Quick and Easy Hash Browns

Quick and Easy Hash Browns

                                


 This is so easy!  This recipe is a great use for leftover baked potatoes.  Whenever I make baked potatoes I purposely make extras, so I can do something like this.



Quick and Easy Hash Browns

Serves 2

Pre-heat a frying pan that has been sprayed with olive oil cooking spray to medium-high heat.

Shred two pre-cooked potatoes, leftover baked potatoes are great for this, and place the potato shreds into the hot pan.  Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over the potatoes and season them to taste with about 1/4 teaspoon Homemade Adobo Seasoning.  Cook them on one side until the bottoms are golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Turn the potatoes over and cook the other side until they are golden brown, also, about 2 minutes.

Serve hot with Pumpkin Ketchup, if desired.

Carne Picata Tacos -- gluten and grain free

At my local grocer, I'm able to get Carne Picata -- shredded beef steak -- in the fresh meat case.  It is rather inexpensive and a real treat for my family.

Here's a picture of the finished product:

This recipe uses several other recipes from this blog:

Besan Tortillas (not for SCD)
Homemade Refried Beans (Mashed Pinto Beans)
Homemade Adobo Seasoning Without Pepper



Carne Picata, or shredded beef steak is really simple to prepare.

Spray a 10" skillet with olive oil cooking spray and put 1 1/2 pounds carne picata into it.  Cook the meat over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the red is gone from the meat.  Season it to taste with about 2 teaspoonsful of Homemade Adobo Seasoning Without Pepper.


To prepare Carne Picata Tacos, warm the Besan Tortillas on a dry skillet.  Place the tortillas, one at a time, onto a medium-hot skillet.  Warm them for just a few seconds on one side, then flip them to the other side.  Remove them to a plate and cover them with a towel to keep them warm. 

Fill the tortillas with Homemade Refried Beans (Mashed Pinto Beans), the Carne Picata (as described above), and whatever typical taco fillings are preferred.  In the photo, I used lettuce, cucumbers, radishes and a very few bits of diced tomato.  Fresh and delicious!

Enjoy!

Homemade Refried Beans -- Mashed Pinto Beans

Homemade Refried Beans (Mashed Pinto Beans)

Pictured is my IC taco salad

I almost never purchase canned beans any more.  Not only are freshly prepared beans more nutritious, they simply taste better than the canned variety.  They are naturally gluten and grain free and friendly for the IC diet.  Many folks think they are hard to prepare, but they really aren't that difficult or time consuming.

Homemade Refried Beans (Mashed Pinto Beans)

Either soak overnight or quick soak^

1 pound pinto beans

Rinse the beans and cover them with water.  Pick out any beans that float. Cover them with a lid.  At this point, they can be left overnight, then proceed with recipe from *, or quick soak.  

^To quick soak beans, after they are covered with water, cover them with a lid and bring them to a full boil.  Boil the beans, covered, for one minute, then remove them from heat.  Keep them covered for one hour.

*Drain the beans and cover them completely with fresh, cold water.

Add 2 cloves freshly minced garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic granules to the pot. Bring the beans to a full boil then reduce them to a simmer.  Simmer the beans for about an hour, until they are tender.  To test the beans for doneness, scoop some up with a spoon and blow on them.  If the skins rupture (break), then the beans are done. 

Drain most of the water from the beans, reserving part of the liquid.  There are many different ways to mash the beans at this point.  The can be mashed with a potato masher, put into a blender, processed in a food processor or mixed with a hand blender.  If they are too stiff, add some of the reserved cooking liquid.  If they are too thin, put them back into the pot and cook them a little more.  They will thicken up.  

Season them to taste with:

Adobo Seasoning Without Pepper
Sea salt 

Serve as desired.  They are featured in my Carne Picata Tacos Recipe.  Yummy!

Besan Tortillas -- gluten and grain free

Besan is, also, known as garbanzo bean flour, chickpea flour or gram flour.  It is a grain free flour alternative that has a slightly nutty flavor.  It is suitable for paleo diets, gluten free and grain free diets, as well as the IC diet because it is non-acidic.  It is fairly easy to work with, and I've been experimenting with a variety of flat-bread recipes using it.

This recipe for Besan Tortillas (aka, garbanzo bean flour tortillas, chickpea flour tortillas) is really simple to make and they hold together fairly well.  They are more like a pancake in texture, but they are significantly better than not having a tortilla at all, which is where I was when I went grain free.

Besan Tortillas

This recipe makes about 6 tortillas.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together:

2 1/2 cups besan flour (chickpea, garbanzo bean, gram flour)

2 tablespoons potato starch 

1 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups hot water (hot tap water)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Allow the batter to rest about 15 minute.  It will thicken to about the consistency of thin pancake batter.  Using a 1/2 cup measure or ladle of the same size, pour the batter onto a fairly hot 10" to 12" skillet or griddle sprayed with olive oil cooking spray.  Pour the batter in concentric circles going from the center outwards.  Carefully use the back of the ladle/measure to smooth the dough into an 8" circle.  Bake the tortilla on the hot griddle until the bottom is set, about 2 minutes, then carefully flip it over with a large spatula to set the other side.  After flipping the tortilla, it will only take a few seconds for it to set.  Remove the tortilla from the pan and place it onto a plate, as shown above.  Repeat for the remaining tortillas, placing a paper towel or waxed paper between each one to keep them from sticking to each other.

Serve warm and fill as desired.  I had Carne Picata Tacos in mine :)

As can be seen from the photo, I wrapped my taco in a paper towel to help it hold together, as well as, to keep my hands from getting messy.

I might try adding a packet of unflavored gelatin next time I make these to see if they'll hold up even better to being filled.  They did work just fine as written.

Enjoy!

Homemade Adobo Seasoning Without Pepper

Adobo Seasoning without pepper is a staple of mine.  It is a Hispanic seasoning used in Mexican and Puerto Rican dishes, plus others.  I'm able to get it pretty easily where I live, but I know that it can be difficult to find elsewhere.  Many of my recipes call for it because it is a delicious all purpose seasoning blend that doesn't have any gluten, and it is IC diet friendly.  Many seasoning blends (seasoning salts), have onion, paprika and black pepper in them.  Those are all either major no-nos or and least items to watch.  I can't tolerate any of them.  Because of those factors, and that normal Adobo seasoning uses regular table salt, I decided it would be good to make my own.  This is what I came up with:

Homemade Adobo Seasoning Without Pepper

This makes about 2 cups of Adobo Seasoning Without Pepper

In a bowl combine:

1 cup sea salt
1/2 cup garlic granules
1/3 cup ground oregano*
1 1/2 tablespoons turmeric

Mix well and store in a tightly covered container.  Use in recipes calling for seasoning salt or Adobo seasoning.

*Note:  I couldn't find any ground oregano in my local store, so I bought whole oregano and ground it myself in my blender.  About 1/2 cup whole oregano ground down to 1/3 cup ground oregano.

Enjoy!

Easy Beef and Bean Soup

This is a really easy dish, a great warm, satisfying meal.  Yes, we can have tasty, satisfying food on a grain free and IC diet!

Easy Beef and Bean Soup

Either soak overnight or quick soak

1 pound small red beans

Rinse the beans and cover with water.  Pick out any beans that float.  Cover them with a lid.  At this point, they can be left overnight, then proceed with recipe from *, or quick soak.  

To quick soak beans, after they are covered with water, cover with a lid them and bring them to a full boil.  Boil for one minute, then remove them from heat.  Keep them covered for one hour.

*Drain the beans and cover them completely with fresh, cold water, and set them aside.

Add to the pot of beans: 

1 pound ground beef, cooked and crumbled
2 medium sized potatoes, 1/2" dice
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
3 to 4 cloved of garlic, minced

Cook over medium heat until the beans and potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.  To test the beans for doneness, scoop some up with a spoon and blow on them.  If the skins rupture (break), then the beans are done.  Season the soup to taste with sea salt and Adobo seasoning without pepper (or garlic granules.)  

Easy and delicious!

Chewy Jumbo Carob Chip Cookies, Grain Free

This is my "signature" Chewy Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe, only it's undergone a massive makeover.  It is free of soy, dairy, all grains, all gluten.  It does have eggs in it, but that could easily be substituted with 2 tablespoons flax mixed with 6 tablespoons warm water.  This recipe makes a very chewy, nutty cookie. Delicious!

Sharron's Famous Chewy Jumbo Carob Chip Cookies, Paleo Style

Pre-heat the oven to 375F.  In a large bowl combine:

1 cup almond flour

¾ cup shredded coconut 

½ cup flaxseed meal (ground)

¼ cup potato flour
1 packet unflavored gelatin (Knox)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Set this aside.  In a mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat until light:

3/4 cup coconut oil

Carefully add while mixing:

1 cup coconut sugar

4 packets “Truvia” sweetener (I actually use Kroger's generic product. I have verified that it doesn't contain any grain products.)

Add and mix until combined:

2 eggs
1/2 tablespoon vanilla

Add the flour mixture little by little until it is mixed in.  Finally, add and mix till just combined:

1 cup unsweetened carob chips* (be sure they are free of dairy and soy)

½ cup walnut pieces (optional)


Scoop by 1/4 cupfuls or same-size ice cream scoop onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake at 375F for about 9 to 13 minutes. They should be just becoming firm around the edges and still very soft and puffy in the middle. Remove them from the oven and allow them to finish baking on the hot baking sheet. Allow them to cool completely on paper towels before storing them covered with paper towels between the layers of cookies.

*Note:  The cookies in the photo were make with 1/2 cup of chopped dates instead of carob chips.  Oh, so good!  Yummy with Homemade Almond Milk  :)

Enjoy!

Grain Free Alternatives -- Being Really Gluten Free

Grain Free Alternatives -- Being Really Gluten Free

Several months ago I learned from Gluten Free Society (Dr. Osborne), that all grains have glutinous proteins -- not just wheat, barley and rye, but all grains.  Sorghum, millet, rice, corn, quinoa, oats, wild rice, all have glutinous proteins.  All these foods that people with gluten sensitivity have been told are safe to eat, really are not safe.  This leads to chronic inflammation and disease that we, as a society, could be avoiding just by changing our dietary habits.  It makes me sad to think of all the extra money I alone spent on "gluten free" products that were really only contributing to my inflammation, pain and dis-ease.

I thought that being "gluten free" by the standard definition was hard, being completely grain free is eye opening.  Grains and grain products are in nearly everything from envelopes to supplements to hidden ingredients in packaged foods.  I once had a pretty severe reaction to licking the glue on an envelope!  I've yet to find an acetaminophen product that doesn't have a grain derivative in it.  Supplements are another issue.  Here I'm spending all this money on vitamins and such to help me feel better, only to discover they are part of my problem!  Yikes!  

Here's a helpful article on how to find hidden gluten sources.

So, once I eliminated the grains from my diet, what am I supposed to eat?

Condiments.  There are not any commercially prepared salad dressings, ketchup or mayonnaise that I can eat because of my interstitial cystitis (IC), besides that many of them contain white vinegar and grain based oils.  Thankfully, I've come up with some recipes to satisfy that need.  Look to the side bar for recipes.

What about bread?  I haven't had regular bread for a long time, so that's not a big issue for me.  However, I do miss things like tortillas and buns.  I used to use sorghum and corn flours extensively when I was "gluten free" the traditional way.  Now that I'm completely grain free, those are eliminated from my diet -- what am I supposed to use?  I did some reading online and discovered that many people on grain free (paleo) diets use legume flours, like garbanzo bean (chickpea, lentil, besan, gram) flour, nut flours, like almond, and potato flour and starch.  Coconut is, also, a valuable staple on grain free eating plans.

After doing some searching, I've found some pretty reasonable sources for garbanzo bean (aka, chickpea, lentil, besan, gram) flour, nut flours, like almond, potato flour and starch, and coconut products.  I live near a large city that has an Indian Asian market where I can get besan flour very reasonably.  When I'm not able to go there, I order products online.  My local grocery store carries almond flour and unsweetened shredded coconut.  I just put the shredded coconut into my food processor and grind it finer if that's what I need.  Potato flour and starch are a bit more difficult to find, but I can get them at my local health food store or online.  I have a large chest freezer, and I buy these products in bulk when I can; so I can get a better discount and free shipping in a lot of cases with my online purchases.

I've been experimenting with some bread product recipes.  Breads on a completely grain free diet aren't the same as the normal fluffy white bread I grew up on.  No, sirree!  However, if the goal is to have something to put jam on that is pretty tasty, or something to keep my hands from getting messy when having a burger, then I've come up with some very useful recipes.  I've got a biscuit recipe that I enjoy, as well as a bun recipe that I like.  Check the side bar for the recipes.  I'm continuing to experiment, and I'll continue posting as I come up with them.

Dairy products are often problematic for folks with grain sensitivities.  The grains that the cows eat, cross into the milk.  I've not found any dairy products that don't cause me inflammation, specifically in my joints.  I'm experimenting with small amounts of Pecorino Romano made from sheep milk.  I'm not sure if it works for me or not.  I've eliminated all other dairy, including butter.  When I really need "milk" for something, I use my Homemade Almond Milk recipe.  I'm toying with the idea of using it as a base for some dairy-free yogurt or kefir.  (By the way, I do have kefir grains if anyone needs them in exchange for postage cost.)  I might even try my hand at some cheese if the yogurt or kefir works out.

Butter and oils are another issue.  I don't know if it's the case for everyone with grain sensitivities, but I can tolerate very few of the liquid oils.  A lot of them are grain based.  What I've found that I tolerate are peanut oil, olive oil and coconut oil.  I would use lard, but I can't find any brands that are not filled with preservatives.  I often reclaim usable fat from my cooking when I prepare a roast or such.  In cooking, if the recipe calls for a solid fat, like butter, I use coconut oil.  Coconut oil is solid below 70F.  For liquid oils in a recipe, I use peanut or olive oil.  I use olive oil or coconut oil when preparing things like cooked vegetables and potatoes.  Walnut oil is another delicious oil that I've recently discovered.  It is fantastic on salad and baked potatoes!  For frying, I use reclaimed fat or peanut oil.  Olive oil is not heat stable and will break down if not combined with another oil when heated to frying temperatures.  

I hope this information is helpful.

Blessings,

Sharron

More thoughts on this topic

About Gluten Free Diets

I published this article on my other blog "JAMSGems4U" on Septmeber 17, 2013.  It shares why I made the transition to being completely grain free, not just "gluten free" according to the standard definition.

About "Gluten Free" Diets

Hi there,

I've been "gluten free," or so I thought, for about a year now, plus the time when I was off of nearly everything for a year and a half before that!  I thought I would see a lot of improvement, but I really haven't.  My joints still hurt, and, in fact, have gotten worse.  I need knee replacements now.  I'm still tired most of the time, and don't sleep well at night because of interstitial cystitis (IC).  I have other symptoms, too.  I've known there was "something" that was my root problem.  I thought maybe it was the IC, but it doesn't explain cataracts and some of my other issues, like the advanced arthritis -- I've had that since I was in my 20s.

Then, a couple of days ago, a dear friend of mine who has been "gluten free" for about as long as I have, with basically the same results, showed me a website that I'd not seen before:  Gluten Free Society.  On that site, the doctor, Dr. Osborne, contends that every grain has glutinous proteins in them.  He says that if a person is gluten sensitive, it's not just wheat, rye and barley that are the problems, but all grains!

To be honest, that rocked my world.  I've used corn extensively since my allergy testing three years ago, plus other grains like sorghum and recently, rice.  I had just purchased quite a lot of "gluten free" breads, bagels, tortillas, etc.  I decided to "test out" his theory.  I had a couple of pieces of my "gluten free" bread before I went to bed.  I had a horrible night!  That was enough for me.  I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired!!

I am redefining my definition of "gluten free" to being "grain free" from here on.  ...  I guess one could say that I'm going paleo because I will, also, be dairy free.  I discovered months ago that I don't do well with any dairy -- not even the dairy substitutes.  ...

I hope my discoveries will help someone else...

Blessings,
Sharron

More thoughts on this topic




My gluten (grain) free bun recipe

Pumpkin Ketchup -- low acid catsup!

Tomatoes are a real problem for folks on low acid diets, like the IC diet.  Pumpkin makes a suitable substitute.

Pumpkin Ketchup

makes about 1 cup

In a medium sized sauce pan, combine:

16 ounces (2 cups) pumpkin puree
3 packets Truvia-type sweetener
1/3 cup pear juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 tablespoon coconut sugar

Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat for about an hour, until thickened, stirring occasionally.  The ketchup will splatter, but it needs to cook down, hence partial covering.  Use anywhere ketchup is desired.

Enjoy!

Creamy Fresh Basil Salad Dressing -- Non-Dairy

The photo is of my IC taco salad 

My sister created the original recipe for my Extreme Lo Carb Cuisine book that was published in 2004 by Adams Media, Inc.  I haven't had any fresh basil leaves for years, then yesterday I got some.  I had to make this dressing!  However, with my IC diet challenges, there were some modifications that needed to be made.  Here's my IC friendly version of her creation.

Creamy Fresh Basil Salad Dressing

Combine in a blender container and blend until combined:

1 egg
1 tablespoon pear juice
6 - 1" fresh basil leaves*
1/4 teaspoon garlic granules
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon sea salt

Scrape down the sides of the blender.  With the blender running, add, pouring in a small stream through the top:

3/4 cup olive oil*
2 tablespoons water


Serve on fresh salad greens for a real treat!  Omit the water to use as a dip.

Enjoy!

*1-5-14 Note -- this recipe, as is, was a bit strong for me and caused me to have IC symptoms.  I'm going to add an additional 1/2 cup olive oil, and I think it will be fine.  Unfortunately, it is overcast, and I don't want to lose its lovely texture.  Since this dressing is basically a mayonnaise base, I think it would "unbind" due to the weather if I mess with it.

Condiment Challenges and the IC Diet

Ingredient Substitutions for the IC Diet

One of my biggest challenges since being on the IC diet is finding adequate substitutions for certain basic needs, like condiments.  Mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, etc., all have vinegar in them.  Not only is white vinegar made from grain, any vinegar is a real no-no for folks with inflammatory conditions, especially interstitial cystitis (IC.)

Anything tangy or tart is pretty much off limits on this way of eating.  The reason is that acidic foods set off IC bladder symptoms like crazy.  Some foods are worse than others.  Here is the "official" foods list -- compiled based upon research and patient experience.  I find I do best when I follow this list's suggestions strictly.

However, following this list strictly can lead to what seems like a very boring and bland diet! Thankfully, God has given me creativity in the kitchen.  I've discovered some substitutions and ingredients that work just fine in place of the normal foods that most folks eat.  Many, many times folks want what I'm eating and like what I've prepared better than "normal" food.  I'm hopeful that my recipes and substitutions will open a whole new food world for those with inflammatory conditions, like IC, that have to restrict the acidity in their diet.

The biggest challenge is the inability to use Lemon juice and vinegar. Instead, I use "baby" pear juice, which can be found in the infant foods section of most grocery stores.  Pear juice is already low acid, and the baby form is supposed to be even more so.

With the pear juice, I'm able to create all sorts of salad dressings and homemade mayonnaise.  Check the sidebar for several recipes.

Tomato sauce is another big challenge.  In the past, I've used pumpkin puree instead of tomato sauce in a few recipes.  I've created a new pumpkin ketchup recipe, and I'll be experimenting with other pumpkin-based sauces.

Creamy Italian Salad Dressing -- Non-Dairy

Pictured is my recipe for IC taco salad

This is a fairly sweet Italian type salad dressing.  Every time I make it, I do it a bit differently.  It works well as a dressing for sweet salads with apples and pears in them.



Creamy Italian Salad Dressing

In a blender container combine and blend until mixed:

2 packets Truvia-type sweetener
1 egg
1 teaspoon garlic granules
1 1/2 teaspoons Adobo seasoning without pepper (available in the ethnic foods section of many grocers)
1 teaspoon thyme flakes
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
(1 teaspoon dill weed would be good I think!)
1 cup pear juice (available in the infants section of most grocers)

Add in a small stream through the top of the blender while blending:

2 cups olive oil (I prefer the lighter in flavor type)

Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  

Creamy Roasted Garlic Salad Dressing, non-dairy

Pictured is my recipe for IC taco salad

Creamy Roasted Garlic Salad Dressing, non-dairy

One of the big issues for me when I went on the IC diet was salad dressing -- specifically, the lack thereof!  When I read the various sites, they all just suggested putting olive oil on salad with some salt.  You've got to be kidding me!  This is one of the salad dressing recipes I've come up with.  It's a far cry from plain olive oil!



Roasted Garlic Recipe

To roast garlic, cut the top from a head, (not clove), of garlic.  Place the garlic onto a piece of foil about 8" square.  Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil over the cut ends of the garlic.  Bring the sides of the foil up around the bulb and twist the top together to form a seal.  

This is a very flexible recipe.  It can be baked as low as 250F for up to 2 1/2 hours or up to 350F for about an hour.  I will often put one into the oven when I'm baking something else.

Creamy Roasted Garlic Salad Dressing

Place in a blender container and blend until combined:

1 egg
1 tablespoon pear juice (found in the infant section of most grocers)
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning without pepper (found in the ethnic section of better grocers) or use 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
2 to 4 cloves of Roasted Garlic (see above)Pour through the top of the blender in a small stream while blending:

3/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons water

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  Serve as a salad dressing, or omit the water and use as a dip.

Enjoy!

Creamy Ranch Salad Dressing, non-dairy

Pictured is my recipe for IC taco salad

This Creamy Ranch Salad Dressing recipe is very different from the normal ranch dressing recipes.  It is non-dairy and low acid, so it shouldn't bother folks with IC.  Additionally, the seasonings are all soothing to the bladder.  I've taken this Creamy Ranch Salad Dressing with me to potlucks and had people on "regular" diets ask me for the recipe.



Creamy Ranch Salad Dressing

Place in a blender container and blend until combined:

1 egg
1 tablespoon pear juice (found in the infant section of most grocers)
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon thyme flakes
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 teaspoon Adobo seasoning without pepper (found in the ethnic section of better grocers) or use 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules

Pour through the top of the blender in a small stream while blending:

3/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons water

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  Serve as a salad dressing, or omit the water and use as a dip.

Enjoy!

Easy Homemade Mayonnaise

This mayo is so much better than the commerically prepared types on so many levels!  First of all, it low acide because it doesn't have any vinegar.  It doesn't have any grain-based oils, like corn.  It can easily be modified if a sweeter salad-dressing type of mayo is desired by adding more sweetener.  Mostly, it just tastes better!

One word of caution:  Don't try to make homemade mayonnaise when it is overcast or raining.  It will not bind.

Easy Homemade Mayonnaise

Place in a blender container:

1 egg
1 teaspoon ground dry mustard
1 packet Truvia-type sweetener (or 1 1/2 teaspoons honey for SCD)
1 teaspoon sea salt

Blend until combined.  Scrape down the sides of the blender container with a spatula.

Add slowly while blending on high speed, in a small stream, through the top of the blender container:

1/4 cup olive oil (I prefer the light in flavor type)
1/2 cup peanut oil
3 tablespoons pear juice (may be purchased in the infants section of most grocery stores)

Scrape down the sides again, if needed, and add

1/2 cup olive oil, as above

The final bit of olive oil may need to be stirred in by hand if it doesn't incorporate easily into the mayonnaise.

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  Use in any recipe calling for mayonnaise.

Homemade Almond Milk -- Dairy free yumminess!

Homemade Almond Milk

Homemade Almond Milk

I think I've tried just about all of the commercial milk alternatives -- goat milk, coconut milk, even commercial almond milk.  I react to all of them. However, this I do not react to, and it is really easy to make.  This recipe yields about a quart of dairy free Homemade Almond Milk.  It can be used in most recipes requiring milk, and is even yummy for drinking.

In a blender, combine

1 cup blanched slivered almonds
2 cups warm water

Blend the almonds and water on high speed for about 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture is smooth.  

Add

2 cups warm water

Continue blending until combined.

At this point the Homemade Almond Milk can be used as-is for baking and recipes or it can be filtered and flavored.

To filter the almond milk, line a strainer with a paper towel, and place it over a bowl that is big enough to hold all of the strained almond milk.  Pour the almond milk through the paper towel lined strainer.  The almond milk will drain into the container below.  The remaining almond-meal can be dried out and used in baking.

To flavor the almond milk, add and blend or stir until combined:

1 packet Truvia-type sweetener (or 1 1/2 teaspoons of honey for SCD)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I make my own)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (omit for SCD)

I sometimes like to add the chocolate flavored stevia drops instead of the above flavorings for a refreshing drink.  It gives the flavor of chocolate without the negative effects on my IC.  (Not for SCD)

Gluten and Grain Free Hamburger Buns

No kidding!  The recipe is simple, and I think these are the best gluten and grain free buns I've had.  Before I went completely grain free, I was using some of the store-bought gluten free buns, but those still fell apart when I ate my sandwich.  I think these are much better.  They aren't the typical "fluffy buns," they are more biscuit like.  I started with the recipe for Gluten and Grain Free Biscuits and just changed it up a bit.




Gluten and Grain Free Hamburger Buns
makes 6

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
In a mixing bowl combine:
¼ cup potato flour
¾ cup garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour
¾ cup almond flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon gluten free baking powder (I make my own.  Recipe here)
1 packet Knox gelatin

Work in until the mixture resembles fine crumbs:
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Add and mix until all the dry ingredients are incorporated:
½ cup almond milk (I make my own.  I will post the recipe.)

Form the dough into six equal balls.  Spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.  Place the dough balls about 2” apart, and press them into flat circles about 1/4" thick -- the size of the burger patties being used.  Spray the tops with olive oil cooking spray, and bake them at 400F for about 8 to 12 minutes.  The tops should be golden brown when they are done.  Use each "biscuit" as one piece of bun, rather than slicing them.  Either that, or make the buns thicker, so they can be sliced.

These make great sandwich buns and are portable.  They taste best when warm.

Enjoy!

Gluten and Grain Free Baking Powder Recipe

Gluten and Grain Free Baking Powder Recipe 


Ingredients:

1/4 cup cream of tartar

2 tablespoons baking soda

2 tablespoons potato starch

Combine and store covered in a cool, dry place. Use as directed in recipes 

calling for baking powder.


Note: I'm at the end of my first batch of this homemade baking powder, and it seems to have gone a bit flat.  I don't bake that much, so I plan to halve the recipe next time I make it.

Gluten and Grain Free Biscuits, also a Pear Tart

Pictured is the gluten free bun recipe from this page

I can’t believe it!  After all these years of low carbing, being on wheat and other allergies diets, and now finally being completely grain (gluten) free / ”paleo,” I have finally come up with a truly, not only edible, but authentically tasty biscuit (scone)!  I think this dough would make a good pizza crust or crust for meat pies, too.

Gluten & Grain Free Biscuits
Makes 6 biscuits

Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
In a mixing bowl combine:
¼ cup potato flour
¾ cup garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour
¾ cup almond flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon gluten free baking powder (I make my own.  Recipe here)

Work in until the mixture resembles fine crumbs:
2 tablespoons coconut oil

Add and mix until all the dry ingredients are incorporated:
½ cup almond milk (I make my own.  I will post the recipe.)

Form the dough into six equal balls.  Spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.  Place the dough balls about 2” apart, and press them into flat circles about ½” thick.  Spray the tops with olive oil cooking spray, and bake them at 400F for about 8 to 12 minutes.  The tops should be golden brown when they are done.

These are very moist, tender biscuits.  The tops did fall apart a bit when I cut them in half, but the bottoms did not.  If it is a problem, a packet of Knox gelatin could be added to the dry ingredients, but it will toughen the dough.  I thought they were delicious!

I used ½ of the recipe to make a pear tart.  Instructions follow:


Pear Tart
Pears are an IC (bladder) friendly fruit – one of the few!  This recipe is not only bladder friendly, but gluten & grain free, as well.
Makes 4 servings

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.  Flatten ½ recipe of

Gluten and Grain Free Biscuits (see recipe above)

into a 6” circle on the baking sheet.

Drain a 14 ounce can of no-added sugar pears, packed in either water or pear juice.  (Reserve the juice for use in another recipe or for drinking.)  Slice the pears into bite-sized pieces and arrange them atop the biscuit crust.  Sprinkle the pears with about ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.  Set this aside.

Topping Instructions:
In a bowl, combine and work in until the mixture resembles fine crumbs:
 ¼ cup garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour
¼ cup almond flour
4 packets Truvia-type sweetener
1 tablespoon coconut oil

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit in the tart.  Bake the tart for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the topping is golden brown.  Cool 10 minutes before cutting into 4 servings.  Enjoy!