Cook Gluten Free and Win!

I'm hosting a cooking contest on my cooking blog Peas On Moss. Check it out! You could win some great samples from Pamela's Products.

Coconut Granola

This recipe is inspired by Wireworks Coffee House, Pueblo, CO. They're located on the Riverwalk. I liked going there for meetings and get their fruit and granola parfait for breakfast. Everything on the menu is absolutely delicious. And in Wireworks' style, eat this granola with a generous spoon of plain yogurt and fresh berries. If you're eating a strictly gluten-free diet, make sure you select "certified gluten free oats." Bob's Red Mill has a version, but there are several brands to choose from.

4 cups whole oats, old fashioned rolled

1/2 cup brown sugar, loosely packed

2 cups almonds, whole, raw (untoasted)

2 cups coconut flakes, sweetened

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 stick butter, melted

1/2 cup honey*

1 cup raisins, optional

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional

1) Gather together your ingredients and have them pre-measured. Set out your tools, as well. You'll want to use a spatula, spoons, bowls, and sheet pans. This way, when the granola is ready to assemble, you won't be wasting time hunting for ingredients or tools, Use parchment paper to line the pans, and clean up will be a snap!

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Arrange the racks so that two pans can be placed in the oven at a time. Make sure you have your recipe available, too!

2) *For measuring the honey, first spray the measuring cup with a little bit of cooking spray -- I use an oil spritzer. Then pour in your honey. It will pour back out of the pitcher very easily!

Measure the honey into the butter, and then microwave it on a low-power setting for 3-5 minutes, until the butter is melted. Stir in the vanilla. These are your wet ingredients.

3) Combine the oats, brown sugar, almonds, coconut flakes, and cinnamon into a large bowl.

4) Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Stir thoroughly, making sure that everything is well-coated, that brown sugar clumps are broken up, and the ingredients are evenly distributed.

5) Spread the granola onto the sheet pans. Spread the layer of granola as thin and even as possible. Place in the oven, one pan on each rack. Bake for 20 minutes.        

6) Remove the pan from the oven. Stir the granola thoroughly, being sure to draw in the more-baked edges into the center and spreading the less-baked portions outwards. Return to the oven and bake for 20 more minutes. Be sure to put the pan that had been on the top shelf on the bottom shelf, rotating the pan as well, so that the baking is even. Repeat for the remaining pan. The skilled hands in the picture below belong to my husband. I'm holding the camera, obviously.

7) As the baking goes along, the granola will darken slowly, turning a caramel brown. When you're stirring the granola, notice the color. Once it is evenly caramel colored, remove the granola from the oven. Depending on the heat of your oven it make take an additional cycle of baking, but be sure to remove the granola and stir it regularly to prevent burning. To be safe, reduce the baking time to 10 minutes and watch it carefully. The granola will become crispy as it cools, so don't wait for that. You'll bake for approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Below, you'll see the distinctive color differences, photographed at the same spot, after 2 cycles of baking. I was also using my mother-in-law's oven, which is a gas Jenn-Air. The coconut will brown, so be careful that it doesn't burn.

8) Remove the granola from the oven and allow it to cool. Stir after approximately 10 minutes to ensure that the granola doesn't stick to the pan in a long sheet. It is very difficult to pack into the container this way. Sprinkle with raisins, if desired, while the granola is hot.

9) Once the granola has cooled completely, it can be placed into an air-tight container and enjoyed at any time!

Simpler Creamy Risotto

Creamy Risotto

Serves 4

Cook time: about 41 minutes (make this recipe while preparing another dish to feel that time is spent well)

 

½ medium onion, minced finely

2 tbsp butter

1 cup Sweet Rice (Thai)*

4 cups water

3-4 chicken bouillon cubes, to taste**

¼ tsp garlic powder (or 1 garlic clove minced)

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp lemon juice

½ cup chopped green onion, greens and whites

½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 tsp parsley leaves, chopped

 

Find a kitchen timer, you’ll need it for this recipe. 

In large saucepan or nonstick wok, melt butter and gently sauté (sweat) the onions over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. 

Add sweet rice, turn up the heat to medium, and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. 

While the rice is browning, bring the water and chicken bouillon cubes to a simmer in a separate saucepan**. 

Add 1-½ cups of the hot broth to the browned rice and stir it in.  Reduce heat to medium-low. 

Set the timer for 5 minutes.  After 5 minutes, stir the rice, which will be thick. 

Stir in 1 more cup of the broth.  Set the timer for 2 minutes.  The liquid will soak in each time. 

Then pour 1 more cup of broth in.  Allow the rice to soak up the broth for approximately 2 minutes.

After this point, you'll probably have to stay in the kitchen and stir it every minute.  Set the timer for 12 minutes to help gauge the passage of time, but don’t leave the saucepan to simmer alone. 

Stirring constantly, add the remaining broth. When the timer ends, turn off the heat, but leave the wok on the burner.  Stir in the garlic, pepper, lemon, green onion, mozzarella, and parsley.  Serve hot.

 

*Thai Sweet Rice isn't sweet, really.  It's a short grain rice that releases quite a bit of starch, making the liquid portion thick and creamy.  It's often cooked with coconut, sweetened, and served with coconut. 

** You can substitute the 4 cups of water with 4 cups of low sodium chicken stock. 

Frittata ala Pueblo

Who doesn’t love some ease and flexibility for home-cooked meals? Frittatas offer both, making this recipe unique each time you bake it. Frittatas are my lazy weekend morning meals, when I don't feel like babysitting an omelet pan but still crave an egg teaming with vegetables. This satisfying, easily prepared meal offers great health benefits too.
Locally grown eggs are available all year, so you can shop and eat local organic even before all the vegetables make it to the farmers markets in July. Organic eggs are available from several local farms, including Larga Vista Ranch and Country Roots Farm, and the benefits of selecting organically grown eggs have now been supported with scientific data. Eggs may improve the health of your eyes, providing antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin (Egg Industry Insider 2006), and the winning combination of protein and fat help to keep your stomach satisfied for hours. Better yet, pasture-raised chicken eggs contain less cholesterol and saturated fat and more vitamin A, vitamin E, beta carotene and omega-3 fatty acids than their conventionally-grown counterparts (Mother Earth News 2007).
The Organic Processing Magazine (2008) reviewed studies that revealed that both organic dairy and meat have higher levels of conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) when compared to conventionally raised animals. These levels were due to the differences in the animals' diets. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that CLAs help to reduce the body fat mass in healthy overweight individuals (June 2004). According to the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, CLAs also help reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease (August 2004).
Eggs are often accused of raising cholesterol, which can be the case for those with higher cholesterol. The recommended daily cholesterol limit is 200-250 mg, which is roughly one egg yolk. The egg yolk provides roughly 75% of the calories and all of the cholesterol, so if you want to limit your intake, use more egg whites than whole eggs. Be sure to include some of the egg yolk on occasion, because the bright yellow-orange color provides the riboflavin and the helpful CLAs. *
I usually make these meals at the end of the week to use up the vegetables I have prepared during the previous days for different meals. Having the vegetables already chopped makes this meal a snap to prepare. You will want to use an oven-safe skillet, preferably nonstick (but watch out for flaking Teflon, which is not good for you). You can also substitute other vegetables or meat (or not) for the vegetables and ham, as you desire, based on what’s available and looks good. Check with the local farmers to see which vegetables are freshest the day you go to the market. If you can find fresh goat cheese, it’s a great substitute for the Parmesan cheese. For some bright flavor, add 1-2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (try basil, thyme or tarragon) when you add the cheese.
When you serve this with a side of fruit, and toasted whole-grain bread, you have one hearty, delicious breakfast.
Frittata (baked omelet)
Serves 6
1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends snapped off and trimmed to 2” pieces
½ jar (8oz) roasted bell peppers, drained, cut into 1½-inch squares
1 slice (3oz) thick-cut ham, diced (or 6 slices Canadian bacon, diced)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Medium onion, diced
6 mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 green chili, seeded, cleaned and diced
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
6 large eggs
3 tablespoons softened cream cheese
¼ cup milk
½ to 1 cup shredded cheese (Parmesan is nutty and sharp, and Cheddar melts nicely)
During the week before, slice vegetables, and place in zipper bag. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine softened cream cheese and milk. Scramble eggs in a medium bowl and add salt and pepper (a good dash each). Whip together the eggs with the milk/cream cheese mixture. On the stovetop, preheat a 10” oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter. Sauté the onion and garlic. Add the rest of the vegetables and the ham. Sauté about 3 minutes. Pour eggs over vegetables. Place skillet in oven and bake about 15 minutes, until eggs are just about set and slightly shiny. Remove skillet from oven—be careful, because the handle will be hot. Sprinkle shredded cheese over eggs and return pan to oven. Bake until cheese melts and bubbles, about 5 more minutes. Serve by sliding frittata onto larger plate and slicing like pie.

Local Farms around Pueblo (2009)
Larga Vista Ranch 719-947-0982
Country Roots Farm 719-948-2206

* The debate about egg yolk cholesterol is on-going. Generally, an egg or two per day won't hurt you, and if you enjoy this breakfast on a few weekends in a month, you probably won't have to worry. This is especially the case for those with normal blood cholesterol and those who do not consume foods that naturally contain cholesterol - any animal product. Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon suggests that dietary cholesterol does not have as direct an impact on blood cholesterol. These opinions still need to be backed by more studies. One of my friends removes one tablespoon of egg yolk per egg by dipping soup spoon into the yolk prior to scrambling them. I believe that a little bit of yolk is still beneficial to provide the CLAs, riboflavin, etc.

Karina's Kitchen- Recipes from a Gluten-Free Goddess: Purple Cabbage & Sweet Potato Soup

A taste of Thai without leaving my kitchen!  

Karina's Kitchen- Recipes from a Gluten-Free Goddess: Purple Cabbage & Sweet Potato Soup

I wasn't entirely sure about this soup last night, but I have been wanting to try a purple cabbage dish for a while. Silly me, I didn't read the entire recipe, and my lovely neighbor Katie graciously lent me a can of pinto beans. The peanut butter and coconut were concerning at first, but the lime brightened the flavor and tied everything together. It was incredibly beautiful and delicious! We had Katie, the Siscos, and us for dinner - and we had enough food for leftovers! I encourage you to try this recipe - you will never even miss the gluten! It had somewhat of a Thai flavor, but the yellow curry gave it a southern Indian flare.

I used Walker's brand Curry Powder, which is really flavorful.  I also added cumin, which was an optional ingredient.  I had the minced Anaheim peppers as a garnish for those who preferred a spicy dish, and I added another cup of chicken stock after adding the peanut butter, omitting the "1/2 cup boiling water."  I eliminated any of the spices used to make the soup spicy, because these could be added as garnish.  

It was quite delicious!

Cinnamon Sugar Almonds

This recipe is from JustBaking.net.  I am always drawn to roasted nuts at the fair, but seriously, $2.99 or $4.99 is too expensive for a mere quarter cup of nuts!  Thank you to the author of that site!

I made these for Holli's New Year party.  We'll see if they're a hit!

I doubled the recipe and used pecans and almonds.  

Cinnamon Sugar Roasted Almonds 

1 egg white

1 teaspoon cold water

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 cups whole almonds

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Grease a 10-inch by 15-inch jelly-roll pan generously with 1 tablespoon butter. (Note: For best results, do not substitute cooking spray.) 

In a small bowl, combine egg white, water, and vanilla. Beat with a fork just until froth appears. Place nuts in a large mixing bowl and pour egg mixture over; stir until the nuts are evenly coated.

In a separate bowl, combine sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Sprinkle sugar mixture over nuts; toss to coat nuts with sugar mixture.

Spread nuts evenly on buttered pan in single layer. Bake at 250 degrees F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Nuts will appear wet and sticky at first but will dry as they bake. Let cool completely on baking sheet, then store in an airtight container.

Makes about 4 cups.

The Three Musketeers: Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies are by far my favorite cookies.  Since Josh has gone gluten-free, we haven't enjoyed cookies because I haven't really figured out how to make any that weren't hard as rocks, flat as pancakes, or bland as crackers.  Enter the Gluten Free Goddess' website and a renewed encouragement in testing recipes.  Also, I have done some more experimentation with gluten-free flour substitutes, and I found a few combinations that I enjoy.  

The original recipe is Nestle's.  I attached it below, but you can check it out at their VeryBestBaking website.

Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies 
Estimated Times: Preparation - 15 min | Cooking - 10 min | Cooling Time - 1 min cooling | Yields - 48 cookies (4 dozen) 

Have a glass of milk with this favorite snack treat.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat brown sugar, butter and granulated sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats, morsels and nuts; mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 10 minutes for chewy cookies or 12 to 13 minutes for crispy cookies. Cool on baking sheets for 1 minute; remove to wire racks to cool completely. 

I decided to make the cookies for the tailgating party that Christian Challenge was putting on at CSU for this weekend's football game. I didn't want to leave Joshua out of the cookie pleasure!  So I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Mix in a 1 for 1 exchange with the flour called for in the recipe.  

In order to ensure that I exactly prepared the recipes, I doubled the recipe and then split the wet ingredients before I added the flours in separate bowls. I also put bittersweet chocolate (Ghirardelli brand) in the gluten free mix and a mixture of white and milk chocolate chips (organic chips from Vitamin Cottage) in the regular cookies.  That was more out of necessity; I ran out of chocolate chips.  I used my trusty stand mixer to mix the ingredients, which really makes work fast.  

The gluten free cookies didn't spread as much as the regular cookies.  But the color was nicely dark but not burnt. They were also tender and moist, and they were firm enough to be dunked. I ran out of cookie dough and also baked a package of Betty Crocker oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.  I photographed all of these cookies to show you the differences.  We'll see which ones the guests like more!