Gluten Free Tropical Pancakes

Our recent experiment in vegan gluten freedom has taught me an important lesson:  I don't want to eat gluten as much as I used to.  No, I don't have a major allergy and no, I'm not trying to get all trend-diet preachy on you either.  I just plain feel good and that's all there is to it really.  So that being said, I've been experimenting with the wonderful world of alt flours.  There are literally billions to choose from (well, maybe not billions).  AND it makes you feel a little more like an evil scientist while baking - which is pretty awesome.

Note: soy flour is gross.  Second Note: no gluten free baking batter tastes good until baked.  Word.

During my month of vegan gluten freeness I also learned that I miss gluten most in the morning.  A slice of toast with peanut butter, a crumbly blueberry muffin and my god, pancakes.  So I decided to take matters into my own hands and invent (i.e. combine-recipes-and-experiment) a pancake recipe that is damn good...

Gluten Free Tropical Pancakes:

1/4 c coconut flour
1/3 c brown rice flour
1/3 c quinoa flour
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
2/3 c fine ground corn meal

1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c coconut milk
3/4 c water
1 c chopped apple bits (roughly one apple)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c dried coconut shreds

1/2 c crushed macadamia nuts (optional)

In a medium bowl mix together flours, flax seeds, corn (starch and meal), baking (powder and soda), salt and cinnamon.  Mix in coconut milk and water until just mixed.  Fold in apples.  Portion out 1/2 c batter onto a slightly oiled pan (I effing love spray oils) and sprinkle a pinch of coconut flakes onto the top.  Let the cake sit on medium heat until the center starts to bubble and the sides start to solidify - then flip!  Cook until golden brown and repeat process until batter is gone.  Garnish with crushed macadamia nuts (and earth balance and syrup of course).

Mmmmm...

Note: Make only enough cakes that you can garble down - these do not keep well!  Though the batter saves excellently.


Love you, mean it

Emily



photos via sapna magazine and simply in season.
recipes modified from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar and The Garden of Vegan and a dash of mad scientist-ness.

As American as...

Apple Pie!

I found this gluten free/vegan apple crumble pie (say that 3 times fast) recipe a short piece ago and have been dying to try it out. I haven't yet but couldn't resist the day appropriate posting. The recipe is as follows:

1 recipe vegan/g-free pie crust*
6 apples, peeled and cut into slices (tart apples are best but any will do)
2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp sugar
1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla)
2/3 c rice flour (or rice flour mix)
2/3 c chopped pecans (umm, yum!)
2/3 c brown sugar
a big pinch of salt
4 T Earth Balance, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Combine apple slices, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 Tbsp sugar, and scrapings from vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla) in a bowl, then set aside. Roll pie crust out and place in your pie plate. Combine rice flour, pecans, brown sugar, salt and remaining 1 tsp of cinnamon in a bowl. Pour over melted Earth Balance and stir until everything is fairly combined and clumpy. Spread apples over pie crust in pan, and sprinkle crumble topping over. Bake 30-40 minutes until crust edges are lightly browned, apples are softened, and topping is golden. Serve hot with ice cream, or cold for breakfast ;)

*Pie Crust*
1 c plus 2 Tbsp rice flour mix
1 tsp xanthan gum
a pinch of salt
1 T sugar
1 stick Earth Balance (1/2 c), sliced and frozen for about 20 mins
1/4 c cold seltzer water
2 tsp apple cider vinegar

In the bowl of your food processor, mix the flour, xanthan gum, and salt and sugar. Add the butter and pulse, until crumbly. Mix together the seltzer and vinegar, and pour in by tablespoons, until dough comes together. If you use all the liquid, and the dough feels too sticky, just dump it into a bowl, add about another tablespoon of flour mix, and work it into the dough until its smooth. Divide the dough in half, flatten on floured (with rice flour or sweet rice flour) pieces of wax paper into two disks, sprinkle with more flour, fold up and stick in the freezer while you prepare your fillings.

Enjoy your BBQ today and stay safe!

Love you, mean it

Emily



P.S. crust recipe from Hey, That Tastes Good. Pic and filling recipe from Wellsphere (which was a post based on a recipe from the Joy of Cooking.

Unfortunately Named

UmmMm, is it just me or does iPad sound like a next-gen feminine hygiene product?

Just sayin.

Find info about the new maxi, I mean, iPad here.

Love you, mean it

Emily

Ensembly Challenged?

I went to see the movie Clueless when I was probably 13 or 14 with my stepmother.

One of my favorite things about it was her amazing closet.  Well, now you too can have the closet organization of Cher Horowitz.  Apple just came out with an application for the iPhone called "Closet."

A closet organizer?!  I want it so much it hurts my soul.  BUT.  I don’t have an iPhone let alone time to photograph everything in my wardrobe.  Summer project or shopping excuse?  You tell me.

Also Mr. Perez Hilton told me there was talk of a sequel?  As if !  What is Alicia Silverstone thinking?  Being a ditzy teenager is cute but a ditzy middle-aged rich lady well?

I don't know, maybe it's brilliant?  I know one thing.  

I'll probably end up seeing it.

Love you, mean it

Emily

inspired by cupcakesandcashmere