Happy Easter!

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Easter Celebration

I want to wish all my readers a wonderful Easter! This jelly roll cake was just one of the highlights of my family's Easter dinner this year. I was actually surprised at how well it came out. Of course it was baked as a flat cake, very light with beaten egg whites and all. I carefully rolled it up between parchment paper as soon as it came out of the oven, and let it cool. After peeling off the paper, I spread the inside with strawberry jelly and whipped cream and rolled it back up. Although we did get a little lenient and deviate from an all-gluten-free flour mixture, the results were worth it. The cake was delicious!

And here is a verse to remind us of the wonderful promise of Easter:

But now Christ is risen from the dead,

and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 

For since by man came death,

by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.

I Corinthians 15:20-21

Meringue Pie Shell

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Meringue Peaks

Now let's make the meringue shell for that delicious Peachy Birthday Meringue. It's really not as difficult as it looks, and creates a uniquely grain-free pie crust that suits all kinds of fillings.

 

Start by beating four egg whites with 1/4 t. of cream of tarter until foamy. Add 1/2 c. of white sugar a spoonful at a time (yes, I gave in and used sugar since honey simple doesn't work in meringues). Continue beating until the egg whites are stiff and glossy, another 4-5 minutes.

 

To prepare the baking sheet, draw an 8-inch circle on a piece of brown paper or parchment paper. Place this (ink side down) on a baking sheet. Spread half of the meringue mixture evenly over the circle. Then drop the rest of the meringue by the spoonful around the edge of the circle, forming small peaks.

 

Bake the meringue in a preheated 250-degree oven for an hour and a half. Without opening the door, turn the oven off and leave the meringue inside to cool for another hour. Remove and cool completely.

Fresh from the Oven

Fill the meringue shell with your favorite filling - click here to see the delicious peach/whipped cream recipe I used. As a side note, this meringue recipe is best eaten within the same day it was made. Otherwise, the peaks will gradually get soggy and fall a bit. However, time does not detract from the exquisite flavor!

Peachy Birthday Meringue

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Peaches and Cream

This beautiful meringue pie was the highlight of my birthday celebration dinner this year. It was not an easy project but turned out very impressively! A rich fruit mixture and a sweet cream topping are alternated in a unique meringue shell. Check out my next post right here to see how to make the meringue.

 

I substituted peaches for raspberries in the original recipe, and I suppose that almost any strongly-flavored fruit would be delicious. I opted for frozen fruit but I am sure that fresh would be even better.

 

To begin, mix 3 T. cornstarch into 1/4 c. water in a saucepan. Add 14-20 oz. of frozen fruit, diced in small pieces. I used a 16-oz bag of frozen peaches. Depending on the juiciness of your fruit, add another 1/2 - 1 c. water. Also stir in 1/4 - 3/4 c. of honey to suit the sweetness of the fruit. Heat to boiling, and cook for a least a minute, or until the fruit is soft. Be sure to stir constantly or it will stick and burn! Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

 

Meanwhile, beat 1 c. of whipping cream in a chilled bowl until it forms stiff peaks.

 

Separately, beat til smooth:    4 oz. softened cream cheese       1/2 t. vanilla        1/2 c. honey

 

Fold the cheese mixture into the whipped cream. To layer the pie, spread a third of the fruit mixture over the meringue shell. Top with half of the whipped cream, another third of the fruit, and the rest of the whipped cream. Finish off with the last third of the fruit mixture, spreading carefully to make a nice, even topping. Chill in the refrigerator at least two hours before serving. Enjoy the taste of summer!

Birthday Treat

Banana Bars

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Snack Time

Here is that moist, sweet, chewy snack for a day when you just need a yummy bite to eat. And, of course, it's still gluten and sugar free! These banana bars are a notch up from regular banana bread, with a delightfully smooth texture and sweet flavor. But the best part is that they're so easy to make. Here's how:

Cream together:

1/2 c. softened butter                                    1/2 c. raw honey

2 eggs                   1 c. sour cream                   1 t. vanilla extract

In a separate bowl, mix well:

2 c. sifted oat-rice flour                  1 t. baking soda           1/4 t. salt

Add the flour to the butter mixture, then stir in 2 mashed bananas (about 1 cup). Spread in a greased 9x13 pan (or a similar size - we used a foil pan for extra-easy cleanup!). Bake in a 350 oven for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly browned on top.

Ready to Bake

Once the bars are cool, we spread a light frosting on top. It was simply delicious!

Beat well and smooth over bars:

1/4 c. softened cream cheese                         1/4 c. softened butter

2 t. vanilla extract                             1/4 - 1/2 c. raw honey

Once you taste these, you'll want to keep them around all the time to grab for a quick snack or even breakfast. These banana bars are a real treat!

Fall Pear Tart

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Pear Delight

For many country people, the coming of autumn means syrupy fruit pies, steaming apple tarts, and chewy zucchini bread. For the conscientious eater, all of these wonderful treats translate into two sad things: gluten and sugar. Not good. But I have good news: you can enjoy these fall foods without the bad ingredients! Here is a wonderful pear dessert, best with those fresh pears picked from the backyard tree or bought at the farmer's market. Non-gluten oat and rice flour and nutritious honey replace the sugar and wheat. You may notice how small portions the recipe makes. That's intentional: my family of five would split this dessert in order to reduce the sugar intake even more. Less, more often, is the best way to go when you're watching your carbs.

Heating Pears

 To make the pear sauce layer in this delicious dessert, combine in a small saucepan:

2 ripe pears, chopped                                       2 T. cubed butter

3 T. raw honey                              1/8 t. each cinnamon & cloves

Simmer, covered, on low heat for 20 minutes til soft. Uncover and continue to simmer until most of the liquid is gone. This will take 5-20 minutes, depending on how juicy your pears are. Once finished, pour the pears into the bottom of a greased 7x9 glass dish.

The topping is just as easy. Cut 3 T. of softened butter into 1/2 c. sifted oat-rice flour. Add 1 T. of cream and enough water to make a spreadable batter. Gently layer the topping over the pears. Bake in a 350 oven for 10-15 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned. Serve immediately. This warm, fruity dessert is best topped with vanilla ice cream. 

Almond Snowdrifts

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Wintry Treat

When the snow flakes are coming down fast and you know it's going to be a long winter day indoors, what's the perfect cake to make? How about whipping up some of your very own snowdrifts? Whatever the weather, you are sure to love this creamy yet light cake with a creative touch. Just please don't try to go sledding in the icing!

Whipping up this easy cake is simple. First, beat with a hand mixer:

1/2 c. softened butter                     1/2 c. raw honey                    2 eggs

Add:                      1/2 c. flour                                 1 t. baking soda

                    1 c. sour cream                                      1 t. vanilla

In a separate bowl, combine:

2 t. cinnamon                                 1/4 c. flour                            1 egg

2 T. honey                              1/4 c. pecans or walnuts, chopped

Pour half of the batter into a greased 9" round cake pan. Drizzle half of the nut mixture on top. Repeat with second half of batter and nuts.

Bake cake in a 350 oven for 35-40 minutes, til lightly browned. Cool and turn onto a plate.

For the icing, whip 1/2 c. cold cream with 2 T. honey and 2-3 t. vanilla til soft peaks form. Gently pile onto top of cake with a rubber spatula, making peaks and valleys like ocean waves. Carefully place toasted slivered almonds on top. Now you have footprints in your snowdrifts!

Snowy Marbled Cake

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Chewy Delight

Well, all this trecking around is making me hungry, how about you? Try out this delicious cake to top off any dinner! The marbled chocolate and white batter has a simply wonderful texture, and the sugar-free icing tops it all off with perfection.

To start, combine:

2 c. coarsely sifted oat-rice flour                        1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. cinnamon                    1/4 t. nutmeg                 1/4 t. salt

Melt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to combine:

1/2 c. raw honey                1/2 c. canola oil                  2 T. butter

In a separate bowl, beat 4 eggs well. Add 1/2 t. vanilla, and almost all of the honey mixture, leaving 2 T. in the saucepan. Then beat this egg mixture into the flour combination. Did you get all that?

Last step: add to the saucepan of honey/oil mixture and stir:

5 t. unsweetened cocoa powder                 2 T. water

Now for the fun part! Pour half of the cake batter into a buttered glass pan (9x9 or 7x12 is great). Stir another quarter of the batter (half of what's left) into the pan of cocoa and drizzle over the pan of batter. Finally, pour the rest of the white batter on top. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until cake is almost set and browned on top. Cool and remove from pan.

Enjoy a piece of warm cake topped with whipped cream or cream cheese frosting. To make your own sugar-free whipped cream, beat 1/2 c. of cold whipping cream with a handmixer. After about 30 seconds, add 1 t. vanilla and 1/4 c. honey (or to suit your liking). Here's a cake you can feel good about eating!
I will also take the opportunity to say Happy Birthday to my wonderful mother! If it were possible to send an e-cake, I would be the first--I'm sending this one to her!!



Amazing Brownies

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Dig in!

Did you think brownies were something you’d have to give up if you went gluten-free? Well, not any more, with this amazing, no-wheat recipe that my sister perfected! Even with a small amount of chocolate (reducing the carbs and other unwanted things), it still came out very rich. And then there’s the secret to that pink icing, we’ll get to in a minute!

Combine and microwave on high til melted, stirring to combine:

1-2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (depending on your taste), chopped in small pieces    

1/4 c. butter                          1 T. cocoa powder

Next, whisk together in a bowl:

1/2 c. honey                  1/4 t. salt                   1/2 t. vanilla extract

melted chocolate mixture   

Add 2 eggs, mixing after each. Last stir in 1/2 c. sifted oat/rice flour and 1/4 t. baking powder.

Spread the batter in a 7x9-inch glass pan (or something around that size), lined with foil and greased well. Bake for 25-30 minutes, til just set in center.

For the frosting, combine:

1/2 c. cream cheese                 1/4 c. honey                  1/2 t. vanilla

1/4 c. blackberry jam

(Can you guess which ingredient lends that gorgeous purple color?)

Beat with a mixer til very smooth. Gently spread over brownies while still warm.

Pretty Purple Frosting

Of course, you can use cocoa powder instead of the jelly for a more traditional icing. Both are delicious, of course.

This recipe makes a very small pan on purpose. Since it’s still a bit heavy with carbs (the chocolate and all), we like to give out pretty small servings at once. They’re so good, a little bit goes a long way! Enjoy!

Basic Blintzes

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Frying the Blintz

Blintzes are basically a cross between pancakes and tortillas. And they are more versatile than either one—the fillings you could roll up in a blintz are endless! Another plus, for the low-carb menus, is the small amount of flour in each one—very low in grain starch.

To start, combine in a medium-size bowl:

1/2 c. sifted oat/rice flour               1/2 t. salt               1 egg                1/2 c. water

Beat well with a fork. The batter should be very runny.

Next, heat 3 T. of canola oil a small non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour about 2 T. of batter into the hot oil. Quickly swirl the batter to form a thin, even pancake—it will cook instantly when it hits the pan.

Fry the blintz for 1-2 minutes, till it’s dry underneath but just a bit moist on top. Remove, add more oil as needed, and repeat. Whisk more water into the batter as you go to keep it water-thin. This recipe will make about 6 small blintzes.

For best wrapping results, fill the blintzes while still warm. Use your favorite spread, or wait for my Tuna Rollups recipe coming up next!

Heart Cake

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Independence Cake Variation

Here is a creative variation on the Independence Cake! We liked this recipe so well we decided to have it again, but a flag didn't seem quite appropriate (or worth the work), so we wanted to try something else. I arranged the strawberry halves in a heart shape (not nearly as neatly as my sister did the flag!), surrounded by blueberries. Maybe serve on Valentine's Day...? Get creative! What other red and blue designs could you make?

Happy Fourth!

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Independence Cake

It looks like it's going to be a sultry hot Fourth of July, and this cool, creamy cake is perfect to celebrate the occasion! My Little Sister has been planning it all year and whipped it up this morning. I'm told it was very simple: a mixture of cream cheese and whipped cream layered with strawberries and blueberries in between. And yes, it's low-carb and gluten-free!! She decked out the top with more blueberries and strawberried for the American flag. Now all we need are some fireworks! Happy Independence Day!

Birthday Feast

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Birthday Feast

What is a birthday without some special munchies to go with it? I planned quite a feast for my birthday this year! Including a few foods outside of the low-carb list, but as I've said before, it's okay once for us in a while! First on the menu were roasted veggies--potatoes, acorn squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes, drizzled with a mustard sauce which was perfect. I've always wanted to have tacos, (a no-no cause of the corn), which were yummy with hamburger, refried beans, lettuce, and tomato salsa. There in front is the Caesar salad, also delicious. I'll be giving you the recipe for that in my next post!

Fruit Fiesta

Time for dessert! Underneath that painstakingly arranged fruit is a layer of cream cheese and oat/rice crust. I drizzled some hot apricot preserves over the peaches, strawberries, and bananas to finish it up. I must admit, everyone was too stuffed after the meal and cake for dessert! It's still sitting in the fridge untouched! Something to look forward to, I guess...

Strawberry Icing

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Strawberries Deluxe

It’s very easy to make a wonderful icing out of the Strawberry Sauce. Take an 8-oz bar of cream cheese and beat in about a cup of strawberry sauce. You can adjust the amount to your taste. I also like to throw in the strawberry pulp from making the sauce—it’s a real strawberry whopper! You could also make the sauce/icing from blueberries, cherries, raspberries, or other frozen or fresh fruit.

Strawberry Sauce

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Straining Sauce

This delicious sauce has a marvelous flavor and color. It’s relatively easy to make and lasts for a week or two in the fridge. I’ve had great results with both fresh and frozen strawberries.

Heat in a small saucepan and simmer, covered, 10 minutes:

2 c. fresh strawberries, washed & hulled,  OR  2 c. frozen strawberries

1 c. water                                       1/4 c. honey

1 t. cinnamon                                  1 t. lemon juice

Uncover and simmer 30 minutes, til very soft.

Then pour through a fine strainer to separate the pulp. Put the juice back into a clean pan and add water to equal about 1 1/2 c. Heat gently. Meanwhile, combine and let stand 5 minutes to dissolve:

1/4 c. water                            1 1/2 t. gelatin

Ready to Eat

Stir into the juice mixture and remove from heat. Refrigerate for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally, until it’s like jelly. Drizzle it over the cheesecake for a cool fruit flavor, or use it for strawberry icing—I’ll show that tomorrow!

Cheesecake Icing

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Iced Cheesecake

Here is a standard icing recipe I love since it uses no sugar or butter. You can use it not only on the cheesecake, but also on all kinds of cakes and cookies. You can substitute any flavoring or extract for the vanilla and adjust the honey accordingly.

Combine and beat with a hand mixer:

1 8-oz. bar cream cheese                                  3 T. honey

1 t. vanilla                                                        4 T. water

Spoon over cheesecake slices and spread it down over the sides. Garnish with a few cherries or fresh berries on top.

Cooking Squash

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Squash Cooking

Now we’ll see how to cook the squash for the cheesecake. We usually use either: one small butternut squash, two sweet potatoes, one acorn squash plus one sweet potato, or one small pumpkin.
I like to use a large knife and mallet to cut the squash in half; then I scrape out the pulp and seeds (the chickens love them). Next, place the squash and/or sweet potatoes in a pan, skin side down, in about an inch of water. Heat to boiling and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Scraping Squash

When the squash pieces are soft, dip them out of the pan. After they cool, use a spoon to scrape the flesh out of the skin. It should be about 3 cups, ready to use in your next cheesecake. We like to do ours the day before so it’s always ready in the fridge. This fall we’ve been enjoying our own garden squash in the cheesecake—what a flavor!

Squash Cheesecake

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Beating Cheesecake

This recipe has a special twist on regular cheesecake which gives it extra creaminess and flavor: cooked squash. I cook butternut or acorn squash, sweet potatoes, or pumpkin and mash it up. The cheesecake is quite fast to whip up, and we eat it all the time as a high-protein, low-carb, and delicious snack. Also add it to top off any meal.

First, combine in a bowl and beat well:

1 8-oz bar cream cheese            1/4 c. honey          1 t. vanilla

      1/4 c. oat/rice flour        1 t. cinnamon       1/2 t. cloves                            

Then beat in:           3 free-range brown eggs
Finally, add and beat well:

3 c. mashed squash, or 1 16 oz. can pumpkin 1/2 c. water

Golden Treat

Pour into a greased 9x9 casserole dish and bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes, til it’s nice and brown on top. Cool, cut, and dip out small slices.

Jelly Souffle

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Beating Egg Whites

Is your mouth watering yet? I'll tempt you with one more dessert recipe. This is a very simple souffle which has almost a cake texture when finished. Better yet, it uses no flour, only eggs, and so it can be enjoyed as often as you like. We'll start by beating 3 eggs whites til they form stiff peaks.Next, beat well in a large bowl:

3 egg yolks                         1 T. water                  1 T. honey

Pour in the egg whites and fold together til just mixed. Bake in a shallow, well-greased small pan at 400° for 8-10 minutes, til brown on top. Remove from the oven.

Sliced Soufflé

After the pastry cools (and sinks considerably), gently flip it out of the pan, upside down onto a plate. Spread the bottom generously with real, fruit-sweetened jelly—my favorite is strawberry. Fold the soufflé in half lengthwise and cut in quarters. This recipe makes four small servings, but could be easily doubled if you'd like more.

Apple Pie

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Chopping Apples

And now, for the classic apple pie. Apples are a little high in sugar, but we find if we only have small servings occasionally, we can still enjoy apple pie. I like to use Gala apples in this recipe, as they’re softer and sweeter than Red or Golden Delicious. Combine in a saucepan and simmer til softened:

1 Gala apple, chopped in ½” slices                                     ¼ c. honey

1 t. cinnamon                                                                      ½ c. water

Beat separately and mix into apples:

2 eggs                                                                        1 t. vanilla extract

Pour into pre-baked pie shell (made from Basic Pie Crust recipe) and bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Cool and slice.

Apple Pie

You could also make a crumb topping by sprinkling a mixture of, say, ½ c. rolled oats, 2 T. honey, and ½ t. cinnamon over the pie before baking. Simply delicious!

Pumpkin Pie

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Holiday Treat

We couldn’t forget those wonderful Thanksgiving pies at this time of year! Here is an outstanding pumpkin pie using the same easy crust. To fill a regular-size pie shell, I suggest doing triple the recipe. For a mini-pie, combine in a bowl and beat well:

3/4 c. cooked, mashed fresh pumpkin, or 1/2 c. canned pumpkin

2 oz. soft cream cheese                   1/4 c. honey

1 t. cinnamon                                                    1 egg

2 t. vanilla                                                   Pinch salt

1/2 t. each ground cloves and nutmeg

Pour into crust and bake at 350° for 20 minutes, til browned and almost set. Cool and enjoy!