Gluten-Free Shepard's Pie

 The Gluten-Free Goddess has once again made my kitchen and our tummy's happy. This Shepard's Pie was a quick and delicious dinner tonight and perfect to stock my freezer for a busy night re-heat.

I made mine in small ramekins that hold about a cup and a half. I topped them with a red potato mash (didn't even peel them) and a sprinkle of Dayia. I ended up with six (yeah!) little mini dinners.

 

Karina added chicken to one batch and tofu to another. I tried crumbled firm tofu, smoked tofu, and chunks of tempeh in mine. Two little pies of each flavor. The winner was the firm tofu pies although, I think they would be delicious with white beans for your protein if you are not a tofu fan. Or, leave it out and have a veggie pie. The simple topping, yummy white sauce, and versatile veggie mixture make this recipe great addition to your dinner rotation. 

 

Head on over to Gluten-Free Goddess for the recipe and lots more winners.

Pasta Pie with Roasted Veggies

This pasta pie is a perfect week night meal. Easy to throw together with a short bake time and very little prep.

The original recipe is from Gluten-Free Goddess. Karina's website is all gluten free and has a large section of vegan recipes too. Most of her recipes can be used as guides that allow for substitution of ingredients with suggestions.

For this Pasta Pie I used the veggies I had on hand: broccoli, onion, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes. I think it would be delicious with any variety you have handy. The cherry tomatoes on top are a must with a little burst of sweet as you're eating. Also, the fresh rosemary will make your kitchen smell wonderful and adds to the restaurant entree taste.

I was a little skeptical about my Vegan White Sauce when I first tasted it so, I added a teaspoon of Herbamare and an additional teaspoon of mustard. Also, I didn't have any cornbread crumbs so I used crushed corn chips for the topping. Other than that, I followed Karina's recipe and I'm glad I did! Good for dinner and great as leftovers for lunch the next day.

Try it, modify it. Either way, you'll love it!

Head on over to The Gluten-free Goddess for the Vegan Pasta Pie recipe. 

Gluten Free, Oat Free, Peanut Butter Granola Bars

I love granola bars. They are perfect to throw in my purse or the diaper bag for a snack on the run or a last minute breakfast. But, finding a healthy gluten free granola bar that costs less than a dollar each can be a challenge. So, I set out to find a recipe of my own.

After LOTS of recipe searching I found that you basically need a "glue" and a base. I played around with the amounts and adjusted a few other recipes to come up with a simple, easy to mix and match version.

These granola bars have become a staple around here. The variations are as simple as what's on my pantry shelves. I've added chocolate chips a few times, raisins once, and played around with the type of cereal and nuts a bit too. Each time the results have been fantastic.

Our favorite combination has been with peanut butter Panda Puffs and Koala Krisps for the cereal mix and slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and cashews. We also liked it with Honey Nut Chex and Koala Krisps. Having a variation in the sizes of cereal seems to hold the bars together better.  Mini Chocolate chips were a big hit.

Below you will find the basis for two types of granola bars. Play around with the recipes and you will most certainly come up with one you LOVE as well.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Ingredients:
1/2 cup agave
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 to 1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy) (If you use the 100% natural- like out of the health food store machine- increase P.B or agave by about half a cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups granola base
2 cups nuts/seeds
1 cup dried fruit or chocolate chips or both

GRANOLA BASE could be:

• Gluten free oats (toasted)
• Gluten free cereal
• 1.5 cups gluten free oats/cereal + 1/2 cup shredded coconut

NUTS/SEED combinations could be any combination of the following:

• Pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
• Almonds
• Pine nuts
• Pecans
• Walnuts
• Sesame seeds
• Sunflower seeds
• Flax seeds

DRIED FRUIT can be any combination (or single fruit) of the following:

• Dried cherries
• Dried blueberries
• Dried cranberries (like Craisins, if you want sweet ones)
• Dried apricots (chopped into small pieces)
• Dried dates (chopped into small pieces)
• Dried figs (chopped into small pieces)
• Raisins
• Prunes (chopped)

Directions

1. Line a 9 by 13 pan with parchment paper that also comes up the sides of the pan about 1/2 of an inch.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F.
3. Toast your nuts/seeds in the oven for a few minutes until slightly golden. While you are doing this, make your “granola glue” or peanut butter sauce.
4. To make the “granola glue” or peanut butter sauce, combine agave and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Heat, while stirring, until the brown sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to a simmer and simmer for 1-2 minutes until evenly foamy/bubbly on top. Remove from the heat. Add one teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir (it will steam a bit). Add peanut butter and stir briskly until lumps are gone and the consistency is uniform.
5. Mix granola base (oats or cereal) with your toasted nuts/seeds and dried fruit. Pour peanut butter mixture over the top and stir until evenly distributed.
6. Pour mixture into pan (on parchment paper). Spread evenly and then press down in to the bottom of the pan. Press the granola together firmly. An extra sheet of parchment on top can help keep your hands from sticking.
7. Cut into bars (while still in the pan) before baking. (You'll need to cut again, but this first time makes the job much easier)
8. Bake for 20 minutes at 350F.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely (it will firm up as it cools) before cutting again.
10. Wrap bars in wax paper and store in a Ziploc bag or airtight container on the counter until consumed. These can be refrigerated; however, I haven’t tried freezing them yet.

Enjoy!

Berry Scones

Ok. My scones are blue. Maybe purple. It's possible that's because I used a different type of berry. Or my lack of patience for the art of "folding" the berries in could be to blame... it was really more of a "stir". But it doesn't really matter, does it? These scones taste wonderful! They are fluffy and just sweet enough. They are great with a cup of coffee or tea and would pair nicely with some vanilla soy ice cream.

I used the recipe Ali posted on her Whole Life Nutrition Facebook page. I substituted Earth Balance for the palm shortening, marionberries for the raspberries, vanilla soy milk for the hemp milk, and I was just a bit short on maple syrup so I topped off the measuring cup with agave nectar. I made these changes only because of the ingredients I had on hand at the time. I bet if you follow Ali's recipe and patiently fold in your berries they won't be blue! Or purple... 

Regardless of the color, they were very quick to prep and bake. Try them right away!

Smoked Tofu and Vegetable Pizza

I picked up a package of smoked tofu at the grocery store the other day. I have a love hate relationship with tofu. It is full of protein and a great meat replacement, but I have found very few recipes where tofu actually enhances the flavor of a dish.

Until now! Smoked tofu may very well be my new best friend. If you've never had smoked tofu, it actually resembles the texture and taste of a smoked cheese, which is prefect for trying to replace cheese or meat in a dish. It is firm, salty and, well, smoky. It was the perfect combination of textures and flavors.  Not soggy and no need to drain or press before using. My kids and husband snacked on slices as I made dinner. 

I found a vegan pizza site that has a Smoked Tofu and cheese pizza along with other delicious pizza recipes. I decided to make my own version and combine several of their pizza topping combinations.

The result was fantastic! A pizza you could serve to guests, vegan and non-vegan.

Give it a try, you'll love it!

Smoked Tofu and Vegetable Vegan Pizza

Ingredients:
½ recipe of your favorite pizza dough
½ cup tomato sauce
1/2 package smoked tofu, cut into small pieces
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 small red bell pepper, cut into narrow strips
1 cup small broccoli florets
1 small zucchini sliced
 ¾ cup grated vegan cheese ( like Veggie shreds Mozzarella & Romano blend)
 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the roasting pan
                

Makes 8 slices

Preheat oven to 500°F  for at least 30 minutes before baking your pizza (the pizza stone should be on the lowest rack position in your oven). Dust your pizza peel with flour or corn meal, and set aside.

Combine the bell pepper, broccoli, zucchini, tofu, mushrooms, and oil in a bowl. Stir together. Transfer vegetables into a roasting pan and place in oven until the vegetables are browned on some spots. About 4- 6 minutes.

Place the dough on prepared peel. Spread the sauce on the pizza dough and sprinkle evenly with the veggies and top with the cheese. Bush the edges of the crust with olive oil. Carefully transfer your pizza from peel to pizza stone, and bake for 10 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese is nicely melted. Remove from the oven and let stand for a minute before cutting.

Crispy Cajun Chickpea Cakes (gluten-free friendly)

These chickpea cakes are fantastic. They are a perfect fix when you want something crunchy and a little bit fried. But they don't leave you feeling guilty for eating crunchy fried food. I have made them a few times now, but needing to substitute the flour for a gluten-free variety has made it difficult to get the cakes to stick together. 

This time I tried chickpea flour (rather than brown rice flour) and they stuck together perfectly. I also didn't have celery or hot sauce, so I doubled the onion and substituted 1 tsp red curry paste. 

The author of this recipe, Vegan Dad, says to add salt and pepper to taste. I added 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp Herbamare, and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. 

I used 1 tsp olive oil for sauteing the onion and bell pepper and then 1 tsp per batch of cakes for frying.

You can find Vegan Dad's recipe at his blog.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Quinoa Cookies

Honestly, I don't do too much baking since learning of my gluten intolerance. I tried at first but I kept being disappointed with the outcome. I blamed the failed outcomes on my need to substitute ingredients in order to meet my vegan protocol. After all, gluten-free AND vegan can be challenging at times,and as I've mentioned, I'm just too busy to mess around with the non-essentials. Although... sometimes a cookie is an essential item!

Tonight I decided to put my trust in Karina at Gluten Free Goddess as she has never disappointed me before with her dinner items (more reviews to come). Her site is easy to navigate and has many recipes in each of her categories.

I am so pleased with how these cookies turned out. I have never baked with quinoa flakes, and now I must say... quinoa flakes are where it's at! These cookies were easy to make and the end result is the perfect combination of chewy and crunchy, as well as sweet and salty. They are perfect for dunking in a cup of vanilla soy milk or eating all on their own. 

                                    

I can't wait to bake these for unsuspecting gluten and animal product eaters!!   

Please check out Karina's recipe immediately!

I followed the recipe exactly, using Ener-g egg replacer for the eggs and Enjoy Life chocolate chips. Adding the water as she suggests turned out to be essential. My cookies ended up needing 5 tablespoons of water throughout the "rolling into a ball" process.