling. Fold up each end over the filling, then gently fold the filling over and over until all of the wrapper is used up.    Place on greased baking sheet.  When sheet is full, brush rolls with oil, and bake for 20 - 30 minutes, until rolls are crispy, turning about halfway through cooking time.

Fried Rice                                              

2 cups white jasmine rice
4 cups chicken broth or water
1 can peas and carrots
2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
2 eggs*

Cook rice in a rice cooker with veggies in the top part, OR combine rice and broth or water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until done.   Heat veggies.    Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat.  Add oil, then stir in veggies.  Cook for about 30 seconds.  Crack in eggs, stirring quickly to scramble eggs with veggies.  Stir in cooked rice.  Cook for 10-20 minutes to your desired level of crispness.   You may stir in soy sauce, coconut aminos, sesame oil, or any other flavoring.

*may be omitted


Sweet & Sour Sauce

6 Tbsp. chicken broth
1/4 cup pure raspberry preserves
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1/2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients together in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Bring to a boil; cook until reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.  Season with freshly ground salt and pepper to taste.







Linked to: Weekend Whatever Linkup #13

Linked to Allergy Free Wednesdays

Crockpot Millet Hot Cereal with Apples and Pecans

 I made this to go with our biscuits this morning as a Mandie-safe alternative to oatmeal.  Steve and I thought that the flavors and texture are incredible - though we boosted the nutrition a bit further in ours by adding a Tbsp. each of coconut oil an chia seeds before adding some milk.  The kids added some brown sugar, but were not as crazy about it as I'd hoped they'd be.  In all fairness, Mandie is off of her Periactin in preparation for her allergist visit on 1/11, so her appetite has taken an EXTREME nosedive.  I will try this again after our visit, when she's feeling hungry again.

MILLET CEREAL WITH APPLES AND PECANS

(Modified from The Everything Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cookbook)

2 cups allergen safe apple cider

2 cups hemp milk

1 cup dried millet

1 apple, diced

2 tsp. cinnamon

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup chopped pecans

½ tsp. salt

Grease a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.  Put all ingredients in crockpot and stir to combine.  Cook on high for 2 ½ - 3 hours or on low for 5 – 6 hours or until all liquid has been absorbed.  Try not to overcook as it can become mushy.

Serve with milk of choice.

Linked to Healthy Vegan Fridays    

 

Pull Apart Cinnamon Raisin Crockpot Biscuits

All of Christmas break I had been promising to make the kids a crockpot breakfast, and they've been craving cinnamon rolls or something similar.   I got out my WONDERFUL new cookbook, The Everything Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cookbook  and modified this recipe.  It made 10, which was perfect for my family of 5.  The kids are already begging to have this again soon!

PULL-APART CINNAMON RAISIN BISCUITS

Modified from The Everything Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cookbook

1 cup brown rice flour

1 cup arrowroot starch

1 Tbsp. Hain Foods grain free baking powder

1 tsp. guar gum

½ tsp. sea salt

1/3 cup sugar

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

1/3 cup lard or ¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. grapeseed oil

2 eggs OR 2 Tbsp. flax meal or chia seeds combined with 6 Tbsp. hot water & set 5 minutes

¾ cup hemp or hazelnut milk

½ cup Sunmaid Raisins

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, starch, gum, baking powder, salt, sugar, & cinnamon.   Cut in oil or lard until it is in crumbles.  In a small bowl, whisk together milk and eggs.  Mix into flour mixture using a fork.  Dough will be a sticky, cake-like batter.  Mix in raisins.      Grease a 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray or line with parchment paper then cooking spray.  Using an ice cream scoop, drop balls of dough into cooker, with edges almost touching.  They will rise while baking and will be pull apart biscuits.   Cover slow cooker with lid vented with chopstick or handle of wooden spoon (my toaster tongs worked perfectly).  Cook on high for about 2-2 ½ hours, or on low for 4-4 ½ hours.  Biscuits around edges will be more brown than those in the center of cooker.  They are done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the biscuit comes out clean.   Remove cooker insert to a cooling rack. Remove lid.  Allow to cool for several minutes while you make the glaze.  Glaze and serve warm.

QUICK VANILLA GLAZE

1 cup sifted corn free powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. hazelnut milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Whisk together and drizzle over biscuits in cooker.  Serve immediately.

Chicken Nuggets and French Fries

I came across the recipe for these nuggets and thought it would be fun to have a typical "kid" meal of chicken nuggets and fries for the kids on Saturday night.  Of course, being gluten, corn, dairy, soy etc. free - NOTHING is easy, not even chicken nuggets. lol     Still, they tasted good, but I was frustrated that the meal took about 2 hours to make from start to finish.  NOT what I call a "quick, easy, kid-friendly" meal!  I baked my nuggets instead of frying them, though I tried frying some also and was not pleased with how the chicken seemed overdone.    I found the recipe, Chicken Tortas  here on The Allergist Mom's website: http://theallergistmom.com/   

For my fries, I just peeled yellow potatoes, cut them in half lengthwise, then in half again, then quartered them - also lengthwise.  I put them in a bowl, sprinkled them with grapeseed oil and coarse sea salt, laid them flat on a jellyroll pan, and baked them at 450 for about 20-30 minutes. They turned out beautifully!    I do have to say that the kids absolutely loved the meal!  Mandie ate hers with her homemade ketchup, smiling the whole time.      The fries are a staple in our house, but I think I will stick to my simple chicken strips next time! 

Baked Beans

One of our all time favorite side dishes is baked beans.  We have tried almost every variety from the store, and due to allergy issues, used to use plain pork & beans and add our own things to make them baked beans.  However, I knew there was a healthier way to do them, and researched homemade baked bean recipes.  The first time I made them I was hooked!!!  What a difference in taste!!  My kids LOVE baked beans, and these are their favorites.  I do wish that they were quicker to make, as I often miss the convenience of opening a can.  I may make up a huge batch in my roaster oven and can them... when I have a few free minutes, which of course won't be til after our wedding in May! lol           In spite of the time these require, they are not difficult.  Most of the time is in soaking, boiling, or baking.   Give them a try and see if you go back to canned baked beans!

Old Fashioned Baked Beans

1 lb dry beans - I've used cranberry beans, pintos, great northerns, etc.
1/4 lb bacon, cut up (optional)
1 large sweet onion, diced
1/2 cup molasses or maple syrup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp. dry mustard (optional - we omit due to Mandie's mustard allergy)
1/2 - 1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3-4 cloves garlic, quartered
chicken broth (Kitchen Basics brand is gluten, dairy, soy, corn free)
tomato juice

Rinse beans.  In large pot, combine beans with 8 cups cold water.  Leave soak overnight.  (OR: boil, reduce heat, & simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat & cover for 1 hour)  Drain & rinse beans  Cover with 4 cups chicken broth and 4 cups tomato juice (or 8 cups cold water), and add garlic cloves.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat, & simmer 1 1/2 hours.  Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid.  In an oven-safe covered baker or bean pot (I use the Pampered Chef covered baker) combine all ingredients plus 1 cup reserved cooking liquid.  Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 2 1/2 - 3 hours or until beans are tender.  You can also put the bean mixture in a crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours. 



Linked to Weekend Whatever and Gluten Free Fridays