gluten-free snack bars

these sugar-free bars are perfect for a quick breakfast on-the-go or an afternoon snack. i wish i knew the protein content, but the eggs, protein powder, and nuts are sure to satisfy. these are so good warm, too!

these are adapted from a recipe at Elana’s Pantry.

1 cup millet flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 free-range eggs
3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (like almond or coconut)
1/4 cup vegan protein powder

1. preheat oven to 350 F. spray a 9-1/2″ x 5″ pan with cooking spray.
2. in a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients EXCEPT protein powder: flours, salt, cinnamon, flax, baking soda, coconut, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and raisins.
3. coconut oil doesn’t combine well unless it’s warm, so microwave in a small bowl for a few seconds. add to a separate mixing bowl along with: eggs, honey, vanilla, and milk. stir well.
4. stir protein powder (very well) into the wet ingredients.
5. add the wet to the dry bowl. stir well.
6. pour batter evenly into the pan. bake 30 minutes. let cool before cutting.
7. store any leftovers in the freezer, and microwave a bar for 1 minute before eating.

gluten-free zucchini bread

this was my first actual loaf of gluten-free bread, and i was surprised how well it turned out. the recipe is from Gluten-Free Goddess. she’s really good about giving detailed g-free baking tips and answering readers’ questions in the comments, so link to the original recipe if you need further advice. i used eggs, but she says this can be made with a substitute.

p.s. check out my guest post at The Love Vitamin today!

1 cup grated zucchini, peeled or not (i used 1 medium zucchini)
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup raw sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 free-range eggs or substitute
1/4 cup non-dairy milk (like almond or coconut)
small handful chopped walnuts (optional)

1. preheat oven to 350 F. grate the zucchini into a bowl. press with a paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible.
2. stir together all ingredients, flour through sugar.
3. stir in oil through milk. stir vigorously until the batter is very smooth. mix in zucchini and nuts, if using.
4. place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of a 9-inch loaf pan. lightly spray sides and bottom with canola spray. pour batter evenly into the pan.
5. bake 50-60 minutes (mine took 60). when done, it should feel firm and an inserted toothpick should come out clean.

gluten-free pancakes, take two: orange zest and ginger

i’m really starting to love citrus zest. when the delicate flavors of orange zest and ginger are added to a relatively simple recipe, it tastes like something special. and as you may have realized, i believe there’s no reason to skimp on these extra details, even if you’re just cooking for yourself.

this (adapted from Ginger Lemon Girl) is my gluten-free pancake template right now. i did cocoa pancakes with it the first time. as i mentioned here, in my post on lemon flaxseed cookies, a regular cheese grater works fine for zest. with these, i also made some other changes:

-added a scoop of vegan protein powder.
-reduced the milk and replaced some of it with water, as i’ve been going through coconut/almond milk cartons far too quickly, at (at least) $3 each.

make these vegan by substituting the single egg with another flax egg (see step #1). my batch made 21.

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon each of salt, cinnamon
1 scoop vegan protein powder
1 large orange
1-1 and 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cage-free egg
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (like almond or coconut)
1 tablespoon oil (i used olive)
1/2 cup (or one 4 oz. container) of unsweetened applesauce

1. boil a cup of water. in a small bowl, mix 4 tablespoons of hot water with the flaxseed. set aside for at least 5 minutes to gel.
2. combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, from first to last, and then the flax gel.
3. stirring well, add water only 1/4 cup at a time (you can’t undo it!) to wet the mixture and reach your desired consistency. i added 3/4 cup water total.
4. spray a heated skillet over medium-high with canola spray. drop batter by a little less than a full 1/4 cup. cook until you begin to see bubbles in the batter and they appear to be firming up. turn to cook the other side.

gluten-free cocoa pancakes

this pancake batter is rich and mousse-like, and i noticed that it keeps a circular shape amazingly well when you pour it into the skillet. freeze a batch for quick, versatile breakfasts. microwave one or two and top with things like:

nut butter
sliced bananas or strawberries
honey

this recipe is adapted from Ginger Lemon Girl. a note- i tagged this recipe dairy-free because i learned that eggs are eggs, in other words- their own category. dairy refers to animal byproducts. but you can substitute the single egg with another “flax egg” (see step #1) to make them vegan.

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cage-free egg
1 and 1/4 cups non-dairy milk (like almond or coconut)
1 tablespoon oil (i used olive)
1/2 cup (or one 4-ounce container) of unsweetened applesauce

1. first, boil a cup of water. remove from heat, and mix 4 tablespoons of this water in a small bowl with the flaxseed. it should form a gel in 5 minutes.
2. in a mixing bowl, mix everything from flour through xanthan gum.
3. add vanilla, egg, milk, oil, applesauce, and flax/water.
4. over medium heat, spray a large skillet with canola spray.
5. use a little less than 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. cook until you see bubbles and the edges are browning. flip over with a spatula to let the other side cook.

homemade gluten-free pizza crust

in the interest of being economical, i wanted to see how far i could stretch the gluten-free flours i bought. the brown rice flour, nearly gone, looks like it may have to be replenished most often.

i found this pizza recipe here, apparently from a book called Wheat-Free Recipes & Menus by Carol Fenster. note- don’t use vanilla almond milk and hope that the flavor will be disguised. it won’t.

1 tablespoon dry yeast
2/3 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
1 teaspoon Italian herbs
2/3 cup warm unsweetened non-dairy milk (like coconut or almond), microwaved for a minute
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
extra brown rice flour

1. preheat oven to 425 F. in a mixing bowl, mix the yeast, flours, xanthan gum, gelatin, and herbs. then add milk, sugar, oil, and vinegar.
2. mix well. add water if it needs it, a tablespoon at a time.
3. roll out the dough with a lightly floured rolling pin on a lightly floured cutting board. transfer to a greased pizza pan. pinch the edges.
4. bake 10 minutes. remove, add sauce and toppings, bake 20-25 more minutes.

EDIT: so these do have gelatin… i wasn’t too concerned at the time about it. i’m not sure what would be a good substitute…

gluten-free pumpkin pancakes

these were the fluffiest pancakes i’ve ever had, adapted from a recipe at gluten free mommy.

in my amateur research, i started noticing that wheat is eliminated from a general anti-inflammatory diet, so i decided to try to reduce my consumption.

tip- set aside another mix of all the dry ingredients to make the next batch easier!

1 cup brown rice flour
3 tablespoons tapioca flour
1/3 cup potato starch
1/2 teaspoon each: baking soda, salt, xanthan gum
1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon raw sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons oil (i used olive)
6 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1 cup non-dairy milk (like almond or coconut)
1 cage-free egg

1. stir dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, then stir the wet into dry.
2. spray a skillet heated on medium with cooking spray. use a bit less than 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. flip over with a spatula to cook the other sides.
3. enjoy with pure maple syrup.