April's Secret Ingredient Granola

April’s Secret Ingredient Granola

4 cups GF rolled oats
1 cup slivered almonds or walnuts
1 cup cashews
3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut

¼ cup Apple Cider Syrup
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon lime sea salt
1 cup raisins if like fruit in granola

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, apple cider syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto glass 9x13. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes to achieve an even color. Can easily double, use lasagna pan 11x17 to bake it in.

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix until evenly distributed.

Gluten Free Vanilla for the Holidays

Gluten Free Vanilla

Ingredients

• 3 vanilla beans (Madagascar Bourbon Planifolia Vanilla Beans and
  Tahitian Beans)
• I use this company for my beans http://www.vanillaproductsusa.com
• 1 cup vodka (grape distilled if you can find it)
• glass jar with tight fitting lid

Method

1 Use kitchen scissors or a sharp paring knife to cut lengthwise down each vanilla bean, splitting them in half, leaving an inch at the end connected.
2 Put vanilla beans in a glass jar or bottle*** with a tight fitting lid (mason jars work well). Cover completely with the vodka.
3 Give the bottle a good shake every once in a while. Store in a dark, cool place for 2 months or longer.
Lasts for years. You can keep topping it off with vodka once in a while as you use it, just remember to give it a good shake.
You can also make vanilla sugar by putting a split vanilla bean into a jar of white, granulated sugar. Great way to infuse the sugar with vanilla flavor for baking.

****bottles, I recycle the 12 oz. World Market Soda bottles for gift giving and presentation.

(Did you know that each vanilla bean comes from an orchid that has been pollinated by hand? Once the vanilla seed pod has developed, it must be hand picked as well. After picking the curing process takes several months. So if you’ve ever wondered why vanilla extract, and especially vanilla beans, can be so expensive, this is why.)

I love these free labels I found online and wanted to share, they are from blog http://www.shrimpsaladcircus.com/

​

Blueberry Yogurt Cookies

Blueberry Yogurt Cookies with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

We found these while on vaca in Washington and they are a keeper!! 

 

Makes about 28 cookies

For the blueberry yogurt cookies:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups honey or plain Greek yogurt
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups gf glour blend flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh blueberries

Milk to thin is necessary, I used 1-2 tbsp if want flatter cookies

For the lemon cream cheese frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1. Make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease several baking sheets, or line them with silicone baking mats, and set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the sugar and yogurt, then blend in the egg and vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together, then blend it into the wet yogurt mixture. Add milk to thin is necessary, Gently fold in the blueberries.

4. Drop tablespoonfuls of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the cookies start to barely brown at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for two minutes, and then move the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Some of the blueberries will burst during baking—this is to be expected and will not affect the taste!

5. Make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice and beat until creamy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest. Spread on top of the cooled cookies. These cookies are best eaten within 1 to 2 days.

Gluten free Donuts

Nicholas loves donuts and Gluten free donuts to purchase are over a dollar a donut! I saw this recipe and tried it gluten free. They are a hit! and saves money:) http://pinterest.com/pin/151152131216012300/

Baked Chocolate Cake Doughnuts

Yield: 6 large or 1 dozen small doughnuts

A wonderful baked chocolate cake doughnut recipe adapted from Amy Clark on Mom Advice

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 4oz bar Ghiradelli Semi-Sweet or white Chocolate, chopped, melted and slightly cooled
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup aprils gluten free flour blend flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• Dash of cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add milk, brown sugar and 1 egg. Mix until well incorporated.
3. Slowly add melted chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Mix on low for 1 minute.
4. Continuing on low speed, add flour, baking soda and salt. Continue mixing until batter is smooth.
5. Lightly spray your doughnut pan with non-stick cooking spray.
6. Fill each portion of the doughnut pan 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 12 minutes or until doughnuts spring back when touched.
7. Remove from the oven and allow doughnuts to sit for one minute. Then, remove doughnuts from pan and place on a wire cooling rack.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Chocolate Cake GF/DF

Chocolate cake

gf /dairy free 

Makes 1- 9 inch round cake or 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup sugar
1 t. vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups Gf flour blend of your choice
1 cup unsweetened cocoa (Ramstandt)
1/2 cup boiling hot water

Instructions

Cream butter or coconut oil with sugar in mixing bowl fitted with paddle attachment.  Add one egg at a time.  Add vanilla and blend.  Place baking mix in medium bowl.  Sift in cocoa.  Add ½ of the dry mix to the butter mixture and blend.  Add half the hot water and blend.  Add remaining dry mix and remaining hot water.  Stir well to combine.

Pour into greased 8×8 square pan or 9 inch round cake pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or when toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Energy Balls that Kids will eat

1 cup GF oats

1/3 cup honey

1/2 cup peanutbutter

1/2 cup choc chips or craisins or raisins

1/2 cup flax ground

1 tsp GF Vanilla

Mic till forming a mass, then I used a ice cream scoop to form  the ball. So easy and store in zip-lock or Tupperware. They are better the next day once they have sat.

Gluten free pizza crust made with Cauliflower :0)

Cauliflower Pizza Crust
.
Ingredients
.
1 Head of cauliflower (mine was a smallish head)
2 C shredded cheese divided (I used mozzarella, but any medium/hard cheese will work)
Italian seasonings (I used oregano, parsley, fresh garlic and some onion)
Pizza sauce or marinara sauce of your choosing
Toppings (we used crab, black olives and manwaring cheese)
.
Instructions
.
Grate your cauliflower or I used a vita mix and used setting one, use masher to get all flowered heads blended, Do NOT add water or anything to the cauliflower.
.
 preheat the oven to 450* and prepare a cookie sheet or pizza pan by spraying it with cooking spray. This is also a good time to prepare your toppings – cook your sausage, cut up your pineapple, whatever…
.
To the cauliflower mash add 1 C shredded cheese and spices and combine. Add egg and mix well with your hands. Press the crust onto a pan and shape into a 9-12″ pizza (depending on how thin you want the crust). I did mine closer to a 11x 12″ and it worked great! I put it in my pampered chef stoneware, Spray the top of the crust with cooking spray (to help brown) or brush with oil.
.
Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes (or until golden brown). When you pull out the pizza, turn your oven to broil. It even smelled like pizza crust!
.
Add your toppings  including 1-2 Cups more cheese and put pizza under the broiler for 3-5 minutes. Just broil it long enough to melt the cheese and caramelize the toppings a bit.
.
Seriously delicious! Gluten free, and  We ALL loved it!! I made this Sunday and they are already asking for it again!! Cauliflower! Who knew?? The crust is soft but came out in tact and fine with a spatula, it is very filling, 2 pieces was tons! You can not pick it up but a fork works great or add 2 egg's. I may even try mini crusts next time. Way fun!!

Homemade Wholesome Granola( i found this in Pathways!, it is great)

Ingredients

• 8 C rolled oats
• 3/4 C melted coconut oil
• 1/2 C melted butter
• 1 1/2 C kefir (or cultured buttermilk)
• 1C water (if you need more add a bit more, just to make it moist enough to soak, if it is moist without it, just skip)
• 1/2 C raw honey
• 3/4 C maple syrup
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 4 tsp cinnamon
• 4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 C dried coconut, shredded
• 1 C dried fruit, chopped (I usually use apricots or mango)
• 1/2 C pumpkin seeds, chopped
• 1 C nuts (optional) – chopped almonds is wonderful
• 1 C dried apples (this is from the originally recipe and I have yet to add it, but I keep it here in case I do have dried apples on hand at some point)

Instructions

1. Start your soaking in the morning because you will want to soak it for 24 hours, and the bake time is long. Starting your soak after breakfast will allow you to bake during the morning and afternoon and be done with it before dinner next day.
2. Combine your oats with the melted oil, melted butter and kefir (or buttermilk) in a very large bowl, add water last because you may not need much. Mix well. Cover with a cloth and let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours (keep it cooler, rather than warmer). After the soaking, preheat the oven to 200° F.
3. Combine the honey, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon and vanilla in a small pot on the stove. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring the mixture, until honey becomes thin.
4. Combine honey and oat mixtures, mix well.
5. Spread mixture out over parchment paper on cookie sheets, or just spray the pans lightly with cooking spray.
6. Bake for 4 hours, until granola is crunchy. It will seem slightly soft, but it crisps up as it cools. Turn the oven off and cool in the oven. Do not turn the oven up because you will burn your granola, and burnt granola is not tasty (again, ask me how I know). Just cook it low and slow. Your patience will be rewarded for a good month or longer. I stir my granola every 30 minutes.
7. Mix in the coconut, seeds, dried fruit and nuts. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. On the counter for a few days or in cool weather is fine, but I have heard many people talk about their soaked granola molding in just a few weeks. Mine has never molded, but I have never kept it on the counter for more than a day - we always put it back in to chill.

This granola is more nutritious and less expensive than any granola you can find commercially. It is delicious with fresh raw milk as cereal. My kids like it best with fresh fruit and yogurt, and my favorite is with plain kefir and blueberries.  Enjoy!

Soaked Pancakes Gluten free-Nicholas turns 8

Nicholas at Idaho Elite Gym for Paisley bday

 Nicholas is eight today and we made him pancakes. These are very good and good for you. You can make it not gluten free also. I am so proud of him and his accomplishments. Some days are so hard and he conquers and rises. Autism is just a diagnosis, we make  the plan and can make each day better for him! Today he is planning water balloons, pet store, lego's, seafood for dinner, cake and homemade ice cream, and the championship basketball game! Butler is his chosen team, he loves their coach! GO Butler!!

I found these on Heavenly homemaker and twinked them to our gluten free liking! Give them a try, the sourdough flavor is good. Nick liked them and they are filling.

I make them by soaking my flour in buttermilk overnight which breaks down the phytates and makes them more digestible, thus creating sourdough pancakes.  Here’s the recipe:

Simple Soaked Pancakes

1 cup whole wheat flour (or whatever grain you want) i use 1 cup brown rice flour and 1/4 cup oat flour
1 cup cultured buttermilk i like hungarian
1 egg or two egg whites
3 T. melted butter (or oil)
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. sea salt

Stir the flour and buttermilk together in a glass bowl.  Cover with a cloth and leave on the counter overnight.  In the morning, stir in the egg, melted butter, baking powder and salt.  Whisk together, adding extra milk or buttermilk for the desired batter thickness you prefer. I add kefir to thin the dough down to liking.

Cook pancakes on a well buttered, hot skillet or griddle, flipping once bubbles begin to form.  I used a griddle and set it at 350. Serve with real maple syrup, honey, applesauce, jelly, or any of your favorite pancake toppings!