Bread

Bread isn't really my thing anymore. First it was because of the gluten, and then came paleo. As for my oldest son? Bread is totally his thing. But he can't eat gluten. And he has a dairy allergy. Oh, and eggs bother him as well. How does one make bread without gluten, dairy or eggs?

I found a gluten-free vegan bread recipe from forkandbeans.com, and then iterated until I got it just right.

I've only ever worked with this recipe in a bread machine that has a gluten-free setting. (The original recipe is for manual oven baking.) So I can't vouch for how it might work via a manual, two-rise cycle and then baking in an oven. But if you have a bread maker with a gluten-free function, you're in luck!

Oh, and I ought to mention that my recipe is not vegan due to the bone broth, which can be successfully replaced with either water, milk or a milk alternative (I have used all 3).

And a quick note about the flour. This recipe requires 3 and 1/4 cups of flour. It can be all one type or a combination. The combination I've settled on provides a great texture, a preferable macronutrient composition (relatively high in fiber, fat and protein and low in simple carbohydrate compared to typical breads), and a great flavor (according to my son--I haven't tasted it).

Without further adieu...

Ingredients
Dry
1 C teff flour*
1 C almond flour
1 C namaste flour
1/4 C flax seed meal
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp coconut sugar (to feed the yeast)
2 1/4 tsp (or one packet) active dry yeast (last ingredient added)

Wet
1 C warm bone broth (I don't measure the temperature anymore, but 125 F is a good target)
3 tbsp olive oil (coconut oil, ghee, duck fat--they all work as long as they're in liquid form)
2 tsp apple cider vinegar

The "egg"
1 C warm bone broth
5 tbsp chia seeds (I use whole seeds--ground will work)

Instructions

1. Mix the "egg" ingredients together, and stir every minute for 5 minutes or less, then add to the bread machine pan. (I make sure the mixture is homogeneous but still fluid--I have found that if it gels too much, it affects the mixing process of the bread machine and hence the texture)
2. Place wet ingredients in the bread machine pan
3. Reserve yeast and add all dry ingredients to the pan
4. Add the yeast last
5. Select the gluten-free cycle and press start
6. After 2-4 minutes, scrape the pan with a rubber scraper
7. Let your machine do its work 
8. Remove promptly after the baking cycle. Place on wooden cutting board or surface for the first 12-24 hours, uncovered

Subsequently, store in a partially sealed container on the counter or in the fridge. It hardens significantly in the fridge, so I keep it in a tin on the counter, and place the lid off-center to allow for breathing

It keeps well for 4-7 days, depending on humidity.

If the bread hardens a bit (in the tin on the counter), I close the lid completely for a few hours or overnight and that usually does the trick (moistens it up again).

Making life easier
The measuring of dry ingredients is the most time-consuming step, so I often measure out dry ingredients (except for yeast) for several loaves, and store it in individual canning jars in order to expedite the process when I'm ready to make bread.

*The most economical way to obtain teff flour is to buy whole grain teff (I find it in the bulk bins at Whole Foods) and grind it (I use my Blendtec).

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (GF, DF)

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

(Gluten-free, dairy-free)

I developed this recipe for a cooking demo at my local farmer's market, in an effort to promote strawberries and rhubarb! This dish tastes like summer to me!

You can use any sweetener (honey, sugar, brown sugar, cane sugar, etc.) in this recipe; I chose coconut palm sugar as an unrefined substitute for brown sugar. While on the topic of sugar, this recipe used approximately a quarter of what is called for in traditional recipes.

Ingredients

Fruit layer:

3 C strawberries, sliced (almost 1 quart of fresh berries)

3 C rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch chunks (about 4 large, tall stalks)

1/2 C sugar, or less (I used coconut palm sugar)

Crisp layer:

1 1/2 C rolled oats (gluten free)

3/4 C shredded coconut (unsweetened)

1/4 C coconut oil (you can use butter if dairy isn't a concern)

1/4 C sugar (I used coconut palm sugar)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Combine fruit and sugar, mix well and set aside.
3. Combine ingredients for the crisp layer in a separate bowl and stir to prepare a homogeneous mixture.
4. Grease 8x8 baking dish (glass or ceramic/stone. If using cermaic/stone, place dish in stove to preheat for five minutes).
5. Add the fruit mixture to the greased dish, and spread evenly.
6. Add the crisp layer on top, spreading evenly.
7. Cover with foil and bake 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake 30 minutes, or until the oats are golden brown. If you question whether it needs more time, poke down with a fork a few times to ensure that the rhubarb is soft. If not, cool a bit longer.
8. Let cool one hour before serving.

If dairy isn't a problem for you, consider topping with whipped cream! (A quick and easy recipe: 1 C heavy whipping cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp sugar, optional. Blend or whip until you have whipped cream!)

A generous scoop of Trader Joe's canned Coconut Cream is a lovely dairy-alternative!

I made probably seven iterations of this dessert, and continually failed to take photos. Here's one that I snapped this morning while doing a cooking demo at my farmer's market.

Mediterranean pizza with cauliflower crust

The only Paleo-ish baked good that's a staple in our household is the Civilized Caveman's Paleo Banana Bread. I make it for the kids; they have a thick slice (I typically make four mini-breads per batch) for their 3:30 snack. I like that there's no added sugar (sweetening is from bananas), and it's a high-fat snack to satiate the kids until our 6pm dinner time. It's also fast and easy (I make one batch every week or two). But every once in a while, it's nice to experiment with a new food, something different to spice things up a bit. My husband had heard about cauliflower pizza crust, has been mentioning it for months, and I finally looked through recipes and decided to try it out.

I'm actually really impressed (and surprised) with how absolutely delicious this pizza is! Prior to "going Paleo" in April 2013, I would have thought a pizza without traditional crust and gobs of cheese to be plain and unappetizing. Yet, while eating this concocted pizza, I had not the slightest interest in pizza-as-I-knew-it-pre-Paleo. I know that my palate has changed significantly since eating a predominantly Paleo diet, and this is one testament to that.

On to the cooking! I started with this recipe, and modified it to my liking.

Ingredients

Crust

2 1/2 C cauliflower, riced

1 C blanched almond flour

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

Pinch of salt

Olive oil for greasing pan/stone

Toppings

6 baby Bella mushrooms, sliced

1/4 C garlic, sliced

1/3 C red onion, sliced into rings

1 jar (3/4 C) marinated artichoke hearts, strained and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

2 tbsp sundries tomatoes

Olive oil for sautéing

8 ounces prosciutto (sliced in half, then rolled up--next time I will cut the rolls into thirds because I felt the size I used was too big)

1/2 C tomatoes or pizza sauce, or 1 C sliced tomatoes

Instructions

Crust

1. Preheat oven to 425 F (if using a baking stone, put it in the oven to warm while prepping the dough)
2. Heat some olive oil in frying pan, add cauliflower and cook about 10 minutes, stirring frequently (medium-high heat). Keep the frying pan for sautéing the toppings later.
3. Place cauliflower into a mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients
4. Mix well (I used medium speed on a stand mixer for about 3 minutes)
5. Remove stone from oven, and brush with olive oil (or grease a baking sheet with olive oil)
6. Place dough mixture in middle of stone. Use hands to flatten and spread mixture, being careful not to burn oneself. I used a 16 inch stone and the dough didn't take up the whole thing (doubling the recipe would make a full 16 inch pizza)
7. Place in oven, and bake 25 - 30 minutes

Toppings

1. While the crust is baking, heat some olive oil in the frying pan, then sauté the onions, garlic and mushrooms until somewhat translucent (about 10 minutes). Add sundered tomatoes and artichokes, push around to coat, then turn off heat and let everything in the pan. 
2. Once the crust is finished baking, remove from oven and add the sauce.
3. Spread the sautéed toppings evenly across dough, and then add the prosciutto.
4. Bake 10 more minutes

I served this pizza hot, and found that the crust broke apart a bit and was even somewhat soft. We ate it using knife and fork, but it was absolutely delicious!! 

Savory, pumpkin-apple chicken chili

Fall is my favorite season of the year. Cool air. Vibrant trees. Leaves dancing in the streets. And best of all, pumpkins and apples!

When asked to demo another recipe at the Springfield Farmer's Winter Market, I wanted to incorporate tastes of the season. Inspired by a cherry-peach chili recipe that my husband sampled while in Traverse City back in October, I decided to make a pumpkin (un-spicy) chili. It tasted fine, but my husband decided it needed something "more," so he went outside and picked a few tart apples from a tree in our yard. I cut them up and added them in, and they absolutely made the dish (thanks, husband)! That's how the pumpkin-apple chili was born.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground chicken (or turkey)

1 large red onion, peeled and chopped

1-2 heads garlic, peeled and minced

coconut oil (or other cooking oil)

3 C chicken or vegetable broth

3-4 C pumpkin puree

4 C black beans (cooked or canned)

1 tsp sea salt

2-4 tart apples, peeled and chopped (don't peel until needed)

4-6 pie pumpkins, rounded gourds or squashes (option)

Instructions

1. Add a few tablespoons of oil to a frying pan over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, garlic, and ground meat (about five minutes to brown on all sides). Reduce heat to medium, and cook for another fifteen minutes (stirring occasionally).
2. While meat is cooking, add chicken broth, beans, pumpkin puree and salt to a stock pot. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently.
3. When the meat is done cooking, strain the fat off, and scoop the contents into the stock pot. Mix thoroughly. Cook fifteen minutes.
4. If you'd like to serve the chili in pumpkins or gourds, remove the tops, scoop out the seeds, and have them ready to go! (OPTIONAL)
5. Peel and cube the tart apples (Northern Spy are my fav), and add to the stock pot for the last five minutes of cooking. Stir well.
6. Serve in the pumpkins/gourds, or normal bowls :)

*Vegan potential -- use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and either omit the chicken/turkey, or sauté tofu as a substitute (allow an extra ten-twenty minutes to cook the tot firmly, if desired).

Bruschetta

8 Roma (or 4 Beefsteak) tomatoes, peeled, de-seeded, and diced
1/4 - 1/2 head of garlic, minced
1/4 red onion, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2-4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped (or 2 tsp dried)
1 tsp organo (or 1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped)
sea salt & black pepper to taste

1. Combine ingredients in covered container, stir or shake well
2. Refrigerate 4-12 hours prior to serving for best results (taste improves as it marinates)

Easy, and SO delicious!

This bruschetta makes a great salsa, or can be used to top spaghetti squash instead of using a sauce!

If you're not adhering to a gluten-free or Paleo diet, feel free to warm a baguette in the oven and serve the bruschetta over top, old school!!

Spaghetti squash in garlic-cream sauce (dairy-free) topped with pumpkin-kissed meatballs

I've been doing cooking demos at my local farmer's market, and made this recipe today. It was a crowd-pleaser to say the least, despite the chilly, rainy fall day that was upon us.

Spaghetti squash in garlic-cream sauce (dairy-free)

Ingredients:

1 can full fat canned coconut milk

1 spaghetti squash, halved, seeds removed

1-2 heads garlic

A few sprigs of fresh basil (2-4 tbsp, chopped)

2 tsp dried oregano

sea salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F
2. Place spaghetti squash halves, face down, on baking sheet
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes (until a fork pokes through easily -- don't over cook or it will become too mushy)
4. Remove squash and separate strands of squash away from the skin with a fork (the strands are long and thin, similar to spaghetti, but thinner and more fragile)
5. Empty the can of coconut milk into a large skillet. Add herbs, spices and minced garlic. Cook on medium high until boiling, stirring frequently Reduce heat to keep the mixture simmering, and stir continuously for 10-15 minutes, until it thickens
6. Reduce heat to low, add squash strands, and stir well, until the squash is warm

Pumpkin-kissed meatballs

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef 

1 egg

1 head garlic, peeled, minced

1/2 C pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)

1/4 C chopped kale

salt & pepper to taste

coconut oil (or olive oil)

plate or tray

baking sheet lined with paper towel or cotton cloth

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients* (except oil) in a medium mixing bowl. Use wooden utensil to mix together, or use a mixer if you're fancy!
2. Shape/roll into meatballs, about 1-1.5 inches in diameter, and place on tray or plate. Continue until you've used up the entire mixture
3. Add a few tablespoons of oil to a skillet on medium-high heat
4. Place meatballs in the oil (carefully -- the splashing oil BURNS -- I often use tongs to transfer the meatballs to prevent the splash)
5. Flip the meatballs every 2-3 minutes, until browned on all sides. It usually takes 10-12 minutes to cook them through -- I always cut one open to ensure it's medium-well
6. Transfer meatballs to the tray lined with cotton cloth or paper towels.

SERVING:

Place a helping of the squash with sauce on a plate, and top it off with a load of meatballs! ENJOY!!!!

*If you want to use fresh pumpkin puree, handle the pumpkin similar to the spaghetti squash. Cut a pie pumpkin in half, remove the seeds, place open face down on a baking sheet, and bake) -- pumpkin usually takes longer than the spaghetti squash -- check it at 30-40 minutes. Cook longer if needed. After it cools, you can easily pull the flesh away from the skin, and then place the flesh in a blender or food processor, and puree! Freeze leftovers for future cooking endeavors.