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As you likely already know, May is Celiac Disease Awareness Month. I’ve been sharing thoughts about why I went gluten-free, tips on how to take those first gluten-free steps, and how to avoid cross-contamination of gluten in your own home. Today, I’m sharing something a little more fun! I was asked to contribute to an event called Cupcakes for a Cause, hosted by the American Celiac Disease Alliance. All throughout the month of May, various gluten-free bloggers and bakers will be sharing their cupcakes – baking the number of cupcakes needed to represent the years they’ve been gluten-free. Each entry will be pinned on Pinterest, and you are welcome to “vote” for your favorites there – just “like” it or repin; either counts as a vote.

Anyway, as I have been nearly 3 years gluten-free, I am showing 3 of these lovely, welcome-to-summer peach cupcakes. (In truth, the recipe makes more than 3 cupcakes - it’s hard to make only 3 cupcakes!) Peach season has come early to North Texas, due to the warm temps we’ve had this spring. I was astonished when I started seeing the early peaches at the farmer’s market on the first weekend in May. Since then, I’ve been buying them up - they’re superb this year, full of juicy sweetness. You bite into one, and that sticky, orange-red juice drips down your chin. It’s messy, and it’s heaven. Mostly, I’ve been enjoying them unadorned. They’re one of my most favorite fruits.

But since I needed to bake some cupcakes for this event, what better inspiration than the bounty of late spring/early summer? I opted to make this healthier gluten-free cupcake. But you don’t have to know that it’s healthier; just know that there’s the gorgeous flavor of peach throughout, and a creamy, decadent peachy frosting on top. It’s a perfect way to celebrate both a gorgeous time of year and an excellent cause.

Check them out for yourself, and be sure to go and vote for your favorite cupcakes!

Peach Cupcakes with Peachy Cream Frosting (grain-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free)

For the cakes:

3/4 c diced peaches

1/2 c medjool dates, pitted

1/4 c coconut oil, melted and cooled to room temperature

3 eggs

1 t vanilla extract

1/4 t almond extract

1/4 t stevia extract

1 1/2 c blanched almond flour

2 T tapioca starch

scant 1/2 t salt

1/4 t baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers. Place peaches, dates, and coconut oil in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, almond and stevia extracts, and process again until well-blended. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca starch, salt and baking soda. Scrape the wet ingredients from the food processor and add them to the almond flour. Mix together with a spoon until well-combined. Spoon batter into cupcake papers, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for about 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Peachy Cream Frosting (grain-free, dairy-free), refined sugar-free)

6 T coconut butter (such as Artisana, or you can make your own)

2 T palm shortening

2 T coconut oil

6 T tapioca starch

1/4 c refined sugar-free peach jam

3 T agave nectar

1/4 c powdered coconut sugar

6 T coconut milk

Add coconut butter, shortening, coconut oil, tapioca starch, jam, and agave nectar to the bowl of a food processor. Whisk until creamy. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator and add coconut sugar and coconut milk and whisk until creamy and thick, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed.

Frost cupcakes as desired.

posted on Monday, May 21st, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Baked goods,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free No Comments

I am sharing my recipe for a dairy-free broccoli “cheese” souffle at Go Dairy Free today! If you’re not familiar with Go Dairy Free, I highly recommend you check it out! When I first went dairy-free back in July 2010, I wasn’t sure exactly what to look for to ensure I was eating entirely dairy-free, and even more concerning - how could I still have ice cream and cheese? Alisa Fleming, the founder of Go Dairy Free (and the author of the book by the same name – which I own and refer to all the time) shares wonderful tips and recipes that are entirely free of dairy, and many are vegan to boot. This site and her book are both a wealth of dairy-free information.

Anyway, if you’re just waiting for the souffle recipe, head on over and check it out!

posted on Friday, May 18th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Vegetables,Vegetarian 1 Comment

Remember cinnamon raisin toast? That warm, slightly sweet slice of bread, swirled with cinnamon and studded with raisins, slathered with butter, made the best breakfast. We didn’t have it often when I was growing up, but it was a treat when it was around. I didn’t realize just how special it was until I went gluten and dairy-free, and could no longer enjoy it.

Then it became another one of those fond food memories, forever tucked away in my brain, pulled out only every once in a while for reminiscing.

Then one day, I decided that I needed to bring back a version of that breakfast treat. I don’t often make or eat breads anymore, but an exception needed to be made for this. But I wanted to make it both full of nutrition and full of that cinnamon-y goodness. I also wanted to make it grain-free, since I feel best when I’m not consuming too much in the way of grains (and subsequently, that also makes it paleo-friendly and lower-carb).

I wasn’t sure the best way to go about making a grain-free bread, but then I remembered the bread I’d made based on AndreAnna’s recipe a while back when I adopted her for Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger. That recipe used almond butter. The wheels started turning. Could I do the same with this loaf? I started to play around with the batter.

After 3 tries, I got it down. It’s a lovely, hearty little loaf that rose well, had a subtle sweetness packed with cinnamon, and in every bite, a raisin or a walnut. I love that baking with almond butter brings a gorgeous brown shine to the top of the loaf. The slices held together beautifully as well, and were moist – quite a feat for gluten-free baking. I decided to spread a little coconut spread on a slice, heat it up a skillet, and toasted it on both sides. Heaven.

Cinnamon Raisin Walnut Bread (Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo)

½ c almond butter

1 T coconut oil

2 medium eggs at room temperature

1 t lemon juice

2 ½ T arrowroot powder

½ t salt

¼ t vanilla extract

¼ t baking soda

1 T plus 1 t cinnamon

¼ c Medjool dates, chopped

¼ c raisins

½ c walnuts, toasted and chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a small/mini loaf pan with coconut oil and set aside. In the bowl of a mixer, blend the almond butter, coconut oil, eggs, and lemon juice until well-blended. Add arrowroot powder, salt, vanilla extract, baking soda, cinnamon and date. Blend again until well-blended. Add the raisins and walnuts and stir in.

Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan. Smooth out on top with spatula.

Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before slicing.

This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.

posted on Monday, May 14th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Baked goods,breakfast,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Vegetarian 7 Comments

Yes, I promised you a chocolate cake over a week ago. I apologize. I considered making the cake once more so I could retake the photo. Then we had an illness in our family, and that didn’t happen. (Thankfully, that family member is on the mend!) And then, this week, there has been a lot of drama about a certain (not-so) gluten-free pizza situation in the gluten-free community. I’ve been a bit distracted. No more excuses though.

Because cake just can’t wait.

Especially chocolate-y, moist, delicate cake with a rich, fudgy, coconut-y frosting.

Most especially when that cake is grain-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free, and is a bit more nutritious than most. It also has a secret ingredient. Well, not-so-secret anymore, since I put the ingredient in the title of this post. When serving this to guests (or your kids!), however, you don’t have to tell them about the zucchini. It can be our little secret. Since the zucchini is pureed, there are no detectable little green shreds in the bite of cake. In fact, the texture is rather uniform. And since the cake is a rich brown from the cocoa powder, the green is completely hidden. What the pureed zucchini provides is excellent moisture and a bit of structure. Made alone, this cake would be an excellent “snacking” cake – rich wtih chocolate and not overly sweet, but satisfying.

But frosting makes everything better, right? Lately, I’ve been working on a cinnamon roll recipe, and I’ve been opting to top it with a lightly sweetened coconut butter instead of a sugary icing. I fell in love with that bit of richness, and a light bulb came on - what if I tried to make a frosting using coconut butter? Adding coconut butter and even unrefined sugar alone was too sweet – but with a bit of coconut cream and some starch to thicken it, I had a lovely, spreadable frosting, fudgy and rich. Seriously, I could eat this stuff all by itself. (And I bet with a touch less coconut cream, you could totally make fudge with it. Maybe that’ll be a future project!) But on this cake, it provides that little extra something. It elevates it to “special” – perfect for a birthday celebration, Mother’s Day (hint, hint) or even because you wanted to have something chocolate.

Whatever the reason, you won’t regret this little cake.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake (grain-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free)

3 T coconut flour

1 1/2 c blanched almond flour

1 t salt

1/2 t baking soda

1/4 c raw cacao powder

1/2 t finely ground coffee (optional)

3 eggs at room temperature

3 T coconut oil, melted and cooled

1/4 c agave nectar or honey

1/4 t vanilla stevia extract

1 t vanilla extract

2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted

1 c pureed zucchini (I just cut mine into chunks and threw it in my food processor)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-inch cake pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together coconut and almond flours, salt, baking soda, cacao powder, and coffee. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, coconut oil, agave, stevia, vanilla extract, and melted chocolate. Whisk in zucchini puree. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix to combine well.

Scrape batter into cake pan and spread out evenly. .

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Coconut “Buttercream” Frosting

1/4 c coconut butter (such as Artisana, or you can make your own)

1/4 c raw cacao powder

1/4 c coconut oil (cool and semi-solid, but not rock-hard)

1/3 – 1/2 c powdered unrefined sugar (I made my own in my coffee grinder with raw turbinado sugar)

1-2 T arrowroot starch

1 t vanilla extract

1 T coconut flour

1/3 c coconut cream (cream from the top of the coconut milk in a can)

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a mixer with a whisk attachment. Mix on medium until well-blended, adding a touch more starch if too thin, and a bit more coconut cream if too thick. If mixture starts to look oily or come apart, refrigerate for a while and re-whisk to get it to thicken properly and set.

Spread frosting over top of cake.

Refrigerate cake until ready to serve.

posted on Thursday, May 10th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Baked goods,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Vegetarian 11 Comments

I’ve mentioned before that cookies are my go-to baking treat. I wasn’t lying. If I get the urge to bake and experiment, the first place I go to is cookies. There’s a lot of room for successful experimentation in gluten-free cookies. They’re also easy to share, which is what I often do with my baked goods. My coworkers receive a great many of my creations. (Although the hubby’s coworkers received these – gotta spread the wealth from time to time!) And, they’re cookies. Cookies are awesome!

So I had a few minutes the other night, waiting for dinner to finish in the oven, and so I threw together these little babies. I made a small batch (but you could definitely double the recipe!), since I was experimenting, just to see how they’d turn out. They looked promising out of the oven, but they were even more delightful once they cooled. Comforting, sweet (but not overly so), a bit soft, a bit chewy. A perfect little bite after dinner, or to help through a long afternoon.

Of course, this means that other recipes that I’ve promised (like the chocolate zucchini cake pictured here) will have to wait a few more days. You see, I had requests for the recipe after I posted the photo on Facebook, so I went ahead and bumped these to the front of the line. But I promise, the cake will come. Soon. For now, enjoy this simple little treat.

Black Walnut Cookies (grain-free, dairy-free)

3/4 c blanched almond flour

2 T arrowroot starch

1/4 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1/2 c sucanat, coconut palm sugar, or brown sugar

1/4 c almond butter

1 egg at room temperature

1 t vanilla extract

2 T coconut oil, melted and cooled

1/2 c chopped black walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot, baking soda, salt and sugar. In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond butter, egg, vanilla, and coconut oil. Mix together the wet ingredients into the dry until well-blended. Stir in walnuts.

Scoop tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden on the edges and bottoms. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, and then remove to finish cooling on a cooling rack.

Makes 12-14 cookies.

This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free and Whole Food Wednesdays at Beyond the Peel.

posted on Friday, May 4th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Baked goods,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Kid-Friendly,Quick and Easy,Vegetarian 16 Comments

I’m a fan of alliterations, aren’t you? Especially when they involve chocolate and cherries. These little treats definitely fit the bill: delicious chocolate little morsels filled with dried bing cherries with just the right amount of sweetness. They may not be the flashiest, prettiest little dessert, but after a long stretch without sweets (I’ve just finished a Whole30), these were heaven. They’re still paleo-friendly, as they’re sweetened only with fruit and a touch of stevia, but that was more than enough.

They’re also grain-free, nut-free, and vegan – something that is rare in any baked good. A while back, Maggie at She Let Them Eat Cake shared a chocolate chip cookie recipe using pumpkin seed flour. Pumpkin seeds, a.k.a. pepitas, are a great alternative to nuts, especially if someone in your family has an allergy, or your children attend a nut-free school. Just process them in a coffee grinder until finely ground, and you have yourself a nutritious flour! I couldn’t wait until I got my hands on some pumpkin seeds so I could try out this method. So after grinding away, and poking around in my pantry to see what fun ingredients I could throw together with this new flour, I came out armed with some cocoa powder, dates, prunes, and cherries. Next thing I knew, these cookies were born.

Which isn’t surprising. If I wander into the kitchen to bake, chances are, what I will be baking is cookies. It’s my go-to dessert. Maybe it’s because I’ve always adored cookies, even back when I was a gluten-eater. I’d snub most cakes and other treats, but a cookie? Oh yes, I was game. Now that I bake gluten-free and dairy-free (and often grain and sugar-free as well), cookies are an easy thing to create. Cookies don’t have to be light and airy and have that perfect cake crumb; they’re not tricky like gluten-free breads. Maybe it’s just my point of view, but cookies are a lot more forgiving. Besides, they’re delicious. Who doesn’t like cookies?

Especially chewy chocolate cookies with cherries?

That’s what I thought.

Chewy Chocolate Cherry Cookies (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Paleo)

10 prunes

3 Medjool dates

1 ½ c pumpkin seed flour (grind raw shelled pumpkin seeds in a coffee grinder)

3 T cocoa powder

¼ t baking soda

2 t cinnamon

¼ t sea salt

2 T applesauce

2 T coconut oil, melted

1 ½ t vanilla extract

¼ t almond extract

¼-1/2 t vanilla stevia extract

¾ c dried bing cherries, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In a small bowl, heat water until just boiling. Add prunes and dates and allow to soak for 5-10 minutes or until soft.

Meanwhile, whisk together pumpkin seed flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and sea salt in a medium bowl.

Remove prunes and dates from water and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add applesauce coconut oil, and extracts and process until it forms a paste. Add pumpkin seed flour mixture and process until well-blended. Adjust sweetness level to your liking with stevia, blending well. Stir in cherries.

Using oiled hands, roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into a ball and place on the baking sheet. Flatten with the back of a spoon or the heel of your hand.

Bake 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Makes 1 ½ dozen.

This post is linked to Wellness Weekends at Diet, Dessert and Dogs and Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.

Interested in learning about gluten-free baking? Join me and other Community Leaders at Udi’s Gluten-Free Living Community on Tuesday, April 24, 2012, at 7 PM CDT to discuss gluten-free baking! Just visit this link to attend!

posted on Sunday, April 22nd, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Baked goods,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Quick and Easy,Vegetarian 11 Comments

Tomorrow, April 5, 2012 I will be co-hosting a Live Chat over at Udi’s Gluten-Free Living Community at 8 PM CDT/9 PM EDT. We’ll be talking about gluten-free spring foods, gardening, and other adventures. Please join us – it’s totally free! Just click on this link here at 8 PM CDT/9PM EDT and you’ll be there!

Also, while I don’t have a brand-spankin’-new recipe for you for the coming holiday weekend, I do have a collection of some yummy gluten and dairy-free recipes from Tasty Eats At Home and some fellow bloggers! Whether you celebrate Easter or Passover (or just want some yummy springtime recipes!), enjoy! I hope you have a joyous weekend.

Breakfast/Brunch

Peach Butter Coffee Cake

Blueberry Buckwheat Donuts with Lemon Glaze

Mini Florentine Frittatas

Broccoli “Cheese” Souffle

Lavender-Almond Tea Biscuits

Pineapple-Coconut Muffins

Appetizers/Small Bites/Soups

Gluten-Free Matzoh with Onion, Garlic and Dill

Basil Chicken Salad Puffs

Masala Ginger Carrot Soup (not dairy-free, but easily modified)

Mom’s Deviled Eggs

Matzoh Ball Soup

Salads

Raw Kale Grapefruit Salad

Kohlrabi and Apple Slaw

Asparagus Basil Salad

Sides and Vegetables

Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Raisins and Walnuts (not dairy-free, but easily modified)

Collard Greens with Crimini Mushrooms and Sundried Tomatoes

Green Beans with Smoky Pecans

Vegan Scalloped Potatoes

Steamed Asparagus with Lemon

Entrees

Perfect Lamb Chops

Braised Lamb Shank with Swiss Chard

Vegan Carrot-Pecan Nut Roast

Slow Cooker Mint-Glazed Lamb

Vegan Mock Chopped Liver

Desserts

Lemon Earl Grey Cookies

Spaghetti Squash Apple “Noodle” Kugel

Vegan and Gluten-Free Cheesecake with Blueberry Compote

Vegan Coconut Macaroons

Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Easter Eggs

Coconut Crispy Treat “Nests” with Jelly Bean “Eggs”

Jelly Bean Macaroon “Nests”

Nutty Chocolate Candy

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Easter Bunnies

Carrot Cake

…and if you’re dying Easter eggs, how about using some homemade natural dyes?

posted on Wednesday, April 4th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free 5 Comments

This past weekend, I spent a few hours in the kitchen, focusing on ways that I can bring you slightly healthier snacks and treats. Why? Because, dear readers, I care about you. You’ve been good, but sometimes, you need a little “something.” Something to munch on at 3 o’clock in the afternoon that isn’t just overloaded with sugar. All week, you’ve been good, and you’ve satisfied those afternoon “munchies” with green smoothies, crunchy raw veggies, and an occasional piece of fruit. But you want something a little more, without going overboard.

Well, friend, here it is.

Welcome Peanut Butter and “Jelly” Munch.

Sure, it looks unassuming in that photo. It’s not dressed up in fancy colors. There’s no drippy, caramel-y topping, and there’s not loads of chocolate. But don’t let that detract from the satisfaction this little snack can bring. Peanut Butter and “Jelly” Munch is a bit sweet, a bit salty, and has that peanut butter-y goodness that just hits the spot. Of course, there’s an additional treat – dried bing cherries, which serve as the “jelly” to the peanut butter. Best of all, it’s light and crisp. The perfect nosh.

Next time you’re looking for a bit of a treat – whether it’s to cure that afternoon slump, to delight the kids after school, as a substitute for granola for breakfast, or as an accompaniment to your stay-at-home movie night – try out some peanut butter and “jelly” munch. It might just become your new favorite.

Peanut Butter and “Jelly” Munch (gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, refined sugar-free)

1/4 c peanut butter (I used Justin’s. Can substitute Sunbutter for peanut-free)

1/4 c brown rice syrup

1 t vanilla extract

1/4 t kosher salt

3 plain brown rice cakes (1 1/2 cups), crumbled (I used Lundberg brown rice cakes, make sure yours are gluten-free)

3/4 c dried bing cherries, unsweetened, lightly chopped

1/4 c Medjool dates, chopped

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a microwave-safe bowl, add the peanut butter and brown rice syrup. Heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until warm enough to stir easily. Stir in vanilla extract and salt.

In a medium bowl, combine crumbled rice cakes, dried cherries, and dates, and stir in peanut butter mixture. Toss to coat evenly.

Spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes, stirring 2-3 times throughout process, until mixture is crisp. Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container.

This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free.

posted on Tuesday, March 27th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Appetizers,Budget-Friendly,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Kid-Friendly,Quick and Easy,Vegetarian 9 Comments

Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of The Essential Gluten-Free Baking Guide Part I for free in exchange for a review of the book. This in no way influenced my review.

Want an icebox peanut butter swirl brownie? Yeah, I thought you did. Who wouldn’t? These babies are a fudgy, dense brownie with a delicious peanut butter topping, not too sweet, not too rich, but definitely enough to satisfy any cravings you might have. They’re gluten-free and vegan. They’re also one of many delicious creations by Iris Higgins (of The Daily Dietribe) and Brittany Angell (of Real Sustenance), the co-authors of the newly released book, the first in a two-part series, The Essential Gluten-Free Baking Guide Part I.

I’ve been waiting to receive a copy of this book for a long time now. I heard about it via Facebook and Twitter from Iris and Brittany for a while, as they would share just how many hours they’d been working on various recipes in their kitchens. I met them at the Dallas Gluten-Free and Allergen-Free Expo last October and the topic of the cookbook came up in conversations then. I also was lucky enough to get to test a few recipes for the book – gotta love that! But all of this talk made the anticipation grow that much more. When I finally was able to read through the book for the first time, I was so excited.

Let me tell you a bit about this book. It’s basically like a gluten-free baking bible. Iris and Brittany spent many, many (many, many, MANY) hours toying with each gluten-free flour, trying to understand its properties. They performed many tests in their kitchens, and learned how each one tastes, how it bakes, how it provides structure or lightness or moisture to a gluten-free baked good, and they learned. They did what so many of those of us that attempt to bake gluten-free long to understand – they defined what the flours do and how to use them. The countless hours they spent learning and experimenting contributed to this two-part book series, which is a wealth of gluten-free baking knowledge.

As I was reading through, I felt so many light bulbs go off. I would find myself saying “oh!” several times, and stopping to make notes on my own personal recipes so I could remember how a certain ingredient would act, so I could try to tweak things for myself. This book was so exciting in that regard. I couldn’t wait to pick a recipe to try, either. I already knew the recipes they shared were good – I simply wanted more.

Of course, I chose the chocolatey, peanut buttery brownie you see above.

Were they good? Oh yes. The kids adored them (we have picky eaters in the house, but everyone can agree on chocolate and peanut butter!). I was glad to have some help in devouring them, as I didn’t need to be left to my own devices. It does help, however, that these are icebox brownies. Desserts in the freezer are out of sight, so they’re not tempting me every time I walk in the kitchen. They weren’t completely out of mind, though – I could still find my way to them if I needed a sweet treat.

I can’t wait to receive Part II of this two-part series. Part I covered flours such as almond, coconut, amaranth, quinoa, garbanzo bean, and millet flours. I am a big fan of almond and coconut flours, with quinoa being close behind. Part II will cover sorghum, buckwheat, teff, cassava and potato flours. I also use many of those flours, so it will be exciting to see what Brittany and Iris have to share.

Whether you’re a seasoned gluten-free baker or new to the gluten-free lifestyle, you’ll be sure to appreciate these books.

posted on Friday, March 16th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Gluten-Free 7 Comments

Remember donuts? Those sweet, light, fluffy fun circles that went so well with a cup of coffee? For many of us on a gluten-free diet, donuts are just no longer part of our routine. They’re just not an option.

But what if I told you they could be part of your life again? While I was not a big donut person before I went gluten-free, I tried something new – I opted to bring donuts back as part of our gluten-free lifestyle as a lovely weekend breakfast treat. But I wanted them to be so good, you’d never guess they were gluten-free. After all, my kids and husband don’t eat gluten-free, so I have to convince them that my baked goods are just as tasty as what they can get down at the corner bakery. It’s a challenge for me, and one I faced gladly.

These blueberry buckwheat donuts are a healthier (because they’re baked) breakfast treat that’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and full of sunny flavor. They’re also made with whole grain flours (buckwheat and brown rice), so there’s a bit more nutrition on these treats than a typical donut. What I loved most, however, was that they were light – something hard to come by in gluten-free baked goods!

If you don’t have a donut pan, don’t fret – these can be made in a muffin tin as well. You may wish to increase your baking time slightly to compensate.

Blueberry Lemon Buckwheat Donuts

½ c non-dairy milk (I used homemade cashew milk)

2 T chia seed meal

2 eggs

1 T olive oil

1/3 c sugar

1 t vanilla extract

1 t lemon zest

½ c freshly ground buckwheat flour

¼ c brown rice flour

¼ c arrowroot flour

1 t baking powder

¼ t baking soda

1/8 t kosher salt

½ c blueberries

2/3 c powdered sugar

Juice of 2 lemons

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a nonstick donut pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together non-dairy milk and chia seed meal until there are no lumps. Add eggs, olive oil, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest and whisk until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk dry mixture into wet until combined. Gently stir in blueberries.

Spoon batter evenly into donut pan and spread out. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the donut comes out clean. Allow to cool for a few minutes in the pan. Remove and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes more on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until there are no lumps. Allow to come to a simmer on low heat, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat.

Dip each donut into glaze on both sides and return to wire rack to allow excess to drip off.

Makes 6 donuts.

Do you have a recipe that’s so good, no one would guess it’s gluten-free? Submit it to the Udi’s Look Again It’s Gluten Free Recipe Contest on Facebook! You could win a 3 day/2 night trip for two people to California, a gluten-free cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu, or Udi’s shopping bags with Udi’s coupons!

Also, check out Udi’s Gluten-Free Living Community for a wealth of gluten-free living tips, tricks, recipes, and more!

I loved combining new flavors and gluten free ingredients to create this delicious recipe. Now I’m curious to know, what do you enjoy most about trying something new?

For your chance to win a $350 William Sonoma gift card to purchase a Kitchen Aid Mixer or other gluten free cooking tool of your choice, complete these two steps:

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Udi’s Gluten Free. The opinions and text are all mine. Official BlogFrog Sweepstakes Rules.

posted on Monday, March 12th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Baked goods,breakfast,Dairy-Free,Gluten-Free,Kid-Friendly,Vegetarian 13 Comments