gluten free - Around My Family Table

Blackberry Almond Meal Muffins

May 10, 2013 · by ari · 6 Comments

Hi, it’s Ari again from Ari’s Menu. I’m so excited to be sharing these wonderful and healthy Blackberry Almond Meal Muffins with y’all this month.

Can we talk about muffins for a second? I have to say that I’m usually not a fan. Let’s be honest, they are usually a cupcake without frosting that we somehow call “breakfast”. And really, who wants to eat a cupcake with no frosting???

However, always one to get behind baked goods, I like my cupcakes to be cupcakes, and my muffins to be, well…not dessert.

Berries are coming back into season here in Arizona, and I am taking full advantage. I’m not necessarily the type to eat them straight from the container, but I LOVE them in baked goods. Blackberries are my very favorite with their distinct sweetness and bold flavor.

These Blackberry Almond Meal muffins could totally be your breakfast. They are packed with protein from the almond meal, stuffed to the brim with ripe berries, and only slightly sweet. They are soft and fluffy in a way you would never expect from almond meal muffins, and they disappear in about 4 seconds.

{Wendy here: I’m so excited to give these a try! They are naturally gluten free and vegan. Score for me and you too! I know you will love these too even if you don’t have any special dietary needs. Almond meal is so yummy and healthy. Make sure you head over to Ari’s Menu to check all her other great recipes with a healthy twist. I just love her site and I know you will too…besides her photography make you want to lick your screen! Haha}

Blackberry Almond Meal Muffins

These muffins could totally be your breakfast. They are packed with protein from the almond meal, stuffed to the brim with ripe berries, and only slightly sweet.

2 cups almond meal

3 tbsp corn starch

3/4 tsp baking powder

dash salt

3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/4 cup honey or agave

1/3 cup orange juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup fresh blackberries, chopped (preferably organic)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together almond meal, corn starch, baking powder and salt. Stir in almond milk, honey/agave, orange juice and extracts until combined. Fold in blackberries.

Fill muffin tins about 2/3 full. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

yield: about 1 dozen

http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2013/05/blackberry-almond-meal-muffins/

Filed Under: breakfasts, contributors, dairy free, df breakfasts, gf breakfasts, gluten free, sweet · Tagged: breakfast, contributor, dairy free, fruit, gluten free, muffins, vegan

An Easy Side Dish Recipe That’s NOT From My Garden

May 3, 2013 · by christine · 7 Comments

Spring is here and so is Christine from Cook the Story bringing you a quick and easy side dish recipe full of bright spring flavors and colors: Oven Roasted Radishes with Peas and Dill. First, she has a funny little story to tell about her troubles in the garden and check out her post all about properly cooking radishes too!

Spring has sprung!

Gloriously, the peas that my son and I planted also did some springing up.

And then most of them did some springing down. (Yup, the died).

The carrots didn’t make it either.

As you’ve already guessed, I’m not a great gardener. I used to be a mediocre one when I had more time (i.e., before I had kids). Since then though, every single live green thing that has entered my house has vacated it in a shriveled brown state.

You see, I don’t really enjoy gardening. I used to do it because I loved the fresh organic produce that arrived in my kitchen as a result of the work. But I didn’t relish the process. Therefore, when free time began to evaporate, gardening (and keeping house plants alive) became a low priority.

Why then, you might ask, when my son enthusiastically declared that he wanted to plant a garden, did I enthusiastically respond with, “Yes! Let’s go choose some seeds from the hardware store!”

Why did I buy him a little notebook for us to write down our observations?

Why did I start taking pictures of every part of the process and tape them into his notebook?

Didn’t I realize that at some point I would be adding pictures of brown dead things and that I would be writing down the following words from my son’s mouth:

“The peas died.

They wanted more water but we forgot to water them.

And they didn’t like the sun.

It burned them brown.”

He was pretty sad about it. But he’s 5. His emotions change quickly. The next day he seemed to have forgotten his sadness entirely and was just plain delighted to discover and devour the very first red cherry tomato from our tomato plant.

What my son has learned from this gardening experience is very different from the “How long does a seed take to sprout” kind of thing that I expected.

Instead, he’s learned how hard it is to keep something alive.

He’s learned how much goes into one perfect cherry tomato and what a wondrous thing that little globe really is.

He’s learned how precious the life of a new plant really is.

He’s also learned not to take gardening lessons from his mom. But that’s o.k.. I wasn’t enjoying them that much anyhow.

Maybe next year his dad will take over. And then, if I know those two guys, they’ll probably learn how to design a self-watering garden with a retractable roof.

And now, here is my easy side dish recipe packed with spring flavors and colors, flavors and colors that have not come from our gardening efforts but from plastic packets and from the freezer section of the grocery store. Still tastes good though!

Oven-Roasted Radishes with Peas and Dill

In this easy side dish recipe you are actually cooking radishes. And they are l-o-v-e-l-y. The short roasting time leaves them with a little crunch but mellows out their flavor so they’re not quite as spicy. This is a great recipe for introducing radishes to kids (or to people who think they don’t like radishes). The reduced heat is easier for them and, if they don’t like the radishes, they can always eat the peas! ~Christine

1 lb radishes, washed and trimmed of both ends (larger ones cut in half)

1 tbsp olive oil

kosher or other coarse salt

black pepper

1 cup frozen green peas

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

1/2 of a lemon, cut into 4 wedges

Preheat the oven to 450ºF.

In a medium baking pan, rattle the radishes around with the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a dash of black pepper. Put the pan into the preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, clatter the frozen peas into a medium bowl and then drown them with hot tap water. Let them stay under until defrosted, 3-5 minutes. Drain and pat dry with a kitchen towel.

Remove the pan from the oven. Add the defrosted peas to the radishes. Rattle the pan again and then put it back into the oven for 2 minutes (just to heat the peas through.

Remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle everything with the dill and another 1/4 teaspoon of coarse salt. Snuggle in the lemon wedges and serve.

Serves 4

http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2013/05/oven-roasted-radishes-with-peas-and-dill/

Filed Under: contributors, df sides, gf sides, side dishes, veggies · Tagged: contributor, dairy free, gluten free, side dish, vegan, vegetables

Slow Cooker Snack Mix

April 23, 2013 · by amft · 7 Comments

Have you heard that Iron Man 3 is coming out soon? Another movie with Robert Downey Jr. {swoon} Well, my friend Ashely from Cruncy Frugalista got invited out to the premiere and hang with MY sweetie and left me here to make this slow cooker snack mix.

So not fair! So not fair! But I’m so over-the-moon happy that she gets to go and walk the red carpet…isn’t that every girls’ dream?

So, instead of hanging with Robert, I drug out my slow cooker and cooked up this delicious snack mix. Which, was a brilliant idea, I might add. I think this will be the perfect snack for when I actually get to see this movie. I probably won’t get to see it in the theater, my little ones make it hard….so Hubbyman and I will have a date night at home when it goes to video!

Making the snack in the slow cooker keeps my house from heating up in the HOT Phoenix summers. Really, keeping the oven off totally helps keep the house cooler….you’d be surprised.

My snack mix is gluten free, dairy free, and vegan but easily lends itself to making it with traditional ingredients. I think the flavor is PERFECT….just the right amount of seasoning, “butter”, and salt. Honestly, after I took these pictures I ended up having to hide it from myself because I couldn’t stop eating it. Hubbyman would have been mad if I didn’t save him some.

Head over to Crunchy Frugalista, say hi, and grab the recipe. Make sure you mention to her that she needs to at least share a picture of Robert Downey Jr. with me. Thanks for your help! ;-) Go now….run, don’t walk over to see the recipe on Ashley’s site…go now! Now I tell ya! What are you waiting for?

If you do try it, I’d love to hear what you think and how the slow cooker worked out for you!

Filed Under: appetizers, dairy free, df appetizers, df snacks, gf appetizers, gf snacks, gluten free, slow cooker, snacks · Tagged: dairy free, gluten free, slow cooker, snack, vegan

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Bars

April 15, 2013 · by amft · 4 Comments

I love a good bake sale, don’t you? I almost always make cupcakes. They are easy for me to throw together and they turn out beautiful. I decided to change things up a bit and create an allergy friendly candy bar. These homemade chocolate peanut butter candy bars are super delicious and easy to make that you will have to keep yourself from eating the whole pan. {Don’t ask me how I know!}

Crunchy!

Peanut Buttery!

Chocolaty!

Seriously….is there anything better in this world? It’s the perfect balance of all things good!

I’m working on a series of projects with Fleischmann’s Yeast and Karo Syrup, so I’m so excited to share this second recipe with y’all. (Make sure you check out the first recipe….Gluten Free Bacon Herb Foccacia Bread.) I think you will totally love it. I had no idea that Fleischmann’s Yeast has been around for over 140 years! Yep, they have been giving home bakers confidence in their scratch recipes since 1868. I know my mom used it when I was growing up, so it’s a product that I have been using since I moved out on my own….along with Karo Corn Syrup. My mom always used it to make pecan pie at the holidays and so it’s really the only brand I buy. Luckily, it’s the only leading national brand of corn syrup that contains 0 grams of high fructose corn syrup.

So, what do you think? Do you see these homemade chocolate peanut butter candy bars at your next bake sale? Trust me….everyone will think you are the best for bringing these. {Promise}

Homemade Candy Bars

6 cups gluten free cornflakes cereal

1 cup sugar

1 cup Karo® Light Corn Syrup

2 cups creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup (dairy free) white chocolate chips

1 (12 oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (most are dairy free, just double check)

Place cornflakes in a ziptop bag and crush with rolling pin or hands until fine; set aside. Line 13 x 9-inch pan with foil; spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and peanut butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Heat mixture, stirring constantly, just until bubbles form around edges. Remove from heat and stir in white chocolate chips until melted. Add crushed cornflakes and mix well.

Spread into prepared pan, pressing into corners. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes until chips have melted (or place under hot broiler for 60 seconds). Evenly spread chocolate over the peanut butter layer.

Refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes to set the chocolate. Lift foil out of pan and cut into bars.

http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2013/04/homemade-chocolate-peanut-butter-candy-bars/

Adapted from Believe It or Not Candy Bars on the Karo Syrup site! And check out the Fleischmann’s Yeast virtual bake sale on their Facebook page (make sure to create your own virtual bake sale while you are there).

Disclaimer: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for ACH Food Companies Inc. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.

Filed Under: brownies/bars, candy, desserts, df desserts, ef desserts, gf desserts, spon · Tagged: chocolate, dairy free, desserts, gluten free, peanut butter

Espresso and Sea Salt Cookies

April 12, 2013 · by melissa · 12 Comments

Espresso and Sea Salt cookies are the perfect sweet and salty treat. My name is Melissa and I am so excited to be a new contributor here at Around My Family Table. I am the owner of The Baked Equation in Phoenix and have a passion for nutrition. I can’t wait to delve into a new area of recipe development. More and more as a baker I am being asked if I make treats that are gluten-free, dairy-free, or egg-free. This can be quite the challenge.

Allergies are becoming quite the plague in our culture. Many people have to change their diets radically. Many parents and adults scramble to find little treats that they can indulge in once in a while. While allergies to food can be difficult, it is causing people to ask good questions about the ingredients in the foods they are eating. Food is the fuel for our bodies and our bodies were never meant to handle the chemical overload that is being placed on them today.

When making gluten free desserts, I love to add cinnamon. I think the cinnamon helps cut the after taste that you can sometimes get from gluten-free flour combinations. Don’t be afraid to change up the recipe. For example, if you do not like a strong coffee flavor in desserts, change the Via amount from 2 tablespoons to 1 tablespoon. Did you know that coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate?

Enjoy!

You can find Melissa here as well: The Baked Equation, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter

Espresso and Sea Salt Cookies

You'd never know these delicious Espresso & Sea Salt Cookies were gluten free, dairy free, and vegan. Moist and full of flavor!

2 Cups Cup4Cup Gluten Free Flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup organic earth balance spread

2 tbls. Starbucks Via {I used the Tribute blend}

1 cup powdered sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips {dairy free}

½ tsp vanilla

¼ cup mashed banana

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 or 3 baking sheets with Silpat mat or parchment paper.

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a small bowl combine banana and vanilla.

Using a stand mixer, beat earth balance with Via powder until well combined. Add powdered sugar and brown sugar. Beat until combined. Mix in the flour mixture in small amounts until fully combined. Mix in chocolate chips on low.

Place in an airtight container overnight. **Don’t sample dough late at night, you might find yourself wide awake!

Remove container from refrigerator and let in come to room temp. Using an ice cream scoop, make cookie balls. Roll the dough in organic sugar. Place on the cookie sheet. With the palm of your hand, flatten the cookie dough.

Cook for 10-14 minutes depending on the size of the cookies and oven.

©Around My Family Table

http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2013/04/espresso-and-sea-salt-cookies/

Filed Under: contributors, cookies, dairy free, desserts, df desserts, ef desserts, egg free, gf desserts, gluten free · Tagged: chocolate, coffee, cookies, dairy free, desserts, egg free, gluten free

Greek Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

April 10, 2013 · by amft · 5 Comments

I love Greek salads, my girlfriends and I hit our local Greek restaurant once a month or so for their salads. I decided it was time to come up with a tasty alternative for home and this vinaigrette dressing sure did hit the spot! It goes great on a green salad, pasta salad, over chunky raw veggies, and even as a marinade.

Can I tell about the happy dance I’ve been doing since I figured out I can tolerate goat’s milk. So far so good….so I’m going for it and making this Greek Vinaigrette over and over again. It’s so good! {Side Note: If you are dairy free, make sure you double…no triple…check that you are actually getting goat’s milk feta and not cow’s milk feta.}

My friends over at Zyliss sent me some fun kitchen tools to try out and they are so awesome! Seriously, I have love Zyliss products since I bought my first gadget from them about 5 years ago. In fact, when I was trying to figure out which gadgets to try out it was hard to find ones that I didn’t already own…but never fear, I did find this awesome Shake ‘n Pour Dressing Maker and a couple other goodies.

Zyliss was founded in Switzerland in 1948 with the first product…a garlic press. They continue to produce innovative and quality products which has led them to be an internationally respected company. I think the first Zyliss product I bought was the garlic press and I still use it today. It’s one tool I can’t live without!

This Shake ‘n Pour made quick work of this already easy salad dressing. Seriously, there is no reason why YOU can’t make your own salad dressing…especially this amazing Greek Vinaigrette!

Greek Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Easy Greek Vinaigrette Salad Dressing hits the spot with the craving for a good restaurant-style Greek salad hits!

2 tbls red wine vinegar

2 tbls fresh lemon juice

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (goat's milk)

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine everything in jar and shake to combine or use the Zyliss Shake 'n Pour Dressing Maker to make it even easier!

http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2013/04/greek-vinaigrette-salad-dressing/

Get Zyliss products from their online store, Amazon, or in a quality kitchen tool store near you.

Disclaimer: Zyliss provided me with some kitchen gadgets to play with. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: condiments, dairy free, df salads, df sauces/mixes, gf salads, gf sauces/mixes, gluten free, how to, kitchen gadgets, review, salads, sauces/mixes, vegetarian, veggies · Tagged: condiments, dairy free, dressing, gluten free, salad

Firecracker Green Beans

March 27, 2013 · by amft · 12 Comments

If you have figured it out, I love recreating my favorite restaurant dishes at home. One of our favorite BBQ places is none other than Famous Dave’s BBQ. One of my new favorites when we go are the Firecracker Green Beans. They are always perfectly cooked with a hint of bacon and a little bit spicy.

Last weekend we were cooking up about 10 lbs of St. Louis Style ribs and I got this the urge to figure out this recipe. Turns out…it is super easy and full of flavor. They went perfect with those ribs, but I can see them being a great side dish for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and picnics.

You know my philosophy on bacon right? It makes everything better! The quickest way is to cook the bacon on the stove for this recipe (you’re gonna need that bacon grease). However, if you plan on doing a huge batch of beans or want to make the bacon in advance, then bake the bacon in oven and store the cooled grease in the fridge until it’s time to make the beans. Chop the cooled bacon and store in a ziptop baggie in the fridge until ready to use.

The beans have the perfect amount of kick. Not a fan of spicy? I promise it’s not too spicy the way it’s written and even my non-spicy family members loved these. Of course, if you are a huge fan of spicy (ahem….like your’s truly) then feel free to add a bit more crushed red pepper flakes.

Firecracker Green Beans

Perfectly cooked and full of flavor from the bacon, onions, and peppers....these Firecracker Green Beans are the PERFECT side dish!

1 pound green beans

4 slices of bacon, cooked (grease reserved)

~2 tbs bacon grease

1/2 large onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 jalapeno, seeded, deviened, and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp salt

Ground black pepper

Snap the stem ends of the green beans, wash, and set aside.

Cook bacon in a large skillet until fully cooked and crisp. Remove bacon from pan to drain on paper towels.

Add chopped onion, red pepper, and jalapeno to bacon grease in a skillet over medium heat and cook just until the onions have softened and starting to caramelize. Add the garlic and cook for a minute.

Add the green beans and cook until the beans turn bright green, about a minute or so. Add the chicken broth, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat to low and cover the skillet with a lid (leave the lid cracked slightly to allow steam to escape). Cook until the liquid evaporates and the beans are fairly soft, but still a bit crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.

Roughly chop cooled bacon and top finished beans before serving!

http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2013/03/firecracker-green-beans/

Filed Under: christmas, df holidays, df sides, easter, ef holidays, ef sides, gf holidays, gf sides, holidays and activities, side dishes, thanksgiving, veggies · Tagged: beans, dairy free, gluten free, side dish

Irish Tacos

March 18, 2013 · by amft · 11 Comments

Got leftover corned beef from yesterday’s festivities? Honestly, I don’t know why you would, but on the off chance that you didn’t gobble up all that corned beef, I have the perfect leftover idea. Make Irish Tacos!

Only a girl who is part Irish, who married an Irish man, that lives in the Southwest would think to combine these two. I know it may sound a bit odd, but trust me on this one…I have steered you wrong yet?

I know I have mentioned one too many times that we LOVE St. Patrick’s Day at our house. We go all out for the kids and then make a big ol’ pot of corned beef and cabbage with a side of soda bread.

A few fried potatoes, leftover corned beef, sauerkraut (or cabbage…fresh or cooked), Swiss cheese, and a little Russian dressing is all you need besides some corn tortillas. It’s almost like a Reuben, but not quite. The corn tortilla and potatoes add a nice twist. I added a few chopped green onions for some freshness and color, but you totally don’t have too.

And if you don’t have any leftover corned beef or didn’t make any…this will be just as tasty with the pre-cooked package of corned beef found in many grocery store deli sections…just heat for about two minutes and you’ve got yourself a nice bowl of beef!

So…I forgot to add the cheese to the pictures, because I had to leave it off my tacos. However, Hubbyman had one with cheese and one without and said it was wonderful both ways. So it’s really up to you on how to personalize these tacos.

Other Great Ideas for Leftover Corned Beef

Corned Beef Canapes
Grilled Reuben Sandwiches

Irish Tacos

These Irish Tacos are a great way to use up leftover corned beef from St. Patrick's Day or for any time you crave a little of that corned beef flavor without a heavy meal!

1 lb corned beef

8 corn tortillas

8 slices Swiss cheese

1 20oz package diced potatoes with onion (I used Simply Potatoes brand..or cut up your own potatoes)

1 tbls oil

sauerkraut*

Russian Dressing

green onions, chopped (opt)

Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add potatoesand cook 10 minutes without stirring. Turn potatoes, continue to cook 7 to 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Warm leftover corned beef in microwave until heated through. Right before potatoes are done warm tortillas for about 30 seconds in microwave.

On top each tortilla add one slice of cheese, 1/4 cup potatoes, 2 oz meat, and then top with sauerkraut, dressing and green onions.

* Instead of sauerkraut feel free to try leftover cooked cabbage or even shredded fresh cabbage.

http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2013/03/irish-tacos/

Filed Under: beef, ef main dishes, gf main dishes, gluten free, holidays and activities, main dishes, st. patrick's day · Tagged: beef, corned beef, gluten free, St Patrick's Day, supper, tacos

Homemade Gluten Free Bread

March 6, 2013 · by amft · 2 Comments

I love the smell of bread rising and then baking in the oven. I love grinding my grinds and the pleasure I get something I created without any funky ingredients. That all came to a screeching halt about 3 months ago. I had to sell my wheat grinder (such a sad, sad day) and start buying $6 loaves of bread that tasted like cardboard. Making Homemade Gluten Free Bread was a top priority for me if this new phase of life was going to go well.

It’s been a hard lesson on how to work with all these new gluten free flours and cooking is so much different, but since I figured out my Master Gluten Free Mix I was able to figure out how to make bread. {Oh Happy Day!}

Not only did I have to figure out how to make gluten free bread, it had to be dairy free and egg free. That causes it’s own issues, but the results are pretty much amazing! Is it just like wheat bread? No! Would it be better with egg? Of course! But it works for me and I know there are other people out there allergic to wheat and eggs.

If you can have eggs, then feel free to add them back in. It will be great!

Homemade Gluten Free Bread

yield:3 loaves

Homemade Gluten Free Bread

Perfect gluten free bread from scratch!

8 cups GF Master Blend

1 tbls xanthan gum

2 tbls yeast

2 tbls salt

3 1/2 cups water

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup honey or agave

2 tbls egg replacer mixed with 1 1/2 cups water (or 6 eggs)

Preheat oven to 200F.

Combine flour, xanthan gum, yeast, and salt in a mixer** with cookie paddles attached. Add remaining ingredients and mix well on low speed. Batter will be very wet, like the consistency of muffin batter.

Spoon batter into pans (about 1lb 10oz per loaf). Gently shape lumpy batter into a smooth top (make it look like bread). Turn off oven and allow dough to rise in warm oven for 30 minutes.

Remove pans from oven, turn oven back on to 350F, and bake 55-60 minutes or until golden brown.

**Note: This recipe was made in a Bosch mixer. Feel free to use a different mixer, just know that you may need to halve the recipe so that you don't burn out the motor.

http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2013/03/homemade-gluten-free-bread/

Recipe adapted from a recipe I got in a GF cooking class.