Waffles on Friday!

When thinking of gluten-free flour, I have always imagined this heavy, tasteless pastries and bread....
For the past two weeks with some failed recipes and pretty successful once, I have realized that by replacing a wheat flour, you can still maintain the fluffiness and a great taste. And there is so much resource out there on the web, book, magazines for some great recipes, baking wheat-free and dairy-free.... amazing!

Me and the boy have enjoyed the waffles on Friday, which were very good!

Wheat-Free Waffles


Ingredients:


1 ½ cups gluten-free flour (I use Bulk Store gluten-free all purpose flour)
2 Tablespoons sugar ( I used Agave sweetener)
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan powder
¾ teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
1 1/3 milk or substitute (I used almond milk).


Direction:


First mix dry ingredients in mixer. Then mix in milk, eggs and butter.
Spread the batter into the waffle maker.

Wheat-Free Muffins

For this recipe I have used a gluten-free all purpose flour, which is a combination of brown rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, coconut flour, garbanzo bean flour, golden flaxseed meal. I have bought mine in the Bulk store. I have also purchased a xanthan gum which has to be added when bake, it help the baked goods from crumbling.

I have borrowed this book from the library called, Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free Cookbook for Kids and Busy Adults. And because I am so new in all this wheat-free and dairy-free thing, the instructions have to be as simple as possible at this point.

The result was great! I am so very happy how it turned out!
I think these muffins were the fluffiest I have even made.

Peanut Butter and  Jelly Muffins. 

Ingredients

2 eggs
2/3 cup milk (I have used almond milk)
2 tbsp. vanilla
3 tbspn. vegetable oil (I have used canola oil)
1/2 cup sugar (I have used brown sugar)
1 1/2 cups gluten-free flour + 1/2 tspn. xanthan gum
1 tbsp. baking powder
2 tspn. baking soda
1/2 tspn. salt
3 tbspn. peanut butter
3 tbsp. jely or jam (I have used strawberry jam)

Directions


Preheat oven to 375C. Spray muffin tins with nonstick spray.
Whisk eggs in the large bowl. Add the milk, vanilla, and oil. Whisk until ingredients are blended.
Add the sugar and whisk.
Add the flour + gum, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Stir with rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth.
Fill each of muffin tins one-third full with batter. Spoon 1/2 tspn. peanut butter in the center and  a 1/2 tspn. of jelly on top.
Bake for 20 min.

Cookies with Quinoa!

As much as I love baking and any flour made products, I have to start looking into alternative way of baking and cooking.

My older son have always suffered from allergies. We have done everything possible so far... starting with tests, allergy medication, natural pills, puffs, and even an adenoid removal surgery couple of years ago. Nothing is really working, only temporary!

Now it's time to finally find the real reason for his allergies and it is most likely the dairy and wheat products that cause him all the troubles.

I know it is not going to be easy but it will be a good thing for him and for all the family! I am working on preparing a new grocery shopping list of things to buy, which will include rice flour, coconut flour, goat cheese and goat's milk, etc.

For the new beginning and a new learning experience!!
Here is one of the recipes that I have found so easy and tasty!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Quinoa Cookies are my favorite recipe so far!
Something healthy, satisfying sweet tooth craving!

Ingredients


2 cups cooked quinoa1/2 cup natural peanut butter (chunky or smooth)3 Tablespoon pure maple syrup1/4 teaspoon sea salt3/4 cup rolled oats (or gluten-free)
1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Combine quinoa, peanut butter, maple syrup, salt, and oats in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer on low/medium speed, combine ingredients well.Stir in coconut and chocolate chips.Scoop and mold dough into round, tablespoon-sized cookies.Place cookies on parchment-paper-lined baking sheets and bake for approximately 20 minutes, until bottoms are nicely browned.
Allow to cool completely before storing.

Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries

One lonely sweet potato in the fridge... cut in strips and seasoned with 1 tbspn. of olive oil, kosher salt, black grounded pepper, parsley flakes, red pepper flakes and turmeric spice.

I was pleasantly surprised, great flavour!

That was kind of test for us to see if we like sweet potato this way.

And here is the full recipe.


Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. black grounded pepper
• 1/2 tsp. parsley flakes (optional)
• pinch of red pepper flakes (if you like it spicy)
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil coated with cooking spray.
Spread the sweet potato strips out onto the baking sheet in a single layer, coat with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and spices, turning them over to evenly coat on all sides with oil and spices.
Bake for 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes with spatula. Serve warm.

Cocoa Buttermilk Biscuits

When I saw this recipe of cocoa biscuits, I had to make it!
It was a very delicious breakfast with strawberry Kefir!!!

1. First I have prepared the buttermilk, by adding one teaspoon of lemon juice to one cup of milk and let it stand for 10 minutes. Since the recipe said 1 1/4 cups of buttermilk, I have used a little bit more of lemon juice.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients such as: flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, baking powder and soda. Whisk until combined.
3. Here is the 1 stick of unsalted butter cut in cubes.
4. Drop it in the bowl with the rest of the dry ingredients. I have used my hands to brake the butter into the flour mix, until it looked like crumbles.

Drop in the buttermilk with vanilla, mix it with a spatula until just combined.

I have used the two wax sheets to roll the dough out. Less mess.

Cut the dough in the round shapes.

And here is the result.

The original recipe here had brown sugar cinnamon butter for the spread, I was out of organic butter.... so next time! You can either make the spread, very easy, or use the jam and any other available spread.

Cocoa Buttermilk Breakfast Biscuits with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Butter

makes 12-15 biscuits

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup brown sugar + 2 tablespoons

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold butter, cut into pieces

1 1/4 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, sugar, salt, baking powder and soda, and whisk until combined. Using a fork, pastry blender or your hands, add butter pieces to the flour and mix until coarse little crumbles remain. Add buttermilk and vanilla, stirring with a spoon until just combined, not overmixing. Use your hands if needed to bring the dough together.

Use  1/4 cup measure to drop batter onto a nonstick baking sheet, or press dough on a sheet of parchment paper or cutting board, then using a biscuit cutter to shape the dough into rounds. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until biscuits are set and slightly golden on the edges. 

Easter Egg Nests

Last weekend Andre helped me make these cute egg nests. The idea is similar to the rice krispy treats, but instead we have used cereal with rice noodles in it. Here are the directions, from here.

I have also came across THIS article today. It has confirmed a lot of right thoughts that I had and concerns. Motivating yourself everyday and appreciating every moment of today's day, is the Life. Sometimes I get lost in my future plans which are not even a reality yet, instead of focusing on  what can I do today to get where I want to be! :-)))

First Signs of Spring!

It is a March break for kids, and the very first week of some gorgeous sunshine, which brings fantastic weather to hang out outdoors. It feels like we were hibernating.... for some time with the nature together.

We have found today these purple flowers picking from underneath the dry leafs.

Here is the sunshine.... makes me smile! Warm us up, please!

Happy 39th Birthday to Andres! I have made Fruit Tarts to celebrate on Tuesday!

Silly monkeys, and me spending Wednesday in the park.