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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

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

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

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

Are you in need of a little indulgence?

Thought so.

Good thing this nut butter is packed with lots of healthy fats and is naturally sweetened with a few dates, so then you can eat a spoonful and know you’re not totally throwing caution to the wind – you’re feeding that sweet tooth and getting a bit of nutrition too!

I’ve lately been on a bit of a “let’s clean up our diet” kick. Not that I don’t normally eat a good amount of healthy, whole foods. For the most part, I do. I’m a veggie fanatic, and I’ve been drinking up lots of green smoothies, eating lots of greens, and enjoying winter-friendly veggies such as sweet potatoes and winter squash as much as I can. We’ve also done a better job lately of eating only grass-fed or pastured meats, and so roasted spatchcocked chicken and pot roast have been on our menu recently as well. But there have been things going on in my kitchen that I haven’t blogged about that aren’t so health-centric. For instance, I’ve been trying my hand at macarons lately. (They’re finicky, so I think I need some more practice before they’re blog-worthy.) And these donuts showed up in my kitchen the other day (you’ll get the recipe for those soon, don’t worry!). There have been other creations as well, most of which involve sugar or something sweet, and most of which have ended up being consumed (sometimes in excess) by yours truly. This little habit of mine has caused some serious sugar cravings, and it’s gotten my system a bit out of whack. I definitely don’t feel my best when I get too heavily involved in eating lots of baked, sugary goods – even if they’re gluten-free.

So this week, I took a little break from all of that. I’ve been on a little cleanse, eating raw foods - lots of veggies, a bit of fruit, and some nuts. But the other night, I wanted a little treat. I’d soaked and dehydrated a bunch of almonds and walnuts to snack on throughout the week (using this method), so I decided to throw them in the food processor and make some nut butter. Adding a few Medjool dates and a bit of vanilla bean and this turned into a decadent little treat, perfect for spreading on celery, apple slices, or just eating off of a spoon (which is what I did).

And then I promptly hid it in the refrigerator so I wouldn’t see it, so I can keep myself from eating it all.

Have you ever made your own nut butters? What unique combinations, if any, have you made?

Vanilla Almond-Walnut Butter (Gluten-Free, Vegan, Raw, Refined Sugar-Free)

1 c almonds (soaked and dehydrated)

1/2 c walnuts (soaked and dehydrated)

1 t coconut oil

4 Medjool dates, pitted

1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

Pinch salt (optional)

Place almonds and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor. Grind the nuts until they form a paste or a butter. At first it will turn powdery or grainy. Keep processing, and it will eventually form a ball and start to ”clump” to one side of the bowl. Then, as you continue processing, the nuts will finally start to release oils, and it will begin to really look like nut butter. (The total time required depends on the fat content of the nut you’re using. You have to be patient – stopping early will only result in grainy, not-quite-nut-butter.) Once the nut butter starts to smooth back out, add the coconut oil (or another oil, if you prefer). Once completely smooth, add the dates, vanilla bean, and salt (only if your nuts aren’t that salty) and process until smooth again. Scrape nut butter into a jar and store in refrigerator.

Are you new to gluten-free living, or are you interested in support for your gluten-free lifestyle? Check out Udi’s Gluten-Free Living Community – it’s a great free resource. You can ask questions in the forums, gain advice from other members, and attend Live Chat sessions where amazing topics are discussed!

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

posted on Thursday, March 8th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Budget-Friendly,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Quick and Easy,Vegetarian 7 Comments

My dear friend Amy of Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free is a brand ambassador for Attune Foods, and a few weeks ago, she graciously asked me if I would mind reviewing some of their products. They offer quite a few gluten and dairy-free products (like Crispy Brown Rice Cereal or Corn Flakes), but what I was asked to review was possibly the most intriguing, exciting product they have – a Probiotic Chocolate Bar.

Now, mind you, I have no problem having a nice, high-quality chocolate bar stashed away in my refrigerator, just so I can nibble on it now and then when the chocolate craving strikes (and it strikes a lot!). And we always hear that chocolate has positive health benefits. But now, I have one more little reason to indulge (as if I needed an excuse)!

So when my sample arrived, the first thing I did was just enjoy a bar of the chocolate, unadulterated and pure. It was creamy and not-to-sweet, just the way I like it. Honestly, I could have polished off the rest of the box in a similar manner over the following week, if it weren’t for my commitment to post a review. You see, I wanted to share my thoughts about these bars not only just as they were, but I also wanted to play with them a bit, to see if I could create a delicious, healthier treat with the chocolate. I’d have to make something that didn’t require heating the chocolate, or else I’d kill the probiotic cultures. So I opted to go for the ever-popular “truffle”.

I’ve made healthy truffles before and have shared them here – have you seen my pecan pie or pistachio sesame truffles? How about the chocolate cherry ones? While those are all full of whole, natural ingredients, I thought I’d sneak in even more little healthy morsels of goodness in these truffles.

So, yes, my friends, I threw in beets. And spinach. In a dessert.

Now, before you click away, let me explain. These don’t taste like vegetables. Not in the slightest. The beet turns the inside a lovely pink-red color (think red velvet cake), but the spinach is invisible here, as is the earthy taste of both of these ingredients. What you taste is a lovely mix of almonds, chocolate, a faint hint of strawberries, and a nice, not over-the-top sweetness. You could totally feed these to any crowd and they’d be none the wiser. They’re a delicious little bite, perfect for curbing that little craving for a taste of something sweet.

So I encourage you to give these chocolate probiotic bars a try. Indulge your chocolate sweet tooth by enjoying one (or two) by themselves. They’re a delicious little treat. But once you’ve done that, try these truffles. I think you’ll be pleasantly delighted.

Probiotic Beet and Almond Truffles (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

1 medium beet

1 1/2 c almonds

1 T cocoa powder (plus more for rolling)

1/4 c packed spinach leaves

1/4 c strawberries (I used frozen and thawed them)

6 pitted Medjool dates

1 t vanilla extract

1/4 t kosher salt

1 T coconut flour

1/4 t stevia extract (optional)

2 Attune Foods Probiotic chocolate bars, chopped

Peel the beet and cut into slices. Steam or boil beet slices until tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork. Puree the beet in a food processor or blender, scraping down the sides as needed. Portion out 2 tablespoons of the beet puree, and set aside the remainder for another use (this puree is gorgeous and tasty in a smoothie!).

In the bowl of a food processor, add almonds and process until they are crumbs. Add beet puree, cocoa powder, spinach leaves, strawberries and dates, and puree until the consistency is somewhat uniform and no large chunks remain. Add vanilla extract, salt, coconut flour, and stevia and process again until incorporated. Add chocolate bars and process once more to incorporate those as well.

Using a tablespoon, measure out even portions of the truffle “dough” (it should be stiff but a bit sticky) and roll into a ball between your palms. Roll into a bit of cocoa powder. Repeat with remaining truffle “dough”. Refrigerate until firm.

posted on Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Healthy Meals,Vegetarian 19 Comments

I’ve been playing with this recipe for a while. In fact, I think I made it at least 4 times in the past two weeks. I was forced to taste-test a LOT of chocolate cake before sharing with you. Yes, it’s a hard life I lead. Finally, I think I’ve got it right, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Because what’s Valentine’s Day without chocolate?

What I love about this particular cake is that it’s a healthier treat – no refined sugars, no refined flours. It’s not exactly a traditional cake – it’s fudgier and denser, but in my mind, that’s a good thing. But what I’m really proud of? It doesn’t contain eggs. Now, mind you, I have nothing against eggs personally (in fact, I love them a great deal – we eat LOTS of eggs in our household, and I love getting happy, delicious eggs from Jacob’s Reward Farm – a small farm just down the road from us.) But not everyone eats eggs, either for food intolerance/allergy reasons, because they are vegan, or perhaps they simply don’t like them. Also, if you rely on eggs sourced from local farms, you understand that egg supply waxes and wanes with the seasons. Sometimes, eggs aren’t easy to come by, and sometimes, you might just not have any in the house. However, baking without eggs can be tricky (especially with gluten-free baking). Eggs act as a binder and as a leavening agent. Egg replacers aren’t always as simple as they seem, and while they work for some situations, others are more difficult.

Since we don’t have egg issues in our house, I rarely concern myself with egg replacers. However, in this instance, I wanted to try to think “outside the shell.” I opted to use psyllium husks, which I’ve discovered work so well as a binder.  I was first introduced to using them by making this vegan, xanthan gum-free bread from Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen, which I love. Psyllium husks make gluten-free doughs pliable, which, as anyone who has ever tried to roll out gluten-free dough knows, is quite a feat. What’s superb about psyllium husks, in my opinion, is that they don’t make things gummy. Xanthan and guar gum both seem to cause that “gummy” texture sometimes – something I feel is definitely less than desirable. You can find whole psyllium husks in just about any health/wellness store – in the fiber section. (I’ve heard of some gluten-free bakers using psyllium husk powder with great results as well; I haven’t had a chance to experiment, so I can’t speak to that, but if you try it out, let me know how it goes!) The psyllium husks helped to bind this cake, allowed it to hold moisture, and allowed it to rise. I didn’t add a lot of leavening, wishing for the cake to remain somewhat brownie-like, so it was perfect.

Anyway, back to the important stuff - the flavor. A long while ago, I came across a recipe for red wine chocolate cake.  I was intrigued by the flavor composition. Also, this cake is a great way to use up leftover, too-old-to-drink wine. I am terrible at finishing a bottle of wine. Oh, yes, back in the day, I could have several glasses in an evening and truck right along the following day, but it seems that is no longer the case. Now, I find that I’ll have a glass one night, and will tell myself I’ll enjoy more the following night, and so on, until the bottle is gone. Only I no longer crave a glass the following night. Or the night after that. And so the rest of the wine sits in the bottle, forgotten. Now, if I have leftover wine, I have an excuse to make this cake!

So, you must be wondering, “She said there were two kinds of grapes in this cake. Wine is one type of grape; where is the other?” My friends, the second secret is in one of the sweeteners – raisins. I love to bake with medjool dates on occasion; they provide a lovely, natural sweetness and provide moisture and binding. On this particular day, however, I was out of dates. Raisins, however, were in my pantry. Why not use raisins instead? So I grabbed them and went for it. They turned out to work well!

Lastly, my most prized, favorite part of this cake is the black walnuts. Black walnuts, to me, are a rarity and a delicacy. They’re harder to find in stores than regular walnuts, but I found some Hammons black walnuts at my nearby Sprouts. Black walnuts are a good source of vitamins, healthy fats, and antioxidants, but to me, the flavor is the most important. Black walnuts have a strong, unique flavor – it’s rich and earthy. What’s even more lovely is that they seem to get richer and nuttier when they’re cooked. I first encountered black walnuts when I was a teen – I worked at Braum’s, a regional ice cream and dairy store. We sold black walnut ice cream. It was one of my favorites, even though it was nowhere near a best-seller. It was special to me, though, as I had never seen black walnut ice cream anywhere else. When I came across these walnuts at the grocery, I knew right away I need to make something special with them.

This cake fit the bill. It’s not overly rich, but the flavors are definitely grown-up and complex. It’s not overly fancy – there is no ganache, frosting, multiple layers, or intricate designs. But it’s delicious. The edges of the cake are slightly chewy (like the best part of a brownie) and the center tender. The black walnuts flavor the cake throughout. And no, the cake doesn’t taste like a mouthful of red wine, nor does it taste like raisins. These “two grapes” simply add complexity to the flavors. That being said, enjoying a glass of wine alongside a slice of this cake would be perfectly acceptable!

Chocolate Black Walnut Cake (With Two Kinds of Grapes) – Gluten-Free, Vegan

2 T whole psyllium husks

½ c raisins

1/3 c red wine

6 T coconut oil

1 T vanilla extract

¾ c coconut palm sugar

½ c brown rice flour (65 grams)

½ c teff flour (60 grams)

¼ c cocoa powder (26 grams)

½ t baking soda

½ t salt

½ c chopped black walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch pie or tart pan and set aside. In the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender, add the psyllium husk, raisins, wine, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Puree until no chunks of raisins remain. Add coconut palm sugar and puree again.

In a medium bowl, whisk together brown rice flour, teff flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Scrape the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until well-combined. (If using a food processor, you can alternatively put the dry ingredients right into the bowl of the food processor and process until combined.) You will end up with a thick, sticky batter. Stir in black walnuts by hand.

Turn dough out into the pie or tart pan and using greased fingers, press into pan in an even layer. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

On a side note: I am co-hosting a Live Chat tomorrow, February 9, 2012, at 9PM EST over at the Udi’s Gluten-Free Living Community! We’ll be talking about supporting the gluten-free people in your life. Join us here tomorrow! It’s free, and I’d love to see you there.

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

posted on Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 by altawrites Posted in Baked goods,Dairy-Free,Desserts,Gluten-Free,Vegetarian 20 Comments