I've tried a couple of recipes for a cinnamon roll-like pastry that failed to fully satisfy. I tried to think of a way to keep the rolled pastry, and finally came up with this innovative idea: I used one part Domata Pizza Flour to one part Bob's Mills Baking Mix, mixed well with a whisk, added 1/3 cup sugar and gradually incorporated 1 and 1/4 cup water, stirring very gently. Then I took the resulting dough ball, kneaded it two or three times, and then placed it between two sheets of waxed paper, which I lightly covered with butter (or butter blend, such as Smart Balance 50/50) Pressing down, I used my hands to stretch out the dough, flattening it gradually until it covered my baking sheet, about 16 x 21 inches. After my dough was stretched out, I left the wax paper in place and stuck the whole pan into the freezer for about 40 minutes. My hope was that this would give the dough a chance to firm up, and hold together for the next stage of the process. And it worked!
The rest of the process is pretty much traditional cinnamon roll, which I've included here for you. We thought they were great, my only advice is to not overcook them! When they SMELL done, they probably ARE done! Art was right about that!
Prepare Sweet Dough recipe as above. Chill dough after stretching it out on cooking sheet.
While dough is chilling, prepare the cinnamon mixture. Use regular and brown sugar, half and half, about 1/4 cup each, 2 to 3 tablespoons of cinnamon, and 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans.Mix well. Melt 1/3 cup Smart Balance 50/50 Blend. Remove dough from freezer, and gently peal away wax paper on top. Brush butter blend on top of dough, and sprinkle with cinnamon filling. Some people like to add raisins as well, and you could do that now if you like. Now, using the bottom wax paper, begin rolling the dough into a long roll, rolling from the longest side. Make sure you carefully roll, keeping the mixture tight. Once you've completed rolling, you may want to return the roll to the freezer before slicing, so that the ingredients will firm up. Chill for about 15 minutes, and preheat over to 350 degrees. Place in oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until just beginning to turn slightly brown. They will smell great! Take them out and let them cool completly before icing and serving. This is an important step. If you overcook them, they will be a bit hard, though still tasty. If you eat them still warm, they will not be fully cooked throughout.
While your delicious cinnamon rolls are cooling, you have time to make your cream cheese icing. Use reduced fat cream cheese, 1/3 cup, and 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar plus 1/2 tsp vanilla. Mix well, and ice the cooled rolls. Keep covered and store in a cool dry place, and they will keep for several days.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Flax Focaccia that Transforms into Parsely Rosemary Bruschetta
This is a great recipe, which I adpated from Elana's Pantry, which she adapted from her friend, Laura Dolson. Isn't that the life of recipes, anyway? I love that we each one adapt them to suit our needs! This is a low carb bread, which you may eat alone, or incorporate into the following recipe for a savory treat.
Of course you know that flax seed is super healthy, great source of fiber and EFAs, and tasty, too. I make my own meal from fresh flax seeds. These keep well in the freezer. Hope you like the bread!
Flax Focaccia Bread Base
2 cups flax meal
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp agave nectar
5 eggs, whicked
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup olive oil
In a large bowl, combine the falx meal, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. In a smaller bowl, mix together agave, eggs water and olive oil. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredient, mixing well, then allow to stand for 2/3 minutes so that the batter thickens. Pour batter into a 9 1/2 by 11 inch dish. Make sure that dish is lightly coated with oil to prevent sticking. bake at 350 degrees or so, until an inserted knife comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool.
Rosemary Parsely Garlic Topping
1 batch of Flax Focaccia
1 small onion, minced
1/4 cup parsely, finely chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
pinch unrefined sea salt
Slice focaccia bread into squares and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine onion, parsely, rosemary , garlic and olive oil. Spoon mixture onto squares, add a bit of salt and bake at 350 degress until onions are browned. Remove from the oven. Bread will be crunchy. Drizzle more olive oil if desired. Serve warm from the oven.
Of course you know that flax seed is super healthy, great source of fiber and EFAs, and tasty, too. I make my own meal from fresh flax seeds. These keep well in the freezer. Hope you like the bread!
Flax Focaccia Bread Base
2 cups flax meal
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp agave nectar
5 eggs, whicked
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup olive oil
In a large bowl, combine the falx meal, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. In a smaller bowl, mix together agave, eggs water and olive oil. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredient, mixing well, then allow to stand for 2/3 minutes so that the batter thickens. Pour batter into a 9 1/2 by 11 inch dish. Make sure that dish is lightly coated with oil to prevent sticking. bake at 350 degrees or so, until an inserted knife comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool.
Rosemary Parsely Garlic Topping
1 batch of Flax Focaccia
1 small onion, minced
1/4 cup parsely, finely chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
pinch unrefined sea salt
Slice focaccia bread into squares and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine onion, parsely, rosemary , garlic and olive oil. Spoon mixture onto squares, add a bit of salt and bake at 350 degress until onions are browned. Remove from the oven. Bread will be crunchy. Drizzle more olive oil if desired. Serve warm from the oven.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Update on the Chicken Pot Pie and other things...
I have to say that the Chicken Pot Pie turned out great! Today I'll be baking a flax Foccocia and using it to create a Bruschetta with parsley, rosemary and onion. Check back, as I'm adding pictures of the Mexican Pizza and the Chicken Pot Pie. We have to figure out how to upload them, first. Also, if you are getting update reminders from the blog, please let me know! We are still learning to navigate this blog and don't quite have all the kinks worked out...thanks!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Comfort Foods
Today, getting up and getting going was HARD. And I can't help but feel a little guilty that I'm having such a difficult time getting myself geared up when I have so much to DO. I feel stretched out, like very thin dough. All I really want to do is curl up in a sunbeam, read and paint. I'd really like for someone else to cook this week, and let me just heal up a bit before I have to go forward. Unfortunately, like you, I don't have that option, so I tried to come up with a recipe that was comforting and easy to make!
What makes food comforting, anyway? One thing that I know is that tastes that harken back to childhood comforts bring those feelings to mind for me now. I know that warm, savory flavors, creamy, even gooey, textures, are palatable. But what is the nutrition of comfort? We know today that even though carbs have a bad rap, carbs actually enhance for your mood!
Protein gives us energy, and can help reduce anxiety. Fats give us a feeling of satiety like nothing else. We also know that "good"carbs are low glycemic, high fiber, and complex, while healthy fats are monounsaturated, fats derived from nutrient dense foods such as olive oil, grapeseed, advocado, and nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, and pecans. When we eat a balance of all three of these food groups, in a comfort food package, it's a wonderful thing! We feel enlivened, refreshed, relaxed and nourished, mind, body and soul.
So, I'll be focusing on some of our favorite comfort foods for you. I hope you'll try them and let me know if you find them a comfort to you. Try them this weekend, if you like. Enjoy.
Kathy's Best Chicken Pot Pie
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut up
2 cups chicken stock, low sodium or use stock from cooking breasts
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 Green Giant Fresh Steamers, cooked according to directions and drained
3 tablespoons GF Mix(see below)
2-3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup non-fat half and half or nondairy substitute
Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
One recipe of Biscuit Mix (see below)
1/2 cup fat free sour cream (optional for dairy free)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the chicken and set aside. Heat the chicken broth to simmer. Mix flour mix to a thin paste with a few tablesppons of water. Thicken the stock with the flour paste, stirring as ou add and cook on low for 1 minute. Add cream and seasoning. Remove from heat, add all vegetables and chicken. Add sour cream. Pour cooked pot pie mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish or into individual casserole dishes and top with 2 and 1/2 iinch rounds of bisuit dough. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Makes 5-6 servings.
GF Mix
2 parts Rice flour
2/3 part potato starch
1/3 part tapiocca flour
Featherlite Mix
1 part Rice flour
1 part Tapioca flour
1 part cornstarch
1 part potato flour
Biscuit Mix
(for topping Chicken Pot Pie and for making homemade biscuits)
4 cups plus 3 tablespoons Featherlite Mix
3 tablespoons baking powder, low sodium
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2/12 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sugar or agave nectar
1/2 cup dry buttermilk powder (optional for dairy free--add nondairy substitute for richer texture)
3 tablespoons Egg Replacer
1 cup less 1 tablespoon shortening (We use Smart Balance)
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. With a pastry blender, cut in the shortening until no lumps appear. Store in a 2-quart container in the refrigerator.
To make biscuits, preheat oven to 400 degrees. To 1 1/4 cups mix, add 1 egg (or 1/4 cup liquid egg substitute) beaten with 1/4 cup water. Handle gently and roll out on ric floured board. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Makes 8 biscuits.
To make topping for stews on Chicken Pot Pie, add 1 egg (or 1/4 cup liquid egg substitute) to 1 1/4 cups mix beaten with 1/3 cup water. Stir to moisten and frop by spoonfuls onto the hot stew or pie. bake at about 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the bisuits are done. Makes 8 biscuits.
If you can find them, there are some really good commercially available flours that are already mixed. This will save you time and worry if you are new to gluten-free cooking, or if like me, you are too lazy to mix the flours this time, but the blends that you make for yourself are much less expensive, and I think taste a bit "fresher". Domata Flour, Bob's Mill, Barbara's Biscuits are all good brands that I've found at Publix, Kroger, and our local chain, J and J. Make it easy on yourself, and as you learn more, source flours that you use on the internet. You save time and money to have them on hand when you need them, and once you have a mix, it stores well for the next time. Takes only a minute to mix a blend and then zip it up in a freezer ziplock, labeled and tossed into the freezer or refrigerator for storage.
What makes food comforting, anyway? One thing that I know is that tastes that harken back to childhood comforts bring those feelings to mind for me now. I know that warm, savory flavors, creamy, even gooey, textures, are palatable. But what is the nutrition of comfort? We know today that even though carbs have a bad rap, carbs actually enhance for your mood!
Protein gives us energy, and can help reduce anxiety. Fats give us a feeling of satiety like nothing else. We also know that "good"carbs are low glycemic, high fiber, and complex, while healthy fats are monounsaturated, fats derived from nutrient dense foods such as olive oil, grapeseed, advocado, and nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, and pecans. When we eat a balance of all three of these food groups, in a comfort food package, it's a wonderful thing! We feel enlivened, refreshed, relaxed and nourished, mind, body and soul.
So, I'll be focusing on some of our favorite comfort foods for you. I hope you'll try them and let me know if you find them a comfort to you. Try them this weekend, if you like. Enjoy.
Kathy's Best Chicken Pot Pie
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut up
2 cups chicken stock, low sodium or use stock from cooking breasts
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 Green Giant Fresh Steamers, cooked according to directions and drained
3 tablespoons GF Mix(see below)
2-3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup non-fat half and half or nondairy substitute
Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
One recipe of Biscuit Mix (see below)
1/2 cup fat free sour cream (optional for dairy free)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the chicken and set aside. Heat the chicken broth to simmer. Mix flour mix to a thin paste with a few tablesppons of water. Thicken the stock with the flour paste, stirring as ou add and cook on low for 1 minute. Add cream and seasoning. Remove from heat, add all vegetables and chicken. Add sour cream. Pour cooked pot pie mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish or into individual casserole dishes and top with 2 and 1/2 iinch rounds of bisuit dough. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Makes 5-6 servings.
GF Mix
2 parts Rice flour
2/3 part potato starch
1/3 part tapiocca flour
Featherlite Mix
1 part Rice flour
1 part Tapioca flour
1 part cornstarch
1 part potato flour
Biscuit Mix
(for topping Chicken Pot Pie and for making homemade biscuits)
4 cups plus 3 tablespoons Featherlite Mix
3 tablespoons baking powder, low sodium
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2/12 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sugar or agave nectar
1/2 cup dry buttermilk powder (optional for dairy free--add nondairy substitute for richer texture)
3 tablespoons Egg Replacer
1 cup less 1 tablespoon shortening (We use Smart Balance)
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. With a pastry blender, cut in the shortening until no lumps appear. Store in a 2-quart container in the refrigerator.
To make biscuits, preheat oven to 400 degrees. To 1 1/4 cups mix, add 1 egg (or 1/4 cup liquid egg substitute) beaten with 1/4 cup water. Handle gently and roll out on ric floured board. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Makes 8 biscuits.
To make topping for stews on Chicken Pot Pie, add 1 egg (or 1/4 cup liquid egg substitute) to 1 1/4 cups mix beaten with 1/3 cup water. Stir to moisten and frop by spoonfuls onto the hot stew or pie. bake at about 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the bisuits are done. Makes 8 biscuits.
If you can find them, there are some really good commercially available flours that are already mixed. This will save you time and worry if you are new to gluten-free cooking, or if like me, you are too lazy to mix the flours this time, but the blends that you make for yourself are much less expensive, and I think taste a bit "fresher". Domata Flour, Bob's Mill, Barbara's Biscuits are all good brands that I've found at Publix, Kroger, and our local chain, J and J. Make it easy on yourself, and as you learn more, source flours that you use on the internet. You save time and money to have them on hand when you need them, and once you have a mix, it stores well for the next time. Takes only a minute to mix a blend and then zip it up in a freezer ziplock, labeled and tossed into the freezer or refrigerator for storage.
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