Leaving cookies and milk for Santa is something we always do in this house. Call it appreciation for the gifts he will bestow, offering some Gluten Free sustenance for a long night or maybe even just a little extra assurance that Santa will know we have been nice this year, not naughty. Every year it is something different. This year we are leaving Gluten Free Santa’s Thumbprint Cookies. We thought maybe he would feel a twinge of recognition and know how grateful we are. For maraschino cherries without red dye or corn syrup, try these. If you put out cookies for Santa, what kind do you leave? Gluten Free Santa’s Thumbprint Cookies Ingredients 4 cups pastry quality gluten-free flour 1 tablespoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon salt 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature ¾ cup granulated sugar ¾ cup corn syrup or light agave nectar 1 large egg 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract ½ cup sanding sugar (or just more granulated sugar) One 11 ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips 24 maraschino cherries, cut in half and dried well Directions Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. Cream together the butter and ¾ cup sugar with an electric mixer. Add the corn syrup, egg and vanilla and mix well. Gradually add the flour mixture, with the mixer on low, and beat until combined. With a spatula, scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed well. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls then roll in the sanding sugar and place on a plate or baking sheet – you can put them on top of each other – and refrigerate for 30 minutes. You can make ahead of time but if they are refrigerated for more than 30 minutes you will have to let them sit out for a few minutes before proceeding. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats. Place the balls on the prepared cookie sheets about an inch apart. Flatten with your thumb, making an indentation in each ball. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until firm but not beginning to brown. Leave oven on. If the indentations have risen, use the end of a wooden spoon to depress again. Fill each indentation with a teaspoon of chocolate chips. Return to oven for 2 minutes. Using a small offset spatula or spoon, swirl the chocolate chips to melt. Top each cookie with a maraschino cherry half. Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/12/gluten-free-santas-thumbprint-cookies-recipe.html
Once upon a time a caprese salad, bursting with fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella met up with a gluten free pasta salad. They fell instantly in love. The resulting love child of this auspicious union was the gluten free caprese pasta salad. A love story if ever I heard one. Gluten Free Caprese Salad Ingredients 1 – 16 ounce package gluten free rice pasta (shells, elbows or spirals) 1 ½ cup loosely packed fresh bail leaves, use divided 1 clove garlic, minced Zest and juice of 1 lemon ½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup olive oil (maybe a tad more) 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved 6 ounces bocconcini (small mozzarella balls), quartered Directions Cook the pasta in heavily salted water 1 or 2 minutes less than the package instructions until just al dente. Drain well and put the pasta into a large serving bowl. While the pasta is cooking combine 1 cup of the basil with the garlic, finely grated lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until the basil is finely minced and the mixture is combined. Take the plastic top insert from the top of the blender out and slowly stream in the olive oil with the machine running. You want a thick dressing but not as thick as mayonnaise. If the mixture is too thick, add more olive oil. Once the pasta is cooked and drained pour the dressing over the warm pasta. Toss well and let cool. Roll the remaining basil leaves up like a cigar and cut into thin slices with a sharp knife. When the pasta has cooled, add the basil, tomatoes and bocconcini. Cover and refrigerate for at least half an hour or up to two days. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. This gluten free recipe serves 6 – 8 people. Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/09/gluten-free-caprese-salad-recipe.html
As we come to the end of summer we also come to the end of the sweet cherry season. Just when I was starting to take for granted lush, ripe, juicy cherries I realized it was time to start REALLY appreciating them and using them in as many gluten free recipes as I can before they were gone for this year. So along with blending some into smoothies and baking them into muffins and pies I decided to venture out into other parts of the menu – the appetizer for example. What’s that you say? Cherry appetizers? Seriously? Yep, seriously! Baked with creamy brie and another summer favorite, basil, cherries make for a sophisticated yet seriously simple starter. But don’t take my word for it, throw together this recipe and see for yourself. But hurry! Cherry season is almost over. Oh and if you don’t already have one, this would be a good time to invest 5 or 10 dollars in a cherry pitter. This one, you can take my word for – they work great! Baked Cherry and Brie Appetizer
Ingredients2 pounds sweet cherries, pitted ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt Large pinch black pepper ¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped 1 – 7 ounce round of brie 8 slices gluten-free bread 4 sprigs of fresh basil for garnish DirectionsCombine the cherries, salt, pepper and chopped basil in a mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to a day ahead. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place on rack in the top third of the oven and the other rack in the bottom third. Slice the crusts off the gluten free bread and cut each slice in half diagonally to make triangles. Lay on a baking sheet. Divide the cherries along with any accumulated juices into 4 ramekins. Cut the rind off the round of brie and cut into quarters. Place the brie quarter on top of the cherries. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet. Put the bread on the top shelf of the oven and the cherries on the bottom. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. Garnish each ramekin with a sprig of fresh basil and 4 toast triangles and serve immediately. A gluten free recipe that serves 4 people (or 1 really greedy cherry lover like me!). Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/08/gluten-free-baked-cherry-and-brie-appetizer-recipe.html
 A glutenfree girl, a lactose intolerant boy and a tyke with a nasty peanut allergy get into a car… No, this is not the beginning of a joke, it was the beginning of a family day of adventure, off to trek through the Florida swamps, wrangle alligators, and to top it all off with a refreshing dip in the Gulf of Mexico. A long day and if it was going to be a fun day, allergy friendly snacks were required. Nothing can ruin a fun day like a carload of hungry, cranky kids! So along with fresh fruit, hummus and veggies, and an assortment of salty, gluten-free crackers and snacks, I made some allergy friendly granola bars. The base of these super allergy friendly granola bars is gluten-free rolled oats, Sunbutter (a nut-free peanut butter substitute), a mashedbanana, some melted Earth Balance dairy free butter substitute and coconut sugar. The recipe is almost more like a suggestion because you can elaborate any way you like. I filled mine with pumpkin seeds, dried fruit (a combination of cranberries, blueberries and cherries) and a handful of dairy-free chocolate chunks – healthy with just a touch of naughty, but you can make yours as naughty or nice as you like. Since I was feeding younger kids I used semi-sweet chocolate chucks but rich, dark chocolate would be fabulous. If you like coconut, throw it in! Tree nuts not a problem? Add some slivered almonds. Peanuts ok? Just use peanut butter. You get the idea. You can add up to a cup of additional items with no problem and substitute whatever type of seeds you like, a combination is fine too. Mine were fairly simple (due to a four year old palate) and thus were really moist and chewy, if you add in more stuff such as coconut or nuts, it may be a bit drier. I personally like salt mixed with my sweet so I sprinkled on a little more coarse salt before popping in the oven. I made these for the kids to keep them happy and well fed but to be perfectly honest, they were so delicious my sister and I almost hid them and kept them all for ourselves. (OK, I confess, we did hide a couple and had them for breakfast the next day. I know we are bad grown ups…) Oh, and in case you hadn’t noticed, these granola bars are not only gluten, dairy and nut free, they are also egg free, vegan and if you use coconut sugar and the Organic Sunbutter, they are also refined-sugar free! Seems the only thing there are not free of is amazing flavor! Granola Bars Ingredients ¾ cup Sunbutter (I like Natural Crunch but Creamy is good too) ½ cup coconut sugar, Sucanat or brown sugar 1 medium banana, peeled and mashed ½ cup butter or dairy free butter substitute, melted 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract ½ – 1 teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt 2 ½ cups certified gluten-free rolled oats ½ cup roasted and salted pumpkin seeds 1 cup dried fruit, raisins or a combination – if using larger pieces of dried fruit, chop roughly ½ cup chocolate chunks or chips (optional – you can add up to a cup of additional ingredients such as coconut flakes, slivered or chopped nuts, flax, chia, sunflower or sesame seeds) Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 inch by 8 inch baking pan with gluten-free, non-stick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the Sunbutter, sugar, mashed banana, melted butter or butter substitute and vanilla until well combined. Stir in the remaining ingredients until they are evenly distributed. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely and then cut into squares. Will keep wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for several days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. This gluten-free recipe makes 8 servings approximately 2 ¾ inches square. Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe or how to avoid being bothered by Celiac with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com Article Source : http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/07/granola-bars-gluten-free-dairy-free-nut-free.html
 While my husband was outside making fire, fighting off mosquitoes the size of hummingbirds and being a he-man at the barbeque today, I was in the house doing “the woman’s work” of making side dishes and dessert for Memorial Day. I know I should be offended by this concept that my hubby is the only one in the family capable of manning the grill but let me tell you a secret, I would so rather stay inside, nice and cool, bug-free and look like I am working hard, taking lots of credit when in fact nothing could be further from the truth. I am all about simple with lots of “WOW” factor. Take this cool and refreshing dessert, just the thing after a heavy meal. It is a glutenfree, dairy-free, honey panna cotta. It seems fancy-schmancy, but in fact, it takes just a few minutes of active work and the rest of the time, the fridge does all the work for you! In this recipe the honey is not only the sweetener but the flavoring agent so it is important to use good honey – I used Fair Trade Organic Amber Honey from Wholesome Sweeteners. I also used almond milk but you can use any kind of milk you like. Topped with a handful of sweet/tart berries and another drizzle of honey, this dessert is a symphony of tastes and textures. OK, off to make myself look tired (I am going to have to work at it, I’ve been loafing all day!) and then to accept kudos for my lovely dessert. Can we keep just how easy it was to ourselves? Thanks! Honey Panna Cotta Recipe Ingredients 3 tablespoons water 1 packet (2.5 ounces) unflavored gelatin 2 cups almond milk 1/3 cup honey plus more for serving Pinch of kosher or fine sea salt 1 pint berries 6 mint springs for garnish, optional Directions In a small bowl, stir together the water and gelatin and let sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile put the almond milk, honey and salt in a medium saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium-high heat. Microwave the gelatin for 10 second on high power and stir into the milk/honey mixture. Lightly oil six 4 ounce ramekins and then ladle the milk/honey mixture into them. Refrigerate until cold and firm, about 4 hours. To un-mold, run a sharp knife around the edge of each ramekin and place in a bowl of very warm water for 10 – 15 seconds. Place a plate on top of the ramekin and invert. Scatter some berries around the panna cotta and drizzle with some additional honey. Serves 6 glutenfree people. Want to know more about your favorite Gluten Free Recipe; with our range of Gluten Free Recipes which are made from Gluten Free raw material feel free to visit us at: http://www.simplygluten-free.com Article Source : http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/05/gluten-free-honey-panna-cotta.html
 I have been accused of being a glutenfree food shopaholic. I won’t mention the person’s name but let me just say this – I am married to him. While I might agree that 25 cans of anchovy fillets in the pantry is a tad extreme, I do not agree that the 15 jars of piri-piri sauce I brought home from Africa was unnecessary, after all I don’t know when I will be returning to Africa. Now, maybe the hubby has a point that I should actually USE some of that piri-piri sauce and not just save it because I am worried I won’t be able to purchase more. Maybe. An architect friend of ours once did a little survey of my cupboards and such, in an attempt to help us find more storage space. He mentioned that I had enough food, cosmetics and shoes to survive a nuclear holocaust. I felt very proud! After all, if in deed we do suffer a nuclear holocaust who wants to go hungry, look haggard, or run around barefoot? Funny thing is he didn’t say it like it was “good” thing. So the other day when I was off to the grocery store again (the third time that day) my husband says to me “why don’t you use up the food you have on hand first?” I patiently explained to him that he should be happy (and not snippy) about the amount of food in my freezer and pantry because with what I have on hand I could make a lovely dinner. And, in half an hour. So there! Well, a challenge was thrown down – he would randomly pick some ingredients, I would cook it and if he liked it, I won. Kind of like that show Chopped where the chefs get a basket of random food and have to make a dish in a time limit, except there is no $5,000.00 prize. (What I win is still in question, maybe it is a trip to Paris – Oh! The glorious food markets they have there…) OK, game on! He picked some chicken thighs, a jar of BAKER Naturals Peach Pie Filling , made by SOLO Foods (which I like because of the fact there is no high fructose corn syrup in it, it is gluten-free and because I like to save the jars – but that’s another story) and a green pepper. The green pepper was a bit of a cheat in my opinion because he doesn’t like green peppers, but I was not deterred. I added some onion, a red pepper, some garlic, gluten-free soy sauce, crushed red pepper and fresh lemon juice and made a lovely skillet dish of savory peach chicken. I even tossed in some brown rice and an arugula salad just to show off a bit. It was ready in half an hour and he loved it! (Maybe there was a little stack of green peppers left on his plate at the end of the meal, but still…) So I think I have proved my point – a well stocked pantry is the key to making dinner quickly. And with a little imagination you can change around the use of ingredients (like turning peach pie filling into a chicken dish) and come up with something new and delicious! Maybe next time I make this recipe I will toss in a little piri-piri sauce. Savory Peach Chicken Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs salt and pepper 1 medium onion, diced 1 green pepper, chopped 1 red pepper, chopped 2 cloves garlic, mined 1 – 26 ounce jar BAKER Natural Peach Pie Filling 1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (more or less depending on how spicy you want it) Juice of 1 lemon Directions Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat. Season the chicken with some salt and pepper and brown in the hot oil, about 3 or 4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate, add the onion and peppers and cook until they start to brown and soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the peach pie filling, soy sauce, crushed red pepper and stir to combine. Add the chicken along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate, cover the skillet, turn heat down to medium and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice, stir and serve. Makes 6 glutenfreeRecipes servings. Article Source : http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/06/gluten-free-savory-peach-chicken-skillet-dinner.html
 Many soy products contain “soy isolate”. It’s what makes soy unhealthy. Soy Isolate is a product derived from separating or isolating the protein from the soy bean. In theory this sounds good but on the contrary, the method by which soy isolate is processed and manufactured involves acid washing it in aluminum tanks. As a result, it contains large amounts of aluminum. In addition, nitrites and chemical flavorings are often used to add flavor to the finished product. According to the American Dietetic Association, soy isolate contains anti-nutrients that can actually delay your body’s ability to digest food and absorb nutrients, a problem those of us with Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance deal with anyway. Whole Soy contains all the good which soy has to offer (loads of non-animal protein, fiber and omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. It can lower cholesterol and is rich in bone-building calcium, zinc, magnesium and iron) without any of the bad stuff of soy isolate. SOYJOY nutrition bars are made with WHOLE SOY, not soy isolate. SOYJOY nutrition bars contain no trans fats or hydrogenated oils, no artificial colors or flavors and glutenfree. What they do contain is nutritious whole soy, real fruit and a whole lot of yummy flavor!
 Apparently there is some really fine print in my marriage contract that says the barbeque is the strict domain of the husband and that the side dishes are my responsibility. This is fine by me; let the hubby stand over the grill, working up a sweat, acting all manly, while I work away in the house where there is air conditioning and no bugs. And when I say work, what I really mean is toss together a few things, let the flavors come together in the fridge while I read a book or something. I like to keep it simple but not make it look like I did so. This Asian coleslaw is not only super easy but allergy-friendly as well; it is glutenfree, dairy-free and thanks to Sunbutter, nut-free. Since it doesn’t contain any mayonnaise it is great for eating outdoors. So whether you are manning the grill or “slaving away” over the side dishes this Memorial Day, I wish you a fun and safe holiday! Asian Cole Slaw Ingredients 3 tablespoons Creamy Sunbutter 6 tablespoons grapeseed (or other neutral tasting) oil ½ teaspoon sesame oil ¼ cup rice vinegar 1 tablespoon honey 2 teaspoons gluten-free, wheat free soy sauce 1 – 1 pound bag tri-color coleslaw mix (or 4 cups shredder cabbage and ½ cup shredded carrots) Kosher or fine sea salt & pepper 2 green onions, finely sliced 1 teaspoon sesame seeds Directions In a large mixing bowl combine the Sunbutter, grapeseed oil, rice vinegar, honey and soy sauce, whisk together until smooth. Add the coleslaw mix and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Refrigerate until serving time, up to 4 hours. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Makes 6 glutenfreeRecipe servings. Article Source: http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/05/gluten-free-nut-free-asian-coleslaw.html
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