Gluten Free

date filled butter cookie

by spabettie on February 22, 2012

in baking,Dessert,Gluten Free,recipes,Vegan

Gosh I miss you guys. Yes, you. and you. You too. All of you.

I am hoping to have a bit more of a normal schedule soon, but right now I am absolutely happy to be able to do what I am doing. Helping my dad, taking care of things for him right now, making sure he has everything he wants and needs, I cannot imagine it any other way. This is my Most Important Thing right now.

Thank you all again for your continued thoughts, prayers, support and messages. All of it makes me smile, makes my day, and is truly appreciated. So many of you ask about his progress – he has completed his first round of chemo and is feeling GOOD now that it is done. Routine doctor appointments and one 3am emergency trip to the ER have been the routine this week (well, I’m hoping the ER visits are not routine!) and things are getting back into a groove. My nursing skills are pretty dang efficient at this point, and time and again I am shown I keep calm under pressure and during big events, which is one of those things you never really know until it is put to the test.

I’m doing pretty good.

I deserve a cookie.

I know I often say ‘this recipe is my favorite’ or “make this today, please”! This time, really, I mean it. I meant it all the other times too… but this one, really. I love this cookie. Jason loves this cookie. All the CICU nurses at Providence Portland love this cookie (and not just because they enjoyed three batches of them).

date filled butter cookies

makes 20-24 cookies

gluten, dairy, egg and soy free, vegan

1 cup butter (Earth Balance soy free)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water
2 cups flour (gluten free ap)
1/4 cup milk (vanilla almond)

Cream together butter, sugar and water. Stir in flour 1/2 cup at a time, adding milk by the tablespoon as necessary. Combine until dough forms, do not over mix. Knead into a ball, cool in refrigerator 10 minutes. Forming cookies: first, roll one inch pieces of dough into ball, second, flatten and fill with date paste, third, pinch four sides together into a square.

Place on prepared baking sheet, bake at 300 for 25 minutes.

date paste

1 pound Medjool dates, pitted
1 cup water
zest of 1 small lemon

In saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients, stirring/mashing until dates break down to paste consistency and water is absorbed. Cool completely before filling cookies.

Make this cookie. For me? For you.

curried lentil soup with cauliflower croutons

by spabettie on February 15, 2012

in Dinner,Gluten Free,recipes,Vegan

All of the sudden, Portland is cold. Jason and I spent all Valentines day together, going to breakfast, running errands, walking the dog… you know, comforting togetherness. All day, though, both of us kept talking about how cold it was (and Jason is never cold!). Coming home after Valentines dinner out, there was ice on the ground where we live.

Portland finally got it’s winter! That means all kinds of comforting soups and lots of slow cooker action. While our favorite soup continues to be my African peanut, we like all kinds of soup around here.

I always like my soups to have some kind of crunchy garnish, so this curried lentil soup comes with cauliflower croutons.

Yeah, I could eat a whole pan of that. I will even admit that I have. Oops. Yes, I had to make another batch for a recipe. It was worth the drive back to the store…

See these recipes on Foodie.

baileys and black tea and french toast

by spabettie on February 14, 2012

in Breakfast,cocktails,Gluten Free,recipes,Valentines Day,Vegan

I have told you about the time we were able to get almost the whole first class cabin of a flight to change their drink order to Baileys and coffee. Baileys and coffee was also a standard mid morning indulgence when we were snowed in for three weeks a few years back. We’d go on walks in the snow, come back home, start a fire and enjoy a coffee.

I have a new favorite Baileys drink!

Baileys and black tea.

Served in the ceramic version of my favorite New York deli cup. Everything tastes better in the New York deli cup.

Very easy, really. Not even a recipe.

I brewed my favorite black tea. I added a couple shots of my homemade Baileys to it.

Mmm, this is my newest obsession. I may have to wait until Saturday to enjoy this as a Valentines breakfast… and I’ll have to wait until my nursing shift is over, but we will have this with breakfast.

We will also have french toast.

You can just go ahead and make an extra cup of Baileys and tea, then use part of it for the french toast batter. Then, you know, enjoy the rest. Cheers!

baileys and black tea french toast

dairy, egg and gluten free, vegan

makes six pieces

1/2 container (6 ounces) silken tofu
2 shots Baileys Irish Cream*
1/3 cup steeped black tea
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla
6 pieces your favorite gluten free bread

*substitute Baileys (and tea) for your choice of milk – I have made this with coconut milk

Combine all ingredients in food processor. Thin with more liquid as necessary (silken tofu varies in consistency). Pour into shallow bowl, dip bread pieces into batter and cook on a griddle over medium heat, a minute or two on each side, until cooked through and golden.

Serve with coconut spread (or butter), maple syrup and fresh fruit. Earth Balance coconut spread melts just like butter, and is so tasty good.

Being mainly gluten free and vegan, I used to think french toast was just not going to be. Oh how I love french toast – and it’s one thing that reminds me of great breakfasts shared with Grandpa Z.

I can once again make french toast – this is as good as any I’ve ever had. Great for a Valentines, or the Saturday following…

Happy Valentines Day!

wasabi peanut butter cups

February 13, 2012

I made several flavors of peanut butter cups for Valentines Day. For a step by step photo tutorial (and to see some detailed Earth chocolates), click here. For the following recipes, refer to that method when reading directions. Peanut butter cups are easy to make, using very few ingredients, and can be made tonight, in [...]

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cooler cleanse

February 10, 2012

I recently finished another cleanse, this one was three days, plus a week of raw eating my own meals after. This way of eating is so good for me, makes me feel good and extremely energetic. After we celebrate Valentines and finish up all the pink treats, I am doing another one. I will be [...]

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cream cheese brownie fudge

February 9, 2012

I have had an unstoppable brownie craving recently. I’m giving in to it. Just when I thought that salted caramel was the best thing to swirl into my new brownie fudge, I had another craving – cheesecake flavor. I have always loved a pastry with sweet cream cheese filling. I had to give into that [...]

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pomegranate cranberry hearts

February 9, 2012

Today I bring you yet another Valentines treat (I think I declared it Valentines Week?). As rich and flavorful as this recipe is, it is also very easy, and no bake. Even if you do not make the bars heart shaped, it is already appropriately colored for Valentines. Naturally and vibrantly colored. If you do [...]

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saffron doughnuts with rosewater icing

February 8, 2012

Here I am with another pink and yellow dessert. I have had the flavors of this doughnut in my head for a while. I couldn’t wait to taste it, and I have to say, they are as good as I imagined they would be. These will be a unique and decadent Valentines breakfast or dessert [...]

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Meyer lemon mousse in chocolate cups

February 6, 2012

I cannot stop making chocolate shot glasses. I’m not a big fan of white chocolate, but I am a fan of pink. I am a fan of Valentines Day. Lemon is one of my favorite flavors for light, fresh desserts. But if I am honest, I have to say I chose lemon so I could [...]

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pink thumbprints with whiskey ganache

February 3, 2012

Now that February is here, I can really start celebrating Valentines and all things pink. Once I saw the beautiful color that comes from beet juice, I started coloring everything pink. I am also drinking a lot of beet juice. The juice balances out all the desserts we are enjoying. I am super excited about [...]

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