Gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free pancakes

Yes, I hit the trifecta on this recipe. I was able to successfully make a pancake without gluten, dairy (in essence, casein) and eggs! It is a vegan, gluten-free pancake.

I have been cooking gluten-free for 5 years. That I have figured out. I like to use my own blend (see the recipe for the link) in place of flour. I have found, through trial and error, that the pancake is better with some xanthan gum. It holds together better.

Substituting the milk is easy. There are many milk substitutes like soy, rice, coconut, hemp, and almond. If you use something sweetened, cut back on the sugar in the recipe. Instead of butter, you can use any fat; vegetable oil, or melted butter substitute, coconut oil, or shortening. For the most part, fat is fat.

Egg substitutes are a bit trickier. I have been using a mixture of flaxseed with water (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water) which helps to hold it together. Another egg substitute can be made with 2 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon of oil and 2 teaspoons of baking powder. This helps to replicate the rise. I ended up using a combination of these two to substitute the 2 eggs that are normally in this recipe. If you don't need the egg substitute, use 2 large eggs.

Being on a special diet is not easy, especially when you combine a few foods. It helps that I have experience. I remembered that when my daughter first started her elimination diet five years ago, I was not cooking with eggs, dairy, or gluten. I guess I got back on the bike and just started riding. Enjoy this recipe!

Gluten-free, Dairy-free, and Egg-free Pancakes


Makes 12-16 pancakes

Only make one or two recipes at a time. Baking powder does not increase the same way the other ingredients do and it can give the batter a strange taste.

2 cups Amy's Gluten-Free Flour Blend
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

1 1/2 cups milk substitute
1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice

5  tablespoons water
1  tablespoons oil
1  tablespoons ground flaxseed
2 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted shortening
3 tablespoons organic sugar or other natural sweetener
1 teaspoon vanilla

1. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, xanthan gum, and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. In a 2-cup measuring cup, add milk substitute and vinegar. Set aside for 5 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, mix water, oil, flax and baking powder. This is the egg substitute. If you can tolerate eggs, use 2 large eggs and add to the next step. Otherwise, set mixture aside for 5 minutes.
4. Add milk mixture, flax mixture and remaining ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredients. Whisk together until there are no more lumps but without overmixing.
5. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before using. Batter should be fairly thin so you can pour easily. Add more milk or cold water if necessary. Make sure to use a flat pan and cook at medium heat. Non-stick is easiest.
6. Pour about 1/2 cup of batter per pancake onto the hot pan. When bubbles are starting to form on top, turn the pancakes over. The pancakes should be golden in color. Cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes.

Gluten Free Chocolate Almond Cake

Gluten-Free Chocolate Almond Cake - Torta Caprese

I learned how to make this cake in Italy with Wendy Holloway from Flavor of Italy. She was so sweet to include a gluten-free recipe for me. I have since learned that this style, creamed yolks with sugar added to almond meal and folded with egg whites, is more of a technique in Italy and other areas of the Mediterranean rather than a response to creating a cake which is gluten-free.

I have adapted her recipe slightly to fit with US measurements. After making it twice, I know it will be a dessert in my repertoire. I hope you will give it a try!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Almond Cake (aka Torta Caprese)

4 ounces dark chocolate
4 ounces unsalted butter or  vegetable shortening

1 ½ cups almonds, ground fine (raw, skin on)
2 tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt (flakey) or kosher salt

5 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Tip: Eggs are easiest to separate when cold but whip best at room temp

1. Melt butter and chocolate. Cool. Mixture should still be liquid but not hot.
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a cake pan with non-stick spray or butter/oil and white rice flour.
3. Grind almonds finely. In a bowl, mix the almonds with potato starch, baking powder and salt.
4. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar and vanilla until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes.

5. Fold in the almond mixture and chocolate mixture to the egg yolks.
6. Clean the beaters and dry. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry.

7. Fold in ¼ of the egg whites at a time into the chocolate mixture.

8.     Pour into pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and the edges of the cake pull away from the pan. Cool slightly then remove from pan. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries or with vanilla ice cream.

Camping with Kids book review

The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids, 

written by Helen Olsson and beautifully illustrated by Scotty Reifsnyder

If you have kids and haven't gone camping with them yet, Helen Olsson has taken the guess work out of it for you. Her new book The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids covers everything from what to bring to what to do while you are there. Olsson's guide is a must-have for first timers. If you have camped with your children before, you might learn a few tricks.

Included in the comprehensive guide is Planning Your Trip, Gearing Up, The Campsite, Camp Grub (find a recipe for her pancakes here on my blog), Outdoor Recreation, Campsite Boredom Busters, Camp Arts and Crafts, Hygiene, First Aid and Safety. Even though we are experienced campers, I am looking forward to bringing this guide along on our next trip for inspiration and ideas. Wait. I might need to use it before as well!

There are numerous lists to help you stay organized (I am the queen of the list!). She includes the following checklists*:

• Hardware (tent, sleeping bags, etc)
• Little tykes gear (I have brought a baby camping; this is great!)
• Kitchen gear (see photo)
• Camping kitchen
• Software (clothes)
• Footwear
• Water based activities
• Camp art
• Stargazing

In the back of the book, there is a packing checklist which includes all of the above and more. 

Olsson includes Smart Tips in every chapter. As you might know, I love tips as it really helps. There's even a page dedicated to duct tape. I never realized how handy it was!

After reading this book, I am truly inspired to take my kids camping again. Coming from someone who never camped until she was 30 (my Dad believed in "motel" camping), this says a lot. If you are interested in buying the book, you can do that directly from Roost Books. Guess what?! You can get a discount. The family and friends discount code is FAMCHEF12, for 30% OFF, and expires on September 15, 2012. Enjoy this wonderful book!

*Excerpted from THE DOWN AND DIRTY GUIDE TO CAMPING WITH KIDS by Helen Olsson, (c)2012. Published by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc., Boston.  www.roostbooks.com.

Helen Olsson is a freelance travel and skiing writer and a contributor to the New York Times Travel and Escapes sections, where she writes about family outdoor and adventure travel. Visit her website at www.maddogmom.com.

Camping Pancakes recipe (with gluten-free variation)

I recently reviewed Helen Olsson's book The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids which is a great guide for any family about to venture into the outdoors (even if it's the backyard). In her book, besides great lists of what to pack and what to do, she also provides some wonderful camping recipes. I decided to try the pancakes for my family, even though I was making them in the comfort of my home. I used the same pan that I bring when we go camping; the only difference is there was probably less dirt in this version!

If you are interested in buying the book, you can do that directly from Roost Books. Guess what?! You can get a discount. The family and friends discount code is FAMCHEF12, for 30% OFF, and expires on September 15, 2012. Enjoy this wonderful book!

Below is her recipe for blueberry pancakes (I served berries on the side). My version is gluten-free, of course, but that's an easy adjustment. I have to say they were a big hit. I would absolutely make this recipe while camping.

A few tips from The Family Chef:

• Measure the dry ingredients and place them in a glass mason jar or a plastic container (see step 1; great idea!) 
• If you are using kosher salt, use 3/4 teaspoon instead of 1/2 teaspoon.
• To help the pancakes rise, add 1 teaspoon white vinegar with the liquid ingredients.
• Use vegetable oil (safflower, sunflower, etc) instead of melting butter; one less dish to wash! 
• Place oil or shortening on the griddle pan; butter burns too easily.
• Add a dash of cinnamon for flavor (family favorite). 

Camping Pancakes* (excerpt from page 96. Note: the recipe in the book is for blueberry pancakes)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour (for gluten-free, use a gluten-free flour blend and a heaping 1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

2 eggs
3 Tablespoons melted butter
1 1/4 cup almond milk or cow's milk
3/4 cup blueberries (I left out)

Directions:
1. At home, sift the flour twice. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large freezer bag and use a permanent marker to write the rest of the recipe on the bag.
2. At home, crack the eggs into a widemouthed Nalgene bottle and mix with the milk.**
3. In camp, whisk the wet ingredients. Add to the dry ingredients and mix lightly.
4. Melt the butter and let it cool. Fold the melted butter and then the blueberries into the pancake batter. If the batter seems too thick, add more milk.
5. Add a little butter to the pan. When the foam subsides, pour a half cup of batter for each pancake. When bubbles begins to form and bottoms are browned, flip the cakes. (About 2 1/2 - 3 minutes).
6. If your pan is large, you may need to rotate it around the smallish flame of the camp stove to evenly brown the pancakes.
**Once the eggs are cracked, be sure to cook them within two days' time.

*Excerpted from THE DOWN AND DIRTY GUIDE TO CAMPING WITH KIDS by Helen Olsson, (c)2012. Published by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc., Boston.  www.roostbooks.com.

Helen Olsson is a freelance travel and skiing writer and a contributor to the New York Times Travel and Escapes sections, where she writes about family outdoor and adventure travel. Visit her website at www.maddogmom.com.

Gluten-free Asian pot sticker recipe

I just want you to know that I don't know and don't claim to know how to cook everything. Some things I'm not interested in and some things...well, intimidate even me. I suppose the biggest factor in trying something new is giving myself enough time to fiddle with it and being able to live if it's not 100% successful.

I've come to know Jeff Larsen who also teaches gluten-free cooking classes in the SF bay area. There are some things we do which are very similar and some things we do differently. Either way, there's a language we both speak and it's been a pleasure getting to know him. I mention him because he teaches a number of classes around Asian cooking, specifically dumplings. I have had a very good gluten-free pot sticker from Feel Good Foods but there's nothing like making your own, something I could almost do in my sleep pre-gluten-free lifestyle. Since I couldn't go to his class today, I decided on a whim to just try them.

I consulted a few recipes, texted him a few times and came up with this. The dough is a combination of a few recipes but was workable. I particularly like the filling which I created on my own. A very long time ago, I took a Chinese cooking class. I still remember what I learned about making wontons, including stirring in one direction and then the other. This helps to bind the meat so it stays together.

I promised some Facebook fans that I would post this recipe so I'd better get on with it. I would highly suggest looking at the photos taken by Crysty of Garden of Gluten-Free. That was my starting point.

I would have taken more pics but my hands were messy. After they were cooked, my kids basically devoured about half of them, including the extra meat which I had used to make into mini meatballs. I ate mine with San-J gluten-free low-sodium tamari soy sauce with a few drops of chili oil. Yes, I was in heaven!

Give yourself at least an hour or more to make this dish. It would be much quicker with two people so find a friend. You can fill it with whatever you'd like; this was my vision (that day). Please let me know if the recipe works for you.

Gluten-free Asian Pot Stickers


Makes 24-26 pot stickers

FILLING
1 pound ground chicken, turkey or pork
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 scallions, diced
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

WRAPPERS
1 cup sweet rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour (also known as tapioca starch)
1/4 cup white rice flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2/3 cup boiled water

Cornstarch or tapioca starch for rolling

Put the filling ingredients in a bowl. Mix well with a wooden spoon. Mix briskly in one direction for 20 seconds. Mix another 20 seconds in the other direction. Set aside.

Mix dry ingredients (flours, salt and gum). Add oil. Add hot water slowly. Mix with a spatula. Once the water has cooled slightly, use your hands to bring the dough together. Knead on the counter until it is smooth. It should feel like playdough. If it's sticky, add more tapioca flour until it's tacky. If it's too dry, add a few dashes of water.

Roll into a log. Divide in 2. Keep one piece under a towel or in a plastic bag. Cut each piece into 12 (cut the piece you have in half, then in half and then in 3). Roll each with your hands into a flat pancake.

I usually use a piece of wax paper so that the dough does not stick to the press. Sprinkle some cornstarch on either side of the dough, place the dough on the wax paper, fold the wax paper over, and then use the tortilla press to flatten out the dough. You can also roll between plastic until very thin. Place on plate or cutting board. Roll out 6 at a time.

Place the wrapper in your hand. Place 2 teaspoons filling in the middle. Wet the edges of one side of the pot sticker.  Fold over, pressing out any air, and seal. Place on a plate. The water is helpful if the dough starts to break. You can use it to fix any cracks.

When 12 are done, heat pan with 1 tablespoon of oil.  Heat to medium.  Place flat side down and cook for 2 minutes until lightly browned. Carefully add ¼ cup of water, cover, lower the heat slightly, and cook 8 minutes. Remove cover and cook another 2-3 minutes until bottom is completely browned. Repeat with the second batch.

If you have leftover meat, roll into little meatballs and cook in a non-stick pan until brown on each side and cooked through.

Helpful Tips for New Mothers

Thank you very much to Katie Moore for this great post on Tips for New Mothers. I can say from personal experience, I fully agree! Take a look through my recipes on this blog for easy, healthy meals for someone to make for you.


The biggest question a woman will ask herself after delivering a first child is, “Does motherhood
come with instructions?” Although this is a common fear among many new mothers, there are a
few tricks out there to make the transition into motherhood less stressful.

Once a new mother arrives home with her sweet bundle of joy, she will quickly learn that the
baby will only sleep for short periods of time. Since most newborns will sleep in two-hour
intervals, it is recommended to sleep when the baby sleeps. The tiny size of the newborn’s
stomach requires them to eat more often, causing them to only sleep in shorter bursts of time.
As their bellies grow, so does their ability to go longer without food.

Many mothers will face the emotional effects of delivering a baby after returning home. “Baby
blues”, sadness felt after having a baby, are common feelings but it is important for a new
mother to be able to identify the difference between normal post-delivery emotions and post-
partum depression. If a mother’s feeling of weepiness develops into more serious emotions,
consulting a doctor is the first step.

Learning the art of swaddling is a great tool to have for a new mother. Babies under the age
of four months, enjoy the security and boundaries that are found in a womb-like swaddle.
Swaddling will not only assist in helping baby to fall asleep, but will also keep them from waking
themselves up from involuntary spastic movements. Hospital nurses are swaddling pros and will
gladly offer a quick training session to curious new moms.

Keeping all items needed for late night feedings and diaper changes handy can make life easier
for a sleep-deprived mom. Waking up every few hours those first few months will leave a mother
feeling worn out. By having evening items handy, a new mom can quickly care for the baby and
return to sleep to catch up on her sleep.

When babies are in utero they are soothed by the sounds of the mother’s body like as her
heartbeat, muffled voice, and even her breathing. Noise machines are excellent alternatives to
mimic these sounds and place near, never inside, the baby’s crib. Hearing a heartbeat will make
a swaddled baby feel like he is back in the womb and will rest better for it.

New mothers often have running lists going on in their heads as they prepare for their first child.
By organizing these thoughts before delivery, new moms can keep themselves more organized.
There are even some important things that new parents may not consider, such as health
insurance coverage for the infant and umbilical cord blood banking. The first thirty days of a
newborn’s life will be covered by the mother’s health insurance plan; however the infant must be
added to the health insurance policy within thirty days of birth; otherwise some families will have
to wait until the next enrollment period.

Overall, the transition into motherhood can be a challenging experience. Yet with a little
planning and by remembering some of these helpful tips, the joys of motherhood are sure to be
rewarding.

"This article was written by Katie Moore. Katie is an active writer within the blogging community who discusses maternity, motherhood, prenatal health, childbirth and other topics within this niche.

If you have any questions or would like to connect with Katie please contact by visiting her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter @moorekm26."

Black bean, corn and arugula salad

Summer is coming and fresh vegetables will be plentiful. Try this delicious salad as a side dish or even a main. It's light and satisfying.

Use the ingredients list as a guide. If you don't have peppers, use what is on hand. If you don't like cilantro, it's fine not to use it at all; many people don't like it. Use any lettuce, even finely sliced cabbage. See the tip below for how to make your red onion a little more mellow. Enjoy!

Black Bean, Corn and Arugula Salad


SALAD INGREDIENTS
1/4 medium red onion, diced or sliced
1/2 cup pepidas (pumpkin seeds), toasted
2-3 cups arugula, washed
1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn, fresh or frozen (and thawed)
1/2 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 yellow pepper, diced
1 tomato, quartered
1-2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta, cojita or 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

DRESSING
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1-2 tablespoons safflower or sunflower oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Juice from 1/2 lime
Optional: 1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar*

Soak onion in ice water in a small bowl for 5 minutes. Drain.

Toast pumpkin seeds in a small saute pan without any oil. Cool.

Add salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss. Pour dressing ingredients into bowl and toss. Serve immediately.

*My kids aren't big fans of arugula...yet. For them, I would make this salad with spinach or romaine, put in their favorite veggies and add the little bit of sweet (honey or agave) to round out the acid from the vinegar and the lime. I have found that most kids like a little this in their salad which is ok by me!