gluten free zen
Taking The Stress Out Of Gluten-Free Grain-Free & Dairy-Free Living
Maple Walnut Shortbread
National Cookie Day sneaked past me yesterday while I was out doing my Christmas shopping. Not to worry though, these cookies are tasty every day! I haven’t had shortbread in years and this maple walnut shortbread was delicious with my cup of morning tea. It’s so simple too – you could easily whip these up on short notice as a tasty gift or when company arrives unexpectedly and you’d like something sweet and flaky to serve with hot beverages. The maple extract adds amazing flavor your guests will love!
Maple Walnut Shortbread
1/2 Cup of Dairy Free Butter
1/3 Cup of Powdered Sugar
1/2 teaspoon of Pure Maple Extract
1/4 teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Sea Salt
1 1/2 Cups of Mama’s Almond Blend All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
For The Frosting:
1 1/4 Cups of Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon of Pure Maple Extract
Pinch of Sea Salt
2 Tablespoons of Almond Milk
1/4 Cup of Finely Chopped Walnuts
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
For the shortbread, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the extracts, sea salt, and flour and blend on low just until incorporated and the dough comes together. Lightly flour a piece of parchment, pat the dough into a circle, and roll the dough into about an 8 inch circle, smoothing the edges with your fingers. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 16 triangles. Press a fork lightly along the edges. I also used a scalloped cookie cutter for more design on top of the cookie. (Or you can use cookie cutters and cut out shapes, or roll the dough into a rectangle and cut squares…)
Transfer the shortbread dough WITH the parchment onto a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and run a sharp knife down the previous cuts. Let the shortbread cool completely, then move to a wire cooling rack for frosting.
For the frosting, whisk the sugar, extract, sea salt, and almond milk until smooth and of drizzling consistency. Drizzle each cookie and sprinkle with walnuts one at a time (otherwise the drizzle will set and the nuts won’t stick).
Serve with hot tea, coffee, or hot buttered rum (recipe coming soon!).
Holiday Ideas ~ My Top 10 Favorite Cookbooks
At one point before we moved across the country, I had close to 100 cookbooks. I loved each and every one, but needed to downsize so I didn’t have 15 boxes of books that had to be hauled to the other side of the US. I kept my absolute favorites and donated the rest. Below are my top 10 favorites that yes, I own and use. Each have their own style, unique flavors and techniques.
Farm House Cookbook
Comfort food at its best from family farms across rural America.
Hardcover $27.97 / Softcover $14.89
Ready Or Not Nom Nom Paleo
150 Plus mouth watering recipes with step by step photos. Very visual, fun to read!
Kindle $10.69 / Hardcover $22.91
Gluten Free Artisan Bread In 5 Minutes A Day
Gorgeous, delicious, easy recipes for homemade gluten free breads.
Kindle $14.99 / Hardcover $18.37
Rose’s Christmas Cookies
Every delicious cookie you can imagine in one place.
Down South Paleo
Delicious southern recipes for gluten free and paleo eaters.
Kindle $9.99 / Paperback $17.45
Every Last Crumb
She has some really interesting and delicious recipes with variations for people with multiple food allergies.
Kindle $9.99 / Paperback $26.35
The Complete Mexican, South American, & Caribbean Cookbook
Full of fabulous recipes that I’ve used for dinner parties and gatherings. So flavorful!
Mediterranean Paleo
Mouth watering, rustic, recipes that are full of flavor and even if you never try a single recipe, this cookbook is packed with wonderful stories, photos, and information.
Kindle $9.99 / Paperback $23.64
Old Fashioned Home Baking
If I had to choose my top all time favorite baking cookbook, I think this would be it. Brings back memories of my grandma’s style of baking.
My Paleo Patisserie
This cookbook is absolutely stunning!! Both in the photos and the recipes. Two decades of traditional and modern patisserie baking that has been converted for the gluten free and paleo diet. A beautiful coffee table book that your guests will love thumbing through as well!
Kindle $9.99 / Hardcover $35.46
Grain Free & Dairy Free Gingerbread
This gingerbread is FABULOUS! It’s full of flavor, versatile, freezes well, will make your house smell wonderful, and your guests will be in awe when they figure out it’s grain free and dairy free. You can serve it with coconut milk whipped cream and a little sprinkle of cinnamon like I did here, or you can warm the gingerbread and serve it with dairy free vanilla ice cream. You can also just sprinkle it with powdered sugar, or if you’re looking for a dessert to serve after a holiday dinner, you can incorporate the gingerbread into my individual Gingerbread Trifles.
It’s very versatile, and because it can be made ahead and stores well in the freezer, it’s nice to have on hand during the busy holidays when people tend to stop by unannounced. I also like to keep a couple of boxes of chilled coconut milk in my fridge and have powdered sugar and pure vanilla extract on hand so I can whip up some cream on a moments notice.
Grain Free & Dairy Free Gingerbread
**This is best when served on day two or three – when the flavors have a chance to mingle and the gingerbread becomes more moist and dense. Or, you can freeze it up to a month and then defrost and serve**
1 1/4 Cups of Coconut Flour
3/4 Cup of Sweet Potato Flour
1 1/2 Cups of Coconut Sugar
2 teaspoons of Double Acting Baking Powder
2 teaspoons of Baking Soda
1/8 teaspoon of Sea Salt
2 teaspoons of Ceylon Cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons of Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon of Ground Cloves
6 Eggs
1/2 Cup of Dairy Free Soy Free Butter
2 Tablespoons of Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Cup of Unsulphured Molasses
1 Cups of Full Fat Coconut Milk
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees (I use convection so cooking time may vary) Spray two 8×8 square pans with non stick spray and set aside. This can also be made in one 8 1/2 x 11 pan or two 8-9 inch round pans.
Measure the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the butter (cool but not cold) and the remaining wet ingredients. Whisk thoroughly until fluffy and combined.
Divide evenly among pans and bake for 25-30 minutes. *Cool and cover with plastic wrap. Serve on day 2 or 3 or cool and cover with plastic wrap and tinfoil and freeze up to 30 days.*
Holiday Ideas ~ Healthy Homemade Body Products
The holidays are just around the corner! Are you ready?
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QUENCH ~ INTENSIVE ORGANIC NIGHT CREAM FOR FACE & NECK
ESSENTIAL OIL BODY CREAM ~ 5 WAYS!
Grain Free Dinner Rolls
These rolls are inspired by My Gluten-Free Kitchen’s Pull Apart Dinner Rolls. I have made her fabulous rolls many, many times using her gluten-free recipe and we absolutely love them! They turn out perfect every time. I worked with the recipe a bit to come up with a grain free option. Still super easy and still delicious! They’re not just for dinner either! I love to toast leftovers for breakfast or use the buns for sandwiches.
Grain Free Dinner Rolls
2 3/4 Cups Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of Xanthan Gum
2 1/2 teaspoons of SAF Instant Yeast
1/4 Cup of Granulated Sugar (You can use white or coconut sugar – coconut sugar will make the rolls look more like a whole wheat roll)
1 teaspoon of Celtic Sea Salt
1 Cup of Warm Filtered Water
2 1/2 Tablespoons of Earth Balance Soy Free Butter, plus extra for roll tops after baking
1 Large Organic Egg
1 teaspoon of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar
Spray a 9″ round pie plate, set aside.
Add the dry ingredients to your stand mixer. Heat the water and add the butter, let it sit until it melts. Turn the mixer on low and add the water and butter, the egg, and the vinegar. Mix on low until combined, scraping down the sides once. Beat on high for 1 minute. Scrape down sides. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out 9 mounds of dough into the pie plate. The dough will be soft. You can leave them for a rustic baked look or you can wet your fingers and gently smooth out the tops.
Set the oven to 375 degrees Spray a piece of plastic wrap and gently lay it over the top of the pie plate. Cover loosely with a light kitchen towel, and let rest for 45 minutes. I do mine on top of the stove where it’s warm.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. (I use convection for all of my cooking – if you use conventional, set your oven at 400 degrees and start keeping an eye on the rolls around 25 minutes). Let the rolls cool for 10 minutes before brushing the tops lightly with melted dairy free butter.
Here I’ve used the buns for lunch and for a breakfast sandwich. Delicious!
Maple Sugar Cookies
You haven’t had the true “Maple Experience” unless you’ve been to New England during maple sugaring season. I guarantee you that fall in New England should have an important place on your bucket list. I wrote a little bit about our “sugar shack” experiences HERE.
Everyone knows New England has a stunning Fall reputation, but there’s so much more than just the fabulous colors. The people are wonderful, the scenery is stunning – from the forests to the houses to the coastline. And the “sugar shacks” as we lovingly called them, are a do not miss. There are fancier ones like in the blog post I linked above, but then there are also little shacks on people’s home properties that really give you the New England experience. There are a total of 110 maple producers in New Hampshire alone! If you’re still stuck on the Aunt Jamima or Log Cabin syrup from your youth – shame on you. You deserve better. Did I mention the maple aromas? Oh. My. Word. They heat it to evaporate the water and then boil it – and let me tell you, that sweetness fills the air and it is heavenly! They are also very generous with tastes when you visit their sugar houses. New England was where I was introduced to pure maple sugar and maple cream. You must experience maple cream at least once in your life. They also make maple sugar cotton candy and yes, it’s as wonderful as it sounds.
If you love maple, you’ll love these sweet little cookies!
Maple Sugar Cookies
(This dough needs to be chilled over night and makes about 30 – 2″ sandwich cookies)
2 1/2 Cups of Mamas Almond Blend All Purpose Gluten Free Flour (plus more for rolling)
1 teaspoon of Double Acting Baking Powder
3/4 teaspoon of Xanthan Gum
1/2 teaspoon of Celtic Sea Salt
1/3 Cup of Dairy Free Butter
1/3 Cup of Spectrum Shortening
3/4 Cup of Coombs Organic Maple Sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon of Vanilla
Whisk the dry ingredients (except maple sugar) together and set aside. In a mixer, cream the butter and shortening then add the maple sugar and cream until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until creamy. Mix in the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Scoop into a ziplock bag and flatten and refrigerate over night.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Line work surface with parchment and flour. Dust your rolling pin and separate the dough into thirds. Keep what you’re not using in the fridge. Sprinkle flour on the dough and roll out, cutting shapes of your choice. Bake for 7 minutes (don’t let the edges get too golden), let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks. Repeat with the remaining dough. Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
1/4 Cup of Dairy Free Butter
5 Cups of Powdered Sugar
Pinch of Celtic Sea Salt
4 Tablespoons of Pure Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1 – 1 1/2 Tablespoons of Water (for spreading consistency)
Cream the butter, 2 Cups of the powdered sugar, salt, and 2 Tablespoons of the maple syrup. Add the lemon juice, the other two Tablespoons of syrup, and the remaining 3 cups of powdered sugar. Mix until it comes together. It will be very thick and clay like. Add the water 1/2 Tablespoon at a time until you reach a smooth but thick frosting that won’t leak out of the middle of the cookies.
I used the back of a teaspoon to gather a dollop of frosting. Then put it in the middle of the bottom cookie (use the underside of the cookie) and then carefully squished it down to spread it with the top cookie.
Carrot Cake Biscotti
During the colder months I love to have hot tea or a spicy coconut creme with a little something sweet and crunchy as my afternoon treat. I love all types of biscotti but especially unique flavors and ingredients. If you’re a purist, these may not be for you. But if you’re a biscotti adventurist, you’ll love them! They have just the right amount of sweet and crisp and make the perfect companion for tea, coffee, or your favorite afternoon latte.
Carrot Cake Biscotti
*This Recipe Is Grain Free & Dairy Free*
1 3/4 Cups of Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour
1 teaspoon of Double Acting Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon of Celtic Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon of Xanthan Gum
2 teaspoons of Ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon of Ground Nutmeg
1/4 Cup of Dairy Free Butter
3/4 Cup of Packed Dark Brown Sugar
1 Large Egg
2 teaspoons of Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup of Plain Pureed Pumpkin
2 Cups of Grated Carrots
1/2 Cup of Chopped Walnuts
1 Cup of Raisins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line one baking sheet with parchment.
Whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar, add the egg, vanilla, and pumpkin and mix until thoroughly incorporated and fluffy. Add the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. With mixer on the stir setting, add the carrots, nuts, and raisins.
Divide the dough in half and scoop two halves onto the baking sheet. Pat lightly into two loaves about 2″ high and 9-10″ long. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool.
Slice, (makes about 23 servings depending on how thick you slice them. If sliced too thinly, they won’t stay together and will crisp too much during baking) and lay each piece on its side. Bake side #1 for 10 minutes, remove from oven and carefully turn each piece over and bake side #2 for 10 minutes. Cool Completely before frosting.
Frosting
2 1/2 Tablespoons of Dairy Free Butter, melted
Zest of a Whole Small Lemon
1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon of Almond Extract
1 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons of Powdered Sugar
1 Tablespoon of Water (If necessary for drizzling consistency)
Whisk together until smooth and drizzle lightly over biscotti.
My Favorite Coconut Creme
1/2 Cup of Full Fat Coconut Milk (I use Arroy-D)
1/2 Cup of Filtered Water
1/4 teaspoon of Ground Ginger
1 Tablespoon of Raw Honey
1 teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract
Ground Cinnamon
Ground Nutmeg
Heat the coconut milk and water to almost boiling. Remove from heat and stir in the ginger, honey, and vanilla. Pour into a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds. Pour into your favorite cup and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Instant Pot Beef & Vegetable Soup
There was a little snafu with the photographs on my phone when our son was fixing another snafu with my computer. So this is the one and only photo I have of this delicious soup! It’s actually a photo of a photo because that’s the only way I could figure out how to get it from “out there” to here. ha
Instant Pot Beef & Vegetable Soup
12 ounce Top Sirloin Steak, sliced thinly
1 Medium Sweet Onion, sliced
3 Cloves of Garlic, diced
14 oz Bag of Brussels Sprouts, stems cut, outer layer peeled, then halved
8 ounces of Cremini Mushrooms, halved
3 Stalks of Celery, sliced on the diagonal
2 Large Carrots, sliced on the diagonal
1 Cup of Kale, ribs removed and chopped
1/2 Cup of Parsley, chopped
1 Medium Sweet Potato with Skin, cubed
1 Tablespoon of Fresh Rosemary, minced
1 Tablespoon of Fresh Thyme, minced
1 Tablespoon of Fresh Oregano, minced
64 ounces of Beef Broth
1 1/2 teaspoons of Apple Cider Vinegar
Sea Salt & Pepper To Taste
About 2 Tablespoons of Avocado Oil
Heat the Instant Pot to saute the steak. Add 1 Tablespoon of the avocado oil and quickly saute the beef until it begins to brown and remove to a plate. (I removed mine at rare-just barely medium rare.) Add the remaining Tablespoon of avocado oil, the onions, garlic, celery and carrot and saute until the onions are aldente. Add the meat and the remaining ingredients, stir to deglaze the bottom of the pan, and secure the lid.
On “Manual” set the Instant Pot for 5 minutes. (It will take approximately 30 minutes to come to temperature and THEN the 5 minute timer will begin.) When the timer sounds, release the steam and season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Clementine Yogurt Cake
Often when people hear the words “gluten free” or “grain free” or even “dairy free”, they think those terms equal = weird texture, odd tastes, and punishment. Which is kind of bizarre to me considering the real punishment is eating foods you’re sensitive to that make you sick, stiff, hormonal, anxious, and grumpy. Once you realize there’s a whole world of other options out there, you can let go of all of those negative attachments to what you “think” eating allergen free tastes and feels like.
This cake not only came out of the oven smelling and looking beautiful, the flavors were out of this world after allowing it to rest covered for 24 hours. It’s perfect lightly heated with a scoop of coconut milk vanilla ice cream, or just eaten by itself alongside a hot cup of tea for breakfast or an evening snack.
Clementine Yogurt Cake
8 Clementines
1 Cup of Coconut Sugar
1 1/2 Cups of Gluten Free Mama’s Almond Blend Flour
2 teaspoons of Double Acting Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon of Celtic Sea Salt
1/2 Cup of Old Chatham Sheepherding Company’s Vanilla Yogurt
3 Eggs
2 teaspoons of Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup of Avocado Oil
2 Tablespoons of Raw Honey
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan with a piece of parchment. Spray generously with nonstick spray (I use avocado oil spray). *When I “line” a pan with parchment, I only cut a long piece that will go over the middle of the pan and hang off of each side. This makes is much easier to remove the bread and keeps it from sticking on the bottom.
Measure the sugar into a medium bowl and zest 6 clementines into the sugar. Rub the zest into the sugar until it is completely incorporated and the sugar is moist and aromatic. Set aside. Peel the tangerines with a sharp knife and cut out the orange sections onto a few folded paper towels. Blot dry.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the yogurt into the sugar, then beat in the eggs one at a time to form a smooth mixture. Whisk in the vanilla, then lightly whisk in the dry ingredients. Switch to a large spatula, and fold in the avocado oil. You should have a smooth batter with a light sheen.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Scatter the clementine segments over the top.
Bake (I use convection) for 50-60 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and begins to pull away from the sides. Cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then remove the cake from the pan to a cooling rack that has parchment placed underneath.
To glaze the cake, zest and juice the remaining 2 clementines into a small bowl. Add the honey, and heat for 20-30 seconds in the microwave. Drizzle the mixture over the top of the cake. You can eat this warm and right away, but if you cover it and keep it at room temperature to serve it on day 2, it’s much better – rich and full of flavor.
Coconut Sugar Dark Chocolate Macaroons
These are delicious and absolutely simple to make. From start to finish they’re done in under 30 minutes. Healthy ingredients and the perfect snack when you’re craving just a little something sweet.
Coconut Sugar Dark Chocolate Macaroons
(Makes 14 Small Cookies)
1 1/3 Cup Let’s Do Organic – 100% Organic Shredded Coconut Unsweetened – plus a few pinches for sprinkling
2 Tablespoons of Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour
1/3 Cup of Organic Coconut Sugar
1/4 teaspoon of Celtic Sea Salt
3 Organic Egg Whites
2 teaspoons of Pure Vanilla Extract
1 – 1 1/2 Squares of Trader Joe’s Fair Trade Organic 72% Cacao Belgian Dark Chocolate Bar (green packaging)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment. Stir all ingredients except the chocolate until thoroughly combined. Drop 14 dollops of dough onto the baking sheet. Break up the chocolate into small pieces and poke 1 piece into each cookie. Sprinkle with a little extra shredded coconut.
Bake (I use convection) for 18 minutes.
gluten free zen 