Gluten Free Recipes

Strawberry Scones, a Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Recipe

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My mom came over this week for a belated Mother’s Day lunch and as I always do when anyone comes over, I wondered (worried about) what I should make. When planning a meal, I almost always think of dessert first because that’s the fun part. I hadn’t baked scones since last summer, and I had a few cups of organic strawberries in the fridge I needed to use up, so the scones definitely had to be strawberry. This is a recipe I’ve baked many times and it’s adapted from this recipe on the blog Sarah Bakes Gluten Free.

Strawberry Scones

1 3/4 cups gluten free flour blend, plus more for dusting the counter

1/2 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling on top of scones

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

scant 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

5 Tablespoons of chilled Earth Balance soy free vegan butter, or another dairy free alternative such as palm shortening

1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, plus more for tops of scones

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sliced strawberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking pan with a Silpat or parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the vegan butter with a pastry cutter until butter is pea-sized. Pour in the almond milk and vanilla extract and knead with hands until combined. Fold in the strawberries.

Turn out the dough onto a floured countertop. With floured hands, shape and flatten the dough into a 12 inch diameter circle. With a floured knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into 8 wedges and place onto lined baking sheet. With fingertips or pastry brush, moisten the top of each scone with almond milk and then sprinkle sugar over the moistened tops.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly and enjoy.

Note: To warm up a day old scone, place in a toaster oven for a few minutes. These freeze well.

Oh, and if you want to know what else I made for lunch when my mom came over: Shallot, Portobello, and Spinach Crustless Quiche (dairy-free) and a tossed salad with homemade vinaigrette. (Plus watermelon and cherries.)

Links I Love

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This is where I will share my sources of inspiration from the past week: it could be from books, podcasts, blogs, films, artwork, food/recipes, etc. I hope you find some encouragement here as well!

How was your week? April merged into May, the Forsythia and the Daffodils continued to bloom, and the weather warmed up (slightly).

Podcasts:

Rachel Hollis had an episode that I listened to twice: How I Got My Apparel Line With QVC. I have no interest in an apparel line on QVC, but she has a section where she explains how to reverse engineer your goals . It is so practical with step by step instructions. She also shares a bit of her early years, the challenges and struggles, and how she never gave up!

Jenna Kutcher’s Goal Digger Podcast had a couple of episodes that inspired me. Her interview with Tony Robbins was the first time I’d ever heard him speak and his energy and positivity boosted my spirits. Episode 251 was 5 Things You Didn’t Know About My Early Entrepreneur Days reminded me that even the most successful people started small.

Poetry:

I happened to discover Jane Kenyon’s book of poems, Otherwise, just last week. It’s the first time I’ve read anything of hers and I am enchanted.

Food/Recipes

We made this Mahi-Mahi recipe from Delish this week. Garlicky-Lemon Mahi-Mahi with Asparagus (we subbed the butter for olive oil) was an easy weeknight meal that we will be making again.

Have a great weekend, friends! I’d love to hear what is inspiring you this week.

Sweet Potato-Leek Soup for Spring

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Last Friday afternoon, my dear friend Britt came over for lunch and, as I usually do, I served soup and a tossed salad. Soup is a favorite of mine because it’s easy to make and fits in with my lazy cooking preferences. Alan laughed when I called myself a “One Bowl Johnny” last week, but if I could be that minimalist in the kitchen, trust me, I would!

Most of the gluten free, dairy free, from-scratch food I make tends to require many bowls, spoons and pots with plenty of steps. So when I find a recipe that is simple enough to use only one pot, I rejoice. This is why I love soup so much! Well, that and the fact that it’s such comfort food if one is feeling a bit under the weather.

This particular soup was created because, like most other home cooks, I am frugal and wanted to use up the ingredients in my pantry and fridge. And I had a hankering for the combination of sweet potatoes (yams, and yes, I know the difference!) and leeks. Get ready for one of the easiest soup recipes in existence!

Sweet Potato-Leek Soup (serves 6)

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 really large yams (or 4-5 smaller ones), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks

2 leeks, trim off the bottom and the tough green stalks. Use the 3 inches of white part, cut in half lengthwise, slice across, and rinse thoroughly before using.

6-8 cups water with vegan bouillon (I use Not Chick’n brand)

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 can coconut cream (open a can of coconut milk and use the solid fatty part and save the water for a smoothie)

In a large soup pot, sauté the leeks on low-medium heat for a minute or two. Stir often and watch them–leeks burn quickly!

Add the water with bouillon and the yams. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until yams are tender.

Turn off heat, add coconut cream, and using an immersion blender, purée the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

See, I told you it was easy!


Healthy Fudge: A Childhood Recipe, Revamped

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Today I’ll be sharing a recipe from my early childhood. When I was small, my mom kept us well with home-cooked meals that included plenty of unprocessed, whole foods, and very little sugar. One of the treats she would make for us included “Healthy Fudge”. The original recipe contained peanut butter, wheat germ, and powdered milk, none of which I can tolerate today. So I revamped it and enjoy it as much, if not more, than the original.

Healthy Fudge

makes about 16 balls

1/2 cup cashew butter (or almond butter or tahini)

1/2 cup molasses, honey or (1/4 cup of each)

1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, plus extra for rolling

1 cup ground flax seed

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or raisins (optional)

Place all ingredients except chocolate chips in a mixing bowl and stir together with a spoon. Add in chocolate chips if using. Put some coconut into a small bowl.

Form into 1-inch balls, roll in coconut, and place in an air-tight container. Store in refrigerator for up to a week.