GFCF Buttermilk Biscuits

We recently found a biscuit recipe that we absolutely love. It's hard to believe they are gluten & dairy free and my husband even loves them. This recipe has been adapted from the Gluten Free Every Day cookbook by Rob Landolphi.

GFCF Buttermilk Biscuits

1 1/4 c. tapioca flour

1/2 c. sorghum flour

1/2 c. brown rice flour

3/4 c. potato starch

1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

4 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. sea salt

1/3 c. palm oil shortening

1/4 c. dairy free margarine

3/4 c. unsweetened rice milk

3/4 c. unsweetened coconut milk

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet with palm oil shortening.
• In a medium bowl, combine the tapioca flour, sorghum flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and sea salt. Stir with a whisk to blend.
• Using two dinner knives, cut the shortening and dairy free margarine into the dry ingredients. Cut the through the mixture with a pastry blender until the mixture is coarse and crumbly.
• Mix together the rice milk, coconut & apple cider vinegar to create "buttermilk". Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.
• Drop by 1/4 cup mounds on baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly. Serve warm.
• Makes 16 biscuits

These are wonderful with coconut oil, honey or fresh preserves. It was even suggested that they would be perfect fore gluten-free strawberry shortcake. Happy baking!

Product Review: Multi-Seed Crackers

We found a new gluten-free cracker at the store that we *love*. They have a fabulous flavor, and could easily be served to a crowd of non gluten-free people and they would never know the difference. There were 4 flavors available, but unfortunately only the "Original" work for us as they are dairy free as well.

If you go to the company website http://www.crunchmaster.com/ you can print a coupon for the crackers. Also, I just saw on their website that the crackers are available at Costco...I'll definitely be checking that out.

Decadent Dairy-Free Chocolate Mousse

My brother-in-law is married to a wonderful girl from Switzerland who shared her Grandmother's chocolate mousse recipe with me years ago. It was a family favorite for many years, but hadn't been made for nearly 5 years since we went dairy free. I decided it was time to tackle this recipe and somehow find a way to convert it. It was the most challenging conversion of a recipe I have done....but the results were incredible! It was the most decadent of desserts, and I could hardly believe it was dairy free. Try it, you won't be dissapointed!

Special Notes:

• I'm dividing the ingredients up into three sub-groups as they are mixed into three separate bowls and then combined at the end.
• Place two cans of coconut milk in the fridge for 4 hours before making recipe. Be careful not to shake them before or after putting them in the fridge, as you will want to be able to scrape the coconut cream off of the top.

Decadent Chocolate Mousse
5 egg whites

1 egg yolk
200 grams sweetened dark chocolate
50 grams milk chocolate (dairy free, we use Enjoy Life brand which uses rice milk)
1 cup coconut milk
1 Tbsp. tapioca starch

2 cans coconut milk
6 oz. plain coconut milk yogurt

1. Beat egg whites separately until stiff.
2. Combine one cup coconut milk with 1 Tbsp. tapioca starch, mix well. Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler with coconut milk/tapioca starch combination. As chocolate melts, add egg yolk.
3. Using the two cans of coconut milk, which have been refrigerated for 4 hours, carefully scrape off the thick cream from the top (use approximately the top half of each can). Discard the remaining bottom half of both cans of coconut milk, as this will just be the watery portion that remains. Beat coconut cream until stiff. Keep the plain coconut milk yogurt separate.
4. Fold together chocolate mixture, egg whites, whipped coconut cream and plain coconut milk yogurt in a large bowl. Stir just until mixed, being careful not to stir too much.
5. Pour into dessert bowls, chill for 8 hours. Serve & enjoy!

Corn & Bean Salsa

This is a fabulous dip recipe. It would go great at a sporting event or a book club, or a movie night at home. My 9 year old son loved it and couldn't keep his chips out of it!

Corn & Bean Salsa

1 can (1.5 cups) garbanzo beans

1 can (1.5 cups) red kidney beans

1 can (1.5 cups) black beans

1 cup frozen sweet corn

2 tomatoes, seeded & chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 avocado, diced

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

3 Tbsp. lemon juice

3 Tbsp. Bragg's Liquid Aminos

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

Drain & rinse all beans, add to a large bowl. Add frozen corn, tomatoes, cilantro, onion, garlic & avocado. Mix dressing in a small bowl. Drizzle over bean mixture & toss. Serve with tortilla chips.

Product Review: Coconut Almond Non-Dairy Dessert

I have recently discovered the most *amazing* diary free treat I've had since embarking on this journey 4+ years ago. The SO DELICIOUS Coconut Almond non-dairy frozen dessert bar is a delectable delight! Eating one is very satisfying and makes me feel like I am somehow cheating on my diet.....but the beauty of it is that I'm not! Try one today, you won't be dissapointed (and if you are I would be happy to finish off the other 3 bars in your box ;)

Rudolph The Red Nosed Cupcake

Here's a fun way to decorate cupcakes or cookies for the holidays. We used gluten-free pretzels for the antlers, a dried cranberry for the nose and dairy-free chocolate chips for the eyes. This also works great with cookies by shaping he cookies into a triangle and baking the pretzel antlers right into the cookies, add the chocolate chip & nose embellishments right as they come out of the oven. Happy baking & Merry Christmas!

GFCF Sugar Cookies

This recipe was converted from my mother's sugar cookie recipe which I ate all through my growing up years. It has a slight lemon flavor which I think adds a nice touch in a sugar cookie. Enjoy these during the holidays.

Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

1 c. sugar
¾ c. shortening
2 eggs
¼ c. rice milk
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
3 c. gluten-free flour blend
1 ½ tsp. xanthan gum
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. lemon flavor
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Mix in rice milk, vanilla and lemon flavoring. Add salt, baking powder, xanthan gum and flour.

Refrigerate for 15 minutes and then rollout about ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle with sugar. Cut with cookie cutters.

Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes.