Gluten Free Banana Muffins II - Our Favourite ! Easy to Make!

I converted a long used "regular flour" recipe to gluten free last night.  The muffins looked and had texture like "regular" muffins .  Fresh - they were amazing! I kept them overnight in a plastic
container and they were still great this morning.  They stay good for days and freeze well.  Can also me made into Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins or Gluten Free Apple Spice Muffins.
Gluten Free Banana Muffins II
1 1/2 cups fine rice flour (I use Asian -it's not gritty)
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup buttermilk powder *see notes below
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon guar or xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup mashed or pureed ripe banana about 2-3 bananas (for other options see notes below)
1/2 cup cooking oil (canola, olive oil etc)
1/2 cup water *see notes below

Notes:
Options:

• add 1/2 cup chocolate chips or raisins
•  I add 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon allspice to flour mixture 
•  replace banana puree with thick applesauce or pumpkin puree
•  No buttermilk powder?  Substitute the 1/2 cup water with yogurt, or milk and 1 tsp. vinegar

Method:
Place dry ingredients in mixing bowl.  Wisk together with fork or wisk.  In 2 cup measurer place the pureed banana, oil and egg.  Mix together with fork until blended well. Make well in center of dry mixture.  Pour in the wet mixture and the water (or sour milk) - mixing lightly with fork until blended.  Divide into 12 paper lined muffin cups.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until done.

Gluten Free Pizza Crust - Giant Freezer Recipe!

This recipe makes about about 32 pizza crusts about 12" round.  For a 12" round use about 450 grams.
I like freezing them in weights of 700 grams for a baking sheet pizza.

this is a picture of the bottom side of the crust

4 kg rice flour (Asian, fine rice flour - not gritty)
2 kg tapioca flour
80 grams salt
32 grams guar gum
480 grams sugar
12 tbsp. yeast
32 tbsp. oil
20 cups water

Method:
Weigh out the dry ingredients place it all in the large bowl of your commercial mixer (like a hobart)
Turn the mixer on low for a few seconds to mix the ingredients.

In 8 cup measurer place part of the water, all the yeast and a tablespoon of the sugar,  Stir and let sit until foamy..
Add all the wet ingredients, including the yeast mixture to the mixer bowl.  Mix slowly until incorporated.  You might have to scrape the sides of the bowl.  Mix for 5 minutes until the lumps are out and it thickens.

Have 21-22 freezer containers ready.  Using a digital kitchen scale place the container on the scale and reset to 0.  Add 700 grams dough to each container.  Cover and immediately place in freezer.
Check to make sure the dough has not risen and popped off the lids.

how it looks after spreading

This lasts for 3 months for sure.  To use - take out the containers around noon and place on counter.  Should be defrosted enough by 5 or 6 p.m. to make pizza crusts.  Place on well oiled baking sheets or pizza pans .  Spread with oiled hands.  It will be thin.

gets a little cracked on top - no problem!

Preheat oven to 350.  Bake at 350 for 15 - 20 minutes until done.  Add pizza toppings.  Return to oven and bake at 400 for 10 minutes.

Apricot Ginger Chicken

I had some home made apricot jam. Tried this recipe from NewLeaf Wellness and we enjoyed it.

• 1 lb boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or thighs
• 2/3 cup apricot jam
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 inch fresh ginger root, peeled and grated. (I freeze them and then it's really easy to slice)
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1lb frozen green beans

Prep:

Combine all the ingredients in large Ziploc freezer bag.  Remove as much air as jpossible - seal and lay flat in the freezer.

To Cook:

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.  Place in Crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours until chicken is cooked through.

Serve over hot cooked rice.

Will take picture the next time we make it :)

Homemade Pork Sausage - gluten free

1 pound lean ground pork
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sage
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon hot sauce or sambal oelek
Mix altogether and form into patties or cylinders. Fry in lightly oiled frying pan until done.  May be frozen and reheated.   Can also be used in recipes asking for pork sausage.

Meatless Lentil Taco Salad - Really Good! Serves 6

If you like the idea of one or two meatless meals a week this is a good one to try.  I tested it on 4 teens ages 15-19 and they all really liked it!

• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 medium onion, diced -  about 1 cup
• 1 teaspoon garlic diced ( I use the diced garlic in a jar from Costco)
• 1 cup dried brown lentils
• 1 package taco seasoning (or make your own)
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth ( I use water and bouillon paste or cube)

In large skilled heat oil over medium heat.  Saute onion and garlic.  Rinse your dried lentils.  Add the lentils to the onions and mix.  Stir in the taco seasoning and saute about 1 more minute.  Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer covered until the lentils are tender about 30 - 40 minutes.  Remove cover and simmer until the mixture is thickened.  Using your potato masher or a fork mash up the lentils a bit.

To serve:  crush some taco chips on your plate, spoon the taco lentil mixture over the chips.  Add lettuce, sour cream, salsa and grated cheddar.  Could also be rolled up in a tortilla or a pita.  Serves 6

To make into a freezer meal you could place the garlic, onions, lentils and taco seasoning into a zip lock freezer bag.  To cook thaw overnight in fridge and fry until onions are softened.  Then proceed with the vegetable broth and simmering.  I think this could also be done in a slow cooker by preparing everything up to the simmering stage and then cooling and freezing.  Then on the day of cooking place in slow cooker to cook until lentils are soft.  

This recipe is adapted from Epicurious.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Bars

I am trying to come up with a selection of easy gluten free baking recipes that use a minimum amount of ingredients.  Many times I read comments on the internet where people say they don't want to try baking gluten free because there are so many different flours.  I figure that fine rice flour is much like white all purpose flour and if I can adjust some recipes so that they will only use rice flour or one other flour it will be much like baking before our celiac/gluten free days.  The nice thing with this recipe is that it does not require guar gum or xanthan gum.  The teenagers came home from school and each daughter said "wow, these are good!" can I have another one?".  These are my kids who do not require a gluten free diet so I figure the chocolate chip bars pass the taste test!

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Bars - Easy!  Delicious!

1 c butter, melted
2 c brown sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups fine rice flour - I use Asian
2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup dates, finely chopped
Mix in order given.
Spread in a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking pan. Bake @ 325 for 30 minutes until golden brown and tester inserted comes clean. Chill before slicing.

Green Bean and Ham Freezer Meal

This is a quick easy to make recipe - great way to use up ham and turkey stock from Thanksgiving dinner!  Serves 6
Sauce:
400 grams frozen green beans
3 cups turkey or chicken stock
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2-3 cups ham cut into strips (400 grams)
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup flour (I use rice flour to make it gf)
Rice:
2 cups rice
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 cups water
Method:
Saute onion and ham in 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan.  Stir in flour.  Slowly add the 3 cups turkey/chicken stock.  Cook until thickened, stirring constantly.  Add beans and simmer until beans are tender.

While simmering the sauce prepare the rice:
In rice cooker or on stove place the rice curry powder, salt and pepper in the 3 cups water.  Cook until done.

Serve Ham and Bean sauce over the curried rice.
Serves 6.

Notes:
I have made it both in the saucepan and in the slow cooker.  In the saucepan the sauce evaporates a bit and the beans do not get overcooked - it is my preferred method.
In the slow cooker you will want to use less stock or a more concentrated stock - probably 2 cups as it will not reduce at all.   You could add a good quality bouillon cube to the sauce to give it more flavour.  DO NOT add extra salt to this recipe as the ham  and stock will give it enough salt.
To make it a freezer bag  recipe prepare with the tips for the slow cooker.  You need not saute anything if you do not want to.  Use frozen green beans.  Place in freezer bags.
Thaw overnight in fridge for freezer bag cooking.  Heat up in a sauce pan until beans are just tender.  Or heat up in slow cooker until beans are tender.  I cooked it in the slow cooker for 8 hours on Low.