Chocolate Chip Banana Bread {vegan+gluten free}

There are people out there who firmly believe chocolate has no place in banana bread. I am not one of them. I'll even admit that this particular banana bread was my excuse to use a breakfast food as a vehicle to feed my chocolate craving during the morning hour. After being slightly dissatisfied over the results of the first round of gluten-free/vegan banana chocolate chip bread (though my coworkers gladly gobbled it up), I adjusted the recipe and came out with much better (i.e. less sticky) results. The recipe contains 4 ripe bananas so the slice pictured above appears a little un-done even though the bread was fully baked. Next time I think I'm going to try 3 bananas.

(recipe to come).

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes {vegan+gluten free}

An "ugly sweater party" (though I might note, there were hardly any ugly sweaters present...) prompted the creation of these cupcakes. Simple, dark chocolate is blended with subtle notes of peppermint, all adorned with a cap of vegan vanilla-peppermint buttercream. The cake is fluffy and moist, balanced by a not-too-sweet frosting. These pleased both vegans (with rave reviews) and non-vegans alike. Irving Berlin may have been dreaming of a white Christmas, but I'm dreaming of a red, white, and chocolate Christmas. (That's right...I used a cheesy White Christmas reference. Rent it. Or buy it. And watch. It. And then make some cupcakes).

[insert recipe here] <----I'm too tired. I'll do this part tomorrow.

Gingerbread Cupcakes {Vegan+Gluten Free}

The weather has turned, the sweaters have been donned, the halls have been decked: The holiday season is here. In honor of the season of giving, I only found it fitting to spend a bit of my time on Tuesday baking treats for my much-deserved office mates. Visions of gingerbread were dancing in my head as I thought about cupcakes and rich, creamy frosting. I had a vegan gingerbread cupcake recipe, but I didn't love the idea of a citrus frosting with which the author intended it to be paired with. The recipe was also far from being gluten-free. A bit of experimenting later, I came out with these moist yet fluffy cupcakes that were all but devoured by everyone in the office. A hit!

{Vegan+Gluten Free}

GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES WITH "EGGNOG" FROSTING

(Recipe adapted from Gingerbread Cupcakes in "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World")

CAKES:

1 1/4 c. Gluten-free flour (I used a combination of tapioca starch, corn starch, potato starch, white rice flour and Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Baking Blend)

3/4 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1/3 c. molasses

1/2 c. maple syrup

1/4 c. soy milk

2 tbsp. tofu sour cream

1 1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

1/4 c. finely chopped crystallized ginger

FROSTING:

1/2 c. shortening

1/2 c. margarine

3 1/2 c. confectioner's sugar, sifted

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. nutmeg (try adding more spices if you deem necessary - I didn't really measure mine).

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 soy creamer

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.

Sift the flours, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt into a bowl.

Whisk the oil, molasses, maple syrup, soy milk, sour cream, and lemon zest in separate large bowl. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just smooth. Fold in the crystallized ginger.

Fill cupcake liners two thirds full. Bake 19-22 minutes, until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

Prepare frosting:

Beat the shortening and margarine until fluffy. Add sugar and spices and beat for about three minutes. Add the vanilla and soy creamer and beat another 5-7 minutes until fluffy.

Garnished with slices of crystallized ginger, if desired.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies {vegan/gluten-free}

Clearly I've been into making cookies lately. A sub-par attempt at vegan/gluten-free brownies led me to believe I should continue making cookies, this time to satiate some sort of chocolate craving I was having. I originally made these cookies (using oil instead of margarine for chewiness) in the ice cream sandwiches I made this past summer. They're just as good sans-ice cream filling and were received with great welcome by friends and coworkers alike.

{Vegan/Gluten-Free}

CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

(Adapted from the Post Punk Kitchen)

3/4 cup vegan margarine (at room temperature)

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon ground flax seed, plus 1 teaspoon ground flax seed

1/2 cup soymilk

2 cups gluten-free flour

1 tsp. xanthan gum

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups semisweet vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine the ground flax seed and soy milk in a small sauce pan. Whisk over medium heat until gently boiling. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, baking soda,

salt, and xanthan gum.

Cream the sugar and margarine using an electric mixer. Add the flax/soy milk mixture and mix well. Stir in the vanilla.

Slowly mix in the dry ingredients.

Mix in the chocolate chips. Roll dough into 1" balls and place on a cookie sheet prepared with a silpat or parchment papper. Flatten dough balls slightly with the palm of your hand.

Bake for 9-10 minutes. Let cool slightly, remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (vegan/gluten-free)

How many months has it been??? A relocation (for those of you unaware, I moved to New York), a new job, and a bunch of other significant changes have occupied my time as of late. However, the main reason behind my lack of posts has been the fact that summer in NYC has been HOT (and not just in Paris Hilton sense of the word). Apparently this is the hottest summer they have on record for New York. As it's generally been in the 90's and air conditioning is a luxury I can only afford in my room, turning on the oven makes my kitchen feel like the 7th circle of hell. Thus, cooking has been somewhat of a rarity in my apartment. However, I recently got back from a trip to the Pacific Northwest and for some reason, New York decided it was suddenly going to be fall. Let the cooking begin.

In Portland and Seattle I was able to sample a bunch of different baked goods from various vegan/gluten-free bakeries. Unfortunately, most were sub-par. As I have recently been craving a good cookie, I decided I would fire up the oven and bake some peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. Outside of some (delicious) vegan/gluten-free ice cream sandwiches I had been making this summer, I haven't baked many vegan cookies, so I thought I'd play around a bit. I worked with this recipe and I have to say, it turned out amazingly. I tested them on a non-vegan/non-gf friend and got rave reviews. She hadn't eaten all day and was starving...but still. Rave reviews.

{Vegan/Gluten-Free}

PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES

2 cups gluten-free flour blend (I used this breakdown: 1/2 c. tapioca starch, 1/2 c. oat flour, 1/4 c. sweet sorghum flour, 1/4 c. white rice flour, 1/4 c.potato starch, 1/4 c. bob's red mill baking blend (or just use another 1/4 c of something else))
2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted vegan margarine
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 TBS ground flaxseed whisked with 6-8 TBS water (I added a bit more than 6tbs because the mixture was a bit too thick...)
1 cup rolled oats
2 cups (almost 1 bag) Dark/bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli Semi-sweet)

Sea salt for sprinkling

DO THIS:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or use a silpat.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

On medium speed, cream together the margarine, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract, about 3 minutes. Add the flaxseed mixture and beat to combine. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined. Using a large spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the oats, and then the chocolate chips.

Using two tablespoons, drop dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Lightly sprinkle each cookie with coarse sea salt. Bake for 10-11 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden. Cool completely on the baking sheet or a cooling rack and then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

When Life Gives You Lemons...

I'm still recovering from what was an overly complicated week filled with stress, unexpected surprises (both good and bad), and a whole gamut of emotions. In the end, all of this change has spurred a fairly significant decision: I have decided to move, and in exactly one week from today, I will be based out of New York. I'm not exactly certain of all the details yet, but things started to fall into place. Unfortunately, the excitement of moving has been overshadowed by two main things, one of them being the fact that saying "goodbye" is extremely difficult, especially when you don't have a lot of time to do it. Between bouts of ranting and/or crying, I kept thinking of the phrase "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade," because I have hope that a great deal of good will come from my current circumstance. However, I didn't really want to make lemonade to tell you the truth, and since I was already drowning my sorrows in various sugary food-items, I decided that "When life gives you lemons, make a creamy lemon meringue tart." And so I did. Perhaps this tart didn't solve all my problems, but it was amazingly delicious; tart and creamy, contrasted by a delicate, buttery crust, all topped with a cool, airy meringue. I would take this over lemonade, any day.

GLUTEN-FREE CREAMY LEMON MERINGUE TART*

*Filling originally based off of Martha Stewart's creamy lemon squares

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

1/2 c. confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. gluten-free baking mix (tapioca starch, potato starch, arrowroot starch, oat flour, sorghum flour, sweet white rice flour, almond meal)

1 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp. vanilla extract

4 large egg yolks

1 can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

3/4 c. fresh lemon juice

MERINGUE:

5 egg whites

1/3 tsp. cream of tartar

pinch of salt

3 tablespoons superfine sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-11 inch tart pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. Make the crust: beat butter, vanilla, sugar, and salt with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add flour and xanthan gum, mix on low until just combined. Press dough into the bottom of prepared tart pan and up sides; prick lightly all over with a fork. Bake until lightly golden, about 10-15 minutes. Make the filling: In a large bowl, whisk together yolks, condensed milk, and lemon juice until smooth. Pour over hot crust in pan; return to oven, and bake until filling is set 18-25 minutes. Refrigerate 2-3 hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator and top with meringue (recipe follows).

MERINGUE:

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt in immaculately clean mixer bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the sugar until very stiff. Spread over tart filling; seal to edge of crust. Make peaks in meringue with the back of a spatula or spoon. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Let tart cool on a wire rack.

Store at room temperature (no matter what you do, the meringue will always "bead" with moisture and begin to breakdown once it is subjected to refrigeration).

Gluten-Free Carrot Cupcakes!

You may recall a gluten-free carrot cake post on my site from last year. Well, it's easter-time again and my sister had been asking for some carrot cake, and I figured any good sister would honor that request. I also hosted a going away party, and since people have something against cutting cake and eating slices of it, I turned my carrot cake into carrot cupcakes to satisfy the masses. The recipe is similar to last year, however, this recipe uses two packages of carrot baby food instead of applesauce and a bit more oil instead of the mayo. I also switched to unsweetened organic coconut flakes (found at whole foods) which I like much better in this recipe than the larger sweetened kind I used last year. I have to say, I like this recipe even more than last year's cake! The cupcakes were very moist - I'm pretty sure no one would have guessed they were gluten-free.

GLUTEN-FREE CARROT CUPCAKES

2-1/2 c. gluten-free flour blend (tapioca starch, potato starch, arrowroot starch, sorghum, garfava flour, sweet white rice flour, oat flour)

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. xanthan gum

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ginger

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

3/4 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c. light brown sugar

4 large eggs, slightly beaten

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 c. (2 plastic containers) of pureed carrot baby food

1 c. crushed pineapple, drained

3/4 c. unsweetened shredded coconut (I actually used a "low fat" coconut, found at whole foods)

1/2. c. (or a little more) golden raisins

3 c. finel grated carrots (I grated them in a food processor and it was extremely efficient)

FROSTING:

1 pkg. (80z.) neufchatel cheese

1/2 c. (1 stick) softened butter

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 c. powdered sugar

TOPPING:

Walnut pieces

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcake pans with paper liners. Combine flours, xanthan gum, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl, and stir with a whisk. Combine sugars, vanilla, vegetable oil and carrot puree/baby food in the bowl of an electric mixer, blending well. Add slightly beaten eggs to mixer bowl. Stir in carrots, pineapple, coconut, and raisins. Pour into prepared cupcake pans. Tap pans on counter to level and remove air bubbles. Bake 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and frost when completely cooled. Sprinkle top of cupcakes with walnut pieces, if desired.

FROSTING:

In the bowl of an electric mixer (or with an electric hand mixer), combine cream cheese and butter. Add vanilla and blend. Slowly add powdered sugar to taste.

"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.

Gluten-Free Egg Noodles in Chicken Noodle Soup

When the winter comes and the sun retreats towards the horizon at an early hour, I, naturally, want to wrap myself in the thickest down blanket and hibernate until the frigid grasp of the season's hand releases into spring. Unfortunately, this isn't possible. But I can melt that unrelenting midwestern chill with a hot bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup. As a child, my mother would line the countertop with thick strips of homemade egg noodles laid flat to dry. Delicious soup would undoubtedly follow. Thick, hearty noodles and chunks of tender chicken combine with celery, onion, and carrot in a light broth scented with cinnamon. You'll never miss the gluten in these noodles either; though you may miss home a bit.

Gluten-Free Egg Noodles

2 c. flour (3/4 c. potato starch, 1/2 c. tapioca starch, 1/4 c. arrowroot starch, 1/4 c. white rice flour, 1/4 c. sorghum flour)

4 eggs

2 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp. salt

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Beat eggs until frothy. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour eggs into the well. Mix with a wooden spoon until well combined (adding more flour if necessary). Knead dough a little on surface floured with potato starch. Roll out thin, cut into strips, and dry overnight on a drying rack (or on parchment - but you will have to flip them to dry the noodles evenly). Store tightly sealed in the refrigerator.

When you are ready to use the noodles, boil them for 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the noodle.

Gluten-Free Stuffing

On Thanksgiving, there is no replacement for traditional bread stuffing. My first gluten-free thanksgiving was sans-stuffing and I vowed never to make that mistake again. I based this recipe on one that I found from Whole Foods Market, but altered it to make it a little more like mom's. The best part: no one has ever guessed this was gluten-free.

Gluten-Free Bread Stuffing

12 cups (almost 2 loaves) gluten-free bread cubes (I like to make one box of whole foods market sandwich bread mix and one loaf of pamelas bread mix)

1 pkg. ground turkey sausage

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large yellow onion

2 cups celery, diced

3-4 carrots, peeled and diced

4 tbsp butter

2 tsp. dried sage

2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp orgeano

1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary

2 tsp dried marjoram

2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp groud black pepper

4 tbsp parsley

1 large box low-sodium chicken broth (you may need more)

2 large eggs

Cook ground turkey sausage into crumbles. Set aside.

Toast bread cubes in a preheated 300 degree oven for 20 minutes or until dried, stirring frequently to avoid browning. Set aside.

Saute vegetables and garlic in butter until soft, being careful to avoid browning. Add spices and cooked ground turkey sausage crumbles. Whisk eggs and 2 c. chicken stock and pour over bread cubes and mix into sauteed vegetables. Place in baking pans prepared with non-stick cooking spray, cover with foil, and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 3o-45 minutes.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sometimes you just want a chocolate chip cookie. A simple classic cookie; not too crisp, not too cakey. I've had quite a few disappointing gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, but these might be the best I've ever had.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 stick unsalted margarine or butter (softened)

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1/4 c. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2g tsp. xanthan gum

1/2 c. oat flour

1/3 c. tapioca starch

1/4 c. potato starch

1/2-3/4 pkg. high-quality chocolate chips (I like guittard dark chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bow with electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Mix in brown and granulated sugars, salt, and vanilla until fluffy. Mix in egg, baking soda, and xanthan gum. Add flour. Mix on low until incorporated. Mix in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoons onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Gluten-Free Wild Blueberry Pie

"Have I missed blueberry season?" I ask my mother before embarking upon the 9-hour drive from Chicago to Oscoda, Michigan. My mother informs me that she has seen a few berries hanging from the spindly bushes, but doubts there is enough to bake a pie with - as if reading my mind. When I think of Oscoda in late summer, I immediately imagine the wild blueberry bushes filling the forest behind my parent's house. Tiny, dark, and richly flavored, wild blueberries have always rivaled conventional blueberries in my mind. They are crunchy as well, due to the disproportionately sized seeds inside, but instead of being bothersome, it adds a wonderful texture. I was able to find enough blueberries on the bushes, searching for hours, picking delicate berries in a bathrobe and sandals under the shade of the tall pines, making sure to handle the berries with such care. Hours later, my fingers stained purple, my hair windblown, my arms scratched and mosquito-bitten, i emerged from the woods with a basket of berries. 6 cups, to be exact. It's pie time.

GLUTEN-FREE WILD BLUEBERRY PIE

FILLING

6 cups of fresh wild blueberries (can substitute conventional blueberries)

3/4 c. sugar

1/3 c. potato starch

1 tbsp. lemon zest

1/2 fresh lemon

GLUTEN-FREE PIE CRUST

Makes two pie crusts (one top, one bottom)

2/3 c. brown rice flour

2/3 c. tapioca flour

2/3 c. potato starch

2 tbs. arrowroot starch

4 tsp sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

3 tsp. xanthan gum

1 tsp salt

1 c. unsalted butter, chilled

2 large eggs, cold

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine the sugar, potato starch, and blueberries in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest and stir. Set aside.

Sift together rice and tapioca flour, potato and arrowroot starch, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt into a mixing bowl.

Cut cold butter into the dry ingredients. Blend with a pastry cutter until butter is incorporated into the dry ingredients.

The dough should hold together when squeezed. Beat egg with vinegar and mix into dough.

Form dough into a ball with your hands. Add a little tapioca flour if the dough is too sticky. Separate the ball into two balls. Roll out one section of dough between two sheets of waxed paper. The dough should be about 1 1/2 inches larger in diameter than the pie plate.

Peel one sheet of waxed paper away from the dough. Place dough in pan. Remove top sheet of waxed paper. Fill Pie with Blueberry filling and place a few pats of butter on top of the blueberry filling. Squeeze some of the lemon juice from the lemon half directly on top of the pie. Place the top crust, rolled out between two sheets of waxed paper, on the top. Trim the excess dough and crimp the top and bottom crust edges together to ensure a proper seal.

Brush the top pastry with milk and sprinkle with additional sugar. Poke holes in the top crust to decrease the chance of air bubbles in the crust. Cover the edge of the crust with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. remove foil. Bake pie for 25 to 30 minutes more or until filling is bubbly and pastry is slightly golden. Cool on a wire rack.