Tag Archives: nut free option

GFDF Loquat Cobbler

22 Sunday Apr 2012

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Last week a friend of mine gave me a bunch of loquats from her organic yard.  I had never had a loquat before, so I was up to the challenge of working with them.  She suggested cobbler, so that was my plan.

What I discovered is that loquat translates into “a whole lot of work.”  Wikipedia says that loquats have a 30% or more waste ratio, and I’d say it was more with the small loquats we had.  It took me well over an hour with my youngest son helping me for part of the time to get the 3 cups of peeled and seeded  loquats we used in this recipe.  They started out as 6 or 7 cups of loquats before the preparation.  In addition, they turned my fingers very brown– almost worse than cherries!

The loquats are good both raw and cooked.  My son and I thought that they tasted a lot like plums.

Because of how much work it was, this may be a “once in a lifetime” recipe.

GFDF Loquat Cobbler

3 cups fresh organic loquats, peeled and seeded
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
¼ cup organic sucanat
3/8 c organic tapioca starch
3/8 c sorghum flour
3/8 c almond meal/flour*
3/8 c organic brown rice flour
3/4 t xanthan gum
2 tablespoons organic cane sugar
1.5 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup organic palm shortening
1/2 cup organic rice milk
1 t organic vanilla extract
1 organic egg, beaten
2 tablespoons organic cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8×8 inch glass baking dish with organic canola oil.

Mix together loquats, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup sucanat.  Put mixture into the baking dish.  Place in preheating oven while preparing batter.

In a large bowl, combine flours, starch, xanthan gum, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add rice milk, vanilla and egg; stir thoroughly.  Remove loquat mixture from the oven, and carefully spread topping across the top.  It will be thick. Sprinkle the top with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar mixed with the cinnamon.

Bake in preheated oven for 21-23 minutes, or until top is golden brown.

*While almonds are not technically nuts, they carry a cross-contamination risk with other tree nuts due to factory processing.  To make this nut free, substitute millet flour for the almond meal.

©NaturallyElizabeth.com

GFDF Yellow Cake with Strawberry Filling

09 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by in Cakes, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Soy Free, Vegetarian

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This was inspired by yet another one of my wacky cravings.  There are recipes for both a two layer and three layer version of the cake below.

GFDF Strawberry Filled Yellow Cake (two layer version)

Cake:
1 ¼ cup organic granulated cane sugar
½ cup organic palm shortening (plus extra for greasing the pans)
1 tablespoon organic GF vanilla extract
3 large organic eggs
2/3 cup organic brown rice flour
2/3 cup organic tapioca starch
2/3 cup organic millet flour or almond meal*
2/3 cup sorghum flour
1.5 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon sea salt
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup organic rice milk

Filling:
1 pint fresh organic strawberries, diced (about 1.25 cups)
1/4 cup organic granulated cane sugar **
1/4 cup water
½ tablespoon organic cornstarch

Toppings:
8-10 organic strawberries
3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded organic coconut (optional)***

Icing or Frosting:
2 cups organic powdered sugar
About 2 tablespoons organic rice milk
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
¼ cup organic palm shortening

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Use some palm shortening to grease the bottoms and sides of two 8” cake pans.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, use a whisk or hand mixer to combine the sugar, palm shortening, vanilla extract, and eggs.  Add in all of the flours, xanthan gum, sea salt, baking powder and rice milk.  Use a mixing spoon to stir thoroughly.  Split the batter between the two cake pans.  Bake for about 28 minutes at 350F until lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, and then invert onto plates or racks to cool.

While the cakes are cooking and cooling, places the strawberries and sugar into a small pot.  Mix the cornstarch into the water and add to the strawberries and sugar.  Heat over medium, stirring constantly.  Once the strawberries have softened and the mixture is thickened, remove from heat and set aside.  Allow to cool thoroughly.  Using an immersion blender or blender, puree the filling to a smooth-ish texture.

In yet another bowl, make the icing using an electric hand mixer, cream the shortening into the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, very slowly adding rice milk to get the right consistency.

Once the cakes have cooled completely, place one layer on the serving/storage dish.  Place a layer of the strawberry filling over the top staying about 1 cm away from the edges.  (If you have extra, it works well on toast.)  Place the second layer of the cake carefully on top of the filling.  Spread the icing evenly across the layered cake.

If desired, sprinkle shredded coconut across the top of the cake.  Cut the tops off the strawberries reserved for toppings.  Cut about 4-5 strawberries into slices lengthwise and make a circle around the top of the cake as pictured.  Cut another 4-5 strawberries into quarters or sixths (depending on the size) lengthwise and arrange around the bottom of the cake.

* If you use millet flour, there will be a stronger, nuttier flavor to the cake.  If you use almond meal, the flavor will be more neutral.  Almonds carry a cross-contamination risk from tree nuts, so be careful using them in food for the nut allergic.

** I was using early season strawberries which were not incredibly sweet.  If your strawberries are sweeter, you may want to cut the sugar back to 2 tablespoons.

***Do not use the coconut for a nut free cake.

©NaturallyElizabeth.com
GFDF Strawberry Filled Yellow Cake (three layer version)

Cake:
2 cups organic granulated cane sugar
3/4 cup organic palm shortening (plus extra for greasing the pans)
1.5 tablespoon organic GF vanilla extract
5 large organic eggs
1 cup organic brown rice flour
1 cup organic tapioca starch
1 cup organic millet flour or almond meal*
1 cup sorghum flour
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1.5 teaspoon sea salt
2.5 tablespoons baking powder
1.5 cups organic rice milk

Filling:
1 quart fresh organic strawberries, diced (about 2.5 cups)
1/2 cup organic granulated cane sugar **
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon organic cornstarch

Toppings:
8-10 organic strawberries
3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded organic coconut (optional)***

Icing or Frosting:
3 cups organic powdered sugar
About 3 tablespoons organic rice milk
1.5 teaspoons organic vanilla extract
6 tablespoons organic palm shortening

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Use some palm shortening to grease the bottoms and sides of three 8” cake pans.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, use a whisk or hand mixer to combine the sugar, palm shortening, vanilla extract, and eggs.  Add in all of the flours, xanthan gum, sea salt, baking powder and rice milk.  Use a mixing spoon to stir thoroughly.  Split the batter between the three cake pans.  Bake for about 28 minutes at 350F until lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, and then invert onto plates or racks to cool.

While the cakes are cooking and cooling, places the strawberries and sugar into a small pot.  Mix the cornstarch into the water and add to the strawberries and sugar.  Heat over medium, stirring constantly.  Once the strawberries have softened and the mixture is thickened, remove from heat and set aside.  Allow to cool thoroughly.  Using an immersion blender or blender, puree the filling to a smooth-ish texture.

In yet another bowl, make the icing using an electric hand mixer, cream the shortening into the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, very slowly adding rice milk to get the right consistency.

Once the cakes have cooled completely, place one layer on the serving/storage dish.  Place a layer of about half of the strawberry filling over the top staying about 1 cm away from the edges.  Place the second layer of the cake carefully on top of the filling.  Spread the second layer with the remaining strawberry filling.  (If you have extra filling, it works well on toast.)   Place the third cake layer on top.  Spread the icing evenly across the layered cake.

If desired, sprinkle shredded coconut across the top of the cake.  Cut the tops off the strawberries reserved for toppings.  Cut about 4-5 strawberries into slices lengthwise and make a circle around the top of the cake as pictured.  Cut another 4-5 strawberries into quarters or sixths (depending on the size) lengthwise and arrange around the bottom of the cake.

* If you use millet flour, there will be a stronger, nuttier flavor to the cake.  If you use almond meal, the flavor will be more neutral.  Almonds carry a cross-contamination risk from tree nuts, so be careful using them in food for the nut allergic.

** I was using early season strawberries which were not incredibly sweet.  If your strawberries are sweeter, you may want to cut the sugar back to 2 tablespoons.

***Do not use the coconut for a nut free cake.

©NaturallyElizabeth.com

GFDF Yellow Cupcakes and Icing

18 Sunday Mar 2012

Posted by in Cakes, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Soy Free, Vegetarian

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Yes, I realize the icing is green. But the cake is yellow, I promise.

My kids wanted green cupcakes for St. Patrick’s Day.  While I’m all in favor of a good corned beef dinner to celebrate my Irish-American heritage, something in me cringes at green tinted things for St. Patrick’s Day, even if it is a natural food coloring.  I can cope with tinting the icing, but not the cake itself.  So these are the compromise.

The icing (or frosting, depending on your regional preference) recipe below is really forgiving.  I don’t usually use a recipe to make icing.  I just throw things in a bowl and make it.  Close really does count on this one.  If it’s a little too runny, add more powdered sugar (which I have to do most of the time I make icing).  If it’s a little too dry, add a few drops more of rice milk. It will all be good in the end.  When it’s not tinted with food coloring, the icing will come out an off-white color.  I use India Tree natural food coloring when my kids insist on colored icing.

Yellow Cupcakes and Icing

1 ¼ cup organic granulated cane sugar
½ cup organic palm shortening
1 tablespoon organic GF vanilla extract
3 large organic eggs
2/3 cup organic brown rice flour
2/3 cup organic tapioca starch
2/3 cup organic millet flour or almond meal*
2/3 cup sorghum flour
1.5 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon sea salt
5 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup organic rice milk

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Use canola oil or another neutral oil to oil 22-24 muffin tins.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, use a whisk or hand mixer to combine the sugar, palm shortening, vanilla extract,  and eggs.  Add in all of the flours, xanthan gum, sea salt, baking powder and rice milk.  Use a mixing spoon to stir thoroughly.  Fill the muffin tins half full with batter.  Bake for 13-15 minutes at 350F until lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean.

* If you use millet flour, there will be a stronger, nuttier flavor to the cake.  If you use almond meal, the flavor will be more neutral.  Almonds carry a cross-contamination risk from tree nuts, so be careful using them in food for the nut allergic.

Icing or Frosting

2 cups organic powdered sugar
About 2 tablespoons organic rice milk
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
¼ cup organic palm shortening
Natural food coloring, if desired

Using an electric hand mixer, cream the shortening into the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, very slowly adding rice milk to get the right consistency.  Add in food coloring if desired.

©NaturallyElizabeth.com

GFDF Strawberry Pie for Pi Day

14 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by in Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Pies, Soy Free, Vegetarian

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strawberry pie with a wheat crust

(Recipe edited on 5/22/12)

The previously promised roasted carrots post got bumped to tomorrow in honor of Pi (3.14) Day.  We’re on spring break around here, so keeping track of the exact date hasn’t been high on my list of priorities!

This is one of two strawberry pies that I make.  The other is a double crust recipe.  And then there is strawberry rhubarb pie… yum!  That recipe will be posted when rhubarb starts showing up at the market.

This particular pie is really sweet. I’ve made it in a gluten crust for my boys several times recently, but I hadn’t made a gluten free one for me to eat until today.  I just tried it, and it is really good, but I could only handle a small amount.  My blood sugar is going to complain about even that.  Time to go eat some protein!

The recipes for gluten free and wheat crusts are below.  The filling is the same for both.

Strawberry Pie, Gluten Free Crust

Makes one 9” pie

Crust:
¼ c organic tapioca starch
¼ c organic brown rice flour
¼ c sorghum flour
¼ c almond meal*
½ t xanthan gum
¼ t salt
1/3 c organic palm shortening**
1 organic egg
Water as needed

Filling:
About 3.5 cups sliced organic strawberries plus about 1.5 cups diced strawberries
3/4 c organic granulated sugar
5 t organic cornstarch
1/4 c water

To make the crust, cut the shortening (and butter if using) into the flours, xanthan gum and sea salt.  Add the egg and enough water to moisten to dough consistency.  Place the dough into a 9” pie pan and use your fingers to spread it evenly.  Poke holes in the bottom and bake at 475 for 7-9 minutes.  Set aside.

Mash the 1.5 cups of diced strawberries.  Add them and the sugar to a small pan.  Blend the cornstarch with the water and combine with the strawberries and sugar.  Cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil, stirring often.  Reduce to simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes, continuing to stir frequently.

Place the 3.5 cups of sliced strawberries in the pie crust.  Cover with the glaze mixture.  Allow to cool in the refrigerator for several hours before serving.

Optional serving suggestion:  whipped cream

*If you want this to be nut free (though almonds aren’t a true nut but carry the risk of cross-contamination), substitute organic millet flour for the almond meal.

** If you are not dairy free, 1/6 cup palm shortening and 1/6 cup organic butter softened to room temperature make for a better crust.  However, it still works great to use 1/3 cup palm shortening.

We can pretend like these just came out of my kids’ garden, but they didn’t.

Strawberry Pie, Wheat Crust

Makes one 9” pie

Crust:
1/3 c organic palm shortening**
1/4 t sea salt
1/2 c organic all purpose flour
1/2 c organic whole wheat pastry flour
Water

Filling:
About 3.5 cups sliced organic strawberries plus about 1.5 cups diced strawberries
3/4 c organic granulated sugar
5 t organic cornstarch
1/4 c water

To make the crust, cut the shortening into the flours and sea salt.  Add water to moisten to dough consistency.  Roll out using additional flour to prevent sticking to the counter and put in a 9” pie pan.  Poke holes in the bottom and bake at 475 for 8-10 minutes.  Set aside.

Mash the 1.5 cups of diced strawberries.  Add them and the sugar to a small pan.  Blend the cornstarch with the water and combine with the strawberries and sugar.  Cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil, stirring often.  Reduce to simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes, continuing to stir frequently.

Place the 3.5 cups of slice strawberries in the pie crust.  Cover with the glaze mixture.  Allow to cool in the refrigerator for several hours before serving.

Optional serving suggestion:  whipped cream

** If you are not dairy free, 1/6 cup palm shortening and 1/6 cup organic butter softened to room temperature make for a better crust.  However, it still works great to use 1/3 cup palm shortening.