gluten free zen
Taking The Stress Out Of Gluten-Free Grain-Free & Dairy-Free Living
Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
I converted one of Martha Stewarts coffee cakes and came up with this. In true Martha fashion, the recipe has a gazillion steps but is worth every one. You won’t be disappointed.
~ 2/16/2012~ I made this recipe again a few days ago and edited it a bit. I noticed that I had left the xanthan gum out the first time I posted the recipe. Also, the streusel topping can be cut in 1/2 easily, there’s plenty. Or, you could use the topping on the top and in the middle and leave out the streusel center ingredients below. It all depends on if you want a little streusel with your cake or a little cake with your streusel. Enjoy!
**My Advice: Read through the entire recipe before starting
Preheat oven to 350°
Cinnamon-Streusel Coffee Cake
For The Streusel Topping and Center (these are made separately see directions below):
1 3/4 Cups Mama’s Almond Blend All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
1 Cup Packed Dark Brown Sugar
1 1/4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Course Salt (I used sea salt)
3/4 Cup Dairy Free Butter (I use Earth Balance Soy Free)
1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans
1/2 Cup Chopped Dates
For The Cake:
3/4 Cup Dairy Free Butter, Plus More For The Pan
2 Cups Mama’s Almond Blend All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
1 1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Kosher or Table Salt
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
2 Large Eggs
1 1/2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Cup So Delicious (Dairy Free) Coconut Milk Yogurt
1. Make the streusel topping: Mix together 1 3/4 cup flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, and 1 tsp. course salt, and 1/2 cup nuts. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or gently rub through with your fingers until small to medium clumps form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Make the streusel center: Mix together 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup dates, and 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon. Set aside.
3. Make the cake: Butter (with dairy-free butter) a 9 inch tube pan with removable bottom.
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and 1/2 tsp salt into a bowl.
4. Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
Beat in flour mixture in 2 or 3 additions, alternating with the coconut yogurt, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape down sides and beat until well combined.
5. Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan.
Sprinkle the streusel center mixture evenly over the batter.
Top with remaining batter and smooth with a spatula.
Sprinkle streusel topping mixture evenly over batter.
6. Bake until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. About 55 minutes (mine took 53). Transfer pan to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
Remove cake from pan and serve.
Asian Style Chicken Wings
Asian Style Chicken Wings
3 – 1.5 lb Packages of Party Wings
3 Green Onions, sliced
1 Heaping Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped
About an Inch of Fresh Ginger, finely grated
Zest of 1 Lime
2 Whole Limes, juiced
1 Jalapeno, diced, seeds and membrane intact
3 Cloves of Garlic, diced
1/3 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp. Sriracha Hot Sauce
Couple Small Drizzles of Sesame Oil
1/4 Cup Rice Vinegar
1/4 Cup Gluten-Free Soy Sauce
Place all of the ingredients above, minus the chicken, into a large bowl.
Whisk together until the brown sugar is dissolved. Add the chicken and toss well.
Cover, refrigerate, and marinate for at least 3 hours. Toss a couple of times in between.
Preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with alluminum foil. Place chicken wings in rows and drizzle with remaining marinade.
Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, turning once. Then, broil for about 15 minutes until carmelized, turning once for a total of about 7 or 8 minutes on each side.
I served them with a side of rice and stir fried veggies.
Two Minute Chocolate Cake
Two Minute Personal Sized Chocolate Cake
In a microwave safe cereal bowl, add: 1/4 cup Mama’s Almond Flour Blend, 2 Tbs. of coconut sugar, 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp of double acting baking powder, 1 Tbsp. of dairy free Chocolate Chips, 1/8 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. xanthan gum, 1 egg, 5 Tbs. of dairy free milk, 1 Tbs. vegetable oil, 1/2 tsp. vanilla.
Stir with fork until all ingredients are combined and smooth.
Place in the microwave and cook on high for 1 minute 40 seconds to 2 minutes depending on your microwave. DO NOT over cook or the cake will be rubbery and dry.
Grilled Chicken with “Fancy” Sauteed Green Beans
Grilled Chicken Breasts
2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Olive Oil
Dried Thyme
Sea Salt & Pepper
Place chicken breasts on a plate and drizzle generously with olive oil. Season with sea salt, pepper, and thyme. Turn chicken over and rub in olive oil on plate and season again. Set aside and heat grill on medium to medium high.
“Fancy” Green Beans
About 3 Cups Fresh Green Beans, ends removed
About 10 or 12 Crimini Mushrooms, sliced
2 Cloves of Garlic, chopped
1 Anaheim Pepper, seeds & membrane removed, diced
Olive Oil
Sea Salt & Pepper
Drizzle olive oil in a large saute pan. Heat on medium to medium high heat. Add beans and saute for 5 minutes.
(At this point, start grilling the chicken. Don’t over cook it, boneless skinless chicken breasts grill quickly. I usually do mine for about 6 or 7 minutes on each side.)
Add sliced mushrooms, garlic, and the Anaheim pepper. Season with Sea Salt & Pepper. Saute until beans are aldente and mushrooms are golden.
Serve as desired. Super easy to make and super easy to clean up.
Easy Oven Baked Ribs
Pre-Heat Oven to 350°
Easy Oven Baked Ribs
1 Package of All Natural Pork Spareribs (has 2 racks)
1 1/2 Bottles of your favorite BBQ Sauce (make sure it’s gluten-free)
2 Tbsp. Sriracha Sauce
1 Large Jalapeno, diced
Garlic Powder
Sea Salt & Pepper
Tin Foil
Line a large roasting pan with foil. (You don’t have to, but it completely cuts out the scrubbing that will need to be done if you don’t.)
Remove the pork ribs from the package, cut in half, and pat dry with paper towels. Place in roasting pan. Sprinkle liberally with garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper.
Next, mix 1 bottle of BBQ sauce with the Sriracha sauce and dice the jalapeno, leaving the membrane and the seeds if you like it spicy.
Add the diced jalapeno to the sauce and spread over the ribs.
Cover with tin foil (tightly) and back for 1 1/2 hours. Remove tin foil, spread carefully with 1/2 a bottle of BBQ sauce.
Broil for about 10 minutes until sauce is bubbly and begins to carmelize. Slice between the bones and serve.
Crockpot Turkey Meatball Soup
Crockpot Turkey Meatball Soup
2 Packages of Ground Turkey
2 Eggs
1 Tbsp. Basil
1 Tbsp. Oregano
Small Sprig of Rosemary
About 1/4 Cup Dairy-Free Parmesan or Sheep’s milk parm
1 Tbsp. Chopped Garlic
1 tsp. Sea Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
Olive Oil
1 Large Onion
1 Heaping Cup of Pre-Shredded Carrots
3 Large Kale Leaves, Stalks Removed & Leafy Parts Chopped
2 Tbsp. Chopped Garlic
2 tsp. Sea Salt
1 tsp. Pepper
About 4 Boxes of Gluten-Free Chicken Broth
Place the ground turkey, eggs, chopped basil, oregano and rosemary, chopped garlic, dairy free parmesan, and 1 tsp. of sea salt and 1/2 tsp. of pepper in a large bowl. Combine all of the ingredients with your hands, being careful not to overwork the mixture. You want all of the ingredients completely combined but not “mushy” and without at least a little texture. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and form the turkey into about 1 inch balls. I would say it makes between 45-50 (Almost two trays.)
Bake in a 400 degree oven until lightly golden. About 30 minutes or so. Don’t overcook them as turkey has very little fat and they will become dry.
While the turkey is baking chop the onion and remaining garlic and saute in olive oil just until the onions begin to turn translucent. Add the chopped carrots and toss for 2 minutes, add the chopped kale and toss for two minutes more. Place meatballs and sautéed ingredients in crock pot, fill with chicken broth, season with remaining salt and pepper and cook on low for 6-8 hours depending on your schedule for the day.
This is a full crockpot so I would say that it would serve at least five hungry people with a little left over. I served it in the infamous Pier 1 debacle ramekins and I think the contrast was quite nice.
White Wine & Rum Sangria
White Wine and Rum Sangria
1 1/2 Bottles of White Wine (I used St. Michelle’s Riesling)
1 Cup of Rum (I used Meyer’s Dark Rum)
1/3 Cup Sugar
2 Medium Mandarin Oranges
Juice of 1 Mandarin Orange
8 Key Limes
Lemon wedges, more Key limes, and 2 more Mandarin oranges for glasses.
Crushed Ice
Club Soda
Framboise
Pour wine and rum into a tall glass pitcher. Add sugar and stir. Slice wash, dry, and slice the 2 oranges and the 8 Key limes. Place the sliced fruit in the wine and rum mixture and stir. Cover with plastic and refrigerate over night.
Slice up fruit to put in glasses, cover and refrigerate. This can also be done the night before.
Right before serving, stir the mixture, add ice, smashing down the fruit a little. Place a couple of pieces of the fruit into glass tumblers or wine glasses and add a splash of club soda and Framboise.
Gluten Free & Dairy Free Chocolate Trifle
Chocolate Trifle
1 Box Betty Crocker Gluten Free Devil’s Food Cake Mix
1 tsp Instant Coffee Crystals
1 Cup Water
3 Eggs
1/2 Cup Dairy Free Butter
Make cake according to directions, except add the 1 tsp. of coffee crystals to the batter while mixing. Cool Completely, cover and refrigerate.
Dairy-Free Pudding:
4 Cups Almond Milk or Coconut Milk
3 Tbsp. Potato Starch
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 Cups Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips
3 Tbs. Sugar
1 Tbsp. Instant Coffee Crystals
1/2 Tbsp. Vanilla
Whisk together 1/2 cup of almond milk and the potato starch and set aside. Combine the remaining milk, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, sugar, and coffee crystals in a large saucepan.
Warm over medium heat, whisking, until chocolate chips have melted and it comes to a very low boil, careful not to heat it too fast or the milk will scald. Whisk in the potato starch mixture and cook for 10 minutes until pudding starts to thicken and begins to boil. I added a little more almond milk (1/2 cup) at this point because I thought mine was too thick. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into a large bowl and allow to cool on the counter for 1/2 hour. Next, cover with plastic wrap, allowing the plastic to lay on the top of the pudding so that the pudding doesn’t form a skin. Refrigerate over night.
Mixed Berry Sauce:
1 16 oz. Bag of Frozen Mixed Berries (Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries)
About 1/2 Cup Sugar
About 2 tsp. of Potato Starch
Place berries and sugar in a small saucepan and heat over medium until they are completely melted and come to a boil. Stir with a spoon. Mix the potato starch with about 2 Tbs. of water and add to the berries. Bring to a boil over medium high, stirring, and allow to thicken. Remove from heat, pour into a bowl and refrigerate over night.
Coconut Whipping Cream: (Make this the same day you are putting together the trifle)
I Googled Vegan Whipping Cream and this is the recipe that I settled on. I changed it of course. I would make it a bit thicker next time, I think this time I allowed a little too much of the actual coconut milk into the mixture.
1 1/2 cups full fat coconut milk, from two 13.5 oz cans (I used 3)
1/3 cup powdered sugar or to taste (I used a 1/2 cup, maybe a little more)
1 – 4 Tbsp coconut flour or tapioca flour, add 1 Tbsp at a time (I used 4 Tbs. tapioca flour)
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or to taste (I used 2 Tbsp. pure Vanilla extract)
Shaved dairy-free chocolate
Place the cans of coconut milk in the fridge over night (or longer if you wish). The coconut milk will separate from the coconut solids. Open the cans carefully and scoop out the solids from the top and place in mixing bowl. Beat the coconut cream until thick and fluffy, slowly adding in the powdered sugar and tapioca flour. Add the vanilla extract.
Remove the cake, pudding, and berry sauce from the fridge. Break off pieces of the cake and form a layer on the bottom of the trifle dish. (You’ll need two layers of cake.) Spoon half of the pudding mixture over the cake, a little less than half of the berry mixture, and half of the coconut whipping cream. Repeat the process, leaving a little whipping cream and berry mixture for the top. Shave dairy-free chocolate over the top and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Bring on Spring Cupcakes!
Red Raspberry Surprise Spring Cupcakes
Preheat Oven To 350° (Makes 12 Cupcakes)
1 Box Betty Crocker Yellow Gluten Free Cake Mix
1/2 Cup Dairy Free Butter
1 1/2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Pure Almond Extract
3 Eggs
2/3 Cup Water
*Red Raspberry all fruit jelly – about 5 oz. or half a jar. (This will get piped into the cupcakes after they have cooled)
*Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Cream Cheese Frosting (It’s gluten-free and dairy-free)
Follow mixing directions on box. Line a muffin tin with 12 white cupcake papers. Lightly squirt each one with just a tiny amount of non-stick spray. Fill cupcake papers with batter.
Bake in preheated oven for 21 minutes. Cool completely.
Once cooled, fill piping bag with jelly(use at least a #5 round tip). Gently squeeze jelly into center of each cupcake. Frost as desired.
Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Sandwich Buns
Multigrain Bread
Preheat oven to 350 while you’re getting everything ready. Use a 9×5 inch loaf pan, lightly greased (or a hamburger bun pan).
1/2 Cup Brown Rice Flour
1/2 Cup Gluten-Free Oat Flour
2/3 Cup Amaranth Flour
1/2 Cup Potato Starch
3 Tbsp. Amaranth Grain
1 Tbsp. Ground Flax Seed (Sometimes I switch these two around…1 Grain/3 Seed)
1 Tbsp. Xanthan Gum
2 tsp. Instant Yeast
1 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
2 Eggs, lightly beaten
2 Egg Whites, lightly beaten
3/4 Cup Warm Water
3 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil (I use Olive Oil)
3 Tbsp. Honey
2 tsp. Cider Vinegar
1. In a large bowl combine the flours, potato starch, amaranth grain, flaxseed, xanthan gum, yeast, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
2. In a seperate bowl, using a heavy-duty electric mixer with the paddle attachement, combine beaten eggs, beaten egg whites, water, oil, honey, and vinegar, until incorporated.
3. With the mixer on its lowest speed, slowly add the dry ingredients until combined. Stop the machine and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
With the mixer on medium high speed, beat for 4 minutes (set a timer).
4. Spoon evenly into prepared pan. If you’re making a loaf of bread, spread it out so it is as even as possible.
If you’re doing sandwich buns or hamburger buns, wet fingers and carefully pat the dough out to fit the molds.
Lightly spray a piece of plastic wrap with oil and cover loosley and allow to rise on the top of the oven for about 60 minutes. This time will depend on how warm your kitchen is. If you’re making a loaf of bread, don’t allow it to rise too much (just until it is peaking over the top of the pan), or it will fall when you take it out of the oven. If you’re making sandwich buns, the same applies. (Usually about 45-50 minutes.)
5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the internal temperature of the bread or sandwich buns register 200-205° on an instant-read thermometer (about $7 at your local grocery store). Remove the bread from the pan immediately, and allow to cool completely on a rack.
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