The Best Gluten-Free Brownies

Do you remember some of the products like "I can't believe it's not butter!" or "I can't believe it's frozen yogurt!"? Well, get ready for "I can't believe these brownies are gluten-free!".

I have been cooking and baking gluten-free since July 2007 when a doctor told me that one of the reason's for my daughter's eczema was due to her diet. Some of you know this whole story already. Well, in a quest to keep things simple, I've been experimenting with many different recipes of all types: pancakes, muffins, cakes, pasta dishes and brownies. I have even found a few boxed products that I feel work well. But, as always, when compared to homemade, well, there is no comparison.

I thought I had found a good one with the Whole Foods Gluten-Free Brownie Mix. But when I looked at the ingredients, I noticed there was a lot of sugar. Hmm, I want something easy but I still want control of what my family is eating. So, I played around with a bunch of different recipes until I came up with this. Even if you're not gluten-free, I promise you'll like them. Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Brownies

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour

Optional: 1/2 cup chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips like Guittard

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Place the chocolate and the butter in a glass measuring cup and cook in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until melted. Allow to cool slightly. Add the canola oil.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flours, sugar, agave nectar, eggs, salt and vanilla, whisking until they are mixed together. Finally, pour in the melted chocolate-butter-oil mixture and stir, carefully, with a rubber spatula, until the mixture has become smooth.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-32 minutes or until toothpick comes out slightly wet. If it's dry, the brownie will be dry. Next time, cook for less time. If it's too wet, it will be too gooey. It might take you a few times making this to get it right but once you do, you'll be happy with the results.

Yummy, Yummy in my Tummy!

Yes, that is what my 4 year old said tonight of dinner. And what was it? An easy, tasty dish that was ready in less than 31 minutes (just in case Rachel has that 30 minute thing copyrighted!):
Grilled Italian Sausages served on top of Lentil-Rice Pilaf with Peas.

My family really likes sausages (remember, I am Italian and my husband is English). But today, some sausages are, well, made of undesirable ingredients. So, I stick to home-made (i.e. made by the butcher) and brands like Niman Ranch. I tend to select sausages which have less fat like turkey or chicken. I love to pan fry them or cook them on the grill. If you are cooking them on the stove top, don't stir them too much; make sure you get good browning.

The pilaf I sort of made up. I wanted something that would go nicely with the sausage so rice and lentils came to mind. Those are two great ingredients to keep in the pantry. I wanted some veggies in the dish and felt the peas would be a nice addition. I could have used broccoli or zucchini as well. It all sort of came together.

What I liked is that I started cooking at 5:20 and we were eating at 6:00, once the food cooled a bit. I also liked the fact that this one dish had carbs, protein and a vegetable. When I meal plan, that's usually my goal. And, of course, the fact that it's gluten-free just makes it that much better (my daughter has a sensitivity to gluten).

Here's the recipe for the pilaf. I hope you will try it.

Lentil-Rice Pilaf with Peas
Serves 4

3 cups of chicken or veggie broth
1/3 cup brown lentils, rinsed
2/3 cup white rice
Few strands of saffron
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 Tbl butter

Heat broth to boiling in a medium size pot. Add lentils, rice and saffron. Stir, cover and bring back to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook 15-18 minutes. Remove cover and stir, making sure there is plenty of liquid. If there is not, add 1/4 cup more. Add frozen peas and stir. Place cover back on and raise heat to bring back to a simmer. Continue to cook until liquid is absorbed and lentils are cooked. At the very end, add the butter and stir. You can also use a good quality olive oil.

This can be served as a main course (for two people) or as a side dish with grilled sausage or chicken.

Western Chili

Are you looking for something to bring to a potluck, bbq or party that is tasty and full of protein and fiber? I used to make this dish when I lived in Boston and then sort of forgot about it. This is surprising because it's easy and delicious.

I was getting ready for a bbq one day and remembered the recipe so that was the dish I brought along with me. Moms, dads and kids alike all enjoyed it. I've made it a few times after that and I always get the same results. Oh, and of course, everyone wants the recipe! So here it is along with some tips at the end for variations.

Western Chili

1 lb natural, grass fed ground beef
1 diced onion
1 lb natural, uncured bacon, diced
1 can baked beans with juice
1 reg can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 reg can butter beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c molasses
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c ketchup
1 Tbl yellow mustard

1. In a large pot, over medium to medium high heat, cook beef, only stirring occasionally so as to get good browning and carmelization. When the meat is about half way cooked, add the onion. Cook this until there is no more pink in the meat and the onion is translucent. Drain any extra fat.
2. Fry bacon until crisp. Drain and pat dry. Wipe out pot.
3. Add all ingredients back to pot and simmer 20-30 mins, checking for seasoning.
4. Serve by itself or over brown rice.

Variations:
*Use ground pork, turkey or veggie ground round to substitute the beef
*Try buying the bacon from your butcher so you can get the exact weight that you want. Also, the quality is usually better.
*If you don't have bacon, use ham.
*Instead of brown sugar, use half the amount of agave nectar or equal parts of sucanat.
*Butter beans are really lima beans. If you can't find them, try white kidney beans.

Soup is on

Many parents will tell me they have difficulty getting their children to eat vegetables. I have noticed the same thing even with my children but I notice it seems to change on a daily basis. Sometimes the 4 year old will eat a bowl of salad and won't touch the meat. The next day he's spitting out spinach if it's in his pasta. The 2 year old ate a wilted spinach salad with mushrooms yesterday but wouldn't eat the romaine salad 3 days before. When I look at what my kids eat one day and not the next, I try to have selective memory. I rarely pay attention and will serve it to them a week later as if that episode of corn-spitting-out never happened.

Here are some things to think about:

-Don't make assumptions about what your children will and won't eat
-Tomorrow is a different day; your children might like that same vegetable they refused to eat today (you should try to introduce a food 10 times before it's "off the list")
-Make sure the vegetable (or any type of food) is prepared properly and tastes good
(and that's where I can help you with your cooking skills if necessary)

I bring this up because I hear a lot of moms who are buying the latest craze of cookbooks which hide pureed veggies in sauces, cookies and brownies. I'm here to help. Before you get to that point, I want you to try a few recipes. The one below is a perfect example.

It started with me, trying to figure out what to cook for dinner. I looked in the fridge and was faced with a bin of veggies on the verge. I had some brown rice and veggie ground round and decided to try soup. When it was done, I put the bowls in front of the kids (of course garnished with olive oil and freshly grated parmesan) and let them be the judges. A friend came over the week after with her 3 toddlers and I made the soup again. Success. Everyone loved it. Hmm, I was onto something.


One day last week, I went to my son's pre-school to help with their snack. I had decided to make the soup for them as a final test. There was a table of about 10 children, helping to identify the veggies before they went in the pot; they were able to see the cooking process; and most important of all, when it was time to eat, I watched 25 of the 31 children devouring the soup and telling me they liked it, even the ones who aren't normally as adventurous. It wasn't just the soup that was warming my heart that day.

Now, you could take two approaches with this soup; follow the recipe to the "T" or see what's in your fridge and kind of wing it. I think every soup should have onion, carrots and broth in it along with salt and pepper. Another time saving tip is to visit the salad bar of the grocery store; you can get many things already cut up.

I hope you'll try it!

Amy's Veggie Soup

1 Tbl Olive Oil
1 medium onion, chopped
Spices like: thyme, oregano, pepper, herbs de provence (maybe 1/4-1/2 tsp of each)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, washed and chopped
1 cup of chopped, peeled winter squash like acorn or butternut
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces
1 bunch of broccoli, cut into small pieces
1 red pepper, chopped
3-4 mushrooms, sliced
1 small or 1/2 large zucchini, chopped
4 cups of broth (chicken, veggie or beef)
1/2 cup of some type of grain like rice or quinoa (if you are adding uncooked, add 1 cup of water to the broth above)

Heat pot on medium heat. Add oil and onion. Add seasonings. Stir once and allow to cook a few minutes but don't allow onions to burn. Add carrots and celery and stir. Add squash, stir and cook 3-4 minutes. Add broccoli and cauliflower (repeat), then pepper, then mushrooms and zucchini. Once mushrooms and zucchini are soft, add broth (more if you are adding an uncooked grain or if you want it soupier). Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Test butternut squash. Once that is tender, the soup is done.

If you are adding a quick cooking grain like quinoa or millet, add about 10 minutes before the end of the cooking (when the squash is still firm). You can add white rice 20 minutes before or barley when you add the broth (it takes about 30 minutes to cook). I like to add cooked grains or pasta as well; just add these at the very end to warm through. This is best served with a drizzle of good quality olive oil and freshly grated cheese like parmesan or locatelli and maybe a bit of crusty bread.

Other things you can add: frozen spinach, peas or corn. Any type of winter squash. Any type of potato. Diced tomatoes. Tofu.

Hummus at Pre-school? Really??

This past year, I have been helping my son's pre-school with their snack program. They went from goldfish and graham crackers to organic produce, yogurt fruit shakes and whole grain, high fiber crackers. The children are very happy and the parents are even happier.

I have a philosophy about kids and eating. Don't make assumptions. It really is true.

I had gotten some feedback from the teachers that the children did not like the hummus. I was confused because most children I know like it. Then I tasted the brand we were using and did find it to be garlicky.

So, today I tried making it with them as part of the "Cooking with Amy" program we've started. I go there about every other week and cook something with them.

Today, almost half of them helped and most of them tried it. Then, when we served it, there were many more that liked it. It was served with toasted whole wheat flour tortillas, sweet potato fries and apples on the side; very healthy!

Special thanks goes to the teacher who just plopped some on their plate and encouraged them to taste it. Oh, and we called it "dip" since we thought some might not like or know the term "hummus". These children really made me proud. It is so important to expose them to the different flavors and textures of food.

And who would have thought 3, 4 and 5 year olds would eat this? Remember, never make assumptions. I hope you will give it a try.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
• 1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
• Juice of 1/2 of a lemon
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh tahini
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil

PREPARATION:

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Rinse chickpeas with water. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Note: I removed the garlic for this recipe since it seemed to be too strong for these little taste buds. However, you can add 1-2 cloves depending upon your taste.

Gluten Free Flaxseed Pancakes

Yum...who doesn't love pancakes with syrup? Many of us do. When I found out my daughter had food sensitivities, gluten was one of those no-no foods. I had spent the last year, making delicious, healthy pancakes at least once a week for my family. Now, I felt like I had to start over.

Some times changes is good for all of us. I didn't think I needed any challenges in the kitchen, but apparently I did! Cooking and baking gluten-free has opened my eyes to the day-to-day challenges of many. And if anything, it's forced me to look at how I cook for my family. Now I try to use healthier substitutions.

On this particular morning, I wanted pancakes. I really don't like to make two different meals so instead, I make something we all can have. Recently, I discovered ground flaxseed meal which I found in Trader Joe's. We've been hearing about the benefits more and more of flaxseed. One of the features is that it's "an excellent source of protein, fiber, and minerals such as magnesium and copper", according to the package. The bottom line is that I decided to bring these two things together (pancakes and flaxseed).

I have to say the result was quite delicious. It tasted more like a whole grain pancake. I hope you'll give it a try!

1 1/2 cups Gluten Free Flour mix (you can buy this or make your own)
1/2 c ground flaxseed meal
1 Tbl baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
3/4 cup soy milk (you can also use water or a combination; as long as it equals 3/4 cup)
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbl oil
1 Tbl agave nectar

Mix all ingredients. Place a non-stick, square griddle on the stove top and heat to medium. Pour batter onto griddle to make 4 pancakes (about 1/2 cup of batter per pancake). Cook until you see bubbles on top. Flip over and cook a minute or so. Serve with organic maple syrup and/or agave nectar. You can also add fruit like sliced bananas, blueberries, raspberries or thinly sliced apple. Enjoy!

And of course, I had to get the kids involved. I think they liked them as well...

Gluten Free Carrot Muffins

Dealing with food allergies and sensitivities can be a difficult and frustrating experience, especially if it's for children. My daughter was diagnosed with a multitude of food sensitivities that we think are associated with her eczema. It forced me to rethink meals, snacks and parties.

After living with it for over 6 months, talking to various people and reading different web sites and blogs, I have found some great substitutes. The following recipe is one of my favorites. Whenever I've brought these muffins to a party or playgroup, no one can even tell they are gluten free. This is a real compliment!

One of my best resources this past year has been my friend Amy Andrews. You can check out her blog here. She provided me with the following gluten free flour substitution. I have found it to be very effective for baking:

3 cups brown rice flour
1 1/4 cups millet flour
3/4 cup tapioca flour

Put this in a bowl and combine with a whisk. Transfer to a container, like a qt sized mason jar. Use this as a flour substitute; it works great. For every 2 cups, she suggests adding 1/2 tsp of xantham gum.

Another advantage to this recipe, is that it has many uses; have it for breakfast, a snack or even use as a cupcake at a party. You could bake it as a carrot cake but use a different pan, increase the cooking time to 45 minutes. It's always been a hit in our house, even for the non-gluten free crowd! I hope you'll try it. Keep scrolling; there are some great pictures below.

Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins

1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup white sugar*
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3 tablespoons water
1 1 /4 cup gluten-free flour substitute (see above)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 1/2 cups packed grated carrots (about 4 medium carrots)

Optional: 1/2 c shredded coconut (I use unsweetened)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, and brown sugar. Mix well. Add eggs and water, and mix.
3. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients. Mix well then add raisins, making sure they are coated with flour.
4. Mix flour mixture into wet ingredients, then carrots. If using nuts and/or coconut, add with the carrots.
5. Pour batter into greased muffin tins. Bake 18-22 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center tests clean**.

*Note: you can decrease the sugar if you would like. I haven't done it yet, but I would imagine agave nectar would be a great sub or you could use all brown sugar (but probably less).

**Note: gluten-free baking is different from traditional baking. I have found that GF baked goods need longer cooking time, even if the toothpick comes out clean.

After I made the muffins, I shredded another carrot (per the request of my almost 4 year old). I couldn't resist sharing these. They crack me up! But it goes to show that you should never make assumptions about what they will eat. How many of you would give your children shredded raw carrot for breakfast? I never thought I would but the proof is in the pudding...or maybe the muffins!