Pumpkin Spice Pancakes {vegan/gluten-free}

In due tribute to the fall season, I have turned a bit "pumpkin crazy". But honestly, I wait all year for the vegetable-that- is-rarely-eaten-as-a-true-vegetable to arrive and it would be a crying shame if I didn't take advantage of it. This recipe was developed on a rainy fall day as my mom was visiting me in New York (hence the flowers on the table - I got a bit fancy and placed wildflowers all over the apartment). As my mom slept peacefully, I was busy in the kitchen filling the apartment with the warm, spicy smell of these pancakes and the earthy scents of vegan maple-sage sausage (I can't give you this recipe because I didn't use one...but let me tell you, I don't like sausage very much and these impromptu patties were delicious). As my mom was learning about veganism (she's already had to learn plenty about my gluten-freeism) I felt like whatever I made better live up to any "normal" person's expectations. From her remarks (yes i know she's my mother but she isn't obligated to say nice things about my cooking) she could "eat vegan everyday if it tasted like this! (she) would never miss meat or anything!" And there you have it; my goal achieved.

{Vegan/Gluten-Free}

PUMPKIN SPICE PANCAKES

1 1/4 c. non-dairy milk (I used hemp milk because I had it, but normally I would use almond milk)

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

3/4 c. canned pumpkin puree

1/4 c. canola oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c. sweet white rice flour

1/4 c. sorghum flour

1/2 c. oat flour

1/2 c. tapioca flour

1/4 c. potato starch

1/4 c. sugar

3/4 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon*

1/2 tsp. ground ginger*

1/4 tsp. ground cloves*

1/4 tsp. ground allspice*

Pinch of salt

*(please note that all spices are an estimate as i didn't actually measure them....oops.)

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the first five (wet) ingredients. In another medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, ensuring they are equally distributed. Gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, breaking up any lumps. Let the batter stand for 3-5 minutes. If the batter seems too thick, add a bit more almond milk until it is to your desired consistency; just be aware that over-mixing can mean a slightly tougher pancake.

Preheat griddle or skillet on medium heat. Spray pan with non-stick cooking oil.

Using a 1/4 c. measuring cup, pour batter onto the hot griddle (you will likely have to spread them out a bit with the back of the measuring cup). When bubbles are on the surface of the cakes, flip and cook a bit longer, until bottom is golden (avoid frequent flipping as over flipping pancakes also makes a tougher cake). Be patient, vegan and gluten-free pancakes take longer than normal pancakes to cook.

Serve with REAL maple syrup and enjoy!

"Roll-Em-Ups" (gluten-free!)

Growing up, "roll-em-ups" were a weekend breakfast staple in my home, much like pancakes or waffles for any child. Halfway between a pancake and a crepe, I later found out that "roll-em-ups" were also called "dutch babies" and "german pancakes." The difference is, we always served these rolled up with powdered sugar and butter, and a squeeze of lemon, as opposed to slices, as many people do. The recipe originates for my great grandma Rishack, a woman I never had the pleasure of meeting, but someone to whom my mother credits her own cooking skills. Before my mother could see over a kitchen counter, my grandmother would set her on her knee at the stove and teach her the secrets of classic german cooking. From a wooden stool, my mother would taste such delights as german potato salad, rouladens, and "roll-em-ups." I've changed the recipe slightly (including coming up with a gluten-free alternative) but the recipe remains nearly identical to the one that was scratched out on an index card all those years ago.

Gluten-free "Roll-Em-Ups"

Serves 2-3

4 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

2/3 c. flour (1/3 c. tapioca starch, 2 Tbsp. potato starch, 1 Tbsp. oat flour, 1 Tbsp. white rice flour, 1 Tbsp sweet sorghum flour)

1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 c. fat-free milk

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Whisk salt and eggs in a medium bowl. Blend in remaining ingredients.

Heat a large skillet prepared with non-stick cooking spray over medium heat. Pour in half the batter and let set a bit (not very long, making sure not to brown or over cook). Transfer to the oven very quickly and cook at 475 for 5 minutes. Turn oven down to 400 and cook for 8-10 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter (may cook both roll em ups at the same time, but my oven isn't big enough!). After done cooking, flip upside down onto a large plate. Butter the surface evenly and squeeze a wedge of lemon over the roll-em-up. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Roll up tightly and cut into four pieces. Sprinkle with more powdered sugar and serve.

Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake (Gluten-Free)

It began with the farmer's market.

My good friend Leanne and I had decided to make brunch this weekend, which again posed the question, "what should I make?". For some reason I have been dreaming of coffee cake and had it in my head that regardless of what we made, I would also make a blueberry coffee cake. We settled on a menu of a goat cheese vegetarian fritatta, gluten-free coffee cake, and rosemary potatoes. On Saturday, I ventured to the Division street farmer's market (despite the extreme heat) in search of fresh veggies and the blueberries to put into my cake. I did find plenty of onion and tomato for the fritatta but failed to find any sort of fruit besides strawberries. This got me thinking. What if I made a coffee cake with strawberries? Better yet, what if I made a strawberry rhubarb coffee cake? After trying various varietals of fresh michigan strawberries, I bought a quart, and also purchased some freshly cut rhubarb. I kept passing the various stalls gleaming with liquid gold which shone in the sun, calling me from a jar shaped like a bear. Honey. I was almost out of honey and figured fresh organic honey would be better than anything I could buy at the store. I tried four different varieties of honey before setting on my favorite - wildflower honey. 

Upon arriving home, I figured I ought to put my leftover buttermilk to work in the coffee cake. This had me searching for a good buttermilk strawberry rhubarb coffee cake recipe - which were a bit more abundant than one might expect. Unfortunately most of them just had chopped up rhubarb thrown into the mix, and I had more of layered cake in mind. Also, none were gluten-free. So as usual, I took pieces from various recipes for amounts and such, and then created my own gluten-free modified recipe (which I ended up changing quite a bit to where it d

id not resemble any recipe that I had looked at, but one could say it is loosely based off of the fruit coffee cake in the better homes and gardens cookbook). The result? Absolute delight. A sweet yet tart filling encompassed by a moist cake and delicate crumb topping. Gorgeous. Delicious.

GLUTEN-FREE STRAWBERRY RHUBARB COFFEE CAKE

FILLING

2 c. chopped fresh rhubarb

2 c. whole fresh strawberries (halved if they are the large storebought-kind)

1/2 c. water

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. honey

4 Tbs. cornstarch

CAKE

3 c. gluten-free flour

(I used: 1c. tapioca starch, 1/2c. potato starch, 1/4c. arrowroot starch, 1/4c. white rice flour, 1/2c.bob's red mill baking blend (sorghum and garfava flour), 1/4c. orgran gluten substitute, 1/4c. almond meal)

2 tsp xanthan gum

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. unsalted butter, cut into chunks

2 beaten eggs

1 c. low-fat buttermilk

1.5 tsp vanilla

CRUMB TOPPING

1/4 c. almond meal

1/4 c. gluten-free flour (I used half tapioca half sorghum)

1/2 c. sugar

4 Tbsp. butter, cut into chunks

preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For filling, in a medium saucepan, combine rhubarb and water. Bring to boiling. Add strawberries. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, about 5 minutes or until fruit is tender. Combine the 1/4c. sugar, 1/4c. honey, and cornstarch; stir into the fruit. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more; set filling aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and baking soda. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the 1/2c. butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and set aside.

In another bowl, combine egg, buttermilk, and vanilla and whisk. Add the egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir just until moistened (batter will be very sticky and a bit lumpy). Spread half of the batter into an ungreased 9 or 10 inch springform pan (or 9x12 baking pan). Spread filling over batter. Drop remaining batter in small mounds onto filling. 

In a small bowl stir together the 1/2 c. flour and 1/2 c. sugar. Cut in the 2 tbs. butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over coffee cake. 

If using a springform pan, place a baking sheet beneath the pan, otherwise, place in oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, until slightly golden brown. Cool completely. (Do not remove springform pan side from cake until cake is ENTIRELY cooled. Run a knife along the edge to remove the side of the pan to release the cake). Sprinkle a small amount of powdered sugar on the top of the cake for a picture perfect effect.

FRITATTA AND ROSEMARY POTATOES

Lemon Poppyseed Scones (Gluten-free, of course!)

It's been a while...

I'm not sure who concocted the interesting combination of lemon and poppyseed. Subtle citrus notes combine with a delicate crunch, all encompassed in a slightly sweet pastry. Who knew it would be so delectable? 

Each Friday at my job, one employee must bring in breakfast for all of the other employees. This is known as "creative breakfast," though many people see it as more of a chore rather than a delight. I have built up a reputation for bringing in an excellent breakfast, which poses issues when it is your 5th or 6th time. Each time, if I don't out-do the last time, I secretly feel as if I have let someone down - even if it is just myself. Well, this Friday, I didn't have much time so I decided I would make some simple, home-baked, gluten free pastries. I thought for a while and after exhausting a few options, I remembered giving my sister a scone recipe when she used to bring in breakfast for her coworkers. Then I immediately thought of lemon poppyseed scones, because, for a while, that was the only kind I liked. Thus the idea was born. Also, I had not ventured into making gluten free scones before, and I felt up to the challenge. Even more so, I decided I was going to make home-made gluten-free cinnamon rolls. These were a hit at breakfast, with no one even missing the gluten. I didn't have a chance to photograph these, but I'm thinking I might bake another batch sometime soon.

GLUTEN-FREE LEMON POPPY SEED SCONES

MAKES 8 SCONES

• 3 cups gluten-free flour (I used 1/4c. arrowroot starch, 3/4c. tapioca starch, 3/4c. potato starch, 1/4c. sorghum flour, 1/2c. bob's red mill all purpose gluten-free flour, and 1/2c. white rice flour)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tsp xanthan gum
• 4 tsp lemon zest, plus 1tsp for glaze
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice + 2 tbsp. for glaze
• 1/3 cup (or more) buttermilk
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar for glaze

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Position rack in top third of oven. Mix flour, 1 c. sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, xanthan gum, lemon zest, and salt with a whisk (by hand) in a large electric mixer bowl. Add butter and cut in using a pastry blender or two knives. Whisk egg and lemon juice in a medium bowl to blend. Add to flour mixture. Place bowl onto stand mixer and blend on low speed just until moist clumps form. Add 1/3 c. buttermilk, mixing just until the dough comes together, adding more buttermilk if the dough seems dry. Gather dough into a ball. Flatten into an 8-inch round and cut into 8 wedges. Transfer to a baking sheet. Brush with milk.

PREPARE GLAZE:

Mix powdered sugar, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, and 1 tsp. lemon zest in a small bowl. set aside.

Bake until scones are golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool. Drizzle glaze over top of scones.