All posts in Gluten-Free

Lavender Vanilla Bean Scones

By allyson On April 7, 2011 In Baked Goods, Breakfast, Gluten-Free, Scones With 34 Comments Permanent Link to Lavender Vanilla Bean Scones

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Have you ever tasted a lavender scone?

One of the fondest food memories from my childhood was my first encounter with this fragrant breakfast treat. My mother had brought a box home from work one day–a client of hers had made them for her as a gift. Luckily, she shared them with me. I had never experienced anything like them before and will never forget their wonderfully unique flavor.

I’ve yet to see any lavender scones in the bakeshops around my hometown–especially vegan and gluten free versions. Sigh.

To enjoy such a scone, I must make it myself. But, please don’t get me wrong; I am not complaining. Baking these things in my own oven is pretty much the best type of aroma-therapy a girl can ask for. ♥

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Besan Fries

By allyson On March 31, 2011 In Dinner, Gluten-Free, Side dishes With 46 Comments Permanent Link to Besan Fries

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Besan flour–otherwise known as chickpea flour, gram flour or garbanzo bean flour–has become a coveted staple in my household. Almost every single day I make a quick meal using this versatile flour. Somehow, though, I missed the buzz about chickpea fries that seemed to be happening a couple of years ago… from folks like Mark Bittman, Martha Stewart, and even Oprah. Where have I been? I’m not sure either, but I promise I am never going back to that isolated place. Not after getting a taste of these crispy gems.

I admit, I’m not big on fried foods… really much at all. I have to eat fried stuff in extreme moderation because it jives badly with all the nutritious stuff (like raw veggies!) that my belly loves the most. But, if I ever have the craving for a few greasy french fries… I’ll probably reach for my bag of besan rather than my basket of potatoes.

These guys brings back memories of restaurant fries from my childhood: flavorful and crunchy with no need for dipping sauce. However, they do pair nicely with a blend of spicy mustard, a little Vegenaise and chili garlic sauce. Very nicely.

They are slightly more involved than your average fry, though. First you have to cook the batter and let it chill in the fridge until it firms up, almost like polenta. But after that, it’s smooth sailing. That is, if you’re not terrified of hot grease. In which case, it may be a tad more difficult for ya.

It’s great to make the batter and have it chilling in the fridge the night before so that you’ll have them ready to fry up the next day.

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Carrot Cilantro Soup

By allyson On March 25, 2011 In Appetizers/Hors d'oeuvre, Gluten-Free, Soups, Veggies With 24 Comments Permanent Link to Carrot Cilantro Soup

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The simplicity of this soup is what makes it so darn delightful. The cilantro imparts a wonderful citrus flavor and pairs well with the dense sweetness of the carrots.

The carrot soup alone is extremely flavorful, so if you have an aversion to cilantro, it’s not essential to add it at the end.

But, of course, if you LOVE cilantro… then by all means, add twice the recommended amount.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Tartlets

By allyson On March 23, 2011 In Baked Goods, Chocolate, Desserts, Gluten-Free With 47 Comments Permanent Link to Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Tartlets

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If you peruse the archives of Manifest Vegan, chances are you will find a ton of recipes calling for chocolate and peanut butter. That’s because both chocolate and peanut butter are easy winners in my book. The combo of the two makes for an undefeated champ; add pretzels and you have yourself a legendary dessert.

After I secured myself a nice bag of Glutino brand pretzels the other day (so excited as I hadn’t eaten pretzels in over a year!), I knew they would be the perfect crust for a pb & chocolate tart. If you’re gluten free and you haven’t tried these pretzels, look for them at your next grocery outing. They are so good!

If you too love a good choco-butter combo, make these tarts… your taste buds will forever thank you.

And, if you are feeling not so adventurous with the tarts, feel free to put the filling into small cups and garnish with crushed pretzels… still excellent!

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Colcannon Casserole

By allyson On March 16, 2011 In Dinner, Gluten-Free, Sauces, Side dishes With 20 Comments Permanent Link to Colcannon Casserole

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With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, my google reader seems to be spitting out hundreds of recipes for Colcannon.

And for good reason. This Irish dish is not only easy to make, it is also quite tasty. It’s composed of two of my most favorite foods: kale and mashed potatoes. Sometimes the kale is replaced with cabbage (or is it the other way around?). It makes no difference to me… I am still smitten. Really, any cruciferous veggie mixed with mashed potatoes is sure to win my heart.

This recipe is just an elaboration on the popular dish. It’s basically colcannon topped with a whiskey marinated tofu, fragrant toasted walnuts, and a decadent mushroom gravy. Altogether, it makes a killer main course.

I’ve always been fairly indifferent to St. Patrick’s Day as celebrated here in the USA. I’ve never been much of a bar-hopper, and now that I have children, even if I had the urge to do so, I’d have to hassle with a sitter, and then we’d have a curfew–and well, it’s just much more fun for me to snuggle up next to my hubby and sip green beer in our cozy living room. Maybe watch Leprechaun or something.

Anyways, the whole time I was making this, I kept thinking how wonderful this casserole would be for a holiday dinner… like Thanksgiving. Or any holiday where there’s some sort of feast involved.

St. Patty’s Day? Yep, that’ll do.

So this year, I’m declaring Colcannon Casserole as our family’s official St. Patrick’s day celebration meal… complete with a few (gluten free) green beers. Now that’s a tradition I can get behind 100%.

It takes a bit of elbow grease* and a whole lotta ingredients to get this thing put together, but it’s well worth the effort if you’re a fan of the green stuff + mashed potatoes like I am.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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Lemon Raspberry Celebration Cake

By allyson On March 14, 2011 In Cakes, Frostings and Icings, Gluten-Free, Uncategorized With 38 Comments Permanent Link to Lemon Raspberry Celebration Cake

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This past Friday we celebrated our little girl’s 2nd birthday!

I made this cake for her.

Yes, I went overboard… but this is really due to the fact that I love decorating cakes , and my daughter loves looking at cakes like this one: you know, the kind with plenty of glitzy things going on. She’s far too young to eat much of this tribute (in fact, I’m pretty sure she just ate the smallest chocolate heart on top); but for her, it’s much more about the “show” than anything else.

She’s really into “frilly” things: swoons at sparkly shoes and must be wearing a pair at all times, borrows my jewelry and has a hard time giving it back, loves wearing dresses, and has been caught on many occasions trying to sneak into my makeup.

I thought this cake celebrated her quite well. It’s laced with tart raspberries and sour lemon, encased in a super smooth vanilla bean buttercream, and topped with a hefty dash of glamour.

It’s actually just a simple tweak on one of my favorite recipes: the cinnamon donut cake. A few chocolate garnishes really make it sparkle.

This given recipe yields a double layer cake, rather than the triple one shown, but for you ambitious bakers out there, I’ve also included the breakdown for a third cake* at the bottom. Continue Reading →

Irish-ish Soda Bread

By allyson On March 8, 2011 In Baked Goods, Bread, Gluten-Free, Quick Breads With 19 Comments Permanent Link to Irish-ish Soda Bread

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There’s not much difference for me these days between ”quick” bread and yeasted bread.

All bread is relatively quick. Now that I’m baking gluten free, I no longer have to incorporate kneading and long rising times into my bread baking endeavors. I find the change liberating, as I now enjoy making a quick bread much more than I did when I was baking with gluten. Banana Bread: Meh… better with yeast. Beer bread? Only in emergencies. I just wasn’t satisfied unless my arms were about to fall off while making a loaf of bread. Even after I discovered the dough hook, I would still knead my soul into those ingredients–relishing every nuance of my aching hands squishing into the pillowy relief of the dough.

If there is one thing I miss dearly about gluten, it’s simply the kneading of the bread dough. I’ve tried kneading with many a gluten free flour combo–and let me tell ya, it just doesn’t do it for me. With gluten free bread dough, the whole process becomes slightly more clinical. I like to refer to it as the “mix and plop” method. Though, I cannot deny the lazy side of me welcoming this new, less sensual, approach to bread-making.

This loaf is made in the same vein as traditional Irish Soda Bread; the disclaimer here is that the texture is a bit off… not bad, just not quite as I remember an Irish Soda Bread to taste (hence the “Irish-ish”). I should add, in the bread’s defense, that I am actually part Irish. Yeah, I’ll take it wherever I can get it.

The texture of the loaf lends itself more to cutting into chunks rather than thin slices, and is best served slightly warm from the oven. Topped with some margarine, or soft avocado, it’s quite an addictive little snacking bread… authentic or not.

Today is also International Women’s Day! All you ladies–and men who have ladies in your lives–let’s celebrate!

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Cherry Almond Coffee Cake

By allyson On March 2, 2011 In Baked Goods, Breakfast, Cakes, Frostings and Icings, Gluten-Free With 32 Comments Permanent Link to Cherry Almond Coffee Cake

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Okay dear readers, file this one under Allyson’s favorite recipes.

I have made this coffee cake three times in the past three days (yes, that’s right: one per day) and have regretted not one single moment of it. There is just something about a good cherry-almond combo that makes my heart sinnng! Plus, it’s an easy cake to throw together since it calls for dried cherries, and not those delicious juicy ones with the pesky pits.

And, this coffee cake does not require coffee to make it shine (do any, really?), it stands up quite nicely on its own.

So what are you waiting for? Get in your kitchen and whip up what I consider to be the best coffee cake I have ever made.

Yep, ever.

Hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as I do… and if you happen to not like it, please don’t hesitate to send me the leftovers! ;) nom nom nom

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Triple Chocolate Pancakes

By allyson On February 25, 2011 In Cakes, Chocolate, Desserts, Frostings and Icings, Gluten-Free With 53 Comments Permanent Link to Triple Chocolate Pancakes

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As I sit and type this post bright and early in the morning , I can honestly say that I have no desire to eat these pancakes for breakfast. Ever. Nothing at all against this recipe–in fact–I believe it to be a very good one. But these pancakes… are much more like “cakes” than your typical flapjack. The chocolate chips and ganache may or may not exaggerate this inherent quality.

Stacked up, they actually make a pretty decadent chocolate cake. With a moist and tender crumb, dark chocolate bits strewn throughout, and covered in thick silky ganache… it is definitely my kinda flapjack.

But, fair warning: eat these for dessert, not first thing in the morning. Unless you are some sort of hardcore chocolate devotee (in which I enthusiastiacally applaud you), you won’t find these very appealing with a glass of OJ. A tall glass of chilled almond milk, on the other hand, washes them down perfectly.

Oh! I almost forgot to mention that today is the last day of Pancake Week (thanks Marly!)… did you know? Kind of a bummer that I was only able to catch the tailend of the celebration, but it’s a good thing the internet is around to preserve the past week’s pancake contributions indefinitely. I intend on spending the day engaged in some serious pancake appreciation.

Cheers!

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Yeasted Mocha Muffins

By allyson On February 22, 2011 In Baked Goods, Bread, Breakfast, Desserts, Gluten-Free, Muffins With 31 Comments Permanent Link to Yeasted Mocha Muffins

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These baked morsels are somewhat difficult to classify. On one hand they taste like a muffin, and on another, a sweet yeasted bread–yet they are so versatile, that by adding some mix-ins and a frosting, you could even get away with calling them a cupcake.

I personally think they taste like bread. My son voted cupcake. My daughter said “cookie” (okay, her 2 year old vocabulary isn’t very extensive and she calls anything sweet a cookie). I am positive my husband will think they taste just like a normal muffin.

I actually intended on doing something else, something more bready with this dough… but my plan was foiled since I didn’t have the ingredients handy to make what I originally intended. One of those last minute “oh no!” moments.

So these muffins were born!

I decided to make them slightly mocha flavored (because I am a coffee fiend), but some fresh berries, nuts, or even chocolate chips would fare well in these. Heck, you could even halve the sugar, leave off any toppings and have a basic dinner roll!

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Spicy Cilantro Crackers

By allyson On February 17, 2011 In Appetizers/Hors d'oeuvre, Baked Goods, Cookies, Gluten-Free With 35 Comments Permanent Link to Spicy Cilantro Crackers

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Crackers are great little gems to have tucked away for the random occasion when you need something quick, savory and snappy. They shine in celebratory times where they make there subtle, but necessary, appearance on party trays. They come to the rescue during more dismal times–acting as the only food some folks can stomach when feeling under the weather. They also work well as a simple and delicious snack, for no good reason at all.

Store bought gf crackers can be quite costly, though. I’ve seen small (teeny) bags of them in my grocery store selling for seven dollars. Seven! Now, I appreciate a good snack that won’t compromise my health just as much as the next gal–but seven dollars? That’s just silly. And a darn good reason to make your own crackers from scratch. This particular recipe reminds me of a goldfish cracker with more sophistication, an extra dose of crunch, and a subtle touch of curry.

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Bulgogi Steak(less) Sandwich

By allyson On February 11, 2011 In Baked Goods, Bread, Dinner, Gluten-Free, Vegan Community With 14 Comments Permanent Link to Bulgogi Steak(less) Sandwich

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The Bulgogi Steak Sandwich: Veganized and De-glutenized.

The original version of this concoction comes from KoJa–a popular foodtruck in Philadelphia–and was featured on Huffington Post’s America’s Top Ten New Sandwiches.

The soft (and slightly chewy) hoagie roll is stuffed with tofu bulgogi, chili garlic sauce, oozy Daiya and a crapload of sauteed peppers and onions.

This is what my dreams are made of.

Check out the full recipe here.

Bulgogi Style Tofu

By allyson On February 10, 2011 In Dinner, Gluten-Free, Sauces With 65 Comments Permanent Link to Bulgogi Style Tofu

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One thing I love so dearly about the blogging community is the sharing of ideas… and the creative endeavors that I may not have found myself pursuing had it not been for the collaboration with other bloggers. I was recently contacted by Marly, of Namely Marly, inviting me to participate in this great idea she had to veganize a list of America’s Top Ten New Sandwiches named by the Huffington Post. Isn’t that a great idea?!

If you all know anything about me, it’s that I love veganizing omni eats… so I was already intrigued when I first heard Marly’s idea. But once I saw the details–and that there was a bulgogi Philly Cheesesteak involved–I got more than excited. I was elated. And then I quickly became on a mission to bring back a food that I used to eat at least twice a week: bulgogi.

You see, even though I may reside in the middle of Ohio (land of corn), I have been surrounded by a fairly large Korean community since I was wee little. Heck, even my son has Korean roots. And from the exposure to such a great culture, I have eaten my fair share of bulgogi, kalbi, kimchi, kimbap, bibimbap, mandu, loads of banchan and many more traditional Korean dishes.

Bulgogi was always around, as my son’s Korean grandmother religiously kept a giant vat of bulgogi marinade tucked away in her fridge. And, even though I used to love the stuff back in the day, bulgogi hasn’t crossed my mind in years since shunning meat.

But man, am I ever happy to have it back in my life! This tofu rendition tastes amazing. I really do think it tastes better than the traditional stuff. Seriously, try it. I was even snacking on it uncooked… yum!

Keep your eyes peeled here tomorrow, where I will show you how to use this bulgogi in a recipe for a Korean inspired Philly cheesesteak. For now, this stuff is deeee-lish served over rice.

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Thin Mintz

By allyson On February 4, 2011 In Chocolate, Cookies, Desserts, Gluten-Free, Uncategorized With 30 Comments Permanent Link to Thin Mintz

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Recently I have been hearing mentions of it being “girl scout cookie time”, and although now I obviously abstain, I still get a little nostalgic thinking about my short lived years peddling those things. I was a girl scout for just five years… but in that time, I easily ate hundreds (no thousands) of girl scout cookies. I mean, I had to spend my allowance on something, right? The flavor I loved the most was thin mints… by a long shot. I could crush an entire packet of those things in one sitting, without a single complaint from my belly. That’s like 30 cookies at once. We had a very serious relationship, thin mints and I.

Happily, I found my love re-kindled with a homemade version of the classic cookie. When I was making the ice cream sandwiches last week, I was thinking that the dough would make an excellent crunchy wafer if baked a little longer. Then I thought about how I could easily slip some minty flavor in there, dip it in chocolate and re-create my childhood cookie love. The rest is history.

These babies taste pretty damn good and authentic, if I do say so myself. No hydrogenated oils, gluten, or animal products needed.

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