Saturday, October 11, 2014

My Go-To Gluten Free Carbs; Fab Pancakes and Muffin Gems

My friend Anne asked for a recipe for gf carbs for her little boy. These two recipes are my faves for when I want something yummy to spread butter on. This type of recipe works great gluten free. I have found that for pancakes, muffins or quick breads, which use baking powder and soda for leavening, I can follow a general formula and do substitutions based on what I have or what I feel like eating.  I keep dry ingredients constant and substitute in different fruit purees, yogurt or coconut milk for a total volume of wet ingredients.

Fab Pancakes (GF)
2 c  gluten free flour mix
2t   baking powder
1t   baking soda
1t   salt

2 eggs
2c wet ingredients (medium thick consistency. GF flours need help with thickening)
1t vanilla
1/2 c melted butter, coconut oil, or canola oil

Blend dry ingredients first. (There is really no one flour that can replace wheat in a one-to-one substitution. I have a couple flour combos that I love, here.) Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl. I use plain yogurt, bananas with milk, pumpkin with yogurt, thick thai coconut milk. Whatever. Just keep the total volume to 2 cups or a little more. You want a nice thick batter.
Add eggs, oil, vanilla.
Combine all ingredients, blend.
Usually, the directions for pancakes would say not to overmix, but I find GF flours need to be well blended and the batter needs to be stirred periodically while cooking; rice four in particular tends to settle in the bowl.

Cook on a griddle with a little canola oil on it.
Enjoy!

GF Muffin Gems (based on Graham Gems recipe)
This is my adaptation of a whole wheat muffin recipe my mom used to make a lot. So hearty, with a moist, dense crumb.
This recipe makes 2 dozen. Trust me, you will want that many!

4c       GF flour mix (recipe here)
2t       baking soda
1/2 t   salt
1t       xanthan gum (I don't normally use this ingredient, but it makes a difference in this recipe)
1/2 c  brown sugar
optional cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, to taste

2        beaten eggs
2c      liquid: yogurt, thai coconut milk, pumpkin or banana with some almond milk, whatever. Needs to be thick like yogurt.
6t       melted butter or coconut oil
up to 1 cup raisins if desired
up to 1 cup chopped nuts if desired

Preheat oven to 350
Grease muffin cups with coconut oil, or your preferred oil.

Combine dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients separately. Combine. I find GF flours need to be well blended; rice four in particular tends to settle in the bowl. Fold in raisins and nuts. Or chocolate chips! This will be a very thick batter.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake about 25 minutes.
Enjoy with butter! Best fresh and hot, or microwaved for ten seconds. These freeze well.

Friday, October 3, 2014

Another Brain Dump; 7 QT



This has come up recently a few times. The Little Story (Catholic Heritage Curriculum) we read yesterday used the metaphor of seeds, and weeds vs desirable plants.
Saint Paul said "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Phillipians 4:8
Speaking of Trinity School (The above Scripture is very familiar to anyone who is familiar with Trinity): I attended Moms' Prayer at Trinity Greenlawn yesterday. It's a new thing, started last year by a mom and alumna. Moms of students attend morning prayer with the students, then meet together afterwards and intercede for the concerns and needs of the Trinity School community. It was very upbuilding to be part of. And, if there are any alumni or others in the Trinity School community reading this: I prayed for you!
Someone is One tomorrow!! We can't wait to give him presents!

Having an ice cube popsicle, because he is teething like mad, working on his last of four front teeth.
Made pancakes this morning for the first time in ages; maybe since school started! Made my GF, egg free ricotta pancake recipe; added banana and pecans. Yum!! (Similar to this recipe that I blogged about.)
Flavor and texture awesome. 
Excited about trying citric acid as a water softener in the dishwasher, maybe in laundry. Need to research that. Lemishine is so expensive. Here is the page on Wellness Mama that gave me the idea.
Recently discovered Rumpole, of the delightful mystery/legal novels by John Mortimer! Yay! Love them.  And very happy to find myself having the mental ability to focus on a real book for the first time in a while. bust be related to #3
We have been having good time going to the farm at Prairie Winds every Wednesday with a group of homeschoolers. Charlotte Wolfe has let many acres return to native Indiana prairie plants. She has woods and a pond, and barns with a few of many types of animals, as well as large vegetable gardens. Delightful. I must take some pics.
For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!